It's me.. (and I can't get myself to go away)

Hai!

2011-09-14T13:23:00.001-04:00

Remember me? I'm the crazy girl that used to blog here. I think I lost all focus once the temperature started going above 60 degrees and the sun came out. :-) The days are creeping closer and closer to Fall so here I am again!

The kids are getting so big. C turned 4 in August and he's now days away from starting his 2nd year of preschool. He's a pain in my ass most of the time, but I love him to death. He's still adjusting to not being the center of attention since his little sis arrived.

Speaking of, Princess K is now 9 months old and cute as all get out. She has 3 teeth now (2 top, 1 bottom) and is days away from crawling. She sits on the living room floor and turns herself in circles all day. :-) She's so stinkin' cute!! See for yourself!

I promise to get back to the blogging. There's lots of crap I need to talk about, and I'm always looking for an outlet for my happiness/bitchiness/whatever.

Peace out!!
~A

What's new??

2011-04-07T13:25:00.000-04:00

Not much here. Kiddos are finally feeling better, and again sleeping through the night. Which makes Mommy very happy. C is on spring break from preschool this week. I can totally tell he hasn't been to school in a week. I don't think kids who only go to school 2 days a week should need a spring break. I know the buildings are closed and the teachers are off and stuff, but whatever.

We're still shopping for that minivan. I listed my car for sale and have a friend who is interested in it. We're waiting to see whether or not he's going to buy it, so keep your fingers crossed!!! I did go drive an '08 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT earlier in the week when we were up in Saginaw visiting the Grandparents. It was sooooooooooooooo nice!!! I was really worried about the transition because I'm used to driving small-ish cars, and not a big fan of trucks and SUV's. This thing had more than enough room for us, and drove pretty much like a car. I loved everything about it. Except for the fact that another salesman had a deal pending on it. :-( I probably would have bought it right then and there. But the guy I was working with is a friend of mine, so he's still on the lookout. I also found 2-3 others online that I might go check out. We're not in too much of a hurry, but at the same time I'd really like to have it done and over with.

That's all the fun news here. It's supposed to be 70 degrees this weekend, so I'm going to go bust out the flip flops!

I'm sick of the sick!!

2011-03-25T23:05:00.000-04:00

So I *think* we may finally be on the road to recovery in this house. C had a virus for a week, which he in turn gave to K-Lo who ended up with RSV. So 3 trips to the pediatrician's office, a trip to the ER, a nebulizer and antibiotic for an ear infection later, here we are. K is finally getting back to normal. Poor baby was wheezing and coughing and just having a hell of a time. Two straight weeks of sick kids and this mommy is ready for half a dozen margaritas.

What's new?? Well, we've started shopping for a minivan, I've convinced hubs to repaint the kitchen, and I'm turning 31 in less than a month. I feel like I'm going on 45. Excuse me while I go find my Mom jeans...

Menu Plan Monday~ Back to the living!!

2011-03-13T16:59:00.001-04:00

C-man has been sick with a 101+ fever, cough and runny nose since last Wednesday. Taking care of him and a 3 month old princess really put a damper on our dinner cooking. We ate out a lot last week, or just foraged the pantry for random sustinance. :-) But, he's feeling a bit better and hopefully we're on track for a good week!!

Here's what's on the menu.

Sweet and Sour Pork with Brown Rice (using the pineapple sauce recipe)

Bruschetta Burgers (had one at Champps a couple weeks ago and I'm going to try and copy it using tomatoes, pesto and balsamic vinegar)

Shrimp and Lobster Pasta (I'll let Ryan concoct something creamy/buttery/garlicky.. Mmmmm!)

Kielbasa and Cabbage (this will be our St. Patty's Day dinner!)

Salmon Cakes (we make them similar to this, but don't usually follow a recipe)

And the award goes to...

2011-02-27T22:18:00.000-05:00

Me! For having the most boring weekend EVAR. But, you know what? I loved every minute of it.

I love boring winter weekends. Friday night we ordered in Thai food, since someone laid out the dinner ingredients a little too late and they were still frozen by cooking time. Luckily Ryan knows I'm just an airhead and not trying to scam out of cooking. :-) Food was pretty darn good. I ordered the Chicken Satay for C, and he ate the ever-loving crap out if it. Which is saying a lot considering he doesn't hardly eat anything but PBJ and cheese sticks.

Saturday we sat around allll day. Literally. I sat on one couch and Ryan sat on the other, while C played some games here and there and watched Toy Story 3 for the 871987459817459894 time. K just did her baby thing (cry, eat, poop, smile, repeat) and we did nothing all day. Had our dinner we were supposed to have the night before, and then C and I made Ziploc bag ice cream (which was pretty frickin' cool).

Now it's Sunday and here I sit once again. Though today I actually put on some non-elastic waist pants and went out in public for a few hours. I was telling Ryan when we left that it had been 5 days since I had been outside. Seriously. No wonder I feel like I should be in the loony bin. I hadn't been out of the house since Tuesday morning when I picked C up from preschool. Hahahaha!

Anyway, we went to Costco to return some formula we tried to feed K and she spit it right back in our faces. Okay not really, but she SCREAMED through every bottle for 2 straight days until I begged Ryan to go to the store and buy something else. He said "let's wait it out and see what happens" and then he had to feed her while C and I were taking a shower, and 5 mins later he's at the store looking for new formula. She's decided that Similac is her drink of choice, and hopefully none of the cans I bought today have any bug guts in them. So we took the Costco formula we had bought (their generic brand) and how awesome is it that they took back an open can???? That rocks. They also carry Similac, and although it's not nearly as cheap as the generic, it's still a pretty good deal.

We met my Mother-In-Law at the store and walked around with her for a while. Then we mentioned lunch, so we all went over to Olga's for some, and then she asked C if he wanted to come and spend the night at her house. Yay! So now my house is quiet and I had no little 3.5 year old to put to bed. It's nice to have the break, but I might just go lay down in his bed for a while. Don't tell anyone.

Ryan and I came home with the baby, had Shamrock Shakes for dinner and watched the red carpet of the Oscars. Then I remembered I had a DVR'd episode of Castle to watch. And Nathan Fillion trumps that Oscar dude anyday. :-)

I did NOT miss this.. Not at all!

2011-02-26T21:50:00.003-05:00

The wonderful monthly gift all us women get. At least those of us who still have all our "plumbing".

Mine came back this week after being gone *almost* a year. And let me tell you, that Aunt Flo is a beyotch! For the first day it felt like I got kicked in the vajinga repeatedly by someone wearing a steel-toed boot. That pain then moved to my lower back, and lasted for another day.

Not to mention my insatiable appetite for sweets. Which is awesome when you are trying to finally not be such a fat ass anymore. So I decided to wait another week to start whipping myself back into shape (whatever that shape may be) and had some Cadbury Creme Eggs. Don't judge me.

Time for a change..

2011-02-24T14:11:00.002-05:00

I haven't been very good at the blog thing. It's hard for me to stay motivated to something, okay? I have a pretty short attention span. What was I saying??

Oh yeah, time to change up the blog. It's been all sunshine and roses and puppies and kittens and crap. Too nice, too bland and soooooooooo not me. I've been reading Brittany over at Barefoot Foodie (who's pretty frickin' awesome by the way, I think we might be long lost sisters) and she's inspired me to just speak my mind on this blog. PG updates about the kids, and all that other crap is booooooring. I need a place to vent, and just be random and I think this is the place.

I'll still do some food stuff, I'm sure. Because well, I like food. A lot. And I'll still brag about my kiddos, because they are pretty much the coolest. But, I'm done being all sunshine and rainbows. No one reads this damn blog anyway, so I'm really only saying this for my own benefit. :-)

All these grandiose plans..

2011-02-23T13:36:00.002-05:00

..and I fail miserably.

Life feels so insane right now, yet I'm not doing anything. Other than carrying around a newborn all damn day (or so it feels like). I have a brand new steam mop that I asked for for Christmas (LAME!) that is still in the box. So yes, I haven't mopped my floor in 2 months. My big kid walks upright and my baby doesn't move, so until someone is crawling on said floor, or the cat hair stages it's revenge on me, I'm not going to worry about it.

We're having a hard time finding some formula that is good for Princess K. At her last doctor appointment, they suggested switching her to sensitive, and gave me a sample of Similac powder. Used it in a weekend and no change. So we decided to go with the regular Similac powder since I had a sample of that too. My fabulous neighbor Kathy gave me a bottle of ready-made Similac she had leftover from her son, so I made some bottles with that. She started to do much better, so I figured she was outgrowing her crank and was okay with a regular milk-based formula. Put her back on what we were using before (Costco generic) two days ago, and my life has been hell for the last day and a half. She was crabby all day yesterday, woke up at 1am and 6am (when she had been sleeping 10 hours) and has been cranky today too. I think the ready-made formula is what did the trick. Which sucks because it's uber-expensive, and I hate the thought of using all those plastic bottles. But, I think that's the way we're going to have to go. Just have to suck it up for 10 months until she can drink regular milk.

Oh, and I haven't forgotten about the 30 day challenge. I'll try and start tomorrow, since hubby has to work late tonight and I'll probably be ready for hard liquor after dealing with crankypants all day.

Menu Plan Monday~ Pantry/Freezer Week

2011-02-21T14:14:00.004-05:00

Here's our meal plan for the week! My goal was to try and incorporate at least one thing we already have on-hand for each meal. My pantry and freezer are both pretty full, so it needs to be done! These are in no particular order, since we usually just pick from a list rather than assign a specific day. Here we go!! :-)

NY Strip Steaks with Asparagus Salad and Sweet Potatoes
(Steaks and Sweet Potatoes were in the freezer!)

Hearts of Gold Chicken w/Broccoli
(Sundried Tomatoes from pantry, Broccoli on hand)

Flank Steak Fajitas with Spanish Style Quinoa
(Meat, veggies and tortillas from the freezer, Quinoa and tomato sauce from the pantry)

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
(Spaghetti noodles in the pantry, meat sauce in the freezer)

Salmon with Mango Salsa and Brown Rice
(Salmon in freezer, Rice in pantry, some salsa ingredients already on hand)

Turkey Sausage and Bean Soup
(everything on hand but the sausage!)

Jamaican Jerk Pizza~ similar to the one made by CPK
(Jerk sauce, onion, cheese all on hand)

I still have some things to shop for, but overall I think I did pretty well!! Looking forward to a yummy week of dinners! :-)
(ETA: I only spent $18.35 on dinner ingredients for the whole week!!!)

(Visit orgjunkie.com for TONS of Menu Plan ideas!!)

30 day blogging challenge..

2011-02-13T15:58:00.003-05:00

I've been looking for something to jump-start my blog, and to get myself into the habit of writing much more often that I do. I came across a "30 day blog challenge" set of questions and thought it looked like fun. Starting tomorrow I am going to be answering all these questions for you. I hope to do one question every day, but life is a bit crazy in this house right now so I'm not making any promises!! :-)

Here are the topics for the 30 day challenge:

Day 01 — A favorite song
Day 02 — A favorite movie
Day 03 — A favorite TV show
Day 04 — A favorite book
Day 05 — A favorite quote
Day 06 — A fun fact about me
Day 07 — A favorite photo
Day 08 — Something I crave
Day 09 — Pet peeves
Day 10 — A photo of me taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of me taken recently
Day 12 — Something I bought recently
Day 13 — Something I want to buy
Day 14 — An old photo
Day 15 — My celebrity crush
Day 16 — A favorite food
Day 17 — A photo of my family
Day 18 — A baby photo
Day 19 — A fun memory
Day 20 — A hobby of mine
Day 21 — A favorite recipe
Day 22 — A favorite joke
Day 23 — A video
Day 24 — A travel story
Day 25 — A favorite photo
Day 26 — A funny (true) story
Day 27 — A child I love
Day 28 — A place I love
Day 29 — A person I love
Day 30 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days

Let the fun begin!!!

One month down..

2011-01-10T17:40:00.002-05:00

..and I'm exhausted! Princess K is one month old today. She's doing very well, and we're falling into a good routine as a family of four. Hubs has been an awesome help around the house (and with the baby) and C just adores his little sister. He gives her hugs and kisses all the time, and is really adjusting well to being a big brother. I'm so proud of him. It's been quite a change for me, to split my time between two kiddos now, but so far we're doing okay. Hubs has been back to work for a couple of weeks, and C went back to preschool last week and we all survived!

She's HERE!!

2010-12-19T20:02:00.004-05:00

Monday December 6th, I went in for my 38 week appointment. Everything looked okay except for a slightly elevated blood pressure. The doctor asked me to come back later in the week just to monitor it. On Thursday December 9th, I went back for my 2nd checkup of the week and that’s where the story begins.

I woke up feeling fine that morning, but by the time I got to the doctors office (9:30am), I could tell something was “off”. I felt a dizzy and slightly nauseous like I do when I need to eat. Nurse took my blood pressure, and it was pretty elevated (around 145/108) which is very high for me. After laying on my side for a few minutes, it was re-checked and still high. Apparently there was also a little protein in my urine that week, so the doc decided it was time to head to the hospital. She wanted me to be monitored for a little while to see if the blood pressure came down, if not they were going to admit me. Since I’m writing out her birth story, you can see how that worked out. :-)

Just after 12 noon, I was given an L&D room, and after checking with the doctor they let me eat some lunch before administering a misoprostol pill to help ripen my cervix and start contractions. After 6 hours on the misoprostol, I started some decent contractions so they decided to switch to pitocin. I labored on that for a while, and after a few hours decided it was time for an epidural. The doctor came in to check my cervix (4cm) and at that point broke my water. I received the epidural around 10:30pm, and I wish I could say it was a good experience. It was not. The one I received with C was like a walk in the park, this one I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. I still have a huge bruise on my back to prove it. Luckily, the medication took effect pretty quickly and I was able to relax for a little while. I remember making it through the 11pm newscast on TV, but sometime during the Tonight Show, I lost all focus.

The contractions were coming pretty quickly and I was having to really breathe through them even with the epidural. I called the nurse and asked to have a cervical check, and maybe a bolus on the epidural because I was in total pain. As soon as I hung up the phone, I started to shake uncontrollably and knew that I was in transition. The nurse had me flip over to my right side (since I had been laying on my left for a while) to see if that helped at all. Two contractions later, the pressure was unbearable, and I was being very vocal about the pain. That’s when the mad rush began. The doc checked my cervix, and K was practically crowning. In about 30 seconds we all managed to get ready to push, and the pushing only lasted about 5 minutes. Baby K arrived at 1:45am on Friday 12/10/10. At a whopping 5lbs, 14oz, she was 2lbs smaller than her big brother, and looks very similar to what he did as a newborn.

We were released from the hospital Saturday afternoon (12/11/10) and were home and settled just in time. That night’s rainstorm became Sunday’s snowstorm, and the weather has been horrible ever since. Luckily we have nothing better to do than stay home and cuddle with our new little angel.

C'mon Baby Girl!

2010-12-05T23:00:00.002-05:00

I'm 38 weeks pregnant as of today, and I'm soooooo ready to meet my baby girl. All the preparations are complete, all my Christmas gifts are purchased (and wrapped!) and hubby and I have been sitting here bored every night just *waiting* for something to happen. So far, nothing!

I'm trying to enjoy my last few days as a Mom of 1. I've been spending a lot more time cuddling with C and playing one-on-one with him. I know he'll probably never remember a time when he didn't have a sibling, but I know I'll always remember when he was my only baby. :-)

36 weeks!

2010-11-21T19:31:00.002-05:00

Today marks my 36th week of pregnancy, and tomorrow ushers in weekly appointments at the OB. I can't believe it's almost time to met our beautiful baby girl. Everything is ready, all the bags are packed for the hospital and we're patiently waiting for a sign that it's time! I know that every day she stays warm and comfy in my uterus, she's a little bit healthier for the outside world, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I was ready to not be pregnant anymore. It's painful! Plus C came down with a wonderful early winter cold, and passed it on to me right away. Congestion and sinus headaches are no fun when you can't take any of the good drugs for them. I've been taking as much tylenol as I can, lots of warm showers and hot tea. I'm slowly getting better, and I'm grateful that I'm getting it over with now, rather than during labor and delivery. :)

We put the Christmas lights up on the house today. It's a little early still, but we wanted to make sure we decorated at least a little bit before the baby comes. It just got me thinking that this time of year is going to be even more special now than it was before. I just hope that baby girl picks a good day to be her birthday. Not too close to Christmas, minimal snow to drive through, that sort of thing. :) I can't wait to meet her!

What am I thankful for?

2010-11-10T08:55:00.000-05:00

Coffee.. Mmmmmm delicious coffee. :-)

My amazing husband. Who goes to work every day to provide for our family. Who (almost) never complains when I've spent the day on the couch instead of cleaning. Who loves me in spite of my many flaws. Who is a wonderful father.

My family. Each one has taught me something. Mom taught me how to love, Dad taught me generosity. Nate taught me how to live for the moment, Jason taught me how to chill. :)

My children. It's hard to imagine I will have 2 of them very very soon. The change that happens when a woman becomes a mother, is one I wish I could even put into words. You make sacrifices, you fall in love so much harder than you did with your spouse, you feel everything they do. Like a part of yourself is living outside your body. They cry, you cry. They laugh, you laugh. My son is absolutely incredible. I'm amazed every day. He's taught me so much about myself, and what it really means to love someone. I'm so thankful for him, and blessed to be his Mom. My daughter (wow.. that seems weird) who's personality I can "feel" since I haven't seen her face yet. She's a lot like her Daddy, I think. I can't wait to meet her and see what she adds to our family dynamic.

I have so much to be thankful for. I never imagined I would be so blessed. Sure, we could all use more money, a nicer house or a newer car. I'd love to get pedicures and haircuts whenever I wanted, and not have to worry. But none of that matters when you have such wonderful people in your life, as I do.

Menu Plan Monday..

2010-10-04T08:25:00.005-04:00

This is my first time participating, and I'm new at all this blogging stuff, but thanks for stopping by!

These are in no particular order, we usually just make a list of stuff and then decide what sounds good on what day.

-Crab Cakes w/ Roasted Butternut Squash~ Yum! We don't really follow a recipe for the crab cakes. Some bread crumbs, some green onions, Old Bay, Mayo & Mustard usually. The butternut squash is one of my favorites though, and it's sooo easy! The hardest part is cutting the thing up! I just peel it and cut it into bite size pieces, toss with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper. Put it on a sheet pan and put in a HOT oven (like 425-450) for 20-30 mins. Once it gets dark brown and carmelized it's done (and yummy!).

-Chicken Schwarma~ I know I've posted this one before. We use Rachael Ray's recipe (here) and store-bought Naan bread. It's just a different take on fajitas when you think about it.

-Spaghetti and Meat~ I haven't decided if it will be meat sauce or meatballs, so we'll just say meat. LOL My grocery store sells a pre-mix of beef, veal and pork for meatballs (or meatloaf) so I'll just have to decide if I want to take the extra time to make the meatballs.

-Scallops and Quinoa~ This is a new one for us. We've always wanted to try quinoa, and I found a recipe in an old Food Network Magazine that had lots of citrus and seared scallops. It looked yummy, so we'll see! You can check it out here!

-Chili~ Mmmmmm. My hubby makes the best chili, and I've been anxiously waiting for the weather to turn so we have an excuse to make it. :) His has beef & ground pork, stewed tomatoes, chipotle chilis, Guinness, & beans (plus a few secret ingredients). It's smoky and spicy and super-yummy! We'll have to have this one on Saturday though, since it's a full-day recipe and hubs has to be home to make it. My contribution will probably be some cornbread muffins. :)

We have 1 day this week where C and I will be out of town, and Daddy will be on his own for dinner. We're going to stay with my parents for the night so I can have my bridesmaid's dress fitted for my brother's wedding (in 3 weeks!!). Our neighbors invited us out to a local mexican place for $1.50 tacos and margaritas, so I have a feeling he'll be joining them. :)

Single Dad Laughing..

2010-10-03T17:23:00.003-04:00

I spend the majority of my "down time" on the internet, and I'm always looking for new content to read. I stumbled upon this blog because one of my other Mommy friends "liked" him on Facebook. I'm totally addicted, and just thought I'd share.

Single Dad Laughing

If you are a parent, you *need* to read this blog! His posts make you laugh, make you cry, and make you think. Being a parent is a very important job, and it's nice to find someone (especially a Dad!) who hasn't forgotten that. I haven't even come close to diving in to some of the older posts, but I'm looking forward to it!! :-)

It's OCTOBER!!

2010-10-01T12:57:00.005-04:00

I can't believe fall is here already, and only a little over 11 weeks until baby girl is due! I have SO MUCH TO DO!!!! Actually, it feels like a lot but we're really moving along. Baby's room is painted, crib is put together and about half of her newborn/0-3 clothes are washed and put away. Earlier this week (because of some great coupons!) C and I went out and bought her baby towels and washcloths, and a couple thermal receiving blankets. Which IMO, make for the best swaddles. :)

Most of our baby gear is ready to go as well. I brought up the baby swing and got it all cleaned up and ready to go. C is having fun putting his stuffed animals in it and turning it on. Yesterday he found our baby bathtub in the closet and was asking what it was. Once I told him, he wanted to sit in it and take a bath. :) Then I had to go find and show him this picture.

Now I'm REALLY getting antsy about having this baby. They're so cute and tiny! I just want to snuggle her! :) Okay, I'm off to satiate my "nesting urges" and do some laundry.. :)

Happy Friday!!

2010-09-24T08:22:00.003-04:00

We've survived the week and now the weekend is here. Yay!!! C had a wonderful first day of preschool yesterday, and I used the opportunity to get a lot done around the house. I think we're both going to like preschool! Today we're going to bake some muffins to freeze for breakfast on school days. C has a tough time getting moving in the morning, so I need something quick (and portable if necessary) to get him fed before preschool. We'll also be clearing out Baby Girl's room to get ready to paint this weekend!! Here is her bedding set! (Carter's Garden Party)

This picture is almost exactly what the room is like, only reversed. There's a white chair rail around the room, and we're picked the lavender in the valances for the bottom half, and an slightly off-white for the top. The lavender was easy to pick, but the off-white took me a while to find just the right one. Who knew there were so many variations of off-white??? The one I finally settled on was called "Snow Fall" and since she's a December baby, I figured that was a good fit. :) Ryan *finally* has a weekend off, so I'll be keeping him busy!

Hope you all have a great weekend, and I'll leave you with this pic of C on his first day of preschool yesterday!

Easy Breakfast Ideas..

2010-09-18T19:16:00.010-04:00

C starts preschool full time this week. I'm trying to find some easy breakfasts I can make and freeze, so I can get him out of the house on time and fed! Here's what I've found so far. (Thanks to Catherine @ Weelicious) :)

Baby Frittatas (Makes 12 Baby Frittatas)

3 Large Eggs
2 Tbsp Milk
2 Tbsp Parmesan, grated
1/4 Cup Asparagus, diced
3 Sun Dried Tomatoes, packed in oil and diced

1. Preheat the oven 375 degrees.
2. Spray or grease mini muffin tins with oil or butter.
3. Whisk the eggs and milk together. Add the cheese, tomatoes and
vegetables.
4. Add a heaping tablespoon of egg/vegetable mixture to each muffin cup.
5. Bake for 12-14 minutes.
6. Cool and serve.

Strawberry Muffins (Makes 24-28 Mini Muffins)

2 Cups All Purpose Flour
3 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Large Egg
3/4 Cup Milk (low fat or whole cow’s milk, almond, rice or soy milk will work)
1/4 Cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
1/2 Cup Honey or Agave Nectar
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Tsp Lemon Zest
1 1/2 Cups Strawberries, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a bowl, combine the first 3 ingredients.‬
3. In a separate bowl, whisk egg and add milk, oil, honey, vanilla, and lemon zest and stir.‬
4. Using a standing mixer or hand mixer, slowly combine the dry ingredients with the wet until incorporated (try not to over mix the batter).‬
5. Add the strawberries to the batter and slowly combine.‬
6. Line or grease muffin tins and fill 2/3 of the way with batter.‬
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick tester comes out clean.‬
8. Cool and serve.‬

* If you want to make regular sized muffins, fill 12 muffin cups and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Pineapple Carrot Muffins (Makes 14 Muffins)

1 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Wheat Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Butter, melted
1/2 Cup Agave Nectar
2 Eggs
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Pineapple, chopped fine and drained well OR 1 8 oz Can Crushed Pineapple, drained well
1 Cup Shredded Carrot (about 2 Large Carrot)
1/2 Cup Walnuts, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees,
2. In a large bowl combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a separate bowl combine the butter and agave using a whisk or an electric beater to combine.
4. Add the eggs and whisk to combine.
5. Add the vanilla, pineapple, carrots and walnuts (if using) to the butter mixture.
6. Stir in the dry ingredients, making sure not to over mix.
7. Pour the batter into regular size, paper lined muffin cups.
8. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Cool and serve.

Orange Date Muffins (makes 12 muffins)

1/2 Cup Orange Juice
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Butter, melted
1/2 Cup Honey
1 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Dates, chopped
1/2 Cup Walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix the first 4 ingredients in a bowl.
3. Sift the dry ingredients together into a separate bowl.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients with the dates and walnuts.
5. Divide the batter between 12 greased or paper lined muffin tins and bake for 15 minutes.
6. Cool and serve.

More ideas.......

Chrystal's Lazy Granola (found here)

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oil (I use Canola)
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla
7 cups oats (I use old fashioned, NOT quick cooking)

1. Mix brown sugar, oil, and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a low boil.
2. Remove from heat. Stir in cinnamon and vanilla.
3. Pour over oats in a large bowl. Stir until well coated.
4. Spread oats in a 9×13 pan. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes.
5. Take out and stir.
6. Return pan to oven. Turn oven off.
7. Go to bed. Wake up to a delicious, cinnamon-y sent wafting through your kitchen!

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins (found here)
makes 12

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 1/4 cup buttermilk*
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
1 [generous!] cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Grease muffin tins, or line with papers
3. Whisk together dry ingredients.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, oil, and honey until creamy.
5. Toss blueberries into dry ingredients to quickly coat.
6. Pour wet into dry, folding with a rubber spatula just until the batter is moist (but still lumpy.)
7. Spoon into muffin tin and bake 20-30 minutes.

*For cheater buttermilk: pour 1 tablespoon of vinegar into 1 cup measure; fill with milk and let sit until it’s a bit curdled.

(9/24~ These are pretty good! I made them as shown, and baked for 20 mins. Next time I will use applesauce for the oil, because they were just a tad on the dry side (though nothing a little butter won't fix!) C tried one for a snack and really liked them, so I'm sure they'll be a hit for breakfast along with his must-have banana! :)

Thirsty Thursday..

2010-09-09T08:52:00.004-04:00

The weather in MI has turned fall-like very quickly... I'm thirsty and dying for one of these.

That's a limited release Fall Cider from Woodchuck. It is SO GOOD! It's like a warm mulled cider taste, only ice cold and refreshing. Sounds weird, but I looooove it!! Too bad I can't drink it for a while. :( I'm going to have to buy a case this year and stash it in the back of the fridge until January.

The results are in....

2010-08-03T22:49:00.002-04:00

We are having a healthy baby GIRL!!!

And she is stubborn! C and I met hubby at the doctor's office and got down to business. The tech put the little ultrasound thingie on my belly and I was instantly greeted by an alien-baby face staring back at me. :) She was laying from right to left, and facing out. Unfortunately that meant it was nearly impossible for the tech to get any of the measurements she needed. After about 5 minutes, she had me empty my bladder (thank goodness!) and walk around the room for a while to try and get her to move. Luckily it worked, and as soon as we got back to it she showed us her "goods". :) We were able to finish the ultrasound without a problem, and the doctor followed up and said that everything looked perfect! We are so thrilled to be going on this new adventure, now if we could only think of a name!

Little things sometimes make life so much easier..

2010-08-01T19:39:00.005-04:00

C and I took a trip out to meet Daddy for lunch a couple weeks ago, and afterward stopped by Bed Bath and Beyond to take a look around. There, we picked up two little things not spending more than $20. They've both turned out to be awesome for C, and make my life a lot easier.

First was this cute little step stool. (I just got a boring white one)

It was only $15 in the Back to School section. It holds up to 300lbs and folds up for storage. It's the perfect size for C to reach the sink in the bathroom to wash his hands, and it fits between the toilet and sink for storage when not in use. Our bathroom is small as it is, and having a full step stool in there all the time was getting to be a pain in the you-know-what.

Then I found something similar to this (they don't have the *exact* one on their site)

C *loves* popsicles (what kid doesn't?) and I always try to buy the juice ones, or the "no added sugar" ones. One box I bought had 3 flavors, but only 2 of them were juice. The third one had HFCS. Then I found ones under the Minute Maid label that were low in calories and "made with juice". Those also had HFCS. So, I saw this little popsicle maker and thought I'd try it out. All I did was put Colin's normal morning juice in it, and he thinks they are the COOLEST thing ever!

Happy Friday!!!!

2010-07-23T09:07:00.002-04:00

July

2010-07-22T13:09:00.002-04:00

I can't believe we're close to the end of July already! We've had a wonderful month so far. Hubs and I celebrated our 6 year wedding anniversary while we were on a family vacation. We were able to spend 10 days up in Traverse City staying at my parents house and just relaxing. We took a couple of day trips here and there, but for the most part we stayed home, soaked up the sun and swam until our hands and feet looked like prunes. :) C had a blast being able to swim all the time, he really is a little fish!

We're home now, and birthday party plans are in full swing. I didn't get a chance to finish my homemade invitations in time (boo!) but I still have some ideas for little homemade touches. C's 1st birthday was sunny and hot and his 2nd birthday was cold and rainy, so we're hoping for good weather this year. Depending on how many kids come, I'm thinking about borrowing my brother's big blow-up waterslide thing. If the weather cooperates, it should be the perfect activity for the kiddos.

But, before we have the party we have another exciting day. In less than 2 weeks, I have my 20 week anatomy ultrasound!! I cannot wait to find out whether this baby is a boy or a girl. I'm sick of referring to my baby as "it". Everyone and their brother is thinking pink, except for hubby and I. He's leaning towards another boy, and I'm just hoping for healthy and happy. I honestly don't care either way, and I don't really think my instincts are leaning either way right now. With C, I just knew he was a boy. This time around, I'm really not sure. So we're excited to get our answer, and get going with our plans for the baby's room and getting things ready. :)

It's that time of year again...

2010-06-28T15:10:00.003-04:00

Time to think about the big birthday party!!! C will be 3 years old on August 9th! I can't believe my baby is so big. *sniff sniff* Since baby #2 is due in December (and it will probably be near impossible to throw a huge party that close to the holidays) we've decided that this will be the last year for big birthday parties for Colin too. We weren't going to do one this year, but then found out that a set of his Grandparents (my Dad and Step-Mom) are going to be visiting from California! So, we party!!!!!! :)

C really likes Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, so we're doing a Mickey Mouse birthday. I'm going to order a cake this year instead of stressing myself out making a cake/cupcakes. Last year I was up until 1am the night before his party frosting everything. Not this year!! I like to have some homemade touches though, so I decided to make these cute little Mickey Mouse cookie pops instead. Aren't they just adorable??? (Thank you MyPartyFile.com!)

Other than that, we'll do the typical summertime cookout menu. Hamburgers and Hot Dogs, sides and Water/Pop/Beer. I'll probably do some Mickey Mouse shaped Rice Krispie treats too, just because everyone seems to love those. :) I'm not sure how many kids are coming, so the "goody bag" ideas are still up in the air. I've also thought about doing a pinata, but we'll see who comes before we decide.

My Blog's Title.. explained!

2010-06-26T09:00:00.006-04:00

"It's me.. (and I can't get myself to go away)" is a line from the song "Real World" by Matchbox Twenty. Not my all-time favorite song, but that one line just jumps out at me every time. Anyone who knows me, knows I am a HUGE fan of Rob Thomas. It's hard to explain, but it seems like every time he releases an album, there's at least one song on it that feels like it was written for me. Whatever is going on in my life at the time, it's the perfect theme song.

When I was in High School and couldn't decide between 2 boys I cared about (I know.. what a horrible thing) ;) there's was "Back 2 Good".

"Everyone here, knows everyone here is thinking about somebody else. It's best if we all keep this under our heads. I couldn't tell, if anyone here was feeling the way I do. But I'm lonely now, and I don't know how to get it back to good"

When I was in college, and the love of my life broke my heart (2 months later he changed his mind, and 2 years later we got married.) there was "Leave".

"I'm not saying there wasn't nothing wrong, I just didn't think you'd ever get tired of me. I'm not saying we ever had the right to hold on, I just didn't wanna let it get away from me. But if that's how it's gonna leave, straight out from underneath, then we'll see who's sorry now."

When I was pregnant with C, there was "Little Wonders".

"Our lives are made in these small hours. These little wonders, these twists & turns of fate. Time falls away, but these small hours, these small hours still remain. All of my regret, will wash away somehow. But I cannot forget the way I feel right now."

So, this is my little homage to him. If I ever got to meet him in person I would (after hyperventilating) thank him for finding the words that I never could. Thanks Rob!!! :)

I'm Back..

2010-06-25T09:01:00.002-04:00

Why do I suck so bad at this blog thing? I come to this site every day to read my other favorite blogs but never post. I'm going to try and change that. So let's see.... What's new since the last time I posted??? Oh yeah..

I'M PREGNANT!!!!!! :)

We found out in late April that we're expecting again. It was a shock at first (though I don't know why, it's not like we were using a reliable form of birth control) but we are thrilled now. Baby#2 is due December 19th but we're hoping he/she makes their appearance early rather than late. :) We're so happy to give C a sibling and to complete our family.

C is doing very well. He's fully day trained on the potty and stays dry during naps. Right now we are working on getting him to use the regular toilet by himself, and to not forget to put his pants back on!! One thing at a time I guess. Hubby has been working a lot the last few weeks, but we've planned a little getaway after the 4th of July holiday that will give us lots of time to rest and recuperate. I'm looking forward to it.

Other than that, life has been pretty boring. The weather has been fantastic so we've spent a lot of time sitting outside and enjoying the short summer we have in MI. Before you know it, there will be snow on the ground again. :)

He went in the POTTY!!

2010-05-10T22:50:00.002-04:00

Yeah, I'm one of those Mom's. I'm bragging on C today because he went pee in the potty all afternoon!! Nine times total! (though I think he was just going a little bit at a time for an extra sticker and M&M) :-)

Earlier today, C was complaining that his bum hurt so I decided to let him run diaper-free. I always tease him saying "Don't pee pee on my floor!!" and he just laughs. After about 10 mins of naked time, he comes up to me holding himself, with the most serious look on his face and says "Pee pee". So, I put him down and he went!! We have been talking about this for MONTHS!! I am so glad that it finally "clicked"! At least I hope it did. I went out and bought a bunch of new big boy underwear, stickers and prizes for him. I'll be soooooo happy if he's finally ready to use the bathroom. Keep your fingers crossed!!!

Thoughts on 30

2010-04-22T09:35:00.000-04:00

So, yesterday was my 30th birthday. I thought I'd be more freaked out at the idea of turning 30, but it didn't really feel much different. I had a wonderful day. My first real spa massage, an iced coffee and quiet walk around the mall, a couple of quiet hours to read (as C was already down for his nap when I got home) and dinner with my whole big crazy family.

I've been thinking a lot about my life lately. Thinking back to when I was younger and thirty seemed so far away. I remember thinking what my life might be like when I turned 30, and my predictions were pretty spot on! I just didn't realize then, how happy I would be now. I have a wonderful husband, and an amazing son. I don't think I could ask for much more.

Happy Friday..

2010-04-16T16:36:00.003-04:00

Well, it's been one of "yays" and "boos" today..

Colin woke up at 6:30am (BOO) but I managed to bring him into bed with me where he slept until 8:30am (YAY). Then we got dressed and went to the Secretary of State so I could get new tabs for my car. (BOO) There wasn't much of a line when we got there (YAY) but Colin acted like a typical toddler. (BOO) Then hubby came home early and replaced the brakes on my car (YAY!!!!)

Overall it was a pretty good one!

Wordless Wednesday~ Lunch with Mommy!

2010-04-14T14:20:00.002-04:00

There's nothing I hate more...

2010-04-13T09:31:00.002-04:00

..than cleaning up puke. Bleh!!!!!!

My poor C-man has been sick for what seems like an eternity. Bad head cold followed by viral rash in February/March that I swear was only gone for a week before the springtime allergies started. His nose is running like a faucet and he's all congested in his chest. Which makes him cough like crazy, especially at sleep times. Which lead to yesterday's naptime. He went down without an issue (since he's been waking up early in the morning with the coughing) and it was a beautiful afternoon. I decided to forgo all the housecleaning I could have been doing and spent the quiet time out on our back deck reading a book and enjoying the sunshine.

C usually toddles out of his room after naptime, so I didn't think I really needed to listen too closely. But after about an hour and a half I hear him crying. I don't think too much of it, I figure he's stuffed up and pissed that he woke up not being able to breathe. So, I go into his room to see what's up.

Me: What's wrong baby?

C: Mama, I puked..

So immediately I think the worst. OMFG, now he's got the stomach bug. I just can't catch a break. We're all going to be here heaving our guts out all night. Just effing great!!! So I clean him up and ask what happened. He tells me he was coughing. Can I just say that I LOVE it that he can relay that to me even if it's not a full sentence. So we got cleaned up, had a glass of pedialyte just in case and proceeded to do 2 loads of vomit laundry.

But, on the bright side at least I know my washer/dryer is able to handle a twin sized comforter!

*sigh*

Menu Plan Monday- It's Springtime!

2010-04-12T14:44:00.003-04:00

It never fails, as soon as we get a glimpse of warm weather here in MI, hubs and I start craving foods that are quick, easy and full of delicious carcinogens. We own a gas grill for convenience and a charcoal grill because it just makes everything so damn tasty! :-) Since we just got the charcoal one for Christmas, it's still a shiny new toy for Ryan, that I'm sure will get lots of use once we're in full-blown summer mode up here. For now, our menu is as up and down as the weather.

Monday: Chicken Shawarma. It's based on this recipe by (looks around to make sure no REAL food people are listening) Rachael Ray. Though we use Garam Masala instead of all the other spices (it's basically the same thing) and we're attempting to make homemade Naan. Well, homemade out of a box, but it's more work than just picking up a pack at the store (they were all out or else I would have done just that).

Tuesday: Spaghetti and Meatballs. An old standby that everyone in my household will eat. We're making homemade meatballs with ground lamb, pork and beef and then I'll probably just doctor up a jar of pasta sauce to go with it.

Wednesday: Steak and Salad. A green salad and homemade dressing makes up for the cholesterol and carcinogens of a grilled steak, right???

Thursday: Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken. Nine times out of ten we make our own sauce and use whole wheat pasta. This is not one of those times. I bought hubby a box of noodles to eat when C and I were on vacation and they are still in the pantry. So I'll doctor these up with some chicken, bean sprouts, carrots and green onions.

Friday: Black Beans and Rice. We always try to do at least one "meatless" meal a week. This one will more than likely be a mexican-style mix of rice, beans, tomatoes and corn. I have a couple of tortillas I can warm up to serve on the side. This is also one of those "clean out the pantry" meals.

Saturday and Sunday are still up in the air. I'm supposed to go out with some friends on Saturday, and if that works out then Ryan and C will be on their own for dinner (which usually means take-out). Sunday we have an out of town birthday party to go to, and might not be back in time to make a full-blown dinner.

Introduction

2010-04-12T08:55:00.002-04:00

Hello and welcome! I'm Alison, a married mom of 1 from Metro Detroit. I'm 29 years old (at least for a few more days) and I've been married to my college sweetheart Ryan, since 2004. Our son, "C" is 2 1/2.

I was born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan. What I would call a mid-sized town built on the foundations of the automobile industry. All in all, I'd say it was a decent place to grow up, but I'm glad I've moved on. I've always had sort of a complex family situation. My Mom and Dad split when I was two, and my Mom re-married when I was three. My Mom and RJ are still married today, and are wonderful parents (and Grandparents!) Shortly after I turned four, my Mom gave birth to twin boys. Our house was always pretty crazy growing up, but we made the most of it. My brothers both have families of their own now. Nate (older by 16 minutes) is married to Sara and they have 2 boys. Jason is engaged to Kelly (wedding in October!) and they have 3 kids. His son, her daughter and a baby boy together.

My Dad and I managed to end up with a pretty great relationship, even though I never lived with him full time. When I was 16, he moved to California to pursue career opportunities that he couldn't have in Saginaw. I don't blame him one bit for wanting to leave, but I still miss him terribly. He's been married to my stepmom Nancy for 10 years.

After graduating High School, I went to Central Michigan University. It was the perfect school. Just close enough to home, yet far enough away. In January of my sophomore year, I met Ryan. A cute computer geek who was just as sweet as he was smart. Not at all the type of guy I went for in the past, but since none of those worked out, I went for it. Here we are just over 10 years later. Like me, his parents are also divorced and re-married. They are all wonderful people, and love to spoil C, but it sometimes makes for stressful holidays. :-) All in all, I have to say that we are nothing but blessed to have such a big and amazing family.

We married in the summer of 2004, bought a house that fall and settled into married life. After a couple of years, we both agreed that the house was missing something and decided it was time to start a family. It only took a couple of months to conceive our baby boy, and he was born a healthy 7lbs, 13oz on August 9th, 2007. C has always been a great kid. He was a fairly easy baby, slept well, ate well and pooped well. :-) He's been a pretty good toddler too. He's super-smart just like his Daddy, with his Mommy's big brown eyes that are hard to say no to. The last 2 1/2 years have gone by so fast. On the one hand I want my baby back, but on the other hand I can't wait to see what kind of person he becomes. Every day is a new surprise.

As far as the blog is concerned, I have NO CLUE what I am going to do with it. I don't think I can just focus on one subject, so it will just have to be a mish-mash of things. We'll see I guess. :-)