Wednesday, November 28, 2012

37 weeks

was actually last Friday, but I am finally able to post a picture today. 


and a few other pics...

top left: the mustang statue & 3 lil' Texans
top right: kids running up the steps... preggers couldn't keep up
bottom left: The Fearless 3 & saber tooth tiger
bottom right: preggers poses next to massive oak tree (did not make her look smaller) while offspring try to climb (they were terribly unsuccessful... obviously related to chimps)

Happy Wednesday to you!

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Make Ahead Meals

Yesterday it hit me that this could possibly be the last week I have pre- (4th)baby. (I tend to have my babies 10 days early.) Although I had all the baby stuff "ready" it wasn't organized at all... just sitting in a corner in my room. So, I organized, cleaned, washed lots and lots of laundry, started packing the kiddo's overnight bag and started wondering what happened to all those freezer meals I wanted to make. Oh, I never made any! Well, that has to change.

Last night I made spaghetti and doubled the amount of sauce so I could freeze half of it. Half a meal in the freezer! Here's what else I plan on making (if you are interested):

Muffins
Made a batch this morning- I omitted the chocolate chips (for certain people) and used cinnamon chips, a dash of nutmeg and pumpkin spice- they taste great! Yes, this recipe uses sour cream and I have used yogurt in it's place before with no problem. They are delicious.

Cafe Rio Chicken I made this for the first time last week and Tim thought it was amazing. I doubled the recipe so I can freeze half and make dinner with it tonight. I'm thinking it would be good for chicken enchiladas; we used it for tacos last week.

Mini Bisquick Quiches I'll be making these tomorrow. I like that I can freeze them and just pull out however many we want to eat instead of making an entire quiche that may not get eaten- picky children.

Broccoli Cheese Soup I've had broccoli cheese soup three times in my life- sad, I know. Anyhow, I'm going to try this out and hope it rocks.

Roast
Making a roast is not difficult. I just throw a 3-4 pound roast in the crock pot with salt and pepper and about a cup of beef broth. Set the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours and that's it! You can toss some baby carrots in there about half way through cooking and make some mashed potatoes and boom! Meal made with minimal effort, but tastes awesome.

Stuffed Pasta Shells
I made these a few weeks ago and the boys told me that they could eat them every night. Here's what you need: 27-30 jumbo pasta shells, cooked (or boiled, whatever). A large container of small curd cottage cheese, an egg, half a cup of frozen chopped spinach, basil to taste, a handful of mozzarella. Mix all that together and then spoon inside shells. Top with your favorite pasta sauce and generously cover with mozzarella. Bake at 350 until bubbly. *This fed our family of hearty eaters with leftovers*

White Chicken Enchiladas These are good! Not spicy, but obviously you can add whatever you want to make them spicier. I will probably freeze it with the sauce (I know, it says not to, but I'm a rebel) because I don't want to have to think about anything besides pulling out a meal and popping it in the oven when I'm surviving on 3 hours of sleep.

Chili and cornbread muffins
My recipe is pretty simple and sorry, I rarely measure any ingredients. 1 pound ground meat, chopped onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, tomato sauce + beef broth or water. I usually just add the spices until it smells right.

I will most likely make and freeze some waffles or pancakes, too. If I think of anything else I'll update this post, but I think for now this list will work well.

Monday, November 26, 2012

last week

Once again blogger won't let me upload pictures so you'll have to use your imagination.
I pretty much abandoned the blog last week so here's what's been going on. First of all, Rose is doing much better. Two trips to the doctor, a chest x-ray, two prescriptions and a nebulizer to get her better, but at least we didn't have to take her to the ER or spend any time in the hospital. (The doc we saw on our first visit gave us instructions to take her straight to the children's hospital if her breathing worsened over night. Thankfully it didn't; it was much better that evening.) So, she's finishing up her medicines and hasn't needed the nebulizer in a few days (yay!!), but over the weekend D started his cough-cough-coughing once again. I hate seeing my kids sick. Plus, it's tiring for all of us.

Thanksgiving was nice. My brother in law made a smoked turkey that was so, so good. I didn't really overindulge. I wanted to, but being super pregnant I can only eat a little bit at a time before I feel stuffed.

Friday we went to the museum like we did last year. We made it through a bit quicker this year, partly because we knew where the cool stuff was and partly because the kids walked faster. I also had Tim take my 37 week preggo picture- you can imagine it looked about the same as the 36 week one. After the museum we went to Maudie's for lunch (just like last year) where I did eat until I was stuffed. I did not regret it at all. In fact, I didn't even get heartburn.

Saturday the kids and I spent the day lounging around while Tim worked on house stuff. It was a very successful day. Yesterday I gritted my teeth and went grocery shopping (it was definitely crowded, but not as terrible as I thought it'd be). D wasn't feeling great, but around 3 in the afternoon we loaded up and headed to the back stock tank where we got real country-fied and took turns shooting our pellet gun. If only blogger would let me upload the pics, they are really awesome.

Today D is still feeling less than awesome so he's home from school (although we are going to get his school work later) and I am diving in to cleaning. This baby could come any day now and I want everything to be organized before she does. Okay so I gotta get things going or it'll never get done!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

just a quick update

So D has this whole week off for Thanksgiving break. When I was in school I believe we only got off Wednesday- Friday so, it's kind of awesome that he gets an entire week off. Yesterday we did our final grocery shopping trip prior to turkey day and the stores were already insane. It was so crowded and people were not as polite as usual, but I managed to not get caught up in the rush everyone seemed to be in. I even bought doughnuts since the kids were being fairly well behaved (we ate them afterwards while we waited in line for super cheap gas).

D and Ry spent most of the day outside riding their bikes and I repeatedly loaded and emptied the washer and dryer. (Now I need to put all that laundry away.) I also made a pie for Tim's work's t-day lunch that is today.

Today I'm cleaning up and then taking Rose to the doctor since she isn't feeling well. Last night was miserable, but even when she was obviously feeling terrible she managed to give me lots of big smiles. She's got a cough and "noisy breathing" which will almost always prompt us to visit the doctor. A cough and runny nose I handle just fine, but wheezing or grunty breathing makes me paranoid about it becoming pneumonia. Of course all the doctor's offices are busy since kids are on school break and it's a great time to get checkups done, but after talking to a nurse she found us an afternoon appointment. Hopefully we'll have her feeling better soon and I'll update tomorrow.

adios friends.

Friday, November 16, 2012

36 Weeks

 It's hard to believe I'm only 4 weeks away from my due date.... especially considering I've never made it past 38 & 1/2 weeks. Every once in a while if I look at the calendar or really think about the time I have left to get prepared I sort of freak out a little.

Even though I'm getting uncomfortable carrying this little lady I am totally okay if she wants to hang in there until due date or even later. (I know, it sounds crazy!) The fact is, we are trying to get a major project completed before she gets here. If she comes early I doubt we will be done, but give us 4-6 weeks and I think everything will be ready. (It's a house project, okay? I'm sorry I'm keeping everyone in the dark about it! It's a little nerve racking.) Even if she does come early, it will all work out fine, it would just be nice to have the house stuff completed and out of the way.

Only half a smile because it's very windy outside and it's cold(ish).

On we go with actual pregnancy details. Yesterday I had an appointment... the not highly anticipated 36 week appointment (let's just say it was not just a weight and blood pressure check- more invasive). Anyhow! I didn't gain any poundage which shocked both me and my doctor (I've never not gained for an appointment), but there were no concerns about that. The nurse commented that I was "really looking pregnant" and I thanked her (I don't know why) and said that I was feeling really pregnant which made her laugh and have to retake my blood pressure.

The little rib jabber is still head down (and had better stay that way) and still in a pretty high station. Progression? Yes. (Not gonna go into detail here, ladies you probably know what I'm referring to.)  I am to see the doc in two weeks because unfortunately they will not be hosting a Thanksgiving party for all the preggy ladies next Thursday. At that appointment I will be one day shy of 38 weeks. (I bet I will have gained some weight at that checkup no thanks to pumpkin cheesecake.)

Still having lots of flamage which has caused me to wake up in the middle of the night and chug some milk and I waddle unless I'm in public and then I suck it up and walk normal. I think? I may have waddled through Target yesterday I really don't know. Oh, and a new one- snoring. I slept decently last night, but Tim claims I snored all night and he didn't sleep. I said "no way" and "now you know how it feels". (Love you Honey!)

I feel like I have rambled enough and it's time to hit the publish button and walk away. So I will do that. Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

been up to nothing.

I'm here. I just don't have a lot to say I guess.... so here's some things from this week- list form, of course.

  1. I am really tired. 
  2. I had two swigs of orange juice (yeah, straight out the jug) which made my esophagus immediately catch fire. 
  3. I probably ate 2 dozen peanut butter chip cookies by myself over the course of 48 hours.
  4. We (I mean Tim) put up a new shower head last night and it is glorious. 
  5. I have made wonderful dinners all week except for today. I didn't get my act together this morning to make stew in the crock pot so now I have to figure something out. Fast. 
  6. I am having a good hair day!
  7. Another bump update coming tomorrow. Prepare yourselves for an underwhelming post. 
  8. The kids have been playing outside until dark (or after) which is really nice.
  9. The receptionist at my doctor's office thinks my kids are so well behaved. I think so too, most of the time, but it's always nice to hear it from someone else. 
  10.  I want a chocolate shake and some french fries. The fries are to dip in the shake. Stop shaking your head, it's a wonderful combination. 
That's gonna have to be it for now. I am ready to fall asleep and it's not even 5pm yet. Also, my kids are throwing things at each other so I have to go prevent an ER visit. adios. 


Friday, November 9, 2012

35 Weeks + Packing the Hospital Bag

It's time to pack up that hospital bag! I've got five weeks left until my due date...
(smuggling an out of season watermelon while gazing into the distance... no one will even notice)


Nothing really exciting going on this week. Heartburn is now a 24/7 joy and I have been sleeping like a baby- up every two hours. Enough about the bliss of the third trimester....

And now on to what I've packed for our little trip to the hospital where we shall have a baby. (To my male readers- please skip this and go watch some football highlights. Okaythanksbye.)


For Mama

Lip balm
hair ties & brush
Shampoo & Conditioner (or dry shampoo)
Body wash
Deoderant
Toothbrush and paste
2 pairs of comfy, no skid socks (& possibly flip flops for the shower)
Yoga (lounge) pants
1-2 nursing tank tops
Lightweight cardigan or wrap
Undies that you care nothing about (the hospital usually provides mesh undies that are excellent)
Lanolin or equivalent (I'm taking this one - I didn't care for the pure lanolin last time around.)
Nursing pads
Phone & charger
Camera with memory card and fully charged battery
Maxi pads (the hospital usually provides these, but just in case pack some of your own- ginormous sized- you'll need them at home anyhow)
Mascara (I've never packed any makeup, but it won't hurt to have it in case I want to look nice for guests. Guests? I mean visitors, of course.)
Face cleansing wipes (before you're able to get up to shower at least you can freshen your sweaty forehead)

For Baby

Car seat (it's frowned upon if you don't have one)
Newborn "scratch mittens" (or if you're being super frugal a pair of socks will also work)
Swaddling blanket (the hospital has them, but I always thought they felt rough)
Hat (you'll probably get a standard issue pink & blue knit from the hospital)
Heavier weight blanket to use on the way home (over baby in car seat since it'll be December)
Burp cloths (I use pre-fold cloth diapers most of the time)
2 sleepers (newborn and 0-3 size) to go home in
Socks
Hairbrush (just in case baby shows up with a generous amount of hair)

The hospital will usually supply diapers and wipes, but go ahead a pack some of your own (you never know).

I have never packed snacks, reading material, my own pillow or my boppy. My hospital has been generous with the amount of pillows they give me and unlike a lot of places (apparently) they are usually fluffy and not flat. Obviously you can throw one of yours in the car (make sure you put a colorful pillowcase on it) and if the pillows at your hospital are sub par you can have someone bring it in to you.

If you anticipate a lot of visitors pack an extra bag (like a reusable shopping bag that won't take up a lot of room) because many visitors will bring a little gift and it's much easier to put it all in one bag than to have to handle 10 gift bags. Whoever is shlepping the stuff to the car will thank you. Also! You might get to take home a lot of hospital provided things that have already been opened (like diapers). Ask your nurse if you are allowed to take stuff if you feel weird doing that. My nurses usually opened up the drawers on the bassinet and threw stuff at us to take home because they couldn't re use anything that had been opened.

When I look in my bag it seems very... sparse. Maybe that's because the bag itself is so big. It's good though, because I can throw any last minute things in there that I think I'll need (maybe some stuff for Tim). I hope this is helpful to anyone that stumbles across this. Experienced Mamas feel free to add to the list in the comment section the items you found essential or the things that were useless. And good luck to all you expecting moms- you look beautiful! 

Thursday, November 8, 2012

So Random

This week has been b-u-s-y! Tuesday I had a doctor's appointment, it was D's birthday and we had to truck it to our polling place to vote. Yesterday I took the kids to chapel (they did good), we met my mom in town so I could help her pick out some presents for D and then it was grocery shopping time. Yesterday I was thankful for my crock pot. I made shredded bbq chicken and all the kids liked it (it never ceases to amaze me when they ask for seconds at supper). The recipe is super simple- I used frozen chicken breasts (1-2 lbs) and poured half a jar of bbq sauce on top and set the crock pot to high for 5 hours. When 6pm rolled around I took out the chicken and it was really easy to pull apart/shred with two forks and I whipped up some mac & cheese for our side. We did add more bbq sauce to our sandwiches.

I've been living off of leftover spinach and cheese stuffed pasta shells since Tuesday night. They are so good! I also ate way more than my fair share of cupcakes this week. Oops.

I am finishing packing my hospital bag (still need a few items) and then I'll post that for those of you that are interested. (I'm sure there are many of you waiting on the edge of your seat for that one!)

Tonight my family is having a triple birthday party for D, my little sis and my dad (their birthdays are all in a row). I got in touch with my very limited crafty-mom side by taking a brown paper shopping bag and having Ry and Rose paint it so I could turn it into wrapping paper. I even went as far as cutting an aging apple in half so they could stamp stars (do you know about the star inside the apple?) but that didn't work out quite well. Well, the painting was great, the apple stamping was not. And now I need to sweep and throw the towels in the dryer so I can be done for the day.
Alrighty... adios.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

What we have here is

 the most awesome 6 year old I know


and the cupcakes he shared with his class.

(If you look closely you can see the "I Voted" sticker on D's shirt- yep he voted at school today.)

Happy birthday to my Big D.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Sunday Afternoon

Tomorrow is D's 6th birthday and we decided to let him pick out his present this year. Much to his surprise we ended up in the bike aisle instead of the grocery section of the store.

He could barely contain his excitement upon seeing ALL! THE! BICYCLES! Then he starting asking us "Can I please get a bike?!" over and over and over....


We almost got this green one, but ended up with....


this awesome bright orange bike. (This one is a much better fit.) Look at that kid's face. He was SO happy!

Ry already has his eye on a bike for when he turns 5 (every time we enter a store all he talks about is his birthday- even at the grocery store). Rose is telling everyone she is getting a pink bicycle on her birthday. They are so cute.

I think he will remember this birthday for a long time. 

Friday, November 2, 2012

ten happy things friday

one
Homemade cinnamon rolls.

two
The hot orange juice remedy for sore throats that was passed down from Tim's grandma.

three
Onion rings from Sonic.

four
Rose is hilarious. She just walked over to me, put her hands on her hips (I've never seen her do this) and asked if she could have some oatmeal now. Last night when I was putting her in bed, for the second time, she asked if I would come back "to-mah-yo" and wake her up and then told me "adios".

five
We received our first two issues of National Geographic Kids magazine this week. The boys love stealing our NG to look at the pictures, watching Nature, Nova and anything like that on PBS, so I know they will enjoy their very own NG magazine.

six
Cocoa in my coffee with half & half. So good.

seven
I think I have everything for the baby except one thing that isn't even a necessity (a cute hat). 

eight
Glad it's Friday.

nine
Got to see our friends yesterday that we haven't seen in sooooo long! (Stop moving so far away you guys.)

ten
34 weeks today... we're getting so close to due date time!