52/52 Me and My Baby

Taken by Tracy

51/52 Merry Christmas - Bass Pro Style

50/52 snuggle

Lexi and Eric snuggle while we watch a little TV before bed.

Snow Day

On Monday, Lexi's daycare was closed due to snow. That meant the baby and I got to stay home all day! I took her outside in the snow about mid-morning.





She wasn't all that impressed with it.



After we came back inside, Alexis took a nap on the couch with Stella while I got some actual work done.

49/52 Playing in the snow

Sweet Girl

She can point out her belly, hair, nose, eye, and foot on request.
She knows that socks and shoes go on your feet.
She says "uh-oh" but not much else.
She can climb on so many things I think she shouldn't be able to get on.
She loves to help brush her teeth in the mornings.
She knows what "gimme a kiss" means, but will only do so if she feels like it.

48/52 Picking out our Christmas tree

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

2 Chicken breasts
3 links of Andouille Sausage

1/2 Onion, diced
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1 bag frozen Soup Vegetable mix (with okra)
1 can diced Tomatoes
2 cloves Garlic, minced

1/4 Cup Canola/Vegetable Oil
1/4-1/2 Cup Flour

1/4 t Cayenne Pepper
1/4 t Salt
1/4 t Pepper
1/4 t Dry Mustard
1/4 t Paprika
1/8 t Celery Salt
Other Cajun spices

2 Cups Chicken Stock

Brown Rice

-Cook the chicken and sausage until almost done
-Remove the meat from the pot
-Heat the oil then add the flour while whisking
-Keep whisking/adding flour until the roux is med-dark and is a good consistency
-Add the onion and pepper
-Cook 8 minutes or until the veggies are soft
-Add the garlic and spices and cook for another minute
-Add the frozen veggies
-Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil
-Add the chicken and sausage back to the pot
-Simmer for 25 minutes
-Serve over rice

Christmas Tree

On Sunday, we went out with BJ and Amy and got our Christmas tree. Here are some photos from the adventure.



The little girl was all bundled up in her UNC snowsuit.



BJ and Amy





Daddy's girl





Here's our tree!



Eric the lumberjack cutting the tree down.



Tree!



Stay tuned for photos of the tree all decorated!

Fairy Lights

It's a very fragile world, she told us, so walk carefully everywhere you go & we promised to remember for as long as we could.
~Story People

30/30 Chili

Niki's Basic Chili Recipe

Brown 1lb of ground beef, drain
Saute 1 chopped onion with some red pepper flakes
Return ground beef to pot and add 1 can of tomato sauce, 1 can of diced tomatoes, 2 cans of beans (I normally use 1 can chili beans and 1 can black beans, but use whatever you have), 1 can of water
Add chili spices such as chili powder and cumin, salt and pepper
Simmer for 20 minutes or so
Serve with oyster crackers or Fritos

29/30 Another Rainy Evening

Let the rain sing you a lullaby. ~Langston Hughes

28/30 Horsey

27/30 Scattergories

We went over to BJ and Amy's Saturday night for some ribs and Scattergories.

26/30 Alexis

25/30 Carving the Turkey

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving!

24/30 Athena

23/30 New Rain Coat

22/30 Slippers

It's hardest to love the ordinary things, she said, but you get lots of opportunities to practice

~Story People

21/30 Alexis

20/30 Baby Beckett

19/30 Cranky

Someone had their cranky pants on last Friday.

18/30 Lexi Lou

17/30 Dreary November Day

16/30 The way I see it, if you want the rainbow you gotta put up with the rain.

~Dolly Parton

15/30 Lexi

She cracks me up

14/30 Lee, Megan, and Cubby

13/30 and 45/52 Let her eat cake

Sharing Tracy's birthday cake on Saturday.

12/30 Hope

11/30 Hello!

Don't mind the frizzy hair. No time for product.

And an outtake from the 11th. I tried to get a photo with Alexis and this was the only one in focus. It looks like she's saying, "Yesss!" I find it hilarious!

10/30 Lightroom

What my evenings look like.

9/30 New Coat

I don't know why she's leaning back like that.

Theory from Manda:
Maybe she was just air guitaring to some tunes in her head.
It happens.

Also note the second binky in her hand.
The only thing better than one binky?
Two binkys.

8/30 Bathtime

7/30 Ella

6/30 Mr & Mrs

Allison and Darren were married on Saturday!

5/30 Lexi

I promise the photo for the 6th will not be of Lexi. :)

4/30 and 44/52 Nonna and Baby