What 25 means to me

Funny story. This is my 2nd attempt to write an entry on this topic. I had an entire post all typed up and ready to go but as I read through it one last time, I realized how much I hated it. It just wasn't honest enough.

So here we go. Round 2. What does turning 25 mean to me?

With every year comes new challenges and more surprises. I think back to my 18th birthday when my troubles were so simple and all I had to worry about was dealing with being homesick and getting through my first year of college. 21 meant that I was finally legal and all I had to worry about was graduating college and balancing all my extracirricular activities. When I turned 23 I had a  wedding to plan. 24 meant 2 more months til baby. So what about 25?

I already did college. I already did the wedding and the baby. What now? What does 25 hold for me? What adventures will my 26 year old self be reflecting on next year?

It makes me a little sad because it seems like every year I had something to look forward to. If I know one thing about myself, it is that I don't like NOT having a plan. Since I was in my early teens I knew exactly what I wanted and how I was going to get it. I knew what school I was going to go to. I knew I wanted to have a family by 26. I knew what my wedding colors would be. I kind of feel like 25  threw a wrench in my gears because for the first time, I really don't know what to expect.

Anthony and I on the night of my birthday

I want to buy a house. I want to be debt free. I want to advance in my career. I want my family to grow. These are all things that I want for myself but I don't know when or really how I will accomplish them. The only thing I do know is that I now have a daughter to raise and a family to think about. As I type this entry, I'm coming realize that my life really isn't about me anymore. It's no longer a straight line that is predictable. Turning 25 means to me that I've had to grow up a lot quicker than I expected, and honestly..I'm okay with that.

The things I worry about are a lot more serious now. My priorities require a lot more maturity out of me. But I guess that's what growing up really means. I made the decision to invest a big part of myself into this family, and as with any other investment in this world, you can only get as much as you are willing to put in.

With my sacrifices have come great rewards. I spent the last 25 years investing in my myself and my relationships. I now have the confidence and the strength to be a mom and pass on the valuable things I've learned to my daughter. I have spent enough time learning about my friends and sharing myself with them that I am content with the people that are in my life, and I know that I have a handful of lifelong friendships to cherish. I probably couldn't have said that a couple birthdays ago.

I am not trying to say that I am done investing in these other things, but really, that the time has come to focus my attention elsewhere. It is now my job as a mother, no matter what age I am, to step up to the plate and give this family all I've got. I've spent 25 years preparing myself for this life and now that I have it, I will do what I can to ensure that I don't fall short. It's like I've been gathering up my my life savings to finally spend it all on the greatest investment yet. There are always risks, but in the end, the rewards are priceless. I'm nervous and excited for what's to come, and I kind of like that I don't know what to expect. I've never really been into surprises, but I'm sure there will be some great ones to come.

So bring it on, 25! I'm ready for you.

Baby Talk

This is something that has been on my mind lately...an ever present situation...a question that I've been asked more often...When is it our turn to have baby #2?

I have a serious debate with myself about this topic every time the conversation comes up. A part of me wants to enjoy the time that I have with Rosalie before I have to start sharing my love and attention with another child, but the other part of me wants to give her a companion...a brother or sister that will be her playmate for life.

In one of my earlier posts, I mentioned how the thought of another baby terrified me. Admittedly, it still does. I caused myself a great deal of anxiety when I was pregnant. I constantly worried about the condition of the baby and my own health. It was really tough on my nerves. It may be selfish thinking, but how will I prepare myself for that again? I remember my palms sweating at every doctor's appointment, praying that her heartbeat was still there. I remember my sleepless nights knowing that I had an ultrasound appointment the next day and I begged the Lord that they would find nothing wrong. There are times when I think I can never put myself through that again, but then I remember how miraculous the process really was and how amazing I felt when finally saw my beautiful, healthy baby girl for the first time. Seeing her face everyday reminds me how truly lucky I am that all of my prayers were answered.

I wasn't too fond of my big belly when I
had it, but it looks great in pictures! Lol

I can make a list of things that I still worry about on a daily basis. But the list of joyful things that my family brings into my life is much longer. Having a child has been an emotional roller coaster for me. One minute I can be laughing hysterically as she dances to the Mickey's Clubhouse theme song in her playpen and the next minute I can be screaming in panic as she topples over and bumps her head. Can I go through double the worry with two children? It'll probably be a struggle. But I am sure that the joy of having another child is twice as rewarding.

When is it ever a good time to get pregnant? When Anthony graduates from grad school? When I am finally promoted to the position that I'd like to be at in my career? When we finally have our house? Our aspirations are never ending. I can't imagine there would ever be a time when we'd say "THIS is the perfect time to have a baby!" Although having a baby does cost some money, we can't just base the decision on our careers or financial situation, but rather our readiness to go through the emotionally and physically demanding task of having another child.


It's obvious that I get mixed emotions when it comes to expanding our family, but the most prominent emotion I feel is excitement for the possibilities to come. My mom always says to me: "Your clock is ticking. Buildling your family comes first. All of the other stuff can come later." It always gets me thinking. So, when WILL we start trying for baby #2? I guess the best time frame I can give right now is sometime before Rosalie's 2nd birthday. Although it is exciting to imagine another precious baby girl or baby boy in our lives, I know that we have to be smart about our timing and at least get through this next year without any big surprises if we want to reach our financial goals.I'm sure that the time will come eventually, but as of today, I think we will just continue to enjoy our sweet baby Rosalie... and the longer hours of sleep we're getting.

Baked Chicken Pasta

So I'm really excited to share this recipe with you because I was kind of just messing around with another recipe I found online and this actually turned out great!! Not only was it easy, but it turned out so savory and delicious.

Ingredients:
1-1.5 lbs Thin Sliced Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets
1 package garlic and herb OR italian bread bread crumbs
2 Beaten Eggs
2 tablespoons minced garlic (I usually use the jarred one)
1 package sliced mushrooms
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 package of wide egg noodles
4 tablespoons butter
1 can chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
1) Melt Butter in a skillet and add minced garlic.
2) Once the garlic is browned, add mushrooms and sautee for 3- 5 minutes for flavor

Browning the chicken

3) Place the mushrooms in a rectangular baking dish

4) Coat chicken breasts with egg then roll in bread crumbs. Cover completely.
5) Melt butter in same skillet used for mushrooms (gives the chicken a nice flavor). Brown both sides of chicken breasts. (Do not burn. A nice dark brown color will give it good flavor. Should only take a couple minutes on each side)
6) Place browned chicken on top of mushrooms in baking dish.

7) Cover chicken and mushrooms with broth and cream of mushroom.
8) Bake in oven for about 30 minutes or until juices run clear.

Straight from the oven

9) About 10 minutes before taking it out of the oven, add mozzarella cheese on top. It should melt nicely over the chicken.

10) Let cool for about 15 minutes.
Serve with cooked egg noodles.

This might not be the healthiest recipe that I've put on here, but it sure is yummy! You can choose to add some vegetables into this dish..I imagine some onions or green peppers would give it a nice touch. Perhaps I'll try that next time.

Good luck and enjoy!

Finished product. Yum!

Tasty Salmon and Mushrooms

This is a great recipe that I found online and tweaked a little to better suit my liking. I've made it twice for my family because they absolutely loved it the first time I made it. I've been spending a lot more time in the kitchen making both food for my family AND homemade baby food for Rosalie but I'm loving it. As always, I'm constantly trying new foods that are fast and delicious and this one definitely made the list!

Serves 4-6 People
Ingredients:
Fresh Salmon Fillets (About 2-3 lbs)
2 Packets Dry Italian Dressing
1 bag sliced and washed white mushrooms
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 Cups Water

Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees.
1) Mix the Italian dressing, water, and lemon juice in a bowl
2) Arrange the salmon fillets in a large rectangular glass baking dish. (Aluminum is ok, just make sure to butter it or coat with cooking spray)
3) Distribute the mushrooms over the fillets
4) Pour the liquid mix on top of Salmon and mushrooms. Be sure to try and cover everything.
5) Cover with Aluminum foil.

-Bake covered for 15 minutes.
-Remove cover and bake for another 12 minutes.

It is important to not overcook the Salmon! Salmon gets dry very easily when overcooked so watch the clock very carefully.

- Let Cool for about 20 minutes before serving.
- Serve over brown or white rice.

The Finished Product

I absolutely love it with a side of baked asparagus or green beans. It's really very simple to stick some asparagus in the oven alongside the salmon. Just coat the asparagus or green beans in cooking spray or olive oil then season with salt and pepper. 12-15 minutes will usually do the trick so just pop it in after you uncover the salmon.

There you have it! Shoot me a line if you decide to try it and end up loving it too!