Happy Halloween!

Fall is one of my favorite times of year, and this Fall so far has not disappointed with the beautiful foliage and great weather.  Last week was Halloween, and of course we got Aubrey started early with some Halloween traditions.  First up, pumpkin decorating – Joey was the only one in our family that carved a pumpkin this year.  I chose to decorate my pumpkin and Aubrey’s pumpkin with puff paint, thanks to an idea that I found on Pinterest.  I just drew out a little monogram and then added some flair to mine.  For Aubrey’s, we traced her hands and made a spider.  It was so cute!

We also went trick or treating on Halloween night.  We didn’t really go in the neighborhood because many of our neighbors had already seen Aubrey’s costume at a block party a couple of weeks before, and I felt that taking her around again would just be an obviously play for candy by me and Joey.  While I like candy, I will just go and buy my own, thank you.  We did hit my grandmothers, and of course the grandparent’s houses.  Aubrey got some books and toys, and ended up staying up a lot later than we expected her too.  I think she had quite a bit of fun.  Here are a few pictures from the evening.

Recipe Share - Pizza, Pizza!

As I was making dinner tonight, it struck me that I should share the recipe with all of you, as well as a variation that I have found works with even the most picky of our friends.  You can be all fancy and make your own crusts, but I usually buy the Pillsbury thin crust, especially when I have a coupon for it.  For the cooked chicken, we usually grill ours, seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic, or you could go the easiest route and buy a roasted chicken from the grocery store.     Here they are!

BBQ Chicken Pizza:

1 pizza crust

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

2 cups mozzarella cheese

2 pieces of cooked chicken, cut into pieces

1/2 pound of bacon, chopped -  see below for how I cook mine

1/3 cup red onion, sliced thin

Prebake crust for 5 minutes according to package directions or crust recipe.  After baking, brush crust with BBQ sauce.  Top with cheese.  Add chicken, bacon and red onion.  Continue baking according to package or recipe directions.  Mine looked like this:

Pesto Chicken Pizza

1 pizza crust

1/2 jar of pesto sauce

2 cups mozzarella cheese

2 pieces of cooked chicken, cut into pieces

Prebake crust for 5 minutes according to package directions or crust recipe.  After baking, brush crust with pesto sauce.  Top with cheese.  Add chicken.  Continue baking according to package or recipe directions.

Cooking Bacon – I used to fry bacon, which lead to a huge mess and left a smell in the house all day.  I ended up finding this method, and I haven’t fried bacon since!  Just take a cookie sheet and cover with foil, place bacon on foil and place into a cold oven.  Turn oven to 400 and bake 15 minutes or until bacon reaches desired crispiness.

5 Months Old!

Looking back, I realize that I have been rather sparse with my postings.  Between keeping up with the house and dealing with a 5 month old that seemingly never sleeps, I just have not had much time to maintain the blog.  I hope when I get back to work and get into a routine, I will hopefully be able to keep everyone a little more updated on how our little lady is doing, as well as how our family continues to adjust to our new “normal”.  This past weekend, we had Aubrey’s 5 month birthday party.  We had family over for some dinner and of course some cake! 

Uncle Josh brought over 5 daises for Baby Girl. 

She was very excited about the cake she didn’t get to eat.

In regards to development this month, Baby Girl is starting to recognize faces, and will tend to lean in to get Mama and Daddy to hold her if someone else is holding her.  She is very generous now with smiles and laughs, and the dog can always crack her up.  Although she has now rolled in both directions, she really doesn’t do it that much.  I think she just did to see if she could do it, and now she’s good.  She still has trouble at night when Mama and Daddy go out, so we have been usually been staying close to home.

We started her on solids this month, and she has really taken to peas, carrots and apples, as well as oatmeal.  She’s not a fan of sweet potatoes or avocados.  She will eat prunes, but not without making a funny face, so we don’t force those on her often.  We are doing a combination of jar food and homemade purees, which will hopefully save us a little bit of money.

Bathtime is now playtime, and she has really been making efforts to sit up.  She’s really working on being able to sit up by herself.  You would think with all that work to sit up and look around, she would be sleeping more, but she usually just takes small naps during the day.  She went on a bit of a sleep strike this month, and still has her bad nights.  On those nights she usually ends up in bed with us, that way, everyone gets some sleep.

It’s so hard to believe that next month with be six months for my Baby Girl!  Her half birthday and my birthday fall on the same day, so we will definitely be having a big celebration!

My Baby is Four Months Old!

I can’t believe that we have hit the four month mark already!  Aubrey has grown so much and it seems like she’s doing something new every day.  She’s such a happy baby, and I’m so glad she’s mine.  My sister in law was telling me that she sees so many kids that are 15 months apart because babies are so fun around 4 and 5 months, and I can totally see what she’s saying.  Those smiles and giggles are just too cute and so addictive!  With the exception of being hungry or tired, Baby Girl manages to stay smiling and is pretty happy with just playing on her play mat or in her exersaucer.  She also enjoys the occasional game of peek-a-boo.

She has begun rolling from tummy to back and back to tummy.  Luckily for me, she’s pretty lazy, and has only done it a couple of times.  Joey has yet to see her do either since has been out of town for both of these events, so he doesn’t really believe me.

When we went for her check-up this week, we discovered that our Wii is a little off.  She weighs in at 12 pounds 12 ounces, and is 25 inches long.  Still in the 25^th percentile for weight, but she has moved to the 75^th percentile for height.  I just can’t get over how tall and skinny she is!  She once again was a champ during her shots, and I managed to somehow keep it together this time.

In other news, I’M GOING TO BE AN AUNT!  Joey’s sister is due in March and I am so excited that Aubrey is going to have a cousin so close in age; I can just see all the family trips and fun that we are going to have.  In more baby news, my cousin and his wife also welcomed their twin baby girls, and Maggie and Lilly are doing so well.  Our family is just so blessed and I am so grateful that we all live in the same town and can watch the kids grow up together.

One Crafty Mama

Since I have been on maternity leave, I have had more time to work on some craft projects and to look into and complete projects that I would not normally have been able to do or would have even thought about before.  It might be hard to keep up with everything once I head back to work, but I have picked up a couple of skills along the way that I am pretty proud of.

One of the projects has been head bands for my Baby Girl.  I learned how to make them from checking out my friend Jessica’s blog.  They are so easy to do and they will be a great for Christmas presents and also picture time for Aubrey.  Here’s a picture of my first go at elastic head band making and flower clip making:

I also found a cool head band that can be made out of infant girl tights.  It’s super easy and I love the look.  Here’s my little model working it out.

Last but not least, I have forayed into the making and freezing of baby food.  For about $4, I have pureed enough peaches and sweet potatoes tonight to feed baby girl for about a month.  It only took about an hour and a half – start to finish!  I will also try to get some pears and apples, as well as some peas and green beans done while I can take advantage of getting produce while it’s in season.  Since I had no clue how to make anything, I just checked out my fellow mom group member and friend Melissa’s blog.  She has some great tutorials!

I have really loved my time off to get my household organized and to have the time to really enjoy getting into the swing of things in being a new mom.  I really hope I can continue with these projects when I go back to work.  I love being able to make things and to also save money doing it. 

I thought I would end this posting with a picture or two from the photo shoot we did for Aubrey’s 3 month milestone.  My friend Meghan did a wonderful job!  Check out her photography blog.  We are so lucky to have her around to help capture these special moments as we watch Aubrey grow up.

Sizing Up Our Family

Joey and I always knew we wanted a family when we got married, but we never really talked about how many kids we would have.  I am an only child and he is the oldest of three.  When our friends Steve and Sarah got pregnant (they were the first in our group), we finally started having the discussion about how many kids we actually want. 

The answer?  We still have no clue. 

We are for sure set on one more baby, as being an only child, while it has its good points, can be lonely.  Joey seems to think 3 is the magic number, since that’s how he grew up.  We also know that we want our children fairly close together, so that they have the opportunity to play together and be close to each other if they choose to be.  I thought for sure as I thought about babies that I wouldn’t want my kids all that close together because of pregnancy and birth and how much of a toll it takes, but it’s so true that you really end up forgetting about the pain and discomfort once your little one gets here.  Also, since pregnancy and breastfeeding make it to where your body is no longer your own, I prefer to get that all out of the way at once.

Deciding how many kids to have is difficult.  On one side, it’s so great when they are squooshy, cuddly little babies and being a parent really is rewarding, although it is HARD work.  On the other hand, it can really take a toll on your emotions and your finances and it is HARD work.

Who knows what the future holds for us and what God’s plan is?  I have a feeling that we will somehow know when we are going to be finished with expanding our family.  I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us.

Charm Bracelet Story

I read this story in "Bringing Up Girls" by Dr. James Dobson, and I just love it.  I hope to give my girl a bracelet like this one day.

The Charm Bracelet
fiction by Sarah Kistler

Sweet 16 had finally come! I never thought I‘d make it. But I did. And it was amazing. My parents threw the birthday party of the century, and I had more people than I could count. The whole day had been awesome. But as I watched the sun begin to set, I knew the best part was soon to come.

It was late in the evening. Confetti had been swept up, helium balloons had started to sag and gift wrap had been folded neatly and tucked away for my mom's later use. As I sat at my window studying the dusky sky, Dad peeked into my room with a smile.

"Ready to go, Sweetie?" he asked.

Was that a trick question? I wondered as I scrambled to my feet. I'd been waiting for this night for five long years, and it was finally here! I was now officially allowed to date!

The plan was for my parents and me to go to my favorite restaurant on the night of my 16th birthday and officiate the agreement, go over standards and discuss rules and such. And now we were finally on our way.

I sat across from my parents in a quiet corner booth. Having just placed our orders, I figured it was time to get on with it. "So. I can go out with any guy I want to, right?" I squealed, hardly able to contain my excitement.

Mom and Dad chuckled. Dad answered, "Well, we agreed to that, didn't we?"

"Sweet!" I exclaimed, doing a little victory dance in my seat. My parents had held me off for years, but now that the time had come, they would let me date any guy I wanted! Of course they knew I had a good relationship with God and wasn't too short on common sense, either.

"Now wait just a second," Mom interrupted with a smile. "You have to agree to a little something yourself."

I was expecting a lecture of some sort, so I was already prepared. "So what do I have to do now?" I asked, leaning forward on my elbows.

"Just open this," Dad answered, producing a small white box. He gave a mysterious smile.

One Little Rule
I hesitated a moment before untying the curly pink ribbon. I slowly opened the lid and saw a beautiful silver bracelet. But not just any bracelet. It was a charm bracelet. And they weren't just any charms. They were gemstones, small but gorgeous. A dozen dainty charms dangled gently.
"Wow." I didn't know what else to say. I wasn't expecting this at all.

"Now you have to understand this isn't just any bracelet," Mom informed me.

"I know," I said. "It's so beautiful!" I studied it closer. There were six small charms alternating with six tinier ones. The smaller ones were a deep blue. Sapphires, I guessed. And the other six were each different. One appeared to be just a rock, one was pink, a white one, a red one, green . . . and was that a diamond?

"This charm bracelet is symbolic," Dad explained, leaning in closer to study it with me. "It represents you and your purity. This is what will guide you through your dating relationships. Your mother and I can only tell you what's right. We can't make you believe it yourself. Hopefully, this will."

I looked up solemnly. "I'm listening."

"This represents the first time you hold a guy's hand," Mom said, pointing to the gray one. "It's just a piece of polished granite. Seemingly cheap, yes, but it's still a part of your bracelet. This is pink quartz." She gently rubbed the next one between her fingers. "It represents your first kiss."
"This green one is an emerald," Dad continued. "This is your first boyfriend. The pearl is the first time you say ‘I love you' to a man other than me."

I giggled. This was so amazing.

"The ruby stands for your first engagement. And the diamond represents the first time you say ‘I do,' " Mom finished.

After letting it all sink in, I cleared my emotion-clogged throat. "What do the six tiny sapphires stand for?" I asked.

"Those are to remind you how beautiful and valuable you are to us and to God," Dad replied. "Now here's the hitch in all this, the one and only rule you'll ever have to follow when it comes to dating."

Only one rule. Sounded good. But little did I know . . .

"Whenever you give one these actions of love-a kiss, an ‘I love you,' a hand to hold-you also have to give the recipient the gem to match."

I must've misunderstood. "I have to give him the gem?"

"You have to give it to him," Mom restated.

I was silent for a moment. I thought they must be joking. But they weren't even thinking of cracking a smile.

"But Daddy!" I suddenly shrieked. "These are insanely expensive! I can't just give them away!"
He gave a soft, loving chuckle. "Did you hear what you just said?"

I thought about it.

"Baby, your purity, your heart, they're far more valuable than a few little rocks. If you can't find it in your heart to give away your little charms, I don't think you should be giving away the things they represent."

I could feel my insides melting, ready to gush out my tear ducts. On the one hand, it made me feel valuable and precious. But on the other, it made me furious. It made no sense. But it would.


Priceless Gems
A few weeks after that night, I was hanging out with my friends at the beach. Chad wouldn't swim because I wouldn't swim. I was more interested in reading than getting caked with sand, and he was more interested in sitting with me than swimming with his buddies. He was sweet. He was cute. And he tried to hold my hand.

I was thrilled for a nanosecond when a certain piece of ugly granite flashed through my mind and made me move out of his reach. I was severely annoyed-annoyed at my parents, annoyed at my bracelet-turned-handcuffs, but most of all, annoyed at myself. I was letting a little rock dominate my romantic life.

I furiously glared at it during the whole embarrassing walk to the bathhouse. But then God hit me upside the head with a shocking epiphany. I couldn't give up my little chunk of granite. It was a part of my bracelet, which in a sense made it a part of me. I wouldn't be whole without it. It wasn't a priceless gem, yet it was still valuable. It made sense after that.

Kevin came along eventually. We had fun. We hung out a lot. I thought I might love him. I thought I might tell him so. I thought of my pearl. It turned out that I didn't love him as much as I thought I did.

So my parents had been right. They couldn't make me believe the things they wanted me to believe. So they let God and my bracelet do the work instead. Among the four of them, I figured out how valuable I was. How valuable my purity was. How not valuable guys were who just wasted my time and emotions. If they weren't in it for the whole bracelet, why should they get one part of it?

Nate. He thought my bracelet was awesome. So he never tried to hold my hand. He never tried to kiss me. But he asked me to marry him.

I never knew that so many years of torture could amount to so much happiness. I'd thought it was silly. I'd thought it was overrated. But now, I‘ve never been more glad of anything in my life. As I gave my husband the charm bracelet in its entirety, I wondered why I had found it so hard to hang on to those little rocks when it was so amazing to give them all to the man I truly loved.

But it didn't end there.

Now our daughter wears it.