Addicted...

Last weekend we went up to visit Jackie & Al in the big city. Always a good time...a little different this time with Nora, but as usual she was a good baby and allowed us to do the things we typically do.  We ate Chicago pizza, Chicago dogs, and "Chicago" Chinese (aka P.F. Changs)-sticking with the Chicago theme! All of which did not let us down even though we walked 45 minutes for the Chicago dog-it was worth it.

On to the part about being addicted...Jackie has me addicted to Chobani's pineapple Greek yogurt after having 1 cup while we were up there.  I should have looked at the price before even trying it because at $1.09 (at Meijer this morning) per 6 oz. cup when I usually get yogurt at Aldi for $0.35 each it kills me! But, it is soo good. I tried skipping last Monday at Kroger and got the Yoplait Greek yogurt...not the same. Even with a $.30 coupon (that doubles to $.60 at Meijer) it was only $.40 per cup, but I only had  1 coupon so I only bought 1.  Back off Jake...that one is mine!  I was so interested in Greek yogurt that I wrote THIS for work on our HNT blog. 

Today

Today we are headed up to the Dunes in Northern Indiana to have a little beach time.  We are picking Jackie up at a train station near by and Jason, Tab, & Bella are meeting us up there.  It should be interesting, but we have packed a beach umbrella & two chairs (that I found on CL for $10) and a pop up baby tent to shade Nora.  Cooler packed with a picnic lunch and bags packed for the rest of the weekend in Chicago visiting the Dimitts! We are so excited...and will post pictures from our trip when we return from our mini-trip

Nora meets Noah!

Rachael, Brad & Noah were in town for Easter so they & Ellen came over Monday so we could all see each other & the babies! It was fun to catch up, see El's growing belly and watch Nora & Noah have their first play date.

I have to say that after changing Nora's diaper for 6 weeks it was weird changing Noah's diaper! He is a rather big boy wearing #2 diapers and Nora just got out of newborns so the shear size of the diaper seemed huge! Not to mention other parts Nora doesn't have that might have sprayed all over the wall-El was fast though.

A handsome little man he is & so precious to see them interact with each other. I must say we were both blessed with happy, easy going babies!

Best friends already!

Come back and play anytime Noah!

Weekend Happenings

FRIDAY

Brian & Megan came over with Nolan. He is a week older than Nora so this was their first "play date". Unfortunately, Nora was not in the mood for a play date. She was fussy almost the whole time they were over. I promised them she wasn't always like that. Nolan was an absolute charm. He is so handsome and well behaved! Here they are in a picture that Nora isn't having too much of a fit in!

SATURDAY

My mom came down from Lafayette to see Anthony & Beth's new apartment. They moved in about 2 weeks ago and are only 10-15 minutes from us so it's convenient for mom to come down to see all of us now. They ended up coming over and we went on a stroll around the neighborhood-pups and all. Although Chubbs (Anthony's dog) got a work out and had to be carried (somewhat like the picture below) or else I think he would have had a heart attack! Baby Hunter is less than a month away!

SUNDAY

We made it to church again! Yay! Then after church we swung by Wal-Mart to get a few things then we were back at home to enjoy the 80 degree weather. Nora & Jersey napped in the screened in porch while we did a little yard and flower gardening work. After working in the yard we took a long walk around the neighborhood trail-we were all worn out and relaxed when we got home.

Thank You Allison Family!

I can't find my thank you notes...so this is your written Thank You for the play mat...and adorable burp cloths, and books! When I received the play mat I knew exactly what it was and in fact it was something we were going to buy that next week with gift cards. Nora isn't sure what to do with it yet, but she's content for about 10 minutes-that's an eternity for a 3 week old! Here she is saying...THANK YOU!

Visitors!

Everyone wants to meet Nora! Here she is with Great-Papaw Stans & Great-Mamaw Karen who came over/down from Illinois last weekend to visit.

Aunt Jackie & Uncle Alex came over a couple weeks ago to spend some time with her. She showed them how to dirty and wet diapers and what an unhappy baby sounds like at bath time!

Grandma, Uncle Anthony & Aunt Melissa came to love on Nora.

Here I am (picture taken a few weeks ago) blogging...with one of Nora's favorite things...my sling. She loves to be close to me, but this thing starts to hurt my shoulder after a while so its only when its absolutely needed!

He Already Knows!

Thursday night we started our labor classes at the hospital. I was looking forward to them and had high expectations, but after the class I was a little let down. Well, let down, but glad all at the same time.

I'm not sure what I thought it was going to be, but I didn't really learn anything. When we got out to the car Jake said, "I think that class was for people who are not proactive in learning anything about pregnancy!" I laughed because he knew everything the lady was talking about and we were laughing during the presentation over things we had talked about related to what she was 'teaching' us. I'm hoping next week will be better-at least we will get a tour of the labor and delivery floor-that I've been looking forward to.

I signed Jake up for a car seat class on Monday. I wasn't able to go because of work, but I thought it would be a good idea for him to know how to properly install them even though the hospital does checks before you leave. I'm thinking for the other car or when/if we get a new vehicle, etc.

I'm going to a newborn massage class on the 15th and we are both going to the caring for your infant class on the 17th. I figure they are free & we are taking advantage of them.

I'll be 36 weeks on Monday...eek! Jake joked that we could be bringing Nora to the caring for your newborn class and said, "uhhh..we brought our baby!". I died laughing. Hoping she waits at least until after 37 weeks. We have a doctor appointment Monday to see how things are going! Holy cow-time is flying by. Its hard to imagine in a few more weeks she will be here keeping us busy.

Side Note: Huge excitement came when we found out Ellen & Ryan are expecting in September! Congratulations, although I don't envy your summer pregnancy.

Couple's Shower

Saturday night our Sunday School class threw us a couples shower-unfortunately & fortunately we had planned it for 7pm. Well, after the Colts were scheduled to play at 8pm-we figured it would turn into a Colts party quickly after the "showery type" of events. We were excited for the people who were able to make it and missed the ones who couldn't because of vacation, going to the colts game, a bachelor party, and family day.

They ended up going in all together on the gifts and we got our baby monitors (needed really bad), first aid kit (paranoid mom-needs first aid kit really bad), and bouncy chair-bed (which I'm sure Nora will love).

We played a few games & then watched the Colts lose in a horrible ending to the Jets....Overall a good time until the last minute of the game.

Baby food guessing & tasting...and toilet paper length games. P.S. baby food carrots are horrible!

We are grateful for the wonderful people we have been able to meet and get to know from Bethesda. They have all been huge blessings in our lives. Thanks for everything you guys have done for us!

Congrats Mr. & Mrs. Haisley

I went through college and our dietetic internship with Maria and this past weekend she was married up in northern Indiana. We had a great time with some of the other girls that I went to school with, but never seem to be able to catch up with becuase everyone is so busy and all over the place. The wedding was in Plymouth and the reception at Amish Acres in Napanee....yes amish food! Family style fried chicken, beef and noodles, green beans, fresh bread with apple butter, homemade mashed potatos, roast beef, stuffing (or dressing as some people called it), and some yummy wedding cake. It was the best food ever! Well, I've been all for homestyle since the beginnnig of pregnancy-so it was awesome. The reception was in a barn looking restaurant and was decorated to match the barn perfectly as you'll see by the cake sitting on top of a log and the lantern centerpieces. It was all too cute! Maria looked stunning and she is one of the only people who can pull off the hat/headpiece netting thing below!

The fabulous RDs!

Boilers Win & Chitown!

Last weekend we went up to Chicago to visit the newlywed Dimitt family. We love going to Chicago in the fall-the weather is just so nice up there and there are tons of things to do. This time we ate Ginos pizza-so good, went to the Purdue vs. Northwestern game where the Boilers upset their undefeated season with an awesome game. Tickets courtesy of Jakes wide receiver coach from Purdue-Thanks Coach Rock!

In other Purdue news, apparently we are changing our motto from "boiler up" to "makers all". I'm not sure I really understand why or that I like it, but my facebook friends are on fire about it! It just doesnt sound right-I mean if somethings working...dont change it! We are missing the homecoming game tomorrow becuase we have a wedding up near Plymouth, IN. I'm looking forward to seeing my dietetics friend Maria, the bride, and eating the awesome food I know they are having at The Amish Acres-they better have homemade chicken and noodles!

If only we would ask...

My Country Cabin: (pictures from NYE)

Our quaint cabin!

The ladies relaxing & playing Battle of the Sexes

The guys playing foosball after arriving at the cabin on NYE-Brian & Al took the trophy

The small hottub we had 8 people in! We lost so much water, Jake & Brian had to re-fill it with 4 tubs of hot water from the bath tub!

Ellen & Ryan

Jackie & Alex

Brian & Megan

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

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Not that I didnt know this a long time ago, but it just became apparent again today when I got home from work...if I ask my husband or create a list for him to do it's more likely going to be done. Rather than just assuming that they will do something if we (ladies) think it needs to be done. When I got home from work the Christmas tree was down, the carpets were vacuumed, furniture rotated back to normal, and the list goes on! I will make a note to self to make more lists for me & him. If you would like your husband to do something maybe try this too! (Hi honey, I know you will be reading this sometime...THANK YOU!)

I Married a Simple Man

This morning Jake got off work at 7 am and was home and in bed by 7:30, but we had made plans to go to a church that one of my co-workers goes to in Brownsburg that starts at 10am. So that meant that he could only take a small cat nap between working all night and the rest of the day. His only condition was that we stop at Starbucks after church so he could use one of his gift cards he recieved from his old co-workers when he left the Lafayette Sam's Club. I said, "Ok, but only because you twisted my arm..LOL". So after a great message and meeting lots of people we headed to Starbucks where he ordered a "venti bold with sweet n low and fat free milk" for $2.09!! I was thinking maybe a pumpkin spice latte or triple chocolate carmel macciato or something specialty, but I definately married a simple man and it works for me! After gasping that he wasnt getting something other than a plain ole cup of joe he then told me his reasoning behind it and it was that even though he has a gift card he wants it to last as long as possible and thats the cheapest thing he can get and he could get 10 of those rather than 4 specialty coffees! I'm amazed at his frugalty (if that is even a word!) and I love it!

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To finished out our day we headed to the Zeroniks house for the Colts game and homemade chili and beer bread by Brian-which was delicious. I also discovered a pumpkin dip from Target that would be awesome with cinnamon graham cracker sticks. After that, we went to John & Rachels to see them and the girls and we were just in time for 'Trunk or Treat' at their church! So, Ann & Nellie put on their lion costumes and we all headed to the church. Needless to say, 'Trunk or Treating' with over 15 cars and 2 16 month olds translates to Uncle Jake & Aunt Rox getting some nice candy! Snickers, Skittles, cotton candy, Hershey bars-you name it we could've had it! Ann & Nellie made out like rockstars with candy & half of it they can't even have! Nellie chewed her way through a mini Snickers bar and found herself something good, I felt bad that Ann wasnt eating anything so I opened a small Hershey bar for her to have. After suckers and more chocolate they were in heaven! How funny & Ann started going around to the trunks again :) Shes a smart cookie.

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Tomorrow, they will be on their way up to their new apartment for 2 months and we will miss them a lot, but we are heading up to Detroit next weekend for the game on Sunday. Overall, we had another great weekend! Pictures to come....be looking for them in the next post!