Catching up

These pictures are from my phone so the quality is not the best. 

Jeff worked all weekend getting this thing put up. The boys are loving it!

Tomorrow is our 7 year anniversary! We have been pretty consistent with date nights every week, so I thought we could do something together as a family. We are planning on going to Crystal Cave in Spring Valley. I will write up a separate post later.

The boys are doing fairly well with the transition to sharing a room. (And I am too!) Please don't think that I am a horrible, mean, demented mom for doing this. Charlie was getting out of his bed over and over and over and over!!! It just wasn't working. So, I tried locking the doors to our bedroom and to the bathroom. So far it's working! I do explain to them every night that our doors our locked because it's bedtime for us too. Charlie will get out of his bed and knock on our door a little and talk to us a little, and maybe scream and bother Joey a little. I tell him through the door that it's bedtime and he needs to get back to bed. After about 10 minutes or so..it works!!! Some mornings Charlie thinks that the door are still locked so he sits in the hallway and cries a little!

On Tuesday I am going in for my first appointment with a midwife. I will get to hear the baby's heartbeat! I can't wait!

Fond of my belly

According to my calculations I am now at 12 weeks of this pregnancy. Is this a magic number? Well, it symbolizes the end of the first trimester. Although I have heard that the end of first trimester is 13 weeks. I am going to stick with what I know! The end of the first trimester also brings relief from "morning sickness". I hope to feel much better soon!

For the first time during this pregnancy I have become fond of my belly. I was wearing a cute new comfortable flowy dress and I looked in the mirror and pulled the dress tight around my belly. Awwww...I said to myself.

Until tonight I have felt bloated, huge, uncomfortable, yucky, queasy, and tired. I felt a little better today! A little more energetic. God does know that I need that energy to play with Joey and Charlie and to keep up with this house.

I read this verse a little while ago and I think it is a good fit for today and for what is to come!

1 Corinthians 2: 9

However it is written "no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"

It's Summer!

Here are some family pictures we took about a month ago when the tulips were in bloom! Now the tulips are done, the poppy's are done, and I am waiting patiently for the crazy daisy's! The roses are in bloom now too! We have just a few apples and pears and tons of cherries.  This weekend Jeff is setting up our new swingset play area! I never thought we would want one because we live to close a playground, but it was just a dream I had recently. Call it nesting or baby love, but I just imagined the kids playing on it and all 3 swings full of singing little monkeys. Will post pictures of the swingset soon!

Blessing Number 3: The most awesome due date, December 31st, 2010

Joey is so exctied about this baby. He keeps asking "is the baby warm ?" "is the baby tired?" He is already so concerned for his little sibling. Charlie doesn't really seem to care too much. Although since I have been babysitting a 6 month old-he has been very interested in babies. He is always going to other baby car seats and talking to them, rocking them, and trying to get the baby to take a nuk. He also asks if he can hold babies too. It is the cutest!!!

Blessing Number 3: Due Date, December 31st, 2010

This due date is awesome in so many ways.

1. We don't know if this baby will be born this year or next year.
2. Perhaps we will have another Janurary Birthday (To go with the other 6 that we celebrate)
3. What color will be next for my mothers ring? (So far we have Garnet for Joey and Citrine for Charlie) Will it be Blue Topaz or another Garnet?
4. Will we have a baby bundled up under the Christmas tree? The best Christmas present ever!
5. We might be ringing in the new year in the hospital!
6. Blessing number 3 may be the last baby born in 2010.
7. Blessing number 3 may be the first baby born in 2011.
8. We could have 3 consecutive birthday months to celebrate. Nov., Dec., Jan.
9. We found out early enough to annouce the pregnancy on Mother's Day. (We annouced Joey's on Fathers Day)
10. If it is a boy he can wear hand me downs and it will be appropriate for the seasons!
11. Many of my new year resolutions are already in place.
a. nurse baby.
b. change about a thousand diapers.
c. give baby a bath.
d. go on walks with baby.
e. I could go on and on...you get the idea!

Only God know what day this baby will come into our world!!!

Big boy bed for a big boy

We are in the first week of transitioning Charlie into a big boy bed! We were able to have Great Grandma Lee's bed-as she has now been in a medical bed. Thanks Great Grandma Lee and Mamie! To get both Joey and Charlie excited, I purchased rocket ship themed bedding for both the boys. So cute!!!



Charlie knows his freedom to roam now! The first night it took about 1 1/2 hours to finally get them sleeping. I read them books, sang songs, said prayers, tucked them in multiple times, and snuggled with them. Joey is always the one who falls asleep first! I tell Charlie-shhhh...Joey is sleeping now, so you need to be quiet and I tuck him in one more time and close the door. He then sings to himself, counts, or plays with his little rocketship until he falls asleep.

One night at about 12:30 am, Joey screamed super loud in his sleep! This woke up poor little Charlie and he started to cry. Thankfully all it took was for me to comfort him a little and he was back to sleep.

Another night as I was listening in on them I heard Joey say "Charlie I will read you a book, what book would you like me to read" and chitter chatter... Then Jeff went to check on them and Joey was fast asleep while Charlie was sitting next to him in Joey's bed crying! So Jeff tucked Charlie into his own bed.

I just love it when they interact together on their own, and actually get along! It is so cute how Joey talks to Charlie about sleeping in his big boy bed. I have noticed a difference in their relationship now. They are closer to each other. They joke around more..there is a lot more laughter!

One night at the supper table, it was Joey's turn to talk. We usually talk about what our favorite part of the day was. Joey said "I like it that Charlie is sleeping in my room now, because I love him." Um...MELT MY
HEART!!!

Of course this process isn't without some frustrations. Tonight Charlie is sleeping in his crib because he just wouldn't settle down! I put him is crib and Joey was asleep within 5 minutes, and Charlie was asleep in about 10.

We will try it again next week! We are going to Turtle Lake this weekend-so that will be a totally different bedtime routine!

Blessing Number 3

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;

you formed me in my mother's womb.

I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking!

Body and soul, I am marvelously made!

I worship in adoration—what a creation!

You know me inside and out,

you know every bone in my body;

You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,

how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;

all the stages of my life were spread out before you,

The days of my life all prepared

before I'd even lived one day.

Psalm 139; 13-16 (The Message)

I just love these verses. I think it is just so cool to think about God shaping an unformed body. Planning out every minute and every breath. Scuplting an amazing creation from nothing. God is the most talented artist I know! And to apply this to the baby growing right now. God has prepared all the days of his/her life. What an amazing surprise to look forward to.God is watching this baby grow, he is there for him/her from the beginning!

We are at about the 7 week mark right now. Just think. The baby's tiny heart is beating it's first beats right about now!!! God is there. bah bum, bah bum, bah bum, bah bum.


We have been trying for baby number 3 for about 5 months. For Joey, it took about 8 months and Charlie about 6. This time I used an application on my Droid phone to keep track of dates. (Called My Days) I started tracking in November. So every month I would take a test at about the time I thought I would get positive results.  Sometimes I get a little excited and take a test early. On April 20th I took the test and it was positive! This is amazing because it was 5 days earlier than most tests will have a valid result. It was the target brand home pregrancy test-cheap and accurate!

Some cool things about finding out so early:

1. I can cut down on my caffine intake. I normally drink 2.5 cups of coffee a day. Last month I weakend my coffee by mixing decaf in.

2. I can stop drinking my occasional beer or wine.

3. If I do feel tired-I don't have to feel guilty for taking a nap. One of the few symtoms I have had so far is being a little more tired than usual.

4. If I feel hungry I can eat more without feeling guilty. I have been sticking to the ZONE diet as much as possbile...with just a few cheats. For one 2 day hunger streak I ate Zone snacks and meals all day, and finally after supper I would feel full. I was even craving breakfast foods all day one day!

5. I can daydream and think about names and guess the sex of the baby.

6. So far I have also felt a little bit of pre-nesting. Getting the house organized, cleaning more that usual. (Which really isn't much)

7. When I babysit 6 month baby friend, I can imigine what it will be like next June!

8. We were able to announce the pregnancy on Mother's Day!

Cuties

Just some pictures this time!

How to cheat the Zone without Cheating it

Here are a few ideas that I have found. Sometimes I just get that irristible craving for something. Or the rest of the family is enjoying local handmade ice cream like Olsons. So I found some ways to be able to "Eat my cake and have it too"

So if I really want ice cream  I can team it up with some protein to balance it out:
½ cup ice cream plus 1 cup cottage cheese or 4 ounces sliced turkey (4 protein blocks)


MAJOR craving! If I find that frozen snicker bar from last week and I start to salivate. I eat the snickers bar and follow it up with 2/3 cup cottage cheese or 3 ounces sliced turkey.

Steel Cut Oats

Yum! Easy! It is recommended in the Zone to try Steel Cut Oats. (Irish Oats) Part of the Zone philosophy is to avoid foods that spike your insulin levels-so foods that are low glycemic. Spikes in my insulin could be a cause of the mood changes as well as energy levels. Whenever I do cheat and eat a cookie or something I think...Oh this is going to go straight to my blood stream!
Steel cut oats have a lower glycemic level compared to instant oatmeal. It has a nutty flavor and chewier texture. It does take longer to cook-but I found a great recipe in which you can cook it overnight. http://www.thebittenword.com/thebittenword/2009/01/overnight-oatmeal-quick-cook-steelcut-oats-in-10-minutes.html This makes a bigger batch-you can put it in the fridge and have it for breakfast for several more days. You could also put it in a crockpot and cook it on LOW all night. See recipe below.

Charlie LOVED it! For him I added some milk, cinnamon and some brown sugar. For me I added Stevia-and I would not recommend it. Stevia is a natural sweetener and is 100 to 300 times sweeter than sugar. It is ideal for a low-carb diet like the Zone. It doesn't affect insulin levels like regular sugar does. I put 3 drops into my oats. I couldn't really taste anything else. It was a somewhat bitter taste-so next time I will try without. Here is a picture of my breakfast.

I have to try this recipe next.

Blueberry Maple Nut Oatmeal (4-4 block meals)

1 cup plus 2 tbls. Steel-cut oats
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 1/4 cups of cold water
4 one ounce scoops vanilla egg white protein or whey protein (about 1 cup)
2 tsp. pure maple extract (or I will just add some real maple syrup)
2 cups blueberries
48 pecan halves, lightly toasted and crumbled

1. Before going to bed, combine the oats, spice, and water in a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours.

2. In the morning, turn off heat. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes; the steam will condense and lift the stuck cereal off the bottom of the cooker for ease of clean-up.

3. Add protein powder and maple syrup. Stir to dissolve all lumps. Stir in warm water a tablespoon at a time if too stiff. Divide among 4 serving bowls. Top with berries and nuts.

Favorite Snack

This is my favorite snack of the week! Charlie LOVES it too!!!

Zone Waldorf Salad Snack (1 block)
1 cup celery, diced
1/4 apple, chopped
1 tsp. mayo (I use Mayo with Canola Oil)
1 pecan, crushed
1 oz. cheese

Mommy in The Zone

I was in the mood for changing something. About myself. I felt that my mood swings were getting out of control. I have heard from others that a change in your diet could help with mood swings. I also felt like I should have more energy throughout the day. There were times when I felt out of control with eating! If there was a bag of chips I would eat and eat. If there was some chocolate or candy I would keep eating it! I just felt out of control. I don't llike to be out of control.

My brother just so happens to be my inspiration to make some change. Some might think this may be a little bit scary...an older brother inspiring?? Alex is inspiring to me in a lot of ways. He was talking a lot about The Zone way of eating. So I picked up a book or two and set to it. A lot of what Alex was eating he would explain to me and I would try it all out. He sent me a link from Crossfit that had some easy recipies on it. I like many of them. So Easy! What could be easier to snack on then some cottage cheese, pinnapple, and 6 peanuts? Here is the article. http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/cfjissue21_May04.pdf

I have had A LOT of questions about all of this. So as I blog I will answer these questions. I am trying all sorts of new things in the kitchen. My thought for now is a little bit of change at time is all that matters!

Some foods we are trying and avoiding:
Less bread-open faced sandwiches
No cereal (occasionally for me, and everyone else gets to eat what they want)
More protein-deli meat, steak, bacon, ham, lots of chicken, hamburger, salmon, tuna, and fish
Oatmeal and steel-cut oats
More avocodo (for fats)
Favorite lunch today: tortilla with avacodo, chesse melted, and salsa!
Smoothies with protein powder

So basically its a good balance between protein, carbs, and fats.  As I try new things I will be sure to share!

Weeds of Life

Blog Post Verse 1
He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. ~Matthew 13:37-39 (NIV)


The other day I was sharing with Jeff some news about a few my mom friends. He asked "Is there ever any good news that happens to your mom friends? It seems that there is always bad stuff happening." I told him Yes of course! Why do I naturally share bad news first rather than the good stuff? I feel like if I tell Jeff bad news, I will get more of a response from him. "oh wow, so sorry to hear that" or "that is terrible". If I tell him good news will he react the same way is a positive manner? "Oh that is wonderful!" "Oh I am so glad to hear that".  I was sowing weeds!

I was pulling weeds this afternoon. These weeds surrounded the beautiful spring flowers like tulips and daffodils. I wasn't paying any attention to the flowers, just the weeds. Pulling and plucking, digging and discarding. I was on my knees when there was a tulip right under my nose. I could not avoid the scent from the flower. I looked down and there was such a beautiful contrast between the inner black and the outer red. So beautiful, God's creation. It was like God was saying...here you go my sweet daughter-I give you beauty amoungst the weeds. Sweet child, don't focus on the weeds, focus on the beauty that is in front of you. Wow! Thank you God for this moment.

Isn't this true with life? It seems like sometimes there are so many "weeds" growing around us that we fail to see the beauty that is right under our noses. So now it's time for me to focus on God and all the beauty and blessings that surround us. Focus on the good seeds! Instead of telling news about bad things happening, tell the good news! The praises! The Blessings! The beauty of God, the kingdom of heaven!


Blog Post Verse 2
Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew. ~Matthew 13: 24-26 (NLT)

This picture is from last summer. Charlie enjoying God's beauty!

Thank you God for beautiful life.

Blog Post Verse:

The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. ~Isaiah 58:11

Last fall I was pretty confident in how our compost would turn out. I packed the can in the ground a foot or two and buffered it from the cold winter to come. This spring, I opened the compost can and there it was. So beautiful. Perfect compost dirt! Whenever you smell fresh dirt, do you ever start to salivate a little bit? I did! I don't know what it is that causes that!

As I emptied it out into a wheelbarrow I found out that the lower I got, the stinker it was. I also found a few things there weren't decomposed. The top of a pinneapple, some newspaper, and the stinkiest thing on the bottom were some corn husks. This year I will avoid adding these things. I will also remember to pick up the can and roll it around to get some air in the bottom of it.

In our garden area I hoe'd and raked out all the weeds (isn't it amazing that weeds are one of the first things that grow in the spring?) to get it ready for the compost. It was about 1.5 wheelbarrows full that I mixed into the garden area. I will be planting some tomatoes and basil. We also trimmed out quite a bit from the bottom of the pine tree, so there will be a tad bit more area and more sun.

Our tulips and daffadils have started blooming! All different colors in many areas of our yard.

We have been blessed with a beautiful Spring with plenty of sunshine and rain!

Thank you God for such a beautiful creation.

All of life.

Easter and Spring

We have had an amazing Spring so far! The weather has been beautiful. Joey and Charlie have been outside loving up all the sunshine! Joey has a so many adorable freckles on his face, I just LOVE IT! A rainy day can bring some fun too. For Easter Joey and I made ressurection bisquits...something he learned in school. They were delicious! We had so much fun decorating eggs and searching for some too. The boys got some tennis raquets in the thier Easter baskets and it has been so fun!Here are a bunch of pictures of our adventures!

Charlie found some bugs on the tennis courts! Joey is quite the tennis player!