SnowMG BFF!

Seriously, my fellow Ohioans, I must apologize. I fear I am to blame for all this bad weather.  I didn’t mean to do it, because honestly, I detest snow.  But it must be MY fault.

Because every time I freaking have somewhere to GO, it flippin’ dumps snow all over the place up in here!

Today, I had Jonah’s 4-week check up appointment AND Sophie’s first-ever dentist appointment, so I was out on these hazardous roads because neither was something I could really re-schedule (Sophie had to have  a dental exam within 60 days of enrolling in preschool. It’s like day 51.  Thankyouverymuch.)

A couple of weeks ago when I pulled a muscle in my incision area and thought I was going to die, I had to drive to the doctor in a snowstorm because I was in so much pain I was not gonna cancel that appointment.

And a month ago, the day before Jonah was born, I also had to drive to the  doctor for myself in the worst snowstorm thus far, so that they could tell me my blood pressure was too high (because I almost DIED 50 times on the way there!) and that I needed to have the baby the next day.

So clearly, every time I have an appointment, it is going to be like the Arctic in my ‘hood.

So please watch out next Tuesday (hair and brows),  Feb 10th (Sophie’s actual dental cleaning), and Feb. 17th (Jonah’s  8 week check-up.)  Those days are gonna SUCK.

You’ve been warned!

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Ready, Set, Eat!

I have exciting news to share: I recently signed on to be a contributing recipe reviewer to the new website from Con Agra Foods, ReadySetEat.  But I don’t just get to EAT the recipes, I also have to COOK them – so I’m reviewing the whole process from meal prep to clean-up.  Which means, ladies and gentleman, that someone is finally paying me to cook dinner.  HEY-OH! What could be more awesome? 🙂

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Maple-Mustard Pork with Sweet Potatoes - heavenly!

So far I have cooked and reviewed six of the recipes on ReadySetEat, and it has been a great experience.  All of the recipes have been simple but delicious, and a couple of them have been especially out-of-this-world fantastic!  Like  the above-pictured Maple-Mustard Pork with Sweet Potatoes.  This recipe is amazing. So, so easy, and incredibly tasty. When Bobby and I sat down to eat it, he took a couple of bites and then said to me, “Congratulations, this is fantastic!”  And I had to agree!

What’s great about ReadySetEat is that it contains recipes of all different types that are all simple to make – it’s “a faster, smarter way to dinner”.  Also, it even tells you where the ingredients for said recipes are on SALE locally! You know I love that feature since I am always out to get a good deal at the grocery.  So in addition to the recipe, ingredient list, and cooking and prep times – you’ve also got a guide on where to go to get the best price on these meals. Woot!

Here’s a look at a couple of my other favorite recipes I’ve made so far:

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Spinach Walnut Penne (soooo DELISH!)
Rosemary Garlic Pot Roast in the slow cooker - my favorite recipe yet!

I can honestly say that I have never had so much fun cooking dinner. I mean I still make a total mess out of myself and my kitchen (example: spilled half a can of beef broth in the bottom of my refrigerator yesterday! Whoopsie.), but I’m cranking out some great food.  It’s been fun to challenge myself to make new things when the recipes are so easy and delicious. ReadySetEat even has plenty of slow cooker recipes which of course I am thrilled about because slow cookin’ is my favorite way to cook!

You’ll be hearing more from me about ReadySetEat in the next few months, but until then, do yourself a favor, head on over and check out the site’s great recipes and features!

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I am a paid contributor to ReadySetEat.  All opinions I’ve expressed about the website and the recipes are honestly and completely my own.

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Top Ten Tuesday: Blogs to Check Out

I’m always adding new blogs to my Google Reader (you don’t have one? You need one, I promise) and I thought today I’d share some of the good ones I’ve come across lately. This is by no means an inclusive lists of my favorite blogs nor is it in any particular order. But they are awesome, and you should add them to your Google Reader (that you now have) too.

1. Organizing Your Way. Part of the “life…your way” series of blogs, I recently subscribed to the organizing section and while I must admit that most of what I read goes into the “awesome idea, I should do that sometime but not today” file in my brain, they have fantastic tips on organizing everything from papers to dinner. And while I was over there to grab their link, I subscribed to the full “Life Your Way” feed. Maybe you should, too.

2. NieNie Dialogues. Here’s how author Stephanie Nielson describes herself: “I am: Returning from a near-fatal airplane crash, burned 80% of my body, and will have surgeries for the rest of my life. Probably. But I am alive. I cherish Mr. Nielson, Claire, Jane, Oliver, and Nicholas.” As though her story wasn’t amazing enough, she has the neatest house. And she also throws great parties.

3. The Fence. I often feel the blogosphere is populated with mostly SAHMs (or WAHMs, or whatever acronym is fashionable at the moment and is meant to mean ‘moms who don’t spend their days at an office.’) and it’s always a pleasant surprise to find a blog written by someone who can relate to the difficulty I have getting out of the house in the morning. Kami Lewis Levin, author of The Fence, is one of the funniest people I’ve ever come across.

4. Baking Bites. You will gain 10 pounds by looking at the pictures, but it will be worth it.

5. Smitten Kitchen. See disclaimer on #4.

6. Gina’s Skinny Recipes. To undo some of the damage done by the last two blogs I listed, I highly recommend this one. It’s my go-to website for recipe ideas that are delicious, nutritious, and low in weight watchers points. Kate, my picky eater (no idea where she gets this. None.), loves Gina’s Crock Pot 3 Bean Turkey Chili, and claims it’s better than my chili, which is the one thing I’m confident about my ability to cook. Or at least I was, until Kate decided she liked this one with chickpeas and black beans better.

7. Bringing Home the Bacon. Holly Michael writes about life as a mom in the corporate world… while raising her three kids on a pig farm (which is just down the street from my house). She also doesn’t like kittens, which means she and I are kindred spirits.

8. Snips and Snails. I was introduced to this blog through Beth from I Should be Folding Laundry (another one to add to your reader!) shortly after the author’s 2.5 year old son was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor behind his eye. Julie’s posts about his struggle continuously amaze me with their openness and honesty. Also? When you see one picture of little Andrew, you will be hooked.

9. Curvy Girl Guide. This site just launched at the first of the year, I believe, and is written by bloggers super famous well-known in their own right. They talk about a little bit of everything, with the focus being on getting comfortable in your own skin.

10. Oh Amanda. How could I write a Top Ten Tuesday post about bloggers and not include Amanda, who created Top Ten Tuesdays herself? I love this girl. You should SEE the birthday parties she throws for her kids – amazing. She wrote a post today about her top ten tips for Blissdom, which are fantastic and real, just like her.

So, what’s in YOUR google reader?

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