Pinterest Deliciousness! Edition 2

Here are three new recipes from my Pinterest Food board that I tried this week!

Lemon Lush Bars from Smashed Peas and Carrots

I made these super easy Lemon Lush Bars for my women's Bible Study group at church and they were a hit!  There were enough left over that I may or may not have had one for breakfast the next morning.  The recipe can be found at the Smashed Peas and Carrots blog.

Polish Cabbage Noodles

 I made this dish for supper the other night and Alison is right.  It's even better the next day.  Which is good, because leftovers are a big deal in our house.  I prefer to eat leftovers for lunch rather than making a whole new meal and Hubby takes leftovers with him for meals at work.  I made mine with kielbasa (I always stock my freezer with kielbasa when it's on sale!) and minced garlic.  So good!  Next time, I will cut down on the butter as this recipe uses a whole stick, but I don't think it'll change the overall flavor too much if I do that.  The recipe can be found at the Under the Big Oak Tree blog. 

Kool Aid Rice Krispie Treats

Because rice krispies are gluten free, they're a popular snack for Princess.  She calls them her candy bars :)  I thought it might be fun to try different flavors and was working on a recipe using jello, but then I found this recipe that mixes in 1 packet of kool-aid and figured, why fix it if it isn't broken?  Also, I have a tendency to be lazy and let others do the work for me.  I used strawberry kool-aid for my bars and skipped the frosting drizzle as I thought it would make them messier for the kids to eat (lazy... or smart?)  They were the perfect combination of sweet and sour and both my kids loved them.  I sent these to the church picnic on Sunday and didn't get very many back.  The recipe can be found at the A Turtle's Life For Me blog. 


Thanks so much for visiting Supermommy!...Or Not.  Please take a moment to "like" me on facebook"! 

Gracie's Gowns

I wrote about my friend, Jessica's boutique back in November.  In the time I've known her, it seems like she's always got a project going to benefit others (check out her auction that starts on 6-20-12 to help a special family in need).  Now, she's taken her desire to help others to a whole new level.

 In March, 2012, she started Gracie's Gowns to provide special hospital gowns to children with extended hospital stays.  It began as a small local project, but as she saw a need, she realized that she had to do more.  Working with her own materials and time and donated materials/funds, she now makes hospital gowns for teens, children, and infants across the country.   

This is not something that Jessica is doing for recognition or money.  She doesn't charge a cent for any of the hospital gowns, and she's not looking for praise.  She's simply seeing a need and filling it.

 As she's put more time into Gracie's Gowns, she has taken time away from her original business, Baby Bug Boutique.  She's now planning to focus on Gracie's Gowns and only work on Baby Bug Boutique as she has time.   

In just a few months, Jessica has taken a small project and turned it into something that people are really starting to notice.

The current sponsors of Gracie's Gowns are Nord's Country Store, B&C's Cupcakes, Kamsnaps, the Grace Oughton Cancer Foundation, and Fabric.com.  You can help too by going here. 
 

 To request a gown for your child or for a child you know, go here. 

Thanks so much for visiting Supermommy!...Or Not.  Please take a moment to "like" me on facebook"!  

26 Weeks

Okay, so I know I've been slacking on the weekly pregnancy updates.  To be honest, at this point in the pregnancy, things don't change that much on a week by week basis so I feel like I'm repeating myself.  Besides, I feel like I should be including a picture with each post and trying to get a somewhat flattering picture of myself in the bathroom mirror without using the flash is...tricky.

I went to the doctor today for my 26 week checkup.  At the end of the appointment, she cheerfully said, "I'll see you in two weeks!"

Wait...what?!?!

That means I'm getting close to the end of this pregnancy.  As of this coming Sunday, I'll officially be in my third trimester.

The realization that I'm completely unprepared for a new baby hit me like a ton of dirty diapers.

I haven't even thought about picking up the baby clothes from my sister's house because we don't have a dresser for them.  I haven't brought home the cradle from my in-laws.  I haven't picked up all the baby gear I lent a friend last year (and didn't think I'd need back).  Hubby and I just started thinking about names and don't have any even vaguely serious contenders yet (he wants to name the baby "John Deere"). 

I've definitely popped!

So I've come to the conclusion that this baby is just to have to stay put a while longer.  Probably until we have a new house since there is nowhere to put another little person and all his gear at this place.  


Thanks so much for visiting Supermommy!...Or Not.  Please take a moment to "like" me on facebook"! 

How to Create a QR Code

Have you seen those little QR codes all over the place?  I see them in almost every ad, on products, on business cards, etc.  I'm in the dark ages and don't have a smart phone yet so they've always been a little mysterious to me, but I know a lot of people who will happily scan one of those little codes to get more information.

Guess what?  You can create your very own custom QR code for free!  If you have a website or blog you're looking to promote, a QR code is a great marketing device.  You can also make one that goes to a Facebook page, Youtube video, email address, or even a Paypal link that enables your customer to purchase a product using just the code!

Here's how you do it:

Go to www.qrstuff.com.  Type in your website URL or whatever other information you want to share, pick your color (If I had a smart phone, I'd scan a pretty pink QR code in a second!), and download.  The file can then be placed on a business card, on stickers, emailed, etc. 

Super easy and, oh, the possibilities!

Thanks so much for visiting Supermommy!...Or Not.  Please take a moment to "like" me on facebook"!  

How To Block Apps On Facebook

I used to play Farmville.  Just for fun, and because I had some extra time.  Then, I had a second baby and started a business.  And I let my crops die and have never looked back.

I have no problem with other people playing games on Facebook.  If they have time to do it, than more power to them.  Personally, I'm just too busy so that means that all those requests I get to join or play games or add apps go untouched.  But, it does kind of annoy me when I log onto Facebook to find that I have 27 notifications and 26 of them are game requests.  So, I did some digging/clicking around and figured out how to block the apps.  That means, no one can send me a request to play anymore.  If I really want to play the game at some point in the future, I can unblock it.

All it takes it 2 easy steps:

First, start typing the app's name in your Facebook search bar.  Select the option that says "App Page"

Hover over the little icon next to "Play Game' and select "Block App" from the drop down menu.

Done! 


Thanks so much for visiting Supermommy!...Or Not.  Please take a moment to "like" me on facebook"!  

You're Having HOW Many Kids?!?

I'm expecting my third child in September, in case my weekly (or biweekly, lately) pregnancy updates didn't clue you in on that.  With my first two, there was a lot of excitement even from total strangers.  Especially when I announced that baby #2 was a boy.  I always cringed a little when I told people that because I knew what was coming next...
"Now you'll have a girl and a boy!  Your family will be complete."
or
"One of each?  That's so great for you!  You've got the perfect family."

The "Perfect" Family

Which was just as bad as what my sister heard when she gave birth to her third baby, a little girl, who joined two big brothers at home...
"Congratulations, you've got your girl!  Now you can quit!"
or
"I bet you're glad to have a girl to complete your family."

Just for the record, Hubby and I were, in fact, done growing our family after baby #2 was born.  I wasn't 100% on board with that because I've always wanted a large family, but I got to the point where I was okay with it.  But then God blessed us with just one more.

Even so, the comments I received when expecting Little Man irritated me.  Why did people automatically assume that, just because we had one of each, that we were done?  Most of the congratulations I received at that time were related to that fact.  Why did all these people think that they got to decide when MY family was perfect?

Now that baby #3 is on the way, I've had some mixed reactions from people.  Some are truly happy that another blessing is joining our family.  Others...not so much.  Because, you know, we're ruining our perfect family.  I almost feel like I need to love this baby twice as much to make up for the negativity surrounding his or her impending arrival.  Guess what?  Just because this baby was preceded by two siblings does NOT make him any less special or important.

I've especially been appalled with the reactions my sister and her husband have received about their family.  They have three beautiful children and would like to have more.  But rather than see what blessings children are, most people condemn them for their choice.  The most common question is "How are they planning to support all those kids?"

Well, first of all, that's nobody's business but my sister and her husband's.  Most people don't go around asking others how they're going to manage to pay for that new car or make mortgage payments.

Second of all, it's not actually as expensive to raise children as everyone thinks it is.  Yes, it costs money to feed and clothe them, but there are SO many ways to cut costs and it's the first boy and the first girl who are the most expensive because you're starting from scratch.

Just for the record, my sister is not expecting right now, but I have the perfect shirt for next time she announces a little addition to their family...

"Yes I am Pregnant!  Yes I know what causes it!  We will decide when we have enough." from CustomTeesForTots on Etsy

Thanks so much for visiting Supermommy!...Or Not.  Please take a moment to "like" me on facebook"!  

Maternity Wardrobe Makeover-Low Neckline

 With my other two pregnancies, I was mostly pregnant during the winter months.  This time, I'm due at the end of summer which means that I need a whole new summer wardrobe!  One thing that I've noticed is that if a maternity shirt has short sleeves, the designer somehow felt the need to take material from the neckline as well.  I don't wear low necklines the rest of the time, why would it be any different just because I'm pregnant?  So, I have a bunch of short sleeved maternity shirts that need to have a tank top layered under them to make them modest, but I hate having to layer when I'm pregnant.

I found this cute purple shirt at JCPenney's and decided to "fix" the neckline so I can just throw the top on without having to layer.

I found some cute knit fabric I had in my stash that matched the shirt.

First, I slid a piece of paper inside the shirt and adjusted it so it covered everything I wanted covered.

I lifted the collar of the shirt slightly too account for seam allowances and traced the collar.  I only traced half because I knew I could fold the paper in half to cut it out, thus ensuring that both halves were symmetrical.

 After cutting out the paper pattern, I placed it over the shirt to make sure it fit.

 I traced the paper pattern onto my fabric and cut out the shape I wanted.  Then I folded over the top edge approximately 1/4" and pinned it.

 I decided to use a zig zag stitch to give it a slight ruffled look.  Next time, I'll probably just straight stitch so there's no gapping in the collar.  I slid the piece into my shirt to make sure it looked right.

 Next, I flipped my shirt inside out and put one pin on each corner just to hold the fabric in place.

Then, I turned the shirt right side out again and pinned from the top.  I did this because I wanted to sew from the top so I could see my stitches and make sure they were staying where I wanted them.  When I was done pinning, I checked the inside of the shirt to make sure I'd pinned both layers of fabric.

I set my stitch length to 3 because I've found that, when sewing with knits, it keeps the stitches from pulling too much.  

 Making sure my stitches landed in the seam already on the collar of the shirt, I carefully stitched around the perimeter of the fabric inset. 

 And that's it!  This whole project took me under 1/2 hour to complete. 

 I love the extra "flair" the flowered print gives this shirt!

Thanks so much for visiting Supermommy!...Or Not.  Please take a moment to "like" me on facebook"!  

Things I Never Thought I'd Say

"Don't spit in your aunt's pocket."

"Stay off the roof."

"Stop licking the grocery cart."

"No, we are not going to put a hairbow in your brother's hair for church."

"Hands don't go in the toilet."

"Don't use your fork to comb your hair."

"Peel your banana before you eat it."

"If you're hungry, I'll get you a snack.  Just please stop eating your boogers."

"Why are there cornflakes in your shoe?"

"No, no, no.  Take your old underwear off before you put the new ones on."

"Take your meat out of your ear."

"Please stop throwing yourself against the wall."

"If you can't keep your hands to yourself, I'm going to take them away!"

What strange things do you find yourself saying? 

This post is linked up Growing Up Geeky!


Thanks so much for visiting Supermommy!...Or Not.  Please take a moment to "like" me on facebook"!  

100 Random Things About Me

1.  I am married.
2.  I am a mommy to 2 kids going on 3.
3.  My daughter (nicknamed Princess) is 4 going on 14.  I'm seriously scared of the teenage years at this point.
4.  My son (nicknamed Little Man) is all boy, but he still melts my heart when he picks up a baby doll and gently rocks and shushes it. 
5.  We live out in the country, but we don't actually live on a farm.
6.  I am a homeschooler.  
7.  Hubby farms with his dad and brother plus works a full-time job. 
8.  I don't see my husband near as much as I'd like to.
9.  We (and I mean I since Hubby thinks cats are a waste of space) have one calico cat named Tuna Catserole, Tuna for short. 
10.  We go to a small Baptist church where everyone is like one big family.  Love it.
11.  Hubby and I both grew up in said church.  Incidentally, that's where we met.
12.  My favorite season is spring even though my allergies are miserable.
13.  I love snow.  In pictures.  In real life, it sucks.
14.  I love organizing.  My idea of a good time is to organize something.  I seriously considered becoming a professional organizer at one point.
15.  I hate cleaning.  Like the kind where you clean toilets and scrub floors.
16.  I adore chai lattes.  I buy the chai latte mix in bulk at Sam's Club.
17.  I can't wear high heels.  Not even kitten heels.  They kill my feet. 
18.  I don't wear makeup.  I use Burt's Bees lip balm almost everyday and maybe twice a year I throw on some blush.  And that's it.
19.  That includes nail polish.  I'm deathly allergic to most chemicals and that includes nail polish.  When Princess spilled a entire bottle of nail polish in her room that a certain auntie gave her for her birthday, I may or may not have thought it was an attempt on my life.
20.  I've had alcohol exactly one time in my life.  That was at my grandparents' church when I thought it was grape juice in the communion cups.  
21.  I was sick most of the afternoon after that.  Seriously.
22.  Each of my three kids are each 2 years and 4 months apart.  No, we didn't plan that.
23.  Actually, not one of my pregnancies were planned.  All 3 were total surprises.  Not accidents...surprises. 
24.  I love surprises.
25.  I want to get an Ipod Touch.  Not sure what all I would do with it, but I know I want one.
26.  Poor grammar drives me insane.  I mentally correct everything I hear and read. 
27.  My husband uses the word "ain't" on a regular basis. 
28.  I wrecked a car while changing the radio station less than a week after getting my license.
28.  It was my boyfriend's car that he was lending me so I could get to work.
29.  He still married me after that.
30.  He should have realized that it would mean that every vehicle we would own after that, I would scratch, dent, or scrape.
31. I put a lovely dent/scrape in the side of our minivan less than a week after buying it.  I did it while trying to drive around a concrete post after picking up the extra set of keys at the dealership.  It was an incredibly stupid move and anyone else would have known that a minivan wasn't going to fit around that corner.
32.  I am now too embarrassed to show my face at the dealership again.  I saw all the guys in the shop standing there laughing at me before they came out to help me get out of my predicament.
33.  I got my first job at a bed and breakfast serving breakfast and cleaning rooms when I was 14.
34.  I quit that job after seven years to work at a different bed and breakfast, cooking and serving breakfast, and cleaning rooms. 
35.  You would not believe some of the things I've found in guest bedrooms after they've checked out.
36.  While my friend and I were driving to school one day, a bird literally exploded on the windshield.  I almost threw up.
37.  When I was a few months old, I spit up in my dad's mouth.  I didn't miss a drop.  He can still taste it to this day.
38.  When I was 2 or 3, I threw up in the hallway between my room and my parents' room.  My dad came running out to see what happened and turned the hallway into a slip n' slide.
39.  When I was 6 or 7, I threw up in my grandma's car all over the center console, my grandma, and her cousin. 
40.  When I was 7 or 8, I threw up on my grandparents' white carpet in my sleep.  I woke up to see my grandpa scrubbing the carpet next to me.
41.  My grandparents now have a rocking chair over that spot.
42. When I was 6 or 7, I threw up in the hymnal at church.  I told my mom I didn't feel good and she made me go to church anyways.  We took the hymnal home and I can still tell you what song we were singing that day.
43.  When I was a kid, I shared a room with my older sister.  I snored.  She was a light sleeper.  I used to wake up crying because she had punched me in the stomach to get me to stop snoring.
44.  My sister and I shared a double bed.  She made me sleep with a cardboard box between us.
45.  I have never had a cavity.
46. I fractured my wrist when I was 6.  My mom wasn't going to take me to the doctor, but the next day, she took my baby brother in for a regular checkup and asked the doctor to take a look at my wrist while we were there.  I came home with a pink cast on my arm.
47. I have accumulated frequent flyer miles on Mayo One, the medical helicopter for the Mayo clinic. 
48.  After one particularly bad asthma attack, the Mayo One helicopter pilots and paramedics came to visit me in the hospital because they were so worried about me.  These would be the same pilots and paramedics who see worst cases of everything from all over the country.  They gave me a t-shirt.  Worst way ever to get a free t-shirt (my parents might disagree with the "free" part since they're the ones who got the bill for my little helicopter ride).
49.  When I had my first severe asthma attack  at 6 years old, I stopped breathing for no apparent reason, scared the EMTs, was intubated, and was in a coma for 5 days.  
50.  That was the worst one, but some of the others have come close.
51.  I love to sew.
52.  I love to read.
53.  I once stapled my finger.  It hurt.  I freaked out way more than I should have over it. 
54.  I'm really wimpy about stuff like that.  I have a low pain threshold.
55.  I got an epidural at 8 cm with my second pregnancy.  It stalled my labor for 2 hours until it wore off.  I ended up giving birth naturally without any pain medication.
56.  I can't wait to do it again.  Seriously.
57.  The colors for my wedding were royal blue and yellow. 
58.  Our pastor got sick during the wedding.  If you listen closely on our wedding video, you can hear him throwing up in an ice cream pail in the background at one point.
59.  Because the pastor was too busy throwing up to finish the ceremony (thankfully he made it through the important stuff), my father-in-law got up to close it.  It was really cool.
60.  On our first anniversary, Hubby and I brought an empty ice cream pail to church and gave it to our Pastor as a gag gift (no pun intended).
61.  When I was 16, I went to Germany with my friend's college German language class. 
62.  I've been to England twice.
63.  I love reading magazines, especially parenting ones. 
64.  I've only dated one guy in my whole life.
65.  I've only kissed one guy in my whole life.
67.  I married him.
68.  I'm the only girl he's ever dated or kissed as well.
69.  It's great that neither of us have baggage, have had our hearts broken by previous boyfriends/girlfriends, or have anyone else to compare each other too.
70.  I was 17 when I went on my first date.  Hubby was 20.
71.  I don't believe in dating someone you can't see yourself marrying.  Doing that just sets yourself up for heartache.
72.  I love the Lord of the Rings books and movies.  Same goes for Pride and Prejudice.
73.  My siblings and I had a gang growing up.  We did random, anonymous acts of kindness for people we knew. 
74.  I hope my kids start a gang like that too someday.
75.  I'm ultra sensitive to the sun and heat.  I get sick very quickly if I'm exposed to either one.
76.  I once went to a 3 day outdoor music festival with some friends.  I spent most of the three days sleeping in the tent because I was so sick.
77.  It took me several weeks to recover from that.
78.  I stay inside most of the time now.
79.  If a Pizza Hut ever opened up in my town, I'd weigh 300 pounds within a month.
80.  I really love Pizza Hut.
81.  I have one older sister, two younger brothers, and a younger sister.  
82.  We got along most of the time when we were growing up. 
83.  We still get along most of the time.
84.  My older sister (and her husband), my brother (and his wife), and I (and Hubby) all had our first babies within 7 months of each other.
85.  Two years later, all three/six of us had our second babies within 2 weeks of each other.
86.  A year and a half later, my sister (and her husband) and my brother (and his wife) each had their third babies within 3 months of each other.  I was slacking off apparently.
87.  I love Veggie Tales.  Especially Silly Songs with Larry.  The part of the show were Larry comes out and sings...a Silly Song.  
88.  I grew up watching tv shows from the 50's and 60's on video and still love them.  The includes the Dick Van Dyke show, the Monkees, Mr. Ed, etc.
89.  I have lived in 9 different houses/apartments.
90.  7 of those places were/are in my hometown and all 7 of the moves happened within a 6 year period.
91.  My third baby isn't due until September, but I already have his first birthday theme planned out.
92.  I love Riverdance, Josh Groban, and Michael Buble.
93.  I play violin, guitar, piano, a little mandolin, and I used to play the flute. 
94.  I would love to learn sign language fluently.
95.  I'm pro-life.
96.  Laundry is the bane of my existence.
97.  I can quote most of "The Emperor's New Groove."
98.  I'm 1/2 Swedish, 1/4 German, 1/8 Norwegian, and 1/8 French. 
99.  I love reading old books. 
100. When I was little, I wanted to be a ballerina, a librarian, a doctor, or a mommy.  I got to be half of those things.

It's your turn!  Add your link below.




Thanks so much for visiting Supermommy!...Or Not.  Please take a moment to "like" me on facebook"!  

Pinterest Deliciousness!

As of this minute, I have 164 pins on my Pinterest Food board.  I've been slowly trying the recipes out, and the ones I've tried so far have definitely been keepers.  I made these two for supper tonight.  In retrospect, the two together may have been a bit of a flavor overload.

Crack Potatoes

 This easy (my #1 requirement for recipes!) cheesy hash brown dish came together quickly and is SO tasty.  There's a possibility that I went back for thirds on it.  Maybe.  The recipe can be found here at the Plain Chicken blog.

Honey Sauced Chicken

The Honey Sauced Chicken was delicious and the chicken came out super tender.  Next time, I might use a little less soy sauce, but that's just a personal preference.  I doubled the recipe so I could freeze half for another meal.  The recipe can be found here at the Mmm...Cafe blog.