Growing Up So Fast

Where has the time flown? 

Toddler is now THREE!

Then: 7 months old, crawling

Now: My 3yo sporting a necklace she made herself

I still cannot believe it! Three whole years since we welcomed her into our lives. We were a young married couple, Hubby still in college, myself working at a pizza joint. We were both working 50 hours a week to get by and making huge plans for our future. Then BAM, an unexpected surprise. The best surprise I've ever gotten. 

Baby Girl is now SEVEN MONTHS!

Then: 1 month old

Now: 7 months and happily playing!

 Now here we are, 3 miscarriages and another pregnancy later. We've gone through 3 vehicles and are now on numbers 4 & 5. We've moved 6 times. We've been through relationship hell and back. We bought a home. And now we have Baby Girl. She's growing so fast, I completely understand parents who miss their kid's infancy. Every time I turn around, she's already doing something new. Christmas Eve, she said her first word: Mama. And she says it all the time. Now just a few days ago, she started waving bye bye. Soon it will be crawling.. I'm doomed!

And Puppy is almost 4 months old!

Then: 7 weeks old, first day home, barely bigger than a then 4 month old Baby Girl

Now: He's as heavy as both my kids combined and bigger in frame than Dakota, our 4 yo collie mutt

He's 42 pounds already. He's outgrown our 4yo Collie Mutt. He's a gigantic, monstrous baby. And he's fallen in love with Baby Girl. It worked out great. Toddler and Dakota are buddies, now Baby Girl and Apollo are cuddle bugs. 

Savor the moment, because all too quickly, it's completely gone.

To All Nursing Moms (almost wordless wednesday)

As most of you know, I breastfeed Baby Girl. And when I say breastfeed, I mean on demand. Whenever and wherever she is hungry. I've nursed while walking up and down the grocery store aisles, at the park while pushing Toddler on the swing, at the poolside while Mr. Smitty and Toddler play in the water, while filling out paperwork to purchase our truck... everywhere. And no one has ever said anything negative to me. But it really frustrates me that there are moms out there who are harassed about something as healthy and natural about feeding their child. 

So when I heard about one mom's experience in a Texas Target, I wished there was a Target nearby so I could participate in this mornings Target Nurse In. Unfortunately, I was not anywhere near a Target this morning, but a girlfriend and I were running errands at our local Lowes and right around 10 am, Baby Girl decided she was hungry. So as usual, I gave her what she needed and fed her right there in the flooring aisle as my friend was discussing her flooring options with the associate. As always, I was discrete and the associate didn't even bat an eyelash. While I wasn't actually in a Target Store, I was there in spirit!

I'm really glad I've never been subjected to judgmental, rude people, but I still feel for those moms who have been. Today I have a shout out for all those moms: you're not alone, you're amazing and keep on doing what you do best.. be a mom!

At the Zoo

At the local park

Picnicking with friends at a public park

Sausage-Stuffed Chicken Breasts & Spaghetti Squash

It's been a few weeks, we've been busy busy with Holiday crafts, baking, gift making, wrapping and playdates!

My husband is a terrific cook. He loves to dabble. One problem with this is he's awful at remembering recipes. He'll whip up a fantastic meal and forget what he did a day later. This one was so good, I made him sit down and talk me through it right after dinner.

I'll post his recipe for Hollandaise at a future date, but we use it for quite a few meals! And when I'm finally able to snap a few pictures while he's cooking, I'll add them to this post!

Chicken breast stuffed with Sausage and Cheese, coated with a Parmesan Bread Crust and drizzled with Hollandaise atop garlic-baked Spaghetti Squash. Terrific served along with Crescent Rolls.

Ingredients:

1 Spaghetti Squash

2 tbsp Butter

2 Cloves Garlic

2 Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts

2 tbsp Olive Oil

¼ Cup Chicken Stock

1½ tbsp Lemon Juice

1½ tbsp Soy Sauce

¼ lb. Ground Mild Pork Sausage

2 tsp Corn Starch

1 tbsp Water

1½ tbsp Molasses

1 Slice Sourdough Bread

1 Slice Whole Wheat Bread

1 tbsp Italian Herb Blend of choice

3 tbsp Grate Parmesan Cheese (for stuffing)

¼ Cup Grated Mozzarella Cheese  

¼ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (for crust)

1 Egg

1/3 Cup Milk

2 tbsp Ranch Dressing

Spaghetti Squash Portion: 

Preheat oven to 375F. Pierce squash with paring knife 10-12 times. Place on tinfoil covered baking sheet. Bake for 60 minutes.  Check to see if knife will pierce skin easily. If needed, add 5 minutes baking time until done.

Let cool 30 minutes.

Cut in half, length wise. Remove seeds and discard. Scrape spaghetti like meat and place in medium bowl.

Heat 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet. Add garlic and heat on medium for 2 minutes. Add squash and toss. Heat for 5 minutes.

Chicken Portion: 

Shake together corn starch and water. Heat Olive Oil in a Medium Skillet. Add chicken stock, lemon juice and soy sauce; bring to a crackle. Add sausage and cook. Add corn starch/water blend and molasses.

Toast wheat and sourdough bread in oven at 375F until dry (about 8 minutes).

Mix together Italian Herb Seasoning in a small bowl. Butterfly chicken breasts. Coat inside with herb seasoning blend. Layer parmesan and mozzarella cheeses on top of herbs. Stuff with sausage and close chicken breast. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F. Crumble bread slices and parmesan cheese in food processor. In a small bowl, wisk egg, milk and ranch dressing to make an egg wash. Unwrap chicken. Roll chicken in the egg wash. Roll chicken in bread crumb mix. Repeat both egg wash and bread crumbs.

Place on tinfoil covered baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Serve on top of Spaghetti Squash and topped with Hollandaise Sauce.

It's been a few weeks... because we're keeping busy busy busy! Baby Girl is now approaching 7 months and Toddler turned THREE at the beginning of the month. She had a terrific rainbow party!

Whole Chicken Crock Pot Goodness

What's for dinner tonight?

I wasn't feeling the 'make dinner while teething baby and couped up toddler are screaming for my attention this evening" vibe. So I grabbed 15 minutes right after lunch to throw dinner in the crock pot. (While Toddler is full and satisfied for a few minutes and I finally got Baby Girl down for a nap).

Whole Chicken Crock Pot Goodness.

1 whole chicken
1 cup cut potatoes
1 cup cut butternut squash
1 cup baby carrots
1 onion, cut however you prefer
1/2 cup sliced button mushrooms
1/4 cup fresh chives
1 lemon, wedged
1 cup apple juice
1 cup chicken stock
spices to your taste (I used oregano, basil, cilantro & parsley)

Throw all ingredients in crock pot.
(I put the lemon wedges on top so they're easy to dispose of after cooking).
Cook until chicken reaches internal temp of 165 °F
Voila!

Since I already diced an entire butternut squash while making Baby Girl's weekly meals, I bought pre-sliced mushrooms and there's no need to cut up baby carrots, I only had to deal with prepping the potatoes, chives & lemon. My entire meal cooking for this evening took under 15 minutes. Yay!

Theft and Destruction of Property

Well this has been a crappy start to the day. Toddler woke me up early. 5 am early. Not that big of a deal, time change and all, it's understandable. Today is rainy and cold, the perfect morning to start the day off with a fire.

So I wrap up in boots, a jacket and gloves to brave the rain. I walk around the house to the chimney, where we keep our rain protected cord. And what do I find?

The waterproof cover is gone and a chunk of our dry cord is also gone. And the entirety of our wood storage is completely SOAKED. Nonburnable and useless until it dries. Which means some asshole snuck onto our property in the middle of the night, in the rain, ripped off the cover and stole our wood. Hubby is mad (understandably so) because he cuts and chops ALL of our wood. His time, effort and labor is wasted because some self-serving lowlife decided to commit a Class B misdemeanor by trespassing on our property, committing theft and property damage.

This is only the minor latest in a long line of stupid, illegal, inconsiderate and offensive events that have happened to us in this town. I really cannot say I would ever return here. This place is a fail on the list for us as military inhabitants. While everyone is not like this, there are a few bad-apples that live up to the stereotypes. And it's not good. Selfish, arrogant, anti-military family, backwoods twits.

Yes, I'm bitter. I'm livid. I don't feel safe, welcome or protected on my own property. The cops are even regularly involved. Through the last 2 years, we've familiarized ourselves with most of the police force. They make several daily trips right past our home, and several in the wee hours of the morning. But shit keeps happening. I cannot wait to move.

And whoever you are. Yes you, the jackass that felt bold enough to do any of the list of shit that's been done to our home. I've had enough. Here's my advice. Don't let me catch you, because I will defend my home, my property and most of all, my family.