Whew! It's a snowy March day here! I just got home for running some errands this morning:
1) Target to get a few groceries to make breakfast snacks for the church meeting at oru house tomorrow morning. (Mini Ham and Cheese quiches, muffins, scones - I just realized I should've got some fruit. Oh, well).
2) Jo-Ann Fabric to get material for the master bath valance - creme-silk fabric - I think it's going to look really good!
and
3) Old Navy to check out their sale racks. Their strapless tops and capris did not look appropriate in their store today!
Grant and I met Matt for a quick lunch at Panera, and now he's at home down for his afternoon nap, I have a cup of tea and sweats on, and I'm going to watch the latest Lipstick Jungle episode online. A good afternoon to be inside!
Just HOW many times...
...is my hair going to be wet today?
This morning I had to run to my doctor's office to try to clear up some insurance issues, so I just jumped in the shower to try to head out quickly. Well, Grant ended up taking a morning nap, so my hair just air-dryed while I was waiting for him to wake.
Then, after the doctor's visit, it started to POUR down rain. Even a little bit of hail!! I was in Meijer when it started, so I had to push a 13-month-old toddler and a cartful of groceries across the parking lot! Grant actually LOVED the whole experience of getting wet and was slapping the cart and laughing. I was SOAKED by the time I got us and the groceries loaded up. Soaked, soaked, soaked!
Then, I decided to run during Grant's afternoon nap (I usually run after he's in bed), so I ran and then got in the shower - more wet hair! I think my hair's been wet today more than it's been dry!
But, I had a good grocery run and a good physical run, so all-in-all, a good day - wet, but good! :)
This morning I had to run to my doctor's office to try to clear up some insurance issues, so I just jumped in the shower to try to head out quickly. Well, Grant ended up taking a morning nap, so my hair just air-dryed while I was waiting for him to wake.
Then, after the doctor's visit, it started to POUR down rain. Even a little bit of hail!! I was in Meijer when it started, so I had to push a 13-month-old toddler and a cartful of groceries across the parking lot! Grant actually LOVED the whole experience of getting wet and was slapping the cart and laughing. I was SOAKED by the time I got us and the groceries loaded up. Soaked, soaked, soaked!
Then, I decided to run during Grant's afternoon nap (I usually run after he's in bed), so I ran and then got in the shower - more wet hair! I think my hair's been wet today more than it's been dry!
But, I had a good grocery run and a good physical run, so all-in-all, a good day - wet, but good! :)
A Video!
Here's a video of Grant doing his Army Crawl that he does everywhere - he's army crawled for so long, I'm almost convinced he's going to go to college doing it! :) And, the word he's saying in the video is "ball" - his current fixation. *anything* round is "ball". Actually, when I got up with him in the middle of the night last night, when I finished feeding him, he looked at me, sleepy-eyed, and said, "ball?" :) Fixated, the kid is, fixated! :)
Quiet Rest Time
So, Grant's pretty much transitioned to only 1 nap/day - but, thankfully, it's usually a pretty long nap (around 11:30 - 2:30). Well, around 9am, the kiddo just gets SO tired - rubbing his eyes, fussing, not wanting to play. About a week ago I thought, hey, let's just put him in his crib and see what happens. And thus, Quiet Rest Time evolved. He's in his crib from about 9-9:30ish, 9:40 - he's quiet for about 20 minutes, then plays happily for 15-20 more minutes. Then, when he gets up, he's a happy little boy ready to play for the rest of the morning!
I don't know if he really can get "rest", but it seems to really help him, as before his rest time he's really cranky, and afterwards, he's really happy! And, it gives me time to jump in the shower!
I don't know if he really can get "rest", but it seems to really help him, as before his rest time he's really cranky, and afterwards, he's really happy! And, it gives me time to jump in the shower!
Sunday Morning...
...and I'm at home and not at church! Grant was feeling better from having croup and a double ear infection and teething last week (poor kiddo was so sick!!), but he woke up THREE times last night, and was up for the day an hour earlier than normal!! I was exhausted, and Grant was tired, and coughing more than he was, so we're at home. Matt's going to teach my 5-7th grade Sunday School class this morning, so he got a crash lesson this morning. He'll be fine, I'm sure. Though, one other time he taught my class and came home and said he was impressed even more that I taught high schoolers so easily and loved it so much! 
Blessed Be Your Name
While running tonight, I listened to the song "Blessed Be Your Name" by Tree63. My heart is always inspired when I hear these lyrics -
Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be your name
Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, Blessed be your name
This song is so special to me because of the circumstances in my life at the time I first heard it. I was at one of my lowest points dealing with infertility - we had just been told we had a ultra-low (think less than 5%) chance of conceiving on our own, and my body had once again failed to respond well to fertility injections. My heart was crying out for hope, crying out for something to cling to from the Lord.
I was driving home from the University of Iowa hospital and this song came on the radio. I almost had to pull over I was so moved by these lyrics. The Holy Spirit really used these lyrics to speak to my spirit - I was reminded that no matter what happens in my life, God is still God, and it's a matter of my heart choosing to praise His name, regardless of my life circumstances. It's really a choice, isn't it? For my heart to choose to say, "blessed be your name" - it doesn't just happen.
Job, the original author of these words, still chose to praise the Lord, even after horrific events. Almost 3 years ago my heart was convicted to do the same - praise the name of the Lord, even on the road marked with suffering.
And tonight, I was once again that it is a *choice* to praise the Lord; praise should not be a by-product of my life circumstances going well. So even if I'm never able to get pregnant - or become easily pregnant - again, my heart will choose to say: "blessed be your name".
Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be your name
Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, Blessed be your name
This song is so special to me because of the circumstances in my life at the time I first heard it. I was at one of my lowest points dealing with infertility - we had just been told we had a ultra-low (think less than 5%) chance of conceiving on our own, and my body had once again failed to respond well to fertility injections. My heart was crying out for hope, crying out for something to cling to from the Lord.
I was driving home from the University of Iowa hospital and this song came on the radio. I almost had to pull over I was so moved by these lyrics. The Holy Spirit really used these lyrics to speak to my spirit - I was reminded that no matter what happens in my life, God is still God, and it's a matter of my heart choosing to praise His name, regardless of my life circumstances. It's really a choice, isn't it? For my heart to choose to say, "blessed be your name" - it doesn't just happen.
Job, the original author of these words, still chose to praise the Lord, even after horrific events. Almost 3 years ago my heart was convicted to do the same - praise the name of the Lord, even on the road marked with suffering.
And tonight, I was once again that it is a *choice* to praise the Lord; praise should not be a by-product of my life circumstances going well. So even if I'm never able to get pregnant - or become easily pregnant - again, my heart will choose to say: "blessed be your name".
Poison Control
Well, we made our first (and hopefully last!) phone call to poison control! Saturday morning I was in the shower, Matt was getting ready, and Grant was playing with some toys in our master bedroom. Matt was watching Grant, and all of a sudden Matt said, "I think he's eating something". He ran over, picked him up and tried to dig out whatever it was. Grant started coughing and gagging and then threw up over Matt and the sink. I hurried out of the shower as Matt was cleaning everything up. We couldn't figure out what he had eaten, but then realized that it was deodorant! Somehow part of my deodorant must've gotten on the floor, and of course a toddler can find it!
So, we immediately read the back of the deodorant can (bottle? tub? what's a deodorant thing called?) and it said to contact poison control if ingested. I called, and they were very helpful and reassuring. She asked Grant's age, what he ate, if he were still choking, if he had thrown up. She immediately said, "he's going to be fine" to reassure me! So, Poison Control said to just give him something to drink, and to keep giving him fluids over the morning. They also had us check behind his teeth to make sure there wasn't more stuck behind them, which I thought was a great idea.
Whew! Grant was then fine - happily playing all morning! Guess Powder Fresh Secret tasted good to him!
So, we immediately read the back of the deodorant can (bottle? tub? what's a deodorant thing called?) and it said to contact poison control if ingested. I called, and they were very helpful and reassuring. She asked Grant's age, what he ate, if he were still choking, if he had thrown up. She immediately said, "he's going to be fine" to reassure me! So, Poison Control said to just give him something to drink, and to keep giving him fluids over the morning. They also had us check behind his teeth to make sure there wasn't more stuck behind them, which I thought was a great idea.
Whew! Grant was then fine - happily playing all morning! Guess Powder Fresh Secret tasted good to him!
Roasted Chicken Caprese
My new favorite recipe - it's just fantastic! How can you go wrong with tomatoes, cheese, and chicken?
Roasted Chicken Caprese:
Ingredients:
Marinade:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Tomatoes:
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
6 medium Roma tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded or cut in 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
For Chicken Marinade:
Place chicken in a 1-gallon zip-lock bag. Prepare lemon vinaigrette marinade by whisking together lemon juice, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in oil to emulsify. Add lemon vinaigrette to chicken, seal the bag and marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
For tomatoes:
Cut each tomato into quarters lengthwise. Place in a medium bowl and toss gently with sugar, one teaspoon salt, and 1/4 cup olive oil.
Spoon tomato mixture into a rimmed cookie sheet so that tomato pieces don't touch.
Roast for 30 minutes.
Spoon tomatoes and all accumulated juices into a small bowl.
Add cheese, basil leaves, and pepper, tossing gently.
Let sit at room temperature while chicken cooks.
For Chicken and final preparation:
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Remove chicken and discard marinade.
Place chicken on same cookie sheet used to roast tomatoes.
Roast for about 30 minutes, turning once half-way through, or until fully cooked through.
To serve, place 1 chicken breast half on each heated dinner plate. Spoon 1/4 of tomato mixture over top.
It's so fantastic! I think the next time I make it, I'll dice the tomatoes, and instead of mixing the cheese in with the tomatoes, I'll sprinkle it on top of the chicken. very healthy and diet-friendly, too!
Roasted Chicken Caprese:
Ingredients:
Marinade:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Tomatoes:
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
6 medium Roma tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded or cut in 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
For Chicken Marinade:
Place chicken in a 1-gallon zip-lock bag. Prepare lemon vinaigrette marinade by whisking together lemon juice, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in oil to emulsify. Add lemon vinaigrette to chicken, seal the bag and marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
For tomatoes:
Cut each tomato into quarters lengthwise. Place in a medium bowl and toss gently with sugar, one teaspoon salt, and 1/4 cup olive oil.
Spoon tomato mixture into a rimmed cookie sheet so that tomato pieces don't touch.
Roast for 30 minutes.
Spoon tomatoes and all accumulated juices into a small bowl.
Add cheese, basil leaves, and pepper, tossing gently.
Let sit at room temperature while chicken cooks.
For Chicken and final preparation:
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Remove chicken and discard marinade.
Place chicken on same cookie sheet used to roast tomatoes.
Roast for about 30 minutes, turning once half-way through, or until fully cooked through.
To serve, place 1 chicken breast half on each heated dinner plate. Spoon 1/4 of tomato mixture over top.
It's so fantastic! I think the next time I make it, I'll dice the tomatoes, and instead of mixing the cheese in with the tomatoes, I'll sprinkle it on top of the chicken. very healthy and diet-friendly, too!
Do you think...
...that I would've made Matt nervous if I would have called and asked him where his drill bits were? And hammer? Level? And screwdriver?
I bought a shelf for the laundry room - I thought we could use the extra storage space for extra cleaning supplies, paper towels, light bulbs, etc. Well, Matt's *very* handy - it's one of the things I LOVE about him - he can do anything and everything around the house, and if I tell him I'd like something done, he always does it really well and really quickly. (In fact, he's so handy, he's hung a picture for one of my friends before!)
But, he's gone today and tomorrow, and I just wanted to see if I could tackle this project.
Well, I found the drill bits!
And even figured out how to change it out of the cordless drill!
So, after only an hour, new shelf!!
(It's the top white one - and, ignore all the stuff on top of the washer and dryer - I had to move all of the items from the bottom shelf to have room to work).
Cool tool chick, I am!
I bought a shelf for the laundry room - I thought we could use the extra storage space for extra cleaning supplies, paper towels, light bulbs, etc. Well, Matt's *very* handy - it's one of the things I LOVE about him - he can do anything and everything around the house, and if I tell him I'd like something done, he always does it really well and really quickly. (In fact, he's so handy, he's hung a picture for one of my friends before!)
But, he's gone today and tomorrow, and I just wanted to see if I could tackle this project.
Well, I found the drill bits!
And even figured out how to change it out of the cordless drill! So, after only an hour, new shelf!!
(It's the top white one - and, ignore all the stuff on top of the washer and dryer - I had to move all of the items from the bottom shelf to have room to work).
Cool tool chick, I am!
Waffles!
I used my new waffle maker for the first time last week! Grant loves, loves, loves waffles, so I thought I'd get a waffle maker. I made this recipe from allrecipes, and they turned out great! I found out that Matt likes his waffles a little crispy, and Grant loved them, too!
Play Group History
For the past year, I've tried to find some sort of play group to join - just to be able to get out of the house, meet some other moms, and let Grant play with some other kiddos.
Well, it's been a no-go for play groups for me. Here's the brief history:
Play Group #1 - Greenwood West - emailed the contact person several times, never heard back.
Play Group #2 - South East Indy - I thought this one would be GREAT. It was perfect geographically and they had a cool website. When I spoke on the phone with the contact person, she told me they weren't a conservative group. I should've guessed that if the contact person made a point to tell a newbie that, she truly meant that they weren't a conservative group! When I was granted access to their members-only website, I saw pictures of kegs at play groups and pole-dancing at Moms Night Out! Not my kind of group - I just want to meet some moms for lunch, ya know?
Play Group #3 - Greenwood East - Matt dropped me off at the church they were meeting in for their easter luncheon, and he was headed to Starbucks to work for a couple hours. Less than 40 minutes later, I called him, telling him to pick me up. For the 20 minutes I sat at a table with some woman, ALL they did was complain about their kids! Not my kind of group, either.
Play Group #4 - Franklin Township - the whole MOPS fiasco. See previous blog post.
Play Group #5 - North Indy - I thought perhaps I needed to meet some "north side" moms. Well, found a play group that looked really fun and I was totally excited about going, but then on their website they had VERY SPECIFIC instructions that you had to live within a certain address zone to be able to be a part of their group! Seriously! So, couldn't go to that one.
Is it me? Is it Indy play groups? WHY can I not meet other moms in the area?
However, I FINALLY found a group I think I'll like!! I'll blog about it tomorrow...are you hanging in suspense?
Well, it's been a no-go for play groups for me. Here's the brief history:
Play Group #1 - Greenwood West - emailed the contact person several times, never heard back.
Play Group #2 - South East Indy - I thought this one would be GREAT. It was perfect geographically and they had a cool website. When I spoke on the phone with the contact person, she told me they weren't a conservative group. I should've guessed that if the contact person made a point to tell a newbie that, she truly meant that they weren't a conservative group! When I was granted access to their members-only website, I saw pictures of kegs at play groups and pole-dancing at Moms Night Out! Not my kind of group - I just want to meet some moms for lunch, ya know?
Play Group #3 - Greenwood East - Matt dropped me off at the church they were meeting in for their easter luncheon, and he was headed to Starbucks to work for a couple hours. Less than 40 minutes later, I called him, telling him to pick me up. For the 20 minutes I sat at a table with some woman, ALL they did was complain about their kids! Not my kind of group, either.
Play Group #4 - Franklin Township - the whole MOPS fiasco. See previous blog post.
Play Group #5 - North Indy - I thought perhaps I needed to meet some "north side" moms. Well, found a play group that looked really fun and I was totally excited about going, but then on their website they had VERY SPECIFIC instructions that you had to live within a certain address zone to be able to be a part of their group! Seriously! So, couldn't go to that one.
Is it me? Is it Indy play groups? WHY can I not meet other moms in the area?
However, I FINALLY found a group I think I'll like!! I'll blog about it tomorrow...are you hanging in suspense?
See Anna Run!
I just got off the treadmill! 
I did .85 miles, stopped, felt pretty good, so kept going and did 2 more!
Matt wonderfully surprised me with a "bluepod" and the Nike Sport Kit for christmas, and I LOVE IT! I can upload the info to Nike's website, and it gives me a chart of my runs - here's my latest - neat, huh?
I did .85 miles, stopped, felt pretty good, so kept going and did 2 more! Matt wonderfully surprised me with a "bluepod" and the Nike Sport Kit for christmas, and I LOVE IT! I can upload the info to Nike's website, and it gives me a chart of my runs - here's my latest - neat, huh?
Go Grant! Goo Mommy!
I forgot to post a couple of weeks ago:
Grant and I had a rather rocky first 2 weeks of breastfeeding, due to my inexperience and a nurse in the hospital who got us off to the wrong foot. But, thanks in part to online breastfeeding support, my local Lactation Consultant, the miracle drug Reglan,pumping around the clock for 2 weeks, and a wonderfully supportive husband, I am proud to say that we made it to the one-year breastfeeding mark!
No supplementing beyond those first 2 tumultuous weeks - after that, he had purely momma milk! 
(Not that anything's wrong with formula-feeding for anyone that's reading this - the important thing is a happy and healthy, well-fed baby, regardless!)
So, GOOO Grant Go! Goo Mommy Goo!! Around-the-clock feedings have definitely worn me out for over a year, but it's so worth it to be able to feed our precious baby boy! (and the extra calories burnt isn't bad
)
I anticipate weaning over the next couple of months - Grant's already weaned himself to about 3 feedings a day. (and one in the middle of the night, of course!) We tried to go cold-turkey weaning a week ago, and neither of us were ready for that! yikes! For now, I'm happy to still be nursing, although the 2 am feeding could definitely be dropped!
Grant and I had a rather rocky first 2 weeks of breastfeeding, due to my inexperience and a nurse in the hospital who got us off to the wrong foot. But, thanks in part to online breastfeeding support, my local Lactation Consultant, the miracle drug Reglan,pumping around the clock for 2 weeks, and a wonderfully supportive husband, I am proud to say that we made it to the one-year breastfeeding mark!
No supplementing beyond those first 2 tumultuous weeks - after that, he had purely momma milk! 
(Not that anything's wrong with formula-feeding for anyone that's reading this - the important thing is a happy and healthy, well-fed baby, regardless!)So, GOOO Grant Go! Goo Mommy Goo!! Around-the-clock feedings have definitely worn me out for over a year, but it's so worth it to be able to feed our precious baby boy! (and the extra calories burnt isn't bad
)I anticipate weaning over the next couple of months - Grant's already weaned himself to about 3 feedings a day. (and one in the middle of the night, of course!) We tried to go cold-turkey weaning a week ago, and neither of us were ready for that! yikes! For now, I'm happy to still be nursing, although the 2 am feeding could definitely be dropped!
Good with Frosting
So, I decided to make some cookies this afternoon, but in our quest for healthier lifestyles, tried this recipe for Whole-Wheat Oatmeal Cookies. They're just *okay* - next time I should just forego the healthy-ness and go for real cookies! That's what i really wanted!
Matt's first comment on the slightly-bland oatmeal cookies? "They'd be good dipped in frosting."
Matt's first comment on the slightly-bland oatmeal cookies? "They'd be good dipped in frosting."
So Much Better!
Whew - I just took a 20-minute power nap while Grant was asleep, and I feel SO MUCH BETTER! 
The house needs an overhaul, but I had to lay down or I wasn't going to get anything done. So, 20 minutes later, I have a cup of hot tea, Chris Botti's Italia playing, and a refreshed zeal to tackle the house!
What happened to the house, you ask? Well, Grant's closet needed organizing - it's a walk-in, which is great, but desperately needed going through. It's one of those projects that seems simple but 20-steps and 2 hours later is an enormous issue. I have piles* to store, piles to take to GoodWill, piles to sell, piles to fold, piles to hang! So, off I go!
*And, just for those in my life who are savers, not giver-away-ers, I've kept virtually every article of clothing that Grant has, so never fear!
The house needs an overhaul, but I had to lay down or I wasn't going to get anything done. So, 20 minutes later, I have a cup of hot tea, Chris Botti's Italia playing, and a refreshed zeal to tackle the house! What happened to the house, you ask? Well, Grant's closet needed organizing - it's a walk-in, which is great, but desperately needed going through. It's one of those projects that seems simple but 20-steps and 2 hours later is an enormous issue. I have piles* to store, piles to take to GoodWill, piles to sell, piles to fold, piles to hang! So, off I go!
*And, just for those in my life who are savers, not giver-away-ers, I've kept virtually every article of clothing that Grant has, so never fear!
Farm Stand Salsa
Our first small group meeting was tonight, so of course we had to have snacks! I made homemade salsa and guacamole, and just had to share this salsa recipe! It's fabulous! You could eat it as a side dish, with chips like salsa, or toss it over a green salad with some grilled chicken as an entree!
I haven't figured out what the Weight Watcher points would be, but it's got to be pretty low. I used canned corn and added black beans!
From the Food Network's Tyler Florence:
Farm Stand Salsa
2 ears fresh, sweet corn, cut off the cob
1/2 medium red onion, diced
2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
1 1/2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and chopped in chunks
1 jalapeno, sliced
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves chopped
1 lemon, juiced
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, tossing to coat.
I haven't figured out what the Weight Watcher points would be, but it's got to be pretty low. I used canned corn and added black beans!
From the Food Network's Tyler Florence:
Farm Stand Salsa
2 ears fresh, sweet corn, cut off the cob
1/2 medium red onion, diced
2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
1 1/2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and chopped in chunks
1 jalapeno, sliced
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves chopped
1 lemon, juiced
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, tossing to coat.
Unphased...
I'm not sure what is going on, but the older I get the more prone I've become to getting carsick. yuck! We came home from my mother's birthday party this evening, and in only the hour and 15 minute car ride I was extremely car sick by the end, and even got sick as soon as I walked in the door.
Fortunately (unfortunately?), I was so sick for so many months in my pregnancy that my wonderful husband is completely non-phased by puke. He simply handed me some water and cleaned out the sink for me, very matter-of-factly. Poor guy has seen more puke than a husband should!
I think I need some Dramamine before we travel again!
Fortunately (unfortunately?), I was so sick for so many months in my pregnancy that my wonderful husband is completely non-phased by puke. He simply handed me some water and cleaned out the sink for me, very matter-of-factly. Poor guy has seen more puke than a husband should!
I think I need some Dramamine before we travel again!
What Love!
This is how much my DH loves me - he not only tolerates, but willingly helps in my painting projects. Our master bedroom and bath are one of the last rooms to be painted in our house, and we're having trouble deciding what shade to do the bath. So - the samples. And, no, neither of these will be the final shade!
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