Moving on up

The past few days and weeks have been a whirlwind. My life has been consumed with boxes, frozen tater tots, and a disheveled feeling. In the end though it's completely worth it because we're now home owners. This week we took on the new challenge of closing on a house and moving. Things are beginning to find their place, and the house is taking on the feeling of home quickly :)

We had been renters for 4 years in a small house with a soap box for a kitchen. I now have a kitchen with cabinets that remain empty and a dishwasher (insert tears of joy here)!

As I cleaned the rental house today I did let emotions (or hormones) get the best of me as I reflected on the great memories we had made there. I mean it was the house where we started our family and celebrated our first Christmas (sniff, sniff). I'm letting go though. I'm looking forward to the new memories, the new traditions, and the new family members that will join us in this home.

This is a new phase and adventure in our life, and I'm thankful for it.
Check out what new adventures others are trying over at Alicia's Homemaking.

Harris Teeter

Harris Teeter Super Doubles starts tomorrow 9/15. It should run through 9/21.

Date Night

Aren't children wonderful? Their innocent smiles, their silly laughs, their babbling as they're learning to talk, their whining, their constant need for attention...hmm, wait a minute. Yes, a child is one of the greatest blessings I've been given, but there is also something wonderful about time away! Tonight is one of those times. It's the glorious night known as date night! Going to a nicer restaurant without having to tear food apart into bite size pieces and without the looming fear that my child will have a "moment" that will get us dirty looks from neighboring diners is certainly a finer thing. Time alone together without uninterrupted conversation is crucial for every marriage. It doesn't come often enough, but it is always cherished. Maybe the best thing about date night is that you come home refreshed and eager to hug those little ones that make you appreciate date night to begin with. That's the finer thing I'm enjoying today. What's yours?

Menu Planning

Each week I'm reminded of my love/hate relationship with menu planning. The organizer side of me loves to have a plan. The lazy side of me votes for ordering pizza every day. I then remind myself that would not be frugal or kind to my figure (and I need all the kindness I can get). I love the search for new recipes and knowing each day what's on the menu, but it can become a chore to do it each week especially when you get in a funk and can't think of anything to cook. For this reason I have decided to try a new method. With a little extra up front planning, I've put together a month's worth of meals (4 different weekly menu plans). I then plan to recycle these menus over the next few months with some flexibility built in. My hopes are that this will save me time each week.

I started with a theme for each night of the week and then added 4 dishes to each category. I had never planned around themes before, but I found it to be a cinch! I had my husband tell me what things he would like to see on the menu as well. I left a few blanks for new recipes that come up or unexpected dinners out.

There is a drawback, because I'll have things planned for the month, I won't necessarily be planning around the weekly sales. I don't think this will dramatically impact our grocery budget though because honestly with being back to teaching, I haven't been keeping up with it that much. I'll still check the sales for other items and can match up side dishes with what's on sale.

So here's a peak at our menu. Notice that meat has made a comeback? We're starting to have it 2-3 times a week now. Here's to having a plan!
I would love to hear if any of you have tried planning this way and how it has worked for your family.

Week 1:
Monday-Blackbean & corn quesadillas with spanish rice
Tuesday-Stuffed peppers, Italian corn
Wednesday-Chicken & vegetable paella
Thursday-Breakfast for dinner
Friday-Meatloaf, veggies, corn casserole
Saturday-zesty black bean soup
Sunday-Turkey burgers

Week 2:
Monday-Southwest rollups
Tuesday-Spaghetti, salad
Wednesday-Skillet chicken, brown sugar carrots
Thursday-Salad and baked potatoes
Friday-Slow cooker applesauce chicken, butternut squash, broccoli
Saturday-taco soup
Sunday-Grilled veggie sandwiches

Week 3:
Monday-black-bean salads
Tuesday-Homemade pizza
Wednesday-zucchini and squash bake, veggies
Thursday-Crockpot Italian chicken, green beans, potatoes
Friday-Parmesan chicken, salad
Saturday-Cheddar and vegetable soup
Sunday-BLT, fruit

Week 4:
Monday-Southwest black bean pasta
Tuesday-Sloppy lentil sandwiches, salad
Wednesday-?
Thursday-Vegetable stir fry, ambrosia salad
Friday-?
Saturday-Fiesta chicken soup
Sunday- Egg salad sandwiches, chips, raw veggies

Labor Day Link Up

Labor Day Link Up

Happy Labor Day

I was due with our first little boy on May 14. On April 30 I had been feeling what I thought to be more braxton hicks contractions than usual. The feelings continued and in the back of mind I kept thinking, "what if this is it?" At my doctor's appointment that week I had only been slightly dilated, and I had heard from many people that with your first baby it's less likely to give birth early, so I went to bed thinking tomorrow would be another normal day. It was supposed to be my last day of teaching before starting my maternity leave.

Around 3 am I woke up for my regular middle of the night bathroom break. Only this time it wouldn't be so normal. When I sat up, I felt a sudden stream of water. I wondered if I had wet my pants! How embarrassing I thought. As I shook off my sleepiness and went to the bathroom I knew by the looks of things that my water had broken. I was suddenly filled with excitement. I went to the living room wondering what I should do. I sat for a while, prayed, got giddy, and then remembered that the doctor said to call when my water broke. After talking to the doctor, my husband who had still been sleeping emerged from the bedroom wondering who I was talking to. I had decided not to wake him because I wanted him to get his sleep and be rested for what lie ahead. We then decided to go back to sleep. For a woman who's water just broke, and she knows she's going to be having a baby that day, sleep was not so easy. My adrenaline had already started pumping. That next morning I wasn't feeling any notable contractions. We went walking in hopes of getting things going. After talking with the doctor more, she wanted us to come in around 1:00 that afternoon. I realized that I didn't have any nursing bras, and I insisted that we go shopping and to Chick-fil-a. We checked into the hospital at 2:00.

They got me ready with the mandatory saline lock. This was almost worse than the labor. They couldn't find a suitable vein and had to stick me a lot. My contractions were still weak and far apart, so Luke and I went to walking. My contractions would become stronger as we walked but would slow back down each time I had to be checked. The talk started turning to pitocin, which I didn't want. We told the doctor that we wanted to wait, so the power-walking continued. I'm sure we tracked several miles before the night was over. Around 6pm, with little progress still being made, the doctor felt that it was time for pitocin. We decided to go ahead with it, and I soon was feeling the uncomfortable labor. I had to have a fetal heart monitor on, but thankfully we were able to continue walking. When the contractions intensified, I spent most of the time on the birth ball. My husband was great at supporting me and encouraging me through the contractions. I found that the thing that helped me cope with and focus was to hum hymns. Our birth instructor had told us that each woman finds their own pain management once they are in labor, and that was mine. As my body started to go through transition, I felt nauseous and then threw up. I had started feeling more pressure in the lowest part of my back. My nurse asked me if I felt the need to push, but I really didn't know. She walked out, and I had a major contraction, she walked back in a minute later, and said "by the looks of that contraction, you're ready."

I got situated in the bed and did my first pushing. I had not realized how hard and exhausting pushing would be. My nurse left us to go get my doctor. She told Luke and I that with the next contraction I should go ahead and push. We laughed to ourselves that we had to do this alone. Luke took on the role as doctor and counted me through the next contractions. With the doctor in place, the pushing continued. I pushed over the course of 50 minutes. As Nathan crowned I experienced pain like never before. I know understood why it is called, "the ring of fire" Crazy! At 11:50 on May 1 every second of pain became worth it as Nathan was placed in my arms. My heart expanded to an understanding of love I had not yet known.

Because of some tearing the doctor sewed me up. This was my least favorite part of the whole birth. After that, they cleaned Nathan up in our room and did all the necessary checks on the baby. We then had our first time alone together as a family...awesome!

In the end, I was so thankful for how everything happened. I amazed myself at coping with the contractions and managing the pain without an epidural (thank you God). I did however learn a couple of things.
1. God has created our bodies to do this amazingly beautiful thing
2. If my water breaks with the next pregnancy, I will wait to call my doctor and will wait to go into the hospital until I'm further along.
3. My husband is my best labor coach!

I would love to read your birth stories. You can link up over at Amy's Finer Things.

Nathan Luke Stevenson
May 1, 2009
6lbs. 9 0z.

The many hats we wear

Tonight my son, Nathan, reminded me once again that as a mom, you wear many hats. My hat tonight was throw up cleaner upper. This would not seem like a big deal and not terribly disgusting had it been HIS throw up. Instead, it was the throw up of a perfect stranger that my son found in a small spot on the floor of a shoe store. Oh the joys! I know there will be many more disgusting moments in my future as a mom to a curious little boy. Despite the gross factor, it's all worth it because it's all these moments put together that make me stronger as a mother. Each hat that we wear whether it be chauffeur, boo-boo kisser, diaper changer, cook, janitor, and yes, even throw up cleaner upper, it's all done out of love, and the job comes with many perks. So, what hat are you wearing today?