Seen and Heard

Immediately after waking up from his nap...


Luke:  Is it summer now?
Me: No.  Not for a long time.


5 minutes later while getting him his snack.


Luke:  I'm just a cracker man today mom.

Haystack Cookies

Again, the masses have asked.  And again, I deliver.  And by masses I mean 1 person...just like last time =)


Haystack Cookies
1/4 c light corn syrup
1/4 c honey
1/2 c peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 c corn flakes
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c mini chocolate chips (opt)


In a saucepan, stir together corn syrup, honey and peanut butter.  Bring to a boil, the remove from heat and stir in vanilla, cinnamon, and chocolate chips.  Pour onto cornflakes (which are in a large bowl) and stir until cereal is well coated.  Drop by the heaping teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet.  Refrigerate to set.  Doubles well.


I like them really chewy, so I always serve them cold.  Also, you can make this with all honey.  They end up slightly sweeter and and not quite as firm, but still very yummy.

Family Photos

Thanks to a photographer, Christie Mellor, that we also go to church with, we now have some beautiful pictures of Leta, Luke and our whole family.


Here are a few:

New Year's Resolutions

I know you have been dying to find out what my New Year's Resolution is.  I have, after all, made you wait until January 18th for this post.  Your minds are racing...

Here are a few things that I think you might be guessing.

1.  Stop procrastinating.
2.  Begin to wash all clothes by hand and then line dry them.
3.  Start making sour cream from scratch.  And my own aged cheese. The stinkier the better.
4.  Become the perfect mother.
5.  Discover a method so I will never have to feed my children again.  (They eat ALL the time.  Like 3 times a day plus snacks!)

Well, all your guesses are wrong.  My New Year's Resolution is so Resolution-y I didn't even wait until the new year to begin it.  I began in October.  That's right.  October.  And I'm still stickin' with it.

My New Year's Resolution:


To only wear yoga pants 1 day a week + days that Kyle is gone.


So far I've done it.  But I've noticed a few miscalculations on my part.  First.  It's Tuesday.  I've already used my one day for this week.  Second.  I'm pregnant and aren't yoga pants kinda like a uniform for pregnant people?

Pictures!

http://christiemellorphotography.smugmug.com/

Click on Kyle and Rachel.  It's password protected and case sensitive.  Password: Soper

Happy Birthday Leta!

From our photo shoot this morning with Christie Mellor.  LOVE. IT.

Give me my cake!

Oh my!

First bite.

I love it!

I'm cuter than you would be if you had this much chocolate cake on your face...

Today is Leta's first birthday.  I'm not sure where this year went, but wherever it went, it got there FAST!  Our camera is currently misplaced (read: lost) so no uploading a photo of Leta today for you!  But this morning we did get our family pictures taken along with individuals of Luke and Leta.  I'll update this post with a picture of Leta as soon as I get it.

Tuesday Leta had her 1 year well baby check up.

Let's compare her stats to Luke's at a year.  By the way, these to pictures are of Luke on his first birthday.  Leta went through a phase where I really felt like she was a mini girl-Luke.  Not anymore.  They're definitely related, but Leta certainly has her own individual appearance. 

Leta weighs 18lbs 7 oz.  Luke weighed 18lbs 8 oz.
Leta is 29" long.  Luke was 28 1/2" long.


Luke cried when Dr. Stephens picked him up.  Leta barely cried over her shots.


About Leta:


She has 6 teeth, 4 on the top, 2 on the bottom and is currently working on another on the bottom.


She can crawl, climb the stairs, pull up, cruise, stand up and sit down in the middle of the room.  She knows where her head is.  One day she knew her nose, but only for 1 day.  She only takes 1 nap a day.  She signs "drink", "more", and "all done".  We're working on please.  She has no words, but babbles quite a bit and says mamamamama and dadadadadada.


She only nurses once a day at night (don't tell Leta, but even that is almost over!).  She only eats table food.  She eats oatmeal with fruit in the morning and whatever we're having for dinner and supper.  She does not like peas.  She's not the best vegetable eater, and isn't into food that takes a lot of "work".  She does not like for me to leave to go to Body & Soul, but is always fine as soon as I leave.  She enjoys her bible classes and never fusses when I drop her off someplace.


She is more reserved than Luke was and not as free with her smiles.  She is very observant and thinks it's ridiculous for someone else to hold her if I am within viewing distance.  


She is more compliant than Luke was about "not touching", however she frequently laughs while being disciplined etc.  She is also a fit thrower and will cry and throw her little body down on the floor, get back up on all 4's, and throw herself back down.  Repeat.  Repeat.  Repeat.  You get the picture.  She is also big into arching her back if you're holding her when she's upset with the world and telling us all about it.


She really likes her busy ball popper, her dinosaur and our ride on car.  She likes to push the car around and sit on it, although she can't get it to go anywhere when on it. 


She likes bath time with Luke and eating anything off our floors.  (There is usually an abundance for her to choose from).


She likes books with something to touch and feel or a flap to lift.  She likes toilet water even more.

My Company Green Bean

These are SO easy, yet "fancy" enough for company and WAY better (in my humble opinion *big grin*) than Green Bean Casserole.  And much healthier to boot.  


Company Green Beans
Fresh Green Beans, trimmed, cut and steamed to desired done-ness
Pine Nuts, toasted in a small skillet 
1-2 T olive oil
Balsamic vinegar


Put olive oil and vinegar in a large skillet and reduce until you have a nice thick glaze.  Combine with steamed green beans and toasted pine nuts.  Heat through and serve.  




This is Kyle's favorite way for me to make green beans, but I only pull this one out for company or special occasions since it involves a few more steps than opening a can of green beans and popping it in the microwave. Pine nuts are also a pricey item.  I made these for Luke's birthday to go with the spaghetti and they were a hit.  Try them the next time you have to "bring a side dish" or have company over.  Or I guess you could just make them for your family *wink.

FINALLY!

We had to purchase a new video camera a while ago (I'm embarrassed to mention just how long it's been) and I just now got it all figured out...I think.

Anyway, this is a video of Leta from Christmas day.  She likes walking behind the car, but can't turn so frequently gets stuck against walls and in corners.  Needless to say, she doesn't do this often, because it's not often that I'm willing to follow her around the house getting her out of her "traffic jams".

In other news.  Luke is eating our lunch.  He has been so naughty lately!  Not super-bad naughty...just doing one naughty thing right after another and NOT obeying the first time asked etc.  After 4 days in a row of letting him live to see another day only by a VERY narrow margin of grace...this is how we KNOW that there is a God...we decided it was time to get serious.

We implemented John Rosemond's ticket system.  Only modified.  He gets 5 tickets in the morning and 5 in the afternoon.  The 1 behavior we have picked to modify right now is obeying the first time asked.  Every time he doesn't obey the first time asked he loses a ticket.  When he has lost all 5 tickets he has to go to his room until either lunch time or bed time (only coming out for potty breaks and meals and other unavoidable things).  We began the system Monday afternoon after I got home from Body and Soul.  Luke lost his last ticket Monday evening right before supper.  He got to eat supper with us and then was up in his room by 6 o'clock.  He was NOT happy.  He had to stay up there until 7:30 when it's time to pick up toys and get ready for bed.  He cried and screamed and pounded on his door the entire time he was up there.  Well, the door pounding only happened a couple of times.  A spanking took care of that ;).  He has never been so excited to pick up his toys!  He picked them up well, and I have noticed much better behavior from him since.  He has not lost all his tickets since, but Tuesday morning we went to a play place called Unpluggits, and Tuesday evening Kyle was at a meeting so I let him watch Horton Hears a Who or he would've lost all his tickets that evening since he was on his last ticket when we started the movie.  He made it this morning and we had church this evening.  When he makes it several days not using all 5 tickets, you drop 1 ticket, starting them off with 4, eventually weaning them down to 2 or 3.  Then you can add another behavior and bump them back up to 5 tickets.

Subscribe via Email!

Well people.  I finally figured out how to check who has subscribed via email.  I have 8 subscribers.  2 live in this house.  The popularity of my blog will surely go to my head, as I also now know that I have NATION WIDE readers.  That's right.

Now.  To the other 2 people who read my blog.  Why haven't you subscribed!  Just think, you'll never have to wait again to find out the last witty thing I had to say.  Or more likely the last funny thing I remembered to post that Luke said.

Seen and Heard

Luke: Someday, Daddy I'm going to pray that God takes away your whiskers.
Kyle:  Mommy likes them.
Luke: Well, I don't.

Can you believe it????

Leta will be 1 in just 10 days!  No I haven't even given a passing thought to a party for her.  Typical neglected second child.  However, she is asking for spring/summer clothes in size 18 months for those of you who feel the need to get her something to help her celebrate.  However, Leta will be completely happy with nothing (since she really doesn't notice these things just yet) or with anything you think up....unless you plan on giving her "rest time" in her crib.  That she will cry about.

Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas.

Christmas Eve as I was making Rollo Pretzels, my mom called at 11:45am and wanted to know if we were still going to be home for the holidays.  We were, which was good since they left an hour later to drive to our house! They arrived that night after the kids were in bed.  We didn't tell Luke they were coming, we decided to let it be a surprise.  I did tell Leta, but she's good at keeping a secret.

Christmas morning Luke woke up a little after 7 and I directed him into our guest bedroom where he was surprised to find Grandma and Grandpa.  His excitement at seeing them was soon overshadowed by the fact that he knew his stocking was full downstairs and was allowed to get into it right away.

 Luke got a "ca-tar" from Santa.

 His other present from Santa was Cranky the Crane.  He's been wanting this for months.

 Leta opening a present and enjoying the Tea Ring mom brought down.

 Kyle getting in touch with his inner "rock star"

 Leta loves her Busy Ball popper from Gma and Gpa!

 Reading Ferdinand the Bull

 I let Leta borrow my scarf.  I would've never guessed her raiding my closet would start so young.

 She may look good in a hat, but she won't hardly keep it on to show you!

 Pappaw and Grandma Key were able to visit for an afternoon.

 What?!?  Christmas is OVER!?!

We had a nice relaxing day opening presents and playing toys all day long. It was a very Merry Christmas indeed.

Kyle's mom was able to come Tuesday afternoon and spend the night and most of the next morning with us.  She had heard about the bare state of Leta's wall and brought several adorable hangings for her room.  Luke also is busy playing with the train mat she brought him.  He must've been a very good boy indeed.

And electric blankets are the greatest invention ever.  I am now the owner of my very first one.  I don't know how I've survived all these years without one.

Jasmine Moran Children's Museum

I have heard about the Jasmine Moran Children's Museum in Seminole, OK ever since my elementary education days at OC.  I heard it was great and wonderful etc. etc.  So, of course, I've wanted to take Luke there for a long time.  However, it's 1 1/2 hours away and he has never done well with missing naps etc.  I decided it was time when I heard our babysitter was going to be back for Christmas break from ACU.  I had her come and stay with Leta for the day and Luke and I, along with our friends Karter and Shanna went to the JMCM for the day.

 Luke "flying" the airplane

 In the antique car

 Now flying the "real" airplane

 Luke and Karter digging for dinosaur bones.  Luke had trouble not throwing sand, so we didn't do this for very long.

 Climbing the big playland.

 Fireman Luke didn't want to wear the gear.

 Grocery shopping

 The train ride.

 Maze of balls.  This was very fascinating and we spent a lot of time here.

We got there around 10:30 am, left at 3:30 pm and still had not done everything indoors and NOTHING outdoors (except for the train ride-which is Luke's mind, was NOT long enough).  I would like to go back again someday without the kids and just play myself! ha.