written Sunday, September 25, 2011
week 10
Thursday was a monumental day for me. Monday through Thursday I have to wear nice pants to work and then on Fridays I'm finally allowed to wear jeans. Now...not all people in the company follow this rule as most employees wear jeans and sweatshirts Monday through Friday and I'm wondering when I can start wearing my Yoga pants all day every day since I'm not so sure this pants rule is really enforced. Anyway, I was able to slip on my size 6 long black pants from New York...
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
About Christie Koester - I've Been Tagged
Getting to know Christie Koester
So I’ve been tagged via Twitter through my critty gal Julie! This is a blogger thing and when you get tagged, you share ten facts about yourself on the blog. I blog all my business on here, so now I have to find ten interesting things I probably haven't shared. This could be tough!!!
Me and my mommy! June 8 at 5:59 p.m. at 10 massive pounds! Ouch!
1. I was born a large 10-pound baby. I was smashed...
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Learning to Let Go and Say No - Month 3
written September 21, 2011
week 10
I think most people who know me see me as this bubbly, energetic person who takes on a million projects at once. I remember having dinner at Olive Garden with my friend Meegan (who I totally admire since she's a mother of FOUR kids) a few months ago. The thing about Meegan's kids...they are probably the most well-behaved kids I've ever met. I keep telling her she needs to be my mentor when the time comes because I have never seen kids like hers. And well, I want kids like that. I don't want the kids who...
Words of Wisdom for Moms-to-Be - Month 3
written September 21, 2011
week 10
Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature. He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing...
Monday, September 12, 2011
Seeing the Heartbeat - Month 3
written Monday, September 12, 2011
9 weeks
First ultrasound. Wow!
Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form...
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Yummy Tacos for Two
Eating like a celebrity now...One of Jennifer Hudson's favorite dishes
Tacos for Two
serves 2
(recipe found in Self Magazine September 2011)
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 tsp olive oil
1 package (9 oz) Perdue Short cuts Carved Chicken Breast Strips Grilled (I used our leftover chicken from the grill)
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cup salsa
4 whole grain taco shells
1/2 cup shredded taco cheese
1 jalapeno chile, chopped
In a medium skillet, saute bell...
Porchetta-Style Pork Loin with White Beans
An Italian-inspired recipe lends deep, rich flavor to a lean cut of pork
Porchetta-Style Pork Loin with White Beans
serves 6
(recipe found in Women's Health September 2011)
2 cans cannellini beans (white beans)
juice of one lemon
1 Tbsp fennel seeds
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
zest of 2 oranges
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
1 pork loin (about 2 lbs), preferably with a thin...
Grilled Chicken Cutlets with Summer Succotash
A quick tasty dinner
Grilled Chicken Cutlets with Summer Succotash
serves 4
(recipe found in Health July/August 2011)
Season 4 thin chicken cutlets with 1/4 tsp salt and pepper
Grill (about 3-4 minutes each side)
Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
Add in 1 cup frozen baby lima beans, thawed
1/2 cup corn
1 pint grape tomatoes
I also added some mozzarella balls
Cook, tossing occasionally, until tomatoes burst....
Thursday, September 8, 2011
A Little Consistency Please - Month 2
written September 8, 2011
8 weeks (baby is the same size as a kidney bean right now)
New this week: Webbed fingers and toes are poking out from your baby's hands and feet, his eyelids practically cover his eyes, breathing tubes extend from his throat to the branches of his developing lungs, and his "tail" is just about gone. In his brain, nerve cells are branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways. You may be daydreaming about your baby as one sex or the other, but the external genitals still haven't developed...
Sunday, September 4, 2011
2011 Goals Revisited - More Added
Summer is nearly over, life is flying by and it's time to re-evaluate my goals and dreams for 2011, since we're well past the halfway mark. Every year goes a little faster, doesn't it? Back in January, I came up with a bucket list and a list of goals for myself. I then shared these in a blog post. I want to revisit them and see if I'm at least headed in the right direction since I feel a little lost right now. I'm a doer but I feel like there hasn't been any success checking off my checklist. And that makes me question...
What Can I Make with Zucchini?
My mom's famous zucchini casserole
serves 6
(recipe found in Rockford Register Star)
2 lbs. (6 cups) of zucchini, sliced
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 cup shredded raw carrots
1 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon instant chopped onion
1/2 cup melted butter
1 package Pepperidge Farm herb crushed seasoned stuffing mix
1 cup shredded cheese
2 cups diced cooked chicken
3 stalks of celery
1. Wash and slice zucchini and celery. Do not peel. Cook in boiling...
Almost through Month Two - Month Two
written September 4, 2011
seven weeks
The ups and downs
Me again. Dealing with hormones. So mad at them. Nothing too crazy different going on here. Yesterday was a rough day where I was confined to the couch. I started off the day making homemade waffles and cleaning up clutter around the house and thirty minutes later my body told me to cool it. Before I knew it I was feeling worn out, nauseous and ready to hit the couch like my life depended on it. And that's where I stayed most of the day.
Karl's BFF Root and his girlfriend...
