I Love Your Blog Baby!!

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It's always nice to be loved. *sigh* Today of all days I needed this.

I have been honored with the I Love Your Blog award from Kim. She states "Just Me is a blog about her life … she’s quite thrify and crafty, and I envy her mad skillz =) (lol … I really just wanted to write mad skillz … although I truly do admire her!)" Thank you Kim!! Now I have to nominate 7 other blogs.

1. Tammy's Recipes - I check this blog daily for foodie inspiration. I have actually used a lot of the recipes. I like it that we are on the same page as far as frugality, nutrition and tastes. It's like homecooking revamped. It's what I look for in recipes.
   
2. The Cappuccino Life - I love following Maggie's posts as she has a way with words I admire. She gets me thinking in a different direction, but not in a bad way. She inspires me in loving my husband and my child (soon to be 'ren') better. She also likes lentils and I am partial to those as well!
3. Song of my Soul - This woman has such a talent for words it's not funny. Actually it is, she can get me laughing no matter what. She also has a great talent for jewlery and has made me some earrings that I love. In fact I'm wearing the ones I won right now!
4. Life as I see it - A blog that is updated a lot, and I like that, about her life with her boys. She posts some really great recipes and I really want to try that falafel. I love reading about contemporaries.
   
5. JavaMama - This is a very good online friend of mine who mirrors my thoughts and sentiments on a lot of issues. We also happen to be very close in due dates! It's nice to have someone who is 'there' with you on certain things. I never feel like I have to explain myself.
   
6. A Glimpse of Pink - I have enjoyed following this blog. I have grown to admire this woman's faith in situations I don't know I could handle. And her little boy is so cute!
   
7. The Daily Poop - This is another like minded mama I love to read about. She is the wife of a deployed Army man. I cannot imagine the faith it takes.

And you all thought I was going to post something about the pregnancy, or hopefully about the baby. Well, GOTCHA!!

All jokes aside I am very close, like the first part of early labor is done for me, I just keep having labor every night. Then it fizzles out. Pray for my daughter though, she came down with a cold and I'm concerned about her (really her germs) and a newborn. I was up just about all night last night. I was so tired I ran right into the end of an open door stubbing two toes. I promptly went to the potty to pee and ended up crying on the toilet. Ever do that? Cry on the toilet I mean. Sounds like something only a pregnant woman would do. I still so want this baby to come!!

39 Weeks and 4 Days

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Me at 36 Weeks

This is how 'pregnant' I am. I am posting a picture for posterity's sake. And I will say:

• Yes, I am still here.
• No I haven't had the baby yet.
• No I don't know when the baby will be here.
  
• No I'm not 'due' yet.
  

If I had a dollar for everytime I heard one of those phrases today I'd be rich. I'm rather sick of it. I'm beginning to get performance anxiety. Like for some reason I have to have this baby to satisfy the desires of others. It's making me anxious.

For what it's worth, I had someone tell me they were happy to see me today and that I looked beautiful. If you want to get on a pregnant woman's good side, those are the types of things to say.

I am eager for him to get here, but hearing all of that stuff is not helping. Really it's not. It just makes it worse.

He'll get here. Sooner or later, he'll get here. No woman has been pregnant forever. *sigh* It just feels like it.

Apples and Tomatoes

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There is a gentleman at our church who has one consistent comment throughout the end of my pregnancy. Most of the time when men make pregnancy comments I don't listen. They haven't been there, they don't know and they are trying to be funny. But this time I'm listening. He's been saying "When the apple is ripe it will fall from the tree." At first I was peeved that he would say something like that or just that he would say anything at all, but you know what, he's right.

I constantly am picking tomatoes too early. Then I have to wait for them to ripen on their own. If I would wait until they get completely ripe on the vine the produce would be so much better. The same is true with this child. God knows when this babe is done and ready to come out. I don't. If it were up to me I would have had him three weeks ago. Who knows what other sorts of development is happening at this late stage? I sure don't, but the Lord does. He knows the best time. At our wedding one of the songs sang was In His Time. We had that sang as a tribute that this was the beautiful thing the Lord had been working on all along. I had not dated at all, Andrew had had some less than ideal girlfriends and we both came into our dating relationship thinking we'd never get married. When all along God had something beautiful in mind. We just had to wait. And it is beautiful. God has something beautiful in mind with this child, I/we just have to wait. Besides it's all for His glory anyway, isn't it? This child is for His purpose and glory and a blessing to us, I cannot demand a blessing. Demands never get anywhere anyway. I can ask. I can always ask, and trust me I have! So I can either wait patiently, without grumbling or complaining, or I can wait moaning and groaning, making life more difficult for me and everyone else around me. Hmm, I think I know what I should do.

The Lord is good, gracious and understanding. He knows the swirl of hormones in my body that made dealing with emotions worse. Not only am I impatient, but I am negative. I get sarcastic. That doesn't put anyone in a good mood. About a month or so ago, my dear hubby preached from Philippians. It is such a good reminder of our behavior in Christ. It is so hard some days to have the right additude, especially when you are constantly reminded of something not having happened yet. Sometimes it is every moment I have to catch my thoughts and turn them over. I am resolving to think positively and to speak positively. Negativity begets negativity. I am looking to reverse that.

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:6-9

This is the way to peace! Prayer, discipline and meditation in the word. The Lord was just telling me all along I needed to be more in the word, He was again using a different way to draw me to Himself. And all of this so I can be one of His shining stars.

One day at a time...

Pear-Apple Butter

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Shannon had requested the recipe for the Pear-Apple Butter I made last week or was it this week? I can't remember, oh well. Here is that recipe:


Pear-Apple Butter

4lbs tart apples
4lbs pears
1 cup orange juice (I used a non-pulp, non calcimated version)
.25-.5 cup water, if needed
2 tbsp grated orange peel
2/3 cup sugar
.5 tsp nutmeg
.25 tsp cinnamon (if you want)

1. Prepare your pints/quarts as needed for canning along with the caps and rings. Keep hot.
2. Wash apples and pears, quarter and place in a 6 quart pot. Pour orange juice over fruit, cover. Stirring occasionally, cook over low heat until fruit is soft. If mixture gets too dry (mine didn't, in fact I had a lot of liquid from the fruit) add .25 cup to .5 cup of water, if needed.
3. Press through food mill or sieve, discard seeds and skins. Put puree back into pot, bring to a boil. (you do need to do this, otherwise it takes the puree a long time to get up to heat in the crock pot)
   
4. Place puree in crock pot along with orange peel, sugar and spices. Mix well, turn crock pot to high and place lid on crooked, so that most of the heat stays in and helps to cook it down, but yet most of the steam can get out. Cook till sauce mounds up on a spoon, or till you like it. Stir occasionally.
   
5. Pack into hot jars, remove air bubbles, wipe rim of jar with a clean damp cloth, adjust caps and rings. Place in canner.
6. Process in a boiling water bath canner; pints 20 mins, quarts 30 mins.
7. Recipe yeilds about 8 pints.
8. Enjoy!

I also wanted to include a wonderful soup recipe that I think I've posted before, but it's really good for those who want to watch their wastelines, their money, their time and their health. It's also really good for pregnant women. As it's high in protien, 20% daily needs of iron and 12g of fiber. It's a great all around recipe. It's my Lentil-Veggie Soup. You can throw all of this into the crock pot in the morning, cook on low, or you can put it in soup pot and in about an hour have really great soup. Very suitable for fall.


Lentil-Veggie Soup - Obtained from The Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes by BHG

1C dry lentils
1C chopped onions
1C chopped celery
1C chopped carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
.5 tsp dried basil
.5 tsp dried oregano
.5 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 14oz cans of vegetable or chicken broth (3.5 C) (I buy the bouillon, or use my homemade, the stuff in a box or a can is expensive)
1.5C water
1 14.5oz can italian-style stewed tomatoes (or just diced, stewed, crushed, whole chopped, whatever you have on hand)
.25c snipped fresh parsley (I've never used the fresh, just used dried added with the other dried herbs)

1.Place everything in a crock-pot. Stir. Cook on low for 12 hours or high for 5-6. Discard bay leaf. Stir in parsley if using fresh.

Oh, this is really good with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

165 Calories (0g sat. fat), 0mg Cholesterol, 713 mg Sodium (you could reduce this by using a homemade stock or finding a reduced sodium stock), 30g Carbo, 12g Fiber, 11g Protien, 126% vita A, 20% vita C, 7% Calcium, 20% Iron.

I'm Nuts

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But I'm also pregnant, so that means it's normal, right? At least normal for this stage in the game, right?Our tomatoes have decided to come in. More than we can eat, but just enough to put up. So that means I've been canning. And canning. And canning. Truthfully I am thankful that baby hasn't come just yet, I wanted to be able to put up some of our produce before he came, because I knew that afterwards there would be no canning in this house at all. So I've canned whole tomatoes for use in soups, stews and what not. Hot peppers, because hubby loves them in his egg sandwiches in the morning. Herbed tomato juice, again makes a very nice stock in soups. Tomato sauce, which I need to do more of. Spaghetti sauce and pizza sauce. I also got a nice batch of pears given to us. They were very ripe and there was a lot. I knew I wouldn't be able to eat them all in time, so I made Pear-Apple Butter, which is divine! It's a lot different than Apple Butter. It has orange juice and zest in it, I added a little cinnamon and nutmeg, which makes it very Christmasy. We also got a bunch of blueberries and having already made a ton of things with fresh blueberries in the beginning of summer and having frozen some, I decided to dry them. Do you think I can still use the tiny little pebbles I found in my dehydrator a few days later? Maybe?
And the creme de la creme, is my sweet potatoes!! We dug them last night and they are beautiful! I wasn't too sure what they'd do but they are just georgeous! I am so stoked!! They have a beautiful red blush on the skin and the inside flesh is a creamy orange color. I love it. And taste? Oh the taste! Hubby wants me to make my sweet potato fries. I must say I am wanting them too. I am just so surprised they did so well. We dug up our Yukons last week and they also did very well. I had nothing to put them in for proper storage so I made a potato sack out of some muslin. I'm pretty proud of myself.
Hubby is away tonight for a new pastors orientation about 2 hours away. I miss him. This is the first night in our new home that I am alone. Oh I'm not alone, Nadia is here and she's a gem, but still it's weird. I have trouble sleeping when he's not here. Today was a busy day, Nadia had her 3 yr checkup today and got an unexpected shot. Then I was off to the city to pick up orders from the co-op and Sam's. And then I stopped by my midwife's office and she said that it was ok for Andrew to go, she doesn't think I'll have the baby tonight or tomorrow. And then I came home. By that time it was 6, Andrew helped me unload the car and then he was off. It's been a very stressful week for him, pray for him, if you don't mind. He needs rest. I hope he goes to bed early tonight and gets the sleep he needs. He'll be home tomorrow evening and if baby decides to start coming tomorrow, my mother in law will come up with hubby tomorrow evening. That would work out really well, then she wouldn't have to worry about driving. But hey, at this point I don't care. Today was a big day I wanted/needed to happen. We are well stocked on stuff, Nadia has had her dr's appt and so I feel like I am really ready at this point. I don't know if mental lists of things to do can keep a baby from coming, but at this point, I really don't have much more to do. I mean, every night I try to get the house in order so that if I go into labor that night or the following day I won't have to look at a mess. Which reminds me....
No belly pics today, I'm in my PJ's which isn't a pretty sight and hubby is gone, unless you want another self shot. I don't, so you aren't getting it. I'm smaller anyway because most of baby is in my pelvis!! It hurts, to say the least. Lets just say he is knocking on his door. Careful kid, you might get out sooner than you expected with that behavior!!
Gotta get to the dishes and wait for hubby's call. Will keep you updated on, well, me!

36 Weeks and Counting

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Me at 33 weeks.

Here I am. All of me. All 36 weeks of me. I had this same outfit on like 10 weeks ago and I certainly wasn't this big then! Gee wizz!! My midwife estimates him to be the same weight as Nadia when she was born, 7lbs 5oz. And I have a month to go. I hope I don't go that long. I don't think I will. I didn't with Nadia. It won't be long!

I have just one more meal to make and then I'm done with my list. I have a trip to Sam's Club and a co-op order to pick up. One more date with hubby. Baby's room is 95% finished. Birth kit is here. Just need the birth pool and well, the baby!

Off to do dishes. Dishwasher is still broke. Bummer.

Here is a funny pic, hubby was being silly.

Not So Much To Do....

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So it's been a week, and where am I at on my Baby To Do list? Well you'd be impressed. So far I have done (highlighted in red):

• clean out kitchen fridge
• clean out garage fridge
• organize all freezers (kitchen, deep freeze and garage fridge freezer)
• make and freeze meals
• baby's room furniture
• Andrew's vest
• lace on bathroom curtain
• basement curtains
• clean car
• dig flower bed
• transplant bulbs
• organize basement
• find pre pregnancy clothes
• sam's club list and order, tires
• Co-op order

And my meals are as follows:

• Double batch of pizza dough, makes 4 pizza crusts
• Thick Minestrone Soup - 2 meals
• Enchilito's - 1 meal
• Monterey Beans and Cheese - 4 meals
• Crusty Mexican Bean Bake - 2 meals
• Cottage Cheese Casserole - 2 meals
• Tangy Tuna Mac - 1 meal
• Layered Zucchini - 2 meals
• Beef Tamale Bake - 2 meals

And the things in blue? Well my sewing machine decided it wasn't going to do buttonholes anymore, so Andrew's vest is on hold, again. I've had the stuff for this vest since last years Father's Day. And the baby room furniture? Well it's all done and put together, I am just waiting on a changing table someone is giving us. Hopefully we'll get it soon. After we get that, I just need to stuff it full of baby stuff.

I was intellegent and planned to make some of these meals for this pay period's menu. I'll just make big batches. So that will take care of some of those. And the items on the to do list are slowly being knocked off. Like the Sam's Club and Co-op order. I can't pick those up until Sept 12, that's when the Co-op will be in. And I will pick that up in the city, which is where Sam's is. That's really driving me crazy that that will be on my list that long. Oh well. I hope I last that long.

I'm waiting on doing the kitchen fridge until it gets closer. I just did it not so long ago, so it doesn't look bad. Just will need a wiping down.

And I've come to the 'ouchy' part of pregnancy. I wake up in the morning sore. I can only sleep on my sides, so my shoulders get sore and achy from laying on them all night long. I'm starting to get the snide comments about being so big and it's not funny people. I'm hungry again, I mean like, even more so, and that means baby is growing again. My midwife gets a funny grin on her face when she feels the size of the baby. He's big. Her guess at time of arrival? About the same time we think too. Right around the time I need to go to the city to pick up my Sam's order! I could very well be in labor when I pick all this stuff up. Great. And I buy blocks of cheese to be cut up into smaller chunks and frozen. Oh well, keeping busy during labor is a good thing right?

And I am constantly thankful for our decision to stay at home for this baby. I just love my midwife. We have the same interests in other things besides just the birth of this baby. Her belief in the Lord is strong. That is so good. That is probably her strongest asset to me. She is very educated and experienced and I feel safe in her hands. I feel I can trust her. I am actually excited to have this baby and I mean have, as in I'm excited about the birth. I am not afraid. I feel like I'm in a good place right now. I thank the Lord for that.

I've been buying up some last minute things, like having more Red Raspberry Tea on hand, snappi's for diapers, extra's of my vitamins, stuff like that. So that I won't have to worry about getting it when the baby comes.

That's been life so far. I'll post an updated picture next week, I am OCD, so I have to be on even weeks. I know I know. But hey, we all have some mental illness, isn't that what they say? I sure hope so.

Forgot to mention....

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Although 'D-Day' is September 24, I have to make it to September 3. That is the day I'll be 37 weeks. My midwife says that typically baby boys are prone to more problems after birth than girls. So 37 weeks is the day that we are shooting for. After that he can come whenever he wants to. And truthfully, I'd be happy with that! Hubby and I have our own day in mind as to when he will come, but we're not sharing. I might add that hubby predicted when Nadia would come, and did it correctly! With the way this baby is poking me, goodness, I hope he's not late! I might add, though, that I have a co-op order to pick up in the 'city' along with my Sam's Club and tires shopping trip. The co-op only delivers once a month in this area, and that delivery is set for Sept 10. But I wouldn't be able to pick up till Sept 12. Sooo...... We'll see.

Much To Do....

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It's down to the count.....

And I've got so much to do!! I started on a nice list of things that I felt needed to be done before the baby comes and I'm well on my way to getting it done. I didn't think I had so much to do, though. And some of it is on my 'honey please' list. We don't do, honey do lists around here. Honey please works so much better. Andrew doesn't want me doing certain things until he can do his part, that's cool, I understand.
Some of my list pertains to meals for after the baby is here. I have been freezing portions of meals that we eat now, because, well I make enough to feed us more than once, so I thought why not freeze it. I've also made a list of meals to make that are easy to make and easy to reheat. I thought about listing that here, along with my list of things to do, for whatever reason. If you want any of the recipes, please let me know and I'll post them here.

My to do list:

• clean out kitchen fridge
• clean out garage fridge
• organize all freezers (kitchen, deep freeze and garage fridge freezer)
• make and freeze meals
• baby's room furniture
• Andrew's vest
• lace on bathroom curtain
• basement curtains
• clean car
• dig flower bed
• transplant bulbs
• organize basement
• find pre pregnancy clothes
• sam's club list and order, tires
• Co-op order

And my meals are as follows:

• Double batch of pizza dough, makes 4 pizza crusts
• Thick Minestrone Soup - 2 meals
• Enchilito's - 1 meal
• Moneterey Beans and Cheese - 4 meals
• Crusty Mexican Bean Bake - 2 meals
• Cottage Cheese Casserole - 2 meals
• Tangy Tuna Mac - 1 meal
• Layered Zucchini - 2 meals
• Beef Tamale Bake - 2 meals

I have a 5# bag of black beans which is the higest iron count of beans, so in all the bean recipes I will replace a part if not all for the black beans. I also bought disposable square cake pans for the casseroles. Most casseroles make for a 9x13, so if I just make a bit more, not much, I can split it between two cake pans and have two meals. Most of the time that's how it works out anyway. Most of these meals are altered, such as the noodles are partially cooked, or no cheese on top till I reheat or whatever. I did hire a mother's helper, so I am putting the reheating instructions on top, for either hubby, helper or mother in law (praise God for this woman! She is such a blessing, she is going to come watch Nadia while I am in labor and I don't really care if she's there. She is then going to stay a week to help out. Nadia loves her and I trust her implicitliy with my daughter.) can reheat it without much trouble. With those meals I've made or will make I'll have 20 meals. I already have a stash of soups, casseroles, and the like in the freezer. I need to count to find out just how much. I probably have 12 loaves of bread made. And I am going to make more, because when we need a loaf right now, we just pull it out. I am putting up all my green beans, or as much as I can for sides. I just ordered Mrs. Wages tomato sauces mixes and am going to make spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, salsa, ketchup, tomato sauce and stewed tomatoes. That will take care of that. Some of these recipes are served over rice and instead of making a whole thing of rice and freezing it all together, my mother in law said that a regular muffin cup is about 1/2 cup serving. So if I freeze the rice in there and then pop the 'rice' muffins out to store in a big bag, that will work out easier. That way I can just pull out what I need instead of thawing and refreezing the rice too many times. I've made a few zucchini breads for desserts, and my mother in law is bringing Tasty Kakes up. I have a list of what I need to buy to make these meals and am watching the sales to stock up. I am also stocking up on spaghetti noodles, you know, for really quick meals. And I'll keep a supply of peanut butter and jelly on hand for lunches. And I have a list of meals that can be thrown in the crock pot during a nap time in the AM. So, I am thinking I am well on my way to having things better prepared than when I had Nadia. The church provided meals then, and while I was appreciative, it was all beef! We don't do much beef, so when we do eat it, we don't feel so good. I don't know what meals we'll get this time, although I am sure we'll get some, but I don't want to plan on it and not have anything prepared.

The garden is coming in well. Our tomatoes are sharing with us daily, just a few here and there, but enough to eat fresh. Our jalapeno's are coming in nicely and our corn is just starting to tassle. I'm going to be digging the potatoes in a few days and our carrots can come out anytime. I just pulled the onions, so they are curing. My garlic is going to wait a little bit. That's about it. That's enough!

I hope you have a good evening!

Birthday Highlights

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Nadia had her third birthday this past weekend and I thought I'd share some of the pics with you. It was a good day and we all had fun. However, I don't think we'll be doing birthday parties for any of our children under the age of five from now on. The attention span was just too short at this age. Nonetheless, we all had fun.

Now for your viewing pleasure....
Nadia opened presents from her Grandmom and Grandpop the night before and got this cool little crown, she called herself a 'king.' We tried to explain that kings were men, be she insisted she was a king.

Since we didn't get clearance from other parents to put pics of the other girls, it will all be of Nadia. You can't be too sure these days. But there were three other little girls there. Truely a 'gaggle'.
We painted.

Grandpop always loves getting his fingers dirty.
My Andrew is a master story teller. One of his best 'pastoral' and 'papa' traits. Makes for a very good scripture reader. I could listen to him all day.

We also all made our own pizzas! The girls loved getting down and dirty with their food. And everyone had just what they wanted.

The theme, if there was one, was pink and purple butterflies. Here was the cake. I didn't tilt it all that much, I have visions of the cake flopping face first on the floor. Oh the horror!
And that was the day! It was exhausting. I am so glad it's over with! But I'm glad we were able to do it for her. She had fun.

Preggy Brain...Turned to Mush... Can't Think of a Good Title

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Me at 26 weeks

I am 33 weeks, just over a month to go. I mean really, I could have this baby in a month. ACK!! I had my latest midwife appt on friday. After she palpated my belly, she asked if I was sure of my conception date. Yes, I am. Within a day or two. Why do you ask? This baby is as big as one of the other women who is due this month. WHAT? She typically has between 4-6 lb babies. She has estimated that this baby is about 5lbs already. And if he continues on his current weight gain that means I'll have a potentially 8 lb baby, if he stays in there to the end. Good grief!! Well at least he's growing well. I had a gestational diabetes test and it was good, so I don't have to worry about that. And that was even after eating two peanut butter balls. Oh my goodness!! My bff and her hubby came this weekend and she brought these things. They are so addicting. If I get the recipe I'll share it with you. Divine!!

We all went hiking (easy, well the brochure said easy) and swimming at a local state park. It was very nice. I did very well, thank you, for being 8 months pregnant and anemic. Oy. Here are a few pics of all of us.


We are still waiting on the window people to come and measure the windows. I am so so scared God is going to do one of His things where the windows get put in the day before I go into labor. I mean, I realize the vast majority of women go to the hospital these days to have their babies, but, well, we are not planning on it. I really don't want to be vacuuming up dust and having contractions inbetween. But hey, maybe it will help the labor. Who knows?

We have been harvesting lots of goodies from our garden. I just picked a load and I mean a load of green beans from the garden for the second time in 4 days. They are prolific. And good. I have some leftovers from supper, maybe I'll heat them up. And we have zucchini coming out our ears, not to mention squash. I have been making so much zucchini stuff it's not funny. But hey, it keeps ya regular!! I have made zucchini brownies, zucchini cupcakes, zucchini cake, grilled zucchini, steamed, layered zucchini (which is like a zucchini lasagna, really good! Hubby loved it!) and that's all I can think of right now. We are getting some tomatoes, just a few here and there. But I can see it now, all of those green ones coming in all at once.

My little girl is turning three tomorrow. She is so healthy and vibrant. I thank God everyday for her health. There are so many children who struggle with illnesses and I thank God for Nadia's continued health. Her grandparents are coming up tomorrow and saturday we will be having a party. It's going to be cooler, so I guess no swimming in her birthday pool (poo), but we have sidewalk chalk, balloons, coloring, nail painting, book reading, pizza making, necklace making among other things to keep us busy. (I do not want to have down time with 5 little girls. Whose idea was it anyway to invite them all?) But it will be good, Nadia loves these other little girls and will have a blast. I'm sure it will be hard to get her to sleep saturday night.

I did get the recipe for those wonderful peanut butter balls, but I want to make them to give you an idea of what they look like. Project for today.....

What's Goin' On At My House?

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Since I am in dire need to update my blog, I thought I'd do it in pictures. Everyone loves pictures. I will try to put an updated belly pic in tomorrow. I am so big. Ugh. Hubby will need to put the wide lens on.
I have been baking bread like it's going out of style. I have been baking about two loaves everyday. We go through one loaf about every three days, so that means a whole lot more are in the fridge. My freeze-meals-so-I-don't-have-to-cook idea is going ok, but at this rate, we'll have bread for three months after baby gets here. It's easier for me to bake two everyday, than to have to do six at once. This mama is just wearing out. And these are my gardens. The first is the one side of the main garden, just beyond it you can see the corn. The second pic is the other half to the main garden, and beyond it you can see my potato patch. The third pic is my tomatoes and pepper garden. Did you know that if you plant peas close to onions, the peas will taste like onions? Not bad actually. These are pics of Nadia's new room. We got everything changed over. We installed roller shades, which work really well for cutting light, and I made some valances for her windows. I know they're short, but she liked them. You can see the horse pillows on her bed, she picked those too. Nothing spectacular, but it's hers and it's for her. I want her to feel that this is her spot. She can redecorate later.


These are pics of hubby baking. Yes, my husband bakes. One thing. Seven layer, magic cookie bars. His specialty. He loves em, I love em, and everyone who eats em loves em. So he was taking a break from all the yard work he was doing (he doesn't normally look that grungy) and putting together a double batch for two picnics we have this weekend. They were a hit! We didn't take anything home except what we couldn't dislodge from the sides of the pan (but that's the best part!) I'll show you a pic along with the recipe tomorrow when he cuts the second batch. And this is my daughter. Isn't she just adorable!! I had to include her. I just want to squeeze those cheeks!!
Incidentally, anyone notice how horrible purses are these days? I haven't bought a new one for a year. I'm in need of one. Anyone know of a good online WAHM who makes em?

Bambi Must Die

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It seems that since last night when I cut the blueberry pie, nothing has gone right. I took it out of the oven, and Andrew came home about 30 minutes later. He had a good meeting and wanted the pie. Well it was not cool enough when I cut and it bled like a stuck pig upon my first slice. Not only that, but I don't have a really good pie cutting utensil. Either that, or the whole wheat I used to thicken the pie filling doesn't work as a good thickener. My white flour was downstairs underneath a 50lb bag of flour. I wasn't about to go down and try to move that. So much for blueberry pie, more like blueberry soup. At least my crust turned out good, at least I think so. It's hard to tell over all that staining slush in the one vacant slice spot.
Then this morning, Nadia got up really early and her diaper had leaked on her bed. It was too early for her to be up, but too late to go through the hassle of changing sheets and putting her back in bed. So I changed her diaper, put her in bed with her father and went downstairs to walk on the treadmill.
I went out to the garden this morning to inspect and hoe. This is where Bambi must die. The marauders don't just eat something, they also trample everything in their path. They happen to like my potato patch. They will eat the tops of the potato plants off and then walk all through the patch, exposing and dislodging potatoes. I found three potatoes off the plant. So I took my hoe to pull more dirt over the exposed potatoes, making hills. Then Nadia decided she needed to use the potty. Ok. So 30 minutes later when I can get back outside, it's raining. Crap. So here I am working in the rain. Very pregnant, wet, frustrated and ready to pummel any animal that comes in my gardens. Nadia, meanwhile is staying mostly obedient on the porch, but yelling at me various questions and things. How do I tell her to not yell when I must yell to tell her that? I finished the potatoes as best as I can in wet dirt and proceed inside.
Breadmaking went well except for the part when I dumped flour all over the counter.
And all I want to eat is vinegary pickled beets. I cannot get enough of these things.
The flour is still on the counter, I am eating beets and taking a break. And it's only 11am.

One bright side, the first visit to the potty produced nothing much to speak of. However, she just went to the bathroom herself and produced a load! YAY!! Now can someone tell me how to get her to go in the potty when she's wearing big girl underwear? Right now the only way she gets anything in the potty is by being bare bottom. If she has anything against her bottom she goes in it. Diaper, pull ups, underwear. Any ideas?

So I am going to take my break and then brave the rest of the house, maybe a change in perspective will help.

Is It The Dog Days Yet?

Remember a while back when I said "the summer looks pretty easy" or something of that nature? Well I was wrong. It's already halfway through and we've had something every week of June, will have of July and August, well August hopefully, maybe, should be, I want it to be, peaceful.
We had VBS early in June and my Aunt and Uncle from MI visited that same week. The next weekend we went camping, well we rented a cabin. This pregnant body does not do an air mattress in a tent. No way. We also received four black trash bags of baby boy clothes. Oh my. This kid is so well outfitted it's not even funny. Then I developed some sort of illness, from what, I do not know, but I made our bathroom a well used room in the house for 6 days. I lost six pounds and I am so sick of rice and potatoes.
The day I started feeling somewhat better, thursday, my in laws came for a visit, we were touch and go for a bit not knowing if I'd be well enough for them to come. But they came, stayed till Sunday and we celebrated the Fourth together. It was good. My mother in law, who I love, helped me to wash, dry, sort and pack up all the boy clothes we got. I cannot believe all the clothes we have for him. Saturday I went to visit a friend and raid her baby stash. I came home with an extra swing, pack n play, another sling, one of those car seat covers to keep baby warm and a whole pump and store bottle system. It was so wonderful to have those extra things. The swing and pack n play went home with my in laws so that stuff would be there and we wouldn't have to pack it in our little car.
Monday came, I had to go grocery shopping and made bread. Today, I finally got in the garden after a week and a half of no working in it. Boy did it need it. I've still got two gardens to hoe. But I discovered the deer and rabbits are making vittles of my garden. GRRRR. I am getting some sort of organic deterrent. I hope it works. But I know my potatoes are making little baby potatoes (don't ask me how I know that) and my tomatoes have these beautiful green orbs on them. Can't wait until they turn red.
Hubby has a board meeting tonight and I am going to surprise him with a blueberry pie. I bought 2 pints of blueberries yesterday, thinking I'd make blueberry buckle again, but then one of the ladies from the church brought me homegrown blueberries, like half a gallon bag worth and I was at a loss. So it's going to be a blueberry pie, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I love to bless my husband. I ordered him not to eat dessert tonight. Nor could he look in the fridge. He knows something is up. That's ok, he doesn't know what.
This friday I meet with my midwife, I am looking forward to that. I need to buy my birth kit. I've already bought my wool breast pads, got them from here. They are nice, however, I won't know the true test of them until after baby comes. Although I know they are already nicer than my cotton ones, as they are softer and wool is just better all around. Can't wait to use them. I've decided to forgo the cloth pads for the post pardum period. I am going to use Seventh Generation. Can't use the Diva for this time. Bummer. But after I researched the Diva I found out that a lot of the typical pads are bleached and have hazardous chemicals in them. Ew.
Next tuesday I am going to a community choir practice, because on Sunday we are having a community dinner/church service. I want to get to know other people in the neighborhood and this is a good way. I'm sure everyone knows who I am, I don't have that same liberty. I am the pregnant pastors wife, how can you not know me? I walk to the post office, where people pick up the news ;) so most people know who I am, but I haven't a clue.
Next friday we are going to a picnic with Andrew's ministerium, so I'll get to see other pastors wives. I hope that isn't depressing. From working in the denominational head I had the opportunity to talk to a lot of pastors wives, a lot of them are very bitter. Oh man oh man. I know I can be a spit fire, but I was before we went in the ministry. I want some encouragement and laughter at this picnic, not a gripe fest. I guess that depends on me somewhat. Lord may I be a source of light.
Then at the beginning of August, my in laws are coming out again for someone's birthday. I am still trying to plan that. I want a small celebration, something for Nadia, just for her before the baby is born. So I'd like to have a few friends of hers and some play, maybe outside, maybe inside, for just a few hours. I am planning on butterfly cupcakes. I know she'll like that. Still haven't thought of a gift yet. Maybe we could move her room and set it up with some new things, like shades and kid friendly valances, with new throw pillows, as part of a gift. I know, there would need to be something for her to open, I don't think she'd understand a new 'room'.
Then, hopefully, the new windows will be in and we can set up the baby's room. I have ordered roller shades for the three back bedrooms, so they will be put in. I need to make a valance for the baby's room (I'm thinking pooh) and Nadia's room. The guest room already has something nice in it, it just needs a light blocking and privacy blind. I am hoping everything will be moved around and set up by September 1. Please pray with me to this end.
Pregnancy is going well. Baby is very active and strong! His movements hurt me. And shock me. Nadia was never this strong or vigorous. It is encouraging. My only complaints are my back and heartburn. I get heartburn on just about anything these days. But pickled beets have become a new companion. I love them! I think I love the sweet and sour taste of them, and they help with the heartburn. Plus a pickled egg in there is a good healthy protien. So far weight gain has been excellent. Not too much, not too little. I think I might actually be on track for this pregnancy. But it has been a struggle. I have to watch everything. And I'm having trouble sleeping, but like I said all of these things are so typical. I just make the best of it.
I will try to post a belly pic sometime later, it has gotten bigger, in just the past two days. It's amazing. Andrew and I have a real, true, bonafide date this thursday. Dinner and a movie. I told him I wouldn't go parking with him. I'm not that kinda girl. Besides, I'm already pregnant. *grin*
Gotta go, toddler alert. Time for bed.