Scrumptious Homemade Hot Chocolate

As you all know there was a bit of an ice storm here in the south this week! I know, I know, 2 inches of snow in some areas and ice, what's so scary about that? You northerners and midwest folk were probably sitting there thinking how silly we all were for panicking at the first sight of this wet white snow stuff on the ground and the below freezing temperatures. I did live in Colorado after all for three years and got my fair taste of snow and ice, so I get where you're coming from. This type of weather however causes major panic around these parts since we aren't equipped to handle the roads and most people have no clue how to drive on ice (does anyone really though?). It was really scary for a lot of folks and I'm glad the "snowpocalypse" is now over!

Anyways, while the hubs and I were cooped up for two days...that's right he got two whole days off of work in the middle of the week, yipee... I decided we should make some hot chocolate. Well, truth me told I hadn't bought any mix at the store in an attempt to keep as much sugary goodness out of the house as possible while I pack on some extra weight with little munchkin growing away. That did not deter me however and my ploy to trick myself into staying away from sweets was all for nought. Once again Pinterest came to my rescue and I found this simply delectable recipe over at Tastes Better From Scratch. Moral of the story, if you want to whip up some yummy hot cocoa mix but don't have that handy Swiss Miss box in your pantry all you need are these few simple ingredients, which I'm willing to bet most of you have on hand 99% of the time anyways ;) Seriously though, this stuff is the cats meow! I would also like to note that Little C also enjoyed the hot chocolate on her end and decided that she thought it would be fun to kick me at hard as she could during her "sugar high" for about an hour straight...the joys of pregnancy!

Creamy Hot Chocolate

⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

⅓ cup white sugar

⅓ cup boiling water 

Dash of salt

3 ½ cups of milk

½ cup of half & half

¾ tsp vanilla extract

(makes roughly 3-4 servings)

Directions:

*Combine sugar and cocoa in saucepan over low/medium heat

*Add salt and boiling water, then stir continuously

*Once boiling reduce heat and allow to simmer, stirring for 2 minutes

*Stir in milk and heat until hot, but NOT boiling

*Remove from heat and add vanilla

*Pour into your favorite mug and add half & half to reduce temperature 

And that's all folks! 

Let Go & Let God

Welp, here we are almost exactly one year from our assignment night! This time last year the hubs and I had just found out we would be heading to Florida sometime in the summer months and all his hard work had paid of because he was going to be flying his dream aircraft. It's crazy how even though that night was over 365 days ago (still seems insane to say that out loud) I can remember almost every second of that day and all the intense emotions that went along with it. The anticipation had been building over the period of an entire year and it all came down to that one night, and boy was it an awesome night. One neither of us will ever forget. Getting to celebrate such an intense year of training with some of our closest and now life long friends was a memory I wouldn't trade for anything.

A few months before Drop though I had had some serious doubts and fears. Fears that maybe God's plan wasn't our plan and where he wanted to place us wasn't where we wanted to be or go...you can see that post here. I'm a firm believer however that God uses all situations and circumstances to teach us things. Both the sudden death of my mother two days before our planned wedding day and the roller coaster ride known as UPT have shown me that and God has time and time again proven to me that his plans for my life and our little family are always the best, period.

Some of the Laughlin Crew...miss these faces like crazy.

Anyways, one year later we are:

 * Settled in Florida,

* The hubs is already well into his training program and loving it

*Our family is growing and we have our first munchkin due in April (eeeeppp)

*We are loving being close to family and driving home

for the holidays was such a blessing

*We have found an incredible home church that we both love, seriously it's awesome!

All this goes to show that all the worrying and stress I put on myself a year ago was for absolutely nothing. I do understand that sometimes things don't always work out "perfect", such as having our dream wedding we had worked for over a year to plan be completely turned upside down with my sweet mothers untimely death two days before saying "I Do", but in all situations I think it's important to recognize that God has his hand on us and loves us enough to have a plan for our lives. 

I love the saying "Let go and Let God". I feel it's a phrase that sums up all of that with one simple saying. Look around and try and find the positive, don't stress, and love each day you have on this earth with your loved ones. Who knows where you will be a year from now and who will no longer be here with you. Someone in our new bible study that we started attending this morning said, "are all the things you worry about, stress out over, and get mad about going to matter in 10 years...100 years...or even 10,000 years?". Most likely the answer is no, so why worry? God has us all in the palm of his hand. All this to say, we should treasure every day, the good, the bad, and the ugly as it's all a part of a greater plan!

Dollar Rides and Holiday Fun

The hubs and I celebrated our very last Christmas together as a family of two last week! We were so blessed to be able to drive home (sooo much better than those icky christmas eve flights we had to take the last two years) and spend the holiday week with our family and friends back in Georgia. I know that with being a part of the military this may not always be possible, heck next year for all we know we could be celebrating the birth of Baby Jesus in Alaska, so we both really soaked up the time we had at home and ease with which we were able to travel to see everyone!

We were also able to reflect on how different the holiday season will be next year with our little one being almost 9 months old!! It's such a crazy thought to me and doesn't even seem like it's going to be a reality that we will have a little miracle to tote around this time next year. It was incredible to see how genuninly excited most of our family members were to know that next year Baby Charlotte will be among all of the Etheridge clan and celebrating the holiday season with us. We can't wait :)

Winston was clearly not as excited as we
were about the car ride home..I think
 he was happy to not have to spend Christmas
alone again this year though ;)

Love this man!

25 week bump!

Sisters!

All the "kids"

In other exciting news my stud of a husband had his dollar ride (aka first flight) in the Raptor right before we came home! I was lucky enough to be able to go and snag some photos of his flight which was an incredible experience. For those of you that have been with us from the beginning, or at least following the blog for almost a year, know that this has been a long journey for us. From being accepted to the Air Force Academy to dropping a Raptor after pilot training he's come a very long way and it's taken a VERY long time to get to where he his now. I couldn't be more proud of his dedication and determination to make it to this point. As I was standing up in the tower taking pictures I was incredibly excited and nervous for him and overwhelmed with emotion at the thought of all the hard work that had gone into that very moment he took of in the Raptor for the first time! You can blame that on the pregnancy hormones if you'd like though, I'll allow it.  I sure am one lucky lady though to be able to stand by his side throughout this incredible adventure ;) 

Love, 

The Etheridges

Photo Update 12/13

Life around here has been pretty quite since we got back from being home for Thanksgiving, hence the lack of posting. However I was perusing through the hubs photos on his phone yesterday and came across a few that would make for a somewhat satisfactory post...so here ya go ;)

We found this deadly friendly fella on our walk
with Winston last week! Yikes! 

In case you haven't heard we have bears here on base! These
guys love to get into the trashes and cause all sorts of problems
for the housing company. I've yet to see one, only the "evidence"
they leave behind, but the hubs snapped this photo on the way
to work the other week.

Yes this photo is from Halloween. Yes it's December.
But hey, better late than never right? 

Baby Charlotte already has her stocking ready to go for next
years holiday festivities ;)

Also, (as you can see above) we finally settled on a first name for our sweet little girl, Charlotte! It was the first name that we both really loved and it just seemed to stick. We're still stumped on the middle name, so I'll get back to you on that later, but hey, at least we're half way there with figuring out what to call the little munchkin! As far as a baby update goes, I had my 24 week appointment this week and everything looks great! Baby Charlotte is very healthy, growing right on track, and is VERY active...like her daddy! We didn't get to see her this last time but I'm hoping at my next appointment we will get more photos of her!

Love,

The Etheridges

Pregnancy Products I Love

If you aren't pregnant, planning on being pregnant, or a man, this post is probably not for you. However, I know when I first jumped on the train of being pregnant  I personally LOVED any and all posts that had product reviews for first time mom's and women who were dealing with changing and growing bodies, hence this post. I'm obviously not full term so I'm sure there are even more things that will come to mind the closer we get to April, but here are a few things that at week 24 I can honestly say I love and am so glad I spent the extra money on...

Earth Mama Angel Baby Products (stretch oil and lotion), $13-$16:

* I've been using this stuff since I found out I was expecting and love it! It smells great, is all natural, and helps keep away those pesky stretch marks. It's worked great for me so far (fingers crossed/knock on wood) but I'll be sure and update if things start going south within the next three months. I bought this cute little trial pack for a friend when I found out she had a little one on the way and she also attested that the other products are fantastic! Iv'e also been using cocoanut oil at night which doesn't seem to hurt.

Gap Maternity Workout Clothes, $30-$60:

* My amazing mother-in-law gave me some spending money for maternity clothes (you know, since my belly has tripled in size and all). I was very hesitant, and still am, about spending money on maternity clothes, and find that I feel like it's a total waste of money to buy something you'll only wear for a few months. However, after investing in a workout top and workout jacket I'm in love! Seriously, if you plan on working out while you're pregnant nothing will make you feel better than some workout gear that is made for your growing belly. This particular top and jacket I can vouch for and wear almost every day! The best part is is that these will also help you transition back into your pre-pregnacny workout clothes during the 4th trimester when things still aren't fitting perfect, win win! I also got mine on sale for 50% off, so keep an eye out for those clearances!

CamelBak Water Bottle, $16:

* I was given one of these for Christmas last year and we have been inseparable every since. Once I got pregnant though it was literally attached at my hip. These things are amazing, not to mention their customer service is out of this world (I had to have a top replaced and they sent a new one no questions asked within 5 days). When you're pregnant staying hydrated is incredibly important and this thing makes it so easy to take on the go or lug around the house with you. Best part is it's nearly indestructible and is great for taking to the gym or in the car as well! For those of you with military base access you can also find them at the BX usually, so tax free, yippee!

Heating Pad, $20:

*This thing was such a lifesaver for me! During my entire second trimester I've had awful lower and upper back pain, specifically a muscle spasm when I sit up straight for more than a few minutes at a time without laying down or standing up. I literally lived on this heating pad. We took it in the car with us, used it on the couch, and in bed every night so I could get some relief. Another added bonus is that many people use these in babies crib to warm it up before placing them in it to keep them asleep (disclaimer: make sure and REMOVE before placing baby in crib).

Brahh Extenders $8:

*This may be TMI for some of you (again, if you're a man I warned you earlier to stay away), but many know that with pregnancy comes some ahhh how do you say "enhancements" and ribcage expansion. These things have helped me stay in my normal sized undergarments a little longer and prevented me from having to go out and spend $40+ on a new bra that may no fit in a few months time when I have a nursing baby. If your cup size increases drastically by all means splurge on some new undergarments, you deserve it anyways, otherwise I'd highly recommend these for those in between times you just don't fit comfortably anymore.

Things that DIDN'T Work for me:

*Pregnancy Pillow: Yuck, this thing was awful. At $60 a pop, we sent it back after one failed attempt at using it. If you want something similar I'd recommend just purchasing a regular body pillow from Target or Wal-Mart!

*Preggie Pops: I had awful nausea during the first trimester and these suckers did absolutely nothing. However, some people swear by them.

If you have any other pregnancy recommendations I'd love to hear from you! Just leave

a comment below the post!

Hearty Homemade Soup

It actually got down to about 40 something last week (crazy, I know, we do live in Florida after all) but don't worry yourself sick, it's back up to a balmy 70+ degrees here this week. I jumped at the opportunity to make a homemade soup however when it wasn't a million degrees out still in the middle of November. This recipe had been on my Pinterest board for AGES, literally, and so I thought I'd stop starring at it every week I make the weekly menu and just try it already.

It was SO good and pretty easy to make. The best part was that all the ingredients, for the most part, were fresh and the ones that weren't could totally be subsisted with their non-canned versions. Now that we have a little one on the way I'm trying to be more conscious about the meals we introduce into our weekly food rotations. Since the hubs generally detests veggies, he wasn't a huge fan. However, he's going to have to learn to suck it up a little when Baby E starts to eat solids and "normal" people food. She can't live off of potatoes and red meat anyways right?! That's what I'm saying!

So, if it's nice and fall feeling where you are this weekend or next week I'd highly recommend adding this to your menu :) It also makes awesome leftovers, seriously. I ate it for lunch for a week straight! So yummy! I think I'm going to try not adding in the cheese next time to make it a tad healthier as well.

Hearty Fall Veggie and Cheese Soup

*Adapted from here*

3 cups chicken stock

2 skinless, chicken breasts cooked and shredded

2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (or you could peel and blanch your own!)

2 jalapeno peppers, minced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1/2 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ tbsp salt

½ tbsp peper 

1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups frozen corn

1/2 cup tomato paste

8 oz pepperjack cheese, divided

1 cup cilantro, chopped

*Cook all ingredients except for cheese in crockpot on low for 3-4 hours or until ready to serve. Once you are ready to eat stir in cheese. You can also make on the stove if you prefer, I just love the ease of the crockpot plus it makes your home smell heavenly.

The original recipe recommended serving with tortilla chips, so if that's your thing I'd go for it! You can also add more Jalapeno's if you want a spicier taste!

Warning: Baby Update

Winston is very excited to announce that he will be looking forward to a baby SISTER this coming April! We could not be more excited about having a sweet baby girl and feel so blessed to grow our family within the next few months. For those that have asked or are going to ask, no, we don't have a name picked out. Of course we already had a name if it was a boy, but a girl we are a little more stumped on. Don't worry though, you will all be the first to know when we do settle on one we love :)

For those that have been wondering how the pregnancy has been for me, it's certainly had it's ups and downs. I don't like to complain as I know that being with child is such an incredible blessing from God in the first place. However, it's hasn't been the most enjoyable ride at times. The first month was great, not even a hint of pregnancy woes...then I hit the second month "wall" as I like to call it. On the day we found out we were expecting, which was coincidentally the morning he was leaving for a month, the nausea and all day morning sickness set in. I was completely useless for a good month (which conveniently was when the hubs was away flying planes in Arizona). I'm pretty sure God knew that I needed to sit around and be a bum for those few weeks so I can honestly say that was the one time I was almost thankful the hubs was TDY for a few weeks. It was such a blessing to be able to go home and have my wonderful mother-in-law pamper and cook for me those few weeks he was away! I didn't have to lift a finger which was AMAZING!

Enough of my pity party though. The second I hit the second trimester the nausea and food aversions fled and I was able to indulge in my favorites again like cereal (milk was a big NO for baby), chocolate (seriously what girl doesn't like chocolate, mine apparently), and red meat! Other than back muscle spasms that hit around noon until bed time everyday I'm feeling much much better!

As far as little one is concerned, she is growing and healthy! Our visit to find out the gender went great and it was so wonderful to have my sweet husband there. His flight commander and scheduler have been amazing and so understanding. He hasn't missed an appointment yet, which is saying something for how busy they keep these guys!

For those of you that love Winston updates, he is doing great as well! He has certainly been more affectionate within the past month or two which for him is very new. If you know him at all you know he loses interest in being personable after about five minutes and prefers to sleep in the corner like an old man. However, now that I've moved into the second portion of the pregnancy he's become very clingy, which I'm really enjoying! I love to snuggle my little old man of a pup and he's finally letting me!

I'm exactly at the half way mark this week and can't believe it! Time is really flying by and I know it will continue to do so as we get closer to April. The hubs is literally beside himself with excitement over the fact that we will be having a baby girl, which I love. I can already tell he loves her so much, which warms my heart everyday.

Love,

The Etheridges