advent.calendar

Last week, Simple Mom posted this super-easy-absolutely-perfect-for-my-family advent calendar.  Last year, I had some grandiose ideas about sewing one, but that is just not happening this decade.  This one took probably, at most, an hour from start to finish.  My kind of project! 

{I'll apologize in advance for the dark pics...I took them last night.}

So, I took Simple Mom's lead and headed to JoAnn's.  I had tags in hand and was looking for that perfect number paper, which I could not find.  Then, I stumbled across this mambiKit in the scrapbooking section.  Originally $10, but 40% off that day...so it ended up only being $6 for the tags and numbers.  Love it.

I already had the clothespins {dollar store...36 for $1}.  The ribbon was already in my stash as well.  I cut sticky notes for the daily activities.  I altered their design and didn't use all of the pieces in the kit, but I loved how all I had to do was fold the tags and stick on the numbers!  I loved the patterns in the kit, too!

1. mini-Christmas brunch with my aunt/mom/sister
2. make paper snowflakes
3. drink hot cocoa
4. decorate the Christmas tree
5. watch A Charlie Brown Christmas
6. have dinner with some new friends {Josh's college roomie will be in town and our kids have never met}
7. make gingerbread houses at a local kitchen shop
8. bake cookies
9. watch Frosty the Snowman
10. attend a local Christmas event
11. put stamps on Christmas cards
12. take a walk in the snow
13. color Christmas cards for the neighbors
14. go ice skating
15. build a snowman
16. attend a local Christmas production about Jesus' birth
17. drive around and look at Christmas lights
18. take Christmas treats to the neighbors
19. open a gift {Christmas jammies!}
20. make popcorn and watch Elf
21. family game day
22. spend the night at Grandma's
23. eat a cookie before breakfast
24. celebrate Christmas with family
25. celebrate the birth of Jesus {read the nativity story}

Since I put these on sticky notes, they should be easy to switch up if it we get a good snow on one particular day, so we can build a snowman or take a snow walk that day. 

We've never done the advent calendar before, but I'm just sure my kiddos are going to eat it up!  They were so excited after I put it up last night.

I would love to hear other ideas that you all do with your kids!

8.months

Oh, hello.  You're still reading my blog?  Well then, it's nice to talk to you again!  I know, I know.  It's been a while!

We had a bit of an internet failure in our home for 9 days straight.  The whole ordeal was bittersweet.  But, alas, we're back online.  

So, during our internet-outage, my sweet baby girl turned 8 months old.  All I can say is wow.  She is one of THE sweetest babies I have ever met!  {And I promise that I'm not just being her mom here.  It's the truth.}  

8 months:

• she can almost crawl {Josh tells me that she can actually crawl, but I have yet to see it}
• she loves to say dadadadadadada in the sweetest, softest voice
• she doesn't spit up nearly as much as she used to  {side note: I told Josh a couple of weeks ago that I knew Olivia wasn't spitting up as much because I wasn't doing laundry simply because I needed more burp cloths.  Now I'm doing laundry for another reason...}
• she poops through her clothes, straight up her back nearly every.single.day. {today it was twice, which helps make up for the occasional day or two that she misses}
• she's eating baby food a few times a day.  So far she likes mixed fruit, mashed potatoes, yogurt, rice cereal, squash.  She gags on carrots, peas and carrots, applesauce {seriously?}, and beets {can't say I blame her}.
• she has the cutest little chubby thighs that I've seen and they look extra cute in her little striped baby legs {leg warmers}...see picture above.
• she has 2 little teeth on the bottom, and we just noticed that two more are coming through on the top.
• I nursed her for the last time a couple of weeks ago.  I didn't mark the date on my calendar because I'm trying not to be sentimental about it.  I actually didn't even necessarily plan on it being the last time, I just didn't nurse her again after that morning.  
• she sleeps about 11 hours at night.  {I had forgotten how much better life is with plenty of sleep.  Thank you, my child.}
• she can sit herself up after being on her tummy.
• every.single.time she is lying on her back after her diaper change, she kicks her feet really hard.  I say, "Go! Go! Go! Kick! Kick! Kick!"  And she kicks and kicks and smiles. :)
• I'm her favorite person in the whole wide world.  Who knew?!
• she is quite possibly more loved than any baby on the planet.  

The excitement of having a new baby in our home has only worn off slightly.  For Meredith, I actually think the excitement has increased.  All of the girls love Olivia, but Meredith simply cannot get enough of her!  When I say that she sits and plays with her for an hour or two a day, she really does!  Sometimes we have to tell Meredith to give Olivia a little break!

Olivia,

We love, love, love you so very much!  You are absolutely precious, and we are so blessed to have you as part of our family.  We love watching you do more and more each day, and while we don't wish away your baby days, we can't wait to see you running around with your sisters.  You bring us so much joy!

so.tired

Sometimes it takes waaaaay too much energy to walk all the way back to your bed to finish your nap after running errands.

best ever corn bake

One more quick recipe since we ate it tonight, and it's still on my mind!  This corn bake is the best.  That's why it's appropriately called, "Best Ever Corn Bake"...cause it is.  It's so good and so easy {my favorite kind of recipe}. 

We make it with Mexican food all the time, and I'm pretty sure that it's restaurant quality.  Oh, and it only costs about $1 for an entire pan!  You're welcome.

Best Ever Corn Bake
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix {or the Aldi brand :)}
1 can creamed corn
1 stick melted butter
pinch of sugar {optional}

Mix all ingredients and bake in a greased loaf pan at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes.
{It should be golden on the outside, cracked on top, and a bit mushy on the inside.  At least that's how we do it.}

homemade.spicy.mac.n.cheese

I must admit that I'm not a huge mac-n-cheese fan.  I consider it just ok.  And I had actually never even made it until this past summer.  It's a staple at Josh's extended family gatherings, so after finding a non-noodle-boiling recipe, I decided to give it a try.   

My recipe came from a recipe swap that I participated in long ago. The first time I made the actual recipe, the only thing that I loved about it was how easy it was.  Josh and I agreed that it was a little bland and needed a little somethin' somethin'. 

We both are HUGE fans of pepper jack cheese, so it only makes sense that it would be awesome in a bland mac-n-cheese recipe.  It definitely did the trick.  Ever since I was pregnant with Amelia, I've become a bit of a spicy-foods fan.  Weird, I know.

So...drum roll, please.  Here is my recipe:
Spicy. Easy. Yummy. Mac-n-Cheese
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz. pepper jack cheese
5 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Layer macaroni, butter, and cheeses in the order given in a 9x13 dish.  Pour milk over the top layer.  Bake for 1 hour.

Notes:
-A bread crumb/butter topping on this would be just lovely.  Confession: I'm just a bit too lazy busy to put one on.
-You can use any "other" type of cheese in this to compliment the pepper jack.  I just use 8 ounces of whatever I have on hand/want to use up. 
-When I take it to a carry-in, I usually cut the pepper jack to 4 or 6 ounces so that it isn't too spicy for unsuspecting takers. :)
-I cut the recipe in 1/2, and bake it in a 9x9, if I'm making it for just my family.

the.contents

Contents of a purse carried by a 3 year old:

1 pair of sunglasses {they're all the rage for preschoolers these days...daahhhrling}
1 dead/old cell phone {for calling her pretend peeps...she loves to pick it up and say "Yo!"...just like Daddy}
"My A Rhyme" book made at co-op {of course she's keeping the letter A}
"Happy Birthday" cut out {you never know when it's going to be someone's birthday and you've completely dropped the "card" ball...at least she'll have something to give}
1 random apple shape from a Sunday school lesson {Amelia, why do you have the apple in your purse? "Um, I don't know." Hence the term random.}

november.2011.menu.plan

November 1-5
11/1: pancakes
11/2: beef stew {crockpot}
11/3: spaghetti
11/4: no cooking
11/5: leftovers

November 6-12
11/6: cinnamon french toast {crockpot/new}
11/7: frozen pizza
11/8: fiesta chicken burritos {crockpot}
11/9: bfd {breakfast for dinner}
11/10: chicken patty sandwiches
11/11: maple roasted chicken w/ sweet potatoes
11/12: smoked pork shoulder

November 13-19
11/13: baked potato soup
11/14: roast {crockpot}
11/15: bbq chicken sandwiches
11/16: tacos
11/17: janet's chicken and noodles
11/18: sloppy joes
11/19: stir fry

November 20-26
11/20: sausage cream cheese dip {crockpot}
11/21: homemade pizza
11/22: chili
11/23: breakfast casserole
11/24: Thanksgiving :)
11/25: Thanksgiving :)
11/26: corn dogs

November 27-30
11/27: deer steaks
11/28: rosemary pork
11/29: homemade calzones
11/30: fajitas