Goodbye Pappy

Lately, around our house, there have been two "P" words that no one really likes to talk about:  the Potty & the Pacifier. 

Carter has been deeply attached to her pacifier - pappy - as she so fondly calls it.  She really didn't love it when she was a baby, but we carried it with us everywhere we went just in case she had a fit.  She was a little bit colicky when she was a tiny baby, so everywhere we went, we walked on eggshells, unsure if she would have a meltdown -- which she most always did in the evening, especially if she was tired.  Somewhere around 6 to 8 months old, she started loving the paci; she would have taken it all the time if we would have let her.  We moved her upstairs in her room when she was almost a year old and from that time forward, we would make her leave it in the bed when she got up in the morning and when she got up from her nap.  That worked for the most part in preventing her from having it in her mouth all the time...until she figured out how to reach in her bed and drag it out.  

Carter -- approx. 1 month old

I knew that as her second birthday approached, I needed to "axe" the paci, but I honestly just didn't have the heart to.  We started working with her on potty training in January, and the new baby was due in May, and I didn't want to throw in another huge milestone during an already hectic time of transition.  So, I avoided it.  It seemed like such a comfort to her, and to be honest, it was helpful in encouraging bed and nap time.  

We have been encouraging her to get rid of it since Dylan Kate arrived.  We have told her that paci's are only for babies and she isn't a baby anymore, and she should just throw it away.  Of-course, this went directly in one ear and out the other.  She appeared to have no interest in giving it up.  But...miracle of all miracles happened last Sunday!  I was busy working in the kitchen and Carter had just gotten up from her nap and snuck down with her paci still in her mouth (I really wasn't looking for a fight at the time).  A few minutes later I heard her open the trash can and say "I'm throwing you away, I'm done with you!"  I went and peered in the can only to see her pink paci shining up at me amongst the trash!  I absolutely could not believe it.  I wasn't really sure what to do, but in a moments decision, just decided to go with it.  Woohoo!  I threw an impromptu dance party right there in the kitchen, even going outside and summoning in her daddy to see the "prize" in the trash!  Carter was excited, and we were of-course thrilled but I wasn't sure how the night would go. 

That night in putting her to bed, she asked for her "pappy."  I reminded her of the afternoon and that she had thrown it away.  She informed me that there was another one, and I showed her that it too was gone.  She got into the bed and didn't ask for it again.  I went downstairs hesitantly and soon she was crying.  I waited it out for a few minutes and decided that I should go up and see her.  When I got into her room, she didn't ask for her pappy, but instead told me there was something outside her window that was bothering her.  She asked me to hold her...which I did of-course. 

If you knew this child, you would know when she asks you to hold her, you better take advantage of it.  She has never been one that wanted to be held -- always wanting to do her own thing  -- Miss Independent.  But, that night, I was thankful for the opportunity to hold her.  I sat there as she fell asleep on my chest, thinking that the times I get to hold her like that are getting so very few and far in between.  She is growing up.  I cried, not because the paci was gone, but because of the pride I felt that she did it on her own and was being so strong about it.  I know it is just a paci, but to her it meant so much.  I cried, because I knew that was one of the last connections of her being a baby.  She is a toddler, growing into a young lady.  As I look at Dylan Kate, it is crazy to think how quickly Carter has gone from Dylan's size to the little girl she is now.  It seems like the blink of an eye. 

Carter - approx. 5 months old

Anyway, she is doing great as far as the paci goes.  She asked for it a couple of times in the few days after she gave it up, but other than that, nada.  Now, the next milestone is pottying and we have been working on that since January, so it's not going quite as swimmingly.  :(
With the type of personality that she has, I think it is just going to take another one of those "a-ha" moments of her realizing that she wants to go potty instead of us forcing her to try.  Once she comes to want to do it on her terms, I think it will work...until then, I am trying not to pull my hair out!  :)

Carter's 2nd Birthday Party -- Peppa Pig Style

"Disclaimer -- I wrote this post 6 months ago, and I realized I never posted it -- so, here you go, Carter's big 2nd birthday party  :)"

I want to begin this post by saying that I am not creative and I really don't enjoy planning birthday parties...not because I am a party pooper, but just because I don't have a lot of time to spend and again...there is the whole un-creative thing.  But, I must say that with the powers of Pinterest and Etsy combined I was able to pull off Carter's 2nd birthday party while looking fairly creative.  :)  I was very pleased with how it all turned out. 

Don't mind Nana in the background trying to avoid the picture...haha

I knew when I started thinking about what kind of party I wanted to have for Carter's birthday, I wanted it to be Peppa Pig style.  Peppa is a little British piggy cartoon that Carter is absolutely in love with.  Peppa lives with mummy pig, daddy pig, and her little brother George and her favorite thing to do is jump in muddy puddles.  Carter gets totally engrossed when she watches it and thankfully, it is not the most annoying cartoon I've seen.  It's cute and I don't mind her watching.  If you are not familiar with Peppa check out her very cute website here.  I began researching peppa pig party ideas on pinterest a while back and created a board just for her birthday party.  The ideas ranged from food to decorations to really elaborate creations that I knew I would never do, but hey...fun to look at.  

As for the invitation, I found it on etsy.  

Follow the link here if you like.  This was actually just a downloadable file that I could change the date, time and location on and I was able to print it out at home and create them myself.  Thankfully with all the snowy weather we have had lately, I had time to do that.  I printed them out on cardstock and then actually glued them to another slightly larger piece of white cardstock to make them a bit more sturdy and professional looking.  And, then I didn't get to give many out, mainly because of the snowy weather and not being able to see everyone and also because Carter panicked about giving "her" Peppa to anyone.  

I also went to etsy to print out the adorable food tents for the party. 

 I just downloaded the file instantly and printed them out.  I think I spent a total of about $10-$15 bucks for the food tents and the invites from etsy.  Not bad at all.  

I was able to get an idea for the cake from pinterest and had a local cake baker make the cake for her.  She did an excellent job and the cake was delicious.  If you live in the area and ever need a cake made, please contact me and I will share her information.  She is the only one I would ever go to.  She has made all kinds of cakes for me and my mom, including my wedding cake and Carter's 1st birthday cake.  

As for food, here's what I served up: 

• Muddy Water -- aka apple juice
• George's Favorite Sandwiches -- chicken salad served on croissants (not really because they were George's favorites like the food tent said, just because they were easy to make) and my Mother-in-Law made ham bakes
• Chips
• Grandpa Pigs fruit -- big bowl of fruit salad and strawberries with fruit dip that my mom made
• Granny Pigs Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Pigs in a Blanket  (looking back maybe not the best choice of words, but a big hit none-the-less) 
• Cake & Ice Cream

I had big plans to serve muddy puddles (chocolate pudding cups) and Daddy Pig's Wobbly Belly (jell-o cups) but I just ran out of time and it didn't happen.  But, it was fine...realistically they would have probably gone to waste anyway.  

For the decorations I went to wally world (aka Wal-Mart) because that is basically all there is here.  There actually is a party store, but I had spotted some cute plates and napkins in there a few weeks back and I knew that they would work, so I just went with it.  

The table covers and vases were from Wal-Mart and they matched the plates, napkins and cups.  Flowers I got at the grocery store. 

Since Peppa is British, you can't really find many party supplies here in the states...even most of the things I found online were from British or Australian websites.  I did however find some balloons last minute on Amazon and I ordered them the week before the party.  They were perfect...if you like you can find them here and here.  They were great quality and shipped quickly.  I took them to the grocery store to have them blown up.  Just make sure that you have a big vehicle to haul them in, because the super huge Peppa's are really super huge!  Basically, I think if I would have just bought the balloons and done nothing else for her party, Carter would have been thrilled.  She is still playing with the balloons in her play room upstairs.  She loved them.  

Super huge Peppa balloon

We were able to have the party at our church, which worked out great.  Last year we had the party at our house and it worked, but it was a lot of work.  I ended up having to clean house before and after and even though our house is fairly spacious, 25 or so people in the house is a lot.  I will definitely go the route of having it at the church in the future, the space was perfect.  I will say that I am thrilled that baby #2 is going to be born in May so that we can have outdoor birthday parties for her.  Having indoor parties for kids is so much harder to coordinate.  

All in all I think the birthday party was a success and Carter enjoyed it so much she asked to go to bed when we got home.  She was all partied out.  

The Birthday Girl!!

With her two favorites... Daddy & Peppa. 

Bloglovin'

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I am officially putting my blog on Bloglovin', so you can follow on there if  you'd like!

Stay tuned for some new posts coming up!

The Arrival of Dylan Kate & Life Thereafter

Our second daughter was welcomed into the world a couple of months back on May 14, 2015 at 10:44 pm.  She weighed 7 lbs. and measured 20 inches at the hospital.  Her birth was (thankfully) as non-eventful as one could expect or want a birth to be.  The days that lead up to her birth were not so much.  I unfortunately was the recipient of a very ugly gift -- the stomach virus -- two days before my scheduled induction.  I woke up thinking that I might be in labor because I felt sick to my stomach and later that day after a visit to my doctor and then spending a few hours getting IV fluids and anti-nausea medication in the L & D department of the hospital, I knew for sure it was just a bug. 

I had experienced the stomach virus while pregnant with Carter...that time around I had a little less than two months left in my pregnancy.  I can tell you that this time around, it was just as unpleasant as the first time.  After I left the hospital feeling much better, but still pretty much like trash, I knew if that whole experience didn't put me into labor, then nothing would!

So, my last couple of days just having one child were not spent the way I had envisioned.  I had wanted to soak up as much time with Carter as I could and really focus all of my attention on her.  Instead she spent the night away in the hopes that she would not get the virus too.  But, we are not in control and I just had to trust that all would be ok.  Thankfully, no one else in my family got sick. 

On the morning of Thursday May 14, 2015 the Lineman and I made our way back to the labor & delivery floor of the hospital (we hoped to get a discount for frequent visits!) ready to meet our second daughter.  I was induced using cytotec and then I got to walk.  This was the same method as we used with Carter.  I was able to walk outside this time though because it was warm...not having a baby in the middle of February has its perks.  So, we walked and walked and not much was happening.  At lunch my midwife broke my water and after some time, I was able to get up and move around -- walking around my room, trying the birthing ball out and timing contractions.  I was sure that things were really progressing and when I started to have tears in my eyes from the pains of the contractions, I requested my epidural -- around 3:30 pm.  My two brother's wives and the Lineman were there with me for the birth.  They are the closest things I have to sisters of my own.  My brothers are 10 and 12 years older than me and I can remember their girlfriends and now wives being around my family for as far back as I can remember.  I had my mom in with me for Carter's birth and she had requested not to be there the second go-round.  I think it stressed her out too much, which is totally understandable.

After the epidural, things were much more bearable and I was able to rest comfortably.  Things just didn't seem to be progressing that much, so they started an IV drip of Pitocin, to increase my contractions...this rocked on and on.  Finally late in the evening I started to feel some pressure and I knew I was getting close.  They called the doc in and when she arrived and checked me, she said we were ready and I could push when I felt the contraction coming.  I was so scared, afraid that I wouldn't remember how to do it!!  But, luckily I did and just a couple of contractions later Miss Dylan Kate was part of our world...I pushed for less than 10 minutes.  I was thrilled obviously, and so thankful not to have had a horrific experience.  I had a great experience the first go-round with Carter, but this time was even easier.  Now...I wouldn't go as far to say it was enjoyable, definitely not, but comparatively I feel like I got off the hook pretty easy with the whole labor and delivery thing.

I was able to nurse almost immediately after delivery, and thank goodness Wendy's is open late, I had a baked potato and a Coke.  I felt it was much deserved since I had had nothing but liquids since our arrival at 7:00 AM.  Our stay at the hospital was great.  I felt much better than the first time around and was able to get up and move around more sooner.  Dylan was a great baby (and continues to be, praise the Lord).  The only hiccup we had was reflux and we are still dealing with that issue.  The reflux signs were not exactly there at the time we were in the hospital, but due to her quick delivery, her lungs were clogged and she coughed and sputtered a lot.  There were a couple of times that she got choked and I was so thankful that we were still in the hospital and could quickly call for one of the nurses to come and help us out.  Other than her occasional sputter and choking, she was a dream. 

We finally got to come home on Saturday morning and I was so excited to see Carter and bring Dylan into our home.  It was every bit as sweet as you would expect with all of us ooh-ing and ah-ing over our new prize.  The most excited one in the household was definitely Lola.  She would not let the baby out of her sight and wanted to be as close as possible to her...sniffing and even trying to lick her head. It was very sweet.  She continues to be very protective over her.  I don't remember her being that way with Carter so, I'm not sure what is going on...maybe she knows more now what to expect. 

After that, the first couple of weeks were a bit rough and it took a bit of time to settle into a routine, but thankfully,  we are coming around to the idea of being a family of four!  It is hard to imagine life before Dylan and especially before Carter.  Sometimes I do long for peace and quiet and the ability to do a simple task without being interrupted by crying or whining; but, when the girls are not with us at home, it seems like something is missing.  It is way to quiet and I still don't get anything much accomplished because I end up sitting down or becoming distracted in some way other than the kids.

More than anything since Dylan's birth, I have been feeling an overwhelming sense of thankfulness and gratefulness -- for the safe delivery of a healthy baby, a quick recovery, an older sister who is not jealous of the baby, family and friends to help out, and a wonderful baby who is such a blessing.  Life can take amazing turns.  Just one year ago a second baby was not even in my thoughts.  It is just a reminder of how God knows just what is right for us and we have to trust in Him to lead us, even when things don't happen on our schedule.  Initially when I found out I was pregnant again, I was so upset and cried.  I thought that there was no way I could manage a second child and I was afraid of what life would be like, but it is getting better each day.  There  is a saying -- "Let go and Let God."  This is something I am trying to learn to live by.  In having children and a family that depends on me, I can feel myself growing more in Christ and trusting Him more each day...it is a powerful thing...I wouldn't trade this life for a day anywhere else.

It's Time for an Update

It has been an absurd amount of time since I have posted anything here...  I mean, I have had a lot going on, but I feel like I would like to share an update of recent happenings. 

First of all, the BIGGIE -- we have a new addition to our family.  Dylan Kate Hall made her debut May 14, 2015 at 10:44 pm.  She is an absolute joy and seriously, the best baby.  We are very blessed and although it has been challenging, I am really enjoying being a mommy to two beautiful girls.  I plan on sharing her birth story and what life as a family of four has been for us soon!

7 lbs  & 20" long

Second of all, we planted a (small) garden and me and the Lineman are trying hard to keep it up.  Between the girls and us both working full time, it is a job, but I am enjoying getting the yummy produce out and trying to learn to preserve it for wintertime.  We have lots of squash, cucumbers, a few zucchini, tomatoes, peppers (hot, sweet and banana), okra and corn.  It is not much of a garden compared to most around our area, but it is more than enough for us, and almost more than we can keep up with.



Our tiny garden, that is producing a lot!

We also have some home projects that we are working on.  We have to have a new roof -- we have been avoiding/dreading this one since we moved into the house five years ago, but we are going to bite the bullet and things should get started in the next week or so on that.  I will share pictures before and after...I am sure it will make a huge difference in how our house looks.  (Although, I really wish it was like a new kitchen or something...).  I have also decided to try to de-clutter and re-vamp the house one room at a time.  I recently cleaned out the laundry/mud room.  This seems to be the room where everything gets dumped and it was bothering me, so I decided to do something about it.  I will be painting and organizing it when I get a chance, and I plan on sharing that. 

Finally, I am working very hard to get back in shape and lose some lbs since the birth of Dylan Kate.  This is something that I find very personal because I feel a lot of disappointment in myself for letting "weight" rule my thoughts.  I don't want either one of my daughters to ever feel like that...I want them to be beaming with confidence and not to stress over body image.  However, I feel like I need to make improvements in the types of things that I eat (not fast food every other night) and I know that I need to be more active.  I had always exercised in some form or fashion, running, gym membership and even cross fit before Carter was born.  After her birth, I just fell completely off the wagon.  I don't know if I just wasn't motivated because I was overwhelmed with the change in my life from having a baby, or if I kept thinking "why should I change...I'm just going to have another baby soon enough."  Most likely it was probably a bit of both.  However, I am feeling much more motivated since Dylan's birth and since I am pretty sure that more kiddos are not in our future, I am ready to get back on track.  So far I have lost 30 lbs...ok, that's from the day I gave birth.  It still makes me feel more accomplished, even if I did lose most of it during the birth process.  From the point in which I actually started trying to lose, I am down 7 lbs.  I am excited and am looking forward to sharing what I have been doing and eating. 

I may not be able to keep my blog updated as much as I would like, but I really enjoy having an outlet to share the happenings in my life.  Here is another pic of little Dylan Kate in the hospital.

Easy Boiled Cabbage

If you don't already know it, cabbage is a wonderful thing.  It is healthy, flavorful, easy to cook, and cheap.  Plus, you can cook it several different ways:  fried cabbage, baked cabbage and cabbage on the grill are just a few of the different ways to cook it, but last night, we had boiled cabbage.  I was always kind of hesitant to try to make boiled cabbage, because it was something that my mom and mother-in-law cooked, and I didn't think I could make it as good as them.  But, to my surprise, it is super easy and I must say mine is just as delicious as theirs.  So, without further ado, here we go:

Basic ingredients

Here is what you will need: 

• 1 small-medium head of cabbage (depending on how many you are serving)
• 3 slices of salt pork (aka fatback, streaked meat, or whatever other name you might call it)
• about 1/2 cup of water
• Salt & Pepper -- I prefer to use kosher salt and the seasoned pepper you see in the front of the picture....actually I use the seasoned pepper on almost everything I cook.  
• Large heavy pot to boil it in.  Doesn't have to be a cast iron pot like the one I have, but I got that for Christmas and I love it...just an FYI

The first step to boiled cabbage is to take your pieces of salt pork and brown them up a bit in the bottom of your pan over medium heat.  The salt pork is like a thicker, saltier piece of bacon and it gives a really good flavor to the cabbage.  If you didn't have salt pork on hand, you can use bacon drippings, but I like to use the meat.  

While your salt pork is browning, go ahead and quarter up your cabbage like so:  First peel back a couple of the outer layers of the cabbage leaves and discard them.  Then cut your cabbage in half and then into quarter pieces.  Discard the core of the cabbage as it's too tough. 

 You should have 4 large chunks when you are done: 

When your meat is good and browned up, go ahead and a little water to the bottom of your pot...I think I used about 1/2 cup of water.  The cabbage will actually produce its own water when it cooks down, so you don't want to add too much or it will be soggy.  Once the water is added, just throw your cabbage in the pot and salt & pepper it to your liking.  

Then, just put a lid on it and let it simmer for about 20-30 minutes or so....the length of time will depend on how crunchy or soft you like your cabbage.  I tend to like mine more on the softer side, so I just kept testing it with a fork to see when it was about the way I like it.  

Also, here is what was happening behind me while I was cooking: 

shhh mom...I'm taking a nappy

Not sure why, but she likes to drag in pillows and a blanket and make a pallet.  Her usual location is behind the couch, but tonight she decided to join me in the kitchen.  

Anyway, back to the cabbage.  Once it has cooked to your satisfaction, it should look something like this: 

yummmmm

So, serve it up alongside your meal, or just eat this for a meal in itself.  That's what I would do if it was just me...but, The Lineman has to have a meat (and apparently Carter does too, she ate like it was going out of style last night).  So, we had it next to a grilled pork chop and shells & cheese....

If you think you don't like cabbage, and I didn't think I did for forever, just try this.  It might change the way you feel about cabbage.  I am looking forward to this summer and growing some for myself in the garden. 

By the way, after some discussion at work, there are apparently different ways to cook boiled cabbage, so if you have a different suggestion, feel free to share in the comments.  And, let me know what you think if you try it! 

The Glory of God's Wonders

The wintery weather is hanging around our area, which is great, because I love wintery weather.  As I woke up yesterday to a beautiful wet fallen snow, I went outside to take some pictures.  Sadly, The Lineman was working (had been all night) and I wanted him to see how beautiful everything was at our house.  It was so quiet and peaceful and fresh, and I stood in amazement at the glorious work of our Lord.  

Snapped this picture of the big white pine right out our kitchen window a few minutes before a big limb in it couldn't bear the weight anymore and broke.  

I have a hard time picking a favorite season -- my favorite is actually Fall because of the array of beautiful colors from the leaves and the bright blue sky that always seems to be a bit brighter in October.  But, it seems like when you are in the wonder of a particular season (like we are with winter now) I think to myself, oh maybe winter is my favorite season.  Or, as we approach spring and the grass turns green and the leaves on the trees bud out and the flowers stick their heads up and flash us bright colors, I think....oh I love spring too.  And in the middle of summer during a hot day, grilling and sitting in the pool, or when a summer storm passes by and cools everything off leaving the steam rising from the pavement, I think summer is the best.  It is so amazing that in all of God's seasons that he has provided these perfect glimpses into the wonders of His creations.  

I know I would probably be tired of the snow if I lived up north and had to continue to go to work in it every day, but that is one thing I love about where we live.  We are really not equipped to deal with the snow.  Many of our roads are mountainous and get very treacherous whenever they get snow and ice covered, so in our area, the world stops.  You get a pass for a day or two to sit and drink coffee, pile up with a good book and enjoy the company of your family.  I guess that is why I love it so much, because it brings this crazy world of ours to a halt.  

This week we have had a 1-2 punch of snow.  The first round came Monday night, when they were calling for 1-2 inches and we ended up getting around 4 inches...and the second bigger round came Wednesday evening, when it snowed about 6-8 inches in our area, depending on where you live.  It is still hanging on to the tree limbs and blanketing the grass this morning as the sun shines bright on it.  It is truly beautiful.  

These were from Monday nights snow...still beautiful, but just not quite as much snow as Wednesday night.  

I was able to get Carter out in the first snow on Tuesday and lucky for her my brothers brought their kids over to play.  I am way too pregnant to try to be sledding right now!  But, she loved it and she played until her eyes almost closed out in the cold snow.  She was exhausted afterwards and took a 3 hour nap.  Here are some pictures of our snowy week!

bundled up and ready to go!

"Mama, this is fun...best day ever!"

Had to sneak in a pic of the prettiest orange flashing against that beautiful white stuff. 

She wasn't too sure about the sledding

Next to the GIANT snowman uncle Brian made for her

I am glad we finally got a good snow this year and that Carter was able to experience it.  I can tell she is going to be just like me and love the snow.  Can't wait for it to come again!  :)