Happy Thanksgiving

I am sure if I went through my day it would sound familiar to many people.  Thanksgiving is food, family, friends, and being thankful for all. So here was my day.

Baylor heard the food processor going and had to help make the bacon herb butter. 

Yes, I said bacon and butter!  I found the frozen herbs in the garden this morning and they were quite crispy in the frost but still had their flavor left. 

 I cut the bottom away from the breast and roast them separately now.  It works better to get done at the same time without drying out the white meat.  I also brine it for 24 hours beforehand.  The butter goes under the skin of the breast and thighs.  The breast starts upside down and after an hour gets flipped to skin side up.  Don't ask why, I just follow the recipe.

I love my wool pumpkins! Baylor becomes obsessed with blowing out the candles but he could not reach this one so it was safe. 

Baylor wanted to do a craft and I had some leaves and acorns cut out so Grandma and Baylor worked together to glue them to paper.  He likes to use the glue stick but does not really get the concept of gluing two things together.  Grandma helped him get the glue side down.

And then they peeled potatoes. Mom peeled and sliced and Baylor put them in the water.

I did not take any photos of the finished bird other than when it was being carved.  Baylor helped Buddy by watching. 

He was a good helper!  Dinner was the basics, mashed potatoes (which is all Baylor ate), gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, rolls, and jellied cranberry sauce.  We don't with Thanksgiving too much other than breaking down the turkey for roasting.  The Thatchers were not able to make because Anita is still recovering from her knee surgery. 

Baylor played outside twice today, did not nap and crashed on the couch around 6:00. He was a great helper for all us today and what I am most thankful for in my life.

Well, him and turkey.

A Turkey and some Pork

We stayed at home again this Sunday and I must say it is weird being home.  We did a Thanksgiving craft, the same one we did last year.  Baylor loved the glue stick and wanted to glue every piece of paper I would give him. 

The body is his foot print and three hands for the feathers.

And now for some pork stuffed with pork wrapped in pork. 

It is my contribution to the Thanksgiving meal at work and it is good thing when there is half a piece of pork left at the end of the day and plate full of turkey. 

Ok, this is the last party for Baylor. I promise.

I originally did not want any 'parties' for Baylor this year because I think we still have things from last year we still have not played with!  But one thing lead to another and I just needed to have a small cake and ice cream party with some kids for him.  I invited a few close friends with kids that Baylor plays with to share some ice cream cake.  I had a gift card to Cold*Stone to use so his red velvet with cake batter ice cream cake was nearly free!  But I thought we might need another so I picked up a chocolate peanut butter cake too!  Yum!!  Grandma and Buddy arrived while we were picking up the cake across the river.  Baylor fell asleep before we crossed back and that 20 minute nap to the house was the only one he had all day.  My cousin Heather brought Connor and Brigid, the neighbors Mandy, Natalie and Vanessa arrived next.  Megan and her sister Brittany came without Addy.  Megan said Addy was a hot mess that day and was not party ready!!  I completely understood that!  Once everyone was here we got down to business with the singing and candles! I was not looking at the photos and did not realized the sun was jacking up the picture! 

Baylor needed some help reaching the candles and Megan stepped in to help out. 

After cake and gifts, the kids went outside to play. It was a gorgeous sunny day and I love when he has someone to play with outside.  Usually that is my job and I don't fit on the slide very well!  Grandma Karen and Grandpa Ron stopped by also!  She bought him some really cute Christmas ornaments, birds and fish, and a new book.  He loved them.

After everyone left other that Mom and Dad, Baylor wanted to take a new bull dozer toy outside so I took the time to decorate the new branches on the deck and make the tomato cage trees.  It was really helpful having Mom and Dad there to help.  I have red poinsettias and white and blue snowflakes.  It is a bit too patriotic for this time of year and I will have to get some colored lights or at least some green lights.  This is on the deck and birds use to to land on before going to the feeders.  And it is a great place for lights! 

I took out the jack o'lantern lights and put up the snowman lights.  Between Mom and Dad and I we made the tomato cage trees.

I found them on Pinterst, which is my new addiction.  The stakes are there because Baylor will rip them out when I am not looking.  They cannot be seen when it is dark.

It is early for lights but like everyone else, things book up quickly this time of year and I needed to take advantage of having assistance!  But Christmas is coming fast and I want to be ready. 



Happy Birthday My Little Man

I started blogging when he was about a year and a half so there is not much on here of him before that. So I will back up a bit today.

  It may have been three years ago that someone took this picture but I remember all very clearly.  This is not a labor story so I will not go into that but they were about to take him to the bassinet and I told them no and reached out for him.  I figured they could do anything they needed to with him on his Mommy.   I checked his toes to see if he got my stubby toes and he didn't!

Here he is all brand new and shiny.

Shiny, small, and yellow from jaundice.

 

I loved his frog legs, the way they would curl up together and his feet would go flat to his thighs. 

He spent a lot of time on the bed in his diaper in the sunlight.  He hated it.

He was so little!! But growing so fast.

This is how Lori and him spent a lot of their days.  He was and is a cuddly soul and wants to be in contact with a mommy when he is sleeping.  Lori loves napping so it was a pleasure for her to accommodate his request.   

This is around 6 months old and I think I was feeding him sweet potatoes that day. He started out a good eater and even now he eats all the foods we do and loves his veggies. 

I was always taking pictures of him and he learned to model at a young age. 

He is 11 months here.  Notice, he still has no hair! 

Two years ago today! 

A couple of months later eating what looks like chicken and puffs.  

And later, we have some hair! 

He has been helping me in the kitchen for a long time now.  I love him helping me, even when he spills all the peppercorns out of the pepper mill.  Which happens more than I would like. 

This was at his party last year.  I really went all out, at least for us, for this party.  I really enjoyed it but it is not something we can do every year!   

This earlier this year, he is growing so fast.  It happens right under my eyes so I don't always notice the changes but looking back at photos can bring tears to my eyes! 

He is working on his style now at two and a half!  I don't think he will be starting any trends but I think he pulled it off quite well. 

And at two and three quarters being a ring bearer at Jamie's wedding. 

And today at 3 years old! 

Happy Birthday Baylor!  Love you more and more everyday. 

Stasburg Railroad

Today was the day we had planned to take Baylor and his grandparents to the railroad for his last trip for the year on the train.  I read on the site they would be running the LO&S train but the did not mention it only holds about 30 people at a time!  We arrived at 11:40 and the 12:00 was already sold out and we bought our tickets for 1:00.  We decided to just stay at the station and walked down to the few open places on the platform.  

This is a steam tractor with a talking farmer.  I never listened long enough to know what he was talking about other than the pumpkin farm and play area up the tracks. 

Baylor spied the water tower right away.  That is a lot of water! 

We had never gone in the Thomas store and after Baylor saw the train table, we knew we were set for the next hour and 15 minutes. If only they had a lounge for parents to use while the kids play it would have been perfect. Instead we took turns watching him, but of course as the favorite parent, I took a lot of turns. I managed to get him out for a walk around the rail yard and we saw the coal pile, some backhoes and forklifts. A farmer was raking his field with his tractor and we watched him take a few rounds around the field. After another play at the table, we heard the whistle of the train coming back. To say he was excited would be an understatement!

After everyone got off the train, the driver had to go into the station and Baylor was about to go mad with anticipation!  He wanted on that train and he wanted on now. 

Finally we got to board. 

This train was kind of the efficiency vehicle of its time.  It could hold 44 people, the size of the people back there is definitely different from the size of people today!  There was no way Lori and I could fit in one seat without sitting on each others lap.  The don't sell 44 tickets so they are aware of the issue! 

Along the way, the farmers in this field were baling the corn stalks.  I know the Amish don't like their photos taken but I think with them living along the railroad, this is not the first time for them.  Due to construction along the line, we only went half way out the route and then the driver took his levers off the front and walked them to the back.  He gave information stops and tidbits along the way and was very knowledgeable about the trains and even the Amish.  Baylor fell asleep on the way back.  He did wake up at 5 am.  He is an early riser like me, even on my days off.  He stayed asleep while I got off the train and the walk to the car.  The transition to the car seat never works with him and he was half awake and he was cross, as they say on Thomas.  He calmed down on the ride home while I held his hand. 

We quickly made lunch, which was at 3!  With him having an interrupted nap, the rest of the day was a crap shoot.  He does not fall back to sleep when that happens.  After lunch I got the cake ready and he was so pleased with the candles especially the Thomas candle. 

Dad took pictures of Lori and I with Baylor but I did not think to have him use my camera.  I was trying to rush it before there was a meltdown but as you can see he was overjoyed! 

We ended up lighting the candles and singing three times.  He would have had us lighting and singing until the tall candles were melted to the cake but we cut it off at three. 

After I cut the cake, Thomas needed to take a ride on the track and down the cake! 

And then he went back up again! 

Grandma and Buddy bought him Goldfish crackers, gummy vitamins, a glass window ornament with cardinals, and a new snow suit!  And three big balloons which he loved! 

Sadly, Meme and Pap were not able to join us.  Meme is having knee surgery on Friday and she would not have been able to walk around with us or get on the train.  Baylor and Lori are going to go see her on Monday and they will celebrate with her then. 

I cannot believe that next Wednesday the 16th he will be three!  I am off that day too but it will just be Baylor and his Mommies celebrating!