tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70082514018309630792024-03-12T17:17:06.591-06:00Adventures of a Colorado CoupleHere are the stories of a family growing together in the Centennial State. Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.comBlogger200125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-17949418295699131972015-01-23T10:58:00.000-07:002015-01-23T10:59:44.004-07:00Vegetarian Chicken Noodle SoupToday I had a craving for chicken noodle soup. Having been a vegetarian almost 17 years now, I don't get these cravings for foods from the first half of my life very often. I threw together some ingredients I had laying around and made the most incredible faux chicken noodle soup ever. It seriously tastes like I remember. Even my meat eating husband commented on its authenticity. I want to get the recipe down, simple as it may be, before I forget. With 3 kids running around, I forget things quickly and frequently.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Vegetarian Chicken Noodle Soup</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Serves 4</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<u><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Ingredients</i></span></u><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>4 cups water</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>1 Not-Chick'n bouillon cube (I use <a href="http://www.edwardandsons.com/es_shop_bouillon.itml" target="_blank">Edward & Son</a>)</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>1-2 T olive oil or butter (or both)</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 yellow onion, chopped</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>2 celery stalks, chopped</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>1 carrot, chopped</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 package <a href="http://www.quorn.us/products/28/chikn-tenders" target="_blank">Quorn Chik'n Tenders</a></i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>4 oz. of egg noodles (I used<a href="http://www.worldmarket.com/product/kamfen-thin-style-egg-noodles.do" target="_blank"> these</a> that I found at our local Asian market)</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Salt and Pepper to taste</i></span></li>
</ul>
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<u><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Instructions</i></span></u></div>
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Put water and bouillon cube together in a medium saucepan over medium heat.</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over medium heat with 1 T of olive oil/butter. Add onions, celery, and carrots and sautee until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add mirepoix (onion, celery, carrot mixture) to the saucepan.</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Using the same frying pan over medium heat add the remaining 1 T of olive oil/butter. Add the 1/2 bag of Quorn Chik'n Tenders, no need to de-thaw first. If the oil/butter runs dry too quickly then you can add 2 T of water to the pan and cover for 1-2 minutes. This will help keep the Quorn Tenders from drying out. I added the salt and pepper to the Quorn while they in the frying pan, but you can easily add it to the broth if desired. Once Quorn Tenders are cooked through, about 5-7 minutes, add them to the saucepan. </i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Add the egg noodles to the saucepan, turn heat to medium low, and cook until noodles are tender. </i></span></li>
</ol>
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Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-82826896015915802002013-08-05T11:46:00.001-06:002013-08-16T12:09:31.367-06:00Last belly photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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covered 39 week belly</div>
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uncovered 39 week belly</div>
<br />Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-64071137229439597912013-08-05T08:52:00.001-06:002013-08-05T08:52:45.055-06:00Today is the day. I go in this evening to start my induction. I am assuming that this little one will be born tomorrow unless this turns out to be the worlds fastest induction. I feel like there are both a million things I should be doing today and nothing all at the same time. This whole knowing when baby is coming is very anticlimactic. I enjoy spontaneously going into labor. It is exciting. In the end all we want is a healthy baby, but still I wish things were a little different. Oh well.<br />
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This morning I made the boys pancakes and am doing some laundry. I will probably find some ridiculous things to keep me busy throughout the day too. I will probably be too anxious to try and nap though. I need to finish up the Belly Journal and make sure I bring that and the baby book to the hospital to get foot and hand prints. My hospital bag has been packed for weeks, but I will go through it 5 times at least. I hate this waiting!<br />
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G&G R have been here for a week now. The boys are still loving it! They spent practically all day at a Children's Museum last week. They went in the morning and then we all went back in the afternoon. It wasn't a very large museum, but it had plenty to keep them happy. There was a model train and a big sandbox that was a hit with Fletcher. Archie enjoyed role playing at the train station. He kept giving me a ticket to Chicago! There was also a bubble platform that you could pull a cord and be enclosed in a bubble. Fletcher was not interested but Archie liked it.<br />
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Over the weekend, Dave and I headed to IKEA and got a lot of odds and ends for around the house. We put up new shelves above my desk, got a coffee rack for the wall, magnetic knife holder, storage boxes, and a light for the boys reading corner. We hung up the curtains that my Mom made for the nursery. We finally have the co-sleeper attached to the bed and ready for baby. I got some Aden & Anais swaddling blankets and some more waterproof pads. I finally finished a scrapbook page that I started about 2 months ago too. I am going to get some photos from Archiver's today since I have a coupon and need my 39 week belly photo. I know I am babbling, but I didn't think that my nerves would be so jittery today. Gah!<br />
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The beautiful linen curtains in the nursery!</div>
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I should probably get started with my last day as a mother to two children. Hopefully I will be able to post a birth story blog within the week. If not, at least I can post some pictures of our new little boy or girl. Here we go!</div>
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<br />Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-82974763088122054852013-07-31T10:56:00.002-06:002013-07-31T10:56:47.952-06:00I caved. Induction date is set. For a month now I have been evading my Doctor when she has mentioned induction. I have had 2 growth ultrasounds in that time b/c of my gestational diabetes and the baby is measuring pretty accurately for where they are supposed to be with the exception of a big head. My diabetes is 100% diet controlled and my A1C levels came back great. Still, the standard of care is an induction at 39 weeks. I am very conflicted about all of this, but scheduled the induction with the hopes that baby will come on their own before Monday. Both Archie and Fletcher were born before 39 weeks so the odds are good...I hope. Also, the induction is scheduled at 8 p.m. I actually laughed when my nurse said it was so mom could get in a night of rest while the pitocin took effect. Has anyone ever actually been able to rest during pitocin induced contractions? At least she she was able to realize what a load she was feeding me and laughed as well.<br />
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In other news, G&G R. are here!! Can I say what a relief it is to know that I can go into labor now and the boys will be well cared for. That is always my biggest concern about going into labor with other kids at home. We had a back-up plan, but nobody wants to go into labor at 2 a.m. and immediately worry about waking up their older child(ren), getting them ready, and taking them to a sitters house. Now we just get to wake up G&G and let them know we are leaving. I am so thankful for family!<br />
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Dave's birthday was on Monday. He is now at the ripe old age of 32! We went to dinner at Sweet Tomatoes and then had cake that I bought at <a href="http://www.rheinlanderbakery.com/" target="_blank">Rheinlander Bakery</a>, which also sells low carb, sugar free pastries! I had my first truly sweet dessert since my GD diagnosis. The Raspberry Mousse pastry was sinfully delicious. The Pistachio Almond Cream one was actually a little too sweet for me. That has never happened to me before. On the bright side, it did not spike my blood sugar so I will call that a win. For his birthday gifts I got Dave a coffee shop gift card so he can get out of the house during the day and work there for a bit if he wants. I also made him some wall art using my handy Silhouette Cameo. Not terribly exciting gifts, but I hope he had a great day regardless.<br />
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The boys are loving having G&G here. They are going to the park, getting to fall asleep with them, reading stories, playing Lego, and just getting spoiled in general. When we went to the bakery they each got to pick out a cookie. I had them ask the gentleman helping us all by themselves and they were both so polite. Totally worth the sugar crash later...almost!<br />
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It is not the greatest picture, but you get the idea.</div>
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Archie with his piggy cookie. Appropriate.</div>
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Fletcher and his baseball cookie.</div>
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Dave's Boston Cream Pie Birthday "cake"</div>
Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-63239159508565966392013-07-29T11:35:00.001-06:002013-07-29T11:35:11.749-06:00The nursery...for nowI have done everything that I can with the nursery to this point. Fletcher is still sleeping in the crib so I cannot set that up, G&G R. will be sleeping on an Aerobed in there while they are here so I cannot set up any big things, but I really don't have any big things to set up. The walls are painted, the art work done, closet stocked with freshly laundered clothing, the swing, bouncer, and play yard have fresh batteries, the changing table, pack n' play, and co-sleeper are ready to go, and the car seat is installed. I wanted to take pictures of the nursery in the glow of the afternoon sunshine, but you wouldn't you know we have had two rainy, overcast days in a row. We get maybe 10 overcast days/year here in CO and they happened when I wanted the sun. Oh well. Here are the pictures I was able to get of the nursery.<br />
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My Mom made curtains and a valance for this window using <a href="http://www.joann.com/sew-classics-linen-100-linen-solids-many-colors/prd46473/" target="_blank">THIS</a> and <a href="http://www.joann.com/premium-quilt-fabric-gentle-breeze-banners/zprd_11556792a/" target="_blank">THIS</a> fabric from Joann's. They are going to look so great!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqKW2o_nLtOJAdEIamss7gZocE9iMCJXyXQhpLZAhXcPCkDE_Mmbg-SAZGN61iD1GdMsdE5Qb4d8cFxqrzVA549p3ajD4oBLl-HZ0r_TeDQtDkwV__FRfdntdS2u40CnAdGQLMZByh_TY/s1600/IMG_0034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqKW2o_nLtOJAdEIamss7gZocE9iMCJXyXQhpLZAhXcPCkDE_Mmbg-SAZGN61iD1GdMsdE5Qb4d8cFxqrzVA549p3ajD4oBLl-HZ0r_TeDQtDkwV__FRfdntdS2u40CnAdGQLMZByh_TY/s400/IMG_0034.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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The changing table/dresser. Nothing terribly exciting. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSbnCOnlV8jYth4O3u90Sr8xTSN2Q369hbkUGDQRB9u0XPaWMS2dmjAWtPqXxBX9ARnjz8c6ferdbPlcaiZ0OMaGpGNVQioHWJBHVzUpVcVEH0gFMNX5QPDh68ayV0YIQ0mc5FpSyOJs/s1600/P1120062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSbnCOnlV8jYth4O3u90Sr8xTSN2Q369hbkUGDQRB9u0XPaWMS2dmjAWtPqXxBX9ARnjz8c6ferdbPlcaiZ0OMaGpGNVQioHWJBHVzUpVcVEH0gFMNX5QPDh68ayV0YIQ0mc5FpSyOJs/s400/P1120062.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The owl artwork I made is finally on the walls! I love how it turned out. Each canvas is 11" x 14". I painted each canvas with 2 coats of acrylic paint in a neutral. All of the shapes I cut using my Silhouette Cameo. Here is the <a href="http://www.silhouetteonlinestore.com/?page=view-shape&id=41011" target="_blank">OWL SHAPE</a>, <a href="http://www.silhouetteonlinestore.com/?page=view-shape&id=16773" target="_blank">TREE BRANCH</a> on right canvas, <a href="http://www.silhouetteonlinestore.com/?page=view-shape&id=9695" target="_blank">TREE BRANCH</a> on left canvas, <a href="http://www.silhouetteonlinestore.com/?page=view-shape&id=7764" target="_blank">SWING,</a> and<a href="http://www.silhouetteonlinestore.com/?page=view-shape&id=25511" target="_blank"> FLOWERS</a>. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nOq7TffrUK1LcxyLVZR6WBG8gzHdbGt9vy2pLQoEx4mDk-4HHzeR0VKS8_Pxh3UC1KWtyy6IhVIjm95UAhvOMc5cinJoaEUeRMvqTFkP1ohFBWHOw800o_56-0jdwmfzLox7scq0J3c/s1600/P1120064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nOq7TffrUK1LcxyLVZR6WBG8gzHdbGt9vy2pLQoEx4mDk-4HHzeR0VKS8_Pxh3UC1KWtyy6IhVIjm95UAhvOMc5cinJoaEUeRMvqTFkP1ohFBWHOw800o_56-0jdwmfzLox7scq0J3c/s400/P1120064.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We will eventually put in mirror sliding doors on the closet. There were bi-fold doors when we moved in, but I hated them and they fell off anyway so we just took them down. At least I have easy access to everything in the closet. Storage baskets are my friend!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT49hibRE3Mt_Z6EJ5HfFLBl5Do8Xoo3EtLAFNJlZf9dwmrKZaEKAbU4906xeRtQCZXjboPnSy7EK2n8zo0pZ4Ogodf4GuyCvXrp0uLRo0swikE961u-fCPeM6FQVwkQwevadc45q1YaQ/s1600/IMG_0041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT49hibRE3Mt_Z6EJ5HfFLBl5Do8Xoo3EtLAFNJlZf9dwmrKZaEKAbU4906xeRtQCZXjboPnSy7EK2n8zo0pZ4Ogodf4GuyCvXrp0uLRo0swikE961u-fCPeM6FQVwkQwevadc45q1YaQ/s400/IMG_0041.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Here is a rocking chair that Dave & I found on Craigslist while we still lived in Michigan. The people we bought it from stained it themselves when their first child was born some 20 odd years ago. The green table was an old Sauder telephone stand that my Grandma gave to me when she sold her house in Redford. It was an ugly stain that I recently painted over and put a new owl knob on the door. A 110% improvement.</div>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK_UQhOmpUJUdsrCXz7rUCrhb8zWZMYF9gCcckveYZbOQv_EeCaOh7f33IkvmmdWVwsLPcmm9MZYpZyluG-focuYeyVJpHPxEsRUM1nWto5rk8xJ1ZHxa_QpcwZP9eLc7mEUsOlY-W6_Y/s1600/P1120066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK_UQhOmpUJUdsrCXz7rUCrhb8zWZMYF9gCcckveYZbOQv_EeCaOh7f33IkvmmdWVwsLPcmm9MZYpZyluG-focuYeyVJpHPxEsRUM1nWto5rk8xJ1ZHxa_QpcwZP9eLc7mEUsOlY-W6_Y/s400/P1120066.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Close up of my night stand with owl knob.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8j8sGfTatHpL3YkpKvi56HJ9L6sAdRAHBLOuFJcqPiQX6j1Z5D96vYiAVggBxGFLAoDBqmvcevd0YctSu6TNPEOOyTwlKVKBeUAjC8S59w6CCquOz9dK0WPt4NWqiMqzoB9IU6t1SWs/s1600/P1120069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8j8sGfTatHpL3YkpKvi56HJ9L6sAdRAHBLOuFJcqPiQX6j1Z5D96vYiAVggBxGFLAoDBqmvcevd0YctSu6TNPEOOyTwlKVKBeUAjC8S59w6CCquOz9dK0WPt4NWqiMqzoB9IU6t1SWs/s400/P1120069.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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I love the Treetop Friends collection by Skip Hop and this pillow is just too adorable. The orange pillow I found at Cost Plus on clearance. It was too perfect to pass up. I would like to get a nursing footstool for this chair.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3IkyUdTyn3SJG2jrGQdsDo6v6lj4PWmacz3Q87bcV98c5iDmLOv8mquwu5aho94iDL7k5WVaDrdbq2DcEPJTV_T40FOjhyHV6PmqlteJDIRF1AAKO89odyIx-bs-DWAiIGeU92z9n9TE/s1600/IMG_0063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3IkyUdTyn3SJG2jrGQdsDo6v6lj4PWmacz3Q87bcV98c5iDmLOv8mquwu5aho94iDL7k5WVaDrdbq2DcEPJTV_T40FOjhyHV6PmqlteJDIRF1AAKO89odyIx-bs-DWAiIGeU92z9n9TE/s400/IMG_0063.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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My DIY paper leaves mobile. The whole project probably cost me $15 and about 6-8 man hours. People on Etsy charge upwards of $90 for something like this! I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut out the leaves in 5 different cardstock colors. I took a sewing needle and poked a hole near the top of each leaf. I used some jewelry making line (looks like fishing line) and tied knots to keep the leaves from all falling to the bottom. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytvsY02XoXgdzvuGS7Z7zVznTbDeK7gJ9d44NYXW-_R_7lHXr86ZC8M61oO-XbyKHTqzlWlnm6Xfj4l7fYBwIiejKu-k8jKTyW5qeXoV3HmDoitOkVnjOc9nJ2QZc2T9CYaWUmWd32I8/s1600/P1120046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytvsY02XoXgdzvuGS7Z7zVznTbDeK7gJ9d44NYXW-_R_7lHXr86ZC8M61oO-XbyKHTqzlWlnm6Xfj4l7fYBwIiejKu-k8jKTyW5qeXoV3HmDoitOkVnjOc9nJ2QZc2T9CYaWUmWd32I8/s400/P1120046.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I used glass beads and necklace charms to weight down the fishing line. My hot glue gun was my best friend on this project. </div>
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I struggled with the top on this one. I ended up using these buttons and some hot glue.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlL_O48gfndm2Xf__n912zbjQFVPcKtUcLncrwWYv_08WD2e_1yMKw01AZ97hO6Ea6Lgoj0WYMb0t4ccvBuOI0RBzvKuZf9vWj-WwtN5DWx85Kfk9EK0usIxgYxFAz_p6nOFncuNF46tg/s1600/P1120051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlL_O48gfndm2Xf__n912zbjQFVPcKtUcLncrwWYv_08WD2e_1yMKw01AZ97hO6Ea6Lgoj0WYMb0t4ccvBuOI0RBzvKuZf9vWj-WwtN5DWx85Kfk9EK0usIxgYxFAz_p6nOFncuNF46tg/s400/P1120051.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The wreath was a nice base for hanging the leave strands. I got it in the floral section of a craft store. I think it is 6-8" wide. I took floral wire and made an "x" across the top to give me more surface to hang from. I didn't need to wrap the brown ribbon around it, but it helped hide some of the hot glue that I used to keep the wire in place. You can still see a few hot glue marks, but that is only if you are standing on a step stool inspecting the wreath. I can live with that!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdRfz_6jiKixs7Wy0dzGXrncvk_jg0dAUmWTmEMVbWPrZtcuidiWLmExhekti_34oRhcXxaRuOQbWFJ-hulyOn1tu8s-_uXnsy0Dn1WWX9VDVQnJnoDt5a1CsIE5pHlfX4ttC_p6VtB0/s1600/P1120073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdRfz_6jiKixs7Wy0dzGXrncvk_jg0dAUmWTmEMVbWPrZtcuidiWLmExhekti_34oRhcXxaRuOQbWFJ-hulyOn1tu8s-_uXnsy0Dn1WWX9VDVQnJnoDt5a1CsIE5pHlfX4ttC_p6VtB0/s400/P1120073.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Here are the closet dividers that I made. Of course I didn't take into account the distance that the rod hung down from the shelf so they didn't fit when I hooked the over the rod. Luckily the ribbon works just as well. I used 4 different cardstock colors, but just took pictures of two of them. I made these going up to 4T I think. Again, I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut out the shapes and the letters/numbers. I also laminated them myself. Being crafty has its perks! <a href="http://www.silhouetteonlinestore.com/?page=view-shape&id=44949" target="_blank">THIS</a> is the shape I used for the owl.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQG-R2oQA5lz3LiRv4a98kGBj4ef821v2C8dce3hjfcD-TXX4g0W-t6rnJyEVN982OEHvUINul5Sjskjt-dx3XxqE_Y-jON0eKYPrLFLKzNwccUWLtsQFtm2moWhEy5Maq2gKtuFA4lIk/s1600/P1120076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQG-R2oQA5lz3LiRv4a98kGBj4ef821v2C8dce3hjfcD-TXX4g0W-t6rnJyEVN982OEHvUINul5Sjskjt-dx3XxqE_Y-jON0eKYPrLFLKzNwccUWLtsQFtm2moWhEy5Maq2gKtuFA4lIk/s400/P1120076.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Here it is in green. </div>
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<br />Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-73960895533901602662013-07-27T09:24:00.001-06:002013-07-27T09:24:31.432-06:00The moments that remind me why we are doing this againWhen I think about having a newborn around I tend to remember the sleepless nights, spit up on everything, milk stains on my shirt, gassy, crying babies, 2 a.m. fights with Dave, the endless amount of bottle and pump parts that need washing, and did I mention the lack of sleep? This past week, however, my two boys have been reminding why we thought 3 kids was a good idea. On my morning to sleep in, Archie came up into my room with a flower that he picked for me in the backyard and a hug. Not wanting to be left out, Fletcher wanted a hug too. Getting woken up with flowers and hugs is probably the best way to wake up in my opinion. At the library a few days later, instead of holding my hands in the parking lot, the boys held each others hand. It was completely unprompted by me and luckily I had my camera handy so I could capture the sweetness of the moment. How could I not want another child? I am not delusional enough to think that puppies and roses are going to abound in the next few months, but I am reminded that it is totally worth all the crappy nights that are ahead of us.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDNoFIcmcTM-hoLlB2Rsb-IA1UyGrpt2WPptAM8kNFPBdAgLmmEL8eVAnZMs_OWyAWm6aAf1qJ22-6YEd13swC-OLWa5TuG2dfBSri4ykNpPBMyMqGWFg-ayKrV7amLLz7fL0bV1Ma5A/s1600/P1110999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDNoFIcmcTM-hoLlB2Rsb-IA1UyGrpt2WPptAM8kNFPBdAgLmmEL8eVAnZMs_OWyAWm6aAf1qJ22-6YEd13swC-OLWa5TuG2dfBSri4ykNpPBMyMqGWFg-ayKrV7amLLz7fL0bV1Ma5A/s400/P1110999.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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On Tuesday we had our last growth ultrasound to see how large the baby is because of my gestational diabetes. At our penultimate (thank you Prof. John Su for teaching me one of my favorite words) ultrasound, the baby was sleepy and we didn't really get a look at him/her. This time around though we got to see the chubby cheeks and adorable face of the baby we are going to be holding in less than 2 weeks. Both of us kind of had our moment of calm at that point. The fact that Grandma and Grandpa R. are coming for a month starting on Monday also helps!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaUsX30sZcBPuot4Pcg6M1hDoF5j9xcUnOPREueXEtHVXqcAFngq3dkpNERKkiljOfxnBgjuY4VzyhXqwrHCbLXiz6UIDOxsr2_jaRlMLAJUferpNSr4P2lzID2Oe2eADgwsWQKaoC6AI/s1600/P1110993-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaUsX30sZcBPuot4Pcg6M1hDoF5j9xcUnOPREueXEtHVXqcAFngq3dkpNERKkiljOfxnBgjuY4VzyhXqwrHCbLXiz6UIDOxsr2_jaRlMLAJUferpNSr4P2lzID2Oe2eADgwsWQKaoC6AI/s400/P1110993-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I have been trying to take the boys to the park a lot since they have been such troopers going to to all of my appt's with me. We tried out two new parks this week. One was kind of neat b/c it was a sensory park ideally suited for special needs kids. How cool is it that my new town has thought of these things? The boys liked it, but I think it could have used more shade trees. However, I would be sweating in 60 degree temps right now. The other park was in our neighborhood but we haven't been there yet. In our little square mile where our house resides we have 6 playgrounds and an abundance of trails with open space. This park had a nice climbing wall, tall slides, and wasn't near any major roads which is a great plus. I liked this one a lot.<br />
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Dave has officially completed 2 weeks of working from home. I am quite pleased with how well it is going. The boys accept that when Dad is in this basement he is "at work" and not to be bothered. There was that one day where Dave went to get the mail during nap time, slammed the door on the way out and in, and woke up the kids! I have forgiven him though since he has been rocking out the honey-do list. Plus, the basement bathroom has never been cleaner now that Dave works down there. Ivy, whose litter box is down there, is also thankful.<br />
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Over the last few weeks Fletcher has really just advanced leaps and bounds with his communication skills. Fletcher has been talking for almost a year, but the quality of what he is saying is just astounding. He is talking about his feelings, using adjectives a lot, letting us know what he has been up to, etc... Yesterday after Dave took them to the park he came home and told me everything that he did using full and complete sentences. It is really kind of cool. Archer is getting ready to start school next month. I have his uniform but we still need to get all of the back to school supplies. I am so excited for him. He has been asking to play with friends a lot lately. He doesn't have any play mates, but he calls kids that he meets at the park friends. I cannot wait until he actually has kids he can play with everyday and have real friends. It breaks my heart to see him sad when no kids are at the park. Only 3 more weeks until school!<br />
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I am still doing really well on the menu planning and food budget. I am completing our 3rd month and the amount we spend is getting pretty predictable. Our garden is also starting to produce a lot of squash, tomatoes, and the chard is still coming up. It is nice have fresh veggies at every meal and knowing what is going to be for dinner every night. It also provides a nice amount of leftovers for our lunches. I imagine our grocery bill will be going up a bit now that Dave will be eating all his meals at home, plus snacks throughout the day. Once the baby comes we will probably have a few months of more processed foods as well and that usually equals more money. At least I have built up a nice repertoire of meals that we enjoy and are relatively easy to make.<br />
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Well today is Saturday and maybe our last weekend before the baby comes so we need to get stuff done. Dave is cleaning out the cars, moving the boys' car seats to the back, and installing the infant seat. I am cleaning all the bottles and accessories and figuring out where to put them. I also need to find all the baby socks and bibs and launder them. The pack n' play and co-sleeper are getting put together, the house is getting as clean as we can muster, plus we have the boys that need supervision and what not!<br />
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What a difference a GD diagnosis makes. I weigh almost 25 lbs. less than I did at this point in my previous pregnancies and I feel the best too. I haven't been able to indulge in any pregnancy cravings, but at least I won't be paying for it after this LO is born. </div>
Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-33557699401413950472013-07-15T20:01:00.001-06:002013-07-15T20:01:37.860-06:004 weeks until my due dateI am 36 weeks today. My oldest was born at 37 weeks and my 2nd at 38 weeks, 2 days so I am not expecting to make it to my due date. I don't think my OB wants me to either and since I do not want an induction I am keeping my fingers crossed. The standard of care for a woman with gestational diabetes is to induce around 39 weeks. However, since mine is diet controlled and the baby is not measuring large, if I make it that far I will decline an induction unless the baby is in distress.<br />
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36 week belly</div>
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My 2 hour post prandial's have been kind of low lately and I have had ketones in my urine. I stopped documenting everything I ate last week and I think that I have been carb starving myself which would explain both problems. It is so hard to find that happy balance between too many and too few carbohydrates. By the time I figure this whole diet out the baby will be born and I won't have diabetes anymore. It is kind of frustrating really. I go in two times/week for my non stress tests and I have weekly appt's with my OB. We have always teetered between wanting 3 or 4 kids. With this whole gestational diabetes this time around though, I am thinking 3 might be our magic number. On the bright side, I started off each pregnancy around the same weight and ended each one 50 lbs. heavier. This pregnancy, I have only gained 25 lbs.and have been holding steady for almost 10 weeks. Not being able to indulge in ANY pregnancy craving sure does help curb the weight gain. I had french fries for the first time since my diagnosis and my blood sugar levels were the highest they have been yet. It was my reality check.<br />
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Trail mix keeps them occupied during my NSTs.</div>
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The boys have been both a riot and rioting lately. Archie is learning how to push Fletcher's buttons and it is the cause of many a headache around here. However, they have their moments when they are cooperating, talking with each other, and helping each other out that gives me hope. They love playing games on our phones, tablets, and computers so I can get some down time when we have had a really trying day or when late 3rd trimester fatigue kicks in. This past week is when I have really started to slow down. It has also been the week in which I have done the most work. I noticed ants in the family room a few days ago and have been a cleaning kick b/c I hate bugs! I also washed the baby swing, bouncer, car seat, car seat bases, and the two boxes of baby toys we still had packed away. The newborn cloth diapers are clean and folded, all the clothes are hanging up in the closet and Dave painted the nursery. I need to wash the bottles next. I think we finally realized that the birth of this child could happen any day at this point.<br />
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Happily blowing bubbles</div>
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Showing off his Duplo creation.</div>
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Today was Dave's first day at his new work from home job. He had a 5 hour lunch meeting with his Colorado contact/co-worker and came home really excited about his work. The boys even played in the basement without bugging him. He will still need to find some good places to work outside the home for those days when his headphones aren't cutting it, but I think he will be happier overall with this new change. I am very excited to have him around. Not because I am expecting him to help much during the day, but it is just going to be comforting having him here while I deal with 3 kids all day. I've gotten used to him after all these years!<br />
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I have been crafting like crazy lately. I made 4 art canvasses for the kids rooms, am making a name plaque for the new baby, I made closet dividers for the nursery, working on a project for Dave's birthday, making some cards, and want to get started on a mobile for the nursery. I love, love, love my Silhouette Cameo! I can finally imagine a project and complete it with the help of my die cutting machine.<br />
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This is a bad iPhone photo of the unfinished canvas. Same with the photo below. I apologize. </div>
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Once the nursery gets a little more put together then I will post more photos. The pale grey with white trim on the walls looks fantastic too!</div>
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That's all I've got for now. Sorry my posts have been more pregnancy related lately. It is forefront on my mind.</div>
<br />Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-74272956485490354052013-07-06T07:58:00.004-06:002013-07-06T07:59:57.400-06:00A vegetarian gestational diabetic's breakfast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Mediterranean Omelet</div>
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Breakfast is probably the hardest meal of the day for me. People on a lower carb diet will tell you to carb load in the morning so your body has all day to process them. That is probably the worst advice for a diabetic. I belong to a great online support group full of women in my predicament and we all need to be so careful at breakfast. After a night of fasting/sleeping our bodies just aren't equipped to handle to carbs, complex or simple, in the morning. Fruit is typically a no go as well. For me personally, anything over 15 carbs for breakfast and I chance spiking my sugars. If you take a look at the bread currently on your counter, chances are likely that it has just about that many carbs per slice. So what is a diabetic that doesn't eat meat supposed to do? The answer is eggs, eggs, and more eggs.<br />
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Goat Cheese, Sausage, & Veggie Omelet with Avocado</div>
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Eggs deserve their own paragraph I think. Here is a funny story. When I was pregnant with Fletcher I completely lost my taste for eggs. I used to eat them all of the time and then one day the thought of them made me want to vomit. I continued to dislike eggs for almost 2 years. Boiled, fried, scrambled, poached, over easy, quiches, and omelets all made me gag. The only way I could tolerate them was well hidden in baked goods. However, sometime early in my 2nd trimester of this current pregnancy, I started to crave eggs again. After an almost 2 year hiatus my body said, "Hey, these things aren't so bad". Boy I am ever lucky it did because I have to eat eggs every single morning until this baby is born. Of course, being pregnant I cannot have any runny parts of my egg so I need to eat them fried, boiled, scrambled, and well cooked. I am totally sick of eggs by the way. I did make those ricotta almond meal pancakes but they are high in fat and slightly time consuming to make therefore not ideal for those hurried weekday mornings.<br />
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<a href="http://thediabeticunderground.com/recipe/no-crust-vegetable-quiche/" target="_blank">No Crust Vegetable Quiche</a></div>
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I have become quite adept at making omelets though. This morning I had a Mediterranean themed omelet, some mornings I go festive with a south of the border flair, and sometimes I just steam some spinach with fresh garden veggies and toss them on top. During our vacation I got to eat hotel scrambled eggs AND hard boiled eggs in the same meal. Hotels across middle American serve the most carb and meat heavy breakfasts ever! Needless to say, after this baby is born I want to have a huge stack of buttery pancakes with syrup, fresh fruit, and maybe even whipped cream. I will still continue to eat healthier, but that is the one indulgence I am really looking forward to.<br />
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Anyway, here are some of the breakfast recipes that I am basing some of my breakfast meals from:<br />
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<a href="http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipe/eggs/asparagus-cheese-omelet/" target="_blank">Asparagus - Cheese Omelet</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipe/pork/super-simple-sausage-skillet/" target="_blank">Breakfast Skille</a>t - This with veggie sausage and tofu instead of real meat and potatoes. It also brings the carb load to an acceptable limit.<br />
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<a href="http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipe/eggs/huevos-rancheros-breakfast-nachos/" target="_blank">Huevos Rancheros</a> - No tortilla chips and watch the portion control on the black beans as the carbs can add up.<br />
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<a href="http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipe/eggs/mushroom-scrambled-eggs/" target="_blank">Mushroom Scrambled Eggs</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipe/beans/poblano-tofu-scramble/" target="_blank">Poblano Tofu Scramble</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipe/eggs/provencal-omelet/" target="_blank">Provencal Omelet</a><br />
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<br />Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-37737889764987989442013-07-02T08:59:00.002-06:002013-07-02T08:59:33.805-06:00Father's Day projects and pancakes!I meant to post this awhile ago. On Father's Day I experimented with an almond meal pancake recipe. Although I am typically a savory breakfast person, we usually have a pancake/waffle day on the weekends. Since I cannot have more than about 15 carbs for breakfast without spiking my blood sugar, pancakes are out for the most part. I found a <a href="http://resistantnikki.blogspot.com/2011/07/lemon-ricotta-pancakes.html" target="_blank">recipe for almond flour and ricotta pancakes</a>. They are high in fat and protein b/c of the egg, almonds, and ricotta but they actually kind of fulfilled my pancake craving. Since I didn't have coconut flour or lemon seltzer water I used coconut flakes and sparkling lemon lime water that I had in the fridge. They are no substitute for the huge pancake stack I am planning on devouring after this baby is born, but they will hold me over!<br />
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For Dave's Father's Day gifts I busted out my Silhouette Cameo. Since I haven't had too much time for scrapbooking, it is nice to get some craftiness in every now and again. The card idea just kind of came to me and I was glad that I still had some vellum laying around b/c it turned out really neat looking. Archer colored the paper before I cut it with my Cameo. I used Archiver's new<a href="http://archiversmemorylab.com/" target="_blank"> Memory Lab</a> to edit the photo on the inside of the card. The little box on the bottom I found in the Silhouette Studio shape store and then filled it with Dave's favorite candy. I also got him a cord organizer from Amazon. </div>
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<br />Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-25885976660637030102013-07-02T08:40:00.000-06:002013-07-02T08:40:05.422-06:00VacationIt has been quite awhile since my last post. We took a 10 day vacation back east and things are just now settling down. This was our second big road trip in the last few months and the boys did so much better this time around. A lot has to do with how and what I packed. When we drove to Texas in March, I packed a huge variety of snacks and so many toys with lots of pieces. The magnets got thrown on the floor, the crayons got eaten, thrown, broken, and stuck in car seats, the snacks were too sugary and there were too many choices for the boys. We spent half the trip picking things up, searching for the last piece of the puzzle, and breaking up fights about snacks. This time I wizened up and packed much differently. Toys needed 2 or less pieces, the options were far fewer but more enticing, and we were also less accommodating in fetching thrown toys. Their snack buckets had about 5 options and those were all the snacks I brought. I also packed a lot more fruit and veggies. This trip was longer than our first, but more successful. We are hopeful for more road trips in our future.<br />
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We got to see lots of family this trip and it was great. The boys are remembering their cousins, Aunts, and Uncles and get excited to see them. We made a short stop to visit Aunt Amy, Uncle Chris, and their cousin and then we headed to MI for a family reunion with most of their Aunts and Uncles from my side of the family. The kids has a great time playing together and it was nice to have the extra helping hands around too! They got to play in a huge sandbox my brother built, drink slushies, swim in the pond, play in Grandmas basement playroom, and spend hours with their cousins. I got to see my parents, siblings, cousins, Aunts, Uncles, Grandma, best friend, and lots of my cousins kids that I have never met before. It was nice.<br />
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Dave driving a tractor and filling up the huge sandbox. "Best vacation ever!"</div>
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Archie enjoyed his 2nd time in the lake much better.</div>
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The best of the bunch. Dave looks beat!</div>
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Sisters being silly. </div>
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The hardest part was really watching what I ate because of my gestational diabetes. Since most foods did not have the nutritional information readily available, I had to be conservative in what and how much I ate. I don't think I ate enough honestly as my weight stayed the same from my last Dr. appt., but at least I didn't overdo it and spike my sugars too much over and over. The humidity was also killer! The first few days in the Midwest I had a persistent headache. It was most likely a combo of the heat, humidity, and not drinking enough water. I forgot how sticky that extra moisture makes you feel. Getting back to my dry, high altitude was a welcome change even if our swamp cooler broke in 95 degree heat!<br />
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I am now 34 weeks pregnant and cannot believe how close we are to delivering. My oldest was born at 37 weeks exactly which means I could have a baby in as few as 3 weeks and at most 5 weeks. I now have weekly NSTs (non stress tests) and at 37 weeks they will become biweekly. My appts will also become weekly once I am 36 weeks. The nurses and receptionists know me by name now! My nurse is also fantastic with the boys. My normally shy Fletcher will go with her to get toys and let me do my own thing. They have also been great playing while I am hooked up the monitors for my NSTs. On the flip side, the nursery is not painted, clothes are not washed, the swing, car seat, bouncy chair, and pack n' play all need a good washing, and we still need to agree on a boys name if this one comes out XY. I am feeling the time crunch.<br />
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In other news, Dave has accepted a new position with a new company starting in two weeks. He is very happy since he will be doing what he loves to do - programming...a lot! I am selfishly very excited too since this is a work from home job. I am fully aware that he needs to be able to work uninterrupted and it will actually be quite difficult for me to keep the boys away from Daddy while he is working. However, it also gives me the flexibility to make Dr. appts and have Dave either come with us or watch the boys while I am gone. It also means that his hours aren't strictly 9-5 so he can do some things that would be harder for him to get done if he had to be at work during certain times. Once things settle down a bit, he is going to look for a place that rents desks for people that work from home. He will probably also head out to the library or coffee shop some days to work too. I think he is excited b/c it will feel like he is in college again and Dave loved college!<br />
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I am not sure if I mentioned before about Dewey peeing in the house. I am thankful, in a weird way, that he ended up having a urinary tract infection. That is way more easy to treat than a behavioral issue. He is on a 2 week course of antibiotics and once we are sure they worked we are going to get someone in to clean our carpets. I am looking forward to having the basement not stink anymore! In other dog news, they managed to get out of our yard this past weekend after a big storm knocked out a fence slat that we didn't notice. They must have been out about 30 minutes before we noticed they were missing. They are tagged and micro chipped, but that doesn't stop you from imagining the worst case scenario. Luckily, karma repayed us for all those times we have gone after stray dogs and found their owners for them. They were only a few cul-de-sacs away and together. Piper was getting some loving from the people that found them, but Dewey was evading capture like the little turd that he is. Another advantage of Dave working from home is that he can slowly start replacing our fence in the morning before he "goes to work".<br />
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<br />Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-26128385669074234992013-06-12T07:08:00.004-06:002013-06-12T07:08:48.726-06:00Ideas for #3's nurseryThe beauty of a new house is that I get to decorate a new nursery! I did a brown, green, and cream bunny themed nursery in the old house. I loved it but we left the curtains, bunny tie backs, and painted room behind us when we moved. This time around I decided on owls in oranges, blues, greens, and browns. I love starting off with a gender neutral palette and it was all inspired by the Treetop Friends bedding by Skip Hop. I bought the pillow, blanket, and sheets from this set. We don't do bumpers so I see no need in buying an entire set if I'm not going to use half of the products in the bag.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtiQX0OJLKBR_N1aqFmhe-w1o7DlWPx8kTfDlXOF5wvqAg2f_IC-3fLRt78CI4sAIf_gXMV1AmJk-ek2eagGTMMXRcIYQNE_3dZUY1PhDfHRUe0XUCBav3vy2vpikprUTYQjBmfHFSPA/s1600/completesheet_treetopfriends_image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtiQX0OJLKBR_N1aqFmhe-w1o7DlWPx8kTfDlXOF5wvqAg2f_IC-3fLRt78CI4sAIf_gXMV1AmJk-ek2eagGTMMXRcIYQNE_3dZUY1PhDfHRUe0XUCBav3vy2vpikprUTYQjBmfHFSPA/s400/completesheet_treetopfriends_image.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Skip Hop Treetop Friends</div>
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I decided on grey for the walls. I wanted a color that would could handle a lot of different styles so we won't need to paint again down the road when owls aren't cool anymore! I bought Dolphin Fin Grey by Behr and now am just waiting for it to magically put itself on our walls. </div>
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Dolphin Fin Grey</div>
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My Mom is graciously going to make curtains for the baby's room. I really like an owl fabric from fabric.com, but it was a little busy. Mom suggested using it as a trim on the bottom and as a valance. That's why she's the pro. I am not sure what solid colored fabric I am going to use for the main part of the curtain, but hopefully Marlene can help me with that! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKU4MKlpbzZSeZJMc0-2mufBPWCjUBhIERYUMU6De_OsJ3F8TmBGI7xKxCF1KSCzDldshlMi591excZM3PNFGa5hhJb9sv_zKyu6P4l3hY9JNIegnUezOChPZdlIR2YbYIK0a8DxHTSOk/s1600/Large_202417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKU4MKlpbzZSeZJMc0-2mufBPWCjUBhIERYUMU6De_OsJ3F8TmBGI7xKxCF1KSCzDldshlMi591excZM3PNFGa5hhJb9sv_zKyu6P4l3hY9JNIegnUezOChPZdlIR2YbYIK0a8DxHTSOk/s320/Large_202417.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Michael Miller Cocoa Berry Swedish Owls fabric</div>
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Here are some products that would be so adorable in the nursery:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPapZRbNLmq44Q35yoA260fOdceHBkY1zTE4HLiLjmvXx1j7VPeo_B-g1vpF0IQoVQLjDr4s9azgq2qI16YiK0y-KjBSbl93OZ3PZenD0cmfSoS0u-i9TxB6V9-V4AaQnFll1KWaJeUE/s1600/OwlBinBrn10057727_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPapZRbNLmq44Q35yoA260fOdceHBkY1zTE4HLiLjmvXx1j7VPeo_B-g1vpF0IQoVQLjDr4s9azgq2qI16YiK0y-KjBSbl93OZ3PZenD0cmfSoS0u-i9TxB6V9-V4AaQnFll1KWaJeUE/s1600/OwlBinBrn10057727_l.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/3-Sprouts-Storage-Bin-Brown/dp/B006Y7OS88/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1371041435&sr=8-2&keywords=3+sprouts+owl" target="_blank">3 Sprouts storage bin</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxc32G-FM6nIeqOXg9lbFEWRiEUKO6SnagKp5s0obmkGzT_J2Z-k8YrA-xoc5ELhNEtBks_KOQd8wSQz1vtRoIrif-L4oEhpn7CJDEFcmTlMbqL-eXcUj-nwOxrUIRqYkqnmhq0FrShHw/s1600/ODNL8292BT_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxc32G-FM6nIeqOXg9lbFEWRiEUKO6SnagKp5s0obmkGzT_J2Z-k8YrA-xoc5ELhNEtBks_KOQd8wSQz1vtRoIrif-L4oEhpn7CJDEFcmTlMbqL-eXcUj-nwOxrUIRqYkqnmhq0FrShHw/s1600/ODNL8292BT_sm.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Oopsy-Daisy-NL8313BT-Hootie-Night/dp/B003AVMA9A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371041494&sr=8-1&keywords=oopsy+daisy+night+light" target="_blank">Oopsy Daisy night light</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZWBLEInvip23-jgkttDwDd4DTMuUpwoVMdq5lW4bN2hcFrr5xX1NWx553K5nqGuSeZtY3F9VMmbnrBJHhyphenhyphenHPwiLMH-Ba83rgOS3wifxsaf6kX_9sFwNyHxEtM83wbqZvLsfRuOwJ_pU/s1600/31ZdfJuWmAL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZWBLEInvip23-jgkttDwDd4DTMuUpwoVMdq5lW4bN2hcFrr5xX1NWx553K5nqGuSeZtY3F9VMmbnrBJHhyphenhyphenHPwiLMH-Ba83rgOS3wifxsaf6kX_9sFwNyHxEtM83wbqZvLsfRuOwJ_pU/s1600/31ZdfJuWmAL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.worldmarket.com/product/white-owl-accent-lamp-base.do?camp=ppc:GooglePLA:none:goobase_filler&gclid=CIfs3p2VmLUCFdSkPAodRhEALw" target="_blank">White Owl accent lamp</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Crane-Adorable-Ultrasonic-Humidifier-Gallon/dp/B0050LY2DU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=27GO6STO030KQ&coliid=I2XS4RZRTQAN2M" target="_blank">Crane Owl humidifier</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4OCYIXjFiTQv2HSP2CtzTfHKVJMDWas_TqnnmzAgLogBUQopjWj7BpuO-01GQyjGmY2SKYCwOem9QVygTTSwEUOL1tdKvFFd_4vGp7GkFItYKsoK5AJrJ6sV3bSz6DCM5b0nYw4rdyME/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4OCYIXjFiTQv2HSP2CtzTfHKVJMDWas_TqnnmzAgLogBUQopjWj7BpuO-01GQyjGmY2SKYCwOem9QVygTTSwEUOL1tdKvFFd_4vGp7GkFItYKsoK5AJrJ6sV3bSz6DCM5b0nYw4rdyME/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sprout-Cubby-Shelf-Orange-White/dp/B005Z2K5LC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=27GO6STO030KQ&coliid=I1IGYDURKDTFSI" target="_blank">Sprout 6 Cubby Shelf in orange</a></div>
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Of course I have been working on my own special artwork for this little one's new room. It is a work in progress, but here is a sneak peak. I have had this project looming in the back of my head for months so it has felt great to finally get started. </div>
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It is a 2 canvas project, but so far I love it!</div>
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I cannot wait to get the room painted and get started on decorating!</div>
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<br />Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-13056747372842966972013-06-10T07:18:00.000-06:002013-06-10T07:18:16.464-06:00We are getting stuff done!The last two days have been pretty productive around here. I am not sure that I would call it nesting b/c my baseboards are still dirty and I don't care, but things are getting done. Yesterday Dave and a co-worker/friend drove down to the Springs and emptied out our storage unit. A lot of the baby stuff was down there along with a majority of our DVDs. I was really missing my Pride & Prejudice! While they were gone, our sitter came over to watch the boys while I was able to work without interruption. I cleaned the kitchen, baked some mini muffins, sanded and painted a nightstand, worked on art for the babies room, and cleaned some more. The boys were having a ball with their sitter which was nice too. <div>
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Today we cleaned some more. I sprinkled the basement carpets with baking soda and let it sit for an hour. Dewey has been peeing down there and upstairs as I discovered today. Dave is going to make a vet appointment because this is not typical behavior for him and if he has an infection I want it to get taken care of ASAP. Also, this means we will need to get the carpets cleaned before the baby arrives. I spent half the morning scrubbing six different pee spots that I found. The joys of pet ownership. </div>
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Dewey the Menace</div>
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Anyway, today Dave worked in the yard a bit but his allergies were really acting up. I am so glad that I don't have seasonal allergies! He looked miserable poor guy. I finished painting the nightstand for the nursery and now need to wait a few days before putting on a few coats of polyurethane. It was an old Sauder telephone stand that my Grandma gave me years ago. Solid a rock, but an awful faux wood finish. It looks fantastic already plus I bought a cute little owl know for the door. </div>
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A work in progress</div>
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For dinner I made a lentil loaf, mustard greens from our garden, and chopped up a watermelon. My blood sugar levels have been great so I am doing something right. We took a walk afterwards in the 80+ degree heat. I was definitely dragging, but the only time my sugar spiked was when I ate fruit with dinner and did not take a walk. Yesterday I made two mini muffin recipes. One was from the diabetic living and it was <a href="http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipe/quickbreads/vanilla-cake-doughnuts/" target="_blank">vanilla cake donut muffin</a>s and the other was a<a href="http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/05/12/recipe-fruit-nut-or-berry-or-whatever-you-want-them-to-be-whole-wheat-muffins/" target="_blank"> healthy mini muffin recipe</a> I found online. The vanilla cake donuts I made in my mini muffin tin and I used regular brown sugar, but I did not put the cinnamon and truvia mix on top. The other mini muffins I used applesauce in place of the juice, added about 2 Tablespoons of unsweetened almond milk to thin the batter, and did 1/2 cup blueberries and 1/2 cup diced apples. I also replaced one egg with egg beaters and baked them in a mini muffin tin at 350 F for 15 minutes. Neither of them spiked my sugar either! It is so nice have a glucometer so now I can be a little more adventurous in my eating. Before I got it I had absolutely no added sugar for over a week and I am a dessert girl. </div>
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my mini muffins</div>
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In the past 2ish months we have been making changes with how we handle the boys' tantrums, eating habits, and general behavior. They are eating their meals much better since we switched to only 1 snack in between meals. The snack is also way more healthy than before. They now get cottage cheese with fruit, yogurt with cinnamon and flax, apples with peanut butter, pretzels with hummus, cheese and crackers, etc.. Gone are the days of processed foods for snacking. This also means they are eating their breakfast, lunch, and dinner too. They are eating lentil loaf, quinoa with tahini and spinach, beets, and all the other healthy meals I have been cooking. It is a far cry from Archie throwing up food that he didn't like and Fletcher running away from the table after two bites. </div>
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I also read the book<a href="http://www.amazon.com/1-2-3-Magic-Effective-Discipline-Children/dp/1889140430/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370869111&sr=8-1&keywords=123+magic" target="_blank"> "1-2-3 Magic" by Thomas Phelan.</a> It's funny because I talked with Grandma about it and she was like, "Isn't counting how everyone does it?" I am surprised at how effective it is and how i am yelling far less than I used to on a daily basis. Most times they stop at the count at 2 and they usually only get time outs when they physically hurt someone because that is an automatic 3. We have seen the biggest improvement in Fletcher. He is still a handful, but at least I don't feel like I am constantly treading water with him anymore. They are both good boys though. Right now Archie is sharing his most favorite toys with his baby brother. They are very sweet with each sometimes. </div>
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Fletcher is allowed iPad access again. </div>
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"drink like a big boy" </div>
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Playing at the new park</div>
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He is getting so big!</div>
Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-29566959050491636092013-06-05T09:46:00.002-06:002013-06-05T09:46:27.915-06:00Double RainbowYesterday right before our family walk it started to rain. The upside is that the kids got to see a gorgeous double rainbow from our balcony. Archie is still asking to see the rainbow this morning and I'm having a hard time explaining to him that rainbows don't happen all of the time. Of course I had to go into extreme detail about how you can only see rainbows if the sun is behind you, and it is currently raining, and the light is just right, etc... The curse of the educated. Anyway, here is the beautiful double rainbow!<br />
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<br />Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-19390481623899082402013-06-05T08:43:00.003-06:002013-06-05T08:43:49.549-06:00Say hello to my little friend......the Glucometer!<br />
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I finally met with my Dr. a week and half after getting my gestational diabetes diagnosis. It turns out that 2 of my 4 blood draws during the 3 hours test were abnormal. My fasting was high and my 2 hour draw was high. The 1 hour and 3 hours were withing normal range though. We talked about my diet, the fact that I had lost 4 lbs., and the size of the baby, which is right on track for 30 weeks. She told me it sounds like I am doing everything right and that my diagnosis shouldn't be a huge concern if I keep up with my current lifestyle. She gave me a glucometer, but only wants me to test twice/day and will call me in a week to see what my numbers have been. Based on that information she will decide what to do after that. If the numbers look good then she will only have be testing my blood sugars every other day to make sure they are on track.<br />
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I have tested my BSLs (blood sugar levels) 6 times so far. Only 1 draw has been over the recommended limit by 7 mg/dl. The others were in the 70s and 80s. The high draw came after a meal in which I normally wouldn't have had an apple with, but I cut one up for the boys and ate the other half. I also didn't take my walk immediately after dinner like normal either. Knowing what certain foods are doing to my body is quite fascinating. However, knowing how much additional test strips cost, even with insurance, has limited my curiosity to two times/day. I am testing my fasting level in the morning and then alternating which meal I test 2 hours postprandial (after eating). With my levels being so much under the recommended 120 mg/dl at 2 hours postprandial, I am thinking that I have been too conservative with my carbs.<br />
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Despite things looking pretty good, I am still going to be getting NSTs (non stress tests) at every bimonthly appointment, 1-2 more ultrasounds to check the growth of the baby, and my Dr. doesn't want me to go past 39 weeks. If I don't go into labor naturally before then, however, I may fight her on that because if the size of the baby is looking normal then I don't see a need to be induced. Since my boys were born at 37 and 38 weeks, respectively, I am not too worried that this LO will wait much past 39 weeks anyway.<br />
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I am finding some great recipes for diabetes online and am thoroughly enjoying some of these new dishes I never would have found otherwise. For dinner last night I made <a href="http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipe/pasta/penne-with-walnuts-and-peppers/" target="_blank">Penne with Walnuts and Peppers</a> and wilted mustard greens from our garden. They were delicious! My night time snack was a <a href="http://www.easy-diabetic-recipes.com/diabetic-ricotta-cheese-spread.html" target="_blank">ricotta cheese spread</a> in 1/2 a roll up with blueberries. Dinner two nights ago was <a href="http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20306913_5,00.html" target="_blank">Black Bean Salad</a> in a pita with hummus with <a href="http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/recipecomdetail.jsp?recipeId=25130357" target="_blank">Roasted Snap Peas</a>. We have been eating so well since this diagnosis!<br />
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30 weeks</div>
<br />Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-85000827894807384982013-06-02T13:11:00.002-06:002013-06-02T13:15:48.602-06:00Another garden post.We finally went to the nursery earlier and got some plants to spruce up our front. The previous owners of our house have a lot of nice non flowering perennials around the yard so we were waiting to see what else would pop up. There is not a lot of color so we went to the nursery to grab a few to make our house more inviting. I love salvia and Dave loves columbine so those were definitely on the list. I also grabbed some colorful annuals for our pots and then another ornamental grass to fill in a gap near our driveway. Next yer we will probably build a stone planter in front of the porch and fill it with colorful perennials. Until then, this is our little front yard oasis.<br />
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Walking up to our house</div>
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The greenery bordering our driveway.</div>
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Flowering vines and rosebush planted by the previous owners.</div>
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Our potted plants. Waiting for many to grow bigger. </div>
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The large pot was left by the previous owners. We planted columbine around it. </div>
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Close up of the columbine with a leftover dusty miller. </div>
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1 white and 2 purple salvia.</div>
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Today we planted mimulus, zinnia, coleus, geranium, dusty miller, ribbon grass, and I think marigold. Archie picked up some yellow flowers that weren't labeled so I am guessing. I do not have the green thumb that my parents possess, but I do like having my own yard to try and make pretty. I also have Dave who gets excited about the garden every year. I cannot wait to see what it looks like in a few years!</div>
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<br />Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-29214929037044808212013-06-02T09:40:00.005-06:002013-06-02T13:20:47.899-06:00Produce, gardens, and outdoor play.This has been a rather uneventful week around these parts. We were pretty much homebodies only leaving to take a daily walk. In fact, I didn't go anywhere in a vehicle from Friday to Wednesday. We did get to have dinner with my friend and old roomie Heather though. She was in town on business for the week and it was really nice to see her. Archie especially enjoyed showing off for his new friend. Luckily the restaurant wasn't very busy as the boys were not cooperating and staying in their seats go figure.<br />
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We have successfully completed our first month of menu planning and bi-monthly food shopping. I had to modify a few of the last weeks recipes to accommodate for my new diet, but we actually had most things on hand. Turns out my new shopping habits are conducive to a diabetic diet! I am learning which fruits and veggies will last the full 2 weeks and what I need to use in the first week. These are just what I am experiencing in my refrigerator and climate.<br />
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<b>Use within week:</b><br />
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<ul>
<li>bananas</li>
<li>strawberries</li>
<li>blueberries</li>
<li>avocado</li>
<li>leaf lettuce</li>
<li>mushrooms</li>
<li>asparagus</li>
<li>stone fruit (if you buy it ripe)</li>
<li>fresh, cut herbs (freeze if you aren't using within a few days)</li>
<li>green onions</li>
</ul>
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<b>Lasts longer than 1 week, but not quite 2:</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>broccoli</li>
<li>cauliflower</li>
<li>cucumbers</li>
<li>stone fruit (if you buy it slightly under ripe)</li>
<li>tomatoes</li>
<li>brussel sprouts</li>
<li>melons (if you don't cut them right away. Once cut they last less than 1 week)</li>
<li>bell peppers</li>
</ul>
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<b>Lasts the full 2 weeks:</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>celery</li>
<li>carrots</li>
<li>spinach</li>
<li>apples</li>
<li>zucchini</li>
<li>romaine lettuce</li>
<li>lemons</li>
<li>onions</li>
<li>sweet potato</li>
<li>garlic</li>
<li>living basil plant (we keep it a cup on our counter and fill with water. Still going strong after 2 weeks.)</li>
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I have been chopping and freezing celery, carrots, bell peppers, green onions, bananas, strawberries, and spinach with great success. Frozen spinach is great in smoothies, soups, and casseroles. I just bought cilantro that I plan on washing and freezing later today. Our garden is starting to produce some vegetables as well. We have got spinach and mustard greens so far and the tomatoes and strawberries are looking good too. Dave planted around 10-15 different fruits and veggies so we will see what works well. </div>
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Dave and his garden!</div>
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Spinach</div>
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Strawberries</div>
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On Friday we went to the toy store because Archie has been asking for a doll for weeks. After looking at about 5 aisles of dolls, however, he decided that he wanted cars instead. We did end up getting a sandbox for the boys though. They have a sand and water table, but the two always got mixed together so that is now just a water table and sand stays in the sand box - in theory. Our backyard is slowly being taken over by kid toys, but it keeps us outside a lot so I don't mind. </div>
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Today Dave planted the peach tree that he bought last weekend and we are going to get some flowers planted in the front yard. I want to put salvia and columbine in the ground and then get some annuals in our pots for the front porch. There are some great non-flowering plants in our front yard from the previous owners, but I want more color. Spring is so beautiful in Colorado!</div>
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Watering our new peach tree. </div>
Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-582753415262679912013-05-27T07:32:00.001-06:002013-06-02T13:16:54.495-06:00Gestational DiabetesI still do not meet with my Doctor until next week so I am trying to learn all I can about gestational diabetes/diabetes in general on my own. Luckily, I belong to a pregnancy board for other August moms and there are a few women also with a GD diagnosis that have been helping. Since I do not have a glucometer yet, I really have no idea what different foods are affecting my blood sugar levels. However, I do know approximately how many carbs I should be eating at each meal and snack. I know that my snacks should have both a protein and carb. I know that I need to be walking at least 30 minutes every day.<br />
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I am avoiding all sweets until I know if my body can handle them at all. There are women on my board who eat a pudding at night and it doesn't affect their morning fasting numbers, but I am too scared to do that yet. I did make frozen yogurt pops today though that only have 3.5 g of carbs, 1.3 grams of protein, and 4.5 g of sugar. I pureed 8 small strawberries, 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, and 1 packet of Truvia to make 5 frozen yogurt pops. I am kind of excited about trying one later!<br />
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I have been logging all my food, water intake, and exercise in both a paper journal and on my phone. I use the LoseIt! app on my phone because it figures out all the nutritional information of my food. The paper journal is so it is easier to look back at my foods once I get my <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucose_meter" target="_blank">glucometer</a> to see what I should be eating less of, more of, etc... I will say that eating smaller meals and snacks every 2-3 hours really isn't as bad as I was anticipating. It actually keeps me from ever being starving. My snacks are getting a little boring already, but I am hoping a nutritionist can help me get some more variety into my diet. Here is a sampling of what I have eating lately.<br />
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<u>Breakfast</u><br />
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<ul>
<li>scrambled egg with salsa and avocado</li>
<li>scrambled egg with spinach, tomato, onion, and bell peppers</li>
<li>1/2 whole grain English muffin with 1 T peanut putter and a veggie sausage</li>
</ul>
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<u>Lunch</u></div>
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<ul>
<li>Sandwich Wrap using <a href="http://www.flatoutbread.com/" target="_blank">Flatout Flatbread</a> (high protein, low carb, awesome!)</li>
<ul>
<li>faux chicken salad with cashews and I load on the veggies</li>
<li>veggie salami with spinach, avocado, tomato, cucumber, onion, and a little Italian dressing.</li>
</ul>
<li>Spinach salad with lots of veggies, pumpkin seeds, goat cheese and Italian dressing. This is great since our garden is starting to produce baby spinach. </li>
</ul>
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<u>Dinner</u></div>
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<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://thediabeticunderground.com/recipe/no-crust-vegetable-quiche/" target="_blank">Crustless Quiche</a> - I didn't have egg substitute so I used 2 whole eggs and 2 vegan "eggs" (2 T flax meal in 6 T hot water). The quiche was a little watery so I will use the egg substitute next time. Flavor was good though. This was served with a side of cumin beets.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipe/fresh-tomato-sandwiches/" target="_blank">Fresh Tomato Sandwich</a> with <a href="http://www.katiescucina.com/2012/11/roasted-cauliflower-and-white-beans/" target="_blank">Roasted Cauliflower and white beans</a></li>
<li>Quinoa with Broccoli and Tofu Stir Fry</li>
</ul>
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<u>Snacks</u></div>
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<div>
<ul>
<li>Cottage cheese with fruit</li>
<li>Nuts and string cheese</li>
<li>Small fruit and some pretzels</li>
<li>Veggie salami with goat cheese and tortilla chips</li>
<li>Plain Greek yogurt with cinnamon and berries</li>
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Crustless Quiche</div>
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Like I said, I am still only a few days in so I am hoping after the next week or so I can learn more, get more snack ideas, and become better adept and knowing what I can and should not eat. I am also hoping that when I meet with my Doctor my levels will look good and she will think that I am on the right track. Thanks for bearing with me on this new journey of diabetic living. I know it is only temporary, however, if I do not continue eating better and exercising after this baby is born, I have a 40-60% chance of getting diabetes within 5-15 years. If I do continue then I only have a 25% chance and I like those odds a lot better. Granted, I have seen the percentages vary depending on what study and website and read, but the idea is the same. Stay healthy, stay active, deliver a healthy baby, stay healthy, stay active, stay diabetes free. Sounds like a good plan to me!</div>
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Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-44912046036981372082013-05-24T10:55:00.004-06:002013-06-05T08:49:07.141-06:00It's been a long couple of days. I received the results of my 3 hour glucose test yesterday and they were not great. I have gestational diabetes. Luckily they are confident that it can be controlled by diet, but it is a lot of information to process and it needs to be taken seriously. I am confused, sad, scared, determined, researching, and trying to stay positive. My next appointment isn't for over a week so I a feel like I will just be treading water until then. We already don't keep any white/processed grains in the house and haven't for at least 2 years. I only buy whole grain/whole wheat bread, pasta, flour, rice, etc... We eat quinoa, put flax in everything, use nutritional yeast, cook with beans and tofu, and it takes us almost 6-8 months to use what little sugar I buy. I am just not sure how I am supposed to eat now since it seems like I am already doing the right things. Hopefully I can get an appointment with a dietitian b/c this is a daunting task to take on by myself. The risk of me getting diabetes later in life just increased too so I want to see what long term changes I can make so that doesn't happen.<br />
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I had to laugh talking with the nurse on the phone last night. She told me no juice, which we never keep in the house until earlier this week. I was told to take my iron pill with orange juice and now I am being told to stop drinking orange juice and instead take my iron pill with a vitamin C pill. It was just the cherry on top of a long, difficult week.<br />
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In other news, Archie had his PreK evaluation today. They gave us the worksheet that they used to test them and it was pretty spot on to his strengths and weaknesses. Dave said that he got really sad when he had to leave. Less than 3 months though and he will be going 5 days/week. While they were at the evaluation, Fletcher and I took a walk. This diabetes diagnoses has me more serious about taking walks at least 5 days/week now. We went to the open space down the street and saw ducks and birds. All the prairie dogs were hiding though. I took Archie to this same park after his swimming class last week and he called them "fairy dogs". I almost loathed to correct him because it was so cute hearing him call them by that name. We did learn that prairie dogs make sounds like birds which was interesting.<br />
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28 weeks</div>
<br />Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-69389937364905197332013-05-20T15:03:00.003-06:002013-06-02T13:18:41.099-06:001 hour glucose test = failThe dreaded 1 hour glucose test given around the 28th week of pregnancy came and went last week. There is nothing like breaking a 12 hour fast by drinking 50 grams of glucose, sitting in a Dr's office for an hour, and then getting your blood drawn. That is, until you fail that test and you go back in to drink double the amount of glucose and get your blood drawn 4 times over the course of 3 hours. I failed my 1 hour when I was pregnant with Fletcher and passed the 3 hour. Looks like I failed the 1 hour yet again and am going back tomorrow for the 3 hour test. It is rare that I get 3 hours to myself and I would much rather spend that time eating a leisurely lunch, shopping the bulk foods section without yelling at kids to keep their grubby hands off the food, or even reading a book in bed while the kids are out with Dad. Instead, my 3 hours will be spent fighting nausea, the shakes, headaches, and trying to get comfortable in a waiting room chair.<br />
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I am one of those people that actually enjoys pregnancy. Yes I get morning sickness in the first trimester, heartburn, hemorrhoids (sorry if you didn't want to know that), round ligament pain, nerve pains, PUPPS rash, heat rash, and all those other glamorous side effects of pregnancy. However, I love the kicks, rolls, hiccups, knowledge and where and what my kid is up to all the time, the weekly belly pictures, pants with belly panels, and body pillows. I even love the middle of the night panic when your water breaks and you realize you are about to have a baby. One thing I really hate though, are all the tests done during pregnancy. I get why they are done and I am not one to eschew modern medicine, but sometimes I feel like they add more stress as opposed to give piece of mind.<br />
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The word fail implies that you aren't good enough. I know that I cannot help how my body processes sugar during pregnancy. That is the logical half. The other part though is berating myself and wonders what I could have done differently. Also, a diagnosis of gestational diabetes means that both me and my baby would be at higher risk for developing diabetes later on in life. Add that knowledge onto my already fragile hormonal reactions and it makes for quite the disappointment. Luckily Dave is super supportive and has a job that is very flexible. There is no way I could take this test with my kids in tow.<br />
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They also found out that I am anemic so I get to take iron supplements on top of my prenatal and DHA pills. They also suggested I stock up on colace because of the undesirable side effects of extra iron intake. Some days I want time to slow down before this baby arrives. Days like today, however, I am looking forward to the next 10-12 weeks flying by! That was nice to get off my chest.<br />
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<br />Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-60241071479126397682013-05-18T19:04:00.002-06:002013-06-02T13:19:34.500-06:00Sprinklers and Sandwiches I love Saturday! I especially love Saturday when I get to sleep in under my new ceiling fan. We had a nice leisurely day around here. The boys received a package from Aunt Becky M. and played with it most of the day. I got to go shopping at the mall by myself and Dave went to Home Depot solo. Not at the same time obviously, but it is nice that we each got some "me" time. The only real difference in our day is that he will get to end it with a nice, cold beer while I will have to settle for strawberry sparkling water. Maybe I'll jazz it up a bit with fresh sliced strawberries and mint from our garden. I'm living on the wild side!<br />
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It wasn't as hot as yesterday, but in the sun it was still warm so Dave set up the sprinkler and let the kids play. Fletcher did not like getting wet as much as Archie did, but he loves playing with hose so fun was had by all. I got some incredibly cute pictures too. Fletcher still stands still long enough for me to get plenty of pictures of him. Archie, however, cannot be bothered with things like his Mom trying to capture the memories he it too busy making. Oh well!<br />
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I spent some time chopping up and freezing vegetables while making dinner. Dinner was grilled portobello sandwiches for me and Dave, faux corn dogs for the kids, and sweet potato puff for everyone. Since the kids haven't snacked much today they ate everything on their plate, even the reheated peas from the other night. I was tempted to get some food at the mall earlier today, but I resisted and ate when I got home. The allure of feeding a family of 4 for about $10/day was enough to dissuade me. We have plenty of great food here for a fraction of the price. I am turning into such a cheapskate.<br />
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My sandwich is sticking its tongue out at you!</div>
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While my trip to the mall to find maternity shorts was a huge bust, I stumbled across a Fresh Produce Warehouse sale. I had no idea what Fresh Produce was, but I figured "what the hey". They actually had a lot of cute dresses, tops, and skirts. Being pregnant I didn't want to buy things that might not fit after the baby is born, but I did find a great dress that works as a maternity dress. I also got a scarf. So no maternity shorts, but cute dress. I'll take it! Here is the <a href="http://freshproduceclothes.com/impromptu-dress-in-sundance.html" target="_blank">style of the dress,</a> but it is in a brownish color and pattern.<br />
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Well that is all I've got for now. I hope your Saturday has been as enjoyable, or at least not super stressful (that one is for you Marlene).Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-78345117619090317612013-05-17T10:32:00.001-06:002013-06-05T08:46:51.035-06:00Mid May Roundup<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So we are officially into our second cycle of meal planning and already we are seeing the benefits. I spent less money on the 2nd shopping trip of the month. Dave said he saw a difference in the amount we had leftover from the previous paycheck. The best improvement for me, however, has been cooking one meal that we all eat together as a family. My kids are getting better at eating what I put in front of them and the food I am giving them is nutritious, healthy, and hopefully not terrible tasting. Yesterday they ate their entire dinner which consisted of peas and lentil pancakes. Fletcher got seconds! The lentil pancakes were courtesy of an old issue of Vegetarian Times. Following is just the copied and pasted recipe for Jack Burgers, which was a reader submitted recipe.</span><br />
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.vegetariantimes.com/article/get-lucky/" target="_blank">Jack Burgers</a></strong><br />
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Makes 10 patties | 30 minutes or fewer</em></div>
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“Working with children and youth is my calling, so most of my cooking experiments are kid-friendly,” says Mary Jane Wagner. “My husband and I have five children of our own (three grown, two teenagers), plus two teenage boys from Ghana live with us. I make these for my family, and four teenagers can eat quite a lot! They enjoy them with ketchup or barbecue sauce.”</div>
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1 15-oz. can Eden Foods lentils with onion & bay leaf, rinsed and drained<br />
1/2 large onion, finely chopped (1 cup)<br />
2 medium carrots, shredded (1 cup)<br />
3/4 cup prepared marinara sauce<br />
3/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped<br />
3/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free pancake mix<br />
1 Tbs. Bob’s Red Mill nutritional yeast</div>
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1. Combine all ingredients in large bowl.</div>
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2. Spray large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Scoop batter by 1/3 cupfuls onto hot skillet, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until bottoms of patties have browned. Flip, cover pan, and cook 5 to 7 minutes more, or until browned on both sides and vegetables have softened.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I couldn't find the Eden Lentils so I used Eden Brown Rice and Lentils instead. We put a little mustard on them when they are done and called it a meal. They ended up making more than 10 patties though so I have leftovers to give the kids for lunch. I added this one to our tried and true recipes spreadsheet. I also started a Meal Planning Binder, but cannot get much further on it until we get more ink for our printer. I plan on printing out my spreadsheets, scanning some recipes from cookbooks, and printing our more used recipes off of<a href="http://pinterest.com/" target="_blank"> Pinterest</a> and<a href="http://www.keeprecipes.com/" target="_blank"> Keep Recipes</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In other news, I have officially hit the 3rd trimester of this 3rd pregnancy. Scary to think that in less than 3 months we will have newborn around these parts. He/she still moves around all the time and those kicks are powerful! However, this is my favorite part of pregnancy. I love feeling that little one and knowing they are safely growing inside of me. It is once they are born that I have far less control! The nursery is finally cleared out and ready to get painted. I chose <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/BEHR-Premium-Plus-Ultra-8-oz-790C-3-Dolphin-Fin-Interior-Exterior-Paint-Sample-790C-3U/202182496#.UZZRz7V9CSo" target="_blank">Behr Dolphin Fin Grey</a> for the walls b/c I feel it is a color that handle a lot of different styles as our children grow. For right now, I plan on decorating in oranges, blues, and greens to match the Skip Hop Treetop Friends bedding I bought.</span><br />
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<img alt="Treetop Friends Complete Sheet™ bumper-free crib bedding" height="248" src="http://www.skiphop.com/images/store/products/completesheet_treetopfriends/completesheet_treetopfriends_image.jpg" width="400" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The nursery in progress</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I am slowly going through the 6-8 bins of clothing and purging what they boys haven't really worn too much. It only took having two kids to realize that they really don't need massive amounts of clothing especially with the amount of laundry that I end up doing on an almost daily basis. If this baby is a girl, I will probably get rid of a lot more since we are pretty much content with having 3 kids. Having less space for storage also makes it easier for me to get rid of things.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Mother's Day was this past weekend and it was quite a nice day. I got to sleep in, the boys gave me picture frames that they made at a Lowe's Build and Grow clinic, and we went to out for breakfast at one of my favorite places. The boys were pretty well behaved and we took them a park afterwards. All good things must end though and Fletcher ended up getting croup again and then Archie got it a few days later. At least the weather has been lovely so we can play in the backyard while they are sick. The last time we were sick we were cooped up inside and it was cold and snowy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Me and my boys on Mother's Day</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Well I am going to straighten up before the handyman gets here to fix a pipe and install a fan. With all this money we are saving meal planning we can finally get someone in here to get a lot of our odds and ends sorted out!<br /><br />Also, I am going to try and keep this blog updated more often from now on. My lovely sister and brother-in-law will be moving to Japan soon and I want to be able to keep her updated as often as possible. Living away from family hard, but thankfully with blogs, social networking, VOIP, etc.. it can be a little easier. </span></div>
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Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-56708691831861398632013-05-05T10:52:00.002-06:002013-06-02T13:21:32.560-06:00Meal PlanningDinner time had become somewhat of a challenge around here. 5:30 pm would roll around and I would be looking in the pantry thinking, "What can we have for dinner? What am I going to make the boys for dinner? Will they even eat that?" etc.. and so forth. We were having a lot of easy microwave items and the boys would always get something different that they most likely would pick at anyway. With a 3rd kid arriving in 3 months, something had to change. Lots of things had to change actually.<br />
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I would end up either going to the grocery store 3 times/week and buying $100 worth of crap or going once every 3 weeks and still buying a cart full of randomness. I started to do a little research on meal planning. I didn't want to be a crazy coupon lady, but saving money on groceries and saving time and headache at meal times seemed like a good idea. There are numerous blogs and articles out in Internet land on the subject. I also turned to the trusted women in my Moms Group on-line. Between them and Internet land I was ready to start. I grabbed a notebook that the boys haven't yet managed to draw all over and started a list of meals that I have made in the past with success. I also got about 4 of my cookbooks and jotted down recipes that seemed easy enough, but still nutritious.<br />
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I guess I should list some goals I am hoping to achieve with this new experiment into meal planning.<br />
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<ul>
<li>Save money on groceries. If I only buy what I need and use what I buy then I should ultimately save. </li>
<li>Make fewer shopping trips throughout the month. With a meal plan I hope to have 2 major grocery shopping trips per month with maybe 2-3 small trips to get what I may have forgotten or ran out of too soon. </li>
<li>Get the boys away from filling up on processed snacks in between meals. I have stopped buying cereal bars, protein bars, and processed sugar filled snacks. If they are not in the house, then the boys cannot eat them. Instead, I have found recipes to make my own granola bars, cereal bars, and other healthier snacks</li>
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<li><a href="http://www.organicauthority.com/kids/homemade-granola-bars-recipe-for-healthy-after-school-snacks.html" target="_blank">Granola Bars</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Healthy-Banana-Oatmeal-Sponge-Cookies-For-Kids-Recipezaar" target="_blank">Cereal Bars</a> - I added flax and a dollop of fruit spread on top then baked them in muffin tins. </li>
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<li>Not having to stress about what to make for dinner. I have a calendar on the fridge that has all our meals planned out for 1/2 the month. No guesswork come dinnertime.</li>
<li>I want to make one meal for the whole family. No more short order cook. Sometimes the boys don't like what is on their plate, however, with less snacking in between meals they have been more inclined to try what is on their plate. Archie gets a timer set as well b/c he lollygags at meal time. What he doesn't eat in that allotted time he just doesn't get. However, he also only gets his dinner leftovers if he complains about being hungry later. Basically, if he doesn't eat his dinner then he doesn't get anything else before bedtime. </li>
<li>Buy more fresh fruits, veggies, and bulk items and less prepackaged, processed foods. </li>
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So far I have been working in this experiment for 1 week. I spent around $240 between 2 stores for 15 days worth of meals. I do not plan what we will have for breakfast or lunch, but I was sure to include some of the usuals on our shopping list so we would have enough for 3 meals/day. My lunch usually consists of leftovers, sandwiches, salads, and soups. The boys will also get some leftovers, but they typically get soy dogs, yogurt, cheese, mac 'n cheese, quesadillas, etc.. with fruit and veggies. </div>
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I found this great<a href="http://www.noordinarymomentsblog.com/2012/01/monthly-menu-planner-editable-pdf.html" target="_blank"> template</a> online of an easy way to create a menu plan calendar for the month. You can actually edit it before you print, but I chose to hand write our meals. I prefer pen and paper. I am hoping that I get into a good meal planning routine before #3 arrives. </div>
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cereal bars</div>
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a lunch I made with leftover quinoa</div>
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Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-91863011815271057962013-05-05T10:18:00.002-06:002013-06-05T08:49:23.144-06:00So this is what's it's like having two small kids.Where does the time go? In the 7 months since my last post, which feels like last week by the way, we have done a whole lot although it doesn't really seem like much. The days sometimes seem to drag on and on, however, the weeks fly by in the blink of an eye. My boys are 7 months older, I am 6 months pregnant with our third child, and we have lived in our new house for over 7 months. We love our new town! Dave and I will still drive around and think how lucky we are that we live here and get to raise our children in such a great environment. I always hear that things will work themselves out and yet I am always surprised when they actually do work out.<br />
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You may have caught the 6 months pregnant statement above. Baby R. #3 is scheduled to arrive in August. We are leaving the gender a surprise mainly because I want to pretend for a little longer that we won't have 3 boys in 3 months! I will say though, that my boys are the cuddliest, sweetest Momma's boys ever! Both boys like to feel the baby move and will say hi to my belly. It is so much fun being pregnant with kids that are old enough to kind of understand what is going on.<br />
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25 weeks</div>
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Archie is going to be starting preschool in the fall! He is so ready to start school, but I am not sure how ready his Mom is going to be though. How did he get so big, and smart, and old? He is writing letters, numbers, and drawing shapes. Just this week he has begun to sound out letters into words. His vocabulary is astounding too. Not a day goes by that I have to remind myself he is still just a 3 year old boy.<br />
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Very seriously reading the map at the zoo.</div>
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Fletcher, who recently turned 2, is also changing by leaps and bounds. He is speaking in sentences, colors really well, has great coordination, and definitely has a mind of his own. He is fiercely independent and want to do everything by himself. He won't be starting any sort of school until fall of 2014, but it will be nice to have some time with him and the new baby while Archie is at school this year. Hopefully, having that time as the oldest in the house will help him forge some new paths for himself.<br />
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Enjoying his birthday cupcake!</div>
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<br />Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-54713584932524366342012-09-17T15:35:00.003-06:002013-06-02T13:22:38.353-06:00We are moving!In 10 days we are doing back to back closings on our soon-to-be old house and our soon-to-be new house. Needless to say that things have been pretty crazy around here lately. I think that once we move the general craziness will continue through the new year. Between unpacking, visitors (always welcome!), and traveling we will be in a state of chaos. It's all good though, because we are so looking forward to starting our new lives closer to Denver, Boulder, Rocky Mountain Ntl. Park, and a boat load of other places we are excited to explore.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soon-to-be old house</td></tr>
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Right now we are living with boxes. They have taken over the front room, dining room, and are infiltrating our bedroom. Luckily we have a storage unit, but it is already jam packed. I do not know how we amassed so much stuff over the last 5 years or where it is going to go in our 1000 less sq. ft. house. I guess I just need to get crafty with storage. I am always up for a challenge!<br />
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In other news, and quickly too, here is what we have been up to:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Dave & I celebrated our 4th anniversary. By celebrate I mean we got dessert from Whole Foods and ate it after the kids went to bed. Moving is expensive!</li>
<li>Today is my 31st birthday!</li>
<li>Fletcher is starting to recognize letters of the alphabet.</li>
<li>Archie is almost 3! He pays attention to everything and is quite empathetic which makes me an extremely happy parent. </li>
<li>Fletcher cracked my iPad screen. I guess I should be happy that it took 3 years for the first electronic item to be destroyed by a child. I thought typing it out would comfort me, but I am still annoyed. </li>
<li>I am actually kind of excited to live in a hotel for the 4 days in between houses. Somebody else can do the laundry and clean up after me for a change. The sad thing is that I will probably still clean. </li>
<li>My Mom and Dad are coming to help us move. I am wondering if there is a horse track near Denver and that is real reason my Dad is coming. Kidding! kind of. </li>
<li>That's all I've got people. </li>
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Sara http://www.blogger.com/profile/10194447749982843057noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7008251401830963079.post-35636173847752647462012-09-15T11:24:00.002-06:002013-06-02T13:23:06.886-06:00He cooks, he cleans, and he loves his Mom!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Today Dave went to the store and took Fletcher. To make it fun for Archie I decided we should make some whole wheat chocolate chip cookies. I have let Archie help me cook before, but this time I let him take over. I was his sous chef and he was the head chef. Granted, the clean up job left by the head chef wasn't terribly fun but he had fun and didn't mind that Fletcher got to go the store with Daddy. The cookies were actually really yummy too. </div>
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