My sister and her family came down for a visit this past weekend. I miss them all so much and we never get to see each other nearly enough. My niece and my son are both 2 years old. They are so joyful and hilarious when they get together. I could watch them for days just laughing and playing. Plus they tend to wear each other out and sleep pretty good by Saturday night! ha ha
My sister is about 7 and a half months pregnant. She's having another little girl around Christmas. I keep saying that Santa will be bringing me a new niece to spoil this year! heehee I can't wait and I am soooo happy for her.
They came down so that she could raid my baby stuff and get what she might need or did not have the first time around. Which means I spent a good chunk of the weekend packing up and getting rid of my baby stuff.... which is the bittersweet part.
You see I'd love to have another baby. I have 2 sisters and would not trade in my siblings for anything... even though we spent way too much time fighting and being annoyed at each other. They are still the two people who get it simply because they come from the same place. I want that for my son. I want him to know what its like. I don't know its still hard to verbalize why, it just is how I feel.
My husband on the other hand is more than happy with our family as is. We've had that discussion I've pleaded my case, he's explained his, again it is what it is. He's not going to change his mind. So I knew packing up and giving away the baby stuff make sense... and I love being able to help my sister and friends out. There's just still that little part of me that wants to cry a bit.... just a bit... but I suppose that is life and the Rolling Stones say "you don't always get what you want..."
Of course the funny thing is that my son would now tell you that it's not the Stones who say that... Its the Yo Dazzlerz on Yo Gabba Gabba! =)
So I will enjoy my son and take pleasure in what I do have. I will spoil both my nieces wickedly rotten, and remind myself that there are benefits to not having another child when my sister is exhausted and pulling her hair out with her two battling daughters! At least if they are anything like the 3 of us were for my poor mother!
Time for an update
Wow I've been a bad blogger again. I keep saying I need to work on that, then life catches up and I slack off. Oh well, I will work on it! =)
So I happened to notice my profile picture today and it made me laugh. It is definitely time to update that since it is over 4 years old! The funny thing is that picture was taken about a month before my wedding and I was the thinnest I had ever been as an adult. That fancy white dress is an awesome motivator!
After the wedding I gained about 10 pounds.. then got pregnant and gained about 40! That was 2 years ago.
Today while looking at the picture I realized that I am back to that same size and shape.... and on my way to getting even smaller! Not only am I thinner, but I am working out regularly and eating healthy! My relationship with food and my weight have actually changed. So I may not loose that much more weight, but I know that I will at least go through this life healthier.... and even better is the knowledge that my son will learn from it!
I'll have to see if I have a better picture for you all, but now that life catching up thing is going off and I need to go and pick up my little bear from day care!
So I happened to notice my profile picture today and it made me laugh. It is definitely time to update that since it is over 4 years old! The funny thing is that picture was taken about a month before my wedding and I was the thinnest I had ever been as an adult. That fancy white dress is an awesome motivator!
After the wedding I gained about 10 pounds.. then got pregnant and gained about 40! That was 2 years ago.
Today while looking at the picture I realized that I am back to that same size and shape.... and on my way to getting even smaller! Not only am I thinner, but I am working out regularly and eating healthy! My relationship with food and my weight have actually changed. So I may not loose that much more weight, but I know that I will at least go through this life healthier.... and even better is the knowledge that my son will learn from it!
I'll have to see if I have a better picture for you all, but now that life catching up thing is going off and I need to go and pick up my little bear from day care!
The little things in life...
It may not seem like much, but as I type, the city is here re-opening my drive way! We had a slight water main break back on New Years Eve. They had to dig up the end of my driveway and apron. It has basically been a muddy, gravely mess since then. They poured the concrete last Tuesday and told us not to drive on it for at least a week. Parking on the street is not the worst thing to complain about... I know, but man it will be nice to be able to pull up to the house again. No more trying to juggle too many bags in my hands, a crazy dog on a leash, and a toddler who wants to explore everything but getting into the car!
Ahhh Sunday...
Today was a spectacular day, even if I did spend most of it on my hands and knees crawling around in dirt and mulch! It was well into the 80's today here in Chicagoland... which is unheard of for April. We haven't even made it to Easter yet! The hubs and I took advantage of the nice weather and decided to tackle some much needed yard work.
We moved into this house, which we lease, two November's ago with a 4 month old son. Needless to say, last year's yard work was just about getting the bare minimum done to keep our yard respectable and not get our landlords in trouble. This year I'm determined to clean up and spruce up the old house. It really is the ugliest house on our block. The roof needs to be replaced and the poor old gal is in a desperate need of new paint or siding. Again, we are only renting, so that's not my bill or decision to make.
I can at least make sure the flower beds are clean and pretty. So today we gutted the front flower beds and put down weed blocking fabric and all new mulch. I must say it does look nice, well at least 2/3rds of it looks nice. A toddler will only entertain himself for so long before he starts getting into trouble! We ran out of time and energy to get all the front done.
Not even Easter and I have my first sunburn of the year, and a very good start on the spring cleaning in the gardens.... definitely a good weekend! Must be why as I sit here tonight with the windows open as a wonderful breeze tickles my toes and my old muscles slightly ache, I have a very peaceful and content smile on my face. It was a very long and very cold winter, but it seems like we may have survived yet another.
We moved into this house, which we lease, two November's ago with a 4 month old son. Needless to say, last year's yard work was just about getting the bare minimum done to keep our yard respectable and not get our landlords in trouble. This year I'm determined to clean up and spruce up the old house. It really is the ugliest house on our block. The roof needs to be replaced and the poor old gal is in a desperate need of new paint or siding. Again, we are only renting, so that's not my bill or decision to make.
I can at least make sure the flower beds are clean and pretty. So today we gutted the front flower beds and put down weed blocking fabric and all new mulch. I must say it does look nice, well at least 2/3rds of it looks nice. A toddler will only entertain himself for so long before he starts getting into trouble! We ran out of time and energy to get all the front done.
Not even Easter and I have my first sunburn of the year, and a very good start on the spring cleaning in the gardens.... definitely a good weekend! Must be why as I sit here tonight with the windows open as a wonderful breeze tickles my toes and my old muscles slightly ache, I have a very peaceful and content smile on my face. It was a very long and very cold winter, but it seems like we may have survived yet another.
I am a bread maker!
Yes, little old me. I baked my first loaf of bread this past weekend.... and I must say it turned out great! Seriously, good bread. My lunch time turkey sandwiches are SO much better this week.
I have always been a member of the "what is the point of making bread when I can just as easily buy it at the store" camp... actually its easier to buy it the store. There are no dishes to wash after a trip to the store... no flour covered kitchen to clean up... no 7 minutes of kneading or 3 hours of proofing... nope just a trip to the store and you have bread for a week.
Oh, but that is so not the same type of bread... so not the same joy. Even the mess was well worth it and the kneading was therapeutic. I could definitely spend another Sunday afternoon making that mess... in fact, perhaps I will the next time I find myself sitting with nothing to do and looking for an adventure!
For those of you that care the recipe I used is from my go-to cook book: Better Homes and Gardens "New Cook Book". I have the 14th edition and I must say its a good basic recipe source with lots of hints and tips thrown in. I made the Whole Wheat Bread that is found on page 144 of my edition. I started to type up the recipe, but to tell the truth that seems like it might be part of their copyright infringement... so I figured I better do some more research first! =)
I went with the whole wheat, because that is the type of flour that I had. In order to get more whole wheat into everything I make, I use a 50/50 blend of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour. I buy a big bag of each and just pre-mix them when I get home into my big old flour canister. That way its there and ready to go when I need it. I have yet to run into a recipe that did like or even noticed the whole wheat mixed in!
Ummm, I could go for another slice of bread right now.....
I have always been a member of the "what is the point of making bread when I can just as easily buy it at the store" camp... actually its easier to buy it the store. There are no dishes to wash after a trip to the store... no flour covered kitchen to clean up... no 7 minutes of kneading or 3 hours of proofing... nope just a trip to the store and you have bread for a week.
Oh, but that is so not the same type of bread... so not the same joy. Even the mess was well worth it and the kneading was therapeutic. I could definitely spend another Sunday afternoon making that mess... in fact, perhaps I will the next time I find myself sitting with nothing to do and looking for an adventure!
For those of you that care the recipe I used is from my go-to cook book: Better Homes and Gardens "New Cook Book". I have the 14th edition and I must say its a good basic recipe source with lots of hints and tips thrown in. I made the Whole Wheat Bread that is found on page 144 of my edition. I started to type up the recipe, but to tell the truth that seems like it might be part of their copyright infringement... so I figured I better do some more research first! =)
I went with the whole wheat, because that is the type of flour that I had. In order to get more whole wheat into everything I make, I use a 50/50 blend of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour. I buy a big bag of each and just pre-mix them when I get home into my big old flour canister. That way its there and ready to go when I need it. I have yet to run into a recipe that did like or even noticed the whole wheat mixed in!
Ummm, I could go for another slice of bread right now.....
Notes from Dr. Doom....
Don't worry its not as ominous as it sounds. I had my annual check up on Monday with my wonderful OB/GYN. I know, fun day.... I must say though, that I have the best OB/GYN in the world. He got me through a down right awful pregnancy. Seriously, multiple hospital stays, weekly check-ups the whole time, for two months they had to feed me through a PIC line... the only way my baby and I were getting any nutrients was through an IV. So believe me when I say it was awful.
Dr. Doom (as I lovingly call him) was my hero. My husband was the one to actually give him the nick name. When ever I asked even a simple question, Dr. Doom was there to tell me in way too many details just what exactly could go wrong. The first appointment I had with him lasted all of 5 minutes... he walked into the room took one look at me and told me to get my butt to the ER because I was severely dehydrated.
Dr. Doom is all about the full truth all of the time. He has no problems telling you like it is and not sugar coating anything. It sounds scary and not at all what you would think you want to hear when pregnant, feeling miserable, and already scared out of your mind.... but to tell the truth it was exactly what I needed. I needed to be scared and to take this very complicated pregnancy even more seriously then normal. With the world laughing and telling me that's just just what being pregnant was, Dr. Doom was the one who was taking everything seriously and helping me. Hence the little bit of hero worship! =)
So, back to Monday's appointment... which like I said was just a routine annual check-up. In the 10 maybe 15 minuted that Dr. Doom was with me and doing his exam thing, he told me at least 6 times the following tidbit:
"It is very important to do monthly breast self exams. Breast Cancer is the leading cause of death in women aged 35-50, and the earlier we catch it the better our options are".
Which I think is something we all know; but don't really take to heart. Seriously, he told me 6 times. When Dr. Doom makes that big of a deal about something, I figure I better take note... and pass it along.
This is me taking note and working on a new habit. Per my "hero" you are to do your self exam 3-7 days after your period bleeding stops. Sweep with 3 fingers. The arm on the side your are checking should be bent at the elbow with your hand behind your head. This should be done both standing up and laying down.
Dr. Doom (as I lovingly call him) was my hero. My husband was the one to actually give him the nick name. When ever I asked even a simple question, Dr. Doom was there to tell me in way too many details just what exactly could go wrong. The first appointment I had with him lasted all of 5 minutes... he walked into the room took one look at me and told me to get my butt to the ER because I was severely dehydrated.
Dr. Doom is all about the full truth all of the time. He has no problems telling you like it is and not sugar coating anything. It sounds scary and not at all what you would think you want to hear when pregnant, feeling miserable, and already scared out of your mind.... but to tell the truth it was exactly what I needed. I needed to be scared and to take this very complicated pregnancy even more seriously then normal. With the world laughing and telling me that's just just what being pregnant was, Dr. Doom was the one who was taking everything seriously and helping me. Hence the little bit of hero worship! =)
So, back to Monday's appointment... which like I said was just a routine annual check-up. In the 10 maybe 15 minuted that Dr. Doom was with me and doing his exam thing, he told me at least 6 times the following tidbit:
"It is very important to do monthly breast self exams. Breast Cancer is the leading cause of death in women aged 35-50, and the earlier we catch it the better our options are".
Which I think is something we all know; but don't really take to heart. Seriously, he told me 6 times. When Dr. Doom makes that big of a deal about something, I figure I better take note... and pass it along.
This is me taking note and working on a new habit. Per my "hero" you are to do your self exam 3-7 days after your period bleeding stops. Sweep with 3 fingers. The arm on the side your are checking should be bent at the elbow with your hand behind your head. This should be done both standing up and laying down.
New words!
Last night I taught my son a new word. I've been so worried about the swearing and keeping that in check around him. In stead I corrupt him with talk about going to the bar! He was asking for Grandma (like he does constantly lately in a loop he just keeps asking for all 3 of his grandparents... who all live out of state so its not like I can even so OK let's go.... even if all I want to do is say that! ).
Any whol.... I told him it was month end and Grandma (who's job is insane at month end) was probably at the bar right now. This is what happens when you take cold medicine and try to talk to a toddler while making dinner!
Ten minutes later my son was asking his daddy to go to the Bar! Daddy brought him into to me and asked where did he learn that? Oops, bad mommy!
Don't worry Grandma... I told him you liked salad bars the best! Oh lord in heaven... the crazy thing is I only said the word once... I so need to get rid of this cold so I can think more clearly! I'm currently being out witted by a 19 month old! =)
Any whol.... I told him it was month end and Grandma (who's job is insane at month end) was probably at the bar right now. This is what happens when you take cold medicine and try to talk to a toddler while making dinner!
Ten minutes later my son was asking his daddy to go to the Bar! Daddy brought him into to me and asked where did he learn that? Oops, bad mommy!
Don't worry Grandma... I told him you liked salad bars the best! Oh lord in heaven... the crazy thing is I only said the word once... I so need to get rid of this cold so I can think more clearly! I'm currently being out witted by a 19 month old! =)
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