More pictures are finally here.  I've been working on it for a while, but I've been having internet problems, but finally you should be able to see them.  Click on "Photos" at the top right hand corner or click here.
 
What do you think the point of education is?  I'm really interested in your thoughts, please leave a comment or else email me.
 
Joel wasn't going to visit the doctor again for a few weeks, but his legs sometimes turn blue.  Really, really blue.  It doesn't seem to bother him.  He doesn't get cranky or crabby or seem otherwise sick.  I move him to a different position and the color comes back.  But still, his legs turn blue.  So we called the doctor and the doctor said (what else) "Come on in!"  After a very long wait in the waiting room (us arriving early and doctor running behind) and a sick girl plopping herself right in the middle of the little boat for kids to climb on, we finally got back to see the doctor. They checked his heart, (good), took him pulse in his leg and arm (96/56 & 108/56), checked his oxygen levels (98% and 86%), and checked his pulse around his middle.  All seemed well.  The doctor says he should probably just grow out of it and to continue doing what I was doing.  His height and weight stats were 14 lbs 7 oz (off the chart) and 23.5 inches long (94th percentile).
 
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This past Sunday was August 22nd.  That meant the one month mark for Joel.  
We didn't get to measuring his length, but his unofficial weight is about 15 pounds.  
He's certainly staying awake and alert for longer stretches of time.  Most of the time he's pretty laid back and he already enjoys the water.
The picture isn't the best, I think he was probably making a funny face at big brother, but the pic is one of the only ones that I actually took on Sunday.

 
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We have never really called Abe by his full name.  Sometimes we sing him a dorky little song that we made up with his full name in it, just so that he will know his name is more than just Abe. 

And I guess we haven’t really called Joel by his full name either.  If it isn’t Joel, or baby Joel, it is one of the other nicknames we’ve already created for him.   Last week we ran in to a couple from our old church.  They knew Kyle and they'd heard about Joel.  They made a comment such as "This must be Joel Kyle."  Big brother was paying attention.  The rest of the afternoon he was telling us "Joel Kyle."  It looks like this little guy might end up going by more than just a nickname.  We'll see what sticks.

 
I know one or two of you are itching to see some more pics of my little men.  I will try to get them up very soon.  Sorry for the d
 
Abe and Joel just had their first bath time at the same time.  Joel loved it.  He was all smiles.  Abe on the other hand did not.  He kept saying Joel was scared.  I guess he was looking out for his little brother.

Yum.

8/20/2010

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Trying something new is often good to do.

 Sometimes I fall short at trying something new.  Sometimes it is too risky.  Sometimes I don’t have the time.  Sometimes I don’t feel like it.  And other times, I go for it.  This week I tried two new things (maybe more, but I’m only going to write about two). 

 I made a whole chicken and then stretched it for our suppers multiple nights.  If you’ve never tried it before, the chicken in the slow cooker (aka crockpot) is a great way to go.  When you make it in the slow cooker, you don’t have to do any of that icky stuff that deterred my mom from making whole chickens after the first time or two she tried it.  The chicken is moist and delicious and just falls off the bones.  It is easy and you can use the “extras” to make supper nutritious stock.

 I “stretched” our chicken by making chicken and rice the first night, chicken quesadillas the second night and I was going to make chicken curry the third night, but instead we decided we just wanted chicken quesadillas again.

 How do you make chicken in the slow cooker?  It is pretty easy.  You buy a whole chicken.  If it has gizzards and liver inside you take it out (the ones I buy don’t have those parts inside).  Rinse it off with water.  Put it in the slow cooker, breast side up.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Enjoy

 And then after you finish, you can make stock.  Stock is good for soups, rice and I know I’ve read other people who use it for a whole boat load of other things.  Maybe after I become more accomplished, I’ll tell you more and the benefits of it and how you can make it.

My sous chef and I also made a delicious almond coffee cake by soaking my whole grains.  I’ve read about the benefits of soaking your grains, but the only things I’ve soaked before is our homemade pizza crust and our oatmeal (and I only like oatmeal when it is soaked).  This coffee cake used Kamut (a kind of grain).  I put it in the blender with the liquids last night.  I added the eggs and the baking soda/powder and spices this morning.  We all had second (and maybe third) helpings.  Yum.  I better put the rest out of sight so Josh can enjoy some when he gets home too.

Pics

8/11/2010

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Abe likes to go to church.  He likes to play with his friends at church.  And he likes the wonderful ladies who spend their time in the nursery.  When we go to church there is usually a series of three things he'll say.  
"Choo-choo"
"Yep we are going to go past the train."
"Caboose."
Yes, but it'll be a little while before we get to the caboose."
"Emma."
"Yes, I think Emma will probably be at church."  Unless of course Emma is going to be gone, then Abe says "Sick.  Emma sick."