I am not going to go crazy on making blankets for this little girl, but I have been hoarding fabric for oh maybe 10+ years so I thought 2 blankets wasn't so bad. They are super simple and nothing to them, I just wanted to sew one morning and this is what I whipped up.
We made our first purchase for our little girl a few weeks ago while registering at Babies R Us. We've had a million friends swear by the SwaddleMe blankets and recommend we start using one while in the hospital. We saw this adorable pink SwaddlePod and knew it would be perfect for her at the very beginning (and easier for daddy to just zip up). We like that she won't startle herself with her arms flailing and she can't wiggle out of it. And it of course has ruffles!
The next purchase I made (Baby Fables) was important for me because I am into scrapbooking and documenting life. These are adorable stickers that you put onto a white onsie each month and take a picture to see the babies progression for the first year.
We know these are just small little purchases, and there are way bigger, more important purchases we will need to make, but we just had fun with some of the smaller things.
The answer is YES I have been working on projects for Lil' Miss and here is one of my favorites so far! I found THIS easy and adorable tutorial on Etsy (which was worth every penny) and who doesn't love ruffles! The hardest part was picking out the fabric! I completed this in an hour from start to finish and am so happy with how it turned out! Now I can be modest and private while still being stylish!
So, I will be 17 weeks tomorrow and on Wednesday at my appointment the doctor said he'd take a peek and see if he could tell us what baby Candland is. If you look on over to the right of this post there should be a poll to guess what our little munchkin is! For the record we will be happy with whatever we are having and no I don't have feelings one way or another. So is it going to be BLUE or PINK?!
I had my first doctors appointment today and after seeing our cute little munchkin moving it's arms and legs and seeing it's little heart beat this finally feels real! So here is Baby Candland (they kept all the good pictures). My official due date is August 28th and it just can't come soon enough!
My husband is a 'hopeful' romantic (as he puts it). He likes to do all that lovey dovey stuff including celebrating every 1,000 days we are married. Over the weekend I woke up to this display on the table. It says "Happy 4,000 Day Anniversary".
He was so thoughtful because right now I am craving fruity candy and I think I am stocked up for a while, haha!
My gorgeous orange flowers!
I love this guy! As his note said 4,000 down...eternity to go!
My aunt and uncle were sealed in the temple and we are so happy for them! The cool thing about this pose is that they took this exact same picture when they were in high school and dating!
For Christmas we got to spend about 12 days in Utah with Phillip's family. We made lots of fun memories and here are a few pictures that highlight our trip.
When we first arrived Phillip was adamant about 2 things, eating at Gandolfos for breakfast and going to his Grandmas grave.
We did the younger sibling gift exchange before Malissa and Greg had to go to Boise and we had their names this year so we got them each a book and something warm for their feet while they read. Yes, I made her slippers.
We had the annual Candland cooking day where everyone just jumps right in and grabs a recipe to make. I think we made a total of 14 different treats.
I made my crazy good toffee and Andes mint cookies.
My nieces helped out a ton too!
Phillip's favorite thing is Spritz cookies...
...and cornflake wreaths.
Peanut butter kiss cookies.
Malissa made these cake pops.
I didn't get a picture but we LOVED seeing A Christmas Carol at Hale Centre Theater.
Merna had her traditional Christmas party where Santa always comes to visit. This year the children wrapped dolls and bears for the children's hospital.
One evening we picked up Phillip's mom from work in downtown Salt Lake and we walked over to see the temple lights. It was nice and cold!
Christmas Eve we spent a good chunk of the day preparing a yummy dinner. We also did the traditional Christmas story and Dave sang for us. We drove around Alpine looking for luminaries that are supposed to "Light The Way" for Christ, but sadly not many people do it anymore.
Christmas morning we went to church and then we finally got to open presents. We saved our present for his parents last, which was an ornament to add to their legacy tree announcing that there would be a new addition!
The day before we left a few of us went miniature golfing.
We had so much fun with everyone! Thank you, thank you!
Put diced and peeled potatoes in a gallon ziploc baggie. Add just enough oil to baggie to coat the potatoes. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spread potatoes onto pan. Cook at 400° for 15 minutes, turn and cook for another 10 (or until soft - this depends on how small you diced them). Brown sausage. While the sausage begins cooking, crack eggs into a bowl. Add milk and salt/pepper. Whisk until creamy (about a minute). Drain sausage and set aside. Cook eggs. When the eggs are still soft and gooey, add sausage, potatoes, and cheese. After egg mixture is cooked, set aside to cool.
To assemble, you will need to warm about 5 tortillas at a time on a plate with a wet paper towel on top (this keeps your tortilla from breaking). Make one burrito at a time. Place a scoop (depending on your size of tortilla) on one side of your tortilla. Roll tucking sides at the beginning. Set aside (I put mine on a cookie sheet). When all the burritos are made, wrap each one in plastic wrap. Put the burritos in a freezer ziploc baggie and with permanent marker write the following instructions so no one forgets (this also depends on your microwave): Place burrito with plastic wrap in microwave for 1 minute. Turn over and cook 1 more minute.
We went down to my dad and Julie's this year for Thanksgiving. We LOVE their house (not to mention their beautiful trees and property)! It is so relaxing! The entire upstairs is a master suite and beyond comfortable!
Julie fixed us yummy treats at night while we lounged around and watched movies.
I was in charge of the rolls (as usual), but Julie didn't have a rolling pin...so we made do!
Dinner turned out awesome and the weather was so amazing that we decided to go outside and eat.
Yes, I went to the midnight showing of Breaking Dawn. It's become sort of a tradition, although this was the first year I didn't throw the party beforehand. Me and my girlfriends figured out a trick last year and got stellar seats, so of course we did it again this year (I am so not telling)! Thanks Molly for almost getting into a fight with the crazies just to save our seats!
BD = Breaking Dawn
You better believe I screamed and chased this dude down the street so that I could get a picture of his hilarious shirt!
The movie was good, but in my opinion for an older audience. I can't believe we have to wait another year for the second part to come out!
Spray the inside of your crock pot with cooking spray for an easy cleanup! Place frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot and cover with sauce. Empty can of drained pineapple tidbits on top. Cook on High for 2-3 hours or Low for 4-6 hours. Shred chicken with two forks while still in the crock pot so the chicken will be well coated with sauce. Serve over rice.
We also had petite whole green beans and Kings Hawaiian rolls with it!
As always, me and my mom had a blast at Time Out For Women! It is so fun to just get away and be spiritually fed! As you can see this years theme was Choose To Become. They had amazing speakers and music! I always jot down notes, and I just can't help but share them with you.
Sometimes life takes twists and turns we aren't planning. She says that having a mother heart is what's important, not necessarily giving birth. For example, she got married to her "Rusty Armor" who asked for a divorce 7 years into their marriage and right after her mom died at 49. She remarried later on a man who had adult children and spent their first Christmas at her new husbands, ex-wifes house to be together with his children. She has finally had 2 children of her own at a later age, but not before she was a 'mother' to many students.
Mary Ellen Edmunds - You Are REAL!
A seed turns out exactly like it should, just like we do.
No one can steal your identity or the fact that you are a child of God.
Find one part of your day that you can focus on making more holy. Her example was a friend who had 7 children, the last being twins which meant buckling 4 children into car seat! She decided she would change her attitude about it and make it more holy by placing each child in their seat, buckling them, then looking directly into their eyes and saying I love you. Shawni chose the after dinner routine. She turned on music (and video taped the change).
1 - Remember who your children really are.
- Between husband and wife go through a run down about once a month to see where each of your children are in each of the following areas: physically, mentally, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.
2 - Remember who you are.
- Get away, even if it's to sit in your car.
- Involve yourself with other women.
3 - Remember who the Savior is.
D. Kelly Ogden - Be of Good Cheer
We are told at least 12 times in the scriptures to "be of good cheer."
Pray for what is the most important thing each day.
She did a neat experiment with a clicker. For an entire week she clicked for every negative thought she had, but then she found herself down. So the next week she clicked for all the positive things and her numbers were off the charts. She found reasons to click and found blessings.
She just topped the Christian Billboard Charts and she sang this awesome song!
Here are 2 quick (and I mean quick) clips of her skits that had us laughing.
And not that she performed this, but this is my favorite (hilarious) performance by her!
Follow baking directions on the package for the fish sticks. Brush one side of fish sticks with oil, cumin, and garlic powder mixture and place in oven. Once the fish is halfway through baking, turn fish and coat other side with mixture.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together mayo and lime juice. Add coleslaw; toss to coat. To serve, spoon some of the coleslaw mixture into each taco shell, then add fish sticks. Top with salsa or pico de gallo.
We serve this with rice and/or beans as a side.
***We have recently changed this recipe slightly! Instead of salsa or pico de gallo, we use a can of Rotel (because we have it in our food storage and use it for everything). We add 1 tbls of the juice to the mayo and lime mixture for the coleslaw. Then we top the taco with the chunky stuff. It adds kick, which we love!
