Chow Chow part 1

We were left unsupervised by our 2 year old, so when Austin is away we will play....

and play we did with Austin's toys

and then we decided to undertake the task of making chow chow....the world's greatest condiment.......but Eric & I have never made it before.......

Ansley is upset about her teeth, this is literally the way she has spent the last 2 days and nights.....did I mention nights. I swear she slept better the night we brought her home than she did last night. It is a good thing I am on my holiday break right now.

Here is Eric, mid-chop - he is cutting up yellow & green bell peppers for the chow chow

This was almost the finished product pre-soak. If you don't know what chow chow is then you need to meet my Aunt Net and ask her for her secret recipe....I can only show you in pictures, the rest is up to your own interpretation.

Good luck!

Thus, the way an old married couple spends New Years Eve...and in bed by 11 - good night & happy new year!

Still just hanging out

The high chair trilogy.....the original owner Carter eating....

An old picture of Austin to use as perspective for ....

Seeing Ansley in the same chair at the same age....(seems Austin is a hair bigger than Ansley)

We "recycle" in our house and this high chair like MANY other toys has gone from Carter to Austin to Ansley. Thanks Uncle Scott & Aunt Natalie for sharing!!

Ansley's shoes; people always comment on them as they are flashy and so I thought those of you who don't get to see her all of the time might enjoy seeing them too - looks like a fat foot, but couldn't be farther from the truth

Austin "driving me up the wall"

Ansley, smiling despite the lack of sleep due to her teeth

Austin explaining to Ansley how to jump in her jumpy

Ansley too excited about the toys she has to play with

and then there is sadness, we were to get a dog for Austin for Christmas, but long story short, it did not work out, so Austin is showing his sadness at the empty dog bed

and lastly, Austin checking his email...he has been a busy bee

Merry Christmas!!

As the song goes...."all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth" .... but Ansley may not have meant that....not the best picture but they are in....poor baby has been sad and fussy all day; can't blame her for wanting to be held when her mouth hurts.....but she did get a cool book to chew on

Austin however, got a TRAIN!!!

He was super excited!!

He was showing us his excitement!!

He also got some Thomas the Train books...needs to learn his colors

And got another train....little bigger than his other one...but this one cannot go on his track so he has to drag it around the floor. He also got a book about going to the potty.

But he also got more books......one with magnets like he saw in Dallas that Grayson had

And one last picture of the train....he is too excited!!

Merry Christmas y'all!

Patience

This time of year I am reminded of a few simple things....patience is one of them.....Eric's parents are going to St. Louis so we are bird sitting their bird....I have found that I do not like indoor birds....he (has no name) is loud, messy, and did I mention loud....he is a rooster and he struts his stuff loudly quite often.....but I am reminded that we are watching him because Eric's parents watch Madison when we go out of town.....quid pro quo

And then there is picture taking......I give up.....plan was to take pictures of the kids and send out Christmas cards......I have lost the patience to take a good picture of both of my kids together at the same time in front of the Christmas tree....we will try tomorrow.....

this is the best that I could do......I have a new respect for children's photographers......I will not quit my day job!!!!

Boring but alive

We have been shopping and cooking and boring....but here are a few pics.....Ansley is sitting in a mixing bowl; she loves to sit up now, she can't hold herself up yet but loves to be sitting up (excuse the food covered clothes)

Austin doing the same thing, sitting in a bowl, just happens to be a bigger bowl - ha

Austin talking to the snow man at the bottom of our stairs, he usually says good morning to him every morning ... just trying to be friendly

and then.....the picture on the bottom is one of my favorite pictures of Austin & Eric, and so then we had to do one with Ansley....you can see how much A & A look alike

Ansley's hair is just a little more WILD!!

Ho Ho Ho

Happy Birthday GG!!

Austin & Ansley's Great-Grandmother H. is 100 years old today!! Happy birthday grandmom!!

Our family in Texas had a party for her on Saturday which we missed, but Grandmom said she had a great time and enjoyed seeing all of her family!! This is one of the better pictures I have of her and Austin....he was just about a year old in this picture.

Happy Birthday grandmom!

New Hat

Thanks grandma!!