Cool pic!

I stopped by the jewelry store on the way home the other day and had my wedding rings cleaned.  They were in desperate need of some TLC and I was very glad I did b/c the jeweler told me my center stone had come loose.  YIKES!  Anyhow, I snapped this pic afterwards because I was in awe of my bling and didn't realize at the time what a cool shot it was.  Check out that background!  I just might be a photographer in the making!



What a happy little accident.  This pic makes me smile!

It's a Girl! Baby Shower

Well, it was another baby shower this past weekend!  This time I was the hostess!  My sister-in-law Brandee is having her first baby.  My brother and Brandee are moving to Japan in a few weeks, so we planned to host the shower early in the pregnancy before they leave the states.  It turned out very nice.  A BIG THANKS to my mom for opening her home and helping finance the necessities.  And thank you to the ladies who took time out of their day to join us in celebrating Baby Elliana's coming arrival! Thank you Mary, Cindy, Whitney, Charlene, Natalie, Florence, Heather, and Kim for joining us!  I wish I had more pics to share, but I was too busy being the hostess!

The Cake


The Punch (Two 2 liters of 7-Up, Two tubs Rasberry Sherbert, Sliced Lemons)


The Food Table


The mommy-to-be!


From Left: Natalie, Mom (Terri) and Charlene


From Left: Whitney and Me


I also forgot to get a picture of the baby washcloth bouquet I made from yet another idea on Pinterest.  I did get a pic when it was "in-progress" though. (below) I added a pink tulle bow to the finished product.  It was not as easy as I thought it would be, but I'm not a crafty person to say the least.

And last but not least, the sweet little burp cloths I had embroidered with Elliana's name.  Aren't they just the cutest?


I have two boys so it will be fun to have a little girl in the family!  Although, I will miss not being able to see her as much as I would like.  Brandee and Sean are moving to Japan for a 3-year tour of duty with the Air Force.  Sayonara Sean, Brandee and Elliana! We will miss you!!

Sayonara (Sa-yo-na-ra) is Japanese for Goodbye.  Can't wait to say Konnichiwa (Kon-ee-chee-wa)!  That would be Hello! :-)

Baby Naming Business

I'm going to be an aunt!  My (only) brother and sister-in-law are having their first child and we recently found out it's a GIRL!  My parents are beyond excited by this, since I have already provided them with two grandsons and a girl was definitely in order.  It's time to think pink!!  Of course the first question was: "what are you naming her?"  The baby naming business is important.  It's the first question people ask and they are normally very opinionated about your choices.  I have noticed that nobody thinks to ask what the baby name means?  The meaning of the name is probably only important to the parents... but still important nonetheless.  Drum roll please....   My niece will be named Elliana.

Hello Miss Ellie!


I have never heard this name before so I decided to look it up.   It is French Origin meaning "Light, moon."  It was listed #421 in 2010 on the U.S. Popularity Ranking.  This got me to thinking about my boys' names and I wanted to share the meaning of their names as well, just because it's fun!

Aiden James born January 12, 2005.

Aiden is Irish Origin and means "Fiery."  It was listed #50 in 2005 on the U.S. Popularity Ranking and has since moved up to #9 in 2010.
James is Hebrew Origin meaning "one who supplants."  It was listed #17 in 2005 on the U.S. Popularity Ranking and was #19 in 2010.

Asher Jaxon born on September 13, 2011.

Asher is Hebrew Origin and means "lucky, blessed, happy."  It was listed #139 in 2010 on the U.S. Popularity Ranking.
Jaxon is English Origin meaning "son of Jack."  It was listed #99 in 2010 on the U.S. Popularity Ranking.

Origins, meanings and rankings found online at Babycenter.  http://www.babycenter.com/baby-names
Feel free to share your baby names and their meanings in the comments below!

I can't cook, but I can crock!

I am the first to admit, when it comes to cooking, I am a complete idiot.  I am intimidated by the whole process... the list of ingredients, the utensils and that stove which always seems to mock me!!  I grew up with one of those moms who did everything... the cooking, the cleaning, EVERYTHING!  I'm sure she tried to teach me a few things about cooking, but I probably never showed any interest in learning.  Well, I am now a wife and a mother, and cooking is one of my many duties.  Unfortunately, I married a man who can't even boil water, so us together in the kitchen is like a double negative.  Needless to say, we eat out A LOT!  However, if you give me a recipe and detailed instructions, normally I can make it work.  So once I discovered Pinterest, I was inspired to give this cooking thing another try.  When it comes to pinning recipes I have certain rules: I will not pin a recipe if the list of ingredients is longer than my arm, or if there are more than 3 steps to the preparation, or if there are ingredients I have never heard of.  So if you are looking for extravagant recipes, STOP reading here.  I have discovered some great EASY recipes on Pinterest as well as a newfound love for my crockpot.  This one kitchen appliance seemingly does all the hard work for me!!  In the last 7 days I have used my crockpot three times.  I figured I better share some of my successes online for my fellow non-cooking friends... So here they are:

Success #1: Easy Crockpot Chicken Tacos
Even my 7 year old son (and extremely picky eater) liked these!
You will need:
4-6 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (Fresh or Frozen)
1 jar Salsa (16 oz) (can substitute 1 can Rotel)
1 envelope Taco Seasoning
8-10 soft flour tortillas

Dump all three ingredients into the crockpot and stir to blend.  Cook on high 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours.  When done, the chicken will shred easily.  Serve with your choice of toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese and/or sour cream.  YUM!

This is the website where the recipe was pinned from:
http://mychocolatetherapy.blogspot.com/2012/01/crockpot-chicken-tacos.html

Success #2: Betty Crocker's Crockpot Chili
You will need:
2 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (16 oz) chili beans in sauce, undrained
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cook beef and onion in skillet over medium heat until browned; drain.  Mix beef, onion and remaining ingredients in crockpot.  Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.

This is the website where the recipe was pinned from:
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/slow-cooker-family-favorite-chili/c6f4c4e2-8298-4d9d-8f21-d4ca19d35cb7

I won't share the third recipe I "crocked" this week, as it was not a success.  Oh well... you win some and you lose some, right?!  If you decide to give either of the above recipes a try, then I hope your family enjoys them as much as mine did.  And I will try to remember to include photos next time I blog about recipes.  Happy crocking!!

Asher 4 month pics!!

We had Asher's 4 month pictures taken recently by Katie Cole Photography.  They turned out so good!  This age is so much fun!!  Asher is starting to giggle at things and he smiles all the time.  He has discovered his hands and feet as well as his voice!  He coos and talks and the sound of his voice is like wind chimes to me.  He is such a sweet baby boy!!  By looking at his pictures, you would never know he got such a rough start in this world.  Asher's favorite thing to watch is his big brother.  If Aiden is in the room, Asher's eyes are glued to him.  You can tell he is fascinated by everything his big brother says and does!  When I see Aiden play with Asher or talk to him, it's so heart-warming.  I can't describe the feeling of watching both of my boys interact together.  Before I could not imagine what it would be like having two kids... but now that I have both of them together, I can't imagine it any other way!!

I heart Pinterest!

A friend of mine recently invited me to join Pinterest... thank you Kim!  I absolutely did not need another addiction!  But, I've decided I can categorize it as a healthy obsession because it has inspired me to get organized, to cook AND to clean!!  Now, what other addiction can you say that about??  HA!  Check this STUFF out!!!...

15-20 Minutes a Day of Cleaning (so SIMPLE!)
from http://organizingmadefun.blogspot.com/p/free-organized-printables.html


Laundry Basket Dresser
from http://ana-white.com/2010/11/laundry-basket-dresser

And check out that recycle box on wheels?  I am SO doing that!!

Wall baskets for Bath Linens
from http://www.imbusyprocrastinating.com/2011/06/design-solution-wall-baskets-for-bath.html


Wall Art Ideas
from http://the-wilson-world.blogspot.com/2010/07/art-in-hall.html


from http://ramblingasusual.blogspot.com/2011/01/prodigal-socks.html
 

I am implementing all of the above into my own house and can't wait to scour Pinterest for more ideas and inspiration!

What has Pinterest inspired you to do??!!

Christmastime is here!

It's the MOST wonderful time of the year!