October Catch up: Rogers Homecoming Parade

Sorry it's been so long since I posted....October is always super busy b/c it's the midpoint in the semester. Retreats, football games, and students activities make Cole's schedule hectic and can make me a little tired when I have to be home alone some nights. In early October, we went up to Rogers where my parents live to the Rogers H.S. homecoming parade. What is better than a parade to entertain kids...it's free, it's outside, and there is candy! I made Charlotte a "Go Mounties" onesie to wear and we headed up to meet Mom and Dad (or Donnie and Pawpaw to Charlotte)for the Parade. Charlotte had a great time people watching and Mom and Dad had a great time showing off Lil' Bit. Going to parades is one of my favorite memories growing up. Since my dad was a band director so we went to lots of parades and watched the band march by. I'm so excited to get to make those memories with Charlotte now. Being a mom is the best! My apologies that the pictures are in the reverse order.....

This is after the parade....it wore her out:)

Donnie and Pawpaw

Mama, PawPaw and Charlotte

My dad isn't a proud grandpa at all:)

Go Band!

Soup Weather!

I love fall...it is absolutely my favorite season! If I could have gotten married in the fall, I probably would have:) The cool, crisp mornings with the mild days make my heart happy! The best thing about fall are all the recipes I get to bring back out. We eat lots of soups and stews in the fall and winter and I have found a new favorite: Chicken Tortilla. I think what makes this recipe is the enchilada sauce and topping it with fresh avocado. I also subbed a can of rotel for the mashed whole tomatoes, added a can of black beans, and put in a can of corn instead of frozen. I think that's why this recipe is a keeper; you can do whatever you want with it! So yummy! I did mine in the crockpot and it turned out great! MMMmmm Good!

1 pound shredded, cooked chicken 1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce 1 medium onion, chopped 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups water 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 bay leaf 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro 7 corn tortillas vegetable oil Directions 1. Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours. 2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). 3. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet. 4. Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

A Weighty Issue

I am trying with this blog to present life and all the things surrounding it in its true light. I need to be better about letting people see the real me, instead of the girl trying desperately to keep it all together. This post is a reflection of my true fallen and real self. Life has been a joy being a mom. I love being at home and I love my baby girl. One thing has been keeping me down....or up rather. My weight loss after having baby Penick has come to a screeching halt and will not budge. I realize this is normal to hold on to some extra weight while breastfeeding, but it is seriously depressing stepping on that bathroom scale and realizing no matter what I do, i will not be able to change this until next June when my baby turns 1(my plan is to try to nurse that long). I have tried running, eating less, eating more....and nothing works. This weight issue probaby wouldn't be half as depressing if I didn't know that my mom, who only gained 17 lbs. with me, immeadiately went down to her pre-pregnancy weight and fit right back into her clothes. Apparently, that skipped my DNA. I am not trying to use this to whine, so if it has come across that way, I apologize. I would like to know if anyone else has had this issue and what happened in your experience. I think I feel like people are snickering behind my back about how I look now. Is this normal? Has anyone else had these experiences? This is one post I would love lots of comments on....let me know what you think:)

Extreme Couponing

A couple of weeks ago, I woke up to find an envelope on my bedside table with my name on it....obviously written in my husband's handwriting. I opened up the envelope where I found a bundle of coupons made by my sweet spouse. These coupons are to be cashed in for family time, alone time, etc. I was so surprised and blessed by this sweet and simple gift. I can't wait to cash in my first one! Which one should I use first?

It's Greek to Me!

I have a new fave breakfast...greek yogurt and granola. It is soooo good! Greek yogurt is supposed to be better for you...it's got less sugar, more protein, and a bit of a strong flavor. Less sugar and more protein is always good, especially if you are a nursing mama! I would suggest eating a flavored variety if you want to try it; the plain was a little much for me the first time. I like granola better with this than with milk. My personal favorite is the dannon oikos rasberry flavor. Try it and see if you like it! Yogurt wishes and granola dreams to all of you!

To write...or not to write....

Sorry for not writing lately. In my postpartum state, I'm having trouble deciding wht to put on here. What do people really want to know and what is just mindless chatter or whining..or wanting to look cool....so I've just froze and done nothing. I'll try to figure out with trial and error. But I know posting pics of my baby is always is a win.

Sounds and Smiles

Two of the milestones that you are supposed to see around six weeks to eight weeks are smiling and cooing. While we were out of town (look for the story on our vacation in the next post), baby girl started smiling for us, and not just because she had gas. Is there anything more precious than seeing your baby smile at you? It makes those long nights seem like nothing! The cooing followed a week after that and it looks like we have a talker on our hands:) I know it will keep getting better, but I am loving this stage. Here are some pictures of her smiling...however almost all are blurry. Still haven't mastered the trick of catching her at the right moment.