Of the year.
The weather is cooling off, the trees are losing their greenness (is that even a word?). I love fall. Pork chops with apples anyone??
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Finally Painted the Bathroom!
When we moved into our house the first thing I wanted to paint was our bathroom. I have no before picture for you because I really didn't care for the color at all. It was sort of a dark stormy blue, and since the bathroom is a bit small, the dark color made the room seem tiny. I had planned to paint it first once we moved in, but the nursery took precedence; we didn't want BabyGirl sleeping in a smelly, fumed-up room. Soon after painting the nursery I grew uncomfortably pregnant. Anyone who's been pregnant knows this tell-tale stage. It's when you can't sit, can't sleep, can't walk. You just don't want to exist. So no painting then.
Finally, after a few months of caring for a newborn, not sleeping, and still hating my bathroom, I found a weekend. One shining, open weekend. Then I got into a car accident. Well, that shattered my hopes and dreams of a lighter colored bathroom. So finally, three weeks after my car accident, Beardface and I spent yesterday turning our bathroom "bamboo". It's a very pale green that, I think, matches our tiles better than the blue did. I'll post a picture of it soon, but for now I'm going to enjoy my bathroom. It's bath time!
Finally, after a few months of caring for a newborn, not sleeping, and still hating my bathroom, I found a weekend. One shining, open weekend. Then I got into a car accident. Well, that shattered my hopes and dreams of a lighter colored bathroom. So finally, three weeks after my car accident, Beardface and I spent yesterday turning our bathroom "bamboo". It's a very pale green that, I think, matches our tiles better than the blue did. I'll post a picture of it soon, but for now I'm going to enjoy my bathroom. It's bath time!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Tea and Prayers
Fall is heading here quickly, and the cooler weather does all sorts of things to my psyche. While I love all things fall (the sights, the smells, the tastes) cooler weather and shorter daylight hours tends to put me in a sour mood. I experience what a lot of people have come to call seasonal depression. I wouldn't typically call what I experience "depression" per say, but it definitely is a distinct change in my mood. It hasn't been nearly as bad this year as it has been is years past, and I think a lot of it has to do with my family situation. I'm happily married and have a wonderful daughter; I have a lot to live for and people counting on me.
That being said, I'm sitting in my living room enjoying one of my favorite cool weather treats, a cup of milky tea, praying about a recent development in our household. Currently, I work full-time and Beardface plays Mr. Mom. I pump milk at work for my husband to give the baby during the day while I'm not home, and I love that I'm still able to give her this advantage even though I'm gone most of the day. Logically, though, it would be simpler if I were to stay home with our daughter, and Beardface and I have been praying for this kind of opportunity.
Recently, one has come up. Beardface has applied for a position in his field at a local college, and if he gets this position, he will be making more than enough for me to be able to stay home. We know a few people that work in the particular department that Beardface has applied to, so we think he probably has a good shot. (Most people who get hired at this particular school get hired for who they know as opposed to an outstanding resume. Scary, but so true in some places these days.) BF is highly capable of this job, and it sounds like he'll love it. I, on the other hand, would love to not have to get up before 5am to be at work everyday. I'd rather be playing with my little girl.
So all I'm asking for tonight are some prayers.
Lord, if it's your will, please let my husband get a job that will begin his career. He is incredibly smart and talented, and I can only hope that others see this in him, as well. Lord, I also ask that you give me the opportunity to be the hands-on, full-time mother that I wish I could be.
That being said, I'm sitting in my living room enjoying one of my favorite cool weather treats, a cup of milky tea, praying about a recent development in our household. Currently, I work full-time and Beardface plays Mr. Mom. I pump milk at work for my husband to give the baby during the day while I'm not home, and I love that I'm still able to give her this advantage even though I'm gone most of the day. Logically, though, it would be simpler if I were to stay home with our daughter, and Beardface and I have been praying for this kind of opportunity.
Recently, one has come up. Beardface has applied for a position in his field at a local college, and if he gets this position, he will be making more than enough for me to be able to stay home. We know a few people that work in the particular department that Beardface has applied to, so we think he probably has a good shot. (Most people who get hired at this particular school get hired for who they know as opposed to an outstanding resume. Scary, but so true in some places these days.) BF is highly capable of this job, and it sounds like he'll love it. I, on the other hand, would love to not have to get up before 5am to be at work everyday. I'd rather be playing with my little girl.
So all I'm asking for tonight are some prayers.
Lord, if it's your will, please let my husband get a job that will begin his career. He is incredibly smart and talented, and I can only hope that others see this in him, as well. Lord, I also ask that you give me the opportunity to be the hands-on, full-time mother that I wish I could be.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Keeping It Real
A long, long time ago, before BabyGirl was just a twinkle in her daddy's eye (well, ok, she may have been a twinkle but that twinkle wasn't coming to fruition for a while) Beardface and I talked about not letting anyone else raise our children. Both he and I were raised in homes where, for the most part, at least one parent was home all the time. For his family, this meant his mom didn't work full-time outside of the home for most of his childhood; for my family, it meant my father worked days and my mother worked nights. Somehow, we wanted to keep this tradition alive; we hoped to have one of us home with our children during the day.
This, I've learned is much easier said than done. Currently we have our schedules worked out so that Beardface plays Mr. Mom (Michael Keaton reference!) during the day, then goes to class or work, depending on the day, in the evenings. We have one night to go to our small group meetings together, and then we have the weekends together. Talking about beforehand didn't sound so terrible. I honestly thought we could make this work. What I hadn't realized is that it takes work to make a marriage work, from both parties involved.
This week we've got Beardface's grandparents visiting from Wisconsin, which is a huge blessing. They are a wonderful couple, very easy going, and a wealth of great information. I really love having them stay. Having them here does mean that we are spending a great deal more time with Beardface's parents and other family that is in town. Don't get me wrong, I love them, too, but it's been a few weeks since I've really had Beardface all to myself. And dang it, I'm his wife. Don't I get him all to myself sometimes? Or at least just all to BabyGirl and I?
I'm realizing that during this week if we want to spend time together, we've got to plan it. We have to make sure we're home at a decent time and ask to jump away for a bit. We have to do this, of course, without offending anyone. I don't think that would be a problem, since his family doesn't seem easily offended. But still, the possibility is there, and that makes me nervous.
I know it seems petty, but I don't want to get to a point in our marriage where we don't know each other. I want to keep the closeness we have now.
This, I've learned is much easier said than done. Currently we have our schedules worked out so that Beardface plays Mr. Mom (Michael Keaton reference!) during the day, then goes to class or work, depending on the day, in the evenings. We have one night to go to our small group meetings together, and then we have the weekends together. Talking about beforehand didn't sound so terrible. I honestly thought we could make this work. What I hadn't realized is that it takes work to make a marriage work, from both parties involved.
This week we've got Beardface's grandparents visiting from Wisconsin, which is a huge blessing. They are a wonderful couple, very easy going, and a wealth of great information. I really love having them stay. Having them here does mean that we are spending a great deal more time with Beardface's parents and other family that is in town. Don't get me wrong, I love them, too, but it's been a few weeks since I've really had Beardface all to myself. And dang it, I'm his wife. Don't I get him all to myself sometimes? Or at least just all to BabyGirl and I?
I'm realizing that during this week if we want to spend time together, we've got to plan it. We have to make sure we're home at a decent time and ask to jump away for a bit. We have to do this, of course, without offending anyone. I don't think that would be a problem, since his family doesn't seem easily offended. But still, the possibility is there, and that makes me nervous.
I know it seems petty, but I don't want to get to a point in our marriage where we don't know each other. I want to keep the closeness we have now.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Trying to Lose That Baby Weight
So BabyGirl was officially 10 weeks old last night, and I feel like it's time that I really put an effort into getting some of this "baby weight" off. I did initially lose a large chunk of weight after delivery: the baby, the fluids, the placenta, and all of that, and breastfeeding has helped my body come back down to a normal-ish weight. I'm still about ten or fifteen pounds heavier than I'd like to be. Plus, being pregnant makes you lose most of the muscle tone in your abs, so I've got to de-flub my belly.
Beardface has already agreed to train to run a 5K with me on October 29, so I've got some great motivation to exercise. I was impressed that my husband allowed me to force him into this in the first place; the man hates to run. I mean really despises it. But since I had told him (while still pregnant) that I'd need motivation and some moral support in losing the baby weight, he said he'd train with me for a race.
(When I say train with me, I don't mean we actually run together. We are using the same training schedule (couch to 5k) and running at different times of the day. BabyGirl is still too young to put into a jogging stroller so someone has to be home with her at all times.)
I'm doing my own version of Weight Watchers, as well. I had long ago figured out the points formula; my mother has used Weight Watchers a few times now. I don't go to meetings, and I weight myself once a week in my own bathroom instead of in front of a group of strangers. I would be horrified if a group of strangers knew how much I weigh!
I've been at this for about 4 weeks now, and I've seen 4 pounds of weight loss so far. (Saturday is my weighing day.) I'm starting to get that feeling that I'm in a rut, though. So any encouragement would be welcome. Anyone else out there trying to lose those last few pounds from pregnancy? Let's join forces!
Beardface has already agreed to train to run a 5K with me on October 29, so I've got some great motivation to exercise. I was impressed that my husband allowed me to force him into this in the first place; the man hates to run. I mean really despises it. But since I had told him (while still pregnant) that I'd need motivation and some moral support in losing the baby weight, he said he'd train with me for a race.
(When I say train with me, I don't mean we actually run together. We are using the same training schedule (couch to 5k) and running at different times of the day. BabyGirl is still too young to put into a jogging stroller so someone has to be home with her at all times.)
I'm doing my own version of Weight Watchers, as well. I had long ago figured out the points formula; my mother has used Weight Watchers a few times now. I don't go to meetings, and I weight myself once a week in my own bathroom instead of in front of a group of strangers. I would be horrified if a group of strangers knew how much I weigh!
I've been at this for about 4 weeks now, and I've seen 4 pounds of weight loss so far. (Saturday is my weighing day.) I'm starting to get that feeling that I'm in a rut, though. So any encouragement would be welcome. Anyone else out there trying to lose those last few pounds from pregnancy? Let's join forces!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Homeschool Debate
BabyGirl is still a wee one, and school is not for a few years. Still, I can't help but think about how and what I'd like her to learn.
I, myself, am a product of 12 years of public school and four years of a private college. I loved school as a girl, but I was constantly bored. I could read before kindergarten, but our school district didn't teach reading until the first grade! I was put in an advanced program in elementary school and remained in advanced classes throughout my public school years. I made lots of friends; some were in my classes (the nerds), some were in the band (the geeks), and some were just fellow wallflowers in our P.E. ultimate frisbee games. I know having gone to public school has made me the person I am today.
Beardface, on the other hand, was home-schooled for a fundamental portion of his education (1st through 6th grades). He had the ability to take as much or as little time as necessary with material. He had one-on-one attention from his mom (which he shared with his sister). He made friends with kids in his neighborhood and his church. I know having been home-schooled has made him the person he is today.
I don't want to insinuate that either one of us was raised better than the other or that either one is a better person due to our education.
So this is up for debate in our house. I have my doubts that public school is not what it was when I was going to school. I grew up in a state that was in the top ten in public education in the country, but the state we are currently in is lucky if it makes the top 25. I love the ability to tailor education to each child and to be creative with what I teach. I am worried, though, about the social aspects of home-schooling. I don't want to raise socially inept children. We are very active in our church, and I know there will be plenty of other kids for our children to play with. I just worry it may not be enough.
Beardface and I agreed that one of us would always stay home with our kids because we don't want anyone else to raise our children. I've heard that kids change so much once they start school because of all the external influences (teachers, other kids, etc.). I don't want to be one of those crazy parents that shelters their kids from the world, but do I want them to be raised by the rest of the world? I'm not sure yet. Like I said; this is still up for debate.
I, myself, am a product of 12 years of public school and four years of a private college. I loved school as a girl, but I was constantly bored. I could read before kindergarten, but our school district didn't teach reading until the first grade! I was put in an advanced program in elementary school and remained in advanced classes throughout my public school years. I made lots of friends; some were in my classes (the nerds), some were in the band (the geeks), and some were just fellow wallflowers in our P.E. ultimate frisbee games. I know having gone to public school has made me the person I am today.
Beardface, on the other hand, was home-schooled for a fundamental portion of his education (1st through 6th grades). He had the ability to take as much or as little time as necessary with material. He had one-on-one attention from his mom (which he shared with his sister). He made friends with kids in his neighborhood and his church. I know having been home-schooled has made him the person he is today.
I don't want to insinuate that either one of us was raised better than the other or that either one is a better person due to our education.
So this is up for debate in our house. I have my doubts that public school is not what it was when I was going to school. I grew up in a state that was in the top ten in public education in the country, but the state we are currently in is lucky if it makes the top 25. I love the ability to tailor education to each child and to be creative with what I teach. I am worried, though, about the social aspects of home-schooling. I don't want to raise socially inept children. We are very active in our church, and I know there will be plenty of other kids for our children to play with. I just worry it may not be enough.
Beardface and I agreed that one of us would always stay home with our kids because we don't want anyone else to raise our children. I've heard that kids change so much once they start school because of all the external influences (teachers, other kids, etc.). I don't want to be one of those crazy parents that shelters their kids from the world, but do I want them to be raised by the rest of the world? I'm not sure yet. Like I said; this is still up for debate.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Another week.
For now every Sunday (or day before I have to return to work) is going to be a bit of a sad post. Labor Day weekend was a nice long weekend, and I'm going to miss my little girl tomorrow.
I've got a long day ahead of me:
Work, then an orthopedist appointment to put a cast on my thumb/wrist, then work til 5:30, then small group. I may just hold BabyGirl all night.
I've got a long day ahead of me:
Work, then an orthopedist appointment to put a cast on my thumb/wrist, then work til 5:30, then small group. I may just hold BabyGirl all night.
Friday, September 2, 2011
So I Guess I Won't Be Cooking My Scheduled Meals This Week
I had my meals planned and my grocery list ready to go. I got up this morning, fed the BabyGirl, and went for a run. I was all set to drop off library books on my way to work, but that wasn't what God had in store for me.
On this wet and foggy morning I slid off the road coming around a curve and collided with a tree head-on. I was driving the car we just bought last weekend, no less. When I realized the whole situation I was hanging sideways in the driver's seat with my seat belt still on. I saw blood dripping from my head onto my purse sitting in the passenger seat (which was now directly below me). I screamed for a few minutes, then called Beardface (still screaming a little). This was, of course, at 5:30 this morning, so I woke him up and made him drive out to meet his wife who, oh by the way, had just totaled our new vehicle. I then called 9-1-1, in a calmer state, and even calmer yet, I called my office to let them know I wouldn't be coming in this morning.
As I sat dangling sideways in the driver's seat of our newest purchase I began to pray. Why today? Why now? Why this car? Why me? God does everything for a reason; I'm sure of it. What His reason for this accident was, I'm not sure. I know I should drive more carefully, and I have learned my lesson. But I feel that there is more to this situation than that. When praying about buying this car, doors kept opening. Both Beardface and I felt like we really were meant to buy this car. So I'm confused about where God is really going with this event.
Anyway, not to defer from my original topic.
After walking out of the back window of the vehicle and plopping myself on the side of a fire truck, an EMT started to check my vital signs and any injuries. I knew my face was pretty swollen, and my thumb felt a bit painful. Honestly, there were no other complaints I had. After finishing paperwork, Beardface took me to the emergency center (to avoid the long wait in the ER). After a few x-rays and being told over and over again how lucky I am to be alive, the doctor informed me I broke my thumb (and maybe my nose; she didn't want to unnecessarily x-ray my face since there is no treatment for a broken nose).
I know I'm lucky to be alive, and I know God has plans for me. But really, how am I supposed to cook with a broken thumb!?
On this wet and foggy morning I slid off the road coming around a curve and collided with a tree head-on. I was driving the car we just bought last weekend, no less. When I realized the whole situation I was hanging sideways in the driver's seat with my seat belt still on. I saw blood dripping from my head onto my purse sitting in the passenger seat (which was now directly below me). I screamed for a few minutes, then called Beardface (still screaming a little). This was, of course, at 5:30 this morning, so I woke him up and made him drive out to meet his wife who, oh by the way, had just totaled our new vehicle. I then called 9-1-1, in a calmer state, and even calmer yet, I called my office to let them know I wouldn't be coming in this morning.
As I sat dangling sideways in the driver's seat of our newest purchase I began to pray. Why today? Why now? Why this car? Why me? God does everything for a reason; I'm sure of it. What His reason for this accident was, I'm not sure. I know I should drive more carefully, and I have learned my lesson. But I feel that there is more to this situation than that. When praying about buying this car, doors kept opening. Both Beardface and I felt like we really were meant to buy this car. So I'm confused about where God is really going with this event.
Anyway, not to defer from my original topic.
After walking out of the back window of the vehicle and plopping myself on the side of a fire truck, an EMT started to check my vital signs and any injuries. I knew my face was pretty swollen, and my thumb felt a bit painful. Honestly, there were no other complaints I had. After finishing paperwork, Beardface took me to the emergency center (to avoid the long wait in the ER). After a few x-rays and being told over and over again how lucky I am to be alive, the doctor informed me I broke my thumb (and maybe my nose; she didn't want to unnecessarily x-ray my face since there is no treatment for a broken nose).
I know I'm lucky to be alive, and I know God has plans for me. But really, how am I supposed to cook with a broken thumb!?
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Menu Planning and Mel Brooks
It has been a very long week so far, and there is only one day left, thankfully. Beardface and I are relaxing and watching Men in Tights (a classic favorite around here). Since becoming pregnant and giving birth I haven't really done much in the way of meal planning, and I sort of miss it. I figured I'd give it a try this week, so here goes:
Friday: Pizza with pepperoni, red peppers, and maybe mushrooms
Saturday: Grilled pork chops, grilled potato and pepper salad, and fruit salad
Sunday: (cook out with friends)
Monday: leftovers
Tuesday: Vegetarian chili with cornbread
Wednesday: Omelets with pepperoni, cheese, veggies, and whatever else we find in the fridge.
Thursday: leftovers
Our breakfasts are always basically the same: we have cereal or eggs and toast or oatmeal. For lunches, I'll usually have salads while Beardface likes sandwiches or leftovers. I'll let you all know how well we stuck to it next week!
Friday: Pizza with pepperoni, red peppers, and maybe mushrooms
Saturday: Grilled pork chops, grilled potato and pepper salad, and fruit salad
Sunday: (cook out with friends)
Monday: leftovers
Tuesday: Vegetarian chili with cornbread
Wednesday: Omelets with pepperoni, cheese, veggies, and whatever else we find in the fridge.
Thursday: leftovers
Our breakfasts are always basically the same: we have cereal or eggs and toast or oatmeal. For lunches, I'll usually have salads while Beardface likes sandwiches or leftovers. I'll let you all know how well we stuck to it next week!
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