4 months!

Stella is 4 months today! She just gets cuter by the day, if that is possible. Yesterday Mario played hooky from work and we went to the beach for a few hours. It was a beautiful day and this is Stella's first trip where we actually put a blanket down and hung out instead of just walking. She loved it! She loves to feel the wind! She especially liked putting her toes in the sand! After that Nana stopped by for a visit! What a great start to the weekend!

A few new pictures...

A few winter recipes...

I thought I would share a few REALLY easy and good recipes that Mario's mom gave me from some of his relatives...

This first one is so simple but SOOOOO good. From just seeing the ingredients you wouldn't guess how good it really is. It is a great recipe for all of you stuck in the cold weather! I used ranch style beans with jalapenos in them and it really gave it a kick. Mario's mom puts some hot sauce in hers, you could also use the spicier rotel tomato's. Depends on if your kids are eating it also. I think it is good with a spicy kick to it. Really you HAVE to try it, you'll be pleasantly surprised!

Aunt B's Soup

1 lb ground sirloin, cooked
2 cans Rotel tomato's
2 cans Ranch style beans (black label with white lettering)
2 cans Progresso Minestrone

Combine all ingredients and let simmer for about 30 minutes.

This second one I wasn't so sure about before I made it, but it is a crowd pleaser. Mario loves it and it is super easy. His mom got it from his grandma.

Porcupine Balls

1/2 cup rice uncooked
1 lb ground beef
1/2 Tsp salt/pepper
2 Tbsp green onion
2 Tbsp oil (I use olive)
1 can Tomato soup
1 can water

Combine everything, except for soup and water. Mix together and make meatballs. It calls for 12 meatballs but sometimes I make them smaller, sometimes bigger so the # differs. Brown the meatballs in oil. Mix soup and water and add to meatballs. Cook an hour and a half on simmer. I use our electric skillet. Most of the sauce will boil down and get soaked up by the meatballs but I pour the rest over them before serving.

Ok so neither of them are probably the best if you are really super health conscious but they are both quick, easy and good so I thought I would share!

Roll over! Roll over!

This is actually from earlier in the week. I tried to post it before but for some reason it wouldn't work. She actually rolled over 3 times in a row but I caught 2 on video...the other video isn't sideways but it won't upload.

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Aubrey and Stella @ Nana's
Look Mom! No hands!

Stella is starting to reach and grab onto things. This morning there was a teether in her lap and she grabbed it by the side and was trying to push it toward her mouth. She doesn't have very good aim though. The other day she was sitting in her bumbo with the tray on and I had put some toys on it for her and she reached out and grabbed one. While this may be no big deal she wasn't doing this at all last week so it is so fun to see what a difference just one week makes in their capabilities and learning!

80 degrees and sunny!

It's a beautiful day so we took a long walk this morning! These pics are for Auntie Sharon in San Diego!

I can't wait for summer!

I'm excited, the last few days it's been in the upper 70's and I am almost ready to come out of hybernation! I hate the cold for extended periods of time! The winter here is pretty short...Nov-Marchish. But some days, like lately, it still warms up during the day. I loved the weather when I lived in San Diego and Hawaii and there was no winter at all and you didn't have to think before you walked out the door whether you needed a coat or sweater. Flip flops could be worn year round and you didn't have to have clothes for different seasons. A lot of people say they love having seasons, not me. I love being warm and visiting people with seasons! All the snow in Seattle over Christmas was more then enough winter for me! Stella has her sun glasses all ready, now she just has to trade the sweatshirt for a bathing suit! At least she's been able to wear skirts without her legs freezing! A step in the right direction!Mario loves to snuggle with Missy!
But Missy seems to forget she's a dog.

Mommy do these shoes match my oufit?

No Stella, just because they both have flowers doesn't mean they match. :)

Minnie Mouse

I didn't mean to take more pictures but after I got her dressed this morning I couldn't resist. This is the first time she's worn her Minnie Mouse knee highs that Nana got her and they are SO cute! She was entralled by them though and couldn't stop staring at them, made it hard to actually get a pic of her looking at the camera! I think I was waving every toy I could to get her attention away from staring at her socks! One of my favorite memories is going to Disneyland with the family and I can't wait until she is old enough to go!

Warm Fuzzies on a COLD night!

Stella and I had a photo shoot tonight before her bath. I know all of the pics are very similar. She's just so cute I couldn't figure out which to post so I posted a bunch!

Ok mom THAT'S ENOUGH!

We are having a cold snap and boy is it cold! I think 16 degrees last night or something? It warms up during the day but boy does it drop once it gets dark.

Stella really enjoyed her bath tonight! She splished splashed everywhere. Usually she just kicks her legs all around but tonight her arms were flapping like a bird! She was spraying both of us! She just stares at her rubber ducky then gets all excited and freaks out! There's also a particular bottle of shampoo she is transfixed with. It has bright blue seashells on it and I think it has magical meditation powers!

For Grandma Cathy...

I have to post another video because Grandma Cathy doesn't get to see her "talking" and she loved getting to hear her voice in the last one. One little glitch though, you have to tilt your head to the side because I can't rotate videos or at least don't know how and wasn't thinking when I took it. You can get the idea though by just listening to the sound, that's the good part anyways!

I'm 3 months old!

As I'm sitting here uploading some pictures Stella has been throughly entertained for the last 20 minutes by her Baby Einstein Activity mat. Her Papa Larry and Grandma Susi got it for her at our shower. She is loving it more and more every day. She talks to it like it's her best friend. She wouldn't really check everything out on it before so we hadn't put the batteries in it yet. There is a sun at the top that has flashing lights and plays music if you move the mat at all. We just put the batteries in the other day and she is so excited.

This one is a straggler from the Xmas batch.
Working on my sitting up muscles... :) Stella has really strong legs but we are trying to work on her arms more. She'll probably be one of those babies that just skips crawling and goes straight to walking. She can stand for a few seconds if you hold her hands.

These I just took this morning.