Thursday, March 31, 2011

I'm Cheating because I'm Lazy.

Yep that's right, I'm a cheater.
I'm making brisket for dinner. But it the premade, precooked brisket you throw in a pan & cook for 30 minutes.
My excuse is: I had a hard day at work trying NOT to throw my computer out the window. But really it's because I'm just too lazy today.
Actually, I've been lazy all week. I haven't actually cooked a meal in...well...since Saturday, I think. I blame that on the fact that I was out of groceries. But it's really also because I'm lazy. I just didn't want to go to the store.
I'll be less lazy tomorrow, maybe. But not tonight.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Could you stare a little harder?

Yes, that was my baby who just cried.
Yes, he's hungry.
Yes, I'm going to BREASTFEED him.
Yes, I know we're in a public place.
Yes, I know my rights, so don't you dare tell me to stop.
Yes, I can tell you're uncomfortable.
Do I care that this bothers you? No.
Am I at all embarrassed to feed him with you staring at me? No.
Will your staring make me stop sooner? No.
Grow up, get educated, find some manners, & get over it. I have remained covered the enitre time. I am NOT trying to show you my breasts. I am FEEDING my BABY, & you're NOT going to stop me.
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I want to be one of THOSE blogs...

You know the ones that give good advice, have funny stories, good recipes, or amazing giveaways? You know, the ones you look forward to visiting? But how do I get there? So far all I blog about is my attempt to cook, my adorable son, & random things I do. I don't have tons of time to work on my blog, so this may take a while, but I want/NEED input from experienced bloggers! Please help me! Right now I work 7ish-6ish Tues-Fri & 8-12ish Sat, but maybe if I can get this blog thing down & somehow make a little money at it, I can cut back a little. Thoughts? Suggestions? Anything is GREATLY appreciated!

Monday, March 28, 2011

Five Fantastic Months

Eli is five months old today. I still can't believe time is going by so fast. He is doing so much now. He is getting to be more & more fun everyday.
He loves to 'talk' he is constantly screaming, giggling, & talking to everything & everyone. He has a toy octopus that he will hold conversations with. It's adorable. He will also scream at the dogs if they walk past him & don't look at him.
He has started saying 'mama' & 'dada,' although I know he doesn't understand why we get so excited when he does.
He is obsessed with his teeth. He always has his fingers in his mouth touching them. At least he isn't a very fussy teether!
He has started doing what I call a face crawl. He keeps his face flat on the ground with his arms out to the side & will push with his legs to get places. He still does his inchworm crawl (where he moves his arms & chest & then pulls his legs to him), but gets places faster the other way. He's getting closer & closer to officially crawling everyday!
He loves to walk if we hold his hands. I think it makes him feel like a big boy.
He has almost mastered sitting up without support, although he still falls over sideways after a few moments.
He took his first drink of water out of Mommy's cup the other day. He couldn't stop grinning afterward. Currently he is trying to figure out how to use the straw.
He eats a TON! He eats 3 meals a day which include rice cereal, oatmeal, peas, carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, squash, & prunes. We are just now starting on the fruit!
He loves to chew on everything EXCEPT his pacifier & teethers.
His jumparoo is his best friend.
He loves to 'sing' & 'dance' along with Mommy & screams & cheers when Mommy sings & dances to entertain him. It makes me feel like a rock star. Who needs thousands of screaming fans when you have an adorable baby cheering you on?
Eli is growing up so fast, I never knew how excited I would get about everything he does. I love him so much!

I am a TERRIBLE blogger...

but I have every intention to get better. It has been 10 days since my last post & I am DETERMINED to do better. I have been keeping up with My Cooking Challenge. Here are some of the meals I made last week:

Brown Sugar Spiced Pork Loin, which was pretty good. It was a little spicier than we typically like, but still good.

Stuffed Bacon Cheeseburgers & Homemade Chips. I got a little creative with this. (These measurements are approximate. I never measure ingredients when I'm not following a recipe.)
Stuffed Bacon Cheeseburgers
Mix 1 pound of hamburger meat with 1/4 cup of bread crumbs, 2 tbsp crushed red pepper, & about 1/4 packet of dry Ranch dip mix. Set aside about 1/4 of the mixture. Form into patties with a well in the center of each. Stuff with shredded cheese (I used monterey jack & cheddar) & bacon bits. Cover each well with the mixture that was set aside, pinching it at the edged to seal. Cook in a skillet on the stove or the grill.
Homemade Chips
Wash & slice about 5 small potatoes, season them with crushed red pepper, salt, pepper, & seasoned salt. Fry in butter or oil until they are brown & crunchy.


Worcestershire & Soy Sauce Chicken with Rice
In a skillet add 2-3 chicken breasts with Worcestershire & soy sauce (enough to cover the bottom of the skillet). Cook thoroughly.
Cook rice in a separately. (We used Minute rice).
Sautee 1 cup mushrooms in soy sauce & Worcestershire sauce.  Add to the rice. We also topped the rice with a little bit of shredded swiss cheese.

I am terrible at writing recipes. I apologize. Maybe I will eventually get better at that too!

I know I made some other things last week, I just can't think of them right now. I will add them if I remember.


I also found several things for my wonderful hubby to work on. I'm sure he loves me having an extra day off. I decided it is finally time for us to work on our flowerbed. We moved into our house in October of 2009, & didn't get any further than pulling our the ugly bushes & trying to kill the monkey grass. We lined part of the flowerbed with keystone blocks (courtesy of my mom), but now we need to buy some to finish it out.
We also decided to build our goofy outdoor dog a pen. Currently he has free range of the backyard. But with Eli getting closer & closer to an age where he can play outside, we need a way to keep him from chewing up all the outside toys.
Then we will be rearranging the living room. This doesn't sound like a big task, until you consider our TV is mounted on the wall. There is no way I can take it down. So I'm waiting for Luke to have a little time after work.

Friday, March 18, 2011

I've been a little MIA...

This week has seemed so busy. I really haven't gotten much in particular done, I have just felt so overwhelmed. I even got to stay home with Eli yesterday afternoon & didn't get anything besides playing & cuddling time in. But that's okay, playing with my baby is WAY more important than anything else. I love him so much!

I did make another meal on Wednesday. It was tacos, which I always make, but I tried a new recipe. I wasn't a big fan of them & Luke said it was more like sloppy joes on tortillas. It called for a can of tomato soup, chili powder, & garlic. I ended up adding some salsa in my attempt to make it less sloppy joe like, but it didn't really work. At least they were edible.

Tonight I am going to be making another pork loin dish. (We went to Sam's a couple weeks ago & bought a giant pork loin, cut it up in 1lb sections, & froze it. So I will be making a lot of pork loin meals until it's gone.) I can't remember the name right now. But I know it calls for Tabasco sauce & brown sugar, so it should be interesting.

We went to the city Wednesday after Luke got off work to buy him some new pants. He used to work in a paint factory, so all of his work clothes were covered in paint, & before that he did road construction, so all those clothes were covered in grease & mud stains. But now, he finally has a job where he needs to look decent. He only had one pair of "fancy pants" or "going to town pants" as he liked to call them, so he was in a pretty bad need of some. I love seeing him come home in his boots, jeans, & pearl snaps shirts. It reminds me of when we first met <3

Anyway, while we were in the city, I finally bought Eli a carrier. He absolutely LOVES it. This kid has had Mommy trained since day 1. But recently, he has noticed how 'trained' I am. When I am home, he demands I hold him at all times, which I do anyway unless I'm trying to clean. Clean, who am I kidding, my house looks like an episode of Horders right now. Okay, well maybe not THAT bad. But now with his new carrier, I just strap him to the front of me & go about doing what ever I want with him giggling the whole time. We also bought him an activity gym. Why I hadn't bought one sooner? I have no idea. But it makes him so happy. He has been doing tummy time for a long time, but we've always just used blankets & random toys. But not now, he's moved up in the world. You should see the say he grins when I lay him down under the octopus toy. Its adorable.

One of our friends, Mike, brought his kids, Brayden (4) & Aubrey (7 1/2 mo), over yesterday afternoon. Eli & Aubrey had a blast. But I think we may have a little trouble on our hands. Eli had his arm wrapped around her & she kept giving him kisses. We will have to keep an eye on those two.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

My Husband Ate a Turkey Burger!

This may not seem like a big deal to you, but if you knew my husband, you would understand. You see, Luke is the type of guy that only eats food that once mooed. He's the guy who orders a triple bacon cheeseburger everywhere we go. But last night he ate & actually ENJOYED a turkey burger.

In accordance with My Cooking Challenge, I was determined to make a dinner that was a little healthier than we usually eat. I picked Turkey Burgers with Sauteed Mushrooms & Onions on Whole Wheat English Muffins. The whole wheat english muffins were a stretch too. He usually only eats white bread. I made a few small alterations to the recipe that made it more unhealthy, but it was still much healthier than a greasy cheeseburger with fries! I added a slice of swiss cheese to each burger & added a splash of worcestershire sauce & soy sauce to the onions & mushrooms while sauteing them to add a little more flavor.

It was a very successful dinner. Luke even asked me to make them again. Now it's time to pick a recipe for tonight!

Laughing at Daddy

Monday, March 14, 2011

BabyLegs Review & Giveaway!

Head over to Love You Always and Forever to enter the BabyLegs Giveaway!

I think I'm going to be buying some for my little boy very soon! ...that is if I don't win of course!

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Finally Success!

Yesterday wash such a good day. We had some beautiful weather so I took Eli & our little dogs for a long walk around the neighborhood. Eli had so much fun.

After our walk, I got caught up on a little cleaning & then finished editing all of Addysan's newborn pictures & making flyer/business cards for one of Luke's friends. Now today I can start working on Addy's one month & finish up Eli's four month pictures.

I'm so excited about next week when I start my new work schedule so I can have an extra day to spend with Eli & working on crafty things.

And I FINALLY made a successful dinner! I made Tangy Glazed Pork Loin with Garlic Potatoes. Luke loved it! I even liked it & I don't usually like pork! My hubby liked it so much that he ate the leftovers for breakfast, & he never eats leftovers.

Lets hope this is just the start of several good recipes to come!
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Friday, March 11, 2011

Today has been a great day!

My good friend Miranda had her baby boy early this morning. They live half way across the country so I won't see him 'til we visit in May, but I'm still VERY excited for her & her hubby!

I got a new schedule at work so I will only be working 4 1/2 days now instead of 6 so I can spend more time with my little Eli!!!!! So excited!

I am also going to cook a really amazing looking recipe I found today. I am so excited because I know my hubby will LOVE it...that is if I don't mess it up.

And my husband received his first check from his new job today! I feel so relieved to know he now makes enough money to support our family so I don't have to work so much! I never realized how much money stressed me out until I could finally RELAX!

Today is a great day.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Day 2 was also a failure...

My cooking for day 2 failed before I even started.
After work I was just too lazy to get my butt to the store, & had forgotten to defrost anything to cook. So I had a salad & threw a frozen pizza in the oven for my hubby. But I will be better today, all thanks to Always in Wonder for introducing me to The Pioneer Woman.

I don't know how I have never heard of this site before, but I am so excited! I can't wait to cook dinner tonight, in just a few minutes I pulled several recipes I know Luke will like & I will also. I can already tell the Tasty Kitchen will be my best friend before long!

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Day 1 was AWFUL!

In accordance with my new personal challenge I cooked dinner last night. It was terrible. Almost the most disgusting thing I have ever made (only to be trumped by enchiladas I made last week & mistakenly used 2 year old sauce).

I got out my cookbooks & after thumbing through them I found a recipe I thought Luke might like. It was a cheesy garlic chicken bake, just the sort of thing he always devours. Not this time. After he took a big bite he got this confused look, finished the bite, & 'tested the water' by asking what I thought. So I took a bite. I assume my response was very clear by the look on my face, because he immediately stood up & asked what I wanted from McDonalds.

I started checking my ingredients to see what I had done wrong, but had no such luck. It appeared everything was done correctly. That recipe just sucked. Needless to say I am NOT posting it because I would hate for anyone else to waste time making it!

I'll be trying again tonight. Wish me luck!
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Tuesday, March 8, 2011

PICTURES!!!

I am FINALLY getting around to uploading some pictures of my adorable little boy!

4 Months!

 3 Months!

Valentine's Day! 

Eli's Newborn Pictures!

No More Excuses!

In an effort to become a 'better' wife & mother, I am going to start cooking more often. I have always enjoyed cooking, but have recently become too lazy to make anything that required more than turning on the oven or browning some hamburger meat. Not only am I going to start cooking more often, I will be trying new recipes (if you have a favorite please do tell!).

I will cook a meal a minimum of 4 days a week for 1 month. This excludes pre-made frozen meals (which are usually gross anyway) & ready to make meals like hamburger helper.

I will NOT use an old recipe of mine at LEAST 2 of those days.

I will make at LEAST 2 of those meals healthy & low in fat (which will be very hard because my hubby refuses to eat anything healthy, so I will have to be creative!).

I will also post each new recipe I try (I will even try to work in a few pictures, but I can't promise anything, I still haven't added pictures of my oh-so-adorable little boy).

Since I married my husband a short 19 months ago (to the day), I have gained 50lbs. Yes that's right FIFTY pounds, NOT including my pregnancy weight because I've ALREADY lost almost all of it. I attribute a huge part of my weight gain to my post wedding laziness. Not only did I stop working out everyday, I also started eating just like my hubby, which meant greasy hamburgers, frozen pizza, & way too much fast food. The problem with this is I don't do the physical labor he does everyday, so he can stay the same or even lose a pound or two, while I gain 5.

Please feel free to send me any recipes you may have! I would LOVE to try them!

I WON!!!

So this is my FIRST EVER giveaway to win. So excited!!!!!

Big thanks to Little Boys are Made of Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails & CardMe Kelly!

Monday, March 7, 2011

Bubby is sick!

Eli is sick today, so Mommy is staying home with him. Poor guy was up coughing most of the night & running a low fever. He also just started vomiting...all over Mommy.

I hate seeing my bubby sick, but love getting to stay home & cuddle with him!

I sure hope the doctor says it isn't anything & he's all better tomorrow!
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