Back to the Drawing Board

I know I've posted about grocery shopping numerous times before but I'm doing it again. I tried the grocery game and it just didn't work for us. We are pretty brand loyal and only eat a handful of processed foods so it makes it difficult to use coupons.

I've also mentioned before that I HATE grocery shopping. I talk to so many women that enjoy it but I really hate it. I think it's partially because I'm working full time and don't have time to get the best deals at all of the stores. It kills me every time I put something in my basket that I know I could find cheaper somewhere else.

Last week I got our grocery bill down to $71 and I was SO excited! Usually it ranges from $90 to $100. Realistically 90 - 100 bucks really isn't that bad considering it includes all three meals for at least 5 days, on average. That's about 9 - 10 bucks a day per person in our house. Not too shabby but with the prospect of me staying home with baby for at least the first 5 months my goal is to cut that bill.

I've been doing a lot of internet searching and have some pretty good sites. One of them is MommySnacks.net. This is not just a site for moms she has a lot of really cool links for values and coupons. Right now she is giving away coupons that are good for a year's worth of Tide cool water detergent. I LOVE Tide and am doing everything I can to get as many submissions into this giveaway. If you too want your chance at a free year of Tide Cool Water Detergent go to this link on the Mommy Snacks blog.

I'll be sharing some more of the sites I find as I determine if they are really useful for our family or not. Are there any sites you use that you'd like to share?

Baby Update

Last Thursday was my first doctor appointment with my new doctor. It went so much better than I ever could have imagined. I went from a doctor who spent three to five minutes with me, to a doctor who spent at least 20 minutes with me. He went over my medical history and explained everything I should be expecting to occur during the next 6 months. We are so blessed to have such an amazing doctor!

My goal when I found out I was pregnant was to not gain more than 25 pounds but I officially went over that and still have 6 weeks to go. Oh well. The doctor wasn't at all concerned about my weight and said that I should be able to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight pretty quickly. I hope he's right!

Baby Dallas is growing well, her heartbeat is excellent and she is measuring a week ahead of schedule, which she has been since our first ultrasound. I visit the doctor again next week and then start going once a week from then on. It's so crazy to think we're already at this point.

I haven't shared any pregnancy pics lately because frankly I feel like a fat cow BUT I remember how much I used to like to see other girls' prego pics...so here it is. My gigantic tummy at 33 weeks.

Sparkly Sweets

I found an amazing baking blog on the Tom Kat Studio blog today.

Sweetopia is a blog set up by a lady named Marian who was diagnosed with an illness which took away her ability to continue with her hobby of physical fitness. 7 years ago she decided to try her hand at making gingerbread houses and now 7 years later she is an amazing "sugar artist." I think I could look at her blog all day. I have never seen glitter used on any baked goods like she makes. They are absolutely stunning. You must add her blog to your daily reads!

Here are a few of my favorite "art pieces":

Frog Prince

Happy Halloween

Bridal Shower

Baby Shower

And my favorite:
Tea Party

Oh how I wish I could decorate this amazingly.

Cleaning Fairy

If I could have a cleaning fairy for just one task in my house I would definitely have her do my laundry. I have such a hard time keeping up with laundry. I can get it washed and dried but the putting away part just fails to get done on a regular basis. It's my definite downfall.

Another household task that I do not like is cleaning my stove top. I know it seems like such an easy task but it gets dirty every night, regardless of how careful I am and it's just an overall pain in the butt. I had tried every chemical I could think of to get it nice and shiny and it would either take forever to clean or just never got as clean as I would like it to be.

Right before Christmas break my stovetop got bad and I mean REALLY bad. I made several dishes for various parties we went to, plus my normal cooking and it was just gross. It came time to clean it and I just stared at it thinking how in heaven's name am I supposed to get this clean? I then thought about vinegar and baking soda. I don't know what made it pop in my head but I decided to google it and found this link from eHow. OH MY GOSH! My stove top has never been so clean, so easily. I am so stoked that I found this "recipe" and couldn't wait to share it!

Here are the steps from eHow with some of my own annotations:

Step 1: Allow the stove top to cool before cleaning. (mine was already cooled)

Step 2: Fill a spray bottle with one part white vinegar and one part water

Step 3: Spray the stovetop with vinegar water, making sure to thoroughly saturate the surface.

Step 4: Sprinkle the stovetop with baking soda and let it sit. This is the fun part, it fizzles and bubbles, just like that exploding volcano you made in 4th grade.

Step 5: Make a paste of baking soda and vinegar and apply a thick layer to any baked on food and grease. I was skeptical about this step but it took off some nasty caked on stuff with barely any elbow grease. YES!

Step 6: Let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Tough stains, especially on the burner covers, may need to sit overnight. I didn't do this step. I don't like to wait and I really needed to just get it clean. Like I said, my stovetop was REALLY bad and the paste worked great with some elbow grease behind it.

Step 7: Wipe up the baking soda with a sponge dampened with water. Spray it with a light layer of vinegar water and buff it with a dry paper towel to make the surface of the stove shine. Voila! It's an absolutely gorgeous stove top!!!

I wish I had taken a picture of the stovetop all dirty but I totally didn't think of sharing it until it actually worked.

Anyway, here's a picture of the vinegar and baking soda over the stove.

And here it is all shiny...so pretty (sorry it's kinda blurry)

Gotta' Get Prepared

My goal is to be ready for baby by the first of February, well as ready as I can be that is. One step to getting ready is getting our bags packed for the hospital. I was tempted to buy a prepacked bag when I saw a link to BabyMeBags' super cute bags on Droolicious the other day.

How cute are they?

Super cute but definitely not spending $189.99.

I also saw this super cute "Phases of Labor" kit on Droolicious a few days earlier.

These kits are both super cute but have elements that I just don't see us using.

Jen of Mommy Brain posted a list of things she used and didn't use which has been super useful. You can check it out here.

What were some of your labor bag/post-delivery bag/baby bag essentials? What did you think was useless? I'll update you on my bag as soon as I start packing it :)

DAAAAADDDDYYYY

How many of you have a baby daddy who sleeps through the night despite your baby crying? And how many of you think that sometimes your baby daddy is really just ignoring your baby crying so you'll get up? Obviously, I don't have this problem yet but I read an interesting study from the UK's Daily Mail online that says that most men really don't hear baby crying. In fact the study showed that a crying baby is the number one noise that will wake up a woman in the middle of the night, whether she has children or not but on the flip side a crying baby doesn't even make it into a man's top ten. Dirk's a pretty solid sleeper so I'm assuming he'll probably be one of those daddies who doesn't wake up to baby crying. Good to know.

Food Map

I saw these flow maps on thekitchn today and had to share them. My favorites are the cereal and chain restaurant editions. Very clever. Just click on the pictures to enjoy.

The Fast Food Edition

The Candy Edition

The Best Milk

This baby stuff is really winding down. My baby showers are quickly approaching. I have my long-term sub all ready to go and we were SO blessed to be switched to the exact doctor we wanted. There are 54 days until baby's due date and I have a ton of books to finish reading still.

What I'm about to say might be "controversial" to some but as I've said before my goal is to share my life in the real true colors of it, in the hopes that someone may be able to benefit from my thoughts.

With the coming of baby comes a TON of decisions. Cloth or disposable? Rooming in, family bed or in nursery? Breastfeed or bottle feed? All of the decisions have been pretty easy ones for Dirk and I. We have decided to use disposable (for the time being), baby will room in with us in her bassinet for the first couple months and I will breastfeed.

It's the breastfeeding part that really gets me. I'm all for breastfeeding, I understand the pros and cons and I'm 100% fully dedicated to it. With that said, I am more anxious and worried about breastfeeding than anything else. I decided that the best thing to do would be to read about it so that I could get rid of this fear of the unknown. I heard great things about "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" by the La Leche League so I borrowed it from a friend. I was so excited to sit down and read it but as I began reading I was totally turned off.

I totally agree that breastfeeding is a privilege and a special time for bonding with baby but the way this book portrays breastfeeding is as if it is almost a religious experience. I couldn't get through the first chapter. I don't want to get warm fuzzies when reading about breastfeeding. I want to know all the ins and outs. How do I do it? What are the complications that come with breastfeeding? And lets just be honest nothing is so amazing that it doesn't have it's down sides. What are the cons of breastfeeding? Surely there has to be some.

Finally, after trying to read through the first chapter like 3 times I just put it down and decided that it wasn't for me. I need a book that's gonna get down to the nitty gritty and tell me about all sides of breastfeeding. We went to Borders and I found a book called "Breastfeeding Sucks: What to do when your mammaries make you miserable." That sounded like a book for me but after reading a few pages I realized that it wasn't for me at this stage in the breastfeeding process. Then I saw "The Breastfeeding Book" by the ever trusty Dr. Sears. After flipping through his book I realized that it was exactly what I needed. All information, no warm fuzzies, just the facts. I have barely started reading it but I'm really glad that I decided to find another book.

I have to admit I felt a little guilty not reading "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" because so many women raved about how amazing it was and how it really depicted the true sense of breastfeeding. Maybe I'll feel differently once baby Dallas is born but at this point, "Please, just give me the facts!"

2009 Recap

Last year I did a reflection of 2008 and posted something for every month. I wanted to do the same this year but I just don't have enough to say about every month in 2009. In fact, 2009 in general, was a different year. It was a year of learning new lessons, exploring new territory and taking on new challenges.

This year was a time of growing closer to the Lord and learning to rely on Him and Him alone. In January we began dealing with a challenge of an unsaved loved one and some circumstances that we never would have imagined we'd have to face. Dirk and I together learned to rely only on God and to talk to each other more frequently about what we were feeling and thinking.

In February we learned that I was getting laid off from what I thought was my dream job. We stayed strong, trusting in the Lord but I was so crushed inside. I loved the school that I had worked at for 5 1/2 years and I wanted so bad to stay there. I learned to trust in God fully for all circumstances whether I thought it was what was best for me or not.

As the months went by I started to re-evaluate what I really wanted to do with my life, knowing that God has the ultimate say. When things get thrown around in your life you really start to scrutinize your motives and your desires. Looking back I see that this was the time when God was preparing me for the great news that was to come only a few months down the road.

In June we got the best news of all, although at the time I think I was scared to death. We were going to have a baby!!!

We waited until my first doctor's appointment and finally told all of our family. Of course our whole family was super excited, as were we. Finding out that I was pregnant changed my perspective on life even more so. My focus was no longer on how badly I wanted to go back to my old school but rather, "What can I do so that I can stay home with this precious baby God has given me?" I applied for a job that I thought would be the ideal job and waited all summer to hear back from them.

In the meantime, Dirk and I went on one of the most memorable trips I think we'll ever have (only second to our honeymoon). We took a road trip up the CA and OR coasts. It was such an amazing time. We talked and laughed and just enjoyed each other's company. It was one of the best times we've had.

We drove up the coast to San Francisco, stopping in places like Solvang and San Simeon.

We finally reached San Francisco and saw all the sites and ate a TON of amazing food.

After a few days in San Fran we headed up the Oregon coast stopping to spend some quality time with Dirk's grandparents. We got to look at his mom's baby pictures and hear stories from Grandma. It was a really special time.

Our final destination was Portland, OR where we continued to eat some amazing food and check out the sites and Dirk decided that he wants to live there someday. We'll see about the baby and I coming along ;-)

In August I still hadn't heard from the job I had applied for and it was time for the Harvest Crusades. This is always a hectic time for Dirk but this year it was really different. The day before the crusades I got called back to the school district. I was in Target when I got the voicemail. I was devastated and confused. I was not the same person I was when I left school in June. I was now going to be a mommy and the thought of teaching full time and juggling housework and a baby was unbearable. On top of all of that I learned that I would not be returning to my school but to another school which was very different from the school I was at. I think I balled all through Target which is very unlike me (thanks pregnancy hormones!) Dirk called me and tried to calm me down and it worked some but I was so confused. The entire weekend Dirk and I just prayed and finally came to the conclusion that God wanted me to go back to work. I reluctantly unpacked all of my classroom supplies and had two weeks to get everything in order and ready for the 34 fifth graders I would be teaching this year. Again, another time of trusting the Lord and knowing that He knows best.

September 23rd. the day before Dirk's 27th birthday, we found out we were having a baby girl!

In came the flood of pink and we couldn't be happier.

The rest of the year has really seemed like it just flew by. Our mindsets both changed from the small things to focusing on planning and prepping for baby Dallas. We've been reading a ton of books, talking with each other about all of the issues we'll be facing and/or are facing, and prepping the house for her arrival.

When I really look back at 2009 I feel like there are so many negative things we can focus on but God is a God of grace and mercy. He has reminded me, yet again, that He is all I need and that He knows how my story ends. Trials and tribulations do come, but when Christ is the center of our lives He brings good out of situations and makes us better people for His glory. I can actually say today that I am thankful for the hardships that were placed before us this year, as it has brought Dirk and I even closer than I thought we ever could be and has, most importantly, brought us closer to the Lord.

There are so many uncertainties that come with 2010 but I am ready and excited. I'm sure that next year's end of the year post will look much different and will have many baby pictures to share. Until then, I pray that you are able to see the amazing things that God has done in your life in 2009 and that He blesses you abundantly in 2010. Happy New Year!!!

Take Charge

One of the most valuable lessons I am learning during this pregnancy is how to take control of my healthcare. Doctors are often so admired and so trusted that we, as patients, do whatever they tell us to do without really researching or concerning ourselves with what they tell us. I have learned through a variety of resources that I need to be an educated, strong-willed person in order to get the medical assistance that I really want.

Today I had my bi-weekly check-up. I went in knowing that I was going to ask to switch obstetricians. Dirk and I, through a series of events, have decided that my obstetrician is not the right match for us. Typically Dirk does this kind of stuff because I'm too nice and too concerned about putting others out. This time it was all on me. I kept rehearsing in my mind all of the things I might need to say and how I would say them. I have learned from Dirk that you get your way most frequently when you are firm but very kind.

As I signed in at the front desk I kindly said to the young girl signing me in, "I would like to switch obstetricians. What do I need to do, or who do I need to talk to in order to do this?" The girl looked at me and asked, "Do you want to leave our office or switch doctors within our office?" I told her I'd like to stay with the office but with a different obstetrician. She turned to her co-worker and said, "What does she need to do to switch obstetricians?" The co-worker, who's standing maybe 3 feet from me says, she (referring to me), would need to get it cleared with the department head. She would need to state her reasons and the department head will have to determine if it is a good enough reason to switch." This whole time I'm thinking, "HELLO! I'm right here, you can talk directly to me instead of referring to me in third person." So then the young girl looks at me and says, "Did you want to do that?" I'm thinking, "Um, yeah, isn't that what I just said?" but instead I politely say, "Yes, please." The co-worker pulls out some phone message sheet and hands it to me. I fill it out and give it back to them. It really wasn't that bad but now I have to await the call from the department head and supposedly "state my case" to her.

I still don't understand why a department head has the right to confirm or deny me a transfer to another obstetrician. I have good health insurance and I am a "paying customer." I should be able to be in control of my medical choices, she shouldn't have the right to make decisions for me, especially when I was just randomly assigned to this doctor in the first place. It's not like I'm being fickle.

Anyway, now that I'm done ranting I want to encourage any of you who are pregnant or trying to conceive to read the book Pushed by Jennifer Block and to watch The Business of Being Born with Ricki Lake. Both of these resources share how messed up the American birthing process is and what you can do to take charge of your birth, whether you're planning on going all natural or not you should be aware of how the system works in order to protect yourself and your baby. Now more than ever I am learning the great importance of becoming my own healthcare advocate.