All systems are go....

Adler tested out the infant car seat Stephen installed tonight. Looks like a tight fit. Can't believe I'm going to have 2 babies in the back! What happened to my car??

Adler's Breakfast Prayer

This morning Adler asked for banana cake (aka banana bread) for breakfast. I fixed him up a slice on his Lightning McQueen plate and he settled into his red picnic table we now have in our kitchen. I was pouring him some milk, but stopped when I heard him say something about Jesus. I listened in to try to make out what he was saying and it went something like...

"Jesus....something, something I couldn't make out.....Lightning McQueen...something, something else I couldn't make out....Jesus......Amen" Then he picked up his banana cake and took a big bite. O my goodness, my heart warmed and smiled to hear his little prayer. I only wish I knew more of what he said! He's going to be a great big brother!

I turn 38 weeks Sunday, which is the exact day I delivered Adler, so we will see!!

This Little Guy Knows How to Have Fun

Practicing Hospitality Study and Giveaway

Find out how you can receive this book and join the book club for free. 

Random pics to share

Here is the latest pic of the belly. I'm currently 35 weeks and delivered Adler at 38, so we'll see when baby Boy decides to join us!

Christmas pic Stephen took of Adler in his Christmas outfit
Seeing Bow Wow in the Houston airport on our way back to the ATL
Shopping in Old Towne Spring, pic by Aunt Rylie
Adler playing in the dog kennel at Grammi and Tom Tom's
Bearded daddy and Adler watching the Fox and the Hound
Adler and Grandpa in Old Towne Spring

Here is the manger scene Adler and I worked on for the month of December. I cut out pictures from a book and placed the pictures in an Advent Calendar. We built the final picture right before we left for Texas. 

The Big Boy Bed! It's official! He has been sleeping in his bed now for almost a week, naps included! He is still so excited when he wakes up in his room and says "Bedroom!"

2nd Night in a Big Boy Bed!!

I'm so pumped! Tonight is the second night in a row Adler is sleeping in his big boy room! This was his decision and he asked to sleep in his "big room" and he is doing great! Looks like great timing with baby boy on the way!

The Days of the Beard

lensbaby_7.jpg, originally uploaded by patrickhunton.

Have come to an end. For the visual "story board" of what went down yesterday...just click over to http://stevohunton.blogspot.com

A sad day. :)

Turkey Lasagna

I've never really cooked lasagna. Mostly out of fear it wouldn't turn out as good as my mom's. I've also had a quite a few frozen lasagnas at youth group functions, watery lasagnas at other functions, lasagnas delivered when Adler was born....seems I've never had the need to bake one. Mostly because I just never got the recipe from my mom, I decided to do some Food Network research on lasagnas. I tried this one tonight and it turned out great! Stephen said it was the best lasagna he's ever had! This will definitely go down in our family recipe book. I usually substitute stuff when following directions, but this time, I followed it to a T. (except I used dried basil, but I think fresh would have been best)

Turkey Lasagna by Barefoot Contessa
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound lasagna noodles
15 ounces ricotta cheese
3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one 1/3 of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

Back in the ATL

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year! 

We flew out to Texas on Tuesday, December 22nd. The days before that were busily spent on projects around the house. How to describe the week and a half in Texas? I'll try:

Arrival: Texas is hot, Stephen's beard is getting long, Candlelight Service, Silent Night, Random Visitor, Adler's Motorcycle, Christmas Lights Neighborhood, Setting up Adler's new train set for when he comes down stairs Christmas Eve, Thomas the Train, Rocket, Sweet gift from Rylie, My mom's stuffing, peppermint mocha coffee creamer (thanks PT), pecan pie, Fun gift exchanges, Watching Adler open "presents!", Adler sleeps to 8am, ridiculous attempt to meet sisters at a bar, Stephen's beard is getting out of control, Texas is cold, Christmas house party at Merrill's, going to the mall by myself, Old Towne Spring and Tomball shopping, manicure and pedicure, Mary Kay consult, pregnancy massage, Texans game, Texas is hot, trip to Crystal Beach, date night to movies, dinner at Brio w/ just Stephen, Adler no longer remembers who his parents are, Stephen looks European, New Years Eve Dinner at Well's, eating out for lunches, Neighborhood party at my parent's house, Adler now only asks for his grandparents, Stephen's mustache has it's own zip code, hanging out with my mom at the Huntons, Raynelle's banana pudding, stuffing suit cases, sad goodbyes, long trip home.