Take a trip over to Musings of a Mom for the soon-to-be-famous Recipe Swap Thursday.
This totally simple salsa always gets big compliments whenever I take it to a party.
1 jar of your favorite salsa
1 can of corn (drained)
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
Mix all three together and serve with tortilla chips.
Does it get any easier than that?
You can switch up the flavor of it by using different salsas.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Pretty Cool
I went from not entering any giveaway for months to winning two in one week! Go Figure!
I'm going to have to host my own giveaway soon... so stay tuned!
I won this giveaway at Dry Toast
I did not get to run Race for the Cure this year, but instead did "Sleep In for the Cure." I'll still get my t-shirt, just made a donation and didn't run. Next year I'll be back at it, running in memory of Craig's grandma.
Also think this is a pretty cool picture.
I'm going to have to host my own giveaway soon... so stay tuned!
I won this giveaway at Dry Toast
I did not get to run Race for the Cure this year, but instead did "Sleep In for the Cure." I'll still get my t-shirt, just made a donation and didn't run. Next year I'll be back at it, running in memory of Craig's grandma.
Also think this is a pretty cool picture.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
7 1/2 months pregnant, and still rockin' the tall boots!
I am by no means a fashionista, but I like to dress up and try to follow fashion trends as appropriate for my age. Maternity clothes are decidedly un-hip. They are functional, and only occassionally fashionable. And I'm sorry, they are also temporary so I'm not going to drop more than $25 on any single item! So no Hollywood-trendy expensive maternity clothing on this Midwestern chick!
I've been trying to stretch my wardrobe this time around by working in things from my pre-pregnancy wardrobe. Obviously certain pants, skirts and shirts are out of the mix till after baby comes. Plus a lot of my clothes from last time around have short sleeves and are more "summery." But I have a number of jackets and longer sweaters that I can still wear without looking ridiculous. I also can still wear most of my shoes and boots.
And it is now boot season. I'm proud to say that today, I'm roughly 7.5 months pregnant, and rocking a pair of knee-high suede boots with a high heel!
Yesterday I wore a cardigan and pants and felt about 15 years older than I actually am.
So today... it's suede blazer over maternity t-shirt, denim skirt (also maternity) with stretchy waistband, and my beloved boots. Normally, I wear tall and short boots all winter long. They make me feel sassy. Today, I feel like a hip and happening, sassy pregnant lady. Hopefully I look that way on the outside, too!
I've been trying to stretch my wardrobe this time around by working in things from my pre-pregnancy wardrobe. Obviously certain pants, skirts and shirts are out of the mix till after baby comes. Plus a lot of my clothes from last time around have short sleeves and are more "summery." But I have a number of jackets and longer sweaters that I can still wear without looking ridiculous. I also can still wear most of my shoes and boots.
And it is now boot season. I'm proud to say that today, I'm roughly 7.5 months pregnant, and rocking a pair of knee-high suede boots with a high heel!
Yesterday I wore a cardigan and pants and felt about 15 years older than I actually am.
So today... it's suede blazer over maternity t-shirt, denim skirt (also maternity) with stretchy waistband, and my beloved boots. Normally, I wear tall and short boots all winter long. They make me feel sassy. Today, I feel like a hip and happening, sassy pregnant lady. Hopefully I look that way on the outside, too!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Lunch with a Friend
I had the chance to have lunch with a dear friend today. Zenna and I have been friends since kindergarten. We both had a rather unfriendly nun for a kindergarten teacher. One day Zenna had some fifth graders tease me that they were going to beat me up if I didn't be nice to her. We've be friends since then! We survived going to different junior highs, reuniting in high school, going to different colleges and living in different cities, though not too far away (she's in Chicago).
I was so excited when she called me this spring to tell me she was expecting her first baby! And we're due just 3 weeks apart! Life got busy as it tends to in the summer, and before I knew it, we were both closing in on finish lines of our pregnancies. So we decided to meet in Gurnee (about 1/2 way between) today for lunch. We had so much fun! It was great to see her... she look fantastic! Such a cute little pregnant lady. We got all caught up on babies-to-be and life in general. Did a little shopping for our little ones (and my big one!)
Alex also found a new pal... he wanted to follow Zenna everywhere! Hopefully we'll get to see each other again after our babies are born, and we can enjoy comparing stories as they grow up together! Just like their mommies!
(BTW, that church van in the background belongs to neither of us! This is what happens until you wait till you're in the parking lot ready to leave to take a pictures!)
I was so excited when she called me this spring to tell me she was expecting her first baby! And we're due just 3 weeks apart! Life got busy as it tends to in the summer, and before I knew it, we were both closing in on finish lines of our pregnancies. So we decided to meet in Gurnee (about 1/2 way between) today for lunch. We had so much fun! It was great to see her... she look fantastic! Such a cute little pregnant lady. We got all caught up on babies-to-be and life in general. Did a little shopping for our little ones (and my big one!)
Alex also found a new pal... he wanted to follow Zenna everywhere! Hopefully we'll get to see each other again after our babies are born, and we can enjoy comparing stories as they grow up together! Just like their mommies!
(BTW, that church van in the background belongs to neither of us! This is what happens until you wait till you're in the parking lot ready to leave to take a pictures!)
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Recipe Swap Thursday - Pumpkin Bars
Pumpkin Bars
(This is my mother-in-law's recipe! It's a family favorite!)
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs (beaten)
1 cup oil
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in large bowl.
Spread batter in ungreased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese (softened)
3/4 stick butter or margerine
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix all ingredients together till creamy. Spread over cooled bars.
Head over to Therese's blog for more wonderful recipes for Recipe Swap Thursday!
(This is my mother-in-law's recipe! It's a family favorite!)
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs (beaten)
1 cup oil
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in large bowl.
Spread batter in ungreased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese (softened)
3/4 stick butter or margerine
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix all ingredients together till creamy. Spread over cooled bars.
Head over to Therese's blog for more wonderful recipes for Recipe Swap Thursday!
Feeling the Need to Play Catch Up
I just clicked on my Google Reader (where I can read/track other blogs) and it said I have 313 unread posts. YIKES!
I looked at the DVR last night, and have about 5 hours worth of shows I need to catch up on... and that's only going to get longer after tonight/tomorrow. (Grey's, Project Runway, the Office, and Community - Thursdays are a blessing and a curse for great TV!)
I have at least 5 friends in real life and in the blogosphere having babies and I need to get crackin on gifts for them.
Christmas is coming... I have some gifts I want to crochet and I need to get crackin on those.
Oh... and I have several friends I haven't talked to on the phone in MONTHS who I need to call.
We've had a week of near-freezing temperatures, so most of my outdoor plants have bit it. Need to clean out my flower pots and put them away for the winter. Sounds like a good weekend project.
I'm not feeling overwhelmed... but it looks like I just made myself a to-do list!
I looked at the DVR last night, and have about 5 hours worth of shows I need to catch up on... and that's only going to get longer after tonight/tomorrow. (Grey's, Project Runway, the Office, and Community - Thursdays are a blessing and a curse for great TV!)
I have at least 5 friends in real life and in the blogosphere having babies and I need to get crackin on gifts for them.
Christmas is coming... I have some gifts I want to crochet and I need to get crackin on those.
Oh... and I have several friends I haven't talked to on the phone in MONTHS who I need to call.
We've had a week of near-freezing temperatures, so most of my outdoor plants have bit it. Need to clean out my flower pots and put them away for the winter. Sounds like a good weekend project.
I'm not feeling overwhelmed... but it looks like I just made myself a to-do list!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Another fun weekend! (Or why weekends wear me out)
We had another great, travel-filled weekend. We went to Craig's parents house for a family reunion/weiner roast.
We got in late Friday night... the trip wasn't too bad, but I was wearing a fairly new pair of maternity jeans that fit just a little too snugly for my taste. So the last 1/2 of the drive home was really miserable for me. (and probably for Craig too, because he had to listen to me whine about it!)
Got to sleep in a little bit Saturday (sad that as a grown up, sleeping in now consists of waking after 7AM) but Alex was ready to get up and help Grandma and Grandpa get ready for "the big day."
Alex was eager to help Grandpa clean out the garage, so Craig and Alex got dressed and headed outside to work/play. I kept Craig's mom company. Craig's brother Brian, sister-in-law Sarah and the always adorable Payton arrived mid morning and we all hung out and helped out as best we could. The boys helped pick the remaining pumpkins out of grandma and grandpa's garden, which was fun to watch. My big contribution for the afternoon was whipping up the frosting for the pumpkin bars and actually frosting them without making a huge mess. They were soooo good!
Oh, did I mention that it started out sunny on Saturday morning... THEN IT SNOWED???!!!
Fortunately the snow didn't stick.
The reunion was fun... we mostly hung out in the garage, which was equipped with heaters, tables, chairs, a TV to watch the Iowa-Michigan (YAY HAWKEYES!) game and a radio to listen to the Cardinals-Dodgers game. The food was fabulous... hot dogs, hamburgers, chili, potato salad, all kinds of snacks/dips/chips/cheese/crackers, and then of course, desserts! I had pumpkin bars and scotcheroos. Delicious! Everyone seemed to have a really great time chatting, eating, and spending time together. We had the full age range from Craig's Grandpa all the way down to Payton, who's about 19 months old.
Sunday was spent recovering and helping clean up. More time with Grandma and Grandpa and Brian, Sarah, and Payton. A long drive back to Wisconsin, then the unpacking and laundry that always seem to follow. But all in all it was a great weekend. (I did take pictures, but don't have time to upload. Will do it later in the week.)
Now I just have to get to bed early tonight so I can un-tire myself! :-)
We got in late Friday night... the trip wasn't too bad, but I was wearing a fairly new pair of maternity jeans that fit just a little too snugly for my taste. So the last 1/2 of the drive home was really miserable for me. (and probably for Craig too, because he had to listen to me whine about it!)
Got to sleep in a little bit Saturday (sad that as a grown up, sleeping in now consists of waking after 7AM) but Alex was ready to get up and help Grandma and Grandpa get ready for "the big day."
Alex was eager to help Grandpa clean out the garage, so Craig and Alex got dressed and headed outside to work/play. I kept Craig's mom company. Craig's brother Brian, sister-in-law Sarah and the always adorable Payton arrived mid morning and we all hung out and helped out as best we could. The boys helped pick the remaining pumpkins out of grandma and grandpa's garden, which was fun to watch. My big contribution for the afternoon was whipping up the frosting for the pumpkin bars and actually frosting them without making a huge mess. They were soooo good!
Oh, did I mention that it started out sunny on Saturday morning... THEN IT SNOWED???!!!
Fortunately the snow didn't stick.
The reunion was fun... we mostly hung out in the garage, which was equipped with heaters, tables, chairs, a TV to watch the Iowa-Michigan (YAY HAWKEYES!) game and a radio to listen to the Cardinals-Dodgers game. The food was fabulous... hot dogs, hamburgers, chili, potato salad, all kinds of snacks/dips/chips/cheese/crackers, and then of course, desserts! I had pumpkin bars and scotcheroos. Delicious! Everyone seemed to have a really great time chatting, eating, and spending time together. We had the full age range from Craig's Grandpa all the way down to Payton, who's about 19 months old.
Sunday was spent recovering and helping clean up. More time with Grandma and Grandpa and Brian, Sarah, and Payton. A long drive back to Wisconsin, then the unpacking and laundry that always seem to follow. But all in all it was a great weekend. (I did take pictures, but don't have time to upload. Will do it later in the week.)
Now I just have to get to bed early tonight so I can un-tire myself! :-)