Olive Garden's Pasta E Fagioli

I have an amazing recipe that is super easy and tastes like the soup for the restaurant!
If you can fry up ground beef, chop carrots and celery and open canned goods, then you NEED TO MAKE THIS!!! This recipe is beyond easy and oh so delish! I got it from a friend thru topsecretrecipes.com. I couldn't copy/paste the recipe but go to the site to see it and print it. Click on "recipes" on the left and do a search for "paste e fagioli".
Enjoy!
We will tonight!!! :o)

Pregnancy stuff on which blog?

When I had something to say about my pregnancy, I didn't know whether to put it on this blog or my kids' blog. I think if it relates to the baby specifically, it'll go on the Newman Kids blog, and if it's about my pregnancy in general, the post belongs here. Kinda confusing but makes sense to me. Just wanted to share that.
I posted something earlier on my other blog but wanted to share here that we'll find out the gender around 20 weeks. I previously said I would reveal it in my annual Christmas newsletter but unless I am really late getting them out (which is possible with my move), I may not do that.
So that's the latest on that. Check out my other blog by clicking here.

Meal Planning

I am not a cook at heart but man I love to eat! It is rather overwhelming for me to figure out what to cook for my family without it being the same thing over and over. I have returned to meal planning.

It's also good to help with our budget and to curb unnecessary spending. AND Jay's started doing the grocery shopping for me! (He's always picked things up, but I've always gotten the big orders.) He is a great husband, but I really need to know what I need in advance for him to do this!

I started using my meal planning system again and thought I'd share. I start with categories like: meat, chicken, crockpot, pasta, soup and/or sandwich, ethnic night (usually Indian or Mexican), seafood, an easy night like chicken strips, or pizza.

I don't assign specific meals to the days of the week but use this form because it helps me organize my meal ideas, write out the ingredients I need and it's pretty. :o)

As I go thru my cookbooks and magazines, I put the meals I want that week under the category in which they fit. I used to put down how long each recipe took too so I had a clue when I woke up in the morning what time to start things. And I'd put the cookbook and page # if necessary.

This is a little messy because I wasn't planning on posting it but I wanted to include a photo for you. It's a great little system for us and it helps knowing when 2 meals need sour cream or cheese so food doesn't go to waste. I cross things off as I cook them.

The last thing I do is write down what we had for supper on my kitchen calendar. If we eat out, the day gets an X. This is a good visual of what I've made and keeps me feeling motivated.

Hope it might help someone if you're struggling with the same things as me!

Red jelly beans

I really like red jelly beans. It's a shame the bags have those yucky green and yellow ones in them. I'd love a bag of red only jelly beans. But then again... if I only had red, I'd get bored with them and probably wouldn't like them as much. I wouldn't savor finally having a red one after eating yucky ones.
I think this can be a good analogy for life. Illness... weather... bad moods...
I am eating an orange one now. That means it's not so bad but not as good as red. And not as bad as yellow.
Just sharing a Mary analogy today. :o)

A baby in there? 15 weeks.

I receive weekly e-updates on my pregnancy. I posted the text below. What I can't get over is that my baby is 4 inches long and the gender is visible this week! But I haven't felt the baby move yet. I can't believe there is this little life inside of me! Just wild!!!!
I hope to find out the gender around 19 or 20 weeks which is standard for my OB's office. Then I will reveal it in my annual Christmas Newman Newsletter.

----from babycenter.com-----
How your baby's growing: Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

Praise Post: Walk in His ways

Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
(Step by Step, Rich Mullins)

I heard this song on the radio this morning and the words really spoke to me. I have been praising God for so many things lately... the autumn trees, a gorgeous sunset and as I posted yesterday - good health. But as always I struggle with seeking Him in the morning. But what struck me is that if I don't seek Him (read the bible) then how can I possibly learn His ways? I know He's guiding me step by baby step and I WILL FOLLOW Him all my days even if my steps aren't so huge. What a great song. What a great God. And what a great little reminder of what I need to be doing.

Appreciation

I have friends with kids who are sick now from minor colds to throw up bugs. I read blogs about kids with major health issues. And there is just so much tragedy on the news and at every corner. I look at my precious babes and am so grateful to have healthy children. And so grateful for each day I get with them. I pray for their health regularly because I do not take it for granted. I praise God for this wonderful life. I know people question why there is tragedy in this world, and although that is a great conversation/debate, today I am just thinking that if I didn't hear about sickness, I wouldn't love my kids the way I do.
And if I didn't get a cold now and again, I wouldn't think how GOOD it feels to feel good!
Definitely have appreciation for health today. And for my big brown-eyed babies.