The Garden To Be

This is my garden, or maybe I should say, garden to be.

We have had so much rain that we can't even till our garden. I am anxious to get things planted, but it looks like that will have to wait awhile.  Considering the drought we had last fall I shouldn't be upset by all of the rain.

I am happy that my two chive plants are growing and the blackberry bushes are looking good.  That is a positive.  We will see what this week brings.  I will try to report back next Saturday on any progress we have made in the garden.

Do you have a garden?  How is your garden looking?

The Garden To Be

Fix It Up Friday: My Recipe Binder Needs a Makeover

Good morning!  It is time for Fix It Up Friday again.  I am so glad to have you join me. This week I am going to let you see my recipe binder in the hopes that you will hold me accountable.

Two years ago I wrote a post about my recipe binder.  It was all nice and neat and I was pretty pleased with myself for keeping it that way.

Fast forward to today and I am not pleased anymore.

This is about a one inch binder specifically for recipes.  It is cute, but I have outgrown it.

What I had attempted to do was take a picture of each recipe I make and type up the directions.  Then I put the printed recipe into a plastic sheet protector.  I like this idea, but then I kind of quit doing that.

Thus, my binder is a mess.  I don't enjoy trying to find my recipes.  This system isn't working for me anymore.

Obviously, my recipe binder needs to be "fixed up".

The reason I have posted about my binder this week is that I intend to get my recipes in order by next Friday.  I plan to share a "fixed up" recipe binder next Friday.  If I don't you have the right to yell at me.  Well, I guess you can scold me in the comments since I probably won't ever meet most of you.

Do you have any suggestions for how I can improve my recipe system before I get started?  I would love to hear your ideas for what works for you with regards to storing your recipes.

Now, it is your turn to link up your creative posts.  I look forward to seeing all of your great ideas. The guidelines for linking up are here.

Fix It Up Friday: My Recipe Binder Needs a Makeover

My Family This Week

We had a wonderful time at church on Sunday celebrating our Lord's resurrection and had a great time with family afterwards.  Here are some pictures we took of our family at church.

Left to right:  Joseph (3), James (8 1/2), Julia (11 1/2), Janna (2 weeks), Me (Not telling.), and Joshua (6)

I have to share the story of the ties on my boys.  James put on a real tie and that prompted Joshua to want a tie.  He chose a yellow clip-on tie and put it on with the polo shirt he picked out.  He was so proud of himself and thought he looked handsome.

A little later as I was getting dressed I heard Joshua's dresser drawers opening and shutting.  I was afraid he was going to change into old clothes or something.  Instead I found Joseph looking for a tie to wear, too.  He picked out a clip-on tie to wear over his sweater vest.  I thought they all looked very handsome.  Maybe this look will catch on and they will be considered trendsetters.  ;)

Here I am with my two girls.  Julia and Janna wore matching headbands I crocheted using my pattern.  Janna is also wearing some shoes I crocheted and a dress I made before she was born.  Side note:  It was hard to pose Janna because she was still kind of floppy.

Here is the first picture of all seven of us.  We are quite a crew.  Another side note:  I was wrong when I thought it was hard to get six people to smile for a picture, seven is much harder.  

In other news, Julia had her school music program on Tuesday and sung a solo.  It was beautiful and if I can ever get the video to upload to YouTube I will share it with you.

At Janna's appointment on Tuesday she weighed 8 lbs. 3 oz and measured 22 1/4 inches long.  She is still sleeping and nursing a lot, but is starting to have more periods of alertness during the day.  I can't believe she is three weeks old already.

My husband is busy coaching golf.  His team is having a good season, but the rain has caused them to have to reschedule a few matches.

Speaking of rain, we have had quite a bit lately.  Last fall we were praying for rain and now we are praying it will stop.  I guess we are never satisfied.  This would be the time that having rain barrels would be beneficial.  I am hoping that we can get our garden planted before July.  I know the farmers are feeling the same way.

Well, that is a little of what is going on around here this week.  What is happening with you and your family this week?

I am linking this post to Finer Things Friday at The Finer Things in Life.

My Family This Week

Easy Homemade Swiffer Cloths

I purchased a Swiffer a few months ago. I like to use it in our kitchen because I felt like our broom just wasn't getting all of the food and dirt off of the floor.

I knew that I didn't want to purchase the disposable cloths not only because they would be expensive but because I didn't like the idea of creating more trash.

So, I measured the free disposable cloth that came with the Swiffer and used it as a template to make my own. Then I asked my 11 year old daughter to cut some fleece the same size. 8 1/2 inches x 10 1/2 inches (Having an 11 year old daughter has come in handy on more than one occasion.)

My daughter ended up making about a dozen of these fleece cloths.  They have worked wonderfully.  The great thing about fleece is that the edges don't fray so this was a completely no-sew project.

The orange cloth was made by my mom out of some terry cloth.  She said she didn't use a pattern, but just cut some terry cloth and then stitched elastic all around the edges.  She made me three of these and I like to get them wet and use them to mop the floor with my Swiffer.

I am linking this post to Works For Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family.

Easy Homemade Swiffer Cloths

Baby Basics: Cord Care

The umbilical cord is an amazing thing.  For 9 months it is a baby's lifeline.  I guess that is why the cutting of the cord can be so symbolic.

Once the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut it starts to dry up relatively quickly.

This is Janna a few minutes after she was born.  As you can see the cord had just been cut and still looked like it did in utero.

By Janna's fourth day of life this is what her umbilical cord stump looked like.  It had started to dry up on her second day of life.

Janna's cord stump fell off on her eighth day of life.  For almost a week she had some minimal bleeding as evidenced by the picture above.  This can be normal and wasn't concerning to me because there wasn't any active bleeding.

Dealing with the umbilical cord stump usually isn't a big deal and requires minimal care. Here are some things to remember.

Basic Cord Care:

• Keep the cord dry.  

• Sponge bathe your baby until after the cord has fallen off.  Do not give tub baths until then.

• Make sure the diaper is below the cord.  If the diaper covers the cord it can get wet and take longer to fall off.

• Do not pull the cord stump off, even if it is hanging on by a thread.

• It isn't necessary to use alcohol on the cord.  This used to be common practice when I was first having children.  However, the cord will fall off at the same rate with or without it.  

• The cord will usually fall off within 1-3 weeks after birth.  All of my children's cords have fallen off by the time they were two weeks old, most before that.  

Here are some signs that you should contact your child's health care provider:  

• There is a foul odor coming from the cord.

• The skin around the cord is red and swollen.

• The cord hasn't fallen off by the time baby is 2 months old.

• There is active bleeding. (When a drop of blood is wiped away another drop immediately appears in a 15 minute time period and doesn't stop.)

One other issue related to the cord that often causes parents to worry is an umbilical hernia.  My son Joseph had one.  When he would cry his navel would protrude and it felt squishy when I pushed on it.

Umbilical hernias generally do not harm or hurt a baby.  Most of the time they heal on their own with no problem.  Joseph's did and you would never know he had one now that he is three.

People used to tape over an umbilical hernia or even put a coin on the navel and then tape over it.  However, this doesn't speed up the healing process and can even hinder it.  If you are concerned contact your child's health care provider.

Disclaimer:  I am not a health care provider.  I am just a mom of five who likes to share information.  

Baby Basics: Cord Care

Crockpot Pork Roast Recipe & Weekly Menu Plan

A few weeks ago we had my parents and my brother's family over for supper to celebrate my mom's birthday.  My husband (Who is my grocery shopper.) had found some pork shoulder roasts on sale, so we decided to have that as our meat.

I wasn't sure how I would cook the meat, but ended up using my crockpot.  Here is what I did.

Crockpot Pork Roast

Pork Shoulder Roast
Minced Garlic
Chopped Onions
Apple Juice
Cornstarch
Water
Salt & Pepper (if desired)

I am first going to say that this is not a recipe with exact measurements.  I will just explain what I did to make a delicious pork roast with gravy.

The night before I divided up the pork into two crockpots.  I smothered the meat with minced garlic and chopped onion.  I added about 1 cup of apple juice to each crockpot. Then, I turned the crockpots on low overnight for about 10 hours.

In the morning, I let the meat cool and then separated any fat and discarded it.  The meat could have then been made into pork barbeque, but I decided to make a gravy for it.

I took all of the juice/broth that was in the crockpots and strained it.  Then I put it into a pan and let it come to a boil.  (At this point I could have added some salt and pepper to the broth, but I didn't think it was necessary for our gravy.)  In a separate boil I took a few tablespoons of cornstarch and added a small amount of water to it.  I added the cornstarch mixture to the broth and brought it to a boil.  The cornstarch allowed the broth to thicken and turn into gravy.

I poured the gravy over the meat and it was ready to serve.  I ended up putting it into a large baking dish and reheating it in the oven right before my family arrived.  However, I could have put the meat and gravy back into a crockpot to keep warm.

Now, here is our menu plan for this week.

Menu Plan

Sunday - Leftovers

Monday - Chicken & Noodles, Sweet Potato Casserole, Cauliflower, Fruit Smoothies

Tuesday - Tacos/Taco Salad, Refried Beans, Chips & Salsa, Fruit Smoothies

Wednesday - Crockpot Swiss Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Applesauce

Thursday - Fish Fillets, Baked Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, Fruit Smoothies

Friday - Zucchini Casserole, Corn, Fruit Smoothies

Saturday - Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Salad, Fruit Smoothies

I am linking this post to Menu Plan Monday @ Organizing Junkie.

Crockpot Pork Roast Recipe & Weekly Menu Plan

Fix It Up Friday: Crocheted Headband Pattern

Good morning!  It is time for Fix It Up Friday again.  I am so glad to have you join me. This week I am sharing a pattern I made for a crocheted headband.

My oldest daughter Julia has been waiting for a sister for a long time.  She absolutely adores Janna.  Since Julia loves to wear headbands I thought it would be fun to make the girls ones that match.  Thus, a new crochet pattern was born.

This pattern is very simple and I am sure even a beginner at crocheting could make one. I will share two headband sizes with you and a pattern for a simple flower that could be sewn onto the headband like this.

Super Simple Headband Crochet Pattern

Newborn Size:  H Hook & Worsted Weight Yarn

HDC=Half Double Crochet
Ch=Chain

Ch 5

Row 1:  HDC in 3rd chain from hook and in each remaining chain.  Ch 1.  Turn. (3)

Row 2:  HDC in each stitch of previous row.  Ch 1.  Turn (3)

Row 3+:  Repeat row 2 until headband measures 11 inches.  Leave a tail at least 12 inches long.

Weave in yarn from beginning of headband.  Use long tail to sew the two ends of the headband together using a whip stitch.  Weave in end and cut off excess.

Infant:  12 inches fit my 7 week old niece.

Toddler/Child:  You will have to play around with how long to make the headband because I didn't have a model for these sizes.

Older Child/Adult:  H Hook & Worsted Weight Yarn

HDC=Half Double Crochet

Ch=Chain

Ch 8

Row 1:   HDC in 3rd chain from hook and in each remaining chain.  Ch 1.  Turn. (6)

Row 2:  HDC in each stitch of previous row.  Ch 1.  Turn (6)

Row 3+:  Repeat row 2 until headband measures 18 inches (or whatever length needed to fit head).  Leave a tail at least 12 inches long.

Weave in yarn from beginning of headband.  Use long tail to sew the two ends of the headband together using a whip stitch.  Weave in end and cut off excess.

Super Simple Flower Crochet Pattern

Small Flower:  F Hook & Worsted Weight Yarn

SC=Single Crochet
DC=Double Crochet
Ch=Chain

Ch 4.  Join with a slip stitch in beginning chain to form ring.

Round 1:  Ch 3.  9 DC in ring.  (10 DC)  Join with a slip stitch in 3rd chain of beginning ch 3.

Round 2:  In same chain, *1 SC, 3 DC, 1 SC.  Skip next DC.  Repeat from * 4 more times.  5 total petals made.   Leave a tail at least 12 inches long.  Weave in beginning tail.

Optional Center for Layered Flower:  With a new piece of yarn.

Ch 4.  Join with a slip stitch in beginning chain to form ring.

Round 1:  Ch 3.  9 DC in ring.  (10 DC)  Join with a slip stitch in 3rd chain of beginning ch 3.

Leave a tail at least 12 inches long.  Weave in beginning tail.  

To Finish:  Using the tail, stitch the center to the flower.  Using the tail of the flower, stitch to the headband.

Large Flower:  H Hook & Worsted Weight Yarn

SC=Single Crochet

HDC=Half Double Crochet

DC=Double Crochet

Ch=Chain

Ch 4.  Join with a slip stitch in beginning chain to form ring.

Round 1:  Ch 3.  9 DC in ring.  (10 DC)  Join with a slip stitch in 3rd chain of beginning ch 3.

Round 2:  In same chain, *1 SC, 2 HDC, 3 DC, 2 HDC, 1 SC.  Skip next DC.  Repeat from * 4 more times.  5 total petals made.   Leave a tail at least 12 inches long.  Weave in beginning tail.  

Optional Center for Layered Flower:  With a new piece of yarn.

Ch 4.  Join with a slip stitch in beginning chain to form ring.

Round 1:  Ch 3.  9 DC in ring.  (10 DC)  Join with a slip stitch in 3rd chain of beginning ch 3.

Leave a tail at least 12 inches long.  Weave in beginning tail.  

To Finish:  Using the tail, stitch the center to the flower.  Using the tail of the flower, stitch to the headband.

As with all of my patterns and tutorials, you are allowed to make items for sale using this pattern.  However, you are not to sell the actual pattern or list it on any website. You are more than welcome to link back to this pattern, though.  Thank you.

Now, it is your turn to link up your creative posts.  I look forward to seeing all of your great ideas. The guidelines for linking up are here.

I am linking this post to:
Strut Your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple
Fibers on Friday @ Visions of Sugar Plums

Fix It Up Friday: Crocheted Headband Pattern

Janna's Birth Story

This was the first time I wrote about a pregnancy each week.  I wrote my first post when I was 8 weeks pregnant and after reading it just now I was again reminded of just how awesome God is.  We truly feel blessed.

Two weeks ago today I gave birth to our fifth child.  She wasn't officially due until April 19th, but was born on the 7th.  However, God's timing was perfect.

My husband works an hour away and three of our children attend public school.  My parents live nearby, but my dad had been out of town earlier in the week and my mom works full-time.  I had been concerned about the logistics and timing of Janna's birth, but had tried to put it into God's hands and not worry.

Two days prior to Janna's birth I started having some crampy Braxton-Hicks contractions.  They continued off and on during that day and the next.  I was starting to feel like there was really no way I could last another two weeks until my due date.

The day before Janna was born I took my children outside to enjoy a beautiful afternoon and I started walking.  I walked all over our yard and made sure I walked the hilly areas, too.  I had decided that it couldn't hurt to walk and that if it stimulated labor that would be great.  If not, I was going to get some good exercise.

The evening was pretty normal yet I went to bed thinking that I might awaken in labor sometime in the night.  At 1:15 a.m. on April 7th I woke up to go to the bathroom.  I started having contractions that were 5 minutes apart.  These were different from the Braxton-Hicks in that they were more painful and regular.  I was feeling a lot of low pressure so I decided to walk around the house to see if the contractions were going to stay regular.

They were still five minutes apart around 2:00 a.m. so I called my parents.  I told my husband that I was pretty sure I was going to have the baby that day and that my parents were on their way.  I told him that my mom would take me to the hospital and that I would let him know how things were progressing.  However, I needed him to stay home to get the older three kids ready for school and pack their lunches.  Plus, I knew that my three year old would be upset when he found out I wasn't home and that having my husband home might help his day go a little better.

My mom and I set off for the hospital but I really didn't have any contractions on the drive.  I started to think that maybe I had been wrong and that I wasn't really in labor. We got to the labor and delivery unit around 3:00 a.m.  A nurse checked me and said that I was only 3 cm.  I had been 2 cm two days earlier when my midwife checked me at my appointment.

They decided to keep me and went through the check-in process.  I didn't have any contractions the whole time I was sitting in the bed.  I knew that I needed to have 2 rounds of antibiotics 4 hours apart before giving birth due to testing positive for Group B Strep.  However, they wouldn't start that until I was 4 cm or my water had broken.  I prayed that the timing would work out because I do not like to stay in the hospital for long.

They let me get up and walk around and the contractions started again.  Yet, the contractions weren't regular.  My mom and I kept commenting how much different this labor was than my previous labors.  At some point the nurse checked me again and I was finally at 4 cm even though I wasn't having regular contractions.

They started the IV antibiotics and the contractions stopped again because I had been sitting in the bed.  We started walking and the contractions started again.  I decided that I wasn't going to get back into that hospital bed unless it was time to have the baby or they felt it necessary to check me again.

I talked with my children on the telephone around 6:40 a.m.  My husband said he and my dad had things under control, but I still tried to give him instructions.  :-)

During the time I had been at the hospital I was dilating and able to manage my contractions quite easily.  I had never had pain medicine during a labor and wasn't about to start now even if the contractions became unbearable.

My mom and I were still wondering if my uterus was actually going to be able to push the baby out.  This was my 9th pregnancy and 5th live birth.  You would think the baby would have just walked right out.  :-)

The nurses told me I needed to stay in the room and be monitored for awhile, so I sat in a rocker.  Thankfully, the contractions didn't stop, but I knew that standing would be better.  However, the monitors wouldn't work properly if I was standing.  (This picture was taken less than 3 hours before Janna was born and I was still feeling really good.)

My husband took my dad and Joseph to my parents' house and came to the hospital sometime after 8:00 a.m.  I had thought I would be alright if he couldn't come to the birth, but I really did want him there.  My mom is a wonderful support during labor, but the relief I felt when my husband walked through that door almost made me cry.

I honestly am having trouble remembering if my midwife broke my water before or after my husband arrived.  Regardless, at some point she arrived and decided to break my water to see what happened.  I am pretty sure I was at least 6 cm when she did this.  There wasn't much fluid that came out because Janna's head was so low.

After my husband arrived the contractions started getting more intense and regular.  I decided to stand and the nurse gave me a button to push each time a contraction started and stopped so they could see on the monitor how frequently they were happening.    I was still able to manage the pain and breathed through each contraction with my eyes closed.

By 9:30 a.m. I was in the bed.  I knew that Janna would be born soon and that I would surely feel the urge to push before long.

They decided to give me a little bit of Pitocin to help me continue having contractions.  I think my midwife was as unsure as we were of whether my uterus was actually going to get to 10 cm and push the baby out.  I had sworn I wouldn't have Pitocin again after being induced with Joshua.  However, I consented in order to keep things from stalling.

My mom was by my side the whole time and kept comforting me.  My husband took some pictures and coached from the site of the action.  :-)  I think I started pushing around 9:40 or 9:45 a.m.

It felt like I pushed forever and that the contractions were 15 minutes apart.  That is what it felt like.  In reality, my husband told me there were only a few minutes between contractions and that I only pushed for about 20 minutes.

I am a noisy pusher even though I know that isn't supposed to be effective.  I tried really hard to be quiet and focus on pushing.   However, I couldn't hold back any longer. Once I hit that point I knew Janna was going to come.  I am not 100% sure what all I said, but I know that Janna came out.  I think I got her head and whole body out in one pushing session.

The cord was wrapped around Janna's neck one time but it was loose.  My midwife was able to let Janna's body pass through the cord instead of slipping it off of her neck first.

As soon as Janna was born I felt so much better.  Getting through a few minutes of pain was so worth it when they placed Janna on my chest.

Janna Caroline was born at 10:02 a.m. after 8 hours and 43 minutes of labor.   She weighed 6 lbs. 10 oz. making her the smallest of all of my children.  She was 21 1/4 in. long which made her the longest of all of my children.

My husband thinks that Janna was born with her eyes open or at least opened them immediately afterwards.  She was awake and alert for an hour after being born and latched on right away when I tried to nurse her.  The nurses took her after that to do some more checking and give her a bath.

My husband then left to get Joseph and my dad.  Joseph wasn't too sure about the baby, but was relieved to see me.  A few hours later my husband picked up my older three children from school and brought them to the hospital.  It was wonderful to have all five of my children with me.  Anyone that wonders how a mother can love five children has obviously never had five children.  Each of my children is unique and special and totally deserving of my love.

Janna and I got to go home when she was 25 hours old.  That was plenty of time for me to be in the hospital.  We feel so blessed to have been able to have another healthy baby.  Janna has been a true joy and we are all in love with her.

I thank God for giving us this gift.  My heart had longed for another baby girl, but I didn't dare ask God to bless us in this way.  Yet, He knew the desires of my heart and chose to grant us this precious child.

Janna's Birth Story

Ways We Reduce, Reuse & Recycle

Last year I wrote about ways we strive to reduce, reuse and recycle. This year I thought I would share some links to some of my posts on this topic.

Before I share the links I thought I would give you an example of something we do every day that reduces the amount of trash we produce.

We use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins.  We keep a basket of cloth napkins on our kitchen table so they are easily accessible. They aren't fancy, but definitely serve their purpose.  Some of the napkins were given to us, some I made, and some I purchased in like-new condition at a yard sale.

For my younger children I use washcloths instead of napkins. They are all green so that they are easy to identify as kitchen washcloths when putting away the laundry. We also try to use cloth towels instead of paper towels whenever possible which also cuts down on paper waste.

Do you use cloth napkins? If not, I suggest giving it a try.  They don't cause me to do any extra laundry since I always do at least one load of towels and washcloths a week anyway.

Now, here are the links I promised. I think there are probably a few posts that I didn't link to, but this is a pretty big list as it is.  Maybe you will find a project that you can try to help reduce, reuse, or recycle something in your home.

Do you have any great ideas for reducing, reusing or recycling?  I would love to hear from you.

I am linking this post to Works for Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family.

Ways We Reduce, Reuse & Recycle

Baby Basics: A Brand New Baby

Each time I have had a newborn baby placed on my chest after giving birth I have felt many emotions: joy, excitement and relief to name a few.

This tiny, wet, crying little life was now entrusted into my care.  This baby, who looked nothing like the chunky "Gerber" baby we usually think of, looked like a mad old man.  :-)

This baby that had been growing inside of me for the past 8 1/2 to 9 months was finally here.  Now what?

I have often said that it takes more for people to get a driver's license than it does to become a parent.  There is no manual to read, no test to take, and no license given to say that a person is capable of taking care of a baby.

Sure, there are plenty of books about parenting, but I thought it might be nice to write down my experiences and thought s on babies.  Someday my own babies will be parents and maybe, just maybe, they might be interested in how things "used" to be.

So, I am starting a weekly series called Baby Basics.  I have some topics in mind that I would like to cover for the next several weeks.

I do hope that those of you reading this blog that have experience with babies will chime in.  I would love to hear from you on these topics because I don't know everything even though I have five children.

Check back each Tuesday for Baby Basics.  Next week I will be talking about the umbilical cord.

Baby Basics: A Brand New Baby

Ham & Bean Soup Recipe & Weekly Menu Plan

After a two week break from menu planning I am back to it.  Two weeks ago I hadn't had the baby yet, but I just didn't feel like planning a week's worth of menus.  I guess I must have known I would have the baby that week.  Last week we ate some of the foods I had frozen to make life easier.

This week I am going to try to get back into the swing of cooking.  We are going to be eating a lasagna that my mom made us so that will be helpful.  Before I share our menu for this week I wanted to post my recipe for Crockpot Ham and Bean Soup.

I made a batch of this soup on Saturday.  We had been given a ham, so I used some of the leftovers for this recipe.  It was a cold day and this soup hit the spot.  Plus, since it was made in the crockpot it was very easy.

Crockpot Ham & Bean Soup

1 Pound *Soaked* Navy Beans
8 Cups Water
1 Bay Leaf
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Small Diced Onion or 1 Tbsp. Dried Minced Onion
2 Cups Cooked Ham

*How to soak beans:  Rinse the beans.  Place in a large bowl (or the crockpot) and cover with water.  Add 1 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar to the water.  Let the beans soak for at least 12 hours.  (The lemon juice or vinegar will help break down the phytic acid in the beans and make them more digestible.)  Drain the beans and rinse them again before placing them in the crockpot.

Add all ingredients to a crockpot.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Discard the bay leaf. Serve.

Menu Plan

Sunday-  Leftovers

Monday - Lasagna, Salad, Fruit Smoothies

Tuesday - Leftovers

Wednesday - Fish Fillets, Baked Potatoes, Green Beans, Fruit Smoothies

Thursday - Smoked Sausage, Fried Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, Apple Slices

Friday - Chicken Breasts, Macaroni & Cheese, Turnip Greens, Fruit Smoothies

Saturday - Leftovers or Sandwiches

I am linking this post to Menu Plan Monday at Organizing Junkie.

Ham & Bean Soup Recipe & Weekly Menu Plan

Janna's First Week

I can't believe that Janna is already one week old.  She is fitting right in and everyone is in love with her.  There are always arms that are willing to hold her.  I have spent a good portion of this past week snuggling our little cutie and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Janna has been a very sleepy baby and only gets upset when she is getting her diaper changed.  She is doing great with breastfeeding and I am sure the scale at the midwife's office tomorrow will show she has gained weight this week.

I am hoping to get her birth story typed out by next week.  I don't want to forget the details and I am sure someday she will want to know all about the day she was born.

In the meantime I thought I would share some pictures of Janna's first week.  As you can see, she sleeps a good portion of the day.

Janna's First Week

Our baby girl is here!

Janna Caroline arrived this morning and is such a sweet baby. She weighed 6 lbs. 10 oz. and was 21 1/4 in. She has a head full of dark hair. We should be going home tomorrow.

I will post pictures and a birth story when I feel up to it. My posts may be sporadic for awhile. Also, there will be no Fix It Up Friday tomorrow.

Our baby girl is here!

Pregnancy Update - 38 Weeks

Today I am 38 weeks pregnant and still feeling good.  My 6 year old son Joshua has said for over a month that today is when Janna is going to be born.  With less than 12 hours to go in the day I guess it could still happen.  However, I hope he won't be too upset if she doesn't arrive today.

I had an appointment with my midwife today and she said things look great.  Janna's heart rate was 146 and my blood pressure was good.  I have gained 1 pound since last week.  She did check me and said that I am 2 cm dilated, 50% effaced and Janna's head is at a 0 station.  This just means that we could be close or still have 2-3 weeks.  :)  You just never know with babies.

I am getting anxious to meet Janna and am looking forward to her birth.  I am trying not to worry about the details or logistics of having 4 other children and a husband who works 1 hour away.  God will be with us all the way so there is no need to worry.  It is just hard not to think about how it will work out.

Here are a couple of pictures taken on Sunday.

I'm feeling big.  :)

My lovely daughter Julia and I got our picture taken together, too.

Pregnancy Update - 38 Weeks