8 Months

So this post is late, surprise surprise! But there is a good reason I swear! I did however manage to take these pictures just before my baby boy turned 8 months old. I took these pictures nearly three weeks ago the very day that all heck decided to break loose for us. Little photo session was so much fun and I am so glad I got it because most of the pigs are too big now. 

Anyway to cut a long story short about why life got even crazier than normal for us is on Super Bowl Sunday my gallbladder decided to completely give out. I mean it had been on its very way out for a few days but Sunday night after we attended a Birthday/Super Bowl celebration I decided I couldn't take the pain any longer. The hubs took the kids to my parents and took me to the emergency room. Pretty much as soon as I checked in they said you are having a gallbladder attack. Then they admitted me and by 8:30 the following morning it was determined I was going to need surgery as soon as possible. So before noon on that Monday my gallbladder and I said our good byes. I went home the next day and began the recovery process, not a fun one at all! But we weren't done with our crazy within a week of my surgery I was still feeling awful, both the hubs and Charlot got a vicious stomach bug. We are all now on the road to full recovery but posting poor Conrad's 8 month pictures had to be a bit delayed. What I can say is I am so thankful for my parents they have been amazing the past few weeks, from keeping our family going to keeping my baking business going they were on top of it! 

Now back to this little sweetie! He and the pigs became fast friends during this photo shoot, well he and the straw did as well. I can't tell you how much joy Conrad brings to our lives. He is the happiest kid, always smiling, and very adventurous. He is crawling everywhere and into everything. Plus has started to pull up every now and again. Scary to think he might be walking wayyy sooner than I'd prefer. 

Currently is sleeping well (I should knock on wood or something), eats pretty much what every is put in front of him, has at least 8 teeth (could be more but sticking your hand in there is risky business) and loves to torment his sister's playroom.

We couldn't imagine our lives without you sweet little boy, you are learning and growing more and more each day. Having you is a joy, a busy joy but a joy. Even though you sharted (you ready that right) on me last night! Another story for another time! Happy 8 months sweet baby boy we love you!!!

Crockpot Creamy Sun-dried Tomato Chicken

 This little slice of heaven is where it is at! I cannot tell you how good my house smelled on Tuesday night when we returned home from the Y. Gracious it was intoxicating! I actually just at this again for lunch today and it just gets better. So as I have shared before Charlot is taking gymnastics on Tuesday and Thursday evenings so most of the suppers I prepare for those evenings need to be in the crockpot or need to be able to be thrown in the oven to cook while we are gone. I adapted this recipe from something I found on Pintrest and truly I couldn’t be happier with this new Crockpot recipe for the rotation! It was so flavorful and easy with few ingredients, with the added bonus that everyone in my family loved it.

 I will say that I may need to invest in one of those crockpots that automatically turn to warm after the number of hours you want something to cook. I am noticed a lot of crock-pot recipes only require 4-6 hours of cooking and let’s get real honest here  I am gone from home WAY more than 4-6 hours. For this recipe I just had all the ingredients in the fridge ready to go and when I got home I threw it in the crockpot turned it on high for 2-3 hours. When I got home I removed the chicken stirred in the cream let it cook while I cooked the pasta and when it was done I stirred it all together.

I was quite impressed with the results of this recipe and there were clean plates all around my table so I know the others were happy as well! I hope you and yours will enjoy it as well!

Crockpot Creamy Sun-dried Tomato Chicken

2 Large Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

½ Cup Flour

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 Cups Chicken Stock

½ Cup Sun-dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil

1 TBSP Italian Seasoning

½ Cup Heavy Cream

Pasta, Mashed Potatoes, or Rice to Serve

Heat EVOO in a large Non-Stick Skillet, season flour with Salt and pepper, dredge chicken breasts in the flour and brown in the skillet. This should take about 2-3 minutes per side. In your crock pot mix Stock, tomatoes, and Italian seasoning, place browned chicken in the crock. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2, once this time has lapsed remove chicken stir in cream and allow mixture to cook for 20-30 minutes. Return chicken to the crockpot before serving. ENJOY! 

Charlot's Birthday day out

 If you haven't figured this out by now birthdays are a big, let's be honest HUGE deal to me! My mom always made a big deal of our birthdays and still does so I feel it is my honor to continue her tradition! As the years of having a child and now two have gone on I have found a love for giving experiences instead of things. We live in a small house that is busting at the seams with stuff. I don't remember all the stuff I had as a kid I remember all the things my parents did with me!
With this in mind we decided to let Charlot have a day out doing what she wanted to do with a couple of friends (well one got sick so she couldn't come). And let me tell you my kid knows how to design a day out in style! Charlot's school is a four day per week district so they don't have school on Mondays, so this past Monday was chose as the official Charlot day out!
As you can see in the above picture every good day out must start with the breakfast of champions...a Casey's doughnut and chocolate milk.

Next it was on to grab her buddy Dani, and escape to Columbia for a day any little girl could love! The drive was the most fun, I heard about their love of their brothers, how they were sad that Maggie got sick and couldn't come, how they weren't going to ever get married, how they would never let some strange boy kiss them(praise Jesus), a nose picking discussion happened (this might prevent the previous concern, discussion of favorite restaurants (Dani's is the Crab leg place, and Charlot's is the Boat), what they are doing this summer (Dani is going to the Lake to live Charlot is going to Disney) and then it was decided that maybe they would just live together when they are older with Maggie of course.

Once we got to Columbia lunch was the first item on the agenda. Charlot chose Noodles and Company. "Mom they have the best lunches around, plain buttered noodles, raw broccoli, and a rice krispie...amazing." I was great with that too they have some pretty awesome stir-fry as well! Lunch was more discussions about life, sharing food, coloring, laughing, planing for next years birthday party. I could barely keep up. 

We had a little time to kill before our next appointment so I asked the girls what they wanted to do. In unison "Let's go SHOPPING!" Ha! Two girls after this Momma's heart! We headed to Kohl's for a little retail therapy. Books and a character from the book were purchased! I have since heard that Dani loves the book! Score one for this Momma!

After our short shopping trip, the next stop was Paint the Town, to get a little creative. I can not say enough about this studio and how incredibly kind they were to these girls. We had the place to ourselves (the perks of Monday Funday's), and the instructor showed the girls all they needed to know to create a beautiful work of art for their room!

They both loved mixing the colors and blending them on their picture. Each picture turned out so awesome and unique all at the same time.

 Happy little artists.

Focus on spreading the glitter on to their finished products.

And the final product. they both were so proud to take these home and show them off! Could they be any cuter?!?!?!

The final stop for the day was up next!!! How could you possibly have a fun day out without a stop at Chick-fil-a for a shake.

Dance party while we wait for our shakes!!!

Shake time! I have no idea why in the world they have these faces!

Thanks so much to Dani for spending the day with us! You two seriously made my day AWESOME!

February Meal Plan Revealed!!!

Tomorrow is a new month!!! How in the world is it already February…well a new month means big things right here!!! A new monthly meal plan guide!!! Hooray! Someone asked me where I get all my ideas for meals, for me it really isn’t anything spectacular. Once I have a month’s meal plans set I start thinking about the next month. I just keep a note pad on my desk and if I think of a meal or come across a recipe I want to try I jot it down then as I am putting my meal plan together for the month I include those recipes.

If you are new to the meal planning world it may seem a bit overwhelming at first but once you start you will get the hang of it really quick! For me I break my month down into weeks for the plan then on Sunday night I get all the meat I need for the week out of the freezer and put it in the fridge for the five night’s meals. Then each morning I check the plan and make certain I have everything I need. Once I get home I cannot stand to leave.

Next are the shopping lists as you can see they are quite extensive, I wrote down practically everything you would need to make these meals. I do this for myself as well then I shop at home and cross off the items I already have. I realize that the first list is huge, I like to do all the shopping I possibly can the first shopping trip of the month. I get all the meat need plus anything else that will keep for the duration of the month. This will be a long grocery trip but the next three weeks will be short and sweet! I have included some items on the weekly list that I purchase each week regardless of the meal plan please feel free to adjust these to your needs. 

I spend a good deal of time on these meal plans because they make my life easier please let me know if they help you and if you have any ideas for improvement. I included recipe links for several of the meals. Just click the link and it will bring you to the recipe post. I am still working on getting these into a PDF printable format (I know that would help), but currently can’t. If you could help me with that I would owe you big time! If you would like the meal plan/grocery lists e-mailed to you please feel free to contact me and I will be more than glad to do so! Please ENJOY!

February Meal Plan

Week 1- 2/6-2/10

Monday –Bacon Cheddar Quiche with tossed salad Recipe Link

Tuesday-Chili (Crockpot)

Wednesday-Chicken Portobello Stacks with rice Recipe Link

Thursday- Hawaiian Fried Rice

Friday –Shrimp and Spinach Pasta

Week 2- 2/13-2/17

Monday- Chicken and Pineapple Quesadilla Recipe Link

Tuesday- Tomato Soup (crockpot) and Heart shaped grilled cheese

Wednesday-Jambalaya with Smoked Sausage Recipe Link

Thursday-Steak Tacos (crockpot)

Friday- Baked Honey Garlic Chicken with Rice and Steamed Broccoli

Week 3 2/20-2/24

Monday-Pork Chops, Green Beans, Stuffing

Tuesday-Crockpot Mushroom Beef Tips with Mashed Potatoes Recipe Link

Wednesday- Shrimp and Spinach Salad 

Thursday-Creamy Sundried Tomato Chicken with Pasta

Friday- Pizza

Week 4 2/27-3/3

Monday- Breakfast- Pancakes, Bacon, Eggs

Tuesday- Nacho Soup (crockpot) Recipe Link

Wednesday- Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Tossed Salad

Thursday- Chicken Teriyaki Bowls with Broccoli

Friday- Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes with Green Beans

Grocery List (monthly-this includes fresh products for the first week)

Meat-

Bacon- 2lbs

Hamburger-3lbs

Chicken Breasts (3 of the large packages)

Diced Ham

Shrimp-2lbs

Smoked Sausage

Sirloin Steak

Pork chops (2 four chop packages)

Stew Meat 

Dairy and Eggs- 

Cheddar Cheese (2 bricks)

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Refrigerated Pie Crust

Sliced Cheese

Milk

Sour Cream  

Eggs (2 dozen)

Frozen-

Peas and Carrots

Canned Goods-

Canned Pineapple Rings (2)

Crushed Tomatoes (1 28oz)

Chili Beans (1) 

Chili Tomatoes (1)

Diced Tomatoes (2)

Black Beans (1)

Nacho Cheese (1)

Corn (1)

Green Beans (4)

Cream of Mushroom Soup (1)

Spaghetti Sauce (1) 

Salsa (1)

Honey (1) 

Sun dried tomatoes (1)

Box of Chicken Broth (3)

Box of Beef Broth (1) 

Dry Goods-

Rice

Teriyaki Sauce

Soy Sauce

Tortillas 

Bread

Pasta (spaghetti)

Stuffing 

Taco Shells

Cajun Seasoning

Taco Seasoning 

Ranch Seasoning  

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables-

Romaine Lettuce

Cucumbers 

Portobello Mushrooms 

Avocado-2

Roma Tomatoes – 4

Spinach 

Onions (1 bag)

 Potatoes

Bananas 

Apples 

Berries (if on sale) 

Grocery List (week 2)

Dairy-

Milk 

Cream 

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables-

Basil

Celery 

Bell Peppers

Shredded lettuce

Roma Tomatoes (2) 

Avocado (2) 

Broccoli

Bananas 

Apples 

Berries (if on sale) 

Grocery List (week 3)

Dairy-

Cream

Milk

Fresh Fruit and Vegetables-

Mushrooms

Spinach

Basil (if you don’t have any left from last week)

Bananas

Apples

Berries (if on sale)

  

Grocery List (week 4)

Dairy-

Milk

Other-

Garlic Bread

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables-

Avocado (2)

Romaine Lettuce

Roma Tomatoes (2)

Cucumber

Broccoli

Bananas

Apples

Berries (if on sale)

She turned 6...in style!

This really happened! Charlot my sweet itty bitty Charlot turned six last week! Now yes she is still very sweet and I want her to grow and change and develop into an awesome lady but she could slow down just a bit! Plus this picture makes her look like she is 15, oh lord we are in trouble! 

But turning six is quite a big event and needs to be celebrated in super awesome style, American Girl style that is! So everything had to be shades of pinks and reds with stars everywhere.

It was such a fun party to plan this is a picture of the kids table complete with American Girl activity sheets and color sheets that you can actually print for free from the American Girl company website or through this LINK! 

These sheets were super fun and provided entertainment for both kids and adults alike. There were coloring sheets, cross word puzzles, word searches, design your own t-shirt the printables were endless. If you have a  American Girl loving little girl you should check these out!

I thought these turned out super cute and Charlot pretty much made them. I punched out the little circles, she taped them on the popcorn box, decided they needed to be filled with chex mix and popcorn, the she filled them and put them in the plastic bag. I just had to tie them up! So each guest had a little something to take home if they wanted or they could snack on it during the party.

The cake backdrop turned out really cute as well, I had never used Staples for large prints but thought I'd give it a try. After I designed this in Word all I had to do was uploaded it to their website and select how big I wanted it. The sign was ready in about 24 hours and it was perfect!

No party is complete without a Happy Birthday banner! I used the same color scheme as the large banner and created this. She loved it and told me exactly how she wanted it hung. Oh yes this year she had to come with me while I sat everything up. She told her Pap she had to make sure everything was JUST THE WAY SHE WANTED IT! HA!

Minus my wonky eye I think we are a pretty good looking group! Yes she is wearing her Christmas dress but she deemed she needed to be fancy for this party and this dress was as fancy as it gets.

She even picked out her own cake via Pintrest for her momma to create I suprised her by adding the number 6 topper and the stars. She was pretty pleased with how it turned out and I must say I thought it was pretty danged cute!

 No party is complete without food, and man alive was she specific on what she wanted. Those cranberry cookies in the middle were not on her menu but she said they were ok since they had red in them. 

 And no little girls party can be complete with out cupcakes with sprinkles, plus macaroons and eclair's in the background there. 

I sure hope she remembers these parties forever because I will forever remember planning them with her. I think she liked her cake! HA! Happy Happy Birthday to the little girl who holds so much of my heart, hopes and dreams. Momma loves you more than words will ever be able to describe!

Oh and she fully believes in birthdays lasting over the course of several days, this was only one of her celebrations. We has brownies and ice cream with her class, dinner out with Dairy Queen for dessert, Dairy Queen again this weekend, and next week she and a few friends are doing a girls day painting What can I say she gets it honest I LOVE BIRTHDAY'S!!!