Abs? What's that?

Ugh. I hate getting dressed every morning. When you're in your pajamas, they are big and comfortable and hide things....and it's okay to be a sloppy joe in them. You just spent (hopefully) 8 hours curled up, asleep in them. But then, you have to get dressed. That's the part of the day I hate. I hate it not because of my wardrobe, or my lack of interesting clothes to wear, but because of the way my body looks in my clothes. I hate that when I stand to the side and look in the mirror, my non-pregnant gut sticks out in front as far as my butt sticks out in the other direction. I am as thick as I am wide.....I am disgusting. My underwear line was showing through my JEANS. Those are supposed to be safe pants....not anymore.
I need to excersize. I don't know how I am supposed to work out when I have a toddler. I don't have a nanny. I don't have a gym in my basement. I can't leave her here with the dog, or expect my mom to keep her all of the time. Mike gets home too late and irregularly for me to wait for him to come home to go. If I went to the gym, I wouldn't even know where to begin or how to work the stupid machines.
I need to quit eating. Period. I don't eat that much, really. There isn't anything in my house to eat, so I am a little confused as to how I am so lardish. Eating healthy is expensive, and I have no money.
Can you tell I just got out of the shower and got dressed? I am so depressed... I don't like myself right now.

recipes from my brag session

Hey :) Here are recipes from my brag session:

Here's a link to the Blondie recipe - it is SO delicious!

Here's the recipe for the burgers - unfortunately not a link. I got it from a friend of mine who saved it from a website, but couldn't remember the website so sent me her copy...

Applebee's Quesadilla Burgers:
flour tortillas
butter, softened
Pepper Jack cheese slices
shredded Cheddar Cheese
* southwest seasoned burger (recipe for seasoning mix follows**)
pico de gallo (recipe follows)

*hint - have everything ready when you start..it moves quickly!* You'll get the hang of it after your 3rd one!*

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Spread half the butter on one side of each tortilla. (I could only find ginormous tortillas, so I trimmed them) Put one tortilla, butter side down in the hot pan. Place a slice of pepper jack cheese on tortilla, sprinkle the cheeses evenly onto the center of the tortilla in the pan - but not all the way to the edges. Add the PRE-COOKED seasoned (if you want) burger and let it get melted into the cheeses good and the tortilla browned (about 45-90 seconds). Pick up with a spatula, place other buttered tortilla in the pan, spread more shredded cheese (cause you can't have enough and it's a good glue) add pico stuff then flip the burger half on top. (like a grilled cheese sandwich). When the bottom side is browned, about 45-90 seconds, remove the quesadilla from the pan and, using a pizza cutter, cut through the middle like a pizza.
Make it pretty by adding a little spoonful of pico de gallo between the halves.

**Southwest Seasoning Mix (good to add to the burgers if you want them HOT - but not necessary for a good sandwich)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Combine all ingredients and use to season hamburger. Use 1 heaping spoon full of seasoning in 1 pound burger.

Pico de Gallo
(This makes the sandwich - really. I also didn't have time to let it set for 6 hours?!?! I just made it before I cooked the burgers and it was great)
3 large tomatoes diced
1 large onion diced
2 Tbsp. diced Jalapenos (didn't use this...)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro (diced)
2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
Mix all ingredients together in large container until well blended. Allow sitting for at least 6 hours, it is better if allowed to sit overnight.

ENJOY!!!!

Craft time again!

I made Elli a new hat! I'll probably make her a couple more like this - smaller flowers, though. I actually was browsing a website that I love and saw this:

And made this:
They're not the most flattering photos of Elli that I have. I had to bribe her with a cracker to sit there for 15 seconds so i could take a picture. The flower is enormous, but it's pretty darn cute. I actually almost bought a larger flower. That one might have eaten her.

Applebees

Tonight I had dinner at Applebees. Well, not literally AT Applebees. I had Applebees dinner in my Grandmas house, that I made, and was awesome. I made their quesadilla burgers and walnut blondies. Bring it on Applebees...bring it on. I rocked those recipes! Man, they were good. Sorry, no pictures. We ate them too quick.

Is this too much for one day?

While I have the chance, I am catching up on my blog.... too much excitement? Not much on here except great pictures of Elli - but then again, what does anyone else want?

So here are some more! :)

Swim class - blurry, but you get the idea:

Cute dress I found at Walmart for $3. It's one of her few super fancy dresses she has now - they are too expensive to buy when she wouldn't wear them that often.....but look how cute!

Little mommy

Elli loves her "BEEBEE!!!"s - her "BeBA!!!!"s - her "beeeebeeeeee"s. We now have 4 at our house - there is at least one in her hand at all times. It doesn't matter which one, just as long as she has one. At least two have to go with us if we go anywhere. It is funny to me that she isn't even 15 months old and she's nuts about baby dolls! (The babies, by the way, are laying on this "nap mat" that I made the other day. I thought it would be nice for visiting and travelling when there isn't a crib available. And a lot more comfortable than just the floor). Thanks Grandma Becky for the lastest addition to our family! How nice that she came with a bottle and an extra set of clothes. One baby had no clothes and so baby 4 is letting her wear her extra set. Elli loves to feed them!

Funny girl!

Here are some goofy pictures of my little girl - no explanations needed.... (3 teeth here)

(4 teeth here)

Oy-vay

I am losing my brain. I am losing my sense of self. I am gaining weight. I wish it was the opposite!
Let's see.... I haven't had time to brush my teeth, so I haven't had time to blog. Okay. That's not true. I have chosen not to blog, and rather just surf the net for some crafty ideas I can make. I have been into making things for Elli lately. Today I made her some really cute pants (pictures later). I cut off some jeans that I got really cheap and sewed some fabric onto the bottoms....cute! She likes them...she told me. She is talking like crazy! I still can't understand her, but it's getting better. She's sleeping right now - she's not in a napping mood today. She keeps waking up and fussing, but since I am ignoring her, she's going back to sleep. It's been a long day. We finished swim lessons last week. I haven't got any pictures up, because I don't have any good ones. They are on my mom's computer.
I have been working about 3 days a week...just enough to keep me from going to the gym. I have tried to think of a regular time that I could go... but I can't. Since I only have mom to babysit - and she's busy and I don't want her to feel taken advantage of or annoyed or anything, and I already use her a lot, I don't want to have to use her. Mike is busy every single day of the week and can't help me. They have day care there at the Y, but it seems gross and dirty -like she'd get sick all of the time. Argh...maybe if I quit eating.
It's 4:30 and I haven't even got dressed today. I've not had the chance. I am such a slob! Ugh! I hate this! What is wrong with me?! My stomache is expanding and jello like....my butt is blowing out of my jeans....I have mushroom hips from the excess over flow at my waist.....I don't have the excuse anymore that "I just had a baby" or "i'm pregnant"....I'm "just fat"....
I just need to vent.

I'm back

This is the first moment that has lasted longer than 2 minutes that I have had in a long time. That's why I haven't been blogging - to those of you who care. And I am already being hollered at, so this won't be long.

Last week Mike had an arthroscopic knee surgery to repair a torn miniscus. So he was out for a few days - which meant that I have done everything. I didn't realize how much I have depended on him coming home and relieving me for a little bit while I recouperate and gather myself for the rest of the evening. I have had to take care of him and a young toddler - and it was crazy....I didn't do a very good job taking care of him. I was also helping to redecorate a ladies bathroom/lounge in the church (if I remember, I'll take pictures), build huge dividing screens for a church service that Mike preaches in, and take care of my house. I was off of work while Mike was recovering, so at least I didn't have to do that. But, I am really far behind in school - which I hate more than anything. I so much want to succeed in this class - even though I am just auditing it...I still need this. If I can't do this, how am I supposed to go back to school for credit?

I am back to work now, still behind in class, and still exhausted and I need a vacation. I want to go to the beach....or to anywhere other than here. I think I am depressed. Seriously.

Elli got her 4th tooth today. It is her second top front tooth. It was so nasty last night. It was almost through the skin, but wasn't yet - so it was all bloody and swollen like a blood blister - it was awful, I felt so bad for her. I gave her some teething tablets and infant motrin and nursed her to bed. She slept fine and when she woke up, there was only a little skin stretched over the tooth, but there was no blood and no pressure like there was. After work today, it looks great! It's through!

My good friend Jill had her second baby today - Isabella Faith...today also happens to be her first child's 1st birthday! What a day!

I've put Elli's hair into little pony tails...they don't last all day, but it's fun to try. She doesn't think it's all that fun, but it's cute. I tell her that if she wants to be the prettiest girl in school, she has to go through this. (Ha! Not really.)

Here's a couple of cute shots of her and daddy watching Baby Einstein:

Here's a couple good pictures of her curly hair! I don't know what to do with curly hair! I think it is more than just baby curls....

I just realized, after scrolling through this and checking pictures, that there are a lot of pictures of Elli's crown. I guess that's one way to get a-head in life....now, that's using her head!....She's got a real head on her shoulders.....can you think of any other stupid "head" jokes? Ha! I know Lois can! We've come up with them before! :)