tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16661679785640015982024-03-05T13:13:01.301-06:00Country Mouse Musings...the musings of a country girl turned city bride....Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.comBlogger203125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-7450570334616712452016-09-15T14:36:00.001-05:002016-09-15T14:36:57.616-05:00A Hard Season<em>Disclaimer: This is not meant to be taken as a rant or a pity party post.
This is just meant for brutal, raw, real life honesty. Some of the things I’ve
written below I’ve heard from other mommies of young families and some of them
are from my own hectic last few weeks of being a mommy to three 3 and under.
This was written very quickly while all my littles were down for a nap. So I
apologize in advance for the fragmented style and any typos or grammatical
errors you find ;)</em><br />
<em>-------------------------------------------------------------</em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Javanese Text;">“It goes by so fast, don’t wish it
away.”</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Javanese Text;">“They are only little for a little while, one
day you’ll miss this!”</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Javanese Text;">“It’s just a season, they will be grown before
you know it.”</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Javanese Text;">“Enjoy every minute!”</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Javanese Text;">“He won’t put more on us than we can
bear.”</span></em><br />
<br />
There are times when hearing these phrases make me want to scream. And slam
doors. And throw things—most of the time at the person who just said any of the
things above. They are meant as encouragement, but more often than not, they
feel like a rebuke.<br />
<img src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/f2/c1/3c/f2c13c58d04cb8f2dcf6dcb15fb137b5.jpg" /><br />
These are things you hear from mothers who have grown children, or children
who are largely self-sufficient and don’t need Mommy’s constant supervision. I
hear them say these things and I honestly wonder and want to ask them “DO YOU
EVEN REMEMBER WHAT IT’S LIKE TO HAVE BABIES AND TODDLERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN?!”
Do they really not remember what its like to be sleep deprived, dealing with an
emotional, indecisive three year old, a teething eighteen month old with
diarrhea who pulls things out and makes messes faster than they can be cleaned
up, a newborn that you feel like you are missing out on so much of their first
sweet days and weeks because you are too busy chasing the other children and you
only hold when you stop long enough to nurse them, trying to keep the house some
semblance of clean, think of something for supper…..do they really not remember?
Throw in postpartum and breastfeeding hormones and you have a recipe for an
emotional train wreck.<br />
These well-meaning people are offering us advice from another
perspective—one that is looking back. We can benefit from this, it can help us
keep things in perspective and it’s meant to give us hope. But for a new mommy
who feels like she is drowning, those things meant to be a lifeline can actually
be a weight to pull her further down.<br />
<br />
What a lot of mommies of littles hear when these things are said are:<br />
“Stop complaining and being ungrateful.” <br />
“ Just get up earlier. Organize your day better.” (If the mommy were to get
up any earlier, she might as well never go to sleep.)<br />
“Stop being so weak. You need to be more spiritual.” <br />
“You are being selfish, stop focusing on you so much.” (To the mommy who
can’t remember when she washed her hair last.)<br />
“In the grand scheme of things, this time is very short, so you need to get
over yourself and get a grip. There’s more important things going on.” (To the
mommy who feels like she is about to lose her mind—literally—and almost can’t
remember who she was before babies.)<br />
<br />
Hearing these things (even if they are only imagined!) can be crushing to a
mommy who is exhausted mentally and physically. Taking care of everything
for everyone around you, trying your hardest to meet every need for little
people who can be ungrateful little heathens and push you to your wits’ end,
being on call 24/7, rarely being alone for the most basic of personal needs
(hello, bathroom break?), feeling like a failure because the house is never
clean, no matter what you do it gets undone, having to wrestle with the decision
to either rest or take a shower or clean while the littles are napping…these
things can push you to the edge and make you feel like a shadow of the person
you were before children. Not to mention the guilt of feeling like you are
constantly putting your husband—your BEST FRIEND and the love of your life—on
the back burner and wondering how he can still even like or love this crazy
woman that has replaced his wife.<br />
<br />
In the middle of all this craziness, doubts and guilt start creeping in. “Am
I really meeting my children’s needs?” “Do I tell them I love them enough? Do
they even know I love them?” “Do I play with them enough?” “All I ever do is say
no and fuss at them.”<br />
<br />
I’ll be very honest right now. My sweet newborn was only a week old, my
sister was still staying with me and I’d had so much help that first week. We’d
had meals brought to us, things should have been fine. But they weren’t. My
husband found me hiding in the garage after I started a load of laundry bawling
my eyes out. I had reached my limit with the kids and the thought of being alone
with them and trying to take care of everything by myself when all my help left
was more than I could handle. I was completely freaking out. (He quickly called
his mom to come over and watch the all of the kids with my sister and got me out
of the house and took me out for supper and that helped tremendously. Just
getting an hour away and having someone focus just on me for a little bit was
amazing and exactly what I needed.) Talk about feeling like a failure and a
complete joke of a mom.<br />
<br />
Yes, this is only a short season, but it is a <em>hard </em>season. There
are people who have the benefit of time and experience to see and know that it
is only a season, but to the person in the middle of it who does not have that
perspective, it feels never-ending. <br />
<br />
How do we meet in the middle of these two perspectives? The exhausted mommy
who feels like she’s caught in cruel joke and vicious cycle and the mother who
seems to have forgotten how hard those early years can be?<br />
<br />
<strong>The mommy of littles</strong>—I’ve found that taking just a little
bit of time everyday for ME helps. Even if it is just 5-10 minutes doing
something I want to while the babies are down for a nap, it helps me remember
that I am a person, not just a maid and babysitter. Do something that makes you
feel pretty, even if no one but your babies see you all day. Do something that
makes you feel sane. If you aren’t taking care of you, you won’t be able to take
care of your babies.<br />
I know it is difficult at times, but don’t be angry at the things
well-meaning people say. Even if they don’t seem to remember all the bumps and
rocky spots, they have walked this road before us and are further down it than
we are.<br />
<br />
<strong>Older Mom</strong>—give advice if asked. Offer to pick up watch some
(or all) of the little people for a couple of hours one day. This would be more
encouraging than anything you could say. This will let the young mommy get
something done, or just rest and enjoy her littlest one that she may feel she’s
missing out on. Or offer to watch them so she can have a date with her husband
and have an uninterrupted meal and conversation with her sweetheart. <br />
If you must say the things I mentioned above, be honest and add something
more to it. For example: “This season goes by so fast, but I know it may not
seem like it right now. I remember when mine were this age, I felt
like______________” Fill in the blank and be honest with her about how you felt.
Let her know that it’s ok for her to feel this way and it’s normal. Knowing that
she’s not a crazy person will help her to deal with it and not despair.<br />
<br />
It can be so easy to get wrapped up in our everyday lives and forget to look at life from other people's eyes--no matter what stage we are in. Hopefully we can become more aware and intentional with those around us. <3 Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-63057811903308387422015-07-15T12:20:00.001-05:002015-07-22T13:27:10.412-05:00Bread & Butter Pickles<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pkQcjqoC0pE/VaaWBXcznlI/AAAAAAAACpc/idzVcdi0nZk/s1600-h/picklesbanner2%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="picklesbanner2" border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NVEHhEiQQE0/VaaWDqnrtQI/AAAAAAAACpk/sJ0JsW4FgCc/picklesbanner2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="345" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="picklesbanner2" width="517" /></a><br />
My cucumbers have been doing fantastic—that’s about the only thing doing extremely well in my garden this year. We’ve had so much rain in our part of the world, it’s giving everyone fits with their gardens.<br />
I’ve had an abundance of cucumbers. An “abundance” for me, maybe not for anyone else. Actually, I don’t even get enough at one time for a full batch of pickles, but I didn’t let that stop me from making some pickles. My sweet Jacob loves bread and butter pickles, but they must be homemade—none of that store-bought stuff for him. I was able to make two separate half batches from our garden and thought I’d share the recipe. Thankfully, batches of pickles (unlike jellies and jams) can be halved, doubled, or tripled and still have great results.<br />
We have always used <a href="http://www.southernliving.com/food/entertaining/pickle-recipes/bread-butter-pickles">Southern Living's recipe</a>. Bread and butters almost always turn out crunchy and they are super easy to make. Dill pickles can be so finicky and you don’t always get consistent results. I think the moon has to be <i>just right</i> and the proper stars aligned for dill pickles. (No, I’m not bitter at all.) Not so with bread and butters! The recipe on the SL website is for a smaller batch than the recipe in the cookbooks my mom and I have. Below is the recipe I used. I took pictures of most of the process, but with a two year old and a crawling 5.5 month old helping me, I missed a few steps.<br />
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-k2ts9KhviKY/VaaWE57IshI/AAAAAAAACpo/1iLVxqbnego/s1600-h/picklehelpers%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="picklehelpers" border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R-svYCPYqaM/VaaWFrGQTUI/AAAAAAAACpw/AZdWO8hs6kY/picklehelpers_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="312" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="picklehelpers" width="312" /></a><br />
My kitchen smells like HEAVEN while the pickles are getting mixed up and while they chill. The smell almost runs my husband out of the house but it smells divine to me, which is funny because I don’t care for bread and butter pickles at all.<br />
Also, I’m assuming you know the basics of canning. If not, <a href="http://www.freshpreserving.com/getting-started">please visit here</a> before starting.<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Frenchpress; font-size: x-large;">Bread & Butter Pickles (Half Batch makes 5-6 pints)</span></b><br />
3 lbs cucumbers, washed and sliced<br />
2-3 medium onions, sliced<br />
1 large bell pepper, chopped<br />
2 garlic cloves, chopped<br />
1/6 c. salt (original recipe calls for pickling salt, but we have always used regular salt and had great results)<br />
Ice—crushed is best, but I’m still old school and have ice trays.<br />
~~~~~<br />
2 1/2 c. granulated sugar<br />
1 1/2 c. white vinegar<br />
1 T. yellow mustard seeds<br />
3/4 t. <a href="http://www.bulkherbstore.com/Turmeric-Root-Powder">turmeric</a><br />
3/4 t. celery seeds<br />
~Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large dutch oven or pot. (I use my 11 quart soup pot. I’ve also just used a large Tupperware container, it just needs to be able to fit in your fridge.) Stir well, then add the salt and stir again. <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KGLaCYwXLDs/VaaWGbTI4OI/AAAAAAAACp8/Owlvwuc2V0Y/s1600-h/IMG_0771%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0771" border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sFuhvTMFxr8/VaaWHJAn21I/AAAAAAAACqA/XHxdlkdAtwo/IMG_0771_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="299" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0771" width="448" /></a><br />
Add ice and stir well to make sure the ice is distributed evenly throughout the pickle mixture. <br />
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XjZCoCRfsa0/VaaWH5uu4zI/AAAAAAAACqI/hJjEiI56-RI/s1600-h/IMG_0780%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0780" border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SlvYZXtN1y0/VaaWIS3K5SI/AAAAAAAACqQ/aHMAmn1_OR0/IMG_0780_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="298" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0780" width="447" /></a><br />
Let chill in the fridge for 3 hours and drain. It’s ok if there is a little ice left, just so long as you get all of the water out. Set dutch oven on stove.<br />
Mix together in a bowl remaining ingredients.<br />
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eEx2L4Hd08w/VaaWJMVCoSI/AAAAAAAACqc/-fwnPsqvqbU/s1600-h/IMG_0784%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0784" border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Elho1MizNKk/VaaWKNaMXbI/AAAAAAAACqg/S8MUIK8MfD0/IMG_0784_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="303" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0784" width="454" /></a><br />
Pour over cucumber mixture and mix to coat.<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fLVyV3PcbeQ/VaaWK5Ygi_I/AAAAAAAACqo/udTCBwWkE6w/s1600-h/IMG_0788%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0788" border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C0T5LHL_lSA/VaaWLZ8VUKI/AAAAAAAACqw/J-Qvukw4P10/IMG_0788_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="303" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0788" width="454" /></a><br />
Heat mixture til <b>just</b> boiling. Don’t let it boil for very long at all or you may end up with mushy pickles. Everything will turn a lovely mustard yellow color.<br />
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xeYrYfg4sCY/VaaWL3mN6bI/AAAAAAAACq8/dqJoGQGbscU/s1600-h/IMG_0789%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0789" border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-57vWDsUo_Ks/VaaWMi5S7UI/AAAAAAAACrA/jwAApV_AR8E/IMG_0789_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="298" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0789" width="447" /></a><br />
Immediately pack into hot jars (be sure and check the rims for nicks and make sure the rims are clean), put lids on and tighten rings finger tight. Place in a hot water bath canner, cover jars with water 2-3 inches above lids and process 10 minutes (let the jars boil for 10 minutes –set a timer) then remove with a jar lifter. Let jars set for at least 12 hours before moving them. Enjoying the happy popping sounds of the jars sealing!<br />
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ozx2XdMKVA8/VaaWNVpsD5I/AAAAAAAACrM/Pcs5Rxk8IPU/s1600-h/IMG_0795%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0795" border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VsI8Y8l0XDQ/VaaWOS0C16I/AAAAAAAACrU/eobtZT0bh6Y/IMG_0795_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="303" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0795" width="454" /></a><br />
A word about hot water baths: it’s a commitment. The recipe makes it sound so quick and simple. But it’s not. It takes FOREVER and a day for that massive pot of water to come to a boil. I think it took around an hour. And I started with warm water. Just warning you.<br />
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u0647Gdwdi8/VaaWPlnL9lI/AAAAAAAACrc/1XJraahC7yo/s1600-h/picklesbanner%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="picklesbanner" border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rMvARGvW5lI/VaaWRfmjFOI/AAAAAAAACrg/7sZs8cAhNXY/picklesbanner_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="311" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="picklesbanner" width="466" /></a>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-35320493736701402712015-05-12T10:27:00.001-05:002015-05-12T10:27:18.424-05:00Hello, Little Garden…<p>I thought I’d share a few peeks at our garden we planted last week. I have high hopes for it this year—last year shortly after we planted the garden we learned I was expecting Princess #2 and morning sickness set in, and well, you know the rest of the story!</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-B330nTDByLc/VVIbxM_g0tI/AAAAAAAACnU/b15rtsGh4Mo/s1600-h/IMG_1349%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_1349" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_1349" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ras5J2cqvTQ/VVIbxr_cO3I/AAAAAAAACnY/ry0JeDhg4FQ/IMG_1349_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="295" height="393"></a></p> <p> I love to garden. Gardening is part of the good life. Getting out and working in the dirt, the smell of the plants, the warm sunshine, the eventual harvest—there is nothing like it. My garden is significantly smaller than the ones we had while I was growing up. There are several things that I don’t think I could grow well in my little city garden. Peas, corn, and potatoes are some of those. But those plants are also a lot of work and commitment, which isn’t the best thing for me right now with my two littles.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1ltcGEjus7E/VVIbx-M841I/AAAAAAAACnk/Fc8bnN9WB2c/s1600-h/IMG_1350%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_1350" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_1350" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Om47ce6x6eg/VVIbyk22gLI/AAAAAAAACno/l8y0RlT6BC8/IMG_1350_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="279" height="372"></a></p> <p>So this year we have planted fairly low-maintenance plants that don’t need a lot of space: tomatoes, bell and jalapeno peppers, eggplants, squash, and cucumbers. I can get peas and corn from relatives and friends in the country, so we won’t miss out on them even though we weren’t able to grow them.</p> <p>We’ve been having lots of rain the last few weeks, which is perfect for little seedlings and plants that are trying to get their start, but not so good for weeding, hence the slightly untidy appearance of the garden.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ybORHdz0Tts/VVIbzMfZxgI/AAAAAAAACnw/yhfweRMZLqU/s1600-h/IMG_0586%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0586" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_0586" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-O9UDaGPCPPM/VVIbzoE5EHI/AAAAAAAACn4/DH6TbxvqptM/IMG_0586_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="490" height="327"></a></p> <p>Happy little cucumbers.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J_8mux9vtxw/VVIbz6Rn1WI/AAAAAAAACoA/feo4nBHIYic/s1600-h/IMG_0600%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0600" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_0600" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VJ-t1Yga7AM/VVIb0VCtT2I/AAAAAAAACoI/ZzqUEND5pE4/IMG_0600_thumb%25255B10%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="491" height="203"></a></p> <p>Olivia planted Old Maids/Zinnias this year. She loves “fahbers” and I can’t wait until they start blooming. She is going to be ecstatic!</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bC0CDttK2-M/VVIb0t_poWI/AAAAAAAACoU/-WVerqAGwG0/s1600-h/IMG_0594%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0594" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_0594" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ylZD-jx7xc8/VVIb1LkWncI/AAAAAAAACoY/SuzA5rbpdwQ/IMG_0594_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="323"></a></p> <p>One of three heirloom tomato plants—we planted two Cherokee Purples, and one German Queen. I’ve never really had experience with heirloom tomatoes, growing up we always planted hybrids, so I am very excited to see how these turn out this year. And we planted one HeatMaster for good measure, because this is Texas after all, and it gets hot!</p> <p>I had to dash back in the house this morning before I was able to take pictures of the other things we have growing—it started raining again. More photos to come!</p> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-52240234349762275762015-02-14T14:13:00.001-06:002015-07-24T09:46:32.212-05:00Two Under Two—18 Days in and my 200th post<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GkVkonaQGck/VN-sb4YeA8I/AAAAAAAACk8/zCTh4wmy_9Y/s1600-h/nottired%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="nottired" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-13mnadQFBTs/VN-scoNarTI/AAAAAAAAClE/CTu5VVyXaDQ/nottired_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="305" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="nottired" width="416" /></a><br />
I have survived 18 days of having two children under the age of two. How am I doing? I’m exhausted, that’s how I’m doing. That whole “sleep when the baby sleeps!” thing doesn’t work when you have a toddler running around, pulling things out of cabinets and climbing on the kitchen table. She also has learned how to open screw-top lids and open doors in the last week and a half.<br />
<b>****Note: both of my children are asleep right now—WHAT AM I DOING WRITING A BLOG POST INSTEAD OF NAPPING?! What’s wrong with me?*****</b><br />
The first 15 days weren’t so bad—I had my mom and then my sister staying with me to help. Three days ago when my mom came to take my sister home, she was highly amused at me clinging to the hem of her skirt begging “Don’t leave me!”<br />
And what is really sad is that yesterday was really my first real day totally alone with the girls. I texted my husband a little after lunch and let him know that all I’d really accomplished that day was changing diapers, nursing the baby, and pumping (I’m trying to keep a breast infection at bay right now). I felt I should give the poor fellow warning before he came home to the disaster area that used to be known as our home. He graciously replied, “It’s ok, sweetheart. Are you doing ok? Do I need to pick anything up from the store for you?” I married a very smart man…<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jlKq-dvXo3s/VN-sddfWHoI/AAAAAAAAClM/iskPCoD-BpM/s1600-h/mombie%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="mombie" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WVp1QEX2mDA/VN-sd9rJcWI/AAAAAAAAClU/r1j8W4DpI78/mombie_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="436" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="mombie" width="424" /></a><br />
We never know what our nights will hold. Princess Tiny still has her days and nights mixed up for the most part and we are trying to help her with that, but who knows what time she’ll decided to actually go to sleep each night. Swaddle blankets and a box fan for noise are helping, though, and we are trying to establish a routine.<br />
Princess Littles—who is capable of sleeping through the night, but rarely does—is nearly as unpredictable as her baby sister. Bedtimes are pretty easy, when she gets tired she wants her blanket and bed (Hello Linus!) but when she wakes during the night—sometimes two or three times—we never know what kind of mood she’ll be in and how long it will take to get her back down. Part of this is because of all of the change in her little life in the last two weeks and she is in her own room now, but she has shown us that she can sleep all night—when she wants too.<br />
My poor husband, who is not as used to sleep deprivation as I am, has been a real champ through it all. Because he does have to get up and go to work each day, I try to only wake him to help with the girls at night if I absolutely have to. About a week ago in the young marrieds’ class at our church, our pastors’ wife said something to the effect of “And you couples who are wanting to have children in the near future—“ “DON’T DO IT!” my husband weakly called out. Everyone got quite a laugh from it. She said “And that comes from the Daddy of a toddler and a newborn!”<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MHfEE97F1x8/VN-seiD43CI/AAAAAAAAClY/jSTVotonNi0/s1600-h/sleepingdisorder%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="sleepingdisorder" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MZ1X_-kmhGs/VN-sfLngNkI/AAAAAAAAClk/-TtC8e5rcAk/sleepingdisorder_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="288" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="sleepingdisorder" width="395" /></a><br />
It has been tough the last 18 days (mostly the nights), and it has really tested me and is letting me see what my true limits are and how very, very much I need the Lord and His grace and strength. Is it worth it? Even sitting here needing coffee, exhausted as all get out, my immediate answer is “YES! A thousand times, yes.”<br />
The rough nights and endless messes are (almost!) forgotten when Livie comes and gives me a kiss just because and says “Love you.’' Or when she is so sweet with her baby sister and worries when she cries. There is nothing like sweet baby snuggles and smiles.<br />
It all makes what little sleep we do get all the more precious. This is just a season, and one day I’ll miss the chaos and craziness that is our life right now.<br />
So Happy Valentine’s Day—I’m off to make some more coffee. My kids are waking up.Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-51416516475738835882015-02-02T13:35:00.001-06:002015-02-02T13:35:10.522-06:00Kate’s Birth Day<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXrBlpnMI3-EBpb_TUCVlr3dxYhTaHq2v8p76Jxqqx3UJOwatdU_RoarVwtPI5EXa9aN1Ua1G2Ev9LD05wc8CIiiAoZF_rKzlGft4TNyjNehyphenhyphenZiKoMBQR8XV5MG3Yy_lklDrzJMdtATbH/s1600-h/Katecollage2%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Katecollage2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Katecollage2" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KxOzIxVQqHY/VM_RV7nIjnI/AAAAAAAACkI/Zg3C9__55iY/Katecollage2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="381" height="389"></a> <p>January 27<sup>th</sup>, 2015—Tuesday <p>40 weeks, 4 days <p>I woke up Tuesday morning around 6:30 and got out of bed to kiss Jacob goodbye for work. When I stood up out of bed I felt a little gush. After he left, I went to the bathroom and there was a fair amount of blood in my panties. I got very excited—this was the most promising sign I'd had so far. I hadn't had any real signs or “exciting” contractions at all. <p>I'd had a fairly uneventful night, with maybe one contraction throughout the night. I hoped that this was a sign that I'd be in real labor by that evening and maybe holding our baby by Wednesday morning. My labor with Olivia was around 7 1/2-8 hours long, with intense, active labor being around 3 hours long. <p>I went back to bed and had a very good contraction at 7am. About 7-8 minutes later, I had another one. They didn't stop, but grew stronger and I couldn't fall back asleep or ignore them. I decided to time them—with Livie I would have good strong contractions for an hour, then they would stop. I did that all weekend the weekend that Livie was born. I was expecting more of the same. I put a shower curtain under the bottom sheet to protect my mattresss, just in case my water broke. <p>I'd sent Jacob several texts and he hadn't responded. When he had left for work, I didn't know what was about to the transpire. I waited a little while and timed some more contractions, then decided to call him and let him know what was going on. He was going to finish up a few things and then stop by the store for a few things I needed. Livie woke up in the midst of all of this, around 7:45. <p>I called my mom to give her a heads up that today might be the big day. The contractions were getting stronger, and she could tell over the phone. She asked me if I'd called Alice yet, and I said no, I was waiting a little longer just to be sure. I was afraid it was a false alarm. She said that no, I needed to call her immediately and let her know. <p>I called Miranda (Alice's daughter and other midwife in the practice) and told her all that had happened and what was going on, and she had me time the next four contractions and send her the information. She also wanted to know how quickly Jacob could get home and/or how quickly I could have someone with me to take care of Livie. I told her ten minutes at the most—my MIL hadn't left for work yet, and Jacob works 6 minutes away from the house. <p>After I'd timed the next four contractions she called me back and said for Jacob to come home immediately and that I needed to have a protein shake so I wouldn't be laboring on an empty stomach. <p>I called Jacob and told him he needed to come home right now and to ask his mom to go to the store for us before she came and picked up Livie. <p>By this point I was already having to start breathing through each contraction, they were growing noticeably stronger, and I couldn't get up out of the recliner. <p>When he got home he fixed me a protein shake (which I was only able to drink a few sips of) and I asked him to run some warm bath water for me. I was still in my pj's and hadn't had a chance to change into the gown I wanted to wear for the birth and hadn't had a chance to fix my hair. <p>Miranda texted me and let me know that Alice was getting ready to leave. <p>He helped me move to the bed and started getting things ready to set up the pool I'd bought to labor in. After I got in bed, I seemed to lose all sense of time, so I'm not sure exactly time-wise when things began to happen. <p>My mom got to our house first and began to help Jacob get things in order. Shortly after, my mother-in-law arrived and started getting Livie (who was still in her pj's too) ready to leave. <p>Jacob asked me several times if I wanted him to get the pool ready. By this point, I didn't think I could move and didn't think that we had time to fill the pool before I had the baby. <p>Alice called Jacob several times to verify directions to our house and let us know where she was. <p>About 15 minutes before Alice got to our house, I felt Kate's head move down. This freaked me out, to be honest. With Livie's birth, once I felt that, I was pushing with the next contraction. I was afraid that Alice wouldn't make it in time. I told Jacob and he assured me that she would be here in time. <p>My water still hadn't broken at this point. With Livie, it broke almost three hours before she was born. I started wondering if the contractions really weren't as bad as I thought and I was just being a wimp. I was afraid that Alice would check me and I would still have quite a bit left to dilate. Truthfully I didn't think I was in enough pain yet. <p>She finally came walking into my bedroom right around 10am. She checked me and I was at an 8! I was so excited. She said we would have a baby within the hour. In between contractions, I told Jacob to call my friend Casey who was going to be at the birth and tell her if she was going to make it in time, she'd better hurry. She later told me she made it to our house in 4 minutes. <p>Shortly after Casey arrived, Alice told me that if I wanted to push with the next contraction, she could help me finish dilating and speed things up. The next contraction I said “Ok” and pushed. <p>With Livie, I pushed a few times in the bathtub, then moved to the bed and pushed a few times on my back, then she had me move to the floor and squat. I expected to do the same with this birth, but Alice never had me move. <p>After several good pushes, I suddenly felt very nauseous. I vomited a few times with my first birth, so we were prepared for it, and had a bowl beside the bed. I knew I was about to throw up and I asked for the bowl, but my voice was so weak and quiet from pushing no one heard me until it was too late. I was flat on my back and vomit went everywhere thankfully it was mostly only liquid since I hadn't really eaten anything in the last several hours. It got all in my hair and all over my pillows. Alice exclaimed “Oh no! Not in her hair!” (My hair is to my knees and it is a major ordeal to wash it—not something you want to have to do immediately after giving birth.) <p>One or two contractions/pushes later, my water broke at 10:47am. Thirteen minutes later, Katelynn was born into my husband's hands—mad and screaming at the top of her lungs. She was not pleased with being forced outside. <p>From the very first contraction until she was born was only four hours. No warning or “early” labor—I woke up in active labor. It was very surprising to me and nothing at all like I'd expected. Because my water didn't break until right before Kate was born, the contractions were much more manageable and not as painful as with my first birth. Also, with Kate's birth I never really felt the urge to push like I did with Olivia. And I didn't feel like a screaming banshee this time either ;) <p>I had no tearing, which has made my recovery so much better and easier this time around and I felt so wonderful so fast afterwards I couldn't believe it. <p>Katelynn Avery weighed 8 lbs, 4 oz, and was 21 ½ inches long. Her head was 13 ½ inches around—just like her big sister's. <p>She was born on my great-grandmother's birthday—which was exactly what I had hoped and prayed for. The weather was beautiful and perfect and warm—another answered prayer. She was born during the day, making it easier on her big sister—no overnight stay away from us—she just went to play at Grammy's house and came home to a new baby. This was another answered prayer. <p>All in all, except for the vomit, I couldn't have asked for a better or more perfect birth. The second was much easier than the first! We are so thankful! <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HgkheQ87wvU/VM_RXWoJfVI/AAAAAAAACkQ/B9w29I3NKvQ/s1600-h/Katecollage1%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Katecollage1" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Katecollage1" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zhccAxbCfis/VM_RYizdzdI/AAAAAAAACkY/rhMX93mgqn4/Katecollage1_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="559" height="298"></a> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-3mj8JLzIzAY/VM_RaAv-pnI/AAAAAAAACkg/5DgytMcXOhw/s1600-h/IMG_0190%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0190" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_0190" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1xG2jeEUOh4/VM_RbNZ9ONI/AAAAAAAACko/y6K6xkvvpOU/IMG_0190_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="359" height="366"></a> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-54753631117708742192014-10-31T11:11:00.001-05:002014-10-31T11:11:10.666-05:00Just thankful…<p>Here we are, on the eve of the most thankful month of the year. I try to maintain a grateful heart year-round, but the month of November usually finds me more reflective than the rest of the year.</p> <p>A few things I’m thankful for (in no particular order) in my little world:</p> <p>~My Savior, Who forgives me and carries the shame and guilt away.</p> <p>~My sweet husband, whose love for me amazes me every day.</p> <p>~Our girls ;) </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pnYFxzqwkm4/VFO0kwnnRWI/AAAAAAAACig/VIjQOzw4Oko/s1600-h/10312534_10204885583730426_2074367122797896483_n%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="10312534_10204885583730426_2074367122797896483_n" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="10312534_10204885583730426_2074367122797896483_n" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-EUdUaplFRIs/VFO0lsSQYpI/AAAAAAAACio/nLT6_lF5Frg/10312534_10204885583730426_2074367122797896483_n_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="376" height="394"></a></p> <p>Miss Livie, who at 16 months old already has an opinion about her clothes and bats her eyelashes at her Daddy when she gets in trouble. </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnh0RHodYZ4G2ruGepSIWF0ixp6RbIAOXA-LmJx-zWLT175iCC_Xhv-Bg1r0-p4hOjWyrIKcxPxObOuCl5d1HrVWrfJ99Uxxrv7KLtFffr6E_xCM_ZvN3vb1u5tNSA06OxAaKllNDaXYhN/s1600-h/kate27wultrasound%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="kate27wultrasound" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="kate27wultrasound" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XshBo3Qy2i8/VFO0nM8DTRI/AAAAAAAACi4/HJIb1ZtBKB4/kate27wultrasound_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="349" height="362"></a></p> <p>And tiny Miss Katelynn, who even though she isn’t due to make her appearance yet, has already stolen our hearts. Early in the pregnancy we had a few little scares and I wondered if I would ever get to meet her. Now we are only about 12 weeks away from her arrival. God is good to us!</p> <p>~My Keurig coffee machine and all of the wonderful cups of coffee and tea it provides me throughout the day ;)</p> <p>~Our cozy (albeit somewhat messy) home. Thanks to our toddler, there are lots of happy messes popping up everywhere.</p> <p>~My new Swiffer WetJet, which makes mopping so much easier on this pregnant gal, and Murphy’s Oil Soap, which makes cleaning all of my antique knotty pine cabinets a breeze.</p> <p>~My clothesline.</p> <p> </p> <p>These are just a few things that immediately spring to mind, I’m sure there will be more in the coming days.</p> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-32636184462430693982014-10-15T09:45:00.001-05:002014-10-15T09:45:22.715-05:00Keeping it Real<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-suXZtMReGE0/VD6IfOEZTsI/AAAAAAAACiA/QP19VIFtslE/s1600-h/b3ea99464ce179e5f6c60e88bdf3bcaf%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="b3ea99464ce179e5f6c60e88bdf3bcaf" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="b3ea99464ce179e5f6c60e88bdf3bcaf" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ViOYb_5lhDY/VD6IgJR9RFI/AAAAAAAACiI/J8hevhxMwSE/b3ea99464ce179e5f6c60e88bdf3bcaf_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="223" height="316"></a></p> <p>One of the lovely (or not-so-lovely) things about our online “life” is that we can portray only the best and only the prettiest parts of our real life. Our houses are always clean, the children are always dressed and happy, and all of the meals for the week are planned. It is easy to get caught up in maintaining that rosy, perfect picture, afraid to admit that we truly are human and don’t really have it all together.</p> <p> Earlier this week on a Facebook group I’m a member of, a thread “Worst Housekeeping/Housecleaning Confessions” was started. It was such a blessing to me to read through it and see that I wasn’t the only one(!) who didn’t have a spotless house. I’m not the only one who struggles to stay on top of things, yet has laundry piled high waiting to be washed and a fridge that needs to be cleaned out.</p> <p> So when you feel overwhelmed, remember you aren’t the only one who has sat down and cried your eyes out because of the state of your home and because you feel like a failure as a homemaker. The real world and real life are messier and more disorganized than blogs and Pinterest would lead us to believe.</p> <p> A trick that I’ve learned to help me when I have the housecleaning blues is to do one thing in each room that is noticeable. That gets the ball rolling and there is a difference (even if it’s small!) in each space. For example: in my bedroom, I’ll make the bed. In the living room I’ll make sure the couch and coffee table are straight. Little things like that will help me see where I want to go and give me motivation to get there.</p> <p> I am a huge list maker. I make lists for everything. And I make lists when I clean. Checking things off of a list gives me an adrenaline rush (I know, I need to get out more) and sometimes my lists are ridiculous, depending on how airheaded I am that day. </p> <p>I have also started using a timer extensively, thanks to the FlyLady. It is amazing to me how much I can get accomplished in 15 minutes of focused cleaning. I highly recommend doing this. In her book <a href="http://amzn.com/B004NKZBQQ">Sink Reflections</a>, she gives the following “formula” for cleaning with a timer:</p> <p>Set a timer for 15 minutes and work as fast as you can in one area until the timer sounds. Don’t get distracted and move until time is up. Set the timer for another 15 minutes and move to another area, even if the first isn’t finished—you can come to it later. Continue in this manner until you have cleaned for 3 sets of 15 minute intervals (a total of 45 minutes.) Set your timer for 15 minutes again and take a break.</p> <p>This method has really worked well for me, even if I have to go back to an area a few times to finish it. I’ve found, however, that 15 minutes of focused cleaning is usually almost all that I need for most areas.</p> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-37928211740503888762014-09-30T16:51:00.001-05:002014-09-30T16:51:19.472-05:00One Dish Meals—my favorite thing to make!<p>Lately the creative juices have been running dry about what to cook for supper. I’m pregnant, so my tastebuds have a mind of their own, my energy levels aren’t what I wish they were, and living in the city means restaurants are close by. </p> <p>At this stage in my life, recipes that are quick and easy to prepare, don’t require many dishes (have I mentioned my cute little antique 50’s house doesn’t have a dishwasher?) or crockpot recipes are very, very appealing to me right now.</p> <p>So, having said all that, I tried a new recipe this week for Sunday dinner. A friend had just made it and raved about it so I decided to give it a go. I bravely tried a new recipe and invited my in-laws over for dinner—breaking one of the oldest rules in the book: <strong>Never try a new recipe out on company!</strong></p> <p>The recipe was one that I had seen floating around on Pinterest and Facebook for a little while. You bake chicken breast with green beans and potatoes and it looked pretty fast and easy. I was a little skeptical, but when my friend went on and on about it, I thought I’d give it a try.</p> <p>It turned out amazing!!!! The chicken was so moist, the green beans were the best I’d ever had (which floored me because there was no bacon in it), and the potatoes were perfect. I made some cream cheese chili corn to go with it and Overnight Sourdough Rolls (recipe forthcoming) and my husband pronounced the meal “The BOMB!” My in-laws loved it and my mother-in-love said she was going to add it to their menu.</p> <p>It turned out so yummy that I ended up making it again for supper the next night, but with center cut pork chops instead of chicken. I wasn’t disappointed. The results were just as delicious. I will have to be careful and not make it too often, lest I burn the husband out on it.</p> <p>It took only about 15 minutes (maybe!) to put together and it baked for an hour and a half. My kitchen didn’t get destroyed, it didn’t mess up every dish in the cupboard and I had time to get things done whilst it baked. Win, win, win, all the way around.</p> <p>The only thing that would have made it better would have been if I’d remembered to take pictures. I will next time! You’ll just have to take my word for how yummy it looks.</p> <p>Here’s the recipe:</p> <p><font size="5" face="Sketch Serif">Oven Baked Chicken, Green Beans & Potatoes</font></p> <p>4 chicken breasts (I used boneless, skinless, and the next night I used center cut pork chops!)</p> <p>2-3 cans of green beans, drained OR fresh green beans</p> <p>1 1/2 lbs-2 lbs small red potatoes, quartered</p> <p>1 package dry Italian dressing mix (I used Good Seasons)</p> <p>1 stick (or 1/2 cup) of butter, melted</p> <p> </p> <p>Preheat oven to 350*F.</p> <p>Place chicken down the center of a large baking dish (I used an 11X14 Pyrex). Place the green beans on one side, the potatoes on the other. Sprinkle the package of Italian dressing mix over everything and drizzle with the melted butter. Cover in foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until chicken is done and potatoes are tender.</p> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-22588510788649999352014-09-24T15:25:00.001-05:002014-09-24T15:25:23.670-05:00Fall is here!!!!!! Well, sort of…<p>We’ve been given a glimmer of hope the last few mornings—the weather has been lovely and cool. The summer heat can’t last forever, we’ve had a promise and a taste of cooler weather and I CAN’T WAIT!!!!!!</p> <p>Fall is my very most favorite time of year. Hands down. The cooler, less humid weather makes me want to clean and organize everything, sew and craft like crazy, and redecorate every room in the house. Some of that might just be a bit of early nesting starting up. The challenge for me is not getting a dozen projects strung out and unfinished before exhaustion sets in…I’m still working on keeping things balanced and knowing my limits.</p> <p> I love to open all of the windows in the house and air out all of the stuffiness that has built up during the summer months. I feel like I can clean the best when the windows are open.</p> <p> Ok, so fall makes me feel like Wonderwoman. I may not be her, but it makes me feel like her ;)</p> <p>Another reason I love fall is that is the only time of the year I can get my favorite candle—Candied Caramel Pecan by Better Homes and Gardens. HEAVEN in a jar. It makes the house smell amazing. The only downside to it is that it gets my husband’s hopes up and he thinks I’ve been baking.</p> <p>Also in the latest breaking news for our little family:</p> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-TfkLmvrhwH8/VCMorV-DVZI/AAAAAAAACgw/QLUESyGfx-c/s1600-h/babykateannounce%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img title="babykateannounce" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="babykateannounce" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6l8kJDyE7yc/VCMosdrRdeI/AAAAAAAACg4/pOab6YoltT8/babykateannounce_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="562" height="302"></a> <p>It’s a little sister!!!!! We are being blessed with another princess and we can’t wait to meet our Katelynn Avery. I’m thrilled that the girls will be so close in age, they will always have a best friend and tea party buddy.</p> <p>Well, I have to get back to the real world and laundry. I can’t prolong my break any more, lest Mt. Washmore grows any larger. I am convinced that the laundry multiplies whilst my back is turned.</p> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-87741940914188886342014-08-20T10:39:00.001-05:002014-08-20T10:39:33.250-05:00Back again…<p>You know those days (or weeks, or months) when time seems to speed by and you forget about or are too busy for non-essential activities (like writing blog posts)? I’ve been in one of those seasons it feels for quite a while. My life has been full of lots of excitement and surprises over the last few months. But I’m back, at least for right now.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TJJbKIgJSeo/U_TBC3vbk0I/AAAAAAAACeY/7cjkC7At510/s1600-h/IMG_2214%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_2214" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2214" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ODRMUHMDdqk/U_TBEAfi7tI/AAAAAAAACeg/alr36zUbPeo/IMG_2214_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="245" height="248"></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ag6MMBo__0k/U_TBE5lckAI/AAAAAAAACeo/1erMVyGsXc4/s1600-h/IMG_2148%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_2148" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2148" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-CIE7T2Xmxw4/U_TBF95bUcI/AAAAAAAACew/8pPd4lHimUU/IMG_2148_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="183" height="249"></a></p> <p>Our Livie is 14 months old now. I can’t believe our baby is becoming so grown up. She can walk, but is very choosy about when she does. She has an ever growing vocabulary and is constantly keeping us on our toes and entertained. Livie is handling being weaned much better than I thought she would and hopefully she will be completely weaned by the end of the month. It has been a very sweet time for us nursing, but it’s time move on.</p> <p>Why? Because….</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xh1NhPjSdYo/U_TBGtZ3KQI/AAAAAAAACe4/FwDU8eenTU0/s1600-h/IMG_2162%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_2162" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2162" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kRdYfASj52E/U_TBHebDgfI/AAAAAAAACfA/YGFs7o66yX8/IMG_2162_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="315" height="322"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-G1aQ4B0iFM4/U_TBIZlfQ2I/AAAAAAAACfI/_YkGCyZafJM/s1600-h/IMG_2216%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_2216" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2216" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Lt89UJz-520/U_TBJPuLJ4I/AAAAAAAACfQ/f0lc49Nmh58/IMG_2216_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="284" height="389"></a></p> <p>Yep, our little family is growing again! Peanut is expected at the end of January. At the end of this month we should find out if we are getting another Princess or if Daddy is getting his Hunting Buddy. This baby was *quite* a surprise, but we are so excited about it. I never thought I’d have two under the age of two!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8wFFqvaJC-I/U_TBJ0kKPaI/AAAAAAAACfY/kAlyFuwbjRM/s1600-h/10614316_10204333722214233_2654311118691230082_n%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="10614316_10204333722214233_2654311118691230082_n" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="10614316_10204333722214233_2654311118691230082_n" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-yRvau29ZZoY/U_TBK4laA6I/AAAAAAAACfc/eCtEK5tzYio/10614316_10204333722214233_2654311118691230082_n_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="375" height="395"></a></p> <p>Morning sickness with a tiny toddler was a challenge I wasn’t looking forward to, but I survived. In the midst of it we dealt with a nightmarish stomach virus (Jacob and I) and Livie has been battling terrible sinus drainage. Thankfully we had help and made it through. It is times like these that make me realize just how much I need the Lord’s help, and make me call out to Him even more.</p> <p> Now I’m trying to get back into a routine. I didn’t cook much at all during those crazy weeks of morning sickness and everything else so I’ve been trying to cook and eat at home more. I’ve really had trouble getting back on my feet this time. Our little Tornado makes housekeeping a challenge, to say the least. Some days I’m just thankful that my husband has clean clothes for work the next day.</p> <p>I’m getting there, and with the Lord’s help, things will even out soon ;) </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdEv7q2WKMsi19hl7jBoo7YV-2u_iTaviUHtV-m89ZcYjcktbxFxZIO_vcRQkaVUH_FEvYGvstePWo1ogDBf2UJKLFynFbidoMSmvAoeP9uO2NhyphenhyphenGqcEpxSNyyRycrp4nDfZ5XYC1Ha6e/s1600-h/1932481_10204343745984821_1471111374233902628_n%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="1932481_10204343745984821_1471111374233902628_n" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="1932481_10204343745984821_1471111374233902628_n" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-j-1YYcRHMH0/U_TBMrrte9I/AAAAAAAACfw/dojLZD1X4yA/1932481_10204343745984821_1471111374233902628_n_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="385" height="400"></a></p> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-24630159426656073252014-02-20T09:24:00.001-06:002014-02-20T09:24:59.776-06:00Cupcakes and Balloons Bishop<p><font face="Constantia"><em>This is a repost from a post I wrote yesterday on my </em><a href="http://modisteoriginals.blogspot.com"><em>sewing blog</em></a><em>. Enjoy!</em></font></p> <p>Smocking is one of my very most favorite things to do—I’ll admit I’m addicted to it. My husband jokes that if I haven’t smocked something in a few days I become hard to be live with. I don’t know if I’m <em>that </em>bad, but smocking is very relaxing for me.</p> <p>My latest smocked bishop was a first birthday dress. The birthday girl’s mother saw a smocked bishop that was perfect for the theme of the party. However, the design was discontinued and a dress in the size they needed couldn’t be found anywhere. Like most of my projects, when they can’t find what they want, they call me.</p> <p>She sent some photos of the original dress and asked if I could make one like it. I said that I could, but as with all garments made with only a photo for reference, it wouldn’t be identical, but I would get it as close to the original as I could.</p> <p> The dress is made from pastel green batiste, with a three inch deep hem. It turned out so precious! There is a bright cupcake in the center with balloon bouquets on either side, with ribbon bows.There is a tiny pink hearts border around the top, and a light purple scalloped border around the bottom. It almost made me forget my dislike of picture smocking when it was finished, it turned out so sweet.</p> <p>I also made a pair of <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/128523790/viviana-bloomers">Vivianna Bloomers</a> from the batiste to match.</p> <p>I’ve been promised pictures of the birthday girl in her dress and when I receive them I’ll share.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RVXBnvEjYsg/UwYeLzbwilI/AAAAAAAACXQ/csdTCJod3JU/s1600-h/IMG_16446.jpg"><img title="IMG_1644" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_1644" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MAunQ3lwCgg/UwYeM-mu8nI/AAAAAAAACXY/XASIDmD5V2c/IMG_1644_thumb7.jpg?imgmax=800" width="381" height="299"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-g5GSWUR874E/UwYeN8bTUiI/AAAAAAAACXg/K9zY64_DiEY/s1600-h/IMG_16487.jpg"><img title="IMG_1648" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_1648" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-troARmKK5ww/UwYePK2VJcI/AAAAAAAACXo/UCAQAGQN_vs/IMG_1648_thumb8.jpg?imgmax=800" width="392" height="453"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-On5Sze0eQtQ/UwYeQhxUQqI/AAAAAAAACXw/smyrz8UnRyY/s1600-h/cupcakesballoons5.jpg"><img title="cupcakesballoons" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="cupcakesballoons" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cJXDgIpUvv0/UwYeSSHcd4I/AAAAAAAACX4/nUPBvxj2idU/cupcakesballoons_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="299"></a></p> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-32304542849743924722014-01-13T09:29:00.001-06:002014-01-13T09:29:37.489-06:00Time flies when you are having fun...And I have been having loads of fun with my sweet Livie since she was born.<br />
My computer died in October and put a hiatus on my blogging, but Christmas came, and I'm set up again ;) .<br />
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Our Olivia is nearly seven months old! She is crawling, pulling up on
everything, and has SIX teeth. She didn't stay a newborn very long at
all. Here are a few photos of her over the last few months.<br />
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This week Jacob and I will be celebrating our third
anniversary. I can't believe we have been married for three years
already. It seems like it was just last year! It has truly just gotten
sweeter everyday and I cannot imagine how wonderful it will be in
10,15,20, or even 50 years ;)<br />
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Now that the holidays are over and I have a computer again, I hope to start blogging regularly again.<br />
Happy New Year!Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-82620152160437656242013-09-30T14:32:00.001-05:002013-09-30T14:32:13.075-05:00Give Away time!<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDme0y4GM606bG7l9sCfXlJwVlFQUm-tO_iRI1s15DB4WW6c-fN5-RAKS6pDYvVLj-VWeASiqUfE655i_HJM0E52LSKWtgXBz94W3eZGAmcqLRzhh3Lsm9wadHgnI9PC_1ZW_ChvEMhhpx/s1600-h/fbgiveaway%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="fbgiveaway" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="fbgiveaway" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-H809X-4PeNo/UknRrWjW81I/AAAAAAAACTI/tSu_xZQ4o8U/fbgiveaway_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="456" height="466"></a></p> <p>I am having a giveaway over at my Etsy shop <a href="http://modisteoriginals.etsy.com" target="_blank">Modiste Originals</a>. It is my first ever give away and I’m excited to be offering two items from our collection for little girls.</p> <p>There are three ways to enter—via Facebook or Instagram OR a blog post.</p> <p><strong>Facebook:</strong>Like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/modisteoriginals" target="_blank">Modiste Originals</a> on Facebook, share the give away banner, and comment on the giveaway banner which prize you prefer and what color/size.</p> <p><strong>Instagram</strong>:Follow Modiste Originals on Instagram, share the give away photo, mention Modiste Originals in the caption ( @modisteoriginals ) and be sure to mention which prize and the size and color you prefer.</p> <p><strong>Blog Post:</strong>You can also enter the give away by sharing on your blog. Feel free to use any of the images in this post and be sure to link back to this post. Comment on this post once you’ve shared and let me know which prize/size/color you prefer. </p> <p>The winners will be announced October 11 at/around 4 PM CST.</p> <p>The first is a pair of <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/128523790/viviana-bloomers" target="_blank">Vivianna Bloomers</a>-winner chooses size and color.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnUmvcrwEAA4y9z74KohCeytE2AtnX_vBgLgx2KKSGDnH9oKRslrw-Ca3h6K7_GxP-_FNeJl-0VBPe8KS7MoscXhWmRUldlqg01nLaAIQk8RQw9ulxxWSMz3SV_TO_lxzNgRw6ijMCzwA/s1600-h/bloomers2%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="bloomers2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="bloomers2" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LfvQ4OtVJkI/UknRsRuLnvI/AAAAAAAACTY/IAvbl6spK9E/bloomers2_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="435" height="352"></a></p> <p>The second is the newest item in the shop: the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/164300521/cherish-little-girls-slip" target="_blank">Cherish Slip</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8cLQO-volQ0NrFbBlrJstuV0F6C8nvOCqIUGsr6vL1UUPc0xRhrNx5MY7F50QJzjWU9beivPe02AllfTBdrL4z_IYsKxaeo48FvE6XrKNNluA8KAD0exnI8nljBOcoQ6IYZlORq50Yln/s1600-h/cherishslip%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="cherishslip" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="cherishslip" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-zkfFjB9hmh8/UknRtn8UuMI/AAAAAAAACTo/LBNBhDtpgg8/cherishslip_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="357" height="503"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-i-YHhT-SynI/UknRuZMEofI/AAAAAAAACTw/moVg829edxc/s1600-h/cherishslip2%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="cherishslip2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="cherishslip2" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tNKt8Z0Vx3o/UknRu8VtrYI/AAAAAAAACT0/ZjNgEGci_sc/cherishslip2_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="358" height="281"></a></p> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-30225571988734490862013-09-30T14:16:00.001-05:002013-09-30T14:16:00.497-05:00A long overdue update!<p>Things have been insanely busy in my little corner of the world lately. I never knew having a baby would rearrange my time like it has.</p> <p>The Lord has been so good to us this summer and I plan to share some of the things He has done for us in several posts. Here is a quick update with pictures ;)</p> <p> Our Little Princess is three and a half months old and I have no idea where the time has gone. I am finally getting back into somewhat of a normal routine and beginning to feel like my old self again.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Abtw7oHc2Ls/UknNztFzQsI/AAAAAAAACRc/oUrfo-axEeA/s1600-h/photo%2525201%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="photo 1" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="photo 1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-fi6UgqONEiE/UknN0MC4C-I/AAAAAAAACRg/V-8GYnaFAhg/photo%2525201_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="300" height="306"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hh7he4ZDIYY/UknN0gtMTZI/AAAAAAAACRs/taMung7UAS8/s1600-h/photo%2525203%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="photo 3" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="photo 3" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ckNw7Z9rXBs/UknN1NbkvtI/AAAAAAAACR0/pXwYUcB4SsI/photo%2525203_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="298" height="304"></a></p> <p> </p> <p>Last month we celebrated my Poppa’s 72nd birthday. He is my maternal grandfather and the whole family was able to be there, which is rare considering how many of us there are now. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KU1kWPShrj0/UknN2ehI9eI/AAAAAAAACR8/UuayA5nsuww/s1600-h/SAM_0851%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="SAM_0851" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="SAM_0851" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Pltd34jUSlE/UknN20gyr5I/AAAAAAAACSA/xT8ttkyyQkI/SAM_0851_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="376" height="295"></a></p> <p>Livie, my Poppa and I at his 72nd birthday party last month.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Y_BtwAxtA0U/UknN4oTN7EI/AAAAAAAACSM/mTteiKfb9fo/s1600-h/SAM_0828%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img title="SAM_0828" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="SAM_0828" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-wZ9T9ZPLKbk/UknN5KUtW0I/AAAAAAAACSU/R3QC-WDiiY8/SAM_0828_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="387" height="303"></a></p> <p>Almost all of the 20-something grandchildren and 1 great-grandbaby with Nana and Poppa.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iLpjT2rzpJs/UknN5zKZePI/AAAAAAAACSc/W1a5ScTOnqk/s1600-h/SAM_0846%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="SAM_0846" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="SAM_0846" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cNBuzEm2GGg/UknN6qf-sxI/AAAAAAAACSg/5UV8cP9rHVI/SAM_0846_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="243" height="331"></a></p> <p>Four generations.</p> <p>~~~~~~~</p> <p>Over the summer in addition to having a baby I sewed for FOUR weddings. I do not know what possessed me to allow such insanity to take over. Needless to say, I found out that I am not Superwoman by any means and had it not been for my mom and sister helping me out and saving my bacon I don’t know what I would have done. I am currently working on my last project/event for the year—a quinceanera dress—and as soon as that is completed I am going to take the rest of the year off except for my Etsy shop orders.</p> <p>Well, I’m off to sew some more and do laundry from last week’s hunting trip.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-AJNbubEr61g/UknN7dqgrFI/AAAAAAAACSs/sPoFh54WU2Q/s1600-h/photo%2525204%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="photo 4" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="photo 4" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PbWSMuX0JGI/UknN7zH1QDI/AAAAAAAACSw/88ZyQJyoiyU/photo%2525204_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="286" height="292"></a></p> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-48525696532210216602013-08-02T12:05:00.001-05:002013-08-02T12:05:07.488-05:00Playing Dress-up<p>Livie and I have been playing dress-up this week. I pulled out my baby clothes from my hope chest and have been wondering how I was ever that small. I thought I’d share some of the cuteness with y’all.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QiYun156cvY/Ufvmq-guNWI/AAAAAAAACPU/jbsT5fitAbQ/s1600-h/SAM_0701%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="SAM_0701" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="SAM_0701" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-N4ujegSueSM/UfvmrutBw-I/AAAAAAAACPc/ZfFKS8aPRhI/SAM_0701_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="236" height="321"></a></p> <p>This dress and the following one were made for me by my great-great Aunt Lillian. She also made the Dutch doll quilt that Livie is lying on.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ELgMSUkVWaI/UfvmsT5C7PI/AAAAAAAACPk/DKH7oTmKKA8/s1600-h/SAM_0727%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="SAM_0727" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="SAM_0727" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Kl4_N3ILsCE/Ufvms21OZ3I/AAAAAAAACPs/E2B6yB-opcg/SAM_0727_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="236" height="321"></a></p> <p>The next two dresses were bought for me by my father. When my mother was expecting me, the ultrasound was misread and they thought I was a boy! They only took boy clothes to the hospital. They got the surprise of their lives and Daddy had to buy some dresses for me to go home in.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4p6LXYB2o70/Ufvmtu8WM_I/AAAAAAAACP0/BsUBz1XJVrI/s1600-h/SAM_0741%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="SAM_0741" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="SAM_0741" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jMgt8bZ9AGA/UfvmuKBo40I/AAAAAAAACP8/MRb8PBsiFSA/SAM_0741_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="235" height="320"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0VUbi83O2Uo/Ufvmu1BHPdI/AAAAAAAACQE/cF85GxMSpNc/s1600-h/SAM_0751%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="SAM_0751" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="SAM_0751" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HC5lHzFe0jo/UfvmvYUqnYI/AAAAAAAACQM/N7KaPI-z91Q/SAM_0751_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="236" height="321"></a></p> <p>“What’s a hospital, Mama?”</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7a7dhDII2yA/UfvmwCTNIRI/AAAAAAAACQU/zdL2EIIhwGU/s1600-h/SAM_0752%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="SAM_0752" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="SAM_0752" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-SbNYywd1Tsc/Ufvmwi5gnHI/AAAAAAAACQc/pECBKZ0o1eE/SAM_0752_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="268" height="207"></a></p> <p>“You mean all babies aren’t born at home like me?”</p> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-64659934130968187262013-08-01T12:13:00.001-05:002013-08-01T12:16:21.223-05:00Olivia’s Birth Day<p>Six weeks later, all of the details of Livie’s birth are a little fuzzy. What all of the women say is true—you do forget how things felt and all you remember is how wonderful it was to hold your baby at last. I’m glad I wrote some things down. My favorite version of her birth story is the one that my husband tells—he makes me sound like Superwoman. ;)</p> <p>Finally, after months of waiting, and holding our breath to see if we would be able to attend a wedding shortly before the baby was due, the weekend of her due date arrived. We’d been on pins and needles as I’d been having lots of Braxton and Hicks contractions for the two preceding weeks.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MmKhw1nSb-4/UfqXGQZ50HI/AAAAAAAACNY/nll7arNiXMk/s1600-h/caitwedding%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="caitwedding" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="caitwedding" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-k3hp4g5xN44/UfqXGwv-n3I/AAAAAAAACNg/C8TgxrNd8iY/caitwedding_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="303" height="430"></a></p> <p align="left"><em>Jacob and I at the wedding—38 weeks and ready to pop!</em></p> <p>Saturday, June 15th: Early in the morning I had a good contraction that woke me up. I made myself go back to sleep. I knew I’d need rest if this was the real deal. Around 8 AM I was still having consistent contractions so I woke Jacob and called my midwife. She said she would come and check on me and re-verified directions to our home. I called my mom to let her know and she said to let her know what Alice said. With lots of little ones at home I didn’t want Mom to make the hour and a half drive for a false alarm.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cyIj1U_PFLs/UfqXHnZt4JI/AAAAAAAACNo/e40tKAZV9Ms/s1600-h/SAM_0548%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="SAM_0548" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="SAM_0548" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kN29HDakHOw/UfqXIYB-FeI/AAAAAAAACNw/2313BeV7dsE/SAM_0548_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="351" height="251"></a></p> <p><em>Waiting for Alice to get there—my last pregnant photo.</em></p> <p>My house was a wreck, and I needed to buy groceries. I had planned to take care of everything that day, but now was afraid I wouldn’t be able to. Jacob called his parents and my mother-in-law came in like a whirlwind and cleaned and my father-in-law took my list and went shopping.</p> <p>Once again, my contractions followed their pattern from the previous two weeks: consistent, closer together and stronger, then suddenly stop or space way out after an hour—almost to the minute. By the time Alice arrived at my house, they had stopped. She checked me and I was at 4cm, which was two more than I had been at my appointment earlier that week. So they weren’t in vain. Alice said that every centimeter I could dilate before I went into active labor was one less that I’d have to work for later.</p> <p>She stayed for an hour and told me to get lots of rest and that she’d probably see me soon. So we did. And I got bored. I didn’t have another contraction (not even a little one) for hours. We rested most of the day and my in-laws came over again that afternoon. For some reason I started craving steak. We didn’t know what tomorrow (which was Father’s Day) would hold, so my father-in-law suggested we celebrate that evening and go out if I felt like it. I said that that was fine, so long as we ate steak. Yes, a heavy steak is the ideal meal to eat when you could go into labor at any minute. What was I thinking?</p> <p>We had a great time and I had about an hour’s worth of good contractions that I ignored. We came home, played a few games of dominoes, and went to bed. I had already said that I was not going to church the next morning, I knew I needed to rest. And what could be more embarrassing than having your water break at church, right?</p> <p>Sunday, June 16th: We slept in and I woke up feeling really good. Then I remembered that I still hadn’t bought sheets for the twin size bed that my mom was going to sleep on when she stayed with us. We only had queen sized sheets. Before I started panicking about my mother having a place to sleep Jacob said we’d just go to the store and get some and pick up some things for supper. He was in the mood to cook. And we both thought the walk would do me some good.</p> <p>We went to the store and made it home without anything exciting happening and I took another nap. Jacob was really hoping that the baby would be born on Father’s Day—that would have been the ultimate Father’s Day gift.</p> <p>Jacob fixed an amazing supper—pork roast, green bean casserole, potatoes, carrots—another huge, heavy meal. But it was so good!</p> <p>We played dominoes again and around 6PM strong contractions began again. I started timing them, but expected them to follow the pattern again and stop in an hour. They didn’t, and I began having trouble concentrating on the game when I would have one. Jacob found it highly amusing ;)</p> <p>At 11PM, contractions were still happening and they were closer together and beginning to take my breathe away. I sent Alice a text and she said she was headed our way. She got to our house at 11:30 and I called Mom to let her know that Alice was coming again. Alice checked me and I had dilated any more, but my bag of waters was very bulgy and I was really in labor this time!</p> <p>I called my mom again and let her know that this was the real deal and she said she was about to leave.</p> <p>Alice encouraged me to try and sleep as much as I could. We all rested for a while. I didn’t sleep much, but I tried to between contractions. Jacob slept soundly.</p> <p>Monday, June 17th: At 2AM my water broke. It was the weirdest feeling ever and it actually made me jump, and that woke Jacob up. I told Alice, “My water just broke! How could anyone ‘think’ their water broke? I felt it!” We all laughed a little bit and then the next contraction hit me. It hit me so hard that after it was over I vomited. It was crazy how much of a difference there was between the contractions before my water broke and afterwards.</p> <p>My mom arrived right after that. Not too long after that I needed a bathroom break so I went. I had another awful (good) contraction and threw up everywhere again. I think all of the vomit overwhelmed my poor husband. I told him, “Don’t worry about it, Mama will take care of it.” Having her there was such a help and I was able to relax and not worry about things.</p> <p>The rest of the time is pretty fuzzy in my memory. My husband was such a trooper. He literally held me through every contraction and sacrificed his hands to I could have something to hold onto. He jokingly said that he hoped we could both still play our instruments when it was all over and he had no idea I had such a strong grip.</p> <p>Around 4AM I asked to get in the bathtub. I didn’t know how much longer I would be in labor and I wanted something to help me relax and rest as much as possible. The warm water felt so good! It didn’t help me much with the pain of the contractions, but it made the rests in between wonderful. Alice checked me and told me it was almost time to push. I couldn’t believe it. She went to gather up things and get things ready and told me when I felt the baby to let her know. Two contractions later I felt the baby. I couldn’t believe it—I actually FELT the baby. She told me I could push whenever I wanted to, and how to push. I tried several pushes in the tub, but I couldn’t get comfortable so she suggested I move back to the bed.</p> <p>The bed was much more comfortable and I felt like I was able to push better there. After a few pushes Alice had me squat because the baby needed a little more help to finish being born. Once I squatted things got so intense. I just though they were intense before! One thing that is crazy to me is that in between contractions and pushing I felt like I could go to sleep. I actually asked for a break and she told me “No, the baby’s head is right there, you’re about to crown.”</p> <p>Once she saw Livie’s head, she had Jacob look and he said, “She has dark hair! I can see her hair!” They looked a few couple more times and I remember thinking “Stop looking and help me get her out!” Jacob told me, “Sweetheart, she’s so close, only about another inch!”</p> <p>I was getting to the point where I was exhausted and didn’t think I could go on and Alice told me to reach down and feel of my baby. When I felt and realized how close she was, that gave me the extra boost I needed to finish having her.</p> <p>When they say “ring of fire” they mean it!</p> <p>Her head was born and the cord was around her neck. Alice took care of it and the next push Jacob caught our little girl. She was beautiful and worth everything. </p> <p>She was born at 4:50 AM after right at 3 hours of active labor, and one day before her due date.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lqSjc4D_khE/UfqXJGR0b2I/AAAAAAAACN4/S7ZrMs_ebVw/s1600-h/SAM_0549a%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="SAM_0549a" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="SAM_0549a" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gBxZcaa9DFg/UfqXJlotrRI/AAAAAAAACOA/KlnKJq9qol8/SAM_0549a_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="284" height="231"></a></p> <p><em>Daddy cutting the cord.</em></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DojWv_QNjnI/UfqXKDbFEUI/AAAAAAAACOI/17pOQlRY_oU/s1600-h/SAM_0553a%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="SAM_0553a" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="SAM_0553a" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ga3LSlofKQc/UfqXKiAUxVI/AAAAAAAACOQ/J24YggETH1Q/SAM_0553a_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="286" height="438"></a></p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--pigMBmksTk/UfqXLdnobqI/AAAAAAAACOY/xchDuFbRB0U/s1600-h/SAM_0559%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="SAM_0559" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="SAM_0559" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Hb6YkgAr-7s/UfqXL4UIXZI/AAAAAAAACOg/Ds-dOUgKVY8/SAM_0559_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="333" height="257"></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2Jv8c5SkQ6c/UfqXMlBSGRI/AAAAAAAACOo/utMjXXukrh4/s1600-h/SAM_0648a%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="SAM_0648a" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="SAM_0648a" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-GI248gu29OA/UfqXNMqw8vI/AAAAAAAACOw/YnXDJJJ-e1w/SAM_0648a_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="266" height="362"></a> <p>Olivia Grace~7lbs 12oz, 19 3/4 inches</p> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-58363812188715506872013-07-24T13:45:00.001-05:002013-07-24T13:45:05.261-05:00Livie love!!!<p>Our little Livie is already a month old! Time is flying by so fast. Here are a few pictures from her first month. Her homebirth story is on its way ;)</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PQsSFAuS6EI/UfAgnSoj0dI/AAAAAAAACMI/QM2QtRZBd4M/s1600-h/SAM_0553a%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="SAM_0553a" border="0" alt="SAM_0553a" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7SO--HSFEv0/UfAgn5nGZwI/AAAAAAAACMQ/YL-aM3xnRDE/SAM_0553a_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="282" height="432"></a></p> <p>Daddy getting his first good look at his Princess.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5WdPeBK_WNw/UfAgotal83I/AAAAAAAACMY/86QpuQZNCGM/s1600-h/6005_4987195677266_1276400988_n%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="6005_4987195677266_1276400988_n" border="0" alt="6005_4987195677266_1276400988_n" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xQCBPfRFmbo/UfAgpfCyUkI/AAAAAAAACMg/0NVXQSDiIqA/6005_4987195677266_1276400988_n_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="468" height="366"></a></p> <p>Our new little family.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jNWtS9MVgzc/UfAgqA5wNaI/AAAAAAAACMo/ybkUk2OKyE0/s1600-h/SAM_0584a%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="SAM_0584a" border="0" alt="SAM_0584a" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-P_90ixT05VQ/UfAgqpSyxNI/AAAAAAAACMw/MBfoneSLD1k/SAM_0584a_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="470" height="345"></a></p> <p>Adoring little aunts.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-g09dbrIKdEk/UfAgrfJlBzI/AAAAAAAACM4/7BYMy0vFiS4/s1600-h/SAM_0601a%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="SAM_0601a" border="0" alt="SAM_0601a" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-EfP3BtBxRCM/UfAgr7q-2HI/AAAAAAAACNA/C-kyyS0Gqx8/SAM_0601a_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="473" height="354"></a></p> <p>Me, my Daddy and Livie.</p> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-87292767152225783482013-06-24T10:27:00.001-05:002013-06-24T10:27:20.783-05:00Baby BlissOlivia Grace arrived on June 17th, early in the morning. She was born at home, and weighed 7lbs 8 oz and was 19 3/4 inches long. Everyone is doing great and is rejoicing and praising the Lord for this blessing and His goodness. <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPiK-eJM22WkxIAZFqi1Z9jJLoSdigCKQzJgMe6_taP1KA8H2Bai6Noz4sTScMwwGv2LeTaGRNF_UGqaeIGmsDaC5x62WPNv-BjxWoksG8jmJfq03ngohn1ZfR94VUhRYwq8zMRSNXtQD/s640/blogger-image-870077056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPiK-eJM22WkxIAZFqi1Z9jJLoSdigCKQzJgMe6_taP1KA8H2Bai6Noz4sTScMwwGv2LeTaGRNF_UGqaeIGmsDaC5x62WPNv-BjxWoksG8jmJfq03ngohn1ZfR94VUhRYwq8zMRSNXtQD/s640/blogger-image-870077056.jpg" /></a></div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-19592550842394891082013-04-09T07:18:00.001-05:002013-04-09T07:18:48.411-05:00Herbs<p>Thank you, <a href="http://illustratedbites.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/add-some-flavor/" target="_blank">Illustrated Bites</a>, for sharing the lovely herb illustration! Check out the other great food illustrations they have on their website as well!</p> <p><img src="http://illustratedbites.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/herbs-01.jpg?w=506&h=2495"></p> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-60918996997448313872013-04-04T07:02:00.000-05:002013-04-08T14:50:10.108-05:00Chocolate Banana Protein Shake<p><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KlIhULSBt8U/T72EsnvXeEI/AAAAAAAACek/p7-K0vDks5g/Chocolate-and-Bananas15.jpg?imgmax=800" width="434" height="326"></p> <p align="left"><font size="1"> <em> <a href="http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2012/05/frozen-chocolate-banana-pops.html" target="_blank">{Image Source}</a></em></font></p> <p>Since being pregnant I’ve been striving to get 80-100 grams of protein a day. Protein is vital to a healthy pregnancy and baby development. My midwife is a stickler about getting enough protein everyday and one of the ways she recommends doing it is by making a protein shake (or two, depending on how far along you are) everyday.</p> <p>It makes it easier to get a lot of protein in one place and not feel like you are eating all day long. You can also add different things to it for even more protein, like Greek yogurt (Chobani has the most protein per serving I found so far).</p> <p>One thing to watch for though is to make sure that the protein powder you use has very little or no sugar in it. </p> <p>The one thing that stands out the most to me about getting enough protein everyday is the difference it has made for me personally as far as swelling. If I have all that I am supposed to, I barely swell at all, even after being on my feet all day. If I don’t, I can tell, as my ankles get puffy. It really makes a difference!</p> <p>There are lots of different recipes online for protein shakes. The one that I use I found on Pinterest. It is low sugar and high protein. <a href="http://mealsandmovesblog.com/2010/07/02/flashback-friday-last%C2%A0year/" target="_blank">Here is the link for the original</a>, but as you can see I tweaked it for my own use.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CsH_Cj_4zeU/UWMfaTdPVrI/AAAAAAAACJI/nRU0MFxLyvU/s1600-h/proteinshake%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="proteinshake" border="0" alt="proteinshake" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UA7nWjMD4Wc/UWMfa0jKv7I/AAAAAAAACJQ/E5cD3sgTSHY/proteinshake_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="313" height="415"></a></p> <p><u><font size="5" face="BirminghamElongated">Chocolate Banana Protein Shake</font></u></p> <p>1 cup 2% milk (about 8 grams of protein)</p> <p>1/2 frozen banana</p> <p>ice cubes</p> <p>1-2 scoops of protein powder (I am using 2 scoops of vanilla flavored powder and getting 52 grams of protein from it)</p> <p>2 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa</p> <p>Put all ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth.</p> <p>Enjoy!</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1Grz_zCi2HE/UWMfbu_ZTTI/AAAAAAAACJY/o9jUCgli-pc/s1600-h/proteinshake2%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="proteinshake2" border="0" alt="proteinshake2" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XeynfagyzXg/UWMfcVWIwYI/AAAAAAAACJg/pjXPy5ZwgCc/proteinshake2_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="363" height="284"></a></p> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-20939315480188679972013-04-03T11:29:00.001-05:002013-04-04T12:47:40.297-05:00Baby Shower Number 1<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6zbWSF30Ivk/UVxY6kpXdaI/AAAAAAAACHw/8yWbaIrB1m4/s1600-h/atshower6.jpg"><img alt="atshower" border="0" height="391" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-brz6ZoEgYtc/UVxY7U-Or_I/AAAAAAAACH4/fW8Gac_arFo/atshower_thumb7.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="atshower" width="313" /></a><br />
<i>After this photo was taken MORE gifts showed up—this is just a fraction of what we received.</i><br />
Two weeks ago the ladies in our church gave us a FABULOUS baby shower for Olivia Grace. This was the baby girl shower in a long stretch of baby boys that have been born in our church over the last year, and I think the ladies were excited about buying pink ruffles and frills.<br />
My mom, sisters and one of my grandmothers were able to come in to town and be with me for the shower—I enjoyed getting to have them with me. Olivia’s aunties enjoyed the shower and were very interested to see what all she would get.<br />
Here are a few photos from the evening, taken by Wendi:<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-94HJvclNYdU/UVxY8KM13SI/AAAAAAAACIA/k8PTavigW9k/s1600-h/atshower2%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="atshower2" border="0" height="554" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PQDk95ISzzY/UVxY8gdI_rI/AAAAAAAACII/OUPJoUI6WL8/atshower2_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="atshower2" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ftJDvSecOGA/UVxY93XtDaI/AAAAAAAACIQ/7Cc63bUlW7Q/s1600-h/SAM_0355%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="SAM_0355" border="0" height="399" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-zmbbmmpaa-Y/UVxY-kjNb-I/AAAAAAAACIY/yDFNgSJIPFE/SAM_0355_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="SAM_0355" width="508" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-d2lQK6Fs5Rw/UVxY_FvVpPI/AAAAAAAACIg/ODhmNg3h3rk/s1600-h/SAM_0394%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="SAM_0394" border="0" height="402" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lgy2RBnujg8/UVxY_iWQdeI/AAAAAAAACIo/q_Ap5nBD8WE/SAM_0394_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="SAM_0394" width="512" /></a><br />
The ladies did an amazing job with the food and decorations and my dear friend Kristin from <a href="http://inmotherwords.net/" target="_blank">In Mother Words</a>, made my delicious and lovely cake.<br />
I’m *quite* pregnant feeling now, and by looking at me there is no doubt that there is a bun in the oven, not just too many extra donuts.<br />
We are at almost 30 weeks and it is so exciting to see the number of weeks until I get to hold my girl in my arms grow smaller.<br />
In amongst all of the baby fun, I am working on projects for not one, but THREE wedding this summer. They are a monthly occurrence (literally!) beginning in June and ending in August. Two miniature brides dresses, a mother of the bride dress, a bridesmaid dress and for the wedding in August I’m altering and modestifying ;) the bride’s gown. Most of these will be completed by the end of May. Needless to say, I’ve been busy and will be for the next several weeks.<br />
I’m thankful for all of the busyness, as it will help the time till Olivia gets here go by fast. I’m so ready to meet my baby girl!Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-61884243102393723782013-02-25T12:04:00.001-06:002013-02-25T12:04:04.258-06:0024 weeks—an update<p>Yesterday was the 24 week mark—now we have more behind us than in front of us and it won’t be too much longer before we are holding our little princess in our arms. I cannot wait to meet her! Between the little girls at church and my baby cousin we got to see yesterday, our arms are aching to hold our Livie and see who she looks like.</p> <p>Olivia has introduced me to several new things over the last few weeks: sciatic nerve pain, heartburn, feeling like a beached whale, waddling occasionally, and NESTING. Nesting hit me full force last week and I was ready to repaint and redecorate everything. Suddenly I urgently want to get things done before the baby gets here. Some of my projects amuse Jacob and some of them make him cringe—like wanting to repaint the bedroom and make a new headboard and build the co-sleeper and get the flowerbeds ready….</p> <p> I love feeling her move and kick all day. She is so active and now her movement are starting to be more than just kicks and flutters. She makes my belly move so much that we can see it and sometimes it feels like she is gently patting me from the inside. I love it! I never knew it would be this much fun <3</p> <p> My belly is ever-expanding, but I can still see my feet! Adjusting my wardrobe has been, well, let’s say it’s been a learning experience. I’m finally starting to break down and make some maternity clothes. I’ve bought a few outfits but it is getting hard to find what I want and like. I’m currently working on a pattern for a knit top. It might be finished by this weekend, but who knows? ;)</p> <p>Gifts have started arriving in little spurts for our girl. Sweet little dresses and shoes are hanging in the guest bedroom closet next to her Daddy’s work shirts. I started a smocked dress for her last week. All the smocking needs to be finished is a few little purple flowers around the wreath.</p> <p><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" border="0" src="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/521495_10200521490950834_705135304_n.jpg" width="517" height="521"></p> <p>After all this time of making little dresses for other little girls, I’m finally making pretty stuff for my own angel ;)</p> <p>Olivia loves to listen to her Daddy’s voice—she gets very hyper when he talks to her. She also LOVES church. When I play the organ or piano she moves and jumps so much that it threw me off and made me lose my place a few times until I got used to it. This last weekend I was listening to a song that our choir is learning and as soon as I turned it on she started acting like she was at church. So far the only kind of music that she really responds to is black gospel and some classical. The black gospel is understandable since we are at church a lot ;) This song always gets a reaction from her—it is the new one that our choir learned:</p> <p><iframe height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/f3yVhFs9dxU" frameborder="0" width="560" allowfullscreen></iframe></p> <p>I’ll close with that. I’ve got to play catch-up today after our long weekend and anniversary service for our church. Laundry is taunting me and it needs attention.</p> <p> Hope you have a great week!</p> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-78776936920853668212013-02-19T12:25:00.001-06:002013-02-21T11:23:14.719-06:00Clothespin Bag Tutorial and PatternIn the vein of <a href="http://countrymousemusings.blogspot.com/2013/02/hung-out-to-dry.html">my post last week about line-dried laundry</a>, I thought I would share with you a pattern/tutorial for an easy, quick clothespin bag. This bag can be whipped up in about 30 minutes and is a great project for a beginning seamstress, whether she be 8 or 48 ;)<br />
Enjoy and let me know what you think of it. If you have any questions feel free to ask me.<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-pE0DYQbJCnQ/USPDf5-2cSI/AAAAAAAACG4/g0zl0-vWmBE/s1600-h/clothespinbagcover%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="clothespinbagcover" border="0" height="444" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iarupJSra0Q/USPDgttkJNI/AAAAAAAACHA/5I5j_XZ5UuA/clothespinbagcover_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="clothespinbagcover" width="331" /></a><br />
<u><b><a href="http://www.mediafire.com/view/?emgtc7ebpmhlgy2" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD</a></b></u>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-32941700182596617992013-02-14T07:35:00.001-06:002013-02-14T07:35:52.054-06:00Elisabeth Elliot on Love<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJSbyPqUfaMF9sbnRCT2CDj7EgDQcJyK-Z1rvdUfEAMjRMU1cgj3stmp94cQimU6njvhvEqiwKniHHn0Crf8taQcRRQXAelKa4OIY74JrdWa0Y6Y6DzkiUy0U5b3AigMp_oqDK9muCbAU/s1600-h/valentines%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="valentines" border="0" alt="valentines" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VZmimeB4BJs/URzoN_O-q0I/AAAAAAAACGI/Ajzn8nEA-K4/valentines_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="451" height="393"></a></p> <h3><font face="Gabriola"><font face="Janda Romantic"><font style="font-weight: normal">“This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience - it looks for a way of being constructive.</font><br><font style="font-weight: normal">Love is not possessive.</font><br><font style="font-weight: normal">Love is not anxious to impress nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own ideas.</font><br><font style="font-weight: normal">Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage.</font><br><font style="font-weight: normal">Love is not touchy.</font><br><font style="font-weight: normal">Love does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails.</font><br></font><font style="font-weight: normal"><font face="Janda Romantic">Love knows no limits to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that stands when all else has fallen.”</font> </font></font></h3><br><font face="Gabriola">― </font><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6264.Elisabeth_Elliot"><font face="Gabriola">Elisabeth Elliot</font></a><font face="Gabriola">, </font><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/121519"><font face="Gabriola">Let Me Be a Woman</font></a></i> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666167978564001598.post-70870834198018016232013-02-13T13:39:00.001-06:002013-02-13T13:53:23.136-06:00Hung Out to Dry<p><strong>The Benefits of Line-Dried Laundry</strong></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-aRkuzcEfoyo/URvr96_42wI/AAAAAAAACE4/0Fdm2Nwl4L8/s1600-h/31877109832525410_fpz8bZ4q_c4.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="31877109832525410_fpz8bZ4q_c" border="0" alt="31877109832525410_fpz8bZ4q_c" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UjD3BmteBhybb_QEC1kmL9KNy2Xz6IBRMqThwgvb4vHtQYJP81-wJV9iG4XHiAesEjtQD77CVe1xFJBcK4HgfdnaT_8ZvtAY2ZnCb1FDINLkP1pP6s6vkId1Bm2DCLQHUOeN7GSfFgRW/?imgmax=800" width="533" height="411"></a></p> <p><em>At the beginning I want to say that this is not a dryer bashing post. I am so thankful for my electric dryer! It enables me to do laundry when it is raining, or in the middle of the night if I need to. It is a great blessing to me, but I am thrilled to not have to use it for every load of laundry now that I have a clothesline in my backyard.</em></p> <p><em> </em>I love crawling into a bed freshly made with sheets fresh off of the clothesline. It makes the whole room smell like fresh air and sunshine. When I bring my line-dried clothes inside and put them away I feel like I am making the whole smell fresh. I grew up with a clothesline and line-dried laundry, so that is what “home” smells and feels like to me. I love looking out of my kitchen window and watching my clean laundry billow in the breeze.</p> <p> I’ve been greatly enjoying my clothesline the last few weeks. I didn’t realize how much joy I was going to get from something as simple as hanging my laundry outside almost everyday. I get excited about doing laundry now—which for me is big because I am notorious for doing other things to avoid laundry.</p> <p>Some people curl their nose up at line-dried laundry. I understand this is personal preference, but to me this is silly and the benefits outweigh the reasons some prefer to use a dryer. One thing that I hear from several people is that “line-dried towels are scratchy!” They are, but it’s not like you are using a Brillo pad to dry off with ;). A lot of people (Jacob and I included) prefer them that way. Line-dried towels absorb much more moisture than towels dried in a dryer. When using a dryer-dried towel after being used to towels hung to dry, it feels like the soft towel is only smearing the moisture around and not absorbing much at all.</p> <p> <img src="http://media-cache-ec3.pinterest.com/upload/82894449361547010_xOh6pBBl_c.jpg"></p> <p>Another argument that some people have is that it takes too much time to hang clothes out. It really doesn’t take much longer than tossing them in the dryer. The more you hang laundry on the line, the faster you’ll get. I prefer to fold the clothes as I take them off of the clothesline so all I have to do is put them away when I bring them inside. If the laundry is already folded, I will put it away quicker than if I have a pile of laundry looming on the couch waiting to be folded.</p> <p>Growing up we hung everything outside, but since I’m in the city with neighbors on both sides, I hang out everything except underwear and socks. I do use my dryer for those things and anything small.</p> <p><font size="5" face="Janda Romantic">Benefits of line-dried clothes:</font></p> <p>~Hanging your clothes outside to dry will help cut down on your utility bill, whether you have an electric or gas dryer. Especially if you hang out items that take a long time to dry in a dryer such as towels, blankets, and blue jeans.</p> <p>~Hanging clothes in the sun is an effective way to get rid of stains. My mom has used this method with great success over the years, simply hanging the stained garment outside in the sun for a few days. This works very well for baby garments which are easily soiled and stained. </p> <p>~In the same vein, hanging whites outside is a great way to keep them white without having to bleach them very often.</p> <p>~The sun is a great way to disinfect and kill germs. Many years ago hospitals would periodically take all of the bedding, linens, beds, etc., outside and let them sit in the sunshine. The UV rays in the sun did away with all sorts of germs. I learned this from a nurse friend of mine and she said that an older nurse told her of this practice and also that staph infections started going rampant after the hospitals discontinued this practice.</p> <p>After learning this, I always try to take bedding and pillows outside to air and soak up sunshine after we’ve been sick.</p> <p>My mom noticed that when she didn’t hang my siblings’ cloth diapers outside in the sun, but dried them in the dryer, they were more prone to diaper rashes and other irritations.</p> <p>~You can use less starch on shirts, denim skirts and blue jeans if they are dried on a line rather than in a dryer. Sometimes you can get away with not ironing at all if you make sure all of the hems, collars, and pocket flaps are straight when you first put them on the line.</p> <p>~It’s a great way to make sure you are getting plenty of vitamin D. My mood and spirits are much improved when I get a little sunshine every day and hanging out my laundry is a wonderful way to accomplish this.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rN8puolhGjI/URvr_GFldlI/AAAAAAAACFI/4E6VyUPtemQ/s1600-h/clothesdrying5.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clothesdrying" border="0" alt="clothesdrying" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzki7L5R6DOKHwj3VtDl8h2gC7_P48WlAO_EnxgyzbvNE-pdyvLHuX_3eR_zMTVujArtSrCHgKL1AZf2HZKPEge1LNwrHpXfTPgtC8v6Tq5CLIvNofOhvSR0VpZ3B5F398_EaS69GvQFE3/?imgmax=800" width="285" height="394"></a></p> <p>Hurray for clotheslines!</p> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446092330928911654noreply@blogger.com2