Nevermind

I changed my mind. I'm allowed to do that right? I don't want to set my blog to private. Sorry, Kade. I can't do it. Enjoy, random people of the public.

Going private

I have decided to set this blog to private. Please message me your email if you would like me to email you an invite. I have also started a new blog that will be open to the public called Musings. The URL is www.ngmusings.blogspot.com. I hope you will all enjoy it. It will help me to be able to keep THIS blog more dedicated to my family happenings and less to my random thoughts I feel like sharing. On with it....

Easton has now passed his 5 month mark. Big boy! He is sitting up on his own and eating solids like a champ. He's pretty cranky lately...I suspect teeth. However, our biggest hurdle has once again focused on sleeping. Easton started waking up several time a night to eat. I decided that he is just too darn old to be needing to eat more than once at night, if at all. So..no more nighttime bottles unless I'm really positive that's what he's screeching about. Now I just pop his binky in his mouth, switch on his swing, and leave him alone to work it out. So far so good. Here are the newest pictures of our life.

Top Five Things to NEVER say to your wife during that "time of the month"

I thought I'd make a little list to help Kade out next time I'm laying in bed wishing the cramps would finally just kill me.
5. "Atleast you didn't start as young as _______"
Okay...I don't really give a crap who started when. The last thing I wanna be reminded of are the blissful, pain-free years I had as a child. Please. Shut. Up. And I'm pretty sure that girl doesn't want to be reminded of how many pain-free years she's missing out on.
4. "You can kick me in the nuts if it makes you feel better"
Actually...yes...it would make me feel better. You are actually allowed to say this one. On one condition. You may not say this line and then proceed to cup your hands over the goods to protect them. If you say it- You had better stand up straight and take it like a man.
3. "My _________ hurts."
You hurt? You don't know what it means to hurt. I gave birth. I win. Always. I don't really care if your arm just fell off. I will always laugh at you when you say you hurt from now on. The end.
2. "Gosh, you're ornery today, aren't you"
Uh...are you kidding me? If you say this sentence you better get ready to run. Pretty sure my head is about to start spinning around like the Exorcist. You should always tell me how lovely I am and how much you are enjoying my company. I don't care if it's a lie. JUST SAY IT.
1. "You'll feel better tomorrow."
How the *bleep* do you know? Can you give me a written guarantee? Unless you are promising to turn me into a boy over night, you may not say this one. EVER. It is hereby forbidden. And you may not defend yourself after saying this by saying "What? It gives you something to look forward to!" You may as well sign your own death certificate.

Hope that helps, honey! Love you :)

Dear Media, You disgust me.

As you all know, I frequently use my blog as a soapbox. So, in keeping with tradition...Here I go again. The media makes me sick. I can't walk by a magazine stand without seeing at least one headline blaring who is fat, thin, anorexic, in treatment, etc. The latest headline did catch my eye, however. Stephanie Pratt (from the MTV reality show "The Hills") declares "The Hills made me Bulimic." HUH? Since when can a TV show (which you claim is not scripted) "give" you a deadly mental illness? Excuse me? Yeah...it can't. The only disease is seems to have given you, Stephanie, is a deep need for attention. In an interview with MTV she admits that she has struggled with her eating disorder for long before "The Hills" began. That's more like it. She also says she is just trying to draw attention to the issue of eating disorders and to help parents better recognize the signs. Hmm...I'm not convinced. I don't doubt the fact that she legitimately struggles with this illness, but I sincerely doubt her reasons for making it public. Especially if you're way of bringing it into the limelight is by telling a trashy magazine. Secondly, to Wrigley Gum: In response to your recent ad campaign: GUM IS NOT A SNACK! If you're hungry, eat for heaven's sakes! Morons. Also, Dear Taco Bell: Please do not encourage your customers to eat a "Fourth Meal". Late night binging is NOT healthy. And last but not least--- Dear Dreyers ice cream: Kindly change the name of your new ice cream flavor: "Red, White, and No More Blues". Ice cream does not solve problem. Please don't convince people to emotionally eat. And Dear Media: You disgust me. Sincerely, Me.

Oh and one more thing: I swear to never watch Jon and Kate + 8 again. It's time to move on. I refuse to give ratings to a show that has ruined such a beautiful family. The end.

Proud of me

Today has been very productive. I did seven loads of laundry, cleaned the house top to bottom, played with Easto, make a kick-butt dinner, baked the best cookies in the world, AND made a yummy snack for us to enjoy when Kade got home from class. I think I understand the term "super-mom" Here are the recipes I tried today. I HIGHLY recommend each and every one of them!
First-- The aptly-named Better Than Sex Sauce. This recipe was shared with me a while ago by my friend Natalie. Bout time I made it, hmm, Nat?

Better Than Sex Sauce...

• 2 c. Whipping Cream
• 1 c. Sour Cream
• 1 tsp. Chicken Base (like the pastey kind)
  
• 2 T. Clarified Butter (what is clarified anyway???)
  
• 1 T. Flour
• 1 tsp. bottled jalepenos minced
• 1 T. juice from bottled jalapenos
• 2 oz. Shredded cheese - mexi-mix

Heat whipping cream in a heavy saucepan over high heat. When the cream is ready to boil, stir in sour cream. After sour cream dissolves, reduce heat to medium. Stir in chicken base and jalapeno juice and simmer.

While cream is heating: Make a roux by warming butter in a saucepan over medium heat, adding flour, and mixing with a wire whip until mixture starts to turn pale gold.

Just before cream mixture is ready to boil again, add roux, whisking briskly and constantly until roux is incorporated. Remove from heat; stir in minced jalapeno and the cheese.

Serve with Tortilla Chips, Bread, Crackers...whatever the heck you wanna serve it with!!


Next-- S'more Cookies...YUM!
1/2 c. old fashioned rolled oats
2 cups all purpose flour. (I used 1 c. flour and 1 c. finely ground graham crackers)
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 king size milk chocolate bar (I cut each Hershey square in half)
15 large marshmallows cut in half

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse oats until finely ground. Add flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; Pulse to combine. In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter. Add egg. Beat in flour mixture on low speed until just combined.
2. Drop dough by tablespoon, one inch apart, onto two baking sheets. Top each with a chocolate square. Bake until lightly golden, 11-13 minutes, rotating sheets half way through. Remove sheets from oven. Heat broiler. Top each cookie with marshmallow half. One sheet at a time, broil cookies until marshmallows are golden brown. Cool on wire racks. SOOOO GOOOOODD!

Last but not least....http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Honey-Mustard-Grilled-Chicken/Detail.aspx
This chicken was really good. You should just check it out on the website. That way you can scale it up or down to fit your family and see the picture of it. Very yummy.

5 things I did yesterday

Inspired by my sister (who was inspired by her sister-in-law) here is a list of five things I did yesterday.
1. Watched The Hours...What's is WITH that movie?? Weird.
2. Read Pride and Prejudice. It's taking an infinitely long time for me to finish it, but I'm really enjoying it. I'll give the credit to Julianne, who always told me I needed to read it.
3. Went to the park behind my house with Easton. I just intended to get out of the house to get Easton to STOP crying. But it turned out to be exactly what I needed too. It is full of the most beautiful wild daisies and other flowers. It was absolutely gorgeous. Christy and Tegan joined us
there later. It's so nice to see good friends.
4. Went to a bon fire to see some old high school friends. It turned out to be just about the lamest thing I did yesterday, second only to watching that horrible movie (which is debatable). Turns out...I see the people I want to see and don't really have a need to "reconnect" with anyone else.
5. Had a sleepover with Amber and Whitney. Kade was out of town umpiring so we decided to have a girl party. It was so much fun. I forget how fun it is to stay up late doing Madlibs, eating junk, and just being silly. I half regretted it in the morning when Easton woke up so early (and with a cold), but post-nap I know that it was definitely much needed.

Easton has turned into a drooly, whiny, teething monster. He and I are trying desperately to get along while we get through this unavoidable time. Can't kids just have dentures???

Also-- Here are our new family photos. Thanks again to Christy :0)

My new love

Basically, I am in love with finding and trying new recipes lately. And if I can't find a good one, I'll make it up. Such is the case with my recent obsession with making hamburgers. Preferably ones that are stuffed with cheese and bacon and bbq sauce....delish! Last night I tried a recipe for baked salmon that was fantastic. I don't usually enjoy salmon, so you know it must have been good. Here's the recipe:
1 clove minced garlic (I left this out because I don't like to have bad breath)
2 T olive oil
1 T melted butter
3/4 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt
3 T lemon juice
1 tsp dried parsley
dash of dill weed

Mix that all together and let your salmon marinate in it for about 45 minutes in a shallow dish. Cover the dish with tinfoil and bake for 35-45 minutes at 375 degrees. Done. Delicious.
Tonight I'm making Northwest Steakhouse Steaks. I'll let ya know if it's a winner.