I wanted to post an update on how we are doing for the month. we are at a midpoint in our grocery monthly menu and I went to the grocery store yesterday for the first time since my big spree. I purchased necessities that we needed--milk, coffee creamer, salad, tomatoes and a few other things that have come up. Last night we went out to eat with another family! This wasn't planned, but I still have the meal to bump to next week or I may use it for lunch tomorrow.
How are you doing on your stock in the pantry and freezer?
Stay cool out there!
Jenny
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
More July Recipes
This past weekend the Frozen S'mores were put to the test. They passed! On the first tasting Brady said "mom this is the best thing ever!" As my heart overflowed with joy, I still felt they could be better. They needed more chocolate to them. On Sunday afternoon, I melted a bag of milk chocolate chips (I always have chocolate chips in my pantry, you never know when you need them) and added a little vegetable oil to thin it out a bit. Then, I dipped each frozen s'more into the milk chocolate, laid them on wax paper and back to the freezer. Yesterday afternoon we went to a pool party. The newly created "Chocolate Dipped Frozen S'mores" were a hit! The chocolate smeared fingers, faces and bright smiles proved it. This is one recipe I will be making over and over again, dipped in chocolate of course.
Yesterday I attempted my first ever kabobs. It was a suggestion from a friend that her kids love them, thanks Karen. While digging through my Paula magazines, I found a Lime Chicken and Shrimp Kabobs recipe. I must omit the shrimp since Anna has a severe allergy. I added the ingredients to my shopping list and grilled these up last night. Very tasty! Another great recipe to do again.
Lime Chicken Kabobs
3/4 cup veg oil
juice of 3 limes
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 crushed red pepper (i didn't have any and thought it might be too hot for the kids)
1 red bell pepper and 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 16 oz. can pineapple rings, drained, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
(if you want to add shrimp, 1/2 lb. large fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined)
In a small bowl, combine oil, lime juice, vinegar, sugar, and crushed red pepper. In a dish or plastic bag, throw in the bell pepper, onion, pineapple, chicken (and shrimp). Pour lime mixture over chicken mixture. Cover and seal and marinate in refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours.
Remove chicken from marinate and thread ingredients onto kabob sticks. Grill covered for 15 to 20 minutes, or until done, turning occasionally.
*Since I didn't use the shrimp, I added a green bell pepper. I didn't think one red bell pepper was enough. I dumped all the ingredients into a ziploc bag, dumped the marinade on top, sealed bag and then toss around to coat all the ingredients well. I also like to turn and toss the bag during the marinating process when its in the refrigerator, just to help everything evenly coat.
Sausage and Pepper Pasta
1 tbsp veg oil
1 14 oz pkg beef smoked sausage, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp Creole seasoning
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 16 oz pkg penne pasta, cooked and kept warm
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage, and cook about 6 minutes stirring frequently or until sausage is browned. Add peppers, onion and garlic; cook for 6 to 8 minutes or I cook until my veggies are tender the way we like them.
Stir in crushed tomatoes, creole seasoning, red pepper and salt. Turn down to medium heat and cook about 5 more minutes or until cooked through. Add cooked pasta, tossing gently to coat. Serve immediately.
My kids love this! I usually serve with corn on the cob and some toasted bread. Usually I still have fresh salad, so I'll throw that in. This is a quick and tasty meal! Oh and yes, this is from one of my Paula magazines. love her.
--I'll go out of order and post a requested recipe that just dawned on me...the Chicken Club Tacos. Chris and I used to frequently eat at Chili's after we had our 2nd child. It was close to the house and we received several gift cards there after we had her. By the way, I loved the restaurant gift cards for baby gifts! One night I saw this on the menu and tried them out. I realized quickly that these could easily be duplicated at home and enjoyed anytime. So, here's what we came up with.
Chicken Club Tacos
about 4 Grilled Chicken breasts--I use whatever I have...house seasoned chicken breasts, canned chicken breasts (seasoned well) or even chicken fajita meat.
lettuce
shredded cheese
ranch dressing
bacon bits--please no imitation in this house. I either make them homemade or use the REAL bacon bits that comes in the big bag at Sam's. I love those, very quick and tasty.
flour tortillas
lots of options: chopped onion, garlic, chives, cilantro, diced tomatoes
Cut up your chicken breasts, grill them up. If I have time I usually throw in some chopped onion (and garlic) with a little butter or EVOO with my chicken breasts. Warm up your tortillas. Then build your own tacos. In each tortilla put some chicken, shredded lettuce, cheese, bacon and ranch like a club sandwich. Wrap it up and enjoy! Like I said, you can get creative and add many options to suit your family's tastes. The next time you go to Chili's, try out their version. PS...NOT a Paula recipe. maybe I should send this to her.
With this I usually serve my black beans. I dump a can of black beans and a can of rotel together. Simmer in a small pot. These are yummy added to your tacos or dip your chips in them! My kids have a hard time NOT making a mess during this meal. If I have time, I take some of the chicken and cheese and make them quesadillas with it. It's easier for them to eat without all the mess.
The kids are still sleeping and the laundry is still going so let me try to type out one more...
Another requested recipe...hamburger steak. This yet again, is from a Paula magazine. It is the BEST recipe I've found for this dish. It's tasty and easy. Best of all, everyone in my house eats this up!
Hamburger Steak
1 1/2 lb ground beef
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp minced fresh parsley (i never use this, or just the dried)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 8 oz pkg. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 10.5 oz. can beef consomme
1 cup beef broth
1 pkg brown gravy mix
Hot cooked egg noodles or rice or mashed potatoes to be served with the steaks
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, worchestershire, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Shape into patties, about 5 or so 1/2 in thick.
Heat a large skillet over medium to high heat. Add beef patties and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side or until browned. Remove from skillet and set aside. Drain skillet reserving 1 tbsp skillet drippings.
In the same skillet, heat reserved drippings over med to high heat. Throw in mushrooms and onions, cook stirring frequently for 5 to 6 minutes or until tender. Return beef patties to skillet.
In a small bowl combine consomme, broth and gravy mix; add to the skillet. Bring to a boil over med to high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until patties are cooked through and sauce is thickened. Serve immediately over your starch of choice! :)
Yesterday I attempted my first ever kabobs. It was a suggestion from a friend that her kids love them, thanks Karen. While digging through my Paula magazines, I found a Lime Chicken and Shrimp Kabobs recipe. I must omit the shrimp since Anna has a severe allergy. I added the ingredients to my shopping list and grilled these up last night. Very tasty! Another great recipe to do again.
Lime Chicken Kabobs
3/4 cup veg oil
juice of 3 limes
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 crushed red pepper (i didn't have any and thought it might be too hot for the kids)
1 red bell pepper and 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 16 oz. can pineapple rings, drained, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
(if you want to add shrimp, 1/2 lb. large fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined)
In a small bowl, combine oil, lime juice, vinegar, sugar, and crushed red pepper. In a dish or plastic bag, throw in the bell pepper, onion, pineapple, chicken (and shrimp). Pour lime mixture over chicken mixture. Cover and seal and marinate in refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours.
Remove chicken from marinate and thread ingredients onto kabob sticks. Grill covered for 15 to 20 minutes, or until done, turning occasionally.
*Since I didn't use the shrimp, I added a green bell pepper. I didn't think one red bell pepper was enough. I dumped all the ingredients into a ziploc bag, dumped the marinade on top, sealed bag and then toss around to coat all the ingredients well. I also like to turn and toss the bag during the marinating process when its in the refrigerator, just to help everything evenly coat.
Sausage and Pepper Pasta
1 tbsp veg oil
1 14 oz pkg beef smoked sausage, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp Creole seasoning
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 16 oz pkg penne pasta, cooked and kept warm
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage, and cook about 6 minutes stirring frequently or until sausage is browned. Add peppers, onion and garlic; cook for 6 to 8 minutes or I cook until my veggies are tender the way we like them.
Stir in crushed tomatoes, creole seasoning, red pepper and salt. Turn down to medium heat and cook about 5 more minutes or until cooked through. Add cooked pasta, tossing gently to coat. Serve immediately.
My kids love this! I usually serve with corn on the cob and some toasted bread. Usually I still have fresh salad, so I'll throw that in. This is a quick and tasty meal! Oh and yes, this is from one of my Paula magazines. love her.
--I'll go out of order and post a requested recipe that just dawned on me...the Chicken Club Tacos. Chris and I used to frequently eat at Chili's after we had our 2nd child. It was close to the house and we received several gift cards there after we had her. By the way, I loved the restaurant gift cards for baby gifts! One night I saw this on the menu and tried them out. I realized quickly that these could easily be duplicated at home and enjoyed anytime. So, here's what we came up with.
Chicken Club Tacos
about 4 Grilled Chicken breasts--I use whatever I have...house seasoned chicken breasts, canned chicken breasts (seasoned well) or even chicken fajita meat.
lettuce
shredded cheese
ranch dressing
bacon bits--please no imitation in this house. I either make them homemade or use the REAL bacon bits that comes in the big bag at Sam's. I love those, very quick and tasty.
flour tortillas
lots of options: chopped onion, garlic, chives, cilantro, diced tomatoes
Cut up your chicken breasts, grill them up. If I have time I usually throw in some chopped onion (and garlic) with a little butter or EVOO with my chicken breasts. Warm up your tortillas. Then build your own tacos. In each tortilla put some chicken, shredded lettuce, cheese, bacon and ranch like a club sandwich. Wrap it up and enjoy! Like I said, you can get creative and add many options to suit your family's tastes. The next time you go to Chili's, try out their version. PS...NOT a Paula recipe. maybe I should send this to her.
With this I usually serve my black beans. I dump a can of black beans and a can of rotel together. Simmer in a small pot. These are yummy added to your tacos or dip your chips in them! My kids have a hard time NOT making a mess during this meal. If I have time, I take some of the chicken and cheese and make them quesadillas with it. It's easier for them to eat without all the mess.
The kids are still sleeping and the laundry is still going so let me try to type out one more...
Another requested recipe...hamburger steak. This yet again, is from a Paula magazine. It is the BEST recipe I've found for this dish. It's tasty and easy. Best of all, everyone in my house eats this up!
Hamburger Steak
1 1/2 lb ground beef
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp minced fresh parsley (i never use this, or just the dried)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 8 oz pkg. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 10.5 oz. can beef consomme
1 cup beef broth
1 pkg brown gravy mix
Hot cooked egg noodles or rice or mashed potatoes to be served with the steaks
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, worchestershire, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Shape into patties, about 5 or so 1/2 in thick.
Heat a large skillet over medium to high heat. Add beef patties and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side or until browned. Remove from skillet and set aside. Drain skillet reserving 1 tbsp skillet drippings.
In the same skillet, heat reserved drippings over med to high heat. Throw in mushrooms and onions, cook stirring frequently for 5 to 6 minutes or until tender. Return beef patties to skillet.
In a small bowl combine consomme, broth and gravy mix; add to the skillet. Bring to a boil over med to high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until patties are cooked through and sauce is thickened. Serve immediately over your starch of choice! :)
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Recipes for July
So those of my friends on facebook have requested some recipes. I will begin posting them here for anyone to access. Hope these are helpful.
Southwest Chicken
4-6 chicken breasts flattened
6-10 bacon strips
some shredded cheddar cheese or whatever you have in the fridge
BBQ sauce
house seasoning*
Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 9x13 pan. Season chicken breasts with house seasoning. Place in pan. Take a slice of bacon (sometimes I cut one slice in half depending on how long the bacon is) and make an X shape on each chicken breast. Put in oven about 35 minutes. Take chicken out and baste or pour some BBQ sauce on each chicken breast, then top with the cheese. Put back in the oven 10 more minutes or until it looks done to your satisfaction--that's how I roll. If you'd like, the last 5-10 minutes you can broil it to crisp the bacon a little more.
*House Seasoning
This is straight up Paula Deen recipe from her very first cookbook, The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook. If you've ever watched her show, she uses it nearly every time she cooks. About 5 or 6 years ago, I mixed up a batch and leave it in on the counter. I uses it on just about anything. We love it.
*Mix 1 cup salt, 1/4 cup black pepper and 1/4 cup garlic powder. Mix well. Store in an air-tight container or in a shaker.
Swiss Steak
This recipe varies for me depending on what I have time to do. Anyway I prepare it, it's still good. This original recipe is from the above named Paula cookbook. Of course, I've tweaked it and change it to suit our taste. Have fun with this one.
1 round steak--about 1 1/2 lbs. (since all of my children eat this, in order to have leftovers, I usally do about 2 to 3 lbs round steak)
House Seasoning
flour for dusting
1/3 c. vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed (I just use the refrigerated chopped garlic)
1 14 1/2 oz. diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped or cut in strips
1 medium bell pepper, cut in strips (I always use at least 2 bell peppers, we love them)
-Beef bouillon granules
Cut your steak into serving pieces and season with House Seasoning. Dust meat with the flour. In a skillet, add the vegetable oil (if it's a morning rush, I skip this step and just brown my steaks) and brown steaks on both sides. Place steaks in sprayed or lined crock pot. In a big bowl, combine garlic, tomatoes, onion and bell pepper. Then, add one tomato can measure of water. (This is where I alter her recipe some more. I usually add a few teaspoons of beef broth granules to the crock pot to give the water more flavor.) Pour over the steak and cover with a lid. I usually set this to low for 6 or 8 hours.
When we get home, I cook up some rice. I usually have this meal early in the month because I just shopped at the store. This ensures my bell peppers are still fresh and I usually still have some salad left for a side dish. This meal is very tasty with a big spoonful of white rice with steak, bell pepper, onions and tomatoes to top it off. Mmmm...family favorite!
Chicken and Rice Casserole
again, another family favorite that is yummy and from the same Paula cookbook.
3 c. diced cooked chicken
1 med. onion, diced and sauteed
1 8 oz. can water chestnuts, drained and chopped (I NEVER use these!)
2-14 1/2 oz. cans french green beans, rinsed and drained
1-4 oz. can pimentos, rinsed and drained
1-10 3/4 oz. can condensed cream of celery soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1-6 oz. box Uncle Ben's long-grain and wild rice, cooked according to package (they sell a Fast Cook type, I keep at least 3 of these in the pantry...good fast, quick side)
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese--I use whatever shredded cheese I have
Preheat oven to 300. In a BIG bowl, mix everything together and dump into a 3-quart (or 9x13 pan). Bake for 25 minutes.
This couldn't be easier.
**Here are my variations--I usually use 2 of the canned chicken breast from Sam's to save on time. In a skillet, I put some butter or EVOO (do you know Rachel Ray?) I throw in my onions and get them tender. Then, throw in the canned chicken with some House Seasoning. If I have time, I'll add a little of my frozen chicken broth (yes, I save all broths and freeze them to use whenever I need it) to flavor up the canned chicken. Once I get that good a seasoned together, I'll add it to the big bowl of ingredients. Stir together, dump in my pan. Then, if you really want to take it up a notch...top it with some more cheese and crushed Ritz crackers.
Frozen S'mores
I found this in a little cookbook I bought from a friend's daughter for a fundraiser. It's too hot for regular s'mores, so why not try these out. Just finished putting them in the freezer so we will see if they pass the family test tonight after supper.
2 cups whipped topping
1/2 c mini chocolate chips
2/3 c mini marshmallows
graham crackers
Mix the first 3 ingredients in a big bowl with a wooden or rubber spoon. Break crackers into squares. I used my big Pampered Chef scoop and dropped a spoonful on a cracker square. Topped with another cracker square, wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in big Tupperware container. I kept doing this until all the mixture was used. Place in freezer until frozen.
My thoughts: why not try using marshmallow cream instead of the marshmallows? We'll see how it turns out.
Southwest Chicken
4-6 chicken breasts flattened
6-10 bacon strips
some shredded cheddar cheese or whatever you have in the fridge
BBQ sauce
house seasoning*
Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 9x13 pan. Season chicken breasts with house seasoning. Place in pan. Take a slice of bacon (sometimes I cut one slice in half depending on how long the bacon is) and make an X shape on each chicken breast. Put in oven about 35 minutes. Take chicken out and baste or pour some BBQ sauce on each chicken breast, then top with the cheese. Put back in the oven 10 more minutes or until it looks done to your satisfaction--that's how I roll. If you'd like, the last 5-10 minutes you can broil it to crisp the bacon a little more.
*House Seasoning
This is straight up Paula Deen recipe from her very first cookbook, The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook. If you've ever watched her show, she uses it nearly every time she cooks. About 5 or 6 years ago, I mixed up a batch and leave it in on the counter. I uses it on just about anything. We love it.
*Mix 1 cup salt, 1/4 cup black pepper and 1/4 cup garlic powder. Mix well. Store in an air-tight container or in a shaker.
Swiss Steak
This recipe varies for me depending on what I have time to do. Anyway I prepare it, it's still good. This original recipe is from the above named Paula cookbook. Of course, I've tweaked it and change it to suit our taste. Have fun with this one.
1 round steak--about 1 1/2 lbs. (since all of my children eat this, in order to have leftovers, I usally do about 2 to 3 lbs round steak)
House Seasoning
flour for dusting
1/3 c. vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed (I just use the refrigerated chopped garlic)
1 14 1/2 oz. diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped or cut in strips
1 medium bell pepper, cut in strips (I always use at least 2 bell peppers, we love them)
-Beef bouillon granules
Cut your steak into serving pieces and season with House Seasoning. Dust meat with the flour. In a skillet, add the vegetable oil (if it's a morning rush, I skip this step and just brown my steaks) and brown steaks on both sides. Place steaks in sprayed or lined crock pot. In a big bowl, combine garlic, tomatoes, onion and bell pepper. Then, add one tomato can measure of water. (This is where I alter her recipe some more. I usually add a few teaspoons of beef broth granules to the crock pot to give the water more flavor.) Pour over the steak and cover with a lid. I usually set this to low for 6 or 8 hours.
When we get home, I cook up some rice. I usually have this meal early in the month because I just shopped at the store. This ensures my bell peppers are still fresh and I usually still have some salad left for a side dish. This meal is very tasty with a big spoonful of white rice with steak, bell pepper, onions and tomatoes to top it off. Mmmm...family favorite!
Chicken and Rice Casserole
again, another family favorite that is yummy and from the same Paula cookbook.
3 c. diced cooked chicken
1 med. onion, diced and sauteed
1 8 oz. can water chestnuts, drained and chopped (I NEVER use these!)
2-14 1/2 oz. cans french green beans, rinsed and drained
1-4 oz. can pimentos, rinsed and drained
1-10 3/4 oz. can condensed cream of celery soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1-6 oz. box Uncle Ben's long-grain and wild rice, cooked according to package (they sell a Fast Cook type, I keep at least 3 of these in the pantry...good fast, quick side)
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese--I use whatever shredded cheese I have
Preheat oven to 300. In a BIG bowl, mix everything together and dump into a 3-quart (or 9x13 pan). Bake for 25 minutes.
This couldn't be easier.
**Here are my variations--I usually use 2 of the canned chicken breast from Sam's to save on time. In a skillet, I put some butter or EVOO (do you know Rachel Ray?) I throw in my onions and get them tender. Then, throw in the canned chicken with some House Seasoning. If I have time, I'll add a little of my frozen chicken broth (yes, I save all broths and freeze them to use whenever I need it) to flavor up the canned chicken. Once I get that good a seasoned together, I'll add it to the big bowl of ingredients. Stir together, dump in my pan. Then, if you really want to take it up a notch...top it with some more cheese and crushed Ritz crackers.
Frozen S'mores
I found this in a little cookbook I bought from a friend's daughter for a fundraiser. It's too hot for regular s'mores, so why not try these out. Just finished putting them in the freezer so we will see if they pass the family test tonight after supper.
2 cups whipped topping
1/2 c mini chocolate chips
2/3 c mini marshmallows
graham crackers
Mix the first 3 ingredients in a big bowl with a wooden or rubber spoon. Break crackers into squares. I used my big Pampered Chef scoop and dropped a spoonful on a cracker square. Topped with another cracker square, wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in big Tupperware container. I kept doing this until all the mixture was used. Place in freezer until frozen.
My thoughts: why not try using marshmallow cream instead of the marshmallows? We'll see how it turns out.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
I lost it and I don't EVER want to find it!
Yep, it's official there is something that I have lost and I NEVER hope to find. What could it be? Oh, it's just 30 pounds. WHAT? That's right THIRTY pounds that I have kissed good-bye!! I cannot believe it. I always thought about getting back down to pre-baby (7 years ago) weight, but just thought it was never really attainable. I am so happy to say that I did it!! It has been really fun to pull out last spring/summer clothes and all my shorts fall right down! Last summer I was sportin a size 16 and this spring I am down to a 10!! Just saying it makes me giddy.
I've had several friends ask me how did you do it? how long did it take? My favorite part is that I am proud to say that I did it the old fashioned way. I did NOT follow a "diet" or drink a shake or take a pill or eat some crazy food or work out like a high school jock. It all started last spring when the ladies of the Hills decided to have a little Biggest Loser contest. We started Memorial Day Weekend of 2010 and ended sometime in late August (or around there). I was somewhat motivated, but didn't really take it serious until about half way thru the contest. I ran into a teacher friend that had weight loss surgery over the summer and was trying to adjust her body. After I asked her several questions about diet, I started applying it to myself. It made sense...portion control! The more you eat, the more your stomach expands, the more your waist expands which allows you to eat more...vicious cycle. I tried to remember back to my Weight Watcher days of '02-'05. I was a Life Member, surely I could do this on my own WITHOUT a meeting! So, in July last summer I started eating supper off the salad plate. It was killer for the first week. I was still hungry, but I drank water to help me make it through. After that, it was a breeze. I knew I was just trying to get my stomach to a "normal" size or just smaller than it was at the time. It took several weeks before I really started noticing a change. But, I stuck with it. I quit eating off my kids plates while I was doing dishes, tried hard not to do senseless snacking and started exercising again.
Walking is where I started last May. But in my college days, I enjoyed running and knew it always helped me shed pounds. I wanted to run, however, I was fearful I would re-herniate something in my back. After trying to walk a few more miles, one day I just couldn't do it. I felt the urge to run and just wanted to try. The rest is pretty much history. Started out walking for 5 mins, jog for 1 min, walk for 5, jog for 1...repeat for 30-40 mins 2-4 times per week. I worked myself up to jogging for 10 minutes straight without jogging! At some point, I found the RunKeeper app and it made my workouts even better. I have worked myself up to running on average a 10 minute mile (this was a personal goal). So far, my farthest distance is 6.5 miles in 1 hour, 8 minutes!! I would love to try a 10K and maybe even a half-marathon at some point. But for now, I am thoroughly enjoying my smaller clothes, lots of energy and the joy of running.
Another key to my success is what I remember from Weight Watchers--don't deprive yourself! If I want to sit and eat a bowl of ice cream, why not? No, I didn't buy skinny cow or something fancy. I just ate regular ice cream. Really it was about trade-offs. I want this now, so I won't have this later. Or if I have this today and tomorrow, I will have to run for sure to make up for it. That's another thing...I didn't have a workout regiment. I work full time, drive 35 miles to work, raise 3 crazy kids (under 6), mommy and wife duties...I ran when I had time. Some weeks, I could only squeeze in one run....some weeks I could get 4 runs in. I did what I could do and didn't worry about it.
Possibly another key--I didn't stress or worry about what I was eating/should I or should I not exercise...I just lived my life, made sensible choices and added some exercise!
And if you know me at all, you know I enjoy a little barley and hops refreshment from the Rocky Mountains. Well, I even changed that flavor as well. It has made a HUGE impact. Once I acquired a taste for MGD 64, I can't drink anything else. And I've already figured it out...I can nearly drink 2 64s for 1 Coors Light!! From this switch, I noticed the bloating feeling go away as well as many pounds! Thank you MGD!!
On that note, here's to you and your weight journey and here's to mine....I think I can shed a few more, why not?
I've had several friends ask me how did you do it? how long did it take? My favorite part is that I am proud to say that I did it the old fashioned way. I did NOT follow a "diet" or drink a shake or take a pill or eat some crazy food or work out like a high school jock. It all started last spring when the ladies of the Hills decided to have a little Biggest Loser contest. We started Memorial Day Weekend of 2010 and ended sometime in late August (or around there). I was somewhat motivated, but didn't really take it serious until about half way thru the contest. I ran into a teacher friend that had weight loss surgery over the summer and was trying to adjust her body. After I asked her several questions about diet, I started applying it to myself. It made sense...portion control! The more you eat, the more your stomach expands, the more your waist expands which allows you to eat more...vicious cycle. I tried to remember back to my Weight Watcher days of '02-'05. I was a Life Member, surely I could do this on my own WITHOUT a meeting! So, in July last summer I started eating supper off the salad plate. It was killer for the first week. I was still hungry, but I drank water to help me make it through. After that, it was a breeze. I knew I was just trying to get my stomach to a "normal" size or just smaller than it was at the time. It took several weeks before I really started noticing a change. But, I stuck with it. I quit eating off my kids plates while I was doing dishes, tried hard not to do senseless snacking and started exercising again.
Walking is where I started last May. But in my college days, I enjoyed running and knew it always helped me shed pounds. I wanted to run, however, I was fearful I would re-herniate something in my back. After trying to walk a few more miles, one day I just couldn't do it. I felt the urge to run and just wanted to try. The rest is pretty much history. Started out walking for 5 mins, jog for 1 min, walk for 5, jog for 1...repeat for 30-40 mins 2-4 times per week. I worked myself up to jogging for 10 minutes straight without jogging! At some point, I found the RunKeeper app and it made my workouts even better. I have worked myself up to running on average a 10 minute mile (this was a personal goal). So far, my farthest distance is 6.5 miles in 1 hour, 8 minutes!! I would love to try a 10K and maybe even a half-marathon at some point. But for now, I am thoroughly enjoying my smaller clothes, lots of energy and the joy of running.
Another key to my success is what I remember from Weight Watchers--don't deprive yourself! If I want to sit and eat a bowl of ice cream, why not? No, I didn't buy skinny cow or something fancy. I just ate regular ice cream. Really it was about trade-offs. I want this now, so I won't have this later. Or if I have this today and tomorrow, I will have to run for sure to make up for it. That's another thing...I didn't have a workout regiment. I work full time, drive 35 miles to work, raise 3 crazy kids (under 6), mommy and wife duties...I ran when I had time. Some weeks, I could only squeeze in one run....some weeks I could get 4 runs in. I did what I could do and didn't worry about it.
Possibly another key--I didn't stress or worry about what I was eating/should I or should I not exercise...I just lived my life, made sensible choices and added some exercise!
And if you know me at all, you know I enjoy a little barley and hops refreshment from the Rocky Mountains. Well, I even changed that flavor as well. It has made a HUGE impact. Once I acquired a taste for MGD 64, I can't drink anything else. And I've already figured it out...I can nearly drink 2 64s for 1 Coors Light!! From this switch, I noticed the bloating feeling go away as well as many pounds! Thank you MGD!!
On that note, here's to you and your weight journey and here's to mine....I think I can shed a few more, why not?
Saturday, March 19, 2011
what does spring break mean to you?
Nearing the close of my spring break, I find myself reflecting on the past few years. I remember those fun spring breaks in college. It meant staying out even later, trying to start the summer tan, working extra hours, catching up on school work, just about anything to help me get a head. This year I realized that I have grown up a little more and wanted to make note of this personal milestone.
Two years ago I was getting very pregnant! We were preparing and anticipating the arrival of our third child not knowing the gender. I think I took the kids to Houston, but like I said it was two years ago and I cannot remember specifics like that!
One year ago I do remember taking the kids to Houston. We took my three plus my nephew to the Houston LS&R. It was one big family day of fun. We made our way back home and Aunt Christy and Emma came for a visit. It was during that visit that my baby girl had drained me dry. Yes I had my last time to nurse my baby girl. One big crazy mess of mixed emotions over the last few days of that spring break. In a sense it was my baby girl growing up as well as myself. I knew it was my last time to care for my child in such a way since they are growing up and their needs change. I had to grow up a little more too.
Now here we are to spring break 2011, another milestone you say? Why yes indeed. Up hiding in my attic were all things baby that were once celebrated. I remember the excitement of the baby shower my old friend Angela threw for Brady. It was one big celebration over my first child, the family, friends and gifts I will never forget. I remember those sleepless nights of wondering if I laid him down just right, did I feed him enough, how long will he sleep, how long can I sleep, when will I cook, do laundry, praying that the batteries in the swing or bouncy seat would last forever...all those worrisome thoughts of a first time mother. Through it all, I was truly grateful for all those wonderful gifts and blessed to have some of the best friends ever. I wouldn't have made it through this first born if I didn't have my old high school girlfriend Ginny. We were going through the same things at the same time. I would have been lost without her. Adding a sweet little girl to the mix brought on more of the same feelings. I remember feeling relieved that I had most items I would need for her. Little did I know this little darling would only want her momma, no matter what swing, bouncy seat, baby carrier, etc I tried for her. This time I really learned the value of buying batteries in bulk at Sam's. She required me to stretch what I learned from the first born and then ask the experts too. I would have been lost without my neighbor Shannon. She was truly a hop and a skip away or mostly just a phone call. And when the third little blessing came along I had it all, or most of it I thought. After raising two very different infants I felt prepared for whatever God was willing to give. Thankfully God was very kind and blessed us with a sweet, easy-to-please little girl. All those gifts from the first and second were once again put to use. This time they were packed up and moved more times than I preferred, but it was what we had to do. We moved out of our first home when she was about 2 1/2 months old, then into our new house when she was about 7 1/2 months old. All those fun little baby things were put to use and found their place in the new house. Throughout the past year they've become outgrown and found their way to the attic. Recently the last item found its way up there and I realized that the "baby" section in my attic was no longer of use for me. We will not be adding anymore little people around here, so why am I holding onto this baby stuff? Well, I spent an entire day devoted to all those things that I once ripped open the packaging and put them together. I took off liners, washed, put pieces back together, dusted, cleaned and stepped back. I had to ask myself if I was ready to do this? Was I ready to just give it all away? The things that changed me from just a girl, to a wife, to a mother? And the answer was yes. Yes it was time to move forward. I loaded up the truck and tearfully drove it away. I took such ownership of my stuff. It kind of made me mad that the lady at the resale shop just waved some items off and said "this is too old", "this is out of date", "there's a recall on this", and "sorry we can't take that". It just made me angry for a second. How dare she say that to me. Those "things" are perfectly fine to make some mother or grandmother perfectly happy. Out of the whole truck bed, they only accepted 4 items that they could sell. Fine by me. I reloaded my stuff and drove the full truck bed to Goodwill. I was happy to hand over my perfectly cleaned up baby items that once made my children oh so happy. I had thoughts of some young mother trying to get on her feet and finding my matching stroller and car seat set in nearly mint condition. I thought of how happy that would make her feel. And that is why I knew it was time to hand over my baby items that were treated with lots of TLC the past 5 1/2 years.
I think I feel a little more grown up this spring break. It is for I realize that it wasn't the patterns and colors I fretted over or the exact model or design I wanted for my child. Over the years, it was the love that grew, the bonds that were made and all the memories that I will cherish forever. Thank you to all that ever gave me a baby shower gift, card, mommy tips, etc. I realized that I am a better person because of it all. And now I look forward to what gifts God has in store for my family in our many more spring breaks. I know there will be more pivotal moments and most of all, lots of love and memories to cherish.
Two years ago I was getting very pregnant! We were preparing and anticipating the arrival of our third child not knowing the gender. I think I took the kids to Houston, but like I said it was two years ago and I cannot remember specifics like that!
One year ago I do remember taking the kids to Houston. We took my three plus my nephew to the Houston LS&R. It was one big family day of fun. We made our way back home and Aunt Christy and Emma came for a visit. It was during that visit that my baby girl had drained me dry. Yes I had my last time to nurse my baby girl. One big crazy mess of mixed emotions over the last few days of that spring break. In a sense it was my baby girl growing up as well as myself. I knew it was my last time to care for my child in such a way since they are growing up and their needs change. I had to grow up a little more too.
Now here we are to spring break 2011, another milestone you say? Why yes indeed. Up hiding in my attic were all things baby that were once celebrated. I remember the excitement of the baby shower my old friend Angela threw for Brady. It was one big celebration over my first child, the family, friends and gifts I will never forget. I remember those sleepless nights of wondering if I laid him down just right, did I feed him enough, how long will he sleep, how long can I sleep, when will I cook, do laundry, praying that the batteries in the swing or bouncy seat would last forever...all those worrisome thoughts of a first time mother. Through it all, I was truly grateful for all those wonderful gifts and blessed to have some of the best friends ever. I wouldn't have made it through this first born if I didn't have my old high school girlfriend Ginny. We were going through the same things at the same time. I would have been lost without her. Adding a sweet little girl to the mix brought on more of the same feelings. I remember feeling relieved that I had most items I would need for her. Little did I know this little darling would only want her momma, no matter what swing, bouncy seat, baby carrier, etc I tried for her. This time I really learned the value of buying batteries in bulk at Sam's. She required me to stretch what I learned from the first born and then ask the experts too. I would have been lost without my neighbor Shannon. She was truly a hop and a skip away or mostly just a phone call. And when the third little blessing came along I had it all, or most of it I thought. After raising two very different infants I felt prepared for whatever God was willing to give. Thankfully God was very kind and blessed us with a sweet, easy-to-please little girl. All those gifts from the first and second were once again put to use. This time they were packed up and moved more times than I preferred, but it was what we had to do. We moved out of our first home when she was about 2 1/2 months old, then into our new house when she was about 7 1/2 months old. All those fun little baby things were put to use and found their place in the new house. Throughout the past year they've become outgrown and found their way to the attic. Recently the last item found its way up there and I realized that the "baby" section in my attic was no longer of use for me. We will not be adding anymore little people around here, so why am I holding onto this baby stuff? Well, I spent an entire day devoted to all those things that I once ripped open the packaging and put them together. I took off liners, washed, put pieces back together, dusted, cleaned and stepped back. I had to ask myself if I was ready to do this? Was I ready to just give it all away? The things that changed me from just a girl, to a wife, to a mother? And the answer was yes. Yes it was time to move forward. I loaded up the truck and tearfully drove it away. I took such ownership of my stuff. It kind of made me mad that the lady at the resale shop just waved some items off and said "this is too old", "this is out of date", "there's a recall on this", and "sorry we can't take that". It just made me angry for a second. How dare she say that to me. Those "things" are perfectly fine to make some mother or grandmother perfectly happy. Out of the whole truck bed, they only accepted 4 items that they could sell. Fine by me. I reloaded my stuff and drove the full truck bed to Goodwill. I was happy to hand over my perfectly cleaned up baby items that once made my children oh so happy. I had thoughts of some young mother trying to get on her feet and finding my matching stroller and car seat set in nearly mint condition. I thought of how happy that would make her feel. And that is why I knew it was time to hand over my baby items that were treated with lots of TLC the past 5 1/2 years.
I think I feel a little more grown up this spring break. It is for I realize that it wasn't the patterns and colors I fretted over or the exact model or design I wanted for my child. Over the years, it was the love that grew, the bonds that were made and all the memories that I will cherish forever. Thank you to all that ever gave me a baby shower gift, card, mommy tips, etc. I realized that I am a better person because of it all. And now I look forward to what gifts God has in store for my family in our many more spring breaks. I know there will be more pivotal moments and most of all, lots of love and memories to cherish.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
brushing their teeth
Tonight I have to record this precious moment of time with my children. Baby K is now 20 months old and wants to do EVERYTHING her big sis and bro do, no matter what. Tonight baby K was in A's bathroom and A wanted to brush K's teeth. I got the toothbrush ready and handed it off. K let her do it for a minute and then she was done. In the meantime, I got A's toothbrush ready for her to brush her own teeth. A starts brushing her own and I look down to see K just moving her arm back and forth like she is really "brushing" her teeth like an adult. It's the cutest thing ever. It took me back to when B and A were the same way...they want to brush their own teeth so badly, but they just aren't really "brushing" them. I'm having a bit of a mommy moment, when K takes the toothbrush out of her mouth, leans over (she's just standing in the middle of the bathroom floor) and proceeds to make a spitting sound. She stands back upright and continues to brush away. She brushes for a few seconds and repeats the faux "spitting" several more times. I just crack up silently not to distract the cuteness that I am observing. B comes in to check on his sisters and sees what I'm silently giggling about and he just starts laughing too. Before you know it, the 4 of us are watching her "brush" her own teeth and "spit" on the floor (luckily there was never any spit that came out of her mouth). She is just cracking up and continues to entertain us. By the end, she is up on the counter (me holding her) and really practicing how to rinse and spit.
It's nights like tonight that make me so thankful to have been blessed with my three beautiful, healthy children that have brought so many wonderful gifts to the family. Tonight was truly a gift of laughter that brought joy to us all from Baby K. Makes me wonder what life will be like when she is no longer a toddler. I do know one thing, this does NOT make we want to have a fourth child. Just want to clear up any confusion.
It's nights like tonight that make me so thankful to have been blessed with my three beautiful, healthy children that have brought so many wonderful gifts to the family. Tonight was truly a gift of laughter that brought joy to us all from Baby K. Makes me wonder what life will be like when she is no longer a toddler. I do know one thing, this does NOT make we want to have a fourth child. Just want to clear up any confusion.
Monday, February 21, 2011
I DID IT!
I feel so tech savvy about now. I created my new blog, then exported and imported my old blog and it worked! woo hoo. See what happens when the herniated disc enables you to do anything active, I catch up on my internet stuff.
Now that I'm back up and into the blogging world, please don't set any high expectations for me. I'll do what I can to keep this thing updated.
Much Love,
Jenny
Now that I'm back up and into the blogging world, please don't set any high expectations for me. I'll do what I can to keep this thing updated.
Much Love,
Jenny
Friday, February 4, 2011
what to do
well, here's my problem. i had an sbcglobal email when we lived in FW which i used to start my blog account. with our move to the country and no DSL service, i was going to lose my sbcglobal account for a few months. i thought since i had an iphone and love google and they work so well together, i'll go with a gmail account so it will work nicely together. then, i realized that the gmail and sbcglobal accounts don't get along. help! i can't link my blog to my gmail account. it just won't let me. i've even had the compulsive addict herself look into it and she can't figure it out. ugh.
why is this a drag?
well i no longer use the sbcglobal account so any email notifications for my blogger go to that account, can't change it. and if i am logged into google chrome or gmail and i go to my blog, it kicks me out of my google accounts. i have to keep logging in and out to get it all done. i need them all to work seamlessly. at this point, the only thing i know to do is end this blog and create brand new one with my gmail account. but, what do i do with this blog? delete it? no way! can i keep it open? anyone out there know?
with 4 snow days in a row, i thought i should check into this.....but we are having so much fun just lounging around!!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
testing...1, 2, 3...
just wanted to see if this thing still works. ha. it's been exactly 4 months now and WOW how things change. let me think back...
early december--Baby K turned 6 months and I think she was 16 lbs...95th-100th percentile, eating baby food well and started on some formula, trying hard to crawl
christmas--yes it was a white one and it was awesome! if i had lots of free time on my hands i would insert some white christmas eve pictures, but i don't. i'm doing good to get this typed out. anyway, the best pictures of our christmas eve from 2009 are in the memories we made as a family that night. there was tons of wonderful snow on the ground for snowball fights. the four of us and K in the stroller (highly bundled up) played snowball fights and made tons of snow angels for a very long time. A just loved the snow. i will never forget her running and plopping herself right into a pile of snow completely fearless. B is more timid than, but he still had a blast. for the first time he didn't freak out about getting all wet from the snow. when our frozen noses, numb fingers and toes couldn't take it anymore we made our way inside. it was so fun to actually lay our gloves and mittens by the fire to dry while we had popcorn and watched the polar express. i felt like i lived up north, at least not in Texas on Christmas Eve. Writing this 4 months late, i know that we played in the snow like it wasn't going to snow again for a few more years. little did we know it would be the second most snowiest winter for north texas.
end of january was A's 3rd birthday. she wanted a princess party. i found her a special pink princess dress that was perfect for the occasion. all of the family was able to make it (we missed uncle michael, aunt stacie and uncle mike and aunt christy) and party with us. the princess enjoyed an italian lunch and the homemade pink princess crown cake made by me. i love making their cakes, but i know it does stress me out a little. :)
oh, how can i forget....BEFORE her party, WE MOVED INTO OUR HOUSE! it was MLK weekend and we moved right in. now i am remembering just how crazy it was for 3 weeks straight. we moved in, the next weekend was my father-in-laws surprise 60th birthday party at the farm, then it was A's birthday party. so the house it wonderful. i LOVE it. i was worried how it would all come together and it turned out beautiful. again, i would post a picture but...
i think there was a month called february, but it was so busy....i know we had 4 birthday parties in 2 weeks and lots of fun with the new neighbors. i have to say i love my house, but i really love all of my new neighbors. they are the most kind and giving people and i am blessed to have them as my neighbors. on our move in day we had 3 of them come over and help carry boxes, haul loads and set up furniture! each month we have a much needed girls night and guys night and a couples night...some couples stay home and babysit while the others get to go out and not pay a sitter! it's so fun. we are truly thankful that we made the decision to move out, waaaay out and get away from the city life each day.
and here i am in march. baby K is now 9 months. she is so darn cute. she was 23.12 lbs and really long (i can't find the sheet and i don't remember the number). i just know she was 95th percentile in weight, length and head circumference. she is crawling really well these days and pulling up on anything she can. she has started to cruise a bit once she pulls up! there is still a gumless smile...so cute, just two teeth on the bottom. i am fearing the day when they all decide to come out and party at once. over spring break, my dairy is no more. we were down to nursing morning and night and i quit pumping at work around 7 months (feb). one night she was unusually cranky and seemed very unhappy at bedtime which is NOT likely of her at all. i knew something was wrong. thinking there wasn't enough milk for her, i made her a 6 ouncer and it was gone in less than 10 minutes. so i kissed it good bye. i'm ok with it too. i am thrilled we made it so long with working full time and pumping. high five baby K!
and speaking of spring break....at the beginning of my spring break this year i took all 3 kids by myself to houston. yes, there was prayer before and during the car ride there. we had lots of fun. we spent some great time with Uncle Michael, Aunt Stacie (very pregnant) and cousin A. we hit up chuck e. cheese and the HLS&R carnival. it was a good time by all, but 3 nights away from home is just enough before my kids start to lose it, especially their mother. when we came back home we had doctor's appointments and lots of outside time with some sunshine, at least for one afternoon. then my great friend and her daughter came down from OK. we did some wonderful shopping and relaxing. btw, christy had the baby....6 weeks early, but Baby Emma is here! so darn cute.
oh and i should mention WHY i don't have pictures to post. back in early december my camera was stolen. we had the serial number checked, but nothing showed up at pawn shops. i was devastated because just a few nights prior to it getting stolen was B&A's Christmas program at their school. I had video of A singing and dancing and just taking over with the microphone during her class performance. And B was dressed up like a present for his song. those videos are long gone. i had an older camera that i started using in place of, but it won't connect to the computer to download the pictures. which leads to another prob--our computer died, but it was resurrected thanks to Dell and me spending 3 hours on the phone with them. it works a little better, but it is on the replacement list.
there's the last 4 months. i left out lots of details, but its enought to help me remember what i need to write down in a baby book.
till next time...
early december--Baby K turned 6 months and I think she was 16 lbs...95th-100th percentile, eating baby food well and started on some formula, trying hard to crawl
christmas--yes it was a white one and it was awesome! if i had lots of free time on my hands i would insert some white christmas eve pictures, but i don't. i'm doing good to get this typed out. anyway, the best pictures of our christmas eve from 2009 are in the memories we made as a family that night. there was tons of wonderful snow on the ground for snowball fights. the four of us and K in the stroller (highly bundled up) played snowball fights and made tons of snow angels for a very long time. A just loved the snow. i will never forget her running and plopping herself right into a pile of snow completely fearless. B is more timid than, but he still had a blast. for the first time he didn't freak out about getting all wet from the snow. when our frozen noses, numb fingers and toes couldn't take it anymore we made our way inside. it was so fun to actually lay our gloves and mittens by the fire to dry while we had popcorn and watched the polar express. i felt like i lived up north, at least not in Texas on Christmas Eve. Writing this 4 months late, i know that we played in the snow like it wasn't going to snow again for a few more years. little did we know it would be the second most snowiest winter for north texas.
end of january was A's 3rd birthday. she wanted a princess party. i found her a special pink princess dress that was perfect for the occasion. all of the family was able to make it (we missed uncle michael, aunt stacie and uncle mike and aunt christy) and party with us. the princess enjoyed an italian lunch and the homemade pink princess crown cake made by me. i love making their cakes, but i know it does stress me out a little. :)
oh, how can i forget....BEFORE her party, WE MOVED INTO OUR HOUSE! it was MLK weekend and we moved right in. now i am remembering just how crazy it was for 3 weeks straight. we moved in, the next weekend was my father-in-laws surprise 60th birthday party at the farm, then it was A's birthday party. so the house it wonderful. i LOVE it. i was worried how it would all come together and it turned out beautiful. again, i would post a picture but...
i think there was a month called february, but it was so busy....i know we had 4 birthday parties in 2 weeks and lots of fun with the new neighbors. i have to say i love my house, but i really love all of my new neighbors. they are the most kind and giving people and i am blessed to have them as my neighbors. on our move in day we had 3 of them come over and help carry boxes, haul loads and set up furniture! each month we have a much needed girls night and guys night and a couples night...some couples stay home and babysit while the others get to go out and not pay a sitter! it's so fun. we are truly thankful that we made the decision to move out, waaaay out and get away from the city life each day.
and here i am in march. baby K is now 9 months. she is so darn cute. she was 23.12 lbs and really long (i can't find the sheet and i don't remember the number). i just know she was 95th percentile in weight, length and head circumference. she is crawling really well these days and pulling up on anything she can. she has started to cruise a bit once she pulls up! there is still a gumless smile...so cute, just two teeth on the bottom. i am fearing the day when they all decide to come out and party at once. over spring break, my dairy is no more. we were down to nursing morning and night and i quit pumping at work around 7 months (feb). one night she was unusually cranky and seemed very unhappy at bedtime which is NOT likely of her at all. i knew something was wrong. thinking there wasn't enough milk for her, i made her a 6 ouncer and it was gone in less than 10 minutes. so i kissed it good bye. i'm ok with it too. i am thrilled we made it so long with working full time and pumping. high five baby K!
and speaking of spring break....at the beginning of my spring break this year i took all 3 kids by myself to houston. yes, there was prayer before and during the car ride there. we had lots of fun. we spent some great time with Uncle Michael, Aunt Stacie (very pregnant) and cousin A. we hit up chuck e. cheese and the HLS&R carnival. it was a good time by all, but 3 nights away from home is just enough before my kids start to lose it, especially their mother. when we came back home we had doctor's appointments and lots of outside time with some sunshine, at least for one afternoon. then my great friend and her daughter came down from OK. we did some wonderful shopping and relaxing. btw, christy had the baby....6 weeks early, but Baby Emma is here! so darn cute.
oh and i should mention WHY i don't have pictures to post. back in early december my camera was stolen. we had the serial number checked, but nothing showed up at pawn shops. i was devastated because just a few nights prior to it getting stolen was B&A's Christmas program at their school. I had video of A singing and dancing and just taking over with the microphone during her class performance. And B was dressed up like a present for his song. those videos are long gone. i had an older camera that i started using in place of, but it won't connect to the computer to download the pictures. which leads to another prob--our computer died, but it was resurrected thanks to Dell and me spending 3 hours on the phone with them. it works a little better, but it is on the replacement list.
there's the last 4 months. i left out lots of details, but its enought to help me remember what i need to write down in a baby book.
till next time...
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
anaphlyaxis, huh?
yesterday i took A to her follow up appointment with an allergy doctor after our ER visit. the allergist said the hospital ER did NOT treat her properly. he said they should have given her an epipen immediately rather than waiting on her symptoms to clear. he handed me a sheet on anaphlyaxis and said this is what she did. as i read in my mind i was putting a check mark next to each item on the page. she did all of those things. the more i read, the more scared i became. it leads up to the fact that the next step would have been anaphylactic shock!! i thought that was just something scary that people did in movies or people talked about. oh no, it was all to much a reality to know that my baby girl could have started the shock symptoms! she was so close. the one small dose of benadryl is what may have kept her from going into shock. i am so thankful that the Lord lead me to the benadryl just minutes after her lips started to swell. the doctor explained that the ER just treated her symptoms and not the reaction. he told me if it happens again we need to get her to Cook Children's as quickly as possible. he told me that epipen dose will last 15-20 minutes that is why it is so important to rush her to the ER. if we were ever in this situation we are supposed to do the epipen then a dose of benadryl to help give us a little more time to get to the ER. he did order a blood test to test for food allergies. We will get those results on Dec. 28th. The moral of the story, until we are certain please do NOT let A have any shellfish or fish unless you are prepared with an epipen and know the route to the nearest ER.
Monday, November 16, 2009
how's the house?
i took these on saturday 11/14. they started the brick and stone and should have it all finished up. here's one of the oustide and the bottom pic is my ventahood/cooktop area in the kitchen. more pictures to come soon.
Monday, November 9, 2009
trick or treat is over, thank goodness
TREAT...i still haven't blogged about our Halloween. here's a quick recap of the very eventful weekend. Friday night we went out with friends for my hubs birthday. we ate downtown and then went to Legends Fest in Sundance Square. he was excited to see Shenandoah and eddy raven was the headliner. you know you're at a "legends fest" when the headliner is done by 10:30 pm... LOL. eddy raven was great. so great that after the show, we were walking out and went down the sidewalk that was behind the stage. we asked him to take a picture with the birthday boy. what a fun night!
TREAT...we were able to trick or treat in our new hood with all our new neighborhoods. I'm so excited to live around these folks. they have a ton of fun. it was 3 flatbeds with hay pulling the kids the 2 mile loop around the neighborhood. Chris and i didn't get the memo that all the parents dress up as well...look out for next year. all 3 of our kiddos had a ball. we started at 6:30 and finished up about 9:30 then went to the after party at our new neighbor's house, Chris and Jen. Ha!
TRICK...it was a great night until Brady peed in his spiderman costume. poor guy was busy playing trains and the bathrooms were all taken up. he said "mom i told them to hurry up and i was waiting, but then i just went." when you gotta go, you gotta go!
TREAT...Sunday night was going to be the birthday boy dinner from Chris's parents. he wanted to have fish and shrimp this year. sherry made the kids a plate and i told her to give them some fish and shrimp since they have had it before.
TRICK...we sat down about 7 pm to enjoy the fried goodness and Anna said "ouch! my lip mommy." i thought it was a bone, but she seems OK. a few sec later, she said it again and i noticed it starting to swell. within a matter of seconds her lip had doubled in size. she started saying she was sick. i gave her benadryl right away due to the size of the fat upper lip. she was quickly getting worse and not better so we hopped in the car and headed to the weatherford ER. she continued to get worse on the car ride over...not fun for mommy or anna. turns our she is highly allergic to fish/shellfish. i'm not sure yet since she hasn't had a formal allergy test done yet. her throat was starting to swell, but the benadryl was able to slow it down. A had to have an IV with her meds to help speed up the healing process. the nurse started her once in her arm and lost the vein and had to do it again in her hand. it broke our hearts! she cried and screamed, but we held it together for her. so far she has been fine. we now have our epipen in case it happens again.
riding on the hay ride with daddy
trick or treat
birthday boy, eddy raven and big bro
TREAT...we were able to trick or treat in our new hood with all our new neighborhoods. I'm so excited to live around these folks. they have a ton of fun. it was 3 flatbeds with hay pulling the kids the 2 mile loop around the neighborhood. Chris and i didn't get the memo that all the parents dress up as well...look out for next year. all 3 of our kiddos had a ball. we started at 6:30 and finished up about 9:30 then went to the after party at our new neighbor's house, Chris and Jen. Ha!
TRICK...it was a great night until Brady peed in his spiderman costume. poor guy was busy playing trains and the bathrooms were all taken up. he said "mom i told them to hurry up and i was waiting, but then i just went." when you gotta go, you gotta go!
TREAT...Sunday night was going to be the birthday boy dinner from Chris's parents. he wanted to have fish and shrimp this year. sherry made the kids a plate and i told her to give them some fish and shrimp since they have had it before.
TRICK...we sat down about 7 pm to enjoy the fried goodness and Anna said "ouch! my lip mommy." i thought it was a bone, but she seems OK. a few sec later, she said it again and i noticed it starting to swell. within a matter of seconds her lip had doubled in size. she started saying she was sick. i gave her benadryl right away due to the size of the fat upper lip. she was quickly getting worse and not better so we hopped in the car and headed to the weatherford ER. she continued to get worse on the car ride over...not fun for mommy or anna. turns our she is highly allergic to fish/shellfish. i'm not sure yet since she hasn't had a formal allergy test done yet. her throat was starting to swell, but the benadryl was able to slow it down. A had to have an IV with her meds to help speed up the healing process. the nurse started her once in her arm and lost the vein and had to do it again in her hand. it broke our hearts! she cried and screamed, but we held it together for her. so far she has been fine. we now have our epipen in case it happens again.
riding on the hay ride with daddy
trick or treat
birthday boy, eddy raven and big brohouse progress
i've been terrible about posting the progress of our house. since the rain finally stopped, they have been able to really get back on track. here is what it looked like on oct. 28th. since then they have all the windows put in, fireplace in the house and back patio, electrical, secondary tubs and the roof! there are probably other things, but i don't know all the technical stuff. i am very excited because the brick and stone goes on tomorrow!! i will be out there tomorrow taking a few pictures. can't wait to see what it will look like. yay!!
Monday, November 2, 2009
happy halloween
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Baby Kiersten was 4 months old on Oct. 4th. She is such a little joy. I thought I would log some milestones. Maybe it will help me remember some things for her baby book once it gets unpacked. hmm.
To my little Kiersten, we could not have asked for a more healthy happy baby. Here are some of your new milestones:
- reaches out and grabs at things
- can roll from tummy to back and you're trying really hard to go from back to tummy
- when you are playing on your tummy, you are able to push your arms out and hold up your whole torso. we've even caught you trying to rock back on your knees! you do move around on the floor while playing, especially backwards
- you started trying out rice cereal the week you turned 4 months. within a matter of days, you were up to eating 2 tbsp. mixed with 2 oz breast or formual, whatever is on hand
- we are still nursing! during the week you get your bottles that are mixed with breast and formula. we nurse every morning around 6 am and then we nurse in the late afternoon and then evening after cereal, but sometimes you don't want to you are ready for bed. on the weekends, we nurse the whole time formula free.
- you sleep through the night!! ahh. you've done this for a good while now, but here lately i don't even have to get up to pop the pacy to you. on the weekends when you don't have to be up by 6 am, you sleep a full 10-12 hours without crying, wimpering, eating, etc. i love my sleep!
- you weighed exactly 17 lbs and 14 oz. i think its safe to round that to 18 lbs after your cereal or a feeding. :) and you were 27 inches long! you've grown 3 inches in 2 months.
- you have been wearing a size 3 diaper since you were 3 months old. i recently had to bump all your clothes to size 6-9 months. i think you will be able to wear all of Anna's 12 month sleepers this winter that Anna wore at 12 months, not 6 months!!
- you are awesome in the car. you usually just fall right to sleep. most of the time its like you are not even in the car with us.
- you are really trying to sit up all by yourself. last week you started pulling your head up while in your car seat. and now you prefer to be straight up in a sitting position rather than kicked back. and when you sit up tall all of your little rolls pop out. it's so darn cute!
- you love to goo-goo gah-gah at us and you especially love your big brother and sister. it is so sweet to watch them play and sing to you. you stare at them in amazement and then grin at them. they love you so!! our family is so blessed to always have the sound of children's laughter in the background...or Anna crying. j/k Anna. we love you too!
hanging with the big bro
eating up some yummy rice cereal
chillin at the church bizarre with family--look at you sitting up in the stroller!there is a slab!!
I wanted to add these to the bottom of my previous blog, but it won't let me move the pictures again. It used to let me! If anyone out there knows what trick I can do, please help this lost person. Thanks.
So...while the kids and I spent the day with family from H town, Daddy-O was making sure the foundation was getting prepped for the slab. Here are a few highlights.
not sure what is going on here, but it looks different. more wire and stuff added. 
big fancy truck with go-go gadget arm!
this was Tuesday evening. we went to go see our slab. this cracks me up...A with her pant leg in one boot! Everything was set and ready to start some framework Wednesday morning before the afternoon rain arrived. However, when we woke up this morning it was already raining! I am praying that the rain is done for today and they can start the frame Thursday.
Jak Se Mas
Sunday was another day of sunshine before more rain comes our way. I took the kids to meet my dad, stepmom, aunt and uncle at my Busha and Ja-Ja's. The annual church bizarre was going on so there was something to do in their itty bitty town. Here are some highlights of the trip.
Baby K and her Great Ja-Ja
Who is that lady? Yep, its me. I'm never in the pictures, but this really nice random lady on the hayride snapped this one for me. Baby K decided to just ride in the stroller and not on the hayride.
A and Grandma trying to win some toys!
B and his Ja-Ja. B just won and picked out some safari animal toys, just more for mommy to pick up!
My driving/photography skills of the Fightin Texas Aggie roadside landmark outside of Reagen. The good news is that even though they widened Highway 6, they safely moved the barn! Gig 'Em Aggies!
Baby K and her Great Ja-Ja
Who is that lady? Yep, its me. I'm never in the pictures, but this really nice random lady on the hayride snapped this one for me. Baby K decided to just ride in the stroller and not on the hayride.
A and Grandma trying to win some toys!
B and his Ja-Ja. B just won and picked out some safari animal toys, just more for mommy to pick up!Where is the big daddy? He stayed at home and got the crews working on the house...on a sunday! We had to let some things dry out from all the rain and then there is more prep work to do on the ground before the slab goes down. It should be ready for the slab on Tuesday.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
big green tractor
its bugging me that this pictures are out of order, but i can't get it to let me move them around. it used to let me.
Here they are in the big green tractor on the road to the farm. 
turning off of FM 5
with their Papaw leaving our lot headed back to the farm...about a 10 minute drive by carthis land is OUR land
Here's Papaw working on getting our lot smoothed out. 
Here is the side/front view of our new land. Yep, we're on another corner.
Here's a back view of our acre. We were able to keep several of our mesquite trees.
This was a sunset on the way back from our lot to the farm. I was waiting to get a picture of Brady and Anna with Papaw. They rode with him in the tractor all the way back to the farm. They thought they were big shots getting to ride on FM 5 in the tractor.Saturday, September 19, 2009
Rockport 09
the water was really pretty. we stood knee deep and you could clearly see your toes. A didn't want to get in this time around. 
the only pic i have of father & son this trip. they stayed in the water and played pretty rough. me and my girls stayed on the beach and soaked up some rays.
Baby K napping on the back porch while the big kids played in the little pool right beside her. 
the trip killer--no it isn't Clark W. Griswold after they strolled through the slums of St. Louis. its my lovely flat, but not really a flat. it was the sensor in the valve that was leaking.
kids in the little pool. copano bay in the background...insert randy rogers song here. :)
very tired kids after a few hours at port A beach.
the sisters livin it up beach style. looks like they're throwin some signs.
rollin over at the beach!
takin it all in.it was a fun little trip. our final goodbye to summertime. i will miss you dearly. we were able to hang out with old college friends and meet their kids. Kyle & Tiffani have a beautiful bay house on Copano Bay in Rockport. Our kids got along great and had fun playing! The men of course thought they were big bad fisherman, but notice...were there any pictures of some big redfish or any fish at all? ahh, no. They did catch 2 keepers, but that's it. Of course, it was all the weathers fault right. Have to wait and see whats in store for next year!
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