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3.30.2012

This & That

  • The past two days have been an absolute madhouse around here. I foresee Monday & Tuesday being quite hectic as well.
  • I'm not sure there are words to describe how exhausted I am right now. My calves hurt from wearing heels for so long yesterday!
  • Thank goodness we are off next Thursday & Friday for Easter Break. I need it.
  • I'm using Thursday to get a little pampering. I've got to do something with my hair {it's so think & long and driving me insane!} and I'm going to take advantage of a gift certificate a sweet friend gave me after Coop was born to get some shellac. Excited doesn't even begin to cover it.
  • Speaking of Christine, I get to see her this weekend! So excited :)
  • We also get to pick up some pictures of an adorable little kidlet this weekend. I've had some I snapped on my phone but I've been waiting to share.
  • The witch really seems to have sucked Coop in at night. He's been pretty fussy for us this week - sorta the fighting sleep and crying uncontrollably for a half hour or so before finally passing out. Then last night his auntie Jessica watched him and he flat-out refused to take his bottle and was also fussy until he finally gave in and slept. It's so weird ... and definitely not like him not to eat! I was afraid he was getting sick but once we picked him up, he nursed like a champ, giggled and talked to us, slept just fine and seemed like his normal self this morning.
  • I can't believe it's going to be April this weekend. Time is passing by SO quickly. Maybe time will slow down over the summer - haha!
  • Do you do April Fools? I wish I could, but I'm the worst liar/jokester in the world. I need an EASY but harmless prank for the hubs.
  • Little Mister loves the water, so I want to get him a pool for this summer. Hubs thinks it's dangerous, but come on ... one of us will be in it with Coop the entire time. Any suggestions for a cheap one that is shallow but big enough for Coop's tall daddy to fit in as well?
  • I have three goals for the weekend: clean the main areas/do laundry {always}; finish painting Coop's letters & hang in the nursery; and clean the spare bedroom. Surely I can accomplish all that.

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3.28.2012

A recipe: Nacho pie

Between Coop's four month well check yesterday afternoon and a PAT visit at 6 p.m., I needed something quick and easy for dinner last night. I came across this recipe in a cookbook and have seen similar ones on Pinterest, but hubby preferred this one based on the ingredients.

Man, it was good. In fact, I was running a bit behind because I had to pick up a perscription for myself so it sat out for an hour while we finished our visit, and it was still yummy. Hubby even went back for seconds.


After we dug in
What you'll need:
4 cups nacho cheese chips, crushed
1 lb. hamburger meat, browned and seasoned to your liking
1 can chili beans
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
Cheese (I think the recipe called for 1 cup, but I never measure.)

Make it:
Line bottom of a lightly sprayed nine-inch pie pan or square with the crushed chips.
Layer meat, chili, beans and sauce. Cover Sprinkle top with cheese.
Bake at 375 for 15-17 minutes.

Enjoy!




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3.27.2012

bathroom cleaning tip

I'm not alone in my hatred of cleaning the bathroom, right?

I mean, it's one of the most detested chores around my house. Which explains why sometimes I go weeks longer than I should between cleaning the tub. Unless they are staying the night, visitors don't use it, so I can close the curtain and pretend it is sparkling.

Well, this weekend it had been a few weeks since it had been cleaned, so I took the plunge and tried a homemade cleaner I'd heard great things about. Ladies, this will change your life.

You mix together equal parts of these two ingredients:





... heat approximately 45 seconds in the microwave

Then pour in a spray bottle. And voila! You have the BEST tub and tile cleaner known to man. Seriously, my tub was in awful shape and I sprayed this on, waited a couple minutes and wiped {not scrubbed} it off. Genius!

I have this weird thing for the smell of vinegar, so that made it even better!

Seriously ladies, try this. And you can thank me later :)

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3.26.2012

weekend wrapup

good monday morning! i hope you all had a great weekend - we did!

i'm also linking up here :)


I think the greatest thing about this weekend is that we didn't really do anything. or we didn't have any plans. the past two weekends have been devoted to yard sale and i think we were both ready for a chill weekend to do some work around the house!

of course, we did sneak in some relaxation, too! during one of our text convos on friday, hubs and i decided to do a pizza and movie date at home, since it had been awhile. he got the movies and i picked up a Papa Murphy's pizza. we rented Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Footloose, and 13. I fell asleep during 13, but hubby said he waws not impressed - although he typically loves any movie with Jason Statham!

saturday morning, hubs decided to seed our lawn. we have horrible sand burrs and have wanted to seed since we moved to our house 2.5 years ago, so now that we have a kid who will be running around outside, we figured now is the time! let me tell you, that was a project all in its own. he started out by mowing and weedeating on saturday, as well as renting the aerator and seeder. then most of the day yesterday was used to aerate, seed, and aerate again. wowza. we really hope all the time and money pays off with a fab yard with plush green grass.

while he was outside working, i slaved away inside. since cooper has been born, i have been SO lax on cleaning, i've made sure to wash the dishes, cook and keep the living room/bathroom cleaned, but that's about it. well, this weekend i managed to clean the kitchen/dining room, living room, main bath, master bath and master bedroom. i did work in our spare bedroom for a bit. the nursery stays pretty clean, but does need to be dusted. i also accomplished several  loads of laundry - although, come to think of it, there is still a load in the dryer. Whoops.

Question - how do you all handle unannounced visitors? Without giving a lot of details ... yesterday, some of J's relatives stopped in without calling first. Mind you, they live an hour away. Of course, when they came, he was in the middle of all his work outside and Coop was in the middle of a bit of a meltdown, wanting to be fed and take a nap. I tried to nicely suggest that if they want to come, it's not an issue, but we would appreciate a phone call. Obvs they are primarily coming to see Cooper, and it's really not ideal for them to visit during a feeding or nap time. This isn't really the first time we've had problems with it either. They typically call, but sometimes literally 10 minutes from when they get to the house. I guess I just feel like if you are driving an hour, you can give people some notice. What if we weren't home? What if we had other visitors? What if I just needed to get dressed and pick up some around the house? No, they don't drive up solely to see us, but it's still out of the way. I just find it incredibly rude not to give someone notice. I did make a remark that I didn't know they were coming or we would have told them to come at a different time, and I think they sorta took offense to it. Am I in the wrong here?

This is a hectic week for us! So therefore, not a lot of cooking. But here's the menu plan for the week:

Sunday: PW's chicken spaghetti left over from last week & salad. {Note: I omit all veggies in this recipe. SO healthy, I know}
Monday: I have a banquet to attend, so hubby is on his own! I bought some pre-made hamburger patties yesterday, though, so I'd imagine he'll have that.
Tuesday: Nacho pie & salad. I'm not sure what recipe I will use yet but will post once i decide.
Wednesday: Leftover nacho pie
Thursday: Hubs and I are attending another banquet.
Friday: Salmon patties, fried potatoes, macaroni in tomato juice
Saturday: TBD. I'm really hoping for a pretty day so maybe I can convince hubs to grill!

How was your weekend/what are you looking forward to this week?



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3.23.2012

Cooper: Four months!

Happy four month-day, baby boy! You continue to brighten the lives of those around you. I, for one, feel like I can never get enough of your sweet smile, laugh, kisses, etc.


And boy, this has been a big month for you. I'm afraid that in the blink of an eye, you're going to be all grown up.

But it is SO much fun and I love being your mommy. I'm so glad God blessed me with such an amazing little boy to love on and nurture.

This month, your daddy took you for your first ride on the tractor. You seemed to love it - although you love most things.


You continue to grow & develop right on track. Just last week, I bumped you up to 7 ounces in your bottles - but you still have your five feedings a day! You finish it with no problem, and typically nurse in the morning, have two bottles at Mrs. Robin's, then nurse in the evening and at bedtime. Mrs. Robin has noticed you still seem hungry at times after a bottle, so we may be able to go ahead and do 8 ounces a feeding, but I'm not sure. You are still exclusively breastfed, and we probably won't introduce rice cereal/oatmeal for at least another month, unless we think you need it.

You usually go to bed sometime between 9 & 9:30 and I'm considering moving that time up, since I have to wake you up in the mornings, but it's a tough decision to lose even more of our cuddle time at night. You smile and giggle as we change your diaper, smother you in kisses, and get you all snug as a bug in a rug in your little swaddle.


When Mrs. Cheri with the Parents As Teachers program came to visit last month, she said to expect some big things this month. And boy, was she right! Last Sunday - March 18 - you rolled over for the first time! Mama had you on your tummy and left the room and when I came back, you were on your back! A little later, I put you on the tummy again and you rolled over - four more times! I even caught one on video. {Please, excuse the excited mommy narrative at the end}




In addition to rolling over, you like to "talk" to us - usually in the morning and at night, although Mrs. Robin said the two of you have several conversations as well. You grab lots of things too - the plush animals in your toy gym, mommy's hair, our fingers, our faces, and your stuffed Gigi from Aunt Jessi :) We are really trying to work on your hand-eye coordination.


You are so gentle {except when pulling mama's hair!} and LOVE animals. Even though Hank is stinky and slobbers all over you, it doesn't faze you one bit when he comes up and licks your face & toes. You love to pet your horses too, and even got to take a little ride on Doc last week. Here you are giving Doc horse some love.


While inside, you like to have Maxx keep you company :) He often encourages you while you are hard at work with tummy time.



You love your little friends at daycare. Every morning, you get fussy when you go into your carseat, but when I start talking about Mrs. Robin, you immediately smile. Once we walk through the door, the kids swarm me and say "Hi, Baby!" Of course, you just love all that attention.

Bathtime is still a lot of fun for you, and I'm thinking we will buy a swimming pool to enjoy the outdoors this summer. You love your ducks!

You usually take two naps a day at the sitter's and will sometimes cat nap in the evenings at home. Nighttime usually consists of sitting in your Bumbo while I cook supper/wash dishes, tummy time, swinging {if you get fussy} and cuddles with Daddy & I.

You don't go to the doctor for your four-month well check until Tuesday, so I'm not sure what your stats are. I am guessing you will be about 16 pounds, however. Youa re in 3-6 month clothes and still a Size 2 diaper, but you may be ready for a 3 as there have been quite a few leaks the past couple days.

Cooper, your Daddy & I love you SO MUCH! I can't even remember what life was like before you came along. I do know that I laughed less and my heart wasn't near as big. You truly are a joy to everyone around you, and you bring so much happiness into my life. I love you to the moon & back!

XOXO,
Mama


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3.22.2012

A rant

Alright, so I'm going to be a bit snarky today. If you don't want to listen, please, feel free to click that red X in the top right corner of your screen.

WHY do businesses insist on constantly changing things when there is NOTHING wrong with the way things are in the first place?!?! You know, Walmart moving where items are, restaurants changing menus, etc.

Today, I'm ranting and raving at Burger King - and let me tell you, if I were to "have it my way" they wouldn't have gone messing with their menu!



First, the fries. Yuck. Hubs and I pretty much left McDs because their fries began tasting cardboard-y. Plus we totally prefer the sandwich choices at BK. But now they have icky fries, too. I want my fries fatty people!

Next up was the salad dressings. For about four years now, I've been in love with the side salads. Often I would decide I wanted one to go along with lunch, and would scoot on over to BK with my $1.07 to buy my side salad with fat-free Italian. Then a couple months ago, it was no longer available. GRRRR. I did migrate to the Honey Balsamic which is also quite yummy, but it's still the principle. It's a fast-food restaurant, I really don't believe fancy schmancy dressings are necessary.

And yesterday was the whopper of them all. I go for my yummy side salad to accompany the leftovers and brought from home. And guess what? They've raised the price! Now my beloved little side salad costs $1.61!!! Not to mention that instead of having the yummy carrots and tomatoes mixed with the lettuce and cheese, it's now only lettuce and cheese. So basically, I feel like I'm paying 50% more for a subpar item.

Burger King, if it weren't for your delicious whoppers, chicken sandwiches and apple pies, you would be down a customer. But I'm going to have to break up with you over this whole side salad issue.

So - do you have a favorite side salad? Where?

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3.21.2012

What I'm Loving



It's been a bit since I've done WILW with Jamie so I figured today was a great day to join in!

{1} I'm LOVING this video. It makes me smile so big and I watch it repeatedly.



{2} I'm LOVING the gorgeous weather! It's supposed to rain and cool off a bit beginning tonight, but I can definitely handle highs in the 60s abd 70s and hopefully a break on the electric bill.


{3} I'm LOVING that it was so nice yesterday, Jessica and I got to have our weekly lunch date in a park!

{4} I'm LOVING the fresh-cut grass at the house! Although I'm sure hubby isn't loving that it's already lawn mowing season again :)

{5} I'm LOVING this sweet little boy and his cute "spring outfit" we bought last weekend. He got to take pictures with the live bunnies last weekend and did so great!



{6} I'm LOVING that we get another break in two weeks, when we have two days off for Easter.

{7} I'm LOVING that between cooking PW's chicken spaghetti on Monday and tator tot casserole last night, I only have to worry about sides for the rest of the week.

{8} After all the rain last week,m I can say that I'm LOVING even more my new vehicle. I hated driving in the rain in my Grand Prix ... something about the slant of the windshield made it really hard to see. No problems in the Terrain :)

{9} I'm LOVING my hard-working, handsome hubby. Duh.



What are you loving today?

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3.19.2012

monday brain dump

  • Whew! To say it's been a busy day would be an understatement. After Wednesday-Friday off last week for spring break, I've got lots of catching up to do {hate I left my desk a mess} as well as a big event to prepare for this week.
  • My morning has consisted of spreadsheets, emails and phone calls. Lots of yawns, too.
  • Our garage sale went really well! If I remember correctly, I took four boxes and three large totes of stuff ... and returned with just the four boxes! Plus I made about $175 ... not too shabby.
  • Cooper enjoyed spending time with his grandparents during the sale :) I took him with me on Wednesday while we did setup, and again on Saturday so his daddy could accomplish some outside work.
  • Little Mister had a BIG accomplishment over the weekend, but I'm going to wait and share it in his four-month {how on earth did that happen?} post on Friday.
  • Yesterday, he also got photos taken with live bunnies. Too cute. Pictures to come soon, but I just don't have time right now. He loved them, of course. If it has fur, Coop likes to touch it --- so far :)
  • I have a work event on Wednesday night and it's hubby's night to work late. Thankfully, we have some great friends who will keep an eye on Coop for a couple hours for us.
  • That still doesn't help the mommy guilt. I work salary, so it's not like I can say that since I'm working two hours late, I can come in two hours late, because I still have to man my office. So I'm missing out on an extra TWO HOURS with my baby. Sad face. But I will be picking him up/dropping him off with friends so we'll get some decent "face time" then.
  • I am LOVING the beautiful, summer-like weather we are having. It's been in the 80s the past few days and it's just great. Tonight, I think we may pull out the stroller and go for a family walk.
  • I am typically the queen of cheap. Back in the day, hubs and I would sweat {or freeze} to save money on utility bills. I mean, a couple years ago, we waited until JUNE to turn on the air. But it was so darn hot last week, I was {this close} to turning on the air. Ugh. Please don't let this summer be unbearable.
  • The change in weather has me realizing how pale and out of shape I am. That needs to change pronto ...
  • Time to get back to the grind ... ugh

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3.13.2012

Mish Mash

It sure has been crazy in these parts! I guess the craziness of spring/summer is already beginning.
  • Today is my last day of work before spring break. I do have a meeting scheduled for 8 a.m. tomorrow, but it may be canceled ... On one hand, I just want to do it, but on the other, I'd love having the day to sleep in.
  • Like a crazy woman, I decided to use my three days off to have a garage sale with my mom. I have about six totes/boxes of things plus sevearl items on hangers, and I'm ready to get rid of a lot of it, so I'm pricing it pretty cheaply.
  • To prepare for the garage sale, hubby & I organized our closet on Saturday. I mean, we pulled everything out, sorted, etc. Sadly, after amassing quite a pile to sell/trash, our closet is still stuffed. But it looks pretty.
  • I'm loving that it's sunny so late now, although I forgot that spring forward also means it takes longer for the sun to rise in the morning. Boo.
  • To celebrate the beautiful, sunny weather yesterday afternoon, I opened the windows at the house, and Coop and I spent some time on the front porch. We were being silly :)
3.12.12
  • I was concerned that with the time change, Coop would be getting to bed late and waking up even later in the mornings. But so far, that's not the case - in fact, he's a little backwards. He's still going to bed at the same time (on the clock) but has been waking up earlier. I used to wake him up around 6:45, but yesterday he woke up at 6:15, and today it was about 5:15 a.m. Hungry both times, of course.
  • I'm thinking Mister may be experiencing another growth spurt, in light of all this. On weekends, we typically will give a bedtime bottle and I'll nurse through the day, and this weekend I upped him to 7 ounces because I didn't feel like dealing with just 1 oz. and he smashed it. Like, less than 10 minutes. Yesterday I sent a 7 oz. to the sitter and he finished it with no problems, too. Oh and we had to bring back the small bottle in addition to nursing at bedtime.
  • I'm really focusing on getting plenty of sleep and water now, because even though he is eating more, Coop is still eating five times a day, so my body basically needs to produce that extra milk. Body, please keep up.
  • I made a very yummy pizza casserole last night and it will last us at least three meals. Score! It was a bit dry, though, so I'm asking my mom about it before I share the recipe.
  • On Saturday, hubby and I set up round pen panels. My dad was getting rid of his and we {hubby} needed them to work with Jax horse {gotta get him broke for Coop} so we got them. We bundled up Little Man and let him chill in the swing. Of course, my little farmer and I had to get a picture :)
 
3.10.12 - and yes, I am rocking my FFA All*Star shirt from way back in high school
  • Little Mister sure does love spending time outside and wearing his shades. He seems to have some allergies, but we're hoping that exposing it to him will make it better in the long run.

3.09.12
  • I don't believe I've mentioned it, but Coop has an "angel kiss" - one of the birthmarks that's mostly just raised blood and typically fades over time. Clearly, it isn't in a visible area because most people don't know about it. Well, last week it bled some and then looked a bit blistered, so I called the doctors office and they had me bring him in for a quick visit. Luckily, it's totally normal, but seeing blood is freaky. We got done at 3 p.m. and I still had a lot of work to do, so my little angel got to come to work with me. Apparently, he thought mommy's job is super interesting :)

3.07.12
  • I'm going to have another good paycheck from my {extra} job this month. Yay! Especially since I'm still getting used to only getting paid once a month. I'm not the best at budgeting, y'all! But the best part is that half of it is going straight to savings.
  • Hope y'all enjoy your weekend while I'm {hopefully} getting rid of a lot of junk really great stuff and making some dinero

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3.07.2012

10 little things ...

  1. I'm working at our main campus tomorrow. Then on Friday I have to be there for a meeting at 7 a.m., and back in the town where I work (45 minutes away) by 10 a.m. Next time, I hope we plan a bit better.
  2. We are very close to beginning to solicit donations for our campaign, and the idea both excites and terrifies me.
  3. A new Italian place opened in town and my friend Jess and I went last week. The food was amazing. So much so my Wally World chicken fettucinne fails in comparison.
  4. Will you keep our Hank Dog in your prayers? Without really going into details, he went to the vet for the second time in as many months yesterday due to a cough and swollen abdomen, as well as decreased energy. We think we've found the problem this time and the meds should greatly improve the symptoms, but I'm still worried. We love that big guy.
  5. Even though it means losing an hour, I am SO ready for Daylight Savings Time this weekend. I can't wait for it to be warm enough that we can actually spend that extra hour outside!
  6. This week, I am on a salad kick. I could eat a grilled chicken salad every night. Last night Coop's feeding fell in the middle of me preparing supper, so hubby finished and my salad was so beautiful I almost didn't even want to eat it. But it was super yummy ...
  7. I'm talking myself out of doing a garden. I love fresh produce, but last year it really tanked, due to my exhaustion, back problems and the heat. I just hate not doing one, but it's not really feasible with a baby who will be 6-9 months old during that time and my working 10 hour days Monday through Thursday. Luckily my mom has a garden and I'm sure will keep me supplied :)
  8. How is it that winter is just about over and I've just now given into the leggings trend? I totally love them and would wear them every single day!
  9. Sometimes, I wonder if the money you make off a garage sale is worth all the work that goes into it. And in my case, gas, since it's not at my house.
  10. Is it bad that I'm glad St. Pats falls on a Saturday so I don't have to buy some ridiculous outfit for my kid to wear to daycare? It's weird, I like most holidays, but think this one is dumb ...
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3.05.2012

this weekend {plus menu monday}

  • I almost got all the laundry done!
  • We watched a chick flick while cuddled on the couch and I fell asleep. Whoops.
  • We ate way too much ... including baking a cake at 8 p.m. Saturday. Funfetti is the best ... and I think in the future, we will ALWAYS make a bundt cake, warm up the icing and just pour it on top - so easy!
  • Cooper got some quality time with his grandparents.
  • He also got to see his aunt, uncle and cousins. However, he wasn't in a very good mood when they came and pretty much insisted on sitting in his Bumbo the entire time.
  • We went on a family walk to test out the jogging stroller {although we didn't jog much.} This little guy is our little Cee Lo :)

    3.04.12
  • Poor baby woke up this morning with a snotty nose and, after eating, coughed and spit up A LOT. So much I had to take off my T-shirt AND his jammies. But then he smiled and giggled while daddy got him suctioned {again} and dressed for the day.
  • We did the "balancing broom" trick. These sort of photos have been blowing up my facebook feed so we tried it. My parents were there and thought I was crazy, but it worked! Some people said it's like the egg one and due to the planet alignment/gravitational pull, but some Googling indicates it's really just a balancing act. Have you tried it? {For the record, this is an angled broom.}


  • And here's our menu for the week. Last week we did pretty good, but ended up with McD's one night and some leftovers lasted longer so I never did make our chicken dish.
    • Sunday: Hamburger and rice, mashed potatoes, green beans
    • Monday: Hamburgers, French Fries
    • Tuesday: OMG Chicken, Alfredo noodles, salad


    • Wednesday: Leftovers
    • Thursday: More leftovers :)
    • Friday: Salmon patties, fried potatoes, bowties in tomato juice
    • Saturday: TBD. Probably something super unhealthy, like pizza.

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Make My Monday #2

Good Monday morning! I hope you all had a great weekend! Ours was wonderful, just too short, as usual.

I'm linking up again with Kelly and Jessica for Make My Monday! This week, we're sharing favorite recipes :)

Mommy’s Sippy Cup

I really love food. I mean, I made one of these recipes over the weekend and meant to take a picture, but got too caught up, you know, eating it, that I didn't. Oh well. Trust me, it's all delish!

Breakfast pizza squares

You'll need:
1 can crescent rolls
1 lb. sausage, browned
4 eggs
2 T. milk
Shredded cheese

Make it:
Spread crescent rolls at the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle sausage on top. Combine eggs with milk and a dash of pepper, and pour evenly on top. Cover in cheese {however much you like!} Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Inhale.

I make this for brunches with friends, garage sale mornings, and it was also requested by a good friend I make it for her wedding morning while we got our hair done :)

Refried bean dip

You'll need:
1 lb. hamburger meat
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can refried beans
16 oz. sour cream
1 head lettuce
Tomatos, diced
Shredded cheese

Make it:
Brown hamburger meat & drain. Add in taco seasoning and water as directed and mix together. Stir in the can of beans. Once mixed, spread in a 9x13 and allow to cool. Top with sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes and cheese. Enjoy on tortilla chips.

Note: you can add olives, onions, etc. in the layers but we don't like them :)

A great party dish! You can make it ahead and it is delish!

It also pairs very well with these ...

Margaritas!

You'll need:
Minute maid frozen limeade
Tequila
Triple Sec
Sprite
Ice

Make it:
Fill a blender to the top line with ice. Add in your limeade. Using the limeade container, do a 50/50 mixture of triple sec and tequila (it's supposed to be 3 oz. each). Add in a full container of Sprite (6 oz.) Blend until it's reached the desired consistency.

These are a family favorite of ours, and we go through several pitchers at my mom's family Christmas every year.

Let me know if you try any of these!

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3.02.2012

This & That

  • No storms last night! But they are in the forecast for this afternoon now ... in fact, my phone is buzzing with NWS warnings right now.
  • I've had quite the craving for bagels lately. Or maybe just cream cheese? Anyhow, I bought some earlier this week and they're staying at the office. I can definitely handle having one less thing to worry about {breakfast} in the mornings.
  • Our PAT coordinator came for a visit the other night. She said she wouldn't be surprised if Coop is rolling over at our next visit in four weeks, based on what he was doing last night. Excitement!

    03.02.12
  • Sometimes, I hate subscribing to deal blogs. I saw this morning that Target.com has an additional 10% off its baby clearance plus free shipping, and promptly spent about 30 bucks.
  • We stayed out way too late last night. After I skipped my lunch break so I could leave early to sign some of the refinance papers at the bank, we stopped by my dad's farm to see the damage from Wednesday's storm - a grain bin had blown over! Anyhow, by the time we visited and Coop got to meet his great-aunt, it was almost 8 p.m., so we hit up the McD's drive-in {salad for me!} and headed on home to do bottles, bedtime, etc.
  • I'm considering chopping my hair off. It's gotten a bit damaged with split ends and such and I just feel I need to get rid of a few inches and get it healthier. The only thing stopping me is that I don't want people saying I have a "mom cut." Ha!
  • I'm trying to decide if we should do a family vacation this summer. Since we're working on a few other big projects, our beach trip is out. I'd like to do an overnight trip to, say, St. Louis {2 hour drive} and go to the zoo. Hubby and my mom think it's silly because Coop won't remember, but I just want to get in the habit of taking him somewhere every year. 
  • A sweet friend gave me a gift certificate to have a pedicure after Coop was born. I'm thinking that since the weather is warming up, now is the time to redeem it.
  • Have a great weekend :)

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3.01.2012

hello, march!

Well, had we not had a leap year and yesterday been March 1, the month definitely would have been "in like a lion." Today is nice, but we're bracing for more storms tonight/tomorrow - so please keep my husband who has to deal with me family in your prayers.

Anyhow, last month I posted some goals, if you will, for February. I thought it would be fun to recap them and post more for March.

Feburary:
- Do Fab Ab February. Meh. I did it for a week, go off track due to my birthday, tried to catch up, got sick, yada yada yada.

- Eat healthier. Sort of. I did pay attention to portions at first and did attempt to do more veggies. But I still ate sweets practically every day.
  • NOTE: These things would be SO MUCH easier if my hubby was on board with me. Excuses, exchmushes, I know.
- Lose 4 lbs. I was very surprised to see I'd lost 3 lbs. this month. I guess I must have done something right.
- Get caught up/save money. Well, we paid off all the doctors bills this month. And I would totally have the money to save, but forgot my insurance is now on a different cycle, so my money will go toward that instead. Le sigh.
- Organize the spare bedroom/buy a file cabinet to get all the paperwork in order. Nope. We did do a bit of work in the spare bedroom one weekend so it's better, but still far from perfect.
- Keep the house presentable/spend 10 minutes each night picking up. Didn't happen. I think that by the time I get home, nurse, cook supper, prep bottles and do the dishes, I'm just plain exhausted and don't have it in me to pick up while hubby is just watching TV.
- Live in the moment/put the phone down more/do more multi-tasking. I sucked at the multi-tasking - clear by the fact that laundry sits in the baskets for about a week. But I did much better at leaving the phone alone and spending quality time with Coop - although I still could use some work.

So for March ...




  • Complete Mad Abs March in conjunction with Fab Ab February.
  • Do a better job of eating in moderation. Sweets are OK, just don't go overboard. And watch those darn portions!
  • Lose 4 lbs. I think this should be attainable with just a little willpower, considering I did 3 lbs. without much trying this month. I wanna go on my birthday shopping spree!
  • Get outside/walk at least once a week (even if it's at lunchtime)
  • Continue breastfeeding.
  • Out to eat no more than two times/week (unless it's work-related and I can't help it.)
  • Save at least half of my "extra" paycheck.
  • Continue to work on putting down the damn phone! And spending more quality time with my boys.
  • Only start a load of laundry if I can finish it.
  • Purge our house of junk we don't need and have an awesome yard sale (which is to be in two weeks ... EEEK!)
  • Finally finish cleaning the spare room and basement hallway.
  • Make one PHONE CALL to friends who don't live in town each week.
  • Start couponing again
  • Try two new recipes
OK, I think that's plenty for this month!

Do you all set monthly goals? How do you keep yourself accountable?


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