tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64924683264416415282024-03-13T06:25:34.208-04:00Two Left HandsThe Ramblings of a Bumbling Wife and MotherHannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-57586087675410518842021-08-13T13:43:00.004-04:002021-08-13T13:43:53.526-04:00Who Do You Say that I Am?<p>I'm not the person I want to be. When I consider the people I admire the most, the individuals I would most want to emulate in faith, love, and life in general, I am nothing like them. I am not the woman I thought I would be and I don't live out my vocation the way I thought I would. Growing up I had an incredibly strong desire to be a wife and mom and I guess I always sort of assumed that meant I would be a natural at all of that. Spoiler alert - I am not! For several years I have just forged ahead and opted for the "fake it til you make it" approach. Some things have gotten easier and it would be false humility to say that I have not come a long way, but I am not where I want to or who I want to be. And for the first time in my life I am willing to ask Why? in a way that is not accusatory. If God has revealed anything to me in the last year it is that when I am confronted by my inadequacies, my sin, my brokenness, I can face it in one of two ways : Accusation or Invitation. </p><p>In John 8 we hear the story of the woman caught in adultery. She's guilty. There is no getting around that. These men didn't bring her out and grab stones because they had a suspicion - her guilt is real and Jesus does not suggest otherwise at any point. But to Him that is not the ending but the beginning. Jesus waits until they are alone and asks her those famous words "Has no one condemned you?". She answers and He replies "Neither do I condemn you. Now go and sin no more." There is no denial of guilt here or minimizing of sin, but there is an invitation to forgiveness and renewal. </p><p>I have heard that in Hebrew the word Satan actually means "Accuser" and if so that is so perfect, isn't it? When we sin or face our brokenness that is exactly what Satan does - accuse us. "You lost your temper <b>again</b>!" or "You say you want to change but then why do you fall into the same sins <b>over and over again</b>?!". "You will <b>always</b> be like this!". It can be so easy to fall into his trap because there is an element of truth to it, isn't there? Yes, I did lose my temper again. Yes, I do tend to fall into the exact same sins over and over again. Denying it, getting defensive, or pretending it's all lies doesn't work. My brother Joe once told me that in seminary a professor told the class that life is a little bit like a play (stay with me). The characters are set, the stage and props aren't going to change, but the lighting is up for grabs. You can let God control the lighting or you can let Satan do it. The Bible says that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God". That is reality and we do have to face reality. But we need to make sure that we are facing <b>God's</b> reality, seeing our identity <b>through the eyes of God</b>.</p><p>In Matthew 16 Christ asks His disciples a little bit of an odd question - Who do people say that I am? Maybe it isn't actually a weird question but it always struck me as such. Why does Jesus ask this? Why does He care? And then the answers are all over the map! A reincarnated Elijah?! John the Baptist?! I'm not a scholar or an expert so I'm sure I'm missing all sorts of important things here but I guess I always pictured this scene playing out a little comically. But then it shifts and we get Simon's profound confession regarding Jesus' identity - "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!". I can honestly say that before today this passage didn't really resonate with me. It was more of a "That's nice. Moving on" chapter of the Bible for me. But that changed today. I have been wrestling so much with the question "Who am I? What kind of a mom am I? What kind of a wife am I? What kind of a woman am I?". The words from this passage popped into my head as I was driving my kids and running errands today so I looked it up. Do you know what happens when Simon accurately acknowledges the identity of Christ? Christ reveals Simon's identity - </p><p>"Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. <br />[<b>18</b>] And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. <br />[<b>19</b>]
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you
bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth
shall be loosed in heaven." </p><p>Simon Peter didn't ask Christ "Who do you say that I am?" but Christ told him anyway. If Christ had asked him "Who do you say that you are?" he would have answered "Simon Bar-Jona, fisherman and disciple of Christ." An acceptable answer. But not the whole answer. Only when we acknowledge who Christ is, WHO GOD IS, can we ask Who do you say that I am? </p><p>I am not the person I want to be. But this is the beginning, not the end. This is the invitation. And I can't wait to answer it and ask my Lord and Savior, Who do you say that I am?<br /></p>Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-44989713540403993322019-01-29T13:47:00.000-05:002019-01-29T13:47:01.457-05:00Better Late Than Never AKA I wrote this in the middle of AugustSummer is done. Its conclusion feels as abrupt as that sentence and I am about as prepared for the beginning of a new school year as food poisoning. OK, I am less apprehensive about it than I am about food poisoning but there is still a slight nausea associated with the very idea. This Summer was good. It wasn't great. After all when you start with a <a href="http://word-tripper.blogspot.com/2018/05/nobody-knows-how-to-say-goodbye.html" target="_blank">miscarriage</a> it takes a bit to even the score. Still, as many tears were shed there was a great deal of laughter, blessings, and memories made. So in honor of Summer coming to a close I give you some of its many highlights....<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>- Indiana Visit -</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">A conference in Michigan meant special family time for the kids and me with Ben's family in Indiana. It came on the heels of my D&C and I was shocked by how exhausted I was but when you are with my husband's family you are spoiled rotten and this was no different. In a way I think it was healing to leave home for a bit and reset</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>- Virginia Beach -</b></span></div>
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We made a last minute decision to take our very first family vacation and naturally we chose the beach. Johnny screamed for a shocking amount of time on the drive down but by the time we reached our hotel and, more specifically, took the kids onto the beach it was completely worth it. Ben and I had not been to a beach since our honeymoon in the Summer of 2012 and the kids had never seen the ocean. Leo and John were absolutely enamored; Tessa was terrified and did not go in (on purpose) once. The sleeping arrangements posed some challenges but I think that's the way of things when you choose a hotel instead of a condo and it was still 100% worth it. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">- Vacation Bible School -</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Sadly I did not think to take ONE SINGLE PHOTO during Vacation Bible School but suffice it to say that somehow I went from being a kid going to VBS to being a mom with a child old enough to attend VBS for the first time. I mean WHAT?! It was absolutely surreal dropping him off and I was a little worried that he'd freak out as soon as I left so when it came to pick him up I held my breath. But despite a few nerves and missing us he had a fabulous time and the week went beautifully. It also allowed me to begin tackling a project at home that I was very excited about...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">- The Bathroom Remodel -</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I hate 70s style wood trim. Seriously. I hate it. I don't think there's really anything from the 70s I care for actually but warm-toned wood trim is pretty high up there on the list. So between that and the dull/dirty cream walls and the out of place dated wannabe-French cottage style vanity I just needed to get in there and do something. After I started I realized how out of my depth I was and man alive I learned a LOT in the process. I mean, I don't think I could do it much better now but I could sure as heck tell YOU what not to do! Anyways here is the proof that it done got did </span><br />
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As you can tell by the horrible symmetry of the photos above I don't really understand how to post photos. I could probably figure it out but that is close to the bottom of my To Do list....</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>- Staycation -</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Vacation for my side of the family involved zero travel for us and by and large I am a big fan of that! I was pretty skeptical about a week of everyone hanging out here in good 'ol Virginia but I was pleasantly surprised by how smoothly things went. The days were stupidly hot but we still managed to do a lot of fun things - Air and Space museum, Wild Animal park, a few trips to the pool, etc. The evenings were full of conversation and games. Despite some hiccups along the way I can say that it was one of my favorite family vacations and my one major regret is that I didn't use my camera nearly enough!</span></span></div>
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Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-40379977281098882452018-05-19T20:29:00.002-04:002018-05-19T20:39:09.560-04:00Nobody Knows How to Say GoodbyeIt was early March and we were killing time the best way we know how - reading books. A month or so after he turned a year old John finally joined the ranks of his story-loving siblings and so the couch is perpetually littered with a mountain of board books. This day was different, however. He had no interest in any of those books and instead kept going back to the bookshelf and fetching the same book : I'm a Big Brother Now. At first I laughed out loud and said "Don't get any ideas, buddy!". I figured it would be too long for his short attention span and put it back. But he kept going back and getting it and finally I acquiesced and read it. It was the new obsession for several days. We read it countless times and no matter how hard I tried to interest him in the other books he would take them out of my hands, place them on the floor, and make me read the one book. After about a week of this I decided to take a test. It was almost like having a joke with myself. <i>Wouldn't it be absurd if John was onto something? </i>And then the test came up positive and the joke was on me. I was in absolute shock. There was a plan. This was not part of the plan. This was so very much not the plan.<br />
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The next two days were extremely emotional. I kept looking at John and thinking <i>HE is still a BABY! Even in 9 months he is still going to be a BABY! </i>And what about me? I had been struggling with inexplicable insomnia since John started sleeping through the night (ironic much?). I was finally scheduled to see a specialist to test for adrenal fatigue but guess what - they don't see you if you're pregnant. And guess who has intense pregnancy insomnia? THIS GUY! And of course there would be the progesterone supplementation, the varicose veins, the sciatica... Needless to say I was hosting one killer pity party. But something changed after those couple days. Probably a simple case of grace. I started to feel excited. We decided to tell the kids and their exuberant reaction was more than I had hoped for.<br />
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The excitement stayed strong but the stress began to mount again before long. My doctor informed me that progesterone shots were unavailable - the manufacturer only makes so many in a given batch then lets it run out (nationally) for awhile before sending out another batch. So we would have to try capsules and guesstimate dosage because yes, my bloodwork showed that my levels were low with this pregnancy too. It was Holy Week when the bleeding began. I had spotting with my last two pregnancies but this was different. Still I wasn't having any pain so it was not textbook or what my friends and family had experienced. My doctor ordered an ultrasound even though I was just over 5 weeks along and bloodwork for more clarity. The ultrasound showed a large hematoma and not anything else; the bloodwork showed that my hCG levels were very high. It was Good Friday and right around 3 pm when my doctor called. I was washing dishes and I kept thinking of Job, <i>The Lord Giveth and the Lord taketh away -- blessed be the name of the Lord, </i>and the phone rang. The radiologist and my doctor had conferred and they said I had miscarried. As far as Good Fridays go that one felt pretty darn appropriate.<br />
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Even though I was early on my doctor said I should get a D&C so we scheduled it for the next week. The closer to the appointment I got the more emotional I became and the more I didn't want to go through with it. It was not progressing like a normal miscarriage and I just couldn't wrap my head around it. When I went in and met with the new doctor I told him I wasn't going to have a D&C without another ultrasound. He surprised me by not only being supportive of my decision but saying that my chart hadn't convinced him that I was going through a miscarriage. He told me I might as well start taking the progesterone again just in case. The next 10 days were very hard. I was completely torn between grief and hope. After what felt like a lifetime I went in for the ultrasound. And this is what I saw<br />
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I didn't even need the nurse to point out the heartbeat - I could see that beautiful heart working as soon as I looked at the screen. Still it was one of the most beautiful sounds I ever heard. Our little one was 7 weeks 5 days old and ALIVE! There was a substantial subchorionic hematoma which meant that I was at high risk for miscarriage and "needed to take it easy" (what does that even mean?). Still, I left the office feeling like I was walking on Cloud 9 and started calling my loved ones. We shared tears of joy and joyful disbelief. It was a total miracle! And for a couple more weeks we celebrated that miracle and loved on that sweet baby. Then things took a turn. </div>
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On Friday, April 27th I went in to the doctor's office and had a very different ultrasound. My little angel was there but this time there was no heartbeat to measure, no heartbeat to listen to. I was so grateful for the compassion of the midwife and doctor that morning. I was so grateful that they didn't balk when I told them that after the D&C I wanted our child's remains so that we could have a proper burial. I was so grateful to go back home and hug my three children and amazing husband. It is not lost on me what an incredible privilege and blessing it is that I had children at home to hold and it was, and is, a balm to my aching heart.</div>
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It is a little over 3 weeks since we found out that we had lost our Joseph Mary. I am grateful for the healing that has taken place and I look forward to the healing that will come. More than anything I am grateful for the irreplaceable gift of this child's life and the time we had together. I will always be this child's mother and I will always carry him (or her) in my heart. I am grateful that I had the amazing gift to see him when he was alive and to hear the beautiful sound of his heartbeat, to be able to have pictures to keep. It is every parent's hope that their children will go to Heaven... I know I already have one there waiting for me. Love you so much, sweet baby <3</div>
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Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-42522902050695680912017-09-01T12:25:00.000-04:002017-09-01T12:25:27.554-04:007 Quick Takes<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://thisaintthelyceum.org/how-to-be-thankful-when-god-gives-you-what-you-want" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1387" src="https://thisaintthelyceum.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Seven-Quick-Takes-300x300.jpg" title="7_quick_takes_sm" /></a>
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Linking up with <a href="http://thisaintthelyceum.org/how-to-be-thankful-when-god-gives-you-what-you-want/" target="_blank">Kelly...</a>
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<b>- 1 -</b><br />
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My kids love to draw. Because I am a lousy mom I keep about 5% of their art. Before you award me with the "Worst Mom Ever" trophy please understand that on average my kids produce about 8 to 10 two-sided pages of drawings per day. I'm pretty sure the forests out there are plotting our demise as I write this. At any rate there is a folder that I put some of the art and my 4 year old son has some real winners. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Existential crises abound in the Egg People...</td></tr>
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<b>- 2 -</b></div>
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<b> </b>As Leo was drawing the other day we had this exchange...</div>
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Leo : Mom! Come over here and look at this creature! But don't look <i>there </i>because those are his private parts...</div>
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Me: What?! Draw some clothes on your creature!</div>
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Leo (chuckling) : He can't wear clothes - he's way too fat!</div>
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Me : Leo, we do NOT draw private parts</div>
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The weather has been beautiful over the past week so we have been spending lots of time outside. The kids still aren't sure what to make of having a big yard. Pretty sure they don't think we are the actual owners.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjDs8RUrMnP64_WmhfwmvGVKm8hHsFAGk49tOiWao072W8xsZk4ED1u540LltBmsUcgJ_7wYYvdfIrEHLpHN0Pdvq7O_LLZktg86tZJ6HkTKby9xZCK3SRMhz3HfXi0ORxnvtMrTauBCh/s1600/DSC_0173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjDs8RUrMnP64_WmhfwmvGVKm8hHsFAGk49tOiWao072W8xsZk4ED1u540LltBmsUcgJ_7wYYvdfIrEHLpHN0Pdvq7O_LLZktg86tZJ6HkTKby9xZCK3SRMhz3HfXi0ORxnvtMrTauBCh/s320/DSC_0173.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some days she lives in this dress</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My little beauty</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tess didn't want to leave that tree</td></tr>
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Us country folk have burn piles. Most people use them to burn leaves, branches that fall from trees, etc. We inherited a burn pile from the previous owners. I say "burn pile" but really I mean "burn mountain"</div>
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I don't look forward to dealing with this. We have an acquaintance who has offered to help us burn it safely and thank goodness because I don't think we had any idea just how out of our depth we were until we started talking strategy. On the upside, the pyro in me is like </div>
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We started preschool the other day and it's hard to stress how not structured or serious we are about it. The only thing that we have real lessons for is the alphabet (we've tackled the short vowel sounds for "a" and "e"). This may or not be sticking. It does help fill the time a little and at least it exposes the kids to the alphabet so hey, small victories. One hilarious byproduct is that Leo has taken to asking Tessa and me to repeat things after him with no context whatsoever, asking me to <u>correctly</u> identify things in his drawings, and congratulate me when I say something he deems accurate. </div>
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61y5vqQlLrL._SL1000_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.com/HABA-Very-First-Games-Cooperative/dp/B004BW8TYC" border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="800" height="302" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61y5vqQlLrL._SL1000_.jpg" title="First Orchard" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you happen to have competitive toddlers I highly suggest buying this game. Actually I just recommend the game. My kids have been having a blast playing it and since it's cooperative we end each game with highfives instead of tears. We bought it so that my 2 year old would have a game that she could play with us without feeling left out or confused. It arrived the day of her <a href="http://www.yourmodernfamily.com/spending-one-on-one-time-with-your-kids/" target="_blank">special night of the month </a>and she was tickled pink to be able to stay up playing a real actual game with mommy and daddy (and <a href="http://word-tripper.blogspot.com/2017/08/i-am-not-enough.html" target="_blank">the sleepless wonder</a>)<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">~ Happy Friday ~</span></i></b></div>
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Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-51978427036985132132017-08-29T14:50:00.003-04:002017-08-29T14:50:57.810-04:00I Am Not EnoughI was never someone who struggled with figuring out what my vocation was. WHO my vocation was? Yeah sure that took longer than I expected. But the whole "wife and mom" thing was on my radar for forever. I don't say this because I think I'm a rarity here - plenty, if not the majority, of women have felt similarly. What has come as a shock is how much I struggle in this vocation. I like to joke that I was a much better mom before I had kids.<br />
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I know the blogosphere is <i><b>FULL </b></i>of posts about how hard motherhood is, how tough marriage can be, how there isn't enough support, etc. etc. etc. But while any number of those speak to how I feel none of them have been in my own words so what's one more? </div>
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I am not enough. There. I said it. This is the refrain that I hear in my head almost all day and the majority of my nights thanks to The Sleepless Wonder </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John AKA The Sleepless Wonder</td></tr>
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I am not enough. I am not patient enough. I am not selfless enough. I am not loving enough. I am not kind enough. I am not good enough. I am not holy enough. I am not smart enough. I am not strong enough. I am not talented enough. I am not woman enough. God made a mistake. I am not the mom these beautiful children deserve. I am not the wife my amazing husband deserves. <i><b>I AM NOT ENOUGH.</b></i><br />
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I can't do it. I can't make another meal plan. I can't do another load of laundry. I can't wash the same dishes one more time. I can't keep my temper in check. I can't survive on the consistent lack of good sleep. I can't be touched by one more person. I can't handle one more temper tantrum. I can't keep the house clean. I can't let anyone see how inadequate I am. <i><b>I CAN'T DO IT. </b></i></div>
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Before you start with the words of encouragement or disapproval I need you to understand that that is not what I am looking for. I need your prayers. Because whatever you might think the truth of the matter is that I am right - I am not enough and I can't do it. Maybe these thoughts begin as seeds sown by the Devil, thoughts that are meant to make me despair. Sometimes it feels like that. But our God is a Father and He does not abandon His children, even if it might feel like it sometimes. So I can sit here and say these things and find consolation because even though I am not enough, He is. Even though I can't do it, He can. And today that is enough.<br />
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I will end this with two scripture passages that mean a great deal to me these days. Hopefully you will find consolation in them as well.<br />
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Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-12635091575094031032017-08-18T13:57:00.007-04:002017-08-18T18:05:24.969-04:007 Quick Takes : Life Lately<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://thisaintthelyceum.org/sqt-i-dont-know-if-i-can-handle-any-more-good-news/" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1387" src="https://thisaintthelyceum.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Seven-Quick-Takes-300x300.jpg" title="7_quick_takes_sm" /></a>
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Linking up with <a href="http://thisaintthelyceum.org/sqt-i-dont-know-if-i-can-handle-any-more-good-news/" target="_blank">Kelly...</a>
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<b>- 1 -</b><br />
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We bought a new house last week and moved in over the course of this past week. It's funny how that's such a simple sentence to type and such an absurdly difficult thing to accomplish in reality! I don't understand complicated things like Math so I am not going to hazard a guess as to how much my husband moved completely solo with the help of our trusty van but guys, it was A LOT. I am talking about a minimum of 8 separate trips with the Odyssey ENTIRELY LOADED (seats down/out). Who loaded and unloaded the van each time? My husband. Also, one trip involving a 16-foot moving truck. Forgot that one. Seriously insane.<br />
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<b>- 2 - </b></div>
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We now live out in the country. Beforehand we lived literally one minute from downtown, was on city water/electric/trash, etc. We now have a well and septic system (I don't even know what that really means), are part of an electric cooperative (I DEFINITELY don't know what that means but I do know that we have power), and it takes a little more planning to go downtown. A slight shift in lifestyle shall we say.We aren't hardcore (or even medium-core really) like a lot of families and pay someone to come and pick up our trash. He is the quintessential mountain man - huge, bearded, deep voice, and a giant truck.<br />
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<b>- 3 - </b><br />
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Our property has 3 beautiful acres; our last one had .17 acres. There is a lot of responsibility that comes into owning land. While the lot is beautiful it is in need of a lot of reclamation. I am truly in awe of what has been accomplished already this week thanks to the amazing hard work of my father in law and my husband and I cannot wait to see what the next several months (years?) will bring. This brings me to...<br />
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My in-laws visited this week to help us with unpacking and settling in. If you can have someone like them in your corner at a time like this you are pretty much set. After 2 1/2 days every box was unpacked, art was hung, windows were dressed, bathroom fixtures installed, play equipment for the kids put up, and the yard tackled with gusto. There are simply no words to describe the night and day difference. I am <u><i><b>so blessed</b></i></u>!<br />
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<b>- 5 - </b></div>
<br />
Our backyard butts up to a heavily wooded area and seems to be home to a number of deer. These deer frequent our backyard a few times every day and the kids absolutely geek out every time. It will be a lot of fun to see what it's like in springtime when there are fawns about.<br />
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<b>- 6 -</b></div>
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</div>
<br />
We are starting small. Maybe someday down the road we will be living on a farmette with a ginormous garden, fruit trees and fruit bushes, chickens, dogs, cats, etc. but that is not in the cards for right now. I say this because I need this in writing. I need to have documentation that I said this, believed it strongly, and knew at the time I wrote it that trying to act differently would almost certainly result in me going crazy.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>- 7 - </b></div>
<br />
Tessa and Leo started sharing a room last night and while the older brother might not be as over the moon as the little sister, warm fuzzy feelings are generally felt by all. The original plan was not to start them in together so soon but once bedding and a mattress were bought and set up Tessa would not hear of anything else. The awesome thing about this (other than the inevitable loss of sleep) is that JOHN CAN NOW HAVE HIS OWN ROOM! That's right ladies and gentlemen - one of my children might actually have their own sleeping space before the 12 month mark! I'm pretty sure I can hear the angelic chorus joining me right now.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>~ Happy Friday ~</b></i></span></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-1011089161062595872017-05-19T13:17:00.002-04:002017-05-19T13:21:02.991-04:007 Quick Takes : Music Edition<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://thisaintthelyceum.org/sqt-beach-trips-for-the-enthusiastic/" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1387" src="https://thisaintthelyceum.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Seven-Quick-Takes-300x300.jpg" title="7_quick_takes_sm" /></a>
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Linking up with <a href="http://thisaintthelyceum.org/sqt-beach-trips-for-the-enthusiastic/" target="_blank">Kelly</a> for some quick takes with a musical spin. I am crazy about music, y'all! Before kids I would spend literally hours searching for new music - indie/folk, alternative, pop, techno (those were dark days), religious, instrumental, etc. I am the kind of person who dreams about going on a cross-country road trip for the sole purpose of listening to music with the windows down for hours on end. So anyways, I am not up on the musical scenes these days but here are a few that I have found over the past year or so that I love. Enjoy!</div>
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NOTE : I never watch the music videos (free listening purposes only) and only occasionally check out lyrics so if some of these songs are not 100% kosher... well, you've been forewarned 😜 </div>
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<b>- 1 -</b></div>
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SYML - Where's My Love (acoustic)</div>
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This is my most recent discovery. I have no idea what it's about and I don't care. I just love the melody and how mellow it is. </div>
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<b>- 2 -</b></div>
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The Lumineers - Holdin' Out</div>
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<b> </b></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/w5iZjXAWnKU/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w5iZjXAWnKU?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe> </div>
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I have never seen Storks and I don't imagine I will ever see it but I love this song. </div>
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<b>- 3 -</b></div>
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The Lumineers - Nobody Knows<b> </b></div>
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<b> </b></div>
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Such a beautiful soulful song. Some day it will be blasting out of my rolled down windows with me singing along like an idiot. </div>
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<b> </b></div>
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<b>- 4 -</b></div>
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The Lumineers - Angela </div>
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OK yes I have a problem and it's called The Lumineers. </div>
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<b>- 5 - </b></div>
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Modest Mouse - Float On </div>
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This song is perfect when my day needs a reset. I could be in the worst mood ever and this just makes me laugh. We all need one of those!</div>
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<b>- 6 - </b><br />
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Vance Joy - Mess is Mine</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kINi_D0SW0Y/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kINi_D0SW0Y?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe> </div>
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<b> </b></div>
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<b> </b>Vance Joy is hit or miss for me. I tend to like a good bit of his material but this song resonates with me in a big way because my husband is my rock and I, well, I am a bit of a mess most of the time.</div>
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<b>- 7 - </b><br />
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<b> </b>Rich Mullins - Step by Step</div>
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This song usually reduces me to tears. I <3 Rich Mullins. </div>
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These are by no means by top 7 favorite songs of all time. Goodness knows you can't workout to most of 'em but they're often in rotation these days and I had to cut myself off somewhere. What are some of your favorite tunes? </div>
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">~ Happy Friday ~</span></b></i></div>
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Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-19838360313516786042017-05-12T09:34:00.000-04:002017-05-12T10:00:15.190-04:007 Quick Takes<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://thisaintthelyceum.org/sqt-popularity-contest/"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1387" src="https://thisaintthelyceum.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Seven-Quick-Takes-300x300.jpg" title="7_quick_takes_sm" /></a>
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<b>- 1 -</b></div>
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Grandma and Grandpa bought the kids Hungry Hungry Hippos over the
weekend. In true Tessa form she eschewed the marbles for people and
placed their heads delicately in the hippoes mouths. A bit macabre but
props for realism... </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uqRRFCAaIJ69U5V1Zx0X1VE4YeT401kGXNFXH2ozOnwM4O8h0hTigXeOb-dhnHAzKFnVYck6GbeaYIMiKZ7KHImpuYaiZsX2AyeVH0sVf48Efal-IRizifYudePKd9k8l5TA7de5jgO4/s1600/18301863_10100103557103980_6678891603009294182_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uqRRFCAaIJ69U5V1Zx0X1VE4YeT401kGXNFXH2ozOnwM4O8h0hTigXeOb-dhnHAzKFnVYck6GbeaYIMiKZ7KHImpuYaiZsX2AyeVH0sVf48Efal-IRizifYudePKd9k8l5TA7de5jgO4/s320/18301863_10100103557103980_6678891603009294182_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hungry Hippos Took a Dark Turn</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5SBgxStEun0bS7TlkpriG-e-sU3VOC8_sdFvCAWxJrGh-udOyVOIv2vCdgczAYuTYJXWBg5w9MuVgVP9to4rtKGisiMMzS1J7fMAtaChZNt5wNg_DZFrDav9egTgl21m_rHNxZO6SVrV/s1600/18342512_10100103557682820_5814880476577058821_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5SBgxStEun0bS7TlkpriG-e-sU3VOC8_sdFvCAWxJrGh-udOyVOIv2vCdgczAYuTYJXWBg5w9MuVgVP9to4rtKGisiMMzS1J7fMAtaChZNt5wNg_DZFrDav9egTgl21m_rHNxZO6SVrV/s320/18342512_10100103557682820_5814880476577058821_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>- 2 -</b></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Over the past few weeks I've forced myself to
indulge in cuddle time with all three kids. It's always easiest with the
baby as he loves to fall asleep with my chin tucked against his head
and seriously, it's easy to allow myself to soak up those minute. Cuddle
time with the older kids involves a little more refereeing and patience
and frankly it's more of a sacrifice. BUT it's a very gratifying
sacrifice that means a lot to them. It reminds me that they're still
young and even if they are able to walk and talk they need love and
attention too. And I need to give of myself - those few minutes of no
phone or Internet, just content to be with each other and enjoy the time
together. Which reminds me, John turned 4 months old this week and I cannot believe how quickly the time has gone!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvJZLqB8aYRXWmr0rrw-EEg0vAfhtndvI4g1XT155vQKRGN9O2HSno1H7OJRCL7GqG26Rgqwdgn7V1PSXB0xkxkIshzb2-7VsJz9tOn4JKQzKq10I9COITFVpI1FONSXrHwR2x268Iu7q/s1600/18403327_10100103926363980_6237884033413453926_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvJZLqB8aYRXWmr0rrw-EEg0vAfhtndvI4g1XT155vQKRGN9O2HSno1H7OJRCL7GqG26Rgqwdgn7V1PSXB0xkxkIshzb2-7VsJz9tOn4JKQzKq10I9COITFVpI1FONSXrHwR2x268Iu7q/s320/18403327_10100103926363980_6237884033413453926_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sweet baby</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrtIXeSQ9PhpYutFCObUal3SMhDVfT_WWLmBbj7iVaVmPCJmsVRG8uKKYI1uLGZC23EWjOgl3MZBSpm1-TD8VoxnyW0uKGrzwBExpKq6iI_Fe40kspEXbvOGr5Ohp07nmwWabxEJ-VEBc/s1600/18447568_1454682671249094_9109018424791823252_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrtIXeSQ9PhpYutFCObUal3SMhDVfT_WWLmBbj7iVaVmPCJmsVRG8uKKYI1uLGZC23EWjOgl3MZBSpm1-TD8VoxnyW0uKGrzwBExpKq6iI_Fe40kspEXbvOGr5Ohp07nmwWabxEJ-VEBc/s320/18447568_1454682671249094_9109018424791823252_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><3 <3 <3</td></tr>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>- 3 - </b></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
I had my first night out with friends since well before
the baby was born and it was amazing! My selfless husband watched John
for almost two whole hours so I could eat French fries, try my first
Mojito (!), and enjoy the company of two incredible friends. How good it
is to laugh!</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>- 4 - </b></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Our local Walmart just began online grocery shopping
and local pickup and I am happier than a fat kid with a tub of ice
cream! To be able to avoid the insanity of shopping with three kids four
and under is worth it's weight in gold. No dirty looks, no temper
tantrums, no space cadets colliding with unsuspecting shoppers, no more
impulse purchases - just drive, load, return! Produce elsewhere but
that's how things went before anyway. Thank you Walmart!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>- 5 -</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvUS7NyPkaSVrNuiT8lvM5mUlX3YMnjvDb1s0nzR8ooP8_ocQgNLaUydZxiasDr7kBHBtvRIJYKCKSskzfG0SGE4NMQ4B13eyP9uQoZb6VTZv42Ct3a2y3n9radchl6PFURetsw14Nl9n/s1600/Dairy-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvUS7NyPkaSVrNuiT8lvM5mUlX3YMnjvDb1s0nzR8ooP8_ocQgNLaUydZxiasDr7kBHBtvRIJYKCKSskzfG0SGE4NMQ4B13eyP9uQoZb6VTZv42Ct3a2y3n9radchl6PFURetsw14Nl9n/s320/Dairy-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I've
slowly been reintroducing dairy into my diet and the baby has not been
having any noticeable reactions. Part of this could just be the fact
that milk supply has dropped so much and supplementing I so high but I
remain optimistic! And now the issue is how to reintroduce without going
on an insane binge because oh dairy, how I missed you and all your
glory!!!!</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>- 6 - </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
House hunting is the pits. At least here in Virginia. And
I know we don't have it nearly as bad as others do but I'm complaining
here so for the moment let's just assume I do have it the worst. Of
anyone. Anywhere. Ever. Because when something sucks sometimes
perspective helps and sometimes you want to punch perspective in the
throat. Seriously why does everything have to be so expensive?! And who
is building these family un-friendly homes?! How hard is it to just
build a house that allows for interaction and hosting but still has
separate spaces so you're not on top of each other? Why is everything so
flimsy? Where is the sense of permanence? We would build but guess what
else is expensive - LAND! And that's if you can even find good usable
build-able land that's for sale. Around here hundreds of acres are owned
by a few individuals who either keep it or sell at extravagant prices.
At the end of the day I know God will provide. He always does! I'm just
so ready for Him to provide now 😜</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>- 7 -</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Speaking of God, how is your
relationship with Him? Before John arrived I tried very hard to get at
least 15 minutes of prayer and reading the Bible in every day. Since
John's birth I don't usually pray unless it's out of desperation. Most
nights I sneak into bed and realize Oh brother I did it again! I went a
whole day without talking to God or listening and just asked for stuff
when it occurred to me. Short of getting up before kids (No. Just NO!)
what do you do to foster your relationship with God and grow in virtue
on a daily basis?</div>
</div>
Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-23665124211119193952014-10-10T08:45:00.003-04:002014-10-10T08:45:59.067-04:007 Quick Takes <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/2014/10/7-quick-takes-friday-or-not.html"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1387" src="http://www.conversiondiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/7_quick_takes_sm1.jpg" height="195" title="7_quick_takes_sm" width="290" /></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<b>- 1 -</b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/30-weeks-baby-interactive.jpg?width=470" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/30-weeks-baby-interactive.jpg?width=470" height="177" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm going to settle for a cartoon depiction and not a selfie on this one</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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On the one hand I cannot believe that I am only 30 weeks pregnant because it boggles my mind that I can continue to get bigger for the next 10 weeks. I expressed this thought to my husband and he assured me that I can and will... I think he may have missed the point but anyway. On the other hand, I cannot believe that at some point in the next 10 weeks (please God - let this little one have <a href="http://word-tripper.blogspot.com/2013/02/7-quick-takes_22.html">a different attitude than her brother</a>) we are going to have ex-utero children! I know that I will love and treasure this little girl (I already do) but at the end of most days I feel like it's just been one parenting or spousal fail after another (on my end). For instance, it is only 8 am and Leo is already watching Disney's Robin Hood. </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>- 2 -</b></div>
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This is Leo's obsession. No other movie will do. We have tried to introduce other films and at the end of the day the only thing that our little lion desires is his beloved "Robbie". I had a theory that it was because it featured talking animals but 101 Dalmatians certainly held no attraction. In actuality that is totally fine because we only watched the first 20 minutes or so and I had forgotten that it is a rather dark movie. I still have high hopes for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and The Rescuers Down Under, however, because those are two movies that I will always carry a strong affection for. Oh man, see what I've done?! I've completely strayed from my original point and that is that I never wanted TV to be, well, "A Thing" in our house. Maybe nature videos from Animal Planet and Discovery Channel but that was supposed to be the end! But that was before pregnancy insomnia reared its <strike>ugly</strike> hideous head and Leo went from waking up between 7 - 8 am to 6 am. Or even before 6 am. Which leads me to this...</div>
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I hate it when people use God's name in vain so please excuse that BUT that is the closest thing to how I feel when I hear Leo wake up in the morning before 7 am. That and this</div>
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There is no escape. Only coffee.</div>
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Thanks to a number of Facebook shares I recently discovered <a href="http://itsliketheyknowus.tumblr.com/">this site</a> and have had some many much needed laughs. The cluster-feeding one might just be my favorite.</div>
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<a href="http://www.catholiccompany.com/magnificat-magazine-subscription-1-year-i15310/?aid=583&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=books&utm_term=magnificat" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://static.trinityroad.com/prod/500/2005908.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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One of the best birthday gifts I have ever received came this year in the form of a subscription to Magnificat. It is easy to use and just so helpful in terms of providing a concrete way to incorporate prayer and meditation into daily life, which is something that I need to work on in a big way! </div>
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I know this is a super lame post and not exactly the best way to get back into blogging but I cannot stomach giving Leo one more moment of screen time this morning and the coffee hasn't kicked in enough for me to be creative. I guess I'll throw this one in since my <a href="http://word-tripper.blogspot.com/2014/04/7-quick-takes.html">last post</a> mentioned the living project.</div>
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Now go see <a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/2014/10/7-quick-takes-friday-or-not.html">Jen</a>!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~ Happy Friday ~ </i></b></span></div>
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Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-58823084371531185952014-04-04T08:18:00.002-04:002014-04-04T08:18:56.630-04:007 Quick Takes <br />
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<a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/2014/04/7-quick-takes-about-interviews-crazy-toddlers-and-why-my-hand-is-probably-going-to-fall-off-by-the-end-of-the-week.html"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1387" src="http://www.conversiondiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/7_quick_takes_sm1.jpg" height="195" title="7_quick_takes_sm" width="290" /></a> </div>
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<b>- 1 -</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.seapointpaintingservices.com/images/Exterior-color-visualizer_3u9v3x70.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.seapointpaintingservices.com/images/Exterior-color-visualizer_3u9v3x70.PNG" height="198" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now that we are <strike>settled</strike> settling into our amazing new house I am thinking about all of the ways to make it feel like our <b><i>home</i></b>. I've lost count of all of the projects floating around in my head but judging by the anxious and somewhat paranoid look that my husband gets let's just say it's a hefty number! The one project that I have strong feelings about is repainting our living room. It may or may not have evolved into a teensy tiny bit of a full blown obsession...</div>
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What color is that? Valspar gave it a fun, fruity name (Mango) but I personally like to refer to it as Punch-You-in-the-Eyes Orange. I imagine it could work well as an accent color in a room full of sunshine and complementary colors but here in the land of earth tones, brick, and one window lighting.... well, yeah. The picture pretty much says it all. And after HOURS spent looking at more paint colors than I knew existed, I had this moment of clarity....</div>
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<b>- 2 -</b></div>
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I don't have to match the wood or the brick - I can change them! I went ahead and emailed <a href="http://www.livelovediy.com/" target="_blank">this awesome blogger</a> to get her opinion (because I can bring the enthusiasm but I need support to keep it alive). She gave the remodel two thumbs up and so I have decided* to go ahead paint the wood and fireplace. Or rather, I have decided to paint the wood and <i>whitewash</i> the fireplace. Painted fireplaces are just a little too much for me. I like being able to see a hint of color and texture. I am one coat of paint away from being done with the mantel and am almost done spray-painting the fireplace accessories for a uniform black look (using <a href="http://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/specialty/high-heat-ultra" target="_blank">this nifty thing</a>). If all goes well I'll be whitewashing the fireplace this weekend! <br />
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*and was given permission by my indulging husband </div>
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I couldn't write this post without devoting at least one take to the absurdity that is paint color. I won't even tackle the whole rainbow and just stick with white. Forget fifty shades of gray, my friends, and allow me to introduce you to 7,589,301 SHADES OF WHITE! They have to have hidden cameras in Lowes for the sole purpose of capturing the back and forth of customers in front of the palettes and color chips. I settled on Valspar Pegasus White. After 30 minutes. And by the time I checked out I felt like this </div>
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Kudos to Ben for not laughing hysterically at me. Turns out that "Pegasus" white works just fine. </div>
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<a href="http://www.saveur.com/sites/saveur.com/files/images/2013-05/103-recipe_strawberry-loaf-bread_800x1200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.saveur.com/sites/saveur.com/files/images/2013-05/103-recipe_strawberry-loaf-bread_800x1200.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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I always hoped that there was a quick bread out there that featured my favorite fruit (strawberries) but never looked into it until last week. <a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Strawberry-Loaf-Bread" target="_blank">Here is the recipe</a>. You're welcome.</div>
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Leo has gone from taking two long naps every day to one long nap every day. I realize that I should shut up and be grateful that I have a little boy who takes a long nap but I'm a self-centered work in progress so I'm just going to mourn the 2 hours of free time that I have lost. Granted that "free time" was usually used for things like cleaning, prepping dinner, and other homemakery things but still, it is impossible to describe how amazing it is to make dinner without your pants nearly getting pulled off by the baby who is practically climbing your legs to be held. </div>
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Speaking of Leo (I really do adore that little boy) it never ceases to amaze me how much he loves people (and animals and nature etc.). We were doing our grocery shopping today and while we were walking through the frozen section we walked past an older woman who smiled at Leo. That was all it took, folks - Leo gave her a huge grin and practically leaped into her arms. I'll admit that it can alarm me when he does this with certain people and really we need to develop at least some concept of "stranger danger" BUT this lady was so sweet with him and was so touched by his warmth that it was just really cool. She kept laughing and saying "Well I've fallen in love today!".<br />
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Did I mention that he loves nature? Especially dirt. Reaaaaaally loves the dirt....<br />
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I'm usually pretty good about getting exercise in throughout the week. I don't usually enjoy it and most of the time I wonder whether I'm going to die mid-workout but in the end I get it done. Why? I care about how I look and feel. Not enough to say no to desserts or be sensible with my food and beverage choices but still - I care and I make an effort. Why am I talking about this? Because all that work and all that effort is directed towards the parts of me that are pretty clearly temporal. I can't say the same about my spiritual fitness. So I've gotten myself the spiritual equivalent of a fitness trainer - a spiritual director. I've had a couple in the past but never benefited as much as I could have because, brutal truth be told, I was too concerned with how I sounded or came across. Real smart, I know. People can't help you fix a problem if they don't know there's a problem. Duh. Anyways, this time I'm determined to check my pride at the door and let God do His thing. Because toned triceps aren't enough to get you into Heaven.</div>
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Now go see <a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/2014/04/7-quick-takes-about-interviews-crazy-toddlers-and-why-my-hand-is-probably-going-to-fall-off-by-the-end-of-the-week.html">Jen</a>!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~ Happy Friday ~ </i></b></span></div>
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Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-7305692080802804942014-02-26T02:39:00.000-05:002014-02-26T02:39:01.407-05:00Leo's Birth Story<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><u><b> Caveat :</b></u> I meant for this to be shorter. Oops!</i><b> </b></div>
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<u><b>The Lead Up</b></u> </div>
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The weeks leading up to Leo's arrival were full of a lot of stress and anxiety for me. I spent <a href="http://word-tripper.blogspot.com/2013_02_01_archive.html">quite a few posts complaining</a> and waddled around the apartment twiddling my thumbs and trying different methods of bringing on labor (stopping short of castor oil). Naturally none of them worked and I am pretty sure that I got to the point where I wondered if the little guy was just going to refuse to come naturally. Despite being pretty darn natural and holistic my doctor seemed to agree and <a href="http://word-tripper.blogspot.com/2013/02/7-quick-takes_22.html">scheduled me to be induced</a> on Tuesday, February 26th. I got pretty emotional about this but decided that since I would be over a week and a half overdue at that point, why not?<br />
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<u><b>What the....?!</b></u></div>
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I didn't start noticing my Braxton Hicks contractions until the week Leo was due. They weren't too painful and were very infrequent and that was that. Around midnight on Friday (February 22nd - 'cause you're writing this down and all) I started to get <i><b>real </b></i>contractions! All I can say is that with a pain threshold like mine it was genuinely dumb for me to ever wonder <i>But how will I know when I have a contraction? </i>I <i><b>knew</b></i>! They were so intense that when I would have one it woke me riiiiight up so timing them was not difficult. But they simply had no regularity, nothing consistent in terms of duration or time between start to start. So I tried to sleep as best as I could (not happenin') and note the time when a new one would hit. </div>
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I was relieved when Saturday morning finally came and I could give up trying to sleep. The day came and went with no change. I would have a few contractions back to back (sometimes even three in a row) but then have a huge space of time before the next one would hit. They were getting more intense and more painful all of the time but again, I have a low pain threshold so I just told myself to "man up" and keep on keepin' on. </div>
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Saturday night was much worse and by the time Sunday morning came I knew I was not leaving the house for mass or anything at all. I sat on the couch or on the yoga ball trying to find some relief from the pain but sometimes the contractions were so hard that I would fall to my hands and knees. There may have been some tears. </div>
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By the time Monday morning hit I was desperate. I had not slept since Friday and while the pain and intensity of the contractions had amped up there was still <b>no discernible pattern! </b>I called my doctor and went in to the office for him to check things out. So he takes a look and starts chuckling. </div>
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"You know why you've been so uncomfortable?" he asks me. I simply give him a deadpan look in reply and he says, "Because the baby has dropped and you're 4 cm. When do you want to go to the hospital?" </div>
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I started tearing up. I never thought I would make it to 4 cm without an epidural. Heck, I'm not entirely sure I would make it to 4 cm PERIOD! Somehow knowing that all of the pain and lack of sleep had been <i><b>doing something </b></i>made it all worth it. We scheduled check-in time for noon and I went home to Ben to finish packing (yeah.... I procrastinate) and take a shower. </div>
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<u><b>The Hospital</b></u></div>
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By the time we got to the hospital the contractions were coming more quickly and I had decided that I was G-O-O-D AND R-E-A-D-Y for that epidural, thank you very much! So we checked in and I got wheeled up to my (truly) very nice birthing suite. I had to have an IV (stupid StrepB) and monitors for the baby and whatnot but much to my chagrin the anesthesiologist was needed elsewhere and would not be available for awhile. It took about an hour (maybe longer) before I was able to have any pain medication. I was <i><b>exhausted, </b><b>in pain, </b></i>and <i><b>hormonal</b></i> so naturally I cried. I was relying on the pain medication to help me to sleep until things got real and I needed to push and all that jazz. </div>
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Anyways, I finally got my epidural (that needle in the back business did not hurt as badly as people told me) and began to fall asleep as Ben went to the cafeteria to get himself some dinner. The next thing I know three nurses and two doctors run into my room and start fussing over me. I am turned on my side and given an oxygen mask and can see by the fetal monitor that the baby's heart-rate is not doing well. Poor Ben returned in the middle of the chaos and I can only imagine what that must have been like. Eventually the heartbeat <i>did </i>normalize and the room cleared out, leaving an anxious Ben and me. I tried to fall asleep again, occasionally looking at the monitor in fear. Sure enough, we watched in panic as the heartbeat began to fall lower and lower. Again the nurses and doctors rushed in, moving me from my back onto my side and giving me oxygen. One of the doctors informed me that if it happened again I would need to have an emergency c-section. The only reason I was not having one then and there was that my doctor had said to give it more time. </div>
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One of the best nurses in the entire world happened to be my nurse that evening. She seemed to like Ben and me a lot and stayed in the room with us, watching the monitor and me and talking to us about kids and parenting and life in general. After things had settled down for awhile and her shift had ended she had to leave and another nurse started her shift. During this time I started to notice that my feet had begun to tingle. At first I didn't pay any attention to it but as time went on the tingling spread up my legs and I started to feel the contractions again. They weren't painful in the beginning but I knew something was wrong. I told the nurse and she increased the dosage of the epidural but nothing changed (except for the pain growing). Eventually I asked her to get the anesthesiologist. She could see that I was serious and she tried to get him to come down. He refused. <i>Just increase the dose</i>, he told the nurse. It was not until I was a sobbing mess that the nurse was able to convince him to come to my room. When he did he examined my back and was shocked to see that <i><b>the epidural had come out</b></i>! He kept repeating that "This has never happened before" and assuring Ben and me that it was a fluke. Believe it or not I did not give a flying (la la la) that this was some freak accident - it <i><b>had happened</b></i>, it <i><b>was happening</b></i><b>, </b>and it <i><b>needed to be fixed</b></i>! So I got a second epidural. He super-glued and super-taped that sucker in and after several minutes I had relief! </div>
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So at this point we had been at the hospital several hours and I had progressed to 5 cm but that was it. At some point they broke my water and after my second epidural they gave me pitocin. Eventually things began to start progressing again and we arrived at the long-awaited moment.</div>
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<u><b>Time to Push</b></u></div>
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My doctor was going to be there for the delivery but given that it was my first labor he decided to have a nurse be in the room with me for the first portion of pushing. For once I am going to spare you the details. Suffice it to say that after 3+ days of no sleep and 1 hr of pushing, I had gotten nowhere. I was told that I had 2 more hours of pushing before I would have to have a c-section. I was an emotional wreck. I had <i><b>zero energy</b></i> at this point and did not see how I could manage to keep pushing 2 more minutes, much less 2 more hours! Yet the idea that after all of the drama of the day I would be unable to have this baby naturally (relatively speaking) was a pretty devastating blow. I basically gave up and just laid there weeping. </div>
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Lucky for me I had a doctor who was a real advocate. He came to my room and took over. I confess that the next hour was nothing but a blur. There was a lot of coaxing and encouragement from my doctor and Ben and a lot of pushing and unbridled emotionalism from me. I lost all sense of time and kept waiting to hear that I was headed for surgery. Then all of the sudden I heard this -</div>
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Doctor : "Are you ready?"</div>
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Me (in what can only be described as a tone of complete exasperation) : "Ready for <i><b>what</b></i>?!"</div>
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Doctor : "To meet your baby. Give me one more push."</div>
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For once I followed orders. And on Tuesday, February 26th, 2013 at exactly 2:39 AM we were able to meet the precious son that we had waited and prayed for for so long.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFs32YRLzxHArF6V30LHpRQ-w-RY3bwyRUsUnzU-MSCNqvN0ecrr7eRFqy3NOn0R1YZbldb3NXTw6o2EXrziFgKEDyNcLToGJTnFAZo_Yvt2JkNVwh-hlBjA7el7SyD0bErc_qVQza1d_/s1600/482268_670242812320_1990430728_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFs32YRLzxHArF6V30LHpRQ-w-RY3bwyRUsUnzU-MSCNqvN0ecrr7eRFqy3NOn0R1YZbldb3NXTw6o2EXrziFgKEDyNcLToGJTnFAZo_Yvt2JkNVwh-hlBjA7el7SyD0bErc_qVQza1d_/s1600/482268_670242812320_1990430728_n.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-76523128132102614512014-02-07T02:41:00.002-05:002014-02-07T02:41:16.146-05:007 Quick Takes<br />
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<a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/2014/02/7-quick-takes-about-crazy-shoe-parties-meeting-cool-authors-and-jen-moments.html"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1387" src="http://www.conversiondiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/7_quick_takes_sm1.jpg" height="195" title="7_quick_takes_sm" width="290" /></a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ264-6fPnHE6O1P1yX-2RYNX3757zkdu4KM8vZ1L0r8PKc_7TvVYnotqzVoe4m88-hfousuiKsiSaIdUmvAaJvj-eXPDRoPj3Ob-kZlhvZd5Ux9TBnLkZ3028APPOV4VYhK-s0ctzkClh/s1600/1743251_731699158310_243982829_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ264-6fPnHE6O1P1yX-2RYNX3757zkdu4KM8vZ1L0r8PKc_7TvVYnotqzVoe4m88-hfousuiKsiSaIdUmvAaJvj-eXPDRoPj3Ob-kZlhvZd5Ux9TBnLkZ3028APPOV4VYhK-s0ctzkClh/s1600/1743251_731699158310_243982829_n.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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My sweet little boy is finally on the mend. He didn't stop pulling at his ears until a day or two ago and his sleep schedule is an absolute <i><b>M E S S </b></i>but his energy is back (oh. my!) and so are his delicious smiles and beautiful laughter.<br />
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<b>- 2 -</b></div>
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Now that Leo's energy has returned so has his trouble-making. He is a little obsessed with his noise machine and tries to get at it whenever he can (i.e. when I'm not paying attention 100%). I wouldn't mind him pushing the buttons and fiddling around with it but he isn't content to do that. Nope. You know how most babies explore a toy or object with their mouths? Well, sure, Leo does that but discovery time is not complete until he has thrown it. And we have wood floors. Wood floors that dent and scratch easily. Wood floors that we are in the process of selling. Can you hear me wincing? </div>
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So earlier today I was temporarily distracted and, naturally, Leo sped towards his bedroom. I heard the telltale <i>thump </i>of plastic on wood and started making my way to his room when I heard him start yelling. Not crying (yet) - just baby yelling in baby frustration. I walk into his room and burst out laughing. Why? Because my son the troublemaker had managed to wrap his monitor around his neck and was trying to remove it by pulling it tighter in his chubby little hands. I wanted so badly to snap a picture but I did not have my phone and, well, he was rather upset at that point. </div>
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I already shared this photo in my <a href="http://word-tripper.blogspot.com/2014/02/wiws-vol-11.html" target="_blank">last post</a> but it just so happens to be one of my all-time favorite photos of Leo so I'm sharing it <i>again</i>!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17O2FkcRZzWZlXRRIC45GkGTeKe2c6hMV8YXmAsWUlxLdqr7CYK49FZ2Wrh3Fni1L6GbmdMY76jlHJCe1bGkeBE820-bz8XjMnXRzQjKSZwxpKHwUzubtaZ44Abdea0yPpuBLK0MFHGpH/s1600/1081703_732040793670_814786597_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17O2FkcRZzWZlXRRIC45GkGTeKe2c6hMV8YXmAsWUlxLdqr7CYK49FZ2Wrh3Fni1L6GbmdMY76jlHJCe1bGkeBE820-bz8XjMnXRzQjKSZwxpKHwUzubtaZ44Abdea0yPpuBLK0MFHGpH/s1600/1081703_732040793670_814786597_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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I mean <i><b>SERIOUSLY </b></i>- look at that face!!!!</div>
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So last year our little family still lived in Indiana when Mardi Gras rolled around and we had the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/West-End-Bakery/111745162193895" target="_blank">most awesome little bakery</a> within 10 minutes of our apartment. Ben was away on the interview for his current job and was not going to be back until nightfall, leaving me with the intense responsibility of purchasing <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/paczki" target="_blank">Paczkis</a>. Despite growing up in a town that had a decent Polish population I had never heard of these delicious pastries so I did not understand why it was so terribly important that we have them. Still, being a dutiful wife I purchased a variety of them and waited for Ben to return so that we could end Ordinary Time in style. <i><b>OH MY GOSH! </b></i>They were soooooooooo good!!!</div>
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Fast forward to present day life in Virginia. I am unaware of a really good bakery in the area and Margi Gras is looming. I've decided to make my own this year. I have no earthly idea how they will turn out and it could end up being a colossal failure and waste of flour, BUT I'm still excited to try. I have found a solid recipe for the donuts themselves and a separate recipe for a strawberry cream filling. Results will be documented and shared. </div>
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<b>- 6 -</b> </div>
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<a href="http://hostedmedia.reimanpub.com/TOH/Images/Photos/37/300x300/exps166713_SD143203B10_16_10b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://hostedmedia.reimanpub.com/TOH/Images/Photos/37/300x300/exps166713_SD143203B10_16_10b.jpg" /></a></div>
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Speaking of food (always a fav topic for me), tonight I made <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/muffin-cup-cheddar-beef-pies" target="_blank">Muffin-Cup Cheddar Beef Pies</a>, a recipe that I grabbed out of my first issue of Simple & Delicious (Taste of Home). It calls for frozen bread dough but I didn't have any on hand so I used the beloved dough function on my bread machine (seriously, I would be lost without that amazing contraption!!!) and used <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/amish-white-bread/?scale=12&ismetric=0" target="_blank">this recipe</a>. Even if the filling had been a failure, which it was most certainly was NOT, the bread alone would have made this meal worthwhile! I'm talking Melt-in-Your-Mouth-Don't-Need-Butter Goodness! Leo enjoyed several bites and probably would have polished off a whole one himself if I had let him. I'm a mean mama, however, and insisted on pushing the veggies. </div>
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Packing has gone well this week thanks to a trip to the liquor store and donations from a friend who recently moved. I've managed to pack 30+ boxes since last Saturday and while that is not as much as I would have liked, it's a solid start. I cannot wait to be unpacking them in a few weeks and getting situated in our new home! </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>~ Happy Friday ~</b></i></span></div>
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Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-78663479446705978232014-02-02T14:48:00.001-05:002014-02-02T14:48:36.799-05:00WIWS (Vol 11)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.finelinenandpurple.com/2014/02/02/what-i-wore-sunday-volume-68/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.finelinenandpurple.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/newbutton.jpg" /></a></div>
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Errrmagersh! The last time I linked up with <a href="http://www.finelinenandpurple.com/2014/02/02/what-i-wore-sunday-volume-68/" target="_blank">Fine Linen and Purple</a> was in August! Several pieces of this outfit are repeats because, well, I always want to go clothes shopping but I either don't go OR when I go I wuss out and talk myself out of preeeetty much everything. Seriously I need a fashion consultant who I can bring along and force me to go outside of my comfort zone, buy things, and dress like an adult woman. In the meantime......<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4hDgNeVIqE7jLx0hDckYn-07wDgIqWHSl3XRDOYzRrPj1GhSwjr5X3fGJuvomw6sWHMKAIp6XW8kl-_E_sQYR6nSg8-UgzDksBoipP5uTrZPFWAVC34Hnot2levc7H8sZwJLrOrcO1Hwq/s1600/1068819_732040758740_171086296_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4hDgNeVIqE7jLx0hDckYn-07wDgIqWHSl3XRDOYzRrPj1GhSwjr5X3fGJuvomw6sWHMKAIp6XW8kl-_E_sQYR6nSg8-UgzDksBoipP5uTrZPFWAVC34Hnot2levc7H8sZwJLrOrcO1Hwq/s1600/1068819_732040758740_171086296_n.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leo sneaks in on the action</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZqR3xEQ-48oJJ9hOei5-XGlVIcdWI-4xmRLtOlKc2A0t5gEBC8JoMAW9eY4uTodukcodS4ON9KJ854z5dI1WsXB3oFN-8JT5i6I0vNexfQPj0SaMkekOiFQFf7yp2-S10Xabl1_FP8LX/s1600/1081703_732040793670_814786597_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZqR3xEQ-48oJJ9hOei5-XGlVIcdWI-4xmRLtOlKc2A0t5gEBC8JoMAW9eY4uTodukcodS4ON9KJ854z5dI1WsXB3oFN-8JT5i6I0vNexfQPj0SaMkekOiFQFf7yp2-S10Xabl1_FP8LX/s1600/1081703_732040793670_814786597_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How could I not post this picture???!</td></tr>
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Before I get to the details (I know, I know - you're dying!) I just have to share this with you : So I finally got cleared to wear contact lenses again after almost 2 years of only being allowed to wear glasses. I still barely wear them because my eyes have grown quite sensitive and, well, I'm lazy. The absolute best thing about being able to wear contacts again is Leo. Every time I have them in he stares at me with this absolute look of wonder and gets so SO bashful, especially when I smile at him! It is the most adorable thing in the world and melts my heart.</div>
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Details :</div>
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Skirt : Macy's</div>
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Shirt : Target</div>
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Cardigan : Charlotte Russe</div>
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Shoes : Target</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>~ Happy Sunday and Blessed Candlemas ~</b></i></span></div>
Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-50336990392071487752014-01-31T10:47:00.000-05:002014-01-31T10:59:01.491-05:007 Quick Takes<br />
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<a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/2014/01/7-quick-takes-about-recording-things-in-hot-cars-impending-gala-fails-and-barely-surviving-the-week.html"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1387" src="http://www.conversiondiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/7_quick_takes_sm1.jpg" height="195" title="7_quick_takes_sm" width="290" /></a> </div>
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<b>- 1 -</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeeulq6xrCX9twYTm9WvCB5lZVecVK5lIkNjzuvtJdKXypj0tH_hyHjyDOLd98uXy3AEen8qWvjlF1IUDoLateFRML6Kw_A-OoZmh1l3iS3Kg4klFLzJViNmdyjwg7lAYuE3aM1eVK2Pca/s1600/prod9248_4_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeeulq6xrCX9twYTm9WvCB5lZVecVK5lIkNjzuvtJdKXypj0tH_hyHjyDOLd98uXy3AEen8qWvjlF1IUDoLateFRML6Kw_A-OoZmh1l3iS3Kg4klFLzJViNmdyjwg7lAYuE3aM1eVK2Pca/s1600/prod9248_4_lg.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
Like <a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/2014/01/7-quick-takes-about-recording-things-in-hot-cars-impending-gala-fails-and-barely-surviving-the-week.html" target="_blank">Jen</a> this has not been the easiest of weeks for me. Leo started having a runny nose on Sunday and by Monday morning he was a fussing, miserable sick mess of a baby. Maybe it's just my imagination but I feel like he gets sick <i>all the time! </i>We dealt with a bad cold before, during, and after Christmas and HELLO! it is not even February and here comes another one! So Ben is back to the good 'ol daily grind of teaching and I am trying to get my act together regarding packing (more on that later) but it's hard to pack a box when Mr. Sniffles is too sad and sick to play and only wants to be held. After a few days of this I figured that something was different this time around and so I scheduled a doctor's appointment. They fit me into their 4:50 PM slot and long story short we were seen at about 6:00 PM (did I mention that Leo skipped his afternoon nap that day?). You would've thought that they were giving him shots the poor kid was <i>so upset! </i>Seriously, the doctor was a little unnerved herself. So yeah it turns out my poor little guy has a double ear infection! The good news is that we made it until 11 months before needing antibiotics. The even better news is that we have antibiotics and ear drops and even though he shouts death threats at us in baby speak when we give them he is doing much better now.<br />
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I wish that I could sit here and tell you that I handle stress and emotions in general like a champ. Yeah.... not so much. So my question to you is this - how do you learn to control your emotions instead of letting them control you? I know that I've improved a lot in the past few years but I'm not where I want to be and as a wife and mom that is pretty darn high on the priority list!<br />
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We are moving!!! If all goes well (knock on wood) we are going to be moving into a lovely house IN TOWN at the end of February! I cannot tell you what an answer to prayer it is and the whole process has been such a God thing that it's crrrrrazy! Here's a little anecdote to show you what I mean.....</div>
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We received an e-mail on Tuesday morning that the sellers had received a new offer on their house. We were given 72 hours to get a contract on our house. It was <b>bad </b>weather and we had already had 12+ showings without an offer in sight so we "knew" it was impossible. Long story short we had someone come out to the house the next morning (had to be driven by their realtor because they needed four wheel drive to get here) and had a contract by that afternoon...!!! It was a total 11th hour, God-showing-off deal and we could not be more excited<br />
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<b>- 4 -</b><br />
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It seems that all that crawling around with Leo took its toll because I had to say goodbye to my favorite pair of jeans this week. It felt wrong tossing them in the trash, like maybe I should have set them on fire or buried them or at the very least given a little eulogy. *sniff sniff*</div>
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<b>- 5 -</b></div>
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There is a stink bug on the floor next to me. I hate those things. I mean, I really really really really really hate those things. I know they don't bite. I know they don't sting. One day I'm just gonna have enough and go Simon Pegg on em</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://hdwpapers.com/walls/hot_fuzz_simon_pegg_wallpaper_2-other.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://hdwpapers.com/walls/hot_fuzz_simon_pegg_wallpaper_2-other.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Overkill? They're STINK BUGS!</td></tr>
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- 6 -</div>
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Leo and I have been having fun with forts over the past two weeks. While he enjoyed the one I made with the kitchen table his favorite by far is his crib. That's right - the hated crib doubles as his favorite play zone. One thick, fleecy blanket draped over and it is transformed into his own personal baby cave. He laughs uproariously if I crawl around the outside and sneak up on him. Seriously love this kid.</div>
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<b>- 7 -</b></div>
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The buyers did the whole home inspection thing last Friday and so Leo and I had to vacate the premises. Naturally it was during nap time so that made things a different level of interesting. Thanks to the generosity of one of my friends we were able to crash at her place and revel in new surroundings, different toys (fun ones!), and even sneak in a nap. Using the app that <a href="http://www.cedarsandtinyflowers.com/" target="_blank">Katrina</a> told me about I was able to snap these photos of Leo while we were there</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxbEkyKib9Hxw9OW53dwRr66wk0m68C_R6J6FGpx29CM88woazha_m62gCy6JNziBxCc3THfbaAUXTS8D3h6mn4MiqFpB-jBG5JEbSLJ9Nh3MNygLUjG7QFHoe5QwiAaYOIjgEUKeiLML/s1600/908524_730598444150_485578566_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxbEkyKib9Hxw9OW53dwRr66wk0m68C_R6J6FGpx29CM88woazha_m62gCy6JNziBxCc3THfbaAUXTS8D3h6mn4MiqFpB-jBG5JEbSLJ9Nh3MNygLUjG7QFHoe5QwiAaYOIjgEUKeiLML/s1600/908524_730598444150_485578566_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Ez-y8YGaImVJkNV2aIdCgaIDemehFXZd0KpJCRYvw5CfJD5Afive7K3zmeq3i-NKHi5o0YXXYST6AguBckEB2oae-2rP0tmGdPJEuSmymD0zQ4I7OY3B78NzCYfiQkEcuvFfFqYy6GEX/s1600/1624255_730598618800_1906445594_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Ez-y8YGaImVJkNV2aIdCgaIDemehFXZd0KpJCRYvw5CfJD5Afive7K3zmeq3i-NKHi5o0YXXYST6AguBckEB2oae-2rP0tmGdPJEuSmymD0zQ4I7OY3B78NzCYfiQkEcuvFfFqYy6GEX/s1600/1624255_730598618800_1906445594_n.jpg" height="320" width="264" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyyu7toDrB9WAQA_UTv1xW10gZbi32CEKreC072_vsYaPDb0T1YTowqtRvwOeYjbo0c9TqpzTyg0jEXN0ccLAsCBOGrZ13EqdnYsezRXHsuZktpXoLJEyRxE_YO9qBV5jDr2U3orridN5/s1600/1654909_730598364310_1825797860_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyyu7toDrB9WAQA_UTv1xW10gZbi32CEKreC072_vsYaPDb0T1YTowqtRvwOeYjbo0c9TqpzTyg0jEXN0ccLAsCBOGrZ13EqdnYsezRXHsuZktpXoLJEyRxE_YO9qBV5jDr2U3orridN5/s1600/1654909_730598364310_1825797860_n.jpg" height="320" width="269" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leo eats the baby doll. Clearly we have work to do.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>~ Happy Friday ~</b></i></span></div>
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Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-46704000456955922652014-01-24T15:33:00.001-05:002014-01-24T15:33:06.253-05:007 Quick TakesI'm a bit late to the game and not even sure I can type these babies before my actual baby wakes up but what the heck, why not give it a shot? Apologies for the rambling and incoherency!<br />
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<a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/2014/01/7-quick-takes-feverish-rambling-edition.html"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1387" src="http://www.conversiondiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/7_quick_takes_sm1.jpg" height="195" title="7_quick_takes_sm" width="290" /></a> </div>
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<b>- 1 -</b></div>
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It's funny what goes through your mind when you're holding a flailing, wailing baby. There's the obvious <i>How is it possible that someone under 30 lbs is practically overpowering me right now? </i>or <i>There's no way that the piece of paper in your mouth was </i>that <i>delicious! </i>But then something absurd occurred to me - I used to teach parenting classes... once a week for over a year and a half at the crisis pregnancy center I stood in front of a room full of <b>real parents </b>telling them what they ought to be doing (or not doing as the case may be). When I started out I was single; not yet dating my future husband and with nary a child of my own. Please feel free to laugh - I certainly did yesterday.</div>
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<b>- 2 -</b><br />
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My go-to line when a client would ask me "Do you even <i>have </i>kids?" was either "I've babysat a lot" or "I've spent a lot of time with my nieces." It was a question that was usually asked with a lot of attitude, especially when it came from a client who was considering abortion. At the time it made me feel very defensive and even annoyed. I mean, how hard could it be? How different could it be, parenting versus babysitting? The only real difference is that you're around the kids longer, ya know? </div>
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Before you whip out your brass knuckles please let me assure you - the "teacher" has been schooled! Believing that babysitting prepares you for or is the same as parenting is kind of like a kid who thinks he's ready to have a puppy because he's kept his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamagotchi">Tamagotchi</a> alive and happy. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There ain't a button for the real thing, kid</td></tr>
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<b>- 3 -</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRe_Dle4iIUd3DPCkJYUrHjA-bgNX1jdsmUexy-L44WsRu3JXC47mO0A6B3iYTF1cBffy5PL2SZJ1oFFYqYc89VVPKNOx9F2x-i9WhpN4FGn34Br7fkz5tKmZAwaNgRcSaHZpMlRASEeG/s1600/576424_646434035300_1204898069_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRe_Dle4iIUd3DPCkJYUrHjA-bgNX1jdsmUexy-L44WsRu3JXC47mO0A6B3iYTF1cBffy5PL2SZJ1oFFYqYc89VVPKNOx9F2x-i9WhpN4FGn34Br7fkz5tKmZAwaNgRcSaHZpMlRASEeG/s1600/576424_646434035300_1204898069_n.jpg" height="271" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Before we got to hold him :)</b></td></tr>
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Pregnancy in and of itself had a huge impact on my approach to counseling and I am so glad that I worked at the crisis pregnancy center during that time. Nausea sounds so doable when it's hypothetical. Or at least it did to me. Then it hit and man oh man, God only knows how many times Ben and my coworkers heard me say "I'm going to die" during those first two trimesters!!! It wasn't even that bad as far as "morning" sickness goes - I'm just a wuss (Ben will back me up on this). I can only imagine what it will be like to experience all of that with a little one around. At least I hope and pray that I will get to experience that because as tough as it is, what on earth compares to feeling your child move inside of you? Sure it can get annoying (especially a hard kick to the ribs at 3 AM) but it's pretty freakin' cool all the same!<br />
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<b>- 4 -</b></div>
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<b> </b></div>
I'm not even going to touch on the issue of labor and delivery (YET! Leo's birth story will venture into that special territory). For now suffice it to say that the books I read and movie(s) I watched did not quite prep me for the real thing. Shocking, I know. On the upside I am almost looking forward to going through it again at some point (if God blesses us with another little one) so that I can try and do a better job! Ben was a little horrified when I told him that and asked for us to please change topics.<br />
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<b>- 5 -</b> </div>
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So yeah, pregnancy and delivery weren't what I expected or what I told clients to expect (wince). As a result I guess it shouldn't have come as a shock that motherhood would be so different. It was and it is. During pregnancy I kept telling Ben that I did not want us to be like most first-time parents - I wanted us to be eclectic, relaxed, and just figure things out as they came. It turns out that you can't <i>not </i>be first time parents. When your baby gets sick it's probably gonna freak you out a <strike>lot</strike> little. You may or may not make an unnecessary trip to Urgent Care. You may or may not clip too much of your baby's nails and draw blood, thus convincing you that you are the worst parent in all of existence. The thing is that I don't think you can really know what kind of a parent you are going to be until you are one. Maybe you'll be the parent you envisioned and handle things with grace, wisdom, and sanctity. Or maybe you'll be a little bit more like me. In a recent post <a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/">Jen</a> said<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
It would be awesome if your kids could have a mom who had the holiness
of Mother Teresa, the energy of Mary Poppins, and the domestic skills of
Martha Stewart. But if you’re not there yet, saying “I love you guys
and I love Jesus and I’m doing the best I can” works too.</blockquote>
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<b>- 6 -</b></div>
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Here's to the moments when we feel like we supermom. Maybe it's because we cleaned the house, made an awesome dinner, kept the baby entertained and happy all day, and have a nice evening lined up. Or maybe it's because you kept your cool in the midst of that surprise poop explosion that took place fifteen minutes into a long car trip. Whatever it is, whenever it is - celebrate!</div>
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<b>- 7 -</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiypd1bum0QTnZgDW_ODqnCS-XR1Kh4jo9hFtY2jMnulkDQ6RkfGOvhW0cG3B4xYDMzHyGqQ4Q6ii_u7kCBGXYgOImUzdD7NRwQnnTZKUkSF7HPwSM3d3mxs7kSye5HKsGor97Y1YfeexEQ/s1600/1085289_729562335520_1623586776_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiypd1bum0QTnZgDW_ODqnCS-XR1Kh4jo9hFtY2jMnulkDQ6RkfGOvhW0cG3B4xYDMzHyGqQ4Q6ii_u7kCBGXYgOImUzdD7NRwQnnTZKUkSF7HPwSM3d3mxs7kSye5HKsGor97Y1YfeexEQ/s1600/1085289_729562335520_1623586776_n.jpg" height="320" width="237" /></a></div>
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With his first birthday approaching I think it's safe to say that I will spend the rest of motherhood discovering how little I know<b> </b>and how grateful I am for God's grace, my incredible husband, my amazing little boy, and the wonderful life I have been blessed with!<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">~ Happy Friday ~</span></i></b></div>
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Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-65522830825358560892014-01-17T08:14:00.000-05:002014-01-18T10:21:32.482-05:007 Quick Takes : Recipes EditionI have had some fun adventures in the kitchen over the past several weeks and I figured why not share them and link up with <a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/2014/01/7-quick-takes-about-benedictine-beer-linkedin-fails-and-complaining-with-metrics.html">Jen </a>at the same time!<br />
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<a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/2014/01/7-quick-takes-about-benedictine-beer-linkedin-fails-and-complaining-with-metrics.html"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1387" src="http://www.conversiondiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/7_quick_takes_sm1.jpg" height="195" title="7_quick_takes_sm" width="290" /></a>
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<b>- 1 -</b><br />
<b>The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KhgNL4ULPxtj40jbaXEHdVTQw7HAmm75nTXIqPuQarvg7Y3tCZbmgsQRheZbwoo1GVshkSuV1vAMdqplJCPoC4Fg4J75E2ckB9kt7h5JGGPSHbBNmMjsUXNEfk-Z_fZiqRy-eBGA-Y9D/s1600/1600142_728798037180_1575336607_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KhgNL4ULPxtj40jbaXEHdVTQw7HAmm75nTXIqPuQarvg7Y3tCZbmgsQRheZbwoo1GVshkSuV1vAMdqplJCPoC4Fg4J75E2ckB9kt7h5JGGPSHbBNmMjsUXNEfk-Z_fZiqRy-eBGA-Y9D/s1600/1600142_728798037180_1575336607_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Idiot Proof Baking</td></tr>
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Super delicious cookies! Seriously the
best chocolate chip cookies I've ever tasted! They were pretty good when
hot but actually much more yummy once they had cooled. </div>
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<u>Ingredients (yield : 3 dozen)</u></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>3/4 C butter</li>
<li>3/4 C brown sugar</li>
<li>1/4 C sugar</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>2 tsp vanilla</li>
<li>2 C flour</li>
<li>2 tsp cornstarch</li>
<li>1 tsp baking soda</li>
<li>3/4 - 1 tsp salt (depends on your preference)</li>
<li>1 1/2 C chocolate chips</li>
</ul>
<u>Directions</u></div>
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<ul>
<li>Cream butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla - beat well.</li>
<li>Add dry ingredients; mix until just combined. </li>
<li>Stir in chocolate chips</li>
<li>Drop onto parchment paper or greased surface and bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees.</li>
<li>Place pan on wire rack for 5 minutes before removing cookies (important!) </li>
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<b>- 2 -</b><br />
<a href="http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2009/07/22/better-than-brownies-chocolate-cookies/"><b>Better Than Brownies Cookies</b></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-pVmaK25pFAARN_GZgEskR-0c_vy9AE3TlEOWNztXfjebJ7W-JGXaQ7HA7f-pRFn5oJDgu2cT-n1dFo-xeC3shetjz4kWmNZ6TBlgLiok6_ywYIHSTX6gmD9ve4NBL6GihPavgdrQTjW/s1600/1470475_722068997230_140660872_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-pVmaK25pFAARN_GZgEskR-0c_vy9AE3TlEOWNztXfjebJ7W-JGXaQ7HA7f-pRFn5oJDgu2cT-n1dFo-xeC3shetjz4kWmNZ6TBlgLiok6_ywYIHSTX6gmD9ve4NBL6GihPavgdrQTjW/s1600/1470475_722068997230_140660872_n.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quadrupled the recipe. Surprise yield of 16 dozen cookies. Oops.</td></tr>
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These cookies are a chocolate lover's dream. I certainly had my fair share over the holidays! I kept waiting to get sick of them but I never did (one of those good things that's also a bad thing). I certainly would discourage you from quadrupling the recipe! That is unless you want to be up to your elbows (literally) in chocolate. Who knew the Kitchen Aid bowl was that deep?! My mother-in-law told me that she doesn't even double a recipe if she can help it. Considering that her cookies are <i>awesome </i>I think I'll follow her lead from now on and just make several separate batches.</div>
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<u>Ingredients</u></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">16 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">4 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">4 eggs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1⅓ C granulated sugar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp vanilla extract</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">½ C all-purpose flour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">½ tsp baking powder</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 C semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips</span> </li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u>Directions</u></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.</li>
<li>Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set it over a
saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until
completely melted and smooth.</li>
<li>In the meantime, stir together the eggs, vanilla and sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside.</li>
<li>In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.</li>
<li>Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and stir to
combine well. Slowly add the dry ingredients, folding them into the
batter. Once all of the flour is incorporated, stir in the chocolate
chips.</li>
<li>Scoop 1½ tablespoons of dough (a medium cookie scoop's worth) onto
prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they are firm
on the outside. Like brownies, do not over-bake! Leave to cool completely
on the baking sheets. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<b> - 3 -</b><br />
<b>Apple Cheddar Scones</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlipRbBiSRhTtZcP6pEOnIkSttBXnOj_fkPhmyQCYSKP7cH7GCXElcVlakPRuJRBRccso3ZTLl_QZ5uhJNisXBOVifKpyzZPXf7HRLiCubzqviKPW69PcISElirRaX4F0AgcwudoBtlMbj/s1600/1082638_729136823250_1504087606_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlipRbBiSRhTtZcP6pEOnIkSttBXnOj_fkPhmyQCYSKP7cH7GCXElcVlakPRuJRBRccso3ZTLl_QZ5uhJNisXBOVifKpyzZPXf7HRLiCubzqviKPW69PcISElirRaX4F0AgcwudoBtlMbj/s1600/1082638_729136823250_1504087606_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
My husband and I agreed that while these are some very yummy scones, the next time I make these I will add more cheddar and apple. The end result was great but still felt like it needed a little more <i>oomph! </i>Found out today that this is easily remedied by applying apple butter. <i><b>SO GOOD!!!</b></i> I should also say they almost require tea as a companion. I originally made these goodies for a book club I was hoping to go to but after a long day and the onslaught of snow/rain I stayed in. As far as nights in go it's a little hard to beat sipping tea and eating a warm scone while watching Elementary. Anyways, on to the recipe!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b> </b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u>Ingredients</u></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>2 tbsp sugar</li>
<li>1 1/2 tsp baking powder</li>
<li>1/2 tsp salt</li>
<li>1/4 tsp baking soda</li>
<li>1/3 C cold butter</li>
<li>1 C buttermilk</li>
<li>1 C shredded cheddar (will use more in the future)</li>
<li>1 C diced peeled apple (ditto) </li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u>Directions</u> </div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b> </b>In a bowl combine the first five ingredients </li>
<li>Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs</li>
<li>Stir in buttermilk until <i><b>just moistened</b></i> (I had to add several heaping tablespoons of flour after I failed to pay close enough attention to this step)</li>
<li>Fold in cheese and apples</li>
<li>Pat in a 9" circle and cut into 8 wedges</li>
<li>Separate wedges and place on greased baking sheet</li>
<li>Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown </li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I got a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=pastry%20cutter&sprefix=pastry+%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Apastry%20cutter">pastry blender</a> for Christmas and was inappropriately excited to have a chance to use it for this recipe. Seriously, I know it's a simple cutting action but I have <i><b>never </b></i>been able to use two knives to get butter to blend in properly. </div>
<br />
<b>- 4 -</b><br />
<b>Cranberry Brie Bites</b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tablespoon.com/-/media/Images/Articles/qd/2011/03/2011-03-02-cranberry-brie-bites-586x322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.tablespoon.com/-/media/Images/Articles/qd/2011/03/2011-03-02-cranberry-brie-bites-586x322.jpg" height="175" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mine did not achieve this perfect golden brown color</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I am stealing this recipe from <a href="http://www.tablespoon.com/-/media/Images/Articles/qd/2011/03/2011-03-02-cranberry-brie-bites-586x322.jpg">Tablespoon</a> because the pictures are amazing and I cannot seem to locate the original website that I used. The recipe calls for cranberry sauce but I imagine that you could use jam just as easily. The next time I make these guys I think I'm going to increase the amount of brie used per pastry. Basically I think that if you can add more cheese to a recipe you almost have to. Also, we sampled these hot and after they had cooled and we both thought they were much tastier after having cooled. Just a thought.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u>Ingredients</u></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 package (17 1/4 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed </li>
<li>1/2<span class="type"></span> lb Brie cheese
</li>
<li>
1<span class="type"></span> cup cranberry sauce (purchased or homemade)
</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u>Directions </u> </div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Thaw the frozen puff pastry, and cut with a pizza cutter. The puff
pastry sheet I used was folded in thirds. I cut down those lines, then
cut the sheet into quarters the other direction.</li>
<li>Place each puff pastry square into a separate holder ofmini muffin tin </li>
<li>Fill with brie and cranberry sauce. </li>
<li>Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown on the edges. </li>
<li>Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving. </li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<b></b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b>- 5 -<br />Applesauce Pork Loin</b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDnr2BFQfJ29BcIONLj_KTFaOF8evDVSL1-yKI_oTu9TvHY7JBM4ujFwwFohJXbKUNChw0TxVtX5kqiDN5hLMzAFDK435mcEClLRzqEVdSyh06FEQlVV1EwZZPXwC4gA1gB-492B1DTiTy/s1600/exps20377_TH10384D33C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDnr2BFQfJ29BcIONLj_KTFaOF8evDVSL1-yKI_oTu9TvHY7JBM4ujFwwFohJXbKUNChw0TxVtX5kqiDN5hLMzAFDK435mcEClLRzqEVdSyh06FEQlVV1EwZZPXwC4gA1gB-492B1DTiTy/s1600/exps20377_TH10384D33C.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearly not my picture</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This is the best pork I have ever tasted. I found the recipe at <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/applesauce-pork-loin">Taste of Home</a> and it's just perfect - not a lot of ingredients, not a lot of prep required, and a whole lot of flavor as the end result! The only negative thing I will say is that the cooking time has been way off both of the times I have made this. The pork has been completely thawed both times and I have followed every step of the directions completely so I have no idea what that's about. Oh well - it's worth the wait! We had leftovers after both meals and I chopped up the remaining pork (including the sauce) and sauteed it with mushrooms then added eggs and it was kind of amazing. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u>Ingredients</u></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li>1 boneless pork loin roast (3 lbs)</li>
<li>1/2 tsp salt</li>
<li>1/4 tsp pepper</li>
<li>2 tbsp vegetable oil</li>
<li>1 C applesauce</li>
<li>3 tbsp Dijon mustard</li>
<li>1 tbsp honey</li>
<li>3 fresh rosemary sprigs </li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u>Directions</u></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li>
<span class="rd_name">Sprinkle roast
with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, brown roast on all sides in
oil. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Combine the applesauce,
mustard and honey; spread over roast. Top with rosemary. </span>
</li>
<li>
<span class="rd_name"> Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until a thermometer reads 145°. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.</span>
<span class="rd_direction_yeid rd_tg_bold">Yield: </span>10-12 servings. </li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>- 6 -</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Chicken Suiza Cornbread Bake</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCOzDY5KKjm8Gwx_peXrpEWMEZgEfRQ7KqIlkNiYZM5lycTJeWoZE2JsO9L3UJw5_WgmQihkghAHPBYHRIajUtutUhB4bJsUwEp2KBU6O0GvtqfpdXN0b7UpH8f2BaFrvgVaba-HaH0aMw/s1600/561640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCOzDY5KKjm8Gwx_peXrpEWMEZgEfRQ7KqIlkNiYZM5lycTJeWoZE2JsO9L3UJw5_WgmQihkghAHPBYHRIajUtutUhB4bJsUwEp2KBU6O0GvtqfpdXN0b7UpH8f2BaFrvgVaba-HaH0aMw/s1600/561640.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not my photo either - I don't do garnish. Ain't nobody got time for that!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I found this recipe at <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Suiza-Cornbread-Bake/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=chicken&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe%20Search%20Results&scale=4&ismetric=0">All Recipes</a> and between the reviews and the ingredients I knew I had to try it! It requires a little bit more prep than I prefer with our dinners but again, totally worth it! The one thing I will say is that Frank's Red Hot Sauce or Sriracha Sauce make a B-I-G difference in the flavor! I wouldn't include them in the cooking process but some liberal use of either when it comes to eating and you have a scrumptious meal ahead of you!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u>Ingredients (Crust)</u></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul class="ingredient-wrap">
<li data-grams="113.5" data-ingredientid="16157" id="liIngredient"><label><span class="checkbox-formatted"></span></label><span class="ingredient-amount" id="lblIngAmount">1/2 C</span>
<span class="ingredient-name" id="lblIngName">butter</span>
<label>
</label>
</li>
<li data-grams="110" data-ingredientid="4397" id="liIngredient"><label><span class="checkbox-formatted"></span></label><span class="ingredient-amount" id="lblIngAmount">1</span>
<span class="ingredient-name" id="lblIngName">onion, finely chopped</span>
<label>
</label>
</li>
<li data-grams="3" data-ingredientid="4342" id="liIngredient"><label><span class="checkbox-formatted"></span></label><span class="ingredient-amount" id="lblIngAmount">1 clove</span>
<span class="ingredient-name" id="lblIngName">garlic, minced</span>
<label>
</label>
</li>
<li data-grams="427" data-ingredientid="4314" id="liIngredient"><label><span class="checkbox-formatted"></span></label><span class="ingredient-amount" id="lblIngAmount">1 (15.25 ounce) can</span>
<span class="ingredient-name" id="lblIngName">whole kernel corn, drained</span>
<label>
</label>
</li>
<li data-grams="482" data-ingredientid="4315" id="liIngredient"><label><span class="checkbox-formatted"></span></label><span class="ingredient-amount" id="lblIngAmount">1 (15 ounce) can</span>
<span class="ingredient-name" id="lblIngName">cream-style corn, drained</span>
<label>
</label>
</li>
<li data-grams="1.5" data-ingredientid="16421" id="liIngredient"><label><span class="checkbox-formatted"></span></label><span class="ingredient-amount" id="lblIngAmount">1/4 tsp</span>
<span class="ingredient-name" id="lblIngName">salt</span>
<label>
</label>
</li>
<li data-grams="125.5" data-ingredientid="16337" id="liIngredient"><label><span class="checkbox-formatted"></span></label><span class="ingredient-amount" id="lblIngAmount">1/2 C</span>
<span class="ingredient-name" id="lblIngName">egg substitute (I used real eggs)</span>
</li>
<li data-grams="238" data-ingredientid="19065" id="liIngredient"><label><span class="checkbox-formatted"></span></label><span class="ingredient-amount" id="lblIngAmount">1 (8.5 ounce) package</span>
<span class="ingredient-name" id="lblIngName">corn bread mix</span>
<label>
</label>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u>Ingredients (Chicken Topping)</u> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul class="ingredient-wrap secondColumn">
<li data-grams="326.6667" data-ingredientid="6493" id="liIngredient"><label><span class="checkbox-formatted"></span></label><span class="ingredient-amount" id="lblIngAmount">2 boneless, skinless</span><span class="ingredient-name" id="lblIngName"> chicken breast</span>s
<label>
</label>
</li>
<li data-grams="17" data-ingredientid="4431" id="liIngredient"><label><span class="checkbox-formatted"></span></label><span class="ingredient-amount" id="lblIngAmount">2 tbsp</span>
<span class="ingredient-name" id="lblIngName">canned green chile peppers, chopped</span>
<label>
</label>
</li>
<li data-grams="112" data-ingredientid="4378" id="liIngredient"><label><span class="checkbox-formatted"></span></label><span class="ingredient-amount" id="lblIngAmount">4 ounces</span>
<span class="ingredient-name" id="lblIngName">sliced fresh mushrooms</span><label></label> (ran out - used canned)
</li>
<li data-grams="363" data-ingredientid="16260" id="liIngredient"><label><span class="checkbox-formatted"></span></label><span class="ingredient-amount" id="lblIngAmount">1 1/2 C</span>
<span class="ingredient-name" id="lblIngName">reduced-fat sour cream (yeah right - used regular sour cream)</span>
</li>
<li data-grams="1.5" data-ingredientid="16421" id="liIngredient"><label><span class="checkbox-formatted"></span></label><span class="ingredient-amount" id="lblIngAmount">1/4 tsp</span>
<span class="ingredient-name" id="lblIngName">salt, or to taste</span>
<label>
</label>
</li>
<li data-grams="0.525" data-ingredientid="16406" id="liIngredient"><label><span class="checkbox-formatted"></span></label><span class="ingredient-amount" id="lblIngAmount">1/4 tsp</span>
<span class="ingredient-name" id="lblIngName">ground black pepper, or to taste</span>
<label>
</label>
</li>
<li data-grams="224" data-ingredientid="16231" id="liIngredient"><label><span class="checkbox-formatted"></span></label><span class="ingredient-amount" id="lblIngAmount">8 oz package</span>
<span class="ingredient-name" id="lblIngName">Monterey Jack cheese, shredded</span>
<label>
</label> </li>
</ul>
<u>Directions</u></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.</span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">Melt butter
in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until tender.</span></span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"></span>Dice one or two boneless, skinless chicken breast halves and stir them
into the skillet after the onions and garlic are soft. Cook and stir
about 5 minutes; the chicken pieces should be cooked through, and will
continue to cook as the casserole bakes. Remove from heat and
set aside. </span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">In a large bowl, combine corn, cream-style corn, salt, and
egg substitute. Beat in muffin mix. Fold in cooked onion mixture. Pour
into prepared baking dish.</span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">In a large
bowl, combine chicken, green chiles, mushrooms, sour cream, salt and
pepper. Spoon over corn mixture to within 1 inch from edge. Sprinkle top
with cheese.</span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>- 7 -</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Healthy Mexican Chicken Bake</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FcOkTMVxLmyNTrZzcAu-Ep-KYbrJnYveH_-gTEmvYZG2micsn7m6s7W2ilEPUqiZn8LxwWSWrlxpe0abVacZ2_fURXZcBElmsLUAANTWDf7vi11iBgM74CyP7boxqaiEqBG-oD5mbTt2/s1600/1080885.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FcOkTMVxLmyNTrZzcAu-Ep-KYbrJnYveH_-gTEmvYZG2micsn7m6s7W2ilEPUqiZn8LxwWSWrlxpe0abVacZ2_fURXZcBElmsLUAANTWDf7vi11iBgM74CyP7boxqaiEqBG-oD5mbTt2/s1600/1080885.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While I did not take this picture this is exactly what the end result looked like</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<u>Ingredients</u><br />
<ul>
<li>2 T vegetable oil</li>
<li>4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts</li>
<li>1 tsp ground cumin</li>
<li>1 tsp garlic powder</li>
<li>salt and ground black pepper to taste</li>
<li>4 oz shredded Mexican cheese blender</li>
<li>1 C salsa</li>
</ul>
<u>Directions</u><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> </span><br />
<ul>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).</span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">Heat
vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season one side of
chicken breasts with half the cumin, half the garlic powder, salt, and
black pepper; arrange chicken breasts with seasoned sides down in the
hot oil. Fry until chicken is lightly browned on the bottom, 4 to 5
minutes.</span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">Season the
top of each chicken breast with the remaining cumin, remaining garlic
powder, salt, and black pepper; flip chicken and cook until other side
is lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. If the skillet gets dry, pour in
just enough juice from the salsa to keep it from burning.</span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">Transfer
chicken breasts to a 9x9-inch baking dish; sprinkle with Mexican cheese
blend. Loosen all the drippings from the skillet with a little more
juice from the salsa and pour on top of chicken breasts. Spoon salsa
over cheese layer.</span> </li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">Bake chicken breasts until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 20 to 25 minutes. </span></li>
</ul>
<span class="plaincharacterwrap break">Another recipe off of <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/healthy-mexican-chicken-bake/detail.aspx">All Recipes</a>! </span>Because I am lazy and did not want to bother with dirtying and washing another dish I used a cast iron skillet and simply put it in the oven when it was time to bake. It is really tasty and goes great with rice and refried beans. Heck, if you wanted to you could shred the chicken after it bakes and just make burritos or fajitas or tacos or, well, you get the idea :)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>~ Happy Friday ~</b></i></span> </div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-28949553197689257412014-01-03T03:08:00.001-05:002014-01-03T03:08:14.504-05:00Let's Catch UpRemember that <a href="http://word-tripper.blogspot.com/2013/10/back-to-blogging.html">one time</a> when I was all like "hey I am blogging again!" and then I made good on that for like, oh I dunno, two days? Yeah..... good times....<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
So let's catch up<span style="color: #0000ee;">!</span> </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/2014/01/7-quick-takes-about-galleys-daily-logs-resolutions-and-words-for-last-year.html"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1387" height="195" src="http://www.conversiondiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/7_quick_takes_sm1.jpg" title="7_quick_takes_sm" width="290" /></a>
<br />
<br />
<b>-1-</b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12qwG8gXutRSwg6Lt6IXCDZWMqo3I5LLeRHMmc08STmPUrexXSpGUfbt6lINJ4mHdn0YhwO_waXqhpf81lZ9zOkid_VOqHDEj69DqYj7hsiKcmE5ylMdlZRirH6hd9l3yzE5M8o6JLX-b/s1600/579375_725949360950_469919610_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12qwG8gXutRSwg6Lt6IXCDZWMqo3I5LLeRHMmc08STmPUrexXSpGUfbt6lINJ4mHdn0YhwO_waXqhpf81lZ9zOkid_VOqHDEj69DqYj7hsiKcmE5ylMdlZRirH6hd9l3yzE5M8o6JLX-b/s320/579375_725949360950_469919610_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leo and his Papa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Leo is now 10 months old (!) and has a mouthful of eight teeth. He crawls and even pulls himself up on occasion. He has one of the strangest crawls I have ever seen - his right leg basically stays crooked beneath him (like he's in the sitting position) but the rest of him is in the crawling position. It makes him off-balance so we have had falls aplenty, especially with the hardwood and tile floors. He babbles a fair bit and seems to show a growing understanding with "mama" and "dada" but it's not consistent yet. He is a sweetheart and tends to be very warm towards others, but he does have a fiery temper and when something happens that he doesn't like he finds a way to express it! </div>
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<b>- 2 -</b></div>
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Leo was the sheep the grandkids' Christmas pageant. Naturally he stole the show....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRDYPCD_ScUnMIVYZRKKYtFTQoytJiluwl6duBcKpxGVQRFkeMrcWXH4BgOMqQsaMdUGsZwKfzqf8WmrC0QWu4yxFUngxTlw5K-bfCb1gcI2NIDFnuyZ8mtHEWqANYMfliYbhY5UWib7D/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRDYPCD_ScUnMIVYZRKKYtFTQoytJiluwl6duBcKpxGVQRFkeMrcWXH4BgOMqQsaMdUGsZwKfzqf8WmrC0QWu4yxFUngxTlw5K-bfCb1gcI2NIDFnuyZ8mtHEWqANYMfliYbhY5UWib7D/s320/PicMonkey+Collage2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>- 3 -</b></div>
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Every time it starts to snow this is all I want to do</div>
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That right there just might be the best moment in movie history </div>
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<b>- 4 -</b></div>
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<a href="http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/OverTheHdg_Still_02_big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/OverTheHdg_Still_02_big.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ben and I continued our tradition of spending New Year's Eve watching a kid's movie. This year we sipped wine and nibbled on cheese and crackers while watching Over the Hedge. We didn't even bother trying to stay up until midnight.</div>
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<b>- 5 -</b></div>
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Long story short we put our house on the market about a week before Christmas. It happens to be the worst time of year to list a house so if you feel like sending some prayers our way we would sure be grateful! </div>
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<b>- 6 -</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisyzxyd4ir6BJzECfm3b_sSA2Q9lKJOF0qTuPojhrOa-rjcjl8FH8WHY6J_a7jNRnN0EfKV2Jr0Ydt7KIE-14ZMyKiZ2YncrDhZfceQPbtda1myk81EeEmOKPSVCiwfr60qjiGgas9gESH/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisyzxyd4ir6BJzECfm3b_sSA2Q9lKJOF0qTuPojhrOa-rjcjl8FH8WHY6J_a7jNRnN0EfKV2Jr0Ydt7KIE-14ZMyKiZ2YncrDhZfceQPbtda1myk81EeEmOKPSVCiwfr60qjiGgas9gESH/s400/PicMonkey+Collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My side project</td></tr>
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So a few months ago we decided to get a door for Ben's office. We wanted it to be a solid wood door so that it would match the other doors of the house but as it turns out solid wood doors are $$$$! So I was on the phone with my mom and lo and behold she has a free door that is exactly the size we need and if we want it it's ours! I didn't realize that it was painted so when it arrived I was a little disappointed but hey, free is FREE! I decided that I was going to refinish it and set up shop in our garage. Suffice it to say that my little side project did not end up being so little after all. Instead of taking me a week or two it took me a little over two months and God knows how many hours. Our contractor felt so bad for me that he lent me his sander AND installed it for free! It's hard to express how good it feels every time I see that door (poorly stained as it is). </div>
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<b>- 7 -</b></div>
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This is one of the best things I have ever seen <3</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~ Merry Christmas and Happy New Year ~</i></b></span></div>
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Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-46689199221490258042013-10-29T21:57:00.001-04:002013-10-29T22:04:34.830-04:00Five Favorites (Vol 10)<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://thismamaneedscoffee.blogspot.com/2013/10/5-favorites.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdE1I4ylPELtDp0MiASGTZZvETPcYhCgvMaxdbM-cD3FdahNf8S3PqjHz6aT61vGgvVWmSJDvqgeMRCk7tw3Z-7f2MmlL4ouHyUxLU-onBI7-L8Lxd1jr1e3et_cVeWIfIGxjrTPNQfuS/s1600/five-favorites-moxie-wife-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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Special thanks to <a href="http://thismamaneedscoffee.blogspot.com/2013/10/5-favorites.html">Jenny</a> for hosting this week's link up!</div>
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<b>- 1 -</b></div>
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<b>Leo's Professional Portraits</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3ixPRU_LSvB7OWKgN9X9E465GQLHUELKgCbSkBSbRlNrGrzJfIXulw9uo4tEN9F0pQQNv3kJTepglqWDo7ny947-uU2EVnXWdlzpKDy6LRPZqPTdoYTGCwJlLMGw-1P-efxrhmfFKAym/s1600/P3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3ixPRU_LSvB7OWKgN9X9E465GQLHUELKgCbSkBSbRlNrGrzJfIXulw9uo4tEN9F0pQQNv3kJTepglqWDo7ny947-uU2EVnXWdlzpKDy6LRPZqPTdoYTGCwJlLMGw-1P-efxrhmfFKAym/s320/P3.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Teething / Goofy Face</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEY-lxR6QiGruPx6Kgu9wC1aOtkmVoG2Co2MisJWeI2fa6vG97q8nCqQc787Cb126KpZ_P3cBTGDEwV-JRAT9AoDmYgQX8owfeicWsOCtDxdcg6lZLNDWSlg3KtvSrEF2-b7XKUXJKDCX1/s1600/P20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEY-lxR6QiGruPx6Kgu9wC1aOtkmVoG2Co2MisJWeI2fa6vG97q8nCqQc787Cb126KpZ_P3cBTGDEwV-JRAT9AoDmYgQX8owfeicWsOCtDxdcg6lZLNDWSlg3KtvSrEF2-b7XKUXJKDCX1/s320/P20.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Guilty Smile</td></tr>
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The two photos above are a result of us finally getting around to Leo's "6 Month" photos. Of course
by the time we did them he was a few days shy of being 8 months old, but
hey you do the best you can, right? While the session was an adorable success I made a semi-catastrophic error and long story short, we ended up with a CD and rights to all of the images instead of a handful of prints... MAJOR OOPS! On the bright side, we now have a bunch of super cute photos of Leo that I have had a blast tinkering with on Photoshop Elements. The photos I posted are not the best ones from the shoot but I love them for how they capture his little personality. </div>
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<b>- 2 -<br />Adobe Photoshop Elements</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51DSRhCZszL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51DSRhCZszL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, I'm stuck with the 10th edition</td></tr>
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While Photoshop Elements is not as great as plain old Adobe Photoshop, I still love using it for editing photos. I very much hope that one day I will learn to be a good photographer and/or become much more skilled at using Photoshop. Obviously the best photographers do not depend upon Photoshop for great photos but I would settle for just being good :) </div>
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<b>- 3 -</b></div>
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<b>The Blacklist</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.nbc.com/app2/img/1920x1080xS/scet/metaverse/1/3/2/8/1/2/2013_0719_TheBlacklist_ShowPrimary_1920x1090_JS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://www.nbc.com/app2/img/1920x1080xS/scet/metaverse/1/3/2/8/1/2/2013_0719_TheBlacklist_ShowPrimary_1920x1090_JS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I really enjoy watching TV. I'll admit that I don't have the best taste but every now and then I stumble across a show that I think is truly great. NBC's "The Blacklist" is definitely that! James Spader is so much fun to watch and the female lead has surprised me with striking a good balance between being tough but vulnerable. It's the first show I have watched in awhile that keeps my complete attention and makes me want to punch the screen when the credits start rolling and I realize I have to wait an entire week for the next episode. Will you love it? I don't know but for my husband and me it is <i>definitely </i>a favorite!<br />
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<b>- 4 -<br />Here with Me - Susie Suh & Robot Koch</b></div>
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Speaking of The Blacklist, this song was featured in one of the episodes and I really enjoyed it. I am sure that part of that is simply context but still. I used to obsess over music for hours every day, looking for new artists and songs. I don't have time for that now so TV shows/movies/commercials (yes, I actually do that) are my main source of new material. Feel free to add your suggestions in the com boxes because seriously I <i>need </i>new music! I once managed to pull three all-nighters in a row and it was thanks to music, not coffee (seriously after the 30th cup you just shake more, you don't get more awake)</div>
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<b>- 5 -</b></div>
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<b><br /><a href="http://saymmm.com/">Say Mmm </a></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.saymmm.com/images/marketing2/grocery_shopping.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="http://www.saymmm.com/images/marketing2/grocery_shopping.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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This website has been an absolute godsend for me!!! I use the free version and that allows me to upload recipes, make meal plans for the week (or more), create a shopping list, etc. Perhaps it is simply due to major laziness but the fact that it compiles your grocery list for you is a huge perk for me. Not only that, but it even breaks down the grocery list by areas of the store (e.g. Dairy, Frozen, etc.). It has saved me countless hour and headaches and I just <b><i>love love LOVE</i></b> it!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>~ Happy Wednesday ~</b></i></span></div>
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Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-15386114166214407512013-10-28T16:34:00.000-04:002013-10-28T16:34:25.298-04:00Back to Blogging<div style="text-align: center;">
Well I'm blogging again. I've been putting it off for awhile now but today I figured what the heck, why not? Why the absence? In a word, Life. I am not entirely sure how you other moms do it but amidst the chaos of baby, cleaning, cooking, exercise, grocery shopping, etc. when I do happen to get a free moment I just want to collapse on the couch and watch something mindless or read something good (or vice versa, as the case may be). At least that is how it has been over the past several weeks.</div>
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Leo had a cold for a few weeks and then somewhere in the midst of that he started cutting four new teeth. Yeah, you read that right - FOUR NEW TEETH ALL AT ONCE! So life around here has been looking a lot like this --<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.christianpost.com/full/49219/baby-koala.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images.christianpost.com/full/49219/baby-koala.png" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leo and me</td></tr>
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The main difference between Mama K over there and me is that I wear glasses. Our insurance finally kicked in, however, so I am hoping and praying that I will be able to get myself to an optometrist in the near future and finally get the OK to start wearing contact lenses again! Which reminds me, if you wear disposable contact lenses make sure that you follow the instructions to the letter. Let's say, hypothetically speaking, that you are a little bit of a cheap person and plan on wearing those 2 week disposables for, oh I dunno, 6 months.... Don't. Do. It! Turns out there is a reason you need to ditch 'em. Who knew. </div>
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So yeah, despite my lack of writing Leo has continued to grow and develop. In addition to cutting four new teeth (still in process) he is getting close to crawling. Between not having a good soft surface for him to move around on (so much for all those beautiful hardwood floors) and general clingy-ness he hasn't been too interested to get down and move about on his own. Or perhaps I should say it's just been a much slower process than it could have been. At any rate he has been trying out the tripod position for a few weeks and scooting himself about pretty well but it seems that that is no longer as satisfying as it was in the beginning. So now he gets in the tripod position and tries to move forward. It hasn't worked out yet but I imagine it won't be long now. </div>
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Kiddo also has developed an adorable/quirky new habit of fake-laughing in order to get others to laugh (or just get their attention). It's somewhere between a fake laugh and a fake cough and it absolutely cracks me up. He also tries to sing along with us (provided there is no camera trying to capture it, of course). He thinks that sputtering noises are <b><i>hilarious </i></b>and if you pretend to be disgusted by his food (or just in general) that gets him giggling pretty hard too.<br />
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There is plenty more I could write but then I wouldn't have anything left to share when I do the link up on Wednesday :) </div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">~ Happy Monday ~</span></i></div>
Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-39563447457327839542013-09-11T00:53:00.000-04:002013-09-11T00:57:59.918-04:00Five Favorites (Vol. 9)<div style="text-align: center;">
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<img class="CSS_LIGHTBOX_SCALED_IMAGE_IMG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiovnIiObGRA8h6x77VX-I2ixLWzkfR5DXly9w1hk5gqB8TDaaozpfqBfuvs2T9WUlOrnDXjTlx8MlWcj7WRqH9YSIvg9_NSwpLSKs9sl6Pi5SG0gzqYKKuoR9B0Oo36s0W9HskrCBE_T-r/s1600/five-favorites-moxie-wife-1.jpg" style="height: 282px; width: 425px;" /></div>
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<b>1. Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child <br />by Anthony Esolen</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ways-Destroy-Imagination-Your-Child/dp/1610170792/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1378841172&sr=1-1&keywords=ten+ways+to+destroy+the+imagination+of+your+child" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51T5MT0B48L._SY346_.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
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I really cannot say enough good things about this book. My husband received it as a baby gift (dad gift?) and while he read it promptly it took me over a year to pick it up. A person like me needs to read a book like this because it is all too easy to allow fear and anxiety to dictate how I plan to raise Leo and lose sight of the wonder of childhood and the need for kids to be kids, to let the wild in a little. This book had a bigger impact on me, though. It has been like a little wake up call - go look at the stars, start reading good books again, stop wasting so much time on TV and the internet (I know, I know - how ironic), etc. Anyways, I could go on forever but I think I have gone and gushed enough on this particular subject....<br />
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<b>2. The Montessori Method </b></div>
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I have only just begun to explore the Montessori Method but for the most part I really love what I have found. I love the simplicity of it and how nurturing it feels. Obviously it doesn't work for everyone and I am not even sure if it will work for us, but there are some things that I have implemented already and enjoyed immensely. Who knew that Leo could be delighted and content for 30+ minutes doing nothing but playing with water or that a little container with rice in it could be a source of so much fun! It slows me down, too, and forces me to stop acting like an assembly line for his toys and just watch him and follow his lead. Am I going to ditch the toys he has and go on a shopping spree? No. Am I going to start acting like I just discovered "real parenting" and that anyone who does things differently is still in the dark? No. Am I going to read up on the philosophy and methodology? Honestly, not so much. I plan on doing just enough research to implement ideas, crafts, etc. that appeal to me. Eclectic parenting is what works for us. </div>
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<b>3. Leo Sitting on His Own</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6O96fgkSY074Wrp8iU9gAjtqAJTvYbJJztF50fVDiyysvKUgr7M-qdSg4ZnHV6Pmvn3hOHED26f0tTmI_cRF4VvgRe7nHd_U517MjZZWNTnRUv8t1641MUvzSDNsKYKtUlzX4uaQec0Q5/s1600/1038_703545847770_1009285059_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6O96fgkSY074Wrp8iU9gAjtqAJTvYbJJztF50fVDiyysvKUgr7M-qdSg4ZnHV6Pmvn3hOHED26f0tTmI_cRF4VvgRe7nHd_U517MjZZWNTnRUv8t1641MUvzSDNsKYKtUlzX4uaQec0Q5/s320/1038_703545847770_1009285059_n.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">big smiles for mama</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA7cNzFcI54_Yd6ZbnkBR7CIzFlfCbV-NEpHTtTVbzr1t_zoAHJLQYk7Js_ifpbnZCTvdNNCky0GMZcd-3_rYN2ZZUT5Jx0SV4sAwRCxAotVSlzL0-S_l5jIDtsJbDUlxcwmY_DeCKsiPE/s1600/1209314_703545807850_1587416237_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA7cNzFcI54_Yd6ZbnkBR7CIzFlfCbV-NEpHTtTVbzr1t_zoAHJLQYk7Js_ifpbnZCTvdNNCky0GMZcd-3_rYN2ZZUT5Jx0SV4sAwRCxAotVSlzL0-S_l5jIDtsJbDUlxcwmY_DeCKsiPE/s320/1209314_703545807850_1587416237_n.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">crazy, sweet little man</td></tr>
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I am getting way less sleep these days due to, well, I have no idea actually. Leo just isn't sleeping through the night (understatement of the year). Even so I am <b>loving </b>this stage! He is beginning to babble in new ways ("mamamama" | "bababa" | "dadada") and while that is super awesome, my favorite new development is definitely his ability to sit up by himself! And he loves it too, though he prefers me to sit right next to him. </div>
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<b>4. Dishwashers That Work</b></div>
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It finally happened, guys. Our dishwasher WORKS!!!! It gets hot water and drains and everything! Who is the happiest homemaker ever? Me!<br />
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<b>5. Roku</b></div>
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I can only imagine the expression you are giving the computer right now. <i>But Hannah</i>, you say, <i>didn't you <b>just </b>say that you want to use less technology?! </i>OK, yes, I did. Buuuuuuuuut that doesn't mean I am going to go all Little House on the Prairie and stop watching TV or surfing the web! It's all about moderation, right? OK, yes, so I struggle with moderation. What can I say - I'm a work in progress! Anyways, this little device is pretty cool. Since we can't pick up any local channels on our TV anyway and all we really use is Hulu, Netflix, or Amazon Instant Video, the Roku works really well for us. For Ben's sake I wish it had more by way of Sports (translation : <i><b>anything </b></i>by way of Sports) but it's still nifty not having to haul out the 'ol laptop and speakers, perched precariously on a TV Dinner tray (no way did we do that. nope. never!)</div>
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Alright, folks - thanks for checking out my blog and sorry I have been so AWOL lately. I hope you are all doing well and having a great week! </div>
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Don't forget to check out the fabulous <a href="http://www.camppatton.com/">Grace</a>!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>~ Happy Wednesday ~ </b></i></span> </div>
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Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-14133816089296295662013-08-18T13:57:00.001-04:002013-08-18T13:57:18.062-04:00WIWS (Vol. I Lost Track)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.finelinenandpurple.com/2013/08/44/what-i-wore-sunday-volume-41/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.finelinenandpurple.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/newbutton.jpg" /></a></div>
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Yesterday marked the first successful French Braid of my life. I can hear your applause from here - thank you, thank you. Did I take any pictures? No, of course not. Was I able to replicate it for mass today when it would have been more fitting? No way! Ah well, there's always next time...<br />
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We were treated by a yet another wonderful homily today (Ben says one of the top four he's ever heard) and Leo fell asleep almost immediately so despite the grim weather it's been a great day! Here's hoping you are enjoying your Sunday too :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHWY_zymIFPXh8Pc0uW8kj0TggSmfWrob9hM-uTjwAYJyC2e6jYm46l7X7RhVKsyTvJM0WY3MhNf8RutEz0IW439suUnzpiRvYD4iOtltgs8iXNWk3UnA0ixyz_4FTPWgK8mLqvgq1rJ8/s1600/1077943_698748706280_1205888034_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHWY_zymIFPXh8Pc0uW8kj0TggSmfWrob9hM-uTjwAYJyC2e6jYm46l7X7RhVKsyTvJM0WY3MhNf8RutEz0IW439suUnzpiRvYD4iOtltgs8iXNWk3UnA0ixyz_4FTPWgK8mLqvgq1rJ8/s320/1077943_698748706280_1205888034_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can almost taste the mischief</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hNUdMtWARRml2URpxTX5jfdrsiu2E1qSrLWNuB7RQpKrW4O9u3pkoEDrM0dxQiF1PiTDeTSpzhaJZWQm3TVnlsQZCzAc7m8xgobrC8qyclc4f-wX0qV23Ze0FgQD39GoOTRKAQ0hfHUm/s1600/1081056_698748771150_698047380_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hNUdMtWARRml2URpxTX5jfdrsiu2E1qSrLWNuB7RQpKrW4O9u3pkoEDrM0dxQiF1PiTDeTSpzhaJZWQm3TVnlsQZCzAc7m8xgobrC8qyclc4f-wX0qV23Ze0FgQD39GoOTRKAQ0hfHUm/s400/1081056_698748771150_698047380_n.jpg" width="167" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weirdest leg pose ever</td></tr>
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Deeeeetails </div>
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Jacket : Charlotte Russe</div>
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Shirt : TJ Maxx </div>
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Khakis : Thrift </div>
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Shoes : Zappos (?) </div>
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I need to figure out what to do with those khakis because the color is my <i><b>favorite </b></i>but the fit through the legs is too loose and has a frumpy effect. If I had mad skills like my <a href="http://timeflieswhenyourehavingbabies.blogspot.com/">sister-in-law</a> I would just take them in or hem them or do something smart. As it is, I can barely thread a needle (much less use one). Ideas?</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>~ Happy Sunday ~</b></i></span></div>
Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-73855339453391318412013-08-14T17:42:00.000-04:002013-09-10T15:58:48.861-04:00Five Favorites (Vol. 8)<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://moxiewife.com/2013/08/five-favorites-vol-24/.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdE1I4ylPELtDp0MiASGTZZvETPcYhCgvMaxdbM-cD3FdahNf8S3PqjHz6aT61vGgvVWmSJDvqgeMRCk7tw3Z-7f2MmlL4ouHyUxLU-onBI7-L8Lxd1jr1e3et_cVeWIfIGxjrTPNQfuS/s1600/five-favorites-moxie-wife-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>- 1 -<br />My Elliptical</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.building-muscle101.com/images/Eclipse_4100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.building-muscle101.com/images/Eclipse_4100.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://word-tripper.blogspot.com/2013/07/day-6.html">A few weeks ago</a> I bemoaned the fact that I couldn't quite justify a membership to Gold's Gym. On a whim I decided to post on a local give/get recycle networks that I was looking for an elliptical. I did not expect any response but a few days later I received an e-mail from an individual who was looking to get rid of her machine and only wanted $65 (this included delivery!). I was skeptical and expected it to be falling apart and basically just a piece of junk, but we decided to go for it and when it got here we were delighted to find that it was in excellent condition and working great! I really can't express how amazing it is to be able to go down in my own basement and have a solid workout that doesn't destroy my knees. Best $65 spent ever! </div>
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<b>- 2 -</b></div>
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<b>Cold Shower After Workout</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/showerhead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/showerhead.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I realize that this may strike some of you as a bizarre "favorite", but truly there are few things I love as much as a cold shower after a solid workout. It's like the adult version of jumping into a pool at the peak of summer (though admittedly not as awesome). </div>
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<b>- 3 -</b></div>
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<b> Family Visits</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUaOgIVxTIsFI1jFOuhilU7p1yvop9M0mMorqcmMh_FQVRT_Idluc80-N_yB9USWlM1Q8vuegYp-9_tstzsu6Dmy3Kv_qZ9_LJpZSL6xd5hLt-GqeFiTTUH41Rwb4C3EOHqLnwt6DzM3n/s1600/NanaLeo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUaOgIVxTIsFI1jFOuhilU7p1yvop9M0mMorqcmMh_FQVRT_Idluc80-N_yB9USWlM1Q8vuegYp-9_tstzsu6Dmy3Kv_qZ9_LJpZSL6xd5hLt-GqeFiTTUH41Rwb4C3EOHqLnwt6DzM3n/s320/NanaLeo.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nana and Leo (AKA The Wiggleworm)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HonCw_rAC3tnJmL0KlFryerAJlLLIcZg0Ge79rmdOENreEnyIgjNWYqiTWGxCPOg0l0QBVE3tXHb5yzJMqjd11l7G3emSw50L9QwKvCFrRV0mOLB2BvonhPDjgY9r-LQhz5IxjQmjNwJ/s1600/NanaLeoKisses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HonCw_rAC3tnJmL0KlFryerAJlLLIcZg0Ge79rmdOENreEnyIgjNWYqiTWGxCPOg0l0QBVE3tXHb5yzJMqjd11l7G3emSw50L9QwKvCFrRV0mOLB2BvonhPDjgY9r-LQhz5IxjQmjNwJ/s320/NanaLeoKisses.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kisses for Nana</td></tr>
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Visits from family are the best, aren't they? My mom came down for a few days just last weekend and while no visit is truly long enough, it was awesome to grab some time together! Leo definitely enjoyed the extra attention and getting to love on his Nana :)</div>
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<b>- 4 -</b></div>
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<b>Leo Giggles</b></div>
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I'm sure this goes without saying after watching that video, but I would do just about anything to hear that little boy's laughter.<b> </b>That being said, I cannot believe I posted that and allowed you to hear my unbelievably annoying voice semi-yelling recipes. Motherhood.......</div>
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<b>- 5 -</b></div>
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<b>Fresh Peaches</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.timesfreepress.com/img/photos/2013/07/02/wbfyi_070413h_cs_peaches_story_t618.jpg?ba5b5b122dd3d37cc13d83e92a6a0ec0d5bfa32a" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://media.timesfreepress.com/img/photos/2013/07/02/wbfyi_070413h_cs_peaches_story_t618.jpg?ba5b5b122dd3d37cc13d83e92a6a0ec0d5bfa32a" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>DELISH!</i></td></tr>
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So I just got back from an awesome afternoon visiting and thrift store shopping (!!!) with a good friend of mine in Leesburg and what does my husband have waiting for me? <b>FRESH PEACHES! </b>I am not talking about grocery store peaches, folks. I mean those melt-in-your-mouth peaches that must've grown on trees in Heaven and fell to Virginia! Time to go eat some more!</div>
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Make sure you check out the amazing <a href="http://moxiewife.com/2013/08/five-favorites-vol-24/.html">Hallie</a>!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>~ Happy Wednesday ~</b></i></span></div>
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Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-3746995503917058942013-08-11T14:30:00.003-04:002013-08-11T14:30:44.424-04:00WIWS : Teething EditionWell the weekend is finally coming to a close and that means <a href="http://www.finelinenandpurple.com/category/what-i-wore-sunday/">What I Wore Sunday</a>! Make sure you head over and check out the fabulous <a href="http://www.finelinenandpurple.com/category/what-i-wore-sunday/">Kendra and Emily!</a> <br />
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The past several days have been interesting to say the least. There have been some major highlights (e.g. visit from my mom!) and some major... lowlights? I am referring to Leo and his teething crisis. Little man has been in a lot of pain lately and it's affected his sleep/nap schedule and life in general. Normally we go to the 10:30 AM mass on Sundays because it tends to fit the best with his wake up time and naps. But Leo has been waking up earlier this week so that meant that naptime came early and we weren't about to mess that up by getting him dressed up and into the carseat. I was fairly disappointed because the priest who says mass at 10:30 AM is an awesome preacher and I'll be honest, going to a later mass just throws off my Sunday groove. That and oh yeah, the 12:30 PM mass is Latin Low Mass, which I can't follow because I nospeakadalatin! My consolation was that Leo would get a good nap in and be in a great mood for mass. WRONG!!! Apparently the Tylenol just didn't help enough because my sweet little boy woke up sad/angry, impossible to please, and clingy! But Leo is indeed a sweet little boy and while he wasn't angelic during mass he did not scream and his fussing was totally manageable, albeit out-of-pew-worthy. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5zK37agS9-eGJUrcWFN_Y-USpyWXsVlqQgsKRDZWNEgXBal2oXzcFucEBSXG38Eyazs68j7MZD59qUTBy-MijGcN2eM5CKeQ_YARIq04DyV_6WghYArv8w3C05KAPJmf079-eGE4PYua0/s1600/photo.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5zK37agS9-eGJUrcWFN_Y-USpyWXsVlqQgsKRDZWNEgXBal2oXzcFucEBSXG38Eyazs68j7MZD59qUTBy-MijGcN2eM5CKeQ_YARIq04DyV_6WghYArv8w3C05KAPJmf079-eGE4PYua0/s320/photo.JPG" width="175" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My poor 'lil teether</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Details --<br />
Skirt : Macy's<br />
Shoes : Target (seriously, I need a new pair)<br />
Shirt : Forever21 <br />
Scarf : Forever21<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>~ Happy Sunday ~</b></i></span></div>
Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-16704850556486335262013-08-10T16:59:00.000-04:002013-08-10T16:59:29.834-04:00Barefoot in the Kitchen (Vol. 2)<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Welcome to the second post of Barefoot in the Kitchen!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Quick Reminder</b> : If you feel like joining in then please go ahead
and click the bottom at the bottom of the post, add your link, and don't forget to post a link back here in your post! If you don't have anything ready today then no worries - you have all the way until the following Monday to take part! There
are no recipe restrictions so whether you made the most amazing dessert
anyone ever tasted or one of the worst flops of a side dish that has
come into existence I would love to hear about it! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This past week I decided to bake one of my all-time favorite foods - Beer Bread!
If you have never had beer bread before then I am sorry because you and
your taste buds have been missing out majorly! Bread is already one of
my favorite consumables and honestly I would bake it fresh every day if
it did not take so much time and effort. But therein lies the absolute
beauty of this particular baked good - it takes very little effort and
almost no time but manages to taste delicious anyway. Not too shabby,
eh? </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Now
there are a lot of great recipes for beer bread out there and I am not
going to sit here and tell you that this is the best one. This
particular recipe uses brown sugar where others use honey as well as a
combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour. I opted for a recipe
with brown sugar because I think it is typically easier to measure and
handle than honey and I prefer the texture and sense of substance this
beer bread has due to the combination of flours. Anyways, on to the
recipe! </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>Basic Beer Bread</u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Prep Time :</b> 10 minutes</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Cook Time :</b> 50 minutes</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Servings :</b> 1 Loaf (i.e. about 2 servings for my husband and me)</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Ingredients : </b>
</div>
<ul>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
4 ½ teaspoons baking powder</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 ½ teaspoons salt</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1/3 cup packed brown sugar</div>
</li>
<li>1 (12 fl. oz) can or bottle of
beer </li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
4 - 6 tablespoons butter<br />
<br /></div>
</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLF8d_Mp9HQUdbG0DJ-9HE8icX2cBti-kWhPjfjN6jhoB2g-t2-4iRLQ5HvYA8b4cj4W5uMJmiPB_a1XGNhdXbr4eDnUxZ6Lkarm4u6X5Ln-4ZdsUiWDOV2PH3I_cDnP8odT7hH66-CbIN/s1600/IMG_0001.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLF8d_Mp9HQUdbG0DJ-9HE8icX2cBti-kWhPjfjN6jhoB2g-t2-4iRLQ5HvYA8b4cj4W5uMJmiPB_a1XGNhdXbr4eDnUxZ6Lkarm4u6X5Ln-4ZdsUiWDOV2PH3I_cDnP8odT7hH66-CbIN/s320/IMG_0001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remember that the flavor of the beer <b>can</b> affect the flavor of the bread</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Step 1.</b> Preheat oven to 350 degrees
F. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan. For ease of removal I place a small
slip of parchment/wax paper in the bottom of the pan.<br />
<br />
<b>Step 2. </b>In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqACZbGc2gsTnRYQHbn5sm6JxpCRQ2ZagWMu1ZWGMcfDrT06PMogQQ4J_gusvKX-EhjwVS6iz0ZiYKDXOEcucXh8c9q4Xk3e2IS9DShgk2QH8wK6_67jvsusy5fQyFun1LInkp0aJVHKNn/s1600/IMG_0002.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqACZbGc2gsTnRYQHbn5sm6JxpCRQ2ZagWMu1ZWGMcfDrT06PMogQQ4J_gusvKX-EhjwVS6iz0ZiYKDXOEcucXh8c9q4Xk3e2IS9DShgk2QH8wK6_67jvsusy5fQyFun1LInkp0aJVHKNn/s320/IMG_0002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Step 3. </b>Pour
in beer and stir until a stiff batter is formed. Make sure to mix well
so that your brown sugar does not clump up and the baking powder is
thoroughly mixed in. Scrape into prepared loaf pan.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrb_LHiMrtgH8guwvhEqA6nw-Tw07AiVwzZz8Fms0PGDYgEtRzfKe__RBWJeW1x9ygx92KgwRKbw-TFvZGP4daVnpx138SrzpBKCnW5i6l0AonRbbAb6SDMrPfmRNssCFS0dE1-Roq9mZ/s1600/IMG_0003.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrb_LHiMrtgH8guwvhEqA6nw-Tw07AiVwzZz8Fms0PGDYgEtRzfKe__RBWJeW1x9ygx92KgwRKbw-TFvZGP4daVnpx138SrzpBKCnW5i6l0AonRbbAb6SDMrPfmRNssCFS0dE1-Roq9mZ/s320/IMG_0003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Step 4. </b>For
a delicious buttery crust melt butter in microwave and pour over
batter. Move the pan around a little for equal dispersion; you can also
use a fork to poke holes in the dough if you want more than just a
buttery crust. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQINL3RVH7LTiXHxGHDoWnpbC5oY1Up62LRRrr8QRzCuvsUbLoKeye9BEUrlHdB6bCgvsNmSlJyCRiAtl0qAKskT5LBGjhwnSZKMbhYA-d4qguQY1o914WMZ-A_9kBQ2jXT4sOSkfTmI0/s1600/IMG_0004.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQINL3RVH7LTiXHxGHDoWnpbC5oY1Up62LRRrr8QRzCuvsUbLoKeye9BEUrlHdB6bCgvsNmSlJyCRiAtl0qAKskT5LBGjhwnSZKMbhYA-d4qguQY1o914WMZ-A_9kBQ2jXT4sOSkfTmI0/s320/IMG_0004.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You know what this could use? MORE CALORIES!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Step 5. </b>Bake in preheated oven for
50 - 60 minutes (you want to be able to insert a toothpick into the
center of the loaf and come out clean) <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuB-LO9ixF8eRVG6KqrqxGBwMHrH_HzzwNX9m7FmwDbieuy9E8uGg2XC14eyk7cZD4Mp8BHee-SniOuJ1x-7usuLRYs3-JTnorquoXMpwFowDWhlIWlqN_pqM1SP1I5J3ktd7oJ0D33v0E/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuB-LO9ixF8eRVG6KqrqxGBwMHrH_HzzwNX9m7FmwDbieuy9E8uGg2XC14eyk7cZD4Mp8BHee-SniOuJ1x-7usuLRYs3-JTnorquoXMpwFowDWhlIWlqN_pqM1SP1I5J3ktd7oJ0D33v0E/s320/IMG_0005.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not bad, eh?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Verdict : </b>SUCCESS!!!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">~ Happy Monday ~ </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6492468326441641528.post-28337110620344622772013-08-10T16:23:00.002-04:002013-08-10T16:58:27.720-04:00Barefoot in the Kitchen (Vol. 6)It's been <a href="http://word-tripper.blogspot.com/2013/06/barefoot-in-kitchen-vol-5.html">awhile</a> since I posted a new recipe and it's hard to know where to begin because I have tried out a fair few new ones! Most of them have been pretty good and only one or two have landed in the "<a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-ground-beef-barbecue/">Not to be Repeated</a>" category. The recipe I'm going to share today is great for lunch or dinner, depending on what you want to do with sides and/or dessert.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>Chicken Pesto Sandwiches</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://assets.kaboose.com/media/00/00/1c/1e/385f6cd9d64b2a8f5e1c2be751c3adb5d6084ec0/476x357/turkey-sandwich-pesto-recipe-photo-475x357-wkalen-199_476x357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://assets.kaboose.com/media/00/00/1c/1e/385f6cd9d64b2a8f5e1c2be751c3adb5d6084ec0/476x357/turkey-sandwich-pesto-recipe-photo-475x357-wkalen-199_476x357.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Prep Time :</b> 10 - 15 minutes</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Cook Time :</b> Chicken --> 30 - 40 minutes<br />
Sandwiches --> 5 - 10 minutes</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Servings :</b> 6</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Ingredients : </b></div>
<ul>
<li>2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts* (Shredded**)</li>
<li>8 oz prepared <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Simple-Garlic-and-Basil-Pesto/Detail.aspx?evt19=1">Pesto</a> (I used a full jar from the store)</li>
<li>8 oz thinly sliced Mozzarella cheese (tip: egg slicers are great for this)</li>
<li>12 slices of your choice of Bread </li>
<li>12 oz jar Roasted Sweet Red Peppers (did not try this but it sounds amazing!)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>*</b>Boneless skinless chicken thighs work as well. Some versions of this recipe </span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> <b>**</b>I chose to shred the chicken because I felt that it was able to soak up the pesto much better that way. Other recipes call for flattening and grilling the chicken so it comes down to your preference. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Step 1. </b>Bake chicken at 350 for approximately 30 - 40 minutes or until juices run clear</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<b>Step 2. </b>Shred chicken and then add pesto</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<b>Step 3. </b>Place mozzarella cheese, chicken pesto, and red peppers (optional) on buttered bread and cook as you would a grilled cheese sandwich. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Verdict : SUCCESS! </b>I have made the simplest version of this recipe several times now and
really loved it, but at some point I like the idea of adding some more
flavor in there. Other recipes I have seen have used lettuce, tomato, and other toppings. I'm sure you could use a different cheese if you wanted. I really want to make this on a Friday at some point and substitute tuna for chicken!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>I'm always looking for new recipes so please feel free to share yours! </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>~ Happy Friday ~</i></span> </b> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07599322525130132092noreply@blogger.com0