entry #126

Dear Pumpkin Festival,

Thank you for finally arriving! I'm very excited to
eat all the goodies that you bring. I can't guarantee
that pregnant me will like them but I'll try!

Dear Dora and Diego,

I find you highly annoying but thank you for keeping
my kids occupied while I get ready for the day.

Dear Washer,

Thank you for not ruining the cute shirts I have
that still fit. I was worried there for a bit cause
I washed something that was supposed to be
by hand but it all turned out ok.

Dear Dishes,

Thank you for being practical in our daily life.
But, do me a favor and wash yourself!

Dear Baby,

I love you. Please turn head down and stop
kicking me down there. There are only so
many kicks it can handle until you bust your
way out the wrong way!

entry #125

1. being so crafty lately thanks to my friend cori
for getting me started and obsessed with crocheting

2. calm mornings with my kids in our quiet home

3. two nights in a row without waking up
to pop a tums! no heartburn thanks to
pepcid and maalox. now if i can just make
myself go to bed at a decent time to enjoy
the sleep i'm getting....

4. pumpkin festival starting tomorrow!

5. fall being in one week!!!

ham and potato soup...

i made it all in the croc-pot.

15 diced potatoes (i used small red and didn't peel)
1 cup diced celery
chopped onion
2.5 lbs of diced ham
3 cups water
2 tb chicken bouillon granules
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

then in a sauce pan you make your white sauce

5 tb butter
5 tb flour
2 cups of milk

add to the croc-pot

cook on high for 5 hrs.
at the last 30 min. add 1/2 cup to a whole cup
of instant potato flakes to thicken up the soup

enjoy!

as seen in the picture i also made cheesy pockets.

1 bag of frozen bread loaves (3 loaves come in a bag)

let rise. cut ea. loaf into 5's.
roll out each piece and cut off a
piece of moz. cheese and put to one side of
the rolled piece and fold dough over it to
make a pocket with pinched edges.

bake at 350F for 15 minutes

(ham and potato soup recipe was found here but was tweaked)

entry #124

Dear Liam,

Thanks for making us laugh last night when you downed
half a bag of jalapeno doritos without flinching and
only saying 'hot' in between bites.

Dear Olivia,

Thank you for listening better today with school. You
are very smart and you always make me laugh with
your drawings and letters. Thank you!

Dear 'Birth your way',

Thank you for answering the questions or concerns I
had and for re-confirming my feelings of having
a homebirth. I feel even calmer.

Dear ham and potato soup I made last week,

Thank you for turning out so wonderfully. You will now
be added to our rotation of meals since the family loved
you.

Dear first attempt lemon jello dessert mom makes so well,

Thank you for turning out just like hers! It hit the spot.

entry #123

Dear Liam,

Why did you stay up so late eating 3 bowls of chips
and wake up before 7? Your happy spirit makes it
not so bad for mommy. Thank you for greeting me
so happily every day!

Dear Papaya juice and geztyme,

Thank you for working! I only had to chew 2 tums
overnight! That is a HUGE difference.

Dear Husband,

Thank you for being considerate of my sleep
and sleeping on the couch while you've been
sick. That is very sweet of you.

Dear Today,

Thank you for arriving because ea. day
is a new day to refresh but please be
good to me today. I'm exhausted!

Dear Olivia,

Thank you for actually being a help with dishes
yesterday! It made my task more fun with
you by my side. I love you!

my first beef stew....

and here is the recipe!

i got it off of allrecipes.com
but tweaked it a bit.

2.5 lbs of beef stew cut into cubes
1 can of stewed tomatoes
1 cup of chopped celery
4 carrots chopped
5 small red potatoes cubed with skin on
1/2 onion chopped
1 cup of water
2 beef bouillon cubes
thyme
rosemary
1 package of gravy mix
1 small frozen bag of peas

1. flour meat and brown in sauce pan

2. cut-up all veggies (except peas) and put in bottom
of your croc-pot

3. stir in the can of stewed tomatoes

4. add water

5. put meat on top

6. cook for 2 hrs. on high in croc-pot

7. add spices and gravy packet
(stir every 30 minutes)

8. after 2.5 hours add the peas
and serve about 30 minutes later!

I served this with cheesy corn bread!
Enjoy!

entry #122

Dear Uncle Chiropractor,

Thank you for giving me something that will hopefully
help with my terrible indigestion problems and
for adjusting me and pushing my stomach down. I
truly truly appreciate it!

Dear September,

Thank you for joining us. You are possibly my
favorite month because you start my favorite
time of the year.

Dear my first stew,

Thank you for smelling lovely in the croc-pot
and for giving me hope that you may just
turn out!

Dear beautiful mums,

Thank you for gracing our front steps to
add to the beauty of fall I wanted to create.
Please stay alive! (as i don't do well with living plants)

Dear Daughter,

I love your drawings. They make me smile and warm
my heart. I want to frame each and every one of them.
Thank you for making me laugh this morning when you
were trying to draw a horse for school and it ended up
looking like a elephant-ant eater. Never give up on
your creativity. It's who you are.

unicorn by olivia