stella®

Tucker's First Road Trip to the Vermont house to attend his Aunt Hadley & Uncle Matt's Wedding!

The wedding was beautiful! Below I will post a direct link that will take you to their online photo gallery, from their photographer.

Tucker was a gem during all of the events (Rehearsal Campground Pizza Oven Night, The Wedding, and the Brunch the next day). We brought his baby swing and he was very content just swinging away in JoNannie & Peeto's room (this was the weekend Stella FINALLY referred to Grampy as something...she has not mastered the "guh" sound from the letter G so saying Grampy was not happening...when we tried referring to him as Peeto, she took off with it - it was too cute.
Links to their pics is down below...

Drive Out There

Stella The Photographer

Stella snaps a pic of aunt hadley running around.....getting all ready for her BIG DAY!

2nd Cousin to Stella & Tucker, Cousin Kelly (always great to see her, she lives in London)

Mommy has a photoshoot while we wait for daddy - so we can get to the Campground Pizza Oven Rehearsal Dinner - that was SO MUCH FUN!!!

Smooch Face

Fun with Grampy Peeto - jumpin on the bed!

Tucker Time

We ALL love the butter chairs!

Post Wedding Chores with her new inlaws - of whom are ALL so awesome!

Stella loves her "Umple Map" (as she refers to him...)

Jack & Gracie QT

"The Three Musketeers!"

Gracie & Jack swapped cars on the way to Sandy's for dinner & ice cream

Gracie rode with Tucker while Stella went with Amy & Jeff and rode with Jack

"First Date?"

ICE CREAM ICE CREAM, WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM!

Heading to the pond to fish with Grampy Peeto

Someone is not afraid of the bait!

BLAST FROM THE PAST

A Retrospect Look: Baby Stella, Baby Tucker in VT

Baby Stella, Nov. 2009 (3 months old)

Baby Tucker, Sept. 2012 (2 months old)

THE ROBE: Baby Stella, Nov. 2009 (3 months old)

And...THE ROBE, Again. Baby Tucker, Sept. 2009 (2 months old)

Heading home after a very fun and very busy wedding weekend!

Wedding Pics

http://sarahkangphotography.com/blog/hadley-matt-strafford-vermont-wedding/

Photo Booth Pics
(They had a Photo Booth set up inside the Reception Tent for all the guests to use at leisure, these are so funny!)

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.462147520491671.104314.166775780028848&type=1

Today Stella & Tucker hosted our 2nd ANNUAL PUMPKIN PAINTING PLAYDAYE!

We all braved the BRISK Fall weather...but hey that's what Fall is now isn't it - BRISK!

7 moms, 7 toddlers, 6 babies, and two pregnant mommas - we had a yard/houseful!

The kiddos ran around in the yard and played in the Playdate Playhouse, made their way inside hours later to play pretend sleep in Stella's Bed AND Tucker's Crib, pretend cashier with Stella's cash register and got a bunch of our toys out of the toy bins - that's what they're here for so go at it kids!

The babes - well just say they all are SO PRECIOUS and SO GOOD. Pretty much all of them got some use out of Tucker's baby swing, Nap Nanny, Vibrating Rocker and Bumbo Seat.

As last year, I served lunch. The babes had boobs & formula ;) - the tods had Lunchables & the moms had the following:

• Brought back the homemade Pumpkin Lattes with Whipped Cream
• Brought back the Glazed Apple Cookies
• New On The Menu was:
   - Sweet Potatoe Enchiladas
    - Cornbread Souflet
    - with sides of Sun Sugar tomatoes, Guacomole and Peach/Mango Salsa

FOR RECIPES SEE BELOW....

So I have to say these days are so very special to me and Stella and I look forward to having Playdates for my little guy, as Tuck will have two new friends come winter! And we know for sure one will be a BOY so that's pretty exciting...and if Hiba has another girl, that's great too because this ladies man likes to have a nice selection of girlfriends, as he's already got about 7 of them in his life right now! And after you scroll through all the pics below, check out LAST YEAR'S Pumpkin Playdate for some reminsicing, just check out how much our kiddos have grown!

I managed to get a group shot! Both pics are so sweet - but just look at Stella in pic #2 (awwww)

From Back Left to Right:

Katy/Baby Hanna & /Lydia, Kristen/Baby Adalynn & Brooklynn, Brittany (expecting her 3rd child, a Boy!)/Baby Cora & Sienna, Jill/Davis, Ericka/Baby Karli & Cayla, Hiba/Baby Serena & Lilianna "

Jen with Baby Tucker & Stella

Painting Aprons

The lunch table & painting table

I Put Name Tags With A Photo Of Each Of Stella's Friends From LAST Year's Pumpkin Playdate - like this....

My Back Door On Patio

Brooklynn Arrives With A Dessert (so sweet, thanks Kristen!)

Waiting For Lunch To Be Served

Getting Ready To Paint Some Pumpkins!

Let The Painting Begin

Just Like Last Year - So Funny, Stella Want To Keep On Painting!

Really Finalizing The Detail On Her Pumpkin, Miss Arteeeest!

The Pumpkin Masterpieces Are Complete:

Stella

Cayla

Well This One Is Clear...DAVIS!

Lydia (her name tag blew away in the wind, but i found it later!)

Brooklynn (same with her tag - bye bye in the wind...but found it later!)

Sienna

Lilo

MOVIN' ON TO THE INDOORS NOW....

Hanna, Serena, Tucker & Adalynn - just chillin'

Such Good Babes!

Karli & Tucker

Lydia & Stella pretending to sleep in her bed

Now - not "sleeping" - screaming instead (all provoked by yours truly!)

Cora

Hannah

And More Pretend Sleeping, This Time With Sienna

And Last But Not Least....

THIS YEAR It Was TUCKER Who Was "All Tuckered Out!" - as my friend Katy pointed out to me that I posted this pic of Stella and I look what i wrote, awwww. And this was before I had any idea I was preggo (I was actually pregnant during this playdate last year but did not know!)

Last Year's Final Pic...and look what i wrote!

Someone is tuckered out from all the fun!

Again - What Special Days These Are....

And check check out how much our kids have grown!

LAST YEAR'S Pumpkin Playdate!

And Now For Today's Recipes!

HOMEMADE PUMPKIN LATTES with Whipped Cream

Click Here!

GLAZED APPLE COOKIES

Click Here!

SWEET POTATO ENCHILADAS

2- Sweet Potatoes mashed
1 tbs. Vegetable or Canola Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 yellow squash diced
1 zucchini diced
1 sm. White onion diced
2 tsp. garlic minced
1 Red Bell Pepper diced
1-15oz. can of Black Beans (rinsed and drained)
1- Package of Manny’s Burrito Shells (8 shells)
Enchilada Sauce - I use Kroger's Dry Pouch Mix (it calls for an 8 oz. can of Tomatoe Sauce)
2 cups Shredded Mexican Cheese
Sour Cream
Guacamole

Peach Mango Salsa

Preheat oven to 350

Microwave sweet potatoes and mash, then set aside

Sautee veggies in oil until soft, add salt and pepper to taste.

Add rinsed beans to veggie mixture until beans are warm.

Fill 8 burrito shells with equal amounts of bean/veggie mix, sweet potato and enchilada sauce. (about one large cooking spoon of each)

Wrap all shells and place in 9x13 baking pan.

Top with rest of enchilada sauce, black olives and then Shredded Cheese

Bake for 20 minutes. Serve with Sour Cream and Guacamole.

CORNBREAD SOUFLET

1 Large can Whole Kernel Corn (15 oz)
1 Large can Creamed Corn (15 oz)
1/2 C Veg. Oil
1 (8 oz) Sour Cream
1/4 C Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

Stir all together, stirring in the corn mix last.

Bake 350 for 1 hour in casserole bowl.