Canon EOS Rebel T1i

These are a few shots from my camera. They all are, of course, of Lauren! What better subject can I take pictures of!! Anyway these are just when I was playing around and not getting fancy. They have not been edited, they are straight from the camera.

Checkups

Well I went to the doctor for about the millionth time today to have a checkup for my sinuses. He did what I expected, gave me yet another new medicine to try. I am so sick of taking medicine. I think if I have another flair up I am going to find a new ENT. I have really bad allergies and I know that, but something is wrong with my sinuses. I don't think that allergies would make my ears and throat burn like it has been doing......maybe they can I am not a doctor after all so what do I know!! He also mentioned that I might have acid reflux and gave me some samples of a reflux medicine. I had heartburn when I was pregnant and I don't feel that way so I think he was way off base on that too. But for now I will keep rinsing out my sinuses every day, I will take the new nose spray that he got me and HOPE that it works better than all the rest of the stuff he has put me on over the last several months. I was on allergy shots for almost 2 years and I got off track after Lauren was born and so I haven't been on them for almost a year. Maybe I should go back to see my allergist, or get pregnant again since I felt a million times better when I was pg. Isn't that funny! I rarely had any allergy flair ups when I was pregnant. :) No baby number 2 yet. I want to wait until closer to the end of the year to start trying again. That way Lauren will be almost 2 and then when the baby is born she will be almost 3. I think that is good spacing.

Lauren had her 15 month checkup today. Her doctor is so sweet. You can tell that he genuinely cares about all of his patients and I just love that. Lauren loves him too. He is kind of like a grandpa figure I guess. He always hugs her and loves on her and he talks in this calming voice. Kind of reminds me of Mr. Rogers or something! :) But he said that she is "boringly healthy" which is fantastic! I like getting a good report like that. She is in the 75th percentile for height and weight, coming in at 26 pounds and just over 30 inches tall. She got two shots today and we are set for another 3 months.

We spent the day as a family and it was really nice. After all the doctor business we grocery shopped and came home and Lauren took a really good nap. It was a really nice day. I just wish that it wouldn't have rained. It would have been fun to take Lauren to the park.

I will be uploading pictures off my new camera soon, I PROMISE!! I don't know why I haven't done it yet. Just haven't taken the time I guess. But I will. :)

Tortellini Pasta Salad

1 bottle Italian Salad Dressing
2 packages (9 oz each) cheese tortellini, cooked, drained and rinsed
1 small red onion, finely chopped
8 oz mozzarella cheese cubed
8 oz cheddar cheese cubed
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can (2.25 oz) sliced pitted ripe olives, drained
1 package (50 slices) pepperoni quartered

combine indgredients in a large bowl. add salad dressing and toss to coat. refrigerate several hours or until chilled.

Rain, Rain....

I don't really mind the rain. But I do mind storms and tornados!!

This weekend was supposed to be nice and relaxing, hanging out with my dad and my step mom in their RV at the Speedway. Well that didn't quite happen. We were about 40 laps into the Craftsmen Truck race when it started to rain, then stopped then started again! It was already cloudy and getting darker by the minute so we decided to head back to the camper and figure out if they were going to post pone the race or not. It was a good thing we headed back when we did because we would have been drenched if we would have waited any longer. It rained and rained and thundered and lightening. We watched the news and there was a tornado that hit not too awfully far from where we were. I was scared. Here we were in the middle of a field in a giant metal RV with really no place to go! I just kept praying over and over for God to keep us safe and he did. :) I couldn't sleep all night though. Every sound outside, every sound that Lauren made and I was up in an instant. So the next day we got up and ate breakfast and debated on wether we were going to stay for the Indy race. We decided that since they were calling for more rain that we would just head home and not chance the RV getting stuck in the mud or us getting stuck at the track in the rain!

So instead Brian and I headed over to Nebraska Furniture Mart and I found a new camera!!! I will post specifics and pictures that I have taken with it later, but lets just say, it is fantastic!!!

For I Know the Plans I Have for You

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

I have been coming across this verse every where lately. On blogs I read, in two books that I have recently read and in church. I think God is trying to get the message across to me!! I have been searching for purpose in my life, this past year has been really difficult on me. I thought have a baby would be this magical experience and while the pregnancy, labor and delivery was amazing the parenting part is pretty hard. My husband and I don't always see eye to eye on things. I have been really tough on him and it stresses me out so I know it stresses him out! But the important thing, is that I realize this and am making steps to change how I look at him and other things. Things that aren't really that important that I might make a big deal out of. What I really need to focus is on the important stuff, like my marriage and my daughter.
Don't get me wrong, I love being a mother, it just sucks that I have to work full time and be away from her all day. That is where alot of my stress comes from. But God has a plan for my life and where I am at right now is where I am supposed to be. WOW!!! All I have to do is cast all my cares and worries on Jesus. That is so hard for me. Becuase I like to be in control. (I think that is why all of this is so hard, because I have no control over it) I am not the kind of person to just stand by and let other people do things for me or anything like that. I like to jump right in and get my hands dirty. :) But as I am taking a step back and really praying and searching for God to have his will in my life things are falling into place. My job has gotten better, Brian and I aren't fighting as much and I love Lauren more than ever!!
Another one of my favorite verses is Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths. (I quoted that from memory so it may not be exact) I am going to use these two verses as the themes for the time in my life that I am at right now. I think they are very fitting!!!

Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza

Ingredients
1 package (10 ounces) refrigerated pizza crust
3 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup pitted ripe olives, drained and sliced
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup creamy Caesar salad dressing
1 garlic clove, pressed

Preheat oven to 425 F. Lightly sprinkle pizza stone with flour. Unroll pizza crust onto stone shaping into a circle. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until crust is light golden brown.
Place lettuce, chicken, bell pepper, and olives in large bowl
In a small bowl combine the salad dressing, half the Parmesan Cheese and garlic and mix well.
Spread half the dressing mixture evenly over the crust. Add remaining salad dressing mixture to the lettuce mixture, toss to coat. Top crust with salad mixture. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

8 Things

Sara at Why Rinse Chicken tagged me yesterday. I am so honored to know that I am one of her new favorite blogs!! I enjoy reading hers too. I didn’t get a chance to post yesterday, I had to work late so I will do it now. Better late than never, right???!!!


Here's how 8 THINGS works:

- Mention the person that tagged you.

- Complete the lists of 8's.

- Tag 8 of your wonderful bloggy friends.

- Go tell them you tagged them!


8 THINGS I LOOK FORWARD TO:
Summertime and being able to take Lauren on walks and explore the great outdoors with her
My brother’s wedding in September!!
Taking Lauren swimming
TTC #2
Vacation (if we ever get another one!)
Getting a new camera
Going home everyday after work to my wonderful husband and my beautiful daughter.
Anything new that Lauren has learned.

8 THINGS I DID YESTERDAY:
Took Lauren to daycare
Got Gas
Worked a 10 hour shift because someone called in sick
Talked to my future sister in law about the wedding and budgeting.
Balanced my checkbook
Uploaded some pictures from my nieces birthday party.
Emailed a friend that is expecting in July! They have picked a name for their little girl
Started thinking about Mother’s Day and Father’s Day gifts

8 THINGS I WISH I COULD DO:
Stress out less.
Tackle my “to do” lists (I have multiple!)
Become a professional photographer
Take a really long trip touring Europe, Italy , Germany , Ireland and France
Have more “me time” to do the things that I really love
Scrapbook more of Lauren’s first year
Have more time to read
Spend more time at home with my family than at work

8 SHOWS I WATCH: (I am so glad that I have DVR or I would never get to watch TV)
Biggest Loser
Desperate Housewives
Grey’s Anatomy
One Tree Hill
Gilmore Girls (re runs but I still love it)
America’s Next Top Model
Secret Life of an American Teenager
Pretty much anything on the Food Network. I could list at least 8 of those alone!!

8 BLOGGERS TAGGED:

(While I read a lot of blogs I don't quite have 8 to tag)

Consider it Pure Joy

El at Profoundly Seth

Tiff at T Sharee

Erica at In Need of Mercy

Lindsey at Another Day in Paradise

The tale of the missing high heels

I have a bad habit of not putting my shoes in my closet when I take them off. I ususally kick them off in the living room under the end table by the couch or in the kitchen. Sometimes, if they do make it to the bedroom they are usually piled at the end of the bed. The other day I was getting ready for work and I wanted to wear this certain pair of shoes and I couldn't find them. I looked in all the regular places and I even looked in my closet and I couldn't find them anywhere. After a bit a thought struck me that Brian must have hidden them. :) we had just had a conversation not too long ago how he would appreciate it if I would put my shoes in the closet, (he is a clean freak!!) or they might start coming up missing because he would take them away from me. Kind of reminded me when parents threaten to bag up all your toys and either throw them away or donate them to needy children!! Anyways, I had convinced myself that he had hidden my shoes. So I find a different pair and off to work I go. On my way, I call him and ask him if he hid my shoes. He says he didn't and I still don't believe him until I am trying to think of the last day that I wore them or the last time I saw them and then it hits me!!!! One day the week before I had come home from work, wearing these shoes and he already had Lauren in the bath tub. So I took my shoes off in the bathroom and started talking and playing with her. There they were, my "hidden" shoes, right there in the bathroom where I left them. I felt so bad for accusing Brian that he hid my shoes and I actually found it kind of funny!! I think Brian did too. One of my projects is going to reorganize my closet and install some shelves for my shoes. Then maybe I won't have any excuse not to put them where they belong. (yeah right) I will keep you updated on both projects. :)

God is in the Room

Brian and I have started two weekly devotionals. I bought the book Sacred Marriage after reading this post from MckMama. I haven’t started the book yet but to go along with it I also bought the book Devotions for a Sacred Marriage which we have started. Gary Thomas is the author of these books and while I was shopping on Amazon I came across some other books that he wrote, Sacred Parenting and Devotions for Sacred Parenting.

Brian and I have done two weeks of each devotion. The parenting one on Sunday nights and the marriage one on Thursday nights, that is our schedule.

So the first devotion in Devotions for Sacred Parenting is titled, God is in the Room and it uses the verse Psalm 139:7-10 which says Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make me bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast. The message of this devotion is to parent using the mentality that God is in the Room. After all God is in the room, all the time, even though we may forget this. Would you speak or treat your child differently if God was in a human figure and was standing right next to you, probably so since no one is the perfect parent. I have been trying to adapt this thought to my marriage and my work as well. Would I get so upset with Brian if God was standing next to me, probably not, I think I would think a lot more before I used hurtful words or got angry with him, so I am trying to adopt this new attitude of thinking. God is in the room even if I can’t see him.

We tried out a new church yesterday. I have been going to church on and off with my mom and then trying new churches here and there. I haven’t really found one that fits for us yet. I like the church that my mom goes to but it is 45 minutes away and they always start late and then I feel like my entire day is over by the time we get out of church. Plus it is a fairly small congregation and there isn’t much going on for kids, at least for Lauren’s age. They don’t have a nursery on a regular basis and Lauren is the only kid her age so even if they did, she would be the only baby there. I don’t like this too much. I either have to keep her in the service with me, which stresses me out because she does fine at first but then she starts screaming and wants to get down and she throws things and I keep having to get up and go out with her which pretty much defeats the purpose of me even going to church. So the new church we tried yesterday had a nursery with several other kids in it but Lauren cried when I left her, which broke my heart. It was very difficult for me to sit through the service knowing she was upset when I left her. (she was still not happy when I went to pick her up) But the message was good and I had to laugh because it correlated with the devotional. The Pastor had a bit of a different spin on it though. He asked if you parent the same way when your church family is in the room. Do you speak to your child differently when you know people, other parents, from your church are watching and listening? I kind of snickered a bit and I think that Brian got the analogy too. I am not sure if we will go back to this church or not but at least I knew that I was in the right place at the right time yesterday. It is very important for me and for Brian to see how God works and how he relates things we are doing at home to things at church. Brian works most weekends so it is rare for him to go to church with me. But two Sundays in a row we have been able to go and worship together, as a family!

Cookies N Cream Cake

I made this cake last weekend for one of my husband's friend's birthday. I love Oreos and this cake turned out fantastic!!

Ingredients

CAKE

12 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped
1 package white cake mix

3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sour cream
3 egg whites

2 Tbs vegetable oil

ICING

6 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup sour cream

3 Tbs butter, softened

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray fluted cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. For cake, coarsely chop cookies, set aside. Combine cake mix, water, sour cream, egg whites and oil; mix according to package directions.

2. Pour half of the batter into pan. Sprinkle chopped cookies evenly over top of batter but not touching sides of pan. Spoon remaining batter over cookies.

3. Bake 50-55 minutes or until center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Loosen cake from sides and center tube of pan. Invert onto cooling rack; remove pan. Cool completely.

4. For icing, coarsely chop cookies; set aside. Combine powdered sugar, sour cream and butter; beat until smooth. Ice top of cake, allowing some to flow down the sides. Sprinkle top with cookies. Let stand until icing is set. Cut into slices. Store leftover cake, covered, in refrigerator.

Some Randomness

Man this week has been so crazy. I have so many things running through my mind about stuff I want to post about. I also have several recipes that I want to post from what I made over the Easter weekend but I have been so busy this week I barely can think about them.

I have been at my new job for over a week now and I am still trying to get settled. I know that this was the right move for me and I really like the people that I am working with and my new role.

My camera is still broke and I haven't had time to find a repair shop. :( that is on my list for tomorrow or Friday. I love taking pictures and I am lost without my camera. I have planned on getting a bigger and better SLR one but I haven't saved up enough money yet. Right now I just have a point and shoot digital, a Canon Power Shot A630 and an old 35 mm SLR, Nikon N 60 which I love but don't shoot with much anymore just because digital is so CHEAP and convenient. But my 35 mm has seen the world with me. It was what I shot with all through high school and what my love for photography was born on. I took it when I toured Europe for a month after my first year of college. At first I was a little resistant getting a digital camera and I didn't have one until my husband bought me the Canon for Christmas in 2006 and now I am hooked. Don't get me wrong I still like film but digital is the way to go!

I just finished this really great book called "The Mother Load" I really got a lot out of it and I think I want to re-read it. I checked it out from the library so I am either going to keep it for another month or I might just by myself a copy.

Lauren is feeling better from being sick over the weekend. We had tubes put in her ears in January and I thought that mean the end of her ear infections, but I guess not. I had to leave work early on Friday because she was running a fever. It wasn't a high fever and I was just going to wait it out until the day care ladies said there was a bunch of junk going around. Turns out she has another ear infection and a cold. So that means ear drops and an antibiotic.

I am so ready for the weekend to be here so that I can get some stuff done and be able to relax a bit. Yeah right, you should see my to do list. Maybe I should post it and then I might have some accountability for it! If any one is good at organizing closests and spare bedrooms or landscaping please let me know!!!!

Easter

Yesterday was a very crazy, busy, hectic day. We woke up fairly early and I got started on some of the stuff that I was going to take to my brother's for dinner. I made Peanut Butter Chip Brownies, Tortellini Pasta Salad and Cranberry stuffing. But I have to admit that I was really stressed out for most of the day.

We raced off to church and I was so sure that we were going to be late. I was chopping away making the pasta salad and brownies that I kind of lost track of time and didn't leave myself enough time to get ready. UGH!! I hate being rushed.

Then we get home from church and we are supposed to be at my brother's to eat at 2 and I haven't finished the stuffing yet and it needs to bake for 45 minutes and it is 1:30. Again I was rushed.

Then we get to my brothers, get the stuff in the oven and I am trying to have my mom take a family picture of Brian, Lauren and I and they are all turning out blurry. I get a little upset with my mom thinking she must be doing something wrong. Turns out that there is something wrong with my camera and it completely stopped working and wouldn't turn off. I let it sit for a while and it came back on but the lens is still messed up. I am going to take it to have it looked at and I will be very upset if I have to get a new camera because I LOVE the one that I have.

But I wanted to put up some pictures anyways!

By the way, this is the headband that I won from Another Day in Paradise. You should check out her blog and her Etsy shop. I also got some hair clips and a hat from her. They are all too cute!!!

Cha - Cha - Changes!

This week I started a new position with the company that I have worked for now for almost 7 years. It's funny that the location that I am at now is where I very first started at. I have switched positions twice since then moving to two different locations in between. This week has brought a lot of change. Change in my position, I was promoted!!!!!! Change in my hours, hopefully for the better. Change in my co workers, much better! Change in my location and just change for me in general. Most of the time I resist change. I have a hard time adjusting. But this time I have embraced it and this week has been great. I have spent most of this week getting to know my new staff. I like saying that, my staff, I am now in management and it has been a long time coming! I am excited to take on this new role. I found out today that the location that I came from is going to be closing at the end of August. When I applied for the position that I just started, I wasn't so sure about it. I had reservations about going back to where I first started. I prayed over and over again that if it were God's will for me to move to this position that I would be offered the position with out a lot of run around, and that is what happened. As I was driving to work on Monday morning I had this peace about me. I usually get very nervous the night before something big, but I slept great and so did Lauren! It was wonderful and I knew that God was all up in this situation. Now that I know my former job is in jeapordy I definitely know that this was God's plan for me!! I know that all my former co workers will be offered other jobs within the company but God's timing for me to change positions couldn't have been more perfect!!!

Serious Life

I wanted you to know about this publication I’m a part of called Serious.Life Magazine. They just published a new issue on MonsY, and I am in their Featured Blog Directory. It’s a very high quality magazine… you’ll really like it.
The magazine includes a lot of great content from bloggers you’ll appreciate, as well as great features, photos and other content. The magazine is owned and published by a family who have seven kids, three adopted and one who has Leukemia (http://www.riggsfamilyblog.com/). The magazine gives away a bunch of ads to charities and ministries. Besides great articles on interesting people, there is a lot about family, adoption, personal finance, spiritual life, humor… all sorts of “life” topics.
Again, the subscription is FREE, and I know you’ll enjoy the magazine, so take a minute to check it out and sign up to get future issues. http://www.seriouslifemagazine.com/

Never Send a man to do a woman's job!!

Usually I am not a big candy eater but when Easter rolls around, I do have a couple of favorites that I do like to partake in. One of my favorites is Reese’s peanut butter eggs.

For some reason they just taste better than the regular Reese’s. Now don’t get me wrong I still enjoy the other ones but there is just something about the eggs. My other favorite is Cadbury eggs, which is really funny since I couldn’t stand them as a kid, now I can’t get enough of them.

I like to buy a bunch of them and save them to eat throughout the year. They even taste good right out of the freezer. What is your favorite Easter candy?

As we approach this Easter Sunday I am reminded of how much that I have to be thankful for. (I know it is Easter and not Thanksgiving!) But I have a savior who died for my sins and made it possible for me to be, well, me! I am thankful for the health of my daughter, especially when there is so much sickness and loss surrounding me. Please join me and pray for the Smith’s as they mark the one year anniversary of their Audrey’s birth and death and also for Stacy and her husband Spencer as they mark the 6 month anniversary of Isaac’s birth and death. Also Stellan, is still fighting in the PICU and they are talking about moving him across the country and doing heart surgery on him as early as next week. The doctors are trying some new medicine on him and hopefully that will do the trick so that he won’t have to undergo this risky procedure.

I started my new job yesterday and so far all is well. I really hope that this is a good move for me. So far I think I will be getting off earlier which will really help with the family time. I will be able to get dinner done and have extra time to spend with Brian and Lauren. This means A TON to me as I was not getting sufficient time with them before.

I think I want to get Lauren’s pictures taken this week for Easter. My friend Jen gave her such a cute dress for her birthday that I have been saving. It is perfect for Easter!! We got some pictures taken right before her birthday and they left a little bit to be desired so I think I want to get them done again. She is getting so big and is changing everyday. I printed off a whole bunch of pictures from my camera last week. I can’t wait to go through them and put them in her album and reminisce while I do that. It amazes me every day how fast she has grown and how much she has changed over the last 14 months.

So I sent Brian on an errand today. I needed to get stuff for Lauren to have on Easter. I wanted to do this together but there is just no time between now and then other than Saturday and I figured that would be a mad house! So he went to Wal-Mart, Target, another Wal-Mart, Toys R Us and Babies R Us all to find her stuff. Why it took him that many places I will never know. He said he found one basket and then went to another store and found one that he liked better. :) I think that is hilarious. Apparently he went way over board because he called me and said "don't ever do that to me again. I spent a bunch of money and just made a whole day of Easter Basket shopping!!" LOL!! I love it. I can't wait till he gets home to see what he came up with.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

This is a Paula Deen recipe. (I just love her!) April 1st marked the year anniversary of when I returned to work from maternity leave. I wanted to do something special for the ladies at the daycare where Lauren goes so what else says thanks better than yummy cakes!!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat the ove to 350 degrees. Line 2 (12 cups) muffin pans with cupcake liners.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, slat and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, good coloring, vinegar and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thouroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning once, halfway through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
1 pound cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners sugar

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until light and fluffy.

They are so good, I had to try one!

Baked Ziti

This recipe is from The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook. It was so good!!

Baked Ziti

Ingredients

1 (14 1/2) ounce box Ziti

1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese

2 large egg whites

8 ounces (4 cups) finely shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

3 1/2 cups Marinara sauce

2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. LIghtly mist a 13" x 9" x 2" ceramic or glass baking dish with olive oil spray

Cook the ziti according to package directions and drain

In a large mixing bow, mix the ricotta, egg whites, and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella until well combimed. Add the garlic powder, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir in the cooked pasta until combined.

Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the dish. Add half of the pasta in an even layer. Top the pasta evenly with another 1 cup sauce. Layer the remaining pasta over the sauce. Spoon the remaining 1 1/2 cups sauce evenly over the top of the pasta and then sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella cheese and the Paremesan cheese.

Cover the dish with foil adn bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes longer. Let stand 5 minutes and then cut into 8 peices

We had this for dinner last night and it was really good. I can't wait to have the left overs for lunch!!

It didn't take me that long to put together but this would be a great make a head dish.