Meatballs

James loves spaghetti and meatballs. Sadly, I did not get any pictures, but he really did not get messy or anything. Here is the recipe I found on Food Network for some yummy cheese stuffed meatballs.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup milk
2 slices of bread, cut into cubes
1 pound of hamburger
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 egg
1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 shredded cheese, or 2 ounces cut into small cubes (I had about 16 cubes)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl combine milk and bread. Let bread soak up all the milk. Add remaining ingredients except cheese. Using your hands, gently combine all the ingredients until they are thoroughly mixed. Take about 3 Tablespoons of the meat mixture and roll into a ball and press into a patty. Place cheese cub or 1 Tablespoon shredded cheese onto the patty and bring the sides around the cheese and roll between hands to form a ball. Place onto a nonstick baking sheet or a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Repeat process with remaining meat and cheese. Place meatballs into the oven and cook for 12 minutes. Remove baking sheet from the oven and set aside until you are ready to put them into you sauce.

Box

James loves to put things in boxes. Here is a short video of him.

This entertains him for long periods during the day. It is great!

28

Saturday was a busy day. We started the day with a temple trip. Thanks Jon and Kat for watching James so we could go together! Our session was really full. There were 10 folding chairs added so everyone would fit. Not the most I have seen added, but still pretty full. I started coughing during the session, and it took awhile to be able to stop. I could tell the temple workers were worried and not sure what to do. Why did I not use a cough drop? Well, I had a cough drop in my mouth. One of those nasty menthol ones. It was actually the problem. It was causing a tickle in my throat. As it got smaller so less going down my throat, it started to get better and then once it was gone I did not have a problem for the rest of the session.

Then, we went to lunch at Pizzapapalis. We have been wanting to try it, but have not made it to down town Toledo to give it a try. Well, there is one about 10 minutes from the temple. Here is a picture of our pizzas when they came.

We were sitting next to a window with lots of sun, which was awesome, but not great to take a picture. This was the first time I have had deep dish pizza, and I have to say, I am not a fan. I will take regular pizza any day, which I love.

Our last stop was a quick visit to IKEA. I love that store! We picked up a high chair for some friends of ours that live down close to Dayton and not very close to an IKEA.

We picked up James and chatted with Jon W. for a little bit. He took some pizza (thanks!). Here is James playing while we talked.

Our friends made their couch into a toy box too.

It is awesome!

We got home, changed our clothes, and off to the Ziemers for dinner, birthday cake, and a present. Thanks for having us Sherri! We had fun! I forgot my camera, so no pictures of this part of the day. James loved playing. I enjoyed having a shootout with Jared. Jon enjoyed getting the scoop on residency stuff. Then, we all enjoyed a game of Wii Golf.

I hope it was a good birthday for Jon!

Gethsemane

To start our Easter celebration, just a little reminder about what lead up to the Resurrection, the reason we celebrate Easter.

James wants to say,

Hope you have a good, busy birthday!  Mommy and I love you!

Laundry, Last Part

James love to "help" me fold the laundry. Here are some pictures of him helping.

He still loves buttons and snaps.

Yum, tasty!

Laundry, Part 2

James loves to sit in the laundry basket.

He will do this for hours.

He will also put things in and take them out. It is great when something so simple can keep him entertained for so long.

Laundry, Part One

James loves to sit in the laundry basket. He also likes to put his toys in it. Here is a video of him sitting in the laundry basket, helping with the laundry.

He is also trying to get his folded socks on his feet.

A Clue!

James has been enjoying Blue's Clues recently. 

He actually does this with most shows now days. 

He likes to stand and the TV stand is a better height for him than our low couches.

Bowling Green, Ohio

Yesterday, we went to the Bowling Green Ward Conference.  I think it went really well.  James wanted to crawl around the chapel during sacrament meeting.  Jon ended up with him in the Young Women's Room.  James discovered the piano, where he did not just bang on it, but pick the notes he wanted to play very carefully.  When I walked in to check on them, James was even turning the pages in the Hymn Book to "find a hymn he wanted."  Jon said when I left the room he swiped the book on to the floor.  I guess he could not find anything he wanted to play.  We might have a piano player in the making.  We will have to see.

James was a little whiny while President Smith talked to the youth, so I took James for a walk in the hall.  We peaked in the nursery.  They were having singing time.  James thought it looked really fun.  I am sure he would have loved it.

Then we went back for Young Women's.  James did not last long before he fell asleep.  He even let me lay him on the floor.  I was able to enjoy the lesson, until he woke up.  Then, we were back in the hall.  We looked in the nursery again.  They were playing with lots of balls.  I knew one of the nursery workers, so she said for us to come in and play.  James loved it!  Then they let me leave him there for the rest of church (which turn out to not be too long).  It was a little weird to go back to Young Women's without James, but it was wonderful.

I got back to Young Women's and the lesson was done early, so I was able to be at the meeting with the Bowling Green Young Women's Presidency while James was still in the nursery.  It was fabulous!  James had a lot of fun too. I hope he continues to enjoy nursery when he is actually old enough to really be there in about 5 weeks!

Later for dinner, we got to finally have our St. Patrick's Day traditional dinner.  We had Corned Beef and Cabbage with some of our friends here in Toledo. 

It was fun to share this tradition.  We also have potatoes and green Kool-aid

with our corned beef and cabbage.  Jenni even brought some eclairs with green filling.  What a fun green night!

Climb

One day, James pushed his wagon over to the chair, which was blocking the drawer to the computer desk (the drawer is now taped shut since he can now move the chair).  Then he tired to climb in the wagon so he could climb onto the chair. 

He got stuck.

Hello?

James likes to "talk" on the phone.

He will hold it up to his ear and say, "Hi!" Sometimes he will gabber a bit more, but most of the time he then hangs it up or eats the phone.

Pillow Fight

James fighting with the couch cushions.

You might notice the Olympics in the background. This is an older video. Sorry I did not get this posted sooner!

Plates

This is the first time I put a plate on James' tray for him to eat off. 

He loves plates!  He will put food on and take it off (or pretend to).  This time he did end up dumping it in his lap, but oh well.  He loves it.

Tired?

Jon took this picture of James one night when James was really tired eating his dinner. 

Sorry it is blurry.  That seems to happen when the camera is zoomed in a lot.

James likes to stick his arms down through the holes in the high chair.

Dr. James

James trying to get daddy's stethoscope. 

He can now get it out, so the stethoscope goes on the table when the white coat is hung up.

Books

James loves books!  He will sit for hours "reading" his books.  It is great!  He has gotten through our defenses to the older books. 

I have fixed it so he cannot get these anymore.  When he learns to be gentle with books, he can look at these.

Chief of the Medical Staff

This picture is hanging in the office of the surgeon Jon is working with right now.

This Week

Last weekend was stake conference. On Saturday, Jon had Stake Priesthood Leadership meeting. Then, I went to the adult session of Stake Conference. We swapped James. He is too wiggly to take with us and get anything out of it  One of us ends up in the hall anyway.  For the Sunday session, we sat in the Relief Society Room overflow.  It was much easier to listen to the talks and James could move around more.  Then, I gave the closing pray, which I am glad I thought about it a little before hand, because I really don't like to get in front of people, and all I could think of is what I had thought before hand.

This week the weather has been wonderful.  James and I have enjoyed getting out and walking at Swan Creek Park again.  On Monday, there was still quite a bit of snow on the ground at the park, but it was about 45 degrees when we were there in the morning.  Then, on Friday when we went back, all the snow was gone.

On Wednesday, we went to the zoo, and invited Jenni, Robby, and Steve.  It is always fun to see which animals will be active at different times of the year.  The hippos were the most exciting this time.  Robby and Steve loved watching them.  I am not sure if James saw them.  The water was really murky.  James enjoyed crawling around at Nature's Neighborhood.  These pictures (thanks, Jenni) are of James after I painted his face.

On Thursday, Jon got to come home from Norwalk early.  He had a test.  He did have to go back on Friday, but came home that night too.