Ho, Ho, Ho

Few pics under the Christmas Tree

Happy Birthday Nonnie

Today is my Mother's Birthday. Happy Birthday, I know it will be great, Andy is going for a visit. We love you Nonnie!

Babys 1st Thanksgiving

We went to the country club for Thanksgiving. Andy tried mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, & whipped cream-Yum!-Thanks Nonnie

Alligator Wrestling

Andy decided it was time to take on the Ikea Alligator.

Calm Before the Storm-Update

He is crawling! Has been for about a week. I think these pics says alot. Sorry Ollie, good boy, love ya

"I'M NOT LOOKING"

"OH NO, HE'S COMING RIGHT FOR ME"

"HELP ME"

Calm Before the Storm

There comes a point, like the calm before the storm, when you look at your baby rocking back & forth on his hands & knees & know that crawling is immanent. You look around at "Stuff" sitting on the floor, at outlets uncovered, power cords dangling, scrapbook stuff & innocent dogs lying on the floor in peace & think OMG-we are in deep doo doo! I want to apologize now to our dogs, Ollie & Emmie, for the upcoming torture they will likely endure.

Happy 1st Halloween!

We had a very nice evening hanging out with our neighbors. Andy got to Trick or Treat around the street. Happy 1st Halloween my little Chili Pepper-you are Hot Stuff!

Here are the pictures from our trip to Portland. We got to visit with Tony's family, see some apple orchards, & see Roloff Farms (from the show Little People, Big World on TLC). Can I just say how nice the Roloffs are. They were so welcoming & genuine. Their farm is gorgeous-a fun place to visit. We also got to visit some friends. Thank you Steve & Gail for your great hospitality!

Been Busy

We are in Portland Oregon right now on vacation. I will update you soon on some exciting (at least for me) news-one quick hint. Roloff!

Safer Plastics

We all know there are some questions floating around about the safety of plastics. Even my Pediatrician mentioned not using certain plastic baby bottles. I thought I would post a great link from the Oregon Environmental Council on plastics. Visit for a quick guide to plastics

http://www.oeconline.org/resources/publications/kitsandtipsarchive/saferplasticswalletcard

This Is What 5 Months Old Looks Like

Love You more everyday!

Welcome Back Kitty!

I must tell you a crazy story. 8/8/08-my parents cat, Shadow (who is a hermaphrodite-I know you wanted to know that) went out in the morning with my Dad to get the paper. Shadow then stayed outside to do her "business" as usual. She must have strayed off & never came back. My parents were pretty upset.

Flash forward to Saturday night (9/13/08) Tony & I went to my parents for dinner. After dinner we went to out old house (in the same neighborhood as my parents) to clear out some things. On the way we stopped to help a boy catch his dog & picked up a free playset that someone was giving away. We unloaded the playset, reloaded the car & headed back to my parents to pick up Andy. Half way there a cat runs in front of the car & I yell "Holy S**t" "That's Shadow-stop the car" I started calling Shadow, Kitty. She started coming toward me but when I stepped toward her she stopped. I was so afraid she was going to run into the woods & be lost forever. So, I sat down on the sidewalk & called her. This time she came close enough that I grabbed the scruff on the back of her neck. Then I started saying to Tony, "get in the car, get in the car." He had to then get out again to close my door because I wasn't going to let go of the cat & take a chance on losing her. When we got to my parents house Tony opened the door & told my parents we had a surprise for them. I walked in with cat in arms. My Mother said "That's not Shadow!" I was freaked I thought I had kidnapped someones cat. Then tears welled up in her eyes & she sort of lumbered toward me, I knew she realized it was Shadow. Since she was holding Andy I told her to give the baby to Tony. Dad had to go get a new litter box & food at the grocery because they had thrown them out that week, thinking she was never coming back. After he got back we had dessert & what a celebration ensued that night. Welcome Home Kitty, I guess you used one of those 9 lives!

Tech Fast

Tony & I have been feeling like we are on a whirlwind. So, we have decided to do a tech fast next weekend, which is basically laying off technology for 48 hours. So from Friday (9/12/08) 6pm to Sunday (9/14/08) 6pm we will be unplugged, here are our rules.

1. No TV (Unless there is an immediate threat from a hurricane, then The Weather Channel is occasionally permissible to receive updates)
2. No computers, laptops, blackberries, PDAs (must be in the off position)
3. No Radio (MP3, iPod, XM, Cds or other music is also not permitted)
4. No Phones-home or cell (cell phones will be allowed to remain on in case of emergency. Anyone calling to chat will have calls returned after the fast ends)

I think that is it-sometimes you just have to slow down & quiet your mind, ya know? I will give a full report of the weekend after the fast.

Compact Fluorescents

Can we talk about compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs)? I am all for saving the planet, have been since I was about 15.
I have recycled since 1993 when I had to haul my stuff to USF.
I hauled all of my recycling from Zephyrhills to Carrollwood.
I reduce, reuse, recycle.
I use reusable bags at the stores.
I take my hazardous materials to a dropoff location on the first Saturday of the month
I drive a gas guzzler & hate it (get a Volkswagen-you'll love it)
I changed to compact fluorescent light bulbs

This is where I have to put the breaks on. Two nights ago while changing a light bulb in my 4 month old son's room I broke a CFL. Did you know they contain mercury-that stuff that causes neurological problems, linked to autism & a host of other problems. Did you know you have to treat it as a hazardous spill? Here is the cleanup instructions from the EPA

What to Do if a Fluorescent Light Bulb Breaks

Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are lighting more homes than ever before, and EPA is encouraging Americans to use and recycle them safely. Carefully recycling CFLs prevents the release of mercury into the environment and allows for the reuse of glass, metals and other materials that make up fluorescent lights.

EPA is continually reviewing its clean-up and disposal recommendations for CFLs to ensure that the Agency presents the most up-to-date information for consumers and businesses. Maine's Department of Environmental Protection released a CFL breakage study report Exit EPA Disclaimer on February 25, 2008. EPA has conducted an initial review of this study and, as a result of this review, we have updated the CFL cleanup instructions below.

Pending the completion of a full review of the Maine study, EPA will determine whether additional changes to the cleanup recommendations are warranted. The agency plans to conduct its own study on CFLs after thorough review of the Maine study.


Fluorescent light bulbs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal below. Please also read the information on this page about what never to do with a mercury spill.

Before Clean-up: Air Out the Room

* Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
* Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
* Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.

Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces

* Carefully scoop up glass pieces and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
* Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
* Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
* Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug

* Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
* Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
* If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
* Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.

Clean-up Steps for Clothing, Bedding and Other Soft Materials

* If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.
* You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken CFL, such as the clothing you are wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
* If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for disposal.

Disposal of Clean-up Materials

* Immediately place all clean-up materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area for the next normal trash pickup.
* Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
* Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states do not allow such trash disposal. Instead, they require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.

Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Air Out the Room During and After Vacuuming

* The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window before vacuuming.
* Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.

So, after doing all of this & ventilating the room for 2 days we now HOPE all is clear. I also spent yesterday on the phone with the health department finding out if the cleanup measures passed the mercury into my breastmilk. So, please use the energy sipping bulbs...just use them outside!

Bumbo Seat

These Bumbo seats are cool

Grandaddy & Andy

Cute, Cute, Cute!

4 Month Checkup

Andy went for his 4 month checkup. 23 inches long, 13 pounds 13 oz. Still only in the 25th percentile for height & weight. What can I say, gene pool of hobbits! He had to get 4 shots, needless to say not a mothers favorite moment, but he did recover quickly. Dr Yee says he looks great!

Time Flies

Can you believe it? My little boy is 4 months old today. Sigh. We had a very nice day, went to Panera Bread for breakfast, played in his room, finished hanging his curtains & then took a nap. We did get an exersaucer for him-he loves it. Can't believe how much he has grown. Sigh again.

Update Coming

Promise :)

Pushing Daisies

Have you seen this show, well Tony & I weren't sure about it at first, more like addicted to it. You know when you pass an accident & can't help but look, that is this show. It is so unique & refreshing (not a reality show, hospital show, or stupid pet tricks, etc) We are hooked. So, Tony comes running into the room telling me it is coming back on TV. I just looked it up-he's right (yeah) Starting October 1st it will be on Wednesdays on ABC. There is one drawback to the show. It is centered around a guy who is a pie maker (owns The "Pie Hole") Every time we watch we end up getting pies the next day-OK, so maybe not a drawback-Yum. So on October 1st we will be snuggled on the couch, pie in hand watching Pushing Daisies. Thanks to ABC for bringing this back to life (ha!). Visit the link to the site & watch an episode or two

http://abc.go.com/primetime/pushingdaisies/index?pn=index

Melissa's Monday Questions

1. What kind of shoes are you wearing? Tennis shoes my feet & ankles have been hurting so I thought I would switch from Crocs to Tennis shoes. They are feeling better

2. Have you ever slapped someone? if so, tell me about it. Oh yeah, not my proudest moment

3. Do you use a daily face cream? If so what do you use? No, haven't you seen my wrinkles

4. What's your favorite restaurant? Bonefish

5. What's you favorite thing to order at your favorite restaurant? Bang Bang Shrimp

6. What would you order to drink at your favorite restaurant? Ice Tea

7. Could you make that same favorite dish at home? Maybe

8. What did you get in trouble for, when you were a kid? Everything

9. What really gives you the creeps? SNAKES, SNAKES, SNAKES. I HATE THEM! ONLY GOOD SNAKE IS A DEAD SNAKE!!!!!

10. Did you have a nickname in middle school or high school? No, but my grandma always called me shorty

Big Tub

Andy got to take a bath in the big tub-loved it!

Tagged with 10 questions

1. What is the one Website you visit almost everyday? Yahoo Mail
2. Do you have a IM account? if so with whom? (IM=Instant Message) No, I barely have time for email
3. What grocery store do you shop at the most? Publix
4. What brand of Shampoo do you use the most? (or like the most?) Pantene
5. What Internet Browser do you use? Firefox
6. For editing Photos, what software do you use? Don't edit many
7. What are you paying in gas this week? $3.97/gallon
8. What are you going to be when you grow up? World Traveler
9. Do you subscribe to your local newspaper? what's the name? Yes, Tampa Tribune
10. What's one of your favorite songs from the 70's? Mary had a little lamb? (I was born in 1975) Can't think of any- but I love John Denver-hey-stop laughing!

Scrapbooking Again

Oh, don't you love when you finally get to do what you enjoy? It's like an itch you finally get to scratch after a long wait. This past Saturday I hosted a scrapbook crop at my house. Lots of food & friends and babies(look at the smirk on Jackson's face-so cute, right?).




I should have taken a picture but I was "In the moment" so I didn't. My living & dining room was filled with scrapbook stuff-a total mess. Well when everyone left I asked my scrapbook buddy & neighbor to leave her tables. I have now taken root with all of my stuff & am actually getting stuff done. I organized:

Cardstock
Scraps
Patterned Paper
Basic Grey (because this patterned paper is a group all it's own)
sSeet protectors
Stickers
Ribbon
Digital Photos

Now I still have plenty to do, but I was able to sneak in getting a few pages done

Coupons, Savings & Deal

I updated my links on the right to add a Savings group. These are some I have found so far. Please, please, please email, or comment to give me other great links you know of. I will update these regularly. Enjoy the savings, I do!

Best Commercial Ever

Thank You - Best Commercial EVER

Can I say how much I love this commercial

Money Savings

I am so glad I had jumped on board with the $$ savings. Since the economy is so wonderful, it seems everyone is trying to save. Today a lady in the grocery store was giving me pointers & I was offering her some as well. Went to Publix so I could feed my buds at this weekends crop.

Total Bill- $105
Coupons- $40
Final Bill- $65
Baby not crying in grocery- Priceless

Sweeeeeet!

Andy @ 2 Months

Happy Birthday Andie

Here is a picture of my niece Andie. I asked her what kind of cake she wanted me to make-My Little Pony of course-"What color pony"? Pink Duh!

We're Moving

OK-I'm sure you are sick of me saying that. We did move, now we are moving back. I love our old house, I love my old street & friends. We moved to the boonies- granted it is nice to look at the golf course but really is it worth not seeing friends. The dogs are miserable and miss their big back yard, we were 15 minutes to the dog park & now we are 45 minutes. We just had new carpet, new tile & a new shower installed in the old house(got a great price & it looks gorgeous-I did spend 10 years in construction so I know the good, the bad & the ugly!) If anyone needs tile work-ask they are great. So, we have almost rebuilt our old house (roof, AC, cabinets, Granite countertops, new appliances, paint, garage door & opener, water heater, tile, carpet, shower) but how come I still have a to do list a mile long? I guess that's how houses work.

Photos

I had photo's of Andy taken at Photo People, here is one I bought-love it

A great poem by Maya Angelou I found on Jill Conyers blog





A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
enough
money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
something
perfect to wear if the employer,
or date of her dreams
wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD
HAVE ...
a youth she's content to leave behind....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a past juicy
enough that she's looking forward to
retelling it in her
old age....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
one friend who
always makes her laugh.. and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a good piece
of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her
family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
eight
matching plates, wine glasses with stems,
and a recipe for
a meal,
that will make her guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
a feeling of
control over her destiny..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD
KNOW...
how to fall in love without losing herself..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to quit
a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend
without;
ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN
SHOULD KNOW...
when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK
AWAY...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that she can't change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that her
childhood may not have been perfect...but it's over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she
would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW....
how to live
alone... even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY
WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
whom she can trust,
whom she can't,
and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
where to
go...
be it to her best friend's kitchen table..
or a
charming Inn in the woods....
when her soul needs
soothing....

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
What she can and can't accomplish in a day...
a
month...and a year..

Starter Kit For Change

Cool Site, this would make a neat gift, wish I could afford it!

http://www.starterkitforchange.com/

2 Months old!

Andy is 2 months old today, I can't believe how big he is. He went to the doctor today which was really rough because he got 4 shots-ouch. He is 22" long & 10 pounds, 12 oz. which is big compared to birth although, he is only in the 25% for height & weight (meaning 75% of children are bigger) Of course Tony said "What do you expect for a baby who came with the genes of a hobbit" :)

Father's Day

Wanted to share a picture of My Dad with Tony and Andy on Tony's first Father's Day. Note Tony & Andy are wearing Hawaiian shirts, so cute

Had to Share

So, we were at Sonny's BBQ last night (fine dining for Zephyrhills) and I see this tee shirt.

Hike Faster!
I hear banjo music

HA! That is funny

Scrapbooking Hiatus

I have been on a scrapbooking hiatus for the last two months! Can I just say how excited I am to be getting together with my friends on Friday Night. Now if I can just find the time to pack.

Fashion Show

Horsies, Sock Monkeys & the Red Campaign, Oh my!

For those who don't know about (RED) products visit the site http://www.joinred.com. Buy products to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.




Andy & Uncle Darrell

Spring (cleaning) is in the air

Maybe it is the new house, new baby, or new freedom from work but, I am on a kick. Although I have to say it is very different to do anything with a 5 week old baby. You don't just start your cleaning marathon. Cleaning has become a sprinting game. You sprint and do a small part of a project, care for baby (diapers, feeding, soothing, repeat as necessary) sprint to do a another part of the project. I am also realizing that I have way too much clutter. Getting rid of stuff & streamlining makes life easier, if I could just convince my husband that clearing out is a Good Thing! You hoarder, you!

Baby Crazy

Congrats to my friend D & her husband who welcomed their little Jackson into the world today. Glad to hear all are healthy & happy. Speedy recovery D, can't wait to meet your new boy

Mother's Day

This was my first Mother's Day & I thought I would post a picture. We went to the country club with my parents, brother & his girlfriend. We had a great buffet and a nice time. This was the first time my brother & Sam got to meet Andy. I got a really nice poem from Tony with Andy's footprints & paw prints from Ollie & Emmie-very sweet.

Rewind

Warning this will be a long read & TMI for some, proceed with warning(trying to get the details for posterity) OK-let's go back to April 15th (Tuesday)

4/15/08 (Tuesday)
3am
Tony & I had movers scheduled for 7am the next day. We were still trying to pack so we stayed up until 3am. As soon as I layed down the baby started moving like crazy. Now this was unusual because he had been running out of room & been a little quieter the past 2 weeks. I also was having very mild cramping. I said to Tony, I'm going to get up. He said "If it doesn't go away in 30 minutes wake me up"-thanks for the support. So it settled down & I went to bed about 3:30am.

7am
Got up & the movers started loading the truck. I went to McDonald's & got Egg Mcmuffins & hash browns came back & we ate.

9:15am
Standing in the kitchen, I felt a warm drip, went to the bathroom thinking-no can't be. Few minutes later, standing in the kitchen, another warm wet drip. Went back to bathroom & saw pink. This is a typical Chan situation. Now keep in mind Tony's car was in the shop-so we only had 1 car. I ran to my neighbor Kathy's & she ran me to the doctor to check to see if it was amniotic fluid. Wendy Whitcomb was in the office so she tested the fluid & the paper turned blue, she could also see the leak when I coughed. She told us I had an hour or so go home get my bags & head to the hospital-I was in labor. Tony came to pick me up at the doctor on the way to Zephyrhills (he had given the garage door opener to the movers & I called my mother off of the golf course to meet the movers) Sadly, we had to take the dogs back to the old house & leave them because they would have the doggie door & fenced yard. We got the furniture unloaded, showered, grabbed our bags
& headed to the hospital.

2pm
Arrived at the hospital. Things get a little hazy. I know that that I was dilated 1 cm at the doctors office. I was not having many strong contractions at the hospital & was not any more dilated so, the doctor started Pitocin to increase the contractions.

4pm
The contractions got pretty strong & I called for an epidural. Everything was good until I started to get bad back labor in the evening. To quote myself "It's not right, this is torture, I want a cesarean" flew from my mouth-amazingly (Tony said) no 4 letter words. I was also suffering from the horrible heartburn I had during pregnancy so Doc let me take Tums-yummm like candy.

Midnight
Unfortunately at midnight I was still 1cm dilated & the baby was not descending. I suffered back labor all through the night & they had to give me 5 bolus'. I actually went through 3 shifts of nurses before I delivered. The second nurse had to call in the tough nurse to get me back under control (actually it was the Bolus-drugs in the epidural that did it)To make this night more interesting, I was throwing up- funny side story-because the bolus numbs you from the waist down, when I needed to sit up to throw up Tony lifted me & went to reach for the barf bag. When he let go I fell back onto the bed because I had no control of my muscles. The only thing I saw was panic on his face as he reached for me barf bag in hand. He had to quickly sit me back up I give me the bag.

7am
My delivery nurse Dee came on staff & was really great, she was experienced & knew what to do since the baby was still not coming down. She put me on my right side to labor & told Tony what to do to comfort me. We tried some pushing to see how I would do.

9am
I was really ticked at about 7:30 in the morning because the anesthesiologist went into a c-section & couldn't come give me drugs for 1 1/2 hours. I was in agony. I knew I would not be able to push in so much pain so once I got the drugs I told Tony he is coming out now before this wears off in 2 hours!

10am
I was finally dilated 10cm & able to push. I couldn't feel the contractions very well because for the drugs, but I said to hell with this I will figure out what they feel like & learn to push with the limited feeling-he's is getting out before the drugs wear off. Tony was so excited yelling I can see his head, he's almost here, one more push. I said "When she calls for the doctor we are close." My mother was running to the hallway to give my dad updates. Finally I heard Dee say, can we have Dr. Whitcomb now. Finally

11:41am
Andy finally made his arrival at 11:41 am. Tony cried (don't tell him I said that) when he came out. He was still holding my leg, I told him to go see the baby. Here he is meeting Andy for the first time



Here is the first family photo-I look a little beat up after 26 hours of labor



2pm
We were moved up to the Mother/Baby room where we stayed for 2 1/2 days. not to bore with details, Andy & I were poked & prodded 24 hours a day. Our biggest problem was that Andy would not sleep at all. He would doze in our arms, but if we tried to put him down he would scream. So after very little sleep Monday night & being in labor Tuesday night it was very rough not sleeping Wednesday or Thursday night either.

4/17/08 (Thursday)
We had lots of nice visitors who came to meet Andy. Thanks for visiting Cheryl, Denise, Sandy, Christine, Kathy, Sean, Roxanne, Vitaly



4/18/08 (Friday)
We were discharged Friday about noon & were on our own

It's Been a Long Time

I can't believe it's been over a month since I blogged. With good reason, I have an excuse...no really-see below. More to follow, I will have to do a few posts to catch everyone up.



Told you I have been busy! Meet Andrew James

I think I need a cardiologist!

That Mac & Cheese was crazy. Don't get me wrong it was good, just not worth all of the cheese, calories & cost. I think I like mine with a sharper flavor. Maybe just Sharp cheddar, Velveeta & a little half & half.

On the paint front, we picked a different color that worked great. Pooh's Favorite Things (from Behr). Will post as soon as I bring the camera to the new house.

Happy birthday Deirdre & happy anniversary Tom & Denise!

April Fools Day

How many people can I fool into thinking I'm in labor today? Apparently several. We did start to paint the baby's room yesterday. Starting with 2 small walls & a quart (because I am smart & know I never get the color right the first time) We started with Behr paint Pooh color-Blue Balloon. Too dark, It would feel like a cave, so next quart will be Pooh's Thoughtful spot-i will post pictures if it's right.

OK-Tony & I are trying to learn not to watch the food network-especially late at night. I can not tell you how many runs we have made for pie, cookies, chicken, etc. at 2am. So last night-Throwdown with Bobby Flay was doing Mac & Cheese (my favorite) I am now making the the most expensive mac & cheese I think possible-why? because Oprah said it was the best in the country-I trust her opinion on mac & cheese. Here is the recipe from food network, if anyone wants to try.

Big-by the way! I cut the recipe in half & it made a 9x10 plus a smaller casserole dish. Maybe I will freeze for when the baby comes




Delilah's 7 Cheese Mac and Cheese
Recipe courtesy Delilah Winder


2 pounds elbow macaroni
12 eggs
1 cup cubed Velveeta cheese
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, melted
6 cups half-and-half, divided
4 cups grated sharp yellow Cheddar, divided
2 cups grated extra-sharp white Cheddar
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
1 cup grated Asiago
1 cup grated Gruyere
1 cup grated Monterey Jack
1 cup grated Muenster
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until slightly al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside to keep warm.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until frothy.

Add the Velveeta, butter and 2 cups of the half-and-half to the large bowl of eggs. Add the warm macaroni tossing until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the remaining half-and-half, 3 cups of the sharp yellow Cheddar, the remaining grated cheeses, and salt and pepper, tossing until completely combined in the large bowl.

Pour the mixture into 9 by 13-inch casserole or baking dishes (approximately 3 (3-quart) baking dishes) and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of sharp yellow cheese and bake until golden brown on top, about 30 minutes more.

Serve hot.

We're Moving-I swear

We have a plan. We are going to move. Nothing like waiting until the baby is almost here. I attended a really nice baby shower & a great wedding yesterday, tired today-slept till noon. Well, since I do have some time on my hands I need something to read-anyone read any good books lately? Send me a comment.


Picture of the cake I made for the shower

Added a Widget

See to the right, Andy's Countdown. Found that on another blog, clicked add, named it & poof-it found my blog & appeared on it, man I love this stuff. Wasn't so easy 15 years ago with DOS!

HTML Code

Tony said he sent me the HTML Code for the baby's 4d sonogram. We'll se if this works



Andys First 4D Video

Add to My Profile | More Videos

Wow is it really March 14th

So much has happened...I will have to take a few days to get everything in. First things though, I had my baby shower this past Sunday. It was so nice to have all of my friends come to wish me well. And, all I can say is babys come with lots of gear. It took me until 2 in the morning to organize & show my husband all of the stuff-thanks again to everyone who made it special.

There was a very special surprise on the Friday before the shower. My parents called & asked if we wanted to go to dinner (uh unemployed, free meal-yeah OK) so we met at Red Lobster. Tony & I got there first & asked for a table for 4-they gave us a table for 5, so the waiter asked if we wanted him to take away the other chair & we said n o it's OK. My parents walked in & behind them was this woman. Now, I didn't pay any attention to her because I thought she was a server or another customer. Then this woman walks around the table & stands near me. I look up like ---yes??? And I'll be damed there is my Sister from Missouri standing there. Now, as some of you might know-I am not a huge fan of surprises-they catch me off guard-so there I sat in Red Lobster crying like a baby saying of my gosh, what are you doing here. I was so thrown that when they said she was leaving Monday I said-oh you can go to my shower on Sunday-duh-that is why she was here!!!

Hiccups again

He had hiccups again last night around midnight...what's up? Me, that's what -at midnight. Can't he figure out how to get them in the daytime? Well I have a doctors appointment on Friday, He seems to be hanging out a little lower in my belly, which I didn't think would happen this soon (7 more weeks to go) We'll see what Dr. Dillon says. We also start our childbirth classes this week, so that should be fun for 5 weeks, I hope he makes it that long.

Looking very forward to this weekend. First all of the job nonsense will have closure finally. There is a crop on Saturday night at YMCA, not sure if anyone is going, and Sunday is my baby shower-can't wait to see everyone together. What are your plans this weekend?-hope they are fun

So Cute

So, last night around 10pm the baby got his first hiccups (well, that I could feel anyway) Then he got them again this morning at 5am. I tried to think if there was anything I ate that was odd, but I couldn't come up with anything. So cute, but I felt bad for the little guy he had them for about 15 minutes.

Just trying to wrap up work, Wednesday is my last day-so sad. Then it will be on to nesting for the new baby! Now which house?----I know you all must be saying "Just pick already" --- Trying!

Job Updates

Well, I think I will just say it...Kimball Hill Homes has decided to exit the Florida market, due to a downturn in housing. That means as of March 7, 2008 I will be on a permanent vacation. I knew this was coming. It does give me a break to have the baby. Boy, that was one heck of a birthday present. Back to the decision with the houses?????????? Well, at least I am not waiting to see if my job will be here or gone. It is what it is....life goes on

What's Up?

I had a great weekend, snuck to a Southern Living party on Saturday (see Cheryl's blog to the left-she is the consultant for some great stuff!) Reminds me, I have to place my order. Then went to Stumps Supper Club in Channelside for a birthday dinner with Cari-Happy birthday (on the 28th).

I'll wait until tomorrow to let you know about my work situation, meeting at 9:30 am.

Today

I saw this on Cari's blog & decided to write down my to do list today

9 am-breakfast at Panera with Tony (bagels & coffee) surf net
10am -return doggie door to Lowes (too small for the little buggers, had to get a larger one)
also check on black fence style
11 am-walmart
12noon-2:30-pack boxes to move (but probably take a nap & procrastinate)
3pm-sonogram to measure how "big" is "big" (the doctor says he's big-how is this possible my husband is 5'5" & I am 5')
4pm-call painter for quote
5pm-dog park (if not raining)
7pm-crash

Ok, so I have a plan.

Did you guys see the eclipse last night? At 8:15pm I said "don't forget" to Tony, 8:20 the baby had been doing aerobics in my belly for an hour so, I crawled in bed with my new Creating Keepsakes Magazine... page 4 fell asleep. So, I missed it. They also shot down a spy satellite over the Pacific last night. I guess the little space aliens had quite a show.

3D Sonogram Pictures

Baby Andy was very cooperative so we got 37 still photos & a DVD, we think he looks like Daddy. Here are a few....

Face


Hand in front of his face


Foot & leg in front of his face