Good Morning, Saturday

Kris is working out at the gym. Kenna is sleeping in... still. Gavin is watching his morning cartoons. Bosco is crunching on his dog food. And I am sitting here writing a blog. But for some reason, I am in a good mood this morning. So far, we have no plans for today except to clean up Kenna's room. Until now, she has been sleeping in her playpen, which was right next to our bed (since she still wakes up 2 or 3 times during the night to nurse). Well, yesterday I decided to put the playpen away and just move her crib into our room. It seems much more comfortable for her and she has more room in it. A decision which left Kenna's room looking completely empty. So I will be moving furniture around today.

Kris has had a few job interviews in the past week or so. At one of the interviews, they told him he got the job and they want him to start Monday. After going through the interview though, he decided it wasn't for him but that if it is his only option, he will take it for the time being. Another one of the interviews he said went really well and he would really like to work for them, but he has to have a second interview first. So, we are waiting for that to happen.

We took Gavin to feed ducks at a pond over by our house the other day. It was cold and very windy. And the ducks were swarming us like they had never eaten before. It freaked Gavin out a little. So what was supposed to be a fun adventure turned out to be a little horrifying for Gavin. Maybe when it gets warmer we will try taking him again.... to a different pond this time, with ducks that don't look and act like they are going to eat us alive.

Gav got a haircut yesterday, then we went to the French Bakery in Grapevine to get some desserts. Everything was really good. The cheesecake was to die for, and Kris said the eclair was the best eclair he's ever had. We went to Kane and Kathy's last night, had good dinner, good desserts, and good company. It was a lot of fun. Gavin always loves going to his Popop's house.

Today is going to be a good day :)

Chicken Pot Pie

2 Refrigerated Pie Crusts
1 Cup Diced Potato
1 Cup Diced Onion
1 Bag Frozen Peas and Carrots, thawed
1/3 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Flour
1 Cup Buttermilk OR Half and Half
2 Cups Chicken Broth
4 Cups Cubed Uncooked Chicken Breasts
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 Tablespoon Thyme
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Saute onion, potato, and garlic in butter for 10 minutes, over medium heat, in a big pot. Combine buttermilk and broth in measuring cup. Move all veggies to one side of the pot, and stir the flour into the butter on the other side of the pot. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Gradually stir the buttermilk mixture into the veggie mixture. Combine well. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir in thyme, salt, pepper, chicken, peas and carrots. Press one pie crust into bottom of 9 inch pie pan. Pour casserole into pie pan, then cover with second pie crust. Fold over any long edges and press into pan. Make four slits on top of pie so steam can escape. Place a baking sheet underneath pie in oven just in case you have any leaks. Bake for 45 minutes. Enjoy!

It's Like My Aunt Once Said

Trying to clean the house with children is like trying to staple jello to a tree. Boy, was she right. It is pretty much impossible to get anything done around the house when you've got two children. One of them is always getting into trouble, or wanting something to eat, or wanting to play, or throwing a fit. Maybe one day I will get it all done but today that didn't happen. I got the bathroom cleaned, the laundry done, and half of Gav's toys put away. The rest will have to wait til tomorrow.

The Chicken Pot Pie turned out pretty good. I have never made this dish before but as my husband said, it was pretty good for a first try. I will post the recipe tomorrow. As for now, I am off to bed. I need a good, long nights sleep!

I'm Taking A Little Break

... from cleaning.

Today is my day to get allllll of my many loads of laundry done, folded, and put away. To get my bathroom squeaky clean and shiny (toilet, tub, and all). To get every single one of Gavin's toys that are thrown all over the house put away neatly in his room. And to get every inch of carpet in this house vacuumed. Keep your fingers crossed that all of these things happen today.

Tonight I will be attempting a Chicken Pot Pie for dinner (YUMMY). Hope that turns out well too :)

PS- Did you notice the music I added to the blog? I love this song by Kris Allen. It always puts me in a really good mood. I will add more music one day when I have time ;)

It Broke My Heart

Yesterday, we were at breakfast, when Kris got a phone call. He got off the phone and proceeded to tell me that it was a company that he applied for and they want him to come in for an interview. After breakfast, we took the kids to the park to play. On the way home from the park Kris got another phone call. He got off the phone and said it was another employer that wanted him to go online and submit an application when he got a chance. I told him he would have to do that as soon as we got home. As Kris and I were talking about this, Gavin was in the backseat and shouted "Nooo!" I turned around and saw that he had tears in his eyes. I said "Gavin, whats wrong?" He said... "I don't want Daddy to go back to work!!" It was the saddest thing I have ever seen. My heart dropped. Gavin is getting used to having Daddy home all the time and loves that he has Daddy all to himself during the day. Don't know what I'm going to do when Kris goes back to work.

On to happier things... We took Gavin to Barnes and Noble last night. They have this thing once a month called a Pajama Party. They have story time, crafts, snacks, singing, dancing, and a meet and greet. Last night it was about Clifford the big red dog. It was the first time we had ever gone to one of these so I didn't really know what to expect. But it was actually a lot of fun. They got to read books, make a little Clifford dog to take home, got to meet Clifford, and got a cookie at the end of the night. Gavin really enjoyed it. Next month they are having Arthur, so I'm sure we will be attending that one too.

Kenna is becoming a picky little eater. She has been eating more people food lately. She is learning how to mash food with her gums so she is eating more of the food we eat, and over the last week or so she wont have anything to do with her baby food. After having all those yummy foods to taste, the baby food just isn't appetizing to her anymore. She is still not completely crawling yet. She gets on her hands and knees and kind of hops around. She moves her arms as if she is going to take off crawling, but then either drags her legs behind her or hops around. It's pretty funny to watch but I still cant wait for her to start crawling.

Well we have a busy day today so I am off! Have a happy Saturday :)

Gavin Is A Happy Camper

Not that he isn't happy everyday, but today he was extra happy. He has been collecting coins and dollar bills that he finds laying around and putting them in his piggy bank. Every day he says... Mommy lets count my money and see if I can get a toy. I have been telling him to wait until he has ten dollars and we will go to the store and he can get a toy. Well today was the day... He had $11.42. So off to the store we went. He picked out a cool new toy and has been playing with it all day. Which also makes for Gavin in a good mood all day.

Just thought I would share!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I found my camera!!!! It must have fallen out of my bag in the car because it was on the floorboard in the backseat. You'd think I won the lottery by the way I was acting right after I found it. I am very happy I have it back!

More good news.... We got rid of the cat!! I just couldn't handle him anymore. I found him a nice home with a nice young lady that will take great care of him. No more worrying that the cat is going to jump on the counter and eat all the food when we sit down to eat dinner. Or getting your toes gnawed on as your walking through the house. I'm glad he is out of my hair, and he has a nice new home. The lady that has him is a cat lady, so she will know how to handle him.

I was out and about with Courtney and Claire yesterday and we went to this place called Nothing Bundt Cakes, in Southlake. As you can tell by the title, they have a variety of bundt cakes. They have bite sized bundts, single sized, 8-inch, and 10-inch. Its a cute little place. Kind of reminds me of Sprinkles Cupcakes, except with Bundt Cakes. Anyway, I got the white chocolate raspberry and it was very yummy. Next time you're in Southlake, I recommend trying it. Their larger size bundts would be good for a baby shower or bridal shower, too.

So.... Happy Valentine's Day! When my lazy boys get out of bed this morning, we are going to run up to Wally World to get some stuff to make Valentine's cupcakes and cookies. Gav loves baking (just like Mommy). Really he just loves smearing the icing on top of all the cupcakes, then licking the spoon completely clean. Whatever makes him happy. And I have my camera now, so I can take lots of pictures!

I'm off to spend V-Day with my family :)

Ahh, I'm Going Crazy...

I cant find my camera!!!! I have been looking for it for weeks and I cant find it anywhere!!! How the heck does a digital camera just disappear? (That's what my husband would like to know since this is the second one I've lost.) I am dying without it! Especially since we have gotten like 10 inches of snow in the past day and I would LOVE to get some pictures of the kids in the snow but I DON'T HAVE A FREAKIN CAMERA!! What am I going to do????

On top of that, I went to Granbury last weekend to visit my Dad and family; and my aunt had this little black kitten. He is 6 months old and he was so sweet and loving. Gavin played with him the whole time we were there. Then I find out that they are trying to get rid of him because my aunt doesn't want to be bothered with a cat. Well Gavin starts saying "Mommy can we take the kitty home? Can we Mommy?? Pleeeeeeease???" I thought about it a little bit and decided it wouldn't be so bad. He gets along with Gavin and he's really sweet.... So I decide to take him home. Oh, don't let me forget to mention that I have NEVER owned a cat in my life, much less taken care of one before. So I get him home and right away he doesn't get along with the dogs.... GO FIGURE. Eventually he and the dogs just start ignoring each other and I begin to think this will all work out. Until the cat starts climbing all over the kitchen counter tops, eating everything in sight. And his litter box, oh what a joy that is. Its like having another freakin baby in the house that I have to clean up after. Gross. But that's not all... now he is biting!!!! When he wants attention (which is ALL THE FREAKIN TIME) he rubs up against your legs, then if you don't acknowledge him... He starts biting your toes, or your ankles. Ouch. He is such a little pain in the ass. He can be really sweet if your loving him constantly but he is VERY needy. He is much worse than a dog. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Good one, Ciera, good one. I guess my husband was right when he told me that I wasn't a cat person and I would be making a big mistake bringing the cat home.

Well as if that isn't enough, my husband is unemployed at the moment. Lets just say he was fed up with all the bullshit that his company was putting him through. We had enough. He came home, we talked about everything and decided it was best that he just leave his job and find something new. So my wonderful hubby has been home with us since Tuesday and is looking for a new job. It is nice having him around so much! It's kind of like a vacation for him, so he is enjoying it for the time being. He has not had a weekend off in almost a year so I'm pretty excited to have him home this weekend!

Okay, I have to go. The stupid cat is licking the grease off the skillet from this mornings breakfast. What have I gotten myself into!!!

Baked Chicken Breasts Stuffed With Pesto And Mozzarella

4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Cup Pesto

1 Cup Italian Breadcrumbs

1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Trim all fat and tendons from chicken breasts. Place each piece in a heavy plastic bag and pound with meat mallet until chicken is 1/4 inch thick. Lay chicken flat out on cutting board. Spoon desired amount of pesto onto chicken breasts, not going too close to the edge or pesto will leak out. Sprinkle mozzarella on top of pesto. Roll up chicken breast, starting with the smallest end and tucking in any edges. Then secure with two toothpicks in each end of the rolled chicken. Place breadcrumbs on a plate. Roll each chicken breast in the breadcrumbs a few times so chicken is well-coated. Place chicken breasts in a baking pan sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle a little bit of mozzarella on top of the chicken, and bake for about 35 minutes. After baking, place chicken under broiler for 3-4 minutes to brown the top. Once chicken is done baking and broiling, I like to spread a little bit more pesto on top of the chicken and serve hot, and enjoy!

Pesto

If you would rather make your own pesto, instead of buying packaged pesto from the store, here is the recipe I use...

1 Cup Fresh Basil
1 Cup Olive Oil
1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
3 Cloves of Garlic

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend until well mixed, but not entirely smooth (it should still have some texture).

If you would like to make a creamy pesto sauce to pour over pasta, pour the mixture into a pot over medium heat. Add 1 cup heavy cream. Stir consistently until mixture is thickened. Pour over pasta and Enjoy! This is enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta.

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina

Okay, so I have a new recipe to share! Claire actually discovered this recipe sometime around Thanksgiving and we have had it at least twice a month since then. It is pretty yummy. I decided to try and make it for dinner last night and could not believe how easy the recipe is. So, here is another delicious, yet simple recipe for you all. The original recipe is Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina from Giada De Laurentiis, but I have adapted it to my own tastes. Again, we have a lot of people in my house so my recipes make a lot of food. You may want to cut it in half :)

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina

1 lb Small Pasta

2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 (28 oz) Can Crushed Tomatoes

3 Cups Shredded Mozzarella

2 Tbs Italian Seasoning

1 Onion, diced

1 Clove Garlic, minced

1/2 Cup Italian Breadcrumbs

1/2 Cup Parmesan

1/4 Cup Butter

2 Tbs Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil water for pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain. Meanwhile, put olive oil in large pot over med-high heat. Place chicken in pot and cook 3 minutes. Add onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook 5 more minutes. Put the drained pasta in the pot with chicken mixture. Add the crushed tomatoes, 2 cups of mozzarella, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Place in a 9X13 inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella on top. Melt the butter in a measuring cup, in microwave. Mix the Parmesan and breadcrumbs together in the melted butter. Pour the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top of the mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes and enjoy with garlic bread and a salad!

Hope you enjoy :)

Jaw Dropping

After Kenna was born, I decided to get an elliptical machine so I could start doing some cardio to lose weight. Kris made it very clear to me that he thought it would be a waste of money and I wouldn't use it, but I assured him I would use it every day. Let's just say I don't use it as much as I hoped I would. Since Kris is trying to lose weight for the military, he has been using the elliptical. He comes to bed every night bragging about how he was on the elliptical for an hour and blah blah blah. I usually congratulate him and go back to sleep. I always think he just sugar coats how long he was on it so I'll feel bad and jump on it for an hour, considering it was bought for ME and I barely ever use it. Well, I got on it last night, all pumped up and ready to stay on for at least 30 minutes, since I usually feel like I'm dying at 20 (sad, I know). Kris forgot to reset it when he was done the night before, and the elliptical read 9.9 miles (yes, that is how far he went on it). My jaw dropped, I couldn't believe my husband did 10 miles on the elliptical. Thanks for making me look bad, honey! Well at least now I have the motivation to get on and STAY on the elliptical!

Seriously though, I am proud of you, babe :)