Desperate Housewife

I'm definitely not a housewife. Although, I desperately wish I could be.

I'm a cook in the making doing some on the job training, if you will.

After my turkey incident, I nearly put away my cooking stuff and threw in the dishtowel.  But. I had turkey left over! and I put too much energy into it to not use it.

I attempted to make these sandwiches and I think they turned out pretty darn well for a first time broiler.

I took some pieces of whole grain bread and tried to broil them, but this was after I had to call my dad to find out what it meant to broil something. Who knew there was a heating unit in my oven that wasn't the oven?

Have some pity on me, I'm only 23... I should be eating ramin noodles in a dorm room somewhere finishing my masters, but I chose to take a little different path in life and I couldn't be happier!

Back to these sandwiches.... I broiled the bread but only got the crust to get crusty, but persevered anyway. I threw some spinach leaves (I love spinach leaves) on, sliced some tomato (I try to convince myself daily that I like tomato, but I really don't), avocado (I love avocado)....

I think I may have used too much, but at least avocado is a health fat right?

Used up the turkey I had left over...

Put a slice of colby jack on top...

and broiled it for a few seconds. If I could figure out how to get this method of cooking to be consistent with all three sandwiches it would be golden. Fast, efficient, and the sandwiches were mouth watering good, even with crusty crusts and normal bread like centers. 

Perhaps I'll try these again sometime soon, but buy precooked turkey next time. haha

Something Lighter

I hope not to take away from our reason of going out of town this weekend, the March for Life, but to share some of the other things we did this weekend. We traveled up north in the winter not cause we are crazy but to stand up for our beliefs. 

We did march up Constitution Ave towards the Capitol Building with the best Pro Life signs we could carry, our two beautiful girls. 

The March for Life was our primary focus, but it was nice though to enjoy the city of Baltimore as a bonus and to make a nice family weekend out of it.

We went to the children's museum, climbed the World Trade Building of Baltimore and got to see this amazing view of the Inner Harbor, and ate the very best meal I have ever had in my life: 

the Maryland crab cake from Mo's Seafood.

Riley took this picture of Hub, I, and Raigan sleeping in the back of our stroller. I think it's pretty impressive for a 3 year old.

The big shark in the background was a submarine in the bay. 

On a side note: Isn't Riley the cutest? I just want to eat her up!

March for Life

The reason we were in Baltimore, MD this weekend was for the March for Life in Washington DC. We have stayed in DC many times over and have never seen Baltimore, so we decided to spend our weekend there and then make the half an hour drive to DC Monday morning.

Here is an article from The Examiner: 

"Hundreds of thousands of pro-life demonstrators from across the nation took to the frosty streets of Washington, DC yesterday for the March for Life

The March marked the 38th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a 1973 Supreme Court decision, which held that women have a constitutional right to an abortion in the early stages of pregnancy and that the criminalization of abortion violates a woman’s right to privacy.  

The March for Life has been held annually in Washington, DC since 1974."

Brandon and I had intentions to go as a family every year after Riley was born. Here is Riley on her first march back in 2008: 

Oh my goodness she was so little and favors Raiggie so much!

In 2009 we were deathly sick with a freak stomach virus that caused us to vomit even water and resulted in severe dehydration and we were unable to go.

Then, in 2010 Raigan was only 2 months old. Although I'm brave enough to take a 3 and 1 year old on the march, a 2 an 2 month old was just not even a thought.

So here it is in 2011 and back we were. All 4 of us!

Riley took a nap in the back of the double stroller for a good portion of the march until I woke her up because I didn't want her to miss it this year because she will actually be able to remember it this time.

It was very impacting to be apart of the other hundreds of thousands of people that share the same stance and passion. It was pretty kick ass too that most of the crowd were the youth and future of America. I read somewhere that close to 30,000 attended the youth rally this weekend. Just the fact that these kids are taking a stance on any matter is impressive enough to me and then to stand up for what they believe in as well is pretty huge. I think it speaks a lot for America's future.

I don't want to force my babies to have the same beliefs that I do, although I hope they do, I want to show my girls to stand up for what they believe in and be proactive.

I want them to radiate passion for their beliefs and for life.

At our wedding my best friend and Brandon's best friend gave the most heart pulling speeches anyone could have asked for. They both brought me to tears and I regret not having a video of them to watch over and over. My best friend, Sarah that I grew up with on the same street strung about humor, kindness, and love in her speech. The one thing that stood out most to me was she said that I was a passionate person.

That meant a lot to me.

Being ProLife is one of my passions.

I do not wish to protest Roe v Wade because I'm Republican (I don't certainly don't consider myself one), to judge other women for their choices, or to whatever else.

I protest it because I believe we should love above all else. Love the unborn, the born,  the dying, and everyone in between. Abortion is not an action of love no matter how you look at it.

With all that being said, I also believe that it is our responsibility to love and respect those that choose to have other beliefs from our own as well.  I think President Obama said it best, "We will move forward together or not at all." Although I hope one day Roe vs Wade is overturned, I hope along the way we can learn to just love one another and then everything else will fall into place. Until then, my family will be loving above all else and attending the March for Life in Washington DC as long as we have to.

Our Weekend

We were in Baltimore, Maryland this weekend and while there we visited their Childrens Museum,  

Port Discovery.

I was very impressed. 

They have a wide variety of exhibits that were all very engaging and educational and they had this huge jungle gym-tree house- climbing thing that went up three floors. Brandon and I even climbed in it with our girls and all four of us had a wonderful time.

I am really into nutrition and educating Riley and Raigan about healthy eating. Port discovery had this awesome exhibit that made making healthy food choices so fun.

I wish Riley’s preschool could go on a field trip there! I mean it’s only 9 hours away…

They have a play store set up to shop for foods, you checked out, and then categorized the foods you purchased into their respective food groups.

They had healthy eating tips for parents and kids. 

They had the typical water play exhibit like they do at all other children’s museums and Raigan enjoyed standing there playing in the stream. Although this exhibit was generic they did have this really cool HUGE bubble maker. Riley and I got a pretty good one going before she just couldn’t take the anticipation anymore and kicked it.

The girls thoroughly enjoyed the huge room filled with drums too. Raigan is not walking yet but she cruises along almost anything. She is just not at all interested at walking yet, which I can’t really blame her since she has whomever she wants carry her. She is a super fast crawler too so she just sees no need I guess.

Super fast drummer too. 

These last two photos are darker because we were in an Egyptian tomb where we could do hieroglyphics.

I could go on and on about this place. If you are in the Baltimore area it’s for sure worth it to stop by. We spent literally hours there and I’m so glad we did.

Snow Day!

We are getting a few inches of snow here in Kentucky so Brandon and I both took a snow day today with our girls. We have mainly been playing catch up with cleaning our house and laundry.

Here is a picture of my sweet one year old:

I bought these eye shadows the  other day and I'm pretty excited about using them. They are both sparkly which isn't really appropriate for work or daytime wear so I'm going to have a plan a night out here soon.

Was this post as random as ever? It's very reflective of my life at the current moment, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

Green Eggs and Ham Strawberries

About a million years ago when we had cable I was watching Paula Dean on The Food Network and she was cooking with her niece and nephew or grand kids or whomever they were... it was a long time ago okay? and she made them green eggs and ham! So I thought I would try it out, but every time I have thought about it sense it's after the eggs are already almost cooked and I'm scrambling (pun intended) to find the food coloring! and by the time I do, it's too late.

But not the other day!

well... sort of...

I thought, oh no! I forgot to add the blue food coloring again!! So I rushed for the food coloring, got it, and instead of 2 drops of blue to the yellow eggs to make green, I panicked and added about 10 just in case the eggs cooked before I could add anymore. So I guess they are more like blue-green eggs, but Riley and Raigan both loved them and ate them all up.

Fun and easy breakfast!

Remi

I'm really excited to blog about this pretty amazing thing that happened yesterday.

I guess I have to backtrack a little for this story to make sense.

Raigan's first birthday party was last weekend and before the party a few of my dear friends asked me what Raigan wanted or needed for a birthday gift. With it being just after Christmas, our house was (and still is) flooded with toys and clothes and everything in between. So I asked them if they would just donate money to St. Jude because I am so grateful for our two beautiful healthy daughters.St. Jude is an organization that does amazing things and has a really large place in my heart.

My dear friend Tracy gave her a check to St. Jude to donate.

So, skip to yesterday morning. I was on break in between my classes in the computer lab at school looking online for the address to mail the check to St. Jude. As I was on their website there was a side article that had a picture of a super cute little baby named Remi (the name we had chosen for our baby had Raigan been a boy). I choose not to read about the St. Jude kids often and honestly have to turn the channel when the stories are on TV. It sounds horrible, but it just kills me inside and tears me up for days... weeks and I cannot get those children out of my thoughts and prayers. I don't want to look away but I have to because I'm so effected by it. I kept telling myself, "don't click on it. don't click on it."

So I clicked on it.

I sobbed in the computer lab reading his story and sent my husband this email:

I was online trying to find the address to mail that check that Tracy wrote for Raigan's birthday and there was a featured patient of the month and I tried with everything not to click it, but I had to because his name was Remi. I'm sitting here in the computer lab at school, crying. I clicked on it and the little boy's name is Remi and he is Raigan's exact age! That could have been our little Remi if we would have had a boy, isn't that so strange? God, he's so cute in his little picture. We are so blessed that it brings me to tears. He is fine though and cured of his cancer (in his eyes) because of St. Jude. Isn't that awesome? I think we should do more ya know? I love you and our beautiful healthy happy family!


I don't think things are just a coincidence. I think God puts things in our lives at just the right times. How amazing? Remi could have been our baby. He was born at the same time and shared the name with our unborn baby the same time his mother did. I am just forever grateful that my children are healthy and happy. Remi is finished with his treatments and can live a wonderfully long life and enrich the life of his parents and others thanks in large part to St. Jude.



Here is his story from St. Jude:

 

Remi
1 year old

 

 

Diagnosis:

Remi was found to suffer from bilateral retinoblastoma in February 2010.

Remi's story:

Remi's dad had a type of eye cancer called retinoblastoma when he was a child, so when Remi was born, his mother felt it important to have Remi checked for it, too. Her motherly instincts proved correct, when, at just 2 months old, tests revealed little Remi had tumors in both of his eyes.
Remi's mom remembered the devastation she felt upon learning her baby was suffering from cancer. "I felt like my whole world was crushed," she said. Remi's doctor quickly provided a referral to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

At St. Jude:

Remi began receiving chemotherapy. Because his disease was advanced, Remi was treated with three types of chemotherapy on a protocol designed to destroy the tumors in his eyes, with the hope of preserving his vision.
Remi's mom knows the research going on at St. Jude contributes to her son's chance of beating his disease. "I feel that Remi receives top-of-the-line treatment here. We're at the best place in the world," she said.
Remi has completed treatment and was able to return home this fall. He'll return to St. Jude for regular checkups.
Remi is a curious little boy who loves Sesame Street and playing with his toy train.

January 2011
 






Isn't he so stinkin' cute?!


http://www.stjude.org/waystohelp

Balancing Act

I'm trying to cook a turkey for dinner and it's almost comical.

Apparently two days isn't long enough to defrost a turkey in the fridge, who knew? I called my dad and asked he said you can cook it frozen just longer, so our dinner will be ready only a few hours after the girl's bedtime. I had my leg up on the counter trying to get the plastic thing off of the legs. Then just said oh, well, I hope it's some freak plastic that doesn't melt at 325 degrees. I'm counting on it anyway.

I'm watching a Barbie fashion movie with Riley for about the eigth time in the past three days. There are zombie peas and they use the word "redonkulous." Someone save me.


I'm trying to learn to balance everything. A new semester has begun and I'm trying to get in the swing of things, which is especially challenging with starting a new job in the mix of it all. 

We went to my sister in law's mom's birthday last night at a roller skating rink, it was at a place in the area that I didn't even know existed. When I asked the owner how long they have been there he started this weird spiel about how Obama has destroyed our economy and is trying to bankrupt the country and built it back as a socialist society. I said uh, thanks for my skates and went on my way. Then my sister in law broke her arm while standing in skates.

It was an unusual evening.

I'm excited to blog about this really inspirational story that happened today, but it will have to wait till after I figure out dinner since my turkey isn't working out. 

Happy 1 Year Anniversary!

Happy 1 Year Anniversary Blog!

Raigan's 1st Birthday!

Look Whooo's Turning 1!