Baking with the boys and a recipe

We needed an afternoon activity to keep us busy, 

so I suggested to Alex that we make some cookies.

He's been asking for ages.

So we choose snickerdoodles and got to work!

Alex got his apron first, of course, Liam needed his too... along with a chair.

Everything Alex does, Liam wants to do too!

Liam moved to the counter to get a better view! They both did a great job pouring in the ingredients! 

This is the real reason why them help me... 

It's their Schaeffer blood coming out!

When we started, Alex told me he needed a toy to help him! ;) I think he really just wanted to find a reason to use the pocket. The pocket's purpose has intrigued him since we go the aprons. Spoons were too large, as were the recipe books, so I think he found his own reason!

Alex started off as the scooper, but quickly switched to rolling the dough balls in the cinnamon and sugar (thank goodness! He was taking way to long!)

Post baking snack time while reading some books!

It was a good afternoon. I feel like this requires more energy than I have sometimes, but when we are in the middle of it, it is so much fun. I was looking back through to see if I had posted my favorite snickerdoodles recipe before, but I haven't so I will share that now! I didn't have the time when I was doing the 365 recipes in a year to post all the recipes, but I did make it during that time (and many other times since than!) So this is actually recipe #310!

Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

• Heat oven to 400 F
• beat sugar and butter until fluffy
• add vanilla and eggs, blend well
• stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Mix well
• stick cookie dough in fridge for a couple of minutes to make sure it is cold
• in a small bowl mix the 2 Tbsp of sugar and 2 tsp of cinnamon
• shape dough into 1 in balls and roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture.
• place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets
• bake at 400F for 8-10 minutes

perfect cookie to make with your kiddos! :)

brothers

I'm pretty sure if we are going to want Liam to learn anything, we are going to have to get Alex to model it for him first. Alex did a happy dance after getting some treats... Liam did it too.

Alex pretended to sneeze in bed and Liam started saying "cho, cho."

And there was no contest between Will and I to see if Liam said mama or dada first...
"Alex" or something like it was definitely the first word that came out of his mouth!

If one has it, the other wants it. But sometimes they will share it.

Or Liam will just eat it for Alex.

But oh, the love. I hope and pray it always stays.

Oh, Sweet Liam!

Oh Liam!

This little man brings so much joy to our life! I have never met such a happy and sweet kid! 

Somehow, this summer, he stopped being a baby and started being a little boy. 

I love his sense of humor. He knows he is funny. 

I also love that fact that he will eat anything I put in front of him

(his brother is not so accommodating)!

I love his laid back attitude towards EVERYTHING! This boy knows how to chill! :)

(he also climbs on every! Its a little nerve-wracking sometimes!)

I love his hilarious faces when he meets a new adventure.

 Currently his favorite sound is a roar.

Playing dinosaurs? "rrrrroar"

Playing trains? "roarrrrr"

All animals? "rroarrrr"

He makes sure we hear him!

 He is all boy! He loves to be outside and wants to be out there even more than Alex some times! He gets about three times as dirty as Alex, so most of the time we go straight to the bath. 

I think he is part fish, so he really doesn't mind.

One of my favorite things is seeing how much Liam loves and looks up to his brother. 

I can imagine the mischief they will get in to as they both get older. (Help me now!)

I love hearing them laugh. Watching them give each other good night hugs and kisses is one of the sweetest things in the world. 

I am pretty sure Liam tries to say the word "Alex". Its more of an "Ack" but I think it means Alex. :)

 Today when Liam woke up from his nap, Alex was a little grumpy so they were both sitting on my lap. Liam was so concerned about how Alex was feeling. He reached over and started patting Alex's back and looking into his eyes.

It was so precious. I'm glad they love each other.

I can't wait to see how he will keep growing this year!

(I could go on and on, but I will stop for now! ;) )

Hello Fall.

Even though it is now just officially Fall, summer pretty much ended for me towards the beginning of August, when school started up again! My mornings start at 5:30 and the day ends by 10 and don't include many extra minutes. We have been out of town 3 of the last 4 weekends.
But Life has been beautiful. I can't complain. I love my job at school and my job at home, even though both leave me exhausted by the end of the day. God has given me so many blessings. Two of which are the sweetest little boys you will ever see. I am so thankful for the love they show each other!
Tonight Alex wanted to read a book to Liam. If you know the story, you know he did a pretty good job of it!

Hopefully one of these days I will have time to write about the most amazing {and easy} ice cream recipe ever or show how I recovered the rocking chair, but for now I will be grateful for the first day of fall, and all the fun that will bring!

Liam: One Month Old

It is hard to believe it has already been a month since this little man joined our family!

 Here are a couple of things we have enjoyed this month!

Liam is a great sleeper! We decided to move him to his crib in the second or third week. He was making so much noise that it would wake us up in our room, but Alex (once he falls asleep) sleeps through everything. 

Turns out Liam decided to start sleeping LONG stretches in his crib! YAY! 

(Long is a 3 hour and 4-6 hour stretch at night, It can only get better right?!)

Liam loves his bath! I think the boy is feels more free to move the less clothes he has on! He wiggles all over the place in his bath and when he is only in a diaper. 

He has also survived his brother being a little overly helpful in the bath!

Alex loves his brother! It makes me so happy to see the two of them together!

 Liam is learning he has to share his toys 

(and hopefully Alex will learn that soon too!)

I think they will be good friends! Liam is very sweet to let his brother love on his so much. 

I didn't think Alex would enjoy giving his brother kisses so much!

So thankful to have such sweet boys!

We always took Alex's month pictures on this blanket, but Liam has his stuffed dinosaur too!

He loves stretching!

Here is a comparison of the brothers. Both at a month old...

Everyone says they look alike, but I am really not too sure! 

 Both chubsters, that is for sure!

Alex and Liam: Conspiring!

All these cute pictures of Alex and Liam cuddled together...

   

I am now convinced that they are actually conspiring who's turn it will be to wake up early

(early meaning Alex around 6 and Liam at 5!)

because. without fail. ONE of the boys decides to wake up early while the other will sleep in until 7 or 8. 

So Will and I take turns waking up...earlier than we would like.

But it does mean quality time with that one little man, even though we are a bit blurry eyed, and still half asleep.

Really. These boys are so cheering for their successful mission: 

Keep mommy and daddy as TIRED as possible!

Alex and Liam

Liam entered our lives right on time. He was a sweet boy and came on his due date. I think he knew I couldn't handle pregnancy much more. I spent the first half of the day laboring at home, and he came 4 hours after we got to the hospital. Meeting him at 4:06 was a precious moment.

The next best moment was seeing Alex meet him for the first time too.

The other day I was reading the Journal I started for Alex {I was TERRIBLE at keeping up with Alex's baby book...I haven't even bought one for Liam, BUT I have kept up with a journal for Alex, of my thoughts, letters, prayers. which. I am sure he will be so thrilled to read when he gets older ;) }. Anyways, Alex's journal. When he was still a month old, I had written about his sweet, tender heart, and how I could not wait to see how loving he was with his siblings. He is a rascal, but there is a soft spot in him for little babies and other kids.

He did not disappoint. Alex looked at Liam, and knew he belonged with us. He right away wanted to hold Liam. He was full of kisses. Alex was so much more interested in the baby than I ever would have imagined!

 I love this expression.... it says MY brother!

Of course, like a true toddler, when he got his present from Liam, he quickly diverted his attention to his new toy! :) 

Coming home it has been just as sweet. Alex loves to "hold baby", give him his paci, and put diapers in the diaper genie for me. We put a step stool next to the changing table so that Alex can talk to Liam, although we are trying to have him make more conversation than just "hey baby" (which he repeats over and over again!!) We are also working on Alex remembering to say "all done" or "no more" before he starts moving when he is holding Liam. And, thanks to mommy and daddy both being home over the summer, Alex still gets plenty of cuddles and outside time.

I can't wait to see what adventures are in store for us!