Our Holiday Card 2010 - Winter Wishes!! ;-)

Winter Wishes friends and fam!! ;-) Ok, I feel like I need to explain our card! There was some twitter chatter about people wanting to say Merry Christmas not Happy Holidays, but wait... Winter Wishes!! haha

Let me explain!

We have wonderful family that doesn't celebrate Christmas, so we always go for the Happy Holidays card.

But this year, I had a hard time choosing the layout because of the pics I wanted to use (long story :)). So this layout... from "Winter Wishes!!" was the layout for us this year. I searched far and wide for a Happy Holidays version with this layout annnnnnd, I loved that this card had a "back" to it. So at least we were able to say a little something back there. I meant to add Many Blessings or something else too! But it was uber late and I was in the get it ordered phase, so I forgot :)

So now let us say to each other... "Winter Wishes!" "Winter Wishes!" to you and you and you. hahah.

and Happy New Year!! We're low key hanging out with friends, playing games, snacking on yummy treats I'm sure, and my Mom is SO incredibly sweet that she is staying over with the boys and Hubby and I are going to stay in a hotel for a little getaway!! And we'll be up near our hospital and hoping Littlest comes on Friday!!! :)

Happy New Year friends and fam!! I wish you so many blessings and an incredible 2011! Xoxoxo

What are we going to call Littlest?? :)

What To Do When It Snows

Stay cozy, cook, bake, eat, and relax with the fam!

I have to say, when it starts snowing, I get excited about the excuse to "have" to stay in, and cook and bake cozy comfort food :) and Hubby can't go anywhere for meetings ;-)

First up on this snow day was: A big pot of Chili! It's a recipe I grew up making with my Mom, it never comes out the same :) You just add until it looks and tastes good. And the longer it goes on the stove, the better all of the spices and flavors blend, and the better it tastes.

And cornbread from scratch! I use this recipe from allrecipes.com.

Then for dinner I made Artichoke and Tomato Pasta (and I added chicken) by Pioneer Woman. Oh my goodness, it was so yummy, and a big hit with all of the boys! I've made it a few times before, but this was the best it's turned out :)

And for dessert, chocolate chip cookies made with limited edition dark chocolate and mint morsels! I just use the recipe on the back of the semi sweet morsels bag :) Yummy!

{not the best pic, but yummy :) the second batch was a little less done, Hubby likes them a little crispier and I like them softer :)}

And of course get everybody all bundled up in lots of layers to play in the snow. Little is wearing BabyBoy's big coat from last year :) and BabyBoy got a hand me down coat.

Next time, I'm making a Chicken Pot Pie! What comfort foods do you love to make in the winter? And I love all of the ways to reinvent chili for leftovers! Chili mac, as a dip with chips... how else do you reinvent chili??

Giveaway Winner!

Random.org chose #17... The winner of the $65 gift certificate to CSNStores.com giveaway is...

Melissa G.

Congratulations!!! Please e-mail me at naturallycaffeinatedfamily {at} gmail {dot} com to receive your prize!

Baby Bump: 35 Weeks! and Confessions of a Big Bump

Thank you so much for your comments on my last post, I love hearing from you and appreciate it so much!!! And don't forget to enter my giveaway, it ends tomorrow!! :)

Baby Bump: 35 Weeks!

We were 35 weeks last Wednesday! Baby girl has been rockin' a wonderful heartbeat around the low 140s; she is just chillaxin' in her big hot tub :)

And now... Confessions of a Big Belly...

1. I can barely cross my legs anymore to sit like a lady. I have to shimmy around in my seat and throw my leg up to barely cross it ;) so ladylike :)

2. In the rare instance lately that I wear socks (with my tennies), I have to put them on like an old man, crossing my ankle up on my other leg. I look so dainty.

3. Bending to reach something is a (hard to come by) privilege at this point, not a right. ;-)

4. Littlest is such an active little girl (I think she's trying to keep up with her big brothers already :)), if my arm or something is resting near my belly, she'll kick or stretch, and move the object, with great force sometimes too! It makes me laugh. :)

5. If you thought I had little food-will-power before, forget it now. I hungry, I eat. And my sweet tooth is out of control. Like they will soon not be around anymore. (This could be an indicator in my massive weight gain... oops) I'll do better after she makes her grand little entrance! :)

Both boys came over at different points while Hubby was taking pics of me and Littlest and wanted to give her a kiss or a hug! It was so sweet! :)

I wonder if Littlest will get in on the wrestling matches too :) Notice Little's new big cheese smile, hahaha, love their smiles :)

I am so thankful and beyond blessed. I haven't been feeling very well lately, lil yucky, pretty tired, hellllllooo reflux, alive and well gag reflex, but I have felt better yesterday and today, and couldn't ask for anything different, annnd she will be here so soon!! We cannot WAIT to meet her and introduce her to the fam!!!

ETA: I ordered her crib bedding today!!! I can't wait to get her room all done up!! I'll show you which one after her room is complete!! :)

We made it! and Littlest's Nursery... Help!

We're home from our trip to Arizona!

Annnd as I tweeted after we landed last night, I didn't have a baby on the plane!!! :) I am so eager to have our next appointment, which I just got moved up to tomorrow (Friday) to see what the latest is! I was "a finger" dilated and 50% effaced a week and a half ago before we left for Arizona and I definitely had my share of contractions while we were out there and today. :) We were so glad to see my family. And we can't wait for them to come visit after Littlest is born, hint hint hint ;-)

ETA: Annnnd I had such a fun bloggy meetup! More to come! :)

Ok, now Littlest's nursery!! I first posted an idea for Littlest's nursery here. I am so thankful for all of your comments on it! I'm second guessing myself now (welcome to my head ;-)). And to be honest, blogging/twittering makes me nervous and feel like if I don't pick the right one, I'll be looked at like I don't have style and y'all won't like me. (hellooo insecurities, I've told you I have 'em ;))

So my goal is: fun, sweet, girly, and classic.

1. 2.

3. 4.

5. 6.

For 7 and 8, I would want to combine them. - Essentially 7 with pink ruffle on the bumper and inside bummer either all pink minky or more like 8, and either pink or ivory sheet, and a gathered bedskirt.

7. 8.

9.

Or pink bedding with splashes of color accents on the wall and in accessories...

Ready, set, help!! :) I* really need to order her sweet bedding aaaaasap :) I would love to hear from you!!! What do you think? Or have you seen anything that fits my criteria?? And you know I like honesty girls. I appreciate it! You know when you've been looking at something for a long time, everything starts looking the same or funny! I need outside opinions :)

*I say "I" in all of this, having already talked, shown, discussed all options with Hubby, we've both made our top choices (which are the same :)), and I've made him look at tons of things so he knows everything that's out there, hahah, but he has ok'd all my options and is leaving the final decision for her room up to me :). and I want to love it because we'll be in there a lot ;)

Giveaway and Review!! (and recipe :))

I've had the fabulous opportunity to do another review and giveaway with CSNStores.com!!

They seriously are so wonderful to work with! I know I've said it before but they have stores for everything! You want a stool, a ping pong table, a toy, furniture, cookware, they have a store for it all. They are easy to navigate and have sales, promos, and free shipping on tons of items. That's where we just got our new family room rug (for a great deal)! Pics to come when the room is a little more complete! :)

I was so excited to review more Le Creuset!! I've been wanting a great sized stock pot to make soups and other yummy fally, wintery foods in, so I was so excited to choose the Le Creuset 6-Quart Stock Pot in Kiwi, a condiment ladle and cooling pads in Kiwi, to go with it! (I'd love to get the one size larger stock pot at some point too, I make huuuge pots of chili ;-)).

And what was the first thing I made?? Baked Potato Soup that my friend Whitney posted about (I've made it before and it is yuuuummy)!!

My Review

The Le Creuset stock pot is great. When I cooked the turkey bacon, there is so little fat in it, that it left some burn marks on the bottom of the pot, I was so afraid they wouldn't come out, but they did! It cooks and cleans so easily. The ladle seems like it could be a little sturdier, and I would probably get the bigger hot pads too (I was just looking at cost) but I really enjoy using all of the products and like how they handle! And CSN is great. I love that they don't charge tax, tell you how quickly your items will ship before you buy, and everything is packaged really well.

Your Chance To Win! Giveaway Time!

You have the chance to win a $65 gift certificate to CSNStores.com!! To use on anything you want!!

All you have to do is leave a comment telling me what you might use your free moneys on! Giveaway ends next week on Wednesday December 15th at 10 pm EST!! Good luck! :)

Recipe :)

Paula Dean's Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:
8 slices Naturally Hickory Smoked Bacon (I used turkey bacon :))
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
5 potatoes, baked, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes (oops I didn't use this either)
2 cups half & half (I used one whole milk and one half and half, my attempt at saving a few cals, hah)
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup sour cream
Salt & pepper to taste

Steps:
In a Dutch oven cook bacon until crisp; remove and crumble, reserve drippings. Cook onion in bacon drippings until tender; stir in flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add chicken broth; cook, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Put in the diced potatoes, parsley, bacon and half & half; cook for 10 minutes. Stir in cheese and sour cream.

*CSNStores.com provided me with a $65 gift certificate to their sites for my review and is providing the giveaway prize as well. My opinions are completely my own.