Recipe Swap Tuesday

I am linking up with Mrs. S over at Confessions of a Sailor's wife for my Tuesday Recipe swap! Today's theme is potatoes!

Twice Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

• 4 large russet potatoes, about a pound each
• Olive oil
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 Tbsp cream

Cheddar and bacon version

• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 4 strips bacon
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion

Blue cheese and chives version

• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Bake the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the potatoes clean under running water. Poke each potato in several places with the tines of a fork so that when the potatoes are cooking they don't explode. Rub the potatoes all over with a little olive oil. Place directly on the middle or top rack of the oven. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through. They should give a little when pressed.
If short on time you can bake the potatoes in the microwave, 10 minutes on high heat for 2 potatoes, 15 minutes for 4 potatoes. The skins of microwave baked potatoes aren't nearly as crispy, so you may want to rub a little olive oil on them and finish them in a conventional oven at 400°F for 10 minutes.
2 If you are including bacon as one of your mix-ins, while the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon strips in a frying pan on medium low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Let cool. Crumble.
3 Allow the potatoes to cool to touch. Slice the top third lengthwise off the potato. Use a spoon to scoop out the insides, forming a potato "canoe", leaving about 1/4 inch of potato on the skin.
Alternatively you can slice the potatoes in half, lengthwise. In this case you may want to bake an extra potato so that you will have more potato filling to mound into the potato boats.
4 Place the scooped out potato insides, sour cream, milk, cream, and butter into a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher. If you want a creamy texture, beat with an electric beater until desired consistency. Note, do not over-beat potatoes, they can turn glue-y.
5 Mix in the extras with the potatoes. Reserve some of the extras to sprinkle on the tops of the potatoes. Spoon fillings into the potato shells. Sprinkle with extra toppings.
6 Heat oven to 350°F. Place potatoes on a roasting pan and bake 15 to 20 minutes until heated through.

:) Enjoy

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 4

Day 4 - Favorite Books

I don't read a lot... so this one is hard.

Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover

  Shaunti Feldhan For Women Only (I also read For Men Only.. also good)

Francine Rivers Redeeming Love

Francine Rivers Lineage of Grace Series

That's all I can really think of right now. I really should read more... right now I am reading:

Biology: Today and Tomorrow

(I couldn't find a great picture...)

Happy Things

When I was in college the first time... back in 2002... I took biology. I made a D. I was young...

I am taking Biology now.. 9 years later... I am making an A...

Um.. heck yes.

30 Day Blog Challenge Day 3

Day 3 - Favorite TV

I do tend to watch a lot of tv...

Celebrity Aprentice

House

How I Met your Mother

Mad Love

Biggest Loser

16 and Pregnant

Teen Mom

ANTM

Big Bang Theory

Rules of Engagement

Burn Notice

Fairly Legal

Shark Tank

Suppernanny

Dr Phil

In the Bedroom with Dr. Laura

Sister Wives

The Office

Parenthood

Glee

Traffic Light

I love Lucy reruns

Cosby Show reruns

That's probably it... Dang I need to stop watching TV so much... :)

Happy Memorial Day

Memorial Day to some people just seems like a day to have off work, or to get sales prices at their local shopping mall... But it means so much more...

I want to take a minute to thank the men, women, sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, who gave up all their special moments, so I could enjoy mine...

(these videos are moving... But I would suggest you watch them, and think about the life you are able to have because of these men and women..)

30 Day Blog Challenge

Day 2 - Favorite Movies

I don't really have a lot of favorite movies. I will list just a couple...

The Princess Bride

Dirty Dancing

And as sad as it is... that's all I can think of. These are always my favorite. I go through movies in phases... but I always love these two... :)

30 Day Blog Challenge

I am linking up with TerinAleah at Modded Momma for the 30 Day Blog Challenge. :) It will give me something to write about when I am not studying wretched Biology!

Day 01 — A recent picture and 15 facts about you

I had just gotten my hair cut.. and for some reason I am not smiling.. hmmm..

1. I am married... and separated.

2. I have 2 dogs (Cami is a brown dog... Rosco is a chocolate lab). I love my dogs and I miss them.They are my kids.

3. I am a photographer. I am currently taking a break from picture taking, but it is a passion of mine. I love doing it. 

4. I have a large family, and they are my world. My codependency on them is almost unhealthy. I need them all very much. 

5. I have 5 tattoos... and I LOVE my tattoos. They all have great meaning to them. I plan on getting more. Right now I am working on creating a rib piece, and a possible hip piece. 

6. I am a part time student. I plan on starting full time in the fall

7. I am a full time nanny to 4 boys (ages 4-14). I have become part of their family. I love these boys so much. 

8.. I am in school to be a Psychologist. I love the study of the mind, and all the things people do because of how they perceive life and react to their situations. I want to help people, and this is how I am going to accomplish that. 

9.. I can't garden. It is random... but I kill every plant that I come in contact with... if you have plants, hide them when I am coming by. :)

10. I love music. All kinds from classical to pop. 

11. I play the piano, and have played it for 25 years. I have a treble and bass clef tattooed on my wrist because my passion for music comes from way inside, and from my long time learning of music. 

12. I have a baby in heaven. And I miss her.. though we never really met.

13. I will be a mom one day.

14. I see a therapist...

15. I will be 30 this winter. I am having a hard time dealing with this.

Photo shoot

This doesn't happen too often right now, because life happened. But I had a photo shoot and wanted to share some of my favorites.

Enjoy :)

Thursday Five

I am linking up with Nicole again for this week's Thursday 5. This week's words are:

Great

Incredible

Inspired

Rewarding

Swell

I feel GREAT about my quizzes last week for my biology class. I made a 95 on my last one (the teacher said at the beginning of the class that people do not do well on the quizzes! I am trying to have a good attitude though!)

My family vacation is in  2 weeks. I go with my mother, my brother and his wife, my other brother, my sister and her husband, and her 2 step children. My dad comes up at some point usually... But we are going to have an INCREDIBLE time! I am super excited. 

I always get very INSPIRED when I go to Beaufort, and I will be sure to make a trip there while on vacation. 

It is very REWARDING to do well in school. I am still just very excited that I have even made the choice to go back and finish. 

This weather... it is NOT SWELL. I am not a fan of humidity. And I really don't like any temp above 82 unless I have a swimming pool to get int. :) I do love the summer time attitude though. There is just a happiness that overcomes people. *shurg* But NC weather is not my favorite... I want to move to Mexico... 

May 23, 2008

Today marks the 3 year anniversary of a day I will never forget. The year 2008 was a year of change for me (and I still find myself growing because of that year... and I hope I always do). I can give a little background... like a flashback of that year. I lost a job that I loved (I did find another job not long after...), I got pregnant, I moved cities, I miscarried, my grandmother died, my father-in-law died, and amongst those things, I made choices that contributed to the death of my marriage.

Anyway, I have always wanted children. For as long as I can remember. It has fueled me. It became who I was. At the young age of 17 I was dx with PCOS (which have since learned it was a misdx, I just had lots of cysts on my ovaries). I tried for 6 months to get pregnant before getting pregnant (a total of about 16 months when all was said and done), which I know now isn't a long time.

I had what is medically called a chemical pregnancy. It was too early to be seen on an ultrasound, so they could only test my blood. And just a few days after my life changed and I was a mother, May 23 happened... and I miscarried. I tried for about a year longer for another pregnancy... which lead to my endometriosis dx. I grew three more very large cysts, and in my last surgery I almost lost both my ovaries. My dr is a very hopeful man though. He is great.

Now, I look forward to the day that I will be a mother. One day... It will happen. Until then (and probably for the rest of my life), my May 23 Angel is here with me... And I love her like I met her. Like I held her. Like she is mine.

Thursday Five

It's Thursday already! Time just flies! I am linking up with Nicole over at Flip Flops and Combat Boots today!

Today's words are

Irresistible

Positive

Successful

Vibrant

Glorious

I find procrastinating on my school work irresistible. I have officially been in school for 4 days... And so far I have done very well on getting all my work for the week turned in. But today, I am doing everything I can to keep from studying... maybe I need to get up and get some coffee..

I am feeling positive about school. Although I want to procrastinate, the only class I am in for the first 8 weeks is Biology. I feel like I am able to concentrate and focus. And I am feeling positive about where it is going to take me!

Well, today's five seem to be about school. I am going to be successful and graduate in 2 years. Then I am going to go on to get my master... and finally my PhD. Dream big!

The weather this week has made me feel vibrant. I love the 70's.. I love rain. And even though the weather itself isn't "vibrant" it makes me feel that way :). 

The last few months (years) have been very hard. I have made some hard choices, and have made some difficult changes. I am finally feeling like my life is taking a glorious turn for the better. Things look good.. and are looking up.

Recipe Swap Tuesday

I'm linking up with Confessions of a Sailor's Wife for a day late recipe swap! Today is Pork! I just made a GREAT pork roast. It is a crock pot meal

Cranberry Pork Roast

Ingredients

• 1 (3 pound) boneless rolled pork loin roast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (16 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Place Roast in a slow cooker; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine the remaining ingredients; pour over roast. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. 

mmm.. this is so yummy.

...

Although clean up efforts have been made, driving through this daily just reminds me how powerful these storms can be... and how blessed my family is that no one was hurt. It hit so close to home. I thought I would post some pictures from the day right after the tornado went through. This is from my sister's neighborhood. Most of these are from her next door neighbors.  

.

There are some things that you never forget...

6th annual run for the warriors

*Phew*

A good run this morning.. There were tuns of people there. Here is a pic of me and my running buddy (My cousin, Beth on R)

I think we finished in about 40 minutes. I would have liked to have done a little better, but next time. Our last was done in 44 minutes... so we did do this one faster!!

I am so proud of the men and women who defend this country. We would not be the country we are without them. My appreciation runs deep.And to the men and women who stand behind our military... you all have a very special job too!

Now, time for a shower!!!

Happy Saturday!

Some Photos

I love Beaufort, NC. I want to share a couple photos from my last visit... I go again in just a few weeks.

I am very much looking forward to going next month...

Thursday Five

Thursday Five from over at Flip Flops and Combat Boots! Yay! I am getting into this blogging thing... And this is such a cute idea! So this weeks words are

 

Excellent

Simple

Joyful

Glamorous

Refreshing

The fact that my little boy is home and getting better is Excellent. I was so worried about him last week. I've already told the story...

I received one simple yellow rose this week for mother's day. It was a beautiful sentiment

I feel joyful that I am starting my journey in completing school. My first class starts Monday. But my teacher has already posted everything online. I'm a little nervous, but super JOYFUL and excited that I am going back...

Glamorous is a hard word for me. I don't usually feel glamorous... maybe its time to change that!

I am doing the 6th Annual Run for the Warriors 5k this weekend! This is going to be refreshing! My second 5k. And hopefully there will be many more. I am a little worried about my knee however. It is an old lady knee.. :)