Get 29 FREE photo cards by going to SeeHere.com and registering or logging in. After creating your card, make the quantity 29. Then, at checkout, use the code "newbaby".
I just ordered 29 Valentine's day cards! (Not that I will be mailing them out, but they will make great Valentine's for any parties!)
ACT FAST! Last time, the free shipping ended early!
Thanks STL Mommy!
Love,
Sarah
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Wednesday Musings
Today I babysat for Will's friend's son. He is about 6 months old. Westley didn't realize he was coming (he's only 16 months you know), and when he (Wes) woke up from his nap, he saw the baby and was in utter amazement. I think he must have sat and stared at him for about 8 minutes! Then he started to wave and talk to him. It was really cute.
Felicity loves babies, so she of course, couldn't get enough of him. Wanting to help with the bottle, and the sippy, and just about everything.
Now, just a few minutes ago, and several times over the past few days, Wes has been bringing me things he's not supposed to have: hangars, tape dispensers, dvds, etc. When he hands it to me, he claps for himself as he's walking away! It's THE cutest thing ever! I am enjoying his little personality so much!
Felicity loves babies, so she of course, couldn't get enough of him. Wanting to help with the bottle, and the sippy, and just about everything.
Now, just a few minutes ago, and several times over the past few days, Wes has been bringing me things he's not supposed to have: hangars, tape dispensers, dvds, etc. When he hands it to me, he claps for himself as he's walking away! It's THE cutest thing ever! I am enjoying his little personality so much!
Baked Shells Casserole
So, I saw this recipe on the Rachael Ray show (it's pretty much the only TV show I watch during the day. I try to keep it off during the day while the kids are up, but they nap at 2, and that's when Rachael Ray is on. )
Anyways, I LOVE stuffed shells, I just don't always love all the work that goes into them. This is such a great option to make stuffed shells easier. Only thing is I definitely will only use 1 box of chopped spinach next time. 2 boxes made each bite way too "spinachy". LOL. Oh, I also only used the "dry" version of any herbs and spices as I'm not very good with keeping fresh herbs and spices "fresh".
Baked Shells Casserole - Serves 4-6 (though I think it could serve up to 8 people at least!)
5 tbsp EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
1 large or 2 small to medium onions, finely chopped, divided
1 small carrot, finely chopped or grated
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano or marjoram, half a palmful
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1/3 palmful
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed by pressing under flat of your knife
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, 5 to 6 sprigs
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white or red wine
2 cups chicken stock
2 28-ounce cans Italian crushed tomatoes
1 pound medium or large shell pasta (not extra-large stuffing shells)
2 boxes frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung dry in clean towel (I will only use 1 from now on)
Freshly grated nutmeg, about 1/4 teaspoon (I used ground Nutmeg)
2 cups fresh ricotta cheese (equivalent to 16 oz)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus some to pass at table (I bought plain Parm. Parm-
Reggiano is VERY expensive!)
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons EVOO, 3 turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add 4 cloves of chopped garlic, 3/4 of finely chopped onion and the carrot. Season with salt, pepper, oregano or marjoram, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds and thyme, and gently sauté 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in parsley, stir, then add wine and reduce a minute. Add stock and tomatoes, bring sauce up to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer sauce 45 minutes.
After sauce has been simmering for 30 minutes, preheat oven to 375˚F.
Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt water and cook pasta 5 minutes.
While pasta water comes to a boil, heat remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO in a small skillet over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and onion and sauté to soften, 5 minutes. Add spinach, pulling it apart and separating it as you add it to pan. Stir to combine well and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Turn off heat.
Drain undercooked pasta and return it to the hot pot. Add spinach mixture to pot along with ricotta and grated Parm. Stir to combine, adjust salt and pepper then add eggs and stir.
Pour a thin layer of marinara sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish. Fill dish with pasta then top with another thin layer of red sauce. Save remaining sauce to pass at table. Bake 30 minutes until bubbly.
Serve casserole directly from casserole dish, passing extra sauce and cheese at the table.
I substituted the pasta for whole grain/wheat pasta, and used fat-free ricotta (trying to eat healthy wherever we can.) =)
Well, I realized as I was re-reading the recipe, that I forgot to add in the eggs (duh), and I forgot to put extra sauce on when I served it. So, it was kind've bland last night. But, when we ate it for lunch today, I put extra sauce and grated parmesan cheese, and Will, the kids and I couldn't get enought of it! It was awesome!
Let me know if you make this for your family and what they think!
Love,
Sarah
Original Recipe
Anyways, I LOVE stuffed shells, I just don't always love all the work that goes into them. This is such a great option to make stuffed shells easier. Only thing is I definitely will only use 1 box of chopped spinach next time. 2 boxes made each bite way too "spinachy". LOL. Oh, I also only used the "dry" version of any herbs and spices as I'm not very good with keeping fresh herbs and spices "fresh".
Baked Shells Casserole - Serves 4-6 (though I think it could serve up to 8 people at least!)
5 tbsp EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
1 large or 2 small to medium onions, finely chopped, divided
1 small carrot, finely chopped or grated
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano or marjoram, half a palmful
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1/3 palmful
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed by pressing under flat of your knife
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, 5 to 6 sprigs
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white or red wine
2 cups chicken stock
2 28-ounce cans Italian crushed tomatoes
1 pound medium or large shell pasta (not extra-large stuffing shells)
2 boxes frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung dry in clean towel (I will only use 1 from now on)
Freshly grated nutmeg, about 1/4 teaspoon (I used ground Nutmeg)
2 cups fresh ricotta cheese (equivalent to 16 oz)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus some to pass at table (I bought plain Parm. Parm-
Reggiano is VERY expensive!)
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons EVOO, 3 turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add 4 cloves of chopped garlic, 3/4 of finely chopped onion and the carrot. Season with salt, pepper, oregano or marjoram, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds and thyme, and gently sauté 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in parsley, stir, then add wine and reduce a minute. Add stock and tomatoes, bring sauce up to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer sauce 45 minutes.
After sauce has been simmering for 30 minutes, preheat oven to 375˚F.
Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt water and cook pasta 5 minutes.
While pasta water comes to a boil, heat remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO in a small skillet over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and onion and sauté to soften, 5 minutes. Add spinach, pulling it apart and separating it as you add it to pan. Stir to combine well and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Turn off heat.
Drain undercooked pasta and return it to the hot pot. Add spinach mixture to pot along with ricotta and grated Parm. Stir to combine, adjust salt and pepper then add eggs and stir.
Pour a thin layer of marinara sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish. Fill dish with pasta then top with another thin layer of red sauce. Save remaining sauce to pass at table. Bake 30 minutes until bubbly.
Serve casserole directly from casserole dish, passing extra sauce and cheese at the table.
__________________________________________________________________________
I substituted the pasta for whole grain/wheat pasta, and used fat-free ricotta (trying to eat healthy wherever we can.) =)
Well, I realized as I was re-reading the recipe, that I forgot to add in the eggs (duh), and I forgot to put extra sauce on when I served it. So, it was kind've bland last night. But, when we ate it for lunch today, I put extra sauce and grated parmesan cheese, and Will, the kids and I couldn't get enought of it! It was awesome!
Let me know if you make this for your family and what they think!
Love,
Sarah
Original Recipe
Coupon Binder Giveaway!
So, as most of you know, I'm a couponing addict! Anyways, my FAVORITE coupon site I Heart Publix is having an awesome giveaway for a coupon binder and couponing system! It's soooo cute! Check it out:
I've just entered the giveaway, and am praying that I win! I do already have a binder, but this one is soooo cute!
Anyways, if you live in a state that has Publix as a grocery store, you should definitely check out the site: http://www.iheartpublix.com/, or click on the link on the left side of this page!
Love,
Sarah
Monday, January 11, 2010
First Day of "School"
Ok. So, today was our first day of "school". Again, it's not really school, just a little daily structured activity with Felicity. Though, I think Wes was more excited than she was.
This week's theme is "cows". So, we read a book called "Click, Clack, Moo. Cows that Type". Felicity enjoyed the repitition and even joined in when it was time to say "Moo". Of course, that's the only animal sound Wes knows, so he did it too. Then we talked about what month and date it was, what the weather was like, and what the weather might be like tomorrow.
Here's a picture of the "classroom board".
We also talked about the letter "A", the number "1", the shape "square", and learned the nursery rhyme "Hey Diddle Diddle". The vocabulary word for the week is "calf".
After we read the book and talked about all the new stuff Tize was going to learn this week, both kids got to color a picture of a cow.
They also each got a letter "A" to trace with their fingers and color. I know it will still take a while for Felicity to "really" get it, but it was fun to hear her say "A", and then have Westley repeating it. =)
I definitely learned that Tize's attention span is not quite as long as I thought. Though, I was shocked at how long she DID pay attention.
We will read the book and rhyme again later today, as well as sing the song. All in all, I think it went fairly well, and I know it will get better with time.
I just moved the "Fridge Phonics" toy from the fridge to the front door and only gave them the letter "A" magnet.
Later today I'm planning on making a chore chart for her. It will have a picture of the toy bins, one of her brushing her teeth, and a picture of her bed all made. Each day she moves all 3 over to the "finished" pocket, we'll give her a sticker. If she has 5 stickers by the end of the week, we'll give her a little "allowance". We want to teach her the value of money and saving as well.
For now, I'm off to make lunch. We've still got grocery shopping and dinner planning ahead of us. If all goes as planned, we're going to make chocolate chip cookies from scratch, so Felicity will get a little bit of motor skills and math today too!
Have a great day!
Love,
Sarah
Friday, January 8, 2010
2010! A New Year!
Well, I've been working through what this blog was REALLY going to be about. I've decided to bring it back to our expanding family. (Granted, if I hear about really great deals, I'll post them here too, but I'm going to close my cooking blog. I'm just going to keep adding new recipes here, if they pass the test with my family. 1 blog is enough.)
Anyways, my cousin Melissa started a blog about her journey into homeschooling, and it brought me back to wanting to keep up on this blog. I probably won't write everyday, but I'm going to try.
After reading Melissa's blog, I got really excited about "teaching" Felicity. I know, she's only 2.5, but I realized that the reason she is becoming so hyper during the day lately is because she needs some sort of "structure" in her day. So, I started to scour the internet for ideas. I'm not going to "force" her into learning, but thankfully, she is really interested in it.
I found this program (online and totally FREE!) called Letter of the Week. It's an online "intro to reading" program with "lessons" from birth to age 5! I'm so excited and plan on starting the Preparatory Curriculum on Monday. It's extremely kid friendly and I know she will love it!
The first week's theme is Cows. The woman who wrote the program links you to coloring/cut-out activities, vocabulary words, books about the theme, poems, songs and more. They also work on gross and fine motor skills, as well as shapes, numbers and colors. I've told Felicity that we're going to start "school" next week, and she is so excited! She talks daily about going to "work", so I'm hoping I can turn her "schooling" into her imaginary work.
As for the rest of us...I'm sure most of you have heard by now, but we are expecting again! This little peanut is due July 11th! We are so excited! We should be able to find out the gender in just over a month!
Little Westley is growing with leaps and bounds! He had his first haircut last week, and he looks so grown-up! I can't believe he is already 16 months! He has started using several words on a daily basis (before it was totally random), and finally after mastering "Butch", "ball", "cup", "cat", "dog", "car", and many others including "da-da", he finally said "ma-ma" last week and pointed to me. It definitely brought tears to my eyes! It's so wierd to think that he was once a tiny newborn!
As for Will, I could write a book! I am so blessed with this man! For Christmas, instead of buying gifts for each other, we purchased a dishwasher! (Yes, it sounds silly, but I've been hand-washing dishes for almost 5 years!) Now, when it was just the two of us, it didn't take very long, but now with 4 of us, and all the sippy cups and their filters (which have crevices that are almost impossible to reach), I asked for a dishwasher! So, a couple of days after Christmas, Will went and bought the dishwasher and brought it home. It sat in our back room for what seemed like eternity (really only 4 days). Every time I saw it, I just thought how Blessed I was to actually have a dishwasher, and washing the dishes by hand for those 4 days didn't matter at all! Then, the Sunday after Christmas, he installed it for me! I am always amazed at what he can do! It is THE most awesome thing to not have to stand on my feet for 45-50 minutes!
Will works so hard for our family and to keep me home with our babies. Like I said, I am extremely blessed!
As for me, I feel amazing! I love being pregnant, and can't wait to meet this little bundle! I have headaches once in a while, but I try to offer them up for others who are suffering or have a harder time than I do.
Well, I'm sorry this is like a book! I'm just so excited about our lives and this New Year! I promise, future posts will not be sooo long! For now, I'll see you soon!
Love and blessings,
Sarah
Anyways, my cousin Melissa started a blog about her journey into homeschooling, and it brought me back to wanting to keep up on this blog. I probably won't write everyday, but I'm going to try.
After reading Melissa's blog, I got really excited about "teaching" Felicity. I know, she's only 2.5, but I realized that the reason she is becoming so hyper during the day lately is because she needs some sort of "structure" in her day. So, I started to scour the internet for ideas. I'm not going to "force" her into learning, but thankfully, she is really interested in it.
I found this program (online and totally FREE!) called Letter of the Week. It's an online "intro to reading" program with "lessons" from birth to age 5! I'm so excited and plan on starting the Preparatory Curriculum on Monday. It's extremely kid friendly and I know she will love it!
The first week's theme is Cows. The woman who wrote the program links you to coloring/cut-out activities, vocabulary words, books about the theme, poems, songs and more. They also work on gross and fine motor skills, as well as shapes, numbers and colors. I've told Felicity that we're going to start "school" next week, and she is so excited! She talks daily about going to "work", so I'm hoping I can turn her "schooling" into her imaginary work.
As for the rest of us...I'm sure most of you have heard by now, but we are expecting again! This little peanut is due July 11th! We are so excited! We should be able to find out the gender in just over a month!
Little Westley is growing with leaps and bounds! He had his first haircut last week, and he looks so grown-up! I can't believe he is already 16 months! He has started using several words on a daily basis (before it was totally random), and finally after mastering "Butch", "ball", "cup", "cat", "dog", "car", and many others including "da-da", he finally said "ma-ma" last week and pointed to me. It definitely brought tears to my eyes! It's so wierd to think that he was once a tiny newborn!
As for Will, I could write a book! I am so blessed with this man! For Christmas, instead of buying gifts for each other, we purchased a dishwasher! (Yes, it sounds silly, but I've been hand-washing dishes for almost 5 years!) Now, when it was just the two of us, it didn't take very long, but now with 4 of us, and all the sippy cups and their filters (which have crevices that are almost impossible to reach), I asked for a dishwasher! So, a couple of days after Christmas, Will went and bought the dishwasher and brought it home. It sat in our back room for what seemed like eternity (really only 4 days). Every time I saw it, I just thought how Blessed I was to actually have a dishwasher, and washing the dishes by hand for those 4 days didn't matter at all! Then, the Sunday after Christmas, he installed it for me! I am always amazed at what he can do! It is THE most awesome thing to not have to stand on my feet for 45-50 minutes!
Will works so hard for our family and to keep me home with our babies. Like I said, I am extremely blessed!
As for me, I feel amazing! I love being pregnant, and can't wait to meet this little bundle! I have headaches once in a while, but I try to offer them up for others who are suffering or have a harder time than I do.
Well, I'm sorry this is like a book! I'm just so excited about our lives and this New Year! I promise, future posts will not be sooo long! For now, I'll see you soon!
Love and blessings,
Sarah
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