The Pieper Version of Let's Dish!

I had my first Let's Dish experience back in September when I went with my friend, Tasha.  I really enjoyed it and it was great to have so many meals in the freezer when I was finished!  The only draw-back was that it was not cheap...cheaper than eating out, but still not cheap.

I had told my sisters about the experience and after a while, we decided it might be kinda fun to all get together and do a Pieper girls version of it.  We also thought it might be a little cheaper and a little more relaxed doing it by ourselves.

This morning we all got together at my sister, Deanne's, house and we each put together a meal that could be put in the freezer and either put in a slow-cooker or warmed in the oven for later. 

Since there are 4 of us, we all ended up with 4 meals:
1.  Fiesta Chicken Tacos
2.  Beef Enchiladas
3.  Turkey Meatballs with Slow-roasted BBQ sauce and cheesy hashbrowns
4.  Hearty Beef Stew

Looking back, it maybe wasn't the best idea to get together and assemble.  It might be better to make our individual meals at home and then gather and hand out the meals.  We also didn't figure out the cost of each meal.  Who knows?  It might be just as expensive as the original version, but we had fun in a little more relaxed environment.

We didn't argue like we normally do, we just hung out and enjoyed each others company along with our kids minus Michael who stayed home with Rob.  I missed having Michael there and it would have been fun watching him play with his cousins, but more often than not, he gets too overstimulated and ends up clinging to me which wouldn't have been a good thing when we're in the kitchen.

It was a good day and we even ended up having enough food to send 1 of each meal home for my mom and dad.

It was a good day.

Michael's First Birthday Party!

I started writing this post 2 weeks ago and the time just got away from me!

We celebrated Michael's first birthday two weeks ago on Saturday the 18th, at my mom and dad's house. 

We were going to have it at our house, but fitting 30 people into the townhouse was just not an option.

Thank you, Mom and Dad, for letting us invade your house once again!

We decided (well, I decided) to go with the theme of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar."
I wanted to do a bug theme since I call him "bugs", but all I found was ladybug stuff.
Thanks to Pinterest, I came across the very cute, Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Thanks, Mom, for going above and beyond with printing out the adorable placemats, candy bars wrappers, and welcome sign along with everything else you and Dad did to help make the day go a little more smoothly!

We got to Mom and Dad's pretty early that morning to set up and get the decorations and food ready for the big party.  The only problem was that Michael needed to take a nap and was a little hesitant to sleep in an unfamiliar crib.  Luckily, he finally decided to fall asleep about 30 minutes before the scheduled party time.  He got in a good hour nap, so we were hoping that the "crabber pants" side of him wouldn't show up later that afternoon!

All-in-all, is was a great day!

Michael was not a fan of digging into his cake, which was no surprise considering how he acted with the first cake on his actual birthday.

He had fun hanging out with all of his aunts, uncles and cousins!

He loves looking at pictures and even says something that sounds like "who's this?"

So...my goal was to get pictures of him with everyone at his party.  I think I missed a few people, but I got almost everyone and look forward to putting together his photo album (that I got on clearance for $1.50!).  I'm sure he will love it and it'll be a good way for him to get to know that relatives that he doesn't see alot.

So...here come the pictures.  There's alot of them!

Enjoy!!!

The Invitation

Caterpillar Cake - The head was his "smash cake"

Believe it or not, I made this!

Candy bars and wrappers made by Nana Peeps

Placemats

Welcome to my Party!

High chair decorations

My Birthday Shirt! - made by Mommy

Not loving smash-cake time.

The Birthday Boy with Papa and Nana

Grandma Polingo

Grandpa Polingo

Godparents Andy and Jodene

Godfather Joey



Mom, Dad and Michael

There are a LOT more pictures, but I think it would be photo overload, so I hope no one's feelings are hurt by me leaving a few pictures off.
All of the pictures of Michael with his aunts, uncles and cousins will be going in his own special photo book, so the Birthday Boy will be looking at them often!

Just a little update on Michael's 1-year stats:
He weighs 24 pounds 7 ounces! (75th%)
He is 30 1/2 inches tall! (75th%)
His head is 19 inches! (90th%)

He also got 4 shots which he was not happy about.
We are now trying Lactose free whole milk, cause his tummy was a little sensitive to regular whole milk.  We were told not to be surprised since he had such a sensitive tummy with formula.

We feel so lucky to have a happy, healthy, growing baby boy!

Thanks for checking in!

Happy First Birthday, My Baby Boy!!!

I know I've been MIA lately, but I have an excellent reason for doing a post today!

My Baby Boy is ONE YEAR OLD!!!

He woke up this morning just a few minutes before his official 7:28am birth time.

Rob and I spent most of the morning watching Michael play with his toys as we were remembering all the moments from 1 year ago...

getting up at 3am in order to be to the hospital by 5...

Rob waiting to call him back to the OR...

the wonderful moment when I heard his first cry and got to see him for the first time...

Rob waiting for me to get out of the OR...

You get the drift.

After a nice little nap, we took Michael out for his Birthday Lunch.

He told us he wanted to go to Red Lobster, and who were we to argue! :)

He definitely has an appetite and ate a whole chicken breast, plus a lot of broccoli!

Checking out the lobster tank.

Enjoying his chicken and broccoli.  He might have also gotten a few small tastes of ice cream.

After lunch, we did a family visit to the zoo.

Michael had not been to the zoo since he was 7 months old, and at that time, he wasn't able to see the animals very well.

This trip was so much different!  He not only saw almost everything we pointed out to him, but he started pointing things out to us too!

Looking at the penguins!



On the Minnesota Trail in my Bear Suit!

A BIG Shark!

He loved the fish!  Can't wait for the coral reef to open again!

Our attempt at a "self" family picture.  Even the bear wanted in on the action!

The bears in the den!

Michael had a short nap on the way home and then started playing again!

I made him his first birthday cake with cool-whip frosting.

(not too impressive, but the "real" cake happens on Saturday!)

Unfortunately, he didn't like it...especially when he got it on his hands.

By the end of the night, he was pretty exhausted, but we did manage to get his "12 month" picture taken!

He has his 1-year well check tomorrow, so probably another update and more pictures then!

We can't believe our little man is now officially one year old.  I remember those first 2 months when I thought that the "up-all-night, constant crying" horrible-ness would never end.  Now here he is...a happy, walking (when he holds onto something), babbling (almost words), playing, constantly moving little man.  He takes 2 naps during the day and sleeps from 7-7:30pm - 6:30-7:30am!  He has 8 teeth, has a great appetite, is using a sippy cup most of the time, uses a burp cloth as his "pacifier/chew toy", loves snuggling with mom (but only when he's tired), loves playing with his toys and trucks, loves being read to and helping turn the pages, and using his dad as an obstacle course.  I can't imagine life without him.

Happy First Birthday, Michael!

Momma and Dada love you very much!

Michael's First Christmas Day!

Do not confuse this with Michael's First Christmas Eve.

This is the Christmas blog entry #2!

Don't worry.  There will be at least one more after this. :)

Today we celebrated Christmas with the Polingo Family in Litchfield.

Michael was once again super excited, except this time he only took a 20 minute nap all day!!!

Anyway, we had a good time.  Michael enjoyed more table food today.  This time it was lasanga!  We've determined that he is an Italian food lover...much like his parents!

After lunch, we hung out and waited for Michael's other Godfather, Joey to arrive!  Michael was very excited to see him and had to get dressed up in his Santa gear for the occasion.

Then we started opening presents.  One was a little large for Michael, but I know he loved trying to open it!

I know he's also gonna love what was inside from his Godfather Joey...his own Cars flip couch!

Other presents he got were...

Blocks from Grandma and Grandpa

and a stuffed penguin that plays music from Aunt Margie and Uncle George.

Here are some other fun pics of Michael today hanging out with his aunts and uncles!

Michael and Margie - "I'm not takin' a nap and you can't make me!"

Michael and Uncle Jim

Michael and Cousin Josh

I like presents!

Jim being the bingo caller!

I love cheese!

We also managed to get a somewhat decent family picture today!

We hope you had a very Merry Christmas Day!

Stay tuned for the Pieper Family Christmas Celebration

entry which will happen once my Dad is home from the hospital and feeling well!

Love, Jen, Rob and Santa aka Michael!



Michael's First Christmas Eve!

Today was a busy day!

It was Michael's First Christmas Eve!

We started the celebrations this morning with a few puffs as a pre-breakfast snack.

Yum!  These are tasty!

What?  Is there something on my face?

I don't know if Michael knew there was some fun ahead, but he did NOT want to take a nap this morning!  We had to settle for  a short 30 minute nap on the way to Auntie Dean's house where my mom's side of the family celebrated Christmas today.  Unfortunately, Mom and Dad couldn't be there since Dad was still in the hospital, but more on that later.

Michael had his first "all table food" meal today.  He loved the chicken, ham and mashed potates, but went head-over-heels (almost literally) with the dinner rolls. 

He got to open some presents for the first time and got some play-time with some of his aunts and uncles.



Michael and Godfather Andy

Michael with Great Aunt Dawn and Great Uncle Tom

After the big party, my sisters and I decided to swing by the hospital and see Mom and Dad.  Today was a good day.  I've tried writing his story and what has happened over the past 9 days more times than I can count.  The problem?  My Dad is a very private person and the last thing I want to do is upset him by giving out too much info where every Tom, Dick and Harry and see/read it.

Anyway...most recently, the pain medication situation has been figured out, his headaches are better controlled with those pain meds (even though they still happen and when they do, they are severe) and the IV antibiotics continue, but now with a brand new PICC instead of his original jugular central line.  Yay!  All good things!

Well, since today was a good day, we thought that a short visit wouldn't be a bad idea.

A little grandchildren therapy is sometimes just what the doctor ordered!

Dad now happens to be on the unit that my sister, Jodene, works on.  Thankfully, she had a co-worker/friend who was willing to come in and take a quick picture of the whole family minus Tony (we missed ya, Ton!).

Jen, Rob and Michael, Deanne, Wyatt and James, Ava, Jodene and Andy
Dad, Jayde, Mom, Brooklyn, Katherine

Dad and Mom
Wyatt, Michael, Jayde, Ava and Brooklyn

Michael checking out Papa's ID band.



I hadn't seen my Dad since this past Tuesday.  It's amazing how good he looks and how far he's come in just 9 days since he first got admitted to the hospital when he was the most sick I had ever seen him.  I think he's even starting to feel better too!  After he was extubated last Saturday, he was quick to say that he was in no hurry to leave the hospital.  He wanted to stay as long as it took to kill every single, last bacteria that had invaded his body. But, he said tonight that the clock seems to be moving slower than it used to.  Either he's awake more than he used to be, or maybe he's getting sick of being in the hospital which means that he's feeling MUCH better than he was!  Regardless, he's doing what he, my mom, and his doctors feel is best and continues to hang out in the hospital as long as it takes for him to be fully healed of this horrible bacteria.

Someone told me on a facebook post that Christmas prayers always work.  Our family has said multiple prayers multiple times per day since my Dad got so ill.  It looks like God is answering those questions with a resounding "YES!  Mike will be healed."  We are so grateful.

I recently started a pinterest account and found this saying...

 

How true it is!

On this Christmas Eve, may we all take time to Thank God!  If we woke up tomorrow for only the things that we thanked God for today, what would you wake up with?

I thank God for my family and friends and I thank you for spending a little of your time with us on this Christmas Eve!

Stay tuned for Christmas Blog Entry #2 tomorrow night!

Love, The Polingo's