Show and Tell Friday: In the Clouds & In the Garden

Another first! I thought you might like to see the photos that I have taken of clouds lately and see the most recent photos of my flowers. So here goes:

If you would like to join us, go HERE!Enjoy!

Heather

Just TOO Funny...

Today I had my postpartum check-up with my midwife, my baby girl is now 8lbs. 7 1/2 oz. and 21 inches long!!! But that's not the funny part...

Here goes:


You know your a Mommy to seven when:

• Your 4-year-old daughter gets into the van and goes to the appointment with you looking like this:Yes, your are seeing two different LEFT shoes and pajama pants under her dress.

You know your a Mommy to seven when:

• your five-year-old daughter ALSO gets to the same appointment with you looking like this:
  Yes, two different water shoes on the correct feet (she is wearing a jumper, but thinks it necessary to sit in a stroller and bare her knees while playing after we arrive home).

And on I go...

You know your a Mommy to seven when:

• Everywhere you go you are 15 minutes late.
• You think that you left your cell phone at the midwife's house, turn around to go back to get it and realize while you are on your way back to her house that your cell phone is actually in your purse and you AGAIN have to turn around to go back home.
• You have to count your children each time you get into the van to make sure you have them all.
• It takes 15 minutes or more just to get everyone rounded up to go somewhere and then another 15 minutes to get them in the van and buckled.
• You almost drive off to your appointment withOUT your cell phone.
• You always feel like you are forgetting something.
• You have to drink a cup of coffee in the afternoon just to stay awake.
• You can NEVER find two matching shoes when you need to go somewhere fast.
• Your children rarely have something brand new to wear because everything is hand-me-downs.
• You have to make an appointment with your husband to take a bath or shower.
• You have to make an appointment to go to the bathroom.
• You don't wash your hair for an entire week because you forgot to!
• You forget to change your little one's diaper first thing in the morning.
• You shout, "HURRAY!!!!" when the dishwasher is once again unloaded and ready to fill up again.
• You are constantly running here and there to get pictures so you won't forget the special moments you had with your dear sweet children that grow up TOO fast!

Blessings!

Heather

Yes, ANOTHER Giveaway...For all you Mommies out there!!!

Here is another contest I MUST tell you about!!!

Blessed Nest is giving away a "Baby Bundle of Momma Must Haves"!!! I mean, there are things in this package I have never seen and now that I have seen them, it is a MUST HAVE!!! At least a must have for a nursing mother like myself...to find out what I am talking about, hop over to HERE, and find out!

If nothing else, these items make great baby shower gifts!!!

Blessings!
Heather

Do You Want to Win A Dyson?

• 5 Minutes for Mom is giving away a Pink Dyson Vacuum Cleaner!!!

Now, who doesn't need a new vacuum cleaner (or a second vacuum cleaner for the upstairs?)...I know I could sure use a new vacuum for the upstairs, I not too crazy about lugging the vacuum upstairs every time I need to use it.

And with seven children and their messes, another vacuum sure could be handy!

• If you would like to join the contest, go HERE.

And if you are the lucky one out of 2000 entries, you could have a new vacuum cleaner!!!

Blessings!

Wordless Wednesday

Go HERE to join us this week.

Tuesdays Trials

An Ode to Cleanliness

Dirty dishes, dirty floors,
Dirty windows, dirty doors,
Smelly trashcans and dirty clothes,
Stinky washclothes that bother my nose!
Crowded cabinets and overfilled drawers,
Cluttered spaces and broken doors,
Too many shoes and too many toys,
Too many clothes for my girls and boys.

All these things make sad spaces,
And unhappy children with sour faces.

Willing helpers are what I need,
No need for want, no need for greed.
Smiling faces to brighten the place,
And speeding hands to clean the space.
To make it cheery and not dreary,
To make my sad heart glad again.

Oh, the great joy of a tidy place,
That visitors are welcome to grace.
With laughing hearts and joyful faces,
And kindred spirits to fill the spaces.

So tidy up and you will find,
The happiness that you left behind.
For clutter will be a thing of the past,
And you will be finally at last,
A joyful soul, a jolly lad,
A happy spirit that's sure to last,
With clutter gone and order in place,
The family finally has a cheery space!

A poem written by me.

Monday Meanderings

This is the first time for me to do this, but with everything that is coming up, I must start somewhere.

First of all, my mother and father-in-law are coming for a visit in October, so I greatly desire to have things somewhat in order when they come. This past weekend was quite productive for me as I had to clean out my refrigerator because my dear sweet hubby got me a new one (a new used refrigerator, that is) for $150. I had to not only clean out my refrigerator, but I also got to clean UNDER my refrigerator. That is like something that NEVER happens!!! So I felt quite accomplished with that ONE task behind me.

Secondly, in order to get the refrigerator in the house, I had to move some furniture around in the living room to get it in the front door (one we don't use since it is 10 feet from a busy "country" intersection...trust me, people don't even stop for the stop sign half the time!). So to make a long story short, I had to clean out from under my couch.


Thirdly, my son decided to help me clean up the girl's room so we could move my 2-year-old's toddler bed in there. Instead of asking me first, he decided to start it on his own right before nap time!!! How did he do it you ask? Well, he dumped out ALL of the tubs of toys and these are not small tubs, mind you!!! We are talking about a BIG, HUMONGOUS MESS of all messes!!!

So, to make a long story short, three things happened this weekend alone:

1. My refrigerator got cleaned out and replaced.
2. My couch was relieved of all the toys underneath it.
3. My daughter's bedroom was thoroughly cleaned and organized...although I had to clean it up AGAIN today after they had turned it upside down again!!!

A few things that have happened in the last few weeks since baby was born are:

1. My room was cleaned with the exception of a few things on the dressers.
2. My kitchen was thoroughly cleaned.
3. My laundry room was cleaned up.
4. My husband made a dent in cleaning the office.

As far as this week is concerned, here are my current goals:

Bible Study/Devotions:

• Read Bible each morning.

"Must Do" ~ This week I "Must":

• Keep up on the kitchen duties.
• Finish mopping the kitchen floor (I mop it in sections).
• Catch up on laundry.
• Try to start exercising again.
• Homeschool my children every day.

Zone:

• Tidy up both bathrooms.

To Train Up a Child:

• Homeschooling.
• Homekeeping ~ Learning to serve others as Christ served us.
• We have Family Worship each evening with Dad leading. We have been reading through Judges and discussing the character of Noah.
• God told Noah to, "Make thee an ark of gopher wood: rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch." Genesis 6:14 "Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he." Genesis 6:22 Noah displayed an attitude of obedience, not questioning God, but simply obeying His command. We have been encouraging our children to have the obedience of Noah.

Menu Planning ~ I have been planning my meals for several months now and it has made an incredible difference for me. With the exception of a couple of weeks after I had my baby girl, I have been able to "keep up" with planning a menu. My menu post is just below this post.

I believe that is all that I will try to tackle this week. If you would like to join us for Monday Meanderings you can sign up HERE!!!

Have a blessed day!

Heather

Menu Plan Monday!

Another week, another plan. Have you tried planning a weekly menu?

Monday: Italian casserole, green beans, french bread.
Tuesday: Little smokies, mac & cheese, green beans, sliced tomatoes.
Wednesday: Chicken & noodles, mashed potatoes, corn or green beans, corn muffins.
Thursday: BBQ Chicken, tator tots (or mashed potatoes), salad & fresh tomatoes.
Friday: Lasagna, rolls, salad.
Saturday: Pizza & bread sticks with marinara sauce, raw veggies.
Sunday: Leftovers or Sub sandwiches, chips, veggies.

If you would like to join us this week, go HERE!!! Ever since I have been planning my menu, not only do I feel less stressed, but I have a happy husband...he is thrilled that I have a plan, FINALLY!!!

Blessings!

Heather

Saying a Special Prayer...

Today I am saying a special prayer today for my dear sister-in-law...her father passed away last night after a long battle with cancer. It is very sad to think that she lost her mother earlier this summer, and now she has lost her father...both to cancer.





I feel extremely blessed today...I still have both of my parents and one grandparent still living. I can't even imagine what it would be like to be without them.





Remembering her sadness & Saying a prayer,


Heather

How is my font size?

My dear friend Leanne pointed out to me today that my font was too small for her to see. Is this size better? I hope so, but if not...please, please let me know!!! I WILL change it again if needed!

Thanks & Blessings!
Heather

Wordless Wednesday

I hope you don't find this offensive, but there is nothing sweeter to me than a baby while she's nursing!

To join us for Wordless Wednesday, go HERE!

Thanks Audrey!!!

I finally won a giveaway!!! And this is what I got!
I was so elated when the package arrived!

Here it is laid out for you to see.

A beautifully handmade bib...isn't the packaging just beautiful!!!!

Here it is opened up...it is called an Extend-a-bib.

My four-year-old willingly modeled the bib for me!!!

You can order one of these beautiful, and may I mentioned embroidered flannel, bibs from Audrey at Sewing the Seams of Love. She also has a blog, go HERE to read her blog!

Blessings!

Heather

Another Awesome Giveaway!!! Scroll down to read my most recent posts!!!

As I was browsing through my friends blog pages, I ran across this giveaway!!! They are giving away a baby pouch!!! I am a baby wearing momma, and although I do own a Ergo baby carrier, sometimes it doesn't do all that I would like. So I entered this contest to see if I could win a baby pouch.

Here is what you do. Go over to From dates to diapers and beyond and sign up for the contest (she will also give you further instructions). She is giving away a Ziggy Stardust Loves Nicole baby pouch from Rockin' Baby Shop.

What's the catch, you ask?!? There is no catch!!! You just have to enter by midnight (PST) on Monday, September 17th!!! The winner will be selected on Tuesday!!!

Blessings!
Heather

Eating to Lose Weight

Many call this dieting, but to me, it is eating to lose weight. What you eat is your "diet," so why call it dieting?

Now, as many of you know, I have seven children, so eating to lose weight is not new to me. In fact, I have been doing this since I had my fourth child.

I was getting very close to 30-years-old when I decided that if I didn't lose weight now, it would probably stay on forever. So, first I figured out what I needed each day calorie wise by multiplying my weight by 11, adding 500 calories (for my nursing needs) and then subtracting 300 (for weight loss). For example a 130 pound non-exercising person needs 1430 calories to maintain their weight. In order to lose weight without exercising, you subtract 300 calories from your diet. This could simply mean skipping that 12 ounce soda and eating only half a sandwich (instead of a whole).

I began keeping a food journal, writing down every little bite I put in my mouth. I began measuring foods to make sure that I was eating the correct portion sizes. And beside each food that I recorded in my food journal, I wrote the amount of calories. A basic diet looked like this:

Breakfast

• 3/4 cup rolled oats with 1 T dates, 1 T raisins, stevia to taste, flax seeds, sesame seeds & lots of cinnamon (to help burn the calories...it really works!) (300 calories)
• 1 cup coffee with 1 T creamer, 1/4 t sugar (55 calories)
• Total calories= 355 calories

Lunch

• 4 ounces meat the size of a deck of cards (125 calories)
• salad (free)
• 1 whole tomato (35 calories-basically free)
• dressing made with 1 t Italian salad dressing & 2 T plain yogurt (15 calories + 24 calories)
• 1 slice whole grain bread (90- 110 calories)
• Total calories= 289 - 309 calories

Snack

• 1 bag of microwave sweet & salty popcorn (240 calories...yes, I ate the whole bag!!!)
• Total calories = 240 calories

Dinner

• I have 726 calories left for dinner which means I can basically eat a normal supper.
• 1 large grilled split chicken breast (250 calories)
• steamed broccoli (as much as I like...25 calories/cup)
• 1/2 baked potato w/ 1 T sour cream (150 calories + 60 calories)
• 1 slice whole grain bread or roll (about 90 - 150 calories, depending on if it is a roll or not)
• 1 piece of fruit (about 90 calories)
• Total calories= 665 - 725 calories

Grand Total = 1549 - 1629 calories

The maximum calorie amount for a 130 pound nursing/dieting mother is 1630 calories, I figured it out like this:

(130 x 11 = 1430 + 500 = 1930 - 300 = 1630)

Now, if you weigh more than that, like me, you get to eat according to your weight. Or in other words, you can eat more than that. (O; But as you lose weight, you also adjust your caloric intake accordingly.

This diet cuts out sweets completely, but when I "diet," I can't "afford" the sweet stuff...it's too pricey calorie -wise. However, I don't "deprive" myself of everything forever...just until I get most of the weight off. In fact, if you still want that sweet treat, just add a little exercise to the mix. 1 hour of kickboxing burns anywhere from 400-600 calories!!!

This is my plan of action for the next several weeks (not the same foods everyday, but a variety). I do tend to avoid carbs when I am dieting, but not totally. I mostly avoid white flour, white sugar & potatoes.

If my diet plan works, I should be back to my prepregnancy size in no time!!!

Blessings!

Heather

Menu Plan Monday!

Here's What's for Dinner:

• Monday: Spaghetti or noodles with meat sauce, salad, breadsticks. For me, veggie & cheese lasagna.
• Tuesday: Pigs in a blanket, tator tots (or chips), salad & fresh tomatoes.
• Wednesday: Baked chicken quarters, mashed potatoes or mac & cheese, green beans, salad.
• Thursday: Leftovers, Breakfast Or Quick & Easy meal.
• Friday: Meatball (or chicken salad) sandwiches, salad.
• Saturday: Homemade Pizza or Stromboli with marinara sauce, raw veggies.
• Sunday: Hot or Cold Sub Sandwiches, chips, tomatoes, salad.

All menu items are subject to change. If you would like to join us this week, you can sign Mr. Linky HERE at Organized Junkie!

Blessings!

Heather

Wordless Wednesday

Dinner's Ready!

Honey Corn Muffins made with freshly
milled wheat and corn (popcorn, that is)

Tator Tot Casserole

Freshly picked cucumbers and tomatoes.....YUM!!!

Menu Plan Monday!

This has been a very tough area since baby girl arrived. She has a sensitive tummy and many things that I used to be able to eat are off limits now. Many would say, just eat what you like and she will get over it soon enough, but my nerves can't take the constant crying.

She is a good baby for the most part, but give her something that doesn't set well on her tummy and you are in for a long night of crying and spitting up. Some days I will just have to make something special for myself (yes, I will do that if need be). I often have to make things special anyway for my daughter who is allergic to milk, so it really isn't anything new.

So, with all that said, here is the plan:

Monday: Tator tot casserole, fresh tomatoes, & corn muffins.
Tuesday: BBQ chicken sandwiches, potato salad, fresh tomatoes.
Wednesday: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes or mac & cheese, green beans, salad.
Thursday: Breakfast Or Quick & Easy meal.
Friday: Spaghetti & meatballs or meatball sandwiches, salad.
Saturday: Grilled chicken (marinated in pickle juice), corn, cucumbers & tomatoes.
Sunday: Crockpot baked beans, salad or dessert.

To join, go to visit Laura at Organized Junkie!!!

Have a blessed day!

Heather

Pictures of Baby Girl

4 weeks and 1 day old

3 weeks and 4 days old

3 weeks and 1 day old

Typing one handed is not so easy these days, so I am a mommy of few words these days. Enjoy!!!

Blessings!

Heather