The Simple Life of the Stars

Get-To-Know-Me Monday, #2

2012-01-30T14:43:00.004-06:00

I really enjoyed doing the mini-questionnaire last week and even had a fellow blog/real life friend answer all of the questions on her blog! (Thanks, Michelle! It was fun reading your answers!) Sometimes it's hard coming up with questions, but I find it makes it easier if I think about what I would like to know about fellow bloggers. I also make sure that I mix it up...it's nicer to have a post of funny/trivial questions mixed with serious questions. It makes coming up with answers much more interesting!

How do you feel today? Tired. And cranky. And like my head is going to explode. I have a mammoth sinus headache today. I'm also seriously lacking in the motivation department.

Favorite facial moisturizer: Aveeno Baby Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream. It doesn't offer any sun protection, which I know I need to address, but it keeps my skin moisturized in this dry climate and keeps the eczema on my face and hands from rearing its ugly head.

What are your most enjoyable moments as a parent? Being able to breastfeed has led to some really beautiful bonding moments with Bunny. Right now she's being such a sweetheart while nursing that it just melts my heart. Before she latches on to really eat, she takes a few seconds to look up at me, smile, and sometimes touch my face. It immediately erases any negativity that I've been carrying around.

Favorite vacation spot: I couldn't pick just one. We love going to Ruidoso, NM. It's a pleasant place that's touristy, but not too crowded, and breathtakingly beautiful. We also love going to the Texas Gulf Coast. It is familiar, but still exhilarating. It feels like we're going home, but without responsibilities.

Cell phone: basic ringer or song? Basic ringer for both MM and I. We decided a while back (MM first, then I followed his lead), that we were adults and professionals and that our ring tones should acknowledge that.

Favorite Bible verse: Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

How does your daily routine go? Wake up - 6 am, nurse Bunny or pump if she's still asleep, eat breakfast, get ready for work, get Bunny ready for day, take Bunny to daycare, go to work, work, pump, eat lunch, work, pump, work, pick up Bunny, start dinner or feed Bunny dinner (MM does whichever I don't do), eat dinner, help MM with clean-up if he needs it, do some laundry, cuddle/play with Bunny, nurse or pump again, wash bottles from day, nurse or pump before bed, bed. Phew!

Favorite television guilty pleasure: I have so many! I'd have to say My Fair Wedding on WE tv. David Tutera is so stinking clever and seems to genuinely love his brides (although I am not naive enough to think that it's all real and no acting.) But I do love a good wedding and I love even more when a gal with modest wedding plans has the blow-out of her dreams.

What do you enjoy most as a parent? Late night cuddles, early morning chat sessions, and this smile:

Weekly goals:

Drink water. Seriously. It's not like it's hard!
Take Bunny and the stroller and just start walking. At least once. Just do it!
Stop forgetting to take my meds. They're daily pills for a reason!!
Pray for guidance on how to be the best wife to MM I can be.
Find my motivation; quit hiding from the responsibility I've been given at work and just get it done!
Get things organized. My way. Stop looking online for how everyone else's household binders are set up and set mine up in a way that works for me and my family.
MORE CUDDLES!! MORE PLAY TIME!! MORE LOVIES!!

Musings from The Mountain Man; #1

2012-01-27T14:22:00.001-06:00

Recently MM has really been encouraging me to consistently post on my blog. He sees what a joy it is for me to do and is so supportive of that. While mulling around ideas for what I should post about, I realized that it would be neat to have him do some guest posts for me. I think it'll be great for you to see The Simple Life of The Stars from his perspective! So, here's his first post for you. Enjoy!!

MM here. KP (Kimberpeas) asked me to do a guest blog on occasion to get my perspective on life. For my first, I will list ten thoughts about being a Daddy.

Before Bunny was born, other parents loved telling me how hard it was going to be; the lack of sleep, and the diapers, etc. They wanted me to be so surprised. I get it. They poop a lot. It is not a shock. I knew babies ate at night when I was 10 years old. Leave me alone already.
Having stated that, I had know I idea I could function on so little sleep!
I think there is a problem in this country in which parents want to be praised for taking care of their children. You’re supposed to take care of your kids. Quit patting yourselves on the back for it.
I believe Bunny knows the exact moment we sit down to eat or go to sleep at night. She takes it as a personal insult and chooses these times to start crying.
I knew babies fought sleep. I didn’t know they started their first week. That is something another parent could have warned me about.
I have never been known as an emotional man, but when my daughter smiles at me, my heart and mind become flooded.
Her purity and innocence remind me of my faults. They make me want to be a better person.
I look at parental advice like I look at marriage advice; I am the only person on earth who knows what it takes to be married to KP and to be a Daddy to Bunny, so stop telling me what I should do. I don’t need advice, I need sleep.
Children are a Blessing, even at 3 a.m.
Before Bunny was born: I used to hang out with my buddies, I was in a band, I had hobbies, and KP and I would travel on a whim. Memories can be good. I like the present time better.

God Bless.

Monday Questionnaire

2012-01-23T15:20:00.000-06:00

I felt like posting today, but didn't know what in the world I should post about. Well, a quick Google search revealed a random questionnaire, so I decided I would roll with it. Who knows? Maybe this will become a weekly feature and I'll learn more about myself through it!

Mood: Peaceful. After having family visit this weekend, the house is empty except for the three of us. I cannot wait for the relative quiet that is waiting for us at the end of the day.

When making a sandwich, do you care if one of the bread slices is the end of the loaf? Heck yes I care! It's like the deformed cousin of real bread...it's not worthy of a sandwich or even toast! The heel of the bread is the red-headed stepchild of the loaf. It grosses me out and I don't quite know why. It just does.

I mean, look at it. It's grody! I would like to find some packaged bread that omits the heel. Wouldn't it be great to go find a bag of bread where all the slices are edible?! That'd be my dream loaf.

What is the weather like today? Beautiful. Blue skies, 64*F, no harsh wind. The perfect day for a picnic. Too bad I'm stuck in the office!

Current nail polish: Pshaw! Nail polish? You're kidding, right? This Mama of a 5 1/2 month-old barely has time to chew off her hang nails, let alone take the time to polish!

What ring setting do you keep your cell phone on at night: loud or silent? (Or completely off?!) I wish I could keep it completely off, but alas, the cell phone is the "wake-up-you-have-to-pump" signal on weekday mornings. The ringer is on vibrate and the alarm is as quiet as I possibly can set it and still hear it to wake up.

Current outfit: Blue patterned, 3/4 sleeve knit shirt that is a size or two too-big. A brown ribbed tank to prevent inappropriate cleavage-bearing as a result of aforementioned too-big shirt. Favorite dark wash jeans. Pink and brown Ariat boots.

What is your favorite Disney movie? I'd say The Nightmare Before Christmas because it's TECHNICALLY Disney's, but I consider that Tim Burton's, so it doesn't count. Therefore, my favorite one is going to have to be Alice In Wonderland. I love how creative the illustrators had to be in order to bring Lewis Carroll's words to the screen and how the movie just reeks of fantasy.

Can you whistle while using your fingers? Nope. Not even a little bit.

When doing laundry, do you separate loads (lights, darks, delicates, and etc.) or throw everything together? I'm a bit OCD, so what do you think. Also, Bunny's clothes have to be washed in special detergent and without fabric softener, my shirts are mostly hand-wash, and I've had far too many socks turn pink or blue on account of not separating. So yes, I separate. Meticulously.

As a matter of fact, my life would improve considerably (in my opinion), if I had a laundry room like this:

or this:

or, in a fantasy land, this:

Weekly goals:

Drink more water...I'm woefully deficient.
Take a nice, long walk. With or without the family.
Eat what makes me feel good. (Note: not what TASTES good.)
Pray earnestly and fervently.
Devour God's word as much as possible.
Work hard and be the example I need to be to my fellow employees.
Continue to enjoy moments like this with my whole heart and every ounce of attention I have:

Wordless Wednesday: My Bunny and Me!

2012-01-18T11:26:00.000-06:00

This Blessed Life

2012-01-17T14:11:00.002-06:00

Excuse me for this post. I promise it will be a long one. I have SO much to reflect on right now.

You know "Monica" on the show "Friends"? I've been told I resemble her in my personality. I'm a bit of a neat freak. If the house isn't a certain way, well, let's just say that I'm not very pleasant to be around. I have spent many of my free moments scrubbing something that someone scrubbed before me (usually MM) because it wasn't scrubbed "my way".

I've changed.

Why? How?

God's Grace.

In the past few weeks I've learned that the little moments are going to slip by me, never to return again, if I don't pay attention to them. The house will be just fine if it's not dusted regularly, but I will forever regret missing special moments with my family. For now I will let the dust bunnies live under my furniture, allow the floors to get a bit scuffed, and let the closets and drawers fall into a bit of disarray, especially if it means more special moments with our little girl.

Now, don't get me wrong. We aren't living in filth; you know I would never allow that! MM and I grab the broom or the vacuum when we see that the dust bunnies are getting brave enough to venture out from under the furniture, we always have clean clothes to wear, (well, almost always), and we keep the dishes done every day. But the big picture is that now I have let go of the desire for an OCD abode in favor of cuddles on the couch, giggles on the floor, and messy feeding sessions with strained peas flying everywhere.

Bunny will never remember that the house was a bit messy, but she will remember if I'm not there for her. God showed me that. And I am so thankful to Him for it. It is a shame that some of us need to be taught that lesson, but I do believe that those of us with OCD tendencies come by it honestly. We are hard-wired to want things a certain way. We need order in our surroundings to have order in our brains. There is honestly and truly only one way that those tendencies will fall into the recesses of our minds in favor of the more important things of this world. Want to know what it is?

God.

I've been there and done that. I've tried to deal with my anxiety and tendency towards depression on my own and even through peer and professional counseling. I've spent many a night fighting with myself over whether or not it's too "crazy" to go wash all those dishes in spite of it being 3:00 a.m., even though I know I won't sleep if it's not done nor will I care if I get made fun of for it. Nothing exists on this earth that can change me. It is only through God's grace that I am able to let go of what doesn't matter and focus on what does.

In the end, though, I certainly don't look at it as having let my house go. I have opened up my heart to experiencing my world fully. The house will keep. My little Bunny will not.

Such a beautiful girl!

My favorite smile in the world!

So much love between a Daddy and his princess!

This IS the life!

Our cowgirl princess!

Eating her first whole fruit - an apple spear.

Just chillin' with her sippy cup after dinner!

Happy 5-Months, Bunny!

2012-01-12T09:59:00.000-06:00

Today, MM and I have a 5-month old. She is such a joy to behold. She rolls over from tummy to back like a boss and, subsequently, spends little to no time on her tummy like she's supposed to. Oh well, she's started to tripod sit, so maybe we'll keep that flat head at bay anyways. We started her on solid foods, which Mommy makes for her, and she loves peas more than anything else, she also likes her sweet potatoes, but isn't too sure about the taste of broccoli. She also loves it when she gets to practice drinking water from her sippy cups. When we bring out the sippy cup, her eyes get round, she opens her mouth wide, her hands reach out for it, and she kicks her little legs in anticipation. It is too funny! B graduated to her own room and sleeps like a champ in her crib and has stayed there through the night for all but one night when the poor thing had night terrors. She's still quite the talker and has started practicing her consonant sounds in earnest. She has so much to say that she talks in her sleep to get it all out. She is a pro now at entertaining herself and Daddy & Mommy are enjoying the time that allows us to do adult things. We're actually reading real books again! We love you, our little Bunny. You have no idea how blessed we are to see your face every morning!

Clutter Control in 2012

2012-01-02T15:05:00.001-06:00

The arrival of our precious Bunny made one thing obvious to MM and I; WE HAVE TOO MUCH STUFF!! We knew that adding a 3rd person to our 880 sq. ft. home would make things, well, cozy, but we didn't realize just how cozy we'd be. Just sitting down in the living room requires navigating a labyrinth of baby furniture, relocated adult furniture, toys, blankets, and etc., usually with the added challenge of clinging to a squirming 4 1/2-month old or a plate of food. We have too much of everything. Too much furniture, too many clothes, too many unused items stowed away in the deep recesses of our closets and cupboards taking up precious storage space from those items we use. Unfortunately that means that those items we use end up strewn about in inconvenient places, like the floor in the guest room/office.

I am not typically a "resolution" kind of gal. They usually end up being things like "lose 100 lbs", "save a million dollars", "open my own restaurant", and etc. I'm not against them per se, but I know that they just don't pan out for me. Lose 100 lbs? Yeah, right, is that a cookie? Save a million? Oh please. We have things to pay for! Open my own restaurant? You cray-cray, girlfriend! But, if I were to admit that I was making a New Year's Resolution, this year it would be to de-clutter. I don't want to just de-clutter my home, I want to de-clutter my whole life. I am adopting a new personal mantra, courtesy of William Morris; "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful". Thank you, Mr. Morris. I will take your words to heart.

For so long I've been crippled by the thought that my getting rid of things given to me by special people would hurt their feelings or cause some ridiculous confrontation. Well, I'm done thinking that. A survey of Americans showed that having a disorganized, cluttered home results in an average of 40% more time spent cleaning. I'm POSITIVE that my family would rather I get rid of a few things so that I can cut down on cleaning time and spend more time with my daughter, my husband, my family, and my friends. If they feel otherwise, they don't care much about me or my loved ones anyways, so it's a moot point.

Baby steps are the key to survival for me and this "resolution", so I started small. Without further adieu, here is our medicine cabinet makeover. It took all of 20 minutes, but has already paid off in making it easier for us to find our and Bunny's medications

Before and After

Shelf One: before and after

Shelf Two: before and after

My tools:

The project was easy enough to get started. The first thing I did was purchase the storage containers. I got them at Dollar General and paid $2.50 for each of the small ones and $3.50 for each of the big ones. I didn't actually measure the cabinet before, but I figured I would return them if they were too wide and knew that the shelves of the cabinet were adjustable if they were too small. The label maker was part of my Christmas present from my grandparents.

After gathering my supplies, a bag for medication disposal, and the trash can, I began to sort. Expired medication went into the bag right away (to be disposed of by our local pharmacy), the non-medicine items were moved to the side so that I could find new homes for them, and, finally, the remaining medicines were sorted into 4 categories: Bunny's Meds, MM and I's Meds, Misc Meds, and First Aid. The sorted meds were then placed into their corresponding bins, then bins were labeled, and voila! It's so much nicer to look at and I know that it will be a breeze for Bun's babysitters to find her stuff without any problems now. That is a big weight lifted off this concerned Momma's shoulders!

So, yes, I have rung in the new year with change on my mind. I am one small step closer to everything having a place in my home. I know the medicine cabinet was easy and that some hard de-cluttering decisions are in my future, but I am more than ready to tackle the task in order to give Bun a clutter-free home that her parents spent more time loving her in than cleaning.

Thanks for reading and God Bless!

Sayonara 2011!!

2011-12-31T13:54:00.001-06:00

Phew! What a year it has been! I can't believe how quickly 2011 flew by! It seems like just yesterday it was Dec. 3, 2010, the day we found out that Bunny was on her way, and now it's over 12 months later and she's a thriving 4 1/2-month old. It has been an amazing, at times challenging, but all-in-all wonderful year. Here's a quick re-cap. (Although I'm probably going to leave a TON of stuff out - I will blame it on my fuzzy "parent-brain".

January - Had our first appt. with Dr. H, who is now the most wonderful family doctor we could ask for. We also had our first glimpse of Bun via ultrasound. It was super-exciting. I also went in to take my test for state certification and made a 94. Woohoo! I'm now a certified professional appraiser!

February - We finally ditched our old desktop computer and replaced it with the laptop I'm currently typing on. We figured it was a great space-saving move and that it would be nice for Skyping with the family. We were right, it has been. We also experienced some REALLY chilly weather. I posted about it here.

March - We found out that Bunny was healthy and happy via ultrasound and that she was a girl! We were so stoked about it that we went out and bought two incredibly frilly outfits for her. (Unfortunately, one had an annoying bow in the front that hindered easy burping and the other she never had the occasion to wear...oh well...you live and learn!) MM got started cleaning out what was once his room to start getting ready to convert to the nursery. That was a long process, but SO worth it now!

April - MM and I really got to working on the nursery this month. The carpet was pulled out, paint color was selected, and all the trim was removed. It was weird having a completely empty room in such a small house. Things have really been cramped since then. We also paid a visit to my family in SA to see Crowbar and the band she's in play at a great BBQ joint. It was a great way to spend our Easter weekend. Nothing's better than quality time with family

May - West Texas was ravaged by several humungous wildfires throughout the month of May. Several of them came close enough to us that we had to develop an escape plan and keep bags packed for a few weeks. The fires were finally controlled but there are several parts of the area that will take years to recover. I celebrated my first Mother's Day with MM at home. He spoiled me quite thoroughly and I loved every second of it.

June - June was a HUGE month for us. We were out of town quite a bit, first on a family vacation to Gruene,Texas, and then back to SA for my baby shower. While on our vacation, we got to go have a 3D ultrasound done and saw Bunny's little face for the first time. It was beyond amazing. Our vacation was nice and quiet, just what I needed with only two months left of pregnancy and we have some great, fun memories of the trip. Mimi, Crowbar, and Munky threw me an amazing baby shower at my grandma's house and some wonderful friends and family made it even more wonderful. We are so blessed! Finally, MM and his friend spent a day installing new laminate flooring and all the trim in the nursery. It finally looked like a finished room!

July - July was the last full month before Bunny was due to arrive, so we were trying to get a lot done. My parents came in July 4th weekend and they helped us pull the nursery together. The furniture was all assembled and installed, the new ceiling fan was installed, and decor was unpacked and put out. The finished product is beyond beautiful. I am very grateful to MM, Papaw, & Mimi for all they did. Since my birthday is August 8 and Bunny was due on August 14, MM decided to have my birthday celebration in July to ensure that I actually got one. He spent a whole weekend showering me with gifts and good food. It was the perfect celebration of my 30th birthday.

August - August 2011 will forever be one of the most wonderful months of our lives. Bunny arrived with minor complications on August 12 and we are so blessed by her. She was a typical fussy little girl from the start but quickly grew into a very calm, content little one. Unfortunately her Mommy wasn't doing as well. First I ended up in the hospital for 3 additional nights for high blood pressure. Due to stress, she didn't stay with me, so my parents had her at home while MM and I stayed at the hospital. It was heartbreaking and hard, but we made it through our first week and I finally got to go home to be with my little family. It was a rough start, but it definitely made us stronger!

September - This was a bit of a tough month for the Star family. Bunny was adjusting nicely and we got into a bit of a rhythm together. MM went back to work and Bunny and I spent some trying days together. Finally, though, my post partum depression and anxiety finally got the best of me and we spent a week at Papaw's and Mimi's while I got some counseling to help me get my head on straight. It was very hard, but we did it and the three of us got through it together. We also had a fun visit from Aunties Crowbar and Munky. They just loved meeting and cuddling Bunny.

October - I went back to work in October and was finally starting to heal mentally. Bunny was pretty much sleeping through the night by this point and we got into a great routine of getting up in the morning and getting all of us out the door with a limited amount of stress. We celebrated Bunny's first Halloween in a low-key manner. We grilled our traditional steaks and watched Halloween movies together. (Non-scary ones, of course!)

November - Bunny decided November was a great time to stop sleeping through the night and we are still working on redeveloping good sleep habits with her. She also started smiling and laughing a lot more than in the weeks before. We also dealt with a completely miserable weekend where the three of us were sick. That was a bummer, but Bunny was a trooper and I felt like we came through her first illness with flying colors. Bunny's first Thanksgiving was amazing and Papaw, Mimi, Crowbar, and Munky made the long trek out to celebrate with us. In spite of the washer breaking, the weather being too bad for turkey-frying, and the family being in a sub-par hotel for a night it was a wonderful time for all.

December - We took Bunny on her first trip to the "big city" and she stayed in a hotel for her first time as well. The purpose of the trip was to do our Christmas shopping and we had a great time. She did well everywhere we went and slept through most of our time on the road. She is a wonderful traveler. We also made a surprise trip to SA to spend Christmas with my family. Bunny did well on that trip as well despite a small amount of sleep regression. We had great food, great fellowship, and made some wonderful memories for Bunny's first Christmas. I know she won't remember a bit of it, but all of us will and I know we're all thankful for that. I have to thank MM for making it all possible. It was he who made the trip work out even though we have been a bit strapped in several different areas of our lives this month. Bunny also had her 4-month check up and shots and was given a perfect bill of health by Dr. H. We started her on food and she has been doing really well with that. It has been a bit more time-consuming to make her food every week, but so worth it to know that she is eating what we're cooking and not something processed.

So, that is our year-in-review. It has been such a roller coaster for us, but the end result has been family closeness and true joy and gratitude for what we have been blessed with. I know 2012 will bring with it more fun, challenges, and memories and I am so blessed to have what I have. I pray that you have a safe and happy New Year celebration and that 2012 is full of the joys of life as well!

4 Months

2011-12-19T15:23:00.000-06:00

She is growing up before our very eyes!!

Sorry for not updating in a while. I just haven't felt up to it. I will probably be taking a hiatus for an undetermined amount of time. I'm beginning to think that blogging may not be for me. Just from a time and emotional standpoint. I don't really need another thing to feel guilty and depressed about neglecting, so it may be better just to make a decision to stop now while I'm clear-headed.

Prayers would be greatly appreciated. I'm in the midst of some pretty intense seasonal depression and coupled with my post-partum anxiety and depression, it's almost too much for me to bear. Thank goodness I have a beautiful little girl and loving husband to be grateful for. At least I'm not ALL alone.

May God's blessings find you this Christmas.

Recovering

2011-11-21T15:49:00.000-06:00

In spite of our best efforts to avoid it, we experienced our first illness with Bunny. The poor darling had a double ear infection last weekend. Not only that, but MM and I were also sick, sick, sick. Mine was a fairly minor cold that has completely passed, Bunny had a course of antibiotics and is back to her old, snot-free self, and poor MM got the worst of it and had to visit the doctor today. We joked that maybe he should start drinking my breast milk since it had protected Bunny and myself fairly well. (Bunny from drinking it and me from producing it.) He's definitely on the mend, though, without resorting to raiding Bunny's stash!

I have to brag on Bunny for a bit. For being so ill, she was AMAZING! She smiled and laughed through it all, even though she was pretty miserable. She was snotty non-stop resulting in numerous torture sessions requiring saline nose drops and the bulb syringe. Our brave little Bunny would fuss through them and then give us a big smile the minute we finished. The poor thing had to sleep in her swing since the drainage was too much for her to sleep through and she took it like a champ. She slept just as much as usual and didn't seem to mind the change of scenery a bit. Her antibiotics clearly tasted awful, but she just grinned and beared it for 10 whole days! We are so proud of how she handled her first real illness. And we were also happy that it came so late, right around her three-month birthday, instead of being an illness that could have been a big threat had it come at one or two months.

Speaking of three-month-olds, here she is the day after her three-month birthday (we were all too miserable to do it the day off). Again, she was a real trooper and tolerated Mommy snapping away when all she wanted to do was play.

Since everyone is better or on the mend, we are now officially looking forward to Bunny's first Thanksgiving. Papaw, Mimi, Auntie Crowbar, and Auntie Munky are coming out to celebrate with us and we are so excited to be together!

Wordless Wednesday - That Face!

2011-11-09T08:52:00.000-06:00

Wordless Wednesday - Halloweenies!!

2011-11-02T16:31:00.001-05:00

Wordless Wednesday - Fall Fun!

2011-10-26T08:00:00.001-05:00

Menu Plan Monday: October 24th

2011-10-24T07:00:00.002-05:00

Phew! Last week FLEW by and I was sure I wouldn't have enough time to even think about the week's meals, let alone blog about them, but here I am!

BREAKFASTS: Frozen waffles, eggs & turkey bacon, chorizo & egg tacos

LUNCHES: Soups, sandwiches, salads

DINNERS:

Monday: Slow-Cooker Cajun Chicken, Red Beans & Rice (I'm going to make up the chicken recipe as I throw it into the slow-cooker. We'll see how this goes!)

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Grilled sausage, skillet or mashed potatoes

Thursday: Slow-Cooker Beef and Lentil Stew, salad (Again, this one will be made up as it goes into the slow-cooker. Apparently I'm just going to wing it all week!)

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Grilled Steak, whatever veggies are fresh at the store, and RED WINE!! (Our Halloween dinner every year.)

Sunday: On our own

Well, that's it for this week. MM said that the weather is going to turn cool at the end of the week, so I'm looking forward to hot chocolate, hot apple cider and some delicious pumpkin-flavored treats!

Don't forget to head over to Menu Plan Monday at Organizing Junkie for what I'm sure will be more great fall-inspired menus and recipes to try out!

New Recipe: Slow Cooker Cheesy Asparagus Chicken and Rice

2011-10-20T11:08:00.001-05:00

On my Menu Plan Monday post this week, I listed that I would be making this Cheesy Chicken and Rice recipe that I found (via Pinterest, of course!). Well, after reviewing the recipe, I realized it might now be the best fit for MM and I since it has corn in it and MM isn't the biggest fan of corn. I was a bit flustered trying to figure out what to replace the recipe with that didn't require scrapping the entire week's plans. After a bit of thought, the solution was simple; modify the recipe to our liking. So that's exactly what I did!

Slow Cooker Cheesy Asparagus Chicken and Rice

2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 large onion, chopped
Black pepper
1-8 oz. box Zatarain's Long Grain and Wild Rice
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 can cream of asparagus soup
1 can tender asparagus spears (you can use a box of thawed frozen spears as well, you will just need to get them in the slow cooker sooner to heat through)

Place half of chopped onion in bottom of slow cooker and top with chicken. Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper over chicken, about 1/2 - 1 teaspoon. Top chicken with remaining onion and can of cream of asparagus soup. Cook on low for 7 - 8 hours or high for 3 - 4 hours.
Cook rice according to package directions*; I used the microwave instructions and was able to get some chores done while it cooked. When rice is cooked, add it to the slow cooker and top with drained asparagus tips and cheese. Stir to combine (chicken will break into pieces) and continue to cook until all ingredients are heated through. If you are using frozen spears, put them in the slow cooker one hour before starting rice.

*The rice can be made the night before and stored in refrigerator to speed up the mealtime process even more!

I was a little worried about this one because I thought it might turn out too asparagus-y. My concerns were quickly alleviated when MM took his first few bites and declared this one a winner!

(I have to admit that I'm not usually so keen on using canned/boxed products to make dinner, but I've quickly learned that you have to compromise on some things when you have a two-month old and go back to work. As she gets older, and especially when she starts eating dinner with us, I will endeavor to make a return to 90% from-scratch eating.)

Let me know what you think if you give this one a try!!

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Girl!

2011-10-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

Menu Plan Monday: October 17th

2011-10-17T16:41:00.000-05:00

Right now I'm desperately trying to get back in to some sort of a routine. I know that with a two-month old, that's nearly impossible, but I simply operate better even if there's an illusion of a routine going on. We've been doing pretty well getting out the door every weekday and getting to bed each night. MM and I seem to have worked out a pretty good schedule where we each at least get the opportunity to have some free time each week. So far, I've spent my free time cleaning and doing laundry, and he's spent his working on small projects that have needed to be done throughout the house (and watching Bunny while I'm pumping - the only downside to the arrangement), but at least we're both having some "baby-free" time every few days.

One area where I've been seriously slacking is in menu planning. I've had ideas in my head for great things to cook, but then we have a rough morning and I forget to pull meat out to thaw or we get home and are exhausted and just get something from a fast food place. That's not so good. Fortunately, breastfeeding/pumping has allowed the sin of unhealthful eating to be at least sidelined for now and I'm still losing weight without much effort. I know that gravy train is going to run out soon, so I'm bound and determined to get back to making healthy meals for us before it's too late and my weight loss stalls out.

Here's what the plan is for the week:

Breakfasts: Cereal & turkey bacon

Lunches: Leftovers, sandwiches & chips

Dinners:

Monday: Soup and Sandwiches

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken and Rice with steamed frozen veggies

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos with beans (I've lost my recipe for the shredded beef, so I'm going to try to recall the recipe from memory. If it tastes good, I'll post the recipe here later.)

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: BBQ or picnic

Sunday: On our own

I'm pretty confident that this is a fairly hassle-free, minimal time commitment menu that can be accomplished with items we have on hand. Hopefully it will go smoothly and we won't be eating out at all this week. Fingers crossed!Don't forget to check out orgjunkie.com's Menu Plan Monday post for more menu plans for great inspiration!

Bath Towels and Baby Bottles

2011-10-14T14:16:00.000-05:00

Who knew that having a little Bunny could be so much fun? I swear she's the most adorable kid I've ever seen. I miss her while I'm at work, I miss her while I'm pumping and MM is holding her on the couch (in the same room, mind you), and I miss her while she's sleeping. It definitely helps that God has blessed us with such a good-natured little girl.

Her two-month birthday was Wednesday and her 9-week birthday is today and she is already sleeping 8 hours through most nights. We (well, MM, since I already have to get up to pump) only have to get up in the middle of the night about twice a week to change and feed her and she usually falls back to sleep pretty quickly. She eats well, whether from the breast or the bottle, and seemingly regardless of who is feeding her, and is gaining and growing healthfully. She is such a happy baby and rarely fusses unless something is really bothering her. Her happiest times seem to be right after she has been fed after a nap (what a life she lives). She always has a huge grin for MM and I then. She is still exclusively fed breast milk and I plan on keeping it that way until she's at least 6 months old. (Well, as far as milk goes. We will add in solids when she's showing that she's ready.)

We seem to have a really good schedule going during the week and all 3 of us typically make it to our respective destinations on time. I hate dropping her off at daycare every morning, but we love her provider and all of the other little ones that she watches. I get anxious for 5:00 p.m. to roll around so that I can go pick her up and MM waits anxiously for us to get home.

All in all, I can honestly say that we are loving life right now. We're a little tired, sure, and the house is a mess and don't even ask me about the nutritional content of our meals lately, but it is still pure bliss. Every evening includes playtime and cuddles with my two favorite people on the planet and I couldn't ask for more!

And here's a pic of a very proud Daddy after giving Bunny her bath.

Presenting: the cutest kid in my world wrapped up in her bath towel. Would ya look at those cheeks?!

TWO MONTHS!!

2011-10-13T08:56:00.000-05:00

Can you believe it?! We can't! She has grown so much already and is developing well. I just love her so much and it's hard to get through the 8 hours we're at work without missing her terribly. I know that will pass with time, but for now I'll let it be and just love on her a little extra every morning and night.

Wordless Wednesday - Silly Girl!

2011-10-05T09:06:00.000-05:00

One Month

2011-09-12T15:14:00.001-05:00

Our Birth Story

2011-09-10T22:16:00.000-05:00

It has taken me so long to get this post going that I've feared that I would forget our birth story. Then I realized that the experience of delivering your child into this world does not fade easily. 30 years from now, when my little girl is a beautiful woman, maybe with a husband and children of her own, I may have forgotten the details, but I will never forget the feeling of having her laid on my stomach for the first time.

Everything started for me at almost exactly 4 a.m. on Friday, August 12. I woke up in bed with a start, felt a twinge of pain shoot through my body. I got up, thinking it was more Braxton Hicks contractions and ate a bowl of cereal. At that point, my contractions were 7 minutes apart. As the hour drew to a close, however, they had sped up to 4 minutes apart and were growing in intensity. I woke MM up and told hm to get ready to load up, IT WAS TIME.

We arrived at the hospital a little after 5 a.m. I was quickly checked in and hooked up to monitoring devices. All indications were that, yes, this was labor. MM made a quick call to my parents to tell them that it was time and that we would keep them updated. My parents, unbeknownst to me, immediately started making preparations to leave home and head here.

My contractions progressed quickly and were getting more and more painful. I wasn't ready to throw in the towel, but was really doubting whether or not I was going to make it without pain intervention. My birth plan dictated that I was going to be allowed to cope with pain through walking around and other methods, but the nursing staff could not let me out of bed until lab work came back confirming that everything was okay.

It was not. Protein in my urine and high blood pressure indicated I had pre-eclampsia. A fairly common and unpreventable condition, it can be very serious and lead to some scary things like seizures and etc. I was on the edge of the upper limit, so I wasn't being treated, but I was chained to the bed and had to be monitored constantly. We were NOT HAPPY. MM was especially frustrated because he knew I was in pain and was not being allowed to move around in an attempt to alleviate it. It was explained to us, though, that it just wasn't safe for us to not be monitored constantly.

Dr. H. showed up around 8 am to check in on us. By that time, I had dilated only 2 centimeters and was really having a hard time coping. She explained to us more about pre-eclampsia and explained that the situation required I deliver by a certain time to avoid c-section, just due to the severity of it all.

While she was there, I came to the conclusion that I was ready for an epidural. I was already getting tired, I was in a lot of pain, I wasn't able to move at all, and I was VERY grouchy towards everyone except MM. I knew that I didn't want to bring Bunny into the world with that attitude, so I asked for the epidural.

I endured the pain quite well for another 2 1/2 hours until the anesthesiologist finally came in to perform the procedure. Getting the epidural was HARD. My short height and being overweight made it very hard to place the catheter. I had to sit still through more contractions than I could count and I had to hold on to a nurse who was nice enough, but just not as comforting as MM could be, but those are the rules.

After getting the epidural, I was so relaxed and feeling so good. I still felt the pressure of each contraction, but there was no pain. Dr. H came in again after lunch to check on me and I had only progressed to 4 cm. I was really frustrated...I was ready to get things going! She decided to go ahead and break my water to move things along. 30 minutes later I was dilated to 6 cm. and 45 minutes after that I was at 10!! We were getting ready to push!

During the final check, Dr. H discovered that Bunny wasn't in prime condition for an unassisted delivery. They started me on Pitocin to strengthen my contractions which would hopefully urge Bunny to turn, but told us to be prepared for a vacuum, forceps, or even c-section if Bunny didn't turn her head on her own. I got scared then, but was determined we were going to deliver her vaginally still.

Dr. H left at that point to finish her appointments for the day and told our wonderful nurse, Sheila, that she could start pushing with me to see how things go. Unfortunately, even in our tiny town, in our tiny hospital with only two delivery rooms, there was another baby that was in a competition with Bunny to see who would be born first...and only one nurse to attend to both! I pushed with our nurse for about 2 hours, but she had to leave to assist with the delivery next door. Thankfully, Dr. H came in about then to deliver Bunny, so she took over from there.

Sheila delivered our next door neighbor, got her settled in, and ran into our room to assist with the final pushing phase. She was on my left, MM was on my right, and Dr. H was prepped and ready to go. After a while, they told me Bunny's head was sticking out about an inch and we took a break for a minute. Dr. H asked if I wanted her to cut me and I decided to go for it, since it would get Bunny here faster.

I felt a ton of pressure and we just kept pushing and pushing. In the end, I only actively pushed for 30 minutes or so before MM's eyes got big, Dr. H started yelling "PUSH!" and I felt so much pressure that I couldn't stop pushing even after the contraction ended. Before I knew it, Bunny slid out and was placed on my tummy. I saw her and immediately looked in shock at MM. I was astonished that she was here already!!

Bunny entered this world a squirmy, screaming little miracle at 5:44 p.m. that evening. It was the hardest but most rewarding thing I've ever done and MM was my partner and coach through the whole ordeal. He was by my side and extremely supportive the entire time. I felt so blessed having him there.

I will never forget how in awe I was at her arrival. She was amazing and we were so excited that she was finally here!!

Introducing, "Bunny Star"!

2011-09-09T13:12:00.000-05:00

Now that our little princess is 4 weeks old, I guess it's time to update my blog to reflect that!!

Bunny was born on Friday, August 12, 2011 at 5:44 p.m. She weighed 7 lbs., 9.8 oz. and was 19.5 inches long. Her MM Daddy and I are so proud of her!!

Her Papaw & Mimi (my parents) arrived at the hospital about 45 minutes after she entered the world and were smitten from the beginning. They stayed with us for a whole week, which was a huge blessing since I ended up hospitalized for 3 nights after Bunny was born. (I'll update y'all on that in another post.)

So, MM and I have been by ourselves with Bunny for about 3 weeks, save a few nights that my sisters visited and this week when my parents came back to make sure Mama was alright and because they just couldn't resist spending more time with Bunny. Considering she is 4 weeks old today, I think we're doing pretty well. We are, of course, sleep-deprived and maybe somewhat malnourished (you have to WASH that lettuce before you eat it, WHO has time for veggies?!), but every coo and smile from Bunny makes up for it ten-fold!

So, without further ado, here she is!!

In the time it has taken to post this, Bunny has fallen asleep and woken up three times, I've stopped typing while Mimi lulled her to sleep again so I could pump and eat lunch, she's eaten twice, and finally has woken up again and is now in my arms. That being said, I do have every intention of eventually sharing our birth story, but that may not happen until her first birthday, the way things are going!

Thankful at Thirty

2011-08-08T10:24:00.000-05:00

Today I turn 30. Being 39 weeks pregnant and turning 30 brings out a lot of emotions. Some good, some not-so-good, but all a part of life. The feeling I am most focused on right now, though, is how thankful I am. I am so blessed and thankful for SO many things right now, that, if I weren't baby-belly huge and prone to public embarrassment, I might spend my 30th birthday dancing through town.

What am I thankful for? SO much:

1. The promise of eternity in heaven, thanks to my salvation through Jesus Christ.
2. A wonderful, loving husband who I know will always put me, and now Bunny, second only to God.
3. Having a healthy, risk-free pregnancy.
4. A loving family who is always there for us.
5. A happy home to live in.
6. All our necessities being met.
7. Good jobs for both of us.
8. Wonderful friends to share life's joys and pains with.
9. Having the ability to truly enjoy life, no matter what comes our way.
10. Peace and quiet when I need it.
11. A promising future as we finally become a family of three.

There is so much more, but my pregnant mind only goes so far these days. Thanks for reading!

Wordless Wednesday - Showered

2011-08-03T08:30:00.002-05:00

Reality

2011-08-01T16:19:00.000-05:00

I was hoping to post something fun and witty today. Or at least have a Menu Plan Monday post.

Yeah. Not gonna happen.

My mind is completely foggy. I know I'm at my office, but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be doing today. (Thank goodness it's 40 minutes till 5:00!)

5 1/2 hours of fairly strong contractions in the middle of the night will do that to ya. I guess it's just a sign of the grogginess to come!

I will be napping tonight. Dinner MIGHT be made by me. I WILL NOT be doing any laundry or cleaning.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll be back to "normal". It would be nice for MM's sake. He must be exhausted from taking care of me!

15 More

2011-07-30T08:00:00.003-05:00

15 more:

-Wake-ups
-Showers
-Breakfasts
-Lunches
-Dinners
-Evening Walks
-Goodnights

until she is expected to be here.

We just cannot wait to meet our Bunny.

Life is just so full and beautiful!

More Shmirfday Fun

2011-07-26T09:21:00.000-05:00

MM KNOWS how to please a pregnant lady on her Shmirfday. He made the yummiest, ooey-gooiest brownies ever. They are delicious. He has honestly never baked for me before, so I was pleasantly surprised when he told me what his plans were.

Here he is getting the pan ready for the oven.

I'm SO not happy about this picture being taken...I just wanted to eat my brownies!!

Doesn't it look like that huge baby bump is about to jump on the counter and devour the whole lot? If it could, it probably would have!

Finally, a shot of the brownies after I had already taken out my portion. See, I just couldn't wait. Could you have waited?!

That was how my Saturday night ended up; eating my brownies, enjoying my Shmirfday and the nice weather outside thinking, "Life is just PERFECT". It doesn't get any better than a Shmirfday weekend with MM. Next year it'll be a Shmirfday weekend with MM AND Bunny. I can't wait!!

Birthday - Shmirfday

2011-07-25T10:19:00.000-05:00

On August 8, I turn 30. MM is SURE that I'm going to be miserable and go into labor the night of my 30th birthday and won't be able to enjoy the milestone. (He's probably right about my misery, but I still think I'm going to deliver on Aug. 18th. Anyone want to put some money on it?!)

So, to make absolutely SURE that I got the birthday celebration he deems me worthy of, he set aside this weekend as my Shmirfday weekend. When I got home from work on Thursday evening, there was a sign on our front door cordially inviting me to celebrate my birthday from Friday at 5 pm until Sunday when I went to bed. I was very excited! The invitation made note of the fact that we were going to do whatever I wanted, eat whatever I wanted for our meals, and just have fun together all weekend. It was a lot to look forward to.

Oh, and the cards! I have been wanting an IPod for a while, especially to use while I was laboring, but it just wasn't going to work out financially. Baby-buying and the anticipation of medical bills to come was keeping us from being able to budget for one. MM presented me with two cards Thursday night. One was from Bunny and was a sweet little card about being a perfect mom. On the inside, MM had taped a picture of an IPod. I was intrigued, but not sure what it meant. After that, I opened a card from MM himself, and inside the first flap was a receipt for The Three Muskateers, one of my favorite movies that he had ordered for me. Inside the second flap, was just the amount of money I needed to order my IPod and several accessories. I was SHOCKED! Where did the money come from?! I am three weeks away from starting unpaid maternity leave!! Well, as it turns out, MM had finally sold his saddle and wanted me to use the money for whatever I wanted. Needless to say, after Bunny's card and "suggestion", my IPod was ordered and is on its way.

There's much more to say about this wonderful weekend, but it'll keep for another post. Here's some pics of us enjoying Friday night after a nice dinner out. It FINALLY started raining and we sat on the back porch, talking and enjoying the smell, sight and sound of that blessed precipitation!

Oh, and just a side note. We had an U/S on Friday to check Bunny's position, size, and etc. Every time I have an U/S or lab done, we have to register at the hospital. The registrar noted that my birthday was close to my due date, and we ended up discussing MM's Shmirfday plans for the weekend. She was impressed with his forethought and asked if he had other children. We told her he was just that smart. He really is Captain Amazing, isn't he? I guess I may have to consider an official name change from "MM" to "CA".

Minor Scare

2011-07-21T11:04:00.000-05:00

We spent four hours in labor & delivery yesterday. Since my pregnancy has been so sublime and healthy, I never thought I'd end up in L&D early. I thought we would just make the trip when it was time to push and go and have Bunny that day. Well, I was wrong!

It all started at about 9:30 a.m. as I was sitting at my desk working. In a sudden rush, my chest tightened up and I felt my heart rate speed up. I could feel my heart beating through my ribs, down my spine, and into my belly. Immediately after that feeling passed, I was light-headed and a bit nauseated. I was a bit scared, but didn't think much of it, until it happened again 5 minutes later. I texted MM and we decided I should call the doctor, which I did. I was told to head to the ER because they could test me for everything there.

We got to the hospital and were sent straight to L&D. I did the usual; disrobing, urine sample, into the hospital bed, and we were hooked up to the external fetal monitor, blood pressure cuff, and O2/heart rate monitor. After answering a lot of questions, the nurse on duty called Dr. H. who quickly prescribed a breathing treatment. Looks like it was an asthma attack. I started the breathing treatment and started feeling better, if not a little light-headed and tipsy, as is the norm with those treatments. My O2 sats went back up and I was feeling sleepy, which they thought was a good sign.

Bunny, however, was not having it. The breathing treatment made her more lazy for some reason, so I had to be monitored to see if she would start reacting the way they wanted. She didn't. I drank some apple juice...no reaction...I ate the hospital lunch...no reaction...I drank some more juice...no reaction. Finally, after my millionth glass of ice water, Bunny woke up and started moving around. I was really starting to get worried as the words Biophysical Profile and induction were being tossed around.

After a final check-in with Dr. H., we were allowed to get out of there and go home for an afternoon of rest. I couldn't have done it without MM. He was so patient and helpful the whole time. He asked all the questions I didn't think about and made sure we both understood the answers before we moved on. He even skipped out on lunch because we didn't have cash and he didn't want to leave me at the hospital while he went to get something to eat. (One of the nurses was kind and called the cafeteria to get him some food. I felt so bad, so I'm glad he finally ate!!)

So I am back at the office today, but have to continue to be mindful; drink 8 oz. of water every hour I'm awake, do kick counts to make sure Bunny is active enough, keep in tune with my body a little more to discern what different pains could be. It's a little taxing to always be thinking, "ooh, what was that?" all the time, but it's ALL worth it to keep Bunny healthy.

My biggest problem with what happened yesterday is why I didn't recognize the asthma attack when it happened? A few puffs on my inhaler and a nap and I probably would have been fine. Why did I have to drag us to the hospital?! It wore us both out! Oh well, lesson learned. It did give us a good chance to really talk to the L&D staff and know more what to expect when the time actually comes.

All in all, we are both happy to be back to normal today and hope to stay out of L&D for a few more weeks!

Why Do I Blog?

2011-07-12T13:18:00.000-05:00

It's not for the comments.

It's not for the followers.

It's not because I think I have something to say that people need to hear.

It's not for anyone else in the world.

It is a blessing to me.

And sometimes, just sometimes, my blessings are multiplied because my musings bless others. That's just the cherry on top.

Menu Plan Monday: July 11

2011-07-11T09:44:00.000-05:00

I am really, really, really having a hard time fathoming the idea that in 5 - 6 weeks (or less), we will be meeting Bunny! I had a scary night over the weekend with some pretty intense contractions that seemed to progress. A lot of water and rest took care of them, but we were having thoughts of a trip to L&D before it was all over. That night spurned us into action and we spent Sunday in a flurry of activity! MM was the house-cleaner extraordinaire, helped me with the grocery shopping, and cooked dinner, while I planned a menu and prepped two weeks' worth of meals for the freezer. It in no way constitutes us being "prepared", but we're a few steps closer!

BREAKFASTS: Egg & veggie tacos on WW tortillas, Cheerios, skim milk

LUNCHES: Leftover chicken fajita salads, salmon sandwiches, pb&j

DINNERS:

Monday & Tuesday:

Peasant Stew w/ salad (I prepped the base for the stew for the slow cooker and also froze one for later.)

Wednesday & Thursday: Garlic Dijon Dump Chicken, Sauteed potatoes & bell peppers, salad (Another item I prepped ahead of time and will just throw in the oven Wednesday evening. I also made two more to freeze. This is a first-time recipe for us, so I will review it on Thursday!)

Friday: Teriyaki salmon (one of MM's specialties), brown rice, & stir fried spinach.

Saturday: BBQ from the freezer stash plus whatever veggies are fresh from the store.

Sunday: On-our-own (no menu today, we'll fend for ourselves!)

So that's it for this week. It feels so good to have a well-stocked freezer and pantry! I also made 3 meatloaves for the freezer and cleaned out the pantry, down to reorganizing, trashing expired items, and even wiping down the shelves! It's so neat and every label is facing forward, just as it should be!!!

Don't forget to head to Organizing Junkie for more menus and recipes at Menu Plan Monday!!

A Quick Update

2011-07-06T09:50:00.001-05:00

Captain Amazing (MM) and Papaw & Mimi knocked out an ASTONISHING amount of stuff this weekend. The nursery is now completely serviceable should Bunny come early. Praise the Lord!!

Here is the to-do list as it stands today. I'm over-the-moon about how everything came out. (I will post pics soon, I promise!)

1. Paint ~~nursery trim, bedroom door, and~~ closet door.
~~2. Rip up carpet and lay down new flooring. (MM has scheduled to do this with a buddy of his this Saturday.)~~
3. Install trim. (MM will be doing this July 4th weekend with Bunny's wonderful Papaw)
- Caulk and touch-up the paint on new trim and paint old trim.
- Hang ~~bedroom and~~ closet doors.
~~4. Install ceiling fan & window treatments. (July 4th weekend.)~~
~~5. Move all the furniture/art into the nursery. (July 4th weekend w/ Papaw & Mimi)~~
6. Finish packing hospital bag. (Will be done by Sunday.)
~~7. Purchase/pick up bassinet & sheets.~~
8. Purchase/pick up feeding supplies (bottles, pump, storage).
~~9. Pre-register at hospital and tour l&d. (Scheduled for next Friday morning.)~~
10. ~~Finalize birth plan and~~ review l&d techniques.

Now, let's pick apart what's left and figure out what needs to be done to get it done.

1. Paint & hang closet door - this is not at all a necessity, so MM is going to relax for the next week or two and take his time getting it done. Works for me! He needs a rest!
2. Finish packing hospital bag - I need to order a bath robe and some slippers, and pack up a going-home outfit for me. (I also need to get some of the "down-there" after-care products to have in the bag, so we'll be heading to the pharmacy soon.)
3. Order feeding supplies - my DEAR aunt is sending me her professional-grade breast pump, so as soon as that gets here we will be inspecting it and ordering the necessary supplies (storage, bottles, shields, etc.)
4. Review L&D techniques - there aren't any birthing classes within 2 hours of us, so I bought a Lamaze book. We will be going through it chapter by chapter over the next few weeks.

I also would like to order a rug for the nursery floor, but that isn't at all a necessity and that will depend on the budget. We are really getting there! Other than the fact that I've never had a baby before and won't have my Mama with me when it happens, I feel totally ready to meet Bunny. She's coming whether Mimi is there or not, so we'd better get ready!!

Turn, Baby, Turn!!!

2011-07-01T13:58:00.002-05:00

We had our second-to-the-last two-week check-up yesterday. We have another two-weeker on July 15th and, after that, we go in once a week until Bunny is here. That mean's there'll only by 4 weeks left!! AUGH!!

The appointment went really well. We asked a lot of questions and got a lot of answers. We are on board with everything Dr. H. said except for one thing. When I asked when and how she would induce labor if the need arose, she said one week after my due date and that she uses Cytotec. You know me, uber-organized and research-happy, so I researched the drug as soon as I got out of the appointment. It didn't take long for me to realize that Cytotec was NOT an option for inducing my labor. We will inform Dr. H. at our next appointment that we refuse its use if an induction is necessary, armed, of course, with copies of the FDA warning and several other medical journals that support our case. Our real prayer, though, is that she will come on her own without medical intervention!

Speaking of medical intervention, we had our first indication that we may need a c-section to get Bunny out if she doesn't scootch over into my pelvis. Right now, she is head-down, but her head is pretty much stuck in my left hip. Her little heinie is up underneath my right breast. Dr. H. has hopes that she will slide over if I do a few exercises and more walking to let gravity pull her down. We will be checking her size (I'm still measuring big) and position with an ultrasound on the 15th, so we'll have a better idea of what's going on then. If Bunny is still crooked at that point, Dr. H. is going to see if another doctor she knows will come and try to manually move Bunny over. Unfortunately, Dr. H. is not trained in the procedure herself. If all of that fails to slide Bunny into my pelvic opening, our only option will be a c-section as I will not dilate without Bunny's head applying pressure. Again, our ultimate prayer is that, through exercise and gravity, Bunny will slide into place without any medical intervention.

We are getting very excited at how close we are to meeting our daughter. I just can't wait to love on her and kiss her fat cheeks!! MM is also ecstatic and finished tying the last fly for some wall decor for her nursery. Our little girl better be quite the angler or her dad is going to be really bummed! As much as we both love the water and love to fish, though, I don't see how she can avoid loving it, too.

Papaw and Mimi will probably be here by this time tomorrow and we will be busy getting the nursery finished with their help. I can't wait to see them as it's the last time we're likely to see any family until after Bunny is born. After that, they'll be coming to see her and not us, so I'll have to take advantage of my parents being parents and not grandparents while they're here!

Due to the recent wildfires in our area, it's illegal to even have a fireworks stand in the county this year, so the celebrations will be muted at best. That's fine with us as we'll probably be tired from the nursery work and will just want to enjoy a quiet evening with the family.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and ask that you send up prayers that a.) Bunny will slide into a position that will allow for a vaginal delivery and that b.) she will come into this world by Sunday, August 21 so that we can avoid induction!! Thanks!

God Bless You and Happy 4th of July!! YAY AMERICA!!

Wordless Wednesday - Surprise!! It's A "New" Car!!!

2011-06-29T09:18:00.000-05:00

Ah, Now I Can See It!!

2011-06-28T10:43:00.000-05:00

Things sure are moving along! Only about 7 weeks until Bunny's due date and we finally got a tangible idea of what the nursery is going to look like in the end. MM maintained his status as Captain Awesome this weekend by doing an amazing job installing the new laminate floors and trim with his buddy. I'm going to go way back and show you the "before-before" and the "current".

Isn't the transformation just amazing?! I just love it. Bunny now has the nicest room in the house and there's not even any furniture or decor in it yet! Here are some more pics of the work-in-progress and finished product.

I am absolutely in awe of what a difference about $350 worth of materials makes!! ($150 for flooring, $50 for paint, $75 for trim, & $75 for miscellaneous tools/supplies.) It certainly helps that MM is so willing to do everything himself...it has definitely kept our costs down!!

As a result of this weekend, the major things on our list have been stricken and we can focus on the little details and finishing work. Papaw & Mimi (my parents) will be here this weekend to help with all the final nursery preparation and I know that Mimi and I are really going to enjoy getting everything organized!

Here's the to-do list with a few additions I forgot about or we didn't think of before.

1. Paint ~~nursery trim and~~ doors.
~~2. Rip up carpet and lay down new flooring. (MM has scheduled to do this with a buddy of his this Saturday.)~~
~~3. Install trim. (MM will be doing this July 4th weekend with Bunny's wonderful Papaw)~~
- Caulk and touch-up the paint on new trim and paint old trim.
- Hang bedroom and closet doors.
4. Install ceiling fan & window treatments. (July 4th weekend.)
5. Move all the furniture/art into the nursery. (July 4th weekend w/ Papaw & Mimi)
6. Finish packing hospital bag. (Will be done by Sunday.)
7. Purchase/pick up bassinet & sheets.
8. Purchase/pick up feeding supplies (bottles, pump, storage).
9. Pre-register at hospital and tour l&d. (Scheduled for next Friday morning.)
10. Finalize birth plan and review l&d techniques.

This will be the last nursery update for at least a week, but I'm hoping that the next one will be the final one and we'll be able to see the final before vs. after shots. After that, MM and I will relax and enjoy our last 6 weeks with just the two of us in preparation for all those sleepless nights ahead!

Menu Plan Monday: June 27

2011-06-27T10:50:00.000-05:00

It seems like we're really starting to get back into the swing of things. We've been home for TWO WEEKENDS STRAIGHT (woohoo!) and I'm not allowed to travel anymore, so that's the way it'll stay until Bunny arrives. Because of that, things are starting to progress and I'm getting back to being a bit more organized and a bit more on-schedule. As a testament to that, I finally have a real menu plan for the week that we are going to stick to! Don't forget to head over to Organizing Junkie for more Menu Plan Monday ideas in case mine aren't inspiring enough for you!

BREAKFASTS: Cereal and bananas (I'll be going in to work early every day this week).

Saturday: MM's World Famous Potato & Egg tacos
Sunday: MM's World Famous Chorizo & Egg tacos

LUNCHES: Chicken salads, PB&J, apples, salmon salad & crackers

SNACKS: Yogurt, String cheese, Tres Leches Cake

DINNERS:

Monday & Tuesday: Taco Bake, Salad, WW Tortillas

Wednesday & Thursday: Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken, Brown Rice, Steamed Veggies

Friday: Canned Salmon tacos, Pinto Beans, Sauteed Bell Peppers & Onions

Saturday: (Company Dinner) Slow Cooker Kalua Pig Sandwiches, Cole Slaw, Oven Fries

Sunday: (Company Dinner) Grilled steaks, Sides TBD depending on what looks good at the store this weekend

I can't wait to stick to a schedule this week! Everything has been so hectic and I just feel like I'm losing my mind without some structure. My awesome Dad & Mom will be here this weekend and Dad is helping MM with the final nursery details and Mom is helping me stock up the freezer with some meals for after Bunny arrives. They are the best!!

What are you eating this week?!

Progress!!

2011-06-22T10:19:00.000-05:00

Can I just tell you how awesome MM is?! He spent his first Father's Day weekend painting the nursery for his little girl and he did an AMAZING job. I'm SO happy with how it looks and the color we picked is just perfect.

This was the nursery on Saturday morning before he began. What a mess!

After several hours of painting, MM got it looking like this. Brilliant!!

I just adore the soft green and think it really fits with our coastal theme. It is going to be the perfect backdrop for all the wall art we have for the room.

While MM was being Mr. Awesome, I was doing my best to be Mrs. Awesome. I laundered all of her new clothes and linens and assembled a clothing storage unit, her changing table, her bookcase, and her toy chest. It wasn't something that HAD to be done, but there was baby stuff running rampant all over the house and I just wanted it all organized and in one place.

Here's her changing table from Ikea. (Complete with a cameo of my growing belly!) The best part of the changing table is that the changing top comes off without marring the top of the dresser, so it is convertible for Bunny and she will have it long after she is in diapers!

One of the drawers being filled with linens. Isn't that a cute little hooded towel?! Courtesy of one of our dear baby shower attendees.

The evening found me on our comfy bed in the coolest room of the house (have I mentioned that temps have been consistently in the 100's for what seems like FOREVER now?!?!). I was folding teeny-tiny baby clothes and sorting them into sizes for her storage bins. MM happened to get a few snapshots.

It was a very productive weekend, and I'm glad we got so much done, but I do hope that MM still had a great Father's Day. I did make him two special dinners, breakfast on Saturday, and chocolate chip cookies, so I think he enjoyed all of that. I also got him the neatest personalized frame to put pictures of Bunny in. I didn't get a picture of it, but I will soon. Happy Father's Day, MM! You are already an AMAZING father!!

As of today, we have flown through 32.5 weeks and only have 7.5 to go. I'm really not freaking out anymore. MM is making great progress on the nursery and I think we're pretty much set for supplies. The only things left to do are as follows:

1. Paint nursery trim and doors.
2. Rip up carpet and lay down new flooring. (MM has scheduled to do this with a buddy of his this Saturday.)
3. Install trim. (MM will be doing this July 4th weekend with Bunny's wonderful Papaw - my Dad.)
4. Install ceiling fan & window treatments. (July 4th weekend.)
5. Move all the furniture/art into the nursery. (July 4th weekend w/ Papaw & Mimi - my Mom.)
6. Finish packing hospital bag. (Will be done by Sunday.)
7. Purchase/pick up bassinet & sheets.
8. Purchase/pick up feeding supplies (bottles, pump, storage).
9. Pre-register at hospital and tour l&d. (Scheduled for next Friday morning.)
10. Finalize birth plan and review l&d techniques.

Only 10 things to do before she arrives and plenty of time to do it! I'm so excited!! I keep thinking that we're going to hit a brick wall and time is just going to slow way down, but that hasn't happened yet. I can't believe we're already scheduling 4th of July activities!

Other than that, life is falling apart a bit, but only because I'm so focused on baby stuff and have been letting the household routines slide. I will be spending tonight getting life back in order so that we can stay on top of the simple things in life, like sweeping!

Wordless Wednesday - Baby Shower Fun!

2011-06-15T13:50:00.000-05:00

Menu Plan Monday: June 13

2011-06-13T16:11:00.000-05:00

After my AWESOME baby shower this weekend, we are back at home for good until Bunny arrives. I'm so thankful for that. I love traveling, but it's well past time for us to get on a regular schedule and back to our routine.

I can't claim that this week's menu is based on being frugal or using what we have on hand. It is based 100% on what we are craving this week.

BREAKFASTS: Red bell pepper omelets, ww tortillas, skim milk, potato and egg tacos, banana Cheerios

LUNCHES: Black bean salads w/ ww toast, salmon salad sandwiches, pb&j

SNACKS: Yogurt, bananas, apples, oranges, grapes, string cheese, chocolate pudding cups, granola bars

DINNERS:

Monday: Mama Weaver's Meatloaf w/ roasted sweet potatoes and onions, and salad

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Cajun blackened salmon, red beans & rice, salad w/ homemade cajun vinaigrette

Thursday: Taco bake, ww tortillas, salad

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, cole slaw, oven fries

Sunday: Beef & tofu stir fry, stir fried spinach, brown rice (MM's favorite meal of mine for his first Father's Day)

I'm stoked about this week. I have been getting really great spurts of energy, so I'm going to put that to good use by getting some cleaning, cooking, and organizing done. Getting prepared for Bunny's arrival has also led me to looking into Once A Month Cooking. I've got a few books on the subject, so you may see some more info on my foray into that soon.

Don't forget to check out IHeartOrganizing for more Menu Plan Monday posts. There's always TONS of great recipes and menus for inspiration!

Wordless Wednesday - Bunny in 3D

2011-06-08T09:33:00.000-05:00

Check out more Wordless Wednesday posts here!!

Catching Up

2011-06-07T15:58:00.000-05:00

Phew! I can't believe how the time flies. Can you believe that our Bunny is due in 9 weeks and 5 days?! I can't!

So much has happened in the last two weeks that seems exciting to me, but would probably be super-boring to anyone else, so I'll give you the short version.

1. Vacation was a blast! I love my family and love that we all get along and have similar interests that allow us to hang out for a whole week without getting tired of each other.

2. There's nothing like being with a close-knit family to remind you that not all families are like ours and that is a sad realization. I pray for all of those from broken and hurting homes much more when I realize how fortunate I am. My heart breaks for everyone who is hurting due to their family relationships.

3. MM and I had a couples' massage on vacation. It was amazing. And will be something we will do again in the future. (I'm hoping sooner rather than later.)

4. 3D ultrasounds are the bomb-diggity. Did you see these pictures?! I'm still in awe every time I see Bunny's sweet face!

5. I'm starting to feel that nesting instinct kick in, but I'm so tired that I'm barely getting anything done. I will hopefully be back on a schedule after this weekend and will prepare in earnest for Bunny's arrival.

6. I seriously miss meeting with God. I need some Jesus and need to get back to the Word. How am I supposed to raise a Godly child if I can't meet with Him and know what He wants me to teach her? I can't.

7. I also miss swimming. Especially now. Walking is my exercise of necessity right now, but my belly is so heavy I feel like I'm going to tip over. What I wouldn't give right now for a private pool to use!

8. The 30-Day Challenge is going well. Again, it's easy to be nice to your husband when he's such a loving, caring man. I think I'll need to do the challenge again after Bunny is born. That may put things in a bit more perspective than when MM is pampering me all the time.

9. We have ONE MORE TRIP out of town and then we are DONE until Bunny has been out of my womb for a few months. I love traveling, but it wears me out. Thank goodness MM is doing most of the driving these days.

10. I am both excited and nervous about Saturday. I can't wait to see some cherished family and friends, but being the center of attention is causing me no small amount of anxiety. I'm sure I will look back on Saturday with fondness when all is said and done, though.

Well, that's it. My life right now in a nutshell. I will try to get back to my regularly scheduled posting, but that all depends on my energy level and free time. I do promise that I will at least post in 10 - 12 weeks to introduce Bunny to the world. Other than that, I promise nothing! ;)

Sadly, these are the only photos MM and I took our ENTIRE vacation. Oh well, at least we have something to remember the trip by!

AMAZING

2011-06-01T14:05:00.000-05:00

God is so good. I am currently relaxing at my parents' house, enjoying my final day of my "real" vacation. We have had a wonderful time with my family and have been so blessed to be able to do so. It was wonderful to transition into the third trimester in such a relaxed state.

We were also extremely blessed on Saturday to see our baby girl during a 3D Ultrasound. I have seen many of those ultrasounds online, and sometimes, they just don't work out. Sometimes the baby is facing the wrong direction, or the placenta is in the way, or the amniotic fluid is just too cloudy to get a clear shot. In our case, we only had one shot. We wouldn't be near a facility with 3D Ultrasound again through the rest of the pregnancy, so I was praying and praying that we would see her precious face.

And boy, did we ever!

She is beautiful! She definitely looks a lot like me. She has my chin and my family's Hawaiian nose. I am praying that she has MM's beautiful eyes and eyelashes, but we won't know that until we see her on delivery day. She is really gorgeous, but we may be biased. :)

I have still continued with the 30 Day Challenge and think I'm doing fairly well. It's very easy to be nice to MM when he's such a great husband to me. There were some times throughout this vacation when I have teased him more than I should have, but I always did my best to apologize to him every night before bed for what I had said. I hope that I'm being uplifting, but I guess the real answer will have to come from him.

We will be back to our normal schedule in a few days, so I'm hoping that I can get back on the blogging-train soon. I'm hoping to have lots of updates on nursery progress. We'd better! We've only got 9 1/2 weeks left!!

Menu Plan Monday: May 23

2011-05-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am on hiatus from Menu Plan Monday today, but you can still head to Organizing Junkie for more great menus!!

We are on vacation with the family this week and they planned the menu. I was present for the menu planning session, but was snoring on the couch as the meeting took place. My current plan is to show up and eat! :)

Have a great Monday!!

Mrs. Cranky-Pants (And a 30-Day Challenge)

2011-05-19T08:00:00.005-05:00

I'm pregnant. And cranky. I'm dealing with it at work by just staying quiet in my corner and doing as little interacting as possible. I'm dealing with it in social situations by avoiding as many social situations as is polite. (And anyways, WHO in their right mind invites a 6+ month pregnant woman to go dancing at a bar?!) At home though, I'm not really dealing with it. Unless you consider napping "dealing with it". So, who do you think is bearing the brunt of my hormonal outbursts? That's right. MM.

Poor MM. He has been so supportive, helpful, accommodating, comforting, and every nice and wonderful thing a pregnant woman's husband is supposed to be. And how do I repay him? With my snippy retorts and eye rolling every time I get a bit peeved.

Now for those of you who are already mothers or are currently pregnant, you know that it's hard. It is hard to be pleasant every moment of every day, especially when there's a little River Dancer stomping on your bladder and you are experiencing aches, pains, and discomfort like you've never had before. But, it is not impossible.

I started reading "We Are That Family" a few days ago. I just Stumbled Upon it and loved it immediately. Her posts are inspiring, uplifting and convicting. None have been so personally convicting, though, than her post from Tuesday. God meant for me to read her post and take it to heart. You can read "30 Day Challenge For Wives" for yourself. But I'm warning you...don't read it if you don't want God to speak to you and move you to make changes in the way you respond to your husband.

I can't count how many times I've snapped at him even though he's trying to help me or how many times I've rolled my eyes because he wouldn't agree with me. All needless negativity in our marriage. So, starting tomorrow, Friday, May 20, 2011, I am taking the challenge.

What is the 30 Day Challenge? Well, for the next 30 days:
* You can’t say anything negative about your husband …to your husband…or to anyone else, about your husband.
* Say something that you admire or appreciate about your husband…to your husband…and to someone else, about your husband!*

Daily encouragement for the 30 Day Challenge can be found here.

Yes, I am committed to this challenge. I'm telling my family about it, I'm telling you readers about it, and I am going to tell MM about it. He reads this blog, so he'll find out about it sooner or later, right? :) I want to build up our marriage, especially before Bunny arrives. There are so many broken homes these days and I want her to know that having a Daddy and Mommy that get along is normal and is God's plan for us (and her!).

Are you willing to take the challenge with me? Even for just a week, a weekend, a day?

What difference could this make in your marriage?

I will be updating at least once a week on my progress throughout the next 30 days. Please lift me up in prayer as I do my best to uplift my spouse.

*This was quoted directly from "We Are That Family's" blog post.

Wordless Wednesday - Puppy Love

2011-05-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

Menu Plan Monday: May 16

2011-05-16T08:00:00.002-05:00

Don't forget to check out the other Menu Plan Monday posters linked up at Organizing Junkie for great meal plans, recipes, and inspiration!

This week is a hectic one since I have to work extra hours, have jury duty 100 miles away on Tuesday, and have to start getting prepared for our trip. We're cutting down on our intake of red meat and also still trying to use up what's on hand in the house.

Breakfasts: Eggs scrambled w/ veggies, ww tortilla, milk, cereal, V8

Lunches: Salmon sandwiches & salad, Black bean salads w/ ww toast, or PB&J w/ granola bar & an apple.

Dinners:

MONDAY: Slow-Cooker Hawaiian Chicken and brown rice. (Yep, the same chicken we tried in this post two weeks ago. We liked it, but I want to mess with it some more. I think I can tweak it into something we'll really like!)

TUESDAY: Leftovers - this is the day I have jury duty, so I will be home late & MM will have to fend for himself with what's in the fridge. (My jury duty was cancelled - yay! - but we'll still be eating leftovers. Maybe then I can catch up on laundry.)

WEDNESDAY: Chicken and tofu stir fry with brown rice. I have no recipe for this; I just make it as I go. Maybe one day I'll write it down.

THURSDAY: Leftovers - I'll start doing laundry and cleaning in preparation for our departure.

FRIDAY: Totino's Pizzas and salad - It's "clean-out-the-fridge" night, so if we don't feel like pizza, we'll eat whatever's left in the fridge.

SATURDAY: Dinner at my grandparent's house or out to eat.

SUNDAY: Dinner at my Dad & Mom's house or out to eat.

Well, there you have it! Another week planned. I'm hoping I can stick to the plan this week and avoid eating out at all since we'll be eating away from home for almost two-weeks straight. What are you and yours eating this week?

Weekend Fun...

2011-05-15T14:41:00.000-05:00

...or not. I was looking forward to a nice, relaxing weekend at home, but that did not happen. We are leaving soon for a family vacation and MM found out this week that he will have to report to the main office for some meetings the day after we were scheduled to leave from the same area. After much discussion and lots of budgeting scenarios, we decided that it would be easier and safer for me to just stay those extra days for his meetings and leave afterwards. I will be able to stay with my parents and MM will stay at a hotel in the same city, but much closer to the meeting site. That ends up tacking on 4 days to our trip and means I have to take 3 extra days of vacation. Because of that, I had to work quite a few hours this weekend to make sure I have enough time to cover it all. Fortunately, it's our busy time of year, so there's no shortage of work for me to do.

While I was at the office, we had a great team of guys travel about 3 hours to come repair our foundation at the house. Apparently, when the house was brought in, they didn't set the foundation properly, so after living there for almost 4 years, we noticed some floor sagging, etc. They were in and out in about 4 hours and there is a huge difference already. We have to wait about 30 - 45 days for things to settle and then we will REALLY get moving on the nursery reno. We still have walls to paint, flooring, trim, a ceiling fan, and window dressings to install, and all the furniture to purchase and assemble. (Aside from the crib, thanks to Papaw and Mimi!!) It feels like a lot, but I know MM has made it his #1 priority, so the only way it wouldn't get done in time is if Bunny decides to make a very early entrance.

After working all day, I was pooped, so MM graciously offered to BBQ dinner. His preference is not to use propane when grilling, but when the house is hot and I'm exhausted, it's the perfect choice. He's become quite skilled at it and last night was no exception. The chicken was moist and delicious. He used his own recipe for the marinade and we will definitely be using it again. I love summer veggies and zucchini is one of my favorites. We eat it grilled, roasted, fried, and even baked in bread. These were lightly seasoned and grilled to perfection with just the right amount of char to caramelize the sugars. Delish!

MM is planning on relaxing and practicing his fly-casting today as it's GORGEOUS outside. He always likes to get a few casting sessions in before a trip. I'm back at the office for a while and then will do a bit of grocery shopping as well. It's rough, but the reward is a few extra days with my family!!

Oh, and here's my "official" 27-week photo. The beginning of the third trimester. I can't believe it's already here! The days and weeks are just FLYING by! Before you know it, Bunny will be here and I'll be posting about how fast she's growing up. I just can't wait!

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-14T10:00:00.009-05:00

After a few days of debating, I finally decided that Mother's Day 2011 was my first, official Mother's Day. For us first-time-moms, there was a lot of debate as to whether or not being pregnant qualified us as mothers. I finally decided that, for me, it does. I was even told that it wasn't my real first Mother's Day by some, but I beg to differ.

I decided it was my first Mother's Day because I identify myself as the mother of this beautiful miracle growing within me. Some say that the rite of passage of becoming a mother is labor and delivery. It most certainly is not. This would negate every adoptive mother there ever was, so that can't be the defining criteria. The bottom line is, Bunny is my child, and I am her Mother. Sunday, May 8, 2011, I celebrated that relationship. I have faith that God intends this child to survive and be a healthy princess for Him, but if He has other plans for us, I know that it will never negate the fact that I will always be her mother.

Now that I've established why I felt entitled to a Mother's Day celebration, let me tell you about it!

I wasn't sure what to expect this year. I didn't know how anyone else, even MM, felt about Mother's Day this year. The very first thing to arrive was a bud vase made by my Mom. She has been giving them to her M.O.P.s moms for years and has been praying and praying for God to give her a grandchild so that she could finally give one to one of her daughters. Well, God finally answered her prayers and my vase came in the mail a few days before Mother's Day. It is just adorable!

Monday through Friday, MM is ALWAYS awake and out of bed earlier than I am. On Saturday and Sunday, though, he likes to sleep in. I usually get up, make his coffee, and eat a snack and watch TV while waiting for him to get up and make breakfast. On Mother's Day, though, I just wanted to snooze and snooze. It got to the point where we were lying in bed, arguing over who needs to get up and start coffee. I finally woke up enough to realize there was a specific reason he wanted me to do it. When I got to the kitchen, this is what I found:

MM had stayed up after I went to sleep to set this up for me. What a sweetie! The first thing I noticed was the rose in the bud vase my Mom had sent me. He said, "I didn't want to get you a real rose because they don't last forever. This is your first Mother's Day and you'll have the rose I got you to remind you of today." Isn't he great?!

He also got me an adorable picture frame for Bunny's little face to go into after she is born. This will be front and center on my desk at work after I return.

MM did ask me what I wanted for Mother's Day. My list consisted of, if I remember correctly, one book and a bazillion James Avery charms. My James Avery charm bracelet has remained unchanged for about a year and I wanted to do something about it! I asked for charms that were mostly ocean-related because I'm dying to move back to the coast and MM is, for the most part, on board with that desire. Here is the one he picked, both for the ocean theme and for its Christian symbolism which you can read about here.

(It's not copper like it looks in the picture, it's actually sterling silver. My camera skills were quite sad that morning!)

MM gave me a beautiful card with a beautiful inscription from him and Bunny. Inside the card were several "coupons" for me to redeem for some of my favorite activities like "Movie Night", "A 15-Minute Massage", and "A Day of House-Planning".

I was sure that that was it, my Mother's Day gifts were over. (And I was very grateful for what I'd received.) But MM had another gift on it's way. The snail mail out here in West Texas isn't the fastest, but it did finally arrive on Wednesday and he gave it to me then. I'm a huge fan of Dave Ramsey and tend to check out everything he recommends. He promoted this book on his website and MM ended up ordering it for me. I can't wait to get into it, but I'm saving it for our leisurely mornings on vacation.

All in all, it was a wonderful morning. We relaxed, ate a gourmet breakfast of potato, egg, and cheese tacos, and watched some of my favorite shows on TV. By the afternoon our thoughts turned from Mother's Day to staying safe and protecting our home as another crop of range fires sparked up. One of which threatened several homes (all were saved), and forced residents of certain areas to evacuate. We were easily spared by a shift in the wind and quick acting on the part of the firefighters in the area. It was scary, and still is, but we will rely on God to keep us safe. We love our home, but in the end, it's just a house.

These were taken by MM while he was standing by our back door. Scary!

Finally, I'd like to ask that you lift up in prayer all those that have been affected by the fires that have burned over Texas for the past few weeks. At least one human life, unknown amounts of livestock and wildlife, and several houses have been lost. We are praying that some of the rain affecting the Midwest will shift over this way. We'll gladly take it off their hands!!

Friday Linky Love

2011-05-13T14:09:00.000-05:00

Friday! Woohoo! With doctor's appointments and vacation coming up, today is the last Friday I will be in the office for a while. I'm stoked about that! Here are some of the web locales I've been stalking of late and why I love them.

1. ERGObaby - I was turned on to this website by a fellow first time mom due in August. I checked out the products and decided that I definitely want to carry Bunny around in one of these, if it works into the budget.

2. Raising Godly Children: I was surprised to find an article this well thought-out on this subject on About.com. But I did, and I'm sure it's an article I will refer to often as Bunny grows up.

3. Suggested Dividers for a Household Notebook - My pre-pregnancy energy never really came back, but the one thing I have been motivated to do is to create a series of Household Notebooks for myself. This guide is bookmarked and is being utilized as my binders take shape.

4. When Push Comes to Shove - On the pregnancy forum I participate in, 5 babies due in August have already been born. 2 did not make it and are little angels, but 3 are fighting hard to survive. These recent arrivals have reminded me that this baby girl has to come out! AND I HAVE TO DO IT!!! Reading this article (over-and-over-again) is helping with the fear.

5. Zulily - Yep, I'm on Zulily daily. I've held myself in check, though, and have only purchased two dresses through here for Bunny. My Mom, on the other hand, hasn't shown quite as much restraint!

6. Dave Ramsey - When babies come, finances seem more important somehow. The same is true for us. I have been scouring Dave Ramsey for tips, tools, and inspiration to get us ahead, so that one day I can stay home with Bunny and any other little Stars we may have.

So, those are my Linky Loves for today. As you can see, most are baby-centric. Maybe one day that'll change, but probably only when we transition from pregnancy to infant, infant to toddler, and etc. I'm a "Mom" now, so I guess that's going to be where my thoughts (and posts) lead from now on!

Brain Fart

2011-05-13T13:51:00.001-05:00

So, apparently Blogger had a big ole brain fart last night and my post from Thursday "diskappeared". Word on the blogger highway is that our posts will all be restored, but I'm not taking any chances. So, here is yesterday's post. And now I hope we can all move on from this blogging traveshamockery.

I've been told by several people lately that I need to update my blog more. In addition, I have been asked to be fun and witty. I'd like to inform these people that, in order to write fun and witty posts, one must be fun and witty.

Now, I won't go so far as to say that I'm NEVER fun and witty. Most the time, though, I'm just dry and sarcastic. My idea of a good time is kicking back with my family and just sitting and laughing at each other. What a lot of people find "fun", I find annoying. An example: theme parks. Unless it's Disney World or The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I'd rather not bother. Theme parks = a lot of sweaty, loud parents and their greedy, whiny kids running around like headless chickens to make it to "The Awesome Show of Theme Park Awesomeness" in time. No thanks, buckaroos.

Another "fun" thing: going to the movies. As if. What if the movie sucks? Who wants to be the loser that leaves the movie early? Or, even worse, who wants to be the loser stuck at the movie theater because all her friends think it's a great flick? And, with the track-record of Hollywood in recent years, I consider it a 90% chance that any movie I see right now is going to suck. Movies with friends? No thanks. I'd rather jump into my jammies and watch a Redbox rental instead. That way, if it sucks, I can walk away and watch America's Funniest Home Videos re-runs on the other TV. Now that's entertainment!

So, my dear readers, I DO promise that I will attempt to update my blog more often. It is fun for me to write and see that people are actually reading it. I will not, however, promise witty banter that will have you giggling in your office chairs. My favorite comedy of all time is "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". That being said, you can imagine what kind of funny bone I have. Dry, dry, dry.

(If you're wondering, you can DEFINITELY thank my Dad for that. In our family, there is no such thing as "Dad" humor, it is our "family" humor. The Crowbar, Munky and I have it in spades!)

Wordless Wednesday: Pregnancy Necessities

2011-05-04T21:18:00.000-05:00

Menu Plan Monday: May 2

2011-05-02T14:43:00.000-05:00

It's that time again! Head on over to "Menu Plan Monday" at Organizing Junkie for some more great recipes and inspiration!

Breakfasts: Cereal, Egg burritos, Low-sodium V8, Skim Milk

Lunches: Packing lunch all week: PB&J w/ fruit

Dinners:

MONDAY: Spaghetti and Salad

TUESDAY: Leftovers

WEDNESDAY: Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken

THURSDAY: Leftovers

FRIDAY: "Mama Weaver's Meatloaf" and Roasted Potatoes

SATURDAY: Grilled steaks w/ Seasonal veggies

SUNDAY: "On-our-own"

This is another one of those weeks where I'm trying to use what's in the house rather than buy too many groceries. I cut our grocery budget by $200 this month, so it's going to be a challenging month, but I know we can do it!

Wordless Wednesday - Blessed By Family

2011-04-27T14:12:00.000-05:00

Menu Plan Monday

2011-04-25T00:00:00.002-05:00

To be honest, this may end up being a repeat. I typed out this post before and tried to schedule it to post automatically, but it has somehow disappeared into an internet black hole.

This week's menu was another easy one as we're returning from our Easter mini-vacation. We're about out of grocery money, so I am again working from what we have in stock in our pantry and our freezer.

Breakfasts: Scrambled eggs, WW Toast, WW Pancakes, Cereal

Lunches: Sandwiches, Leftovers, Egg salad salads

Dinners:

MONDAY: Subway on the way home.

TUESDAY: Taco Bake and salad w/ homemade cilantro-lime vinaigrette. This is one of MM's favorites and I really like it, also, especially since it is so easy to make. It also makes a HUGE casserole dish worth, so we are able to eat this for two dinners and several lunches. It's great as a casserole or served as tacos in WW tortillas.

WEDNESDAY: Leftovers.

THURSDAY: Spaghetti, Texas Toast, & salads.

FRIDAY: Leftovers.

SATURDAY: BBQ NIGHT!! Grilled steaks and roasted sweet potatoes and onions.

SUNDAY: Grilled sausage with sauteed onions and peppers.

Well, that's it. Another easy week. An extra bonus is that I have everything for the week already, so will only need to make a quick grocery trip for fresh produce, milk, and bread!

Wordless Wednesday - Reminiscing

2011-04-20T09:00:00.006-05:00

Summer 2008

Extreme Couponing

2011-04-19T13:12:00.000-05:00

Have you seen THIS show on TLC? I've seen the previews for it for a while, but I finally caught my first episode last week. My thoughts? MIND. BLOWN.

I am pregnant, so the next statement should be judged accordingly, but I balled like a baby when I saw the episode where a mother got $1,800 worth of groceries for about $105. I do realize that my emotions played a part in that reaction, but all the same, it got me thinking.

Now, I believe that "extreme couponing" is, just that, EXTREME. I don't have hours a day to spend on looking for, cutting out, and organizing coupons, but I do know that you can save a lot of money even with a minimal amount of effort.

Living in the rural area we do, we don't get coupons in our weekly newspaper. The "mail-out" coupons don't come to us either. That was my first obstacle to beginning to "coupon". I brainstormed some ideas and remembered that my grandparents get the Sunday paper, but rarely use coupons. So, a phone call later, and all those coupon inserts were set aside for me. The next thing I discovered is that you can print out manufacturer's coupons online via websites like Coupon Mom. A quick registration later, and I had found and printed about 30 coupons. Woohoo! I promptly realized that I CAN DO THIS!!

This is my first haul from my coupon-hunting efforts. Not too bad. And I followed the rule that states you shouldn't cut out a coupon unless it's a product you actually use. I did, however, cut out coupons for products that would be suitable substitutes for ones we use with the plan that I won't buy extra of a type of product, but will buy whichever is cheaper.

We are currently doing everything we can to save up for my maternity leave and then to pay down the last of our debts so that Princess Gummi can grow up in a debt-free, financially secure home. My goal for this first month is to cut our grocery budget for the month of May by $100 through the use of coupons, sales fliers, and careful menu planning. My ultimate goal is to cut our grocery budget in half by the end of the year.

I know this could be hard, but I also know that most parents have to go through a series of financial adjustments and sacrifices to provide the best life for their child. I wish I had done it sooner, but I am glad to be able to do it now.

What are you doing/did you have to do to prepare financially for the arrival of your child(ren)?

God Bless & thanks for reading!!

Menu Plan Monday

2011-04-18T11:27:00.001-05:00

Today is my first time posting to "Menu Plan Monday", and I'm hoping that it is something I will continue. I love sharing recipes and it gives me more motivation to actually get a good plan going. I'm in the midst of getting organized to prepare for Princess Gummi, and following advice from "I'm An Organizing Junkie" has proved invaluable in getting things done.

This week, my focus was to cut costs and to start using up what is in our pantry and freezer.

So, here it goes!

Breakfasts: Egg omelets w/ ww tortillas, cereal w/ skim milk, fruit, V8

Lunches: Deli meat sandwiches for MM and salmon-salad sandwiches for me, black bean salad, leftovers, pb&j

Dinners:

MONDAY: THIS delicious Peasant Stew. I love this recipe and it's so easy to throw into the slow cooker. I also love that I can have stew in the spring as it's super light, especially with a squeeze of lime juice over it.

TUESDAY: Leftovers.

WEDENSDAY: Salmon tacos w/ pinto beans. We just sautee canned salmon w/ onions, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, and chopped, fresh cilantro in olive oil and serve on corn tortillas with an extra squirt of lime, cheese, and spinach. Delicious AND frugal!

THURSDAY: Totino's pizza with salad. (We will be packing for our Easter travels, so I'm going easy and labor-light for dinner).

FRIDAY: Dinner out with the family while my sister's band "Worship Project" plays. Delicious BBQ!

SATURDAY: A Japanese FEAST at my Baba's house. (My Mom's mom.) I am helping her cook the meal so that I can, hopefully, learn and retain some of her recipes to pass on to Princess Gummi. I should have done this sooner!

SUNDAY: Dinner out with the family again. It will be the last time we see them for about a month, so we're really looking forward to it.

Well, there it is! I was fortunate to do my first Menu Plan Monday on an easy week. The next few weeks will prove to be a little more difficult as I strive to slash our grocery budget by half before baby comes.

Wordless Wednesday: Depressed

2011-04-13T16:02:00.000-05:00

It's Finally Empty!

2011-04-06T22:51:00.000-05:00

Well, thank goodness! We finally get to cross a few more items off of the nursery to-do list. Over the weekend, MM ripped out all the trim in the room. Whoever put that trim in really did a terrible job, but now that's gone and we can continue to prepare for Princess Gummi.

Here you can see MM working hard. He's doing such a great job getting everything done!

And here's the finished product; a trim-less room! (The carpet will be coming out in May in preparation for new laminate flooring.)

After MM ripped out the trim, he painted some sample swatches on the wall. I NEVER trust paint chips, so we buy sample pots of the colors we want to consider. The cream color on the left was horrid; it reminded me of the 80's. Not good for a nursery. The color on the end, Vert, looked great on the paint chip, but terrible on the wall. We tentatively settled on the middle color, Sugar Snap Pea. It had the right tones and reminded MM of the coast, so it seems perfect.

And FINALLY, I got the room completely emptied tonight. The only things remaining are what's staying in the room or the tools we still need. (I hid it all in the closet for the photo-op!)

In this pic, you can see that I wasn't satisfied with just some sample swatches of Sugar Snap Pea on the wall. Now that 1/3 of this wall has been painted, I am 100% sure that it is the color I want to use. MM will be happy about that. I usually go through at least 5 samples and several weeks before I decide on a paint color. That piece of paper tacked to the wall is the list of everything that still needs to be done. It's a lot still, but things are steadily being crossed off.

Finally, here is a pic of the fun I had tonight. We only have the crib purchased, but I know what we're buying for the rest of the furniture so I went online and got all the measurements for everything. I got the HGTV Platinum Home & Landscape Design Suite for Christmas, so I plugged everything in and started playing with the floor plan. I thought I had it all settled, but I wanted to be sure, so I used a design tip I'd seen (on HGTV, of course), and started taping out the measurements. Well, lo and behold my original plan just didn't work. So, I played around with it a bit more and settled on something I think we'll all be able to live with. I'll leave the tape down for a while we'll see how everything works. The only thing concerning me now is the placement of wall art. Once I get that figured out, we'll be set!

For the most part, everything's going well, but we have had a setback. Our original goal date for completing the nursery was July 3, but we've had to push that back a few weeks. We'd been noticing some growing problems with our floors where they meet the walls and knew it had to be a foundation problem. MM attempted to get some of the work done on his own, but the job was just too big.

At the Home & Garden show about a month back, we met with a company that specializes in foundation repair. Well, we set up an appointment and started thinking about how to raise and/or finance the ten to fourteen thousand that an average foundation repair costs. The company came out last Wednesday and did the inspection and estimate and it's just going to be about $2500. It's still going to be a bit tough, but at least we won't need to go into debt to get it fixed!

Unfortunately, though, we can't afford to have the job done until mid-May so we've had to push back the flooring installation until after. That adds a bit of extra stress, but we're glad that the job is going to be done right and completely. It will really help the re-sell value of the house. My dad is going to come out one weekend to help us install the flooring, so it'll all work out fine.

Well, that's the nursery update for now! Princess Gummi is proving to be an active little girl and a bit of a stinker. Her schedule is backwards, so she keeps me up at night quite often. Oh well. I guess it's good practice for what's to come in four months!!

Too Organized?

2011-04-01T14:40:00.000-05:00

I'm afraid it may be possible. I may be over-organizing my pregnancy. I probably need to stop, but I just can't help it!

In the past three days all it feels like I've been doing is making lists related to pregnancy. How could there be so many lists? Well, for me, and some of you that have slight OCD tendencies as well, it isn't hard to come up with about a bazillion.

Here are some of the lists I've been working on:

-Labor and Delivery Birth Plan

-Important Upcoming Dates (Did I mention we have to have some semi-major foundation repairs done BEFORE we do anything else to the nursery? ACK!)

-Hospital Bag Packing List (including subsections on: Cosmetic Bag, General, For Daddy, Distractions for Mommy, Post-Labor Snacks for Mommy, and For Baby.)

-Nursery to-do list and potential dates

-Acceptable meals (trying to eat better for the last four months - I haven't been that great)

-Freezer meals (to-be made in the last month or two)

Unfortunately for MM, he gets each of these lists in his email to review, edit, and add to. He's being a great sport because he understands me so well, but I'm sure he's grumbling under his breath every time he sees my name in his in-box.

Oh well. I am who I am. In all likelihood, things are going to go crazy and nothing's going to go according to my lists or plans. That's alright. I'm okay with chaos as long as Princess Gummi arrives safely. Even if the nursery doesn't get finished, or my bags don't get completely packed, or I don't get a single casserole in the freezer, it'll all be okay. Once again, I just need to breathe.

I've been told I need to relax and enjoy my pregnancy more. What some people don't understand is that list-making and organizing IS how I relax. Half the time things don't turn out like the picture in my head, but for me the fun is in the planning.

So I will just continue to relax by freaking out and list-making and enjoying planning for her arrival that way.

Phew - all this list-making has made me tired. I guess I'd better schedule in a nap.

I Heart Organizing

2011-03-28T22:15:00.000-05:00

Recently, I stumbled on the blog: IHeart Organizing. You know those blogs that you just happen upon and then spend all day reading because you just can't stop? This is one of those blogs. I want to implement her ideas everywhere.

For the month of March, she is challenging her readers to create a Household Binder. Now, I have heard of these binders before, and have even tried creating and implementing one, but it just didn't work. I've decided to take the challenge, though, and have taken steps to start my own Household Binder. I have almost the whole month to catch up with, but I'm just going to take it one step at a time and get it started.

The first step was just to get a binder, which I fortunately had. I then decided which categories of things I would like to keep in the binder. There were a lot. What started out as one binder snowballed into FIVE, but it still seems like it will be a great system. I need to purchase four more binders and plenty of cute dividers, but my main goal right now is to prepare the primary household binder.

I decided first to focus on the cleaning aspect of my binder since, unfortunately, we're going to have to let our cleaning lady go in order to save up for Princess Gummi.

It was a lot of work, but I finally came up with the cleaning lists I want to implement. We actually started today and it seems to work really well so far.

DAILY CLEANING CHECKLIST:
-Make beds
-Wash all dishes
-Wipe down kitchen counters
-Vacuum hard floors
-Vacuum carpets (every other day is fine)
-Do at least one load of laundry
-Full house pick-up

WEEKLY CLEANING CHECKLIST:
Monday:
-Dust furniture/electronics
-Dust doors
-Vacuum cabinet door fronts
-Clean glass
Tuesday:
-Clean toilet
-Wipe down shower
-Wash bath rugs
-Wash dog food/water bowls
Wednesday:
-Empty all trash
-Wipe out fridge/microwave
-Mop floors
-Wash sheets
Thursday:
-Vacuum under furniture
-Wash towels
-File paperwork
-Do bills/budget
Sunday:
-Prep food for week
-Clean out fridge

MONTHLY CLEANING CHECKLIST (first Saturday of every month):
-Clean ceiling fixtures
-Vacuum corners,ceilings
-Vacuum A/C vents
-Vacuum inside sofas
-Clean behind appliances
-Clean stovetop burners
-Wipe down switch plates and base boards
-Wash out trash cans
-Sweep carport, sidewalk, and porches
-Wash dog beds

QUARTERLY CLEANING CHECKLIST (second Saturday of January, April, July, and October):
-Clean oven
-Wash bed comforters
-Vacuum mattresses
-Vacuum window coverings
-Clean windows/screens (may be skipped in January if weather is inclement)
-Deep clean fridge/freezer
-Clean shower curtain

YEARLY CLEANING CHECKLIST (done throughout the month of May):
-Clean out all cabinets & drawers; wipe down
-Clean out all closets
-Long-term store financial files
-Clean out storage sheds
-Repair and refurbish yard tools and supplies

Phew! That seems like a whole heck of a lot, but I think it will be great if MM and I get into the groove of it now, so that we're used to cleaning at least a little every day once Princess Gummi comes. I know that things will come up; that we'll have a long day at work, that we'll be out of town or have company on a "cleaning weekend", or etc., but at least we'll have a plan in place to come back to. MM has committed to help every night and we just split the list down the middle and get to it after dinner. It went more quickly than either of us anticipated, so that was great.

The first Saturday of each month, while I'm getting through the Monthly Cleaning Checklist, will be date-day for MM and Princess Gummi. When I told MM this, he was really excited to have a designated time set aside each month for the two of them to spend time together. That made me really happy.

Sorry for the really long post, but I'm just so excited to start getting organized AND getting a cleaning schedule in place. Thanks for your patience, if you read all the way through. If not, I definitely understand!

What A Difference!

2011-03-26T21:21:00.000-05:00

Today was a really busy day for us. Okay, let me rephrase that. Today was a really busy day for MM. We had a pretty long list of things to get done in preparation for Princess Gummi today and the primary goal was to empty her nursery of all the things that will not be staying there.

My job was over fairly quickly. All I needed to do was help move and rearrange a bookcase and make some more room in the closet of our crafting/guest room. After that, MM was so kind and let me sleep part of the afternoon away. He, however, spent the whole day moving things from his fly-tying room into either the shed, the trash, or our "new" joint-crafting room. He worked so hard to prepare for his little girl and I am so thankful for that. To be honest, seeing him get rid of some of his things to make room for her brought tears to my eyes. I know neither of us will miss our material possessions once she is here, but it is still hard to let go of some things.

All in all, though, we got a lot done. Tomorrow we are planning on filling all the nail holes in the walls and next weekend I'm hoping we will be pulling up the carpet and removing all the trim in the room. If time permits, MM is also hoping to get a coat of primer on the walls.

Here are some pics of the room as it started, minus our desks which we had already moved, and the room after MM was done. It didn't stay this messy, usually, but MM had already started sorting everything and it was all left laying on the floors.

This first set is looking into the room from the hallway. What a huge difference! The door propped against the wall is the new door for the nursery closet.

The next set is the opposing shot. Those jackets still need to migrate to the guest closet, but the cute, little curio cabinet is to hang on the wall of the nursery. We got it at a yard sale and it's just perfect for the coastal look we're going for!

MM's drum set has been sitting in this corner of the room since we moved in. He had it set up for a long time and used to jam out several nights a week. It's now been stacked up and stored in the guest closet and will soon be sold. This is one of the things I'm really bummed he has to give up. I pray that one day we'll be in a bigger house where he can have a room to himself for his music and fly-tying. As long as he doesn't get rid of his guitar, he'll be fine.

(Yes, I do realize that there is a .22 sitting in the corner of the nursery and no, it is not going to stay there, or be anywhere near Princess Gummi. MM and I are big proponents of gun rights, but are bigger proponents of gun safety, especially around children. Every gun in this house will be safe and secure, away from the kiddo, well before she arrives.)

This final shot is Princess Gummi's closet. It was a chore getting all that stuff to fit in other places in the house, but MM really purged his things and only kept what was useful or especially meaningful. I can't wait to get the closet really clean and filled with baby girl clothes!

So, that was our Saturday. Sunday promises to be just as busy, but we can handle it. After church we plan on rearranging our bedroom to the usual "spring/summer arrangement", and we also hope to put up some new fabric black-out shades to replace the old, nasty mini-blinds. On top of that, it's the usual Sunday preparation for the workweek, including menu-planning, laundry, and house-cleaning. Thank goodness I'm in Trimester 2 and have some of my energy back!

I Just Couldn't Wait!

2011-03-25T20:43:00.000-05:00

I just couldn't wait to show off the first digital scrapbook page that I completed this evening. It isn't the greatest, but I really like it and feel like it's the beginning of a fun, cheap hobby that I can get into!

Getting Things Done

2011-03-25T09:44:00.004-05:00

I decided I needed a reality check today. I'm freaking out about all that still has to be done to get the nursery ready in time for baby. We have, basically, 20 weekends left and will be out of town for 6 of those weekends.

Back in January, I posted this list. Let's see how we're doing!

1. DONE! Buy camcorder (a priority for MM), laptop (so we can get rid of our huge desktop PC to make more room), and an air mattress (for all those guests to-come and since we're going to get rid of the guest bed to make more room).

2. DONE! Clean out the guest bedroom including my closet since MM and I will have to share now. Have a "dump day" to get rid of all the old stuff that can't be sold/used again.

3. IN PROGRESS (Just have some more closet organization and the carpet to clean.) Clean the guest room from top to bottom, including cleaning the carpets.

4. IN PROGRESS (The crafting stuff is all moved, but MM had a lot more "junk" than I realized and the nursery is still full of stuff. Move all of our crafting stuff from the nursery to the new crafting/guest room.

I forgot one step - spackle, sand, and clean the walls.

5. Remove all trim in the nursery.

We recently decided the windows in the house need to be replaced, so the nursery window is the first one in line.

6. Prime & paint nursery, new trim, and new doors.

7. Rip out the old carpet and have the new installed. We've decided to go with self-installed laminate instead.

8. Install new ceiling fan, crown moulding, floor boards, and new doors.

9. IN PROGRESS (The crib has been purchased and is in my sisters' storage unit until they come see us in April.) Buy crib, changing table, glider, and closet organization system and set all of it up.

10. IN PROGRESS Wait for baby!!

So I guess it's not too bad, but there's so much of it that I can't do. I hope it's all going to come together soon. I'm getting anxious!! My dear dad is coming soon to help MM get some of the stuff done, and my sisters, Crowbar and Munky are coming in April for a visit, so I hope I can talk them into doing some trim painting for us.

I know that this is all possible and WILL get done, but I can't help but press the PANIC button every time I walk by Princess Gummi's room and see that it's not progressed as much as I want.

I will take it one weekend at a time and try to remember to breath!!

Baby Girl!!

2011-03-24T14:08:00.005-05:00

Here are some pictures taken the first day we found out we had a little girl in our future. We're SO excited!

On the right, you see Baby Girl's head. The two bulges are her eyes. The big, round thing on the left is her tubby little belly!

This is a shot from above. Her arms are crossed on the right side and you can see her right knee in the top, left.

These are her sweet, little fists. 10 fingers!!

A cute ballerina onesie that I could not pass up. She will look so sweet in this.

MM can't wait to meet his little princess, and he wouldn't leave the store without this. Isn't it adorable?! I can't wait to dress our baby up!

I always feel bad saying it, but I was hoping for a girl first. I don't know why, I just wanted a sweet, little girl with big, brown eyes and curly, dark hair running around my house. I think MM was feeling the same way. Boys are fun and especially for Mama's, but there's nothing like a little girl's smile to steal her Daddy's heart.

A Good Name

2011-03-23T18:53:00.004-05:00

"A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold." -Proverbs 22:1

There are a multitude of responsibilities that come with being a parent. Too many to even begin to list them all. For us, as is the case for many expectant parents, one of the most important seems to be choosing a name for our child. There are so many ways a name can go. Should it be unique or common? Old-fashioned or trendy? In honor of a relative or completely off the cuff? Will the child be taunted for their name?

MM and I had our girl name pretty much settled a few weeks after we found out a beautiful baby was in our future. The boy name? That wasn't so easy. We went through tons and even had a ranking system to try and settle on one. We landed on two and were going to save deciding for when we found out the gender or on delivery day.

As it turns out, all that frustration was for naught. We found out today that behbeh is a little princess of the King and our girl name is firm in our hearts. Even so, we made the mistake of telling some family and, of course, that name was met with various degrees of reaction. One reaction in particular made this mama mad. I shared my frustration on Facebook, without naming or indicating who the offending person was, of course, and was met with an outpouring of support.

One of my favorite forms of support were these words from my beautiful sister, who we'll call The Crowbar. Her response to me was, "I'm praying for you and [MM], and the baby. I know you will choose the right name for the baby, and think of it this way, when we all get to heaven, old things are forgotten and God fives us all brand new names anyway. So yay! God-given names - those will have to be super awesome."

And you know what, she is exactly right. Our earthly names aren't nearly as important as we make them out to be. Of course it hurts if our names lead to teasing, or if family members don't like them, but that pain can be countered by the immeasurable joy of a life in Heaven, all we have to do is choose Jesus. Then our earthly name does not matter. Then we are a beloved child of God, with a special name that our heavenly Father has chosen just for us. As parents, it is the job of MM and I to give our child(ren) the chance to know of Christ's sacrifice and salvation through him. Yes, all of those other parenting responsibilities are important, but none so important as this.

Life is Full!

2011-02-28T15:16:00.003-06:00

Hello, everyone. I've been a vewy, vewy bad blogger. But, it is with good reason. Our lives feel so full right now. We are definitely blessed.

I feel like I spend every waking moment praying and thinking about our baby. I am now in my second trimester and am very much in the "are you sure I'm pregnant?" stage. Since I am overweight, I am not showing yet, and other than hearing the heartbeat of our little one two weeks ago, there have been no signs from the inside. I'm sure it is what a lot of expectant mothers go through. I guess worrying about our little one will never stop, but sometimes I find myself doubting and praying for a sign from God that our precious child is still doing well. Even if I haven't felt a nudge from Gummi Bear, God does plenty to comfort and reassure me. I know my life, and the life of my child, are in His hands.

Mountain Man and I have been taking small steps to prepare for baby. We have been cleaning out and donating things to make more room. We bought a camcorder to begin our pregnancy diary for baby to see later in life. We even bought a laptop to get rid of the bulky desktop computer and big computer desk.

One HUGE perk of buying the laptop is that we have a webcam and we're able to Skype with the family and friends. We've had video calls with my Uncle, Aunt and Cousins in the Dallas area, and have had several video calls with my parents. The ability to see all of their faces has been an immeasurable blessing. Somehow it makes them seem closer and helps me deal with the stresses I have been facing. It really is a blast.

Well, that is life right now. MM and I are getting ready to leave on a much-needed mini-vacation, so I will definitely upload pics and some fun stories from there when we get back.

P.S. Mountain Man shaved his beard, so he doesn't look so "mountainous" anymore. I don't know how to reference him now. I'll keep brainstorming because just calling him "Man" just doesn't do him justice.

Jumping Back In

2011-02-11T09:19:00.002-06:00

I have a secret to tell. Are you ready?

I haven't been to church since before we found out we were expecting.

As ashamed as I am to reveal that to whoever reads this, the shame in my heart goes much deeper. I was not raised to avoid church, and I do not want to. We have a beautiful, loving church family and I know that a lot of them wonder where we are and if everything is okay.

Everything is peachy. My life is beautiful and I am blessed beyond measure. So why am I avoiding church, running from my Father's house, when I should be there praising Him for all the good and wonderful things He's done for me?

I couldn't answer that for a while, but now I can. At first, I used the "I'm in my first trimester, so I'm tired" excuse. But I see now why I don't want to be there: attention.

That's right, I, who can openly share most things via this blog, am painfully shy and withdrawn in person. I know that I will get attention for being pregnant and I don't want it. Isn't that a terrible thing to say? But there it is. I understand that pregnancy is a miracle and that everyone wants to rejoice in the miracle, but the attention that miracle brings me is crippling. All this and I'm not even showing yet!

All I can do right now is pray, get over it, and trust God to help me get through this Sunday, which is going to be my first Sunday back in a long while. The little one inside of me will be able to hear outside noise in a few weeks. I don't know how much he or she will hear, but I want to give my child the chance to hear the beauty of worship and the Word of God being spoken every Sunday in the womb and forever thereafter.

I ask you sincerely, please pray for me. I am terrified of going on Sunday, but I know that I need to fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ, I know that I need to hear the Word of God preached, and I KNOW that I need to be in my Father's house every Sunday (at the very least).

Thank you for reading and have a blessed weekend!!

It Is Freezing Here!

2011-02-03T09:27:00.002-06:00

It seems like most of the US is getting the storm of the year right now! I know that we are. I wished and hoped for snow all winter and now, in the span of two days, we're getting much more snow and cold weather than we could possibly enjoy. It is currently 4*F with a wind chill of -10*F. These are temps I have not ever seen before, and I honestly don't hope to see them again.

Those are pics of our windows. Yep, the INSIDE of our windows. We sleep about 4 feet from the first picture!

All in all, though, I would say that I'm doing my best to enjoy it. I know I will be wishing for icicles and snow in about 5 more months when this baby has taken over my body and it's 100*F outside!!

A New To-Do List

2011-01-23T20:34:00.003-06:00

Today we are officially 11 weeks pregnant. Yesterday, we made the "To-Do List" for before the baby arrives. It's much bigger than I thought. Hopefully my energy is going to increase quickly so that we can get it all done in time for baby!!

1. Buy camcorder (a priority for MM), laptop (so we can get rid of our huge desktop PC to make more room), and an air mattress (for all those guests to-come and since we're going to get rid of the guest bed to make more room).
2. Clean out the guest bedroom including my closet since MM and I will have to share now. Have a "dump day" to get rid of all the old stuff that can't be sold/used again.
3. Clean the guest room from top to bottom, including cleaning the carpets.
4. Move all of our crafting stuff from the nursery to the new crafting/guest room.
5. Remove all trim in the nursery.
6. Prime & paint nursery, new trim, and new doors.
7. Rip out the old carpet and have the new installed.
8. Install new ceiling fan, crown moulding, floor boards, and new doors.
9. Buy crib, changing table, glider, and closet organization system and set all of it up.
10. Wait for baby!!

Few, it doesn't look like too much with just 10 steps, but trust me, with our travel plans from now until baby and my lacking energy, it will be a miracle if we pull it off!!

The JOYS of Pregnancy

2011-01-19T11:32:00.005-06:00

MM and I have known we are pregnant for all of 6 weeks, give or take a few days. Boy has that 6 weeks flown by! I am 10 weeks, 3 days pregnant today, and I feel like we are RUNNING OUT OF TIME!!!! My freaking out about the time-frame aside, this pregnancy is beyond beautiful. I have had little to no morning sickness, but I have been pretty exhausted. It's not affecting us too much, though. We are blessed by God with a very leisurely, stress-free life and MM is being a wonderful man and letting me, nee telling me, too sleep as much as I need to.

On December 21, we had our first prenatal appointment. We found a wonderful doctor who had just relocated to Alpine, and she was able to see me within days of my calling. We confirmed that our due date is August 14, 2010, just a day off of what we estimated, and we had an ultrasound that afternoon. We were so excited to see our little one and just felt wonderful leaving the hospital that day. We thought that baby looked like a little Gummi Bear, so that is his/her in-utero nickname.

Yesterday was our second prenatal check-up and everything went wonderfully there. Dr. Harrington told us not to get our hopes up as she pulled out the doppler, but after some hunting, she was able to track down Gummi Bear's heartbeat. It was amazing...just...amazing! I cannot describe how blessed I felt at that moment. MM was grinning from ear-to-ear the rest of the day. It was amazing! Dr. Harrington informed us that our "little rascal" was quite the swimmer and said that the heartbeat/rate was "perfect". That was a relief to this worrisome momma-in-the-making.

Through all of this, I have had my doubts, my fears. I imagine every other mother-to-be feels the same way. My weight when we got pregnant could make it a challenge down the road, but I am being as careful as possible. We are eating as healthfully as we can and I am walking as often as I can. All in all, I know that God has everything under control and that we can trust Him to allow what is best for our family to happen. I will not stop leaning on Him until the day I leave this earth and I know that He will never abandon me! At this point, we are so blessed by this pregnancy that I feel grateful and verbalize my thanks to Him often and whole-heartedly. I know that He will be there for us this day and every day thereafter.

Blessed Beyond Measure

2010-12-16T13:43:00.004-06:00

This is what MM and I discovered on December 3, 2010:

We are ecstatic and SO blessed!! It is still early, so anything could happen, but we have placed our little one in God's hands and know that He will carry out His plan for us. We are confident that, at the appointed date and time, we will meet our little one, whether that be here on earth or up in heaven.

I am extremely humbled by the fact that the last to posts I made were directly related to our inability to get pregnant...and I was already pregnant!!

It has been the best Christmas present we've ever received and we cannot wait for the next chapter in our lives to really get kicking. We have had two at-home and two-in office positive tests and a round of blood work confirming my pregnancy. According to our calculations, I am 5 weeks and 5 days pregnant and we are due on August 13, 2011. Our baby being born will be the best 30th birthday present imaginable!

I am praying for our child to grow healthy and happy inside of me to full term, but I'm also praying that God will prepare us for His plan, whatever that may be.

God bless you all!

God Sends Us What We Need

2010-12-01T09:40:00.015-06:00

As is usually the case, breakfast was a rushed affair for me this morning. Fortunately, I had the foresight last night to chop up my omelet veggies and get the coffee maker set up. By the time breakfast was cooked and my coffee was poured, I figured that I had 7.5 minutes to eat and move on to the next pre-work task. I'd usually just go sit at the coffee table for such a short breakfast, but I felt the need to go sit at the computer instead. Even in something as simple as a breakfast decision, God went before me and set my place.

I fired up the internet and went straight to my reader to catch up on all my blogs. The first one was a humorous post about World of War Craft beer steins. Good, great, funny, and easy enough to scroll through while I munched on my bacon. The next post was from the Stuff Christians Like (SCL) blog by Jon Acuff.

If you've never taken a gander at SCL, I think it'd be worth your time. In general, it's full of humorous musings about life as a Christian that I think a lot of people can relate to such as Fall Retreats, Sermon-Snoozers, and etc. Wednesdays, though, are reserved for serious posts on SCL, and most of Mr. Acuff's insights are interesting, consistently refreshing, and usually convicting.

This morning, however, I was in a rush, so I started reading the post, but quickly began to scroll down to the next one. Suddenly, I was led to stop that scroll wheel and head back up to the SCL post. What could I do at that point, but read the whole thing? I am so thankful that I did because God used that moment to comfort me and remind me that He has plans for me that I just cannot fathom. I don't want to steal Mr. Acuff's post, so I'll just let you read it for yourself: "The Soft X".

After reading the post, I realized something amazing; I am a part of a growing online genre that gets its information, entertainment, and sometimes even friendships, via the internet and God is changing how He communicates with us to reach us where we will be the most receptive. He wants to comfort us, take away our worries, and lead us to the life He has planned and will even use the internet to do so. Isn't it just awesome how much we matter to a God so big?!

Now, I know that post may not have been what God is pointing you to today, but I know that I was meant to read it. You see, it doesn't matter to God where, when, why, or through whom He has to reach us, He will. All we have to do is stop and be receptive to His Word and His Work. I feel His strong arms encircling me with every passing moment and am in awe of the lengths my God will go to in order to reach me. He knows my fears, my troubles, and my worries, and He wants desperately to comfort me and love me in a way that is specific to me. And He wants to do the same for you! Isn't it awesome?!

And, to top it all off, in spite of my worrying, I was four minutes early to work. God took care of that little detail as well.

A List Is All I've Got!!

2010-11-30T09:50:00.002-06:00

We've been crazy busy, which is good, but it has left me little time for online interactions! Here's an update:

1. I've been in the Austin area for schooling WAY too much lately. I was there through the Thursday before Thanksgiving and will have to be there again starting Sunday. Bleh.
2. One upside to the above is that my hotel is 10 minutes from my parents' place, so I've been getting lots of family time!
3. Another upside is that next week is my review for my BIG test. After that, my traveling for courses for work will reduce DRAMATICALLY!
4. Thanksgiving with family is the only way to go.
5. I regret not making more time for more family.
6. I loved the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I WILL watch it every year now.
7. MM and I do NOT make good shopping partners. We just egg each other on and end up spending more than we wanted to.
8. I found out it takes me 15 minutes to fix the budget after we fall to temptation as above. That's comforting, but also a little bit scary!
9. Hanging out with my family, holiday or not, means that hilarity will without a doubt ensue. Laughter burns calories, so it's a win-win.
10. I miss our church family and SO want to know where God wants me to be involved there. They need people to step forward and I need to DO SOMETHING!
11. God's finally getting me up early enough to spend some good, quality time with Him and His Word. I need to do it. He's making it easy for me and my human self is still resisting.
12. I'm counting down to Christmas, but I'm so tired of traveling. I just want to stay home for two weeks in a row. Is that so hard?!
13. MM told me this weekend that he'd consider leaving Alpine once we had all our debt paid off. All we're lacking is his student loan. I don't know whether to accelerate our debt snowball further or slow it down. I'm a bit torn.
14. Our prayers for a child are becoming more and more fervent every minute. Maybe it's the Christmas season and the joy in children's faces. Maybe we're just being impatient. I know we have to wait on God's timing, but it still hurts.
15. We will be praying for peace and comfort and God's strength as we face the next unknown days.
16. I know it's childish, but I'm still super bummed that I didn't get to go see any cool Christmas light displays while we were on Thanksgiving holiday. I hope to make up for it next week.

Okay....that's us in a nutshell! Hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas season and God's blessings to you all!

SICK!

2010-11-05T09:30:00.003-05:00

I was a bit sick yesterday. Not the flu, allergies, or anything, just SICK. While I was doing some things around the house, I realized that there are definite lines that can be crossed when you're at home sick. Here's a short list of my dos and don'ts.

DO: Wear some knit gloves after slathering on some moisturizing hand salve to let it really soak in.
DON'T: Wear some knit gloves because you're out of Kleenex.

DO: Pick up the house a bit. Nobody wants to have to clean up your dirty snot rags.
DON'T: Reorganize all the kitchen cabinets. Nobody wants to wash every now-infected dish you own.

DO: Run your car through the car wash after your doctor's appt. to get all of that nasty pollen and dust off.
DON'T: Hand wash your car when it's 40 degrees outside. (That's probably a fairly good rule even when you're not sick.)

DO: Ask your loved ones for a little assistance now and then. They really don't mind bringing you some medicine and a cup of hot tea.
DON'T: Employ a bell, buzzer, or drum to have your loved ones at your beck and call unless you're absolutely incapacitated. They do mind that. And will pay you back ten-fold the next time they get sick.

DO: Tell the doc you're concerned about possible drug interactions.
DON'T: Tell the doc about your family's drama-filled interactions.

DO: Call your boss and let them know you're sick.
DON'T: Text your coworker and ask them to tell your boss that you're sick.

DO: Get lots of rest, but make sure you're not on your back too much; being a little bit active (like a nice, leisurely walk) can speed up recovery by boosting endorphins.
DON'T: Run the Boston Marathon.

DO: Start rescheduling missed appointments and obligations.
DON'T: Have your lunch-meetings come over for chicken noodle soup and Dayquil. Not cool.

Well, there you have it. My list for the times when you're laid up sick in bed. Any others you can think of? I'm sure there are more!!

Convicted

2010-10-08T15:15:00.004-05:00

"Garbage in, garbage out." Remember that old saying? I haven't heard it in quite a while. The more I think about it, the more I feel that the phrase is quite out-of-date. Why? Because it seems like almost every form of media, whether that be magazines, books, newspapers, television, movies, webisodes, or etc., is FULL of garbage. Not just a little bit, but A LOT of make-your-grandmamma-cry garbage.

God's conviction can come in mysterious ways and in mysterious places. Reading a fellow blogger's post about The Women of Joy conference in San Antonio led me to Stephen Curtis Chapman's web site. There, I found out about his wife, Mary Beth Chapman's NYT bestseller, Choosing To See.

As I was reading part of the description and some reviews, God's Spirit moved in me. He made me think about what I've been reading lately. These aren't things that I just happen to see on TV, but things I'm intentionally choosing to read. Most of them would make my grandmother blush and are definitely garbage. They are not pleasing to God and should not be pleasing to me.

Philippians 4:8 tells us, "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." It doesn't take me long to figure out that my reading material does not reflect this advice from Paul and Timothy. I don't know what changes God has in store for me, but I do know that He does not want me to seek out anything other than what glorifies Him.

Based on that realization and conviction from above, I've decided that I will not read a single book by a non-Christian author from now until the end of the year, at the very least, be it fiction or non-fiction. I have already taken the first step to remove every secular book from my queue at Booksfree and replaced each one with a Christian work. Sending the cry out to my Facebook friends yeilded some wonderful suggestions from four awesome, intelligent people. I know I won't be disappointed with their suggestions. There are two sets of books at the house that will be back in the mail tomorrow and I am going to pack my to-be-read pile into the back of the closet for the time-being.

This will be a tough project for me, but I know that God's hand is in it. Quite frankly, I'm out of touch with Christian authors and will probably make some blunders along the way. Especially where non-fiction is concerned, I will seek out the advice and recommendations of my friends and family. I ask for your prayers as I seek to do what's honorable in what I read.

What has God convicted you of lately? Did it require a big change? How did you handle it?

Catching Up

2010-10-04T15:03:00.004-05:00

It's time to catch the blogging world up on what's been going on out here in West Texas. There's a lot, so I'll warn you now, you may be bored to death!

Friday afternoon, my paternal grandparents, "Papaw" and "Mamaw" rolled into town. It was the first time they'd been out here for quite a while and the first time they'd ever come out on their own. Friday night we had a simple dinner of peasant stew and salad and sat around the table a bit catching up on all the family news. It was a nice evening, but after rushing to get the house clean, I was exhausted, so we turned in early.

Saturday, MM was feeling very sick, so Papaw, Mamaw and I headed out to the Museum of the Big Bend. We made it through pretty quickly and it's a great spot to go for a good history of the Big Bend area. We headed home after that and were planning on driving up to Fort Davis, but MM was still sick and there was a college football game that Papaw wanted to watch, so those plans were scraped. Instead, the men stayed home and Mamaw and I headed downtown to do a little shopping.

MM was feeling a lot better Sunday morning, but didn't think he should spread his germs around church, so just Papaw, Mamaw and I went. It was a wonderful sermon by Pastor Jordan and everyone was as friendly and welcoming as usual. I know my grandparents really had a good time. We headed home for lunch and a nap and then the four of us headed up the road to see the Fort. I didn't get a lot of pictures, but here are some of them.

After the Fort, we went to the restaurant at the Hotel Limpia. I'm still convinced this is the best food in the area. It is pricey, but completely worth it. MM and I used to make the trip up about once a month, but have decided it would be better for the budget to only do it every 3 months or so. Dinner was delicious and Papaw and Mamaw seemed to enjoy it, so it was a great success!

We made it back home just in time for the guys to catch the Giants/Bears game, so they were happy. Mamaw and I were just plain exhausted, so we both lingered on the couch as long as we possibly could and then headed to bed. They left this morning as I was leaving for work and I'm going to miss them, but it was fun having them here and I'll be seeing them soon for the holidays!!

Starting this week, the schedule really starts getting packed for us. I feel like I'm going to close my eyes and open them and it'll be January 2011!! I'll be going to Zumba class with my coworker on Monday nights, will walk with my coworkers during lunches on Tuesdays and Thursdays, will meet with the coworker "support" group on Wednesdays for lunch, and go to "Fit and Free", a group that will meet at the church that will focus on healthy living on Sunday evenings. Finally, MM and I are going to start going to a couples' bible study on Wednesday nights that I'm really excited about. And all of that doesn't even include all the travel plans that we have coming up for both work and leisure.

I'm looking forward to the remainder of 2010. It looks like it will be busy, but it looks like it will be a blast and that I'll have a lot of wonderful people and experiences around me!

Cementing It In

2010-09-23T11:00:00.006-05:00

It's official; I'm an Alpinian!

See that little "KDE"? Those are my initials that I scratched into the wet concrete in the new sidewalk in front of our office. (I will make the quick disclaimer that we did have permission to do that.) Eventually, it will be smoothed over and our initials will disappear, but I will always have the knowledge that I'm there, in the concrete, a citizen of our quaint, little West Texas town.

I finally feel like I belong where I am and that has been a long time in coming. I think part of it was my resistance. I have to admit that I didn't want to belong here. I wanted to be near my family and my dear friends, especially my best bud, Candice. I wanted to be a few hours' drive from the ocean, the lake, all of our favorite Texas music venues and, since we were making a reasonable amount of money, lots of shopping. To be honest, I still do want those things, but now I know that I am where I need to be. It may be forever, or it may be for now, but it is.

Putting down roots in a new place can be really difficult, especially when the new situation is so darn different from the previous situation. I have learned to love deeply my "new" home, especially the wonderful people here. I've met the most amazing people at work, we've found a loving church family to be a part of, and I've found immense joy in every season we've had here.

I look forward to whatever future God has set out for us here and am ready to finally put down some roots. Although, my initials are in concrete on the main drag through town, so I guess my roots have already been put down!

To Be or To Blog...That is THE Question

2010-09-20T15:04:00.004-05:00

I've noticed a trend among my blogging pals that I think most people can relate to; when life is busy, you don't blog. Conversely, when life isn't busy, you blog. I'm the perfect example of this paradigm.

The last time I blogged was in August (!), and we've been super-swamped with things since then. I've been out of town for another course for work and MM's been out of town for deer surveys for work. We've spent a weekend installing some new interior doors. The little bit of time we have had in between has been spent barely keeping our house in order and doing a bit of relaxing. I haven't picked up a single piece of reading material that wasn't work-related and the only tv I've watched was the Cowboys game yesterday. In a nutshell, we're going CRAZAY!!

MM and I just aren't used to being so involved and it always seems to happen this time of year. We always end up traveling and entertaining more than we thought we would and we turn around one day and the fall is gone and it's time for winter! We've got this week and a free weekend, then MM is gone for a bit, relatives come twice in the month of October to visit, I go out of town for another week in October, then November rolls around and the holiday traveling starts. I'm tellin' ya, Autumn is my favorite season of all, but sometimes I can't wait for it to be over so that I can breathe.

On top of that, I've decided to spend the last few months of my twenties focusing on 6 key areas of my life that need improvement. To be honest, they are all areas that I will probably always have to work on, but I have to start somewhere!

The 6 areas are:

1. Spiritual - my personal relationship with God, my church attendance, and my quiet time.
2. Emotional - my relationship with MM, building strong friendships outside of my family, and controlling my emotions through methods other than eating.
3. Intellectual - read more, research what I want to know when I want to know it!
4. Physical - do everything I can to become more healthy, learn to LOVE me, get heart-healthy.
5. Professional - become indispensable at work, network within my field, improve my work ethic.
6. Fiscal - discover our perfect balance between "gazelle intensity" and enjoying our life now, minimize our weaknesses to reduce our risk of identity theft, fraud, etc.

I know that this is a lot for me to work on at one time, but I truly feel that they all snowball into one another. I'm relying on God to help me get my priorities straight because it is just plain human to be selfish instead. I want to build a lasting legacy for my (hopefully) future children and there's no better time than the present to start. I'm not expecting to be a perfect person on my 30th birthday next year, but I am expecting to be able to see noticeable improvements in my life.

That being said, I love blogging, but I love being busy even more. It means we're doing more and interacting with people for a change. Sometimes it makes me want to rip my hair out, but for the most part, it is a welcome change. Therefore, I will blog when a boring day presents itself. If I'm not here for a while, just remember that I'm out there living my life and will be back when it all slows down. I hope it won't...

Day...Wait, WHAT?!

2010-08-31T15:17:00.006-05:00

Being back to blogging means that I'm back to my routine and I cannot thank God enough for that. My absence had to do in large part to this:

That's my little seester, a little drugged up, but nonetheless stunning, after I surprised her the evening of her ACL reconstruction surgery. Her surgery was two weeks ago on Wednesday and I wasn't planning on being there, but an episode for seester during pre-op and my dad being admitted to the hospital for chest pains necessitated a quick trip back home.

Both seester and dad are doing great now, for those wondering. It was God's providence that I was there, because I was able to help my mom out with taking turns with the two of them while they were in the hospital, help seester get settled in at our grandparents' house, and help my other seester get a good deal of their stuff moved into my other grandparents' house and a storage unit. (With the help of two big, burly, wonderful guys that care a lot about my seesters.) My big seester is an amazing woman who handled a move for two people single-handedly the weekend before she started her new job. Isn't she awesome?!

Then, on Sunday, it was up the road to Austin to spend the week in a class for work. It was lots of fun, but lots of work as it was a tough class, so I accessed Facebook from my phone, but that was the extent of my internet usage! I went with two of my kooky coworkers and their presence and ability to laugh at everything and enjoy life, in spite of the hard class and test, really lifted my spirits. Thanks to Denise and Laura! I had so much fun with you!!

I thank God that he was able to get me safely to and through all of this, and that He set up my life so that I was free to be there with my family. I may not have pictures to document every day during the past few weeks, but I have many strong memories, some trying, but most wonderful, that I'll carry with me forever.

My prayer now is that God will continue to shake up my life because that's when I know He's really working in and through me! I will not be content to be content any more!

Days Eight and Nine: Disappointment and New Motivation

2010-08-16T20:01:00.006-05:00

This picture is from yesterday, Aug. 15, but MM and I were exhausted at the end of the day and went to bed early. By the time I remembered that I needed to post a picture, I was too lazy to get out of bed and do it.

I'm going to call yesterday's picture "Disappointment". That about sums up my entire day. Remember all that yard work I completed on Saturday? Well, I had the intention to do the same in the front yard on Sunday. God had other plans and my yard work was put on hold. I took this picture from the front window showing the waiting-to-be-cleaned patio furniture just sitting in the yard. At that point, the lightning was extremely close and I never made it back outside to at least put it away. I know that we needed the rain, but I have to admit I was really bummed to not get the yard looking as spiffy as I could have.

The second reason that disappointment was welling up inside me yesterday is that I was quite fed up with not reaching my weight loss goals for the past few months. I am so tired of not getting anywhere. To be honest, MM and I argued over it because I wanted to do something drastic, like go away to a weight loss camp or hire a therapist. We went to bed on a pretty sour note last night.

I woke up this morning, still heavy-hearted, but I knew that God could carry me through even something as petty as my weight issues.

Readers, please meet my workout shoes. I love these things. They look a little frumpy, but they keep my feet in tip-top shape while I work out. These guys are going to have to get me where I need to go. Today's picture represents so many things; working out, putting my best foot forward, and etc. From this day on, my workout shoes are staying out, in a place where I will see them the second I walk in the door. Maybe if I get my working out consistent, my eating habits will follow! That is my fervent prayer; that I will have the power to change everything I need to in order to be a healthy person.

Update on MM: he went back to the doctor today and the diagnosis was fluid in his ear. He had a steroid shot and is on some over-the-counter meds until the fluid, hopefully, drains out.

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak." - Isaiah 40:29, NIV

Day Seven: Working Hard

2010-08-14T22:22:00.004-05:00

Today's photo comes courtesy of MM. I was out in the yard from about 1 pm to 5 pm and then again from about 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm and he decided to snap some shots of me working since he couldn't help. The poor thing is going crazy, especially while he was watching me out the window. He told me he's never wanted to do yard work so bad in his life. He's still feeling rough and will be going back to the doctor on Monday. Please pray that he will recover soon!

Sorry for the tangent; back to the picture! I got a TON of yard work done in the back today. I was able to mow and weed-eat, clean out the sheds, scrub down the patio furniture and the dogs' water bowl, clean out our "entertaining area" by moving our weight bench and various weight plates to some available shed-space and rearranging the furniture, cleaned the back stoop off, trimmed some dead-wood from the trees, weeded half of the garden, swept out all the fence bases, and, finally, watered everything.

It was immensely satisfying to see the back yard so neat and clean-looking. I almost wish we were expecting company so we could go out and barbecue! The pic is of me weeding out the lettuce beds. I've been very negligent about the weeding lately, so it was a big task, but I'm so glad it's done.

Tomorrow I hope to do more of the same in the front. I might even get some before/after shots to post tomorrow night!

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." - John 15:1 - 2, NIV

Day Six: Arrrrgh!!

2010-08-13T22:06:00.005-05:00

I honestly wish that this photo was staged, but it was not. I have not left my spot in the bed for the past 24 hours much at all. Posting this will probably be the longest I've been away all day. MM has spread his dreadful illness to me and it's all his fault. (I'm not bitter or anything, wink, wink.) I don't have the ear thing going on, but have a sore throat and fever. I have been reading, drinking hot tea (echinacea), watching tv, sleeping, taking meds, and slurping soup all day long. I really hope tomorrow's different!

It would have been great if my original plan for tonight's post, a before and after of the well-cleaned, freshly-trimmed yard, had worked out. I was actually starting to look forward to the satisfaction that comes after some good, hard gardening. Oh well. It'll all have to wait until we're both feeling better. I shudder to think what the yard/garden will look like when we finally get to it!

"On hearing this, Jesus said, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but the sinners.'" - Matt 9:12 - 13, NIV

Day Five: Self Portrait

2010-08-12T20:43:00.006-05:00

I was playing around with the settings on my new camera and decided that a self-portrait every once in a while would be a fun way to remember my 29th year. It took me a while to get the shadow just right and it was hard to keep my shakes down, but I'm thrilled with the result. I'll be playing around with the "long shutter" mode much more after this.

I like that it's a bit somber, because that's about how I'm feeling right now. MM is still sick. He seems to start the day well, but gets to feeling bad again after I get home from work. I'm tired and doing all the house/yard work on my own is getting to me. This is the first time I can remember feeling like I wish there were 4 more days in the work-week to go. I'm not ready for the weekend and all the cleaning/weeding/laundry/mowing and etc. that has to get done.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." - Matt 11:28, NIV

Day Four: TBR

2010-08-11T21:32:00.003-05:00

TBR. "To Be Read". Does your pile ever get out of control like mine has? I hate it when that happens. It makes me feel like a literary failure.

In all honesty, I have had a taller pile before, but that pile did NOT have The Tale of Genji as the end-point. Next on the agenda: more time for reading. I want to know what's between the covers of these books!!!

In other news, MM is sick, sick, sick and has been for the past six days. I urged him to go to the doctor on Monday, but he did the "man" thing and passed. Fast forward to last night when he was up (and keeping me up) with a pretty severe ear ache. He finally went to the doctor this morning and the verdict is a double-ear infection. Just peachy. I refrained from telling him that he would be on day THREE of antibiotics and feeling a lot better if he had listened to me Monday.

So that's life here. Lots of reading to do and nursing MM back to his grizzly self.

"Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge." - Proverbs 18:15, NLT

Day Three: First Shot

2010-08-10T15:48:00.007-05:00

For my birthday, MM told me to order my very own digital camera. We've been sharing an old Kodak my parents got us years ago and I was getting tired of the sharing part. So this came in the mail this morning and the first thing I did was start charging the battery and reading the manual. I'm so very excited about not having to hunt for a fresh set of AA batteries all the time!

I was so happy to get it, that I had to get at least one picture right away and here it is:

Why yes, that is a boring picture of my desk at work. Isn't it fascinating?! Of course I know that it's not, but I do love my new, red camera so much that it's exciting to me.

With the arrival of that package, I do feel my birthday winding down. I have some birthday cash that I plan on spending at a bead show in San Antonio in a few weeks, but other than that, it's over, kaput. I'm officially in my 29th year. Oh well. At least I have a new camera to document all the fun with!!

"The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot." - Prov10:7, NIV

Day 2: One of Those Mornings

2010-08-09T19:33:00.005-05:00

Have you ever had one of those mornings when the coffee couldn't be poured quickly enough?

This is my wonderful new coffee pot. It can be set to make coffee at whatever time I want it to. Isn't that glorious? I really needed that automatic timer this morning!

Last night was one of worst nights of sleep either of has had in a while. We were both wide awake at midnight for some reason, but forced ourselves to lay down and chat until we both dozed off. Then, at about 2:45 a.m., a huge thunder-spectacle hit that had us both awake for an hour. We finally fell back to sleep, but we were some cranky, groggy people this morning when it was time to wake up!!

I was grateful that my automatic coffee maker had a full pot ready and waiting for me this morning. I don't know if I would have made it out the door on time if it hadn't been!

We both made it through the day, though I admit I was in a bit of a fog and I'm not quite sure of the quality of the work I did. I'm sure we're in for a nice, comfortable sleep tonight and that we will wake up refreshed and ready to go tomorrow morning!

"People who work hard sleep whether they eat little or much..." - Eccl 5:12, NLT

29; A Gift (and A Lesson) From God

2010-08-08T20:43:00.006-05:00

God works in mysterious, subtle ways. And sometimes He smacks you over the head with a two-by-four. Today was a two-by-four day for me.

I'm 29 today. I cried myself to sleep last night because I never thought I'd be 29 and childless, the weekend wasn't the birthday celebration we had expected, and MM was sicker than he's been in years. I woke up this morning grouchy and not ready to face my 29th year.

MM usually does the grocery shopping, and was going to go tomorrow, but his illness necessitated a Sunday trip and I was the only candidate. I ended up just planning out the meals and grocery shopping for the month, so the day was starting out with a rushed breakfast and a long shopping trip. I was not happy.

I headed out, as usual, to water the garden, mumbling to myself because, being my birthday and all, MM would have done it for me if he was well. I wasn't out there two minutes when God showed me His birthday gift for me. This beauty was flitting around my garden, drinking in the water I'd just showered on the ground.

She was huge, probably the size of my hand, and certainly the biggest one I've seen outside of a zoo or botanical garden. I am still in awe of the bright, beautiful colors. I am even more in awe of the fact that she kept flying away, over our tall metal fence, and kept coming back, giving me plenty of time to run inside, get the camera, and snap these pictures.

They aren't the best shots and they don't convey what I was feeling when I was watching her flit about, but I know she was a gift from God to remind me that I have SO much in life to celebrate. I am so humbled by the fact that God sent me a reminder of His grace rather than a harsh discipline for my selfishness.

My day still didn't turn out the way I had envisioned it, and I'm still a selfish, imperfect human inside, but I am reminded that the God who created that stunning butterfly created me with even more care. He wants me to be happy and content with my life, but He wants me to be content with the simple things He's blessed me with, like His creation.

I am a work-in-progress; every day I am reminded how un-Christ-like I really am, but every day I am given a fresh slate to try again. I know God has amazing plans for my life, and at 29-years-old, I know I am right where He wants me to be. I glory in the fact that tomorrow is unknown to me, but known to Him.

Thank you, God, for the birthday gift you sent to this selfish human. I pray that you will help me, every day, to remember that no matter how bad I think I have it, I have salvation through your Son, and my eternal joy is secure in You. Help me also to remember that everything in my life happens in your perfect time and to count my blessings every day!

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" - Jeremiah 29:11, NIV

Day Thirty: Whatever Tickles Your Fancy

2010-08-04T16:05:00.002-05:00

Wow! That 30 Day Meme took me about a million years to finish, but at least I finished it! I am glad that I got through it even though it took so much longer than it was supposed to.

I guess now that the task is over, I need to start thinking about the future of my blog. I love having my blog as a general journal, and I really am happy to continue doing it. I really feel like, to have a successful blog, you have to define what a successful blog is to you. I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't love to have thousands of followers on a money-making blog. But, the truth of the matter is, I'd much rather keep my small following of caring bloggers rather than have a hoard of people ready to criticize my every key stroke.

That being said, I think a truly successful blog for me is one that I can scroll through to relive some of my favorite memories. I think I'm doing a fairly good job at that right now, but I feel like I miss out on recording some things. It's sometimes hard to remember to make memories in the small, every day occurrences in my life and that's what I want to focus on. It'd be great to have a blog full of travel photos and exciting events, but who lives a life of nothing but travel and exciting events? Not me!

My 29th birthday is coming up in a few days and I really want to document my last year in my 20's somehow. This blog would be the perfect outlet, but I'm not sure that that is the answer. I'm still mulling it over because I literally have less than a week to figure it out!! I don't know what's in store for this blog, but I'm sure it'll be fun and I'm sure it'll be full of great, every-day, joyous memories!!

Day Twenty-Nine: Your Hopes, Dreams and Plans for the next 365 Days

2010-08-02T16:01:00.004-05:00

Sorry for being MIA so long. I really didn't mean for it to happen, but we've been swamped!

Let's see, it's really tough to come up with what we want to happen in the next year, but I'll give it a go.

My hopes:

Either get pregnant or start the adoption process if we find out we're not able to conceive.
Lose enough weight that we will be able to confidently say that my weight is not hindering us from conceiving.
Spend time doing what I really love outside of work. I need to re-prioritize things and get back to focusing on me and our marriage.

My dreams:

That we will welcome a little "star" into our house in the next 365 days. That only gives us 3 months to get pregnant to make that happen!
Get our budget to where my income is totally expendable.

My plans:

Pay for and have a new roof put on the house.
Organize everything so that we're ready to convert a room to a nursery in a relatively short amount of time.
Get all debt except for the house and the student loans paid off.
Lose as much weight as I can in the next 365 days. I would love to hit my goal of losing 79 lbs., but I will only do so if I do it right and healthy.

Well, I guess that wasn't too bad. MM and I have been talking a lot lately about what our plans our for the next few years. We really want to get our life in order and things paid off so that we're not a burden to anyone, including each other. The best way to accommodate that is through financial peace and that's our top priority as a couple right now. My top priority is to get healthy.

Okay, I'm off! I have to get back to work. We're getting ready for a camping trip and there's lots to do! Hope everyone's well! Thanks for reading.

Day Twenty-Eight: This Year in Great Detail

2010-07-23T10:07:00.005-05:00

Ha! This should be really interesting! I was thinking about this post while I showered this morning and realized how very little of the past 7 months I remember. I'll give it my best shot, though.

January - I have no clue how we rang in the new year. I want to say that we had MM's Mom over, but I also seem to recall lying in bed by 11:30 that night. Not much else went on in January. It tends to be the coldest month here, so there was a lot of movie watching, hot chocolate and hot tea drinking and cuddling going on.

February - The biggest event in February was that we went to Gruene to take family portraits in celebration of my paternal grandparents' 50th Wedding Anniversary. It was a lot of fun to see that whole side of the family together and we got some really great shots. The pictures ended up being Valentine's weekend, so we had a nice, quiet Valentine's celebration the week after. We had our usual menu: steaks, asparagus with bacon and lots and lots of wine.

March - March was MM's birthday month, but we had been keeping a really close eye on the budget, so it was really low-key. He got several gift cards from Cabela's, including one from me, so he went wild with the online shopping. We started getting the garden plot ready by amending the soil with organic manure and tilling everything up.

April - We had a very simple April this year as well. I honestly can't think of anything that necessarily stands out about April. We booked our hotel for our trip to Corpus Christi that was going to be in May for MM's little brother's high school graduation. We had also recently started talking a lot more with Crystal (MM's step-sister whom we had lost touch with) about the upcoming trip. She was going to be there as well and we couldn't wait to see each other and for everyone to be together like in the old days.

May - This was a pretty horrible month. It started out peaceful enough, but on May 22, things turned upside down. I was just getting ready to leave the house to meet Crystal in Midland for a day of shopping. We both needed dresses for a friend's wedding and we were going to make a big day of it. I was literally walking out the door when we got a phone call from Nathan, MM and Crystal's little brother that she had been in a head-on collision. I jumped right into my car and headed for the hospital in Odessa. MM stayed home because he wanted to wait until I got up there to assess the situation. I don't think he was ready to face the emotional aspect of what was happening. I got to the hospital and Crystal looked terrible. She had suffered severe head trauma and had a crushed pelvis as well. MM joined us later that evening and we all sat and waited and waited. By the following Wednesday, she had improved greatly and the neurologist felt that her head injury was no longer life-threatening. Nathan was scheduled to graduate that Friday, and it was the trip we had all been planning on enjoying together. It was decided that Nathan would go home and graduate and that MM and I would go on our trip as planned while Crystal's Mom, Step-Dad and brother stayed behind.

On Thursday, MM and I headed down to Corpus Christi. While we were on the road, we received a phone call that Crystal had taken a bad turn. We were concerned, but still hopeful. We prayed and prayed and prayed. During one conversation with Crystal's Mom, I got the very definite impression that Crystal was already gone, but I still stayed as positive as possible. That night in the hotel room, MM stayed up with Nathan, who decided he wanted to stay with us while all of this was going on. I went to bed that night and gave MM my phone. I didn't want to be the one to answer the call I suspected was coming. At around 9:15 a.m. on Friday, May 28, we received the call that Crystal was gone. It was heartbreaking and what hurt the most was watching her brother react to the news.

But, we still had the joyous occasion of a graduation to attend to and that night, less than 24 hours after his sister had died, Nathan made us all proud and graduated from high school. It was such a bittersweet event, but we were glad to have been there.

June - June started off just as rough as May ended. We laid Crystal to rest on June 3, 2010. She was buried in a beautiful place overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. MM was a pallbearer and I was so proud of him for stepping forward and doing that for Crystal.

That evening after the funeral, we headed over to Owen's house. Owen is MM's best friend and was also Crystal's boyfriend at the time of all of this. It was hard to be around him and MM and I tried to keep our distance since we knew how much it hurt Owen to see couples interacting.

The next day was MM and I's 6-year anniversary, but it pretty much passed without notice considering the circumstances. That evening, we went to a wedding for a good friend of all the guys. It was a nice celebration. The party really got started after the wedding when we, along with a few other wedding guests, headed back to Owen's. We were all an emotional wreck and probably imbibed a bit too much, but we were all in one place to stay, so there was no risk of drunk driving. It was really a great time.

After the hectic start to the month, we just wanted peace and quiet, and that's just what we got. We spent the rest of June not doing too much. We just enjoyed each other's company. It was all we could do to keep moving forward.

Wow. That ended up being a hard post to put together. I'm sure it'll be even harder to proofread. There is so much that happened that feels like it was so long ago, but the memory of it all is so very vivid. I think that it has been healing to get out, though and I'm glad it is.

Day Twenty-Seven: Your Month in Great Detail

2010-07-22T11:40:00.004-05:00

Let's see. I could barely remember what's gone on for the last week, so it'll be interesting to see what I remember from the last month!

I'll start from the middle of June and go from there.

Mid-June through end of June: Not much really went on. I worked on the garden a lot and MM worked around the house some. We had a roof inspection to see if we qualified for a claim for a new roof after a pretty decent hail storm. At work, we had property protest hearings for 2 days. It was a bust. Barely anyone showed up and we spent the days bored and waiting.

July 2 - 5: We were in RR, TX visiting my family. We always seem to end up there for July 4th weekend ever since we moved out here. It was A LOT of fun! MM went fishing with Dad twice and they had moderate luck. Mom and I shopped a lot and I got a new bathing suit so that I could start going to water aerobics. We also went to Ikea and scored two work tables for $20 each. I love that place! We got a chance to eat at several places including Pei-Wei, Freebirds and La Madeleine while we were there. It was our first time at Freebirds and we're big fans now!

Early July - We got home and rested and started getting MM's "man" room set up to accommodate me as well. We want a dedicated guest room and that room will (hopefully) be easy to transition into a nursery. MM sorted through and discarded A LOT of his stuff and I did the same. He set up his new fly-tying bench and storage system and cleared a spot for a craft desk for me. It's great to be in there together and he's honestly happy to have me in there with him. I also started going to water aerobics with a coworker and we LOVE it! I'm glad I was able to find a bathing suit in RR or I'd really be missing out.

That pretty much brings us up to this post which detailed the past week. Typing out all that stuff is so weird because it feels like it was forever ago!

I hope you're all doing well! I'm happy this week is almost over and am looking forward to a relaxing (for a change) weekend!

Day Twenty-Six: Your Week in Great Detail

2010-07-21T12:50:00.003-05:00

Well, it's been a busy week for me, so I'll just get right into it.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - Called in sick to work because I was having some nasty stomach issues. It stunk. I basically sat around in my PJ's all day going to the bathroom and eating soup. Not fun. I also watched all of my DVR back-log by noon, so I had to watch regular TV after lunch. Not cool. It reminded me of why I hate commercials so much. MM had a regular work day, so after he came home, we ate dinner; he ate leftovers and I ate some broth. I remained in bed the rest of the night and fell asleep by 8:00 p.m.

Thursday, July 15, 2010 - Called in sick again because I had a ROUGH night. I got up with MM and made myself some breakfast. I also got some laundry done and took a lot of naps. MM was out in the field doing some inspections and then came home. He promptly went out the door and headed to the fishing hole. I was glad he got to get out of the house for a bit and spent the extra evening time getting things straightened up. When he got home I was nestled comfortably in the bed, reading a book and sipping tea.

Friday, July 16, 2010 - I had another rough night, so I got up early and got to the doctor at 7:50 a.m. I was in and out fairly quickly and found out I had a stomach virus. I actually felt great, but was still dealing with the restroom issues, so I stayed home again. I spent the day straightening up the house and organizing some closets. I knew we had a busy day coming on Sat., so I did MM the favor of mowing and weeding the back yard at 4 p.m. He was definitely pleased and appreciated it. After that, we continued to work on the yard and the garden until about 7 p.m. We were STARVING after that, so it was more soup and some grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. We ended the night by watching tv together. It was nice.

Saturday, July 17, 2010 - We were up and at 'em early. We had to get the house cleaned up because we were expecting company. We spent the ensuing hours cleaning up. Around 12, friends of ours showed up to take the ride up to Ft. Davis with us. We got to our other friend's house at 12:45 and proceeded to load up a small storage shed we bought from him. We headed back home and got the shed on the ground and BBQ'd for the rest of the evening. It was nice to have people over and all the hard work made for a great night's sleep.

Sunday, July 18, 2010 - We didn't stay up late on Saturday, but we sure slept late on Sunday. I finally crawled out of bed around 10:30!! We spent the rest of the day outside. We put new numbers on the house, installed a new post for our mailbox, put in a new, small paved section for potted plants, and leveled and squared the shed and screwed the floor down. It was a loooong, hot day and we rewarded ourselves with dinner from McDonald's. I ended up being excessively bloaty and miserable from the meal, so we decided that McDonald's was out from now on. After dinner, we cleaned up the house and got our stuff together for the work-week. We were exhausted and retired to bed early.

Monday, July 19, 2010 - I headed back to work and was pleasantly surprised to find that there wasn't much for me to do. Sometimes stuff gets stacked up on my desk when I'm gone, so it was nice that it wasn't the case this time. It was an average work day and I headed to Dollar General after work for some toiletries and such. After that, I headed out to the back yard and reworked some garden plots. MM installed the new mailbox on the post and it looks great! After that, I showered because the garden work made me filthy! I cut my hair after my shower and spent an excessive amount of time styling my new "do". We had a quick dinner of sandwiches and salads and went our separate ways to watch tv. It was a nice, quiet evening.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010 - You can learn about my Tuesday here!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - I didn't get great sleep last night, so I woke up late and cranky. I did still have time to water the plants and amend the tomato soil with some calcium-enhanced water. I came to work and have been here ever since. MM is out in the field, so I stayed at the office for lunch to do this blog post. I had a yummy Hot Pocket and one M&M cookie. It's been a good day so far, but I'm looking forward to water aerobics tonight and an early bedtime.

Day Twenty-Five: Your Day in Great Detail

2010-07-20T09:31:00.011-05:00

Wow. This is going to be a tough one. It's probably because I'm so anal and want every single second of my day recorded here and that just ain't going to happen!

6:45 - Woke up, let dogs out, turned on coffee pot.
6:55 - Brushed teeth.
7:00 - Weighed myself.
7:05 - Made a cup of coffee, headed outside & watered gardens, let dogs in.
7:25 - Washed face, wet hair, put in contacts, put on makeup, did hair.
7:45 - Got dressed.
7:50 - Started dinner in crock pot. Washed some dishes.
8:00 - Watered herbs.
8:05 - Got breakfast together & made to-go cup of coffee.
8:15 - Took out trash and let dogs back out, got stuff together for work.
8:25 - Drove to work.
8:30 - @ work: made breakfast & started to eat, started computer.
9:00 - Tried to fix Denise's computer. Didn't get it to work, so I texted the boss-man.
9:35 - Started "Day Twenty-Five" post so that I wouldn't get behind and forget what I've done.
9:40 - Tried again to fix Denise's computer. Didn't work this time either, so I'm giving up.
10:00 - Went to run postage and get back-up tapes. Put back-up tape in.
10:20 - Turned in some forms to voter registration office.
10:21 - Looked for a snack!
10:22 - Ate a snack - some of a cinnamon danish someone brought. Checked email.
10:30 - Cleared some paperwork off of my desk. Fretted about a daunting project I'm working on. Answered work emails and faxes.
11:52 - Left for the post off, then LUNCH!!
11:55 - Post office, mailed office mail and checked our PO Box.
12:00 - Home; had MM sign a Change of Address form, got some seed packets out of the freezer, got a new book of checks.
12:15 - Grocery store; got some Hot Pockets, a Mug root beer and some cookies for the office.
12:30 - Got back to work and ate my Hot Pocket. Messed around on the internet.
1:00 - Didn't have anything work-related to do, so I created my Will, Durable Power of Atty. for Finances, Health Care Directive, and Final Arrangements documents. Oopsie!
2:00 - Ate a cookie. Updated this post.
2:10 - Did Time Sheets for last week.
2:20 - Started reading this blog. Then fought the urge to cry uncontrollably.
2:40 - Checked the office mail and sorted it.
2:45 - Took a short walk around the block.
2:55 - Sat down and stared at the computer for a while, trying to think of something productive to do.
3:05 - Gave up being productive for various reasons and starting Stumbling around.
4:05 - Finally found some filing that needed to be done, but then realized I couldn't leave my desk because so many people were out and I needed to answer the phone. Started typing out a mock-up for a new property survey.
4:46 - Finished my mock-up, so I'm cleaning up my desk area VERY slowly until it's time to go home.
5:10 - Home. Changed into swimming attire. Shredded beef for dinner.
5:40 - Left for pool.
6:00 - Did water aerobics.
7:00 - Home. Showered.
7:30 - Ate dinner: two shredded beef burritos.
8:00 - Watched some DVR'd TV shows.
8:30 - Cleaned up house, did dishes, did some laundry.
9:30 - Put away some laundry and watched more DVR'd shows.
10:00 - Made a cup of tea. Got on the computer.
11:30 - Put last load of laundry in dryer. Stayed on the computer.
12:30 - Finally went to bed!

Day Twenty-Four: Whatever Tickles Your Fancy

2010-07-19T15:42:00.006-05:00

For today's post, I thought I'd keep it simple. Mountain Man has been there for me in a lot of ways recently and every day he does something wonderful to make me love him more. So, just off of the top of my head, I've thought of 50 reasons I love him so much.

He:

1. puts God first and me second.
2. loves me. Unconditionally.
3. is loyal to those he loves.
4. does what’s best for us rather than what’s best just for him.
5. wants me to have everything in life that I want.
6. supports all of my hair-brained ideas. Even though I have a history of never following through.
7. wants me to go to water aerobics four nights a week, even though it means he has to live on crock pot meals and leftovers all week.
8. watches stupid Disney Channel shows with me so that I don’t have to worry about violence, gore, sex or cussing.
9. lets me shop endlessly as long as it's in the budget.
10. loves my family and is always happy to spend time with them.
11. goes to the doctor when I’m worried about him, just to show that he cares.
12. is my #1 supporter when it comes to my struggle to get healthy.
13. knows I hate clutter, so he understands when I go on a decluttering spree.
14. wants everything in life that I want.
15. lets me think I “wear the pants”, but is a true, Godly family leader and steps in to take the lead when it’s required.
16. protects me. From everything he can.
17. lets me be an emotional wreck when I need to be.
18. is always there to talk.
19. really hurts when I’m hurting.
20. thinks about all the times I’ve fallen, and instead of laughing, gives me a hug because he hates to see me that way.
21. stops what he’s doing when I’m pestering him for attention.
22. knows how important it is for us to have time apart.
23. doesn’t like to be apart from me even though he knows it’s important.
24. feeds the dogs and waters the garden for me when I’ve had a bad day.
25. helps me clean the house without being asked if he sees me stressed.
26. deals with the fact that I’m so particular about how I like the house to be cleaned.
27. isn’t afraid to admonish me when I need it, even though he knows he’ll have to deal with my "wrath".
28. isn’t worried about the world’s opinion of him.
29. is passionate about what he believes in.
30. humors the fact that I’m irrationally terrified of elephants, bears and bridges over water.
31. doesn’t let me walk all over him. He’s not a pushover and I appreciate that.
32. thinks the things I do are honestly cute, in spite of the fact that the rest of the world would find them incredibly annoying.
33. does whatever he can to provide us with a comfortable life.
34. doesn’t go out of his way to mess up right angles since “if it’s not a right angle, it’s a wrong angle”.
35. doesn’t tease me too relentlessly about #34.
36. plays board games with me even though he really doesn’t like to.
37. subdues his competitive nature because that’s not what I’m used to.
38. doesn’t fight dirty.
39. wants me to be a part of all aspects of his life.
40. is my best friend.
41. doesn’t recoil in shock when I’m completely honest with him.
42. eats everything I cook and, for the most part, likes it.
43. goes out of his way to make me happy.
44. tells me my snoring is “cute”, when I know that it probably isn’t.
45. lets me sleep as late as I want on Saturdays and even waits until I’m awake to make breakfast.
46. makes skillet eggs for breakfast every Saturday for us without a moment’s hesitation.
47. doesn’t complain when I have a sleepless night and I leave the light on because I’m reading.
48. comforts me when I have nightmares, regardless of what time it is or what he has to do the next day.
49. lets me voice my opinion on typically “manly” topics, even if my opinion is ridiculous and uninformed.
50. understands and deals with the fact that I probably should have been a wanderer since I hate being in the same place too long.
51. doesn't believe that divorce will ever be a viable option. He's seen the ugly side of divorce and made a promise to himself, and later to me and God, that he would only marry once, and that time for keeps.
52. let’s me love him in my own way.

Day Twenty-Three: A YouTube Video

2010-07-09T09:27:00.003-05:00

Ah, YouTube. What would we do without you?

This prompt seems easy, but it was pretty difficult to narrow it down to just one. I though it would be neat to post this amazing sheep video, or this hilarious Chewbacca-imitating soldier video, and then there's this amazing talking parrot one as well.

All of those were great, but if I were honest with myself, the YouTube video I watch repeatedly, and I'm talking multiple times a week is the music video for the song "Princess" by Primary 1. I just love the song and the video's cool, too. He's got such a cool, David-Bowie-ish sound that I really like. I can't wait to see what comes from Primary 1 in the future and I really hope all of his stuff is eventually released in the USA and not just the UK.

Last night was pretty chilly here, so I didn't go to water aerobics, but stayed home and did an aerobics dvd instead. Since I was done early, we got dinner out of the way and I was able to get three loads of laundry done, the house vacuumed and dusted. It's supposed to rain until next week, so that means my floors will need to be swept daily, which I like to do anyway, but I probably won't have to dust until late next week; yay!

Tonight is "date night", so we're having that delicious chicken and opening a new bottle of wine that we haven't tried yet. I'm really hoping we end up playing board games and we might even continue our "tour" on Rock Band. We'll have to wait and see.

The plans for tomorrow are to wait and see what the weather does before we decide what to do. My garden is in desperate need of weeding, but I'm pretty sure it is going to be way too wet to do anything about it. I'm secretly hoping for a wet, rainy day so that we can sit around and watch tv. I just love snuggling up on the couch with the goggies and snoozing a rainy afternoon away.

Day Twenty-Two: A Website

2010-07-08T13:34:00.001-05:00

This prompt is asking me to do something that I just can't do.

Pick a favorite website? Pshaw! You MUST be joking. If you spend as much time browsing online as I do, I have a feeling you'd say the same thing. MM's always wondering what I do while I waste away hours online. To tell the truth, I'm just not sure what the answer is. But I do know that I've found some priceless information that has helped us get through some tough and trying times.

Since I'm such an internet addict, I'll have to share my top five websites. You know, the ones that are always tagged as "Most Visited" on my toolbar up there!

1. Crosswalk - This is my primary reference site for Bible study tools, theological questions and general Christ-centered reading/information.

2. Google Reader - I know, how boring. But honestly, Google Reader has greatly reduced the time I spend hopping around from site to site, checking to see if there is updated content. I like having all my favorites in one place. It's easy to manage and did I say it saves time? Having Google Reader lets me save all my hopping for water aerobics.

3. Facebook - Yes, I will admit it, I'm a Facebook addict. I do sometimes get sick of the drama that is sometimes inevitable, but in general I like being able to socialize with past and present friends. It's really cool to see where everyone is now; like a 24-hour, 365-day-a-year high school reunion. My biggest gripe is when "friends" try to push products or a political/religious agenda on me. That's a one-way ticket to being de-friended or hidden at the very least.

4. Today and Tomorrow - Hmmmm...what do I say about this one? First, it's not for everyone. I check this site multiple times a day for updates. It's really just an opinion blog by a guy named Pieter focusing on what he likes in the worlds of fashion, design, art, architecture, sneakers, music and etc. I always find something interesting there and he's been blogging FOREVER, so there's plenty of cool things to go through. I've found tons of other sites through his blog that showcase some of the things I love most like modern art, modern architecture, contemporary design and shoes!

5. Amazon - Why, yes, I am a shopaholic. But, it's more than that. Living 2.5 - 3 hours from a metropolitan area has left me dependent on Amazon for several of our needs, from entertainment to groceries. What have I purchased from Amazon? A better question may be, "What haven't I purchased from Amazon?" For starters, there's the expected, such as books, dvds, video games and etc. Then there's those other things I rely on Amazon for: Asian groceries, HUGE jugs of olive oil, clothes, shoes, plants, craft supplies and etc. Amazon is like a trip to the mall every day without having to deal with the teeny-boppers.

So, that's my top 5 list of websites. What about you? Can you pick JUST ONE?

Things are fun and fast here. I went back to water aerobics last night thanks to Denise's motivation. (I was going to skip out until she said that she was going to go regardless.) Having something to do the past two nights has really made the week fly by and I can't believe we're already planning this weekend's chores! We're hoping to go again tonight, but there's been storms in the area, so we'll see.

Tomorrow night MM wants us to have a quiet date night, so I'm planning on making Chicken Paillard because it's delicious and super-easy. We'll probably just crack open a bottle of wine and sit out on the front porch and watch the weekend start. If it's raining, we'll probably end up setting up a board game and MM will get his butt kicked again. :)

Day Twenty-One: A Recipe

2010-07-07T09:59:00.004-05:00

Oh no! I'm not really prepared for this one! I should have checked last night to see what recipe to post, but I didn't think to look at today's prompt until just now. I guess I'll have to come back and edit the post to include the recipe I choose. I wonder what I will pick. Lemon cupcakes with pink lemonade frosting? Yum! My Mamaw's Italian Chicken? Delish! Pumpkin Cheesecake? Fab! (And MM's favorite.) The suspense of what I will post is going to kill me. Can't wait to dig through the recipe drawer and see what I come up with.

In the meantime, here's a previous post with a recipe that we still love to have all year long, but especially during the fall and winter.

Life is going nicely right now. I went with Denise to water aerobics at the city pool after work and had a blast! We're going back tonight and I can't wait to get in the water. The only issue is that it's a rather cool day, so I'm hoping it warms up a bit before we go. MM is all for it, especially after I got home in such a great mood yesterday evening, so we're just going to have to work together to get the chores and stuff done so that I can go every Tues., Wed., and Thurs. I'll do moderate to intense workouts on Mon. and Sat. and possibly Sun. depending on the weekend chores, so that will be a full week of exercise and that's awesome!

Well, I should get back to doing what I do. I'll come back later and post that recipe. I hope it's a good one!

And here at last, the recipe I finally settled on. It's a fall favorite!!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

For the Cupcakes:

4 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin (not pie filling)

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.

2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two batches of buttermilk, and beating until just combined. Add pumpkin; beat until just combined.

3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating this halfway through, until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes, then turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 3 days in airtight containers.

4. To finish, use an offset spatula or pastry bag fitted with a decorated tip to top the cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound (4 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted (I only use enough, about 3 cups to get the texture right because MM doesn't like it too sweet)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, and then vanilla, and mix until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

If not using immediately, frosting can be refrigerated up to 3 days in an airtight container; before using, bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth again.

Now, I cannot stress enough how much better my baking has become since I started letting all ingredients come to room temperature. Seriously. I know this is a very fall-feeling recipe, but it's because I've been craving pumpkin and MM is as well. (Honestly, if I baked something with pumpkin once a week, he'd be pleased as punch.) I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of cooler temperatures and the weekend baking the fall/winter bring!