#7 Trust your mommy gut. No one knows your child better than you. Follow your instincts when it comes to his health and well-being. If you think something's wrong, chances are you're right.
I know that I am not good at this one... and I think every mom has been there. You show up at the doctors office for a runny nose and turns out that your kiddo has had a double ear infection. Or maybe you keep telling yourself "it's nothing" only because you are paranoid about being that mom so you don't freak out.
But the truth of the matter is that you know your kids better than anyone else does. And there are going to be times that you just *know* something is wrong even if every test comes back normal and everyone says that you are crazy. That's ok! Ultimately it's not about what other people think, feel, or see... it's about you and your kids...
Along this same vein, but slightly off topic, don't feel like you need to justify your feelings to anyone else! Unless, of course, you clearly are crazy and need to tell people why they shouldn't write you off. I have been going through a rather emotional time lately, which I am sure I owe all to being way too pregnant. I feel like I have to explain to people why I am doing what I am doing... why I feel the way I do. It's even come down to me NOT telling others about my plans for a Bradley Birth, my reasons for avoiding a c-section (although my mom will tell me it's the easy way to do this), the love affair I have with my stroller, or even responding about things that normally I could talk about without getting heated. All of a sudden, things are very personal for me... and if people don't agree with me, I feel like I need to justify my thoughts or get them to agree with me... and that's more trouble than I think it's worth.
The bottom line is... whether it has to do with your personal convictions or your toddler's habits... it doesn't matter what other people think, do, or say. Ultimately, it's your life, your kids, and your happiness... trust yourself!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Works for Me Wednesday- Motivated Moms
I know I have talked on several occasions about getting my life put together and trying to be a better housewife. This is by far one of my goals in life... if I were to get 3 wishes from a genie in a lamp, #2 would be to have my house completely together and make it look effortless (behind being debt-free of course... I am saving #3 for a really good wish).
In my quest, I have tried checklists that I have made, chore emails, running myself ragged doing everything all at once... none of it really helped. I'd end up bored with my checklist, putting the emails to my junk box and exhausted. So, I started the quest again...
This time, I found Motivated Moms. They have a planner that you can download for $8 for the year. You print out your checklists all at once or one week at a time, up to you, and put it somewhere for you to remember to check it. Mine is now on the fridge. Each day has 5 small chores to do, from vacuuming bedrooms to clipping children's nails, so that everything gets taken care of eventually without you getting worn out. There are also the "daily dozen" as I call them that need to be taken care of daily... things like throwing the trash, feeding the pets, and doing the dishes. But the best thing is that I can do these little baby steps, check them off and feel accomplished!
They do have a few different versions, including full page and half page, and one even has daily bible readings. Check them out by clicking the link below! I don't know about you, but $8 was well worth my sanity!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Be A Fantastic Parent #6, and more baby planning!
#6 Protect that smile. Encouraging your kid to brush twice a day with a dab of fluoride toothpaste will guard against cavities.
This one is super easy! A little bit of advice... I sing the ABC's to Ryan as we brush... once for top teeth and once for bottoms! And don't forget, no flouride until they are 2! :oP
Welp, we are down to 5 weeks... 35 lonely days... until this baby is due. We are still moving forward to get things prepared for Baby's arrival and it's getting exciting. Tonight I am going to be packing our bags for the hospital and maybe going through some baby clothes.
My nesting is also headed into overdrive. Dustin and I have reorganized the living room, taken the rug and dining table out of the dining room so that we could mop the tile that never even sees the light of day, and have been trying to figure out a schedule that will work for once baby gets here. Gear is getting put together, the pack and play is set up in our room, and the car seat is in the car. It won't be long now at all!
Here is a picture that my birthing instructor took of our belly progress so far!
This one is super easy! A little bit of advice... I sing the ABC's to Ryan as we brush... once for top teeth and once for bottoms! And don't forget, no flouride until they are 2! :oP
Welp, we are down to 5 weeks... 35 lonely days... until this baby is due. We are still moving forward to get things prepared for Baby's arrival and it's getting exciting. Tonight I am going to be packing our bags for the hospital and maybe going through some baby clothes.
My nesting is also headed into overdrive. Dustin and I have reorganized the living room, taken the rug and dining table out of the dining room so that we could mop the tile that never even sees the light of day, and have been trying to figure out a schedule that will work for once baby gets here. Gear is getting put together, the pack and play is set up in our room, and the car seat is in the car. It won't be long now at all!
Here is a picture that my birthing instructor took of our belly progress so far!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Be a Fantastic Parent #6
6. Savor the Moments: Yes, parenthood is the most exhausting job on the planet. Yes, your house is a mess, the laundry's piled up, and the dog needs to be walked. But your kid just laughed. Enjoy it now -- it will be over far too fast.
I don't like to think that Ryan's days of laughing are numbered... but I do think that the days that he will come cuddle on my lap (while I am trying to fold the laundry) or want to play peekaboo (when I am trying to do the dishes) will all come to an end far sooner than I ever imagined.
I made a decision to be a mom that is more worried about how great Ryan's life can be than how clean my house is. I will gladly leave a cluttered counter for a day at the park with the kiddo that steals my heart anytime! I will serve take out, I will stay up late to pay bills, and I'll even skip a shower (shhhhh) just to get a few more minutes with him.
I can't tell you what we did last weekend, but I can tell you that every day, whether we have cheerios or pancakes for breakfast, Ryan and I do our best to jam as many giggles in as possible. Now, if only there was a way to pack those up in a box so I can keep them forever. :o)
I don't like to think that Ryan's days of laughing are numbered... but I do think that the days that he will come cuddle on my lap (while I am trying to fold the laundry) or want to play peekaboo (when I am trying to do the dishes) will all come to an end far sooner than I ever imagined.
I made a decision to be a mom that is more worried about how great Ryan's life can be than how clean my house is. I will gladly leave a cluttered counter for a day at the park with the kiddo that steals my heart anytime! I will serve take out, I will stay up late to pay bills, and I'll even skip a shower (shhhhh) just to get a few more minutes with him.
I can't tell you what we did last weekend, but I can tell you that every day, whether we have cheerios or pancakes for breakfast, Ryan and I do our best to jam as many giggles in as possible. Now, if only there was a way to pack those up in a box so I can keep them forever. :o)
Friday, May 8, 2009
Breaking 100
Yep... here in sunny AZ, we are breaking 100* almost every day! And we love it!! I told my hubby that it would be hot early this year... and he's still happy he didn't take the bet that we would break 100 in April (he would have been doing a bunch of night time Baby Duty on his own)!
The pool is starting to warm up, but we aren't out there just yet... but we are wondering what you do to keep cool in this heat! Let us know... and lets keep it free/low cost... we have this obsession with keeping cash in our pockets!
The pool is starting to warm up, but we aren't out there just yet... but we are wondering what you do to keep cool in this heat! Let us know... and lets keep it free/low cost... we have this obsession with keeping cash in our pockets!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Making $20 Work Hard!
Ok... so CVS is having a good promo right now for CocaCola and Kellogg's cereal... so I decided to head in to use some coupons and make my money work hard. These deals are ones that ANYONE can do... and the promo is until Saturday night... but I thought I'd show you how hard I made $20 work!
It was 3 transactions total...
1st Transaction:
5 12pks of CocaCola (3/$12)= $20
*When you spend $20 on Coke, get $10 ECB to be used on next tranaction.
*Used 5 $1/1 12pk coupons... I got these at www.mycokerewards.com by saving up my coke points!
Total Out of Pocket: $15
2nd Transaction:
2 boxes Kelloggs's Frosted Flakes (3/$10)= $6.67
1 box Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheats (3/$10)= $3.33
*When you spend $10 on Kellogg's, get $5 ECB to be used on next transaction.
*Used 3 $1/1 box of Kellogg's coupons. I got these at www.kelloggs.com. You can print each coupon twice!
2 tubes Desitin Ointment ($2.99)= $5.98
*Used 2 $1/1 Desitin coupons from the paper (2 weeks ago).
*Used $10 ECB from previous tranaction.
Total Out of Pocket: $.98
3rd Transaction:
1 tube Desitin Ointment ($2.99)= $2.99
*Used 1 $1/1 Desitin Coupon from paper
3 Johnson&Johnson Bath products ($2.99)= $8.97
*Used 3 $1/1 J&J coupons from paper
*Used $5 ECB from previous transaction.
Total Out of Pocket: $2.96
Final Out of Pocket for 3 tranactions: $18.94!!!
*Total Savings (advertised and coupons): $49.22!!!
You can make your money work this hard too! And I love that it's all products we use every single day! If you want to give CouponSense a try.... go to www.couponsense.com and say Tabitha Lehman referred you!
It was 3 transactions total...
1st Transaction:
5 12pks of CocaCola (3/$12)= $20
*When you spend $20 on Coke, get $10 ECB to be used on next tranaction.
*Used 5 $1/1 12pk coupons... I got these at www.mycokerewards.com by saving up my coke points!
Total Out of Pocket: $15
2nd Transaction:
2 boxes Kelloggs's Frosted Flakes (3/$10)= $6.67
1 box Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheats (3/$10)= $3.33
*When you spend $10 on Kellogg's, get $5 ECB to be used on next transaction.
*Used 3 $1/1 box of Kellogg's coupons. I got these at www.kelloggs.com. You can print each coupon twice!
2 tubes Desitin Ointment ($2.99)= $5.98
*Used 2 $1/1 Desitin coupons from the paper (2 weeks ago).
*Used $10 ECB from previous tranaction.
Total Out of Pocket: $.98
3rd Transaction:
1 tube Desitin Ointment ($2.99)= $2.99
*Used 1 $1/1 Desitin Coupon from paper
3 Johnson&Johnson Bath products ($2.99)= $8.97
*Used 3 $1/1 J&J coupons from paper
*Used $5 ECB from previous transaction.
Total Out of Pocket: $2.96
Final Out of Pocket for 3 tranactions: $18.94!!!
*Total Savings (advertised and coupons): $49.22!!!
You can make your money work this hard too! And I love that it's all products we use every single day! If you want to give CouponSense a try.... go to www.couponsense.com and say Tabitha Lehman referred you!
Baked Ziti... for the freezer!
This is one of the recipes that I put together for the freezer. Like most of my cooking, it started off as a recipe I found somewhere... but by the time I was finished with my adjustments, it was all my own... :oP
1 lb Ground Beef
1 package frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups spaghetti sauce (whatever you like)
2 cups cottage cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried parsely (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 cup mozzerella cheese, grated
8 oz ziti pasta (I used penne though)
Preheat oven to 350*. Spray a 9x9 pan with cooking spray and set aside. Prepare pasta according to package directions, to Al Dente... Do Not Overcook! The pasta will go into the oven after it's boiled, so you don't want it to turn to mush!
In a skillet, saute onion until translucent in a small amount of olive oil (about 3-4 minutes). Add garlic, and saute for a couple more minutes, being careful not to burn it! Add ground beef and italian seasoning and cook through. Once meat is no longer pink, add spaghetti sauce and spinach. Allow to heat up... about 3 minutes.
In a medium bowl, mix together cottage cheese, parmesan, egg, garlic powder, and parsely. Add cooked and drained pasta and mix.
In your prepared pan, put about 1/3 of your meat sauce mix down on the bottom. Next, layer in the pasta/cheese mixture. All of it. :oP Then the rest of the meat sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. I normally put my pan a cookie sheet so that it won't bubble over into my oven. After the 30 minutes is up, remove the foil, add the mozzerella, and bake uncovered for 4-5 minutes or until the cheese is all melted!
If would rather freeze this meal for later, just assemble, but don't bake! You can add the mozzerella now, but when you defrost and reheat, bake covered and then uncover for the cheese to brown a bit. :o)
Bon Appetit!
1 lb Ground Beef
1 package frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups spaghetti sauce (whatever you like)
2 cups cottage cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried parsely (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 cup mozzerella cheese, grated
8 oz ziti pasta (I used penne though)
Preheat oven to 350*. Spray a 9x9 pan with cooking spray and set aside. Prepare pasta according to package directions, to Al Dente... Do Not Overcook! The pasta will go into the oven after it's boiled, so you don't want it to turn to mush!
In a skillet, saute onion until translucent in a small amount of olive oil (about 3-4 minutes). Add garlic, and saute for a couple more minutes, being careful not to burn it! Add ground beef and italian seasoning and cook through. Once meat is no longer pink, add spaghetti sauce and spinach. Allow to heat up... about 3 minutes.
In a medium bowl, mix together cottage cheese, parmesan, egg, garlic powder, and parsely. Add cooked and drained pasta and mix.
In your prepared pan, put about 1/3 of your meat sauce mix down on the bottom. Next, layer in the pasta/cheese mixture. All of it. :oP Then the rest of the meat sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. I normally put my pan a cookie sheet so that it won't bubble over into my oven. After the 30 minutes is up, remove the foil, add the mozzerella, and bake uncovered for 4-5 minutes or until the cheese is all melted!
If would rather freeze this meal for later, just assemble, but don't bake! You can add the mozzerella now, but when you defrost and reheat, bake covered and then uncover for the cheese to brown a bit. :o)
Bon Appetit!
Getting Ready for Baby!
Ok... I know it's Tuesday and I owe you a "Fantastic Parent" post... but I am not feeling it right now. :oP
So, we are officially at 33 weeks today. That means that in only 3 short weeks, if I go into labor, the doctors and hospital will wish me the best of luck, but won't do anything to stop it! And, since the doctors have also told us that they don't want us going past 40w3d, we officially have a little window of this baby arriving in the next 21 to 52 days! Dun dun dun! I have a load of stuff to do before we are ready for Baby's arrival though... hopefully I won't run out of time.
I have started freezing meals! This is huge for me... I love good food, and I love knowing that my husband is getting "manly" meals... you know the kind. Lots of meat. Lots of carbs. Not so many veggies (although I sneek them in). Huge portions. But I know that I am not going to be enjoying cooking with a newborn and a toddler at my heels. So... while I only have one little kiddo begging for attention, I am doubling up and stashing away! So far, here is what we will be eating (once defrosted and baked) once Baby makes their arrival!
*Baked Ziti- I made two variations of this one... one with ground beef and spinach, the other with italian sausage and spinach. So yummy after I made it for dinner, I just had to freeze some!
*Chicken Spaghetti- This one is from The Pioneer Woman, and Dustin actually calls it Chicken Tetrazinni, but I slightly modified it to use what I had on hand. It's cheesy melty goodness is just packed full of chicken and pasta... enough to make Dustin smile, Ryan say "mmmmm" and me just fall in love with comfort food all over again.
*Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas- These are a childhood favorite... I grew up on them... and I guarantee my children will, too! And of course I use only Hatch green chilies!
*Apple Crisp- I bought a huge box of apples and needed to use them up, so I made up a couple Apple Crisps that will be perfect for any summer potlucks we need to go to and bring a dessert with us. I can't wait to smell these baking!
I have a few other meals that I plan on making for the freezer, including a Chili Relleno Casserole and some breakfast items. Most of the items are in foil pans in either a "Party Size" or a "Family Size"... in case it's just me and Dustin, or if more people happen to show up.
I will post recipes later, if people are interested... and I'll keep up with my todo list here!
So, we are officially at 33 weeks today. That means that in only 3 short weeks, if I go into labor, the doctors and hospital will wish me the best of luck, but won't do anything to stop it! And, since the doctors have also told us that they don't want us going past 40w3d, we officially have a little window of this baby arriving in the next 21 to 52 days! Dun dun dun! I have a load of stuff to do before we are ready for Baby's arrival though... hopefully I won't run out of time.
I have started freezing meals! This is huge for me... I love good food, and I love knowing that my husband is getting "manly" meals... you know the kind. Lots of meat. Lots of carbs. Not so many veggies (although I sneek them in). Huge portions. But I know that I am not going to be enjoying cooking with a newborn and a toddler at my heels. So... while I only have one little kiddo begging for attention, I am doubling up and stashing away! So far, here is what we will be eating (once defrosted and baked) once Baby makes their arrival!
*Baked Ziti- I made two variations of this one... one with ground beef and spinach, the other with italian sausage and spinach. So yummy after I made it for dinner, I just had to freeze some!
*Chicken Spaghetti- This one is from The Pioneer Woman, and Dustin actually calls it Chicken Tetrazinni, but I slightly modified it to use what I had on hand. It's cheesy melty goodness is just packed full of chicken and pasta... enough to make Dustin smile, Ryan say "mmmmm" and me just fall in love with comfort food all over again.
*Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas- These are a childhood favorite... I grew up on them... and I guarantee my children will, too! And of course I use only Hatch green chilies!
*Apple Crisp- I bought a huge box of apples and needed to use them up, so I made up a couple Apple Crisps that will be perfect for any summer potlucks we need to go to and bring a dessert with us. I can't wait to smell these baking!
I have a few other meals that I plan on making for the freezer, including a Chili Relleno Casserole and some breakfast items. Most of the items are in foil pans in either a "Party Size" or a "Family Size"... in case it's just me and Dustin, or if more people happen to show up.
I will post recipes later, if people are interested... and I'll keep up with my todo list here!
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