Ruby goes swimming

What's going on

So much going on and so little time to actually write about it! Ruby is now 9 months old and as you can see, she is able to stand on her own without assistance. She has even started to take a few steps, too - so it is only a matter of time until the kitties are REALLY in trouble.

She had her 9 month check up and she is almost at 20 pounds now. We are still in shock that she is ALREADY 9 months, it is so hard to believe. They checked her iron levels (which are fine), gave her a TB test (so far so good), and gave her the hep B vaccine. She only cried for the vaccine, my little trooper! And (drum roll please) ... the pedi gave me to okay to try and re-introduce dairy and soy into my diet! We are going to start slow with hidden dairy first, then move onto cheese and yogurt, and if all goes well, then ice cream and milk. Once that is done, we'll do the same for soy. I haven't had much yet, but the one sandwich I did have has not caused any issues. Keep your fingers crossed for me! Cheese fries, sour cream, milk shakes here I come!

Meanwhile, I have been working for almost 3 months now and am loving it! I have my own class of 4 year olds now and while there are still stressful times, I am so much happier than I was at my previous job. Plus, I get to nurse Ruby as needed and I love being so close to her. And while I don't miss my old job, I do miss a lot of the people (and the bigger pay checks, but this is so worth it!). Speaking of, I need to send them a note saying hi - if any of you are reading this, I hope all is well and I do miss you guys!

Nothing else super exciting is going on here - just living life. Our days are filled with work, sleep, eating, and taking care of Ruby. We've got a decent routine and are really just enjoying being a family. It still shocks me at how much spare time we had before Ruby as compared to now, especially since I'm not sure WHERE the time goes now - but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Ruby is the best thing to ever happen to me!

As for Ruby, she was able to enjoy her first firework show last night. We went to a minor league baseball game (Airhogs) and were able to see the Lone Star fireworks from the stadium (Lone Star is where we usually go on July 3rd, but we wanted to avoid the chaos with Ruby this year). She had a good time at the game, but was awake far too late and became a monster. Sooooo, tonight she went to bed at 8pm and since daddy is working, I'm relaxing on the couch and missing fireworks on my favorite holiday. Well, I guess I shouldn't say missing, I should say not watching since I made the choice and I don't mind it. Ruby comes first, and as much as I love the 4th of July, well, the partying is just going to have to wait another year. And that is okay.



Now, with all that said, I hope everyone has a wonderful July 4th as I am now off to bed.

Ruby's Walker

Long overdue pictures

What a month!

First - I'll come back and add pictures later.

April - Month Six of Ruby's life, and what a wild ride it has been! She went from sitting up for her six month pictures on April first, to crawling, to now already pulling up and sort of shuffling along the edge of things. Oh, and she got both her bottom teeth at the same time, and it feels as if her top teeth are getting ready to break through as well. My goodness! Add to that my going back to work on the 15th, another round of mastitis, the whole family having an upper respiratory infection, and the worries of Swine Flu - you can only imagine how little (think NONE) free time I've had! Beyond all the craziness though, it has been fun. I have been put in charge of a classroom of two year olds which has been an eye opening experience none the less. Rather than spending my days sitting at a desk watching the clock, I now monitor snack times, bathroom training, sing "If You're Happy and You Know It", and chase after kiddos for 8 hours. The monetary pay is MUCH less than working at TI, but the personal reward is so much greater. When first interviewing, my boss made it sound like she has high hopes for me to promote quickly since I have so much education (although the fact it is engineering doesn't seem to matter). And - for the first time in my career life, I actually WANT to promote. Sooooo - I have high hopes myself for where life is taking me. But for now, I have a mobile daughter who is requiring my attention, so any further updates will just have to wait.

Happy May everyone!

Bluebonnets!!!

Texas tradition: take pictures in the bluebonnets every spring - and that is just what we did! None have been edited or cropped yet, but they are still fun.

Six Month Pictures

Taco Seasoning

Thanks to Ruby, many taco seasonings are even off limits because they contain soy. However, this is a good thing since I've been wanting to find a homemade seasoning anyhow - and I did! This one is a little spicier than the packets we normally would buy, but its delicious and is now what we will use anytime we need taco seasoning. I hope you enjoy it too!

I'll include the measurements for a single serving as well as the measurements if you want to put together a large amount and store it for future use.

INGREDIENTS

SINGLE SERVING

1 Tbl chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp white pepper

1 tsp corn starch

BULK

3/4 C chili powder
1 Tbl garlic powder
1 Tbl onion powder
1/2 Tbl crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tbl oregano
2 Tbl paprika
1/4 C + 2 Tbl cumin

2 Tbl salt
2 Tbl white pepper

1/4 C corn starch

DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients together. Use 3 Tbl and 2/3 cup of water for each pound of browned meat.

Trouble is brewing

And while she's not QUITE crawling, she still is able to move around. I see babyproofing happening REALLY soon.

Ruby starts cereal

The "A-Ha" Moment

I had a break-through moment today, filled with a feeling I NEVER thought I would have. My husband and I ran to the supermarket this afternoon to pick up a few things he needed. As we were standing in the check-out line, I asked him if he had any cash. He said yes (which alone is amazing since we NEVER carry cash either) and asked why. I stated I wanted to purchase a lottery ticket (one of my 101 goals, just because), so he gave me the money and we went to purchase the tickets. On the drive home, we talked about what would and would not change in our lives if we won. I think after taxes we would end up with about 4 million, which is a big amount of course, but we don't expect it to let us live lavishly the rest of our lives without working. While we were discussing this, the thought came to me that even though I could now sufficiently be a stay at home mom, I'm actually excited about the thought of teaching math and I would still want to go forward with it. What!?!?! I must be crazy, right? I've always been the person who said if I ever won, I would quit my job and be done. And if I were still at TI, that is exactly how I would be thinking. But now, while I am looking into the testing for certification and realizing I have quite a bit of catching up and studying to do, I'm excited about it. I WANT to do it. Sure, I haven't started yet so I don't know for sure this is THE path, but just being able to say this is something I WANT to do even if I don't HAVE to is HUGE. Like, really, amazingly, freakishly huge for me.

And so, while I still hope my numbers hit, I know even if they don't, I still won something with that $2.00 we spent on those tickets. Just another indicator that things DO happen for a reason.

Snickerdoodle popcorn

I was looking for a sweet snack using what I have around the house and came across this recipe - and yummy! My husband said between this (crack corn as we call it now) and the pretzel recipe, we should sell this stuff. I hope to find some more popcorn recipes as well, so be on the lookout!

INGREDIENTS

1 bag microwave popcorn, popped
6 Tbls butter
1/3 C sugar
1 Tbl cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Put butter, sugar, and cinnamon in the microwave for a minute. Stir and microwave another 30 seconds. Stir well again. Pour mixture over popcorn to coat well and bake for 10 minutes at 300 degrees. Enjoy!

Just too cute for words

Slow Cooker Cranberry Pork Roast

First off, I apologize for the lack of food pictures lately - they just have not been turning out well! I'll work on my photography skills so we can start getting better images again.

Next - I love my slow cooker! LOVE!!! I've been trying to find more and more recipes to make in it and this one is definitely a keeper! I was hoping this was going to taste as wonderful as it sounded and smelled, but I think it came out even better. I served it with a Sausage, Cranberry, Apple Stuffing (I still need to tweak the recipe before I post it) and homemade cranberry sauce - my husband and I both cleaned our plates! Luckily, we have enough to each have another full serving and I can't wait. The smell reminds me of the holidays, and I love the holidays, but this is so super simple to put together. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

INGREDIENTS

1 (3 lb) Boneless pork loin roast
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 (16 oz) can whole berry cranberry sauce
1/4 C honey
1 tsp Orange zest
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

DIRECTIONS

Place pork roast in slow cooker and season with salt and pepper.

Combine all remaining ingredients well and pour over roast. Cook on low for about 4-5 hours. Remove roast and allow to set for about 10 minutes for the juices to redistribute. Slice and serve, topping with the cranberry cooking liquid.

Grandma's Banana Bread

Yet again, we have another banana recipe, because, if you remember, I do love bananas! Anyhow, I got this recipe from my mother-in-law, who is the bestest mother-in-law in the world. She makes banana and pumpkin bread just for me (she leaves the nuts out since I'm not a fan of nuts in my breads), and they are FABULOUS! We are both excited to think about Ruby getting older and enjoying all the baked goods we both make, as well as all 3 of us being able to bake together - we can't wait for the cookie cutter time!

This is the best, most moist, quick, and easy banana bread recipe and I see many loaves of this in my future.

INGREDIENTS

3 banana's, mashed
1/2 C butter, softened
1 C Sugar
2 eggs
1 3/4 C Flour
1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 C nuts - if you want them, I don't

DIRECTIONS

Cream together bananas, butter, sugar, and eggs. Add flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda - mix well. Add nuts if you want. Pour into a greased bread pan and bake about an hour at 300 degrees. (Mine took about 70 minutes)

Enjoy!

I made it!

My husband's cousin was having a baby shower for her second daughter and trying to figure out what to get her was pretty difficult. I wanted to get her something special as well as something useful, and since she had stuff that she used for her two year old daughter, what can you do? After a little research and a recharge of my creative genes, I decided to do a diaper cake and a homemade baby book (using a template I received from another friend). A little frustration, some fishing line, new black ink, and a quick shopping trip - this is what we ended up with (no images of the baby book, sorry!). All in all, I was pretty impressed with how it turned out and hope to have a chance to make more in the future, I hadn't realized how much I missed the creative activities!

It all started with this card. The little girl's room is going to be a safari type theme, so what better than an animal? And for a little girl, how cute is the pink and green giraffe?

Looking for more items in the same color scheme, I found a green bottle that just happen to be the same brand they had registered for. And then there is the rattle - this is actually one of Ruby's favorite toys right now since she can grasp it quite easily, although she is in the stage of hitting herself in the head with everything, but she doesn't seem to mind.

The hardest part was finding something to put on top. I ALMOST did a big bow but figured, how is that useful? Instead, I got lucky enough to find this little bath towel that not only had a giraffe, but also matched the color scheme - score!

Anyhow, I think this was quite the success and I am proud of it.

A Black and White Montage

Enjoying the outdoors

And some indoor cuteness

Almond Lemon Chicken

This is one of those recipes that I wouldn't have originally tried, but with my limited diet and my husbands desire to use the almonds we had, he decided to make it. And wow. We ate it all up so quick I didn't even have a chance to get a picture ... either time! It is a little more time consuming than my husband wanted, but he didn't realize that until he was knee deep in the recipe, so he continued on. We serve this with white rice cooked in chicken broth and some sort of vegetable, and never have leftovers.

INGREDIENTS

5 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons Dijon-style prepared mustard
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
6 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup sliced almonds
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
6 slices lemon, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic and white pepper. Beat in 5 tablespoons of the olive oil. Put the chicken in a shallow container and pour the lemon mixture over it. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a large skillet, saute the almonds in 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil until golden. Remove from skillet and reserve. Wipe out the skillet. Drain the chicken, reserving the lemon marinade. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, then add chicken breasts and brown over high heat until breast is brown on each side (6 to 10 minutes). Remove from skillet and reserve.

Strain the lemon marinade into the skillet. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Add chicken broth and cornstarch/water mixture. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reduces by half (about 5 minutes). Add marmalade and stir over medium heat until melted. Stir in the butter a bit at a time over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in parsley and red pepper flakes. Return chicken to skillet and heat through. Add reserved almonds and garnish with lemon slices.

Raven's Grill

One of the first places I went with my husband and his family to eat was Raven's Grill at Texas Star gold course. They introduced me to the great southern staple that is Chicken Fried Steak, accompanied with mashed potatoes, fried okra, Texas toast, and a salad. Holy cow! My husband and I split the Double Barrel and still had leftovers, I couldn't believe how huge the portions were. We really enjoy eating here since its always a laid back, golf course cafe type atmosphere and I don't think we've ever had a wait. It reminds me of one of those places that only regulars attend so everyone knows everyone. Oh, and they have an herbal vinaigrette that is freaking awesome, too!!! And the nachos, ohhhhh the nachos. They are another one of those gigantic portions for not a lot of money and so tasty. Basically, if you want a nice, casual atmosphere and some wonderful home style cooking that is extremely affordable, head to Raven's Grill.