Jumpin Jack Flash

We decided to try Jack in his jumper :-)

Recipes

So, my friend Jen has vowed to post a new recipe each week that her family has tried.  I'm not sure I'm that ambitious, but with joining Weight Watchers, we have been trying some new recipes.  I've decided that when we try a new recip and like it, I will post it.  This way I will always have the recipe without having to put it in a recipe box.
This is the recipe from tonight.  I didn't put the refried beans in (I'm sure Jack appreciates that)!

Turkey, Bean and Vegetable Chili
 
2 spray(s) cooking spray


1 pound(s) Turkey, ground, 93% lean/7% fat, raw

1 medium onion(s), chopped

2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced

2 large carrot(s), chopped

2 stalk(s) (medium) celery, chopped

1 medium yellow pepper(s), chopped

1 item(s) (medium) bell pepper(s), orange-variety, chopped

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp paprika

2 tsp Durkee Ground Cumin Seed, or other brand

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp table salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional

29 oz fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth

29 oz canned diced tomatoes, with mild green chiles

15 1/2 oz canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained

15 oz fat-free canned refried beans

Instructions

Coat a 12-inch sauté pan with cooking spray; set over medium-high heat. Brown turkey, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 10 minutes; drain and set aside.
Coat a large pot with cooking spray; set over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add carrots, celery and peppers; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, salt and cayenne; stir for 1 minute.

Stir in broth, tomatoes, both types of beans and turkey; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring every 5 minutes, about 35 minutes total. Yields about 1 1/2 cups chili per serving.

Enjoy! :-)

Our SnowMound

Zoe absolutely loves the snow this year! Her and Ryan had a blast playing in the last round we got.  They were outside for way too long, but had so much fun. They made an attempt at a snowman, but it turned out more like a snowmound because the snow was too light and fluffy!

That Spot!

Jack has had a spot on his left cheek since he was about a month and a half old.  We just figured it was part of his eczema and that it would heal when we figured out what would help his eczema.  After several trips to our pediatrician, several medicines and lotions (Aveeno baby wash, Aveeno lotion, Aquaphor, 1% hydrocortizone, 2.5% hydrocortizone, Locoid, and Polysporin to be exact), and a food allergy test (which was slightly positive for cow's milk and wheat), we made an appointment with a dermatologist.
As soon as she walked in the room, she just glanced at him, said it was baby eczema and impantego. After discussing everything with her, she gave us some sample lotion along with a perscription for the impantego. The spot is finally starting to look better, but overall, the lotion doesn't seem to be working. :(
She said it would be a trial and error to find what would work for him.  I have a feeling that we will be getting a different cream at his appointment at the end of the month.

While I'm discussing something that's a problem with Jack, let's talk about the lower half of his body....where we also have a daily struggle!

We can't find socks that will stay on his feet!!! GRRRR!
But while I was trying to get him to lay still long enough to get this picture, I got a few other cute ones to share!

It's a big news kind of week!

JACK ROLLED OVER!

He went from back to belly tonight and then actually laid on his belly for a while whithout crying. Of course, he wansn't happy enough for me to get my camera and get a picture of him.... :-)

Yum!

My friend Jen found a recipe on another blog for crock pot chicken and dumplings.  I made it this weekend and it was quite yummy! Here is the recipe if you are interested.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

2 tablespoons butter
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can (14.5 ounce) chicken broth
1 bag frozen vegetables (I used mixed frozen veggies)
1 onion, finely diced
1 (10 ounce) package refrigerated biscuit dough, smashed and cut into small squares

Place the chicken, butter, soup, broth and onion in a slow cooker. (if needed add water to cover)
Cover, and cook for 5 to 6 hours on High.
About 2 hours before serving cut up or shred the chicken and add vegetables.
About 1 hour before serving, place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center. Also, a tip from Jen - don't open the lid for at least an hour after putting in the buscuits.

Enjoy!

R.S.V. takes over!

I posted about Jack being diagnosed with R.S.V. and posted a few pictures of him being a trooper and still smiling. Little did I know that it would be his last smiles for several days! I absolutely hope that we never have to go through that again! I basically slept about 10 hours total in about 5 days.  The only way he was happy was with me sitting on the left side of the couch, him leaning against the arm rest and sitting on my lap with me bouncing him up and down with my legs.  I can't believe I'm going to actually post this picture, but Zoe took it and it's quite the true description of how the 5 days went!

The nights were the worst because he couldn't breathe if you laid him down.  Ryan did help out, but I tried to let him get as much sleep as possible knowing that he had to work the next day.  He even took Monday off to stay home with the kids so that I could try to actually have a full week at work (which didn't happen thanks to a snow day). When we did lay him down, he was in his Boppy in our bed.  I struggled to sleep even then because I was afraid I would go into such a deep sleep that I wouldn't hear him coughing, choking, or vomitting. He is finally on the mend and actually slept, flat, in his bed last night.....a week and a half after he came down with this stuff!

 

It's a BIG deal people!

The teacher's daughter finally knows her ABC's!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We will keep working on counting to 10 - she may have it by the time she goes to kindergarten!

Picasso she's not...

but she still loves to paint! The Martin family bought Zoe this easel and paints for Christmas.  She paints every day.  She has even learned to change her own water without making a mess.  The towels you see hanging at the bottom of the easel are ones that she put there so that she can clean up her mess when she makes one.  She has done surprisingly well with keeping it all cleaned up!  She also decided to use her stool so that she can reach better :-)  Look out people, these paintings could be worth money some day!

 

Last one!

**I had all of these scheduled to post in sequence right after Christmas...not sure what happened!**

The day after Christmas we went and visited Jessie and Steven at their apartment. We had some yummy pizza and played the wii. We had a nice visit and Zoe had some fun with my camera, as you will see!

Cereal

We have been waiting patiently for "4 months" to come for Jack in hopes of getting to sleep a little more at night.  The pediatrician had said at his 2 month check-up that we would probably be giving him cereal at 4 months with him being so big.   We started him on cereal this past weekend.  The first night, January 2nd, he just took a tiny bit and wasn't really sure what to think.  As of last night, he is getting the hang of it.  It is quite funny because he gets really excited, opens his mouth like he knows what's coming, and then as soon as you get the spoon close to his mouth, he pulls both hands to his mouth like he is going to feed himself.  Super cute!
Here are a few pictures from the first go round!

NYE

This year, we decided to stay close to home and go to an adult only party at the Severt's house.  Zoe ended up staying with Ken and Lynn and Jack crashed the party ;-).
We really had a good night even though we were out way too late! We are getting way too old for 2am!

Terri and her Kung Fu Fighting is always a hit!

 

Brandon is known for his iron hand! Retaliation took place when Derek whacked him with a wooden cutting board and broke it in two! :-)

Derek and Nikki

Brandon and Amber

Us with the party crasher

Joe and Jack

Wayne and Nancy

Jack with his second favorite lady - Donna

Little Trooper

On Tuesday, Jack started coughing.  He coughed a little at Donna's...a little more once we got home...and a whole bunch throughout the night. In the middle of the night, I knew that he didn't sound right, but also knew that I was super tired and didn't want to over react.  I talked to Donna this morning and asked her to watch him closely and let me know if she thought I should call the doctor.  Around 1, I got a text from her saying I should probably call the doctor because he was still coughing and was wheezing. I was supposed to go to a workshop after school, which I quickly had to cancel because the doctor's office wanted to see him at 3.
As soon as the nurse heard him cough, she said "Oh, that's a gross cough" and then as soon as she put the stethascope on his back, she said he was wheezing :(
The doctor came in and started asking about his symptoms.  She stopped in the middle of our conversation as soon as she heard him cough and listened to him.  She said the same about him wheezing.  She said "We had our first confirmed case of RSV in the office on Monday and I think we will have our second before you leave."
After a breathing treatment and nasal/sinus swab, her thoughts were confirmed and we left as the second RSV of the week.
He has been quite the trooper though.  He still talks and smiles...until he has a coughing fit.  Hopefully it doesn't last long and he is healthy by next week!

He is loving his thumb lately! I just can't get a picture of it in his mouth though....
Obviously, his eczema isn't getting any better either. We go to the dermatologist next week.