A Crafty Post

A few days ago I entered that final two weeks of pregnancy that always keeps me guessing which pain is an indication that the "big event" will happen.  I have to say, some days I feel like this baby will arrive any second and other days are filled with panic that I'm not ready. 

We've been spending lots of our time lately packing, getting all our Christmas shopping done, and preparing to move.  Some days I haven't honestly had much time even to think about going into labor!
But I'm feeling really ready today. 

Here's a picture of my sister-in-law and myself that was taken on Thanksgiving Day.  "Best" arrived about 12 hours after the picture . . . now we're waiting on "Friends".

I admit, I've been watching my fair share of Christmas movies to pass some of the time before Baby arrives, but I wanted to share something else that kept me busy for a few days.

Here is a very rare craft - Julia's Christmas present!

Julia has TONS of dolls, doll clothes, and doll supplies - and we're pretty sure she's going to get more for Christmas.  So David had a genius idea.  We would make over a storage container that we already had into a special set of drawers to keep Julia's supplies contained.

I started with this "blah" set of Rubbermaid drawers that have been bouncing around our house for way too long.  I believe they're about $20 or so new from the store.  Then I went to Hobby Lobby and found three coordinating patterns of fabric that also happen to coordinate with a striped fabric I had already purchased for another Julia project.  (that one has yet to be done)

I had an almost-full bottle of Mod Podge as well as brushes, so that didn't cost anything either.  The only other supplies I needed were scissors, a tape measure, a straight edge ruler, and a pencil.

I measured the inside of the drawers and cut fabric to size.  This just shows the front of the drawer, but I ended up doing the sides as well.  Then I spread the Mod Podge on the drawer, smoothed on the fabric with some little scraper thingies David found (see how high tech I am!  very crafty! wink, wink).  Then I covered the outside with a generous coat of Mod Podge as well.

I continued this for all three drawers, and finally for the top. 

All I had to do then was let it dry, which took about 24 hours.  I'm pretty excited about these.  I hope Julia is, too!  Maybe this winter I'll get around to another craft???

Am I Really Thankful?

This morning I woke up before the kids, which hasn't happened for me in over a week (and I do much better when I don't wake up to them yelling for me to come get them up!).  I was so glad to have time to drink coffee and do my Bible study for a few minutes.  Along with my Bible study, most days I also try to list 5 things for which I'm thankful. 

But today when I sat down, I literally thought to myself, "I just don't feel thankful today."  I don't know why.  I just didn't.  But then I took a look around at my cute little home, with my husband curled up in his blanket with his Bible, and picked up my coffee.  What is there that I don't have to be thankful for? 

It's the week of Thanksgiving, for heaven's sake!  I asked God to make me thankful.  And He did.  So in the tradition of many of my facebook friends who are listing one thing each day, here is my list of 30 things all in one day!

I AM THANKFUL:

1. For the incredible, perfect timing of God in each moment of every day - because it's certainly not what I would plan but it always works out for the best.

2. That we sold our house before the baby comes, so I don't have to worry about keeping it clean afterward.

3. That after we're moved out of our house, I get to take a "break" by living between my in-laws' and my parents' for a while, rather than having to worry about setting up a new house while getting used to the baby.

4. For my husband, who is sweet and sensitive, yet very much a man.  He loves me, he loves our children, and he is daily growing to be more like Christ as he leads our home.

5. For my beautiful children, who teach me more than I ever thought each day.  They are completely opposite of each other, yet equally lovable.

6. For my third child, who should be here in less than a month (I HOPE!!).  She is healthy and strong, and reminds me of that at least every few minutes. (kick . . . turn . . . hiccup . . . kick)

7. That God brought us to Williamsburg when He did so that we could learn and grow as a family and as Christians for the past 5 years.

8. For the two Bible studies I've been in - Ladies Bible study each Wednesday and Young Marrieds Bible study every third weekend.  What an encouragement each has been to me!

9. Plain and simple . . . for coffee of all sorts, at any time of the day but especially in the mornings.

10. That this is the week of Thanksgiving, which means 4 days with David home, a wonderful feast with the Larsons on Thursday, Christmas decorating at home on Friday, and goodie making day on Saturday!

11. To have my 3-year-old sitting in the office with me "reading" silently because his sister is still asleep.  So precious.

12. That my #1 craving during pregnancy has been ice and not ice cream!

13. That so far, we have had gorgeous weather this fall.  What a beautiful season to enjoy with my family!

14. For my two best friends from college, Sarah and Heidi, who are always there for me.

15. For my washing machine - a gift from dear friends at church that makes it much more enjoyable to do laundry during the week.

16. For God's Word and the promises He gives in it.

17. That I live in a modern day where we have electricity, running water, etc. because I'm kind of wimpy and doubt that I'd survive well without lights or a bathroom inside.

18. That David is the "nerd" of the family and is willing to crunch numbers each month so we actually have a budget.

19. For my church family, who just keeps blessing us even though they know we will not be here much longer.  No one has said "good riddance" or anything; they keep on loving us!

20. That no matter what happens - who is president, where I am physically, what may be going on in the world - I can trust that nothing happens outside of God's knowledge.  He has a perfect ultimate plan for each of us and He definitely wins in the end!

21. That both of my kids are at an age where they say really, really funny things.  I'll be even more thankful when I remember to write them down!

22. That after I have the baby I get to be in the hospital for a couple of days.  I know some people don't like it but, really?  I quite enjoy sitting in that hospital bed where they bring me food and take the baby when I'm tired. 

23. For meat.  Yup, I said meat.  Some friends gave us a bunch of burgers, roasts, and chickens, and I am very thankful for each bite.

24. For pens and notebooks.  I am that crazy one that loves to write anything and everything, and make tons of lists.  I'm glad to have something that makes it happen.

25. That no matter what my physical blessings - and I've listed many - my spiritual blessings are far more and far greater.

26. For evenings spent lately with David, a cup of hot tea, and great conversation.

27. For my crockpot and my bread machine.  They certainly make life a lot easier!

28. For our SUV that God arranged for us to buy with cash.  It has been a huge blessing in our lives to be able to give rides, haul some things, etc.  We always wanted one but never thought we'd be able to afford one!

29. For personal ministry meetings we've been able to have with our pastor. 

30. As I finish my list, I'll end with the most important.  I am so thankful that God sent His Son Jesus to be born as a man, to live as a human, and to give the ultimate sacrifice so that we might each be saved from our sins.  I am thankful that this sacrifice was a gift I only needed to accept, and that Jesus is alive today!  I sure can't wait to see Him face to face someday!

Hello, facebook . . . with limits!

Well, I'm at the end of my official facebook sabbatical.  I have to admit, I did log on about 4 times, for maybe 5 minutes each, during the month I took off.  But in my defense . . . a few of my friends from college were having babies and I just had to check on them!!

To describe the break from facebook, I think I can sum it up in one word: "refreshing". 

I knew that facebook had become an idol of sorts to me, but I really didn't have any idea of the extent until I stopped logging on altogether.  I still can't believe the amount of time I was spending on the computer and on the Kindle Fire in contrast to the time with my children as well as doing other, more constructive, activities!

Here are a few of the things I got done in the past month that I truly believe wouldn't have happened if I'd spent my normal amount of time on facebook.

*I read books to the kids.  And read, and read, and read.  Literature has been such a huge part of my life, and I have so enjoyed sharing that with Samuel and Julia.  I even set aside a half hour each day after laying Julia down to read more informative, "older" books to Samuel.  He absolutely ate them up - all the knowledge, entertainment, imagination, and ideas in each book.  It has also been absolutely precious time spent just sitting together on the couch with my quickly-growing 3-year-old that I never would have had because I was always itching to put him to bed and check on everyone else's kids via facebook.

*I spent more time in God's Word.  Oh, sure, I did okay before.  But once again, I'd rush through any quiet time with God that I may have had so that I could log on to facebook for as much time as possible.  But this past month, I was able to truly spend and enjoy that time that I need reading my Bible, studying, and praying.

*The kids and I spent more time outside on walks, playing in the yard, and enjoying parks nearby.

*The house stayed cleaner.  I didn't think it'd make a difference, but it certainly did!  I wasn't rushing to get one thing done and doing it half-heartedly, but rather spent all the time I needed really cleaning.

*I read a whole bunch of books!  As I mentioned earlier, literature has been a huge part of my life, but I just wasn't finding the time to read over the past several months.  I think I read about 6 books during the past month, and it was great!

Those things alone made it worth it to take a break from facebook.  And now that I'm back on, I've found that if I'm on for 15 minutes, I quickly log off and feel at least somewhat guilty, wondering all the things I may have rather done during those past minutes. 

What is fun is being able to continue to see progress with friends as facebook is the primary means for keeping up with people in other towns.  So these past few days (and I haven't been on every single day, just a couple), I've just quickly scrolled through the news feed and checked on a few friends specifically who I knew may have changes or may have posted pictures recently. 

It is definitely refreshing not to feel so attached.  I can see how that could easily become a habit once again, so we've moved our computer back upstairs to the office and out of our living room.  I also put up the Kindle Fire and am considering sending it to work with David to prevent me from picking it up on a whim and getting "stuck". 

I hope that anyone else who feels he or she might be spending too much time on facebook would consider taking a break.  Even after a week, I felt so much less dependent - a month just solidified it for me! 

A quick update on other events in our life:

David will be starting his new job working for his dad December 31st.  We will be moving in with my in-laws for the time being until we put more of a dent in our student loans and find a place to live.

We are negotiating the sale of our home here, so if our praying friends would oblige, please pray that we could sell it for enough to pay off the mortgage and have a little extra!

The baby is due in 6 weeks.  She has finally moved out of my ribs and is sitting much lower, so I am not experiencing so much pain from that at least!

We are continuing to trust God for each step and though it is bittersweet right now, thinking of leaving here after 5 years, we are very excited to see what He has for our family in the future!

Blessed :-)

I had a really rough start to the morning.  I couldn't get out of bed.  I woke up tired. 

Tried to reschedule a dentist appointment and they told me they were going to charge me more than double what I paid to actually go to the appointment.

 I had planned to get groceries and was ready to walk out the door when I found out the dentist rescheduling was not an option.

 I called a friend to ask her to babysit and could barely get out the words because I was crying so hard.

 And so it went.

 I called David (crying once again, of course . . . that's how I roll these days).  He told me exactly what I didn't want to hear: "It's not that big of a deal.  God is good.  You are blessed."

Are you kidding me??  I wanted to wallow in self-pity all day!

Then I prayed and asked God to help me see things in perspective. 

I got a really good night of sleep last night.  I only woke up tired because, well, it's Monday.

I was forced to go to the dentist instead of rescheduling all the time.  I hadn't been there in three years.  My teeth are sparkly again, and I don't have to worry about going again now for awhile.

It's okay that we didn't get groceries today.  We're going to eat supper with friends tonight anyway, so I don't have to scrounge around to find something to feed my family.

My friend was gracious and told me she'd be over to babysit.  She even came half an hour early so we got time to chat, and she gave me a couple of much-needed hugs. She told me it was okay that I called crying, and even thanked me for trusting her enough to cry to her.  After she left, I realized, she'd folded my laundry.

What's more . . . since I didn't grocery shop today, my house is clean.  My kitchen is shiny and the living room is vacuumed.  The kids have clean sheets on their beds.  I finally arranged the pumpkins on our front steps to display instead of keeping them in a heap inside.  I had time to talk to my mom, to do my Bible study, and to visit with David - and the kids are still sleeping. 

It is a beautiful fall day today.  I am truly blessed.

Happy Monday, everyone!

A Short Clarification

A couple of days ago, I posted a very lengthy announcement.  Within minutes, I had so much feedback, I began to rethink how many details and how much emotion had been shared - I retracted the entire post, but only after some 90 people read it.

Obviously, then, word has gotten around that our family has some big changes coming in the future.  I didn't feel like I should leave it at that and no longer have a post at all, so here is the long and short of it for now.

*David has accepted a job working for his dad
*He is planning as of now to start at the beginning of January

And to answer questions that many have asked and I am not always prepared to answer without tears:

*Yes, in fact, we do realize that our baby is due shortly before Christmas and will only be a couple of weeks old when it is time for David to start the new job. 
*No, we are not planning to sell our home, or even to attempt to put it on the market, before January.  I am not packing or preparing to move in any way right now.
*No, we don't know where we will live yet, or how God is working exactly, but we are convinced that we must take one step at a time - one moment at a time - and that He is leading us in that direction.
*We are very excited because in the months leading up to this, David had really been convicted about spending time with his family.  This job will allow him hours at home that he has only dreamed about for the past 5 years. 

Thank you all for your prayers as I know many of you have figured "something" was going on these past couple of weeks and I feel as if we withdrew for a while to focus on God and on our family.  We are looking forward (with some fear and confusion at times, yet with confidence and trust) to seeing how and where God leads us from here.

See ya later, facebook!

I wish I had been more faithful in this blog.  Maybe someday I will be.  But obviously the past couple of months have not been the time for it. 

Things could not have been crazier around here!  We've been so busy chasing around 2 toddlers. David spent a little over a month doing chores for a friend which meant he was gone about 14 hours a day, and we spent a lot of time out on the farm with him enjoying the land and the animals.  We have an exchange student from Serbia living with us who's been here since August.  We are starting to prepare for the addition of our baby in about 2 months or so.

I thought I had it all under control; that I was able to be super mom.  But last week, I found out I'm not.  Not even close.  All of the sudden, all the busyness of life came crashing down around me.  In addition to the things I already listed, David and I are suddenly facing several pretty big decisions regarding our future.  And my small, futile mind could not handle it. 

On Thursday I started feeling really overwhelmed, but I thought I could still live with it and get by.  David called a friend to help out for a couple of hours so I could spend time with him, without the kids, and I really enjoyed riding in the semi while he delivered beans to a local co-op.  I thought maybe things would be okay.

By Friday, though, it was too much.  That was when I realized (and I'm so thankful that I did) that I'm not the super mom I thought I was.  I needed some time off.  I am incredibly grateful to so many - first of all, that God prompted me and gave me the grace and humility to be able to make a phone call to David I never thought I'd have to make.  Then, to my sweet husband David, who made several arrangements throughout the day on Friday so that I could have a weekend off.  I was so relieved that no one laughed, or made any rude remarks, but just said, "I understand", and took the children for the weekend.

I spent all of Saturday relaxing and reading the promises of God through Scripture, and praying that He would make my mind clear and my paths straight.    David suggested I meditate on Psalm 86, which was a huge blessing. 

I was greatly encouraged by Psalm 86:4-5 which says, "Make glad the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.  For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You." 

I was convicted that it is not my job to try and figure out my future path, or to worry about all the things around me, but rather that I need to focus on each step.  God has promised to be a "lamp unto my feet", which to me is very clear . . . He's not planning to light the whole way, but He will always shine a lamp bright enough that I can see the very next step I must take, each and every moment of every day.

Here is where I come to the explanation of my title.  After much prayer and reflection on the past couple of months, and after talking to David, I have decided that I am going to take a break from facebook.

On Saturday night at our Bible study, I heard a great definition of worry; the speaker said that worry is "assuming a responsibility that God never intended for me to assume".  And that's a lot of what I've been doing. 

Oh, I do so enjoy and appreciate keeping up with so many college friends and people from my hometown via facebook.  And I care so very much about each one.  But I've noticed that a lot of days, things will start off great and I'll get a lot done . . . until I sit down to look at facebook.  I become consumed with others' lives, and before I know it, I've been scrolling through profiles for an hour or two while my children beg me to play with them or while they just watch tv.

My hope is that by taking a break, I will really be able to focus on the things that God has placed before me, such as my children, taking care of my home, and enjoying His creation.  I really want to be able to get things done organizationally, spend more time reading my Bible, take my kids for walks more or to the park, and even taking naps in the last few weeks of this pregnancy.

To all of my friends with whom I communicate often via facebook, please don't think I don't care if you don't hear from me for awhile!  If you would like to share something, I would appreciate a phone call, a text, or an e-mail (though I'm hoping to limit e-mail use as well; I will still probably check at least a few times per week). 

My goal is to be able to use facebook responsibly beginning in November.  Until then, starting tomorrow morning, I'm saying, "See ya later, facebook!" 

A Healthier Pregnancy

I know I've mentioned before how much I enjoy serving my family healthy, whole foods.  We made the commitment to "clean up" our eating at least to an extent in January, and we were really doing a pretty good job.  I was making most things from scratch, limiting sugars and artificial ingredients, etc.

Then I got pregnant . . . and tired . . . and sick.

So I retreated back to the easy stuff - anything that wouldn't make my stomach turn to fix.  We got lots of boxed macaroni and cheese, canned ravioli, etc.  And there were many days where my entire diet consisted of bagels, cream cheese, and cereal.  Yuck.

Where many people are so sick during the first trimester that they lose weight, I did just the opposite.  I was unable to allow my stomach to empty, so I just ate all those packaged foods constantly.  And getting up off the couch was a joke far too many days.  So I gained a whole lot of weight and lost a whole lot of energy right from the start. 

Now I'm over halfway through this pregnancy and though my sickness is gone, my energy is still low due to the unhealthy lifestyle I sunk into.  Yesterday I went to the doctor.  Though she is not concerned right now, she suggested that I "keep an eye" on my weight.  I have done quite a bit of thinking and praying about it, and have come up with some steps to get back on the "healthy wagon".  I've also gone over these steps with my husband and my mom to see if they agree that it is healthy and logical for me while I'm pregnant. 

First of all, my husband and I are more than ready to get back into using mostly whole foods.  Are we against the occasional brownie mix, macaroni and cheese, or crackers?  Nope.  But there is definitely a difference between those and the wonderful benefits (as well as taste, we think!!) of foods that are not so "tampered with".  We're to re-committing to eating things directly from the garden and the farm, which should be easier right now than ever since the farmers David helps are willing to share their produce and eggs with us.

Aside from this food adjustment for all of us, here is the list I have come up with to help maintain a healthy pregnancy and hopefully to keep my weight from continuing to skyrocket.

1. Begin each day, 5 days a week, with light to moderate exercise
2. Walk at least 20 minutes with kids 3 days a week
3. Eat protein at all three meals
4. Eat fewer servings of carbs throughout the day
5. Use sugar in my coffee only on weekends
6. Enjoy desserts only on weekends (though I feel I must allow for giving in to the occasional craving or else I might not make it nor would my family!)
7. Eat a piece of fruit at night when I am really hungry for sweets
8. Load up on veggies at meals rather than the carbs
9. Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day

I think this seems to be a realistic list to stick to throughout the rest of the pregnancy.  I am really hoping it results in not only my own continued health, but that of the baby's, as well.  So far today I exercised before the kids got up, we took a long walk, and I think I've done pretty well on the food side of things.  I've even had 5 glasses of water, which is already about 2 more than I drink many days.

What do you think?  I've gotten a lot of responses via facebook on how to maintain a healthy weight during pregnancy.  Any other suggestions?  I feel so much better today already, just having a new outlook on my health rather than saying, "I'm pregnant so I can do this (eat this, sit on the couch, etc.). I'll change after the baby comes."

I'll try to keep updating on how this new routine is working!!

What's for Lunch? Curried Rice!

One thing I always enjoy is a good stir-fry.  Sometimes I actually plan it as a supper and plan accordingly with groceries, but often, the best stir-fries come from a lunchtime question of, "What am I going to do with all these veggies we haven't eaten yet??" 

The only thing that has always lacked for me when it comes to this type of meal is that the rice just seems a bit bland.  I've tried lots of different techniques - making it a head of time, cooling it, and frying it; using chicken broth instead of water, etc.  In the end,  I usually end up dousing the whole dish in soy sauce, which adds a huge amount of salt that I don't really need. 

The other night, though, I found the recipe to end all my rice frustrations.  It's called Curried Rice with Pineapple, and I found it on the back of a "Minute Brown Rice" box.  My whole family loved it, and next time I make it for all of us, I will most definitely be doubling the recipe. Today I tried my hand at it again for lunch and it was just as good as the first time.

I changed a few things to suit my family's tastes and preferences - for instance, the original version calls for pineapple chunks.  I don't know about anyone else, but my family tends to freak out a bit when there's fruit that is completely visible in a dish that is not very "fruity".  So last week it was pineapple tidbits, and today, all I had was crushed pineapple.  It worked just as well.  Here is my adapted version of this recipe.

Curried Pineapple Rice
1 8 oz. can pineapple tidbits
water or chicken broth as needed (about 2/3 cup)
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. olive or canola oil
1 c. uncooked brown rice (instant)
1/2 c. toasted sliced almonds

Drain pineapple, reserving juice.  Add broth or wtaer to equal one cup liquid.  Set aside. 
Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat.  Saute curry powder and garlic for 2-3 minutes.
Add pineapple juice mix and tidbits and bring to a boil.  Stir in rice; cover and remove from heat.  Let stand 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.  Top with sliced almonds and, if desired, sliced green onion.

As I mentioned earlier, I make stir-fry quite often, and it's almost always a result of leftover veggies that need to be used.  On our trip to Costco, however, I found this bag of frozen veggies for a very reasonable price.  That's 5.5 pounds of stir-fryable greatness!!  Eat it the way it is or add some meat such as chicken or pork - it all works for me!

You could also add chicken directly to the rice to make it a meal, with some steamed veggies on the side.  But here is my favorite way to enjoy it - what we had for lunch today.  Fortunately we have about one serving left, and I just may eat it for a snack later this afternoon!

As far as my stir-fry sauce, I don't have a particular recipe to which I adhere every single time.  I think that there are some elements that are a necessity, though.

1. Something to slightly sweeten and counteract the saltiness of the soy sauce.  I've used brown sugar, pineapple juice, honey, mango juice, etc.
2. Soy sauce
3. Thickener - I prefer to use cornstarch as it works more quickly and you can use less than you would flour.

I've thought through what I use most often and here is what I've come up with for a recipe.

Stir-fry Sauce
1/4 to 1/3 c. pineapple juice
1/4 c. water
1 T. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 T. cornstarch (more or less can be used, depending on how thick you prefer it to be)

Whisk with a fork and add to stir fry once veggies are done to your liking.  Let sauce come to a boil and allow it to thicken for 1-2 minutes.  Stir to coat veggies and meat. 

Even if you have never been a fan of or haven't even tried curry, this is a good dish to start out with.  I hope you and your family enjoy it just as much as we do!

We Joined A Club!

Well, we did it.  We joined Costco.  With our family growing by number, and going over just how much food a two- and three-year-old can actually put away, we decided that it was finally time to start buying some things in bulk.

It was an interesting experience - from driving into the indoor parking lot, to waiting a half hour in line just to sign up, to spending two hours in a store and still not seeing everything they had.  My mom has been a long-time member of Sam's, and I've always really enjoyed visiting there with her. But going in to a big place like this and having to be a responsible adult in a store full of, well, everything?   That was an overwhelming feeling!  I wanted it all!

Our first choice was the type of membership we wanted to own.  We chose the more expensive one, with the promise of receiving 2% back on every purchase and a gift card to start our shopping.  David did the math, and we'll need to spend an average of $229 a month in order to earn back every dollar we spent on the "upgrade" membership.  I don't think that will be a problem.

Honestly, who could resist spending part of that "welcome" gift card on this?!?!

That being said, we certainly don't intend on regularly spending our money on such things unless we're celebrating a special occasion!  How quickly our budget could be blown . . .

The goal is for us to go to Costco once each month and stock up on things such as canned goods, dressings and sauces, etc.  I noticed how much junk food there is, which will probably be another temptation we'll avoid for the most part. 

Here is a shot of some of the things we bought on Saturday.

I don't really have any doubts about being able to finish off the pickles, celery, grapes, cheese, or cream cheese.  What I'm a bit concerned about is what we're going to do with all that lettuce!  Any ideas for using it before it goes bad?  So far I've thought of BLTs and lettuce salads, but that's about it.

I have a couple of other questions for anyone who may be willing to share thoughts regarding buying in bulk.

1. As I've written about previously, I am a menu planner.  I usually go shopping every two weeks and buy very specific items that will be eaten and not much more.  So, for those menu planners who also buy in bulk, do you have any hints on how to keep track of what we have stored and how to plan for each meal without wasting things?

2. We are thinking of investing in a vacuum sealer for our foods.  Has anyone used one, or does anyone have any different thoughts regarding preservation for things that won't be eaten quickly such as meats, cheeses, etc?

We didn't buy a whole lot on Saturday just because of these uncertainties.  The number one concern I have is buying food that goes to waste, which is a complete no-no in our house.  I can see this new venture of buying in bulk as being beneficial in the long run, and I'm excited about it, but I'd really like to get a plan in order before we do any major buying there!

A last thought about our new Costco membership: When pregnant and for the most part feeling great but still getting woozy from time to time, it is not the wisest idea to grab every single sample in the store without first thinking about food combinations.  This leads to an evening of tummy troubles. 

That being said . . . any sage wisdom will be much appreciated regarding my questions or any other thoughts, and I look forward to sharing future finds at Costco!

A "Blessings" Update

I've been spending a lot of time weeding my garden and pricing things for my upcoming garage sale lately, which has given me quite a bit of time to think.  I've been overwhelmed by how many things I have to be nothing but grateful for! 

The number one "blessing", of course, is my salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  It is astounding to me how God would love me so much that He would condemn His only son to a cross, to suffer in my place for the punishment that I deserve!  If I had only this promise - that I have been saved from my selfish sin - I would have everything.  I would need no more.  And yet, because God loves me so much, He chooses to give me tangible, earthly things as well.  So when I list these blessings, please keep in mind to whom it is that I am grateful. 

James 1:17 - "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow."

Family
1. My wonderful husband David, who loves and cherishes me far beyond what I had ever hoped for.   Just this past weekend, he saw that I was down and he arranged for me to go out with several girlfriends for a night without children, just to enjoy conversation and food.  David works hard to provide for us all and is a great dad, a godly example, and a good friend to many.

2. Samuel, my sweet little boy who calls himself  "Mommy's 'nugglebug".  I am forever being showered with kisses and hugs, which I never turn down!  Samuel is learning to be courteous to others because he tends to be shy in public.  He's doing a great job answering when adults ask him questions, opening doors for others, and helping me to clear the table after we eat.  Samuel seems to have my personality but is all boy to the core, following his daddy everywhere and always telling us he has "lots of work to do."
I am so happy to report that Samuel has not had an asthma-type attack in a few months now - we will be seeing our allergist to check on his progress from the past year very soon. We have also been working with a dermatologist who understands us and we feel is on our side, and his eczema is almost completely under control at this point!

3. Julia, our little princess with a big personality.  She's opposite of her brother and doesn't know a stranger!  Julia has her own ideas about everything, and keeps us laughing with all of her antics.  I love to watch her with her baby dolls as she takes care of them, feeding them bottles, changing diapers, and rocking them to sleep.  Julia is 100% proof to me that God has created boys to be boys and girls to be girls!  She is all about her clothes and hair, keeping her nails trimmed and painted, princesses, babies, etc.  Julia is a Mommy's girl . . . and I am okay with that!  She is also what I would call the "picture of health", which is huge for us after we've struggled with Samuel's health for the past year.

4. Baby L3 has been growing as well - I am now feeling lots of kicks and wiggles, and we're looking forward to having an ultrasound on August 6th!  As I had mentioned previously, I felt far more sick with this pregnancy than with the other two.  It did last about 2 weeks longer than the others, but I am now feeling great!  We are so looking forward to Christmas season this year, with a new niece and our own new baby coming in just a few short months!  Here is a picture of Baby a few days ago, at 18 weeks.

5. My parents and in-laws.  What blessings they are in our lives!  All four are awesome at the grandparent thing, and our kids beg to see them all the time, which we try to do as often as possible!  We got to take a vacation with the Larsons in June, and are really looking forward to going with my parents on a trip to Dubuqe in a few days.  I am grateful to have both my mom and my mother-in-law, as they are always up for a nice chat, meeting to shop, or coming to help out with the kids.  Along with this part I also must include my awesome sister, as well as the 3 sisters and 4 brothers that I have been given as a bonus for marrying into the Larson family!  They're all great aunts and uncles, and are always there for us as friends and helpers when we need them!

Friends
1. What a neat group of friends we have at Harvest, our church!  We are so thankful to have people we know we can count on of all ages to get together just for fun, or for serious conversation.  We have everything from a young marrieds Bible study, to friends our parents' age to act as surrogate "grandparents" when we need them, to friends our grandparents' age with whom we can just enjoy a great visit!

2. David and I both keep in touch with a few of our college friends.  We get together often with David's best friend Rick, and are thrilled that he and his wife are expecting their first baby in February!  Though I don't see my college girlfriends as often, when I do, we can always just pick up where we left off.  I recently got to spend a whole week visiting with them - Sarah, who lives just an hour from me, came to visit one day.  The next day, the kids and I went to Illinois to see Heidi, who returned on the 6th of July from two years in Peru.  Then we drove down to St. Louis to see Becky and Joe, dear friends of ours who just had their second baby.  How wonderful to have friends we've known for years and who know who we are and who we used to be, and they still love us.

3. I recently received forgiveness from an old friend that could only have been given through the grace of God.  I am so grateful that He restores relationships, and am so humbled by His working in my life as well as friends' so that we can live for God and be at peace with each other!

4.  David and I both have co-workers (mine are former, from pre-SAHM days) with whom we enjoy spending time.  It is so nice to have friends from all walks of life, and we both enjoy all the opportunities we can get to see them.

Finances
1. God's provision of jobs for both of us when we needed them.  Though it was miserable on our family life, we felt that God provided a second job for David at McDonald's last year that we used to get out of the "hole" we'd been in since shortly after our wedding.  When that job was too much, He provided a job for me with just enough to help us get ahead and earn some savings.  Both of these jobs were brief, as they should have been, but during that time we discovered how much we needed each other and for our family to be whole! 

2. Shortly after we quit doing everything but David's full-time job, God provided for us in so many different ways, that it more than made up for that extra income we had been receiving!  God sure does work in mysterious ways.

3. Though I cannot yet share many details (I don't know them all, to be honest!), our great God has provided once again for something that David and I most definitely did not bring upon ourselves.  I can just say that David has been asked to help out an older gentleman in our church for a while this fall.  He will be doing one of his favorite things while earning extra income, and I believe there will be other perks to go along.  More information to come on this one . . . let's just say we are in awe and we are thrilled!

I think this will do for my listings as of now, though the great things God has done just keep on rolling into my head!  Something that I did last fall was to keep a daily "thankful" journal, where I wrote five things each morning that I had to be grateful for.  I would love to start that up again - I truly saw a difference in my attitude when focusing on the good rather than the bad! 

Scones and Coffee, and a Really Good Friend

My original menu plan for the 4th of July included waffles, but I just wasn't in the mood when I woke up yesterday morning.  The whole family was still sleeping at 8:00 when I woke up (which, by the way, definitely sets a record for all of us ever since early-riser Julia came into the picture!), and I really wanted to try something different and fun.  So, I cracked open my trusty Better Homes and Gardens  Bridal Edition Cookbook that hasn't failed me in all its 5 years.

I flipped through it for a bit, focusing on the "Breads" section.  And then I saw it.  Scones.  I love them, and have always wanted to make them, so I thought I'd give it a shot!  Samuel woke up in time to help me roll out the dough, so he felt like they were extra special after he'd helped make them.

We had such a wonderful, leisurely morning sipping coffee and nibbling (okay, probably scarfing) scones, and the rest of the family enjoyed their fair share of sausage as well.  I just thought it was so picturesque - sitting in the morning sunlight in the kitchen while visiting.

On another but related note . . .

One of my very dearest friends, Heidi, is on her way home as I write after spending the past 2 years teaching in Peru.  She had spent a year prior to that as a student/missionary there.  I am really looking forward to seeing her next week sometime, and have been praying all day for her safety as she flies back to the United States!

Why is this a related topic?  I am picturing having much conversation with Heidi over morning coffee and a pastry!  The whole time I was making the scones yesterday, that was the picture I had in my mind.  So Heidi, when you read this, here is what you have to look forward to!

Scones - recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

2 1/2 c. flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. cold butter
2 beaten eggs
3/4 c. whipping cream or whole milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips, snipped raisins, or dried currants
Milk
Sugar

1. Combine flour, 2 T. sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Cut butter into pieces and, using a pastry blender, cut into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Make a well in the center of the mixture; set aside.

2. Combine eggs, whipping cream, and chocolate chips or fruit.  Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture and stir with a fork until just moistened.

3.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead dough by folding and pressing for 10-12 strokes or until nearly smooth.  Pat or lightly roll into an 8 inch circle.  Cut into 8 wedges.

4.  Transfer wedges to an ungreased baking sheet, placing 1 inch apart.  Brunch each wedge with milk and sprinkle with additional sugar (we thought coarse sugar would have been a nice touch). 

5. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes or until golden; serve warm. 

We also decided that next time, I will make a glaze using powdered sugar and milk.  I happened to have some leftover cake frosting which I may have dolloped on top this morning.  It was delicious.

Menu Week of 7/2

Is it really July already?!  I've had my menu set for awhile now . . . but I didn't realize this heat spell would stay so long!  That means we've been pushing supper back until later, when we're sure everyone is cooled off enough to enjoy it.

Breakfast:
cereal, eggs
banana chocolate chip muffins x2
4th of July brunch - scrambled eggs, sausage, waffles, fresh fruit
wheat bagels and cream cheese

Lunch:
bagel sandwiches (egg), cottage cheese, apples
leftovers x2
cheese quesadillas & black beans
brunch on the 4th

Supper:
Biscuit sloppy joes, coleslaw
White Chicken Enchiladas, rice & beans, chips & salsa
Pork steaks, baked potatoes, steamed broccoli (4th of July!)
Pork stir-fry (using leftover pork & broccoli plus carrots & onion), rice
Hamburger/pepperoni stromboli, marinara dipping sauce, garden salad

Snacks:
Popcorn
Orange-banana smoothies
Watermelon, grapes, & cheese

Happy 4th of July week and happy eating - hope you all get to grill at least once in this steamy weather!

Love Overflowing and a Heavy Heart

Though I am healthy, as are my husband and children, and as I write, we are happily preparing our home to hold yet another family member, my heart is heavy.

There is a family I know of who just 2 weeks ago was in a similar situation as our family, happily preparing for the birth of a new baby.  I don't know all the details of their life.  I don't even personally know the family.  I do recognize them as having attended the same college as David and I did at some point.  A mutual college friend of ours recently posted pictures that she had taken of this family, the Halls.  I looked through the photos and thought, "what a beautiful family!" as four small children gathered around their daddy and quite-pregnant mommy.

Then, early this week, I saw another facebook posting regarding the Hall family.  They took their youngest, Taylor, in for a routine 18-month check at the doctor.  The doctor found some sort of mass and sent them on to find out what was going on.  What they originally thought was a non-cancerous mass on the liver turned out to be a cancerous, growing tumor in Taylor's abdomen, very near her spine. 

The family, of course, is shocked.  How could this all happen in just the course of maybe a week?  I think of the Hall family often and pray for them, and cry many, many tears for them.  The mom, Julie, is due with their 5th baby in about 6 weeks. 

I know this family is questioning how this could happen so quickly, but I also know their foundation is in Jesus Christ. While they are sincerely suffering, they trust an all-knowing God.  What a testimony.

My children are downstairs right now, running like crazy around their dad.  They are healthy.  They are rambunctious.  And lately, I've gotten terribly annoyed with them.  But hearing a story such as the Halls' makes me take a step back and sincerely thank God for every moment that I have to hold the babies He has given to me, and even to chase them around and clean up their messes. 

Won't you take time today to do the same?  Will you thank God that He has given you this day to love your child or another family member that you often take for granted?  And will you join with me in prayer for the Hall family - Randy, Julie, little Taylor, her 3 older siblings, and this baby on the way? 

If you are interested in following prayer updates for this family, click here to follow them on facebook. 

Menu for 6/25

I'm trying something new tonight for grocery shopping.  I've been using an app on our KindleFire called "Pepperplate" to create my weekly planner for quite some time.  This week, though, I also logged onto their website, http://www.pepperplate.com/, and used it to make the menu as well as my grocery list.  I'm a little skeptical about carrying the Kindle around the store instead of my usual pen and notebook . . . but the site separates all of the groceries into categories, so I'm hoping that will be of great benefit.  We shall see!

Here is my menu for the week.

Breakfast:
cereal & bagles x2
French toast
egg burritos
homemade cinnamon rolls

Lunch:
Homemade Bagel pizzas x2
egg salad sandwiches
out with family
leftovers

Supper:
out with family (hopefully Panchero's!)
Brats, homemade mac & cheese, coleslaw
White Chicken Lasagna, Homemade French Bread
Pork tacos (roast pork in crockpot), rice & beans
Bible study group supper

I spent all morning cleaning out cupboards, and am hoping to get the refrigerator and freezer done yet today or early tomorrow.  Therefore, this week's meals are reflective of whatever surplusses I have found during the organization process.  You'll also notice I haven't listed any snacks for the week . . . that's because our cupboards were chock-full of crackers, popcorn, and all sorts of snack-y foods.  We will be munching on a bag full of apples & oranges that I had forgotten to take on vacation, as well as several fresh veggies that are still in our fridge!

Happy Monday!

My Baby Girl Turns 2!!

We're home!  I am just now logging on to the internet for the first time since late Friday night, and (this is a real shocker) I haven't even checked facebook yet!  I know once I get on that and Pinterest, all of my time will be spent "catching up".  So I figured I'd better post this first.

Yesterday, my baby Julia turned two.  When I got old enough to have a three-year-old, a two-year-old, and a baby on the way, I have no idea!  Last I checked I was living on my own in an apartment, barely out of college, and dating the neighbor boy. (Yes, that neighbor boy was David . . . the only person I ever dated!)

Since I shared Samuel's birth story, I thought I'd go ahead and do so for Julia, too.  For whatever reason (I imagine it has to do with him being my first), I have to think a little harder to remember all the details of Julia's birth than I did for Samuel's! 

I was due on Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010.  It had been a rough couple of years, having gotten married and gone through several trials, then having Samuel, and unexpectedly finding out we would be having another baby when Samuel was only 6 months old. 

On Saturday evening, the 19th, I started having fairly regular and sometimes intense contractions.  David and I were both quite nervous about the whole labor process, since I was only in the hospital for little over an hour before delivering Samuel.  We live 45 minutes from the hospital, so we were not willing to take any chances with this baby!  We decided around 9:00 that night that we should go in and see if I could be admitted since we were pretty sure it was the beginning of labor.

One thing I remember being very sad about was that my main OB was still on vacation.  She would not be back until Monday, and since I just adore her, and she had also delivered Samuel, I was really wanting her to be the one to deliver Julia as well.  I was very thankful, though, to find that my second choice was on call for Saturday night into early Sunday.

When we got to the hospital around 10:30, my contractions were 10-15 minutes apart and I was dilated to 4 cm.  They put monitors on me and let me lay in a waiting area and chew on ice.  I know the ice seems to be a very small part of this story . . . but ice is one of my favorite things during pregnancy.  Especially the incredibly crunchy crushed ice they have in the delivery area.

I was monitored all night, and though our nurse insisted David and I get some sleep, we were both uncomfortable and just ready to have a baby.  We stayed awake watching old TV shows and visiting, and all the while, my contractions seemed to be slowing.  By 4:00 a.m. they were 30-40 minutes apart, and I had not dilated any further.  The on-call doctor said she could come in and break my water to try and speed up labor, or that we could go ahead and leave and come back when the contractions were closer again.  She said, though, that we should not go home since I was definitely in beginning labor and we live so far away.

What in the world do you do at 4 in the morning on a Sunday, though??  Walk around Wal-Mart.  We actually kind of enjoyed ourselves, picking out a little outfit for David to get after I delivered, if the baby happened to be a girl.  At 5 we went to IHOP where we wasted about another hour eating stuffed French toast.  Finally, around 7:00 when we had walked around the mall with the older people for an hour and realized we truly had exhausted all of our options, we decided we would go home. 

We called Labor and Delivery and told them our decision.  I was scheduled to be induced the next day, Monday, by my regular OB, Dr. Wenzel. 

We picked up Samuel from our friends' house Sunday morning and then went home and took turns sleeping on and off all day.  Monday morning we called in at 6:30 as we had been instructed, assuming that we would be able to leave shortly thereafter and have our baby.  Since Dr. Wenzel had been on vacation, she had scheduled about 10 inductions for that Monday the 21st.  They told me that not only did they have a full induction schedule, but several ladies were in labor and all of their beds were full.  I would have to wait to call until 10:30.  How disappointing.

Between that time, my contractions started picking up again.  They went from 40 minutes, to 30, to 20 . . . I called in at 10:30.  "We're still really full.  We'll call you when we're ready - probably in an hour or so," they told me.  Great. 

I had a really terrible stomachache in addition to the contractions, and all I could stand to eat was ice cream, so that was what I ate all morning.  I have to say, David and I did really enjoy every moment with Samuel that day.  We knew it would be his last day as an only child, so we played with him and read to him. 

By 1:00, my contractions were 10-15 minutes apart, and I knew I was going to be having the baby soon.  We had not yet received a phone call from the hospital, so I called in and told them what was going on.  I was surprised at their non-chalance.  They told me to take a bath, and take my time, and to come within the next 2 hours.  Maybe they would have a bed ready.

It was actually pretty nice (aside from the whole labor/contraction/pain thing).  Instead of going to emergency, since we were technically being induced, we parked in the regular parking lot and took our time getting up to labor and delivery.  My parents met us in the lobby, where they had been waiting since 7:00 that morning.  They didn't want to miss the birth.  We were able to hand Samuel over to them, and go straight back to be admitted.

By the time I was admitted, it was around 3:30.  My contractions were less than 5 minutes apart and I was dilated to 6 cm.  I don't remember a whole lot from that time - it really seemed to fly by.  I do remember asking David repeatedly to tickle my arm, and then yelling at hime to stop touching me.  I felt kind of bad about that . . .

Julia Lucile was born at 6:24 p.m. on Monday the 21st - exactly 14 months, 14 days after her big brother.  She was a "mommy's girl" from the beginning, crying if anyone else was holding her but me.  That was wearing on me, and I have to admit that it took a few months of getting used to. 

Once again, God answered our prayers and I did not have an epidural, we made it to the hospital, and my own doctor was there to deliver.  We are so thankful for how the events took place as we brought Julia into the world that day.

Here she is this morning, two years later, sporting her new big girl backpack that we gave her to replace her diaper bag.  Julia is independent and has an opinion on everything.  She loves the color pink, babies, purses, having her hair and nails done, and doing things she's told not to do.  Seriously, who couldn't love this girl??  Happy 2nd birthday, Sweet Baby Julia!!

This Week's Menu (June 12)

I didn't post the menu yesterday . . . because I didn't have one until last night!  What a month June is turning out to be already, with so much to keep us busy.  Yesterday I had an early morning OB appointment, and my mom and sister headed down to help me out with the kids.  It turned into an all-day event as we decided to do some shopping while we were in town. 

Next week we'll be on vacation, so I won't be posting a menu for then, either.  In case anyone wondered, yesterday's meals consisted of oatmeal, Red Lobster for lunch, and Panchero's for supper.  It was all delicious.

Breakfast:
cereal, toast/bagels x2
French toast, fresh fruit
eggs, sausage links

Lunch:
meat ravioli w/sauce, cooked carrots
cheese sandwiches, veggies and dip
leftovers x2

Supper:
Tomato Cheese Pie, lettuce salad, fresh fruit
Baked potato bar w/bacon, cheese, veggies
Nachos w/chili
Spaghetti, homemade bread, lettuce salad

Snacks:
pumpkin chocolate chip muffins
fruit cups
graham crackers w/Nutella
carrots & celery with dip

This week is filled with preparations for vacation, so everything we're eating is pretty simple.  Today already, I've made Chex mix, trail mix, and banana oatmeal muffins - all in the freezer and ready for next week!

Happy eating!

This Week's Menu

Have you ever heard of Money Saving Mom?  If not, I'd encourage everyone to stop over at her blog, http://www.moneysavingmom.com/.  Crystal has been a huge encouragement to me in so many areas - finances, family, loving God, and so much more. 

One of the things she always does is to make a meal plan for each week.  This is something I too have done for quite some time.  I have been pretty proud of myself for the small amount of money we've been able to spend every two weeks . . . and yet, I've been too proud to admit that we never have enough food.  "It's not possible," I'd argue with David everytime he mentioned it, "I plan every single week, every single ingredient." 

And then it dawned on me.  I make a bi-weekly supper plan.  I did finally get into the habit of buying a few things for David's lunches, but I completely neglected to plan for this pregnant lady and her two toddlers that are home all day eating a whole lot more than just suppers! 

So last week, I changed my habit.  I added to the list a daily plan for breakfast, lunch, and snacks.  I was surprised at how much more time it took - though I really enjoy menu planning and since the morning sickness is significantly less, I can actually look at most foods without gagging now.  I don't think it'll take as much time from here on out, now that I have a basis.  I'd like to start sharing the menus I've planned here on our blog as both a way for others to possibly find suggestions for their own meals, as well as for a way to keep track myself of what we have from week to week.

Last week's menu worked out pretty well . . . so here is the one we'll be following this week:

Breakfast: Cereal and toast x2
                Baked Oatmeal x2
                Banana muffins
                Cinnamon Rolls and sausage links

Lunch: Egg salad sandwiches
           BBQ pork, leftover veggies
           lettuce salads
           Leftovers x2

Supper: Pork roast, potatoes & carrots, Rhodes rolls
             Crispy SW Chicken Wraps
             Fried potatoes, eggs, pancakes or waffles
             Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
             Dinner w/my parents

Snacks: Banana muffins
             Fruit cups (more on these in a later post!)
             Pretzels         
             Popcorn
             Steel Cut Oat Cups

I'm pretty excited about what we have on the menu this week.  If you have any suggestions for meals you think we'd enjoy, please let me know.  I'm always searching for new things to try!

Cheese Manicotti in the Month of May!

Happy Friday to all on this glorious "summer" day!  I just love May . . . it's the beginning of the summer season but usually not unbearably hot.  I love going to graduations and weddings, and all the newness and excitement in the air because of both.  I love opening the windows each morning to a cool breeze, yet having it warm enough that the kids and I can get outside well before noon.  I love the new life of flowers, grass, and trees - a reminder that God's mercies are "new every morning". 

Since I have not been able to stomach the cooking of meat as of late, my poor family has been suffering a bit.  David was less than thrilled to have banana pancakes and yogurt for supper the other night!  I've been trying to come up with new "meatless" recipes that I can handle making and that the family won't mind eating! 

Last night I made cheese manicotti, and was fairly surprised that it was such a big hit.  When I saw the recipe said, "manicotti shells", I got the shells part in my brain.  So that's what I bought - giant shells.  When I actually started making it, I remembered that I had made this recipe once before, right after graduating high school.  And I remembered that manicotti is the big tube pasta.  Oh, well.  It worked well and the kids enjoyed the shape of the shells!

First I boiled the shells to al dente so they would hold up during filling.  I started to line the pan with them, but I think next time I'll pull them from the strainer as I fill them. There was just too much going on when they were already in the pan.

Next I mixed the cheeses and herbs.  It said to fill the shells with a long spoon, but I tried it using a ziploc bag with the tip cut off - so much easier than I remember when I used a spoon years ago!  Just don't fill the bag more than halfway, or the cheese will spill out the top while you're filling the shells!

Once all the shells were filled, I poured spaghetti sauce over the top.  I found Prego onion and garlic flavor on sale this week for $.99, so that's what this is.  Also, though the recipe doesn't call for this part, I sprinkled about 1/2 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and a little garlic salt on the top.

Here's the whole meal - cheese manicotti, broccoli slaw salad, and homemade bread and butter.  mmm!

Cheese Manicotti

1 pkg. manicotti shells
2 c. shredded mozzarella
1/3 c. parmesan cheese
1 T. Italian seasoning
1 T. parsley flakes
1 1/2 c. Ricotta cheese
2 beaten eggs
1 jar spaghetti sauce

Cook manicotti shells according to package directions, stirring often.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Stir together eggs, cheeses, and spices.  Fill manicotti shells with this mixture using a long spoon.  Arrange filled shells in large baking dish.  Pour spaghetti on top.  Bake, covered at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Hope you enjoy this dish as much as my family did, and have a splendid weekend!  I think ours is going to include several hours outdoors!

A Savory Pie and Other News

Obviously, I have not posted in a couple of weeks.  So here's the deal.  Shortly after my last post, the whole "morning sickness" thing really got a hold of me, and I haven't even climbed the steps to the office more than maybe twice since then.  I had all these awesome recipes I'd been working on, with pictures and directions and everything . . . and suddenly, even the mention of most of them makes me start to gag.  My apologies for being unable to share them at this time.

Here's one that I just can't get enough of, though.  I have no problem making it and thinking and writing about it!  Behold, the Tomato Cheese Pie.

My grandma used to make one similar to this when I was growing up.  I ran across a recipe in an old cookbook the other day and couldn't seem to get the memory of it out of my head, so I had to make it!

Here's the recipe:

1 pie crust
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 c. grated mozzarella cheese
1 c. ricotta cheese

2 T. chopped onion

1 tsp. crumbled basil (I like more than that)
Parmesan cheese
3-4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and sliced thin
salt and pepper

Line a pan with pie crust.  Prick with fork, bake 10 min. at 425.  Combine cheddar, mozzarella, ricotta, and onion.  Spoon into slightly cooled pie crust.  Topping: arrange tomatoes in a tightly overlapping circular pattern over the filling.  Sprinkle with basil, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.  Bake 350 for 20-30 minutes.  Cool slightly before serving.

This is utterly delicious.  I wasn't sure how David would react but I didn't mention the ricotta, and he said he loved the pie!  I'm usually big on making quiche, so the family assumed it was a fancy version of that.  This is so easy to make - but you might want to do two because it goes fast.

In other news, we had our first OB appointment today.  It is always a relief to have that done and know that everything is okay.  In my case, I need that confirmation that I am indeed pregnant and I don't have some weird disease that makes me nauseated and turns the test positive (yes, I am crazy.  I realize this). 

We even got a few pictures, which I may post at a later date.  I am waiting to make sure our family gets a first peek. 

Yesterday we had a fabulous day for Mother's Day!  We had been running nonstop all week leading up to Sunday. David worked overtime and the kids and I visited family, ran errands, and attended graduations which meant very little rest for any of us. 

When I woke up yesterday morning, this is what I found:

I was so excited I screamed.  And I don't scream.  So far the past three days I have been feeling much better, so hopefully I will be able to use them all in the next week and have some great new recipes I can share!

We let the kids sleep late, then went to church, ordered a pizza for lunch, and watched movies all afternoon.  aaahhhh, happy Mother's Day to me!!

Hopefully that catches me up for a bit and I will be able to blog much more frequently from here on out!

ch-ch-ch-changes!

We are experiencing several changes at our house right now.  For one, yesterday we started the process of refinancing.  That's some fun stuff, let me tell you!  Actually, I am very thankful for a husband who is willing to figure all of that out and get the ball rolling.  I wouldn't get past the "thinking about it" stage!  Can you believe, though, by refinancing, we will be paying less per month for 15 years than we are right now for 30??  That's crazy!  I'd like to keep all that extra money, thank you!

David has also been working really hard to get the outside of our home looking decent.  We decided after 5 years of being here, we should probably repaint the windows, mulch the landscaping, trim the bushes, etc.  He's doing a great job!

Here's another change: my children are learning to be more self-sufficient.  Not necessarily because they want to, but because lately if they want something, they either have to be very patient or to get it themselves.  I simply have been too sick.  With "morning sickness", that is :-)

Sweet baby Julia helping her sick mommy with cleaning

A bit of a story goes with this one.

David's brother Jeff and his wife Courtney, along with David and myself, came up with this awesome plan.  We would hold off on any babies for about a year, so that we could take a trip to Florida next April and Courtney and I would be pregnant at the time.  We were pretty excited about it.

But God started placing all these "circumstances" in my path as He showed me that my plan (as usual) is not His.  I kept on hearing radio program after radio program that talked about babies.  Sanctity of life.  Women who wanted to be pregnant and couldn't do so.  And the list goes on.  It seemed like everytime I turned on my radio for at least a month's time, another of these programs would be on.

I was really struggling with this, wondering if it wasn't all part of God's plan for me to hear those programs.  Finally, at the end of March, I was really down about it and David could tell.  I finally explained to him what was going on, and he said he'd been having the same conviction that maybe our "baby plan" wasn't perfect.  We decided to see how God would work.

I got sick about a week later. 

I must have already been pregnant!  With Samuel, we were so new at everything - married less than a year when we found out we were expecting him.  With Julia, I was so full of resentment that I couldn't enjoy my pregnancy or even her as a baby for way too long.  With this one, I have peace. 

Here's the funny part.  The day after we got a positive test, Jeff and Courtney called.  They had the same story as us - becoming convicted about their plan and then getting pregnant right away after deciding to surrender to God's best for them!  We didn't tell them for 2 more weeks - that was pure torture!  I wanted to share with Courtney so badly my excitement for both of us, but we wanted to wait until we could tell them in person.  It was worth the wait!  And to think, we were both a bit nervous that the other would be upset for ruining the "plan"!

So here's the official announcement.  Baby #3 is due on or around December 11th, just about a week after my sister-in-law is due.  We couldn't be happier!

Which brings me to another change . . . adding a bedroom so we have a place for Baby to sleep!  I'm sure there will be plenty more posts on that subject!

Meat Bundling

Here is the newest addition to my freezer: Meat Bundle #5 from Fareway. 

David and I have tossed around the idea of purchasing a 1/4 beef or 1/2 hog for quite some time, because when I go to the store, the bulk of my cost is in meats.  One of the best things I've been able to do is look at online ads for each store that I'm going to in order to find which one has sales on what.  This has been espcially helpful with the cost of produce, simply because though couponing is nice, there is a lot of junk to be bought just with coupons. 

I've been amazed to find cabbage for 17c./lb, celery at 88c/pkg., broccoli at 99c/lb, etc.  I am enjoying the preparation of meals using fresh produce that I've found at a great price!  But still, the meat is so hard to find without getting the cheap stuff - bologna and hot dogs.  Overall, I have found better deals on higher quality meats at Fareway than any other place I've found.

After checking pricing and availability with several places, we decided that this time we would go with Fareway for our large meat purchase.  I am really excited because by getting the "bundle" rather than just beef or pork, I can make a variety of things using all different meats.

Here is what it included:

5# boneless chuck roast

5# ground beef

5# chicken hind quarters

5# boneless pork roast

5# boneless pork steak

3# bacon

2# ham

Ideally, our goal is to one day be able to have a self-sustaining farm.  David loves cattle, and we'd like to have a couple of pigs and chickens.  I'd like to have a larger space for a garden (this year, though, it will be my biggest yet so stay tuned for how it turns out!)  But for now, we'll take what we can.  I think overall we saved money, provided I don't start planning super meaty meals just because we have the meat! 

How about anyone else?  Do you buy meat bundles, parts of cows or pigs, etc? 

My Victory Over Fear

It was September 2011.  I was at a ladies' retreat with some church friends and it was getting late.  Should we go out by the fire, or just head to bed?  God was working already as we headed out to the fire to find several ladies laughing hysterically  - we decided to stay and see what was going on.

Wendy, a lady from our church, introduced us to her new friend Tricia, a tiny little lady with a huge sense of humor.  I was instantly drawn to her as she talked to us about her pastor-husband, her eight children, and her life in Minnesota.  I don't know how we got on the subject of fear, but Tricia began talking to us about how she used to plan routes out of the grocery store in order to avoid an invisible gunman who was after her.  Then she said how she used to fret while driving because a deer might come at her and his hoof might go through the windshield and kill her. 

My friend Amanda spoke up, "that sounds like something Emi would say!"  It was.  It was something I had struggled with many times; only with me, the whole deer would come through and behead everyone.  Isn't that terrible??  Tricia picked up on it right away, and we began a conversation that changed my life.

I don't know when my fear started - fear of everything, that is.  I know I was always afraid of the dark, and of too much quietness, and I always worried that I would be shot or that Jesus would come back in the rapture and leave me here all by myself.  It seems as if fear was always present in my life in one way or another.  But I do remember when it took over.

I really struggled with it during my pregnancy and the birth of our daughter.  I had a couple of weeks of what I would call "postpartum depression", and then the fear just crept up and was more present than ever before.  Most days I could go outside, but many of them, I would lock the door to the house so no one could get in and wait for me.  One day (and possibly more; I can't quite recall) I locked all the windows and doors, and I stayed inside watching suspiciously because I was sure that my neighbor's grandson was coming to kill us.  It sounds crazy, I know.  Then there were the nights, those endless nights where I checked the locks several times and just laid in my bed shaking until sleep finally took over the fear.  Last summer, David was working a second job that kept him out until midnight, or 2 a.m., or sometimes even until 5:00.  I was so incredibly afraid - if I was out anywhere, the kids and I would get home before dark fell and then I would stay up keeping vigil until David got home.  My fear was at an all-time high.

As I shared these things with Tricia, she assured me that I was not crazy.  That kind of fear is something that happens to "normal" people.  And she told me she had been one of them.  Then she shared something that I could hardly wrap my mind around.  When Tricia was 27, she was up all night keeping vigil as I had done so many times, and at that time God laid so many verses on her heart as she poured out all hear anxieties to Him, she was up for hours just reading His Word.  He took all that fear away.  ALL of it.  And it has never come back! 

I wanted so desperately for God to take that fear away, but I wasn't sure where to begin.  Tricia shared some verses with me.  The one that stuck the most was this.  Proverbs 3:25 says, "Do not be afraid of sudden fear nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes;" and verse 26 goes on to say, "For the Lord will be your confidence ..." !!  It took me a bit to grasp what the verse was saying, but it is clearly saying that I do not need to have guilt for the fear that may come, because fear is to be expected.  It is going to show up - the verse says when it comes, not if.  But it is what I do with that fear that causes it either to stay and to fester and grow, or to be taken away! 

What I am not saying is that God is some sort of genie in a bottle Who just shows up when you need Him and then doesn't "bother" you.  What I am saying is that He has power.  He has power over Satan and his tactics of fear.  He has power in my life and will conquer the fear when it comes.  I am so thankful to say that I, too, have experienced a complete change in my life.  No longer am I afraid to step outside, or to leave my back door open while we're playing in the yard.  No longer do I lay awake at night in fear of a break-in. When I gave my life to Christ as a young child, His Spirit came into me and He dwells in me today.  When the fear shows up, I immediately give it over to Him and God gives me "peace that passes understanding" (Phil. 4:7).

What about you?  First, have you given your life to Christ and acknowledged that He alone can forgive your sin?  Have you trusted that Jesus had you in mind when He died on the cross?  That cross, that life of Christ, that power of God . . . that is what has and will always have the victory over Satan, over sin, over fear.  I am so thankful for God's great grace and pray that you, too, can experience victory over fear! 

For further consideration:
Karen Loritts speaks on fear - this is a broadcast from Family Life Today.  I have linked to part one, but you can find part two from here as well. 

Victory Over Violence - this is an ebook that was actually written by Tricia, the lady God prompted to speak with me about my fear last fall.  She writes this book in a down-to-earth way that makes for a great weekend read.  In it you will find many scriptures in addition to those listed below.

Verses to meditate upon:
Phil. 4:6-7 - Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 1 John 4:18 - Perfect love casts out fear . . . (God is love, and love is the opposite of fear!)

John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.  Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.