Some new things we are doing....
FINGER PUPPETS!
PLAYING OUTSIDE!
No, not texting! PLAYING IPOD SHAPES & NUMBERS GAMES!!
FLYING...
AND BAKING!!
A mothers love is forever.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Vacation
So we've been thinking lately about what type of vacation we'd like to take this summer. It won't be a big one. Not only do we not have the extra cashflow for a big one, but we're waiting until the girls get older to take them to somewhere like Dis.neyW.orld. But, in the meantime, Michigan offers quite a bit of tourist kind of things and we're throwing ideas around. One place we are considering is M.ichig.an A.dven.ture which is a theme park, owned by the same people as C.ed.ar P.oi.nt. We've never been so aren't sure if it's age appropriate. My sister has been there and said that we'd probably like C.ed.ar.Po.int better. Hmm. for the money difference, not sure. But, it can be a consideration too. The other place I'm thinking might be good for the girls is Se.sa.me P.lace in Pennsylvania. My sister went last year and LOVED it! She said it's loaded with kid things and kid rides and kids, kids, kids! So, that's also a possibility but again, that's a further drive (much further) and more involved with hotels, travel, etc.
So I'm asking for ideas... for kid friendly, simple places to visit or ideas! Please share!!
So I'm asking for ideas... for kid friendly, simple places to visit or ideas! Please share!!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Does it ever go away?
Recently, an old college friend of mine posted on her facebook page that there "must be something in the water, bean #3 is due Sept 15th"... and it hit me. The infertility anger still has not gone completely away.
Will it ever?
I am HAPPY. I am blessed beyond belief with two of the most adorable baby girls ever. I have so much fun with them and laugh so much more each day than I did when I wasn't a mommy. My life is complete. I know that if I don't have any more children, I am happy just the way things are!
But...
I have to admit, that when I read her post, it got me. It angered me in a way that a pregnancy announcement hasn't in quite some time. It was kinda like, "really? your oldest is younger than Holly, you had another in October and you are selfish enough to be knocked up ALREADY"???? And that's when I realized that it may never go away. At least not until I'm out of my fertile years. I don't begrudge her. I laugh about it actually because she was WILD in college. She was not at all the mommy-type (if there is one). Then, she found God, and her husband and she changed. She is not who I knew her to be. I wonder now if I've got a Dugger on my hands? lol... no, see, there I go again, getting those thoughts into my head. They are fed by the deep seeded feelings I have regarding fertility.
Now that the girls are getting easier to handle when I go out, I'm starting to wonder if we'd want more kids. Of coarse I would but the reality is that one of two things would have to happen... 1) I'd have to get pregnant or 2) We'd adopt. Now, both would be fine with me BUT, each one has a reason why I'm not anxious to travel that path. Pregnancy would be a challenge for me (assuming I could get pregnant anyway). My first one was not easy for me. I had gestational diabetes, I swelled up more than I can even explain (lost 44 lbs in 10 days after Hannah was born) and I had a hard time caring for Holly when I was so big. I don't want to start out pregnant at the weight I'm at. It's not healthy. So I'm not ready for that. Besides, I am not anxious for a c-section. And, to adopt, we'd have to pay again. Lots of money. Adoption is pricey. And, I remember when I was in the adoption process, seeing family profiles when they would say "our family of four would only be complete with another baby" and I was angry. My family of two simply wanted ONE child and here you have two and you want a third. I found that selfish of them. So why now wouldn't I find it selfish of me?
It's hard. When you don't ever deal with infertility, you can post on facebook that you are 6 days pregnant. You can yell it on the rooftops and have baby after baby after baby and think nothing of how it may affect others. When you delve into infertility, you enter into a world of pain, guilt, frustration, anger and confusion. I don't think it ever goes away. How can it? Infertility is a life experience that changes you.
Will it ever?
I am HAPPY. I am blessed beyond belief with two of the most adorable baby girls ever. I have so much fun with them and laugh so much more each day than I did when I wasn't a mommy. My life is complete. I know that if I don't have any more children, I am happy just the way things are!
But...
I have to admit, that when I read her post, it got me. It angered me in a way that a pregnancy announcement hasn't in quite some time. It was kinda like, "really? your oldest is younger than Holly, you had another in October and you are selfish enough to be knocked up ALREADY"???? And that's when I realized that it may never go away. At least not until I'm out of my fertile years. I don't begrudge her. I laugh about it actually because she was WILD in college. She was not at all the mommy-type (if there is one). Then, she found God, and her husband and she changed. She is not who I knew her to be. I wonder now if I've got a Dugger on my hands? lol... no, see, there I go again, getting those thoughts into my head. They are fed by the deep seeded feelings I have regarding fertility.
Now that the girls are getting easier to handle when I go out, I'm starting to wonder if we'd want more kids. Of coarse I would but the reality is that one of two things would have to happen... 1) I'd have to get pregnant or 2) We'd adopt. Now, both would be fine with me BUT, each one has a reason why I'm not anxious to travel that path. Pregnancy would be a challenge for me (assuming I could get pregnant anyway). My first one was not easy for me. I had gestational diabetes, I swelled up more than I can even explain (lost 44 lbs in 10 days after Hannah was born) and I had a hard time caring for Holly when I was so big. I don't want to start out pregnant at the weight I'm at. It's not healthy. So I'm not ready for that. Besides, I am not anxious for a c-section. And, to adopt, we'd have to pay again. Lots of money. Adoption is pricey. And, I remember when I was in the adoption process, seeing family profiles when they would say "our family of four would only be complete with another baby" and I was angry. My family of two simply wanted ONE child and here you have two and you want a third. I found that selfish of them. So why now wouldn't I find it selfish of me?
It's hard. When you don't ever deal with infertility, you can post on facebook that you are 6 days pregnant. You can yell it on the rooftops and have baby after baby after baby and think nothing of how it may affect others. When you delve into infertility, you enter into a world of pain, guilt, frustration, anger and confusion. I don't think it ever goes away. How can it? Infertility is a life experience that changes you.
I know it changed me. From the inside, out.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Sew Much Fun!!
I did it!! I found a pattern and decided to try my hand at sewing a shirt for the girls! I went with a fun summer pattern (picnic ants) and went with it! I combined a few different "patterns" because there were things I liked about one but not the other. The shirring (wrinkly part) at the top of the shirt I did on my own, using elastic thread. Yup, it exists! I found it at Jo.A.nn's today and went with it! You use usual thread on top and load the elastic onto your bobbin. I'm not sure but this might be a little big. If it is, I can gift it, or try to size it down. I'll see once Holly wakes up! But, I'm SUPER excited!! There are a million more ideas I have now and my confidence in sewing is sure growing! Yay!!
 |
| A close up of the shirring and buttons. |
 |
| I added a couple watermelon buttons at the bottom because what summer picnic is complete without watermelon!?! |
Sew (pun intended)... what's next?!?!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Super Bowl!
My girls love them some football. It's cute actually. Aaron has a plush Packers football that Holly carrys around and calls it her "football game". With the big game last weekend, of coarse we had to celebrate! We didn't do much because around Michigan, you just don't find many Packer fans but we made some cheese dip and had a fun cookie, and the girls had a BLAST. We're pretty sure it was more of a sugar high from the cookies but well worth the fun! Here are a few pics from our Super Bowl evening!!
Go Packers! This house was happy with the results of the game!!
Friday, February 4, 2011
New Recipe #3, Salsa BBQ Chicken Lettuce Wraps
1 3/4 C Pace Chipotle Chunky Salsa
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
4 large romaine or iceberg lettuce leaves
2 medium carrots, shredded (about 1 cup)
2 stalks celery, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 1 ounce)
1. Marinate the chicken in salsa for one hour. (this is a MUST, and it makes the meal!)
2. Remove from marinade. Grill chicken until thouroughly cooked. Thinly slice the breasts.
3. Place lettuce leaves on work surface. Arrange sliced chicken down the center of the leaf and top with carrots, celery and blue cheese as desired.
** I deviated from this recipe (when haven't I yet!)
Instead of lettuce leaves, I used tortilla softshell wraps.
In lieu of blue cheese, I used shredded chedder taco flavor.
And, instead of carrots & celery, we had lettuce & tomato.
So... basically we had chicken tortilla taco wraps. LOL. But, the good news? We LOVED them! I bought a big thing of Pace so you could pour more on the chicken once you are making your wrap. Yummalicious! And, the girls both loved it too!! Definately will make again... and was VERY easy to prepare!
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
4 large romaine or iceberg lettuce leaves
2 medium carrots, shredded (about 1 cup)
2 stalks celery, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 1 ounce)
1. Marinate the chicken in salsa for one hour. (this is a MUST, and it makes the meal!)
2. Remove from marinade. Grill chicken until thouroughly cooked. Thinly slice the breasts.
3. Place lettuce leaves on work surface. Arrange sliced chicken down the center of the leaf and top with carrots, celery and blue cheese as desired.
** I deviated from this recipe (when haven't I yet!)
Instead of lettuce leaves, I used tortilla softshell wraps.
In lieu of blue cheese, I used shredded chedder taco flavor.
And, instead of carrots & celery, we had lettuce & tomato.
So... basically we had chicken tortilla taco wraps. LOL. But, the good news? We LOVED them! I bought a big thing of Pace so you could pour more on the chicken once you are making your wrap. Yummalicious! And, the girls both loved it too!! Definately will make again... and was VERY easy to prepare!
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