The Days of a SAHM

2012-02-01T13:32:00.000-06:00

"You keep a lifetime commitment by keeping promises day by day."

2012-01-31T13:28:00.000-06:00

"Service is nothing but love in work clothes."

2012-01-30T13:27:00.000-06:00

"Married couples who claim they have never has an argument in forty years either have poor memories or a very dull life to recall."

2012-01-29T13:26:00.000-06:00

"Making marriage work is like operating a farm. You have to start all over again each morning."

2012-01-28T13:25:00.000-06:00

"The key to a healthy marriage is to keep your eyes wide open before you wed...and half closed thereafter."

2012-01-27T13:24:00.000-06:00

"No man or woman is a failure who has helped hold happily a home together. He who has been victorious in his home can never be completely defeated."

2012-01-26T13:23:00.000-06:00

"The best comforter isn't a down-filled quilt."

2012-01-25T13:22:00.000-06:00

"Love is giving more and never keeping score."

2012-01-24T13:22:00.000-06:00

"It doesn't matter who you marry, for you are sure to find out the next morning that it was someone else."

2012-01-23T13:21:00.000-06:00

"The difficulty with marriage is that we fall in love with a personality, but must live with a character."

2012-01-22T13:21:00.000-06:00

"Forgiveness means giving up your right to punish another."

2012-01-21T13:20:00.000-06:00

"Watch out for temptation-the more you see of it the better it looks."

2012-01-20T13:19:00.000-06:00

"Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave."

2012-01-19T13:18:00.000-06:00

"A good marriage is... A relationship where a healthy perspective overlooks a multitude of "unresolvables"."

2012-01-18T13:18:00.000-06:00

"Being married teaches us at least one very valuable lesson-to think before we speak."

2012-01-17T13:17:00.000-06:00

"Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own."

2012-01-16T13:16:00.000-06:00

"You can send your marriage to an early grave with a series of little digs."

2012-01-15T13:16:00.000-06:00

"Be careful that your marriage doesn't become a duel instead of a duet."

2012-01-14T13:15:00.000-06:00

"There is nothing so loyal as love."

2012-01-13T13:15:00.000-06:00

"What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined for life."

2012-01-12T13:14:00.000-06:00

"Spouses who put their partners first have marriages that last."

2012-01-11T13:13:00.000-06:00

"Two souls with but a single thought, two hearts that beat as one."

2012-01-10T13:12:00.000-06:00

"There's a time when you have to explain to your children why they're born, and it's a marvelous thing if you know the reason."

2012-01-09T13:12:00.000-06:00

"Marriage is a promise that is shared by only two-a vow to love and dream and plan together all life through."

2012-01-08T13:11:00.000-06:00

"Love is what you've been through with somebody."

2012-01-07T13:10:00.000-06:00

"Straighten your problems out before you go to bed. That way you will wake up smiling."

2012-01-06T13:10:00.000-06:00

"Two can live as cheaply as one-if one doesn't eat."

2012-01-05T13:09:00.000-06:00

"A happy marriage is a long conversation which always seems too short."

2012-01-04T13:09:00.000-06:00

"Love gives itself; it is not bought."

2012-01-03T13:08:00.000-06:00

"A joyful marriage is a bit of heaven on earth."

2012-01-02T13:07:00.000-06:00

"Marriage is not for wimps."

2012-01-01T13:06:00.000-06:00

"Matrimony-the high sea for which no compass has yet been invented."

Happy New Years!

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000-06:00

2011-12-31T12:51:00.000-06:00

"Everyone has patience. Successful people learn to use it."

2011-12-30T12:50:00.000-06:00

"Love must be learned, and learned again and again; there is no end to it."

2011-12-29T12:50:00.000-06:00

"Children don't divide a couple's love-they multiply it."

2011-12-28T12:48:00.000-06:00

"Love's lasting comes in erasing the boundary line between "mine" and "yours"."

2011-12-27T12:48:00.000-06:00

"After winning an argument with his wife, the wisest thing a man can do is apologize."

2011-12-26T12:47:00.000-06:00

"Love is a product of habit."

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T15:20:00.000-06:00

2011-12-25T12:44:00.000-06:00

"Lay aside life-harming heaviness and entertain a cheerful disposition."

2011-12-24T12:43:00.000-06:00

"Love doesn't make the world go 'round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile."

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T09:05:00.000-06:00

It is Christmas Eve! Yeah.

We are celebrating Christmas with my side of the family today. :)

Meatloaf, cakes, and presents. Yum!

The babies are so excited to see their Byga and Pa! (Byga - I hope you remember to bring your iPad!)

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

First Dinner

2011-12-23T19:30:00.000-06:00

I made our first dinner on this new lifestyle. One chicken breast (we usually made 2), two heads of broccoli, baked potatoes, and berries. I didn't intend on baked potatoes, however I failed to realize how long it would take to make the rice. As crazy as it sounds, I have only purchased instant rice in the past....yes, I know. Horrible.

Anyway. Jack wasn't a huge fan of dinner, but ate a little bit of everything (this is typical, he rarely eats a lot of dinner....but, has a decent lunch). Ady LOVED the berries, and picked at the other options.

Good news: The babies loved the soy based cheese slices and the soy milk. In fact, they LOVED the soy milk. They drank about 8 oz and asked for more!

My First Shopping Trip

2011-12-23T16:23:00.000-06:00

I forgot to mention, we are starting our resolution early. The only reason, you ask? Because Hubs gets paid the week before New Year's and a week after.....we figured we should start early, rather than late. :)

This afternoon, I did my first "healthy" shopping trip. I was nervous. I was feeling slightly overwhelmed, and nervous about finding the right foods for our family and if my little kiddos would even eat the stuff I was making.

I pushed those nervous feelings aside and rolled into Wal-Mart (we do not have ANY options around here, in fact I had to drive 45 minutes just to get to a Wal-Mart). I started in the beverage section, in search of an organic juice......no luck. Do you have any suggestions?

Then I moved to the dairy section in search of organic yogurt. SCORE! Now, I just have to see if my babies like it. :) Soy milk was also on my list, so I picked one a cartoon (vanilla).

I picked up a organic, gluten free snacks.....and Kashi cereals. Then I grabbed a couple bags of frozen fruits and vegetables before I proceeded to the produce section. I purchased our usual fruits and vegetables (in a larger quantities) and a few new flavors to try.

I didn't really expect to find soy based cheese and vegetable hot dog. I picked these up, and hoped they tasted alright. :)

It was about $50 more to purchase these items compared to my usual grocery shop, however I didn't have any coupons. So, once I know the brands I will be purchasing I can start collecting the coupons to lower our cost.

Wish us luck!

2011-12-23T12:43:00.000-06:00

"Best friends make the best spouses."

Ady Has An Announcement!

2011-12-22T19:00:00.000-06:00

She is going to be a BIG sister! :)

2011-12-22T12:42:00.000-06:00

"Love is friendship set on fire."

The New Us

2011-12-21T19:07:00.000-06:00

About a month ago, Hubs and I decided that we wanted to make it our New Year's Resolution to be healthier. When we made this resolution, we didn't know exactly what that meant (and probably still don't).....but, we are learning.

Since we decided, early, on our resolutions, we agreed to do research to find what is best for us. And we did. I researched the basics: how many calories burned equals a pound, healthy options for our cravings, etc.

But, what we didn't expect to find, or should I say realize is the best choice for us, is a less meat (as in 5%) more vegetable/fruit diet. Plus, add in purchasing organic, when available.

I just want to say, I love meat and I am not a huge vegetable fan. There are a few I particularly like, but for the most part....yuck! I am going to have to learn to get over this, as we are turning our regular diet upside down.

Any advice?

2011-12-21T12:41:00.000-06:00

"In practicing the art of parenthood an ounce of example is worth a ton of preachment."

(I couldn't agree more with this quote!)

2011-12-20T12:41:00.000-06:00

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person."

2011-12-19T12:40:00.000-06:00

"It takes two to make a quarrel."

2011-12-18T12:40:00.000-06:00

"Good listeners make good lovers."

2011-12-17T12:39:00.000-06:00

"No marriage is all sunshine, but two people can share one umbrella if they huddle close."

2011-12-16T12:38:00.000-06:00

"Don't take yourself too seriously, but never fail to take your spouse seriously."

2011-12-15T12:38:00.000-06:00

"Sharing the housework makes it easier to share the love."

2011-12-14T12:37:00.000-06:00

"Marriage is a marathon, not a sprint."

2011-12-13T12:36:00.000-06:00

"If we must disagree, let's disagree without being disagreeable."

2011-12-12T12:36:00.000-06:00

"Nothing is so strong as gentleness. Nothing is so gentle as real strength."

2011-12-11T12:35:00.000-06:00

"We need to be patient with our children in the same way God is patient with us."

2011-12-10T12:35:00.000-06:00

"How to be a happily married couple can never really be taught, only learned."

2011-12-09T12:34:00.000-06:00

"First secure an independent income, then practice virtue."

What A Week!

2011-12-09T11:38:00.000-06:00

Oh my, what a week!It has been so hard to get back to our usual schedule after all the Thanksgiving activities. I found out Monday night my poor computer is done for. The hard drive crashed. I am so upset because of all the pictures I lost. Yes, I know I should back up my pictures...and it is always on my list of things to do, but it never gets done. Thank goodness for this blog/Facebook/twitter. At least I have some pictures, even low quality captures the moment. :)Wednesday, we hosted Hubs monthly team meeting. I hope the guy weren't too disappointed, Hubs told them all, excitedly, that we were having chili....umm, sorry babe I said chicken noodle soup. Lol. Anyway, they all ate it and I thought it was delicious. :)The rest of the week was just blah! Oh wait, I almost forgot. Guess what? My son is now self sufficient. The other morning, after we had already had breakfast, I hopped in the shower. No big deal, they general entertain themselves with toys or PBS, but apparently Jack was sti hungry. Little dude pushed a chair up to the counter, got himself another bowl and the cereal and helped himself. Unfortunately, he didn't think to grab his sissy a bowl. Lol. It was cute, but a sure sign my little baby is getting older. At least he isn't quite big enough to get to the pan of brownies I had hidden in the microwave. :) I have a picture of it, but I can't figure out how to upload pictures whe. I am posting from my phone. On that note, I just want to apologize for any auto corrects, lack of punctuation, etc within this post. It is hard to look over the text to edit. Oh well, y'all will get the gist of it....even if you have to read between the lines. :)I hope you have a wonderful weekend! We will be making a ton of Christmas cookies with Byga! But, right now, I am off to the grocery store. :)

Love it!

2011-12-08T14:47:00.000-06:00

I took this picture yesterday, and I love it! :)

What do you think?

2011-12-08T12:33:00.000-06:00

"The best things to get out of marriage are children."

Jack's Birth Story

2011-12-07T12:02:00.000-06:00

I finally finished it, more than 3 years after his actually birth....but, hey, it is finished! I hope you enjoy. It was fun reading it and remembering the day that changed my life forever.

The day before Jackson's birth, Zach left for Missouri...probably not the best decision. Kimberly (our midwife) thought it would be a while until I was ready to deliver because Jack had not dropped all the way.....well, she thought wrong because that very next morning MY WATER BROKE!

Here is the time-line for all the events surrounding Jacker's birth. :):

7 am - My water breaks. I think it actually broke about an hour before because I woke up at 5:45 am feeling this sharp need to go to the bathroom. I ignored it, because I had just gotten up to pee at 5 am. Seriously, how is it possible to have to go just 45 minutes later (especially when I had nothing to drink in between)? Oh well, I was able to sleep for another 45 minutes! :)

Anyway, I drag my butt out of bed at 7 am and head to the bathroom. I took two steps and I was soaked. My first thought was "did I seriously just pee my pants?". Seriously, it was crazy.

Anyway, I went to the bathroom....cleaned up and then I really started to realize what was going on.

For the last month I have been completely ready for this kid to come out, but when my water actually broke I was like...ummm, maybe we can wait a while.

7:15 am - After freaking out, and then collecting my thoughts, I called Zach to let him know. He and his "hunting buddies" went out to the deer stands around 4 am to hunt, so at least he was awake. When I told him my water broke, he was like "Serious?" As soon as he sort of comprehended the situation he started running toward the house (which would have been a sight to see, because I have NEVER seen him run, lol) to gather his stuff and book it back to Iowa to met his first born son! He seems very flustered, and nervous. But, who wouldn't be?

7:20 am - After calling Zach, I let the after-hours nurses know that I was on my way to the hospital and my water had ruptured. The receptionist (nurse? I don't remember) took a message, and told me that the on-call midwife would be calling me shortly.

7:25 am - Then, I called my Mom because Zach was still hours away, 5 to be exact (and that is in good weather). She said she would be over shortly.

7:30 am - I hop in the shower. Mostly because I had to shave my legs. Lol.

7:45 am - I gather all my stuff for the hospital, and sit back and try to wait patiently for my Mom to get there.

7:50 am - The midwife calls and tells me to go directly to the hospital, and she will meet me there. :)

8:30 am - My mom arrives, she was surprised that I was "so calm". But, I just didn't see the point in panicking because it was happening whether I was freaked out or not.

8:40 am - I gathered all the stuff that I thought that I would need in the hospital and we headed to Genesis East.

9:25 am - After officially checking into the hospital the nurse came in to check how far along I was. In the car I started having contractions. Because of these contractions I was 3 cm 90 %. They also checked to make sure my water was broken (it was!) and transferred me to the labor and delivery room. This was the last room that they had available, the nurse said they had been crazy busy with births since the Wednesday before.

10 am - In the delivery room they started pitocin to strengthen the contractions and help the baby drop. I had contractions about a minute apart and that was getting to be too much. I was checked and in a matter of a few minutes I was at 4 cm and 100 %.

12:30 pm - Zach arrives. Thankfully after a quick shower and a change of clothes. I was so thankful he arrived in time!

1 pm - I asked for an epidural at this point...I needed it. They gave me the epi (did not like the doctor) and I really stopped feeling all the contractions (it was amazing). But, I definitely knew when I needed to push. I felt a TON of pressure, and pushing really did help release some of the tension. I went from 4 cm to 10 cm in less than 2 hours....things started happening REALLY fast with the pitocin.

3 pm - I was so done, I kept asking them to cut him out of me....just do something so that this can be over with. It took over three hours to push the little guy out....and muscles you have never used hurt! Honestly, it did not seem like this long...but, I totally lost all sense of everything put the pain.

6:30 pm - I had to have an episiotomy allow Jack to be born. This did not hurt at the time but I can feel it now.

6:36 pm - Jackson is born! I was so happy he was finally here. The pain was somewhat forgotten, and I just stared at my new little man.

6:40 pm - They stitched me up....a lot of stitches (although she said it was more of one continuous stitch, what?!?!) and checked/cleaned up Jackson.

6:45 pm - He is absolutely beautiful, but I could not get over the fact that this little guy actually came out of me, I was definitely in a daze after delivery.

6:50 pm - Jack was measured and checked out again. He was 7 lbs 6 oz and 20 inches long!

7 pm - During recovery I shook a lot because of all the fluid they gave me through an IV and the balancing (still crazy) of my hormones.

10 pm - We stayed in the delivery room for about three hours to give the epidural a chance to wear off. Then took a shower and we moved to our "permanent" room. In this room we settled down for the night and was rechecked to make sure that everything looked good. Thank goodness everything did.

Jackson Scott is finally here!!!

2011-12-07T11:32:00.000-06:00

"The most impressive example of tolerance is a golden wedding anniversary."

Vivint Christmas!

2011-12-07T11:28:00.001-06:00

This is our Vivint crew! :)

But, before we got this picture.....we had to take all of these. :)

2011-12-06T09:31:00.000-06:00

"A marriage may be made in heaven, but the maintenance must by done on earth."

Welcome!

2011-12-05T13:44:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone from "Kate's Life"! :)

I just have to say, Kate is not going to lay a finger on my ~~butterfinger~~ purse. :)

Happy Monday!

2011-12-05T12:57:00.000-06:00

"To keep your marriage brimming, with love in the loving cup: Whenever you're wrong admit it. Whenever you 're right shut up."

2011-12-04T13:56:00.000-06:00

"The great thing about being married a long time is falling in love with the same person again...and again...and again."

2011-12-03T12:54:00.000-06:00

"Direct your efforts more to preparing youth for the path and less to preparing the path for youth."

Making Time For Yourself

2011-12-02T17:15:00.000-06:00

I was just looking through my "drafts" section on my blog, and found this "beauty". I can't believe I never posted it....at least I don't think I posted it since it was still in my drafts. Anyway, I thought I would share it with you now......

Time for yourself, what's that??? I struggle with this each and every day. I want to spend time with my kids. I love spending time with their smiling, and sometimes screaming, faces. I don't like to leave them.

It took me a while to figure out just what my fear was: Was I afraid that some one/thing would hurt them? No, not really. Our home is very safe, and for the most part (if I ever did leave my children) I would be leaving them with their Dad. P.S. - I have a 15 month old and a 3 month old, in case you were wondering. Was it because they would miss me, and I would miss them? No. I believe that it is important to miss someone, especially children, because you start to learn to become independent. (I am convinced, however, that my children will never leave the house. That would be just too much for my little heart to handle.) Then it dawned on me.....

....I am deathly afraid that if I leave them, even for a short period of time, that is when they will do something big. Like, the first time my son says "Mama!" (yes, my son is 15 months old....and has yet to say "Mama", sigh. At least he is cute, haha)! I know, I know....irrational. But, that is how I feel. I would hate to miss, even one thing, just because I wanted (no, it's truly a need), eh needed, time to myself.

Then I started to think rationally, how likely is it that something will happen while I am "gone"? I am with my children 99% of the time, so they are probably glad to get rid of me that measly one percent. :)

So, I started out slow. At first, I would only leave for two hours, twice a month, to get groceries. Other than that my kids had me 24/7 (Lord help them! I don't know anyone who would want to spend 24 hours a day with me!!!).

Then I realized (after losing it a few too many times!) I needed more than just twice a month. I needed to get away daily, just to recharge my batteries.

So now, I leave my wonderfully cute children for about a half hour each day. I do very simple things:

Ex. #1 - Escape to our bedroom while my wonderful husband watched the kids (which is exactly what he is doing now, isn't he great?!?!). During this time I: read, blog, watch t.v., or just relax.

Ex. #2 - Tanning. Yes people, I know it is bad for you...but, it is so relaxing. I turn on the bed, click into my Pandora app., and turn into a bronze goddess. Haha, okay not really a bronze goddess. That is just wishful thinking.

Ex. #3 - Take a drive. Yes, I will normally run an errand or two (or three or four) while I am out. But, when I am done with those errands, I embrace the open road. Taking forgotten roads winding through corn fields, and admire the sun setting across the orangish sky.

Okay, so you get my point. Just do something that relaxes you.

Believe me ladies, you need this time to yourself. Carve out a little bit, even 15 minutes, a day just to do something you enjoy. You will be a much better wife, mother, friend, daughter, aunt, and any other titles you might associate with yourself.

Let me know what works for you....what relaxes you? How do you carve out time for yourself?

2011-12-02T15:52:00.000-06:00

"Marriage may be inspired by music, soft words, and perfume; but its security is manifest in work, consideration, respect, and well-fried bacon."

They Love Each Other....

2011-12-01T14:51:00.000-06:00

They really do.

Wanna see for yourself?

2011-12-01T13:51:00.000-06:00

"The bonds of matrimony are worthless unless the interest is kept up."

2011-11-30T14:51:00.000-06:00

"My most brilliant achievement was to be able to persuade my wife to marry me."

2011-11-29T18:50:00.000-06:00

"You can create an oasis of love in the midst of a harsh and uncaring world by grinding it out and sticking in there."

2011-11-28T06:49:00.000-06:00

"We should seize every opportunity to give encouragement. Encouragement is oxygen to the soul."

2011-11-27T06:47:00.000-06:00

"Forgiveness is giving love when there is no reason to."

2011-11-26T18:47:00.000-06:00

"Good to forgive; Best, to forget!"

2011-11-25T06:01:00.000-06:00

"You can do everything else right as a parent, but if you don't begin with loving God, you're going to fail."

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T15:23:00.000-06:00

2011-11-24T12:00:00.000-06:00

"There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage."

2011-11-23T14:58:00.000-06:00

"A wise lover values not so much the gift of the lover as the love of the giver."

2011-11-22T17:55:00.000-06:00

"Marriage must exemplify friendship's highest ideal, or else it will be a failure."

2011-11-21T15:54:00.000-06:00

"Ninety percent of the friction of daily life is caused by the wrong tone of voice."

Birthday Party

2011-11-20T16:52:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was the kids birthday party. We had such a great time, and LOVED seeing all our friends and family.

The kids were completely spoiled, and they are spending their Sunday afternoon breaking in all their new toys and books. :)

A great time was had by all. Thank you all for all the wonderful gifts, and your time! We love that you spent your Saturday with us! :)

2011-11-20T13:53:00.000-06:00

"The kind of music people should have in their homes is domestic harmony."

2011-11-19T13:52:00.000-06:00

"You will never "find" time for anything. If you want time you must make it."

2011-11-18T14:52:00.000-06:00

"Love makes a house a home."

2011-11-17T15:51:00.000-06:00

"Children are natural mimics-they act like their parents in spite of every attempt to teach them good manners."

Happy Birthday Ady!

2011-11-16T19:04:00.000-06:00

It is Ady's birthday! She doesn't really know that it is, she thinks this whole week is her birthday! Which, she makes REALLY clear by singing Happy Birthday to herself all.day.long. ADORABLE!

Ady,

You are the best little princess a Mommy could ask for. You are loving, kind, and playful. You adore your big brother, and follow him around constantly.

You love watching the movie Iron Man 2, which I don't get...but, to each their own.

You have your own style, and I love it. Don't ever lose it. Always be an individual, and own it!

I love you Ada May!

Love,
Mommy

And in my usual fashion, here are her pictures from exactly 2 years after she was born! :)

Happy Birthday Madelyn! :)

2011-11-16T15:50:00.000-06:00

"The closer a man and his wife get to Christ, the clearer they see how important it is for them to stay close to each other."

Happy Birthday Jackers!

2011-11-15T18:36:00.000-06:00

I can not even tell you how hard it is to believe that my baby boy is 3 years old! It just doesn't seem possible. (I am pretty sure I say this each and every time I write about one of my babies getting older.....but hey, it is my blog! )

Jack,

You are a wonderful, albeit bossy (which you get from your Mama), little boy. You are especially watchful with your little sister, and love to play with her (Barbies and all!).

Daddy and I couldn't have asked for a better first child. You are perfect in every way, and we wouldn't change a thing.

Just, do my one favor, slow down! Always remember to enjoy each day and don't spend too much time thinking about future...just enjoy the present.

I love you my little man,
Mommy

Here are your on the minute pictures....exactly 3 years after your first photos.

Happy Birthday Jack!

2011-11-15T15:33:00.000-06:00

"What is a home without a Bible? "Tis a home where daily bread for the body is provided, but the soul is never fed."

2011-11-14T14:31:00.000-06:00

"The best way for you and your spouse to guarantee some time without the kids is to do the dinner dishes together."

Now or Later

2011-11-14T14:16:00.000-06:00

It is hard to have 2 birthdays back to back. I never know when to give them their presents.

We purchased them both sleeping bags this year as part of their birthday gifts and these are the gifts I plan on giving them on their birthdays. BUT, how can I give one baby their gift (Jack on the 15th) when the other baby (Ady born on the 16th) has to wait another day. UNFAIR, especially when they are getting essentially the same thing.

So, I gave in……

They got their sleeping bags today. Their other gifts will be opened at their birthday party on Saturday.

They love them!

But am I a bad Mama for letting them have their gifts early? I hope not! :)

2011-11-13T16:30:00.000-06:00

"God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters."