Lazy Guide #1: Cricut Cuts

I love using my cricut because it makes most any craft super easy.  I use it to make my images for applique, wall decor, scrapbooking (somewhat), invites, recipe labels and of course cards!  I do NOT usually do all the multiple steps for each cut -- I'm a one cut kind of girl.  You can see how super simple this card is... but I like it in its simplicity... 

EJ's Guide to Lazy Cardmaking

I love to craft.  I do.  But I definitely consider myself both a lazy crafter and also a cheap one.  Consider my scrapbooks: as MANY pictures as I can on a page ... and done!  I have also gotten into sewing --- appliques!  I bought a few fat squares and asked my mom for some leftover scraps, and I've been "in business" since February!  But, look at my sweet little monkey, trying to get in on the action!

 

I'm going to try to offer you my tips, tricks and methods for making simple cards.  NOW.  You will NOT find cards in my stash that come close to comparing with my friend SV, over here at her lovely blog.  I LOVE drooling over her cards, but I just don't... don't have the patience?  The stamina?  The level of creative juices?  The craft room?  Anyways, check out her amazing work and then prepare to be underwhelmed at my... uncomplicated and a little more manageable cards...  Oh, and another place I sometimes go for inspiration is slitcoaststampers -- here's a link to the Stampin' Up gallery -- you can look up any stamp sets and look at tons of cards (and check out the "Anything BUT a Card" section for lots of great crafting ideas!

Ok, so stay tuned for my little stamping ideas coming your way each day... until I run out of ideas!  : )

35: Facebook Free Week!

I have to do this every once in a while to keep myself in check.  Facebook begins to dominate my life and it's more than a little sad.  I actually got quite a bit done this week and I'm sure being off of facebook had a big part in that.  That's when I know that I need to cut back! 

Here're a few things I learned:
*Facebook is my go-to activity while nursing (sorry if that is TMI!) - this week I took to reading more.
*Facebook is the first thing I do (on my own) in the morning usually - this week I watched the news (which is not all that much of a positive).
*I love to share joys, ask for prayer, post pictures and just connect with people in general on facebook - this week I texted quite a bit more!
*I use facebook to look stuff up a lot now - this week I googled more often.  (I actually heard a stat that facebook is used more often than google now - pretty crazy!)

Some of my "statuses" for the week would've been:
*C slept all night!!! (9 pm - 6 am!)
*C really, REALLY is three months old now!
*M went to the bathroom totally on her own in the potty chair and told us afterwards! (woot!)
*Interview today - pray for me!
*I GOT A NEW JOB!  (I couldn't stay away from middle school...)
*I had so much fun getting to know some of JJ's med school buddies!
*Thank you so much to the F family for hanging out with us, for the delicious chocolate chip cheesecake and for the post-dinner swim!
*Church Carnival cancelled because of terrible storm last night!  : (
*M is currently taking a marathon nap --- going on 3 1/2 hours!

#17 AND #30!

That's right, friends, I'm just checking things off left and right!

The other day we took a little morning trip to downtown KC and checked out the Hallmark Visitor Center (including Kaleidoscope) and Chip's Chocolate Factory.  I love exploring new things in right in our "backyard" -- especially things that are on the cheap!

I enjoyed the Hallmark Center, even if we were somewhat dashing through.  Here M and Daddy are checking out a display of old cards in a timeline display case:

A really cool thing in this museum was a passport and at every section was a different stamp for the passport.  Way cool way to involve the kiddos!

Next we hit up Kaleidoscope.  FUN FUN FUN!  It was all art all the time and totally kid friendly.  We were completely impressed with M's careful painting.  She did such a great job that we ended up buying her a cheap paint set of her own!  Craft on my friend!

Also, I'm a little ashamed to admit that I took some of the paper home with me --- they had the coolest paper for kids to make their own cards with... I only took four sheets... : )

Ahhh... Chip's Chocolate Factory.  Need I say more?  This guy has done this a time or two before!

#31: Playdate with friends from work

I had to write this on the list (do you see that things just keep getting crossed off!  Woohoo!) because we always say we need to get together and it just does not happen enough!  The other day I met up with one friend (D) and her three year old little man, T.  We had planned to go to a really fun water park, but the weather did NOT cooperate and we were rained out.

Instead we headed to a local mall for a really fun play place play date and a quick trip to Zonkers.  I thought M would have an absolutely blast - there was a little train, a climbing area, tons of arcade games AND a carousel!  After buying a few tokens and tickets, we went to T's all time favorite spot: ski ball!  : )  The kiddos looked so cute rolling the balls because T got a few to roll all the way to the end and I don't think M ever made it that far.  I ended up standing between them because they both had a wicked slice... or hook?  Hook, definitely a hook.

Then D suggested we do something M would like to do.  I thought for sure, without a doubt her most favorite thing would be the carousel.  It was a no go!  I could not believe it.  She would not get on it on her own at all and poor T ended up riding by himself, not that he seemed to mind!  In the end, the only other thing M would do is this mechanical horsey that was less impressive than the free one at our local grocery store.  Oh well, the kiddos did have a good time hanging out together and D and I got to chat a little too!  

Update on M---M's words!

M's speech has just continued to blossom and we love listening to her chatter away.  She's still such a mimicker, but uses words from books or things we've said at appropriate times later.  She hasn't quite mastered pronouns and MOST of the time refers to herself as M (hardly ever using "I" or "me").  She is also in the questioning stage, big time.  It's interesting though.  Instead of "why" she often uses "where".  "Where is the _____?"  Her favorite lines are, "M go like this..." (when replaying something she's done -- especially one she's gotten accolades for!) and "What M do today?" (when telling about her day).

As we looked through some pictures of friends' (A&B O) new baby, she just kept oohing and aahing and in sweet excitement said, "Oh my goodness!" several times!  Last night before bed, after we read three stories, rocked, prayed and rubbed back, she decided she needed Daddy to come in and start the process over again at rocking.  I said, "No." kissed her and turned to leave.  As I was exiting stage left, she said, "There's no need to cry."  : )  Her best buddy, JH was very sick (like hospitalization sick -- poor little guy!  He's doing very well now, just so you know!) and M was beside herself with worry.  She would say, "J not feeling so well!" and would ask over and over to see his picture on the computer.

She has also told me she "needs her privacy" as she goes to the bathroom and also is my biggest cheerleader in whatever I am doing.  I've heard, "Good job Mommy!  I'm so proud of you!" while I finish my meal, or wash my hands after going to the bathroom, etc.  What a stinker!  A sweet stinker, but a stinker nevertheless!  She does have three made up words that she uses consistently: boyoak, lilling and byka.  She is very proud of them and uses them with a twinkle in her eye!

M is pretty good about being polite and for the most part she is pretty sincere with her apologies.  BUT one thing that she's started doing is prompting us to say sorry for things, like we have prompted her.  For example, she will say, "I'm sorry that I didn't get you a sucker." (wanting ME to apologize to her!)  Stinker!

M is still an avid reader, and can fill in most of her "regulars", but catches me having her read and then wants me to do it.  She has become an "I Spy" fan --- we've gotten a few of the lowest level ones -- with the picture of the item to find in the big picture -- and she loves them!

She is very in tune with emotions (still) and gets a bit up in arms if I'm paying attention to bro-bro when "Baby is happy right now!"  I guess she thinks as long as he's happy I should be playing with her!

One of the things that tugs at our heartstrings the most is when one of us comes back from doing something (*especially* if we have left during a nap or before she went to bed) and she runs up to us and says "Mommy! (or Daddy) You came BACK!"  

#7: Farmer's Market!!!

I heart fresh fruits and vegetables and thankfully so does the rest of my family (well, time will tell with C, but one thing is for sure - he's a great eater at the moment!).  AND we have a few farmers markets to choose from in our area, including one just a few blocks away from our house - seriously, we could walk if wanted to.  I went there the other day with the kiddos and still being a little early in the season, there were only about ten vendors, but, man oh man, we did not leave empty handed!

Look at those sweeties!  I mean, the veggies!  The veggies were awesome!  AND I could NOT resist a trip back in time.  A much simpler time.  When my all time favorite thing to do was pick peas from the garden.  Man oh man.  I would stand for hours picking peas, shucking them and eating them --- mostly on the spot.  Then when I left for college, I would come back to ice cream pails full of peas lovingly picked and saved just for me.  Sweet, sweet memories.  While our only garden is currently of the window box herb variety, I was at least able to do two of the tree things mentioned above with my girl.  This was a tradition that was very easy to pass on!

And the rest of that bounty?  It quickly got roasted, and turned in to the most amazing tomato sauce ... ever...  Add some homemade noodles (all done by JJ of course) and well.  Heaven.  So there you go.  We found Heaven at the local Farmer's Market!

Update on E!

So I did go back to work - yay.  And now I'm home for the summer - double YAY!  The kids did awesome getting up and going to our favorite daycare lady's (M) house.  I *think* for the most part, C did pretty well - often times when I came to pick them up, I'd either find a hungry boy, that I fed there OR a sleepy boy that I took home to feed.  He ate twice while he was there and I was able to keep up with pumping at work (not my most favorite activity, but, you know, I'm all about the breast milk when possible!).  Actually, along with that, J took out some formula (we've gotten a few freebie cartons in the mail) and I found myself completely offended.  It was an interesting reaction and I wasn't sure where it came from.  It was like, "How dare you think I can't provide for my child!".  Weird.  I worked through that and was thankful we had it - just in case!  *By the way, here's my caveat.  I can't imagine not at least trying to breastfeed.  From there I totally understand that it just does NOT work for some mommies/some babies/some situations.   

My M adores babysitter M and her two kiddos, J and S.  She also found a new favorite activity while there, squirting with just a regular spray bottle.  Silly kiddo!

I was able to transition back into my job.  So the first day, I was there with my long-term sub, and she just pretty much filled me in all day.  The second day, everyone who had EVER had anything to ask me or tell me found me.  I was bombarded.  The third day I was like, "Hello kiddos!  I'm back!"  Then I had about eight days left, which included a fifth grade celebration day, a last full day, a last half day (with yearbook signing and stuff), and a last day with just staff (to CLEAN and organize!).  So basically I had just enough time to wrap up a lesson or two, complete my progress monitoring (just barely!) and say good bye!  It was kind of a whirl-wind, which sort of worked out for the best - kept my mind from being wrapped up in being away from my kiddos for sure!

I have found that being home with JJ makes me a somewhat lazy person.  I'm trying to get out of that!  It just seems like when I was home on maternity leave, and then when he was in his finals weeks, I worked hard to get everything done.  Now that he's home, I'm like, "I'll just sit and feed the baby........ and I'll let you cook and clean up!"  See how that works for me??

I have started back exercising.  I love it - it makes me feel so good!  I've been jogging with the jogging stroller several times and just the other day I couldn't fall back asleep about 6 am so I decided to head out by myself.  My theory is to get as far out as possible so my only choice is to get back home.  You know what I mean?  So I start playing mind games.  Just jog to the corner store.  You can do that.  It's easy.  Now keep going - you can make it to the post office.  Hey - let's google map this jog - so make sure you go to the next actual street so you can record how far you went.  That next street was easy - now you're going to make it to 119th street!  It's all about the mind games.  In total I ended up jogging (not counting my warm up/cool down walk) a little over three miles!  Woohoo!  I'll take it!

#59; Get hair cuts!

Do you like how I'm just adding to my list?  Do you ever do that?  If I finish something not on the list, sometimes I'll add it and then cross it off immediately.  It just feels so good!

M and I were due for haircuts so I made appointments for both of us! 

M got to go to Shear Madness, thanks to a coupon from daycare lady M.  M walked into the uber kid friendly store and admired all of the trinkets in the "Uniquey Boutiquey"!  Then she picked out her vehicle -- a pink jeep (the same one friend S chooses!).  Everything was all good until the cape came out.  Then M wanted nothing to do with it -- even with her hands totally out, a Barbie dancing video, AND a sucker!  I had to hold her while she was in the vehicle!  Stinker!  The lady managed to trim about 1/4" off and we called it a day.  In the parking lot she said she'd choose the red car next week and since then has chatted about the sucker.  Hopefully our next go round goes better!

I also chopped my hair!  Four inches, baby.  I'd've liked to hold out for Locks of Love, but it just didn't happen this time.  I've started losing my hair from the pregnancy and with the humidity, well, I was just done.  DONE I tell you and needed a chop.  So here it is:

Update on J!

J... is officially... a SECOND YEAR med student!  What a year!  I still can't believe he has one year under his belt.  I am amazed at the amount of knowledge he took in and is able to spit out.  He continues to wrestle with what he wants to do - what to specialize in which leads to where to do his residency.  If we want to move closer to home, that certainly dictates what he could do.  There are only certain residencies that can be done in our home state.  I don't want him to be limited by that, but what I do want to keep in the back of my mind (ok, his mind!) is which jobs could bring him back to the upper midwest.  So, basically, it may be awhile before we move to our "permanent" home.

I believe that he really would do well in whatever field he chooses, but he is so awesome with kids, I think a pediatric specialty is kind of his calling.  The only thing that stinks about that is the poor compensation compared to the adult counterpart of the same specialty.  It is ridiculous.  And, while it's sad to consider, we do have to pay his loans back and would like me to be able to stay home, so pay is a real thing to keep in mind.

I joke about when he's "making the big bucks" and he gives it right back to me with "well, when you're a principal".  Ha.  NO WAY would I EVER want that job!!

J also bought himself his Christmas/birthday/Father's Day present(s) with new golf clubs, shoes, AND a kitchen-aid!  Have I ever told you it's bad when J is home too much?  He starts researching things and finding the best deal possible and then just can't possibly pass it up.  He's been out golfing quite a bit with this golf pass thing he bought (which is awesome - good exercise and enjoying a hobby he loves).  We got our kitchenaid just at the end of last week, but the list of things he'd like to make with it are astounding.  I better figure out a permanent workout routine to somewhat maintain my weight (never mind losing any weight this summer!).

He's also been put to work painting things to get ready for C's big move!  He'll soon move into "his room" which is currently the "guest room" -- don't worry guests, we WILL move him back to our room with the pack 'n play if you come to stay!  With that move, M's "tea room" will move into her room.  Phew!  Here's a quick picture of my little painter:

Update on M!

The M-ster has also been a busy girl lately!  She is just a flutter-by of energy, which has earned her the nickname of "Speedy" from Daddy!  She RUNS from activity to activity and we're working on cleaning up one before starting another!

M is a daredevil in the water - ever since we went swimming with the AJ fam over Easter, she just doesn't feel she needs a floatation device OR parents holding her.  It's a struggle to keep her afloat some times!!  I'm pretty sure we're seeing a need for swimming lessons in the NEAR future!  Maybe this fall?

I'm not sure when to make it "official", but M has been rocking the big girl undies for quite some time.  We continue to use a diaper at night (not sure when to give that up - she still wakes up with a pretty soggy dipe most nights) and have gone back to it at naps as well.  She just sleeps so much better - and her sleeping well means happy days for all of us!  : )

If M could, she would have  PB&J for every meal.  She is still a pretty good eater - and will USUALLY eat what is on her plate.  She can always be counted on for peas, most any fruit, applesauce, yogurt, chicken (usually), cheese, crackers, cereal, eggs, pancakes, and just ANY kind of sweet, ever.  (oops, I think she got that from me!) 

M loves to do projects - and her favorite "tools" (when closely supervised) are my stamps (and ink and cleaner), glue (any form!), finger paints (we just have to make sure she doesn't scoop all of the paint out at once. . .), stickers (sometimes on baby bro-bro), markers (especially the permanent ones which are quickly whisked away!), and crayons sometimes too.  I have been waiting impatiently for when I could color in coloring books again with my little girl and the time has come!  It's such a fun activity to sit and color with her.  Love it.

We took M in to the doctor for a mole on her foot the other day, and she actually referred us to a dermatologist.  While, obviously, we took her in because we were concerned, I really had wanted her to say it's all ok, no big deal.  Praying that it's benign or very easily removed.  Either way - we have a dermatologist appointment at the end of the month.

We went through some rough nights just about the time I went back to work (fabulous), but M has gotten back on track (thankfully).  When she wasn't sleeping through the night or was waking up early, we started pushing her bedtime back (some nights as late as 8:30/9:00), thinking we were just expecting too much sleep from her.  Turns out we needed to get back to the old routine (starting sleepytime routine about 7:15ish), and since then things have been pretty awesome.

Being a parent is tough some times, but I think some key things I have learned (but certainly not fully mastered!) are consistency, routine, level temper (especially during discipline!) and an abundance of love (well that one just comes pretty naturally!).

"M just doing some squirting!"

#57: Survive first KS tornado

Well, my to-do list should be to survive them all really... but here's the story of the first one:

A week after I went back to school, I had just sat down at my desk to pump when over the intercom, our principal blares through the blissful silence: "EVERYONE!  Get in your shelters!"  She reacts emotionally first. every time. no matter what.   I put everything quickly away as two classes of kindergarteners file into my room (without windows, my room makes a pretty good shelter!).  We are sitting there, pretty clueless, until J texts me: "Tornadoes there??"  I was like, oh boy, this must be for real.

I'm not sure exactly how I came up with this luck, but the choir teacher was in my room, too, and she did a phenomenal job quietly entertaining the kiddos.  Another K teacher came with graham crackers - that was another great idea for keeping the kiddos calm and entertained.

Another text came in from J: tornado touched down at, well, about a block from our house!  YIKES!  This was for real!  After Joplin, I knew not to mess around one bit with watches and warnings.  My mind went to the babies.  I trust M wholeheartedly, but I just wished I could be with them if something terrible happened.  

A long-term sub that was in one of the K rooms started getting texts too, and her face kept saying it all.  I was trying to pointedly look at her so the kiddos wouldn't get nervous. 

THEN we started getting texts left and right - tornado touched down, about two blocks from where M and C were!  A tornado was moving north to where... where we were! 

It was an intense about hour and a half.

The principal gave periodic updates, too, but she still had a twinge of emotion, so that it sounded like she was crying at one point.  (don't get me started on her, by the way).  Finally, we were all able to leave the shelters, and figure out what exactly had happened and what the damage was.

Long story short, there was no damage.  How incredible!  Even J was in a storm shelter at his school (in the middle of finals week!), but the tornado turned out to be an F-0, while it went through KC anyways.  Praise the Lord!  M talked about going in the basement, but babysitter M said everyone just played, ate snacks and had fun!  So thankful to Jesus that my first KS tornado experience turned out to be so harmless! 
 

Update on C!

Goodness!  It's been so long and as you know, so much happens in the life of a baby in these early(ish) weeks!

The C-ster loves to sleep. and eat. and sleep. and be held.  Basically, if he is being held, and/or is being fed, he's good to go.  He is a smiler and a half and I can't wait to see his personality emerge!  He does get cranky about 6:30 it seems, and generally goes to bed about 8:00-8:30 for the night.  I was telling J that he sort of is getting a schedule down and then I laughed out loud as I realized his schedule is nap in the morning.  Nap in the afternoon.  Nap in the early evening.  Sleep well at night.  Hey - works for me!

One thing C does well that his sister did less than a handful of times: take a bottle!  HUGE RELIEF!  This was amazing as I went back to work for eleven days (but who was counting?) at the end of the school year.  It also came in handy when JJ and I went on a date a few weeks ago!  Woohoo!  ; )  He will take a paci now and then, but loves to snack on his wrist these days!

Another one of C's favorite things, it seems, is to just hang out with big sister.  He LOVES watching her run around, listening to her sing, and get showered with kissies from her.  The other day he was a crabby pants, and she came over and starting putting smiley face stickers on him and told him to be a happy boy.

C rolled over the day before I went back to work - but we haven't seen it since.  J is pretty sure his big head just pulled his body enough to the side that he rolled!  : )  Either way, he did it three times in one morning!  He loves to kick and punch and is starting to enjoy his little farm mobile toy.  

C is my little chubby bunny -- you did read about all the eating and sleeping right?  Here're his stats from his two month appointment:

Height
22.5 in. (35th percentile)

Weight
13 lb. 4 oz. (!!) (84th percentile)

Head Circ.
39.5 cm. (40th percentile)

Big Sis showing how it's done!

There are some cool things to look at under here!

M supervising...

Such a strong neck - but not quite ready for the bumbo... we'll try again later!

#3: Explore St. Louis

I know you are just waiting with bated breath to know what item I'm going to cross off next!  ; )  I think next post will stray from the list because I just need to update on some things that have come up but aren't on the list! 

BUT, this weekend we got to do one super fun thing on the list -- we met up with friends, the Js, in St. Louis!  I'll admit that when I made the list, I knew we'd be going there, but I added it anyways because since we've moved to KS I really have wanted to take advantage of living by some neat cities to explore.

Ok, on to the trip.

So first of all, St. Louis is about four hours from KC.  This doesn't sound like a tough trip - we lived about four hours from my parents when we lived in ND.  But, wait.  This is NOT the same four hour trip.  The drive Friday afternoon (don't other people work anymore??!) was basically traffic the. whole. way, with dinky little towns making up strip malls almost the whole. entire. way.  It was weird.  That stretch of highway also included more highway signs that I've ever seen and, oh, did you know that MO mile markers are actually every .2 miles??!  Can you say waste of money?  We saw some interesting signs to say the least, but my favorite was when I saw a sign for pork butt that read, "HOT JUICY BUTT" and M piped up from the backseat, "That is groooooss!"  We also made up a song, "Going to St. Louis!  St. Louis here we come!" (to the tune of Going to Kansas City -- we're so very creative!).  My favorite line was when JJ sang, "St. Louis has the highest rate of gonorrhea...." I looked at him strangely and he added, still singing, "It really does!"  SO glad JJ is learning so much in Med. School!

We found our hotel relatively easily and got all checked in.  We settled ourselves in, and called the J family, who.... was in the lobby!  Woohoo!  We had so much fun catching up with JPJ, CJ, AJ and JPJ's sister MJ.  The J fam moved to IN, where JPJ works as a post-doc at Purdue --- and CJ starts a new job Monday!  Yay for her!  MJ is visiting from India, so it was just wonderful to see her again!  We decided to order in supper so the kiddos could run around and we could talk a little more uninterrupted.  That turned out to be a great idea, and we had some yummy Chinese food and then hit up the pool!  M suddenly LOVES pools, which is great for us!  The only problem is she doesn't see the need to wear her life jacket OR swim with Mommy or Daddy.  ugh.  Swimming lessons in the NEAR future?  : )  Little A also enjoyed the pool, but was good and wore his life jacket!  : )  *Thank you to SIL LJ for the awesome idea of bringing some pool toys.  We just threw in some bath toys before we left, and both A and M had a nice time playing with them!

I was so nervous about how both kids would sleep.  From the beginning, C didn't seem to sleep so well in the pack and play, which is why we moved him into his crib so early.  Now he'd be forced to sleep in it.  duh duh duuuuh.  BUT he had his longest stretch of sleep to date!  (5.5-6ish hours!)  And M??  Where do you put a two-year old??  We decided to try out her couch and (insert huge sigh of relief) she slept ALL NIGHT!!  She did try out about seven positions, according to Daddy (she was laying on the floor on his side of the bed), but who cares as long as she didn't wake anyone up?!  : )

We had a nice continental breakfast and then took off for the zoo.  Just to give a little perspective, it was 85 degrees when we got in our car at about 8 am.  Yuck.  It was so hot and humid, it was ridiculous, but the St. Louis Zoo is awesome!  We found out that it is consistently rated #1 by a parent survey of zoos around the ... nation? world? either way - #1!  The J's experienced some unfortunate moments as the tires on their stroller popped one by one (JPJ saved the third one, though!), and JPJ left his wallet at the zoo stroller check out spot, but they smiled through it and made the best of it.  We did as much indoor fun as possible -- CJ's interest in seeing the penguins was just about THE BEST idea ever, because it was freezing inside.  A welcome relief!  We also took a train ride through each section of the zoo and even watched a sea lion show.  Some highlights were when the sea lion "acted" like other animals - a seal sliding on the stage, a shark swimming through the water with his flipper acting like the shark's dorsal fin, and also when the sea lions took dives -- they flipped upside down and stood with a big diving pose for quite some time.  I'm hoping MJ sends me her pics of this occasion, by this time the kiddos were tired and hot, so we didn't drag the camera out.  

Hanging out at a cool zoo and M finds the play kitchen... PB&J anyone?

A loves birds!

Keepin' the baby cool...

Chillin' with the penguins!

More penguins!

Giving hugs!

 
After the zoo, we hit up Old Spaghetti Factory, which was perfect.  It was close to our next (and final) destination AND we would be able to sit for a while in air conditioning!  Plus I heart OSF.

Then, duh, duh, duuuuh, THE thing to do in St. Louis -- check out the arch!  Everyone except for JJ and our two kiddos decided to head up to the top.  I'm so glad I did it, but don't feel like I need to do it again.  JJ, M and C watched boats in the water but mostly just stayed in the shade.  When M saw a lady with ice cream, my sweet, hot baby declared, "M want that in M's mouth!"  JJ found a big Popsicle for her to enjoy.

After we got out of the arch, we said our goodbyes and both headed home.  Apparently the Js ran into some yucky weather, but we had great roads all the way home (despite the traffic. again.).

YAY for visiting a new city, but MOSTLY yay for getting a chance to see our dear friends again! 

#11: Freezer Cooking!

With my OFFICIAL start to summer occurring tomorrow - you heard right folks - my last day of this school year is TOMORROW, I am already rocking out on my list!  Before my maternity leave was over, I cooked up a storm and made three separate freezer meals - two of which came from my freezer cookbook.  This is the bowtie pasta recipe:

  
One thing I've learned from freezer cooking is that I am not always hungry for what I've made ahead of time.  Grrr.  Also, this recipe in particular just really lacked flavor post thaw... good thing I'm married to a creative cook!

There ARE some recipes that have been amazing to freeze, and I'm going to post two of my favorites (from RF, a friend at Church, who brought us these meals after the C-ster was born!).  Prepare to fall in love with these two recipes!!

Aunt Evelyn's Potato Casserole
9-12 medium potatoes, peeled and boiled (drained)
8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. sour cream
1 stick margarine salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together. (I use an electric mixer.) Place in greased 9 x 13
glass casserole dish. Bake 30-45 minutes @ 350 degrees. May top with grated cheese
last few minutes of bake time.


Poppyseed Chicken
2 lbs of chicken breast, cooked & chopped
8 oz. sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 tube of Ritz crackers
1 1/2 T. poppy seeds
1 stick melted butter

Place chicken in a shallow casserole. Mix sour cream and soup; pour over chicken.
Mix crumbs, butter and poppy seeds and sprinkle over top. Bake 30 minutes at 350
degrees or until bubbly.