The Atwoods

Memory Verse Challenge - Verse 5

2012-03-06T09:12:00.000-05:00

I'm a few days late in getting my verse up for March 1, but in keeping my promise to post these, I wanted to share it with you.

I'm still sticking with my theme of "strength" and this verse in Psalm 22 spoke so directly to me when I read it:

But you, LORD, do not be far from me.

You are my strength; come quickly to help me.

~Psalm 22:19

Menu Plan Monday - Week of March 5

2012-03-05T09:14:00.000-05:00

This weekend was so fun! Nathan and I were able to catch up with some friends, I spent the morning Saturday with another one of my prego friends enjoying pancakes and good conversation, and then yesterday the hub's and I enjoyed a true day of rest. I'm so thankful for all of the quality time we had this weekend resting, relaxing, being a tad productive, and enjoying yummy food!

And speaking of yummy food, I whipped up these cinnamon roasted sweet potatoes last night. Oh. My. They were delicious! You'll have to give them a try.

Monday - On Your Own

Tuesday - Out with friends

Wednesday - Chicken Cheddar and Potatoes (new)

Thursday - Pasta Carbonara With Corn and Chiles

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Oven Baked Chimichangas

This post is linked to: I'm an Organizing Junkie - Menu Plan Monday.

Friday Favorite Finds

2012-03-02T10:45:00.000-05:00

Not that I'm keeping track or anything, but I just so happened to glance at the calendar today and realized that spring is only 18 days away. 18 days, y'all!!! We can't wait to start using our grill again, tending our flower gardens, and hitting our favorite local hiking trails!

And because spring and summer bring with it a plethora of fresh veggies and fruits, I can't wait to try these veggie and fruit filled recipes:

This smoky corn and black bean pizza from Eating Well looks like the perfect way to enjoy a pizza from the grill!

Source: eatingwell.com via Rachel on Pinterest

I love a good wrap, and this Buffalo Chicken one from The Curvy Carrot is definitely speaking right to the heart of my pregnancy cravings these days. :)

Source: thecurvycarrot.com via Rachel on Pinterest

One of my favorite spring veggies is asparagus, and this Asparagus Pasta w/ Pan Fried Garlic & Lemon recipe from The Cooking Photographer looks like the perfect light summer pasta dish!

Source: thecookingphotographer.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Is there anything better than the taste of roasted veggies? Just look at all this beautiful color in these Roasted Veggie Enchiladas from Perry's Plate! Yum!!!

Source: perrysplate.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Pardon me while I wipe the drool off my keyboard. Have you ever seen a more lovely looking pancake?! These Honey Cloud Pancakes from Things We Make are definitely appearing on our menu soon.

Source: thingswemake.wordpress.com via Rachel on Pinterest

*All photos were taken by the recipe creators, and were embedded on this blog using Pinterest. To see the full recipe, click the "source" link below each photo.

This post is linked to: Finding Joy in My Kitchen - Friday Favorite Finds.

Happy Weekend, everyone!

Pesto Stuffed Shells + Kitchen Remodel Progress

2012-03-01T07:37:00.000-05:00

I love making stuffed shells, but I don't love all the work involved. And it never fails that half of my shells go wasted because they tear in half...I'm a little too generous on the stuffing, I think. So when I found this easy recipe for Pesto Stuffed Shells over on Budget Bytes, I knew I needed to give it a try. The stuffing ingredients are minimal which makes the prep time so much easier, and it also prevents the shells from getting too overstuffed. It's a win/win!

Pesto Stuffed Shells - Budget Bytes

(I halved this recipe and made it in my 8x8 dish - it was the perfect amount for just the hub's and I. I've included the full recipe below, but just know that it does halve nicely too if you're feeding two.)

12 ounces, jumbo shell pasta
15 ounces ricotta
1 c. mozzarella (I did a half mozzarella, half Parmesan mix and it was quite yummy!)
1 large egg
1/2 c. basil pesto (I used Classico brand traditional basil)
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce

Start by cooking your pasta...

Meanwhile, mix up all the other ingredients (minus the sauce) in a small bowl

Pre-heat your oven to 350-degrees and drain off your cooked pasta.

Grab a baking dish and pour some sauce on the bottom, and then start stuffing those shells and laying them side-by-side in your dish. Once they're all lined up and ready to go, pour the rest of your sauce on top.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

I also couldn't wait another minute to share with you our kitchen remodel progress. The guys in my life have been working hard to install the crown molding on top of the cabinets. It makes such a difference!

Before

After

Ignore those touch-ups that need to be done on that far wall - we plan to get to our painting when it's a bit warmer and we can open those windows!

It may not seem like that big of a difference, but to me it makes the cabinets look much taller and the room look finished and polished. Just a few paint touch-ups and some art hanging to go!

Baby Bump-ness: Week 23

2012-02-29T09:25:00.000-05:00

How Far Along:  23 weeks!

Size of baby:  According to BabyCenter.com, our little one is the size of a large mango (or a sweet potato, if buying mangos at your local grocer is like highway robbery), a little over 11 inches long.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 10 pounds gained so far…according to the scale at work in the ladies restroom.

Maternity Clothes: Still able to wear a few of my regular tops, and wearing all of my maternity pants. I also scored some really comfy cotton dresses from Old Navy last week for $10!

Gender: Boy :)

Movement:  He has his “lazy” days just like his mom (grin), but he’s still very active. He loves showing off for Nathan when he’s around.

Sleep:  So good!

What I miss: Hot dogs – I could go for a big ole’ chili cheese dog right about now! Smothered in red onions, please. With hot sauce.

What I’m looking forward to: My mom found some baby boy clothes at Goodwill and there’s the cutest, tiniest pair of baby khaki pants. I laugh out loud every time I pick them up. I can’t wait to see our little guy in them. There’s no doubt I’ll melt into a puddle on the floor. I still can’t believe I’m going to be in charge of something so small!

Cravings: Still the usual…oranges, pineapple, red grapes, salads with honey mustard, and pancakes.

Aversions: none…everything tastes so good right now.

Symptoms: This week, I've been feeling like I have a very tight belly - like the full feeling you get after a large meal, but it's a constant all-day thing. This probably has something to do with all the stretching going on.

Belly Button In or Out: I don’t think I have one any more…it’s completely disappeared. It’s flatter than flat.

Best Moment This Week: Having a mad burst of energy on Saturday – I spent 3 hours deep cleaning our house and it felt sooo good to finally give our house a really good, deep clean.

Weekly Wisdom: Write stuff down. My memory is failing me so bad lately - I can't remember if I took my vitamins, where I put my leggings, where I sat my phone down last, or what I did yesterday.

Milestones: Sleeping all the way through the night now without having to empty my bladder!

Menu Plan Monday ~ Week of Feb. 27

2012-02-27T09:43:00.000-05:00

This past week, the hub's and I had such conflicting schedules that getting dinner on the table each night was really quite challenging. I'm looking forward to our schedules syncing up much better this week, and more nights with my hunny! And, I'm also pumped about Nathan and my dad putting finishing touches on our crown molding in the kitchen - I can't wait to show you later this week! :)

Monday - Hearty Chili, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Tuesday - Steak Burritos with Fajita Rice

Wednesday - Leftovers

Thursday - {Meat Free} Baked Cavatelli with Garden Salads

Friday - Eating with friends!

Saturday - Barbecue Pineapple Chicken, Roasted Sweet Potatoes {new}

This post is linked to: I'm an Organizing Junkie - Menu Plan Monday.

Friday Favorite Finds

2012-02-24T09:41:00.001-05:00

I am SO happy it's Friday again! We've got quite the fun weekend planned, and I'm just plain ready to sleep in and cuddle up next to my man for a few hours. We're also supposed to get some snow on Saturday morning...it makes for the perfect cuddling weather, don't you think? ;)

Here's what I found this week that I can't wait to make.

We actually made this recipe from Rainy Day Gal last weekend, and it was super simple to throw together and especially yummy! I would even go so far as to say that it was better than the Beef and Broccoli you find at Chinese restaurants.

Source: rainydaygal.com via Rachel on Pinterest

This Tex Mex Chicken Skillet from Pearls, Handcuffs and Happy Hour looks like something we'd enjoy. I can't wait to make this!

Source: pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Lizzy Writes whipped up this healthy and yummy looking Chicken Avocado Lime Sandwich this week, and it has my mouth watering!

Source: elizabethbryant.blogspot.com via Rachel on Pinterest

And last but not least, these Guacamole Taco Rolls from Duhlicious look like the perfect crispy appetizer!

Source: duhlicious.com via Rachel on Pinterest

This post is linked to: Finding Joy in My Kitchen - Friday Favorite Finds.

**All photos were embedded using Pinterest. Click the "source" link below the photo for the full recipe.**

Nursery Planning

2012-02-23T08:07:00.000-05:00

The hub’s and I decided that we would jump head first into the nursery project in March, and since it’s right around the corner, I thought I’d share with you what our plans are for this little space.

As you may know, we’ve decided to transform Nathan’s office into Little Guy’s room.

This means that Nathan’s office will be transitioning into the guest bedroom making for a guest bedroom/office combo. (This wasn’t a big deal for us because we rarely have overnight guests, and when we do, we figure they might enjoy having a computer in their room – it’s a win-win for everyone!)

Some of our preliminary discussions about the nursery helped us narrow it down to the following ideas:

We want to paint the walls something neutral so that it keeps with the color palette of the rest of the house.
We want an eclectic feel to the room. Y’all know we’re all about some thrift stores and yard sales, so our hopes are to bring in some old and mix it with some new.
We don’t want to do anything “themey.” We want to stick with something that will grow with our little guy and not be too baby-ish in a few years.

Keeping our parameters in mind, we’ve actually narrowed in on a few things and even purchased some items for the room!

Crib

(source)

We went with this Graco Lauren 4-in-1 convertible crib in white, and we purchased it from the Walmart website because they had a crib+mattress combo sale going on for $175 (score!). We haven't assembled it yet, but everyone on their website seemed to love it.

Dresser/Changing Table

Nathan and I swiped this antique dresser at a yard sale last fall, and we're hoping it makes for the perfect place to store baby boy's clothes, diaper paraphernalia and change his little bum on top. :) The guy at the yard sale had this priced at $75, but since we came at the very end, he offered it to us for $45 (we love a good deal!).

It's got some great lines to it...

These cool rustic casters on the bottom...

And dovetail drawers to boot!

Nathan was very adamant about not painting it, and now that we know our little one is a boy, I'm fine with that too. I think it'll add some nice masculinity to the room. :)

Paint Color

We haven't narrowed it down to a specific yet, but we're thinking something in the gray family. My favorite so far is this Smoke Embers by Benjamin Moore.

Color!

Since baby boy's room will be looking quite bland with gray walls, we're hoping to bring in some nice color using fabric and decorations. The inspiration for the colors we want to use came from this fabric we bought for the room - it's called 2D Zoo in Pool Blue by Alexander Henry:

(source)

We plan to use this to make our DIY crib skirt, and then use other coordinating fabrics for the bumper, curtains, and a reversible changing pad cover. We also have a nice lime green rug that will go in baby boy's room to bring a much-needed, fun splash of color!

So there you have it - those are our plans. Now we just have to do some furniture switches and buy our paint and we'll be well on our way!

Baby Bump-ness: Week 22

2012-02-22T08:12:00.001-05:00

How Far Along: 22 weeks!

Size of baby: According to BabyCenter.com, our little one is the size of a spaghetti squash (or celery), about 11 inches long.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 6 pounds gained so far.

Maternity Clothes: wearing more and more each week - my regular tops still fit, but they are getting too short to cover up the panel in the maternity pants, so I've resorted to wearing some larger tops or maternity tops.

Gender: BOY! And little guy has a name - William. We chose this name because it is both of our grandfathers' names. We haven't decided on a middle name yet, but we're already loving calling him by his name!

Movement: he's kicking, pushing and stretching a lot these days!

Sleep: still sleeping wonderfully

What I miss: being able to walk up a flight of stairs without sounding like I just ran a marathon.

What I’m looking forward to: spending time with my mom making little guy's bedding and curtains. :)

Cravings: red grapes, oranges and honey mustard sauce. I also had a mad craving on Sunday for pancakes. Nathan was nice enough to accommodate my cravings and he even ate them with me for Sunday lunch!

Aversions: I actually ate scrambled eggs for the first time again! They weren't terrible, and they didn't make me gag, but I doubt I'll make them again.

Symptoms: Still feeling great!

Belly Button In or Out: still getting flatter

Best Moment This Week: all the one-on-one time me and Nathan have been having where we talk, plan and laugh about the baby. We even started reading a birthing book together, and those quiet times have been so sweet and special.

We also got the sweetest package from a dear sweet lady that used to go to church with my family back in AL. She sent little William a book, and it's the cutest thing! I can't wait to read it to him out loud. :)

Weekly Wisdom: Note to self: If you end up parking on level 5 in the parking garage at work, do yourself a favor and take the elevator, not the stairs. You'll save yourself the embarrassment of going into work on a 20-degree day red-faced while you sweat, pant and get weird stares.

Milestones: Nathan is finally able to feel little guy kick, too! :)

Menu Plan Monday - Week of Feb. 20

2012-02-20T09:46:00.000-05:00

Hi friends, and happy Monday! :)

I hope you had a fabulous weekend - we sure did! My mom and I ventured out Saturday and spent some much-needed time together. While we were out, she was generous enough to buy all of the fabric for our little guy's nursery - together, we're going to make his crib skirt, crib bumper, curtains and changing pad cover. It's going to be work, but I'm happy that we'll be working on this together. I can't wait to show you the cute fabrics we picked out! :)

Nathan was off for a good part of the weekend, so we soaked up lots of time cuddling on the couch, watching television, cooking together, and just spending time with one another. The weekend went by nice and slow - my favorite kind of weekend!

And here's to another week! I hope it's a good one for you.

Monday - On your own

Tuesday - Whole Chicken in the Crock Pot with veggies (we're also running low on broth, so I'll make the homemade version from the bones of our bird!)

Wednesday - BBQ Chicken Sandwiches (using some of the chicken from Tuesday) with our jazzed up BBQ Sauce

Thursday - {Meat Free} Pesto Stuffed Shells with salads (we never got to make these a few weeks back, so I'm looking forward to trying them!)

Friday- Leftovers

Saturday - Enchilada Casserole (one of our favorites!)

The post is linked to: I'm an Organizing Junkie - Menu Plan Monday.

Memory Verse Challenge - Verse 4

2012-02-18T08:56:00.000-05:00

I'm still sticking with my theme of 'strength' and found this verse last week that I just loved.

Note how it says that God has commanded us to be strong and courageous. This makes it seem non-optional, doesn't it? I also like how the words 'afraid' and 'discouraged' are both used...there are times when I'm just afraid, and times when I'm flat out discouraged. It's nice to know God never abandons us any of those times, or any time in between.

Have I not commanded you?

Be strong and courageous.

Do not be afraid;

Do not be discouraged,

for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

-Joshua 1:9

Have a wonderful, restful weekend friends!

Friday Favorite Finds

2012-02-17T09:33:00.000-05:00

Is it really Friday again? I can't believe the end of February is sneaking up on us already! Although, I have to admit...I am happy about the snow melting, the longer days and the birds outside. Spring, is that really you?!? I hope so!

Here are the yummy recipes I found this week in blogland:

Just look at these Chocolate Chip Lava Cookies from Kevin & Amanda! I haven't had much of a sweet tooth lately, but I'm really digging the way these look!

Source: kevinandamanda.com via Rachel on Pinterest

This Cheddar Chicken & Potato dish from Finding Joy in my Kitchen looks exactly like the kind of meal me and my man would enjoy! I can't wait to try this one.

Source: joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com via Rachel on Pinterest

This Caprese Pasta from Pearls, Handcuffs and Happy Hour really looks tasty.

Basil, Mozzarella and Tomatoes...how can you go wrong?

Source: pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com via Rachel on Pinterest

I got my BHG magazine yesterday, and immediately spotted this recipe - White Bean Soup with Sausage and Kale. Talk about a hearty soup!

Source: bhg.com via Rachel on Pinterest

And last but not least, I saw this on Annie's Eats this week and thought it was so cute! Veggies and Dip placed into individual bread 'cups'.

This would be a great party idea so you don't have to deal with double-dippers! :)

Source: annies-eats.com via Rachel on Pinterest

All photos were embedded using Pinterest. Click the "source" link below the photo to view the full recipe.

This post is linked to: Finding Joy in My Kitchen - Friday Favorite Finds.

Happy weekend, y'all!

Lime Chicken Tacos

2012-02-16T09:19:00.000-05:00

These Lime Chicken Tacos have popped up a few times on our menu plan lately, and they are quickly becoming one of our favorite go-to Mexican meals.

It's no secret around here we love Mexican food, but what we love even more is quick, easy, and delicious recipes that include ingredients we already have on hand. This one has all three of those qualities!

Try this next time you're in the mood to spice things up!

Lime Chicken Tacos - Taste of Home

2 small chicken breasts (or 1 really large chicken breast). You can throw the frozen ones right in!
the juice of 3 limes
1 TBSP chili powder (we've used this recipe for Chili powder when ours has been out, and it's quite delicious!)
1 c. frozen corn
1 c. of your favorite salsa

Start by spraying your Crock Pot with nonstick cooking spray, or better yet - use one of those Reynolds Slow Cooker liners!
Place your frozen chicken breasts in the bottom of the Crock Pot
Mix together your lime juice and chili powder, and pour evenly on top of your chicken breasts
Let this cook on LOW for 4 1/2 to 5 hours in your Crock Pot (I flip my chicken halfway through to keep it from sticking)
After the chicken is cooked, remove and shred with a fork. Place back into your Crock Pot.
Pour in the corn and salsa (use a medium salsa if you wanna' kick it up a notch, or a mild if you wanna' keep it low key). Stir to combine.
Cook an additional 30 minutes on LOW, or until everything is nice and heated through.
Serve wrapped in a warm tortilla, or piled on top of chips with your favorite toppings!

(Don't judge my gobs and gobs of Sour Cream, mmkay?)

Baby Bump-ness: Week 21

2012-02-14T10:16:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day sweet friends! I know I usually post these baby updates on Wednesday, but I was bursting at the seams to tell you our good news, so I wanted to post this today instead.

I hope you have a wonderful day celebrating the love(s) in your life!

How Far Along:  21 weeks!

Size of baby:  According to BabyCenter.com, our little one is the size of a carrot, about 10 1/2 inches long!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 6 pounds gained so far.

Maternity Clothes: Slowly starting to wear more and more maternity pants, but still fitting into my regular tops.

Gender: As you can see from the photo above, we found out yesterday our little wiggler is a BOY! :) To say we're excited would be the understatement of the year...I wish I had a photo of my man's face after the sweet ultrasound tech revealed the news. I couldn't have wiped that grin off if I had tried! He is so proud, and it made my heart melt.

Movement:  Little guy is movin' and groovin' these days!

Sleep:  Sleep is still so, so good. In fact, it's almost too good - I'm having the hardest time peeling myself out of our warm cozy bed in the morning. :)

What I miss: Lunch meat - Nathan's been eating cold Roast Beef sandwiches lately, and they smell sooo good! Sometimes when I make his sandwich, I just put the roast beef right up to my nose and inhale it for a few minutes...let's hope he doesn't read this and find out my secret. (grin)

What I’m looking forward to: Starting to paint, decorate and furnish our little guy's nursery!

Cravings: Red grapes, Mexican anything, strawberries, and popcorn. I also had a mad craving last week for chicken fingers, honey mustard sauce, and french fries, but it was quickly satisfied with a trip to the big red arch. All week I had been trying to convince myself that my PB&J sandwiches were chicken fingers, so it was SO nice to finally satisfy my craving. :)

Aversions: Eggs.

Symptoms: Still feeling wonderful!

Belly Button In or Out: Still getting flatter.

Best Moment This Week: Yesterday's ultrasound. Seeing all the little functions of our little guy's body, and hearing that they all work properly - an answer to our prayers! Looking at his tiny little organs and bones and realizing again just how much of a miracle child birth is. Getting a nice view of baby boy's face - he has the cutest little nose I've ever seen. Seeing my man's face light up after hearing the news that he was going to have a son. Knowing without a doubt that Nathan will be the best father - ever. Spending the whole day yesterday after our appointment together, celebrating Valentine's early and thanking God for answering our prayers for a healthy baby boy.

Weekly Wisdom: Ephesians 3:17-19...my prayer lately for our little guy: "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power . . . to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

Milestones: Buying baby boy's first outfit! :)

Menu Plan Monday - Week of Feb. 13

2012-02-13T08:15:00.000-05:00

Today's the day we find out if our little wiggler is a boy, or a girl and we couldn't be more excited!! We've taken the whole day off for the appointment, and then to celebrate Valentine's Day early. I love long weekends! :)

Monday - Out to Dinner to celebrate Valentine's Day early

Tuesday - PW's Chicken Parmesan with salads and dinner rolls

Wednesday - Hearty, warm Chili w/ Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (we didn't get to have this last week)

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday- BBQ Ranch Chicken Sandwiches {new} w/ fruit

Saturday - Crock Pot Chicken Quesadillas {new} w/ rice and beans

This post is linked to: I'm an Organizing Junkie - Menu Plan Monday.

Friday Favorite Finds

2012-02-10T10:42:00.000-05:00

I have found so many yummy recipes this week that I cannot wait to make! In fact, some of them may be making our menu plan even next week.

Let's start with the appetizers, shall we? :)

This is a great idea for serving Shrimp Salad on a cucumber slice, and this looks like the perfect spring appetizer!

Source: skinnytaste.com via Rachel on Pinterest

I know the Super Bowl is over, but I don't need a football game celebration in order to eat Chips and Dip. This Hot Corn Dip from The Kitchen is my Playground looks so yummy!

Source: thekitchenismyplayground.blogspot.com via Rachel on Pinterest

And what about these Spicy Corn Egg Rolls with Avocado Crema?!? Yum!!!

Source: scarlettabakes.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Moving on to the main dish...

This Spicy Parmesan Skillet Shrimp from How Sweet It Is has been calling my name!

Source: howsweeteats.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Or what about a healthier spin on a traditional comfort food? This Cheesy Spinach Macaroni looks sooo easy and delicious!

Source: familyfeedbag.com via Rachel on Pinterest

And I know these next two aren't really "main dishes" but I could totally let them pass as one in my casa.

Twice Baked Potato Casserole from Finding Joy in My Kitchen

Source: thehappyhousewife.com via Rachel on Pinterest

And another one from The Kitchen is my Playground...a traditional Tabouli Salad!

Source: thekitchenismyplayground.blogspot.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Did you want to see something sweet today? Well you're in luck!

Just look at these decadent Banana Cinnamon Cupcakes. The best part? They have Nutella in the center. I know. Mind blowing.

Source: yourcupofcake.com via Rachel on Pinterest

This post is linked to: Friday Favorite Finds, from Finding Joy in My Kitchen

All photos were embedded using pinterest. To view the full recipe, click the "source" link below each photo.

Budgeting for Baby

2012-02-09T09:10:00.001-05:00

When Nathan and I started to really talk seriously about trying for a baby, we both decided it would be a good time to start preparing ourselves for all the stuff we'd need to buy.

Since Nathan is in management at a local retailer, he sees all of the sales/discounts in his store weekly and he's always aware of the great coupons that are floating around. He took it on as his job to start stockpiling the baby basics - diapers, wipes, baby lotion/oil, etc.

As most of you know, my mom and I make weekly shopping trips to our local Goodwill, so I decided I'd start perusing their racks for maternity clothes too. And now that we're actually expecting baby #1, we're so glad we got a jump start on stockpiling this stuff; all of which we managed to score for a great deal using coupons, or buying stuff 1/2-off at the Goodwill.

I thought I'd share some of our tips in case any of you are planning/trying for kiddos yourselves...it's never too early to start saving money on these things!

Diapers, Baby Lotion/Oil, Bath Wash, etc.

Nathan's tips for buying these everyday items, include:

First educate yourself on how much diapers cost at their regular price (i.e. Walgreens store brand usually runs about $10/pack, and that big box of Pampers can run upwards of $30 - these are our prices in NY, so make sure you check your local stores to find out for sure)
Shop drug stores for clearances, mark downs, and Buy One-Get One Free sales.
Pair the sales in the stores with any manufacture coupons you can find online or in weekly ad circulars.
Stock up if it's a great deal! We know diapers don't expire, so we weren't afraid to buy the "size 3" diapers this early on - we know we'll use them eventually!

All of these same tips apply for any other nonperishable baby items - lotions, oils, wipes, shampoos and bath wash.

With the help of these tips, Nathan was able to score all that stuff pictured above, and we're only halfway through our pregnancy! The Walgreens brand diapers were Buy One, Get One Free so that's why he snagged so many of those, and the Pampers boxes were on clearance so we snagged 2 big boxes of those too. I feel good knowing our little one will have a squeaky clean bum for half the cost! ;)

Maternity Clothes

See those two totes marked "Maternity?" Those suckers are piled high with maternity clothes, and the best part is - I paid no more than $5 for any one item. In fact, a lot of the items cost me $2-$4 each!

Rachel's tips for buying maternity clothes:

Shop your local Goodwill, thrift store, consignment shops first before hitting the major department stores. (All of mine came from Goodwill, but it took me roughly 4 months to stock pile 2 boxes worth.)
Buy items that are multi-seasoned. Because I wasn't sure when I'd actually wear the maternity clothes, I only chose items that I knew could be good for many seasons (i.e. a short sleeved shirt that could easily be paired with a cardigan or sweater for fall/winter, thin long-sleeved shirts that could easily be worn in fall/spring, pants that could be worn any time of the year, etc.)
And my own personal Goodwill shopping rule - Only buy if it's 1/2-off, UNLESS it's a really really good deal. For example, a few of the maternity work pants were too good to pass up, so I think I ended up paying $5 for them. They were name brand and some even still had the store tags on them, so I think that's worth snapping them up!

And here's a peek at a few of the great items I've found...

Striped dress, originally from Motherhood Maternity

Pink top, originally from Kohl's

Maternity below-the-belly panel jeans, originally from Old Navy

Other items that you just want for fun!

I don't know why, but I have always wanted a BabyCook baby food maker. I know you can do the same exact thing with a food processor and a pot of water, but these are just plain fun, and I assume make things a bit easier. However, for the $200 price tag, I just resolved I'd never have one.

Until one sweet day when me and my friend were yard saling and stumbled onto a lady willing to hand hers over for $15. You read that right - $15!!! Did I mention she also included 32 of those little containers for preparing and freezing the baby food?!? Crazy!!!

My tip here? Make a list of these big ticket items that you want/need and then yard sale (or scour Craigslist) like crazy. People are always giving away baby stuff for barely anything at yard sales, so it's an expectant mother's gold mine!

Now I know what some of you are thinking...wasn't it a bit presumptuous of us to stock pile baby stuff and maternity clothes before we even got pregnant?!?! We thought so too at first. But then, we realized the deals were too good to pass up and decided if we couldn't use them then they would always make great donations or gifts to other expectant parents in need.

What about you guys? Any mother's out there who want to share their tips for finding good deals? We'd love to hear!

Baby Bump-ness: Week 20

2012-02-08T08:07:00.000-05:00

How Far Along:  20 weeks!

Size of baby:  According to BabyCenter.com, our little one is the size of a banana, about 10 inches long!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: We still haven’t purchased a scale (I’m kinda’ glad about that! Ha), but if I had to guess I’d say I’ve gained about 8 pounds so far.

Maternity Clothes: Still fitting into all my regular clothes, and wearing a few maternity jeans/work pants every now and then.

Gender: Our “boy” guesses from other friends, family members and some complete strangers total 7 now, with 0 “girl” guesses. Nathan still refuses to make a guess, and I’m still thinking it’s a boy. We find out Monday! (Praying our little wiggler gives us a good, clear sign of whether it’s a boy or girl.)

Movement:  Lots of movement lately! It’s the best feeling ever.

Sleep:  Lots of good, uninterrupted, deep sleep.

What I miss: The tanning bed. I know, I know – they’re bad for you, but I sure would love some darker legs right now. I finally broke down and bought some sunless tanning lotion. I’d rather be orange than pasty white. :)

What I’m looking forward to: 20 weeks from now, when we’re finally holding our little one in our arms, and I can kiss his/her toes, tiny hands and sweet face. It’s crazy we’re already at the halfway point.

Cravings: Red grapes, shrimp, pickles, cheese, and anything with Frank’s Red Hot sauce poured on top.

Aversions: Eggs. Ack…it grosses me out to even type the word.

Symptoms: Some hip/lower back pain, but nothing to complain about. I’m still feeling great, having lots of energy and feeling really well rested.

Belly Button In or Out: Still getting flatter.

Best Moment This Week: Finally feeling strong kicks! Up until this point, the movements have been internal and haven’t really been that strong. Now I can put my hand on my belly and feel the movements and kicks. Baby loves to kick after I've eaten, as if to say, "Hmmm...I like this eating thing!" :)

I also really love talking to our little one. My most favorite times are when I'm laying in bed reading out loud and I feel him/her kick. Baby must really like Karen Kingsbury novels!

Weekly Wisdom: Don’t watch those horrible videos of live natural births, hoping they’ll “prepare” you. They won’t. They’ll make you cringe, want to throw up, and make you want to stay pregnant forever just so you don’t have to endure labor in the end.

Note to self: if you're sitting at work with your pants unbuttoned and unzipped, then it's high time to consider wearing those paneled maternity works pants. Just cave in already and wear them every day. Your baby, uterus and coworkers will thank you.

Milestones: Halfway there!!!

Menu Plan Monday - Week of Feb. 6

2012-02-06T09:06:00.000-05:00

We ate some good food last week, and ended it wonderfully yesterday with SnoWhite's Chicken Spinach Soup.

It was a chilly, windy day yesterday so this was the perfect meal to end our week on!

This week, I'm looking forward to having my hunny around more during dinnertime and we're both looking forward to some more yummy eats!

Monday - Leftovers (we've got quite a bit hogging our fridge)

Tuesday- Lime Chicken Tacos - we really enjoyed these last time!

Wednesday - Chili with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Thursday - Nathan's cooking dinner! :)

Friday - Pesto Stuffed Shells w/ Side Salads

Saturday- Leftovers

This post is linked to: I'm an Organizing Junkie - Menu Plan Monday.

Friday Favorite Finds

2012-02-03T09:36:00.001-05:00

Oh, Friday...I'm so glad you're finally here!

I'm linking up for another round of Friday Favorite Finds over on Finding Joy in My Kitchen.

Since it's Super Bowl weekend, let's talk party foods for a minute, shall we?

These Buffalo Chicken Rolls from Can You Stay for Dinner look soooo yummy! Perfect for any party where there's lots of burly football-lovin' men, or pregnant women. ;)

Source: canyoustayfordinner.com via Rachel on Pinterest

And for those of you who like to party, but not feel guilty about the grub you eat...these Turkey Taco Cups from Bev Cooks would be the perfect healthy appetizer! The best part? They're made using Won Ton wrappers and a muffin tin. Easy!

Source: bevcooks.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Bev also whipped up this White Spinach Cheese Dip...*drool*

Source: bevcooks.com via Rachel on Pinterest

In our neck of the woods, Super Bowl foods include yummy appetizers, but they also include warm, hearty soups or chili's.

This Minestrone soup from my pal SnoWhite would be perfect! It's super healthy, but chocked full of yummy veggies so it's sure to fill your belly! And would you just look at those cute little noodles she used!!

Source: joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com via Rachel on Pinterest

I'm a big fan of any entree that you can pick up with your hands, so these Greek Quesadillas from Annie's Eats would also be a good Super Bowl meal.

Source: annies-eats.com via Rachel on Pinterest

I'm sure my favorite fast food chain down south is making it's way into lots of homes this Super Bowl, so when I spied a copy cat version of their famous sandwich on From Away this week, I knew I had to try it. Nothin' beats Chick-Fil-A, y'all.

Source: fromaway.com via Rachel on Pinterest

And I guess any party wouldn't be fun without some desserts, right?

Just check out how fun these inside out Rice Krispie Chocolate Chip Cookies are from Picky Palate. You can even use brownies, too!

Source: picky-palate.com via Rachel on Pinterest

*All photos are embedded using Pinterest. To see the actual recipe, click the 'source' link below the photo*

Scripture Memory Challenge - Verse 3

2012-02-02T08:53:00.000-05:00

Hey friends! I wanted to pop on the blog real quick today since it's Feb 2. and share my 3rd verse with you for the Scripture Memory Challenge. How is everyone doing with their memory verses?!? I'd love to hear!!

This week's verse is a partial one that comes from Genesis 18:14. I found it in my Scripture reading, and it really stuck out to me.

To set the stage for you, this was right after Sarah and Abraham found out they were having a son. As you know, they were well in age by this point. Sarah laughed at the thought of having a son at her age, and the Lord responded with:

"Is anything too hard for the LORD?"

I just love the simplicity in that, don't you? Whether it's fertility, marriage issues, job insecurity, relationships that might need mending, or whatever other problems we're facing...there's nothing too hard for the Lord.

Baby Bump-ness: Week 19

2012-02-01T08:55:00.000-05:00

How Far Along:  19 weeks!

Size of baby:  According to BabyCenter.com, our little one is the size of an heirloom tomato (or a medium cucumber if your local grocer doesn’t have those in stock – haha), about 6 inches long.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: We don’t own a scale, so I’m still going off my last visit…4 pounds gained so far. I have a feeling this might have changed.

Maternity Clothes: Still fitting into all my normal tops, and some of my normal pants. My mom and I hemmed a few maternity work pants for me this week, so I’m glad to be able to wear pants again to work.

Gender: We’ve had 5 people guess so far that it’s a boy, and no “girl” guesses. Some days I feel like it’s a boy, and some days I think it could be a girl – whatever the case, we’re just praying for a happy, healthy baby!

Movement:  I’ve been referring to him/her as our little “wiggler” lately. Instead of strong kicks, they feel more like little squirms and wiggles…almost like baby is stretching. They are definitely getting more frequent (baby wiggles happily whenever I eat!).

Sleep:  Sleep is still wonderful. The crazy weird dreams I’ve been having? Notsomuch.

What I miss: Unfortunately (fortunately??) I haven’t had much of sweet tooth, so I haven’t been eating chocolate, cookies, cakes, cupcakes, etc. However, Valentine’s is coming up and I really wish baby would let me appreciate the goodness that is Dove Dark Chocolate. This year, I’ll probably ask Nathan to bring home a pineapple.

What I’m looking forward to: Our next appointment – Feb 13 can’t get here fast enough! Of course we’re excited to find out the gender, but we’re also super pumped to finally see our little one again. It’s hard to believe last time, he/she was millimeters long!

Cravings: Red grapes, strawberries (did you know they’re good dipped in maple syrup?? Try it some time!), Mexican food (no surprise there), and raw veggies.

Aversions: Still just the eggs.

Symptoms: Weird dreams! The other night I had a dream that I was eating pizza and it had chicken feathers in it (gag!). It was so realistic that I woke up feeling like I had something in my mouth.

Belly Button In or Out: Still getting flatter.

Best Moment This Week: These are really more memorable, but I want to jot them down so I don’t forget. This weekend, we went grocery shopping, and with tape measure in hand, Nathan went around the produce section measuring out a 6” veggie or fruit for my weekly photo. Finally we found the cucumber and I said, “Oh this is perfect…I’ll eat it right after we take the photo!” :)

Sunday night I had to drive home in a bad snow storm, and I was rather nervous. The roads hadn’t been plowed and it was coming down so fast that I couldn’t see anything. My pregnancy bladder was also rather full and was in need of relieving itself. I was convinced I would end up in a ditch somewhere, having pee’d my pants. Mind you, I wasn’t worried about the ditch or wrecking my car…just the humiliation of possibly peeing my pants.

Weekly Wisdom: Note to self: a high waisted pencil skirt while 19 weeks pregnant is not a good idea, unless it has an elastic waistband or unless you’re comfortable letting it remain unzipped during the work day. Phew! I learned my lesson the hard way.

Milestones: Finally being able to tell the difference between a stomach gurgle and a baby wiggle.

Marriage Disciplines

2012-01-31T08:29:00.000-05:00

Back in December, I mentioned two new marriage disciplines that Nathan and I have adopted to help strengthen our marriage – “The Love Jar” discipline and the “$2/offense” discipline. Several of you messaged me and were curious about these, so I thought I’d share them today!

Nathan and I have been married for almost 3 years, and even though that’s not an entirely long time, it is time enough for a marriage to get into a slump if you’re not careful. We noticed that ours had gotten into one and decided to implement some new strategies to help.

Our "slump" was that we both are very stubborn people when we argue. We hardly ever argue over really big things…it’s just those small things, and boy can those small things seem and get big when we’re both really passionate about our opinions!

We had gotten into the habit of arguing poorly, and as much as I hate to admit it, there were times when there was shouting, name calling, and slamming of doors. Looking back, I see how completely and utterly childish these negative behaviors are, but when we were arguing and the other person wasn’t listening or conforming to our side, it seemed like the most “rational” way to get their attention.

One random week in conversation, we realized our arguing had gotten worse and that no matter what “cool down” techniques we tried to implement, they just weren’t working. That’s when Nathan came up with the “$2/offense” discipline.

$2/offense discipline:

Ever since we’ve been married, each month, we allot ourselves $25 of “fun money” – this can be spent on Goodwill shopping trips, CD’s, books, a new pair of shoes, etc. It’s not a lot of money, but it’s what we decided works for us and our budget.

Nathan decided that one way to help us stop arguing poorly would be to have a monetary consequence. The rules were simple: If we lose our cool, name call, slam a door, raise our voice, use a sharp tone etc. then we get penalized for our negative behavior and have to take $2 out of our fun money and give it to the other person. We agreed on the discipline, and every month since then we’ve taken out $25 in one dollar bills to help make it easier.

I will admit, it took some getting used to at first. It was a lot of "You owe me $2" as the other person rolled their eyes, let out a big sigh and regretfully handed over their fun money. But then after a while, we both realized that when the other person asked $2 from us, it was probably well deserved. And we also started noticing on our own when we each needed to pay up. There were times when I would use a sharp tone, and immediately say to Nathan, “I’m sorry. I owe you $2.” We slowly noticed that we were giving less and less money to each other, and that’s when we realized the discipline was working.

I know this discipline might not work for everyone, but it definitely does for us. I love my $25 fun money so much…it allows me date nights out with girlfriends, shopping trips with mama, and other fun splurges, so it breaks my heart to give it to Nathan over something I’ve done. :)

The Love Jar Discipline:

This other discipline is relatively new for us, but has been a fun and wonderful way for us to express love for each other. It’s called the “Love Jar” and I adapted it from Lysa TerKerust’s blog.

Basically, you each get a jar (we use small pint sized Ball jars for this), and you cut up slips of paper (we chose to do 4 pieces in each jar – 1 piece for each week of the month). Each partner writes on their slips of paper things that the other person could do to show them love. Then, you switch jars so that your spouse has your love jar and you have theirs. Every week, you draw a new piece of paper out of the jar and you do what’s on the piece of paper that week.

For example, some of ours have read:

Rachel: On one of your night’s off, cook dinner for us

Nathan: Make steak burritos for me

Rachel: Draw a bath for me, and light some candles

Nathan: Give me a 20 minute back massage

Now that we’ve implemented these two simple disciplines in our marriage, we’ve already noticed big differences – we think about what we say/do in an argument before just acting out, and we look forward to the fun and exciting challenges in the love jars.

So how do you and your spouse keep your marriage out of the slumps? Any techniques, disciplines or methods you have? I’d love to hear!

Menu Plan Monday - Week of Jan. 30

2012-01-30T07:39:00.000-05:00

Last week, we did really well sticking to our menu plan until about…Thursday. I had planned that Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake that we love, but by Wednesday night the block of cheese I had reserved for that dinner had already been devoured.

And no, the pregnant person did not eat the entire thing by herself in one sitting. I only had 85% of it, so I had a little help from the man. And it was over the course of 3 days, not just 1. Thankyouverymuch.

It actually worked out perfectly because it forced me to be creative on Thursday night when dinnertime rolled around. I had no idea what to make, and our freezer and pantry were in definite need of refilling. I did, however, have some buttermilk that needed to be used, some bananas that were pretty ripe, and all the other ingredients to make these. Breakfast for dinner!

And did I mention Nathan wasn’t too hungry that night, so I got to enjoy all the deliciousness myself? Yep. I’m not joshin’ you – these things are gooood. Make a big batch and freeze the leftovers, because they’re even good reheated. Trust me.

Monday: Nathan's cooking dinner! (his specialty - Italian chicken w/ rice)

Tuesday: BBQ Chicken and Cheddar Sandwiches

Wednesday: {Meat Free} Tomato Soup & Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Thursday: {Meat Free} Baked Ziti & Salad

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Chicken Spinach Soup

This post is linked to: I'm an Organizing Junkie, Menu Plan Monday

Friday Favorite Finds

2012-01-27T09:37:00.001-05:00

It's Friday! Which means I'm linking up with SnoWhite for Friday Favorite Finds. I found so many yummy things this week that I cannot wait to try!

These look so yummy for a Game Day appetizer, or really any kind of appetizer. Or just a snack if you're hungry. You get the idea. :)

French Dip Crescents from Mama Loves Food

Source: mamalovesfood.com via Rachel on Pinterest

I also have to show you this appetizer. Does anyone else love all things Buffalo like I do? Combine that with cheese, chicken and salty chips and you've got yourself a crowd pleasing number!

Source: sugarcrafter.net via Rachel on Pinterest

Since we've covered appetizers, let's move on to the main course!

How about some Chicken Empanadas with lots (and lots) of jalapeno? :)

Source: shortstopblog.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Or maybe this Cajun Ranch Chicken Pasta is more your thing? Oh yeah.

Source: plainchicken.com via Rachel on Pinterest

And, of course, I have to show you the sweet stuff!

This recipe combines two of my favorite loves - fruit and cinnamon.

Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls, y'all!!

Source: beantownbaker.com via Rachel on Pinterest

And doesn't this look like a healthy filling treat? Peanut Butter, granola, jam, banana and strawberries all wrapped in a wheat Flatout Flatbread. Yum!

Source: flatoutbread.com via Rachel on Pinterest

PS - All photos above were embedded using Pinterest. To see the full recipes, click the "source" link below each photo.

Baby Bump-ness: Week 18

2012-01-25T09:23:00.000-05:00

How Far Along: 18 weeks!

Size of baby: According to BabyCenter.com, our little one is the size of a Bell Pepper, about 5 1/2 inches long.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: This comic perfectly sums up the weird stage my body is in right now...

Maternity Clothes: Still wearing my regular shirts and a few regular pants right now. I'm having to rock the unbuttoned pants look, which is getting kind of old, so I'm sure the maternity ones are right around the corner!

Gender: My guess is a boy…all the dreams I’ve been having about the baby have been of a baby boy. I did dream last week we had a girl and named her Bernadette (???). She was a toddler and had curly dark hair and was running around in the kitchen. Weird.

Movement: Still feeling a few nudges and pokes every now and then, but only when I’m completely still.

Sleep: Sleep is SO good!!

What I miss: I’ve really been missing cold turkey deli meat. I could go for a giant 12” DiBella’s turkey sub sandwich, piled high with every vegetable you can think of. Yum.

What I’m looking forward to: Our 20-week appointment. Not only finding out the gender, but also seeing the baby move and wiggle and hearing how he/she is developing.

Cravings: Red grapes, chicken salad, Chex Mix, and still loving all things spicy!

Aversions: Eggs still make me gag…the new Macaroni Grill commercials with the egg yolk spilling out really send me over the edge. Yuck!

Symptoms: I’m feeling really good! I have lots of energy, I’ve been sleeping so well, and consistent exercise has been helping my ever-increasing tummy feel much less tight and bloated.

Belly Button In or Out: Still getting flatter.

Best Moment This Week: Getting a belly rub from Nathan. :) It feels so good when he rubs my tight, itchy belly!

Weekly Wisdom: Last week at our youth retreat, the speaker gave his powerful testimony about how God led him and his wife to adopt 3 (three!!) special needs children from overseas. It broke my heart to hear his story. But I also realized I have been praying/worrying/thinking "what if our baby has a disability?", and here was this family who chose to adopt 3 children with disabilities. It made me realize that I should stop worrying about the flaws/imperfections that our child may/may not have. We prayed for this baby before it was even conceived, and God was faithful enough to answer our prayers. Because of that, we can rest assured knowing that this child being formed inside me is the child God chose for us to love with all our hearts, no matter what he/she may look like.

Milestones: Finally went through my closet and boxed up my pants that are too small. See you in the fall/winter, guys! You'll be missed.

Yummy Pasta Salad

2012-01-24T09:10:00.000-05:00

One of the cravings I've been experiencing lately is pasta and/or chicken salads. Our growing little one must not know it's winter in Upstate NY, because he/she has also been making me want tons of fresh fruit and tomatoes. I've been paying an arm and a leg to satisfy these cravings! :)

I saw this recipe on Recipe Shoebox and knew I needed to make it, with a few editions. This is an easy to make pasta salad that packs lots of flavor and is chocked full of yummy veggies!

Pasta Salad - Adapted from Recipe Shoebox

For the dressing:

*I like my pasta salad a little more "dry" than wet, so I decreased the amounts of the dressing ingredients below. If you like yours more wet, then I'd double what's below.

1 envelope dry Italian dressing mix
3 TBSP white vinegar
2 1/2 TBSP water
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

For the pasta salad:

1 lb. bowtie pasta, cooked and cooled
1 head broccoli, chopped small
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/3 onion, diced
a handful of grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 can sliced black olives, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. shredded cheese
1/2 c. ranch dressing

Start by chopping all your veggies. Set aside.
Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over veggies. Mix together.
Add ranch dressing and pasta, top with shredded cheese and toss to combine.
Refrigerate 1 hour before eating.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of Jan. 23

2012-01-23T10:02:00.000-05:00

Last week, we enjoyed our new recipes on our menu plan SO much. Our favorites were definitely the Lime Chicken Tacos and the Italian Wedding Soup - in fact, Nathan requested I add both of them to our permanent recipe file. I know it's a good one when he does that! :)

Hopefully this week is just as successful!

Monday - Chicken Salad Sandwiches w/ Fruit

Tuesday - Shrimp Po' Boys w/ French Fries

Wednesday - Leftovers

Thursday - Cheddar Chicken and Pasta Bake w/ Veggies

Friday - Homemade Wings w/ Veggies

This post is linked to: I'm an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

Have a blessed Monday, friends!

Friday Favorite Finds

2012-01-20T10:47:00.000-05:00

It's Fridayyyyyy!!! Which means it's time to show you all the yummy goodness that I've been spying in blogland this week. Get ready to drool...

Chicken Parmesan Burgers from Jey of Cooking (I cannot wait to make these bad boys!)

Source: thejeyofcooking.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Roasted Chicken Wraps w/ Black Bean Salsa & Guacamole from Annie's Eats

Source: annies-eats.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Since baby is LOVING chicken salad, I can't wait to whip up this Cranberry Pecan version from Plumpie Cooks

Source: plumpiecooks.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies from Baked Perfection (Yum!)

Source: bakedperfection.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Another good one from Annie's Eats...Blueberry Yogurt Multigrain Pancakes!

Source: annies-eats.com via Rachel on Pinterest

This post is linked to Friday Favorite Finds over at Finding Joy in My Kitchen.

**All photos above were embedded using Pinterest. To see the full version of the recipe, click the "source" link below the photo.**

Baby Bump-ness

2012-01-19T07:44:00.000-05:00

Now that I'm 17 weeks into this pregnancy, I'm finally starting to see some growth going on in my midsection, so I thought it might be fun to document my bump weekly. Nathan's been kind enough to take photos, and he had a great idea to get creative and stage me with fruits/veggies that are the same scale as our growing little one.

We didn't start the "staging" process until Week 14, because up until then you couldn't really even tell I was pregnant, but here's the photos from Week 14, 15, 16, and now at week 17.

How Far Along: 17 weeks!

Size of baby: According to BabyCenter.com, our little one is the size of a turnip (or potato, if you can't find a turnip at the store - ha), about 5 inches long.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 4 pounds gained so far.

Maternity Clothes: Still wearing my normal clothes right now, but I have a feeling that might change soon!

Gender: We scheduled our ultrasound, and will officially know the gender on Feb. 13! I do have to say, the Doc who saw me Monday made her “guess” at what she thought we were having, and she guessed a boy. Also, last week at the airport, the TSA lady said she thought we were having a boy (not really sure why??). Nathan joked that we don't even need the ultrasound now. :)

Movement: Finally felt my first real nudge from baby this past week, and it was the neatest thing ever. Up until this point, all the movement has felt like a small flutter, but this past week it felt like something was poking me from the inside. I can’t wait until these get stronger and more frequent!

Sleep: Still sleeping wonderfully.

What I miss: Chili Cheese Hot Dogs – Nathan has been requesting this lately so I made some especially for him, and they looked and smelled soooo good! I literally wanted to pull an uncooked cold hot dog right out of the wrapper and eat it standing over the sink. (That statement would make my pre-pregnancy self gag.)

What I’m looking forward to: Finding out if baby is a boy or girl.

Cravings: Tangy fruits – pineapple, red grapes, strawberries. I eat them all the time. Baby also really likes fruit smoothies, pasta salad, chicken salad, and anything spicy!

Aversions: Thankfully, I didn't experience any sickness during my first trimester, but I did develop a few food aversions - eggs, red meat and Chinese food. I’m also not crazy about chocolate any more. (Another statement that would appall my pre-pregnancy self!)

Symptoms: Still feeling great! I get a little breathless every now and then, but that’s probably because of my ever-increasing waistline.

Belly Button In or Out: Getting flatter.

Best Moment This Week: Hearing our little guy or gal’s heartbeat again. It was a healthy 160!

Weekly Wisdom: This isn’t as much “wisdom” as it is something that I just want to jot down and treasure. Nathan and I have felt so overwhelmed by the exciting messages, comments, phone calls, texts, and in-person conversations we’ve shared with our friends, family, workplaces, etc. It is so nice to know there are so many people who are sharing in our excitement! All of the squeals, tears, hugs, kisses, laughs, and jaw-drops have been so incredible, and we feel extremely loved and thankful.

Milestones: Not having to pee every 30 minutes any more. I can actually make it an hour without going to the bathroom! ;)

Kitchen Remodel Progress: DIY Art (Cont.)

2012-01-18T09:08:00.000-05:00

Back in this post, I showed you a little inexpensive DIY art project that I whipped up for our kitchen remodel using old corks. Today I wanted to share with you another DIY art project that I am just completely and utterly giddy over!

I desperately wanted to make a DIY chalkboard for our kitchen that could be a place for our menu plan, or just a space for the hub's and I to write little love notes on for each other to see. I know DIY chalkboards have been surfacing blogland for quite a while, but I'll still show you how mine turned out.

It all started with an old wooden frame that I found at the Goodwill a while back for about $2. I knew it would be the perfect size for a chalkboard, so I swiped it up and threw it in the back of our coat closet until last week.

After the curtains were hung, I decided it would be the perfect time to spray paint the frame! I took a swatch of the fabric down to Lowe's and purchased this spray paint in "avocado":

And a small can of this chalkboard paint, which by the way, is not cheap! I think I paid $15 for this tiny little can. I hear there are such things as Chalkboard Spray Paint, and I was hoping to find that, but this is all the fine folks at Lowe's had the day I went. (Luckily my frame only set me back $2!)

I started by removing the board from my frame, and setting it aside. Then I proceeded to spray paint the frame a nice shade of green!

I gave it two nice coats, and then started on the chalkboard. All I did was paint this twice and let it completely dry for 24-48 hours.

After my bright green frame dried, I realized it looked a bit too polished for my taste, so I used the claw of a hammer and some sandpaper to "rough" it up a bit:

And here's the finished project waiting to be hung!

It's going on the blank wall next to the fridge, right after I touch up those spots on the wall with some paint! ;)

I wish I could say this project was as cheap as the cork monogram, but in the end it set me back about $20. It's probably still cheaper than buying a chalkboard brand new, so I still feel pretty good about the $20 spent. :)

Spilling the Beans

2012-01-17T09:23:00.000-05:00

Back in October when we found out I was pregnant, we both talked about how we would tell everyone. We agreed that we wanted to tell our parents first, before we told anyone else. But, we also agreed it would be more meaningful if we told them in person. This presented a bit of a problem since Nathan's parents live in TN and we're all the way in NY.

We knew we had a belated Christmas trip planned to Nashville in January, so we promised to keep our lips sealed until then. And boy was it hard! Since my parents live in NY, we told them at Christmastime and then waited a week for our trip to TN until we could tell Nathan's parents.

We decided to keep it simple and surprise both sets of parents with framed photos of our first ultrasound (I got these cute little frames from Walmart that said something like "Grandkids are the sunshine of life," in case our parents couldn't really make out what the ultrasound photo was.) The response from both of our parents was very similar - squeals, tears, hugs, and lots of excitement.

Here we are in TN with Nathan's whole family after we visited Antique Archaeology. (You can see our little one already bulging out a bit.)

After both sets of parents and Nathan's siblings were in the know, we then drove to Birmingham to share the good news with my brother and his family, my grandparents and my girlfriends. It was so fun seeing their faces in person, and getting hugs, lots of "congratulations" and feeling their love and excitement for us.

Oh, and I got to see these sweet things too, which was icing on the cake - from L to R, my niece Katie, nephew Tyler and littlest nephew Trey.

At one point, Katie crawled up in my lap and whispered, "Goo [this is a nickname all the kids call me], I know what's in your belly." I asked her what, and she grinned so cute and said "A baby!!" My heart melted right there on their dining room floor, y'all. So sweet.

After making our rounds in Birmingham, we headed back to Nashville for one last day with Nathan's parents. But before we made it to Nashville, we stopped off at the halfway point to meet up with my bloggy friend Morgan! This was the first blog friend meet-up I've had, and it was so nice to spend an hour over lunch with her and her man.

We also squeezed in some time while we were there to stop in and see sweet Lila - Nathan's cousin Anna and her husband Chase just brought her home 5 days before we were there, and she is the cutest thing!

Oh and this also makes the list for important things we did while in the south - the girls were crowned Sequence Champions for the weekend, and the guys were humble enough to take our victory photo. :) It was a sweet victory, indeed, even though the guys quickly stated they "let" us win because I was pregnant. ;)

The plane ride home the next day was bittersweet. We were extremely sad to leave our family and friends after such an exciting weekend, but we also came back home feeling hugely loved. Although waiting 4 months to spill the beans was so hard, we agreed it was worth it to see our families reactions in person, receive their warm hugs and share an entire week spending time together.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of Jan. 16

2012-01-16T08:43:00.000-05:00

Thanks so much to everyone who commented on our good news on Friday. It means a lot to know that so many of our family, friends, coworkers, and blog friends are excited for us as we welcome in a new member to the Atwood clan!

Now that we're back from vacation, we're happy to be settling back in with our menu planning. This week is another short one, as I have a youth retreat coming up this weekend. If I were a diligent, organized wife I would have planned meals ahead for Nathan this weekend since he'll be holding down the fort, but he's got a Papa John's coupon clipped for him to use while I'm away that will satisfy him just fine! ;) My man. Easy to please. One of the million things I adore about him.

Monday - Lime Chicken Tacos (in the Crock Pot)

Tuesday - Italian Wedding Soup + Side Salads

Wednesday - Leftovers

Thursday - Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes + French Fries

Friday - Sunday - On your own!

This post is linked to: I'm an Organizing Junkie - Menu Plan Monday.

2012 Scripture Memory Challenge - Verse 2

2012-01-15T08:34:00.000-05:00

Hey friends!

Just popping on the blog real quick today to share my 2nd memory verse of 2012. Many of you have emailed me to let me know you're joining, and to share your verses - thank you so much for sharing what God is teaching you through His Word! I'm excited to have so many accountability partners for this year's memory verse challenge.

I shared with you last time that I've chosen a "theme" for 2012, and it's the word Strength. My 2nd memory verse about strength comes from Psalm 118:14:

The Lord is my strength and my song;

he has become my salvation.

I'm so thankful that when my human strength gives way, His strength is made perfect in my weakness (2 Cor. 12:9).

If you've chosen a new verse this week, feel free to share it below or over on Twitter. I'd love to see which ones you're learning!

Have a blessed Sunday!

Our next BIG project

2012-01-13T08:42:00.001-05:00

We're back from our southern vacation! We had the best time with our family and friends in TN and AL and miss them dearly already. Although we're still unpacking and settling in, I did want to pop on the blog today and finally hit "publish" on this post that I've had in the works. (remember that big project I told you we were working on?!?)

Well, since our major kitchen renovation is mostly behind us, we thought it was high time to reveal what we’ve decided to tackle next here at Casa de Atwood. We’ve actually been contemplating this project for the past 4 months, but we’ve been trying desperately to keep a tight lid on it until the right moment.

So without further adieu, we present to you our biggest project to date:

For the past 3 years, this room has been “Nathan’s office” and we’ve known it always needed some sprucing up, but just weren’t quite sure what to do with the space.

Four months ago we decided we could do something along the lines of this….

Or, depending on how plans go, we could do something a little more feminine….

I think you get the idea! :)

That’s right. For the next several months, the hub’s and I will be switching furniture around, painting walls, and transitioning this room into a place for this little guy or gal who is expected to arrive on June 24…

And we couldn’t be more excited!

I’ll be back next week with more details, including how we spilled the beans to our families over holiday break!

Copy Cat Olive Garden Salad

2012-01-05T07:47:00.000-05:00

In college, me and a friend of mine used to frequent a couple of nearby restaurants during our lunch hour – Cheesecake Factory, an upscale Rochester deli, Aladdin’s, and last but certainly not least…Olive Garden.

Don’t ask me why two college chicks living off of a barista’s salary thought it necessary to partake of things like falafel, Paris Bistro Wraps, Southwestern Eggrolls, and Bellini-Peach Raspberry Iced Tea during lunch. We should’ve probably been in the college cafeteria eating pasta with the other kids, but our classes were especially stressful and this was our way of coping. We were also huge food lovers, so the thought of eating cafeteria food didn’t do it for us.

One of our favorite wintertime joints was Olive Garden. There’s just something so satisfying about their unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks lunchtime special. It warms you to your very core, and leaves you feeling only a twinge of guilt (you know, because the healthy soup and veggie-filled salad far outweigh the 6 breadsticks you ate).

Imagine my surprise when I found a copycat version of the OG salad on Pinterest.

Try this. You will not be disappointed.

Copy Cat Olive Garden Salad - modified ever so slightly from Tammy's Recipes

Start by making your dressing.

Using a food processor, blend together the following ingredients:

1/2 c. mayo (promise me you won't use anything other than Hellman's...Miracle Whip is not, I repeat, not mayonnaise)
1/3 c. white vinegar
1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
2 TBSP dark corn syrup
4 TBSP Parmesan + Romano cheese blend (you can certainly break this up if you don't have a blend on hand - 2 TBSP of each)
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
a generous 1/2 tsp. Italian seasonings
the juice of 1 lemon

Once you're dressing is all combined like so:

Put it in your fridge to chill while you chop up your veggies for your salad (this dressing makes enough for about 6 side salads...you can store the extra in a container for at least 24 hours - trust me, you won't be able to let it last longer than that.)

Now for your veggies!! Here's what you'll need:

Romaine lettuce (you can mix some other greens in there too if that's your thing)
Grape tomatoes (or whatever kind of tomatoes you prefer, really)
Black olives, drained and rinsed
Red onion, sliced
Pepperoncini Peppers (I'm generous with these bad boys...they're so good I can eat them right out of the jar. But that's not lady like, I'm sure.)
And, you can always toss some croutons on there too if you like. I don't really care for croutons, so I left 'em out!

Once your veggies are washed and chopped, place them in a big ole' bowl and pour that yummy dressing all over. Start with just a tad, because this dressing goes a LONG way!

Enjoy!

Oh, and in case you’ve a hankerin’ for the breadsticks, my pal SnoWhite does a DIY version of those on her blog too. I haven’t yet had the nerve to make them because the day I do I will eat the whole batch. I know myself too well.

Kitchen Remodel Progress: Curtain Hangin' Time!

2012-01-04T08:03:00.000-05:00

You may remember back in this post, I mentioned that my mom and I sewed a cafe curtain and drapes for our new kitchen. They've been sitting in the guest bedroom since then until we could get the trim painted white so we could hang them.

Last week, we tackled the trim and this past weekend, Nathan was nice enough to hang my curtain rods!

Just to refresh your memory, here's what the space looked like way back when before we started the remodel:

And here's what the space looked like during the remodel, but before the new curtains were hung:

And last but not least, here's what the space looks like now that the new curtains are hangin' proud:

(just ignore the random door hanging out to the right in this photo, mmkay?)

Here's a picture of the dining room curtains a little more spaced out so you can see the stripes in their fully glory.

It's funny how just hanging curtains can make a space feel more complete.

Oh, and PS - I cannot believe those first photos were our kitchen...it's been so long I can't even remember the old space!

Kitchen Remodel Progress: DIY Artwork

2012-01-03T09:09:00.000-05:00

We're starting to put the finishing touches on our kitchen renovation, and I couldn't be happier. To bring you up to speed, these are the last remaining items left on our To-Do list:

Hang crown molding around upper cabinets
Install kick plates on lower cabinets
~~Install sink base cabinet doors~~
Re-install trim in dining room and kitchen
~~Install trim around Kitchen window~~
~~Install cabinet above the fridge~~
~~Finish Tile in Dining Room~~
~~Make cafe curtain for kitchen and drapes for French doors~~
~~Buy a kitchen rug~~ (I finally found the perfect one at Target for $20!)
~~Buy a new trash can~~
DIY some Kitchen art (in progress)

There's actually more things crossed off the list than there are to do on the list, which makes my strikethrough lovin' heart pitter patter. :)

This weekend, I got to work on the DIY artwork. There were three major things I wanted to DIY for the kitchen art:

Some small framed photography done by my talented hubby (here's a photo of what I'm envisioning)
A DIY chalkboard (I actually finished this last night, but am waiting to see if I like it enough to keep it)
And lastly, a cute piece of artwork I just spied last week via pinterest...

(source)

This cute little cork monogram can be purchased on Etsy for $27, but I already had a ton of corks leftover from my birthday present from Nathan that I wasn't using, so I knew this would be a fairly cheap and easy project to whip up myself. And for the record, we're not wino's, Nathan just bought me a random bag o' corks off of Ebay because he knows I love wine corks. I know this is a weird fetish, but there's just something rustic and very Italian about them that I love. :)

Anyway. This project set me back a whopping $1.99, and I'm happy to say it only took me about 30 minutes to assemble.

Here's what you'll need to make your very own cork monogram:

A wooden letter - I bought mine from Hobby Lobby for $1.99!

A glue gun

And some corks

You'll want to start by placing your corks on your letter to decide how many you'll need, and where you want each cork to go (I knew after I did this, that some of the corks would need to be cut, and I was able to do this easily with a standard kitchen knife)

One by one, glue your corks to your letter.

I made some adjustments with mine as I went along, but here's what the final project looked like:

And here's a close up of how I had to retrofit a couple of the corks...

And the best part is, it double as a place to pin recipes while you're cooking! :)

Happy New Year + Memory Verse Challenge for 2012

2012-01-02T14:12:00.000-05:00

Hey Friends!

I hope you had a wonderful time ringing in the New Year with your loved ones. We sure did. It was a low-key evening here at Casa de Atwood that consisted of sparkling grape juice, watching the ball drop, and praying in the New Year together. And, of course, there was the traditional New Year's smooch. ;)

You may notice I'm not linking up our menu this week. That's because it's a short week for us around here. We're headed to Nashville later this week to celebrate a belated Christmas with Nathan's family, and then after that we're traveling to Birmingham to see my family and friends as well. We are thrilled beyond thrilled our long-awaited vacation is finally here! We have been missing our loved ones so much.

I do have some other fun things I want to share with you this week, all of which involve the kitchen renovation project, so stay tuned!

Oh, and I also wanted to pop on the blog today and let you know that unfortunately there is not going to be a Siesta Scripture Memory Team for 2012. I know several of you had inquired about this, and were excited to start it up for the New Year, so Beth's ministry is encouraging us to still memorize verses and find accountability partners through this year.

Since several of you were interested in this, I'd love the honor of us all being each others accountability partners. I intend to share my memory verses here on the blog on the 1st and the 15th of every month, just like SSMT. Feel free to share yours with me by commenting below, or sharing over on Twitter. I would love to hear which verses you've chosen!

Also, several of you emailed and said you felt overwhelmed by the 24 verse challenge last year. I encourage you to memorize as many or as few verses as you feel comfortable with. Set a goal for yourself that's reasonable and doable and stick with that. This year, to make it a bit easier on myself, I've decided to choose a "theme" and find verses around that. I'm hoping this makes finding the verses a bit easier for me this year. My theme for 2012 is STRENGTH, and I'm so excited to see what verses God reveals to me about this subject.

The first verse I found about strength is one I've read a lot over the years, but never submitted to memory. It's found in Isaiah 41:10:

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Let me know if you intend to join me in memorizing Scripture for 2012 - I'd love to have the extra accountability!

Wishing you each a blessed, healthy, and happy 2012~

Looking Ahead...

2011-12-29T09:19:00.000-05:00

All this week, we’ve been recapping what happened around here in 2011. (You can see those posts here and here in case you’ve missed them!)

I don’t know about you, but I get such a kick out of looking back and remembering the stuff we accomplished, how many changes we saw, lessons we learned, and how many simple fun times we shared...just in 12 short months!

I also get a major buzz off of making goals for the following year. (I know. I'm a nerd.) There’s just something I love about a fresh start – whether it’s the start of a new season, or a new year.

So here they are…our 2012 family goals:

Spiritual Goals:

Rachel- Join SSMT again, memorizing 24 verses in 52 weeks (I think this starts up again on Sunday, so feel free to join in with us if you’re looking for a way to memorize more Scripture this year!)
Together – get back in the habit of doing couples devotions and having more prayer time together

(Nathan has his own spiritual goals, but I won’t share those on the blog without his permission)

Financial Goals:

Beef up our "rainy day" fund
Continue paying down the last of the student loan debt; finally becoming debt free!
Save enough money to take another vacation (we’re thinking of doing some smaller “long weekend” vacations throughout the year, instead of a major getaway)

House Project Goals:

Indoor:

We have a big project we’ve been working on that’s coming down the pipeline in a few short weeks, but I have a whole post planned for that, so you’ll have to wait!
Finish painting all the trim white (I’m almost 85% done, so I’m hoping to finish this up early this year)
Buy new closet doors, and paint them white (we’re hoping to do this in Jan. or Feb.)
Hang crown molding around upper cabinets in January, finally kissing the Kitchen Renovation GOODBYE! Sweet victory! Woot! Yahoooo! ...you get the idea
Redecorate Guest Bedroom
Re-arrange the furniture in the living room (maybe), and DIY some art for above the couch

Outdoor:

Add trellis to back flower bed
Plant something vine-y in the back bed to grow up the trellis
Paint the shed in the backyard
Remove dead tree in side lawn before winter 2012
Remove bushes by the mailbox

Marriage Goals:

Continue with our “love jar” discipline, and our $2/offense discipline – loving and respecting each other more. (I’ll share more about these two disciplines we’ve adopted in the next few weeks!)

Any resolutions/goals in your family this year? I'd love to hear!!

2011 Virtual Review

2011-12-28T07:43:00.000-05:00

One other "goal" that I didn't mention yesterday that the hub's and I wanted to do in 2011 was to document our marriage better. Sure, we have this space where I love to document our fun times and share them with you, but we wanted something a bit more interactive.

Nathan's goal was to take more video footage using our Flip camera so that at the end of 2011, we could put them all together and have a virtual way to look back at the year.

And boy did we take a lot of footage - 131 clips to be exact.

So without further adieu, here's what we were up to in 2011 - all summed up into roughly 3 minutes! (In case the one below doesn't work, you can also watch it here.)

PS - a special and HUGE thanks to my man for pulling this together and being so dedicated to this project. I know it will be a keepsake for many, many years to come!

2011 Family Goals - Recap

2011-12-27T08:15:00.000-05:00

For those of you who are new around here, each year the Hub’s and I set some family goals at the beginning of the year. We also recap those goals at the end to see how we’ve done.

So, how did we do in 2011? Let’s take a look! (The original post is here)

Save enough money to take a beach trip for our 2nd anniversary/Nathan’s birthday in early-July – Done! We actually re-visited Mexico for the 2nd time, and had a completely relaxing and fun week!

Pay off all student loans by the end of 2011; becoming debt free!! – As of this point, we are about 97% of the way there! We are still paying on one small school loan, but we anticipate having that one done in 2012. We're both a little bummed that we didn't fully reach this goal, but we also didn't anticipate doing a full kitchen remodel in 2011 either, so that's partly why we weren't able to do more.

Continue saving money towards Rachel’s new (to her) car. – Done! We are so happy that our car fund is fully funded! The best part is, my ole’ 165,000+ mile car is still trucking along, so until it completely kicks the bucket, we’re just continuing to add to the fund (we’ve decided whatever “extra” we have, will go towards Nathan’s next car, which hopefully won’t be for many, many more years).

House Projects – We had BIG dreams and plans for doing 11 house projects in 2011, but as many of you know the kitchen renovation took precedence. We did get a few others checked off our house project list though: Paint all the trim in the house white (we’re about 85% of the way there on this goal!); plant more flowers in the back bed; and one extra one that we didn’t plan for, but did anyway because of some free weed control and mulch – create our side flower bed!

Last but not least...workout and ride our bikes more. – Done! Although we didn’t get to bike very much this summer, we did take a lot of hikes, runs and long walks. And now that it's winter, we’re still chugging along in our makeshift gym down in the basement, trying to keep our 3 days/week workout schedule going.

Aside from our family goals, in 2011 we also decided to set some personal goals. One of mine was to memorize more Scripture, so I joined the Siesta Scripture Memory Team over on Beth Moore’s blog. With the Lord’s help and wisdom, we memorized 24 verses in 2011! I am so glad I stuck with this goal, and finished the year out strong. God has shown me this year just how powerful implanting His Word in my heart and mind can be, so I’m definitely planning to join SSMT again in 2012!

As Nathan and I have looked back into 2011, it has been a year of BIG blessings, answered prayers, and more ways God has shown His faithfulness to us. The kitchen renovation alone is a major way He’s proven faithful. Nathan and I haven’t had to take out one cent of debt on that project because God has been faithful to provide cabinets, windows, a new door, tile, and dedicated workers...all at a reasonable amount (or free!).

He’s also done hundreds of other things for us this year from the small to the large, and as we look back, we both agree that the verse that sums up our year the best is Psalm 126:3: “The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with JOY.”

So what did you accomplish in 2011? Any weight loss or finance goals tackled? Any personal goals fulfilled? I'd love to hear!

Christmas Recap + Menu Plan Monday (week of 12/26)

2011-12-26T14:15:00.000-05:00

Hey friends!

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas weekend, and hopefully you're enjoying yet another day off today to recoup from all the fun! (I'm posting a little late today, because we're doing just that!)

Christmas this year was especially meaningful. We decided beforehand to do a much simpler Christmas, and I have to say...it really helped me not get so wrapped up in the hustle and bustle. I was able to truly enjoy it, and I left Christmas at my parents yesterday feeling so relaxed.

A typical Christmas at the Martin household is spent in your pajamas with no makeup. You don't even have to brush you hair if you don't want! We just enjoy the day being lazy, watching Hallmark movies, opening gifts, playing games, and laughing.

Of course, we did miss our TN and AL families dearly this year but we have plans of visiting them next week!

Here are a few pictures from our day yesterday...

Nathan got some more nice tools to add to his ever-growing collection

My dad got lots of Alabama football gear to help him cheer on his team against LSU in a few weeks!

My mom got lots of cozy things - mittens, ear muffs, scarves, and slippers!

Here she is sporting one of my dad's presents - an Alabama snuggie :)

And I was super excited to get my first sewing machine! After all those sewing lessons from mama this year, I think I'm ready to tackle some projects on my own. :)

Monday - Leftovers from Christmas dinner

Tuesday- Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Wednesday- {Meat Free} Copy Cat TB Mexican Pizza

Thursday- Leftovers

Friday- Roasted Red Pepper Penne w/ Copy Cat Olive Garden Salads

Saturday- Chili w/ Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

This post is linked to I'm an Organizing Junkie - Menu Plan Monday

Stay tuned later this week for lots o' fun here on the ole' blog - we'll be recapping our 2011 family goals, showing you some 2011 highlights, and sharing what's coming around the corner in 2012!