I'm Baaaaack!!!

So it's been MONTHS since my last post...  My pregnancy put me temporarily out of commission...morning sickness, fatigue, pain, etc....but now my 'nesting' has kicked in and I'm anxious to share what I've been up to... I've got five weeks until my due date so I'm going to make the best of it... So here we go!!!

Since my last post, a lot has transpired...

1) I had a lovely weekend with some girlfriends in October which was joined by what I thought was a slight case of food poisoning...which I later realized was morning sickness. So I'm now 35 weeks pregnant with a baby girl!

2) In December we got a call about a job opportunity for Derek in North Carolina. So we started planning a trip out there in January to check it out and in the meantime got a call about another opportunity in Kansas. So after trips out to each location, catching up with old friends at each place, and much prayer, we felt like God was calling us to Kansas.  So in February we made the decision and as of March, we are now residents of Kansas City, KS. 

3) The new job opportunity for Derek has allowed me the opportunity to be a full time stay-at-home mom. I'm incredibly blessed, but it has definitely been a transition for me.  I love to work and miss it and my co-workers dearly.  But fortunately, between the move, the pregnancy, getting ready for the baby, settling into our temporary house and preparing to build a new house, I've kept pretty busy.

4) As mentioned, we are building a new house here in Kansas.  We've been incredibly blessed to be able to live in a 3 bedroom home pretty much on the campus of the hospital where Derek works while we await the completion of the our new house.
          a) The house we are in now is about 1100 square feet and was built in 1963.  It's cute and cozy with some fun retro character.  So, of course, I have to take advantage of the opportunity to do a little fix-up work and decorating.  I'll keep you updated in future posts.
          b) I LOVE the idea of being able to pick all of my finishes for the new house and make it what we really want.  HOWEVER,  if you've ever been pregnant, you know that, for some reason, pregnancy has the tendency to inhibit our ability to make decisions.  Needless to say, it's been quite the challenge to not only make decisions, but also to stick to them. 

So that's the quick update on the past six months.  I'll start with some fun new posts tomorrow! 

The BEST Corn Bread EVER

My mom grew up in the great state of Texas where corn bread was a standard at most meals. The cheese, corn and green chilies add a little southern twist to the traditional corn bread. I usually serve it with my White Chicken Chili.  Sooooo yummy!!!


1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup corn meal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 can cream style corn
1 cup shredded cheese
3 oz chopped green chilies

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Combine all ingredients and mix well. Grease 9x9 pan. Pour batter into pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until light golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Serves 4-6                       Prep Time: 8 minutes               Cook time: 25 minutes

Lemon Granita

A little bit of tang and a little bit of tart come together in this light, refreshing and icy dessert! Super easy to make!  Enjoy!

1 cup lemon juice (about 6 sm/med size lemons)
Lemon rine from one lemon (shaved)
3/4 c sugar
Fresh rosemary (one stem)
2 cups water

In a pot, add all ingredients. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Let cool.  Strain and pour into a 9x9 glass pan.  Freeze for 3 hours.  Stir every 30 minutes after the first hour.  Serve immediately.

Serves 2-3           
Prep Time: 5 minutes         
Cook Time: 20 minutes          
Freeze Time: 3 hours

White Chicken Chili

Fall is here and there's nothing better than some great cold weather meals!  Here is one of my favorites. It's great on a cold fall day with a side of corn bread.  It's super easy and quick!


Happy fall!!!








2 cups navy beans (or other small white bean)
1 large onion
32 oz reduced sodium chicken broth
3 cups cooked chicken (I use rotisserie chicken and pull it)
4 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper 
7 oz chopped green chilies

Toppings:
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheese (I use Mexican blend)
1 large avocado  


Saute onion and garlic.  Add beans, broth, chicken, green chilies and seasonings.  Simmer for 20 min.  Add shredded cheese, sour cream and sliced avocado to each individual serving.  Serve with corn bread (optional).

Serves 3-4                     Prep Time: 20 min            Cook Time: 30 min              

The New Playroom Part Four: Painting with Stencils

I wanted to do something fun and different, but not too crazy for the wall in the playroom.  I debated between a bright color of paint or potentially even wallpaper.  But then I remembered something I had seen when I was looking for ideas for the toy storage...painting with stencils.  The picture I had seen was at I Heart Organizing.  The birch tree design matched perfectly with the theme of the playroom.  The colors she used were great, but a little too bold for the room I'm working with.  My walls are already a taupe color, so I used a white paint with the stencil.  I purchased the stencil online at Cutting Edge Stencils.  They have a ton of great stencils to choose from. I just might have to look at getting another one for another room someday.  

The New Playroom Part Three: Hacked Ikea Expedit Shelving / Toy Storage

 I was looking for a practical yet functional storage solution for the new playroom.  I came across a pin of a room done by I Heart Organizing on Pinterest.  It was perfect!  

So I hopped over to Ikea (which I'm fortunate enough to live 10 min from one) and bought two pieces from their Expedit line. These are the two pieces I bought.  

 I laid them both on their sides which the intention of using the longer, skinnier one for the bench.  

I bought a piece of MDF board from Lowes and had them cut it the length of the shelf.  I bought three inch thick foam at JoAnn Fabric for the cushion.  With the fabric, foam and board in place, I stapled the fabric to the bottom of the board.

I bought the baskets to go in the cubbies at Walmart for $11 each.

The New Playroom Part Two: Forest Friends Alphabet Canvas

I really wanted to find a way to incorporate the alphabet into some wall art for the playroom.  I wanted it to be large and have a forest/nature theme. I couldn't find what I wanted, so I decided to make my own. With a blank canvas and some acrylic paint, I incorporated two pieces of inspiration and here was the final product:

 INSPIRATION: this print by Isak and this nursery decor set by Carters)