Looking Forward to the Weekend

That's what we'll be doing this weekend! I'm not a huge football fan. As a matter of fact, I'm not a fan of football at all. But my husband is. I'm what's known around these parts as a "football widow". It's a sad thing, indeed. However, I love my hubby and I want to make him happy so on Sunday I'll be sitting next to him on the couch cheering on whatever team it is that he wants to win! I'll make a nice lunch/dinner of ham, potato salad, green bean casserole and dinner rolls (not the healthiest, but hey, this Superbowl business only happens once a year--thank goodness!). We'll have chips and dip and those little smokie cocktail weenie things. Oh, and walnut brownies for dessert. I'm licking my lips already (and getting my heartburn relief ready cause I'm afraid the baby in my belly my fuss with all that food!). *By the way, I'm 16 weeks today--I feel the baby moving and kicking and dancing in there all the time now. Love it!*

We're spending the weekend at my mom's house. She lives here in town, about 45 minutes away, but it's a real treat for her when we spend the weekend over there. She is in love with her grandson! And she kind of likes us, too! We always enjoy our visits over there because we get to relax and laugh and watch movies and play card games. My mom is my most favorite person in the entire world (other than hubby and son) and I cherish the time I get to spend with her. She's getting older and I always make her promise me that she's going to live forever! Seriously though, I've never met a more patient, kind, warm, loving, forgiving, accepting, non-judgemental woman. She has been a great example to me and I can only strive to be like her.

Random thought for the day: Why does my 7 year old insist on saying hambooger instead of hamburger? The funny thing is, he's not even doing it to be funny. lol And here's another one, as many times as I tell him the word is phonics, he insists on saying it's foctions. What?!

Yummy Yummy Crafty Goodness!

I've never considered myself a creative person. I'm analytical. I like facts. I follow rules. I don't have much of an imagination. That being said...I love to craft! Oh my, I seriously love the feeling of admiring a completed project. Yummers! Yesterday I stumbled across a blog called Just a Girl that I shall now forever stalk! ;) Love this blog--love Chris' wit and especially love her home decor. She has great style and a lot of it is repurposed items so it's frugal, too. Really, go check her out. She'll knock your socks off! Back in November she held an I Can Make That Party where over 100 people shared projects they had made (I think it was pretty much to try to make gifts for Christmas or something). Whatever it was, it was totally inspiring! My crafty juices began flowing so I started creating. Here are a few things I came up with:


I haven't made cards in awhile but I really like the idea of having a bunch on hand. That way I can send a short note to a friend or family member whenever they cross my mind. And cards are easy to make. I have enough scrapbook supplies to open my own store and to be honest, I've scrapped maybe 5 layouts in the past 2 years (why do I keep buying supplies??!) so I might as well use all the pretty paper for something!



I found a plain wooden frame at Michael's for $1 a few months back and finally got around to altering it. I just covered it with paper and added a couple felt flowers and buttons. My mother-in-law looked at it and said, "It's so feminine!" Then I said, "Look here, you old bat! We're about to throw down!" Not really, I didn't say that. But it did kind of cross my mind. ;) I think this picture of my son is just adorable...polka dots and all. Love the smile!


Last one for today. The colors are slightly off. I have 3 of these "birdseed" fabrics by Alexander Henry. I decided to go ahead and stretch it over an 8x8 canvas. I used my trusty glue gun and totally burned my thumb. But it's okay now, just a little pink! Anyway, if this baby is a girl (I find out in 4 1/2 more weeks!!!!!!) then I think I'll hang this canvas on her wall. If it's a boy, well, I guess I'll hang it in my bathroom! lol

Feeding therapy update: After 2 days of my son refusing to eat anything at all (I was only offering new foods and he refused to try any of them), I decided that we'll have to go about this another way. He was so lethargic; it was just heartbreaking. So I fed him the foods that he will eat. And wow, my baby is back! He's loud and rambunctious and full of smiles and laughter again! God is faithful and I know that one day we will overcome this self-limited eating business. I'll just keep praying and believing.

Job 8:21

"God will let you laugh again; you'll raise the roof with shouts of joy." Job 8:21 The Message.

I so needed that today. Yesterday was our first day of feeding therapy for my son and it was absolutely heartbreaking. He didn't eat anything. Not a single thing. And instead of being cranky from hunger, he was the sweetest child ever. He kept hugging me and giving me kisses. Tore my heart right out. He fell asleep on his own at 7:00 pm and slept through till 7:00 this morning. I can't tell you how much I cried yesterday. Today, too. Just knowing that my son has got to be starving and knowing that he would eat if only I would give in and give him pizza or chicken nuggets is really hard to handle. I feel like I'm being cruel but really I'm doing this out of love. I want him to have a healthy body. It's my responsibility as a mother to feed him nourishig foods. This morning I offered him eggs, nitrate/nitrite free turkey bacon and grapes. He choked down half of a grape, gagging the whole time. I was so proud of him and did a serious happy dance! This afternoon for lunch we had leftover fried chicken (I know it's not healthy but it was here!), green beans and watermelon. He ate a small piece of the chicken skin that I had peeled off. Yuck! But hey, he chewed and swallowed and didn't gag! He then ate a small chunk of watermelon (which he's eaten before). So I think a little progress was made today. Tonight for dinner we're having herbed chicken, mashed potatoes, peas and strawberries. Please say a prayer for my angel boy, that he is fed, both nutritionally and spiritually. And when he is eating new foods, I can guarantee you that I will be laughing and praising and raising the roof with shouts of joy!

So Sad and So Happy

First, the reason I'm sad: I'm torturing my little boy. :( Well, not really, bit I feel like it. My son has autism and is a very picky eater. And I mean picky. Like only pancakes, waffles, muffins, cheese pizza, chicken nuggets, french fries, applesauce and bananas picky. Poor kid refuses to eat anything else. A couple of weeks ago I went to a meeting on intensive feeding therapy for kids with autism. Basically she said as long as there are no medical reasons for self limiting foods (which he doesn't have), that we can get him to eat tons of new foods as long as we're focused and determined. Oh, and that's it's going to be a battle of the wills like no other. So far, she's right! lol We started with breakfast. I made scrambled eggs and peach slices. He actually chewed a piece of peach 2 times and then spit it out. That's huge for us! I was so darn proud! But since then he has refused to do more. Poor bubba, he's hungry and so whiney. I just keep reminding him that I know he doesn't want to try new foods but he needs them to make his body healthy. He says, "I can't have a healthy body!" Rotten child! ;) I'll make lunch in about an hour (turkey, avocado slices and blueberries) but I have a feeling he won' eat anything then either. Hopefully he'll be hungry enough to eat something by dinner (gluten free spaghetti with meatballs, green beans and purple grapes). Here's a picture of my beautiful son...it's so hard to see that sweet face sad.



Now here's why I'm so happy: I'm joining another challenge here in blogland. I'm telling you, I could join a challenge for every day of the week. These people think of some great, important things. Really. So this one is the James challenge. Sara over at Walk Slowly, Live Wildly has personally challenged herself to memorize the entire book of James by the end of 2009. I *love* the book of James. It's my favorite book of the Bible! About 5 years ago, I really struggled with my relationship with God. I was going through a rough time in life and was very far away in my walk with the Lord. (I now realize it was me that was running away and trying to hide although at the time, it felt like God had left.) Anyway, a friend asked me to sign up for a bible study with her at the church we were attending. I agreed to go, more to get out of the house than anything else. The study was on James. I remember reading, "draw near to me and I will draw near to you." I thought, huh? You mean I have to do the work? I thought God was supposed to make me want to be close to Him. I didn't know I had to make the first effort. That was eye opening for me. I started making an effort again (reading the Bible, praying, etc.) and wow! I felt the closeness of the Lord return so strong. It was awesome! So the book of James holds a special place in my heart. I'm definitely joining this challenge although I'm not positive I'll memorize the entire book. I will read, reread and read so me more so that I can hold His message close in my heart. Will you join us? :)

My New Love Interest and a Total Money Makeover!

Check out this hot little number (errr...big number, maybe?): I Love This Thing! Oh yeah! We call it the "pillow boat" My son was lying in it and it looked like he was lying in a rowboat. He actually tried to confiscate it from me last night! lol It takes up about half of my queen size bed but let me tell you, it is so worth it. When I'm pregnant and I sleep on my side, my hips start hurting. With this pillow, I can lean back and it gives me the perfect amount of support behind my back so that the pressure is off of my hips but I'm not lying flat on my back. I can't recommend this pillow enough--seriously worth the money!

I had another God "smack" yesterday. Okay, not so much a smack as an, "Alright, I'm giving you this message plain as day. I hope you do something with it," type of thing! Love it when that happens! Anyway, in our past, the husband and I have been less than stellar stewards of our finances. We're working on it now. We're paying for it! Get it? Paying for it? Hee hee...that was my lame attempt at a joke. Ok, on with the story. So, my mother and I were at Mardel yesterday and I noticed that Total Money Makeover was 50% off. It's something that I've been wanting to look into and I thought it was the perfect time to buy it since it was only $12.50. I read a little of it yesterday and purposed in my mind that I would follow Dave's advice. (Side note--my husband and I have decided that the family finances are my responsibility. Basically, he brings in the money and I send it right back out! lol) Later that evening, my husband got a call letting him know that he has been promoted from tech support to a sales position! This means that he'll get a huge annual raise plus commission! Praise God!!!! I am so proud of my husband and I know that he will do an amazing job--he's truly a people person. I'm also thrilled that we'll have extra money to start really focusing on our debts, building a future and giving/helping others! God is so good and faithful! So, you see how it all fits together? It's like the Holy Spirit was nudging me to buy the book and helped me to determine in my heart to be a faithful financial steward. God knew what was coming...He knew that we were about to get a raise and He wants us to be responsible. Seriously love when He works things out for us!

Have a blessed day!

Poor Bubby and the darn donuts

I think my little guy is trying to fight something off. He started weezing a little while sleeping last night and has a barking cough. I'm hoping he's not getting croup again. He doesn't have a fever and still has a HUGE appetite so that's a good thing. And is it wierd that I still refer to my 7 year old as my baby?! Anyway, we have church tonight and I'm trying to decide if he should go or if his dad should stay home with him. I'm leaning toward him going since he acts fine. I think I'll just give him a dose of Sambucol and load him up on vitamin C.

So with my first pregnancy, I had gestational diabetes. I controlled it well with diet and only gained 30 pounds. Regardless, I still had a giant baby. This time I'm going for a VBAC which means it would be really nice to have a baby a couple of pounds smaller this time! I'm hoping to keep my gd under control through diet and exercise from the get go this time. I actually have my first yucky glucose test on Feb 3. So dreading it. Well...today I gave into a craving. I had those Hostess powdered sugar donuts and a bottle of coke. Wait, it gets worse. I ate *2* packs of the donuts. (Hanging my head in shame.) Man, I could kick my own rear for that. But hey, it sure tasted good! lol Now my tummy isn't feeling so well. That's okay. I'm just going to pick myself up, dust myself off, and put the donut incidence out of my mind. (I just needed to confess--thanks for listening!)

Morning Routine

So lately I've had this horrible morning routine of making some breakfast and then sitting in front of the computer to eat. Ugh...sometimes I feel the computer has really sucked the life out of me. Amazing how you can sit and start surfing and reading and before you know it, a couple of hours have passed. So annoying! Last night I was reading a couple of blogs while my husband and son were having father/son rambunctious time and God ended up smacking me in the face with a couple of truths. Oh yeah, I said "smack"! It went something along the lines of this... physically staying at home does not qualify anyone as a homemaker; many women stay at home and yet do not "keep" home. I hear ya loud and clear God!! Isn't funny how He speaks directly to us? There's no denying it. By the way, I found that little tidbit of truth right here: Titus2Talk: Workers at Home Part 2

So then, I continue on and move to this blog entry: Getting Back on Track: The Morning Routine Ohhh, a double smack! lol I know that God doesn't want me zoning in front of the computer every morning. It's a waste of my time...it's a waste of the time God has so graciously blessed me with. I came up with a new morning routine and I'm happy to say that I stuck with it this morning! It's very simple, but simple is what I need right now. Drumroll please....

1. Make breakfast for myself and my son/eat
2. Read and study the Bible/pray
3. Make a daily to-do list
4. Make and give morning supplements to my son
5. Shower/get dressed for the day

And there you have it. I must say, I think I'm starting the day off with more joy just from following the routine this morning. And hey, when I have this down pat, I think I might even start a nightly routine! Baby steps, my friends! ;-)

Adding to my list...

6. Striving to be more knowledgable through reading. Oh yeah, forgot about this one. Before I had kids, I loved to read. I read all the time. I would read anytime and anywhere that I could. I'd even read the shampoo bottle while washing my hair in the shower! lol I gained a lot of my knowledge through reading. Now since I've had kids, I haven't read too much. I really feel like the babies steal my brain cells while they're gestating! I just don't have the focus and attention span that I used to. Maybe I'm too busy, maybe I have too much on my mind, or maybe I'm just plain old lazy! Whatever it is, I plan to read more this year. I plan on regaining some of my smarts (remember, my babies took my smarts...greedy little boogers!) through reading. I plan on training my brain to focus and learn again. So yesterday I started reading Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. It's good so far. I need it right now. I had a bad birth experience last time and to be honest, I'm scared about doing it again. This book is reminding me that birth is a natural process, it can be spiritual even, and it's not something to be afraid of. I do believe in the power of prayer and positive thinking...these are the two things I plan on focusing on throughout my pregnancy and labor/delivery. Oh, check this out...I just ordered this devotional yesterday and can't wait to get it.

Here's the link: Expecting
I think this is going to be an awesome way to meditate on God's promises and will bring me peace.

Here's another site I stumbled across yesterday: Scripture Sisters
A group of women have decided to memorize one verse/passage per week. I'm definitely joining in on this! Everyday I plan on studying one chapter of Proverbs (based on the day of the month), one chapter of the Gospel, and the passage of the week. I'll change it up a bit once I finish the Gospel. It's said that if you read one chapter a day of the Gospel, you'll get through it in 3 months. Spending every day for 3 months reading and learning and getting to initmately know Christ's life sounds like a plan to me!

Starting Fresh

It's a new year and I definitely need a new start. Ever felt like a failure? Oh yeah. That's where I'm at right now. There are so many things that I want to be doing...need to be doing. But, I just don't do them. (In my defense, I am pregnant and when I'm pregnant, I have very little energy. Why oh why do my babies suck me dry?! lol) So that's why I'm starting this little bloggity blog blog. I need a place to vent and whine. A place to cheer my accomplishments. I need accountability. Yep yep. This'll do!

I think I'll start by listing a few areas where I'm striving to be more.

1. Striving to be more Christ-like. This is something I will have to work on everyday for the rest of my life. I want to follow God and have a real relationship with Him. I owe Him my life. I want to read my Bible everyday and spend some time meditating on His word. I want to live out His commands. I want to store His truths in my heart. I want my love for God to be a burning fire.

2. Striving to be a better wife. I love my husband dearly. More than I can say. I tend to put him further down on my "to-do" list than I should. Poor guy. I know that he should be number 2, right under God. I need to make more time for him and show him love in ways that he understands. I need to pray for him daily. A marriage takes work so I need to get to work.

3. Striving to be a better mom. Another tough one. So many things I need to do better for my son. I need to really focus on his diet and supplements. I need to help him have a healthy body. I need to show him how important God is...I need to be an example to him. I need to make sure he has a good education and teach him in a style that he can learn with. I need to get him ready for life.

4. Striving to be healthier. I need to take care of myself. I can't tell you how much I love powdered sugar donuts and a bottle of Coke! Man, that sounds so good! lol Totally not good for me. Especially since I had gestational diabetes with my last pregnancy and I'm trying to prevent it this time. Gotta eat good for the babe in my belly. I need to exercise. Not my favorite thing to do, but I need to stay healthy.

5. Striving to be more of a homemaker. My home is a safe place for my family. I want ot make a pleasant home where my family enjoys being. As a sahm, I want to so my part with the finances by saving us money when possible. I want to feed my family whole, nutritious foods. I want my home to be a place where people come and know that God is the center of our lives.

Okay, so that's just a start. And I'm already feeling overwhelmed! lol I'll be back tomorrow with an update on how it's going so far. Take care!