Make & Freeze Meals

Today I didn't have to work and Josh has left me for the rig. I am waiting on some fabric to come in the mail before I fire up the sewing machine again and I was struck with a case of boredom. I started pinteresting, a favorite time killer of mine, and saw some pins for make ahead meals. I have contemplated doing this before and well today was the day! I cooked for a couple of hours this afternoon and the result is a small stock pile of home cooked goodness for the first little while after G-baby gets here. Josh and I are notorious for eating out, not even because we want to, just because we forgot to go to the grocery store again. We really aren't even satisfied when we go out. We have burned ourselves out on all the restaurants Corning has to offer at supper time. So hopefully I can have a marathon cooking spree again before my pregnancy ends and have even MORE food in my deep freeze!

 

Here is what I came up with today: 3 meals of Autumn Pork Chops, 2 pot roasts, 2 meals of potato soup, 3 meals of chili, 2 meals of Creamy Chicken and Chive Sauce, and 1 meal of poppy seed chicken.  Recipes anyone? Here they are! (*Before I start, Georgia's godmommy Caleigh went on a cookbook queen run after all her wedding showers and she is responsible for sharing the majority of these recipes with me. She is a good gal to have around.*)

 

 

Autumn Pork Chops  This is one of the easiest to make ahead. (I ate it once at Caleigh's house, it was really good!) All you need are 4-6 boneless pork chops, sprinkled with cinnamon. Put in a freezer bag with 2 cups of apple juice. Thaw the night before you want to prepare. Once thawed, cook in the ole crock pot on low for 10 hours.

 

Pot Roast   Also an easy one, this will just save me the time of going to the store and chopping up the vegetables. My favorite recipe for roast is what I used. Place roast in freezer bag, add 2 envelopes Lipton Onion Soup Mix, chopped potatoes, and chopped carrots, and 1/2 cup Root Beer (makes it tender and juicy!)  Thaw before placing in crock pot on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours.

 

Potato Soup  One 30 ounce bag of frozen shredded hash browns, 32 ounce container of chicken broth, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 8 ounces cream cheese. Put all the ingredients in a freezer bag except the cream cheese. To serve: thaw and place in crock pot on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. One hour before serving, add cream cheese. Garnish as desired.

 

Chili  Well I am sure this one goes without explaining. Make chili and freeze it. Just use your favorite recipe.

 

 

Creamy Chicken and Chive Sauce  Love this one, which Caleigh gave me the recipe for! Melt 1/4 cup butter and stir in one 0.7 ounce package of dry Italian salad dressing mix. Stir in one can of condensed golden mushroom soup and one 8 ounce package of chive and onion cream cheese. Place 4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts in freezer bag and top with sauce. To prepare thaw and cook in crock pot on low for 4-5 hours. Serve over cooked pasta or rice.

 

 

Poppy Seed Chicken  5 cups chopped cooked chicken in bottom of 9x13 freezer safe dish. In a medium bowl stir together 1 can cream of chicken soup and 1 cup of sour cream. Pour over chicken. In separate bowl melt 1/2 cup butter. Add 1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz crackers (I use the roasted vegetable crackers Ritz makes) and 1 tsp poppy seeds. Sprinkle over chicken and sauce. Cover dish and place in 2 gallon freezer bag. To prepare, thaw and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. (This one is also a Caleigh recipe! Aren't you jealous she isn't your best friend??)

 

 

Anyways, that's all folks. I have found through my internet research that you should double bag before freezing and get all of the air out of the bags to avoid freezer burn. I am hoping to have another burst of nesting momma energy and do this again with some different recipes.

 

Peace. Love. Make & Freeze.

Georgia Goes to Graceland

This past week Josh and I went to Panama City Beach for a few very relaxing days, we didn't want to leave. On the way there we just happened to be rolling through Memphis at an early time. Me, being the Elvis fanatic that I am, knew that in the morning there are free walk up times to the Meditation Garden at Graceland. The Meditation Garden is where Elvis, his mother, father, and grandma are laid to rest in the back yard of his home. It was fresh off of Elvis Week 2012 which marked the 35th anniversary of EP's passing, so there were flower arrangements and memorials from fans all over the world on display. I asked Josh "Can we stop at Graceland?" He says "Yeah" I ask when we get there "Will you take my picture" He complies. I ask when we leave "You want to sign the wall with me?" He says "Sure" Ummmmmm...WHO ARE YOU? This is not the Josh I know. He usually would grunt and moan through any Elvis experience. But I'm not complaining, I guess he is becoming more relaxed in his old age (25 years in a couple of weeks!)

Happy as a lark! In front of one of my favorite places on the planet. If you have never been, you should go. Even if you aren't exactly as obsessed with Elvis as I am. The place is a time capsule. Frozen in the past, it's actually somewhat educational. Really.

 

Mommy and Georgia at the foot of Elvis Aaron Presley's grave. (Yes for those of you who like to argue: Elvis' middle name on his birth certificate is spelled Aron. He later changed the spelling to Aaron which is the biblical spelling. The difference in spelling on his birth and death certificates is not proof that he is still alive. RIP) Should you smile at a grave? Well I am, I love visiting Elvis! I always remember how lucky I am to live just 2 hours away and to have the convenience of dropping by when I want. PS: look at my left foot and you can see my Elvis tattoo.

This is Georgia's first encounter with Gladys Love Smith Presley, the lady she is was named after. It always has bothered me that Vernon, Elvis' father is buried between Gladys and Elvis. But Vernon was the last to pass away and this was his wish to be placed between the two. Originally Elvis and his mother were buried in a cemetery in Memphis, but people wouldn't leave the graves alone so both bodies were moved to Graceland. Gladys' original tombstone was placed in the Meditation Garden. If you could see it, it would be in the right side of the picture. Most people don't know that is what the big ole monument is when they visit. SO when you go visit Graceland now, keep an eye out for it.

Fans are now encouraged to sign the rock wall that surrounds Graceland. I had a sharpie in my work bag so we busted it out and commemorated G-Love's first trip to the big house.

This is Josh signing the wall (much to my surprise) I was so curious to see what he was writing. When he was finished I ran over to look and he had written our cat's name. I don't know what possessed him to do this, but he does love that cat. Georgia: please notice your Daddy's mouth is open. He does this when he is thinking really hard. It is so cute! But also a little pathetic that he was in such deep concentration about writing a pet's name on the wall at Graceland.

 

 

Well that concludes our short but blissful trip to the home of Elvis Presley. Hope have enjoyed reading about it as much as I enjoyed being there. In other pregnancy news I am starting to really feel pregnant. Not in a miserable way at all, but in a "Holy cow I'm really having a baby" way. I want to go through and document how I have felt so far, since this blog is Georgia's baby book. (You can have your blog printed into a hard back book, how cool!)

In the first trimester I had next to no problems aside from nervousness. I was ready to add some weeks to my pregnancy and not worry as much. I never had any "morning sickness" just a little queasy feeling that lasted most of the time. It made me feel better to snack...ALL the time. At one doctor's appointment I was floored to learn I had gained 5 pounds in just 2 weeks. But after the first trimester ended, so did the uneasy feeling in my stomach. I quit eating all the darn time and proclaimed "I feel good!" Still not one pregnancy puke to date. Knock on wood!

Second trimester has been so good to me as well! In the first 3-4 weeks of it I had some bad headaches. Every single day. I was taking Tylenol around the clock it felt like. But one day the headaches just stopped. So I cannot complain. I will take a couple of weeks of headaches over hugging the toilet every morning. When the second trimester showed up, so did some spotting. It happens often. Sometimes every single day, and it had me really worried. My doctor examined me and determined that I have a big ole vein on the face of my cervix that just gets irritated. So now when it happens I'm not as concerned, just a little cautiously worried. I pay close attention and keep my doctor's number on speed dial, but we are doing okay! As of lately, my back is starting to hurt. Nothing that is debilitating, but it has made me pinch myself that HELLO A BABY IS COMING! SH*T'S ABOUT TO GET REAL.

I am also totally embracing my baby bump! I am so glad to have it. I actually look pregnant in my clothes and not just like I am putting on weight. I have taken a few maternity pictures just in case my belly gets all stretch marked up soon. (Which runs in my family, woo hoo) And here they are!

This is at 19 weeks. I have started a little project with a photographer here in town, Jay Malone, and I can't wait to see the finished product. He is amazing!

21 weeks. Had some beachy pictures done while we were on our little vacation!

Not many more pictures like this until we are a party of three!

Our halfway there chalkboard picture!

Loving the bump! Up until this point I have only sported one piece swimwear. I just looked bloated. But now I'm bumpalicious...bring on the bikinis!

Such a nice trip to the beach! We were super conscious of the fact that next year's trip will be all about our little girl so we focused on spending lots of time together before we are parents. No more just going to a restaurant and holding hands while waiting on our food. It's gonna be unbuckle the car seat, grab the diaper bag, find a high chair, etc. We can't wait!

 

 

Okay, okay. I'm wrapping up this blog entry. I promise. I just don't want to forget anything!!

 

Peace, Love, BabyBump

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

DIY...I *LOVE* it!

Since I have known that our baby is going to be a girl, I have been bit by the DIY (do-it-yourself) bug! I have always loved to make anything I thought I could, but having Georgia as my motivation has sent me into overdrive. I guess it is my version of nesting. I have busted into my stash of scrap fabric and I'm having a field day! 

A little bitty precious gown. This one started my clothing kick! (Aren't I such a natural beauty in the photo. I really don't need makeup ever. NOT)

Bought this dresser at a flea market and gave it a makeover. The day I did this, I was calling this my proudest moment of craftiness. I am so sad I forgot to take a before picture. I am always so anxious to get started on a project. That's me Miss No Patience.  See those curtains back there, made those too! (More on the progress of G's room later) I also want to add that I almost died from lack of oxygen because Georgia's Daddy insisted that I wear a mask to protect her from the paint fumes. Almost killed us both in the 100 degree weather.

Lord have mercy I have learned how to applique and I am having a love affair with it. It's all I can think about, what can I applique next? Here is Georgia's first "bikini" and matching hair bow. I could eat this it is so sweet!

Pants! I made pants! This put me over the moon. I never dreamed I would reach this level of DIYing. Clothes from a piece of fabric have always seemed unfathomable, left for master crafters like my Aunt Diane. But lookie here! I made pants! And they have elastic in the waist like real pants should and everything. I appliqued a baby deer on the onesie and threw in a matching hair bow while I had the fabric out. I am so proud of this one! I will probably keep it until I die. I asked Josh if he had any suggestions of what the next applique could be. He suggested things like "a Chevy emblem" that I didn't go for. So for now I am still thinking on it. But I have a feeling I will be making several of these outfits!

Disclaimer: I am a selfish DIYer. I like to do it yourself for myself, when it comes to making something for your cousin's pregnant girlfriend my energy vanishes. Some weird phenomenon I haven't been able to cure. Darn. Call my Aunt Diane, she is a sucker and will probably make it for you.

Here she is, just in case you see her at WalMart and want to ask her for a crafty favor.

Just kidding, Aunt Diane! Thanks for all of the times you let me "help" you sew.

You can't imagine how many people have told me that they wish they knew how to sew. I am a lucky duck that I never felt like I "learned" to sew, just been doing it since I was big enough to get in your way and now it comes naturally to me. I will always LOVE you for this and think of you for the rest of my life when I sit behind my sewing machine. I would have named Georgia after you, but let's face it Mildred Diane, I didn't have much to work with. Instead I picked a name inspired by your mother in law, Georgie...hope you liked her. (Just a little tid bit for Georgia to read someday: Aunt Diane and I are at the orginal Georgie's house in this picture, where she raised her kids. My grandmother lives there now.)

Next up: Georgia's middle name. (which isn't Mildred or Diane) Boy I wrestled with this one. I kept going back and forth over the same names again and again. I never dreamed I would have such a hard time making a decision. Finally I made a list of all my potentials, and crossed them off one by one and wrote down my reason for axing each name so I wouldn't be tempted to come back to it again. It helped me a lot. I had plenty of names that I liked, but I was having such a hard time picking THE ONE.

Major thinking went into this name picking business. But I finally picked the name. Even after I decided I still felt wishy washy for a couple of days. So I made my self order a onesie with her monogram on it to make it somewhat official.

I LOVE a monogram! And now that I had this one in my hands, and I could see it, it felt right. So our Georgia's middle name is Love. Georgia Love Hollowell.

I went with this name for a few reasons. I can never just be kinda fond of something. I have to be totally in love with it. Can't like sewing, gotta love it. Don't just like Japanese food, love Japanese food. Don't just like Elvis, I love him. It's a recurrent theme with me. LOVE LOVE LOVE. I have also marveled a million times about how loved I am, how much I love Josh, and I how blessed I am that I have been given someone who I know loves me just as hard. The amount of love in my life has made me feel so so so dang lucky again and again. (Insert pregnant girl tears here.) Another reason, actually the first reason, I was lead to this name. It is Gladys Presley's middle name, momma of the man himself, Elvis. Other Elvis inspired baby names didn't quite strike my fancy for one reason or another and I really wanted something to pay tribute to my first love (no pun intended) Elvis. And Elvis loved his momma more than anybody. I think he would approve.

Gladys Love Presley and her momma's boy.

I hope my family just treasures me like her boy did her. I love (there it is again) it when someone has so much respect and adoration for their momma, it is so southern to me. I hope I am worthy of such momma respect someday!

The day I made my middle-name-weed-out list I saw this picture in a Pottery Barn Kids magazine. I wondered if it was a sign, I think it must have been! 

Oh yeah, a few Courtney is getting fatter pictures.

I know, mirror bathroom pictures. But I'm not making a duck face or bending frontwards to make my cleavage look bigger...

Peace, Love, & Gladys Presley