Emma - 8 Months Old

Time flies when you have an 8 month old. :P 

Emma is still a ball of energy. She can sit up on her own and pull herself up to a standing position. Occasionally she will "forget" she is standing and let go... plopping down on her diaperbutt in a few seconds. This month was marked by the appearance of her upper teeth. She is getting her two front teeth in time for Christmas - must ask Santa for something else. :) I am loving staying home with her. With all the changes at my work, I am ultra aware that our time is short. I don't know what it was... but after 6 months I really started to enjoy being home with her. I am so grateful for it! Here's some pictures of the goober. 

Still Collecting

Our hearts broke last year when we learned that Starbucks was discontinuing the mugs we collect... or so we thought! A nice and now sadly ex-colleague of mine brought us back 3 mugs from Scotland. I was shocked when she pulled them out of the bag. They were the right kind! It seems they might have just discontinued the U.S. versions. Yay!

 

The trading of mugs still seems to be active as well. I traded an extra Boston mug for the Oktoberfest 2014 version. Woot!

 

 

 

Halloween Data

We had a sharp up-tick in the number of Trick or Treaters this year - up 40 kids from last year to 101 total. Ian's guess is that in previous years the rain was heavier and the area was still really new. Either way, we were flooded with costumed children in rain slickers. At one point we had 18 children attempting to get candy/playdoh from us. It was all I could do to stop the little guys from getting trampled trying to get back to their parents. It was an interesting evening. :) 

Happy Halloween!

New Discovery

Emma discovered what happens when she blew air into her bottle. She wasn't thrilled. :)

Moving Target

It's hard to get a picture because Emma is a constantly moving target. She wiggles so much the pictures usually come out blurry. She's still cute though. :P 

Heeeeey

 

Hehe...

 

 

Kitchen Adventures: Spicy Cajun Chicken

Full Title: Spicy Cajun Chicken with Smashed Sweet Potato and Fresh Corn Salsa aka... More Okra!!

 

Ingredients: Corn on the cob, Cilantro, Chili, Green Onions, Tomatoes, Limes, Sweet Potatoes, Chicken Breasts, Cajun Seasoning, Polenta, Bacon, Okra, Feta Cheese

 

I like okra. It's weird. It can go slimy if cooked too long. But after this dish, I've decided I only like it if it is sliced up. Whole... Blegh! This is another Jamie Oliver recipe that includes a fresh salsa. It can make any chicken dish taste AMAZING. The fresh crisp corn and tomatoes brighten up the chicken and potatoes. Delicious! 651 calories for a big portion.

 

Anna Mae's Visit

Anna Mae's is a Mennonite restaurant in Millbank with simple but extremely tasty food. We went there with Emma and Uncle Drew on Labor Day weekend. Emma had her lunch with us.

 

 

We sat by a window that looks out onto the front entryway. She had a few admirers. :)

 

 

 

First Cart Ride

I'm just catching up on posts and found the pictures from Emma's first grocery cart ride. She was a little bit excited.