The Doherty Dish

Jacob's 1 Year Pics

2012-01-04T22:15:00.000-06:00

Well, it may be well over a month late, but I finally figured out how to download Jacob's 1 year pics from the disc we got at Target. Here are the adorable photos of our big 1 year old!

"J" Walking

2012-01-04T13:18:00.003-06:00

Ha! The title of this post cracks me up, but that is what we call Jacob sometimes. With both of our boys, we abbreviate their initials when talking about them...Matthew is "M", and Jacob is "J"... Anyways, on to the topic. Jacob is now officially walking! He started just around the New Year, and he keeps getting better every day! He is about half crawling, half walking at this point. Our little guy is growing up! Here are a few short videos documenting his progress...

Happy New Year 2012!

2012-01-04T07:07:00.000-06:00

I had a "quiet" New Year's Eve this year, just me and the boys. Chris, of course, had to work, AGAIN. It didn't stop me from having fun! I found these cute "New Years" printable hats and bottle wrap on Pinterest...

I also made some really yummy appetizers...a black-eyed pea dip, and mini spinach dip bread bowls. Both were fantastic!

Happy New Year everyone!!

Christmas 2011

2012-01-03T15:00:00.001-06:00

Christmas Day was a whirlwind! Poor Chris had to work a "turn" to Steamboat Springs, CO, so he left the house at 6:30am...here he is with the boys (which who of course were up by then!), before he left the house for work... The boys where excited to open one present before he left!

I then got myself and the boys ready to head to "the lake" in WI, so celebrate with Chris's extended family. It is only an hours drive to Lake Mills, WI from our place, and every other year, Christmas is celebrated there.

Matthew is waiting patiently for the gifts to be opened...

Jacob and 2nd cousin Ainsley...they are only day apart in age, and were only a month old last Christmas!

Jacob and Grandpa Doherty!

Me helping Matthew open his gifts... Thank you everyone!

Jacob, for some reason, loved being "caged" in under one of Aunt Wendy's tables...;)

Jacob got to open up gifts too!

By a little after 6pm, we were all back home, and we could celebrate with Daddy! (Matthew is in his "close eyes and smile goofy" stage...)

He was so excited to get his first scooter/kickboard!

They boys loved their "Pillow Pets" as well...I have learned that kids LOVE the cheesy gifts...;)

We hope everyone had a blessed Christmas as well, celebrating our Lord and Savior's birth!

Christmas Eve 2011

2012-01-02T22:36:00.000-06:00

Christmas Eve was a wonderful time spent with Chris's immediate family. It was also wonderful that Chris was home on Christmas Eve Day to celebrate then! We had many great appetizers, and a good spiral ham at Chris's sister Sue's house. It was a great evening!

The family...

The boys in their matching "rein-dog" pj's...

Photo fun with an app on my phone...

Christmas-Time in Chicago

2011-12-29T22:08:00.000-06:00

We were able to make it this year for a quick day trip into downtown Chicago. I LOVE Chicago at Christmas! I remember as a child seeing the Marshall Fields (Now Macy's), windows outside. So fun. Matthew really got into them this year. I wouldn't say it was the most stellar year for their windows, but when a 3 year old keeps running to the next one and says "Wooooowww!", it makes it worth it! We also were finally able to eat at XOCO, and loved that too!

My Carnitas Caldos at XOCO...so good!

Starting to tour the windows outside of Macy's...

A couple of Matthew enjoying the windows...

The tree in the Walnut Room was beautiful as always...

It was a great time!

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-25T07:18:00.000-06:00

Teacher Gifts

2011-12-24T14:44:00.002-06:00

I have now entered the era of "teacher gifts". Matthew and I (well really me!) had so much fun making his teachers their gifts this year. He has too wonderful teachers in his room. Mrs. Hanna and her assistant Mrs. Domberg are just the best! I really wanted to make something fun for them. Here is what we did:

Peppermint Stick Cocoa... (I made a few extra for some family gifts...)

Here is a link to the recipe...

Also these cute "personal" hand sanitizers! Thanks to my friend Elaine who helped with the transparency paper printing!!

Here is a link to the tutorial on these...

I also made some homemade "snowflake" marshmallows to go with the cocoa mix!

Here is a link for this recipe...

All wrapped up and ready to give...

I even found a great deal on some cute "peppermint" candy mugs...

Matthew was so happy to give Mrs. Hanna and Mrs. Domberg their gifts!

Christmas In GA

2011-12-23T14:36:00.000-06:00

We had a super great time celebrating Christmas with my family in GA earlier this month. It was a whirlwind trip, but the family time was priceless. As usually we had fun cooking great food, went fly fishing (Chris and I), and the kids loved playing outdoors in December! My brother's family came up for a long day and a half to celebrate, and the cousins had a ball together. Can't wait to go back!

Grammy and Papaw with their grand kiddos...

Proof I went fishing!

2 lb. trout!

Sweet Haylie giving Jacob a bottle...

Crazy "twin" cousins, Matthew and Hope!

I LOVE cooking in my parents kitchen...

Yummy dinner of grilled filet steaks, roasted garlic-ranch mashed potatoes, and a spinach salad with apples and candied pecans...

Ready to feast...

Playing the "bell" gift...

Jacob's Dedication

2011-12-07T14:29:00.000-06:00

To top off the Thanksgiving/Birthday Party weekend, we had Jacob Dedicated at church that Sunday! We were so blessed to have family and friends share with us this event. Here are a few pics from the occasion...

Pastor John praying...

Family pics...

Matthew is so hysterical in this one...

1st Birthday Party!

2011-12-06T14:33:00.001-06:00

Jacob's 1st birthday party was so fun, and the birthday boy had a great time. We had all the family over, and even my parents were able to make it from out of state! Jacob DEMOLISHED his cake when he got a hold of it. It was so funny to watch. Good thing we got a "smash" cake for him! We thank all our family for celebrating with us, and for all the cute gifts...

The Birthday Boy!

Papaw and Grammy with Jacob...

Family pic...

We got him to wear his hat for a few seconds...

Family at the party...

Ready for cake!

Woah! What's this!?!

Who me?

Attack the cake!

Opening gifts...

A couple collages I did of me on my 1st birthday and J on his...;)

Singing "Happy Birthday"...

Jacob and his cake...

Opening gifts...

1st Birthday Decor

2011-12-03T22:39:00.000-06:00

Well, I feel silly dedicating an entire post to the decorations for Jacob's party, but if I didn't break all these post up (cake/decor/party), it would be one HUGE post. So in light of that fact, here are the cute decorations for his party. I went with again, the same theme I used for Matthew's 1st birthday, a blue and green polka dot theme. It was fun, and everything turned out great!

The table...

Polka dots everywhere!

The high chair decorated for the guest of honor...

More decor...

I found these cute polka dotted straws on etsy...

Birthday Cake and Cake Pops!

2011-12-03T22:16:00.000-06:00

Here are the adorable cakes my friend Kynda made for Jacob's 1st birthday. They were made to match the invitation, and Matthew also had his 1st birthday cake just like it. The cake pops were a fun addition. So yummy!

The cakes...

This is a vanilla cake with raspberry cream filling, fluffy buttercream frosting, and marshmallow fondant accents...

Side view...

The "smash" cake...

The cake pops!

These were made out of chocolate cake mixed with fluffy buttercream frosting, covered in white chocolate with matching polka dot sprinkles!

Jacob 12 Months...1 Year!

2011-12-01T22:15:00.000-06:00

Here is the big birthday boy on his actually birthday, at 12 months old! We can't believe our baby is 1!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-12-01T22:10:00.000-06:00

We had a great time on Thanksgiving at our brother and sister-in-law's house. The entire Doherty clan was there and then some. Chris was actually able to be here on Thanksgiving, which was another bonus! The day before Thanksgiving I made two pecan pies (one for our family and one for a friend), and this adorable "turkey" veggie platter I found on Pinterest.

Jacob was all about the bread and potatoes...

Matthew and cousins...

T-Day fun!

Football with the cousins as well...

Jacob refused to take a nap there, but zonked out about 5pm...exhausted from all the festivities!

Christmas Card 2011

2011-11-21T18:12:00.002-06:00

I love Shutterfly!

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

First Haircut!

2011-11-16T15:33:00.001-06:00

Jacob got his first haircut yesterday, just 10 days shy of his first birthday! He was starting to look pretty "shaggy", and my Dad even called him a "hippie", ha! He did really well. Like Matthew, he just kind of sat there and wondered what was going on. Our friend Kim Berry did the honors...she did Matthew's first haircut as well. He looks like a handsome little boy now!

Before...

The cut...

After! Handsome little dude...

A couple of short videos of the occasion...

Halloween 2011

2011-11-16T15:18:00.000-06:00

I had so much fun hosting Halloween this year! I really got into doing "fun" Halloween treats and food. Of course our two "P's" (Pirate and Pumpkin) also had a blast Trick or Treating. It was a great evening!

Some of the food I made...

The "Spooky" Seven Layer Dip...

The Oreo Eyeball Cookies were fun to make!

Mummy Dogs! (I also made Mummy Pizza, but they didn't turn out quite like I planned...)

The Table...

My two little monsters...

My Little Pumpkin...(His 1st Halloween!)

All dressed up and ready to go!

Family pic...

The boys with their cousin Ian...

Trick or Treat!

J was "chillin"...

The Pirate was happy with his treasure...

Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Carving 2011

2011-11-16T11:04:00.000-06:00

Finally getting around to some posts. Here are some fun pictures of our pumpkin carving we literally barely managed to do the night before Halloween. It was cute with both boys "helping". Matthew loved scooping out the seeds, and Jacob was content to play with the stem and top of the pumpkin while we carved. A good family time...maybe next year we will get to a second pumpkin!!

Ready to get started...

Our little helpers...

Getting down and dirty...

Fascinated by the top of the pumpkin...

Yay for our "Jack-O-Lantern"!

Matthew's 1st School Pic

2011-11-09T07:14:00.000-06:00

Here is Matthew's first ever school picture from Rockford Christian, PK-3! Handsome little dude if I do say so myself...

Jacob 11 Months

2011-10-31T15:02:00.000-05:00

Here is Jacob at 11 months...hard to believe he will be a year old in less than month!! How fast did this year go!?!

Our "Little Pumpkin"...

Pumpkin Topiary

2011-10-31T14:55:00.001-05:00

I recently made this cute Pumpkin Topiary for Halloween. I was inspired by this one I found on Pinterest. It was super easy to make. I found the white and orange faux pumpkins at Michaels, along with the outdoor paint. Many thanks to my mom who helped me with the project. I think it turned out pretty well! Best thing about it is that you can reuse it year after year...

Spray paint a terra cotta pot black...

Add some white polka dots...(Used a round sponge "paint" brush.)

Cut the tops off of the bottom two pumpkins and paint your letters on...(I used a template for the letters)

Hot glue your pumpkins together, add some faux fall leaves to the pot, and voila! Cute pumpkin topiary!

It's almost as tall as Matthew...Happy Halloween everyone!

Milestones for Jacob

2011-10-26T22:13:00.000-05:00

Jacob has had many milestones in the past month! In the past few weeks he has learned to sit himself up from laying on the floor, pull himself up to a standing position on just about everything, and even walk a bit behind a walker! Just yesterday he started really crawling (has been "army" crawling for months). We better watch out, he will be off and running in no time!

Here are a couple videos of Jacob pulling himself up to stand when he was learning...

Here is a video of Jacob walking behind a walker...

Here is a video of Jacob crawling...

I also just ordered his invites for his first birthday party! Here is the cute picture I used...

My 2 "P's"

2011-10-17T15:41:00.000-05:00

Matthew is so excited about being a Pirate this year for Halloween. When his costume arrived in the mail, he HAD to try it on. Jacob is going to be a Pumpkin this year...the same thing and costume Matthew was for his first Halloween. Hence my two "P's"...a Pirate and a Pumpkin!

More Pumpkin Love

2011-10-17T15:33:00.000-05:00

I recently got the boys a couple of gorgeous, nice, big and round pumpkins at our local Farmer's Market. As you can tell from the pics, they really like them. :)

Pumpkin Boys

2011-10-16T20:56:00.000-05:00

Trying to catch up on blogging, AGAIN! Will I ever get caught up? A few weeks ago we took the boys out for some annual pumpkin pics we do every Fall. It was Jacob's first time with all the pumpkins and he sure enjoyed himself. He even wore the same exact outfit Matthew did for his first pumpkin pics...:)

Matthew...

Jacob...

The boys...

Our attempt at a family photo...

M having fun on a bouncy slide...

We have a seriously cute baby...

All Aboard the Pumpkin Choo-Choo Express!

M&J...3 years apart...:)

Chicago Ladies Evening

2011-09-30T23:57:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I had a fabulous time with two of my friends, Jen and Inger, in Chicago! We went just for the afternoon/evening, and had a blast. We shopped for a bit, then ate at a yummy Mexican restaurant called Mercadito...so good! We then headed over to Xoco by Rick Bayless for some dessert, so fun! Great "girls" day...

At Mercadito...

Eating dessert and having fun!

Jacob 10 Months

2011-09-30T23:48:00.000-05:00

I have a couple other blog post to get caught up on, but I better post Jacob's 10 month pics before October...ha! I am still trying to grasp that he will be 1 year old in less than two months! Wow...

I thought these were cute "brother" pics...

Jacob 9 Month Pics from Target

2011-09-28T10:22:00.000-05:00

Here are Jacob's "professional" 9 months pics from Target. They did a great job. We love the "baker" ones!

New Hair Color

2011-09-21T20:37:00.000-05:00

Last Friday I did something new! I finally did something different with my hair. I have always been blond, practically my whole life! I went with a nice toffee brown with the same golden blond highlights on top. I really like the new color...my stylist is great!

Apple Orchard with Grammy

2011-09-10T14:54:00.000-05:00

I LOVE Fall! One of the best things about Fall in Northern Illinois is Edward's Apple Orchard in Poplar Grove. It is just the best! My mother was here this past week helping me clean and declutter our basement. Thanks so much Mom! (Seriously, our basement looked like it could have been on an episode of "Hoarders"...) Anyways, back to the Orchard...Edward's is awesome, and I look forward to having their famous apple cider donuts each year...We went out one afternoon with my Mom, and she snapped these cute pics with her new Droid phone...fun!

Grammy and her boys...

The fam...

Pirate Matthew!

Weeeee!

My Little Turkey...

How big we are...

Ma and Pa Farmer...

I can't wait to go again soon for our annual "Pumpkin" pics...Jacob's first time with the pumpkins!

Jacob 9 Months

2011-08-31T18:15:00.000-05:00

Wow, in three short months our little guy will be a year old! Here is Jacob on the 25th of August at 9 months old. These were taken while he was sick, poor little dude! Thankfully, he is all better now...

Matthew's 1st Day of Preschool

2011-08-31T18:10:00.000-05:00

Matthew is loving going to preschool so far. He had his first official day on August 23rd. He is attending Rockford Christian, and is in the Pre-K 3 program. He goes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:15 to 11am. Mrs. Hanna is his teacher, and we couldn't be more happier with her. She is the best! He can't wait to go to school on school days...

Here are some pics from the morning of his first day...

Here he is as we are picking him up...he is so excited to see us, he is running away from Mrs. Hanna...

Lincoln Park Zoo

2011-08-30T21:31:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks ago (yes, still WAY behind on blogging), we had a fun family day going downtown Chicago, and visiting Lincoln Park Zoo. It was fantastic. Matthew of course was so excited to see all the animals. He loved every minute of it. He even walked the whole zoo by himself! We topped the day off with a trip to Molly's Cupcakes. A sweet ending to a sweet day!

Ready to go into the zoo!

Chris and his boys...

Matthew watching the bears...

Matthew loved the train ride!

Some of the animals...

Family pic at Molly's Cupcakes...

Mmmmm, delicious!

Bath Time

2011-08-23T20:37:00.000-05:00

It is so fun now that Jacob is old enough to take a bath with his brother! There are lots of giggles in the tub now... :)

Jacob in his new 12 month sleeper...he is wearing some 18 month stuff as well! Growing too fast for me...

Festa 2011

2011-08-23T20:30:00.000-05:00

Oh my...time and blogging have gotten away from me again! Here are some pics from a couple weekends ago when we went to Festa Italiana, our yearly celebration of all things Italian! We all had a good time, and of course since Matthew was old enough to ride some of the rides this year, he just thought that was about the best thing ever!

Driving a car...

The carousel...

The Granita Stand...

Another weekend, another bouncy castle...

Jacob and me...

Farm Fresh Veggies

2011-08-03T22:13:00.000-05:00

I recently signed up to start getting a weekly basket or "share" from Anderson Organics Farm. I am loving all the fresh organic veggies so far! Everything is so good, and I love that it is fresh, local, and organic. We are trying really hard in the Doherty household to eat right, and that includes eating more vegetables. I love the challenge the shares give me each week to come up with fun and creative ways to use what we have. This past week I came up with a easy, yummy, summer meal going off of a couple different recipes I saw in magazines, and it was a hit! So much so, that when I shared the pics with Kelli from the farm, she asked if she could use them and the recipes in their weekly newsletter! Here is a link to the newsletter and my recipes.

Grilled Arugula Bruschetta...

Our dinner...

Our first couple of "shares" from the farm...

Lake Party

2011-08-03T21:50:00.001-05:00

This past weekend we had fun celebrating our niece, nephew, and cousin's birthdays up in Lake Mills, WI. It was a perfect day weather wise, and Chris's Aunt Wendy totally out did herself with a blow-up bouncy castle, and cotton candy machine! There was even a huge water balloon contest for the kids. Fun for all!

The bouncy castle...

Matthew going down the slide...

Yep, even I got in on the action...

The awesome cake Aunt Wendy made...

Happy Birthday Anna, Ian, and Calista!

Cotton Candy! Matthew was loving it...

Jacob 8 Months

2011-07-25T15:34:00.000-05:00

Here is our little cutie-pie of a man at 8 months already!!

Beat the Heat

2011-07-25T09:56:00.000-05:00

This past week we had a fun day at our local water park, Magic Waters! I was a little nervous taking Jacob out in the extreme heat, but he did great! We sat in water, under the shade of water slides, and had a great time. He also enjoyed juice for the first time. Matthew conquered his fears of water slides, and loves to go down them now.

Hot Tots

2011-07-24T23:21:00.000-05:00

This heat wave may finally be breaking, but man it has been a hot one for awhile now! With heat indexes over 100, my friend Kristin came over with her kids this past week so they could splash around in our little pool for a bit. Talk about a hot play date! Nothing says summer like kids in swimsuits, enjoying homemade popsicles...

Southern Indiana Visit

2011-07-24T23:11:00.000-05:00

We finally made it down to Southern Indiana a couple weeks ago to visit my family there, especially my Grandmother, who hadn't met Jacob yet! We love going to the "farm", and hanging out with everyone. Of course, it had to be at the beginning of this wild heat wave the Midwest has been having, but Chris and Matthew were able to catch some nice looking fish in the pond out back of my Aunt and Uncle's house. It was a great time, and we hope to make it back for Thanksgiving!

My Grandmother meeting Jacob for the first time...

Matthew and "Grandma-Great"!

Chris giving Matthew fishing pointers...

My little fisherman!

Kiss the fish, Year Number 2...

What a catch!

Farmer Matthew...

Cute video of Jacob laughing with his cousin Kayla...

A sweet picture of Jacob and his "Grandma-Great"...

Boy's 1st Baseball Game

2011-07-19T22:24:00.001-05:00

A couple weeks ago we were able to take the boys to their first baseball game, for our local team, the Rockford Riverhawks. It was a bonus that it was a free night provided by a local TV station, and a friend who gave me the tickets she had. Matthew had a blast. He loved the mascot "Rocko", and kept asking him to come back to our section. :) Here are a few pictures from the game...

Celebrating the 4th of July

2011-07-09T10:56:00.001-05:00

This year the boys and I headed to Beloit, WI to celebrate the 4th of July. Sadly Chris had to work again this year. We met our friends the Schmidts there. It is a great little town, and we watched the fireworks from their nice little park on the river. There was a playground right behind where we sat, so it was ideal! Weather was perfect as well. Matthew loved watching the big "booms" in the sky, and even little Jacob just sat on my lap and chilled out watching them as well. He even fell asleep during the grand finale! Both boys were such troopers and did great throughout all the festivities.

Matthew playing with a sparkler...

Jacob is ready to celebrate the 4th!

View of the "lake" on the river...

The boys and I...

The kids and the cute "flag cake" my friend Kristin made...

Gavin and Jacob are two months apart...

Ian and Matthew (1 month apart), are ready for the fireworks!

Let the fireworks begin!

Matthew during the fireworks display...

Jacob was Mr. Chill during the whole event...

Jacob 7 Months

2011-06-28T20:25:00.000-05:00

Our little man also turned 7 months this past week as well! Time is screaming by...

Avalanche Ranch VBS

2011-06-28T20:19:00.001-05:00

Matthew was able to go to his first ever VBS (Vacation Bible School) this past week at our church. He LOVED it. He was so excited to go to "cowboy church" every evening. On Friday evening they had a Bonanza Ice Cream Social for the whole family and the kids sang for us the songs they learned that week. You would think my little social/life of the party boy would want to go up on stage and join his friends, but oh no, he had a terrible fit even when I went up with him. The cute stinker did sing back in our row, and I got a couple cute videos of him doing the motions to the songs...:)

Matthew love the saddle as you came in the door...

Yep, this was Matthew at the beginning of the program...

The kids singing up front...

Here are a couple cute videos of Matthew singing/doing the motions to the songs...

"Grill" Cupcakes

2011-06-28T16:12:00.000-05:00

I made these adorable and clever cupcakes for Father's Day. I found the idea in my Disney Family Fun Magazine. Here is a link to the recipe.

HHI 2011: Part 4

2011-06-28T16:01:00.000-05:00

Even more Hilton Head...

Fun in the sun...

Scott, Jill, Haylie, and Hope...

Jacob and his cute "hat" outfit...

Another family pic...

Building a sandcastle...

The boys...

My cool dude...

Beach toes...

My parents with all their grandkids...

Our family the last night on the beach...

My wonderful parents! Thanks Mom and Dad for an awesome vacation...

Dolphin video...

Sandcastle video...

Whew! And that concludes (almost) our vacation to Hilton Head Island, SC! Will upload a picture of the whole gang, and the professional ones we had taken when I get them...

HHI 2011: Part 3

2011-06-27T22:43:00.000-05:00

More fun from Hilton Head Island...

Ready to go out to eat to celebrate our 12th anniversary! Had a fantastic dinner at Robert Irvine's Eat!

Matthew and his cousin Hope (12 days apart in age!)...

Another family pic on the beach...

Our annual "walking away" picture on the beach...

The sunset was beautiful that night...

Haylie and her sandcastle...

Jacob helps out with digging the moat...

Matthew in the dunes...

Matthew got to go on a pony ride as well!

The lighthouse at Harbor Town...

HHI 2011: Part 2

2011-06-27T21:36:00.000-05:00

Continuing with our vacation to Hilton Head...

Matthew with his cousin Haylie on the beach...

Fun times in the pool...

Our littlest beach bum...

More of Jacob...love the one where the wave is getting him!

Matthew would shovel ALL DAY LONG...

Feeding Uncle Scott watermelon...

Family pic on the beach...

Video of Matthew shoveling...

Fun on the beach...

HHI 2011: Part 1

2011-06-24T23:18:00.000-05:00

We had an incredible week enjoying the sun, family, and relaxing on Hilton Head Island, SC, at the beginning of June. Here are some pictures from the beginning of our time there...

Matthew and his cousin Hope are ready to go to the beach the first night there!

The four "grand kids" are all ready to hit the beach...

Papaw with Jacob...

This was Jacob's first time in the ocean...

The first night was so beautiful...

Video of Jacob taking his first dip in the ocean...

Jacob's 6 Month Pics

2011-06-24T22:20:00.000-05:00

Here are Jacob's 6 Moth pictures that we took at Target...better get this posted tonight...he is 7 months old tomorrow!

Jacob 6 Months

2011-05-28T16:09:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that Jacob is a 1/2 year old already! He is sitting up pretty good now by himself... (Will post some awesome pics from Target when I get those...)

May Randomness

2011-05-28T16:05:00.000-05:00

Just a quick post to update a few things here at the end of May...

Jacob is learning to use a sippy...

Matthew had been all about Chris's pilot uniform lately, and says: "I am going to work!"...

Chris and I had an awesome "date day" last week...we went and saw "Peter Pan the Show", and had dinner at Mercadito (incredible!!) in Chicago...

Jacob also had his first taste of peas!

Slip 'n Slide!

2011-05-16T22:25:00.001-05:00

I picked up a cheap slip 'n slide a couple weeks ago when I was at TJ Maxx. Last week it was in the high eighties finally, so we broke it out so Matthew could have some fun. It was his first time ever trying it. It was pretty funny. Kuddo's to Chris for being such and awesome dad, and braving the cold water to show Matthew how it is done. Who knew $9 could provide so much entertainment!

Inspecting how it works...

Getting a little "push"...

Brrrr, the water is cold...;)

Jacob enjoys being outside watching...

A couple funny video's of Matthew's attempts to "slide"...

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-13T22:38:00.000-05:00

I got one decent pic of me and the boys on Mother's Day. I love my two little guys so much, and I am so blessed to be their mom! Thank you Lord for entrusting these two precious boys to me and Chris...they are such a joy!

Jacob and Tulips

2011-05-13T22:34:00.000-05:00

I finally got son #2 outside for his first annual tulip pics as well! Such a handsome little guy...

Matthew and Tulips

2011-05-06T07:32:00.000-05:00

I have taken a picture of Matthew by the tulips on the side of our house every year since he was a baby. (Who can forget the baby sprawled out, too large for the basket picture from the first year!) I have yet to get Jacob outside for his pics. ;) Our tulips are normally fully up and bloomed by mid April. We are well into our first week of May and they are just now finally all the way up. A sign of the Spring we have had...

Matthew and the Tulips..."Through the Years"...

Food Photos

2011-05-06T07:18:00.000-05:00

I have been taking some photos of some of the meals I have made the past week or so in our attempt to eat more healthy and better. Needless to say I can't cook like this every night...it is hard when Chris is away on a trip for a few days to cook right. Can anyone say frozen burritos or pizza from the freezer on those nights? Anyways, I hope, even it is just one person, to inspired them to eat/create fresh, colorful, healthy meals for their family as well...

Buffalo Chicken Salad....Mmmmm....

Jalapeno/Monterey Jack Burger with avacado, grilled sweet onions, tomato, and lettuce on whole wheat bun. Served with grilled corn on the cob with cilantro/lime butter, and spicy marinara risotto chips!

"Soy Simple" Pork Tenderloin with fresh/organic teriyaki veggie stir-fry. Served with Uncle Ben's roasted garlic brown rice with red and black quinoa...

Frontera Kitchen's Texas Taco Skillet Kit...with onion/cilantro/tomato topping and fresh avocado. Served with a poblano rice gratin from the Fresh Mexico cookbook by Marcela Valladolid.

Jacob 5 Months

2011-05-05T22:28:00.000-05:00

Here are the pics I took of Jacob when he was 5 months old on the 25th of April... Our little cutie!

Easter 2011

2011-05-05T22:17:00.001-05:00

Well, finally getting around to posting pics from Easter, only almost 2 weeks late! We had an interesting Easter this year because Matthew came down with the viral infection "foot and mouth" a few days before Sunday. Still considered highly contagious, we stayed home from church. Poor little Jacob got it a few days after Easter. They are both all better now! Matthew did feel well enough by Sunday that he enjoyed opening his Easter basket, and we were able to go to my sister-in-law's house for dinner. I was happy we were all able to wear the cute matching ties (and flower pin for me) outfits! I got them off of Etsy.com. LOVE that site for fun things like that.

Matthew digs into his Easter basket first thing in the morning...

Jacob discovering his...

Daddy and his boys...

Mommy and her little dudes...

Chris and Matthew...

Me and Jacob...

Our little sweetie...

Matthew hunting eggs...

Sue's cool bunny cake!

Family Photo time...

Resurrection Rolls

2011-04-22T22:31:00.001-05:00

This fun and educational recipe came from my MOPS group. These rolls are so easy and quick to make, perfect for young kids to help with!

Start with your ingredients...a can of crescent rolls, marshmallows, melted butter, cinnamon & sugar, that's it!

After dipping them in melted butter, roll the marshmallows in some cinnamon and sugar...

Place one marshmallow on one triangle of crescent dough...

Roll them up...

Make sure all the seams are pinched together well...isn't Matthew such a big boy helper??

Bake...

Let cool for just a bit...

Break open the tomb, and the body of Christ is no longer there!

Resurrection Rolls

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls

8 large marshmallows

Melted butter (about 2 Tbs.)

Cinnamon & sugar mixture

Give each child one triangle shaped section of crescent roll. This represents the tomb. Each child takes one marshmallow which represents the body of Christ. Dip the marshmallow in the butter and roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture. This represents the oils and spices the body was anointed with upon burial. Lay the marshmallow on the dough and carefully wrap it around the marshmallow. Make sure all seams are pinched together well. (Otherwise the marshmallow with "ooze" out of the seams.) Bake according to package directions and cool. Break open the tomb and the body of Christ is no longer there!!

Enjoy and Happy Easter!

M makes J Laugh

2011-04-19T22:35:00.002-05:00

Short/cute video of Matthew making Jacob laugh...Jacob really gets going when he laughs! :)

The Babysitter is Back!

2011-04-19T22:32:00.000-05:00

Always a hit with the bambinos! The excersaucer is great entertainer. Jacob loves it as much as Matthew did.

April Warmth??

2011-04-19T22:26:00.001-05:00

Hard to believe that just over a week ago it was in the mid-eighties, and I took the boys outside for a fun photo-op in their matching swimsuits. Where did the nice weather go? Is it spring still? Crazy weather in the Midwest is all I have to say. Here's hoping for warmer weather soon!

The boys in their suits...

Jacob has also been cute lately as he has discovered his feet...

Egg Decorating

2011-04-19T22:16:00.000-05:00

Well, only almost two weeks late, but without further adieu, here are some pics from the Easter egg decorating at Grandma and Grandpa Doherty's house. Matthew is just old enough to really want to participate and color eggs. It was really cute watching him have fun. :)

Spring/Easter Colorburst Cupcakes

2011-04-10T23:07:00.001-05:00

These cupcakes are absolutely so much fun to make, adorable, and yummy to boot! I can't take complete credit for them, as my inspirations were these cupcakes on Our Best Bites blog. I intended the layer of colors to be more pastel (in keeping with a Spring/Easter theme), but I got a little happy with the coloring gel, and made them too dark. Especially the top layer which should have been a pretty pink. ;) None the less, they turned out really cute, and we all enjoyed them. There is just something about all the color that brightens your day... Here's how you make'em:

Start by using some good food coloring gel (normal food coloring won't produce as vibrant a color)...

When you have your batter mixed, divide it equally into 4 bowls, add the food coloring gels, and mix well...

Next you layer each color (about a generous 2 tsp. of each) in plain white cupcake holders. I started with the blue, and made my way up the rainbow...

Almost done! I did fill these maybe a little more than I should...

Here is one baked...you can see the colors through the liner!

The inside is really pretty...

Frost with a Wilton 1M tip, sprinkle on some Spring/Easter confetti sprinkles, and voila! Major cute cupcake!

Here is the recipe...

Spring/Easter Colorburst Cupcakes

1 white cake mix
2 eggs
1 C yogurt (any smooth textured fruit flavor is fine!) or sour cream
1/2 C milk
1/3 C vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients until incorporated (about 30 seconds). Scrape sides of bowl and then beat on med-high speed for 2 minutes.

Divide batter according to how many colors you are using. I used 4 colors and it worked out to a little over 1 cup for each color, but each cake brand will be slightly different.

Use food coloring to color batter to desired intensity.

To get a layered stripe like I used, you’ll want to put a spoonful of each color in the cupcake one at a time. The batter is thick, so it won’t spread on it’s own. A great tip is to set out a little bowl of water where you’re working. Dip your finger in the water and then gently spread the batter out. The water will make it so the batter doesn’t stick to your fingers.

Another tip is to use a measuring spoon and some water to measure out how many teaspoons/tablespoons are going to fit in your cupcake. Then divide that by how many colors you have so you know how much of each color to use for each cupcake. For my 4 colors, it worked out perfectly with 2 tsp. of each color in each cupcake. So I put in 2 tsp. of blue in the bottom of each cupcake and spread it out with my finger. Then I put in 2 tsp. of green on top of that, then yellow, etc.

Bake them according to the package directions, until a toothpick comes out dry.

I topped mine with this frosting. I doubled the recipe for the frosting, and it worked out perfectly for my 16 cupcakes. I used a Wilton 1M tip to frost. This is a great frosting...so light and fluffy!

Taste of Home Cooking Show

2011-04-10T22:27:00.000-05:00

This past Tuesday I had the unique opportunity to help out at a Taste of Home Cooking Show. My good friend Inger Plummer was the coordinator/organizer for the show. I helped as a stage hand both before and during the show. It was an absolute blast! I just can't believe I never took any pics of the food! It was a whirl wind of busyness.

The Stage...

Inger and I before the show...

Inger going through all the give-aways for the show, counting to make sure they were all there!

The crowd piling in...1000 people, and it was sold out!

Culinary Specialist Dana Elliott during the show...

Jacob/Papaw

2011-04-04T14:05:00.002-05:00

Though the quality of the scanned in photo of my father isn't the best, the resemblance is amazing!

Yummy Lunch

2011-04-01T16:25:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we took a trip into Chicago and went to lunch at Cemitas Puebla. It was fantastic! The place was recommended by some High School friends of mine a few weeks ago, and come to find out the place was featured on Food Network's "Diner's, Drive-ins, and Dives", and on the local PBS show "Check Please!". They feature the cemita sandwich, which was quite tasty and filling! You can watch the video's from the two shows on their website describing the food. Very worth the drive, and we plan to go back someday.

The Atomica Cemita...

The Carne Asada Cemita...

Chris and Matthew enjoying Cemitas Puebla!

M&J Videos

2011-04-01T16:14:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple recent cute video's of the boys. The first one is sweet of Matthew showing Jacob his "owie" on his finger...

This second video is of Matthew at bed time. He is "pointing out" his family in his Pre-School Bible. Apologies to those who were not included. My camera memory card was full. It is hilarious.

Jacob at 4 Months

2011-03-28T20:18:00.000-05:00

Here are a few pics taken on the 25th, at 4 months old. Hard to believe he is that old already! He truly is one of the happiest babies I have known. We love his smiles and laughs!

First Rice Cereal

2011-03-24T22:42:00.001-05:00

Both boys had a great check-up at the doctors yesterday morning. Matthew weighed in at a whopping 34 pounds (84th percentile!), and he was 90th percentile for height. Jacob was both 50th percentile for height and weight, weighing in at 14 pounds, 15 oz., and 25 1/5 inches long. The doctor gave us the go ahead to give him a little rice cereal, and he enjoyed it, although he wasn't so sure how to eat it at first. Here are the pictures we took to capture the event...

Ready to go...we gave Matthew some cereal too, so he could "participate"...

Hmmmm, what is this?

First bite...

Not so sure about it...

This stuff is pretty good!

Getting the hang of it...

Happy baby!

Our rice cereal foodie...

Cute video:

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

2011-03-17T07:11:00.000-05:00

Clever Clovers

2011-03-15T21:23:00.001-05:00

I came across these cute fun treats a few weeks ago while reading the Disney Family Fun Magazine. I immediately knew I had to make them for St. Patrick's Day. They are really simple, and oh so adorable! What a great idea!

Start by arranging some yogurt-covered mini pretzels on wax paper as shown, adding broken pieces for the "stem"...

Combine 1/4 tsp. vegetable oil with 1/4 cup white chocolate chips an melt them together in the microwave according to the chips' package directions. Dab the mixture between the pretzel pieces to adhere them. Let the chocolate harden.

Working with one clover at a time, pipe the edges and stem with green icing (I used some cheap pre-made store brand icing, and added green food coloring to it. I then placed it in a piping tube fitted with a round tip.)

Then quickly sprinkle them with decorating sugar (I used white, and green).

Voila! Cute "Clever Clovers" for St. Patrick's Day! Enjoy...

Jacob Laughs at Himself

2011-03-09T18:46:00.000-06:00

Here is a really cute video of Jacob discovering the "man in the mirror" and laughing at himself. I love this age of discovery...

New Pics

2011-03-08T21:43:00.000-06:00

A couple weeks ago we had Matthew's 3 year pics and Jacob's 3 month pics taken, and we were able to squeeze in a family picture! Please excuse the quality, I had to scan them in. Here are the highlights:

Matthew at 3 years...

Jacob at 3 months...

The boys together...

The family pic...

Asian Dumpling Soup with Vegetables

2011-03-08T21:27:00.002-06:00

I found a recipe on the Tasty Kitchen website that looked good and easy sometime last year, and have been making it with my adaptations ever since. It truly is quick, easy, and oh so yummy! What can be easier than opening up some cans of broth and dumping in a frozen bag of Chinese potstickers? There are minimal veggies to chop as well, but believe me, it comes together so fast, and is a family favorite for sure.

Asian Dumpling Soup with Vegetables

1 (48 oz.) box of chicken broth (or 48 oz. worth of canned broth)
1 can of coconut milk
1/2 to 3/4 tsp. of curry powder (to your taste)
1 bag of frozen Chinese dumplings (such as pork, chicken, shrimp, veggie, etc...mine was a 20 oz. bag of pork and veggie dumplings)
1 or 2 mushrooms thinly sliced
1 or 2 green onions sliced on the diagonal
1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves

Pour the broth, coconut milk, and curry powder into a pot and bring to a gentle boil over medium high heat. Add the carrots. Reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the dumplings and mushrooms and simmer for about 8 minutes. (Do not cook the dumplings at a rapid boil or they will break open.) Add the green onions and spinach leaves and continue to simmer for about two minutes longer, or until the dumplings are heated through and the vegetables are tender enough.
Enjoy!

Jacob at 3 Months

2011-03-02T21:33:00.000-06:00

Posting a few days late, but here is Jacob at 3 months old. He is a real joy, and smiling all the time now!

Another step in babyhood...we have broken out the Bumbo seat, and he sits really well in it!

A short video...

Matthew's Train 3rd Birthday Party

2011-02-28T20:40:00.005-06:00

Matthew had a very fun "train" themed birthday party this past Thursday evening. A special thank you to all the friends and family who helped out. He had a great evening celebrating his birthday.

The awesome cake by my friend Kynda! She does incredible work. It is a two tiered vanilla cake; top layer has a raspberry cream filling, the bottom has a cookies and cream filling; butter cream frosting, and marshmallow fondant accents...

Close up of the train going around the bottom...

It was made to match the invitation...

Here is the birthday boy wearing the cute train shirt my friend Megan made. Notice the "smoke" is a #3...

Here is the table scape. I used the same fabric to cover the box "cake stand". I was proud that I only spent about $11 on decorations (not including the cake)! This included the fabric, table cloth cover, and confetti. Everything else I already had such as the train/tracks, banners, etc...

Family pic (minus a sleeping Jacob)...

Matthew and some of his cousins...

The face says it all...too much blue fondant/icing! :)

Couple short videos of the party...

Happy 3rd Birthday Matthew!

2011-02-21T20:35:00.000-06:00

Today Matthew turned 3! Where has the time gone. It just seems like yesterday we were bringing him home as a tiny little baby. He is such a big boy now, and such a joy to have in our lives. Happy 3rd Birthday Buddy!

Happy Valentines Day!

2011-02-14T08:22:00.000-06:00

"Faux" Red Velvet Valentine Cupcakes

2011-02-13T15:47:00.001-06:00

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I wanted to do something fun and creative, and knew it had to be sweet! I got my inspiration from the mini "green" velvet cupcakes I made last year for St. Patrick's Day. The only thing that changed in the recipe is the color for the batter, and the sprinkles! I also made these normal sized cupcakes instead of mini. I am calling them "faux" since they truly don't have a red velvet batter (chocolate cake mixed with red food coloring). Don't be fooled by how "impressive" they might look. They are ridiculously easy to make! Also, if you don't have a fancy decorating tip like mine, anything will do. It's all about the fun colors, sprinkles, and of course taste! I have to give "props" to Jenny over at Picky Palate for the original recipe. Speaking of, I "liked" a comment on Facebook about a week ago from Picky Palate, and won this cute cookie tin from Nestle, and coupons for free cookie dough! My first ever win online from a blog, etc... Pictured inside are these scrumptious cookies: a peanut butter, white chocolate, pretzel, sea salt combo that is out of this world. Here is a link to the recipe, also from Picky Palate.

Now onto the cupcakes! Gather up your ingredients...pictured here is all the fun stuff.

When you have your batter made, drop in a few good drops of food color gel or paste. I used a Wilton brand one. You could use food coloring, it just won't be as bright or vibrant. Mix it well into the batter til you get the color you like...

Matthew had a great time helping "lick" the beater attachment when I was done with it...

Here they are ready to decorate with my dual-chamber frosting tool by Kuhn Rikon. Love it! I made half the frosting a light pink, and the other half I left white.

Oh my these look to good to eat! Almost...

Up close view of frosting/sprinkles...

*LOVE*

Here is the recipe:

"Faux" Red Velvet Valentine Cupcakes

1 Box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream (I used plain yogurt)
5-8 drops Red gel or decorating paste, or more til desired color

Frosting
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1 stick softened butter
1 lb. powdered sugar
Pink food coloring or gel (optional, if you are going to go with the two colored frosting route)
Red sugar sprinkles, and Valentine sprinkles if you have them

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a stand or electric mixer, add cake mix, eggs, water, oil, pudding mix, and yogurt. Beat on medium for 1 1/2 minutes. Slowly beat in 5-8 drops of red gel/decorating paste, until you get the desired color of red. Scoop batter in paper lined cupcake tins. Bake for about 22 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool completely.

2. To prepare frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar until creamy and thick. Divide frosting into two bowls and add a couple drops of pink food coloring/gel to one bowl. Blend in well.

3. Frost cupcakes and sprinkle with red sugar sprinkles, and Valentine sprinkles if desired. *Note: I would have loved to have used some pink pearl dust as well if I had some, but forgot to pick it up at the store!

Makes about 24 regular cupcakes.

Make them for your Valentine today and enjoy!

Blizzard 2011

2011-02-12T22:49:00.002-06:00

Finally posting a few pics of the "big snow" we got just over a week ago. It goes down in the record books for the third largest snow ever in our area, about 15 inches total!

Half of the driveway that had been snowblowed...

A view out to our deck...

Matthew having a great time trying to walk in the snow!

Yes, that is our grill peaking out on the far right...Matthew is nearly walking level to the top of the kiddie picnic table!

Adjustable Patio Covers

2011-02-11T13:21:00.001-06:00

Check out my brother this morning on Fox 5 Atlanta "Road Warriors" segment. He is second in the video, promoting his business Adjustable Patio Covers. Great job Scott!!

Road Warrior: Georgia Home, Garden Show: MyFoxATLANTA.com

GA Trip

2011-02-06T14:22:00.000-06:00

We had such a great few days visiting my family in Georgia last weekend. They weather couldn't have been more perfect! It was at least 60 degrees and sunny everyday we were there...topping off at a nice 70 degrees on Sunday afternoon before we left.

Here is my niece Haylie holding Jacob for the first time...

Aunt Jill loves Jacob too!

Papaw and Grammy with all four of their grandkids...

Matthew and Hope are "Two Peas in a Pod!"

Feeding Jacob outside, in the sun!

Haylie and Hope love their new cousin...

Jacob's First Flight

2011-02-04T22:27:00.000-06:00

This past weekend we took the trip down to Atlanta to visit my parents, and my brother and family so they could meet Jacob! Jacob did really well flying. I must say, it was quite the work with two boys, but we survived.

Here are the boys on the jet-bridge in the Joovy Ultralight Caboose Stroller...it is awesome for two kids this age!

Me with Jacob...

Chris with the boys...

Cute video marking the occasion...

Broken Inside ~ A Song

2011-02-02T08:58:00.002-06:00

This song brought tears to my eyes...from a child's perspective in the womb...

Jacob-2 Months

2011-01-25T22:21:00.000-06:00

Here is our little sweetie at 2 months already!

My Boys

2011-01-25T22:18:00.000-06:00

It just so happened (both outfits were gifts from two separate people), that Matthew and Jacob had matching "jackets". I could smell a photo-op a mile away. My boys are just too cute all matchy. It was funny though, one would be crying, then the other... Did manage to get a couple good ones.

Train Birthday Invite

2011-01-25T22:10:00.001-06:00

I have been busy the past week or so planning Matthew's third birthday party. Hard to believe he will be 3 in less than a month! I decided to go with a "train" theme this year. He is all about trains right now. Here is the invite for the party. Turned out cute! (Blocked out personal info to post...)

First Smiles

2011-01-21T22:46:00.000-06:00

Here are some of Jacob's first smiles and cute faces I was able to catch on camera. He is finally starting to really smile more now that he is 8 weeks old. :)

Indoor Family Picnic

2011-01-21T22:41:00.000-06:00

Falling behind in blogging again. This was the fun indoor family picnic we had a couple weeks ago! I thought it would be fun to have a whole bunch of appetizer foods such as cheese and crackers, fruits, etc., and eat it on the floor in our family room for dinner. It turned out great! On the platter I had hummus with pita chips and organic baby yellow carrots, grapes, sliced pear, and cheese and crackers. I also made and extremely yummy dip of baked peppercorn flavored boursin cheese in marinara (I used Classico Fire Roasted Tomato and Garlic), and served it with sliced french bread. It was all so good!

Here you can see the baked boursin cheese dip....yum!

Chris and Matthew are ready to partake of the goodies...

Christmas Day 2010

2011-01-09T15:42:00.000-06:00

On Christmas day with celebrated with the Doherty clan at Chris's parents house. It was a wild and crazy, but fun time.

Jacob is all dressed for his first Christmas!

Jacob and cousin Bradley...

Cousin's Anna and Calista with the babies...

Opening gifts...

Matthew gets the Toy Story 3 DVD!

Family pic on Christmas day...

Chris with his cousin Will, and his daughter Ainsley Victoria, born November 24th...one day before Jacob!

Christmas Eve 2010

2011-01-09T15:32:00.001-06:00

Finally getting around to posting Christmas pics! A newborn sure keeps you busy! We had a nice Christmas Eve at home with my parents. Matthew had a ball opening up several gifts. I did however feel a little under the weather, and did end up with the flu the day after Christmas. Over all it was a great holiday, our first with both boys!

The tree with all the gifts, ready to be opened!

Matthew gets an airport to play with...

Papaw and Grammy with their grandsons...

Family pic...

Buzz Lightyear!

Trying to get a picture of the boys together...

Papaw with a sleepy Jacob...

J's First Bath

2011-01-09T15:22:00.000-06:00

On Christmas Eve, Jacob got his first real bath in the sink tub. He did pretty good, and didn't complain much at all! Hasn't been that way with recent baths, but it was a good start...

Jacob's Birth Announcement

2011-01-08T09:49:00.000-06:00

4 Week Old Cutie

2010-12-31T09:17:00.001-06:00

A little over a week late in posting, but here are some pics of Jacob at 4 weeks old...our little cutie for sure!

Newborn Photo Shoot

2010-12-16T10:47:00.000-06:00

We had some absolutely fabulous pictures taken by Carol Wood again for a newborn photo shoot. We used the pixie hat my friend Sarah knitted for some of the pictures, and it turned out so adorable! I am so happy how they turned out! I am able to use them for both our Christmas card this year, and Jacob's birth announcement.

Matthew in Snow

2010-12-16T10:34:00.000-06:00

Matthew was so excited to have our first real snow of the year on the ground. He loves going out and playing in it whenever possible!