dinner & a date

Today our ABF had an entire "Fun Day" planned for the class.  It involved riding the dart rail from Plano all the way to the West End with lots of fun stops in between, including Pokey-O's.  We weren't able to join in on all the fun because I had a baby shower.  (more on that later!)  We did though meet up with them at the West End at RJ's Mexican Cuisine for dinner.

 We were super sad to have missed the stop at Pokey-O's.  We weren't super impressed with dinner, so when everybody left on the train to go back home, we decided to make a little date out of our evening and stop at Pokey O's.  Before we made our stop drove around Dallas a little bit and then stopped and browsed Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn kids.  I wish I could have my entire house decorated from there!!

At Pokey-O's, Matt got a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie and a chocolate chip cookie with cake batter ice cream. 

I got a snickerdoodle cookie and a cranberry white chocolate cookie with cake batter ice cream.  

They were YUMM-O!!

I love that we got to spend the evening out and about together.  I hope we can squeeze in a few more dates, just the two of us, before little P gets here. 

fajita pizza

We love pizza at The Link Home.  And we love fajitas at The Link Home. 

So put them together and you get one of our favorite meals!!

Fajita Pizza

Here's what you'll need to make fajita pizza.

Pizza Crust

Chicken Tenders

Fajita Seasoning

Refried Beans

Mozzarella Cheese

Hot Sauce

{I usually use my homemade salsa, but I used Picante today for time sake.}

Onion

Any other toppings you like

{Matt likes Olives}

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Slice the onion, heat a little oil in a skillet, sprinkle fajita seasoning over the onions and saute.

 Heat a little oil in another skillet, sprinkle fajita seasoning on chicken and grill.

While the chicken and onions are cooking, spray a cookie sheet with Pam and unroll the dough to be the size of the pan.  Partially bake the dough 6-8 minutes.  

When the chicken is finished cooking, let it cool for a little bit then cut into bite size pieces.  

After the pizza crust has partially baked, spread a thin layer of refried bean on the crust.  

 Spread the chicken, onions and olives on the pizza.  Put little spoonfuls of hot sauce all over then sprinkle with cheese.

 Bake 10-15 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is melted.

 And there you have it....Fajita pizza.  Serve with sour cream and hot sauce. 

Enjoy!!

calling all mommies: help

This week's topic is.....

HELP 

I don't want to be one of those Moms who thinks they can do it all by themselves.  I know that I can't do it alone, so I'm totally okay with getting help from the get go.  I just don't know how much help I am going to want after Pearson is here.  My parents live just a half a mile away from us, so I know that my Mom will be a tremendous help in the beginning.  Matt's parents live about an hour away and my mother-in-law is so sweet and has already told me, "Just tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it."  I'm just not sure what to tell them.

So......

Who and what was the biggest help to you after you had the baby?

How long did your husband take off? 

Was it too long, just right or not long enough?

Did your mother or mother in law stay the night or just help during the day?

Who brought or made meals/cleaned the house/did the laundry?

not that i'm counting.....

28 days of school left.....

.....minus 6 days I still have left to take off....

......minus 1 day of administering TAKS....

......minus 1 day of going on a field trip....

......minus 1 day I'm in charge of a volunteer luncheon....

......minus 1 day that we have Field Day/Movie Day....

.....equals 18 days of teaching.

And that's if you count the last 4 days of school as teaching days.

But let's be honest......  

Grades are due on Friday, so the last 4 days after are pretty much fun days.  

So let's just go with 14 more days of teaching.  

But like I said...

I'm not counting!

32 weeks

how far along?  32 weeks

how are you measuring?  33 weeks

size of baby? According to Baby Center our baby is 16.7 inches long, about 3.75 pounds, and the weight of a larger jicama. (What is that?)  

heartbeat? 135 bpm (at our 32 week appointment)

total weight gain/loss? +29 lbs (I would like to keep my weight gain at no more than a pound a week from here on out. It is so stinking hard to not gain too much.  I have found that it is SO easy to gain weight during pregnancy.  I'm hoping it falls off as easy as it has come on!! But that is wishful thinking I'm sure!!)

maternity clothes? Maternity clothes all the way!! I went to Motherhood Maternity this week and got a few things for my showers coming up and bought some nursing bras.  My regular bras were just too small and I figured if I need bigger bras, I might as well buy ones that I can nurse in.  

stretch marks? Not yet.  I'm still hoping they won't make an appearance!!
sleep? I slept pretty good this week.  We have been so busy the last few weeks.  I think I'm just going to bed exhausted.  Of course I'm still getting up 2-3 times a night for a bathroom break!

best moment this week? Our glider came in!! Oh my goodness, it is so comfortable.  It will definitely make those 3am feedings not so bad.  We also got the curtain and a wall hanging put up and a few other little projects for the walls started.  I'm hoping to have his nursery all complete by the end of April!!

movement? Lots and lots.  He is a busy boy, always have a party in my belly.  I LOVE it though! He gets the hiccups about twice a day.  He almost always gets them in the morning before I even get out of bed and then some other time during the day too.  

food cravings? Ice cold water.  I can't get enough of it.  I'm always SO thirsty. 

gender predictions? It's a BOY!!!  Pearson Davis Link!!!

what i miss:  I know I keep saying this, but I really miss being in shape.  I know you can work out during pregnancy, but I'm so afraid to over do it. I do not want my belly pain to come back.  I'm just starting to feel my face, legs, arms and butt grow and I don't like it one bit.  

what i'm looking forward to: I have my first shower on Saturday!! I'm so excited!!

how are you feeling? No belly pain this week again!! Praise the Lord.  I really thought that it was going to be a long miserable end to this pregnancy if my belly pain continued.  I am so thankful that I'm not hurting anymore.  I have been having LOTS of Braxton Hicks contractions.  I've been feeling them since about 25/26 weeks, but I'm definitely having more of them lately.  I have at least one almost every hour.  They don't hurt, but they sure are annoying.

meal planning monday

Monday: Not sure yet....

Tuesday: Out to Eat before our last Childbirth Class

Wednesday: Grilled Chicken w/ Lemon Basil Pasta, Zuchinni, & Garlic Toast

Thursday: Fajita Pizza

Friday: Chicken Cacciatore, Mashed Potatoes, Corn, Biscuits


Saturday Breakfast: Sausage Balls

Saturday Lunch: Snackin' @ My Baby Shower!!

Saturday Dinner: Dinner w/ Our ABF

Sunday Lunch: Pizza or Lunch w/ ABF after Engage Sunday

Sunday Dinner: Poppyseed Chicken Casserole, Veggies & Rolls

Christ is RISEN

no time to blog....

I swear, my To Do List to do before Pearson gets here is growing exponentially and I've only got 8 weeks to get it all done.  

I've got a few recipes and some little projects I've been wanting to blog about I just can't find the time.  It seems my blog has turned into a Meal Planning, Baby Bump, & Calling All Mommies blog.  Sorry if that bores you.  

Hopefully I'll have some more exciting things to post about with my showers and the completion of Pearson's nursery coming in the near future!!

calling all mommies: boy clothes

This week's topic is.....

BOY CLOTHES

So we all know that it's not hard to find cute things for little girls to wear. There are definitely cute things for little boys to wear, I think you just have to look harder for them.  

So......

Where do you shop for your little boy?

Where do you find good deals on clothes?

Do you have any favorite Etsy shops?

living out of a suitcase boxes

When we found out that we were pregnant in October, I may or may not have starting packing up my classroom in November.  

After I have taught each unit, I have been bringing home my box of books and files that go with it.  After I'm finished with the  unit, there's no need to have any of it up at school, so I packed it up!!  I've been really good about not taking home anything that I'm still still using or have needed all year. 

But.....

We are down to 32 days of school, and my belly ain't getting any smaller, so this week during all my breaks I've been using every spare moment to really get packed up.  I've got just about everything packed up in boxes and all packed up in my cabinets.  

It's like I'm living out of a suitcase, but I'm living out of boxes.  I know where everything is, and I can still get to it all.  It's just in boxes, rather than my cabinets. 

All I have left to do is take all the boxes home and take everything down off the walls, but that's a job for my hubby!!

31 weeks

how far along?  31 weeks

how are you measuring?  33 weeks

size of baby? According to Baby Center our baby is 16 inches long, about 3.3 pounds, and like the weight four navel oranges.  But since he was already 3 pounds at our 28 week sono, he's probably a little over  3 pounds now.

heartbeat? 140 bpm (at our 30 week appointment)

total weight gain/loss? +27 lbs

maternity clothes? Maternity clothes all the way!!

stretch marks? Still no stretch marks.  I don't know if it's in my genes to not get them or if it's because I'm rubbing my belly down with lotion religiously.  
sleep? I dread going to sleep every night because it's just not as restful anymore.  I never know how many times I'm going to wake up to go to the bathroom, or wake up with a Charlie Horse or to turn over and adjust my pillows.  This is all preparation for those late nights in the beginning I guess, so I better get used to it!

best moment this week? I bought  lot of cute things for Pearson's nursery on my day off, scheduled my maternity pictures and I got all 3 invitations to my showers coming up!!

movement? Lots of squirming and wiggling this week.  He especially likes to move around when I get home from school and right before I go to bed.

food cravings? None.  

gender predictions? It's a BOY!!!  Pearson Davis Link!!!

what i miss:  I really miss working out.  I have been taking it easy because of the pain I have been having in my belly.  It hasn't hurt this week, but I'm afraid if I over do it and work out, it will all come back again.  

what i'm looking forward to: Our glider should be here by Saturday, so that means Pearson's nursery should be finished this week!! I'm SOOOOO ready to see his room totally come together.

how are you feeling? No belly pain this week.  It was amazing.  My doctor thinks it was just a really bad muscle pull.  

meal planning monday

Monday: Dinner w/ The Havards & Craddocks

Tuesday: Panda Express before Our Childbirth Class

Wednesday: Barbecue Sandwiches & Chips


Thursday: Date Night w/ The Janes, Davis' & Barricks

Friday: Talapia with Shrimp Bayou Sauce

Saturday Breakfast: Cinnamon Rolls

Saturday Lunch: Matt: Golfing Me: Shopping

Saturday Dinner: Leftover BBQ Sandwiches, Chips & Pears

Sunday Lunch: Easter Lunch w/ My Family

Sunday Dinner: Taco Salad w/ leftover Taco Chicken

i love my hubby

I've got nothing to complain about.  My husband is simply the best.  

But I sure thought this was funny.......

precious cargo

I took the day off today.  For no reason.  Just because.  

I didn't really have anything that I had to do except run a few errands, but I was super excited to get out and shop for Pearson's nursery and a few home projects I have planned.  I woke up pretty early so I could maximize my time and was all ready to walk out the door at 9am.  

Unfortunately I walked out into the garage and saw this......

Ughhh......I was so mad.  I called Matt to see what he wanted me to do.  He was planning on getting my tires rotated on Saturday anyway, so he told me to call my Dad to air it up then take it up to Discount Tire to get it fixed and to get my tires rotated.

Thankfully my Dad followed me up there and helped me talk to the tire guys.  Apparently two of my tires were worn down and I ended up needing new ones.  Somehow my Dad argued with the guys to give me 4 new tires, so I basically got 4 new tires and warranty certificates for the price of 1 tire!!

Although I didn't really want to spend my morning taking care of my car, now it is all ready and safe to carry our "precious cargo" around in June.

And just incase you were wondering........

I did get to enjoy the rest of my day off.  I hit Ross, TJ Maxx, Marshall's, HomeGoods, & Hobby Lobby and got some super cute things to put in Pearson's nursery.  I can't wait to finish his room.  I think it's going to turn out really cute!!

calling all mommies: pediatricians

This week's topic is.....

PEDIATRICIAN

It's time for Matt and I to start thinking about who we want our little guy's doctor to be.  It's so crazy to think that we need a doctor for someone who isn't even here yet, but he'll be here sooner than later!! Nine and a half weeks to be exact if all goes according to planned!!

So......

How did you pick your pediatrician?

What type of things were you looking for?

What questions did you ask them?

Did you meet with them before the birth?

Did you choose someone close to home?

30 weeks

how far along?  30 weeks

how are you measuring?  At my appointment today I was measuring 32 weeks

size of baby? According to Baby Center our baby is 15.7 inches long, almost 3 pounds, like a head of cabbage.  Since he was already 3 pounds at our 28 week sono, he's probably a little over  3 pounds now.

heartbeat? 140 bpm (at our 30 week appointment)

total weight gain/loss? +26.2

maternity clothes? I am wearing all maternity pants, mostly maternity tops, and maternity dresses.  I have a few regular shirts and dresses that I'm still wearing, but I'm not going to for much longer.  I had to retire my Smith Bulldog polos that I wear to school on Friday.  They were all looking a little too small, even with a maternity tank underneath them.  

stretch marks? No stretch marks yet.  I'm hoping I don't get them, but I think my belly still has quite a bit of stretching to do in these last 10 weeks.  
sleep? I slept okay this week.  We were super busy this week, so maybe I slept better because I was so tired.  I still wake up 2-3 times to go to the bathroom and almost every time I switch sides I wake up because I have to adjust all my pillows.  

best moment this week? We started our Childbirth Classes this week.  Although it wasn't that exciting learning all about Childbirth, I actually enjoyed going to the class.  It is really helping me be more confident about the whole childbirth process.  (I don't really have a choice about now!! It's gotta happen!!) I enjoyed having dinner with my hubby before and spending the evening with him and going to class means it's getting closer to meeting our baby boy!!

movement? Pearson has been very squirmy this week, especially in the evening when I sit on the couch and watch TV and when I hop into bed at night.  He hasn't really been kicking, he's just been moving all around.  I don't think I'll ever get tired of that feeling.  It is a constant reminder that our God is truly amazing!!

food cravings? Nothing really. 

gender predictions? It's a BOY!!!  Pearson Davis Link!!!

what i miss:  Being active.  

what i'm looking forward to: I'm taking Thursday off for no reason!! I'm planning on doing a little relaxing and a little shopping for some wall decor for the little guys nursery.  I have 8 days to take off before the end of the year, and I plan on using all of them.  I'm going to try to save atleast 4-5 of them until closer to the end just in case I have to go on bed rest or if I have him early.  But hopefully neither of those happen and I can just take my 8 days off when I feel like it!

how are you feeling? I'm feeling pretty good.  I still had some belly pain this week, but it wasn't near as bad as it has been. Praise the Lord!!

friday vs. monday

I'm definitely feeling like the polar bear today.

Only 7 more Mondays until summer!!

meal planning monday

Monday: Swedish Meatballs, Rice, Veggies & Rolls

Tuesday: Out to Eat before our Childbirth Class

Wednesday: Chicken Spaghetti, Veggies, & Rolls

Thursday: Taco Chicken, Rice, & Beans

Friday: Barbecue Cupcakes & Fruit Salad

Saturday Breakfast: Pig in a Blanket

Saturday Lunch: Chicken Sandwiches, Chips, & Fruit

Saturday Dinner: Baked Cream Chicken Taquitos and Leftover Rice & Beans

Sunday Breakfast: Breakfast Casserole and Fruit for our ABF

Sunday Lunch: Chicken Noodle Soup & Crostini's

Sunday Dinner: Talapia with Shrimp Bayou Sauce, Rice, & Veggies

sunday's are for....

......takin' it easy.  

We usually try to get all our house work/yard work done on Saturday so we can take it easy on Sunday afternoon/evening.  

Today after church and lunch at Sonny Bryan's with our ABF, we definitely took it easy on the couch.  Matt watched The Masters, The Rangers, & The Stars while I caught up on reading blogs.  We finished up the evening with some Amazing Race.  I love our lazy Sunday evenings together!!   

Izzie loves our lazy Sunday evenings too because of all the cuddling and belly rubs she gets!!

five on friday

Just thought I would share 5 random things with you today!!

1.  I put a roast in the crockpot this morning for dinner.  I love coming home and smelling dinner already cooked!!  

2.  Softball season starts tonight.  Matt and I have played together for the last 3 years.  I won't be joining him this year.  I'm kind of sad to not be playing, but I'm excited to be taking on the role of Team Mom!!

3.  I got a cute little step stool delivered from Amazon today.  I'm going to paint it black and make a vinyl that says "Pearson" to put on it.

4.  Izzie has started getting toys out of her basket and playing by herself.  It's the cutest thing ever.  I think she knows there's about to be someone in the house that is going to steal her playtime.  I keep trying to get it on video, but I haven't been successful yet.  Hopefully I can catch her in action soon.

5.  8 more weeks of school!!  We are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel!!

calling all mommies: hospital bag

This week's topic is.....

HOSPITAL BAG

We went to our first childbirth class last night, so I've got Labor and Delivery on the brain.  I know I'm still 10 1/2 weeks out, but I want to have my bag packed and ready to go 3-4 weeks out. {I know, I'm crazy!!} I just had a friend have her baby 3 weeks early so I want to be prepared.  I'm such a planner and I want to have everything packed and ready to go when it's "Go Time."  

So......

What did you pack that was absolutely essential?  

Did you pack things that you didn't need?

What do you wish you would have packed?

Did your husband pack a bag?

Look forward to hearing what you all have to say!! I have ABSOLUTELY loved hearing all of your input on my previous "Calling All Mommies" posts.  I just love how much all of you love being Mommies and love sharing your stories and advice with me.  I can't wait to be apart of "The Mommy Club!"