Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Wordless Wednesday
my sister just got back from florida...and brought Quinn his own ears! Avery had some from my mom a couple years ago. they are so special they even got their names on them...ok its really b/c i name my kids "different" names and you can't find anything with their names on it!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Tasty Tuesday-Reviews
After last week of not cooking very much...b/c I was melting!(in the 90's and HUMID) I've been cooking or will be cooking quite a bit this week due to the lower temps. I LOVE to do it and it makes me satisfied that I am providing my family with a healthy meal. I am always trying new recipes(well i used to try a lot more, when our budget allowed and before I had Quinn) Hopefully now that he is getting older I will be able to get back into cooking/baking. I find it very relaxing and enjoy impressing people! Btw, if you are ever a guest here or come over for a meal you eat QUITE well...im sure my friends can vouch for that!
so here are some recipes we have tried lately!
Ham and Cheddare Supper Waffles: these were FABULOUS! I really liked how the cheese got crispy...I LOVE crispy cheese. Plus they were different. I do advise if you have a belgian waffle maker to cook them a little longer(the first couple were still a little soft on the inside) and also to double the"dough" part, maybe the whole recipe as it only made 3 belgian waffles. I may try experimenting with ham/swiss, or turkey/swiss. i did also use the finely shredded cheese and used rice milk in place of the reg. milk. but they were fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Today I am trying another waffle recipe: chocolate pecan waffles for lunch. ill write a review after I have them.(and the recipe). ok if you want the recipe i will gladly share...but im not sure i can link it right now as its from a magazine and you need a subscription so before i type it all out, ill want to know that someone would like it!
-they were pretty tasty! even my lunch guest liked them. again they were in the belgian waffle maker so it only made 3 or 4. they didn't get crispy on the outside, but im wondering if it had to do with my eggs(they were supposed to be foamy and i thought they were, but not sure if they were foamy enough) i even cooked them longer, but then they were starting to burn so i stopped them. another thing i will make sure to do is temper the choc with the milk. you are to melt the choc. but then you add it into cold milk so it solidified and they were like choco shavings...i still went along and cooked them.
-as for the choco. it called for the unsweetened baker's choc. squares. I had none so i found a sub for it online. 3 tbsp cocoa powder to 1 tbsp shortening.
chocolate zucchini cake with peanut butter frosting! again if you would like the recipe let me know...its another great way to use up the over abundance of zucchini that we all seem to have! it was pretty easy to make as well. the frosting was super simple and tasted GREAT! i could have just eaten that. the cake was a denser cake where I like a fluffy cake, but it was completely edible!
I also made Big Dipper Oatmeal cookies as well today...they are my go to oatmeal cookie recipe now. I LOVE them and so do keith and avery. I started to make them b/c I didn't care of oatmeal and I had heard that oatmeal can help improve milk production during breastfeeding...its a good excuse to eat cookies at least! I wasnt sure I was going to like the cinnamon/choc. combo but it actually went together quite nicely. glad i tried them...and yes I do generally eat reg. old oatmeal for breakfast every morning now. I tend to crave it...i serve it with some brown sugar and REAL maple syrup, and some cinnamon. no instant stuff here...well keith likes it! i also use a little rice milk so its safe for quinn to recieve.
so here are some recipes we have tried lately!
Ham and Cheddare Supper Waffles: these were FABULOUS! I really liked how the cheese got crispy...I LOVE crispy cheese. Plus they were different. I do advise if you have a belgian waffle maker to cook them a little longer(the first couple were still a little soft on the inside) and also to double the"dough" part, maybe the whole recipe as it only made 3 belgian waffles. I may try experimenting with ham/swiss, or turkey/swiss. i did also use the finely shredded cheese and used rice milk in place of the reg. milk. but they were fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Today I am trying another waffle recipe: chocolate pecan waffles for lunch. ill write a review after I have them.(and the recipe). ok if you want the recipe i will gladly share...but im not sure i can link it right now as its from a magazine and you need a subscription so before i type it all out, ill want to know that someone would like it!
-they were pretty tasty! even my lunch guest liked them. again they were in the belgian waffle maker so it only made 3 or 4. they didn't get crispy on the outside, but im wondering if it had to do with my eggs(they were supposed to be foamy and i thought they were, but not sure if they were foamy enough) i even cooked them longer, but then they were starting to burn so i stopped them. another thing i will make sure to do is temper the choc with the milk. you are to melt the choc. but then you add it into cold milk so it solidified and they were like choco shavings...i still went along and cooked them.
-as for the choco. it called for the unsweetened baker's choc. squares. I had none so i found a sub for it online. 3 tbsp cocoa powder to 1 tbsp shortening.
chocolate zucchini cake with peanut butter frosting! again if you would like the recipe let me know...its another great way to use up the over abundance of zucchini that we all seem to have! it was pretty easy to make as well. the frosting was super simple and tasted GREAT! i could have just eaten that. the cake was a denser cake where I like a fluffy cake, but it was completely edible!
I also made Big Dipper Oatmeal cookies as well today...they are my go to oatmeal cookie recipe now. I LOVE them and so do keith and avery. I started to make them b/c I didn't care of oatmeal and I had heard that oatmeal can help improve milk production during breastfeeding...its a good excuse to eat cookies at least! I wasnt sure I was going to like the cinnamon/choc. combo but it actually went together quite nicely. glad i tried them...and yes I do generally eat reg. old oatmeal for breakfast every morning now. I tend to crave it...i serve it with some brown sugar and REAL maple syrup, and some cinnamon. no instant stuff here...well keith likes it! i also use a little rice milk so its safe for quinn to recieve.
Monday, August 24, 2009
what a difference....
between 2 boys from the same parents can be! Keith and I often find ourselves having a conversation about how different our boys are. Granted there is a little over 2 yrs between them and somedays they are just a like and others they are NOT!
Avery was always a mellow, easy going baby. He would go anywhere you took him and was as happy as a clam. Quinn on the other hand has been a lot better since cutting dairy out of my diet, but he DOES.NOT.LIKE. his carseat. he will last for short trips, but anything longer than 30 mins and forget it! Usually once he is out, he is fine.
Avery would sleep just about anywhere you put him(as a baby, not so much now). if we were out and he was tired, he'd sleep. he would ALWAYS fall asleep in his carseat and usually stay asleep...Quinn as soon as the car stops, he is wide eyed and staring at you!
Avery always slept on his back, Quinn hates sleeping or even being on his back. Avery hated tummy time, Quinn is always on his tummy. Avery didn't start crawling until 7/8 months, Quinn we feel will be there in a month(he already scoots backwards, and is up on his hands and knees)
I know there are other similarities but im drawing a blank right now...
Avery was always a mellow, easy going baby. He would go anywhere you took him and was as happy as a clam. Quinn on the other hand has been a lot better since cutting dairy out of my diet, but he DOES.NOT.LIKE. his carseat. he will last for short trips, but anything longer than 30 mins and forget it! Usually once he is out, he is fine.
Avery would sleep just about anywhere you put him(as a baby, not so much now). if we were out and he was tired, he'd sleep. he would ALWAYS fall asleep in his carseat and usually stay asleep...Quinn as soon as the car stops, he is wide eyed and staring at you!
Avery always slept on his back, Quinn hates sleeping or even being on his back. Avery hated tummy time, Quinn is always on his tummy. Avery didn't start crawling until 7/8 months, Quinn we feel will be there in a month(he already scoots backwards, and is up on his hands and knees)
I know there are other similarities but im drawing a blank right now...
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Rockin' Green Laundry Detergent!
I keep meaning to write a review of this new laundry detergent I've been using for a while now...ok a month! It's called "Rockin' Green" and so far its rockin' the cloth diapers in this house!
I had been battling with stinkings for a while...to the point where I was ready to "almost" throw in the towel on cloth diapers, although I do love them and they have been saving us a TON of money! Well I know we have VERY hard water and I've tried just about everything. While searching a diaper forum I stumbled upon this new detergent being made my a WONDERFUL wahm, Kim. I emailed her and asked a few questions, which she quickly responded back too. I was intrigued so I went ahead and ordered some samples. She had quite a few different scents to choose from so I chose "Ocean Rain" and "Vanilla Buttercream".
A few days later, when I went to check the p.o. box I opened it up to a wonderful smell! I was a little giddy knowing what was coming...(ok I really don't get out much!) I couldn't wait to wash the diapers. After the first wash, they came out smelling amazing and CLEAN! So the real test would come when my son "dirtied" them...and it passed with FLYING colors! I can say I won't be going back to use any other detergent. Kim has wonderful customer service any question you may have she will answer for you and will work with you to solve a problem until its fixed.(I haven't experienced that part yet...but I know someone who has).
Overall, if you are cloth diapering her little one's precious bum and need a WONDERFUL detergent to get them clean you should try out Rockin' Green(haha...i totally rhymed and didn't do it on purpose) I can't wait to try out one of her new scents...I'm thinking Mango Sorbet!
oh and here are some quick facts about Rockin' Green
Dye free
No fillers
No enzymes or optical brighteners
100% Phosphate Free
Vegan
Great for sensitive skin
Easy rinsing formula
Approved for Military Use
Works wonders on microfiber stink!
Perfect for cloth diapers
HE Compatible
Reusable packaging
Great for all water types
Economical at .13 cents a load!
I had been battling with stinkings for a while...to the point where I was ready to "almost" throw in the towel on cloth diapers, although I do love them and they have been saving us a TON of money! Well I know we have VERY hard water and I've tried just about everything. While searching a diaper forum I stumbled upon this new detergent being made my a WONDERFUL wahm, Kim. I emailed her and asked a few questions, which she quickly responded back too. I was intrigued so I went ahead and ordered some samples. She had quite a few different scents to choose from so I chose "Ocean Rain" and "Vanilla Buttercream".
A few days later, when I went to check the p.o. box I opened it up to a wonderful smell! I was a little giddy knowing what was coming...(ok I really don't get out much!) I couldn't wait to wash the diapers. After the first wash, they came out smelling amazing and CLEAN! So the real test would come when my son "dirtied" them...and it passed with FLYING colors! I can say I won't be going back to use any other detergent. Kim has wonderful customer service any question you may have she will answer for you and will work with you to solve a problem until its fixed.(I haven't experienced that part yet...but I know someone who has).
Overall, if you are cloth diapering her little one's precious bum and need a WONDERFUL detergent to get them clean you should try out Rockin' Green(haha...i totally rhymed and didn't do it on purpose) I can't wait to try out one of her new scents...I'm thinking Mango Sorbet!
oh and here are some quick facts about Rockin' Green
Dye free
No fillers
No enzymes or optical brighteners
100% Phosphate Free
Vegan
Great for sensitive skin
Easy rinsing formula
Approved for Military Use
Works wonders on microfiber stink!
Perfect for cloth diapers
HE Compatible
Reusable packaging
Great for all water types
Economical at .13 cents a load!
why do i attend church?
well it would seem obvious for the reason being that I truly believe there is a higher power to be! But the real question for those that don't know me would be, why do I attend a catholic church when I was raised as a Methodist? well the simple answer would be that my husband is catholic and we were married in the catholic church.
By being married in the catholic church you have basically agreed that you will be raising your children catholic. Now while, I do agree( and so does Keith) that religion is important to us, would I have picked catholism...probably not. But being as it is that my husband is the organist for the Catholic church and HE had to sign the paper about raising our kids catholic, we are now bound too....at least in the Catholic church.
Before we were married there were MANY a nights that we argued about this subject...I found it very important for our children to be raised with both religions, not that they differ all that much, but there are ways that they do. I am NOT catholic or will I ever be...I agree with the basics and the priciples, but there are some aspects I do not agree with and well i just let it be. so to answer the question...I attend a Catholic church b/c my sons are both catholic. they were both baptized into the religion and they will be raised as one.
Although, as a mom I do feel like its my job to be able to teach them about religion along with eveyrthing else a mom teaches their child. This is one thing I am unable to teach them about and it saddens me to a point, but then I think well this is ONE thing Keith will be able to teach them about(of course dad's do teach a lot more). I still can barely follow along during a service...I am getting better though. Although, generally I am up in the choir loft with both boys and can't see all the happenings going on down below, but we still attend as much as we can so the boys are used to it and know that it is expected of them to attend. Until they are old enough to make the decision on their own...but they will be at least 18 before that happens!
I find it very important to attend church as a family, so THAT is why I attend a catholic church, b/c MY family is Catholic.
By being married in the catholic church you have basically agreed that you will be raising your children catholic. Now while, I do agree( and so does Keith) that religion is important to us, would I have picked catholism...probably not. But being as it is that my husband is the organist for the Catholic church and HE had to sign the paper about raising our kids catholic, we are now bound too....at least in the Catholic church.
Before we were married there were MANY a nights that we argued about this subject...I found it very important for our children to be raised with both religions, not that they differ all that much, but there are ways that they do. I am NOT catholic or will I ever be...I agree with the basics and the priciples, but there are some aspects I do not agree with and well i just let it be. so to answer the question...I attend a Catholic church b/c my sons are both catholic. they were both baptized into the religion and they will be raised as one.
Although, as a mom I do feel like its my job to be able to teach them about religion along with eveyrthing else a mom teaches their child. This is one thing I am unable to teach them about and it saddens me to a point, but then I think well this is ONE thing Keith will be able to teach them about(of course dad's do teach a lot more). I still can barely follow along during a service...I am getting better though. Although, generally I am up in the choir loft with both boys and can't see all the happenings going on down below, but we still attend as much as we can so the boys are used to it and know that it is expected of them to attend. Until they are old enough to make the decision on their own...but they will be at least 18 before that happens!
I find it very important to attend church as a family, so THAT is why I attend a catholic church, b/c MY family is Catholic.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
August Review
I couldn't come up with anything good as a title...
So let's see...its not mid-august and summer has FINALLY decided to show up and NOT lightly I might add. Its HOT, HUMID, HAZY, and just plain gross! Quinn of course hates the heat, so he has an a/c in his room, avery could care less so he has a fan. He also sleeps under at least 2 blankets regardless of the temp outside.
We are still chugging along in the financial economy that we are all in, we hope and pray that things will be better soon enough for us. At least that we aren't gritting our teeth every month to squeak by. Although it is teaching us a lot...we don't buy things anymore, so it may be good in the long run!
Avery is now pretty much fully potty trained except for bed/nap time. He even does pretty well when we are out and about he will tell me he has to potty. In an hour and half one night he went 3 TIMES! (actually that might have been in 30 mins). I take what I can get and its less diapers I have to wash.
Quinn is now 5 months old and is such a happy baby. No idea where my little peanut went or how we even got to this point. I swear in the beginning I wasn't sure I was going to make it, but like most moms(and dads) we somehow do. He laughs at his big brother and smiles whenever someone smiles at him. And if you talk about him you get the biggest, dimpliest grin ever! I can't wait to see him and Avery interact more. He is still bfing wonderfully and saving us TONS of money!! He just started cereal this past weekend and is doing great with it and loving it. I was trying to hold off until 6 months, but Friday night he was trying to devour keith's spoon with ice cream on it, so I figured it was time!
We had a set back with Rascal, our dog. But we are working on his behavior. He is VERY VERY protective of us and the boys. He basically attacked another UNLEASHED dog, thinking he was a threat. Luckily, no one was hurt(or animal) and the neighbors do still talk to us. We've brought rascal in more(he usually hates it, but since this situation he comes more williningly), and also brought him in the front yard leashed when we are out playing or hanging out with the boys. he has been doing so well and he's almost a different dog! he is NEVER aggressive towards the boys despite the torture they put him through! So we are all on a learning curve here...
As for me? I'm still here! Getting more sleep, most of the time now that Quinn is only getting up once. I've been reading a lot more, so I guess I get a little me time. I need some more of it though, just never seem to find the time!
Keith is still Keith...chugging along at 2 jobs and trying not to stress me or the kids out!lol nothing new really on that front!
So let's see...its not mid-august and summer has FINALLY decided to show up and NOT lightly I might add. Its HOT, HUMID, HAZY, and just plain gross! Quinn of course hates the heat, so he has an a/c in his room, avery could care less so he has a fan. He also sleeps under at least 2 blankets regardless of the temp outside.
We are still chugging along in the financial economy that we are all in, we hope and pray that things will be better soon enough for us. At least that we aren't gritting our teeth every month to squeak by. Although it is teaching us a lot...we don't buy things anymore, so it may be good in the long run!
Avery is now pretty much fully potty trained except for bed/nap time. He even does pretty well when we are out and about he will tell me he has to potty. In an hour and half one night he went 3 TIMES! (actually that might have been in 30 mins). I take what I can get and its less diapers I have to wash.
Quinn is now 5 months old and is such a happy baby. No idea where my little peanut went or how we even got to this point. I swear in the beginning I wasn't sure I was going to make it, but like most moms(and dads) we somehow do. He laughs at his big brother and smiles whenever someone smiles at him. And if you talk about him you get the biggest, dimpliest grin ever! I can't wait to see him and Avery interact more. He is still bfing wonderfully and saving us TONS of money!! He just started cereal this past weekend and is doing great with it and loving it. I was trying to hold off until 6 months, but Friday night he was trying to devour keith's spoon with ice cream on it, so I figured it was time!
We had a set back with Rascal, our dog. But we are working on his behavior. He is VERY VERY protective of us and the boys. He basically attacked another UNLEASHED dog, thinking he was a threat. Luckily, no one was hurt(or animal) and the neighbors do still talk to us. We've brought rascal in more(he usually hates it, but since this situation he comes more williningly), and also brought him in the front yard leashed when we are out playing or hanging out with the boys. he has been doing so well and he's almost a different dog! he is NEVER aggressive towards the boys despite the torture they put him through! So we are all on a learning curve here...
As for me? I'm still here! Getting more sleep, most of the time now that Quinn is only getting up once. I've been reading a lot more, so I guess I get a little me time. I need some more of it though, just never seem to find the time!
Keith is still Keith...chugging along at 2 jobs and trying not to stress me or the kids out!lol nothing new really on that front!
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