Chile today, hot tamale...

It's Hatch Chile time ya'll!!

Over the weekend while I was at Central Market preparing for the b-day party I realized it was the annual Hatch Chile Festival. Apparently the whole hatch chile thing is a pretty big deal because they have festivals and ship them in from Hatch, NM (thus the name) and bring in these big roasters and even have special menus during this season at some of our favorite eateries (ie. Chuy's). So when we sent my dad back to pick up some stuff I told him to make sure and get some of the chiles - well he delivered and got a bunch! So this week I decided I'd figure out what to do with them (I hadn't thought that far). I do like buying different ingredients that I may not have used before sometimes to challenge myself to try and cook something new & different. So anyway, I dug around online and found some recipes and made up the rest myself! So I thought I'd document the hatch mania and here's what happened...
yummy fresh chiles

making a mess!

Chuy's hatch sauce that I made with the roasted ones we got

making some stuffed peppers

Ryder got in on the action!!


(Don't worry they're not hot peppers and he only had them for a second - but he did immediately put them in his mouth!)
AND... ALA CUSINE...

Women of Faith, Woman of 50!

This was an even BUSIER weekend! We headed to Dallas for the weekend for a couple reasons. One being my mom's 50th birthday party & also to go to the women of faith conference. I went NON stop all weekend! When we got in Friday I got some party stuff together and then went to meet my mom & her church group to go downtown for the conference. Michelle & Rachel came too... here we are late Friday night riding the dart back, possibly a little delirious.

The conference was really great. Good music, speaking, comedy, etc. I told my mom it makes what I think is my crazy day to day life seem normal. Helps you realize there are lots of women, moms, wives doing the same crazy things... looking for pacifiers, cooking dinner one handed, cleaning up poop & spit up, working at an outside job you don't really want to do and trying to keep Jesus at the top of all those things! While I was at the conference Ryder hung out with daddy and the grandparents & his aunties. So as soon as the conference was over Saturday we HAULED it to get back cause it was party time! Like I said I was a little overwhelmed and by the time everyone got there I was a little out of it so these pictures are random at best!

I worked hard and planned ahead to make the decorations "pretty" - no OVER the HILL as requested by the birthday girl! :)



Yes, the chocolate fountain made an appearance & I think it was a hit once again.

Daddy praying over the bountiful array of desserts! mmm...

Mommie & her cake!

Ryder got passed around all night and he loved it... here he is with Aunt Robin...

and "aunt" katey... (yes, I know he's in different outfits!)

Daniel...my secret party planning weapon! He made the coffee punch & it was a hit :)




Ryder & Trapper got to "play" for the first time!!! We laid them in the floor and here's what happened: First, trapper here is trying to bite Ryder... typical Rohde! ha! (You see Chad & I used to bite each other when we were little so I found this quite amusing!) Meanwhile Ryder would rather eat his shirt.

"Hey Trapper, why's everyone standing around staring at us in the floor?"

"Hey Ryder, let's hold hands and see how many pictures your mommy will take?"

"Alright, that's enough, it's on!"


Overall it was a great birthday party. Lots of people came and there was lots of sugar for sure! :) Happy 50th, Mommie, we love you... here's to 50 more!

yummo

Ryder's first sort-of meal.
Tonight we tried to give Ryder some rice cereal for the first time. The dr said now days they say nursing babies don't need to start cereal/baby food till 6 months, but between now and then we can start to experiment with cereal and see what he does if we want. So since he's been SO interested in my food lately (smacking lips, watching intently, grabbing!) I thought tonight we'd give it a shot and see what he did. He did eat a few bites and was pretty curious at first, but I think we'll be waiting a while to add it to our daily feeding schedule for sure! I'd upload the video.. but it was pretty boring even for me, so I'll spare you and just post a few cute pics! Here he is: Daddy's getting him all ready while Mommy mixes the cereal.


Mmm... something new, might be interesting...

What is this? And why is it all over my face?

Ok. That's enough I'll just chew on my hand for now!

Another Busy Weekend

This weekend we had some friends visit. Chris is stationed near Austin for a few weeks before heading out to prepare to go to Iraq. So he had the day off on Saturday and Michelle wanted to come down to see him. Rachel ended up coming along too! (And of course precious Hayden!) Here he is with his new BFF - "Bebe Ryder" as he says...

Hayden - a little restless on Saturday... (our house is still in baby mode - not toddler mode yet so he was creative)

At dinner at the lake...




It's gonna be a quick busy week... getting ready for next weekend!!!

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'

Well, he is finally rolling over!!! The little chunk of love has been trying so hard for a long time, but just couldn't quite do it. But once he finally figured it out this week he just keeps on rollin'! I lay him in the floor and in a couple minutes he's on his belly. (Except now he's mad cause he can't go any where once on his belly!) Yesterday after his nap I heard him moving around and went in and found him like this...


I have also been sitting him in his bumbo a lot recently.
How cute is that??


Except - Rocky wanted in on the pictures!!




We're off to another busy weekend...

fun with the new mac

daniel's new computer is of course very functional for work- but also fun! this was about 1:30 this morning when we should have been asleep!!

A busy weekend.

Friday we went out in the HOT texas heat to run some errands... Ryder prepares to face the heat! :)

Ryder having some "tummy time" Friday night while watching his FIRST Olympics!

Saturday we had a special delivery... a PIANO! A friend a work was moving to go to college and her family was moving as well and needed to give away their piano... so we said yes please, we'll take it! It's not everyday you're offered a piano!!

Saturday night we went downtown to Zilker Park to see Beauty and the Beast. It was good - despite the lack of grass to lay on due to the TX drought & the 100 yr old pecan tree loosing a branch and smashing some cars in the parking lot! (Yep, crazy!) We went by Central Market on the way and got some fun picnic food and I can say it was the first time Ryder showed major interest in food - he was practically ripping my sandwich out of my hand and then he went for the Pirate's Booty... (hey, at least he knows good snacks). Daddy & Ryder watch the show and relax on the blanket...



mommy's little peanut


Saturday night late Sarah & her friend stopped to stay a couple nights on the way back from camp. So Sunday afternoon we went to Hula Hut on the lake.

And then Ryder had to show off his new toy - a jumper! He loves it. More to come on that later (let's just say he fell asleep standing up in it yesterday)!!




And a little update: Ryder had his 4 month dr appt today and he weighs about 17 pounds is just under 26 in. and is in the 80th % for his age. He also got 5 shots, poor thang! :(