Keisha's Casserole

Back when Brent and I lived in Oklahoma, we used to have Sunday pot-lucks almost every Sunday. It was so great because a big group could eat together without taking up half the restaurant and half the afternoon. Anyway, Keisha made this casserole and it is delicious and easy! Great for a week night supper. 

The best part of this dish (aside from being quick) is that it is versatile. Pictured above I have 2 russet potatoes, zucchini, summer squash, medium onion and smoked sausage (but you can add or take away anything you want). Wash and chop all ingredients and put in a casserole dish. This particular time I sprinkled the whole dish with creole seasoning. Top with a stick of margarine or use olive oil (cover in foil) and bake at 350 for about an hour. 

I have also made a variation of this for a side dish (a bit lighter) this summer. I cut up zucchini, summer squash and potatoes (sometimes I left out the potatoes). Toss in some olive oil and season with salt, pepper, rosemary and parsley. Bake in oven at 350 for an hour. 

8 months

8 months- it doesn't even seem possible. Our little boy brings such joy to our family. He is so much fun and we are so blessed that God has entrusted us with his little life. May we seize every moment to point Eli to his Maker. 

In the last month...

-Eli has gone to two weddings - Wyatt & Bethany in Nebraska and Seth & Trish in Kansas

-Started eating fruits- the first fruit was applesauce and he did not know what to do with it at first. But now he loves fruit- peaches, pears, applesauce (so far)

-Eli had sleep overs at his place with some of his cousins: Rhett, Leah, Trey, Kyson and Tynlee (Drew, Tyler and Megan are hopefully coming soon).

-Eli got sick on August 8th- he was throwing up multiple times and then was dry-heaving. It was horrible. Eli and mommy were both in tears. Thank God it only lasted 2 hours. 

-Eli has started trying to crawl. He has progressed from rocking back and forth to now lunging. Within a small room he can get wherever he wants and so the "no" word (from mommy and daddy) is now said a lot more often.

-On his 8th month birthday his top right big tooth FINALLY popped through. There are still several trying to come through on the top but mommy is glad there is something to prove for the fussy nights. 

-He has started giving hi-fives. 

-He has started waving- when prompted. He more just tries to mimic mommy.

-Favorite toys: exersaucer- because he loves to bounce, toys that play music, toys that he can chew on, books that people read to him (or to chew on if mommy isn't watching), basketball, pounding on the tray in the high chair, and swinging in the basement or at Grandma and Grandpa Wichert's house.

-Eli has a pretty good schedule. He nurses at 6, 9, food/nursing 12, 3, supper at 6 and bottle at 8. Aside from teething or sickness he sleeps until 6 the next morning when I feed him and then sleeps until 8ish. He now takes one long nap after lunch and hopefully an hour nap before supper. 

The shirt Eli is wearing was his Daddy's. It says Future MBYer (Mennonite Brethren Youth). I think this was his last day in it, because it kept riding up on his round tummy.

The rest of the pictures Eli wasn't very happy, but about supper time he was all smiles, so I had to catch one more pic.

The video below is over Eli attempting to crawl. It was taken 4 days before he was 8 months. He has already improved his method. :)

Not My Finest Mommy Moment

So this morning, I decided Eli and I should go on a walk. We do this most morning but this morning it was sprinkling- as in RAIN sprinkling. It had been so long since we had rain, that I didn't use my brain. I had checked the radar to make sure we weren't walking into a thunder storm. There was green off to the west, but it wasn't much and  based on past experiences I didn't think it would amount to anything. So off we went. The second brainless thing mommy did was take the long route instead of the shorter one close to home. At about the furthest point in our long walk, it started raining- not downpour, but raining pretty hard. So we headed home- tried to take a short cut that ended up being a dead end. Mommy even ran- ugh. We finally made it home and Eli was mostly dry and mommy was mostly wet. Oh well. At least we both look happy here. Not mommy's finest moment but a memorable one at that.