What??

Peanuts pair with Coca Cola, Chocolate (M&Ms), in Trail Mix, before a meal at Texas Steak House, crushed into Peanut butter etc... but a Beer Partner?? Is this the best description of peanuts? What do you like to do with your peanuts??

Tummy Time

Love my Puppy

I can play with my Puppy on my Tummy

How long do you want me to do this Mom?

I don't like Tummy Time... neither does my Puppy.

We're done with Tummy Time!!

What will it be? Faith or Anxiety

My Precious Niece

I totally dropped the ball on this blog post... but I am super excited to say-- I am an Aunt to the most beautiful little girl :) My sister, Ashley had a beautiful baby girl, Lexie Claire in Janruary!
I was able to skype in with Ashley while she was in labor and then after Lexie was born. It's not the same as being there... but PTL for skype!!

Lexie and Salomon

Isn't she beautiful!!

I can't wait to hold her :)

Here she is one month old-- already like her Momma - playing the piano.

Sweet little face. I can't wait for Parker and Lexie to play together!!

Happy Birthday Barry

Barry Thomas, is celebrating 61 years today. I know I don't get everyone a special birthday message on the blog (please don't feel left out) but I wanted to send out a message to my favorite father-in-law.

My Baby is 6 Months Old

I can't believe that Parker is 6 months old!!
He continues to be an amazing little child. Our Chinese colleagues often say things like "American babys are so much better than Chinese babies" or "American baby don't cry like Chinese babies" I don't know about American vs. Chinese... but I do know the Father blessed us with an amazing child! He is so smiley and full of giggles.

I have the extreme pleasure of staying home with Parker while Wes teaches classes. I feel so blessed to be able to be with Parker all the time. The days go by so fast. He generally wakes up at 6:00 for an early breakfast. I will fed him and then put him back to bed. Generally, I will get up and read the Book, drink coffee, workout and shower before it is time for his 9:00 feeding. After he eats ... we play. It is so much fun. Wes and I set up a play area in the living room. Normally, we take out ALL the toys. Parker can sit up on his own and play ... by play I mean put things in his mouth. We will play until 10:30 and then he take another nap. 12:00 is lunch time :) He eat then we play some more until another nap time :)
He is sleeping through the night from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am. Love this-- Thank you Baby Wise :)
Fun things that he has started doing in the last month--
- Talking-- saying "dada" He started talking while we were in Thailand. It is the cutest thing in the whole world. Newest sounds "mmmmmmmmmmm" :)
- Sitting up on his own
- Giving kisses. He has been doing this for a while... but more recently he will grab my face and pull it to his for a kiss.
- LOVES to hang upside down
- OK... so I think that everything he does is fun and super cute... even his poopie diapers are cute :)

Love this picture with Wes because Parker is almost winking ;)

Bear Bear is his FAVORITE toy. We got him this bear for Christmas and for whatever reason there was an immediate bond. One of our friends that lives in a city with Ikea -- just went and bought us a back-up bear bear... just in case :)

OH and we are starting Rice Cereal today... if I can figure it out... I will try to post a video. :)

Sausage making in China

Thanks to a website - Market to Meal - I was inspired to make sausage. This is the 3rd time I have done it successfully... so I thought I would share. I add my own little things to make it special.
Spices

2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 basil
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp (or so) Cheyenne powder

Ground Pork- (mine here is about 1 pound)

Then the yucky part-- squishing your fingers through the meat to mix the spices.

Then make it into patties, ground it, freeze it for later... whatever you like.
Wes loves it any way on a biscuit.

My biscuit recipe- (altered from Market to Meal and Wycliffe cookbook)

2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil

Mix dry ingredients. Measure milk and oil in the same measuring cup (put in milk first... then oil on top of milk measuring to 1 and 1/4 liquids)
Stir in liquids to dry ingredients. Don't over mix
Roll out on a flour surface.

Bake at 220 C for about 10-12 minutes. YUMMY!! According to Wes (a biscuit man) they are better than Hardees :)