Mac and Cheese

I don't know if it's a good thing that I consider myself a mac and cheese expert. It is one of my favorite foods. Please check out this recipe. It is the best. I am not joking when I say this. If you need further verification, please ask Daine, Karina, and Justin. They are also experts in this field and agreed with me last night. I woke up this morning craving the leftovers but I have to get back on WW. Only one cheat meal a week.

Baby Must Have

Chase has had some chapped cheeks lately. I found this product and loved it. I used it after his bath for two nights in a row and they are back to normal. No more red, flaky skin. I love this stuff. If you have a little one I suggest you have a tube on hand. I found it at Super Target and it was under $3.00.

Must See

My friend, Emily, directed me to this. It's unbeWEAVEable! You must watch this video!

Enjoy!

I can't get enough of him

You have GOT to be kidding me

The other day Chase and I went grocery shopping. I am always looking to try new sweets that are low in calories. Little Debbie now has "100 calorie" fudge brownies. I was so excited. I grabbed them off the shelf. Only 2 points...it's perfect. I could eat the whole box in one sitting if I would let myself. Well, I got out to the car and opened the box to try one. I opened the box and my jaw dropped. I will never buy these again. Check out the picture below. I had to put something next to them so that you could realize the actual size. Buyers beware...don't fall for the trap like I did.

What a difference a year makes

One year ago I flew into Midland from Kentucky. I had gone to visit my dad for a long weekend and see my KY BFF, Andrea. We had a great time. I did some shopping in Odessa before I made my long 2 hour car ride back to Alpine. I decided to buy a pregnancy test at Wal-Mart to see if it was positive. I doubted it was because I had peed on a hundred of them for the past year and I wasn't getting myself "excited" anymore over a pregnancy test.

So instead of waiting to get home to pee on it, I thought I would just go in the Wal-Mart restroom and do my little number on the stick. I would then have 2 hours to be by myself and cry my eyes out because I wasn't getting pregnant. Well, low and behold, it turned positive instantly! HOLY CRAP!!! I am pregnant! I now had a million thoughts running through my head. I couldn't wait to tell Justin. I had to get back to Alpine ASAP! Then it hit me...I just found out I was pregnant in the bathroom of a Wal-Mart super center in Odessa!!!! I could have at least gone to Target. My poor baby is going to think he's being born into a total white trash family.

I can't believe that was a year ago...it seems like yesterday. Now I have my perfect little boy and I could not ask for anything else. I am so happy with my little life.

Maybe this time next year I will be pregnant again...who knows!

Pepperoni Rolls

1 box Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix (blue box w/dough boy on it--sometimes w/cake mixes sometimes with bread mixes. Wal-Mart and HEB both carry this)
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (say it with me like my grandma---I-talian)
1 cup (packed) coarsely chopped slices of pepperoni
12 ounces (1 1/2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Warm marinara sauce for dipping (optional)

Prepare roll mix like it says to do on the back of the box. I have a Kitchen Aid stand mixer with a dough hook that I use to knead the bread. It really helps.

After you let the dough rest with a bowl over it, place it on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 12"x16" rectangle. Sprinkle dough with Italian seasoning. Top with chopped pepperoni and then shredded mozzarella.

Carefully roll dough, jelly-role style, starting at one of the shorter (12") ends (not at the wide, 16"sides). Pinch dough on ends to form a "log"

Using a piece of dental floss (approximately 18" long), cut log into 8 slices. To do this, slip the strip of floss under the log and then bring both ends up, crossing over to the other side and pulling taut to cut.

Carefully place the 8 rolls in a greased 9x13-inch baking pan. Cover lightly with a towel and set in a warm place for about 25-35 minutes, until almost doubled in size.

Remove towel and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until lightly browned and dough is completely cooked. Cover loosely with foil during baking if dough starts to brown too quickly. Serve with warm sauce if desired.

ENJOY!!!

Banana Pudding

This is my favorite banana pudding recipe. I made it last night. It was a hit. We have 3 cowboys staying with us who are in the San Antonio rodeo. They all loved it. Justin begged them to come back more often so I would keep cooking!

1 Large and 1 Small box instant vanilla pudding
1/2 can Eagle Brand Milk (I use HEB Brand)
1 container Cool Whip (I use HEB Brand)
Box of Vanilla Wafers
Bananas

Combine boxes of pudding with 5 cups cold milk. Mix with mixer on low for 3-4 minutes. Add Eagle Brand Milk and continue to mix for another minute. Add Cool Whip and mix for another minute. Cover and let chill for at least 2 hours.

Serve pudding in a bowl with sliced bananas and vanilla wafers. I got the mini vanilla wafers. They are so cute. I also do it this way because if you combine it all in the beginning the wafers get soggy. I don't know anyone who likes a soggy wafer.

ENJOY!!!

Stationery

I am in love with Stationery. I always buy different packages and then don't use them because I am scared that I will run out and then miss my new "favorite" one. I know that sounds silly but I can't help it. I am also the same way with cocktail napkins. I have probably 20 packages of them on my storage shelf in the garage...I love them but I don't want to use them. I still have some left from my bridal shower!

So my point is that I want to print my own cute stationery with my monogram or something cute. Does anyone have suggestions on how to do this???

Best Dessert

I made the best dessert yesterday for Valentine's day. It was so yummy and super easy because you do it in the crock pot. Here it is:

Ingredients

• 1 (19.5-ounce) box milk chocolate brownie mix (recommended: Pillsbury)
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons creme de menthe liqueur, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped creme de menthe thins, about 18 (recommended: Andes)
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened (recommended: Philadelphia)
• 1/2 cup sugar

Directions

Lightly spray a 1 1/2-quart souffle dish with butter-flavored cooking spray.

Make a foil ring, 1-inch thick, for souffle dish to sit on inside a 5-quart slow cooker.

In a medium bowl, combine brownie mix, 2 eggs, vegetable oil, and 1/4 cup creme de menthe. Stir using 50 strokes or use a hand blender on medium speed for 1 minute to combine. Fold in chopped mint thins. Transfer to prepared souffle dish and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, remaining egg, sugar, and 2 teaspoons creme de menthe. Using an electric mixer beat on low speed until smooth. Spread over brownie mixture. Use a butter knife to cut cream cheese mixture into brownie mixture for a marble effect.

Place souffle dish on top of foil ring in slow cooker. Lay 8 paper towels over top of slow cooker bowl and secure with lid. (This helps to trap steam.)

Cook on LOW setting for 4 1/2 to 6 hours. (Do not lift lid to check brownies for the first 3 hours.)

Allow brownies to cool completely before cutting.

FYI...I didn't have any creme de menthe liquor so I just added water to the brownie mix and omitted it from the cream cheese mixture. You can also use mint extract. To substitute the 1/4 c creme de menthe use 2 TABLEspoons water and 2 TEAspoons mint extract. Also, I didn't allow it to completely cool. We ate it warm.

ENJOY!!!!

Date Night

Justin and I went out last night for our first "Date Night" since Chase was born. We have gone places separately at night...just not together. It was so much fun. We saw Taylor Swift at the San Antonio Rodeo. She was really good...so talented. Some of her "fans" were dressed horribly! I was praying they snuck out of the house in the outfits they were in and that their moms didn't see them. Surely any mother in their right mind would never allow their daughter out of the house dressed in tiny skirts and boots. Today I will be finding the biggest tree in the tree farm to cut down and begin carving my huge stick to guard Chase with.

Justin's sister stayed with Chase. I think she was more excited than we were! We stayed out until Midnight and boy am I tired today.

Hope everyone is having a good Wednesday. We are finally getting rain. Thank God!

Deal of the Day!

I just found the Boon Frog Pod at Target. It was in the clearance section but wasn't marked. I scanned it and it came up as $7.48. I couldn't remember how much that were online but I thought that was a good deal. Well, as you can see from the site, they are normally $29.99!

I'm so excited. All you mom's out there....let me know if it works!

Ferber-Night Three

Dear Dr. Ferber,

It Worked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chase slept from 8am - ?

It's 7:10am and he's still asleep!

Sincerely,

Your latest, biggest fan

Ferber-Night Two

Last night went so well. I got to have a "girls night out" to see "Legally Blonde" and Justin did the whole bedtime routine. He did great! I knew he would!

Chase woke up at 11:45pm, 12:45pm, and 2:45pm. He cried for just 10 minutes--then I would check on him. Just like Ferber instructed :) After every wake time that I checked on him, he had put himself to sleep before the next 15 minute check.

I was so thankful that this method works! Last night was much better!

We will see what tonight holds.....

Ferber-Night One

So last night Justin and I decided to let Chase "soothe" himself back to sleep when he woke up around 12:30-1:00am. He has gotten in a habit of waking up around that time and I run in, hold him, feed him, and rock him back to sleep. I was having a tough time with this because I know he can sleep a lot longer than 4 hour stretches--he's done it before for days in a row. He was doing great, and then we went to California around New Years. It was a fun trip but it totally messed up his schedule and I don't know if I would do it again. We stayed with family and anytime Chase would make a peep, I would feed him.

So we did his normal bedtime routine at 7:30--bath, lotion, bottle in the glider and swaddle. But this time I put him in his bed drowsy--not fully asleep. He then awoke at 12:55am just like clockwork. I let him cry it out and he did eventually put himself to sleep. I can honestly say it was the hardest thing I have ever done. I just laid in bed and cried my eyes out. I have to also give credit to Justin. I could not have done it with out him. He just reassured me over and over again that everything was going to be okay.

This morning Chase woke up a little later than normal. I was so nervous to go in his room. He is always so happy in the morning and I was worried I would go in and he would not smile at me...just look at me with those eyes that say, "There you are. I thought for sure you had left me to be in here all alone for the rest of my life." Well, I walk in and start singing and he gives me his huge, gummy grin. I started crying again! He still loves me!!!

We will see how tonight goes. Hopefully the crying will be a little less tonight. We will let you know......