Tuesday, December 17, 2013
More Elf On the Shelf Fun
Here are more photos that documented the fun we have had with Bernard this holiday season.
Elf On The Shelf Mischeifs And Fun
This year, we decided to do the Elf On The Shelf Tradition for our family. Our youngest is too young to understand but our 7 year old understands the concept and it is fun for the entire family.
We are 8 days away from Christmas so here are the photos that have documented our elf Bernard's journey this holiday season.
We are 8 days away from Christmas so here are the photos that have documented our elf Bernard's journey this holiday season.
 |
More Photos To Come! Keep an eye out for more Elf On the Shelf fun!
Saturday, December 7, 2013
How Will You Be Remembered?
This evening, I was asked by my ex-husband how I felt about him taking our son (only 7 years old) and moving to another state. This is all because he was offered a better position and better pay by his company that, he says, he can pretty much retire on. How do I feel? I feel like vomiting. I feel like crying. I feel like hitting something. I feel like I have officially lost any appetite I ever had for the rest of my life. I feel like a terrible mother. That is how I feel.
After going through the motions and going through the divorce decree to see exactly what it says about him moving our child out of state, I have come to think how will my son remember me. He won't see me every Thursday, or ever other weekend, every holiday, etc. If I am lucky, I will see him one month out of the year and that will be during the summer. My ex-husband states he will fly me out one weekend out of a month so I can see my son and then of course I have the summer.....but even still that isn't much time. I barely get any time as it is.
The last few weeks, my son has been misbehaving, he has been talking back, being EXTREMELY picky on what he eats saying he doesn't like something even though we know he likes it and he hasn't been listening. I have been giving him the cold shoulder at times, I have been letting my husband do some disciplining (if it is their issue, they need to work it out...I will not step in the middle), and I have been cutting back on video games and tv a lot. How will he remember me? Will he remember me as that?
Last night, we were watching tv and when I got up to change the baby's diaper, he, out of nowhere, stated that he no longer wanted to be here and wanted to go back to his daddy's. That really hurt. He didn't understand how bad that hurt. If we were not iced in from this Texas Winter Storm, I am sure the ex would have been here picking him up in a heart beat. Does he no longer want to be with me? Does he think I am that mean, that he wants to stay with his daddy?
I don't know what I did to deserve this.
Without repeating myself, I don't know how to continue this blog I am so confused, in shock and in a deeply terrible emotional state.
After going through the motions and going through the divorce decree to see exactly what it says about him moving our child out of state, I have come to think how will my son remember me. He won't see me every Thursday, or ever other weekend, every holiday, etc. If I am lucky, I will see him one month out of the year and that will be during the summer. My ex-husband states he will fly me out one weekend out of a month so I can see my son and then of course I have the summer.....but even still that isn't much time. I barely get any time as it is.
The last few weeks, my son has been misbehaving, he has been talking back, being EXTREMELY picky on what he eats saying he doesn't like something even though we know he likes it and he hasn't been listening. I have been giving him the cold shoulder at times, I have been letting my husband do some disciplining (if it is their issue, they need to work it out...I will not step in the middle), and I have been cutting back on video games and tv a lot. How will he remember me? Will he remember me as that?
Last night, we were watching tv and when I got up to change the baby's diaper, he, out of nowhere, stated that he no longer wanted to be here and wanted to go back to his daddy's. That really hurt. He didn't understand how bad that hurt. If we were not iced in from this Texas Winter Storm, I am sure the ex would have been here picking him up in a heart beat. Does he no longer want to be with me? Does he think I am that mean, that he wants to stay with his daddy?
I don't know what I did to deserve this.
Without repeating myself, I don't know how to continue this blog I am so confused, in shock and in a deeply terrible emotional state.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Bacon Broccoli Pasta
Yes, I know the title doesn't seem all that appealing but trust me, your taste buds will think everything of this dish is just awesome. To tell you just how awesome, imagine an extremely picky 7 year old boy who is happy with just chicken nuggets, burgers and pizza eating 2 helpings of this yumminess!
The photo was taken by my husband before he devoured his second helping. The recipe is actually a tad bit more than I made but it makes for more helpings (as neither my father in law, myself or mother in law got a 2nd helping) and it will also be okay to eat as left overs. Also to be honest, I was just cutting and dicing and not paying much attention.
Bacon Broccoli Pasta
1 small red onion---diced....again watch out this will make you cry
12-16 slices bacon cut in half, cooked and crumbled
6 Tbsp butter,
4 Tbsp cornstarch
2-3 cups milk (depending on how thick you want your sauce. If you want it a bit runny, add more milk)
Spaghetti noodles (I guesstimated on how much noodles to cook)
2-3 cups mushrooms ----diced
2 cups broccoli---diced
2 Tbsp olive oil (I used Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
Parmesan Cheese
Step One: Dice your onions, mushrooms, and broccoli.
Step Two: Start boiling your water for your pasta while you cook your bacon....you want it crispy so you can crumble it.
Step Three: When bacon is almost done cooking, put olive oil in a deep skillet and saute your red onions until transparent. Throw in your mushrooms and your broccoli. Cook for about 5 minutes. When bacon is done, crumble and throw into onion mixture.
Step Four: Add your pasta to pan of water if the water is boiling. Add your "cream" by mixing together your milk and cornstarch. Stir in to make a "paste" or sauce. This is where you will add in your butter as well.
Step Five: Drain your pasta but leave about a cup of water in case your sauce is too thick (or you can just add a bit more milk).
Step Six: Put pasta in onion mixture and toss to cover in sauce/paste.
Step Seven: Serve with some Parmesan cheese.
The photo was taken by my husband before he devoured his second helping. The recipe is actually a tad bit more than I made but it makes for more helpings (as neither my father in law, myself or mother in law got a 2nd helping) and it will also be okay to eat as left overs. Also to be honest, I was just cutting and dicing and not paying much attention.
Bacon Broccoli Pasta
1 small red onion---diced....again watch out this will make you cry
12-16 slices bacon cut in half, cooked and crumbled
6 Tbsp butter,
4 Tbsp cornstarch
2-3 cups milk (depending on how thick you want your sauce. If you want it a bit runny, add more milk)
Spaghetti noodles (I guesstimated on how much noodles to cook)
2-3 cups mushrooms ----diced
2 cups broccoli---diced
2 Tbsp olive oil (I used Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
Parmesan Cheese
Step One: Dice your onions, mushrooms, and broccoli.
Step Two: Start boiling your water for your pasta while you cook your bacon....you want it crispy so you can crumble it.
Step Three: When bacon is almost done cooking, put olive oil in a deep skillet and saute your red onions until transparent. Throw in your mushrooms and your broccoli. Cook for about 5 minutes. When bacon is done, crumble and throw into onion mixture.
Step Four: Add your pasta to pan of water if the water is boiling. Add your "cream" by mixing together your milk and cornstarch. Stir in to make a "paste" or sauce. This is where you will add in your butter as well.
Step Five: Drain your pasta but leave about a cup of water in case your sauce is too thick (or you can just add a bit more milk).
Step Six: Put pasta in onion mixture and toss to cover in sauce/paste.
Step Seven: Serve with some Parmesan cheese.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
My Little Chap
As a photographer with children, you bet I have to get out and take photos of my babies. We picked out an adorable "newspaper boy" outfit for my youngest for the holidays. I had no choice but to cure my itch of photos with him wearing the outfit by getting him out and taking his photos this past weekend. Even older brother joined in on the fun.
This baby is all breastfed (up until lately, we have been experimenting with baby foods) so I am in love with all his rolls and his chubby tummy hanging out of his suspenders.
This baby is all breastfed (up until lately, we have been experimenting with baby foods) so I am in love with all his rolls and his chubby tummy hanging out of his suspenders.
You can always check out more of his photos on my facebook page
Loaded Baked Potato Soup -CrockPot Recipe
Who doesn't love a potato soup on a chilly fall night? I looked on Pinterest to find some new recipes but in the end I just threw it all together on my own. I let it cook in the crockpot for 6 hours
This photo was taken by my father in law after garnishing his 2nd bowl of soup. It was so great that everyone had a 2nd bowl.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
4 Russet Potatoes---I peeled and diced mine
2 Tbsp of minced garlic
1/2 medium white onion diced---WARNING: This will make you cry
2 Tbsp Butter
2 Can Cream of Mushroom
3 Can (14.5oz) Chicken Broth
8 slices of bacon---cooked and crumbled
Green Onions or Chives
Sour Cream
8 oz Cream Cheese
2 Cups Instant Potatoes (if your soup is still brothy/soupy)
Shredded Cheese
Step One: Dice your potatoes and your onion
Step Two: Put your potatoes, your garlic, your diced onion, cream of mushroom as well as the chicken broth in your crockpot.
Step Three: (Obviously by now, you would have turned on the crockpot...if not, turn your crockpot on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours) After letting it cook for 3 hours, add in your butter and any spices. (I added in a few shakes of thyme and oregano....shhh no one knew that but now you do!)
Step Four: After cooking for 4 1/2 hours, check consistency, if needed add in the instant potatoes. (I added only 2 cups---give or take---but you can add as much as you think it needs).
Step Five: Add in the cream cheese after 5 hours of cooking. At this point you probably want to start cooking your bacon. Get it crispy...you will need to crumble it.
Step Six: Prep any other toppings. If you have real chives, cut them now. (Those may make you cry too if you cut into the onion part!)
Step Seven: Serve and garnish and don't forget......ENJOY!
This photo was taken by my father in law after garnishing his 2nd bowl of soup. It was so great that everyone had a 2nd bowl.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
4 Russet Potatoes---I peeled and diced mine
2 Tbsp of minced garlic
1/2 medium white onion diced---WARNING: This will make you cry
2 Tbsp Butter
2 Can Cream of Mushroom
3 Can (14.5oz) Chicken Broth
8 slices of bacon---cooked and crumbled
Green Onions or Chives
Sour Cream
8 oz Cream Cheese
2 Cups Instant Potatoes (if your soup is still brothy/soupy)
Shredded Cheese
Step One: Dice your potatoes and your onion
Step Two: Put your potatoes, your garlic, your diced onion, cream of mushroom as well as the chicken broth in your crockpot.
Step Three: (Obviously by now, you would have turned on the crockpot...if not, turn your crockpot on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours) After letting it cook for 3 hours, add in your butter and any spices. (I added in a few shakes of thyme and oregano....shhh no one knew that but now you do!)
Step Four: After cooking for 4 1/2 hours, check consistency, if needed add in the instant potatoes. (I added only 2 cups---give or take---but you can add as much as you think it needs).
Step Five: Add in the cream cheese after 5 hours of cooking. At this point you probably want to start cooking your bacon. Get it crispy...you will need to crumble it.
Step Six: Prep any other toppings. If you have real chives, cut them now. (Those may make you cry too if you cut into the onion part!)
Step Seven: Serve and garnish and don't forget......ENJOY!
Monday, October 14, 2013
Irresponsible
This past Thursday, Baby T got his 4 month vaccinations. I am proud to say I have a healthy baby weighing in at 17lbs 1.5oz and 26.5" long. Unfortunately, these shots are whooping his butt. He had a fever for several days, including last night and today; he also is congested and having bouts of diarrhea. Poor guy.
Today, I was to the point of not knowing what else to do...just like last night. He wasn't hungry as I had just fed him and he was spitting up curds of milk. He was extremely tired with no fever in sight. As I stood at his crib trying to get him to sleep, I was on the verge of tears. Standing there, staring at him, listening to his glow worm play music while his Mama Womb Bear made sounds from the womb. I was near tears because my oldest never got sick until he was in Kindergarten. I was near tears because I was able to rock my oldest to sleep or just hold him and he would fall asleep and Baby T seems to be fighting it all the time. I was near tears because, there I stood, staring Baby T in the eyes and reminiscing about when my oldest was his age.
This weekend, we had the oldest "A" and we took him to the local pumpkin patch with the in laws and my older sister's family (her fiance and son). We had a great time riding on the hay ride, bouncing in bounce houses, running obstacle courses, picking out pumpkins, taking photos in the field of pumpkins and with the cutout characters, and even enjoying disgusting corny dogs! It was a great day.
Today, I was to the point of not knowing what else to do...just like last night. He wasn't hungry as I had just fed him and he was spitting up curds of milk. He was extremely tired with no fever in sight. As I stood at his crib trying to get him to sleep, I was on the verge of tears. Standing there, staring at him, listening to his glow worm play music while his Mama Womb Bear made sounds from the womb. I was near tears because my oldest never got sick until he was in Kindergarten. I was near tears because I was able to rock my oldest to sleep or just hold him and he would fall asleep and Baby T seems to be fighting it all the time. I was near tears because, there I stood, staring Baby T in the eyes and reminiscing about when my oldest was his age.
This weekend, we had the oldest "A" and we took him to the local pumpkin patch with the in laws and my older sister's family (her fiance and son). We had a great time riding on the hay ride, bouncing in bounce houses, running obstacle courses, picking out pumpkins, taking photos in the field of pumpkins and with the cutout characters, and even enjoying disgusting corny dogs! It was a great day.
The fun ended when I had to take "A" back to his dads. Before leaving the pumpkin patch, I get a text message from my ex husband asking if we can drive all the way out there to drop "A" off. The hubs said that was okay and we proceeded our drive out there. It really isn't that long of a drive (25 minutes maybe at most) but it is a bit out of the way and we already drive out every other Friday to pick him from school. Hubby has been furious at the fact that the ex husband won't drive all the way out here once in a while to pick his son up. It is like throwing a brick at a large rubber ball....it will just bounce back. Or talking to the ex is like talking to a wall. There is no getting through to him. I got screwed out of a lot because of his lying and now I have to pay for it. Literally.
When I got to the house to drop him off, the ex husband said (and I quote) "I appreciate you dropping him off. We just got back from the coast and I am exhausted." Seriously? I see you have people (including your girlfriend) over decorating the house for Halloween and then on top of that, you have multiple people in the garage while you have meat smoking in front of the garage. How long have you been back? I am sure you can step away from the house...leave the girlfriend there to watch everyone and the meat and come pick up your son. Talk about irresponsible....or at least having priorities screwed to the max.
I was beyond upset after dropping off "A" that I had to fight back tears. Today, watching Baby T fight sleep and reminiscing of the times when "A" was a baby, I had to fight back tears yet again. All I want is for my family to be together and that means having my oldest with me all the time. I feel like a crap mother when I have to tell people I pay child support or when I have to tell my job or others that I can't do something because I have my oldest every other weekend but what they don't know is how I got into that situation.
This just puts more fire under my butt to do something about it but until I have the funds to do something about, nothing will ever get done. That makes me upset even more.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)