One More Day - The Gigantic Giveaway...

Just wanted to send out a reminder that there is only one more day to enter the Gigantic Giveaway going on over at Be Thou a Knight...DEADLINE TO ENTER IS MARCH 30th!

And please keep praying for baby Stellan. There has been little change all week, many up and downs but he is still in constant SVT. There are updates on Twitter during the day and usually an update at night of the day's activities from MckMama. Or click the button on my sidebar to the right to go straight to her blog.

Please Pray for Stellan!

I confess...I am probably not considered a very religious person by the people who know me, but I do have faith and feel very deeply...although I suffer many doubts too. I'm leaning toward the 'having faith' side right now and asking that everyone please pray for baby Stellanas I am and have been since I came to 'know' him last fall. This precious baby boy was diagnosed with Supra Ventricular Tachycardia before he was born and not expected to live. But God listened to prayers from all over the world, and he was born healthy...not a sign of a heart problem and even survived RSV last December. Last night he was taken to the ER and later transferred by ambulance the a Children's Hospital with breathing problems and diagnosed with SVT...what a shock! The ultrasound is showing an enlarged heart and they have spent most of the night and today trying to get his heartbeat to come down (it's been 300 beats per minute!)

There has been no news since this morning so that is of great concern but please check MckMama's My Charming Kids blog for updates and PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!

Chicken & Bacon Wraps...

Back in January, my daughter-in-love, Lianna, sent me a couple of pictures and a recipe for Chicken & Bacon Wraps. Finally, I tried it out last night and am now wondering why I waited so long! It was SOOOOOOOO good!

Chicken & Bacon Wraps

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast cutlets (thinly sliced)
Any kind of Cajun type seasoning
Sliced Jalapenos
Bacon

Cut the chicken into strips. Season generously. I didn't have any Cajun seasoning on hand so I used garlic pepper, crushed red pepper and minced onions. Put a couple of slices of jalapenos on chicken and roll up with bacon. Secure with toothpicks. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until chicken is done. I placed it under the broiler for a few more minutes to crisp up the bacon. I served it with Uncle Ben's Mushroom Recipe rice and green beans. A perfect meal!

I also wanted to take this opportunity to remind you about the GIGANTIC Giveaway going on over at Be Thou A Knight.

This is huge and for a truly worthy cause. There will be 4 lucky winners...yes, that's right...4! The deadline to enter is March 30th...so mark your calendars and don't be left out!

A Day at the Park

A day at the park? Maybe more like closer to an hour... Yesterday, Susan invited me to go with Mikey and her to the park. We have several around here and the one she chose just happened to be Mike and David's old stomping grounds. This park has been converted from University Country Club, that included an 18-hole golf course, swimming pool and tennis courts. Now don't get me wrong...this was not one of those hoity-toity country clubs. It was very family-friendly and the fact that G-Ma lived right across the street from it and was an avid golfer made it super easy for them to take full advantage.

But anyway, back to the park. When the club was sold (by some very dear friends, I might add), it was renamed to Blue Cypress and converted to a 9-hole golf course, a playground, a hiking trail and I think there's even a boat ramp to the St. John's River.

So off we went. We were probably there for less than an hour but it was plenty of time for Mikey to get his face dirty, learn how much fun a slide is, play with a basketball, pick up pieces a trash in the mulch - you name it - he did it. So here are a few pictures...I think they speak for themselves. (And by the way, while I was trying to take pictures, he wore his Mom slap out!!!!
In D-Ma's car...where am I going?

And this is my favorite...here he is, 2 days past 18 months old and he's found a friend. This sweet little girl - she seemed like she was there by herself - went down the slide a couple of times next to him and then put out her hand to him...is that sweet or what????

Another Friday the 13th Bunco...

What are the odds...two Friday the 13th's back to back...and they just happened to fall on the second Friday of the month, our Bunco night!

This past Friday we actually played Bunco for the first time in months. I didn't realize how much I missed it...we had so much fun!

The pictures are definitely lacking in the quality department but I think you'll get the idea. (hint, hint...if anyone wants to buy me a present, a new camera would be sweet!)
Tammy and her brown bag! ha!
Babs with green clover shades on!
Break time - Melody on the phone!
Brenna & Litsa-mother/daughter night out!
Prima ballerinas...
Yay for me...bunco!
Brenna - the Biggest Loser!
Katie - a lucky winner!
Sue - won her money back!
Jill - another lucky winner!
Cindy - not the Biggest Loser...

Unfortunately, this picture had the worst quality of all but Rhonda was our hostess and I didn't want to leave her out!
Rhonda and her daughter Olivia...

In honor of St. Patrick's Day coming up, Rhonda made a Mexican Chicken Rice Casserole...ha! As you can see, though, there was very little leftover!


Tex-Mex Chicken 'n' Rice Casserole

1 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp. margarine, butter or olive oil
1 6.6-oz. package regular chicken-flavored rice-vermicelli mix (Rice-a-Roni)
1 cup long grain rice
2 14-oz. cans chicken broth
2 1/2 cups water
4 cups cooked chicken or turkey
4 medium tomatoes (I probably used canned)
1 4-oz. can diced green chili peppers, drained
2 tbsp. snipped fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin seed, crushed or 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 oz.)

In a 3-quart saucepan cook onion in hot margarine, butter or oil until tender. Stir in rice-vermicelli mix, including seasoning package, and uncooked rice. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Stir in broth and water. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Cover and simmer 20 minutes (liquid will be be full absorbed).

Transfer the mixture in a very large mixing bowl. Stir in chicken or turkey, tomato, chili peppers, basil, chili powder, cumin and pepper. Transfer to a 3-quart casserole.

Bake, covered, in a 425 degree F oven for 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 5 minutes more. Makes 12 servings.

Tip: you can make this ahead and bake for 30 minutes instead of 20.

Pray for Abby Now!

"
It's more important now than ever...Abby had her last round of 'this round' of chemo a few days ago and she is not doing well at all. She has absolutely NO immune system and has a massive infection around her G-tube. This poor child has been through so much and can still manage to flash a smile, even when she's at her worst. But this infection is bad and she is in a very scary place right now. This is the most recent post from her father earlier this evening. Please pray for her with everything you have!

If you want to learn more about Abby's story please read the Riggs Family Blog...Where Laughter Lives. Even though there is so much heartache with Abby right now, there is also hope and so much to be thankful for and I know you'll come away truly inspired. Abby's story gives a whole new meaning to "don't sweat the small stuff"!

Pray for this sweet, sweet girl!

When An Uncreative Mind Creates...You Get...

You probably know by now that I love hot stuff...the hotter, the better. Well, tonight I came up with the following concoction and I, for one, was not disappointed. I hope you'll try it and not be disappointed either!

Cheesy Chicken and Spinach

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 16 oz. package frozen spinach
1 cup 2% shredded cheddar cheese (mild or sharp)
1-2 tbsp. black olives, sliced
Frank's Red Hot Sauce
Garlic Pepper
Pam Olive Oil spray
Fresh lemon
Heat skillet sprayed with PAM. Brown chicken breasts seasoned with garlic pepper and lemon juice. While chicken is browning, cook spinach in microwave on high for 4 minutes.
Now pour Frank's Red Hot Sauce on chicken breasts and arrange on top of spinach...
Top with cheddar cheese and sliced olives.
Bake covered in a 325 degree oven for 20 minutes...remove cover and bake for 10 more minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

And there's more...

Check out my sidebar...Greeting Cards for Our Garden is now an official website! Just click on the button and you're there...

Or if you'd rather, just go to Lianna's Etsy Store and choose from the collection there.

And last but not least, you can't pass up the GIGANTIC Giveaway...deadline to enter is March 30th and there are 4, yes 4 packages to be had! Don't be left out of this one!

The Gigantic Giveaway...

Do you want to be part of something big? Do you want to be part of something special? Do you want to share just a little of what you have with a couple who long to have children? Who wouldn't want to? Please join in and be a part of the Gigantic Giveaway! There are 4 packages...yes, you heard right...I said 4 packages! The list of prizes is endless and all for such a worthy cause!


Click on over to Be Thou a Knight and check it out. Read some of the story there and if that sparks your interest, there's a more in depth insight into their journey on Growing Our Own Garden. The deadline is midnight DST, March 30th so there's plenty of time to get your entries in...but don't wait too long...you know the old saying, "Out of sight, out of mind". You can't pass this one up!


And a special thank you to all those who been so supportive of Lianna and the DH through their journey. In case you didn't already know, it means the world to them!

Long Overdue...

UPDATE: Grandma Barb is back and here until Tuesday! Hold onto your horses...I feel more pictures coming!

Last weekend, my other daughter-in-love Susan's mom swept into town for a couple of days from a frozen tundra somewhere in Michigan to have some fun in the sun and spend some quality time with Mikey. Barb drove by herself no less! But she made some visits along the way, including her son and his wife and then had plans to meet some old friends down south when she left here.

So we got together Saturday night for dinner and a nice visit. By the way, we had Cajun Chicken Pasta for dinner and it was delicious! I'll have to get the recipe from Mike and post it later on.

Well, I took a ton of pictures...Mike was kind of irritated with me, ha! These are long overdue...it's been a week! But I'm going to try and share some of the best ones with you...don't want you to get bored...

We started out in the backyard on the swingset. And man, does he ever crack up when Mike throws the ball for Mully to fetch...he thinks that is hilarious!
Mikey does love that swing!

Grandma Barb was out playing golf when I got there so she missed the backyard play but had plenty of time to love up on him when she got back...
Grandma Barb points out the nutritional value of pasta (or a box), ha!

Back inside, we got his PlayHut out. It's one of those things that just spring into being and can be flattened in a nano-second!
Peek-a-boo, I see you!
Mikey likes to concentrate in private!

Two of Mikey's favorite positions are hanging upside down or flying...

Do I see stunt pilot in his future?

And what night wouldn't be complete without him showing us his fashionista side?
Work that catwalk, baby!

A night time bath must be fit into every child's busy schedule and oh, is it the 'funnest' part of the day or what!

Do you like my hair?Toga Boy!

Look what the stork brought in!