Recipe Sunday

This weeks recipe is: Cheesy chicken pot pie from Kraftrecipes.com

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 pkg.  (16 oz.) frozen vegetable blend, thawed, drained

1/2 lb. (8 oz.) VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 can  (10-3/4 oz.) reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup

1 can (8 oz.) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls 

HEAT oven to 375ºF.
COMBINE first 4 ingredients in 13x9-inch baking dish.
UNROLL dough; place over chicken mixture.
BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until crust is golden brown.

Megology

Rules: YOU! Yes, you, reading this. You're tagged. Now that you know more about me than you ever wanted to know, play the game, it's fun! Let others know a little more about yourself, re-post this as your name followed by "ology"

FOODOLOGY:
*What is your salad dressing of choice? Ranch or Honey Mustard
*What is your favorite sit down restaurant? Grand Lux Cafe
*What is your favorite fast food restaurant? Jimmy Johns
*What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of? Mexican Food
*What are your pizza toppings of choice? Green Pepper, Sausage, and Mushroom
*How many televisions are in your house? Two
*What color cell phone do you have? Light Blue

BIOLOGY:
*Are you right-handed or left-handed? Right Handed
*Have you ever had anything removed from your body? All 4 wisdom teeth and a baby!
*What is the last heavy item you lifted? Claire's laundry basket
*Have you ever been knocked unconscious? Nope
*Have you ever fainted? Once

BULLCRAPOLOGY:
*If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? No way
*If you could change your name, what would you change it to? For awhile, I thought there were too many Megan's but now, I am okay with it!
*How many pairs of flip-flops do you own? Over 20
*Last person you talked to? Eric

FAVORITOLOGY:
*Season? Fall
*Holiday? Halloween
*Day of the week? Friday
*Month? July
*Color? Red
*Drink? Water w/ lemon

CURRENTOLOGY:
*Missing someone? Yes, everyday
*What are you listening to? The TV show "Prison Break"
*What are you watching? The last two episodes of "Prison Break"
*Worrying about? Not too much, surprisingly, I'm a huge worrier!
*What's the last movie you saw? "Law Abiding Citizen"
*Do You Smile often? Oh Yes!
*If you could change your eye color what would it be? Nope, I love my green eyes!
*What's on your wish list for your birthday? Already had my bday!
*Can you do a chin up? Yes
*Does the future make you more nervous or excited? Excited!
*Have you been in a Car wreck? Yes
*Have you caused a Car wreck? No
*Do you have an accent? Yes, some say I have a Chicago accent
*Last time you cried? A few days ago
*Plans tonight? Watching TV and then it's off to bed!
*Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? Nope
*Name 3 things you Bought yesterday? Starbucks Soy Chai latte, dinner, bottle water
*Met someone who changed your life? Eric
*For the better or worse?? Way better.
*How did you bring in the New Year? At a hotel with Eric and Claire
*Would you go back in time if you were given the chance? For a bit
*What songs do you sing in the shower? Alanis
*Have you held hands with someone Today? Yes
*Who was the last person you took a picture of? Claire
*Are most of the friends in your life new or old? 50/50
*Do you like pulpy orange juice? Yes!
*Last time you ate peanut butter and jelly? Last week, for lunch!
*What were you doing 12 AM last night? Rocking Claire back to sleep!
*What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? Wildfire for dinner..yum!

Bug and Bean - 7 Months Old

Best buds having a little play time together!

Sink Bath 2010

 

Claire was enjoying her sink bath at Nana and Papa's 

 and then, all of a sudden...

she tried to escape!

Wordless Wednesday (with a few words)

A little fun at TJMaxx - What are friends for?

What would you think if I sang out of tune,

Would you stand up and walk out on me.

Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song,

And I'll try not to sing out of key.

Oh I get by with a little help from my friends,

Mmm,I get high with a little help from my friends,

Mmm, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends.

Do you need anybody?

I need somebody to love.

Could it be anybody?

I want somebody to love.

What do I do when my love is away.

(Does it worry you to be alone)

How do I feel by the end of the day

(Are you sad because you're on your own)

No, I get by with a little help from my friends,

Mmm, get high with a little help from my friends,

Mmm, gonna to try with a little help from my friends

Do you need anybody?

I need somebody to love.

Could it be anybody?

I want somebody to love.

Would you believe in a love at first sight?

Yes I'm certain that it happens all the time.

What do you see when you turn out the light?

I can't tell you, but I know it's mine.

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends,

Mmm I get high with a little help from my friends,

Oh, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends

Do you need anybody?

I just need someone to love.

Could it be anybody?

I want somebody to love

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends,

Mmm, gonna try with a little help from my friends

Ooh, I get high with a little help from my friends

Yes I get by with a little help from my friends,

with a little help from my friends


The Beatles - With A Little Help From My Friends

One of Those Days

I think I am having one of those days. You know, the type of day that is full of tearful emotion. From every time Claire smiles at me or babbles, to the lady delivering her baby on TLC's "Baby Story" - I feel all these emotions running through my body and tears start to flow. I still blame it on postpartum hormones or the fact I should get my period any day now.

I am just so thankful for the little miracle God blessed Eric and I with. Claire has made me a better person (a little more of a worrier) and wife. I feel like every day is a new adventure because she's growing and changing. I do love the fact that I barely see the changes, it's so gradually to Eric and I but everyone else notices them often. I think if I saw her changing like others do, I would be more of a basket-case. Instead I look forward to her changing, growing, and all the fun that comes with it. It's still hard for me to believe that she is coming up on 8 months old. 8 months ago, she was comfortable and warm inside of my womb, kicking away day and  night. Now she is babbling, sitting up all by herself, pulling herself to a standing position, eating solids like a champ, has two bottom teeth, rolls all over the place, and loves laughing.

I also had one of those moments today, where I stop in my tracks and thought, "I have a baby and she is all mine." I love when I have those moments, it makes me smile. It's hard to remember a time without Claire. My life has been full of action since the moment she entered the world. I can truly and honestly say, that my life is a thousand times better because Claire is here. The air in our house is full of life and love. I can't imagine my life without Claire, she has added so much to our family. A family of 3 is way better then a married couple of 2!

Claire's 6 Month Pictures by Kirstin LaRoche

http://www.larochephotos.com/

Recipe Sunday

This weeks recipe is: Sun-dried tomato & garlic dip from Kraftrecipes.com

This dip is so delicious. I made it for our 4th of July party last year and it was a big hit.  Who doesn't love a good veggie dip!? Plus it only takes 5 minutes to make!

1 tub (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese Spread 1/2 cup MIRACLE WHIP Dressing 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained, chopped 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper Make It!


MIX all ingredients until well blended.

SERVE with NABISCO Crackers and cut-up fresh vegetables, if desired

Happy Valentines Day

I Love....

My hubby, Eric who makes every day fun

and

My Bug, Claire who makes every day so much brighter!

Love you both SO very much!

Recipe Sunday

Today's recipe: Chocolate-peanut butter cupcakes from Kraftrecipe.com

1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil's food cake mix 1 cup cold milk 1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding 1/2 cup peanut butter 1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping 4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate 1/4 cup PLANTERS Dry Roasted Peanuts, chopped


HEAT oven to 350°F. Prepare cake mix and bake in 24 paper-lined muffin cups as directed on package. Cool just 30 min. (Cupcakes need to still be warm to fill.)


BEAT milk and pudding mix with whisk 2 min. Add peanut butter; mix well. Spoon into small freezer-weight resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Snip off one of the bottom corners of bag. Insert tip of bag into center of each cupcake; pipe in about 1 Tbsp. filling.


MICROWAVE COOL WHIP and chocolate in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min. or until chocolate is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 1 min. Dip tops of cupcakes in glaze; sprinkle with nuts. Keep refrigerated.

These cupcakes are super yummy, especially if you love a good Reese's every now and then! These are a good treat for a Holiday, Birthday party, or Just because!  Give them a try and get ready to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Computer Virus

Our computer is sick. That is way I haven't posted for the last few days. As soon as we get it back, I will try to get back on track! Thanks!

Wordless Wednesday

Happy 25th Birthday to Me

and Happy 7 months to Claire!!

Nursing Strike

I would have sworn Claire was on a nursing strike last night. I was trying to feed her before putting her to bed but all she wanted to do was bite my nipples. I tried before and after our nightly book, nope, it was still a no go. Claire went to bed with out "boob". When she woke up around 4ish, I thought, okay now she wants to feed, nope. Again, all she wanted to do was bite my nipple. I was getting nervous because she wasn't eating, so I went out to computer to see what I could find. What I found, was it was very common for infants to go on nursing strikes while they are teething and Claire is so teething. I felt a little bit better knowing that what she was doing was normal. Of course I couldn't go back to sleep because all I was thinking about was how cranky she would be tomorrow without getting "boob", I would have to pump (which I've never had to do), I would have to get out in the crappy weather to get breast milk storage bags. Claire woke up again at 6:15 and surprisingly she wanted the "boob"! She ate awhile and then fell back to sleep. Eric and I agreed that it was probably a combination of teething and her just being full from her dinner. It was so weird but thank goodness she has been a good eater so far today until she is done, then the biting begins! I just hope we don't experience many more mini nursing strike because I don't want to experience plugged up milk ducts again.

Once Upon A Monday

This weeks book is: Baby Colors by Rachael Hale

This is a wonderful book for young infants. It's full of beautiful baby pictures and extremely bright, eye catching colors! It's such a simple book, that tells a new short story on each page. It teaches the reader colors by having the baby on the page wearing or around a specific colored item and the color word is capitalized on each page which helps them learn to spell that specific color. (I also try and sing the "color song" for each color)  It is a hard cover book, which is perfect for our 7 month old, who loves to "turn" the pages and loves to teeth on everything she can get her hands on too.

Claire (7 months) thinks this was one of my first books that really caught my attention. I love to read it at night time with my mommy!

Megan and Eric think this is a great book. We have read it to Claire ever since she was born. Now she is days away from 7 months old and she still loves it. She is really content when reading this book, she loves to help turn the pages! She also gets excited and talks to each baby on the pages!

M and E rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Superbowl Sunday

 

Our household is Chicago Bears territory but in the case, which the Bears did not make the Superbowl this year, we are proudly cheering on the New Orlean Saints!  Yes, we live seconds away from Indiana and should be cheering on the colts but we are not. We are cheering on the Saints not only because they are the under dogs this Superbowl but mainly because I went to high school with the Saint's running back, Pierre Thomas # 23. He was an amazing talented athlete in high school, who went on to play college football for U of I. Now he is in the NFL. It is so unbelievable to watch your classmate play professional football and make it all the way to the Superbowl. Facebook statuses are covered with "Go Saints - #23"...our town and high school classmates are super excited for today!

Recipe Sunday

 

This weeks recipe: Spinach-stuffed mushrooms recipe from kraftrecipes.com

What You Need!
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1-1/2 cups hot water
40 fresh mushrooms (2 lb.)
2 Tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
Make It!

HEAT oven to 400ºF.

MIX stuffing mix and water in large bowl; set aside. Remove stems from mushrooms; chop stems. Melt butter in skillet on medium heat. Add chopped stems and garlic; cook and stir until tender. Add to prepared stuffing with spinach and cheeses; mix well.

SPOON into mushroom caps. Place, filled-sides up, in shallow pan.

BAKE 20 min. or until mushrooms are tender and filling is heated through.

30 Weeks

Our Bug, Claire is 30 weeks old today...30 weeks! Holy cow, where did those 30 weeks go. I swear these 30 weeks have flown by, way faster then the 38 weeks and 2 days I was pregnant with her. We have enjoyed every single moment since she was born, she is truly a blessing from God. It feels as if she has always been here! My life is 10,000 times better because she's in the world!

Claire is "so big"

Alternative Vaccine Schedule

Let me first say, I am not against vaccinations, I just feel there is a better way of administering them to our children. I started looking into an alternative schedule when Claire was a little over 4 months old. I know how important vaccines are, the risk of  side effects the shot may give, out weighs the risk of what can happen if she didn't get the vaccine and got one of the diseases the vaccine protects against! Plus, I plan on sending Claire to school starting at 3 years old. To do that, she must be up to date on all childhood vaccinations.

I found Dr. Sear's Alternative Vaccine Schedule to be the best for what I was looking for. (There are other alternative vaccine schedules out there) Dr. Sear is NOT against vaccinating but he feels there is a safer way of doing it. He gives examples of shots that are not necessary at "this" age but can be given at "this" age for the same result. One example is for the MMR. The MMR is the main vaccine that is thought to be linked to Autism. Dr. Sear recommends (if you can) to get the MMR split up. Mumps at 12 months, Rubella at 2 years, and Measles at 3 years. I have looked up the "splitting up" of the MMR vaccine and it seems to me, that today it is almost impossible to get the vaccine split up (new information says in 2011, there will be a possibility of splitting up the MMR). So Dr. Sear says, if "splitting up" is not any option, what until the child is 3 years old - when the child is more mature.

For Claire's 6 month shots, I wasn't following this schedule to a "T" yet but what I did do, was split up her vaccines. She was going to get 2 shots and the flu shot all on one day. So instead of pumping her full of vaccines all in a day, I split them up over a couple weeks. That way, each vaccine had time to work and get the side effects out of her system before moving on to another shot. Previously when we got Claire vaccinated, she would be SUPER fussy for a couple days, with the new way I did it, she wasn't fussy at all. Here is the Dr. Sear's schedule I will continue to follow for Claire:

Dr. Sear's Alternative Vaccine Schedule

* 2 months: DTaP, Rotavirus

* 3 months*: Pc, HIB

* 4 months: DTaP, Rotavirus

* 5 months*: Pc, HIB

* 6 months: DTaP, Rotavirus

* 7 months*: Pc, HIB

* 9 months: Polio (IPV)

* 12 months: Mumps, Polio (IPV) (See 3rd UPDATE)

* 15 months: Pc, HIB

* 18 months: DTaP, Chickenpox

* 2 years: Rubella, Polio (IPV) (See 3rd UPDATE)

* 2 1/2 years*: Hep B, Hep A (start Hep B at birth if any close relatives or caregivers have Hep B)

* 3 years: Hep B, Measles (See 3rd UPDATE)

* 3 1/2 years*: Hep B, Hep A

* 4 years: DTaP, Polio (IPV)

* 5 years: MMR

* 6 years: Chickenpox

* 12 years: Tdap, HPV

* 12 years, 2 months*: HPV

* 13 years: HPV, Meningococcal (once Meningococcal vaccine is approved for age 2, Dr. Sears will move it there and delay Hep B by 6 months)

3rd update: If the MMR vaccine is found not to be able to be split up into three different shots, what until the child is at least 3 years old to administer the full MMR vaccine at one time. New information I've found says the MMR might be available for splitting up in 2011.

Another website I found to give great advice about how to take precaution before getting your child vaccinated along with another more alternative vaccine schedule is Jenny McCarthy's Autism Organization - Generation Rescue.  Here are some precautions:

	•	Consider delaying vaccines until your child is 18-24 months old. (This is another alternative vaccine schedule found on Generation Resuce website)
	•	Do not vaccinate if your child is taking antibiotics.
	•	Consider no more than one vaccine per doctor’s visit.
	•	If you plan to get the MMR vaccine, ask your doctor to give it in three separate vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella. - if not yet until child is older.
	•	Consider giving high doses of Vitamin C (3,000-5,000 mg per day) on the day before, of, and after vaccination.
	•	With the measles vaccine (MMR), consider high doses of Vitamin A (5,000 IU or more) on the day before, of, and after vaccination.
	•	If your child experiences any developmental delays, stop vaccinating until you learn more.
	•	If your child has an adverse reaction to a vaccine, stop vaccinating until you learn more.
	•	Always ask to see the vaccine insert, and never accept a vaccine that uses the preservative Thimerosal (mercury). For a complete list of vaccines with Thimerosal, see the FDA’s website here. Note: most flu shots today still contain Thimerosal

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but for being a new time, overly worried mommy. I feel anything I can do to limit risks to my children, I will do. Again, I am for vaccinating. I think it's very important to keep disease way but I just feel (for me and my kids) there is a safer way of doing it.

Wordless Wednesday

 

She loves her veggies!