joy to me: 2012

2/15/12

2/1/12

I saw a new empanada filling recipe that I wanted to try. I started to look for my empanada dough recipe and could not find it anywhere. It didn't make the move somehow. I guess it's been that long since I made empanadas. So long in fact that I've gone from 1 to 2 helpers. I love that my girls want to help and learn to cook. It's just that it takes more time. And if you've ever made empanadas and rolled and cut your own dough you would know how time consuming it can be. They always taste so good and I love to eat them. But at the end of the night after making them I'm always reminded why I waited so long to make them again.

In case you are wondering the new filling was delish as are all the recipes I've tried from that website.

Water Color

Whatever sister does, Scarlett has to do. Even if the activity is not quite geared for a 20 month old. Yes, Scar sucked on the paint brush and yes she tipped her cup of water over. What fun. But she felt like a big girl and had such a good time.

Before her mess began

Snacky- Snack

My sister Steph let me in on a little discovery she made...

That Cheddar Jack Cheez- Its are amazingly delish!

The girls agree as well!

Notice how Sophia dressed herself like it was the middle of summer. It was a warm January day, but not that warm. That girl does not get cold. She never needs a jacket outside.

Her new face

I actually didn't pick up my camera till the end of January. I don't know why. I actually started to feel good again at the beginning of the month so you think I would have taken more photos. Anyway the biggest thing to happen in January was Sophia getting glasses. She was on our vision plan starting this year so the first week of Jan I took her to the optometrist. Our family doctor had recommended we take her in for a formal eye exam. For not being a pediatric optometrist I was quite impressed. We were there for a good hour doing tests and exams and they somehow made everything into a game and she was entertained. They diagnosed her with a lazy eye and prescribed her some glasses and that we also see a pediatric ophthalmologist. They thought we will have to do patching on her good eye to strengthen the bad. We'll know more when we go for our first visit to the ophthalmologist next week.

I didn't think her face could get any cuter, but it has. She loves her new glasses and takes good care of them. She hasn't complained one bit about having to wear them 24/7 and she can now sit on the couch and watch TV. She use to stand right in front of it. Poor thing.

Last of 2011

The last weekend of Dec we hit up Sea World to see all the Christmas lights and shows. Sophia loved this "Candy Cane" area that we happened upon on our way out.

They enjoyed some rides and Sophia even tried this water ride pictured below with a pretty big drop. She seemed like she enjoyed it and came off quite wet( good thing it was a warm day), but when asked if she wanted to go again she said, "No." She was brave to try it out. We were proud of her.

This may have been our last trip to Sea World for a while. We don't think we'll get passes for this year. The girls and I can actually still go till the end of this month so maybe we'll go one more time before our passes expire.

1/23/12

Preggo Update

I got my positive pregnancy test back in November on my birthday. I couldn't wait to share the news with Rob that evening on our date and although I was elated, I also shared some caution in my emotions. We decided we would wait a few weeks before we even told family or close friends. I was just still too nervous about losing the baby after just having gone through that grief back in September. But this pregnancy was different, it went on past 6 weeks, to 7 and so on. I began to get morning sickness and then the fatigue set in. If you ask what was worse I'd have to say the fatigue. It really got me this time around. I don't know if it was the fact that I was taking care of 2 children coupled with the fact that I later learned at the beginning of Jan that my synthroid dose needed to be increased. Gotta love hypothyroidism.

Anyhow being fatigued during the holidays was hard. The only Christmas we got up was a tree and some ornaments for it. I took out the kid's nativity so they could play with that, but that was it. It was pretty bare bones around here in regards to Christmas decor. That was all I could muster up this year. The Christmas cards we received from friends and family added to the little bit of Christmas in our house as they donned out fireplace mantel.
It was survival mode for many days. Things had to be let go of and I had to be ok with that. It was a rough couple months, but I got through it.

Amidst all of this our family is so thankful for this new little life that we will be blessed with this July! We hope to find out the sex next month if the baby so chooses to cooperate down there. Sophia is hoping for a brother. The only thing I ask for is a healthy baby.

There are days where I get nervous and think how will I handle 3 kids. Those thoughts usually come at times when I'm tired and both Sophia and Scarlett are whining/crying and Rob is still at work. Rob works long hours, sometimes double what a normal person's work schedule would require in a weeks time. So there are a lot of days I have to do it all on my own. I know this will come to an end though and it's not forever. Residency has an end point and come July when our 3rd child arrives we will be exactly half way through!!!

But even with these nervous thoughts come lots of feeling of peace, excitement and faith that I will be able to handle being the mother of 3. Don't ask me how now. But I have faith I'll be guided as I go.

So there you have it. A whole bunch of hormonal thoughts from this preggo lady.

Christmas

Our Christmas morning was nice and quiet, just the 4 of us. We had no family in town this year, but I was fine with that. My morning sickness and fatigue would have made it hard to host anyone. Rob had the entire weekend off though and that made my day( I mean weekend). The girls didn't wake up too terribly early and after opening gift we went to our friends/next door neighbors for a breakfast of french toast and eggs.

Later that afternoon Sophia and I went to church for an hour. I didn't see the point of waking Scarlett from her nap for just one hour of church. (We usually go for 3hrs.) I wanted a nice peaceful day and waking a sleeping baby from a nap was not going to allow that. So Rob so generously offered to stay home with her.

For dinner that night I made a couple sides and we picked up our Rudy's BBQ turkey. It did not disappoint! After tasting that turkey and seeing how much less work it was on my part, I might never cook a turkey again as long as we live here. I just don't see the point when Rudy does an excellent job! We had our friends/next door neighbors over to join us because we weren't going to be able to finish that turkey on our own.
Overall we enjoyed a wonderful day with our little family and friends that we consider family as well.

1/9/12

Guess What?

1/6/12

Snickerdoodles for Santa

On Christmas Eve Sophia and Daddy did some major baking in the kitchen. They didn't just make a couple dozen.

They made piles of cookies and this was just one of them. Our neighbors and Rob's co-workers shared some of Santa's cookies cause he didn't finish them all.
Sophia also enjoyed a movie with Daddy that day, while Scarlett stayed home to nap and Mom stayed home to bake rolls for Christmas dinner. We were so happy to have Daddy home all Christmas weekend!

Playing with Bokeh

Next time I do this I'll buy tons more strands of white lights. These couple I used did not create a big enough backdrop. I will also buy these white lights early on in the season cause 2 weeks before Christmas there aren't any left in the stores ( I looked). I will also wait for a sunny day. I was working with very little light on a cloudy day. It was still fun though and now my photos next year will be even better.

Teacher gifts

I had good intentions of giving these out as neighbor gifts as well. That didn't happen so maybe next year. This is a simple recipe for potpourri over the stove.

Simmering Potpourri
Slice up one orange and one lemon
Add 2 Cinnamon sticks,
2 bay leaves,
about 6 cloves
and 2 cups water.
Bring to a simmer and add water as needed.
Will leave your place smelling wonderful.

(just noticed I misspelled potpourri on the gift tag-classic Val)