February 28, 2007
(Thank you to Kelly at Diary of the Nello for the Pretty Header!)
Thirteen Phrases People Have Googled to End Up at My Blog
(either this blog or my old one Stacitee)
- my sister's hot friend jordan - I do have a nephew named Jordan who is a handsome young man… is that who you are looking for?
- cows in the corn - Really? Because MY cows are in the corn too!
- felicity huffman and nursing pillow - Do these two things go together?
- sounded like a piece of sticky tape movie quote - What?
- sour smelling disposal - Glad to hear I'm not the only one!
- grant hodges sausage strata recipe - Well, you won't find that recipe here. Move along.
- victoria's secret ripe red currant - No, no no. Ripe Red Currant Lip Balm is from Bath & Body Works, not Victoria's Secret!
- barry manilow - Now, how did they end up at my blog? There have to be a million "barry manilow" searches and I've only ever mentioned him one time… because my sister and I have a tradition to listen to his "It's Just Another New Year's Eve" song.
- wizards in winter video on church - I'm not sure what to say about this one…
- theoren baby name - Yes, I do like that name.
- grandma nut - Yes, she was. But that is none of your business!
- gerber stage 3 blueberry buckle dessert - You're actually looking for this stuff? I bought mine by accident.
- (This is my all time favorite search term)… where to buy cheerios oatmeal in mumbai? - I have no idea. Good luck finding it!
Get the Thursday Thirteen code here
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
"Cherish all your happy moments: they make a fine cushion for old age." ~Christopher Morley
(Tessa learned this poem in preschool.)
Tessa's preschool is closed at this very moment for a snow day. I took this picture about 5 minutes ago to show you the bad weather. Yes, that is blue sky. And for the record, the roads are clear, not a snowflake or icicle or even any frost to be found anywhere. Hmmm…
February 27, 2007
If you've ever had your nails done you will find this HILARIOUS!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8126430922330991484
A few years ago I had my nails done for the very first time. I told them I wanted short, rounded nails. I left with long, square nails. I haven't had my nails done in ages, but watching this video totally took me right back to the nail studio again!
When I was about 16 years old my dear friend Shannon shared this family recipe of hers with me. We made it many times together and I have such great memories of those times.
*Warning: This is not a low fat recipe! Also, totally not for anybody who is lactose intolerant. (Sorry Shanell!) Great for vegetarians!
Three Cheese Lasagna
1 Box Lasagna Noodles, Cooked and Drained - DO NOT OVERCOOK NOODLES… 10 minutes is all it takes
1 Package Cream Cheese (not the spreadable kind)
2 Jars spaghetti sauce (Prego Traditional works best for us but any type will do/you could also make your own if you are more clever than me)
2 Cups (or more) grated mozzarella cheese
2 Cups (or more) grated cheddar cheese (Tillamook Medium Cheddar is our favorite)
Pour some sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 pan… be generous. Then layer ingredients in the pan… noodles, mozzarella, cheddar, cream cheese and more sauce. As far as the cream cheese goes, make little tiny pieces (I use two spoons, but however you can do it is good) and drop them at about one inch intervals on each layer. On the top layer add extra cheese. I like to pour sauce around all the edges of the pan so no noodles will stick out and get dry in the oven. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Can be made early and refrigerated or frozen, but of course fresh tastes best.
Serve with garlic bread and a garden salad. I've made this recipe literally hundreds of times and have yet to meet anybody who didn't like it. My advice to you is to add one kind of cheese (Parmesan on the top? Romano mixed in?) and then you can call this recipe your own! Also, I've had many, many people say they prefer this lasagna to be served with corn. I have no idea why, but it really does taste good with corn.
This recipe is great for parties and potlucks. If you want your potluck dish to get gobbled up and everyone to ask for the recipe, make this lasagna! You'll go home with an empty pan for sure. (Don't you hate it when you bring something to potluck and it isn't all gone when it is time to go home? Don't you wonder if it tasted bad or something?)
Enjoy!
For more terrific Works for Me Wednesday tips, head over to RocksInMyDryer.
P.S. I made this lasagna for my husband for Valentine's Day… check out the picture… okay, I realize it is hard to see the lasagna on the plate, but this is my only picture of this lasagna!
Dear Emma,
You just turned 7 months old. You are 16 pounds of lovable, squeezable baby.
It is so easy to make you smile… just a look from your daddy or me and your
whole face breaks out into the most adorable grin.
You still smell heavenly. Your sweet baby breath, your baby shampoo, and your
baby clothes washed in Dreft all combine to make the best smell ever.
You are very attached to me these days. I like to think that you just adore me
because I'm your mommy, but it might also have something to do with the fact that
I'm also the "food lady." When I hand you over for someone else to
hold, you give me the most miserable look! It breaks my heart and when you start
to cry I have to take you back from them and hold you and comfort you.
You are rolling all over the place and work very hard to get toys that are out
of your reach. You are sitting up by yourself pretty well these days, although
I have to put a pillow behind you to break your fall when you topple over backwards.
I sense that you would like to crawl, so I'm trying to savor this time when you
have to stay wherever I put you down.
The word "Dada" is pretty much the only thing you are saying at this point. I
keep repeating "Mama" to you over and over, but nothing yet. You sometimes dabble
in super high pitched pterodactyl shrieks, but mostly you just talk softly to
yourself.
A strange thing that you are doing now is trying to pinch me while nursing. As if
we haven't had enough problems with nursing… I certainly don't need you pinching
me as well! You get really offended when I tell you "NO PINCHING!"
You are very quick and crafty, and I have to keep a close eye on you because you
seem to gravitate to the most dangerous thing in the room. I catch you pretty
much every day with something in your mouth that shouldn't be there… a marble
from Tessa's "Hungry, Hungry Hippos" game, a piece of paper, a "foamy" sticker
that Tessa stuck to my shirt.
This month one of your favorite things to do is sit next to me on the couch after
you finish nursing. We have a basket on the couch with remotes in it and I throw
in a few surprises for you every day (toys, things that won't choke you but look
like something you shouldn't be playing with). You love to explore that basket. I
block you from falling off the couch with my leg and the Boppy pillow. Big fun!
You love the water. Bath time is probably your favorite time of the day. You love
outdoor pools, even if the water is freezing cold. When grandpa fills up a little
pool in his backyard we can't keep you out of it. We try to set you on the little
ledge of the pool, but you scoot your legs and bottom until you are in the water.
I'm wondering if you are going to be a swimmer like me!
You are really loving the solid baby food these days although you haven't dropped
a single nursing session yet. Your absolute favorite is Applesauce, but we can't
feed it to you because of the constipation issue. You are getting a lot of pears,
peaches, and especially prunes these days.
Your sleep habits are still just about killing your dad and me. You go to bed very
easily at 7pm and you sleep for several hours… but you still get up a couple of
times at night to eat (which your doctor says is not necessary… but I just can't
cut you off!). Although it is hard to get out of bed in the middle of the night to
feed you I don't mind when you eat and fall back asleep and I put you in your crib.
It is kind of a special time for just the two of us. But when you wake up and just
yell… not cry… just yell loudly for a while (several times per night) before going
back to sleep… dear daughter, that has got to stop!
Your nicknames this month are Milky Face, Gigglefuss, Jigglypuff, Emma Yemma Ding
Dong, and Pooper (sorry about that one… it stuck from the last 6 months when you
pooped outside your diaper on a daily basis). If your current constipation trend
continues I fear "Pooper" will no longer qualify as a nickname for you.
I'm so lucky to be your mom. I thank God for you every day. Every time I look at
you I know how much God truly loves me.
I love you,
Mama
Dear Emma,
You are six months old! Happy Half-Birthday!
You are still pooping with such force that the poop blows out of your
diaper, up your back and sometimes even into your hair. Getting your
poopy onesie off every day is a challenge. Your daddy even suggested
that I CUT them off. If it is bad enough, I just wipe you up as best
I can (with what seems like a whole pack of wipes sometimes) and then plunk you in
the bath. I have learned to carry extra clothing in the diaper bag
at all times, especially church where you seem to poop out of your diaper every Sabbath.
You have really gotten interested in eating solid food. Your favorite
foods are pears and peaches. We stopped feeding you green beans and
carrots because you just push them around on your tongue and make
gagging noises.
You are very smiley, and love to giggle. A lot of mornings when I go
to get you up, you are smiling and talking to yourself in a happy baby
voice. When you see me your whole face breaks into a huge smile and
I have to pick you up and hug you and kiss your soft cheeks.
I noticed that you are really interested in Cradle Roll these days.
You watch the other kids and seem to be listening to the songs. You
like to chew on the toys the teacher passes out but you don't protest
when it is time to put the toys back (yet). You have stopped sleeping
during church, but you sit quietly (most times on your grandpa's lap)
so church is working out fine.
You seem to really adore Tessa. In the car I watch you in the mirror
and you don't look out the windows at all, you have eyes only for Tessa.
And when Tessa actually pays attention to you, you get so excited. It
is very heartwarming for a mother to watch her two girls "play" together.
You said your first word this month. It was "hi". Very cute! In this next picture you are already trying to be a teenager and tell me to shut up. Ha ha!
You are rolling over and over and scootching to get toys that are out
of your reach. It won't be long and you will be crawling. You are very
determined to get what you want, no matter how far away or how hard it
might be. I hope you hold on to that ambition when you are older, because
it will come in handy.
You love to play peek-a-boo. We have a really fun time playing that game
together. Tessa even gets in on the fun but I have to remind her to be
gentle and not knock you over with her enthusiastic play.
Your nicknames this month are Poo and Milky Face and Emma Yemma Ding Dong.
Tessa said something funny the other day. She said "My last name is Talento.
Daddy's last name is Talento. Your (meaning me) last name is Talento.
Emma's last name is Ding Dong." Hehehe!
I'm so proud of you. You are really a smart and beautiful baby. I'm so
glad to be your mom, and I thank God for you every day.
Love,
Mama
***Bonus Sisters (with Mama) Picture***
Dear Emma,
You really enjoyed our Easter celebration this month.
The eggs you found on our Easter egg hunt were quickly tested for freshness.
Our nursing issues seem to be finally, finally over. We both finished
our Diflucan prescriptions and the Thrush, that evil yeast, is finally
under control. I could cry with happiness. Both of us have some bad
skin rashes, places where our skin is just breaking down from the
medicine, but it is so nice to have the thrush gone. We might actually
make it to my goal of nursing for one year. Only 7 months to go!
We started feeding you solid food. Your first food was Rice Cereal mixed
with breast milk. You really seemed to like it. We got lots of messy face
pictures and video. Your first fruit was pears and your first vegetable
was sweet potato. Since you've been eating solids you seem to be spitting
up less. Yay!
You are really smiling and lot and are such a happy baby. You are a
joy to care for. I don't mind changing your diapers or clothes at all.
Feeding you is a breeze.
Pulling off your socks and chewing on them is one of your favorite pass times
these days.
This month you managed to poop on the wood floor, pee on the wood floor,
and pee in the trunk of the car. You've had a busy month!
You are doing a lot of LOUD talking and have started making a lot of
wet raspberry sounds.
You are starting to enjoy riding in the backpack. The baby Bjorn front
carrier worked great for the first months of your life, but now that
you are older you seem to prefer the backpack.
We took you to the Annual Tulip Festival for the first time. You are going to love it when you get older.
We bought you a Jumparoo this month. It is a bouncer. You LOVE that
thing! It makes music and lights up when you jump and you just laugh
and laugh. It seems to stimulate a bowel movement every time you are
in there however.
Your nicknames this month are Poo, Googlybear, Milky, and Scootchy.
I'm so lucky to be your mom! I love you so much!
Love,
Mama
***Bonus Sisters Pictures***
(Me, peering into Emma's mouth to check to see if she has more teeth. Tessa, right next to me.)
Tessa says, "Emma has two teeth on the bottom and two teeth on top.* That makes seven teeth! I have hundreds of teeth."
*For the record, Emma actually has two teeth on the top, and four on the bottom.
