taking time

I was talking with a friend at our Moms and Tots group this past week, and it really got me thinking...what a surprise.  These melancholic tendencies result in a lot of that!  But, I digress...

Angela was telling me about a book her mom is hoping to get for her, a book that stresses the importance (or, shall I say, dire need) for mothers to take time that is truly just for them.  And this isn't "mom time" spent alone at the grocery store or at the bank.  The book is talking about a true mini retreat of sorts - time for a mom to reflect, rejuvenate, and, dare I say it, relax!  And you know how often the book suggests?  Once a month - setting aside several hours, an afternoon, a full day...every 30 days.  A guaranteed 12 times per year that moms should take for the betterment of herself and ultimately for the benefit of her family.  Who's in?  I am!

When I think about putting this into practice, I instantly think about our already-packed family calendar.  How the heck am I going to find time to take a whole afternoon?  It would need to be on a weekend, and family time already comes at a premium around here it seems.  But we make time for these other things that we deem priorities...why shouldn't this hold the same weight?  And in my mind, this differs from simple time for myself.  This would be intentional, purposeful, and a means to an end - the end being self-care that is a gift to my family in the hopes that I would return home with an open heart and open mind regarding the vocation our Lord has chosen for me.  That sounds pretty important - so remind me again why it's not a priority?

"Well, we're busy as it is."  "I already don't get enough time to spend with my husband."  "I won't be able to do much that won't require my credit card."  "My husband works hard all week - I shouldn't be the only one who gets to relax on a weekend."  Oh the list goes on and on.

In the end, God (and my family) desire my well-being.  They desire my efforts at self-care, knowing that the nature of being a mother makes this all too rare.  They need me at my best since my job requires 24 hours per day of on-call time.  And they desire my holiness which, at least on my end, becomes further and further out of reach the more run-down I am.

And you know what?  I desire those things, too.  Looks like time away really should be a priority for more reasons than I thought! 

baby update

At 15 weeks along today, I, thanks be to God, am feeling great.  I finally have my energy back and am not counting down the hours until my next nap opportunity.  In fact, I've been extremely motivated lately to work on projects around our home, cook, bake, and be productive.  We'll see how long this lasts!

We had an ultrasound and appointment today just to monitor the goings-on in the womb, and the midwife was quite happy with what she saw.  Some of the issues present in our last pregnancy do not seem to be an issue at all right now.  I will start receiving weekly progesterone injections in two weeks with the possibility that Drake might be able to administer them at home so that I do not have to go to the OB office every week (that would be some serious spousal love).  The purpose of the progesterone is to strengthen my lining to help prevent premature labor this time around, and I'm really praying now that our insurance will authorize this.  In any case, Drake and I are confident that our Lord will provide for our needs, whether physical, financial, or otherwise.  

In five weeks, we're scheduled for our ultrasound that determines the baby's sex.  And if it's a boy, we're going to need the remaining 20 weeks to agree on a name!

sippy cup rage

Alright.  That's it.  I've had it!  All of our sippy cups leak like crazy...and of course, they all advertise "Leak proof!" or "No more spills!"  Lies, all lies!

We have sippy cups made by Avent, Nuby, and Munchkin, and I can't rely on a single one of them to not get milk/water all over our carpets and everywhere else.

HELP!  I'd really prefer not to by Dr. Brown at $10 a pop, but I'm getting desperate here.  Suggestions?

want to go green? grow your family!

I just finished reading this article from one of my favorite websites, and I would highly recommend it. 



And now I'm even more excited for the arrival of sweet Steed baby #2 :)

some sweet photos

I know I've been slacking in the photos department...so here are a few gems to make up for lost time :)

 

I fall more and more in love with this child every day.  And really, I struggle to put into words the immense love, joy, and beauty that God has placed in my life in the form of this beautiful child. What a ridiculously unbelievable blessing.

family reunion of sorts

Our family took a long road trip this weekend up to the Wausau area of Wisconsin.  My grandmother lives there in an assisted living home, and many of my dad's siblings were flying in for a surprise 90th birthday party for my grandfather.  Since so many family members were going to be in the same area, we blocked out the weekend in our calendar as well to make the 8 hour drive (one way) up there.  It was great, though, because most of this family has never met Thomas since our wedding was the last time everyone was together.  And to top it off, Thomas was a hit!  Despite so much travel time, he did amazingly well and was so happy to see everyone (and just simply be out of the car) when we arrived.  His great-grandmother was completely mesmerized by him, and all the great-uncles really got a kick out of his seemingly constant clapping and waving (sorry, Uncle Bob...he's not quite fist-pumping yet).

I definitely had good intentions about taking more photos of the trip, but sadly that didn't pan out as I had hoped as I was busy with motherly duties the majority of the time.  We sadly didn't get any of Thomas with his great-grandpa, so it looks like another trip is in order sometime!

Our family with Thomas' great-grandmother

Most of the family (minus Great Grandpa Joe, my dad (the photographer) and a couple of my uncles' spouses)

Overall a great trip...just wish we had had longer to spend in the (chilly) state of Wisconsin!

recipes per your request

Since my post last week about homemade toddler snacks, I've had some requests to pass along the recipes for a few of the food items I mentioned.  Here you go, ladies!

Sweet Potato Wedges: (Note: you can use white potatoes for this as well...our family just prefers sweet potato...and I've read it's the healthier option, too!)
Ingredients:
3-4 potatoes
Olive oil/Canola oil
Seasonings of your choice
Cooking spray
Directions (Fair warning: this is extremely informal, and I usually just make it up as I go along!):
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Wash potatoes and cut them into wedges (or any shape you like)
3. Mix the cut-up potatoes in a large bowl with the oil (just enough oil to coat each piece)
4. Add the spices (I've used anything from seasoned salt to paprika to basil...be creative!) and mix
5. Spread the potatoes on a well-sprayed cookie sheet (might need to use 2 sheets)
6. Place in the oven until crispy, flipping every 15 minutes or so

Granola Bars (this is from the More With Less cookbook which I highly recommend!):
Preheat oven to 350
Place 6 cups rolled oats in ungreased 9x13 pan
Bake 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and stir in:
1/2 c. coconut
1/2 c. wheat germ
1/2 c. powdered milk
Add to dry mixture:
2/3-1 c. honey (I know there's some debate about little ones having honey - our pediatrician says its fine, and Thomas has shown no adverse reactions to it...if your child is allergic or you don't want him/her having it, you might need to find another recipe or perhaps a honey substitute would work - maybe Agave Nectar?)
2/3 c. oil (I use olive or canola)
1 t. vanilla
Raisins, dry cranberries, or any dried fruit (measured to your preference)
1 beaten egg
1/3 c. milk

Mix well and press mixture firmly into a well-greased 10x15 pan (I just use a cookie sheet).  Bake at 350 until nicely browned.  Cut immediately into bars.  Remove from pans when cool.  For sweeter bars, increase honey.

Thanks for so many great recipe suggestions!  Hope you enjoy these as well!