Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Eve

Wow, this time last year I was not yet a mother. This year, I am taking toys out of the package and preparing the presents for my very own little girl. It is making my heart soar.
Tonight at church, tears welled in my eyes for this wonderful and magical night. Not because of the legend of Santa Claus and his eight tiny reindeer, but of the truth of Jesus Christ and what his birth brought to all of us.
My favorite Christmas song is, "Mary Did You Know," and seeing the beauty and wonder of my little baby, a normal baby, I can only imagine what joy and wonder Mary experienced all those centuries ago. Christmas, to me, will always be about Jesus Christ's birth. In this politically correct society that we live in, people are offended by Christmas Carols and the mention of Jesus, but no matter how materialistic it becomes, I will always remember that I am a child of Jesus, and that is why I celebrate this season. I celebrate this season as a time of giving and kindness. I celebrate extra time to spend with my family and friends. I celebrate the chance to proclaim my love for my Savior.
Merry Christmas Eve! May the peace and joy of the season well in your heart!

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Absent from the blog

I swear, I do this post all the time.....
"I'm sorry I haven't written, I am really busy. I don't have time. Blah, Blah, Blah."
Bottom line is that I love to write. I miss it, a lot sometimes. I have missed it terribly lately as I have been helping my students with their research papers. I find all sorts of ways that "I" would write the paper. Of course, I have to remember, I have years and years more experience than they do. It's hard. I need to write a good essay or something. Sick, I know.
As for the frugal part of my life...I miss that, too.
To be honest, I have a hard time even getting to the grocery store, let alone shopping sales and matching coupons like I used to. And, I just lost a very valuable coupon and it frustrated me to no end. Fortunately, I work and make money to make up the difference in the money I am not saving. I am still frugal when time allows me to be, but more often than not, I am just grabbing what I need, whatever the price may be. I love to shop at the bread outlet, but it's pretty far from my house and going there means picking up Ayla late from daycare, a trade-off I am not willing to make. So, I buy bread at the regular grocery store at double the price, because we NEED to eat, right?
I have been able to work on a few projects, including making a diaper box into a storage bin with fancy fabric and a liner (I will try to post that soon. TRY is the key word.) If you can't wait for my post, Google it. It's amazing. And I have tons of diaper boxes in all shapes and sizes.
And, on the home front, we finally refinanced our home...our payment is $60 less a month and we went from a 30-year mortgage to a 20 year. Woo hoo. How about that for saving money?

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Busy Mommy

I miss writing on my blog. But I have to say that every time I am on the computer it's usually managing the millions of photos I have been taking of my little lady and backing them up, since we had a computer scare, nearly losing all of our data and photos on the lap top. And, Life has sort of taken over. In one week, our DVD player, DirectTV, bathroom electrical outlets and laptop all took a crash. It all happened while I juggling phone calls and scannning and sending documents to two mortgage brokers in an attempt to refinance our house.
I have found time to do some frugal things such as can salsa and pickles, make homemade baby food and stock up Ayla's wardrobe by shopping yard sales and consignment sales. I also seemed to amass hundreds of diapers.
I recall writing a blog about being scared to be a mom. There is so much to worry about, so much to do, so much to handle. But, it turns out, God blessed me with a wonderful little baby girl with the happiest and most predictable personality. We have really shared some fun together this summer. We dance, sing and have a great time together. Unfortunately, I have to go back to work in two weeks. I am soaking up every moment of those two weeks and looking forward to next summer already. I know she will love the ladies and kids at day care. I can already tell she is a social butterfly.
Let's hope that I can find time to keep up my frugal, crafty ways and share them on my blog. I love this blog...and I hope to find a schedule to keep on writing, since writing has always brought me joy.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

On working....

In just three days, I will be headed back to work. Fortunately for me and my dear baby girl, it's only for a week before summer vacation, and daddy will be home to watch Ayla. I can already feel the guilt and regret. My favorite time with Ayla is the morning. I love going into her room to see her playing with her hands or feet and cooing softly just waiting for me. ME. She needs me. And, I love morning feeding time. Then we play on the floor, singing songs and reading books. These times I cherish so much. I know her dad will be wonderful with her, but she has to drink from a bottle which oddly bothers me the most. Nursing is a comfort for both of us and a time to bond.
I keep reminding myself that if we want to provide our children with a sprawling yard to play in and a larger house, I need to go back to work. And when August rolls around, Ayla will be older and needing to eat less often...so maybe it won't be so bad. I try to remember the positives of day care such as the socialization and stimulation from other babies her age. If all goes as planned, she will be in the same building I am in which may mean that I can even feed her myself if the schedules works out just so.
All I know is that I would have regrets and doubts with whatever decision I make, so it's probably best to just make one and be content with it. As a Mom, I realize I am going to have to make a lot of tough decisions and this is just the beginning.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Mommyhood


So, life hasn't been so ordinary around my household. I mean, a little bundle of joy as joyous as they are, really throws your ordinary life for a loop-de-loop.
The first weeks of motherhood were so exciting and new. Then reality kicked in and a little depression hit. Then, mommy read an amazing book about sleeping, Ayla found her thumb and started sleeping like a log. Now, Mommy isn't sure what to do with the segments of free time she has during the day, especially now that she is rested and well. I can't throw on the running clothes and leave like I used to. I have to make sure the few clothes that fit are clean. I have to don two sports bras and even then I feel like I am dragging like a two-ton tractor at the Buck. And I have to strap Ayla into a jogging stroller that with her in it weighs at least 25 pounds, if not more. It's really not appealing. I am working through finding my new identity. I get the taste of what it's like to be a stay-at-home mom for approximately 6 months before the new school year starts (with a week in the middle to finish out the current school year.) I have mixed feelings about to stay at home or not and I don't think I'll ever feel secure with any decision I make...more on that later!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Mommy must-haves

After two-plus weeks of Motherhood, I came up with a list of items that have made life a little easier.

1. Burp cloths, and a lot of them! I am sure even the best fed babies spit up. I lay one under Ayla every time I put her down to sleep. It's an extra layer to protect from the continual washing of crib, bassinet and Pack 'n Play sheets.

2. Swaddle blankets. These seem to be the key to getting little Ayla back to sleep after a nighttime feeding.

3. Diaper pail (or two). The Diaper Genie II Elite is a wonderful invention. We have one in the nursery and I am thinking about putting one downstairs near her Pack 'n Play. We were putting diapers in the kitchen trash and the smell just became too much. The Genie keeps odors at bay and is a convenient way to dispose of diapers...and you will go through a lot of diapers.

4. Travel system. The stroller/car seat was a Godsend. I love to go for walks with Ayla and the Graco travel system makes it very easy. We bought an extra base for another vehicle. It's just very versatile and useful.

5. Breast pump. If you are breastfeeding, you need this. It's great to pass over the feeding to someone else with a bottle. Ayla was a champ after 2 weeks taking the bottle from Dad. And, sometimes a bottle is more convenient out in public. The cost of the pump is worth the investment.

6. Pacifiers. I was afraid to give Ayla a pacifier, but it's also a key component to soothe her back to sleep at all times of the day. She seems to know the difference between the paci and when it's time to eat.

7. Amazon Mom membership. This has been invaluable to me. Since I couldn't drive, shopping online became the way to go. By joining Amazon Mom, I was awarded free 2-day shipping on baby items. By using Subscribe and Save for diapers, I have saved a ton, and I don't even have to leave the house.

8. Subscription to various parenting magazines. The parenting magazines are not only filled with helpful articles and reading material to pass the time, they also contain valuable coupons to Amazon.com. Sometimes there are $10 coupons, and sometimes there are 20% off coupons. With a $10 coupon, I got a case of diapers for $3.15.

9. Practical PJs. Skip the cute newborn outfits

10. Pack 'N Play. I set up the Pack 'N Play in the living room. That is where Ayla gets changed, during the day. She also takes naps in it. I set up a little station for her with all of the items I need during the day, so I am not constantly running upstairs to her nursery.

11. A REALLY comfy chair. I obtained the corner of a sectional at Pottery Barn for $75. It takes up a lot of space in the nursery, but it's ideal for nursing in the wee hours of the morning. I can sit in various positions and lay my head back. It makes nighttime feedings very doable.

12. Boppy. It's very helpful in feeding.

13. A night light. The put one of those cheap battery operated push lights on the changing table. It's bright enough to help me change her, but also dim enough that it doesn't wake her up too much.

I am sure there are more must-have items, but 2.5 weeks in, these are the things that stand out to me.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

The little love of my life: Ayla


Why did I wait so long to be a mom? This little princess has brought such joy to my heart. I never could have imagined how much love I could feel for one little 8-pound newborn. She was a little stubborn in making her appearance, but I would do it all over again just to hear that first cry and to learn that she was healthy.
Her daddy has been a wonderful help around the house, and all the food that has already arrived has been a blessing as we are trying to navigate life with a little baby.
Having a baby is a blessing. I am looking forward to so many years of memories with this little lady and our family. Wow, I have a family :-)

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Baby blog

I have a feeling that before I know it, this blog is going to turn into a baby blog. I am a little worried that I have not learned the art of bargain shopping for diapers yet. I know what a good price is on ground hamburger and boneless, skinless chicken breast, but diapers is not something that I have mastered yet. I am also worried that my baby won't breastfeed, and I will have to spend a fortune on formula. I am worried that even after all of the preparation I did stocking the freezers and cupboards, my husband is still going to resort to ordering take out.
I really want to be frugal about this mommy thing. My eventual goal is to stay home, and that is not going to happen if I can't keep the spending under control. I love my job, but I don't ever want it to interfere with my family.
I think the best advice I can give myself is to stay laid back. That is my mantra in life. The more laid back you are, the less worried you are and the more things seem to work out. Fingers are crossed and prayers are being said!

Monday, February 7, 2011

Cook Ahead

I love to cook, but I never seem to have time during the week. In an attempt to stock up the freezer with some casseroles, etc., I spent Saturday morning in the kitchen. It's really therapeutic for me. Messing up a lot of dishes and cleaning out my cupboards to make something edible makes me feel accomplished.
Nate thinks I am nesting. I think I am just being me and loving to cook and create. My hope is to employ this strategy when I am out of baby mode and back into normal Nicki mode. I'll cook on the weekends and the dishes will be ready to pop into the oven at a moment's notice. I froze my meals (Bottom left going clockwise Lasagna, Mexi Shells and Macaroni and Cheese), but they would probably last in the refrigerator for a few days. I completed the recipe up to the point where it says to cook it. I wrote the directions on a little card and taped them to the top of the foil wrapped casseroles and stacked them in the freezer. Hopefully they will taste yummy when it is time to eat them!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I am on an organizing binge, trying to rid my house of everything that hasn't been used in quite some time. That organizing spilled into my kitchen this weekend. I was given an abundance of craisins. The little orbs aren't easy to eat alone. So, when I came across a recipe in a magazine for Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies, I immediately ripped it out. First of all, because I love cranberries and white chocolate chips (the Panera Pink ribbon bagel was my favorite.) Second, because I wanted to rid myself of the craisins. And it must have been meant to be. My food scale measured 6 ounces left in the container, which is exactly what the recipe called for. I also was able to finish off my old-fashioned oats and brown sugar. All I had to buy was white chocolate chips.
I made a few substitutions applesauce instead of butter and whole wheat flour instead of regular bleached flour. But, here is the recipe. Mine came out more like round balls, but by the last batch, I tried to flatten them out, since they were flattening on their own. They don't look as good as I thought they were, but they are still mighty tasty.


Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 ounces of craisins (dried cranberries)
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several small additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.
Drop by rounded teaspoons onto greased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Makes approximately 2.5 dozen.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Trading in challenges

I got the e-mail notice the other day for the YWCA Sprint triathlon. The same triathlon that I have trained 12 weeks for every spring for the last three years. It's a part of me. Last year, I completed it while a few weeks pregnant and beat my time from the previous year. I can't tell you how accomplished I feel after finishing that race. I got butterflies when I opened that e-mail, thinking about the commitment I make each spring to be able to complete six workouts a week all of which are usually anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours each, some that start with the alarm chirping at 5 a.m. And then reality set in. I am not competing in the triathlon this year. It almost brings tears to my eyes, like I am losing a best friend. I am trading my spandex, padded shorts for nursing bras. I am trading running shoes for slippers. I am trading my swim suit for burp cloths. I am trading the challenge of completing a three-event race for the challenge of giving birth to a beautiful little miracle. I have talked a lot to my mom and sister about child labor and delivery. It's a scary process, but they both have all of the confidence in the world in me because they know that when I face a challenge (like the triathlon), it's my mental more than my physical shape that carries me through. I don't like to quit. So, even though a part of me is torn and wants a find a way to do it all (raise a newborn and train for a triathlon,) the less crazy side of me says that my baby is more important than a race any day. And, of course, I am not saying goodbye to an exhausting challenge, just trading it for a new one!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Nate calls it nesting....

I call it doing all of the creative crafty projects I can before baby bottles and dirty diapers replace my crafting scissors and sewing machine. Starting at Christmas break, I had a pretty long list of craft projects I wanted to start and/or finish. Surprisingly, I was able to get nearly all of them finished. The final entry to cross off my list was to make an abundance of cards to carry me through birthdays and other occasions that require a card. So, Saturday night, I set up a long, rectangular table in my living room and went to town. I spread out papers, ribbons, hole punches, stamps, brads and other baubles, and inks and markers. I can honestly say that my inspiration for cards comes from scraps. I like to use every last piece of scrap I have created. The photo represents some of my favorites. Between Saturday and Sunday nights when my living room was turned into a crafting room, I cranked out nearly 30 cards. Nate came home late on Saturday night from work and gave me the concerned husband look. "Are you nesting?" In birthing class they say nesting can be a sign you are soon to go into labor. I guess he is worried that my love of homemade items will set me into pre-term labor. He should fear not. I just really enjoy immersing myself into something creative. The more cards I made, the more ideas I came up with. I have a ton of materials and supplies, so it doesn't cost me any money. I told Nate that I would miss these long hours of immersing myself in a project. Then the sweet man said, "All you have to say is, 'honey, I need some alone time.'" What a man!

Friday, January 14, 2011

Nursery, continued


Here is the view of my cozy corner with the awesome canvas paintings Amy made me for Christmas and the prints I also received. The chair was a steal for $75 at Pottery Barn...one of my first baby purchases. I draped the quilt and the other cover is from my mother-in-law.

Nursery, check!


Well, thanks to my mom, the nursery is pretty much done. We have one more project to hang, but that is Nate's job because it's a big, heavy window and I am not attempting that. The first picture is of the crib with the lovely tree decal from Stampin' Up. It took two, but with my mom's expertise, we easily got the tree up on the wall.
More to come...

Friday, January 7, 2011

Dinner dilemma

I am horrible at planning dinner. It is never a priority for me. I realize that as I build my little family, I am going to have to get better at this. I would have been devastated if I came home from school and asked my mom what was for dinner and she said, "I don't know? What do you want?" That is what I say nearly every day to my husband, Nate. I get frustrated, because he never has an answer. And when I do cook, he never seems really impressed. I call him picky, but maybe that is because I will eat ANYTHING. I hope my daughter gets my appetite.
No matter what, my mom had dinner on the table. I don't really recall eating out a lot. There was always something hot on the table, even if it was later in the evening than I would have liked as a growing teenager.
So, today when I was getting in my car at work (a little later than I like to on a Friday afternoon), my husband called.
"What's for dinner?"
"I don't know," I said.
It's not for lack of food in my house...because I spend a lot on groceries and pride myself on having a stocked pantry.
I start going through the file in my head. What can I make quick? He said he is starving.
In my defense, Nate doesn't eat lunch at a set time every day like I do. When he is on day work, he can be hungry for dinner at 3:30 p.m. when he gets home or at 6:30 p.m., which is way too late for me. So, even if I planned, it might not work out perfectly.
Tonight, I happened to have chicken breasts set out. I called my sister for a chicken and rice recipe she had made when I was visiting for New Year's Eve, but it took an hour to bake and sit, and that was too long for my starving man.
So, I saved it for another day and tried to improvise something quicker that would taste similar.
Here is what I came up with.

Chicken and Rice Skillet
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can cream of chicken soup (plus one can water)
2 cups instant rice. uncooked
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 small can mushrooms
1/3 cup shredded cheese (I used mozzarella)

Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch strips. Cook the chicken in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, until no longer pink inside. Add the chicken soup and can of water. Bring to a boil. Add the rice, onion powder and pepper. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for a few minutes so the rice cooks. Add mushrooms. Stir. Remove from heat and let it sit until the liquid is absorbed, about five minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve with crumbled buttered crackers if desired.

Enjoy!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Another baby blanket

I knew that I wanted to attempt a quilt, which I successfully finished. However, my favorite blankets in our house are the double fleece style with the knots. And, I have been told that babies like tags or little items to play with, so I wanted to make my daughter one of these, too. You can never have too many blankets, or so I have been told. Fleece was $2.99 a yard back before Christmas, plus there was a 20% off coupon for an entire order. What a deal! I couldn't pass that up. So, I picked out two prints and both matched the cream fleece. Then, I found this gorgeous fleece on the remnants rack. It wasn't the fleece that was on sale, but it ended up being about $4 for about a yard and a quarter. It fit my organic, earthy theme of the nursery and even had a little pink for my gal. The blanket took less than an hour and when I was finished cutting, I tied the knots while sitting in the nursery chair. When it was all finished, I curled up and fell asleep with it. Super cozy. Click here for more detailed instructions on how to make these blankets. They are so easy, inexpensive and make great gifts.
I still have a yard of each of the other prints, so I am trying to decide what to do with those. The one is adorable little birds, which matches the nursery! We will see.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Nesting or organizing?

I am on a mad dash to organize and clean my entire house. It all started a few months ago when I had to clean out the spare bedroom (aka my personal dressing room) to make room for our first born. I have been very proud of my dedication to getting rid of junk. I sold a lot at yard sales/flea markets this summer, which proved to be a great way to spend time with my dad and stepsister as well as a good way to rid myself of unwanted goods and make a few bucks. I also unloaded some large furniture items on Craigslist, which has proven to be both profitable and easy. Now it's down to the items I am just not sure where to move and what to do with. I have one day left of Christmas break, and I feel like I am running out of time (which is totally not the case since I still have 8 weeks until the baby is predicted to arrive.) I have been moving organizing units all over the house, filling drawers with baskets and containers to organize items.
One of the major dilemmas was my jewelry. I had it organized nicely on an accordion peg thingy (sorry, that is the best I got) and hanging in my dressing room. Well, that had to go. So, I ended up using a bulletin board with thumb tacks in my closet (still in the nursery..sorry baby, Daddy and I can't share a closet) and a silverware drawer in a plastic organizer in the bathroom closet to organize. With Nate and I getting up at different times, we try not to get ready in the bedroom so we don't wake up the other one. That doesn't leave for much choice in where I keep my stuff. Because everything was in my dressing room, I had to move a lot to the bathroom, which made for a lot of creativity in using the space wisely. It's amazing how beauty products, cleaning products, lotions and body splashes accumulate. I am not done yet...I left a lot laying around because I just got tired and overwhelmed. I still have tomorrow. Thank goodness for resourcefulness, but I still have a long way to go.