New Baby Pictures

Below are the two newest pictures of little Tucker! We found out that he is about a pound more than most babies at his stage, which comes at no surprise considering Mommy doesn't miss a meal! I pretty much adore that, too... I love chubby babies! Anyway, the first picture is of his face-- he is facing the camera and his arm is resting on his cheek. The second is further proof he is a boy! What a sweet little thing :) Cant wait to meet him!

Halloween Pumpkins

Warning: One of the pictures below has the potential to be creepy and disturbing to some viewers!!

For Halloween, Derek and I did three different versions of pumpkins: we carved one, had a plastic one made with Tucker's name, and decorated my round , pregnant belly as a jack-o-lantern (the creepy picture mentioned above...). Because of logistics, we were only able to put two of the three on our porch for decorations, but did enjoy all of them at some point! Below are pictures of our different pumpkins...

Christmas Wreath

This is a little wreath I made while in a festive spirit. Even though its only the 5th day in November, this wreath is now hanging on my front door! I dont love it-- I could do without the antler-esque gold leaves on the top-- but I think it gets the job done. My favorite parts are the little birdies with the pinecones. It only took about an hour to make (would have been shorter, but I used wired to attach everything since there wasnt anywhere solid on the wreath to use glue) and, believe it or not, everything cost only $13.00. Pretty good deal, huh? Thank you, Michaels :) Now, if only I could get permission to put up the rest of the Christmas decorations this early!

So Much To Be Thankful For

Even though I jumped from the fall / Halloween spirit straight to the Christmas spirit, I thought I would dedicate at least one post to Thanksgiving. This year has been one of many, many blessings. So, keeping with the Thanksgiving theme, I am going to do just that-- give some thanks. And, it should be easy considering everything we have been blessed with these past several months. Since November has 30 days, I am going to list 30 things I am thankful for. Here goes!

1. My amazing, supportive husband-- he serves in the military, is earning his degree, splits the household chores and cooking with me, and still manages to cope when I am hormonal and a little crazy. He always shows me love, and is what makes each and every day brighter.
2. My adorable puppy, Charlie-- she never fails to make me smile. Even when I am napping and she jumps on my face she manages to be cute... She was my company when Derek was out to sea, and even though shes a dog, she is still our little baby!
3. Our unborn little boy-- how can someone be so loved who isnt even born yet? I adore his kicks, punches, and hiccups, and would even take the stretch marks, mood swings, nausea, and acne for another 9 months if it meant he was healthy and happy.
4. My amazing family-- I have a sister who I can laugh with, cry and complain to, and who is there for me no matter what, a mom who gives me love and support while keeping me grounded, a father who works hard and does what is needed while always checking on me, a brother who has become a wonderful teacher and amazing father, a brother-in-law whose humor is one of a kind and can always make you laugh and put you at ease, a sister in law who is smart, nurturing, and one of the most devoted mothers I know-- not to mention the biggest help through this pregnancy, a grandma that is still managing to be sassy and spry at 85, and two completely unique aunts-- one who would give anything to her nieces and nephew (whether it be time, money, support, love, or amazing food) and one who never fails to make you smile AND managed to kick butt with a broken hip.
5. My niece and nephew-- yes, they are part of the family, but they get their own number! These two precious people, one who is becoming his own little man and the other who is just a few months old have my heart. They each bring so much joy and happiness to our life, even though we dont see them too often. I know they will both grow up to be the sweetest and brightest of people.
6. My amazing in-laws
7. My friends
8. Mine and Dereks health (and everyone else's, for that matter)
9. Our cars
10. Our house-- especially for being so young
11. All of our material things (shallow, I know...)-- we have so much, and again especially for being so young. We have more than we need, and I am very thankful that we can live comfortably
12. Our education
13. Desserts, especially at this point in my life!
14. Great food
15. Candles (holiday scented, of course!)
16. Derek's time off
17. Snuggling on the couch with Derek and Charlie
18. The ability to work and provide for ourselves
19. The fact that Derek is NOT deployed, and will (hopefully) stay for the remainder of his enlistment on shore duty
20. Virginia Tech Hokies (and football in general)
21. Arts and Crafts, and cooking!
22. Facebook-- I cant lie, Im pretty thankful for it. It gives me something to do AND keeps me in touch with those I love!
23. A good nights sleep
24. Everyone in my family being happy, doing well, and alive (we have had some scares this year...)
25. Excuses to get the whole family together
26. Maternity jeans... so amazing!
27. Ultrasounds and amazing doctors
28. All of the freedoms we are given
29. Southern Living magazine (and all other reading material)
30. Everything else-- God has given us so many blessings, whether its small / materialistic things or bigger more important things... We are healthy, happy, and given so much by so many people-- we are thankful for everything we have.

Chicken Noodle and Veggie Casserole

I am going to go ahead and give myself the pregnant Betty Crocker award. I have not cooked or baked as much in my life as I have since Ive been pregnant. Maybe its the new kitchen, all of my free time, or my constant impulse to eat delicious things-- whatever it is, I am loving it! And, so are my tastebuds.

Yesterday I was craving a wholesome, creamy casserole. Naturally, I Googled "casserole" recipes, but all I found were recipes that seemed like teases... only a few of the ingredients sounded good, or it was too much effort or time. Long story short, I went to the grocery store today, sans recipe, and just bought stuff I thought sounded good. And, I am happy to share, I am now full and satisfied with my creation! I'm excited for Derek to try it (and, I'm excited to boast a little), even though he could eat anything and be happy. So, below is the recipe of my chicken noddle and veggie casserole! I love how I just made it sound magnificent, when its not really anything too special-- just easy and good!

Chicken Noodle and Veggie Casserole

Ingredients:

1 package of egg noodles (not the large bag-- I bought a medium sized one)
1 package of frozen vegetables-- I used the pea, corn, and carrot medley from Birdseye
1 package of Pillsbury crescent rolls
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of cream of celery soup
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
     --Any type of the creams of --- should work, so use all cream of chicken if you want, or 2 mushrooms and 1 chicken , etc.
4-5 medium chicken breasts
Salt, pepper, garlic powder (optional-- just for taste). I also used a little bit of a mixed seasoning

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1. Boil noodles until soft (follow directions on package...)
2. Boil chicken until it is white throughout when you cut it in half
3. In a large bowl, mix together all soups and vegetables. Add whatever spices / seasonings you want. Add the noodles once they are cooked and drained
4. Drain the chicken. Using a fork and knife, shred the chicken, or cut into smaller pieces. Add to the noodle and veggie mixture
5. Pour mixture into a large casserole dish
6. Top with crescent rolls. Be sure to not layer them-- only one roll should be on top of the casserole. Place rolls over entire top of casserole until it is covered.

Bake in accordance to the directions on the crescent rolls (mine said bake for 11-16 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown).

Hope you enjoy!

And The Sex Is...

I feel silly writing a post about this, since most of the people reading our blog know anyway, but alas I feel like I must! I know I can't whole-heartedly write a blog about us and not have a post about finding out the sex of our baby. First, let me preface the results by saying everyone thought we were having a girl. The Chinese calendar, which is supposedly over 90 something percent accurate said it would be a girl, the "way I was carrying" and the baby's heart rate said a girl, my mothers old wife tale (if you know her, you've heard this) said girl, and every other myth and legend said I would be having a girl! Also, everyone (except the lone two or three) predicted we would have a girl. Then, at the day of the ultrasound, the nurse told me "come back and tell me when you find out its a girl." Turns out EVERY ultrasound that day had shown girls. There must have been some estrogen in the drinking water or something! But, against all odds, it turns out its a boy! A sweet, little baby boy who loves to kick and squirm (no surprise, considering whose child he is!). So, almost everyone was wrong. I maintained I didn't have a feeling or inclination towards a boy or girl the whole time... except when he would kick I would say "it must be a boy because a girl wouldn't kick as much-- she's supposed to be more prim and proper than that!" Derek, on the other hand, thought it was a girl, until we were in the waiting room, where he said "I'm going with boy now." Guess we were both right at some point. All that really matters, though, is that its a healthy baby, but we both really wanted a boy first. So, all is well and everyone is happy! And the name? The one and only Tucker Emerson Doss! So, for those following my blog, I now introduce to you (or will reacquaint you with) our little boy, Tucker.

Sweet Potato Casserole

If you have been to Ruth's Chris, you probably know that they have an amazing sweet potato casserole. Keeping with the fall theme (from the post below), I am posting a recipe that is supposedly the one used at Ruth's Chris. Again, its awfully unhealthy, but too good not to eat anyway! Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

CRUST

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 cup chopped nuts (pecans preferred)
• 1/3 stick butter (melted)
• Optional (I added this)-- sprinkle cinnamon on top

SWEET POTATO MIXTURE

• 3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs (well beaten)
• 1/2 stick butter, melted (1/2 cup)
• Optional (I added this)-- about 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

Directions:

1.       Combine brown sugar, flour, nuts and butter in mixing bowl. Set aside. 

2.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

3.       Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs and butter in a mixing bowl in the order listed. Mix thoroughly. 

4.       Pour mixture into buttered baking dish 

5.       Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with the crust mixture. 

6.       Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving.

Fall Fever

Maybe I'm nesting. Or, maybe I'm just sick of the 85 degree weather in late September. Either way, I want it to feel like fall time, and to have a cozy house to curl up in. Since I live in South Carolina, Mother Nature is refusing to relent in the summer-like weather. I just can't seem to get my way with wanting the weather and leaves to change to autumn! All is not lost, though, because I am stepping up my home-maker skills, and making it fall time in my house! Below are some of the different things I have done / plan on doing to make the autumn season come alive inside, while its still beach season outside.

1. Read a spooky Southern Gothic novel or short story-- this will get you in the mood for ghouls and witches.
• The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
• The Robber Bridegroom by Eudora Welty
• Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor (she also has several good short stories)
• Any Edgar Allan Poe stories
• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
2. Watch any movies / TV shows that make it feel like fall time-- football, Halloween, witches, etc. will all work
• The Crucible (also a play you can read)
• Hocus Pocus
• The Blindside
• Dracula or Van Helsing
• Again, Sleepy Hollow
• Any ghost / paranormal show
• The Hokies football games on Saturdays and Thursdays :o)
3. Light autumn scented candles. All of the flavors below are from Yankee Candle, but you can find similar ones almost anywhere that has a good selection of candles (I found pumpkin ones at the dollar store...).
• Spiced Pumpkin
• Autumn Leaves
• Apple Cider
• Maple Pancakes
• Cinnamon Stick
4. Consume ONLY fall time foods (I have had a blast cooking / baking new recipes). I recommend using recipes with sweet potatoes, apples, pecans, cinnamon, brown sugar, pumpkins, cranberries-- any fall fruits or veggies. Below are a few of the things I constantly have on hand or have made several times:
• Apple Cider (heated is great)
• Apple or Pumpkin Butter-- to eat with fruit, toast, or as a jelly substitute in a PB and J
• Pumpkin Pie-- a recipe can be found on the cans of pumpkin at the grocery store
• Sweet Potato Casserole (my recipe is very unhealthy, but too good not to use-- Ill put it in the next post)
5. Decorate! The candles will add some autumn ambiance, but there are tons of ways to decorate your house to get that extra fall feeling.
• Use pumpkins-- instead of carving you can paint them, punch holes in them and adorn with flowers (mums, sunflowers, etc), upholstery tacks, or anything decorative that you can stick in them, or etch your house / apartment number or monogram into them (be sure to only scrape off the orange and don't scratch / cut through the shell)... Be creative! You can even use pumpkins with the flatter tops as centerpieces-- just cut off the stem, place a small silver plate or platter on top (be sure its balanced) and place it on the table and top with food! These ideas are from the October issue of Southern Living, and look great!
• Use leaves that have changed colors-- this is cheap and easy! Find leaves that have changed into bright reds, oranges, or yellows from your yard. Rinse them off, dry them, and rub moisturizer on them. The moisturizer will keep them from drying out and rolling up. Now you can use them in a wreath, on the table for a centerpiece, or just scattered around the house.
• Create a wreath or buy one-- if making one, use colored ribbons, pine cones, colored flowers, leaves, twigs, etc... The list goes on and on!
• Lastly, I went to the dollar store... They have cheap and relatively cute decorations. I bought a miniature scarecrow and some pumpkin scented tealight candles for a few bucks.

These are all the things I have done or plan on doing soon... and my house is an autumn wonderland! Now, if only I could figure out a way to make the leaves change here and get the temperature down about 20 degrees...

Click here for Southern Living magazine pictures of the pumpkin decorations

Hokie Shirt

So, as most of you know, Derek and I are HUGE Hokie fans (gobble gobble). Also, you probably know that we are pregnant. Well, Fall is football season, and coincidentally it is also when my belly will be growing the most. And, instead of hiding my (not so little, anymore) bump, I thought I would show it off while also showing off my Hokie Pride! I really wanted a maternity Hokie shirt for the football games to do this, but the one I wanted was only sold in a small (not ever going to happen...) or I hated the other ones. Long story short, with a little creativity and sweet t-shirt design website, I made my own! I got so many laughs and compliments on it, even from Appalachian State fans, who we were (very badly) beating at the time. Some people even think I should trademark it and try to market it to the Virginia Tech bookstore. Heres to hoping, right? Below is a picture of me, in my t-shirt, with Derek at the opening home game and a close up of just me. GO HOKIES!

M.I.A.

Well, after several months of missing in action I find myself needing to update everyone on mine and Derek's life! Most of you who are reading this already know, but Derek and I have had a LOT of changes in our life recently. And, fortunately (I don't want to jinx it, though), they have all been good changes! This post is just going to be a short version of everything to get everyone up to speed, and it will give me a chance to actually write everything out to better comprehend it.

The first big change was that I finished student teaching (or, should I say I survived it?) and upon completion I also graduated. Now I can call myself an alumni! Second, Derek found out his transfers were accepted, and instead of going on a 7 month deployment, we was transferred to Charleston, SC where he has a job that does NOT involve the ocean or long trips out to sea! Needless to say this made us extremely happy, as now we can spend more time together. Also, on a count of his transfer, we bought a house. Its an adorable 3-bedroom, 2-story house on the outskirts of Charleston. We both look forward to spending our time playing a real life version of "house." In addition to changing stations, Derek has also changed ranks. He was promoted about a month ago to Petty Officer 1st class! I couldn't be prouder of him... And, the most important change, is that we have a tiny addition to the family coming soon! On May 4th we found out we will be having a baby, and we cannot wait. Charlie is going to be the BEST big sister in the whole entire world-- she can't wait either (even though we know she'll be a little jealous!). We don't know if it'll be a boy or girl yet, but I am sort of hoping for a boy... I think Derek is, too! 

So, everything this year has came together nicely. Life has picked up speed lately, and after one big turn of events, another one seems to follow shortly after. Graduation, moving, a house, a promotion, and now a baby on the way-- we have sure stayed busy! I am blessed to have this life, and I am truly grateful for all of the wonderful blessings that have happened recently. Keep the good fortune coming, and meanwhile we will be setting up house and getting ready for the baby! I promise to not let 9 years go by before posting again-- so I will keep everyone updated on whats new with us.