Fall Pictures

A couple of weeks ago, the boys and I were hanging out on a Sunday afternoon.  Erin was at football meetings and I had this bright idea to go and take some pictures of the boy at a near by walking path.  I had been wanting to get their 1 and 3 year pictures taken and just never look too far into finding someone to do it.  I decided I would try myself and see what I could get, if it completely failed I would have them taken professionally.

It was a bit of a cloudy day, but I wanted to try anyway.  I am very happy with some of the shots that I got.  It gave me some to update around the house which is what I really wanted.  I know they need some editing, but my trial version of photo shop has expired so this is the best for now.  

Since I took these the trees here have turned colors and look amazing.  I may have to try and convince the hubby to go back out this weekend and get some more :)  It is just too pretty to ignore!

Lawson is #1!

For Lawson's first birthday I decided to go with a football theme.  It seemed fitting for the middle of October.  Everyone is in football mode.  Lawson loves to play catch so I thought it would be a good fit for him too!  The evening went great with a lot of family here to celebrate.  Lawson was a little overwhelmed with all of his new toys and didn't know where to start.  Lucky for him, his brother and cousins were helping to show him how they all worked :)  Thanks for all who came to celebrate our wonderful little boy on his 1st Birthday!  Even though he may not remember it, it is a memory I will have forever.

Grandma and Grandpa Beck came through on Thursday, Lawson's actual birthday, to take everyone out for a birthday dinner.  They were on their way to Mississippi to visit the other Becks

Us with our Birthday Boy

For the meal I went with a tailgate theme.  We had BBQ Boneless wings, Chili (my mom's recipe), and Cheeseburger Sliders for the main course.  For sides there was Corn Dip w/ Chips, Tortilla Rolls Ups, pasta salad, potato salad, and Chex Mix that Jana brought for me.  It was a lot of food that I think everyone overstuffed themselves on.

Treat bags for the kiddos

I had to do the pictures from the year.  I just picked my favorites from each month.  It is crazy how fast a year goes.

I found Lawson's smash cake at Price Chopper for $5 and just added a candle.

We got a cake from Costco.  They did not disappoint!

For Lawson's jersey I really wanted one with a #1 on it since it was for his first birthday.  The only thing I could find though without special order $$$$, was a Missouri Tigers jersey.  I found it at TJ Max for $12.  To fix the Missouri thing, I just covered the tiger with an iron on football and added the name to the back.  I think it turned out really cute!

It took just a bit to figure out the cake thing, but then he dug in and loved it.

One last picture with Grandma and Grandpa Keeley after our bath before he headed off to bed.

My Dad

Last week was a busy week for us with 1st birthday parties and a lot of family in town.  In the middle of the chaos though we got to celebrate a very special man in my life, my dad.  My dad is a guy that has been there for all of us through everything in life.  We spent hours in a gym shooting hoops and hitting volleyballs (still remember laughing as he tried to set me the ball).  He was the first to congratulate you on a big win, and first to point out a mistake we made in the win.  He has taught me so much in my life.  I will never forget him standing there with a smile on his face holding back the tears as he handed me over to my husband on our wedding day.  He always wanted the best for us and was there to support us to accomplish that.

On Saturday we got a chance to celebrate my dad for some of his accomplishments before all of his kids came along.  Although we weren't there through his sports playing days, we have heard many stories.  I always wondered exactly how much of the story was true and what was stretched a bit.  I couldn't have been more proud as my dad was inducted into the Washburn University Hall of Fame.  Apparently he was a heck of a football player there :)  It was great to hear about his good old days and meet/see some of his old friends.  We could not have been more proud of him and so glad we were there.  Love you to the moon and back Dad!  You deserve it!

One Year Ago

A year ago we welcomed our surprise baby boy into the world.  I remember going through the worst pain I had ever experiences, but it all disappeared the moment I saw him.  I remember sitting there asking what it was, because no one said it right away.  I fell in love immediately and couldn't hold him soon enough.  Lawson was so small and fit perfectly into our arms.  He has the cutest smile and shares it all the time!  It can light up a room and brighten any day.

It still amazes me to think of everything that has happened in his first year of life.  He changes so quickly and grows too fast.   He has changed from my baby to another little boy filling our house with laughter.  He brings so much joy to our lives and family.

Lawson facts:

• Wears 12 month clothes, and size 4 diapers
• Goes to the doctor Monday for height and weight update
• He has 6 teeth (2 on top, 4 on bottom)
• Still taking 6 oz bottles of formula (I'm ready for the milk and sippy cups)
• Eats anything you put in front of him.  We do all kinds of table food.
• Copies anything his brother does, he just adores him
• Walking has become a preference, he stands himself up and walks all around the house
• Still loves tv remotes, points them at the tv and tries to change things
• Likes to pretend play on phones.  He will hold them up to his ear and start to jabber
• Likes to yell.  He does a good job of yelling "Go" at the football games
• Says Mama, Dada, Go, grunts and points to things he wants and jabbers all sorts of other things
• His favorite thing outside is to go down slides, once he does it once he won't stop
• Loves to play catch with anyone that is willing to play
• Does anything he can to get Lukas' attention, especially taking his toys and taunting him with them
• He is a good sleeper.  Doesn't sleep in much on weekends, but sleeps through the night and naps well
• Loves to be out and about.  Likes to people watch
• Thinks he is a big boy and like to be in the middle of whatever is going on
• Loves to wrestle with Dad and Lukas
• He is one tough little boy

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Lawson you are one loved little boy!  You have added so much to our family.

Wagon Wheel

Lukas loves to listen to music.  In my car the CD player is broken so we only have the radio, and satellite radio is always going in Erin's truck.  Because of this he gets to listen to a lot of country music.  Lukas has a great memory and likes to sing along.  There is one song that has become my favorite.  Darius Rucker's, "Wagon Wheel" brightens my day anytime I hear it.  Anytime it comes on Lukas yells, "Mommy it's OUR song,". We turn it up and sing the whole song.  I love that it makes us think of each other.  He is such a sweet little boy who knows exactly how to bring a smile to my face.

It actually wasn't on the radio here.  Lukas just started singing while driving.  I was able to actually capture the moment and am so glad I did.

Another Niece or Nephew On the Way!

Some exciting news on the Keeley side of my family..... Christy is EXPECTING!!!  Baby Birt is in the oven.  I have already gone through  my maternity clothes and shipped it all over to her house.  Its so nice that we can share things (most of it anyway) and get some good use out of the clothes.  (I did keep the white capris.  Not sure why I would think white pants on an expanding body was a good idea.)  Her little belly is starting to show and is as cute as can be.  We are planning a "Gender Reveal" party for them at the beginning of November.  I have never done one of these so I am very excited about it.  I will share more on that at a later date.  

Happy Parents to Be

Table Talk

Okay I am going to try something out.  Lately I have been working hard to make dinner and have it ready when Erin gets home.  I for some reason rely on Pinterest and blogs to get recipes rather than cook books.  I love to try out new things constantly.  I usually go with simple, quick, and easy meals.  I figured why not share some of these great meals I have found.  Maybe some of you will want to try them out as well.  If not then I guess you can skip these posts :)


My family really enjoys the sausage links.  I have searched and tried many recipes, but this is the one that got my husband excited.  It has passed the family test and will be made many times in this house.

 Spicy Sausage Pasta

1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb smoked sausage
1.5 cups diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chiles, Mild
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 oz penne pasta
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, each
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions

1. Add olive oil to an oven-safe skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add sausage and onions and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Add broth, tomatoes, cream, pasta, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil, cover skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with scallions. Broil until cheese is melted, spotty brown, and bubbly.

Read more at http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/spicy-sausage-pasta.html#ixzz2g1girtZn

Ingredients I used:

There are multiple things I love about this recipe.  I don't have to boil the pasta before.  I can just had it to the skillet from the bag.  It also introduced me to the idea of frozen chopped onions, I know it seems very basic but I never thought about it.  It keeps me from wasting onions that I buy and just use a little and put it back in the fridge.  I don't ever add as much as the recipe calls for so its nice to be able to use a little and then stick it back in the freezer.  It has enough spice for the husband, but not too much for me.  I'm a big wimp when it comes to spicy foods.

Things to note:  When I have made it I just use whatever kind of shredded cheese I have in the fridge.  I also don't measure it out.  We are a big cheesy family so I just add it by look.  I have never used the scallions either because I just don't have those on hand, but I"m sure they would be good


Big things coming up for this family because today marks Lawson's Birthday Month.  My baby is almost 1!!