Mmmmmm.... Chicken Noodle

(If you couldn't tell by the text, the title of this post is supposed to sound like the OOoohhhh, Baracuda song.  :)

I CANNOT believe I am posting a recipe today.  I must be the worst cook in the whole world (but getting better), but I have not been able to get this recipe out of my mind all day.  It is the perfect day for this one.  This Chicken Noodle soup aint no ordinary chicken noodle, its....  Herbed Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup.  Mmmm....  And I love it.  Not only do I love it, but Lily can't get enough of it either.  So, for your enjoyment...  Here it is.  (Oh and you can all wipe those worried looks off your faces.  I did not make this up myself.  I found the recipe online.  :))...

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of uncooked dry egg noddles (I like the fat ones)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or more if you want)
2/3 box of chicken broth (can use the one with less salt, it doesn't affect the taste)
1 cup of celery, thinly sliced
1 cup of carrot, cut into half moons
2 tbsp. lemon juice (I used more...  but you can experiment and see what you like the best)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped (or do what I did and get the pre-chopped jars of the stuff to make it super easy).
1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (I used dried, but I am sure the fresh stuff makes it even better)

1. Cook noodles according to package.
2. Cook chicken in lightly-oiled sauce pot.  Remove chicken and add broth, celery and carrot and heat to a boil.  Dice chicken.
3. Stir in chicken, noodles, lemon juice (to taste), garlic, and oregano leaves.  Reduce heat to low.
4. Simmer stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.  Stir in parsley and serve.

Nutritional information per serving:  120 calories, 3g of fat, 0.5 saturated fat, 450mg Sodium, etc.  (haha, those are the only statistics I really care about).

I got this recipe like a year and a half ago on the Campbell's website.  I know, usually the recipes on sites like that are pretty boring or lacking flavor, but I really love this one.  (Too bad because we are having pizza tonight.  Lily is bummed.)  But since I couldn't get it out of my head, I thought I would share it with all of you.  And if you happen to make any, let me know.  :)  I know a great mini cheese cake recipe and I can bring dessert.  ;)

(Or you could just send some to my sick almost-two year old.  I am sure she would be grateful).  :)

Foremost in my mind...

Well, this past weekend Lily, Lexi, Whitney, and I made our way down to Foremost for one of the last visits before my parents move into their new home.  We always really enjoy ourselves when we are there, but this time was especially fun.  It was my niece, Katelyn's, birthday and it was fun to actually be around for that.  My parents gave me tons of books that the girls love....  Like 2 big boxes of books and I think we have read through almost a whole box already.  My girls love to go see their grandparents.  Each day leading up to our visit, Lily would tell me how many more sleeps until Grammies house.  It is amazing that she can remember something like that, but she can't remember to turn the bathroom light off...  :)  Here are a few of the photos we took while we were down there.  (I didn't get very many because I forgot to charge my battery..  oops).

And I got to drive my sister's brand new Kia Soul.  It is so cute and has an amazing amount of room on the inside.  :) 
I am glad we were able to visit Foremost.  When we go down to help my parents move, I predict that leaving that town behind will be harder than I thought.

The BEST!

Ok, this post is dedicated to Aunt Tami and any other Diet Coke lovers/addicts out there.  :)

Today I learned something about Diet Coke...  Here's the story...

Alexis is still not feeling well.  She has not been able to shake this bug or whatever it is.  I was going to put more details than that, but I will spare everyone.  Anyways, it has gotten to the point that I am actually kind of worried about her.  She has lost her spunk.  She lays around alot and wants to be with me at all times.  (Which makes going to school and work pretty hard).  Anyways, we went to the doctor and he said put her on the BRAT diet.  That's Bananas, Rice, Apple sauce, and Tea, but since we don't drink tea and niether does the doc, he told me to substitute Toast for Tea.  :)  I thought it was quite cute.  He seemed concerned that it has lasted so long and he gave me the paperwork I needed to bring in a sample of Lexi's stool.  (yeah, how the heck do I get a sample of.... never mind).  Then he said that there was something else I could do, but it might seem a little strange.  He said that she needs to drink Diet Coke.  That's right folks, the doctor prescribed Diet Coke.  He said it would help to kill any bacteria that may be lingering and since it's diet, it doesn't have any sugar, which is good because she shouldn't be having sugar while she is feeling this way.  Anyways, I thought that I should just put this in writing to say Aunt Tami may be an addict, but that's a good thing.  Not only is Diet Coke better for you than regular coke, it is a form of medicine.  (Good thing she always has one on hand, eh?)
So everyone raise their glass.... Diet Coke, this one's for you.  :)

Here is a picture of Lexi with her very own...

And since I have been up nights with Lexi, I didn't hear Lily get up at 6:15...  And here is a sample of what she finds funny....

As you can imagine, these are not all the pictures I found on my camera.  There were about a hundred.  Some were funny faces, cartoons, her feet in different places and poses.  Some were even of Lexi and me sleeping, which really creeps me out because I did not hear a thing.  Anyways, it was cold and rainy outside today and it is supposed to be worse tomorrow.  But I can't help being excited to wear sweaters again.  I love the leaves changing colors and falling.  :)  And I am already starting to feel all Halloweeny...  (What?  That's a word, ok.)   Oh and before I forget, here is a teaser...  well a picture of the fabric I picked for the girls skirts.  I can't wait until they can actually wear them.  :)

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...

OK.  So I was perusing one of my favorite blogs today (http://www.dana-made-it.com/) and found out that September is national sewing month in the US.  Since our family is half US (well, Taylor is) I decided that we could participate.  Anyways, on Dana's blog she shares some ways to celebrate this sewing month.  One of them is by finishing a project you have wanted to do, but have never got around to....  I do not profess to be a good sewer... actually, I am too impatient and I hate ironing, but this time will be different.  It's national sewing month, for pete's sake.  Anyways, I have picked a project I want to finish before the end of September.  Now, keep in mind that I just started school again (in fact, today was my very first day) and I have 2 rowdy girls and I have the smallest apartment ever....  But, against all these odds, I shall conquer this project!  Do you want to know what it is?  Ok.  I found it on Sewing in no man's land.  It is called the "Taking Notes Skirt" and I want to make one for each of my girls... Here's a picture...

This is the Little Girl version.  If I get ambitious, I may make myself one to match...

Cute right?  And seemingly simple.  I just wish Adrianne was here to show me how to sew a straight line.  :)
Anyways, by the end of this month, there WILL be a post showing two sweet little girls in charming "Taking Notes Skirts".  You all will be amazed... as will I.  Wish me luck.  I really, really need it.

Here are a few of our favorite things...

Lily's favorite drink is a virgin ceasar with an extra long piece of celery.  :)  Weird huh?  Except in this photo, she has already eaten half of it.

One of Lexi's favorite things to do is make people laugh... and that usually involves something on her head.

One of my favorite things is my wagon.  This is because the girls will get in and go anywhere I want to go without complaining.  It doesn't matter how long or short, they just want a ride.  The other favorite thing in this picture is my garment steamer from Stampede.  I love the fact that I never have to iron again.  :) And its blue.

As for Taylor, I don't really know what his favorite thing is...  I think it can be pretty much anything that involves his family.  :)

When will the madness end?!

Oh boy...  I don't even know where to start.  .... ..... .... Really...  Well, here's a list of why I haven't posted in a while (even tho I scolded my own sister because she never posted)..
1) This is the first night in 6 (yes six) that one of my girls has not thrown up... atleast not yet.
2) I had to change Lexi's messy diaper about 35 times today.  Seriously I went through half a bag of diapers... how many is that?
3) Our car blew up and I have been on the hunt... which may be one of my favorite things.  Sometimes I just look at cars for fun... I think I get that from when I lived with my Uncle Joe.
4) Since our household is sick, there is lots of cleaning.  But, seriously, I can't keep up with it all because I don't have my own washer and dryer and it is hard to drag kids to do laundry when they are sick all over the place.
5) School has started for Lily
6) School starts for me on Thursday and I still haven't got my books yet.
7) I am so stressed I hardly sleep anymore and then walk around like a zombie all day long...

I think I need a hot shower and a few episodes of Friends... Heck, I'm not going to sleep anyways.  :)

PS> sorry if this was a downer, there are many wonderful things in my life, these are just a few of those things that keep me busy and tired.  :)  Plus, it is hard to think of anyting else when your house has that "sick" smell...  you know what I mean, right?

More Moments to Remember

Last saturday we went to the Dr. Antosz picnic.  They were raising funds for Right to Play and celebrating 20 years at their current location.  Anyways, it was so fun so I thought I would show you some pictures. 
This was Lily's favorite part...

And here's how high she actually is...

She did so great.  She wasn't even scared!  And her favorite part was coming down.  As she was being lowered, she would kick off the wall and kind of fly.  You know, like spiderman.  :)
Alexis had a good time too.  Other than the bouncy houses, her ribbon was her favorite part. 

It was a fun day.  We were all wiped out when we got home.  :)
And this is what Lexi and I did while Lily was in school today...

And, surprisingly, that's it.  Today pictures are worth a thousand words.  :)

First Day of School!

Well, we woke up around 6:50 this morning, with that first day of school feeling in the house.  :)  Taylor and I were talking about how excited we are for Lily and then all of a sudden we hear "Its my first day of school!"  Lily has been so excited that she even slept with her backpack!  She got up and put on the outfit we laid out last night.  She ate her breakfast in record time.  She made sure that she brushed her teeth and used the mouthwash Crampa gave her so that she wouldn't have bad breath.  :)  We did her hair with pretty clips and even put on some golden stick on earings we had found at the dollar store the day before.  :)  Man, that kid has grown up.  We walked outside where the sun was (is) shining and there was a crispness to the air... the kind that forces you to put on a sweater.  Anyways, that's when I felt it...  that excited, scared, sick stomach feeling you get on the first day of school.  I haven't had that feeling since... well, anyways, for a long time.  :)  Lily and I made Mrs. Jordan a "pencil" for the first day of school made out of a toblerone and a chocolate kiss.  She loved it.  :)  Anyways, here is the first of many first day of school pictures.  (I think its pretty great).

(Isn't she the cutest?  Who wouldn't love to have a kid like her in their class?)  She has some really cute little girls in her class, who were sweet and kind and they were all fast friends.  We kept hearing things like, "Do you like my backpack?" and "I'm five too!".   I am so glad they have something in common.  :)  There was even one little girl who absolutely had to share that she had an apple in her bag for snack time.  Her parents were beside us and were just shaking their heads laughing.  Yes, I think Lily will fit in well there. 

Mrs. Jordan even gave each of the parents a small gift bag with a cute note saying how she is excited to teach our children.  She included a tea bag so we could all go home and relax!  It was cute.  As for Alexis...

She follows me around everywhere!  Haha  She is going to miss Lily.  In fact, the house seems so quiet...  It is strange, but I am excited for all Lily will learn.  She is going to bloom.  :)