Meatball Recipe

In light of Christmas, we've been doing LOTS of cooking and baking around our house! I wanted to share a meatball recipe I made this last weekend. This is my aunts recipe and I was so proud that they turned out as well as they did! They were AMAZING! Happy cooking!

*Meatballs*

2 lbs hamburger

2 eggs

½ cup milk

¼ tsp garlic powder

2 tsp minced onion (I chop a real onion)

1 cup quaker oatmeal

Mix well & form into balls approx. 1 ½".

Place in baking pan & cover with sauce:

*Sauce*

Mix in bowl:

1 cup ketchup

1 Tsp liquid smoke (I used a little extra for a little added flavor)

¼ tsp garlic powder

½ cup brown sugar

1 Tsp minced onion (I finely chop a real onion)

Mix well and pour over meatballs.

Bake 55 minutes uncovered @ 350 in oven.

The Spellman Family

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

I just LOVE this time of year! I love, love, love listening to Christmas music, the hectic scheduling, lots of family time, food, and of course celebrating our Lord and Savior in such a beautiful way. We have been super busy around the Spellman house with shopping, decorating, cooking and altogether just enjoying our first Christmas with Aspen! She is absolutely the most amazing blessing and the greatest reminder of God's Love that we could ever ask for.

Here's a few pics of our house and decorations!

The Tree and Fireplace

We now have three regular size stockings and the smallest one is for Roxy!

Our Christmas Tree!

The outside of the house!

and a picture of Aspen just b/c she's so stinkin' cute! :)

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

The Spellman Family

Aspen - 4 Months

I'm a few days late but Aspen is now 4 months old...where does the time go?!! At the same time it feels like she was born yesterday, it also feels like she's been a part of our family forever. Here are some of the things she's doing at 4 months old...

*She was 14.2 lbs (76%) and 24 1/4 (61%) inches long at the dr on 12/2.
*Wearing mostly 6 months clothing, Size 2 diapers
*Eating about 5-6 oz every 3 hours or so during the day and sleeping 9-10 hrs/night.
*Still not a fan of tummy time, although she now tolerates it long enough to lift her head and shoulders up a few times. She sits well in her bumbo and loves to stand (with us supporting her).

Aspen in her bumbo while mommy makes dinner

*Aspen is a HAPPY baby. She coos and talks all the time. We have "conversations" and make faces at each other all the time! She smiles all the time and laughs every time we hold her up in the air or blow on her tummy.
*She has a bump on her bottom gums like a tooth is coming! Not sure if that is happy or sad...
*She definitely recognizes mommy and daddy now. She smiles and reaches for me when I pick her up from daycare. Makes my day everytime! :)
*She chews on EVERYTHING and tries to grab EVERYTHING in her reach.
*Loves her blankie bear the most out of her toys.

Aspen sleeping in her swing with her blankie bear.

*She is still getting swaddled at night and sleeping in her cradle in our room at night.
*Tried cereal for the first time and HATED it. My baby girl, who usually does not hardly ever cry - cried the entire time...we'll save that and try again later.

Our first cereal experience was not a positive one...

Aspen has already brought so much joy and love into our home, I can only imagine what the next years will be like!! :)  We have now decorated the house all up for Christmas and are so excited for our first Christmas with our baby girl!

The Spellman Family

Thankful

So I'm new to this whole blogging thing...so you might have to be patient with me as I'm still figuring it all out.

I thought it would be great to start off with a list of things I'm thankful for (most of which are things that I take for granted everyday) around this Thanksgiving/Holiday season...

* A loving and forgiving God - I am learning so much about His love and His plan for me
* My beautiful baby Aspen

* My loving husband, who is not only great to me, but is the best daddy ever too

* Our Roxy, who brings so much love and joy into our home

* Our Health
* Our home, so much more than just a house.
* Joe and I both being employed and being able to pay the bills to take care of our family.
* My mom, dad, sisters and brother. FAMILY - enough said.
* For my family I've gained through marriage. For their love and acceptance of me.
* Nieces and nephews. Being an aunt is so much fun.
* Friends. As the years go on it seems like the group gets smaller but a heck of a lot tighter.
* Our church. I've grown so much in my relationship with God since joining and have made some great new friends as well.
* Dreams! Where would we be without them?
* My camera - for all the memories I won't ever forget and get to enjoy looking back on (b/c it's pretty much permanently attached to my hand).

The Spellman Family