The Office...Episode 2

Just a quick office chat...last night's episode was really good...I only wish it lasted an hour and not 30 minutes. I have to say, Andy is GREAT as the new boss. I love how dumb but loveable he is...and that "Nard Dog" tatoo...well, that was just a great ending. Still not too crazy about Robert California...but when Erin kissed him on the cheek and then ran off...I about fell off the couch. Hopefully, he'll grow on me too :) Happy Friday ya'll!

Cake pops...phew!!

Ok, this is gonna be a short blog...I am so tired...I can hardly move my arms and legs ;) I just finished 31 cake pops. I would have had 36 but I messed up a whole bag of candy melts and ran out before I could finish. But the awesome thing is that I actually made 31!! I can't believe it. I honestly commend anyone who can do that for a living because it ain't easy. Those women on youtube and in books make it look soooo simple...oh my goodness...but in all fairness, it was my first try...I had 3 kids running around, one of whom wanted to be held the entire time (Mollie James...that is you) and my dog was at my feet trying to catch all my messes, which makes me trip every 5 minutes. So, with that being said, I accomplished a lot and even though the icing is kind of pitiful, they were made with love for a very special person's birthday (I'll tell who in a later post...they might be reading this blog!). Now for more spelling words and the countdown to The Office episode 2...

*UPDATE* What's for dinner tonight...Chicken Casserole...I did it!!

Ya'll...I did it. I made a new recipe and it wasn't terrible...it was actually delicious and one of the best things I have ever made. I can't believe it. I'm in shock. I usually make new things and they taste like I left out the main ingredient. Well, not this time. Even Will (who came home for a second between appointments), had a bowl and said, "Jenna...this is good. This is reallllll good. Don't forget how to make this." That's an A+ in my book :)

Here's the updated recipe because I changed it so much from Paula Deen's version that it really isn't the same thing anymore...

Good ol' Southern Chicken Casserole

1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of mayonaise
1 box of Uncle Ben's long grain and wild rice mix (cooked)
1 can of sweet peas
2 cans of Tyson's 98% fat free chicken breast, shredded
salt/pepper
1 cup mozarella cheese

Cook your box of rice and seasonings according to the package. In a large mixing bowl, mix your mushroom soup, mayo, peas, shredded chicken, salt and pepper. When your rice is done, add it to your soup mixture and blend it all together. In a 9 x 13 pan (I use disposable ones sometimes), pour your mixture in and top with the shredded cheese. Bake @ 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until top is golden :)

This is seriously good...like really good...like warm and cozy good. Mollie had a bowl full tonight and she doesn't even have any teeth! I hope you all enjoy and happy Friday eve!!

My Friday Eve Adventure...Cake Pops!

Yay! It's Friday eve!!! My little adventure for the day is to learn to make cake pops....now, this is not an original idea of mine by any means. The first time I heard about cake pops was from my friend, Bonnie who has a great website of all the cake pops she makes for people http://www.sweetstellatreats.com/ (Talk about cute!). So, I've had it in the back of my mind for about a year and a half to learn to make these cute, addicting little pieces of heaven. I found this great video on youtube from the Bakerella (also recommended to me by Bonnie) and I have my supplies and I'm ready...you basically need cake mix, a can of frosting, lollipop sticks, candy melts in your favorite colors and sprinkles. So, I'll be back with my finished product, hopefully later today and let's pray this cooking adventure doesn't turn out like the chicken casserole, which I never made!

Mollie's first taste of REAL table food

Today is Tuesday and I thought I'd spend a second tonight to share a really cool thing that happened today....Mollie ate REAL table food! Macaroni and cheese to be exact...my homemade macaroni and cheese (see recipe from last week). I cut up a few of the noodles in half and put them on her highchair tray and before I could turn around, she had those yummy noodles in her mouth...and she didn't spit them out! We've been trying a few things here and there (Olive Garden breadsticks...not so great experience...mostly spit them out, Chicken and dumplin' broth...not the best experience, once again...). So, this was really cool...I'm so proud of my growing baby girl. She is just herself...her own little sweet, happy self all the time. Well, just a quick one tonight...still gotta do baths and a little more studying for 3rd grade math :( Happy Tuesday!!

Facebook Woes....

Well, this is definitely the social network age and I don't know about you, but I think I'm getting sick of it. I have always loved social networking (myspace was just awesome...like 5 years ago) and facebook was my favorite social networking site....not anymore. I have no idea what those facebook guys are doing but they are killing the site, one change at a time. It doesn't even resemble the way it was 2 years ago. Now, I'm not the greatest with change but these changes are taking away the cool things that made facebook fun. It's just a complicated mess now...

I've always been "Miss Facebook"...I load too many pictures, check-in, post videos, comment on randomness and "like" tons of statuses everyday. I think that for a stay-at-home mom with 3 little ones, facebook can be a huge outlet. You can see what's going on in the world without loading 3 kids in the minivan and packing up the diaper bag for the day :) You can keep up with childhood friends, highschool buddies and even your favorite teacher from first grade. You can find out what the special of the day is at your favorite restaurant and what's going on with your child's school PTA. All of those things are great things about facebook but now, I can't figure out where anything is and quite frankly, don't have the time...Every post you make is out there for the world to see and there's a huge chat bar on the right side at all times. So, oh well, facebook is getting crazier and my life is already crazy enough. I don't think I'll ever delete my account because I could never fiind all 647 of my friends again, even if my life depended on it. But, my days as a daily facebooker are numbered....

My Top Kid Shows :)

Yes, I love kid shows...I have 3 kids so kid shows are on in our house a lot...there are terrible ones, nutty ones and ones that I get embarrassed watching. So, here's my top list of the best (in my "mom' opinion)

1. Good Luck Charlie (Disney Channel)...a family show that is really a family show...super funny, all the characters are likeable and that Charlie is just the cutest baby. Teddy can sing and carries the whole show...I always love the endings of every show...just simply my favorite :)

2. Shake It Up (Disney Channel)...I LOVE this show! Fun music, 2 super funny lead characters (Rocky and CiCi) and neat dance moves that I want to learn even though I'm 35...We love this show...all of us and my 4 year old has his first crush on CiCi, I do believe :)

3. So Random (Disney Channel)...It's like Saturday Night Live for kids mixed with In Living Color (remember that all you 90's kids??)...the best show on Disney right now. I usually laugh until I cry and they have a new musical guest every week...LOVE it :)

4. A.N.T. Farm (Disney Channel)....Advanced Natural Talent..."I am, You are, We are...Exceptional, Exceptional" See, the theme song is STILL stuck in my head! These kids are funny and cute and this show is clean. China Ann McClain can flat sing and all the others are super cute in their own ways...totally worth a watch

5. Little Bill (Nick Jr.)...I love Bill Cosby, so of course, I love Little Bill. Bill Cosby based this show on his own childhood and it's just the best. My favorite episode was when Littl'e Bill's dad taught him to say "So!" when a bully called him a name and then the bully was so surprised that Little Bill didn't call him a name back and they became friends...can't believe I was paying that much attention to a Nick Jr. show but this one is worth it. Plain ol' animation with good ol' jazz music in the backgroud...love it

6. Max and Ruby (Nick Jr.)...Yes, we all wonder where their parents are but Max and Ruby are just too cute and I don't care. I love the simplicity and love Max ;) We even have a stuffed Max on my 4 year old's bed...Our favorite episode is the "Bad Egg" episode. I love the background music too.

7. Wild Kratts (PBS Kids)...Oh those Kratt brothers...we love them...we've seen them in person in a live show and they were awesome. This show is just neat...a mix of animation, real science lessons and adventures that only the Kratt brothers can make interesting. They totally need to put out a line of toys and books...we'd buy them all.

Ok...that's my list for now...gonna add more later...it's bedtime for Mollie bell and there's a new episode of Shake It Up coming on in 5 minutes!

The Office...new season...my thoughts

Ok, last night was the first episode of the new season of The Office...without Michael Scott. I have to admit..I wasn't buying the whole thing. Michael Scott is my all-time favorite idiot. The Office sure has made me laugh over the years and mostly because of Michael. So, last night, I was excited to see what the NBC people would try to do to replace the funniest man on TV....here's what I thought....

I love Andy as the new boss...no, he's not Michael, but he is the closest thing to an idiot boss they could do. Jim is too serious when he's in charge...Dwight is too mean...Kevin is just Kevin...Stanley doesn't care...you get the idea :) Andy as boss was kind of nice. He had a lot of funny lines and gave me that "oh my goodness, what is he gonna say" funny feeling I used to get when Michael was around. Andy has really grown on me over the years and now I just find him very likeable and funny...good combination :)

Now, James Spader aka Robert California...I don't really get him...a little too weird, a little too verbose, a little too laidback...not enough funny....Fix it, NBC. He's on the show now...make him funny.

I love Pam pregnant along with Angela...that's funny (I was always the Pam) and Erin is sweet and I sure hope she and Andy get together this season.

So, there are my Office thoughts...what a pointless blog today...but hey, it's dark and rainy and Will is off work playing hide and go seek with Cole, so I had a second :) All you Office fans....what did you think???

The Back-Up Plan....

So much for that recipe I posted earlier....I never got to the grocery store and now it's raining and Mollie hasn't had a nap all day and Cole is jumping off the couch and Little Will has to be picked up from school in 15 minutes...you get the idea. So, it's hotdog and chili night and you know what? My family will probably be happier :) My husband hates new recipes anyway, so the old tried and true hotdog dinner will suit him just fine. I do make my hotdog chili from scratch (it's so easy, I feel guilty) and we buy the good Hebrew National hotdogs and the honey wheat buns. Here's my chili recipe that you can literally whip up in less than 5 minutes :)

Hotdog Chili

1 pound of lean ground beef
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 cup ketchup (I kind of eyeball it...just make sure it's nice and tomatoey)

Brown your ground beef in a little pot. Drain off any grease and add in your vinegar and ketchup. Mix all together until it's the right consistency for you. Don't put too much vinegar or it will be too sour...just taste and add more ketchup if you mess up!

That's all you do...now fry, yes fry up those hotdogs (this is the south, baby) and top them with your chili and enjoy! We'll do the chicken casserole another day...

Paula Deen's Chicken and Rice Casserole...Southern Comfort!

Today, I'm going to try a new recipe...I was searching for something warm and cozy, since it's raining outside today and it's almost fall (yay!). I found this Paula Deen recipe online (http://www.foodnetwork.com/) and thought I would give it a try. If this falls through...I'll be making hotdogs and chili (always have a back-up, even if it's Chef Boyardee). So, here's her recipe, which I'll be changing a little to suit our family and our picky eaters :)

Chicken and Rice Casserole
Ingredients

• 2 (14 1/2-ounce) can green beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups diced cooked chicken
• 1 medium onion, diced and sauteed
• 1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• 1 (4-ounce) can pimentos, drained
• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 (6-ounce) box long-grain and wild rice, cooked according to package directions
• 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
• Pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased 3-quart casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Ok, I'm going to use peas instead of green beans, no water chestnuts and reduced fat Dukes mayonaise instead of regular. I have also heard it's great with cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of celery soup...oh yeah, and my kids and hubby are not pimento fans, so I'm leaving that out too...Is this even the same recipe now?? Oh well...we'll see!

Happy Hump Day!

What's for dinner tonight....Taco Soup!!!

It's Monday again...are you serious?? Wasn't it just Friday eve?? At any rate, here we are and it's almost 5:00pm...What's for dinner??

Tonight, is one of my favorites. This good ol' recipe was given to me by my friend, Whitney, about a year ago. When I gave birth to little Mollie, my friend, Rita brought this delicious dish to my house and it made all my C-sections pains go away (well, maybe with some extra strenght Tylenol). And then, at my son's baseball game last spring, I had ANOTHER friend talk about this soup....So, all that being said, this is some goooood soup. It's not really soup though, I must say. It's more like really good, meaty nacho dip. We eat it in a bowl with those scoop nacho chips. It's also good on top of a salad to make the best taco salad you've ever had :) Here's the original recipe I got a year ago:

Taco Soup

1 pound of lean ground beef
1 16 oz can black beans
1 16 oz can dark red kidney beans
1 16 oz can sweet yellow corn (you can also use fresh or frozen)
1 24 oz (the larger size) petite diced tomatoes
1 packet of powder taco seasoning (I use the Taco Bell kind)
1 packet of powder ranch seasoning

Brown your ground beef in a large stock pot (if you do this, you'll have everything in one pot). Once it's browned, add in your seasonings, tomatoes, beans and corn. Mix it all together and cook on low until everything is all simmering and blended. You can add water if it's a little too thick for you. I like it kind of thick...it scoops better that way :) Top with cheese, pico de gallo, salsa, sour cream or southwestern chipotle ranch dressing...YUM!

It's Monday...it's almost 5:00...make this and save yourself!! Have a good night ya'll :)

First Words...

My baby girl is a talker. She loves to make noises and she LOVES to hear herself. In one week, she has said, "Mama" "Dada" and "Baba" (for her bottle). I am so proud of her :) I love her little happy spirit. From what my grandma told me about when I was little...I was a talker. None of you would have ever guessed that right?? My grandma said I used to yell, "Hey!" at everyone I saw. I loved to talk and I was loud...2 things my baby girl got from me. That makes me smile :) Oh and just so you know...she's my first baby of the three that has said "Mama" first. Little Will said "Dada" first and Cole said "ball" first...so this was extra sweet. Hope everyone has a happy Monday...us girls are just gonna chat the day away :)

One Giant Macaroni and Cheese...yes please!

Today I made the biggest macaroni and cheese of my entire life....I can't believe I did it. I'm just not used to making for tons of people but today is a missions lunch at our church and my task was macaroni and cheese...and not just for 4 people. So, here's my GIANT recipe. It's yummy :) It's taken me 12 years of marriage to learn this southern tradition...If you are ever in need of a GIANT macaroni and cheese, just hunt down this ol' blog post and you'll be set!

Macaroni and Cheese for an Army

1 large box of elbow noodles (32 oz)
1 dozen eggs
1 stick of butter
1 large bag (not the regular size) of finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
6 cups of milk
salt to taste

Boil your noodles in a large stock pot. Once they are done, drain and place in an extra large, greased, disposable alluminum pan (get the one that is for pasta...mine was from Food Lion). In a large mixing bowl, beat your dozen eggs and milk together with a little salt. You can even add a little cheese into the mixture (I did). Chop up your stick of butter into little cubes and place in the egg/milk mixture. Then, pour it all over your noodles. Place more shredded cheddar cheese on top. There should be A LOT of cheese on top. Then, bake @ 425 degrees for 40 minutes.

Now, if you're ever in a jam and need more macaroni and cheese than you think possible to make...use this recipe and be sure to save some for yourself!!

Friday Eve...

Today is Friday eve...I'm so glad...I have missed you, Friday. I can't wait for you get here...this has been a crazy week. Little Will had 4 tests this week, so lots of studying, lots of math, lots of reading, lots of Tylenol...just kidding :) Anyway, back to Friday eve...Years ago, when Will and I were both teachers we didn't really celebrate Friday eve, like we do now. We were more Saturday people. Then, Will changed jobs and was off work every Friday and we started the whole Friday eve thing. I would literally get Japanese take-out and we would watch Survior (in the days of Richard Hatch...it's been a while) every Thursday night and we would celebrate Friday eve. Then, we moved on to The Office and on every Thursday we would celebrate again. I think it's more the anticipation of what fun might be had on the weekends that I just love. I don't know, but in this day and age, we all need some reason to celebrate, right? So, today is Friday eve...go celebrate and take a deep breath because Friday is almost here :)

What's for dinner tonight...

Today was a crazy day....all day. So, when dinner time came around, yet again, I pulled out this little number. I am so not original, so I have to confess that I got this recipe from none other than the Duggar family on TLC. I saw them make it years ago and thought, "My kids would eat this!" So, tonight is tater tot casserole night. Let me know what ya'll think :)

Mama Duggar's Tater Tot Casserole Recipe (with a little bit of Mama James thrown in)

1 package of frozen tater tots
1 can of evaporated milk
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup (I buy the 98% fat free)
1 regular sized bag of finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 pound of lean ground beef

Brown your ground beef in a large deep pan. Drain off the excess fat and add in your evaporated milk and 2 cans of mushroom soup. Mix together in the pan. Place your tater tots in a greased (I use Bakers spray) 9x13 casserole dish.  Pour your soup and meat mixture over the tater tots. Place the shredded cheese on top. Bake @ 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Then, eat!!!

This is a real simple recipe. My kids love it. I love it...even Maggie, my dog loves it. My husband came home tonight and said he was hoping that I was making it :) That made me smile. Oh yeah, and you'll probably have leftovers and it's better the next day :)

A year later...being a mama of a baby girl

Well, on this day last year, I found out that I was having a baby girl. That was one of the happiest days of my life. I never thought I'd be the mama of a girl. I sure love my boys. I thought that I was a boy mama only. God had another idea :) That ultrasound day was surreal. I cried. I cried an ugly cry. I was so happy. So, today, I watch little Mollie, now my 8 month old baby girl, bounce in her saucer and smile that toothless grin and I thank the Lord that I can be a girl mama too :)

Chicken and Dumplins kind of day...

Happy Monday! Today is a chicken and dumplins kind of day for us...Mondays are always hard...Daddy goes back to work. Little Will goes back to school. I go back to chasing my tail all week. So, today we all thought it would be so neat to make a big ol' pot of chicken and dumplins to make this Monday feel better. I'm not a good cook...I'm a terrible cook...no one ever showed me a single thing growing up. The closest I ever came to getting a cooking lesson was eating the Crisco off of my great-grandmother's mixing spoon while she made a cake one time (I think that huge bite of Crisco is still in my stomach). I have learned what I know now (which is very little) by trial and error...lots of error :)

This recipe is super easy and I'm sure some grandmas out there would gasp at the thought of using frozen dumplins but oh well...here's my semi-homemade edition:

Chicken and Dumplins (and yes, leave off the "g")

3 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts
1 stick of butter
1 box of Annie's frozen dumplins
water
salt to taste

Boil your chicken breast in a large stock pot filled almost to the top with water. Add your stick of butter to the water and chicken and maybe a little salt to taste.

After the chicken is done, remove it from water and onto a large plate. Remove the skin and all the bones (look for little ones) and shred the chicken. Place the shredded chicken back into the pot with the good ol' buttery chicken stock you just made!

Get your frozen dumplins and remove them from the package. They will be perforated. Break them up into 3 and then break those pieces in half. Each sheet will give you 6 dumplins. Use the WHOLE pack! That makes it good :) Place them in the stock with the chicken and stir. Stir alot. Cook on low for about 30 minutes or so, just check the dumplins and make sure they are tender. Then....ENJOY!!!!!

9/11...10 Years later...

Today is September 11, 2011...I can't believe it's been 10 years since that terrible day. I remember exactly where I was when the world stopped. I was teaching kindergarten and my little students were playing in centers. My classroom was right across from the library and the librarian peeped into my classroom and said, "Jenna, turn on your TV. The World Trade Center had an explosion.". At that point, we all didn't realize what was going on. I turned on our classroom TV and started watching...I couldn't believe what I was seeing but the worst was yet to come. I was standing in the class watching with my friend, Cindy and we saw the 2nd plane crash into the 2nd tower. We were in shock...we immediately got our children outside onto our classroom playground to protect them from seeing anymore. I was married to Will and he was in Baltimore, Maryland for a conference for work. I couldn't call him (we didn't have cell phones) but we had these mini text machines (the pre-texting age) and I sent him a message on it telling him what was happening. He had no idea...that was a message he'll never forget. From that day forward, life was different. I was scared. I bought American flags. I held onto my husband tighter than before. I'll never forget that day. How could I? How could anyone?

Now, 10 years later. We all take time to remember that day. I'm dressing my children in red, white and blue today. I am going to watch every bit of TV coverage today and I am going to explain to my babies that on this day in 2001, our world changed but we got stronger. I am thankful today for the innocent sacrifce of 9/11. I am thankful and I will never forget....

My Top Mommy/Baby Products

Ok, I love hearing about things people love, so here's my Mommy/Baby "can't live without" list...it's taken 3 kids to get this list right, so enjoy!

1. City Mini Single Stroller by Baby Jogger...the ABSOLUTE best stroller in the world, hands down. I can't believe how easy it is to fold, open, clean and steer. I have bought many a stroller and this one is the best...I only wish I had this thing 8 years ago!

2. Dr. Brown baby bottles...the.best.bottles.ever  These things are amazing and affordable. You can get them anywhere (Walmart, Target...) and they are the really only ones, in my opinion that eliminate air. Yes, there are more bottle parts, but it's so worth it. 2 more minutes of cleaning may mean 2 more hours of sleep!

3. Chicco Key Fit Carseats...excellent, safe, cute and well worth the little extra money...oh and EASY to install!

4. Evenflo Exersaucers....a complete lifesaver and the only way I get a shower most days ;)

5. Fisher Price Newborn Rock and Play Sleeper...ok, I can't say enough about this thing. My baby slept in this and this bed only for the first 7 months of her life. It is so neat. It has an elevated back so the baby is propped up and not flat (great for stuffy noses, reflux, you name it). Easy to fold up, easy to clean, cute. I love it. I'll never get rid of it because it's just the best and I never want to forget it. It was my baby girl's first bed ;)

6. Soothie Pacifiers...ok, I know many people might think I'm nuts because those things can be UGLY but let's face it, they are the cleanest things around (only one piece and no crack and crevices) and now they come in pink, purple and even blue...so you're not stuck with just hospital green. Pair them up with my #7 pick and you are set!

7. Boogin Head Pacifier Clips...simply the best, the easiest, the cleanest. I love them. Go to their website and you can get most any color you need and lots of cute patterns. They work with any pacifier but are a lifesaver with Soothies.

8. Skip Hop Dash Deluxe Diaper Bag...It's taken me ALOT of diaper bags to get here, ALOT. But I made it...This bag has tons of room, magnetic closures, a cute changing pad, insulated bottle pockets, and those wonderful, amazing stroller clips. I love those things. Clip that bag on your City Mini and you are set :)

9. A Crocheted Granny Square blanket...2 of my babies are addicted to one and these are the best. Your baby can rub their tiny fingers on the blanket and through the holes. It's lightweight enough to carry anywhere and you can get them made in any size. A friend makes all of mine but go on Etsy.com if you don't know someone who crochets and you can find whatever you like. Just make sure you get CARON yarn...please. That is the best and softest. The yarn has almost a sheen to it and it only gets softer with each wash and will last years :)

10. Baby Einstein DVDs...the old tried and true DVDs that have been around for probably 9 or 10 years. These are still the best and still can calm any crying baby...hey, you watch a swinging dolphin pendulum for 30 seconds and see if you don't want to fall asleep! No, really they are great and GREAT for the car.

Ok, that's my top 10 baby list...in no particular order, well maybe...the City Mini is #1.

My first blog...

Well, this is my very first blog experience...I have wanted to do this for a long time, but just never seemed to get the chance. Maybe I couldn't tear myself away from facebook long enough when I was online...or maybe I needed to wash just one more baby bottle. Whatever the case, this is it :) I have no idea if anyone will ever even read this but we'll see. It doesn't matter because right now, this is for me.

For those of you who don't know me, my name is Jenna. I am 35 years old and the happy wife of Will and the very thankful mother of 3 beautiful children...2 boys and one baby girl. I was raised in the south and loved growing up with barefeet and a bowl of cornbread and buttermilk for dinner. I am a stay-at-home mom and have been for 9 years. I thank the Lord everyday for this chance and wouldn't trade it for all the money in the world. This is my one shot and I'm gonna take it, whatever the sacrifice.

So...happy reading and I'll be happily blogging away...as soon as I change this diaper ;)