OMG good - new recipe

So browsing Pinterest is one of my new obsessions, as you already know. Put that together with some pin-recommended recipes from a great blog - the Pioneer Woman - and you get one really yummy dinner.

I will be honest, I have been following her blog for a while but was a little intimidated by some of her recipes. She always used simple ingredients but some of her procedures seemed above my abilities. A few weeks ago we watched an episode of hers on Food Network. J was intrigued by what she made, so to Pinterest I went!

I can accross this:http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/10/three-cheese-stuffed-shells-with-meaty-tomato-sauce/. I thought it looked yummy and something the 3 of us could all like. J approved and I put all the ingredients on the grocery list.

Here are most of the ingredients:

I will be honest. I made 2 unintentional mistakes and 1 intentional mistakes. I only bought 15oz of ricotta by accident and thought that I had oregano but did not. I omitted the basil because J is not a fan of that flavor. Just wanted you to know :)

There are 5 steps overall to this recipe. First is the sauce:

You sauté onion and garlic, add Italian sausage to brown, then deglaze with red wine (not as fancy as it sounds). Then you add tomatoes and some spices (for us, less than the recipe calls for) and simmer.

While that was going on, I billed the shells (not done, just half way). I put together the cheese mixture (with less ricotta). Then I filled the shells. BTW, this is 3 of the steps!

Before baking, put some sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Then pile in the filled shells. Top with the remaining sauce and more cheese. I split our shells into 2 8 by 8 Pyrex dishes instead of 1 9 by 13. I am freezing one for later and we baked the other tonight.

The recipe says 25 minutes at 350 degrees. J decided to broil a little to melt and crip the cheese. Then we dug in!

This is what is left from the first tray. It was soooooo yummy! You should try it too!

PS I am linking up with Happy Homemaker for her Pinterest party. Check out more there!

Poor me

I am not looking for pity, well maybe a little.  I have had a bad week and it followed such a great weekend, it seems even worse.

I am training for the Breast Cancer 3 Day.  Check out more information here: www.the3day.org/goto/milesformelissaHV.  This is my second 3 day.  It is an amazing experience!  The first 3 day I participated in, I OVER trained.  Big time!  As a result, I ended up with tendonitis in my feet and was unable to complete all 60 miles in Chicago.  This time I was determined to not over train and take good care of my feet.  I feel like I have done both, but they are starting to get sore.  The longest walk I have done is 12 miles.  That may sound crazy long, but remember I am looking to walk about 20 miles a day for 3 days.  I talked with the woman that I will be walking with in Cleveland and we agreed that I will train what I can and save my feet for the walk.  I can do anything for 3 days and I will deal with the pain after.  It is nothing compared to going through breast cancer.

On top of that, I woke up on Tuesday to a somewhat sore neck.  I figured I just slept wrong but still called my chiropractor.  She is fantastic but is on vacation until today.  Of course, my neck has gotten more stiff and uncomfortable.  I have a call into her to get fixed up today.  Fingers crossed that a little work from her today and probably next week, unties the knots in my neck and back!

Okay, complaining over.  I am alive, enjoying summer, and looking forward to a great July!

Celebrating a little early!

Starting with our one year anniversary, J and I have gone downtown Cincy and stayed at a nicer hotel, gone out to a great dinner, and enjoyed breakfast in our room.  It is nothing big but it is our way of celebrating every year.  This year we did it a little early as we have friends getting married on our actual anniversary in July.

This was P's first overnight without us.  She stayed with my parents and did great!  My dad had to be talked down by my mom on letting her whine a little at night but they all survived!

Although the hotels have changed, we have stuck with the same GREAT restaurant - Jeff Ruby's.  We stumbled upon it year 1 and have gone back every since.  It is way above our normal dining experience.  Super fancy but not too pretencious, white glove service but very friendly wait staff.  We actually had the same server for about 5 years in a row.  He then moved on to something else and we are searching for the next great waiter!

Jeff Ruby's is known for its steaks.  They have a dish called the Cowboy - J's favorite!  Here he is begridgingly enjoying his steak for a picture!

Here is the delicious meal that I had!  I almost always get the speical - they are RARELY less tempting than the rest of the menu!

They surprised us with a complimentary dessert since we were there for a celebration!  It was YUMMY!!!!

I can't even begin to express how lucky I am to be in the relationship that I am in.  J takes such good care of me and P.  We really love and like each other.  We can do this fancy night and have a wonderful time but we also like to cuddle up on the couch and watch bad TV.
PS - it was really great to get back to P in the morning though.  She lit up when we came in my parents house to pick her up!  <3

TAT: Dear me...

I am linking up with Melissa at Growing Up Geeky for this week's Toddle Along Tuesday.  The topic is a letter to my pre baby self, so here goes nothing!

Dear me,
Here are the things that I don't want you to remember to never do:
- have regret.  You did not wait to long to have P.  J and you enjoyed a great 10 years with just the two of you.  Time did not impact your ability to get pregnant - that was the plan all along.
- feel judged.  You will make the best decisions for you, J, and P.  The only two people that matter in every choice you make are J and P.  PS - you are doing a great job!
- be afraid to ask for help (from anyone).  Having a family, job, and life is hard.  Friends and family are there for  you - use them!
- don't thing about your body like it is something for everyone else.  It is for you.  You do not need to look a certain way by a certain time.  Take care of it, but enjoy yourself.  Things won't be where they used to (or the size they used to) but that is you.  Be proud!

Here are the things that I do want you to do (a lot of):
- have fun!  Soak in every minute, every stage.  P will grow soooo fast.  Don't blink!
- TAKE PICTURES!  You will think back and want them.  You will think it will be for her (which hopefully someday they will) but they are for you now.  Don't shy away from the camera - be there with her!
- play every day.  The laundry will wait, the dishes will be fine.  Enjoy your little girl!
- love J.  Nurture your relationship.  It is the one that matters because without both of you happy, she will not be.  Also, you are modeling what she needs later in life.
- keep your hobbies and interests and help J do the same.  It is too easy to get lost in the shuffle of a family.  Don't do it!
- enjoy some quiet time.  It's okay!

You have a great life.  Enjoy it!

Love,
Yourself

Weekly Wrap-up

Good morning!  I am back!  I don't have as much set in the plans this week but I do have some things to get done and write about!

Here is what is on the agenda for this week:
1. I will be doing another Pinterest recipe for dinner, maybe a smoothie, and will be looking for a craft.
2. We had a fun weekend and I will be writing about that soon!
3. P and I are getting to the pool for sure!  Swim lessons were awesome this past weekend and I want to keep up with that momentum!
4. I am hoping to get together with two good friends this week.  Hopefully our schedules work out together :)
5. I am 6 weeks away from the 3 Day and training is slow.  I need to get some milage in this week.  Fingers crossed on my feet!!!

My Summer Bucket List

So I am officially a few weeks into summer and have been pretty productive, even being off.  I hate to just sit. I want P to have fun, learn, and move this summer.  I set some basic goals for each week in my weekly wrap-up.  This has been great to keep me on track here and at home.

Here are the big goals for my summer:
1. Go to the pool and water park at Kings Island.  I want to be in the sun and I hope that P will love being outside more than her mom!

2. I would really like to work on our budget more.  We do a great job with our money (I think) but I would love to put more in savings and try to start a vacation fund for someday soon.  Any good plans out there?  I still want to use credit cards so no Dave Ramsey for me :)

3. Get out of the house at least 3 days a week with P.  Even if it is just to the gym.

4. Go to the park as much as the heat will allow.  We went swinging last week and she LOVED it!

5. Keep P's nap schedule as close to normal as possible.  I tend to let the day get away from me with playing and other fun stuff, then she gets overtired.  Not fun for anyone!

6. I really want to do something special for our anniversary.  We are going to celebrate this Saturday.  Technically this will be for this and last year but I feel like I shortchanged J last year.  He had a great weekend away - hotel, dinner, stuff to do.  Then i had to go on the dairy and soy free diet.  We still thought we had it worked out, then his grandma passed away.  During the trip I ate 2 meals out and P still reacted.  So I had to go strict, which meant no eating out.  His weekend went out the window.  We have never redone that weekend.  I want to for him and us.  I am sure that I will write more about this one!

7. Do at least one Pinterest or Pinterest inspired meal or craft a week.  Honestly I would like it to be meal and craft but I am afraid that it would get expensive!

8. This one makes me a little sad to type but I do want to do this.  I want to work on my curriculum.  I have a few meeting set with other teachers for one of the classes that I teach but not the other.  That is the one I want to put some time into.

9. Have fun and try to walk ALL 60 miles at the 3 Day.  I only got about 40 in last time due to tendinitis in my feet.  I think it is back so I am easing up on the training to see if I can hold it at bay.  I may have to break down and get into the foot doctor. :(

**If you are curious about the 3 Day, please visit my web site at http://www.the3day.org/goto/milesformelissaHV.  Thanks!

15 Month update

I promised myself that I would do monthly check ins still but I keep forgetting to actually write them.  P turned 15 months on Father's day :)  Here are her stats!

Age: 15 months (and a few days)



Stats: at her check-up, which was  little early due to our pedi's schedule, she was 24lbs 7oz and 31in.  She is slowing down in terms of gaining weight.  It wasn't a problem but she is more mobile now!  I love her chunkiness!

Sizes: We are solidly in size 4 diapers.  I think that we may have a couple of 3s lingering somewhere but 4s work best!  Clothes are solid 18 month but she does have some 24 month items, which run a little big.


Sleeping: overnight is still going well. P gets about 11-12 hours a night. Napping has calmed A LOT.  She still cries a little at the beginning but snuggles in with her fuzzy for a solid 2 hours a day!

Eating: She loves food.  Especially fruit - I think she would live on strawberries and bananas if we let her.  She has been great about trying things but has her definites with fruit, veggies, mac and cheese, grilled cheese, and meatloaf.  She is pretty good at eating out too.  Grandma loves to do lunch out and P has been a trooper!

Milestones: She is really getting closer to walking.  She is with her go-go (walker) ALL THE TIME.  She still talks in her language all day.  There are some phrases she has that I would pay one million dollars to know what she is saying, but she knows what she wants.  This coming Saturday will be her first night away from us.  We are all a little nervous for Grandma and Grandpa!

Favorites: P loves to push anything around and lay on the dog.  She is starting to get into her swim lessons and I hope to take her to a splash pad soon.  We we see how that goes.  She loves to eat and shop (carts are really fun if you didn't know).

Home Tour: P's Area

Part 2 of my home tour gets the upstairs started with P's room and bathroom

Her bathroom was the "guest bathroom" before she came. I had a pretty, spa inspired decor going in but once the peanut was using it, I just couldn't keep it. Enter owls!





I love Target. They offer fun, functional bathroom items that I love. It makes her bathroom kid friendly but not too young!

P's room was our guest room. I love the color that we happened upon at Home Depot years ago. I call it pumpkin. It was tough to find gender neutral bedding that worked but we did it!








My favorite part of the room is the art. One is a decal that was up before the room was hers. It works more for her than I ever could plan!


I <3 Etsy! These were some prints I bought to go along with what we had.

Finally, another piece of artwork from our family friend. (I told you it is everywhere!)


Stay tuned for more of the upstairs!

TAT: my wish

My wish for you my baby girl~

I hope that you will have a full a life as you can have with family and friends near by.

I hope that you work hard, play harder, and enjoy the simple things.

I hope that you find work that you love and have a passion for.

I hope that you love learning, and never stop.

I hope that you feel as beautiful as I know you are.

I hope that you are safe and smart with your descisions, but cut lose too.

I hope you know that your dad and I love you more every day!

Be the strong, gentle, indepedant girl that I met the day you were born. Let your heart and soul guide your path but come and visit because I love your hugs!

This is a linked post with Growing Up Geeky and Toddle Along Tuesday! Check out more!

My {sort of} Pinterest Creation

So the wreath I have been working on was not technically from Pinterest but it was close to something I have seen there. Here was my inspiration:


I used their hunt about a smal palate if I was using lots of pattern - which I did. Here are my supplies:

I have one 12 inch foam ring and 1foot of ten types of fabrics. It turns out I over bought on fabric but maybe I'll make one for my mom!

The worst was cutting the strips. I will be investing in a rotary cutter if I do this again! I cut each fabric into strips that we're about 1.5-2inches wide and 17inches long.


Here is the first few rounds of tying on the fabric:

Since I worked in stages, I am not sure how many rounds it took, but it was an easy job.

I did trim some of the ends to get them to stick out more. I love the finished product! Here it is on my door!


My next Pinterest interest are some recipes for dinner. What is your favorite idea to pin? Should I be following you?

#nervous

I joined twitter! What!?!?



Follow me! My handle is OrgChaos.

Weekly Wrap Up

Last week's weekly wrap-up kept me on track with the blog, so here goes another week!

- The home tour continues! I am going to break up the upstairs a little :)

- I have a give away coming soon! I am hoping to do 2 this summer!

- My Pinterest goals for the week are to finish the wreath (it is in progress, promise) and find 2 good dinner possibilities for the next couple weeks.

- I am still going to do a steppin out Saturday post from ths past weekend but I didn't take any pictures with my phone, only the new camera! We have not downloaded anything yet.

- I want to come up with 10 things to accomplish this summer, a bucket list per se!

- I am getting a new swimsuit (ugh) and need new bras (double ugh). I am looking to get a proper fitting for the bras. I will let you know how that goes!

Happy Fathers day go all!

My better half - guest post

Check out more at:


It's my first guest post :)

Pinterest fail

So I went and bought chia seeds in my preparation to make a power smoothie.

Here is the ingredient pile:



Then the final product.

I tried it this morning. The recipe is supposed to sit for minimum of 4hours but can sit in fridge for a couple days. This is so it can thicken and it did. I even added a little more milk to see if I could stomach it. No luck :(

So now I am in the market for recipes involving chia seeds. Any ideas?

Home tour - First floor

I love when other people let me peak at their home. It's the reality TV side of me. So here goes mine. This is part one of my home tour. This is most of our first floor, as I am soaring you the powder room and laundry room.

Here is the living room:



This is post Payton play, pre clean up!

This is our dining room:

I have to brag on the painting above the toys. J's BFF's (do guys have BFFs?) mom is a very talented artist and we are blessed to be a mini gallery. Her art is in almost every room of our house. We love it!

This is our kitchen:





I love my kitchen! For the size of our home - it is huge! And very functional. I fell in love with the island when we bought the house almost 10 years ago.

Happy viewing! I hope that you will be back for the next installment of my home tour!

TAT - Never did I ever...

I am joining up with Melissa at Growing Up Geeky once again for Toddle Along Tuesday. Today's topic is the unexpected. Here are my "nevers" that have certainly changed now that we are a family of 3!

I never...
- thought that I would be as green about parenting as I am. I never thought that BF, making baby food, or not eating out with P would be unheard of but I didn't think that I would have it together enough to do those things.

- thought that I would go on a crazy diet while figuring it all out. The minute that P was diagnosed with MSPI I did just that!

- thought that I would be as unscheduled as I am. I am seriously type A but P rules the world with everything!

- thought that the only bodily fluid that would make me gag is drool. Ugh, I am gagging just thinking about it!

- thought that I could love 2 people more than I loved J before P arrived!

Week preview

This is my first full week off school but still not really since summer school starts Thursday but I have some time to get a few little things done around the house, some errands run, and some fun stuff to share here! Here are some of the goodies I have planned...

- I want to do a series of posts with a home tour. Several of my bloggers friends have done this and I love it! I want to share too!


- I am considering doing a 10 day cleanse. I am gathering some info on this one. Watch for more to come.
- My guest host post at Growing Up Geeky is coming soon. I will let you know when to watch for it!


- I have 2 pinterest items that I want to do this week. One is a wreath, the other are some smoothies. I will let you know how each goes!
- I am going to try a Stepping out Saturday post. J and I have some fun Saturday plans in the next few weeks, both with and without P, and {again} I want to share.


- J and I are having Christmas way early! We have wanted to get a DSLR and now that P is really getting mobile, we are ready for it. The original plan was for the holidays but we don't want to wait. We haven't officially picked it out but we have it narrowed to two. More to come there too!

Wow, that is more than I thought. Well, plenty to write about is not bad! I hope you all had a great weekend! Any advise on any of my plans?

"Swim" Lessons

We are members of the local YMCA so I looked into and signed P up for ti Kippers swim class. It is a parent and child class where the focus on water acclamation and general safety. It s for toddlers from 12 to 18 months old. I was excited for ths, especially in light of the bath troubles we have been having and my plan for plenty if pool time this summer.

Today was our first class. J went too. He took some great pictures. Even though she was nt a superman, we did stay in the pool te whole time and did all of the activities te instructor wanted us to do. Here is a peak!









Fingers crossed that next week goes a little better!