Lazy Mom's Chicken Spaghetti

A lazy mom version of Chicken Parmesan.

Chicken Spaghetti
5 Chicken Breasts (I use the thin sliced or cutlets)
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
Mozzerella & Parmesan Cheeses
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
1/2 pound cooked spaghetti

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x12 pan. Season chicken breasts with garlic and onion powders, salt and pepper. Place in the bottom of the pan, cover with sauce (reserve some for your pasta). Sprinkle with cheese and cover with foil. Bake for about 20 minutes, removing the foil for the last five minutes. Serve with your favorite pasta.

You could also make this recipe in the crockpot on a hot day when you don't want to turn on the oven. Just top with cheese when you plate it up!

Prettying up the Front Porch

This post is going to be covering photo challenges at I Should Be Folding Laundry (topic: green), and at a new blog I recently found, Simplicity (topic: home).

I decided the other day that our front porch needed a little sprucing up. Since I am definitely not green-thumbed, succulents were the way to go. Cooper of course was thrilled at the idea of getting his little hands deep into the dirt! Me, notsomuch. As with many types of crafting, I love the "idea" of planting, I love how they look sitting on my front porch, but, really, I do not enjoy the process. at. all. At least, until I did it with Cooper. He had such a great time, I'm thinking we may be doing some more of this. That is, if these don't die.

I think that makes my front porch look a little prettier, don't you?

When Did He Grow up?

AWE n. 1.A mixed emotion of reverence, respect, dread, and wonder inspired by authority, genius, great beauty, sublimity, or might

I am in AWE of how fast the past two and a half years have gone. My son started preschool today. He cried. Well, actually, he screamed. I could hear him screaming as I walked across the courtyard to my office. It made me cry (just a little).

I'm told the crying lasted only a few minutes. Since I work for the church on the same campus, I got to watch him walking to and from the playground with his class (I wanted to take pictures, but was afraid he might see me). He had the biggest smile on his face when I picked him up, and he was all giggly in the car on the way home. I am so proud of him for being such a big boy, and yet, so sad that he's such a big boy. I know this is only the first in many of these types of milestones, so I'm holding on for the ride!

Hope you enjoy our little mini photo shoot for my baby's first day of preschool...

All photos by Rick Maxwell Photography

I asked him to sit up for his photos, he told me "No Mama, I want to sit like this."

Ok, Mr. Big Independant Preschooler!

Today I'm linking up with Alysha for her last Mono Monday challenge. I love reading Alysha's blog and looking at her photos - she's an amazing photographer, and a sweetheart to boot!

Friday Already???

Really? I can't believe how fast this week went. Wait, I say that every week. Riddle me this: why is it that the older I get, the faster time seems to move?

Ok, time for another edition of Five Question Friday!

1. Do you know how to play a musical instrument?

In the 6th grade I played the flute. I was very proud of myself for being able to play the intro to "Stairway to Heaven." I also played a mean "Hot Cross Buns."

2. What is your pet peeve while driving?
Oh, well there are so many. I do live in Southern California, after all. Probably my BIGGEST pet peeve is when people don't use that little stick thingy on the side of the steering wheel. What's is called again? It makes this ticking noise...oh yeah! A freakin signal! Use it people!

3. Would you rather have a housekeeper or unlimited spa services?
Ok, this is a tough one...first I thought definitely take the spa services, because then I could always go for a massage after doing all that housework. Then I thought, no, the housekeeping, because then I would have time for the massages. But then I decided I want both. Can't I just give up a kidney or something?

4. Is there a song that you hear that will take you back to the moment, like a junior high or high school dance?
There are so many songs. Probably 75% of what I hear on the radio will take my back to some time in my life. "You Give Love a Bad Name" by Bon Jovi is probably the one that sticks out the most in my mind as a song that I remember tying in with a specific moment. It doesn't really matter why. Let's just say I should've listened to it a little closer.

5. What song best represents your life right now?

This is an easy one. There is one song that I have said for a while now is my favorite song, because of how it touches my heart, and reminds me to appreciate all that I have been given. My life is a blessing, the pain the hurt, the anger, the bitterness, the joy, the love, the promise.

 

"Blessed the Broken Road"

by Rascal Flatts

 

Every long lost dream led me to where you are

Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars

Pointing me on my way into your loving arms

This much I know is true

That God blessed the broken road

That led me straight to you

These lyrics ring true for me every day. Looking at my son, I think of all the heartache that led to him being a permanent part of my life, and I wouldn't trade it for a second. I know that all of those things that happened, the loss and the heartache, helped to get me to the person I am today. When I think of Rick, I think of all the lousy, abusive men I've dated, and know that he is so different. I know that those experiences help me to truly appreciate the wonderful man that he is. Don't get me wrong, sometimes bad things really do just happen, but so many of the things that break our hearts, are blessings. Blessings that God places in our path to help us to see the beauty of what we do have, and to appreciate the road we've taken once we reach our destination.

These Little Legs

These little legs are starting preschool on Monday. *sigh*

They will be

running,

and jumping,

and climbing,

and riding bikes,

and sitting criss-cross-applesauce at Circle Time.

*SIGH*

And this mommy will be crying.

A. LOT.

My saving grace is that now he'll be near me all day - since I work at a church with a preschool, that's where he'll be going. Most parents drop their kids off at preschool and have no idea what they do all day. I'm going to have a bird's eye view. And that makes me happy. *smile*

You Capture

The Boredom Bucket

Today was the first FULL day of summer!! (I am fully aware that yesterday was the summer solstice and thus the "first" day of summer, BUT it started at 7:28 am, therefore TODAY is the first FULL day of summer. okay rant finished).

Our kids tend to get, well, let's just say "active" with too much time at home, so I've decided to come up with our Summer "Boredom Bucket." (I got the idea from Jen at Parenting in Blue Jeans and her summer "Bucket List."). I'll put a bunch of ideas in a bucket and let one of the kids choose an activity for the day. This will include free activities, places to go, and things to do at home. Of course, this will be a weekend only thing since we work during the week.

AT HOME
Set up pool/Slip N Slide/outdoor water play
Backyard BBQ/Picnic
Buy an Ice Cream Maker and make our own ice cream
Blow bubbles
Go for a nature walk
Bake a cake or cookies

FREEBIES
Atlantis Park
Dotson Park (local park with water play area)
Visit the Library
Visit the duck pond
Centennial Farms
California Science Center (not local, so we'll see)
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium (again, not local)
Cerritos Public Library
Shipley Nature Center

NOT SO FREE-BIES
Out for ice cream/smoothies
Watermelon Tour at Tanaka Farms (pick your own watermelon and taste all kinds of yummies - fun!)
Irvine Park (Pony Rides/Train Ride/OC Zoo)

These are all my ideas, so I'll talk to the kids about what their ideas might be too.  I like Jen's idea of using colored paper, so I'm going to figure out how to incorporate that as well. I love the element of surprise this provides, and hopefully the kids will too. We'll probably end up using it year round!

What's in your "Boredom Bucket?"

The Grief That Comes with Infertility

I want to say first, that most of this post was written a couple of years ago to be shared with a group of adoptive mothers, many of whom have struggled or are struggling with infertility. I'm sharing it here, as support for other IF women; you are not alone, your feelings are valid, and don't let anyone tell you different.

The first baby shower I went to after being diagnosed with IF (and before adoption) was for my best friend I've known since Jr. High. I had never dreaded anything more in my life. I went, because she had always supported me through everything, and I was genuinely happy for her, but it was very hard for me.

She had asked me to be the "official photographer," so I brought my camera and while people were still arriving, I went outside to take pictures of the decorations, tables, and gifts. As soon as I stepped outside I started to cry. I had to go around to the side of the house and compose myself before rejoining the party. I didn't even tell my friend about this breakdown until a year after her son was born.

A year after I brought my son home, when I thought I was well past the sadness, my small "Mommies Only" Bible Study group had a baby shower for two of our members. Again, I was dreading it, but went anyway. They played those stupid baby shower games (I realize some people like the games, but I'm just not one of them). The first game was all about prenancy myths. Ugh. I didn't play; I just couldn't do it. A well-meaning friend asked why I wasn't playing and I gave the generic shrug, "I don't like games." But you know what I wanted to say? "Well, since I have never been, nor will I ever be, pregnant, I have no idea what the answers could be, so it would be pointless for me to play, thankyouverymuch," because that's how I felt. After the games they opened their gifts; and then came the stories about childbirth and labor, and blah, blah, blah...that's when I went back to the kitchen to help clean up. I was so glad when that was over!

Friends and family have been so supportive of me going through IF and adoption, that I feel I should be there supporting them, so as not to seem ungrateful or selfish. I don't enjoy it, it makes me sad, and I just don't wanna go (*stamping feet and crossing arms*)!

I entered adoption feeling that I had completely grieved not being able to give birth to a child; to see myself in my child's eyes or smile; and for the most part, I had. I was happy for friends who were pregnant, and had stopped tearing up when I saw a pregnant woman or walked by the maternity clothing store. But the baby showers...ouch.

My boyfriend and I have been together for three years and have a wonderful, committed relationship. He and his ex-wife get along like great friends, and she and I have reached that point as well. They have two beautiful children between them, and while I love those kids as if they were my own, there is some sadness at what I will never have. While we're happy with the children we have between us, I know that I will never have the connection with him that she has, and that is at times, incredibly difficult for me.

Adopting as a single mom, I didn't experience that same "guilt" that some IF women have, not being able to "give" their partner a biological child. I had never thought about infertility as something I would never share with my partner. I look at Rick with his son and daughter and can see the combination of their parents in their faces, in fact, I find myself looking for it, and it just makes me sad, not because of what I can't give him, but because it's a part of him that I will never be able to share.

So does all of this mean I'm really not done grieving? I don't know. I think any loss of this magnitude takes years upon years to grieve, but it will always be with you. Infertility is a part of who I am, and who I will never be. It's like a death, it's not something you can just "get over" or "forget," but something that takes time, lots of it to learn to accept and to heal. And I'm ok with that.