Thursday, July 7, 2011

Summer Is Here!

Ok-- So I'm not very good at "blogging" regularly, but I'll get better... someday.
Our little family is having such a fun summ
er already!! Parker turned 3 months old yesterday, which I just can't believe. He is already teething!! He is growing, changing, and learning so much!!

3 Months Old!


We've had a lot of firsts over the past month! Andy had his first Father's Day (weekend) which we spent just relaxing with family. We got a drift boat a few weeks ago so Andy, Auntie Loni, Parker, and I did our first float down the river! I'd love to say that Parker thoroughly enjoyed it, but he slept most of the time. We went to lunch with Andy's mom and dad on Father's Day and then BBQ'd at my parents' that evening


Parker's first float down the river.


Andy's first Father's Day.


Andy, Jason, my dad, and my brother wanted to do the fishing derby at Diamond Lake this year, so my momma and I decided to have a girls weekend while th
e boys camped. My poor sister has only seen Parker 2 or 3 times since he was born, so Mom and I drove up to see Auntie Loni in Portland. We ate yummy food, went on an IKEA shopping adventure, and met up with my bestie, Lacey (and Tyler) at Yo Creme. It was so nice to get away for a weekend with the gals! And to top it all off, Parker laughed for the first time!
♪ Music. To. My. Ears ♫


Sweet P loves his auntie.

For Parker's first 4th of July, we spent the day at a family friend's house. Not only was it Parker's first 4th, but it was his first time swimming! He seemed to really enjoy it, until he got sleepy and needed a nap. We had a pot luck, visited with friends, laid in the sun, and watched fireworks. My perfect day.


First 4th of July.


We can't wait to experience more firsts. Hope everyone is having a fantastic summer!!!


Sunday, May 29, 2011

Parker Dean

I am truly a blessed woman.
On April 6th, 2011, AJ and I welcomed our son to the world.
Parker Dean Richardson arrived at 7:42 p.m weighing 7 pounds and 7 ounces measuring 19 1/2 inches long.
He. Is. Perfect.



It's unreal to me that almost 2 months have already gone by! I blinked twice and he gained 5 pounds and started rolling over! But in a weird way, I feel like he has been in our lives forever.
It's kind of cliché to say, but I didn't know it was possible to love a tiny little human so much!
I absolutely love getting to know my beautiful son. He is changing, growing, and learning every day. These past 7 weeks of napping with my son, cuddling with my son, and playing with my son have been incredible.


Being a momma has been the most challenging, frustrating, exhausting, amazing, and rewarding thing ever!
Yes... I am truly a blessed woman.




Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Yummy Banana Bread

I seem to go through a lot of phases. For instance-- Music. About a week ago I started a dance music phase (I'm loving Justin Timberlake's Future Sex/Love Sounds album right now.) Before that I was tired of every genre of music and all I wanted to listen to was country music.

I also go through fruit phases. I have recently been into bananas. I love bananas when they're still green, but once the slightest bit of brown appears, I won't eat it. I bought a few bananas the other day, and after I did so, they suddenly didn't sound so appealing. Even though I won't eat them when they start to turn brown, I still let them sit in my fruit bowl and I tell myself, "I'll make banana bread with them!" I've said that countless times and never actually made it. Until tonight!!

My dear husband has to get up at 4:30 and is out the door by 4:45 for work. He's never been a big fan of breakfast, especially not so early in the morning, but I thought, "I bet if I have something ready for him to grab and scarf on his way out of the door, he'd be interested." So I made banana bread :) I like banana bread sometimes, but only if it's really moist. Turns out Martha Stewart had the secret ingredient to a delicious, moist banana bread. Enjoy!!

Ingredients
(Makes 1 loaf)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
1/2 cup sour cream
Secret Ingredient!!
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in nuts, and pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.





Thursday, February 3, 2011

A New Blogger

I tend to be quite a chatty person, but since my husband is gone from 4:30 a.m-5:30 p.m, and our son isn't quite ready to join the world, I am home alone with no one to talk to besides Julius, our little, bipolar, furball. So I thought-- Why not start blogging? Everyone else is!

Our lives, at this time, are quite uneventful
and slightly boring, so nothing I have to say will be very exciting, but that is going to change in 8 short weeks!!
In July of '10, AJ and I found out that we are going to be a momma and a daddy!
Pregnancy was something I kind of planned on avoiding for a while, for selfish reasons really, but I have to say-- it has been fun and generally super easy! God knows that I'm kind of a baby myself, so he was nice :) No morning sickness, no weight gain, no heartburn, etc. That is... until I hit my 3rd trimester. I can't complain too much, but I will say this, I can't wait for this little guy to get here!! Besides the excitement of being able to put my shoes on without running out of breath and getting to wear non-maternity je
ans again, I'm really excited to sit back and watch my husband be the amazing father I know he's going to be.