Sabrina D. Graves

Spare time, WHAT spare time?

2010-03-24T22:31:00.000-07:00

Lots to post, so little time. Here is a quick rundown... I have been super busy with my business (BrinaBabe Boutique).

I was recently featured on Alaska Coupon Diva. If you haven't already, check me out on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Anchorage-AK/BrinaBabe-Boutique-Accessories/387384545482 or etsy: http://www.brinababe.etsy.com/

While I am thrilled to be doing so well, I am definitely working harder than I imagined. Additionally we had our St. Patrick's Day Party, and the R.S. Birthday Party. We had a great turnout and the food was FABULOUS!

Whew, I am tired just thinking about it. Speaking of good food, n and I have tried several new recipes and here they are:

Chicken Casserole (this was an experiment that turned out quite well)
3-4 chicken breast cubed and cooked
1 can cream of chicken soup (Depending on chicken qty. you might need 2)
a bag of frozen veggies
bisquick
milk
egg
Dijon mustard
1/3 cup Italian dressing (more or less to taste)
Cheese

I mixed the chicken, soup, veggies, a few squirts of mustard, the dressing and a little milk, then pour it into a 13x9 pan (if you aren't using a stone, spray it first). Top with cheese. Mix the egg, water, and bisquick until you get a pancake batter-like consistency. Pour over cheese and bake at 350 until golden brown.

Apple Cobbler

5 cups of apples (skins removed and sliced)

1 c. sugar

cinnamon

2 Tbsp soft butter

Fill bottom of 13x9 pan with apples and sprinkle sugar over top. Sprinkle cinnamon and top with butter. Pour batter mixture over top and bake at 350 for 30-35 min.

Batter

1/2 c. milk

2 c. Bisquick

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1 Tbsp butter

Mix ingredients until smooth.

Lemon Cake

1 pkg. lemon cake mix

1 pkg. lime jello (4 serving size)

1 envelope dream whip topping

1 pkg. instant lemon pudding (4 serving size)

1 1/2 c. cold milk

Dissolve lime jello in 3/4 c. boiling water. Add 1/2 c. cold water. Set aside. Mix and bake cake mix. Cool 20-25 minutes. Poke deep holes through top of warm cake with large serving fork. Slowly pour gelatin into holes. Refrigerate cake while making topping.

Topping

In a chilled deep bowl blend and whip topping mix, instant lemon pudding, and cold milk until stiff. Remove cake from refigerator and immediately frost cake. Store in fridge.

Spring is here!

2010-02-18T21:58:00.000-08:00

This flower clip (small two-tone) is available locally and at www.brinababe.etsy.com. I have a huge variety of flower clips, hats, headbands, jewelry, wipe clutches and more!

Catching Up!

2010-02-17T21:15:00.000-08:00

Whew! The past week or so have been busy. Trying to stay on top of orders, hit all of my physical therapy appointments, be a mom... I get overwhelmed just thinking about it. A week from Saturday Jon and I are supposed to go dancing. This will give me a gauge as to what I can/can't do, my pain vs. activity level, and meter how quickly I am healing. I am nervous, but also excited. I am so tired of being hurt that I can't wait to jump back in the saddle. This could be a turning point. Then again, I could wake up Sunday morning and wish I hadn't.

If you haven't been following me on etsy or facebook, I'll just say this, I have been working my tail off. I have all kinds of new items - most of which have been listed. I have sold far more than I expected to at this stage of the game. Jon is such a good sport. He can run into JoAnn's and grab a 10mm crackle bead without even thinking about it. Not only does he indulges my hobbies, but often will help me in the selection process too.

Speaking of my sweetheart... he treated me to a wonderful Valentines WEEKEND. We went to dinner and watched Avatar. This was the first time we left all 3 kids behind. It was HEAVEN. I love my kids, but every now and then it's good to have a break. Well, this post is probably the most boring to-date, but I am grateful for that. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. We love you!

2010-02-17T20:55:00.000-08:00

Mango Chicken Taco's

These were super yummy and could easily be transformed into a Panini.

4 (or more) tortillas
2 cooked chicken breasts
a few slices of Gouda cheese
a little mango salsa

Warm up your tortilla, add chicken, salsa, and cheese. You can "toast" these in the oven to get a slightly crispier end result.

Flowers...

2010-02-07T23:10:00.000-08:00

I have been working like mad on hair accessories. These super cute flower clips can be worn alone, on dresses, or with headbands like the one shown. I have yet to photograph all my new items, but here is a sample of what's to come...

Pork Spare-Ribs

2010-02-02T19:52:00.000-08:00

This was our "New Recipe of the Week". My thoughts - The sauce could use a little tweaking, but not bad overall. Here is the recipe if you want to give it a try:

4 1/2 lbs Pork Spare-Ribs
1/4 c. Molasses
1/4 c. Mustard
1/4 c. Soy Sauce
3 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire
1 Tsp. Tabasco Sauce
1 Tsp. Liquid Smoke

Mix all ingredients until well blended. Cut ribs into desired size. Put meat into slow cooker and pour sauce to cover ribs. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or until meat is tender. Baste every hour or two with sauce.

And there you have it, a simple easy to prepare dinner. Enjoy!

Can I just have 25 hours in each day??

2010-01-26T01:31:00.000-08:00

I am finally getting all of my items on Etsy... or at least on the way. Even though I can't do much physically, I feel like I am constantly on the go. Between doctor appointments, physical torture (I mean therapy) and my crafty stuff I have been pretty busy. Oh, and my three adorable children, the dog... and my wonderful husband, yep, they need my attention too. I am going to TRY and post one Etsy item a week so you can see what I've been up to. I should also mention my "resolution" not to be confused with New Year's Resolutions (I gave those up years ago). I roped Jon into trying one new recipe a week. Last week we made B.T.S. cake. We tried two different versions and it was DELISH! If you don't know what B.T.S. is, well, either ask a friend or email me. This week I'm thinking something dutch oven. If you have any great recipes, let me know. Anyhow, here is one of my latest jewelry sales...

Bring on the heat!

2010-01-12T01:02:00.000-08:00

Today marked my second session of physical therapy. I was nervous before the appointment started because I was already in pain. Luckily after heat therapy, elec. stimulation, and good stretching I felt better than I have in a while. Shortly after the pain returned; it was a nice break though. I keep asking Jon why our insurance won’t just cover a hot tub. I’m sure it would help my back. Hahaha… I know, I know. A girl can dream right. On the agenda I have exercises, exercises, and yep… more exercises. I am sure they will help me but right now it feels like work,work,work!

Today was also a very important appointment. I went for my follow up with Neurology. So far it’s looking like a migraine caused my “incident”. I have a few more tests to go, but things are looking good. You might wonder, wouldn’t I have felt a migraine? Well, I am learning a headache is a symptom of a migraine, and a migraine is not always accompanied by a headache. I am so grateful for all the prayers on my behalf. I know they are helping and I am recovering from all my physical trials. Even though the process is slow I have had amazing support. Thank you for all your service, love, and prayers. Until next time…

I survivied!

2009-12-31T18:44:00.000-08:00

The past 2 weeks have been full (if you haven't read about it on our main page). Before I was injured we had planned to be in Oregon for Christmas. The airlines refused to work with us and we spent a lot of money on our tickets. I was healing faster than we expected, so we took a gamble and kept our travel plans. Take off and landings were not fun, but other than that, it was tolerable. I am getting a little more mobile each day. I still can't hold Addie for very long, but hopefully that will change soon. For the most part my nerve pain is gone. I am probably more grateful for that than anything at this point. I still have quite a bit of dull back pain though.

Today was a turning point... we said goodbye to the hospital bed. I am looking forward to the comfort of my own bed each night. Jon is a trooper and handling things very well. He is supposed to go back to work this week (we are hoping that changes) which may make things very difficult. I would like to thank everyone who has helped out in any way. I have felt the prayers. I know they are helping. I know the blessings I received have helped. I am so grateful for the outpouring of love and support. We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family.

Day #10

2009-12-13T15:16:00.000-08:00

Today I walked into the kitchen ALL BY MYSELF. Then with help from Reagan, I made a sandwich. Slowly (and I do mean slowly) I am progressing. Tomorrow I have an appointment with Orthopedics and we'll see how that goes. I am more concerned with getting in and out of the car than anything else. Well, it's time for a Vicodin aka sleepy time...

Soap, Shampoo, and Hot Water!

2009-12-12T17:20:00.000-08:00

Today was a GREAT day! I conquered one of my fears since being released from the hospital. With help from Jon I made it upstairs and was able to shower. This was difficult and painful… but TOTALLY worth it. I’m sure everyone within smelling distance would agree.

The physical exertion was so great that afterwards I climbed in my OWN bed and took a glorious nap. Even though it’s no secret I despise our bed (longing for our old, softer king size mattress) the queen was heaven compared to the stiff, plastic twin hospital mattress I have been confined to. I am not complaining. I have appreciated having this bed, but after hours of lying on it… it becomes VERY uncomfortable.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring. For now, I am content knowing I am clean and had a great nap in the comfort of my own bed.

Catching up

2009-09-30T22:17:00.000-07:00

I am really behind on my blogging. I guess I have to start with Thursday. As many of you know, it was my birthday. A few years back I decided to stop celebrating it. If I don't celebrate, it's like it never happened right? Well, the kids had gymnastics and it was a school night which left us little time for fun. We had dinner at Chili's and it was so good. I love the Mushroom Jack fajita, YUM! I also received some amazing gifts from family/friends.

Saturday the kids went to a birthday party and I went to the R.S. broadcast. When I arrived home I was surprised with a little party planned by Jon and the kids. So sweet right? They had an ice cream cake, roses, and balloons. It was such a great night, especially considering that it was not my birthday. Notice how thoughtful Jon was when he put up my candles. Am I spoiled? Definitely

Watch Bracelet Bands

2009-09-07T16:28:00.000-07:00

Watch bands are on the way! This is the first of many more to come. Check out my etsy store for details. http://www.brinababe.etsy.com/

Gift Sets

2009-08-31T23:11:00.000-07:00

Check out my new gift sets. I am selling these with or without the clutches on etsy. Many other fun things are on the way.
http://www.brinababe.etsy.com/

Etsy

2009-08-23T22:04:00.000-07:00

If you didn't catch the info. on facebook, I have started selling wipe clutches on Etsy. To view mine, go to www.brinababe.etsy.com and I have 14 different styles to choose from. These are so much fun hopefully school won't tie up too much of my time. Until the next update...

Crafty Crafts...

2009-07-12T21:19:00.000-07:00

So if you were wondering, I've been crafting a lot lately. With all the babies being born this summer I decided to stock up on wipes clutches.

I can't decide which is my favorite.

Frustration...

2009-07-05T22:05:00.000-07:00

Jon and I have been hitting the gym hard. We have been on the treadmill nearly every day for 3 weeks. I usually do the bike for 3.5 miles plus a good run. We keep our heart rate up for AT LEAST 40 minutes, sometimes longer. With all the sweat, blood, and tears you would think I would see some sort of pay back. Unfortunately I haven't lost ANY weight. I know I am getting older, I know this is my 3rd baby, but seriously? I've never had this hard of a time loosing weight. I am also watching my diet. Because I am nursing, I am limited to what I can/can't do diet-wise. Any suggestions? Just a side note, Jon and I are doing a 5K in 2 weeks... wish us luck!

A few of my favorite things...

2009-05-15T13:50:00.000-07:00

I was surfing the web trying to get ideas for baby gifts when I ran across several fun projects on etsy.com. I wanted to do something easy but personal. These wipe clutches were perfect. I have made several of these and they only took about 15 minutes to put together.

2009-05-04T22:23:00.000-07:00

I am just getting around to posting pics of the beautiful flowers I received. The first bouquet came from Jon and the kids. Gavin and Reagan picked the flowers and ribbon while "Daddy" supervised. The other two were sent by Guy & Jeanette (Jon's parents). It has been wonderful having so many fresh flowers in my house... I could get used to this.

I survived... again!

2009-04-30T14:47:00.000-07:00

After what seemed like an endless agonizing pregnancy, I endured yet another long labor. The fun began at my appointment on the 17th and was informed they would not induce me and could potentially go over my due date. I was not happy. This concerned me for several reasons. Jon gave me a blessing which helped me to be settled and at peace. I had another appointment on the 23rd and was expecting to hear bad news again. To my surprise, I was dilated to a 4 and they could induce me the next day (my due-date). We had to call at 6am and see if any beds were available (EAFB only has a few labor/delivery beds). They had an opening so at 6:30 we dropped off the kids and headed to the hospital.

The pitocin actually started at 7:30 and didn't do much for me. Slowly they increased the amount and before long I was in pain. This was so much fun that I began asking for pain meds. At 1:45 my water broke and the anesthesiologist still hadn't shown up. The nurses assured me they had paged/called him several times. Finally at 2:30 I got an epidural. Even though I was hoping for an intrathecal, I welcomed the pain relief. Unfortunately it only helped with my contractions. I still felt all the pushing and delivery. It compared to having Reagan without pain meds. At 3:35pm Addison was born. I was so happy to be alive and see my beautiful daughter. Even though it was a challenge from pregnancy to her birth, she was well worth it.

The waiting game

2009-04-16T23:15:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is my all-so-important Dr. appointment. I still haven't figured out why they are referred to as Dr. appointments. I have yet to see a single doctor. So far, it's been nurse practitioners and midwives. Hopefully they will be inducing me and we can finally meet Addison. Per the clinic records (which are disputable) I am "officially" due on the 24th but was told last month that they can induce me a week early. Cross your fingers!

Another one down!

2009-03-24T00:00:00.001-07:00

Today was my final test. Wahoo! I am officially done with classes until September. The timing couldn't be better. Now I am just patiently (okay, not so patiently) waiting for the arrival of Addison. Until next time...

The Nienie Dialouges

2009-03-18T13:48:00.000-07:00

I love this blog. For those of you who haven't heard about it... I recommend checking it out.

Girlie Girls

2009-03-02T19:53:00.000-08:00

I have been working on the girls room for quite a while and my efforts are starting to pay off. I couldn't find a bumper/crib set in the patter or color I wanted so I decided to make one myself. I still need to make a skirt (I am thinking green), but for the most part here it is.

The bumper is reversible (all pink or blocks) so I can change it whenever I get bored (knowing me, sooner than later). Both girls have a lime green chandelier above their names and I am planning to make matching quilts for them.
Funny how things work, we have been on the hunt for white furniture since September 2007. No one had all white furniture. In fact, most places told us we were nuts for wanting it. Well, we bought ours at Fred Meyer recently. The dressers came with black knobs which we quickly swapped out. Now that we have everything situated, EVERYONE has white furniture. Target even has a 15% off sale right now.

For the most part I am happy with the way it turned out. If you have any other suggestions... I'd love to hear them.

Wrapping up another semester.

2009-02-25T18:46:00.000-08:00

This semester I had a hard time deciding if I should take classes or not. I knew the baby would be due right around finals so I ended up taking 2 online classes. I took my final for an XP class and TADA, another A. I am almost through with my second class and it looks like my 4.0 gpa will still be in tact. Wahoo!

2009-02-17T22:13:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day was one of those days that had highs, and lows. I woke up with a head cold and wanted nothing more than to sleep all day. That didn't start things off on the right foot. At 10:00 we had a primary activity in Eagle River. We loaded the kids up not expecting too much and were pleasantly surprised. The gym was decorated like a carnival. Balloons, snow cones, cotton candy, sugar cookies... oh my. Several of the classrooms were used for activities that kept the kids entertained for hours. Sugar rush aside, the kids had a great time.

After that we dropped our kids off at the Holt's for a few hours. I have missed Carino's and Olive Garden since living here and Jon wanted to find a way to give it to me. He found recipes for some of my favorite dishes and we went to work preparing them. The Italian Nachos turned out great (if you want the recipe email me). The only downside was the 1 1/2 hours it took to prepare them. We have since simplified the prep-time and can do it in about 45 min. We had planned to make Scallopini for the main dish but time was running out and the Nachos really filled us up.

We headed to pick the kids up, napped a little and then started on our main course/dessert. The Scallopini did not turn out right at all. Unsure if the recipe was bad, or if we did something wrong, we will try it again. Even though our house was full of goodies (we baked cupcakes and cakes all weekend) I went to work on angel food cake. The strawberries were tart (hard to find decent produce in AK) but the glaze made up for it. Yum!

Full bellies and a happy family later, I snuck off to work on my talk. I spoke on Charity and yes, I cried like I always do. Luckily the Hartzell's watched our kids (Jon's schedule still won't allow him to attend church :( I am still taking classes and trying to plug away at them in hopes of being done before the baby arrives. Other than that, I am just trying to survive one day at a time.

The Impossible...

2008-12-17T18:44:00.000-08:00

After sitting through 5 months of pure agony in my Public Speaking class, it's finally over. I put blood sweat and tears into this and my efforts have come through in the form of an A. I am proud to say my 4.0 GPA is still intact. I haven't decided if I will take classes next semester or not. Baby #3 is supposed to make his/her grand entrance right around finals time.

Recently I was presented with a major award. Jon felt the need to acknowledge my hard work by giving me the "Spouses coin". The inscription reads: Given in gratitude for unselfish, faithful, and devoted service. Your unfailing support and understanding help to make possible your spouse's lasting contribution to a grateful nation. It's nice to be recognized and know that you are appreciated. Being a military wife has up's and down's but for the most part I enjoy knowing that we are contributing to something that matters. I am proud of Jon and all that he does not only for our country, but for his family.

P.S. Jon said my "official certificate" is in the mail.

Yum!

2008-09-01T22:07:00.001-07:00

Bored with the same old meals and desserts, I thought I would try something different. This was my latest creation and it was delicious. Let's hope I can recreate it again.

Another Bun In The Oven

2008-08-26T19:18:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you've heard by now and if you haven't, I'm pregnant! I tend to be a little bit um... sick to put it mildly. Pregnancy and I really don't get along but so far things haven't been too bad (keep your fingers crossed). By my calculations baby will be due around April 10th.

Work'n It!

2008-08-07T19:43:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been less than happy with my body. I know everyone has self confidence issues but it's time for me to do something about it. Jon has grown increasingly tired of listening to me complain so he has been dragging me to the gym. Even though I haven't seen results, my endurance is definitely building. I started out with the goal to run a mile. Maybe that isn't a big deal for some of you. The last time I ran a mile was in high school. I completed the mile exhausted with a time of 13:00. Since then my time has skipped around at 11:30, 10:31, 10:05, and 9:59. Being the encouraging husband he is, Jon didn't let me stop there. Now I am running/jogging for 20 minutes. I have been doing a mile and a half at 16:20 and using the remaining time to cool down. Even though I hate running I know this is good for me. For those of you wondering, Jon runs 4 miles in half an hour and does a mile and a half in 8 minutes. I know I won't ever be that fast but I can definitely improve. The gym we go to on base is called Arctic Oasis. While we work out the kids have a great place to play and stay entertained. I thought I would include a few pics from the last time we were there.

DANCING THROUGH THE YEARS

2008-02-25T23:10:00.000-08:00

This is a slide show of my dance career through the years. This includes performances, competitions, recitals, showcases and any other events I danced at. Just in case any of you were wondering... yes, I did grow up in the 80's.