30 Days of Creativity: Day One

30 Days of Creativity started today. For 30 days the goal is to create something every single day. Now, with a toddler who is a dynamo, that is definitely going to be a challenge plus plus. I'm taking it easy on myself and offering a pretty broad definition of "create".
For example, tonight for dinner I created beer can chicken. And it was fab.

I only had beer in a bottle, which wouldn't work in the oven, right? So I poured out a soda, filled it with beer, and set the chicken on top of it, making sure to sprinkle carrots around the bottom of the disposable pan. I gave the chicken an olive oil, thyme, garlic rub down, then I stuck it in the oven for an hour and a half.

Before


After


If you want to follow the movement, power to the people, you can link up here and you can search the hashtag #30daysofcreativity on Twitter.
I don't know how it will all turn out, but the challenge to my brain and the fun ideas of things that I can create with Dub is definitely worth giving a try.

Day One: Check!

The Pool Is Open!!

Gabby and Gramps took the cover off of their pool this week, and while today was still a little chilly, we spent the afternoon enjoying the icy waters and the hot sun.

We started with hot dogs, baked beans, cole slaw - very Memorial Day-ish food. Gabby made W an orange-banana smoothie. That was a hit. The hot dog was not.

Then Gabby brought out a shovel and pail. Dub loved putting water into the pail from the pool. Then he decided he was too cold and he crawled out of the pool to play with his boon (by this point Gabby had also given him a spoon and a cup).


The bubbler was also very popular. It was intimidating at the start and Dub didn't want to leave Gabby's lap, but once he saw how fun it could be to put your hands in the running water, he was sold on the whole deal.

Nu-uh. I don't want anything to do with that thing.

I changed my mind! Look how much fun!

We wrapped up the afternoon in our birthday sea creature towel. All in all, Dub's first Summer 2011 pool experience was a success!

Birthday Party!!!

So a month after Dub's real birthday, Jason is finally home for good! My parents are back from their travels. Katie is in town. Birthday Party 1.0 is a go!


My giant family and a few besties were sweet enough to gather together for yet another weekend of party fun! We had appetizers and wine. Exploding sodas. All kinds of a good time.

But I think Dub had the best time of all. He was enthralled with the balloons and kept saying "ba" the first part of the afternoon. Then we fed him cupcakes! And we finished off with a session of playtime up in his playroom.



Thank you to everyone for making this birthday special! I appreciate all of the help and love and clean up assistance we received.



Can't wait to do it again next year!

Aunt Kitties & Brad

EJ & W - puzzling
Balloon fun with Great Aunt Sue

Which one do I want more?
Aunt Kitties & Dub

Mother's Day Weekend

Hanging out on his birthday slide

My second mother's day went much more smoothly than my first. I, at least, had a better idea of this whole motherhood/parenting thing, and I am so lucky because Wyatt was such a good boy this weekend.

On Friday we had a luncheon with my Grandmother Garrett, Aunt Diane, Dad, and Mom. You have to appreciate the things grandmothers do for their grandchildren. Check out this picture of Gabby at her best. Wyatt adores Gabby, but he especially loves it when she calls his name down an empty wrapping paper tube. And really, who wouldn't?

Wy---att!
Blowing Bubbles on the Porch

On Saturday, Jas was a doll! He got up early with the baby and started breakfast. I could hear the chant of "na-na-na" from our room. Jason and I had an adult breakfast at Taco Joint - delicious! The Arboretum was our next stop. There was a nice breeze in the shade and parts of the Peter Rabbit exhibit were still up. They're doing a lot of construction at the Arb, and I can't see what the fall will bring.

A Dear and A Deer

Having a drink - look at those eyebrows - totally Jason!
Precious boy!

Sunday brought a wonderful sermon on family, which was a great kick off to our Mother's Day event at Aunt Sue's place. We played games, we had lunch, we celebrated our mothers. It couldn't have been a nicer day.

The ultimate matriarch!
Eating bananas in the kitchen

It has been such a nice weekend, I hate to see it come to an end.
In church this morning, we gave thanks for all of the mothers and non mothers in our lives who support and encourage us, who lift us up, who shape us. We learn from these women and strive to be more like these women. We were encouraged to say your names out loud. I'm going to practice that here. I am so thankful for all of you:
Katie, Libby, Lindsay, Laura, Donna, Sue, Ella, Elizabeth, Becky, Taylor, Diane, Gael, Sarah, Susan, Katie, Jennifer, Heidi, Angie, Kari, Stephanie, Keisha, Andi, Libby, Jeri, Emily, Jennifer, Julie, Aimee, and Barbara. Whew!

Happy Mother's Day!

Spaghetti

Jason is home for a bit and W is enjoying time with his da-da.
Today we did chores around the house. Home Depot was on the list, and when we came out the temps had dropped and we were COLD! Crazy weather!


Tonight we had spaghetti and we gave W his first taste.
He wasn't crazy about it, but by the end of the meal he had it in his eyebrows and his hair!




We had our one year check up this week and Dr. Spaeth said that he was 76% for height, 48% for weight, and his head measured 93%. Haha! Huge noggin!

Birthday Fun!

My birthday weekend started on Wednesday when Mom and Katie took me to Grapevine to celebrate. We went to Tolbert's where we tried the world famous chili (not too shabby). We wandered down the block, trying cupcakes and champagne...it was a great kick off!




Saturday, our friend Heidi was nice enough to have us over to celebrate. Heidi's daughter, R, and Wyatt were born on the same day. We had a birthday twin party - very fun...cake, balloons, presents, the whole works! Immediately after these photos, we put W in the tub and hosed him off. That boy was a mess!

This was Wyatt's first taste of cake, and he was crazy about it. Being my kid, how could he not? He wouldn't eat lunch and he refused to nap afterwords and cried on and off for hours, but the cake was good and it was hilarious fun to watch him.





On Sunday, my cousin EJ put together a lunch at Torchy's. It was fun to have everyone together, especially since EJ is home from Nebraska!


It was a great birthday weekend. I know this time last year, I didn't want W born any time near my birthday (not that I had a whole lot of say in it, obviously)...but I enjoyed sharing the weekend with my big boy. :)

Happy (Early) Easter!

Sunday we got together to celebrate Easter. Next week everyone has different plans, so even though it was Palm Sunday, we gave up our Lenten promises early and commenced with celebrating.

Wyatt quickly got the hang of opening presents (some of these were for his b-day...which is in 5 more days!). Of course, eating the bag still out weighed any gift giving.

Opening his present from Great Aunt Diane

What is it, Gabby? Let me see!

I love Gramps and I love my new birthday shirt!


Aunt Katie put some bubbles in Wyatt's Easter basket - that was a blast. He was mesmerized by the bubbles and his head kept whipping around to try and follow all of the suds being released.

Katie & Brad

We tied a pink ribbon around W's wrist because we thought he would be entertained by it. He wasn't. He's very temperamental these days. Originally, I thought it was because he's teething. However, I'm starting to fear that he has just entered a new stage - one that I hope he'll grow out of quickly!

Llama Drama!!!


Mom made some outstanding scalloped potatoes and a roast.
We sat out on the patio and soaked up a little vitamin D.
It was a lovely afternoon followed by a nap for everyone.

And, of course, we did photos with the Easter Bunny. It didn't go as well as I had originally expected (like so many things once you add a baby to the mix). We did manage to get one photo where he wasn't crying. He looks so relaxed, doesn't he?

Happy Easter everyone!