What Are My Girls Doing???

Macy

*She is going to Pre-K for 4 days a week. Can you believe she will be in Kindergarten next year??

*She's still pretty tiny. Weighing in at about 30 lbs, this 4 year old is definately the smallest in her class.

*She is working really hard at mastering ALL the letters of the alphabet. She loves practicing the sounds, and writing them.

*If she ever gets lost, she can now get home. She loves to recite her address!

*She loves to play house, but lately has been pretending that Big Mac and our new kitty (Zoe, yes she now has a name :) are her babies.

*Her new favorite snack is a pudding cup....bring on the calories!

McKenna

*Her nickname is now "Chubbs", lol....not really, but she is growing like a weed!

*She is still a champion nurser, and prefers that to bottles. Although she loves milk, she continues to eat babyfood for dinner, and loves to snack on puffcorn and cheerios.

*She does a lot of babbling, and can now say 5 words! She loves to say, "mama", "dada", "doggy", "ball", and "wawa" (for water).

*She crawls faster than a speeding bullet, can climb our entire flight of stairs, and walks all over the house behind her push toys.

*Big Mac is now sporting 2 teeth! After a conversation about her teeth with my grandma yesterday, I sat down took a good look, and there was the 2nd tooth peeking out!

Time flys when you're having fun!!!

Food Fanatic Friday

Not only am I a food fanatic, but I am a total football fanatic....although my husband would say I nap during most of the games. During football season, my love for food and my love for football seem to mix on a weekly basis.


So in honor of football season getting ready to start, I am posting my favorite football snack.



Buffalo Chicken Dip



2 (8 oz) cream cheese
1 cup ranch dressing
3/4 cup hot sauce (or buffalo chicken sauce)
1 (10 oz) can cooked chicken
2 cups shredded cheese


Place all items in crockpot, heat on low 3-4 hours.


Serve with chips (Scoops).


Have a great weekend!!!

Welcome To Our Family!

By the sounds of the blog title, you are probably thinking I am posting about Jessica and Nate's wedding. Nope! I will do a BIG post on that BIG event next week.

I just want to let everyone know that we have a new addition to our family! She's very sweet, very tiny, very cuddly, and weighed in at only 6lbs.

We would love to introduce..............

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No Name!!!!

We rescued her from the Humane Society. She was a stray, and someone picked her up, but couldn't keep her. We first saw her on the website, and instantly fell in love. On Tuesday we took Tucker to the clinic at the Humane Society to get his shots, and decided to go check her out. We really fell in love with her then, especially after we heard her story, saw how underweight she was, and realized how happy she could be in our house.

The Humane Society named her "Tuesday", we are guessing because she arrived on a Tuesday. We kind of like the name Tuesday, but she doesn't answer to it. That is when we decided that we could name her anything we wanted to. If we don't come up with a name that we truly love, then we will keep her name "Tuesday". "Tuesday" just seems like quite a mouthful, and Macy keeps calling her "Wednesday", lol!

Here is Harley with his new sister! Surprisingly, they seem to really like eachother. I am not sure if he thinks she is his new girlfriend, or his baby.



I have been looking at store names, street signs, and cartoon characters trying to come up with a new name for our little sweetie, but I am still unsure. Leave a comment here, or facebook me with any ideas!

Also, I just couldn't seem to blog today without posting pics of String Bean and Big Mac.

Here is my Big Mac giving a huge smile to the camera!


Here is my String Bean....in timeout! I snuck up and watched her through the door. To my surprise I discovered that she dances and sings during timeout, while jumping and flipping all over the bed in the spare room. Nice!

Tune in tomorrow for another great recipe for Food Fanatic Friday!

Food Fanatic Friday

Welcome to Food Fanatic Friday! I was really trying to think of a great recipe that doesn't require a lot of ingredients and time. I know in our house, we love great meals, but dislike spending our entire evening devoted to dinner. So, courtesy of my grandmother, here is the recipe for....

Chicken Surprise



2-4 large chicken breasts

In a bowl, combine:
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1 bunch of green onions chopped
1 can celery soup (I've also used cream of chicken soup as a substitute)

Lay chicken in baking dish. Top with 1 large box of fresh mushrooms (sliced). Pour cheese mixture over all.

Bake COVERED at 400* for 55 minutes.

Enjoy!

What's On My Mind....

Wedding, Wedding, Wedding!

Not my wedding of course, but Nathan and Jessica Wishard's wedding. And YES, they are actually already married. If you have been following me for a while then you might remember by post from April 2009 about Nate and Jessica's first wedding.

Well this weekend, we are celebrating a renewal of vows and reception for the happy couple. Jeremy, Macy & I are all in the wedding. So I have been hearing about, talking about, and thinking about this wedding for the last few months. We are so excited to be a part of it on Saturday!

The video below is my favorite wedding video of all time! I could watch it over and over :)




Don't forget to check back on Friday for our Food Fanatic Friday post. I sure have something yummy in store for you :)

No Fair....

Like The Indiana State Fair!!!!


The Farm!!!



Macy learned all about life on a farm. She collected her eggs, fed her animals, planted seeds and picked vegetables and fruits. She aquired a farm hat, and wore it as she rode around on her pink tractor. She then got wool from her sheep, and milked her cows. After all her work, she headed to the market, sold her goods at the market, and purchased a (real!!!) orange juice at the store! Way to go Farmer Macy!!!!

The Food!!!

After farming, we worked up an appetite, so we headed over to junk food alley! Yes, the picture below is a cheeseburger that they place on a donut. Sounds distgusting to me, but to each their own. Check out all the rest of the fried snacks they have available at the fair. As good as the fried butter is suppossed to be, I just couldn't do it. We settled for some fried cookie dough....it was pure heaven :)

The Friends!!!

Yes, we made some new farm friends. Macy got to experience her second pony ride, and her very first elephant ride!!! As you can see, Big Mac and I joined her on the elephant. I was a little freaked on that huge thing, but I managed to hold it together for my girls.

Once again, there is No Fair Like The Indiana State Fair!

Food Fanatic Friday

I'm starting a new weekly post and I would love you to join me! This new weekly post is for all of you food fanatics like me. I just love a great recipe, and when I find one, I love to share it!

How can you join me? Well, I would love to hear your fantastic food fanatic recipes too! Just leave a comment at the bottom of the post with your recipe, so we can all share!

I mentioned this recipe on Facebook, and I had a few people ask me for it. So here it is!

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia





2-4 pieces of tilapia
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 tsp paprika
1 T parsley
1 T oil
salt & pepper

Thaw fish. Drizzle oilk over fish and dredge in parmesan, parsley, and paprika mixture. Line cookie sheet with foil. Spray foil with non-stick spray. Place fish on cookie sheet, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake at 400* for 12 miuntes.

Delicious!!!!

Did you know....

On January 28th, 2006, an angel came into my life. God sent her to me for so many reasons, and she has forever changed the person that I am!

On February 22nd, 2006 my angel went in for hernia surgery and came out with a trach. Did you know I refused to sign the paperwork to perform the tracheotomy, so Jeremy had to?

On March 1st, 2006 they completed her hernia repair. When Jeremy and I arrived to see her, she was kicking and “screaming*, and giving the nurses the biggest battle she could. It was at that moment that I knew how strong this little girl truly was.

On March 8th, 2006 we took our baby girl home after spending 39 days in the hospital. We got home, sat on the floor and thought, “what now?”

On July 7, 2006, our angel had her first heart catheterization to determine when her first heart repair needed to take place. During this surgery the surgeon discovered that Macy had some interesting wiring within her heart. It all went to the right place, it just took a detour to get there.

On August 3, 2006, Macy underwent her first heart surgery. I definitely wasn’t prepared when I walked in her ICU room to see her hooked up to so many machines and to see her tiny little chest full of tubes and covered incisions. During recovery, there were times her surgeon walked in, stared at her monitors, stared at her, and walked out. He was always popping in for visits just to check on her!

On January 28th, 2006 my baby girl celebrated her first birthday. This was a milestone in her life that I wasn’t sure we would make it to. What a celebration we had!!!

On February 8th, 2007 Macy had her second heart catheterization to determine when her 2nd heart repair would take place. This, along with my constant badgering, was the push our ENT needed to schedule her tracheoplasty to repair her airway.

On April 6th, 2007 our angel underwent a tracheoplasty to repair her trachea, and give her an airway that she could breathe through without the help of the tracheotomy. Following this surgery, whenever we suctioned Macy, we suctioned blood. This was constant for about 6 days.

On June 12th, 2007 Macy took her first breaths on her own since having her tracheotomy put in. She was free! Can I tell you how miraculous this was! Did you know we got to hear our daughter’s voice for the first time in 16 months?

On September 14th, 2007 Macy faced the biggest challenge, to date, that her little body has endured. She had open heart surgery. After her breathing tube was out and she seemed to be recovering, I thought I would let my guard down a little. So, I headed home for a shower. I returned to the ICU room of my 20 month old, her bed surrounded by doctors and nurses, and hearing the words, “She’s not doing well.” She had to have her breathing tube put back in immediately. Her blood gases were not good, and her liver enzymes we way too high. I honestly believed it all happened because I left her side.

On January 18th, 2008 Macy went in for a veno-gram and liver biopsy. This surgery confirmed the doctor’s suspicions of a very rare liver abnormality. Did you know there are only 30 documented cases of this liver abnormality? Did you know I was so nervous on our way to the hospital that I vomited in a parking lot of a store on the way?

Did you know that I can remember all of these events just like they happened yesterday?

Did you know that I did not have to look up one single date…I knew them all by heart?

To Gift Or Not To Gift...

...that is the question!

So I was recently talking to my sister-in-law, and I made the comment, "I'm kinda an anti-gift person." She probably thought I was crazy! I'm going to be honest, gift giving is something in my life, that is a constant battle.

You are probably thinking I am crazy now too! Here's the deal... I love giving gifts....when necessary, or when I feel it in my heart. I feel like gift giving, nowadays, is a little out of control. Why are there moments when you feel obligated to give gifts?

Where did gift giving originate from?

Well, Jeremy and I were talking about this, and we believe it originated from the 3 Wise Men. So, that would be why we practice gift giving at Christmas and Birthdays. But what about all of these other holidays? Every holiday has turned into gift giving mania.

What holidays should we give gifts for?

What happened to having a holiday just to celebrate with family and friends?!?!? Thanksgiving and Fourth of July are a few of the only holidays that are known as non gift giving holidays anymore. And to make matters worse, it seems like new holidays keep getting created, and gifts are suggested. Like "Sweetest Day"....I'm sorry, but I think it's a totally bunk holiday. We already have Valentine's Day. So why have so many holidays turned into "gift giving" holidays??? Why do you think? What holidays do you think we should give gifts for?

What is the meaning behind the gift?

I am a very strong believer that meaningful gifts and/or moments are the best gifts ever! I would much rather spend meaningful time with those I love than receive ANY gifts at all! It just seems like so many times, gifts come and go...but memories stay with you forever. I don't know, I just may be a little old fashioned or something, but that is how I feel.

Is there such a thing as gift giving ettiquette?

Actually, YES! There are so many websites and articles about this subject that I didn't know where to start. There are actually so many variations that I didn't really know what was accurate. So, that brings me to my next few questions?

Is it appropriate to bring more than 1 gift to a birthday party?

What is the appropriate amount of gifts to give at Christmas?

What is your gift-giving role as a Parent? Grandparent? Aunt or Uncle? Friend? (to a child)

I never had any "gift giving" issues...until I had children of my own. I want my children to appreciate each and every gift they are given. I am sure all of you other parents can testify to this, but there are times that some gifts are given, and my daughters hardly touch them. They end up just taking up space. It's not that they don't like them. It's just that sometimes they receive so many gifts, they simply just don't get around to sharing their time between all of these gifts.

Have you ever thought about taking a "Gift Vacation" during one of your holidays? Well, Jeremy and I have seriously talked about taking a "gift vacation" during Christmas one year, when the girls are old enough to understand, and letting them learn the full meaning behind the holiday!

So the question remains, to gift or not to gift??? Please leave your comments on this subject. I am sure you all have your own opinions about this!

I'm a Bill Slashing Fool!!!!

So anyone who knows me knows that I am a bit obessive compulsive....a bit too organized...and a bit too determined sometimes. Well, lately I have been realizing how much money people just throw away....AND I AM ON A MISSION. I don't want to offend anyone in the post...because if you like that extra fringe in your life, it's not my business. But if you are anything like me, you love to find any way you can reduce your bills and save money.

On Dr. Oz the other day, a financial expert was on, telling a family how to save money. She suggested the website Bill Shrink. This website is fantastic! You can report what you are currently paying your cell phones, television service, etc., and it will find the cheapest options for you by comparing all companies. I learned that your television service AT&T Uverse offered a cheaper service for us, that was geared toward what we needed at our house. So the next day, I called! Within an hour, our service was changed, and we are now paying $35 less a month for our television service.

Do you know where all this food came from? (It's salmon kabobs, rice, and fresh green beans)

Well yes, Jeremy and I cooked it for dinner, but all this delicious food came from Aldi. Aldi is a fantastic grocery store that allows you to get all your staple items at a fanastically LOW price. They have basically everything you need! We have been shopping at Aldi's now for 3 weeks, and couldn't be happier! I reduced my weekly grocery bill by about $100. That means I am saving $400 a month in groceries.

You say, "Well, I have tried off brand foods before, and I don't like them." PHOOEY, I say! Let me introduce you to the pickiest person in the world.....ME! I have only found 2 items from Aldi's that I can taste a difference (the cottage cheese, and the nutrigrain bars). The only downfalls to Aldi's is that there aren't tons of options in foods, so sometimes you have to do most of your shopping there, and then finish at another store...but honestly I don't mind (especially if I am saving that much money!). Another downfall, which again I don't mind, is that you have to bring your own bags and bag your own food. Give it a try....you will be amazed!

If you are a bill slasher like I am, leave a comment on this post, and let us all know another way you have learned to save money.