Mommy Brain is REAL

Everyone has heard about "pregnancy brain" - which is also real - but have you heard about "mommy brain"?

Well, it's a real thing.  My brain was all screwy while I was pregnant, and it still is.  I forget things, misplace things, take wrong turns and all together get mixed up.  As it turns out, the brain I once had is more like a jigsaw puzzle that has been through a wind storm.

I generally remember most things, but seem to forget the main things I mean to remember.  I always leave the house with the checklist covered as far as kid, kid buckled in, kid's food, kid's bink, diaper bag, diapers, extra baby clothes... Then I forget the one thing I was leaving the house for, or that I needed gas or what day it is.

All in all, it isn't so bad.  Because I have a beautiful little girl out of it, but my brain is gone.


Just when I think I have all my ducks in a row, I realize one was supposed to be a goose.


Oh well, at least I know that I am not alone, I was warned.  Every mom that I have come across that knew about my struggles with pregnancy brain told me this would happen.  One woman confessed she didn't know how her brain still existed, due to some study that said your brain shrinks with each child.  She has six children!

As it turns out, I cannot think of what else I meant to post about. So...

Until next time...

*s*

Sewing and more sewing...

The other day I decided to raid my mother's fabric stash, as she is a fabric hoarder, and got inspired to get sewing.
Thank goodness my awesome husband got me a sewing machine for my last birthday :).

I found a pattern for a girl's pillowcase dress and got sewing!

I made one dress for Penny and a skirt, which I made up the pattern for.  After I was done, and pretty proud, I posted the photos on facebook where I had two mommy friends say they wanted to place an order! To my surprise, people really liked them!

It really does feel great to have people enjoy something I've made.  Maybe I can make a little extra money selling them?  If only I could go get a new hoard of  fabric so that I could make the ordering process a little easier... But that costs money.  Too bad.

Speaking of money, since we have gone down to one income, we are very careful of where our money goes.  With that said, I cannot just go buying a stock pile of fabric and ribbon to make a room full of sweet little dresses.  So, until then, I will do it the hard way and drive back and fourth to the fabric store taking photos of pretty fabrics.

Alright, back to sewing!
*s*

I really like how this one turned out for Penny poo :) I especially love the ruffle at the bottom :)

The pink chevron really turned out super cute! So modern and chic!

This little skirt is so adorable! I cannot wait to see it on miss Harper!

Has it been a while? I'd say so.

So, I'll lay out the big news flashes that you might need to know since I last wrote... Which was a while ago.  A long while ago.

1. Jeremy and I are parents!!! We had our beautiful baby girl, Penny Jewell, on January 24th this year! She is the most wonderful thing I have ever seen, held and known.  I LOVE being a momma and I LOVE knowing she is mine and that I get to keep her! It's not like meeting an adorable puppy that you have to give back.  She is here to stay and we couldn't be happier about it!!!

2. We also became HOMEOWNERS!!! We got our first house in a town outside of a suburb.  That's right... In the country.  But we do not have acreage or a farm, rather, we live in a development type area.  It will do for now :).  We have a back yard where I can do my gardening and our dog, Frank, just loves having a lawn of his very own to run and play in!  It is exciting to know that we will watch our family begin to grow in this very house!

3. I quit my job as a teller to be a stay at home momma!  This means that I get to spend my days with my lovely little girl and be the one to see her each morning and teach her the things about life that are important to us.  I cannot wait to see how she keeps growing and developing! It will be a blast once we can do crafts together and I can teach her to garden, sew and get creative!  A BIG thank you is due to my amazing, awesome and totally rad husband, Jeremy, who works so hard each day to make this life a reality!!!

4. My photography business is in a lull as of now.  I really did pretty well last year with it, but as the pregnancy continued to change my center of balance and circumference, I stopped scheduling sessions. Unfortunately, my lack of dedication has resulted in a, sadly, baren business calendar.  But, the good news is that I am fully intending on firing it back up with great determination.


So, those are the biggies.  A lot has changed and it is all wonderful, with the exception of my photography business.  We are so so happy and it is wonderful to be home owning parents!


My current focus is on bettering myself.  It is for me, it is for Jeremy and it is for Penny.  Because, if I can be a better version of myself, I can be a better wife and a better mommy.  The areas of improvement include:
*Photography Business - get it going, and going well!
*Physical Fitness - to lose weight and be a healthy, fit momma!
*Financial - make money with photography to help the bank account!

All of these things are possible and I CAN DO IT! I have a book I am reading that is about self-discipline and I am going to master it so I can reach all the goals I have set for myself!


With that, I am off for now.  I have a hungry baby and a hungry husband on my hands!

*s*

Tostada Pizza

This is one of my favorite pizzas to make at home and like all of my recipes you can really mix it up and customize it for flavors that you like.

(My husband doesn't like tomatoes, so only my half has them)

It is a very easy recipe to make and is fun to do with your husband/wife/kids!

You could also get a few boxes of Jiffy and make as many personal size pizzas as you need!

Super delicious, super simple and filling to boot!

easy

Prep: 15-20 min    Bake:  10 min. & 12 min. again

Servings: About 3 (2 slices per person)

{tools}

medium mixing bowl or stand mixer

knives

can opener

pizza pan for baking (I prefer the perforated type for more even baking)

small sauce pan

silicone or rubber spatula

large fry pan

{ingredients}

1 box Jiffy pizza crust mix

1 can refried beans - I like black beans

1 lb. ground turkey or beef, or chicken breasts cooked and chopped

1 packet taco seasoning

1/4 cup water (half added first then rest as needed)

1/4 head iceberg lettuce chopped

3/4 cup shredded Mexican Style cheese.

1-2 tomatoes slices or chopped (your preference)

You could also add olives and jalepenos and top with salsa and sour cream if you are feeling frisky!

{how to}

Preheat oven to 425 degreesF. 

Lightly grease the pizza pan, unless it is a perforated type then you don't need to.

Make Jiffy pizza crust mix according to package and roll out to a little less than 1/4" thick.

(the thinner the crust the larger it will be, but it will also be flimsier)

Pre-bake crust for 8-10 minutes. Until no longer shiny but not fully cooked.

Meanwhile, heat refried beans in a small sauce pan until soft enough to spread.

Cook beef, turkey or chicken in a large fry pan until browned and add 1/2 packet of taco seasoning with half of the water, then the rest as needed. (It is important that the meat not be too watery as it will make a soggy pizza) 

Simmer until meat is coated with seasoning and water is mostly evaporated or absorbed.

Remove from heat. 

Spread refried beans over crust with a silicone or rubber spatula. (I use maybe 3/4 of the can, but you can have as much or as little as you like! It's like the 'sauce')

Add seasoned meat over beans, then cheese. (Add additional toppings now if desired)

Bake for an additional 8-12 minutes until cheese is melted and crust is as soft or crispy as you like.

Remove from oven, cover with cold iceberg lettuce and add tomatoes, salsa and/or sour cream if desired.

{Slice and Enjoy!}

xoxo

S

{Leave me a comment below to tell me how it went, leave questions & suggestions, or a recipe request}

3 Weeks a Gym Member

Hello gym! Goodbye Couch!

Alright, so that is not a commitment that I am going to make in both direction... But I am committed to going to the gym Monday through Friday!  I will still spend time with you, dear couch, as the DVR and I have a serious relationship.  {Thank goodness for DVR!}

Things I like at the gym:  When I am somehow able to push through the last rep, sweating {makes me feel accomplished}, jamming out to the Dance Cardio station on Pandora, being younger than most of the other members, getting to tell people "Yeah, I went to the gym this morning..."

Things I do not like at the gym:  Being on a cardio machine next to a skinny chick {not the word I was thinking, but seemed less offensive}, being on any machine next to a stinky man {had to switch from my fav machine today it was so icky}, loud obnoxious guy who is offensive and annoying {oh and OBNOXIOUS}, old ladies blow drying their hair in the locker room NAKED, and germs.

Today I did feel very accomplished, because I was glistening and out of breath at a few times!  I even sent a photo via text to my skinny gym going friend and she was impressed, rightly so I'd say!  She said she was proud of me, this in turn made me proud of me.  Wonderfully feeling, a little self pride!

Although my body is changing on me as I have half of my twenties before me, I am determined to make it change that way that I see fit.  Take that!, Body!  I am going to treat it with respect and discipline so that it will be whipped into shape.  Think of it as a camp for kids who are bigger than many others - fat camp - even though I will call it healthy camp so that I will not be discouraged.


Goodnight world, happy gym going and/or couch sitting!

*S*

Recipe List

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake

Tostada Pizza

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake

***Breaking a bottle of bubbly on the bow of this ship for the FIRST POSTED RECIPE!***

***Yay!***

I am already a lover of all things vegetable and this is a dish I was delighted with! 

It was also husband approved, even though he prefers fruit :)  

The not-too-much cheese leaves the top a bit crunchy, yum!

After my husband and I devoured it, I was left thinking of all the options it could have!

Decide which veggies sound good to you, will go over in your home or that you haven't tried.

The whole family can enjoy this one bowl dinner!

{roasted vegetable pasta bake}

 I dance and often sing while I am creating meals! 

 Have fun!  

 The kitchen can be your stage to get creative! 

easy

Prep: 30 min.  Bake: 20 min.

Servings: About 6

{tools}  

11in. x 7in. baking dish

large bowl

15in. x 10in. x 1in. baking sheet/pan

Foil

{ingredients}

3-4 cups fresh vegetables cut into 1/4in. x 1in. pieces  {see options}

1 medium onion - chopped, about 1in. pieces

1 cup frozen veggies thawed  {see options}

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning

2 cups uncooked fusilli pasta

1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes, no salt added, do not drain

3/4 cup shredded Italian blend cheese

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Cooking Spray - I use olive oil cooking spray

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed

{options} to tickle your fancy!

Fresh Veggies: I used 1 zucchini and 1 yellow squash and 1 cup cauliflower - You could use almost any veggie! - Mushrooms, red or green bell pepper, asparagus or even eggplant! *Careful! Naturally dryer veggies cook much quicker, pick some that have moisture*

Frozen Veggies: I used corn, peas and carrots - You could use peas, carrots, corn, broccoli, or lima beans!

{how to}

Preheat oven to 425*F 

In a large bowl (I do mean LARGE) toss together fresh veggies and onion with olive oil and Italian seasoning.

Arrange in a single layer on foil lined baking sheet/pan.

Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, or until tender - watch for tips and edges of veggies to brown.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. (add to boiling water until tender but not mushy) Drain.

Turn oven down to 350*F

In your LARGE bowl combine pasta, roasted veggies, thawed frozen veggies, shredded cheese, undrained tomatoes, salt and pepper.

Transfer to greased baking dish.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Dot with butter cubes.

Cover and bake for 10 minutes.  

Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes longer or until bubbling or darkening on top.

Let sit for 5 minutes to cool.

{enjoy}

{Leave me a comment below to tell me how it went, leave questions & suggestions, or a recipe request}