Because Looking Alike Is So Much Fun!

Because I have two boys close in age, I think it's so fun to look at their pictures to see how they're progressing and looking alike or different!  The funny thing about a few of these comparison pictures is they do look alike a good bit, but Matthew is wearing John Michael's clothes that JM was wearing LAST Fall...when he was 18 months old.  Shoes and all.  Matthew is SO big!  He's definitely bigger now than JM was at 11 months; and we thought JM was big!

John Michael at 11 mos old

Matthew at 11 months old

 

Matthew at 11 months old

John Michael around 18 months old

 

Matthew 11 months old

John Michael 17 months old

 

John Michael vegging out in the bean bag, around 18 months old.

Matthew hanging out in the bean bag for about 5 seconds, 10 months old.

You can definitely tell JM is our more serious blond headed, blue-eyed first-born.  You can also see that Matthew is our taller, darker, rambunctious second born.  They are both so precious and each one of them was formed to be who they are!  I couldn't ask for more!

Halloween 2010

If you'll remember, last year's Halloween did not go so well.  This year was a little better.  John Michael acted OK.  We had some issues with him not wanting to get out of two separate bouncy houses.  He did not understand he had to get out.  It's hard being two.  There's so much to learn and start understanding!

We went to our church's Fall Fest and we had such a good time.  Jordan's mom is in town so she got to enjoy seeing the boys dressed up for Halloween!

 As you can see, JM was an Alabama football player and Matthew was a monkey!  It was still a bit warm, so we didn't put Matthew's fleece monkey pants on.

 Oh man, they're so cute!  JM looooves his football helmet, maybe a little too much.  He keeps saying "football game!"

 Sweet, sweet monkey!

 A Fall Festival favorite from last year! 

Look, Wells was a football player too!  At first they were uncertain whether or not Alabama and Arkansas football players could be friends..... 

 but then decided they could!

 We also ran into Sarah Kate!  JM loves Sarah Kate and talks about her a lot!

We also ran into a cute little lobster!   

 He kept looking at Matthew like, who are you?!

 Down the bouncy slide! Wheeee!

 Bounce house #2 which also turned out not so great.  Poor Jordan had to get in two different bouncy houses to get JM out.  We were not impressed by his lack of initiative to get OUT of THERE!

 Matthew played the duck game and got to pick out one piece of candy!  He got a sucker! 

 It was his first sucker and he loved it!

 JM also got to have his first mini candy bar.  He also liked it (duh!)

Sweet moments with my first-born! 

 And last but not least, both boys got to ride the ponies!!  Matthew literally cracked up laughing the whole time.  He was making everyone in line laugh because he was just laughing and laughing!

JM also loves the ponies, but he's a little more serious about it!

Overall, it was a fun Halloween night!  The boys had a great time and we had fun!

Pumpkin Pie Panackes & Table Food!

My sweet new friend Bethany has an awesome blog, the Big Red Pot!  It's a little bit about life, food, savings, cooking, and family!  She had posted a picture of her pumpkin pie pancakes a few weeks ago and I knew we had to make them!  I definitely had never made these before but they were so yummy and really easy!  We even had enough batter left over to make some more on Sunday morning.

While I was making these I got to thinking that maybe Matthew was ready to eat some real table food!  So, we gave it a try and he loved it!  He really is growing up!  He's getting a few teeth now so we are now on our way to real table food!

 

Yummy!  I can't wait to eat these again this week!

Here's the link to her recipe! 

Verse O' the Day:

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 

Revelation 3:20

 

The Best Cake in Ze World!

No joking, this is seriously the best cake in the whole world.  Rich, chocolatey, thick, creamy, and laced with a wonderfully fluffy mocha filling, it is very labor-intensive to make.  It probably tops the charts in calories, so it only needs to be made about once a year for something really special!  The coffee in it really packs a punch too.  Quite a few of us who ate it last week were up late, I know I was!

I made this for our monthly Recipe Exchange dinner party last week.  I make this a little differently than the way Southern Living says to do it, so I'm going to give you my recipe.  It is good.  Really good!  The reason why the "icing" is a little funny looking is because it is warm chocolate ganache that is poured over the cake. Oooh my!

Chocolate Cake IV

-I make 3 layers of Devil's food cake mix in 9" round cake pans.  You can make these layers the night before and then assemble the day-of. SL calls for you to make homemade cake, who in the world has time for that?!

Ganache Icing

3  (4-ounce) bittersweet chocolate baking bars, finely chopped

1 1/4  cups  whipping cream

1  tablespoon  butter

 Place chocolate in a bowl.

Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat just until cream begins to boil. Pour over chocolate in bowl, stirring until smooth. Stir in butter and liqueur. Let stand 45 minutes or until spreading consistency.

Mocha Chocolate Cream Filling

• 5  tablespoons  all-purpose flour


• 2  tablespoons  unsweetened cocoa


• 2  tablespoons  instant coffee granules


• 1  cup  half-and-half


• 1  cup  butter, softened


• 1  cup  DOMINO 10X Confectioners Sugar


• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract

Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until thickened. Spoon mixture into a small bowl; cover surface of mixture with plastic wrap, pressing wrap onto surface, and let stand 30 minutes or until cool.

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add cooled cocoa mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add vanilla, beating until mixture is consistency of whipped cream.

Time to assemble your cake...........

Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread top with 4 tablespoons Coffee Liqueur Ganache Icing. Spread half of Mocha-Chocolate Cream Filling evenly over ganache on cake layer. Top with second cake layer; spread top with 4 tablespoons Coffee Liqueur Ganache Icing and remaining Mocha-Chocolate Cream Filling. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining Coffee Liqueur Ganache Icing on top and sides of cake. Garnish, if desired.

I didn't take a picture of the inside of the cake because I was too busy talking and stuffing my face, so here it is!  Mine looked exactly like that, of course

(photo courtesy of Southerliving.com)

I Think I'll Go For A Walk

Last week we met up with Jessica for a little walk!  Braxton (or Ah-Keen as JM says) is JM's best little bud.  He talks about Braxton and Sarah Kate daily!  It's so cute when they start thinking about their little friends.  Well, Matthew has a playmate in Kaitlyn, they just don't know it yet...they're too young!

 Sit'n Stand strollers are the best!  We have juice and snacks!  Matthew and Kaitlyn are ready for our walk.

 

 After a good little walk through a newer paved trail in our area, we stopped off at a little section that was all stone.  They boys had a BLAST jumping and playing on the rocks.  JM was pretty adventurous.  He surprised me.  He went off the path and into the woods just a little bit!  They loved it.

 Matthew is 11 months old today!  He is my almost-walker.

 Teething much, Matthew?!  We discovered he is now teething!  Matthew has one little sharp cap coming up on the bottom, plus two VERY large teeth on top, plus one more up top and I can feel another one on the bottom.  He's been doing well to be teething.  Still dealing with a bit of a cough and runny nose.  Ick.  I'm not feeling so great myself this evening.

 This is one of the best shots that I could get of his front teeth.  They're pretty big and coming down so fast.

 What a sweetie Pie!

 Climbing!

It's so fun to climb and play with Braxton!

Verse O' The Day:

The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished.

Exodus 34:6-7