giving thanks

Tonight I am full. Full of turkey and pie. Full of love for my husband and our beautiful son. Full of happiness that my family is being put back together very, very soon. I am full and bursting with thanks for everything God has allowed me to have this year.

Happy Thanksgiving

Baked Pasta with Spinach and Sausage

This is so delicious! I am not usually a huge fan of sausage but I am in love with this dish. It is such a great meal to prepare when you are having dinner guests because you can prepare it in advance and put in the oven about 30 minutes before you are ready to eat, not to mention it will really impress the guests...I was pretty impressed myself!


Baked Pasta with Spinach and Sausage

12 oz smoked turkey or chicken sausage, sliced lengthwise and cut into 1/4 in. pieces
1 T. olive oil
1 medium red onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. dried basil
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 lb. rigatoni
10 oz fresh baby spinach (can use 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained)
8 oz. mozzarella - 4 oz. cut in 1/2 in. cubes, 4 oz. shredded
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute onion until transluscent. Stir in the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.
• Stir in tomatoes, oregano, and basil; let simmer for 10 minutes. Add cream and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and boil pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. If you are using fresh spinach, add it to the boiling pasta at the last minute of cooking and cook until wilted. Drain and return to the pot.
• Add the tomato sauce, sausage, spinach, and cubed mozzarella to the pasta and toss to coat.
• Pour this into one lightly greased 9x13 in. baking dish, or two 8x8 in. dishes, and top with grated mozzarella and parmesan. Bake until browned and edges are crisp, 20-30 minutes.

apple chicken curry with brown rice

This was the first time I attempted to make a curry and it actually turned out pretty good. Unfortunately it does not look as appetizing as it is tasty but it's curry...what can you expect? And a major plus, my 11 month old liked it...so much that he had 2 bowls! I can't wait to make this again although I will probably wait until my husband comes home or I have dinner guests because Maddox and I were stuck with a LOT of leftover curry.

Apple Chicken Curry with brown rice

1 medium onion, chopped
2 apples, peeled and chopped
3 T. butter
3 T. all purpose flour
1 T. curry powder
1 lb chicken breast or tenders, cut into bite sized pieces (you can use more chicken if you are feeding more tummies :)
1 cup hot chicken broth
1 cup milk
3/4 cup raisins (I used golden raisins but you could use either or none at all)
salt and pepper
1 T. oil or butter to saute chicken

• cook chicken in a skillet with oil or butter, set aside
• saute apple and onion in butter until slightly tender, add the curry powder and cook for about a minute
• add the flour to the apple mixture and cook for 30 seconds before adding the hot chicken broth and milk, stirring well to make sure no flour is sticking. let simmer for about 3 minutes
• add chicken and raisins; the curry can continue to simmer over low heat for 5 minutes before serving. season with salt and pepper to taste
• serve over brown rice

crunch time!

As Brandon's return is getting closer and closer, I find myself thinking "what have I been doing for a year?" Some might say "you have raised a child alone" and that in itself is enough to keep one busy for a year...but I had plans. I had big plans of essentially becoming a domestic goddess. I wanted to learn how to bake amazing bread and cook complicated meals like it was no biggie. I wanted to make our house look like a home instead of the place we moved into right before having a baby and never really had time to do anything except put the furniture down and hang a picture. I really wanted to sew more and and make things that would impress my mother-in-law. I was pretty much planning to be Martha....a younger, more fashionable Martha of course :)
Now I know that one does not become Martha in a year...not even close, but I feel like I have not accomplished anything. I had no idea how time consuming taking care of a baby could be. I guess I was naive but I really thought I would have all this time being a SAHM to do crafts and cook and make rediculously cute baby clothes. WRONG. Some days...I am lucky just to get the laundry done. So for the next few weeks, I will probably still be in a semi-panicked state trying to cram in a bunch of stuff I didnt get done while Brandon was gone, but I have come to grips with the fact that my domestic goddess status is on hold until my husband is here and can entertain the little guy so I can at least finish the apron I started like 4 months ago. Now I wonder if I have time to lose a few pounds...

watch this...you won't regret it

The Way We Get By


This is a beautiful documentary. It will tug at your heart and you will probably cry...but it is worth it. Watch it tonight on PBS.

Happy Veterans Day. Thank you soldiers, past and present, for everything you sacrifice for the life of someone else.

mmmmmmmmm....

I really love candles...actually obsessed would be a
more accurate way to describe it. During the fall and
winter months, I can't stay away from the candle aisle
in whatever store I happen to be in and I have a rediculous collection of half burned, various pie and spice scented boutique candles stashed in the hall closet. I would say that pumpkin candles have always been my favorite...that is until I found Fireside at Bath and Body Works a few days ago. It is UNBELIEVABLE. I could not stop smelling it. Seriously, I walked around the store with it held under my nose and did the same thing when I got home and ripped open the box. I couldn't get enough of it.

It is hard to describe but it smells like the nice part of wood burning...you know the slightly sweet, warm smell before the smoke takes over...mixed with a splash of men's cologne. It reminds me a lot of my husband actually. It smells like man...rustic, sweet and comforting. It really is intoxicating and quite addictive.

Sorry pumpkin, but it looks like we are going to have to take a break, I have a new man in my life ;)

holiday no-sew blanket

I have been feeling extra crafty lately so I decided to make Maddox a Christmas blanket. My sewing machine is on the fritz (right before the holidays of course!) so I just bought 2 pieces of fleece and essentially tied them together. Super simple! It did take me a few hours but I did the cutting while Maddox was napping and the tying while he was running back and forth across it and trying to "help". I know there are tons of tutorials out there for how to make these but I really liked this one. I used 1 1/4 yards of fleece and it made the perfect size for a toddler bed. I am thinking about making a smaller blanket using just 1 yard to take along in the car or stroller.

I am definitely addicted to this now! It is so, so easy and I love all of the cute fleece patterns you can find. Great to make for last minute gifts!

i have a date!!!

In exactly one month from now... okay, give or take a few days...I have a date!
With my husband!!!!!!
This year is finally going to be over. It seems almost surreal that in less than 5 weeks, I get to wake up and see Brandon's face instead of waking up tangled around the huge body pillow taking his place. The anxiety has already set in of course. I am not allowing myself to actually count the days down yet because that would be torture but one month. ONE MONTH!! I feel like a little kid waiting to go on that long awaited trip to Disneyworld, laying awake at night imagining exactly what it will be like to see Mickey up close and to really step foot into Cinderella's castle, except Mickey is my husband and the castle is, well I guess our life together picking up where we left off...that may have gotten a little off point but you get what I am saying. This is going to be the longest month ever. I am trying to keep myself busy over the next few weeks so the anticipation doesn't completely take over.... so everyone I know will probably be getting homemade gifts for Christmas this year, or I may just bake myself into bigger jeans. I am trying to avoid buying a new wardrobe so maybe Maddox and I will take a trip to Hobby Lobby today. Holiday fleece is on sale!

maddox's first halloween!!

Maddox was the most adorable puppy I have ever laid eyes on! He enjoyed some of the Halloween festivities but I think

he liked chasing a neighbors cat most of all.

Aunt Debbie had lots of treats waiting for us! I think I gained 10 pounds after this holiday...but I couldn't bear to waste all of the yummy chocolates and Maddox can't acquire a taste for sugary sugar coated sugar just yet...what is a mom supposed to do???

Ok so this isn't a Halloween picture but it was just so cute of

Maddox, I couldn't resist sneaking it in!!