Recipes-3

Breakfast

Egg, Bacon, Sausage and Hashbrown bake

1 pound sausage, browned ( I buy frozen sausage..already done), 10 eggs, 3/4 C milk, 5 C frozen hashbrowns (thawed), 5 green onions (chopped) 1 C shredded cheddar cheese, salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and milk.  Add all the remaining ingredients and mix together.  Pour into the prepared casserole dish and if desired, top with a bit more cheese.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the center does not wiggle when you shake the dish.

Tater Tot Casserole

All our guests love this one! Super easy to make too (I usually do it the night before)!

6-8 eggs, 10 oz sausage links ( I buy frozen sausage..already done), 1 C milk, 16 oz tater tots, 2 1/2 C shredded cheese, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, Grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish, brown sausage according to package directions and cut into bit sized pieces. Spread cooked and cut sausage onto greased casserole dish. In a large bowl, beat together milk, eggs, salt and pepper. Cover the sausage in the casserole dish with the egg mixture. Cover with one cup of cheese. If you will be serving this the next morning, cover and refrigerate at this point— In the morning. Spread 16 oz of tater tots on top of the cheese. Add the remainder of the cheese on top. Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Healthy Blueberry Oat Muffins

1 C old-fashioned oats, 1 C buttermilk or sour milk, 1 C all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 C brown sugar lightly packed, 1 egg beaten, 1/4 C vegetable oil, zest of 1/2 lemon, 1 C blueberries heaping

Preheat the oven to 400. Paper line 12 muffin cups. Combine oats and buttermilk in small bowl. Let stand while preparing other ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda,salt and brown sugar. Whisk together and set aside. Add beaten egg, oil and lemon zest to oat mixture. Mix well. Add oat mixture all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir just until moistened. Gently fold in the blueberries. Fill muffin liners 3/4 full. Bake for 15-22 minutes or until top bounces back when lightly touched.

Dinner

Creamy White Chicken Chili

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (cubed), 1 medium onion (small diced), 1 T vegetable oil, 2 cans cannellini beans, 14.5 oz chicken broth, 2-4 oz cans chopped green chilies, 1 tsp salt, tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 2 garlic cloves (minced), 1/2 C half and half, 8 oz reduced fat sour cream (I used about 3/4 sour cream and a little plain greek yogurt)

Heat oil in a large pot medium high heat. Add chicken and onion and saute for about six minutes. Add garlic and cook for another three minutes. Add the beans, spices, chicken broth and green chilies and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for thirty minutes. Turn off the heat and add the sour cream and half & half. Serve with cheddar cheese and chips:)

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

4-6 boneless skinless chicken halves, 2 c. uncooked rice (not Minute Rice), 1 1/2 C shredded cheese, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 2 -10.5 oz cans cream of chicken soup undiluted, 3 C water, 1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Layer rice, 1 cup cheese, salt ,and pepper in pan. Place chicken breasts on top. Dob rounded teaspoons of cream of chicken soup over the chicken breasts and rice. Pour water on top and sprinkle with onion soup mix. Bake uncovered for 1 1/2 hours, checking water after 1 hour. If water is absorbed before chicken and rice are completely cooked, you can add an additional 1/2 C to keep moist. Remove from oven, and stir excess sauce into the rice. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 C cheese.

Crock Pot Shredded Beef Tacos

1 (2.5 lb) chuck roast, 1 (14 oz) can beef broth, 1 1/2 TBS chili powder, 1/2 TBS ground cumin, 1/2 TBS onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, Juice of 1 lime

Spray crock pot with cooking spray. Place roast inside crock pot. Pour the beef broth over the roast and then squeeze with fresh lime juice. In a small bowl, whisk together chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the roast with the spice mixture. Cover with lid, and cook on low heat 8 to 10 hours, or on High heat 5 to 6 hours. Remove roast from crock pot and transfer to a large platter. Shred meat and remove any fat. Return shredded beef to crock pot. Cover with lid and cook an additional 30 minutes. Remove beef with tongs to drain juices before serving in tortillas. Serve with desired toppings- Serve with warm flour or corn tortillas (we used whole wheat tortillas), shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, diced tomato, guacamole, sour Cream, Salsa

Crock Pot Roast Beefs

( I usually cut this recipe in half) It’s great and easy for get togethers or when family is in town!

10-12 lb chuck roast, 3 tsp celery salt, 4 tsp garlic powder, 2 TBS garlic salt, 3 TBS Italian seasoning, 4 TBS minced onion, 3 TBS natures seasoning, 3 TBS black pepper, 2 QT water

Cut roast into pieces and trim off some fat. Put roast in crockpot, cover with spices, and pour water over the top. Slow cook on low 6-9 hours (check often). Serve on whole wheat buns with pickles, yum! Freeze any leftovers.

Snacks

White Chocolate Mix

Love love love this mix. My grandma would make it for me growing up when we would watch my brother’s football games:)

16 C popped popcorn, 3 C frosted cheerios, 1 1/2 C pecan halves, 1 pkg dark chocolate m&ms, 1 pkg pretzel sticks, 2 pkgs vanilla/ white chips, 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Melt the chips until smooth and pour over popcorn mixture. Toss to coat and spread out on 2 baking sheets. Dry for 2 hrs and then store in an airtight container.

Ranch Chex Mix

1 packet ranch salad mix, 6 oz cashew (salted), 1/4 canal oil, 2 C corn Chex cereal, 8 oz goldfish crackers, 12 oz pretzels (mini)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and enjoy!

Deserts

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 C creamy peanut butter, 2 eggs, 1/2 C brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 2/3 C quick-cook oats, 1 tsp baking soda, 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl mix oats and baking soda. In a large bowl combine PB, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla. Dump oats and baking soda into large bowl and combine. Bake for 9-11 minutes!

Flourless Pumpkin Brownies

1/2 C almond butter, 1/2 C canned pumpkin, 1/3 C honey, 1/4 C cocoa powder, 1 egg, pinch of salt, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp baking soda, optional- dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F and prepare baking dish with grease or parchment paper. I used a bread loaf pan for extra thickness, but you can use an 8×8, just reduce baking time. In a large bowl, mix together almond butter and pumpkin. Whisk in one egg, then add the honey and vanilla. Add cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, and stir till combined. Pour into pan and bake for 22-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool before serving (and adding chocolate on top – I just melted chocolate chips in microwave with 1 tsp coconut oil). Enjoy!

I like recipes like these that are relatively easy and quick to make... plus taste super delicious! Hope you all enjoy at least a couple of these Thielen family favorites:)

xoxo,

MRS T

The Thielen's favorite "places" in Minnesota

Adam and I don’t get too many opportunities to have a date night just the two of us…especially during football season. A lot of times we are having our date night’s on nights we have charity events or group activities through the team, etc (which are fun too)! Our favorite nights would have to be hanging out as a family and then after Asher goes to bed, Adam and I snuggling up and watching our shows or a good movie! But it’s definitely important to get out and do things just the two of us and we always have the best time when we do! Below I share a few of our favorite date night restaurants and fun activities we like to do together! I also share some of Asher and I’s favorite things to do below that(some kid friendly ideas for you all)!

 Date Night ideas: 

Fav dinner spots- Redstone, Crave, Murray’s, The Tavern Grill, Capital Grille, Benihana, Good Earth (our fav breakfast spot...The Ten Grain Hotcakes with cacoa nibs are amazing & the Go green drink is our go to drink), Yangs—best Chinese I’ve ever had!!

Any sporting event  - We pretty much love anything sports related. Wild, Timberwolves, and Twins games are all super fun..even Saints games are fun!

Concerts- We don't go to too many concerts but we like to especially if theres a good country singer in town..or JT:)

Random date ideas—

Bowling (I usually beat Adam;)…but seriously! We like to go to Pinz in Oakdale!

Going to a movie (Alamo in Woodbury is unreal)!

The Orpheum Theatre- They have amazing productions here! We have been to Oz and the Lion King and they have both been fantastic! Plus there are many great restaurants right by the theatre so you could start your date night at one of those before the show:)

Chanhassen Dinner Theaters, - We love their musicals and love the fact that you can have a nice romantic dinner right at your table before the show! Check it out if you haven’t yet!!

Comedy Sportz, - It’s kind of like Whose Line is it anyways if you’ve ever seen that show. We haven’t been in a while but used to go a lot on date nights before we had Asher! It’s super funny!

Winter tubing/ skiing/ snowboarding

Ice Skating (Rice Park is our fav) We’ve been going for years and it’s where Adam proposed to me:)

Kid Friendly spots

Ash man loves going to playgrounds and running around. Indoor playgrounds come in clutch especially in MN during the Winter months. My 3 favorite playgrounds are below...

Madison’s Place Playground - Amazing playground and also handicap accessible. They have a awesome splash pad during the Summer too!

Good Times Park in Eagan (indoor park)- Asher's fav spot! It is so awesome and there are so many different things kids of all ages would love. 

Lookout Ridge Indoor Playground in Woodbury- We love this one because it is close to us. Asher gets scared of the tunnel mazes part but he loves the little slide. There is also a library upstairs which is fun to go to and play/ read all kinds of books. 

Some other random things I like to do with Asher are below…

R.H. Stafford Library - We like to go read books and play in the kid area.

Afton Apple Orchard - Great for Fall. It has a huge playground that is awesome..Asher loved it, and we’ve already gone twice this year!

Teddy Bear Park- We actually haven’t been yet but have heard great things! It’s on the list of places to go next Summer.

MN Zoo

Como Zoo- I think I actually like this zoo better than the MN zoo just because its’s free and smaller to walk around!

Toddler Tuesdays at MOA - They have different activities every Tuesday morning for toddlers!

Science Museum

Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium

Asher does Swim lessons once a week at Foss Swim school

Asher does Amazing Athletes sports tots class every Wednesday for half an hour. It’s through the Woodbury Community Ed program and he’s loving it!

We also did Music Together in the Valley - It’s a community music class. They have classes throughout the city and you can sign up online. Last session Asher got a little antsy and didn’t seem to like it as much.. he just wanted to go to the park outside the building (lol music must not be his thing). But I started taking him to this at about 6 months old and it was great to get him (and me) out of the house and to be around other kids/ mom’s! (Forgot to mention but they have these classes throughout the Twin Cities not just Woodbury)

Sky Zone (toddler time ages 5 and under)- 9:30am-11am- Tuesdays, Fridays, Sundays - I haven’t taken Asher here yet either but plan to sometime this Winter. He’d probably love it!

I hope this was helpful for some of you and you got some new date ideas to try around Minny with your special someone. Or for you mom’s out there I hope I gave you a couple new kid friendly spots you can try out with your little ones:) Have a great rest of your week everyone!

xoxo,

MRS T

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Maternity/Baby Questions & Fav baby products

Do you have a baby name picked out yet?

We do!! Just like with Asher, we want to keep this between just Adam and I until after little man is born. You will all find out soon enough:)

Favorite pregnancy foods this second time around?

When I was pregnant with Asher and even after he was born I was obsessed with pull and peel twizzlers (super random I know!). Now I don’t crave candy as much (still crave sour patch once in a while) but I’m more into bagels, pizza… pretty much anything with carbs lol!

Where do you find cute maternity clothes?

Nordstrom, Motherhood Maternity, and Target are my go tos…otherwise just oversized sweatshirts or Adam’s clothes (which are the most comfy;)!

What differences have you noticed between your first and last pregnancy?

I definitely have gotten bigger sooner! It’s also just more tiring because I now have a two year old to chase around all day. With Asher I could nap or relax whenever I wanted and now I find it harder to do!

What is your favorite exercises while pregnant?

I honestly still try and do my pre pregnancy workouts while I’m pregnant. Obviously as you get bigger you have to lessen the weight, use more body weight, and not do sprints as fast etc. With Asher I ran 4 miles up until like 36 weeks. I still am now at 24 weeks but I definitely don’t think I’ll make it that long this time around (which is ok..need to listen to my body). I also sill try and do yoga 1 to 2 times a week. It’s so good for opening up the body and stretching muscles (and relaxing/less straining than lifting weights).

Have you gotten morning sickness with this pregnancy?

I was pretty nauseous for about two weeks during the first trimester. I got sick maybe 2 or 3 times. With Asher I got sick one morning and that was it. I’ve been fortunate both pregnancies not to get too sick like I know some women have. I can’t imagine going through my whole 9 months or even half that of pregnancy being sick every day… especially while you have a two year old to watch (women who do are just plain rockstars)! What I think helped me get through those couple nauseous weeks was to try and go about my day as normal as possible. I had to get out of bed every morning and get Asher ready/do activities with him and I tried to eat regular meals and continue to workout (less intense obviously). I think trying to stay as normal as possible helped me feel better as the day went on.

How do you think Asher will do with baby #2?

I think he will be such a good big brother! He is a good listener for his age and so good at helping mom ad dad. He is so caring, and such a sweet boy. I think it will be really hard for him at first (and hard on all of us adjusting)… especially not getting as much attention from me or Adam. I think he will be kind of confused but I know as baby T #2 gets older they will be best buds and have so much fun together playing with balls, legos, trucks, etc!

Will you get induced so Adam can be at the delivery?

So the plan is for Adam to still be playing in early January (finger crossed)! If for some reason they do not make the playoffs then no I will not be induced and just deliver when the baby is ready to come out. If they are in the playoffs we will most likely try and get induced on his day off the week of my due date (Tuesday). My due date is a Thursday so if I am dilated enough and my cervix is soft enough my doctor will set a date, likely either Monday afternoon or Tuesday…that way Adam can be at the delivery! I’m just praying I don’t go into labor during game day!!!!

I feel like I need to tell a little about my delivery story with Asher since it was mid season that I had him. (Oct. 11th). My due date for him was October 13th. When the football schedule came out Adam and I were both shocked because his due date was during their bye week (how crazy is that!!!). We were both pumped. I had a plan to get induced that Monday instead of on my due date (Thursday) just so that Adam would be around most of the week to help/ get adjusted. I got a call around 5:30am the morning I was to be induced and they said I couldn’t come that day because too many woman were in labor. We were so bummed! Butttt later that day around noon my water broke on it’s own. Guess I was supposed to go in that day after all…and luckily Adam was there for the delivery:)

Did you have anyone else besides Adam in the delivery room when having Asher?

When I initially thought about this I always said I wanted just Adam in the room and for him and I to welcome Asher into the world. As I thought about it more I decided I wanted my mom in the room as well. She has always been a comfort to me and big support. I knew she would help me in the room..especially if I got annoyed with Adam (which I did because he was more worried about watching MNF). Slightly kidding lol…but no Adam did help me a lot but I was also so glad my mom could be there to comfort me as well and she’s been through before so she knows more of what to expect. I also loved it because she got some really cool pictures right when Asher was born of him and of the three of us on her phone…such great memories to look back on!

What's the nursery decor theme for the new baby?

So we are actually switching Asher into the room down the hall and baby #2 will get Ashers room! It is sports themed of course. We are doing this because it will be right across the hall from Adam and I’s room (closer and easier for those nightly feedings). Asher’s room will also be sports themed and the boys will have a conjoined Jack n Jill bath:) I am not very creative when it comes to nursery decorating so sports was the easiest for Adam and I to chose lol! They can chose what theme they want their room to be when they are old enough to decide!

Favorite baby products

 It's awesome we are having another boy because honestly we don't need too many new things for baby #2! At the top of the list is a new convertible crib, a double stroller, and some new bottles. Otherwise we already have a playmate, a swing, and I have about 5 boxes of Asher's clothes saved that baby T can wear.

My fav spots to shop for my boys would have to be Target, Adidas (sweatsuits are everything!), Nordstrom (they especially have some cute fall jackets, boots), and also Etsy has some super cute stuff (especially custom Vikings gear-if you want a certain number or style).

Baby carriers

Lillebaby Complete All seasons baby carrier

LILLEbaby Active— 6 in 1 carrier made from performance fabrics, so it feels like comfy workout gear (which is a plus in my book)! It has 7 pockets, including a water bottle storage on the lumbar support and a phone pocket on the shoulder pads

These are the only two carriers I have and love them both. Asher went to Vikings games starting at three weeks old and he slept through the whole game in my Complete all season carrier.

Stroller/ Double stroller: 

BOB Revolution Pro Single Stroller- We got this stroller for Asher and absolutely love it! It’s the only stroller we bought for him and it glides so smoothly. I would highly recommend especially if you like to go for walks, runs, or trips to zoos, etc (lots of storage at the bottom)!

Uppababy Vista Double Stroller - We just got this stroller for the new baby and to use with both boys! I have heard so many great things and am so excited to test it out. (BuyBuyBaby is always handing out those 20 percent off coupons so that’s a plus too:))

(We also have a cheaper and light weight stroller I got off amazon for quick plane/travel trips..it’s kept at my parents for when Asher’s over and they go for walks!)

MISC: 

• Winter infant car seat cover- JJ Cole Car set cover —So great for infant car seats to help baby stay warm..especially in these MN winters!

• Snuggle Me Organic— I just got this and am so excited to try with baby boy! I never got the Dockatot with Asher but have heard great things about these types of loungers. And then I found the Snuggle me lounger and was pumped because it is a MN made company (which I love to support) and they are made out of all organic fabrics.

• This is kind of random but I love the Norwex baby wash clothes. They are so soft and gentle on baby/toddler skin.

• After going through about 3 baby monitors already, Adam and I can both say that we love the Nest. It’s so nice how it connects right to your phone, iPad etc. It detects motion and notifies you right away. It also shows a great picture and a has good microphone.

A few more items I loved having when Asher was a newborn and that I’ll be using again…

• Boppy nursing pillow, Boppy lounger, Dr Brown bottles, Lansinoh Simple Wishes Hands Free Breast Pump Bustier (came in super clutch for hands free pumping…if you’re planning on breastfeeding), and the Fisher-PriceCradle 'n Swing.

Hope this answered some of your questions and maybe even helped some of you moms to be out there! There are just so many products out there for newborns/ moms to be and it can be overwhelming. I try and get as minimum as I can but I’m human and I still like to get recommendation and try new things that other moms have used/liked:) Have a great week everyone!

xoxo,

MRS T

Day in the Life (in season)

Well football season is finally here!!! Thank goodness pre season is coming to an end and Adam is back home with us. What a long last few weeks it has been. Adam had to stay in a hotel this year for almost 3 weeks so Asher and I only saw him when we went to camp (for about 15 minutes after practice) or on his off day (he had 3 of those). We've missed him at home and are excited to have him back at nights! 

Every 2-3 days we'd try and visit dad at work and Asher loved running around the field after practice!

Our family is excited to get in the swing of things and gear up for the regular season to begin! A few months ago I did a similar post detailing what our days can look like during the off season. During the regular season our family has a whole different routine! Below is what a typical work week for Adam usually looks like when his GAME is on Sunday...

Monday- No practice because they just played a game the day before. They have morning film and meetings (I think he's usually done around one).

Tuesday- Off day!!!

Wednesday- Full day (practice, meetings, film all day) He usually gets home about 5:30/6pm.

Thursday- Another full day (similar to above) -Although once is hits December I think they have shorter days on Thursdays.

Friday- Early practice and meetings (he gets done around 2/3).

Saturday- If they have a home game, they have walk through in the morning and are done around 11am. They would then have the rest of the day off to relax until meetings at 7pm at the hotel in Minneapolis and then stay overnight there. If it is an away game they would have morning walk through at the facility and fly out that afternoon. 

Sunday- Game day! If the game is away they fly home right after!

If Adam has a Thursday or Monday night game the schedule would still look similar to this but just adjusted a bit.

So now that you have an idea of what Adam's schedule looks like during the week I can let you know some of the things that Asher and I like to do. Every game that is home and at noon, Asher and I will be at! We head to the stadium around 10/10:30 and go on the field and give dad a good luck kiss before home games (Adam says its tradition and he likes to see us right before games):) Games will be interesting this year as Asher usually naps around noon to two, so I'm guessing he will either sleep on me at games or wait until the car ride home to get a quick nap in. I am usually a very scheduled mom so Asher getting off his schedule gives me a bit of anxiety, but I need to just go with the flow for one day a week so that Asher can be their for daddy at his games! Post games we get our traditional pizza and relax as a fam! A few things that Asher and I will do during the week when Adam is gone is; go to the park/indoor park (depending on weather)...we love Good Times Park in Eagan during the winter months, go to the library, go get groceries, go for walks, go to the zoo, or try and schedule a play date. When dad is gone on weekend's we usually hang with grandma and grandpa, go to church, and watch football! When Adam has a home game we like to go to church on Saturday's at the 4:15 service time....and we love that Crossroads offers that time!! Otherwise, neither of us would be able to go to church on Sundays during the football season. On Adam's off days (Tuesdays) we like to relax and hang out as a family. I like to always be on the go or doing something with Asher so sometimes it can be frustrating when Adam doesn't want to do anything but I also understand. I can't imagine the beating his body takes on gamedays and he is just mentally exhausted from all his practices/ meetings, etc. One of our favorite things to do on an off day is to go to breakfast together! Also, if I get lucky Adam will come to the park with us for an hour or so if the weather is nice;) Throughout the season we also have different events to attend either as a couple or sometimes as a family, which can be fun! If we have events those are usually our date nights during the season, which is fine. Otherwise Adam and I still try and get a date night in once in a while. Luckily Asher's bedtime is 7:30 so that is Adam and I's time to talk and just relax together, which is so important...until we both pass out at 9/9:30 haha!

I am excited because now that Asher is older I can get him involved in some community kid programs this Fall! So I have signed him up for a toddler sports class once a week and I also signed him up for a couple Holiday art classes! He is also in swim lessons every week. And I am SO excited because I found a MOPS (mothers of pre schoolers) group that I am joining this year. It is held at a local church and they have daycare for the kids while the moms get together and talk, make crafts, etc. I am excited to meet other Christian moms and it will be so good for Asher to play with other kids! Football season is definitely a busy time for us but we are lucky to have family close by to help out! We are very blessed for this life God has given us, although it can be a whirlwind of hard times and good times, and can emotionally be draining. It may look perfect at times but we go through trials just like everyone else. Being a full time mom, trying to be my husband's (who is the hardest person on himself when it comes to football) wife/biggest supporter, and keeping track of both mine and Adam's busy schedule's all while keeping my cool and trying to be my best self is hard work! I love being able to be real and share some of our life journey with you all, even though it can be tough to open up so much to strangers. But my main goal is to share a little about our  life, struggles, triumphs, faith, and family life. We are blessed to have so many great memories to look back on and thank God for being with us every step of the way. 

Below are a few of my fav pictures from last season:) I hope and pray for a healthy season for Adam and the other players. I'm excited to make many more memories this year!

I hope everyone is enjoying the remainder of summer! I am excited for Fall and now as I am getting further along in my pregnancy (my 20 week ultrasound is already this week, crazy!) I am anxious for cooler weather! I also just really love fall...the cooler weather, pumpkin patch, the Holidays approaching, Fall decorations, etc...just makes me so happy:) Have a great week and God bless!

xoxo,

MRS T

Life lately

Hey you guys! So it's been awhile since I've posted anything on my blog. Life has been busy lately...a good busy but busy...from morning sickness to off season traveling and just the business of everyday life. Since it's now almost officially August ahhh where has the summer gone!!! I thought I'd catch you up on what's been happening in our life lately. 

Most of you probably saw but...Adam and I are soooo happy the news is finally out and that we can share with everyone that our family will be welcoming baby number 2 sometime in the New Year (early January..maybe even a New Years baby?;). What a blessing from God!!!! We cannot wait to add another member to our family and give even more love to another beautiful child. In this post I'm going to share a little bit about how we found out we were pregnant and catch you up on some of the trips we've taken this offseason. I can't even believe it but off season is practically over...Adam starts his 6th training camp with the Vikings on FRIDAY?!? Definitely bitter sweet...we are excited for football season to return but that means getting back in the swing of it. Off season goes way too fast!

Adam and I have both been ready to add to our family since about last winter but we were trying to wait for the right time (if that's even a thing when your talking about getting pregnant lol). We decided to wait until April to start trying. That way if we got pregnant right away we'd have the child towards the end of football season and if it took a few months, then even better during the offseason. God willing it happened right away again just like with Asher. We were a little shocked how quick it happened but so thrilled and thankful to the good Lord. The new baby's due date is January 11th so depending on how far Adam and the Vikings make it, it could be tough timing (playoffs- we obviously hope he's still playing). It's definitely harder having a baby during the heat of the football season, especially with Adam being so busy and so emotional, mentally, and physically drained. As long as Adam makes it to the delivery room I will be happy. So please be praying that I do not have this baby during a Sunday afternoon game:) We are so pumped and excited to welcome baby #2 into our growing fam and we can't wait to see Asher become a big brother. He's so loving even to random strangers so I can only picture how he'll be with his new sibling. I'm nervous on how to handle two crazy kids but I know a lot of you mommas do it and with even more kids... so I know I can do it too! Any advice on handling two would be greatly appreciated:) Some days are so hard even just with Asher but it helps when I actually stop and breath and remind myself how awesome and lucky I am to be able to stay home with my kids and watch them grow!

This off season has been busy from different activities, to traveling, and spending time with family. We traveled to LA and back in one day for an Adidas shoot that Adam had...would not recommend bringing a 1 1/2 year old with to something like that, lol. We also had my whole family in town for a surprise retirement party for my dad. It was so fun having my two brothers, their wives and my little niece home...even if it was just for a weekend. Adam was also invited to play in a State Farm Showdown golf tournament hosted by Aaron Rodgers this off season. Just Adam and I flew out to Connecticut for two days. That was a really cool event where about 7 NFL players played against 7 NBA players...NFL won of course. We then flew from there to Detroit Lakes (Adam's hometown). We spent about 5 days there with Adam's whole family, which was a lot of fun. His two older sisters and there kids were there so Asher had a blast playing in the lake and enjoying the outdoors! We then were home for about 6 days and just got back a couple weeks ago from Lake Tahoe. This was Adam's second year playing in the ACC celebrity golf championship and we just love going there. Adam and I just went by ourselves for 6 days. Asher stayed with my parents for half the days and Adam's sister and nephews for a couple days as well. It was important for Adam and I to get away just us two before the crazy football starts (it was also our baby moon since we won't have time to take one during the season;). We had a blast...it was a lot of walking, a lot of eating (especially for this pregnant girl), and a lot of creeping on celebrities by me haha!

We now have just a few more days until training camp starts for Adam and then our family is on football season lock down for about 6 months. It was so fun traveling and doing so many fun things this off season as a family. Our family loves football season but it can be a grind at times...I am praying for a healthy and great season for our guys! I hope you all have had and continue to have a great summer! 

xoxo,

MRS T