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Happy 1st Birthday Cooper!!

At this exact time last year, Cooper Douglas Wiley made his entrance into our lives.  And I can honestly tell you he is just a perfect little blessing.

He is so different from his sister in so many ways, but similar in others.  He start walking about a month and a half earlier, he has 3 more teeth than she did when she turned one.  He is the sweetest baby ever.  Now don't get me wrong, Keira was sweet, but Cooper, I call him my little lover boy, just a darling little thing. 

He doesn't really cry much, unless he's super tired.  Keira, she cried a lot as a baby, Cooper never really had a crying problem, he went through a phase when I first when back to work and I was sure we were going to be cursed like we had been with Keira, but after a couple weeks it went away.

He sleeps in his own bed, he's done that for I guess about 3 months now, Keira didn't start until she was 1.  He sleeps through the night just about every night, Keira was almost 2, probably even closer to 3 before she slept through an entire night. 

Cooper was difficult to get here, but we got him and I think god everyday for that.  Happy Birthday My Little Lover Boy!

   

I'll be back tomorrow with highlights from the big day and pictures.

YOU HAVE TO BUY THIS!!!!

Seriously an amazing deal and is for an awesome cause!!   DO IT!

Close to My Heart Bundle

 

American Idol Prediction

Last week I guessed right, so lets see if I get it right again this week.

Cooper's Birthday on Saturday

The next couple days are going to be pretty busy in my neck of the woods.  Not only is Cooper's 1st birthday on Saturday, we're going to get his pictures taken on Friday, I need to get groceries on Friday or Saturday and the Fur Rondy starts.  We haven't been to one yet, so since our last year, we're going to brave the freezing temps to go to the carnival and maybe see some of the ice sculptures. 

Keira picked out a Mickey Mouse themed birthday for Cooper since Sean couldn't think of anything.  We're not having anyone over or anything, it'll just be us like it was for Keira's first birthday.  Well, I have a ton of stuff to do and I need to get to the gym. 

 

And I ordered this cake.

 

New Freebie at The Shabby Princess

If you haven't seen this yet, the Shabby Princess has an awesome new free kit up.

Get it here

Spinach and Mushroom Smothered Chicken

 

3 cups fresh baby spinach

1 3/4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

3 green onions

2 tablespoons chopped pecans

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 teaspoon chicken seasoning (I used garlic powder & pepper)

2 slices or swiss or provolone cheese, halved

It a larget skillet, saute the spinach, mushrooms, onions, and pecans in oil until mushrooms are tender.  Set aside and keep warm.

Coat grill pan with cooking spray before starting.  Sprinkle chicken with seasoning, grill, over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.

Top with cheese, cover to get it to melt, To serve, top each breast with the spinach mixture.

You ever have one of those blah months?

I have been in just a major funk the last month or so I guess.  I haven't been feeling good, I'm getting the stupid veritgo thing on and off now, so I'm having dizzy spells which is driving me up the walls. 

As June gets closer, I realize there is no way we can be debt free and still have money to survive on until Sean gets to working.  Sean found out that his degree didn't go through, they changed the degree plan on him, which I was afraid was going to happen, but what can you do.  So, that means on top of everything else that's going to be going on when we get out, Sean is going to have to go back to school too and I don't know how many classes he's going to need to get his degree. 

I'm worried and stressed out and I keep telling Sean I'm going to hold him to his promise that he made when he got out 6 years ago.  We agreed then if he didn't have a degree in his hands when I seperated that he would come back in.  So, I guess we'll see.  We have talked about it and I think if it does happen, he'll be leaning towards the Coast Guard, but I really hope it doesn't come to that, I don't want to move anymore, but I also don't want to drowned in bills.

One good thing is that I was looking at community colleges in the area of Michigan where we'll be living and they have a Photography Associates Degree program that I'd like to look into and a Culinary Arts program, so maybe I'll try going to school for one of those in the fall.  With the new GI Bill that kicks off August 1st, they'll pay for everything and give me housing money. 

I'm just beyond stressed right now.  As the date gets closer, the more freaked out I get.

 

 

Sweet Shoppe Saturday

Hello everyone! 

Yesterday was a long day for us.  We had a nice day out at Chuck E Cheese, Keira has been wanting to go a lot lately, so we took her.  She had such a good time.  We had some friends join us, Amber & Katie came and so did some of the new airmen from crew, Jess, Lauren, Jordan & Barry. 

 

And now for some pages.  Lots of new goodies at SSD today.

This page is from Heather & Lauren's new kit, You make my world go round.

 

This next one is by Zoe, Fee & Robin, called Twitter, love all the bright colors.

 

And this last kit is by Christy & Kristin CB called Family Fun Night and I just think it is awesome!

 

So, hurry over to the sweet shoppe and check out all the beautiful new releases.

February is a weird month

So, earlier this month I probably depressed you by talking about my Granny Ethel passing away, well, are you ready to be depressed again?

25 years ago today my dad died, I know what you're thinking, February sucks for you.  Not entirely, I don't really remember my dad, I was almost 3 when he died.  It is a little strange to think I've outlived him by 3 years or that my daughter is almost a year older than I was when he died.  Those are the things that make me sad.  But not really.  I've always been told wonderful things about my dad and who knows if those where true or not.  LOL!  I like to believe most of them were. 

Here's a picture of us, don't Keira and Cooper look a lot like me?

 

But, something good has also came from this date in History.  Sean and I started dating 8 years ago today.  Isn't that something, all these years without killing each other.  I think we've probably been close.  LOL!

I was too lazy to find any super old pictures of us to scan. 

Milk Chocolate Cookies

 

Milk Chocolate Cookies
1 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened dutch proccess cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 oz good qualitiy milk chocolate (4 ounces coarsely chopped, 4 ounces cut into 1/4 chunks) (you can use semisweet chocolate)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in
a bowl.

Melt 4 ounces coarsely chopped chocolate with butter in a small heatproof bowl set over
a pan of simmering water; let cool slightly.

Put chocolate mixture, sugar, egges, vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle
attachment.  Mix on medium speed until combined.  Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour
mixture.  Fold in chocolate chuncks.

Using a 1 1/2 inch ice cream scoop, drop dough ont parchment paper lined baking sheets, spacing
2 icnhes apart.  Bake until cookies are flat and surfaces crack, about 15 minutes (cookies
should still be soft).  Let cool on sheets before moving to wire racks.