Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

{picture taken before sauce was added}

 

This recipe was too good not to share!

 

I found it in this cookbook...

I have been a fan of Hungry Girl for years.

 

You can find the recipe HERE.

Of course I doctored it a bit to make it extra spicy.

I also added blue cheese...which was such a good idea.

I know what you're thinking...I just went over the 300 calories!

And I am thinking...so what! In a nice voice, of course. :)

 

I have made it twice in the last two weeks.

 

If you try it...let me know what you think!

 

 

 

Valentine's Day 2013

Brady informed me a week before Valentine's Day that he was not going to pass out Valentine's to his class.  I'm not really sure if this is because it starts to get a little embarrassing by 4th grade to give girls cards that say "I think you're sweet" or "be mine"....or if he was just being lazy.  He just didn't feel like doing it.   He did however give out candy that he put in a bag to take to school.  Not cute little individual heart bags...but a big old freezer bag.  Times are changing around here for sure.



 

Because Brady wasn't all that into the ocassion, this was all I gave him on Valentine's morning...





and in true Brady fashion, he was thrilled with just this.

 

 

I think the days of making these, these, and these, are just about over.  Sometimes I find myself feeling sad about this...which is ridiculous...I know.  It's just that I was good at that.  I often worry that I will not be good at this next phase that is right around the corner.  Anyway, I woke up yesterday morning and was looking at pictures on the computer of previous Valentine's Days and feeling sorry for myself that no one in this house was excited about this year's LOVE day.

Boy was I wrong.

 

When I walked into the kitchen I found this waiting for me...

 





 

Eric got me flowers and made me a card...and he and Brady had picked up a gift for me the week before.  I started to cry...because in that moment, I realized I had forgotten who my true Valentine is and always will be.  My husband.

 

 

 

And, as it turns out...somebody else what pretty excited about suprising me on Valentine's Day too!

 

Times are changing around here for sure...but some things I know will always stay the same.

 

Thanks Eric and Brady for always making me feel loved...everyday.

 

 

 

I hope your Valentine's Day was filled with love and a little

suprise or two!

 

 

 

 

 

 



Checking In and Catching Up

 

I hope if you were hit with lots of snow these last few days that you are safe and warm inside...and enjoying some family time.  Fortunately for us, we only got a rainy snowy mix that will be gone in a day or two when our temps warm up this week.  We are happy about that!

 

*************

I have missed keeping up with this little blog of mine.  I have wondered the last couple of months why I haven't found made the time to post and I haven't been able to come up with a reason....other than the usual busy-ness of life.  That was, until this week.  I'm actually a pretty private person when it comes to things that concern me...and I keep lots of things to myself. I like to think I'm a strong person, and I don't really want others worrying about me.  It's just the way I am.  Anyway, after three mammograms, an ultra sound and a biopsy, I received a call from the surgeon this week that my test results were negative and I do not have breast cancer. I am fine.  I get teary typing this.  I know so many others who are not so lucky.  I have been surrounded by that awful disease my entire life.  My great grandmother had breast cancer, my grandma had it at the age of 45 and my aunt at the age of 49.  That is why I started getting my mammograms at the age of 35.   Anyway, after worrying about this since Thanksgiving, a huge weight has been lifted and I feel so much lighter and oh so thankful. 

 

******************

 

I need to catch up on a few things first for memories sake before I can continue on.  Feel free to skip over to someone else's blog right now and read about Valentine's Day instead of last years news!  You won't hurt my feelings one bit!

 

 

For the first time ever, I was able to host Thanksgiving this year at our house.  It ended up being just the three of us, my in-laws and Eric's brother.  It was a wonderful day and I was so excited to get the opportunity to do it all.  I kept it simple...I like to think it was a good practice run for years to come.  (Brady wanted up at 6am so he could help me clean and stuff the turkey.  He had never seen one like this before...and well, he was pretty grossed out afterwards and ended up not eating any turkey at all.)

 

 

 

On Christmas Eve, Brady and I decided to join in the 26 Acts of Kindness in memory of those lives that were lost in the Sandy Hook school shooting.  I was inspired by my friends Nicolle and Holly and I knew it would be something special for Brady and I to do together.  We waited until Christmas Eve, because Brady wanted to do something similiar to last year.  It was probably my favorite thing about Christmas this year.  A couple of times Brady and I got a little teary and I know it is something we will both never forget.  I also have a feeling a new Christmas Eve tradition has begun. 

 

 

 

Brady and I made oreo cookie truffles this Christmas...that's it.  They are his favorite...so I'm glad we at least made those!   I had Eric get a few pictures of Brady and I baking together after reading a post from Sarah over at Clover Lane.  I want Brady to someday see me mothering in pictures...even if I don't have make up on or I'm overweight or my hair isn't perfect.  This is me...and being Brady's mom is so much more important than how I view myself in pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Eve and new pj's.

Another year of believing wholeheartedly.  We are thinking we will break the news to him before Easter.  It is time.  He thinks he can ask for whatever he wants for Christmas...because it is "free anyway."  We also don't want him to be embarrassed and so I think it will be better if he hears it from us than someone else.

 

 

A few of Brady's favorite gifts...

 

 

I put this together on Christmas Eve and baked it Christmas morning.  It was so good. 

 

One tube of Grands biscuits cut into quarters.  Mix two eggs and a third cup of milk and pour over biscuits.  Top with bacon, scallions and cheddar cheese.  Bake at 350 until done.

 

 

Thanks for following along...if you're still with me.

I hope to do better in 2013.

 

~Kerri

 



Merry Christmas

 





Tis' The Season

It was such a beautiful afternoon when we went to pick out our tree...always one of my favorite days of the year.



 



I mentioned in the gift shop while we were waiting to pay for our Chrismtas tree that I liked this snowman.  Brady insisted on buying it for our house.  I tried to talk him out of it but he said it was his money and Christmas is about giving.  It's one of those moments I will never forget....and will always be one of my favorite decorations.

 



 

 

It's one month today that we've had Steffi.  She's such a sweet, loving, feisty dog!  She's doing so well with potty training...other than not wanting to be outside when it's raining.  I've only had one  breakdown since we've had her where I may have gone to bed crying and asking Eric how long dogs usually live for?  In my defense, it wasn't a good time of the month and we had had cold rainy weather for six straight days.  And, although I complain that it feels like we have a 2 year old in the house and I'm not always ready to get up in the morning when she is ready...she is growing on us more than I could have ever imagined.

 

 

The only cookies we made this Christmas were oreo cookie truffles.  They are Brady's favorite and he could make them all by himself if he wanted.  I can't believe that's the only cookie/candy that we made.  But, with working full time, Brady's crazy tennis schedule, and a new puppy...it's the best I could do.  I will try and do better next year. :)

 

 

 

We had our annual Santa get together last Sunday with friends.

Brady told Santa he wants a lap top.

 

 

 

I've been practicing with my new camera. :)  I think Eric was tired of me telling him I was the only one in the world without a dslr...and so he bought me one on Cyber Monday.  I knew it was going to take some getting used to...but I feel clueless.  I read things online to try and learn my camera...but I'm thinking I may need to take a very basic class.  I'm excited though...and very thankful.

 

 

 

Happy Christmas Eve!



I Knew He Would Do It

      





                                                                                                                



1 year without a drop of soda!

 

On December 15, 2011 Brady decided to give up soda for one year.  It came out of the blue.  We questioned him a couple of times as to why he wanted to do this but he never really had a clear answer.  I think it was ultimately something he wanted to prove to himself that he could do.  Maybe it had something to do with seeing me give up diet mountain dew for almost 2 years.  I most certainly haven't been the best example to Brady this past year.  After going so long without soda,  I started that awful habit back up again in August.  Eric and I are rarely without soda in our fridge and we make stops daily often when we are out and about to get a fountain soda. Brady never wavered in his decision though despite us,  not once.  He never even seemed tempted.  And, let me just make it clear, he loves soda as much as the next guy.  He never talked about it.  When we were out to eat, he would order water or lemonade without hesitation.  If he was at a birthday party where only soft drinks were offered, he went without a drink.    I'm just so proud of him.  He's been a great example to Eric and I.

 

Last week when I went grocery shopping, Brady asked if I would pick up a small pack of Dr. Pepper.  He wanted to have one to celebrate his one year mark.   

When I blogged about this last January, I said in my last senctence, "I have no doubt he will make it a year without."

I love his determination.

 

Congratulations Brady!  You did it!

 

 

 

*To my readers- sorry I have been non existent over here.  I'm just trying to do the best I can with keeping up in all areas...however, my blog is one of the areas I have let go.  I would like to try and catch up with November and December before the New Year gets here!  Life is good.  Working, school, tennis, the holidays and a puppy are keeping us busy.  I love looking back over all the memories I have in this little blog of mine and want to continue with it.  Thanks to all of you who take the time to check in over here.  I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone's blog over Christmas vacation!  

 

Kerri

 

 

 

 



Our Black Friday Suprise!

 

 

 

Yep, we have an addition to our family!

 

Brady has been wanting a dog for a few years and this year he has been saying that it's the only thing he wants for Christmas.  We explained to him that a dog just wasn't going to work for us...and that we were sorry.  However, after months of thought, discussion and debate, Eric and I decided that we would make it work for our family.

 

We had planned to suprise Brady on Christmas morning with a dog.  We had it all planned out.  We would pick up the dog on Christmas Eve and our neighbor would keep it until Brady was asleep.  We would then bring the new puppy home and put a bow on her for Christmas morning.  But, as we all know, things don't always work out the way we plan for them to.

 

 

 

Brady spent the night at Eric's parents Thanksgiving night so that Eric and I could do a little Black Friday shopping.  No one knew we were actually looking at dogs.  We had appointments lined up all day Friday to see different puppies we had researched.  (In order for me to not drive my family crazy, we needed to get a dog that didn't shed.)  Steffi was our first stop...at an Amish farm not far from Brady's school.  When we pulled in, they had her in a little fenced pen in the driveway for us to see her.  She was chasing a leaf all around in a circle.  When I picked her up, she laid her head on my shoulder.  Our other two requirements- a dog that would be playful and chase Brady around, and a dog that would be able to sit and cuddle.  Anyway, we both really liked this dog.  We left there and went to see another dog and then headed to lunch.  Eric and I weren't very excited to go see all the other dogs and felt in our heart that she was the one.

 

We had already asked the Amish lady when we were there if she would be able to keep the puppy until Chrismtas Eve.  She said she could...although we would be missing out on prime housebreaking time.  After lunch, I called the lady back and told her we wanted the puppy....today.  We were not going to leave her there for another month.

 

We picked Brady up later that afternoon and told him we needed to go pick up the new fridge we bought....and headed out to the Amish farm.  When we pulled into the farm, she was again in the driveway waiting to be picked up.  Brady went right over to pet her....and that's when we told him the dog was his to keep.  He laughed at first and thought we were joking.  I think he was in shock most of the evening!

 

 

Brady named her Steffi....after Steffi Graf.

She's 14 weeks old.

Steffi follows Brady everywhere he goes and loves to be held.

She chases him in the backyard.  She wants to be near someone at all times.  And, she fetches tennis balls! :)

 

We love her already.