Recipe Friday!!!

I made this soup last night.. it was super yummy. It is a great recipe to double and freeze half. Just leave out the potatoes. Enjoy.

Chicken and Corn Chowder

5 slices of bacon (about 1/2 pound)
1/2 a rotisserie chicken (about 4 cups of chicken), shredded
1 Onion, chopped
4 ribs of celery, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/4 corn starch
1 1/2 cups frozen whole kernal corn
1 can (14.5 oz) creamed corn
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
3-4 red potatoes, peeled and boiled - optional. leave out if freezing
Green onion


Cook bacon and set aside. Save some of the drippings to saute the onion and celery. Mix the corn starch with milk. In a large stalk pot add chicken broth, milk, corn, chicken, potatoes, most of the bacon, onion and celery. Bring soup to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow soup to thicken. Then add in cheddar cheese and serve. Garnish with bacon and green onions




Happy Cooking!

6 Months old

Yes its true... Gideon is 6 months old today. It feels like just yesterday we welcomed him into the world, yet so much has happened since that day. It kind of feels like a lifetime ago. I try to image what life was like before Gideon came along, and it is so hard to remember what it was like. It seems like it has always just been the 3 of us. I do miss the time where it was just Jared and I.. we could come and go as we pleased and do whatever we wanted. But I would not trade Gideon for anything. He brings so much laughter and joy to our lives. I have experienced a depth of love that I never knew existed. God is teaching me so much through being a momma. I am so thankful for these past 6 months and the many years to come. 


At this point, Gideon has learned to roll over, sit up (although he still falls over at times), smile, laugh, get up on his hands and knees and rock, scoot backwards, reach for toys, hold on to toys, chew on everything, and has two teeth! He is getting so big! 

Momma loves you little buddy!

First tooth!

We have been having so much fun around the Lyda house lately. Gideon brings so much laughter to Jared and I. At night when Jared gets home from work, we often just sit and let Gideon entertain us! He is so funny. He makes the cutest faces at us and loves to laugh. He has such a sweet spirit. Its hard to believe that he will be 6 months old next week. The time is just flying by. I feel so blessed to be able to stay at home with him 


Poor little babes though, has been teething for quite some time. Looking back over the last month or so, his sleep has been way off and he has been much more cranky... all signs of teething. Im not sure why I didn't put the pieces of the puzzle together until AFTER he cut his first tooth on Tuesday this week!!!! I was feeling bad last week because I had given him Tylenol quite a bit because it was really the only thing that would calm him down at night so that he would go to bed. I was actually afraid I was over medicating him... its a fine line for sure. (I still don't think I'm super in tune with my "motherly instinct") It was kind of a relief to know that he actually was teething and in pain when I had given him the medicine instead of just wanting some to be held before bed or needing attention. I went to a local store here called Mother's Haven and picked up a homeopathic teething remedy. It has clove and chamomile in it so it soothes his gums and also helps him to relax. Two very good things for a cranky, uncomfortable, tired, teething baby! 


I have been super bad about taking pictures lately, but here is a bath time picture of Jared and Gideon. He is getting so big and looking like his daddy more and more every day!! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Time for an update

Wow- It really has been way too long since I have given a family update. This could be a long one, so please bear with me! 

For Christmas we were able to go visit my family in Boise. It was so wonderful to get to spend some great quality time with both of my parents as well as my brother, sister-in-law and oh so cute nephew! My nephew, Christopher, is 2 years old and loves "baby Gideon." Though I'm pretty sure that he was more excited to see Uncle Jared than any of us! 

We were home in time for New Years and had a fun evening out with our friends Ben and Bonnie. Thankfully both sets of Grandparents love to see their grandkids, so we were able to go out to dinner and see a movie. 

The new year has brought lots of change to our baby boy. He weened himself from a swaddle while we were visiting in Boise. Some of you might thing thats no big deal, however, I am thankful to have not lots a wink of sleep over it. Something I was sure dreading once he started to roll over. Speaking of rolling over... Gideon is now a roller. He can roll from his back to his stomach effortlessly and does so anytime I put him on the ground. Along with the rolling, he is getting up on his hands and knees. Crawling could be just right around the corner. For now though, he will be pushing himself backwards. 

Right before Christmas, we learned that Gideon could be allergic to milk. I was told to go on a strict dairy and soy free diet. It was painful to not be able to take full advantage of the yummy Christmas meals and treats. Although, my dad and I were able to bake some of my favorite spritz cookies dairy free. I was thankful to not gain any weight =) After getting back from Boise, the doctor confirmed that Gideon is indeed allergic to milk. I had the option to stop breast feeding and switch to formula, but I chose to stick with breast feeding and alter my diet. I love breast feeding and the bond that I have with Giddy because of it. I am not ready to give it up yet! So far, things are going well. It gets challenging when we go over to friend's houses for dinner and such, but to me its totally worth it. 

2011 is treating us well so far. We were incredibly blessed in 2010 and are praying for God's continued guidance and direction for this upcoming year. No matter what, we will continue to sing His praises! 

I hope that you all had a blessed Christmas and New Year. My goal is to update this weekly. Here is to hoping! Thanks for checking in!

Recipe Friday!!!

I usually make a casserole once a week so that we have leftovers for the week because it seems like something always comes up. I have been trying really hard to stick to meal planning but this time of year it seems very difficult. This is a casserole recipe that is really easy and one of our favorites!!!



Pasta Bake


1 box or package of pasta (I get the 8 pack from Costco and use one of those)
1 jar Alfredo Sauce
1-2 lbs of Sausage - I usually use half hot and half regular or Italian
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 large can sliced olives
water
8 oz. Pepper Jack cheese


1. Brown the Sausage and rinse. 
2. Put the uncooked pasta in a 9x13 baking dish. Add chopped bell pepper, red onion, and olives. Then add the sausage
3. Pour the alfredo sauce over the top. Then add 1-2 jars of water over until the pasta is covered with water. Top with Pepper Jack cheese and bake for 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees. 






Happy cooking!!!