Twice Baked Potatoes

*Potatoes (wash, season with oil, salt & pepper, wrap in foil & cook in slow cooker on high for 4 hours)
*cooked, chopped bacon*Olive oil
*butter
*milk or heavy whipping cream
*sour cream
*shredded cheese
*Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 425.

Slice potato in half lengthwise. Spoon out all but 1/4″ around the edge.

Put potato insides to a medium bowl, add cream/milk, butter, sour cream, cheese, bacon, salt and pepper. Whip with beaters until smooth.

Brush entire potato shell with olive oil. Transfer to a cast iron skillet or a baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove skins from oven, fill w/ mashed potato filling. Top w/ extra cheese and bacon.

Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Serve hot, w/ sour cream, if desired.

Times Like These

Times like these make me stop, think and count my blessings...

I am grateful that I get to stay at home with my children to teach them so many things before I send them out into the real world to be taught by others.
Strangely enough this thought comes into my head simply because I found my almost 3 year old sons lunch paper plate in the garbage can and fork in the sink. I am thankful to be turning him into a clean man someday ...

Before lunch all I had to say was... Nothing... I sat his food down in front of him and all on his own he recited "God is good, God is great. Let us, thank Him, for this food, we eat, AMEN!"

Right after lunch was time for nap. This is one of my most treasured parts of my day. Everyday that passes I feel closer and closer to my amazing, loving son God blessed me with! As I tuck him into bed we pray together "now I lay me down to sleep......." He grins ear to ear the entire time, beams with pride, and always concludes with a very enthusiastic "amen!!!"

More to come....

Baby Fever

My baby fever is getting so intense
that I'm contemplating going up to the attic
to see if Addy's clothes still have that
sweet baby aroma on them
and bury my face into them...

Potty Bribery

"Potty Bribery"
Been trying to potty train Alex for several months...
hoping this might do the trick!

Ugh.. Laundry...

sn: at least the boy is cracking me up while doing it! "mama, here's your boobie thingie!"
sn#2: at least I have ALL the laundry caught up - better take a picture - moments like these are very few & far between!

Alex's First Trip to the Dentist

Rainbow

Alex Christian: "mama, I drew a rainbow!"
(I really, really like what the
hanging-from-the-ceiling-Christmas-lights
in my office do to photos taken in this room!)

A Sign?

so when I was at McD's playland today; aside from listening the the preteen boy blurt everything that came into his skull, the snotty SAHM's whine, other unruly kids run amok and hit my child! I did end up having lovely conversations with all three of those women/parents. All three 1) single mother of three 2) married woman, mother of three and a 3) husband & wife w/ three children. All three situations said that it is much easier to have three kids. Going from one to two children was "incredibly hard" - said all three and going from two to three kids was "a piece of cake!" What an interesting day it was. I think it was a sign...