Keller Family (Almost) Five

We're outta here!

2008-07-21T20:00:00.001-05:00

We'll, it's been a good run, but due to the events of the past week or so, it only seems fitting to retire our "Keller Family Four" status and move on to bigger and better things...

Our poll showed an incredible response to the new blog name of "Four Chicks and a Daddy" and that's what we've become. So our new address is, http://www.fourchicksandadaddy.blogspot.com/.

As of now, we are blogging over there and hope that you'll choose to follow us and change our address in your favorites, because we sure would miss you if you didn't spy ... I mean ... check in on us any more.

So long, Keller Family Four. It's been a good ride...

Family of Five

2008-07-12T17:28:00.004-05:00

Well, I hardly would have imagined that I would describe a stay at the hospital as relaxing, but that's honestly what it's been.

We're just finishing day 3 of our stay and will leave to go home tomorrow late morning. We've thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to bond with our new baby girl and I've enjoyed the opportunity to rest and recover from my surgery.

Baby Claira is doing so well. She is still eating well and although she was a bit jaundice, her levels seem to be evening out now. Looks like we'll go home all together tomorrow to begin our new life as a family of five.

The girls (Lauren & Jillian) have been up every day and sometimes a few times each day to visit with mommy, daddy and their new sister. Jillian especially loves the new baby. Lauren, as expected, will need to be given space to warm up to her on her own terms. Which is just Lauren's way and totally fine with us.

Tonight, we got our first family photo and some really sweet pictures of Jillian "holding" her new sister.

It's still a little surreal that all this is happening, but at the same time, so beautiful. You can set up in your mind what this transition will look like, but letting it play out has been surprising in some very pleasant ways.

Thanks to everyone for all your prayers and well-wishes.

We look forward to sharing in our new life with all of you!

Claira Rene Keller is here!

2008-07-11T09:50:00.005-05:00

We welcomed our new baby girl, Claira Rene Keller, to the world yesterday morning at 8:23 am. She is beautiful and so sweet. I think everyone was surprised by our name choice - no one even came close with their guesses. We thought the name Claira (or Claire) was a sweet and classic name and Rene is my middle name.

The Prep
I felt great all the way to the end. I wasn't nervous about the surgery, but certainly had a lot of anxiousness in preparation for it. I slept about 3 hours on Wednesday night and the rest of the night just layed there thinking about how much life was about to change.

The Delivery
We arrived at the hospital at 6am. They took all my vitals and talked me through the procedure. When I went back for the surgery, I received my anesthesia. I started to panic a little bit, but the nurse helped me calm down and soon Andy came in and we got started.

Right before they pulled her out the doctor told me she had lots of dark hair. Another surprise! I don't know how I have these girls with all this beautiful dark hair. My hair is not beautiful and not dark (at least it wasn't dark when I was born).

She weighed 8lb 5oz (I had guessed 8lb), and was 20 1/2" long. Perfect in every way - ten fingers and ten toes. I'm so grateful that none of my babies have been taken to a NICU or needed special attention at birth. We've been really blessed that way.

The First Day
We had lots of family here to welcome baby. She seems very content and has caught on well to feeding (another blessing).

As I type, she is sleeping in her bassinet beside me and looks so peaceful.

In looks, we think she's a good mix of her sisters - Jillian's body shape and hair. Lauren's nose and mouth. All around, she's pretty darn sweet. I think we'll keep her.

Just showed up to the hospital - 6 a.m. and ready to go!
Getting ready to go in to surgery!

First moments of life in the OR.

Hi Daddy!

Hi Mommy!

Day 2 - Our little sweet pea!

A Fourth of Fun

2008-07-07T20:13:00.005-05:00

We had a great holiday weekend. Andy had Thursday and Friday off, so we were very spoiled with Daddy time.

Thursday evening, Andy and I took the girls to CarmelFest. There wasn't much for them to do at this age. It was mostly vendors selling merchandise or greasy food. So, we partook of the greasy goodness. They had their first corndog (well, Jillian did - Lauren wasn't interested). Lauren was happy to eat the french fries.

Friday morning, we headed to the Carmel parade. I was so excited about the parade and anxious to see if the girls liked it and after a morning scare of being rained out, we braved the weather and headed out. The girls had a great time and it was fun to experience this "first" with them.

After the parade, we went to my bro's house for lunch and then home for some R&R. That evening my parents came over and we headed to the Carmel fireworks that night.

The girls were a little unsure of the fireworks at first, but Jillian especially liked them and would use her "sign" for more and say "mosh" (which is what "more" sounds like when she says it).

Jilli's first corndog.

Sharing a snack with her cousin before the parade.

Lauren loved the marching bands and would hand me her sucker so she could clap when they passed by.

She really liked the suckers and Smarties, too.

The parade crew - Jaime, Jacklynn and Cara (in the back), our niece, me, Jilli, Jason, Shan and Lauren up front.
Fun at the fireworks with Gam and Papaw.

Holding all three of my girls - The girls were a little scared at first and only wanted mommy. I love when that happens.

By the end of the fireworks show, Lauren was getting pretty sleepy and wanted to snuggle daddy.

Take a guess!

2008-07-03T15:00:00.000-05:00

I'm not good at lying. Which is probably a positive quality. So, since we've chosen to conceal the name of our new baby girl until her arrival, I've worried that someone would correctly guess her name and I wouldn't be able to conceal the truth.

There have been many guesses, but no one has come close.

But, since exactly one week from today, we'll be meeting her face-to-face, I thought I'd toss out the opportunity to make some guesses. You can't see my face when I read your comments, so if there's a correct guess, I won't have to "lie" to you or force an unconvincing "poker face."

Let's hear your guesses for...

1) Name: First and middle
2) Height
3) Weight
4) Hair color

Backyard pool

2008-07-03T13:37:00.003-05:00

I've told you about my least favorite part of the day, but let me now tell you about my favorite. It's 6:30p - 8p... Daddy's home, tummy's are full and energy is high. The girls are so happy this time of day and are playing together SO well lately.

We set up the backyard pool and the girls spent two hours going down the slide, laying in the water, dumping water out of the pool, etc.

It was wonderful. I sat watching, feeling so grateful for my little miracles and this life God has entrusted to me to live.

"Sissy, I think you need some help getting wet!"

Just laying around.

The princess waves from her castle.

I thought it was funny that they chose to lay down in the water.

Look at those beautiful blues... she's got Daddy's eyes for sure.

Life Group Get-together

2008-07-01T12:04:00.005-05:00

We love our Life Group. We've been with this group going on three years now and it's been amazing to watch all our lives evolve and grow closer in friendship.

On Sunday, we got together at the Vermilion's to grill out and then walked over to watch the Fisher's Freedom Fest fireworks show.

We got a babysitter, so we were actually able to sit and enjoy good food and conversation.

Chris and Andy, playing with Chris's kids, Emma and Carter.

Yummy food and lots of laughs. It doesn't get much better than that!

Reagan Doll was a trooper and stayed up to watch the fireworks.

Here's the Vermilion family ready for some fireworks action.

Impromptu day of fun

2008-07-01T11:59:00.003-05:00

Sunday we had a really nice day hanging out with Andy's parent's and brother. It started at the spray park. We went to all the trouble of getting them in their suits, lotioned up and out the door, just in time for the ugly storm clouds to roll in.

But, no worries, the rain was only a sprinkle and it soon passed and we were on to the water.

We called Andy's folks to join us at the park and they ended up hanging with us all afternoon. I love unplanned days like that. The girls get QT with their grandparents and Andy and I get to sit and watch. But, it was just relaxing to come back to the house, grill some burgers, lay around, play a little Scrabble and enjoy the company.

Hanging out with Emily

2008-07-01T11:54:00.003-05:00

Andy and I watched Emily the other day, while Ryan and Shannon took Jake to see Thomas the Train. She was so sweet and we enjoyed spending some quality time with her.

Up from a great nap and ready to party! (Don't worry, Andy was sitting right with her while she was in the bean bag chair.)

Because this is what happens when you leave a baby unattended (no worries... it's just a doll!)

Yummy - Prunes and Chicken and Noodles. Life is good!

Watching a show.

What we love about summer

2008-06-28T11:14:00.005-05:00

This summer has been a lot of fun so far. Life is about to change for us in a major way, so here are the treats we're savoring...

1) Water! The girls love the water this summer. Whether it's the three-ring pool in our backyard, the Monon Center, friend's neighborhood pools, the McCord family barn, or the spray parks. It's fun fun fun in the sun.

2) Food! Summer has also opened the door to some fun summer treats. Popsicles are a new one. We had them on Father's Day and then again yesterday at the McCord's party barn. These were tropical flavored and mommy was stealing a taste any chance she got!

3) Friends! I've had lots of fun with my friends and the girls with theirs... but two I have to give a shout out to are Jaime and Shannon! These girls have helped me tremendously as I juggle two toddlers and my ever-growing belly. I swear they've been my sanity. They've kept me going by planning lots of fun activities and are always willing to lend a hand when they see me hitting the wall (figuritively).

4) Naps! I realize that adding a new baby is going to totally disrupt the beautiful schedule I have in life right now. Naps have been awesome - especially after the water activities! I shower and sometimes nap, too. I'm trying to take full advantage of it while I can :)

5) Tan lines! With all this outdoor fun, I'm actually getting a tan for the first summer in years!

Shutter makeover

2008-06-28T11:07:00.003-05:00

Our great friends, the Blands, came over this week and we had pizza and strawberry shortcake and the boys painted the shutters.

Their son Lucus is just a month or so younger than the girls and they all seem to get along nicely. He's a super-cutey.

It's amazing what a little paint can do. It turned out so nicely.

Thanks Blands, for being such good friends. We'll come paint your shutters next! (Or your kitchen! Whatever you want!).

All the kiddos looking at their daddies out the window.

The top is the "before" and the bottom shutters are the "after."

Lauren had fun pretending with the roller brush.

My talented hubby!

2008-06-26T13:25:00.005-05:00

My husband has a pretty great job and he's pretty great AT his job, so it's a double win. He just had his two year review and they still love him :)

Just thought I'd brag about him for a second...

Several months ago, some of the big dogs wanted a logo designed to comemmorate the opening of Lucas Oil Stadium, that they could use in a variety of ways, but mainly on the uniforms during their first game. Several designers were commissioned from inside and outside the organization. And Andy's design was selected.

You'll see it on all the player's uniforms on the nationally televised season openner, but here it is on the side of a truck...

And on this poster, being signed by the players...

He also designed this logo that is traveling with the team for their "Fan Fest." The team travels and gets people excited about the season and signs autographs, etc...

He also recently designed some ads for AT&T that have been posted online not only on Colts.com, but ESPN.com, Yahoo, Sports Illustrated and Sporting News...

Stop complaining

2008-06-24T12:46:00.004-05:00

Yesterday Andy came home and told me he read about a woman in North Carolina who gave birth to twins, who had a combined weight of more than 23lbs!! I about wet myself!! (Don't believe me?)

And, get this, that's not even the record holder. I guess the record was set in 1927, by a woman whose twins were a combined weight of 23lb 12oz.

As I near the end of this pregnancy, I have a lot of people asking how this pregnancy has compared to the last and I just have to say... there is no comparison!

I had a combined total of 14lb 4oz of baby in me last time, not to mention two bags of fluid, two placentas, etc. I couldn't even sit up to eat at the table. I lived on the couch and not by choice. I remember simple tasks like flipping my head over to blow dry my hair and wiping, for goodness sake, became a major struggle.

I couldn't eat. My body wouldn't tolerate any kind of greasy food. I ate so many Quizno's salads that now I can hardly stomach to look at them sometimes.

I spent the last 10 weeks of that pregnancy sleeping on the couch, because the only comfortable position was slightly sitting up at a 45 degree angle.

And my legs... please, do I even have to mention my legs. I put on 14lbs of fluid weight in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy - No exaggeration.

Compared to this pregnancy...

I'm still in my bed (comfortable), still eating, still meeting my basic grooming needs, no swelling
and no major complaints.

Yes, I still have my days of saying I'm ready to not be pregnant, my back hurts, I'm so limited .... blah blah blah. But, then I read about this lady and I think about where I was just a couple of years ago and I say, you think you're uncomfortable?? No. No you're not.

THEN
This was my last official outing before the girls came at Hill Fest 2006, I was about 36 weeks. I don't look nearly as miserable as I felt this day.

NOW

I'm 37 weeks today and feeling great. Yes, this is the same outfit I was wearing in my last prego pic, but I'm running out of options and I have washed it a couple times since then.

New chairs

2008-06-24T12:39:00.002-05:00

My sisters-in-law had a fabulous baby shower for me over the weekend (read and see pics here and here). I was "showered" with gift cards to Target and had a blast the very next day when I went and spent them all!

I got necessities, like crib sheets and sun visors for the car windows - but I have had my eye on these cute bean bag chairs for the girls and just HAD to get them (big sisters should get presents, too, right?).

Anyway, they love them and look adorable sitting on them. Yesterday morning after breakfast, the first thing they both did was sit on them and read books. I love it!

Ashamed

2008-06-24T12:29:00.003-05:00

I had a true moment of mommy shame the other day and have decided to share it with my bloggy community. Only because I'm sure there are other moms out there who can relate and will help me deal with these horrible feelings.

OK - so I've set this up pretty good, so here it goes...

The other day, I'm driving in Fishers, down SR37 with the girls in the backseat, when we pass the "Golden Arches" and totally unprevoked, Lauren says "French fries."

What?! You are not even 2 years old and you already associate the McDonald's sign with french fries??

Two years ago, when my babies were merely in my womb, I had dreams of being an organic mommy. Breastfeeding, making their baby food, obsessing over their sugar and sodium intake (which I still do a little). Swearing they wouldn't see a french fry until after their second birthday.

But, it's happened. On occassion, my kids eat McDonald's, because on occassion, mommy wants McDonald's. And french fries may not come in their nuggets meal with apples, but they come with mommy's value meal and they insist that I share.

I guess it's not so much a moment of shame as a moment of truth. A confession if you will.

Any moms out there had moments like this?? I'd love to hear your stories.

Father's Day 2008

2008-06-16T12:53:00.006-05:00

We had a nice Father's Day yesterday celebrating all things dad. We started the day with homemade biscuits and sausage gravy and let Andy open his gift - new shoes!

Jillian wanted to "dance" with daddy on his new shoes!

Lauren wanted to play in the shoe box.

Then, we had a nice lunch at my parents house and enjoyed the kids, opened presents and visited.

Here's me, my dad and my brother, Ryan.

These are of the girls with their cousin, Emily - who they totally adore. They love babies and talk about Emily all the time.

Next, we were off to Andy's parents for a relaxing evening of food, games, presents and fun with the kids.

I was getting tired, so I didn't do as great of job at getting pictures here, but the highlight was when the girls (little girls, anyway) stripped down to their diapers and enjoyed popsicles in the backyard.

Instead of getting dressed again, they just played outside in their diapers and enjoyed the bubbles, the slide and the new playhouse that Grammy and Grandpa just got for them.

Here's nakey Lauren, enjoying the great outdoors!

We're very lucky to have such great daddies in our lives. I am so thankful to have so many great men in our lives, who adore our girls. The example and the security they provide them will do wonders for their confidence as young women and the health of their future relationships. What an immeasurable gift!

We love you Papaw (Steve), Grandpa (Duane), Uncle Ryan, Uncle Jason, Uncle Mikey and especially our Daddy, Andy!

First trip to the zoo

2008-06-16T12:32:00.006-05:00

Last week, we went to the zoo for the first time with the girls. The last time Andy and I had been to the zoo was about 9 years ago on one of our first dates.

It was a little ambitious, since we had just gotten back to town from our trip in Michigan. The girls were exhausted from their fun weekend with all the grandparents, it was a scorching 86 degrees and I was 35 weeks pregnant.

The pictures are all from the first exhibit we walked through (indoors and air-conditioned). After that it was a lot of hot and not a lot of smiles... therefore, not a lot of picture taking.

I'm glad we gave it a shot and we'll definitely try it again another time. The girls are really into animals right now (naming them and making their sounds), so I know under different circumstances, they would really enjoy themselves.

I like this picture, because it shows the girls new trick of holding mommy's hand and holding each other's hand. This has made it possible for me to run quick errands, without having to pull out the double stroller.

Sharks!

Looking at the polar bear!

I think the penguins were their favorite!

Menu Monday - Ode to Saugutuck

2008-06-10T14:31:00.003-05:00

This is a cute little recipe I saw in one of the tour books we had on our anniversary trip. I've not tried it, but it seemed like a winner.

Now that strawberries are back in season, this sounded extra yummy for spreading on breakfast breads, bagels or any other carb you can think of.

Strawberry Butter

1 pint strawberries (stems trimmed)
1 c butter (soft)
1/2 c confectioners sugar

Throw it all in a food processor to blend.

I'm almost 100% sure it said 1/2 c confectioners sugar, but you may need to experiment. It was either 1/2 c or 1 c... better to start with 1/2 c and add sugar to taste :)

There were farm market stands plastered all along West Michigan, so I figure these people know a thing or two to do with fresh produce.

I picked up about 3lbs of fresh asparagus while we were there. They swear it's the best asparagus ever... I'll let you know if I come up with any exciting ways to prepare it.

Happy Anniversary in Saugutuck!

2008-06-10T13:10:00.006-05:00

Andy and I had an awesome weekend away to celebrate six wonderful years of marriage. It was the perfect get-away and I would highly recommend it. We went to Saugutuck, Michigan.

We stayed in a cute bed and breakfast, called Twin Oaks Inn. Breakfast was served on fancy china every morning and it was delicious.

Each of the inn's six rooms had a theme, our's was an American theme.

We ate a lot. But, I'm pretty sure that's what you're supposed to do on vacation.

We saw a movie, went to the beach, took a boat ride...

...toured a winery...

...shopped and ate some more.

I know that now more than ever in my life, I can truly appreciate not having a schedule or agenda or any one needing anything from me morning, noon and night.

Hubby and I had great conversation, lots of laughs and much needed R & R. I was reminded again why I love this man so much and how lucky I am to have him in my life.

I love you, Andy. Marrying you was the smartest thing I've ever done. You are my best friend and I wouldn't want to do this with anyone else!

We love the water

2008-06-10T12:52:00.004-05:00

So far, we've spent just a few days in the water this season, but the girls love it! It's going to be a fun summer outdoors.

We recently went to join our friends at their neighborhood pool and they had a perfect 1ft deep pool for the kids. I couldn't believe how well the girls did and how much fun they had.

All the girls anxiously waiting for Jaime coming up the sidewalk. More friends! Hooray!

The water was just a tad cold that day! The pool had opened just a week before and this one isn't heated! Yowsa!

The girls did so good at the pool and when we got home, they amazingly still wanted to play. We ate lunch outside and I spoiled them with a chocolate chip cookie (Jillian really enjoyed it... just look at that chocolate mouth!)

I also spoiled them my letting them drink the juice from a juice box for the first time. We don't do straight juice at the Keller's... it's more like a 75% water, 25% juice combo. So, this was obviously a real treat for them. Not to mention the fun straw!

That's so random!

2008-06-02T12:21:00.002-05:00

My totally cool friend at DesignHER Momma tagged me to talk about what's most random in my life. This will take some serious thought, but here it goes...

1) Since we moved in February, we got rid of cable and I've been reading a lot more. I've resolved the last 2 or 3 years to read more and I never knew that my only obstacle was all the hours the television was sucking out of my life. Last week I read an entire 340 page novel (The Kite Runner, BTW - a GREAT book)... Me! A pregnant, twin-caring, part-time working, house-cleaning, play-date participating mommy found enough time each day to read about 50 pages of a novel. I'm going to start working on a list of books I want to read, because now, I find myself very sad when I finish a book and don't have another one lined up and ready to go.

2) My least favorite time of the day is 5p - 6p. This is the hour that goes on for an eternity, because it is the hour before my hubby gets home from work. Every day I rack my brain trying to figure out creative activities to do that will make the time go by... but for some reason, it feels like every day is a struggle. The other day, I was so desperate, I pulled the girls around the neighborhood in their two-seater wagon. I got about a quarter mile from home and started having contractions ... not smart.

3) I have really strange pregnancy cravings. Not food, thankfully. But smells. I LOVE the smell of a garage, a job fresh off the printer (our church worship programs smell awesome!), tires, etc. Seriously, I step into the garage and it's intoxicating to me. And only when I'm pregnant. My other pregnant craving is crunching ice. Andy was crunching his ice the other day and I almost felt like running to the freezer to get some of my own. Weird.

4) I have strange morning and evening grooming routines. The grooming isn't strange, but the fact that I must brush my teeth before my shower might be. I also must have my hair pulled back for bed. I can't go to bed without washing my face (or brushing my teeth). I think I'll stop with that. I'm feeling a little vulnerable.

5) I wish I could sing like Kelly Clarkson.

That's it for me. Now, I must tag a few of you to tell us the random parts of your life:

1) Little Mr. Bland
2) Ingraldi Family
3) The Reed Rag
4) Storrs Family
5) The Utzig Family

Menu Monday

2008-06-02T12:08:00.002-05:00

I know, I'm REALLY behind on this... so for those of you who only read my blog for these yummy recipes - my sincere apologies.

This is the recipe that I referred to in a previous post that Jillian so graciously helped me with.

Layered Chile-Chicken Enchilada Casserole

2 c diced, cooked chicken

3 c shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (12 oz)

1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chilies, undrained

3/4 c sour cream

8 flour torillas for burritos

1 can (16 oz) refried beans

1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13x9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix chicken, 1 1/2 c of the cheese, green chiles and sour cream.

Layer 3 tortillas in baking dish, overlapping as necessary and placing slightly up sides of disk (cut thir tortilla in half). Spread about half of the beans over tortillas. Top with about half the chicken mixture and half the enchilada sauce. Layer 3 more tortillas and remaining beans and chicken mix. Place remaining 2 tortillas over chicken mix, overlapping slightly (do not place up sides of dish). Pour remaining enchilada sauce over top. Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 c cheese. Cover with foil.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until bubbly and thoroughly heated. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before cutting.

Garnish with your favorite toppings - chopped tomato, green onion, black olives, lettuce, etc.

Nursery update

2008-05-28T13:07:00.003-05:00

We got the crib together, the new dresser for the girls and the old dresser moved to the nursery. It's coming together and looking oh-so-sweet!

New slide

2008-05-28T12:57:00.002-05:00

We've been really desperate for some fun activities to do outside, that don't require me to do a lot of lifting, pushing or pulling. We settled on the cute slide from Wal-Mart. The girls really like it.

When the weather warms up, we'll set up our new slide to go into our kiddie pool! Tons of fun at the Keller's!

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-28T12:28:00.005-05:00

Jillian wanted to swing with me - I squeezed her on to what little lap I have left.

Big Momma on the swings - Jillian wanted to join in on the fun.

Dinner at Chipotle - the girls all held hands as we walked in the restaurant.

Jillian did really well on the "big girl" swing. With daddy close by, of course.

We had such a perfect Memorial Day weekend. The only downer was the horrible sunburn I got on Saturday. I sat outside during the girls nap and read, I put on sunscreen with an SPF 4, apparantly not enough for my sensitive skin.

We spent a lot of quality time with family and the weather was really nice.

On Saturday, we went to the park and met up with Jason and Shannon and Soph, for a fun time of playing. The fun was topped off with dinner at Chipotle and ice cream at Handel's. Yum!

Progress, progress

2008-05-22T13:25:00.003-05:00

My mom graciously came over yesterday and volunteered to paint the baby room. It turned out so sweet. It is the perfect pink. It's exactly what I wanted.

Not sure if you can really appreciate the color in these pictures, but at least I can share that the room is painted and we'll probably put the crib and dresser together this weekend.

Jillian is my "helper"

2008-05-22T13:22:00.003-05:00

Jillian and Lauren like to "help" mommy do things, but Jillian seems to especially like to watch me cook. She will hold the spices for me, or taste test as we assemble our meal. I love it!

The other day, she was "helping" me assemble this yummy enchilada lasagna, by tearing my tortillas into tiny pieces. Wow, Jillian! What a helper :)

Lauren and the laundry

2008-05-22T13:15:00.002-05:00

This week, I did laundry. I folded it all and put in on the kitchen table so that we couldn't eat until we had put it away (sometimes we need a little motivation)(food is the best thing I could think of).

While I was changing Jillian's diaper, I peeked up over the couch to see that Lauren had pulled all my clothes from the table to the floor. It had been neatly folded and sorted into stacks... stacks no more... sigh.

Project update

2008-05-17T12:00:00.003-05:00

The room is clean!

This is the paint color we chose (second from top on the swatch), it's called Impatiens Petal.

Here's the new quilt. So cute! It's called "Spring Flowers"

We're making progress on the baby room. We've purchased the dresser and crib, it's still in boxes in the garage. We're waiting until after we paint to put them together.

Last night, we scored a great deal on a crib and bumper pad, on sale a PB Kids.

Today, I spent some time sorting through all the baby "stuff" that has been in storage from the girls. It was a reminder that I need to brush up on a few things. In some ways it feels like yesterday I was caring for newborns and in other ways it feels like a long time ago. I'm sure my instincts will kick back in, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared, right?

Chuck E. Cheese

2008-05-17T11:45:00.006-05:00

Yesterday, Grammy (Debbie), treated all her granddaughters to lunch and games at Chuck E. Cheese. We had a really fun time. Sophie rode the rides immediately and even some of the "big girl" rides with her mommy.

My girls took a bit to warm up to the rides, but once they did, they went again and again. I think their favorite part was putting the coins in the slots all by themselves.

With the tickets we won, the girls each got a Tootsie Pop and some bracelets. Grammy also bought them each a little purse with real cosmetics.

Thanks again for treating us all, Grammy!

Lauren loved the slide.

Jillian was patting Bob the Builder on the head during the ride.

This was a musical game. Basically, you just played the keyboard and hit the colored post (they made drum sounds).

Jillian in the "school bus"

Lauren showed her "Keller" side and picked the Tractor ride as her favorite.

Pop goes the weasel!

Jakey the snowman

2008-05-17T11:42:00.002-05:00

Jakey (my nephew) was over about a week ago and was playing when he said, "Look, I'm a snowman!" He had taken to balls and stacked them and put his head on top. Pretty clever, I thought. He's a funny kid!

Last day of school

2008-05-16T13:45:00.002-05:00

Wednesday was the girl's last day of MMO (Mother's Morning Out) or "school" as we call it.

They loved their teachers, Miss Amanda and Mrs. Vicky. They were always happy to go and excited to see their teachers every Wednesday morning.

They gave us a journal they kept of the girls throughout the year with pictures. It's amazing how much they've grown since they started their class in September 07.

Coloring

2008-05-16T13:44:00.000-05:00

The girls have recently shown more interest in coloring.

Mother's Day: Part 2

2008-05-16T13:09:00.005-05:00

I guess it's time for part 2 of my Mother's Day reflection. Honestly, it's taken me some time to even want to write this, let alone think about what to say.

Times have been tough at the Keller house. It's been a hard phase for Jillian for the past 3 weeks. It's hard to think about how great motherhood is, when I simply am not happy with her behavior... the CONSTANT temper tantrums and crying fits, time outs and more time outs. And her negative behavior makes Lauren a whiney mess.

I've recently been able to take a break from the medicine I take for low blood pressure. Perhaps I can thank Jillian for her natural remedy, because many times I can literally feel my blood pressure rise.

All I can think is I want my sweet Jillian back and please God, BEFORE I have a third baby.

So, now, I'm forcing myself to step back and reflect. I think it will be good therapy.

Truth is, being a mom is a job I felt like I was born to do. I've wanted this job my whole life.

I treasure my girls and love that they are mine. As they grow and I watch their unique traits emerge and develop, I think about them as little girls and the "talks" we'll have about life - faith, love and relationships.

I dream about the women of God that they are destined to become and what an impact they will make on their world. And I'm in awe of the responsibility Andy and I have to mold and shape their little minds and hearts, so that they can become the best that they were made to be.

Motherhood in itself is a miracle and one of the best things God created, in my opinion.

So, this Mother's Day, I want to honor all the moms in my life..

My mom, Sandy, is one of my best friends and I love her ability to listen and coach. I simply cannot imagine life without her.

My mother-in-law, Debbie, who gives so generously and always shows me respect and love.

My Grandmas - Delores, who epitomizes love and compassion and Joyce, who lives her life surrendured to God.

My sisters-in-law, Shannon Poe, an amazingly supportive wife, mother and friend, and Shannon Pongratz, who always strives to become better in all her roles in life and is always real about her experience.

If I had more time, I would list ALL my friends too, because there are so many things I admire about you.

Happy Mother's Day and here's to another adventurous year!

Family Photo - Mother's Day 2008 (Lauren and Jillian: 19mos., Me: 30wks prego)

"Keller" Women - L to R: Merrie Leigh, Debbie, Shannon, Me

"Poe" Women: L to R: Shannon, Gma Joyce, Mom, Me

"Happy" Mother's Day

2008-05-12T13:04:00.002-05:00

This year, my Mother's Day reflection is a two parter - this is 1 of 2.

I was really looking forward to this Mother's Day. I knew Andy would make it special for me (and he did) and I was hoping the day would be a nice time to reflect on the joy of being a mom. It turned out a little different.

In fact, this is only my second Mother's Day and so far, I'm not building a very strong track record.

LAST year on Mother's Day "Eve" Lauren was still undergoing "sleep training" where she had to "cry in out" to help her learn to sleep better (and I'll out claim with confidence that it is well worth the agony, just VERY hard in the midst of it)(another topic, but I'm definitely an advocate)(Anyway...). Mother's Day "Eve" was her final night of crying before she "got it" and she cried for 90 minutes! It was horrible and I laid awake agonizing the entire time.

So, on Mother's Day, I felt like a zombie.

THIS Mother's Day "Eve" we put the girls to bed. Jillian was having a rough night. And by "rough" I mean, she's getting her molars in and also starting to show that she has a bit of a strong will. Combined? It's pretty ugly.

So, between 8pm and midnight, Jillian cried out 15 times (yes, I counted). When Andy and I finally went to sleep, she cried every 30 minutes, waking us from sleep. When she cried at 1:30am, I could not fall back to sleep. I laid awake from 1:30a to 4a and finally went downstairs to the couch, where I slept a whopping 4 hrs, until Lauren woke up for the day.

So, on Mother's Day, I felt like a zombie. Again.

Maybe my day was just the epitomy of what it's like for a mother. As I lay awake in the middle of the night, I'm thinking "Seriously, God! Is this a cruel joke?" This is supposed to be a special day for moms. A day to think about all the wonderful things about being a mom.

Instead, I spent the morning trying to get my head on straight, making potato casserole for our family get-together, getting the girls dressed and ready, trying to look cute myself, wrapping presents for our mothers, signing cards and packing the diaper bag for an entire day's worth of celebrating.

So Mother’s Day was not the ideal day I pictured in my mind. It was the kind of day that I had to show my mommy gumption. Suck it up, face the reality that caring for young ones is no small task and choose to make the most of a less-than-perfect day.

That’s the realistic view of my Mother’s Day. I’ll post more about being a mom in Part 2. But, sometimes facts are facts. And I just needed to vent a little.

Good hair day

2008-05-08T11:59:00.002-05:00

I just had to take a picture of Jillian's hair yesterday. It was beautiful. And, seriously, all I did was wash it the night before, she slept on it, I brushed it and put a clip in it. And voila! Beautiful volume, perfect curls - with no effort.

I've NEVER had a hair day like that. Thank the Keller genes for these lovely locks!

Getting big

2008-05-07T13:37:00.002-05:00

As much as I want to deny it, my girls are getting big. I see it more in pictures than in real life, which makes it much easier to deny.

My mom and I took them this week to get their pictures taken at JCPenneys and I couldn't believe how big they looked as I reviewed the shots. I'll have those pictures to share with you soon.

But, this is an example of the "big girl" look I've seen lately...

Lauren was looking for Daddy in the garage. I love her legs in these tights!

Winter hats in this weather?

2008-05-07T13:33:00.002-05:00

No. We're not still wearing our winter hats. The girls found their hats in a big pile of clothes I recently was sorting through. They both wanted to wear them when they woke up the other morning.

I put them on and grabbed the camera. Before I could take the picture, Lauren wanted hers off. And being the totally cruel mom that I am, I forced her to put it back on so I could get a picture. She wasn't too happy, as you can see. I swear she was loving it like one minute before this picture was taken.

The project

2008-05-07T13:24:00.002-05:00

I hit the 30 week mark yesterday, so I decided now would be a good time to actually start getting the new baby's room in order.

I thought I'd share with you what the room currently looks like, so when I finish you can fully appreciate with me what a great improvement it is.

Right now, the room is full of boxes of baby supplies that came from the move out of the girl's closet. I also have bags and bags of little girl clothes. Most of the job will be sorting and organizing.

The pack and play will move, too. This is where Jillian naps right now. She doesn't seem to mind the clutter. I'm not sure how she'll feel about her new napping spot once the baby comes (it will be our closet), but I'm fairly confident she won't complain.

The glider and ottoman will stay. That's the one thing that we can check off the list.

Baby's crib and dresser arrived this week, so hopefully soon we can start putting things together, painting, etc.

I'll keep you posted!

Menu Monday

2008-05-07T13:02:00.004-05:00

It's another pasta dish, people. But, I'll tell ya, if it's a winner with my girls and with my husband, it's worth sharing with you fine folks.

Also, I've been using a new type of mulitgrain pasta that does NOT taste multigrain, so it's a win all around. The pasta is Barilla Plus. A 100g serving (about 1 cup uncooked) contains 17g of Protein, 360mg of Omega-3 and 7g of Fiber. Not too shabby.

I loved this recipe because it had TONS of fresh veggies and used lower fat cream cheese and still tasted delicious. I thought the red pepper in the dish added a lot of flavor - even though red pepper cost a fortune. My opinion - they're worth the investment in this dish.

Another tip - use your biggest skillet. This recipe makes a ton of food. It says six servings, but I think it's more like eight.

Creamy Pasta Primavera

3 cups penne pasta, uncooked

2 Tbs Light Italian dressing
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks

2 zucchini, cut into chunks

1 1/2 c cut-up fresh asparagus (1-inch length)

1 red pepper, chopped

1 c fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

4 oz Neufchatel Cheese, cubed

1/4 c grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package.

Meanwhile, heat dressing in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken and vegetables; cook 10 to 12 min. or until chicken is cooked through, stirring frequently. Add broth and Neufchatel cheese; cook 1 min. or until cheese is melted, stirring constantly. Add parmesan cheese; mix well.

Drain pasta; return to pot. Add chicken and vegetabe mixture; toss lightly. Cook 1 min. or until heated through. (Sauce will thicken upon standing.)

Jenni's tips: I didn't have Light Italian dressing, so I used another olive oil based dressing - I think it was Romano Basil Viniagrette. The dressing just adds a little kick to the flavor - so don't run out and buy a whole bottle of Italian, if you have some other kind of olive oil dressing in your fridge. I also used a little more thank 2 Tbsp of it. There so many veggies, it seemed like a little more would enhance their flavor.

The instructions don't say to drain the liquid before you add the chicken broth and cheese. I would recommend it. My veggie and chicken mix was really watery before adding the broth and so the sauce never got as thick as I had hoped, even after I added more Neuf. cheese than the recipe called for.

Again, use a really big skillet or pot for this one. And be prepared to eat leftovers.

Shan-Shan ran-ran the Mini Marathon!

2008-05-04T13:59:00.003-05:00

The girls and Grammy, taking turns jumping off the "cliff."

Jillian and her Uncle Jason. She was laughing so hard. It was super cute.

After the race, Shannon was all smiles. I think I would have been throwing up after 13 miles, but she seemed energized enough to run another 13!

This pictures shows off our Fan Club shirts - they say "Shan-Shan we know you can-can do it!", "Aunt Shan-Shan, I'm your #1 fan-fan!" and "My sister Shan-Shan ran-ran the Mini! (I'm real proud!)"

My other sister-in-law, Shannon Pongratz, ran the Mini Marathon, a 13.1 mile race that is a really cool Indianapolis tradition.

It was quite an accomplishment and I was inspired by her commitment to train and compete in this event.

We unforunately didn't catch her when she ran by, but caught up with her after the race.

Andy, the girls and I all made t-shirts as official members of her fan club!

Shannon - Decorator Extraordinaire

2008-05-04T13:49:00.002-05:00

My sister-in-law, Shannon Poe, was recently featured on a local morning news station talking about the fabulous kitchen she designed for the Decorator's Show House. The kitchen she designed is really cool. Watch the interview.

Shannon likes to fly under the radar, but has continually been honored with awards and opportunities to design kitchens for events like this. Her work speaks for itself.

If you need a kitchen remodel, Shannon works at Carmel Kitchens and she's the best in the biz!

We're proud of you, Shannon!

Playing outside

2008-04-28T13:37:00.004-05:00

The girls LOVE to play outside - especially Lauren who constantly asks to go out. The other day we were passing time, waiting for Andy to get home and I decided to break out the sidewalk chalk.

I love seeing their little legs in shorts. Look at those cute knees! We don't have a lot of outdoor toys right now, but they love to walk up and down our entryway. They think they're big stuff stepping up and down this front step all by themselves.

Lauren enjoyed carrying the bucket more than she liked drawing with the chalk. Notice the chalk on her mouth.

Jillian had chalk ALL over her shirt. This is her kindly offering to share her chalk with mommy.

The plan was to take the girls pictures with this drawing with the camera on my phone and send it to Andy at work - but the girls wouldn't stay put long enough. Oh well - I thought my sidewalk art was cute so I took a picture anyway.

Congrats to Mike!

2008-04-28T13:28:00.003-05:00

I'm late on this post, but just wanted to say how proud we are of Andy's brother, Mike. He recently graduated from Purdue and has already landed his first "real" job.

I wish I could explain to you what it is that he's doing, but I can't. His degree is in construction management and he's working with an exciting new company, who has already begun to trust him with some major projects. Go, Mikey, Go!

These pics are from his graduation party last weekend.

Jillian wanted to help Mike with his gifts.

Another Keller family photo - this time with Merrie Leigh - Mike's girl, who we love and adore :)

The girls were letting Mike's balloons go outside. My girls were very confused as to why they were doing this.

Jilli thinking - Why do we let the balloons go, when it's so fun to hold on to them?

Sweet Sophie

2008-04-28T13:19:00.002-05:00

Last week, we celebrated Mike's graduation from college (Andy's bro)! We were all together with the family and as usual I was snapping shots of all the kids playing.

I caught some "classic" shots of our niece, Sophie - and by "classic" I mean:

1) She was wearing her pajama bottoms, because when she woke from her nap and daddy was getting ready to bring her, she refused to take them off.

2) I attempted three times to get a picture of her actually looking at me and the camera. This girl has the attention span of a monkey after a shot of espresso and I love her for it! I was saying Sophie! Look at me! Say cheese! Which she would do, but in the 1/2 second it would take me to actually snap the shot, she had already looked away. Shannon, I know you're laughing out loud right now!

3) Her super sweet smile!

We love you, Sophie! So glad you're our niece and cousin!

Cuties

2008-04-28T13:16:00.002-05:00

I just loved these pics of the girls. I took them the other night after dinner (and right before baths! Not a moment too soon!).

Menu Monday

2008-04-28T13:03:00.003-05:00

I found this recipe that I had made a while ago and tried it out again. I have to say it was a winner, mostly for the fact that the girls gobbled it up and ate it again several times for leftovers (so it wasn't a fluke!).

It's a basic chicken broth/garlic flavor recipe, which you can't go wrong with. The Orzo pasta (shaped like thick rice, if you've never seen it before) was easy for the girls to eat with a spoon. And because of the seasoning and soft texture, they even at the zucchini and tomatoes!

But, if your kids are still finger-feeding, I always recommend Ditallini pasta because it's the perfect size for little fingers and moms don't have to chop it up at all.

Chicken and Orzo Supper

1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 clove garlic
1 can (14oz) chicken broth
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1 can (14.5oz) italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise in half, then cut crosswise into slices (2 cups)
2 Tbs. parmesan cheese

Heat oil in medium-size skillet on medium-high heat. Cook chicken and garlic in oil 4-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is brown.

Stir in broth and pasta. Heat to boiling; reuce heat to medium. Cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender and most of liquid is absorbed.

Stir in tomatoes and zucchini. Cook uncovered 5-10 minutes, stirring occassionally and greaking up tomatoes with spoon, until zucchini is tenter. Sprinkle with cheese.

Jenni's tips: I used canned diced tomatoes, so I didn't have to break up any tomatoes with a spoon. This meant I was also missing the Italian seasoning in the tomatoes, but we didn't miss it in the flavor. Also, if your family isn't big on zucchini, don't worry about hitting the 2 cups. That's a lot of zucchini for any dish, in my opinion.

Menu Monday

2008-04-22T13:57:00.005-05:00

This is an updated oldy-but-goody. I love the classic eclair dessert and the only difference in this one is peanut butter.

I've made this twice in the past month for different occassions. But, my guilty confession is that Andy and I have been known to eat the leftovers with forks right out of the pan.

Easy Peanut Butter & Chocolate Eclair Dessert

1 3/4 c. cold milk
1 pkg (4-serving size) Jell-O instant vanilla pudding mix
1/4 c. peanut butter
1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip, thawed
24 full-size graham crackers
6 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate
3 Tbs. butter

Pour milk into large bowl. Add pudding mix and stir until well blended. Add PB and mix well. Gently stir in Cool Whip.

Layer one third grahams and hyalf of the pudding mix in 13x9-inc dish, breaking grahams as necessary to fit. Repeat layers. Top with remaining grahams.

Microwave chocolate and butter for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Spread immediately over grahams.

Refrigerate at least 8 hrs (I served mine after about 4 hrs and it was fine!).

My new ride

2008-04-22T13:30:00.004-05:00

A few weeks ago I went to a Mother's of Twins Sale, organized by the twin's club I belong to with the hopes of scoring a triple stroller.

I'd been watching online for used strollers, but most people wanted about $150-$200 for them. New, they retail for about $400 to the fancy Peg Perego triple stroller for more than $1000 (unbelievable!).

Andy and I went to the special "preview" for members on Friday night. We got there early and stood in line. I knew if anyone was selling a triple stroller, it would be a mom of multiples. So, we had gotten a sitter for a date night, and started our date here - so romantic :)

I walked in and saw one immediately. I walked up and asked how much she wanted. She said $50! Can you believe it? Now, it's the oldest and ugliest stroller I've ever seen... but I seriously don't care. The stress it will save me is worth any embarrassment I might face.

So, here's a pic of me with my new ride. I'm 28 weeks pregnant now. I can't believe how different it is to carry one. My belly looks much cuter this time (in my humble opinion) and not so oval and HUGE!

Fresh face

2008-04-19T22:08:00.003-05:00

I decided it was time to give my blog a facelift. So, here it is. Nothing too fancy, just they way I like it. Cool, but classic.

Another change I'm gonna make soon is to our blog address. We will soon be more than four and so we'll need a new name. I don't know what it will be yet, but you can vote on your fave in my new poll (to the right)!

Bed bug update

2008-04-18T12:43:00.002-05:00

So, Emily was asking if perhaps it was the bugs in my bed making all that ruckus last night. Which made me laugh. But, it reminded me to give an update on my buggy situation.

Since I've washed the sheets in really hot water, I've not seen anything else show up on my hands and feet. Andy never got bit. And I might just have to agree with Mindy that Andy was the problem all along. Ha!

I had several people ask if perhaps it was some type of allergic reaction, which it very well could have been, since the weather has warmed up and we've been outdoors in the grass some.

Another suggestion was that the home's prior owners could have had a pet and it could possibly be fleas. But, I haven't had any cravings for dogbones or felt the urge to pee on any hydrants... so it couldn't be that :)

Honestly, that possiblity alone makes me reconsider having our carpets shampooed soon.

Anywho - thanks for all your comments and concerns. I'll keep you informed, because I know you're dying to know about my bug bites.

My first quake

2008-04-18T11:57:00.002-05:00

We had an interesting night last night. Lauren was up several times due to a fever from teething (my best guess). Neither of the girls have ever been real feverish, so it was a strange occurance for her and for mommy. Actually pulling out the thermometer and seeing it read 102 degrees was very unexpected.

So, I was up at 1am, 2:30am, 3:30am and then at 5:30am, I was awakened by something else unexpected. Something at first I thought was my husband having a crazy dream. We both felt it, but because Andy sleeps through everything and because I had already been up a few times, we both drifted right back to sleep.

So, this morning I said - Andy you did something crazy in your sleep last night. I know - he says. I'm still laughing that he kinda thought he was the one shaking the bed (that shows how out of it he is in the night). Then he came and told me that it had actually been an earthquake. Weird.

But, the exciting news is, it was my first! I didn't think quakes hit Indiana. But, it was a doozy. Richter said 5.4. And he doesn't just make this stuff up!

The bed bugs bit!

2008-04-16T13:35:00.002-05:00

I'm so grossed out right now. I woke up a couple days ago with some sores on my hands and they hurt like small blisters almost. I chocked it up to some type of labor I had done that day and thought nothing of it.

The next morning I woke up with several more sores on my hands and one on the bottom of my foot. Now, I'm thinking it happened in bed and possibly by a spider. Yuck!

Last night, I had Andy thoroughly inspect the sheets and the bed for bugs or cobwebs and we found nothing.

I woke up several times last night after dreaming about it and quickly inspecting myself for bugs.

So, the drama continued, when today I woke up with more bites on my feet!

I'm really paranoid now. And I'm looking for some advice on what to try.

So far, my plan is to wash the sheets and comforter and vacuum the mattress. What else, aside from spraying toxic chemicals on my pillow!, could I try??

Menu Monday

2008-04-16T13:20:00.004-05:00

I made a new recipe for dinner last night that was pretty tasty - especially considering the minimal ingredients and steps required to make it. And (bonus) it's low-fat!

Low-Fat Zesty Shrimp and Pasta

8 oz. linguine
3/4 c. Light Italian Reduced Fat Dressing, divided
2 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained, quartered
1 lb uncooked cleaned large shrimp
1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package.

Meanwhile, heat 1/2 c. of the dressing in large skillet on medium heat. Stir in mushrooms, onions and artichokes; cook 3 min. or until onions are crisp-tender, stiring occasionally. Add shrimp and parsley; stir. Cook 2 min. or until shrimp are pink and veggies are tender; stiring occasionally.

Drain pasta; return to pot. Add shrimp mixture and remaining 1/4 c. dressing. Toss lightly. Sprinkle with cheese.

Jenni's variation: I omitted the onion (It gives this prego heartburn). I also used dried parsley, instead of fresh. I used frozen cocktail shrimp, instead of messing with uncooked and all the cleaning that is usually involved (shrimp veins, anyone?).

I simply dumped the frozen shrimp in with the boiling linguine during the last 3-5 minutes of cooking time. That was enough to heat them through before draining the whole pot of pasta and seafood and adding it to the sauce.

Another first!: Corn on the cob

2008-04-09T13:32:00.004-05:00

I wasn't sure if the girls would be curious about the corn on the cob I made for dinner the other night, but Jillian really was... and then Lauren was after she saw Jillian.

Jillian took to it like a pro. Lauren was a little more confused and was just putting the corn skewers (non-sharp side) in her mouth.

Wagon riding

2008-04-09T13:27:00.002-05:00

The girls got this great two-seater wagon for Christmas and we've finally been able to enjoy it now that the weather is warming up. The girls love it!

We have great sidewalks and trails in our new neighborhood, some that even circle ponds, complete with fountains, geese and ducks!

Whenever we drive past the ponds, Lauren sees the fountains and says, "Wow!"
On Sunday, we went for a family walk. The girls sported their new shades.

Menu Monday (on Wednesday)

2008-04-09T13:05:00.003-05:00

I know I'm two weeks behind, so I'm making it up by posting two delicious recipes.

The first is a delicious summer-inspired recipe. What I love most about this recipe is the chopped avocado. It gives it so much richness. I find myself hunting for the green pieces with my chips.

This salsa is great for salads - chop some lettuce, chicken and mix a little Ranch dressing with your regular jarred tomato salsa. Add this homeade salsa on top and voila! A delicious lunch or dinner for your family.

Black Bean Salsa

2 15oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 17oz can whole kernal corn, drained
1 large avocado, peeled and diced
1 small red onion, chopped
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

3-4 T. lime juice
2 T. olive oil
1T vinegar (balsamic or rice)
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
2 t. cumin

Combine all ingredients, except avocado, which should be added just before serving.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Recipe #2

Spaghetti Con Gli Zucchini

2 T. Butter
2 T. Olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 zucchini, sliced or julienne

Saute these four ingredients lightly - don't let zucchini get too mushy.

Next, add:

3 T. fresh parsley or 2 t. dried
3 T. fresh basil or 1 t. dried
1/2 can vegetable or chicken broth

Simmer about 5 minutes.

Toss with 1lb cooked spaghetti (or favorite pasta) and grated parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

This makes a great summer dinner-in-a-pinch.

Baby Isabel is here

2008-04-07T13:52:00.005-05:00

My good friend (and cousin-in-law) Jaime McCord had her little girl this morning! She weighed in at (hold on to your britches), 9lb 7oz!! Don't worry, she was born via Cesarean, so no need to cringe :) Her name is Isabel Anne McCord.

I can't wait to see pictures, but I thought in the mean time, I'll post these pictures from the shower I hosted for Jaime on Friday.

Congrats to Nic and Jaime, and new big sister, Jacklynn!

Here is Jaime opening gifts. I think all the girls would have been happy to give those pacis a test run.

Some of the guests!

Sophie and Lauren playing with GGma - Great Grandma Connie

Ring Around the Rosie - Sophie, Lauren, Jacklynn and Jillian
"We all fall down!"

Let's talk about me!

2008-04-07T13:18:00.003-05:00

I was tagged by my friend, Emily, to post the following survey about me!

Four jobs I’ve had:

1. Cashier at Hobby Lobby
2. Sold cigarettes, candy, lottery tickets and more! at a medical plaza snack shop (to pay my way through Bible college, of course!)
3. Receptionist at church (summer job)
4. Writer for national mrktg department at Irwin Mortgage

Four movies I’ve watched more than once:

1. Moulin Rouge
2. Joe Dirt
3. Napoleon Dynamite
4. A Christmas Story

Four places I’ve lived:

1. St. Joseph, MO (Born and raised!)
2. Minneapolis, MN
3. Fishers, IN
4. Carmel, IN

Four TV shows I watch:

1. Lost - Totally addicted
2. The Office
3. My Name is Earl
4. 30 Rock - All my shows are on Thursday night, it's a major dilemma for me

Four places I’ve been:

1. El Salvador
2. Belarus
3. Costa Rica
4. Cancun

Four people who e-mail me regularly:

1. My coworkers
2. My husband
3. My Life Group
4. Baby Center - updates on my pregnancy and the girl's development

Four of my favorite foods:

1. Qdoba!! - Naked chicken burrito, tortilla on the side, black beans, medium salsa, sour cream and guacamole! Seriously, at least once a week for the past five years.
2. Mom's Thanksgiving feast
3. Chocolate - dessert isn't worth the calories, unless in contains chocolate, preferably dark
4. Ice cream - Dairy Queen is my favorite, blizzards or cones dipped in chocolate

Four places I would like to visit:

1. Italy
2. Australia
3. Hawaii
4. Maine (or any New England state - I want to try to seafood!)

Four things I’m looking forward to in the coming year:

1. New baby girl - coming July 10!
2. Watching my girls grow - They'll be 2 in September
3. Spring and Summer weather
4. Fixing up our new house!

Four friends I’m tagging:

1. Crystal
2. Suz
3. Melissa D.
4. Tammy

What's for dinner?

2008-04-02T13:00:00.003-05:00

I know this has to be an ongoing issue with all my mommy friends out there. One day the girls will eat anything you put in front of them and the next day they won't touch it.

It's nearly impossible to keep track of who likes what, let alone who is eating it this week and who isn't.

Recently, the girls have been eating lots of unexpected things: green/red peppers, squash, tomatoes, and black beans (note the photo to go along with this post).

Last night was taco night and the girls basically ate a meal of black beans, with the bean juice all over their faces and arms as proof that they thoroughly enjoyed them.

Not sure what to expect in their diapers today :)

It's great to have a sissie...

2008-04-01T12:04:00.006-05:00

... because you never have to worry about finding a partner for Ring Around the Rosie!

Menu Monday: Peanut Butter-Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

2008-03-24T20:29:00.002-05:00

OK. So, it's not the most creative name for a pie, but it is pretty simple to make and oh-so-yummy to eat.

I personally prefer the made-from-scratch cream pies like my momma makes, but a basic pudding pie is OK every once in a while. And this one combines some of my favorite tastes: peanut butter and bananas, with chocolate!

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

35 Nilla Wafers, finely crushed
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 medium bananas, halved lenthwise, quartered
2 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, divided
1/2 c. peanut butter
2 c. milk
2 pkg (4 serving size each) Jell-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie filling
2 c. thawed Cool Whip, divided
2 Tbsp. peanuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix wafer crumbs and butter until well blended; press firmly onto bottom and up side of 9" pie plate. Bake 5 to 8 min. or until golden brown. Cool completely; top with bananas.

Make chocolate curls from 1/2 square of chocolate; reserve for garnish. Microwave remaining chocolate and PB on HIGH 1 min.; stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Drizzle over bananas; set aside. Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in 1 cup of whipped topping. Spread over bananas; top with remaining 1 cup whipped topping.

Refrigerate at least 3 hrs or overnight. Top with chocolate curls and peanuts just before serving. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

Jenni's tips: It tastes much better the same day you make it, so I would advise making it the day of and letting it rest 3 hrs. vs. setting overnight.

Make chocolate garnish with a vegetable peeler.

I use a premade graham cracker crust and don't mess with the cookie crumbs. I think they also sell a premade Nilla Wafer crust, too (I couldn't find it).

Easter fun

2008-03-24T12:20:00.004-05:00

These are the four Fertig great-grandkids - Jacklynn, Jillian, Lauren and Sophie. Next year, there will be two more girls on the couch. Jaime is due in about two weeks with another girl and me in July.

Here are the Poe grandkids - Emily, Jake, Lauren and Jillian. Emily is exactly one year younger than the girls and is wearing Lauren's Easter dress from last year. Isn't it amazing how much they grow in one year!

This is a classic Jillian shot to me. Paci in mouth, toes turned in, baby in hand, dress slightly up (trying her best to be a lady, but it's just not easy for a wild woman), and her hair in a barrette.

Lauren's basket was getting pretty full. She got the hang of the egg hunt pretty quickly.

Jillian was a natural, too. It was cute watching them carry their baskets and put eggs in all by themselves.

This is Lauren getting her first egg.

A rare Keller family photo. Shannon got an even better shot (with all the kids looking). Back (R to L): Andy, Mike and Jason. Middle: Me, Duane, Debbie and Shannon. Front: Lauren, Jillian and Sophie.

We had a great Easter this year. We went to Easter services at church on Saturday evening and then Sunday afternoon, we were off to the McCord's party barn to celebrate with our families. (Andy and I are very grateful that our families celebrate holidays like this together.)

We ate a delicious lunch and then the kids had an egg hunt. It was so cute. The only one not participating was little Emily (6 mo.), but I hear Jake got lots of barrettes and rings in his basket, so I'm sure he'll share.

After the egg hunt, everyone just relaxed and visited until we wondered why Jillian was getting cranky, looked at the clock and realized it was bedtime.

Going to the Park!

2008-03-24T12:12:00.003-05:00

I love this picture of Jillian. Doesn't she have a sweet face?!

Nothing like a snack on the slide :)

This is Lauren climbing, climbing, climbing. She couldn't go down this slide, because of the pool of water at the entry. But, she had a fun time splashing in it.

Lauren also loved the swings. I'm sure she doesn't remember them from last summer. She would giggle and smile. But, unlike last year, she only sat in them for a couple minutes. There was just too much to explore.

We had a great LONG weekend with Daddy home (Andy had Friday off). So, Friday afternoon we headed for the park.

The girls had a great time exploring. They like the swings, but not as much as they enjoyed climbing on the jungle gym. The insist on standing upright and holding the rail when they climb the stairs, rather than staying on all fours. Which, made me nervous since the rail is right next to the edge of the step, which leads to a long fall to the ground. Andy and I split up, each taking one of the girls.

We had a blast, but Andy and I were exhausted after an hour and I learned that I will not be taking both girls to the park without an extra set of hands any time soon. At least not parks with tall jungle gyms.

State of the Mucus

2008-03-24T11:54:00.003-05:00

I can' t tell you how tired I am of sickness - mine, my husbands, my kids. I feel like I've been blowing my nose since Jan. 1. I think I now have my third sinus infection.

Last week, both girls got a little pukey on us. Nothing over the top, thank God. But, Jillian had it Sunday night and Lauren on Thursday.

Thankfully, no one else fell victim.

I snapped this shot of the girls on Thursday - you can tell Lauren is obviously feeling a little better. We had a lazy pajama day. Except for mommy, who was up, showered and ready for work when Lauren woke up and changed the day's plans.

Menu Monday

2008-03-17T14:58:00.003-05:00

I just returned yesterday afternoon from working on the team for the Discipleship Walk (a weekend retreat our church puts together). For our team dinner on Thursday night, we had soups and salad.

I brought Chicken Tortilla Soup - a recipe I got from Andy's aunt, Sharon Keller, up in North Dakota. She makes it for us nearly every trip and I was so shocked to learn just how simple it is to make. And boy is it tasty. Enjoy!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 can Fiesta Nacho soup
1 can Enchilada sauce (mild, medium or hot - your choice)
2 cups cooked chicken, cut in cubes or shredded
2 soup cans milk

Open cans and mix together in a medium saucepan. Use empty soup can to measure milk - stir well and heat through - about 20 minutes.

Serve with tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream.

Chicken prep: When I made this for our retreat, I poached chicken breasts in chicken broth, let them cool and then shredded the meat.

Milk note: You can use skim milk to save on fat and calories, but I think it affects the flavor - It tastes much better even if you just use 2% milk.

I want to be like my bald brother

2008-03-12T12:46:00.003-05:00

I just got done reading my brother's blog and was inspired to write this post, because honestly, I was taken completely by surprise by not only his action (see for yourself), but by the range of emotion I'm feeling right now because of it.

Over the past few years, I've been watching my brother and this incredible spiritual journey he's been on. God has really rocked his world in a way that has caused a major shift not just in his thinking, but literally in the way he lives out every aspect of his life.

I have to say, it's the most genuine transformation I've ever witnessed. It's such a simple idea - that a person would take their convictions and actually do something about it - but it seems that so few of us in life actually do.

But, honestly I had wondered how long he would continue with his "hair system." I knew it wasn't a free service and I also new it was purely a cosmetic choice for him. And with all his recent changes in life, I thought that maybe he would stop doing it soon. Or, I thought maybe it would be something he held onto for himself (which I guess I thought he was entirely entitled to).

So after I read that he actually did it and I saw his picture, I'm now sitting here like a blubbering fool (seriously, I can't stop crying), because I am so humbled by his choice and convicted for my own lack of putting my words/thinking into action.

It's one thing to change your finances - stop buying fancy clothes, share a meal at a restaurant to save a buck, or go serve breakfast at an inner city ministry - but, to humble yourself in a way that you no longer care what people think and only what God thinks, is an entirely different level of commitment to your convictions.

So, here I am crying like a baby because I want to be like my bald brother. I want to change the world, by changing my life and my choices. I say I want to be Jesus' hands and feet, but I can't help wanting to fix up my new home with fancy bathroom fixtures and art.

It's a process, I know. I've watched my brother go through it. Ask him four years ago about getting rid of his hair and he would have responded with a stubborn "Mind your own business."

But, to me, it's simple proof of how God can truly use us "broken pots" to do his work. To be transformed to become more like Him.

I guess that's all I have to say. I'm so proud of you, Ryan! Thank you for being such an amazing example to me and to everyone around you.

Cute Pic and Story

2008-03-11T14:04:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I had the fun task of watching my friend Jaime's little girl, Jacklynn (13 mo) and my friend Kristin's little boy, Owen (16 mo), for the morning.

They did great. I snapped a photo of the girls watching Sesame Street - something my girls are REALLY into right now (especially Elmo). Owen missed out because he was taking his morning nap (such a good boy!).

Jillian really likes Jacklynn. I think because she thinks Jacklynn is a baby. She gets in her face and giggles and the way Jacklynn looks back at her cracks me up. It's like she's saying "Hey, I'm only a couple months younger than you!"

It's interesting how both the girls show interest in babies. Lauren loves her baby dolls - she holds them, feeds them, rocks them. And Jillian loves REAL babies. Whenever we're around my niece, Emily, she loves to get her her blanket or hand her toys. It's very sweet.

It makes me hopeful that they will both like their new baby sister.

Funny Story

OK. So now for the funny story. It's totally unrelated to this picture, but I still had to share.

Lately, Lauren has started talking a lot. It seems like she adds new words every week. Lately, some of her best words are - juice, eat, cracker, thank you (melt my heart!), bless you (after a sneeze (also, melt my heart)), bye-bye, momma, daddy - and the latest addition, "Ew!"

She started laughing when I would say it and then she started to say it. So, then I began to associate the word with her going poo-poo. I'd say "Did you go poo-poo? Ew!" And she thought it was funny.

Then, last night in the bathtub, we were getting the girls out and dressed for bed. We had Jillian out and Lauren was still playing in the water, when suddenly she said, "Ew!" Totally unprovoked. We looked in the tub, only to find she had gone poo-poo in the water.

It was so hilarious, but also so smart of her! It's a funny story, but I was impressed with how quickly she put my association of the word with the action. What a genius :)

The other funny part of the story, was us trying to hold Lauren (with Jillian half-dressed in my lap) from climbing out of the tub while Andy wiped her bum. But, while he was doing this, his gag reflux kicked in and he could hardly keep from choking while he got her cleaned up. I was laughing, telling him to breathe through his mouth. I think it was funnier for me, than for him. But, we both had a good laugh over it later.

Menu Monday

2008-03-10T20:05:00.002-05:00

You know that friend Emily I mentioned before? I made this recipe for her when she had her newest baby, Nola. She made a special request for the recipe, making it my first official Menu Monday request! So, I'm happy to oblige.

These have a different flavor, because of the green salsa, garlic and fresh herbs. I nice change from the typical red tomato salsa enchilada.

Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde

1 c. Salsa Verde
1/4 c. Fresh Cilantro
1/4 c. Fresh Parsley
1 Tb. Lime juice
2 Cloves Garlic
2 c. Chopped cooked chicken
3/4 c. Mozzarella
6 Flour tortillas (6" or 8" size)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place salsa, cilantro, parsley, lime juice and garlic in a food processor. Cover and blend for 30 seconds. Reserve 1/2 of this mixture.

Mix the remaining salsa mixture with the chicken and 1/4 c. of the cheese.

Spoon 1/4 c. chicken mixture into each tortilla. Roll and stack seam-side town in a baking dish.

Pour reserved salsa over tortillas, followed by remaining cheese.

Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!

Mommy sling contest

2008-03-10T19:51:00.003-05:00

My good friend Emily has been offering some really fun giveaways on her blog, over the past few months. In fact, it's because of her that I've become determined to win a mommy-blog contest.

But, this recent contest she's hosting - The Mod Mum baby sling giveaway - is the one I REALLY want to win.

Emily is a baby-wearing pro. I didn't "wear" the girls as much as maybe I would have if there had only been one of them. But, I have a feeling this next little girl will be worn A LOT! Seeing as how I'll need to be as hands-free as possible.

All the patterns for their slings are so cute. My favorite is Madison.

By posting about this fun contest, I now have a chance at winning it. Wish me luck!

We got to go outside!

2008-03-03T22:32:00.003-05:00

The weather yesterday was too good to be true. I think it hit the 60s. It was sunny and warm and wonderful.

Andy and I took the girls to Clay Terrace (an outdoor shopping center) and walked around for a while, ate lunch and I got a new phone (hooray!). The sun and fresh air felt so nice.

Then, later in the afternoon, Andy's parents returned from Florida and so they and Mike and Merrie Leigh came over for a visit. We ended up outside, where the girls thought they were in heaven. They were squealing while they ran and played in the backyard.

They were wearing some of the super-cute new spring shirts I bought them recently, so I snapped a few pictures.

We enjoyed it while it lasted, because today, we're back to the 30s - with NO warmth in sight.

Seriously, I am so sick of winter. We've been couped up for way to long and this momma's about the give Old Man Winter a piece of her mind, if he doesn't hit the road - SOON!

Menu Monday

2008-03-03T22:21:00.002-05:00

For this week of Menu Monday, I'm going to post another Keller Family stand-by. In fact, I always keep these ingredients on hand, because it's easy, yummy and quick.

This is a recipe my mom made for us growing up. I think it's best served with corn bread.

This is a great "red" chili recipe, but if you prefer the "white" variety - I recently discovered the McCormick seasoning packet for White Chicken Chili. I think all you need for this recipe is the seasoning packet, water, white beans (your choice) and a 1lb of chicken. It's delicious served with fresh cilantro, avocado and sour cream.

Sorry, no picture this week.

Chicken Chili

1lb Chicken breast, cut in 1" cubes
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 Tbs. Olive oil
28oz stewed tomatoes, undrained
14oz pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2/3 cup salsa
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin

Heat olive oil in medium size saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and chicken chunks and cook until your chicken is no longer pink.

Add all the remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Seriously, that's it!

Menu Monday

2008-02-25T20:45:00.004-05:00

Today's menu is "breakfast for dinner." For some reason it sounded good today and so I made this for dinner tonight. It's really just something I concocted in my head and if anything, it will just give you an idea to get you out of your dinner rut.

It makes a lot of food, but I think we'll eat the leftovers for breakfast throughout the week.

I served this tonight with warm blueberry muffins and orange juice.

Breakfast Skillet Burritos

1lb sausage (your favorite)
1lb frozen country hashbrown potatoes
8 - 10 eggs
Shredded cheese
Tortillas

I do the prep in stages, to avoid messing more than one skillet. So, I start by browning the sausage. Once browned, move it to another plate. I left the fat drippings from the sausage and added 2-3 Tbls butter and 2-3 Tbls olive oil (I like the flavor of both, so I use them together a lot) to the skillet.

Once the butter melts, add the hashbrowns in a single layer. Cover and let cook for about 7 minutes. Stir and cook for another minute or so and then remove them from the skillet to another plate.

Finally, beat the eggs in a bowl and spray the skillet with cooking spray. Scramble the eggs and when they're finished, add the meat and potatoes back in. Saute until heated through.

Warm your tortillas in the microwave and then fill them with the skillet mix and top with shredded cheese.

Serve with sour cream and salsa or your favorite eggy condiments - tabasco or ketchup?

Another suggestion - I also thought this might taste better if it had a more creamy texture. I think maybe melting some cubes of Velveeta in the skillet at the end would have accomplished that nicely. Let me know if you try it this way!

Snack time

2008-02-25T14:53:00.004-05:00

We've tried out some new snacks recently and it's always fun to watch what they do with something new.

Here are some pics after they enjoyed some cheese sandwich crackers (do you think Jillian enjoyed them?) and a few from when they learned the art of dipping - by dipping graham crackers into strawberry yogurt. Yum. Life is good.

Keepin it PINK!

2008-02-19T14:48:00.003-05:00

She has an adorable profile - I remember how cute the girls noses were in their ultrasound profile shots. I wonder if this baby will look more like Lauren or Jillian?

We had our ultrasound this morning and discovered that we'll be keeping things pink around the Keller house... we're expecting Baby Girl #3!

We are shocked and excited.

Here is a picture we got at the ultrasound today and a picture of me and my prego bump. I'm 19 weeks today and baby girl is due on July 15.

Menu Monday (on Tuesday)(again)

2008-02-19T14:03:00.004-05:00

I figured I'd post another easy and yummy stand-by meal at the Keller house, seeing as how life is still a bit unsettled and busy since the move.

This is one of my personal favorites.

Cheese Ravioli Bake

3 Tbl unsalted butter
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 Tbl coarsely chopped fresh basil
1/3 c Heavy cream
Salt
2 (8 oz) packages fresh cheese ravioli
1 (6 oz) bag baby spinach
1 c Shredded mozzarella cheese

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot for cooking pasta. Meanwhile, heat oven to 450 degrees. Grease shallow 2 quart baking dish with 1 Tbl butter (or I just use cooking spray).

Melt remaining 2 Tbls butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant but not brown, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, increaswe heat to high, an cook until thickened and almost dry, about 10 minutes. Stir in basil and cream and simmer until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Season with salt.

Add 1 Tbl sale and ravioli to boiling water and cook until al dente (typically about 4-7 minutes). Add spinach to pot with pasta and stir until wilted, about 30 seconds. Drain pasta and spinach, return to pot, and stir in tomato sauce. Transfer mixture to baking dish, sprinkle with cheese and bake until top is golden, about 1o minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

OK - that's what the recipe says and it's mighty tastey when you follow it, but I've also made this a much faster way and it's just as good.

Basically, follow the directions, with the following exceptions:

Grease your pan with cooking spray, instead of butter
I really like the flavor of melting the butter with the garlic and tomatoes, but a canned tomato sauce in place of these three ingredients works fine.
I think the spinach is optional, but the basil is not! But, I LOVE basil - so when I don't have fresh basil on hand, I use a spoonful purchased basil pesto or I've found frozen fresh basil at Trader Joe's, frozen into 1 tsp squares - SO convenient!
I also think the cream is optional. Who buys cream on a regular basis anyway? I think it adds flavor, but mostly adds fat and calories. It tastes great without it. You could probably try a couple ounces of reduced fat cream cheese if you like the creamy texture better (I've not tried it this way, but I'm sure it would be great).

New developments

2008-02-17T22:46:00.002-05:00

It's been amazing, just in the last week, how much the girls are developing. I remember my favorite stage with my nephew, Jake, was when he was around 18 months and now I remember why. The girls are now starting to say more words and communicate better.

For example, for the first time the other day, Lauren was eating and wanted me. So, rather than simply whining in my direction, she actually said "Momma." Music to my ears!

Jillian has also developed a new interest in her building blocks. I found her a couple days ago playing, and she had stacked blocks together on her own for the first time. I was amazed. And last night, Andy's parents babysat and said she built until all the blocks were used and the structure was as tall as she was.

Lauren loves to play with her baby dolls. She shows such a nurturing spirit. She holds them and gives them kisses. She rubs their heads and gives them bottles. She even puts them night-night and will say "shh" with her finger to her mouth.

They can actually understand when you're being silly with them. Tonight I was playing ball with Lauren and she understood when I was teasing - by not giving her the ball until she gave me a kiss. She thought it was hilarious.

They're singing songs and you can actually make out the song they're singing. They're dancing whenever they hear music. They're "working" puzzles (they can't quite get the pieces in the slots, but they know where the pieces go - so they're matching really well).

I am simply fascinated to watch their little minds at work. What a miracle. They're both so unique and I'm so proud of the little girls they are becoming. And what amazes me most, is that they're mine!

I want to help

2008-02-17T22:19:00.002-05:00

Today, Andy's parents brought over their old dining room table for us to use in our new house. It was really cute watching the girls want to help Duane and Andy put it together.

Jillian is so curious and fearless. She wanted to be close to the action and wasn't afraid of the noisy drill. Lauren was also curious and like putting the screws in the holes, but the noise from the drill scared her a little.

It's times like these you can really see their differences. The noise made Jillian laugh and Lauren run. My girls are as different as night and day.

We moved!

2008-02-13T22:41:00.006-05:00

We are getting settled in our new house. The move went great! From the closings Friday morning to cleaning up Sunday evening, it couldn't have gone any smoother.

Here are a few pics from the move and the girls of their last days at the old house.

Lauren loves to stand on the couch and fall over onto the pillows.

Lauren loves cereal bars for a snack. If you give her the whole thing, she thinks she has to eat it fast. Here's a picture of her loaded chipmunk cheeks.

Now that we've moved, we have room for all the toys the girls got for Christmas, but had to leave at the grandparents house until we had more room. This is their new wagon, which they LOVE. The like to get in and out and occasionally will attempt to pull each other around.

Here's the new kitchen, before the unpacking began on Saturday morning.

Shannon and Sophie did a great job organizing the pantry.

Reagan and Caleb were our littlest helpers - they belong to Melissa and Tish (my good friends from Life Group). They are too cute!

Menu Monday (on Tuesday)

2008-02-13T22:08:00.002-05:00

It's only week two, and I already missed my deadline for Menu Monday. But, with the move, my timing for starting this new menu venture probably wasn't the best.

So, in honor of all you blog readers who share my great intentions, but are just a tad short on time, this recipe is for you.

It's like a taco in a skillet... tortillas and all. I actually made it for dinner tonight and it was pretty tasty.

I got this recipe from Kraft Foods. I get their free quarterly magazine "food & family" and I highly recommend it. You can sign up to receive it on their website. Just choose "Sign-in" and create an account, then while filling out your profile, you have the option to sign up for "food & family."

Quick-Fix Beef Burrito Skillet

1 lb. Lean Ground Beef
Jenni's tip: I get extra lean ground beef and add a little extra virgin olive oil while browning, it's a much healthier fat and adds a little bit more flavor to the meat
1 pkg taco seasoning packet
1 can (19 oz) kidney beans (I used pinto), drained, rinshed
1 cup salsa
1 cup water
4 flour torillas, cut into 1" squares
1 cup shredded cheese (your pick, I used cheddar)

Garnish (optional):
Sour cream
Green onion
Avocado (my fave!)
Lettuce
Tomatoes

Brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain.

Add seasoning, beans, salsa and water; stir. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 min.

Stir in tortillas; top with cheese. Cover; let stand 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Top with your choice of garnish(es).

Sisterly love

2008-02-04T21:58:00.000-05:00

Menu Monday - The Debut!

2008-02-04T13:10:00.000-05:00

Inspired by my friend Emily, who does awesome contests, and my friend Christina, who is posting weekly craft ideas for mommies with toddlers, I've decided to launch my own helpful/fun posting every Monday, called "Menu Monday."

I love to cook (I especially realized this while packing all my kitchen gadgets, cookbooks, etc. for our move) and I love to share recipes and food prep shortcuts and ideas.

I'm by no means a "chef" or a "professional," but I figure - it's a passion and I can at least share what I've learned along the way from culinary classes, years of Food Network watching and my momma!

This first recipe has become my favorite cookie recipe (aside from my Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, which I'm NOT sharing :)) I discovered it last Christmas (06), in the "12 Days of Cookies" newsletter Food Network sends around the holidays.

It's a pretty involved recipe, I'll admit. But, boy is it worth it. It's a super rich, dense cookie (very little flour - as far as cookies are concerned), that will make your hair curl. The richness of the chocolate is balanced by the tartness of the cherries. A perfect flavor combo.

This is probably a recipe you'll want to tackle on the weekends, when your spouse is home to wrangle the kids. But, wait until the kids are in bed to enjoy them :) I prefer them served warm with a cup of coffee or a tall glass of milk.

Super Gooey Chocolate Drops
from Food Network Kitchens

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup natural cocoa powder, such as Hershey's or Scharffen Berger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
11 ounces (1 bag) semisweet chocolate chunks
1 cup dried cherries (optional - but, NOT an option, in my opinion)

Position racks in the lower and upper third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. (If you don't have 3 pans, simply cool the pan between batches.)

Put the butter and the unsweetened and semisweet chocolates in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 75 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir and heat again until melted, up to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively, put the chocolates and butter in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)

Stir the light brown and granulated sugars and vanilla into the chocolate mixture with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs and buttermilk and beat vigorously until thick and glossy.

In another bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, cinnamon and salt together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just mixed. Stir in chocolate chunks and dried cherries, if using.

Drop the batter in heaping tablespoons onto baking sheets--a small ice cream scoop is ideal for this. Space the cookies about 2-inches apart. Bake until the cookies set but are soft and fudgy on the inside, 12 to 15 minutes.

Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Serve.

Store cookies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to a week.

Get printable versions of this recipe from Food Network.

Children's Museum!

2008-01-28T22:21:00.001-05:00

Last Friday, I took the girls to the Children's Museum for the first time. They loved it!

We went to the carousel first... the girls weren't too sure what was going on yet. So we didn't get much expression from them.

Jillian wouldn't even give up her paci... we're new to one nap a day, so after the long ride downtown, they needed a little bit of time to get warmed up. But, it didn't take long. (BTW - we were there to celebrate Jacklynn's first birthday! Happy Birthday, Jac - thanks for the invite!)

Lauren was in heaven in these pretend kitchens. This one was an ice cream parlor.

Jillian heard the music from the carousel and started to dance.

Lauren serving tea in the play house.

Cousin Sophie got to play with us, too!
By far, the biggest hit was "Playscape" - it's made for younger kids and this little area entertained them for about 45 minutes.

Lauren was carrying this block and crossing back and forth on the bridge over and over again. She has such a logical mind, I can only imagine what she thought she was accomplishing.

Lauren saying "Cheese!"

Jillian making friends - I have no idea who this little girl is.

My little monkey.

Of course, Lauren found the kitchen and got right to work, microwaving the pizza!

Another monkey shot.

Jillian even ventured to the sand area and was very curious to watch the big kids pour sand into the sand gizmos.

The girls barely made it out of the parking garage before they were asleep. All that playing sure makes you tired. I tried to keep Lauren awake (to save our nap at home), but it was useless to try.

Working with Daddy

2008-01-28T22:16:00.000-05:00

Andy was watching the girls this weekend and decided to show them the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse website, since the girls love that show. It was a cute moment, so I had to capture it and share.

Movin' on up!

2008-01-14T20:25:00.000-05:00

Our new home on Sandalwood Drive, in Carmel.

I think we must have set some kind of record for the sale of our home. It was listed for four weeks (during Christmas) and had a total of five showings. We were so shocked and amazed at the timing, because the day before we got the offer, we found a house in Carmel that we really liked.

After we finalized the deal on our home, we went to look at this home a second time and made an offer that night. We went back and forth a few times, but they accepted our offer and we're moving the second weekend in February!

We're so excited to be able to stretch out and in plenty of time to get everything ready for our newest arrival in July.

Baby update

2008-01-12T22:43:00.000-05:00

I went to the doctor last Friday because of a sharp pain I was feeling in my stomach. After ruling out anything scary, the doctor concluded that it was probably just nerve pain or muscle strain from lifting the girls.

But, because they needed to check for cysts, I got another ultrasound and I was just amazed at how much the baby had grown in just four short weeks.

When we first saw the baby, you could see little arm and leg buds beginning to form and four weeks later, this baby already has developed long arms, legs and feet! My guess is we have another "long and lean" baby, like Lauren.

Seeing the baby again and how much has developed in such a short time reminded me of what an incredible miracle it is. Without doing anything different (except for a prenatal vitamin every morning), I'm growing a perfect life inside my stomach.

It renewed my sense of awe and wonder of how God is at work in and through our lives (and our bodies), even when we're unaware.

If you click on the image, you can see it larger and if you look closely, you can make out an eye and the nose on the face.

New Year's Eve

2008-01-07T20:16:00.001-05:00

We had a fun New Year's Eve, celebrating with a few friends: Todd and Robbie Stewart, Greg, Danielle and Titus Storrs. I was so mad at myself, because once again, I forgot to pick up my camera.

The girls enjoyed seeing Titus again (now 10 months). We haven't seen him since the wedding we attended in Michigan last May. He is so cute. Since I didn't get any pics of him, be sure to check the Storr's blog to see what I'm talking about.

I did get this one shot at the beginning of the night of the girls watching Todd and Robbie play Nintendo Wii. Which pretty much sums up the entire night. That and eating lots of junk food, including Puppy Chow (which I crave on New Year's Eve for some reason).

We ended the night with a $7 bottle of sparkling wine I "splurged" on. You know us Kellers, we spare no expense when it comes to celebrating!

Side note - Danielle and I are both pregnant and only 3 weeks apart. Their first pregnancy was also a struggle, so it's quite a surprise that we're both pregnant, again. Her little babies will be about 16 months apart.

It doesn't get much better than this...

2008-01-07T20:12:00.000-05:00

Tickle, tickle

2008-01-07T20:09:00.001-05:00

The girls interact more and more all the time. Which means lots more fighting, screaming and toy stealing, but also a lot more giggling.

Here are a few shots Merrie Leigh took of the girls last week while she watched them. Jillian was finishing her lunch, when Lauren decided to tickle her feet.

A "Cup"le suggestions

2008-01-07T19:47:00.000-05:00

We've tried straws, snap-on lids, screw-on lids, soft spouts and hard... and I still can't find a cup I'm really in love with for the girls. Suggestions?

Right now, we're trying a Nuby brand cup (see Jillian's pic). So far, so good. I just want something that won't spill when thrown or drip when left on the floor. But, most importantly, doesn't cost $4/cup.

Christmas!

2008-01-07T15:52:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's taken me this long to post our Christmas pictures, but I got a new camera for Christmas and didn't have the appropriate cable to get pictures from the camera to my computer... please forgive me. I know you've all been waiting and checking back to see the girl's in their Christmas dresses. But, hopefully, it was worth the wait.

Christmas with the Poes

We celebrated with my parents and brother on Dec. 22 at my parent's house. It was a great time. Jillian was the only one interested in helping open the gifts, but Lauren was happy to play with whatever we discovered beneath the paper.

They got a new play kitchen and lots of kitchen accessories. I'd say that was the favorite gift for both of them this year. Unfortunately, because we're trying to sell our house, we had to leave it there until we get a new house. And I can't wait to have it at home, because it literally entertains them for hours.

My mom made an incredible dinner and we ended it with a yummy dessert, made famous by a great St. Joe restaurant (Galvin's), called Baked Fudge. Eat it warm with vanilla ice cream and you'll pretty much think you've died and gone to heaven. I imagine God will have a fresh batch baking in my oven in the mansion he's built just for me, when I cross into the pearly gates!

Christmas with the Kellers

On Christmas Eve, we continued our wonderful tradition of attending services at Northview and then going to the Keller's house for dinner and gifts.

We feasted on crab legs and all the fixin's and then opened lots of gifts. The girl's favorite gift (and mine, too), was a two-seater wagon! We will use that SO much once the weather gets warm. Again, we had to leave it at their house, until we get into a new house, big enough to hold all this gear.

I got some shots of the girls in their super cute dresses, before we put them in their PJs. I was a proud mommy. I just can't believe how pretty my girls are. It's a biased statement. But, my heart was in my throat when I got them dressed and their hair done, before church.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day was busy. The morning was relaxing - Andy's parents came over and I made homemade cinnamon rolls (a whole breakfast spread was on the menu, but I was sick in the night (baby didn't like the crab legs, I guess), so needless to say, I wasn't feeling up to making a huge meal) for breakfast.

We got a few small gifts for the girls and they opened them after we ate. Andy got me a new digital camera! Hooray! One that doesn't delay for 5 seconds when you try to take the picture and then miss the moment altogether.

Later that afternoon, we packed up and flew to Kansas City to spend the rest of the week with my grandparent's and the rest of my dad's family.

We had a nice time, but I'm embarrassed to say I didn't snap one picture the entire time. I blame it on my pregnancy - my brain simply doesn't function at capacity these days.

During our stay, we did a lot of visiting, ate out a couple times, went to the Kansas City dinner theatre (rated one of the best in the country) and I got to have lunch with my best bud, Cassie.

Flying is not my favorite thing to do with the girls - in fact, I'd probably say it's my least favorite thing. And since we've flown them four times in the past six months, I've certainly had my fill of being the mom on the plane that everyone despises (Andy's has had his fill, too)(And he gets the "Dad of the Year" award for all he endures right alongside me).

But, I have to mention that Southwest Airlines was BY FAR our favorite airline to fly with kids. They were SO accommodating and went out of their way to offer solutions that would make our experience more enjoyable (which was appreciated much more after the poor experience we had with American Airlines). Plus, it felt like their laid back style overall, just made everyone a lot more comfortable. I figure a plug for the airline to all my other mommy friends is the least I can do to show my appreciation!

So, Christmas was a success! We had a great time spending the season with all our family and friends. If I can get some pictures from my mom of our time in KC, I'll post those at a later time.

House for sale

2008-01-03T22:33:00.000-05:00

9653 Aberdeen Ct., Fishers

A couple weeks ago, Andy and I listed our house. If you know of any potential buyers, please send them our way.

We love this house and are sad to leave it, but having two toddlers and a third on the way kind of forced the issue.

Get all the details here.

See a virtual tour.

More photos:

"Expecting" the unexpected

2007-12-18T21:51:00.000-05:00

The day before Thanksgiving, I got the most unexpected news. It came in the form of two lines beaming from the pregnancy test I had just taken. Since pregnancy was not something Andy and I were "working" towards - this was easily the biggest surprise of my life.

Many of you know Andy and my struggle with infertility and our long journey to conceive our baby girls through in vitro fertilization. Getting pregnant on our own was not something I thought was possible, especially not as a surprise. But, I guess this means we serve a BIG God. One who knows what he's doing, even when we don't.

I went to the doctor last week and learned that I was already 9 weeks along. We're expecting just ONE baby (thank you, God!), who is due July 18, 2008.

Andy and I have always dreamed of a big family. We had no idea how we were going to achieve this dream, other than trust in God to guide and direct us in the process.

Right now, I'm most thankful that he has spared us from the anxiety and uncertainty of infertility treatments and given us this amazing miracle.

I've had days since we received our news, that I've felt very overwhelmed at the idea of three kids, ages two and under. But, I know this is God's best plan for our life. And just as in the past, he'll give us everything we need to do it.

Enjoy the ultrasound pic of our little peanut. It was so cool to see the heartbeat, and already see the face, arms and legs - even though he/she is just the size of a grape right now. We WILL find out the sex of the baby - I can't handle the wait. That will probably happen sometime in March.

I'll keep you updated on all things Keller Baby No. 3!

Night-night

2007-12-18T21:45:00.000-05:00

Lauren and Jillian love to play with their baby dolls. They have "twin" babies and a couple days ago, Lauren started putting them on a pillow, covering them with a kitchen towel and saying "nigh-nigh."

It is just about the cutest thing I've seen her do so far. Her nurturing instinct amazes me. She and Jillian both will carry around the dolls, pat them on the back and feed them their bottles.

Daddy's Home!

2007-12-18T21:40:00.000-05:00

For about a month now, when Andy gets home from work, the girls will squeal and run for the door saying "Dada!" It's certainly the highlight of Andy's day and so adorable to watch.

He'll come in a toss, tickle and tackle them. Enjoy this picture of daddy "wrestling" with his girls.

The proof is in...

2007-12-15T15:26:00.001-05:00

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

According to the MyHeritage Look-alike Meter, Jillian looks more like Andy by 6% and Lauren looks more like me by 3%. They're both the sweetest babies I've ever seen. Although I see it backwards - I see more of myself in Jillian and more of Andy in Lauren. But, I guess MyHeritage wouldn't lie.

We've been "Elfed"

2007-12-07T15:37:00.000-05:00

I decided to join the holiday hoopla and "elf" the Kellers for Christmas.

Check out our music video. And then join the fun.

The Paci Game

2007-12-06T10:16:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure what the girls would call this game they were playing this morning, but they were sure having fun. I heard them giggling and walked over to see Jillian putting a paci in Lauren's mouth and then taking it out (that was the part they thought was hilarious).

Here's how the game is played...

Paci goes in the mouth.

A little bit of tackling.

More tackling.

Now the paci goes in Jillian's mouth.

I'd like to think this is a hug.

I love my Sissie!

Hanging out after school

2007-12-06T10:06:00.000-05:00

Nothing like a snack and a show after MMO.

Thanksgiving in Texas

2007-11-28T14:14:00.000-05:00

We spent a whirlwind weekend in Texas for Thanksgiving and had a great time visiting with my mom's side of the family. In fact, it was so crazy, I never even got my camera out to take pictures. Fortunately my Aunt Jean sent us some, so I'll share them with you.

It was stressful getting there and home with the girls, but we're so glad we made the investment and were there for the holiday.

We stayed with my cousin, Erin, and her husband, Doug. It was really fun to get to know them as a couple and share the girls with them.

Since the girls are the only "babies" that were there, they got a ton of attention. All of my aunts and uncles were there and most of the cousins. It's fun to catch up with everyone. Two of my cousins are now engaged, so the family continues to expand. My Aunt Jean is in remission from her cancer and is looking great (go Aunt Jean!!).

What a blessing to have such an amazing family! We love you, Texas family! We enjoyed our time with you!
My cousin, Kara, had a fun time with the girls. Lauren especially liked her.

The original twins! My mom's identical twin sisters, Jan (left) and Jean!

Cousins Kara and Kyle and future cousin-in-law, Crystal (she's the one in the middle) (She and Kyle are getting married in San Diego in April 08)

Uncle Don (mom's brother) and Aunt Shelly

Uncle Bill (my mom's brother) and Doug.