Shanty Suppers: Chicken Enchilada Ring

I originally found this recipe from Kelly's Korner.  I changed it to include only the things that we like, but it was easy and delicious!

Chicken Enchilada Ring

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked chicken (I use a store bought rotisserie chicken)
• 1/4 cup chopped black olives  I'm the only one that likes these, so we leave them out.
• 1 cup cheddar cheese 
• 1 small can chopped chilies, undrained 
• 1/2 cup sour cream 
• 1 package taco seasoning 
• 2 rolls of crescent rolls 
• 1 small chopped tomato 
• 1 lime (juice) 
• 2/3 cup finely crushed tortilla chips

1. Chop chicken and add cheese, chilies, sour cream and taco mix. Add 2 tablespoons lime juice; add to chicken mixture. Reserve 2 Tblsp. crushed chips and add remaining chips to mixture.

2.Unroll crescent dough and separate triangles. Arrange on round baking stone or cookie sheet making a circle with wide ends OVERLAPPING in the center and points toward outside. There should be a 5 inch diameter opening in the center.

3. Spread chicken mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle.

4. Bring points of triangles up and over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at the center of the ring.  Sprinkle with 2 Tblsp. crushed chips. ( I put shredded cheese all on top!)

 5. Bake @ 375 for 20-25 minutes. Garnish with tomato and serve with salsa and sour cream. 

Even my pickiest eater loves this recipe.   This is also an easy recipe to get the kids to help with, and in my experience that makes them more likely to try something new. 

Enjoy!

Easter Weekend

We had a great Easter weekend!  The weather was perfect!  Saturday we had an egg hunt with our Home Team - it was so much fun! 

On Sunday, we went to Meme & Papa's for our Egg Hunt and dinner.  Bapa was the perfect Easter Bunny!

Karsyn filled up her bucket quickly and started giving her eggs to others. 

12 of the Great-grands on my mom's side of the family!  By Christmas, there will be 17!!  I love our BIG, Happy family!!!

Big News

We have big news in a very small package!  The Kirk Krew will be a family of 5 sometime around 12-16-11!!!  We are thrilled!!!

I didn't blog when I was preganant with the girls, but I've decided that I'll document all the milestones for this one. 

Week: 8

Baby Size: About the size of a blueberry.  The girls have nicknamed it Peanut!

My size/weight gain: I'm down 2 pounds this week.

Clothes:

I'm looking forward to the maternity jeans soon!  I feel like my body is already changing alot! I did buy a maternity bathing suit (my first EVER) this week.  I plan on swimming a LOT in Lolly's new pool!

Cravings:

I'm craving lots of meat!  I really want salty, greasy food.  I know that's bad, but I'm sure it will change. 

Symptoms:

Extremely tired - especially around 3 in the afternoon.  Luckily, the girls are extremely understanding and let me "rest" on the couch before dinner. 

Morning All Day Sickness has started!  I was this way with both girls for majority of my pregnancy, so I really don't have any expectations of it letting up. 

Sleep:

I'm waking up around 4 every morning!  This is not like me at all! I am quite the sleeper and could probably sleep through a tornado if it wasn't for me needing to go to the bathroom. 

Stories to not forget:

We told our families over Easter weekend.  We gave a gift to our parents that was a little onsie that said "Hi I'm New Here".  Everyone was very surprised and very excited!!  Landrie's initial reaction was tears - she was very worried about the attention the baby would be getting.  By the next morning, she was really excited though and she talks about the baby constantly!!! 

The girls have had tons of questions, mostly about how long I'll be in the hospital and who will take care of them while I'm gone.

Our due date is an interesting one...12-16-11 is the day before State Championship Football in Texas.  Considering that we have been to the last dance the last 2 years, we'll definitely be discussing a scheduled induction for this baby. 

More to come soon...I need to do an Easter post soon!

Made it Without My Hubby

Over Spring Break, I completed a long awaited project.  Last year, Lamar and I built this entertainment center which was a knock off of Ashley's and based off of Ana White's plans.

I knew I wanted drawers for the bottom of the unit, but didn't want just plain black drawers.  After Whitney built the storage crates for her girls' beds, I knew that was exactly what I wanted.

I measured my drawer spaces and then went to HD for my supplies--plywood, 1 x 3 furring strips, Gorilla glue and a brad nailer. I had HD cut the plywood for me, but I thought I could handle the furring strips with a handsaw---wrong!  Without a mitre box, I was making a mess cutting them and it was exhausting.  So...Lamar bought me a circular saw!  Woohoo!!!

Used GG and my brad nailer to make the bases.

Furring strips added on front and back.  NOTE TO SELF---make sure to use the right length of nails next time.  I had to redo this part. :(

While I worked, the girls played outside...it was wonderful!

Finished!!!



Love, love, love!!!



Look Who's 5!!!

I'm 5!!!!!

Make a Wish!

Happy Birthday Sweet Karsyn Alyssa!!!  You bring us so much joy each and every day!  I love you to inifinity and beyond!!!

•  

V is for Volcano

Last week, Karsyn's class studied the letter V. They made volcanoes at school using a medicine bottle, play dough, and food coloring. When we got home, all we had to do was add vinegar (vineKar per Karsyn) and a teaspoon of baking soda. She LOVED it!!!

Showering Shannon & Easton

My nephew will be here in about 2 months!!!  On Sunday, we showered Shannon and Easton with my cousins, aunt and grandmothers.  It was so much fun!  I can't wait to see Easton wear all of the adorable clothes he got!

We can't wait to meet Easton J!!!

Yummy shower food!  All of my favorites---artichoke dip, spinach dip, quiche, sausage balls, fruit & cupcakes!!!

Baby Showers = Games!  Baby food guessing game, Old Wives Tales & Name that Baby Tune

He's going to be one well-dressed little man!

Karsyn was extra "helpful" to Shanon with all of the gifts.

We had everyone write a note for Easton or Shanon on a set of diapers.  This was the one from Landrie.  She couldn't remember how to spell Easton, so she just wrote his initials.  She is so excited for him to be here!!!

Blastball

Karsyn is playing Blastball this Spring, which could be considered pre t-ball. They use softer balls and bats and everyone hits and scores. Their first game was on Saturday--it was so cute!!! I can't wait for them to play again.

Coach Matt & Caleb with a pre-game pep talk

The parents help out on the field so the kids know what to do. Lamar showed Karsyn the "ready" position. She went after every ball that was hit even if it wasn't in her area.

Swing batter, batter!!!!

Grand Slam! The last hit of the inning is a grand slam.

Soccer

Landrie decided to play soccer again this Spring for her 3rd season. We changed things up this year, and she's playing on an all girls team. Several of her teammates have never played before and it definitely seems to be more her speed.

Landrie's playing goalie in the above picture. She seems to like that position a lot! You can see Lamar and Karsyn watching from behind the goal.

Landrie's 2 biggest cheerleaders ~ Daddy & Karsyn

Project Time

I have so many projects that I want to try!

For my birthday, I got a new sewing machine and PhotoShop Elements. Last week, I bought myself a brad nailer and Lamar got me a circular saw. Now, if I could just find the time to sew, build and design I would be thrilled.

Sewing Projects:

• A digital camera strap like this
• Pillows for my living room
• Clothes for the girls

Building Projects:

• A bed for Karsyn like this one from Shanty 2 Chic and Knock Off Wood

Design Projects:

• Maybe revamping my blog?
• Just creatively editing my pictures

I'm so excited for summer to be here so I can work on these things and more. 9 weeks to go!!!

Mind Over Matter

**Warning---this might be offensive to some readers**

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I am a go, go, go type of person. Having kids didn't really change that. When Landrie was a baby, we were home for 1 full day before I had to get out of the house. I drove myself (oh my gosh!) to Wal-Mart when she was 3 days old. Lamar went back to work that same day too. Luckily, she was a good baby and would sleep any where we went. We could go to a friends house and stay until midnight if we wanted to.

With Karsyn, that didn't change. If anything, I was even more determined to be on the go. I came home from the hospital 28 hours after she was born. 3 days later, we went to church.

We've never not gone somewhere because of the girls. We go to restaurants regularly. It doesn't always go perfectly and sometimes we press our luck** (like this weekend). But the girls are learning how to act in public. Two Saturdays in a row, we went out to eat with 18+ people. It was great! The kids had a good time, and the adults were able to carry on a conversation for the most part.

I just get so surprised when I read about people (mostly on blogs) that shut down their lives for months at a time because they don't want to take their kids anywhere. They will eventually have to go out in public. How will they act then?

I'm just a mind over matter girl. If you think it's going to be hard, or horrible, it probably will be. If you have the mindset that you can do anything, you probably can.

Just my personal ramblings and opinions...

**This weekend, Karsyn got sick in the middle of a frozen yogurt store. Not my finest moment.