Busy w/ family....be back soon!

We are having an incredible weekend with family...lots of food, laughs, and good times!!!  What more could you ask for?  I hope you are all having a fabulous weekend as well.  "What's cooking this week"...will have to wait until next week, sorry friends!  But if you are looking for some yummy recipe ideas for the week...you can check out my collection I've built up by CLICKING HERE!   XOXO

Guest Posting @ ABpetite Today!!!

You've already had a little sneak peak of this deliciousness last weekend....now head on over to Ashlee's AmAzInG blog ABpetite to get the recipe!!!
This guest post is just in time for Cinco de Mayo!!!    

***Ashlee is the genius behind the Groupie Ad spot I'm happy to be a part of (6 blogs for $60)...CLICK HERE to check it out!

THE Friday I've been waiting for!!!

It's here!  No, I'm not excited over any ordinary Friday...my parents are coming tonight!!!  They haven't been here since the summer, and wanted to come spend a little time with us before baby gets here!  I'm SUPER excited for them to see my belly in person instead of over FaceTime!  We miss them....it's going to be a great weekend!  They will actually be visiting until Wednesday, AND I have Monday off of work!  We even have family from South Florida driving up for the weekend!  Did I mention that it is going to be a great weekend?!?! :)

1.  The official countdown - man I love countdowns, of course I have an app for that!

2.  These yummy veggies from a little market that hubby and I discovered over the weekend, are ALL gone!  High five for nutrition!

3.  It has been FOREVER since I had my hair done...it was in desperate need of a little love!  I'm really happy with how it came out!  I've been wearing my hair curly just because I couldn't stand damaging it anymore with my straightener!

4.  Speaking of straighteners.....I'm LOVING my new one that I treated myself to!  It is amazing, and pretty (bonus)!

5.  Yesterday was our PBS reward day at work, the students were able to do karaoke during extended lunch periods!  As usual it was a blast!  It is the ONLY time I would actually volunteer to go to all 3 lunch duties!  Had to take a pic with the mic....no, i didn't sing this year.  Next year!

So there you have it, another week in review!  Can't wait to take a million pics this weekend with the family.  If I'm a little MIA around here, you know why - but I do have some things planned for you all! Happy Friday Friends!

XOXO!

Linking it up:

Soup Grease Removal

Greasy soup is one thing I just can not stand!!!  I know, I know...that is where all of the flavor supposedly comes from.  But seriously, who wants to eat grease by the spoonful?  Not me!  I've made my Mom's "Bowl Tipping" Chicken Soup several times now, and thought I would share how I skim the grease out of it!

These pictures are not pretty, but hey...it's not a pretty process!  I couldn't find a way to glamorize what I'm about to share, my apologies   

Step 1 - Let the soup cool so all of the grease makes a skin on the top...and try to gently scrape it off with a large spoon.

Step 2 - Take a paper towel and lay it flat on top of the soup, it will absorb the grease - remove it.  You may need to do this a few times!

Step 3 - If you can no longer see your reflection, you're doing it right!  

Now you can enjoy your grease-free soup! 

21 Week Bumpdate

My little spaghetti squash is getting SO big, and so is Mamma!
The poses just get more and more awkward each week, sorry....I just don't know what to do with my hands!

Changes I've noticed:  I'm really starting to notice the weight gain, I'm up 14 pounds so far.  My doctor says I'm RIGHT on track and he feels really good about the steady increase so I'm not too worried about it.  It's just crazy to watch those numbers go up, up, UP!  It's all for my little peanut though, so I'm happy she is a healthy growing girl!  I can still see toes!

How I've been feeling:  I've been okay, tired as usual and SO emotional!  I'm already an emotional person, so now it takes the slightest thing to set me off!  I had an incident the other night that I could probably write an entire post on...but to sum it up, I cried (hysterically) because of lack of snacks at work!  Maybe I will tell you all the story some day!  Right now I'm just feeling incredibly overwhelmed by work...just trying to make it through the end of the school year!

A co-worker gave this to me...I almost lost it, awwwww!

How I've been sleeping:  HOLY CHARLIE HORSES!!!!  My calves are killing me!  Saturday, I woke up at 3:30 with one in my right leg, then again at 5:30 with one in my right leg!  I've been drinking a TON of water to stay hydrated, and stretching before bed to avoid them.  It has worked for the past few nights, I will keep you all posted!  

Food and exercise:  I felt good participating in the Green Smoothie Challenge!  I definitely plan to keep it up, it's such a good (and delicious) way to incorporate vitamins into my diet!  Does anyone have any recommendations for pre-natal yoga videos (or any other workouts for that matter)?  Any of the "on demand" workouts I have done have been really cheesy!  I feel like it's hardly a workout!

Maternity clothes:  I want more, I'm already sick of rotating the same few things but I feel like it is such a waste of money!  I think I will try to hold out a little longer because it is getting HOTTER out and I am just getting BIGGER!  Maybe I'll give it another month before breaking down and getting a few more items!

Movement:  My little wiggly princess is on the move CONSTANTLY!  I can feel it from the outside but it's not very strong, and I still can't get hubby to catch it when it happens.

Best moment this past week:  Went to the doctor and heard her sweet little heartbeat on Monday....best sound ever!

Happy Wednesday!!!