Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Hudson is 1
Hudson and I are hanging out by ourselves this morning. He's up early and Trey is still asleep. This time is precious because it rarely happens.
He loves to eat! Loves bananas, bread, chicken nuggets, FRENCH FRIES, strawberries!, lasagna. He eats most everything I give him. Which is great! I feel like he will eat anything we are having for dinner, and I don't have to fix him something separate.
He is talking a little saying "uh oh" "dada" "mama" sometimes he seems to say "all done"
He loves Trey. His face lights up when he sees him. It is so precious. They play well together, even though Trey can be a bully and is constantly body slamming Hudson and taking his toys away. I'm hoping Hudson will be better for it - super tough and a tough skin.
I have been weaning him for a little while now. He has been nursing twice a day, morning and night, for about 2 weeks. For the last two nights, he has eaten a bottle of milk (milk skim, half whole) for his nightly feeding. It's very exciting and encouraging - especially since Trey would never drink milk for me. I plan to have him completely weaned by Friday, giving him a bottle in the morning as well.
Hudson can give high-fives and play peek-a-boo! He gets really excited about both and they are so adorable.
We went to the Leesburg Animal Park on Saturday for Hudson's birthday with Uncle Josh. There were lots of cool animals there and of course Trey loved it. He is fearless when it comes to those animals. Fear. Less.
He loves Trey. His face lights up when he sees him. It is so precious. They play well together, even though Trey can be a bully and is constantly body slamming Hudson and taking his toys away. I'm hoping Hudson will be better for it - super tough and a tough skin.
I have been weaning him for a little while now. He has been nursing twice a day, morning and night, for about 2 weeks. For the last two nights, he has eaten a bottle of milk (milk skim, half whole) for his nightly feeding. It's very exciting and encouraging - especially since Trey would never drink milk for me. I plan to have him completely weaned by Friday, giving him a bottle in the morning as well.
Hudson can give high-fives and play peek-a-boo! He gets really excited about both and they are so adorable.
We went to the Leesburg Animal Park on Saturday for Hudson's birthday with Uncle Josh. There were lots of cool animals there and of course Trey loved it. He is fearless when it comes to those animals. Fear. Less.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Sleeping through the night
Hudson is one week away from being seven months old and he is sleeping 12+ hours at night. I believe this is because he is now eating 3 meals a day of solid food and goes to bed with a full belly. He is on a great schedule, going bed around 7:30 and taking two naps during the day. I usually try and lay Trey down at the same time as Hudson's second nap. Which is glorious! I even occasionally sneak a nap in myself. Bruce has been working some pretty late nights, which keeps me up later if I want to spend any time with him during the week...which I do, but only at the cost of my precious sleep which I hold so dearly. I am used to being in bed by 10 and it has shifted to me being lucky if I'm in bed by 12. Those two hours are crucial!! So I am grateful when I can nap with the boys. Trey is still an amazing sleeper. He sleeps about 10-12 hours at night. If he naps it pushes his bed time to 9 or 10 which is super late and leaves hardly any mommy/daddy time. If he doesn't nap he's cranky by 7 so we put him to bed with Hudson. I can't decide which way to go, nap or no nap. That two hours of quiet time during the day is wonderful and helps me make it thru the day without going crazy. But I also love the time Bruce and I get to spend together at the end of the night by ourselves. It makes me feel like a wife and not just a mommy. Which I'd say is pretty important.
Life has adjusted to a normal pace somewhere along the way. It was pretty rough at first. Having two kids was NOT a piece of cake for the MacNeills. I think the thing that helps the most is Hudson being on a normal schedule and getting plenty of sleep. Duh! If I get sleep I am a happy person. If I don't get sleep, watch out because I'm liable to hurt someone. Even with Bruce gone on trips during the week, I feel like I am in much more control and can make thru the week with no problem. In the beginning I was scared to be alone with both boys. Now I am way more confident in my abilities. You live and learn, right?
Lets see... What else is new? Hudson is just starting to sit up on his own and stays up for a good while. He wants to crawl so badly but hasn't gotten up on all fours yet. He is so content. I can lay him on the floor with a couple of toys and he will entertain himself for forever. He loves his exercaucer but not for too too long. He loves to lay and roll and play on the floor the most. He and Trey are starting to play together. It is hilarious. Trey likes to lay on top of Hudson and make him laugh. Which Hudson loves. It's the beginning of all the rough housing I'm sure we have to look forward to. I am loving having two boys. They are such a joy. God surely knew what he was doing when he gave us these two.
Trey started a baseball skills camp about a month ago. It's a bit of a joke but he seems to love it and that's all that matters. This is his first structured activity so he had a hard time listening and following directions at first. He did much better this past week and I was proud of him. Not necessarily better at baseball, just better at listening. He is such a great little hitter and we pitch it to him at home. So he's not used to hitting with a tee. He'll have to learn if he wants to play though. They don't pitch it until they're older.
Life has adjusted to a normal pace somewhere along the way. It was pretty rough at first. Having two kids was NOT a piece of cake for the MacNeills. I think the thing that helps the most is Hudson being on a normal schedule and getting plenty of sleep. Duh! If I get sleep I am a happy person. If I don't get sleep, watch out because I'm liable to hurt someone. Even with Bruce gone on trips during the week, I feel like I am in much more control and can make thru the week with no problem. In the beginning I was scared to be alone with both boys. Now I am way more confident in my abilities. You live and learn, right?
Lets see... What else is new? Hudson is just starting to sit up on his own and stays up for a good while. He wants to crawl so badly but hasn't gotten up on all fours yet. He is so content. I can lay him on the floor with a couple of toys and he will entertain himself for forever. He loves his exercaucer but not for too too long. He loves to lay and roll and play on the floor the most. He and Trey are starting to play together. It is hilarious. Trey likes to lay on top of Hudson and make him laugh. Which Hudson loves. It's the beginning of all the rough housing I'm sure we have to look forward to. I am loving having two boys. They are such a joy. God surely knew what he was doing when he gave us these two.
Trey started a baseball skills camp about a month ago. It's a bit of a joke but he seems to love it and that's all that matters. This is his first structured activity so he had a hard time listening and following directions at first. He did much better this past week and I was proud of him. Not necessarily better at baseball, just better at listening. He is such a great little hitter and we pitch it to him at home. So he's not used to hitting with a tee. He'll have to learn if he wants to play though. They don't pitch it until they're older.
Monday, January 14, 2013
I want another one...
I want another one...those four little words and Bruce knows exactly what I'm talking about. He thinks I'm crazy. His response "There is nothing I want less in this whole world right now than another child, maybe that will change in 6 months, who knows." This makes me laugh and I expected nothing less from him. Two kids has been a big challenge and adjustment for both of us.
But...
Once we made it past the first few months that were some of the most difficult times ever as parents, a time when I don't know what I would have done without my husband, a time when we adjusted to having two little ones and working out the "tag team" system, a time when sleep deprivation had us on the verge of going crazy. I knew. I knew that even though I have loved Trey and every stage and phase that he's gone through (some not as fun as others) babies are the ultimate! The ultimate challenge, the ultimate love, the ultimate stage. And I have seen how fast it goes by. One minute you have this little dude that completely relies on you for everything, and the next moment you have a little dude that wants to do EVERYTHING for himself, or "meself" as Trey still says. I don't care if it's a girl or boy, all I know is that I don't want this to be the end of the baby phase for me. I know, I know...Hudson is still very much a baby, and I am soaking it ALL in! but if you can say at 4 months when you are delusional and tired and things are as stressed out and as crazy as ever that you want another one, I think it's safe to say (I'm certifiably insane?) that I really want one.
But...
Once we made it past the first few months that were some of the most difficult times ever as parents, a time when I don't know what I would have done without my husband, a time when we adjusted to having two little ones and working out the "tag team" system, a time when sleep deprivation had us on the verge of going crazy. I knew. I knew that even though I have loved Trey and every stage and phase that he's gone through (some not as fun as others) babies are the ultimate! The ultimate challenge, the ultimate love, the ultimate stage. And I have seen how fast it goes by. One minute you have this little dude that completely relies on you for everything, and the next moment you have a little dude that wants to do EVERYTHING for himself, or "meself" as Trey still says. I don't care if it's a girl or boy, all I know is that I don't want this to be the end of the baby phase for me. I know, I know...Hudson is still very much a baby, and I am soaking it ALL in! but if you can say at 4 months when you are delusional and tired and things are as stressed out and as crazy as ever that you want another one, I think it's safe to say (I'm certifiably insane?) that I really want one.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Chicken Tortilla Soup
This is a recipe I came up with by combining 3-4 recipes I have found for Chicken Tortilla Soup. I made it this week and it was really good so I thought I'd share.
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken or veggie broth
2 cups water
1 (15 oz) can corn, drained
2 (15 oz) cans Rotel Original
3 chicken breasts cooked and shredded (my sis recommends using a rotissere chicken, especially if you are short on time.)
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles
1 medium diced onion
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 bay leaf
(I have added 10 oz of enchilada sauce before, but I left it out this time)
This turns out pretty spicy. If you don't like spice, I recommend cutting out the chopped chiles, or maybe cut the rotel down to only 1 can, or use Rotel Mild. Or you could cut out the cayenne pepper. Also, you could add more water or broth.
Add all ingredients and cook on low for about 1 hour. Top with shredded cheese or tortilla strips if desired or any other garnish that sounds delish.
I served this with my mom's mexican cornbread and it was great! Maybe I'll add that recipe to the blog.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta
Bruce has an obsession with Chicken Cordon Bleu so when I saw this recipe on Pinterest I had to try it. I got the recipe off of this blog. Below her blog were lots of notes and suggestions to try to make it better as her recipe seemed to be rather bland and plain. Here is MY recipe that has all the changes I made to make this a delicious meal. Note - it makes a huge portion. We had lots of leftovers for the next night. But being the fatties we are, it was gone in 2 nights. Please read my notes at the bottom as I explain some important instructions for this recipe.
12 oz Pasta (I used Ziti - you could use any fun shaped pasta)
3 Chicken Breasts, seasoned, cooked in a skillet, and cubed
1 cup Ham, cooked and cubed (I bought a package of pre-cooked cubed ham)
3 pieces of bacon cooked
1 cup Skim Milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
8 oz. Cream Cheese (softened)
2 Tbsp. Dried Minced Onion
1 1/2 cups Swiss Cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Colby/Jack cheese, shredded
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Cajun Seasoning
Garlic Powder
Parsley
1 cup Panko Crumbs
1/2 cup Butter, melted
The first thing I did was fry up the bacon. Next time I will add more bacon and maybe even leave out the ham. The ham did nothing for us, and we were wishing for more bacon.
Next, I cut up the chicken into small pieces and tossed it with seasonings until completely covered. The seasonings I used were salt, pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Cajun seasoning, and garlic powder (and I would recommend putting the minced onion in with the chicken as well instead of adding it to the sauce later. It needed cooking a bit.) I'm not a measurer when it comes to seasoning, so I would just recommend using what seems right to you and your family. We like things spicy so I pumped up the Cajun seasoning and Cayenne Pepper just a tad. I fried the chicken in the same pan as the bacon using the bacon grease. OH yeah!
Start boiling your pasta to al dente - make sure you don't overcook it.
When your chicken is finished cooking, add your ham and bacon and cook them together for 4-5 min.
Drain your pasta and add your meats to it, tossing to mix.
Next you make your sauce. I made it in the same pan I cooked the bacon/chicken in to make sure I got all those yummy seasonings. Start with your milk, heavy whipping cream then add your cream cheese and cook on medium heat stirring constantly until smooth. Add your Dijon mustard and nutmeg. Then I seasoned it with the same seasonings I used on the chicken to add flavor. YUM YUM YUM!!
When your sauce is heated through and smooth, add to your pasta and meats. Add Swiss and Colby/Jack cheeses mixing it all together thoroughly. Put in a 9 x 13 pan.
For my topping, I would have used Panko bread crumbs if I had them, but I didn't. I ended up putting some 3 cheese flat bread crouton thingies in the food processor to chop them up, making about a cup. Spread on top of pasta then pour a stick of melted butter on top. Cook in a 350 degree oven for 30 min.
I hope I explained things clearly. Feel free to ask any questions you have. And I would love comments if you try it out and find something you would change about it.
Enjoy!!!
12 oz Pasta (I used Ziti - you could use any fun shaped pasta)
3 Chicken Breasts, seasoned, cooked in a skillet, and cubed
1 cup Ham, cooked and cubed (I bought a package of pre-cooked cubed ham)
3 pieces of bacon cooked
1 cup Skim Milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
8 oz. Cream Cheese (softened)
2 Tbsp. Dried Minced Onion
1 1/2 cups Swiss Cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Colby/Jack cheese, shredded
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Cajun Seasoning
Garlic Powder
Parsley
1 cup Panko Crumbs
1/2 cup Butter, melted
The first thing I did was fry up the bacon. Next time I will add more bacon and maybe even leave out the ham. The ham did nothing for us, and we were wishing for more bacon.
Next, I cut up the chicken into small pieces and tossed it with seasonings until completely covered. The seasonings I used were salt, pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Cajun seasoning, and garlic powder (and I would recommend putting the minced onion in with the chicken as well instead of adding it to the sauce later. It needed cooking a bit.) I'm not a measurer when it comes to seasoning, so I would just recommend using what seems right to you and your family. We like things spicy so I pumped up the Cajun seasoning and Cayenne Pepper just a tad. I fried the chicken in the same pan as the bacon using the bacon grease. OH yeah!
Start boiling your pasta to al dente - make sure you don't overcook it.
When your chicken is finished cooking, add your ham and bacon and cook them together for 4-5 min.
Drain your pasta and add your meats to it, tossing to mix.
Next you make your sauce. I made it in the same pan I cooked the bacon/chicken in to make sure I got all those yummy seasonings. Start with your milk, heavy whipping cream then add your cream cheese and cook on medium heat stirring constantly until smooth. Add your Dijon mustard and nutmeg. Then I seasoned it with the same seasonings I used on the chicken to add flavor. YUM YUM YUM!!
When your sauce is heated through and smooth, add to your pasta and meats. Add Swiss and Colby/Jack cheeses mixing it all together thoroughly. Put in a 9 x 13 pan.
For my topping, I would have used Panko bread crumbs if I had them, but I didn't. I ended up putting some 3 cheese flat bread crouton thingies in the food processor to chop them up, making about a cup. Spread on top of pasta then pour a stick of melted butter on top. Cook in a 350 degree oven for 30 min.
I hope I explained things clearly. Feel free to ask any questions you have. And I would love comments if you try it out and find something you would change about it.
Enjoy!!!
Potato Soup on Crack
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| The soup in the beginning stages. No hamburger meat added yet. |
We recently had some friends over and I wanted to try something new - so of course I hit up Pinterest. (Does anybody even use cookbooks anymore? I recently got mine out and had to dust them off!) This recipe was a big hit! The boys literally licked the crock pot clean. Today is another cold and bleary Saturday at home, full of family time and football, and Bruce has requested it again. If you want a link to the blog where I originally found it click here. She calls it Bacon Cheeseburger Soup. We call it Potato Soup on Crack. It's delicious!
Fry up the bacon and crumble it. Brown the hamburger meat (I always season my beef with garlic salt and Lawry's seasoning) Cut up the Velveeta and put it all in the crockpot with all the other ingredients, stir well. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally. Hope you like it as much as we did!!
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