...Wait, what was I saying?

Its the Little Things: Finding Joy in the Everyday

2011-08-29T17:02:00.001-07:00

Ever have one of those days where you just feel…pulverized?

I’ve been dealing with a situation at work. Something has felt off the last month or so, and I knew something wasn't right. And today my feelings were confirmed.

I was let go.

Sort of.

All she said was, “We just don't have room for you.” Even though they just hired three new girls. No wonder they don't have room for me…

Needless to say, I don't completely agree with their reasoning, and I definitely am not looking forward to finding a new position. And even though I am not the bread winner, I enjoy having the extra money, and I want something. At least part time.

At first I was upset. Pretty upset. So upset, in fact, that I knew I should wait to call and talk with my manager so that I wouldn't say things I would regret later on. Years ago I would have just flown off the handle, called her up and gave her a piece of my mind. But, not now. Now, I have a different perspective of life and even though I was hurt and upset, I waited.

I was doing a little bit of reading in Proverbs and came across this verse: Proverbs 29:11 - “Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.”

I thought to myself, “Ok, I get it. I get it. Don't be a fool. Calm down and think before you speak.”

I spent the day with my little one instead of going to school. My mom, who usually sits for us while I am in school hasn't been feeling well the last couple of days so I took the day off. I also hoped that being with this sweet, innocent little boy all day would be just what I needed to lift my spirits.

We snuggled on the couch, watching DVR’d Looney Tunes episodes until he went down for naptime around 10. I love to watch his facial expressions as he watches T.V. He is so funny and is growing so fast.

After naptime, I chased him around the living room and dining room and we played “swords” with his light up plastic swords from the fair. He had Cheetos for a snack and I tickled him until he fell off the couch.

Then we got dressed and jumped in the car for a ride to Rite-Aide where we roamed the isles, looking for fun. I bought him a hat.

Just like the one his daddy wears to do yard work.

He’s gone back down for his second nap (yes, I know I am lucky that my 19 month old still takes two naps a day!) and I cant help but think about how blessed I am.

Even though I lost my job, and it will be hard not to have the extra money until I find something else, it isn't the end of the world. And at the end of the day I am extremely lucky.

So when life doesn't go exactly the way I plan, and people are inconsiderate and certain things just don't seem to make sense, all I really have to do is look at my family. Look at my home. Look at what my husband and I have created and are continuing to create together.

And realize that everything is going to be okay.

Life Happens!

2011-08-19T14:51:00.000-07:00

Has it really been since March since I blogged? Wow. Those 5 months flew by. I have been SO busy with my little one, working, domestic goddess duties and such that my blog has been seriously neglected!

Boo!

But I am back now, and have opened an exciting and rewarding chapter in my life. After having my son and working 7 years as a nail tech, I have decided that I am just not happy with the path that my career has taken. Given that, I decided to go back to school and finish what I started about 13 years ago. My Medical Assisting certificate.

It was a hard decision to make, going back to school after all these years, but doing nails just wasnt making me happy anymore and since the economy has taken a hit the last couple of years, it just wasnt making me the living I wanted.

So I got a part time job and enrolled in school. And with the exception of Math, I am really enjoying it. It feels good to be using my brain and I feel a new sense of accomplishment and I am getting decent grades, which is always a plus.

**My scatterbrain doesnt seem to bother me too much, thank goodness! (:

Such is life right now. Hope all is well with everyone in bloggyland and that everyone is having an amazing, fun-filled summer.

xo
~ Mindi

Deceptively Delicious – Applesauce Muffins

2011-03-14T11:22:00.001-07:00

Secret Ingredient = Butternut Squash or Carrot Puree

I love muffins. I love muffins almost as much as I love cake. Almost. This particular recipe called for carrot or butternut squash puree. I didn't remember to take out a serving of squash, so I ended up using pumpkin because I had some on hand.

Also, because I am ~~never endingly~~ diligently trying to cut back on calories and lose some weight, with Weight Watchers, I substituted a few other things as well. Every new recipe I make, I plug all the ingredients into my recipe builder on Weight Watchers.com. This way, I can see how many points I will get with each serving and make adjustments to the recipe if I need to, to make it less points values without messing with the final product too much.

When I entered everything in, I was horrified to learn that these muffins were 7 points a piece. SEVEN, people! Now, like I said, I love muffins, but this recipe only makes 12 and that was just too much for one muffin. Eek! So, I tweaked the recipe a bit. The recipe called for 1/4 cup oil and 1 large egg. The oil has a lot of calories and the egg, I had just eaten for breakfast, so I added in some extra applesauce and egg beaters, respectively. And, the crunchy, yet undoubtedly yummy topping would have added another point to each muffin. Sooo not worth it in my book, so I just ended up sprinkling a small amount of cinnamon and sugar on top of each before baking. A dusting of powdered sugar once cooled would be yummy and pretty too! After the substitutions and nixing the topping, which included butter and more brown sugar, I came up with a points total of 4 points per muffin. YAY! Anyhow, they smelled delicious while baking and looked pretty wonderful too. But the proof would be in the tasting!

I mentioned earlier that I love cake. I am that person who cannot resist cutting the corner out of the fresh-from-the-oven cake. So, why should it be any different with muffins?! They kinda stuck to the papers (yes, those are spiders on the baking cups; I had 13 left over from Halloween and only 6 from Christmas) and they were yummy! They were definitely less sweet than say, your traditional muffin, but they were super dense. Which to me was so good! It filled me up and I didn't want more. Which in my book is lovely, if you're trying to lose some weight.

I think I will wrap them up individually and keep them in the freezer so I can unwrap and nuke one whenever I feel the urge! Had I used the ‘full fat’ version of the recipe, they may have been a little better, but for 4 points a piece, I will take it!

Deceptively Delicious – Macaroni and Cheese 1

2011-03-08T07:03:00.001-08:00

Secret Ingredient = Butternut Squash

I was super excited to try this recipe. I love me some Mac-n-cheese! And this was OK. I think next time I try it I wont use as much cheese and it will definitely NOT be the reduced fat kind. It was just a little too stringy for me and not enough creamy. But good flavor, nonetheless. I used whole wheat penne, because that's what I had on hand, but the recipe doesn't call for whole wheat. That’s just how I roll. Mine definitely didn't look like the picture! Haha.

Very cheesy, indeed!

St. Patrick’s Day Crafts, Gifts and Just Because

2011-03-03T16:38:00.000-08:00

We’ve been sick around here. Coughing, sneezing, snoring, and uh…<insert potty adjectives here>. I will spare you the details of everything, but just know, its been…sticky. The hubs and baby are still semi-recovering from an intestinal bug and cold, respectively, but I am on the mend. I think. I’ve still got that irritating, horrible, wheezy, I-need-to-switch-brands-even-though-I-don’t-smoke hack, but my head feels normal again, and my body temperature is no longer as high as the surface of the sun. Also, having suffered over the last 2 months with random swelling of my hands and forearms and small spots of swelling, itching and warmth on the soles of my feet, I ~~think~~ finally have a diagnosis of and treatment for Uticaria (hives) under my skin.

Anyway, a couple of months ago my cousin saw some giant wood letters spelling FAMILY in a boutique and just had to have them. She told me how cute they were and that she wanted them so bad, but couldn't see shelling out the $55 they would cost her. FIFTY-FIVE BUCKS, people! Woah! While at Joann’s one day, I saw some 12in Paper Mache letters for $4 a piece. I took a pic and asked her if the font was OK for her, and she said yes. Now, I LOVE me some Mod Podge and scrapbook paper, and we’ve all seen those adorable crib letters flying around blogland. Like these. So I figured, its gotta be cheaper to do this myself! So I picked out some paper, coordinating ribbon and she picked up the letters. She got them on sale for $3 a piece and used the 40% off coupon. I had left over buttons and jute twine, so got out the scissors, Mod Podge, glue gun and some buttons I had on hand. The flower I got at Dollar Tree on a whim this morning and thought it would be awesome on these letters once I got it home.

They're so cute, I want to keep them for myself! But, they aren't even close to matching my house, so I will have to watch Joann’s ads for them to go on sale so I can make a Shabby Chic set for myself. I think they ended up costing right around $30 to put together. Pretty good, considering the price on the boutique ones!

Next up is a birthday gift for my best friend, Kami. At Christmastime, I absolutely love going to boutiques and craft shows. Ok, well, I do love those things all the time, but there are so many cute things that I see that I want to replicate. Last year Kami and I and our moms went to a craft boutique in American Fork. While we were there, Kami had her eye on these picture frames spelling out St. Nick. They were all decked out for Christmas with shimmery glitter, vintage Christmas cards, ornaments, etc. I had it in my head to make her some for Christmas this year. But then she went and bought them! She isn't into crafting, and just likes to buy the finished product. They were $35 and I knew I could make them for waaaay cheaper than that! But, since she bought them, I now had to think of something else. Her birthday is March 24th, so I decided to make something for St. Patty’s day.

(The pics aren't the greatest, its freezing outside and I was losing daylight!)

These frames were super easy to make. I didn't take any pics as I went, because I think its pretty self explanatory, but here’s what I did:

1. Find some cheap frame at the Dollar Tree. Or use some you have on hand. I got these for a buck a piece.

2. Take your frame apart and mod podge some burlap or scrap book paper onto the front side of the cardboard backing.

3. I printed out a shamrock off the internet and traced it on to scrapbook paper and cut them out. If you have a Cricut with a shammie on it, you can do that too, but I dont know if they even make a cartridge with Shamrocks?

4. I cut out the words LUCKY on my Cricut and then Mod Podged them and the shammies onto the burlap. Once its dry, put the frame back together.

5. I added ribbon, buttons, etc. You can do this for any holiday. I am doing one for myself that says IRISH. Since I am.

Hope this wasn't more confusing that helpful. Cause, I am pretty sure I suck at tutorials! Ha! Total cost $4.

And here’s a sneak preview of something else coming later next week!

Thanks for dropping by!

Lucky Letters

2011-03-02T08:52:00.001-08:00

Our craft club made these lovely little ‘lucky’ letters for our February craft night. I think they are my favorite so far!

A friend and I cut the letters out on the Cricut to the size we wanted the wood and then traced it onto a 24 inch piece of 1x12 pine board we got from the Home Depot. The finished size of the letters is about 9 inches tall. My handy hubby used the scroll saw and lovingly cut all the letters for 6 girls. Thats a lot of letters and he was a champ! He didnt complain even though it was a rough go for a while, this being his first time using a scroll saw. He did an awesome job.

Then, Annie used her palm sander to take off all the rough edges and get rid of any small imperfections. We painted the letters, added Mod Podge and paper and embellished.

It was a fun time with family, friends, and good food. Thanks to all who came, helped and made it possible!

Sometimes Its Ok to Be A Follower

2011-03-02T07:46:00.001-08:00

My favorite blogger, Ashley, from Domestic Fashionista, is taking the next little while, to sort of, ‘Julie and Julia’ her way through Jessica Seinfeld’s cookbook, Deceptively Delicious. I always wanted to do something like this, but haven't ever really found a cookbook that has very many recipes that I love (other than a dessert cookbook, and lets face it – cake and cookies around here on a weekly basis is a dangerous situation!). I have a few favorites from most of my cookbooks, but no one cookbook has very many recipes that seem like I could either A) actually attempt and have it turn out right, or B) sound even remotely appetizing to me. I am not big into fish, and I am not a fancy cook. I usually just make the things my mom made growing up. Most were casseroles and most of the things she made were delicious. But some of them were not necessarily the most healthy. In fact, I think I have grown up with pretty rotten eating habits and that, unfortunately has spilled over into my adult life. I have definitely struggled with my weight over the years; yo-yo dieting, trying pills, and fad diets. Until recently, nothing much seemed to work for me, but having started and been somewhat successful on Weight Watchers, portion control is getting easier. Choosing the healthier option though, not so much.

Having recently become a mother, I have a great desire to teach my son all of the things I was never taught as a child in regards to food. All this to say, I have seen Jessica Seinfeld on Oprah, cooking some of the recipes from her book, but never picked it up. You see, ALL of these recipes are things that kids love to eat! Mac and Cheese, chicken nuggets, pancakes, spaghetti and meatballs, pizza and grilled cheese sammies, just to name a few! I am a HUGE kid at heart and I like my food to be comforting and tasty! The best thing about this cookbook? It incorporates pureed veggies and fruits in ‘deceptive’ ways, in order to get your kids to eat veggies.

My son, Lincoln, loves veggies. Other than green beans, and peas, he will pretty much eat any kind. My husband and I, on the other hand, not so much. We each like certain ones, making it difficult to figure out which veggies to serve at any given meal because our tastes are so different. Normally, I just nix the veggies all together, which isn't good. Not only are we not getting our veggies, we’re not teaching our son to eat his!

So, in order to try and incorporate more veggies into our diet, I am going to join Ashley in cooking her way through Deceptively Delicious starting this morning!

First Up: Oatmeal.

Deceptively Delicious ingredient: Pumpkin Puree.

Normally, for breakfast, my baby and I eat the pre-packaged oatmeal some mornings. I have to say, this oatmeal was sweet, and definitely more hearty. And the bonus is that we both got a serving of veggies for breakfast. Which never happens at lunch, let alone, breakfast! It feels good to know that breakfast can be fast, simple, delicious, and healthy.

If anyone out there has the book and wants to follow along, feel free! Its bound to be delicious!

Move Over Valentines, Its St. Patty’s Time!

2011-02-15T08:04:00.001-08:00

I am so excited to get working on St. Patrick’s Day crafts! I honestly don't know why anyone would skip decorating for this holiday! All that LUCKY stuff and since I am half Irish, I don't understand how someone can pass up all that green and gold! I LOVE St. Patrick’s Day decorations. I’ve got a few projects to work on this month and into March. Two include dollar store frames, burlap and of course GOLD and GREEN! The other, I've mentioned before, a Shamrock garland. I’ve got some wood to cut out for our craft club that is meeting on the 28th and there is more St. Patty’s Day fun for that as well. Keep checking back. All these goodies will be super cute!

Have a great day, Bloggy Friends! :)

Pardon the Disorganization!

2011-02-14T09:53:00.000-08:00

I am currently trying to figure out how to customize my blog titles, posts and sidebar as well as a new background. Please excuse the craziness! Hopefully it will be fixed soon! Thanks for stopping by! :)

Sew Easy!

2011-02-14T07:48:00.000-08:00

For a few years now, I have wanted to learn to sew. I haven't really had anyone to teach me, and normally with a project, I would just use trial and error until I got it right. But sewing has always been so out of reach for me, and frankly, a little scary. Ok, A LOT scary. I have never even sewn a button onto a shirt!

Then, I met Annie. She said if I wanted to learn, she’d teach me. She said we should start with something relatively easy and suggested a rag quilt. I had never heard of them, but my sons birthday was coming up, so I thought I’d like to make a blanket for him. And she totally helped me believe I could sew and make something awesome. And I did it! And I didn't die! Haha! I will admit, there was stress involved. There was needle breakage. There were crooked stitches and misaligned seams. But I did do it. And I think it turned out great for my first attempt at sewing. Check it out!

Baby Rag Quilt

And my lil guy loves snuggling in it! Unfortunately, since I wasn't a pro at this, I didn't take any pictures as I went. But I did find this tutorial online that is pretty darn close to how we did it. The only major difference is that I did 6x6 inch squares and instead of filling them with batting, I just used three layers of felt held together with spray adhesive and then sewed them together. Next time I make one (I'm actually making two – one for my niece and one for my nephew) for this Christmas, I will put together my own tutorial.

I’m linking up here:

Happy Valentines Day!

2011-02-13T21:54:00.001-08:00

Our craft club gets together every month at a different lady’s house and we eat, chat and make something cute and fun! Here is what we did last month for Valentines.

Conversation Hearts

Kiss Letters

The hearts and letters were purchased at The Wood Connection. They have the cutest stuff! I love that they are in Utah and not too far from my house so we can drive over and pick them up. They come unfinished so you can embellish them any way you like. So fun! :) In two weeks we’ll be getting together for our St. Patrick’s Day craft. Also, my friend Annie and I are making the most adorable felt Shamrock garland. Stay tuned! :)

I'm linking to:

A Very Handy Birthday

2011-02-13T21:26:00.001-08:00

No, that’s not Handy Manny. Its actually my brother. He is all about getting into character for his nephews 1st birthday. Haha!

This past weekend we celebrated my little guy’s first birthday. He adores Handy Manny and watches it everyday. He is quite the couch potato when its on, to tell the truth.

Anyhow, I decided, since he would only turn one once, I would go all out. A cousin told me that since he only turns two and three and four and so on, once – well, you get the idea. She’s expecting BIG parties every year. She probably knows me pretty well. Tee he!

So, I made the cake from this link here. I didn't completely finish it because I waited until the last minute and was utterly exhausted, but here’s the finished product.

I also made two dozen or so cupcakes for the party, which didn't turn out as cute as I had hoped (I ended up using regular cake frosting in a can because I was too busy with everything else so the frosting was kinda flat), but Lincoln is only a year old and couldn't have cared less! But everyone said they were super yummy! Here’s the cake table and all the decorations.

The gift and food table:

I tried my hand at making tissue paper pom poms to hang from the ceiling over his cake table, but the ceilings in the church we SO high that we couldn’t reach to hang them. They got a little crumpled on the way over, but they looked cute lining the front of the room. And here’s a pic or two of the birthday banner that I just LOVE!

Here’s my lil Lincoln getting strapped in for cake!

And here we gooooo!

Needless to say, that frosting wasn't the easiest thing to get off! Especially since we couldn’t get any hot water in the church kitchen! But we made do with wipes and water I warmed in the microwave.

All in all it was a great day. He got lots of toys (which was good since we didn't buy him many toys for Christmas!) and lots of clothes. It was great to see my baby being loved on by all his family and our friends!

I'm Linking Up To:

You Break It, We Fix It!

2011-01-12T14:06:00.001-08:00

Next month is my son’s 1st birthday. I cannot believe how fast time flies. It seems like I was just pregnant, still worried about becoming a mom, not knowing what I was going to do with this little squirmy chubber. Now, he’s almost one, and I cannot imagine what life would be like without him now! He really is so funny and so sweet and I love him more than I ever thought possible.

Anyhow, at first he was in love, love, love with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, so we originally thought to do his party theme in that. But after about 7 months, he seemed to lose interest in Mickey and has no become obsessed with Handy Manny! So Manny, it is! My hubby, mom and I went yesterday and looked for all things Handy Manny for parties and after pricing things out, ended up ordering a whole grundle of stuff online. I went to Hobby Lobby and picked up some cool paper for his birthday banner, and I am SO excited to get started! I just finished his invitation and I think it turned out pretty cute. I’ve still got to pick up some tissue paper so I can make some pom poms to hang above the cake. And I thought I would try my hand at making his cake. I’m thinking a tool box just like Manny’s. His birthday is just under a month away and I cant wait! I am also hoping to get that rag quilt made in time for that as well. Hope everyone’s having a great week! :)

Digi Scrappin’!

2011-01-05T06:24:00.001-08:00

Here’s a few layouts I’ve done lately. :)

I am really loving all these new layouts! Having a baby is so much fun. I am looking forward to having his 1st birthday in a little less than a month. More fun things to scrapbook!

My Christmas in Pictures

2011-01-05T06:17:00.001-08:00

A New Perspective

2011-01-05T06:07:00.001-08:00

Just a quick note to say that I am still around. I’m not blogging regularly, obviously, and I think I know why. I just really don't want to be a full time blogger. I wish I did. I wish that I could come up with a post everyday, something creative that I have been working on, something awesome I have refinished, etc., but I just cant. I have other priorities. And this year, I have decided, that's OK.

I look at all these beautiful blogs out there, and think, WOW those are so cute, that craft is amazing, I would love to try that! And sometimes I do, in fact, try it. But the fact is, I don't have time to blog about it. I have an 11 month old son, a home, a husband, a part time job and about 15 years of scrapbooking I am trying to catch up on. Sooo, in the spirit of the New Year ( and making resolutions – which I don't normally do), I am making a few. 1. Quit comparing myself (and my bloggy/crafting life) to others. 2. Quit worrying so much about things that don't matter at the end of the day! 3. Do more of the things that I love (spending quality time with my baby and husband, scrapbooking, learning new things, working out, and cooking). 4. Be more accountable to my time management.

All this to say, that leaves very little time for blogging. For trying to show people how “creative” I am. So I will post. But it wont be often. Just a heads up, for the two or three people that actually read this little thing. :)

Sew, I Thought I Might...

2010-12-14T06:46:00.000-08:00

A friend and I went yesterday and picked out fabric for a rag quilt for my baby boy for Christmas. That I am going. to. sew. By. Myself. Eeek! This will be my first attempt at actually sewing something. Should be interesting, since I got a C minus in Home Ec in 10th grade. Stay tuned! Hehe!

Happy Turkey Day!

2010-11-24T18:43:00.000-08:00

I have been such a slacker lately on keeping up with this blog. I really want to post more regularly, but with a 9 month old clinging to the back of your pants all day long, its a little challenging. Also, I have decided to go back to work three days a week. I am so tired of being cooped up in the house all day with no adult interaction, and I am sure that going back into a salon a few days a week will make me more sane and definitely help me be a better mom. My hat is off to all those women out there that can be full time stay at home moms and not want to pull their hair out! I love being home with Linc most of the time, but I just dont think I can do it full time anymore.

Anyhoo, I just wanted to do a quick post to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow and put up the latest craft from our craft club..it was for fall and very fitting for Turkey day, if I do say so myself! Also, I made these cool little vase jars from the Dollar Store and filled them with fall leaves and sticks and such. Its as festive as I can get with grabby little hands around. :)

Everyone have a happy, warm (its like, literally twenty degrees here in Northern Utah) and safe holiday, and enjoy your weekend! :)

Falling Leaves and Fun with Baby

2010-11-20T18:49:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, while my husband and brother were busily working on our siding, I decided to take our lil Lincoln out to the backyard and take advantage of all the leaves that had blown in from the neighbors yard. Money is tight right now, and we are really trying to do things a little more frugally, so professional pics are not something we can afford right now. At first, I was really sad that the only professional pics we've had done were his newborn ones. But after taking these (even with my crappy point and shoot) I have to rethink it. They are pretty good. I do need to edit out some of the background stuff before I print them, but they work unedited for the blog. Anyhow, here they are!
One good shot, and its all over from here! Haha!

Little turkey! How I love him SO!

I Know its Not Halloween Anymore, But...

2010-11-20T18:39:00.000-08:00

I still wanted to show a very cute and fun craft we did in October for our craft club. It took a while - three to four hours, simply because it was our very first craft club and there were some kinks to work out, but it turned out so cute! However, I never got a picture of mine all put together and hanging on my door, so this one is my friend Annie's. The only difference between hers and mine is that my sign is orange. Some of the other girls in the club put "Trick or Treat" on their signs, but you could put anything you want. Oh and total, this only cost $6.50 each! I love a good deal!

Hope everyone had a great Halloween! :)

In the Kitchen - Ranchero Mexi-Chicken Crostada

2010-10-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love me some Mexican food. Now, I am not big on cooking it, mostly because I am not mexican and therefore, have never learned to cook it. Authentically, anyway. I have never even made enchiladas before! The shame! How can I love it and never have cooked it?!

So, when I stumbled upon this yummy recipe for a Ranchero Mexi-Chicken Crostada, I knew this was something easy that I could tackle (and eat!). It combines mexican ingrediants and pie crust. Who wouldnt like it?! Here's the recipe:

Ranchero Mexi-Chicken Crostada

1 roll Pie crust, thawed

1 can chunk chicken, or about 1 ½ Cups cooked shredded chicken

1 drained can Mild Rotel diced tomatoes with chilies

½ Cup fresh chopped cilantro leaves (I couldnt find fresh cilantro, so I used a sprinkle or two of dried)

1 Teaspoon Ranch dressing seasoning, from packet that makes the dip

1 teaspoon cumin

Pinch of salt and pepper

½ Cup shredded cheddar cheese (I may have used a little more than this!)

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon garlic salt with parsley

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Unroll pie crust and place onto a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non stick cooking spray.

2. Place chicken, tomatoes, cilantro, ranch seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper into a large bowl. With a fork, stir and cut up chicken pieces until well combined. Pour chicken mixture into the center of pie crust and top with cheddar cheese, leaving about 1 ½ inch border around edges. Fold crust up over chicken forming little pleats every 2 inches or so pressing gently. Brush edges with olive oil and sprinkle crust with garlic salt.

3. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until crust is golden brown on edges. Let cool for 5 minutes then cut into wedges to serve.

Makes 4 (smallish) Servings

I neglected to get a picture of it after it was cooked because A) I was starving after having been doing nails all day long, and B) It smelled waaaaaaaaay too good to wait! As usual, it was delicious. And I think, by far, one of the best things I have ever eaten. Yuuum! If you try it, let me know what you think.

*Yesterday I took the other pie crust roll and filled it the same way with a jar of my grandma's apple pie filling, sprinkled it with cinnamon and sugar and topped it with whipped cream. It was wonderful as well!

Its Spook-Tacular!

2010-10-13T20:22:00.000-07:00

Right away I want to mention that there has been a major development here in the Hoellein house as of yesterday. My son has started crawling! I am so proud of him! Before I became a mom I always knew kids learned things quickly, having watched cousins and neices and nephews grow up. But I never expected it to be so exciting! Seeing Linc crawl brought huge tears to this mama's eyes. I cannot believe how big he is getting! Just take a look at this!

So, having announced that news, there is currently only one place in my home that the baby cant reach from his walker yet, and thats the kitchen table. So its basically one of the the ONLY places I can decorate. I still dont know what I am going to do for a Christmas tree this year. I am pretty sure Lincoln will destroy it. Ha! I actually started this craft last October and with all the baby preparations, it sorta fell by the wayside. Anyhow, as with most of my crafts, I used Mod Podge, wood and...you guessed it! Scrapbook paper. Super easy. And way cute!

Here is a picture a friend of mine took of my lil man the other day. Precious, isnt he?!
Have a great day everyone! :)

So, We Thought We'd Just Re-side the House...

2010-10-08T12:11:00.000-07:00

When my husband bought the house we currently live in, it needed some major TLC. Being the long time bachelor that he was, he never really got around to fixing things up before he met me and I moved in. Over the last 4 years I have cleaned, painted, and TLC'ed many rooms in the house. The exterior is usually John's domain. After putting in a sprinkling system, building a 20x18 foot shed, tearing out the man door in the dining room and adding a sliding glass door and putting in a HUGE garden, he has decided its time to re-side the house. Our house was built in the early 80's and the entire front side is brick.

The siding is like wood clapboard or something, and it covers both gable ends and the entire length of the back. Dont you just love when the cable company comes to run cable and internet and they run everything all sloppy-like on the outside of your house? (One of the big reasons we want the siding redone, besides it being ugly, is to hide all that yucky black coax cable!) Also, our deck is so-rry! We are planning to build a new one in the spring!

Our bedroom window needed replacing, as did the front room and baby's room windows (which the hubby did last year) so he and my brother thought the best time to do that would be when the old siding came off. Here is the new window in our room, minus the finishing touches!

So, the day came to replace the windows and they got the bedroom one finished. Next, the bathroom. Now, we knew there were going to be some issues, because the wall seemed to be rotting around the window. Here is what was left after pulling out the window. EW! Mold!

Unfortunately, halfway through ripping off the boards and such on the outside, they realized the whole thing would have to ripped out and reframed. Ok, no big deal. They get down to it.

So...there is my bathroom....from the outside!Then...I hear it. The floor is rotting too! Really?! Ugh. After deciding that the tub has to come out, my brother equips himself with a sledge hammer and earplugs and gets busy. Here's the bathroom after the tub is out.We were planning to redo the bathroom one day, but I didnt know it would be right now! Whew! I am now without a tub or a toilet in my upstairs bathroom. Kinda inconvenient, since I have an 8 month old to bathe. So I have resorted to this:Stay tuned for more bathroom updates as they progress!

Mod Podge - Baby Alex's Letters

2010-10-08T11:24:00.000-07:00

It seems since seeing the letters I made for my son's room last year, everyone wants a set of their own for their kids' rooms. My best friend Kami just had her son almost two months ago and here are the letters I made to go above his crib.

The more I do of these, the cuter they get, I think! Love making them!

In the Kitchen - Easy Taco Salads

2010-10-08T10:16:00.000-07:00

So, as you can see, I havent kept up on posting a recipe a week. I am definitely the definition of scartterbrain! Oh well. Here is something I threw together the other day for dinner when I was short on time and starving! It isnt really a recipe, its super duper easy! And pretty self explanatory. The only thing that really required time was frying up the whole wheat taco shells and browning the hamburger and adding in a taco sauce packet. Then just layer up your ingredients (I used the meat, cheese, salsa, sour cream and lettuce (from a bag) and salt and pepper) and voila! Yummo!

Scrappy Layouts

2010-10-08T07:59:00.001-07:00

By His Grace

2010-10-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

Last Friday my husband and I had a chance to take part in the Family Life Weekend to Remember Marriage Conference. If you havent heard of it before, you can read about it here. But let me tell you from experience: it was FANTASTIC.
I have been a Christian since I was saved back in June of 2004, and have been attending a Bible teaching church ever since. I felt the spirit many times over the last few years, but I dont think I ever really understood what Christ wants from his daughters as far as being a wife and a mother. Sure, there were things like, love your husband and cherish your children and all that. But I really never knew just how important it was to respect your husband, always support him and in doing so, you will show him that you love him more, than just saying that you do. I thought it was all about cooking and keeping the house clean and making sure he was happy in every area in life, including the bedroom. I thought that was ALL MY RESPONSIBILITY. How wrong I was! Now here is the kicker. The one that everyone usually cringes at. Be submissive. Eeek. Be submissive? Really? Ugh. Never! I thought! Honestly, that was astruggle when I first heard that. Everything in me screamed that was the last thing I wanted to do. Especially when he doesnt deserve it! He did this or he did that...
But after a lot of continual prayer and study of His word, I am realizing that submission to my husband is not a bad thing. In fact, for women, its essential. Jesus calls men to be the spiritual head of the household. Since that is my husbands job, it is not my job.
I began to think about our marriage as an organization. In an organization, everyone has different jobs, all of which are just as vital as the other. If everyone walked around making decisions on everything, nothing would get done. There is a sort of Yin/Yang (for lack of a better term) about a true biblical marriage that just works. My weaknesses and strengths are enhanced by his and vice versa. We each have very different jobs, but they are all equally as important. Without my part, he wouldnt be able to do his and so on. Needless to say, I went into this conference, thinking, "man, I hope he is listening to this!"...oh how foolish that was! I learned more than I thought I would! God's grace is amazing. Luckily. Fortunately. I dont deserve anything other than the worst possible torment as a sinner. I talked about my husband not deserving me submitting to him or being his equal partner. I dont deserve what Jesus did for me on the cross. But I am sure glad that He did it. I am glad that grace isnt fair.
At the end of the conference, I was not only renewed in my faith in God, but in myself as a wife, mother and daughter of God, but in my marriage as well. I would say it was really a life changing experience. And I thank God for it.

Its Not an Excuse! Promise!

2010-09-27T20:56:00.000-07:00

Whew! I was planning to put up pictures of the baby shower stuff I made for last weekend, but I FORGOT to take pictures! Who doesn that?! Me, apparently. (Luckily, the mama-to-be's mama got pics and as soon as I get them, you will!) Also, I did have a yummy recipe planned for In the Kitchen Thursday, but I came down with the flu! I was sick, sick, sick from Wednesday to late Thursday and into Friday morning. (So I will post that for this thursday.) This past weekend my husband and I spent all weekend together while my mom kept the munchkin and we were able to take part in something completely awesome. I have details, but quite frankly, I am exhausted. There is always tomorrow! See you then!

In The Kitchen Thursdays

2010-09-16T14:47:00.000-07:00

I have decided that I will make one new recipe a week and post it on my blog. I am going to call this In the Kitchen Thursday, since that is the least hectic day of the week around here. If you have any yummy ideas, throw them my way! I love me some EATS.

I found this recipe over at The Picky Palate and definitely had to give it a try! Garlic, cheese and biscuts...Are. You. Kidding. Me. With. This.? I have tried several of her recipes and this time (like every other time) I was completely blown away. My hubby thinks I am turning into a gourmet chef!
*(Ignore that horrible date stamp in the corner, and my dirty oven!) Just look at all that stuff, shoved to brimming in my Pampered Chef Deep Dish Baker. Love that thing!

Mmmm....she sure is pretty, aint she?!
Now that was good! The only thing I might change next time is the Cheddar Cheese soup it calls for. I know, I know, take out all the cheesy goodness? Well, not exactly. The cheddar soup, although good, doesnt really mimick the cheesy taste I like. I think I would use two cans of Cream of Chicken and just bump up the shredded cheddar by a cup or so. I love that stringy, oozy goodness that can only come from real cheese. Anyhow, it was tasty, nonetheless. Thanks Jenny, for another great one!

Busy, Busy!

2010-09-16T08:06:00.001-07:00

Whew! Is Summer over?! Wow. We have been sooo busy this summer that I have completely been neglecting posting and scrapbooking! I just looked back through all the pics I took this summer and cannot believe how many there are. The hubby has been playing on two softball teams (coaching one of them) and between that, all the BBQs and camping trips, coupled with one active 7 month old, I am exhausted! But, the fun doesnt end there, people!

Now we are gearing up for Fall softball (one team only this seaon, thankfully), October birthdays, a baby shower this weekend, and then there is Halloween! My favorite time of year! Then comes Thanksgiving and Christmas, my next two favorite times of year. There are so many things I need to get done this year. Crafts, birthday suprises, baking for friends and family, scrapbooking, and putting together our family video for 2010, etc. Not to mention, planning and getting ready for my lil one's FIRST birthday in February. Ok, ok, so its still 5 months away, but if you've ever met me, you know I am THE QUEEN of procrastination! I must get started early on this one! Its going to be the bestest first birthday ever! This past weekend my mom and I caught the scrapbook expo and I picked up two Cricut cartridges that should make my job as super mommy a little easier...haha!

I have also been saving my empty formula cans to deck out and stuff with baked yumminess for the girls this Christmas. I have a baby shower this weekend that I am going to be making these for...and because I cant do anything the easy way, I have to make little monogrammed tags for each one...oy vay! Plus the gift I am making, I have definitely gotten myself in over my head. But I WILL have it done. I promise! I have so many posts in my head and very little time right now (see? do you see the procrastinator in me???) so I will post sometime next week with the baby shower goodness! So since I have nothing crafty to show you yet, here is some cuteness in the form of that active 7 month old I was talking about above. He is almost crawling. CRAWLING! Time sure flies, doesnt it?

To Go or Not to Go - That is the Question!!

2010-08-18T12:55:00.000-07:00

So, having always been in love with scrapbooking, and now digiscrapping, and having seen how cool you can make a blog or website, I am seriously considering going back to school for a graphic arts and web design degree. I already have most of my generals done, so it would only take me roughly 15 months. The thing that holds me back is the financial investment. I think it would be worth it only if I was able to do something in the field of designing and being creative, whether it be freelancing and maybe working with a photographer (which I am also very interested in) or with some sort of scrapbooking company or website. See all those digital embellishments and scapbooking templates and papers? That would be my ultimate dream job! Designing and selling those as well as web design and layouts, etc.

I've talked to the man upstairs and asked him to guide me in the decision...keep it in my mind if that's the direction I should go, so to speak. Dont you just wish that when you have a big decision to make that you could just get a tangible sign? Something telling you YES or NO! Like a billboard or a radio commercial screaming at you, "Do this or that!!" Unfortunately, God doesnt work on my timetable. hehe

Another Baby!!

2010-08-17T16:38:00.000-07:00

Not for me! Ahhhh...I would pull out my hair! haha. My bestie Kami had her second baby this morning at 4:07am. She had a hard time of it, but he is so sweet and honestly, he is only two ounces lighter than Lincoln was when he was born and I swear I never remember Linc being that small! Precious! Here he is:

**Alexander Hart Robinson**

New Layout!

2010-08-12T11:17:00.000-07:00

I want to thank Kassie over at Designs by Kassie for all her help making my blog better on the eyes! She really took a lot of time and worked on several different layouts until I had exactly what I wanted. Thanks again, you were a peach! :)

Last Minute Kitchen Re-do

2010-08-05T07:56:00.000-07:00

So, my hubby went on a 5 day hiking trip this past week and so I decided to get my kitchen cupboards painted. He took our camera, so the pics arent the greatest (and I neglected to get any with the old doors on), but here she is:

Me and my mom taped everything off and sprayed it all down. Thanks so much Jamielyn over it Chocolate Sundaes for your tutorial on how you did yours. I pretty much followed it exactly, except I used Behr paint and primer in one. Still needed about 4 coats total. I think it turned out pretty well. And it really feels like a completely new kitchen! I LOVE it! :)

Growing by Leaps and Bounds!

2010-07-19T10:01:00.001-07:00

Lincoln is growing so fast and changing so much every day. He is in the 60th percentile for his weight and head circumference, but in the 96th for his length! haha. Tall like his mama and daddy, I think! :) When people told me that time would fly, they werent lying! He is so much fun and I LOVE staying home with him!Here he is a week ago, after his first time eating barley cereal from a spoon. He didnt really like it all that well, maybe he's going to be like his mama when it comes to texture! Since then he has really started getting the hang of it and every morning or afternoon has barley and peaches or bananas. BIG BOY!

First time in high chair seat. He really likes it as long as there is a toy or mama's laptop on the counter so that he can watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse!

Look Mama! I can hold my own bottle now! :) Well, sorta...hehe Really he can only hold it for a couple seconds before it slides out of his mouth and slobs all down his chin! He is also cutting 3 teeth! THREE! Let's just say I should buy stock in baby Oragel and Infant's Tylenol. Recently he just started standing up and pushing himself up onto his feet while holding your hands. Now he never wants to sit and forget about laying down!

Found the Camera Cord!!!

2010-07-16T07:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I know it has been like, a gazillion days since I last posted, but my camera cord has been MIA and since everything we have been doing, includes pictures, I didnt want to post without them. And, everything is going to be in this one post, which, if I am completely honest, drives me nuts, but I am trying to get things ready for camping this weekend. And you know me, I would rather blog than do that. So, there.
Ok, so when my husband moved into our house the front yard was a real mess. I dont have pics, but suffice it to say, it was BAD. Slowly we have been redoing things around here and this was the front yard re-do we did about, oh, 3 months ago!

Looks great, I say! Next month we will be siding out house and building an awesome deck. I will have pics as soon as things get rolling!
Next came Mother's Day. I made this board for my mom out of MDF board and scrapbook supplies, pictures and Mod Podge. She loved it and its in her living room for all to see. I dont have a tutorial, just cut your board to size and Mod Podge away.

A friend from high school ended up seeing the letters I did for my son's room and asked if I could do some for her sister-in-law that was due this month. So I got out my scrapbook supplies and did some more.

The plaid paper looks yellow in the pics, but it's really a lime green. These are pretty self explanatory, so I didnt take tons of pics. If you want to see how I did it, go here.

Then, I tried some new recipes. This one, Creamy Italian Chicken, I got here. I changed it a little, and used 2 tablespoons of ranch powder seasoning instead of the Italian dressing. DELICIOUS! The pic isnt great because I was starving and didnt want to wait to get good light on it.

I also made this Cheesy Chicken Cordon Blue Casserole, but didnt get any pics. But it was YUMMO, too! Thanks ladies or sharing all your yumminess! :)

And finally, and since my lil one is screaming in his bouncer (bad mama!), I made and implemented this Homemakers File System, and let me tell you, it is working wonders for this side-tracked, scatter-brained housemaker! Thanks, again Ashley!

Blah, Blah, Blah

2010-07-01T11:42:00.001-07:00

Really want to post pics of all the fun stuff I have been doing lately, but I lost the cord to my camera! BOO!

I'm Still Alive!

2010-06-11T16:41:00.001-07:00

Hey folks! Sorry I havent been around lately! I have so so so many things I have been working on and I got a full time job! That has been taking up much of my time, even though I only just started two days ago, I have been getting things taken care of at home in anticipation of starting and having less time for crafting. Mostly I have been spending A LOT of time with my lil one, because working full time means I wont see him much anymore during the week. But I promise as soon as I get a second this weekend, I will post pics of things I have been working on, including a front yard re-do! WooT!

Letters for Kylee

2010-04-22T10:04:00.000-07:00

So, my cousin's little girl turned 2 years old on February 13th and since I was busy taking care of my own brand new little one, born on February 8th, I didnt have time to make her birthday gift. Having done paper mache'd modge podged letters for Lincoln's room back in October, I decided some little girl letters would be perfect for Kylee's room in their new house!

First, I traced the letters onto the paper I chose. Then cut them out. Next, I painted the sides of the letters an antique white. Two coats. You could paint the whole thing, but who has time for that?! Not me, I have a newborn, remember?

Next, coat the front of the letter with paper modge podge and the back of the paper that you traced the letters on. Stick it down and rub out any wrinkles. Oh, and if you've never Modge Podge'd before, here's the thing: There will be wrinkles. But I think it just adds to the cute factor, coz its not perfect. Kinda like me. After about an hour, I painted a coat of modge podge over the top of the letters.
After it was dry I added the organdy ribbon to the back with thumb tacks and tied them at the top. (Sorry, I didnt get a picture of that part. My kid was screaming and I had to stop crafting and be a mom for a minute...)

I then embellished with ribbons and flowers. Be careful with the glue gun...ouch!

Too cute!

Sorry the pics arent the greatest...a photographer I am not! :o)

GIVEAWAY @ Etherton Photography

2010-04-22T09:53:00.000-07:00

Head on over to see Laura at The Etherton's and check out one of my newest followers! She has an adorable son named Shane, and for his 2nd birthday, she is having an amazing GIVEAWAY!! Hurry, you only have until Sunday the 25th for a chance to win this:
Thanks, everyone! XO

Winner, Winner Let's Cook Dinner!

2010-04-22T07:03:00.000-07:00

I cant believe that I entered my first giveaway and WON!!!

Yippeeee! Check it out over at Chocolate Sundaes!! She is really so, so creative and I have been inspired by so many of her creations! Thank you so much, Jamielyn! I cant wait to see what color and pattern you use for my apron!

Thanks again! XO

Two Years and Counting...

2010-04-19T08:10:00.000-07:00

Its my two year wedding anniversary today and so I thought I would post some of our engagement pictures. Enjoy!

Decoupage Personalized Journal

2010-04-12T11:16:00.000-07:00

My cousin's daughter Rachael turned 11 this past week and since I try and do things very frugally around here (one way I am hoping to be able to continue being a SAHM) I thought I would make her something. When I was trying to figure out what to make, I thought...what did I want when I was 11 years old? I LOVED to write back then, and still do. I loved to doodle and write down my thoughts and so I decided there was nothing better than a journal. I went to the dollar store and found a composition notebook. Nothing fancy, just something with a chipboard cover.I then picked out the paper I thought worked best for her personality and style, all the cute embellishments and such and got to work. First I cut the paper for the front and back covers, leaving a half an inch or so overhang on three sides so I could fold it over into the inside cover. I covered the actual book with decoupage glue and stuck it on. I folded the overhang and used regular old scrapbooking adhesive to stick it down and then cut out a piece of paper to fit the exact measurements to cover the rough edges on the inside cover.Put two coats of decoupage glue over the outside covers and then used my Cricut to cut out her name and decoupaged that on with a couple coats. Tied a ribbon around it and hot glued on a pretty flower. Ta-da!

She loved it! And since I already had the flowers, ribbon and brown paper, this little beauty only cost me $2.20 plus tax!! Sweet!

One Craft, Two Craft

2010-04-08T22:27:00.000-07:00

Here is something I just finished for my cousin who just bought a new house. I've had the wood frame for about 3 years, it was just a cheapy from the dollar store. I decoupaged it with the funky blue and pink paper, cut out the letters with my cricket and decoupaged over those as well. I could have used vinyl, but I have yet to try that on my Cricket (I know, I am so behind the times!) but I think it looks almost like vinyl anyhow! The daisy ribbon I bought about two years ago on clearance (who would clearance that stuff out?!), and I just hot glued it on. Cut out a piece of paper and used the trusty glue gun to glue it on the back, glued on the flower I already had on hand and voila! Instant cuteness! All in all, I bet it literally cost me less than 5 bucks. Not too bad!I've got a few other things in the works, including something for my cousin's daughter that is turning 11 on Saturday. I hopefully will have pics soon, now that my little one is feeling much better!

Easter Fun!

2010-04-06T08:43:00.001-07:00

Usually we dont do much for Easter. My mom and I go to church, maybe have dinner at her house with my brother and his family. This year we had big plans to go to Vegas and live.it.up. But, we ended up with a sick 7 week old baby and a 6 hour car ride did not sound like my idea of a good time, so we stayed home, afterall.

My cousin called to say she was having an Easter egg hunt and a pot luck lunch at her place, so I decided I would make this cute little bunny cake. I have never, never made a cake like it before, but since I had tackled my first lattice top apple pie last fall, I thought this would be a piece of cake...haha.

First, start out with a basic cake mix. In this case, I used french vanilla because you never know how many weird people out there do not like chocolate (like my nephew!). Mix it according to package directions and divide the mix into two even batches in two 8 or 9 inch round baking pans and bake it according to the package.

Once the cakes are done, let them cool completely and then for easier frostablitily (is that even a word? It is now!), place cooled cakes (still in the pans) into the freezer for about 2-3 hours. This will make it so that when you go to frost them, you wont get little crumbs in your frosting...clever!

While the cakes are cooking, find something that you can wrap with tin foil that will be long enough to "build" your bunny cake on. In my case I took a shelf out of my downstairs pantry because a cookie sheet was about 4-6 inches too short. Once you've got your cakes frozen and youre ready to put everything together, take a sharp knife and cut two half moons out of one of the cakes for the bunny's ears. The left over middle piece will be his bow-tie. This is how is should look, laid out: Next, I took two plain cans of French Vanilla Whipped frosting and used one for the entire cake face and ears. Just FYI, this would probably have turned out with a smoother texture, if I had frosted the sides first! And if you have a handy little cake frosting spatula, it would be easier too, but since I didnt, I used a butter knife and the back of a spoon.

Then I added the bow tie and mixed in some food coloring to make the tie itself and the polka dots. His cheeks are Hostess Snowballs (I hope you have better luck finding some than I did! I ended up having to buy 12 of them because I couldnt find them individually packaged.) You can use candy to make the eyes, polka dots on the tie, etc., but this was eaier since I already had food coloring and piping bags on hand. If you dont have piping bags, just fill a ziplock baggie with the frosting and snip off the corner. You wont get the fancy tip effect, but it will just add all the more character!

Its not the greatest, but for my first try and since I am not really a baker, I think it turned out pretty cute!

Here are some pics of the family fun!
Lincoln Michael, 7 weeks

Mama and Lincoln

My mom and her sisters...

My nephew, Elijah, hunting for eggs!

My husband, our son Lincoln and my cousin's little one, Kylee...

Hope everyone had a great Easter holiday!!!

Squeaky Sucker

2010-03-29T12:58:00.000-07:00

My little guy is 7 weeks old today and his little personality is starting to come out. He smiled at me for the first time yesterday (without having gas!) and even though I couldnt get a pic of it, I did capture this while I was trying to put him down for his morning nap.

Too cute, right?

Shabby Chic Project #1

2010-03-24T11:09:00.000-07:00

So, since I found out I was pregnant last May, I have been busily cleaning and rearranging things, getting things ready and I think, with my mom and hubby's help I got a lot accomplished in that short nine months. There are however, still a lot of things I wanted and want to do. I painted some rooms, added some decor, etc., but it still didnt seem finished (with the exception of Lincoln's room.

Anyhow, I have been on the internet a lot over the last couple of weeks checking out blogs about decorating and I have fallen in love with Shabby Chic decor! I cant stop searching blogs, magazines, etc., for all things Shabby. In fact, one of my fave decor bloggers out there, Domestic Fashionista, has given me so much inspiration that I am ready to try my hand at my first "shabby" project! Since I have been reading her blog I have really been trying to look at all the items in my house that could be used in that decor, or be somehow transformed into something that would work! I am beginning to look at things in a very new light and I am finding so many things that I can use in my own house and that is so exciting! Coz that means cheap!

Since I am a SAHM, at least for the time being, I have a little more time on my hands than most women might, even in between putting that pacifier back into my lil monkey's mouth for the 18th time and changing his diaper for the 12th! But still, I am starting small. I have visions of a complete kitchen re-do/makeover (complete with freashly painted white cabinets and some funky hardware), since its the only place in the house that I havent really put a mark on. However, tackling painting cabinets and installing new hardware and all that jazz still seems slightly overwhelming to me given that I have a 6 week old son that takes up much of my time during the day. So, I have decided that I will start with a simple piece for the kitchen. Here it is.

Now, I am not exactly sure what I will use it for, possibly daily mail, paper clips, maybe even pens and such. Maybe I can screw in some eye hooks and hang keys from the bottom? My husband made it in junior high school and its been sitting unfinished and frankly, unused since. When I started thinking about what I could start this new undertaking with, I thought it was perfect!

I will post pics when I get done with it. I am so stoked for this little project!!

Easter Pics

2010-03-22T08:25:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

2010-03-17T15:56:00.000-07:00

This Little Light of Mine

2010-03-01T13:25:00.000-08:00

Lincoln is three weeks old today! He is just perfect. I love him so much. So far he is growing and growing and he has the cutest little feet! Mama just loves to kiss and kiss him and I find it very difficult to put him down! He spends most of his day sleeping, but once or twice a day I try to give him some "tummy time" on a blanket on the floor so that he can start learning how to lift his head and scoot on the floor. If I put my hands against his feet and push a little, he will push back against my hands and he has really been moving! Its so fun to watch! I am hoping to get some video of it and I will try to figure out how to post it.

Linc is such a good baby! He is already sleeping about 3 and 1/2 to 4 and 1/2 hours a stretch at night and after eating, he goes right back to sleep. We have been very lucky! He hardly ever cries and I have only been peed on twice! Here are some new pics of the little sweetie!

Hello, world!

2010-02-22T11:32:00.000-08:00

This was EARLY Monday morning on the 8th. I was feeling pretty good and the doctor started the pitocin around 7:30am. By about 10:30 I was feeling the contractions and dilated to a 3+. I opted for the epidural then, because the doctor came in and broke my water and said that she thought I might go quickly because my cervix was so soft. But...by 1:00pm we were still waiting for baby and I was dilated to a 5.

I had lots of visitors while we were waiting and got lots more cute baby stuff from friends and relatives. I was really tired and just wanted to sleep, but there was no way that was going to happen. I was too anxious and excited for Lincoln's arrival.

At 7pm there was still no baby and I was soooo hungry and ready to just start pushing, but I was only dilated to an 8. By 10:00pm I was finally dilated to 1ocm and I was told that we were going to start pushing! I was so excited, but I was soooo numb from the epidural that I had no idea how hard I was pushing or if I was pushing at all. The nurse had to tell me when to push and count to ten for me so I knew how long to push. By 11pm I had been pushing with every contraction in three's. On my last push of the three his head could be seen (he had hair!), but the second I stopped pushing, his little head would suck back up inside. I was getting tired, but I was determined to get him out!

The doctor told the nurses to let me "rest and descend" which bascially means, get some rest and see if the little guy will descend on his own. They kicked everyone out except John and told me to sleep. YEAH RIGHT! LOL.

A half an hour later, I was back at the pushing and the nurse told me that Lincoln's head was cocked a little funny and that I needed to try and get him to keep his head "out" enough that the doc could use the forceps or the vacuum or else they were going to have to do a c-section. I did NOT want that and so I gave it all I had. I hadnt gone 14 hours of labor to have c-section! After twenty minutes he was right there and ready to be born. The doctor came in and within two pushes, his head was out. I heard the doctor say something about a double nuchal (I dont know how I knew that meant the cord was wrapped around his neck twice, but I did.) It worried me a little, but a spilt second later, he was completely out and screaming!
I cannot tell you how weird it felt to feel that little baby coming out of me and into this world. I have wracked my brains trying the find the words to describe what it felt like to see him for the first time and to feel him so warm against my skin, but I cant. I cant find the words. It was amazing and wonderful and scary and exciting and overwhelming and awesome all at once. I was crying and kissing my hubby and laughing and so happy. I couldnt believe I had gone through labor and that I was ok. I was tough, I had done it and I was so proud of myself!Lincoln Michael was born @ 11:41 PM on February 8th, 2010 t McKay Dee Hospital. He weighed 8 lbs. 9 oz. and was 21 inches long.
Our happy lil family....

Thank Goodness!

2010-02-05T19:24:00.000-08:00

When I arrived for my doc appt today she had just gone out on a delivery and I was sent back to give my urine sample and get my vitals taken. There was no way this pregnant girl was gonna be able to wait to use the bathroom until the Doc got back. The medical assistant took my blood pressure with the automated machine like she always does and unfortunately it didnt work. She used my other arm and took it manually. It was 124/67, down from 140/77 from Monday. I was glad, but a little sad because I knew she wouldnt even consider inducing me early if my BP was back down. (Monday I went in because I was having some symptoms of pre-eclampsia and they wanted to check my urine for protein and get my BP. They sent me home and told me that as long as my feet werent itching and I didnt have a headache, I would be fine.)
So I went back out in the waiting room and was there for another 30 minutes or so and finally I was paged back to the room. On the way back the MA says that the Doc wants her to check my BP again with the machine because she really wants me to have this baby already. So she takes my BP on the same arm and its 144/84 which is pretty damn high...but as the doc comes in with this huge smile on her face, she says, "Since your blood pressure is so high, I'm thinking we are going to shoot for Monday."
I was completely shocked. I had gone in ready to plead my case...to tell her how uncomfortable I was, how my wrists were bothering me, how I just couldnt stand to wait any longer and forget about the fact that I am carrying around this HUGE child and if I have to wait another two or more weeks I am going to fah-reak right out!!! But she totally beat me to it and I am soooo glad. Even though I am pretty sure my blood pressure is not that high, as 30 minutes earlier it was low, she still just wants to take me early. I am sooo glad. But I said that already, didnt I? Now I have to get my bag packed. The babys bag has been packed for week, so no worries there.
WOW. I cannot believe that I am going to be a mom in three days. I hope I dont have a horrible labor. I dont necessarily need it to go by fast, I just dont want to have any problems. Baby is right around 8 lbs apparently and that isnt too big. She says I can have the epidural at any point, but I really think I want to try and go as long as possible without it because I dont want to slow labor down anymore than necessary. I am pretty close to 3cm dilated and 80% thinned, so hopefully it wont take too long.
Anyway, have a nice weekend everyone and the next post you get should have pictures of our sweet little boy.

Quickie

2010-01-31T14:31:00.000-08:00

Friday I had another appointment at the doctor and Linc is a whopping 7 lbs 7 oz. At least that is their estimate. People keep telling me not to trust the ultrasound or the doctors calculations, but since they know more than me, I am more inclined to trust them than not. Still, I took back all the newborn clothes and got 0-3 months just incase. I would hate for him to only be able to wear them for a week or so.
Anyway, I am still 80% thinned, which apparently its a good thing, since most women dont even thin out until they are in actual labor. I am dilated to 2cm, which is a little more than last week, and just a bit ago...TMI in one second...I lost my mucus plug. So hopefully this little guy will make an appearance in a week or so.
Had my final baby shower yesterday, and got lots of stuff from the Hoellein and Weir sides of the family. Now we are really ready for baby!

Come on, Baby!

2010-01-24T06:07:00.000-08:00

Friday we went to the doctor again and the baby is right around 6 lbs 14 oz and still growing! I am dilated to 1+ centemeters and 80% effaced. This sounded great to me, but apparently I could still go weeks this way. That makes me sad because I really think that since he is this big, and I am 37 weeks tomorrow, I ought to be able to go anytime and I would be CHEERY about that! I am ready to be out of pain and able to get into and out of bed and vehicles without a boost from the hubby! Oh, and being able to put my own shoes on would be great too! :o)

My arms are just itching to hold our little Lincoln, already! BOTH grandmas are anxiously awaiting his arrival and yesterday daddy and I went and picked up the camcorder so that we can tape his arrival into this world. I cant wait to capture all his "firsts" with that camera and put them all into a video scrapbook for him.
Everything in the nursery is ready and I have one more baby shower this coming weekend. We have truly been spoiled by all of our friends and family. The only thing we have left to buy is a baby swing. Who knows...maybe we will get one at this upcoming shower!
Here are some pics of the nursery and other fun things we have been up to this month!

Delicious blue cuppy cakes filled with marshmallow cream that I made for my baby shower. My mom had been sick and I didnt want anyone to get sick, so I turned on the Betty Crocker, and got to baking! I just love the little blue binki's!

Here is the nursery and some of the decorations. We still want to get either the hutch for the dresser, or put a couple of floating shelves above the dresser for extra goodies, but I am pretty sure that will have to wait until after the babes is born. But what fun I have had getting all this awesome stuff ready!

An Update from the Uterus

2010-01-08T19:08:00.000-08:00

Thirty-five weeks and counting and the baby weighed in today at 5.9 lbs. As of this moment, I feel like he has dropped a little, which I love because I can breathe easier, but I hate, because I now have to pee every 45 minutes. Literally. But it just means that he will be here soon! Doc says everything looks great and that he is right on target with his weight and is still in position for his birthday. I've got a breastfeeding class next week and two baby showers and another on the 30th which will be a diaper shower. The two and a half weeks later, Lincoln should arrive. Good thing too, I feel very large and very uncomfortable and ready to welcome our little one into the world!

Whew!

2009-12-28T16:41:00.001-08:00

Well, the Christmas holiday is over and I am exhausted! This week will bring boxes and boxes into my house to put away all the decorations. The Hubs has been ready to take it all down since Christmas day, but I think it should stay up until New Years day. Speaking of the Hubs, he has been sick for most of the week last week and is just starting to feel better. Thankfully, I didnt catch whatever ickiness he had. Dont really know how I accomplished that, but I am glad, nontheless.

This year was a little different in how we celebrated this year...instead of doing Christmas breakfast with the extended family, we just did our individual families. My brother, sister in law, mom and grandparents were all in on a very special gift for me and Lincoln. They restored the old rocking chair that my mom used with me and my brother and gave it to me Christmas morning. It looks great! My hubby and I exchanged a few gifts this year. He got me the new Harry Potter DVD and some much needed new socks. I gifted him The Night at the Museum DVDs and ZZ Tops Greatest Hits CD. I also got him some little socks for baby, which he promptly began to put on his own toes. He can always manage to put a smile on my face!

After visiting family all day and traveling all over the place, we ended up back at my mom's house for Christmas dinner. It was fun to just sit and visit and we finished off the night with a toast of champagne for everyone else and egg nog for me and the kids and a birthday cake for Jesus. I, however, being scatterbrained, did not get a picture of the cake. :o( But it is a tradition, so we will have pics of other cakes, I am sure. But here are some other pics of the rest of our fun filled holiday:

Oh yeah, and we got the baby's crib and dresser put together too! I am working on decorating everything this next couple of weeks and hopefully will have pictures soon!

Have a happy and safe New Year!

Oh Baby!

2009-12-18T13:05:00.000-08:00

This post is going to be short, sweet and to the point, as I have literally had three hours of sleep in the last two days and I am ready to crash, hopefully for a long while.

Saw our little sweet boy today and let's just say he is anything but little. At just under 32 weeks, he is already 4 lbs! He is already in the head down position, facing my back, just like he is supposed to for his birthday. All looks well with the pregnancy and some friends that I have talked to said they would not be suprised if I go a little early. That would rock!

Holiday Fixin's

2009-12-14T17:44:00.000-08:00

Every year I think I am going to do something yummy and sweet for neighbors and relatives and my girlfriends, and I never do. This year is no different. Except this year, I am actually going to do it! Why do I finally decide to do these types of things when I am either sick or 8 months pregnant? Because I like to make things difficult on myself, thats why.

This year I am making Chex Muddy Buddies and wrapping them up in these cute little felt buckets and attatching a Chirstmas ornament, for all the girlfriends. And I have a Christmas fondue party on Wednesday that I have to make the chocolate and caramel sauce for. For the neighbors I'm making zucchini bread and adding in some Muddy Buddies in a Christmas jar.

John's family party is Saturday and we always play a present passing game, so this year I am making use of some Santa Claus jugs that I have had for about 6 years and filling them with various Christmas treats and such. I also have to make two pies for the party; yummy fluffy pumpkin cheesecake. Mmmmm!

Being that we have a baby coming in just two months, I am trying to keep it super frugal this year. In fact, we are only buying for 6 people this year, including his parents and my mom and our siblings. We have more pressing things to purchase at this point.

Hopefully Thursday I will have the time in between my busy holiday prep and the seemingly necessary daily naps, to get the rest of the trim and base board in the baby's room painted and the carpets cleaned. After that, up goes the crib and I can start the long awaited process of decorating the nursery!

I will, quite possiby have three baby showers in January, and then baby will be just around the corner! I still have so much I want to accomplish before his arrival and sometimes it feels like I may never get it all done in time! At least the holidays are making my remaining two months fly by!

Sniffle, Cough, Wheeze

2009-12-09T10:03:00.000-08:00

Well, the inevitable has happened, yet again. I am sick. Sick, sick, sick. So much for getting the flu shot. Unfortunately, it doesnt stop you from getting a cold. I have a party to go to this weekend, it better not still be hanging around then. Humph.
Meanwhile, its finally starting to look like Christmas around here. Its been snowing for three days and although it hasnt really piled up, we do have some on the ground. Christmas is only 16 days away and I am feeling only slightly bad that the Hubs and I arent spending any money on each other this year. We are putting everything we have into getting things ready for the babes.
The room is almost ready to decorate, I just need to paint some trim and clean the carpets. I cant wait to hang all his little outfits in the closet and stuff his little dresser full of snuggly jammies and little booties and hats.
Today I need to start addressing the Christmas cards...so much to do, so little time to do it and so little energy with which to do it! Hope you are all enjoying the hussle and bussle of the season!

Chirstmas is Coming!!

2009-12-03T13:26:00.001-08:00

Just sent our Christmas cards to the printer. I am really excited to get these out to all the relatives this year because we have another name we can add to them! I decided to just put "Baby Hoellein" instead of using his name, just in case someone out there sees it and steals it before we get to name him! Lame, I know...but that's me. Lame-O. Anyhow, I think they turned out loverly!

Are You Ready for Some Tears?

2009-12-02T10:50:00.000-08:00

The last leg of this pregnancy has been an extremely emotional one. Lately I have been having some seriously wacked out dreams (they tell me this is competely normal) about all kinds of random things, mostly not good. If I have one more dream about birthing a deformed wolf with a bird's beak or one where zombies only bite pregnant chicks, I am gonna go off. I'm just saying.

I've also been extremely weepy as of late. Anything that is said with any sort of sarcasm directed toward me or the slightest pointed remark or question is likely to send me into a fit of silent sobbing. I feel HUGE. Gigantic. I cant breathe, sleep or see my feet. And I swear, if I didnt know any better I would think I needed diapers again. Everything aches, my hands are always swollen and I feel generally exhausted most of the time. Its weird how when I was in my first trimester, I had no trouble at all crawling into bed at 10:30 am, 2:45pm and then finally at 8pm, being down for the night. Now, after nearly 15 pounds of baby accumulating around my middle and many a sleepless night tossing and turning (and getting up to pee), I feel guilty for wanting even a 15 minute nap during the day and turning in for the night at 10pm.

Sometimes I feel like I should be super woman. Super mom. Able to leap tall mountains of laundry and dishes in a single bound. But I cant. I am almost 8 months pregnant and I cant even get down on the floor to scrub my tub without running the risk of never being able to get back up again.

I feel like a complainer. A whiner. A sap. Like I am the only one in the world who has ever been pregnant. I need a little understanding. A little help. But I feel like I shouldnt ask for it. I am not allowed.

Its a little freaky, this becoming a mom thing.

Many Thanks

2009-11-25T11:33:00.001-08:00

Today I am thankful for the life that I have. The truly amazing husband and the beautiful life growing inside me, gifted from God, and for the extended family that I will always adore. I am thankful for my health, happiness, and the safety I have because other people fight for our freedom. And I am thankful that no matter what, I will always have hope in Christ Jesus.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Wait...I'm Going to be a WHAAAT?!

2009-11-16T07:45:00.000-08:00

So its the beginning of my third trimester today! Wow. I cannot believe how fast time flies. Just the other day, it seemed like I was barely pregnant and then we were finding out what we were having. Now, its just less than three months til my due date!

I am guessing a lot of new mom's have concerns, I know that the closer it gets, the more nervous I get. Dont get me wrong, I am sooooo excited to have this baby, but it is more than a little unnerving to know that I will be a MOM. A mom, people! I am going to be taking care of this little life for at least the next 18 years and, if I know myself, beyond. I keep thinking of things that I just know I havent a clue about.

For instance, how warm do you keep the house at night in order to make sure baby doesnt freeze or get too warm? How many hours am I supposed to let the baby sleep between feedings if he doesnt wake up and want to nurse every two hours? How in the world do I take care of the circumcision and umbillical stump until they are healed? And once they are healed, how do I wash a baby, including his hair, without getting soap in his little eyes or dropping his squirming little, wet, soapy body? What if he cant latch on? Is he getting enough to eat? Read a book, people tell me. Oh I have. I have. But somehow, I dont think that reading a book can fully prepare you for parenthood.

But then, my mind wanders to the things that I know I will be good at. Kissing away hurts and tears, snuggling my little guy close, telling him stories and playing peek-a-boo with him, just loving him... February cannot come soon enough.

Coming Together

2009-11-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

So, after two full weekends of help from my mom, The Hubs and I have organized almost every inch of the house. We still have a buttload of stuff lurking in the downstairs livingroom, but its a process. A very looong process. However, I do have to say that I am sooo relieved that I can now concentrate on daily cleaning instead of major clutter and organizing. Although I never did get around to finishing several Halloween crafts (there is always next year), I am going to get started on Christmas ones and even some holiday gifts.

We went to Home Depot for the millionth time to get more things for the baby's room:

The Hubs looking for special nails for his nail gun...
Home Depot is my "boring store". Dont I look thrilled???

John replaced the old window and had to rip out some sheetrock around the closet to make room for the updated bi-fold closet doors. Here he is, toiling (and sweating) away. What a good daddy!
And since it is almost finished, and we are planning to see if there are any day after Thanksgiving sales on cribs and dressers.

The Hubs was able to pick up a few things from the old model homes at his job: a cute little alphabet plaque, a framed picture of a little lamb (I will repaint the frame to match the room), and a small night stand and dresser for the guest room. All FREE! Cant beat that, right?!
Also, all of this cleaning and organizing has allowed me to finally pull out all the new dishes we got from our wedding. I was a little worried about having too many to fit in our limited cupboard space, but after rearranging a few things, I managed to squeeze it all in. See how pretty? And this is what Mia did the whole time we were getting things together. Her fave place to crash...lol

Yaaaaaawn...

2009-10-28T10:09:00.000-07:00

Well, its back: the pregnancy tiredness. I seriously feel like I havent slept in weeks. Problem is, I am actually sleeping better than ever since becoming pregnant. Well, almost. I do get up to pee every two to three hours each night, but I generally fall back to sleep pretty quickly. I hate to complain, mostly because I hate whiners, but honestly, this is horrible. My house is a complete disaster, andI dont seem to care, really. Also, talking to people about it is even worse. I am so tired of hearing, "Oh, just you wait! This is just the beginning...wait until that baby comes!" Really? DUH. Thanks for your input, now zip it.

Think I will take a little nap now.

Out with the Old In with the HUGE

2009-10-20T11:59:00.000-07:00

Today marks my sixth month of pregnancy. The sleeping is going better, although its getting increasingly more difficult to get comfortable, what with the large and in charge gut I am sporting these days. But its worth it. Every time I think about the little life inside, I have to smile. Plus, a little sleep deprivation never killed anyone. Right?
And speaking of the basketball under my shirt, I have officially graduated to the dreaded "granny panty". I said I would never do it. I claimed I would be able to wear my regualar size 6 hipsters and bikinis all through my pregnancy. I would just suffer through. I did not however realize that maternity pants are not quite as figure forming as my normal jeans and in an effort to keep said panties up where they belong, I was daily, hourly, minute-by-minute wriggling, grabbing and streeeetching my cute little undies into submission. To no avail, mind you. There was never a happy medium: either down around the tops of my thighs or very frequently up my butt, they had to go...in all their cute patterened glory, alas, I was in need of a serious upgrade. So I took myself to Walmart - because really, who wants to spend a go-zillion dollars on underwear that are hideous and will be promptly burned once I am able to fit back into my normal size again - in search of something with a little more, shall we say, coverage?

When I walked up on the wall o' underwear, I was immediately overwhelmed. Should I choose silky, cotton nylon blend, or plain cotton? High cuts, briefs, boy shorts? Some had lacy tops, some had support bands at the thighs. Was there really a need for this many choices?? Didnt they have just plain old maternity underwear? Did they make such a thing? Then, of course I had to decide on a size. Size 0? How the crap do I know what size to get? Just how big am I going to get? Size 12? Do they really make them that big??? Could I need something that large? It seemed to me, judging from the size of the package those puppies could cover all of Riverdale. Flipping to the size chart on the back did me no good either because it was based on dress size. DRESS SIZE?? I havent worn a dress since my wedding two years ago, and I wasnt the size of a Macy's Thanksgiving Day float at the time. In the end, I figured since I was a six in normal people underwear, I must be somewhere close to that, so I picked a 7. Then I thought about the fact that I still had 3-4 more months to go (dang 40 week pregnancy tricking you into thinking youre only pregnant for 9 months!) and opted for the size 8. And here you are, girls. The painful, gut-wrenching comparison photo. Further proof that I am no longer the semi-thin woman I once was: Arent they precious? They are waaaaay too big, and I am pretty sure that my belly button is heartbroken that it has to be hidden away under a thin, shabbily patterened peice of fabric, and since they reach half way to my boobs, I am pretty sure I look like a spaz wearing them. My husbands first words were, "Oh hell, youre not coming to bed with those on are you?"

I guess I'm just lazy...

2009-10-14T15:13:00.000-07:00

Begin Rant.

Well, it took me 5 days but I finally got my laundry done and the guest room is almost finished. I'm still having issues sleeping because of a stuffy nose every night, but I am feeling much better. But not sleeping really does suck. And its funny because I hear, Maybe you cant sleep at night because you dont do anything all day long. Its like, You know what? Youre exactly right! The dishes learned how to do themselves and there is a little elf that hides in the dryer and comes out at night to get it all done and folds it and puts it away. In fact, I have even trained the dogs to feed themselves and now they can even cook dinner! Oh, and the five or six nail clients that were here this week were all too happy to pay me for NOT doing their nails. Haha, you caught me! So sorry!

Really?

Honestly, if I could stand it, I would let everything go and never do another dish, load of laundry, or take a swipe at a toilet or counter top ever again. But I dont want to wear the same underwear everyday and I dont think cockroaches are the slightest but decorative. But maybe thats just me? Freak.

This saturday the Hubs is going to replace the window in the baby' room and sunday I will be going over to help out at my grandparent's house making applesauce. Its a good thing I dont do anything all week long, or I would be too exhausted to help!

End Rant.

Whadda Ya Mean, There's No Clean Laundry?

2009-10-09T10:59:00.000-07:00

Sheesh! Get sick for a week and everything goes to the dogs. Not only is my house a huge mess, but I have a mountain of laundry that could bury a small child. Dont get sick, ladies. I'm just sayin...

And in the ever expanding list of dead and/or live things that my cats are presenting me with is this: 6 new grasshoppers, two mice (one of them dead), a live bird, and you guessed it...a snake! Ugh, please stop. I realize you are just showing me how great a hunter you are, but its enough now. Really.

Yesterday we went to the targeted ultrasound (21 weeks) and it was amazing! We got about 12 mintues of footage of our little guy and a bunch of pictures. Here is baby Lincoln in utero:

Last night was girls night out for my birthday and we made those interchangeable watch bands. It turned out pretty good, after restringing it twice to get the spacers to match, but I seriously doubt I will be making a hobby out of it. It s very tedious and really not my thing. Unless you quite enjoy trying to thread an almost invisible string through the tiniest hole on earth. I think I will stick to trading nails for watch bands with a girl from high school.

Oh, and this is what my little Phoebe is supposed to look like!

Tomorrow my brother and the kids will be over to pick pumpkins and I will hopefully be able to focus some attention on my halloween crafts and decorating. Happy weekend everyone!

Birthdays, Baking, and Baby Crafts

2009-10-06T14:17:00.000-07:00

No rest for the weary. Or sniffly. I have been sick for about a week now, but I finally went to the doctor - something I wouldnt normally do if I wasnt abounding with child - and was given antibiotics for a killer sinus infection. But, since its my hubby's birthday today, and since I do have the little one on the way, there are a lot of things I need to get done. And I cant stand just sitting around. When exactly did that happen, anyway? I used to love lounging in bed all day with nothing better to do than watch MTV and eat cold pizza. Maybe I am nesting, maybe I am just finally growing up. About time, eh?

This weekend we finally got the guestroom painted, tonight or tomorrow, depending on how I feel, I will clean the carpets and hopefully this weekend we can move the bed and everything else downstairs. I really like the color we chose for the room, I just am not sure which way I want to go with the decorating. But the baby's room will come first anyhow. So I guess that gives me plenty of time to figure it out.

Speaking of the baby's room, I finished painting the paper mache letters that will hang above his crib. The letters will have ribbon attatched to hang them. I just have to have The Hubs drill the holes for me. The little lambs are going to be hot glued on, after I repaint their little faces peach. I decided I dont like them black.We've also been shopping for more baby clothes, and even though people keep telling us not too buy too much coz we will be having two baby showers, we cant seem to help ourselves. The little monkey is moving so much now. Sometimes I still cannot believe that I am going to be a mom. Late at night I will feel him twist, kick or punch and I cant help but smile. I cant wait to see his perfect little feet and kiss his cheeks. It really is wierd how you can love someone so much when you havent even met them yet. I cant wait to see how he looks and watch his little spirit grow. How excited I am! And scared...been having dreams that I leave him at home and that I dont feed him and in those dreams, I dont even care! Ugh. Its a horrible feeling! I am sure the dreams are just stemming from my feelings of anxiety at having responsibility for such a wonderful little being. We are going for our targeted ultrasound on thursday. They tell me it will be a long one this time while they check all his little organs and parts to make sure that everything is OK. Cant wait to see him again. I am soooo ready for him to be here already.

And since I have been so sickly lately, I havent had a chance to get to the store to get a gift for The Hubs' birthday today, but I am making him some cake cookies with strawberry frosting. (Thanks, Jamie!) His mom and I took him to Red Lobster last night, so I guess it hasnt all been a wash. I know I have been keeping him up all night with my coughing and tossing and turning. I feel really bad about that. But he loves me anyway. That is what is so awesome about him.

Next I need to get all my Halloween stuff out. I have a few crafts that I would like to get done before the actual day arrives, so hopefully I will be feeling better soon. If I could just quit coughing and get some sleep! Any progress is good, right?

Cough, Wheeze, Sneeze

2009-09-30T08:36:00.000-07:00

So I went and got my first - and possibly last - flu shot Monday. The little girl with long blonde hair at the front desk assured me that I would not, I repeat, would not, get sick from it. I've got news for you, little blonde front desk girl: I am sick. And its all your fault.

Baby Pages!

2009-09-23T11:20:00.000-07:00

Here are the scrapbook pages I have done so far for the Baby Book. I cant wait until he gets here so that I can have even more things to create!

The Great Grasshopper Caper Solved

2009-09-21T10:33:00.000-07:00

Little Mia brought in 2 more green creepies over the weekend. Luckily The Hubs was home so he had the honor of killing the little buggars. So as I type this, she is locked outside, happily playing to her hearts content with a one-legged grasshopper. Whatever. As long as they arent in my house, she can do it all day long. This weekend, amongst the grasshopper hunt, I baked my first apple pie, complete with lattice top crust. It is delicious! My grandma and grandpa put up loads of peaches last weekend, so I think I will make a peach pie next. My brother is convinced that I am nesting and maybe I am. All I know is that I have been on a major cleaning binge, swapping rooms, painting, decorating, and yes, even baking! I am so excited for the baby to come that I want everything to be just perfect. At least until he pops out and then I am sure our home will be in a state of complete chaos. Until then, I will keep getting things ready for our little monkey's arrival. Even if it means turning into Suzy Homemaker...HA!

Argh!!!

2009-09-17T10:02:00.000-07:00

Another grasshopper today! Honestly! I think I have found the source: the window in the nail room was open and its missing the screen. Window closed. Mystery solved. Hopefully.

Post Ammended: No, now I may have to lock my cat up. She brought yet another grasshopper in, literal minutes after I killed the last one. Humph!

Seriously, are you kidding me?!

2009-09-16T10:49:00.000-07:00

This morning while enjoying a banana and tea my dog starts jumping around like a maniac. I yell at him and tell him to settle down (because really, dogs know what that means), and he runs into the living room and starts darting his nose at the carpet over and over again. I walk over to get a closer look and staring me right in the face with beady dark little eyes is... the ugliest grasshopper ever! Legs longer than mine and a slimy body (I dont know if they are really slimy, but I think they are, so it must be true), just sitting there ready to jump on me or spit on me or whatever. So, of course I scream like a girl and grab a bucket from the kitchen, trapping it underneath.

I call the Hubs at work and let him know that I have trapped all evil in the world under a bucket behind his recliner and that he will have to get it when he gets home tonight. During the conversation, I seriously consider leaving the house for the day. Because, ew. But being that he is 40 miles away and wont be home for another 6 hours, I realizethat this might not be such a good idea, because while I am gone the dogs might knock over the bucket, let the afformentioned creepy jumper out of his plastic prison, furthering the dilemma should he hide and make it impossible for the Hubs to find and dispose of said creepiness.

Sooo...I grab the fly swatter and ginergly lift the bucket. And there it is. The first swing of the swatter completely misses and by some miracle, it doesnt make the nasty thing move. Whack! Off comes a leg at light speed. I then find myself apologizing to the grasshopper for bamming his leg off, and...whack! With the piece of his leg that is still attatched still wiggling, I grab an empty Eggo waffle box from the kitchen and scoop him - and his severed leg - up and run to the back deck and fling the box out the door, firmly slamming the sliding glass door and locking the dog door as well.

Not two seconds later, the cat is at the bottom of the stairs with another one! Really? Really?! So, while holding the cat back, I open the front door and fling the second one out onto the porch with the dust pan. The cat looks at me like I've just taken away her best friend and runs downstairs.

If I find another grasshopper in this house, I swear, I am moving out.

More Pee-Pee Talk

2009-09-15T17:41:00.000-07:00

So, my sister-in-law gave me a book on pregnancy today while I was babysitting her kids. Elijah was at school, and it was just me and Abby. She's 4. Barely. Anyhow, my mom happened to come into the room and I mentioned to her that I thought it odd that the "weener" in one of the pictures looked like an alien head -- yes, mature, I know. But I have an odd habit of talking about farting and butts and turds when I get around the kids. In fact, on most days the kids are nicknamed "turd-digger" or "turd-butt" and I have taught them both how to make any animal they draw look like its produced a "fart cloud". Yeah, I'm pretty much the coolest aunt ever.

But, I digress. So my neice comes running around the corner from the kitchen, yelling..."I wanna see the weener, I wanna see the weener!" She then proceeded to look through the entire book looking for "weeners". Afterwards, she asked me if my baby would have one. Kids are hilarious!

Baby Stuff

2009-09-14T15:39:00.000-07:00

Nursery : Argyle by Jo Jo Designs
Stroller and Carseat: Little Hoot by GracoPack - N- Play : Little Hoot by Graco

Pee-pees and Pregnancy Brain

2009-09-14T07:54:00.000-07:00

Friday we went to the ultrasound and Its a BOY! We are so excited! I knew it was a boy. Mama's intuition is always right. Well, OK...almost always. Anyway, right now the baby is 5 inches long and weighs in at a whopping 7 ounces! The doctor says everything looks great and we will be going in for the targeted ultrasound on the 8th of October. Grandma Cassie wants to go to that one so that she can see all the little baby parts. Also, we have picked a name, but I am not sure I want to post it just yet. I dont want anyone to steal it. ;o)

We have been shopping already and bought several outfits, and a friend has already given us a LOAD of clothes for the little monkey (thanks, Steph). Two other friends have already gifted us their barely used basinette, swing, and bouncy chair. We also found the crib and dresser set we want and I picked out the colors and crib set for the nursery this weekend. Grandma and Grandpa Daley have offered to get us the stroller and car seat and hopefully someone will feel extra generous and get us the pack and play that matches? teehee. This kid is going to be so spoiled! But seriously, we feel very blessed to be able to bring a baby into this world and we are so grateful that we have the friends and family we do. Everyone is very thrilled to be having a little one coming.

My belly is continuing to grow, and soon I will have pictures to post. Symptom wise, its been just the usual. Although, last night at Alpha group, I actually ate chicken! Hopefully it wasnt just a passing thing. I would really like to be able to eat meat again. Last night I was washing the baby clothes and after putting the load in the dryer, I started the washer and left the laundry room. Thirty minutes later I went in to check on the wash and realized it was just happily doing its thing without clothes in it. Nice.

Things That Go Bump in the Night

2009-09-08T16:12:00.000-07:00

Finally! I felt the baby move for the first time last night. I was poking around my tummy, trying to get the little guy or girl to do something. But, as nothing was happening, I gave up. Then, just as I was dozing off...Boop! A little kick or punch that literally raised my thumb off my tummy! Too cool! Can't wait to feel it again. Also, we only have three more days until we find out the sex of the baby, if the little one will put on a show for us! Here's hoping!

Bountiful Harvest

2009-09-04T08:02:00.000-07:00

Our garden didnt really do as well this year as it ususally does. I am not sure if this is because of the position in which we planted certain things, or if it didnt get enough water, or maybe it was the fact that there are so many weeds out there (yet another thing that's been neglected since becoming a mom-to-be). It could be a combination of all three, and so we had to get tomatoes from my grandpa this year in order to make our salsa. Its so heavenly I have been told by several people that they would drink it if they ran out of chips. So, naturally, there was no way we werent going to make it, (since we only have one bottle left from last year) because The Hubs and I are salsa fiends. Our jalepenos and green peppers did fantastic, the branches so heavy with deliciousness that they were literally bending over and laying flat on the ground.

Anyhoo, we had so many green peppers and jalenpenos that I had to start freezing them very early on. I dont really know if I was supposed to chop them up before freezing them, but I didnt and they seem to be fine as long as they are cooked. Otherwise, they would be quite rubbery.

So last night was salsa night. I really dont know of anything better than being in the kitchen with my wonderful husband, making something that we will both enjoy. The salsa is till simmering away on te stove as I type this and my house is filled with yummy smells. I thought I would post some pictures of our bounty and also of some yummy little zucchini crispers I experimented with last night. Sorry about the quality of the pics, in advance, I happened to leave my beloved camera at my mom's house the other day. So these are taken with my cell phone. If you would like the recipes for either of these yummy things, I will be happy to post them!

Zucchini Crisps

Anaheim and Red Bell Pepper and GarlicJalenpenos that had to be frozen...More Yumminess...The Salsa PotMmmm....SALSA!

The Zucchini Crisps are so yummy. They are sprinkled with Italian bread crumbs and parmesean cheese and drizzled with olive oil and baked until crispy and the cheese and breadcrumbs make this delicious crunchy topping. So good!

I think next week I will try making homeade apple pie with a lattice top crust!

Finally...A Baby Bump

2009-09-03T07:07:00.000-07:00

So, last night I finally felt pregnant instead of just plump. When I went to bed, and lay flat on my back, I could feel and see the bump in my lower tummy. The Book kept saying that I should be able to feel the top of my uterus 2 inches below my belly button, but honestly, all I could feel was chub. Until last night! How exciting!

Until last night, I knew there was a baby in there, but it always felt a little surreal. I dont think I have actually felt any movement, unless its being disguised by gas. If I didnt know any better I would think I was a pizza scarfing, beer swilling frat boy! Its part of pregnancy, but man, its annoying! Seriously? I mean really? Arent there enough things to deal with in pregnancy without having to defend yourself against that?

At least I get to hopefully find out what we're having in less than 8 days. Cant wait!

Things I've Neglected While Pregnant

2009-08-31T13:29:00.000-07:00

At this point I am really glad that my grandma Daley doesnt know how to turn on a computer, let alone know what a blog is, because frankly, my domestic skills have been severely lacking the last couple of months.

The dishes usually get done (although they have been known to sit overnight), laundry gets done (about once a week), and most days...OK, not most...but at least 3-4 times a week I manage to cook a hot meal for The Hubs after work -- even if it is chicken nuggets and tots. Oh and I even remember to water the yard and garden in between naps. Teehee. The Hubs. He has been great. I dont know what I would do without him. Anyhow, here are some highlights.

Should I dust?
Yes, I hate vacumming...

Poor Pheebs...

Cool Mom Accessories

2009-08-31T08:57:00.000-07:00

Last year I was at the Christmas Expo in downtown Sandy and there was a booth for these! At the time, I wasn't pregnant and I didnt really know anyone that was, so I just stuck their card in my car and thought I would try to remember where I put it when the time came that I needed one for my own baby. I found the card the other day when I was cleaning out my car and thought I would share their website. Once I find out what we are having I am definitely going to buy one. They are so cute and way practical!

What is This Thing Already?

2009-08-30T20:23:00.000-07:00

So, its been three weeks since our last ultrasound, and frankly...I am sick, sick, sick of waiting for the next one, which is in approximately 12 days. Why am I so excited for this particular ultrasound, you ask? Ok, maybe you didnt ask, but I am going to tell you anyway. I will be 17 weeks (or just beginning my fifth month) by the time we go and hopefully, hopefully, the doc will be able to tell us what the sex of the baby is.

Finally!

After many countless times pausing and stepping the ultrasound forward frame by frame, I have come to the conclusion (very scientifically, I might add) that it is a boy. There is a definite dangler there! However, having seen the ultrasound countless times as I have begged and forced John to come and watch it yet again (and again and again), The Hubs thinks it s a girl, because you see, he is convinced that dangler is the umbilical cord! But, I think that is only because I say its a boy. Always a competition, right?

In the arena of symptoms this week, I have been getting slightly lightheaded and alot dizzy. I looked in "The Book" aka "What to Expect when Youre Expecting" and it says it is all due to my increased blood volume and such, yadda, yadda, yadda. I also thought I might have felt the baby move the other night, but I was more dead asleep and it just sort of felt like a little "tickle". But, I am pretty sure that it was on the outside of my skin, not the inside. It would be just like me to mistake a mosquito bite or a spider crawling on me for my baby moving...haha.

2nd Ultrasound - 12 Weeks

2009-08-26T15:52:00.000-07:00

August 7, 2009

Pork Chops, Chicken, and the Gag Reflex - A Lesson

2009-08-26T15:36:00.001-07:00

When I first realized I was pregnant, my first thought was, "Oh crap...now I am gonna start puking all the time..." But - I was really, and I mean reeeeally lucky. Though I did get that oh-so-queasy feeling from time to time, I never, ever, EVER, threw up. Thank, Bob. My sense of smell was incredibly heightened from about 9 weeks and I still can't touch any form of raw meat.. The smell of pork or chicken cooking is enough to force me from the room gagging.

I can pretty much stomach no meat, except for chicken nuggets (which I have been told by various family and friends, much to my chargrin, doesnt constitute meat) and ground beef, suprisingly enough. I have been craving Twinkies (no suprise there!), orange juice, and Starburst.

When you go into the store for milk, Colace, Fiber Cereal, and Rolaids, and come out 10 minutes later and you can't remember where you parked your car, you know your'e pregnant. What's worse is when you can't even remember whether you brought your car, or your husband's. I swear the guy walking behind me in the Walmart parking lot thought I was out of my mind as I walked around muttering tomyself, "I swear I parked in this row!"

I'm Pregnant!

2009-08-26T15:26:00.000-07:00

It seems like just yesterday I found out that I was expecting a baby. Actually, its been about two months. People kept telling me, "keep a baby journal, keep a baby journal!" All right! Here it is. I'm hoping to come here to write about the gripes and pleasures of pregnancy. There will very likely be talk of gas and bloating and the sights, smells and sounds that make me want to "bomb-up" - ie. vomit according to my four year old niece, Abby. Also, I am hoping to post updates of the pregnancy here as well. Speaking of which, here is a picture of the first ultrasound that was taken on July 8, 2009 at 8 weeks: