Lazy Sunday! For breakfast I made Cinnamon Rolls. We all ate far to many but it was yummy!
For lunch I made sandwiches. We really miss eating at Thundercloud so I made Ham sandwiches with Guac, onions, cilantro, mayo, and provolone. OMG they were the best!
Dinner I threw a previously made pasta bake dish in the oven and made garlic cheese bread. It was not a yummy as lunch but at least I didn't give in and go to BK. :-)
Tomorrow Noah will be heading to his first day of Camp! I am so excited for him! Pictures to come!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Cooking Challenge
I decided to challenge myself to cook every meal for the next 30 days. No eating out at any meal. Today was the first day in the challenge.
I will focus mostly on dinner unless I whip up something note worthy for breakfast and lunch. Today it was just cereal for breakfast and hotdogs for lunch.
Tonight for dinner we had yummy tacos and grilled veggies (bell peppers, onions, zucchini, and squash)
After washing and chopping the veggies I covered them in an Italian Dressing, Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder. Then grilled them until yummy!
For the tacos I browned about a pound (probably a bit less) of ground beef with Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder. I drain all the fat once it's fully cooked. Then before putting it back on the heat I add 6 oz of tomato sauce and a chili powder/cumin/water mix. I don't actually measure. Hmm...2 spoonfuls of chili powder and 1-1.5 of cumin and about 2 cups of water. Then I let it simmer for about 30 minutes or more if I have the time.
I served the tacos with cheese, cilantro, and onions.
Yum!
Here's hoping I can keep up with my challenge. Good night all!
I will focus mostly on dinner unless I whip up something note worthy for breakfast and lunch. Today it was just cereal for breakfast and hotdogs for lunch.
Tonight for dinner we had yummy tacos and grilled veggies (bell peppers, onions, zucchini, and squash)
After washing and chopping the veggies I covered them in an Italian Dressing, Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder. Then grilled them until yummy!
For the tacos I browned about a pound (probably a bit less) of ground beef with Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder. I drain all the fat once it's fully cooked. Then before putting it back on the heat I add 6 oz of tomato sauce and a chili powder/cumin/water mix. I don't actually measure. Hmm...2 spoonfuls of chili powder and 1-1.5 of cumin and about 2 cups of water. Then I let it simmer for about 30 minutes or more if I have the time.
I served the tacos with cheese, cilantro, and onions.
Yum!
Here's hoping I can keep up with my challenge. Good night all!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Missing Texas
This month I have really been missing my family and friends. Nick, the kids and I usually make a trip to Texas this time of year but sadly finances have made travel difficult. It's awful that my siblings haven't met their new niece and nephew!
The plan now is to drive down for the Christmas Holidays. It's going to be an interesting trip. Traveling with Noah has always been fairly easy, but I am not sure how the twins will do sitting in their car seats for hours at a time. My biggest concern is saving enough to make it down. As gas prices go through the roof, so does the cost of travel. Oh remember the days when gas prices were under a dollar a gallon!
The plan now is to drive down for the Christmas Holidays. It's going to be an interesting trip. Traveling with Noah has always been fairly easy, but I am not sure how the twins will do sitting in their car seats for hours at a time. My biggest concern is saving enough to make it down. As gas prices go through the roof, so does the cost of travel. Oh remember the days when gas prices were under a dollar a gallon!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
I Love Baking
One of my greatest joys is cooking and baking. In the last 2 years I have become pretty good, if I may toot my own horn a bit!
Today I decided to try and make my own cookie/cake recipe. Coming up with cooking recipes is one thing. Cooking is all heart and I find it more difficult to screw up. Baking is a lot about chemistry though. If it's not just right you end up with disaster. Believe me I have had a few. Muffins that could be used as cannon balls to name one. :-) However I got it JUST RIGHT today! I am so excited. These cupcake/muffins are super yummy, fluffy, with a light sweet flavor. I am so excited I wanted to share!
So here they are. I call them Chocolate Milk Cupcakes.
Chocolate Milk Cupcakes
1 cup butter soft
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tbs Vanilla
2 tbs (give or take) chocolate syrup
1 cup chocolate milk (low-fat milk)
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
Cream butter and sugar. Add the egg and allow it to fully mix. Then mix in syrup, vanilla, and milk. The mix will look a bit lumpy (this is normal). Then slowly add all dry ingredients. Once the batter is well blended it will be thick and creamy.
Spoon batter into cupcake liners. Bake in pre-heated oven at 350* for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Top with powder sugar or a light frosting.
Makes 2 dozen
Today I decided to try and make my own cookie/cake recipe. Coming up with cooking recipes is one thing. Cooking is all heart and I find it more difficult to screw up. Baking is a lot about chemistry though. If it's not just right you end up with disaster. Believe me I have had a few. Muffins that could be used as cannon balls to name one. :-) However I got it JUST RIGHT today! I am so excited. These cupcake/muffins are super yummy, fluffy, with a light sweet flavor. I am so excited I wanted to share!
So here they are. I call them Chocolate Milk Cupcakes.
Chocolate Milk Cupcakes
1 cup butter soft
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tbs Vanilla
2 tbs (give or take) chocolate syrup
1 cup chocolate milk (low-fat milk)
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
Cream butter and sugar. Add the egg and allow it to fully mix. Then mix in syrup, vanilla, and milk. The mix will look a bit lumpy (this is normal). Then slowly add all dry ingredients. Once the batter is well blended it will be thick and creamy.
Spoon batter into cupcake liners. Bake in pre-heated oven at 350* for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Top with powder sugar or a light frosting.
Makes 2 dozen
Thursday, July 21, 2011
And I'm back again!
4:54pm
Wow... I kind of dropped of the map for a while. I guess it's a forgivable offense; since I can play the twin card. It's so much more difficult than I ever imagined. I always get asked "How do you do it?" and the only accurate response is "I have NO Idea!"
Life seems to be speeding by and all I can do is keep up. The twins are demanding and Noah is even more so than usual (the competitor in him has come alive)!
Our day usually starts at 6:30am when one of the twins wakes to eat. Shortly after the other is awake and we are kissing daddy goodbye. Noah usually wakes around 7:30. And the running begins. Feeding, diapering, playing repeat. And that is just the twins. Noah is usually asking me to play with him, take him outside, make him food, or give him a drink. It's exhausting.
But. I am realizing how lucky and complete my life is. Nick and I have gone through so much together. We were children when we first met and now look at us. It's so amazing getting to spend my days with my best friend. I feel like we have grown stronger as a couple since moving. With no other family around we depend on each other so much more! Communication is also something we have gotten better at. We share everything; good and bad. As tired as I am at the end of everyday I wouldn't have it any other way and couldn't imagine doing it with any one but Nick.
Noah is amazing. While he drives me crazy with the over 400 questions he asks a day (I seriously want to keep a ticker to see how many), I love that he is this little funny person. He is reading like crazy. Nick and I have given up on spelling things. Our new tactic is to spell backwards. He loves numbers and like I said asks questions about everything. I am so excited for him to start school. This next year he is still going to be in pre-k but will be attending 3 times a week. Being a Big Brother suits him well. He is great with the twins. He is always helping me and I couldn't be more proud.
Liam is adorable and growing so quickly. This week he has been taking two long naps! He is sitting up on his own and only falls periodically now. Instead of crawling he is scooching on his rear across the room. I think he will be crawling sooner than later. He does this singing-talking thing that is adorable.
Ellie is my stubborn little clone. She is so girly too! Usually she is a good sleeper but she is either getting more teeth or is having a growth spurt because boy has she been fussy. She is also sitting up well, but falls over more often than her brother. She doesn't really scooch on her rear like Liam but when she is on her back she gets around. I say she is stubborn because she doesn't want to bear weight on her feet, she won't eat solids or take a bottle. She wants what she wants and will not give in. She is talking and cooing too. She says dadada, gaga, and maaaa. :) Her little girl voice is super cute.
Nick is doing well. He is quitting smoking again and doing a wonderful job. Work has been stressful. I think it's difficult for him to balance the chaos at home with the chaos at work. He is trying so hard and I appreciate him more everyday.
As for me I am doing ok. TIred for the most part but that's part of the job. The weight loss has gone well. All the weight I gained during the pregnancy fell off pretty quickly. I have about 16 more pounds to loose before I reach my ultimate goal. I was approved for the skin removal surgery. I am really nervous about that. It's supposed to be very painful and can take up to 6 weeks to recover. I'm not sure how that's going to work with 3 kids! But it's something I really want to do. I am excited about my body but the skin makes me self-conscious. I'll figure it out. :)
Well it's now 9:52pm, it only took 5 hours to finish 1 entry. Ahh I love those kids!
Good night!
Wow... I kind of dropped of the map for a while. I guess it's a forgivable offense; since I can play the twin card. It's so much more difficult than I ever imagined. I always get asked "How do you do it?" and the only accurate response is "I have NO Idea!"
Life seems to be speeding by and all I can do is keep up. The twins are demanding and Noah is even more so than usual (the competitor in him has come alive)!
Our day usually starts at 6:30am when one of the twins wakes to eat. Shortly after the other is awake and we are kissing daddy goodbye. Noah usually wakes around 7:30. And the running begins. Feeding, diapering, playing repeat. And that is just the twins. Noah is usually asking me to play with him, take him outside, make him food, or give him a drink. It's exhausting.
But. I am realizing how lucky and complete my life is. Nick and I have gone through so much together. We were children when we first met and now look at us. It's so amazing getting to spend my days with my best friend. I feel like we have grown stronger as a couple since moving. With no other family around we depend on each other so much more! Communication is also something we have gotten better at. We share everything; good and bad. As tired as I am at the end of everyday I wouldn't have it any other way and couldn't imagine doing it with any one but Nick.
Noah is amazing. While he drives me crazy with the over 400 questions he asks a day (I seriously want to keep a ticker to see how many), I love that he is this little funny person. He is reading like crazy. Nick and I have given up on spelling things. Our new tactic is to spell backwards. He loves numbers and like I said asks questions about everything. I am so excited for him to start school. This next year he is still going to be in pre-k but will be attending 3 times a week. Being a Big Brother suits him well. He is great with the twins. He is always helping me and I couldn't be more proud.
Liam is adorable and growing so quickly. This week he has been taking two long naps! He is sitting up on his own and only falls periodically now. Instead of crawling he is scooching on his rear across the room. I think he will be crawling sooner than later. He does this singing-talking thing that is adorable.
Ellie is my stubborn little clone. She is so girly too! Usually she is a good sleeper but she is either getting more teeth or is having a growth spurt because boy has she been fussy. She is also sitting up well, but falls over more often than her brother. She doesn't really scooch on her rear like Liam but when she is on her back she gets around. I say she is stubborn because she doesn't want to bear weight on her feet, she won't eat solids or take a bottle. She wants what she wants and will not give in. She is talking and cooing too. She says dadada, gaga, and maaaa. :) Her little girl voice is super cute.
Nick is doing well. He is quitting smoking again and doing a wonderful job. Work has been stressful. I think it's difficult for him to balance the chaos at home with the chaos at work. He is trying so hard and I appreciate him more everyday.
As for me I am doing ok. TIred for the most part but that's part of the job. The weight loss has gone well. All the weight I gained during the pregnancy fell off pretty quickly. I have about 16 more pounds to loose before I reach my ultimate goal. I was approved for the skin removal surgery. I am really nervous about that. It's supposed to be very painful and can take up to 6 weeks to recover. I'm not sure how that's going to work with 3 kids! But it's something I really want to do. I am excited about my body but the skin makes me self-conscious. I'll figure it out. :)
Well it's now 9:52pm, it only took 5 hours to finish 1 entry. Ahh I love those kids!
Good night!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
The Twins!
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Thursday, November 11, 2010
Update and a little rant...
I have been wanting to sit down and write for some time now but don't really have much to say. I am sure you might find that odd as I am growing two babies at one time; you would think I have a ton to say...
I can't begin to say how loosing all the weight has really helped make this pregnancy easy. I am pregnant with twins and with a month left have only gained 32lbs. I just started a small amount of swelling. I can't breath all that well, but with two babies you really have to expect that. My mood swings and emotions have been in better check. I am starting to truly believe that what we really are what we eat. When we nourish our body properly everything seems to run smoothly.
When I was pregnant with Noah; my mood swings were violent and awful. I have always had issues with anxiety and depression and when I was pregnant it was even worse. After I developed postpartum and needed to be medicated. Since loosing the weight my outlook on life has really changed. It's more than just feeling better about myself. I mean I don't feel "hot" or have the confidence to wear a bathing suit with out shorts but I feel happier with the way I look. There seems to be more to it than just that though. I am just overall happier. I don't take medication anymore and haven't since the surgery. It's almost like the weight loss triggered something in my brain. I do have mood swings, that's normal with pregnancy and hormonal changes but it's different. Now I feel more in control; better able to handle the ups and downs. I think Nick would agree that my emotion have been better this time around.
I have 4 weeks until my csection and I am so ready to see my children! I am not looking forward to the surgery but I want to meet my babies. Oh and to the Women out there who make comments like "Oh that's so nice; you just get to go in and it's so easy" all I have to say is bite me. Your right I don't get to have the excitement of my water breaking or going into labor. Your right I don't get to experience the miracle of actually pushing my child out. GRR. I want very badly to have a natural labor. A Woman's body is made to stretch for and heal after child birth. Our bodies however are not meant to be cut open layer by layer. Yes Childbirth is painful, but it's pain with a purpose. A C-section is painful in a very different way. Once the baby is born vaginally (unless you have had a very severe tear) the pain gradually subsides. Even if you tear the pain subsides quicker than an abdominal incision. It really angers me that some Women seem to thing that by having a c-section I am somehow getting it easier. I am not saying one is easier than the other but lets be honest here; Women heal quicker after a vaginal delivery and it's what our body is made to do. I keep my fingers crossed that I by some miracle go into labor and that both twins are head down. There is also a feeling of being defective when you "can't" give birth vaginally. To me it seems as though there is a feeling of accomplishment when you push that little one out. Laying on the table you feel detached and uninvolved. I understand the importance of C-sections. Had I not had one with Noah; he would have gotten stuck and we could have died. Sections are an important medical breakthrough; but please don't talk to me like I am so lucky that I get to have one. That's like telling someone they are lucky they get to have a root canal. I mean it's important to fix that tooth; but it's painful and no fun. Anywho, that's enough of that rant.
The twins are doing great. Growing quickly, which is great since most twins growth starts slowing down around 32 weeks. At 30 weeks they were over 3lbs each so hopefully we have over 4lbs. The thicker they get, the healthier they will be when I deliver. :) I go into have an Ultrasound tomorrow and am looking forward to seeing how they are positioned.
Liam and Ellie are scheduled to arrive December 8th at 12:30, but I have my fingers crossed that I go into labor. Even if I go into labor and have to end up having a csection it would be so nice to experience the start of labor at least once. We had to induce with Noah as he was late; apparently to big to drop and cause labor to start.
Well I better run.
I can't begin to say how loosing all the weight has really helped make this pregnancy easy. I am pregnant with twins and with a month left have only gained 32lbs. I just started a small amount of swelling. I can't breath all that well, but with two babies you really have to expect that. My mood swings and emotions have been in better check. I am starting to truly believe that what we really are what we eat. When we nourish our body properly everything seems to run smoothly.
When I was pregnant with Noah; my mood swings were violent and awful. I have always had issues with anxiety and depression and when I was pregnant it was even worse. After I developed postpartum and needed to be medicated. Since loosing the weight my outlook on life has really changed. It's more than just feeling better about myself. I mean I don't feel "hot" or have the confidence to wear a bathing suit with out shorts but I feel happier with the way I look. There seems to be more to it than just that though. I am just overall happier. I don't take medication anymore and haven't since the surgery. It's almost like the weight loss triggered something in my brain. I do have mood swings, that's normal with pregnancy and hormonal changes but it's different. Now I feel more in control; better able to handle the ups and downs. I think Nick would agree that my emotion have been better this time around.
I have 4 weeks until my csection and I am so ready to see my children! I am not looking forward to the surgery but I want to meet my babies. Oh and to the Women out there who make comments like "Oh that's so nice; you just get to go in and it's so easy" all I have to say is bite me. Your right I don't get to have the excitement of my water breaking or going into labor. Your right I don't get to experience the miracle of actually pushing my child out. GRR. I want very badly to have a natural labor. A Woman's body is made to stretch for and heal after child birth. Our bodies however are not meant to be cut open layer by layer. Yes Childbirth is painful, but it's pain with a purpose. A C-section is painful in a very different way. Once the baby is born vaginally (unless you have had a very severe tear) the pain gradually subsides. Even if you tear the pain subsides quicker than an abdominal incision. It really angers me that some Women seem to thing that by having a c-section I am somehow getting it easier. I am not saying one is easier than the other but lets be honest here; Women heal quicker after a vaginal delivery and it's what our body is made to do. I keep my fingers crossed that I by some miracle go into labor and that both twins are head down. There is also a feeling of being defective when you "can't" give birth vaginally. To me it seems as though there is a feeling of accomplishment when you push that little one out. Laying on the table you feel detached and uninvolved. I understand the importance of C-sections. Had I not had one with Noah; he would have gotten stuck and we could have died. Sections are an important medical breakthrough; but please don't talk to me like I am so lucky that I get to have one. That's like telling someone they are lucky they get to have a root canal. I mean it's important to fix that tooth; but it's painful and no fun. Anywho, that's enough of that rant.
The twins are doing great. Growing quickly, which is great since most twins growth starts slowing down around 32 weeks. At 30 weeks they were over 3lbs each so hopefully we have over 4lbs. The thicker they get, the healthier they will be when I deliver. :) I go into have an Ultrasound tomorrow and am looking forward to seeing how they are positioned.
Liam and Ellie are scheduled to arrive December 8th at 12:30, but I have my fingers crossed that I go into labor. Even if I go into labor and have to end up having a csection it would be so nice to experience the start of labor at least once. We had to induce with Noah as he was late; apparently to big to drop and cause labor to start.
Well I better run.
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