Two Things

We saw this rainbow on the way home the other day, it was amazing!  If you look carefully, you can see the beginnings of a second rainbow above it too!  My photography isn't the highest quality, especially when driving in a car, and trying to capture the perfect shot of a rainbow between trees, but I wanted to share it with you anyways. :)

And I found this when I went to check on Ian this morning.  No joke. I didn't pose him or anything, he was just dramatically lying on the pile of shoes he had created! :)  It was so funny, he's such a character!

Still Waiting....

I know I may be a bit biased, but isn't he the cutest thing!?  Crawling through the grass, with that look of intense concentration on his little face!  

Lately, with the weather being so amazing, and yet not really feeling like driving anywhere, I've been taking a blanket out, spreading it on the lawn and just sitting out there with Ian.  Me crocheting or reading, and him exploring the world!  I love watching him develop every day, and explore new territory.  I think it's so important for children to have that freedom, and I'm so grateful we live in a place where he can crawl all around the grass and look at leaves and trees, and not be in any danger!

Several weeks ago, I had a few things I wanted to have done before this next baby came.  One of them was this afghan that I'm crocheting.  I wonder how much power our words have.....it's the day before the  official due date, and I'm still not finished the blanket, and guess what? Baby # 2 has yet to make an appearance! :P  I was finished it, once.  But I was not at all happy with how it looked, and couldn't just let it rest, so I'm in the process of tearing it out, and making it again fresh....this is about the fourth time I've torn it out, or at least a part of it, although this time is different, I'm actually using a pattern this time. :P  I have this perfectionist complex which sometimes makes it difficult to learn new things.  I don't always like how my first attempt at something turns out, I want it to look like I've been doing it for years, without putting in the years first!  I'm getting better though, and I really do love learning new things, it's so empowering, even if it is only a simple crocheted blanket!

 (The re-do is on the left, on the right is the one I'm tearing out) 

For a while now, I've wanted to find the best way of preserving fall leaves in all their glory.  I love them so much, I think I'd decorate my whole home with them if I could!  I've looked up different methods, and I'm currently trying the "glycerin method."  In a few days I should know how they turn out.  

I've been looking for the perfect "slouchy hat" pattern for a long time, I don't think I've quite found it, but this one comes pretty close.  I was pretty happy that I actually finished it, it only took two days, and it was really easy!  

It's been such a good few days lately.  Stephen really encouraged me not to try to do everything every day, just to take it slow, rest lots, and not put oodles of pressure on myself.  It's amazing how freeing it was to hear him say that.  The pressure I feel is always self-inflicted, but to have him verbalize that was so good!  

I've been taking him very literally, sleeping when Ian sleeps, not trying to do too much in a day, and I've been so much more relaxed, less stressed, and even less bothered that the baby isn't here yet.  Obviously, I have moments of being very, very tired of being pregnant, but overall, I've decided that the baby will come when it's ready, and worrying about it won't make it come any faster.  

Well, until next time....

Glimpses of Autumn

Autumn is finally here!  I was completely thrilled yesterday when I opened the curtains of the big picture window in our living room and found myself looking out a tree whose leaves were just beginning to be tipped with red!  I think I could very happily live with autumn all year round. :)  There are so many wonderful things about this time of year!  The colors of orange, gold and red leaves, crisp fresh air, pumpkins, scarves and sweaters, apples fresh from the tree.....
I couldn't resist running out with Ian to the aforementioned tree and picking a few leaf bouquets to decorate my windowsill and table.  Then, I remembered an apple tree I had discovered a few months ago that was behind our yard, so I made my way over to it, through tall grass, with bare feet (I hadn't bothered to put shoes on in my spontaneity :), and found to my delight that there were apples, fully grown on it!  I picked as many as I could juggle between Ian and my leaf bouquets, and brought them back to the house.  

A few days ago, I was feeling extremely impatient that I was still pregnant.  I had been given reason to believe that this baby will probably come early, so I was living through each day like it could be The Day, and I was getting discouraged and a little frustrated when nothing seemed to be happening.
Then I made a decision.  Instead of just waiting for this baby to come, I figured I would just go on with my life, get as much done as I could, and let the baby come whenever.  I know, it's so brilliant. :P  But seriously, it made such a difference!  Instead of over-analyzing every little twinge my body did, and not really making plans to get things done, I started planning beyond just one day again, and really getting excited about some of the projects I wanted to get done. (One of them being finding a good way to preserve beautiful leaves - I'm pretty stoked about that one!)
I hope you're all having a lovely autumn, and preparing to enjoy it as much as I am! :)

Kabobs and Roasted Potatoes

The other day I made my first kabobs, and they turned out so well, I wanted to share the delight with you! :)  I have a "unique" style of cooking, in that I rarely follow a recipe exactly.  Therefore, my directions may not be perfectly clear, since I tend to have this "free-style cooking."  I hope it's still clear enough so that you can enjoy the results!

I used a steak marinade from Kim Cahill's "Cooking for a Crowd" recipe book, (which was some fabulous recipes in it, by the way!)

Here's her marinade recipe:

Steak Marinade

Oil 1/4 cup

Lemon juice 2 T

Worcestershire sauce 1 T

Mustard 1 T.

Soy Sauce 2 T

Liquid smoke 1/4 tsp.

Garlic, minced 1 tsp. (1 clove)

Chili powder 1 1/2 tsp

Pepper, fine 1/2 tsp.

Onion powder 1/4 tsp

Combine all ingredients.  Stir with whisk.  Pour over meat. Toss to distribute evenly.  Cover and marinate in fridge for 8-24 hours.

Kabobs

Traditionally, kabobs have the meat and vegetables alternated on the same stick, and cooked at the same time, but I did it a little differently, thanks to a tip from my sister.  I put meat and vegetables on separate skewers, and cooked them separately, that way, I didn't have to deal with that terrible cooking mistake of overcooked vegetables! :P

You should start with about 2 1/3 lbs of meat, cut into 1 1/2" cubes.  Marinate the meat fro 8-24 hours.

Put several pieces of meat onto each wooden skewer, and place on a cookie sheet.

(I did mine in the oven, since we don't have a barbecue yet.)  

Cook at 400 for 15-20 minutes, turn halfway through.

Vegetables:

  Red Pepper 1" cubes

Yellow Pepper 1" cubes

 Orange Pepper 1" cubes

 small onions 1" cubes

 Cherry Tomatoes

(these were just the ones I used, you can be so creative with the vegetables, and use a ton of different types!  Zucchini, squash, even radishes are good :)

I tossed the vegetables in olive oil, basil, oregano, salt, and a bit of granulated garlic.  I then placed them on the skewers, and cooked them for about 10-15 minutes at 400

Roasted Potatoes

(another favorite dish of mine!)

Cut potatoes into approximately 1 " cubes.  Soak for between 20 minutes to 1 hour, if you have time.

Drain.  Toss potatoes with olive oil, garlic, pepper, chili powder, salt, parmesan cheese, and whatever else you like.

Place in a 9x13 glass baking pan.

Cook at 350 until done (approximately 45 minutes) Increase heat to 400 if you're in a hurry. :P 

In All Honesty

I was thinking this morning about the difference between guilt and pride.  Obviously, these aren't really that similar, and you'd have to be a little dense to mix them up on a frequent basis, but as I looked over some of my thought processes during the past several months, I had the suspicion that I might have been doing just that.
I've had so many times lately where I've felt overwhelmed by life, and then immediately felt guilty that I couldn't handle it.  I've been getting exhausted so quickly with this pregnancy, especially in the last trimester, and sometimes even to do the bare minimum of keeping the house clean, making meals, looking after Ian, has seemed like a huge task, not to mention the things that I want to be doing regularly, like working out, organizing, going the extra mile to make meals exciting and delicious, and more.
My mind goes often to the other ladies I know who have three or more small children, and bigger and harder things to deal with on a regular basis, and I feel so wrong for even thinking complaining thoughts, let alone sharing that I'm having a hard time.  I honestly thought it was guilt, but I was realizing today that maybe it's more pride than guilt.  
I want to be "that amazing mom" who can do anything, who is phased by nothing, and who is an inspiration to all around. :P  Well, guess what? I'm not.  Some days I'm like that, and other days, the thought of getting out of bed makes me want to cry, sometimes I really do cry. :P
One thing that helps overcome pride, is to accept help when it's offered.  You're no good to anyone if you completely burn yourself out simply because your pride wouldn't allow you to accept offered help.   In fact, the reason that I have a chunk of time, and fairly clear brain to write right now is because help was offered, and I accepted it.  My husband saw that I was exhausted and overwhelmed today, before the day had really started, and arranged for his mom to watch Ian for me so I could sleep, and catch up on things.  I am so incredibly blessed by the people around me, and by their willingness to help!  It's amazing what a gift one day can be!  I already feel so rejuvenated and ready to tackle more things today than I even wanted to think about this morning!
One of the ironic things about this whole guilt vs. pride issue, is that when I think I'm feeling guilty about not accomplishing as much as I'd like, or not being "superwoman", it soothes my pride, and makes me feel like I'm a pretty decent person, because even though I can't do all those things, at least I want to, and that alone makes me just a little better than the person with no ambition, right? :P  

Getting Green....and Loving It!

 When I was growing up, my mom did a lot of things that were different than the way a lot of other moms did things.

*She used vinegar for cleaning instead of buying "normal" store bought cleaners

*She hung clothes out on the line in nice weather instead of putting them in the dryer

*She cooked from scratch

*She made her own laundry detergent

*She had a big garden at nearly every home we lived in

*She always grew houseplants

*She used cloth diapers

*She even milked a cow and made her own yogurt once we lived in the country!

Now that I have my own home, I find myself doing many of the same things, and even more different things along the same lines.  The irony here is that when I was growing up, I was positive that once I had my own home, I would never do a lot of those things.  I didn't see the point behind a lot of them, to me it was more of an inconvenience than anything else, and I just didn't get it.

Now,  having actually researched these things on my own, I'm beginning to discover for myself the huge benefits that come along with living in a more "green" way.  

For me,  I like to see the benefits that come from something right away.  I still love to see instant results,  so sometimes in the health realm, I'm going more by faith, since the results will either pay off in the future, or they're simply not hugely noticeable now.  

It's nice when one of the bigger benefits to choosing a more healthy way of doing things actually saves money.  That's a huge motivator for me! :P  

Making my own laundry soap and cleaning products definitely falls under that category.  Plus, I do not enjoy the chemical laden smells that accompany "normal" cleaners, and I love it when my bathroom smells like vinegar when I'm finished!  Another benefit of using natural cleaners like vinegar and baking soda, is that I'm not nervous about my little man being with me while I clean.  I'm secure knowing that his lungs and skin aren't being contaminated by toxins while I kill germs.

Cloth diapers is another huge money saver, and with the diapers I use (Kawaii Baby), they're so easy to use and really, not that much more work than using disposables.

I'm having so much fun on my journey of educating myself on healthier living, it's such a blessing that I have more time now....that (for me) babies come one at a time!  I know there will be some seasons of my life when I won't have the time to read and research as much, so I'm trying to take advantage of "free time" now and learn as much as I can!

Simple Joys

 

*Flowers and a meadow right outside our yard.....

*Beautiful tall trees in our backyard

*A baby that loves being outside

*Hanging out laundry on the clothesline.....I get such a kick out of seeing all the diapers hung up, don't ask me why! :)

*Cool summer evenings - a welcome relief after the hot days!

*Working out again

*Ian learning to read.....just kidding!  He likes looking at his books though! :)

*Nap times for little boys :)

*Good books to read myself

*Summer fruit
*Finally learning how to drive standard :P

*Homemade fresh cinnamon rolls

*Friends to enjoy them with us

*Reading about health

*Lime sherbet in the summer

*Playing volleyball again

It's the simple things in life.  We sometimes pass them by without even noticing they're there.  How much we miss when we do that!  It's always worth it to take just a second to enjoy the moment, to notice how good something tastes or smells or looks!  Life is so much fuller when you take a little more time!