Broken Microwave = Mashed Potato Soup

So I have had a ziploc container of mashed potatoes leftover from Thanksgiving sitting in my fridge for a week now.  Normally, this would NEVER happen.  I LOVE mashed potatoes (besides the fact that on the Jones' family side, we only have mashed potatoes once a year at Thanksgiving).  The reason they were still there, however, is because on Black Friday, our microwave broke.

Long story.  Our oven thinks its the "smart oven" and turns off when the timer goes off, but what if I set the timer so I remembered to check on the food and wanted it to stay in longer??? So we don't use our oven timer.  Our microwave has a timer too, but you have to select "kitchen timer", and then put in the time so it doesn't just turn on the microwave.  I guess while I was getting ready for the play (we went to PCPA's The Wizard of Oz with the Jones' side of the family), my mom put the Papa Murphy's pizza in the oven and used the microwave timer, except just turned on the microwave on accident.  Apparently it made some funny noises, and the next day when I was trying to make bean dip to take to Cayucos, it would never heat them up.  We are now looking at new microwaves.
So that is how I got to thinking that maybe I could turn my mashed potatoes into potato soup, which I also love.  (You could probably also start with regular potatoes and boil them, or simmer them down in the crock pot).

Mashed Potato Soup

idea from baked potato soup from Eat At Home: Everyday food for busy people   

~40 oz left over mashed potatoes
1/2 chopped yellow onion
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. (6 oz.) evaporated milk
3 c. milk
1/2 c. flour
salt & pepper to taste

optional additions/toppings:
3/4 bag frozen sweet white corn from Trader Joes
5 pieces chopped bacon
3 clumps steamed broccoli tops
grated Tillamook sharp cheddar cheese
1 bunch chopped green onions
sour cream

• Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a large saucepan.  

• Add onions and brown on medium heat.

• Turn the stove down to low and add the remaining 6 Tbsp butter, melting it.    

• Add 1/2 c. flour and stir in quickly so there are no lumps.  Cook for a minute, letting it warm but not boil.

• Add evaporated milk and stir in quickly (it gets pretty thick).  
• Add milk and stir in.  Turn heat to medium and let mixture warm, stirring frequently, but don't let it boil.  

• When it starts to bubble, add mashed potatoes.  Use a whisk to blend potatoes in and remove lumps.  

• While the soup is warming, this is the time to add any additions such as corn, broccoli, bacon, cheese, or clams.  Today I added sweet white corn.  

• After the soup is warm, start taste testing and add salt & pepper to taste

• Ladle into bowls and top with desired toppings!!!  Enjoy!

It is SO SMOOTH!!! Of course, I took a couple bites and decided to stir in my cheese (and add some more on top)!  Definitely better than Marie Callender's and Bear Creek Potato Soup.  I like it so much (and this made such a big pot) that I may "make" Tim eat this for lunch tomorrow, but maybe I'll serve it with hot dogs or something protein-y for him.

Modifications/Changes for next time:

• Next time I will probably not add evaporated milk, this time I just had it in my fridge from the Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes I made Monday, so I used it instead of throwing it away.  
• I may also add more milk, depending on how much potato I have and how soupy/rich you want your soup to be.  This was extremely rich!
• You could probably leave out the onion (or add more!), we just like onion and it happened to be already chopped and it adds some texture.  
• I'm not a clam chowder fan, but my mom suggested you could add clams and make it into homemade clam chowder (a tradition of my husband's family for Christmas Eve dinner). 

Almost Half Way...

Whew!  I've made it almost half way!!!  I'm secretly hoping this is halfway and we can get this baby to come out "early".  Ha.  It's been so funny to be around my sister a good amount this last month, as she is the one who liked to remind me that I'm pregnant, by standing in front of me and pointing at my belly and going,

"There's a human in there!" 

And with Thanksgiving (and probably the upcoming holidays too) brings unwanted belly touches, which still feel uncomfortable...I may not be able to button my jeans (oh but I am still wearing them, thank you BellyBand!), but that doesn't mean people can touch my stomach.  I'm sure it will only get worse.  I've been avoiding maternity clothes so far, but some of my zip up hoodies are getting tight around my belly and look funny, at least my rain jacket is large enough :)

• Week:  19w5d
• ETA:  April 25th...maybe it will change with the ultrasound next week
• Size:  Mango (6.5", 10oz)
• Best part so far:  I can feel the baby moving!  It feels like little swishies.  
• Hardest part so far:  Ok, this is more for Tim, but...he doesn't let me lift anything heavy anymore, he keeps calling Drew to have him come over and help him move his projects (like our kitchen island etc) around between the house and the garage...I don't think he minds "having" to ask for help, I just think its funny.   
• Weirdest part so far:  I keep having bad dreams, that the dogs get hurt.  Last night I had a dream that Kensi got a really big, really deep scratch on her nose, and I woke up (and was awake for HOURS) and had to convince myself not to go out to the living room and wake her up and look at her poor nosey.  

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Since I have been home more now that I don't work (yea), I've had more time to meal plan and actually use Pinterest as a tool instead of a time-waster!  I've tried a few meals that we like, but desserts haven't sounded appetizing to me, but MexiMondays are kind of special.  (We used to have TacoTuesdays, but now Tim had youth group on Tuesdays, so now we have tacos on every other Monday, opposite Bible study days).

Because I had yet to make anything with pumpkin this season, and Carlene had told me that Drew had been very disappointed to not have a pumpkin dessert at their Thanksgiving, I decided to try the Impossible Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes from bakingbites.com.

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

2/3 c. flour
1/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
2 t. pumpkin spice
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1-15oz. can pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
3/4 c. evaporated milk

Thanksgiving Weekend

Whew! I love my family.  And all our silly traditions.

When Bippy and I were younger, we would help Mommy bake pies on Wednesday, and then when Daddy got off work, we would all drive up to Grandma Deane and Pa Ray's.  Then, because we had 3 wonderful pies sitting on the counter (that we wouldn't finish on Thanksgiving Day because the Deale's don't eat pie and Auntie Wendy makes chocolate cake), we would cut into the pies and have pie for dessert.

Oh and the Pie Pip.  

We always have made at least one meringue pie.  Meaning, there is a meringue pie pip, or pointy bit on the top.  There is always a competition between Auntie Wendy and Daddy (aka a sibling rivalry) to see who can steal the pie pip first.  Auntie Wendy just does it to bug her big brother because she doesn't even like it. This year, Courtney was carrying the pie in and she was walking to her car and snagged the pip as she walked by.  Dad had no chance.

This year, because Aunt Julie, Uncle Steve, and Jenn were staying at Grandma and Pa's, Dad, Mom, and Bippy stayed at our house.  So Wednesday night we had an adventure as we tried to go to Decker's (for the second time), and they were closing (even though we had called and asked if they were closing or running out of food).  So we came home and made tacos and had pie.

Thanksgiving morning Dad and Tim went golfing with Pa Ray, Uncle Brian, Uncle Steve, Ryan, and Adam.  Mom, Courtney, and I went on a run with the doggies and then got ready and went up to Grandma and Pa's.  All of us girls then went out to Pismo to see the Monarch Butterflies!

Classic Jones picture...everyone taking pictures with their iPhones

Jenn, Sarah, Stevie, Shelby, Courtney

We then headed down to the beach and took a walk (almost) to the pier.  It was torture for Kensi and Cole because they love the beach and the water, and they had to be on leash. :(

Aunt Julie, Mommy, Stevie (& Cole), Auntie Wendy, Jenn,  Shelby (& Kensi), Courtney, & Grandma Deane

Kensi looking out at the water, whining.

Black Friday is traditionally a "shopping" day for us girls, meaning we meet at like 10am and go up to SLO and get the free cookbooks at Costco, get some Starbucks and eat Solo Stix.  This year was a little different, and we ended up at Chipotle/Panera.  But when we went to Target, Stevie and I had fun looking at the baby/toddler clothes and finding cute stuff.  Usually the men manage to do more "shopping" than us by going to Home Depot and OSH...this year Dad and Tim came home with 3 air compressors (and would have got more things but they took Tim's car haha)!  

Usually Friday evening, everyone goes to PCPA's Christmas play.  We've seen A White Christmas, Peter Pan, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.  This year was The Wizard of Oz, but Tim and I were the only "kids" that ended up going this year.  I thought it was one of the best we had seen, and they used puppets for the munchkins, the flying monkeys, and Toto!

Saturday found me going on a walk (with the doggies) and the Whitaker women out the Bob Jone Bike Trail to Avila Beach, and Tim taking the kayak up to Cayucos to play with Drew and Jason.  I finally got there at almost dusk, just in time to let the doggies romp on the beach before dinner time and spending some sweet time with my friends (and these 2 little ones)!  Can't wait to have my own!!!

It's Facebook Official!

I just posted this cute little collage to Facebook to let people know we're going to be expanding our family by one in April! I can't say expanding our family to three like most people, because I think Cole and Kensi would take offense at that:)

I think we originally thought we would "Facebook announce" after our 12week appointment, but I get shy when it's time to tell, so I think I chickened out. And then we kept seeing people from our old church, and not telling them, so as Tim puts it, "you can't see someone and not tell them and then put it on Facebook the next day!"

So at almost 17weeks now, I'm not working any more, my jeans are snug, we've told everyone who we don't want to find out on Facebook, and Drew has gotten good at spilling the beans for us...I decided to go for it!

16 weeks-ish

I actually don't know exactly how far along I am, all I know, is that on Sundays, I get to add a week.  I've stopped addictively reading every little detail for every little day on my "What to Expect When Expecting" app.  So I just looked, to tell you.

• Week:  16w3d
• ETA:  April 25th is my "official" due date based on our first ultrasound
• Size:  Turnip (5", 5oz)
• Best part so far:  I can run again now!!!  I've been running 3 days a week with the doggies.
• Hardest part so far:  Translating insurance bills, seriously, its a new language.  
• Weirdest part so far:  I don't like to eat meals in jeans anymore, I prefer yoga pants or leggings.  

At my appointment today not much happened.  Megan (my midwife) asked me how I felt, she laughed about no more bananas.  LOL.  Now I do too.  We decided to schedule my 20 week ultrasound for before my next appointment, and she used the doppler to listen to the baby's heart beat.  Apparently, for 16 weeks, it took a long time to find the heart beat (I didn't know this).  She was wiggling around the little wand on my little pooch of a tummy, and then came back to the middle in one of the spots she had been before and there was the heart beat, loud and clear.  She goes, "SNEAKY BABY!  You were hiding from me!" and I said, "my kid would play hide-and-seek with a doppler."  Then she told me that it took a long time for 16weeks (and that I almost got another ultrasound as the machine was sitting right there in the room), but that the placenta might also still be in front of the baby making it hard to hear.  

So in 3-4 weeks, Tim and I get to go see our baby again, and NOT find out if its a boy or girl.  Surprise coming late April!!!

First Day Off Work!!!

How do I celebrate my first day as a stay at home mom??? By being woken up before 6am, like any mom is! Except this time it was Kensi; I guess Tim didn't shut the bedroom door enough and soon after he left Kensi came in and put her feet up on the edge of the bed and saw me and got all excited and started whining and crying.
I ignored her for 15 minutes before getting up and taking them on our run (before it gets 87 degrees here) and were back by 7:15am. Now 9am finds me sitting in Big Brand Tires getting new tires on my car, and buying felt (shhhhh Christmas is coming)!