New Post!

New update on our personal Biggest Loser Journey blog - check it out at:

http://jdrogers.blogspot.com/

Work Never Ends

So we are supposed to be off of work from our job, but we come to Georgia to the farm once a month. Needless to say, there is always work to do here! This weekend's project is to get the underpinning on our house installed and as of Saturday night, we are about halfway done, but should finish it tomorrow. It took us a bit to get going, but once we did is came pretty quick. Emily loved it - she got to play outside and explore for a couple of hours; she ended up sitting in a "nest" she made of dirt and acorns with the farm cat. It's our prayer and hope that our home will be up and running (and at least some grass for landscaping!) by our fourth of July family reunion. It is a beautiful home on the inside, but the outside needs some work!

Anyway, just a short update for now. Thanksgiving has been nice, and life is busy around the holidays, but we are taking time for each other (or trying, at least!). My jaw is slowly healing after the wisdom-tooth removal, and we finally bought our plane tickets to go home to Colorado in January. I'm sooo looking forward to that; it's been two years this Christmas since we've been home. But I said this would be short, so I'll end it now.

:-)

It's Hard to Get A Clear Picture with An Active Toddler (i.e. she moves a LOT and is faster than the camera)

It's Here!

My very cool new phone has arrived (sorry to anyone who has tried to get in touch with me since Friday - my old phone finally died after 2+ years of wonderful service).

Behold, the Verizon LG enV3:

It's very cool with lots of fun gadgets, though I miss my old Razor.

However, I think Jonathan and Emily want to play with it more than I do! :-)

Tattle, Tattle

I have to laugh some days at Emily. She's a bit of a goody-two-shoes, if you ask me, but Jonathan says she gets that from her mommy. However, I see a rebellious streak in her which I'm sure I'm going to see more of in the future. For example, after the millionth time of Emily grabbing something she wasn't supposed to:



Emily: "Mine?"



Me: "Emily, if you touch that again, mommy is going to give you a swat".



Emily: "Nuh-uh" (of course in a sassy tone)



Me: "Oh really? You wanna bet?"



Needless to say, she didn't touch it again until I was in the shower and Daddy was watching her (and of course, he didn't know about the exchange she and I went through). But to her credit, she tattles on him, too. Yesterday I was resting in bed while they played in the living room when I heard her exclaim "Daddy!", and come tearing into my room, babbling all the way about what Daddy had done. He followed her with a laugh to explain that he "ate" her toy horse, and of course, she had to run to tell me about how bad her daddy was.



I love toddlers - their minds are so interesting! She's learned that she's cute, and when you tell her "no" to something, she'll come lay her head on your leg, look up at you with her big blue eyes, put on her biggest smile, and ask again. In which you have to tell her "no", again, which half of the time leads to more manipulation, or tears. Only rarely do I ever get a "yes ma'am" (the baby sign for yes is what she is instructed to say) and she goes on her way.

A Pain in the Teeth

Or tooth, in my case.

Which is making for pain in my whole mouth. And sinuses. And ear.

Word to the wise: if a dentist ever tells you that a tooth is ever going to need to eventually be removed, go ahead and get it done. I knew a year ago that I had one wisdom tooth that didn't come in quite right that was going to need extracted. But at that time, I was pregnant, so I put it off. Then I was nursing, so I put it off again. Then I was working full time. I always had an excuse.

I don't anymore.

It's been bugging me for a couple of months - no severe pain, but cold drinks and chewed anything sweet on that side sent me up the wall. But at 2:47 this morning, apparently my tooth decided that it would not take my procrastination any longer. I have a decent pain threshold, but good grief! So I finally went to dentist this morning - I honestly didn't think it was that tooth - I thought I had a cavity in a different molar. But no, it's that stupid wisdom I was warned about a year and a half ago. But now, it's fractured in two place and is abscessed and very infected (when he gives you an Rx for an antibiotic that you are to take 4x a day for 12 days with 2 refills, it's bad). The dentist didn't how I'd been walking around with it for so long. However, they can't remove it until the infection is gone - they do extractions on Mondays, and don't know if I will be ready for it be then, so it may be the Monday after before it comes out.

*sigh*

That's a long time to walk around with a bad tooth. But I guess another week won't kill the time I already have been, especially now that I have good painkillers that I can take at night. :-)

Sweet dreams, everyone!

Outside Girl

Her new favorite toy:

Recipe Monday

Santa Fe Pizza

Ingredients:

• Pizza Dough (make your own or buy it)
• 1 lb ground sausage
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 16 oz mild chunky salsa
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
• 12 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 oz each of sour cream & ranch dressing, mixed

Directions for Fast, Yummy Pizza Dough (compliments of my sister):

Combine 2 cups warm water with 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 packets of yeast - let sit for 10 minutes. Add to six cups flour, mix, and knead. Let rise for 20 minutes. For this pizza recipe, I like to add a packet of ranch dressing mix; for regular pizza, I add Italian spices.

Directions for Santa Fe Pizza:

1. Spread pizza crust onto two sprayed pizza pans.

2. Cook and drain sausage. Add peppers and saute for 3 minutes.

3. Combine the salsa, chili powder, and cumin in separate bowl.

4. Divide equally on both crusts: salsa mixture, sausage and peppers, beans, then cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes until cheese is melted and browned (if using a pre-bought crust, follow its baking directions).

5. Top (or dip) with the cool ranch dip and enjoy!

*************

This was a hit with my husband and all nine kids. I was a little nervous that it might be too spicy, but the cumin in the salsa, as well as the dip, cools it down nicely. We had fresh cantaloupe and a salad to make it into a great meal. It got two thumbs up in my house!

She's Getting Bigger Every Day

When did she get old enough to be in her own class at Awanas? *sigh* My sweet little Puggle...

New Family Additions!

So I’ve been a bit behind on updating on the two newest and most handsome gentlemen to the family. May I introduce you first to Issac Matthew, son of Nathan & Valerie,


and Ian Jon, son of Jason & Melissa,

both born within one week of each other the last week of September, and both weighting over nine pounds.

Congratulations!

*It's Coming*

Posting on a regular basis will commence shortly.

:-)

I'll try, at least.

In the meantime, a picture of my sponsor:

I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane

Crazy day - I found out yesterday that I'm wanted at our corporate office in Clearwater, FL. Within an hour, tickets were booked, and I fly out tomorrow at noon. Will be back Monday at midnight.

Oy vey!

Busy day for us! Apparently Emily is going to do all the cooking for me today.

Now No One Can Confuse Me For A Boy

A Hard Day

Shot day again today for Emily.

I hate this part of parenthood.

:-(

It's time to curb my work hours

It must be time to check my hours at work when I come home and ask my daughter what she wants for supper.

"Out!" she squealed, jumping up and down in my arms.

:-S

I need to take over my kitchen again, apparently.

PS Btw, I have cooked the last two nights in row... :-p

How The Summer Flies!

I cannot believe we are in the last week of June! Where has the time flown by? Emily had her first birthday:



This is what she looked like a year ago today - we used this picture for her birth announcements:


She was such a cute newborn... but she is embracing her new found freedom as a toddler (though no, she isn't walking yet)! She has decided to make every diaper change and clothes change an act of war. I hate it - I used to love bath time and post-bath time with her; it's my time to unwind with her after I've been at work all day, but I am started to dread it now. I'm hoping she'll eventually grown out of it...

Anywho, we've still waiting on the move. We found out yesterday it will be another two weeks before they can get the power on (we need the inspector to come out and do it, but alas, he's out of town for two weeks... blasted small towns... there is no one else to do it). Once we have power, we expect to spend a week getting it ready cosmetically (it's much easier to paint when nothing is in it!), and then move. So, we're probably looking at the end of July/beginning of August now... sigh... I can't wait until we have our own space again. And our stuff! It's been sitting in storage for over two years now, as we have been living in furnished houses - it will be like Christmas again!

Well, I need to go get the sun room cleaned - adios!

--Debbie

Whatz Up!?!

Recipe Monday

Mini Cherry Cheesecakes*

Ingredients

	8 average graham cracker(s), mashed into crumbs
	2 tbsp reduced-calorie margarine, melted
	4 oz fat-free cream cheese
	4 oz light cream cheese
	2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
	2 large egg white(s)
	1 tsp vanilla extract
	1/3 cup(s) sugar
	20 oz light fruit pie filling, cherry, warmed

Instructions

Place 12 cupcake liners in a cupcake pan. Combine graham cracker crumbs and margarine; mix well.

Spoon 1 tablespoon of crumb mixture into bottom of each liner and press down gently. Refrigerate until ready to fill.

Beat cream cheeses until fluffy and add lemon juice, egg whites, vanilla extract and sugar; beat until smooth.

Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly into crumb cups. Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes (cheesecake will still be wobbly, and will set as it cools). Cool.

Top each cheese cake with 1 tablespoon cherry pie filling.

*Recipe compliments of weightwatchers.com