The Bearded Baby....

I didn't realize that black beans could make a baby grow an instant beard! I thought this was too cute not to capture. This boy loves his beans!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

If you like Hot Wings you will love this dip! A great addition to your Super Bowl party...

2 (10oz) cans chunk chicken

2 packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup ranch

3/4 cup hot sauce

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Heat chicken and hot sauce together in large skillet.
2. Mix in cream cheese, ranch, and half of the cheddar cheese.
3. Heat through and then transfer to a slow cooker set on low and top with remaining cheddar cheese.

** Serve with tortilla chips, celery, or your favorite crackers **

Park Pics...

Zesty Turkey Pot Pie

Here is a quickie! I did this tonight last minute and it turned out great. You can spice up this meal with some jalapenos or take them out to tone it down. We like it spicy at my house!!!

1 tbsp vegetable oil (only use this if you are going to add the japs)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced or you can chop up some pickled japs (optional)
1 lb ground turkey
1 package (16 oz) frozen mixed vegetables
1/4 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cans golden mushroom soup
1 package of refrigerated breadsticks

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. If using japs, then heat oil in skillet and add japs and cook about 5 minutes or until tender.
3. Add turkey to the same skillet and cook until no longer pink. If you are NOT using the japs then just cook the turkey in skillet with out the oil and continue to step 4.
4. Stir in vegetables, thyme, and pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are thawed.
5. Stir in soup and cook until heated through.
6. Spoon turkey mixture into a greased 13x9 casserole dish. Pull and stretch breadsticks across baking dish in a lattice pattern. Bake 15-20 minutes or until breadsticks are golden.

And whaaaa la! YOU have a zesty turkey pot pie!! If you are serving this to little ones you will probably want to leave out the japs. Colter loved this dish....good thing, because it looks like he will be having it a few more times!!!

Big Boy!

Today Colter went for his "15 month" check up, but he is actually 16 months....the doc's office is a little behind, since they are short a doctor now. So here are his stats!!!!

Weight 26.6 lbs (75%)

Height 33 1/2 in (90%)

Head 49.5 (97%)

The doctor said he is doing great and is right on track! The doctor thought it was funny because she gave Colter a tongue depressor to play with and he thought it was a nail file and started to file his toe nails!!

Here is a little update on Colter's favorite things as a 16 month old:

Favorite words: moo, baa, burp, dirt, love, eye, bye, yuck, yum, bath, horse, woof, mom, dad,
dog, cat, elmo, milk, juice, hat and a lot more that he attempts to say.

Favorite toys: slide, gear toy, elmo anything, flap books, balls, hats, boxes

Favorite thing to watch: Elmo's World

Favorite food: corn and if he sees me eating pizza he goes crazy!

Favorite thing to do: play outside

Favorite song: Old McDonald

Favorite game: chase

Favorite book: Elmo Look and Find

NO such thing as TOO dark....

The Bridal Show came and went....what a weekend! We now have some great contacts, sore feet, and a fading tan. I definitely forgot what it felt like to wear heels all day...ouch! The brides came in waves all weekend...so when it did slow down we had a nice little view of the La Bare booth to keep us entertained...did I say that? And Christy had me rolling all day! We had to keep ourselves entertained and sane through the 7 hours straight of standing...so some of the things we did were come up with some slogans....."There is NO such thing as too dark," "You can NEVER be too tan," and my favorite "A BAD tan is better than NO tan!" We obviously didn't use these, but were very tempted! The bridal show was great and we are looking forward to doing it again, but it is nice to be home in my flip flops with my family!

Dream Weddings Bridal Show

Today Christy and I set up for the bridal show this weekend in The Woodlands! We are very excited...this is our first bridal show! Our booth turned out great considering what little space we had to work with. Hopefully the brides will come pouring in tomorrow! Let the tanning begin...

Kisses For Everyone...

Right now Colter is obsessed with kisses....he blows kisses, makes kissing noises, and kisses anything and everything! Today he was trying to get up onto the couch and Emily was pestering him...like always. If you notice in the video Colter holds his foot up to Emily...he loves it when she licks his feet, and follows her around holding his feet up to her trying to get her to lick them. So when she didn't he got mad and her, but then I told him to give her kisses...because that makes everything better! So he gives kisses to his Elmo chair, Emily, and to Momma....soooo sweet!

Turn up your volume!

Oops!

Today...Colter finally made it up onto the couch! This was really his first attempt at it. If you know Colter you would know that he would rather talk/babble about the couch than get up on it. But for some reason today he decided it was time! I couldn't stop laughing because when he made it up onto the couch he stayed in a tri-pod position for a few seconds and then OOPS...he fell off the couch...don't worry...I caught him!

Turn up your volume!

Cheeseburger Soup

Mmmmm mmmmm....that is all I have to say! Here is another great winter recipe to warm you up! It is not as "mom friendly" as the other recipes, but it is worth all the chopping and measuring! Eat up...



Cheeseburger Soup


1 lb ground beef

3/4 cup chopped onions

3/4 cup shredded carrots

3/4 cup diced celery

1/4 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried parsley flakes

4 tbsp butter, divided

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups diced potatoes, peeled

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

8oz shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup sour cream



1. In large pot brown meat, drain and set aside.

2. In same pot, saute onions, carrots, celery, basil, and parsley in 1 Tbsp butter until vegetables are tender.

3. Add broth, potatoes, and meat to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. While meat and potatoes cook, in small skillet melt 3 Tbsp butter. Stir in flour until smooth and cook 3 minutes.

5. Reduce heat to low. Add milk, salt, and pepper. Stir until mixture thickens and becomes smooth.

6. Slowly stir in cheese. Continue to stir until cheese is fully melted.

7. Blend in sour cream.

8. When finished mixing in sour cream, then add the cheese sauce to the meat and potato mixture.

9. When mixed and heated through, serve.

Your kids and hubbys will love you for this one!

A Beautiful Day For The Park...

Rub A Dub Dub

Daddy gave Colter a bath tonight, so Momma could snap some photos...what a ham! Who needs bath toys when you have water!


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That's My Baby...

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Blue Eyes...

I just love this picture of Colter! I took it during the first cold spell. I wanted to get a picture of him in his cute little fleece jumper....but it was impossible. As you can see everytime I pulled the camera out he ran straight for it...little stinker! But how can you get mad at a sweet little face like that...

Baked Pineapple

We had this tonight along with ham, scalloped potatoes, and green bean casserole....it was a great addition.....thank you Misty for the recipe. Chad doesn't normally like pineapple, but liked this because he said it was like a dessert...yum!

Baked Pineapple

1 medium can crushed pineapple
6 slices of white bread cubed
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup margarine
4 eggs

Combine all ingredients with a hand mixer including juice from pineapple. Pour into a greased small square casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

** Goes great with ham

Creamy Italian Chicken

If you like slow cookn' here is the perfect little recipe! We had this last night and had NO leftovers! Easy cooking and easy clean up....just my style....

Creamy Italian Chicken

1 lb boneless chicken breasts
1 envelope dry italian salad dressing mix
1/4 cup water
1 package cream cheese, softened
1 can cream of chicken
4 oz can mushroom stems and pieces, drained

1. Place chicken in slow cooker. Mix salad dressing and water. Pour over chicken.
2. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.
3. Mix cream cheese, soup, and mushrooms in a small bowl. Pour over chicken.
4. Cover and cook on low for 1 more hour.
5. When finished cooking remove chicken from sauce and shred. Put chicken back in sauce.

** Serve over your favorite cooked noodles!
** If you do a lot of slow cooking...the plastic bags for your slow cooker are your best friend!!!

Colter & Emerson's "Day In Pictures"

Today Colter and Emerson had a big day out on the town! It started out with their very first carousel ride and maybe Misty and mine's last....ugh....can you say motion sickness. But the boys just loved it. Colter rode the horse and Emerson rode the cat...and Misty and I just held on tight. Our repeating comments to each other were "whoa this thing goes fast!" So, when we got our bearings once the ride had stopped we headed to Johnny Rockets for hamburgers! And this is when all the entertainment began. Emerson started off with some dance moves that seemed a little too familiar....hmmm....someone has been watching his mommy. Emerson did the hand jive and then Colter chimed in with the classic shimmy. After this they played bongos on the table. Colter thought Emerson had done such a great job that he decided to reward him with some kisses!!! With our belly's full we packed up and headed to Misty's parent's house. Here the boys got into everything in the house...if it wasn't tied, glued, or nailed down it got picked up. And of course Colter had to leave his mark with cheerios all over the floor.....here puppy!!! We then chased the boys around the yard with our cameras....we were the mommy paparazzi. Then back inside for more snacks and playing. What a great day!

Is this ride ever going to start?

Ding ding ding....here we go!

This thing does move!

Hey....Feel like dancing?

Gotta Hand Jive...

What? The music stopped....lets make our own!

I am parched.

Check please!

Gentlemen start your engines...

Giddy up!

Carseats? Nah...

Perfect place to take a break...

Cowboy Soup

This is what is for dinner at the Willis house! Cowboy Soup. I am going to start posting some of my favorite "MOM FRIENDLY" recipes and you can also find them all of the time on my sidebar. I love to cook, but when the baby came that got put on the back burner...literally! So, now I love to cook anything that is quick, with a short ingredient list, and is also delish....and want to share them with you. If you have any good "MOM FRIENDLY" recipes send them my way and I will post them. Happy Eating...

Cowboy Soup...great for the winter months...if you live in Texas that is about 2 weeks

1 lb ground beef
3 cans minestrone soup
1 can ranch style beans with onion
1 can rotel
1 can water

1. Brown meat and drain
2. Mix all ingredients in a pot and cook on low till heated through or put in crock pot and cook on high for 2-3 hours

** You can add shredded cheese to your bowl for added flavor
** Also goes great with cornbread

Glitter Graphics

Sydney Kate Champion Hog Caller.....

Here is Colter's little cousin Sydney Kate from Arkansas....they are just a week apart. Just found out she is already calling the HOGS.....WOOOO PIG SOOIE!!! They start 'em young in Arkansas....

Colter are you TIRED???

Tonight at dinner I asked Colter if he was TIRED? You be the judge!

Meet My Family...

My handsome hubby Chad, Me, & Colter
Here are a few recent photos of my family and one from our wedding in 2005 with the whole gang! Well...of course since our wedding there have been a few additions. I now have 8 nieces and nephews and one sweet little boy named Colter.

My Mom & Tony

aka Nan & Papa Schoch

My Mimi & Steve

My sister Laura, Craig, Olivia, & Evan

My brother Chris, Lisa, Faith, Megan, Madison, Allison, & the newest addition Ryan

Chad's parents Linda & Ray

aka Memaw & Pawpaw

Chad's brother Stephen, Laura, & Tyler

The whole gang at our wedding in 2005...minus a few kids!

Batman Slippers Really Do Have Powers!!!

Well...Colter got his first pair of slippers...Batman! I can't get him to wear shoes or socks around the house when it is chilly, so I tried slippers. Now if I didn't know any better I would think these slippers have special powers! Every time I put them on his feet he literally runs around the house non-stop....I think they give him more energy....is that possible?? I wonder if they carry Batman slippers in my size.....hmmmm.

Christmas 2008 Collage

Ringing in the NEW YEAR at the Cactus!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Wow can you believe it is already 2009...where did this year go? Us married parents of toddlers where lucky enough to have a night without the kiddos to celebrate the New Year...Thanks Memaw and Pawpaw! We started our evening at Papadeauxs and then ended with a bang at the Cactus...where else? "Do they know who I am?" Why YES...I am the owner's daughter!!! So celebrating the New Year at the Cactus is not only a must it is a just a given...plus it is within walking distance of our neighborhood...bonus! These pics are from the beginning of our night...the end of the night pics are locked up in a vault! So needless to say...yes....we had fun! But this morning we realized that we are not as young as we use to be. And taking care of a toddler the day after a NYE makes you rethink ever going out again! So, now that the new year is here and we are slowly recovering we are looking forward to seeing what comes our way in 2009. This past year was wonderful and we were blessed in so many ways...family, friends, and our sweet little boy Colter....how could it get any better than that. So, with resolutions made and our black eyed peas eaten we are ready for whatever 2009 has to bring us!!