One of those weeks

Emma has decided she doesn't need naps or bedtimes, and Leo has decided he can do whatever he wants. Who even knew that both of them being unruly at the same time would be so trying?

Emma used to be a VERY good sleeper. Even if she wasn't all that tired when I put her down, she would play for a little while and then go right to sleep. Sometimes she would cry for a little bit, but she would always go right to sleep. Now, whenever I put her down, she SCREAMS. and screams. and then screams some more. Last night she screamed for 30 minutes or so. I don't have any clue as to what might be wrong. Could she be trying to see if I will come and get her? Is she mad that I put her down and is just letting me know? I know she is tired, but she just fights it! Any input would be great, because I am at the end of my rope about it.

Leo has decided that he can claw up my pantry. Those of you who have been to my house know that I have a nice set of cabinets that my Dad built that I use as my pantry. Leo knows where I keep his food, and now tries to get into that door all the time, even when he has plenty of food. He has also started jumping on the counter all the time which he never used to do, and everytime I put Emma down for a nap he goes to her door and meows so loud my neighbors can hear it, and throws himself into her door to try to get in. He never used to do this either! Is it me? am I going crazy? or are my two children conspiring to drive me so? Oh well. If this keeps up, I will have a cat who thinks he's a human to give away. Anyone interested? He loves to get in the way!

Pictures, but keep scrolling

The only shot I got in Kentucky!


Here is Emma, enjoying Earth's Best Organic Rice Cereal!

Kentucky and Rice Cereal

Well, Emma and I have returned from our three day adventure. We left on Tuesday around 10 in the morning without incident, and were making very good time. We stopped for lunch and gas around noon, and then continued on our journey north(or whatever direction it was...west maybe?). We were flying when we came to a screeching halt in Murfreesboro. Now for those of you who don't know, I have been to this very city before, and it was a WEIRD experience. So here I am, stuck on 24 west, in a city where weird things had already happened to me before. Emma is screaming, because she is no longer happy to be in her car seat, and I am ticked, because I am only an hour away from my destination. So we sat. And we sat. And we sat. I moved 1/4 mile in an hour. Finally we got to what turned out to be a HUGE wreck. They were routing traffic over a bridge and around back onto the highway, which was what was taking so long. Needless to say, I did not even attempt to obey the speed limit for a while.Lynzi called to ask where I was, and she told me I was about a half hour away. I asked if it would take that long if I were going 90, and she said no. She was right. It only took me 20.

We arrived, happy to be out of the car, and Emma played some. She really was enjoying her first time in KY, so much so that she just had to go to sleep! Lukas got home a little while later, and he got to stay with her while Lynzi and I went to a Bible study on Post. It was the first time I have ever been around soldiers, and it was really interesting. I was truly struck by the fact that these are the people who are fighting this war. They have friends dying, and this is their life. It truly is a whole different world, and I enjoyed observing. I could never be a military wife. I am just not cut out for it. Anyway, then we went out for drinks because we could, and then went home to go to bed.

The next day, Emma and I went with Lynzi to her doctor's appt. While in the waiting room, a woman who was leaving started talking to Emma. This was one of the largest women I have ever seen, and when she started talking, I was unsure whether or not it was a man. She clearly smoked. I was scared for Emma, who did not smile. Her appt. went fine, and then we headed back to give Emma a nap. After that we went to a friend's house on Post to watch What Not To Wear, which Lynzi had never seen. I thought that was a travesty, so I insisted we had to go. We had a good time, and I was most amused to discover that her friend is me, only blond. She owned the same boots I had on, she had the same Southern Living items I have, and she loves polish pottery. It was very strange. Emma needed a real nap by now, so we headed back for the rest of the day. We took it easy, then Lynzi made dinner and Lukas came home. I introduced them to Speed Scrabble, and I just barely beat Lynzi by 6 points. Lukas was holding his own very well until he got stuck with the x,y,q, and some others. But he was a good sport, and we had a good time. Then we all went to bed.

Emma kept me up pretty much all night because she wanted to see how long I could drive on 2 hours of sleep. Evidently I can drive 5 hours, but that is with caffine. Anyway, she got up for real around 6:30, and then went back down for a nap. Lynzi and I talked until it was time to go, just before 10, and then I went to load the car. To my surprise, it was snowing! It was soooo cold. Emma got to see her first snow, and that was very exciting (more for me than her). We said our goodbyes, and sadly left Kentucky. I was making VERY good time (pace cars going 90 are always really great), and then I decided I needed gas. I kept passing up good exits until I finally knew that if I didn't stop, I was going to run out of gas. I saw a sign for Chick-fil-a, and since those are usually in highly populated areas, I decided to stop there. And wouldn't you know it, it was in Murfreesboro. And I of course had to have a weird experience there to keep up tradition, so that's just what I did. We went into Chick-fil-a, and there was a weird Santa there for you to take pictures with. He came up to me and started talking to and touching Emma. She was not smiling at him, either. And then he said "Let me hold her for you while you get your food." I almost slugged him, and the look that must have jumped on my face must have told him that. I politely told him that I had gotten really good at juggling things, and thanks but not on your life, buddy. He didn't bother us again. Do I have "Stupid" written on my forehead? He was three feet from the doot, and all he had to do was run. Anyway, we then got gas, and it was snowing like crazy. Thankfully, the roads were not icey, and I never had to worry about that. Anyway, we got home in very good time from there, and I was soooo glad to be out of the car.

Random bit of info...you can pick up WSB in the middle of TN still. Who even knew? Oh, and I forgot to say that when Lukas watched Emma, he was so sweet. He told me when we got back that she scared him because she was the quiest sleeper in the world. He said he had to put his head right near hers to make sure that she was breathing. I thought that was adorable, since Brian used to do the same thing. Anyway...

On Tuesday night, Emma woke up at 5:45 as has been usual lately, and I fed her. She went back to sleep, and I lay awake wondering why it is that she had been continuing to do this lately. Then it occured to me that she was probably ready for solids. I don't know why it always takes me three weeks to realize that she is ready for something, but I'm a little dense. Anyway, I went to the store today and got bibs, bowls, spoons, and rice cereal. Mom and Granny came over, and we video taped Emma's first time eating solids. Since it wasn't digital, I am unsure how to post it here, but I got a lot of stills and those are cute enough. She loved it! She wanted more, and ate all of what I gave her! So since it went over so well, I am officially ready to start giving it to her at dinner too. I hope this means I can sleep all night again. It would make me most happy =). So that's that. My baby girl is getting older, and I cannot believe how time as flown. She is already 5 months old! Anyway. I am having a great deal of trouble posting pictures, so I will post those later when blogger is cooperating more.

Round Here

Sorry to Emma's adoring public for the long delay in posting. I've been busy. Emma celebrated her first Thanksgiving in style, partying so hard she had to go to sleep at 6:15! Okay, that's when she always goes to sleep, but she still had a good time for the hour she was around for celebration. I think Thanksgiving will mean more to her when she can actually eat it, but that's just my thought on the matter. I am pondering starting her on solids in a couple of weeks. She is grabbing everything near her, and is extremely interested in what I eat. I figure with two teeth, she's ready. I am sure there will be great pictures of that =). Other than that, all is well. Emma had another cold this past week, but since I had medicine on hand when she started sniffling, I was able to stave off the worst of it thankfully. She has also officially moved on to size 3 diapers, and those fit perfectly. Hopefully those will fit perfectly for all 104 I have of them =).

Brian turned in his paper last week, so now he only has two exams to go. He has been studying like crazy, and I think he is really looking forward to the end of the semester. I am getting spoiled by his being home all the time again, however I was shocked to learn that I have to cook for every meal now! I don't think that's very fair, but I suppose I can handle it if it means he's home.

I am doing well. I am on fire to get this house decorated, and am starting the painting process. Unfortunately all my painting pals are pregnant, which I am taking personally. Oh well, I will manage somehow =). Emma and I are headed up this week to visit Lynzi in Kentucky, which we are very excited about (okay, Emma doesn't know yet, but I am SURE she will love it)! Brian and I got the christmas tree last night, and as you will see, it has it's lights and one ornament that Emma helped me put on.

I feel like all of that seemed rushed. I am sorry if it seemed that way to you too. Maybe my next post will be more organized and detail filled. I am just too tired to remember much of what's happened this past week. I will end with a few new pics of my sweet girl.


Taking a walk with mommy! It was very cold that day...


Showing off Emma's first ornament

I know you can't see her face, but I think it's so cute that she sucks her thumb and grabs whatever she can with her other hand!

Emma's Uncle Dax caught this cute one at Thanksgiving

And then there were two

Emma's second tooth is coming in now! It is the other bottom front tooth, so now the first one won't be lonely. I don't have anything else clever to say, so I will leave you with this super cute picture of Emma, who adores her feet!

You can't be serious

A few weeks ago, Brian and I broke away for a real DATE. It was a Friday night, and we decided to go to Johnny Carinos. They were not busy at all, and we were seated as soon as we walked in the door. Our waiter was extremely nice, but we noticed right away that he took forever to get anything to our table. We were there for a good 20 minutes before we got any bread, our drinks took just as long to get to the table, etc. After we had been there an hour, Brian finally got his meal and it was wrong. Our waiter sent it back to get the correct thing, and 20 minutes later we finally both had the right thing, though mine was cold for the waiting on the corrected meal. So yes folks, we were there an hour and a half before we got our meals. People came and went before we got to eat. And like I said, it was not busy at all. Our evening was by no means ruined by this, and we still had a great time, but the wait was pretty much unacceptable, especially considering he never let a manager know what was going on. So when we got home, I emailed the company to complain. We were immediately responded to, and they sent us some "be our guest" slips to come back with and try again.

Fast forward to last Friday night. Mom and Dad came over to watch Emma, and we finally had a chance to break away and use the coupons. And who do you think was our waiter this time around? You guessed it. The same guy. At first I wasn't worried. He couldn't possibly remember us? Oh but he did. He did. We could not stop laughing, because what on earth were the odds?! So we ate, and when it came time to pay, Brian slipped the coupons in with our credit card. We were hoping against hope that those things were handed out for other things than just unhappy customers. And we were wrong. Our waiter came back with the manager, who asked if everything was better this time, and our waiter knew exactly why we had those coupons. I wanted to melt into the floor. I don't even know what the moral to this story is. At least the service was much better this time around, and he did get a much better tip...but maybe next time something like this happens, we will just go to another location.

A week of firsts

Yes, I know it's Monday, but Emma has already had a busy week. Yesterday morning, she woke me up early, crying and very upset. When I came into her room, she was perched on her back, eating her feet. As I most definitely did not leave her that way, I was thrilled to see that she had finally rolled over! She has yet to show a desire to do so again, but I think she has simply checked it off of her list of things to do. Now she can move on to something else. So this morning she woke me, quite upset again, and at 3:30 am this time. It took quite a bit to calm her, and she finally went back to sleep. So our day went on as normal, and this afternoon we were playing when she stuck my finger in her mouth and chomped down on it. I immediately realized that a tooth is coming in! Her front bottom left tooth is coming in! She is only 4 months old!! This does explain the EXCESSIVE drooling she has been doing lately, and the general fussiness. I alomst cried when I saw it. My baby has a tooth! She won't be completely toothless ever again, and it makes me kind of sad. Anyway, I thought Emma's adoring public would want to know. I am sorry I don't have pictures, but I am sure I will get some soon.

Problem solved

Evidently I didn't need to ask all of you what to do about my crock pot. My husband, who has no fear of destroying non-stick coating, attacked the crock pot with a knife. The apple carbon came right out. I knew he was good for something =). But I think it only came out because I soaked the whole thing in dishwasher detergent yesterday, which is stronger than my dish soap. So I loosened it. So now the world can return to spinning, as I can use my crock pot again. I suppose technically I could have used it before, but I think it would have left all my food with a distinctive burnt apple flavor. I don't consider that to be appetizing. Anyway, I just thought I would share the good news.

Things I have noticed:

Emma has found her feet, and is quite enamored with her new toys
Everytime I pick Emma up, she snorts with happiness
Every since I was pregnant with her, she has clasped and unclasped her hands when she is tired or focusing on something else. It always felt so cute then, and it's even cuter now
She grabs my arm with fascination everytime I change her diaper. It's so much fun watching her discover the world

I am sure there is more I wanted to add to that list, but I can't remember any of it, so that will have to do for now. I am off to take a shower and clean my bathroom. It's long overdue. Sorry no pictures yet, but I am not too good at taking pictures of myself...

Help Me!!

So about two weeks ago, I made an attempt to make apple butter in my crock pot. All the reviews said it could sit in the insert for hours, even days, and would make no difference in how it turned out. So I followed the directions and, without fear, set it for 10 hours overnight. When I woke up in the morning, the apple butter was CARBONIZED. I mean, so stuck to the pot that I am STILL trying to get it off. So what I want to know is does anyone have any ideas for getting it out? I have tried soaking it overnight, soaking it for days, putting soap and water into it and putting it back into the crock pot to cook...just about anything I can think of, and it still won't come up. I am starting to get very worried that I have destroyed my crock pot insert. This stuff is like cement, no joke. I don't want to start bashing it with something, since the insert is non-stick and I don't want to ruin it if I can help it. So ANY ideas would be very appreciated...I would hate to have to get a new crock pot for christmas because of the horrid apple butter...sigh.

In other news, I am getting a hair cut today, which I am quite excited about. And then, because Brian will be home, I have big plans to get some shopping done. I have two long sleeve shirts that look decent on me, and no sweaters, so it's time I got some winter clothes.

Emma is finally better. No runny noses or coughs anymore, and I am very thankful. And to top it all off, two weeks later, she is finally adjusting to the time change. I get to sleep in again!!

So now you are all caught up. I will post more later, when I think of anything more interesting.

A Bonus

The only way you'll ever see my dad anywhere near a cat...

Cow girl

Jen bought this costume for Lydia last year, and unable to resist ourselves, we had to put Emma in it too.

It works!

I just don't think I could love her any more...she is too precious!

I was afraid of that

I had been wondering the past few weeks how Emma would do with the time change. It's been just as I feared. She woke up bright and shiney at 6:15 this morning, because body time it was 7:15. Why do we have a time change?! I have always disliked it, but now I have a good reason to. It's costing me sleep! Emma and I are moving to Arizona where they do not have these ridiculous time changes. Who's with me?

Anyway, Emma had her first full-blown cold this week. We both got sick on Tuesday, and both still have the sniffles, but all in all it wasn't awful. I will say that my mom thankfully bought some homeopathic stuff for Emma, and within two hours she was feeling much much better. I love having another option than to go running to the doctor. It's such a blessing. I sing the highest praises for the stuff mom got her, and I would post the items here, but I don't remember their names, and I'm too lazy to go get the bottles. So if you need the info, ask =).

Brian is doing fine, but starting to get stressed. He has a huge paper due on Saturday, and the professor is insane, so he doesn't know if he's doing the right thing or not. He isn't allowed to talk to ANYONE about the paper, and even she won't really answer any of the questions the students ask. I am not even allowed to tell him if he's made spelling or grammatical errors. I think that's insane, but whatever. So please pray for him if you think about it. I know he's really worried about the class. Also, please pray that he would be able to find a summer job at a law firm. This time of year is when he's supposed to start looking for one, and it would be a GREAT way to get his foot in the door somewhere. So that's what's going on with him.

I have been sick, as I said, and am ready for things to get back to normal. I have been reading the book Jen recommended, A Mother's Heart, and I have been very convicted by it. I also think it's a great read for all women, not just mothers. It gives you something to work toward, even if you aren't yet at that stage in life. Anyway. Okay I tried to download pictures, but blogger is being retarded...I will try again tomorrow. So sorry.

For the moms...

I think this site is wonderful. It's affordable clothing mostly for nursing, but some for maternity as well. Support them if you can. Their stuff seems to be better quality than motherhood maternity, and they have a really nice selection of nursing stuff. Anyway. I just thought I would let you know. Oh, and if you sign up for their catalog, they will give you a $5 off coupon, so do that too.

The most beautiful girl in the world

Alright, Alright

I don't know why it's been so hard for me to post, but I just cannot seem to get to the computer for that long these days. I suppose, though, that it is time for an update.

Emma is doing great and still growing like a weed. This past week she has started going down at 7:30 and waking up 12 hours later. I am a BIG fan. However, it has thrown the day schedule off a little bit, and I am still trying to get a handle on that. I am not complaining though. Brian and I can officially go out on dates now after she is down for the night! She is getting so very close to rolling over, and soon I fear there will be no stopping her. This morning I had her in her Bumbo on the bathroom counter so she could watch me get ready, and she started trying to get out. She seriously only needed one more big push and she would have toppled out. I am glad I witnessed this. I will no longer be walking away when she is in the Bumbo. I fear that all of the wonderful times of just being able to put her down somewhere and walk away are coming to an end. Sigh. Well, they say I will start losing more weight now. I guess that's the upshot to not being able to sit down anymore =).

Brian had his first test yesterday in his bibliography class. It was pass/fail, and he feels very strongly that he passed, which is always a good thing. We are coming up on exam time in a month or so, and things are going to get even crazier for us =). I cannot believe this first semester is already almost over. I am so very proud of Brian. He has been working so hard, and things have NOT been easy, but he persists and is doing so well. Please keep him in your prayers, though. "We've only just begun."

I am doing dandy. I walk most every day of the week with Jen, Liz, Lydia, Emma, and baby Kate. In spite of this, I am still not really losing weight, though I am promised the pounds should just MELT off starting around 6 months postpartum(I think it's just because you lose all your hair then, but they assure me I really will lose actual weight.) I am so thankful for the time to get out of the house and spend time with them. It also makes for a great motivator. Otherwise, I would still be sitting around wondering why I am always so tired =). I have been doing lots of reading, and am currently taking apart a cabinet to repaint it. I take great joy in unscrewing things and putting them back together. I guess I got that from my dad. I need power tools. Then there will be no stopping me =) (maybe Brian doesn't want that to be the case, though, eh?) I am really enjoying being a stay at home mom. I am so thankful that the Lord gave me this chance, and I am thankful for the changes He is making in me. There's nothing like having lots of time stuck in one spot (nursing) to ponder where your problems lie, and what you need to change about yourself. God truly has blessed me with my family, and He is giving me peace about things I have always tried to control. Amazing what a child will show you about how you aren't in control =). Anyway, all that to say that we are all doing great, and I especially am thankful in ways I never thought possible for the life I have been given.

Okay, now that I have forced you to read my ramblings, you may see pictures.

Yeah, yeah. It's out of focus. Stupid digital camera...

So so very cute and alert.

She was screaming, and I had to get something done, so I put her down, and about a minute later I came back to this =).

I opened up my dryer and the bear was just sitting there. It was so funny!

She hates the playmat, but again, she cried herself to sleep.

My future scholar with her beloved Baby Einstein book

She is getting stronger and stronger every day.

She likes to work out just like mommy =)

Just thought you should know...

I thought this was interesting.

By the by, Horizon "organic" milk says it has no ADDED growth hormones in it's milk. Tricky tricky.

It's worth a try...

Okay. I know this is crazy, but just maybe they will hear us! Click on this link to the Trader Joes website. Then scroll to Location Requests, and request that they put one in Buford! Shake your head at me if you want, but I am TIRED of driving forever to get organic items. So plague them with requests until they have no choice but to give us one! And then you may go on with your day...

Nothing clever to say

Life goes on as usual over here. Here are some pictures of my munchkin and my sweet cat.

Bumbo Baby

My baby is now big enough for the Bumbo seat! And if you ask me, she looks ADORABLE in it. She was helping her mommy make coffee for her daddy. And no, I don't typically use my shirt as a burp cloth, but I had left the cloth in another room. She invariably spit up at that point, and my shirt was the closest thing I could use. And then she started playing with it, so I couldn't take it away.

Again? Really?

My dishes were all backed up again yesterday, and I didn't want to eat out because I am determined not to gain any more weight. So Emma and I headed over to Publix to find something healthy that didn't need to be cooked. When I was trying to find a parking space, I noticed the car in front of mine looked familiar, so I had to laugh when Jen stepped out. Evidently she had also run into my mom earlier that day at Costco. So she came over to my car and offered to hold Emma for me as we walked inside. As we stepped up on the curb, a woman walked up and said "Oh your little boy is so cute! How old is he?" This time Jen defended the gender of the child she was holding. Honestly, though, why say a gender at all when they are that little? Emma was wearing a green onesie, which is supposed to be neutral. Anyway, I think the moral of this story is that you shouldn't let your daughter go with Jen to Publix. Everyone thinks her kids are boys.

On the subject of...

Organic and whole food grocery stores...I just did a little digging on the Trader Joe's website and the rest of the internet, and people seem to be thinking they will be putting one in the Party City plaza at hwy 92 and hwy9. This means that James will be buying all of our groceries for us from now on! It also means that that is MUCH closer than Sandy Springs or midtown(depending on traffic of course). I am actually giddy at the thought of a Trader Joes being nearby(nearer than say, Ohio). For those of you who haven't experienced this place of great wonder, you are in for a treat. I am hoping their prices hold true to being MUCH lower than any of the ridiculous other places that sell this type of food. The one Sarah always went to in AZ had $.99 organic dozen eggs and $2 bottles of Charles Shaw wine that is on par with the Aldi wine(and more consistently available so no more of us have to feel ridiculous carrying as many bottles of Aldi wine as we can hold =)). Anyway, Sarah could talk more about it's wonders, for I have only been there once when I went to a wedding in Ohio. Just be prepared, because when one of the proposed stores actually opens, that's the only place you'll ever find me.

Sleepy girl

Well, life is still chugging along over here. I was actually able to do two loads of laundry, two loads of dishes(yes, it had been a while since dishes had been cleaned. We were out of silverware), and swiffer my kitchen floor today. Life is GRAND when Emma naps as she should =).

This past weekend Brian was slammed with work and I came down with a sinus infection/asthma issue. Emma, sensing that her mommy was not feeling well, decided to be difficult, and so that made the weekend even more fun. And on Saturday night, Brian and I decided we would get some food to go from a local restaurant so we could have a mini "date." I picked up dinner and when we got it all open and were scooping food onto our plates, I noticed a cooked caterpiller in the green beans. Yes, you read that right. On our mini date night. So I called the restaurant immediately, and was able to talk to the owner. He informed me that he didn't know what to tell me and that it couldn't be their fault. He would give us another item, but he just couldn't see how it was their problem. So Brian, still VERY busy, gets in the car and goes back over there to deal with it all. So much for the "date." And we didn't even get the meal for free...I was a little vexed, but oh well. Anyway, things were crazy until yesterday, but today was much calmer and more relaxing. Emma and I went to the mall to walk around outside a little bit since it was sooo nice. She was very well behaved, and cannot wait to start trying on clothes. It's just so hard to do when you're in a Baby B'jorn =)...

I have officially sold two things on eBay, and I am very proud of myself. It's a great distraction for me, and it's a great way to make some money. I am having a wonderful time =).

One more thing worth noting...Leo has taken to laying on my lap right next to Emma while I am feeding her. He curls up and starts purring, occasionally sniffing the back of her head. It's sooooo cute. I am so glad he doesn't mind her. I would hate to have to get rid of him if he started being bad. So anyway, I thought that was cute.

Alright, here are your pictures...Some day I will post more picures of Emma awake.

Of all the times...

I just want to say that I never take benedryl to go to sleep anymore because it always keeps me up (yes, I know it's odd, and it wasn't always that way, but for the past few years it has been...). ANYWAY. I have been steadily having worse and worse allergy issues the past week or so. Today it got so bad I was having trouble swallowing food because my throat was swelling. So I took a benedryl, resting in the knowledge that it wouldn't make me tired. And for the first time in years, I am so drowsy I want to lie down on the floor and nap. But I will prevail!!! I am drinking coffee. I just thought that it was worth mentioning that it's not fair that all of the times I have taken it to knock me out recently, it finally works when I don't want it to. Carry on with your day...I just thought you should all know. Oh and one more thing...I finally found a pair of pants that fits me like a glove, and they are so expensive that on eBay they are starting out at $19.99. I always knew my body had expensive taste =). Maybe I can find another pair at Marshalls..... Okay I really will stop now.

Update time

Well Emma had her 2 month well baby visit today. She officially weighs 11 lbs 6.5 oz., and is 23 inches long. The child is mammoth =). She did very well, though her schedule has been thrown off, so she hasn't taken a nap. Ah well. Every day cannot be perfect =). She also coos constantly now, and the past week she had been a ray of sunshine. She smiles constantly, and is a whole lot less grumpy (unless, of course, she hasn't napped...). All in all, having her around is an absolute delight, and we are so thankful that God has blessed us with her.

Brian is still loving law school, and is getting very good at making the most of every single second of every single day. He has also been informed by his business partner that they will be getting TONS of work to do in the next month. And we thought he was busy already... But praise the Lord for more work. It means I can continue to stay home with the munchkin, which suits me just fine.

I have started selling things on eBay, and I am having a lot of fun with it. I am also settling into this whole being home and being a mom thing. It's taken a while, but I think I can finally handle being home a lot more =). It just means I now want to paint the whole house and rearrange furniture. It's amazing how many things you want to change when you stare at them for several hours a day. Anyway, that's life round here...And now for what you really want. Here are some pictures of the little Ems watching Horatio Hornblower with her daddy. I know there aren't many, but you will all live.

As promised

Ten Minute Enchilada Sauce

1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
2 T AP flour
1/4 cup chili powder
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water or chicken broth
1/4 t ground cumin
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion salt (or just minced onion)
salt to taste

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and chili powder, reduce heat to medium, and cook until lightly brown, stirring constantly to prevent burning flour.

Gradually stir in tomato sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder, and onion salt into the flour and chili powder until smooth, and continue cooking over medium heat approximately 10 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Season to taste with salt.

So there you go. I know it's probably not authentic, so Liz, you aren't allowed to comment =). Anyway, it makes about 18 oz, so I used ten of it and froze the other 8 for future use.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

I liked Jen's idea to post recipes from time to time. I made this yesterday for dinner and it was AMAZING. It's the best kind of recipe too. You simply throw everything into your crock pot and turn it on. So here it is:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 10 oz can enchilada sauce(I have a good EASY recipe for this that I will post later)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 4 oz can chopped grean chili peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 14.5oz can chicken broth
1 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 10 oz package frozen corn
1 T chopped cilantro

Place Chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chilis, and garlic into slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours, or on high setting for 3 to 4 hours.

I used 2 frozen chicken breasts and just took them and shredded them about an hour before the soup was done. Be warned though, that it is already falling apart by this point, so use a spoon to get them out so too much heat doesn't escape. Also, I used all chicken broth instead of water to make it richer.
I am told it tastes even better the next day, but there wasn't any left, so I will have to make some more =).

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