Broccoli Cheese Soup

I know I posted this recipe on my blog before, but that blog died, I don't know what happened but I lost everything!!!! I want to kill blogger sometimes.....

So I made my mom's famous Broccoli cheese soup yesterday and it is seriously the BEST soup ever you must try it! and it's super easy! oops and I didn't take a picture of my result but I think you have an idea of what it should look like...

Broccoli Cheese Soup

(from the Kitchen of Christina Parks)

Ingredients:

4 - 5 cups potatoes, cubed

2 cups sliced carrots

1 - 2 cups chopped celery (optional)

1 cup chopped onion

3 cubes Chicken bouillon (OXO)

2 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups fresh of frozen broccoli, chopped

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp Pepper

2 cups Milk

1 - 2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

Combine potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, bouillon, and water in large pot. Boil about 20 min. until veggies are tender. Add broccoli and cop about 7 more mins.

In separate pan, melt butter. Add flour, salt, pepper and milk. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add cheese and stir until melted.

Add cheese mixture to veggie mixture - cook 10 more minutes.

The soup turns out thicker and creamier, just add a 1/2 cup of water or more to thin it out.

Serve with rolls. Enjoy!!!

the Bump!

Here I am at 16 1/2 weeks! I swear this bump appeared overnight. I was bored and thought I should take some shots, they aren't the best but I needed to document today.....first day I felt any movement! felt like a fluttering feeling...like a butterfly! must be a girl ;) excuse my lioness hair....

Current weight: 114 pounds.
Current Cravings: Anything SOUR. Sour candies, lemons, limes.
Changes: boobs are starting to grow....which is nice!
Feeling: Tired, still lots of morning sickness (morning/night), dizziness.


do you think i'm small for almost 17 weeks? my doc tells me the baby is really small and I should have been this size at 12-13 weeks! then again every woman is different in her pregnancy and by the sounds of it I'm carrying exactly like my mom. low and small. mother like daughter!

Lisa

Blog, you are my punching bag!

I hate sounding so down and negative about this pregnancy, and I don't like having pitty parties...really...when something is really bothering me i'm really good at hiding it like everything is fine but this is different. this pregnancy has been really tough....every doctor I see tells me i'm too skinny and my baby is too tiny and will have all these problems when he/she is born. that's the worst thing to hear over and over....I thought after my first ultrasound scare I was going to lose the baby and one night I got on my knees and poured my heart out to my heavenly father more than I have in my whole entire life (besides the day I found out my dad had stage 4 Melanoma and they were sure he wasn't going to make it, but he did). The doctor's can tell you the worst things sometimes, but then again they are only human, then comes God. I had the doctor tell me again today the baby is too tiny and i'm trying to just ignore all the negative thoughts but it can be so hard when it involves your child. I don't know if anyone out there even reads my blog or cares but one day I hope too look back on this experience and know what it feels like for it to be all over. I know everything will be okay but it's hard to focus on that. It scares me that some mother out there is going through something much worse, my heart aches for them.

I just want my baby to grow healthy and strong, like all mothers wish. I'm just so tired of being sick all day and not being able to keep down 90% of the food I eat. It's horrible. I can only pray it won't last the whole 9 months...keep positive thoughts!!!!

Lisa

Ultrasound!

Well, I'm almost 14 weeks! still pretty sick off and on....my doctor up'd my diclectin dose to 4 pills/day! I don't know why i'm taking them they aren't even helping. I'm sick no matter what! my doctor was pretty worried because I've been losing a lot of weight (I look gross). Ry even said I look too thin! oh well i'm doing all I can to gain some weight. I sleep a lot in the day! That's all I can do really...I feel so lazy! Every other day I will go out to the grocery store but it won't last long. Anyways....some happy news.....I had my first Ultrasound about a week and a half ago. It was so amazing!!!!! the baby was all cuddled up in my tummy having a nap lol. it was so cute! Ryan was there and he was so happy!!! He hadn't heard the heartbeat or anything yet at any of my doc appointments so this was a first for him and he loved it!! :)

We had a little scare after the ultrasound when they were going over the results......they are worried the baby is too small and were worries about some other things and told us the baby was going to have all these complications but I guess we figured out i'm not as far along as we thought. So really I'm 13 weeks...not 14. that explains why the baby is bit smaller....I was so stressed out worrying about the baby and it's health....both Ryan and I went through a really rough couple of days but did lots of fasting and praying for our little one. We are so grateful for our supportive family and friends who have been there for us, especially through the rough patches. It's been hard not having any family here in Calgary but we have amazing friends in our life that have been there for us. I've just been relying on the Lord and letting him take care of everything. Sometimes you just have to put all your trust in him and trust that he will take care of you. I truly felt that these past couple of weeks....just trying to relax and know that the Lord will take care of us.

here are some pictures of our little one!!!!

I am SO in love with this little baby!!! can't wait to meet him/her :)

Lisa

11 weeks

I figured this was the best way to keep track of my pregnancy and everything that is happening...I don't care if anyone reads it I need to write it down somewhere.

Sooo I'm 11 weeks 1 day. The nausea is getting worse...my doctor actually told me I have Hyperemesis gravidarum (excessive vomiting during pregnancy that leads to weight loss) and of course I'm only 113 pounds I can't loose any weight! I'm having a really hard time keeping certain foods down and I've figured out all I can really keep down is fruit. I'm on Diclectin and taking 3 pills/day but I don't want to take any more than that! who knows what those pills are doing to my body...probably making it worse? who knows. I've just tried a lot and I guess I just have to get through it. It's funny how I wasn't sick at all on the cruise I just went on but I've been nothing but sick since I got home, everyday! morning and night. And sleep is my life. I have an appointment with my doctor in the morning to see if i should take some time off of work. Besides all that I've heard the baby's heartbeat twice!!! So precious! I have my first ultrasound on the 31st and more blood work this Friday (yuck!) I hate doing blood work. Hate is a strong word I know and I CAN use it when I'm referring to blood tests. lol. Ryan has been SO GREAT taking care of me, he is amazing!!!! he is so excited we're having a baby! of course I am too! no bump yet....maybe in a month or so!?

hmmm well I think that's all for now.....I'm so grateful for all my family and friends who have been so supportive and helpful. I have some great people in my life! and this baby is going to be so LOVED!

OH and I finally bought "What to expect when your expecting." Great book.


Here are some pix from the cruise....


Our boat



View of Miami from the boat



My sister and I at the BEACH on the Cayman Islands!!! I want to go back.....



Snorkel time!!




Beach!!




Cassandra's recognition night for reaching Platinum level!


Dad and I

PREGO!!!

POSITIVE!!!!! And I took two tests just to make sure! I am coming up 10 weeks....been pretty sick but that comes with the territory I guess. We are SO excited!!! We found out just a few days before Christmas....what a perfect christmas present :)

I am due August 12th but Ryan thinks I'm going to have the baby early, he's made that pretty clear so we will just see if he's right! My birthday is august 4th so I'm hoping I get an early birthday present. We are planning on finding out the sex so we can plan and get everything we need in time for the baby's arrival.....It still honestly hasn't hit me yet! I don't feel pregnant, besides the morning sickness. No bump yet. It's too early but I will post a picture as soon as I see any sort of bump! lol. I can't believe i'm going to be a mom. It's weird to think about....but this is really happening!!!! I can't wait for maternity leave already....working 40/hrs a week is so much work since I've been so fatigue and sick. Sucky. But I've been told the second trimester will be much better thank goodness :)

YAY for baby!!!!!!

Christmas 2011

This year we drove down to Cardston and spent Christmas with Ryan's family. It was a lot of fun! We had just found out December 21st that I was pregnant! (on our 16 month anniversary) and we were going to tell the family on Christmas day but wanted everything to be confirmed by the doctor first. I was pretty sick the day after Christmas and just told everybody I had the flu, haha. They believed me! Suckers!



Stockings! Ryan has already emptied his.





Our gifts from Ryan's family




Huge christmas breakfast in the making


Don cooking, he always cooks us breakfast when we come to visit!


Father and son. I don't know where Ryan gets his height from? Haha.


My bro in law Justin and Gma Shideler. Aw how precious.


Haha, Love her


Soon to be parents!!


Oh and these are the cute tree's my Mom made! I'm going to attempt to make some more next year.

It was a good, memorable Christmas, Gave lots, Received lots, we are very blessed! By this time next year we will have our new family member <3


In other news.....this is where I am going (baby and I) in 3 DAYS.....Merry Christmas from Dad! Most of our family is going on a cruise (Norweigan Pearl) to the Grand Cayman Islands, Caribbean. I'm so sad Ryan can't come, he has school but I'm excited to have a nice warm vacation/break from work! Caribbean here I come!