Still alive!

Ok, so it's only been a few days, and this photo I took of them the day after I planted them.
BUT THEY'RE STILL ALIVE!!
For now...
I might be successful this time 'round.

Trying to grow a green thumb.

I'm starting with planters full of herbs and flowers.
Wish me luck!

Little Chickens

Want to make dinner a little more exciting for you munchkins? Instead of chicken, try Cornish game hens! I buy them frozen and on sale (usually 2 for $6). It takes only 1-2 days to thaw in the fridge! Either one per person with a side or cut them in half and serve 2-3 sides.
Instant favorite.

These here have an herb-mustard glaze and I made home made mashed potatoes to accompany them.

More sewing projects...again.

I made new chair covers and pillows!
We will dine in style.


Oh, and can you spot the chair with the clear cover on it?

Comfort food at its finest.

• Baked Penne with Roasted Veggies (with or without Chicken)
  
• 
  
• 2 red peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
• 2 zucchini cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 summer (yellow) squash cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4-6 cremini mushrooms, halved
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
• extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
• 1 cup grated fontina cheese
• 1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• YOU CAN SUBSTITUTE THE CHEESE WITH PRE-SHREDDED ITALIAN BLEND
  

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Drain. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard.

In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.

Pour the pasta into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 20-25 minutes.

I browned some cut up chicken in EVOO and added it in as well, made it stretch just a little farther.

This recipe is by Giada De Laurentiis, she is fantastic and I highly recommend her!

Feeling selfish. Burned out.

The last few days I have done nothing outside of cleaning, cooking, and sitting in: the orthodontist office, the ER (3 hours), Urgent Care (2 hours), and feeding the baby.

My husband has seemed to do nothing outside of video games and talking to my brother on the phone about said video games. He did run to the pharmacy for me, only after trying to get out of it and me putting my foot down. And he loaded the dishwasher partially tonight, I finished that, scrubbed the kitchen, swept, and finished the laundry.

Normally, I don't mind Nate playing. He deserves a break and some time to let his brain fry as most of his time is spent at school scrambling it. Today however, it bugged me. A LOT. At one point I took the phone away from his hear and hung up on my brother. I had had it. I had asked him to keep my phone by him in case the doctor's office called me back, I really had to use the bathroom and didn't want to miss the call. Well, after finishing my business, I came out to both babies screaming and Nate on HIS phone talking about the video game he had just been playing. (This is when I took it away and hung up.) He didn't know where my phone was.

I'm not normally so witchy, really, I'm not. But I felt more like slapping him and yelling, "HELLO!? Over stressed, under slept wife needing help! Are you blind?!" So hanging up on Sven seemed less harsh.

Raedin wanted to watch a movie with me tonight, Nate knew that. He went and turned on his game to "just play a real quick game" while I finished cleaning up. I was floored. More of this dumb game????? I went up stairs to voice my opinion on the matter, heard him whisper something to Raedin in Spanish, and the next thing I knew Raedin was telling me to "shut my mouth".

Line. Crossed.

He told my son to tell me to shut my mouth. I said,"Fine, no movie. You don't talk to mommy like that." Raedin of course cried, Nate said that wasn't fair since he told Raedin to say it (thinking it would be funny). Raedin then said something very bossy and demanding to me and Nate told him not to talk to me like that! Contradiction?

Raedin apologized to me. Nate turned on the movie anyway, but didn't apologize.

Hurt?

Yes.

Normally I wouldn't publicly post about a spat like this, but my patience does have a limit and it is being pushed to it lately. But now I feel like I'm being selfish. Where is the "me time"? Not a second to myself really, except right now for a quick blog rant and that is about to end as I can hear the baby waking up.

I'm tired. I'm upset. I'm angry. I'm trying so hard not to be.

What less than $100 can buy at Hobby Lobby

Can you spot the new items?

2 little pillows. I made the blue pillow!

Cute storage bought both for under $20!!!

I was super excited to find this marked down!

New Years in Texas.

Another train! Hand crafted wood engine from Grandpa Al and Meme!

After spending 4 days in Arkansas, we drove 9 hours to The Woodlands, TX to spend New Years with Nate's dad and step-mom Joeby. It was so nice to spend time with them for more than just a couple of hours! Yummy food, craft discussions, nice weather, and some time in the hot tub.

Great way to bring in the new year!

Meme gave her a new baby and hand made quilt to go with it.
(She is giving the baby kisses, Squeaker style kisses.)

Trying to get a picture of Squeaker.....

Found a blanket in her wanderings.....

Still won't turn around for me!

Finally!

Isn't she a doll?!

Little Miss Winnie

One Nintendo DS can entertain 3 children at once! Who knew?

A rare moment, Meme Joeby wasn't holding Eowyn!
I think Winnie spent several hours each day on Joeby's lap.

Holding both sleepy babies. :)

The spent a few hours putting the Lego train together, I think Al had to research some instructions online at one point.

Hot tub time!
I love this picture! Raedin was just so happy!

Christmas in Arkansas

We picked Taylor and Evelynn up from the airport and headed straight to Arkansas! It took us two very long days of driving, but we made it. It was the first time in 5 years that all of Nate's siblings have been together. Finally, I have met Nate's step-dad (Bill), Isaac (brother), Isaac's family, Gpa Osmer, Curtis (cousin), and some of Nate's old friends from school.
We plan on going out there for Christams again in 5 years.

Sadly, my camera freaked and deleted pictures.
So there aren't very many of Christmas.....

Everyone singing carols together!

Raedin guarding his cookie from the dogs.

Raedin played with one of his new train sets all day!
(Notice the Thomas and Friends pajamas.)

My niece Mykayla loved holding Eowyn.

Sunday best!

Nate blessed and named Eowyn on December 26, 2010.

Potter on Journey, he was so excited to ride the horse!

Evelynn enjoyed her quick ride too.