Dippity Do!!!

I love dip. I love to make dip, eat dip and share it with my peeps. So when I saw BooMama's "Diptacular", I couldn't NOT participate. What better way to find a bunch of new dip recipes? Yum!



So here are my favorites:



Broccoli Sausage Dip

1 lb Velveeta

1 1b sausage (I use the Jimmy Dean sage one)

1 box frozen broccoli



Thaw broccoli. Brown sausage in large skillet. Add Velveeta in small cubes. Cook until melted. Stirring frequently. Add broccoli and heat through. Transfer to small crock pot or chafing dish to keep warm. Serve with tortilla chips. (Also good over baked potatoes)







Vidalia Onion Dip

2 c sweet onions, chopped

2 c Swiss, grated

1c mayo



Mix together and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serve with Wheat Thins.



Buffalo Chicken Dip

1 large or 2 small cans of chicken

2 8 oz blocks of cream cheese, softened

1/4 c hot sauce

1 c Ranch or Blue Cheese salad dressing

1/2 c shredded cheese



Mix cream cheese, dressing, and hot sauce until smooth. Fold in chicken. Grease dish and pour in. Bake 15 minutes. Top with cheese and bake 10 minutes. Serve with Fritos.



Hot Shrimp Dip

1 c small shrimp

1 can cream of shrimp soup

2 8 oz cream cheese

1/2 tsp horseradish

1 small chopped green onion

1 Tbsp mayo



Mix all ingredients except shrimp with electric mixer. Stir in shrimp. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Serve with crackers.



Sweet Dip (for fruit)
2 c cool whip
1/2 c sour cream
1c powdered sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp poppy seeds

Serve with sliced apples, strawberries, grapes and other fruits. Also good on graham cracker sticks.



Check out the rest of the delicious recipes too.

1000 words

Well, I probably won't write 1000, but since I have no pictures, I will try.

My new phone takes decent pictures so I have been lazy about getting the big camera out to capture cute pics of the girls. Also, AM moves like lightning and mostly to dangerous places for her so I can't step away much. The phone is mostly in my pocket or in sight so it's easier. Unfortunately, I don't have a way to get those cute pictures from the phone to the computer. I am going to get a cord or card this week so I can share my terrific phone photography with all my fans. Well, the girls' fans.

And I will also try to get the big camera out more this week.

Ann Marie is not walking yet, but she is a climbing maniac. Her favorite place to be right now is standing up facing the back of the kiddie rocking chair. She can climb up and stands there and rocks while standing. Then she can turn anround and sit down and rock. It is hilarious to watch. She also loves to climb up on the fireplace hearth. Even though the couch is in front of it and I have blocked both ends with furniture and toys, she still manages to get on it.

All of a sudden she is really able to communicate with us too. She understands what we are saying and sometimes will even sign words like "more" when she wants more food. She is really good at expressing her disapproval.....by throwing things. Not pretty. I am trying to break her of this habit.

At her check up, she weighed 17 lbs 14 oz and was 28 1/2 inches long. She will eat ANYTHING, ANYTIME. Her favorites are graham crackers, cheese, baby cereal with fruit, and Yogurt Melts.

Ellie starts 4K preschool Monday. She has grown up so much in the last few months. I can't believe how tall she is. At her check up Thursday, she was 40 inches tall. But she only weighs 32 lbs so she is still a stick :) Nothing gets by her now. She picks up on things from TV and music and asks all kinds of questions. Consider that your warning- watch what you say around her :) She knows all her letters and some of the sounds. She can copy anything that you write and is really great at drawing. The detail in her drawing and coloring has changed a lot recently.

AM is torturing Ellie right now by stealing all the pieces of the puzzle she is trying to finish. Guess I better go referee......

Home from Carolina

We had a great visit in SC as usual. It was busy and fun. Here is our journey in pictures.



Playing WOLF (Wiffle Ball Golf) will Uncle Davey
Hanging out at the WOLF Course

Cousins!

Watching "Dorofy" Otherwise known as "The Wizard of Oz" They were waiting for the witch part.

Getting ready for DORA LIVE!! Matching dresses from Granny

Crashed out with Tyler while I went to a "meeting" aka to see "Harry Potter"

Trying to get a cute matching picture.....just about impossible

Impromptu Dance Party in the Dining Room. Tutu cute!!

Beach Babe

Gymnastics with Gran Jan. E has almost perfected her big girl cartwheel

Basketball

Tonight we were leaving my Granny's house and Ellie looked up and saw the basketball hoop. The net around the hoop is in bad shape and coming apart. Ellie was worried and wanted to know why someone had messed it up. I told her it had been there a long time and had just fallen apart. She asked if it was very old and I said yes. To which she replied, "like from when the dinosaurs were here? Were there dinosaurs right here, Mommy?"
I told her yes, that there were probably dinosaurs here, but the basketball hoop wasn't there yet. And dinosaurs don't play basketball anyway.

Fun in Chattanooga

We've had a great time in Tn this week. We celebrated the 4th with Brandon's family and part of mine too. Mom, Granny, Tyler, Nicole, Davis and Lori came up to be with us for the holiday and for AM's dedication at church. It was a great weekend.


Tyler and Nicole went to the carousel downtown with Ellie and me.

Dedication at church. AM was so good. She loves to be the center of attention.

So sweet.

Beautiful dresses. Thanks MeeMaw.

So pretty!

Playing with/on Uncle Davey

Happy 4th!!

This is her silly toothy grin

Judo-chop

Triathalon Cheering Squad

Today we went to cheer Brandon on while he competed in his first triathalon. It was right here on Ft Rucker and he did great. We had a really good time even though we had to get up at 4am and it was rather warm. Luckily we were home by 10:30 so the real heat hadn't even begun.


Ellie sharing her totally nutritious cheese product with AMWant some?

Really, it's delicious Ellie "feeding" her baby doll (Whispered to me, "But really there's no milk in there, Mommy.")

Starting out the swim

Biking 10 miles

Finishing up the run

Bath tubs, Boats and Blueberries

AM has given up the baby tub. She is all about splashing and trying to drink the water. She's only fallen on her face once. It didn't even faze her....just kept on playing.

We went out in the boat for about 5 seconds on Monday. Seriously. It took us longer to get ready and packed to go. It was really hot and the water in the tiny lake on post was like a bathtub. The girls had fun except AM does not enjoy her life jacket. It's as big as she is and she was tired on the way back to the car.

Ellie had a great time. She enjoyed cheetos, fishing, digging and LOVED going fast. Unfortunately, the boat is not all the way fixed like we thought so it had to go back to the shop. Last week we went blueberry picking here in town. It was fun and the berries were delicious. I ate a bunch while picking them and then we made blueberry pancakes and a yummy dessert called Blueberry Buckle. It has cake on the bottom and a yummy cinnamon crumbly topping.

Blueberry Buckle

The End of Our Trip

We had a great time in SC for the last 2 weeks. It's always busy for us there so yesterday was like culture shock. It was strange not to have anything to do. Also, Ellie and I were both still recovering from strep. But we are all better now and so ready to hang out with our friends here. On the way back, we stayed with Davis and Lori for 2 nights. We hung out at the pool in their neighborhood and had some yummy Mexican Food. The first night Davis made us shrimp tacos-Delish! Then we went out the 2nd night. Also delicious. Ellie always has so much fun playing with Davis and this trip was no exception. We introduced Ann Marie to the pool for the first time and she loved it as much as she loved the beach. She has a fancy float and really liked it. I can't wait to take her to all the pools here that we plan to haunt this summer. Here are some pics from the last few days of our trip.


Am enjoying her first taste of cheese. She literally shoveled it in to her mouth.
I will SPLASH you!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHASwimming nerd

Fun with Davey!!

Back at the Barnyard

On Thursday we went back to the barn where Tyler's girlfriend, Nicole's family keeps their horses. We met Becca, Zoe and Jude there and Grandma and Papa came with Tyler too. It was really fun. The girls took turns riding the horses and got to see the baby peacocks.




Ty-Ty leading Zoe on Belle
Tyler and the girls

Ann Marie was mad because she wanted to ride. And also she stole Jude's pacifier.

Calmed down

All the kids love Ty Ty

Feeding peppermints to Sparky

Ellie was a little skeptical about the horse ride

Hanging with Grandma

and Papa

and more hanging with Tyler

Introducing.....

....the tooth.

You can almost see it here on her top gum.

So we helped her out a little. There it is. In all its huge, mommy biting glory. (and in the last 2 days since I took these pics, the other one on top has poked through. Luckily there aren't any on the bottom yet)

Ellie enjoying a snocone at the Farmer's Market

AM enjoying green beans and her toes at the Farmer's Market

And who needs pony rides when you can have free Papa rides...thanks Grandma!