A long-time coming...

So, I lied about that whole "creating posts more often" thing. Sorry! I'm really trying, but life takes over. I know most everyone understands that, but for some reason I'm still feeling the need to say it.

Mason was officially nine months old on September 9, so last week Brent and I decided that we would try to capture some 9-month photos without paying the big bucks for a photographer. We discovered that it is not easy to capture our wiggly son (literally or on camera), and we'll just say we ended up with a lot of "candids." :) But they are pictures that I will treasure, and there are many that capture the essence of Mason. I hope everyone enjoys slide shows because they are a great way to display many photos without making a 6-page long blog post!

Will the real Mason Gaulke please stand up?

Who needs toys when you can crawl and pull yourself up on anything and everything? Mason LOVES to stand up, and he uses anything possible to do it. It may only be an inch tall, but he'll pull himself up on it if he can! Everyone keeps telling us that one of these days he's just going to start walking--I hope it's many, many days! I have to admit, though, that it is incredibly fun to watch him learn all these new things. Enjoy the slide show (and the interesting Elton John music video which accompanies it)!

Recycled Roast

Since the weather is feeling like fall, I've got my crock pot out again to make some of those cool weather comfort foods. I made a roast for Sunday--so yummy with carrots and potatoes! And then Monday I recycled our roast, using a delicious method our friend Matt Dunsbergen shared with us last winter. (Thanks, Matt!) It's always so yummy, so I thought I'd share it with the world and not keep its deliciousness all to myself. Here it is...

Ingredients:
Shredded or cut up leftover roast
Bag of frozen mixed vegetables
Can of cream of mushroom soup
Tube of refrigerator biscuits

In crock pot stir together roast, veggies and soup. Cook on medium for 3-4 hours. 30-35 minutes before serving put biscuits on top of the meat mixture in the crock pot. For the doubter, the biscuits really will bake in the crock pot. They won't look brown like in the oven, but they bake just great.

And there you have a yummy, hearty casserole! Enjoy!

Moments with Daddy

My apologies to those who are faithful followers of the Gaulke blog. I haven't been giving you much new material lately! Life has been crazy, but is hopefully slowing down now. A busy August is now over, and I'm ready to "get my feet under me" again, which hopefully means more frequent blog posts as well!

Mason loves his daddy, of course, so I thought it was time to get some good Daddy moments on the blog. I know Mason loves me, but it's just true that what daddy and son have is different in a special way. Brent already wrestles and tickles and tumbles around with Mason (in ways that I most often prefer not to watch as the cautious mother), and Mason loves it. He giggles and can't get enough. When Daddy's truck drives in the driveway, he knows and starts "talking" and getting excited. He knows his daddy loves him too. So, in honor of the special father/son bond, a few pics of Brent & Mason...

Being silly and "so big" at the same time!

See, Daddy, I'm this big!

Beeping Daddy's nose

Their favorite summer activity--bike rides! There's just one scary dog on the route, and after a couple times of dropping the paci on the pavement, Brent now remembers to clip the paci on! :)