Pumpkin Patch

6 months

Nora is six months old! Her big developments this month are finding her feet, finding her voice (and thus squealing and screaming to her heart's content) and almost being able to roll from back to belly. She's interacting more and more, and loves to blow bubbles and smile. We're just starting solid food, but she's not quite sure what she thinks about it yet. Her favorite place to be is either her exersaucer or bumbo seat where she can see what's going on around her, and she loves to watch Dumbo. That's a quick recap of the last month. Nora is such a sweet girl who continues to bring us so much joy!

Thailand

We've been home from Thailand about a week now, and we're finally adjusted enough for me to sit down to write this blog. Some people might think we're crazy for taking a 5-month-old halfway around the world and effectively switching her night with day, but Nora was a great traveler, and we're almost back to a normal sleep schedule! 

The traveling girl, ready to go on her first international flight

On our international flights, we got to sit in the bulkhead area that had a bassinet attachment for Nora to sleep in. This was a lifesaver. She slept almost the entire 10-hour flight from Tokyo to LA!

The main purpose for the trip was for Levi's brother, Jake, and his wife, Becca, to meet Nora. They've been traveling since before she was born, so it was special for them to finally meet her. I think Nora enjoyed all the extra snuggles.

While in Phuket, we managed to squeeze a lot in to a short week, even with a baby who needed to nap! We delivered dresses and shorts to a local orphanage, the Phuket Sunshine Foundation, as part of Dress a Girl Around the World, a charity that Sharie (Levi's mom) volunteers with. I wish I could post all the cute pictures we have with the kids, but I can't for privacy reasons.

Sharie with the director

Becca playing with the kids

We saw monkeys living wild on the side of the road.

Becca and I got to feed a baby elephant outside our restaurant one night. This brought us both sheer glee.

We rode elephants through the jungle. This was definitely a highlight for all of us. Elephants are a surprisingly rough ride. I was glad Levi was there to keep me and Nora from falling off!

We visited the local fire station, which our cab driver thought was hilarious. He just couldn't understand why we'd want to go there, of all places. I think we did finally get across that Levi is a firefighter in America, though, and I think that helped.

Their fire trucks are very similar to the 1940s truck that Levi restored last year.

We visited the Chalong Buddhist temple, which is very different from the Christian cathedrals we've visited in several other countries.

Sharie, Becca and I visited a "fish spa" where we put our feet in a tank of fish that were supposed to eat the dead skin off. It was awful! Sharie screamed so long and loud that when we passed by the place the next day, the ladies remembered her and laughed. I wouldn't put my feet in but for two seconds to take a picture. It was the weirdest feeling and I hated it. This foot picture is of Becca because I couldn't stand to hold my foot like that long enough to snap a picture.

 

We also visited the island of Phi Phi, where Levi got to do some beach-side rock climbing. The water was so clear there that you could see the fish! It was a really beautiful place.

There are no streets on the island, only these walking paths. Items are moved on hand-pushed wheel carts.

Lastly, we couldn't help but visit the local coffee roaster, Hock Hoe Lee. The coffee culture is really different in Thailand, and it was interesting to learn about. You can read all about it on Flatlander's blog.

As usual, we had an excellent trip. The Thai people are some of the most friendly I've ever met and they really really love babies, so it was fun to have Nora along. We're so thankful to Levi's mom for making trips like this possible. We get the opportunity to make great memories and see so many different corners of the world. I'm excited that Nora will get to grow up traveling and learning about other cultures, languages and people. 

Flatlander's Kickstarter

Our coffee roastery, Flatlander Coffee Co., just launched a Kickstarter campaign to help raise money to buy a larger roaster. Since our business opened in May, we've already had many great opportunities, and we're excited about where things are headed. Demand for our coffee has grown even faster than we expected, and now we need to upgrade our equipment to keep up!

Here's a picture of the type of roaster we plan to get from U.S. Roaster's Corp. in Oklahoma City. They build it all starting with a flat piece of metal! Pretty impressive. And we love that it's made right here in our own backyard. This company makes and ships roasters all over the world!

The cool thing about using Kickstarter to raise the remainder of the funds we need is that it's community-driven. For every amount donated, there's a corresponding reward (magnets, t-shirts, mugs, coffee, etc.) to motivate givers. However, it's an all-or-nothing deal, so if we don't reach our $7,000 goal in 30 days, not only do we not get any of the money raised (and givers don't get charged) but also, no one gets their rewards. The hope is that everyone who gives will help spread the word about our campaign so it can be a win-win for everyone!

Check out some of our swag:

So, here's where we need your help. Please consider giving to our campaign. You'll get some awesome Flatlander gear and help us produce even more delicious, freshly roasted coffee (if you haven't tried it, you should do that, too - click here to order online).

Want to donate or learn more about our campaign (and watch our awesome video!)? Click here to visit our Kickstarter page. And follow our campaign's progress on Facebook!

5 months

Nora is five months old! She's a smiley, happy baby who loves looking in the mirror. 

She can now roll from tummy to back (but not vice versa) and is learning all about chores. For example, she helps with laundry:

And loves watching us cook and clean while sitting in her seat:

She also recently became a sooner fan! We'll see what happens when OU plays TCU. I'll have to fight Levi to dress her that day. Maybe she can wear a purple bow :)

Lastly, she's been perfecting her beach babe look. 

We love this girl and can't wait to see what she learns next!

Horsing Around

Yesterday, Levi, Nora and I went up to Edmond and made an unplanned trip to "the barn" where Sharie, Levi's mom, regularly volunteers. We'd heard a lot about the Equine Therapy Center, and it was great to finally see it.  

They're doing some awesome work with several different groups: kids with special needs, women with addictions, senior citizens, etc. I heard many uplifting stories, but one of the ones that stuck with me was about a 5-year-old autistic boy who didn't talk when he first started riding. Now, not only does he talk, but his whole body relaxes when he spends time on Silk (the horse I got to ride). It's been a life-changing experience for him. 

That's what these horses are doing for people - changing their lives. There are many ways you can help this organization, so I invite you to check out their how you can help page. They're planning to have an open house on Nov. 2nd if you're interested in learning more.

Here are some pictures from our time at ETC:

Nora loved checking out the mini horses and just stared and stared.

Feeling the horse hair on her legs

This is Sophie, Sharie's favorite horse

I got to ride a horse! This was my first time and something I get to cross off the bucket list!

We all had a great time at the barn and look forward to going back!

Fish Tacos

I'm always on the lookout for easy recipes that taste delicious, and I recently made one up on the fly that turned out great: fish tacos! I ran across this seasoning mix at Target the other day on the taco aisle:

It makes it so easy to make the perfect fish tacos! Simply sprinkle the seasoning mix over your fish fillets (I used frozen tilapia) and cook as desired (I baked according to the package directions). 

While the fish is cooking, whip up this sauce: http://unwindcooking.com/2012/10/30/chili-lime-aioli-sauce/

When the fish is finished, flake it apart into small pieces and load up your tacos however you like! We used corn tortillas, shredded Mexican-style cheese, lime juice, cilantro and the aioli sauce. We also made a box of Target's Market Pantry cilantro lime rice to go with the tacos. YUM!