Freeze Florida Frenzy part 1

We are having such a wonderful time at the beach. The kids are all doing great! And the Mommies and Daddies are having fun too! Here's a small glimpse...

P.S. A special hello to Mamaw and Papaw, Nana and Pop, Frannie and Poppa, Moosie and Poppa, Mammy and Pop, Mimi and Mony. We love and miss you!

And We're Off!

Not sure how we got all of this stuff to fit, but it did!

Stay tuned for Freeze Frenzy from Florida!

a graduation, a dedication and a vacation

It's been a week since the last post and so much has happened. I intended for this to be 3 seperate posts, but since I am still in the whirlwind you're getting 3 in 1.

Last Saturday Kent, my favorite brother, graduated from U of A. We are so, so proud of his accomplishment and the young man he has become. Wow it's weird to call him a young man, but that's what he is. I digress. We had lots of family and friends in town for the celebration. It was so great to host everyone at our house. Unfortunantly this is the only picture I got of the crew, but isn't it a good one. The next pic of Kent will likely be at his new home in Little Rock that he has asked mom and me to decorate...is he crazy?!! Just kidding Kent. It will look amazing. I do spend most of my day watching HGTV so I am a pro a DIY projects!

Sunday we celebrated Kinley's baby dedication at church. Yes it is a dedication not a donation, as one of my Methodist cousins was calling it. In the Southern Baptist church we dedicate our babies in front of the church body vowing to raise our children as God's Word says. Zach and I are daily praying for strength to do so.

Isn't this picture totally adorable?!

Another reason our week has been fun and crazy is because we are packing for vacation! Hurray! We are headed to Florida with my 2 besties from college, and their family. Here's a picture of the 6 of us a few years ago in Florida. Zach, I am sorry to say that you have aged the most. You have a baby face in the pic below. And you get more handsome everyday! ILY!

I always seem to have my head tilted (which is ok for most people). However, I always seem to have it tilted too much. From now on when you are taking my picture, please tell me not to tilt my head. Thanks!

I am hoping to have internet access in FL so we can keep intouch. The funnest part of going anywhere with the Freezes is packing the car. That will take place tonight! Can't wait. That will include, luggage for 3, an exersaucer, a swing, a bumbo, beach towels, snacks, and lots of other junk I insist we take.

Stay tuned for a Freeze frenzy! ( I think that should be the new name of our blog) Webster defines frenzy as "wild excitement". That is certainly the case around here, 24-7.

Mother's Day Poem

I just have share this with you. This is what I received from my mom for my first Mother's Day. She won't admit it, but she has the gift of writing. See for yourself!

"Your first Mother's Day is here

With many blessings and many fears

Priorities in your house have changed

Life as you knew will never be the same.

There will be fun times and there will be sorrow

Lean on God to lead you through tomorrow

He will guide you to know what to do

When motherhood seems to overtake you.

You will look at things through eyes anew

In a way you never knew could be true

A kind of love you've never known

For a baby that will one day be grown.

Enjoy and relish each and every day

As you watch your baby grow and play

For time will fly by in a flash

From toys, make-up, boys to cash.

You are a true Mother from the inside out

It seems so natural for you, no doubt

A protector, guide, friend you'll be

A loving and virtuous woman for Kinley to see.

You are one who makes your Mother so proud

As she observes and watches from the crowd

Like those who bear the name of Mother

It's an awesome role that is above any other.

My love and blessings are sent your way

As you celebrate your very own Mother's Day

Joy and happiness and a love so strong

Will fill your heart from this day on."

I wish all mothers a blessed Mother's Day. Zach and I are dedicating Kinley at church this Sunday. Couldn't make the day any more special. Pictures to come and more about our big weekend!

Just because I don't like to post without pictures. Here's Kinley's first time at the park across from our house. She loved the swing!

I said I would try it

Several weeks ago I counseled with my friend Mary Avery about making baby food. She told me that she was doing it for her son and really enjoyed it. I had been researching it a little but was still unsure about it.

So the time came for Kinley to start foods and I decided I was too lazy to try making baby food. I would just go the Gerber route. Things have been going well with store bought foods. Kinley loves bananas and green beans best! We've also tried pears, apples, sweet potatoes, and as of today, corn.

The past few days K has been rather cranky and for a couple of day was refusing to eat her fruits and veggies. After the second day of throwing away what she wouldn't eat it began to hurt my pocketbook. I started thinking that I had thrown away about $4 of food each day and that was only a few containers of food.

So yesterday I decided I am going to be brave and try making Kinley's food. So I went to Walmart and purchased

• 4 ice trays $6
• 1 small strainer $2.50
• 1 sweet potato $1.40
• 3 apples $1.55
• 3 squashes $1.25
• 1 bag frozen corn $.98
• 1 bag frozen sweet peas $.98

Other items required includes a food processor which I already have. For those not familiar with the cost of baby foods, it is much less costly going the make your own way...much less.

This am I woke up and was ready to start cooking. I pulled out the great book lent to me, Blender Baby Food. Here's the play-by-play:

Squash, peeled and cubed

apples boiling...all the other fruits and veggies were cooked by bringing to a boil then simmering for 15-20 mins until very tender

then put into the fod processor to puree. so far so good...easy really.
this is the step where I said thank you Lord for Gerber! Because of the corn kernels I had to mash the corn through the strainer. This was a little challenging! But I survived.
The 3 apples made almost a whole tray (15 servings) of apples!

it just took a few hours for the foods to freeze. then I took them out of the trays and placed them in labeled baggies and can simply pull out one serving.

My overall thoughts on the making baby food experience was pretty good. It was time consuming, but I think worth it. Next time I make it I will increase the quantity. Wouldn't be anymore difficult to cook 3 apples instead of 6...and it would last twice as long.

I want to hear from those of you who make your own baby food. Got any good tips or tricks?

Here's what Kinley was doing while I was making her food. She is sitting up pretty good, but we have the Boppy for just incase. Can't believe we are coming up on 6 months!

Naturals Night

We scored some free tickets to the NWA Naturals tonight, so we took a quick road trip to the local minor league baseball game. It was fun, but a little too chilly with the wind blowing. We were there long enough for me to eat a pretzel with cheese :) take a few pictures and watch a few innings.

I really wanted to have a family picture with the mascot, but Zach wasn't a team player, so instead we each smiled for the camera with Kinley! Next game I am getting my pic with Switch the sasquatch whether Zach is in or not.