We took the girls to Monkey Joe's in Lake Zurich this morning. What a fun place! If only I wasn't pregnant, I think I would have enjoyed it a little more. I signed up on their website for "Monkey Mail" and they immediately emailed a coupon for buy one admission get one free! Adults are free, so we paid for Iris and then Lily was free. Addy was 1/2 price because she's only 2. Only $15 for the 3 of them to play on all the indoor inflatables for as long as we wanted. We were there for about 2 hours and were ready by then to get home to eat and nap (myself included!!).
Overall, great morning. Girls are just starting to wake up from naps now. Arthur is out running his 10 miles. He said maybe we'd go to the park. I'm going to definitely be ready for bed by tonight!
www.monkeyjoes.com
Friday, April 29, 2011
Rejoicing in Recipes: 40 Minutes Rolls
I have been wanting to try this recipe and finally got around to Wednesday evening. They were great! I was a skeptic, at first, because of the lack of rise time, but they were very good.
Even if you don't like to bake as much as I do, they are really easy to make and super tasty!
This recipe came from www.lynnskitchenadventures.com
Even if you don't like to bake as much as I do, they are really easy to make and super tasty!
This recipe came from www.lynnskitchenadventures.com
40 Minute Whole Wheat Rolls
- 2 tablespoons yeast
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups all purpose flour
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Lessons in Love: Find Joy in the Little Things
I read "Find Joy in the Little Things" on a blog today. How simple, yet so hard to remember.
I can't get the girls to consistently all take naps together. BUT, I can find joy in having extra time to spend with them. :)
I didn't finish my list of To Do's for the day, BUT I can find joy in my opportunity to stay home with my kids.
I am sore and tired from this pregnancy, BUT I can find joy in the fact that God has allowed me to grow a life inside of me and trusts me with raising him!
We are too big for this two bedroom home and are cramped at times, BUT I can find joy in the fact that we even have a home and heat in the winter and cool air in the summer. THANK YOU JESUS for that!
I can't get the girls to consistently all take naps together. BUT, I can find joy in having extra time to spend with them. :)
I didn't finish my list of To Do's for the day, BUT I can find joy in my opportunity to stay home with my kids.
I am sore and tired from this pregnancy, BUT I can find joy in the fact that God has allowed me to grow a life inside of me and trusts me with raising him!
We are too big for this two bedroom home and are cramped at times, BUT I can find joy in the fact that we even have a home and heat in the winter and cool air in the summer. THANK YOU JESUS for that!
Motherhood Mania: For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
No, this is not one of my book reviews for BookSneeze. :) I received a copy of For The Children's Sake in the curriculum package I ordered through My Father's World. I figured I would get around to reading it some time this summer, but with all of our crazy days lately with the girls' attitudes and my lack of patience, I decided to force myself to sit and read during naps this week. I am SOOOOO glad I did! I started this book, thinking it was just about home schooling but I was very wrong.
Susan Schaeffer Macaulay is a very good writer. I enjoy her style of writing. She is very direct and explains everything. I am on chapter 4, and she is speaking about Charlotte Mason's style of schooling. It is amazing to see how much I am lacking as far as knowledge of my children. I thought I knew what made them tick and how they wanted to learn, but she is making me consider things I hadn't thought of...which now makes me wonder if I REALLY know how my kids function and how they like to learn.
I think I have said this before, but I am lacking patience. I know I need to start each day in prayer, asking for help and patience. I know God wants me to ask, but I tend to assume it's a given that I need patience. And that may very well be, since God knows all. BUT, if I'm not asking, how can I be receiving?! I feel rushed every day. Rushed to get the girls to preschool, get laundry started, get my grocery list and coupons in order, get to the store, get home for lunch, get the girls down for naps, get dinner started, blah, blah, blah. I know I rush myself. I know life isn't about all those things. I know I need to slow down or I will die early from a heart attack!
I have so many things that I want to do each day, that I forget about what my children need from me each day. I put off silly play with them so I can write a grocery list. Groceries will still be there tomorrow and 20 years from now. My kids may not be. Twenty years from now, all 4 of my kids might have moved out, gotten married and/or had their own kids. I won't have time for silly play with them then. I NEED to take advantage of my relationship with them now. They NEED for me to be there. They don't care if I get the best deals at the store or if I've gotten all my coupons clipped. They care if I sat and colored with them or built them the fort they've been asking about for weeks!
Yesterday's reading was an eye opener, to say the least. It is shameful how much I put them off so I can have my home in "perfect" condition. I tell them to play by themselves or sit and watch a movie so I can clean the toilet for the 5th time this week.
Iris is lying here next to me on the couch as I type this. She napped, then came down and laid next to me and is back asleep again. I know she just wants to be near me. Do I make her feel like I am WANTing to be near her? Or am I just talking about the fact that I need to go clean something in a few minutes? Or that we don't have time to go to the library for books and play because I need to cook some elaborate dinner? They would eat peanut butter and honey every night for dinner and wouldn't think anything of it, but when I put off a library outing they remember.
I had a great childhood. I want the same for my kids. I want a clean home and things in order, so that my kids understand how to take care of things and themselves. BUT, I also want them to feel my love and that I want to be around them. They are not a JOB, but I know I treat them as such often. I am watching the clock or talking about how long til bedtime. I don't know if they internalize those comments or not, but how awful for me to even say such things! Yes, days can be long and they can be trying, but I should never be saying "I'm so glad there's only 2 hours until bedtime". And I know I've said that many times.
I am praying that God continues to show me things I can change, as I read this book. This woman, Susan Macaulay, is a Christian, so she relates everything back to our relationship with God and how He views people. I am astonished at how I view people, even my own children. They are gifts from God, temporary gifts for us to cherish and enjoy. I tend to see them as MINE and how I should be molding them. It isn't ME that molds, but God. I have no power to form a child into a great person, only God does. My responsibility is to see that they have every opportunity to hear the Word of God, understand God's desire for us, and exemplify Christian morals with my own life. The molding will come once they've started that relationship with God and desire to please Him.
Oh, so much to learn. So little time. :)
Susan Schaeffer Macaulay is a very good writer. I enjoy her style of writing. She is very direct and explains everything. I am on chapter 4, and she is speaking about Charlotte Mason's style of schooling. It is amazing to see how much I am lacking as far as knowledge of my children. I thought I knew what made them tick and how they wanted to learn, but she is making me consider things I hadn't thought of...which now makes me wonder if I REALLY know how my kids function and how they like to learn.
I think I have said this before, but I am lacking patience. I know I need to start each day in prayer, asking for help and patience. I know God wants me to ask, but I tend to assume it's a given that I need patience. And that may very well be, since God knows all. BUT, if I'm not asking, how can I be receiving?! I feel rushed every day. Rushed to get the girls to preschool, get laundry started, get my grocery list and coupons in order, get to the store, get home for lunch, get the girls down for naps, get dinner started, blah, blah, blah. I know I rush myself. I know life isn't about all those things. I know I need to slow down or I will die early from a heart attack!
I have so many things that I want to do each day, that I forget about what my children need from me each day. I put off silly play with them so I can write a grocery list. Groceries will still be there tomorrow and 20 years from now. My kids may not be. Twenty years from now, all 4 of my kids might have moved out, gotten married and/or had their own kids. I won't have time for silly play with them then. I NEED to take advantage of my relationship with them now. They NEED for me to be there. They don't care if I get the best deals at the store or if I've gotten all my coupons clipped. They care if I sat and colored with them or built them the fort they've been asking about for weeks!
Yesterday's reading was an eye opener, to say the least. It is shameful how much I put them off so I can have my home in "perfect" condition. I tell them to play by themselves or sit and watch a movie so I can clean the toilet for the 5th time this week.
Iris is lying here next to me on the couch as I type this. She napped, then came down and laid next to me and is back asleep again. I know she just wants to be near me. Do I make her feel like I am WANTing to be near her? Or am I just talking about the fact that I need to go clean something in a few minutes? Or that we don't have time to go to the library for books and play because I need to cook some elaborate dinner? They would eat peanut butter and honey every night for dinner and wouldn't think anything of it, but when I put off a library outing they remember.
I had a great childhood. I want the same for my kids. I want a clean home and things in order, so that my kids understand how to take care of things and themselves. BUT, I also want them to feel my love and that I want to be around them. They are not a JOB, but I know I treat them as such often. I am watching the clock or talking about how long til bedtime. I don't know if they internalize those comments or not, but how awful for me to even say such things! Yes, days can be long and they can be trying, but I should never be saying "I'm so glad there's only 2 hours until bedtime". And I know I've said that many times.
I am praying that God continues to show me things I can change, as I read this book. This woman, Susan Macaulay, is a Christian, so she relates everything back to our relationship with God and how He views people. I am astonished at how I view people, even my own children. They are gifts from God, temporary gifts for us to cherish and enjoy. I tend to see them as MINE and how I should be molding them. It isn't ME that molds, but God. I have no power to form a child into a great person, only God does. My responsibility is to see that they have every opportunity to hear the Word of God, understand God's desire for us, and exemplify Christian morals with my own life. The molding will come once they've started that relationship with God and desire to please Him.
Oh, so much to learn. So little time. :)
Rejoicing in Recipes: Philly Cooking Creme
So, as a member of Vocalpoint and Kraft First Taste, I hear about new products early and even get coupons for them (most of the time). Sometimes those coupons are for an entirely FREE item...which I love. :)
I had coupons for $1.50 off of the new Philadelphia Philly Cooking Creme. It was on sale at Meijer for $2.00 or so last week, so I picked up two with my coupons. One was the Original flavor, and the other was the Santa Fe Blend.
Monday night, I used the Santa Fe Blend and made the Easy Chicken Enchiladas recipe written right on the back of the Creme's container. It turned out awesome, and it is something I will definitely keep in mind when I need a quick casserole for us at dinner. It wasn't overly healthy, but it probably wasn't near as UNhealthy as some casseroles can be. So, here is the recipe:
Easy Chicken Enchiladas (can also be found HERE)
I had coupons for $1.50 off of the new Philadelphia Philly Cooking Creme. It was on sale at Meijer for $2.00 or so last week, so I picked up two with my coupons. One was the Original flavor, and the other was the Santa Fe Blend.
Monday night, I used the Santa Fe Blend and made the Easy Chicken Enchiladas recipe written right on the back of the Creme's container. It turned out awesome, and it is something I will definitely keep in mind when I need a quick casserole for us at dinner. It wasn't overly healthy, but it probably wasn't near as UNhealthy as some casseroles can be. So, here is the recipe:
Easy Chicken Enchiladas (can also be found HERE)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 tsp. oil
- 3 cups shredded cookedchicken breasts
- 1 can (14.5 oz.) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 tub (10 oz.)PHILADELPHIA Santa Fe Blend Cooking Creme, divided
- 1/2 cup KRAFT Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese
- 8 flour tortillas (6 inch)
Directions
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Cook and stir onions in hot oil in large skillet on medium heat 4 to 5 min. or until crisp-tender. Stir in chicken, tomatoes, 3/4 cup cooking creme and shredded cheese.
- Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Place in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining cooking creme. Cover.
- Bake 15 to 20 min. or until heated through.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Pleasantries of Pregnancy: 34 weeks
My 34 week checkup went well today. Baby's heart rate was 144. My weight was the same as 2 weeks ago....yaaaay! :) My blood pressure was 116/62, still very good. Baby was so active during my appointment. He is not head down; I didn't expect him to be because he still flips around all day long. I am hoping that slows down in the next few weeks and he gets head down and stays there. :) Wishful thinking.
We ran over a few things with the doctor (who was the one who delivered Iris and is my favorite, I think, of all the doctors there - he is sarcastic and cracks jokes about everything....even calling the crappy weather today a "prozac day". lol!): baby will be circumcised. I am planning a natural birth again, and hopefully it will work out again that way. He knows I am home with the 3 girls, so there is always that slim chance I will have to take the girls to the hospital with me if I'm in labor and unable to find someone to watch them (but thankfully I have a few friends who are home during the week and could sit with them if needed). I am NOT looking to have a tubal ligation after the birth (he asked if I wanted one, should they have to do a c-section and "would be in that area anyway". LOL.). I plan to breastfeed again. I have no history of post-partum depression.
He really had a lot of things to ask me! I don't remember this run-down with previous pregnancies, but at least he covered all those things now and noted my chart. :)
When he delivered Iris, he and Arthur were sitting (literally - both of them had a chair at the end of my bed) and talking about Colorado and skiing. I found it funny, even in the middle of labor (I had an epidural for Iris' birth, so I was willing to laugh at it), but it still seemed pretty out of the ordinary. Haha! He was very nice during my labor and very patient. Actually, all 3 doctors for all 3 of my deliveries were very nice and patient....thankfully!
The doctor that delivered Addy was the oldest doctor there (age-wise). He was very quiet, and I was afraid he wouldn't approve of my last-minute decision to get an epidural for that delivery. Arthur and I both had the flu and I was so drained and weepy. I had wanted to have her naturally, since my water hadn't broken and they weren't pushing for any inducing meds at that time. Didn't work out, though, because of the vomiting I had done before getting to the hospital and then while I was in the bed; I was so exhausted I went ahead and got the epidural (and ended up throwing up while they were administering it....the anesthesiologist didn't like that too much). Poor Arthur had to keep running to the bathroom, too. He ended up checking in at the ER because he was so dehydrated from it. :(
Addy's delivery was picture perfect. We had a great evening right before, with our neighbors outside. The only negative to the night was mine and another pregnant neighbor's decision to have our husbands go get Taco Bell for us. :) We showered and went to bed around 11pm. I woke up at 1:30 with contractions and started timing them. Then, right at 3AM I woke up Arthur and we called the doctor. My in-laws came over to stay with Iris and Lily, and this time no one had the flu. :) We got to the hospital about 3:45Am and Addy was born at 7:20AM. No pain meds, no epidural, nothing. I was super proud. Of course, it hurt like crazy, but it's exactly what I had wanted the first 2 times. I did my breathing and Arthur was a great coach (he sat silent, except for when I forced him to go get the doctor or nurse because I really needed to push). I pushed 3 times, I think, before she was born. I say "I think" about the number of pushes because that was kind of a rushed time. I knew I needed to push but the nurse and doctor had just left the room and had said I might feel pressure like I need to go #2 but that I shouldn't push. I made Arthur run and get them just a few minutes later and when they came in and checked, Addy's head (and ALL her hair!) were right there waiting! LOL. They didn't have time to prep the bed and drop the end of it before I was pushing again. So, Addy was born after just a few pushes on an unready bed. They were scrambling around with the bassinet and lights and whatnot but Addy was NOT going to wait.
I will say, I felt every contraction and every push and it REALLY hurt, but I love knowing that I felt everything. Makes me appreciate the delivery and the miracle of birth that much more. I got to see and feel her arrival and even reach down and touch her while she was coming out. Sounds kind of gross, I know, but it was awesome. With Iris and Lily, the doctors set up a mirror so I could watch them be born, but they didn't have time with Addy so being able to reach down and touch her was amazing. And then holding her right after (they took Iris and Lily right away to check blood pressure and heart rate because I'd had the epidural) was so awesome, too. We were still physically connected by the umbilical cord and I was holding her and it was indescribable.
I do feel very blessed to be a woman and a mother. To know that feeling of intense pain....only to be followed by sheer joy. To know that the hurt and the painful contractions are leading to an end of bliss makes me want a natural birth so much more. And knowing that I can do it, makes me confident that we can do it again. I say "we" because Arthur is a huge help with reminding me to breathe, not hold my breath. And he is great at sitting silently while I work through a contraction, instead of trying to talk to me or touch me or ask me a question.....I'm very particular about the noise level while I'm in labor. I don't make sounds, and I don't want to hear any sounds. :)
I can't wait to do this all over again in a few weeks!
We ran over a few things with the doctor (who was the one who delivered Iris and is my favorite, I think, of all the doctors there - he is sarcastic and cracks jokes about everything....even calling the crappy weather today a "prozac day". lol!): baby will be circumcised. I am planning a natural birth again, and hopefully it will work out again that way. He knows I am home with the 3 girls, so there is always that slim chance I will have to take the girls to the hospital with me if I'm in labor and unable to find someone to watch them (but thankfully I have a few friends who are home during the week and could sit with them if needed). I am NOT looking to have a tubal ligation after the birth (he asked if I wanted one, should they have to do a c-section and "would be in that area anyway". LOL.). I plan to breastfeed again. I have no history of post-partum depression.
He really had a lot of things to ask me! I don't remember this run-down with previous pregnancies, but at least he covered all those things now and noted my chart. :)
When he delivered Iris, he and Arthur were sitting (literally - both of them had a chair at the end of my bed) and talking about Colorado and skiing. I found it funny, even in the middle of labor (I had an epidural for Iris' birth, so I was willing to laugh at it), but it still seemed pretty out of the ordinary. Haha! He was very nice during my labor and very patient. Actually, all 3 doctors for all 3 of my deliveries were very nice and patient....thankfully!
The doctor that delivered Addy was the oldest doctor there (age-wise). He was very quiet, and I was afraid he wouldn't approve of my last-minute decision to get an epidural for that delivery. Arthur and I both had the flu and I was so drained and weepy. I had wanted to have her naturally, since my water hadn't broken and they weren't pushing for any inducing meds at that time. Didn't work out, though, because of the vomiting I had done before getting to the hospital and then while I was in the bed; I was so exhausted I went ahead and got the epidural (and ended up throwing up while they were administering it....the anesthesiologist didn't like that too much). Poor Arthur had to keep running to the bathroom, too. He ended up checking in at the ER because he was so dehydrated from it. :(
Addy's delivery was picture perfect. We had a great evening right before, with our neighbors outside. The only negative to the night was mine and another pregnant neighbor's decision to have our husbands go get Taco Bell for us. :) We showered and went to bed around 11pm. I woke up at 1:30 with contractions and started timing them. Then, right at 3AM I woke up Arthur and we called the doctor. My in-laws came over to stay with Iris and Lily, and this time no one had the flu. :) We got to the hospital about 3:45Am and Addy was born at 7:20AM. No pain meds, no epidural, nothing. I was super proud. Of course, it hurt like crazy, but it's exactly what I had wanted the first 2 times. I did my breathing and Arthur was a great coach (he sat silent, except for when I forced him to go get the doctor or nurse because I really needed to push). I pushed 3 times, I think, before she was born. I say "I think" about the number of pushes because that was kind of a rushed time. I knew I needed to push but the nurse and doctor had just left the room and had said I might feel pressure like I need to go #2 but that I shouldn't push. I made Arthur run and get them just a few minutes later and when they came in and checked, Addy's head (and ALL her hair!) were right there waiting! LOL. They didn't have time to prep the bed and drop the end of it before I was pushing again. So, Addy was born after just a few pushes on an unready bed. They were scrambling around with the bassinet and lights and whatnot but Addy was NOT going to wait.
I will say, I felt every contraction and every push and it REALLY hurt, but I love knowing that I felt everything. Makes me appreciate the delivery and the miracle of birth that much more. I got to see and feel her arrival and even reach down and touch her while she was coming out. Sounds kind of gross, I know, but it was awesome. With Iris and Lily, the doctors set up a mirror so I could watch them be born, but they didn't have time with Addy so being able to reach down and touch her was amazing. And then holding her right after (they took Iris and Lily right away to check blood pressure and heart rate because I'd had the epidural) was so awesome, too. We were still physically connected by the umbilical cord and I was holding her and it was indescribable.
I do feel very blessed to be a woman and a mother. To know that feeling of intense pain....only to be followed by sheer joy. To know that the hurt and the painful contractions are leading to an end of bliss makes me want a natural birth so much more. And knowing that I can do it, makes me confident that we can do it again. I say "we" because Arthur is a huge help with reminding me to breathe, not hold my breath. And he is great at sitting silently while I work through a contraction, instead of trying to talk to me or touch me or ask me a question.....I'm very particular about the noise level while I'm in labor. I don't make sounds, and I don't want to hear any sounds. :)
I can't wait to do this all over again in a few weeks!
Lessons in Love: Reading
I really like reading with the girls. We've been behind in reading daily. We started the Little House series, got half way through the first book and then we kept forgetting or were busy with other things and have not read in several weeks. We've been to the library weekly lately, so we've been reading those short books together.
Today, though, we finally sat down and read 2 chapters together. Well, Iris and I sat down and read together. Lily and Addy just played around us. It was nice. Iris likes to snuggle when we read, so I really enjoyed that time with her. :)
I am excited to do more consistent/daily readings aloud with them in the Fall for school. I have it scheduled in, so we will definitely be on top of it then. I am hoping to do lots of reading in the yard this summer, since we'll be stuck around the house for a while after the baby is born.
Today, though, we finally sat down and read 2 chapters together. Well, Iris and I sat down and read together. Lily and Addy just played around us. It was nice. Iris likes to snuggle when we read, so I really enjoyed that time with her. :)
I am excited to do more consistent/daily readings aloud with them in the Fall for school. I have it scheduled in, so we will definitely be on top of it then. I am hoping to do lots of reading in the yard this summer, since we'll be stuck around the house for a while after the baby is born.
Motherhood Mania: Good Help
I had my 34 week OB appointment set for today....of course, Mondays are the worst day for us and appointments because Iris and Lily are both home. I was dreading having to drag all 3 girls to my appointment, but it worked out to have Pastor's daughters over to watch my girls for that hour. Thank goodness! It was so nice and convenient to be able to get in and out of the appointment without having to watch the girls also. :)
I am extremely thankful that Emilie and Kari could be here to watch them. My girls LOVE them, so they were super excited to have their "friends" over to play. :) AND, my girls behaved for them, so that was an added bonus!
Sadly, when I made the appointment for next time in 2 weeks, they only had Mondays available again. :( Emilie and Kari will be back in school that day, so I will take all 3 girls with me then. At least, I had the break today. :) And my appointments aren't long at all, so I guess it's not the end of the world. Snacks and water on hand really help, too!
I am extremely thankful that Emilie and Kari could be here to watch them. My girls LOVE them, so they were super excited to have their "friends" over to play. :) AND, my girls behaved for them, so that was an added bonus!
Sadly, when I made the appointment for next time in 2 weeks, they only had Mondays available again. :( Emilie and Kari will be back in school that day, so I will take all 3 girls with me then. At least, I had the break today. :) And my appointments aren't long at all, so I guess it's not the end of the world. Snacks and water on hand really help, too!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Lessons in Love: Expectations of Kids
I really don't know the proper amount of expectations I should have of my girls. I expect certain behaviors and skills of them, that I think at times may be above their coordination level. Of course, that just leads to frustration for all of us.....and tears. :(
I expect Iris to help out with emptying garbage cans and getting herself dressed. It's such a fight almost every week with these things. She will gladly put her dishes in the sink, no problem. But, I just don't understand why she won't dress herself or empty the garbage cans into the kitchen can. I know she is capable of doing them, but I am not understanding (or maybe unwilling to understand, since all I do is demand it of her).
Lily is expected to dress herself, with some help allowed for her socks....she struggles a little with those at times. She is also expected to pick up whatever she gets out. She fights me on this daily. The other girls put their stuff away, but Lily just sits there and pouts. It is so frustrating, especially being this far pregnant. I feel like she knows she can push my buttons more because I'm slower and less likely to get down on the floor to talk to her. Such a struggle for me!
Addy has started throwing tantrums about anything and everything....EVERYWHERE. Yesterday, it was at the grocery store. She wanted to walk at the store. I don't let her EVER because she stumbles often and just is so slow; I don't like being in the store longer than absolutely necessary. :) So, she cried and whined the whole time she was in the cart. I compromised and let her sit in the big part of the cart and not the baby seat, but that didn't seem to matter to her. We even ran into one of the girls' friends at the store and Addy didn't let up.
I feel like all I do is explode on them every day after they've pushed and pushed with their arguing and talking back and whining. I know I am very short-tempered right now due to the pregnancy, but I also feel like they are taking advantage of my physical condition and I'm not sure how to get it to stop. Do I just grin and bear it til the baby gets here and I can do more?? Do I keep the iron fist and keep taking privileges away, even though it doesn't seem to matter to them?? I feel like when I pray about it, I am just whining to God about being unhappy with it right now and I don't feel like there's a solution right now.
Advice is appreciated. What expectations do you have of your little ones?? Or, if your kids are older...what about when they were toddlers/preschoolers? Counting to 10 doesn't seem to work for me; maybe I'm even doing THAT wrong. :) I just feel like it's getting worse each day and they don't seem to notice, like it's all just in my head or something! lol.
I expect Iris to help out with emptying garbage cans and getting herself dressed. It's such a fight almost every week with these things. She will gladly put her dishes in the sink, no problem. But, I just don't understand why she won't dress herself or empty the garbage cans into the kitchen can. I know she is capable of doing them, but I am not understanding (or maybe unwilling to understand, since all I do is demand it of her).
Lily is expected to dress herself, with some help allowed for her socks....she struggles a little with those at times. She is also expected to pick up whatever she gets out. She fights me on this daily. The other girls put their stuff away, but Lily just sits there and pouts. It is so frustrating, especially being this far pregnant. I feel like she knows she can push my buttons more because I'm slower and less likely to get down on the floor to talk to her. Such a struggle for me!
Addy has started throwing tantrums about anything and everything....EVERYWHERE. Yesterday, it was at the grocery store. She wanted to walk at the store. I don't let her EVER because she stumbles often and just is so slow; I don't like being in the store longer than absolutely necessary. :) So, she cried and whined the whole time she was in the cart. I compromised and let her sit in the big part of the cart and not the baby seat, but that didn't seem to matter to her. We even ran into one of the girls' friends at the store and Addy didn't let up.
I feel like all I do is explode on them every day after they've pushed and pushed with their arguing and talking back and whining. I know I am very short-tempered right now due to the pregnancy, but I also feel like they are taking advantage of my physical condition and I'm not sure how to get it to stop. Do I just grin and bear it til the baby gets here and I can do more?? Do I keep the iron fist and keep taking privileges away, even though it doesn't seem to matter to them?? I feel like when I pray about it, I am just whining to God about being unhappy with it right now and I don't feel like there's a solution right now.
Advice is appreciated. What expectations do you have of your little ones?? Or, if your kids are older...what about when they were toddlers/preschoolers? Counting to 10 doesn't seem to work for me; maybe I'm even doing THAT wrong. :) I just feel like it's getting worse each day and they don't seem to notice, like it's all just in my head or something! lol.
Motherhood Mania: Springtime Bingo
I came up with the idea to make Springtime Bingo for the girls yesterday. Yes, I MADE it. :) I am not an artist by any means, so I struggled to think of 12 Spring items that I could draw (and everyone else would recognize!). Hahaha.
It turned out pretty well. Our pictures were: cross, tomb, church, tree, duck, birdhouse, flower, umbrella, rain(drop), storm(cloud with lightning bolt), nest, and dress. I made 4 cards for us all to play - Addy was on my team. :) Then I made a bigger version of each picture with the name of the picture printed below it. On everyone's playing card, all the pictures were the same but placed in different spots on the card. We played 3 times, and it took us a whole 15 minutes. :) It was a nice, SHORT game before bed last night.
I saved the game. I plan to get some contact paper or laminate them and hold onto it for a school game/learning center idea.
I was happy with the outcome. When Addy's bigger, I will have to make a 5th card, though. Hopefully my awesome artistry skills will still be there. :)
It turned out pretty well. Our pictures were: cross, tomb, church, tree, duck, birdhouse, flower, umbrella, rain(drop), storm(cloud with lightning bolt), nest, and dress. I made 4 cards for us all to play - Addy was on my team. :) Then I made a bigger version of each picture with the name of the picture printed below it. On everyone's playing card, all the pictures were the same but placed in different spots on the card. We played 3 times, and it took us a whole 15 minutes. :) It was a nice, SHORT game before bed last night.
I saved the game. I plan to get some contact paper or laminate them and hold onto it for a school game/learning center idea.
I was happy with the outcome. When Addy's bigger, I will have to make a 5th card, though. Hopefully my awesome artistry skills will still be there. :)
Rejoicing in Recipes: Nevermind the Meat
I forgot about Meatless Monday on Monday, so I decided to do it last night. I got myself busy with things around the house and phone calls, so I was rushing around at 5:00 (when Arthur got out of work) trying to think of what to make. I decided to use up my last red bell pepper and some of the fresh green beans I got yesterday at Meijer. Mmmmm....we love fresh green beans. And they were only $.87/lb....not the BEST price, but the best since last Fall. I was glad to buy them again!
So, I used one of my many boxes of free pasta (thank you, Jewel-Osco, for your several weeks of sales on Ronzoni pasta - $1 each and there were a ton of $1 off coupons!!) and threw this together:
3/4 box Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Spaghetti (it's multi-grain or whole grain; i forget which)
2 TBSP olive oil (I use extra light-tasting olive oil)
1 clove garlic, chopped (I used dried garlic because I was out of fresh)
salt and pepper to taste
1 small red bell pepper, cut into think strips
Fresh green beans (I didn't measure these, just eyeballed about how many we'd eat)
Cook pasta according to box directions, leaving slightly al dente.
Boil green beans in water for a few minutes, until tender but still crispy.
Heat oil in saute pan and add garlic. Cook until golden. Add red pepper strips and cook until tender but crispy. Add in cooked pasta and green beans. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat all with oil and make sure all is warmed through. Serve and enjoy! Serves 6, approximately.....it fed all of us but we have 3 little mouths and had just a little bit left over for lunch today.
My husband does NOT like peppers of any kind, so he picked his out. :) The girls had to try the peppers. Iris liked them, Lily did not. Addy just played with it. Overall, it was a well-liked dish. I plan to keep this one in mind for another meatless meal. Very quick and easy to make, as well as healthy.
I served it with a green salad, applesauce and bread with butter. Simple, simple. My painful hip appreciated the minimal running around in the kitchen to make it! :)
So, I used one of my many boxes of free pasta (thank you, Jewel-Osco, for your several weeks of sales on Ronzoni pasta - $1 each and there were a ton of $1 off coupons!!) and threw this together:
3/4 box Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Spaghetti (it's multi-grain or whole grain; i forget which)
2 TBSP olive oil (I use extra light-tasting olive oil)
1 clove garlic, chopped (I used dried garlic because I was out of fresh)
salt and pepper to taste
1 small red bell pepper, cut into think strips
Fresh green beans (I didn't measure these, just eyeballed about how many we'd eat)
Cook pasta according to box directions, leaving slightly al dente.
Boil green beans in water for a few minutes, until tender but still crispy.
Heat oil in saute pan and add garlic. Cook until golden. Add red pepper strips and cook until tender but crispy. Add in cooked pasta and green beans. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat all with oil and make sure all is warmed through. Serve and enjoy! Serves 6, approximately.....it fed all of us but we have 3 little mouths and had just a little bit left over for lunch today.
My husband does NOT like peppers of any kind, so he picked his out. :) The girls had to try the peppers. Iris liked them, Lily did not. Addy just played with it. Overall, it was a well-liked dish. I plan to keep this one in mind for another meatless meal. Very quick and easy to make, as well as healthy.
I served it with a green salad, applesauce and bread with butter. Simple, simple. My painful hip appreciated the minimal running around in the kitchen to make it! :)
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Lessons in Love: Anniversary
Friday, Arthur and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary. Crazy! 6 years already! It feels like it's been forever some days, and other days it feels like there's no way it's been 6 years already. :)
We spent the day with the girls. Ran errands in the morning, took the girls to McDonald's Playland for lunch. I got to go fabric shopping by myself (whoo-hoo!), then Arthur went to go running - I liked that we both fit in our hobbies. :) Then we had a movie afternoon with the girls, sandwiches for dinner, another movie with the girls and popcorn (they're favorite!). After they went to bed, Arthur and I had a movie night together. We were so exhausted by the time we went to bed! HAHA. We had thought about going out to dinner, but we knew we'd be too tired to really enjoy being out together without the kids, so we just decided to do a family day/night. It was a lot of fun. Minimal troublemaking by Iris and Lily, so that was a plus. :)
I love Arthur. I know early on in the relationship we weren't making good choices or following God's plan, but I am so thankful that God has drawn us back to Him and that we are getting involved with our church and that the girls have a good example (most of the time) from us. Regardless of our previous poor decisions, I am so thankful that now that we have children we are making the effort to make good choices and raise them in the church. I could not have asked for a better partner!
We spent the day with the girls. Ran errands in the morning, took the girls to McDonald's Playland for lunch. I got to go fabric shopping by myself (whoo-hoo!), then Arthur went to go running - I liked that we both fit in our hobbies. :) Then we had a movie afternoon with the girls, sandwiches for dinner, another movie with the girls and popcorn (they're favorite!). After they went to bed, Arthur and I had a movie night together. We were so exhausted by the time we went to bed! HAHA. We had thought about going out to dinner, but we knew we'd be too tired to really enjoy being out together without the kids, so we just decided to do a family day/night. It was a lot of fun. Minimal troublemaking by Iris and Lily, so that was a plus. :)
I love Arthur. I know early on in the relationship we weren't making good choices or following God's plan, but I am so thankful that God has drawn us back to Him and that we are getting involved with our church and that the girls have a good example (most of the time) from us. Regardless of our previous poor decisions, I am so thankful that now that we have children we are making the effort to make good choices and raise them in the church. I could not have asked for a better partner!
Pleasantries of Pregnancy: Packing
I have "pack my hospital bag" on my week's to do list. I haven't gotten to it yet. I know I should, though. If I go into labor in the next few weeks, while I'm home with the girls, that would be one VERY hectic trip to the hospital if I have to pack my bag first. :)
I seem to have lost my packing list from when I had Addy. Wish I had it. It made packing so much easier last time to know exactly what I wanted to take. And my memory isn't the same to remember what I did take and what I decided I didn't need (and what I wish I HAD taken!).
Other than that, no new news on the pregnancy front. Baby's movements hurt often. I am 33 weeks and 3 days today. Getting closer!
I seem to have lost my packing list from when I had Addy. Wish I had it. It made packing so much easier last time to know exactly what I wanted to take. And my memory isn't the same to remember what I did take and what I decided I didn't need (and what I wish I HAD taken!).
Other than that, no new news on the pregnancy front. Baby's movements hurt often. I am 33 weeks and 3 days today. Getting closer!
Motherhood Mania: Timing
I am still working on my homeschool schedule. I am having trouble deciding on the right amount of time for each subject or project. I am trying to think like a 5 year old and how long it might take me to finish a worksheet. I feel like 30 minutes per subject would be good, but that we might finish early or take longer for some. So, it's starting to frustrate me. PLUS, I know as a 5 year old, Iris is going to need more teaching time from me than alone learning time. I like the idea of workboxes that some online moms talk about, but they all have at least one child older than Kindergarten. The older kids seem to have no problems doing work on their own. Their younger - kindergarten or preschool - kids need more one-on-one time and help with the pages, since they don't read. Maybe workboxes aren't the way to go just yet for us....at least not until Iris is a little older and can read some.
I feel rushed lately with getting a day to day schedule written up. BUT, I know I still have 4 1/2 months until we're starting school! :) I am just worried about the baby's arrival and cramming everything in over the summer. My plan is to take some of my lesson books and plans to the hospital to look over and work on for the 2 days I'm there after having the baby, but we'll see how well that works out. :)
For now, I need to just take a break from it. Even if I write a schedule down, I still have those 4 1/2 months to second guess myself. LOL.
I feel rushed lately with getting a day to day schedule written up. BUT, I know I still have 4 1/2 months until we're starting school! :) I am just worried about the baby's arrival and cramming everything in over the summer. My plan is to take some of my lesson books and plans to the hospital to look over and work on for the 2 days I'm there after having the baby, but we'll see how well that works out. :)
For now, I need to just take a break from it. Even if I write a schedule down, I still have those 4 1/2 months to second guess myself. LOL.
Rejoicing in Recipes: BBQ Shredded Chicken
Yesterday was such a weird weather day. I thought about making soup because it was so cold, but I really didn't feel like chopping the vegetables for it. :) So, I ended up using my crockpot for the 2nd day in a row ( I LOVE that thing!) and made BBQ Chicken. Very easy, so this is a short recipe. But, it's good to mix it up and do simple recipes with very few ingredients. It gives a nice break from the whole process of thinking through a new recipe or all the physical work of chopping and measuring and whatnot.
BBQ Shredded Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used the frozen ones from Meijer; actually, I only had 2 left, so I threw in 3 boneless, skinless, frozen thighs as well.)
1 bottle BBQ sauce (any brand, any variety)
1. Place frozen chicken pieces in crockpot. Set to High for 4 hours.
2. After about 3 hrs, start breaking apart chicken pieces. Pour on whole bottle of sauce. Make sure all pieces are covered in sauce. Close lid and left finish cooking.
We took the shredded chicken and put it on buns with cheese. Mmmmm. The girls just had it shredded with cheese but no bun. Very yummy. Enjoy!
BBQ Shredded Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used the frozen ones from Meijer; actually, I only had 2 left, so I threw in 3 boneless, skinless, frozen thighs as well.)
1 bottle BBQ sauce (any brand, any variety)
1. Place frozen chicken pieces in crockpot. Set to High for 4 hours.
2. After about 3 hrs, start breaking apart chicken pieces. Pour on whole bottle of sauce. Make sure all pieces are covered in sauce. Close lid and left finish cooking.
We took the shredded chicken and put it on buns with cheese. Mmmmm. The girls just had it shredded with cheese but no bun. Very yummy. Enjoy!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Lessons in Love: Making Time
Yesterday, my friend Erika and her youngest boy stopped by while Iris and Lily and her 2 older boys were in preschool. Her little one played with Addy, and Erika and I chatted. We try to get together once a week while the oldest 4 are in school. It hasn't worked out with our schedules for the past few weeks, though, which is a bummer. I always look forward to mom chat and a break from my normal household stuff. :)
Arthur's off all this week, so he came home from running while she was here. They got to talking about Todd and Erika's schedule/plans for last night and it turned out they didn't have plans and neither of them had to work or had school. So, Arthur invited himself and us over to their house for dinner. :) We decided we'd just make some chicken dishes (because like good moms, we had a semi-menu planned out already in our heads for our families' dinners. lol!) and set a time. We haven't been able to get together with all the kids and husbands in a looooong time. I think Erika was pregnant with their youngest and Addy was a baby when we did it last. It was long overdue!!
I ended up making a chicken noodle bake (recipe to come tomorrow on here) and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. She made some marinated chicken pieces and a Lipton noodle mix (mmmm...i love those!). It was a chatty dinner, with 10 of us around a table...6 of whom were under 5 years old! :)
I always like when we can get together with them, as whole families, especially since it doesn't work out often....makes the time we do get together even more fun. Some times, we have to MAKE time to be with friends. It's the only way to keep relationships, when everyone has kids. Our time with them is always enjoyable and the kids always have a blast.
Great night with great friends. I'm glad Arthur came up with it, and I'm glad we all made the time to do it. Who knows when it'll work out again! :)
Arthur's off all this week, so he came home from running while she was here. They got to talking about Todd and Erika's schedule/plans for last night and it turned out they didn't have plans and neither of them had to work or had school. So, Arthur invited himself and us over to their house for dinner. :) We decided we'd just make some chicken dishes (because like good moms, we had a semi-menu planned out already in our heads for our families' dinners. lol!) and set a time. We haven't been able to get together with all the kids and husbands in a looooong time. I think Erika was pregnant with their youngest and Addy was a baby when we did it last. It was long overdue!!
I ended up making a chicken noodle bake (recipe to come tomorrow on here) and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. She made some marinated chicken pieces and a Lipton noodle mix (mmmm...i love those!). It was a chatty dinner, with 10 of us around a table...6 of whom were under 5 years old! :)
I always like when we can get together with them, as whole families, especially since it doesn't work out often....makes the time we do get together even more fun. Some times, we have to MAKE time to be with friends. It's the only way to keep relationships, when everyone has kids. Our time with them is always enjoyable and the kids always have a blast.
Great night with great friends. I'm glad Arthur came up with it, and I'm glad we all made the time to do it. Who knows when it'll work out again! :)
Pleasantries of Pregnancy: Checkup
I waited for 40 minutes at the OB's office on Wednesday!! I was so frustrated. Usually they are so punctual, and I'm in and out for my little checkups. Not so. I had plans to go shopping and come home before picking Iris up from school, but I had to rush around after the appointment to get the groceries bought and rush over to her school on time.
Regardless, the appointment went well. Baby's heartrate was 142. My blood pressure is still nice and low...110/60 (thank you, Mom, for the hereditary low blood pressure!). I gained another 5 pounds this month, something I was not happy about. I'm at 143. I think I've gained 35 pounds since my first visit (that's not exact but I know I was pretty low at my first OB appointment). Not cool. I know these next few weeks is when I will be retaining a lot of water and I have tended to put on several pounds in between my 2 week or weekly visits, so I'm hoping that does NOT happen this pregnancy....I'm already huge for my frame!
Baby is measuring average, according to my belly size. He was moving all around during the appointment, so he wasn't head down when the doctor felt my belly. I mentioned to the doctor that I've had some pretty painful Braxton-Hicks, something I don't remember having with the girls. He wasn't worried and said only if they are accompanied by low back pain or leaking do I need to worry. Bummer! I was hoping he'd say if they are painful then labor may be sooner than later. :) Oh well.
Overall, great visit. Everything was good or average, so I am happy. I go back in 2 weeks now (on Addy's birthday, actually!) for my next checkup. Time seems to be going so fast now! Can't wait til he's here!!
Regardless, the appointment went well. Baby's heartrate was 142. My blood pressure is still nice and low...110/60 (thank you, Mom, for the hereditary low blood pressure!). I gained another 5 pounds this month, something I was not happy about. I'm at 143. I think I've gained 35 pounds since my first visit (that's not exact but I know I was pretty low at my first OB appointment). Not cool. I know these next few weeks is when I will be retaining a lot of water and I have tended to put on several pounds in between my 2 week or weekly visits, so I'm hoping that does NOT happen this pregnancy....I'm already huge for my frame!
Baby is measuring average, according to my belly size. He was moving all around during the appointment, so he wasn't head down when the doctor felt my belly. I mentioned to the doctor that I've had some pretty painful Braxton-Hicks, something I don't remember having with the girls. He wasn't worried and said only if they are accompanied by low back pain or leaking do I need to worry. Bummer! I was hoping he'd say if they are painful then labor may be sooner than later. :) Oh well.
Overall, great visit. Everything was good or average, so I am happy. I go back in 2 weeks now (on Addy's birthday, actually!) for my next checkup. Time seems to be going so fast now! Can't wait til he's here!!
Motherhood Mania: Curtains
Thursday night I began my fun task of creating a curtain for the pantry entry. The door on it had been broken several months ago, and I was so tired of looking at it. :) Now that I have the sewing machine, I thought making a curtain for that opening would be great. So, Thursday (while Arthur was visiting his friend and the girls were in bed), I spent a good hour measuring and cutting fabric - from my free fabric box! - to sew into a curtain. I probably could have very easily bought and cut down a fabric shower curtain, but sewing it from scratch seemed so much more satisfying for me. :)
I found a navy, almost sheer piece of fabric - not too heavy and not completely sheer that we can see the food in the pantry. Online instructions for this type of project said to measure 75% beyond what the actual opening is. I thought that seemed like a lot, but I did it anyway...since I really have no experience with measurements.
Because it took an hour for me to measure, cut and pin the long sides of the curtain, that's all I did that night. It was weird for me to put a project away, unfinished. With baking, you complete the project in one day, so that's what I'm used to - finishing. I was tired, though, so I was also happy to finish for the night.
Yesterday, Arthur worked at church while the girls napped, so I sewed the long sides. I used white for the bobbin thread and a fabric-matching navy for the top thread. I probably should have used navy for both threads, but I wanted to be able to see clearly my stitch line and having the white barely show through on top was good for me. You can't really see it, unless you're up close to the curtain, so it worked out fine.
I was able to finish the long side sewing, then lay it out and pin the top and bottom hems, leaving room on top for the curtain to slide onto the tension rod it would hang from. It took me about 1 1/2 hours yesterday to do all the sewing. Arthur helped me hang it when he got home. I'm not totally sure about the navy color, but I love the look of a curtain there...it's so much more home-y looking. :)
I was very pleased with the straightness of my stitches on this one, compared to the stitches on the apron from last week. Hopefully, I can learn more stitching techniques and branch out.
Next project: 2 curtains for the girls' closet. They have a dresser in the closet now, and I can't open the drawers all the way with the closet doors on. So, we're going to take them off and I'll make 2 curtains that can part, so we can access the whole depth of the drawer. That's a much bigger opening, and I may need to actually go find a nice fabric to make those curtains. We'll see, though. Maybe I can do a patchwork-type curtain with the fabrics I have. That will definitely take more time than the small pantry curtain, BUT I'm very excited!!
I found a navy, almost sheer piece of fabric - not too heavy and not completely sheer that we can see the food in the pantry. Online instructions for this type of project said to measure 75% beyond what the actual opening is. I thought that seemed like a lot, but I did it anyway...since I really have no experience with measurements.
Because it took an hour for me to measure, cut and pin the long sides of the curtain, that's all I did that night. It was weird for me to put a project away, unfinished. With baking, you complete the project in one day, so that's what I'm used to - finishing. I was tired, though, so I was also happy to finish for the night.
Yesterday, Arthur worked at church while the girls napped, so I sewed the long sides. I used white for the bobbin thread and a fabric-matching navy for the top thread. I probably should have used navy for both threads, but I wanted to be able to see clearly my stitch line and having the white barely show through on top was good for me. You can't really see it, unless you're up close to the curtain, so it worked out fine.
I was able to finish the long side sewing, then lay it out and pin the top and bottom hems, leaving room on top for the curtain to slide onto the tension rod it would hang from. It took me about 1 1/2 hours yesterday to do all the sewing. Arthur helped me hang it when he got home. I'm not totally sure about the navy color, but I love the look of a curtain there...it's so much more home-y looking. :)
I was very pleased with the straightness of my stitches on this one, compared to the stitches on the apron from last week. Hopefully, I can learn more stitching techniques and branch out.
Next project: 2 curtains for the girls' closet. They have a dresser in the closet now, and I can't open the drawers all the way with the closet doors on. So, we're going to take them off and I'll make 2 curtains that can part, so we can access the whole depth of the drawer. That's a much bigger opening, and I may need to actually go find a nice fabric to make those curtains. We'll see, though. Maybe I can do a patchwork-type curtain with the fabrics I have. That will definitely take more time than the small pantry curtain, BUT I'm very excited!!
Recjoicing in Recipes: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
I follow a blog called Lynn's Kitchen Adventures. I found this cookie recipe on her blog yesterday and made it to take for dinner at our friends' home. They were so good! The recipe instructs you to grind the oatmeal in a blender (or food processor), which changes the texture to a more smooth oatmeal cookie but retains the oatmeal flavor and healthful benefits. Very tasty! I hope you like it!
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cup oatmeal, ground in blender (measure then grind)
- 12 ounces chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts ( I leave these out because my kids do not like nuts)
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Pleasantries of Pregnancy: Almost Done
I am about ready to have this baby. :)
This weekend I went with Arthur to an 8k race he ran in Chicago. It was 80 degrees, and we had to do a bit of walking and standing....two things I'm beginning to despise doing. Arthur did a great job, and I'm really happy I went, BUT my ankles/legs/feet/hips were hating me afterward!
Today, we organized the garage and did some decluttering. My stomach was so tight almost the whole time. I couldn't hardly bend forward to pick anything up or lift anything. Arthur had to help me up each time I got down on the ground to go through a box.
My tummy is looking very big lately. My OB appointment for 32 weeks is tomorrow. I am REALLY hoping they say I'm measuring bigger than 32 weeks....hoping that maybe I'm further along than they think. HOPING! You know, it's not an exact thing to throw out a due date....it's not unheard of that they decide the due date is wrong. I think they were wrong on Iris' due date; she supposedly was born at 36 weeks 3 days BUT I think she was actually closer to 40 weeks.
We'll see how the appointment goes. And I'm curious to see if my weight gain is still significant this time. I'm feeling massive today.
This weekend I went with Arthur to an 8k race he ran in Chicago. It was 80 degrees, and we had to do a bit of walking and standing....two things I'm beginning to despise doing. Arthur did a great job, and I'm really happy I went, BUT my ankles/legs/feet/hips were hating me afterward!
Today, we organized the garage and did some decluttering. My stomach was so tight almost the whole time. I couldn't hardly bend forward to pick anything up or lift anything. Arthur had to help me up each time I got down on the ground to go through a box.
My tummy is looking very big lately. My OB appointment for 32 weeks is tomorrow. I am REALLY hoping they say I'm measuring bigger than 32 weeks....hoping that maybe I'm further along than they think. HOPING! You know, it's not an exact thing to throw out a due date....it's not unheard of that they decide the due date is wrong. I think they were wrong on Iris' due date; she supposedly was born at 36 weeks 3 days BUT I think she was actually closer to 40 weeks.
We'll see how the appointment goes. And I'm curious to see if my weight gain is still significant this time. I'm feeling massive today.
Rejoicing in Recipes: Fudgie Brownies
I found a great recipe for fudge-like brownies. So yummy! I made them Friday and took them to my parents' house for the weekend. Very easy and very delicious!
This recipe was found on www.allrecipes.com.
1 cup butter, melted
3 cups white sugar
1 TBSP vanilla
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
Combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each, until thoroughly blended.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until blended. Stir in the chocolate morsels. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove, and cool pan on wire rack before cutting.
Of course, these are not healthy in any way.....other than they are homemade with no preservatives. :) But, they are soooo good. A great treat!
This recipe was found on www.allrecipes.com.
1 cup butter, melted
3 cups white sugar
1 TBSP vanilla
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
Combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each, until thoroughly blended.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until blended. Stir in the chocolate morsels. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove, and cool pan on wire rack before cutting.
Of course, these are not healthy in any way.....other than they are homemade with no preservatives. :) But, they are soooo good. A great treat!
Friday, April 8, 2011
Motherhood Mania: Sewing
I finally have a sewing machine!!! Out of desperation, I posted an ad on Craigslist in the Wanted category of the For Sale section. I put that I was looking for a newer model sewing machine or canning jars/equipment and in exchange I could offer help with couponing, organization, or I could make baked goods. I didn't think anyone would reply (or, if they did, it'd be a bunch of weirdos), but I had 2 replies. The first woman asked if I did housecleaning; I replied that I would definitely be willing to clean a home for a sewing machine but that I was too far pregnant to be that physically active. I was bummed because cleaning is one of the things I am BEST at! :)
The second woman lives here in Palatine and mentioned having a 10 year old Kenmore sewing machine she wanted to get rid of and that she was looking for help with getting into couponing. I was stoked! We talked by email for a day or two and were both (apparently) very eager to make the trade. That was on Monday, and we met yesterday here at our house to exchange my info for her machine! She is very nice and has little kids the same age as Iris and Lily, so we had plenty in common with regards to shopping habits and food preferences. She stayed for about an hour, while we talked about coupons; I gave her 8 pages of info I had typed up, and she seemed pretty satisfied. I even asked if she felt that it was an even trade, and she said Yes. :) I didn't bother looking at the machine while she was here; she didn't remember all the steps to using it and didn't have the manual, so I had to find it online.
I spent about 20 minutes after she left looking for the manual; I found it and skimmed it to see what parts, if any, I'd need to buy. She had most everything in there - just missing needles and the satin stitch foot. Easy fix! Needles are just a couple dollars and the foot is about $10 or so. After naps yesterday, we went to the craft store and bought a package of needles, some durable thread, and pins. I came home and taught myself how to thread the machine just before dinner.
After the girls were in bed, Arthur went for a run, so I started working on sewing. I became extremely frustrated when it would not start, thinking "Oh no, she gave me an unusable machine!" Then I re-read the instructions and found out I had skipped a step because I was in such a rush to get started. :) Of course, that's me....in a rush. Sewing, I have learned, is a slower process than the crafts I'm used to - some sew projects take more than a day. That will be something to get used to, not finishing it all in one day.
I just practiced a straight stitch and a zig-zag stitch last night. Fun! Arthur seemed happy that I found something to get excited over. :) I finally have a (sort of) hobby!
This morning I searched online to find patterns for simple things that beginners could do. I found one for a One Yard Apron. I went to my giant box of fabric (see? I KNEW I'd be glad I took that free box of fabric!) and found a semi-cute flower patterned fabric and cut the yard I needed. I am in desperate need now for a grid. My cutting skills are awful! Ha!
Anyway, after almost 3 hours, I was able to finish the simple apron, that has a homemade drawstring and 2 pockets. Of course, I was again in a rush to finish, so by the time I got to the pockets I was not measuring very accurately. They are off-center and not level, but they ARE usable, so I'm ok with that on my first apron. :) My hems are atrocious and I would advise everyone to NOT look closely at the stitching. It's not straight. This sewing hobby will definitely be a gateway to PATIENCE for me....something I am in desperate need of these days.
Now, to find my next project pattern!
The second woman lives here in Palatine and mentioned having a 10 year old Kenmore sewing machine she wanted to get rid of and that she was looking for help with getting into couponing. I was stoked! We talked by email for a day or two and were both (apparently) very eager to make the trade. That was on Monday, and we met yesterday here at our house to exchange my info for her machine! She is very nice and has little kids the same age as Iris and Lily, so we had plenty in common with regards to shopping habits and food preferences. She stayed for about an hour, while we talked about coupons; I gave her 8 pages of info I had typed up, and she seemed pretty satisfied. I even asked if she felt that it was an even trade, and she said Yes. :) I didn't bother looking at the machine while she was here; she didn't remember all the steps to using it and didn't have the manual, so I had to find it online.
I spent about 20 minutes after she left looking for the manual; I found it and skimmed it to see what parts, if any, I'd need to buy. She had most everything in there - just missing needles and the satin stitch foot. Easy fix! Needles are just a couple dollars and the foot is about $10 or so. After naps yesterday, we went to the craft store and bought a package of needles, some durable thread, and pins. I came home and taught myself how to thread the machine just before dinner.
After the girls were in bed, Arthur went for a run, so I started working on sewing. I became extremely frustrated when it would not start, thinking "Oh no, she gave me an unusable machine!" Then I re-read the instructions and found out I had skipped a step because I was in such a rush to get started. :) Of course, that's me....in a rush. Sewing, I have learned, is a slower process than the crafts I'm used to - some sew projects take more than a day. That will be something to get used to, not finishing it all in one day.
I just practiced a straight stitch and a zig-zag stitch last night. Fun! Arthur seemed happy that I found something to get excited over. :) I finally have a (sort of) hobby!
This morning I searched online to find patterns for simple things that beginners could do. I found one for a One Yard Apron. I went to my giant box of fabric (see? I KNEW I'd be glad I took that free box of fabric!) and found a semi-cute flower patterned fabric and cut the yard I needed. I am in desperate need now for a grid. My cutting skills are awful! Ha!
Anyway, after almost 3 hours, I was able to finish the simple apron, that has a homemade drawstring and 2 pockets. Of course, I was again in a rush to finish, so by the time I got to the pockets I was not measuring very accurately. They are off-center and not level, but they ARE usable, so I'm ok with that on my first apron. :) My hems are atrocious and I would advise everyone to NOT look closely at the stitching. It's not straight. This sewing hobby will definitely be a gateway to PATIENCE for me....something I am in desperate need of these days.
Now, to find my next project pattern!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Rejoicing in Recipes: Bruschetta Bake
We had another meatless night for dinner last night. The fact that we are getting little sleep at night due to the girls' allergies/colds, means I am forgetful to take meat out of the freezer in time for dinner. :) Soooo, I took the Bruschetta Chicken Bake recipe from the back of the Stove Top box and made it without chicken, substituting peas instead. It was pretty tasty. Something different. I don't like a lot of basil flavor, but this I didn't mind at all.
Bruschetta Bake
1 box Stove Top stuffing, Chicken flavor
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup water
2 garlic cloves, chopped (i just used dried minced garlic and eyeballed it)
1 cup frozen peas
1 tsp dried basil
1 cup (or more...we love cheese) shredded Mozzarella cheese
Combine stuffing, tomatoes, water and garlic in 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle peas over top, then basil over peas. Top with cheese and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.
I served this with a salad (I know, SHOCKING! we love salad and with the spinach being on sale often lately, we've been eating A LOT of salad the past few months) and rolls. I probably should have just done another vegetable and not the rolls, but we did have raw, cut carrots with the salad so I guess that counts. :)
Bruschetta Bake
1 box Stove Top stuffing, Chicken flavor
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup water
2 garlic cloves, chopped (i just used dried minced garlic and eyeballed it)
1 cup frozen peas
1 tsp dried basil
1 cup (or more...we love cheese) shredded Mozzarella cheese
Combine stuffing, tomatoes, water and garlic in 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle peas over top, then basil over peas. Top with cheese and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.
I served this with a salad (I know, SHOCKING! we love salad and with the spinach being on sale often lately, we've been eating A LOT of salad the past few months) and rolls. I probably should have just done another vegetable and not the rolls, but we did have raw, cut carrots with the salad so I guess that counts. :)
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Lessons in Love: Sick
Lily was up last night coughing and coughing. She ended up throwing up the phlegm in her bed. :( We brought her into our bed afterward.
We try to keep the rule of no kids sleeping with us. They are just so restless some nights, that we then get no sleep! :) And with Arthur training for races and me being pregnant, we need all the sleep we can get!
Last night, I was overly thrilled to have her in bed with us, but shortly after we laid down she rolled over and put her arm around me. :) It was the cutest thing ever! She just laid there silently with her arm around me. I know she is a big Mama's girl when it comes to EVERYTHING, but her initiating the cuddle was so cute. It made all the lack of sleep ok, in my eyes.
I love when the girls initiate affection. It makes it feel genuine and unforced. I was thinking about how God probably appreciates most when WE initiate the affection to Him - not because of a church service or because of something He has done for us....but just because we love Him. It's most genuine, feels most real, and is most satisfying I'm sure - knowing your children WANT to love you and WANT to show you is most satisfying.
We try to keep the rule of no kids sleeping with us. They are just so restless some nights, that we then get no sleep! :) And with Arthur training for races and me being pregnant, we need all the sleep we can get!
Last night, I was overly thrilled to have her in bed with us, but shortly after we laid down she rolled over and put her arm around me. :) It was the cutest thing ever! She just laid there silently with her arm around me. I know she is a big Mama's girl when it comes to EVERYTHING, but her initiating the cuddle was so cute. It made all the lack of sleep ok, in my eyes.
I love when the girls initiate affection. It makes it feel genuine and unforced. I was thinking about how God probably appreciates most when WE initiate the affection to Him - not because of a church service or because of something He has done for us....but just because we love Him. It's most genuine, feels most real, and is most satisfying I'm sure - knowing your children WANT to love you and WANT to show you is most satisfying.
Rejoicing in Recipes: Bologna Tortillas
I have never really liked bologna, not even as a child. But, my girls LOVE it. I don't buy it often, unless it is super cheap or part of a deal at the store. I bought a package yesterday, so they had it for lunch. They don't just like it on bread with cheese, they like it on a tortilla. :) I always have so many tortillas on hand, that I really don't mind making each of them their own bologna tortilla. So, because it's been a slow recipe week, I am posting this as my recipe. :) It's an easy lunch and something different than a plain old sandwich.
Bologna Tortilla
1 tortilla
1 slice of cheese, any kind
1 slice of bologna
Place cheese and bologna slices on tortilla. Heat for about 13 seconds in the microwave. Roll up and enjoy!
As usual, we accompany this with fruit and yogurt and whatever leftover vegetable from the night before. Semi-healthy. :)
Bologna Tortilla
1 tortilla
1 slice of cheese, any kind
1 slice of bologna
Place cheese and bologna slices on tortilla. Heat for about 13 seconds in the microwave. Roll up and enjoy!
As usual, we accompany this with fruit and yogurt and whatever leftover vegetable from the night before. Semi-healthy. :)
Pleasantries of Pregnancy: Exhaustion
Exhaustion has set in. The girls have been not sleeping well, due to colds or allergies...which means I'm not sleeping well, either. :( That makes for long days, and I am wiped out by dinner time.
I have learned (after several late nights) that I cannot eat sweets after around 8:00 in the evening. Otherwise, I am up at night with stomach cramps and a very upset stomach. Late evening is when I am most "hungry" for sweets, so this has been a challenge. I have found smoothies and bowls of cereals to be decent replacements for the cookies or ice cream I normally eat.
The baby is still so active, all day and all night. Even now, he is poking my side with his feet or elbows.
I have had several nights in a row with strong contractions - just one or two at a time, so I'm not worried but OUCH can they hurt! I need him to stay put for at least 4 more weeks, so I hope those contractions don't become regular. My next appointment is next Wednesday, the 13th.
Other than that, nothing new. I am out of energy to go anywhere, except for the places I have to - grocery store, preschool, church. :) This weekend we are visiting my parents again, probably the last time before baby arrives. That'll be fun, but I can feel the exhaustion from the drive already! :)
I have learned (after several late nights) that I cannot eat sweets after around 8:00 in the evening. Otherwise, I am up at night with stomach cramps and a very upset stomach. Late evening is when I am most "hungry" for sweets, so this has been a challenge. I have found smoothies and bowls of cereals to be decent replacements for the cookies or ice cream I normally eat.
The baby is still so active, all day and all night. Even now, he is poking my side with his feet or elbows.
I have had several nights in a row with strong contractions - just one or two at a time, so I'm not worried but OUCH can they hurt! I need him to stay put for at least 4 more weeks, so I hope those contractions don't become regular. My next appointment is next Wednesday, the 13th.
Other than that, nothing new. I am out of energy to go anywhere, except for the places I have to - grocery store, preschool, church. :) This weekend we are visiting my parents again, probably the last time before baby arrives. That'll be fun, but I can feel the exhaustion from the drive already! :)
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Rejoicing in Recipes: Slow Cooker Sticky Chicken....sort of
I found a really great recipe (ok, it actually found me) on a blog that I am newly following. Lynn's Kitchen Adventures is the name of the woman/blog. I thought it looked very tasty and different than the normal bbq chicken I make, and having "sticky" in the title caught my eye as well. :) I followed Lynn's recipe, using boneless, skinless chicken breasts (3 lbs worth, as she indicated) but mine didn't turn out very sticky. I LOVED the seasoning of it, though. It almost tasted like there was honey in the recipe because it there was a certain sweetness to it, but there is no honey listed. Very yummy. Arthur and the girls liked it, too.
I had made it last night to feed my brother and any other siblings that were bringing some furniture to me (I often use food to pay people. LOL), but we ended up ordering pizza, so I saved it to eat today. Of course, my four siblings, Arthur, the girls and I all sampled it before I put it into the fridge. :)
I might try bone-in chicken pieces next time, so see if that is just as good. Also, I'd like to eat it right after making it next time because today it seemed a little on the dry side....I just assume it's because it sat in the fridge all night. :( Still tasty, though!
I had made it last night to feed my brother and any other siblings that were bringing some furniture to me (I often use food to pay people. LOL), but we ended up ordering pizza, so I saved it to eat today. Of course, my four siblings, Arthur, the girls and I all sampled it before I put it into the fridge. :)
I might try bone-in chicken pieces next time, so see if that is just as good. Also, I'd like to eat it right after making it next time because today it seemed a little on the dry side....I just assume it's because it sat in the fridge all night. :( Still tasty, though!
Slow Cooked Sticky Chicken
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons of minced ginger ( I did not have any ginger, so I used 1 teaspoon of ground ginger)
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne or red pepper
- 3 lbs chicken, breast, thighs, legs, etc.
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- Combine 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoon soy sauce , ginger, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat.
- Place in a slow cooker and cook on low for about 4 hours or until done.
- When done place chicken in a broiler proof dish.
- Combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar, water, and tomato paste, and remaining soy sauce. Brush on chicken and cook under the broiler for about 5 minutes or until chicken is slightly crisp. But keep in eye on this while it is cooking under the broiler, things can cook quickly when broiling.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Lessons in Love: A Desire to Be Happy
Yesterday was a tough day for Arthur and Iris. Lily and Iris were playing, then Lily called Iris a "stinker" and Iris got so upset that she hit Lily in the head with their play stethoscope. Lily had a pretty good size bruise starting by the time we got in there to see what happened.
Iris' reaction lately is just to hit Lily for whatever Lily does that Iris doesn't like. It's unnerving some days; Lily doesn't even have to do much for Iris to hit her. I don't exactly know how to stop it. We have tried calm talks, we've tried time outs, spankings, removal of privileges, etc. Nothing seems to stick with her. We have explained that we, as the parents, spank when they've done something wrong, not just because they've done something we don't like. We told her we have that job, as parents, to discipline but she does not because she is not a parent. She says she gets it, but soon after she's back at it.
Arthur sat with Iris for a good 15 minutes yesterday after her spanking, to talk to her about why she does it, why she shouldn't, and how it hurts us to see her do that to her own sister. The only thing that I've ever seen make somewhat of an impact on her was telling her that if other kids see her hitting her own sister, they might think it's ok then to hit Lily too...since Iris isn't defending her. Iris didn't like that too much and said she'd stop hitting Lily. It didn't last too long, though. Whether or not that was the right thing for us to say to her, it seemed to make sense. How are other kids going to see Lily, if her own sister is hitting her? They may just think it's no big deal to hit her if she does something they don't like. I'd hope not, but it's a possibility I suppose.
I noticed that Arthur seemed pretty down after he talked with Iris. His eyes were glossy like he wanted to cry. I asked him if he wanted to talk or if anything was wrong, but he said no to both. I know it hurt him to see Iris act that way, and I know he takes it personally when they hurt each other. I am not sure how to comfort him except to say that they are still pretty little and have to be repeatedly shown how to act right. I just don't want him to think it's his fault that our 3 and 4 year old girls don't treat each other the best. I chuck it up to their age and being so close that they fight for control or attention. He see it as him failing. :(
Hopefully Iris will begin to understand soon. She is such a great helper and leader when she wants to be. I just want to be able to show her how things work much better when we treat each other right.
Iris' reaction lately is just to hit Lily for whatever Lily does that Iris doesn't like. It's unnerving some days; Lily doesn't even have to do much for Iris to hit her. I don't exactly know how to stop it. We have tried calm talks, we've tried time outs, spankings, removal of privileges, etc. Nothing seems to stick with her. We have explained that we, as the parents, spank when they've done something wrong, not just because they've done something we don't like. We told her we have that job, as parents, to discipline but she does not because she is not a parent. She says she gets it, but soon after she's back at it.
Arthur sat with Iris for a good 15 minutes yesterday after her spanking, to talk to her about why she does it, why she shouldn't, and how it hurts us to see her do that to her own sister. The only thing that I've ever seen make somewhat of an impact on her was telling her that if other kids see her hitting her own sister, they might think it's ok then to hit Lily too...since Iris isn't defending her. Iris didn't like that too much and said she'd stop hitting Lily. It didn't last too long, though. Whether or not that was the right thing for us to say to her, it seemed to make sense. How are other kids going to see Lily, if her own sister is hitting her? They may just think it's no big deal to hit her if she does something they don't like. I'd hope not, but it's a possibility I suppose.
I noticed that Arthur seemed pretty down after he talked with Iris. His eyes were glossy like he wanted to cry. I asked him if he wanted to talk or if anything was wrong, but he said no to both. I know it hurt him to see Iris act that way, and I know he takes it personally when they hurt each other. I am not sure how to comfort him except to say that they are still pretty little and have to be repeatedly shown how to act right. I just don't want him to think it's his fault that our 3 and 4 year old girls don't treat each other the best. I chuck it up to their age and being so close that they fight for control or attention. He see it as him failing. :(
Hopefully Iris will begin to understand soon. She is such a great helper and leader when she wants to be. I just want to be able to show her how things work much better when we treat each other right.
Motherhood Mania: School Plans
I've been making mental lists (that SHOULD be put on paper) for school stuff to do or remember or whatever.
I want to finalize my schedule and lesson planning before the baby arrives. I do plan to take some teacher guides with me to the hospital, so I can read up on the first few lessons and get the idea for the flow of each lesson/subject. I have a rough plan for the first 10 or so days. I don't have everything listed on there, though, like journaling and calendar and days of the week. I just did the major subjects.
My sister forwarded a schedule to me that one of her friends (who homeschools and has 5 kids!) uses. It breaks everything down by 30 minute intervals. I loved it! She started from the time she awoke in the morning until the time she went to bed and included ALL things she needs to accomplish at home - school things, housework, baby stuff, dinner, and whatever else she thought of. I really liked that she included all the housework items. My fear was that I'd put off housework until late in the afternoon and then not get to it for days at a time. This woman planned it all out and fit in housework throughout the day, assigning certain tasks to each child based on their age. Granted, her oldest is much older than Iris and can sit and occupy her youngest, BUT Iris does well with certain cleaning tasks and clearing the table, so that would be something I would want to consistently assign to her ON PAPER, so we had a set schedule and everyone can know what's expected of them. This would help me, too, know exactly each item that I should accomplish each day, so that I'm not piling all the housework into one time period. I think having a set schedule will also allow for more spontaneity, since I will know ahead of time what's going to be done and if something fun or an emergency comes up, we can fit it in and know what will need to be moved around without much hassle.
I have probably said it before, but I'll say it again - I am so thankful for my desire to be organized. I think Arthur gets frustrated with me often because I'm so set to be on a schedule and stay organized, but God gave it to me for a reason and I think homeschooling is just that reason. I do not at all think I could school the girls if I did not have this extreme habit of organization - mentally and physically.
I have some more arranging of furniture/items, papers, and decluttering to do before we can officially begin school, but I know even with a new baby I can organize my thoughts and with God's help accomplish it all in time. Having a baby, I thought, was putting a damper on vacation plans for this summer - he'd be too young to go camping with. BUT, I'm seeing now that no vacation means more time at home to get everything ready so we can dive in full-speed for the school year. I have already started with calendar and days of the week regularly with Iris and Lily. Addy even said "Tuesday" this week while we were reviewing. :) So, if we can little by little incorporate repetitive things into our days, we will have no problem come September!
I want to finalize my schedule and lesson planning before the baby arrives. I do plan to take some teacher guides with me to the hospital, so I can read up on the first few lessons and get the idea for the flow of each lesson/subject. I have a rough plan for the first 10 or so days. I don't have everything listed on there, though, like journaling and calendar and days of the week. I just did the major subjects.
My sister forwarded a schedule to me that one of her friends (who homeschools and has 5 kids!) uses. It breaks everything down by 30 minute intervals. I loved it! She started from the time she awoke in the morning until the time she went to bed and included ALL things she needs to accomplish at home - school things, housework, baby stuff, dinner, and whatever else she thought of. I really liked that she included all the housework items. My fear was that I'd put off housework until late in the afternoon and then not get to it for days at a time. This woman planned it all out and fit in housework throughout the day, assigning certain tasks to each child based on their age. Granted, her oldest is much older than Iris and can sit and occupy her youngest, BUT Iris does well with certain cleaning tasks and clearing the table, so that would be something I would want to consistently assign to her ON PAPER, so we had a set schedule and everyone can know what's expected of them. This would help me, too, know exactly each item that I should accomplish each day, so that I'm not piling all the housework into one time period. I think having a set schedule will also allow for more spontaneity, since I will know ahead of time what's going to be done and if something fun or an emergency comes up, we can fit it in and know what will need to be moved around without much hassle.
I have probably said it before, but I'll say it again - I am so thankful for my desire to be organized. I think Arthur gets frustrated with me often because I'm so set to be on a schedule and stay organized, but God gave it to me for a reason and I think homeschooling is just that reason. I do not at all think I could school the girls if I did not have this extreme habit of organization - mentally and physically.
I have some more arranging of furniture/items, papers, and decluttering to do before we can officially begin school, but I know even with a new baby I can organize my thoughts and with God's help accomplish it all in time. Having a baby, I thought, was putting a damper on vacation plans for this summer - he'd be too young to go camping with. BUT, I'm seeing now that no vacation means more time at home to get everything ready so we can dive in full-speed for the school year. I have already started with calendar and days of the week regularly with Iris and Lily. Addy even said "Tuesday" this week while we were reviewing. :) So, if we can little by little incorporate repetitive things into our days, we will have no problem come September!
Pleasantries of Pregnancy: 31 Weeks
Things are slowing down around here....mostly because I'm feeling that I need to MAKE them slow down! I am getting antsy for baby to arrive, wanting to get everything in order and in its place before he comes.
I have a few more things on my mental checklist to do before I'd feel completely ready, so hopefully my energy keeps up so I can complete them. Freezing meals is first priority. I made a boo-boo and filled the freezer with great deals over the past few weeks, so I need to use up some of those items before I can start filling it with meals. Silly me! I was so excited about finding great foods to freeze for little to nothing that I completely forgot about making the meals to freeze. Oops!
I am trying not to lift the girls anymore. It's hard with Addy because I baby her so much. :) Lily still asks to be held and carried, but I've explained why I can't do either. I try to snuggle with her on the couch to make up for it. Iris doesn't ask me to carry her; she likes for Arthur to carry her to bed, so that wasn't too hard to give up. :)
Baby is still super active all times of the day, not just the usual evening times anymore. I feel like people can see my stomach moving. Arthur saw it, and even though he's seen it before he still thought it was alien-ish. :)
I have a few more things on my mental checklist to do before I'd feel completely ready, so hopefully my energy keeps up so I can complete them. Freezing meals is first priority. I made a boo-boo and filled the freezer with great deals over the past few weeks, so I need to use up some of those items before I can start filling it with meals. Silly me! I was so excited about finding great foods to freeze for little to nothing that I completely forgot about making the meals to freeze. Oops!
I am trying not to lift the girls anymore. It's hard with Addy because I baby her so much. :) Lily still asks to be held and carried, but I've explained why I can't do either. I try to snuggle with her on the couch to make up for it. Iris doesn't ask me to carry her; she likes for Arthur to carry her to bed, so that wasn't too hard to give up. :)
Baby is still super active all times of the day, not just the usual evening times anymore. I feel like people can see my stomach moving. Arthur saw it, and even though he's seen it before he still thought it was alien-ish. :)
Rejoicing in Recipes: Creamy Chicken Alfredo
This is a very quick and easy alfredo recipe I stumbled upon on Wednesday. I was just going to make some chicken breasts and put over egg noddles with cream of chicken soup and milk as a sauce/gravy. I noticed on the Meijer Cream of Chicken Soup can there was a recipe for Creamy Chicken Alfredo. I made it and turns out it is delicious! :) I plan to keep it on hand for a quick dinner on nights when we're rushing around (which tends to be much more often than it used to!). I accidentally threw out the recipe, though, so this is recalled from memory. Hopefully I'm not forgetting anything!
Creamy Chicken Alfredo
1 box (16 oz) noodles (I used the egg noodles I already had out for my original dinner idea)
2 TBSP oil (I used light olive oil)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
Cook pasta according to directions on box. Drain and return to pan, covered with lid to keep warm.
Meanwhile, heat oil in pan and cook chicken breasts until both sides are browned and inside is mostly no longer pink. Remove chicken from pan. In same pan, stir together soup, milk, salt, pepper, and paprika. Heat to boiling and reduce heat to Medium Low, returning chicken to pan with sauce. Cook chicken in sauce until completely cooked through. Remove chicken again and slice into desired size slices/pieces. Stir cheese into sauce mix in pan. Return chicken to sauce in pan once more, and heat just until all is warmed and cheese is melted.
Serve chicken/sauce over noodles.
I served this with a salad and biscuits. I know bread and noodles and both starches, but we love pasta with a bread!
Creamy Chicken Alfredo
1 box (16 oz) noodles (I used the egg noodles I already had out for my original dinner idea)
2 TBSP oil (I used light olive oil)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
Cook pasta according to directions on box. Drain and return to pan, covered with lid to keep warm.
Meanwhile, heat oil in pan and cook chicken breasts until both sides are browned and inside is mostly no longer pink. Remove chicken from pan. In same pan, stir together soup, milk, salt, pepper, and paprika. Heat to boiling and reduce heat to Medium Low, returning chicken to pan with sauce. Cook chicken in sauce until completely cooked through. Remove chicken again and slice into desired size slices/pieces. Stir cheese into sauce mix in pan. Return chicken to sauce in pan once more, and heat just until all is warmed and cheese is melted.
Serve chicken/sauce over noodles.
I served this with a salad and biscuits. I know bread and noodles and both starches, but we love pasta with a bread!
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