Ready or Not Here It Comes

I haven't been looking forward to the snow this year. It just seems more of a hassle with a baby. I have to worry about bundling up, getting places in the snow....etc...Well, this is how it looked outside this morning and I have to say it is just so beautiful.

I really love the snow. It has also made it feel more like Christmas is coming and holidays wouldn't be the same without it:) What makes it even better, Ellie is fascinated by it. Yesterday, as we got out of church, it was snowing. As we carried Ellie out to the car, she wasn't quite sure what to think, it was colder than usual. She just looked at it. When we went into the house, she had a look on her face that was so fun. We stayed outside for a few minutes and she was so excited. I held some snow up to her and put a little in her mouth. She didn't really want to touch it, but having in her mouth was something pretty cool to her:) She smacked her lips and grinned. So, even though I have been dreading the snow, I now remember how much I love it. It is so much fun to see Ellie experience things for the first time.

We tried peas last night, and by we, I mean WE! I made Patrick try them and I tried them too:) We decided to try peas first cause we both thought they would be gross and don't want Ellie to only eat the good tasting stuff....well, I guess we were wrong, because she LOVED them. She ate half a jar. She is doing extremely good with eating....so far at least. She opens right up and keeps most of it down.

Ellie is rolling over really good now. She has rolled to her side for so long, but just couldn't quite make it all the way over. Saturday she made it over all by herself. I figured it would take her a while to 'remember' how to do it again. Not so....she kept doing it all day yesterday. She started on her back and rolls to her tummy, and she even rolled back to her back once yesterday. So proud of her and she is so happy with herself too.(By the way, she isn't always in just a diaper, but trying peas....we didn't want them all over her cute dress...and this was shortly after. She does love being in only a diaper though....little nudest)

I had to post these pictures....Last night we went to check on her and she was sideways. She hasn't done this for awhile, and we usually hear her moving....screaming....not last night. I had to get a picture this morning. She is so happy in the mornings. I love the smiles. I couldn't choose which picture....so you get both:) Also, don't mind the black socks....we did that in honor of Grandpa Cassity. Ellie also loves to fall asleep with her face covered...either with a blanket or burp cloth. Does anyone else's kids do that? She gets so annoyed when I take it off, but I want her to be able to breath too:)

I have been trying to do something different with Ellie's hair....rather than just a headband and bow. It is pretty hard with a very wiggle girl, but I managed to get these the other day. I usually just do one little pony on the side....that's the way her hair goes, so it's easiest...but I had to try pigtails. They are pretty stinkin' cute! In the first picture she has her monkey's tail in her mouth. She loves this monkey-Patrick got it for her when we found out we were having a little girl-she especially loves the tail lately. She always finds it.

I tried a couple of new recipes last night and they both turned out pretty good, so I thought I would share. I always love a good new recipe.

Minestrone

Saute 1 lb hamburger with 2 diced onions and 1 clove minced garlic.

Add 1 large can crushed(or diced) tomatoes and 3 large cans of water. Mix together.

Add 1 pkg Frozen chopped spinach, 1 pkg frozen french cute green beans, 5 stalks chopped celery, 5 chopped carrots, 1 sliced zucchini.(I didn't have zucchini or spinach or green beans...so I added a can of french cut green beans, drained and a can of garbanzo beans drained and rinsed. As I was looking through recipes, you can pretty much add whatever you want....black beans, kidney beans, corn...etc)

Add 1 Tbls salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 can tomato sauce and one handful of noodles(not cooked, they cook in the soup)

Simmer until tender

FYI: I cut the recipe in half, and it made a huge pot.

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies(yes that is the entire name)

2/3 Cup butter or margarine, softened

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1-1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1-1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1-1/4 cups dried cranberries

2/3 cut white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies