Fall

I love the fall weather we have been having! Usually, I second-guess fall as my favorite season, because we're bombarded with windy, rainy, and cold weather. The great weather has really provided us with some great opportunities to get out and enjoy the outdoors as much as possible before Old Man Winter takes over. We took a family road trip a couple of weeks ago to an apple orchard. We stopped to see some fall foliage on the way, but the leaves were just starting to change, so it wasn't much to see at that point. Still a nice view of the river though! When we got to the orchard, Blake and Isaac took a spin on an antique fire engine before we feasted on apple cider, caramel apples, and apple cider doughnuts. Delish!

Puma Shoes for $15?!

For anyone that really knows me, they know that I've loved Puma shoes since my first pair in junior high/high school, that I wore until they couldn't be worn anymore. I posted about Rue La La on yesterday's Thursday deals. I received my $20 credit and today, there is a Puma shop open - I could get a pair of cute Puma's for myself or Blake for $15 {after I use my credit}, OR I could get a pair of kids Pumas for Isaac for $2 {after the credit}. Holy cow! It's invitation only, so I'm inviting you! What are you waiting for? Get over there!

Pasta Bowl with Butternut Squash

Thought I'd try this recipe out to use up that butternut squash we had sitting around. Plus, I wanted to find a recipe with squash that Blake would eat. I added chicken to mine, and probably should have served it with some breadsticks or a salad or something because it was a bit plain as a stand alone meal. Blake ate it {with some complaining about having to eat squash}, Isaac devoured it, and I thought it was a nice, light dish. It reheats pretty nicely too.



Pasta Bowl with Butternet Squash {and chicken!}

1 medium butternut squash {about 3 lbs.} peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes {8 cups}
1 Tbsp + 1/4 c. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound dried pasta {your choice - I used Penne}
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely chopped {I just used 1/4 onion, chopped}
1 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped or 1 tsp dried sage, crumbled
1/4 c. chopped, toasted pecans {optional - I skipped this}
Parmesan Cheese
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast {about 2/3 lb.}, cut into 1/4 inch strips

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss squash with 1 Tbsp olive oil, then spread on cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, stirring every 10 minutes until the squash is slightly carmelized, about 30 minutes total. Take out of oven and set aside.

Cook pasta in boiling water according to package instructions, then drain. While pasta is cooking, melt butter with remaining 1/4 c. olive oil until bubbly. Add chicken and stir fry until chicken is cooked {about 4-5 minutes}. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add sage, shallot {or onion}, and a dash of salt. Cook until shallot/onion is tender {about 2-3 minutes}.

Turn off heat, and add squash and pecans. Toss with pasta and serve with Parmesan cheese. Yum!

Thursday Deals - 10/21/10

1. This offer is back! You can request another FREE sample of Crest Pro-Health Clinical Gum Protection by taking a two question survey here. If you don't qualify for the Gum Protection toothpaste, you'll still get a FREE sample of Crest Outlast with Scope. I just received my Outlast with Scope sample a few days ago, so I rigged the survey to put myself at risk for gingivitis so I could get the other kind. :) hehe.

2. Ladies: FREE sample of Poise Serviettes here {It's from Sam's Club, and no membership required for this sample!}.

3. FREE 8x10 Photo Collage at Walgreens with coupon code 8X10TREAT

4. Check out this invitation only daily deals site, Rue La La. {Much like Babysteals, Kidsteals, and all those other sites I love, but this one is Men's and Women's fashions and things for the home}. If you sign up here by 10/25, you'll receive a FREE $20 credit {the credit expires 12/31, but maybe you can get someone a gift with it!?}! Wee!

5. Are a member of P&G Everyday Solutions yet? If you're not, you should be. You get to choose your free samples every quarter, plus money saving printable coupons all the time. Sweet!

6. FREE copy of Mr. Food Fall Favorites Cookbook here.

7. FREE Orange 'n Creme Frutista Freeze at Taco Bell with this coupon. Valid through 11/25.

8. FREE sample of Garnier Fructis Anti-Dandruff Shampoo here.

9. FREE sample of Garnier Ultra-Lift with Pro-Retinol here.

10. Pampers Gifts to Grow Points! Get 10 more with code PAMPERS4MOMSOND

Carving Pumpkins - Take 1

We decided to carve one of the pumpkins we picked up at the pumpkin patch a little early as sort a fun family activity with Isaac. Obviously that pumpkin has rotted now, and has since been thrown out, but Isaac was so ecstatic about the first pumpkin that he has been incessantly bugging us to carve the other one. I'm hoping to hold him off until next week so that the second pumpkin will at least make it to Halloween!

I think our first pumpkin turned out nice though!

:)

These photos make me smile. I love my little boys!

This one makes me laugh!

Isaac's 2nd birthday party

Now that my camera cord has been found {on the floor, behind the couch!}, I can give you the updates. :P

We had a little party for Isaac themed in football stuff. We pulled out Blake's Fatheads {that have been packed away since the move - we don't have any space for them in our new, smaller house}, I made a little pendant banner, and our guests dined on concession style foods {hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, hamburger cheese dip with football shaped tortilla chips, apples with caramel}, I made some scotcheroos shaped like footballs, and also made this football cake. It looked great when I first made it, but by morning, it started splitting down the middle, so my white seam fell in. At least it still tasted great. I think everyone had a great time, especially the birthday boy!

Great

First the tick, then more spiders, and now.....we have a mouse in the house. Awesome.

The good news is, I found my camera cord.

Bugged

In addition to the gross TICK incident last week, Blake and I have killed FOUR spiders, their bodies the size of quarters {do not include the legs}, this week IN OUR HOUSE. Sick, sick, sick.

What kind of house did I move into?! I'm having flashbacks to that movie, Arachnaphobia. Freaky.

Thursday Deals - 10/14/2010

I was hoping to get some more posts up this week, but I've been on the search for my camera cord which I probably misplaced when we were cleaning up for Isaac's birthday party last weekend. Boo.

I can still bring you the deals of the week though! :)

1. FREE sample of Glory Foods Seasoned Cooking Base and recipe book here.

2. FREE 5x7 photo book at the Kodak Gallery with code TARGBOOK. You'll have to pay $1.99 for shipping, but this is a great deal!

3. FREE sample of Vaseline Intensive Rescue lotion here. I'm all over this one! With a baby in the house, I've been washing my hands more frequently, and they are really drying out!

4. I love all these Pampers Gifts to Grow points! 50 more points with code 2BEGINEARNING50.

5. FREE sample of Emergen-C drink mixes here. They may even send you more than one!

6. FREE sample of OXY Clinical Skincare here. Use promo code WOMANSDAY.

Sick...

Last Thursday, after a walk, and playing in the yard, I pulled a tick off of Isaac's FACE. Now, I can't stop thinking about ticks, where he would have gotten one around here, and why I had to see that tick crawling up his FACE {I finally snagged it as it crawled on his nose, between his eyes!}!?!?

GAH!

TWO!

Happy 2nd birthday Isaac! I'm not sure where all of that time went, but he sure is a ton of fun {when he's not screaming out of frustration or sleepiness}. I'm really looking forward to watching him continue to grow. Just looking at him, I'm amazed at how much he has changed and grown, even in the past few months. I can't even measure the amount of love I have for him. It's amazing. Here's how we spent his 2nd birthday {since it happened to fall on Daddy's day off!}.

Good morning!

Errands with Mommy

Lunch with Grandma and Grandpa {pizza, ice cream, and singing!}

Nap {drama!}

Pumpkin Patch

Dinner {one of his favorites: meatloaf, potatoes, and corn}, followed by his birthday cupcake {with one green M&M on top}

Present opening, followed by bedtime!

Great day -- Sophie and Owen {note his scowl!} thought so too.

Thursday Deals - 10/7/2010

1. FREE 8x10 Photo Collage print at Snapfish with coupon code ALLYOUFALL10. Expires 11/1.

2. FREE cookie at Quiznos with this printable coupon. No purchase necessary!

3. Pampers is just giving away those Gifts to Grow points! Add 50 points to your account with code GIFTSTOGROW4MOM, 50 more points with code JOINNOW4REWARDS, and an additional 10 points each with codes 10PTSFREECODE4U and FACEBOOKOCT2010.

4. If you sign up for Auntie Anne's pretzel perks, you will get a coupon for a FREE pretzel on your birthday. Not bad....too bad there aren't any close to us!

5. FREE sample of Glad Odorshield Trash Bags and Tide Original with Acti-Lift laundry detergent here.

6. FREE sample of Ester-C Gummies here.

7. $1 off of a REACH floss coupon here. You could easily get some FREE floss with that coupon!

October 4, 2008

It's hard to believe that two years ago, this was us - awaiting the birth of our first child {taken on my due date!}. Oh, Bubs!


And, now we've got TWO kids. Crazy.

One Month

Where did this month go? I think we're all getting accustomed to being a family of four {five with Soph}, and loving every {sometimes stressful} minute!

At Owen's 3 week appointment last week, he was 9 lb. 12 oz., and grew an inch - 23 inches! Such a big boy already, and looking more and more like his big brother everyday. :)

This is Owen's signature look: The scowl.

Thursday Deals - 9/30/2010

By the time I realized I forgot my Thursday deals last week, it was practically time for new ones. :)

1. Stop by Great American Cookie tomorrow {Oct. 1} between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to score a FREE Original Chocolate Chip Cookie! And, during the entire month of October, you can get a FREE cookie of your choice by donating a new or gently used book at your store. See if your store is participating here.

2. Tonight {Sept. 30, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.}, visit your local Cold Stone Creamery for a FREE 3 oz. sample of Kate's Wish Signature Creation {caramel apple ice cream with chocolate shavings, graham cracker pie crust, and apple pie filling}. Yum!

3. FREE 8x10 photo collage print at Walgreens, using coupon code FBCOLL. Expires 10/1.

4. More Pampers Gifts to Grow points! 10 points with code PUNTOSPARAMI123

5. Get another FREE sample of the Shout Color Catcher here. That means I have TWO coming to me in the mail. Woohoo!

6. Great coupons for Benedryl products here. {$1.50 off one item or $4 off 2 items}.

7. $5 off a $15 purchase at T.G.I.Fridays with this coupon.

8. Send a FREE mini pack of Kleenex to a friend here.

9. FREE sample of Crest Pro-Health Clinical Gum Protection toothpaste here {you have to answer a 2 question survey, and if it doesn't determine that you're at risk for gingivitis, you get to sign up for a FREE sample of Crest with Scope Outlast instead}. Hey, free toothpaste is free toothpaste!

Baptized

Owen was welcomed into the Catholic Church last Sunday. It was a really lovely day even though our guests had to dine on the cheesy potatoes I burned in the roaster! God Bless our little guy!

Cute hat!

I've been a slacker - sorry!

We just got this cute hat for Isaac in the mail today {and so glad I got it while the Baby Sale was going on!}. I want it to get a little colder so he can wear it! :)

Gnome

It's no secret that Blake really likes garden gnomes. So, imagine his disappointment when Target didn't have this costume in stock in Isaac's size for Halloween this year. He'd happily wear one himself if they made an adult-sized version.

Library kid

Yesterday, we took Isaac to the library and signed him up for his own library card. He loved the space, let me read a few books to him, and then he started taking random books off of the shelves and creating a big mess, at which point we packed him up, rented our books, and got out of there. That was just a disaster waiting to happen!

Some pictures of him behaving {we didn't take any of the mis-behaving. I only want to remember the perfect little angel!}:

He loves the Cat in the Hat!

Asian baby?

The other day, I looked at Owen napping in the swing and thought, "Wow, he looks really Asian right now."

Tell me it's not my imagination!

Thursday Deals - 9/16/10

Owen had his first crying spell during my normal Thursday deals blogging time last night {sad, right? I have blogging time!}. But, here they are, just a little late. :)

1. Save 20% at GAP just by using your Visa card with this coupon. Sweet! I'd like this nice pair of skinny jeans. Now, if only I could get them on sale + 20% off.

2. 30% off any single item at Old Navy with this coupon. It says Baby Sale on it, but the small print doesn't mention anything about applying to baby purchases only, so maybe someone can try it out on a non-baby item? Expires 9/23.

3. FREE sample of Wisk laundry detergent here. It's from Costco but you don't have to be a member to get it! :)

4. FREE sample of the new Quaker Life Soft Baked Bars here. The banana nut flavor was gone when I registered, but the Cinnamon roll raisin pecan is still available!

5. FREE tub of Cottonelle Fresh Flushable Moist Wipes and a FREE Cottonelle Easy Reach Hanger here. You have to share it with a friend via e-mail, but hey - Free is Free, right? :) {I also laughed at the address of the website. Actually, I'm still laughing about it.}

2 weeks

In about a half hour, Owen will officially be 2 weeks old {sheesh, where did that time go?} . Here's what he's doing on this big day:

1. Sleeping
2. Eating
3. Sleeping
4. Rocking out his first pair of Baby Legs
5. Taking head-butt style kisses from his big brother like a champion
6. Giving me those cute little baby smiles!
7. Eating some more
8. Fussing
9. Pooping and peeing
10. Sitting in his bouncy chair
11. More sleeping

Some pictures below of his daily activities. Sounds like a rough day, right?

Looking innocent before giving Owen a "kiss"

Can you see that little baby smile?

Becoming Mom

I'm not new to this mom thing. I did it with Isaac. But learning to juggle two of them has been interesting. Of course, I don't remember every little thing about having a newborn, but the hardest part for me is dividing my time between my two little boys. Most days, I don't think I do a terrible job. I know Owen only needs me to eat, cuddle, etc. but he still spends most of his time sleeping, which makes spending time with Isaac easy. However, Isaac has noticed that I'm taking just a little bit of his time, and has been relentless with his whining, tantrum throwing, and all out crying. His demands aren't much, "mommy, rock you; mommy, hold you; mommy, lay by you" but they are all things he wants done when Owen is screaming his head off. It makes me feel bad to watch him struggling to come to terms with what just happened to his life {thanks preg-o hormones}, but I know someday they will be the best of friends and someday Isaac will be too busy playing with Owen to give Mommy the time of day {which, by the way, sometimes makes me feel even WORSE for not being able to hold him or rock him...I know he won't want that forever either!}.

There is no question that Isaac loves his little brother. He proudly announces his name to others, cuddles, and kisses him, but he just doesn't understand why mommy has to be shared. Here's hoping he learns soon, because it has really been a challenge for my big mommy heart.

Typo?

I got this 3-piece outfit on clearance at Target for about $3. Do you think it's because of the typo? Or, is it really even a typo? I think it can be written both ways, but I was always taught, "programmed." Anyone want to take a guess where it was made? :P At least Owen has no problem making it look good! :)

Thursday Deals - 9/9/2010

1. Get a FREE Wendy's Artisan Breakfast Sandwich with any purchase using this coupon! Good during breakfast hours.

2. FREE Harley Davidson Poster. Great for your Harley loving family members! ;-) Get yours here.

3. Complete this short survey and receive a FREE sample pack of Dawn Hand Renewal with Olay or Cascade Complete All-in-1.

4. More Pampers Gift to Grow points {10 of them!} with code LABORDAYFB92010, and get 10 more with code Sepfacebook2010

5. Now through Sept. 11, 2010, get FREE Shipping at Snapfish with code FREELDSHIP! I have to get some pictures ordered!

23 months

I can hardly believe Isaac is 23 months old today! The wheels have been turning on what to do for his 2nd birthday. I think I've come up with something he's going to LOVE! He continues to be our little chatterbox, and my favorite: every night as he's going to sleep, he sings "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."

A lot of changes for our little guy this month; most significantly, becoming a big brother! It has been a huge adjustment for him, but I think he's handling it pretty well, and often refers to himself as the big brother. I know someday, Isaac and Owen will be the best of friends!

Happy 23 months little man! We love you!

Thursday Deals - 9/2/2010

1. FREE appetizer with the purchase of any entree from 4 - 9 p.m. at T.G.I.Fridays with this coupon. Expires 9/8/10

2. FREE sample of Pampers with Dry Max from Sam's Club - now open to non-members. I'm sure any of you diaperers out there have heard the negative PR of the new Dry Max diapers. We mostly cloth but do continue to use Pampers without a problem.

3. Great deal on HP ink cartridges at Amazon through Saturday, 9/4. Get $10 off a purchase of $40 or more of HP Ink, and if you spend more than $25, you get FREE super saver shipping. Bonus, no tax. :)

4. Save $5 off 5 Kraft Cheese or Dairy products with this coupon.

5. FREE Sample of Shout Color Catcher here. Supposedly, these sheets capture dyes in your laundry so you don't even have to sort. Hmmm....

6. Pampers Gifts To Grow 20 FREE points with code: HangOn2Summer20

7. FREE sample of Kashi Cereal Bar, Granola Bar, or Crackers here.