It's always the little things

I'm still dealing with the guilt of not leaving Kinsley with my family for the week. I know they were looking forward to it. Maybe if i wasn't a pregnant hormonal mess it would have gone better. So every day I just try to suck out every little bit of joy I can with Kinsley so that I don't take it for granted.

Yesterday when we got home the rain had FINALLY let up for a bit, so I told K to grab her stroller and we were going to go for a walk as long as the rain would let us! When we got outside a few of our neighbors and her friends were already playing. She ran to them with excitement and giggles in her step. She ran through the puddles with her friends and her stroller giggling as she went. I talked to the other parents and watched as she shared her stroller (no small feat for her I can assure you!) and baby doll with her friends and in return got to play with their toys. She was content.

After about 45mins of playing it was time to go inside and work on some dinner, she didn't complain at all! We went inside, she climbed up into her chair and asked to eat. I brought her a cheese stick while I heated up leftovers for her. Then when I returned with her dinner and the cheese stick had been devoured I gave her the chicken pizza (recipe at the end of this post) and she was in love! Gobbled almost the whole thing! Made me so happy. We laughed and talked while she ate and clapped when she took a big girl bite. After she pronounced that she was "All Done" I offered her dessert, Fruit Snacks! Give my daughter gummy fruit snacks and she will be endeared to you for life! She giddily chomped them all done and climbed down.

I went to start putting together dinner for Chris and I (recipe at the end of the post) and Kinsley asked to go "up". She likes to sit on the counter while i'm busy in the kitchen and sometimes "help" me. So I sat her next to where I was working and talked her through the process and let her help with parts of it. She was so happy!

As I was finishing up the chicken roll ups Kinsley went up stairs and started yelling nite nite. I went up and started to get her ready for bed but found she was SOOO dirty from running through the puddles that we had to throw in a quick bath to our routine that night. She laughed and giggled her way through that and getting dressed. After we brushed her teeth and read her books it was time for our special time. The time I get to cuddle her and help her say her prayers.

After her "Amen" I rocked her and told her how much I loved her and she replied with her own professions of love. She started to talk to me about toddler things and asking about her Sasha. "where Sasha?" she would ask and I would tell her at Sasha's house. She would asked about Daddy, I would say he's coming home from work but he loves her very very much, so she would say "AMEN!". Lol. I laid her in bed, she reached for one more cuddle and then rolled over and shut her eyes and went to sleep.

My heart was and is so full of love for that sweet little girl, I don't know why God picked me to be blessed with her but I will thank him every day for doing so.



Chicken Ranch Pizza
1 refrigerated pizza dough
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken shredded
1/4 c Mayo
1/3 or so C of Ranch dressing
Hot sauce
lettuce shreds
Finely chopped tomato
2 c shredded cheese (i like Sharp cheddar)
8 or so sliced of cooked and crumbled bacon

Pre cook your pizza dough for 10 mins. Mix the Mayo and Ranch Dressing together and then spread over dough. Put a layer of cheese down.
Take your chicken and toss in hot sauce (I do this for the Cowboy, he likes the extra zip, you don't have to)
Layer the chicken on the pizza
Layer the rest of the cheese and sprinkle the bacon.

Cook until cheese is melted.

Now top with Lettuce and Tomato and drizzle with ranch dressing. BAM done and it's awesome!

*adapted from a Kraft Foods Recipe

Spicy Chicken Rollups

1 jar (24 oz.) spaghetti sauce

1 tsp.  Italian seasoning

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

3 cups  shredded cooked chicken

2 cups KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1/2 cup  KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

2 eggs, beaten

12   rinsed cooked lasagna noodles

Make It

HEAT oven to 375ºF.
MIX first 3 ingredients; combine 1/2 cup with chicken, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan and eggs. Spread 1/4 cup onto each noodle; roll up.
POUR 1/2 cup of the remaining sauce into 13x9-inch baking dish; top with lasagna rolls, seam-sides down. Cover with remaining sauce and mozzarella.
BAKE 25 min. or until heated through.

*A Kraft Foods Recipe