What's in a Name?

I was looking back at some pictures the other day and came across this one.  I shared this picture with friends and family while keeping them updated with the makeover of the nursery.  Little did they know the reason behind why I set this picture up.  It was going to be the name of our future son!

We picked out the name, Benjamin, the day we found out he was a boy.  It was the first time we discussed names...EVER.  Surprisingly, while just casually talking about names (actually, we were talking about ridiculous names), we decided on Benjamin.  Just like that!  It wasn't really a 'for sure' thing though.  If something else better came up we'd consider it.  Obviously, nothing better came up.  Through the rest of the pregnancy I had signs that Benjamin was THE name.  Here is a list of the bigger signs:

- The relative ease with which we came up with the name.  I had a short list of boy names and was convinced there would be a lot of discussion about names of either sex.

- When Mike found the paint idea for the nursery we realized the paint colors were by Benjamin Moore.

- My parents came home from Mackinac Island with some baby gifts in a bag with the store name Benjamin on it.

- Just a few days after 'deciding' on Benjamin, Mike's family was trying to guess/pick out names for us.  Benjamin was thrown out there my Mike's sister.

- Whenever I had a meeting in a conference room at work, I noticed the presentation software name, BenQ.

- After Ben was born I was further sure we picked the right name when my labor and delivery nurse (who I liked almost as much as I liked the anesthesiologist) told us her husband's name was Ben.

While we kept the name a secret until the day of his birth, I felt like the name was flying around everywhere and someone would guess it for sure!  I suppose Shelly did guess it; we just did a good job at hiding it!

My Trip to the Netherlands

Near the end of my pregnancy, our friends announced that they would be moving their family to the Netherlands for six months for his job.  Initially I thought that maybe the three of us could visit them while they were there.  After all, babies fly free!  Soon after Ben's birth I realized that idea was CRAZY.  There was no way I was going to take an eight hour flight with a baby.  So, I pretty much gave up on the idea.  However, Mike kept trying to talk me into it.  He kept telling me it would be a once in a lifetime trip and I might regret not going.  He assured me that he would be able to care for Ben just fine while I was away.  I hesitated though.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to leave Ben.  I also wasn't sure if I could return the favor to Mike.  As Ben got older and not quite as needy I realized that, yeah, maybe I could return the favor.  I still didn't want to leave Ben, but figured if I was going to do it, doing it at this age would be easiest on him (he wouldn't realize I was gone).  I also felt like I should do it since so many people left their children behind to attend our wedding in Mexico.  Also, I probably would have regretted not going.  So, in April, I ventured to Holland alone to visit with one of my best friends.  I'm not going to go into detail about the trip here, but I will share the photo book I created that pretty much tells the story of the trip.  Enjoy!

Click here to view this photo book larger

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Recipe - Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

I made this a month or two ago and forgot to blog about it.  One of my Facebook friends raved about it and it sounded tasty and easy so I thought I'd try it.  It was both!  We both really loved the unique take on a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich!

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

INGREDIENTS

8 oz. Thinly Sliced Roast Beef

8 Slices Provolone Cheese

2 Large Green Bell Peppers

1 Medium Sweet Onion – Sliced

6 oz. Baby Bella Mushrooms – Sliced

2 Tbs. Butter

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

1 Tbs. Garlic – Minced

Salt and Pepper – to taste

DIRECTIONS

 

Slice peppers in half lengthwise, remove ribs and seeds.

 

In a large sauté pan over low-medium heat, add butter, olive oil, garlic, mushrooms onions and a little salt and pepper.  Sauté until onions and mushroom are nice and caramelized.  About 30 minutes.

 

Preheat oven to 400°

 

Slice roast beef into thin strips and add to the onion/mushroom mixture.  Allow to cook 5-10 minutes.

 

Line the inside of each pepper with a slice of provolone cheese.  Fill each pepper with meat mixture until they are nearly overflowing.  Top each pepper with another slice of provolone cheese.

 

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese on top is golden brown. 

 

 

Prep Time – 15 Minutes

Cook Time – 50 Minutes  

 

  

Projects 52 - April

Month four of Projects 52 is in the books.  I'm happy that I have made it this far (farther than last year) but I'm not all that excited about the photos I have taken this month.  I found myself struggling to get a photo to fit each theme in the time allotted.  Often times, I would just pull up a random photo that I had taken that week that happened to fit the theme.  More often then not, it was just a snapshot I had taken without much thought in the composition or lighting.  I may have to start scaling back and not trying to just get a picture each week and focusing on one project or theme that interests me.  I don't know....I'm hitting a lull.

Maybe it's the weather...will it warm up already?!!!

I'm also struggling with the lack of comments from both projects.  Not just on my photos but on other participants photos.  There just doesn't seem to be much activity and really, without comments and constructive criticism, what's the point.  Of course, I'm to blame as well.  Commenting on others stuff is time consuming.  I'll admit that I don't comment nearly as much as I should.  The thing is, if I take the effort to comment on others photos that doesn't mean I'm going to get any constructive criticism back.  So, why waste my time?  Hmmmm.   First world problems, I know.  We'll see how the month of May pans out.....

Until then, enjoy the snapshots from this month.

LSL 14/52 A photo of child without them there
The mess he leaves behind

LSL 15/52 Bathtime

16/52 Favorite Toy
His feet

LSL 17/52 Non-smiling photo
His look of concentration

M4H 14/52 Radiate

 

M4H 15/52 White

M4H 16/52 Mine
My dad and my son

M4H 17/52 Pastel

Half a Year

How quickly six months fly by!  At this time last year we were just beginning to tell people of our upcoming addition.  And now, just like that, he's six months old!  It's amazing how much has changed for both him and for us in those six months.  For the first few months we thought, 'what did we get ourselves into?'  Now, we've gotten into a groove and have started to enjoy watching Ben's personality make an appearance.  We laugh a lot more than we cry these days!  And as much as I couldn't wait for those first few months to pass by quicker, I now look at old clothes and wish he was still that little!  With that, here's what's up with our not so little man at six months.

Weight at 6 months 2 weeks: 18lbs 2oz (55th percentile)
Length at 6 months 2 weeks: 29.5 inches (99th percentile; I'm pretty sure this is the child I gave birth to. He's already half my height!)
Head Circumference at 6 months 2 weeks: 17.32 inches (62nd percentile)
Has been sleeping at least ten hours a night since the start of the year; he usually sleeps from 7:30/8pm-6:30/7am.
Eating rice cereal, oatmeal, peas, carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, and banana
Rolling both ways
Can sit up on his own briefly (like, five seconds!)
Has two bottom teeth
Sucks his thumb when tired or when falling asleep
Enjoys kicking his feet HARD on the ground
Likes bath time and 'swimming' and splashing in the tub
Always smiles when he sees Scout the puppy and the creepy Glo-worm
Likes to play with his rings
Likes to play Superman and get tossed in the air
Has started to notice and watch Gilbert
Is the only model that can't run away from mommy's camera

Projects 52 - March

I managed to submit a photo for each week this month.  However, for some, the photo didn't match the theme!  For others, I couldn't decide on a photo and had two or three that fit.  I honestly can't remember if I just submitted one or if I submitted all of them!  The themes really are challenging some weeks - especially for the child related group.  My child is very limited still and can't do a lot.  Also, on weekdays, I'm limited to about 30-60 minutes of free time with him (when he's not eating, sleeping, or bathing) and that time usually coincides with darkness.  I haven't used my flash in ages.  It's challenging, but I think I'm managing okay! Honestly, most of my submissions are taken on Saturday or Sunday mornings when we get some pretty good light in the house.  Light I never knew existed until I was forced to wake early and hang out and play on the floor!

LSL Submissions 

10/52 Enjoying a special treat
Ben can't really eat treats yet.  But, here he is enjoying a 'raspberry' from daddy.

11/52 Close-up
I feel like all of my photos are close ups these days.  That will change once Ben becomes more mobile and I'm chasing after him!

12/52 Take a photo of your child playing outside in the yard
Yeah right!  Not with this cold/snow/muddy backyard.  This theme made me very jealous of all the others who submitted photos of their kids playing outside with no coats on.  Since it wasn't possible for me to get Ben outside to play, I just submitted this random shot of him playing 'outside' his play mat/blanket!

13/52 Clothes
I just thought this outfit was funny/fitting for the theme.

13/52 Clothing
Monkey foot!

M4H Submissions

10/52 Soft
This rug feels very soft!

10/52 Soft
A soft place to lay your head.

10/52 Soft
I added this one after the fact I think.  When I edited it I realized it had a very soft look to it.

11/52 Patterns
I went the animal pattern route with this one.  This is one of Ben's toys.

12/52 Blue
A blue vase - with the morning sun shining in.  Funny background story for this one.  Ben had gone down for his morning nap already so I quickly took the chance to take some pictures not of him.  When Mike woke up, I was in the dining room, standing on a chair wearing a robe and gnome pajama pants taking pictures.  He didn't say a word.  That's just life with me!

13/52 Vast
The world!

Projects 52 - February

I managed to take a picture each week for two of my Project 52 groups.  I have officially opted out of the third group.  A few of the prompts were a bit challenging...I can't wait for the weather to warm up so I'm not stuck taking pictures in the same four rooms in my sunlight deprived house!

Without further ado, here are my submissions:

LSL Project 52

6/52 Everyday Activity
Tummy Time!
This would have been a good one for the next prompt too....

7/52 Feet
Do you know how hard it is to photograph a four month old's feet?
They don't stay still for long.



8/52 Messy Activity
Green beans
Check it out here: http://www.livesnaplove.com/

9/52 Child's Choice
Ben can't talk so I had to take a picture of what I think he might want me to take a picture of.
He loves his jumperoo so I think he's say, "Take a picture of me jumping like a mad man."

This was my second choice for Child's Choice
This is one of his toys that always makes him smile and giggle.
I chose the first one only because I felt like Ben should actually be the subject.

M4H Project 52

6/52 Paradise
My paradise is really a tropical beach, but, we're far from that!

7/52 Focus

8/52 Bright
I struggled with this one!  I tried to get the candle flame, but...eh.

9/52 Color Blind
I think this would have worked for the previous theme as well.