Some Fall Recipes

Every season makes me crave different food. Fall always makes me crave cozy soups and stews, apple desserts, and anything with pumpkin. Winter makes me want a good roast or crock pot recipe, delicious Christmas baking, and things with nuts and cinnamon. Then Spring comes, and I'm ready to dive into some lighter fare, like a really good salad with grilled chicken, fresh veggies like asparagus, salmon, homemade pizzas, and pasta. Summer is all about anything on the grill, fresh fruit, corn on the cob, and ice cream! And of course there is chocolate, which I crave all 4 seasons, hence the diet I'm now on (and for the love people, I HATE to diet!!!! I just love food so much more than I love being thin! Except that I really do need to drop this baby weight, since I haven't been pregnant in almost 16 months now!!!). Anyhow, I've decided that I can either blog about how sick I am of the recession and all the misery that comes with it, or I can blog about food. So food it is!

I have a few recipes that I've made lately that are just totally fabulous! I tend to be a fairly decent risk taker in the culinary world, which is hilarious because I am absolutely NOT a risk taker in any other area of life. I find such amazing recipes when I take risks though, which should really be a life lesson to me that sometimes you discover great things when taking risks, but I digress.

Pumpkin Ravioli. You either just read that and said, "Ewwwwww!" or "Yummmmmm!" If you have some extra time on your hands to make the raviolis, you have to try this. It is absolutely delicious. It is really easy too, just a little time consuming to actually fill the raviolis (but not difficult). It is everything I hoped it would be and then some. It is incredibly rich and satisfying, thanks largely in part to the Gorgonzola cheese sauce. It is just perfect with the pumpkin, and the hazelnuts (which I had in a can of mixed nuts) are a perfect match as well. This would be an amazing dish to serve company, as long as you had company with non-traditional palates. Seriously, if this appeals to you in the least, it's worth it. Even my husband who hates "orange squishy food" liked it. That's sayin' somethin'.

Next on the list is Butternut Squash Soup. I made this for my inlaws when they came for dinner, and it was also even more than I hoped for. It is thick and rich and creamy....everything a good fall soup should be! It is loaded with flavor, and the bacon on top? Are you kidding? It's just perfect! Again, my non "orange squishy food" eating hubby thought this was delicious. This, like the ravioli, is a bit time consuming, but it makes a ton and it's very low in calories (a bonus when you are on a wretched diet).

Lastly, I have for you one of the best Apple Oatmeal Crisps ever. I stayed at my parent's house a week ago while hubby was on a retreat. My mom was craving an apple dessert, so I found this online. Oh my. Really, oh....my. Just make it. You will love it. Invite your friends over to ooh and ahh over how delicious it is. Drop a scoop of vanilla ice cream next to this crunchy, buttery, apple-y, cinnamon and sugary sweet dessert, and you will be in heaven. I read a tip from one of the reviews that said to dot butter over the top before you put it in the oven. I have done it with like that and done it without, and I'm sorry, but more butter always wins out.

So there you have it friends. If you try anything, let me know what you think, and if you have anything new to try, share!

Pumpkin is easy.....who knew?

Last week while we were at the beach, my mom went to the store for some pumpkin to make pumpkin bread. They said they were out of it for some vague reason. So today, I went to Publix to buy some pumpkin, and they didn't have any either! I asked what the story was, and they said that because of all the rain we've had, the pumpkin harvest has been pushed back for 3 weeks, leaving us in prime-time pumpkin baking time with NO canned pumpkin! Isn't that crazy? They said that there have only been a very few shipments rationed out to the stores, and now it's all gone! Bizarre! Well, I've invited some friends over tomorrow for breakfast and I had planned on making some Pumpkin Spiced Cream Cheese breakfast rolls (my mouth is watering just thinking about them!). We're going to the pumpkin patch, so I'm really set on having something "pumpkin-y". I decided to buy a pie pumpkin and just hope that I could find directions on how to make it into what you buy in the can! Turns out it is REALLY easy! Most of you probably already know about this, but I have never even thought about making my own pumpkin puree! So if you are like me, let me share with you how to do it!

1- Cut the stem off of the pumpkin (make sure it's a pie pumpkin) and cut it in half from top to bottom, scooping all the "guts" (sorry) out with a spoon.

2- Place the pumpkin halves face down/skin side up in a 13x9 glass baking dish. Put about 1/2 inch of water in there.

3- Bake at 450 for about 45-55 minutes.

4- Separate the good stuff from the skin (the skin comes off pretty easily) and puree it in a food processor or blender.

That's it! You can keep it in the fridge for 5 days or stick it in the freezer. How easy is that?

Just wanted to share, in case you are in the mood to make something like this!

The Beach!

We just got back from a week in Hilton Head with the crew you see above. My mom and dad let us tag along every October for a fabulous week at the beach. A dear friend once said that vacationing with kids is "the same routine as being at home with less resources". SO true! But the same routine with an ocean view and a heated pool? I'll take it ANY day of the week! The same routine, but with this view from the back porch every morning: The same routine, but with a little of this thrown in:

All of this in celebration of my mom:

Happy Birthday Mom/Mujah/Nina/Nana! We love you! Thanks for a great trip!

It's a short ride to crazy town

Both of my kids have had/still have the flu this week. Most likely the dreaded H1N1, which I have to say, isn't really so bad. In fact, if this is the flu we get this year, then I feel like we lucked out (as far as one can "luck out" with the flu!). Do you know what always amazes me though? When my children are in the midst of feeling horrible, they are little lambs! Molly had a fever of 104 and sweetly cuddled up to me at 4:30 am to see if I wanted to read books with her. She patiently waited with me in the urgent care center for 3 hours (which, in case you are wondering, is where viruses go to be born) and never fussed once. She was sweet, compliant, calm, everything you could ask for. After 6 days, her fever finally broke last night, and this is what ensued:

Me- "Molly, do you want to take a bath?"

Molly- "NO! Molly does NOT want a bath!" (yes, she still refers to herself in the 3rd person)

Me- "Ok, then would you like a shower?"

Molly- "NO! Molly does NOT want a shower!"

Me- "Well, it's one or the other kiddo. Bath or shower?"

Molly- "NO! Molly does NOT want a BATH OR SHOWER!"

Me- "Alrighty, a bath it is."

Molly- as I'm putting her in the tub, "Wahhhhhhh!!!!! Wahhhhhh!!!!! NO BATH FOR MOLLY!"

Me- after washing her off in 30 seconds, "Alright, we're done. You can get out now."

Molly- "NO! Molly does NOT want to get out of the bath!"

Um..........did I miss something? She stayed in for about 20 minutes until we dragged her out kicking and screaming.

She woke up this morning with no fever again, and we had this conversation in the car:

Molly- "Mommy, I want goldfish."

Me-"Ok, you can have some when we get home."

Molly- "NO! Molly does NOT want goldfish!"

Me- "Fine, then don't eat any."

Molly- "NO mommy! I want goldfish!"

Like I said, it's a short ride to crazy town, and this train is leaving the station.

As a little postscript, can anyone tell me what that strange bright light is that is coming from the sky? Hurts my eyes! (If you don't live in Atlanta, then that is me trying to make a joke about the fact that after getting over 2 feet of rain in 4 days, the sun is coming out!)

Beach Recipes

We are taking our annual family beach trip to Hilton Head (thanks mom and dad!) very soon! We grew up going to Hilton Head, so it just feels like home away from home. A home away from home that is a lot nicer than my home, with an ocean view and a pool! This tradition of going in October started about 7 years ago, which would be about 6 grandchildren ago for my parents. My dad had my brother and his wife and me and my husband come up to surprise my mom for her birthday. It was a BIG surprise when they walked into a restaurant for dinner and we were all sitting at the table! So fun! Anyhow, my parents have been generous enough to invite us to all tag along ever since, and what started as 6 adults is now 6 adults, a recently turned 5 year old, twin 3 year olds, a 2 year old, a 22 month old, and a 13 month old. It may not be the ultimate in relaxation, but it's fun! I'm counting the days, especially after spending the last several with a 2 year old that has croup (and a 1 year old that just spiked a fever today...joy).

So I'm in charge of planning a couple of meals for the week, and since we're at the beach, we always like to take advantage of some fresh seafood. I'm wondering, does anyone have any "beach" dishes that you just love? Maybe a recipe with shrimp, or some other "family friendly" seafood? I'd love to try something new! I have a few old standby's, but I'd love to know if you guys have anything up your sleeves! Let me hear from you if you do!

Good 'ol "anonymous"

There are several blogs that I read on an almost daily basis. I read some for the recipes, some for inspiration, some for ideas around my home, some because they are hilarious, and some because they are just honest reflections of day to day life, and I like that. So many different blogs, and so many truly incredible women out there behind them (I only read one blog written by a man, stuffchristianslike.blogspot.com, and I have say it is one of my favorites in the "make me laugh" category!). The thing that is so neat to me is to see the common threads that run between us all. It doesn't matter that we are from entirely different parts of the country (and world). Behind every blog I follow, there is a person that desires laughter, beauty, creativity, and inspiration in the daily-ness of life. In fact, there are so many extraordinary blogs out there that I struggle to maintain my very ordinary blog!

Anyhow...

My question in all this is, WHAT IS WITH THE ANONYMOUS COMMENTERS????? You know who I'm talking about here. The commenter that leaves vicious, ugly remarks about you (they don't even know you), your beliefs (again, they don't even know you), your taste in clothing, etc., all under the cowardly name "anonymous". Seriously people, I have read "anonymous" comments on other blogs that criticized the size of the bows on the blogger's baby, the blogger's hairstyle, and the fact that she had on make-up while her baby was in the NICU. Another blogger I read has actually had an entire blogspot developed as an "anti-blog" against her site. Her crime? They are "over her". The thing that is so sad here is that the blog world is a primarily female world, so this is a lot of "girl on girl crime" going on (quote from "Mean Girls", if you haven't seen it!).

I have no real point in writing this. I am just so irritated by it that I felt the need to vent, and I came here to do it. "Anonymous", you are a coward who feels empowered by cutting the legs out from under another.

There. Now I feel better.

"Nor MY Child" Monday

Most of you are familiar with "Not Me Monday". Well here is my first "not MY child" Monday! Hop over to www.mycharmingkids.net to read more stories about the crazy things other people's children did NOT do!

I really have just one, and it just happened and I thought this was a great forum to share it.

My first born did not stick her head (very unexpectedly) between my husband's legs while he was going to the bathroom to "see daddy's tinkle", and consequently she did not get her head tinkled on!!!! She did not say, "Molly's hair is all wet!" and then proceed to wipe her head off with toilet paper.

Nope, not my child.

(she is not in the bathtub right now having her head scrubbed either)

Coming in for a landing

I wish the title of this post suggested I had flown somewhere exciting and had just come in for a landing back home, but that is not so! I feel like the past few weeks have been a crazy ride, and we are finally coming in for a landing back into "normal" life!

Last you heard from me, it was the day before Jack's big day.....his 1st birthday! Everything turned out great, and it was a really fun time! It was a family party, with aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and even 3 great-grandparents! Here are a few pics from our "Old MacDonald" birthday party:

First, the cake. I think I still have carpel-tunnel syndrome from icing this thing! But it did turn out pretty cute!

Next, the cupcakes. I found these cute cupcake picks online for cheap!

Then, there are the cake pops that I slaved over (seriously, slaved over!). You can't see the cute brown gingham ribbon that I tied the bags with here, but you get the picture.

How about that cutie pie of a birthday boy? His cute little outfit is compliments of his Meme (who works at the Mart!). This sweet thing was 28 pounds, 35 inches tall at his 1 year appt. Good grief. No wonder I need a chiropractor!

Meme also brought him this cute birthday hat. This is about all the contact he would have with it.

Here is the only picture I got of the kids together. Sad, isn't it?

Sweet birthday boy was exhausted when it was time to eat cake!

I was sick the whole week before the party and couldn't WAIT until Sunday to finally get some rest! But good ol Murphy's Law set in, and 48 hours after the party was over my sweet hubby was having his appendix taken out (after 36 hours of 103 fever, nausea, passing out on the floor, and then shaking so badly I had to call an ambulance). So it's Monday, August 17, exactly 2 weeks since Jack's party/appendix removal, and I am FINALLY going to go take a nap!

And he really doesn't even know the difference!

Thanks to bakerella, I decided that for my son's first birthday party tomorrow, I am making cake pops as party favors. Not just cake pops, but farm animal cake pops, since his birthday party invitation says,

"Jack MacDonald is turning one

E-I-E-I-O!

Come and join us for some fun

E-I-E-I-O!"

I had decided I would do cows, pigs, and chicks with chocolate cake, but I couldn't find pink candy melts and then I got a fever and felt horrible, so it's just cows and chicks. Although "cows" might be a loose term here, since I asked my husband what he thought they were and he said, "Pigs. Definitely pigs."I asked Molly what she thought they were and she says, "Piggy!" This is after slaving away over these things for about 2 hours. So you know what? A pig it is! Except for this one, which according to Molly is a "doggy":

How come when Bakerella did it they looked just like cows? Is it the ear placement? Is it the fact that I couldn't find pink M&M's for the nose, so I cut chewy Sweet Tarts in half?

At least the chicks turned out better:

I think they are clearly identifiable!

The funny thing is that I literally spent about 4 hours baking, melting, dipping, cooling, decorating, bagging, and ribbon tying, and the birthday boy doesn't really even know the difference!

Happy Birthday buddy! You are 1 tomorrow!!!

A Cooking Kind of Weekend

I got to spend a lot of time yesterday baking and cooking, and I loved it! I told my husband yesterday morning that I had lots of recipes I wanted to try out, but I felt like it was so hard to cook with little ones under my feet all the time. Have you ever noticed that the second your feet hit the kitchen, your children are all of a sudden right underneath them? Anyhow, sweet hubby offered to entertain the kiddos so I could grocery shop in peace and do some cooking and baking, and I loved it! Here are the next few recipes you need to try:

1- Hummus

I absolutely love hummus! Hummus with carrots. I am a plain variety kind of gal. I don't much care for the fancy kinds with all the different flavors, but I love Costco's big tub of plain hummus. I decided to try my hand at making some, and where better to go for earthy/healthy/granola type food, than to MckMama! I followed her recipe for hummus with a few adjustments. Her recipe says 1 can of beans, but it should be 2, and the second one should have the liquid drained out. I also added more garlic, and next time I will add even more garlic and definitely more salt. It is very smooth and creamy, and is a great basic hummus. It would be fun to experiment and throw in some other things, like roasted red pepper and feta maybe.....mmmmm!

2- Banana Blueberry Quick Bread

I had a banana that was headed south and a lot of blueberries, so I looked up this recipe on allrecipes.com. Oh my. I love it! A really nice, summery take on banana bread. A few readers had good tips that I followed, so I'll pass them on. First of all, definitely double the blueberries. I used a full cup, and I'm so glad I did. I also almost always add cinnamon to breads and muffins, and I added about a 1/2 tsp. to this. I substituted applesauce for the shortening (I'm always in favor of less fat) and loved it. A few readers suggested doing half brown sugar and half white, and next time I will. This is really BETTER after it has sat overnight, and DELICIOUS toasted with a little butter for breakfast!

3- Southwest Shredded Chicken 3 Bean Chili with Cornbread Muffins

Have you checked on the Picky Palate blog yet? I saw this girl on a Food Network Challenge, and then somehow through blogland found her blog site! I will warn you, you will gain weight just reading her site. Seriously. She reminds me of Giada de Laurentis in that she makes this amazing, fattening food, and is teeny tiny. I kind of hate her a little (just kidding! just envious!). I thought this recipe looked delish, so I tried it. First of all, the muffins? OH MY! I could have eaten every last one hot out of the oven! Moist and sweet and cheesy....YUM! She mentioned a gel in the recipe, but I made without (since I don't know what it is) and they were AMAZING! I really liked the chili, but I think it's more of a really hearty soup than a chili. And it's spicy. Cut way back on the Tabasco if spicy ain't your thang. I had some leftover rice from something else, and I poured the chili over that and it was PERFECT for me! A definite fall dinner! My hubby liked it just like it was, with a dollop of sour cream. (I'm laughing out loud that I just wrote "dollop", and I don't know why!)

4- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies with Chocolate Ganache

Bakerella. I'm almost at a loss for words. I think she may have changed my baking life. I'll let you know for sure as I attempt some of her cake pops for my baby boy's 1st birthday next weekend! But anyone who does this is just genius. Pure, baking genius. Anyhow, this recipe is actually cooling off on my counter right now, waiting to be topped with chocolate ganache. I can almost hardly stand the wait!

So there you have it. This is what I've been up to this weekend. It's my creative outlet right now! Too bad this brand of creativity tends to collect around my middle! Oh well. Y'all enjoy, and let me know if you try any of these!

Goodwill

We had a little excursion to Goodwill this past week, and we landed some great stuff!

I found a cute metal planter ($2.00) and added a little flower pot I already had,

a shelf with pegs for my laundry room ($5.00) that I spraypainted black, a beautiful picture with a matte but no frame ($1.19) which I framed with a frame I wasn't using,and a perfect green raw silk pillow for my guest bedroom ($2.60)

We also found these:

Molly's "Doggy", wearing a new hat ($1.10)

"Sheep" wearing another new hat ($1.10)

The Queen Bee herself, sporting another new hat ($1.10) and a new purse ($1.00)
On a totally different note, I have another recipe from Pioneer Woman that you need to try! She calls them Individual Raspberry Cobblers. When they are fresh out of the oven, they are crispy/chewy on the outside and dense cake-like on the inside. When they sit overnight in a Tupperware, they are all soft, like the most decadent muffin you've ever eaten. I made mine with blueberries, and easily halved the recipe. Yuuuuummmm! Serve as dessert with ice cream, or eat for breakfast! She has also started something called Tasty Kitchen. Real recipes from readers, all organized for you. Real recipes submitted by readers.....take a peak when you have an hour or two!

I leave you with this:

Have a great weekend!

Happy 4th of July!

I am always thankful on Independance Day.

I'm thankful for our freedom. It's just so easy to take it for granted. Seeing fireworks and everyone decked out in red, white, and blue just breathes life into my sense of patriotic pride. I'm thankful for every person that has ever served in our armed forces, and especially for those who have served in wartime. I'm thankful that we are still (for now at least) a nation of capitalism and democracy. I'm thankful that even though there are many things about our country that make me sad/angry/fearful, I still think it's the most wonderful place I could ever ask to live. I was reaffirmed of this this morning at church, when they introduced us to a recent graduate of West Point. When asked if he had any fear about entering into military life and possible war, this 22 year old confidently and calmly said, "I have peace because I know that God knows the number of my days, and he knows if I will have a full military career and retire or if He will call me to die for my country." Gulp....sniff, sniff. If this 22 year old is any indication, there is HOPE for our future generations.

My very dear friend Misti and her husband and son came over Saturday morning to help us celebrate the 4th. We ate a FEAST of a breakfast, including a fabulous smoked turkey quiche that Misti made and these cinnamon rolls that I made. The recipe is from Pioneer Woman (and if you don't read her yet, you need to start!). Yuuuuuummmmmmmmmm!!!! Our neighborhood had a bike parade, so Misti and I decided to take her son and Molly and the hubby's decided to stay here and watch macho man tv while Jack slept. Molly has never been to a parade, and yet when I asked her if she wanted to go see the parade she started running around in circles yelling, "Go see the paraaaaade! Go see that paraaaaaade!" I guess a parade just sounds fun, even to a 2 year old!

And fun it was!!!!

My parents came over later that afternoon and we all went to the pool. Unfortunately (well, after that huge breakfast, it's actually fortunate!) there are no pics. I made this Olive Artichoke Dip from Pioneer Woman, and you must make it....soon!!! We had steaks with blue cheese butter, corn on the cob, broccoli slaw, and fresh fruit for dinner, and then my favorite Strawberry Shortcake for dessert (the shortcakes are buttery and sweet, and the fresh whipped cream...well, just don't get me started!)! Again, no pics, because quite frankly, we were just too busy stuffing our faces to stop!

I hope that everyone had a very Happy 4th! God Bless America!

7 years!

Today marks 7 years that I've been married to my sweet hubby! I can hardly believe it's been 7 years. In one way it seems like it has flown by. In another way, I feel like we've lived a lifetime together, with so many tribulations and celebrations! We spent Friday night at the Ritz-Carlton for a little Anniversary R&R, and it was SO nice to have some time to just focus on each other for a change. We've been through a lot of phases together, and the "financially-challenged-parents-of-small-children" phase we are in right now doesn't really allow us to always give each other the time we want or need to. It was REALLY fun to just be "us" for 48 hours!

One thing I still know for sure....I wouldn't sign up to do life with anyone else! I love you babe! Happy Anniversary and Happy Father's Day! The Mattingly/MacDonald men on Father's Day

New post blahs

I've just been very uninspired lately to write on my blog. I don't feel like I have anything really interesting to share! Recipes are about the only new thing happening around here, so I will share a new one.
I had some very brown bananas and a desire to make bran muffins, so I thought, "hey, I'll see if I can find a recipe for a banana-bran muffin!" Lo and behold, I found a delicious and nutritious recipe at allrecipes.com. I've linked you directly to the recipe, but I'll copy it here too (can I do this? copyright? who knows...). If you go to the site, they give you nutritional info. It's a little frightening if you use the butter, but if you sub applesauce, you can kiss almost all of those fat grams and almost 70 calories per muffin goodbye!

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter, softened (I used 1/2 cup applesauce)
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 bananas, mashed (I only had 2, so I used 2!)
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat bran (I used All-Bran cereal)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a muffin pan or line with paper muffin liners.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar together until fluffy. Add bananas, milk, vanilla and eggs; mix well. Stir in flour, bran, baking powder, soda and salt; blend just until moistened. Stir in walnuts. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in the cups for 5 minutes, then remove muffins and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Sunny weather....finally!

I am certainly not going to complain about the rain after last summer's horrible drought, but I am REALLY happy that the sun is finally out! So are Molly and Jack!

We went outside on Friday for hours, playing in the water table and blowing bubbles.

All Jack wanted to do was put every blessed thing he came accross in his mouth. All Molly wanted to do was take away anything he was interested in.

Molly is all about bubbles!

Jack was SO dirty, we just did the diaper thing! Can you tell he is teething?

Molly pouring freezing cold water on Jack......one day, he is going to squish her like a bug!

We had our first visit to the pool on Saturday. Molly was in heaven! She loved every bone-chilling second of it! We actually had to pull her out of the water (screaming at the top of her lungs, of course) because she was shaking so hard and her entire mouth was purple. That girl LOVES the pool! Her brother, on the other hand? Not so much. He was UPSET about it, and all I did was put his feet in. It was so cold, he probably thought he was going to lose a toe. We'll try again when it's a little warmer!

Need a little bulk...

...in your diet, that is? I ran across a yummy bran muffin recipe at allrecipes.com. I love homemade bran muffins because they are so much tastier and healthier than store bought, and really, who doesn't need a little more fiber in their life? Even my picky Molly and baby Jack like these! I made 2 changes to the recipe:

1. It calls for 1/3 cup oil, which I substituted with 1/3 cup applesauce


2. I throw in 1 tsp. of cinnamon

I'm not a raisin fan, but I used golden raisins and they add a great sweetness and a little moisture. Plus, Molly loves finding raisins in there.

Also, it calls for "wheat bran", and I used All Bran cereal and it's perfect. (As a side note here, WHO eats All Bran cereal by itself? Anyone? It basically turns to dirt the instant you put liquid on it. I'd have to be pretty desperate!)

So speaking of food or food-like items, here is what happens when your daughter leaves a green crayon on the floor...

And here is a picture of the same girl figuring out how to climb the molding to turn on the light in the entry hall. So clever!

Trash to treasure

A few weeks ago when I went to babysit at my brother's house, I found that my sister-in-law had done a little "spring cleaning"! The overflowing trash cans were by the curb, and in between them were the remnants of a beautiful mirror. The mirror fell (literally) victim to one of the twin's late afternoon "we should be napping but we aren't" parties. The glass was completely shattered, but the beautiful antique frame was still intact. So I asked my brother if he minded if I took it.......(sheepish grin.....did you know I went through your trash Kari?).

I painted the frame white and took the glass out. I covered the backing with some cute fabric (stripes I had, polka dots I bought), and got some letters 50% off at Hobby Lobby.

Here is my finished product:

How fun is that???

And here is the little man himself, all 9 months of him...

He is just as happy as ever, crawling EVERYWHERE! He had his 9 month appointment last week, and he was 32 inches and 25 1/2 pounds! We figure he'll either be a line backer or a tuba player.

Where does the time go???