hey yall,
I've gotten in a food rut and cant get out! I used to be at least somewhat excited by my two-week menu but lately im struggling- and maybe its because our apartment is missing a key appliance, an oven. Now we have a stove top, big convection oven, microwave, and Crockpot. I'm just wandering what your family favorites are or if you knwo of any handy resources for recipees. If it requires too much prep or is too vegetably i have the tendency not to follow-through. I am trying to be more ambitious with vegetables though.
Usually we have:
chicken parmessean on angel hair pasta (great recipee takes 20 min.i'd love to share it with anyone interested)
grilled cheese and tomato soup
quesadillas (just cheese and chicken) and corn- we'd love to hear any variations you have
chilidogs
loaded baked potatoes (we've done chili, or the classic potato toppings)- any ideas?
chicken fettuccine Alfredo with roma tomatoes
poppy seed chicken on rice
teriyaki chicken on rice (i haven't found a teriyaki sauce i really like though)
pizza (we've made some and of course had frozen)- any fun toppings?
BBQ chicken and mashed potatoes
chicken and dumplings and carrots
vegetable soup and corn bread
spaghetti
baked ziti
pork- we like tenderloin so we can have pulled pork sandwiches but its pricey- any ideas for pork roast?

Paige and Travis

I love my new cousin Paige!


COngrats on the hardwork for your Eagle Scout Award Travis!
I forgot to tell you Garrett's stats at his 6 month check-up:
length: 26 1/4 in
weight: 18.1 lbs

Happy Half-year!

Just some random updates:
I LOVE BOOKS! big, small, soft, etc.

I especially love Go Dog! Go at bedtime.

I like to wrestle with Dad and growl in his ear.

I have a new-found fascination with electronics...

I can sit up...

but sometimes this happens...

I have an old-man hariline but its growing back.

I can hold my own bottle. (for a little while anyways)

I still LOVE being outside and sometimes that's the only way Momma can get me to stop crying.

I eat babyfood now! Ok, ok, I've only tried green beans so far, but tomorrow I start peas! yum!

I've got a regular nap schedule. (and I look dang cute while I follow it!)

Belated Christmas Pictures

Like we mentioned earlier, Garrett spent his first Christmas in South Carolina at Ahbi and Papi's house. This trip afforded him the opportunity to finally meet his great aunts, great uncles, cousins, and great grandparents from the Bagwell side of the family. Here are some pictures from the couple of weeks we spent there.
arriving at the airport in Charlotte. (Thanks aunt Niki for being mommy #2 for a couple days.)

i made my debut at Papi and Ahbi's that night. Here I am meeting my grammy and gramps for the first time.

Here I am meeting my aunt Julie, my uncle david, and aunt Linda. (I dont have pics with Fran, Christie, joe, and Herbie. You're on my hit list!)

Me and some of my cool cousins! Boy am I glad to have some fun people around instead of boring mom and dad.


The best picture of the season! Look I'm the same size as a stocking!

Grandma and Grandpa Tingey got me a bumbo seat and some really fun toys for Christmas.



SOme candids:
Me and mom snuggling.

You know you are in Miami when...

• your directions to WalMart and church include a u-turn

• taxi drivers honk at you as they cut YOU off




• the view outside of your window includes 3-5 cruise ships docked at the port across the bay
  

• your local grocery store's liqour/wine section is larger than the frozen foods section and the store is missing things like: Q-tips, cheese grits, swifter wet jet refills, etc.


• you've been witness to unique money-making schemes including: a family serenade near the bus stop (all about how the Lord has been good to us for giving us eachother- thank you sweet, drunk homeless guy for reminding us), buggy-return service at the supermarket by someone trying to prove to management they would be a good employee, countless people walking up and down lanes of traffic selling: shrimp, flowers, clementines, or just plain asking for money
  
• you can buy an orchid plant for $8 or 2 dozen roses for $12


• you see a walgreens or cvs on every corner (why do Miamians need so many pharmacies?)
  
  
  
  
• you pay to park at your local target, barnes and Noble, Coldstone Creamery, Pottery Barn, Johnny Rockets, book club, play groups at your friends' apartments etc or beach access



• you pay to drive across certain bridges or even just portions of highways



• your local park has signs posted that say: manatee habitat



• you've seen iguanas crossing the road instead of squirrel



• you can ride the metro-mover around downtown for free
  



• you've seen about 50 types of palm trees in your own neighborhood
  
• you can eat food form the following countries: cuba, argentina, el salvador, peru, brasil, haiti, etc.



• your Chruch congregation includes people that speak the following languages (natively): english, spanish, creole, portuguesse, and german

These are just a few I could think of in about the 10 minutes it has taken for me to type this list. As you can tell Miami is unlike any other place I have ever lived. I love it and hate it at the same time. Ok, maybe hate is too strong a word, but seriously, if you were rich and patient Miami could be a blast, but if you are trying to avoid being put in a bad mood or loosing your life's savings... Miami is inconvenient to say the least, but extremely beautiful, unique, and diverse as well!