First of all, I apologize for any spelling errors as I'm typing this with one hand and nursing Mac with the other. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do to blog around here. I'm getting to be quite the one handed typer, by the way.
Anyway, this past week I've been doing some research on freezer meals. I came upon this one, Chicken Spaghetti, on a random blog. As I was reading, I started thinking it sounded awfully familiar when I realized that it's in one of my newer cookbooks! The cookbook is called "The Pioneer Woman." She's now on the Food Network and has some AWESOME meals in her cookbook and on her website. It's a lot of meat/comfort food, which I LOVE.
I was making some freezer meals for a friend, so I decided to double this one and make some for us too. Doubled, it made four 8x8 pans full. I put three in the freezer, and went ahead and baked one for us for dinner. One of Kieth's teacher friends was over and between the four of us, we at the WHOLE THING. Needless to say, it was GOOD! That's when I decided this recipe was meant to be shared.
Instead of typing out the whole thing. I thought I'd just post the website. It has all the pictures, which I also love, so you can follow along visually as well as reading along. I hope you all enjoy!
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/chicken_spaghet/
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
Mac's growing!
Today, Holly is at Papa Rich and Grandma Katie's house. That leaves Kieth, Mac and I to pretty much do as we please. I needed to run to the bank in Kellogg so I decided to stop by and visit my friends/co-workers at the hospital. It's been a while (since Mac was 10 days old) since Mac has been weighed so I decided to swing through the ER on my way out of the hospital and put him on the baby scale they have there. He now weighs over 9lbs, coming in at 9 lbs, 2 oz! I couldn't believe it! I thought he was around 8 1/2 so I was surprised. He's still wearing newborn clothing, but he's been eating like crazy lately so I should have know! Yesterday he at 4 times in almost as many hours and I thought maybe my body wasn't producing enough milk. But, he slept pretty well last night, at several times this morning, had a long sleepy period like usual, then ate like crazy again this evening. If he keeps this up, he's going to be a little tank! He'll be a month old tomorrow. I can't believe it's been that long already! Only 8 more weeks until I have to return to work. :(
This is the first smile we caught on camera!
Another big smile!
...and one of Holly just for fun. :) She found Kieth's shoes on the front steps and came clomping out in them!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
One week...
Today is Mac's one week birthday! We seem to be settling in as a family of four and are starting to find a routine. Mac's been sleeping fairly well the last few nights but I still need a good nap during the day. I think it's just my body catching up!
Holly appears to be adjusting and is usually following either Kieth or I around and "helping" us with whatever we're doing at the moment. She's great with Mac and always willing to go get a diaper, wipes, or a new outfit for him. She's very proud to tell people his name and that he's her little brother, "Mac Kenneth."
It's been awesome to have Kieth home. I can believe with Holly he wasn't at home with me all the time! I don't know how I did it without him. He's been diligently working on our yard, trimming bushes and spreading gravel and our place is looking great. He and a friend are building a shed in the back yard and I can't wait to start moving stuff from the garage to the shed and getting more organized.
As for me, I'm feeling awesome and haven't needed any pain medicine since Tuesday, not even an Ibuprofin! Amen! God is good. After two difficult deliveries in my life, God blessed me with one that has been unbelievable.
Here are some "new" pictures of Mac ( I use the term loosely because really, none of them are "old!"). He's getting cuter every minute and melts my heart anytime I look at him or think of him. We are truly blessed!
Holly appears to be adjusting and is usually following either Kieth or I around and "helping" us with whatever we're doing at the moment. She's great with Mac and always willing to go get a diaper, wipes, or a new outfit for him. She's very proud to tell people his name and that he's her little brother, "Mac Kenneth."
It's been awesome to have Kieth home. I can believe with Holly he wasn't at home with me all the time! I don't know how I did it without him. He's been diligently working on our yard, trimming bushes and spreading gravel and our place is looking great. He and a friend are building a shed in the back yard and I can't wait to start moving stuff from the garage to the shed and getting more organized.
As for me, I'm feeling awesome and haven't needed any pain medicine since Tuesday, not even an Ibuprofin! Amen! God is good. After two difficult deliveries in my life, God blessed me with one that has been unbelievable.
Here are some "new" pictures of Mac ( I use the term loosely because really, none of them are "old!"). He's getting cuter every minute and melts my heart anytime I look at him or think of him. We are truly blessed!
Mac's first bath
So peaceful!
With big sister Holly
Probably my favorite picture of him! I love his orange outfit and bright eyes. :)
Wide awake this morning!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Mac Kenneth Finkbeiner!
Mac has arrived! We now have a beautiful baby boy added to a small but growing family! Mac was born on Saturday at 5:42pm weighing 6#4oz and measures 20 inches long. He arrived after a short and rapid labor of only a few hours. Here's the story!
I had an appointment on Friday with one of my midwives, Ronda, and everything looked good: 3cm dilated, 75% effaced and a minus 2 station. She told me she could see me that night or the next week, it could be anytime.
On Saturday morning, Holly and I walked to the post office, to the church cafe, and to a friend's house, them came home and had lunch. Both of us needed a nap, so about 1pm we each lay down on our own bed for a snooze. I had a few contractions during my nap that were a little firmer and more painful than the Braxton-Hicks I'd been having but I didn't think much of it since it was a long nap. I got up around three and started having contractions more regularly. I went downstairs with Kieth and was folding some clothes and asked him several times what time it was, and realized the contractions were 5 minutes apart. This was at about 3:30. I went upstairs and played a game with Holly and the contractions were getting more painful. At 4pm I decided it was time to find someone to watch Holly because I felt like I probably needed to head to the hospital. I called the midwife, told her what was going on and about my contractions, and she said I could labor at home a little longer or I could come in, whatever I felt like. I told her I felt like they were getting closer together so I would come in, and she was going to call and let the hospital know I was coming. At 4:55pm, we had dropped Holly off with Carol and were leaving there for Kootenai Medical Center. On the ride over, Kieth and I discussed our new shed, and how we were hoping this was the real deal and we didn't get sent back home. At about Wolf Lodge (10 minutes from the hospital) the contractions were getting pretty close together and very intense with lots of pressure. I had not been planning and epidural but told Kieth as we were getting off at the exit that if we got to the hospital and I was only at a 5 I was getting an epidural! We pulled in and Kieth grabbed me a wheel chair. I had several contractions as we were escorted up to labor and delivery and wheeling into the room. The nurse didn't even get me fully undressed (I still had my t-shirt on from home) and she said I'd like to check you before we do anything else. At this point the contractions hurt like crazy and were coming VERY close together! She checked me and I was already fully dilated. She told me she hoped I didn't want an epidural because there wasn't time. Several other nurses came into the room and they started telling me not to push, and to just blow the air out if I could and wait for Faith, one of the midwives, to arrive. The lasted all of about 2 minutes and then there was no stopping Mac's arrival. One of the nurses, Sara, who was in her street clothes and had been ready to leave for the day, delivered Mac, and Faith arrived several minutes later and did all the rest. There were four nurses, Sara, Melissa, Kathy, and Jackie, that were all awesome and made it a great delivery! They said we were in the room 8 minutes before Mac was delivered! Crazy. I'm just glad we made it. We had no idea I was that close to delivering!
So anyway, that's our crazy birth story. He's here now and he's adorable and we love him so much we want to burst! Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure. :)
I had an appointment on Friday with one of my midwives, Ronda, and everything looked good: 3cm dilated, 75% effaced and a minus 2 station. She told me she could see me that night or the next week, it could be anytime.
On Saturday morning, Holly and I walked to the post office, to the church cafe, and to a friend's house, them came home and had lunch. Both of us needed a nap, so about 1pm we each lay down on our own bed for a snooze. I had a few contractions during my nap that were a little firmer and more painful than the Braxton-Hicks I'd been having but I didn't think much of it since it was a long nap. I got up around three and started having contractions more regularly. I went downstairs with Kieth and was folding some clothes and asked him several times what time it was, and realized the contractions were 5 minutes apart. This was at about 3:30. I went upstairs and played a game with Holly and the contractions were getting more painful. At 4pm I decided it was time to find someone to watch Holly because I felt like I probably needed to head to the hospital. I called the midwife, told her what was going on and about my contractions, and she said I could labor at home a little longer or I could come in, whatever I felt like. I told her I felt like they were getting closer together so I would come in, and she was going to call and let the hospital know I was coming. At 4:55pm, we had dropped Holly off with Carol and were leaving there for Kootenai Medical Center. On the ride over, Kieth and I discussed our new shed, and how we were hoping this was the real deal and we didn't get sent back home. At about Wolf Lodge (10 minutes from the hospital) the contractions were getting pretty close together and very intense with lots of pressure. I had not been planning and epidural but told Kieth as we were getting off at the exit that if we got to the hospital and I was only at a 5 I was getting an epidural! We pulled in and Kieth grabbed me a wheel chair. I had several contractions as we were escorted up to labor and delivery and wheeling into the room. The nurse didn't even get me fully undressed (I still had my t-shirt on from home) and she said I'd like to check you before we do anything else. At this point the contractions hurt like crazy and were coming VERY close together! She checked me and I was already fully dilated. She told me she hoped I didn't want an epidural because there wasn't time. Several other nurses came into the room and they started telling me not to push, and to just blow the air out if I could and wait for Faith, one of the midwives, to arrive. The lasted all of about 2 minutes and then there was no stopping Mac's arrival. One of the nurses, Sara, who was in her street clothes and had been ready to leave for the day, delivered Mac, and Faith arrived several minutes later and did all the rest. There were four nurses, Sara, Melissa, Kathy, and Jackie, that were all awesome and made it a great delivery! They said we were in the room 8 minutes before Mac was delivered! Crazy. I'm just glad we made it. We had no idea I was that close to delivering!
So anyway, that's our crazy birth story. He's here now and he's adorable and we love him so much we want to burst! Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure. :)
Saturday, July 9, 2011
More pictures of Cheetah
Okay, I got some cute pictures of Holly and Cheetah this morning so I thought I'd add them on here. Holly absolutely adores the kitten and Cheetah doesn't seem to mind being mauled and hauled around. Holly hasn't been afflicted by any scratches thus far, so I'm hoping it stays that way!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
The newest Finkbeiner...Cheetah!
Cheetah is our newest member of the Finkbeiner family! She's a beautiful orange striped kitten that's about 8-9 weeks old. My parents' cat had a little of kittens and we brought one home with us this weekend from their house. This is the only picture I've managed to snap so for, sorry it's not the best but I thought it was cute anyway! I think it's kind of funny that they "match," as Holly would say. She and Lucy are almost the same color!
Going to the Circus
Ruth and Owen Ross invited us to go to the circus several weeks ago. Holly was very excited, even though I'm pretty sure she had NO idea what the circus was! She enjoyed it very much, especially getting to ride the ponies. She also liked watching the elephants and the tigers. It was an awesome evening with great friends!
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