4 Months Today!!!!

How time flys when you are having fun! This last month has been filled with so many firsts....

1st Big Boy Meal

1st Time Laughing so hard you gave yourself the hick ups!

1st Time they noticed each other....AMAZING IS ALL I CAN SAY!

1st Time grabbing for a toy and holding on to it!

1st Bath in the sink because you are to big for your tub and to little for ours!

We are having such a blast and have an exciting month of firsts coming up including our first vacation to Florida to see family!

Lots of pictures.....

What a week!

Lots going on and most of it not to fun! The boys came down with their first flu bug and then Daddy got sick also so Mommy has been on puke patrol for most of the week! So many things to blog about but no time....this seems to be a trend!

Things I want to write about in the next week...
1. This great book I just finished reading- The sharper your knife the less you cry.
2. Cloth Diapering- lots of questions that get asked and why I love it so much
3. All the amazing changes in the babes! I really need to get more pics posted.
4. I have been cooking like crazy and need to update some great new recipes.

hopefully i will get to do this all by the end of the weekend........

3 Months Old Today!!!!!!

Oh how does time fly! This time three months ago our little family was getting to know each other in our hospital room. It is amazing how different our lifes are and how I cannot imagine it any other way. Both boys are doing so well and are getting HUGE! Each one of them is over 13lbs now.

Both boys are super talkative and gurgle and coo like crazy. Colton is now rolling over and Cooper is right behind him. Colton is my serious boy but when he smiles he lights up the room and Cooper is a BIG FLIRT just like his Daddy. Both boys are now only getting up once a night to feed and then go right back to sleep so Mom and Dad are starting to feel wayyyy less sleep deprived!

Here are a few pics from this afternoon....Cooper was not happy with putting on big boy clothes and just wanted to chill but Mommy made him get all dressed up and cute :) and Colton was flirting with the camera today.

follow up to muffin recipe!

so i forgot to put that the flax seed and brewers yeast was by the cup! that is what you get for not previewing before posting :)

Bananas to the MAX Muffins!

These muffins are awesome to eat and awesome for you! Need to sneak in a bit of fiber and all the other "good stuff" you are supposed to eat? Whip up a batch of these bad boys and everyone in the family will be asking for more....no need to tell them that they are good for them!

BTW these are also very good for you if you are breast feeding :) I guess I could call them milk muffins LOL.

Bananas to the MAX Muffins:

3 ripe bananas- mashed but chunky

2 eggs

1/2 cup of canola oil

1 TBS good vanilla

3/4 Cup granulated sugar

1/2 Cup Oatmeal - processed in the processor

1/2 Flax Seeds- processed in the processor

1/4 Brewers Yeast

1 1/2 Cups All purpose flour

1 Tbs good cinnamon

powdered sugar

Oven 350 degrees

In a med. size bowl combine bananas, eggs, oil and vanilla till fully incorporated. In another med. size bowl mix together all dry ingredients. Combine the wet ingredients into the dry and mix ONLY UNTIL INCORPORATED! You want light muffins not bricks!!!

Spray a muffin pan with non stick spray, fill approx 3/4 of the way up, bake approx 16 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Dust with powdered sugar.

Enjoy!

note: Brewers Yeast is an incredible "add in" to any type of baked good ( muffins, pancakes, waffles, oatmeal). With 16 grams of protein per serving and tons of amino acids plus for breastfeeding mommies it is great for milk production. I really like the Lewis Labs brand and I get it at Earth Fare or Whole Foods.

Our First Beach Day!

What a fun family day we had! With a visit from Grammy and our Auntie Debs and Uncle David we had an ocean adventure on Sullivans Island. We set up the new sun canopy that Grammy bought us and into the ocean we went! After a nice little dip ( we did not cry at all!) we took a great nap in our birthday suits under the canopy and THEN went and had a late lunch at Mom and Dad's favorite burger place, Poe's Tavern! We needed a small army to carry everything down to the beach and Mom and Dad need to invest in a big wheel cart when it is just the four of us heading down!!

Pizza!

So I love to cook no two ways about it! But I have a new facination with homemade pizza. It has become my catch-all for whatever is left over in the fridge. A single chicken breast, half a bag of spinach, some leftover grilled brats from the night before...the possiblities are endless! Now when I grocery shop I hit up the bakery section and pick up 2 or 3 dough balls for an easy on the table meal in less than thirty minutes including cook time! You can also go to your local pizza joint and ask to purchase dough balls from them and if you are not going to use them right away you can freeze them! The only equiptment that i find a must with this meal is a pizza stone.

My base usually starts out with a tossed pizza dough ball..no need for it to be perfectly round...a bit of marinara sauce ( i usually use whatever pasta sauce i have open in the frigde) and lots of cheese ( fresh sliced mozzerella, shredded mozzerella, feta cheese, soft goat cheese ect)

Here are a few of my favorite combinations:

~ spinach, mushrooms, artichoke hearts

~ thinly sliced tomatoes, fresh basil, sliced onion

~ shredded chicken, bbq sauce, red onion, chedder cheese

~ shrimp, cilantro, olive oil, montery jack cheese, thinly sliced tomatoes

~ spinach, thinly sliced yellow squash, thinly sliced zuccinni, thinly sliced tomatoes

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and bake for approx 23-25 minutes. You have a little slice of heaven that is healthy and the you did not need to pick up the phone and wait to have delivered to your door!

Enjoy!!!

Two Months Today!!!

Oh where has the time gone. It feels like I have never not had the boys yet I cant belive how fast the time has flown.

Both babes are well over 10lbs and we will have the official weigh in on the 21st at their doctors appointment. Both are smiling and cooing and are so animated when we play with them.

Life is good and I feel like we have made it thru the "hell weeks" pretty well with only a few moments of sheer panic and major sleep deprivation.

Here are a few shots of the boys....

Family fun in the pool!

Now that the pool is warm enough it was time for the boys to have their first dip! They were a bit upset at first but soon were enjoying the movement of the water. Both boys sported their cloth diapers.

This will be a pretty common scene at our home this summer with temps already in the mid 90's and it is only June :/

I cant wait for them to have swim lessons and become a water babies just like their momma.

Two Weeks Old Today...

So we made it thru the first two weeks and are still alive....but sleep is now a thing of the past. I can handle most of the night but by 4am i am usually in such a state of exsaustion that I cannot figure out top from bottom. Having twins is hard...no two ways about it! But I will say that I would not want it any other way. I love looking at them and seeing how different and how much they have changed just in two weeks.

We are still flying solo and the troops will be here starting Wednesday! I cannot wait for a little help. DH and I have done awesome if I do say say so myself with getting grocery shopping done, stuff for the business and somehow managing to make three meals a day to eat. The grill has become our new best friend. I have to say the grilled chicken sandwiches last night were delicious :)

Here is an updated picture of the boys. This is the pic I am using for their birth announcment.

ONE WEEK OLD!

It is amazing how time flies! Can't really type with a baby in my arms but all mommyood is awesome and totally worth the sleep deprivation. Here are some one week old pics...

Welcome Home Baby Boys!!!!

WE WELCOME OUR TWO NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY!!!!!
BORN: SATURDAY MAY 10, 2008
TIME: BABY A- 2:30PM
BABY B- 2:42 PM
STATS: BABY A- 6LBS 7 OZ ; 20"
BABY B- 6 LSB 7 OZ ; 20"
We are soooooo excited to have our boys home and to finally meet them. We delivered at 37 weeks 3 days and both boys got a full term healthy baby seal of approval. They are eating like champs, they have their mommy and daddy wrapped around their fingers already and we are so ready to help them grow into little boys and men.
People keep asking us how different we feel and I now understand what people say that you have to experience it to understand what a powerful and amazing transformation takes place in you.
So here are a few pictures....
The last picture of me pregnant!!!! EEEEEEK. All I can say is sweet relief after carrying around all that baby!
A quick picture of the boys....with PLENTY more to come :)
The first morning at home in bed with Daddy and big brother Forrest...

The Hole in the Wall....

For over three years I have been begging DH to knock this wall out! As "everyone" knows light sells in real estate :) and I could not stand how dark our living room always was! So low and behold DH gets it into his head that we need the hole done before the babies get here because of all the mess with the drywall ect ect. Once again a project started....a MAJOR mess made...and then a very very happy wife!

Here are the before, during and after pics. And yes that is a load bearing wall and yes those jacks are holding up my third floor :/

15 days to go....

15 days to go until the boys make their arrival....unless they plan an early escape which I am thinking is not going to happen since they seem so comfy in there. It hit me last night that in 15 days I am going to be a Mom!!! How crazy is that. It all just seems so surreal and I still am still looking at my life from outside the window. We are almost ready for them with the house and I just need to order a rug for their bedroom and make a few returns to BRU for some last minute items. We are going to install the carseats this weekend and put together all the strollers and little items to make sure we know what the heck we are doing.

I am feeling a bit usless in all of the physical activities since my movement is so very limited with how big the boys are already plus they are both now laying transverse so I have all their weight on my pelvic and hip bones....not a comfortable feeling at all! I also have hung up my truck keys till these babes arrive for the safety of myself and others. My belly is just to big to be behind a steering wheel and my legs are not long enough for it to be comfortable or safe. Poor DH is now on grocery store duty..something that he does not enjoy at all! I am trying to keep the list as basic as possible but it is just so hard!

So 15 days and counting......till life is totally and completely different....AND I CAN'T WAIT!

Spring is Here...

What amazing weather we have been blessed with over the last few weeks. Perfect 75 -80 degrees with just a hint of summer and nice breezes. The pollen has finished falling, the "yellow snow" that has covered most of the Lowcountry is gone and all the sneezing has stopped! For two very happy golden retrievers it means more than just a pretty day...it means POOL TIME! Yes my friends the cover has come off and a daily swim or two is now just a part of the day...at least for the dogs right now. The will have the luxury of having the pool to themselves for a few more weeks while we wait for it to really warm up for us.....

I think this picture speaks a thousand words of their lives!

The Baby Shower...Retro Themed!

What a fun day!
Two of my very sweet girlfriends threw me a retro throwback baby shower this weekend. I have always felt I am a woman of the 50's with my love of cooking and entertaining...and they went with it! A few weeks ago we went thru one of my retro recipe boxes and the the party came alive with ideas! I felt like the luckiest girl this weekend being blessed with such good friends and family and the love that is already been shown to my two little boys!
I have included the "photo" of a very pregant me...yes I know I am pregnant but dang this is exactly why I have not allowed my picture to be taken! So here I am 27 weeks pg with our two boys.

Also here was the menu for the party!

Checkerboard Sandwiches ( chicken salad and pimento cheese)
Pigs in a blanket
Deviled Eggs
Melon Skewers with dipping sauce
Frozen Banana Pops dipped in Chocolate and Yummy toppings!
Cupcakes
Oreos
Mimosas
Retro Sodas (cooled in retro baby bathtub!)
Iced Tea with Simple Syrup

My Husband is AMAZING!

So my husband really is amazing! He took an idea and went with it! He created custom built in cabinets made from scratch, b-board ceiling, crown molding, 5 1/2 ft. tall wainscotting around the entire room and a picture shelf around the entire room plus a nursing station where the mini fridge and mircowave will go so that we dont have to treck downstairs at two in the morning if he is helping with feedings to heat up a bottle. Plus recessed lighting with a dimmer switch.
More to come in the next few weeks...hardwood floors, cabinet doors, furniture and decor!

BEDREST!

Well it looks like I am out of the kitchen for a while...the doctor has put me on modified bedrest for the time being :( I have a few kitchen goals over the next few weeks and if i get the energy to make everything i will post. Poor DH is on grocery shopping duty plus having to learn how to cook a bit...he made homemade mashed potatoes the other night with me shouting directions from the couch..they were very good and i was quite impressed. I guess he has picked up a few pointers thru the years that he was not letting on about :)

Quick Stuffed French Toast

I love to make DH breakfast every morning....yes it is a sick problem of mine for years but i love sending him off with a home cooked meal in his belly and us having enjoyed some time in the morning together. This is a super easy breakfast that takes about two minutes to put together. Once again no acutal measurments....and no finished pictures because he ate them before i could take any!!!!

Quick Stuffed French Toast for 2

8 slices of cinnamon bread

1/2 block of cream cheese

couple dashes of cinnamon

couple dashes of sugar

2 eggs beaten

little bit of milk

splash of vanilla

couple pats of butter

In a small bowl combine the cream cheese, cinnamon and sugar. mix until combined.

In another small bowl combine eggs, milk and vanilla

Lay out four slices of bread and evenly spread the cream cheese mixture ; top with the other four slices.

Heat a saute pan till the butter is melted and bubbly.

Soak each "stuffed" piece of bread on each side in the egg mixture for a least 10-15 seconds. Hold it up and let the excess mix drip off.

Cook until each side is golden brown.

Top with butter and syrup.......yum!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake....YUMMY!

First off the pictures do not do this cake justice! I would HIGHLY recommend making this for anyone you want to show your love and appreciation for! This recipe is from Barefoot Contessa with a few tweaks...

So DH and I were invited to a Sunday dinner that was a "breakfast". Being that I am the baker I volunteered to bring the "dessert" for the meal. This coffee cake was so moist and flavorful and awesome that i cannot wait for another excuse to make it! At the end of the night we divided up the leftover coffee cake so that everyone could enjoy a piece the next morning for breakfast...i got several very happy emails that their Monday morning was much better thanks to this cake!

Bakers Tip: When making this cake be VERY aware of how much you incorporate the flour. You want to mix it till it is JUST beaten in. This will help result in a light and fluffy cake as opposed to a dense and glutenous blog.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

3 extra-large eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups sour cream

2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the streusel:

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3/4 cup chopped pecans

For the glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

6 tablespoons real maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.
For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.
Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate. Whisk the confectioners' sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if necessary, to make the glaze runny. Drizzle as much as you like over the cake with a fork or spoon.

Everything But the Kitchen Sink Chili

DH and I have this strange facination with chili be it meat, veggie, chicken ect ect. He loves to eat it with fridos scoops or tostidio chips and i love all the fun stuff you can put on top ( hence the everything but the kitchen sink part). He is know for demolishing an entire bag of chips with one bowl of chili...that is how much he love his chili and chips and i have been know to put as much as seven different items on top of mine. I am not one for measuring...but rather go on taste as it simmers so all of the measurements are not exact. Being pregnant I have to be careful because i love anything SPICY and i guess i have been taking it a bit far lately even for DH...what is wrong with five big dashes of tabasico in a bowl ;)

So here is my version of a fantastic pot of stick to your ribs chili...I usually just simmer it on the stove for several hours if I am going to be home but I did make it in my slow cooker this time and it was just as good!

Everything But the Kitchen Sink Chili- Meat Version

2 lbs ground beef

1 large onion chopped

3 cloves of garlic chopped

1 large can of chili beans

1 large can of chopped green chilis

1 large can of stewed tomatoes with peppers and onions

1 small can of tomato paste

4 tbs of cumin

4 tbs of chili powder

2- 3 hearty squirts of ketchup

salt and pepper

couple good dashes of cayanne pepper

Saute onions and add ground beef and garlic plus some salt and pepper unit no longer pink. Drain any of the fat.

In a large pot or slow cooker combine all ingredients, stir and let simmer for at least an hour up to seven hours.

Top with the following items of your choice...

chopped onion

shredded cheese

sour cream

chopped tomatoes

chopped cilantro

diced avocado

tabasico or your choice of hot sauce

scallions

and of course have a big bag of chips handy!

The Baby Suite..Construction Begins!

I am so blessed to have such a handy husband! With less than 15 weeks till the arrival of our two baby boys DH ( darling husband) is in full construction mode with the room. This will not just be any room...oh no. He plans on outdoing any project he has done in the past in this room and let me tell you he has done some projects! I will update accordingly with his great progress and cannot wait to see how it turns out. I have warned him that he is only opening up a can of worms because our master bedroom is on the "to do" list and i plan on having just as nice a room as my children!!!

First Slow Cooker Attempt

With the weather being as cold as it was today...and my husbands love of red meat that i rarely indulge in I decided to give my new slow cooker a shot with brisket. Being that I have 1. never cooked a brisket 2. never used a slow cooker before and 3. am not much of a meat eater myself....I thought the meal was decent. My darling husband went back for seconds, contemplated thirds and said he cant wait to make a brisket sandwich tomorrow so i say this is a winning recipe. I found this on food network and changed a few things like not adding parsnips but baby potatoes instead and using gara masala spice mix in place of the sweeter spices and corriander and did not serve it over the couscous because of the baby potatoes. I also made a gravy out of the juices in the bottom of the cooker to top it with.

Keep in mind this is a "sweeter" recipe with the apricots and hints of cinnamon.

Moroccan Beef Brisket

1 large red onion, sliced into thin wedges

2 parsnips, chopped

2 pound boneless beef brisket

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Pinch nutmeg

1 cup whole dried apricots

1 cup dry red wine

1/2 cup reduced-sodium beef broth

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup couscous

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Arrange onion wedges and potatoes in bottom of slow cooker. Season beef all over with salt and black pepper. In a small bowl, combine coriander, cumin, cinnamon, garlic powder, and nutmeg. Rub spice mixture all over beef. Arrange beef over onions and parsnips in slow cooker. Arrange apricots around beef.In a small bowl, whisk together wine, broth and honey. Pour mixture over beef and vegetables. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Cook couscous according to package directions. Serve beef, vegetables and apricots over couscous. Pour over extra sauce from slow cooker and top with cilantro.

the trial run!

So my new years resolution this year was to get over my fear of the computer...not the basics but the nitty gritty stuff that i have been able to avoid for the last few years! I figured a blog was a great way to jump into this world of computer savy people.

I am figuring my first few posts will be pretty remedial and will lack photos and all that jazz while i figure out how it all works. I am also going to blog about everything not just food because in the end it all comes back to food for me.

Happy reading, Happy New Year and I can't wait to see what the year brings.