Week 21

I can't believe we are already at week 21! This pregnancy is flying by. I think having a toddler to chase around probably adds to that feeling...

This pregnancy continues to be very easy! My energy level is definitely lower than when I'm not pregnant, but I think that is probably common;) I have had some muscle pains. I suspect they have a little something to do with my growing baby and a little something to do with hauling a toddler around like I'm not 21 weeks pregnant.

I feel like my belly changes size throughout the day. McBaby #2 is constantly moving, which seems to change the way I look all day long. Or maybe it's all in my head and I actually look the same all day. Nope. I'm convinced my belly changes depending on the position of baby. Don't tell me otherwise, please:)

Hayes has started saying "baby." Pretty adorable! It makes me a little sad when he points to his baby pictures and says it. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that he was a little tiny baby. Now he is a toddler talking up a storm and running everywhere he goes.

We are making progress with the new baby room. I am still waiting for inspiration to strike for the perfect baby bed and we have a few little things to buy. I will take pictures soon...when Hayes doesn't have a playworld set up in the middle of the room.

P.S. I would like to think my belly doesn't always look this big. Let's say that baby is laying funny in this picture. And, let's go ahead and blame it on the angle of the camera. I've been trying to teach Ry how to properly photograph a pregnant woman so that she doesn't look any larger than she actually is;)

Paleasagna

I found this tasty recipe on Pinterest from this blog. It screamed healthy, filling, and a way to sneak veggies in for Hayes;)

It did take me a while to get this ready and bake, but it was so worth it!

{Paleasagna}

olive oil

1 lb ground turkey or lean beef

1 onion, chopped

1 15 oz can chopped tomatoes

3 tbsp tomato pasta

1 can artichoke hearts, quartered

garlic

salt

pepper

Italian seasoning

1 lb zucchini and/or squash, slice into thin medallions

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cups Greek yogurt

1 head broccoli, chopped

1 egg

1 container feta cheese crumbles

Whew. Seems like a long list. It's mostly veggies. And it makes several meals.

Let's get started. Heat some olive oil in a large skillet and start by sauteing your onion. Add your ground turkey, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and garlic. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook until turkey is done. While this is cooking is a great time to slice your zucchini and squash. In a bowl, mix your mozzarella cheese, Greek yogurt, broccoli, and egg. Now it's time to start assembling this delicious dish!

Grease a 9x13 casserole dish. Line the bottom with a layer of zucchini. Top with half of your meat mixture and half of the cheese mixture. Repeat layers. Top the whole thing with feta cheese. Bake at 375 for 45-60 minutes or until warm and bubbly.

When I made this, I used a really large casserole dish. My layers were a little different, but the end result was still delicious. And I somehow got Hayes to eat 5 different veggies in one meal!

A tired Top 10

1. We spent the weekend at Deer Creek State Park with approximately 40 of Ryan's family members. It was wonderful to see people who we don't get to see often. Now I need a couple of days of sleep to catch up...

2. I found this blog the other day...She has some pretty nice suggestions for making it through a pregnancy without buying many maternity clothes. I typically think most maternity clothes are pretty awful. Not enough companies make them so there really isn't much variety. I hope this helps me keep my maternity clothes purchases to a minimum. And I hope it keeps me from buying tents...

3. My crazy little "saster" has a birthday today! I hope she enjoys herself on the beach with her hubby during their kid-free vacation!

4. I'm too tired to even think about a menu for this week. Maybe I'll get around to it tomorrow. Maybe.

5. It is so strange to me how much my belly size can fluctuate throughout the day. Often, looking in the mirror can be a shock for me...

6. I am still planning on posting pictures of our new flooring. Just waiting on my hubby to put the baseboards back in...

7. I introduced my non-pregnant neighbor to prenatal pilates this week. I don't think she was expecting to sweat so much during a workout for preggos.

8. I am so ready for football season. Or am I just ready for baseball to be over?

9. I love that so many of Ryan's family members have small children like me. I also love that two of them have due dates close to mine. It makes for a fun support system.

10. Pray for Lucy as she has surgery tomorrow! I have been following this blog for a while now and my heart goes out to this family and their little fighter!

Happy Birthday to me!!!!

Am I really 28? Is this real life? Where does time go? It seems like just yesterday I was turning 25 and planning my wedding. Here I am 3 years later with an amazing husband, a beautiful son, and another baby on the way. I'd say 28 is going to be a great year!

I already mentioned one gift I got...a Kindle Fire!!!! I have loved this gift so far and I imagine it will get lots of use. Ryan got me a car charger for my Kindle Fire as well, which is a pretty smart purchase. We make lots of road trips and he knows I will need that charger often!

Check out my awesome dessert...Killer Brownies! Ry did an excellent job picking these out.

I love my pretty cake plate...thanks Amy:)

I really wanted a picture of me and my baby boy on my birthday. As usual, he made it challenging.

I have had an amazing birthday so far. I have had so many wonderful friends and family wish me happy birthday today! And of course spending the evening with my two favorite boys has been perfect.

Thanks for all the birthday love!

Confetti Chicken Pasta!!

As soon as I saw this number on Pinterest, I knew I needed it in my belly. Last night, Ry asked what I wanted for my birthday dinner. My answer...Confetti Chicken Pasta!

He said "really, you want to cook on your birthday?"

 "Heck yes I do."

So, here you go! Confetti Chicken Pasta! Here is the original recipe link, and my version. I made a few alterations based on personal preference and what I had in the kitchen. It seems like a lot of ingredients, but most are probably kitchen staples. And the bulk of this recipe is veggies.

{Confetti Chicken Pasta}

1 lb pasta (I used whole wheat rotini)

olive oil

2-3 chicken breasts, cubed

1 onion

1/2 red onion

1 bell pepper

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

broccoli (I bought 3 stalks and used them all)

grape tomatoes

{Sauce}

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 container feta cheese

Ok, ready? Heat some olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Throw your chicken in, season with salt and pepper, and cook until chicken is done and golden. While chicken is cooking, chop your veggies. Once chicken is done, put aside in a large bowl and start on your veggies. Add a little more olive oil and toss in your onions, bell pepper, and garlic. Saute for a few minutes, then add your broccoli. I covered my skillet at this point for about 5 minutes so that the broccoli would become tender. Add in tomatoes last and cook for a few more minutes. While your veggies are cooking is a great time to start your pasta!

When your veggies are done and your pasta is cooking, start on the sauce. I tossed the veggies in with the chicken and used the same skillet for the sauce. It saves on dishes and the sauce ends up with some amazing flavor from the chicken and veggies cooking. Make a roux with your butter and flour. I always end up adding a little more butter. BTW...add your flour in slowly or you will end up with clumps. Next add your milk. The original recipe called for half and half, but whole milk is all we had. And I've been trying really hard to not let half and half or whipping cream back into my house. Stir for a few minutes, then dump in your feta. I love buying the sundried tomato and basil feta. The flavor is amazing. Stir until the cheese is melty and the mixture thickens. Stir the pasta into your sauce so that it is well coated, then add the veggies.

Once we had fixed our own bowls, I added Tony's to kick up the flavor a notch;)

Hayes loved this dish as well...although he had to dip all of his broccoli in applesauce before he would eat it...whatever works, right?

The original recipe says this makes 4 servings. Ryan said we could feed an army with this bowl of pasta we have left. I like those kind of recipes, so that works for me. I like this recipe because I think I could probably throw whatever I have in my fridge and pantry it and it will still taste good. It can be a little time consuming with chopping veggies, but I'm ok with that.

Artichoke and Asparagus Pasta Salad!

As promised, I am finally sharing this recipe. I found it at Two Blue Lemons, but I did make some alterations. Her original recipe is very lemony and that flavor just doesn't sound appealing to me today.

Ingredient List:

1 can artichoke hearts

1 bunch asparagus

1/2-1 lb pasta

1 cup feta cheese

olive oil

salt and pepper

greek salad dressing

Drain, rinse, and chop artichokes to desired size. Chop asparagus into 1 inch pieces. Toss artichokes and asparagus with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

While your veggies are roasting, cook your pasta. I used 1 lb of whole wheat rotini. Once pasta and veggies are done, toss together with feta. Toss pasta salad in greek dressing and enjoy!

Top 10

1. Is it really already Sunday night? No fair.

2. On the menu for this week:
                             Chicken and Asparagus and Artichoke Pasta Salad
                             Confetti Chicken Pasta Salad
                             Baked fish and veggies

3. I promise to post some new recipes this week. I mean it this time!

4. Scott, Kristie, and Landen came to visit this weekend. Hayes and Landen were pretty excited to see each other. When Hayes woke up from his nap today, they were gone. He spent this evening searching for "denden." It was pretty precious.

5. I had my first ever pedicure this weekend. I know. I can't believe I've never had one before. I think I found a new splurge...

6. I love Ikea. I love that they have curtains for crazy cheap. I couldn't buy fabric and make my own curtains for that cheap. And, I love that their curtains are super long so that you can adjust the length yourself. Oh, Ikea. You think of everything.

7. My birthday present came in this week, a Kindle Fire!!!! I am so in love and I've already read like 3 books on it. I love that it also has web capabilities, videos, music, and fun apps for Hayes to play.

8. I made Feta Dip this weekend. Seriously one of my most favorite dips. Everyone should make it. It's super easy and delicious. And healthy-ish.

9. I can't believe I am going to be 28 this week. The lady doing my pedicure told me I looked so young and she would have never guessed I was about to turn 28. I wonder if she was just buttering me up for a big tip...

10. This prayer request has been so heavy on my heart this past week. A dear friend of mine learned that her husband has leukemia. Cancer is never fair and there is never a good time for it to happen. However, this seems extra cruel because she is expecting their first child in a few months. This family has been on my mind constantly. They could use all of our prayers in the next few months as they find out more details about his condition, determine and start treatments, and welcome their daughter into the world.

Quiche!

Everyone who reads my blog, however many people that may be, let me slack on food posts last week. Shame on all of you! I will try to catch up super quick.

I made a quiche for the first time this week and it was pretty delicious! It served as supper for 2 nights. I found the recipe on one of my favorite sites, Two Blue Lemons.

Tomato Basil Quiche

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
handful of fresh basil, chopped
1 tomato, sliced
3 tbsp pesto
1 pastry crust

Start by preparing your pastry crust according to the directions. I used a frozen one. I had to thaw and prick with a fork before baking it for about 15 minutes while empty. While it was baking, I mixed by eggs and milk together and seasoned it with a smidge of salt and pepper. Once my crust was done, I slathered pesto on the bottom of the crust. Pour in your egg mixture and then place your tomatoes and basil on top. Bake at 365 for 35-40 minutes.

Suggestion: De-seed and drain your tomatoes for a while before placing them in the quiche. My tomatoes were so juicy that it made my quiche a little funny at first.

We ate this with turkey bacon and fresh fruit. Hayes gobbled it up!

I tried photographing my quiche, but it wasn't very photogenic...

I haven't made my asparagus and artichoke pasta salad yet. We ended up grilling burgers and red onions on the 4th, which altered our menu a little. I am excited to make that pasta salad and will be sharing it this week! I promise;)

Dairy Free?

So, in keeping with my food post promise, here is a food update.

Sunday's meal wasn't our finest. But, it was quick and easy. My mom and I recently went to Ikea and we ate the famous Swedish meatballs for lunch. You can actually purchase frozen Ikea meatballs and the special sauce mix there at Ikea. I decided to get my own meatballs at Kroger, but I did buy some packets of sauce mix. So, Sunday's meal...meatballs with Ikea sauce, boiled red potatoes with olive oil, and green beans.

Tonight, we had baked fish, baked potatoes, and broccoli. Funny story about our potatoes. We haven't been eating many of these, but when we do, we use butter or sour cream or maybe even Ranch dressing to dress them up. Cheese is also usually a part of our baked potato party. Well...we lost our power on Friday. I wasn't sure how long it was really out and I didn't want to take chances on getting sick, so I threw out a lot of stuff in our fridge. Among that "stuff" was sour cream, butter, cheese, and ranch dressing. Did I buy more at the store? No. Of course not. We have been trying to cut back on that stuff anyway. So our potatoes tonight...were dairy free. I ended up drizzling a little olive oil over the potatoes and we used McCormick's Montreal Steak seasonging to jazz them up. They actually weren't too bad. The sodium level probably wasn't awesome, but we did survive eating baked potatoes without any dairy. That is kinda a big deal for me, by the way.

The daycare Hayes goes to is without power...still. So today, Mommy and Hayes hung out. It was lots of fun. Hayes is pretty hilarious. The part of the day that was not fun...my baby check-up. I am 17 weeks now and everything looked good at the appointment. The heartbeat sounded beautiful at 154 bpm. We were at the office for about an hour total. Hayes was an angel for about 40 minutes of that hour. The other 20 minutes were not fun for anyone. I suppose these are the kinds of things that happen when you don't live near family... Oh well. We survived and everyone at the office went on and on about how adorable Hayes is, of course;)

A quick update on my co-worker's situation. I posted in my top 10 that she had lost 2 of her children in an accident and her third was in ICU. Brandon, her child in ICU, has been making improvements! He has had two successful surgeries and is now off the vent. They are anticipating a move out of ICU soon! Keep the prayers going for Brandon as he continues to recover and for Sheila as she mourns the loss of her other children.

Top 10!

1. What a hot weekend! We did finally convince Hayes to get in his pool. It probably helped that Mommy and Daddy were in the pool too, trying to stay cool.

2. My fabulous, hilarious, creative, beautiful friend, Shannon, is getting married! And, I am so excited that she has asked me to be a bridesmaid! I can't wait for her big day in March!

3. We lost power Friday during a horrible storm. Talk about a bad time of year to lose power. Ryan's cousins live near us and did not lose their power. Hilary and Aaron, thanks for letting us crash at your house!!!

4. While at Hilary and Aaron's, Hayes slept in bed with us for the first time. I don't think we will try it again. Every time Hayes rolled over and felt one of us, he thought it was time to wake up and play. No one wants to play at 4 a.m.

5. Hayes slept in until 10 this morning. Maybe it was his way of saying sorry about Friday night...

6. We watched Act of Valor last night. It was such a good movie. I don't normally enjoy action packed movies. This one follows a group of Navy Seals as they complete several dangerous missions. It is a great reminder of the sacrifice members of the military make for our country every day.

7. New haircut = poolside mohawk.

8. I am so glad the NBA finals are over. They interrupted Rookie Blue two weeks in a row. Not cool, NBA. Not cool.

9. A severe storm moved across Iowa, Indiana, and Ohio Friday. Winds were reported as high as 94 mph in some areas. Millions are without power and many have experienced property damage as a result of the winds. We were lucky enough to not have any damage to our home, but many homes around us have been affected. The power outages are a big concern as we are going through one of the hottest weather stretches in two decades. Pray for those affected by this storm and that power is restored to all soon!

10. I have another special prayer request this week. A co-worker in Indiana lost two of her children and her in-laws in an auto accident Friday. Her third child is currently in ICU. My heart is breaking for this woman and her family. There isn't much we can do right now except pray for comfort for her and healing for her child in ICU.