Love Your Blog Award

This week I was awarded the "Love Your Blog Award" from Riema's Journey. I feel so honored to have been the recipient of so many blog awards lately!! There are so many blogs that I enjoy reading and I'm happy that others are enjoying reading mine as well.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Lyla went back to her Mom's on Monday. We were sad to see her leave. The social services system is so overloaded and caseworkers are so overwhelmed with their large case load that many children are overlooked. I really hope that Lyla starts receiving the attention and love that she needs.

Tasty Tuesday: Antipasto Pasta Salad

Antipasto Pasta Salad

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Ingredients:
1 package (16 ounces) penne or rotini pasta
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 medium sweet red or green pepper, julienned
2 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 bunch green onions, sliced
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, julienned
4 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, juilenned
4 ounces brick or provolone cheese, julienned
4 ounces thinly sliced hard salami, julienned
3 ounces thinly sliced pepperoni
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 to 2 tablespoons minced chives

BASIL VINAIGRETTE:
2/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons minced fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt



Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse with cold water and drain. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, beans, vegetables, cheeses, meats, olives and chives.
In a small bowl, whisk the vinaigrette ingredients. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate. Toss before serving. Yield: 18 servings.

Our Weekend

We had a great time this weekend and are enjoying our time with Lyla. She is so sweet and making so many improvements in the few days she's been with us. The first day she only drank a total of 3 oz of milk all day, the second day 5 oz and today she had a whopping 12oz!! She'll be gaining weight in no time!! Sunday Braxton and Ivory came over for a playdate and the kids played all afternoon.

New Addition

Meet the newest addition to our home. Our 9 month old niece is now living with us and Addison is so excited to have her cousin to play with everyday. Addison already knows how to say her name and says it a hundred times a day:-) Lyla has the sweetest personality and is such a quiet and easy baby. I was able to get her to drink from a sippy cup for the first time yesterday and am trying to get her on a schedule mirroring Addison's. So far it has been successful because I was able to get her to bed at 9:30p last night and she slept until 7:30a this morning without waking up in the middle of the night. One step at a time. My next goal is getting her to start crawling. Wish us Luck!!

Flashback Friday

Me and the hubbs many years ago :-)

Videos

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Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Tasty Tuesday: 25 Minute Meatloaf

25 MINUTE MEATLOAF

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Ingredients:
***MEAT LOAF***
1 1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons instant onion
1 large egg
1 cup bread crumbs
1 can (8 oz. size) tomato sauce

***SAUCE***
1 can (8 oz. size) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

MEAT LOAF: Combine all ingredients as for meat loaf, then shape into small oval loaves. Place in shallow baking dish. Bake at 450 degrees F for 20 minutes. Spoon off excess grease.

SAUCE: Combine all ingredients for sauce and pour over meat loaves and bake for 5 minutes at 450 degrees.

Mischievous Monday

Sweet Saturday

What is sweeter on a Saturday then some yummy ice cream!! As you can see Addison not only loved the ice cream but devoured the cone as well :-)

One Lovely Blog Award

I've received the "One Lovely Blog Award" from Missy at My-Life Ain't Always Beautiful. Thank you Missy!!







On to the rules for accepting this award...

1. Accept the award. Post it on your blog with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.

2. Pay it forward to 15 other bloggers that you have newly discovered.

3. Contact those blog owners and let them know they've been chosen.

1. Webbisodes
2. Call Me Laura Jane
3. Family and Life in Las Vegas
4. A Masters and a Mom
5. Blessings of a Stay at Home Mom
6. Flip Flops and Pearls
7. Jumping Jack
8. Key Moments
9. Life of this SAHM
10. Life in the Fulmer Lane
11. A Daily Dose of Davis
    
12. Mama's Little Chick
13. The Florida Hogans
14. The Tarr Pit
15. Life with 5 dogs
    

Allergist Appointment

The allergist said that it was a case of hives and not an allergic reaction…thank goodness!! He said that it could’ve been caused by a viral infection or gastrointestinal disruption(the vomiting and diarrhea from last weekend). I asked him why her lips were swollen if it wasn't an allergic reaction and he stated that she had a deeply embedded hive that can locate itself in the lip?!?! He said it's rare to see hives in a child so young but it does happen. He suggested that she take Zyrtec for five days then stop and see if the hives return. He stated that the hives will most definitely return so to then have her take the Zyrtec another 5 days and stop. If in a month they aren’t gone on their own without the use of medicine then we have to go back.

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Allergic Reaction

A couple weeks ago Addison got a sting or bite on her leg and it swelled up really big but went away after a couple days. Last weekend she had diarrhea and vomited for the first time ever. She never had a fever. Since being sick this weekend the last few days I've noticed welts that last for about 15-30 minutes, then fade and show up elsewhere on her arms and legs. Occasionally a few bumps would show up but also go away.

Today at work I get a call from daycare saying that her lips are red and swollen, she has patchy rashes on her cheeks and nose, welts on her arms, her hands were pink and swollen and it was spreading down to her legs. I left work immediately. By the time I could pick her up the Dr's office would be closed so I took her to the after hours pediatric urgent care (which luckily is ran by her Dr)

The Dr said that he believes she had an allergic reaction to an insect bite. He gave us a referral to an allergist and hope to get an appt with them first thing tomorrow. They gave her benadryl when we were there and said to give her liquid Zyrtec every evening until the cause of the allergic reaction is determined. He also said to keep benadryl at daycare in case of an emergency.

I'm so worried. I hate seeing her like this. I am hoping to get a solid answer from the allergist in order to treat whatever caused this reaction. Please send some vibes our way!!

Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday: Mom's Chocolate Cake

MOM'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

Image found here

Ingredients:
3 C. Flour
6 T. Cocoa
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Salt
2 C. Sugar
12 T. Salad oil (3/4 C)
2 T. Vinegar
2 C. Cold Water
1 tsp. Vanilla

Directions:
Combine dry ingredients and add liquids. Stir until smooth. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes.

Frosting:
1/2 stick butter, 3 T. milk; melt and add 2 T. Cocoa, 2 C. powdered sugar, 1/2 C nuts(opt), 1 tsp vanilla

As you see from the title this is my mom's chocolate cake and frosting recipe. This has to be the most moist cake I've ever had. It's sinful...and delicious!!

Our Weekend

Somehow in the craziness of this weekend I managed to take ZERO photos.

There is always the good and the bad so we'll start with the bad. Last week the cable on the gear shift of my car broke. Took it to a garage in town recommended by friends. I was surprised at how reasonable it was to fix it. I was expecting it to be much more so that was a happy surprise. But when I drove it home I realized the "trac off" light was on and it was shifting REALLY hard. Saturday when I went to the store the check engine light came on and the rpm's were erratic. None of these items were issues prior to my car being fixed their last week. Last night we dropped it back off at the garage and will be anxiously awaiting their call today.

The other bad part of the weekend is that Addison threw up for the first time. Saturday morning I was up early and by the power of Murphy's Law Addison slept in...lol. So as I opened the door to check on her since it was 7:30a and she still wasn't awake I noticed "The Stench." That all too familiar smell that makes yourself want to run to the bathroom and get sick. As I walked up to her sleeping I saw that she must've thrown up in her sleep. She never woke up or cried during the night and ended up sleeping in it. It was matted in her hair, on her blanket, on her pajamas, on the sheets...EVERYWHERE!! She was not happy with me when I woke her from her sleep and put her in the tub first thing in the morning. She cried and screamed. It took me four shampoos to get that stench out of her hair. She must have caught a little stomach bug since the throw up Friday night after she had diarrhea all day Friday. Thankfully she never had a fever this weekend.

The good news...I'm a blond again!! I was blond for seven years up until I had Addison then those dang pregnancy hormones made me think I needed to have dark hair again since she had dark hair. I LOVE my stylist and love even more the fact that she has her hair studio set up out of her home allowing me to have appointments on Sunday. LOVE HER!!!

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Remembering September 11th

I will never forget 9-11-01.

I will never forget those who lost their lives that day.

I will never forget all of our military members fighting for our freedom.

I will never forget...

Image found here

Image found here

I'm being featured today!!

I'm super excited to have my blog featured today on Feature Friday hosted by Heather from Mommy Only Has Two Hands. Heather is so sweet and has a great blog so make sure you stop by and say "Hi"

If your stopping by for the first time from Feature Friday...Welcome!!

Almost Wordless Wednesday

College Football season has begun!!! Go Huskers!!