This week's theme: How Do You Mend a Broken Heart

1. How did you cope with your biggest heartache?

I tend to cope with heartache in a not very healthy manner.  I usually try to suppress the thoughts/feelings as much as possible because then it hurts less.  Up until my dad passed away (5.5 years ago), my biggest heartache was the two times John and I broke up before finally getting engaged and married.  When those two heartaches happened, I cried a lot, sulked around and didn't eat.  I lost a lot of weight ... but, not in a good way.  Then when my dad died, I just tried not to think about it as much as possible, and never really grieved the proper way, I think.  It's not healthy, but it's how I do things.  :)

2. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?

Probably John a few years ago when he had his throat operated on.  He's been in the hospital since (and so have I), but he's not been admitted since then, just ER runs.

3. How many jobs have you held in your life? How many of those were part of your chosen career field?

Only two "real" jobs ... TJ Maxx and where I currently work, Dynalectric Company.  I've also had part-time and temp work in between the two.  Neither are in my "chosen career field" because I never really had one.  I've been thinking what I really want to do is get a nursing degree and then become specialized in Labor & Delivery/Postpartum, and maybe even become a certified LC, however, that will have to be put on the back burner for now as I have little ones to worry about. (Not to mention I have no clue where to even begin as far as GETTING the degree goes.) 

4. How did you discover Saturday 9?

From my friend, Danielle.  She first started this on her blog, and I quickly followed suit.  :)

5. If you could take the train from anywhere to anywhere, where would 'anywhere' be?

Either from DC (cause it's where I live) out west to California, or I'd go to New York and take it from there to California.  Either way I'd want to go cross country, so I could see more of the U.S.

6. When was the first time you cooked for someone else?

Oh, I can't remember.  I've been cooking since I was in my teens.  Nothing too difficult, but I can remember making different meals when I was much younger.

7. What is the worst beverage you've ever tasted?

Tomato juice.  Hands down the worst beverage on Earth!

8. Is there anything in life you are "certain" about? Firm in your beliefs? Strong in your convictions?

I have too many to bring up right now, but rest assured, I'm very firm in my beliefs!

9. Do you know anyone who has as very unusual pet?

No, thank goodness!

Light Fare!

A former friend of mine shared this recipe with me and I just love it!  It's meant to be for an appetizer or a side for a party or something like that, but I often make it on a Sunday and eat it all week long for lunch.  It's healthy, cheap and soooo good!

Chinese Chicken Salad

2 chicken breasts, boiled, cold and cubed
1 medium head of lettuce, broken up, rinsed and dried
1 medium sweet onion, minced
4 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (heat them up in a skillet and then transfer them out of the pan or they'll just keep cooking)
La Choy Chow Mein noodles

Mix in a jar or a shaker:
1 c vegetable oil
3/4 c apple cider vinegar
1/2 c sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons accent

Shake it up until the sugar dissolves, then pour over the salad and toss. If you're transporting it, pour the dressing before you're ready to serve instead, or the lettuce gets wilty.

Seafood Night!!

I've been having a lot of cravings lately for seafood soups, so I went on a hunt for a few different types. I found a really good and easy recipe for Crab and Corn Chowder, so decided we'd have a seafood night with the chowder and hush puppies as our meal. It was so yummy!!! The original recipe can be viewed here. I made a few adjustments to it, which I will note throughout the recipe, but the biggest one was that I added chopped up lobster as well. Double YUM!

Crab & Lobster Corn Chowder

1 russet potato, peeled and cubed
5 slices bacon, diced
* 2 tsp garlic powder
1 can (6 oz) crab meat, drained
2 lobster tails, chopped
1/2 tsp parsley flakes
2 tbsp butter
1/3 C all-purpose flour
1 cube chicken bouillon
1 1/2 C milk
1 (15 oz) can creamed corn
salt and pepper to taste

1. Wrap potato cubes in plastic wrap and microwave for 30 seconds.  Set aside.

2. In a saute pan, cook bacon over medium heat until heated through and add garlic powder.  Cook and stir.  Stir in crab meat and parsley flakes.  Set aside.

3.  Meanwhile, melt butter in a large stock pot over low heat.  Whisk in flour until mixture becomes creamy and takes on a eggshell color.  Continue to cook for a few more minutes, stirring occassionally.  Dissolve chicken bouillon in milk; when the flour mixture is crumbly, slowly whisk in milk.  Mix well in order to eliminate all lumps.

4.  When the mixture is creamy and hot, stir in bacon mixture, cubed potatoes and creamed corn.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 10 minutes.

Note: I didn't use the dry white wine, so I omitted it in the recipe above.  I think next time I'll try it with it, though.  Might make a difference.  :)

Hush Puppies

My friend, Stephanie, shared this recipe with me and we loved them!  The original recipe can be viewed here.

2 eggs, beaten
1/2 C white sugar
* 1 tsp. garlic powder
1 C self-rising flour
1 C self-rising cornmeal
1 quart oil for frying

1. In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, sugar and onion.  Blend in flour and cornmeal.

2. Heat 2 inches of oil to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).  Drop batter by rounded teaspoonfuls in hot oil, and fry until golden brown.  Cook in small batches to maintain oil temperature.  Drain briefly on paper towels.  Serve hot.

* means that I substituted this item in place of something in the original recipe.

Here is the finished product ....

We had french bread with it ... I highly recommend the Pillsbury French Bread Loaf in the refrigerator section at the grocery store.  So good!

Shepherd's Pie

I've been wanting to make this for a while now, but just never seem to have the time to do it. It went over really well and made LOTS of leftovers. You can add pretty much whatever you want. It just depends on what you like. This is just what *I* decided to use.

1 lb ground beef, browned
6-8 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in half
1 can yellow whole kernel corn, drained
2 pkg brown gravy
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Milk
Worcesterchire sauce
Emeril's Essence seasoning
Accent
Garlic Powder
salt to taste

Brown the ground beef in a skillet, season with worcestershire sauce, Emeril's Essence seasoning and accent. Drain and set aside.

Peel and boil the potatoes, drain, mash with a potato masher, add a little bit of milk until you get the consistencey you like and set aside.

Follow the directions on the package of gravy, set aside.

In a casserole dish, arrange everything in layers. The first layer is the ground beef, next is the can of corn (drained), then the gravy. Sprinkle the gravy with a little bit of garlic powder, then add the mashed potatoes, and finally sprinkle with the shredded cheese.

Bake on 350 for 10-12 minutes. Serves 10 people.

Here is what it looks like before it goes into be baked. (Don't mind the dish - it's not dirty, just some crap is caked into the glass.)

Finished product!

And here is a look at what the layers look like.

John and I both loved it so much we had seconds!  Jacob is a picky eater most of the time, so you can't really go off of him, but he did eat a little bit.  This is definitely something we'll have again!!

Let's Do 52 - Week 4

We're wrapping up week four of the Let's Do 52 project!  These themes were no easier than they were last week, but I still had fun taking pictures of the kids.  I swear ... one of these weeks I'm gonna have a picture to share that is NOT of my children.  Well, maybe ... they do make really cute subjects.  :)

Week Four (1/22 - 1/28): unexpected perspective or sparkle

Here are a few of Jacob with his shiny new SpongeBob lunch box!

Reading Corner ~ Book 1 of 12

I'm starting a new regular blog piece like my "Let's Do 52" and "Sunday Survey" ones.  This one I'll  be using to review all the books I read this year.  My goal was one book a month for the entire year, and so far I'm doing really good!  I just finished my first book, and I'm excited to move on to my second.

Summer at Willow Lake - by: Susan Wiggs



Camp Kioga means many things to many people. For Olivia Bellamy, whose family operated the camp in the Catskills, it's all about bad memories. Although she was just as rich as the other attendees, she was never as pretty or thin or self-assured. The only thing that kept her from being completely miserable was the arrival each summer of Connor Davis. For Connor, the camp took him away from a life far different than Olivia's and showed him how life could be. Connor and Olivia finally have a relationship, which seems to scar her heart. Years later, a slimmed-down, professional Olivia is asked by her grandmother to prepare the camp for her fiftieth wedding anniversary. Connor is still in the area, and as soon as she hires him to help with the project, feelings arise on both sides. How good is perennially popular Wiggs in her new romance? Superb. Wonderfully evoked characters, a spellbinding story line, and insights into the human condition will appeal to every reader. Maria Hatton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

This book is the first of eight (I believe there are eight) books in a series.  I really enjoyed reading this one.  It was a pretty easy read and pretty predictable, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.  I can't wait to move on to the rest of the books in the series, but they are going to be taking a back seat for right now because after my friend, Jessica, referred The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins to me, and then I had a number of other friends confirm just how good it really is, I'm gonna switch over and read the first book in the Hunger Games series.  :)

15 Months

Today was Henry's 15 month WBV. Here are his stats:

Height: 30.5 inches (50th%)

Weight: 24lbs 8oz (50th%)

Head Circ: 19.25 inches (90th%)

He also received three shots today. :( That's definitely my least favorite part of the WBVs. Poor little guy was running a low grade fever and so incredibly sad at bedtime. I rubbed his little arms, but it just made him cry. :(

I was told by one of the nurses today that he should be off his bottle by now, but that's just kind of too bad ... my baby, my decision. :) I don't buy that it's bad for their teeth and it's his comfort. He's still a baby for crying out loud. No way am I taking that away from him. I already made the decision to let him naturally wean from nursing and bottles (he weaned from nursing last month), and I'm not changing my mind.

The doctor was a bit concerned with his lack of speaking (he has a three word vocabulary) and thinks he should be evaluated in a month if he's not speaking more, but I, again, am just not that worried. He's 15 months old. He's already proving that he does things on his own terms and in his own time, so I really just think he's not ready to speak a lot yet. Jacob was close to two before his vocabulary ever increased from four words. So, I really feel that if by the time he's 18-24 months he's not speaking more, then I'll worry about it.

 

 

The other thing we were told to keep an eye on and bring him back if he doesn't start advancing soon was his following simple commands (like, bringing me his shoes) and knowing where/pointing to his body party. Again, I'm just not going to worry about this yet, either. I know Jacob was older than 15 months before he was doing either of these, and I was paying closer attention to him tonight ... he CAN follow simple instructions .... if he chooses to. He doesn't know his body parts yet, but he pays attention when we talk about them, so he'll get it sooner rather than later, I'm sure.

I guess the bottom line is ... always follow your mommy instinct first! That's what I do, anyway. :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's hard to believe my *baby* is already 15 months old.  Where does the time go?  It feels like only yesterday that we were welcoming him into our family!

Now, our big man is cruising all over the place!  He recently started walking unassisted and he's taking more and more steps every day.  I'd imagine that a month from now he'll be walking all over the place with no help whatsoever.

He's also waving "bye-bye" to us and giving "high-fives".  Oh, and he recently starting giving kisses!!  It's so adorable!

I'm also thinking our little guy is going to be a lefty when he grows up.  :)  This makes John happy as he's a lefty.  It's still too early to tell, but when he picks up a crayon or eating utensil, he'll pick it up with his right hand, but then switch it to his left and hold it the correct way.  If he holds it with his right hand, he can only hold it between the thumb and index finger with it pointing toward the ground.  I kind of think it'd be cool to have one righty (Jacob's a righty) and one lefty out of our kids!

Happy 15 Month Birthday, Henry!!  You are so loved!

I finally did it!

I finally took the iniative to join the gym!  I am so excited!  I already feel a lot better just by doing 30 minutes on the eliptical machine tonight.

Anyway, not a whole lot of depth to this post.  Just had to share my excitement!  It's Spunk Fitness in Sterling.  $20/month with a one year contract.  Unlimited tanning with that package, also, which was my selling point.  It was not busy at all, which I love!  The gym itself is brand new, too, which is awesome - brand new machines!

I do think I might have done a bit too much, too soon tonight as far as my foot/ankle goes (I'm still recovering from a very bad sprain), but no pain, no gain, right?!

Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu

I tried another pinterest recipe today, and it turned out really well.  Here is the original recipe.

Also, just a quick note ... if you don't have a slow cooker, you can bake this in the oven at 350 for 60 minutes or until chicken is tender when poked with a fork.

Ingredients:

• 4-6 Boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
• 4 to 6 slices Swiss or Provolone cheese
• 4 to 6 thin slices smoked ham
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup all-purpose flour to shake the chicken in 

Homemade Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups Cheddar, Swiss or Colby shredded cheese
• 1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
• 2 tablespoons butter or use 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon bacon grease (more is needed)
• 2 heaping tablespoons flour
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder or use sauteed onions instead (I didn't have onion powder, so I used garlic powder instead)
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (opt)
• 2 teaspoons white granulated sugar

Instructions for Preparing Chicken:

1. Place chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap. Using a mallet, pound each chicken breast to 1/4″ thickness. 
2. Season each piece of chicken with salt & pepper.
3. Place 1 cheese slice and 1 ham slice on each breast. (I would suggest using 2 slices of cheese to 1 slice of ham.  I only used 1 of each and didn't seem like it was enough cheese.)
4. Roll up each breast (tucking loose ends in if necessary) and using a toothpick, secure the ends.
5. Dredge each in flour & shake off any excess.

6. In a skillet, add a few tablespoons of oil and turn your heat to med/high. When the oil is hot, carefully place your chicken rolls in the skillet and brown both sides of the chicken until nice and golden brown.

Directions for Sauce:

• Over medium heat, melt butter and add the milk, whipping cream, chicken broth, salt, pepper, pepper flakes, onion powder and the sugar.
• Whisk together.
• Add the flour, and stir quickly until the roux is bubbly and smooth.
• Continue whisking over med. heat until it has thickened – about 10 minutes. Turn heat to low!
• Add the grated cheeses. (Cheddar, Colby, Swiss & Parmesan).
• Stir well until nice and smooth and creamy.

Note:  If the sauce seems a bit too thick after all the cheese has been added, simply add a bit of chicken broth or milk and stir well. This sauce should not be as thick as pancake batter. You will want it a bit thinner. If you want additional seasonings add them now.

Pour the sauce over top the browned chicken in the slow cooker and cover with a lid.

CAUTION: Every slow cooker – cooks differently! When the chicken is fork tender, and falls apart easily…it is done.
Approximate cooking time: Heat on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Stir sauce in slow cooker occasionally. 
Alternate sauce: If you don't want to do the homemade sauce, you can also use 2 cans of Cream of Mushroom soup and 1 can of milk together to take the place of the homemade sauce. I paired our Chicken Cordon Bleu with mashed potatoes (because I didn't want that yummy sauce going to waste) and green beans. So good!!!

Sunday Survey

I'm sitting here waiting for my chicken to thaw (new pinterest recipe to be posted tonight - stay tuned!), so I thought I'd go ahead and do my Sunday Survey ... ENJOY!

1. Do you live close to where you grew up? Why?

I do and I don't.  I grew up in four different towns and two different states, so not entirely do I live near where I grew up.  I do live close to where I was born and spent the first 7 or 8 years of my life (Leesburg, VA) and I also live relatively close to the next town we lived in (Warrenton, VA), but as for the other two (Connellsville, PA and Bethel Park, PA) - not so much.  And, I live here mainly because this is where my mom and step-dad live.  I sure wouldn't have looked at the map and chose this area of the US to live in and raise my family.  It's incredibly overcrowded and expensive to live here, but for the most part, it's a really lovely area!

2. Have you ever been so angry that you almost lost control?

Umm, sadly, this is something that happens on a regular basis.  I have a horrible bad temper.  It's something I strive every day to change, but of course fail miserably a lot of the time.  :-/

3. Are you a fan of a musical act that slightly embarrasses you?

I was a fan of boy bands back in the day, and that's kind of embarrassing to admit.  But, I'm not a fan of anyone now that would be embarrassing to me.

4. Is there a movie that always makes you cry?

Quite a few actually .... Dirty Dancing (which is my all-time favorite) and Titanic (which I already know the outcome from, so I don't know why it does, but it does) are two that come to mind right away.

5. Who is the most famous person that you've met?

Umm, I'm drawing a blank.  I don't think I've ever actually met a famous person.

6. Before you leave your home, what must you have?

Well, most of the time, my kids.  lol  But, my purse, phone, keys and wallet.

7. What do you miss the most about being a kid?

Having no responsibilities.  That was awesome!

8. Tell us about a passion of yours that your readers would not expect.

I kind of go through phases where I'm super passionate about one thing and then that changes.  Right now, blogging.  :)  And, reading ... super obsessed with that.  Add me on goodreads.com if you're on there!  And, trying new recipes ... I'm trying to try one new recipe a week, and so far I've been successful with that!

9. At what age do you think you'd be to think, “I've had a great run”?

Really old.  I don't want to think that until I'm almost dead, seriously.  I want to keep having "a great run" for as long as possible ... does that even make sense?  What kind of question IS that anyway?  lol

Let's Do 52 - Week 3

I really need to get better about these pics.  I know I'm no professional, but I feel like I could try harder.  I guess the important part is that by doing this I am at least taking more pics.  That was my main goal.  :)

Week Three (1/15 - 1/21): white space or everyday tools

This week I didn't really come across anything that fit either theme, nor could I come up with anything that seemed fitting, so I just took a picture of something that could very possibly become an "everyday tool".  hehe

My new babycakes cake pop maker that my dear friend, Jessica, got for me for my birthday!  We made funfetti cake pops (or donut holes cause we were too lazy to dip them in the chocolate) tonight and they were AWESOME!  I'm still planning to try the other way and see how they turn out, but I'm really enjoying my new gadget! :)

Date Night!

If I could give one piece of advice to parents who are about to go from one child to two, it would be to try to schedule some one-on-one time with each of your children.  They'll love having that one-on-one time and so will you, I promise!!

Last night I was supposed to have an impromptu date night with Jacob, but when we picked him up from daycare he wasn't feeling well, so he went home with Daddy to rest, and I had a date with my littlest man instead.  :)  This was the *first* date Henry and I have ever had, and it was so much fun!

We went to Walmart to pick up a few items, and then to dinner at Friendlys.  He was a hit flirting with the waitress, and talking to all the staff members.  Too cute!  I also was able to give him a lot of undivided attention and it was almost like I was seeing him in a whole new light.  He's doing things and comprehending so much more than I knew!  He'd hand me a crayon and push the coloring sheet over to me trying to tell me he wanted me to color with him.  So ... we did!  I'm also thinking he's going to be a lefty.  Jacob has always shown that he was going to be a righty, and he is, or at least I'm fairly certain he will be once he starts writing.  He colors with his right hand now.  Anyway, back to Henry ... he picks crayons up with both hands, but with his left hand he can hold it like you would hold a pencil.  With his right hand he holds it between his thumb and fore finger and it just points straight down.  It's pretty obvious his left hand is the more dominant of the two.  I think it'll be kind of cool having one righty child and one lefty! 

After dinner we went to where I get my hair done because I needed a trim.  My mom and step-dad met us there.  As my mom was getting her hair trimmed first, I chased Henry up and down the halls.  He was so cute about it!  He'd take off down the hall and then halfway down he'd stop and turn around and wave to me to continue chasing him.  It was so sweet!

As much as I was sad to not have my date night with Jacob, I was very thankful for my date with Henry!  I'm planning to still fit in Jacob's date this Sunday when I go shopping with my mom.  He'll enjoy getting to go with me for that one, I'm sure!  And, I don't have a picture of Henry from our date, but here is a recent one of his from last weekend.  :)

Sunday Survey

This week's survey theme is: I Know I'm Losing You

And here go the questions ...

1. Have you ever still been in a relationship that you knew was ending, but you hung in with it anyway? If yes, why?
Nope.  Not really .. John was my first real relationship and even though we broke up twice in the past (before we were engaged and married), I'd say we're stronger than ever, and I don't ever forsee our relationship ending.  :)

2. Tell why people around the world should be completely enthralled by you.
I don't really think people SHOULD be enthralled with me.  That's the low self-esteem talking.  :)
3. Other than where you live, what's your favorite city and why?
Charleston, SC - I would move there in a New York minute, for sure!  It's beautiful, historic ... beautiful.  What's not to love?!
4. What is something you are really passionate about?
Being a mom and wife.  I know it sounds corny, but it's basically all I've ever wanted out of life, so I'm very happy to be married to a wonderful man, and to have two crazy boys to love and raise!
5. What has been your most exciting prize that you've won?
I don't think I've ever really won a prize.
6. Do you think there was there a second gunman behind the grassy knoll?
One will never know ... that's one of life's greatest mysteries!
7. What was the silliest, most fun, crazy or impractical gift that you received?
I can't really think of anything imparticular.  I usually get a lot of gadgety/knick-knack type items from my mom, but I always manage to find a place or way to use them.
8. What was the most practical gift that you received?
I've received MANY pracitical gifts over the year.  Too many to count.  I think most recently it would be my Kindle Fire.  It serves all my technological needs.  I can read on it, play games (Words with Friends, anyone?), surf the web, listen to music and the list goes on and on.  I love that thing and use it pretty much every day!
9. What blogger has been in your blogroll the longest? How did you discover them?
I can't remember, but I *think* it would be A Little Dose of Crazy .. my friend, Erin.  And, I didn't really "discover" her blog.  We were just talking about blogs one day and it came up, and so we swapped blog URLs.  :)

Let's Do 52 - Week 2

This week's themes seemed to be more difficult and therefore I don't think I did a very good job, but I have two pics to post, nonetheless.

Week 2 (January 8th - January 14th): Responsibility or Open

Henry with his eyes half-opened (almost sleeping, lol) with his cup of juice. (I know, I'm reaching here.)

Playing with the Fisher Price Laugh and Learn mailbox ... and of course it's open. :)

Yeah, I really reached far for these this week, but nonetheless ... my goal was to just take more pics.  Enjoy!

We're going "green"!!!

I'm very excited about this!  When Jacob was a baby, I tried cloth diapering and it worked for awhile, but after Henry came along I just didn't have the time or energy to deal with it anymore.  But, I'm super excited because we just switched from paper napkins (and soon paper towels) to cloth!  YAY!!  My sweet friend, Rachel, has her own etsy shop, This Cloth House, which is where I ordered my cloth napkins from.  If you're in the market for switching to cloth, check out her store.  There are some super cute prints and really affordable prices!!  I ordered red with black trim for the adults in our house to use as red and black are our colors in the dining room and kitchen, and then some really cute sport print ones for the boys to use.  I can't wait until I place my next order in a few weeks ... we'll be moving onto unpaper towels!!

 

Homemade Play-Doh!!!

I signed up to make play-doh for Jacob's school for the month of January. But, he was out last Tuesday because we were in PA still from the holiday, and then last Thursday he was out because I couldn't get down the stairs to take him to school because of my sprained ankle, so he just went back to school after Christmas TODAY.  Anyway, I made the play-doh last night, and it was SO easy and turned out so nice that I just had to share the recipe.  And, FYI ... the recipe is non-toxic.  I'm sure it wouldn't taste good if you ate it, but all of the ingredients are safe if ingested.

Ingredients:

1 C flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 C salt
1 C water
1 tbsp vegetable oil
approximately 15 drops of food coloring (this I doubled to 30 drops just to make sure it was a darker blue)

Instructions:

1. Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately.
2. Combine ingredients in saucepan over low heat 4 to 5 minutes, stirring vigorously until mixture forms a ball.
3. Remove dough from saucepan and let stand for 5 minutes.
4. Knead dough about 30 seconds or until smooth and blended.  Cool completely.  Store in airtight container.  ENJOY!!

After we go through all the play-doh Jacob got for Christmas, we'll be making our own from then on.  :)

Crockpots are my best friend ...

And, they can be yours too!  If you're like me ... a busy, working mom, you don't have a lot of time for preparing meals.  Usually the deal in our house is that whoever cooks doesn't have to clean up, so most of the time John cooks dinner. But, I'm a fairly decent cook and I do enjoy cooking, so I've been trying to find some easy to prepare meals for during the week.  This particular recipe I found on pinterest (one of my favorite websites) this past week, and it's the first that I've found on there that I'm actually trying.  I do have to say it turned out amazing!  Even my picky, would-eat-chicken-nuggets-7-days-a-week 3 year old loved it.  We'll definitely be adding this one into our meal rotation!!

Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings

#ratingval# from #reviews# reviews

Print

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
1 can low-sodium chicken broth
1 onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 package of Grand’s Jr. Flaky Biscuits (it’s a small can with only 5 biscuits)

Instructions:

In the bowl of the slow cooker place the chicken, soup, broth, onion, and all spices/herbs. Cook on high for 4-5 hours.

Remove chicken and shred. Place back in the crock pot.

Cut each biscuit into 5 pieces and place in the crock pot. Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour longer (cook longer for less doughy dumplings.

* Note: I omitted the onions (because John doesn't like them) and the cayenne (because I didn't have any and I couldn't find it at the store).  It was still amazing! 

Sunday Survey

Getting back into the survey a week thing, too.  And, just for reference or in case anyone wants to do their own survey, I get them at the Saturday Nine blog.

Nobody Told Me

1. When you grew up were you ever told how to deal with problems?

When a problem came up, I was taught how to handle that situation, yes.
2. What was your first apartment like?

2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, living room and eat-in kitchen.  It was small and in an OLD building, but it was pretty good for a first apartment and it was just the two of us living there.
3. What was the first car you owned?

The one I have right now ... a 2005 Hyundai Accent
4. Tell us about a crush or relationship that you had at high school.

I actually didn't have a relationship in high school, and I'm sure I had crushes, but no one that I really remember.
5. Have you ever had an “enemy” in your life?

I don't really have any enemies, at all.  But, I do have people that I know that are definitely not my friend, and those people aren't in my life anymore.
6. What were you doing the first night that you got drunk?

I believe I was at a party, but that was a long time ago ... and, I don't remember.  ;)
7. Ten years ago, what was you job and did you like it?

January, 2002 - I was working in a call center ... and, no I did NOT like it.
8. What movie had the biggest impact on you as a child and why?

I'm having a hard time thinking of one!  I remember The Wizard of Oz was my favorite, but I don't think I ever had a movie have a big impact on me!
9. What are your plans for this weekend?

Our plans for the weekend *were* ... nothing.  haha  We didn't have plans, really, but I had a list a mile long.  We got up on Saturday and I did a few things around the house.  Went to a friend's house who I am animal sitting for to check on her furbabies and then headed to BJ's to stock up on groceries (I love shopping in bulk!).  Went to Target to get the last of my organizational supplies for finishing up the toys (see my last post), came home and put the cubicle shelf together, and organized the last of the toys.  My friend, Jessica, came over the hang out with us ... I always love having her over! And, she spent the night, so this morning we just hung out and I did a few things around the house.  Then I went to the Outlet Mall with Jacob and my mom to return/exchange a top at Old Navy and went to the grocery store.  Came home and watched a very upsetting football game (Oh well .. next year!), went to check on the furbabies again, came home to do baths and bed, and now here we are hanging out on the couch! :)  See ... nothing exciting.  lol

Getting Organized for the New Year!!

I've become slightly OCD lately with organizing and getting rid of stuff around the house.  I recently bagged up some toys that never get played with to donate to daycare.  At least they'll get some use out of them there.  I've also grown very fond of the cubicle shelves you can buy at Walmart or Target.  I HIGHLY recommend them for organizing pretty much anything in your house.  I use them for toys right now, but as soon as the kids are old enough that they don't have a ton of toys like this, I'll use them in other areas of the home.  You can sometimes find them on sale for about $40 each, but I couldn't wait for that, so I paid $52 a piece for them and the bins were about $6 each.  There are a ton of colors that the bins come in, but I went with matching primary colors since one day these, along with every other toy they own, will hopefully be in a playroom instead of scattered all around the house!  I wish I had taken a "before" shot, but alas ... I forgot.  Here are some "after" shots of the downstairs toys. 

This is where we keep all the wooden toys and play food, mainly.  I threw a few other big toys in there just so they had a place to go.

This is really just a bunch of miscellaneous stuff that had no where to go, but with the look of the cubicle shelves, it's at least displayed in a nice way. (Have I mentioned how in love with these shelves, I am?!)

Here's Jacob's new batcave that he got at Nana's and Pap's ... he's in love!! And, this is where we keep all the Little People toys, for the most part.  There are a few miscellaenous toys thrown in there.

And, this is the last of the downstairs toys that really had no where to go. We're, unfortunately, out of room downstairs, so I won't be getting a 4th cubicle shelf, though I wish I could!

And, just while I'm doing the post ... there is more.  These kids are truly spoiled and aren't in need of anything.  I could probably run a daycare with the amount of toys they have.  Upstairs in Jacob's room there are more toys.  I only have a picture of his new 3 story firehouse that Santa brought (to Gee's and Pap's house).

Then in the loft upstairs I sort of turned it into a mini-playroom.  They have a TV up there, but it's not hooked up to cable, so Jacob can play games on it or they can watch movies.  In the foreground there is their easel.

Let's Do 52 - 2012: Week 1

So, this year I'm going to try to keep up with the Let's Do 52 project, and since I'm starting from week one, I have a good feeling that I should be able to do that!  If you'd like to start your own Let's Do 52 project, you can visit the Paint the Moon blog to follow along here or click on the PTM button just to the right of my blog.

Week One (January 1st - 7th): Sharing or Natural

Henry and Jacob sharing a bowl of cheerios.  :)

2012 Resolutions/Goals

I don't really like to make resolutions as I don't usually follow through with them, but I have a little mental list of goals I've set for myself for 2012.  If I can accomplish at least three of these by the end of the year, I'll be so incredibly proud of myself!

1) Wish every Facebook friend a Happy Birthday this year. (It sounds silly, but I feel bad when I miss one.)

2) Start eating more heatlhy and get in shape.

3) I'd like to attend church at least 50% of the year.

4) Read one book a month.

5) Swear a LOT less.

6) Control my temper a lot more.

Ok, so I have 6 things that I'd like to accomplish ... let's see if I can do at least 3 of these things!

Happy New Year!!!

I hope everyone had as awesome of a Christmas as I did with my family!

This year was amazing for many reasons, but mainly it was made so special because of Jacob.  I love seeing things through my children's eyes. We started our Elf on the Shelf family tradition this year.  Jacob named him Hector with a little help from daddy.  He was actually a little sad to see Hector go (as was I!) on Christmas Eve.  We can't wait for him to come back again next year.  Here is a picture of Hector just hanging out on our chandelier ...

Christmas Eve was the cutest this year because Jacob is old enough now to "get" Santa Claus.  After an evening spent hanging out at home with me, Daddy, Henry, Gee and Pap; we set out some cookies and milk for Santa, and carrots for the reindeer, and sent Jacob to bed.  I went upstairs for something around 10:30 (an hour and a half after we put him in bed) and he was still  up wanting to know if Santa had come yet.  So cute! I reassured him that he would be coming just as soon as Jacob went to sleep.  When we went to bed at 11, he was sound asleep.  :)  John woke up around 2 to go to the bathroom and when he was on his way back to bed, we hear Jacob saying "Did Santa come?" We tucked him back in and told him he'd be coming sometime through the night.  Around 7 AM Henry woke up, so we were all up for the day ... Jacob jumped out of bed and said "DID SANTA COME?!?!"  He was so cute about the whole thing.  We got everyone out of bed and down the steps we went.  We came around the corner and Jacob's eyes were huge "LOOK AT ALL THOSE TOYS!" he shouted.  He was so excited!  It just made me feel like a kid again.  This is what he saw ..

We spent the day opening presents from Santa, mommy and daddy, and Gee and Pap, had a yummy dinner, and just generally enjoyed each other's company.  The kids got more than they knew what to do with.  They seemed a bit overwhelmed.  I really need to learn to turn it down a notch, but I just love Christmas and gift-giving so much, I don't really know when to stop!

I got my beloved Kindle Fire (thanks honey!) that I am totally in love with!  My mom and step-dad got me a ton of clothes and some new pieces to go with my Christmas village.  And, the kids got me a new Coach bag as well as a new charm for my pandora bracelet.  I feel totally 100% spoiled!!

John got his iPad from me and a remote control helicopter from the kids.  And, my parents got him a really nice Steeler hoodie and a bluetooth keyboard case for his iPad.  He was spoiled also!!

For New Year's we had planned to go to PA for visit John's family and my sister and brother-in-law.  I was so excited!!  We hadn't been up there since September!  We got up there on Friday night ... On Saturday we didn't do a lot.  Just hung around the house taking it easy.  Saturday night we went to a kid-friendly party at our friends' house.  It was so much fun!!!  I love going to parties like these, especially at their house!  The kids did amazing, too, for the fact that Jacob didn't take a nap all day, and Henry had been up from his nap since 4:30 PM ... they were both able to make it to midnight with NO problems.  So impressed!  I was pretty paranoid about driving home so late with them on NYE, but we did it anyway and had no problems.  The kids fell asleep, though, of course, so the plan was the carry them in and just put them to bed.  In the transfer, Jacob woke up and started screaming and kicking me, so I put him down and took the few things I had in my arms in to the house.  When I came back out to get him, he had run halfway down the block screaming he was SO mad (this is why I try very hard to go NO WHERE if I think he might fall asleep).  My mother-in-law had him, but he was kicking her too, so I took him from her and was carrying him downstairs to put him to bed (our room we sleep in is in the basement at their house) when I tripped on one of his flailing legs and fell down the last 4 or so steps, twisted both ankles and I think sprained the one.  I've never been in so much pain.  I'm pretty sure having my babies didn't hurt that bad!  Plus I couldn't walk on EITHER foot for a good day after it happened.  My right foot seems to be better now, but it's still very hard to get around on the left foot.  I spent the next couple of days just laying around and doing as little as possible.  My husband, mother-in-law and sister-in-law were amazing with all the help they gave me.  I really truly appreciate it!!

Anyway, that was our holiday week in a nutshell.  We had an amazing holiday season this year and I hope everyone else did as well!