Saturdays

Before this year, when I was still teaching, I thought I loved Saturdays.  I could sleep in some (since I didn't have to leave for work at 6:20 am), I could spend time with my husband, the house would get clean, and (in the fall) we could watch college football.

Now that I am home with Colt all week and my "wake up" doesn't have to happen until the little boy gets up, I have found that I actually love and appreciate Saturdays even more.  Why? 

Because of my wonderful husband.  And my sweet baby boy.  Even though I get to spend time with Colt all week long, it is much more fun to spend the day with BOTH of the men in my life.  I appreciate the times we have together much more than I did before; I truly took for granted the time Jason and I got to spend together, and I especially took for granted all of the things he did for me. 

Not anymore.  I could never again take for granted how he helps with the housework.  Don't get me wrong, he has ALWAYS done most of the heavy housework (especially the floors - which I HATE), but after having Colt I have realized what a blessing it is.  I could never again take for granted how he drops off and picks up the dry cleaning now.  I used to (only because the cleaners was on my way to work); now he makes sure it gets done so I don't have to make an extra trip out.  I could never again take for granted how he does ALL the yard work, helps make the beds, brushes and bathes the dogs, and a million other little things around the house. 

Saturdays just have a different meaning to them now.  Sure, we still watch all the college football we can in the fall and clean house.  But now Saturdays are about us as a family of three - not just the two of us.  I love watching Jason play with Colt and make him laugh like NO ONE else can.  I love that Jason babysits so I can run out and get a pedicure or a massage.  (I REALLY love that).  And I love spending time with friends and family on Saturdays.

Hopefully, today will be another great, productive Saturday for the McCulloughs full of laundry, vacuuming, and playing with the baby.

Smells Good!

I love scented candles.  I love it when the kitchen smells like I have been baking yummy goodies all day long (even when I haven't).  But I have truly found something better than candles.

Thank you to my dear sister Liesl for introducing me to Scentsy.  These little things are fantastic!  Instead of candles, these are flameless warmers with scented bars that melt.  I have seen plenty of warmers before, but I haven't been crazy about the scents available.  Until now.

Ever since Liesl started selling Scentsy, my house always smells great - despite having two indoor dogs, Jason's gym bag, and baby diapers around.  The warmers look great - very decorative that match every room of the house (yes, I literally have a warmer in every room except the dining room and that is only because I don't have a surface on which to put one). 

My sister is also very thoughtful and she sends me scents she knows I would love. 
Currently in the house (though not all burning at once):
Pumpkin Pie (office)
Leather (game room/"man cave")
Honey Pear Cider (guest room)
Satin Sheets (master)
Clean Breeze (laundry room)
Pomegranate (kitchen)
Fried Ice Cream (guest room #2)
Newborn Nursery (Colt's room)

The house may not actually BE clean.  But it smells good.

And if you are interested in discovering Scentsy for yourself, you can check out Liesl's website at https://shakespeare.scentsy.us/Home

Dinner "Party"

I feel truly blessed that Jason and I are surrounded by loving family.  We are constantly reminded of this blessing - through a Valentine's card for Colt from Aunt Carolyn, through old pictures posted on Facebook, through the ever-ready "free" babysitting service offered by Jason's parents, and through countless text messages, phone calls, and emails. 

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss my family (none of them live in the Houston area), but in the same breath, I say a prayer of thanksgiving that my husband's family is close, and I have been a part of that family since the moment I met them.  It would take an entire day to write just 1% of what they mean to us.

Tonight, we are having Jason's parents over for dinner.  They do so much for us.  Gamma and PaPa babysit almost every weekend, they keep our dogs when we go out of town (and they keep one of them when I am home by myself because he is too strong for me to handle on a leash), and they have made dinner for us a countless number of times (including for me last week when Jason was in Louisiana).

The Menu: Crawfish Bisque, Salad and French Bread Croutons, and Blackberry Cobbler

[I must thank my friend Nancy for the bisque recipe.  My husband has said that I am allowed to cook ANYTHING that she gives me the recipe for because it is all so wonderful.]

1 - 1 1/2 pounds frozen crawfish tail meat
10 oz. tomato sauce
16 oz. milk
16 oz. heavy cream
6 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/3 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3-4 Tbsp. flour
2-3 Tbsp. minced garlic
salt to taste
cayenne pepper to taste (usually about 1/2 tsp. for us)
1/3 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup cooking sherry

1.  Melt butter in a heavy pot.  Saute onions, celery, and bell pepper in butter.  In a separate pan, heat together milk, cream annd tomato sauce until very hot.

2.  Once the vegetables are half cooked, lower the heat and add flour to make a roux.  Cook, stirring constantly for about 1-2 minutes.

3.  Add the hot milk and cream mixture to the roux, stirring continuously.  Add the minced garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper.  Add the frozen crawfish.  Continue cooking until the crawfish is heated through. 

4.  Add the fresh chopped parsley (save a little bit to garnish the top) and the cooking sherry last; cook for about 5 additional minutes. Serve with crusty bread (I make French bread croutons with day-old bread).

Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

One of our favorite recipes, adapted from several recipes to our tastes.  And the leftovers are fantastic.

1 whole chicken (I prefer to use a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces)
1 package (8 oz.) dried pasta
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped (these can be omitted for those who don't like mushrooms, but we love 'em)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (if desired)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 (4 oz.) jar pimentos, drained
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1.  If you are cooking your own chicken: cook the chicken in seasoned water over medium heat.  Remove the chicken and let cool slightly.  Shred or cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. 

2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

3.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  For extra flavor, cook with chicken boullion, broth or left over water from cooking the chicken.  Drain the pasta.

4.  Saute the vegetables in butter and olive oil.  Reduce heat to low and stir in salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.  Stir in soup, cooked pasta and chicken pieces. Add 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese and pimentos.  Stir together until all ingredients are blended and cheese is melted. 

5.  Adjust seasonings and pour mixture into a large greased baking dish.  Top with remaining cheddar cheese.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.  Remove from oven and top with Parmesan cheese and toasted almonds.  Bake 5-10 more minutes. 

***We serve this with crusty French or Italian bread and salad.

The Past 5 Months (part 3)

Month 5:
Colt still sleep through the night and eats like a champ, though we are down to four feedings a day instead of five.  He is now eating rice cereal (loves it), peas (likes it), squash (likes it), pears (LOVES it), and apples (loves it). 

We are slowly introducing new flavors to him, and then I will be trying my hand at making homemade babyfood for him, which I am VERY excited about. 

Getting ready to make pears....

...in the new baby food maker!

He plays on his tummy a lot of the time, and rolls very well from his back to his tummy, but he hasn't mastered rolling from his belly to his back yet.  At his four-month check-up, he did great with his shots again (still no fever or side effects), and we weighed in at 15 lbs. 14.5 oz. (75th percentile) and was 25 inches long (70th percentile).  He is still a big boy!  Great Grandpa Quick and Mommy's cousin Mandy came to visit, so that was fun for him to snuggle with some different people. 

He loves playing in his jumper (though we have to keep a box under it since he isn't quite tall enough to reach the floor yet) and his walker (he loves standing on his tiptoes and there isn't any walking going on yet). 

He can sit up unassisted for about 15 seconds before he slumps over, and this month he discovered his toes.  He tries desperately hard to stick his feet in his mouth.  He also discovered how to spit this month and gets tickled at himself when he sticks his tongue out and spits.  He also had two teeth come in this month - the first one broke through on January 15th and the second one broke through this morning (February 6th).  Right now, he is sitting in his swing attentively watching the Super Bowl in one of his cute football outfits.  He looks quite satisfied with the Green Bay touchdown.

The Past 5 Months (part 2)

Month 4:
Colt eats five times each day (about 6-7 oz. at each feeding).  He still sleeps through the night, but his sleeping hours are longer now (from about 10-10:30 pm until 9-9:30am).  I love this schedule.  He wakes up SO HAPPY every morning!  It is our favorite time to see him.  He hardly ever cries when he wakes up and gets so excited when he sees us.  He still takes several naps throughout the day.  He smiles all the time and loves to laugh and play.  He laughs hardest at his Daddy.  He is getting less and less fussy in the afternoon, and Daddy doesn't feel so insulted anymore since Colt loves to snuggle on him lots now.  He loves to try to stand up in your lap, and he already has lots of strength in those chubby little legs!  During this month, Colt had a short bout with constipation, so that was quite an adventure.  He got to try prune juice for the first time (YUM!), and he quickly returned to his regular diaper habits. 

Christmas was a blast!  He helped Mommy shop and wrap gifts.  He slept through the family breakfast and gift opening (ours is always very early to make sure we get it done before Uncle Micah has to go to work), but his cousins gladly helped open his many many gifts! 

Christmas picture with cousins Will and Nick

Christmas morning opening his presents

He started drooling a lot this month (I am sure it is pre-teething).  He got to meet Oma and Opa (Mommy's other grandparents) and lots of his other great aunts and cousins from California at Uncle Jon and Auntie Allison's wedding weekend (Dec. 31-Jan.1). 

Family photo at Jon and Allison's wedding

Colt with his great-grandparents: Grandpa and Grandma Quick (left) and Oma and Opa (right)

Colt with all of the Tantes and Granna: Sofi, Erica, Granna, Liesl, Vickie, and Terry

Colt and Tante Liesl

We had to kiss our size 1 diapers good-bye this month and move up to size 2.

The Past 5 Months (part 1)

I am really bad at keeping up with our blog.  I do apologize.  I am also really bad at keeping up with housework and laundry, too.  I apologize for that as well (mostly to Jason).

The past five months have flown by.  Yes, Colt will be five months old on Monday. 

Here is an update on our little booger and our lives:

Month 1:

Colt loved playtime on his tummy.  He ate very well all (and still does).  He slept through the night almost every night - with only a few minor setbacks the first week we were home from the hospital.  His two week check up was fantastic.  He had gained all of his birthweight back and then some, weighin in at 8 lbs. 9 oz.!  He quickly outgrew the newborn-sized diapers, not necessarily because of size, but because he peed all the time and in great quantities.  Daddy changed his diaper one day 5 times in about 10 minutes!  He loved spending lots of time in his swing listening to music, and his favorite toy was his monkey (just a head attached to a "blankie"). 



Colt and his monkey

 He loved cuddling on Mommy's shoulder.  He didn't enjoy sitting with Daddy as much until he got bigger.  He got to meet most of his aunts and uncles in the first month (Uncle Andy and Uncle Danny he met later).



With Uncle Jon and Auntie Allison




With Uncle Donnie




With Tante Liesl


He also got to meet several of his great aunts, uncles, and cousins on Daddy's side, and he got to spend time with his great-grandparents Havel.

Great-Grandma and Grandpa Havel, Colt and Daddy

Month 2:
His schedule became much more predictable as we settled into our daily routines and Mommy was able to move around easier after surgery.  Doc came to visit for a few days when he had to come to Houston for a meeting.

He got to meet most of Mommy's side of the family at Bekah and Stephen's wedding in Salado; he met his great-grandparents Quick, and most of his great aunts and uncles on Doc's side.  He did fantastic when we stayed in the hotel in Salado.  YAY!  We have a good traveler! 



Doc, Mommy, Colt, Great-Grandma and Grandpa Quick

 He enjoyed a LONG nap in the afternoon throughout the second and third month, but he was still fussy in the early evening, which made his Daddy sad because his fussy time kicked in just as he got home from work.  Colt went to his very first live football game in October; his cousin William was playing.  He also went to his first restaurant that same day - Manuel's; he was only good for about five minutes so Mommy and Daddy had to eat very fast and take turns holding him. 

For Halloween, Colt went trick-or-treating with our friends Warren and Kristy and their daughter Elise.  Colt fell asleep in the stroller by the time we reached the third or fourth house.  It was too warm that evening to wear his costume, but he was a giraffe for Halloween. 

At his two month check-up, his health and growth was still perfect!  He got three shots, but only cried for a few minutes, and he never ran a fever or had any adverse side-effects (Mommy's greatest fear thus far).  He weighed 12 lbs. 1 oz. and was in the 75th percentile. 

Right before he turned two months old, we drove to Lubbock to visit Granna and Doc and to see all of Mommy's family.  Though the car ride was significantly longer than usual with a newborn in tow, he did exceptionally well, only getting fussy in the last hour or two of the trip.

Month 3:
Mommy and Colt stayed in Lubbock for about a week.  Colt accompanied Granna and Mommy when they ran errands, and he loved every second of walking around in the stroller.  He also was quite a trooper when we went to paint pottery with his footprints on it.  Tante Liesl was a big help that day as she kept him entertained while he was awake.  He finally got to meet his Uncle Andy and his Uncle Danny (Mommy's brother Daniel, who Colt was named after) in Lubbock. 



Uncle Danny




Uncle Andy

He also got to meet a lot of very special friends of the family while there because we hosted two showers at the house - one for Uncle Jon and Auntie Allison in preparation for their January wedding, and one for Tante Liesl's friend Misty for her baby boy Xander (scheduled to arrive in February).  

With Granna in the Lubbock cotton



When we got back home after a wonderful trip, we celebrated Thanksgiving at Grandma and PaPa's house and Colt got his first Christmas pictures taken with his cousins. 



Colt in his Thanksgiving turkey shirt (Thanks, Amanda!)



He loved to stare at the lights on the Christmas tree.  (We were very sad to take that down).  This month Colt also started smiling more and laughing outloud, which is quite entertaining.  To me, nothing is sweeter in the world than a baby's pure laughter.  And it is easy to make Colt laugh - have Daddy enter the room or tickle the back of his thighs.