One Of My Favorite Recipes!

Before I can't ever find this again- I wanted to post this so I always have it!! It reminds me of the side dish that the dorms made at MSU when I was in college! YUM!

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CROCK POT BROCCOLI & RICE CASSEROLE
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1 sm. onion, diced
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 c. quick cooking rice
2 c. water
1 (10 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
1 (5 oz.) jar sharp cheese spread
2 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen chopped broccoli, partially thawed
1/4 lb. Velveeta cheese
Corn flake crumbs, browned in butter (opt.)

Combine all ingredients except corn flake crumbs in crock
pot. Stir thoroughly. Cover. Cook low 7 to 10 hours or high
2 to 3 hours. Just before serving, sprinkle crumbs over top.
If crock pot comes out of your crock pot, brown under
broiler for extra crispness. I double this in my large
crock pot. Great for pot luck.

Staying Busy Doing Nothing!

A picture of Charlie's first hot chocolate (ok barely warm because he doesn't like hot things!) We had just played outside- he loved the snow and the drink!


The Skimmy's have been busy!!! But have nothing to show for it! Today Charlie and I went to Aldi to get some things we need to make a friend dinner. The FAMC makes a new mom 2 weeks worth of dinners when a new baby is born. Well, I signed up for tomorrow- she's a vegetarian so we are making Minestrone Soup. Of course Aldi didn't have everything I needed so I ran to Kroger tonight. Charlie was kind enough to go with me to get an oil change this morning also. I might have a leak in my tire so I'm sure that will be an errand tomorrow!!! I always seem to have tire issues. Thankfully I'm very familiar with Discount Tire and the places around there we can walk to while we wait.

Tomorrow is swim class. Charlie will kick his legs in the bathtub flip over and kick some more. He loves to have his ears under water and have me talk to him! We talk about blowing bubbles in the pool and he won't do it in the pool yet, but he will in the bathtub. The other day he said "Mamma" and then did it! No clue where that came from but it's cool that he actually pays attention during class.

This weekend I'm throwing a baby shower for my friend Jes. I hope it's a great time!! I doubt she likes games- but she gets no choice! I have some fun ones planned. Nothing gross, no smelling dirty diapers or eating baby food. I'm looking forward to some good food, good friends and CAKE!

Having 2 other couples over on Sunday for The Super Bowl. Dan's going to make chili and we'll have all the fixings! My high school friend Paul and his girlfriend are coming over- they said they are bringing cupcakes. I asked no more questions! We LOVE cupcakes! :-)

Enough rambling... off to make that soup!!!

Well I Tried.

I was really trying to be good about posting often so that this blog was more fun to read. But then life got away from me.

I went to the doctor's this morning and was told I have my normal case of asthmatic bronchitis again. I have a new inhaler. Hopefully the steroids will help with all of my coughing in the next 24 hours or so.

We went out and got a Wii today!!! Yahoo!!! Dan and I sat on the couch tonight (yes the same couch and same level of the house) and played for a few hours! That stupid fitness test told me I'm 76. NICE!!! Darn baseball game gets me every time! I plan to work on that though... maybe I'll be 49 by April Fools Day??

Yesterday I put Charlie down for the night. He must have been tired because he pointed to his bed once we got into his room. Then I asked if he wanted me to cover him up with a blanket. He pointed to the one he wanted. Then as I turned to close the door behind me he says "Bye" and waved! lol It was so cute that I couldn't stop laughing and I kept making him do it over and over. He NEVER asks to go to bed let alone says bye when I leave him in there! Maybe Charlie is turning over a new leaf?

Bedtime for me- hopefully I can prop myself up enough that I can sleep and not cough all night! Wish me luck!

Dinner Tonight

This is my friend Kristin's recipe but I just wanted to make sure I had this saved somewhere!!! I hope it's yummy- I didn't start it when I wanted to so we are all holding off for dinner. I'm HUNGRY!

Chicken & Dumplings

In the crock pot for 4 hours on high, then 90 mins on low.
3 frozen chix breasts
2 cans cream of chix soup
1-2 cans chix broth (just enough to cover the chicken pieces)
1 chicken boullion cube or packet
garlic powder
salt
pepper

90 mins before done (on low):
Take out each piece of chicken and shred it, place back in crock pot.
Then, cut 1 can french bread dough loaf into tiny pieces and toss into crock pot. Stir occassionally for the 90 mins.

Brrr it's cold out there!

It is so cold here in Michigan that I am just doing anything to keep Charlie busy. We would both go insane if we stayed in the house everyday. Yesterday we had a friend of Charlie's come over and play while his mom had things to do. Today we are going to open gym at the church behind our house. Tomorrow is swim class. Thursday is a trip to Jungle Java and Friday is a trip for me to the dentist- Charlie will go to his Aunt's house and play with his cousin. I can't imagine how parents get through the winter that don't get their kids active in activities. Thankfully Charlie does well in public activities and that really helps!

We will try to stay warm and get Charlie tired enough for a good nap everyday!!!!

Follow Up Pictures

Ok ok... it looks like I'm never going to get the time nor energy to tell all the stories I wanted to from last week. But I will upload some pictures so that you can see more of what the Skinny is on the Skimmy's!

Cookie Exchange for FAMC- Charlie helped!





Swim class ended- Dan joined us for the last class and took pictures!


A visit to see Santa at the mall- no one else was in line so we had like 5 minutes with him. Charlie sat and listened to him and when I walked up to get Charlie back he was holding Santa's thumb!



FAMC Santa Brunch


The nightly Advent Calendar! One of my favorite parts of the season this year!



Christmas Eve


Christmas Day








Charlie's make shift ball pit!




Charlie's trip to Urgent Care and the ER. We thought he had bit through his lip but really he cut the outside and bit his lip inside. He was fine!! But thankfully his first ER trip turned out to be ok!







And then NYE! Charlie stayed at my mom's house and we went to dinner and then back to Jes & Alex's for games, drinking and some Wii!

Happy New Year!!

I can't believe it's 2010! Boy my life has changed a lot in the last 10 years! I didn't even know Dan in 2000. I had no clue how great my life would be back then.

I haven't gotten that I promised full stories... but I'm still catching up on sleep from a fun New Year's Eve Party at the Bizzle House. I also am spending time with Dan before he heads back to work on Monday.

We are watching the MSU Alamo Bowl Game. Already watched MSU win in basketball tonight too! Go Green!

I hope everyone has a wonderful 2010 and thank you for your friendships. I have been doing a lot of thinking of my friendships- I love the support everyone gives me and I hope that you feel supported and loved by me.