February Coming To An End

Are you ready for this fun filled blog?!?
Are you sure?!?
Want a good laugh?!? Be prepared for a little chuckle;)

Okay....well our very busy month is coming to an end in a few days, a lot has gone on for us:) We celebrated both Justin and my birthday..so we are now "old people".jk jk
Then we got to celebrate our 4 year wedding anniversary:) We had a nice dinner out at the Cheesecake Factory. We had some yummy food and Justin got to enjoy a beer and not worry about a screaming toddler!! Seems to have just FLOWN by so fast. We have been through training for the USMC, 2 deployments, having a baby, moving from Kansas to California, moving to a new house and more on top of that. Plus more to come in our crazy life with more years to come;) And this also makes me sad, I graduated high school 4 years ago!!haha
Then two days later we celebrated Luckas' 2nd birthday. I held it together most of the day, I got really tear eyed in the morning before his party. But I did okay:) So GO MOMMA!!!! He had his 2 year check up and his little noggin is in the 95% group, his weight is in the 70ish% group and his height is in the 60ish% group. They also told me that he has grown 3 inches since he was last seen by a doctor..talk about growing!!!!

We also got some AMAZING NEWS that we will be moving into our new house in the next 3 weeks. I can't wait to finally have a bigger home, more space, the chance to get ready for Drake and start on his room..I think it will actually SET IN more with me besides him kicking me harder that he is coming in 20 or less weeks. I know Justin is excited to have more room with having another little man on the way:)

Then last but not least..I have to share a little funny story with you all about our newest speeder in the family:)bahaha I have gotten literally SO MUCH greif from Justin about my two speeding tickets (which both accounts...were a joke), my warning driving home to Kansas trying to find a rest stop and then my improper turn ticket (don't ask me how that happens). Anyways...Justin gives me so much smack on my tickets and how he doesn't want to pay for anymore. I have been ticket free since April 2009. Back to the main point, Justin calls me since he is coming home from work today. He slips in that he got pulled over by PMO (military police) and got a speeding ticket. I literally busted out laughing SO HARD, I was crying for a good portion of the phone call and after we hung up. It was so priceless that Mr.No-Ticket...got a speeding ticket for going 10 over the speed limit..55 in a 45. So his new name is Speeder;)

I hope you all enjoyed the little update:) Now its time to go get some buffalo chicken wings and a salad for dinner;) And make sure your going the speed limit!!haha

Chicken-Stuffed Bell Peppers

So when I came across this recipe..I was won over. But then I remembered that I had these frozen stuffed bell peppers before and it was not so yummy. So when the peppers where done and mine cooled off for a little bit. I took a bit and I was SO WON OVER!!!!!!! I want to make this tomorrow night, the next night and man oh man!!

You will need:
4 large green, red or orange peppers
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken
2/3 cup pasta sauce [I used garlic sauce]
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar, Monterey Jack or Swiss cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:
HEAT the oven to 375ºF. Cut the tops off the peppers and reserve. Remove and discard the seeds. Place the peppers, cut-side up, into a 3-quart shallow baking dish.
HEAT the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender. Place the onion mixture into a medium bowl. Stir in the chicken, sauce, cheese and black pepper. Spoon the chicken mixture into the pepper halves. Top with the reserved pepper tops, if desired.
BAKE for 40 minutes or until the peppers are tender.

Savory Lemon Chicken

Even though during this pregnancy I haven't been a big fan of chicken. Maybe its just the way we had it all the time before I started looking for new awesome recipes. This was so yummy, I added rice with the veggies being carrots & peas:)

You will need:
Vegetable cooking spray
1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup chopped green or red pepper
4 lemon slices

Directions:
SPRAY a 10-inch skillet with the cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until well browned on both sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet.
STIR the soup, water, parsley, lemon juice, paprika and pepper in the skillet and heat to a boil. Return the chicken to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Top the chicken with the lemon slices.

Its been 4 years...

Its been 4 years today since I walked down the aisle in that little church in Valley Center, CA to see my best friend waiting for me at the end to say our "I Do's" together:):) I remember I was so nervous, so happy, so excited, my stomach was a ball of butterflies. I had just turned 18, 3 days before:) Its been one heck of a ride with everything thrown our away, 2 deployments, a lot of training, 1 little toddler and another bun in the oven, a re-enlistment and a lot more coming in our future. I can't wait to keep growing old with you babe, I don't want to get all mushy in the blog but thanks for always being my rock. I love you:)

Our Wedding Day:):)

Our 1 year Anniversary down at Sea World:)

Our 2nd Anniversary I was 39 weeks & 2 days pregnant with Luckas/ Justin was in Iraq for his 2nd deployment.

Our 3 Anniversary...we went to dinner where we went on our honeymoon the Jolly Roger in Oceanside,CA.

And tonight we are going to dinner down the hill to have ourselves a little dinner:) I can't wait for many more years to come and we can be those two old people rocking in our chairs watching our kids/grandkids. Life is just simply amazing:)!!!!

Orange BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

I have literally been waiting all week to post this awesome dinner:) And it was so WORTH it because it was just amazing!!! I started cooking mine at 9am this morning on low and it was ready by 5pm.

Ingredients:
1 boneless pork shoulder (3 lb.)
1 bottle (18 oz.) KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce
Juice from 1 medium orange [ I used 2 oranges:)]
12 sandwich rolls, split, toasted [ I went and got fresh french bread from the commissary]
1/2 cup KRAFT Real Mayo Mayonnaise

Directions:
PLACE meat in slow cooker; top with barbecue sauce and orange juice. Cover with lid.
COOK on LOW 8 to 10 hours (or on HIGH 4 to 6 hours). Remove meat from slow cooker; cut into small pieces or shred with fork. Return to slow cooker; stir to evenly coat meat with sauce.
With the fresh french bread I cut the size we would both eat, cut them in half. Then I brushed melted butter lightly on top. Then I placed our bread in the oven at 350 degrees and baked for about 7 minutes..just to get it a little crunchy!
SPREAD rolls with mayo; then add the meat.


Please note that I didn't use a lot of mayo since we aren't big mayo fans. And the photo above is Justin's plate since he likes beans, I don't....YUCK!!! So he was pumped to have some beans for dinner! I hope you all ENJOY:):)

Chicken Parmesan

I know some people already know how to cook this amazing meal. But I wanted to share a new little twist that I have tried and love it. Now only if my husband would get home so we can enjoy dinner:)

You will need:

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts

2/3 cup of dried bread crumbs [I use Italian..but you pick what you like]

1/4 cup of crushed French Onions [optional]

1/3 cup of parmesan cheese

1 egg, beaten

1 jar of spaghetti sauce of your choice

1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese

Vegtable Oil

Spaghetti noodles

Directions:

COOK spaghetti noodles in a pot that works for you on your stove.

MIX the dried bread crumbs, crushed french onions and parmesan cheese.

DIP the chicken in the egg, then into the dried bread crumb mix.

FRY the chicken in a pan with some vegtable oil (not to much, just enough to cover the bottom) on medium. Cook till golden dark brown or when chicken is fully cooked for about 10-15 minutes.

DRAIN the noodles when they are done cooking.

This is where it may vary for other people. I go ahead and mix the sauce with the noodles and then plate my chicken, pour the amount of noodles I want over my chicken. Then top it off with some mozzarella cheese:) Then ENJOY!!!!!

Suggestion: You can get a nice loaf of garlic bread and have it as a side. We usually do, but we had that with our lasagna the other night!

Oh yeah...did I mention this is one of Justin's favorite dinners!!! So he was a very happy husband when he got home late tonight from work.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

I know your mouth is just WATERING at just reading the title of this blog post. Trust me, I'm smelling this YUMMY dinner right now that is cooking in my oven. With this pregnancy I want different new things for dinner. While I was making out our meal plan this time around, up at 11pm talking to my friend who lives in GA, she gave me the idea to find something yummy that involved enchiladas. Then I found this recipe....

You will need:
2-1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken [ I used chicken breasts and chopped them into cubes and cooked them]
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT Shredded Colby & Monterey Jack Cheeses, divided [I used Cheedar]
1 cup Sour Cream, divided
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, divided
12 flour tortillas (8 inch)
1-1/2 cups Taco Bell Home Originals Thick 'N Chunky Salsa

Directions:
HEAT the oven to 350°F.
COOK the chopped chicken over the stove in a pan.
MIX the cooked chicken, soup, 1 cup cheese, 1/2 cup sour cream and 3 Tbsp. cilantro until well blended. Spoon down centers of tortillas, adding about 1/4 cup to each; roll up. [I added a little more then suggested and made 4 good size enchiladas for us]
PLACE, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with salsa and remaining cheese.
BAKE 25 min. or until heated through. Top with remaining sour cream and cilantro.

Suggestion: You could add a side salad if you wanted..I will do it next time since it sounds good!!

In the oven to get the cooking on;)
Out of the oven...all nice and cooked up!! Ready for the plate...
That is what is inside this yummy bad boy:) I hope you all enjoy if you try out this recipe!!!!
FYI:Justin chowed down his enchilada within 10 minutes and loved it. So I know I will be making this again for us:) I'm really excited for Friday's dinner. I will posting that on the blog for everyone!

Momma's Lover Boys

Ever since we found out we were expecting Drake. Luckas has been extra cuddly and extra loveable towards me which I'm NOT complaining about at all. He is the biggest Daddy's boy that I have ever seen, so this is def out of his norm. But being cute/funny isn't....

He literally cracks me up everyday:) Even when he is a little stinker or he is having one of those bad days. Like when we are both on the sofa and he inches closer to me to kick me or poke me with his toes over and over again!! But then when its time for bed I get my goodnight kiss and I always ask for just one more and he comes back to me to give me one more with the BIGGEST smile on his face. Melts my heart into pieces:)

Tonight he was in one of those moods where he was kicking me and poking me with his toes. Getting into things before bed and I asked him to cuddle with while we watched the rest of Blues Clues...he wanted to cuddle with Drake and I!!! Brotherly love already?!?!

I thought that Drake would kick Luckas, since he has been active all night. But he never kicked him or me. So I guess he already loves his bigger brother Luckas:) We are trying so hard to teach Luckas how to say Drake..but this is what he always tells us.."Drakey". I think he says Drakey meaning drink. But who knows..his speech can get way better by July:) Well I'm off to do my domestic chores for the evening and wait for Justin to finish his college and his work stuff he brought home from work. Its going to be a LONG night for the both of us. Till next time:)