Pregnancy Week 30

What a week! I feel like my plan to get a little done each day may have worked, I have made 5 pounds of potatoes into pierogies, 2 lasagna for Christmas, and started baking my Christmas cookies. My girlfriend Leslie came to visit and helped my finish the last of my baking so I really only have wrapping and last minute things for this weekend.  I also had a Doctor's appointment, it went OK  but my blood pressure was high! Could it be the holidays?

Merry Christmas
Pregnancy Week 30

Who: Me and my head of cabbage.

What: Check out my festive holiday outfit and baby belly!

Where: Week 30

When: Dec 21, 2012

Why: Only 10 more weeks of photos! I want to capture of week  of it.

Pregnancy Week 29

As usual in December this has been a full week. I was working hard on getting the holiday decorations up in the house in addition to getting Joe's Christmas photo done. In addition Joe and I hit Bass Pro Shop a couple times this week to see Santa!

Pregnancy Week 29

Who: Me and my butternut squash.
What: Enjoying the warm December weather, it won't be fun to do these pictures in the freezing snow!
Where: Week 29
When: Dec 14, 2012
Why: Can you believe I still have more holiday sweaters?

Pregnancy Week 28

We have officially entered my favorite time of the year. This means Christmas shopping, baking cookies, decorating,  and entertaining family and friends. I will admit I am a little more tired than usual but I am trying to do a little each day so that I can enjoy December! We have our Christmas tree, and I can't wait to get it decorated!

Pregnancy Week 28

Christine Family Tree

Who: Me and my Chinese cabbage (whatever that is)!

What: Getting into the Christmas Spirit- just look at that tree!

Where: Week 28

When: Dec 7, 2012

Why: Just check out the holiday sweater! And the baby belly! And the tree! So much stuff.

Pregnancy Week 27

It has been another great week. My ultra sound and glucose test went well, and baby and I are right on schedule. It is hard to believe that we will start counting down to Christmas tomorrow. I am looking forward to enjoying all of the holiday treats and sweets guilt free because of my pregnancy!

Pregnancy Week 27

Who: Me and my head of cauliflower.

What: Check out that holiday sweater- are those pockets? Or Mittens?

Where: Week 27

When: Nov 30, 2012

Why: I want everyone to get a taste of my holiday sweaters and maybe check out my growing belly!

Christmas Chandelier

After spending countless hours looking at Pinterest, I was finally inspired to actually try and create one of the many things that I found.

So here it is:

I went to AC Moore and bought a 18 inch wreath for 2.99 and a roll of garland for 2.99. I went to the Dollar Tree and bought 3 packs of ornaments on a string and 2 rolls of ribbon. So, I was able to create this masterpiece for under $12. I originally bought all of my supplies at the Dollar Tree but the garland and wreath were not full enough to give me the Holiday Cheer I was looking for!

So there it is my first Pinterest holiday decoration. What do you think?

Pregnancy Week 26

Black Friday! This is the beginning of the best time of the year! Holiday movies, shopping, gift giving, cookies, family, Santa, and the list goes on and on! I was out at 3:30 a.m. to kick-off my holiday shopping! I got some great deals and then met Jason, Joe, and his mom for lunch!  What a great day! In addition I have two appointments this week so I will get to see and her my new baby boy! I have my glucose test and an ultra sound!

Pregnancy Week 26

Who: Me and my cucumber

What: This is the beginning of holiday sweater season! Red Snowflakes this week!

Where: Week 26

When: Nov 23, 2012

Why: Who doesn't love looking at a pregnant women in a holiday sweater?

Pregnancy Week 25

I can't believe it is almost Thanksgiving! This year is going so quick, not to mention how fast this pregnancy is going. We are celebrating my nephew Declan's 1st birthday this weekend, and going to Dutch Wonderland to ride the rides and look at the holiday lights. On Thanksgiving day Jason, Joe, Larry (my father in law), and I ran/walked the Turkey Trot in New Cumberland. My goal was to run at least 1 mile but I made it almost 2 miles:) My time was 41:38 with a mile pace of 13:26, not bad for 25 week pregnant! After that I was able to enjoy a fabulous turkey dinner and lots of pie, with no guilt! 

Pregnancy Week 25

Who: Me and my little rutabaga- one of my favorite on Thanksgiving! 

What: Just about Turkey Time!

Where: Week 25

When: When Nov 16, 2012

Why: Beautiful day, what will I do when it gets cold?

Light Cheesy Broccoli-Pasta Bake

This is one of the recipes I found when I first started weight watchers. It is one of my favorite, easy to make and delicious.


Ingredients:
1/2 lb. medium pasta (ziti) I use whole wheat
8 c. fresh broccoli florets
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 2/3 c. fat free milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. shredded fat-free cheddar cheese

Ready to add cheese and bake

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
2- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook 5 minutes. Add broccoli and cook, stirring occasionally  until the pasta and broccoli are tender, 3-4 minutes. Drain; return to pasta and broccoli to the pot.
3- While the pasta and broccoli are cooking, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and mustard; cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk and salt. Increase the heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce boils and thickens, 3-4 minutes.
4- Add the sauce to the pasta and broccoli; stir to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle evenly with the cheese. Bake until bubbling, about 25 minutes.

After Baking!

Let me know what you think of the recipe!

Pregnancy Week 24

I hate to even type this but this week was ruff  I have been nursing a cold all week:( With no relief after a week, I went to the doctors and I have a sinus infection. The good news is I got some medicine so I hope to start feeling better in the next few days, but it was a long week. Especially  as I try to organize the basement and get our spare room ready for Joe, as it will become his big boy room soon after Christmas. If only I had a maid , nanny, and another few hours a day!

Pregnancy Week 24

Who: Me and my little ear of corn! My how good some sweet corn on the cob would taste!
What: Beautiful Fall day, it is almost 60 degrees out here!
Where: Week 24
When: Nov 9, 2012
Why: I started this picture taking project and I want to finish it! Only 16  more pictures to take!

Pregnancy Week 23

IT'S A BOY! Finally, we know our newest addition will be a baby boy! I am so excited to have two little boys so close in age, or at least I think it will be fun! I might be crazy in a few years. We had our gender reveal party on Oct, 28 and it was a blast. I will soon create a post with all of the pictures and games from the party! I can finally say I was right and Jason was wrong, he really thought we would be welcoming a baby girl this Spring! Mother's intuition is always right:) Having a great week celebrating our new baby boy!

It's a boy!

Joe loves the blue balloon!

Who: Me and my TWO boys! One is 19 months and one is the size of a mango this week.

What: Gender Reveal

Where: Week 23

When: Nov 2, 2012

Why: We all wanted to know the new baby's gender! And see how big my belly is getting:)

Light Pizza Dish! Touchdown Casserole!

I found this recipe when I first started Weight Watchers, and it has been a favorite in our house since we first tried it. I think your family will also enjoy this recipe!

Touchdown Casserole

Prep 20 minutes
Cook 1 hour 10 minutes


Ingredients:
Bag of Whole-Wheat Egg Noodles ( I use whatever noodles I have on hand)
1 (10oz) package of mushrooms, sliced ( I buy a small pre-sliced can)
1 large orange bell pepper, cut into slices
1 onion chopped
1/2 lb extra lean ground beef
11/2 cups reduced fate spaghetti sauce
1 (10 3/4 oz) can reduced-fat condensed cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
1 (3 1/2 oz) package of turkey pepperoni
1/4 lb. olives, pitted and sliced
2 tablespoons reduced-fat grated Parmesan cheese

1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2-qt baking dish with nonstick spray. Cook noodles as directed. Rinse and drain.

2-Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray. Cook the next 3 ingredients over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Add the beef and cook until browned. Add the spaghetti sauce, soup, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, and the noodles. Spoon into the baking dish.

3-Bake until hot, about 40 minutes. Top with remaining cheddar and remaining ingredient. Bake for 5 minutes longer.

Serving Size 1 cup

Touchdown Casserole

Pregnancy Week 22

This is the week we have all been waiting for! I had my ultra sound and baby looked great. Jason and I decided to wait until our gender reveal party to find out the sex of the baby, so we just had the nurse write the sex in a sealed envelop! The baby was really shy, kept their arm over their face for most of the ultra sound. I had my OBGYN appointment later in the week and the Doctor thought the baby looked great. There is small concern about how low my placenta is, so I will go back for another ultra sound at the end of November. The baby heartbeat was 146, this week.

I have been feeling great and can't believe how quickly this pregnancy is going!

Week 22

Who: Me (Zookeeper), Joe (Monkey), and new baby (Spaghetti Squash)!

What: Happy Halloween!

Where: Week 22

When: Oct 26, 2012

Why: It's Halloween, don't you want to see our costumes! Although, not one person guessed what I was!

Pregnancy Week 21

Things are going well this week! I can't believe I only have 19 weeks till my baby gets here. I need to start thinking about getting Joe's new room ready and preparing the nursery for a new baby. I am feeling good and excited for the newest addition to our family.

Week 21

Who: Me, my new little carrot, and my big boy Joe!
What: Enjoying the Fall weather.
Where: Week 21
When: Oct 19,2012
Why: Why wouldn't you take a picture on a beautiful day like this?

Halloween Brownie Cupcakes!

This is  really difficult recipe and is only for those of you that can make a box of brownies! I needed to make some brownies to take to an outdoor event and decided to make them in cupcake wrappers, for easy transport and serving.

Ingredients:
Box Favorite Brownie Mix
Halloween Candy
Cupcake Wrappers

Directions:
Make brownies as directed on the box (use an extra egg if you want a cake-like brownie). Pour brownie mix into cupcake wrapper fill 1/4-1/2 of the wrapper. Then bake at directed temperature for 15-20 minutes. The use of the extra egg will increase the cooking time closer to 20 minutes, if you make as directed it is closer to 15 minutes. Brownies are done when a toothpick inserted into middle of brownie come out clean.

As soon as brownies come out of the oven add Halloween candy to the top of each brownie cupcake.

Let cool and serve!

Pregnancy Week 20

This week is much better than last week! I am getting over my cold and feeling great. Also we are halfway through the pregnancy! I just can't believe how quickly this is going. We have 2 more weeks until the ultrasound and we discover the sex of our new baby!

Week 20

Who: This is me and my baby banana! Joe is going to be a monkey for Halloween!
What: Half-Way There!!!
Where:Week 20
When: Oct 12, 2012
Why: Only 20 more weeks of pictures! Thanks for taking these Daddy!

Pumpkin Brownies

Pumpkin Brownies

I made these for my MOPS group a few weeks ago and they were a nice change from a traditional brownie. My husband and friends also tried some of the leftovers and were surprisingly pleased with how they turned out. I did not fully soften my cream cheese so my brownies are not as pretty as they could have been but they still tasted great!

Pumpkin Brownies 

Filling:
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened (make sure to soften)
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Brownies:
1 box brownie mix

Step 1:
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom only of 9 x 13inch  pan with shortening or cooking spray. In small bowl, beat all filling ingredients with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Set aside.

Step 2:
Make brownie batter as directed on box.  Spread 3/4 of the batter in pan. Spoon filling by tablespoonfuls evenly over batter. Spoon remaining brownie batter over filling. Cut through batter several times with knife for marbled design.

Step 3:
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted 1 inch from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely.  Store covered in refrigerator.

Pumpkin Brownies

Pregnancy Week 19

This week has been a little ruff, Joe gave me the cold he has had for the last week. So I have been feeling a little under the weather, I try not to any medicine during pregnancy so you could say I am MISERABLE! I am hoping to be feeling better next week! Other than this cold I have been nursing, things have been going well. Also, we are one week closer to see our baby at the ultra sound:)

Week 19

Who: Me and my heirloom tomato! I hope no one throws a tomato at me!
What: We have our first cold and no on is happy about that.
Where: Week 19
When: Oct 5, 2012
Why: We are almost half way there, wouldn't you want to document that?

Pumpkin Patch

Our family hit the pumpkin patch a few weeks ago and here are a few shots I got while we choose our great pumpkin!

Mom's Favorite Picture!

Who is in that pumpkin?

Great Pumpkin!

Breakfast Sausage Bake

This is a super easy breakfast/brunch casserole that my sister-in-law introduced me to. It is super easy to make and tastes great!

Beth's Sausage Bake

Ingredients:
1 pound of sausage
2 cups of shredded cheese ( cheddar)
1 can of crescent dinner rolls (8oz)
4 large eggs beaten (I should have beaten my eggs longer!)

3/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Ready to Bake!

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425F. Crumble and cook sausage in skillet over medium heat until browned. Drain sausage. Line bottom of greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish with crescent roll dough, firmly pressing perforations to seal. Sprinkle with sausage and cheese. Combine remaining ingredients in medium bowl until blended, pour over sausage. Bake 15 minutes or until set. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into squares; serve hot.

Ready to Eat!

Let me know what you think of this dish. I really love how easy and delicious it is. I use my Pyrex carrier to take this dish to events!

Pregnancy Week 18

Things continue to go well this week! I am happy to report I feel great. I am craving all sorts of sweets and could eat a half gallon of ice cream on my own but is that something to complain about. We are very excited to have scheduled our anatomy scan at the end of the month! I can wait to see my baby and make sure everything is going well, in addition to finding out what this new addition will be!BOY? GIRL?

Week 18

Who: Me & My little Bell Pepper! Although, I don't know if bell pepper will agree with me!!

What: We had our OBGYN appointment today. The baby's heartbeat is 150 bpm!

Where: Week 18

When: Sept 28,2012

Why: I probably won't be able to wear this dress much longer!

First Baby Purchase!

I have officially made my first big purchase for my second baby. It is very similar to the first purchase I made for Joseph. I bought a Bob Revolution SE Duallie, this is not a purchase I would recommend for every person but if you are a runner it is  a must. Although, I will take a minute to rave about my Bob Revolution SE, that was the first big purchase I made for Joseph and I must say it was one of the best things I bought. I am a runner and this stroller was absolutely amazing. In addition this stroller was fabulous for any off-road experiences that we took the baby on. The stroller was easy to use, fold, and store. 

All I can say is that if you are looking for a great stroller for an active lifestyle this is the one to get. I got both of my strollers on Craigslist, they are not cheap! 

Light Texas-Style Meatloaf

Light Texas-Style Meatloaf

I add some extra cheese on top!

Ingredients:  Makes 6 servings (6 slices)

3/4 lb.		ground lean beef
3/4  lb.		ground lean turkey
3/4  cup		prepared salsa
1		egg white
2  tsp.		ancho chile powder
2  tsp.		ground cumin
1  tsp.		dried oregano
1/4  tsp.		salt
1  cup		shredded fat-free Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

1- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 4x8-inch loaf pan with canola oil nonstick spray.

2-Combine the beef, pork, 1/4 cup of the salsa, the egg white, ancho chile powder, cumin, oregano, and salt in large bowl, mixing just until blended. Pack half of the mixture into the loaf pan. sprinkle with cheese, leaving 1/2 inch border all around. Top with remaining meat mixture. Spread the remaining 1/4 cup of salsa over the meat. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of the meatloaf registers 160 degree F, 65-70 minutes.

3-Transfer meatloaf to cutting board and let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 6 slices. 

Ready to eat! 

Pregnancy Week 17

Wow! I feel like this pregnancy is flying bye. I probably won't be saying that in a few months but with work and a toddler, I can't believe we are almost half way! This week has been a great one! I can tell you Fall is in the air which is giving me cravings for pumpkin everything. I just made a great pumpkin brownie recipe that I will have to share soon. 

Week 17

Who: Me and my little turnip! I wish the baby was pumpkin sized this week!
What: We just got back from the pumpkin patch!! Baby's first hayride!
Where: Week 17
When: Sept 21, 2012
Why: What could be more fun then making my hubby take my picture every week?

Pregnancy Week 16

What a crazy busy week! I am actually late in getting this post up, but as they say better late than never! I have been working tons of soccer games, so maybe this baby has a future as a soccer player! I guess we will have to see. One thing I know for sure this baby loves peanut butter cups, I dream about peanut butter cup blizzards and sundaes! Other, than my dreams of candy I have been feeling very good.

Week 16

Who: This is my and my avocado sized baby! 

What: Busy work week! 

Where: Week 16!

When: Sept 14, 2012

Why: Wow! I have kept my goal for another week! I can't wait until my belly gets bigger!

Chicken Fried Rice

This is one of my favorite recipes. It does take a few minutes to get all the ingredients ready for the recipe but it is well worth the work. I got this recipe from a friend when I first started weight watchers and I am still using it years later.

Ingredients:

2 servings of cooking spray
4 large egg whites
1/2 cup scallions, chopped with green and white parts
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp fresh ground ginger
12 oz uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
1/2 cup carrots diced
1/2 cup celery diced

2 cups cooked brown rice, regular or instant kept hot
1/2 cup frozen green peas
3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Instructions:

• 1. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set pan over medium-high heat. Add egg whites and cook, until scrambled, stirring frequently, about 3 to 5 minutes; remove from pan and set aside.

• 2. Offheat, recoat skillet with cooking spray and place back over medium-high heat. Add scallions and garlic; saute 2 minutes. Add chicken and carrots; saute until chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes.

• 3.Stir in reserved cooked egg whites, cooked brown rice, peas and soy sauce; cook until heated through, stirring once or twice, about 1 minute. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Pregnancy Week 15

Week 15

This week has been relatively uneventful. Overall, I am feeling much better which is fabulous but I miss the reassurance that morning sickness gives you ( I know that is crazy even as I type it). I am still feeling tired and have discovered that the hormones have made me even more opinionated than I already am which is trouble for everyone that must deal with me!

Who: That is me & my belly! Can you see it!

What: This has been a great week! I dream of snickers and peanut butter cup sundaes!

Where: Week 15

When: September 7, 2012

Why: This was a beautiful day to continue documenting my pregnancy! I can't believe the Fall season is here!

Easy Crock-pot Chicken Tacos!

This recipe was so easy I can't wait to make it again! First of all I need everyone to know that I hate to deal with raw meat, especially chicken. We usually buy our meat in bulk and my husband will divide it into freezer bags for me but i often have to deal with preparing it! This recipe only required me to dump the chicken from the freezer bag to crock-pot, that is my kind of cooking.

Easy Crock-pot Chicken Tacos!

1/2  envelope Taco Seasoning (I use reduced sodium)
 3    pieces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (fresh or frozen will work)
1     jar Salsa (16 0z)


I put the chicken on the bottom then I sprinkled the taco seasoning on top of the chicken and then covered with salsa. I did add about 1/2 cup of water. The recipe did not call for it but I always like some liquid in my crock-pot.. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours. When done, the chicken should shred easily when stirred with a fork.

I served with soft tacos, tomatoes, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, and guacamole. 

Frozen Chicken , Salsa, and Taco Seasoning ready to crock!

Shredded Taco Chicken 

Pregnancy Week 14

Week 14

Who: Me again! and baby too!

What: This was a ruff week for baby and I, I am glad to be feeling better and look forward to next week!

Where: Week 14

When: August 31, 2012

Why: I am proud to have gotten my picture 2 weeks in a row! Hope to be back again next week.

Well this week started out rough, I got the flu! At first I thought my morning sickness was back in full force but by the end of the weekend my husband had got the same thing. So unless he is pregnant and we are gonna be on our own reality show, I assume the flu hit our house. Once we recovered the week has been great! I got a little of my energy back and I have been craving snickers ice cream bars! I forgot just how wonderful those ice cream bars are.

Diaper Cake

Here is the latest diaper cake that I helped a friend create for her a baby shower. This is one of the biggest diaper cakes that I have made we did 4 tiers and it turned out really cute. It was done for a baby boy with a sports theme.

Pregnancy 13 Weeks

I am 13 weeks into my second pregnancy and finally feel like a human being again. It is funny prior to this pregnancy whenever anyone asked me about being pregnant I raved about how wonderful my first pregnancy was. I would say it was like a dream, I did mention my morning sickness during the first three months but it was a small bump in the road. Now that I am pregnant again I remember that small bump in the road was more like a road closed sign! My morning sickness is like a 13 week hangover that you don't recover from, I do no vomit I just feel terrible all day long. Another pesky symptom that I quickly forgot about was how tired  a person is during pregnancy. As I approach my second trimester I hope that lifts but every pregnancy is different or at least that is what I am told.

Who: Me and my baby bump

What: Most days I feel good!  No more lying around all day.

Where: Week 13

When: August 24, 2012

Why: I just go back from my last OBGYN appointment everything was great and I got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time! So it is time to start documenting my belly progress.

During my last pregnancy I took weekly pictures of myself but I did not add the week in the picture which has made putting my belly book together difficult. For this pregnancy it is my goal to take weekly photos with the number in the photo so the belly book will be easy to put together.