Week 15

Because my family is far from me, I'll be sharing a little more on how pregnancy is going and how I'm feeling. This seems to be the best way to keep everyone updated. Miss you guys!

This past week was rough. Two weekends ago I was fighting a sore throat, which Thank you, Lord didn't turn into anything. And started to have some bad pain on my right side. So I went into the Doctors on Tuesday. He said it was probably round ligament pain. [Round ligament pain is when the ligaments holding the uterus are stretching. Growing with my uterus, which can cause pain.] The Dr. also gave me a flu shot, which wow! I forgot how much those hurt afterward. And lots of headaches. I'm starting to feel bad putting all this Tylenol into my system. 

This week, so far, the round ligament pain seems to be getting less. I have been feeling like my sinuses have been going crazy though. I talked to my sister and she had that happen to her during her 3rd pregnancy, which gives me a little more comfort. Headaches/Neck tension is an everyday thing, but tylenol seems to help. And since I'm in my 2nd trimester, I'm hoping for most of this to start slowing down. :) Overall, it has been a great week. I am learning to deal with the pain. I have a baby growing inside of me... I can take it!

This Saturday Taylor and I celebrate our Christmas with each other. Our first and last Christmas in our apartment. We are both so excited. I plan on making Sausage Gravy & Biscuits for breakfast. A sweet tradition my family does Christmas morning. After we're done, we will pack up and head over to the Brown's until Wednesday. Jon & Julie get in Saturday around dinner time and well, I can't wait to see them!! We'll be going to McAdenville to see Christmas lights. [McAdenville is a little town that has a ton of Christmas lights and you can drive through slow and look at them all. It is so much fun!] We'll have a boys vs girls Gingerbread house making competition. We'll visit with Memmere, Fred, Nana & Da. And rest a whole lot. Eat a whole lot and not gain a pound. And have fun fun fun!

On a side note, our scale is so wrong. I mean for anyone outside of pregnancy a wrong scale is kind of nice. ;) But it still says I haven't gained any weight. But, at my latest Dr. visit, their scale showed I gained 3 lbs. So, I won't really be able to accurately say how many pounds I've gained until I have my visits. oh darn! ;)

How far long: 15 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 3 + lbs
Maternity clothes: None yet, I still have 2 or 3 pairs of pants that fit. Woohoo!
Stretch marks: Nope
Sleep: Eh? Waking up every few hours with a full bladder.. and having weird dreams.
Best moment this week: One day this week I woke up without a headache or neck tension... it was glorious!! Oh and also, I actually cooked a few meals this week without feeling sick! Praise the Lord! And I know that blessed my hubby. :)
Have you told family and friends? Yes!
Miss anything: Honestly, not really. Though, I won't be making Trader Joe's trips [queasy reasons] and I kind of miss that.
Movement: Sometime I think I feel movement, but I'm unsure... mommy and daddy are anxiously awaiting!
Food cravings: Salads, cucumber with salt, and ice cold water. Seriously, iced cold water is keeping me going.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Still smells. Like coffee or [if you live near Highland Creek you'll know] Wallace Farms. Yuck!
Have you started to show yet: A growing small bump. :)
Gender prediction: It changes back and forth all the time. . . Only 5 more weeks!!!
Labor Sign: None
Belly button in or out: In
Wedding rings on or off: On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!
Looking forward to: Finding out the gender and feeling the baby move!!!

We have our first boy/girl items purchased. And I love them!!!

I mean... How do you say no to something so cute?!!!

I love bow ties on kids. Though they aren't practical
they are adorable! :)

I hope everyone has a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! 

Hugs from Charlotte to Delaware <3

Week 13 & 14

Sorry I didn't do this last week. It's busy over
here with Christmas on the way. :)

How far long: 14 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 3 lbs
Maternity clothes: I haven't bought any yet. Pants are tempting.
Stretch marks: No
Sleep: Off and on
Best moment this week: Got to hear our June babes heartbeat on Tuesday!
Have you told family and friends? Yes!!
Miss anything: Taking bathes.
Movement: Doctor says there's a lot, but I can't feel it yet. At least I don't think I can.
Food cravings: Beef Ramen noodles and cereal are the most recent cravings. I eat a lot of cereal!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Random smells. . . like coffee brewing.
Have you started to show yet: Teeny bump. Looks like I just ate a huge burger with a plate of french fries. Mmm that sounds good!! 
Gender prediction: Not yet
Labor Sign: None
Belly button in or out: In
Wedding rings on or off: On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! :) Thank you, Lord! 
Looking forward to: Find out the gender and feeling the baby move! Oh, and for this round ligament pain to STOP! 


On a side note, Taylor and I celebrated 3 fantastic years together Tuesday night. Three years from when he asked me to be his girl. I am so glad he did!! And I said yes, 3 times. I'd say it a million times over, too. He is [apart from my Salvation] the BEST thing that has happened to me. God has been so kind and generous to bless me with Taylor, he is such a gift. :)

We went out to Osaka. Osaka is a Chinese restaurant where Taylor took me on our first date. We go there every year to celebrate and get the same meal every year. :) We had such a great time, laughing and conversing over the last 3 years and all that God has done. We are blessed!

Happy 3 years dating my hubby!

How did we tell our family?

How did we tell our family?

We told my family over Thanksgiving break. Our first night there we mentioned we wanted Chinese take out. Totally planned. [Before I tell you, earlier this month we ordered fortune cookies with a custom fortune inside]. So, we go to pick up the food and on our way back to the house switched the fortune cookies with the ones we bought. Everyone ate dinner and Taylor "remembered" that we had fortune cookies to eat, so he passed them out. [We were all spread out throughout the kitchen and living room so I was a little nervous]. My sisters first fortune cookie didn't have anything in it.... haha! But then she opened another one and said to her husband, "I wish Stephanie had gotten this one." [so sweet]! Then a few other comments were made to each other about what was written... then Taylor announced, "You guys, WE'RE PREGNANT!" A few "not ah's" and "for real?"s passed around and then my sister and mom rushed over to me and cried like crazy! We hugged and chatted and laughed and well... it was perfect! Oh, and the fortune said, "There will be an addition to your family in the near future." On the back was the due date numbers.

With Taylor's family, we used the same cookies. We visited them after dinner time, so we just told them we just ate Chinese and thought they'd enjoy a cookie. They opened the cookies and thought, "What is the Lord saying?" I remember even Gisele saying, "Maybe a new puppy?" Hehe!!! Then, she looked at us with her jaw dropped [still not thinking baby] and Taylor announced we were pregnant to them. :-D They were surprised [success] and in shock! Very very happy to finally be Grandparents. :)

Later we called other family members and the now Great grandparents, who were all filled with so much joy!!

A sweet surprise no one saw coming!

Thank you, Lord for this precious baby you've blessed us with! 

Browns little coming soon!

First, I am sorry I haven't posted any recipes in the past month or so. There are few reasons why, but one main reason is because we have some news to tell you. . . .

We're PREGNANT!!!! 

I am 13 weeks this week. We finally announced it to our families and a few friends this past month before making it Facebook public. ;)

Without going into too much detail, I'm going to say this baby is a miracle. [And of course, every baby is a miracle from God, no matter the reasons or process behind it]. :)

Taylor and I found out this exciting news and are still kind of in shock. I know there was no reason for me to be surprised because God is able to do far more than I could ever imagine, but I was. An exciting surprise. An exciting shock.

We had our first ultrasound when I was 8 weeks. Our little baby's heartbeat was 169, which the lady said was good. :)

This is what we saw. . .

Our little sour patch baby. hehe!

Expected due date: June 10, 2013

As the joy continued, so did the nausea and morning [not so morning] sickness. So many smells bothered me. Poor Taylor had to open the windows and close our bedroom door in the morning when he made his breakfast. I stopped cooking meals... except things that didn't bother me... which didn't leave us with many options. Taylor was a trooper and God gave us both grace to get through it. The worst week of all was the week after we visited the Dr. I had food poisoning and all the baby pains. But it really is all worth it.

I think the worst is over, so far? I get headaches a lot... but if you know me well, you know that isn't anything new.

With every day that passes, I am eternally grateful for what God has blessed us with. I can't wait to feel our sweetie kick and move around. Update: On my latest visit when we were listening to the heartbeat [around 152] the nurse said there was a lot of movement. . .  so very exciting!!

Boy or Girl? We won't find out for a while.... before I was pretty head strong on what I wanted first, but now that I'm pregnant, it doesn't matter as much. :)

Here are a few baby bump pictures thus far.

This was taken after our first ultrasound...
Also at night, after I drank a whole bunch of water .

It is a stereotype.... but one night I seriously craved pickles.
We had to capture that moment. 

9 whole fabulous weeks!!

Stole the chalkboard idea from Pinterest... and that
will be one of the ways we update with pictures
and how I am doing.

week 13 picture to come...

God is so good!!!

Apple Crisp

This dessert was something very easy to throw together before friends came over. I put it in the oven when we sat down for dinner and by the time we were ready for dessert, it was ready. Served warm with vanilla ice cream and an apple chip. If you have a bunch of apples and need a quick dessert, this is the one for you!!

Apple Crisp - Adapted from Pinch of Yum

Ingredients

4 cups apples, peeled, cored, diced
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup oatmeal
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Peel, core, chop apples.


2. Add first 3 ingredients together in large bowl. Toss together. Place in an 8x8 greased pan.

3. Combine remaining ingredients, crumble over top of apples.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Apple Chips

I have never had apple chips before, but man, am I glad I made these. They are so yummy! And very easy to eat all of them in one sitting. ;) We ate them plain and also topped an apple crisp I made with them. So so good!

Apple Chips - Adapted from Live Love Pasta

Ingredients

2-4 apples, thinly sliced [middle cut out if desired]
Cinnamon*  
Brown Sugar*

*The measurements for the cinnamon and brown sugar may vary depending on how many apples. I'd say, for every 2 tablespoons of brown sugar use 1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon. Or taste it and change it up to your liking. It's easy and you can't mess this up. :)

1. On a large baking sheet, spray the sheet and place parchment paper or aluminum on top, spray again. [I learned my lesson with this my first round of apple chips. I'd recommend aluminum].

2. Slice apples thin. Cut out center of each slice, if desired.

3. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in small bowl.

4. One at a time, put apple slice in bowl, coating both sides. Place on baking sheet.

5. Bake at 225 degrees for 2 hours. FLIP apple slices after 1 hour. Continue baking. Once 2 hours is done, let cool completely.

Enjoy!!





[recipe on the Apple Crisp coming soon!!]

Crock Pot Wild Rice Soup

This.meal.is.delicious.

That's all.

Really though, it turned out great. :) It is the perfect Fall evening meal. And it is super super easy!

Ingredients

1/2 cup Brown Rice
1/2 cup Wild Rice [I used Trader Joe's Rice Medley]
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 [32oz] Chicken broth
1 [14.5oz] can Chicken broth
1 tsp dried Thyme
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1 small garlic, minced
4 chicken tenders, shredded after cooked

1. Stir rice and oil in crock pot, cover and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir, cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours.

 3. Carefully pull chicken out about 30 minutes before serving.

Shred chicken, then place back in the crock pot for about 30 minutes.

3. Enjoy!

Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore

A few posts back I made Pizzadillas with a Marinara sauce for dipping. Well, I sure didn't want to waste the sauce since we only used a tiny bit of it. So, I decided to make some chicken cacciatore. I had fun with this meal because I used whatever I had in the home. :) It turned out great and Taylor really liked it!

[Johnny, this dish is easy! Sense a theme? I think you could put this on before you leave for work and all you'd have to do once you're home from work is cook the pasta. Worth a try right?! Let me know what you think. Ps. This dish is even better the next day- big plus!]

Crock pot Chicken Cacciatore 

Ingredients

4-5 chicken tenders [You can use breasts, tenders is what I had]
Rest of Marinara Sauce [1 jar of Marinara Sauce]
1 [14.5 oz] can of diced tomatoes Italian seasoned
1/2 cup white cooking wine
2-3 small garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped red onion
dash of red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried Oregano
1/2 tsp Kickin' Chicken Seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
Spaghetti
Parmesan Cheese, topping
Dried Parsley, garnish

How to:

 Add frozen chicken to your crock pot.

 Add Marinara sauce.

 Add diced tomatoes and cooking wine.

Add minced garlic, onion, and spices.

[Sorry I didn't take pictures after adding the garlic... Oops!]


Cook in crock pot on LOW for 6-8 hours. 


After it's cooked, shred the chicken with 2 forks before serving. 

 Plate w/ cheese and dried parsley.


ENJOY!!

Mom's Cheesy Potatoes

Yesterday was Taylor's birthday. We celebrated his birthday Saturday with gifts and dinner, then he got his cake last night. I will be posting about his Snickers Cheesecake within the next week or so. :)

We had such a great time Saturday. I decided to do this gift every hour idea I found on Pinterest. So he opened up a gift every hour on the 24 minute mark. One of his 'early' presents was a new watch. It worked out perfect and made me laugh because it seemed like every hour on the 24 mark he would look at his watch and ask for his next gift. It was sweet!! :)

I love you Taylor Brown!

That evening I made him his birthday steak dinner with asparagus and my mom's cheesy potatoes [which is the recipe I'll be sharing today]. Taylor loves this meal. It is a high 10! ;) And can I just say, I am proud of myself for making this dish and not messing it up... my mom has been making these potatoes most of my years [we always had it with beer-can chicken.. Mmmm!] so, I was a little nervous they wouldn't turn out as good as hers, but they did!

Mom's Cheesy Potatoes

[Sorry in advance.. seemed that we were way too hungry and I forgot to take a finished picture of the potatoes... but you can kind of see them on the plate].

Ingredients
8 Hash brown patties
1 (16oz) sour cream
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Spray the bottom of a large glass Pyrex dish, then lay out the hash brown patties.











2. Mix the ingredients together in a large bowl, then spread over top of hash browns.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Easy and enjoyable!!


Yummm!

My handsome birthday man <3 

Pizzadilla

This meal is super easy, quick to make, and loads of fun. Taylor and I had a great time in the kitchen making these "mini" pizzas/ quesadillas [pizzadillas]. They worked well for us as our meal, but they could also be a fast appetizer for when guests are over, or even a side dish for Sunday games?

[Johnny, this is another meal that you can make. Pizza is a mans dish. ;) And something that can be made veggie, and/or meaty, in a matter of minutes is a great dish to make, in my opinion. I hope you make this and find it simple and fun. :)]

Pizzadillas

Ingredients:

Soft tortillas
Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
Pepperoni
1 small red onion, diced
1 small tomato, sliced
1 small green pepper, sliced
Jar of Marinara Sauce, for dipping






How to:

1. Spray the skillet with cooking spray.

2. Lay out tortilla and add desired amount of cheese.

3. Add veggies on one side.


[Let me just add, that was the best tomato I've ever tried! Heirloom tomatoes all the way people!]

4. Top with pepperoni [or choice of meat].

5. Fold in half. [I filled this one with too much stuff... you may want to either not stuff it as much or get bigger tortillas] :)

6. Flip and cook other side. Takes only a few minutes.

Mmmmmmm!!!!!

Cut into pieces and enjoy. Dip in marinara sauce.

ENJOY!!








I like this meal because it is so simple and you can really add whatever you'd like in it. I think a veggie pizzadilla with spinach and goat cheese sounds delicious! So many options!! :)