You are 11 months old today Lauren!

Happy 11 months birthday to my baby girl,

How are you going to be 1 year next month sweet pea? This year has gone by way too fast. In order to celebrate your monthly birthday, your daddy & I took you downtown for a nice long walk and for your first ride on the carousel. You were so afraid of the carousel and didn't know what to think but we had fun :) We can't wait to celebrate your big 1st birthday in Hilton Head next month!

Love, Mommy & Daddy

Ready for your first carousel ride
It went much faster than what we thought. You were scared at first.
You still weren't sure if you were happy to be there
Daddy did a great job of taking our family picture
Look at you being such a big girl on the horse
Daddy was having so much fun taking our picture and standing with you
You finally warmed up to the ride just as it was ending

I forgot to write what you're up to sweet pea:

• You are so funny & have such a fun personality. At the Little Gym, you will start dancing to the music instead of participating in activities. You start to laugh as you shake it, HA
• You wear a size 3 diaper. They are huge on you but you leak out of size 2's at night time
• You wear a size 6 month or 6-9 months in clothes. Thank goodness all of your dresses that are size 9 month can be worn in the fall with cute leggings and a jacket
• You got sized for your first pair of shoes this week at Stride Rite. You were a size 3 wide
• You are a flipper during diaper changes. Mommy & Daddy are not a fan of this....In fact, it's quite frustrating but I know you will grow out of it one day
• You are getting better with eating. It's still not your favorite activity but you like cheese, yo baby yogurt, bread, and applesauce
• You tried fresh blueberries this week and made the most awful face. Mommy & Daddy couldn't stop laughing
• You like some Japanese cartoon on TV. I have no idea how to spell the name but we laugh when it comes on because you start "talking" to the TV
• You can say a lot of words now. We are probably the only ones that know what you mean but you say: Hi, night night, dada, mama, and sing your abcs
• You like to read books before bedtime but your attention span isn't too long
• You are still my little sleeper. You go to bed between 7:30pm and 8:00pm and wake up 12 hours later. You nap usually around 10:30-12:30 & 3:30-5:00pm
• You wave hi and bye bye to people
• You crawl super fast & just this week, you have started cruising around furniture. You stood for about 5 seconds on your own today
• You now have 4 teeth. Your top 2 teeth appeared this week

WE LOVE YOU!

Happy Early Birthday to my girl

Happy Early Birthday to my sweet baby girl. I have been wanting to get Lauren this cute little chair from Pottery Barn Kids for so long now. I found the chair insert on ebay for a great deal. The covers are on sale right now on PBK's website so I just had to get it! Lauren is at the age where she won't really remember her 1st birthday so I gave it to her early :)

A little excited about her very own chair. Her bow totally doesn't match her purple PJs BUT girlie girl's hair is getting long so I have to keep it out of her eyes
Cheesin it :)
She was sooooooo excited!

The Little Gym - Our Favorite Place

Our favorite place in Chattanooga is the Little Gym! We go every Tuesday morning at 9:30am for some baby gymnastics. This past Sunday, Keith & Nancy (the owners) hosted a open house with free play time and pizza. We met our friends Karen & JD who have a little girl, Riley, in Lauren's class. Check it out!

Lauren was on the move, wanting to play and check everything out
Girlie Girl was checking everyone out
Climbing on the obstacle course
Trying to catch Lauren from falling. Girlfriend will head dive right off the blocks....crazy wild child
Lauren's bff, Riley. They are so stinkin cute together!

Show Us Your Life Friday - Desserts

It's show us your life Friday, Dessert edition over at Kelly's Blog. I have chosen to feature something soooooo easy. I have made these for so many events because they are perfect for adults and kids. They are very easy to serve as they are a "finger dessert", no plates or forks needed.

These are the easiest thing ever invented! Seriously, 2 ingredients, that's it!

Ingredients:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Reese cups, any kind. I love white chocolate but have made them with the dark chocolate and milk chocolate kind

Directions:

1. Using a small cupcake pan, roll small pieces of the dough into little balls

2. Place the little dough balls into the muffin pan

3. Cook at the temperature and time that is on the cookie dough package

4. Important step: When you take the muffin pan out of the oven, immediately drop a reese cup into the dough. It's important that the dough is hot so the reese "settles" in nicely with the dough.

5. Just don't press too hard where the reese would put a hole through the dough

6. Cool and serve

Talk about easy peasy

Christmas in September? Of course

Sweet Pea & I enjoyed a day of some retail therapy yesterday! Actually, it wasn't some big shopping spree but we were on the look out for a few good items. I have been looking for Christmas stockings forever! I can never seem to find a set that Todd and I BOTH like. He is picky and doesn't want anything silly looking and I love all things monogrammed so WAL LA!

THIS IS NOT OUR CHILD HAHA

Our stocking holders from Pottery Barn. These are my most favorite holidays items I've ever bought. I refused to pay full price for these 2 years ago because they are $29 each. I wanted 6 (Todd, Me, Lauren, another baby, 2 pets). So I waited until after Christmas and of course they were sold out everywhere. I found a store in Atlanta that still had only 6 and they held them for me. I LOVE THEM!! They are heavy so it doesn't matter how much stuff you cram into your stockings :)

Our Kohl's bargains. The stockings are on sale for only $7.50 or something like that. Not too shabby. I also had to get that cute little Thanksgiving onesie. Last year, I bought Lauren a cute little Thanksgiving outfit and she was TINY beyond belief so it didn't really fit. When I went back to the stores to get a Newborn size, everywhere was out of them. I didn't want to miss my chance this year.

The other "C" is for a future child. NOOOOOO I'm not pregnant, haha. I just didn't want to have to search for the same stocking in the future. C is for Connor or Caroline.

My smart girl singing her ABC's. Auntie Lindsay, you'd be so proud. This video is for you :)

Videos Galore

It's obvious someone likes to swing!

First Time Swinging

Lauren had her first visit to a park 2 days ago. We found a HUGE and I mean HUGE park on Signal Mountain. It's awesome!! The swings were definitely her favorite. I'm thinking someone is going to need a swing set for Christmas....I'll pass the memo on to Santa Daddy.

Playing in the park
Me & my girl
Look at that sweet little grin. I could just squeeze her.
Grinning at her dada
Wanting to be pushed higher and higher
My happy swinging girl

20 Fun Facts

My dad, Todd, and Lauren on Sullivan's Island.

This is a fun little "20 Things About Me" that I got tagged to do. I tag all my friends :)
1. I have moved quite often & have lived in many states

2. I'm looking forward to looking at houses up north

3. Speaking of up north, if you live there, yes, I know it snows & no, I'm not an idiot for thinking about living there

4. I love to cook & thoroughly enjoy making dinner every night

5. I like to save money & am trying to figure out the whole coupon game thing

6. I've met great people through blogging. Some have become great friends in "real life"

7. Taking Lauren to The Little Gym is the highlight of my week. I love watching her have so much fun

8. I really can't stand it when people comment on my age (happens A LOT being married to someone older). Just because you're older doesn't mean that you're smarter or have a better life. The comment "oh you're only 25" is RUDE

9. Lauren is my best friend and I love spending my days with her. She is the highlight of my days

10. Working at the Young Life camp Castaway in Minnesota during the summer of 2004 was the best summer of my life. I met one of my best friends, Andrea, that summer & am forever grateful

11. I love fall and love going to Fairmount Orchard on Signal Mountain to buy fresh cider & apples

12. I love our house and have enjoyed working on little projects. Just because I do love our house doesn't mean that I'm not looking forward to finding that "perfect" house for us.

13. Traveling is so much fun to me. I love to explore a new city, visit local places, and can't wait to introduce Lauren to the world of travel

14. I have sponsored a child in Indonesia for 7 years. Her name is Putri and she's the cutest little girl I've ever seen....besides Lauren of course :) I'm honored to give her money every month and can't wait to meet her one day

15. Lauren is learning to dance and it's so much fun. I love playing music on my iTunes and watching her bop up and down

16. I don't compare my life to others. Everyone has a different situation, therefore, there's no reason to compare

17. I miss taking spin classes. I should get on that....

18. I'm looking forward to our next vacation to Hilton Head & Charleston next month. It will be a wonderful celebration week as my baby girl is turning 1

19. I'm very grateful that my entire family will be making the beach vacation

20. I love Mary Kay & sell it because I use their products. It's the best company so join my team! :)

Hi Dadadadadaaaaa

How do I get videos to turn around? Smart bloggers, help me :)

UPDATE :I'm obviously not very bright. I was turning the video camera around....yikes. I need a video taping 101 lesson asap.

What did we do today?

Today was another rainy day. Like down pour rainy day but that didn't stop me from hitting up a consignment sale with my new friend Karen (just moved from San Antonio, woo hoo) & her daughter Riley. Lauren stayed at home to nap with her daddy while I shopped to my heart's content. Check out our good finds, at only $29 total!

Barney singing doll, Sesame Street singing toy, caterpillar abc toy, baby gap shoes (never been worn), & an apple abc learning game. Seriously, all of this for only $29. I've looked on the Toys R Us website and most of these toys are $19.99 EACH. I mean, seriously folks?? I'm never buying new toys again. These are in perfect condition.
Lauren has learned to brush her 4 teeth. We have to keep those pearly whites clean. Anyone that knows me knows I'm obsessed with teeth. I do not like nasty teeth and cleaning them are mucho important! PS: Don't mind Todd's boxers in all their red and white stripe glory.
Lauren has a new lovey. His name is Connor. He is a bear.
Meet Connor

What have we been doing on these rainy days?

It has been a rainy few days here in Chattanooga. And by few, I mean like everyday for the past 8 days or so. The floods have been outrageous, a few deaths, blocked roads, and puddles everywhere! Lauren & I have been housebound, bored out of our mind so this is what we've been doing....

Playing with new toys that were bought at a consignment sale
Having a no clothes day and chatting to dad via the storm door
Begging daddy to go on a trip
Falling asleep in the high chair. Who knew that rainy days could be so busy? Yes, that is food ALL Over her face if you just blow up the picture to see. NASTY but she literally fell asleep eating and didn't even wake up as we were cleaning her face.

Show Us Your Life Friday - Dinner Recipes

It's Show Us Your Life Friday again over at Kelly's Blog. This week she is featuring dinner recipes. I LOVE to cook but sometimes it can get overwhelming with all of the recipes I want to try. Ideally, I would like to make my own recipe book, filled with all of my favorites :)

***This recipe is on my recipe blog. The link is on the right side of my page***

BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA!!
Ingredients:
Pizza dough. You can buy this all ready to go in the refrigerated section of your grocery store, usually where the cheeses are. I bought the 3 mini pizza pack but you can buy 1 large pizza if you'd like
1 green pepper, sliced thin
1 red pepper, sliced thin
1/2 of a red onion, sliced thin
BBQ sauce, pick your favorite
Pizza shredded cheese pack, use 1 cup or more if you'd like
boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into cubes. I used 2.5 breasts for 3 mini pizzas
Directions:
Cook Chicken in the oven or grill it. Let cool.
While the chicken is cooling, spread the BBQ sauce over the pizza crust(s) until the crust has a layer of sauce
Add chopped chicken
Add the thin slices of peppers and onion
Bake at the temperature and time that is on the back of the pizza crust package
Take out of oven and cover with shredded cheese
Continue baking until cheese is melted
Notes:
This turned out amazing!!! I just loved it! I used Sticky Fingers' BBQ sauce (Carolina Sweet flavor) and low fat shredded cheese

***Licking your fingers is NASTY but this is finger lickin good***

Play Time in Charleston

Here is a video of my dad, Lauren, & Belle playing together while we were in Charleston for Labor Day Weekend.

Happy Birthday To You....

We had a big par-tay for Todd & Mark's birthday (Todd's bro) on Sunday afternoon. Their birthdays are only 1 week apart so a joint celebration was in order. They turned over the hill and way over the hill but they are still young at heart....haha

Lauren & her daily activity - pull Belle's tail, laugh, Belle plays back, Lauren laughs....repeat
Cousin Chad & his 2 ladies.....his daughter Emma and Little L
Sam's Cake....$19.99, fabulous deal!
Birthday boys blowing out their candles
This is for you Aunt Lindsay. Lauren is wearing an outfit that says Baby Ballerina :)

New Friends

A couple of weeks ago, Lauren & I had a great opportunity to meet a couple bloggers from this area. Amanda & I met through Kelly's Blog and Amanda & Anna knew each other from Kelly's blog as well.

Amanda sells Lia Sophia jewelry so I went to a jewelry party at her house. I'm hosting one for her this Saturday, 19th, at my house so come and join us!

Amanda & I. Lauren was in love with these girls!

Anna, Me, & Amanda. Lauren was checking out the pretty jewelry!

Walking Queen

Here is a video of Lauren walking with her new walker that her Grammy got her for doing so well with all of her blood work. Go Lauren Go!

Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day was a fun one this year. We loaded up sweet pea and ventured off to Charleston, SC to see her great grandparents. Mom & I drove up Saturday mom, Dad flew in from Nebraska, and Todd flew in from Chicago. And why is it we can't live in the same state again??? :)

Lauren with her great grand parents who are also great babysitters. They have babysit now 4 times, allowing mommy & daddy to shop and sight see downtown Charley-Town.
The first time Lauren put her feet in the ocean.

We totally took her to Hilton Head in June but we never made it down to the beach. Sad? Why yes but she loved the pool too much.
How's this for a temper tantrum JUST because I took her away from playing AND eating the sand. All I wanted was a picture....geez! Drama queen :)
She would not smile for the life of her. I guess we shouldn't have taken her down to the water past her bed time. Bad Bad Parentals.
A little birthday celebration for Todd's Big 4-0....yes, that's right my husband is turning 40. Talk about him robbing the cradle :) and my Papa who is getting up there.....
Lauren and her fabulous grandparents
A little family photo action
Papa and his "sugar." That's what he calls her!
This child did not wake up until 8:45am in our hotel room. We finally just woke her up as we had places to see and things to do. We are definitely getting those shades for her room....ahhhh I can feel the long long sleep hours coming. Now she does sleep 12 hours at night but still.....
Check out my first pony tail - totally Pebbles!