14 weeks

     Tomorrow I will be 14 weeks pregnant. It's still so very hard to believe. So far, I have been blessed with an easy pregnancy. No morning sickness. Only a bit of fatigue that I manage to battle very well. But this pregnancy has given us deadlines for projects that didn't exist before. For example, when we bought our 2 bed, 1 bathroom house over a year ago, it was with the stipulation that the attached garage be converted into a master bedroom. Later we decided to add a master suite as well. Why not? We live here and plan to for quite some time. My husband and a few of his buddies are helping with the renovations but it was a slow process. We were in no hurry. But now, we need a nursery for the little bundle of joy growing inside my belly. So now it's crunch time. And my husband has been working hard. He poured a new concrete foundation for the bedroom, put up exterior walls, and last night, he started building our new pantry. The old pantry is right next to where our master bathroom is going to be and we wanted to make it just a bit bigger. I am so excited about all the projects but at the same time very nervous. There is so much to do:

Build the master bedroom
Build the master bathroom
Fix the hole in the wall behind the tv
Build the pantry
Fence in a portion of our yard (the dogs need outside space badly!)
Install new flooring and paint the nursery
Purchase and install blinds in the bedrooms to block the morning and evening sunlight
Baby proof everything

    On top of this list, is my worry list about all the things the baby will need. I have been blessed so far with a few free items or cheap items. I have a crib with bedding, a diaper champ, a changing pad, toys, high chair, newborn bottles, calming swing and a few other items. But I still have mounds of diapers to purchase, clothes for baby and for me, and so many other items.

    But today I am grateful for the progress my husband made on the new pantry last night. Here is a sneak peek!

Its been a while, but I promise to make up for the time lost!

Let's start with some amazing recipes.

First: Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy Shrimp Broil


I've made this many ways but have found that the shorter way tastes just as good as the longer way.
Here's what you will need:

10 russet potatoes ( this will be way to many but that's ok because we will use the leftovers to make a great side dish for another meal)
1 lb shrimp
5 ears of corn (halved or cut into thirds, your choice)
Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning (to your taste)
McCormick Perfect Pinch Fiesta Citrus Seasoning (also to your taste)
butter (to your taste)
olive oil (to your taste)

Boil potatoes until soft, boil corn until soft.
In a separate pan sauté shrimp in olive oil.
Drain water off potatoes and corn and leave in pot. Add shrimp to pot. Add seasonings, butter, and olive oil.

It's just that simple, inexpensive, and delicious.

Second: Creole Mashed Potatoes


Here's what you do once you have eaten all of the shrimp and corn and are left with just potatoes.
In a large pot rewarm your potatoes. Transfer to stand mixer. Add 1/2 cup to 1 cup of milk, 4 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of sour cream. Mix until smooth and creamy. Add additional salt and creole seasoning to enhance the flavor

Third: Tortellini Pasta Salad


Here's what you will need:

2 pkg (9oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 lb fresh green beans cut into 1 inch pieces
1 small red onion diced
2 tomatoes diced

dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add tortellini  and cook for 3 minutes, add green beans and continue to cook 5 minutes or until tortellini is tender. Drain well and cool. Place in a serving bowl with tomato and onions.
In a jar, mix all the ingredients for the dressing. Shake well. Pour over pasta salad and refrigerate at least one hour but preferable 8 hours. This helps the dressing to soak into the veggies and the pasta.

See I told you I would make up for lost time. 3 amazing recipes and all are very easy and rather inexpensive. I hope you enjoy these!

Tuscan Lemon Chicken

Being the mother of a six year old often means that we sacrifice eating the foods we love so that she can eat the foods that she loves. Although she loves things like lettuce, broccoli, and celery, she refuses to eat anything potato except for French fries. So dinner can often be a challenge. On most days, I can make any type of chicken and she will eat it as long as she can dip it in ranch. My husband does the same. They never appreciate the taste of the chicken. They just slather it in ranch dressing.
Well my friends, I got a standing ovation for last nights creation. Not only did my husband love the chicken, but my daughter told me for over an hour how yummy it is. She helped me to make this delicious chicken because that is how simple it truly is. Here's what you will need:

8 chicken breasts
olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp rosemary (crushed)
2 lemons to be squeezed
1 Tbsp minced garlic

On a baking dish, cover chicken with olive oil. Add salt, pepper and rosemary. Squeeze two lemons over the chicken breast and add a bit of minced garlic to each chicken breast.
Place in the oven at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked through, transfer each breast to a pan of hot olive oil to brown. And Voila! Family Friendly Chicken.

This really is a must try recipe! Hannah suggested we make it again today she loved it so much, but I suggested that we wait until maybe next week.

Bon Appetit!

First Ultrasound!

 

Today was a very exciting day. At 10:15, Chris and I saw our baby for the first time. It was amazing to see that a tiny human is growing inside my body. We were able to distinguish the head, torso, arms, legs and the beating heart. Although we haven't yet heard the heart beat, we did get to witness the amazing strength of our baby's heart on the monitor. We could SEE every beat. What an amazing experience. This pregnancy has gone so smoothly over the past 10 weeks that I am sure most days that I am not pregnant. But today was definite confirmation that I am going to be a mom!

First and Last Day of Kindergarten!



Spring Concert at Holy Family School

I can't believe my daughter's first year of school is coming to an end. To think of where she started at the beginning of Kindergarten to where she is now is mind blowing. She has learned so much, made so many friends, become more independent and less shy. I was so proud to see her up on the stage singing her heart out. It amazing me every day that I get to be a part of this little girl's life and she a part of mine. I am so very blessed to have this family. I love my daughter more than words can describe. I am the luckiest mom in the world!

Bingo Tuesday

Let me explain about Bingo Tuesday. Every first Tuesday of the month (or in our case every other month) one of Hannah's parents has to work Bingo at the K.C. Hall in Granite City. Now this probably wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't maditory. However, Hannah's school, Holy Family, requires you to volunteer for Bingo or the Fish Frys in order for your child to attend the school. It's already bad enough that I get nickled and dimed any time Hannah's school has a fund-raiser, or the book fair is in town, or the school carnival is coming, or the school needs a registration fee or materials fee, etc. I have already given a good chunk of my money to this school and on top of that, they require me to work Bingo as a volunteer. I'm concerned about the education of the prinicipal of this school. Webster Dictionary defines volunteer as: one who enters into, or offers for, any service of his own free will. Last I checked, I did not "offer" to work Bingo every other month from 7-10pm on a Tuesday night after a full 8.5 hour work day "of my own free will". If I do not attend a Bingo, I am charged an extra $100. I think I would be more than willing to do Bingo if my choice were a Saturday or Sunday with reasonable hours. As it stands, I leave straight from work and head to Bingo early, thankfully the caller, Clarence, has allowed me to work 5:30-8:30 because I work my butt off when I am there. So I leave work, go straight to Bingo for 3 hours, and come home often too late to kiss my little girl goodnight. It's hard not to be able to hear about Hannah's day, fix her dinner, help her with homework, bathe her, and tuck her into bed. Luckily I got to kiss her goodnight tonight. But for all the other parents who are just now leaving Bingo, I'm sure their babies are sound asleep and they will have to creep into their rooms just to kiss them goodnight. I needed to officially rant about Bingo because it drives me nuts and the one time I ask my husband to go, he doesn't. So I will now be doing a make-up day for the one HE missed. My bedroom had better resemble a palace when it's done because that is the only reason I won't kill him for making me do every... and I mean EVERY Bingo this year so far.


Stay tuned! Hannah's Spring Concert is Thursday and she is singing a variation of Katy Perry's "Fireworks". I don't believe any Katy Perry song should be adapted to a Kindergarten School Concert but Hannah is overly excited and that what matters. But I can't wait for the concert to be over because if I have to her Hannah belt out "Baby you're a fireeeeeworrrrk!" one more time, I'm gonna let my "collooorrs buuurrsttt!"