Look at me...

Our little Lola Belle is 2 months old. 

She is the easiest baby for sure. She just sleeps..all the time. She wakes to eat and smile for a bit then back to snoozing. She had her shots. She just started to sucking her thumb.  Cute girl. it's pretty cute to see her sucking away on her tiny thumb.

 And this cute 5 year old wanted her hair cut. Doesn't she look so grownup. We went to the kindergarten fair on Saturday...So not ready for that!

 My loves!

 And a recipe for  you who like 'em. Those cookies over there look pretty awesome, right? They look normal...they taste normal...they smell better than normal. And...they don't have eggs. Seriously, they don't. I often finding myself wanting a sweet treat and sometimes don't have eggs-a key ingredient. Well, i have a recipe for cake with out eggs. It's called a "depression cake" and you use vinegar. Well, today was a chocolate chip cookie day and we got started and discovered no eggs. So, i'm making this a long story. I used flax seed. Use 1 tbsp of ground flax seed plus 3 tbsp of water per egg. Exceptional quality and they are healthier!! for you. I resist fish but flaxseed is full of omega3's like fish and it's cheap and keeps for awhile in your fridge.
2 tbsp of flax see (which is what i used in these cookies) is 60 calories, 4 grams of fiber, no cholesterol, and no sodium. Eggs have 60 calories per egg, no fiber, 120 or so grms of cholesterol, and 60 grams of sodium. So, win win.
Here is my recipe for cookies if you want a go to one that you know someone has tried with flaxseed.
This is a family secret recipe but I am willing to share the deliciousness:)
1/3 cup butter, soft
1/3 cup crisco (yes, it makes a difference to use both)
1/2 cup sugar (I probably use a little more or a little less depending on my helper)
1/2 cup brown sugar packed.
Cream these together then add your ground flax seed mixture that has been stirred with the water.
(if you opt for eggs cause you don't have flax seed! use 2 eggs)
stir.
2 cups flour (if you use eggs then increase the flour to about 2 1/2 cup flour)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 plus a little tsp. of vanilla
As many chocolate chips as you can handle!
Bake at 350 for 8 minutes or until barely browned on top.

Dance and Soccer

Our little Chloe had her first dance concert. She loved being on the stage. She did not love that her costume didn't come with a skirt. Seriously, who chooses a costume for 4-5 year olds with no skirt to "froof" yes, "froof!" around in. She looked adorable though and had a great time. Brad made it in time for the other dances but was there to give her high five after and go eat with us and some friends.

 Chloe and her little friend on the far left. So fun taking dance with a friend because then I had a friend, too.

 Then her first soccer game was the next day.

I suppose i'll have to learn a thing or two about soccer because she seems to really like it and have a knack for it. Go Chloe...this was your week for sure!!

Some Easter and DIY

 My Brad. Cutest guy I know.
Chloe given some Easter egg love.

 Remember this for next year. You put your hardboiled egg right inside the wisk and then you just dip and bob the whisk into your colors. No mess. Pretty sweet. And speaking of sweet...look at Miss Belle

 We represented.

 This guy could've cared less. In fact, he played in the back yard the whole time.

 The Easter photo. We had Stake conference and I took the 3 kids alone. Brad was in the ED. Lame. But he did get to do Easter baskets with us and stick around to take our photo.
Here is us trying to get a cute group shot.

 Here is what our reality is and I love it.

 My friend has the most gorgeous daughter. These 2 are about 7 months different in age. Crazy.

 I love this picture.

 Our dearest friends are moving to Texas for their fellowship year of residency. They will be done with neurosurgery next summer. 12 years!! They are the most AMAZING family and such great friends and I really already miss them. My friend is the nicest person I know and so wise and smart and stylish and pretty.

 An Easter photo with the mamma and her baby.

 Sisters forever.

 Couldn't get enough of this cute dress.
The first DIY-The Headband. I just cut off a cotton shirt sleeve in about a 3 inch piece and then sewed it up. Then I pressed down were i sewed so it kind of made a dimensional headband. Next I just took another piece of shirt and wrapped in around in a circle to make a flower. while you're at the machine just crazy sew all over the rosette. Then add a little leaf with some hand sewing while you attach the rosette to your headband. So cute and it took me about 10 minutes total. My answer to not going to the store and searching for something you can't find or don't have time to look for.

 Second DIY- I am trying to be better making the ideas I gather from Food Network. So here we go. Baked onion rings. Seriously, so good.
Slice a good ole white onion. Rinse in water. Get a bowl of flour. Get a bowl for one beaten egg and about 1/2 cup or so of buttermilk. A bowl for panko bread crumbs seasoned with s and p. Dip in flour. Dip in egg. Dip in Panko. lay on baking sheet with parchment paper. Then you spray everyone with cooking spray. The dude on Food Network actually mixed oil in the panko but I forgot that step and improvised with mine and they tasted delicious and crispy and so healthy. I love me some onion rings and these are guilt free. Try them and tell me what you think.

She smiles.

My favorite time in a new baby's life. The first smile. This wasn't the first smile but the first on camera. Typical scene each morning...I change her little bum and Chloe stands right next to her and talks to her and makes her smile. My heart melts every single time. Love this girl and that girl and the little guy soooo much!

I had to document for our family and for the world that she sleeps in the closet. So, next time you spend time thinking about your nursery wants be glad you have a nursery! (smile) She won't remember this right???

And these are just funny pictures. 

These are what you get when EZ has the camera.

 Am I really this tall to him. I seem like a giant.

In honor of my little Belle...Don't forget to smile today:)

Have a great one.

Really good pancakes.

I went in for my 6 week checkup-post baby. We have loved these last 6 weeks. Again, i'm learning a thing or two about having a newborn in the house. Our schedule is a bit different than before. Yesterday, we were all up, fed, showered, and out of the house by 845. A true accomplishment.
My parents were here for 3 weeks, Brad had a week off and my mother in law just left. So, I was blessed with some helpers and "fun" for 5 weeks. How lucky we were and oh how we were served so kindly.

I've been thinking about service and what it means. When we lived in Missouri there were so many wonderful people all in our same situation. People were totally willing to help. Sometimes people would post on this website we had "please let me know how I can help you...or call me if you need anything". Once this girl responded by saying, "obviously we are all willing to help so just call the person yourself and offer something.."That is so true. And it is something I think about all the time. Service sometimes needs to be specific. It is so wonderful to just have a friend stop by and say, "i'm here to take your kids. Or we're going to babysit for you guys so you can go out on a date before your baby is born. Or i'm going to bring you a meal which day is best." I've really tried to do this more and to see the recipient so happy is just awesome (but not the reason you do service, right??!!) Sometimes I like to just do things myself...well, most of the time. I kind of (pridefully, which is bad) think of myself as quite an efficient and fast person. I can just get in and get things done and get my kids too and fro efficiently, but I think that's because for the past 5 years it's been me and me doing it by myself. But how I love the help. This pregnancy i needed a lot more help and I saw my self sufficiency going right out the window. I just couldn't take EZ to some of the appointments that i had, Chloe had preschool at some inconvenient times for me so friends took her, and after I had the baby I just couldn't quite carry the car seat or EZ or function properly for a little while. And then I hurt my stomach post delivery and some friends came to my rescue and i'll forever be grateful. I had so much help this pregnancy and can't even begin to thank people and Brad!!
So now 6 weeks out I'm going to begin  anew. Each day I am going to do something that "makes something or someone better." To me..i know what that means and i'm excited for the challenge. I'm ready and raring to go to pay it forward by improving someone else's life for a brief moment or improving my surroundings.

And as for the really good pancakes...we made them this morning and something about that supreme bisquick pancake recipe on the side of the box was just perfect tasting this morning. And...do you ever find yourself finishing up the soggy pancake pieces on your kids plate. Love that sugary pancake paste!
Have a great day friends.

5.

She turned 5 yesterday. But we celebrated all week!!

When she wakes up in the morning she comes in and lays next to me. This morning we talked about the morning she was born and what I was thinking and especially what I thought of her. How we loved her from the first second...but we had already loved her from the moment we found out of her miraculous presence in my tummy at 8 weeks. I told her how I went in the hospital early in the morning and didn't have her till late at night. They had to cut my tummy open and lift her out and give her to us like a present. I told her we cried. And sometimes when I look at her or think about her or imagine what's to come for her I cry a little, too.

 Here is the garden cake. When we were talking about her cake she was sitting in the chair just kind of looking at me and then she says..."are you forgetting who's birthday this is...i thought we got to choose our own cake." Oh man, i laughed. So then she gets a piece of paper and draws the exact same cake we were talking about. So funny.

 The party. I am definitely a more the merrier kind of planner. So we had many friends. It was really fun. There are 2 cute little boys missing from this photo. I love the energy of 5 year olds. When we moved here Chloe was so excited about all the kids in her primary class. We are so lucky to have all these kids so close in age for her to play with.

 Perfect weather for outdoor games. The next day it poured rain.

 Cake for all.

But back to Chloe...She always asks me, "will I always be your little girl?" yes, my sweet girl, you will always be my little girl even if you are 5 now!!

1 month old

Miss Belle is 1 month old. One month!!! For the past month she literally slept. I have seen pictures of some babies that were born right near her and they are all up and alert and she just slept her first month away. Really. I would wake her to eat and sometimes she'd go about 4 plus hours without being able to waken from her deep coma. I love that stage but it's hard cause you want them to be up and awake but with this third baby it was much easier for us to cherish her sleepiness and not worry so much about her eating and sleeping schedule. I LOVE snuggling her.

Pretty blue eyes.

Dreamy look.

This scene pretty much every morning. Sister's secrets.

The momma.

True adoration.

 And Brad has had the last week off for "vacation". It's been a dream. We've been able to just enjoy each other. We didn't go anywhere and didn't do much. We've slept in a couple of days and all cuddled in the bed. A luxury we never do because Brad and I are always so compelled to be up and exercising, but with me down and out and he not working this week he's been able to go during the day for a run or ride. I've LOVED this week and every moment has been a memory.

 And this bright eyed little boy has my heart. He has the greatest sense of humor. Somewhere he  picked up saying "guess what?" and we say "what" and he says, "nevermind" and laughs and laughs. He's a spirited and opinionated little boy and we love him with all our hearts.