Ramblings...

Well, last night was craft night with the neighbor girls, and we were busy making frames, candle holders, and clipboards! We still have plans for coasters and magnets too! We had so much fun, and were so proud to be able to make some pretty good looking gifts to give to family, friends, teachers, etc.! I think we are going to do round two after we get some more supplies...can't wait! I'll post pics later...we left all of our stuff at Amy's house until round two!

Well, my ever changing blog is in transition again! A fellow blogger pointed me in the direction of scrapblog.com, and I whipped out the cute little header that I have up top now! It is a FUN site with a video tutorial that can get you started. I did the header on the first night that I used the site! I think I will design our Christmas cards there, and also my next scrapbook...lots of ideas floating around right now! So much to do...so little time!

We are really working on the potty training...going to the potty every 10 minutes it seems like! Gosh, I didn't remember it being this constant...I mean, who goes to the bathroom every 10 minutes?!?! Well, my little guy does I guess...I think it must all be about scoring those potty treats, but I'm watching, and most every time he asks to go...he goes, so what do you do? You spend 1/2 of your day sitting on the bathroom floor talking potty talk with your two year old! Yes, I have lots of other things that must be done, but I also realize how sweet and fleeting all of these times are, so as I sit on the bathroom floor, I try to savor the cuteness of it all! These times won't last forever, so I want to milk them for everything they are worth!

I just made a brilliant discovery! For quite some time now, we have been waging the battle of the water dispenser on the front of the fridge combined with Carson's little hands! Time after time, we realize that we are losing the battle, and we again, have a soaking wet floor, and an equally soaking toddler. Well, I realized today that there is a wonderful little button staring right there at me that says "LOCK", Yea!!!!!! Problem solved...until he figures that out too!

Last night, I whipped out a dinner that the whole family loved! Yea...ya gotta love it when that happens. We had Shepherd's Pie and Green Beans. Both were easy, and turned out GREAT! Here are the recipes...the Shepherd's Pie is my Mother In Law's, and the Green Beans are from a church friend...thanks Barbara and Stephanie...you both helped me make my family very happy last night! :) Not the recipes for those that are trying to steer clear of butter I must say!

Barbara's Shepherd's Pie...YUM!!
chuck roast
dry onion soup mix
dry mushroom gravy mix
beef broth
8-10 Yukon Gold Potatoes
1 stick of butter
cream (I used 1/2 and 1/2)
salt and pepper
shredded cheese

Place roast in the crock pot, and cover with the dry onion soup mix...no water or anything. Cook the roast overnight on low. Remove the roast to a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray, and pull apart with two forks, covering the bottom of the dish.

Make the mushroom gravy according to package directions, using beef broth instead of water. I used a little more than 1 cup of broth...maybe 1 1/4 cups.

After gravy comes to a boil, and thickens a little bit, pour it over the roast, and stir to combine.

Make the mashed potatoes using the butter, salt, pepper, and just enough cream to give it the right consistency. Spread potatoes over the roast.

Cover the top with shredded cheese.

Heat at 350 for 30 minutes

Your family's gonna love you!


Sinfully Good Green Beans
2 cans whole green beans...drain 1 can to reduce liquid
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
4 tsp soy sauce
bacon (I used a bag of real bacon pieces that you find with salad fixings)

Combine all ingredients in a skillet, bring to a boil, and simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally...30 min. or so.

That's it!

ENJOY!!!

Writing the Waves!
Christi

Potty Training Fun

Well, my little guy turned 2 on August 10th. I had not really planned on getting into potty training just yet. With Caylie, my oldest, I rushed it, and it was a long, drawn out process, so with Christian, the next in line, I decided to just relax, and kind of play it by ear. It was sooo much easier...he was still potty trained before he was 3, just a little later than Caylie, and without the obsessiveness on my part! Good deal for all involved I thought!


With all of that said, I figured that with little Carson, we would wait until this this spring, when he would be a little older, and there would not be so many heavy layers of clothing to deal with, but I'm thinking he may have other plans. Somehow, he has decided that he kinda likes this whole "potty" thing.

I didn't really even talk it up to him, he just acted like he was "working on something" a couple of weeks ago...at Target (of course), and so I decided to take him to the bathroom just to see if we might be able to make it on time. I plopped him down on the toilet, and what do ya know, he did his thing (his BIG thing) right on cue! I clapped and fussed over him, a performance that I'm sure the lady and her son, waiting on the other side of the door enjoyed, and we waved bye-bye as he flushd his special delivery down the toilet!

Anyway, we are in the thick of it now. He has been going multiple times a day. He gets two animal cracker "pee pee treats" and/or "poo poo treats", which he REALLY looks forward to, and starts talking about before he even gets off of the potty! I'm sure that at Mother's Day Out, and church, he will have accidents, because as brilliant and exceptional as my little pumpkin is (no bias here!), he's not the most well spoken guy on the block, so I don't think anyone will have a clue what he is talking about when he asks to go! Oh well...it's a process!

I haven't bought Pull-ups yet, I guess I need to add that to my shopping list for the day!

Writing The Waves,
Christi