Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Anthony gone for quiz bowl - something easy like chicken nuggets or sandwiches

Tuesday
Chocolate Chip Pancakes (didn't have this last week)
Scrambled Eggs

Wednesday
Tuna Melts (didn't have this last week)

Thursday
Chicken Parmesan

Friday
Papa John's Pizza (free with points I won in my online account!)

Saturday
Awana Leaders Christmas Party at church - need to bring an appetizer

Sunday
Combined Lifegroup Christmas Party at church - need to bring food to share

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Anthony gone for quiz bowl

Tuesday
Pork Loin (didn't have this last week)
Mashed Potatoes

Wednesday
Tuna Melts

Thursday
White Chicken Enchiladas

Friday
Couples Night Out @ Massaki (I think)

Saturday
Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Scrambled Eggs

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Anthony gone for quiz bowl-- something easy, like cereal or leftovers! :)

Tuesday
Homemade Pizza (the recipe from last Friday makes enough dough for 2 pizzas)

Wednesday
Jambalya w/ Kielbasa

Thursday
Baked Chicken Nuggets
Roasted Potato Wedges

Friday
Eggs & Sausage Links

Saturday
Pork Loin
Mashed Potatoes

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Anthony gone for quiz bowl - I'll be at Ashley's for the day

Tuesday
Tuna Salad Sandwiches

Wednesday
Hot Dogs
French Fries

Thursday
Thanksgiving @ Mom's!

Friday
Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Saturday
Homemade Pizza (didn't have this last week)

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Anthony gone for quiz bowl - something easy!


Tuesday
Cornish Hens (didn't have this last week)
Twice Baked Potatoes


Wednesday
Layered Meatball Bake

Thursday
Either Girls Night Out or celebrating Zoe's birthday (can't believe she is turning 7!!)

Friday
Homemade Pizza

Saturday
Dinner Out & a movie-- Happy birthday to me!! :)

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Anthony gone for quiz bowl - something easy at home for us.

Tuesday
Asian Pork Chops (didn't have this last week)
Twice Baked Potatoes

Wednesday
I have a dentist appointment at 12:50 and Ashley is watching the kids for me, so I may just be going to her house afterwards and stay there till church time, so this dinner is up in the air still??

Thursday
Broccoli-Cheese Soup

Friday
Brady's Birthday Party!

Saturday
Cornish Hens

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Sandwiches/Something Light - since we have Trunk or Treat at church at 6:30

Tuesday
Italian Beef Sandwiches (didn't have this last week)

Wednesday
Salmon Cakes

Thursday
Spaghetti & Meatballs

Friday
Crispy Cheddar Chicken

Saturday
Asian Pork Chops - love this recipe!

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Will be coming home or just getting home from TN, so probably grabbing some fast food.

Tuesday
Popcorn Fish
Roasted Potato Wedges

Wednesday
Outback Steakhouse (w/ coupon for free steak dinner)

Thursday
Creamy Chicken Taquitos (had this last week, but have ingredients leftover, so having it again!)
Chips & Salsa

Friday
Italian Beef Sandwiches

Saturday
Frito Chili Pie (maybe-- we may be going to a send-off party for Ian & Heidi Fry, some missionary friends who are leaving for Zimbabwe soon, it will depend on Anthony's work load this weekend)

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Breakfast Bagels
Breakfast Potatoes

Tuesday
Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Chips w/ Salsa & Guacamole

Wednesday
Cinnamon Baked French Toast

Thursday
Girls Night Out/RCS Night @ CFA

Friday
Laura's Rehearsal Dinner

Saturday
Laura's Wedding!!!

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Bacon & Eggs

Tuesday
Spaghetti & Meatballs

Wednesday
Pork Loin
Twice Baked Potatoes

Thursday
Marlboro Man Sandwich

Friday
Taco Soup & Garlic Cheese Biscuits

Saturday
Anthony's parents here for a visit - not sure what we'll be doing for dinner yet

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Ground Beef Stroganoff (didn't have this last week)

Tuesday
Macaroni & Beef w/ Cheese (didn't have this last week)

Wednesday
Dinner @ volleyball game

Thursday
Spaghetti & Meatballs

Friday
Ribs

Saturday
Dinner @ a wedding!

Declan's Birth - Uterine Rupture

I shared in Declan's birth story post that I had a partial uterine rupture during labor. In the eight weeks since his birth I've become more educated on the subject through talking with my amazing doctor, Dr. Thompson, as well as reading some journal articles that he sent me.

A week or so after Declan was born, Dr. Thompson sent me the pathology report from my placenta which said that the placenta showed acute inflammation and unevenly accelerated villous maturation (more information on that on page 2 of this article). The report also said that "the consequences of this abnormality are increased risk of neonatal death, stillbirth and neurologic abnormalities at age 7". Freaked out much? It was just really upsetting for me to learn "what could have been" because of this abnormality.

I was planning on asking Dr. Thompson to explain more about this to me at my 2 week incision check with him, but he ended up being on call that day and had to go to the hospital so I saw Dr. Bendfelt instead. I'm sure I could have asked him my questions, but I really wanted to ask Dr. Thompson since he was the one who was there. So I had to wait until my 6 week check-up, which was actually at 7 weeks post-delivery because he is so busy and in-demand!

So finally, after kind of worrying over what all that meant, Dr. Thompson eased my worries about the placenta issues, but also made me realize what a miracle Declan's delivery was and how involved God was in the good outcome.

He started by drawing me a picture of my uterus to show me where the tear was. Mine was a partial or incomplete rupture, so the myometrial wall (which is the thick wall of the uterus) was torn, but not the peritoneum (the membrane lining of the uterus). I guess I didn't realize what a HUGE deal a uterine rupture could be.... Wikipedia calls it a "potentially catastrophic event" and a "life-threatening event for mother and baby"; Dr. Thompson said if the lining had torn, it could have been a catastrophe.

So like I said in Declan's birth story, his heart rate was dropping after contractions, but then it would come back up again. He explained that the main sign of a uterine rupture is if the baby's heart rate significantly drops and does not come back up, but that is not what happened to us, so we had no signs that my uterus was torn.

But because his heart rate continuously dropped, Dr. Thompson decided on a c-section. He told me that this drop was most likely a result of the placenta issues that were discovered in pathology. The placenta wasn't providing Declan with enough oxygen to keep his heart rate up under the stress of contractions.

So here's the good part, the part where I clearly see God's hand in all this: had we waited much longer for a c-section, the lining could have also torn, which could have been so bad, possibly leading to death for Declan and/or me. But because of the heart rate drops - because of my placenta's insufficiencies - a disaster was avoided since the c-section was done before it was a complete uterine rupture. Dr. Thompson actually called it a Godsend.

Amazing, right??!! While the letter and pathology report upset me so much at first, it turned out that these problems are really what God used to keep us safe. I love the way God works and am so thankful to Him for my health and safety as well as my precious miracle baby.

Dr. Thompson also did some research on the implications of a uterine rupture for future pregnancies and found that the prognosis is good, but I'll definitely need a repeat c-section, probably around 37 weeks. Once again, thankful to God for preserving my ability to have more children.

Meal Plan Monday

A lot of repeats this week since last week was kind of crazy and we did some unplanned stuff...


Monday

Meatballs w/ Cream of Mushroom
Egg Noodles

Tuesday

Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Wednesday
Pork Loin

Thursday
Ground Beef Stroganoff

Friday
Loaded Potato Soup

Saturday
Macaroni & Beef with Cheese

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Meatballs w/ Cream of Mushroom (didn't have this last week)

Tuesday
Chicken Fried Steak

Wednesday
Spinach Lasagna Rolls (didn't have this last week)

Thursday
Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta

Friday
Frozen Pizza (ended up not doing this last week, so we'll try again this week)

Saturday
Pork Loin (got a couple of these on great clearance last week at Martin's!)

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Chicken & Vegetable Dumplings
Ramen Noodles (flashback to college?)

Tuesday
Taco Salad

Wednesday
Tater Tot Casserole

Thursday
Meatballs w/ Cream of Mushroom

Friday
Pizza (& a movie maybe? Thinking of eating picnic style while watching a movie Bailey would like... just sounds like a fun idea for the family)

Saturday
Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Will be coming home from VA Beach, so this is up in the air... probably fast food

Tuesday
Taco Salad

Wednesday
Corn Dog Muffins

Thursday
Biscuits & Gravy

Friday
Pork Loin

Saturday
Breakfast-- Eggs, Bacon, Toast

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Jambalaya w/ Kielbasa (did not have this last week)

Tuesday
Breakfast Casserole

Wednesday
Corn Dog Muffins (did not have this last week)

Thursday
Spaghetti & Meatballs

Friday
Going to VA Beach for the weekend!

Meal Plan Monday

Monday

Cheeseburger Macaroni

Tuesday

Sweet & Sour Meatballs
Rice

Wednesday

Hot Dogs

Thursday

Breakfast Casserole

Friday
Jambalaya w/ Kielbasa

Saturday
Corn Dog Muffins

Meal Plan Monday

Well, it's back to the real world.... I have to make my own meals this week. :(

But a huge thanks to everyone who provided meals for our family in these first couple weeks. I planned ahead a little bit so it should still be a fairly easy week, meal-wise.

Monday
Subs

Tuesday
Lasagna (that I made and froze before Declan came)

Wednesday
Applebees (to ease the pain for my poor husband since the kids start school that day, haha) with a money gift that a family member gave us

Thursday
Girls Night Out @ Red Lobster!

Friday
Leftover Lasagna

Saturday
Jambalaya w/ Kielbasa

Declan's Birth Story

Okay, here we go! I'm excited to share the story with everyone, but it feels like a daunting task to make sure I don't forget anything and capture all the details so I can remember them for years to come. I'll do my best. :)

I'll preface the story with a couple of details. I had a c-section with Bailey and was planning on attempting a VBAC with this one. They would not induce my labor because of the increased chance of uterine rupture so I was 9 days overdue. It was frustrating to be so late but I wanted to let nature take her course and not try to rush the baby, so I was okay with not being induced. Now, onto the story.

I woke up once or twice during the night after I went to bed on Tuesday the 26th, really uncomfortable, but I couldn't tell if I was having contractions or if the baby was just in a really weird position. So I went back to sleep. Then I woke up around 3:30 am, still feeling uncomfortable. I got up to use the bathroom, and as I got up I felt a small gush of fluid, so I knew it was contractions and that my water had broken. I stayed up and ate a bowl of cereal, watched some tv, and got on the computer, just to pass some time since I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep. Eventually I got back in bed and managed to get a few minutes of sleep, knowing that we probably had a long day ahead of us.

A little after 7:00 am, Anthony woke up and I told him what was going on. I didn't want to wake him up earlier, since I knew there was no need to go to the hospital yet, I thought at least one of us should be getting some sleep. We got ready for the day and waited for Bailey to wake up. Once Bailey was up and ready we took her to meet my mom at Target. We ran in to look at the toy section since this was the week they clearance toys to 75%.... I know, "crazy lady having contractions in the toy section", haha! Then at about 9:30, we got to the hospital.

I was so happy to find out that Dr. Thompson was on call that day; I prayed that he would be the doctor to deliver this baby. He was always very supportive and encouraging about my decision to try for a VBAC, and he is so incredibly smart.

When they checked me, I was only 1 cm and about 80% effaced. After having a bag of IV fluids they let me walk around and be out of bed for an hour. Had to get back in bed to be monitored a little while and then I was able to be up for another hour. The next time they checked me (a few hours later?? not sure the exact time) I was only 2 cm and 100% effaced. Dr. Thompson was still optimistic but decided to give me pitocin to help things along. I also went ahead and got the epidural at that point.

A couple hours (again, not sure of the times???) when he checked me again, I was 5 cm! I was so excited because I never even made it that far with Bailey. I really thought that the VBAC would be successful at that point. A short time later, I started feeling a lot more pain/pressure (still not sure which it was, in hindsight I think this was probably pain from the uterine rupture) but my nurse (who was wonderful, by the way) was encouraging me that it was pressure that I was feeling which was a good thing because it meant we were getting closer to delivery. She even went so far as to set up the table with all the vaginal delivery stuff, and getting the baby warmer ready. She checked me again, I think hoping I had made a lot of progress since I was feeling so differently, and said I was at 6 cm during a contraction, 5 cm when no contraction.

Since I was trying for a VBAC, once I was at this point, the nurse was staying with me all the time to monitor carefully. Not long after she checked me, she noticed deceleration in the baby's heartrate after a contraction(s?). She didn't tell me about it at the time(so as not to worry me, I'm sure) but Ashley told me later. Another thing that Ashley told me after the fact was that apparently during a contraction, a large amount of blood came out, which I think was what really alerted the nurse.  She went and got Dr. Thompson and he quickly made the decision that I would have to have a c-section. He didn't want to risk any harm to the baby and at that point, I was totally okay with that. I was a little disappointed but mostly I just wanted a healthy baby.

So they quickly prepped me, rolled me back to the OR, and got started on the c-section. I am so thankful to God that Dr. Thompson made that quick decision for a c-section, because once he got to my uterus he found that I had a partial uterine rupture (occurs in less than 1% of VBAC's). Thankfully, he was able to repair it and I did not lose much blood; I didn't even need a blood transfusion which is not normal for the situation.

In the midst of all the "excitement" in the OR, Declan James Tyler entered the world at 8:38 pm. He weighed 7 lbs 10 oz and was 21 inches long. His apgar scores were 9 & 10 so he was a healthy boy, despite our complications!


















I was in recovery down on the 2nd floor of the hospital for about an hour (L&D was really busy while we were there - at one point I think there were 15 babies!!). As they were rolling me to the room I'd be in, all of our families were waiting and watching Declan in the nursery. I saw Bailey standing there and just started bawling. It was such an emotional moment seeing her and knowing how her life would change with a little brother around. I was also so anxious to see her meet her little brother for the first time.

My recovery at the hospital was pretty uneventful. It was Wednesday night when Declan was born, and I was able to come home on Friday afternoon. So we've been home a week now, and things are going pretty well. This time around definitely seems easier than the first time. I'm sure that's because I knew more of what to expect. Bailey has adjusted really well, in fact, much better than I'd been preparing myself for. It's been so great to have Anthony home. It's going to be a challenge once he goes back to school (on the 10th) but I'm sure we'll manage.

Most of all, I'm just feeling thankful: that Declan is healthy, that Dr. Thompson was able to repair my uterus and I did not have to have a hysterectomy, to have my husband home with me for now, for Bailey adjusting so well, and for the wonderful family and church family we have. God has been so gracious and kind to us.

Meal Plan Monday

Well, like I already said, Declan was born last week, and thankfully, I have a wonderful church family who is providing meals for us several days a week for 2 weeks, so for the next 2 weeks, meals require pretty much no work for me. If newborns weren't so much work, I'd have babies all the time, haha!

Monday
Anthony made shish kabobs and we had leftover corn and macaroni & cheese from dinner provided for us yesterday

Tuesday
Dinner provided by church family! :)

Wednesday
Leftovers

Thursday
Dinner provided by church family! :)

Friday
Leftovers

Saturday
Dinner provided by church family! :)

Declan James Tyler

Well, in case you didn't figure it out by now--- baby is here!!!

Declan James Tyler arrived Wednesday, July 27th at 8:38 pm via c-section. He was 7 lbs. 10 oz. and 21 inches long. We were hoping for a VBAC but after some deceleration in his heartbeat, the doctor decided we needed a c-section. I'm so thankful to God for Dr. Thompson and his quick decision making because there ended up being some complications, which I'll elaborate on when I tell his whole birth story. Thankfully, we are both healthy and we are very happy to have Declan here with us.

Stay tuned for the birth story, hopefully later this week! :)

Meal Plan Monday

What? Really? Can't believe I am having to make a meal plan for this, my 41st week of pregnancy. At this point with Bailey, she was out already! Of course, that was with a failed induction and a c-section, but still! Well, THIS meal plan had better be interrupted by a baby this week! :)

Monday
Waffles & Little Smokies (didn't have this last week)

Tuesday
Asian Pork Chops

Wednesday
Hot Dogs

Thursday
Cheeseburger Macaroni

Friday
Breakfast Casserole

Saturday
Treating ourselves to dinner out if I have STILL not had the baby! :)

Meal Plan Monday

Well, I was hoping that I would not be making a meal plan for this week, but sure enough, no baby yet. Oh well. He'll come soon enough. :)

Monday
Jambalaya w/ Kielbasa (didn't have this last week)

Tuesday
Corn Dog Muffins

Wednesday
Think we'll go for Subway (still wanting to try that Turkey Bacon Avocado sub) because I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon, this way we don't need to go back home before church

Thursday
Chicken Parmesan (minus the homemade sauce, I'll be using sauce from a jar)

Friday
Parade & Chicken Dinner at the Stuarts Draft Lawn Party... look forward to this meal ALL year! :) And if I am in the hospital, Anthony will be bringing me a "to go" box! :)

Saturday
Waffles

39 Weeks

How Far Along: 39 weeks

Size of baby: 20 inches and a bit over 7 pounds -- on a personal note, at my doctor's appointment this past week, Dr. Thompson said he didn't think this baby was as big as Bailey was, so that is good news!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: not sure, but I can't wait to get rid of the extra pounds!

Maternity Clothes: Wearing the same few outfits over and over again now. :)

Gender: Boy, and I *think* we are settled on the whole name now, at least I am, haha!

Movement: Most days he is moving a lot. Definitely starting to run out of room cause sometimes it's painful! I feel him mostly in the evening/night, but that's probably just because that's when I am sitting and relaxing.

Sleep: Sleep just depends on the night... some nights it's good, some not so good. Up once or twice to pee every night.

What I miss: Sleeping well all the time, but like I said last time, that's gone for a good while now. Also, it's hard to be comfortable when I am sitting sometimes.

Cravings: Nothing, besides wanting to eat everything in sight, ha!

Symptoms: Some heartburn, some pressure and cramping.

Best Moment this week: I've been loving spending time with Bailey, and with Anthony. It is such a blessing to have Anthony home right now so we can treasure these last few days as a family of 3!

Meal Plan Monday

We have VBS at church this week and the church/lifegroups are providing dinner for only $2 a person. Since I just share my plate with Bailey, we can't beat dinner for our family for $4, so it's a pretty easy week for us! It would also be great with me if any of our dinners this week consisted of hospital meals for the purpose of having delivered a baby! :)

Monday
Dinner @ church

Tuesday
Dinner @ church

Wednesday
Dinner @ church

Thursday
Dinner @ church

Friday
Jambalaya w/ Kielbasa

Saturday
Hot Dogs

38 Weeks

How Far Along: 38 weeks

Size of baby: the size of a leek, over 19 1/2 inches long, and about 6.8 pounds

Total Weight Gain/Loss: don't really have any idea.... 2 weeks ago they told me something way more than what I first thought it was (still an okay weight gain though), so I just decided to quit caring, haha!

Maternity Clothes: Wearing the same few outfits over and over again now. :)

Gender: Boy, and I think we are almost settled on a name. We've had our first name for a while, and are still tossing around a few middle names.

Movement: Most days he is moving a lot. Definitely starting to run out of room cause sometimes it's painful!

Sleep: Sleep just depends on the night... some nights it's good, some not so good.

What I miss: Sleeping well all the time, but like I said last time, that's gone for a good while now. Also, it's hard to be comfortable when I am sitting sometimes.

Cravings: Nothing, besides wanting to eat everything in sight, ha!

Symptoms: Some heartburn, some braxton hicks contractions.

Best Moment this week: Just enjoying this time with just the 3 of us, knowing that life is about to majorly change!

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Cookout

Tuesday
Pioneer Woman's Lasagna

Wednesday
Dinner @ Mom's

Thursday
Asian Pork Chops

Friday

Cow Appreciation Day @ Chick-fil-A!

Saturday
Homemade Pizza, once again didn't make the cut last week because of some changes... maybe this week? :)

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta

I have shared this meal on my meal plan, but realized that you can't see it unless you are friends w/ Anthony's cousin Carissa, who I got the recipe from. And, oh my, this recipe is too good not to share. It is really similar to its namesake from Applebees. Anthony told me I could start my own restaurant with this. This serves the 3 of us, with one bowl leftover. Pretty simple to make and SO tasty, so here it is....



Place 2 chicken breasts in 1/3 cup of Italian dressing to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Chop 2 tomatoes and 2 to 3 garlic cloves. Combine with 1 teaspoon of basil to make bruschetta. Set aside.

Cook 3 cups of penne pasta. Drain.

Grill (or broil, we've only grilled) the chicken.

Divide pasta into two (or up to four, we do four) microwavable bowls.

Pour one 15 oz. jar alfredo sauce over pasta in each bowl.

Layer on bruschetta, chicken, and one package of Italian Cheese (I've used Italian Style Five Cheese Blend from Target) evenly in all bowls.

Microwave each bowl for 2 to 3 minutes.

Enjoy! Let me know if you try it and what you think! :)

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Egg Salad Sandwiches

Tuesday
Chicken Primavera with Pasta

Wednesday
KFC-- have a coupon for buy one meal, get one free

Thursday
Italian Beef Sandwiches (had this courtesy of Hollie last week, and I have to try the recipe myself, it was so good!)

Friday
Three Cheese Chicken Penne

Saturday
Homemade Pizza (still didn't have this, but it's because we ended up eating over at some friends' house on Friday)

36 Weeks

How Far Along: 36 Weeks.... what???!!!

Size of baby: the size of a crenshaw melon?? (almost 6 pounds) and over 18 1/2 inches long

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I think I am at no more than 15 pounds.... go back to the doc on Friday so maybe I'll ask then

Maternity Clothes: I'm at the point now where only so many shirts are long enough to cover the belly. I'm actually wearing one of Anthony's tall white undershirts today! :)

Gender: Boy, and I think we are almost settled on a name. We've had our first name for a while, and are still tossing around a few middle names. If he was born today, I think I know which one we would go with, but I'm still keeping my options open till he IS born!

Movement: Most days he is moving a lot. Definitely starting to run out of room cause sometimes it's painful!

Sleep: Sleep is getting more tough now. It's hard to get comfortable and last night I was awake several times tossing and turning. Guess this is to be expected.

What I miss: Just sleeping well... but I guess that's gone for at the very least a year now, haha!

Cravings: Nothing really.

Symptoms: Some heartburn, some braxton hicks contractions.

Best Moment this week: This last week was a rough one with Bailey hurting her hand/arm, but it's so fun to be able to talk with her about how it's only a few more weeks till baby brother comes out, and seeing her talking to him in the belly. I think she will be a great big sister. :)

Happy Father's Day!

I know I am a little late, but I had to include the "Happy Father's Day" post to brag on my husband and father of my children for a moment.

I was in the preschool class during church yesterday, but Anthony told me that Pastor Don said that according to a survey, the typical father of a toddler spends 2 1/2 minutes with his toddler each day. I am so happy to say that Bailey's daddy spends much more time than that with her each day. He is a a great dad. Here are just a few of the reasons why...

*When he comes home from working, it is always a priority for them to have a BIG hug.

*He is always coming up with fun little sayings for them to dialogue with each other... the most recent being "I love you to the moon/I love you to the stars/I love you to the sun". It's so much fun to hear her say these things.

*He is a good disciplinarian. Since I spend most of the time with Bailey, I would say that I do most of the disciplining, however, he is always keeping me in check, making sure that I don't let her go to far, or get away with something I shouldn't be. So even when I don't agree with something he is saying, I appreciate him being the leader and making sure his girl stays on track.

















*He horseplays on our bed with her/plays "hide from mommy" under the sheets, always messing up the bed, which of course drives Mommy nuts, but is definitely okay for Daddy to get away with. :)

*He is always trying to think of things that would be fun for her. I think that men are, in general, probably more in touch with their "inner child" than women are, so he's really good at remembering what would be fun for Bailey. Even if we can't afford them or they are not realistic for us right now, I like it that he is thinking this way. (ie, a pool, a bigger swingset, etc.)

*She loves to build with blocks and he builds the coolest things with her.... does a way better job than Mommy!

*Maybe most important of all is the example he is setting. He is a wonderful husband, in how he provides for his family as well as how he leads us and shows his love for us. He is setting the bar pretty high as to the kind of husband Bailey will need to look for.

I can't imagine a better husband for me or father for our children. We love you Anthony!

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
French Toast

Tuesday
Leftover Hawaiian BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Wednesday
Dinner @ Mom's

Thursday
Corn Dog Muffins

Friday
Homemade Pizza (didn't have this last week, again!)

Saturday
Beef Ribs on the grill... still looking for a yummy recipe

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Fish Tacos

Tuesday
Cavatini

Wednesday
Hawaiian BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Thursday
Girls Night Out

Friday
Homemade Pizza (didn't have this last week)

Saturday
Leftovers, or I've been dying to try the Turkey & Bacon Avocado Sub from Subway, so we may have to go for that

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Lemon Roasted Chicken & Veggies (ended up not having this last week)

Tuesday
BLT Sandwiches

Wednesday
Anthony's parents are coming to stay with us for the night, on their way through to TN, and hopefully they'll make it in time so we can enjoy a dinner out with them! If not, we'll probably have something quick and easy at home.

Thursday
Chicken Packets

Friday
Scalloped Chicken (page 174 from Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook)

Saturday
Homemade Pizza (I use Pioneer Woman's pizza dough recipe)

Yard Sale Finds

I have a blog that I follow and she always posts the yard sale deals that she finds, and I really love reading those posts from her, so I thought it would be fun to do my own!

At one yard sale I found the cutest little raincoat for $1 for Bailey. I don't usually buy her ANY clothes, because we have so many from Zoe, but we don't have a raincoat, so I had to have it. :)

Also, at the same yard sale, I got her 4 Sandra Boynton books (50 cents a piece), which we love!

We happened across one yard sale that was mostly random junk (as my husband would say, "Here, YOU throw this away!", I'm sure you know the kind I'm talking about) but I found a jewel amongst the junk.

I found a Tupperware Serving Center Set, which retails for $40 (I got it for $2)! I have always wanted one of these, but just was never willing to cough up the money for it. My mom always served condiments for tacos in hers, good memory!

And my steal of the day would be 3 nursing bras that I got for $1, total! I think one, maybe two of them will work for me. I knew they might not fit when I bought them, but I figured for $1, I couldn't pass them up.

Loving yard sale season! What good finds have you come across?

33 Weeks

I have been really slacking on the blog, including the pregnancy updates, but I'm trying to get back on board again, so here is my 33 week update...


How Far Along: 33 Weeks

Size of baby: the size of a pineapple (a little over 4 pounds) and over 17 inches

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I think I am at about 13 pounds gained now

Maternity Clothes: I am liking being pregnant during the summertime since I can just wear stretchy shorts and big t-shirts!

Gender: Boy, we have a definite first name, but no middle name yet. We are keeping the name a secret till he is born. :)

Movement: Most days he is moving a lot. Definitely starting to run out of room cause sometimes it's painful!

Sleep: Still sleeping pretty well most nights, though I'm always up at least once a night for a visit to the bathroom.

What I miss: Nothing.

Cravings: Nothing really.

Symptoms: Have started noticing some heartburn a couple of times. I also got some heartburn towards the end of the pregnancy with Bailey, so I was expecting it.

Best Moment this week: It's not pregnancy related, but Anthony, Bailey, and I went to Chili's and for ice cream on Friday to celebrate our 5 year anniversary, and we had the best time. I love spending time doing fun things with the 3 of us, and I'm trying to enjoy this time as much as possible before baby comes!

29 Weeks Pic

Well, this picture is 4 weeks late, but better late than never, right?? :)

Meal Plan Monday

Ahhh, finally! My life is back to normal. Enjoyed spending time with the K4 RCS kids and was definitely nice to earn some extra money, but I'm SO thankful to be back to my normal routine as a stay-at-home mom! :) And I know my husband is thankful to have me cooking real meals for him again. Here's the plan for the week...


Monday
Family over for Hot Dogs & Hamburgers

Tuesday
Jambalya w/ Kielbasa

Wednesday
Taking pizza to the Woody's for dinner, so I'll probably pick up one for us as well.

Thursday
Three Cheese Chicken Penne (Thanks Carissa!)

Friday
Spaghetti

Saturday
Lemon Roasted Chicken & Vegetables

Meal Plan Monday

Oh my, I've been the biggest blog slacker lately. Last week I was working part-time most all week so that's my excuse for that, but no excuse other than that. I'm glad I don't always work, cause I just couldn't handle it! Last week, I didn't even make a meal plan and we ate out TOO much! I'm still working this week, but trying to get back on the meal planning, even though it's harder when I'm gone much of the day.

Monday
Hot Dogs
Chips

Tuesday
Fish Tacos
Spanish Rice

Wednesday
Dinner at Mom's-- I have some pancakes in the freezer there

Thursday
Girls Night Out @ Shenandoah Pizza, Split Banana, and Coffee on the Corner!

Friday
Will be at Mom's preparing for the yardsale Saturday morning

Saturday
Candace's wedding!


Okay, so now that I look at it, this is a super easy week for me. Hooray!

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Eggs & Sausage

Tuesday
Fish Tacos

Wednesday
Honey-Soy Braised Pork Shoulder (except I'm using pork stew meat, ended up not having this last week)

Thursday
Smoked Sausage, Potatoes, Peppers, & Onions

Friday/Saturday
Bailey is staying w/ Ganny Friday night since Anthony & I are doing SAT's on Saturday (which means an EARLY morning), so one of these days will probably fast food for dinner and one will be easy spaghetti, depending on when Bailey goes to Ganny's and when we get done w/ SAT's

Harris Teeter

Today started Harris Teeter Super Doubles, so of course I made the trek over the mountain. It wasn't as good as normal, as far as free and really cheap stuff goes, but I still did really well, and got a lot of stuff. I didn't take a picture of the goods today because I was starving when I got home, so I just didn't take the time to do it. Here's what I got though...

2 - Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaners - 50 cents each
2 - Gorton's Fish Sticks - $2.00 per box (after coupons) with meal deal
2 - Ortego Taco Shells - these should have been free with the meal deal, but looks like they did not come off, so I think I paid $1.50 for both of them together
1 - Ortega Taco Seasoning - free w/ meal deal
1 - Ortega Taco Sauce - free w/ meal deal
1 - Harris Teeter Refried Beans - free w/ meal deal
1 - Breakstone's Sour Cream - free w/ meal deal
10 - Aunt Jemima Pancakes or Waffles - paid $1.85 each for 4 boxes, and got 6 boxes free, comes out to 74 cents per box
1 - El Monterey Tornados - free
1 - Stouffer's Family Lasagna - $3.99
2 - Tony's Pizzas - 17 cents each
2 - Bailey's Creamers - 19 cents each


So here's my totals:

Total before Savings: $79.50
Store Savings: $36.53
Coupon Savings: $23.43
Total OOP: $19.54 = 75% Savings!!!

Meal Plan Monday

Sorry for my absence of a meal plan last week, but I was enjoying a week off, courtesy of my wonderful mother-in-law. She is so great to feed us excellent meals while we are visiting! But this week it's back to the grind and I am required to actually cook. :)

Monday
Loaded Baked Potatoes

Tuesday
Jambalaya w/ Kielbasa (can't get enough of this stuff right now!)

Wednesday
Italian Cheddar Bake (Kraft Food & Family magazine, Spring 2007, page 22, note for me so I can easily find the recipe!)

Thursday
RCS Spirit Night at Chick-fil-A

Friday
Honey-Soy Braised Pork Shoulder (from All You magazine)
Rice

Saturday
Homemade Pizza

26 Weeks

How Far Along: 26 Weeks

Size of baby: the size of an English hothouse cucumber (Baby Center sure uses some specific, interesting foods) at 14 inches, and around a pound and two-thirds

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Blah, still didn't find out, but it's probably close to 10 pounds, maybe not quite that much

Maternity Clothes: I have the hardest time finding something I am happy with wearing. Which is funny, because I couldn't wait to be pregnant so I could wear my maternity clothes (among other reasons, of course).

Gender: Boy, still no definite name yet. Probably will keep it this way for a while longer since it is easier to say and explain "we don't know yet" rather than "we have a name, but we are keeping it a secret".

Movement: Lots of movement, kicking, turning, hiccups, everyday.

Sleep: Sleeping well still, but I'm almost always up at least once a night due to the ever-increasing pressure on my bladder. And/or the big sister who can't find her pacifier (I know, we need to get rid of that, I'm just not ready to deal with that yet).

What I miss: Nothing yet.

Cravings: No crazy cravings this week. Though I feel like I am eating constantly!

Symptoms: Have just had some "growing pains" way down in my pelvis. I remember the same thing from Bailey's pregnancy.

Best Moment this week: I feel like the more time goes on, the more I love spending time with Bailey. I mean, most of the time, I really love being with her. She is just a really fun kid. I feel grateful that I am learning to appreciate her and my time with her so much.

Asian Pork Chops & Cheddar Stuffed Potatoes

Okay, so I know I posted the link to these recipes on my meal plan, but after having them, I just HAD to promote them some more. Tonight for dinner we had Asian Pork Chops and Cheddar Stuffed Potatoes that I found on a blog I follow, Crazy for Caroline.

I just did a couple of things different from what her recipe says... instead of a pork tenderloin I just used boneless pork chops and I probably marinated them for only 3 hours instead of 8 (I forgot to take them out of the freezer last night). Also, I used canola oil instead of sesame oil (don't have sesame oil) and some garlic powder instead of crushed garlic cloves (was too lazy to do that, haha!). The flavor was SOO good!

And for the potatoes, I followed the recipe exactly, but added some bacon bits on at the end as well. They were even better than I expected.

Anthony REALLY liked this meal, so I will definitely be making both of these again. Just had to share how great these recipes turned out. Give them a try!

Meal Plan Monday, late!

Monday
Hot Dogs
Beans

Tuesday
Beef Enchiladas
Chips & Salsa

Wednesday
Pancakes
Sausage

Thursday
Asian Pork Chops
Cheddar Stuffed Potatoes

Friday
Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Red Potatoes

25 Week Picture

Questions

So we were driving in the car this morning and Bailey started talking about rainbows. We were talking about how God makes the rainbows, which led her to ask me some questions about God....

"Where is God?"

To which I responded that God is in heaven (I think that was a sufficient answer for young 2 year old?).

And...

"Who made God?"

This one really took me back! To which I said "No one made God, God always was".

I know she probably doesn't fully understand what she is asking, and definitely does not fully understand the answers, but I was just floored to be hearing those questions from my 2 year old! I knew these kind of questions would come at some point, but I'm not ready for that yet! :)

25 Weeks

How Far Along: 25 Weeks

Size of baby: the size of a rutabaga (what in the world is that?) at a pound and a half and 13 1/2 inches

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Hopefully I'll remember to ask about it at my appointment on Friday, but I think I'm about the same as I was a couple of doctor's visits ago

Maternity Clothes: All maternity pants, can still wear regular shirts, but I am hoping it gets warm and stays that way soon, (because maternity pants are just kind of uncomfortable to me) so I can just wear dresses and stretchy capris or pants!

Gender: Boy, still no definite name yet.

Movement: Lots of movement, kicking, turning, hiccups, everyday.

Sleep: Still sleeping great! Loved some of the rain/thunderstorms we had this past week. Nothing like sleeping to the sound of the rain. :)

What I miss: I don't know that I am "missing" it yet, but I feel like I am starting to move a little slower and starting to feel like I am "big" now.

Cravings: I had this incredible Simply Lemonade w/ Raspberry at my friend Marcy's house last week and fell in love. I had to have some, so w/ coupon doublers at Martin's today, I bought some. And I bought some Clausen Kosher Dill Pickles. Yum.

Symptoms: Nothing really, besides the ever-growing belly. So grateful that I was not sick at all with this pregnancy.

Best Moment this week: No huge, great moments this week, not that it was bad. Though some of my Trek girls figured out tonight that I am pregnant and were so excited, so that was fun. :)

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Spaghetti & Meatballs

Tuesday
Jambalaya w/ Kielbasa

Wednesday
Hot Dogs
French Fries

Thursday
Lemon Roasted Chicken & Veggies

Friday
Beef Enchiladas
Chips & Salsa

Saturday
Probably will pick up fast food on my way home from the You & Your Girl simulcast at church

24 Weeks

I've gotten behind on the pregnancy updates, so I'm just skipping week 23 so I can get back on track...

How Far Along: 24 Weeks

Size of baby: the size of an ear of corn (almost 12 inches long) and just over one pound

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I keep meaning to get my weight from my first appointment but always forget... maybe I'll get it in 2 weeks when I go back.

Maternity Clothes: My too-big khaki pants have almost reached their limit, so it's going to be all maternity (or stretchy pants) pretty soon. :)

Gender: Boy, still no definite name yet.

Movement: Lots of movement, kicking, turning, hiccups, everyday.

Sleep: I had one night this week that I didn't sleep good... not sure what was up with that, but otherwise, I'm still sleeping fine.

What I miss: I can't really lay flat on my belly now, but that's not really a big deal.

Cravings: I am loving cereal and orange juice right now.

Symptoms: Nothing really. So grateful that I was not sick at all with this pregnancy.

Best Moment this week: I know I probably sound like a broken record here, but the past couple days Bailey has been so cuddly and lovey with me and I have been absolutely loving it. I know that when the baby comes, it's going to be hard to find time to just cuddle with her, so I am really enjoying it while I can.

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Ravioli
Fried Polenta

Tuesday
Chicken Capri Pasta

Wednesday
Sour Cream Pancakes

Thursday
Spaghetti & Meatballs

Friday
Game Night @ Amy & Andrew's

Saturday
Chicken Spaghetti (didn't have this last week)

Meal Plan Monday.... a little late

Monday
Smoked Sausage, Potatoes, Peppers, & Onions (didn't have this last week)

Tuesday
Pizza Pasta

Wednesday
Eggs
Little Smokies

Thursday
Will probably be picking up dinner somewhere since I am babysitting and not sure what time I'll be done and Anthony is playing ball at 7:00.

Friday
Loaded Potato Soup

Saturday
Chicken Spaghetti

22 Weeks

In the picture: on the left is Bailey at 22 weeks, on the right is Baby #2 at 22 weeks

How Far Along: 22 Weeks

Size of baby: the size of a spaghetti squash (11 inches long) and almost one pound

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I keep meaning to get my weight from my first appointment but always forget... maybe I'll get it in 3 weeks when I go back.

Maternity Clothes: Wearing either my too-big khaki pants, some maternity pants, or stretchy pants. All shirts are okay still. I'm really glad the majority of pregnancy is going to be when it's warm so I can just be comfortable in pants with stretch waistbands!

Gender: Definitely a boy, confirmed at my ultrasound on Friday.

Movement: Lots of movement, kicking, turning, hiccups, everyday. I can sometimes feel him with my hand on my belly, so maybe this week Anthony will be able to feel, if he can find the patience to wait for it! :)

Sleep: Have I said how much I love sleep? I'm still sleeping really well and like I have said many times before, am enjoying sleeping through the night while I can.

What I miss: We put up Bailey's "big girl bed" this week, so she doesn't feel like the baby is stealing her crib when he comes. She's doing really well in it, but it just makes reality set in that much more, that she is really growing up and is not a baby anymore. :(

Cravings: Nothing lately.

Symptoms: Feeling great, was told I was "glowing" yesterday. :)

Best Moment this week: Seeing the baby on the ultrasound. A couple times we could see him yawning or something like that.... it was just so precious!

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Fish Sticks
Mac & Cheese

Tuesday
Spicy Roasted Chicken Legs
Salad

Wednesday
Fried Polenta - never tried this before, and not really sure what I am supposed to do/how you are supposed to eat polenta-- any suggestions?

Thursday
Girls Night Out!

Friday
Donna's Beef Stew (from Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook)

Saturday
Smoked Sausage, Potatoes, Peppers, & Onions

21 Weeks

How Far Along: 21 Weeks

Size of baby: the size of a carrot (10 1/2 inches long) and three-quarters of a pound

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Ugh... up several pounds, but probably not much of that is baby, more of me eating like a horse! :)

Maternity Clothes: I remembered this week that I have a pair of khaki pants that were too big for me, but of course, now they work really well with this baby belly! Glad I remembered that since I'm still at that akward stage where my regular pants are too tight, but I'm really not big enough for maternity pants yet.

Gender: It's a BOY!!! Anthony and I haven't really talked about names anymore yet, but I definitely have it narrowed down to 2 in my mind, and probably 1, because I love the meaning of one of them.

Movement: Feeling lots of kicking and moving every day. Can't wait till "outsiders" can feel it too. :)

Sleep: Still sleeping pretty well. Still able to sleep on my stomach. Usually waking up once to pee during the night.

What I miss: Nothing, but I know I will miss sleeping on my belly eventually, so I am doing as much of that as possible!

Cravings: Nothing lately.

Symptoms: None

Best Moment this week: Just loving feeling him kick and move so much now.

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Toad in the Hole
Lit'l Smokies

Tuesday
Tater Tot Casserole

Wednesday
Will either be grabbing something on the go or eating at Mom's, have to be at church at 5:30

Thursday
BLT sandwiches

Friday
Hot Dogs

Saturday
Taste of the Nations at church

20 Weeks

How Far Along: 20 Weeks

Size of baby: the size of a banana

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Probably up a pound or two from original weight...

Maternity Clothes: Yes. Isn't it funny how much changes in a week? Last week I was not wearing them, but my jeans are just totally uncomfortable now, so I have moved on to maternity pants. Regular shirts are still okay though.

Gender: It's a BOY!!!

Movement: I feel him move and kick every day now.

Sleep: I just can't say enough how much I love sleep. I think a lot about how much I enjoy sleeping through the night. I am treasuring it while I still can. All that being said, I am sleeping just fine still.

What I miss: Nothing, but I know I will miss sleeping on my belly eventually, so I am doing as much of that as possible!

Cravings: Nothing lately.

Symptoms: None

Best Moment this week: My belly really starting to "pop". I love being pregnant, and looking pregnant!

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
We were going to eat at a new Scotto's just down the road from us, but they were closed when we got there at like 7:00! Guess maybe they are just open in the evenings on weekends, maybe? So we just fended for ourselves for dinner tonight. :/

Tuesday
Italian Pork Chops

Wednesday
Tacos

Thursday
Chipotle with a B1G1 free coupon!

Friday
Pepperoni Calzones

Saturday
Sonic is doing the entire menu at half-price, so we're eating Sonic for dinner!

19 Weeks

How Far Along: 19 Weeks

Size of baby: the size of a heirloom tomato

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Probably up a pound or two from original weight...

Maternity Clothes: Not yet, but I don't know how much longer I'm going to be fitting in my jeans!

Gender: It's a BOY!!!

Movement: Just feeling a kick (or something) every now and then and also sometimes I think I just feel him moving or turning in there. :)

Sleep: This week was not a great week for sleep since Bailey had a terrible cold, but last night she was back to sleeping all night in her own bed, so hopefully it stays that way now!

What I miss: Nothing, but I know I will miss sleeping on my belly eventually, so I am doing as much of that as possible!

Cravings: No big cravings this week really.

Symptoms: Nothing really

Best Moment this week: Feeling the baby move, it just never gets old. Also, finding out that our baby boy is going to have a boy cousin who is just weeks younger than him! :)

Paci-holic

Let me preface this story by telling you the "paci rules" in our house. Bailey is only allowed to have her paci when we are in the car or when she is sleeping. She knows these rules. I keep one paci in her diaper bag for when we leave, and the rest stay in her bed while she is not using them.

Earlier today, Bailey was in her room and she was being very quiet. I went to go check on her to make sure she was okay/wasn't up to no good. Here is what I saw when I went to her room....



See the legs behind the rocking chair?






















Head behind the curtain.





















Notice what's in her lap?





















And there she sat, my little paci-holic who needed a paci fix. :)

Meal Plan Monday

Okay, so this is the easiest meal plan ever, since I'm just now doing it, and there's a few days that are already spoken for.....

Monday
Spaghetti & Meatballs

Tuesday
Garlic Chicken Bake

Wednesday
Marlboro Man's Second Favorite Sandwich

Thursday
It's RCS Spirit Night at Chick-Fil-A AND Anthony's birthday, so we are going there for dinner!

Friday
Hamburgers, hopefully on the grill!

Saturday
Dinner and a movie for Anthony's birthday

18 Weeks

How Far Along: 18 Weeks

Size of baby: the size of a bell pepper

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Roughly the same as original pregnancy weight, I think.

Maternity Clothes: Not yet, but I think I have officially decided that I am starting to show!

Gender: It's a BOY!!!

Movement: DEFINITELY felt baby move twice yesterday. Felt like a little knock from the inside. :)

Sleep: Sleeping pretty well, oh how I love sleep. I am treasuring my nights of uninterrupted sleep while I still can!

What I miss: Nothing, but I know I will miss sleeping on my belly eventually, so I am doing as much of that as possible!

Cravings: No big cravings this week really.

Symptoms: Nothing really

Best Moment this week: Feeling baby move and hearing the heartbeat today. Also, not a best moment, but a cute story I had to share. When Bailey and I were at the doctor's office today, I laid back on the table and started pulling my shirt up so we could listen to the heartbeat. Bailey got upset and started crying! She was worried about what the doctor was doing to her mommy! She is just so sweet and tender hearted. Dr. Bukovac quickly reassured her that everything was okay, and then Bailey was interested in hearing baby brother. :)

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
PW Chicken Picata (ended up not having this last week)

Tuesday
Girls Night Out!

Wednesday
Baked Potatoes w/ Chili

Thursday
Duggar's Tater Tot Casserole (ended up not having this last week)


Friday
Breakfast Bake - borrowing this recipe from my friend Brittany, thanks Brittany!

Saturday
Encore Valentine's Dinner at church

17 Weeks

How Far Along: 17 Weeks

Size of baby: the size of a turnip

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Didn't get on the scale today, but probably at least back up to original pregnancy weight, if not over, thanks to some indulgent eating this past weekend!

Maternity Clothes: Not yet

Gender: It's a BOY!!! We have a short list of names but are thinking we might keep the name a secret once we do decide. I have two names that I like best now and am really leaning more towards one of them, but we have not decided yet.

Movement: Actually thought a few times this week that I MAY have felt the baby, but I'm not 100% sure.

Sleep: Sleeping pretty well

What I miss: Nothing, but I know I will miss sleeping on my belly eventually, so I am doing as much of that as possible!

Cravings: Besides everything I see, I am craving Sprite all the time now!

Symptoms: Nothing really

Best Moment this week: Once again, just talking with Bailey about her baby brother. I let her carry around one of the ultrasound pictures and she said something about baby brother's beard! Hahaha!

Pioneer Woman Potato Skins

Last night, for our Superbowl party, I made Pioneer Woman's Potato Skins.... I must say, they were AMAZING! Of course, I knew they would be good since they were PW, but they exceeded my expectations. My wonderful friend Katie, requested the recipe, and since PW doesn't have this one on her blog, I thought I would share it on my blog. :) So here it is, with my comments added.

Ingredients

8 slices thick-cut bacon (I used a bag of Oscar Mayer real bacon bits, and it worked just fine!)
8 russet, potatoes, scrubbed clean
Canola oil
Kosher salt (I don't have this, so I just used regular salt)
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (I probably used a little more than this)
1 cup sour cream
4 green onions, sliced (I didn't use this, since I didn't know if everyone likes them or not)


Directions

1 - Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2 - Fry the bacon.
3 - Wash the potatoes and rub the skin liberally with canola oil. Place on a baking pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
4 - Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise.
5 - With a cookie scoop or spoon, scrape out the inner flesh of the potatoes, leaving a small margin of potato in the skins.
6 - Brush both sides of the potato skins with canola oil. Salt both sides liberally.
7 - Place the skins cut side down on the pan and return to the oven.
8 - Bake for 7 minutes, then flip the skins to the other side.
9 - Bake for 7 minutes more, or until the skins are crisy (mine were in the oven for probably 10 to 12 minutes).
10 - Grate the cheddar cheese.
11 - Chop the bacon into bits.
12 - Sprinkle cheese into each potato skin.
13 - Then sprinkle with bacon and return to the oven just until the cheese melts.
14 - Just before serving, spoon 1 tablespoon of sour cream on each skin and sprinkle with sliced green onions (I just set the sour cream next to the potato skins so everyone could put in on themselves, in case anyone didn't like sour cream).


Pretty easy and SOOO delicious. I'll definitely be making these again. Thank you, once again, Pioneer Woman for making my food life complete. :)

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Homemade Pizza (again, I used PW's pizza dough recipe, you can find here, and it makes enough for two pizzas, hence the reason we are having it again, and it was just THAT good!)

Tuesday
Marlboro Man Sandwich, Pioneer Woman Style - we still have the leftover buns from last time we made this, so I want to use those, I'm definitely going to throw in some mushrooms this time, and maybe peppers too

Wednesday
Skinny Tuna Noodle Casserole - ended up not having this last week

Thursday
Duggar's Tater Tot Casserole

Friday
PW Chicken Piccata

Saturday
Leftovers

16 Weeks

How Far Along: 16 Weeks

Size of baby: the size of an avocado

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still down from original pregnancy weight by a couple pounds

Maternity Clothes: Not yet

Gender: It's a BOY!!! We have a short list of names but are thinking we might keep the name a secret once we do decide.

Movement: Have not felt any baby movement yet. It was 20 weeks with Bailey.

Sleep: Sleeping pretty well

What I miss: Nothing, but I know I will miss sleeping on my belly eventually, so I am doing as much of that as possible!

Cravings: Same as it has been... everything! PB&J is always sounding good to me right now.

Symptoms: Been feeling the round ligaments stretching this week some.

Best Moment this week: Can't really say there has been a "best" moment this week. Not that it's been bad, but late last week I had a constant headache and was just exhausted for a few days (side note: I have the best husband-- he helped so much with dinner and dishes last week!) and been dealing with Bailey still having a cough and runny nose (she slept with us in bed two nights because of the cough), but I *think* she is starting to get better. Hopefully I have something to put for this next week!

Meal Plan Monday

I'm a little late with the meal plan today since I skipped my planning last night so I could scoop up my baby and bring her to bed with me since she was just coughing up a storm in her crib. I know it probably doesn't really help her any physically at all to sleep with me, but it makes me feel better at least. Hoping and praying that she can sleep soundly tonight in her own bed, minus the coughing.


Monday
Baked Spaghetti

Tuesday
Jambalaya w/ Sausage

Wednesday
Beef Stew

Thursday
Homemade Pizza

Friday
Skinny Tuna Noodle Casserole

Saturday
Leftovers

15 Weeks

How Far Along: 15 Weeks

Size of baby: the size of an apple

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still down from original pregnancy weight by a couple pounds

Maternity Clothes: Not yet

Gender: It's a BOY!!!

Movement: Have not felt any baby movement yet. It was 20 weeks with Bailey.

Sleep: Sleeping pretty well

What I miss: Nothing

Cravings: Everything and anything... I just want to eat everything! Everything I see looks like the best food I've ever seen. :)

Symptoms: Nothing really.

Best Moment this week: Talking to Bailey today about what to name her baby brother. Her first answer was "Baby Brother", then "Tico" (character from Dora), and then "Boots" (Dora's monkey friend). Then finding out that someone else from church, Nicki (Tyler McClure's wife, for those of you that know him), is pregnant! That is FIVE babies due this summer for our church! :)

Meal Plan Monday

A few notes before I get into the plan for the week....

#1 - A facebook friend of mine posted the link to this food blog, All Kinds of Yumm, and I am in love with everything I have seen on it, which leads me to #2.

#2 - When not pregnant, in normal life, I am a food lover. I mean, look at me, my body is evidence! :) But during this pregnancy, every single food item I see.... I GOTTA have it! It's probably a good thing we are on an extremely limited budget right now, cause otherwise, I think I'd be gaining 100 pounds while I am pregnant!


Here we go....


Monday
Classic Spaghetti
Green Beans
Garlic Bread

Tuesday
Anthony gone to a meeting, Bailey and I will be eating leftovers, sandwiches, cereal, or some other effortless food!

Wednesday
Hot Dogs
Chips

Thursday
Chicken Fried Rice

Friday
Marlboro Man Sandwich

Saturday
Velveeta Spicy Sausage Dip -- I know this doesn't really qualify for a dinner, but please refer to #2 above.... I have some ground sausage I want to use, and I am pregnant. Don't judge me! :)

14 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:


How Far Along: 14 Weeks

Size of baby: the size of a lemon

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Not sure about the overall pregnancy, but I'm down 5 pounds from the last time I was at the doctor, from that stomach bug I had.

Maternity Clothes: Not yet

Gender: It's a BOY!!!

Movement: Have not felt any baby movement yet. It was 20 weeks with Bailey.

Sleep: Sleeping pretty well right now, especially during naps... I love naps!

What I miss: Nothing

Cravings: Still digging PB&J sandwiches, and late last week I just HAD to have some Chef Boyardee Spaghetti & Meatballs, so I ran down the road to Dollar General to get a can for me and Bailey to share for lunch!

Symptoms: Nothing really.

Best Moment this week: The ultrasound today.... so incredible. Loved watching the baby move and seeing his beating heart and all the parts of his body. We could see the two hemispheres of the brain... just amazing! It was such a relief to actually see him, since at this stage of the pregnancy there's really no physical evidence of a healthy baby. So excited to be having a healthy little boy.

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Eggplant Parmesan (ended up not having this last week)

Tuesday
Girls Night Out @ Wright's Dairy-Rite

Wednesday
Grilled Cheese & Ham
Tomato Soup

Thursday
PW Fried Round Steak

Friday
Easy Mexican Black Bean Casserole

Saturday
Leftovers

Harris Teeter Super Doubles

I went to Harris Teeter twice last week for super doubles and here is the recap of my second trip....

I got:

*1 box Texas Toast

*2 huge jars Prego Spaghetti Sauce

*1 Pepsi

*1 Parmesan Cheese

*2 Coffeemate Creamers

*1 Alexia Onion Rings

*2 Breyers Yo Crunch Fruit Parfait

*1 box Angel Hair Pasta

*1 box Weight Watchers Lemon Creme Cake

Total before Savings: $36.30

VIC Savings: $18.34

Coupon Savings: $11.66

Total OOP: $6.30

Savings of $30 or 83%!!!

13 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:


How Far Along: 13 Weeks

Size of baby: the size of a medium shrimp

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still not sure, but down from last week since I lost about 8 pounds while I was sick!

Maternity Clothes: Not yet

Gender: One week from now, we will know! We should find out on Monday, the 17th.

Movement: Have not felt any baby movement yet. It was 20 weeks with Bailey.

Sleep: All sleep is feeling great since the night of "sleep" I had while I was sick!

What I miss: Nothing

Cravings: Nothing in particular.

Symptoms: Nothing really.

Best Moment this week: Getting to share pregnancy stories with my sister (due Sept.) & Summer (due June)!

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
Roasted Chicken & Veggies (didn't have this last week, due to our sickness!)

Tuesday
Edna Mae's Sour Cream Pancakes (from PW Cookbook)

Wednesday
Tacos

Thursday
Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Roasted Red Potatoes

Friday
Eggplant Parmesan

Saturday
Leftovers

12 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:


How Far Along: 12 Weeks

Size of baby: the size of a lime

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Not really sure yet with my holiday weight gain! :)

Maternity Clothes: Not yet

Gender: We should find out 2 weeks from today!

Movement: Have not felt any baby movement yet. It was 20 weeks with Bailey.

Sleep: Not sleeping terribly, but not sleeping great either. Some nights are better than others.

What I miss: Nothing yet. Would have been lunch meats by my NP told me it's okay to eat that!

Cravings: I've really been digging PB&J sandwiches this week!

Symptoms: Nothing major, maybe just more tired than normal.

Best Moment this week: Getting to hear the heartbeat!



Eventually, I'll start posting belly pics, but right now the only belly I have is no fault of the baby! :) Haha!

Meal Plan Monday

Monday
French Onion Soup
French Bread

Tuesday
Hot & Sweet Drumsticks

Wednesday
Mom's for dinner

Thursday
Spaghetti & Meatballs

Friday
Roasted Chicken & Veggies

Saturday
Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

New Year!

Wow--- sorry I haven't blogged in so long. We have had a crazy busy couple of weeks.

Anthony had snow days on December 16 & 17, the last two days before Christmas break, so he ended up having an extra long break! On Saturday the 18th, we headed to VA Beach to spend some time with Anthony's family for Christmas. We were there until Thursday, the 23rd and we had SUCH a good time. Definitely ate too much, but we had lots of fun! It was also nice to get to spend some time with Amanda and her family as well. :)

Friday, Christmas eve was spent baking.... lots of baking! That was probably a few days worth of baking that I squeezed into one day. But it was worth it, lots of yummy food to share. Then we went to some friends' house for Christmas eve... always a good time with them.

On Christmas day, we had breakfast and opened our presents at home and then headed to Mom's for the rest of the day. It was nice to just relax and spend time with the fam.

This week we have just enjoyed having Anthony at home and been taking it easy mostly. I am SO sad he has to go back to school on Monday. I have loved having him home. He has been really helpful around the house and playing a lot with Bailey. I think she's been spoiled having Daddy play with her so much!

And finally, in case you missed it on facebook.....















..... we are having a baby!!! I am 11 weeks along and due on July 18th. We are really excited and feel so blessed. I plan on starting weekly pregnancy updates soon, so stay tuned for those.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Years and that this year bring many blessings to you and your family!