Creating Cookies

During birthday celebration time this year I was enjoying a delightful Ferrero Rocher chocolate and I decided that I wanted to create a cookie that tasted like a Ferrero Rocher. I didn't want to find a recipe and make it, I wanted to create a recipe. Now, I'll admit that I didn't start from scratch. I don't know enough about baking to do that, but I did take a base cookie recipe and make some changes and by the second batch I thought that I'd succeeded.
Here's the recipe:

Ferrero Rocher Cookies

Ingredients:

Cookies

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups granulated sugar

½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

4 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons Kahlua

4 oz hazelnuts toasted

Topping (Ganache)

2 cups milk chocolate chips

¼ cup butter or margarine

½ cup hazelnut flavored nondairy liquid creamer

Directions:

Combine flour and baking powder; set aside. In saucepan over medium heat combine sugar, butter, and chocolate, stirring until butter and chocolate are melted; remove from heat. Gradually stir in eggs and Kahlua. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Chill 2 hours in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Roll dough into 1-inch balls with a hazelnut inserted in the center. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. While cookies are baking, put chocolate chips and butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until melted and remove from heat. Stir in creamer. Once cookies have been removed from the pan pour the ganache over the top of the cookies and sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts. Do not package until ganache is set or you can put the cookies in the freezer to speed up the process.

They are a little time intensive compared to chocolate chip cookies, but they are yummy if I don't say so myself.

Party Spread

I hosted a Lia Sophia party this last weekend and was super excited to plan the spread. I absolutely love doing that and there aren't always a lot of opportunities. Here's what we ate and the recipes:

 The menu consisted of:

Cranberry Bog Gorp

Veggies

Jack-O'-Lantern Cheese Ball

Pumpkin Bean Soup (which I served in the martini glasses)

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Close up of the pumpkin cheese ball.

Cake.

Halloween

 Here's my cute little lion on Halloween. He did awesome! I'm so glad we did some practice runs with the costume beforehand. He didn't complain about it once the whole time we were out and he only came back 5 or 10 minutes before the older kids.

"Mom, look what they gave me!"

 Jared was so funny. We had worked on saying "trick or treat" but he wasn't very interested. I thought maybe we'd get a growl out of him, but no luck there either. He got super shy once we got up to the doors. Always the polite boy he told everyone "thank you" though. After he figured out that he was going to get candy at each house he had a death grip on his bucket. He wasn't going to let that thing go for anything.

Such a fun group.

Our little family after trick or treating.

Jared's Development

Here's my little man at Jason's wedding. He was the ring bearer and did awesome. As you can see in the picture, he had a bit of an accident the day before. Poor Uncle Mark was there when it happened, but scooped him up and handed him over. He also danced the night away. I'll be posting some pictures and video after we get our fixed hard drive back.
Lately, Jared's language has been exploding. The kid repeats just about everything. Today at the grocery store he wanted to know the name of every item I picked up. It's such a fun time. I also took him to the doctor today and am happy to report that he is now in the 95th percentile for height (36.5 inches), 75th percentile for head size, and he jumped up to the 50th percentile for weight. He still looks tall and skinny, but he's not so skinny anymore.
He's my big boy!

Life Goes On

As some of you may know life has been a bit crazy around here. I was in the midst of applying for jobs when I completed the interview for the research assistant position (see previous post) and was offered the job. Yay! It was a really cool job and I was really excited about it. I thought it was perfect because it was part time in the afternoons, evenings, and weekends. That way I'd still be able to stay home with Jared most of the time and continue on with life. Well, a few days after I accepted the research job. IVP (Jon's work) sent me an email saying that they wanted to do a phone interview for the royalty accountant position I applied for there (yes, I do have a strange and wide range of skills). Curve ball!!! I continued on with IVP's process. I made it through the phone interview and then the online testing process. Next, Jon and I had to decide what I should do because the IVP process was not going to be done before the training for the research position was to begin. Yikes! We decided to go for the IVP job because we really could use the additional salary income and I think I could really use some time out of the house. So, tomorrow I'm going for the interview at IVP. It's a 3 hour process and starts at 1pm. Yikes!
In other news, my mom took me shopping this weekend for my birthday!!! It was so great! I feel like it's been so long since I've gone shopping for good clothes. We went to the outlet mall in Michigan City and I fell in love with DKNY. We almost walked right by, but luckily we stopped in where the whole store was 50% off. Yay for sales. I don't even know if I can pick a favorite purchase, but today I rocked my red infinity scarf. I also discovered through my purchases that I'm going through a white, black, gray, and red phase in my clothing decisions. Everything I bought was white, black, or gray except for my great red scarf. I guess that's how it goes when you're trying to build a wardrobe from scratch. I love everything I got and can't wait to wear my super classic clothes. If you're looking for a super versatile piece check out the DKNY cozy or the Victoria Secret Soft & Sexy Wrap. There's also an iphone app for how to tie the DKNY one all the different ways. Super helpful. Also, get the cozy at the outlet, it's much cheaper! =)

Quick Update: Jobs, School, Life

I realized that I haven't really updated what's been going on with life right now.
Jon and I have decided that I'm going to put  off applying to schools for another year for monetary reasons. Gotta get back in the black before I take the plunge. That means I don't have to take the GRE and apply til next summer. It'll probably work out well too because Jared will be older and hopefully a bit more independent so I can get work done when necessary.
Additionally, I am looking for a job (see above). I had my second interview for a Research Assistant position today, which is part time. The job sounds good and it'll definitely be helpful in applying to schools since it's research based and deals with neurodevelopment. I should find out about it by the middle of next week at the latest.
That's life right now.

PSA

Just a small public service announcement.

If you have any moles that are looking a little weird go have them checked out!

I recently had 2 moles removed and luckily they weren't cancerous, but they were abnormal cells that the doctor said could turn into cancer. The procedure to get them tested is quick and I didn't feel any pain (disclaimer: I have a really high pain tolerance, but I really didn't feel anything).
Here's what to look for courtesy of Mayo Clinic:

• A is for asymmetrical shape. Look for moles with irregular shapes, such as two very different-looking halves.
• B is for irregular border. Look for moles with irregular, notched or scalloped borders — the characteristics of melanomas.
• C is for changes in color. Look for growths that have many colors or an uneven distribution of color.
• D is for diameter. Look for growths that are larger than about 1/4 inch (6 millimeters).
• E is for evolving. Look for changes over time, such as a mole that grows in size or that changes color or shape. Moles may also evolve to develop new signs and symptoms, such as new itchiness or bleeding.

There's lots of good info on the website if you need to have a biopsy too. 

Go see your doctor. =)

I Have to Brag for a Minute

Here is my newest outfit. I added 3 new pieces to my wardrobe and spent...can you guess?

Less than $32!!! Whoo hoo! The shirt, leggings, and shoes are all brand new from Target. Thank you, Target. Yay for a cheap new outfit and a few new options in my wardrobe arsenal.

Fashion Decision & Preferences

Yesterday I drove all over Fox Valley in an attempt to purchase these cute shoes Target Black Booties that I wrote about before. I totally feel in love with them in the stores, tried them on, and after much back and forth decided to get them. Well, I went to my normal Target where they didn't have my size. Someone checked inventory at nearby stores and said that one nearby had 3 in my size. I didn't have them put them on hold because I figured I'd be fine if they had 3. Well, I got to that store and surprise surprise they didn't have any in my size. Sad day! I decided to make one last phone call to another Target because I had made the decision to get these shoes. The third Target had one pair in my size so I put them on hold. I packed Jared in the car again and went to the third Target, where we got the shoes and everything else I needed for the house. Finally! Fast forward to the evening when I decide to try the shoes on with a dress that I'm considering wearing to a wedding. Guess what. They don't work. I realized after getting them home and trying them on with my clothes that they are just too trendy for me. I need more of the classic fashions first, then I can add some of the trendy things. Today I returned to Target and gave back my precious shoes in exchange for these Target Black Flats (which they didn't have in my size, so I'll be going back again soon). One big bright spot is that I received a coupon for 20% off a shoe purchase at Target after I got home today.
This whole episode returned me to thoughts of my overall style. I don't know if any of you have seriously sat down and tried to figure it out (or if you even need to), but I've really taken some time this year to lay out what I'd like my style to look like. I realized that since I don't have a lot of cash I really need to have a great idea of what I want when I'm able to buy clothes. Descriptions for my style include, classic, feminine, and put together. My dream wardrobe would consist of very classically shaped dresses (shifts, etc.), fitted cardigans (preferably worn with a belt), and lots of feminine details (ruffles, bows, etc.). I've put together a style book that I wish I could share, but here's some basic ideas.


Banana Republic

 

Banana Republic 



 

Unfortunately I can't really find much else right now. I really need to get that scanner working so I can show you all the hard work I've already done. 

Here's some questions for you:

• How do you define your style?
• How do you decide what things to purchase? Are you a planner or an impulse buyer?
• Do you think about what you're gonna wear or just throw something on?
• What's one thing that you are dying to add  to your fashion collection?

What's Going on in There?

Recently I've been so intrigued by Jared.
He is so friendly and says "Hi" to everyone we pass, especially at the grocery store. You can tell that he really is brightening some people's day. What a little light he is. Also, he's talking up a storm, both in words I can understand and in gibberish. We've even been working on "please" and "thank you" and he's used them on his own a few time. Yay for polite kids! He's also really interested in having me label everything for him. No encouragement needed. This kid will repeat exactly what you say, so be careful. He loves going places where he can interact with kids. We go to the park and he walks right up to kids, waves and says hi. Sometimes I wish that I could sit and watch him in the nursery at church because I'm sure he's having the time of his life. One of my favorite things that he's doing lately is that he'll pull a book off the shelf and sit there "reading" it to himself. Mostly he's talking gibberish, but every once in awhile he'll say a word that's on the page. He has such a good memory and loves being read to. The last week or so Jared has also started being more cuddly. He'll come and snuggle in my lap and walk up and give me a kiss.
There's just so much going on in his life. You can tell that he's learning things every day. I often sit and wonder what is going on in that little head of his.
I'm thankful for my little man.

A Taste of Jared and Fashion

Favorite Jared Moment of the Day

We have been putting Jared's lion Halloween costume on recently so that he builds up a tolerance and will actually wear it on Halloween. Today I put the whole costume on and then Jared walked over to the mirror to look at himself. He immediately started growling at himself. Too cute!

Sorry I can't figure out how to rotate it. You get the idea though. 

Fashion

Target Booties

As I said in my previous post, I'd like to start posting about some things that interest me and fashion is one of them. I'll make sure to clearly label these posts so that those who don't care won't waste their time. On to the fashion talk. These are the new shoes I've been looking at. I wasn't ever sure that I really liked the Bootie style of shoe, but I saw these online and thought that I could really rock them. Maybe it has something to do with me warming up to the idea of wearing leggings or just wanting to wear dresses more often. I could definitely picture me wearing them with an outfit I'm putting together for a wedding this fall. Maybe sometimes we just need the right outfit in order to be interested in some of the newer fashions? The only decision to make now is gray or black? 

Planning an outfit really does get me excited. Luckily this one mostly uses pieces that I already own.  Maybe I should look into a job where I can dress up every day. That kind of job will pay a lot of money, right? 

I would like to be more intentional about my use of this blog. I'm so impressed by other people's blogs, but I'm not really sure what direction I want to take with mine. There's always stuff about Jared, but I don't think I want my blog to be completely about him. Other parts of my life are interesting too, right? Well, I'm hoping to really cultivate those other parts because I really feel like I've lost something.

My recent thinking has lead me to believe that it started after college. Up until that point in my life I had always been involved in dance or some kind of sport. These activities were fun, but I really got involved in them. Dance, especially in college was a huge part of me. I spent time planning choreography and perfecting routines, but I also spent time with fun girls who helped encourage me. They weren't just dance team girls, they were my friends (many still are). We had sleepovers, we talked about boys, we rode around and complained about coaches. This may not seem like a lot, but to me, someone who had trouble making/keeping girl friends as I got older, it was amazing! Although I'm still friends with those girls it's a lot harder to get together and obviously things aren't the same. 

The main problem with this is that I haven't found something to replace the spot that the dance team filled. I no longer participate in an activity that I loved/did for 19 years of my life and I don't have that easy in with girls. I don't think I noticed this gap so much when we lived in Indiana because I still had several other friends around, but now that we've lived out here for 3 years it's more noticeable and maybe even growing. I'm working on filling in that gap with people out here, but I need to do some personal work too. 

Without the constant back and forth with friends I think it's easy to lose ourselves. Jon is amazing and is great to share with, but there's just some things that you need other people for, even if it's just to get a range of opinions. Phone calls to friends are great, but they just aren't the same. Maybe it's just more noticeable since Jared's been born because I'm home more, but I just feel like parts of me are dying. 

That was all a little more depressing that I thought it would be. Sorry.

Basically, I want to regain myself. I have opinions and they are important. I have interests and I should follow them. I want to try things that may be mistakes. I want the freedom to do these things and I want to share them with those who are my friends. I'm going to try using this blog to talk about my overall life, including fashion, Jared, cooking/baking (when I've got something interesting), and maybe some home improvement (when we can afford it). Welcome to my life and please feel free to comment on posts or call. I'd love the company and your opinions. 

July 21st...Is there something special about that date?

Um...Alright, alright. It's our anniversary! Now if I would have seen the date this morning I'm sure I would have remembered, but alas I did not.
Yep, Jon and I both managed to forget that today was our anniversary. I was going along with my normal morning routine when Jon's mom showed up to watch Jared while I went to work. When I opened the door she said, "Happy Anniversary!" I'm sure my face dropped a little because I had no idea. My guess is that it's because we celebrated last weekend and didn't have anything special planned for today, but who knows? Maybe life is just kinda crazy right now. Anyway, I called Jon and had to leave him a voicemail reminding him. We had a laugh about it later.

For a little anniversary fun I thought I'd post some pics of the two of us through the years. I don't have any from the early, early years because that was before digital cameras (I feel like that makes me sound old). And now presenting (drum roll please), Jon and Torrie summer of 2001.

I have no idea why we are dressed up, but look at those youngsters. I always think it's funny when I look back at these kinds of pictures because I don't ever remember my hair being that blond, but here's the proof. Let me do a little math...Jon and I were together for 2 years here. I really need to dig up some pictures from the very beginning. 

Wedding day four years ago. My first day as a Boggs.

And here we are during our anniversary weekend of fun. Almost 4 years after the wedding day and 11 years after we started dating. 

What a ride it's been!

Daddy's Boy

In the last week or so I've realized that my little boy has been a Daddy's Boy! At least 5 separate times a day Jared will turn to me from whatever he's playing and say, "Dada? Dada?" I always explain that Dada is at work and he goes back to his fun, but you should see the sad little face he gets when he realizes that Dada isn't here. The real realization came the other morning though. Background: Jared normally just cries when he's ready to get up in the morning, no words, just crying. Jon and I were letting Jared cry a bit to see if he would go back to sleep because he woke up at 5:50. All of a sudden I hear "Dada, Dada" coming from Jared's room. Then again today he was refusing to take his afternoon nap and I hear "Dada Dada." I've decided it's because he already knows that Jon is the softy in the house.

Living Room Plans

As you can see by the slideshow on the side I've been busy looking at stuff for the living room. Here's my newest find from Crate and Barrel:

Found Here

My favorite part is the it's from reclaimed wood so it's got some real distress marks. Here's the top view.

Now to save up for it.

No Motivation

Grr! Today was a rough today. I've noticed that after I have a busy day of running around (like taking Jared to Chicago) I have a really hard time getting back into the swing of things. It's too easy for me to make excuses. Do you have any suggestions for motivation? My most recent thought is just to schedule something I have to do earlier in the morning so that I get moving immediately and don't end up sitting around. Without a set schedule I have a really hard time getting motivated and getting things done. Jared definitely doesn't make things any easier because he wants to be right in the middle of everything, just like any toddler.
Luckily tomorrow is a new day! Here's to a better day!

House Stuff

I think I've finally been inspired to get some design into this house. Jon and I have been talking about what to do with some of the space since Big Jared moved in. Having an extra roomie has really made us aware of the space and what it does to us. Right now our living room is the big problem and I do mean big. It's a pretty large space, especially for the size of our house, but it's become a catch all. Here's a description for those of you that haven't visited.
We have a large L shaped couch in the back corner that Jon says one just "falls" into. Actually we've been practicing my GRE vocabulary so he would more accurately say that we wallow in it. Next to the couch is a cabinet record player that takes up a decent amount of space. There's also a cheap bookcase, our tiny tv on a cheap tv stand, and all of Jared's toys. We've also got a coffee table in the middle of all that. Now moving on to the other end of the room. It's more open because the boys just moved another couch down to the basement. There's a large comfy chair, drumset, end table, glider, and lamp. There's also a fireplace and a large wooden secretary (that's what my mom would call it) type piece of furniture on that side. The walls are a shade of white that has a tint of green and the ceiling is dun dun dun...dark brown.
So here's what we're thinking. We want to have two sections of the room: a comfy relaxing section and a more "straight back chair" feeling (those are Jon's exact words) section for work. We don't have much money to spring for new stuff so we've got to work with what we've got. I am really drawn to clean modern designs, which I think Jon likes too, but he's a bit more quirky than me. Basically I need to pare down and organize all the stuff we have. All the designs I like have less clutter than I have and look much cleaner.
Jon would really like to get a big table to work on. The idea of painting a small section of the wall with chalkboard paint in order to create somewhere that Jon can jot down ideas. My understanding is that it will be framed out. I've also talked about getting organizers for the walls, so that Jon can just put his papers in there when he is done for the night.
Do you have any suggestions? Please send me links if you find any.
I've been looking at Young House Love and really love the overall look that they have going and the DIY stuff is always good. I'd love to hear your suggestions. Hopefully eventually I'll be able to post some before and after pictures.

My Life

Life has been moving along as usual. Since my last post Jared has started and become confident in his walking. It's funny how much more of a big kid he seems now. He's absolutely loving the independence too. That boy is going to be one interesting kid. So impatient already and he gets real frustrated when he can't do something immediately. I can also see glimpses of the terrible twos, which should be loads of fun.

In other news: I'd really like to be able to use this blog to update life in general instead of just life with Jared. I've been working really hard on fully developing myself and want somewhere to share it, besides with Jon. So, what's new with me you ask?

I am looking into some new options for more schooling. Throughout my time of thinking about what I'd like to do with my life I've been pulled towards the sciences, but the idea of having to complete so many prerequisites before even starting grad school was just daunting. The most appealing thing I had been considering was neuroscience, specifically looking at sensory processing. One day last month I decided to forget about the prerequisite issue and look into programs. I was surprised to find that there are PhD programs in Psychology that concentrate on Neuroscience. Yay! With these programs I'd probably only have to take one prerequisite class at the most. How exciting! So, I've purchased a study guide for the GRE and have taken a practice test (which did not go well, but now I've got some room to improve). There are several programs in Chicago, so that's encouraging too. Now, I just have to work on getting accepted to one. Applications are due in December and any suggestions or help you have to offer is greatly appreciated. It all seems a little daunting right now.

One last thing before I go. Cleaning my house is not something I enjoy and because of that it is often dirtier than I'd like to admit. I am trying to keep it cleaner and somehow work the cleaning into my normal routine. Since it's abnormal for me to be cleaning I recently sent Jon an email proudly listing my accomplishments for the day. He found it amusing, so here's a small excerpt:

"Here's my completed tasks so far today: cleaned the bathroom sink, counter, mirror, floor, and toilet (having two grown men makes the toilet much messier...yuck!); swept and mopped the kitchen floor (unfortunately it still feels dirty...maybe it's just my feet though); cleaned the kitchen; cleaned Jared's high chair; and I also thought about some ways of rearranging things in the kitchen, mostly the microwave and accompanying cart. My additional plans include cleaning the floor again because Jared just decided to dump his food there and vacuuming. I think that will be a productive day for me."

A day in the life of Torrie. =)

I've Failed at Blogging

Yep, it's finally come to what I knew would eventually happen. I just don't seem to have time to blog anymore. I feel like I'd like to continue and now that there's a laptop in the living room I might, but we'll just have to play it by ear.
Here's a rundown of life at the Boggs house:
Jared turned 1! What?! I know, I was surprised too.He's a cute little bugger who's refusing to walk, but talking up a storm (most of the time I have no idea what he's saying, but it's super cute). When Jared was younger everyone we talked to including his pediatrician thought he'd be an early walker, but he's proving everyone wrong (I wonder if this is what I can expect from now on). He takes a few steps, but always sits down nicely and finishes his journey by crawling. I know I shouldn't be in a rush, but it sure is tough.
He is talking now and the signing has been going great. Most of the time he's able to give me a good idea of what he wants without crying. Unfortunately he's very impatient so the crying starts while I'm getting whatever he's requested.
Jared has this adorable thing that he does that just brightens my day. Background: Jared pretty much refuses to give kisses across the board. I don't know what it is, but he just doesn't want to do it, even when he's being bribed with food (and the kid always wants food), just ask Mimi. So, in lieu of kisses Jared has started coming over and putting his forehead on someone else's. It's his own little show of affection. I think it's so fun because he came up with it on his own (At least I think he did, but maybe Jon and I do this. Who knows?). The other funny thing is that he gives his stuffed animals kisses with his lips all the time. He's a funny kid.
In other news, I've been working hard on my plan for 2010. My style book is getting more filled up and I even bought some pieces that I feel are perfect. Dresses are my new obsession for summer. I don't want to wear jeans again until fall. =) Too bad my wardrobe doesn't fit my style just yet, but it'll get there eventually. I was even able to go window shopping with a friend and articulate why certain pieces would or wouldn't work for me. The next step is gonna be even tougher though. Finding things that fit properly. Darn that long torso!
I also made a fun decorating decision. We have a white hutch in our kitchen and I have some things displayed on there, but I've never really liked how it looked. While visiting LA I saw some really cute teapots/cups and decided to do a hodgepodge of those on the hutch. My idea is very modern looking items in mostly solid, bright colors. I've starting looking at Goodwill and will hopefully find some at garage sales this summer. I like having direction while shopping. =)
Finally I emailed an instructor at Erikson to find out more about how she got to where she is. She does research and her area of expertise is neuroscience which has been interesting me more and more lately. We'll see what comes of that.
Hopefully I'll post again soon, but no promises.

My Year So Far

For those of you that care about my project to deliberately improve myself this year, here's a little update on what I've been doing.

• Purged by closet and dresser- I had way too much stuff that I never wore anymore
• Went through Jared's clothes to remove those that don't fit anymore. Unfortunately, I have to do this again. The little bugger keeps on growing. =)
• Put some of Jared's toys in the basement to free up some room.
• Started my style book of clothes that I like.
• Talked to a friend about starting latin dancing lessons.
• Tried a few new recipes from Real Simple.
• Bought some Bath & Body Works soaps. Yes, this was on my list as a splurge. =)
• Tried some red lipstick and it was definitely not the right color, but I'm going to keep trying.
• Went on a date with Jon. Whoo hoo!
• Decluttered one of the bathroom drawers.
• Got a friend to help hold me accountable to the things I want to do and help me reward myself for a job well done.
• Started a list of specific clothing items that my wardrobe needs and my mom helped me get a few of those already. Thanks Mom!
• Spent some time at the mall walking around and seeing what stores I like.
• I took Jared to the library storytime and signed him up for the Kindermusik class that we have a gift certificate for. =)
• Signed up for a knife skills cooking class.
• Signed up for a cake decorating class, but it's postponed because I'm the only one who signed up.
• Invited friends over and spent more time with friends.
• Signed up for a class at the library about vegetable gardening.

Well, that's what I've been up to. I think it helps to write it all out like this so I realize how much I've done and it's only March! =) Hopefully I can keep it up.

It's been a lot tougher to keep up with the blog now that Jared is always on the move and my laptop died. Every time I come into the bedroom to do anything he follows me and every time I'm on the computer he wants to see what's going on. Here's the normal set up:
I'm normally sitting right behind him though. This way he can't get to the keyboard, but he can see what's going on.
I'm working on getting Jared out of the house more and around other kids. We attended storytime at the library last week and although the woman who was in charge wasn't fantastic Jared seemed to enjoy himself. There were a lot of kids who were walking, so I think Jared enjoyed watching them. He wasn't ready to get in the mix yet, but I'm sure it won't take long. Jared is also signed up for Kindermusik classes starting in March so that should be fun.
Here's a last little photo of my munchkin.

9 Month Info

Jared turned 9 months on January 22! I can hardly believe it.
Here's the stats:
19.8 pounds which is in the 50th percentile. Even though he's still skinny he's definitely put on a bit of weight. The new pediatrician was very impressed.
29.5 inches which is in the 80th percentile. He's definitely gonna be tall like his daddy. This also meant that I needed to go and buy a new car seat because he outgrew the infant one.
I don't remember what his head circumference was but it was in the 70th percentile.

Overall the little man is doing great. The doctor was very impressed with his development and said he's sure that he'll be an early walker. Jared's already tried standing on his own a few and most of the time there have been positive results.
The newest development is that Jared has finally started using a sign for more regularly. He's made up his own sign, but it's definitely working. It's great too because most of the time he doesn't start whining when he wants something he just does the sign. Yay for less frustration overall. The one problem is that he seems to be using this sign (patting the backside of his hand against his mouth) to tell us lots of things now. I think it means he wants to eat and then he sometimes just wants to make a fun noise with his mouth and hand. Oh well, I'm sure he'll figure it out sometime.
Here's a link to pictures from our Florida trip along with lots of commentary:
Florida Facebook Pics
I have some great videos that I'll be posting soon too.

Definitely Need to Do Some Updating

Well, it's been awhile.
First of all, I decided that instead of doing a New Year's Resolution (which I don't normally do anyway) I'm going to make a list of things that I would like to do in order to make myself into the person that I want to be. Then throughout the year I'll work through the list. My hope is to really concentrate on one thing each month while keeping the other things in mind. I'm still working on organizing the list, but here's some of the major things:
- Organizing and decluttering the house (which will hopefully lead to easier overall cleaning too)
- Figuring out my style, both clothes and decorating
- Starting an herb garden (hopefully leading to a bigger garden later)
- Taking time for myself to do things I enjoy (actually planning something and putting it on the calendar) Specifically taking another cake decorating class, a cooking class, and maybe doing some ballroom dance lessons
- Regularly having dates with Jon (even if they are sitting at home after Jared goes to bed)
- Spending some real time thinking about what I want to do with my life: Do I want to go back to school? What for? What kinds of things do I enjoy enough to spend lots of time doing them?
- Being more active overall
- Finding somewhere to volunteer
- Keep trying to find some friends out here

So, that's my list. I'm still working on figuring out when I'm going to concentrate on each thing. So far I've purged my dresser and closet. Whoo hoo! I've also started a notebook where I put in pictures of clothes that I like. So far I've used the words classic, comfy, and feminine to describe my clothing style.
Your job (if you want to) is to keep me accountable. Check in and see how I'm doing. =)

Also, for those of you that are interested in what Jared's been doing here's a new list.
-Pulling up to standing and cruising along the furniture all the time.
-Real crawling, not just army crawl
-Dancing, while sitting and while standing
-Pointing out Elmo in a book
-Smiling every time someone makes a "b" sound
-Blowing kisses using the back of his hand
-Playing the drums
-Eating anything and everything in sight
-Babbling all the time
I think that's it for now. I'll post about our fun trip to Florida soon.

Christmas Time

Wow! What a whirlwind Christmas was this year!
We started with visiting Valpo to see Viv on Christmas Eve Eve (or Christmas Christmas Eve as I sometimes accidentally say). Jared stayed with my family and it was nice to be out with people after 7pm. =)
The next day our Christmas adventures really started. We went to Jon's parents' house in Elmhurst for our Christmas Eve celebration. Valerie and the kids were able to come so that was fun. We hung out at the house and had some dinner then we headed to the Christmas Eve service at the Boggs' church. Unfortunately, church didn't start til 6 and Jared normally goes to bed at 6:30, so he was getting a little cranky. He had fun before the service started trying to eat Austin's nose.
We took turns standing in the lobby with Jared. Poor guy just wanted his bed so he could go to sleep. Once we got back we put Jared to bed and then Dad read his Christmas letter. After the letter, Jon got his present from his parents because it was too big to haul to Indiana. And the present was...drum roll please.
Yep, that's a drum set. We're still not sure where it will stay permanently, but for now it's in our living room and both of the boys are loving it. After all the festivities at the Boggs' house, we headed back to Indiana to spend the night at my parents' house.
Santa sure was good to us! Here's Jared with his first present.
He did really well, although there were several times where he just looked overwhelmed. He is absolutely loving all of his new toys though! Jon and I are loving our present too. We've been so blessed with very generous families.
After Jared's nap we went over to Grandma Vela's house to spend some time with her. Next stop was Ben and Brianne's for Christmas with the Boggs Family. It was a good time, especially with all the kids tearing through gifts as quickly as possible. Jared missed most of the fun here because of a nap, but we had a great time with the family.
The last stop of the day was Mimi and Pop's house. There Jared got spoiled yet again! He ate the Christmas feast with the family and seemed to thoroughly enjoy everything. While we were waiting for dinner my dad was feeding Jared pieces of a dinner roll and apparently he wasn't moving fast enough because Jared grabbed the roll out of his hands and tried to shove the whole thing in his mouth.
Overall, it was a great day! Here's some video of Jared from our adventures.