I can't believe it's only 8 days until Christmas! I'm so excited! We have so much going on in the next week, but I can't wait to do it all.
Yesterday was Iris and Lily's Preschool Christmas program and party. It was very cute. Iris was the only one of the kids that really sang. Lily kept jingling her bells even after teacher was whispering for her to hold them still. Addy, surprisingly, sat still through the whole thing. It was a cute selection of songs, and they all did a good job.
Iris' godmother, Jackie (and my future sister-in-law), was able to come to the party and program. Soooo thankful she was there to help chase Addy down during the party. :) Then, Jackie came back to the house and cut all our hair. We are all trimmed up for the next few weeks. One more thing to check off the list!
Last night, my in-laws came over for dinner and to see the girls. They gave the girls sock monkeys. Very cute; they all have a different pattern on them, so that'll help tell them apart. Iris named hers "pinky"; Addy named hers "baby". Lily hasn't named hers yet. I don't think she likes the idea of naming it; she seems very logical and naming a stuffed animal doesn't seem to make sense. That's my girl. :)
For dinner, we had Tagliarini. I forget where I found the recipe but it's healthy and delicious, and it feeds 6 to 8, which was perfect for all of us last night. Here's the recipe:
Tagliarini
1-2 lbs ground beef (i used chicken last night)
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped (or 1 heaping tsp garlic powder
2 tsp salt
2 tsp chili powder
2 TBSP honey
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
2 cups water
1/2 lb dry noodles
2 cups shredded cheese
Brown beef (or cook chopped chicken til no longer pink) with pepper, onion, and garlic. Drain liquid. Pour into 9x13 pan and add salt, chili powder and honey. Mix together then add tomatoes and water. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until boiling. Add noodles and sprinkle cheese over all. Bake another 30 minutes or until noodles are tender and cheese is completely melted.
Muy delicioso! :)
Today, the girls and I will finish up the last 2 gifts we need to buy. And then I will make a batch of cinnamon rolls and some pumpkin cranberry bread to take to Grandma's breakfast tomorrow. Tomorrow night is our evening in Chicago with some of my brothers and cousins. Then Sunday morning, we will go to my parents' church. Sunday evening I have to be at our church at 5pm to rehearse for our Christmas program, during which I will do a reading. Then, we are invited to our small group leader's home for desserts after the program.
Arthur then works Monday through Wednesday before we head back to my parents' house Wednesday night to stay through Friday and celebrate Christmas with them. Friday night, we will come back this way to my in-laws to celebrate with them. Then we will be home late Christmas Eve, to wake up and spend the day with our girls here at home. Busy week ahead, but I cannot wait to experience it all with my family. :) My girls are so excited about Christmas and seeing everyone. We've been doing the Advent calendar (with chocolate candies, of course), and the girls are so excited that they have gotten a piece of candy every day this month....which is so abnormal for our house! :)
Merry Christmas to all, in case I don't get a moment to post it next week! Have a safe and wonderful Christmas with your families. And I hope we don't lose sight of what the real meaning of Christmas is and take at least a moment to thank God for giving us the best Gift of all!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
A Quick Morning Post
I have a big headache this morning. I'd like to just sit here all morning and do nothing. Can't do that, though.
I found, in another Mom's blog, a free ebook called "Just Get 'em Fed". It was very interesting. A mom of 9 wrote it about her struggle to find balance in feeding her family; she included several great recipes at the end, which I was very happy to see. I love new/simple/healthy recipes. Go HERE if you'd like to see her blog and download the book. I saved it to the desktop for quick reference. :) I actually used her recipe for Breakfast Casserole when I made dinner last night.
Speaking of last night, I think this is where my headache stems from. Our church is renovating and needed folks to help finish the project. So, as a family, we went over to help. The girls played and watched a movie with their friend, while the adults painted. I stood on a ladder and painted around the lights. I didn't mind it at first, even though my husband asked if I should be on a ladder while pregnant. I was fine for the first hour, then my back started to hurt and there was one light that has a faint strobe light thing happening. When you're standing on a ladder just inches from the flashing light, it gets trippy. I started to get a little light-headed, so I slowed down. I was definitely ready to go when we left after 2 1/2 hours there. I don't feel like I got a whole lot down for the church, but this morning my body is saying I did enough! :) Why do all these interesting or helpful things come up when I'm pregnant??? I would be so much more useful (and faster) if I didn't have the body aches from pregnancy. Oh well. I hope they are able to finish the project quickly. I know it's become a huge ordeal and a couple of the folks are there practically every night to work on it. I can't imagine how tiring that must be! They have good hearts, and I know their work is appreciated.
Today, only Iris has school, so the other two are with me for groceries. I finished all the laundry on Monday! That's was the first time in quite a while that it all got done in one day. Arthur was home in the morning, so I got a late start to everything (it always happens that way when he's home!), but I got all 7 loads done before 10pm. The last 2 loads were dried and folded but not put away, so I made sure to put them away first thing yesterday morning. What a relief that is!
Grocery shopping should be interesting. It said it was 1 degree (without wind chill factored in), so we will be super bundled when we go out. I need to bring lots of snacks so I don't run out of energy lifting them in and out of the car!
Arthur has an MRI tonight. Pray for him, please. His hip has been hurting him, especially when he runs, and he is hoping it's just soreness. The doctor did tell him she thought he had weak hips, so he was bummed to hear that. Hopefully the MRI doesn't show anything abnormal and he can just work to strengthen his hip through exercise. He continues to run, but I know he'd like to have an answer and to not be sore anymore.
This Sunday is our church's Christmas program in the evening. I get to do a reading! :) I wanted to be part of the Christmas choir, but will illnesses last Sunday evening and all last week, I wasn't able to get out to the practice(s). So, I am happy to do a reading for the service. If you're interested, it's at New Hope Community Church in Palatine from 6pm to 7pm.
Before Sunday, though, we are so busy. Saturday morning is my Grandparents' Christmas Breakfast. Santa visits there for the great-grandkids, so that'll be fun. :) Then, Saturday evening, we are going to Chicago to walk around and for dinner with 2 of my brothers and their wives as well as my cousin and her husband. That should be fun; we don't get to do anything as couples hardly ever, so it'll be fun to be without our kids for a couple hours. Except, I feel bad my parents will be watching my kids. Not sure if they're watching the other 5 kids, too, but I am hoping they have help if they are!
I felt the baby move for the first time the other night! It was very exciting. I'm 15 1/2 weeks, so I knew it would be soon since I now know the difference between gas and the baby fluttering. :) It was awesome. Every time I feel the first movements when I'm pregnant, I just think about how crazy it would be to think life just happens. There's so much going on in my belly right now, I can't imagine anything other than God as the source of life, the Designer of life's creation. So neat!
Time to get moving! The clean dishes in the dishwasher are calling my name, as well as the dog who is sitting here staring at me to take him out. The shower is calling me, and so are the bags of clothes and toys we are donating to the National Children's Cancer Society. They'll be here some time after 8:30 to pick it all up, so I better get it outside. Busy, busy. Story of my life, but I love it. Keeps me from getting bored, I guess. :)
Yesterday, I called the elderly folks I've been "assigned" to. I was able to speak with only one. She was so positive. She is in a assisted living home now, but she was very positive and her only prayer request was for patience. Amazing. She has health issues, can't get out for church or even to run her errands, but she just wants me to pray for her patience! Makes me think my complaints about having errands to run seem so wrong. I should be happy I can get out and do things and not have to rely on someone. Independence is a great thing, especially if you've experienced and can no longer.
Have a great Wednesday!
I found, in another Mom's blog, a free ebook called "Just Get 'em Fed". It was very interesting. A mom of 9 wrote it about her struggle to find balance in feeding her family; she included several great recipes at the end, which I was very happy to see. I love new/simple/healthy recipes. Go HERE if you'd like to see her blog and download the book. I saved it to the desktop for quick reference. :) I actually used her recipe for Breakfast Casserole when I made dinner last night.
Speaking of last night, I think this is where my headache stems from. Our church is renovating and needed folks to help finish the project. So, as a family, we went over to help. The girls played and watched a movie with their friend, while the adults painted. I stood on a ladder and painted around the lights. I didn't mind it at first, even though my husband asked if I should be on a ladder while pregnant. I was fine for the first hour, then my back started to hurt and there was one light that has a faint strobe light thing happening. When you're standing on a ladder just inches from the flashing light, it gets trippy. I started to get a little light-headed, so I slowed down. I was definitely ready to go when we left after 2 1/2 hours there. I don't feel like I got a whole lot down for the church, but this morning my body is saying I did enough! :) Why do all these interesting or helpful things come up when I'm pregnant??? I would be so much more useful (and faster) if I didn't have the body aches from pregnancy. Oh well. I hope they are able to finish the project quickly. I know it's become a huge ordeal and a couple of the folks are there practically every night to work on it. I can't imagine how tiring that must be! They have good hearts, and I know their work is appreciated.
Today, only Iris has school, so the other two are with me for groceries. I finished all the laundry on Monday! That's was the first time in quite a while that it all got done in one day. Arthur was home in the morning, so I got a late start to everything (it always happens that way when he's home!), but I got all 7 loads done before 10pm. The last 2 loads were dried and folded but not put away, so I made sure to put them away first thing yesterday morning. What a relief that is!
Grocery shopping should be interesting. It said it was 1 degree (without wind chill factored in), so we will be super bundled when we go out. I need to bring lots of snacks so I don't run out of energy lifting them in and out of the car!
Arthur has an MRI tonight. Pray for him, please. His hip has been hurting him, especially when he runs, and he is hoping it's just soreness. The doctor did tell him she thought he had weak hips, so he was bummed to hear that. Hopefully the MRI doesn't show anything abnormal and he can just work to strengthen his hip through exercise. He continues to run, but I know he'd like to have an answer and to not be sore anymore.
This Sunday is our church's Christmas program in the evening. I get to do a reading! :) I wanted to be part of the Christmas choir, but will illnesses last Sunday evening and all last week, I wasn't able to get out to the practice(s). So, I am happy to do a reading for the service. If you're interested, it's at New Hope Community Church in Palatine from 6pm to 7pm.
Before Sunday, though, we are so busy. Saturday morning is my Grandparents' Christmas Breakfast. Santa visits there for the great-grandkids, so that'll be fun. :) Then, Saturday evening, we are going to Chicago to walk around and for dinner with 2 of my brothers and their wives as well as my cousin and her husband. That should be fun; we don't get to do anything as couples hardly ever, so it'll be fun to be without our kids for a couple hours. Except, I feel bad my parents will be watching my kids. Not sure if they're watching the other 5 kids, too, but I am hoping they have help if they are!
I felt the baby move for the first time the other night! It was very exciting. I'm 15 1/2 weeks, so I knew it would be soon since I now know the difference between gas and the baby fluttering. :) It was awesome. Every time I feel the first movements when I'm pregnant, I just think about how crazy it would be to think life just happens. There's so much going on in my belly right now, I can't imagine anything other than God as the source of life, the Designer of life's creation. So neat!
Time to get moving! The clean dishes in the dishwasher are calling my name, as well as the dog who is sitting here staring at me to take him out. The shower is calling me, and so are the bags of clothes and toys we are donating to the National Children's Cancer Society. They'll be here some time after 8:30 to pick it all up, so I better get it outside. Busy, busy. Story of my life, but I love it. Keeps me from getting bored, I guess. :)
Yesterday, I called the elderly folks I've been "assigned" to. I was able to speak with only one. She was so positive. She is in a assisted living home now, but she was very positive and her only prayer request was for patience. Amazing. She has health issues, can't get out for church or even to run her errands, but she just wants me to pray for her patience! Makes me think my complaints about having errands to run seem so wrong. I should be happy I can get out and do things and not have to rely on someone. Independence is a great thing, especially if you've experienced and can no longer.
Have a great Wednesday!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Weak Week
What a week! The girls are finally all better. 48 hours of no snot, puke or poo....so I think we're in the clear. :) Thankfully, Arthur and I did not get it; it's always so much harder to care for the girls when one or both of us is also sick.
We had a great time with soups this week, though, to help make us feel better. I made a HUGE pot of chicken noodle soup on Thursday, and I just have a little bit left now. I love chicken noodle soup! I also ended up making pork chop soup earlier in the week, instead of pork chops themselves. It turned out pretty good. A little spicy, though, so I'd cut back on the chili powder next time. Overall, very tasty! I found the recipe online and it had a ton of good reviews and no bad ones, so I figured why not try it. Click HERE for the recipe.
Also, today the girls and I will be making some Christmas cookies, once they're up from naps. I think we're doing just 3 kinds (instead of getting carried away, like I always do!). Cutout sugar cookies (of course), Giant Ginger Cookies, and Snickerdoodles. I decided not to do any chocolate this time, just because we always do some form of chocolate in our cookies, and I have a taste for something different. We'll probably give some to our neighbors and my in-laws before eating a bunch ourselves! :)
Right now, I have fruit-filled oatmeal bars in the oven baking. They should be done in just a few minutes and were so easy to make. Hopefully they taste great, too. This was my first time making them, but I wanted a good/sweet/healthy snack for while we're making all the cookies. :)
Fruit-Filled Oatmeal Bars
1 cup flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
Filling:
1 cup applesauce (chunky is best it says)
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash of ground cloves
Combine flour, oats, sugar and soda. Cut in butter with pastry blender. Divide in half. Press 1/2 of mixture in 11x7x1 1/2 inch baking pan. In bowl, combine items for filling. Pour filling over mixture in pan. Spread remaining crumb mixture on top of filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack and cut into bars.
It says it makes 25 bars, but I am not sure I'll get 25 out of that size pan. Seems like really small portions. I didn't have chunky applesauce, so I just used regular and added some raisins (1/2 handful) in as well to make up for the apples chunks. :) I also don't have that size pan, so I got out my cookie bar pan from Pampered Chef (I think it's the medium size pan) and used a ruler to help me know to where I should spread the crumb mixture initially. I knew it wasn't going to spread out while it baked, so I think that would be fine. I just pulled mine out of the oven and they are cooling. I smell apple and cinnamon, so I'm really hoping they taste as lovely as they smell!
On another note, I've decided to try and start a moms group. The ones I've found online for my area all cost money or are spread out among moms all over chicagoland or have so many members and children that there are 40+ activities a week. I don't see how I can get to know the moms, unless a couple of us decide to go to all the same events. It just seems like a lot of work.
So, I emailed some mom friends on Facebook today to get their opinion and find out if they're interested. I'd like to start it out of my house, since public places are hard to coordinate or are chaotic because we're chasing our children. Two of my neighbors and I tried to start doing this but we didn't get anything planned on it and it was last minute when we'd decide to call each other. Maybe if we set a date a week in advance, that'd help plan our get-togethers? Who knows. Just an idea. I'm not good at calling people during the week because of the background noise, so if it's other moms face-to-face with me and the children noise is expected, I'd feel more comfortable. So, hopefully it works out. I'm praying it does; I know I can use mom talk during the weekdays. My husband gets tired of me talking about the little things the kids do (that drives me nuts or makes me laugh or just other nonsense!), but I know other moms know what I mean when I say I need to just get it out. I love my kids to death, but I also enjoy venting with other moms or asking for opinions or just sharing experiences.
Those fruit bars are calling me! I know they're not cooled yet, but I really want to go cut one and eat it NOW! :)
We had a great time with soups this week, though, to help make us feel better. I made a HUGE pot of chicken noodle soup on Thursday, and I just have a little bit left now. I love chicken noodle soup! I also ended up making pork chop soup earlier in the week, instead of pork chops themselves. It turned out pretty good. A little spicy, though, so I'd cut back on the chili powder next time. Overall, very tasty! I found the recipe online and it had a ton of good reviews and no bad ones, so I figured why not try it. Click HERE for the recipe.
Also, today the girls and I will be making some Christmas cookies, once they're up from naps. I think we're doing just 3 kinds (instead of getting carried away, like I always do!). Cutout sugar cookies (of course), Giant Ginger Cookies, and Snickerdoodles. I decided not to do any chocolate this time, just because we always do some form of chocolate in our cookies, and I have a taste for something different. We'll probably give some to our neighbors and my in-laws before eating a bunch ourselves! :)
Right now, I have fruit-filled oatmeal bars in the oven baking. They should be done in just a few minutes and were so easy to make. Hopefully they taste great, too. This was my first time making them, but I wanted a good/sweet/healthy snack for while we're making all the cookies. :)
Fruit-Filled Oatmeal Bars
1 cup flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
Filling:
1 cup applesauce (chunky is best it says)
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash of ground cloves
Combine flour, oats, sugar and soda. Cut in butter with pastry blender. Divide in half. Press 1/2 of mixture in 11x7x1 1/2 inch baking pan. In bowl, combine items for filling. Pour filling over mixture in pan. Spread remaining crumb mixture on top of filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack and cut into bars.
It says it makes 25 bars, but I am not sure I'll get 25 out of that size pan. Seems like really small portions. I didn't have chunky applesauce, so I just used regular and added some raisins (1/2 handful) in as well to make up for the apples chunks. :) I also don't have that size pan, so I got out my cookie bar pan from Pampered Chef (I think it's the medium size pan) and used a ruler to help me know to where I should spread the crumb mixture initially. I knew it wasn't going to spread out while it baked, so I think that would be fine. I just pulled mine out of the oven and they are cooling. I smell apple and cinnamon, so I'm really hoping they taste as lovely as they smell!
On another note, I've decided to try and start a moms group. The ones I've found online for my area all cost money or are spread out among moms all over chicagoland or have so many members and children that there are 40+ activities a week. I don't see how I can get to know the moms, unless a couple of us decide to go to all the same events. It just seems like a lot of work.
So, I emailed some mom friends on Facebook today to get their opinion and find out if they're interested. I'd like to start it out of my house, since public places are hard to coordinate or are chaotic because we're chasing our children. Two of my neighbors and I tried to start doing this but we didn't get anything planned on it and it was last minute when we'd decide to call each other. Maybe if we set a date a week in advance, that'd help plan our get-togethers? Who knows. Just an idea. I'm not good at calling people during the week because of the background noise, so if it's other moms face-to-face with me and the children noise is expected, I'd feel more comfortable. So, hopefully it works out. I'm praying it does; I know I can use mom talk during the weekdays. My husband gets tired of me talking about the little things the kids do (that drives me nuts or makes me laugh or just other nonsense!), but I know other moms know what I mean when I say I need to just get it out. I love my kids to death, but I also enjoy venting with other moms or asking for opinions or just sharing experiences.
Those fruit bars are calling me! I know they're not cooled yet, but I really want to go cut one and eat it NOW! :)
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
The Nate Show
Today I submitted my info for design help from The Nate Show. :) I like watching that show; he has some really great ideas for small spaces. Our dilemma is that we will have 4 kids sharing one room come next Summer. That's going to be tough! We are thinking that the 3 bed bunk bed is the way to go, but I'm not sure. Maybe the bunk bed with a double bed on the bottom and a twin on top? Plus we have to keep the crib in there for the new baby. Ugh! Then, we have all their toys and the kid kitchen. I feel like we're going to have to get rid of some things, which is going to be tough since they're already limited on the number of toys now with the small space.
I just can't wait for this housing market to bounce back, so we can actually make a profit on this townhouse and get something with at least one more bedroom! We didn't want the housing market to determine when we had our children, but I know too that it's going to be hard to keep a 10x13 room manageable and inclusive of everything we need for the girls and new baby!
I try not to complain because I know we still have it good. We aren't struggling with the mortgage, we have zero credit card debt, and the only debt we do have is the house. God has been good, and we are still trusting Him to provide. I just get all whiny when things are cramped, as they are now becoming. :) But, this is our choice to have 4 kids in the 2 bedroom townhome.....so I refuse to complain. :)
Maybe Nate will see how much design help we need and actually give us a really great idea to create "more" room in there! Who knows? He probably doesn't really answer all the submissions himself, so hopefully we at least get an answer....from anyone over there! lol.
I just can't wait for this housing market to bounce back, so we can actually make a profit on this townhouse and get something with at least one more bedroom! We didn't want the housing market to determine when we had our children, but I know too that it's going to be hard to keep a 10x13 room manageable and inclusive of everything we need for the girls and new baby!
I try not to complain because I know we still have it good. We aren't struggling with the mortgage, we have zero credit card debt, and the only debt we do have is the house. God has been good, and we are still trusting Him to provide. I just get all whiny when things are cramped, as they are now becoming. :) But, this is our choice to have 4 kids in the 2 bedroom townhome.....so I refuse to complain. :)
Maybe Nate will see how much design help we need and actually give us a really great idea to create "more" room in there! Who knows? He probably doesn't really answer all the submissions himself, so hopefully we at least get an answer....from anyone over there! lol.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Cold
It is FREEZING out today. Actually, it's below freezing. I haven't stepped outside yet, and I don't plan to.
We had a fantastic time at our friend's annual Christmas party on Saturday night. All of the kids there played so well and behaved great for being up past bedtimes! :) It was a nice evening, with plenty of very good food.
Addy had an explosive diaper yesterday right before we were trying to go to church. I thought maybe she'd had too much chocolate milk with breakfast and too many sweets the night before, so we cleaned her up and went to church. She didn't appear ill at all, and still doesn't. Then, she had another explosive diaper late yesterday afternoon and again this morning. So glad today is our scheduled laundry day! She still isn't whiny or complaining of anything, so I'm not sure what's going on with her. It's always hard when they can't speak in sentences to explain if anything hurts or doesn't feel right. Plus, both Arthur and myself have sensitive stomachs....along with the rest of our families...so, it's very hard to tell what her tummy issue is. She's been on bananas, yogurt, applesauce, and acidophilus, so we'll see how that works out for her in the next 24 hours. She's taking a really good nap right now and slept in this morning, so hopefully her little body is fighting it off.
But, of all days to have her tummy troubles, today is the best because it's too cold to go anywhere, it's not a preschool day, and I'm already washing clothes, so a few more poopy ones are ok. :)
Other than that, we've been lying low. Church was awesome, as always. Pastor spoke about anger. And one of the verses he referenced (which I always forget the book, chapter and verse for) is one that I absolutely love: "out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." Such a great verse to bring to mind when I say something hurtful or just plain dumb. What's really in my heart if THAT is what I am choosing to say?
The girls enjoyed not having anywhere to go today. I let them stay in pajamas til lunchtime (something we NEVER do!), and they played with Moon Dough and watched 2 Barney movies this morning. It's been a busy and fun day so far with them. They're behaving much better today than they were last week, so I'm really hoping my change in attitude and patience is part of that reason. I don't believe that our rough week last week was all because of them. I know it was me, too. But, today, I'm ecstatic that we're doing so well.
Pork chops for dinner, along with biscuits, some form of potatoes (maybe garlic mashed potatoes), and either salad or carrots. Today is a great soup day, so I may be changing that to a soup with pork in it. We'll see; the day is still young. :)
We had our first big snow this season on Friday night/Saturday morning. The girls wanted to play outside as soon as they got up, so at 8am we were outside playing. Addy recognizes what snow is this year, so she was very excited to go out in it. She did look like a giant pink marshmallow in her snowsuit, though! Then we came in and had hot chocolate and marshmallows.
I was supposed to go to Women's Bible Study Saturday, but after playing with the girls I was exhausted. Turns out no one showed up for Bible Study, so I didn't feel AS bad, but I know I should have gone. I am glad I didn't miss the lesson, though. I am really enjoying the series we're going through, "A Woman After God's Own Heart" by Elizabeth George. Really great and inspiring, as well as convicting.
I hear Lily waking up...she is so loud sometimes! haha. Excited to do some more playing this afternoon....INDOORS!
We had a fantastic time at our friend's annual Christmas party on Saturday night. All of the kids there played so well and behaved great for being up past bedtimes! :) It was a nice evening, with plenty of very good food.
Addy had an explosive diaper yesterday right before we were trying to go to church. I thought maybe she'd had too much chocolate milk with breakfast and too many sweets the night before, so we cleaned her up and went to church. She didn't appear ill at all, and still doesn't. Then, she had another explosive diaper late yesterday afternoon and again this morning. So glad today is our scheduled laundry day! She still isn't whiny or complaining of anything, so I'm not sure what's going on with her. It's always hard when they can't speak in sentences to explain if anything hurts or doesn't feel right. Plus, both Arthur and myself have sensitive stomachs....along with the rest of our families...so, it's very hard to tell what her tummy issue is. She's been on bananas, yogurt, applesauce, and acidophilus, so we'll see how that works out for her in the next 24 hours. She's taking a really good nap right now and slept in this morning, so hopefully her little body is fighting it off.
But, of all days to have her tummy troubles, today is the best because it's too cold to go anywhere, it's not a preschool day, and I'm already washing clothes, so a few more poopy ones are ok. :)
Other than that, we've been lying low. Church was awesome, as always. Pastor spoke about anger. And one of the verses he referenced (which I always forget the book, chapter and verse for) is one that I absolutely love: "out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." Such a great verse to bring to mind when I say something hurtful or just plain dumb. What's really in my heart if THAT is what I am choosing to say?
The girls enjoyed not having anywhere to go today. I let them stay in pajamas til lunchtime (something we NEVER do!), and they played with Moon Dough and watched 2 Barney movies this morning. It's been a busy and fun day so far with them. They're behaving much better today than they were last week, so I'm really hoping my change in attitude and patience is part of that reason. I don't believe that our rough week last week was all because of them. I know it was me, too. But, today, I'm ecstatic that we're doing so well.
Pork chops for dinner, along with biscuits, some form of potatoes (maybe garlic mashed potatoes), and either salad or carrots. Today is a great soup day, so I may be changing that to a soup with pork in it. We'll see; the day is still young. :)
We had our first big snow this season on Friday night/Saturday morning. The girls wanted to play outside as soon as they got up, so at 8am we were outside playing. Addy recognizes what snow is this year, so she was very excited to go out in it. She did look like a giant pink marshmallow in her snowsuit, though! Then we came in and had hot chocolate and marshmallows.
I was supposed to go to Women's Bible Study Saturday, but after playing with the girls I was exhausted. Turns out no one showed up for Bible Study, so I didn't feel AS bad, but I know I should have gone. I am glad I didn't miss the lesson, though. I am really enjoying the series we're going through, "A Woman After God's Own Heart" by Elizabeth George. Really great and inspiring, as well as convicting.
I hear Lily waking up...she is so loud sometimes! haha. Excited to do some more playing this afternoon....INDOORS!
Friday, December 3, 2010
Good Company
For the past 2 days, my neighbor and I have been trying to get together. The timing was off because either her son was napping or my girls were napping or things came up. So, she surprised me this afternoon and came over before I even texted her that my girls were done with nap! Yay!
We didn't really have anything important to talk about, but we hadn't chatted in a couple weeks. It was so nice to talk to another adult about adult things - anything other than boogers and cartoons, that is. :) She is a Christian and even if we don't get into any deep talk about God, it's always so easy to talk to her. She is a newer mom, so we have that in common in addition to our relationship with God.
I don't think we covered any big topics, but her company is always a reprieve from the crazy yelling girls. My girls like playing with her little boy....and by playing, I mean getting in his face and taking his paci. LOL. BUT, it keeps them occupied and away from teasing each other!
Sometimes it's the little things that mean the most. I meant to text her all day and let her know that this afternoon would be perfect for her to come over, but of course I forgot and decided to lie on the couch while my girls napped. So, I'm super happy she just came on by. I think she was here for an hour, but I feel refreshed and a little more energetic. It was like I had a moment of recharging just with a little adult conversation. Thank God!
I should keep in mind when there's someone I need to call or see, that I should just do it....it might be just the thing they need for a little recharge!
We didn't really have anything important to talk about, but we hadn't chatted in a couple weeks. It was so nice to talk to another adult about adult things - anything other than boogers and cartoons, that is. :) She is a Christian and even if we don't get into any deep talk about God, it's always so easy to talk to her. She is a newer mom, so we have that in common in addition to our relationship with God.
I don't think we covered any big topics, but her company is always a reprieve from the crazy yelling girls. My girls like playing with her little boy....and by playing, I mean getting in his face and taking his paci. LOL. BUT, it keeps them occupied and away from teasing each other!
Sometimes it's the little things that mean the most. I meant to text her all day and let her know that this afternoon would be perfect for her to come over, but of course I forgot and decided to lie on the couch while my girls napped. So, I'm super happy she just came on by. I think she was here for an hour, but I feel refreshed and a little more energetic. It was like I had a moment of recharging just with a little adult conversation. Thank God!
I should keep in mind when there's someone I need to call or see, that I should just do it....it might be just the thing they need for a little recharge!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
He Knows Best
All the girls are taking a nap today! I cannot believe it. Iris isn't asleep, but she's at least quiet and in the bed. Lily and Addy are asleep, though, which is great! God is good. I just needed to slow down and take a breath, while trying to correct them. Yelling and showing my anger doesn't make them want to do anything. It pays to be patient!
That's all. I just wanted to get this in here before they woke up. ;) I'm actually afraid to do anything for fear they'll awake. LOL. But, I did enjoy some yummy Chocoholic Cake I made last night (thanks to my mom for the recipe). Deelish!
Here's the recipe:
Cake:
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 box chocolate instant pudding (the 3 ounce size)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
4 eggs
2 cups chocolate chips
Frosting:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 TBSP water
2 TBSP butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
Mix cake mix, pudding, milk, sour cream and eggs. Beat on high for 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into greased and floured bundt (or any tube) pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes (mine was ready at 53 minutes, per my cake tester). Cool 10 minutes in the pan. Turn over onto plate and cool 30 minutes.
Melt chocolate and butter in saucepan. Add powdered sugar and just enough water to be able to stir with whisk. Stir in vanilla. Pour on slightly cooled cake.
(I was out of baking chocolate and cocoa powder, so I just made it as a vanilla powdered sugar frosting. I used a little less water- like maybe 2 TBSP total - so it wasn't runny.)
So yummy!!
Long Winter
I feel like it's going to be a loooong winter...if the rest of our cold days indoors will be anything like yesterday. Yikes! I don't know where we went wrong, but it was chaos all day.
Iris had school in the morning, which normally gets a good amount of her energy out and makes her ready for nap after lunch. Not yesterday. She was super hyper after they ate, so I decided to let the girls decorate the tree with tinsel and candy canes that I'd bought that morning. I assumed that would take some time and work them up to a good nap. Not so.
Lily and Iris really just didn't want to sleep, which meant Addy wasn't going to sleep either. I threatened Lily with no snack and no more TV this week (they were already on a "no TV" day because of a meltdown the previous day), but nothing seemed to matter. I explained calmly that their colds were not going to go away if their bodies didn't rest. Nothing.
Iris naps in my room alone, but she wasn't any better. I moved Lily into my room and I lied down with the both of them, thinking my presence would make them lie still and rest. Nope! They wanted to hug and lie on me, touch my face, talk and sing to me, etc. I was so frustrated....and TIRED!
Addy finally went to sleep when she was alone in the girls' room. Iris and Lily never did. I laid with them for an hour in my bed before giving up and explaining there'd be no afternoon snack. They cried but soon moved on to playing.
I think I wanted some crazy response like, "Oh Mom, we're so sorry. We will be good and take a nap." I know - they're only 3 and 4 years old. :)
By the time Arthur got home, I was done. Iris was sitting on the kitchen rug on a time out, Lily was on another rug on time out, and Addy was (because she napped!) the only pleasant one to be around. Arthur got home and took over the discipline and at dinner I started crying. I was just so wiped out and frustrated. What was I doing wrong? Do other mothers get like this? Do mothers of more than one ever act like this - yelling all day, then crying at the end?? Arthur tried to get the girls to understand that I was crying because my feelings were hurt, and then the girls started crying. That made me cry more. They still didn't get it, but they don't like to see me cry. Iris eventually apologized after dinner, and Lily said "sorry" as I was tucking her in bed. I wanted to cry again. They still didn't get it, and I knew they apologized because the threat of no TV or church movie night or snacks if they don't behave...but what can I expect? I can't really wait around for them to understand my frustration or my hurt. I never really understood my mom's...til now. :)
Last night I prayed that I would understand patience with preschoolers better. And I prayed that the girls would learn to listen and behave not just because the threat of discipline but because it's the right thing to do; it's what Jesus wants us to do.
I just want some naps around here for now. I had a moment yesterday where I thought, "what if I can't handle 4 kids? what do I do? There's no going back." That made me cry. I got scared. But really, what can I do? We decided on this (ok, I pushed for it) so I feel like I can't complain or express concern. So, for now I'll pray. God knows I can do it, otherwise He wouldn't have allowed it. I assume these crazy days with 3 kids is just prep for having 4.
So, when if you think of us, pray for patience and understanding. My patience with the girls, and their understanding of why we have rules. It's going to be a looong next couple of months, but I promise to have a better outlook.
Thanks for listening.
Iris had school in the morning, which normally gets a good amount of her energy out and makes her ready for nap after lunch. Not yesterday. She was super hyper after they ate, so I decided to let the girls decorate the tree with tinsel and candy canes that I'd bought that morning. I assumed that would take some time and work them up to a good nap. Not so.
Lily and Iris really just didn't want to sleep, which meant Addy wasn't going to sleep either. I threatened Lily with no snack and no more TV this week (they were already on a "no TV" day because of a meltdown the previous day), but nothing seemed to matter. I explained calmly that their colds were not going to go away if their bodies didn't rest. Nothing.
Iris naps in my room alone, but she wasn't any better. I moved Lily into my room and I lied down with the both of them, thinking my presence would make them lie still and rest. Nope! They wanted to hug and lie on me, touch my face, talk and sing to me, etc. I was so frustrated....and TIRED!
Addy finally went to sleep when she was alone in the girls' room. Iris and Lily never did. I laid with them for an hour in my bed before giving up and explaining there'd be no afternoon snack. They cried but soon moved on to playing.
I think I wanted some crazy response like, "Oh Mom, we're so sorry. We will be good and take a nap." I know - they're only 3 and 4 years old. :)
By the time Arthur got home, I was done. Iris was sitting on the kitchen rug on a time out, Lily was on another rug on time out, and Addy was (because she napped!) the only pleasant one to be around. Arthur got home and took over the discipline and at dinner I started crying. I was just so wiped out and frustrated. What was I doing wrong? Do other mothers get like this? Do mothers of more than one ever act like this - yelling all day, then crying at the end?? Arthur tried to get the girls to understand that I was crying because my feelings were hurt, and then the girls started crying. That made me cry more. They still didn't get it, but they don't like to see me cry. Iris eventually apologized after dinner, and Lily said "sorry" as I was tucking her in bed. I wanted to cry again. They still didn't get it, and I knew they apologized because the threat of no TV or church movie night or snacks if they don't behave...but what can I expect? I can't really wait around for them to understand my frustration or my hurt. I never really understood my mom's...til now. :)
Last night I prayed that I would understand patience with preschoolers better. And I prayed that the girls would learn to listen and behave not just because the threat of discipline but because it's the right thing to do; it's what Jesus wants us to do.
I just want some naps around here for now. I had a moment yesterday where I thought, "what if I can't handle 4 kids? what do I do? There's no going back." That made me cry. I got scared. But really, what can I do? We decided on this (ok, I pushed for it) so I feel like I can't complain or express concern. So, for now I'll pray. God knows I can do it, otherwise He wouldn't have allowed it. I assume these crazy days with 3 kids is just prep for having 4.
So, when if you think of us, pray for patience and understanding. My patience with the girls, and their understanding of why we have rules. It's going to be a looong next couple of months, but I promise to have a better outlook.
Thanks for listening.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Decking the Halls
I can't believe Thanksgiving is over already! It flew by soooo fast. We had a great time at both extended families' homes. My family, as always, had about 22 people (I think that was the final count) for Thanksgiving lunch. It was awesome. My parents always host, and they had to bring in 2 extra tables and a kids' table, as well as have 3 high chairs. Insane! But, it was so great to have everyone together. It's only about once a year that all the siblings are there, so that was really nice. And one of my little sisters (ok, she's a teenager, not really little anymore) took a great picture of my mom, my sister Mindy (next youngest after me) and me getting food ready. None of us are looking at the camera and had no idea the picture was being taken, but I really like how it turned out with the 3 of us. I miss seeing them regularly. :(
We met our newest nephew Caleb on Thanksgiving as well. He was 5 weeks old. So adorable! And my Grandma rubbed my belly while I was holding Caleb. She said it was to rub "boy" on me, so maybe our new baby will be a boy. :) She's so silly.
Oh, that's right. I haven't announced on here. I'm pregnant again! Baby #4 will be here some time around June 4th. It's becoming pretty cramped in this house, so for baby's sake I hope it's a girl...since he/she will have to share a room with the 3 girls. But, I kind of do hope it's a boy. Poor kid will be living in a pink room surrounded by pink everything....so we'll see how that works out if it's a boy! haha. Unless we miraculously sell our house in the next 6 months and can afford something bigger. Not likely, though. Everything around here is selling for so low, that we wouldn't be able to compete to break even much less make a profit to put down on another house. Craziness. Oh well. That's not stopping us from having our kids now. I like that they're all close together. My siblings are all fairly close and I love it. Growing up there was always someone to play with that had similar interests or was around the same age group (my brother is only 2 1/2 yrs older, and my sister is only 2 yrs younger so imaginary play was great!). The fights were occasional, but it was still fun. My sister and I were almost always the same size, so we shared a lot of things. I'm off track. Oops...
We spent Thanksgiving evening with my in-laws. My mother-in-law is a fantastic cook as well. (It's amazing how I've been blessed with a great cook for a mom and a mom-in-law. It's awesome!) She made Puerto Rican rice to go with dinner. Yum! The girls love all the attention from all of their grandparents, and they were so wiped out by the end of the day!
Only 4 more presents and 2 gift cards to go before I'm finished shopping for Christmas. I finished up shopping for stocking fillers today. Lily was talking about Krabby Patties the other day and joking that she hasn't had one. So, I found some gummy candies called "Krabby Patties" at Target for her stocking. :) Hopefully she'll like them....they looked pretty gross to me!
I also finished up shopping for all the kids of friends. Man, we know waaay too many people! :) It's fun to shop for everyone, but after a while I'm thinking "who else could there possibly be to shop for?!"
This weekend is our friend's annual Christmas party. It's all friends of my husband from high school and there wives and children. It's always fun. This year, there are 2 additional children...which makes 8 now total. Next year there will be 4 more. It's being taken over by the kids!! But the kids love it and have a fun time playing and eating.
Two weekends from now is my Grandparents' annual Christmas breakfast. All 20 or so of us cram into my Grandma's house and eat breakfast. The great-grandkids all receive Santa gifts there, which is fun. My Grandma really likes hosting it, but I know it wipes her out. It's so crazy to think how many years she's been having a Christmas breakfast at her house....at least as long as I've been alive! I love Grandpa and Grandma. I wish we lived closer to them, so the girls could visit them more often. Grandma puts up a gigantic Christmas village every year, and my girls love it.
So much to be thankful for and so much to look forward to this month. I am extremely grateful for my husband and how much he helps me out around the house. He makes my coffee (well, now OUR coffee....I finally converted him!) every morning and helps me with their baths at night. With my tummy getting bigger daily and my back weaker daily, it's a huge help at bathtime. He's been leaving me little notes every couple of days with a short message about how much he loves me, and he now leaves me towel by the shower so it's ready for me when I go to take my shower. :) So cute. He also makes the girls' beds and pushes Lily's trundle bed under for me....which is also great because of tummy/back issues. And he's been very regular with making our bed. He doesn't have to do those things, but he knows how great it feels for me to see it done before I get a chance to do it! He's so wonderful. He also goes out to grab the newspaper off the driveway in the morning so I don't have to go out in the cold. What a sweetheart! I can't say enough great things about him. Actually, I don't say enough. I am usually grouchy when he gets home because I'm busy with dinner and the girls are restless and my back is hurting. I usually just bark something at him and then shut down the rest of the evening. :( I love him so much. I really need to work on my attitude. I've been away from him all day and here I am angry as soon as he sees me in the evening? Crazy.
Well, this is long enough. The girls aren't napping today. Two days in a row now. Can't wait for their whining in about 2 hours because they're exhausted! :) I love being a mom, I really do. But days like this when we can't go out and run out the energy and I didn't get a chance to really rest makes for long afternoons for all!
We met our newest nephew Caleb on Thanksgiving as well. He was 5 weeks old. So adorable! And my Grandma rubbed my belly while I was holding Caleb. She said it was to rub "boy" on me, so maybe our new baby will be a boy. :) She's so silly.
Oh, that's right. I haven't announced on here. I'm pregnant again! Baby #4 will be here some time around June 4th. It's becoming pretty cramped in this house, so for baby's sake I hope it's a girl...since he/she will have to share a room with the 3 girls. But, I kind of do hope it's a boy. Poor kid will be living in a pink room surrounded by pink everything....so we'll see how that works out if it's a boy! haha. Unless we miraculously sell our house in the next 6 months and can afford something bigger. Not likely, though. Everything around here is selling for so low, that we wouldn't be able to compete to break even much less make a profit to put down on another house. Craziness. Oh well. That's not stopping us from having our kids now. I like that they're all close together. My siblings are all fairly close and I love it. Growing up there was always someone to play with that had similar interests or was around the same age group (my brother is only 2 1/2 yrs older, and my sister is only 2 yrs younger so imaginary play was great!). The fights were occasional, but it was still fun. My sister and I were almost always the same size, so we shared a lot of things. I'm off track. Oops...
We spent Thanksgiving evening with my in-laws. My mother-in-law is a fantastic cook as well. (It's amazing how I've been blessed with a great cook for a mom and a mom-in-law. It's awesome!) She made Puerto Rican rice to go with dinner. Yum! The girls love all the attention from all of their grandparents, and they were so wiped out by the end of the day!
Only 4 more presents and 2 gift cards to go before I'm finished shopping for Christmas. I finished up shopping for stocking fillers today. Lily was talking about Krabby Patties the other day and joking that she hasn't had one. So, I found some gummy candies called "Krabby Patties" at Target for her stocking. :) Hopefully she'll like them....they looked pretty gross to me!
I also finished up shopping for all the kids of friends. Man, we know waaay too many people! :) It's fun to shop for everyone, but after a while I'm thinking "who else could there possibly be to shop for?!"
This weekend is our friend's annual Christmas party. It's all friends of my husband from high school and there wives and children. It's always fun. This year, there are 2 additional children...which makes 8 now total. Next year there will be 4 more. It's being taken over by the kids!! But the kids love it and have a fun time playing and eating.
Two weekends from now is my Grandparents' annual Christmas breakfast. All 20 or so of us cram into my Grandma's house and eat breakfast. The great-grandkids all receive Santa gifts there, which is fun. My Grandma really likes hosting it, but I know it wipes her out. It's so crazy to think how many years she's been having a Christmas breakfast at her house....at least as long as I've been alive! I love Grandpa and Grandma. I wish we lived closer to them, so the girls could visit them more often. Grandma puts up a gigantic Christmas village every year, and my girls love it.
So much to be thankful for and so much to look forward to this month. I am extremely grateful for my husband and how much he helps me out around the house. He makes my coffee (well, now OUR coffee....I finally converted him!) every morning and helps me with their baths at night. With my tummy getting bigger daily and my back weaker daily, it's a huge help at bathtime. He's been leaving me little notes every couple of days with a short message about how much he loves me, and he now leaves me towel by the shower so it's ready for me when I go to take my shower. :) So cute. He also makes the girls' beds and pushes Lily's trundle bed under for me....which is also great because of tummy/back issues. And he's been very regular with making our bed. He doesn't have to do those things, but he knows how great it feels for me to see it done before I get a chance to do it! He's so wonderful. He also goes out to grab the newspaper off the driveway in the morning so I don't have to go out in the cold. What a sweetheart! I can't say enough great things about him. Actually, I don't say enough. I am usually grouchy when he gets home because I'm busy with dinner and the girls are restless and my back is hurting. I usually just bark something at him and then shut down the rest of the evening. :( I love him so much. I really need to work on my attitude. I've been away from him all day and here I am angry as soon as he sees me in the evening? Crazy.
Well, this is long enough. The girls aren't napping today. Two days in a row now. Can't wait for their whining in about 2 hours because they're exhausted! :) I love being a mom, I really do. But days like this when we can't go out and run out the energy and I didn't get a chance to really rest makes for long afternoons for all!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Book Review: Really Woolly Bible Stories by DaySpring
I received a complimentary copy of Really Woolly Bible Stories from BookSneeze to read and review. I have 3 young girls, and we absolutely loved this book! We are always looking for short but meaningful Bible story books to read before bed, and we found Really Woolly to be just that!
The stories are laid out in rhymes, which definitely keep my preschoolers' attention. The stories are also kept short and sweet, covering the important facts of the stories but not dragging out to the point of losing the little ones' focus. My youngest (18 months old) liked the pictures. I enjoyed reading several each night, and we quickly finished and re-read the book several times.
Really Woolly Bible Stories is a great evening/bedtime read for parents with preschoolers, and it explains the in-depth Bible stories in language that young ones can understand and follow along. Loved it!
The stories are laid out in rhymes, which definitely keep my preschoolers' attention. The stories are also kept short and sweet, covering the important facts of the stories but not dragging out to the point of losing the little ones' focus. My youngest (18 months old) liked the pictures. I enjoyed reading several each night, and we quickly finished and re-read the book several times.
Really Woolly Bible Stories is a great evening/bedtime read for parents with preschoolers, and it explains the in-depth Bible stories in language that young ones can understand and follow along. Loved it!
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