Pigtails and Strawberries

I put Hailey's hair in pigtails for the first time this week. She, of course, looked absolutely adorable!! She has been pulling her bows out lately, so this time when it was time to play outside, I did the pigtails. It was really funny cause she kept feeling her head cause she knew something was done with her hair, but she just couldn't figure out where the bow was?!?!?

Pigtail cutie ;)

We went and picked strawberries today and Hailey LOVED THEM!!! I know I probably shoudn't have given them to her in the field, but to my defense I DID "wash" them off first! haha. But she's a kid, she's going to eat dirt one day... what's a few years early right?!?! She was chowing down on them and couldn't get enough. Her outfit was soaking wet with red juice! She had it anywhere you could imagine, even the back of her hat?!? We met some of our church buddies up there, and another friend for a fun play date. I got some really cute pics of all of them :) And YES Hailey is in a Strawberry outfit, but come on now, did you expect any different from me??

Pickin Strawberries

Menu Monday

The one dish wonder is sure to become a classic in your home. Everyone loves pizza night, and this is a way to "fancy it up" a bit. We love this casserole at our house and there are many variations of it, but this one has always been a pleaser!

PIZZA CASSEROLE
Prep 25-30 min Bake 30 min Serves 4

1 cup and 2 tablespoons uncooked egg noodles
5 ounces lean ground beef
5/8 onion, chopped
1-1/8 cloves garlic, minced
5/8 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon sliced pepperoni sausage
9 ounces pizza sauce
2 tablespoons and 3/4 teaspoon milk
1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon shredded mozzarella cheese

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F.
COOK noodles according to package directions. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the onion, garlic and green bell pepper.
DRAIN excess fat. Stir in the noodles, pepperoni, pizza sauce and milk, and mix well.
POUR this mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish.
BAKE at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes, top with the cheese, then bake for 5 to 10 more minutes.

TIPS:
*Egg noodles are really soft, so if you want to add more of a chew and heartiness, try a differnet style noodle.
*Try ground turkey and turkey pepperoni to give this dish a healthier side.
*They now sell mini pepperonis, try these in the dish and to decorate the top to give it extra appeal if bringing to a party :)
*You can substitue any veggie or other addition you would like. If you are not a big bell pepper fan, try black olives
*For a little extra flavor, buy Italian blend cheese instead of just mozzarella
*Pair this meal with garlic breadsticks to make it complete!


ENJOY!!

~**~Nicole~**~

a couple of random videos to enjoy

here dozi, have a treat:



is this how you use the jenny jump up mom??

Look what i can do.........

sorry you will have to use your imagination cause dustin didnt realize that you couldnt turn the camera sideways!! haha. but HAILEY CAN WALK!


and this one is just for laughs ;) she gets so excited!!

Busy girl!

My papa has about 10 baby chicks now and we went to see them on thurs. HB loved them! She reached her hand right out to them and accidentally squeezed on of their heads. But no baby chicks were harmed in the filming of this trip ;)They were so cute and furry :) Her friend Isabel and her mom went with us and both girls had a blast!

Baby Chicks

Yesterday we went and visited with my moms parents at the lake. It is always so much fun to watch HB with them. She loves her Dadpa! He can make her laugh out loud!! She even took a couple of steps for them and walked write to him. :)




On the way home we have to pass by the Mall of GA, so I decided.. hey lets stop and get her ears pierced!! So we did and she looks so adorable! She did such a great job and only cried for about 2 mins. I ABSOLUTELY HATED doing that, and watching her cry, but she was good after we gave her some gold fish. The lady that did them did a great job and was good with her. She was so still for her to make the dots and everything. She then slept it off for about 2 hrs and woke up a happy girl :)

Ears pierced

It's my boyfriends bday

As you can see we have been pretty busy lately with the 4 post(sorry i hit ya all at once!!) I just did ( and 2 videos to come! ) I haven't posted in a week or so, so it got a little backed up! Dustin went out of town this past weekend for a guys lake trip! So Hailey and I held down the house and I spent the night by myself for the first time in my 25 years! On saturday we headed to a cute little boys first birthday party. He is one of the babies that HB has gotten to grow up with and has grown quite found of him. They even snuck in a little kiss when she got there. I got some really cute pics of them and esp of him eating his cake. He was so excited and finally lost his shyness and dove in! This made me so excited to watch HB do the same thing in a couple of months, but also very anxious because I can't believe that MY baby is sneaking up on one year!

Grants (hb's boyfriend) Bday

Menu Monday

Well today I thought I would switch things up a bit! I am going to treat you to a great appetizer and end with a treat for your taste buds. Am I forgetting something.. nope, the middle, the main course, is for you to fill in. I have always been a appetizer girl and would never turn down a delicious dessert. So save these for a cook out with friends or potluck at church. Either way, they are sure please a crowd :)

**Velvetta Hot Broccoli Dip**
12 Servings Prep 15 mins


1 round sourdough bread loaf (1-1/2 lb.)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red peppers
1/4 cup chopped onions
2 Tbsp. butter
1 lb. (16 oz.) VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, drained
1/4 tsp. dried rosemary leaves, crushed
Few drops hot pepper sauce

HEAT oven to 350°F.
CUT slice from top of bread loaf; remove center, leaving 1-inch-thick shell. Cut removed bread into bite-size pieces. Cover shell with top of bread; place on baking sheet with bread pieces. Bake 15 min. Cool slightly.
MEANWHILE, cook and stir celery, red peppers and onions in butter in medium saucepan on medium heat until tender. Add VELVEETA; cook on low heat until melted, stirring frequently. Add broccoli, rosemary and hot pepper sauce; cook until heated through, stirring constantly.
SPOON into bread loaf. Serve with toasted bread pieces, RITZ Crackers and/or assorted cut-up fresh vegetables.

**Almost a Candy Bar**
36 Servings Prep 15 mins Bake 15 mins + cooling

1 tube (16-1/2 ounces) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
4 nutty s'mores trail mix bars (1.23 ounces each), chopped
1 package (10 to 11 ounces) butterscotch chips
2-1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup chopped walnuts
1-1/2 cups miniature pretzels
1 package (10 ounces) peanut butter chips
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 package (11-1/2 ounces) milk chocolate chips

LET dough stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften. In a large bowl, combine dough and trail mix bars. Press into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. BAKE, uncovered, at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Sprinkle with butterscotch chips and marshmallows. Bake 3-4 minutes longer or until marshmallows begin to brown. Sprinkle with walnuts; arrange pretzels over the top. IN a small saucepan, melt the peanut butter chips, corn syrup and butter; spoon over bars.
In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Spread or drizzle over bars.
REFRIGERATE for 1 hour or until firm before cutting. Yield: 3 dozen.
*You can always subsitute nuts or remove them altogether

ENJOY~

~**~Nicole~**~