A New Toy

I was going to title this post "Our New Baby," but I thought that it would be cruel to lead you on like that. (You're welcome!)

M would love to have a completely stocked workshop at sometime. For now he has to settle for a few power tools and our garage. While the garage is all that he will have while we live in this house, he is currently able to add on to his tool collection. This is the most recent addition. The Porter Cable router that he has been stalking for months now. He ordered it on line along with some accessories. You should have seen him anxiously awaiting its arrival via Fed Ex last Friday.

Unfortunately he hasn't had a chance to make use of it yet as the coupler (I think) wasn't working properly and he is waiting for it to be replaced. Maybe this Friday will find him anxiously awaiting it's arrival.

I can't wait to see what he will be able to make now that he has his very own router. (And I bet that his father will be happy to get his router back again.)

The proud papa!

Top Ten List

source

The Top Ten Ways You Know You are Nearing the End of Your Pregnancy:

1) You are training your replacement for work.

2) Your library books are due on your due date.

3) The milk in the fridge expires after your due date.

4) There is a Pack and Play set up in your closet.

5) You feel like you should just wear a shirt with your due date printed on it to save people the trouble of asking.

6) That urine sample that you have to give at the doctor is proving more and more difficult to deliver.

7) You're down to one pair of jeans and one pair of dress pants that you can tolerate wearing for more than a few hours.

8) Any plans you make are prefaced with the phrase, "As long as I am not in the hospital."

9) 8 p.m. sounds like a perfectly reasonable bed time. (Even on the weekends.)

10) Before going to bed every night you check to make sure the path to the bathroom is clear.

Foodie Friday: The Works Potato Casserole

I am working on making some meals to store in the freezer for when the baby comes. So far this is the only one that I have. Hmmm, may have to keep working on that project.

Ingredients:

-32 oz package hashbrowns with peppers and onions

-1 lb. ground pork sausage

-4 eggs

-1 c. sour cream

-6 slices bacon; cooked and crumbled

-salt and pepper

-1 c. shredded cheese

1. Defrost the hashbrowns, brown the sausage, and beat the eggs. Combine all three in a large mixing bowl. Mix in sour cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Grease two 8x8 inch pans and fill with the hashbrown mix.

3. Top with the bacon and cheese.

4. Cover one pan and freeze.

5. Bake remaining pan covered for 45 min. or until potatoes are cooked at 375. Remove cover and bake an additional 5 min.

When you want to bake the additional pan, allow to defrost and follow same baking instructions.

This is one of those meals that works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. When I made it, I forgot to add the salt and pepper, so ours was a but bland at first. Once we added some salt and pepper to our servings, it was much better. I would think the addition of some salsa or hot sauce would also be tasty.

Move Over Petunia

I am not the kind of person who sticks her nose up in the air when it comes to handmade gifts. Quite the contrary. When I receive a handmade gift, I know that much love and thought went into it. I make many things myself and know that just because something is handmade, does not make it inferior to any item that is mass produced. It does my heart good to see sights like Etsy flourishing. I think that Americans are finally realizing that handmade in America trumps mass produced in China in many cases.

I have been busy putting my time and love into handmaking many items for the baby. Part of this comes from frugality. If done correctly, a handmade item can be produced for a lesser price tag than a store bought item. I also like the flexibility handmade items offer. I was able to decorate the baby's room just how I envisioned it by creating my own accesories. I may not have been able to find just what I had wanted in a store.

Okay, I will get off of my soapbox now.

I am not the only one who has been handmaking for this little one. My family has also been hard at work making special little items to welcome this special little child into the world. Currently my mother-in-law is refinishing a rocking chair that we will use to rock the babe back to sleep.

Almost as soon as we broke the baby news, my own mother asked what she could make for him/her. I immediately thought of a diaper bag. I love the new designer diaper bags out there, but I don't love their price tags. (Just Google Petunia Pickle Bottom and you will get the idea.) So, mom went to work and created this fab diaper bag just for me.

She also created this Hungry Caterpillar Quilt.

(Look at the adorable quilting!!)

We came back from Easter with quite the haul. (Or should I say that the baby came back with quite the haul?!!) My mom made the baby this bunny basket for Easter.

My sister created this Darma Initiative-esque onsie.

And my sister-in-law knit this cozy and color appropriate blankie.

Yup, this baby is definitely loved.

A Great New Snack

I have recently discovered a really good snack. It seems to cure my craving for sweet baked goods and I really don't think that it is too bad for a person. Would you like to know what it is?

Huh?

Huh?

Wouldya?

I take a Hunts Snack Pack. Any flavor will do.

And scoop out the pudding with Nilla Wafers. (And you had better believe that I have the giant two-pack from Sams.)