SwaddleMe

Baby C slept so well his first few weeks of life because we swaddled him every time he napped and at night.  As he got a little bigger and stronger he began kicking out of the small swaddling blankets, so we tried using a SwaddleMe that had been given to us as a hand-me-down.  Once placed in the cotton SwaddleMe, our nights of peace and quiet returned (except for the expected night feedings).  As Baby C grew, so did his SwaddleMe collection...I think we have 4 of them now.  A lot of babies will sleep just fine without being swaddled, but many like the warmth and security the wrap provides.

Baby C - 17 days old

Little Man is Two!

I can't believe my Little Man is 2 years old already! I know it's cliche, but they really do grow up so fast.

He had a wonderful time at his party. We are blessed with a large family so our home was full with grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and close friends. We had been having beautiful spring weather the week before the party so I had reserved a pic-nick shelter at the park for the party, but the weekend of the party was rainy and cold. But it didn't dampen the party spirit!

Little Man loves trains! Each time he recieved a train he would have to run to his room to play with that train before opening anouther gift. It was fun to see him acctulay open his own gifts this year.

I made Little Man's cake and cupcakes. The cake turned out cute, but the cup cakes were the real hit! 

He loved being the center of attention when everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to him!

It was a great day celebrating the anniversary of Little Man’s birth and spending time with so many loved ones!

Naomi

Olan Mills Birthday Club

Get a FREE picture package from Olan Mills on your child birthday! Sign up for Olan Mills Birthday Club here.

I signed Little Man up!

Broccoli & Cheese Soup

As the leaves changed this past fall, so did my appetite for soup. I am so glad that I have a new attitude towards soup because I was definitely missing out before. During the winter months I probably made at least one pot of something yummy each week, eating it for dinner the day it was made and then freezing the rest in a freezer bag for a meal the following week. This worked out really well because we weren’t eating left over soup for three days straight…which definitely gets boring.

One of my favorite soups is Broccoli & Cheese Soup and what’s even better is that this recipe is so EASY! This will make a huge pot of soup, so invite some friends or family over to enjoy a delicious bowl. (This easily makes 2-3 meals for me and my husband).

Ingredients

• 2 large packages of frozen chopped broccoli
• 1 (48 ounce) carton of chicken broth (or use chicken bouillon cubes & water)
• 6 tablespoons butter (or margarine)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 pound processed cheese food (Velveeta), cubed
• 1/2 pound sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
• Salt & Pepper

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, simmer the broccoli in the broth until tender.
2. In a separate skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, and add the onions and sauté to desired tenderness.
3. Add the flour to the onions and stir well, forming a pasty substance. Gradually add the milk and stir until thick.
4. Add the flour/milk mixture to the broccoli mixture in the pot and stir well. Then add the cheese, stirring until melted. Finally, add the salt & pepper.
5. Turn down the heat to low and let simmer for 15-20 minutes to let all the ingredients fuse together.

Enjoy!

Kristen

Simple Homemade Hummus

1 can garbanzo beans

1 1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon  minced garlic

1 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 Tablespoons water

Mix first 7 ingredients in a food processor. Slowly add water while food processor is running. You may not need to add all the water, just add a little at a time until the hummus is smooth.

The great thing about this recipe is that you can adjust the spices to suit your taste. I have used less lemon juice and added lemon pepper instead of black pepper. I have substitute Great Northern Beans for garbanzo beans and this tasted great, but was a little thinner.

I hope you enjoy and have fun making this recipe your own.

Naomi