We Love Food!

Food is one of our favorite things! Sami has learned how fun food is, and she gets a facial every morning when she eats her yobaby yogurt. After yogurt, we eat cheerios, and they sometimes end up in funny places.
We also like play food. Last week I got out Sami's kitchen and play food and cleaned them up but so far she just likes to chew on the plastic food. And some of them do look good enough to eat (like the donut in Sami's hand).
So all this talk about food reminds me of our yummy Family Home Evening treat that Sami and I made for Jonathan this week. Jonathan has had a favorite brownie recipe since he was kid and I just got the recipe from his mom. It is sooooo easy and it turns out chewy and yummy.


Easy Brownies
1 1/2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. and 2 Tbls. cocoa
1 tsp. salt
1 c. oil
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. nuts (optional)

Whisk wet ingredients. Add dry ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

The Nightly Bath

When we were in Kirksville, Sami had some bad bouts of eczema. I think the weather was just so extreme that is was hard on her. So we put a humidifier in her room, changed her soaps, and only gave her baths two or three times a week. Her skin did get better and we haven't had any problems for a while. I took her to her new doctor a couple of weeks ago, and she said that new research has just come out saying that babies with eczema should get a bath every day because it helps them to have clean skin. That was great news for us because Sami loves her bath. Not to mention that she gets very messy now that she's eating table food. So every night Jonathan gives Sami a bath. They get to spend that time together and it helps me because I am having a hard time bending over the tub these days.

Jonathan always plays with her hair when she gets out of the tub. He calls it her "wild woman" look. But look at those eyes, have you ever seen prettier eyes?!
And I feel bad about this, but I had to post the picture because it's so funny. I had the camera on the wrong setting and the flash was on. Sorry Sami, Mommy will try not to blind you next time. But thanks for being a good sport.

So much for my Christmas surprise...

Jonathan has been wanting Rock Band for a long time. Ever since the first time he played it at our friend's house in Kirksville, he's been talking about it. The whole kit is about $200, and there was no way we could justify the purchase. But I had this plan on how I could save up the money so I could get it for him for Christmas. Of course part of my plan included that it went on sale after Thanksgiving, but I knew he would love it.

But my plan was foiled on Friday. He got a refund check from his insurance company that we weren't expecting. When he opened it up, he said he was going to use it to buy Rock Band. I reminded him that it would only cover half of the set, and how was he going to come up with the rest? Where there's a will, there's a way. He went to Craig's list and found several used Rock Band sets for under a $100. He bought it yesterday afternoon from a guy who's wife was making him sell it (hmmm....) and so Jonathan got his Rock Band practically brand new for half price.

So then I told Jonathan about my Christmas plans. He thought that was sweet, but not sweet enough for him to put away his new purchase until Christmas. So we compromised. He gets the game and the drums right now and he'll get the guitar and the microphone for Christmas. So much for my surprise. Oh well.

Fun Times

Jonathan's dad, Larry, came from Utah this past weekend. He brought fun gifts for Sami, along with some delicious Utah peaches. He came for our nephew Andrew's blessing, and it was fun to see him again.
Andrew's blessing was so special. I love these little spirits that come to earth and join our families. After church, we all got together for a luncheon. Sami's cousins adore her, and she feels the same about them. They keep her entertained for hours (literally 2 hours this particular afternoon) which is such a treat for me because I just sit and watch and talk to the adults around me. Thanks Mackenzie, Cooper, and Sidney! These are just a few of Sami's cute cousins, and we are so grateful that she gets to know her family.
And finally, a picture of me. Becca and Heather have been reminding me that I haven't posted pictures of myself in a while. It's because I feel huge. I love that I am pregnant, and it's such an easy pregnancy, I just get a little camera shy. But I am grateful that they reminded me to take pictures of myself because I know I would regret it later if I didn't. So here I am at 26 weeks:

Our Busy Week

Jonathan started his clinical rotations this week. He leaves at 6 am and comes home at 6 pm. He is doing Ob/Gyn and really likes it. The clinic he is rotating at is 50 miles away (hence the early leave time) and the clientele only speak Spanish. He is getting really good at Spanish, of course his Portugese background helps out a lot. It's a big adjustment for Sami and I to not have Jonathan around all the time. We really miss him. You can tell he's humoring me in this picture. I wanted a picture for the blog on his first day of "work."

And my cute Sami girl is getting so big. She loves to brush her teeth. Okay, so she actually just chews on the bristles, but I am glad that she enjoys her new toothbrush.