Zuppa Toscana

I am a HUGE fan of endless soup and salad at Olive Garden.  And don't think I'm a delicate flower who eats soup and salad to be on a diet!  I can eat 6 bowls of the Zuppa Toscana, which is the potato/sausage/kale soup.  I always want to get the soup togo but one cup isn't enough and buying several cups of soup for one person is just ridiculous.  Thanks to my friend Nicole--I now have the most perfect  recipe for this soup.  In fact, it is identical, if not better than the actual Olive Garden creation itself!  I don't really love potato soup, its just too rich for me but this is more of a brothy soup with potatoes in it.  The Kale gives it such a great texture and wonderful vitamins!!!  I turned the AC down and whipped it up today since its not quite fall here yet, I had to create it in my house! 

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground Italian sausage

1½ tsp crushed red peppers

1 large diced white onion

4 Tbsp bacon pieces

2 tsp garlic puree

10 cups water

5 cubes of chicken bouillon

1 cup heavy cream

1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes

¼ of a bunch of kale

1.Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.

2.In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.

3.Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.

4.Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.

5.Add the heavy cream and just cook until thoroughly heated.

6.Stir in the sausage and the kale, let all heat through and serve. Delicious!

Buon appetito!

Here is where she found this wonderful recipe! 

http://www.tuscanrecipes.com/recipes/olive-garden-zuppa-toscana.html

(I also stole the above photo from this site as my photos are laughable)

Make. This. Soon.

So I didn't invent this sammy and I'm pretty sure the place I ate it the first time in college didn't either but it is pure awesomeness.  Isn't it funny sometimes things you have had in restaurants you forget you can easily make at your own house for a mere fraction of the cost and actually probably taste better??  I am big for recreating dishes I like at home but for some reason food I eat at little cutsie places I don't realize I can make at home...I'm not a cutsie kind of cook, I guess.  Anyway--these ingredients are simple and fresh but when combined together create a flavor implosion in your mouth!  Now before summer completely leaves us, make a yummy, fresh lunch! 

What you need:

Your fave wheat bread (or any bread obviously)

Cream Cheese (I used lowfat organic-only because of my newfound health kick)

1/2 an avocado

Sprouts

Turkey (I also try to dream up the vegetarian equivelant of meals I make because I am intrigued by coming up with fun veggie meals bc my awesome neighbors are vegi-heads and I always worry about what they eat--SOOO I think this would be almost as awesome with Cucumber slices!! Now go and make it Debbie!)

Unless you are using a delicious crusty bread, I suggest toasting your bread for texture--no one likes a full out mush sandwich.  Then slather on some cream chease on one side.  A good balance--if your bread is really thick, you will need a tad more cheese but if its a regular slice--you get the point. 

Then slice up your avocado and layer deli meat on the top and add sprouts and/or cucumber. 

I didn't have sprouts or cucumber today but this was still the best lunch I have had in awhile!  I even had to make another stop today for more avocados so I can make this again tomorrow!! 

*Kid-Friendly! Paige LOVED the cream cheese on her sammy!!! 

29 weeks!

Sheesh!  Our little nugget is baking away to perfection!  She has been on quite a few adventures recently!  I will blog in more detail about our GRAND adventure across the country all the way to Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana later (when I have more energy) but it was our last big hoorah before our little baby comes! 

Finally a photo I did not take myself! Only 7 months later...outside a really cool coffee shop in Lander, WY

I loved all of these quotes on the wall in a shop in Jackson Hole so I had Janet snap a pic...

Paige was real irritated she was not in the pic so she got herself out of her stroller and asked Nonny to take her photo in the same spot:)

At our checkup yesterday she was measuring exactly on schedule, her heart sounded like angels playing bells in perfect rhythm and I believe all of our blood work, shots and glucose test were great as well.  All of that took it out of me though, I kind of felt like I was going to have the baby last night!  I think I just got a little dehydrated from the no eat/drink rule for the test then got busy when I got home playing catch up that I just over did it. 

Funny of the appointment:  First of all, I have a new nurse.  I am one of those people that likes things to stay the same, unless said same is no good.  Kind of like an old lady, I have an old soul people.  So-Blanca--my old nurse who is slightly rough on the edges but whom I have grown to love over the past 4 years, went to the heart hospital so I now have Shannon.  A cute, bubbly blond with no sharp edges and is a huge ding-bat.  I mean that in a nice way.  But it was obvious as I watched her wandering the halls and calling patients by random names and all of these hormonal women are so confused, it was obvious it is going to take her some time.  I miss Blanca who always argues with me that the pee in my body cannot weigh 5 pounds and no she will not subtract that from my weight no matter how hard I beg or how much stuff out of my purse I offer her. 

So Shannon forgets to weigh me which of course I do not remind her but of course she remembers...we go to the scale, I sigh and she tells me I have a great weight and even on her best diet she could never weigh that and she isn't even 7 months pregnant.  A real sweetie, right?  Well, she accidentally makes a "0" look like an "8" so when Dr. Drill Sargent walks in he gives me a disgusted look, goes over to his seat, looks me up and down and says "Did you seriously gain 14 pounds in 5 weeks??!!" "Ummm, uhhh, well, no, I mean, ummm, no." "well, it says here you did.  How much do you weigh??" I tell him how much the scale said and I did not deduct my pee weight which was obviously uncomfortable but I really had only gained 5.5 pounds which for all other purposes we shall round down to 5.  Its not college folks-I make the rounding rules now.  "He says well that sounds much better but I will have to double check that." I felt like a convicted felon and could not be trusted. 

When the nurse comes bouncing back in all bubbly to poke some RhoGam into my arm, I give her a huge lecture on how we will never be friends if she cannot work on her penmanship.  Doctors can have pitiful writing but nurses cannot.  Critical things like weight should never be messed up, unless in my benefit.  I explained Dr. Drill Sargent takes weight very seriously and I have immense anxiety over our "weight chats" and I do not need her making it worse!  She giggles and pumps me full of drugs and sugar water.  And I miss Blanca.

But-now that all of our big trips are out of the way, I am going to try to focus on eating a little healthier the rest of this pregnancy.  I like to enjoy trips and food but we have had a LOT of trips this summer which means I have enjoyed myself tremendously but its time to start cooking at home and not getting in trouble anymore at the doc!  And don't worry if you are reading this and wondering if I have packed on 80 pounds....no-my doc just takes weight very serious for some reason and really wants his patients to gain 25-30 pounds.  No more. No less.  Seriously-I gained 32 with Paige and he gave me a lecture that the extra 2 was fat not baby weight!!  HA! 

*Evidence of why I get in trouble at the doc...

In other news, sorry that story kind of went on forever but I thought Paige and Baby No Name might like to read about it when they are having babies and dreading those scales:)...

We have been working through our list of to do's before baby comes and it is really coming along nicely!  I really need to stop procrastinating cleaning out the girls' room and getting it ready for TWO girls!  Although Baby No Name will not be sleeping in there for some time, we want it ready and make sure everything fits and move some toys to grandma's house so it doesn't feel so cluttered in there!  I am really ready to pack up summer clothes and all the 18-24 month stuff of Paige's so I can make room for her fall clothes and bring down the newborn bin from the attic for sissy!!  But I'm not sure it won't get hot again and Miss P might need her shorts a few more weeks yet. 

The three girls in Denver doing a little shopping!!!  Paige and I are DYING to meet you sweet girl!!  

The past week or two I am really starting to get anxious to meet my new girl.  Even Tyler keeps talking about what she might look like or act like and I'm all giddy to wrap my arms around her and let her meet our little family!  I feel like she will look exactly like Paige, I don't know why but I really can't picture her looking any other way!  But I am so curious about her personality!  Will she be loud and outgoing like Paige and I or a little more reserved and quiet??  She definitely loves Oscar and he loves her--its weird how dogs know there is a baby in your belly but both pregnancies he lays by my belly and both little girls knew he was there and will kick and punch at him the whole time.  I almost feel like I can feel them giggle as they play with him.  I can't ever stop smiling when she does that!  We are a family of dog lovers so I'm glad our new little bundle is no exception! 

I feel like I am leaving something I wanted in here out...but Paige is telling me she needs me to come with her to poop...that is obviously more important folks...until next time.

A Few Magical Details.....

Thanks to my sweet friend Nicole for reminding me that I FORGOT to share the image of Paige's party invitation!  It was the inspiration for the whole party and really got my imagination and ideas where I wanted to be!!  My dear friend Chelsea found about 6 amazing options on Etsy and this was both of our favorite!!

I wish you could read all of the words and quotes!!  I had her add the Mad Hatter quote on the back and also a quote from Alice that reminded me of Paige.  "Sometimes I believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast." Alice 

This is a sweet quote but if you really think about it, isn't it something we all want to instill in our children??  I definitely do.  I want our girls to always reach for the stars and have us behind them cheering and telling them with hard work and determination, you can accomplish anything.  That is exactly what Alice meant and did! 

The Mad Hatter quote reminds me of how I want our home to feel.  Its a little dramatic but I want our home to always be fun and exciting for our friends, family, the girls and their friends.  The Mad Hatter worked very hard to make sure everything was wonderful!  Ok, enough over analyzing Alice in Wonderland...clearly I love the movie...

After seeing the invitations in person in all their grandeur and delicious paper, I decided white envelopes would never do so I ordered Kraft Paper envelopes.  LOVE them!  I also found hand cut/glittered Queen of Hearts envelope seals that I ordered.  This is a little more than I would normally do but the invitations really deserved some special touches!  If any of you are ever looking for an invitation for a special occasion, let me know and I will send you her info!  She even has an option to buy the image from her for your invitation for a very small fee then you could print your own for much cheaper.  I have heard war stories with people who have done this and it ends up as expensive as custom order by the end and doesn't look as good but I think if you are qualified and have good printing equipment, it could be done for very cheap!!  I am a bit of a paper snob and also lack the equipment and knowledge to print out my own invites to this caliber.  So for my special occasions...we will go with custom printing!

Here are a few fun things we served and links to the recipes.  I was a HUGE fan of all of them and will be making everything again! 

Drinks

Homemade Peach and Strawberry Soda (I saw Giada make this several months ago on her show for a children's party and knew we must have it!)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/peach-and-strawberry-soda-recipe/index.html

Peach Tea

Snacks

Fruit Tray and Janet's Apple Brickle Dip

Veggie Tray and homemade Ranch

Grown-Up Food

Avocado Chicken Salad w/ avocado dressing (a friend of a friend writes this food blog that is divine! If you like to cook, you must check it out!!  Beautiful layout, lovely gal and most importantly, divine recipes!) Looks like she credits Paula Deen for this creation.

http://thelittlekitchenthatcould.blogspot.com/2009/08/avocado-chicken-salad-with-avocado.html

Black Bean and Corn Salsa w/ blue corn flax tortilla chips

Kiddie Food

PB&J Sammy's

Alphabet Cheezits

Treats

Cake Balls (another Paula Deen delight!) I promise this is the easiest and best cake ball recipe out there!! 

http://www.smithfield.com/recipes/recipe/paulas-cake-balls

Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Balls (Paula Delight!--saw her and her grandkids make these awhile back...Fabulous and soooo easy!!)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/crispy-rice-cakes-recipe/index.html

I can't wait to make these rice crispy balls again for Halloween and Christmas!! Just a change of the sprinkles and they are perfect for any holiday!!  Even your fave sports team for a football party.  In fact, adults loved these more than kids.  I honestly had no intentions of trying them because they just seemed silly...I promise the only silly thing was me almost NOT trying them!  Soooo good and I don't even like sweets that much.  The cake balls are a little more labor intensive but were so good and so worth the 3 day process.  After making them a few times now, I can understand why bakeries charge over a $1 a piece for one bite of cake.  If I made them for a living, I would charge $15 a piece!!!  They are a labor of love...only make them for those you really love--you know, unless you just like spending 3 days on a recipe! 

The After Birthday Fun...

After Paige's birthday we were all exhausted.  It was a full out busy weekend!  Family in town, Tyler had friends in town for his 10 year reunion, his parents leaving town so lunch with them on Sunday and I had plans with some great friends before they leave for one of their weddings!!! Sniff Sniff, I wish I were going!!!  Paige slept for 15 hours straight from 4:30 pm on Sunday to 7:15 am Monday morning!!!  Here is a montage of photos from that time period!

As you can probably tell...she fell asleep in her carseat while we were running errands.  Then I just laid her in my bed and I watched TV while she napped.  When I realized at dinner, after prodding her to wake, that it wasn;t happening--I called in daddy to do the dirty work.  You can see how tough he is can't you??  I married a real tough guy!  He picked her up...she stayed dead asleep--then he let her curl up on him!  I called in pizza and subs and we took turns eating.  I don't believe in eating in bed under ANY circumstance!  Gross! Crumbs in your sheets???  I let Tyler know I was pregnant (as if he needed reminding) and that I would not participate in staying up all night when she woke (even though I don't have a paying job outside the home).  Luckily for all of us, she slept til 7 am!! 
After the great rest, we had plenty to do on Monday!  The house was clean because I scrubbed the day before but we had to organize toys and write thank you notes!!  As I wrote, Paige would model all of her new things!  It was SOOOO fun and she kept reminding me of myself!  I love trying on new things and showing them off and I love seeing her do it!  Even if she changed 800 times in one day...

Something about this one makes my heart melt...I love her face and how excited she was to get a package in the mail from 2 of her out of town besties!!  Thank you Leah & "Natawie"

 New sunnies!

 First dress up clothes!!!!

 "Mom, I can't take a picture in a bikini without sunnies?! Thanks Buffy & Hudson!!!"

 "Now Paige, baking in sunglasses might make you look cool, but nothing good happens in the kitchen with sunnies on, I assure you!"

 LOVE this face and this gift!!!  I think I have blogged about Paige's love for bikes and in particular our neighbor who is a cyclist!  His wife made her the most adorable gift! This shirt and a "Neighborhood Watch" shirt with binoculars!!!  She did her best neighborhood creeper face for this photo:)

And here are just a few more from the weekend of Paige, me and baby bump at 23 weeks!

Someday I will have Tyler take a decent photo instead of always trying to take my own photo...

 Soaking away all of the birthday goodies!!!!!!

 Looking so much like mommy we think!

And Just Like That...She Was Two

This beautiful photo was taken before our beautiful girl even had a legal name!  The most perfect little person I have ever seen.  I remember this day like it was yesterday...but somehow two years have FLOWN by and soon we will be taking this photo of her baby sister!  She still looks exactly like this when she sleeps and even though we thought we were completely full of love for her then, it has grown each and every day since then just like she has grown! 

She is learning and changing so much!  She knows all of her ABC's, lots of colors and well on her way to counting to 10!  I really feel like I was 4 before I knew most of that??  Must be all the vitamins in milk these days:).  She has been mostly potty trained for about a month now and the past 2 days NO accidents and only a diaper at nap and bed time!!!  Her doctor was VERY impressed and so are we!!!  She tells me each morning diapers are for babies not big girls!  HA!  She has even gotten over her fear of poo in the potty and has been taking care of business in her potty!  She knows about 10 songs by heart but the one I beam about the most is Jesus Loves Me...she always sings it quite loud in the grocery stores and old ladies always look at me like I'm the greatest mom ever!  She has memorized so many books so she can "read" them to herself.  It was bizarre when she started doing it because obviously she can't read but its super funny and impressive watching her go through the pages and by memorization and photo cues, she knows the words!!  She reads to her babies, Oscar and her baby sister!  This morning she was telling her baby sister about a bible story and was talking about Jesus.  She then talked about Joseph and Mary, looked at me confused and asked if Joseph stinks.  I hope your laughing...I couldn't stop.  I also didn't really know what to say.  "Well Paige, I haven't ever smelled Joseph but I don't think he stunk.  I haven't read anything that leads me to believe he was a smelly man but I also know there wasn't a big selection of soap or shampoo...lets just stick to he didn't though."  I love the questions she asks and how she wants to know about everything and details of how things work. 

Its amazing how SOON being a GIRL comes out.  She is dramatic, loves makeup, jewelry, accessories, taking fashion risks and playing with babies.  We call sunscreen "makeup" at this house so she will wear it.  She has her own deoderant and lotion because she is obsessed!  (She doesn't get to wear deoderant but likes to pretend putting it on).  She changes shoes 100 times before we leave the house all while saying "I do it myself!"  She loves her friends and mine and even if she hasn't seen someone for awhile she still asks about them and they turn up in her prayers out of nowhere. 

She loves food!  So very much like her mom and dad!  She will eat most anything but prefers home cooked food!  She gets spoiled with having a cooking mama!  Last night she came up to me and said "I want chicken, I want noodles, I want corn, please mommy!"  She doesn't eat a ton of bread or drink much milk but she loves crackers, cheese, yogurt, etc.  I was happy to know the doc doesn't much care which dairy she ingests as long as she gets some from some source each day.  I have also long practiced this ritual. 

At her two year appointment this week, she was 27 pounds and almost 36 inches tall.  50% in weight and 85% in height...seems like she is taking after mama's body!  Its so funny how tall and long legged she has seemed to us lately!  We LOVE it! 

We celebrated her birthday last weekend and it was a grand affair!!!  So many wonderful friends and family joined in on the fun!  We did a Mad Hatter Funky Tea party and it turned out great even with the scorching heat!  Here are a few photos from the event!

 So happy her friends came to celebrate with her!!

Our dining room transformed to Paige's Wonderland!!  Balloons, sunglasses, rice crispy balls, cake pops and homemade fruit soda! 

 
Paige blowing out her candle from her chocolate coated peanut butter rice crispy ball! Oh these are divine!!
 
Hudson & Abigail sporting the super fun sunglass favors!

 Checking out some of her new toys!!

 Mommy and Baby Gaga relaxing after the festivities!!

 I can't wait to see what this next year has in store for us!!! 

Overflowing Love & Thankfulness

Last night, on the eve of Paige's 2nd birthday, we laid in her bed like we always do singing songs, saying prayers, thinking of all of our family we love and miss I was also reflecting on the prayers I would say asking our gracious Lord for a child.  I began telling Paige how hard I prayed for her and when Jesus was ready he gave her to me.  Then every day as she grew in my belly how I prayed she would be a healthy happy baby, full of love and life. I told her I still pray every day over her and I haven't let one day go by without thanking God for her and now for her sister.  A lot of times we pray for things and are so thankful when we get them but soon stop appreciating the miracle of an answered prayer.  I am guilty of this with a lot of things but never with my children.  I explained to Paige the importance of prayer and the equally importance of thankfulness.  She has such a big heart and is so sincere.  I love how genuine her prayers are and the people, things and animals she prays over. 

A good friend of mine said "I'm so filled with love for my children that I feel like I could literally explode."  That is exactly how I feel and sometimes I look at Paige and have to hold back tears because I literally feel like I could explode with love for her. 

Children are the most beautiful, perfect expression of God's love for us.  It should never be taken for granted.  I pray every day for the women who long to be mothers that the Lord will bless them with this precious gift in His perfect time. 

As we celebrate two unbelievably wonderful years as parents to the greatest gift God has ever given us, I am reminded of all of the answered prayers already with this child.  Thank you, thank you, thank you Lord for blessing our family with Paige and answering our prayers for her.  We will work every day at being the best parents and role models for her and will never lose sight of what an incredible gift she is to us. 

We love you so much Paige all the way to the moon and all the way back! We are so proud of you and thankful for you!!!  Happy 2nd birthday precious girl!!!