Faith, Family, Friends, Fellowship, Food, and Fun



Saturday, December 29, 2007

Today is Aggie Day........WHOOP!!!!





It has been an exciting day around here. Stephen's parents came to meet Abby. We all wore our Aggie shirts in anticipation of the Alamo Bowl vs Penn State. As we are watching the game right now, Lauren is picking up on how football is played. She was sitting on the floor, cheering on our team, and when we didn't make the first down, she leaned over and put her face down on the floor and said, "We didn't do it." Every now and then she blurts out, "Gig 'em Aggies, Whoop!"
That's our little Aggie!
Gig 'em Aggies, BTHO Penn State!







Thursday, December 27, 2007

December 26- journal notes

Today we had to take Abby to the doctor so they could scan her head for a bilirubin check. The scanner indicated her level was 18 so they sent us over to the hospital (next door) for a blood test. That level came back 17.6 which was up from yesterday.

December 27-journal

Today we had to take Abby back to the hospital for another bilirubin check. We should be pros by now. The nurse sat us down in the chair and gave me the warming pouch for Abby's heel. She told me that Abby would scream. That was not a good sign. I suddenly became bold and I said, "Why will she scream, she didn't scream yesterday and our son never screamed when he came in 13 times last year?" She did not comment, she proceeded to stick Abby (no screaming) and then bend her tiny foot upward, towards her leg. THEN she screamed. I was so mad. I looked at Stephen and said, right in front of her, "What is she doing differently than the nurse yesterday?" Plus, this nurse smelled like she just finished smoking a pack. The smell of nicotine was in her skin, years and years of chain smoking. And she was touching my precious baby. She finished and told us to wait. We never had to wait before. We started talking to a college student who was also waiting. She said she was just accepted into nursing school and she was there for a drug test. She said the same nurse had taken her urine sample and flushed it down the toilet before she remembered to keep a sample for testing so she had to sit and drink water until she could produce another sample! As we left, I told Stephen that if she is there tomorrow, I will tell her she is not touching our baby again and I want another nurse.

The doctor's office called, Abby's bilirubin level is down to 16. We have to go back to the doctor tomorrow at 1:30 for a bilirubin scan (on her forehead). Please pray for an even lower bilirubin level!

Monday, December 24, 2007

Candy Cane Twists

#28 Candy Cane Twists by BHG Christmas Cookies '03 May freeze up to 1 month

This recipe has been moved to my cooking blog. Thanks for visiting.

25 Sweets Recipes in 25 days

#23 Sparkling Butter Toffee Cookies by Land O' Lakes
1 c sugar
3/4 c butter, softened
1 egg 1 t vanilla
2 c flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 c English or almond toffee bits
1. Heat oven to 350. Combine sugar through vanilla in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy (1-2 min). Add flour, baking powder and baking soda; reduce speed to low. Beat until well mixed. Stir in toffee bits by hand.
2. Shape rounded tablespoons of dough into 1 1/4" balls. Roll in sugar. Place 2" apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten each with bottom of glass to 2 1/4" circles (dip in sugar to prevent sticking).
3. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar (colored) while warm.

25 Sweets recipes in 25 days

Saturday, December 22, 2007

25 Sweets recipes in 25 days

...will resume tomorrow. I'm on a blogging break since we just got home from the hospital this afternoon! I do have lots of hospital stories to share too!

Thursday, December 20, 2007

New Addition





The wait is finally over. Abigail Claire was born at 7:03 this morning (December 20th). She was 19 and a half inches and 5 lbs. 14 oz. Both Mommy and Abby are doing great.

Abby is such a bundle of joy and we could not ask for a better Christmas present. There will be more information coming soon.


Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Baby Abby is on her way

I just left the doctor's office. I am dilated to a 4 and 80% effaced. Now some of you may say that if could be a week but when I was 36 weeks pregnant with Caleb and went in to the doctor, I was dilated to a 3, 50% effaced and in the hospital that night!

So check back for updates and pictures and please keep us all in your prayers, especially as my mom travels here from Fort Worth.

What I did last night and Daddy's presents

I know I told myself that being 35 weeks pregnant I would not be able to do my usual baking and candy making this Christmas season. That really depressed me. If you're a new reader, welcome and let me fill you in, I am a working mom with a 3 year old and a 21 month old and my constant swelling keeps me off my feet. Yesterday I had to fill an order for a co-worker. She wanted Layered Mint Chocolate Fudge, Oreo bark, and some nice white chocolates melted in my candy molds. That was no problem but I just couldn't stop there. I figured I might as well make my Toasted Pecan Cranberry Bark and Peppermint Bark. On top of that, Stephen had another Christmas Program to video so I was flying solo. The kids did great, I listened to them in the monitor just screaming and giggling and I knew there would be quite an aftermath in their rooms but they were not bothering me so I just left them alone. I was up until 11:15 packaging all the candy but I packaged up the extra candy to sell in the lounge and now I have some goodies to give the doctor when I go this afternoon. Oh yes, did I even mention that I also managed to wrap presents too?

Toasted Pecan Cranberry Bark



Oreo Bark



White Chocolate melted in candy molds.




Green white chocolate melted in candy molds. I forgot to take pics of the red but you get the idea.












I posted in my Monday blog about how Lauren was telling her daddy about his presents so I came up with a plan. As I wrapped present #1, I told her that it was called a "spanking stick." That's right, Daddy is getting a spanking stick. Present #2 is a naughty paddle and #3.....are you ready? I told her to say we got him, "Granny Panties!" It worked too. When he got home from his show, I asked him to test her and sure enough, she did just as we rehearsed. How about you guys, any tricks to keep the gifts a secret?