Kelty's Lil' Pumpkin and Other News

Our weekend flew by, not quite sure where it went. Most of the tasks we set out to accomplish this weekend were flops but at least we ended the weekend on a good note ... Kelty has his 1st pumpkin! We don't have cool pumpkin patches here in Tampa so our little hunt for a pumpkin took us to a large tent set up on the side of the road. Most of the pumpkins were rotten but Kelty loved standing amongst them and beating them like a drum. Here are a few pics ...

A rare family shot!

Oooh ... this is neat!

This is the one!

In other news ... the Gymboree Play and Music Centers in the Tampa Bay area have unexpectantly closed; they filed bankruptcy. One day they were open ... the next day the doors were closed. Though I'm not happy about being out the money for the 16 week tuition I am truly devastated for Kelty. He is such an active little boy and he has lost the freedom to climb and explore in a place that was suitable and safe for this type of activity ... also lost was the wonderful interaction with other children, fun little songs, bubble time and parachute play. Of course we can play bubbles at home and I sing and play with him all day long but I also enjoy the oppotunity for a guided class with some fresh ideas. It's nice to get out of the house for playtime a few times a week! We also had a wonderful teacher with such a beautiful singing voice ... I can't exactly hold a tune ... no matter how simple the song. :o)

This is your chance to win! I belong to the EtsyMom Team on Etsy, an on-line community where artisans sell their handmade items. One of my pottery pieces will be given away to one lucky winner on November 9th, but we are giving away items twice a day, everyday in November! Click below to be taken to our site for this super giveaway ... starting November 1st!



Etsymom SUPERGIVEAWAY is coming! The Etsymom Street Team is prepping for the holidays by taking the time-honored tradition of gift-giving to another level! Riding the wave of unity, harmony and excitement inspired by the Etsymom Trunk Show in September, our team tossed around a few ideas about our next team event. A little idea of having a giveway, where Moms would donate an item to be given away each day of November on our blog has morphed into a SUPER GIVEAWAY!! When the call for volunteers went out we had an overwhelming response of over 60 shops willing to donate a $10.00 in value item to this cause. Two winners will be randomly chosen everday to receive one of over 50 prizes. Donations will range from an assortment of hand embroidery, vintage finds, hair clippies, baby accessories, papercrafts, earthenware pottery and more. Perfect for gift-giving! There is a little bit of everything, so whether you like trendy, shabby chic, traditional or retro styles, you're sure to find something! Don't miss this ONLINE EXTRAVAGANZA. Visit us here beginning November 1st for giveaway rules and deadlines!

Al is Home ... Ribbit Ribbit!

Things are GREAT in the Clay house ... Al is back from his deployment. He flew in late Tuesday night. This week has been quite busy, as it always seems to be. My neighbors were out of town for 4 days and I had their 9 year old daughter staying with me ... I guess it was a preview of my future ... packing lunches, getting a child off to school in the morning, fixing snacks, playing games, making early dinners and helping with homework. It was a fun time .. really, I enjoyed it! I also had another custom ChichiKids order and a ChichiClay order to fill this week. It truly made the days leading up to Al's return pass quickly. Unfortunately we all have colds this week and we had to miss out on Evangaline's 1st Birthday and Gymboree this week. :o( We were able to take Kelty in for his Halloween photo's on Wednesday ... the photographer had a rough time getting a good photo of Kelty ... he's a mover ... but we were able to get a few OK photos. Nothing spectacular but nice. Here are a few photos of the week!

Daddy is back! Kelty was playing shy but quicky warmed up. While we were waiting ... and waiting ... and waiting for Al to fly in, Kelty was clapping and waving like crazy! He loves to wave and then gets excited and claps. It is so stinking cute!

Ribbit! Kelty loves to bounce and hop ... what better costume than a frog for his 1st Halloween!

Looking like such a big boy in his jeans and t-shirt!

Cute in his little hoodie ... who can resist this little face!

I've Been Tagged

I've been tagged by Michelle ... here we go!

10 Years Ago (1998):

1. Married Al (Aug 98)

2. Graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

3. Was commissioned as a 2d Lt in the AF

4. Was 22 year young!

5. Living in Daytona Beach

5 Things on Tomorrow's "To Do" List:

1. Get my eyebrows waxed

2. Drop off my medical records at MacDill

3. Do some grocery shopping at the commissary while at MacDill

4. Take Kelty to Gymboree

5. Go to the gym

5 Things that I would do if I were a millionaire:

1. Pay off our mortgage

2. Pay off our last student loan

3. TRAVEL!

4. Take care of family

5. Save, Save, Save

5 Places I have lived:

1. Indian River, Mi (born and raised)

2. Daytona Beach, FL

3. Panama City, FL

4. Rapid City, SD

5. Columbus, MS

5 Jobs I have had:

1. Clerk at Ben Frankins Store (Indian River, MI)

2. Office Assistant for Intramural and Recreations Sports at Embry-Riddle

3. Character Entertainer and Parade/Show Perfomer at Walt Disney World (96-99 and 05-now)

4. Air Traffic Controller

5. Dance Instructor & Yoga Instructor

5 people I'm tagging are:

1. Rachel

2. Karla

3. Heather

4. Kristie

5. Sherry

Week in Review

I don't know where the time went since my last blog! It was a busy week filled with home showings which was a good thing but such an inconvenience. The dogs have thwarted my attempts to keep them out of the house and off the property during the showings ... they don't play well with strangers so they have to be out of the house. The first few showings I was able to put them in the neighbors backyard which was perfect, however I was quite alarmed when I came back to the house after a realtor finished with the home only to find the dogs inside ... what the! My two chihuahua's managed to dig a whole under the fence and into our yard and then proceed to eat a hole through our screened-in pool deck so they could get into the house! Every time I block the holes they just dig new ones! Now I have to pack up the dogs and drive around in the car every time a realtor comes to show the house ... what a pain. Yesterday we had 3 showings in one day and today we had 1 showing that was over 3 hours late! Grrrrr.

In other news ... my sister Rachel came to visit for a few days. It's been so nice to have company! We had a movie night complete with popcorn and Oreo cookies (yumm) and of course we always have fun in the kitchen (we tried making a peanut butter and jelly french toast).

Well, I don't have many photos of the week but I have two cute videos. Enjoy!

This little feeding spoon by Boone is AWESOME! I was skeptical when I bought this thing but it is great! You fill the container with baby food and then squeeze it out directly into the attached spoon ... no mess! Kelty loved it and would not let go of this thing ... I literally had to squeeze the food out while it was still in his mouth. I've used it for normal applesauce and also stage 3 foods. Good find!

Kelty finally figured how to "sing" into the microphone!

Kelty's new game is running in circles in his jumper. He also like to run and then pick up his feet. He was cracking Rachel and I up!

Back in Tampa

We're back from Homestead ... I pulled an extended period of military duty last week and arrived back in Tampa late Sunday night. I flew my mom down to take care of Kelty while I worked ... Nana did a great job! Though we didn't have much free time to spend together while we were down at Homestead we did get some good time together before leaving for Miami. Here are a few pics of this last week (not too many since I didn't have my camera with us in Miami).

Nana joined us at Kelty's Gymboree class last Tuesday.

Kelty eating his peas and carrots. Actually, he would only put them to his mouth and then throw them ... at least he would touch them which is more than what I can say for bananas.

Kelty playing with his Dance Tower. He actually bounces when the music plays now ... I haven't captured him shaking his bootie on video yet though.

Dangerous Chocolate Cake!

I'm sitting here with no TV ... yes, our 2 -year old, LCD flat screen Sony TV seems to have bit the dust ... oh, the extended warranty you ask ... we don't have it! Seriously, it's the most expensive piece in our house and it no longer works! We'll see what the repair man has to say. Thank goodness for my laptop! So onto the food .... yummy!

My sister sent me a recipe for "Cake in a Mug" it's a 3-minute cake! Just what every women needs to satisfy the "I need chocolate NOW!" craving! As I read the ingredients list I realized I had all the requirements and with Kelty content in his Exersaucer I whipped up a little cake! In about 6 minutes I was munching on a little chocolate cake! Whoohoo!

DANGEROUS CHOCOLATE CAKE-IN-A-MUG

1 coffee mug
4 Tbsp. cake flour (plain, not self-rising)
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. cocoa
1 egg
3 Tbsp. milk
3 Tbsp. oil
Small splash of vanilla
3 Tbsp. chocolate chips, optional

Add dry ingredients to mug, mix well with a fork.
Add egg, mix thoroughly.
Pour in milk and oil and vanilla, mix well.
Add chips, if using.
Put mug in microwave, and cook for 3 minutes on 1000 watts.
Cake will rise over top of mug--do not be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little; tip onto a plate if desired.

Garnish as desired!

*** 3 minutes is too long for a microwave oven over 1000 watts. I didn't check the wattage (sp) until after I finished and our microwave is over 2000 watts! Don't put this in for 3 minutes if your microwave is over 1000 watts ... I would reduce it by 30-45 seconds perhaps ... my cake was good but it would have been better if it wasn't overcooked!***

Ok, let's be honest. When our hubbies are gone we eat different ... it's really not so much fun cooking for just one. I really enjoy cooking but it's better when you can share it with someone. This is one of my favorite quick meals when Al is gone ... it really is yummy!

Portebella Mushroom Cap with Proscuitto and Mozzarella

(This photo isn't great and it doesn't do this meal justice ... but trust me ... it's GOOD!)

1 Large Portebella Mushroom Cap

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

2 Paper Thin Slices of Prosciutto

1-2 Slices Mozzarella Cheese

Place mushroom cap gill side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in a 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and layer 2 slices of prosciutto and mozzarella. Sprinkle with oregano. Place under broil for 2-4 minutes or until cheese is hot and bubbly.

Doorbell Ringers!!!

If another person dare rings my doorbell and wakes my sleeping child they will experience the wrath of a crazy mother! No soliciters, no delivery persons ... I will hunt you down and run you over with my stroller (and it has big rubber wheels) ... if you are lucky I'll only run you over once. For those of you who have been to my house, you understand that the doorbell triggers a symphony of bark from our chihuahua's which in turn startles Kelty. Anyway ... onto happier things ....

We've had a pretty low-key week. Yesterday was our playgroup; Kelty and I drove over to Meghan's home this week. Despite my attempts to get there on time I was 1/2 hour late due to the "great white polo shirt hunt" for Kelty. Sersiously, why is it so hard to find some plain clothes for a child (yes, this is coming from me who loves to dress her son in stripes and polka dots). I drove around Tuesday trying to find a plain white polo to match a pair of shorts for Kelty. The Children's Place (TCP) had a few recently but they were sold out in Brandon. After getting home I called all the local TCP's to see who still had a few in stock. TCP at International Plaza had one left in stock which they kindly held for me until Wed morning ... which is where I was waiting when their doors opened at 10am ... which is why I was late to our 10:30 playgroup. Seriously ... all that effort for a plain white polo ... which turned into an additional plain blue polo, 2 pairs of cute pants, and a striped (yes, striped) layered polo ... at least I put the hat back! I'll take photos of Kelty in these little outfits as they week progresses. Here are a few photo's and video for your enjoyment.

Kelty riding on Jake and Ryan's little bus.

Evangeline pushing Jake ... Evangeline is practicing her walking!

Kelty playing with Ryan and Jake at the dance tower.

Kelty was giggly and loved having a tissue swept across his face.

This, That and The Other

Nothing too exciting to report but I'll share a few tidbits and pictures of the last few days. Kelty started Gymboree classes last Friday ... he loved it (so did I). I decided to sign him up for a weekly class plus the "open gym" time. Monday I showed the house to the same couple that came by a week ago; I left the house so they could walk and discuss in private ... they stayed nearly 40 minutes which is a really good sign. We'll see how it turns out! Kelty accompanied me to my dental appointment this afternoon ... the hygienist gave him his 1st toothbrush (mostly to keep him quite for a little longer). After my appointment I took him over to Gymboree for the "open gym". Here are some pics of the last few days.

Kelty likes the crunch of the watermelon but spits it out after he takes a bite ... silly boy!

Do I hear a baby Mozart?

We spent about 45 minutes at Gymboree this afternoon. There is so much room for him to crawl and so many new things to explore safely. It's quite cute ... he must be used to hearing me say "no" in the house because every time he wants to crawl on something at Gymboree he look at me first, as if to ask "Is this OK mom?"

Kelty spent about 15 minutes playing with the green beach ball. I threw it in the tube for him to go after.

Climbing the stairs.

Crawling through the tunnel.

That's a Wrap!

Another week down! We wrapped up the week with a playgroup on Thursday at the Campo YMCA in Valrico and Gymboree on Friday. It's honestly been a rough week for us but ending the week on a good note seems to make it better. I also showed the house again this afternoon ... I got that call on my to Gymboree and of course was anxious to get back in time to do the "quick clean" and show the house. Here are a few snapshots of our end-of-week activities. I don't have any photos of our playtime at Gymboree but I'll post a few after our next class.

Kelty loves the water and he really enjoyed our hour at the little splash pool at the YMCA ... I stole this photo from Katey's blog ... thanks Katey!

This is the little water park at the YMCA ... we'll go back with Daddy!

Kelty loved the little geysers.

Kelty would stick his mouth in the geyser to drink!

Michelle and I are trying a toy swap so that Catherine and Kelty get to play with new toys without the cost involved in buying them! This way they won't get tired of their toys too fast either!

Kelty is borrowing Catherines' activity table while Catherine plays with his Sit-to-Stand Toy. He likes to flip the page on the book!

Kelty's new favorite snack ... graham crackers! Unfortunately he'd rather eat his graham crackers than his dinner now! Great.