The Night I Failed at Making Dinner

I consider myself to be a great cook.  I really do.  Well... tonight proved otherwise.  My husband even asked me tonight at the dinner table where his wife was.  He even went so far to say that I "MJ'ed" the dinner.  For those of you who do not know... MJ is my mom... and well she isn't known for her cooking skills. 

I made chicken cordon blue.  It was awful.  Like I had one bite and almost puked and then I could barely eat anything else.  I have made chicken cordon blue before and it was excellent...but I tried some different things tonight and well it was just awful.

Luckily I also made my macaroni and cheese and so we didn't starve as well as some corn.  But after the one bite of the crappy chicken, I just couldn't eat anything else.

What I'm Loving Wednesday

I am linking up today for What I'm Loving Wednesday... for no other reason than today is a good day and I am happy (not pregnant... just happy). Shocking... the happy part...I know, so I felt like sharing things I love would be more fitting than my usual SO WHAT rant...

I am LOVING that my  husband ordered these for me for Valentine's Day.  This is exactly what my wedding bouquet looking like.  He took Madison one day after school to the florist by our house, showed them pictures from our wedding, and asked them to copy it.  MAJOR points for my husband.  I am not a flower loving girl, but I loved my wedding bouquet and I love these.

I am LOVING the fun cookies I made yesterday for my husband.  I usually shy away from cut out cookies, but these were fun to make.  My frosting skills could improve a LOT, but they were fun...and tasty.

I am LOVING this fajita sauce.  I picked it up at Target last weekend.  Today when I went back to Target I got two more packs.  Seriously... buy it and make chicken fajitas out of it.

I am LOVING that I am off of work today.  I caught up on my shows on my DVR (Hello... Teen Mom 2 season finale and Real Housewives of Orange County), headed to Target, then to Panera, and then for an afternoon of getting caught up on crafts and other house projects.

I am LOVING that I have been keeping up...for the most part with my February photo challenge.  As you can see here... some days are missing and need to be filled in, but I will get to those soon.

 

This Weekend...

~ Friday evening we went out for our Valentine's Day dinner... with our 12 year old.  We don't wan to leave her home alone and we don't know a baby sitter.  We usually end up taking her everywhere with us... which is fine. I had a few mixed drinks (I don't remember the last time I drank)... then promptly fell asleep on the couch at 7:30 PM.

~ Saturday morning we woke up to snow... it wasn't really all that bad.  Madison and I headed to Panera (our favorite) for lunch, then to Target, and AC Moore.  We decided to forgo the movie... but plan to go next weekend.

~ I finally made it to Ikea and got the black square frames I have been wanting.  I have a super easy and cheap DIY art project for the living room I am hoping to share later this week.

~ After Ikea we found a Target and went for a 2nd trip this weekend.  I have never seen one like this.  You parked underneath and took an escalator up to it.  When you leave, you put your cart on the escalator to go back down.  Madison loved this.  I bought curtains for my living room at Target, brought them home, made Chris hang them, and HATE them.  I will be returning them this week.

~ I made white chocolate dipped treats for Madison to hand out at school and packaged them up using labels I ordered for super cheap from Tiny Prints in December.  I love how they turned out.  I included an Oreo, two pretzels, and a Dove Promise in each one.

A Fun FREE Add On to Your Valentine's Gift Giving

Yesterday Madison and I went to the Dollar Tree and found these Valentine's Day "gift"cards. 

Now I could have easily spent a few dollars and bought these... but they didn't all apply to us. We are not dancers... so a night on the town dancing would not reply to our relationship.  So I came home, got on Picnik, and whipped up three sets of my own "gift" cards that I knew would appeal to my husband. 

{Here they are, printed, cut, and ready to go}

I uploaded them to Walgreens and this morning I picked them up.  I ordered two of each one.  I cut them in half and stuck them in his card.  Easy peasy...creative...and personalized.   I think he will love these FREE gifts. If you are just exchanging cards... a few of these would be great to throw in as well.

You can download these for FREE.

{1} Red Chevron

{2} Dark Pink

{3} Polka Dots 

I just ask you use them for personal use only and do not alter or resell them... although really feel free to use the idea of them to create your own more personalized versions in Picnik.

Thursday Randoms

1) Yesterday I was featured over on Happy Go Lucky. I shared this fun recipe for Pineapple Coconut Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese frosting.  They are super yummy...and I think taste best cold...and with fruits and veggies inside... are a perfect breakfast treat.

Source: happy-go-lucky-harvey.blogspot.com via Melissa on Pinterest

2) Madison and I have plans to go see The Vow on Saturday morning.  I cannot wait.  We have been looking forward to seeing it since we saw the preview.  We will probably throw in a lunch out and a trip to Target to round out our fun girls day.

3) I designed these fun Valentine's for my sweet nephew, Owen.  Here is a quick photo my sister sent after she attached the chocolates.  I got the idea from another blog and I feel terrible that I cannot now find that... I went through my starred blogs in my Reader and I cannot find it (just know this is not my original idea and as soon as I find the original I will give credit), created it in Picnik, and uploaded it to Costco so my sister could pick them up all the way across the country in Las Vegas.  I am sure Owen's kindergarten buddies will love these.

3) Madison has her first "boyfriend".  She is 12... so I am not sure really what kind of relationship this is as they only text one another and see each other at school.  She was sharing her news with her grandmother on the phone and confessed to her that at school they refer to them as "MANDREW", like Madison + Andrew = MANDREW... I mean who do they think they are? Brad and Angelina?  He seems like a nice kid from what she says, but my biggest fear is she will get hurt... I know she is excited and happy and so I don't want to undermine this 12 year old "love", but I still have this big fear he will break her little 12 year old heart... and that scares me.

4) I love love love my iPhone.  I usually read all of the blogs I follow through my Google Reader on my phone and when I come across a recipe, a picture, a quote, etc... I want to remember I use the feature on my phone to take a snapshot of it so I can come back to it.  It is super convenient.  Once I check out the sites or write down the recipes, then I just delete the shot I took. Here are some of the things I have taken a recent shot of -



A site to purchase art someone discussed on a blog



I need to remember this

Wine someone recommended I want to pick up to try

A makeup board I want to make for Madison



A case Madison mentioned she wanted for her iPad...once she gets it back.  She took it to school on Monday without permission and has lost it for a week.


5) I ordered this Living Social deal (which is still available) for $30 worth of Fannie May candies for only $15 for my husband for Valentine's Day.  I ordered an assortment of candies that I got to hand pick.



My Wednesday Rant...

I was going to link up to SO WHAT Wednesday... but something has gone awry with Shannon's blog, so instead I bring you my Wednesday Rant...

SO WHAT... if I used profanity on my blog last week.  I didn't even really use it, I just posted this saying I found on Pinterest.  It wasn't supposed to be offensive... it was supposed to me more of a "Yay Me" I am getting out and about.

I am constantly reading "foul" language in other blogs... but it doesn't bother me. If you do not like something you read about on a blog... then guess what? You do not have to read that blog anymore. 

 There are lots of things I read that make me cringe or make me mad.  I stop reading those blogs.  I have never once left an anonymously rude comment.   I have never left a rude comment. 

You don't need to submit an anonymous comment to the blogger like the one I got which said "I have to say that I have read your blog for sometime and have really enjoyed keeping up with you....but.... I can say I will never visit again...what an ugly word you have used....bye for good and May God have mercy on your soul!".

I don't think I need to ask God to have mercy on my soul... I am not sure how ONE word on a blog can offend someone... Lesson learned... I have made it so people can no longer leave an anonymous comment.  If you have something to say, don't hide.  Own it. 

Peanut Butter Banana French Toast

I made this Sunday morning for breakfast.  It was amazing...rich...and filling.  It was definitely an every once in awhile breakfast treat.  I am not a huge fan of French toast... but this was so good.

Ingredients -

6 slices of Texas toast (thick bread from Trader Joe's)

1 banana

1/2 cup of peanut butter

2 eggs

2/3 cup milk

2 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. cinnamon

butter or Pam cooking spray for toasting

powdered sugar to sprinkle

syrup

Directions -

-Preheat a skillet or griddle.

-Spread peanut butter on one side of each slice of bread.

-Slice your banana into thin slices

-Cover three slices of the bread with the bananas.

-Make into sandwiches.

-Beat the eggs with the milk, vanilla, and cinnamon.

-Dip each sandwich into the egg batter

-Place in buttered skillet or griddle

-Flip once one side is crispy

-Cut sandwiches in half

-Serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and syrup


I am linking up -

I Will Never be the Same

It is really no secret that we want a baby.  Or that we have been forgoing birth control since our wedding on July 17, 2010.  Or that we got pregnant last September and miscarried in November. 

Trying for a baby and not getting pregnant for so many months has made me feel sad, angry, desperate, jealous, frustrated, and worthless.

 

  I remember a few days after learning I was pregnant, saying to my husband, "If something happens to this baby... I will never be the same".  Of course at that time I didn't really think we would lose our baby.  Looking back, I don't think I realized how accurate that statement was...  I will never be the same.

Struggling to conceive and then losing our baby once we finally did get pregnant has changed me.   It has made me cry way too many days to count.  It has made me a hermit.  It has made me act like a total bitch some days.  It has made me crazy.

I am sick and tired of the way struggling to conceive and loss has made me feel.  I am sick of being so sad all of the time.  I am sick of crying.  I am just not myself.

And so even though we want a baby we aren't trying any more.  At least not for now.  Until I can regain my emotional stability.  This was 100% my choice and decision. And I have the oddest sense of peace about it.  Like I can relax and enjoy my life again.  I am not glued to the fertility calendar... to the scheduled days... to the every waking thought being about having a baby.

And if for some crazy smidgen of a chance we conceive during this break... then so be it.  We will be thrilled and overwhelmed and super happy.  Because in the end a healthy viable pregnancy with a healthy baby being delivered at the end is our end goal, but making that my # 1 goal... my only goal... for months... has destroyed me.  It has caused tremendous strain on our marriage. 

I just need a few months where every single thought of every single day isn't about conceiving and carrying a baby.  I need to focus on other things. 

I need to find myself again. 

A Fun Trip to Trader Joe's

Our Trader Joe's is a bit of a drive to get to here in Rhode Island.  Today we headed out to have lunch at On the Border and then we did a little grocery shopping at Trader Joe's.  Here are some great things we picked up.  I would love to know your favorite items to pick up at Trader Joe's.

Guacamole Hummus + pita chips (not pictured), refrigerated pizza dough, Texas Toast which I am going to use to make a French toast dish, and the BEST enchilada sauce ever.

A Thai chicken pizza that comes with a peanut sauce, peanut butter filled pretzels, cocoa powder (which I needed... but I loved because of the cute packaging), and their 100 calorie packs of kettle corn... which Madison loves in her lunch box.

We got some other (non-pictured) things too...

SO What Wednesday

It's time for SO What Wednesday...

SO what... if worked sucked yesterday.  We were swamped due to a new app launch and I worked my butt off all day. 

SO what... if my boss messaged me to ask me if I was also working while listening in to a conference call... really? Of course I was... Our clients were able to call in to something called a war room to ask questions... so sometimes the war room was dead and other times it was super busy.  I was just supposed to listen in (my phone was on mute) to hear how they go as I have never been part of one before.  While doing this I worked and worked and worked my entire shift.  

SO what... it still beats all of the hassles and headaches of teaching... even on the crappy days.

SO what... if I had the worst stomach bug ever on Monday... like you wouldn't believe me if I told you how awful it was... and embarassing...

SO what... if I didn't make it to the grocery store this week until Tuesday...and I didn't meal plan... and just added the ingredients for three quick dinners I knew I could quickly make.

SO what... if I emailed our accountant twice asking where my packet was to submit out taxes... and still haven't filled out the form or printed out my husband's W-2s.

SO what... if I read an article via Facebook about how soda is so horrendous for you...and here I sit drinking a diet wild cherry Pepsi.

SO what... if my sister texted me yesterday to tell me she had to put her dog to sleep.  And I cried.  I don't even like dogs...or pets...or most animals... but I was sad... so sad for my sister, her husband, and their two small kids.