Friday Funny!

Turkey Stuffed Peppers

I've made this recipe about two or three times and it's a favorite! 

Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Turkey Stuffed Peppers

 Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean chopped turkey meat
• 1 garlic, minced
• 1/4 onion, minced
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• salt to taste
• 3 large sweet red bell peppers, washed
• 1 cup fat free chicken broth
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
• Olive oil spray
• 1/4 cup reduced fat shredded cheese

Directions:
Heat oven to 400°. Spray a little olive oil spray in a medium size saute pan and heat on a medium flame. Add onion, garlic and cilantro to the pan. Saute about 2 minutes and add ground turkey. Season with salt and garlic powder, and cumin and brown meat for several minutes until meat is completely cooked through. Add 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and 1/2 cup of chicken broth, mix well and simmer on low for about 5 minutes. Combine cooked rice and meat together.

Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, and remove all seeds. Place in a baking dish. Spoon the meat mixture into each pepper half and fill it with as much as you can. Place all stuffed pepper halves on the baking dish and pour the remainder of the chicken broth on the bottom of the pan. Cover tight with aluminum foil and bake for about 35 minutes. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and enjoy.
Thanks Skinnytaste for the recipe! :)

Carrie Underwood Concert!

Ben surprised me with tickets to the Carrie Underwood concert in Roanoke next Saturday!  I'm so excited!! We are going to become 'groupies'.  This will be a third concert of Carrie's.  She is such a cool performer! 

We decided to make a date night out of it.  My parents are going to watch Brooke and we'll be able to get to Roanoke in the afternoon, go to dinner, concert, and then stay the night at Hotel Roanoke!! I've never stayed there and kind of always wanted to so it's the perfect reason!  Plus, it's a Hilton property so we were able to use Ben's points! 

Looking forward to our date night :)

Bailey and Brooke

Brooke and Bailey are best buddies. They sure do love each other.  Here is a picture from the other day of Brooke pushing Bailey around the house in her puppy dog.  Bailey sure is a good sport. :)

Video of Brooke standing up!!

Watch "Brooke standing up" on YouTube

Swing time

Look at our little Diva enjoying the warm and sunny weather yesterday!! :)

love some Target!

11 Months!

Brooke is already 11 months old!  We just can't believe it.  She is turning into a little toddler more and more every day.  She was sick most of Feb...it was pretty rough but we are so thankful we are all feeling better now.  She'll be ONE in less than a month!  Don't worry, the party planning is well under way!! :)

11 Month Stats: 

-          21.8 pounds

-          Size 12 to 18 month clothes – just started to wear a few 18 month sizes

-          Size 4 diapers

-          Still sleeps 11 hours and takes a morning then afternoon nap (both around 1 ½ hours each)

-          Starting to get more brave with standing and balancing all by herself.  We’ve counted a total of “16 Mississippi’s”.

-          Loves all her books and play area

-          Loves to close doors

- Loves to dancing to any music! :)

-          Can walk behind her puppy dog pushing him all by herself

-          She was basically sick all of February :(  Double ear infection, Pink Eye, Sinuses, stomach bug,….etc.  Ben also got the flu pretty bad … fever of 102/103 for 3 days.  It was rough.

-          We went on a mini family vacation for Ben’s birthday and Valentine’s Day.  We went to our favorite cabins in the Smokey Mountains.  It was Brooke’s first trip to Tennessee.  She had a blast! :)

- Went to 3 or 4 swim lessons at the Rec Center.  We missed a few since she was sick and we were out of town.

obession with Pinterest!

Brooke walking with Puppy Dog

Watch "Brooke walking with Puppy Dog" on YouTube

Happy 10 Months Old!!!

Happy 10 months Brooke!

Is it true? Brooke will be one year in two months.  Ben and I just can't believe how fast she is growing up.  We look at her all the time and just think how much she is changing into a little toddler with so much personality.  She lights up our hearts so much.  

10 month stats:

-       21 pounds

-    Sleeps 11 or more hours

-       Definitely fills out her 12 month clothes … I’m only buying 18 months from now on

-       Played in the snow for the first time and had a blast

-       Still loves her books…her collection is growing

-       Loves to eat ‘real’ food.  Her favorites are bananas, avocados, eggs, chicken, baked potato all cut up.

-       Recently she tried pasta, toast, green beans, grapes…all finger foods.

-       She has 5 teeth coming in – which will be total of NINE!!!!!!!!!

-       Started swim lessons at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center.  She loves her swim class.  She can put her head under too!

-       Met her first friend…Harper.  Ben and I went to school with Harper’s mom.  They are so cute together. … two peas in pod! J

-       She went to her first VT Men’s basketball game and Hokie Celebration…. She had a blast and even got to meet the Hokie Bird!

-       Points to everything!

-       Can tell us where “nose” is. She can point to our nose, stuffed animals, Bailey’s nose, in books… etc. It’s really awesome to see her little brain working! :)

-       She is learning foot and tummy now

-       She gives hugs! So sweet

-       She waves hi and bye bye really well!

Happy 9 months!

Happy 9 months to our sweet baby girl Brooke!  We can't believe she'll be ONE in three months.  That is just crazy.  Brooke had a fabulous December!  She loved Christmas and all her new toys.  She got to meet Santa!! It was great for her to see all her grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles, nephews, and nieces!  She got sick the day after Christmas for a week.  That wasn't any fun....major stomach virus plus her top 2 teeth coming in!

9 Month Stats

- She weighed 19 lb, 6 oz when she went to the doctor last week when she was sick.  She goes Monday for her 9 month check up

- Officially in 12 month clothes

- Wears size 3 diapers but I'll be ordering size 4 next time.  She already wears size 4 for her nighttime diapers.

- Sleeping 11 1/2 hours consistently and takes a morning nap and good afternoon nap

- We've discovered she hates certain noises.  For example, when people cough or sneeze real loud, the sound of a donkey (she has a Farm Animal book), Ben's drill, this Virginia Tech choo choo  sound....

- Loves her puffs!

- Very determined

- Pulls up on everything

- Cries, well more like wines when daddy puts her down or isn’t giving her attention…it’s so cute.

- Loves to crawl, everywhere!!  Baby gate is official up and we use it all the time.

- If I blow bubbles out of my hand then she starts crying.

- Loves to try to crawl into the laundry room and play with the dog’s water bowl …same for our bathroom.

- Loves to see herself in the mirror

- Says "dadadadadd" all day long

- Such a talker

- Loves to play in the pantry

- Likes to swing outside when it’s nice outside

 - Eats sweet potatoes, apples, blueberries, bananas, bread, puffs, green beans or any green veggies...I'm starting to try a lot of new stuff now that she's feeling better.  Last night I gave her some chicken cut up

- Starting to drink water out of her sippy cup

- Loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and the Hot Dog, Hot Dog song

- She knows when we put her in the highchair that she is getting ‘real’ food

- Got a big girl car seat and loves to be able to see outside

- Did I mention she is pulling up on EVERYTHING

- She is into everything…baby gate and outlet protectors went up this month

- Fascinated with our Christmas Tree

- Can wave "bye-bye" and "hi" really well now

- We took her to the pool for the first time.  She LOVED it!! :)

- Loves all her toys…especially her dino with the balls, puppy dog, and dino the dinosaur

- Likes to stay with mommy and daddy when new people/faces are around.

- LOVES BOOKS!!! All of them!  She is really good about turning each page.