Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Yum!

So there are two recipes that I have to share! They of course came from Pinterest. One my Mom has made almost weekly since our staying here, I think mostly because I am obsessed with it. The other I just tried tonight!

First lets talk about the one I made tonight. "Easy Gourmet Chicken"...

It was so delicious! I did change a few things, I used Kraft Mayo with olive oil to cut down on the fat, and I used minced garlic instead of garlic powder. Also I sauteed onions to go along with it. I love onions and when I saw this recipe I thought that it might taste good together (really I look for any reason to have sauteed onions lol!). The chicken was SOOO moist and very tasty. I was seriously shocked, and so was Greg. Between me, Greg, and the girls there was not a single bite to spare.

I only had three chicken breast so it's a bit more saucy then I think it would normally be. Which I love!!
 
The other recipe is a side dish. I could eat this with every meal! "Ginger Lime Okra"! My Mom just uses her microwave steamer to save time, and she sometimes doesn't use fresh ginger to also save time. Believe me it is just as yummy either way! The lime is key! Makes it taste fresh and zesty! If you like Okra than you MUST try this.

This is what she sometimes use instead of the fresh.

Overwhelmed at times.

I get a little overwhelmed at times, and start to reminisce about how easy having just one child was. Yesterday Greg had the day off work and I had already planned to take the kids to a Halloween party at the park. I was planning on doing it all on my own, not sure how that would of turned out. I felt pulled in a million directions. My first mistake was wearing Greyson (wearing, is using a baby carrier, just in case you didn't know). I always think it makes it easier because I don't have to carry him, but really it makes dealing with Addi twice as hard. I can't bend over easily to stop her from getting into things, I can't run after her as quickly as I need to and she tried to escape out of every exit of the park (even the gated ones, she'd get her whole body through but her big ol' head wouldn't fit lol!). She was into everything and for some reason Greg stayed with Aubrey most of the time. Which really isn't much help to me because Aubrey listens and is actually a good helper with Addi.

At one point Addi picked up sharp glass from a broken beer bottle. I couldn't even bend down quick enough to get it, I yelled and scared it out of her hands then I kicked it away until I could bend down and get it. I don't like feeling restrained like that, like I can't react quick enough. It was really overwhelming, and I felt like I was constantly just telling her not to do things, not much fun for either of us. On top of that I barley got to talk to anyone, it was a quick "Hi" here and there and then back to chasing Addi around. It was very overwhelming, you would think with both Greg and I there it would of been much more relaxing and fun.

I guess at least Aubrey had fun, and hopefully Addi had a little fun too! 



Monday, October 29, 2012

House...

...yep, you guessed it... UPDATE.

All painted!

Driveway's in!
Back-splash is in!
Cook-top's in!
Closer view!
Vanity is in!
Shower seat's in!
Light's are going in!








Thursday, October 25, 2012

Yum Yum!

"Look what I got with my spork, it looks so yummy!"

"Yep, it's just as yummy as I thought it would be!"
"Did you see me Mama?"
"Watch me..."
"...do it again!"
"Hmm... what's this?"

"Look! I can see through it!"
"Oops missed some!"
"Peek-a-...
"BOO."
"I love this thing!"

My Unsolicited Advice.

I was just thinking today back to the day I became a Mom and what I wish I could tell myself on that very day. There are a few things but the thing that stuck out in my head the most was...

"Put the baby down."

It sounds so awful doesn't it. We have now had three kids (as you all know), when Aubrey arrived we loved and snuggled her every second in the hospital and with the other two we followed the "Put the baby down" mentality.

Aubrey was never put down, if Greg and I weren't holding her, then a Grandparent, friend, or Uncle was. I mean she was our first baby, we had tried forever to conceive her, she was the first Grand-baby, how could we not hold her every single second? When we got home and back to the real world, Aubrey would cry every second she wasn't being held. It took me forever to be able to put her down without her crying and I ended up crying just as much as her. I swore it was just how she was, and you know what it very well may be just how she was, but I have to wonder if it was because we never put her down.

When Addi arrived we came up with a rule, if the baby is sleeping the baby is to be put down. If the baby is awake we can snuggle and love on her to no end. Well we only got one day in the hospital with her before she was ripped away from us and ushered to the NICU downtown. I was instantly regretting our new rule, I barley got to hold my baby before she was taken from me and I didn't know when I would get to hold her next and something like not having a baby at home that cries all the time seemed so insignificant. That being said, when Addi came home she was an awesome baby. She was laid back go with the flow Addi. She slept at night in her rock and play and then crib, she was content in her car seat, stroller, etc...

So when Greyson arrived we had the same rule. I was so tentative this time to really do it, but I did. I have two kids at home, I can't have a baby that I can't put down. He has so far been awesome. He is so content, but believe me he still LOVES to be held and snuggled. I think it just helps not to get the baby used to something that you can't really follow through on. We have to go on with our lives, cleaning, cooking, working, and most of all sleeping. Most of those are hard to do with a baby in your arms, trust me.

So yeah if I could go back to that day, that is what I would tell myself. Of course that is just my advice, doesn't mean it's right but it seemed to have worked for me.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

She makes me laugh and always surprises me with how smart she is.

Today Aubrey was watching me change Greyson's diaper. She loves to help out whenever she can.
Me- "Can you pass me the wipes?"
Aubrey- "Yes! (hands me wipes) Look Mom you have Greyson's tail out."
Me- "HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAH" (laughing hysterically while wiping Greyson.)
Aubrey- "Be careful Mama you are hurting his tail."  

This past weekend we were in debate about going to the Air Show. I was talking to my Mom about it in the kitchen while Aubrey and Addi were eating breakfast. My Mom and I were spelling "A-I-R S-H-O-W" instead of saying it, just in case we were going to go.

My Mom: "I don't think you should go to the A-I-R S-H-O-W, she probably won't even realize if you skip it. Has she mentioned it recently?
Me: "Not really, not since Wednesday." 
Aubrey: "I want to go to the Air Show, I want to go to the Air show..." (over and over).

This has happened twice before with C-A-K-E. She is either a mind reader or very very intuitive. 

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Yet another update!!

I know I am probably really annoying with all these updates, but I really have enjoyed looking back at my other updates to see just how far things have come! This is the first time the kids came in to see the house. It was never complete/safe enough to bring them. Aubrey was SO excited, she was saying how pretty everything was and telling us which was her room. It was so awesome to see her so excited about "her new house".
Lights are in!
Greg seeing the cabinets in person for the first time. He just kept saying how much nicer in person they were than in the pictures. I didn't think they looked all that bad in pictures but I guess he was worried they didn't look like a solid color, which they do (not sure why it looks splotchy in pictures).
Really excited about the mail center/desk! I just have to find the right fun chair to refinish to go there!
Checking out the oven!
I'm thinking that I am going to make the "cafe" area (to the left) a reading/sitting area. It is meant for a small table, but I don't really need three eating areas since we will have stools at the island and our regular table in the dining area.

Trash pull out!
Aubrey running around checking everything out!

She was really excited about the big shower!
Kid's bathroom!


Loving how the granite looks with the cabinets!
Walk-in pantry!


Stone is on!!!