Siblings

Just had a heart to heart with Maryanna...  *sigh*  She does that oldest thing where she pokes everyone's buttons just to get them going, ya know?  Very frustrating as a mom.  Probably reaping what I sowed though...  Powell and Lola have been playing all day long everyday since she started school.  They don't fight all day and as soon as my eldest walks in the door she starts stirring things up.  I love her dearly, but I think she's just bored.  Or she just can't resist.  But, as I was tucking her in tonight I said, 'you know I had a lot of really great friends in school and in college, some of them that I even still talk to...  but you know who my closest friend is?  Aunt Jenny.'  We talked awhile longer about how that applies to her.  Maybe it'll make a difference.  I'm sure this will be an ongoing discussion.  There's such a responsibility in being the oldest.

Anyway, I wanted to give a shout out to my little sis - Jenny : )
 

Scrapbooking

I'm behind on my scrapbooking.  Like, years.  I usually have baby's first year scrapbooked and ready to view at his/her's first birthday party.  Um, this year his book's not even been purchased yet.  Well, I'm thinking I might start as the kids start settling into school.  We'll see.

We've had a couple of busy days.  Yesterday I got to have lunch with my dad, sister and brother.  Then, I got a little shopping in all by myself - Mom watched the kids for me.  Today was supposed to be a laundry/cleaning day but ended up being a playdate at the spraygrounds morning.  Which was nice - don't get to see my cousin (once removed?) or my SIL nearly often enough.  Hoping to get in a little reading and laundry this afternoon if naps allow : )

Also, thinking about doing a Julie and Julia type of thing.  I recently got my Best of the Best Pampered Chef cookbook out and there are just so many recipes I haven't made yet.  Hoping to do a couple a week atleast.  The one's I have done have been favorites.  Kind of getting excited about it...

Italian-Style Grilled Pizza

This was amazing!!  So glad I made this - multiple compliments from the kids and My Man!  And pretty easy too!  Especially if you're used to using a grill!

Italian-Style Grilled Pizza

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (I used cherry tomatoes - and I used more like 10)
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced into fine ribbons
1 can (2.25 oz) sliced pitted ripe olives, drained
2 T olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 t each salt and coarsely ground black pepper
1 pkg (16 oz) prebaked pizza crust (I used a thin wheat crust hoping to cut some calories : )

1. Prepare grill for direct cooking over medium coals.  Place mozzarella cheese in bowl.  Grate Parmesan cheese into bowl.  Slice tomatoes in half, remove seeds and cut into small pieces.  Slice basil into ribbons.  Add tomatoes, basil and olives to bowl; mix gently.

2. In small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, garlic salt and pepper.  Lightly brush top of crust with 1 T of the oil mixture.

3. Place crust in center of grid of grill, top side down.  Grill crust, uncovered, 4-5 minutes or until deep golden brown.  Turn crust over and carefully remove.

4. Add remaining oil mixture to cheese mixture in bowl; mix well.  Spoon cheese mixture evenly over top of crust; return pizza to grid of grill.  Cover and grill 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bottom of crust is deep golden brown.

5. Remove pizza to cutting board; slice and serve!

We just happened to have leftover grilled chicken that we chopped up and added to this recipe.  My Man was helping me in the kitchen this particular day : )  I should mention that this is a Pampered Chef recipe.  I love Pampered Chef, have a couple of their cookbooks and several of their tools and cookware.  Their recipes are some of my favorites and I know I have other Pampered Chef recipes listed here. I cannot believe I have had this book this long and not made this recipe!

This is a definite keeper!!

My Big Girl's First Day of 1st Grade!!

These are not in the right order, but I think you get the gist.  It seems like yesterday she started Kindergarten.  I know it's a cliche, but the year has flown by!  It's so hard to believe.  And I know what the year holds now.  She'll learn so much.  She'll grow up so much in one year.  Some of the stuff she'll bring home will be great.  Other stuff, not so much.  We can only do so much to protect her.  You know what else is blowing my mind.  The year went so fast, and the next two years I will be sending another one off to school.  *sigh*  Seems crazy.

My Devotion by Sarah Young - Jesus Calling

'Meet me in early morning splendor.  I eagerly await you there.  In the stillness of this holy time with Me, I renew your strength and saturate you with Peace.  While others turn over for extra sleep or anxiously tune in to the latest news, you commune with the Creator of the universe.  I have awakened in your heart strong desire to know Me.  This longing originated in Me, though it now burns brightly in you.

When you seek My Face in response to My Love-call, both of us are blessed.  This is a deep mystery, designed more for your enjoyment than for your understanding.  I am not a dour God who discourages pleasure.  I delight in your enjoyment of everything that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable.  Think on these things, and My Light in you will shine brighter day by day.   Isaiah 40:31, Psalm 27:4, Philippians 4:8'

A couple of years ago I went through a season of time when God almostly solely wanted to impress on me His love for me.  Kind of wish that was the only lesson he ever wanted me to learn!  It was an awesome time.  I like Sarah Young's devotions because she really 'gets' His love.  And she writes devotions as though they are directly from Him through those lenses.  Pretty cool.  The part about this time not being for my understanding really hits me.  For some reason I want to make sense of everything - probably that control thing of mine.  And knowing that I won't be able to make sense of everything b/c He functions at a (much) higher level (the only level) of understanding frees me just a little bit. 

Avocado Vanilla Smoothie

There's two ways you can make this.  If you're using it to supplement a meal, use instant carnation or slimfast vanilla shake mix to replace the vanilla and sans the sugar.  Yummy!

1 avocado
1 cup milk
4-5 ice cubes
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp sugar (I use brown sugar).

This Salad is Fantastic!

Once again, I've picked up a recipe from the Pioneer Woman.  This one caught my eye as a break from the norm.  Really awesome.  Not sure how good it is for you with all of the bacon grease, but it might just be worth it : )

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

Weight Loss

Someone once told me that if you don't lose your baby weight by the time the baby's a year old that you're not going to.  I think it's a bogus statistic.  But, coming up on the 1 year mark freaks me out anyway...  so, I've been working really hard to lose weight.  Let me back up.

About a month ago I was convicted to pray about the daily, small things in my life that I try to handle without talking to God.  The first thing that came to mind was my weight.  I'm not going to share any numbers or anything, but I knew I was overweight.  Obese according to the Wii.  :/  What's more is I knew I was unhappy with my weight.  So, I shared that with God and asked him to help me.  I don't seem to be able to control my choices/emotional eating on my own, I told God.

A couple of weeks later I went to a friend's house (a friend who is extremely fit and health conscious) for a swim party.  She made mac n cheese and watermelon and so on for the kids and put out salad options for the adults.  And I thought to myself, I can't just eat a salad for lunch!  I'm starving!  And the thought embarrassed me.  I thought, I bet she probably eats ONLY a salad as a meal all the time.  Well, I stocked up on different types of lettuce and lots of different toppings to make all kinds of salads.  And I bought  lots of healthy snack options.  And I started eating salads for lunch.  And I pretty much just stopped snacking in between meals.  And I made regular evening meals but I didn't eat as much and I didn't go back for seconds.  And in the last two weeks I have rarely had dessert, but when I did it was a small portion.  I also started making smoothies and shakes occasionally for a meal.  Not everyday, but occasionally.  And I've never been someone who steps on the scale very often.  Actually I haven't even owned one until we got the Wii.  But I saw a very slow gradual drop, and it was all I needed to actually keep going.

I've lost just a few pounds in the last couple of weeks.  And I had started to make somewhat better choices over the last couple of months - which resulted in a few pounds over an 8 week period that I hadn't even realized I'd lost.  So, in the last 2-3 months I've lost 14 lbs.  It's not that much, but it's a huge start, considering I've not really stuck with a concerted effort long enough to make a difference before.  And the big thing for me is that I'm probably at the lowest I've been in the last 6 years. 

All of that to say, I'll be posting a few more salad recipes and a couple of shake recipes.  Might seem weird considering what I normally post.

Also, if I continue to lose weight I'll get to post about it.  If I don't, I probaby won't!

Ah, Nursing

So, with Christopher's 10-month anniversary just around the corner, I've started thinking about weaning. Yes, I'm still breastfeeding. I've breastfed each of my babies right up until their first birthday's. So, this is the last couple of months of the fourth year that I've spent breastfeeding - not consecutively, thank goodness. And it's gotten me thinking. About all of the wonderful things about nursing and all of the frustrating.

Nursing in public. (sorry, but) Sore nipples. Bras. I hate bras while I'm nursing! Unexpected visitors in the middle of the afternoon send me running for my bedroom! TEETHING. Nursing makes me tired. I don't know if it's the hormones or the drain on my body - probably both. But, I have an energy boost when I'm finished. Exposing my back, side and sometimes my gut 4-6 times a day. And the diet restrictions. I'm not the type of person to add jalopenos or tobasco to everything. But three of my babies have been extremely sensitive. Tomatoes, beans, chili powder, almonds, garlic, onions - my diet has had to be pretty bland. I had no idea how many recipes I had that were just a little too spicy. I will be glad to be free to have two cups of coffee. Two of my babies would not take a bottle no matter what was in it, so the ability to go for an extended period of time when necessary will be nice.

Now, the things that I will miss... Those chubby hands on my skin. The way his eyes roll back in his head when he's tired and hungry and it's just so comforting and it must just taste so good. Those moments when our eyes lock and we share that precious bond. The ability to comfort when nothing else will. Holding him close. The ability to take off with baby and have the nourishment he needs ready to go without preparation. And, let's face it, sometimes it's nice that I'm the only one he wants because it's time to eat!

I've had many ask me lately how I feel about being so close to being finished. It's bittersweet. No matter how you look at it, by the end of a year I'm ready to be finished. But, the prospect of being finished for good seems awfully sad. I can't say that I'll ever regret it. 

strawberry poppyseed salad

If you're eating salads a lot - which I have, lately - it's nice to have a lot of recipes to choose from.  This is my rendition of the salad at Panera (love that place!).

Strawberry Poppyseed Salad

2 heads romaine lettuce
1/2 cup blueberries
8 oz. quartered strawberries

1 cup cubed pineapple

1 small can mandarin oranges drained
Poppyseed Dressing

Clean and cut/tear up lettuce, add fruit and top with dressing - enjoy!

Birthday Invitations This Year

Slow-Cooker Swiss Steak

1 1/2 lbs round steak, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 (8 oz) pkg sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup sliced onion
1 cup sliced celery
1 T minced garlic
1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 (.87 oz)pkg brown gravy mix
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground black pepper

In a 4-6 qt slow cooker, combine steak, mushrooms, onion, celery, and garlic.
In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, tomato sauce, 1/2 cup water, gravy mix, salt, andpepper. Pour over steak mixture. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Serve over mashed potatoes with a mixed green salad.

We loved this. It was so hardy! I cannot wait to serve this on a cold evening this fall. I also made rice a few days later and served it over that as leftovers. Also delish : )

Maryanna's Hannah Montana Cake/Birthday Party!

Look what I forgot to post!  My sweet girl had her 7th birthday back in June.  I canNOT believe it.

 

Hearty Meatless Taco Salad

1 head iceberg lettuce, torn into 1 inch pieces
1 head romaine lettuce, forn into 1 inch pieces
1 (15.5 oz) can chili beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.25 oz) can corn, drained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (8oz) pkg shredded Mexican Cheddar Jack cheese blend
1 tomato, diced
1 (9 1/4 oz) bag corn chips
Light Catalina salad dressing

In a large bowl, combine lettuces, chili beans, corn, black beans, cheese, and tomato.

Just before serving, add corn chips and desired amount of salad dressing; tossing gently to coat. Serve immediately with fresh orange wedges.

This was pretty good, although not unlike the salads we throw together around here all the time. I do recommend swapping the catalina for one of my new favorites - spicy ranch. No one tell me what that does to the carlorie count. I don't want to know.

Onion-Smothered Pork Tenderloin

2 T butter
2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
2 t minced garlic
1/2 cup beef consomme
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 T coarse-grained mustard
1 t crushed rosemary
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground black pepper
2 1/2 lbs pork tenderloins, trimmed

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 13x9 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until onion is tender. Remove from heat, and stir in consomme, cream, mustard, rosemary, salt, and pepper.

Place pork tenderloins in prepared baking dish. Pour onion mixture over tenderloins. Bake for 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 155. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Serve sliced pork with wild rice and steamed green beans.

There are so many things I did wrong on this recipe and it still came out delish. I substituted the pork for turkey tenderloin. I substituted the consomme for broth. And I substituted the coarse grained mustard for regular old ground mustard. Also, my rosemary wasn't crushed. Oh well. I'll be making this one again!

Orange-Tarragon Chicken

1 3/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3 breasts)
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
4 tbsps butter, divided
1 shallot, minced (I used a quarter of an onion)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 (16 oz) package linguine, cooked and kept warm

Cut chicken breasts in half cross-wise and pound to 1/4 inch thickness. sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add chicken breasts, in batches if necessary, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from skillet, and keep warm.

Melt remaining 2 tbsp butter in skillet. Add shallot, and cook for 1 minute. Add wine, and cook for 2 minutes, scraping browned bits from bottom of skillet with a wooden spoon. Add orange juice, cream, and tarragon. Return chicken to skillet, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened. Alice chicken. Serve over hot cooked linguine with steamed asparagus.

This was really yummy... the next day. It seemed a little bland the day of and then mouth-watering the next day as a leftover. Weird.

I Got New Dishes :)

Dishes are a lot like shoes, I think. I could have sets and sets of dishes. I just love them.

I first saw these at a friends house a few years back and just loved them. But, they're from Pottery Barn. Not so doable for me.

However, my wonderful mother babysat on Saturday night so The Man and I could go see the latest Harry Potter movie (no comments please : ). On the way home, we stopped at Wal-mart and....I found these. I now have 12 place settings! I'm so excited. I know, I should not be this excited about dishes. But I've been doing the mix-matched set for a long time and a lot of them wouldn't even go in the microwave.

And, btw, my mom, who is also a bit of a dish slut (sorry, Mom, but you know it's true), was almost as excited as I was when I got home : )

Christopher in the tub - 9 months at OneTrueMedia.com

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Jumping Jack's Sloppy Joes

2 lbs ground chuck
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopping celery
1T minced garlic
3 (8 oz( can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T firmly packed brown sugar
2 t yellow mustard
1 t ground black pepper
1/2 t salt
6 hamburger buns

In a large skillet, combine ground chuck, onion, celery, and garlic. Cook over meduim heat until beef is browned and crumbply; drain. return beef mixture to skillet.

Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mustard, pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve over hamburger buns with fries and pickle spears.

I have a sloppy joe recipe that works for me. It's a slow-cooker recipe that is just super-duper easy. Or uber easy. Whatever you prefer. However, if you want a really hearty sloppy joe recipe that will make plenty and makes you think of a filling fall meal, this is the recipe for you. i served it with sweet potato fries and salad rather than regular fries and a pickle (but, we were having company : )