A Day's Grace

2012 News

2011-12-28T09:36:00.000-05:00

Hey All,
With the new year, I am leaving Facebook and recommitting to keeping folks updated via blog. However, I will not be updating "A Day's Grace" (ADG). I'll be writing on our family blog "The Georgiagonians." If you follow ADG, please subscribe to our family blog so that you can stay up to date with our family.
Best,
LW

I'm Ready...

2011-02-16T16:34:00.000-05:00

     The past five months have been absolutely mind blowing. When you become a mother... when I became a mother, it was the first time that my identity was not wrapped-up in a profession or any kind of wordly acclaim. My identity became "Sosebee's  momma." I have never had to win over my daughter, she has always loved me. I've never lost her trust....although that day may eventually come. I am her "momma." It is the most beautiful thing in the world.

     It's similar to having met and married my husband. I did not do much to win him over, which I suppose is how it should be. I was simply myself and I soon became Matt's beloved. I have disappointed him and I'm sure he has not always liked me. I may have lost trust, having to earn it back along the way. Those points can be more easily addressed by Matt. The point is my beautiful husband and child take me as I am - just me - and love me in my humanity.

     I'm ready to not be "Lydia - the colleague" or "Lydia - the teacher." I have enjoyed my job for several years and undoubtedly, the majority of time, I still enjoy what I do. However, with the birth of a child comes a change in focus and a change in mission. I am ready to just be "Lydia, my momma" or "Lydia, my wife." It sounds selfish. It's not that I want to just up and quit my job. I'm just ready to not be defined by it.

My January

2011-01-29T23:16:00.002-05:00

The first of twelve seasonal pies. This one is apple. Yum.

This was my January read. I have also read:

And just look at who I get to be around...

I'm sure February will be just as good.

Sneaking a bit of a write in...

2011-01-08T16:43:00.000-05:00

It's amazing how little time one has when acting as wife, mother, and "out-of-the-home worker bee"(as I henceforth wish to be known). "Working mother" sounds so drab and let's be honest (shall we), all mothers work. As previously stated, a return to work has left me feeling rushed and pulled and stretched in every direction, especially those in which I have no desire of being stretched. I find it leaves me exhausted, as does the act of mothering; but mothering alone seems to leave one in an almost euphoric state of "spentedness," while working outside the home simply leaves a feeling of stressed emptiness. This, of course, is a mere observation of my own experience and not at all a commentary concerning working mothers as a whole. I prefer to leave that debate to others - my current existence is far too cluttered for such arguments. This extended state of stressed emptiness has helped to lead myself and our family to making a few monumental decisions. In actuality the changes themselves are small, but overtime will result in a rather different lifestyle.

One of these changes is getting rid of the TV. Granted, we are keeping our "picture box," but will only be employing it in the viewing of movies. I came to the sad realization that I would often come home and "veg" out in front of the "boob tube" for hours on end - to the detriment of our familial relationships. So, off goes the cable and out goes the TV into a less central (an not as easily accessible locale).

This small and tiny adjustment in our lifestyle has already brought to attention how much time was lost doing positively nothing of import or consequence. It forced a much needed, long, hard look in the mirror. I saw a sad, little, shell of me - and a few wrinkles, but no gray hairs, so.....

I have found time to do those things that were simply impossible to squeeze into my "jam-packed" existence. I've sewn, cleaned, talked to my husband, visited with friends. I have even found time to read...two books...since the beginning of the year...and they had nothing to do with self-improvement or child-rearing. How spectacularly brilliant!

Thus, begins my new year's goal-setting. I will avoid calling such meaningless life goals "resolutions," as they are fun tasks at hand...nothing that really requires a resolute manner.

1. Read a book each month & read through the Bible again.
2. Make one seasonal pie each month (from scratch)
3. Sew something (preferably clothing) every month.
4. Become better at taking pictures...and then open a photography business specializing in animal portraits called "Melissa Petpen Photography."

(Okay, so the last goal is obviously not a real desire - I just can't resist a little light ribbing among friends).

I do so want to keep you all up to date about our family and our on-going adventures. I apologize in advance, however, if I spend more time living my life and less time writing about it. The best to you all and a Happy New Year!

Our last few weeks in pictures - now, stop bugging me.

2010-10-21T16:40:00.042-04:00

Meeting.

Weighing.

Resting.

Sleeping.

Waking.

Napping.

Enjoying.

Squirming.

Loving.

Bathing.

Cheering, GO DAWGS!

Smiling.

Smirking.

Crying.

Lounging.

Stretching.

Flexing.

Visiting.

Beaching.

Driving.

Cousin Time.

Hiking.

Holding.

Posing.

Thinking.

Wondering.

Wiggling.

Playing.

Not playing.

Grimacing.

Eating (first bottle).

Waking.

Punching.

Kicking.

Staring.

Mommy Time.

Daddy Time.

Kissing.

Wagging.

Pumpkin-ing

Slumbering.

Finding.

Adoring.

Sucking.

Going Private: Last Chance

2010-10-07T14:42:00.000-04:00

Hey All,

I'm making the blog private next Monday - so, please take the time to leave a comment if you want to be included in the readership. I've got about 8 folks so far and if you follow me already, then I will try and include you (if I have your email). I did have someone leave an ANONYMOUS post that stated their name better be on the list, but they didn't leave a name or an email. I can't read minds, people - I won't post your name or your email for public previewing, so make it easy on a new mom and leave me the needed info.

Nana and Mimi and Aunt B & D -
I will include you both - don't worry about leaving a comment.

~L

Going Private

2010-10-05T12:25:00.000-04:00

After a few years of writing a public blog, I have decided to go private. Our little girl is just way too precious for JUST anyone to get to.

If you have been a regular reader of my blog and would like to continue reading, please write a comment that includes your email address and I will put you on "the list" and invite you to join. No worries about your email being shared - I have to approve all comments and will not be posting any of the comments that include email addresses.

Thanks all.

L

She's here - completeness ensues.

2010-09-13T17:46:00.005-04:00

Friday started normally enough. I returned to work that week and had spent most of my days setting up my classroom from early in the morning until late in the evening. Everyone said I was "nesting" and I guess that it didn't click as "nesting" (in my head) since it was happening in a classroom and not a nursery. Thursday evening I came home late feeling especially puffy with plenty of energy and pretty happy all around. Matt and I played solitaire (with real cards), snuggled with an abnormally snugly puppy, and even picked up pizza. I was convinced that I would be teaching a full week or two before the arrival of our baby.

I woke up at 5-ish the next morning - with some pain. I rolled over, looked at the clock, took note, and went back to bed. Pain again. Checked the time, rolled over, went back to bed. By 5:45am I knew that this was indeed pain and that there was possibly a rhyme and reason to it. I got myself up, told Matt that I was "having contractions, but not to get up," and then started packing a bag and doing some laundry. At around 7:30am we called the hospital and were told to come on in for monitoring.

We got to the hospital at 8am and were put on the monitor. While being asked a litany of questions, we watched our little girl's heartbeat and what were identified as contractions. They told me I was at three centimeters, but that it could be a while. Rose, our labor nurse, asked the midwife if we could walk around for an hour to see how I progressed (she really wanted us to go into labor). Sharon (our midwife) agreed. So, we headed home and walked.

After a sweet walk with Carter, my contractions were obviously stronger. So, knowing labor could indeed happen that day I did what any normal woman would do....I got into the shower to shave my legs. You haven't experienced a contraction until you've done so shaving in the shower. It was quite comical and possibly the most vain (vainest) thing I have ever done. We made up the guest bedroom - completed last minute packing and again, headed to the hospital.

We were put back on the monitor where contractions proved stronger and more regular. Sharon was skeptical that I was in labor - as Matt and I were laughing and playing cards throughout most of our time in the tiny room. I had progressed to 4cm...I think Sharon was on the verge of sending us home when I exclaimed, "Something is coming out of me!" My water had broke. There was now no other choice than to be admitted. We were having a baby.

Sharon was obligated to offer pitocin (she did so while shaking her head "no" throughout) and we were moved to our labor room. I can't really tell you much about it all - as it seems blurry. Matt put on "The Office" and various nurses came in to set up an IV line (in case I needed it) and the anesthesiologist came in to explain everything (in case I needed it). The talk freaked me out and I became even more resolute that I would prefer to not have needles stuck in me. I bounced on a ball and curled up on the bed...and then Rose offered the laboring tub. GLORY BE! The tub was amazing. It was hot and relaxing and I fell asleep while in it. However, it was extremely hot and I became overheated - so I hopped out after an hour and returned to our room. I sat in the recliner and continued to sleep in between contractions.

I must not have looked like I was in labor, as Matt & Rose decided that I should get up and walk around to progress things. Begrudgingly, I got up and completed three laps around labor wing. Apologies if you saw me during my tour d'force - I'm sure I scared many a woman out of the idea of ever giving birth. I was not dramatic or overly loud, but I definitely had to stop and breathe a few times and there may or may not have been vomit.

Upon my return to the room, I sat back on the ball and felt what can only be described as very intense pressure and a lot of pain. I looked at Matt and said, "I want the epidural." Rose calmly asked if I would like something to take the edge off instead and I eagerly stated that I would. At that moment another contraction hit and I made the delicate statement that I felt like I was being ripped in half. Rose eyed me and said, "I think we should do a quick exam before we get the drug folks in here. An eternity passed and Rose quietly announced that I was at nine centimeters. I looked up at her and bemoaned, "This means I don't get the drugs, right?" Rose excused herself and very quickly began paging various persons and wheeling in all sorts of instruments.

The midwife had me breathe through 5 contractions so that I could get ready to push. These 5 contractions were by far the worst pain I have ever felt...there is no way to describe it and I don't think I would wish to. It hurt. When I was finally allowed to push, the new pain was a relief. The had me push on a birthing chair - think a toilet - and then I returned to the bed for the actually delivery. I had gotten to the point where I just knew this baby was never going to leave my body when they had me reach down, guide her out, and put her on my chest.

I look up and see my beautiful husband with tears in his eyes - and I look down and see my sweet girl...looking really blue and gross. (Just kidding) The rest of it just faded away and our family came into existence.

Through it all my husband was the most amazing birthing coach ever. He knew what I needed more than I did - a quiet observer who held my hand and could calmly tell me that I was okay and that it would be alright. He cracked a few jokes and we laughed a little (a lot). He bent over backwards to keep me comfortable. He was a rock star.

All in all, I surprised everyone by going from 4-9 in 3.5 hours and only pushed for 20-30 minutes. For a first baby, it was a quick labor - she was ready.

We're home now. She's gorgeous. We're completely in love. We can't wait to see what God has for us next.

Thanks for praying.

The Sailor and The Whale

2010-08-26T16:37:00.000-04:00

A sudden jolt and darkness. Something shifting in the hull...just bilge water. She closes her eyes praying to be rocked back to sleep by the rhythms she's grown accustomed to over the past few months. Not tonight. The shifting is now a predictable tap, tap, tap and she is hopelessly awake. Thrusting her legs over the side of her bunk, she slowly makes her way to the head. No longer needing her eyesight, she navigates the predictable route to her one place of solace. She sits....relieved somewhat by the simple routine of movement, but the tapping continues and she knows she's in for a long, restless night.

It's been an extended expedition. Over a year at sea with two failed sightings. Not this time. She has been tracking this creature too long. She knew her. Her comings and her goings. Her movements and habits. She knew it couldn't be long now. All too soon - she would see her. It would be spiritual and beautiful. It would be bittersweet - as all endings that precede great beginnings are. But she was ready. They were ready.

With a slight smile she lifted her heavy-laden body and again circumvented obstacles in the dark. She heaved her body back into the bunk, eyes wide, hoping that it was soon to come.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Finish Object Friday: Readers' Wreath

2010-08-20T08:00:00.002-04:00

This was such a fun project. I used this tutorial. It took about 30 minutes total and cost about $3.

37 Weeks

2010-08-19T19:19:00.000-04:00

16 Weeks

21 weeks

24 Weeks

37 Weeks


37 Weeks

Getting Ready

2010-08-15T17:22:00.000-04:00

We had our last appointment on Friday - which also happened to be our fifth wedding anniversary. Baby is looking good. Strong heartbeat, head down and "butt to the front" (anterior) position, 1.5 cm dilated, and I still weigh less than my husband. Not a bad way to start your anniversary.

Doc did seem a little surprised that I was dilated and stated that I might go into early labor...but who knows when? We're not stressing too much over it, but we certainly are getting a bag packed ASAP.

Here are a few pics of us "preparing" in our own special ways. Enjoy.

Lil' Girl's Nursery: A Photo Tour

2010-08-10T19:49:00.002-04:00


Lil' White Bird from mobile.

Other Lil' Birds on mobile.

Mobile from Lil' Girl's perspective.

From Daddy's perspective.

From Momma's perspective.

ABC's by momma.

Changing table - daddy painted it.

Reading corner. Thanks daddy for the pretty blue table.
Thanks Nana and Pop for the glider.

Baby's crib.

Lil' houses for Lil' birds.


Moses basket in the reading corner.

Daddy's wall of gear: Bjorn, sling, and diaper bag.

Giveaway: Silohuette Craft Cutter {A Soft Place to Land}

2010-08-04T23:30:00.001-04:00

It's obvious from the last 10+ posts that I am indeed in full "nesting" mode. Although, I would like to state (in my own defense) that any self-respecting crafty chick is always in the nesting mode. It never ends. We live in a constant state of making everything prettier, better, more "homey."

I've been looking into fabric and vinyl decals, screen printing & making my own tees, and paper crafts...mostly because sewing, knitting, and embroidery are "limited" and I just don't have the financial ability or available space to explore carpentry or metal-working.

Enter the best giveaway ever. A Soft Place to Land is hosting a most amazing giveaway. One Silhouette Craft Cutter is up for grabs, but they don't stop there. They throw in software, a USB cable, 2 cutting mats, a cutting blade, and a $10 gift card to the Silhouette online store. BOOM! If that doesn't blow your mind, nothing will.

I don't really want to tell you all about this opportunity (no offense intended), but I kind of want it for myself.

Happy posting and best of luck.

Finished Object: Nursing Cover

2010-08-04T02:17:00.004-04:00

As you all know, I don't part with money if I don't have to. Which is why my my husband's "To Do" list has grown exponentially over the past few months. It's a good thing that I have been carrying my own weight (physically growing exponentially) in my sewing. Why buy things when you can make them? In fact, my husband pretty much hates going shopping with me because it usually always ends with, "I could make that."

Enter the nursing cover. I knew I could get by with a baby blanket draped over the shoulder...but the covers just seemed so nifty and private. So, thanks to Sew Much Ado for the excellent nursing cover tutorial. If you can sew a straight edge, it's not hard to figure out. This tutorial is straight forward and informative and completely worth the 15 minutes to save $40.

I'm extremely happy with my finished project. I used scrap fabric, which I'll be honest isn't bright or happy and doesn't really inspire me to make milk...but, it'll do. Now, if I could only learn how to work with wood and metal....

Three Little Birds...okay, seven

2010-08-04T00:51:00.001-04:00

Birds for the mobile are done....now to finish. Here's a sneak-a-roo.

Nursery Library Necessities

2010-08-04T00:44:00.001-04:00

We like books in this family, which is more than evident by the three completely filled, floor to ceiling bookcases in our guest room - as well as the fact that most of our furniture is hosting some kind of literary guest. This means, baby girl is gonna have books.

With limited space in a nursery, no spare bookcases, and a desire to stay within our budget, we have been forced into ingenuity and "make-it-workedness." Enter the nursery's library.

I like using books as decor. So, I thought it was obvious that lil' one's dresser would sport some written word. But, books are slippery beasts and I have no desire to wake a sleeping newborn with the crash of several Dr. Seuss renditions on the floor. We have some bookends in the casa, but nothing suitable for a nursery (marble horse heads = trip to the ER and possible DEFACS visit). So, I whipped up some canvas bookends - which are basically giant bean bags, but do a great job of keeping those books in their proper place. I chose to hand embroider these with one of Matt's favorite quotes from one of his favorite books.

Next, we decided to make a hanging bookshelf - as seen here. We, however, encountered the small problem of not really being able to nail anything into our walls. Our lil' rental has plaster walls and we just don't want to risk a giant hole (in the wall and our wallet). So, using the handy-dandy picture railing found through the house - we made our own version. It consists of three fabric shelves and holds a total of 40-50 pounds. Not bad for what equated to an hour's worth of work and it serves as wall decor.

Thought of the day: Functional and pretty is really the way to go....oh, and handmade.

Little Girl's Nursey (Sneak Peak)

2010-07-31T15:15:00.000-04:00

Here is where Lil' girl will be resting her sweet head during her first several months. I love this moses basket and holder, the minkey blanket and bunny, AND the beautifully handmade, original pillow by Heather at LulluBelle's Couture.

Don't worry - I know that I must remove all the pretty stuff before I actually put her down.

DIY: Cloth Wipes

2010-07-31T15:11:00.000-04:00

If you are going to venture into sing cloth diapers, you might as well bite the bullet and use cloth wipes. They aren't really going to "add" to the laundry any....and they are budget and earth friendly.

I made mine last night (for free), a big thanks to ye' 'ol Purple Martin fabric stock. Sure do miss my business. Anyhow. It was too easy. Get some flannel, cut it to the size you would like (I chose 8x10 rectangles) , serge the edges. Done and Done.

A great deal...

2010-07-31T15:07:00.000-04:00

Friday morning I woke up to an empty bed at 6:00am in the morning. Naturally, called out for Hubs. Hubs was very patiently doing his morning reading...so, I slipped out of the bed, grabbed my Bible, and proceeded to join him. When we had each finished our respective readings for the days, I was told, "Get dressed. We're going on a date." It was 6:30 in the morning?!

I'm told street clothes are fine. No hiking boots, layers, or swimwear needed. We load up and drive. We're talking and for the first time since a few very well planned Christmas dates years ago, I really have no idea where we are going. Enter the IHOP.

Hubs and I have few guilty pleasures in life - IHOP is one of them. We love going to IHOP. The waitresses are always pleasant, we sit for hours (at least) and have some of the best conversations ever, and we just ARE for a few moments. You're never over-dressed or under-dressed at the IHOP. IHOP is indeed the great equalizer.

So, somehow we got it into our head that we needed to go to Sears. Sears doesn't open until 10am. Stay with me, it's only 6:35am when we arrive at the IHOP. We kill a few hours and then head to Target. We look at baby stuff, buy a diaper pail, and still have an hour to kill. So, over to Kohl's where Hubs buys a belt and a wallet (on sale, of course). He's needed a belt for the past EVER. I'm very glad he finally just bit the bullet and bought one. Then, we head to Sears - we check out a few things, buy nothing, move on. Then, on the way home we notice a Sears Outlet. AWESOME.

You have to dig, but they have a few great deals. For example, Lands' End crib skirt and crib pillow sham for the low low price of $5....total. I thought they might dress up lil' girl's simple quilt...and then I put them next to the quilt - disaster. One pink is too red, one is too purple. CLASH city.

So, I go to JoAnne's and purchase RIT in scarlet. Leave the items in for 5 minutes and WALL-LA. A now coral, faded red crib skirt. Considering it cost a grand total of $8, I am pretty psyched.

FINALLY Finished Object: Baby Girl's Quilt

2010-07-31T15:05:00.001-04:00

Last night I finished Lil' Miss' quilt.

It is my first ever completed quilt. First time with batting and batting. First time binding. First time with those mitered corners. Needless to say when it was all said and done, I did my very own lil' pregnant lady happy dance. Then, the true test came: would it make it through it's first wash or would it fray beyond recognition and be reduced to one tiny scrap of very pretty fabric.I stayed up until around 11:30pm waiting for it to fully dry and was met with SUCCESS! Yay. Lil' one can come now - well, in about 4-5 weeks.

Next projects in the queue: nursing cover, baby sling, Christmas stocking. I'll keep you posted.

New Ground Rules for the Blog

2010-07-25T12:48:00.002-04:00

With baby girl almost here, the Hubs and I are really thinking about HOW we use the blog. We supposedly have a shared blog: The Georgia-gonians, but Hubs is "in charge" of that one and has a love/hate relationship with Blogger; it rarely gets updated. So, we have recognized the fact that most friends and family will start looking at my blog more regularly for updates, stories, etc. once our lil' one is here. So, we've been thinking a lot about the blog, those who can view it, and how we will employ it to protect our privacy and our lil' girl (you never know).

I immediately voted for making it a "private" blog. A Day's Grace has had a good run. It's a fun blog and I have had so much fun meeting new people through it, but I definitely want to know whose looking at it once I begin posting pictures or videos of our family on a more regular basis. Hubs votes to keep it public - mostly, because some of our family (on occasion) are not as technically savvy & he wants to avoid having to walk several folks through the "registering to view a private blog" process.

What do you all think? I know that I have tons of friends and family (with kiddos) who have both private and public blogs. How do, did, will, or would you navigate this situation?

You can leave comments OR vote using the poll to the right.

A baby is being born today!

2010-07-25T12:33:00.001-04:00

No. Not ours. Sorry, but I LOVE titles that make you all gasp.

Matt and I have some good friends, we'll call them the K & J. They live in Georgia and we have known them since before our engaged, married, Oregon days. We spent many a day playing on rocks and many a night playing Canasta.

K & J have been blessed with two beautiful little girls and are just awesome parents and people. We love them.

We found out earlier this summer that K & J were planning on adopting their third child, a little boy. Got word via facebook that lil' boy is being born today! We are so super psyched for them.

Please, pray for baby and birth momma. This a a hard thing for any woman to do - and she is really making such a selfless choice by choosing to place her child with a family who can provide a more stable life right now.

Pray for K & J and family as they make their way to their little new one. It will be a bit of a drive. Pray for safety and that everything will go smoothly.

I'm So Crafty, I Make People

2010-07-24T14:54:00.002-04:00

Hubs and I found this online a few days back. He's been howling over it ever since. Seriously, while doing the most random tasks, he will just burst out laughing and then say to himself, "I'm so crafty, I make people!" BWAHAHAH. Hilarity ensues.

A gal over on ETSY used to make a maternity shirt with this picture on it and hubs was ready to purchase. Alas, she seems to be on hiatus from her shop and I will not be rockin' this cute lil' tee. Nevertheless, I thought I would share this quite cheeky saying with you. Enjoy.

DIY: Dishwashing Liquid

2010-07-22T19:00:00.000-04:00

Hubs and I are increasingly aware of the number of useless plastic bottles we throw into the recycling every week. Not to mention that most of these made-for-you cleaning agents are meant to keep costs low for the company, but consumers and the environment end up paying much more than anticipated - exposure to toxins, chemicals, and other not-so-goodies.

This being said, our family has started to make a lot of our own cleaning agents. I started by replacing my shampoo and conditioner (Hubs has yet to join me on this one - and regrettably, he misses the smell of Herbal Essences in my hair), we then made our own laundry detergent, we tried a few items like homemade "Drano" and Carpet cleaner - with mixed results, and now, we are onto DIY dish liquid.

So, I am using this recipe from ThriftyFun. I can't find octagon soap anywhere in Portland. So, I have replaced octagon soap with Kirk's Pure Castile. Make sure that you are using the ounces of soap required for the recipe and not just replacing bar by bar. Not all bars are created equally - I had to use three Kirk's bars for two Octagon bars. You can also use Zote (1 Zote bar = 2 Octagon bars) - which I know my friends in Georgia can find. It is a Mexican soap and can be found most easily in areas with larger Hispanic populations.

It took about 10 minutes to make. Cost next to nothing....and I'll be left with 4.5 QUARTS of dish liquid. I'll post results as soon as I have actually tried it.

A whole 10 followers!

2010-07-22T18:51:00.003-04:00

I have a whole ten followers! Yay, team!

What are we going to do?

2010-07-21T14:21:00.000-04:00

I'll be honest in saying that right now (as in RIGHT NOW) everything that should be settled for us as a family is up in the air.

Our life is one little multi-colored kite frantically flying off shore with a storm fast approaching tethered by a small little string to a rock. Granted our rock is pretty big: Creator of the Universe, The God who sees Us, The resurrected and living Son of God, The Trinity. Our Rock is huge. Nevertheless, sometimes being smacked around while so far up in the air in what could be very scary conditions can get the best of you...and you simply lose your wind. You lose the desire to fly. Your color fades. Our string is stretched beyond what seems possible over and over again - moment by moment.

Are you picking up on every single way I can stretch this metaphor?

Hubs has been unemployed for over a year. His days are filled with the writing of cover letters, the sending of resumes, the filling out of endless e-applications, and "inevitable" rejection. It's hard to face that every day.

I'm 33 weeks pregnant. I still don't have a contract for next year. My administration can't give me definitive answers and my district is in the middle of major budget cuts and a hiring freeze. My heart is no longer in my job, but my baby and I just can't get excited about having to travel 45+ minutes each way to do what will be an insanely difficult job.

So, where is my Rock? I feel like we are weathering the storm, only to be met with more clouds - which is pretty much the Pacific Northwest.

Father,
Please. We need a refuge. We need a safe place. We need some light in the darkness and anxiously await a joy that will come in the morning. Amen

The 3 traitors are back!

2010-07-20T15:47:00.000-04:00

My three traitor discs are threatening a coup. We were cleaning this morning - and no, I was not moving anything. I was plugging something in (Mom and Jane). I was not trying to be a horse-woman or a super lady. I was plugging in a lamp and *SNAP* the tragic, electric, and well-known feeling of a back spasm was upon me and I made my way to the floor. We quickly got the ice, put my legs up perpendicularly to the floor, and started stretching. Walking and sitting upright were pretty painful. So, I just wait and hope that all this will work itself out. I can't take any kind of muscle relaxers or pain medications...so, I sit and wait.

Everyone should have friends like mine

2010-07-17T13:47:00.004-04:00

Most mornings I wake up, grab a cup of coffee, kiss the hubs, and sign onto the email & facebook. Being so far away from most of my social circle - this helps me feel like I'm still somewhat a part of it all and aware of what is happening in lives. Phone calls can be difficult with the time difference and as I learned last month - expensive when one forgets that their free minutes don't kick in until it's 12AM in the Southeast.

Anyhow, that being said. I'm blessed when my buds are online and willing to chat to me. I'm blessed when they call me on their way home from working late, when they plan baby showers from across the country - pretty much whenever. I'm blessed.

My friend, Melissa Pepin, a most amazingly talented photographer is one of these friends. Not only did she help host a baby shower, give us a place to stay while in Athens, and make us homemade cookies and cheesecake - she took time out of a REALLY busy 115 degree day to take maternity pictures for us. These pictures are courtesy of Melissa Pepin Photography. If you live anywhere in Southeast (and she's been known to travel elsewhere)- you want this girl taking your pictures.

Thank you, Melissa (and Anthony) for being amazing folks who never cease to leave us encouraged. We love you guys.

32 Weeks - only 56 days to go!

2010-07-17T13:15:00.000-04:00

We went in for our 32 week check-up on Wednesday. It was par for the course as far as check-ups go. Doc checked out lil' girl's heartbeat - looking good. Doc measured my belly - measuring normal because she didn't state otherwise. Doc then asked if I had any questions. I woke up that morning in a bit of pain - so she gave me a quick check. No worries. I'm not dilated.

Baby girl is head down and looking like she is in a good position for a normal (no C-section birth). Her bottom is pushing up towards my ribs. Doc thought it was her noggin at first, then came to the conclusion that Sose must have a bone-y bottom - that's my girl! She has a strong little heartbeat that always makes our doc smile and she is constantly in motion. Soooo looking forward to meeting her.

A Cry for Help

2010-07-16T14:50:00.000-04:00

Today I was watching one of those baby-story-type television programs while sorting through a ton of pink blankets, burp cloths, towels, and bibs needing to be pre-washed. The follows a new family for the first 36 hours after baby was back home. Yeah, I obviously had nothing better to do.

Anyhow, at one point the new dad said something along the lines of, "I was really worried about the baby's cries getting on my nerves or being insufferable, but it really just seems like he is calling my name." How neat that in God's design of babies, he made their little newborn squeals not only "sufferable," but familiar and heartwarming.

I feel much like a newborn baby at this point in my life. My surroundings are still really unfamiliar and ever changing. Nothing seems certain and all is scary. I can't claim certainty in the provision of a next meal, a warm place to sleep, or even the clothing on our backs. I don't know if the worldly comfort I am feeling will continue or if in the blink of an eye it'll be gone.

That being said, Hubs and I have been crying out to God a lot lately. Not simple prayers, but cries of desperation. In my flesh, I think that there is some secret code or word I have to speak to see God move. Will I have a contract when the baby is born? Will Hubs get a job? Will we be in Portland or will God move us elsewhere?

It's always nice to remember that my cries for help and guidance are never annoying to God. He doesn't hear a high pitched shriek and turn His face from me. He here's a baby calling His name and waiting on His move to provide.

Dear Lord,
Thank you for your goodness. Thank you for your sovereignty. Help me to wait patiently for what You have for us. Blessed be Your name.
Amen

Sneak Peek: Baby Quilt

2010-07-12T00:46:00.000-04:00

Finally finished lil' girl's quilt top. Here is a little sneak peak for everyone. I'm holding it in the picture - so, the quilt is drooping in the middle a bit. But, tomorrow batting, backing, and binding. YAY. Maybe Hubs will let me buy some fabric to cover our couch pillows too?!

DIY: Stain Remover

2010-07-11T17:47:00.000-04:00

So, the DIY detergent has been a dream. It is gentle on clothing, cleans well, deodorizes, and generally does an overall great job with very little impact on our budget. We've even been pleased to see that it is highly recommended for washing baby clothes as well - which I'm pretty psyched about as I feel like Dreft is just the biggest scam out there.

We have been so pleased with our DIY detergent that as Lil' Girl's arrival approaches, we our expanding our greener, DIY-ness into other areas of house cleaning.

Let's talk about stain removal.

The Hubs and I went to Vancouver, BC recently. While there we went to Don Guacamole's. It was decent. I had the mole. My white pants and Hub's white shirt also got a taste of the mole. Immediately, I gave up on these items. Every mole recipe is different - so, there is no predicting what is actually in the mixture. It is safe to say, however, that you are dealing with the stain trifecta of "ain't never comin' out" - chocolate, maybe tomato paste, and oil. We caught Hub's stain immediately and treated it with a soak. Didn't catch the stain in my white pants until it had already dried two days later. BLEH.

I hate stains. I take it personally when they don't come out. I kind of obsess about them. That being said, I immediately went to work trying to figure out how to get rid of a stain using what was in my house - instead of going out and buying a specialty item. So, first, I cheated and put some Shout on it and gave it a warm wash. The Shout did nothing. So, after some of my own shouting, I made a paste from our homemade detergent and scrubbed the affected spots with a toothbrush (for both chocolate and tomato elements of stain)- this followed by another warm wash - some improvement. Lastly, I took some of our homemade liquid dish detergent and scrubbed again with the toothbrush (this is particularly recommended for oil stains) - stains on the shirt, gone. For the white pants, I caved and washed one more time with some Clorox. Hubs LUVS Clorox and our hous will just not be without it.

All in all, I was really pleased to be able to salvage two favorite pieces of clothing, as well as our budget.

I have the best husband ever

2010-07-04T18:02:00.000-04:00

This week we celebrated the Hubs' birthday. I'll start with the statement that I married one of the best men (if not the best man) on the planet. He has a big heart, a great laugh, and is simply the kind of guy who makes everyone around him want to be better. When I met the Hubs I immediately knew that he was my best friend, my perfect compliment, and the ideal partner in crime. Here's to you, honey!

You are the catalyst to all my adventures and gambles. Coming face to face with bears, almost dying in 3ft of water, being shark bait, and heading West - I cried the whole way, but it has been so worth it.

You've always encouraged me to pursue my dreams and conquer my fears. I know that I would still be struggling with so many mindsets had you not been diligent to keep me accountable and push me towards healing.

You always do those things that I don't want to - never complaining. Yard work, cooking, bills. You take care of me and always in such a way that is completely self-less. I don't deserve it.

You prayed for our babies - even before you even knew you were ready to be a dad. You held me each time we lost them and reassured me each time we became pregnant. You were steady and had faith - when I was completely broken.

Even now. I know it's been the hardest year of our life. You have smiled through it all...and kept me laughing the whole way.

I love you.

Sweetness

2010-07-01T19:49:00.002-04:00

Matt's status on gmail today was "T-minus 2 months." Of course, referring to his countdown to daddy-hood. YAY. So, excited and we can't wait to meet her.

Pool Time

2010-06-29T21:54:00.000-04:00

We are anxiously awaiting Lil' Girl's arrival - considering we still have about 10-11 weeks left, I know we have some time to kill. Let the pool begin. My family started taking jabs at Lil' Girl's basic stats - feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section. Sadly, there is no cash involved....just pride and bragging rights.

Player:       DOB : Time : Length : Weight : Hair : Eyes

Me             9/1 : 3PM : 20.5 in : 8 lbs 3 oz. : Bl : Bl
Hubs          9/2 : 2.30AM : 19.5 in : 9 lbs 4 oz. : Bl : Bl
Nana          8/25 : 9.50PM : 21 in : 8.5 lbs : Br : Bl
Poppy        9/5 : none : 21.5 in : 7 lbs 11 oz : Bl : Br
Aunt B      9/13 : none : 21 in : 8 lbs : Br : Bl
Unc D       9/11: none : 19 in : 7 lbs : Bald : Gray

Air Travel

2010-06-28T13:19:00.000-04:00

We recently headed back to the South for a 10-day whirlwind tour complete with 3 home towns (it's possible) and 3 baby showers. It was so much fun and SOOOOO nice to be back in the land of thunderstorms and sunshine (also possible).

We left at 12:25AM - basically the middle of the night - and flew into Houston. Not a terrible flight - lots of sleep and I believe hubs watched a movie (he doesn't sleep while traveling). We landed in Houston, grabbed breakfast, boarded our TINY plane....and then had a not so wonderful flight. I've done my fair share of flying. I've been flying since I was little. This plane (and I used the term plane loosely) was my match. I don't know if it was the pregnancy or the ridiculous HEAT, stale air, or overwhelming noise....but, I got a little disoriented, felt very uncomfortable, and just closed my eyes for the duration of the hour-forty-five minute flight. We got off of that flight quickly, were greeted by my sweet mom - who bought us some lunch, and then we jumped in my parents' van and headed towards the Hubs' family. Driving 3+ hours after being in an airplane for 8 hours on NO sleep is a lot of fun - let me tell you. My hubs was nodding off in the middle of dinner - and I couldn't blame him.

We spent a few days at the Hubs, a few days in our home-town with friends, and then a few more days with my family. We ate a lot of good food, spent a lot of time with good folks, and really enjoyed our time.

Now, the travel back was a tad more difficult. I was dreading the flight back. Mainly because I didn't want to leave and also because I knew that little evil plane that would be taking me from the South to Houston. I felt good. I had a little lunch before our flight. Then the plane took off. I have NEVER been so nauseous in my life (maybe an exaggeration). But, my head was pounding, the light hurt my eyes, my head felt dizzy, my tummy was unsettled, and I just couldn't get comfortable. The whole situation peaked upon landing - with a sweet stewardess giving me a cool rag for my forehead - while I clutched 2 barf bags with great expectations. We landed and I thought I was home free. I was so wrong. I had to waddle my way back to the lavatory - while everyone else was disembarking....and then it hit full throttle. My stomach completely evacuated itself and EVERYONE heard. Sweet co-travelers offered disposable toothbrushes and wet ones and I sat there laughing at how very comical it all was.

I felt great after that.

Hubs and I had to run to our connecting flight, but stopped at Starbucks for more water and some goodies to rehydrate - then jumped onto a much larger plane hoping for little better than bearable.

Well, God must love us because we lucked out with bulkhead seats - right behind first class, they served a meal (don't know how long it's been since I have had a meal on a plane), AND we had drink service throughout. It was just lovely.

I will probably never fly pregnant again unless absolutely necessary....and I certainly won't be flying through Houston (or anywhere) any time soon. I was sick as a dog and I am convinced that lil' girl only survived because she was protected by my tummy. I can't imagine having a newborn on a plane.

Finally...body issues come in handy

2010-06-12T13:41:00.002-04:00

Quick Baby Update:
27 weeks, 2 days. Baby is doing great - she is extremely active, a bit feisty, and still loves Daddy's voice. I only gained 5 pounds over the last 2 months and am feeling GREAT. I am starting to swell (feet), but work has recently required much more exclusive UP or DOWN time. Hopefully, with summer ahead I will have more control of where and how I can move - and this will help alleviate the balloons attached to my ankles.

Now, for the real post.

We're looking forward to a trip South for a few days. Family and friends are ready to see the growing bump (and maybe us too). We originally set the travel dates a bit later in the summer - until my thoughtful mother-in-law pointed out to us that I would be way beyond the point flying safely at that time. Thanks Momma J! Trip dates were consequently moved up.

It's not very hot here in the Pacific Northwest yet - so, I'm looking forward to wearing cute sun dresses and being able to get more than a few hours of sunshine each day. I'm also looking forward to the possibility of a pool. Floating would just be heavenly right now...and maybe "Sose" would enjoy it to.

The pool brings with it some issues - like a maternity bathing suit. Are you kidding me?! I don't like shopping for bathing suits when I'm not sporting a basketball in my mid-section, how am I suppose to enjoy spending time, energy, tears, and cash on an over-priced maternity suit that might make 2-4 appearances this summer?

I went to Old Navy and tried on bikinis (first time EVER) with the thought process that a bikini is a bikini and my stomach sticking out is completely acceptable. It was actually cute. I think I can actually pull off a bikini more pregnant than when it's just me. Downside: I feel pretty exposed. Ain't no way thar little top was going to fully support Sose's future food supply (trying to state it delicately).

Giving up on NOT having to spend an arm and a leg, I went online. $118 for a maternity suit that doesn't look like a giant egg dyed for Easter and I'm not so much willing to part with $118. After a few more unsuccessful web searches, I thought, "I'll just try on my swimsuit from last season...who knows?"

I bought this suit from Land's End (I love their modest suits) and haven't been able to wear it much. It is made for those of us with long torsos. It's always been a little big in the tummy and bust, but I didn't think I had ordered an ill-sized suit - until I tried it on today....and it fit...perfectly. Looking at a fast approaching third trimester still fitting in my normal bathing suit made this lil' momma feel pretty good.

I guess always buying big clothes has an upside. I look good during pregnancy - and probably like a complete mess when not with child. Oh well.

Now, nobody burst my bubble in the comments section and remind me of the fact that swimsuits are by design stretchy....it will not go well with you. ;)

Nursey Dilemma

2010-05-15T00:09:00.002-04:00

It's not really a dilemma, more of a quandary, perhaps even a pickle. I cannot figure out how to set up Sosebee's nursery. We have a lot of furniture, a lot of junk, a smallish house, and precious little storage space. Trying to wrap my mind around how to give Sosebee a beautiful, functional nursery that also gives her lots of much needed play space is slightly overwhelming.

We have two rooms that we can consider for the nursery - a room that is closer to our room, but smallish or a much more spacious room that is a little farther away from our bedroom (and also has a door to the outside). I can envision the overall living space being much better employed if we give her the larger room. I can even see the benefits of her being farther away from the noisy parts of the house and even from our bedroom...I cannot get over the outside entry.

Then, we have our current guest room. It's right off of the living room and is pretty small. Sosebee obviously isn't going to be that big when she arrives, but I don't want all of her furniture to simply be squished together. However, it doesn't have an entry to the outdoors and is more easily kept warm in the winter.

I'm very torn. Very. Little help here.

A few book reads....

2010-05-05T20:06:00.003-04:00

So, I'm finally cracking open a few books in preparation for parenthood. I would say "we," but Hubs is not so much into the parenting books yet...much more into the graphic novels and comic books. (wink). Both of today's picks come from our church's bookstore and are highly recommended by our family & childrens' pastor.

The first is Sacred Parenting. We started reading this one at the beginning of our second pregnancy. I've just now found the courage to crack it open again.

The second is Parenting with Love and Logic by Foster Cline & Jim Fay. Which I would have not looked at twice had it not been for the person who recommended it.

I'll let you know how they progress and how I like them. Any recommendations from you folks?

The Tummy, She's a growing!

2010-05-02T20:02:00.004-04:00

16 Weeks

21 Weeks

Lil' Sosebee Rose is growing like a weed.

Time to sew....

2010-04-25T01:35:00.005-04:00

Hubs and I had an awesome Saturday.

We started by sleeping in until 8AM - heaven. We followed that up by walking to the bakery down that street. Who knew avocado in an egg scramble could be SOOO good?

I had to spend my afternoon taking my last few tests to insure my teaching license for next year. And then, we went shopping!

Matt and I headed to Fabric Depot - which is like 5 acres (I'm exaggerating, but it's big) of fabric. I was able to check out ALL of the prints I was interested in ... and some that I had dismissed. I decided on Moda's 3 sister's Martinique. It has a lot of soft colors that made Matt happy and it was plenty feminine for me. We were excited that it was OUR first purchase for lil' Sosebee Rose.

Here's a sketch of her quilt that I made using images of the purchased fabric and pixelmator. I still have to sketch her lil' sham....but, what are weekends for?

Enjoy!

Baby Girl's Bedding

2010-04-23T20:14:00.003-04:00

So, I'm getting down to buying the materials for my lil' one's bedding.

Matt and I have narrowed it down to 2 sets of fat quarters. Now, you weigh in. PLEASE.

Our first option is Seaside House:

Matt likes the soft colors and simple patterns.

Our second option is Dolce:

I like the vibrant, yet feminine and still soft colors of this collection.

What do you think?

I lied.

2010-04-19T14:21:00.003-04:00

I lied....I think my daughter's room will have some pink in it. Still nothing too "froo froo," but some little-lady-like pink for sure.

Hubs and I started working on the registry last night - and I have to admit....the moses basket I registered for has a pink ribbon - which can easily be replaced with something more masculine should a maculine baby come a long in the next few years.

Oh, I'm pretty psyched...and a little scared to death.

My sister has 4 boys and I feel comfortable with the wild rompus, adventure seeking, no-holds-bar kind of boy rearing.

I'm a little wary of raising a girl - cause there are SO many issues that girls can bring to the table. BUT I think back on all the experiences and challenges God has brought into my life (that are unique to women) and I thank Him for those things. Maybe he was preparing me for my little girl.

He's really good!

Baby Wells is.......

2010-04-18T17:12:00.006-04:00

This morning will certainly be one for the record books in the Wells' household. I woke up early like a kid on Christmas morning, super excited to see our baby. Matt slept in until 20 minutes before the early service...although he claims he was up before me, but chose to stay in bed.

We had to leave church before communion and the closing hymns - we were disciplined enough to actually listen to the message today, as difficult as it might have been.

We arrived at the hospital and just sat silently reading for a while. I always get super nervous before ultrasounds. I've only had two go "well" in my recent history.... so, I freak out.

We immediately saw the heart - all four beautiful chambers.

We saw the baby sitting cross-legged, with a hand on it's head and another in it's mouth.

We saw the baby desperately trying to figure out how to suck it's thumb.

And we even saw (and felt) the baby kick at the nurse when it got tired of being prodded at.

This entire time, the baby sat cross-legged or straight-legged and very modestly - so that we couldn't get even a peek.

And then our tech, Leslie, pulled a few tricks out of her sleeve.....and very calmly and slyly said.....

"It's a girl!"

Today is the day

2010-04-18T10:22:00.003-04:00

Today we find out what little Fatty McGee is.

I'll be honest, I'm not that focused on the baby gender at this point. EVERYBODY has been asking me what I want, boy or girl. In my "Debbie Downer" response is, "I don't care if it is a boy or a girl....as long as it's alive." After 2 miscarriages, I think my priorities (and general experience) are just a wee bit different than that of the lucky momma's who've never gone through the loss of a pregnancy.

So, today, when we see that beautiful baby, all I'm hoping for is a heartbeat and an "all clear" from the doctor. Everything else is GRAVY.

I'll try to let the blog world know as soon as possible - but, we also might sit on our own lil' secret for a while. So, get over it - if we do.

Much Love,

Movin'.

2010-04-16T10:10:00.002-04:00

This baby likes to move.

This baby like peaches.

This baby likes to move when momma eats peaches.

Pretty much whenever I eat or am still enough to feel tiny little twitches.

Pretty Cool Stuff.

2 days until we find out a little bit more about lil' Fatty. So, get your votes in while you can!

I don't know how we will announce it - as of yet. But, we'll try to let you guys know as soon as possible.

Update: Homemade Laundry Detergent

2010-04-12T15:11:00.000-04:00

How does it work?

I decided that my first load would be towels. They are usually stinky (as nothing ever seems to fully dry here in Portland) and any kitchen towels are usually pretty soiled. I wanted my detergent going against the "beast" in my laundry schedule and not just my delicates.

When I put a mere 1/8 cup of my detergent into the washing machine, I got really nervous. It doesn't have that strong "detergent" smell and my soap bar gratings didn't seem to be dissolving. But as we all know, "a watched pot never boils." So, I shut the lid and let her ride.

Taking the laundry out - again, no smell (good or bad). Probably because I didn't add scent and Ivory soap doesn't have a strong smell. Side note: some suggest adding a few drops of essential oil if you like yummy-smelling laundry, but EOs have also been sited for breaking down the fibers in your clothing more quickly.

Price comparison between homemade and store bought detergents:

Store bought laundry detergent (TIDE 26oz.) costs $7.00 per box that claims to yield 15 loads. That breaks down to $0.47 per load. I got this information online - so, feel free to do your own price comparison using your preferred brand of store bought detergent.

Price per load (using half-batch measurements):

Borax $ 1.83

Ivory Bar Soap $1.25

Baking Soda $1.08

Washing Soda $1.60

Total Cost: $5.76 yields 18 cups of detergent

1 cup yields 8 loads.

Total Cost per Load: $0.04

*And I still have leftovers of Borax (4 cups), Ivory (7 bars), Baking Soda (4 cups), and Washing Soda (3-4 cups). This will get me well on my way to my next half-batch.

For HE Machines (or front loading machines), Troy from TipNut suggests:

"3 bars Fels Naptha
3 cups Borax
3 cups Arm and Hammer Washing Soda.
Grate the Fels Naptha, then put in a food processor with a chopping blade and chop until fine. Pour into a large bowl with the Borax and Washing Soda and stir until combined. Use 1/4 cup in a HE front loader, use 1/2 cup in a top loader. In my HE front loader, it dissolves perfectly.

Best of Luck!

No Poo Movement

2010-04-10T20:28:00.007-04:00

A friend chatted me up earlier today to ask me how I go "shampoo-less." It's fairly simple.

I started my research out of a motivation to cut costs and go natural, but it became a way to cut down on our family's use of plastic products - more on that later. I was lucky enough to find this site - which has been awesome for more than just "No poo" recipes.

I certainly did not reinvent the wheel. I use a tablespoon of baking soda dissolved with just a little water as a "shampoo." It's more of a scalp scrub and will remove the oil build-up on your roots. Be fore-warned, if you like lots of suds action - this isn't for you. I "condition" with 2 tbsp of ACV diluted into 8oz. of water. I only put the ACV solution on my ends - for me it makes the top of my scalp seem "greasy." If my hair seems to need a little extra conditioning, I'll treat my hair to a little warm jojoba oil (once a week).

My hair has been great. I have no complaints. Although I will state that I have very easy-to-work hair. I have noticed that I have plenty of volume and can easily go without blow-drying.

I'll say that shampoo might be "easier," but it's not necessarily better.

Homemade...laundry detergent?

2010-04-10T10:38:00.015-04:00

I'm a bit of a thrifty person. I've "made" my own shampoo for the past 2 years, foregoing traditional shampoos for a cheaper and "greener" baking soda and ACV (apple cider vinegar) version. I've dabbled in homemade "Drano" (not the best experience), as well as greener ways to clean around the house using white vinegar and other pantry staples. With baby coming and traditional cleaning supplies not "pregnant-friendly," I'm biting the bullet and having a bit of fun this afternoon.

I'm making my own laundry detergent. I've put it off for two years due to the move from GA, living in the basement with a tiny kitchen, finishing off the store bought detergents, etc. Today we're low on detergent, Matt's out skiing (so he is unable to mock my silly homemade inventions), and I have the house to myself. So, here's to the great experiment.

First, you have several options and recipes for laundry detergents. I found the one that I'll be using today at TipNut.

Now, to decide on which recipe will work best for (a) your machine, (b) your comfort level in "making" detergent, and (C) your basic preferences (liquid or powder).

I chose Recipe #9. It makes a powdered detergent in bulk and uses a combination of Borax (for stains and brightener- still safe for colors), washing soda (also used as laundry booster and stain remover), Ivory bar soap, and baking soda (which acts as a fabric softener - so does white vinegar).

Powdered Laundry Detergent – Recipe #9

12 cups Borax

8 cups Baking Soda

8 cups Washing Soda

8 cups Bar soap (grated) - I chose to use my food processor.

Mix all ingredients well and store in a sealed tub.

Use 1/8 cup (1.5 TBSP) of powder per full load.

I halved the recipe and it made 18 cups of powdered detergent. I haven't used it yet - I'll get the opportunity later on today. I'll keep you posted - I'll also try to include a price per load breakdown for all you really thrifty chickadees.

*Borax can be a bit caustic - wear plastic gloves while mixing and a face mask to keep from breathing in any fumes.

**Also, the bars of soap resemble dippin' dots once grated. It's normal and the final powder detergent will have some lumps due to the texture of the soap - don't worry.

Never gonna be...

2010-04-06T23:31:00.003-04:00

I am never going to be the cute pregnant girl. I'm not gonna lie, at this point and with this baby, I could care less HOW I look - as long as baby is healthy. BUT, as I've had to squeeze my ever-enlarging bottom into my size 10s....I've gotten a bit discouraged. My tops don't fit (I won't elaborate), my bottoms are snug, and the elastic bands in my maternity pants really do let the lil' tummy hang out. I look like a freshman girl after one semester of bar hoping....beer belly. Granted, I never did this as a freshman, but sadly saw many a classmate succumb to it.

I know that it doesn't matter. I know I should find freedom in the ASTOUNDING things that my body is doing (all on its lonesome, with no help from yours truly). I know that. I know I should embrace my hips getting wider....which the hubs lovingly pointed out (seriously, one of the cutest moments in our marriage). I'm working on it.

I'm working on it.

But, I'm not going to be that chick who doesn't look pregnant from behind....pretty sure all parts of me are going to look pregnant or enlarged.

Oh well. I'll deal with it. Baby is SOOO worth it.

Wow....this seems simplistic

2010-03-30T00:04:00.001-04:00

This is the Chinese gender prediction calendar. I have major issues with this method. It revolves around the age and month of conception....and take NOTHING else into consideration. Are you kidding me? Hey, I suppose it's slightly entertaining.

Age >

January

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

February

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

March

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

April

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

May

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

June

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

July

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

August

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

September

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

October

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

November

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

December

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

girl

boy

Don't forget to weigh in on what Fatty McGee will be!

Predictions?

2010-03-29T11:45:00.000-04:00

There are a lot of crazy things out there that claim to be able to "predict" your baby's gender: old wives' tales, the Chinese prediction calendar, heart rate....really all just humans' fruitless effort to try and know the unknown.

We're going to play with some of the fun ones...not because I think they hold ANY value. Just because I think of them as HILARIOUSLY FLAWED.

Old Wives' Tales:

1. How are you carrying? High or Low?

I don't know what that means...I'm thinking low.

2. What do you crave? Salty or Sweet?

Everything....but mostly Salty, yummy, wonderful potato chips.

3. Your baby's heartbeat is above/ below 140?

Above....the one time we've been told it's rate.

4. The color of your urine is dull or bright yellow?

Disgusting question that I refuse to answer on my blog.

5. Which direction does your pillow face? North or South?

South....I long for home and dream of Georgia.

6. Was the month of your conception even or odd?

Even...this question is odd.

7. Are your feet colder than before or the same?

My feet are big blocks of dry ice....if they got any colder, medical professionals would remove them from my body.

8. Does the hair on your legs grow the same or faster?

Again...gross question...and who in their right mind is going to monitor this?

9. Do you eat the heel of a loaf of bread?

Usually no...but when bread is low and your jones-ing for a PBJ, you make exceptions.

10. Has your breast development been dramatic?

This I might monitor, but refuse to broadcast.

Again, make sure to take part in the poll and get your two-sense in!

The very important stuff

2010-03-28T17:00:00.004-04:00

So, in keeping with our "What is Fatty McGee Countdown," we thought we would show you "first toy" options.

The first toy is a pretty big deal. Especially if the first toy is a plush animal. The likelihood that the chosen beloved creature will be loving named and gnawed on is overwhelming...thus, it's an important choice. Here are our options:

Girl Fatty's elephant.

Boy Fatty's ferret.

Fatty & Mommy's awesome new Nerf guns.

Daddy's gun, "Vera."

We're pretty excited about the guns - don't judge us. It would be awesome when we're going slapstick stupid due to sleep deprivation and baby can be "slinged" for the majority of battles.

Side note: I'm thinking that I'm in trouble because I have 20+ days until the countdown ends....and I can't think of new subjects that pin boy babies versus girls babies. So, post ideas in the comment box if you have any (excluding names).

The rest of you folks, VOTE! Seriously....more than 10 people read this blog. If you've commented, but not voted on the poll...vote.

Also, please feel free to follow this blog. I'm incredible desperate to know who reads this blog on a regular basis - other than the friends & family I hassle, harass, and pay.

Nursery Rhymes....or Riddles

2010-03-27T11:37:00.002-04:00

As previously mentioned, we can't make some major decisions until we know what we're working with. So, just like the coming home outfits, here are our bedding options. For fun.

We recently were lucky enough to find a free, all-wood, Jenny Lind-style crib and changing table. Its a light wood, which I'm not a fan of - so it will be getting a fresh coat of paint whether Fatty is a boy or a girl. If a girl, the crib will be painted an aqua-blue or barn red. If Fatty is a boy, kelly green (maybe barn red, depending on hub's reaction). Can you tell that I'm not a white furniture, pastel bedding (pastel anything!) kind of lady?

I haven't decided whether I want to buy or make Fatty's bedding. It really all comes down to whether or not I can find what I want. Above, you'll see my top picks.

I love the simplicity of the pottery barn bedding on the left. I think boys need something simple....nothing too "babyish" - even though he's a baby.

I'm not a HUGE fan of pastel pink. I can't wear it....so, my lil' girl (who will share her parents coloring) won't look that great in it either. So, the nice brown and bright little colors of my girl bedding - with intricate quilting and nature scenery instantly won me over.

Don't forget to weigh in on Fatty's Gender....only 21 days left to get your vote in!

Coming Home...

2010-03-26T02:27:00.000-04:00

We don't know what Fatty is yet, but we're making some pretty major plans around what will happens once we do. Names, bedding, crib color, and coming home outfits....all really important parts of parenting (roll of the eye). Anyhow, here are some options we're considering for baby coming home.

The red is for a girl (with a bow, of course), the blue is for a boy.

Weigh in...

2010-03-25T19:50:00.009-04:00

Not me...I did that yesterday...not going near it again for another month. I'm talking about all of YOU folks. As Matt and I have about 3 weeks to play the guessing game, we thought we'd let you all in on a piece of that action. So, peruse the options....what do you think Fatty will be?

Counting up....and down

2010-03-25T01:50:00.005-04:00

The number of times we've seen the baby.

The number of times we've heard it's heartbeat.

The number of weeks we have until we know what baby will be.

The number of registries I've started and never finished.

The number of times Matt's given into my pregnant food whims.

The number of grandchildren my parents will have once Fatty is born.

The number you have to multiply by 24 to equal how many more days I'll be pregnant.

The number of pounds I've gained (Dr. says it's perfectly normal - wink)

Baby is due on the 9th!

The number of weeks until lil' one can survive outside of mommy if born early.

The number of hours of sleep I get nightly/daily.

The number of times Carter has licked my tummy - attempting to get to the baby (we think).

The number of miles we drove to get a free crib and changing table.

The number of weeks left until summer.

The number of times a day I ask Matt for a "treat" or Girl Scout cookies.

The number of weeks I am today.

Update: 1st Photo

2010-02-04T20:40:00.004-05:00

This is our beautiful baby. Check out the awesome nubs.
We saw a strong heartbeat and baby danced for us. Yay, baby.
Lil' chubs will making his debut around Sept. 9, 2010.
Happy Birthday, Pops!

Music Monday

2010-01-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

One of my new favorite artists: Regina Spektor

An "old" one:

A "new one:

Music Monday

2010-01-18T00:00:00.002-05:00

Hallelujah by Allison Crowe

Matt + Lydia = ?

2010-01-16T13:07:00.005-05:00

Matt and I woke up this morning and discussed what Fatty McGee might look like. Which of my traits it might get...which of Matt's traits it might get. Matt would like the baby to have a bit of his height and my "pretty." I wanted the baby to have Matt's hormone-stability and my awesomeness. The debate was civil, until the issue of eye color came about. Matt is adamant that the baby be blue-eyed like it's momma, while I would like a lil' brown-eyed version of perfection (like it's daddy).

I know you are all just as excited to meet Fatty McGee was we are. So, we thought we would treat you to a little preview.

What do you think? Let's play and make predictions about how lil' Fatty will turn out. Post your comments!

PS. It's should be pretty obvious from above photos, why little number three is referred to as "Fatty McGee." Not out of our own cruelty...I mean, we were both the chubby kids.

Update: "Fatty McGee" Pregnancy

2010-01-15T19:57:00.007-05:00

Matt and I were trying to figure out how we should reference baby numero tres. I was going for some sort of multilingual take on the number three...Matt has decided on "Fatty McGee."

I went to the doctor Thursday. I was immediately put on progesterone to help me through the first trimester and the decision was made to run a few tests. One in particular concerns my thyroid. My thyroid is healthy; however in some instances, a healthy thyroid can send out antibodies which in essence attack your body (including babies). I should hear back about this one in 5-7 days. The good news is that it is highly treatable. We'll see.

In other news: "Fatty McGhee" has the weirdest cravings. Baby # 1 didn't do the craving thing...Baby # 2 LOVED sweets...Fatty McGee is a person all it's own. Last night, it wanted a steak covered in nacho cheese followed by Nathan's hot dog. This morning (I sadly admit), it was treated to a Sausage, Egg, and Cheese McMuffin...heaven.

I'll blog more when we know more...or come up with more ridiculous stories about our baby.

Laughing...like Sarah

2010-01-10T21:50:00.004-05:00

I now feel as though I know how Sarah felt in Genesis when the Lord told her that she would become pregnant in her old age.

This Friday night, I felt weird. I had been considering taking a pregnancy test for the past week - just to be safe. My body was giving me all the signals. So, I took the test...knowing my cycle was probably just wack-a-doodle and that I "couldn't possibly be" pregnant.

Enter the thin blue line. We weren't even trying - no clomid, no ovulation kits. Are you kidding me?! For those of you counting...that's 3 pregnancies in 365 days.

My first reaction was not laughter, but tears. I was happy and knew it was a blessing, but became overwhelmed with thoughts of "Here we go again," "But we haven't figured it out yet," and "I'm not ready for another miscarriage."

Then, my wonderful husband prayed for the baby and for his crazy wife...and I couldn't help but laugh. The Lord sure does have a neat sense of humor. WE WEREN'T EVEN TRYING! WE WEREN'T EVEN THINKING ABOUT TRYING!

Please, join me in prayer for the new pregnancy. We'll be meeting with several doctors over the next few weeks to make sure that my body is doing what its supposed to.

Blessings,

Lydia

New Years Resolutions?

2010-01-03T21:05:00.006-05:00

I'm not a big believer in resolutions. I tend to not make them...I tend to not do them. I'm a big goal-setter (and I tend to reach my goals), but if I label something a "resolution," it might as well be at the top of my "WARNING: DO NOT DO" list - cause it ain't gettin' done.

Yet, here I am again at the beginning of a new year (2010) thinking about what goals or "resolutions" (yikes) I should set for the coming months. I have decided to make mini-goal sets throughout the year. I can change them, as my year (undoubtedly will bring change) and mini-goals are easier to keep. The main goal is really just creating a routine for myself - here are my first set of goals for the year. I'll give you an update in early April.

Winter 2010 Mini-Goals:

Read the Bible completely through (again) before Easter 2010
Early to bed (10:15pm), early to rise (5:45am).
Regular quiet times in the AM
Eat Breakfast everyday
Take my medicine (don't forget)
Exercise 30min (6x/week)

Desired results:

Reading the Bible 4x this year
Overall good health / increased energy
10% loss of body weight - (to help insulin levels & fertility)

That's what I have planned. What do you guys have up your sleeves for the new year. Feel free to post a comment that tells me what your goals are for this new season.

All the best for the new year to you and yours.
God bless,

L

Advent Conspiracy This Year

2009-12-31T14:49:00.006-05:00

Many of you might have questions of what an Advent Conspiracy Christmas looks like. We spend less $$, give relationally, and give the $$ we would have spent on ourselves and our families to initiatives that will help the poor around the globe.

For us, it doesn't look much different than most of the Christmases that we have spent as a married couple. We've never had much extra income... in fact, we rarely have extra money floating about. So, we've always spent less money and more time. About 3 years ago, I began making the majority of gifts that we give. This year we made the majority of our gifts. We also decided that having a tree was a waste of money and time. We still decorated the house...but our focus was somewhere else.

Here's a breakdown of our Christmas spending:

Pair of mittens (Total price: $6)
Kitchen counter (Total price: $4)
Superhero masks (Total price: $5)
Recycled Nintendo DS (Total price: $0)
2 dresses and bows (Total price: $3)
Couch caddies (Total price: $5)
CD of pictures (Total price: $0)
Bible cover (Total price: $6)
Fandango certificate (Total price: $15)

Add postage and our total Christmas expense is around $50. Thinking that on average we would normally spend about $20/person - we spent around $250 less than the normal household...and I think that is a conservative estimate.

We were able to give much more than we thought possible to both our church and to the Advent conspiracy initiative. And at no point during the Christmas season did I miss pretty packages, a Christmas tree, or going to the mall.

Christmas Traditions

2009-12-31T14:47:00.003-05:00

Matt and I had a great Christmas here in Portland. We enjoyed a few old traditions and made a few new ones. One really awesome thing that has come out of living 3,000 miles away from our family (and subsequently, our families' traditions) is that we had the opportunity to really look at our lil' twosome and decide which traditions we wanted to begin for ourselves and the children to come.

We started our Christmas before Christmas by celebrating the advent. We began this tradition last year. Here is our advent "wreath."

Several years ago our church here in Portland, Imago Dei, began a movement called Advent Conspiracy. Our Pastor Rick McKinley wrote a book on the subject. I would recommend that you all check it out - it's pretty amazing. This year, we tried to make all gifts that we gave fit into the model of being relational. I'll write another post that describes what we gave and how we went about it.

Christmas eve was filled with tradition. Matt decided that Christmas eve needed to begin with breakfast at 5am. So, we went to IHOP, ate breakfast, and just talked for hours. Granted, we talk everyday, but this was really amazing. We also made calls to Matt's family to participate in their tradition of "Christmas Eve gift." I spent the day making ginger cookies and finishing up some Christmas projects for my family. That evening, we read from Luke, prayed, and sang 12 days of Christmas...along with a ton of other Christmas carols. We then enjoyed coffee and cookies, as we opened our Christmas Eve gift from Uncle Lloyd and Aunt Sue.

Christmas morning we woke up, and proceeded to our pile of gifts. We then decided to open one gift, make our Christmas breakfast, and call the families. Christmas brunch has been a tradition for the past 4 years that we have been married. In Athens, we shared this time with our friends, Heather and Randy - we missed them a lot this year.

After Christmas breakfast we finished opening our pile of presents - we are continually humbled by the generosity of our families. We've tried to get them on board with Advent Conspiracy...we've succeeded with my sister and her family....but my momma's love language is gift-giving. For her, this is a relational act - and conservative compared to some past Christmases.

After breakfast we watched a few Christmas movies and enjoyed each others' company. We made a wonderful, vegetarian dinner (consisting of a lot of side dishes), watched more movies, had a wonderful time of prayer, and went to bed.

Catching Up

2009-12-20T16:09:00.006-05:00

Now that school is out for Christmas - and after several hints from family and friends who read the blog - I've decided to catch up on everything that I've been doing during the Fall until now.

I've been sewing. In October, I finally got around to making my 5yo nephew and my 1yo niece their birthday presents - several months late. I set my heart on a super-hero cape for the newest big boy and a reversible, yet stylish smock for the lovely little miss.

I tend to always doubt my abilities - but I was pretty proud of these little projects. They helped take my mind off of everything was going on during those few days.

Side 1

Side 2

Detail of criss-cross back

Uncle M modeling Big Boy's Superhero cape.
Big Boy's name begins with an "S' too - so, we kept it.

Don't Cry

2009-12-09T14:35:00.003-05:00

I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much. ~Mother Teresa

Yesterday was a hard day. It didn't start out that way. It was a really great day. I woke up, felt pretty when I headed off to school, didn't spill coffee on myself in the car, enjoyed my students, went to a baby shower for a girl at worke, really enjoyed time with my colleagues, and went home to a GREAT husband.

Then I got this email. It stated that the pilot materials that I was told I would be using with my students this year were due - packed up, etc. in the office next Monday. Which means that starting next Monday, I will again be teaching with no materials. This sent me reeling. It shouldn't have. I should be more like the person who built his house on a rock....a little flooding shouldn't wreck my house. But it did.

I ran to the bathroom and sat in the bath and just cried. I mean CRIED. I think everything that has happened over the past year just came rushing back to me...and I was overwhelmed. I questioned God and cried to Him and asked Him "why?" several times. I asked about my babies, I asked about leaving my home, my friends, my family. I asked about why my husband still doesn't have a job. I pretty much interrogated God....and was met with silence.

In my heart, even as I yelled - I could see an image of my sweet heavenly Father holding me as I threw this tantrum. Hushing my cries and telling me it was okay. Eventually the still, soft voice whispered to me what I had known all along.

You were never promised comfort and "happiness."
You are extremely blessed.
You are being selfish.

God must love me a lot. He brought me to a place physically and emotionally where I could learn and grow...if I has stayed in Athens and been "happy" I don't think I would have ever been ready or willing for whatever God has in store for Matt and me. Praise be to God.

At Home...

2009-10-14T00:53:00.004-04:00

Thank you to everyone for your love and prayers. We miscarried tonight at home - which is what we were hoping for. I was able to see sweet baby #2. It was hard, but healing.

I'm going to try and post the story of Baby #2 later this week. Every baby needs a story.

Much love and Many thanks,

-L & M

I don't know how it feels...

2009-10-12T20:03:00.006-04:00

I was on the phone with my sister this morning - as I am most mornings while driving to school. She was asking me how I was doing...and I explained how I was feeling. This is when my sister said something that I had never thought of before. She said, "I just don't know how it feels."

So, how does it feel to lose a baby that you've tried really hard for and never met...it feels bad. I wish I could be more poetic, but it's seriously stinks. It's not fun. It hurts and it's hard.

But back to the question...how does it feel?

You sit. You just stay still and try not to move a muscle. You give a faint smile to your hubs and just wait for a heartbeat...knowing you're not going to hear one. You try to put everyone around you at ease - knowing they know and are somehow now incredibly awkward and not as talkative as before.

You question.My first response was, "God, I paid attention last time. I thought I got it. I thought I learned everything you needed me to learn from this." Enter my awesome husband who responded, "Lyd, I think He's teaching me something this time."

You get slightly angry and bitter and yes, envious. You wonder "why me?" Then you realize that you wouldn't wish this on anyone else."

You cry. You cry. You cry.

You reflect and try to figure out what you did wrong THIS time.

You wait for the baby to come - praying it will come on its own. Praying for the opportunity to say "Hello. I love you. Good-bye."

You plan...for the next baby. You plan for the future. You plan on God's goodness.

You praise God.

I've been bad at writing

2009-10-09T23:16:00.006-04:00

Let me tell you what we have been up to since my last post:

I was able to get a job here in Portland.
Praise God.
Matt passed the bar.
Praise God.
My job is going smoothly.
Praise God.
We were able to rent the sweetest little house in the SE.
Praise God.
We are becoming more involved in our church.
Praise God.
We found out we were pregnant in early August.
Praise God.
We saw the beautiful heartbeat twice.
Praise God.
We couldn't find a heartbeat today & our precious baby #2 went home.
Praise God.

A lot of things become hard to understand when you find yourself in a situation such as this. You might question God or His will or intentions. I get that. I've been there - twice. But - my God is a good God. He's a good Father. He is growing me and shaping me and He has a plan. I praise God even in mourning - knowing that my babies will see Him in His full majesty before I do and never know pain and sorrow. One day perhaps I'll even hold them - but I trust them to be in the arms of my Savior for all eternity.

"The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; Blessed be the name of the Lord."

Preparing Myself

2009-08-29T12:36:00.003-04:00

This has certainly been a season of preparation. Hubs and I prepared for the move, we prepared ourselves to be in a new place, Hubs prepared for the BAR and is currently preparing himself for the results, we spent (and are spending) lots of time preparing pieces of paper that tell others how prepared we are to take on paying jobs, and now, I prepare for what my be a very difficult ear of teaching.

I don't say this to shed a dark light on my upcoming professional year, but to thank God that always before a trying and difficult season, He gives us a season of preparation - whether we are aware of it or not. I knew that my summer would be extra long this year...and didn't know that I was going to need all those weeks in order to get my head together - not to mention a jazillion lesson plans and course syllabi and articulated curriculae. More so, emotionally, I didn't think I needed this time to just sit and be, to go on adventures with my hubby, and to reflect on what was.

I miss home, my town, my students, my school, church, friends, family. I miss them more each day. I miss knowing fully and being fully known - there is nothing greater as that mimics how God knows each of us - fully. However, it's harmful (not to mention painful) to live looking backwards, right? It didn't lead to a favorable end for Lot's wife and it will do none of us favors now.

If you find yourself looking back to a time before the move, before the accident, before that fateful conversation, before the baby just know that God has you in today. He holds you in today. He will comfort you today - but He wants you to be where you are looking towards Him.

Adjusting

2009-07-24T15:50:00.002-04:00

The last month and a half has certainly been a time of adjustment. I haven't written on the blog or even called many people (besides family) simply because I've been in a season of avoidance...disguised as laziness. Who knows?

I thought that there would be plenty of stuff to keep me busy here in Portland. I had a house to decorate and settle, jobs to find, a husband to cook for and serve while studying for the bar - not to mention a city to explore. That's not really how it played out.

I arrived and nested for maybe a week. Then, we realized that it wasn't going to be that smart getting too settled - as we would move into another apartment or house in a year or less. So, then, I was just left in a house while hubster went to class. I went on walks with Carter-dog for a while, then I just wanted to sleep, stay in bed, and dream away whatever was bothering me.

I've been lonely. I've been sad about our lost baby. I've been mourning the loss of physical nearness to my friends and family. It's been a hard adjustment. Sometimes (before the job offer) I've even thought of how my death would benefit my husband in that he would get the life insurance and I would be with my baby.

Hubster thinks it's serious spiritual attack - as I'm not one prone to self harm. I think I might agree. God has been good and has kept many promises to us - so, even though things are still intermittently difficult - my perspective is improving. I thank God for the many blessings he daily bestows an know that this is simply another growing season in my life. I know God will use all my experiences in the future. I'm excited to see how he works.

Praying for the hubster during the BAR exam

2009-07-11T16:42:00.002-04:00

As you all know, the hubs has been preparing for the BAR for the past few months. It has been the most grueling task that he has ever been faced with and I will not hide the fact that he has been completely overwhelmed by it. My husband is wonderful and I have full faith in his abilities, but I have no doubt that right now he is going through a major trial and turning point in his life.

The BAR will be given over a two day period, each day consisting of about 10 hours of testing. The OR BAR will have 2 sections: the first is standard for all states & focuses on federal law and the second is specific to OR laws and consists of 9-10 essays.

I have felt strongly about covering my husband in prayer during the days preceding the exam and the exam days themselves. This is where I am calling on all of you. I am organizing a 68 hour prayer "vigil" for my hubster during his BAR exam. It seems like a lot of time, I know - so, if you can sign up for a 30 minute slot for one day or if you want to pray at a specific time each day, please do. If you have insomnia, then pick a late/early shift....if you'll be up with the baby at 4am - pick that slot. Whatever works for your personal schedule.

Let me know if you would like to join with me in prayer by posting a comment or emailing me (remember to include time and date chosen).

Blessings and Thanks,
-L

I heart coffee - and so does my friend, Missy

2009-07-01T17:00:00.004-04:00

So, many of you know that the hub unit and I are shamelessly addicted to caffeine - in fact, I'm writing this from a coffee shop in the middle of the day. We most often partake of our little vice via coffee, espresso, or chocolate. We drink the occasional soda (coke), but we are most loyal to a nice hot cup of JOE.

We roast and grind our own coffee fresh. We have numerous machines and gadgets that enable us to constantly imbibe good quality morning bliss. The hubs even worked for a month with a bathroom scale on our counter top to insure the "perfect" tamp for his espresso. He's good.

I've been more adventurous in my love for coffee and it's uses - I digress.

My good friend, Missy, is having a contest on her blog, Miss Moose Designs, giving away 2 reusable coffee sleeved made from vintage fabric. She's a pretty awesome and awfully crafty lady. Check it out. Her blog is not only full of beautiful crafts and funny stories, but she'll also mention her love affair with an early cup of coffee during Sesame Street. I read her blog daily and I think most of you will enjoy her very real and raw way of putting herself and her life out there.

Georgians + Oregon =

2009-06-24T20:30:00.004-04:00

The Georgia-gonians

Check out our new blog for updates about our travels without my personal twist on them. (Okay, so there is my personal twist, but I'm forbidden to talk about "girly" stuff)

Basement Living

2009-06-24T19:35:00.003-04:00

Our adventure out West has required us to give up a few luxuries. Namely, our own home. We left our wonderful 1700 sq. ft. brick sanctuary behind and have replaced it with...an 800 sq. ft. basement apartment and a 5x10 storage unit. This has not been an easy transition. We lived in a smallish duplex our first year of married life and did just fine. One room served as a storage space and we had a quiet neighbor, so no real inconveniences popped up.

If you new our brick sanctuary well, you were aware of the ample amount of storage space. It was like the previous owner knew we would need lots of places to stick hardly ever used belongings...and we did. We crammed that bad boy full of mementos, trinkets, tchotchkes , and junk. We cleaned house a great deal before moving cross country - we were ahead of the game.

The we arrived at our basement dwelling....it's small.

Hubster and my Pops came out first with a giant Penske truck. Some of our furniture actually made it into the apartment, some went to Goodwill, and some went to the storage unit. Our lovely red living room set was sent away never to be seen again - I miss my couch. The reason, of course, is the couldn't fit down the narrow hallway leading to the basement. I digress.

Anyhow, now that we have very little space, we have become super streamlined in what we use and it's kind of nifty. There is an IKEA like 8 minutes from our house - so, it's dangerous, but inspiring. Hopefully we'll make the space work. The noise might be another issue all together.

We live below a large family of six. I have nothing against large families, my sister has a family of 7, but I wouldn't want to live underneath them - you know what I'm saying? We don't need alarms - we wake when the kiddos do. We know when it's dinner time - b/c there's a bit of a stampede to the dining room and then they proceed to move heavy furniture around the house for an hour or two. Just kidding. It is loud and for the most part we have adjusted.

Carter Dog seems to enjoy having children who want to play with him all the time - and we don't mind having a few little dog sitters either. The family is also SUPER nice and goes to our church, which outshines any small inconvenience. It's pretty much communal living at it's best. It'll be interesting to see how things pan out as hub's studies for the Oregon BAR get more (if that's possible) intense, but we'll cross that bridge when it comes.

My sis and mom have been asking me to post pictures and I honestly would, but it's kind of gross and cluttered and I am ashamed. Maybe if enough people post requesting photos, I'll do it out of peer pressure.

A Long Journey

2009-06-14T19:07:00.003-04:00

Well. 3000 miles is a long way. I have so much to write about it and so much more to post, but I think I'm still processing it all. It was a good, safe, and fun trip. Now, the reality has set in and I'm pretty much crying all the time - although that could be the hormones too.

Thanks to all who are keeping up...sorry for the little break I took from posting. I'll try to be more purposeful and disciplined in my writing once we actually have the internet in our home.

For more of our writings about this really neat adventure, check out the blog that my hubster started: The Georgia-gonians.

Music Monday

2009-05-04T08:25:00.004-04:00

Today I am very tired and my thoughts are going much deeper than is comfortable, and still I am numb to it all. I pray that God is at work. I pray that He is moving in my life. I pray that He is near. I pray and wait.

A New Reading Plan

2009-05-03T12:00:00.004-04:00

I set the goal to finish reading the Bible in its entirety by the time I was well...older. I nearly met my goal - plowing through the Bible in large portions, gulping it down like it was bread and I was starving (or gluttonous). I'll go with starving in this simile. Well, I say "I nearly met my goal" in that my reading schedule met a bit of a hiccup in our miscarriage. It threw me for a loop and I failed to read during the few days when I probably needed it most. I did finish - if just a few days off "schedule."

Since then, my reading has been scattered and unfocused and I miss the structure & Life that a daily reading brought to my life. So, I shall begin again. This time, I will not read straight through, but a portion out of each of the main "sections" each week for 52 weeks. Sunday will be the Epistles, Monday - The Law, Tuesday - History, Wednesday - Psalms, Thursday - Poetry, Friday - Prophecy, and Saturday - The Gospel.

I'm very excited and cannot wait to see what the Lord reveals to me through His Word during this particular season and reading.

Happy Sunday.

P.S.
I also set the goal of making a dress...which was delayed due to the fact that at the time - I was "growing" with our little Poppyseed. Well, I'm going to reclaim that goal and get started immediately...or as immediately as a cross-country move, job hunt, and house on the market will permit.

Finished: Apron with a dash of sass

2009-05-02T14:37:00.006-04:00

I finished this apron about 2 weeks ago. As you know, we're trying to sell our house and I have to say that I felt really awkward about the possibility of folks looking into my office and onto my dress-less dress form. So, I did what any rational home-seller would do and made something pretty for it to wear.

Of course, this project has been in my head for about a year, but a naked dress-form is good motivation. I made my pattern and finished it in a day. So feminine, so pretty, so fun...and as always, I learned a ton. I will definitely tweak the pattern next-go-round. I'm contemplating adding a pocket with my initial...but I might just save that for my next project.

Stay-tuned for the pattern and a tutorial!

Swine Flu

2009-04-27T08:21:00.004-04:00

As many of you have probably already heard, in recent days several countries' governments, including Mexico, the U.S., and Canada, have taken measures to prevent the spread of a new strain of swine flu - the U.S. having moved stockpiles of the flu vaccine to different areas of the country. This move comes as a reaction to nearly 20 deaths in Mexico having been (confirmed) caused by the virus. There are still another 80 deaths in question.

Several cases have been found in parts of the U.S. and Canada, mainly among persons returning from trips in Mexico. Swine flu is initially contracted from pigs themselves, but can be spread from person to person like any other form of flu. This particular strain of swine flu is causing alarm as it has been fatal to peoples between the ages of 25-45, a demographic that is not usually labeled "high-risk."

Precautions:

Get your vitamins on - you need to make sure your immune system is well-prepared.
Wash your hands often and thoroughly.
Keep your hands CLEAN and away from your face.
Use tissues (as oppose to your hand or a cloth handkerchief).
Routinely clean clothing and surfaces of your home - including childrens' toys.
Use proper cough etiquette - I teach this to my students at school.
Stay away from sick people and avoid large groups of people.
Use a water bottle instead of the water fountain.
Know the symptoms of Swine flu and seek medical attention if they present themselves.
If you didn't get a flu vaccine already this year, get one.

While there is no reason to panic, it certainly doesn't hurt to take preventative measures to keep ourselves and those around us healthy.

Please, keep Mexico (being the hardest hit population) in your prayers, as well as all those who are suffering either through sickness or the loss of a loved one.

Homemade Beauty - skincare

2009-04-26T09:57:00.006-04:00

I've been dabbling in homemade skincare for a while now. I'll usually try something out once or twice and then let it fall by the wayside. However, in the current cash crunch that most of the world is feeling, I felt that now more than ever is a great time to save some some dough and be more eco-conscious at the same time.

I've been unhappy with my skincare regime for the past few ~~months~~ years. In high school I received compliments on my complexion all the time - and well, its been a while since high school and I'm afraid this ol' girl is starting to show some signs of wear and tear. Understand all, I'm not in this to receive compliments or feed my own vanity - it's more an effort to take care of what I have.

So, this week's wonder product: HONEY. I think honey has really been underestimated for some time now. I loved it as a kid - en mis sopapillas y el pan toastado; however when I entered my double digits, honey went underground. Refined, white, sugar became mode. I'm happy to say that honey is making a comeback. Not only is it a great healthy, natural sweetener that can be used in all sorts of culinary creativity, it is a wonderful beauty essential.

I've heard whispers of the magnificence of honey for the skin, but have never thought the rumors worthy of smearing that sticky stuff on my face. It's worth it, ladies. I've been doing a honey mask nightly for the past three days (as a bit of a "gitty-up and go" for my skin) and I'm in love with the results. My skin seems brighter, softer, and a wee bit tighter.

Simple Honey Masque:
1. Open your pores with a warm compress.
2. Apply a thin coat of honey to your face - even around your eyes.
3. Let it do i's thing for 30 minutes.
4. Rinse with warm water.
5. follow with a few splashes of cold H2O to close those pores up.

Organic honey is best, but non-organic brands will work as well - just make sure it's real honey. Enjoy your home facials ladies (& gentleman).

This is for you, Abby from OK

2009-04-25T10:27:00.015-04:00

A few weeks ago, I got my guest room in order. For the first time in the three years that we have been living in this house, the room had a theme and an identity beyond "the extra bed is in there...along with a bunch of junk." I chose to use a slightly shabby chic motif. Of course, to go completely to the shabby chic side of things, there would be no dark woods, everything would be white or pastel in color, and there would certainly be window treatments and beautifully adorned walls. I, as we are moving, neither have that kind of time nor ~~cash~~ motivation to do so...I will call this room "Shabby Chic to Sell."

Back to the topic at hand. I have a wonderful friend, Abby, who has been asking for pictures of my newly themed guest room. Abby, these are for you. Enjoy everyone.

My parents gave me this beautiful coverlet set for my birthday. Pictures don't do it justice.

This is a close-up of the coverlet set with my new-to-me vintage hobnail vase complete with pink hydrangea and white peonies (my favorite).

This is an awesome little reading table that I found over ten years ago at a garage sale. I originally gave it a mosaic table-top, but have since outfitted it with this vintage mirrored cabinet.

This is the slipcover I made while in the throws of my doughnut & Miami Ink weekend. It turned out better than expected. However, I'll forego the pleats next time and opt for more girlish and full ruffles - I'm sure all our male guests will appreciate it.

This is a detail of the pleating on the slipcover.

The focal point of the room is an antique window frame (circa 1920) from my husband's family's homestead framed by white lilies.

In the white tray beneath, hammered glass tea light holders display vintage gold jewelry.

Every guest room needs it's own antique Baptist hymnal.

Auf Wiedersehen, mein autobus

2009-04-21T09:03:00.006-04:00

Last summer the hub unit and I purchased our first automobile together, a VW camper bus that was older than both of us. It was a dream come true and we envisioned spending many a summer exploring the countryside in that magnificent machine. Several memories were made there: a weekend in Bar Harbor, a geriatric dog removing the side door out of shear terror, a 22 hour drive home, bruised tail bones, a 4-hour traffic jam in NYC. Oh, the joy.

Alas, it was not meant to be. As hubby and I head West on our first real adventure this summer, we must leave der autobus behind. We were lucky when it made the 22 hour trip from Maine to our home state...but we're pretty convinced it won't survive the next go round. Okay, it would probably make it, but our backs and bums might not recover.

So, with heavy hearts and a newly revived wallet, we say Auf Wiedersehen.

Really?! I can't handle this

2009-04-18T12:36:00.005-04:00

So, as most of you know or have read, we have been dealing with some losses as of late. Specifically, the loss of our doggy companion, Brennan, and the much larger loss of our first pregnancy.

I spent the past three days at a team building camp with 80 eighth graders and a swell group of teachers away from hubster and our other puppy companion, Carter. We were outdoors 24-7, rain or shine. We rode horses, went rock climbing, hiked, conquered ropes courses, and ate. It was a blast. Needless to say, that when I returned home last night at 9:30 after a five hour delay due to a broken down charter bus, I was exhausted. I ate dinner, talked to my Hubster and in-laws, pet my puppy, showered, and headed to bed.

This morning the Hubster and I rose late, put on some coffee, and I headed to the garage to let puppy out for his morning constitutional. To my dismay, puppy was no where to be found and there was a 2 ft. space between the garage floor and door staring me in the face. It came to mind that last night while giving puppy his good night kisses, that I must have somehow opened the door and not realized it - or mistakenly thought that I had closed the door. After a few choice words aimed at myself, Hubby and I ran to the yard and called for puppy to come home - all in vain. We hopped in our car and drove around - calling for puppy and asking neighbors - all in vain. I admit that as the tears fell and reality set in, I got mad. I know that Carter is just a dog, but to lose my dog (Brennan Girl), our baby, and then my husband's dog (Carter) in just a matter of weeks was a lot of loss. I felt numb. Then, I recollected the story of Job. It reminded me that life is full of loss and if one were to do a side by side comparison, I was much better off than Job. One thing does remain - if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior - we can never lose Him. God is good.

We returned home, called animal control, and posted on a neighborhood forum. Then came a phone call. A gentleman asked to speak with Carter and Hubby's response was "you have Carter, this is his owner!" Come to find out, Carter's night out on the town had ended at 2AM, when a neighbor couldn't figure out what his dogs were barking at. Apparently, Carter couldn't resist the society of a few good-looking pups down the street. The neighbors were kind enough to take him in for the evening and let us sleep. Good folks.

There is certainly no other experience in the world like finding something that was once thought lost; or seeing life where only death was thought to prevail.

Our Happy Little Home

2009-03-30T10:44:00.005-04:00

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN ON MONDAY:

Okay, enough with the gloomy posts (and weather). Today is absolutely beautiful. In fact, it's the first nice day we have had in a few weeks - pretty enough for our realtor to come out and take photos of our home for an "online tour." The hubs and I have been working like mad to get the house ready to show for the past few months: de-cluttering, painting, mowing, cleaning, re-cleaning, more cleaning....our house has never looked this nice. It's nice to be at the point where the "ball is starting to roll."

A clean house just makes my day. I wake up happy. I go through my day feeling like I've already tackled something huge. I'm so thankful that this weekend was such a great use of time and that the results were/are so worth it.

Saturday, I spent eating doughnuts, watching Miami Ink, and draping a slip cover for a chair. I've made a slip cover once before which was a half-success. This cover, I took my time with it and draped directly onto the chair - pinning and piecing as I went. What a wonderful way to sew! The only drawback is that when your finished (and if you like the end result) you have no pattern for easy reproduction - unless, of course, you're willing to pull apart everything you have pinned...I wasn't.

Sunday, I woke up and headed out to Michael's to buy some flowers for an arrangement in our guest room. Our guest room has been less than bare for the past few years. However, my parents recently bought new bedding for this room and it totally inspired me to make this my little feminine, shabby chic, hideaway. An old window frame, mixed-and-match furniture, and a vintage hobnail vase with peonies and pink hydrangeas make a BIG difference. After tweaking my new favorite place, I set off to make the rest of my house equally as enchanting (cough) I mean clean.

I vacuumed, tidied, and scrubbed to my heart's content - and now I have a clean house. I forgot how good it feels.

Rain

2009-03-28T11:58:00.004-04:00

For all of you in our part of the world, this is one of my favorite songs and it's been playing through my head the past few days - I can't get enough of Ms. Patty Griffin sometimes.

The seasons are changing...and so is our life

2009-03-27T12:32:00.004-04:00

My hubby and I have had a rough few weeks and needless, to say our entire life has been thrown off balance. Balance is way overrated. Personally, I find that I do my best thinking, creating, praying, and loving when I'm in a place where something is out of sync or step. It's like a change in rhythm in the middle of a song...some people hate it...but it brings monotony to an end and makes the song come back to life.

God is so good when He brings to the point of realization that our life needs a change in rhythm. My hubby and I had been wrestling recently with what our next steps would be. What did God have? The hubs is finishing law school...my job allows a lot of flexibility...we certainly felt a call elsewhere, but what? Where? In the current economic climate it seemed to risky to even dare entertain thoughts of leaving a paying job. No, the safe, logical, responsible option was to stay put until the economy improved.

Then came the pregnancy.

Something about being pregnant. Knowing that you will be a mother or a father and realizing that that little child will receive so many life lessons simply from observing how you live, lights a fire deep inside. It'll burn you. It'll burn the very essence of you completely - if there's nothing worthy of remaining or emulating. Matt and I totally feel victim to the fire. Habits started breaking left and right. Confidence grew.

We decided that we weren't going to let ourselves become people who settled; people who were safe; people who didn't have the faith to listen, take the risk, and step out. That wasn't what we wanted for our children...why would we want it for ourselves?

Our baby was the catalyst. We jumped.

My husband applied to take the bar in a state we have never been too. I told my boss I would not be returning for the coming school year. We called a realtor and put our house on the market.

And now...we fall...we wait...we pray.

New life...here we come...here we are.

Story of a Miscarriage

2009-03-14T19:07:00.005-04:00

I want to tell the story of losing my baby. I don't know if it's inappropriate or too personal for a blog. I don't even know if I'll ever publish this; but if I don't just get all these words out of me I might just explode.

We found out that we were pregnant on January 31, 2009. Both sets of our parents were visiting us - helping us clean our house and get it ready to put on the market. We didn't tell anyone. That day was unreal for me. Even though I was doing work - I was floating. I saw that plus sign as so many promises being fulfilled.

We waited another week and took another test. It too came out with a little plus sign and was just too wonderful to believe. We decided that day to call the grandparents and the new aunts and uncles to let them know. We would still wait a little longer to share with extended family and friends.

At 8 weeks we shared the news with our church family and our extended family. Everyone was so excited for us and we were so excited too. We had tried for a year for this baby and had been using fertility drugs for two months. This was a baby that God had promised me since I found out that I would have trouble conceiving when I was only 15. I was going to be a momma...and God was so good.

At 10 weeks we had just finished a trip to my husband's family to celebrate the marriage of his cousin. It was so wonderful. We shared the news with my husband's 93 year-old grandfather and the rest of the family. We talked about the future and our little baby. Hubby's mom even bought me a few little maternity items as I was starting to show just a little. We spent the whole drive home discussing names.

We came back home on a Monday. I started bleeding on a Tuesday and was fully miscarrying by Wednesday afternoon. It was the worse pain ever - the cramps were unbearable - almost as unbearable as knowing that I couldn't control what my body was doing to my cherished little one.

I took those moments to talk to the baby. To tell it how much Daddy and I wanted it. How sad we were that we would never meet him. I prayed for our little one and explained to the baby that God would take such better care of him than we ever could. I cried. I wept. I told the baby that any pain would end soon. It might be considered a futile act, but I needed it.

I bled through towels, sheets, clothing, our couch. Finally, I gave up and just sat naked in our bathtub. It was at this time that I passed what was recognizably our baby. It was heart-breaking, mesmerizing, and precious that God would give us the opportunity to look upon our little one just once.

I was in "active" miscarriage mode until about 4am. I just sat there for hours pushing...cleaning out my body - knowing that this was more natural and less emotionally scarring than a D&C. Hubby laid in our bed and listened to me just groan and moan. He checked on me often. He prayed and cried. I came to bed a little after 4am. I fell face down and just laid there numb to it all.

I woke up this next day - kept bleeding - kept crying. I read my bible and prayed. Hubby went and bought doughnuts and chocolate milk. We made coffee and just sat. Neither of us knowing what to say that would be of comfort. Both of us, taking our little moments to just weep. Not knowing how we were going to tell people - and immediately regretting telling them in the first place.

It's been a 2 weeks today...God is still so good.

God bless my Little Poppyseed. God bless my womb. God bless the babies to come.

Our Baby

2009-03-12T09:35:00.004-04:00

Dear Friends & Family,

Just as it was our joy to share with you the news of our pregnancy, it is equally our sorrow (if not more so) to share with you that Lydia suffered a miscarriage during the last few days.

Monday, after a day of errands and light yard work, Lydia started to bleed. We went in for an ultrasound on Wednesday (10 weeks to the day) to check up on the baby. It seems that our little "poppyseed" failed to progress after the 5th week and that this pregnancy was not even viable when we shared the news with most of you. We returned home that morning and waited for the inevitable.

We share this news now, so that we can avoid most conversations about the situation while it is still so fresh in our minds. We know God is good and we know He works all things for the good of those who love him, but it is still such a complete and full sorrow that at times it can and will be overwhelming.

We have not lost hope. We rejoice in God giving us the gift of conceiving and even still for allowing us the comfort of knowing that He now holds our baby.

Please, continue to pray for us during this time.

We love each and every one of you.

L & M

"The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, Blessed be the name of the Lord."

Strange Things Revealed

2009-02-23T08:10:00.003-05:00

Thanks to all of you faithful readers for making the contest so much fun. Hubby and I has a great time coming up with clues and images. And...as most of you have figured out at this point

We are having a baby!

Congratulations to our friend, Anthony, who made that guess just hours after Clue #1 was posted and officially wins bragging rights for being a blog contest "ninja". A more detailed post about the pregnancy news will follow tomorrow, but for today I wanted to explain each clue and how it pertains to our news.

Clue #1 Recap:
A cartoon picture of an alien (a mighty cute one).

Clue # 1 Revealed:
My husband thinks that all babies look like aliens & he's pretty vocal about it. I on the other hand think all babies are mighty cute.

Clue #2 Recap:
A photo of a sea monkey (or what you actually receive in the mail when you order sea monkey...I think it's some sort of shrimp).

Clue #2 Revealed:
Right now the baby still looks a bit like a sea monkey...

Clue # 3 Recap:
An Eggo waffle.

Clue #3 Revealed:
Juno quote Your eggo is preggo.

Clue #4 Recap:
A picture of an etcha-sketch and a magna-doodle.

Clue #4 Revealed:
Juno quote That ain't no etcha-sketch, sweetheart, this is one doodle that can't be undid.

Sorry, to all the folks who thought the sex of the baby was being revealed or that we were hinting at twins. I am (a) not that clever and it's (B) a wee bit early for that.

Clue #5 Recap:
An oven with a bun in it.

Clue #5 Revealed:
Well, it's a bun in the oven and I have a "bun" in my "oven."

Thanks for playing and for sharing in our excitement.

Strange Things Contest: Day 5/5

2009-02-22T08:30:00.003-05:00

We've decided that since it is Sunday, we are going to give you guys a "two-fer." That's a "two for one deal" in "us" speak. So, You will find both the clues for days 4 and 5 below. Enjoy.

Clue #5

Strange Things Contest: Day 4/5

2009-02-22T08:30:00.000-05:00

Clue #4

Strange Things Contest: Day 3/5

2009-02-21T08:30:00.000-05:00

Clue #3

Strange Things Contest: Day 2/5

2009-02-20T08:30:00.000-05:00

Clue #2

Strange Things Contest: Day 1/5

2009-02-19T08:30:00.000-05:00

Some strange things are going on in our casa as of late (that's "house" for all you Anglos). Instead of freaking out about these new on-goings, we thought we would make a contest out of it.

The contest will be held over a period of 5 days. Each day, a new clue will be posted in the form of a picture. Using the clues (all 5 are relevant), you must post your conjectures in the comments section. You can guess as many times as you would like and don't be afraid to guess the most outlandish things you can think of.

Keep in mind as you play - we're not a business nor a corporation, so you basically win bragging rights...no moolah. Happy gaming.

Clue #1

"Hot Lips Chicken" Recipe - by popular demand

2009-02-17T17:28:00.004-05:00

Here is the "Hot Lips Chicken" recipe mentioned in the previous post. We loved it. I can't take credit for it, as we found it on AllRecipes.com (one of our fav recipe sites). So, thanks to Patty who posted it there. Changes we made in the recipe are in dark blue.

Ingredients:

1 (13.5 oz.) package nacho-flavor tortilla chips, crushed. We used plain corn tortilla chips.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked & shredded

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 orange bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 tomatoes, chopped. Used 2 tomatoes (but 3 would be so very tasty)

1 (10.75 oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 (10.75 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 (10 oz.) can hot enchilada sauce. Used mild b/c hot could not be found. It's good with mild, but hot if you like the spice.

3/4 cup water

2 cups shredded Mexican-style cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Spread crushed chips in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish to form crust. Layer shredded chicken on top. In a small bowl mix together the yellow bell pepper, red bell pepper, onion and tomatoes and spread the mixture on top of the chicken. We sauteed the onions and peppers before layering on the chicken. Most reviews said that 2 minutes of baking still left the veggies a bit crunchy. In a separate bowl mix together the cram of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, enchilada sauce, and water. Pour this mixture over all and top with cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until cheese is brown and bubbly.

Enjoy!

The adventures of a Happy Homemaker...who happens to work outside the home

2009-02-17T13:04:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was a "Faculty Development Day." In the past, these days were referred to as "Teacher Work Days," but this title has become misleading as for the most of the day (minus an hour for lunch) was spent sitting in meetings that were generally redundant and useless.

I left early yesterday to bring the car home to hubby. I then decided to make him some cookies (his favorite dessert). I took a chance on a recipe being an egg yolk short - it was a wrong move. I made about 3 dozen chocolate chip cookies that ended up tasting like tiny charred bricks. This is by far the worst mishap in my kitchen...EVER. My hubby will definitely get another batch of cookies (non-charred, non-bricks) soon.

While dessert turned out badly, our dinner of "Hot Lips Chicken" was fabulous. It was so easy and tasty and fresh - it will certainly enter the regular dinner rotation at our house.