Friday, September 30, 2011

Window Shopping Extravaganza (for Liliana)

I don't do much shopping for Liliana.  I have been blessed with a TON of hand me downs.  By the time she turned one, we had spent MAYBE $50 total on her clothes and toys combined.  We really don't spoil her at all, but her family and our friends definitely do!  We get a monthly package from her Madrina (godmother) with at least FIVE or more new outfits!)

But I have to admit, I know why family spoils her!  Look at that gorgeous gal!

Since I barely spend any money on her clothes, I figured I would say where my favorite products are when I window shop for her.  Yes, I often go online and make imaginary purchases of $200 just to X out of the screen.  Let's go window shopping today some shall we? 

My favorites to window shop at are:

(1) Crazy 8 - they just put one in Little Rock and I already went on opening weekend!
(2) Carter's - there is one opening in Little Rock in November!  We are getting so lucky!
(3) Old Navy - I'm always shocked by how many adorable things they have.  PLUS, great sales often too!

Our Trip to Crazy 8


How cute is this little outfit?  Liliana already has the skirt (that I bought the weekend it opened for $4.99, can't beat that people!)  Now we just need a jean jacket.

I ADORE this outfit.  It looks just like something I'd have her wear.  A little bit spunky, yet feminine.

On to Children's Place ...


I am in love with the fact that children's Place has these shirts in Spanish.  I think I'm going to actually buy these.  They tug at my heart strings.  This was says "Daddy's little girl."  $6 right now.  GET SOME!



I've been in love with all things cupcake since Liliana had her cupcake themed 1st birthday.  This one, also $6, says "I love you almost as much as cupcakes."

For today, the winner of our Window Shopping Extravaganza is Old Navy.  Behold how adorable this outfit would be.

On to Old Navy, our last stop of the day...



A cute little bow top to match sweetly with this cute little ...

Leopard skirt!  And as if that wasn't enough, let's top it off with the most adorable...

Baby shoes I have EVER SEEN!

Don't you think she'd look too perfect in all of these things?

Darn it, now I really want to go shopping for her!

I mean, would you be able to say no to that sweet face?



Or to this cute smile?


Yeah definitely going shopping this weekend ... ; )

Thursday, September 29, 2011

A lot of little things

I don't really have one thing to post about today, mainly lots and lots of little things that wouldn't make an entire blog post:

(1) Liliana, Ms. 16 month old baby, has started telling me when she poops.  And if I say pee pee, she holds her ... well that area.  Yep, I'm in shock that she's doing this.  This weekend, we're going to buy a potty seat.  This is about 10 months earlier than I expected to be tackling this.  I'm not usually the Mom that says "stop growing" but in this case, I wasn't prepared!  I wanted to read up on this and how we're supposed to tackle it.  Suppose we'll just be winging it ... unless people have advice on potty training kids earlier than usual?

(2) Sherman, the new pup, is doing really great.  He is a totally different personality than our other dog Linda.  It's funny how they always say each child is different, but I'm starting to see that even in our dogs!  Linda was much more refined and quite frankly, bitchy.  Sherman is more destructive (although he hasn't done anything bad yet ... he just likes to nibble on feet a LOT!) and yet more sweet natured.  He's at that adorable puppy stage where running looks more like leaping.

(3) Evan finishes the worst two months of his entire residency career tomorrow.  I am so freaking excited.  To celebrate we're getting a babysitter on Saturday night and going to a new restaurant in town that always has long waits.  It's a very casual place but they have waffle fries like chick Fil-A, but they're sweet potato.  Look, don't you want a bite?


(4) One REALLY  bad part of our week?  We found out our air conditioner is having MAJOR problems.  Like, $1,000 bill problems.  And that's WITH a home warranty ... the original bill is $6,000.  SO, our trip home to San Antonio for Thanksgiving is kinda not happening now.  My car got a brand new transmission in August ($2,500 bill) so these two HUGE expenses make the trip home impossible. We're really upset about it all, but that's what happens when you're both not making big paychecks.

(5) I made this chilly on Sunday night.  It was DIVINE and probably the easiest chili recipe I've ever made.  Highly recommend.  Link found HERE.  PS It makes A TON ... we're eating two dinners with it this week and had two more batches that went in to the freezer for future consumption.



(6) So I have no idea where my daughter got this from, but she's an artistic little girl!  At daycare, they say she refuses to give people her crayons because she goes to TOWN on them.  She covers the entire page in her scribbles.  And she's even trying to mimic me when I draw shapes.  Neither Evan nor I are artistic but my Mom is.  It must be from her.  Anyway, I want to get her this for Christmas.  I have a feeling she would never want to let it go!


Have a good weekend! YES, I know it's Thursday, but I like thinking ahead.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Recipe Week Part IV: Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes

ALRIGHT, you're right.  Technically I didn't provide four recipes in one week. It took me a little over a week, but this is still the most I've blogged in MONTHS so throw me a bone mmmmk?

Coincidentally, I'm incredibly behind at work.  Weird.

For my last recipe, I think I'll give you the favorite of all four: HOMEMADE FUNFETTI CUPCAKES.  This is the third time I've made this recipe in 8 weeks.  They are simply delicious.  Whenever I'm thinking of making a dessert, I always have this as a contender and Evan and I always go back to the yummy, reliable Homemade Funfetti Cupcake recipe.  These TASTE like you've spent hours on them but they're actually quite easy.  Also, they taste PHENOMENAL.  Truthfully, they taste like you bought them at a fancy cupcake shop when the reality is?  You just whipped them up at home!

Have I said enough good things about them yet?  Behold ...


Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes

Ingredients: (makes 12 cupcakes)

1/2 c. butter                                                         1/3. cup milk
1 c. sugar                                                            1/3 c. assorted brightly colored sprinkles
2 whole eggs                                                       1 teaspoon baking powder
1 T. vanilla extract                                              1 1/2 c. flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.  Add half of the dry ingredients, mixing until justu combined.  Add the milk.  Once mixed, add remaining dry ingredients.  Fold in assorted sprinkles, like so ...


Pour into cupcake tins and fill 2/3 of the way full.  Bake for approximately 18 minutes.  Let cool COMPLETELY (at least 20 minutes), then frost.

To make this yummy looking frosting ...


Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

2 sticks of butter, softened                                                     1 T. vanilla extract
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar                                                         1 T. of milk (if needed)

Cream butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until completely smooth and creamy.  With the mixer on low speed, add in powdered sugar slowly.  Gradually increase mixer speed and add vanilla, then beat for 2-3 minutes, scraping down sides and bottom of the bowl.  If frosting is too thick, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.  If it's too thin, add sugar gradually until it thickens.  Frost cupcakes and top with sprinkles.




Saturday, September 24, 2011

Introducing ...

Technically I have one more recipe to share with you guys for recipe week, but I just HAD to blog about our day ... we got our golden retriever puppy ... SHERMAN!

Evan is working over night tonight which stinks, but the plus side of that is that we could go during the day to pick up Sherman!  We put Liliana in her "I love puppies" t-shirt and drove to Oden, Arkansas (about 2 hours away from Little Rock).  The drive wasn't that bad and Liliana was pretty darn good on the trip.  When we got there, it was DEFINITELY all worth it because this is the cutie pie we got to bring home:


Isn't he absolutely adorable!  We had a pretty tough time choosing which doggie we wanted.  There were four adorable boys.  One was VERY hyper, so we quickly said no to that one.  We want a dog with personality, but not one that jumps all the time.  The other two were very dark and we thought that was our #1 criteria, but Sherman just spoke to us.  He was BY FAR the cutest and was perfect ... don't ya think?

SO he has settled in really well at home so far.  He definitely is different than Linda was as a puppy. 
I have to watch him more ... he likes shoes!  We need to go buy some doggie toys tomorrow, but we've had so much fun with him so far.


He runs around and plays, and then ... he gets worn out:


I have a feeling he'll fit in PERFECTLY with our little family!  Welcome home Sherman!

Friday, September 23, 2011

Recipe Week Part III: Three-Cheese Pasta Bake

We're on to the THIRD recipe I want to share with everyone.  This one was EASY, even easier than the Spaghetti Carbonara and was awesome.  The best part of this one?  SUPER kid friendly.  Liliana LOVED the stuff, I mean seriously, she ate more than we did! : )

This recipe is truly like macaroni and cheese, chicken alfredo, and lasagna in one.  And that just sounds awesome doesn't it?

NOTE: I made the recipe without any meat, like the recipe says.  HOWEVER it would taste amazing with chicken or shrimp on there as well.


Three-Cheese Pasta Bake

Ingredients:
1 16 oz package ziti pasta (penne works too)                       2 large eggs, lightly beaten
20 oz alfredo sauce (from the jar)                                         1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 (8 oz) container Sour Cream                                              1/4 c. chopped parsley (fresh is best)
1 (15 oz) container Ricotta Cheese                                       1 1/2 c. mozzarella shredded cheese

Directions:

Prepare pasta according to box.  Drain and leave out. 

Stir together Alfredo sauce and sour cream.  Toss with the pasta until evenly coated.  Spoon half of the mixture into a lightly greased 13 * 9 cooking dish.

Stir together the Ricotta cheese, eggs, parmesan, and parsley.  Spread this evenly over the pasta already in the cooking dish.  Spoon the remaining pasta mixture over this layer.

Sprinkle the entire thing with mozzarella cheese.  Your dish, at this point should look like this:





Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, or until bubbly.


YUMMY! 
This made for nearly 3 dinners and was such a treat.
ENJOY!

PS Look who we're picking up tomorrow!!! I CAN'T WAIT!!! One of these gorgeous babies will be in my arms in 24 hours! EEK!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Recipe Week Part II: Triple-Layer Peanut Butter Brownies

On Monday I gave you guys the recipe for Spaghetti Carbonara.  Since we ate such a healthy dinner (cough cough), let's add a delicious dessert for the big finale shall we?

Behold one of my all-time favorite desserts:


The Triple-Layer Peanut Butter Brownie

These are squishy, delicious, and rich.  They have three layers: brownie, a peanut butter mixture, and chocolate on top just for good measure.  They turn out perfectly every single time and people will start requesting them when you're showing up to a party because they're that good.  What they don't have to know?  They're easy and fool proof!

Ingredients:

- 1 pkg. (19 to 21 oz.) brownie mix (for a 13 * 9 pan)           
- 1 c. cold milk                                                                        
- 1 pkg. (3.4 oz) Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding                     
- 1 c. creamy Peanut Butter (I use Honey Peanut Butter)       
 - 1 1/2 c. Cool Whip Whipped Topping (do not thaw)
- 3 sqaures Baker's Semi-sweet Chocolate
- 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Directions:

Prepare and make brownies in a 13 * 9 inch pan as directed on package; cool.

Meanwhile, beat milk and pudding mix with whisk for 2 minutes.  Add the peanut butter and powdered sugar and mix well.  Refrigerate the mix until the brownies are completely cooled.

Spread the peanut butter mix OVER the brownies, like so:


Microwave the cool whip and chocolate on high for 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds.  Your bowl should look like this before it goes in to the microwave:


It should look like this once it has already melted (approximately 1 minute in the microwave):


Spread this chocolate mixture over the peanut butter mixture, like so:


Refrigerate the entire thing for AT LEAST one hour, and then cut in to it ... enjoy!


YUMMY!


Monday, September 19, 2011

Recipe Week Part I: Spaghetti Carbonara!

I've decided that this week will be Recipe Week on Is There a Doctor in the House!  Through the week I will share four YUMMY recipes with you.  Today? 

Emeril's Spaghetti Carbonara.

This recipe is VERY easy and isn't nearly as creamy as other Carbonara recipes.  It makes it much more enjoyable, and if it's possible to be healthier with Carbonara, then this is definitely better than adding 1 cup of cream (which this recipe has NONE of).


Evan was actually HOME and didn't have to go in to the hospital this weekend.  It was such a treat!  He insisted that he cook Sunday night since I've been taking care of all the home responsibilities lately.  When he told me Spaghetti Carbonara was on the menu, I said ... "ummmmm....OK!"  ; )



Emeril's Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. bacon, chopped                                                            salt
1 T. chopped garlic                                                                 1. c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
ground black pepper                                                               1 T. finely chopped fresh parsley
1 lb. spaghetti, cooked al dente                                              4 large eggs, beaten

Directions:

In a large saute pan, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy (about 6 minutes).
Remove the bacon and drain it on paper towels.
Pour all the bacon grease, except about 3 tablespoons worth. 
Add the garlic, bacon fat, and black pepper in to the skillet.  Saute for 30 seconds.  Add the bacon and pasta to the same skillet and saute for another minute.
Season the eggs with salt.  Remove the skillet from the heat and add the eggs whisking quickly.  Whisk until the eggs thicken some, but do not let them scramble.
Add the cheese to the pasta.  Garnish with parsley. 
Say Yummy.



 This "oh happy day" picutre in the background is perfect. 

When you eat this, it is a HAPPY day! ENJOY!

Friday, September 16, 2011

Marriage Isn't Easy!

These last two weeks have been very challenging in our house.  Evan has been working ridiculously long hours and I have felt stressed doing the rest.  It's a challenge to manage everything while keeping smiles on our faces.

I think I should preface this post with saying that I don't really know how I'm going to write it, nor do I want anything to think that Evan and I are having marital problems!  We are not!  We are simply having to learn how to adjust to this life ... this life where Evan is VERY rarely home, where I am working long hours myself, and where I am quite frankly in charge of EVERYTHING else. 

 Evan and I have always handled stress brilliantly in our relationship.  We tackled both of us in law school and medical school, with my being pregnant, and six figures in debt without a shouting match ever.  But this lask week, it has been hard to keep a happy face on when he gets home because I am so unhappy with how little he is home and so unhappy with all the familial responsibilities that fall on my shoulder.  And I feel pretty stupid getting mad at him when he tells me about the day he has had: "well, I spent 3 hours suturing this guys head back together."  Seriously?  I don't think I have room to complain after that!  he is doing SO much good in this world, literally saving lives, and I am complaining because I have to do the grocery shopping every single time?  Someone (ME) needs to get off her high horse.

To make matters worse, when Evan DOES get home, he won't let me lift a finger. I know he feels horribly for being gone so long, but when I'm dealing with the stress that a home brings, and with a baby that gets quite fussy in the evenings, I can't help but think "GRRRR, why doesn't HE ever have to deal with any of this?  Why is it that I am the one that has to handle all the family and house situations?  Why does that responsibility so often fall to the female?"

  Evan is gone EXTREMELY early in the morning (by 4:30 at the latest) and works VERY LONG days.  In fact, MOST days, he doesn't even get to see Liliana which has been difficult for the both of us.  When he does get home, he tip toes in to her room and watches her sleep which simply breaks my heart.  On the days that he has seen her (which has never been for over an hour), he tells me things like "hey, she's saying no no no to everything now!"  And I don't MEAN to sound rude, but I tell him "yeah, she's been doing that for almost a week now."  When I say it, I don't realize how much that must hurt, but he brought that up the other night.  I had never realized how much that must sting.  For some fathers, that's not a big deal, but for a dad like Evan that has been beyond outstanding, I know he is missing his family. 

Let me give you a play by play of Wednesday night.  I have been pretty darn bogged down at work but took an hour out of my work day dealing with a health insurance bill that we got that has mistakes all over it.  I called a billion offices, got no where, and was incredibly frustrated.  I needed Evan to give me some information that I was unaware of and texted him.  I didn't hear back for over four hours, so naturally I was frustrated and he responds saying "I'm sorry, I was in a surgery for a lady that needed her leg cut off in an emergency surgery."  What the hell am I supposed to say to that?  I realize that when it comes down to it, he does have the more "high stress" and "important" job.  I also realize that this general surgery year is only going to be ONE year and we won't see the emergency surgeries nearly as much in Urology, but still, it gets old.  He did what he could to give me the information, but I am still, as I type this, no where with handling this bill.  And that responsibility, just like all others, fall to me.

After work, I get a quick work out in, go home and wait for an hour when I get the text I'm used to getting now "babe, I am so sorry but I have to stay here longer.  We haven't even started rounding on our patients.  I won't get to see her again.  I miss you two so much.  I am miserable.  I love you."

Well, I can't get mad at that right?  I mean, I know he doesn't WANT to be working this much.  I also know that this is how residency goes.  This is what EVERY SINGLE general surgery resident is going through.  But I also know that when I'm at home, it isn't easy!

At home, I make dinner, and then Liliana and I eat.  She gets extremely tired so I put her to bed, then I go downstairs, clean the kitchen, the house, start doing some laundry and eventually a very exhausted Evan comes home.

I try to do sweet things like make him his favorite brownies (which I did do this week and I plan on posting the recipe soon).  But I am so irritable and sad about the way the days have been going that unless he thanks me a trillion times over, I say he's not appreciating everything I do.

The truth of the matter?  We both aren't appreciating what the other person does enough.  We don't freaking HAVE TIME to appreciate it enough! 

Last night, he finally got home at a GREAT hour and only worked a 14 hour day (yes, that's a good day people).  He played with Liliana and our night together was fabulous. We for the first time in nearly 2 weeks got a chance to talk about things, our day, and eventually fell asleep at 9:30!  Lame right?  But it was nice.  It was nice just cuddling and falling asleep on the couch.  It was nice to get a glimpse of how life will be once again.

I don't really know how to FIX this residency, time, parenting, household responsibility dilemma that we have going here, and lord knows that I have been snappier and more irritable towards my husband in the last two weeks than I should be. I think, quite frankly, it's because I miss him.

PS I should also mention that this entire week I was/ am on my period.  TMI? Deal with it people!  I only have my period 3 times a year and it had to come this week, which definitely makes me pissy! Craps and bloating? Yuck.

For now though ... our solution?

Saturday, (as in tomorrow) Evan is off from work!  WOO HOO and bless the lord!  We are spending the entire day togehter as a FAMILY, going to a family reunion, and then in the late afternoon, Evan's aunt is taking Liliana so we can go to dinner and see a movie (the Help).  She's even keeping Liliana over night so we can have a nice night to ourselves.  I think it'll do us a world of good.  But then, come Monday it's starting ALL over again ... have I mentioned how excited I am for July 1, 2012?  We have a countdown on his phone.  That's when general surgery is done and Urology begins. 

I never thought I would want Evan looking at penises all day so badly! ; )

Thursday, September 8, 2011

The Splash Pad and Autumn Smiles

To say that Liliana ADORES water is a complete understatment, as evidenced in the pictures below.


Over Labor Day weekend, fall settled in to Little Rock. The highs are an incredibly manageable 78 and the lows are around 55.  Basically, it's heaven in a city.  We have been eating outside, leaving our windows open, and enjoying this change.  Somehow, even though life has only gotten more stressful around our house lately, it isn't getting to us.  We're just enjoying it all.

The only bad thing about the temperature drop?  Our trips to the pool and splash pad have come to an end.  On Saturday, we decided to take Liliana to her favorite place in the world for the last time this year ... the Little Rock Splash Pad.

The air and water was actually quite nippy.  As a result, most other babies or children weren't getting in the water.  Liliana though?  I think she thought it was JUUUUST fine.


Seeing her enjoy the water is so much fun.  People at the pad keep coming up to us and saying they've never seen a baby love the water so much.  While people say love of water isn't a genetic thing, I have to disagree, sorry.  If you're Daddy is an All-American swimmer, some of that DID influence Liliana, I mean please:


And how about this one?  My favorite of the afternoon.  This picture might win for chubbiest baby knees of all time.


Let's hope those legs get slender later in life! ; )

After the splash pad, we were pretty tired and put our robe on to walk around the park a little more.  We spent quality time thinking about things to come with Daddy ...


And we spent time just relaxing with Mommy ...




All in all, a great way to say "good bye summer!"  and HELLO autumn! : )