Picture Post & Baby Countdown!

Excited about the toy puppy that walks and barks from Grandpa and Grandma.


Her very "cheesy" smile :-)


Presents from Mommy and Daddy this year...an apron sewn by me, the book God's Wisdom for Little Girls (what a sweet book...highly recommend!), and a play castle. I actually picked up the play castle at a garage sale last summer for only $3. I had no idea when I picked it up that with the parts and everything it came with, it's worth 100 x that brand new. She was pleased as punch about it and plays with it a lot!


Christmas Day was SO warm this year, although a little bit windy. A bunch of our family went skating at my grandparents' house on their pond. Ellie LOVED being on the ice, carried around by her Dad and Grandpa. She talked about it for days after. "Skates? Skates? Maybe when I'm older?"


And....the baby countdown is ON! My due date is about 2 weeks away. I saw my midwife today, and she said this baby is READY to come! The head is very, very low, and it's been that way for a couple weeks already. Of course, I'm not going to get my hopes up for an early-ish baby since Ellie was 11 days overdue. I'll be shocked if it comes before it's due date. Oh yes...and it's going to be a big baby. Yay...

We haven't totally decided on names yet. I'm not packed up yet. And...the baby's room is not ready yet. I have some work to do...

So, So, SO happy and thankful to be with the midwives; I'm feeling confident that a VBAC is very possible. In fact, one of my midwives has a 100% VBAC success rate with her clients so far. Both are absolutely fantastic, and I know that I will not end up with an unnecessary C-section this time. I totally trust that they will do what they can to help me avoid one this time around, and if I end up with one, well, I can accept that it was the Lord's will and necessary.
Joyfully anticipating this little one's arrival....I can hardly wait!! :-)

Who is that Baby Born in a Manger?

During this busy Christmas season...

We hear Joy to the World! the Lord is come playing through the speakers in the mall.
People who do not know Him sing about Him.
People who do not know Him talk about Him.

But, who is He?
Who is that baby born in a manger?



photo credit

Have you stopped to think about who He really is?
Have you stopped to think about why He came?

Does He matter to you?
Does He make a difference in your life?
Or do you just celebrate the birth of a "special baby" every year around December 25th because it's the thing to do?

Was He just a good example? A good teacher? A mere human who lived a good life?

No.

"For unto is born this day in the city of David, a Savior which is Christ the Lord"

Is He your Savior? If you claim He is, do you know what He saved you from? Is he your LORD?

These are important questions.

The birth of Christ, although very important, would have been meaningless if that baby had just stayed in a manger instead of growing up to lay down His life on the cross, shedding His blood and dying for our sins. It would have been meaningless had He stayed dead in a grave instead of conquering sin and death by rising again.

The Bible says that baby, the Son of Man, came to seek and save that which was lost.

Has He found you yet?

...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” Romans 10:9-11

Candy Cane Bark

Christmas baking doesn't get much simpler than this! Be sure to only make this if you are planning on taking it somewhere. It's dangerous...very dangerous... to keep this stuff around the house.

Candy Cane Bark - yields one 9 x 9 pan

1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
20 mini candy canes (approximate - I didn't really count or measure)

Preheat the oven to 250 F. Line an 9 x 9 inch pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Spread out semi sweet chocolate chips in pan with foil and let melt in oven for a few minutes. Spread melted chips with a spatula to evenly cover the bottom of the pan. Chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes or until completely cooled and hard. Spread candy canes on a cookie sheet, cover with a tea towel and crush until quite fine. Separate out the bigger pieces from the very fine pieces and candy cane dust. Melt white chocolate chips in a double boiler or in the microwave on medium power for a few minutes, stirring every few minutes. Add some of the candy cane dust and very fine pieces to the melted white chocolate. Spread white chocolate mixture over cooled pan of semi sweet chocolate. Sprinkle remaining candy cane pieces on top and press down gently with a spoon to help pieces stick. Put in fridge to cool completely. When cooled, lift foil out of pan and cut into squares.

Baking Powder Cheese Biscuits

Baking Powder Cheese Biscuits - yields 2 dozen

4 cups flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1 cup cold butter
2 cups milk, or less
2 cups cheddar cheese

Mix dry ingredients together. Stir in grated cheese. Cut butter into mixture with pastry blender until pea-sized. Add about half the milk, and mix by cutting with a metal spoon. Keep adding milk until a soft dough is formed. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead by folding, about 8 times. Roll out to about 3/4 inches thick. Cut into desired shapes. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 F for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Menu Plan

As I was typing this up I just had to add in Ellie's comments as she's playing with her doll. It's so funny listening to her play!

"Are you supposed to speak that way? No, don't speak that way."
"Look at me in the eyes when I speak to you."
"Don't push. That's not very nice. You need to be nice to ____ (cousin's name)"
"Here, let me help you. You don't have to be afraid."

Anyway...

I'm trying to keep it pretty simple for the next few weeks since we'll be busy with all the family gatherings, I'm not sleeping much, can barely walk anymore, and I seriously feel/look like I'm ready to burst any day. People are shocked when I tell them I am still 3 weeks away from my due date. Yep, I'm hoping it's not a 12 pounder. And if I go terribly overdue again...help.

I'm so thankful my husband LOVES soup. It's one of his favourite meals. He would happily have homemade soup several times a week, which is nice because soup is simple and usually fairly healthy. Here's the plan for this week:

Monday
Oven Toasted Ham & Cheese Sandwiches, Easy Homemade Tomato Soup, Leftover mashed pototoes

Tuesday
Homemade Pizza (no-rise crust) & Caesar Salad

Wednesday
Leftovers

Thursday
Beef Barley Soup & Cheese Biscuits

Friday
Chicken Fingers, Oven Fries, Veggies & Dip

Saturday - Christmas Eve
Leftovers

*For more meals ideas visit Menu Plan Monday hosted by orgjunkie.com*

Oven Toasted Ham & Cheese Sandwich

Most of my family knows I am picky when it comes to sandwiches. I never was much of a sandwich person and usually had leftovers in my lunch as a kid. Bologna, peanut butter & jelly, salami with butter on white bread...I'd probably rather wait till the next meal :-) However, I find it hard to pass up a really good sandwich, wrap, or sub. A good sandwich with some type of protein, veggie, and cheese on whole wheat is my pick for a simple, balanced lunch. This one is a winner in my books, and I will definitely be making it again.

Oven Toasted Ham & Cheese Sandwich - yields 2 sandwiches

4 slices of bread
4 tsp mayonnaise
4 tsp Dijon mustard
4 slices (or more) ham
1 tomato, thinly sliced
2 slices cheese (use whatever cheese you prefer)

Preheat oven to 425 F. Spread 1 side of each slice of bread with mayonnaise and place 2 slices on greased baking sheet, dressing side down (helps it brown.) Spread with Dijon mustard, 2 slices (or more) of ham each, a slice of tomato and slice of cheese. Top with remaining bread, dressing side up. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and bake for another 5-7 minutes.

Feminine Friday & 36 Weeks

Did another week really just fly by? I cannot believe that this baby will soon be making his/her appearance! We are SO excited (and a bit nervous, too). I feel like I'm about to pop any day and hoping I don't go too much overdue. The baby has already dropped a bit and according to the midwife the head is very low already, so I'm enjoying some relief from the heartburn with the tradeoff of "other pains" from the baby dropping. Walking...make that, waddling... is no fun these days. With Ellie I was 11 days overdue, so I'll try not to get my hopes up for a slightly early or on the due-date baby.

Linking up to Feminine Friday.


In other news, Ellie has been sleeping better this week, but unfortunately I haven't been able to take much advantage of that due to the discomforts of pregnancy. Oh well. I remember sleeping better with a newborn than I did being pregnant in the later weeks. We'll see how that goes this time around. In potty training news, I have sabotaged progress way too many times in the last couple months. This time I am determined to be more consistent and to embrace the accidents. This week she's been totally diaper free other than for naps and bedtime. We are doing alright, and I think if I stick with it rather than giving in and giving up, this will be it. I plan on getting rid of the nap time diaper after Christmas if she can stay dry. Speaking of consistency, we are really trying to get on board with consistent discipline. Oh it is difficult some days...okay most days. I am trying to focus especially on obedience and bad attitudes. We are going for first-time obedience, and I am trying so hard to follow through every time with either training or appropriate discipline depending on the situation. We are making slow progress, I think...I hope.

Spaghetti Sauce

Spaghetti Sauce - original recipe from here

Ingredients
2 lbs ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 small cans tomato paste
2 15 oz (398 ml) cans tomato sauce
1-2 cups water (start with one cup and add more if needed during simmering)
3 tsp basil
2 tsp parsley
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red chili peppers
1/4 cup red wine (optional, but it really enhances the flavour)

Directions: In a large pot, brown ground beef with onions. Drain off fat. Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Add red wine, basil, parsley, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and crushed chili peppers. Stir well and bring just to a boil. Turn down and simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally. Add more water during simmering if needed.

Note: I often use this same recipe for lasagna

Turkey & Rice Casserole

This is a great way to use up leftover turkey & dressing.

Turkey & Rice Casserole - serves 8

2 cups cooked and chopped turkey (or chicken)
1 cup diced celery
1/2 small onion, diced
1 cup sliced almonds
4 cups cooked brown rice (approx 1 1/2 cups uncooked)
1 cup light mayonnaise
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in 1/2 cup boiling water

Combine all ingredients. Place in a large casserole dish. (I get 2 medium casseroles with this recipe.)

Topping: Mix 3/4 cup crushed cornflakes with a tsp of melted butter. Sprinkle on top. Alternatively, you can spread leftover turkey dressing on top. Both ways are good.

Bake at 400 F for 45 minutes.

Menu Plan Monday

photo credit: Can't wait to try these easy Rolo Pretzel Turtle treats from Comfy in the Kitchen


Stressed. Out. Yep, that about sums it up. The busyness of the season mixed with pregnancy hormones has me feeling like I'm on a roller coaster. One moment I'm feeling pretty calm, cool, and collected. The next moment I am feeling like I have a bazillion things to do before the baby arrives and no time to do it. Lists are my friend. I think. Ah well, sooner or later I will have a little bundle to cuddle and snuggle and it really won't matter what I did and did not get accomplished on my list. See? There I go from completely stressed out when I first started typing this post to suddenly calm and collected at this moment.


Anyway...

Here's the plan for this week:

Sunday
Lunch: Went out after church
Supper: Hubby threw in a frozen pizza since I was out and about getting a few groceries and things. Note to self: A store filled with every bulk item and goody imaginable is temptation city for a pregnant woman. A pregnant women during Christmas time? It's hopeless!

Christmas Goodies to Make:
Peppermint Bark
Rolo Pretzel Turtles

Other:
One Bowl Chocolate Pudding Cake
Honey Whole Wheat Bread


Monday:
Lunch: Turkey sandwiches with veggies & dip
Supper: Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu, Scalloped Potatoes, Steamed Carrots, Tossed Salad

Tuesday
Lunch: "Homemade" Creamy Tomato Soup, Grilled Cheese
Supper: Leftovers
*Make Spaghetti Sauce for tomorrow*

Wednesday
Lunch: Spaghetti & Meat Sauce, Cooked Peas, Caesar Salad
Supper: Leftovers

Thursday
Lunch: Turkey Wraps, Fruit Slices
Supper: Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Veggies

Friday
Leftovers

Saturday
Something Simple (Chicken Fingers, etc.)

*For more meal ideas visit Menu Plan Monday hosted by orgjunkie.com*

Feminine Friday & 35 Weeks

35 weeks. I think it's going to be another big baby!

Linking up to Feminine Friday at Buildeth Her House

Toddler Ruffle Apron

I finally got around to making an apron for Ellie. She just loves helping me in the kitchen and always wants to wear my apron, so I figured it was time for her to have her own. It's supposed to be part of her Christmas present, but I just had to have her model it for the pictures. I followed a tutorial for it here at Babblings and More. It's not perfect, but it's made with a lot of love. I ran out of pink material, so I used white ribbon for the ties instead. It's so girly and cute. I think she looks just adorable in it!







Linking up to
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Company Meatloaf

No matter how hard I try, I'm just not talented enough to make meatloaf look pretty!

There are a million-and-one ways to make meatloaf. I've tried a few recipes, and this is one of my favourites. I am not a big fan of ground beef if it tastes like ground beef. That probably sounds weird, but I need it seasoned. This is a nicely flavoured meatloaf that even I love because...well...it doesn't taste too much like meat. :-)

Company Meatloaf (easily doubled)

1 egg
1/2 package onion soup mix
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp water
3/4 cups bread crumbs
1 lb ground beef
Cheddar cheese slices

Topping
1/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp dried mustard (I substitute prepared mustard if I don't have this on hand)
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Beat egg and stir in soup mix. Add ketchup, water, and bread crumbs to ground beef. Add the soup and egg mixture. Gently mix. Put half into a loaf pan. Put cheese slices on top, then the rest of the ground beef mixture. Cover and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes and then pour off and discard juices. Spread topping on and bake uncovered for another 30 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink.

Menu Plan

Our freezer is getting nicely stocked with meals for when the baby arrives. To see a list of freezer friendly meals I'm working on go here.

Sunday
Leftover Turkey & Rice Casserole for lunchHomemade Creamy Vegetable Soup and Egg Salad Sandwiches for supper

Monday
Something Simple (Chicken Fingers, etc.)

Tuesday
Sweet & Sour Chicken (freeze half), Stir Fry Veggies, Rice

Wednesday
Leftovers
*Bake Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies for cookie exchange*

Thursday
Italian & Cheese Bread Sticks with Marinara Sauce, Veggies

Friday
Spaghetti & Meat Sauce (freeze leftover meat sauce), Caesar Salad

Saturday
Leftovers

*For more menu ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday hosted by orgjunkie.com*