Everleigh Isabella Kelley - 16 Months and Counting

Every month it's been rare that I actually get a photo session accomplished ON Everleigh's actual monthly birth DAY... so when I started Everleigh's bath last week (on the 25th!), waaaaaaay past getting any decent day-lighting to help with our photos, I never thought I'd end up with decent pictures for her blog post.  But the moment I saw her starting to ham it up, I RAN.. (literally) to get my camera.  I knew that although she LOVES bath time, her limits to cheesing it up for mommy and the camera can be fleeting.  With barely a thought about focusing my shot or the craptastic bathroom lighting...I clicked away faster than I thought my finger could.  I'm pretty pleased that I was actually able to get a few pretty cute shots of my bear!  Oh yeah and her toothbrush.  What can I say, the girl likes to multitask.  ;)

Everleigh at 16 months.

 

How could I NOT include this WHINY faced Everleigh shot?  This is the face she gets when she's over it and ready to come out.  Except this time, she forgot she wanted to get out two seconds after I reminded her of all the fun toys that were waiting to play ;) She's easily distracted.  ;)

Less than TWO minutes after this shot, she pooped.  ;)  

She even LOOKS like she's working on it.. lol.  I should've known better.  

Hahahahaha... Oh the joys of parenthood!  

Chef Chad Kelley - Cooking Demo on "The Broadcast" with Baby Bear Commentary ;)

For those of you that keep with the Kelley's... I'm sure you've already heard and seen me post links on Facebook to Chad's on-air cooking demonstration this morning on KTXDTV's "The Broadcast".

But FORGET watching that one.. take a gander at the better version of that on-air broadcast.  Who on earth can resist sweet 16 month old commentary!?  Chad's guest appearance is worth a second look as Grandma Kelley records Chad's demo on her phone while watching Everleigh this morning.  

She gets soooo excited!  "Whooose that?!"  "Whooose that?!"  "DADDY!!"

 

And of course the original video, from the The Broadcast website.. with the link.

Everleigh's Chicken Vegetable Soup - KTXDTV "The Broadcast"

Soup's On - Everleigh's Vegetable Soup Recipe

Last year, right on the heels of Everleigh's birth, my hubby Chad, all-star Executive Chef at Cafe Pacific,  participated in Dallas' Soup's On event benefiting The Stewpot Alliance.  This year, as described on their website, the 6th Annual Soup’s On! Luncheon will be held on Thursday, January 30, 2014 at the Omni Hotel in Dallas. Attendees will hear inspiring keynote speaker Liz Murray, enjoy signature soups prepared by Dallas’ best chefs and have the opportunity to purchase amazing auction items that include art from Dallas’ homeless and at-risk populations.

The event benefits The Stewpot, one of Dallas’ most essential lifesaving nonprofits helping the homeless and at-risk families rebuild their lives.

As part of his participation in the event, my chef was asked to provide a recipe to be featured and served to hungry guests during the luncheon.  Seemed only fitting that his soup of choice would be named after his harshest food critic, our one and only bear... Miss Everleigh.  :)  How cool is that?!  

To go to the Entree Dallas website for the article below, follow the link:  Entree Dallas:  Everleigh's Vegetable Soup   (kinda stinks they spelled our last name wrong...but it happens too often to count... oh well, still a great honor!  (at least they got Everleigh's name right ;) 

To see more press releases about this upcoming event, click on the links below.

Dallas Observer - City of Ate

Crave DFW 

Art + Seek

And of course, if you haven't kept up with all the Press Love my Chef has received over the course of the last couple of years, then check out his page:  All About Chef Chad Kelley

Three Weeks Later... A Kelley Family Christmas 2013

So let’s just pretend that this long over-due Christmas post is my sorry attempt to keep the holiday spirit alive.  ;)  Three weeks later and Santa still lives on.  ;)  The tree may have officially come down at our house…but you can most definitely find remnants of the holidays here and there.   So... I’m thinking that as long as our neighborhood still has Christmas wreaths up at our neighborhood entry..and there are houses still with Christmas lights up, I’m still good..don't ya think? ;)   

I've FINALLY crawled out of nearly a month and a half of feeling like CRAP.. (which started with a cold that Everleigh got right after Thanksgiving.. which then morphed into allergies and a sinus infection that then turned into what I think was a full blown flu!!).  Of course the icing on the cake was getting laryngitis on Jan. 3^rd…after starting to feel better from everything else.. AND STILL haven’t fully gotten my voice back to normal yet!!  Oy vey... to say that the Kelley household was in a bit of a funk.. is an understatement. 

Regardless, Everleigh’s finally snotLESS, I’m finally starting to feel normal again and my chef is on the mend after finally going to the Dr. for antibiotics for a sinus/chest infection.  

Thank Heavens for finally seeing the light...and for a truly wonderful Christmas with both sets of parentals, Chad's sister Christy and her kiddos (our niece Kenzie and nephew Logan :)  

A Kelley Family Christmas, in pictures.  (Sorry.. it's a long one.)  

Everleigh's first Santa experience, the weekend before my parents came into town.. 

Went pretty well I think.  ;) 

A couple days before Christmas, Grandpa and Grandma Maldonado came with gifts in tow..

Presents came early this year..and Everleigh LOVED IT!  :) 

Everleigh and Grandpa "fighting" over bunny :)

Christmas time silliness

My little Mexican White girl.. La Guera Paletera :)

 

Of course Grandma INSISTED that we put together Everleigh's gift...

And Everleigh INSISTED on sitting in it the whole time we were trying to assemble it.  ;) 

"Quality Control Bear."

 

 

Heroh?!  HEROOOHH?! 

CHRISTMAS MORNING AT THE KELLEY HOUSE :)

After a somewhat traditional Christmas Eve spent baking (and decorating) cookies for Santa and the reindeer.. (the reindeer also got cut up oranges as an extra little treat for working so hard that night ;) ... and gorging ourselves on tamales that my parents brought up from back home, we ALL woke up the next morning anxious and ready to take on Christmas day.  ;)  

Logan and Kenzie opening their stockings.. :)

Everleigh...excited about her car... AGAIN.  ;) 

Ooooohhhh... 

 

Time for breakfast! :)

Hours and hours of entertainment with those bracelets! :)

Before the Christmas feast graced our "never been used" dining table!  :)  

A traditional homemade lunch made by my Chef.  :) 

 

 

 

 

Someone seems excited about lunch!  :)

 

  

White Elephant time for the adults :)  

 

Ending the night with a little Face Time with the Maldonado's back home :)  

 

And silliness with Grandpa.  :)

 

That's a wrap!

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas  :)