Bout of Books: 2.0

So um, yesterday I read a whole 17 pages! I know it's because I started a new book and just wasn't that into it yet. Oh well...

10/28/2011
Number of pages I’ve read today: 119
Total number of pages I’ve read: 119 (Finished one book)
Today #insixwords: Finished one book, started another one

10/29/2011
Number of pages I’ve read today: 17
Total number of pages I’ve read: 136 (Finished one book)
Today #insixwords: Today, not a good reading day...

Cheesy Chicken Lasagna

So I don't know if you've discovered Pinterest yet BUT I have! And one of the things that I love about it is I'm discovering new recipes. I also discover other ideas and things but food and recipes is the one thing I can justify because we HAVE to eat! So I'm going to share one of the recipes I discovered. I got the recipe from Pinterest from pinning it from someone else but the site it's pinned from is Real Mom Kitchen. It's Cheesy Chicken Lasagna. It's pretty easy although next time I'll change a few things...Here's the recipe, then the pictures and then the changes I'll make the next time...

Cheesy Chicken Lasagna

2 (12 oz) cans evaporated milk (not fat-free)
1 (1 oz) pkg. dry Ranch dressing mix
3 C. cubed, cooked, chicken
1/8 tsp pepper
1 (16oz) lasagna noodles, cooked (I recommend reducing it to 8 oz to 12 oz)
1 1/2 to  2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 to  2 C mozzarella cheese, grated

Cook the chicken and noodles first at the same time. Once noodles are done–rinse in cold water and set aside (it keeps them from sticking together). Combine evaporated milk (don’t use fat-free version) and Ranch dressing in a 3 quart heavy saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently until dry ingredients are dissolved. Stir in chicken and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes (don’t do any less), stirring frequently. Layer half of lasagna noodles, poultry sauce, and cheese in well-buttered 9×13 pan. Repeat layers again. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

(Above) The ingredients. My husband was nice enough to bring some already cooked chicken home from work with him! :) And then that's pretty much everything else.

(Below) The sauce mixture. It's the evaporated milk, ranch dressing mix, pepper and chicken. Simmering on the stove for the 25 minutes.

(Above) It baking in the oven! I meant to take a picture before putting it in there but forgot. So you get to see my pizza stone and inside my stove.

(Below) The finished product, again meant to take a picture before cutting into it but forgot. BUT since I did cut into it, you can see what it looks like! :)

So my review, we liked it but next time I'll double the sauce mixture so that there's more to it then what we had. I'll keep the noodles at 8oz of lasagna noodles cause that was just the right amount. And the cheese is always as much as we like!

I always am weary of trying a new recipe on my husband, but I do it anyhow, because he's a chef. He doesn't expect gourmet meals or anything I'm always just VERY self conscious about it. Know what I mean? Anyhow, I ask him when I try something new if this recipe is recipe box worthy and if he says yes then 1) I know it's good and he likes it and 2) I have a new recipe for my box! Well, my husband said this was recipe box worthy, so he thought it was good AND it's going in the box! Enjoy!

Bout of Books: 2.0

So I started this readathon yesterday....And it was awesome! :)

10/28/2011
Number of pages I’ve read today: 119
Total number of pages I’ve read: 119 (Finished one book)
Today #insixwords: Finished one book, started another one

So I finished a book yesterday, as you can see by the posted review! :) I haven't read as much today as I did yesterday I know but starting a new book is always a slow process with me for some reason. Anyhow, I'll post tomorrow.

A Promise to Remember by Kathryn Cushman

When There's Nothing Left But Memories... Andie Phelps is the envy of Santa Barbara. A devoted mother with a loving son and a successful husband, her greatest joy comes from reaching out to others... Melanie Johnston is the envy of no one. A single mom who works long hours to pay the bills, and her greatest joys relate to her teen daughter and son. Then the accident that changes everything. When opposite worlds collide, the impact reaches far beyond these mothers' personal losses. Two wounded women...Two families seeking hope...A community torn apart... How far will they go to fulfill...A Promise to Remember.

My Review - this book took me a while to get into but I loved all the faith in the story. It got better toward the end and I know my pregnancy has something to do with the fact that it took me so long to read this book. But overall it was okay.

Bout of Books: 2.0

So I missed some of this :( BUT I'm joining up now. And especially since I'm at home and have tons of time to read. SO be prepared to see some reading get done by me between now and Sunday. I've been slacking in the reading department because I haven't been able to focus (wonder why?!) So this will be good for me. I'm going to count pages like I did before so that will be the same. Hopefully I'll finish this book I'm reading now and maybe another one. We'll see. My goal will be to read 100 pages a day like it was before too. I figure that should be easier to reach with this time I have! So if I'm starting it on 10/28 and I have Friday, Saturday and Sunday to read then that's 300 pages :) Here's the format I'll use. My TOTAL goal is 300 pages. Let the fun begin!

I'm starting with a book I've been reading, Promise to Remember by Kathryn Cushman. And I'll be starting on page 160.

Number of pages I’ve read today: ???
Total number of pages I’ve read: ???
Today #insixwords: ???

Pregnancy Highlights - 35 weeks

Monday when I went to the doctor she wrote me out of work to watch my amniotic fluid. My family, work, myself, and everyone knew it was coming we just didn't know when. So it was no big surprise but it's still kind of a shocker. Anyhow, I worked the rest of the day on Monday and now I'll go back after Maddie is born. I went on Tuesday for an ultrasound. She wouldn't show her face cause she was facing my back but we did learn that she weighs 4 lbs. 14 oz AND she has LOTS of hair...We've seen a little bit of hair before one ultrasounds but this time we saw a bunch. It's so amazing that there's a baby in there but then to see all the "stuff" they can see on an ultrasound is amazing too. We went back to the doctor today and my amniotic fluid went up some from Tuesday, so being at home is agreeing with the amniotic fluid, which is awesome!
 
Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 35 weeks (I'll be 36 weeks on Monday, 10/31/11)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 13 lbs!!! WOW...the big gain was last week when I gained 3 or 4 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: I'm wearing them and hating them. But only because they are clothes...Not a fan of pants these days...The shirts feel comfy though!

Gender: A girl...Madelyn Rae "Maddie"

Movement: For this little girl to be 4 lbs and 14 oz (almost 5 lbs) she's a strong little thing! She has her head down ready for delivery and her booty is usually on my left side...She'll stretch out though sometimes and you can feel her booty on my left side and her feet poking my right side...It hurts at times but it's such a sweet feeling!

Sleep: Getting harder to do...Thankfully I can sleep anytime I want to now.

What I miss: being comfortable, not peeing every 5 seconds (it feels like),

Cravings: Chocolate mostly...And coffee some still. (I wonder if Maddie will like chocolate?)

Symptoms: Indigestion and heartburn...Contractions every now and again...sometimes they hurt (which is scary) and sometimes they don't. Oh yes, another symptom is I'm on an emotional roll a-coaster!

Best Moment this week: Packing the bag for the hospital (her's is all ready, mine - not so much) and having our last birthing class and the tour of the hospital.

Size of baby: 17.2 to 18.7 in, 4.2 to 5.8 lb (We know she weighs 4 lbs and 14 oz she's right on track :)

Baby is the size of a: Honeydew

Listen by Rene Gutteridge

 Nothing ever happens in the small town of Marlo . . . until the residents begin seeing their private conversations posted online for everyone to read. Then it’s neighbor against neighbor, friend against friend, as paranoia and violence escalate. The police scramble to identify the person responsible for the posts and pull the plug on the Website before it destroys the town. But what responsibility do the people of the town have for the words they say when they think no one is listening? Life and death are in the power of the tongue.

My Review - WOW! This was an awesome book that had me from the very start. I've never thought about how much words mean and can hurt people. This was a wild and twisting story that had me wondering up until the very end. I loved the "Christian" aspect in the book and how it wasn't so overbearing that non-christian people would think Christians are crazy. Does that make sense? Anyhow, I loved how Jenna and Kay ended up figuring each other out. How Kay and Jill became friends. And how Hunter played apart in the story. Amazing, have I mentioned this is an awesome book! I'll definitely be reading more of Rene Gutteridge! And to think I only got this book because it was free on my Nook aka Herbie...So thank you Barnes and Noble for giving it away!

Six Word Saturday & Updates

Needing to update this blog today....

So I have some updates...And here they are..........

My Mom - her surgery went well yesterday. Last night she was in some pain but that was to be expected. And they said if she feels comfortable with coming home that she may be able to come home today. It's so much different then last time she had this same surgery. Last time she had this surgery she was in major pain and couldn't hide it at all. This time she was honest that she was in pain but I don't think it was as much as before. I want her home but I want her to feel comfortable about coming home so if she needs to stay another night in the hospital then so be it. I'll try to keep this updated...

Maddie - I went to the doctor on Wednesday to be monitored and so she could check my amniotic fluid. She said that the baby looks good. I'm having Braxton Hicks contractions - they aren't painful just different. haha. But she looked at my amniotic fluid and it went from an 8.5 last week to a 7.5 this week. She asked me if I was still working and I said yes. She said well what do you plan on doing about that. I said I'll work until you tell me to stop. She said well I think you should warn work that it won't be to much longer before you'll be put out. We may have to put you on bedrest and hopefully that will help your amniotic fluid. I said well I'll tell them again but I think they know it won't be much longer. She said that she also predicts I'll go earlier then November 28th, which is my due date. My husband and I would LOVE to at least make it until November 14th which would make me 38 weeks. But the doctor said I need to start coming twice a week to be monitored and then they'd continue to check my amniotic fluid once a week. So I am going now on Monday's and Thursday's.

Hum...I think that's about all on the updates :)

Lonestar Sanctuary (Lonestar #1) by Colleen Coble

In the quiet safety of the Bluebird Ranch, old promises resurface and unexpected love brings new hope.

Though tragedy has wrecked her life, Allie Siders holds on to the hope that her five-year-old daughter, Betsy, will speak again. But with a stalker out for revenge, all Allie can think about now is their safety. She must sever all ties and abandon life as she knows it. She heads to the peaceful Bluebird Ranch, nestled deep in Texas hill country, and to the only person who can help them.

The ranch is a sanctuary for abused horses, and also for troubled youths: the perfect place for Betsy to grow and recover. Ranch owner Elijah DeAngelo eagerly welcomes the duo. But Rick Bailey-the ranch foreman and DeAngelo's right hand man-hasn't decided to let his guard down . . . yet.

Promises made long ago soon force Rick and Allie to work together to escape danger. Will they discover love along the way?

My Review - This book was pretty good. I don't know what I was expecting from it when I first started reading it. I got this book on my Nook (Herbie) back in February for free and I hadn't thought much about it. But it was good. I loved the story of Allie and Rick and Elijah for that matter. Betsy was cool too. I figured out some of the details before they were revealed but some I didn't have a clue about. And I was definitely wrong about the person who was after Allie. I will be reading the next book in the series but it probably won't be the next book I read, just cause I have so many other books on my Nook to read already.

Six Word Saturday

Nesting has kicked in, loving Pinterest!

So the nesting instinct has kicked in big time with me. It's always a toss up with me between actually nesting and cleaning OR my back hurting and being exhausted! Usually I'll do a little nesting and cleaning for a bit but then my back hurting and being exhausted wins the battle in the end!

But have you tired Pinterest?? It's quiet addictive in finding different things. If you go and get addicted as well then look me up...my name on there is MrsKasiLou.

Maddie at 32 weeks...

So have I mentioned I'm pregnant?? haha. If you are new to my blog I'm pregnant with my first child. It's a girl and her name will be Madelyn Rae but we'll call her Maddie. And I'm in love!

I posted a few days ago that while in Wilmington to see Jamie's mom and brother we went to a 3-D ultrasound place called Womb's Window. It was pretty cool cause when I was 18 weeks we went to a place called Watch Me Grow with his mom, dad, step-mom, aunt, my mom, dad, and grandma all to find out if the baby was a girl or a boy. I was convinced it was a boy, imagine my shock! Anyhow, here are some pictures from Womb's Window where we went on Monday, October 3rd when I was 32 weeks pregnant with Madelyn! :)

 Is that not just the sweetest little face you've ever seen?? Okay if you have children of your own you may think your child is cuter but I'm partial, what can I say! haha

 

Her sweet little profile...I love the profile pictures in 2-D...

And below are her feet...You can count five toes on her right foot but you can't really see her left foot to count them.

Hope you enjoyed probably the last preview of Madelyn Rae that you or I'll have! :) We have an ultrasound each week to check the amniotic fluid BUT it's not one where the doctor shows us much of the baby at all.

Maternity Pictures and more...

So a few days ago I posted that Jamie's mom took some maternity pictures for us...And now I thought I'd share a few...Enjoy! :)

(Above)One our first pictures taken... :)

(Below) Us making a heart out of our hands on my belly...

(Above)This is one of my favorites because neither of us are "posing". I like unposing pictures so much better then the ones where we posed...Know what I mean?

(Below)This is my sister-in-law, Heather, and I...She was putting scrabble tiles spelling Madelyn on my belly. It was very funny because nobody but me knew what I'd wanted and I couldn't explain it right until we started doing it. haha. We had fun though!

(Above)The finished product of the scrabble tiles. Madelyn :) I love this!

(Below)Here again I couldn't explain what I wanted until it go to it and this is close enough. I tired to find pictures of the exact product of what I wanted but couldn't do it so I had to explain it. BUT we got the blocks and I think it turned out okay. This is my favorite out of the bunch. I love this little girl! :)

(Above)The last one is a picture of me in my Panthers jersey. Jamie watches football and last year he gave me a jersey for my birthday :) We were wondering if I could wear it with my baby belly and I could! So I wore it on Sunday while him and his brother, Jason, were watching the game. My mother-in-law decided to snap a picture and I actually like it. :)

So the next post will be pictures of Maddie, imagine - it's all about her again! :)

Update on my Momma...

So if you've been on my blog reading it for any period of time you'll know that on 10/22/10 my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had a double masectomy on 11/01/10 and then on 12/03/10 she had reconstructive surgery. THEN on 12/26/10 she was admited to the hospital for a serve bladder infection that almost took her life and she stayed in the hospital almost a whole month coming home on 01/24/11. While she stayed in the hospital the infection got so bad that they undid the reconstructive surgery that they'd done at the beginning of the month so she was right back to where she was on 11/01/10, no boobies. Did you get all those dates?? Anyhow, if you click the label Momma you can read ALL of those post...

Now on to the update...On 10/14/11 (yes another date) she's having reconstructive AGAIN. Now, I completely understand why she's having this surgery again and I am supporting her with everything I can. And I'm trusting God as well, because no matter what she is always in His hands. But I am worried about this surgery so much. I mean, HELLO, that's my Momma...Anyhow, if you would please pray for my momma during this time. Thank you so much and I'll be updating more about her after the surgery.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

So I found this on Guiding Light Homeschool and thought I'd take part in it as well...It looked interesting!

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1. What's your favorite meal to serve on a chilly autumn evening? Either soup or chili...Although I don't cook very much, I love my mom's vegetable soup on a cold (or hot since I've been pregnant) day.


2. Are you a creature of habit? Explain. Oh very much so. I get up and do the exact same things daily. That's one of the things that scares me about Maddie coming is that she'll throw my daily habits and routines all into a blender. BUT I'm excited as well as scared!
 
3. What food product (no longer available) do you remember and miss from days gone by? Chilly Willies! They were the freezer pops that they still have a wanna be around and it is no where near as good as those that use to come in the yellow box with the boy on the front that you could color!
 
4. What's something you've lost that you've never been able to find? Any theories as to what happened? Hum...I'm not sure...I'd have to say money though and it's just gone I reckon...
 
5. Zoo~circus~carnival...your favorite? Carnival/Fair is what we call it in the south :) The Zoo would be my second choice and the circus my last...I'm not a fan of clowns!
 
6. What song makes you feel instantly happy? Jamie Grace, Hold Me

 
7. To what extent are you an argumentative person? Depends on who it is...With my husband, of course I can argue...With someone who is my boss or elder I'm not argumentative at all, unless there is no doubt in my mind that I'm right.
 
8. Insert your own random thought here. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. -Psalm 139:14 (So are you!) :)

Jason & Heather's Blanket

So I made my brother-in-law and sister-in-law a blanket. I was down to see my mother-in-law when I mentioned that I wanted something to crochet but didn't really have anyone to crochet anything for. When Heather, my sister-in-law, said that she'd love for me to make her and Jason a blanket. I said okay if you'll just pick out the yarn I'll do it. So she picked out some yarn and I made it! :) It's a pretty big blanket, a little bigger then I'd planned. I'd planned on it being big enough to cover one person but I think it'd cover two. But I'd rather it be to big than to small. Here's a picture of Jason and Heather with the blanket...

I really enjoyed making this blanket and wanted to share a picture so I'd have it for myself but also it made me feel good because I created something that they can enjoy...

Pregnancy Highlights - 32 weeks

So, I haven't posted these highlights since week 20 cause I felt they were getting a little repetitive. But I thought I'd pick them up for the next 8 weeks :) So close to the end...Also I wanted to give a little update on Maddie...

Last Tuesday, September 27th we went to have another ultrasound ordered by the doctor to check her abdomen out and the amniotic fluid. She's growing right where she should be which is awesome cause we were told that her legs were growing faster then her abdomen. BUT my amniotic fluid is low so they are going to keep a weekly check on that. Usually you wouldn't start going to weekly appointments until 34 or so weeks. But I started going about two or three weeks ago to the weekly appointments. I go and the put a monitor on me and check my amniotic fluid. Two weeks ago it was at a 10.5 and last Tuesday it was at an 8. The doctor said if it was down to a 5 he wouldn't deliever with me only being 31 weeks but that he would put me in the hospital to monitor me closely. He said that if I'd been at 38 weeks at that point he'd deliver. SO we'll be keeping a close eye on that. And I've been resting a lot and drinking lots of water.

Friday night we drove to Wilmington, about 4 or 5 hours away from home, to see Jamie's mom. It was a planned trip that we'd had planned for about a month so we were both excited for it. We got down there and on Saturday Jamie's mom took some maternity pictures of us (some of which I'll post later in another post). Then we had his brother and his wife over and ate dinner, opened gifts, and ate cake all celebrating Maddie. She received LOTS of cute things :) Sunday we watched the Panthers, wait...I mean Jamie and his brother watched the game, his wife and I just sat and talked while I crocheted and she cross-stitched. (OH YES, and I gave them their blanket I'd been crocheting so I'll be posting a picture of that as well.) Then this morning we went to have an ultrasound done down there at a place called Womb's Window. It's kind of like a Watch Me Grow where we took our family to find out that Maddie was a girl at 18 weeks. Well, Maddie is still a girl, praise the Lord, and we have some more beautiful pictures of her. It is amazing how much she's changed and gotten chunkier in a short 14 weeks. I'm so blessed, I keep thanking God for such an amazing husband and daughter that I've yet to meet but I know he's planned her just for me and Jamie. I'm in love, can you tell? Anyhow, sorry, got sappy...I'll post some of those cute chunky pictures of Maddie in a later post as well...(WOW that means at least 3 post coming up soon with pictures!)

Now on to the highlights.......

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 32 week

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Last Monday, September 26th, I'd gained a whole 6lbs the whole pregnancy. Amazing considering here in the last few weeks I've ate anything and everything in sight!

Maternity Clothes: I'm wearing them...My mother-in-law bought me a new shirt today :) Some of my maternity jeans are getting snug and uncomfortable. Maddie doesn't like the thick band on her at all! So I am limited on my comfortablity - is that a word? it is now...

Gender: A girl...Madelyn Rae "Maddie"

Movement: I'm feeling it and loving it...I LOVE when she pushes her little foot out and you can actually feel the knot. I'm pretty sure that majority of all of Jamie and mine family has felt her at this point. Jamie felt her sometime toward the end of July/first of August :)

Sleep: Can't get enough of this stuff...I'm always sleepy and I wake up for regular bathroom breaks at 2am, and 4 am...haha...It's funny how they are always around that time...

What I miss: being comfortable...

Cravings: HUM...This is a loaded question...I like pepporoni now and didn't before pregnancy...I craved chocolate ice cream and popcorn together the other night and it was awesome...I want popcorn all the time whereas before I liked it but didn't eat it much. And chocolate...Love that stuff!

Symptoms: Indigestion and heartburn...And I've got the waddle going on pretty well I might say...My back has been hurting over the past few days and it is so awful and annoying...

Best Moment this week: Seeing her and feeling her...getting ready for her...she's amazing and I'm in love!

Size of baby: 15.2 to 16.7 in, 2.5 to 3.8 lb

(Last Tuesday when we went they said she weighed 3lb 12 oz, so I'm betting she weighs around 4lbs now...)

Baby is the size of a: Squash