2012 New Years Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions Last year I came up with a few resolutions. Today I had fun looking back and seeing which ones I accomplished (yay!) and the ones I'm still working on (at least I haven't totally given up), and which ones I can carry over to 2012. And now it's time to come up with some more! 2011 New Year's Resolutions 1. Receive representation for my book Hasn't happened yet. Sigh. But. i. will. not. give. up....

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Pregnant Belly Getting Bigger - Month 6

24 weeks Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds...

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Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken

Quickest dinner ever! Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken serves 5 - 6 recipe found on Real Housewife in Minnesota Blog Delicious Sweet and Sour Chicken (healthier version) 1 pound Chicken (cooked and diced) *I used a rotisserie chicken 3 cups frozen stir-fry vegetables 1 8 oz can diced pineapples 1/2 Cup Sweet and Sour Sauce 2 cups uncooked rice *Instead of rice, I wanted to try cooking Thai Rice Noodles which worked great! 1 cup water 1....

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Things to Do Before Baby Arrives - Month 6

24 weeks Planning ahead So I've always been a bit of a planner. I mean...did you attend our wedding? Ha! Planning for a baby is hard for me because I'm beyond clueless. I've been reading loads of books and surfing the web for as much information as I can, but I know nothing is truly going to prepare me. Super Nanny is helping too! Any bit helps, right? I find myself asking anyone I can for advice. The good advice. Not the scary...

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Making My Day - Month Six

Cheese! 24 weeks I just have to post this picture of little Baby Koester because I find myself talking to him/her everytime I look at it. This picture is just too cute!! It was actually from the video from our 20-week ultrasound and I took a picture snip-it. He/she is smiling!!!!!!!!!!!! My heart totally melts every single time. I mean, when you're having a bad day, just look at this little cutie pie! I picture him/her laughing inside...

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North Woods Bean Soup

North Woods Bean Soup serves 4 recipe found on My Recipe.com site. Cooking spray 1 cup baby carrots, halved 1 cup chopped onion 2 garlic cloves, minced7 ounces turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 (15.8-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed 1 (6-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach...

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Quick Healthy Breakfast Casserole

Tasty breakfast casserole goes a long way serves 8-12 recipe from a church friend 1 dozen eggs1 cup milk 1 1/2 cup water 1 tsp dry mustard 1 bag of Simply Potatoes Hash Browns 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese Bacon or other goodies 1. Mix all ingredients together and pour into casserole or cake pan and bake at 350 F for one hour. 2. Add bacon bits (I used real bacon) after it is in pan. I also added mushrooms, green, red and yellow...

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Chicken, Wild Rice and Cherry Tomato Casserole

Chicken, Wild Rice and Cherry Tomato Casserole serves 6 recipe found in an advertisement in on of my health magazines for Nature Sweet Cherry Tomatoes 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin2 cloves garlic, sliced thin 4 oz mushrooms, bottoms trimmed, sliced thin 2 (5 oz) packages long grain and wild rice seasoned rice mix (I used the 5 minute rice) 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped 4 chicken breasts, sliced into 1/2" slices 1 tsp salt 1/4...

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Being Surrounded by the Flu Bug - Month Six

week 23 Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her...

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Seared Scallops with White Beans and Bacon

Seared Scallops with White Beans and Bacon serves 4 recipe found in Women's Health, December 2011 Tasty seafood dish full of protein 2 strips bacon, chopped into small pieces 1/2 red onion, minced1 clove garlic, minced1 1/2 cans white beans (14 oz each), rinsed and drained4 cups baby spinach1 lb large sea scallopsSalt and pepper to taste1 tbsp butterjuice of 1 lemon 1. Heat a medium saucepan on low, and cook the bacon until it begins...

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Baby Showers, Day Care and More - Month 6

22 weeks! At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and...

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Baby Thoughts, Nursery and Names - Entering Month 6

week 21 Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to...

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20-week ultrasound - Month 5

week 20 You're at the halfway mark — congratulations! Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (The way your baby is measured changes now.) He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate...

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