Playing Pretend

The other day Brooke started playing pretend. She pretends to make food, eat the food, put her babies night night, and feed her babies. It is so cute! Just another reminder how big she is getting.

New recipes and old recipes

In the spirit of the holidays I have been baking and cooking up a storm. My kitchen is always a disaster and today is no exception. I have an ornament exchange tonight with some fabulous women and I decided to bring buffalo chicken dip and a veggie platter with dip. The buffalo dip is to die for and I make it a lot, so I though I would share. For the dip to go with the veggies, I wanted to make something different; I'm tired of ranch, green onion, or french onion dip, so after a little searching I found three AMAZING dips that you must try.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

• 1 cup of ranch
• 1 cup of Buffalo Wing Sauce ( I have used hooters and Franks Red Hot Wing Sauce)
  
• 20 oz. of cooked, chopped shredded chicken (I usually boil 2 chicken breast or you can use 2 10oz cans of chicken- although I have never tried it with can chicken.)
• 2 cups of cheddar cheese
• 2 8oz blocks of cream cheese softened

Directions:

First I blend the ranch, buffalo sauce, and cream cheese together. Then add the chicken and cheese. Mix ingredients together and put into an oven safe casserole dish. Bake (350-400°F) until bubbly. Serve with Fritos.

(The temperature doesn’t matter, you’re just trying to heat it through. So if you have other stuff in the oven that needs to be at a certain temp, just go with it.)

It is delicious and really hits the spot if you love buffalo sauce.

Veggie Dips

Cheddar Bacon Dip

(I doubled the recipe, because after making it, there wasn't enough)

• 1 package (3-oz size) cream cheese softened
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
• 1 slice bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon parsley dried

Directions:

In a small mixer bowl with the mixer at low speed, beat cream cheese, mayonnaise and heavy cream for 2 minutes or until smooth, stopping mixer to scrape sides of bowl a few times.

Add Cheddar cheese and beat for 1 minute.

Add bacon bits, Worcestershire sauce and parsley flakes. Beat until well mixed. Place dip in a pretty bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes before serving.


Pesto Veggie Dip

• 1 container (7 ounce size) prepared basil pesto
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Place pesto, cream cheese, sour cream and Parmesan cheese in food processor or blender; cover. Process until creamy and chill until ready to serve.

Spicy Dip

• 1 package Good Seasons Italian dressing
• 2 (8oz) packages cream cheese
• 1 can of Rotel

Directions:

Cream salad dressing and cream cheese. Slowly mix in the Rotel. Chill for an hour before serving. The more this sits the better it gets. I would suggest making a few hours ahead of serving time. If you don't like things too spicy I would suggest buying the mild Rotel.

I can't explain how easy and yummy these dips are. ENJOY!

Around this time, I also bake and I have been making these cookies since Kyle and I were married. I though I would share the yummy Monster Cookie Recipe. You can find the original here.

Monster Cookies

(I add a little extra M'Ms and chocolate chips!)

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 cup mm's
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  
• 1/4 cup raisins, optional
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, raisins, if using, baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Where are your eyes!

Last month I realized that Brooke knew all the parts of her face. I have been meaning to get it up here in November, because I was afraid she wouldn't preform for me- sometimes she gets bored after doing something over and over again. This never grows old for her though. We think she is pretty smart!

She loves to get inside baskets and what not and she is only in a diaper because she made a mess after dinner.

14 months

Brooke's first trip to the zoo was on November 6, 2011 at the

Chaffee Zoo in Fresno with her cousins Abby, Adam, and Madison and Grandma and Mommy.

I can't believe that it has been 3 months since my last blog. I have wanted to come on here and let you all know how fun Brooke is and everything we are experiencing as parents, but our family has been overwhelmed with school, work, traveling, and family that everything is lacking in our lives; we haven't taken pictures of her, been able to be in the Word, menu planning is just starting up again, I haven't worked out, laundry is piling up, I have 453 emails to look at, and so much more. But as of today, school is pretty much done and I can now catch up on blogging, making bows, her baby book, and hopefully a work out!

Feeding the giraffe. She was a little unsure so I helped.

She was so happy when she saw the animals, she starting clapping

Let’s talk about the cutest little mini mite I have ever seen! She is now 14 months old and talking up a storm. She said her first sentence, "Hello dada!" the other day and it was adorable. She really emphasizes the O and it is too cute! Others words she can say are, more, bye, sippy, shhhhh, woof, momma, dada, poppa, bobo aka Bernard, and I can't think of anything else. She is pretty good and communicating what she wants- she can sign all done, more, please, thank you, and help me. Sometimes she mixes up more and help me, but I understand. She

loves to sit on Bernard and she loves to talk on the phone. She seems so short and it is so cute to watch her run around the room. She LOVES to eat; I think she could do it all day and never be full. She still isn't a fan of watermelon, but is starting to enjoy turkey and chicken more, as well as milk and green beans. She has been more interested in using a spoon lately and can do a pretty good job. It works best if I help her get the food on her spoon, because she usually can’t get the food on her spoon and pretty soon she is back to using her fingers. I have been having a hard time figuring out her nap schedule. She can go down at 9:30am still, but she has a hard time taking that afternoon nap and then is just grumpy most of the day. I have to push her past 10:30am by using snacks and then she is fine, but when I put her down for her one nap at 12:30 she has a bowel movement consistently and 1:30pm and usually can not go back to sleep. She is asleep now and I am hoping that she will go down for a short second nap this afternoon.

Playing with Bernard when we decorated for Christmas on November 8, 2011

She also can nod her head yes or no, but prefers to say no. Some things that we are struggling with and would love some advice is she likes to hit. She hits us when she is upset or hits others when she says no. We reprimand her, but she is still doing it. She likes to test us all the time; we put a gate around the Christmas tree and even though we kept telling her no and taking her away from the tree, she kept going back. Last night I was doing school and she was wondering around as usual. I saw her stop in front of the fireplace and look at me. I looked up at her and gave her the look; she then turned around and touched it. I got up to scold her and she ran off. After her little scolding I looked at Kyle and starting laughing- the look on her face before she touched the fireplace was priceless.

She loves to dance and will lie on the floor and watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Sesame Street with us. She is so much fun and it is amazing how much she is teaching us about ourselves, Jesus and his love for us, and how to be a parent.

She strutted around wearing her Santa hat. It was so cute!

Hopefully today I will be able to post some stuff about Halloween, her birthday, and thanksgiving too!

Thanks for reading!

Walking and 11 months

We went to Disneyland at the end of July, but I hadn't had a chance to share this with everyone. I think it turned out so cute!

I have not been very good about blogging this month, but I am hoping that after the heat wave is through, I will have a bigger desire to get on the computer.

Brookelyn turns 11 months in two days, which is crazy it has been that long. It is amazing how fast each year seems to be going as I get older. I remember when I was a little kid and summers seem to last forever! Now they are gone in the blink of an eye. The next couple months are crazy for our family; I am planning a bridal shower for a dear friend next month and then also planning Brookelyn's first birthday. We are going to celebrate her birthday here in San Diego around her actual birthday with friends, but then we are planning a big party with friends and family the same weekend as my friends wedding. We are so excited about celebrating with all of our family and friends this very special day for Brookelyn. I have decided that I will have a little bit more fun with this birthday party then the next ones, but still trying to keep the cost minimal. I making a lot of my own things: cupcake stand, cake, center pieces, games, and asking friends to bring different sides.

Now lets get to the most important part of this blog, Brooke! She has become such a big girl this month, it makes me tear up! She sits and reads her books, saying lots of words and sounds, another tooth, and of course, walking. One of her favorite games is to pull out her books and thumb through the pages. Her favorite toy is her stroller and the rings she has had since she was a baby. She still goes to bed around 7:30pm and still wakes up at 5:50 am...on the dot! Every once in awhile she will sleep past six, but for the most part we are up with the sun. Kyle and I take turns getting out of bed with her and then we put her in her play pen and give her some toys and turn on Play with me Sesame for about 30 minutes. This gives us just the right amount of time to wake up and sometimes catch a few more Zzzzs.

Watching the penguins at Sea World

I am nursing her on average three times a day. There has been days where it has only been twice and then right before her second tooth came in it was back up to four. The night before her second tooth came in, she also slept in until 7:00 am. I remember waking up and wondering if she was okay, but I didn't want to wake her. It felt so nice to sleep that extra hour, I made pancakes that day!

Kissing her baby

The beginning of the month she took off with her walking and around the 12th she was up to four steps. Then, it just stopped and I wasn't sure what was going on until that tooth came in. I had read that develoment is paused when teeth are coming and sure enough, the same day her tooth came through she started showing more signs of walking. Her right leg was dragging behind her for awihle as well and I wasn't sure if I should have her hips checked out, but as soon as the tooth came in her hips started turning evenly and that right leg is not longer lagging behind. Today she was going everywhere; walking between things and for the first time she took two steps and when she got off balance instead of falling she rebalanced and stood and then took another step. Her biggest problem is that she doesn't walk, she runs! This makes it very hard for her to get her balance and she is only able to take so many steps.
She started saying tickle, tickle this month and does the hand motion with it. She also can sign more and all done. She tries to say thank you, but can only get out the 'th' sound- I know what she means though. She jibber jabbers all the time and I love to hear her talk to everything around her.

She looks like such a big girl in this picture

I introduced her to a small amount of cheese this month and also some tomato. I made her a marinara sauce mostly out of carrots, but it also had tomato, a little onion, cheese and basil. I put orzo past in it becuase it was the perfect size. She loved it and I made it chunky enough that she could eat it with her hands. Her favorite food is still avocado and banana. We also are giving her regualr oatmeal now and she loves that. I will make it in the morning for me and then stir in fruit for her and she can also pick it up with her fingers. She sill hasn't wanted to try eating with her spoon, so for now we are a big mess!

Here is a video of her walking tonight. She has been doing this length all day, but we recreated it for the camera. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KTZM6bIQ-o

Dancing

She loves to dance. She does it all the time and it is so cute!

Her favorite game

Brooke is really into giving us stuff right now and taking things in and out of bags and baskets. It is so funny! She is so much fun!!!