Pregnancy

One of the reasons I've been so reluctant to start taking pictures of my belly (as I've been asked to) is because I haven't started showing yet, and might not for a while - because of the position of my uterus.

So, I saw this little cartoon in my Parents email last week and had to share:

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas. Robert's and mine was very special. We had a guest from Robert's shop over for the day.

We had cinnamon rolls for breakfast when they got home. Then opened presents, played two games of Scrabble while eating cheese, crackers, and summer sausage. Then about 6:30 I started making dinner. We ate ham, mashed potatoes, cream gravy, spinach and artichoke casserole, homemade noodles, crescent rolls, homemade pumpkin pie and homemade whipped cream.

This morning we played another game of Scrabble and ate brunch at Ihop. All in all, it was a great Christmas at home!

Here's some pictures of the presents -

For baby: (from K&J, C, my mom & dad, and Robert and I) - When we opened the army jacket from C, Robert said "he must know it's gonna be a boy!" lol

For me: (from Robert, my mom & dad, and K&J)
We also got a lovely throw from Robert's mom and a few gift cards. Robert got some coffee and a good bottle of wine. And Angel got a new little box, new scratching post, kitty milk, treats, and cat grass.

I'm so happy that everything went smoothly, we had enough food, and "L" felt at home. He was so greatful that we got him a couple gifts, too!

Prenatal Exam - 13 Weeks

I had my second appointment with the midwife Wednesday. And Robert got to go along. I'm so glad he was there. -- We got to hear the heartbeat! It was so awesome. The midwife said she was happy to hear it sounding so strong! It even started getting faster and louder as we were listening - so precious!

Everything else is going well. I need to start gaining weight now as I lost 2.2 pounds from my last visit. It's nothing to worry about in the first trimester as long as I start gaining weight now. So she recommended I eat a milkshake every day for a couple of weeks! How's that for great advice!! :-)

As for me, I'm feeling better. I haven't had any nausea for a while now. But I still either take a nap or sit in bed and read during the afternoons.

My next appointment is Jan 13th. Can't wait!

More Christmas

I finally got a picture of our nativity. You'll notice it's a little bare. Everyone is hiding until it's their "time" to come out! ;-) I wanted to put something on either side of the nativity because it seemed a little bare, but nothing look right since the other decorations are so secular.


I also got all the presents wrapped and under the tree. And everything you see is either for the baby or Angel except one gift for me. Robert's is hiding in the back - you can't see it! (Note: the tins are not gifts, just decorations - Robert wanted something under the tree before we had gifts under there and I just never took them out!)

It's Snowing!!!

What did I awake to find this Sunday morning? Well, snow of course! I wasn't going to go outside in the cold just to take pictures so you'll have to settle for the ones through the windows!


It's obvious the kids have been enjoying it today from these pictures.

Another Boring Update

Wow, is this all I can come up with lately? ... I hope things pick up soon around here or you might get bored of me and never come back again! "Gasp"

So Robert FINALLY got me the schedule yesterday for next year. The dates are tentative though, but it's looking like he should definitely be here for the baby's birth! YEA!!! And also, that it's going to pretty much be the way it was before the shipyard - gone a lot. So besides the Bible Study (which I believe is starting in February), I'm going to have to come up with something to do while he's away, because right now, I get bored when he's gone for just one night!

It's Christmas Time

We set up our Christmas decorations Saturday! It's so wonderful to have help (Robert). I've always had to put them up myself. But it goes so much faster and easier with two people. Angel's enjoying having a tree to chew on. (Why she likes to chew on a plastic tree, I'll never understand.) But the house looks festive and sure gets me in the mood for Christmas!


You can't tell very well from the picture, but I love snowmen and light blue and white decorations! My nativity scene wasn't photographing well due to the light, so I will try to take a picture of it soon.

Baby Things

We got our travel system Saturday. Robert made fun of me because I jumped up and down when I saw the FedEx man outside. Needless to say, I was pretty excited to see it! It was so simple to put together. I just had to snap on the wheels and the trays. And the car seat even has two great features (180 degree rotating canopy and front harness adjuster) I didn't know about because it never mentioned them in the description. The fabric is so pretty and it feels like flannel or something. Not exceptionally soft, but softer than some. I almost wish we didn't buy it so soon because now I'm impatiently waiting our little one's arrival!

Thanksgiving and an Update

Well, I've missed two of my usual post times already. This pregnancy is frying my creativity (or something ...)! I never feel like I have anything to write about. Maybe that's because I never do anything. I've had so little energy and nausea that I haven't even been able to keep up with the housework lately.

I haven't been cooking much (if at all) because nothing sounds appetizing to me and sometimes I can't even look at food. I don't want to cook a big meal for Robert and then not eat it with him. So everything's just been grab and go or fast food (really healthy, I know). Hopefully, I'll start feeling better soon -- with LOTS more energy.

Tomorrow is Robert's birthday and we're going out to eat. Then Thursday, Robert has duty - so he's eating the Thanksgiving meal on the ship and I'm having Thanksgiving dinner with a woman (and her family) from church. We will have our traditional Thanksgiving meal Friday with:

Turkey (I just got another little breast this year)
Green bean casserole
Mashed potatoes
Turkey gravy
Homemade noodles (leftover from our last chicken and noodles)
Crescent Rolls
Pumpkin Pie
Homemade whipped cream

Looking at it in black and white - there's a lot of starch in that menu! Oh, well. It's only one day of the year, right?!

Seeing how I can never come up with anything to write about lately, I think I'll probably take the rest of the week off (but don't worry, if something does come to mind, I'll post it). I'm almost out of my first trimester (10 weeks last Sunday) so hopefully things will pick up soon.

First Prenatal Visit

Well, I had a big day today! I went in this morning for my appointment with the nurse. We just went over my medical history and she told me how the midwifery practice works. Then I went down to the lab to get my blood drawn - which I still hate. I had a butterfly needle and she got it on the first prick, but I still got a little lightheaded while she was drawing the blood. They drew like SIX vials! Then I came back up to the office and they had an opening at 11 for me to see the midwife.

They (there was a student with her) said everything looked great. My due date is June 21 (just like I calculated). So I'm 9 1/2 weeks today. They couldn't hear the heartbeat - she said I had a retroverted uterus, which isn't a problem but it's' more toward the back so it's harder to hear the heartbeat early.

My next appointment is December 16th and I think Robert's going to come. He seemed pretty excited about my appointment today. : )

Some Randomness

Seems like there's nothing to talk about lately. So these are just some random things from "life" lately.

We had a good time last night. We went to Golden Corral for the free veteran's meal and invited a friend Robert used to work with. She just had a baby six weeks ago - so precious. We sat and talked for about two hours. I hope we do something again soon.

My menu plan hasn't changed because we have so many leftovers (and days eating out) that we're still eating what I planned for (and bought) one month ago. I did add Tuna Noodle Casserole, Beef and Noodles, and Beef Stroganoff to the mix though, but I haven't made them yet. I will post recipes for the two beef dishes sometime this month.

I haven't been keeping up on my reading or my goals. ... Hmmm, seems like I'm slacking. All I've been doing lately is cooking (sometimes), cleaning (most days), and watching movies with Robert when he gets home. Hopefully, I will have something to write about tomorrow since I have my first appointment with the nurse. We'll see.

Side note: This bread looks absolutely delicious!!!!!

Just an update

No big news to share this week, but I have an appointment next Wednesday at my midwife's office so I will share about that next Friday.

Robert and I are going to the movies tonight courtesy of MWR since he's doing a movie review for the Penny Press this week. I can't wait. We're going to see The Fourth Kind. It's been so long since I've seen a scary movie (because Robert doesn't like them).

Robert requested mac & cheese and mashed potatoes tonight for dinner! What a meal, huh? : ) I'm kind of excited about it, as I really like those foods as well. My mom thinks I should include a vegetable - we'll have to see about that one, maybe corn (got to stick with the "yellow/white theme").

I decided to add a beautiful picture Robert took of my violin. Hopefully, next week I will have something more interesting to write about.

Veteran's Day

Today is the day we remember to say thank you to all of our past and present military men and women. Sometimes, it's easy to forget this any other time of the year. It's good to have a day that reminds us.

There are plenty of restaurants and stores giving free meals or discounts to active duty and veterans today. There are quite a few listed here. But there's definitely more available. Call around if there's something specific you're looking for!

To all the men and women who have served their country honorably, I thank you for your time, talent, and especially your sacrifice.

Navy	Army	Marines	Coast Guard	Air Force

And a special Thank You to:

Eric B.	U.S. Army
Dawn B.	U.S. Army
Jeremy D.	U.S. Marines
Ben A.	U.S. Navy, Retired
Matt D.	U.S. Army
Jason R.	U.S. Army
Colin K.	U.S. Army
William R.	U.S. Army
James S. Jr.	Merchant Marines, WWII
Daniel O'K.	U.S. Air Force, WWII
my husband Robert	U.S. Navy, Active Duty

Recent Reads

My "classic" fiction (but not christian this time):
The Murder of King Tut
by James Patterson
This is the first book I've ever read about Egypt. And I really enjoyed it. It made me want to seek out other books on the topic to read.

The 19th Wife
by David Ebershoff
I enjoyed reading this book about polygamy and the LDS church. It was interesting. I paged through some of the history (because I really wasn't that interested) but the story line was good.

Sundays at Tiffany's
by James Patterson
I'm still in the process of reading this book. But it's interesting so far. I've been going a little slow on it since I started reading the pregnancy books.

And some pregnancy "staples":
Your Pregnancy: Week by Week
by Dr. Glade Curtis
I like this book for the format - weeks instead of months. It has good information and it's written by a doctor.

What to Expect When Your Expecting
by Heidi Murkoff
I like this book for the layout - Q&A and lots of "side boxes" with bits of info. It also has more about exercise during pregnancy, L&D, post-pregnancy, and specific information about special pregnancy conditions and multiples (not that I need that info but it's there to browse through).

November Goals

Spiritual: Well, it seems I can only achieve goals from two categories in one month - the others just get tossed aside. So since I really need to start focusing on my spiritual life, this will be one center for goals this month.
* Start reading the Bible once per week. (I figure, start out slow and if I can get better, then at least I finally accomplished this goal!) (2-6, 9-13, 16-20, 23-27)
* Start prayer time before reading the Bible. (1, 2, 3, 4)
* Finish all Bible study questions. (The study part of the class finishes this month then we have a pot luck in December. I've been doing well, finishing all my questions before class - just need to keep it up!)

Personal:
* Keep up my exercise - Walk 3x per week. (2-6, 9-13, 16-20, 23-27)
* Stay on budget - We NEED to do this both this month and next month!
* Continue reading. Finish 2 books this month (1, 2)

Well, there you have it. Hopefully, I can achieve all this goals this month. I did well last month, but didn't accomplish everything. Maybe I can even cross somethings off before this is posted!

Homemade Chicken & Noodles

This recipe is a little bit my own, a little bit my mom's, a little bit my MIL's, and a little bit BHG cookbook. All-in-all, it's excellent! (But that's my own biased opinion!)

Chicken and Noodles
**my own recipe**
Makes: 4-6 servings Cook: 1 hour

2 c	flour
½ t	salt
2	eggs, beaten
⅓	water
1 t	cooking or olive oil
6 c	chicken broth
1 can	cream of chicken soup
2 c	chicken, chopped
	salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, stir together flour and salt. Make a well in the center of the mixture. In a small bowl, combine eggs, water, and oil. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Stir to combine.

Sprinkle clean kneading surface with flour. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic (8-10 minutes total - I never knead that long). Cover and let dough rest for 10 minutes.

Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion until about ¹⁄₁₆" thick (about a 12" square). Let stand, uncovered for about 20 minutes. Cut the noodles to approximately ¼" - ⅜" wide (length about 6" but doesn't have to be perfect). Lay noodles on drying racks or cooking sheets with parchment paper (don't forget the paper, they will stick!) to dry.

I usually let my noodles dry out for about two to three (or more) hours before cooking. You can take them immediately to the pot but they only need to cook for a couple minutes this way (according to BHG - I've never done it).

Put chicken broth and cream soup in (at least a 4 qt) stock pot or large sauce pan on medium-low heat. Stir to combine. Add chicken and bring to a simmer stirring occasionally.

Add half the noodles to the pot and continue to cook until al dente (about 20 minutes). You should stir frequently after adding the noodles because they have a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan if you don't. If adding all the noodles, add about one or two cups of water to the pot.


** You can also freeze the noodles if you make extra. Lay them on wire cooling racks for about five hours, turning once or on parchment paper on cookie sheets to dry overnight. Place in a freezer bag or freezer container. Can be frozen for up to 8 months (according to BHG). Thaw before cooking.

We're Out of Debt!!!!!

Today, the last check is being delivered (via online bill pay) to the credit card company which means we are DEBT FREE!!!!!

I was so excited when I discovered a way to pay it off a month early. Now we can start building our emergency fund and we (God willing) will not have to worry about paying bills or not having enough money again.

This means we will also be able to have money for Robert's birthday and Christmas (which like I said here, is a big deal for us).

So, we will be able to accomplish all of our financial goals for this year. Which is so wonderful, because with the past few months getting so far off budget, I thought we were "doomed" for sure!

Back to Nature: Possible Confusion

A while ago, I was running a weekly "column" called Going Back to Nature. After looking back over some of my posts, I wanted to make something clear. So I thought now would be the perfect time to do it.

Going Back to Nature has nothing to do with fighting global warming or any of the other nonsense propaganda out there. Although, some of my posts did seem to support that idea. It has to do with getting in touch with how things used to be before the television, modern "machines", and even cities changed the world forever. Sometimes it's just good to go back to your roots. To start growing your own food in your own garden or making your bread from scratch or being a good wife because you're supposed to be, not just when it's convenient.

Sometimes I think we would all be better off if we turned off the television and disconnected (cell phones, email, facebook, twitter, etc.) from the world for a while. We wouldn't have people telling us how we should feel or what we should do and maybe, just maybe, we would start listening to that little voice inside (God's voice) telling how we really need to behave.

It's easy to think that since all this "stuff" is available and at our disposal we should use it, abuse it, and throw it away. But what about taking care of the things God has given you? What about taking the utmost care of the most important thing in the world, you? Everything we have is from God. 1 Chronicles 29:15b For everything is from you, and we only give you what we have received from you. So we should treat everything with the greatest respect, including our bodies and what we put into them and what we do with them.

Just something to think about. Hope that cleared up any confusion.

Cheesy Potato Soup

This was so delicious, and perfect this time of year!

Cheesy Potato Soup
**my own recipe**
Makes: 4-6 servings Cook: about 40 minutes

1 c	onion, diced
1 c	celery, diced
4	carrots, peeled and diced
2	large baking potatoes, peeled and diced
2	chicken bouillon cubes
4 c	water
1 c	half-and-half
2 c	sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
½ t	dried dill weed
¼ t	garlic powder
1 t	parsley flakes
⅛ t	ground cayenne pepper (this really sets it apart!)

In a stock pot or large saucepan over medium heat, combine onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, bouillon cubes, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender (time will depend on how large you chopped your potatoes). Do NOT drain.

Puree potato mixture in a blender or food processor. (If using a food processor, don't overfill - it makes a BIG mess!) Return to pot over medium heat. Stir in half-and-half, cheese, dill, pepper, salt, and cayenne. Bring to a low boil and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Exciting News

Well, in case you haven't heard, I thought I would share the exciting news on here.

I waited to post this because I didn't think it was fair, really, to have people find out on here. I thought we should be telling them over the phone. You know, a more personal touch!

Well anyway, there you have it. I've been worried about this day never coming for so long that now I'm scared it's not true. How crazy is that? More to come later.

Frugal Chicken

Last Sunday, I cooked a whole bird for the first time in my life. I've never had people over for Thanksgiving, so I always just cook those little turkey breasts. I didn't know if I could handle doing it at first because I have this thing about not eating/looking at food that I can "tell" was alive once. Like oysters, squid, calamari, crab or lobster still in the shell, or a whole bird. When I started picking out the bones, I got a little freaked, but I kept at it and thought to myself, "what about those women who used to have to kill the chicken before they could cook it?" After that, I had a new-found sense of "I can do it".

It was easy, cheap, and not too time consuming. I paid $4.10 for a 5-lb bird at the commissary. The price was the kicker for me. When I saw it I almost didn't believe it. I've paid over $11 for 3-4 lbs of chicken breasts before!

I used this post (but she just recently posted a better "version" on her own site), plus some Q&A with my mom to cook it. Plus we get fresh, no-preservative chicken broth out of it too! I got about six-seven cups of broth total after I simmered the bones (wish I would've read that second post before I cooked it!). I got about three cups from cooking the chicken itself. I got about six cups of chicken meat out of it too! The worst part, if you want to call it that, was that by the end of the eight hours in the crock-pot, I couldn't take the chicken out in one piece. It completely fell apart on me! And the best part? Now my whole house smells absolutely wonderful!

No Spend Month

Well, I told you I would give more details, so here they are. A "No Spend Month" is a month where you set a goal, mine will be somewhere around $250, and you try not to spend ANY money over and above that. The $250 is for groceries and miscellaneous things that may pop up. But we can't spend on any frivolous items or entertainment. This helps you get back to frugality and really take a look at your spending patterns (because you won't be able to spend money like you usually do!). It can also help save money and reduce spending in the future. If done on an annual basis (or more frequently) you can really help to make these "frugal ways" a habit.

I got the idea for this "weird" adventure from these two blogs:
** Owl Haven: $75 a week Challenge
** Getting Ahead: The Month of No Spending

But I have since decided that I should wait until after the holidays to try to achieve my lofty goal, since it will be pretty hard not to spend any money during Robert's birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas! It will also be "easier" not to spend if Robert is underway so I will probably have this challenge a lot next year!

Menu Plan 10/19 - 10/31

We still have 1.5 lbs of ground turkey left and I'm going to try my hand at cooking a whole chicken, cutting it up, and using it for some meals (instead of buying chicken breast). I'm also going to try a new meal - Taco Macaroni and Cheese.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Chicken and Noodles (homemade - recipe coming)
Creamy Chicken & Noodles
Taco Macaroni and Cheese
Chili and Cornbread
Homemade Pizza
Cheesy Potato Soup (to use up some of the potatoes we still have)
-- I made my own recipe the last time we had this, so I will post it soon!

Sloppy Joes

We had these Tuesday night, and they were delicious. Robert loved them and I enjoyed them, which is unusual for me with sloppy joes!

Sloppy Joes
from Mary Hunt's Everyday Cheapskate newsletter
(with some changes from me)
Makes: 4-6 servings Cook: 45 minutes

1 lb	ground beef (we used ground turkey)
½ c	diced onion
1 sm	green pepper, diced (I only had red on hand)
½ t	garlic powder
1 t	yellow mustard
¾ c	ketchup
1 T	brown sugar
	salt and pepper to taste

In a medium skillet, brown ground beef, onion, and bell pepper; drain off liquids. Stir in garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Menu Plan 10/12 - 10/16

I came up with some ideas for the all the food we have. Not very "interesting" but it will have to do until we go to the store!

Hamburgers
Sloppy Joes
(Both we already ate on whole wheat bread - since I didn't have any buns. The sloppy joes are a new recipe I will post Friday. They were great - and I don't normally like sloppy joes!)

Tonight we're having ramen noodles and sandwiches. We have to eat quickly because we have Bible Study.

For the rest of the week, I'm thinking about:
Nachos with taco meat, refried beans, cheese, and onions (we have no sour cream or olives!)
Pizza - either pepperoni (our usual) or ground turkey - we have almost three pounds left.

I still have to come up with a meal plan for next week. I'm not sure when we will go grocery shopping since Robert has dog duty this weekend. But I will post it when I get around to it!

October Goals

Spiritual:
I need to get back into reading the Bible again and also try to start praying daily. I need to work on my Bible study also. So here are my spiritual goals:
* Start reading (somewhere) in the Bible daily (M-F).
* Start setting aside a daily prayer time (maybe 1st thing in the morning?).
* Finish all Bible study questions each week. (14th, 21st, 28th)

Homemaking:
We received a lot of food from our neighbors who just moved out about ten days ago, so I need to come up with some meals in order to use it all up. Hopefully, this will also help keep the grocery budget down. I've also got some catching up to do with my monthly chores that didn't get accomplished while I was gone.
* Come up with a meal plan for the excess food.
* Finish 1st Monday's chores.
* Finish October's chores.
* Maybe ... get to some of August's chores done that I didn't do.
* Start planning for "No Spend Month" in November. More details later. -- I'm putting this off for now. Post to come.


Personal:
I didn't do so well on my personal goals last month. I think I set them too high, so this month, I'm going to start small and see if I can accomplish them all.
* Start walking to the mailbox 2x per week. 12-16; 19-23; 26-30
* Read 2 books.
* Continue to let go of the small things.

Blog:
I'm going to try to come up with some new topics this month so I can start writing again. I've kind of hit a "writer's block" of sorts.
* Two new blog topics (1, 2)

No Cable: Update

Well, I was gone for a week, and wasn't watching hardly any TV while I was gone. When I got home, it was still on (for some reason - they turned it off yesterday), but I wasn't watching it then either. I've started watching my Golden Girls - Season 1 DVD. I received my Army Wives - Season 2 DVD while I was gone, so I have that to look forward to also. (I buy one DVD set with my spending money each month.)

But so far, I'm not craving TV, and I'm not feeling deprived. I think it's because I can now watch all my "regular" shows (NCIS, Law & Order: SVU, Army Wives, FlashForward) online - for free! And I won't have the temptation to sit and watch TV for hours anymore. I'm just happy to be saving $360 per year!

Menu Plan 9/28 - 10/6

Well, I thought I could manage a Meal Plan today, so here it is. It's definitely "bachelor living" for Robert this week, as I will be gone.

Tonight I think I will try Cheesy Beef & Rice.
Tomorrow we will have leftover Chili & Cornbread

Here's Robert's meals!
-Frozen pizza
-Ramen noodles
-Lunch meat sandwiches
-Chips & Salsa
-Leftover fajitas

Time off

I'm going to take about two weeks off. Early next week I will be cleaning the house and packing and next Wednesday I'm leaving to visit family for a week. So I decided to take a little time off from blogging. I will start writing again after I come back.

Oh, and our cable will be off when I come back so I'll have to tell you all how that goes!

Thank you for being patient with me!

100 for My 100th Post

For my 100th Post, I thought I would list 100 things about me! (The idea came from Sherry over at Lamp Unto My Feet.)

1. Married to Robert
2. Navy wife
3. Homemaker
4. And loving it
5. Enjoy blogging
6. Love cats
7. Want a dog (a small one!)
8. Favorite food is still fettuccine alfredo
9. Very organized
10. But still have some clutter in my home
11. Love to Read!
12. Especially Dave Ramsey
13. And any Christian fiction
14. Have half a nursing degree
15. And three-fourths of an accounting degree
16. But I'm more interested in finance
17. Like to watch Army Wives
18. Big Brother
19. The Bachelor(ette)
20. JAG
21. NCIS
22. Law & Order (any of the 3)
23. Golden Girls
24. Love lists - using and making; I like making them more!
25. Lived in Illinois (3 cities)
26. Louisiana
27. Washington (state)
28. I've visited Wisconsin
29. Indiana
30. Ohio (but I was too young to remember)
31. Minnesota
32. Iowa
33. Missouri
34. North Dakota
35. South Dakota
36. Montana
37. Wyoming
38. Nebraska
39. Texas
40. Florida
41. Maryland
42. Washington D.C.
43. South Carolina
44. Tennessee
45. Kentucky
46. California
47. Would love to live on the East Coast
48. Getting out of debt -
49. And staying that way FOREVER!
50. Sometimes I stay up til 3 a.m.
51. And don't wake up till noon
52. Always been shy
53. Love tulips
54. Trying to cook and eat healthier
55. I want to homeschool when we have children
56. Don't really have a favorite color anymore
57. But it used to be lime green (like neon)!
58. Love Thanksgiving (favorite holiday)
59. It's all for the food!! - pumpkin pie, turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls ...
60. I think birthdays and Christmas and all those other holidays are WAY overdone
61. Like Mexican food
62. and Italian food
63. and American food!
64. I love math - and anything numbers
65. Including Chemistry
66. I've always had a thing against history
67. When I was younger I wanted to be a veterinarian,
68. Tornado Chaser
69. and OBGYN
70. Now I'm looking into financial counseling
71. For a "job" ... not for me!
72. It's really hard to come up with 100 things about yourself!
73. I love food and flower smelling candles (and Robert hates them)
74. Sometimes I feel my life is moving too slow
75. ... because all my goals are long-term
76. I'm still picky about my food
77. But I definitely venture out more -
78. I've tried and liked mango
79. Strawberries and peaches
80. Asparagus
81. Avocado
82. Bell peppers
83. Onions
84. Coffee
85. Cream cheese ... all since I left home
86. Love candy - Snickers
87. Reese's Cups
88. Butterfinger
89. Starburst
90. My birthday is on George Washington's birthday
91. Love the pictures from my civil ceremony
92. And I didn't pay for a professional photographer (thanks mom and dad and Robert!)
93. Always thought I looked like a dork as a child!
94. And vowed that I would never drive a station wagon or minivan - my tastes haven't changed
95. Like SUVs ... but feel ambiguous about owning one - more room, but less gas mileage
96. Would love to have a cute little sports car (there's so many that I like)
97. But by the time I can afford one, I'll probably feel differently
98. I love the Lord and am thankful for all He has provided for me
99. Studying the Bible right now and trying to read it everyday
100. Can't wait to have children

Wow! THE END!

Menu Plan 9/20 - 9/26

Robert's mom is here this week so I got all my posts scheduled and ready to publish. She's teaching me how to make a few dishes (the "*"). Here's our meal plan this week.


* Fajitas with homemade tortillas and homemade refried beans
* Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and corn
* Potatoes A' Gratin - not sure what else we will have with this yet
* Chicken and homemade noodles with mixed veggies
Homemade Pizza - I'm going to show my MIL how I make pizza!
Chili & Cornbread

Bible Study

Robert and I started going to a Bible Study at church on Wednesdays. This past Wednesday was our first real meeting. We're learning about how the parts of the Mass come from the Bible. It's so interesting to learn and discuss with others. And it's wonderful to learn about the faith and spend time with great people. I am excited that I will be able to use this information to explain my faith to others and it surprises me how many parts of the mass come word-for-word from the Bible!

I'm really enjoying this and I hope that I will be able to continue every year.

Menu Plan 9/15 - 9/19

We haven't been eating off the meal plan lately so we still have lots of food in the cabinets to eat up this week ...

Pepperoni Pizza
Rice with chicken gravy
Soup & Toast
Grits & Breakfast sausage
Spinach Dip (without the artichokes)
Alfredo Sauce with linguine - there's still enough leftover for another meal

We still have a bag of mixed veggies plus corn and fries for sides this week. Robert's mom is coming next week and showing me how to make a few dishes! I can't wait.

My Library List 9/12

I finally went to the library Saturday. I only got two books this time. If I finish these two books and the one I'm currently reading, I will be up to four completed. My goal this month is to read five books.

Christian Fiction
-Blackstock, Terri
--Last Light
The first book in the Restoration series. I've been waiting for it (on hold) for almost three weeks now. I'm really enjoying reading Terri Blackstock so I'm sure I will enjoy this book as well.

--Blind Trust
This is from her Second Chances series (book 3). I just read book one last week - Never Again Goodbye, and liked it. So I'm sure this one will be just as good.

We also got some movies to watch:
Shakespeare in Love
Sophie's Choice

So it should be a good week!

I Remember

Do you remember where you were on this day eight years ago?

I do. I was sitting in my high school classroom taking a sociology course from the local community college. I will never forget the shock I felt or how scared I was of what would happen next. I will never forget how angry I was that my college professor was the only teacher that day (all the rest were high school classes) that allowed us to watch the news. I didn't get to see the Pentagon crash or the Pennsylvania crash. I remember one girl was hysterical because she had family that worked in the WTC.

I remember how it united Americans together. And people weren't afraid or ashamed to put "God Bless America" on their business signs. I will remember how it's now been tearing us apart. The signs are gone. People want the troops out of the Middle East.

We all want the troops home, but they're fighting an important mission. I remember why we still have men and women fighting and dying over in Iraq. - We don't want this to happen again.

I will always remember.

Menu Plan 9/8 - 9/14

Continuing with my goal to save money on groceries this month, we're eating out of the cupboards this week. We might feel deprived after this! That's one thing that makes saving money and budgeting hard - if you deprive yourself too much, you will end up splurging and wasting money later.

Pepperoni Pizza (we always have this!)
Salmon Patties
Rice with chicken gravy
Soup & Toast
Grits & Breakfast sausage
Spinach Dip (without the artichokes)
Alfredo Sauce with linguine (instead of fettuccine)

We have mixed veggies, spinach, corn, and fries to supplement as sides. I shopped for a few staples that we were out of and the total was a little high (~$60) for not buying for any meals!

Side Note: The other day I bought tortillas because making them takes a lot of work. And I have to say, they were disgusting to me. Now that I've had the homemade, I can't even eat store bought! I also noticed that all the packages - I looked at all of them (regular, low-fat, whole wheat, multi-grain, etc) - had tons of chemicals and preservatives. .... No more store-bought for me!

Going Back to Nature: Reuse, Repurpose

I've been running a weekly "column" called Going Back to Nature. This week I'm talking about the final "R" - Reusing (which is really the second (Reduce, Reuse, Recylce), I've just been doing them out of order)!

So many things now-a-days are "one-time-use". You use it. You throw it away. You get another one. Here's some examples: sippy cups, flatware, cleaning wipes, plates, dusters, mop pads, storage containers, paper towels. The list goes on, but I'll stop there. The point is, there is so much waste in our society. Everything is expendable. When something breaks, we don't try to fix it, we just throw it away. When clothes get holes, we don't patch them; we pitch them.

Not only does this hurt the environment, but it also hurts your pocketbook! The cost to reuse and/or fix these items is minimal compared to the cost to replace them. When something breaks, start by thinking how you can fix the item instead of going out to buy another. Whether you can fix it yourself or you have to take it to a professional, most of the time the outlay will be cheaper than buying new. Go around your home and count how many "one-time-use" items you have. Think about buying reusable items when those run out.

If you're thinking about redecorating, shop at your own home. Just watch HGTV sometime and you'll see how often items are taken from other rooms and re-purposed to decorate elsewhere. A door can become a coatrack. Kitchen cabinets can become a storage bench or a toy chest. Old light fixtures can be transformed into indoor candle holders. Tons more ideas await at HGTV.com! Just remember, most things can have a second life if you'll just get creative and think outside the box!

September Goals

I'm going to start making monthly goals for myself. I think writing goals is necessary for me to grow. I do a lot better when things are written down (and it's proven that others do too). If it's not on paper, I don't get it done. These are to be completed by the end of September. I've been getting ideas from a ton of different blogs, and here's what I've come up with for me.

Spiritual:
* Finish reading Numbers
* Read through Deuteronomy and Joshua

Homemaking:
* Set up daily schedule for chores (the list thing isn't working for me!) - this is already completed
* Try one new recipe
* Work on cutting grocery budget (lots of meatless meals)

Personal:
* Start working out 2x per week
* Read 5 books (Finished 2 ½)
* Let go of the small things (this sometimes causes fights with us) - I failed a few times, but mostly achieved this goal

Blog:
* Research Going Back to Nature topics

Don't worry. My Going Back to Nature will post Monday.

Menu Plan 9/1 - 9/7

It's the start of a new month, so I'm going to start out cheaper - with meatless meals, then possibly splurge at the end of the month if there's extra money! All but spaghetti is carried-over from last week. -- Now that's money savings!

Pepperoni Pizza (2x)
Creamy Chicken and Noodles (makes 2 meals w/ left overs)
Ravioli w/ homemade tomato sauce
Spaghetti w/ homemade tomato sauce
Breakfast for Dinner - Pancakes, eggs, and sausage (possibly...)

Money Savings: Birthdays

I'm switching my days this week since payday isn't until Tuesday - my menu plan will be up Wednesday. And I'll have a Going Back to Nature post on Friday.

Sometimes when you're trying to save money, you have to get creative with everything! So how do you save money on brithdays? Glad you asked! ...

**Make your own birthday cake - either from scratch or with a mix. There's plenty of blogs and websites with tutorials or ideas for decorating ideas. Here's a few to get you started: Barbie Cake video, Drive-in Movie Theater, Star Wars, Lego Cake.

**Forgo the decorations - they're expensive and unnecessary. Most younger kids won't even notice and you can explain to older children why you're not using them.

**If the birthday is around a holiday, you can buy decorations when they are deeply discounted and use them as decorations for the party. This could work for holidays such as Valentine's Day, Halloween, Christmas, St. Patrick's Day, etc.

**Use comics or brown paper bags for wrapping paper. You can decorate it with stamps, stickers, markers, etc. or just wrap with ribbon for a classic look.

**Serve only cake and punch in the afternoon instead of a big meal around lunch/dinner time.

**Invite only family and/or close friends instead of everyone you know! Less people = less money.

**Combine birthday parties if they're close together. This cuts your costs in half!

**Make your own invitations on the computer or with stamps (if you have them already - stamps are a big investment if not).

**Don't spend money on activities for kids. They're just as happy playing at the playground or running through the sprinkler.

**Buy second-hand gifts. There are great finds on e-bay, Craigslist, thrift shops, etc.

**Any other ideas? Leave a comment.

My Library List 8/22 - 9/5

I've been a little slow on the reading this week. I got about 5 books at the library but one I didn't care for so I just flipped through it; another I decided to wait on because I didn't realize it was from a series (#3) so I want to read the first and second books first. Then, I started back up with reading the Bible every day, so I don't have as much time to read my library books. Also, (see ... lots of reasons!) I've been trying to "soak up" my TV time, because (if you'll remember) I'm getting rid of cable next month. So here's my list of reads:

Non-Fiction
Financial
-Ramsey, Dave
--More Than Enough
I just started this one so I don't have much to say about it. But everything I've read by Dave Ramsey so far was excellent! So I'm sure this book will be too ... I'll review it next week.

-Bach, David
--The Automatic Millionaire
This is the book I didn't really care for. He doesn't agree with budgeting. He thinks credit cards are okay. And he thinks that people can become rich just by automatically putting a specific amount of money into savings (or investing) every month. Now I could've missed something else because, like I said earlier, I didn't finish the book. But I think that's just stupid -- I guess I've been listening to Dave Ramsey too long!!

-Burkett, Larry
--Debt-Free Living
This book was okay. Some things I had to overlook (another Dave Ramsey thing) - like the "credit cards are okay", etc. I enjoyed reading the stories about people - how they got into debt and how they got out, which was intertwined with his teachings. He had a lot of scripture throughout the book, plus an index of scriptures about money at the end that I really liked. He also has a book that solely dedicated to what the Bible says about money (The Word on Finances).

Government
-Levin, Mark
--Men in Black: How the Supreme Court is Destroying America
I have not finished this book yet either, but so far - it's eye-opening! I think everyone should read this book. Some of it is a little dry (my opinion, I've never been excited about history), but I've learned some things about our history and government that I would have never known without this book.

Fiction, Christian
Suspense
-Blackstock, Terri
--Never Again Goodbye
I have not started this book, but it looks really good. And I've enjoyed the Blackstock books I've read so far. It's about a woman who gave up her child for adoption and later comes back into her life.
--True Light
This is book 3 in a series - Restoration. It's kind of a sci-fi series about how this star caused all electricity and computers to stop working, and how people are living in this new world. What I read of this book so far was good. I just decided that I should start from the beginning instead of the middle!

Going Back to Nature: Reduce Consumption

I've been running a weekly "column" called Going Back to Nature. This week I'm talking about reducing consumption.

I still get amazed by the fact that Going Back to Nature (sometimes "going green") can save so much money! There are so many ways to reduce consumption - because there's so many things that could be/need to be reduced!

**Water - Wear clothes more than once so you're not washing as often; most of the time, they're not dirty anyway. Only wash full loads of clothes. Take showers instead of baths. Cut your shower time. Use only one glass (to drink from) all day so you're washing less dishes. Run the dishwasher only when it is full.

**Packaging - Buy in bulk (if you'll use it all) to reduce packaging. Drink filtered water from the tap instead of buying bottled for home. Buy a reusable bottle to take when on-the-go ... there's times when I get a soda or water when I'm away from home and end up throwing it in the trash because there's no recycling area around.

**Electricity - Use a clothes line to dry clothes; it can actually help whiten whites too! Use CFL or even LED bulbs instead of incandescent. Lower the temperature on your heater in the winter and turn up the temp on your a/c in the summer.

**Paper - Reuse paper that only has writing on one side; I use it for my grocery lists and random notes (thanks mom!). Bank online and use e-bills. Opt-out of credit card offers and junk mail.

**Gas - Carpool. Don't drive aggressively. Observe the speed limit. Properly inflate your tires; check them once per month. Empty your trunk.

**Other - Make or buy reusable shopping bags. Use rechargeable batteries.

Menu Plan 8/23 - 8/31

I shopped for the rest of the month (instead of just one week) and got out the door with $75 worth of groceries. Not bad considering I bought two 8-packs of batteries, two sizes of Zip-loc freezer bags (which I will admit, I wash and reuse when I can!), and dishwasher detergent. Plus we're having meat again!!! YEA!!

Creamy Chicken and Noodles
Pepperoni Pizza
Mexican Casserole
Chicken Burritos
Ravioli with homemade tomato sauce
Salisbury Steak - this is a new recipe; we'll see how it goes
Creamy Chicken and Rice - the reason I've never posted a recipe for this is because I just throw together rice, cream of mushroom soup, and cooked chicken breasts; easy meal, I made up the name!