I've decided that with all the things in my life going on right now and all of the things about to begin, this blog shall be put on the back burner for the time being.
August is super busy! Nora's swim lessons, Darrenn on second shift (i.e. no help at night), college (going back full time!) starts on the 23rd. Whew! I'm tired just thinking about it. Plus, since you all know I'm baking a little person, my energy level is non-existent and I've got nasty morning sickness all day (but especially the morning when I would blog).
So, it was a fun summer thing to do but now it's back to the ol' routine. Thanks for reading my blogs and I look forward to reading yours, too. :)
God bless!
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Today's Thought of the Day
It is better to worry about the quality of your children, and not the quantity.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Visiting the Wild and New Sewing Projects
Well my last post (which is still to be continued...) had too many people upset, so on to more happy things!
If you live in my town, there's a neat website called Groupon where they dish out daily coupons to attractions around town (actually, to around many towns besides mine!). Recently they had a coupon for half off a year membership to the city's zoo. Darrenn and I decided to jump on it. Today we got to use it in action!
I can't remember the last time I went to that zoo. Oh wait, yes I can: I think it was about 10 or 11 years ago. Haha! I remember it being hot, crowded, and stressful (thanks to my grandma trying to keep track of my brother and I in the huge crowd). I also remember it being fun, but not remembering anything I saw. Well it was super fun today! It's a very open zoo; and by that I mean peacocks roam the grounds, you can walk right up to a giraffe with only a small fence between you, and ravens fly about everywhere (like the one that almost skimmed Nora). They separate the animals by continents: Asia, Africa, and South America. Even though we went on a very humid day (the monsoon weather is indecisive and cannot make up its mind as to whether or not to rain so it's just been downright New England-style humid), there's plenty of shade so it's not too unbearable.
We saw the whole zoo in a little over an hour. I highly recommend going with your little one(s) if you live in town. I think it's really worth your time and money. And if you're a little nervous about how close your little ones can get to the animals, don't worry: they only let the people-friendly ones near people. The more "dangerous" ones are never going to get near you or your loved ones.
Besides that, I bought some blackout fabric from Joann's today to adhere to Nora's roman shade hanging in her nursery. The shade is way too thin (and white) so any glimmer of light can show through which makes nap time non-existent in that room. In desperation, I've pinned together two fleece blankets of hers and hung that up to block out a lot of the sun, but it looks so tacky and falls apart frequently. I love the roman shade, though, so I wanted to just tweak it a little to be a blackout roman shade. After much advice from a couple of sweet grandmas who work at JoAnn's, I bought the fabric and some spray adhesive to bond it to the shade fabric. I ripped out the seems where the dowels go so I could lay the fabric flat on the floor, sprayed it with the adhesive and put the two pieces together. Before I take the time and effort to sew it back together, I want to test it tonight to see how much sun it blocks out. I think it'll work, but I just wanted to make sure. Once I am satisfied with it's job of keeping the sun out, I'll finish that project up in no time.
So, that's all for now. Good night!
If you live in my town, there's a neat website called Groupon where they dish out daily coupons to attractions around town (actually, to around many towns besides mine!). Recently they had a coupon for half off a year membership to the city's zoo. Darrenn and I decided to jump on it. Today we got to use it in action!
I can't remember the last time I went to that zoo. Oh wait, yes I can: I think it was about 10 or 11 years ago. Haha! I remember it being hot, crowded, and stressful (thanks to my grandma trying to keep track of my brother and I in the huge crowd). I also remember it being fun, but not remembering anything I saw. Well it was super fun today! It's a very open zoo; and by that I mean peacocks roam the grounds, you can walk right up to a giraffe with only a small fence between you, and ravens fly about everywhere (like the one that almost skimmed Nora). They separate the animals by continents: Asia, Africa, and South America. Even though we went on a very humid day (the monsoon weather is indecisive and cannot make up its mind as to whether or not to rain so it's just been downright New England-style humid), there's plenty of shade so it's not too unbearable.
We saw the whole zoo in a little over an hour. I highly recommend going with your little one(s) if you live in town. I think it's really worth your time and money. And if you're a little nervous about how close your little ones can get to the animals, don't worry: they only let the people-friendly ones near people. The more "dangerous" ones are never going to get near you or your loved ones.
Besides that, I bought some blackout fabric from Joann's today to adhere to Nora's roman shade hanging in her nursery. The shade is way too thin (and white) so any glimmer of light can show through which makes nap time non-existent in that room. In desperation, I've pinned together two fleece blankets of hers and hung that up to block out a lot of the sun, but it looks so tacky and falls apart frequently. I love the roman shade, though, so I wanted to just tweak it a little to be a blackout roman shade. After much advice from a couple of sweet grandmas who work at JoAnn's, I bought the fabric and some spray adhesive to bond it to the shade fabric. I ripped out the seems where the dowels go so I could lay the fabric flat on the floor, sprayed it with the adhesive and put the two pieces together. Before I take the time and effort to sew it back together, I want to test it tonight to see how much sun it blocks out. I think it'll work, but I just wanted to make sure. Once I am satisfied with it's job of keeping the sun out, I'll finish that project up in no time.
So, that's all for now. Good night!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Uncertainty and Struggles
I do believe my body has rebelled against me. It has sometimes thorn curve balls to me in the past, but nothing like this.
My husband and I practice Natural Family Planning--the Creighton Model to be exact. Being devout Catholics, our Church promotes using NFP as the only moral way to avoid and achieve pregnancy. When we got engaged, we quickly signed up for classes at our local hospital. Never did I imagine this method being not only effective and fairly easy to do, but so eye-opening to my own body. I had a WHOA! This is awesome! moment a few months into it because I felt so in control of my body and cycles. No more guessing, no more well that's weird thinking inside my head. It's a wonderful tool. You can learn more about it here so you can get to know the vocabulary and won't be confused reading this post.
Everything was simple with my cycles. Black and white. By the textbook.
Then I had Nora. No, actually, then I started breastfeeding. Yes, breastfeeding.
It was like I was ovulating every other day! I had no menses, so no beginning and end of cycles and my discharge almost always looked like peak type mucus. I was so confused for about 7 months. At that point we got back together with our NFP coach who told us not to worry, my cycles had not come back and that I would quickly remember what real peak type mucus looks and feels like when it comes around. She was right (she's always right). Two months later, my cycles came back and all was well. That was January of this year.
Come May.
Had a new cycle start up. Thought I had some stress in my life that was messing my cycle up, but I still was pretty sure I ovulated. Then the weirdest thing happened to me. Just out of the blue I started feeling strange. Like, not normal physically. Can't really explain it more than just that. Something was different, I could tell. The next day or so, whenever Nora latched on, it hurt crazy bad to nurse her. Holy frick, it was painful! That triggered a memory in my head at a past La Leche League meeting where a few of the moms were talking about how they knew they were pregnant by the pain they had when nursing. I decided to take a pregnancy test: it came back negative. A few days went by and I started feeling weirder and weirder and nursing still hurt. Took another test: negative. Waited another week, took another one: negative. Another one a little later: negative. I finally decided to go to my OB/GYN to get a blood test for the pregnancy hormone. Negative. Blood doesn't lie, right? At that point, Darrenn and I were really hoping that we were pregnant because then that would've solved everything. But, now I had no idea what was wrong with me.
I began looking up my symptoms and quickly narrowed it down to two conditions: an ovarian cyst or an ectopic pregnancy. Bad and worse. I was so scared. I quickly got on the phone to schedule an appointment with my doctor. The quickest they could get me in was 5 days from then. Everyday up to then I kept hoping that my period would come or my symptoms would disappear or, even, a pregnancy test would come back positive. None of those things happened.
My doctor said there seemed to be nothing wrong with me. She did a pelvic examine and found nothing out of the normal. She decided to have me take another blood test to test for my hormone levels.
Those results didn't get back to me for 6 days. I swear it seemed like 2 weeks. Finally they called me: "Your hormone levels are all normal. There seems to be nothing wrong." Seriously??? "So, could you leave a message for Dr. Sherman, please?" "Sure." "Could you ask her what the heck I should do now?" She chuckles "Absolutely." "Thanks."
Got a call from them yesterday saying they're mailing me paperwork to get a pelvic ultrasound to see if there's anything abnormal. That should be in my mailbox tomorrow. Right from the mailbox, I'll be heading over to get it done.
Meanwhile, this is day 65 of this cycle with no changes. Thankfully, nursing isn't as painful as it once was, but it's still not "normal".
I'll let you know how the ultrasound goes.
Pray for me. Thanks.
My husband and I practice Natural Family Planning--the Creighton Model to be exact. Being devout Catholics, our Church promotes using NFP as the only moral way to avoid and achieve pregnancy. When we got engaged, we quickly signed up for classes at our local hospital. Never did I imagine this method being not only effective and fairly easy to do, but so eye-opening to my own body. I had a WHOA! This is awesome! moment a few months into it because I felt so in control of my body and cycles. No more guessing, no more well that's weird thinking inside my head. It's a wonderful tool. You can learn more about it here so you can get to know the vocabulary and won't be confused reading this post.
Everything was simple with my cycles. Black and white. By the textbook.
Then I had Nora. No, actually, then I started breastfeeding. Yes, breastfeeding.
It was like I was ovulating every other day! I had no menses, so no beginning and end of cycles and my discharge almost always looked like peak type mucus. I was so confused for about 7 months. At that point we got back together with our NFP coach who told us not to worry, my cycles had not come back and that I would quickly remember what real peak type mucus looks and feels like when it comes around. She was right (she's always right). Two months later, my cycles came back and all was well. That was January of this year.
Come May.
Had a new cycle start up. Thought I had some stress in my life that was messing my cycle up, but I still was pretty sure I ovulated. Then the weirdest thing happened to me. Just out of the blue I started feeling strange. Like, not normal physically. Can't really explain it more than just that. Something was different, I could tell. The next day or so, whenever Nora latched on, it hurt crazy bad to nurse her. Holy frick, it was painful! That triggered a memory in my head at a past La Leche League meeting where a few of the moms were talking about how they knew they were pregnant by the pain they had when nursing. I decided to take a pregnancy test: it came back negative. A few days went by and I started feeling weirder and weirder and nursing still hurt. Took another test: negative. Waited another week, took another one: negative. Another one a little later: negative. I finally decided to go to my OB/GYN to get a blood test for the pregnancy hormone. Negative. Blood doesn't lie, right? At that point, Darrenn and I were really hoping that we were pregnant because then that would've solved everything. But, now I had no idea what was wrong with me.
I began looking up my symptoms and quickly narrowed it down to two conditions: an ovarian cyst or an ectopic pregnancy. Bad and worse. I was so scared. I quickly got on the phone to schedule an appointment with my doctor. The quickest they could get me in was 5 days from then. Everyday up to then I kept hoping that my period would come or my symptoms would disappear or, even, a pregnancy test would come back positive. None of those things happened.
My doctor said there seemed to be nothing wrong with me. She did a pelvic examine and found nothing out of the normal. She decided to have me take another blood test to test for my hormone levels.
Those results didn't get back to me for 6 days. I swear it seemed like 2 weeks. Finally they called me: "Your hormone levels are all normal. There seems to be nothing wrong." Seriously??? "So, could you leave a message for Dr. Sherman, please?" "Sure." "Could you ask her what the heck I should do now?" She chuckles "Absolutely." "Thanks."
Got a call from them yesterday saying they're mailing me paperwork to get a pelvic ultrasound to see if there's anything abnormal. That should be in my mailbox tomorrow. Right from the mailbox, I'll be heading over to get it done.
Meanwhile, this is day 65 of this cycle with no changes. Thankfully, nursing isn't as painful as it once was, but it's still not "normal".
I'll let you know how the ultrasound goes.
Pray for me. Thanks.
Monday, July 5, 2010
A Few of My Favorite Things
Do you have a wish list with items that you would love to have (and know would go great with your lifestyle) but are way out of your budget? Well, here's my top 5 things I'd love to have but can only dream about:
And my #1 dream item:
5) Crate & Barrel's Sierra Bed
--This is amazing. It would go perfectly with the decor I'm using to update out bedroom. It's light and fresh, and can go with many different decor option if we decide to change it or move. Plus, I'm an "adult" and therefore deserve "adult" bedroom furniture. Hehe!
--This is amazing. It would go perfectly with the decor I'm using to update out bedroom. It's light and fresh, and can go with many different decor option if we decide to change it or move. Plus, I'm an "adult" and therefore deserve "adult" bedroom furniture. Hehe!
--I have a Moby Wrap right now and I love it, but Nora has gotten too big to fit in the front and you need someone to put her on your back if you want to wear the baby in the back. This carrier seems like a lot less work to fit her in the back position. I love the design and think I could really benefit from it. Though, I still love my Moby, it's best for little babies.
3) Phil & Teds Sport Buggy V2 Stroller with a doubles kit and backseat sunshade so the end result looks like this minus the sunshade.
--Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh, I love this thing! Too bad it cost an arm and a leg because this thing can be a single OR double stroller with only the attachment of an extra seat. No big bulky stroller that you can't take to stores because it takes up the entire aisle! Plus it pushes really smoothly and is very versatile. It's just purty!
2) LG SteamWasher™ and SteamDryer™ Full-Size Washer/Dryer Combo with Allergiene™ Cycle
2) LG SteamWasher™ and SteamDryer™ Full-Size Washer/Dryer Combo with Allergiene™ Cycle
--A washer and dryer that can get rid of pesky allergies from your clothes and linens. For someone like me who's allergic to nearly every airborne allergy, 'nuff said.
And my #1 dream item:
1) Mazda 5
--This may actually be only a dream for just a few months. It's nicknamed "The Mini Mini Van". Smaller in size than a regular mini van but still spacious enough inside to seat 6. Great gas mileage, too. This is our dream car and we're pretty sure we can get it.
So, that's my list. Hey, a mom can dream, right? ;)
So, that's my list. Hey, a mom can dream, right? ;)
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Four Score and Seven Years...
Plus a few hundred more. Happy Independence Day!
I can already smell the hamburgers and hot dogs. I can see the fireworks. I can hear my crazy family talking about something that has gotten my mom worked up. Ha! Another holiday has come.
I always love the PBS special they have in Washington D.C. They do such a good job every year. Last year was fun with the big anniversary of the Muppets. But in all seriousness, that production is always so patriotic and wonderfully American.
It must've been one hell of a day on July 4, 1776. Could you imagine our founding fathers, in a sense, signing their lives away with the Declaration of Independence? It was a total death wish. But they did it anyway, because freedom, to them, was worth so much that they didn't care if they died fighting for it. Incredible.
My younger brother is a counselor up at our city's big Boy Scout summer camp. He's teaching a few Eagle Scout merit badges with one being Citizenship in the Nation. He came back down the mountain where its held yesterday fit to be tied because only two kids this past week knew what the Declaration of Independence was. Yes, two. Benjamin Franklin must be spinning in his grave to know that our children today have next to no knowledge of their nation's history. It's such a sad, sad thing. The worst part is, in my opinion, that if one doesn't know history, one is bound to repeat it. Usually, that never goes well. So, moms in the blogging world, be sure to teach your children history. Because, judging from the kids at Scout camp, the schools are not.
My dad minored in History at the University of Arizona "when dinosaurs still roamed the earth" as he likes to put it. Because my parents home schooled my brother and I, we got to travel...a lot. And wherever we went, there was always a museum, battlefield, fort, or mansion that we had to see. Every trip consisted of at least three history lessons. I used to hate it. I thought if you've seen one battlefield, you've seen them all. But, today I am so thankful that my parents gave us those opportunities to learn so much from wherever we went. I really hope to give the great gift of travel to my children. You can learn so much visiting another place. Way more than staying in a public school for a week.
So, I'll get off my soapbox now. I wish you all a wonderful Independence Day! Don't get too sunburned. Don't overeat. And don't forget the reasons why you live in the land of the free.
I can already smell the hamburgers and hot dogs. I can see the fireworks. I can hear my crazy family talking about something that has gotten my mom worked up. Ha! Another holiday has come.
I always love the PBS special they have in Washington D.C. They do such a good job every year. Last year was fun with the big anniversary of the Muppets. But in all seriousness, that production is always so patriotic and wonderfully American.
It must've been one hell of a day on July 4, 1776. Could you imagine our founding fathers, in a sense, signing their lives away with the Declaration of Independence? It was a total death wish. But they did it anyway, because freedom, to them, was worth so much that they didn't care if they died fighting for it. Incredible.
My younger brother is a counselor up at our city's big Boy Scout summer camp. He's teaching a few Eagle Scout merit badges with one being Citizenship in the Nation. He came back down the mountain where its held yesterday fit to be tied because only two kids this past week knew what the Declaration of Independence was. Yes, two. Benjamin Franklin must be spinning in his grave to know that our children today have next to no knowledge of their nation's history. It's such a sad, sad thing. The worst part is, in my opinion, that if one doesn't know history, one is bound to repeat it. Usually, that never goes well. So, moms in the blogging world, be sure to teach your children history. Because, judging from the kids at Scout camp, the schools are not.
My dad minored in History at the University of Arizona "when dinosaurs still roamed the earth" as he likes to put it. Because my parents home schooled my brother and I, we got to travel...a lot. And wherever we went, there was always a museum, battlefield, fort, or mansion that we had to see. Every trip consisted of at least three history lessons. I used to hate it. I thought if you've seen one battlefield, you've seen them all. But, today I am so thankful that my parents gave us those opportunities to learn so much from wherever we went. I really hope to give the great gift of travel to my children. You can learn so much visiting another place. Way more than staying in a public school for a week.
So, I'll get off my soapbox now. I wish you all a wonderful Independence Day! Don't get too sunburned. Don't overeat. And don't forget the reasons why you live in the land of the free.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Sol-U-Mel
That, ^, my friends, is my new best friend. Sol-U-Mel comes from a company called Melaleuca. Melaleuca is an online store that sells plant-based products for cheaps. The only things they don't sell is paper goods and food (except cereal and health bars). Sol-U-Mel is their coolest product. It's 100% melaleuca oil (a tree oil indigenous to Australia) which is an anti-bacterial, super-duper stain remover, spot lifter, anything-you-can-think-of-it-will-clean cleaner. It's amazing.
Yes, folks, amazing. It's so amazing, it cleaned my granite fireplace after Nora got a hold of a sharpie and scribbled all over it. It can clean crayon markings off walls. It can disinfect a cut on your finger. It gets ink stains out of clothes. It disinfects dirty cloth diapers (or shower curtain liners, or carpets that have been peed on...haha!). Anything. You can even add it to any of your favorite cleaners to enhance their performance!
It comes in two different sizes--16 fl. oz. and 8 fl. oz. I have the 8 fl. oz. which only cost me, as a member of Melaleuca, $10.99, plus an empty spray bottle for $1.49. It is the highest concentration of this tree oil out there on the market, so my little bottle will last me months because one only needs a tiny cap-full here and there. You can mix it with water (hence the spray bottle) to make it an awesome cleaner or just use the straight stuff for those really hard stains.
So, if you want some, as well as to try any of the other amazing products Melaleuca has to offer (like the best dish washing detergent we've ever found--and we've tried because of our really hard water--it's so refreshing to walk by the dish washer while its on and not smell chlorine coming out the vent), check out their website, ask me, or whatever. You can help me get my Melaleuca products free every month if you decide to join. Right now, until July 20th, you can join for $1.07, instead of the usual $39 membership fee. All they ask of you is make a purchase once a month with a minimum of 35 product points (each product is worth so many points). One more awesome detail: they'll give you $20 to spend for 5 consecutive months after the month you join. That's $100 of free product! Oh, and did I mention the rebates and discounts you get from other stores (like Target, Sears, and Borders to name a few) just by being a Melaleuca member?? Yeah, it's pretty nice. Think about it!
Merci!
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