Recipe: Pork Chops

I am ALWAYS looking for something new to cook for dinner. I get tired of the same ol thing. This recipe is a Pinterest Recipe that I stumbled upon a month or two ago. I tried it one night and Josh loved it, but I thought it needed "tweaking" to fit my taste buds! It is perfect for us and I've fixed it for others who definitely approve!

Ingredients:
2 thick boneless pork chops
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

Mix salt, pepper, brown sugar and garlic powder

Coat each side of the pork chops with the mixture. BROWN (don't cook) in a skillet on the stove. (don't add anything else to the pan) Then place the chops in a baking dish and bake on 350 degrees

You can do thin chops by actually cooking them in a pan on the stove after coating them, and add a tbl spoon of oil to the pan.

Enjoy!!!! So yummy! Let me know if you try them.

Decisions, Decisions!

So those of you that know me, know that I take forever to make up my mind. After deciding to paint our house, I have taken forever to decide on colors. My poor husband has been chomping at the bit to paint, while I have made every excuse in the book. I hated to spend the money and time to end up hating the colors. That's a huge commitment!!! Haha

Those of you who know me ALSO know that once a decision is made, I don't waste time or wait around. Growing up with 2 brothers, I never thought of myself as incapable. I had GREAT examples of how to "work". One grandmother has retired 4 times and continues to work. The other set of grandparents own their own business. Not to mention, I have a father who has worked countless hours and then worked on the house on the weekends. Needless to say, working hard and not being able to sit still RUNS IN MY BLOOD. So staying home with my beautiful son (not complaining) has all but driven me crazy. I had to have something to do.

Enter painting- The hubby got on a paint kick again and said "I don't care what the color is, just pick one and I would prefer it be today" So that's just what I did! And, because I now had something to do, 3 hours worth of painting were finished by the time Josh got home! (even though he told me to wait)

Ever painted with a 4 1/2 month old? HA! It's alot of "AHHHH" which in English means "you're not paying any attention to me!!!" Therefore, mommy got a nice workout painting with the baby on the hip!

Below are pictures of both my multiple colors to choose from and the old and new colors. Our living room/dining room is just that. A giant living room, dining room, kitchen all in one....with 10 ft ceilings! We wanted a different color for both to try to separate things. Josh has already posted some pics, so I won't bore you with those. The second picture is what the old color was and what the new color is. Old on the left, new on the right! Pictures don't do it justice! I LOVE it!

Carter learns: Week 20

Week: 20

Activities: the pick up game with his football

Favorites: his green leap frog that nana got him and his new football that gran poopon and MawMaw Winnie got him

Jammin with mamma song: not much jammin this week

Wanna work out?
Momma's workout: Painting while carrying a 16-17pounder

Daddy's workout: painting

Carter workout: ok so here's where the funny story begins.

While Josh and I were painting, Carter was sitting in his bouncy seat (strapped in at the waist like he's suppose to be) with his little giraffe rattle in his hand(Gigi). We were painting away when I heard grunt grunt grunt. I was standing on the counter painting above the cabinets when I looked over, expecting my son to have a constipated look on his face. Nope. MY son was bent over double with his top half completely out of the seat, head on the ground, and arms outstretched trying his HARDEST to reach Gigi who had fallen in the floor. Not mad at all, just determined to get it himself! When Josh quickly jerked him up, Carter looked at Josh like "what daddy? I was going to get it!"

So far, this was Carter's "highlight" activity of the week!

Peach cobbler anyone?!

As promised, here is my great grandmother, Ma Burgess, cobbler recipe. If you are not domestic at all, this recipe is even for you! Kinda hard to mess up.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 cup of self rising flour
1 cup of milk
1 stick of butter
1 large can of fruit (you can use fresh fruit also, but the can is just easier and just as good)

****if using fresh fruit, boil the fruit on the stove until cooked and water turns syrupy. Sweeten while cooking to desired taste.

Use a 13x9x2 inch pan. Heat oven to 350degrees. While oven is pre heating, put the stick of butter in the pan and in the oven to melt. Mix flour, sugar and milk together in separate bowl while the butter melts and oven heats. Once butter melts, pour mixture over the melted butter. After that, pour the can of fruit (peaches in this case) over the mixture. DON'T stir, just sorta plop! Haha Make sure fruit is spread evenly.
Bake for 30-40 minutes.

With my oven, it's closer to 40. Enjoy.

My grandmother makes this recipe and I love love love it! I made this one for a church get together for tonight so we'll see what they think!

Carter learns: week 19

Week: 19

Activities: Teething (or drooling and screaming) TRYING to sit, touching your face and giving kisses(LOVE IT, but daddy gets most of them!)

Favorites: ELMO, reading, the inch worm cousin "andrela" got him

Jammin with mamma song: this week it was more of a cd, casting crowns

Wanna work out?
Momma's workout: Just carry around my little toot in the carrier for 5 seconds. I don't want him to grow up, but I yearn for the day where he can sit somewhat on his own so I don't have to carry around this dumb thing! He can sit with assistance.

Daddy's workout: Carter lifts(see
Facebook video)

Carter workout: crunches! Hahaha

I'm not a teacher but I believe reading to your child is very important. I am guilty of plopping Carter in front of the tv for 30 minutes to take a shower or clean the kitchen, BUT reading, talking and playing with your little one is SO important. Some people say that the parent is in control and the child is along for the ride. This is true to an extent, BUT take a little time to sit in the floor and let your little one blab their life's troubles(because they have so many). You will be blessed immensely by this!

God sure has blessed me with such a wonderful baby boy!

Stay tuned!!! Tomorrow, another trip to Cookeville and this weekend, I'll share with you my wonderful MA burgess's cobbler recipe (if you're lucky!)

Luvs-Huggies-Pampers??????

Today began with a little Elmo and a lot of $&/? (poop that is! Get yo minds outa the gutter!) The joys of parenting range from laughs to giggles to sleeplessness, teething and A LOT of dooky!

So we are now in size 3 diapers. (yes my son is big, not the nicest compliment you could give a mother by the way!) Anyway! We have been using all types of diapers up until this point with an emphasis on pampers. Because Carter is so long, with not much of a gut or rolls, I have found that they work better. I have 3 boxes of size 3 diapers that we bought before monsieur dirty bum was born and they aren't pampers. Whose gunna waste diapers?! Not me! Enter luvs and a whole lot of mess. For some reason they have leaked or he's just been more full of junk. What diapers do you ladies prefer?!?

Yes I just wrote a blog about a bodily (private) function. But I was told one time that "once you have a baby, private parts are public parts!" Hahahaha

On another note, we made a run to cookeville yesterday and OF COURSE the great grandmas loved to see "little Josh". And would you know it but we came back with a whole bag of new clothes, new books, and new toys! Whew! We also got to play with our little cousin Tori! Josh and I are extremely blessed to still have all of our grandparents living. Of course the grandmas love him, but I have a soft spot for the grandpas. The hard working, callus handed men. When they get in the floor to play or rock him to sleep, I melt!

I haven't been blogging much lately, but I am going to start. There will be updates on carter's growing "status", trip overviews and everyday life. I hope you will take a little time to read about our family and maybe even share your family's stories!

The bible, poop and a little faith!

Josh and I have made the resolution to read the Bible out loud and read it through in a year. We have not missed a day so far! (a big accomplishment for parents of a 4 month old) We have been reading about Sarah and Abraham. Lately, I have dealt with feelings of feeling friendless and of needing a female ear. (while my husband is AMAZING, make no mistake, there is a difference in a husband and a girlfriend) Events have happened over the past week or two that have given me the feeing of helplessness and quite frankly, the feeling that I could care less about said events. I even thought to myself "it's no use, it will never happen and never change" ...… enter the story of Sarah. Laughing at God? In today's language, I believe that Sarah may have sounded like this "Yeah right God. I ain't havin no baby. There's no way. Do you know how old I am?! Hello!! It ain't happenin. People would think I was crazy." oh how we LOVE (intentional or non intentional) to put God in a little box. We praise Him as the Almighty and claim Him to be the Most High. Yet, we lack the faith or just the plain willingness to accept and believe that He is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient. Meaning..... He can do whatever, whenever and however! So while Sarah was blessed with what she always desired, I was reminded that God is ALWAYS in control.

May 2012 be the year that God is in complete control, not put in a box, and is given our complete faith and attention!

2012 is also going to be one crazy year for some people! Apparently, something is in the water. We have many friends that are getting married and other friends who are expecting their first, second or third baby! Woo hoo!

Speaking of babies, ours is now 4 months old?!? Holy moly this goes by too fast. It's funny how fast your life changes from late night movies to late night feedings; from sleeping in to barely sleeping; from late morning breakfast to breakfast if you're lucky!

When I was pregnant, I was CONSTANTLY asked "are you ready for this?" It drove me up the wall and back down again!! Of course you aren't "ready" you've never done it before! Duh! But, we were as PREPARED as we could have been. Now, I'm always told to "enjoy every minute" Again, up the wall and back down again. (so if I grimes when you say that, you'll soon know why) I don't enjoy EVERY minute. Who enjoys being pooped on? Who enjoys exactly 3 hours and 35 minutes of sleep? (IN ONE NIGHT?!?) Who enjoys the screams when you have NO idea what is wrong? Not this chick! BUT, let me assure you that there isn't a day that goes by that I don't cherish, enjoy, and feel so very blessed when I look at this little 4 month old (again, holy cow 4 months already) that's in my arms.

So while I will grimes when you ask me if I enjoy EVERY moment, I will kindly answer "yes mam, thank you"

Enjoy 2012 and KNOW that God can do all things through those who believe and trust in Him.