Recipe Friday

Recipe Friday

Peanut Butter Cookie Pizza





















This would be so yummy anytime of the year but it is perfect colors for Fall or Halloween. I plan on making this next week for my coffee.

Peanut Butter Cookie Pizza
 Ingredients

• 1 package(s) (16 1/2-oz.) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
• 1/2cup(s) chocolate chips
• 1/2cup(s) (such as Reese’s) chopped chocolate peanut butter cups
• 1/2cup(s) (such as Reese’s)  candy-coated peanut butter pieces

---

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Break up cookie dough and press evenly over the bottom of an ungreased 12-inch pizza pan or 9” x 13” baking pan.
2. Bake cookie 12 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Let stand to soften chips, then spread evenly over crust.
3. Let cool slightly, then sprinkle candies evenly over crust. Cut into wedges; serve warm or at room temperature

Recipe Found Here

Source: delish.com via Christina on Pinterest

Baby Items I Love for Baby #2

Baby Items I Love for Baby #2

They come out with so many new things for babies so fast! I think they change things daily! I have gotten some new things for little Walker that came out since Tyler, some things I didn't get with Tyler, and I am using some things that were my favorite with Tyler!

Diapers-
Pampers Swaddler's are the BEST!!!! I just love them. Huggie's have never fit my boys right and they leak horribly!
 
Image from Google Image

Wipe Warmer-
I did not have one with Tyler and I wanted one. I had heard mixed reviews but I bit the bullet and got one and I LOVE it!
 
Image from Amazon


Timer
Itzbeen Baby Care Timer
This thing is a must for every Mom! I wish I had it with Tyler! So easy to keep up with what is going on with your new baby!

Image from Amazon

Blankets
Aden and Anais- These are great blankets. They did not make these when Tyler was little but they are all the rage in the baby world so I got some. I like them as blankets but I personally am not a fan as a swaddle blanket. Walker can get out of them so easy and then he wakes up.
 
Image from Amazon

Swaddle Design- These were out when Tyler was little but I did not want to spend the money on them. Well I got one some to try this time and they are wonderful blankets. I like them as a blanket and swaddle blanket. They are huge and a little thicker than the Aden and Anais blankets and Walker can not wiggle out of them!
 
Image from Amazon

SwaddleMe- I LOVED these with Tyler and once again I LOVE them with Walker! I love how easy they are to swaddle a baby with. The velcro holds them in snug as a bug which helps my little man sleep through the night. That is worth a lot to me!
 
Image from Amazon

Gear
Mamaroo- Let's Talk about this thing! It came out when Tyler was almost too big for it and the kid loved it but I was not buying it because he was about to grow out of it. I wanted it with Walker but did not get it at first because I wanted to wait and see if he would like it. Well I bit the bullet and got it and it is my favorite. Best baby gear I have ever bought! My child spends LOTS of time in this thing and loves it. We have awake time in it and sleepy time in it. Such a great piece of equipment.

Image from Amazon

Moby Wrap- I got this when Tyler was born and loved it with him and I still love it with Walker. I love wearing my babies and both my babies were hold me 24/7 babies. It is nice to tuck them in and have both hands to be able to do other things especially now that I have to take care of my toddler. It is easy to wear Walker and do things with Tyler. Great for all Mom's and really great for Preemies!

Image from Amazon

Moniter
Video Monitor-We had a Summer Video Monitor with Tyler but we could not add on a camera. Jon and I thought about just moving the one we had to the babies room but I like to be able to see both my boys so we got the Motorola Video Monitor with the extra camera. This was a gift from Jon's parents and we love it so much! The picture quality is amazing and the sound is so clear. I love switching from baby to baby. The only thing I wish was that it could be split screen.

Image from Amazon

Stroller
Bob- It is my favorite! Hands down my favorite stroller! I bought the single jogger with Tyler and it was all I wanted to use once I got it. When I got pregnant the double Bob was the only stroller I wanted. Luckily Jon wanted and loves it as well! It is a comfortable ride for both my boys and easy for me to push.

Image from Amazon

Menu Monday

Menu Monday

Monday:Out to eat after driving home

Tuesday: Chicken Cordon Bleu, Mashed Potato's, Green Beans

Wednesday: Chicken and Dumplings and Green Beans

Thursday: Pancakes and Bacon

Friday: Pick up food while out running errands

Saturday: Foil Packed Chicken & Potato's

Sunday: Home Group Dinner

Lately

Lately

Lately my life has been a huge roller coaster of emotions. My family has had some hard times all in just a few days. We have had some good moments and the kids have done some sweet and cute things which I believe is what is keeping me going.

Last Wednesday it was a normal day at my house until I got a phone call from my mom. My Aunt Cricket had a stress test that morning and when they administer the chemical injection she had a allergic reaction and went into anaphylactic shock. It took them 12 minutes to find a epi pen and while preforming CPR her stomach went into her lungs causing them to collapse. She went without oxygen for to long and was in a coma and pronounced brain dead. I was sick to my stomach. I did not know what to do or what I could do but I knew I wanted to be home right then. I was very close to my Aunt Cricket and we were like her children. Wednesday night I worked on lining up everything so that I could leave and packed us and the loaded up the car.

Thursday morning we woke up and finished up a few things and the boys and I headed to Alabama. On the way home I found out that they were going to take my Aunt off of life support at 5pm. When I arrived in town the boys and I stopped first at the church to see Bob and Mary Ann. They volunteered to keep the boys so that I could go up to the hospital to be with my family. I was so thankful that I could go see my Aunt and spend the afternoon at the hospital with my family. At 5pm they came and got her two sisters and my dad and let them go back to see her. They could not watch it was too upsetting to them so they came out. We were all expecting her to take a few breathes and slip away but she hung on till Sunday night. Her last few days were so sad. She was so swollen and struggling with every breathe. It was so hard to watch. She was a wonderful women that helped everyone she saw. She would never tell anyone no.

Friday morning I got up and took the boys to go see everyone at my Mom's office and then went to Walmart to get a few things I needed. Then came by my Mom's office and got my grandmother's grocery list and her prescription refills. I made it a few minutes down the road when my Mom called and said that her cleaning ladies had found my Nana slumped over her toilet and something was wrong. I U-turned immediately and went to her home. Both of my boys were asleep in the car and I rolled the window down and ran inside to help if I could. This was the scariest thing I had seen in a long time. She was covered in blood and barely conscious. We had her trying to talk to us so that she would stay conscious. When the ambulance got there my dad took my boys to the house and I went with my Mom to the hospital. I helped make lots of phone calls and give the nurses information. My mom was shaking and nervous. No one knew what was going on and it was a scary feeling. I was afraid and worried. They cleaned her up and started running a lot of tests. We found out she had a upper GI bleed and that her cat scan and x-rays had all looked good. She was very dehydrated to the point they could not draw any blood. They had to take from her femoral artery in her leg. The finally got her a room in ICU and took us upstairs. They let us walk with them and said they would come and get us when she was settled in. That never happened but when visiting hours came we went back to see her and check on what was going on. After checking on her we headed home. Dad had reported Tyler was a Angel and Walker was a handful. HA! Walker likes to be held ALL the time.

The rest of the weekend my mom spent all day and night at the hospital until visiting hours were over. Sunday afternoon they moved my Nana downstairs and we thought she was starting to get better. I took both the boys by that afternoon to cheer her up. She loved getting to give them kisses. We also took the boys upstairs to see all our family that was sitting with Aunt Cricket. Sunday was my Dad's Birthday and Tyler had picked him out a cake. After dinner we sang Happy Birthday and had some of the yummy cake. While the boys were getting a bath Dad got the phone call that Aunt Cricket had went peacefully. He left and went to the hospital.

Monday morning my Nana was scheduled to have a picc line put in and they transferred her to the table and the table "Malfunctioned" and when they were trying to shove it to swivel they slung my Nana off of the table and no one caught her. My poor, already beaten up 83 year old grandmother was now truly beaten from head to toe. My mom was all by herself at the hospital. I got my in-laws to get the boys and flew to the hospital. Luckily my dad had made it there before me as did my Uncle Mike. It was not long before we got  to go back and see her. She looked so horrible. She has a huge chunk of her head missing, abrasions all over her body, chunks of skin missing and bruising ALL over. She was in a lot of pain and had to be back in the ICU now. Everyone went from upset, sad, worried, to MAD! I can not believe they dropped her off of a table. It was like a bad dream that would not go away.

Tuesday morning they decided not to try to do a picc line again but they needed to do the scope that never got done the day before and when they tried to sedate them she coded. They had to work on her for a full minute to get her back breathing and her heart back to beating. My Mom and Uncle could her in the hospital the code blue going off for the GI Lab and the room number and they new it was her. What a scary day. They let my grandmother rest for the rest of the day and decided she was to weak to do anymore test on her.

Luckily as the days went on she has improved and is off the ICU floor. She is starting to eat better and they have the therapist coming working with her. She is moving to rehab on Monday, hopefully.

God is Good! Thanks for all who have prayed for our family it was a hard week for all.

All this made me miss my husband terribly. It is hard to struggle and be sad without your spouse. I felt for him because he was away as well.

Recipe Friday

Recipe Friday

I have not been blogging much lately and what a week it has been here but I want to get back started. I love cooking so I thought this will be a good way to start. Hope you enjoy!!!!

Halloween Monster Cookies

 

Source: sweetsugarbelle.com via Christina on Pinterest

Halloween Monster Cookies

Yield: 3 dozen 4-inch cookies

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 c. dark brown sugar
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 c. peanut butter
• 1 stick butter
• 3/4 c. M&M’s
• 3/4 c. mini-chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. candy corn, finely chopped
• 4 1/2 c. quick cooking oats
• 2 tsp. baking soda

Instructions

1. Beat together eggs and sugars.
2. Next add the salt, vanilla, butter, and peanut butter and whip until fluffy.
3. Add the oatmeal and baking soda, then fold in the M&M’s, mini-chips and candy corn.
4. Using a 50 mm cookie scoop, drop onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or Silpats.
5. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes.

Recipe from Here

Menu Plan Monday:

Monday- Poppy Seed Chicken, Rice, Green Beans

Tuesday- Cheesy Tuna Casserole

Wednesday-Poppy Seed Chicken, Rice, Green Beans

Thursday Cheesy Tuna Casserole

Friday- Out to eat or To go

Saturday- Dinner at FRG meeting

Sunday -Bacon and Cheese Quiche

It has been a while....

It has been a while....

Life at The St. John's has been super busy and crazy. We have had some good times and some sad times lately.

July 29th- Walker got to leave the NICU. We were there 3 weeks and were very excited to leave and head back to Tennessee as a family.

The next week we organized the house and worked on getting everything ready for Walker.

August 3rd-5th- We attended a marriage retreat at Opryland. Our first mini vacation with little Walker and it was a blast. We always love staying here and enjoying time together. Jon and I got to go on a date night Saturday night and we enjoyed dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. The Old Hickory Steakhouse is so yummy and it was nice to just be together. Sunday we checked out and did some shopping at Opry Mills Mall.

August 8th- Walker turned one month old. Wow that went fast! He had his check up that day and was doing really well and growing like a weed!

August 15th- Walker had his circumcision done and he did well.

August 17th-21st- We went to Gatlinburg to celebrate Jon's Birthday. What a fabulous trip! We did a lot of shopping, called and fed a LOT of ducks, did some swimming, and hung out as a family. We went to the Aquarium one day and walked downtown Gatlinburg that afternoon. We ate a lot of yummy food while we were there also. We had breakfast at the Apple Barn to start the whole trip off and it was so yummy!

August 22nd- My 6 week baby exam and everything looked great. I am healing a little slower than normal and my doctor thinks my body was not ready for little man to arrive so it is healing slower than normal.

August 22nd- Jon's Birthday. I cooked one of his favorite meals for him and we chilled at home. Nice evening at home as a family.

August 25th- Bravo Company had a Organizational Day that went great.

August 31st- Our families came up to celebrate Tyler's Birthday with us.

September 1st- Tyler's party got canceled but we took him to Chuckie Cheese with both sets of grandparents and he had a blast. He loved it so much and we all helped him get lots of tickets to get a fun prize. That night we had lots of yummy food and watched the kick off games of college football. Alabama's game went much better than Auburn's game but you win some, you lose some.

September 3rd- Tyler Turned 3!!! WOW. Hard for me accept that my baby is 3. He is growing up fast and is such a sweet little guy.

September 4,5, & 6- We spent as much time together as a family and soaking up as much time as we could with Jon.

September 7th- Jon Deployed! My heart was completely broken and my bubble was busted. I can not wait to have my soldier back home with us. Let the 9 month countdown begin.

September 8th- Jon's Mom and I took both boys to the Nashville Zoo. We had a great time and Tyler loved seeing all the animals.

September 8th- Walker is 2 months old! 

September 10th-Tyler's 3 year check up and Walker's 2 month check up. Mary Ann went with me because both boys had to get shots. We were there for a long time but it was a good appointment. Both boys were growing and I have two short little boys.

September 13th-17th- The boys and I drove to Alabama! We had a great couple days back home. Walker got to meet a lot of people that were all dying to see him. We visited both my grandmothers and had a fun lunch with all my dad's side of the family on Sunday. Lolli & Pop Pop and Grandma & Grandpa had lots of fun time playing with Tyler and Walker. We also had a fun lunch with a friend on Friday, too.

September 18th- Tyler started preschool!!! He goes two days a week for 3 hours. He loves it and I am loving the little break from two kids.

Okay, I think you are caught up! I will post some pictures soon of all our fun!

Not Ready

Not Ready

1. I am not ready for Tyler to turn 3.
2. I am not ready for Jon to leave.
3. I am not ready to parent alone.
4. I am not ready for all the lonely nights.
5. I am not ready to for my cell phone to become a piece of me again.
6. I am not ready to go through a deployment again.
7. I am not ready for my husband to miss another of our son's first year.
8. I am not ready for making a meals just for Tyler and me.
9. I am not ready to miss holidays without having my family together.
10. I am not ready for the memories we will miss out on.
11. I am not ready for all the tears that are going to be shed.
12. I am not ready for Tyler to not be able to see his father for 10 months.
13. I am not ready for Walker to not be able to see his father for 10 months.
14. I am not ready for the hugs and kisses to stop.
15. I am just plain not ready!!!!!

Good news is I will put my big girl panties on and do it. I will take care of my kids and my home. I will take my cell phone with me every where I go including the bathroom praying I do not miss a call. We will keep on ticking as a family and tears will be shed but happy times will happen also. I have a camera and a video camera for all the first moments and fun things that happen. We also have Skype so that we can see each other on the computer. We will survive this and be closer when it is over. I will pray every night and all day that my husband will be protected and will come home to me and the kids one day.

Menu Monday

Menu Monday

Monday-Meatball Stuffed Cabbage

Tuesday- BBQ Pork Loin, Potato Fries, Sugar Snap Peas

Wednesday- Poppy Seed Chicken, Green Beans, Rolls

Thursday-Old Chicago

Friday-Low Country Boil, Cornbread, Coleslaw

Saturday: Tyler's Birthday Party and Football Foods

Sunday: Ribs, Potato's, veggies

Tyler & Walker

Tyler and Walker look so much alike! It is crazy the comparisons between the two. It is also amazing how much they both look like Jon. We have two red headed boys! What do you think?

Menu Monday

Menu Monday

Monday: Delivery Meal from our Battalion Coffee Group

Tuesday: Skillet Lasagna and Salad

Wednesday:  Delivery Meal from our Battalion Coffee Group

Thursday: Jambalaya & Cornbread

Friday:  Delivery Meal from our Battalion Coffee Group

Saturday: Dinner at the Battalion Commander's Home

Sunday:  Grilled Chicken and Pasta Salad

Walker Has Arrived

Walker Has Arrived!

Walker Daniel made his appearance at 32 weeks and 6 days old on Sunday, July 8th, 2012 at 12:36 pm. He weighed in at 5 pounds even and 18 inches long. He is precious. He had a lot of trouble breathing on his own so they had to put him on a cpap machine but my little guy is strong and this morning was doing well enough to come off of his cpap machine. He is getting stronger day by day. We are so thrilled that he is here and are so blessed. He is another little miracle from God.

Happy Fourth of July

Happy Fourth of July

Our family is celebrating Independence day today remembering all the Brave men and women that have fought for our freedom. I am proud to live in America the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave!!! I am also so proud that my husband is one of those Brave men that fights for our Country's freedom.

Thank you to all our soldiers past, present, and future for all the sacrifices you make so we can live in the land of the free!

Recipe Friday

Recipe Friday
Low Country Boil

Source: foodnetwork.com via Missy on Pinterest

Paula Deen's Low Country Boil
(I make this a lot and we all really love it.)

Ingredients

• Crab boil, 2 teaspoons per quart of water
• 12 red new potatoes
• 6 (4-inch) smoked sausage link sausage
• 6 ears corn
• 3 pounds fresh shrimp, unpeeled

Directions

Fill a large pot with enough water to cover all of the ingredients. Add the crab boil and bring to a boil. Adjust the crab boil to suit your taste. When the water boils, add the potatoes and sausage. Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes. Add corn and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Add shrimp and cook for no more than 3 minutes. Drain and serve with warm bread. 

I serve with coleslaw and cornbread! Yum!!!

Menu Monday

Menu Monday

Monday: Steaks and Sweet Potato's at Jon's Parents House
Tuesday: Dinner at McGuire's Irish Pub or Fish House in Pensacola
Wednesday: Dinner at Hemingways in Pensacola Beach
Thursday: Dinner at Landry's in Pensacola
Friday: Dinner at Flounders in Pensacola Beach

Yes we will be at the beach all week!!! SO EXCITED!!!!

Continued Beach Trip

Continued Beach Trip

A week from today we will be checking out of the Navy Inn and leaving Jon's parents to meet my parents in Navarre Beach. We normally go to Pensacola Beach but we were not able to find a good place that we would all fit in for this summer. Mom found a perfect place in Navarre right on the beach and we are all excited. We are hoping for less crowds and just a fun calm week with family. We all split up the meals so each family will be cooking 2 nights and in charge of clean up. Our set up on the beach will be great also. We have two blue pop up tents, ladder golf, Frisbee, a blowup pool for the little ones and lots of sand toys. We should all have fun in the sun.

Our Menu

Low Country Boil

Grilled Shrimp & Fish

Hamburgers & Hot Dogs

Spaghetti

Pan Roasted Chicken

Out to Eat 2 nights

 

Recipe Friday

Recipe Friday
Baked Shrimp

Source: via Carrie on Pinterest

Baked Shrimp
Melt a stick of butter in the pan. Slice one lemon and layer it on top of the butter. Put down fresh shrimp, then sprinkle one pack of dried Italian seasoning. Put in the oven and bake at 350 for 15 min.

Counting Down

Counting Down

Next Tuesday Jon, Tyler and I are driving to Pensacola Beach! I can not wait!!! We can not wait!!!! We have all been so ready to go to the beach for a while now and so glad it can happen now. Jon is really excited to relax in the sun since he is getting ready to deploy and last years beach trip was not so fun for him since he came down with Malaria.

We are staying at the Pensacola Navy Base Tuesday through Saturday. Tuesday and most of Wednesday we are going to have family time just the three of us and then Jon's parents are joining us on Wednesday night through Saturday for a St. John family vacation.

We are excited about the Navy Inn! It has stairs down to the "beach" which is actually the bay but it is where the bay and ocean are meeting and the water is still really pretty. It also has the white sugar sand beach as well. We will of course drive over to the island to visit the real beach while we are there as well.

 Food!!!!! We love to eat at the beach. So much yummy food. Our favorite is Flounders on the Pensacola Beach and we will be eating there at least once! I love that Tyler can play on the playground and in the sand while we relax at our table. So much fun and the food is fantastic! We also eat at Landry's even though it is a chain the food is so yummy and we do not have one close to us. Many more restaurants that we love to mention.

So we will keep you updated next week to all the fun we are having. 

Menu Monday

Menu Monday


Monday-Steak, Summer Vegetables, Rice
Tuesday- Chicken, Asparagus and Hollandaise Sauce, Mashed Potatoes
Wednesday- I have a coffee so Jon and Tyler will have dinner together
Thursday- Egg Casserole and Biscuits
Friday- Dinner either on the way to Bama or in Bama
Saturday- Dinner with my parents
Sunday- Dinner with Jon's parents