All the single babies

I want my baby to dance like this - hilarious!!

Little old ladies

So tonight I was thinking about things I do that are "old lady-esque". It was triggered by the grocery store sale paper sitting on the coffee table. I love the grocery sale paper and yes, I know that's totally old lady of me. I know what's on sale every week at the store and get very excited when I can show uncommon husband how much I saved with coupons and BOGO items. So I asked uncommon husband what else I do that is like an old lady. "Drive slow" was his reply but for the record, I drive the speed limit so if that makes me slow I'll take it. Then we started talking about what Crazy Betty does that is "old lady-esque." Uncommon husband had me laughing with about 10 things he listed without even thinking about it:

1. Steals handfuls of sweetner packets from restaurants

2. Complains about the price of everything and trys to get a lower price everywhere we go

3. Complains about people on cell phones (according to her, every accident ever caused was due to a cell phone)

4. Tells the credit union she doesn't have to pay the service charge on the Coinstar machine because she's had her account there since it opened. (It's true that her account number is a single digit and my grandfather was a founder but still, everyone pays the service charge!)

5. Doesn't know how to work her remote control and then calls Uncommon Husband 14 times in an hour until he picks up to tell her how

6. Instead of buying new bottled water she refills empty bottles and tries to pass them off as unopened

7. Comes over unannounced and apologizes when you know she isn't really sorry

8. Asks granddaughter's boyfriends if they are on drugs and then says "well, you wouldn't tell me if you were" when they say no

9. Asks "Did I wake you?" every. single. time. she calls - even when it's 3:30 in the afternoon. But also calls at 8:00 on a Saturday with the sole purpose of waking you up because she thinks there is no reason to sleep late

I say these things out of love and fully realize that I am going to be just like her when I'm old. We already bond every week over the Publix ads ...

This is what happy looks like

I feel like a broken record lately but I'm just so happy that it's ridiculous. When I go to write a blog post all I want to write about is how the grass looks greener, food tastes better, and the world is more beautiful ... all because of the beautiful baby in my life. Sure, there's other stuff to talk about like the fact that I finally got my website up (whoo hoo!) and how Betty still loves to stop by unannounced (I am a firm believer in calling before you visit someone) but who wants to blog about that when I could be laying on the floor talking back and forth with the cutest baby in the world? I'll be back to work soon enough and I'm sure there will be much to talk about when that day comes. For now, I'm off to watch her sleep some more ...

White Chili... it's what's for dinner

I have been a bad blogger this week but today I am participating in Kelly's "Show Us Your Life" and posting my new favorite recipe. When Rosebud was born, my mom made this for us and we've had it several times since. This White Chili is easy to make and seriously delicious. It makes a huge batch (barely fits in my crock pot) so I usually cut the recipe in half but I have frozen part of it as well and that makes dinner easy for next time. I serve this over brown rice sometimes, and last time we made Krusteaz honey corn bread with it (delicious!). I'm also posting the recipe for my new favorite dessert!

Champion White Fajita Chili (recipe created by Linda)

SERVINGS: 12
METHOD: Stove Top or Crock Pot
TIME: Prep: 15 min. Cook: 30 min.

Ingredients: 2 16 oz. packages of frozen fajita chicken breast strips thawed and cut into bite-sized pieces 2 cans Great Northern Beans 1 12-oz. package frozen Southwestern corn (corn chopped red and green peppers and onions) 2 10-oz cans diced tomatoes and green chilies 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cumin 4-oz pasteurized processed cheese product cut into 1” cubes 1 c. chicken broth Juice of 1 or 2 limes

Directions: Simmer all in a stock pot for 30 mins., or put into a crock pot and let simmer on low until thoroughly heated, about two hours.

Yield: Serves 12

Now for my favorite part -DESSERT!

Apple Cake

3 cups unsifted flour
2 ½ cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs (unbeaten)
½ teaspoon salt
Juice of one orange
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla
3 teaspoons baking powder
4 large Granny Smith apples

Mix all ingredients (without apples) until smooth. In a separate large bowl, peel & slice 4 large Granny Smith apples. Sprinkle 5 teaspoons of sugar & 2 teaspoons of cinnamon over sliced apples & gently toss to coat.
In well greased & flowered tube pan, beginning with batter, make layers of batter then apples, ending with apples. Bake at 350 for 1 hour, 45 minutes.

I Gotta Feeling ...

that tonight's gonna be a good night! I was going to blog about something else today but then I saw this YouTube clip on Facebook and could not pass up posting it on here. I have been singing the Black Eyed Peas song "I Gotta Feeling" to the baby and dancing around with her lately and when I saw this I loved it! I adore synchronized dancing!

Today I rejoice

Today I rejoice

Because I have a beautiful baby who is happy and healthy. When she smiles at me I feel like my heart could burst.

Because I live in paradise. Palm trees swaying, breezes blowing off of the Gulf, blue/green water glistening in the sun ... I am so lucky to live here.

Because I am married to someone who is giving, supportive and wonderful.

Because my family is close. Not in a literal sense, but in the way that matters most.

Because of forgiveness. I believe in a God who forgives me and loves me even though I am not worthy.

Because I have wonderful friends who are smart, fun, kind and loving. They are beautiful people inside and out.

Because I have more than enough.

Today I rejoice. My cup runneth over and my heart is full.

Today's wish

Today I wish I could extend my maternity leave indefinitely and stay home to be a domestic goddess. I know that wish will change again next week (which is a good thing because I go back to work in 4 short weeks) but today, this is what I wish. I got sidetracked yesterday while reading blogs and started finding all of these amazing food blogs. All of the photos of delicious treats made me want to drop everything and go to the grocery store. However, a few minor details like not being able to fit groceries around the baby carrier and not having much time to cook dinner much less other goodies prevented me from doing that. I am going to go channel my inner goddess right now by catching up on the laundry and other cleaning that begs to be done. Yesterday I stumbled upon Boo Mama's Diptacular post and although I don't have a photo to share of this delicious recipe, I am sharing because it's amazing! It's not really a "fall" recipe and wouldn't necessarily fit for a football party but it's perfect for girlie gatherings like book club meetings, showers, etc.

Fruit Dip
1 package cream cheese
1/4 cup honey
1-1/2 teas. vanilla
1/4 teas. cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup diced adn toasted almonds (optional)

1. in a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. add honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and lemon juice; mix well.
2. Spoon into bowl and top with almonds

It's easy and sooo delicious!

Choices

I know my blog has been a little bit boring lately. I've been updating regularly but I admit, it's usually a quick status update and some pics. It's not because I don't care about my writing, I love blogging but every time Rosebud is napping I have a few choices - blogging, working, laundry, or dishes. Usually I want to blog, but the type A in me wins and I have to make my house orderly. When the house feels chaotic, I feel chaotic. I started trying to work from home a little bit last week and I spent the first two days feel stressed and wondering how anyone works and has a baby. Then I came to a realization - my first priority right now is enjoying every single moment with this new baby - everything else can wait. We spent the first month busy learning how to be parents and enjoying having lots of company. At 6 weeks, when everything died down and we began feeling like we had reached a new normal, I put some kind of crazy expectation on myself that I needed to be superwoman and start doing everything again. That only lasted a couple of days. After spending a few rainy afternoons snuggling with Rosebud on the couch and letting myself relax, something just clicked. We have settled into a nice rhythm, for this moment I feel like there is good balance in my life. I know how to make her happy, we go on errands, we snuggle and play, and I actually get some work done. But it's always on her terms and I've decided that's how it's going to be. I'm saying all of that to say this - I'm still going to be blogging as much as I can, not for any other reason but because I really like it. The blogging community is fun, I enjoy reading all of your blogs (and believe me, I'm reading! It's easy to read even with my hands tied up and if I leave comments in all lower case that is why, typing is so much harder one-handed) and I like your comments and conversation. Please be patient with me, I'll be back in full effect before long. For now, I am enjoying holding my sweet baby when she sleeps. It's all about choices and I choose her.

Little fashionista

We had a very busy weekend and I loved every minute of it! It's so much having a baby girl to dress up for every occasion. Her social calendar is already busy ... she takes after me :)