Countdown to Halloween link-up Week 1

While we don't do much in the way of celebrating Halloween,  we do a lot to celebrate the blessings of the Fall season. This past weekend was supposed to consist of a great consignment sale, pumpkin picking and one of our local orchard ' s apple butter festival. However, thanks to 3 days of rain, all outside activities were postponed. I did get some awesome deals at the consignment sale. Yippee!

I've been trying to savor the last bits of my maternity leave since I go back to work today. The struggle is real. To keep my toddler (and my mind) occupied, we did a couple little fall activities that we picked up from our library...not to mention lots of play dough and snuggling.

She completed a sorting activity and then a leaf activity. This was her first time using a glue stick...she is now slightly obsessed.

Join the link-up 

Mourning My Maternity Leave

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Monday...back to being my least favorite day of the week. This Monday in particular is very difficult. After a wonderful 8 weeks of maternity leave, I will be heading back to work. I'm so envious of places that offer longer and/or paid maternity leave. If I could have afforded to take the remaining four weeks I most certainly would have. But such is life.

Checking emails is already a bit overwhelming. Meetings, deadlines, and concerns regarding next year's budget (already!) make up most of my emails. I love coming back to discussions of whether or not more teachers will lose their positions for next year (insert eye roll). Because of my maternity leave, I'll be 20 days shy of being able to earn tenure this year, which only adds to the stress whenever budgets are involved. I'm walking into a classroom of students I have met once, not to mention have very little working knowledge of their academics. I have a whole new set of parents to get to know and I can only imagine how many times I'll hear, "That's not how Mrs. ________ did it."

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Honestly, I want to cry. Packing my babies' bags for the sitter was agonizing. I know to some this all sounds melodramatic but seriously, my heart aches at the thought of going back to missing so much of their little lives each day. I was fine when I was in the daily grind and I was kind of numb to that reality. It's all very fresh right now. Add to that hormones and limited sleep,  I can be classified as a hot mess.

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Now...the flip side of this is that I serve an awesome, gracious God. I wanted N to be at least 3 months before I had to return to work and he turned 3 months this past week. I do love my job. I feel I am a good teacher and I have a passion for what I do. I just have to learn to give myself a little grace. Fortunately I'll be coming back to a very loving and supportive group of friends and coworkers. I don't have the luxery of working outside the home as an option and since that is the case I consider myself quite blessed to have a job I love, with people I treasure at a school that I embrace as my second home.

While this week, and many days to come, will prove difficult,  I am so grateful for both the time I've had with my babies, God's provision and a job that I know I am called to. It's easy to worry and stress but that does nothing for anyone. Besides...now I can start the countdown to Christmas Break ;)

Linking up for Mommy Moments

Baby N: 3 Months

Didn't I just post your 2 month update? Another month has come and gone in the blink of an eye. My heart mourns each passing month but looks forward to all of the milestones. I was not sure how I'd handle becoming a boy - mom after your sister, but there is no doubt that I can do both. My oh my how you've grown...

Weight: 13 lbs 8oz

Height: 24 3/4 inches

Clothes size: 0-3 months onesies, 3-6 months long sleeve shirts and pants  (for length)

Eat: 5-6 oz every 4ish hours

Sleep: 6-8 hours

Play: You are still not a fan of tummy time. However, if laid on your back, you'll spend a good while watching people, the fan and any lights in the room. You love playing with your big sister. She constantly wants to hold you and sing to you. To these things you smile and coo. You love people to talk to you and make funny noises.

Odds and ends: You are still working on the body swing that will allow you to roll over. You love to be held up and stand on people's laps. You are smiling so much these days and you are quite the chatterbox. You are starting to try and grasp things and occasionally succeed. You have almost completely rolled over...it's just a matter of time. You are also drooling like a mad man and starting to gnaw on things quite a bit...

You still adore your big sister. My heart skips a beat every time I see the two of you together.

Be still my heart...

Your hair is undoubtedly red. The more it fills in the brighter it becomes. You also have the sweetest blue eyes and the longest eyelashes. Is it possible for someone to be beautiful and handsome at the same time? You are also getting so long. We've noticed what appear to be dimples as your smile gets bigger.

You went to your first wedding...

You enjoyed some fun at the local library...

  

We took a vacation to Gatlinburg, TN to meet up with Granna, your Aunt Kelly and Aunt Karla. We had fun making memories. And...even though your Aunt Kelly isn't much of a kid person, she sure seemed to enjoy her time with you. We love being able to share you with others. You are such a blessing and we can't help but fall more and more in love with each passing day.

Aunt Karla

Aunt Kelly

Happy 3 Months baby boy!

N's Birth Story//Month 1//Month 2

Linking up with Thoughts for Thursday and Mommy Moments

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Enjoying the cool fall evening 

I. Love. Fall. It is my favorite season for hundreds of reasons. One of the biggies is that the cool weather just begs to be paired with warm, comfy, stick to your bones recipes. One of my favorites is stew. Stew is a pretty generic term considering how versatile it is. In honor of the first day of fall, I thought I'd share a tasty stew recipe that not only makes yummy leftovers, but also freezes well.

My daughter has been helping me a lot in the kitchen lately and yesterday she helped me throw together this yummy stew. Now you can use whatever type of meat you prefer but I typically use beef or venison. I opted for certain veggies but of course you can use whatever you'd like.

Slow Cooker Stew 

Ingredients:
1lb ground venison
3 potatoes, cubed
1 c frozen corn
1 c frozen lima beans
1 c baby carrots
1tsp onion powder
2 cloves minced garlic
2 bay leaves
1 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp sugar
1 15oz  can low sodium beef broth
1/4 c Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp cornstarch
1c water

Directions:

Spray the slow cooker with nonstick spray.  Next, place your venison on the bottom, breaking it up slightly. (If using ground beef, you'll want to precook it and drain the fat.) Layer on the veggies and then top with the seasonings. Pour over the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the potatoes and carrots are tender. About 15 minutes before you're ready to eat, mix the corn starch and water and stir into the stew. This will thicken it. Pair with your favorite corn bread and enjoy!

Linking up with Waiting on Wednesday
and Mommy Moments

Currently: September

N is really working his smile these days

Holy moly! September is working its way out. This is nuts! This October will be bittersweet so I'm not trying to rush anything. Here's what's going on...

Thinking about: Our upcoming vacation. We're going out of town to meet up with my mom and two sisters. The four of us have not been together since my dad's funeral in 2012. My middle sister has yet to meet both her niece and nephew and my youngest sister has not met her nephew. It's about time if I don't say so myself.

Working on: October's monthly menu. This starts the first of 12 much smaller monthly paychecks, so it's even more important that I plan spending savvy.

Learning: To simplify. There are a lot of things in my life that I don't understand and can't control right now...but there are still things that I can control and that's what I need to focus on. I was encouraged by a friend to read The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. I just got it today and have read half way through it already thanks to naps and feedings. I'm already so inspired.

Watching: The Middle. Reruns are on daily during naptime. Sometimes this mommy needs a little break too...

Listening to: G "read" Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? Seriously. Adorable.

When she's not reading she's outside enjoying the beautiful weather

Trying: to sort through all that we've aquire these last 7 years. Despite all that we thrown away, sold and donated, there is still so much! I'm ready to just throw it all in bags and haul it off.

Feeling: Both overwhelmed about returning to work and excited about living out what I'm learning in our new Sunday School bible study.

from When Wallflowers Dance by Angela Thomas

Loving: My sweet babes and all things Fall!

Linking up with Mommy Momments

Bouncing Back After Baby - Post Baby Goals

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I'm 2 months post birth and I'm still not feeling 100% myself. N's pregnancy was much more difficult and his labor was 2 times longer than that of his sister's. Let's just say my body feels like it has been through a war. I'm still healing and the various issues I've had since his birth have not been as easy to deal with at times. There have been multiple doctor/dentist visits and quite frankly, I'm over it. I want to feel good again.

Prior to his conception,  I had lost 20lbs. I only gained 17 during his pregnancy and lost that pretty immediately. However, just as before, there were things that made it difficult to breastfeed and after a couple weeks, I was unable to do so any longer. Some of the weight creeped back on. ::sigh::

We've been asked if we're done having kids and to that I don't have a solid answer...but I can say I have goals until then. These goals are meant to carry me over the next couple of years and mini goals will be implemented along the way. I don't want to rush my body but I don't want that to stop me from moving forward.

Goals

1. Lose 30lbs. I am actively using FitnessPal again and I'm eager to see some change. I'll be once again blogging about my progress soon.

2. Put our house up for sale. We have a few projects left prior to officially putting the house on the market but we're well on our way.

3. Get reconnected. The last few months have been difficult in the way of personal relationships and my relationships with friends, family and Christ have suffered. It's time to get more involved again and fix what can be fixed and find closure with what can't.

4. Build our forever home. I desperately long to build our new house. Our land is just begging to be settled upon. We can't begin that venture however until our current home is sold. It's so close and yet so far...

5. Survive financially over the next 12 months. My maternity leave is cutting my pay by several hundred dollars each month for the next year. We've been saving, making cuts and trying to just prepare ourselves all the way around. This next year will be super tight and we are trusting in the Lord's provision. He's never failed us.

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6. Live intentionally. As of late I have known or read about too many people passing away unexpectedly and it really gets you thinking. I want to make memories, live fully, overcome my fears and anxieties and show my children what an amazing life the Lord has blessed us with.

7. Date my husband. I have a really hard time leaving my kids. I admit it. After being gone from them all day, all I want to do is be with them. However,  this doesn't grow my relationship with my phenomenal husband. I need to let go and let others help us more. I need to go on dates with my husband minus both kids and relax. (Can you sense my type A personality?)

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8. Revamp my teaching style. I love what I do as a teacher. Every year I say there are things I want to do or change and rarely do I do them. It's time to fix that.

What goals do you have?

Linking up for Mommy Moments  and Waiting on Wednesday

Baby N is 2 Months Old

I'm fighting the urge to get teary. Our baby is 2 months old today and yet it seems like yesterday we were making our unexpected trip to the hospital. I still remember the moment he was placed in my arms. I'll be going back to work in a month and I'm already feeling the ache that comes with leaving my babes. I begin to think of all I'm missing and dread the thought that some of his firsts will happen without me. He's already grown so much!

Weight: 12 lbs 2.7oz


Height: 23 1/2 inches


Clothing size: 0-3 months

Eat: 3-5oz every 3-4 hours

Sleep: About 4-5 hours at a time through the night.

Play: You are not a fan of tummy time. However, you are quite content laying on your back swatting at the dangling toys on your play mat. You like to interact with your sister and others who are willing to get on the floor with you. You are starting to take more interest in things around you, whether outside or in. You even enjoyed your first time in the exersaucer this month. You also enjoyed a lot of evenings outside. The weather has been so nice.

Odds and Ends: You become stronger every day. You like to be held up so that you can put weight on your legs and stand tall. You are starting to sway from side to side so I'm sure rolling over is in our future.

You have started a lot of social smiling (which melts my heart) and you are "talking" a good bit these days. You make the sweetest sounds when you are content. However, you also make it known when something is bothering you.

You scared us with a trip to the Emergency Department. We hope to not have that happen again.

You also had your first Sunday at church this month. It was so good to be back!

Every moment spent with you is precious. We love you sweet boy...now and always.

N's Birth Story//1 Month

Linking up with Tuesday Talk and Mommy Moments