Silly Monkey!

FOOD!

I like to cook. I'm not to say I love it, because when I think of people who love cooking I think of my mom, or my Aunt Lori. Now, if you want some good cooking go have some of their food, yum-yum! But, I do like to cook and if I have a recipe-even better!

Tonight, I made a delish dinner, if I may say myself. I made Chicken Florentine. I wanted to to incorporate more veggies into out diet, and wanted Owen to try spinach. So, I went to my handy dandy favorite cooking website, typed in the ingredients I wanted, and BAM! That's what I decided to cook. Joe was in heaven, he likes spinach, and well I think this is the first time I have made anything that has spinach in it-other than a spinach salad. I'm happy to report Owen liked it too! I cut the chicken into tiny pieces and threw in some cooked carrots for him and he gobbled it all up! I wish I took a picture, because it was tasty looking, but my camera battery is dead...Oh, well next time! If you have any fun and easy recipes please send them my way. I'm always looking for a new meal to make my family!

Here's the recipe:

* 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* 1/4 cup butter
* 3 teaspoons minced garlic
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
* 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
* 1/2 cup half-and-half
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 2 (13.5 ounce) cans spinach, drained
* 4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
* 2/3 cup bacon bits
* 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

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DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the chicken breast halves on a baking sheet; bake 20 to 30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Remove from heat, and set aside.
2. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stirring constantly, mix in the garlic, lemon juice, cream of mushroom soup, Italian seasoning, half-and-half, and Parmesan cheese.
4. Arrange the spinach over the bottom of a 9x9 inch baking dish. Cover the spinach with the mushrooms. Pour half the mixture from the saucepan over the mushrooms. Arrange chicken breasts in the dish, and cover with the remaining sauce mixture. Sprinkle with bacon bits, and top with mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes in the 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) oven, until bubbly and lightly browned.

Playing outside

Owen and I had a fun time playing in the front yard today. After lunch we went out to enjoy the beautiful sunny, yet crisp weather. It's been gloomy and overcast here for the past week or so, not mention raining on and off. I thought it would be be good to get out and get our vitamin D in for the day...

I took his tractor out with us, and Owen loved scooting around on it on the driveway. He kinda liked pushing it too, but I think the cement really threw him off! He sat on the drive way and on the scratchy dead grass and wasn't too big of a fan of either. He loved hearing all the plane and bird noises most. He is all about mimicking sounds he hears all around him: the garage when daddy comes home, the trash man's truck etc. When he heard the birds he made the dog sound. Every animal according to Owen makes a "woof" sound. He likes pointing the trees, and tries his best to say "tree" when I tell him too. The kid loves being outside!

I am loving this stage. He is so much fun! He definitely keeps me busy and tests me, but I am falling more in love with my little boy everyday!

Steps!

Owen took his first REAL 2 steps today!!! He has been getting braver and braver this past week. I went away for a night with my girls small group and I got a text message from Joe saying Owen was trying so hard to walk! So we have been working on it. He stands on his own for a good 10-15 seconds. Long enough to usually clap and be proud of himself. Well, toady he and I were working on his standing skills and I held up his favorite toy ever-a ball! His basketball to be exact, and he took two whole big steps to get the ball! He then fell in my lap! He took one step last week while I was talking to my mom on the phone. He was using Charlie for some balance, let go and went for it! I think I scared the poo out of him though because I was way excited and yelled "YAY!!" and he fell right on his bottom! I wonder when he will be walking? I am sure it won't be long now, but who knows he REALLY likes to crawl and the boy is FAST!

a boy and his dog...

Owen and Charlie love each other. They are buds. Charlie is so good with Owen, he let's him crawl all over him, play with his tail, poke him in the eyes and just plain love on him. Charlie returns his love by licking the kid to death...I'm not a big fan of that, but Owen doesn't seem to mind. The thing that get's me is it always happens after Owen has a bath! I think Charlie likes his lotion...

They are soooo sweet!

Storytime at the Library!

Owen and I visited the Library this morning to do storytime! It's a program for babies birth-18months. I was nervous on how he would do because he fell asleep in the car on the way there. But, the kid never ceases to amaze me! He did great! One thing I have learned is that my boy loves music. I know it's called storytime, but we sang and danced half the time! The librarian did read some books on winter, and we all got a book to read/sing Old McDonald! It was something fun to do with Owen. Something much needed. He is an active little guy with lots of energy so, doing activities like these help break up our day. I loved watching him take it all in. He is Mr. Serious you know. Only gave a few smiles here and there, unless the librarian talked to him specifically, then he became a little flirt. He clapped when we all clapped and tried his very best at self control and listening. I was very proud! I think we will try again next week!

New year, new goals!

I'm excited! I'm pumped! For the first time in a very long time I am alive and more like me! I have started counseling. Which I have not talked about on my blog yet. And I am not sure how much I will talk about it. I have found in the few meetings I have had that as of right now I don't want to share that part of my life with the whole world. Is that bad? I don't think so. I have only talked with few people about how the and what is discussed. Not that I am ashamed of anything, it's just that I am holding those special times dear and still processing. Make sense? I am already learning so much and discovering a lot about myself and the way I am wired. I love the woman I am seeing and I am so very thankful that she is a Christian, a mom, and what she has taught me about God's grace thus far.

I am wanting to be crafty! I know I have said this for a long while. But I truly believe this year will be full of fun projects, or at least I hope so! I am hoping to make a few quilts for some very important people. I also, have other ideas but I don't want to spoil them because they will probably end up being birthday gifts and what not =) I have ideas and ideas and I hope to accomplish a least a few!

I want to fit into pair of jeans I have been holding onto since we lived in Colorado! I know many girls keep their skinny jeans. And these are mine! I was trying figure out the other day how long it's been since I was able to wear them. I think it's been....3 years! They are only 1 size smaller than I am currently wearing now. So, I hoping it won't be that hard to get back into them ??? I also keep telling myself that they are pre-baby jeans so I give myself a little slack, but I really want to try!!!

This is a BIG one! It kind of goes a long with the jeans. Or it better!!! I am signing up for the 3 day Breast Cancer Walk in Atlanta! The walk is in October. I will be doing it with a team of friends (which I hope this team can grow!!!) It's 60 miles in 3 days! I know it's a big goal and all who know know I hate to exercise. But, Joe and I have talked a lot about how we want to get back into shape and start taking better care of ourselves. It's something that I will be doing with friends-accountability! And more importantly it will raise money for a very important cause. Joe's sister Liz is a survivor of breast cancer and I want to walk for her!

So there they are. I hope and pray I can stick with and to these! Here's to 2009!!!