... the weight of my baby girl sleeping on my chest.
... the patient way that Gavin explains things to his little brother.
... how quickly two little boys can morph into tiny dinosaurs.
... the way that Mason identifies things by the sounds that they make - beep beeps, vroom vrooms, meows and woof woofs.
... hearing all of the things that a four-year-old notices about the world around him.
... how long it takes to bake a loaf of bread with two tiny helpers.
... the way that it feels to scoop a swaddled, sleeping baby from her bassinet.
... this ache in my heart that I feel when I pause to think about how quickly these days are going by.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Thursday, July 26, 2012
When Your Super Boobs are Broken
From the time I was pregnant with my first son, there was really no question that I would breastfeed my babies. We all know about the health benefits, immunities, blah blah blah (though I would like to interject that the whole "weight loss" thing is a lie).
Yes, those are part of the reason that I decided to nurse my little ones. But if I am being honest, I did it because it was easy. It's pretty much a given that your baby will wake up at night. Who wants to actually get out of bed and go downstairs to measure out a bottle? Your baby will undoubtedly leave the house. Who wants to lug bottles and water and powder formula around in their already-crowded diaper bag? Babies puke all over you, all the time. Breastmilk puke does not stain - no extra laundry!
I am lazy. I like easy and simple - breastfeeding, for me, was perfect.
When you are a nursing mom, your boobs are instantly transformed into "Super Boobs". Hungry baby? Insert boob. Tired baby? Insert boob. Overstimulated baby? Insert boob. Sick baby? Insert boob. You have the the perfect feeding/comforting/put-cranky-baby-to-sleep tool right there in your plastic-clip voodoo bra.
With Emmy - my super boobs are clearly broken. She cries. A lot. Red in the face, body clenched, high-pitched SCREAMING cries. And she has recently given up napping for some reason unbeknownst to me. Nowadays, the only way she will sleep at night is on my chest. My back aches. I'm tired. My stress level is through.the.roof.
Super boob tricks do not work with Emmy. Nursing doesn't calm her. Sometimes, she starts her fits mid-feeding. (This probably breaks some sort of breastfeeding law, I am sure.) Nursing does not allow her to drift off to dreamland and stay there for hours. Super boobs do work for her when she is bored, however. I cannot wear her in a sling without her trying to latch on, even if I just fed her before putting her in there.
Nothing to see while wandering around with mom at the park? Hey... where did I put that boob?
For those moms with more than one baby - you know that this is less than ideal. Chasing a toddler and preschooler while wearing your baby is hard enough... chasing a toddler and a preschooler while wearing a baby attached to your most tender appendage is downright exhausting.
So what is a mama to do when the #1 tool in her baby care arsenal is not working?
Anyone? :)
Yes, those are part of the reason that I decided to nurse my little ones. But if I am being honest, I did it because it was easy. It's pretty much a given that your baby will wake up at night. Who wants to actually get out of bed and go downstairs to measure out a bottle? Your baby will undoubtedly leave the house. Who wants to lug bottles and water and powder formula around in their already-crowded diaper bag? Babies puke all over you, all the time. Breastmilk puke does not stain - no extra laundry!
I am lazy. I like easy and simple - breastfeeding, for me, was perfect.
When you are a nursing mom, your boobs are instantly transformed into "Super Boobs". Hungry baby? Insert boob. Tired baby? Insert boob. Overstimulated baby? Insert boob. Sick baby? Insert boob. You have the the perfect feeding/comforting/put-cranky-baby-to-sleep tool right there in your plastic-clip voodoo bra.
With Emmy - my super boobs are clearly broken. She cries. A lot. Red in the face, body clenched, high-pitched SCREAMING cries. And she has recently given up napping for some reason unbeknownst to me. Nowadays, the only way she will sleep at night is on my chest. My back aches. I'm tired. My stress level is through.the.roof.
Super boob tricks do not work with Emmy. Nursing doesn't calm her. Sometimes, she starts her fits mid-feeding. (This probably breaks some sort of breastfeeding law, I am sure.) Nursing does not allow her to drift off to dreamland and stay there for hours. Super boobs do work for her when she is bored, however. I cannot wear her in a sling without her trying to latch on, even if I just fed her before putting her in there.
Nothing to see while wandering around with mom at the park? Hey... where did I put that boob?
For those moms with more than one baby - you know that this is less than ideal. Chasing a toddler and preschooler while wearing your baby is hard enough... chasing a toddler and a preschooler while wearing a baby attached to your most tender appendage is downright exhausting.
So what is a mama to do when the #1 tool in her baby care arsenal is not working?
Anyone? :)
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Texting with Jen - Days 1 and 2
Jen is one of my best friends. She is hilarious and creative and has two amazing kids. She is also the kind of friend that you can call and complain and cry about your husband, kids, mom, etc... and she won't think that the target of your complaints is a total ass, no matter what you say.
Jen is joining me in my "No Yelling for a Week" challenge. Instead of losing our tempers or yelling at our kids, we've decided to text each other with exactly what we want to scream, when we want to scream it. Our conversation this week has been pretty hilarious so far.
12:53pm J: @R- DON'T THROW THE TRUCK AT MY FACE!
2:46 pm M: I yelled at Masey. But not loud.
3:18 pm J: I just yelled NO!!! at Raymond. BUT, I think I get a pass on that one because he was trying to eat Windex??
3:19 pm M: Pass granted.
5:29 pm M: Insert generalized scream here. I am done.
5:30 pm J: LOL
5:30 pm M: Two hours til bed time.
5:32 pm J: I'm countin too, sista!!!
5:43 pm J: OMG
5:43 pm J: I *almost* just lost it
5:43 pm J: M put f--king princess stickers on the TV screen
6:45 pm J: So, M wouldn't eat her dinner and tried to guzzle her milk instead
6:45 pm J: Now she has water
6:45 pm J: And she refuses to eat
6:45 pm J: So she's having water for dinner
6:46 pm J: And I'm kind of glad about it
9:01 am M: I fail. I've been yelling all damn morning.
9:03 am M: I'm so pissed off
9:06 am J: Me too
9:06 am J: What are your kids doing?
9:43 am M: I swear, the boys have eaten 7 times. Gavin had the nerve to steal my toast off my plate. I'm running on coke.
9:46 am J: Well, when's nap time?
9:46 am M: 12
9:46 am J: Fuel up like a camel!!!
6:00 pm J: I seriously cannot tell where I end and my kids begin
7:05 pm J: Meg, if I make it through this day it will be a miracle
7:07 pm M: It's almost bed time! Hold on!
7:54 pm J: (She has the nerve to send me a picture of her glass of wine!) Cheers to bedtime!!!
8:02 pm J: Just the smell of it makes me sooooo happy
Jen is joining me in my "No Yelling for a Week" challenge. Instead of losing our tempers or yelling at our kids, we've decided to text each other with exactly what we want to scream, when we want to scream it. Our conversation this week has been pretty hilarious so far.
12:53pm J: @R- DON'T THROW THE TRUCK AT MY FACE!
2:46 pm M: I yelled at Masey. But not loud.
3:18 pm J: I just yelled NO!!! at Raymond. BUT, I think I get a pass on that one because he was trying to eat Windex??
3:19 pm M: Pass granted.
5:29 pm M: Insert generalized scream here. I am done.
5:30 pm J: LOL
5:30 pm M: Two hours til bed time.
5:32 pm J: I'm countin too, sista!!!
5:43 pm J: OMG
5:43 pm J: I *almost* just lost it
5:43 pm J: M put f--king princess stickers on the TV screen
6:45 pm J: So, M wouldn't eat her dinner and tried to guzzle her milk instead
6:45 pm J: Now she has water
6:45 pm J: And she refuses to eat
6:45 pm J: So she's having water for dinner
6:46 pm J: And I'm kind of glad about it
9:01 am M: I fail. I've been yelling all damn morning.
9:03 am M: I'm so pissed off
9:06 am J: Me too
9:06 am J: What are your kids doing?
9:43 am M: I swear, the boys have eaten 7 times. Gavin had the nerve to steal my toast off my plate. I'm running on coke.
9:46 am J: Well, when's nap time?
9:46 am M: 12
9:46 am J: Fuel up like a camel!!!
6:00 pm J: I seriously cannot tell where I end and my kids begin
7:05 pm J: Meg, if I make it through this day it will be a miracle
7:07 pm M: It's almost bed time! Hold on!
7:54 pm J: (She has the nerve to send me a picture of her glass of wine!) Cheers to bedtime!!!
8:02 pm J: Just the smell of it makes me sooooo happy
Monday, July 16, 2012
No Yelling for a Week
Okay, I admit it. I am a yeller. To be honest, there are days where I don't yell at all. And there are other days where I yell so much that, by the time Jordan gets home, I am tired of hearing my own voice.
Last night, Gavin (my four year old) had me out of bed more times than I could count. The last time, he was screaming like he had a firey dagger shoved in his eyeball. Turns out, he just had to pee. I actually muttered the old mom-age, "If you want to scream like that because you have to use the bathroom - I'll give you something to scream about!". Sigh.
I want to have infinite patience. I really do. But I am human. I am a human who does not sleep enough and who does not eat as often as she should. I get hungry. I get tired. I get impatient.
So - I am starting my Monday morning off with a challenge. Anyone want to join me?
I will not yell at my kids. At least until Friday at 5pm when the challenge is over. I hereby reserve the right to shout and call them by name (we go to the park a few times a week and I am often calling for them). I will not yell out of anger. I will speak kindly and have a patient heart.
I think I can. I think I can.
Last night, Gavin (my four year old) had me out of bed more times than I could count. The last time, he was screaming like he had a firey dagger shoved in his eyeball. Turns out, he just had to pee. I actually muttered the old mom-age, "If you want to scream like that because you have to use the bathroom - I'll give you something to scream about!". Sigh.
I want to have infinite patience. I really do. But I am human. I am a human who does not sleep enough and who does not eat as often as she should. I get hungry. I get tired. I get impatient.
So - I am starting my Monday morning off with a challenge. Anyone want to join me?
I will not yell at my kids. At least until Friday at 5pm when the challenge is over. I hereby reserve the right to shout and call them by name (we go to the park a few times a week and I am often calling for them). I will not yell out of anger. I will speak kindly and have a patient heart.
I think I can. I think I can.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
You Are Doing Something...
I am always with my children. ALWAYS. Sometimes it's awesome, and other times it's.... not so awesome. My "breaks" consist of running to the store alone. Sometimes, the second Jordan walks in the door, I tell him I quickly say, "We are out of milk!", slip on my flip flops and RUN to my car. So I think I have the "twice as much time" part down.
But then, I stopped to think about it. Yes, I am physically with my children all.the.damn.time. But - am I mentally with them? Do they have my attention? I was kind of disappointed to realize that a lot of the time, I am focused on "doing" something else. We all know the feeling. You need to fold the laundry that is piled on the chair, check your email, pay bills online, sweep up the Goldfish crumbs. You have things to DO! You can't simply sit and build a Lincoln Log house.
In my own effort to stop being overwhelmed by my threemonsters kids, I haven't been focusing on the house so much. I sweep once a day, and sometimes that is not until after dinner when Jordan is home to occupy the little ones. My goal is to do one load of laundry a day (though I really MUST wash those diapers today!), and load and run the dishwasher. Other than that, I just want to focus on the kids.
The urge to "do something" is a hard one to break. As I sat on the floor today, Emmy on my shoulder and Mason in my lap, my thought instantly turned to the fact that I should be "doing something" with my time. But you know what? I AM doing something!
I am cuddling my baby. She is five weeks old, and all she has ever known is her mama. Snuggling and holding her close is important to both of us. AND - look at me go - I was multitasking! Mason was "cooking" me food and together we were "eating" it. I was playing a fun game with my sweet boy. The kids had my complete attention. And that is the way I want it.
As they say, the days are long but the years are short. Before I know it, my baby won't be a baby. I won't feel the weight of her little body against my chest, or smell her sweet milk breath. Soon enough, my toddler won't want to cook his mommy pretend food and run off excitedly yelling "More!" before bringing me a delicious plastic strawberry. And some day, my hysterical preschooler will not spend 40 minutes swinging with me and telling me everything he knows about pink spotted tree-climbing butterflies.
Time is going by too fast. I had better go and do something.
But then, I stopped to think about it. Yes, I am physically with my children all.the.damn.time. But - am I mentally with them? Do they have my attention? I was kind of disappointed to realize that a lot of the time, I am focused on "doing" something else. We all know the feeling. You need to fold the laundry that is piled on the chair, check your email, pay bills online, sweep up the Goldfish crumbs. You have things to DO! You can't simply sit and build a Lincoln Log house.
In my own effort to stop being overwhelmed by my three
The urge to "do something" is a hard one to break. As I sat on the floor today, Emmy on my shoulder and Mason in my lap, my thought instantly turned to the fact that I should be "doing something" with my time. But you know what? I AM doing something!
I am cuddling my baby. She is five weeks old, and all she has ever known is her mama. Snuggling and holding her close is important to both of us. AND - look at me go - I was multitasking! Mason was "cooking" me food and together we were "eating" it. I was playing a fun game with my sweet boy. The kids had my complete attention. And that is the way I want it.
As they say, the days are long but the years are short. Before I know it, my baby won't be a baby. I won't feel the weight of her little body against my chest, or smell her sweet milk breath. Soon enough, my toddler won't want to cook his mommy pretend food and run off excitedly yelling "More!" before bringing me a delicious plastic strawberry. And some day, my hysterical preschooler will not spend 40 minutes swinging with me and telling me everything he knows about pink spotted tree-climbing butterflies.
Time is going by too fast. I had better go and do something.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Emmy's Birth Story
Emersyn Paige was born on June 5, 2012 at 1:03 in the morning.
I wrote out both of the boys' birth stories, to share with mom friends who are interested (yes, us moms like to hear these things!) and to help me remember them more clearly.
So - for those who are interested in birth stories - keep reading. If not, you might want to skip to the next post!
I had my routine check up at 1pm on June 4th. It was my due date and I figured Emmy was going to make a late arrival, just like her brother had. (Mason was nearly a week late.) I mentioned to the nurse that I felt a bit leaky and I was having contractions, but nothing really regular or impressive. The doctor checked to see if I was leaking fluid. Man, was I surprised when he told me that my water broke! I think he was just as surprised as I was. I never would have guessed, because my "leaking" was not that bad. I have delivered three kids now and I never got my dream of having my water break in a big dramatic way, like while I was standing in the produce section of the grocery store. Maybe next time!
Anyway, he asked if I had to make arrangements at home before heading to the hospital, and I did, so I headed home to finish packing my bag and get the boys settled with my mom and sister. I called Jordan on my way home and told him that it was GO TIME! When I got home, I kind of went overboard with getting things ready for the boys. I pulled out their pajamas and clothes for the next day. Made sure they had a snack. Left them money (because 2 year olds and 4 year olds spend money). My mom and sister know where all of their things are and are more than capable of caring for them, but I was just so panicked - I wasn't ready for this! I was supposed to have more time! (I think. It was my due date after all.)
Jordan came home and got his things and we headed out. We stopped for a late lunch and got to the hospital around 4:30. Still, nothing exciting happened! I was having contractions every 7 or 8 minutes, but they were managable. The midwife came in around 5:30 and "finished" breaking my water, hoping that would jumpstart my labor. I walked around for a bit. Probably around 7 or 8 I was getting more uncomfortable, so I took a shower, and spent some time walking and sitting on the birthing ball, watching TV with Jordan. My contractions never got closer than 2 to 3 minutes apart, but they were effective. Around 12:45 the midwife checked me and I was at a 6. I was so tired and hoping to get some rest (Jordan had laid down at this point) but I had one big contraction and that was it - I paged the nurse and yelled to Jordan that I had to push.
The midwife rushed in and jokingly asked if he had time to get his scrubs on this time! (He is the same midwife who delivered Mason, in his sweater, because Mason arrived so quickly.)
Emmy was born after 3 pushes at 1:03 am.
Our sweet girl was 7lbs 1.6oz and 20.5 inches long. She is as healthy as can be. And - she is FEISTY! She screamed for the first hour after she was born. We spent the first few hours after birth nursing and napping together skin-to-skin. I did not get to do that with either of the boys (they were bathed, dressed and swaddled really quickly after they were born) and I highly recommend it to any new moms! It was such a relaxing, soothing time.
Where have I been?
Emmy has made her arrival! I have spent the last month in newborn bliss... or a groggy, busy state resembling what should be newborn bliss!
Emmy was born on June 5th, 2012 at 1:03 am. She missed her due date of June 4th by precisely one hour!
Here are a few pictures of our newest love.
Things around here have been busy to say the least! Jordan was home with us for the first week, but I have been on my own with all three kids for three weeks now. The first few days were too smooth - I thought things were going to be easy! Last week tested my patience and sanity in a way that I didn't think was possible. It was rough.
Today, however, starts a new week. I am jumping in with two feet and I am determined to make this week better than last. I am going to have more patience, try to take care of myself better, yell less, get everyone outside more, be more consistent with giving the boys (Gavin, especially!) consequences for their misbehavior and - in general - try to keep everyone alive, fed and HAPPY. Can I do it? I guess we will see!
Step one of trying to get back on track is to plan what we are having for dinner. At least then I won't fall into the witching-hour trap of wondering what the heck we are going to eat! So hear is our quick meal plan for the week:
Monday: Chicken Parmesean and fresh bread
Tuesday: Pineapple, brown rice and shrimp stir fry
Wednesday - July 4th! - grilled steak and chicken, roasted potatoes, steamed veggies and garlic bread
Thursday - pork chops in the crock pot, rice and veggies
Friday - hamburger hashbrowns, as requested by the hubby
Saturday - buffalo chicken sandwiches, fruit salad and fries
Sunday - spicy southwest chicken wraps with black beans and rice
Hopefully I will be back soon with more updates!
Emmy was born on June 5th, 2012 at 1:03 am. She missed her due date of June 4th by precisely one hour!
Here are a few pictures of our newest love.
Things around here have been busy to say the least! Jordan was home with us for the first week, but I have been on my own with all three kids for three weeks now. The first few days were too smooth - I thought things were going to be easy! Last week tested my patience and sanity in a way that I didn't think was possible. It was rough.
Today, however, starts a new week. I am jumping in with two feet and I am determined to make this week better than last. I am going to have more patience, try to take care of myself better, yell less, get everyone outside more, be more consistent with giving the boys (Gavin, especially!) consequences for their misbehavior and - in general - try to keep everyone alive, fed and HAPPY. Can I do it? I guess we will see!
Step one of trying to get back on track is to plan what we are having for dinner. At least then I won't fall into the witching-hour trap of wondering what the heck we are going to eat! So hear is our quick meal plan for the week:
Monday: Chicken Parmesean and fresh bread
Tuesday: Pineapple, brown rice and shrimp stir fry
Wednesday - July 4th! - grilled steak and chicken, roasted potatoes, steamed veggies and garlic bread
Thursday - pork chops in the crock pot, rice and veggies
Friday - hamburger hashbrowns, as requested by the hubby
Saturday - buffalo chicken sandwiches, fruit salad and fries
Sunday - spicy southwest chicken wraps with black beans and rice
Hopefully I will be back soon with more updates!
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Lack-of-Meal-Plan Tuesday
Wondering what happened to Meal Plan Monday?
Yesterday was so busy that I forgot to post my meal plan. Sunday was so busy that I forgot to make a meal plan. Heck, this week - I barely went grocery shopping. Mason and I stopped and grabbed a few things at the store while Gavin was at school this morning.
Can I just say that I hate not grocery shopping? If I don't do one big grocery trip... I end up doing 5 small grocery trips and it just becomes so expensive!
The week's plans... ugh.
Monday - work for me. I made quiche for the guys.
Tuesday - work for me.Game for Jordan (cancelled due to rain). Easy pasta and fresh bread with steamed broccoli.
Wednesday - work for me. Window company coming to give a quote for replacement windows. Dinner must be fast and require no prep or work on Jordan's part... so I'm thinking pork chops in the crockpot, rice and steamed veggies.
Thursday - work for me, and Jordan is working late. My sister is coming to watch the boys and I'm ordering them a pizza!
Friday - Jordan's softball game has been rescheduled, so the boys and I are going to go watch daddy play. This means a picnic dinner - PB&J on whole wheat, fresh fruit, crackers and bottled water, all packed up for the game!
Since Sunday was Mother's Day, I didn't do any batch cooking, baking, freezing or fruit preparation. I think later in the week I will go and buy a watermelon and pineapple for the boys, but for now they are fine with the apples, oranges, strawberries, bananas and blueberries that we have that don't require chopping and storage. I am also planning to "celebrate" National Chocolate Chip Day today by making a fresh batch of chocolate chip muffins with the boys, so we can have those to snack on this week, as well.
Yesterday was so busy that I forgot to post my meal plan. Sunday was so busy that I forgot to make a meal plan. Heck, this week - I barely went grocery shopping. Mason and I stopped and grabbed a few things at the store while Gavin was at school this morning.
Can I just say that I hate not grocery shopping? If I don't do one big grocery trip... I end up doing 5 small grocery trips and it just becomes so expensive!
The week's plans... ugh.
Monday - work for me. I made quiche for the guys.
Tuesday - work for me.
Wednesday - work for me. Window company coming to give a quote for replacement windows. Dinner must be fast and require no prep or work on Jordan's part... so I'm thinking pork chops in the crockpot, rice and steamed veggies.
Thursday - work for me, and Jordan is working late. My sister is coming to watch the boys and I'm ordering them a pizza!
Friday - Jordan's softball game has been rescheduled, so the boys and I are going to go watch daddy play. This means a picnic dinner - PB&J on whole wheat, fresh fruit, crackers and bottled water, all packed up for the game!
Since Sunday was Mother's Day, I didn't do any batch cooking, baking, freezing or fruit preparation. I think later in the week I will go and buy a watermelon and pineapple for the boys, but for now they are fine with the apples, oranges, strawberries, bananas and blueberries that we have that don't require chopping and storage. I am also planning to "celebrate" National Chocolate Chip Day today by making a fresh batch of chocolate chip muffins with the boys, so we can have those to snack on this week, as well.
Kid-isms
My life probably seems boring and uneventful to most people. And some days, it truly is. But these two little guys that I get to spend my time with are incredibly smart and funny, and there are certain days where I wish we had a camera crew to follow us around and capture all of the strange and hilarious things that happen during the day.
Today is one of those days. And it isn't even noon.
Mason has been following every single action with a loud, spread-armed "Ta-Da!" Successfully balance plastic red car on mom's head? Ta-Da! Take a bite of my peanut butter sandwich? Ta-Da! Open plastic tool box without help? Ta-Da! He's a one man magic show today.
We picked Gavin up from nursery school this morning and he told me that he made a duck. I asked him what he named it. He looked at me like I was literally the dumbest person to ever walk the face of the earth, summoned up his most sarcastic tone and told me, "Mom. A duck is a duck. Ducks don't have names." Pause. "But I named him Goose."
We got home from school and I paused getting out of the car (to text hubs the above duck story) and said, "Ugh. It's such a rainy day." Gavin told me, "It's actually not raining."
"It's not?" I asked.
"Nope," he replied. "It's just water falling from the clouds. It's called per-cip-i-tation."
Was I schooled in meteorology by my three year old? Yes, I think so.
Today is one of those days. And it isn't even noon.
Mason has been following every single action with a loud, spread-armed "Ta-Da!" Successfully balance plastic red car on mom's head? Ta-Da! Take a bite of my peanut butter sandwich? Ta-Da! Open plastic tool box without help? Ta-Da! He's a one man magic show today.
We picked Gavin up from nursery school this morning and he told me that he made a duck. I asked him what he named it. He looked at me like I was literally the dumbest person to ever walk the face of the earth, summoned up his most sarcastic tone and told me, "Mom. A duck is a duck. Ducks don't have names." Pause. "But I named him Goose."
We got home from school and I paused getting out of the car (to text hubs the above duck story) and said, "Ugh. It's such a rainy day." Gavin told me, "It's actually not raining."
"It's not?" I asked.
"Nope," he replied. "It's just water falling from the clouds. It's called per-cip-i-tation."
Was I schooled in meteorology by my three year old? Yes, I think so.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Mother's Day!
I had a pretty great Mother's Day weekend.
Yesterday was a busy day. Jordan let me sleep in and when I got up, he and the boys were dancing to Darius Rucker and making scrambled eggs and toast. Melt a woman's heart, huh?
We went to Home Depot and got a price estimate for the windows that we want to replace, and then we bought the supplies that we needed to build our raised garden. On the way home, we stopped for lunch at our favorite outdoor eatery and enjoyed some sunshine and delicious food. When we got home, Mason went down for his nap and Jordan and Gavin got to work building our garden beds. It was a ton of hard work, but Jordan was able to get the beds constructed and the ground tilled all while Mason napped!
520 lbs of soil later, our new garden bed was finished and ready for planting. It was a great day.
This morning, Jordan made me French toast for breakfast. It was so yummy. The cinnamon smell filled the house, and Gavin went back for seconds. He doesn't do that when I make French toast! After we were dressed for the day, we went and used a gift card and bonus coupon to get the boys a brand new water table. After a long nap, we spent the afternoon outside in the yard, playing with the water table, swinging on the swing set and planting our garden. It was a perfect afternoon!
After a quick bath and dinner (which was a simple pizza, courtesy - again - of Jordan!), we finished our day by going out for ice cream. Mason had his first ever ice cream cone! He bit the bottom off first, of course.
Here are a few pictures from our day:
Yesterday was a busy day. Jordan let me sleep in and when I got up, he and the boys were dancing to Darius Rucker and making scrambled eggs and toast. Melt a woman's heart, huh?
We went to Home Depot and got a price estimate for the windows that we want to replace, and then we bought the supplies that we needed to build our raised garden. On the way home, we stopped for lunch at our favorite outdoor eatery and enjoyed some sunshine and delicious food. When we got home, Mason went down for his nap and Jordan and Gavin got to work building our garden beds. It was a ton of hard work, but Jordan was able to get the beds constructed and the ground tilled all while Mason napped!
520 lbs of soil later, our new garden bed was finished and ready for planting. It was a great day.
This morning, Jordan made me French toast for breakfast. It was so yummy. The cinnamon smell filled the house, and Gavin went back for seconds. He doesn't do that when I make French toast! After we were dressed for the day, we went and used a gift card and bonus coupon to get the boys a brand new water table. After a long nap, we spent the afternoon outside in the yard, playing with the water table, swinging on the swing set and planting our garden. It was a perfect afternoon!
After a quick bath and dinner (which was a simple pizza, courtesy - again - of Jordan!), we finished our day by going out for ice cream. Mason had his first ever ice cream cone! He bit the bottom off first, of course.
Here are a few pictures from our day:
Jordan raking the soil.
The boys checking out their new water table.
Playing with Daddy.
Gavin and his sarcastic "Cheese" face.
The start of our garden.
All in all, my Mother's Day was idyllic. It wasn't anything fancy or spectactular, but I got to spend the day with the people that I love most in this world, and that is a good day for me!
To all of the moms out there: I hope you had a wonderful day!
To all of the moms out there: I hope you had a wonderful day!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Thankful
I am a lucky woman. My life may not be exciting or newsworthy or even particularly glamorous, but I truly am blessed beyond words. And one of my biggest blessings, and a person that I am incredibly thankful for, is my husband.
Jordan, playing around with Gavin.
Jordan and I got married five years ago. Even before we were married, our life was an adventure. We just seemed to fit together so well, right from the beginning. Where one is lacking, the other is strong. Where one is giving up, the other is holding on. When one needs a break, the other steps in to help. We make each other laugh. Yes, we make each other yell in frustration sometimes, but we always come back to laughter and that is what matters in this world.
In our five short years of marriage, we have had two (almost three!) babies, bought and remodeled a house, been through numerous career transitions, lost loved ones and gained new friends. It's been a busy time, but there is no one else that I would rather share it with!
About a year and a half ago, after I had Mason, I desperately did not want to return to work. I felt a strong calling to be a stay at home mom. I know that Jordan took a huge leap of faith to agree to me quitting my full-time job to stay home with the boys. I know that it was stressful for him to take on the roll of sole financial provider, and I know that he had hesitations. But I also recognize that our family has grown so much because of our decision for me to stay home and because of our commitment to our boys (and soon-to-be daughter!). He is a dedicated husband, provider and father. It makes my heart so happy to hear our boys shout, "Daddy!" and run to him with hugs when he returns home from work. There is no one in the world that those boys would rather play with or spend time with than their amazing dad.
So Jordan - I love you! I am so thankful for you and all of your hard work and your dedication to our family. I know I do not say it enough, but you are an amazing husband and father and we love you!
Friday, May 11, 2012
Waiting...
I hate to even start feeling this way. You know why? Because I'm only 35 weeks, 3 days pregnant. But who's counting? (Well, technically I guess I am more like 36+ weeks because they keep moving my due date up. But again - who's counting?)
Today especially, I feel so... off. I'm waiting for something that may not happen for a while! I feel kind of icky, and not quite myself. Crampy. Achy. Probably normal pregnant symptoms. Mentally though - I'm so distracted. I keep feeling like something BIG is going to happen!
My first son was two weeks early, and my second was a week late. So "due dates" don't mean too much to me. I've been around the block enough to know that assigning a due date does not give baby an arrival time or even a deadline. So why do I feel like I'm waiting today?
I have no idea.
I need a nap.
Today especially, I feel so... off. I'm waiting for something that may not happen for a while! I feel kind of icky, and not quite myself. Crampy. Achy. Probably normal pregnant symptoms. Mentally though - I'm so distracted. I keep feeling like something BIG is going to happen!
My first son was two weeks early, and my second was a week late. So "due dates" don't mean too much to me. I've been around the block enough to know that assigning a due date does not give baby an arrival time or even a deadline. So why do I feel like I'm waiting today?
I have no idea.
I need a nap.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Cutting out the TV...
My goal - or test, rather - for this week was to cut out television as much as I could. Not to make a political statement or anything, but just to see how our days went around here when we removed the time and mental energy that we devoted to TV during the day. I was noticing that I'd turn on Curious George while I was making breakfast, and before I realized it, it was 9:30 am, nothing had gotten done, Super Why! was on and Gavin was arguing with me saying, "I want to watch this!"
Now, I'm picky about what the boys watch, anyway. When choosing television for them, I stick to PBS or movies that we own. I do sometimes watch the news or weather in the morning, but let's face it - the news is depressing. I avoid channels with commercials, because it drives me NUTS to hear Gavin say, "I want that!" in reference to whatever item happens to be featured in the commercial. Seriously, he will ask for everything from Cocoa Pebbles to a My Little Pony doll if it pops up on that darn screen. I'd rather not hear it, or expose him to tons of garbage that he does not need.
I've also managed to keep my boys blissfully unaware of most television shows and characters. For the most part, I don't know what other moms are talking about when they mention their kids' favorite shows, and I'm fine with that! Kids TV irks me, so I'm picky about what I expose them to. Now, if only I could get my husband and mother-in-law to stop sabotaging my efforts... but that is another post altogether!!!
We've spent our time playing restaurant, baking, and listening to music, among many other things. The need for background noise has not bothered me as much as I anticipated it would! Plus, the boys have been getting a kick out of turning on the radio when they want some sound or music. Good thing they LOVE country music like their mama!
Now, I'm picky about what the boys watch, anyway. When choosing television for them, I stick to PBS or movies that we own. I do sometimes watch the news or weather in the morning, but let's face it - the news is depressing. I avoid channels with commercials, because it drives me NUTS to hear Gavin say, "I want that!" in reference to whatever item happens to be featured in the commercial. Seriously, he will ask for everything from Cocoa Pebbles to a My Little Pony doll if it pops up on that darn screen. I'd rather not hear it, or expose him to tons of garbage that he does not need.
I've also managed to keep my boys blissfully unaware of most television shows and characters. For the most part, I don't know what other moms are talking about when they mention their kids' favorite shows, and I'm fine with that! Kids TV irks me, so I'm picky about what I expose them to. Now, if only I could get my husband and mother-in-law to stop sabotaging my efforts... but that is another post altogether!!!
We've spent our time playing restaurant, baking, and listening to music, among many other things. The need for background noise has not bothered me as much as I anticipated it would! Plus, the boys have been getting a kick out of turning on the radio when they want some sound or music. Good thing they LOVE country music like their mama!
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Catching Up
I have to admit, I am still feeling the pain of my littlest guy being so sick last week, and a really busy weekend. Yesterday, while the boys ate breakfast, I made myself a to-do list. It was a mile long.
By the end of the day, however, all but two things were crossed off! Hooray!
Yesterday was spent catching up. It was a busy day. On top of a million things to do, we had Gavin's spring concert yesterday evening. And he desperately needed a hair cut before he went on stage. So we had to squeeze in an outing after nap time. BUT - we got it done!
By the end of the day, however, all but two things were crossed off! Hooray!
Yesterday was spent catching up. It was a busy day. On top of a million things to do, we had Gavin's spring concert yesterday evening. And he desperately needed a hair cut before he went on stage. So we had to squeeze in an outing after nap time. BUT - we got it done!
Yummy pineapple slices.
My handsome baking assistant.
Muffins, anyone?
The highlight of the day was certainly Gavin's concert. Nursery school performances are just so... adorable. Gavin spent the entire day insisting that he "forgot how to sing" and "only knows animal songs". So I wasn't quite sure what to expect from him when we got to the show. But he was awesome!
I am the proud mom of the kid who picked his nose on stage. Multiple times and for long durations. Hubs and I were cracking up!
Not only did Gavin remember how to sing just fine - he remembered how to sing LOUDLY. I could hear his voice over all of the other kids. He kind of ended up being the background singer at some points.
His class singing: This little light of mine...
Gavin singing: .................................LIGHT OF MINE!
Tears were streaming down my face from laughing so hard. And the woman next to me knew just which child was mine!
Meal Plan Monday
Ah, I'm a bit late with this. It's Tuesday, isn't it?
This week is hectic. Lately, hectic has been our new "normal".
So here are our goings-on this week!
Monday - Gavin's Spring concert
Tuesday - Work for me
Wednesday - Work for me, softball for hubs. My mom is watching the boys
Thursday - Work for me
Friday - nothing!
Keeping this in mind, and in light of the fact that I did not follow my meal plan at all last week, this is what I've come up with:
Monday - Parmesean breaded chicken, with fresh bread and a veggie
Tuesday - Homemade mac 'n cheese with steamed brocolli
Wednesday - Baked ziti and fresh bread - a simple meal that my mom can pop in the oven at dinner time
Thursday - Hamburger hashbrowns for hubs. Healthy chicken nuggets for the boys, with some fresh fruit
Friday - Grilled marinated chicken breast, steak for hubs if he wants it, roasted potatoes, steamed carrots and cauliflower and garlic bread
Saturday - A bit of a change from tradition, but we are making pizza! It will be a busy day, so a simple and quick meal is a necessity. We could even put our multigrain pizza crusts on the grill. Grilled pizza is delicious!
Sorry for the late menu post! I'm still reeling from Mason being sick last week and a hectic weekend.
This week is hectic. Lately, hectic has been our new "normal".
So here are our goings-on this week!
Monday - Gavin's Spring concert
Tuesday - Work for me
Wednesday - Work for me, softball for hubs. My mom is watching the boys
Thursday - Work for me
Friday - nothing!
Keeping this in mind, and in light of the fact that I did not follow my meal plan at all last week, this is what I've come up with:
Monday - Parmesean breaded chicken, with fresh bread and a veggie
Tuesday - Homemade mac 'n cheese with steamed brocolli
Wednesday - Baked ziti and fresh bread - a simple meal that my mom can pop in the oven at dinner time
Thursday - Hamburger hashbrowns for hubs. Healthy chicken nuggets for the boys, with some fresh fruit
Friday - Grilled marinated chicken breast, steak for hubs if he wants it, roasted potatoes, steamed carrots and cauliflower and garlic bread
Saturday - A bit of a change from tradition, but we are making pizza! It will be a busy day, so a simple and quick meal is a necessity. We could even put our multigrain pizza crusts on the grill. Grilled pizza is delicious!
Sorry for the late menu post! I'm still reeling from Mason being sick last week and a hectic weekend.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
A Day on the Farm
We were invited to celebrate the birthday of a dear friend's little girl today. Her party was at a local farm, during their Baby Animal Days event. I can't lie - I have looked forward to Molly's party for the last couple of weeks!
The weather was perfect - warm and sunny. The kids loved going on the hayride, checking out the animals and eating cupcakes. Molly's cupcakes were a-MAZ-ing! They were so beautifully decorated that it was a shame to eat them... even though they were delicious!
Here are a few pictures of the kids playing on the farm.
The weather was perfect - warm and sunny. The kids loved going on the hayride, checking out the animals and eating cupcakes. Molly's cupcakes were a-MAZ-ing! They were so beautifully decorated that it was a shame to eat them... even though they were delicious!
Here are a few pictures of the kids playing on the farm.
Snacking on an apple.
Seeing the sights on the hayride!
What mom? You want to take our picture?
Farmer Gavin with his bucket of animal feed.
Petting a baby duck.
Jen, Ray, Molly and Raymond - thank you for inviting us to be a part of your celebration! Happy birthday, Molly! :)
Sunday - A Day of Rest (Wait, what?)
Sunday... Oh, Sunday.
A day of rest.
Rest? What the heck is that? I think Sunday's new title should be Sunday... a day of prep.
Family time passes too quickly. I am a stay-at-home-mom, so weekends are strange for me. It's kind of the same-old-same, but with hubs thrown into the mix. And of course, that changes everything! Our Monday through Friday routine sometimes goes out the window. We usually end up doing something fun, which is what the weekends are for. But by the time Sunday afternoon rolls around I am looking ahead to the week, being alone with the kids, checking out our schedule and seeing what I need to accomplish.
On Sunday, I usually try to prepare for the week. These preparations include....
This was my dining room table at 9 pm on Sunday night. Finally looking through the fliers. While waiting for rice to cook so that I could assemble and pack wraps for husband. I got about... two pages in. I'll deal with that tomorrow! (It does look like there are some good coupons, so I'll likely order some duplicates tomorrow, too.)
So what DID I get done on this day of prep?
Lunch for hubs? Check!
Waffles cooked and in freezer? Check!
AND... that's it! The rest will have to wait until tomorrow.
A day of rest.
Rest? What the heck is that? I think Sunday's new title should be Sunday... a day of prep.
Family time passes too quickly. I am a stay-at-home-mom, so weekends are strange for me. It's kind of the same-old-same, but with hubs thrown into the mix. And of course, that changes everything! Our Monday through Friday routine sometimes goes out the window. We usually end up doing something fun, which is what the weekends are for. But by the time Sunday afternoon rolls around I am looking ahead to the week, being alone with the kids, checking out our schedule and seeing what I need to accomplish.
On Sunday, I usually try to prepare for the week. These preparations include....
- Reading the newspaper, reviewing fliers, matching coupons to sales
- Planning my grocery shopping
- SOMETIMES accomplishing my grocery shopping
- Batch-cooking some waffles or muffins for breakfast during the week
- Slicing fruit
- Making lunch for the hubs
This was my dining room table at 9 pm on Sunday night. Finally looking through the fliers. While waiting for rice to cook so that I could assemble and pack wraps for husband. I got about... two pages in. I'll deal with that tomorrow! (It does look like there are some good coupons, so I'll likely order some duplicates tomorrow, too.)
So what DID I get done on this day of prep?
Lunch for hubs? Check!
Waffles cooked and in freezer? Check!
AND... that's it! The rest will have to wait until tomorrow.
Friday, May 4, 2012
The Best Laid Plans...
So this week has not gone the way it should have gone.
Eh, scratch that. I guess there is no real way that things should go, but it certainly has not gone according to plan. Well, at least not my plan! Maybe God's plan.
Mason has been sick. It started Tuesday night. He had a low fever - just felt a bit warm. He kept pointing to his mouth, so I assumed teething. Gave him some Tylenol and he did okay.
By Wednesday, he had a rash. So we visited the pediatrician. Sinus infection. Antibiotics. I can handle that!
By Thursday morning, at around 4 am, he had a fever of 105.1. With about an hour of sleep, I went to the grocery store to get him ibuprofen, as Tylenol was not helping his fever at all. Fever broke, we all got some sleep. I was able to keep the fever down most of Thursday with a cool bath and medicine.
This morning, his fever was back to 104.9. Sigh. At least we got some sleep last night! But needless to say - we were back at the pediatrican's office this morning.
The doctor was fantastic. We reviewed all of Mason's doctor appointments, ER visits, urgent care visits - you name it, we went through charts, spoke of symptoms and tried to piece together what is happening. You see, this is not a new occurance for Masey. He has had a fever of 105 four times so far this year. What we noticed is that each time a fever presents, it's accompanied by viral symptoms. The doctor thinks that Mason has an extreme febrile reaction to most common viruses that would simply cause a runny nose in other kids. So for now, we need to keep him comfortable when he gets sick, treat his fever with ibuprofen as I have been doing, and be a bit more cautious. We need to wash our hands more frequently, try to avoid other (obviously) sick people. And we will continue to track his illnesses, symptoms and fevers to see if we notice any further correllation. As of now, however, it does not look to be an auto-immune problem. So that is good news!
With Mason being so sick, I've been home all week. Which has been good and bad. I am thankful that I don't have to worry about working, finding childcare and taking care of my sick little guy. But I am also feeling a bit frustrated and trapped. Even though I'm a stay at home mom, the boys and I really try to get out of the house every day, even if we just wash the car, visit the lobsters at the grocery store or take a walk. And we play in the yard often now that it's warmer out. But we've been inside. Yesterday was a pajama and movies kind of day. I ordered pizza for lunch.
Needless to say, I haven't been cleaning like I should. All of my organization - which I was so proud to accomplish last week - has gone to crap. We missed our mom group park date on Wednesday. I haven't been able to cook or bake. BUT - I have gotten in extra snuggles and quality time with the boys. So maybe the best laid plans aren't really always the best plans, anyhow!
Eh, scratch that. I guess there is no real way that things should go, but it certainly has not gone according to plan. Well, at least not my plan! Maybe God's plan.
Mason has been sick. It started Tuesday night. He had a low fever - just felt a bit warm. He kept pointing to his mouth, so I assumed teething. Gave him some Tylenol and he did okay.
By Wednesday, he had a rash. So we visited the pediatrician. Sinus infection. Antibiotics. I can handle that!
By Thursday morning, at around 4 am, he had a fever of 105.1. With about an hour of sleep, I went to the grocery store to get him ibuprofen, as Tylenol was not helping his fever at all. Fever broke, we all got some sleep. I was able to keep the fever down most of Thursday with a cool bath and medicine.
This morning, his fever was back to 104.9. Sigh. At least we got some sleep last night! But needless to say - we were back at the pediatrican's office this morning.
The doctor was fantastic. We reviewed all of Mason's doctor appointments, ER visits, urgent care visits - you name it, we went through charts, spoke of symptoms and tried to piece together what is happening. You see, this is not a new occurance for Masey. He has had a fever of 105 four times so far this year. What we noticed is that each time a fever presents, it's accompanied by viral symptoms. The doctor thinks that Mason has an extreme febrile reaction to most common viruses that would simply cause a runny nose in other kids. So for now, we need to keep him comfortable when he gets sick, treat his fever with ibuprofen as I have been doing, and be a bit more cautious. We need to wash our hands more frequently, try to avoid other (obviously) sick people. And we will continue to track his illnesses, symptoms and fevers to see if we notice any further correllation. As of now, however, it does not look to be an auto-immune problem. So that is good news!
With Mason being so sick, I've been home all week. Which has been good and bad. I am thankful that I don't have to worry about working, finding childcare and taking care of my sick little guy. But I am also feeling a bit frustrated and trapped. Even though I'm a stay at home mom, the boys and I really try to get out of the house every day, even if we just wash the car, visit the lobsters at the grocery store or take a walk. And we play in the yard often now that it's warmer out. But we've been inside. Yesterday was a pajama and movies kind of day. I ordered pizza for lunch.
Needless to say, I haven't been cleaning like I should. All of my organization - which I was so proud to accomplish last week - has gone to crap. We missed our mom group park date on Wednesday. I haven't been able to cook or bake. BUT - I have gotten in extra snuggles and quality time with the boys. So maybe the best laid plans aren't really always the best plans, anyhow!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Meal Plan Monday
Is it really Monday again? Yikes. This weekend was a busy - albeit productive - one. I think the nesting bug is hitting me. Yesterday I scrubbed the inside of my fridge, organized my kitchen and half bath and revamped the mudroom. And cleaned upstairs. And baked 42 mini cupcakes. There are 17 left.
Jordan almost hung our new storm door. :) Is anyone interested in helping him with that?
Anyway, the weekend is gone and it's Monday!
Here is our schedule for this week:
Monday - nothing
Tuesday - work for me, Jordan will be home with the boys
Wednesday - work for me, softball for Jordan. Nana is coming to babysit!
Thursday - work for me, Jordan will be home with the boys
Friday - nothing. The weather should be beautiful, so I'm thinking grilling out sounds good!
So our meal plan:
Monday - chicken broccoli alfredo. I am trying my hand at homemade alfredo sauce. Pray for me.
Tuesday - I need a crockpot meal, so I am thinking lasagna and homemade bread.
Wednesday - Something simple for my mom. Homemade healthy "chicken nuggets". I will probably make zucchini fries again, because the boys liked them, and I will be breading the chicken breast anyhow. The boys can have some fresh fruit, as well. Lord knows our crisper is full!
Thursday - I'll break tradition a bit and do pizza night on Thursday this week. A couple of whole grain thin crusts - tomato sauce and mozzarella for the boys, buffalo chicken for Jordan. Add some sliced fruit or easy steamed veggies to round it out.
Friday - make Jordan man the grill! A steak for him and chicken breast for the boys and I. Fresh garlic bread, roasted potatoes and steamed carrots.
I batch-cooked some waffles this weekend and froze a bunch, so for easy breakfast options this week we have waffles, toast and cereal. I might try to make some baked oatmeal today, so we can add that in, too. We've also got two pineapples to eat, a bunch of oranges, blueberries, apples and bananas. They always make an appearance on our breakfast table!
Jordan almost hung our new storm door. :) Is anyone interested in helping him with that?
Anyway, the weekend is gone and it's Monday!
Here is our schedule for this week:
Monday - nothing
Tuesday - work for me, Jordan will be home with the boys
Wednesday - work for me, softball for Jordan. Nana is coming to babysit!
Thursday - work for me, Jordan will be home with the boys
Friday - nothing. The weather should be beautiful, so I'm thinking grilling out sounds good!
So our meal plan:
Monday - chicken broccoli alfredo. I am trying my hand at homemade alfredo sauce. Pray for me.
Tuesday - I need a crockpot meal, so I am thinking lasagna and homemade bread.
Wednesday - Something simple for my mom. Homemade healthy "chicken nuggets". I will probably make zucchini fries again, because the boys liked them, and I will be breading the chicken breast anyhow. The boys can have some fresh fruit, as well. Lord knows our crisper is full!
Thursday - I'll break tradition a bit and do pizza night on Thursday this week. A couple of whole grain thin crusts - tomato sauce and mozzarella for the boys, buffalo chicken for Jordan. Add some sliced fruit or easy steamed veggies to round it out.
Friday - make Jordan man the grill! A steak for him and chicken breast for the boys and I. Fresh garlic bread, roasted potatoes and steamed carrots.
I batch-cooked some waffles this weekend and froze a bunch, so for easy breakfast options this week we have waffles, toast and cereal. I might try to make some baked oatmeal today, so we can add that in, too. We've also got two pineapples to eat, a bunch of oranges, blueberries, apples and bananas. They always make an appearance on our breakfast table!
End of the Month
Most people in a professional setting get stressed out about the end of the month. It's time to crunch numbers, determine the budget, add up your expenses and see if you met your goals. It's really no different when you are a stay at home mom!
I am ashamed to say that April has been the first month that I have truly tracked my budget. Yes, I've been home with the boys for a year and a half now. Despite quitting my job, our lifestyle and finances haven't really changed. But I have a close friend who is a budget guru and I decided to be more like her! So in my mission to get organized, I created a family binder (more on that later). Included in my binder is my spending sheet and monthly budget sheet. I've been diligent about tracking receipts all month long.
I will give April an A on the budgeting score sheet. If there were such a thing!
For starters, our household income was $146.68 higher than I estimated. I do freelance work from home and can never be quite certain how much I will make. My husband's paychecks are the same each month. So I estimated my income based on an average of the last three months and combined the two. Yay for extra money! Also, we "under spent" in every category!
The second bit of good news is that I managed to stay under our grocery budget. A last-minute trip to the store almost put us over, but alas - I am $2.85 under budget for the month. AND - I had a good trip to the store this morning and paid $10.01 for a steak, a pound of hamburger, milk, wheat bread, cooking cream and bread crumbs. DEAL!
For April's budget, I really was not sure how much to budget for gas. I never really paid much attention to how often we filled our gas tanks, or how much we spent. So... I left that column blank. After tallying it all up, we spent $256.22 on gas this month. (I also realized that my husband and I are awful at pumping gas... we always have a few random cents instead of stopping on a round dollar amount. That bugs me. I'm weird.)
Other Category Updates
Diapers
Budgeted: $30 Spent: $13
Utilities
Budgeted: $232 Spent: $106
Cable
Budgeted: $135 Spent: $131
Easter
Budgeted: $30 Spent: $29.22
All in all, with the underspending, extra income and even with the addition of gasoline as a hefty budget line item, we still had $15 more in our discretionary income than I had accounted for. I budgeted $240.83 more than we needed to cover our expenses. Add in the gas expense, and we are still ahead. I think I'll transfer that extra bit into our savings, or split it between the boys.
On to May!
I am ashamed to say that April has been the first month that I have truly tracked my budget. Yes, I've been home with the boys for a year and a half now. Despite quitting my job, our lifestyle and finances haven't really changed. But I have a close friend who is a budget guru and I decided to be more like her! So in my mission to get organized, I created a family binder (more on that later). Included in my binder is my spending sheet and monthly budget sheet. I've been diligent about tracking receipts all month long.
I will give April an A on the budgeting score sheet. If there were such a thing!
For starters, our household income was $146.68 higher than I estimated. I do freelance work from home and can never be quite certain how much I will make. My husband's paychecks are the same each month. So I estimated my income based on an average of the last three months and combined the two. Yay for extra money! Also, we "under spent" in every category!
The second bit of good news is that I managed to stay under our grocery budget. A last-minute trip to the store almost put us over, but alas - I am $2.85 under budget for the month. AND - I had a good trip to the store this morning and paid $10.01 for a steak, a pound of hamburger, milk, wheat bread, cooking cream and bread crumbs. DEAL!
For April's budget, I really was not sure how much to budget for gas. I never really paid much attention to how often we filled our gas tanks, or how much we spent. So... I left that column blank. After tallying it all up, we spent $256.22 on gas this month. (I also realized that my husband and I are awful at pumping gas... we always have a few random cents instead of stopping on a round dollar amount. That bugs me. I'm weird.)
Other Category Updates
Diapers
Budgeted: $30 Spent: $13
Utilities
Budgeted: $232 Spent: $106
Cable
Budgeted: $135 Spent: $131
Easter
Budgeted: $30 Spent: $29.22
All in all, with the underspending, extra income and even with the addition of gasoline as a hefty budget line item, we still had $15 more in our discretionary income than I had accounted for. I budgeted $240.83 more than we needed to cover our expenses. Add in the gas expense, and we are still ahead. I think I'll transfer that extra bit into our savings, or split it between the boys.
On to May!
Monday, April 23, 2012
Meal Plan Monday
One of the best ways that I have found to simplify my life and keep myself organized is to plan a menu. Now last week, I did not have a menu plan. I am 33 weeks pregnant, I hurt my foot... I guess I just was not motivated enough to create a menu. And without fail - every night I was wondering, "What the heck am I making for dinner?"
Here is our schedule for this week - it's a hectic one.
Monday - nothing
Tuesday - work for me, softball for the hubs. My mom comes to watch the kids.
Wednesday - work for me
Thursday - work for me
Friday - raquetball for hubs
Our meal plan for the week - which I plan to stick to! - is:
Monday - Breakfast for dinner. French toast on homemade bread, eggs, fresh fruit.
Tuesday - Keeping it simple for my mom, so chicken breast nuggets, zucchini "fries", and likely some sliced watermelon. The boys LOVE watermelon!
Wednesday - Pork chops in the crockpot, steamed broccolli, rice and homemade bread.
Thursday - I've got some hamburger to use, so likely some lasagna in the crockpot, with some easy-steam veggies.
Friday - Pizza night! It's become a tradition in our house. I make the dough from scratch in our bread machine, make some sauce and add whatever toppings hubs chooses. The boys and I like ours cheesy. Hubs is more adventurous.
We've got some fresh muffins for quick breakfast on days that Gavin has school, and I made some french vanilla cupcakes as a special treat today. Our crisper is filled to the BRIM with fruits and veggies, so we've got lots of healthy snacks on hand for the week.
Here is our schedule for this week - it's a hectic one.
Monday - nothing
Tuesday - work for me, softball for the hubs. My mom comes to watch the kids.
Wednesday - work for me
Thursday - work for me
Friday - raquetball for hubs
Our meal plan for the week - which I plan to stick to! - is:
Monday - Breakfast for dinner. French toast on homemade bread, eggs, fresh fruit.
Tuesday - Keeping it simple for my mom, so chicken breast nuggets, zucchini "fries", and likely some sliced watermelon. The boys LOVE watermelon!
Wednesday - Pork chops in the crockpot, steamed broccolli, rice and homemade bread.
Thursday - I've got some hamburger to use, so likely some lasagna in the crockpot, with some easy-steam veggies.
Friday - Pizza night! It's become a tradition in our house. I make the dough from scratch in our bread machine, make some sauce and add whatever toppings hubs chooses. The boys and I like ours cheesy. Hubs is more adventurous.
We've got some fresh muffins for quick breakfast on days that Gavin has school, and I made some french vanilla cupcakes as a special treat today. Our crisper is filled to the BRIM with fruits and veggies, so we've got lots of healthy snacks on hand for the week.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Welcome to Our World!
Hey everyone!
Welcome to our story! I'm glad that you found us.
Our Cast of Characters:
This handsome guy is Gavin. He's cruising along to his FOURTH birthday already, and as his mom - I cannot believe it! His favorite foods are broccoli and chocolate ice cream. He likes to play outside and bake and he makes a killer loaf of homemade bread. Gavin also knows everything that there is to know about dinosaurs and snakes of all types.
Next up is Mason! He is 18 months old, with bright blue eyes and out-of-control blonde hair. He loves to sleep, drink orange juice and clean. You can always find him with a broom in one hand and a sippy cup in the other.
And finally... my belly. (Hi toes! I can still see you!) My belly is currently home to our baby girl, Emmy, who is set to make her arrival sometime in June!
We try to keep it simple, but life is never dull in our home. Welcome!
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