Wednesday, December 31, 2008

2008

I sort of forgot that New Year's Eve was coming up until last night.  With everyone being sick and us still living out of suitcases I forgot that 2009 is right here!  I was looking around Kelly's blog and she was talking about what all happened in 2008.  She posed the question:

 What's the best thing to happen to you in 2008?



One might ponder why I would post such a horrid picture of myself after 3 hours of excruciating pushing.  Well....this picture is just pure joy/exhaustion/excitement/fear/thankfulness.  It's just raw emotion.  John Michael is our greatest gift of 2008 and of all time.  Thank you God for blessing us with this child.  We will never forget what a wonderful miracle a baby is.  Who knows what 2009 will bring..........



I'm Too Old

We had a very small get together of middle/high school friends over Christmas break.  We are all in different places location-wise and life-wise.  One of us lives in Scotland now in vet school, one in North Carolina in seminary, one in Alabama, and me in Arkansas.  I'm the first one with a baby! 



After Katherine and Cathy met JM for the first time, we all went to Gadsden's finest Mexican eatery, Villa Fiesta!  It was our favorite high school eatin' place.  I ended up leaving JM at the house asleep.  There were plenty of people here to watch the monitor in case he woke up, luckily he didn't!  In any case, I learned that I am WAY too old to stay out late.  After we ate we headed back to Joan's house and we talked and talked and talked and talked some more. Sure we probably gossipped and told tall tales on each other, but it was too much fun.  Who knows when Katherine will be back from Scotland again.  I realized that I am too old to stay out late talking.  I won't say how late I stayed out, but it was way too late for a mommy to stay out.  Unfortunately, I felt like complete crap the next day.  I'm old.  I won't be staying out late probably anymore ever again.  Period.



Funny Joan
Funny Joan

Joan, Cathy, Me, Katherine
Joan, Cathy, Me, Katherine

Verse O' the Day:

If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.

Proverbs 1:23

Monday, December 29, 2008

I Needs My Home

I need to come home because:

1.  My mother-in-law made Cinnabon cinnamon rolls WITH REAL CREAM CHEESE icing and I've had too many, but I can't stay away!

2.  I can't watch another episode of NCIS or House. Yes, Mom, I know y'all love it, but they are two of the worst written TV shows on right now.  Don't even get me started on how unrealistic House is with their medical stuff...yeah, I've seen TONS of doctors stay at bedsides and push IV meds.  Yeah, right.

3.  I have to stop eating homemade sausage/gravy/biscuits/bacon/pancakes/cookies...you get the idea.  Weight Watchers here I come, again.

4.  My bebe needs his own bed.  As do we.

5.  I miss my church.

6.  We have so much stuff everywhere and piles and piles of Christmas gifts that are still laying around i.e. everything is clutthered and we are living out of piles.  Sorry Mom and Jane that all of our Christmas stuff is still sitting around your houses.

7.  Hopefully, if we are back in AR that means that everyone is well and not sick!!!

Nah, I kid.  Compared to Christmases before, we are all blessed with good health.  These are things that we can heal from.  Jordan is progressing but still in bed and he has to go back to the doctor AGAIN tomorrow for one last shot.  JM is happy, funny, trying to crawl, and still is fairly sick/wheezy.  I swear he's gonna up and crawl before we make it back home to Arkansas.  This is not optimal, as I need lots of time to child-proof the house, clean our floors, and put up a safety thingy around the fireplace before he crawls.
Jackson with his new Christmas frisbee.
Jackson with his new Christmas frisbee.

I just thought this picture was funny.  Jackson always loves getting Christmas presents!  I have nothing else new to post.  To all a good night!

Verse O' the DayFunny that this is the verse today.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this passage because I am a worrier.  I was just thinking about this passage today, for some reason.  What a coincidence!

For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?...And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?

Matthew 6:25, 6:27

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Have Yourself a Sickly Little Christmas

Christmas was very fun this year, as we got to watch John Michael open WAY too many gifts. We also got way too many nice things and some things that we really needed. I'm still not sure how we're going to get all this stuff back to Arkansas.  We're going to need a car top carrier!  Everyone here has a nasty cold (except me, so far!) and John Michael caught it, along with an ear infection and now Jordan is feeling under the weather.  We were supposed to leave early this morning, but we may be staying another day or so.  You don't hear me complaining, though! 

Update:  JM AND Jordan are sick.  They have both been to the doctor today.  JM has walking pneumonia with double ear infections, cough, and runny nose.  Jordan has a bad sinus infection and he has been in bed trying to get well.  We've had a day full of doctors and waiting on prescriptions at the pharmacy.  On a funny note, we got to go see our old family pediatrician.  It was neat to be able to take JM to see him.  He knows so much and is such a wonderful, caring doctor.  I have NO idea when we're going to make it back to Arkansas.  I am praying that I don't get sick.  It's never good when Mom is sick!


Here's a look at our Christmas through pictures:



Great-Papaw and Joyce with JM
Great-Papaw and Joyce with JM

Eating is FUUUUNNN!
Eating is FUUUUNNN!

Can you tell how little John Michael has been sleeping while we've been here by the look in my eyes?!
Can you tell how little John Michael has been sleeping while we've been here by the look in my eyes?!



Elmo Live!
Elmo Live!

World's Cutest Baby!
World's Cutest Baby!

Check me out in my new Alabama umbrella stroller.  Jack likes it too.
Check me out in my new Alabama umbrella stroller. Jack likes it too.

What a day!
What a day!

We don't have too many pictures from MeMe's and Papa's house because John Michael was NOT a happy camper by the end of Christmas day and he basically was crying and whining the whole time.




Books from great-grandmother!
Books from great-grandmother!

"Papa got me a radio flyer rocking horse!"
"Papa got me a radio flyer rocking horse!"

"I want Uncle Ray's hair!"
"I want Uncle Ray's hair!"

What a sweet Christmas baby
What a sweet Christmas baby

Hopefully everyone will be on the mend here in a day or two.  We can't stay in Alabama forever, but it's nice for everyone to be sick here while we have grandparents to help us rather than in Arkansas with no grandparent help!  I'm loading up on Zicam and Vitamin C today in hopes that it will help!

Friday, December 26, 2008

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

Rainy, wet, warm, humid, thunder, lightning...this describes our weather here in Alabama for Christmas Eve.  Yuck.  John Michael has been FUSSY today.  He hardly slept last night (i.e. I was up ALL night nursing) I was so tired and exhausted after being up most of the night with an unhappy baby.  Luckily, Jordan took him this morning and I fell asleep for another two hours.  It wasn't enough.  I have been trying to bake, wrap, and keep a fussy baby happy.  Not a very fun Christmas Eve.  It has gotten a little better after he took a 4 hour nap.  I sure hope JM is not going to have a cold for Christmas day!  He was so fussy today.  We have officially packed up and made it over to Jordan's mom's house for Christmas.  We were over at my parent's house first, now we're over here for the rest of the week!

This Christmas I keep thinking about Mary and what she must have gone through.  Having been through a pregnancy and then a (nearly) natural birth myself, I can't imagine what she went through.  It's hard to imagine being on a donkey 9 months pregnant and then giving birth in a stable full of animals.  How painful, how wonderful, how splendid was that birth.  We are so blessed that God sent his only son to be born from a virgin.  To be born to save the world. What a blessing.  Merry Christmas everyone!  Have a wonderful day tomorrow!


---------------------------------------------


P.S.  John Michael officially has his first ear infection :(  AND a cold to go along with it.  We did NOT have a good Christmas night and we're tired (again!)  I frantically called our old Pediatrician's office today and we got squeezed in!  It looks like we won't be leaving when we thought.  I hope he gets well soon!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

A Little Merry Christmas (& B'day)

We have been so busy since we've made it back home.  We've been wrapping gifts, cooking, and celebrating my birthday!  Yay!  My birthday was Sunday but we didn't do too much to celebrate except open gifts.  I got some wonderful cream/brown pearls, a houndstooth scarf and a few great books from Jordan.  I also got The Office board game!  We've already played and Jordan beat me.  Last night we celebrated my birthday again by having some family and friends over to eat soup and cornbread and a very yummy HUGE cake!




Isn't he too cute?
Isn't he too cute?

My friend Lindsey, brought over her precious baby, Landon!  He's not really a baby, but he's her baby!  John Michael will be about Landon's age next year!  Wow!  That's so hard to imagine.



Those two played all night!
Those two played all night!

My grandfather came into town yesterday to visit with JM.  He is really smitten; it's very endearing to see!  JM is really good for he and Joyce.  He likes for them to rock him (he never lets ME do that!) and he likes to grab at Papaw's face and hair!



Great Papaw and JM
Great Papaw and JM

It's fun to ride a pony!
It's fun to ride a pony!

One thing that has been different this Christmas season is that I have NO desire to get out and about in any crowds.  I don't know if I just don't want to, or I just don't feel like dragging a baby and all the baby stuff out in the cold.  Sunday night Jordan and I decided to go Wal-Mart to finish up our present buying and to buy all of our stuff to make goodies...we went at 11pm and stayed until after midnight. We then went to Sonic and ate....it felt like we were in high school again!   JM was fast asleep at home with Mom and luckily, he never woke up while we were gone.  I called a total of 3 times to check on him!  I just knew that if I had to go to Wal-Mart during the day that I might lose my temper and ruin mine and Jordan's day by having a bad attitude.  Hey, I'm not perfect.



A Very Wigley Christmas!
A Very Wigley Christmas!

MeMe and JM
MeMe and JM

Grams and JM
Grams and JM

JM's not too sure about all this Santa stuff!
JM's not too sure about all this Santa stuff!

Merry Christmas everyone.  I'm really wanting to concentrate on the reason for the season this year.  I hope you do as well.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Double Trouble

No, I'm not sharing my food with you; we'll get in trouble
No, I'm not sharing my food with you; we'll get in trouble

I said no!
I said no!

Hmmmm...
Hmmmm...

Here you go!
Here you go!

Am I a bad mom for not stopping this??!!  Oh, I eventually did, but it was kinda too cute to pass up the photo op!
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!


As you can tell by the above picture, we are dealing with some pretty bad skin issues.  I knew that any child of Jordan's would have sensitive skin, and JM does.  We've been to the doctor and we're going to try 2 prescription creams and aquaphor.  I surely hope that this helps because it just looks SO bad on his cheeks.  It looks like he has burns on one side of his face.  I know it's the cold weather and cold wind up here.  I hope the creams work!  I don't want his skin to be bright red and possibly hurt!  The doctor doesn't think it's food-related, just eczema and cold weather.  Any suggestions or tips??????

Verse O' the Day:

You may say in your heart, “My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.” But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth.

Deuteronomy 8:17-18  --------Something to think about in relation to tithing?

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Recipes 'n Stuff

I've been asked for a few recipes, so I thought I would go ahead and post them on here.  I cannot take any credit for these!  Two of them are my mother in law's ideas and one is from Kraft Food and Family Magazine!  I feel very fortunate (or cursed for our waistlines) that both Jordan and I come from homes with great Southern chefs!  Our moms can bake and fry it up with the best of them!  So here they are!  P.S.  ALL of these are EASY to throw together with things that you usually have sitting around the house!

#1   Jane's "no recipe" Chicken Pot Pie:

2 refrigerated pie crust (found near biscuit section)
Cooked chicken (either 3-4 chicken breasts or a rotisserie chicken=super easy, fast dinner)
1 cup or so of cooked rice (a bag of Success rice is easy)
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (corn, english peas, limas, carrots, etc.)
cream of chicken soup (depends on size of casserole, usually 2

1/2 cup sour cream
optional...you can also add shredded cheese to mixture...about 1 cup
 
Let the pie crust sit out for about 10 -15 minutes before trying to put the first one in the bottom of your buttered casserole dish.  I use a deep oval casserole dish, so I have to either roll or stretch the bottom crust to fit the dish.  You can use a round casserole dish which makes this step easier. 
 
Cook bottom crust for about 8 - 10 minutes until it starts to get a little puffy, but not too brown.
 
Mix the soup, sour cream, mixed veggies ( I usually microwave this to get it warmed up and to cook the veggies a little.) 
 
Then add cooked rice and chicken.  Stir .  If it looks way too thick, then I sometimes add a little water or chicken broth. Better to have it too thick than too thin though.
 
Pour mixture into casserole dish over bottom crust.
 
Put the top crust on and roll the edges and pinch to make pretty around edges.
With a knife, cut a few slits in top crust.
 
Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with herbs.  (Either rosemary and garlic, or chicken herb, or herbs of your choice...anything to give it a savory taste)
 
Cook at 350 until bubbly and top crust is brown.  Everything inside was already cooked so it just has to get hot.  Enjoy!

 This chicken pot pie is SOOO good and yummy...easy weeknight meal to throw together, especially if you grab a rotisserie chicken on the way home and use that.

#2   Easy Chinese Chicken Stir-Fry
Simple ingredients
Simple ingredients



1 large bag Bird's Eye Teriyaki mixed frozen vegetables (comes with 2 sauce packets inside)

1 bag frozen Tyson Chicken fingers - buffalo flavor

Rice - I LOVE jasmine rice with this recipe, but whatever kind you like.

honey to taste

There's no real recipe for this, but you just cook the frozen stir-fry vegetables as the package instructs.  I accidentally got the oriental frozen bag, but the teriyaki is better.  Cook your rice to package directions.  While these are cooking on the stove, pop your frozen chicken fingers into the microwave for a couple of minutes to get them just a little cooked.  After you take the chicken out of the microwave, cut it into small bite-sized pieces and throw it in with your veggies.  Continue cooking, adding the sauce packet that comes with the frozen veggies and a few tablespoons of honey.  Serve all of the chicken mixture over rice.  Note: I keep an extra bottle of teriyakki sauce in the fridge and usually add more to my mixture.  I promise you, this is one of my favorite things and it's quick and easy.  It's my go-to recipe for a busy (or lazy, as in my case) weeknight.  

#3  Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

 




1 package devil's food cake mix

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 egg

Preheat oven to 375.  Place ingredients in bowl and beat with electric mixer on low for 2 minutes, then on medium for an additional 2 minutes. 

Shape into 1 inch balls.  Place 2 inches apart.  Flatten each ball in criss-cross pattern with a fork dipped in sugar.

Bake 7-8 minutes.  Cool 2 minutes.  Place on wire racks.  Makes 3.5 dozen.

This recipe is seriously easy and took little to no time to put together and they only bake for 7 minutes.  These are my cookies from Bunco Cookie Swap!  They are chewy and chocolately!  Yum!

-----------------------------------------


And just for fun:



Don't you just love how we're giving into our 7 month old's demands to have OUR cups whenever he sees them in our hands???  Weird.  I love how you can see Jack in this picture.  I'm sure he was fresh from licking all over the high chair and/or John Michael's hands.  What a wonderful dinner!  Of course, I wouldn't want it any other way!


Verse O' the Day:



We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.

Colossians 1:28

Monday, December 15, 2008

Christmas Open House






christmastourofhomes





Well, if you didn't know it, now you do!  It's time for BooMama's Tour of Homes!  We didn't too much in the way of elaborate decorations this year.  We still have our little Christmas tree from when we were first married!  I'm hoping next year will be the year that we get a big ole' honkin full, thick, tall, obnoxiously lit tree!  It's our First Christmas with our new baby and the first Christmas in our first home!  How exciting!  So sit back, all you friends and family from back home who can't drop by this Christmas season, and see our house all decorated up in its Christmas finery!
Come on in!
Come on in!



The Nativity


And of course, the dog has to have his own stocking that will be full of Chicken treats and dog loofa toys!


The dog's stocking


This is just part of my village.  I set it up in 3 different locations around the kitchen this year.  Last year I had it all spread out on our bar with lots of fake snow!




Last year I put wee lil votive candles nestled within the red glass beads.  It was very pretty and looked neat with the glow of the tree around.  This year, I stuck our Christmas card in the red beads.


Our coffee table


John Michael got his very own Christmas tree this year.  I dressed his tree up in all the special momentos from these past few months.  I topped the tree with his blue hat from the hospital, hung "first Christmas" ornaments, Alabama ornaments, and anything little boy related!


John Michael's little boy tree


Our Christmas tree


The Mantle.  I am so proud of my mantle this year.  You have to understand that I am not terribly creative in this department and I got some wonderful ideas from The Nesting Place.  Looking at her post made me think I CAN do a garland and make it different and a little unique!




I mixed traditional red berries/lights/garland with BIG magnolias, gold beady-things, feathers, and brown flowing wisteria stuff!  Sounds weird, but it came out well. Plus...ALL half off at Hobby Lobby!  Wonderful!



Our table is now set for Christmas.  I couldn't find a centerpiece, so I made this one from things I had sitting around the house=FREE decorations!


The table is set!



From our home to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, y'all.  Remember, Jesus is the reason for the season!



Here's my attempt to get Jackson to pose beside the tree.  That didn't go very well, as you can tell!



Wait!
Wait!


Be Still!
Be Still!


Sit, Jackson, Sit!

Verse O' the Day:

In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?



Psalm 56: