This is for you, Grace!

I love our slow cooker. I cannot stand to cook. Maybe it is because I cannot stand to touch raw food, I am too pick of an eater or Hudson cannot stand for me to take my attention away from him. Most nights around 5:15, you can find him standing under my legs, pulling at my pants while I attempt to make something presentable for dinner.

I love the fall and winter because I make almost every meal in our slow cooker. (Jonathan thinks the summer is "too hot for a hot slow cooker.") It makes it so easy to throw things in there and a few hours later, spoon it out and call it dinner. This is by far the easiest recipe EVER and it makes a lot so invite people over or make room in your freezer. Or just half the recipe!

Slow cooker chicken and dumplings:

Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
2 (10 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces

Directions
1.Place the chicken (you can even put it in frozen), butter and soup in a slow cooker, and fill with enough water to cover.
2.Cover, and cook for 5 to 6 hours on High. About 30 minutes before serving, place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center

Enjoy!

Top 10 favorite things about fall

1. Watching Hudson discover leaves and being able to play outside without sweating.




2. Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pie, pumpkin scented candles.... anything pumpkin.

3. Riding boots, skinny jeans and fur vests.

4. Pumpkins, mums and fall decorations on our little porch and inside.

5. Feeling like I can make every dinner in the crock pot.

6. Switching out closets and discovering all the clothes I had forgotten about.

7. Fall TV lineup.... duh.

8. The North Carolina State Fair, tailgating for Wolfpack games and Hill Ridge Farms.

9. Seeing my husband in Carhartt's and boots.

10. Lots of holidays to spend with family and lots of good food.

Happy Fall y'all!

Wordless Wednesday - Pumpkins, Skeletons & a nosey sister in the background

Down on the Farm

This morning we went to Hill Ridge Farms to play and pick out our pumpkins. I have to admit, this was my favorite thing we have done as a family. It was a little chilly, but Hudson had a BALL! He is at such a fun age for activities like this. He ran around like he owned the place. We went on a hayride, got our 3 pumpkins, fed the chickens and goats, played in hay, went down a giant slide (which almost made me wet my pants), ate too much funnel cake and saw some bunnies!












And bless his heart, he was so tired that he fell asleep on the way home


What a perfect Sunday!

TGIF

I am so excited that it is Friday!!! And I am even more excited that Jonathan will be home this weekend. We are looking forward to NC State football and a trip to Hill Ridge Farms. I cannot wait to take Hudson to pick our pumpkins, go on a hayride, see the petting zoo and ride a train!


Hudson went to the doctor yesterday and was diagnosed with 2 ear infections. His flu virus is gone but he still has a cold. He slept through the night last night, yipee! Jonathan and I both think we have strep now. I am ready for a 100% healthy family!!!

Have a great weekend. The weather in Raleigh is supposed to be in the 70's. We cannot wait to spend a weekend outside!

The day I lost my marbles

Well friends, I thought yesterday was the day I was going to be forced into a psych evaluation. After 7 days of a sick toddler, 5 days without a husband and 4 days of pouring down rain, I went insane. I had not slept through the night in a week, was not getting breaks during the day because Hudson was too congested to sleep, I had not had a good meal or a shower that lasted more than 2 minutes. Not to mention a moment to myself. My house looks like Hurricane Katrina came through, my pantry is empty and the laundry is so high that I have no clue how to tackle it.

Thankfully, Jonathan realized that he needed to do something fast. He took a half day to come and sit with Hudson so I could get a break. This made me fall in love with him all over again. When he got home, I hopped into the shower, threw my hair up, put on an actual outfit and attempted to run out the door. There was a slight delay because Hudson ran to me crying and not wanting me to go. I finally got out. Let me just mention that it was POURING down rain and I do not do rain very well. I am the girl who cancels all plans when it rains because I hate, hate, hate to get wet.

So off I went. I had no idea where I was even going to go but I ended up at Borders. It was the only place that I could think would be quiet. I strolled the aisles reading the back of books for a long time. I finally picked out two for myself. A funny one- "Not ready for mom jeans" by Maureen Lipinski and a serious one "Little Bee" by Chris Cleave. I also grabbed a new Momagenda. Then I headed over to the children's section to grab Hudson a few books. He could look at books for hours.

I bought all our new books and walked over to their little coffee shop. I ordered a pumpkin spice latte and a snicker doodle cookie, who cares about calories at this point?!?! I grabbed a few magazines and settled into a big leather chair by the window. The rain was coming down and I slowly started to feel myself relax as I sat there in my own world. After a while a man sat next to me with his coffee and a magazine, I did not look at him until he said, "howdy mam." I looked up and almost wet myself. It was Ed Mitchell. The pit master of our favorite resteraunt, The Pit. He is so nice and I highly, highly recommend eating there.

(How adorable is he!!!!!!)

I was there for almost an hour before I called to check on the boys. When Jonathan answered, all I could hear was screaming and crying. Hudson had just coughed so hard that he threw up on Jonathan. So I put the magazines back and headed home.

It may make me sound like a bad mom for "abandoning" the boys for a while but I needed it. I came back renewed and not so stressed out. It is important to take time for yourself and I often forget to do it.


( I want to thank my dad/Lisa and sister in law for being so sweet and offering so many times to help this past week, I really appreciate it. It sure makes me miss living close to my mom and sister!)

Onto a Hudson update- day 7 of the sickies. He slept 7:30-4:30 last night which is the longest in a long time. He woke up coughing and threw up again. He is still very congested, has red eyes, a very runny nose and is still not eating. He has his moments where he is very playful and happy but then the coughs come and we fall apart again. He is still so precious, even when he is sick.



And he learned a new word this week... "Danger." When he goes near the oven, toilet or stairs, we always say, "No sir, danger!" So now when he goes near them, he looks at us and says, "Dangeeeeeeeeer, dangeeeeeeeeeeeer." It sounds like that Busta Ryhmes song from so long ago and makes us laugh everytime. My sweet, sweet boy!

Wordless Wednesday - new shoes

Cough, cough, sneeze

Hudson is still sick. He is still congested, has a runny nose, red eyes, coughing and sneezing. He only woke up twice last night and I hate to admit, but I love that he is allowing me to rock him back to sleep. I feel horrible that he is sick, he looks pitiful and has been very, very whinny. Jonathan is back home and we are so happy! Now if only I could figure out how he does not hear Hudson when he wakes up in the middle of the night......

Hudson update

Thank you so much to everyone who has called or sent messages to check on Hudson. I apologize if I have not picked up a lot of your phone calls. I turned our house phone off and have had my cell on silent. I never know when we are going to be napping lately.

Poor little guy got over the flu to welcome a cold into his life. He woke up hacking and with a runny nose this morning. I feel so bad for him because he looks exhausted but cannot sleep because he is so congested. He has had a few good moments today...


(talking on his cell phone)


He loves the trashcan :(

Who knew?

There are so many things about children that people never told me. Like kids can have a bad reaction to flu shots?!?! Well yes, I found that out yesterday when I realized Hudson was on fire (102.6 temp), vomited for almost 13 hours and was pooping through his diapers. Too much information for some of you but I had 4 hours of sleep and just do not care.

Finally around 4am, he curled up next to me in my bed and fell asleep. As soon as he did, I did too. But guess what happened next. This one-

got the sympathy vomits. She started throwing up and woke Hudson up. Like any good mother (ha) I took Hudson back to his room because who knew how long I was going to be up with a sick dog. Luckily, he fell right back to sleep. Bailey on the other hand kept me up until a little after 5. I usually do not handle dog throw up very well, but I had to suck it up since I was the only one here.

Hudson woke up at 7:30 with a lower fever, but still at 100.2. He is back to sleep and I am crossing my fingers that we all get some rest and he feels much better soon.

Remember this -

Well, it has been 4 days and I still have not found that time to rest.

Hope you have a happy Friday and a wonderful weekend!!!

Hudson at 15 months

Hudson turned 15 months old yesterday. Where has the time gone? He used to be my little baby and now he is my little wild man. We love watching him figure out new things and learn new things. He is very independent but there are also times where he clings to my legs.

We just got back from his 15 month checkup and he did great. Jonathan could not go with us, so I had to survive actually watching him get his shots. I am usually in the corner with my eyes closed, it pains me to see him so upset. But he did great. I snuggled him while the nurse was pricking him and at one point he actually tried to choke me. It was pretty comical. This is what he looks like right at this moment- the doctor really took it out of him



15 month stats

Height: 32 1/4 (82 percentile)

Weight: 26.8 pounds (77th%)

Shoe Size: 5

Clothes Size: Mostly 24 month, but some 18 month stuff still fits, thank goodness

Diaper Size: 5

Food: grilled cheese, peas, carrots, green beans, bananas, blueberries, chicken nuggets, fish, cheese, oranges, kiwi, pancakes, pasta, mashed potatoes, turkey, ham and bologna (I cannot watch him eat that). He does have a food allergy to strawberries and baked apples.

Words and Phrases: He is not much of a talker, he more of less squeals and sings but he does say, "Danks" (thank you), "Dat" which we think is dog, yep, no, mommy, daddy, Bay, sissy or "cha-cha" (Bailey), "mi" (milk), hey and bye.

I can ask him to bring me something such as his juice, ball or any toy and he will go get it for me. He can put all of his shapes in the shape sorter and he loves to stack blocks. He loves stickers, he can take them off the page and put them on paper by himself. He is still completely and madly in love with Bailey. He has become very attached to his blankies. He could look at books all day long. He loves the park and his friends and family. He has a fascination with the dishwasher, Bailey's food and dog bowls, remotes, the computer and cell phones. He will pitch a fit if the phone rings and I do not give it to him. He loves to talk to his 2 year old cousin, Caroline on the phone.

If you ask him for a kiss or a love, he will lay his head right on your lips or cheek (he must be a germaphobe like me and protect his lips). He loves to take his shorts and diaper off. He could play in the bath tub all day. When we tell him it is time to eat, he walks right to his highchair and lifts his arms for you to put him in. If you ask him "how funny is mommy?" he will stretch his arms out as far as he can. He makes a touchdown sign and sometimes howls when we say "Go Pack!" He loves to hold 1 finger up as if he is telling you that he is 1 year old. He can point out body parts, but he mainly does it with Bailey, that poor dog. Trains, trucks and cars are his favorite toys right now. He is a dancing machine and loves to "stir it up." He has started bobbing his head along to music in the car. He is quite the entertainer.

I know I say it all the time but we are so lucky to be him parents!!! What a precious child he is. Happy birthday, little guy.

Wordless Wednesday

I forgot to give you the Wordless Wednesday earlier... sorry


Hudson is so stubborn that he has to "drink" his applesauce out of the cup.

Sick notes

I have been feeling bad for almost 5 days now. If you know me well, you know that I am a bit of a hypochondriac. I almost always diagnose myself when I feel bad. If my head hurts, I am positive it is a brain tumor, if my throat hurts I think I have throat cancer... you get my drift. It drives my poor husband crazy. It all boils down to the fact that I hate going to the doctor. Really hate it.

But yesterday I convinced myself that I needed to go. Jonathan is going out of town for a few days and I cannot feel terrible while he is gone. Plus, I have Hudson to worry about, I would hate myself if I got him sick.

Sweet Jonathan came to work from home during Hudson's nap and I scooted to the doctor. And just like I thought, it was awful. I had to fill out so much paper work, wait 45 minutes to be called in and then I was poked and prodded for another 45 minutes. I realized that I would rather give birth everyday of the week than have a strep test. Nothing was too terribly wrong with me. Just swollen lymph nodes, fluid in my ears, a "dirty" throat and viral infection. The medicine I was prescribed..... rest and fluids. I even got a note....


Because the doctor said, "You are a mom, I know you do not take time for yourself to rest. Maybe if I write this down, you will listen."

Hmmmmm. If only I could have brought the doctor home to explain that to Hudson. At least he volunterred to help me dust today.

Celebrity Friends Wish List

I get really caught up in TV and tabloids. I get attached to people who are on and often wish they were my real friends. Here is my top 5 celebrity friends wish list.

1. Jeff Lewis from Flipping Out
I have a mild obsession with him. He says what he thinks, he is not scared to hurt someones feelings and he is hilarious. He often says things that make other people uncomfortable but it makes me laugh. I totally understand his sense of humor. I would want his sidekick Jenni to tag along too.


2. Bethenny Frankel
Like Jeff, she does not put up with bull and calls it like she sees it. She is witty, sassy and charming all in one. I love famous people who live their lives like an open book and are not scared to show their real lives.


3. Tori Spelling
Her show "Tori and Dean" is one of my favorites of all time. She is so honest, so open about her struggles with her husband, raising her children and having a career. She is so relatable. I love her 3 books and how she is not afraid to open up about her life. Plus, hello, she was Donna Martin!


4. Charles Barkley
I just think he is funny. I could listen to him read the phonebook. He is my favorite NBA player of all time and I love to watch him give interviews. Talk about someone with no shame. And if he was my friend, I am positive that it would make my husband happy too.


5. Carrie Underwood
She seems so shy and like a girl who likes to get the job done and then go home and hangout with her husband. Hanging out with my husband is also my favorite thing to do. I would just like to be her for one day. To have the ability to sell out concerts is my ultimate dream. I sound like a dog being run over when i sing but I love to do it. Not to mention I am pretty sure that she is one of the most beautiful women in the world and I would kill to have her closet.

Monday brain dump

This is how Hudson and I started out the morning.... coffee and half the paper for me. Milk and the other half of the paper for him.




~ I am still exhausted. I woke up this morning and my entire body hurt. I hope I am not coming down with something.

~ I plan on spending Hudson's morning nap catching up on DVR. Ours currently says it is 93% full. I am not doing any housework, chores or running errands today. I want to spend the day with just my favorite little guy. I have not had him to myself in over a week. I may even stay in my pajamas all day.

~ Modern Family starts this week and Jonathan is almost running an hourly countdown for it. It is our favorite show ever.

~ I am having a cooking funk. Nothing sounds good to me except the idea of eating out. Any and all recipe suggestions are welcome.

~ My baby turns 15 months old this week. There are so many times that I ache for him to be a little baby again and to be able to hold and snuggle him all day. I cannot believe what a big boy he is becoming and what a personality he has developed.

Have a great Monday! I am off to curl up on the sofa with another cup of coffee and catch up on my shows from last week.