Ready for Christmas

Like I had said Josh has been extremely tied up in school the past few days and I have been keeping myself occupied with numerous crafts, recipes and getting out our very small collection of Christmas decorations. We are ready for the holiday! (on another note I finally felt brave enough to put my Christmas cards in the mail I hope it puts everyone in the Christmas spirit)

Josh said it is the last year of having an artificial tree, I am extremely excited. That was one thing I always looked forward to as a little girl; finding the perfect tree, cutting it down and taking it home.

Kitchen Table

The Living Room (and my ruffle wreath <3)

Ava's stocking hanger.... waiting for me to finish her stocking

One new ornament for the year

and the other new ornament. Just in case she is not here by Christmas she will still have an ornament for the year.

I'm crafty and I know it.......

Ruffle Felt Wreath

This weekend Josh has been extremely busy with wrapping up his first semester in grad school. So I decided to look through my Pintrest.com boards for some crafty inspiration to keep me quiet and busy while he completed some work. One thing I ran across was this:

from chickspicksbyhillary.com

It is sold on this website for $54.00 and it's felt. I came across a tutorial a while back of a lady that made a ruffle wreath out of paper. So I used the same logic, with folding and gluing. The texture and look all depends on the size of circles you use when cutting your felt and how closely you glue everything together.

My supplies:

-20 sheets of felt at $.29 per sheet

-1 Floral Wreath ring at $4.99

-Sparkling Holly beads  at $.99

Total: $11.78 but there are always coupons for craft stores so look online, I did not have any at the time I went because I was too excited to start my project.

The first thing you want to do is to find the size circle you would like to use. I just used a glass from the cabinet, turned it upside down and traced around the lip. I was able to fit 8 circles on each piece of felt.

 Then take the circle fold it in half then in half again. Add some hot glue to a side of the pointed part and place onto the floral ring. Continue to add circles this way to get the look you want.

I liked mine closer together because I wanted tighter ruffles. After you are finished add any embellishments. The great thing about the floral ring is that I am able to just push things into the ring without gluing them so I can use the wreath year round.

Christmas Cards

I have to admit that sometimes I like it when I feel like an over achiever. Christmas cards is something, I have to say that this year, I am an over achiever at. I have all of our Christmas cards (except 2) addressed, stamped and sealed. However, I think I am going to wait until next weekend to send them out so no one receives their Christmas card before Thanksgiving. Usually I am good about taking one holiday at a time but this year I am excited to get to Christmas!

Calzones

What you need:
-pizza dough
-pizza sauce
-mozzarella cheese
-your favorite pizza toppings

What to do:
1. Make pizza dough according to the directions on package (I like to use the thin crust pizza dough)
2. Roll dough out into a rectangle on a cookie sheet
3. Place sauce in middle section of pizza dough. So that you will be able to wrap over the sides.
4. Sprinkle cheese and toppings on top of sauce.
5. Cut the dough on the sides at about 3/4 inch intervals. Don't cut all the way to the filling.
6. Start at the bottom and alternating sides, overlap the strips of dough onto the filling in a lattice pattern. You can stretch the pieces to fit all the way over the filling.
7. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until lightly browned 

almost to 35.... dr. appt. update

At 35 weeks Ava is measuring the size of an average Honeydew melon!

Weight Gain: 20.5 lbs

Heart Rate: 164

Measurement: Measuring at 34. 5 weeks and I am 34 weeks and 5 days so right on target.

No concerns! Due to the holiday next week I will not be going back to the doctor until Dec. 2 when I will be 35 weeks and 6 days

stocking update.... is Christmas really 5 weeks away?!?!

I started on Ava's stocking this summer and with attempting to have all of my lesson plans and materials together for when I am out on maternity leave, I began to neglect the stocking. Lately, I have been designating certain nights for lesson plans and others for cross stitching. My goal is to have it done by Christmas because I know that when Ava gets here working on a stocking will be the last thing on my mind. Another I need to have done by Christmas is our Christmas cards. We bought some this weekend and I am in the process of addressing them, I think I have been pretty productive.

We still have so much to do or at least I think so. We are still in search of a pediatrician and an in-home child care provider. We have sorted out Ava's laundry and will be washing it this weekend along with installing the car seat. Then I will begin to pack my hospital bag. I guess it really isn't that much but there are tons of other little things. I have to realize you can only plan so much.

34 weeks and a visit from our moms

Cravings: None

Weight Gain: We have hit the 20 lb. mark, I have informed the nurses at the Dr.'s office that I do not wish to see the scale go any higher on my next few appointments... good luck with that

Belly Button: In

Heart Rate: 164

Changes: I can defiantly tell that little Ava is growing. My belly is getting rounder by the day.

Memory from the week: While at church Ava was kicking around, like I said this is her favorite time to get her gymnastics routine in. I had my mother in law, Mary, feel her kicking, when she would kick Mary would rub on her feet. Ava would then kick her back. This went on for about 2 minutes, I think someone has ticklish feet :)

My Dr. has decided that due to pelvic pressure that I have been experiencing he would like to go ahead and begin my weekly visits. Right now he has informed me that she has dropped but everything else is exactly how it should be right now. My next appointment is on Thursday.


Josh's mom came to visit this past weekend which was very nice and a great change of pace for us. We were able to celebrate Josh's birthday while she was here. My mom also came to the area to visit my bother, his wife and the new addition to their family. We were able to squeeze in sometime together shopping at the outlets.

 I think I out-did myself :)

The birthday Boy!

Crockpot Ham and Potato Soup

I found this recipes while searching the food and drink boards on Pintrest (one of my latest obsessions). I made it last night and it was delicious! For my version I did not add carrots because Josh doesn't like them and I added a half of a beef bullion cube because I thought I had chicken ones and didn't want to go back out to the store.

What you need:
7 c. diced potatoes (about 4 medium)
1 c. diced onion (about 1 medium)
1 large carrot, chopped
2 c. ham, diced
5. c. hot water
1 Knorr Chicken Bullion cube (extra large size that
makes 1 quart broth or 4 small cubes that make 1 cup each)
1 c. 2% milk
1/2 c. sour cream
Salt and Pepper to taste 


What to do:
Add diced potatoes, onion, carrot, and ham to a crock pot. Dissolve chicken bullion in 5 cups hot water, then add this to the crock pot also. Cook on low 7 hours, or high 3 hours. Then add milk and sour cream. Stir and cook an additional 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes twelve 1-cup servings.

If you'd like a thicker soup, just before adding milk and sour cream, remove 2-3 cups of the potatoes and slightly mash, then return the mashed mixture to the crock pot.

Makes 12 Servings (About 1 Cup Per Serving)

Chocolate Eclair Cake

One of my go to desserts for any type of gathering

What you need:

15 whole graham crackers (broken in half, 30 squares)

1 1/2 cups milk

1 pkg (4-serving size) Jell-O Vanilla Pudding

1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip

1 cup chocolate frosting

What to do:

Arrange 10 squares, overlapping slightly, in bottom of 8-inch square baking pan; set aside. Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Let stand 5 min. until thickened. Gently stir in whipped topping with wire whisk until well blended.

Spread half of the pudding mixture over graham squares in pan. Top with 10 of the graham square and remaining pudding mixture. Cover with remaining 10 graham squares.

Refrigerate at least 3 hours. spread with chocolate frosting just before serving.

The other weekend I decided to make a low sugar hence lower calories version for just myself. I used sugar free vanilla pudding prepared like the directions on the box. I made one layer of graham crackers in a large flat bottom bowl, then poured on half the pudding, another layer of graham crackers, the rest of the pudding. On top I squirted on some chocolate syrup. It was still yummy :)

Zorin Brun

This past week I became an Auntie!!! I am so excited that I have a nephew. He was born on November 1, 2011 and is 7lbs. 13 oz. and I think 21 inches long. He is adorable and a very content newborn. I was able to get in some cuddle time when I visited him at the hospital just a couple hours after he was welcomed into the world.

Zorin Jensen Brun