Grants Monthly photos 1-12

One my best friend gave me the cutest photo frame spelling Grant.  She went around Chicago and found letters that matched the colors of his nursery and it has been on his wall since he was three days old.  

Month one I was trying to find something to measure his growth against and this was it.  At first Grant barely covered three letters of the frame and now he just about spans the whole thing.  You can really tell his growth with the frame and the monthly stickers seem to shrink in size month by month.  

As you can imagine trying to get the photos in the end was rather challenging.  I have so many "out takes" that I thought I would be funny to have a collage of them too.  (I used a photographer tip of giving them a small piece of tape to play with and it bought me a shot or two.)

In the end Grant would flip over and run away before I got the camera on so waiting for one perfect one stretched out was not in the cards some months.  All in all I love to compare the progress, like his chubby legs coming in around month 6/7.  

I would recommend doing something like this, of course you notice their growth but looking back-wow!

And then some random funnies...

As always- thanks for stopping by,

Holland

Five on Friday

Today I am linking up on with the ladies for the "Five on Friday" again.  It's a great way to reflect on the week:

1) I love this new photo collage app that is letting me design the cutest memories like this. (pic frame it is called)

Grant's first holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Valentine's, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, 4th of July, and his first birthday 

 I have been looking for something like this for a while but would love any recommendations on any others.

2) My new shoes- it has been a while since I have got myself some cute summer shoes.  Two years ago my work started a no sandals policy but I could not pass these up, I will find somewhere to wear them!

3) Garage sale season.  Every first Friday and Saturday in August our town has the highway  141 sales, a 100 miles of highway with garage sales along the whole route.  My house is a great location for selling so every year a couple girlfriends and I have a garage sale.  It is stressful getting ready for it but I love spending two days just chatting it up in the garage while making a little money.

Having a little one will add the this love as great finds will most likely be out and about for him as well but I have to think of a way to sneak in more toys without the hubs noticing. 

4) I get to see my family tonight!  I have missed my boys this past week and from what the hubs says, Grant has missed his momma!  It has been a good time in Orlando for work, sleeping in a huge bed that gets made by someone else, relaxing training, meeting my co-workers for the first time, and some great food but there will be some extra story snuggle tonight with my little one.

5) My husband.  I think this week was a little hard on him and he has managed to do it alone since Sunday! He has spent hours or a night with Grant alone but five nights in a row is new.  He gets Grant up in the morning and gets him dressed while I drive him to daycare.  At night I get Grant from daycare, play, feed, read, bathe, and hand him over to the hubs for pjs and bed.  It works get for us and if Greg goes to work early, I follow suit not to get out of our routine.  I haven't had Grant alone for five days- I think two or three was the most so I am thankful for him and know that a crabby teething one year isn't always a peach. Lots of love and an extra round of golf should be headed his way! 

Runza Casserole

RUNZA Casserole-Easy, quick supper with no condensed soup!

 

One of my favorite easy casseroles is this “Runza” pie.  Runza is a fast food restaurant in Nebraska or maybe it’s just Omaha- I am not sure.  Anyway, they are famous for their different stuffed rolls called you guessed it – Runzas.  Well, these recipe was shared by a friend (and just maybe the only loyal reader I have- thanks for your support Sara!)

 

It is super easy, cheap,  and yummy! (And adaptable, try it with numerous combinations of fillings.)

 

You will need:    1lbs ground meat (I use ground beef)

                                1 small onion diced

                                2 cups (or a smaller head of green cabbage) chopped/shredded/diced just small pieces

                                1tbs Italian herbs seasoning or your favorite mix-mine is Lawery’s and parsley ½ tbs each

                                ½ tsp black pepper

                                1 can of crescent rolls

                                1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

 

Optional:             Two shredded/tiny diced carrot or ¼ cup

                               

 

Brown the meat.  (for me, I cook lean meat in ½ c water and there is no need to drain)

When mostly finished, add in the seasoning, onion, cabbage, and carrots.

Sautee until soft.  (I would recommend covering and letting it sit on medium-low for 8-10 minutes.)

 

Get out a 8*8 or 9*9 square baking pan (my favorite is glass Pyrex)

Spray with Pam/cooking spray.

Unroll the crescent rolls and divide dough in half.  (I get the 8 per can option so four form a nice square right out of the can.)

Line the bottom of the pan with half of the dough.

Spread your filling mixture on top of the dough.

Sprinkle your cheese over the filling.

Top with the remaining half of the dough.

Bake until the crescent rolls are brown and cooked through.  375 for 30 should do it!

 

It turns out great every time for us.  Last time I was in Omaha, NE I went to Runza and was disappointed that my sandwich wasn’t as good as this recipe.  I guess nothing beats home cooking unless you don’t have to make it or clean it up! J

 

Sorry there is not a final photo!  I will add one next time I cook it, it seriously disappeared to fast!

Thanks for stopping by,

Holland 

 

Five on Friday

This is my first Five on Friday link up as I am a newer blogger trying to "get out there" more in the blogging world,so here it goes.

  

Things I am loving right now:

1) this face:

I honestly can't tell you what's up with it but it is everywhere around my house.  

I love it, it looks almost mean at first but then I bust out laughing.  

My little one can't even pretend to be mean...I have caught a couple more on camera and will have to put together a collage so more to come.

2) WORK TRIP....I started a new position at my work a month ago and I finally get to meet my coworkers.  

I work virtual for Florida so this will be fun and going to Orlando always means shopping!  

Pack my bag, the plane is leaving on Sunday!

This also means a hotel king size bed to myself for a couple of days.

3) This article:   

http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/breastfeeding-note-from-pizza-waitress-pays-it-forward-164047499.html 

This happened in my town, at a pizza restaurant we go to!  

A female waitress pays for a nursing mothers pizza with a "thanks for breastfeeding" note written on it!  

Super cool and getting a lot of attention.  

4) Surviving one year of parenthood aka my baby turns one. 

  I got a text two days ago from a friend that said "happy birthday Grant"...and happy  "you made it through a year of parenthood!" 

I keep thinking about that with a big grin....then slap myself for thinking let's do it again. 

5) Amazon one touch shopping/checkout...I think about things I need at the weirdest times. 

 I look them up, add to cart, and  wait until I have enough for free shipping.

Getting packages in the mail is fun too, now what else do I need/ want?

Thanks for stopping by,

Holland

Happy First Birthday Grant!

I wanted to do something special for Grant's first birthday without reliving the cake smashing from his first birthday party a couple days ago.  I was inspired by Little Baby Garvins' post about little Harper getting doughnuts on her first birthday so we did the same. 

Mr. Grant doesn't get real sugary foods at all so a doughnut was just as fun as the cake for his actual birthday breakfast.  He got a chocolate iced glazed doughnut and it made for some cute photos.

I can't believe its been a year....(holding in the mama tears)...

Here is how it went down:

What a nap!

There has been a lot going on lately around my house, not just chasing around after a 1 year old, so much so that I got home yesterday from getting Grant at daycare, found out that the hubs wasn't gonna be around for dinner, made pancakes for the two of us, and we laid down at 615 pm.  I woke up at 10pm briefly and decided not to get up.  Grant and I's short nap turned into an all nighter!

I can't believe the husband didn't wake me up but he probably thought we were both down for the night.  

I got up at 1230 am and gave him a sippie when he stirred but wow, 11 hours of sleep!  

I can't remember a day like that, maybe when I was pregnant once but college for sure.  

Anyway, I am going on a work trip next week and should be able to post a little more since there is so many topics I have in my mind.  

Stay tuned for:

Our living room makeover with lots of painting help from Jodee; my neighbor Teresa hang the wall designs for me (she did great!), I have a huge collection of stuff that the hubby refuses to hang on the walls. 

Grant's first birthday party wrap up.

And my first of my "baby item this verses that" where I want to share the mommy knowledge I have gained over the past year, pros and cons of similar items from my perspective (I would love comments on other opinions/options too!)

Below is the only photo I have from the party on my iPad so far but it is a great one.  I don't know where this face came from but I have seen it a lot lately.  I will have to do a collage to show you what I mean.  Here is some of the cake smashing goodness....doesn't the photo scream "don't even think about taking my cake away!!!" Or simply-"it's mine, BACK OFF!"

It's July!

Bad blogger, it's July and this is a crazy month...here are my top things of this month:

1) This one is a big one.  My baby turns one! Gasp.  I don't know how that happened but it is 12 days away!  One minute you have this newborn and the next a small boy, plain crazy.  I see other babies and I think  if I can remember what is was like to have him that little. (I have revisited a lot of my iPad videos just confirm it.)

2). 3.0. Yep I turned thirty.   It's only five days in so I might have to relive this topic later.  It didn't feel to bad, although I liked the term twentysomething.  Two nights before hubs took me to a fresh seafood place where I splurged with the two lbs of king crab legs.  Damn they were good, not too much-I shared but couldn't help asking for a picture of me holding two of them up.  :) (to be added later once I upload some photos)

3) A FIRST birthday party.  We invited a lot for the first one.  I am decorating with the same colors as his nursery: bright blue, orange, and lime green.  It is next weekend, guess I should get a cake?  I bet it will be super fun then followed by a big nap.  I cant wait to see what he will do with a smash cake.

4) Remodel blues. I was in my last semester of college two hours away when the hubs built this house in 2005. Not being married or engaged at the time, I did not have a say in anything.  The top floor of our house was painted two types of beige- I failed to notice there was a difference in the colors at all until I tried to touch up a couple spots two years back.  A friend and I painted our master bathroom green and I wanted more.  Having a one colored living room is so boring and with the party coming up I want something to look more different.  I bought the paint, photos to share later but chocolate and brighter blue will be making an appearance.

5) Organizing/cleaning, I need to be better.  With a lot of people coming over, this will be a must.   I keep thinking if I had what I wanted, I could just get rid of the rest then less clutter and less cleaning.  Right, new pan set and I can get rid of the two starter sets the hubs and I merged.  Or making that dryer top ironing board (pinterest) then I can get rid of the big one.  It plays out in my head what I want to do, getting there is a whole another story, do I really need a shoe shine kit?

More to come on it all!

As always thanks for stoping by....  Holland

Just look at my little boy....