Sweet sweet Bubba

Since Reese was born we have called Katie"sissy" and caleb "brother" when we talk to her. She says Sissy with no problem at all. Brother is currently pronounced Bubba. So I think the name has stuck for him now:)
He has been so sweet and so eager to help with Reese this week. I think he really misses her the weeks he is at his mom's house. Now that they can play and run around together it is so fun to watch them.
The last 2 nights Caleb has asked me if he can give Reese her bottle before bed. It is the cutest thing because he takes her into his room and turns a movie on for them to watch, and gives her the bottle then holds her "until she is ready to go to sleep" he tells me. I wanted to take a picture because it is too sweet for words, but he said he didn't want me to turn on the lights because she is calm and relaxed!! haha!
Oh that boy just makes my heart melt sometimes.

A Tuesday night in the Armstrong house

Just some fun things that happened today.
I am trying to be better about taking pictures of the little things the kids do on a daily basis. Because these are the things that make me laugh, and I want to remember always!
I was making burgers for dinner and Caleb asked me if he could BBQ them for me.
I was a little nervous, but he needs to learn these things right?
They turned out great! Here he is so proud

Reese has discovered the fridge and LOVES opening the door and letting it swing shut

She also got her mother's taste in designer handbags!! Sorry boys! There was a purse from Ross and a Coach purse sitting next to eachother, and guess which one she carried around with her ALL evening:) I LOVE this!!
And yes she is wearing the most adorable jeggings

Tried to get a picture of the girl and I, but she wouldn't stop chewing on my phone. Oh those eyes make me melt!

Purple belt testing

Caleb had testing for his purple belt in karate today! He did great of course. I am SO proud!
Stretching before

Very serious

About to break his board. He did it with a chop, but they went too quick and I wasn't able to snap a photo in time:(

Receiving his purple belt from Mr. Christ

Happy boy

Bye bye formula!! Hello milk!

Reese is officially weaned onto whole milk! No more formula for us! I am so excited to save that $20 a week!
So long, you will NOT be missed

In the recycling it goes

Feeding tube change

We have to change Katie's g-tube "button" every 3 months. The first 2 changes the surgeon did it, to make sure that she had the proper size, but now it was our turn to change it at home! I was a little nervous, because I had a traumatic experience at the Doctors office when he changed her tube for the first time. I will spare you the story if you don't already know it. But it was BAD!
This was a walk in the park:)
First here is what a Gtube looks like. The part from my thumb up is what sits on the surface of her skin. The tube part goes in through a hole in her belly directly into her stomach. The balloon on the bottom is what holds it in. You deflate the balloon to remove it and to put a new one in, since the hole is small.
So shiny and new!

Here is her old tube in place.

And the brand new one. Yes I realize to you it probably doesn't look any different.

And this is the old yucky tube. You can see why they need to be changed frequently, because the stomach acids eat away at it.

I was nice and didn't post any photos of the hole in her tummy, since I know some people don't like that kind of stuff. But it really is facinating how it all works!

Freezer Meals

I have wanted to make freezer stock meals FOREVER but just never got my stuff together to do it.
I feel like I am spending more and more at the grocery store each week, and now that school is back in session, the nightly scramble to make a good dinner with karate etc. is in full effect.
So I went for it!
I spent $219 at the store(it would have been about $40 more, but we still had some meat from the side of beef we bought that I used)
I made: 2 philly cheese steak dinners
2 pans of enchiladas
2 baked ziti
2 shredded taco dinners
3 sides of roasted veggies
4 herb stuffed chicken thigh dinners
Chili
A bunch of spaghetti sauce
Breakfast burritos
2 dinners worth of turkey burger patties
A chicken pot pie

Reese helped make sure everything tasted just right

Mmmm phillies

Freezer number one carefully packed

And freezer number two stocked up!

It really wasnt as much work as I thought it was going to be. The worst part of all was the clean up. but it did make me really wish we had more counter space or and island in our kitchen!!

Happy 1st birthday Reese Anita!

Reese turned one on Friday the 19th! I still can't believe it! I feel like I was just in the hospital snuggling with her on that first night. I unfortunately got the stomach flu on Thursday so I was sick sick for her actual birthday:( Luckily my dad and step mom had come into town for her party and were able to take Reese for the day while I tried to get better.
Thanks again so so much!!
Saturday was her big party! I didn't take any pictures(because I forgot my camera. I was still not 100% there) but Jim's sister has a much better camera than I do, so I will post them when she sends them to me.
I think everyone had a good time at her party. I know she certainly did! Thanks again to everyone that came. You all were SO generous!
xoxo
Checking out all of her loot!

Her favorite thing is for Caleb to pull her in the little wagon. It is meant for HER to pull things around, but she thinks this is better! HAHA!! He is so good to her

Enjoying her ride

I can't even begin to put into words how proud and happy I am to be this little girls Mom. She truly has made my life complete. Love Love Love her!! It is so exciting to watch her learn more and grow each day. But I don't want her to grow up too fast!

Trip to Graeagle

We finally went on our first getaway trip as a family of 5! We went with Jim's parents to their house in Graeagle(and yes I know you are wondering where in the heck that is. It's an hour north of Truckee)
The suburban was packed to the brim, but we made it(and I didn't forget anything!!)
We relaxed, hiked, fished, ate, and drank. It was SUCH a good time!!
It was so much fun to watch Reese and our niece Hannah together. They are 3 weeks apart and at such a fun age right now!
Kate and dad

my gorgeous niece Hannah

Feeling the grass between her toes

Trying to get some color

caleb at Mill Pond

Jim, Amber, and I left the kids with Grandma and Grandpa and went on a AWESOME hike! It felt great to be kid free for a while.:)

Yes that is snow. And yes we "sledded" down it. It was hilarious!! It was just so random in August!!

It Sasquach

What a view!

Little Bear lake

Hanging with Boo in the morning

Sissy's playing nicely

Frazier Falls

Boo riding in comfort.