This summer has been incredibly busy. We've been doing a lot of outside work on our yard (Eric has dug out more stumps than Lily can count) and of course the babies are every growing and changing.

We have taken trips to see Grandma and Grandpa, and Uncle Jeff & Aunt Kathleen and cousin Carter visited for Kevin and Meredith's wedding. I took a girls trip in the beginning of June for Beth's bachelorette weekend and toured Nashville. We celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary by grabbing dinner together. I got Eric a bike for father's day and we took it on the Loveland trail. In the end of June I had my 3rd Webby recital. Then, Steve and Tracie got married downtown Cincy, it was a super fun wedding and they looked so happy.

We had a lovely July 4th at Nisbet Park in Loveland with the Konyas. Picnic blankets, lattes, snacks, you couldn't ask for anything better. Lily called each firwork by name and color: "gween fire cwacker, wed fire cwacker, boo fire cwacker" and Quentin and Giovanna announced them, "here comes another one"

Eric's birthday on July 13th was a hit up in BG. We had just returned from getaway in Put in Bay and had a suprise party for him at his parents house. I took him to a Reds game that Friday for his present. Good thing- because it was the last time we'll see Dunn or Griffey jr. play for the reds..sadly.

The end of July was a hit with Beth and Greg's wedding in Dayton. Super fun! It's always exciting when a good friend gets hitched! And we adore them together.

The first weekend of August we made our first family road trip to ATL, GA to visit Matt and Teri in their new home. Along the way we stayed with Laura in Nashville, TN. It was a really fun trip, we didn't know how the kids would do in such a long drive but we made it! Ben was a rockstar, didn't cry once. Lily on the other hand didn't sleep a wink and had to be entertained the full 14 hrs of the drive. Go figure!
It was worth it all to see good friends and make memories. We saw the artsy East Nashville and breakfast where Laura works. And we took walks with Matt and Teri and Carmen their dog, enjoyed the neighborhood, had a cook out with friends, and danced the day away...I would expect nothing less! :) On the way home we took the kids swimming and took a slow drive back.

The middle of August was spent working on our home, planting flowers and plants and enjoying the summer. We just celebrated Lily's 2nd Birthday! I cannot believe she's two. She is starting to spot letters of the alphabet other than just singing them. She really is a sponge right now, learning everything I teach her and so quick too! I'm finding she's ready for new adventures, toys, and explorations. Ben is 10 1/2 months old, he's a crawling, standing, drooling, gibber gabbering, ooey gooey machine! He can say da da and uh oh. Our little man is into everything!

Eric is coming around to his 3rd year at Belcan, he's learning a lot on home maitenance and back into a running schedule. I am setting up my dance classes for the fall and decided that is all I will do outside the home. It's been fun to be a stay at home mom, I am really enjoying them.

Well that sums it up for now. Enjoy the pictures and I'll try to post more regularly from now on. :)

Making Ben's baby food is way easier than I thought! Here's some recipes that perhaps you may want to try:

carrots:
buy fresh carrots-wash, peel, cut up in small pieces
steam in a veggie steamer (we bought a tiny steamer you can put in a small saucepan with 3/4 cup water) cover, boil then bring to med for 10-15 min till soft)
then put carrots in blender (i use a smoothie machine)
add fresh water to thin out and blend/cream until you like the consistency

applesauce:
peel, core and cut up apples
put in a small sauce pan with 1 cup of water
cook for 10-15 min tills oft
put in blender and cream until desired consistency (add water if necessary)
(hint) natural/organic applesauce is the same thing they just add vit c (absorbic acid) so if you need a quick fix you can use that

peas:
1 package of frozen peas
cook in sauce pan on stove top with 1 cup of water (or how much the package says) cover
then cream in blender with a little fresh water at a time until it's smooth (don't add too much at a time it gets soupy fast)

bananas:
so easy!
cut up fresh bannanas and mash with fork and water or put in blender and cream till ready
*these are best 1st time foods for baby's digestive system

avacado:
so easy too!
buy soft dark avacado-peel, core
mash with fork
add water and stir until desired consistency
*another good 1st food for baby -so many vitamins and healthy fats.

butternut squash:
cut in half, place face down in baking dish in an inch of water
bake at 400 for 40 minutes
meat should come out easily out of peel
blend with water till smooth

here's a website i refer to:
http://wholesomebabyfood.com/babyfirstfoods.htm

I can't believe how fast my babies are growing and how much they are learning! My little Lily bug can count to 11 (exept she skips 7 everytime) and she is singing the ABC's. Of course she misses a few, but I'm just amazed at her memory. Everyday she learns a new word and repeats what we say, her vocabulary has just exploded! She is also starting to speak in small sentences. She shows me all of her favorite stuffys and says, "Hi Bee, Hi Bunny, Hi Bear, Hi Mama" all in a row. Anytime she falls she says, "Boo boo, Oh Man , Bandaid!" It's really funny. She also points to the computer and says, "dance" because she knows that's where the music comes from she likes to twirl and bounce and move her feet to music. And the best words of all, she uses "please, thank you, pray, and bless you" which just melt my heart. She even says "Bless you" when I cough, and that is a blessing in itself! At 21 months she is a mover and a shaker and her favorite thing to do is push Bee around in a baby stroller my mom got her. As she pushes Bee and I push Ben, usually rocks catch her eye and our 1/2 mile walk takes us a good hour to complete. She has also learned how to go down a baby slide, and LOVES to be on a swing...in fact she throws a bit of tantrum when we are done with the swings.
Mr. Ben is 7 months old, he'll turn 8 months in 2 weeks and I just can't believe that. He is ooey gooey and I love it! He's been eating baby food for quite awhile now (which I found is not hard to make at all) and now he can even gum cheerios. He's really good at picking them up and feeding himself with his soft chubby hands- it's the cutest thing. Everyday he is making new sounds too, he just started to blow rasberries which is always fun. He rolls around and does the airplane move, he scoots backwards a bit, and can sit up-though he needs pillow support because he ends up falling over all the time. Both Lily & Ben love to laugh and be tickled and make funny noises and faces, I feel really blessed to have such happy sweet babies. They don't fuss much and all they seem to need is love and attention. I tried doing baby yoga with Ben, and toddler yoga with Lily. Lily only wanted to do the things where I lifted her in the air and didn't like any of the calm relaxing things. Meanwhile Ben giggled as I tried to put his pudgy body in baby yoga poses and massage. They are so much fun!


Mommy makes Ben yummy squash

Best Buds

"Just don't put me in a box okay guys"

Sweet Boy

Lily reads a story to brother

Stretch

Peek a Boo

A little over a month since our last update-things have been busy! Lily is 19 months old & Ben is almost 6 months old. Ben is now eating rice cereal and I gave him his first taste of carrots last week. He has now discovered his hands as his favorite toy, he doesn't say much but when he does decide to babble or cry it is loud! He has quite the booming voice- I think he got that from my side :) He also likes to tap his hand on the table when he's in a high chair and he grabs his toes when he's lying on the floor. Lily is learning something new everyday- new words and new abilities. She loves routine and thrives in it. She has started to "help" me when I change Ben's diaper and I even taught her how to throw the diaper away in the trash (SWEET!) - She has learned how to color and has a special place in her heart for Elmo. She watches Sesamee Street and I got her an Elmo coloring book because she says his name a lot! With the warm weather she wants to go outside to "wattssss" (walk). She is trying to pronounce the end of words now- like for Book she says "Buuts" She is also eating with utensils making our mealtimes quite the event. Eric & I have been very busy this winter/spring. I've been teaching a lot of dance classes and he has been working hard at Belcan and at home. We are looking fwd to nice weather where we can relax outside with the family and also schedule a possible vacation or at least a date! :) haha.
Since my last blog we've had valentine's day, the schroeder family reunion, the Blizzard of 08, Easter holiday, some visitors, my bday, and warm sunny days too! Take a look at some new photos, more at our shutterfly website.

Mommy & Ben on a Saturday afternoon


Pigtails!


Playing Together

Janay & Crawfie Visit


Morning Snuggles


Lily


Blizzard of 08


Night Night Lily


In Daddy's Arms


1st Easter Egg Hunt


The Boys on an Egg Hunt


Ben's 1st Easter


Easter Sunday


Yay Easter Baskets


I just wanted the Bunny's candy!


Jelly Beans woohoo!

Ben is 4 months old and he weighs 14 1/2 pounds, he's average in size all around. His legs and muscle tone are very strong- he can stand really well when you are holding him on a flat surface..and he is already trying to roll over. He can roll half way from his back onto his side. He is such a DELIGHT! His neck is tickleish and he laughs everytime we take off his clothes to change him. It's great. Super drool machine and super big smiler right now. He can grab little toys and he always has his hands in his mouth. I suspect in a month he'll begin to teethe like his sister. He loves to look you in the eyes and coo.
Lily is 18 months old and is as verbal and communicative as she could possibly be! I have never seen a little tike talk and sing in baby language as much as she does. She pretends to read aloud and pretends to talk on the phone as she paces the family room. Cute! Today Eric & I saw her walking around patting "Bee" on the back and singing to him like we do to her and Ben, it was the sweetest thing. When we are out and about she no longer wants to be held but wants to walk everywhere! She recognizes pictures and some names and faces now.

Aquarium Trip with Aunt April & Cousin Mai Ly

Go Terps! Beat Duke!

Morning Hugs

Family Run

Gotta love the Bucks!

Belly Button!

Thanks Auntie Janay! I'm supporting change!