First Things First

We have SO much to do in our new house. :) Overwhelming... but fun!

We seriously have projects lined up that will keep us busy for years. We've been categorizing our to-do list into things-that-we-will-tackle-immediately and long-term-upgrades (more like a 5 or 10 year plan).

So, first thing on the "immediate" list was to get started replacing all the GOLD! Our house is full of gold doorknobs, gold switch plates, gold vent covers, gold faucets, and gold fixtures. Not our style. Upgrading everything all at once really adds up, so we are slowly making the transition. So far, we've replaced all the knobs and handles on the kitchen cabinets, all of the vent covers, and all of the outside doorknobs (the ones that lock). It is already making a huge difference!

Second order of business was to get started painting. I want to paint... ummm... pretty much every room in the house. First up - baby's room!! Out with the desert, southwest orangy color and in with pale blue!

Things are happening and it is so exciting!

Moving

Ok, I guess I'll go ahead and give a few more details on this topic since it is somewhat out of the blue. Not out of the blue for us... just something I guess I haven't really mentioned on the blog before.

We've been looking to move for several years now. No rush - but we've always said that we wanted to move before Luke hit kindergarten. We've been looking off and on for 3 or 4 years now.

A few weeks ago, I was searching around on the internet and I found a cute little house. We decided to take a look at it as a last ditch effort before pausing the house hunt for probably another year (since baby number two is looming and there's no way I can even think about buying/selling a house with a newborn!)

The new house that we looked at seemed to have all the things that we were missing from our current house. Our short list of things that we were looking for in a new house is as follows:

1 - in Murfreesboro. We currently live in Smyrna (about 10-15 mins closer to Nashville than M'boro) but we are in M'boro ALL THE TIME!! It will be SO much more convenient when we just live there! Luke's daycare is there, Andie works there, we go there on the weekends for shopping, eating out, parks, etc.

2 - bigger lot! New house is a little over half an acre (compared to our current lot of .18 acres)

3 - more privacy. The new house backs up to a horse farm - so NO neighbors in the back!

4 - good school district. It is zoned for some of the best schools in town!

BONUS - it has a pool!!

The new house is about the same size as our current house, but instead of having a bonus room it has an extra bedroom (so, master, two kids rooms, and a guest room).

We close on the new house this Friday and are SO excited to make this move and start the next chapter of our family in this house!

Recently

30 weeks pregnant.

Stomach bug hit us HARD (well, Luke and I) last week.

MOVING on Friday!!

Still no name for the new baby.

Lots and lots of to-do lists that need conquering.

B-U-S-Y! To say the least. The very least.

Meat Pizza

I had a funny realization about two weeks ago. We were at Mellow Mushroom deciding on what pizza to get. I had my eye on the one with feta cheese and artichoke hearts... Andie had his eye on the meatiest, meat extravaganza with extra meat. We were discussing our options when Luke exclaimed "I want meat pizza!"

Andie smiled and gave Luke a high five.

I was over ruled by the boys!

That got me thinking... "meat pizza" is the new metaphor for my life! It's about to be THREE boys vs. ONE girl! What am I gonna do?!? :)

Let's be honest though... I wouldn't change it for the world!

Oh, and for the record, we got a split pizza - half my choice, half Andie's choice :)

For the Love of Spinach

We have a new favorite side dish at our house - cheesy spinach bars!!! That's right... I said SPINACH! I had to share this recipe as it is seriously kid friendly and seriously delicious!

(With the exception of about 4 bites, Luke ate ALL that is missing from this pan by himself!)


(He went to the bathroom to get a stool so that he could reach the island and dig in while I was finishing up the chicken and rice!)

First off, I must give credit where credit is due - this recipe came from Meal Makeover Mom's Kitchen. I tried it on a whim and have made it several times since! It is very easy to make and uses regular old ingredients that you probably already have on hand. Here is the blurb and recipe from their site:

Cheesy Spinach Bake

Makes 8 Servings

Frozen spinach rocks: It’s inexpensive, nutritious, and a convenience ingredient you can feel good about. On its own, it’s far from appetizing—and one could argue that from a child’s perspective, it’s kind of gross. But combined with Italian bread crumbs, Cheddar cheese, and grated Parmesan, this simple side dish takes on a flavor and texture that appeal to kids. With 20 percent bone-building calcium in each serving and a boatload of vitamin A, we hope you’ll add these gooey, cheesy spinach bites to your lineup of favorite family sides.

* One 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
* 2 large eggs
* ½ cup 1% low-fat milk
* 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or melted butter
* ½ cup Italian style seasoned bread crumbs
* ½ teaspoon baking powder
* 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
* ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
* Kosher salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat an 8 x 8-inch baking pan or dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2. Drain the spinach very well by pressing in a colander with the back of a large spoon and using paper towels to remove excess moisture. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and olive oil until combined. Whisk in the bread crumbs and baking powder. Stir in the spinach, Cheddar cheese, and Parmesan cheese until well combined.

4. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan. Bake until the mixture is set and the top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Slice into 2 x 4-inch rectangles and serve. Sprinkle the tops with a few pinches of salt to taste.

Nutrition Information per Serving (1 slice): 120 calories, 7g fat (3g saturated), 340mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 9g protein, 90% vitamin A, 20% calcium


More proof of the deliciousness:

Make this recipe - you will not be sorry!!!