Notice: Nicole

2011-12-23T05:37:00.011-06:00

Merry Christmas!

A Christmas photo shoot story in pictures...

These brothers truly love each other.

Big brother Alex is 3.5 years

Middle Brother, Henry, is 21 months.

Baby Ben, is 9 months.

Henry loves to give Ben sweet kisses.

Alex is interested in nature.

Henry is determined to ride something with wheels.

These boys simply cannot resist mud. They found it a mere 2 minutes into the photo shoot.

The end result - super muddy hands...a little boy's ideal Christmas photo. =)

What an evolution of photos we get each year of our boys. This year the entire photo shoot lasted about 3 minutes. Such fun, though! Glad we get to capture them in action and get a few to put on the Christmas card.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

2011-12-19T14:06:00.008-06:00

Why, Hello Fall!

Guess it's better late than never. I've learned that Fall in Houston is late...as in, Christmas almost came first kind of late. But at least it comes.

This year the colors are amazing. We are enjoying being outside and savoring the beauty all around us. My boys love to play in the leaves and we are enjoying bike rides on the trail with leaves falling all around us. It is making for a colorful holiday season this year. Many people enjoy a blanket of white this time of year, but we have been blessed with a blanket of red, yellow, and orange. It makes quite the Christmas decor!

My big boys.

Fall:

Look, a tiny hint of Christmas:

2011-11-25T13:26:00.002-06:00

Riding Solo.
When did my boy get so big?
Yesterday he said he wanted the training wheels off.
And today he is riding like a pro.
I thought my heart would burst with pride.
There are many days when being a full time Mommy isn't very fun.
But one day like today tends to erase all the other not fun ones.
So fun to see him try, learn, and succeed.
Ride on, my Boy!
Ride on.

2011-11-11T14:49:00.002-06:00

November...

This month I'm loving my new living room. Especially loving the mantle.

2011-10-15T13:41:00.004-05:00

Little Men.

I finally got some real portraits of my boys....all in the same day, all in the same hour. A real photography feat! Handsome little men, if I say so myself...

2011-10-13T12:45:00.002-05:00

Happy Anniversary.

Look at this stunningly handsome man. So thankful he became my husband 4 years ago today.

I couldn't be happier!

2011-09-19T14:29:00.003-05:00

Mighty Machines.

My sons LOVE huge machines...dozers, trash trucks, cranes, dumpers, you name it, they love it. Imagine their pure delight when we came home today to find a yellow dozer right out front. Bummer for our neighbors, who have a broken water line. But major bonus for my boys who got to watch the action up close!

My only question for the dozer man? How do you expect me to proceed with naptime while you work?!

Looks like today will consist of two very tired boys spending their "naptime" standing at the window watching the dozer's every move.

I won't complain, though, because they just look too darn cute in their dozer excitement. I'm so glad my camera was nearby today....it is not often that I can capture them sitting so close together and so perfectly still.

2011-08-15T07:15:00.001-05:00

Baby Ben

also known as Big Brown Eyed Baby!
He's five months old now...where does the time go?

2011-08-11T13:25:00.003-05:00

Henry's Girl Twin.

This is my super cute niece. We went on vacation with my entire family last week and I had the chance to try taking a couple of photos for my family. I thought this little pic of Alice in the woods turned out great....

Not difficult to tell that she and Henry are cousins, huh? They are only about six weeks apart, but could almost pass for twins!

2011-08-11T08:51:00.003-05:00

The Final Harvest.

My husband is the green thumb at our house and he grew all sorts of yummy things in our backyard this summer. We had one fabulous harvest of tomatoes and then they were discovered by the birds and squirrels...and completely obliterated! But these peppers ran the course. They are full of color, spice, and gardening love.

2011-07-15T17:14:00.001-05:00

Henry's One Year Portrait.

Special thanks to Adam Nyholt's The Studio for taking it!

2011-07-05T06:23:00.000-05:00

Gig 'em.

Mommy and Ben, our littlest Aggie.

2011-05-12T15:43:00.000-05:00

Rain Today.

Hooray!

2011-04-12T10:29:00.000-05:00

One Month Old.

2011-03-21T08:20:00.008-05:00

Ben's Birth Day.

I know there are a lot of mamas who read this blog and many of you are interested in birth stories. If you aren't so interested, you can just skip this post and wait for the next one with a cute baby picture. =)

Ben's Birth Story could be summed up in a short version:
Saturday morning - 5:30 AM the alarm goes off.
Water breaks at 5:31 AM.
Go to the hospital.
Have the baby at 10:49 AM.
Move to recovery for afternoon nap time.

Seriously, it could be summed up that simply.

But for those of you who want details, here they are...

The Longer Version:
So far, Ben has inserted himself right into our family schedule without missing a beat. My main prayer for this delivery is that it would happen in the morning because I have so much more energy in the morning. And I'm too old for all-nighters anymore. So thankfully, Ben decided he'd like to arrive on Saturday morning after a good night of sleep for Mommy. It was also the same Saturday Mimi was scheduled to arrive at noon. Perfect! When my water broke as the alarm was still going off, I immediately said a prayer of praise. We got into "go" mode and got everything ready for the boys to wake up. We arranged for a friend to come stay with the boys until our nanny came and then had a nice family breakfast together - the last one as a family of four.

It was important for me to get to the hospital well before my delivery because I needed to get IV antibiotics for Strep B. I've been positive for all three pregnancies and Henry's was so quick, I didn't get there in time for them to even get an IV. My doctor had made me promise I would show up early this time! So we got to the hospital around 8:00 a.m. We told the nurse that I was going to go very quickly and the IV should get in soon. (After the antibiotics are given, you have to wait 4 hours and get a second dose to be fully covered.) I got the dose and she said, "Okay, now all you have to do is wait til 1:00 p.m. to have this baby." She was totally serious and I laughed. I told her that I wouldn't even make it til noon.

Once we were all hooked up to the IV and settled in our room, Jason and I began breathing through the contractions. I sat on the birth ball and we took them one at a time. I started to progress quickly and when the nurse kept coming to check, I told her that we were gonna go quick here. When it got to the point that I was feeling pressure and needing to push, the nurse and the resident told me that my doctor was in a C-section and I would need to wait as long as possible to push. Now, if you are a mama, you KNOW that you cannot wait to push! They had me get on the bed on my side and try to slow things down. It wasn't working. They were getting the room all ready for delivery. Still no doctor. Only the resident. (Who, I might add, looked very freaked out by a lady in active labor in a natural delivery...it's anything but calm, folks!)

At this point, Jason told me later that he was getting very nervous that only the resident was there. She was timid and didn't say much and this made him real nervous. Finally I made it very clear that I needed to push. Then I heard a man's voice in the room that sounded like a drill sergeant. Seriously, he walked in and was in charge. It was not my doctor, but still, a clearly seasoned OB who was ready to catch my baby. Jason was relieved. And I probably would have been had I known what was happening.

Ben came out with one push at 10:49 a.m. I heard him crying. Then I heard the doctor instructing the resident on how to finish things out. Thankfully I had no injuries that had to be tended to - another answered prayer. When it was all said and done, the OB who made the guest appearance at my delivery kept saying over and over, "well, she did a d*mn good job. A d*mn good job for a natural delivery." Hey, I guess of all the things people can say to you after you give birth to a baby, I'll take it! Better than "Wow, did you see that huge kid come out of that tiny..." Never mind. You get my drift.

Ben checked out healthy and we headed upstairs to recovery just after my mom arrived for a visit. Jason, Ben, and I enjoyed an afternoon nap and my boys at home hardly missed a beat.

Three cheers for giving birth on Saturday morning! If I do it again, I'll definitely add that to my birth wish list.

But right now, I'm not thinking about doing it again. Just enjoying sweet little Ben and all his newborn-ness. =)

2011-03-19T06:00:00.001-05:00

Sweet Little Ben.

Happy One Week Birthday, Buddy!

2011-03-13T11:45:00.001-05:00

Our New Brother.

New Brother (as Alex calls him) arrived yesterday. He's a little bundle of joy!

Benjamin Gene
born March 12, 2011 @ 10:49 a.m.
7 lbs. 8 oz.
19 inches long

We are grateful for this gift from God.

2011-03-10T20:13:00.002-06:00

Happy 1st Birthday, Henry!

before cake.

after cake.

2011-03-06T13:16:00.001-06:00

38 Weeks

Still waiting on Baby Brother to arrive.
Hopefully just about 10 more days...or less.

2011-03-02T14:42:00.007-06:00

Nesting....Again.

Well since my children are napping and I have a little time on my hands, I thought I'd do a nesting post...again.

If you read my family blog, you'll know that we completed Henry's early birthday party, which was pretty much the last of my to do list. The freezer is full and so is the pantry. The closets are all cleaned out. The newborn clothes are laundered and ready. The bag is packed. Nothing to do now except wait on Baby #3. I am such a list checker offer that I am so grateful that the list is done. And, of course, now I'll start some other new project to keep me busy until Baby comes. It's the task oriented human being's way, I guess.

I thought I'd start this nesting series (I have no idea how much time/energy I'll have to write too many posts, but we'll see) with a little list I've been compiling in my head for a while now...

It's called
Things You Should Never Say to a Pregnant Lady.
I'll start with the actual words that people say to me, followed by my internal interpretation of them:

"Wow. Do you know how much that baby weighs?" I hear, Geez lady, you are huge and your kid is probably going to be a fatso too.

"Do you know if you are dilated?" Seriously, stranger, are you asking about my nether regions? Cause that's just weird.

"It looks like it's dropped." You are trying to make me feel better that maybe the baby will come soon. Thank you. This one isn't as painful to hear but still...how should I respond? Thank you for noticing that my tummy is low...I guess.

"You are gonna have your hands full." Mostly this comment comes from people who see me with my two other children (ages 2.5 & 12 months). If I had a quarter for every time someone said it, I'd be paying for my children's college education. I'd love to offer an alternative. How about, "Wow, these two children are completely angelic and behaving so well in this grocery store that I'm certain your next baby will be a piece of cake."

"When's that baby due? Oh my goodness, six more weeks! Girl, are you gonna make it?" Well, yes, I will. But thank you for pointing out that it looks like I'm not gonna make it. =)

"Wow. Is there just one baby in there?!" Yes, skinny lady, there is. And if there were more, the three or four of us would gladly kick you in the shins for saying such a silly thing.

I also receive strange looks from people when I am out with Henry (my 12 mo. old) and I'm nine+ months pregnant. They look at him, look at me, look at him, look at me. Then they say, "So, when's your baby due? And how old is he (pointing at Henry)?" Then, they are certainly doing math gymnastics in their head to figure out how/when I got pregnant. One lady even said, "wow, just after the 6 week check up, huh?" Seriously, people. It creeps me out that you are thinking about the process of me getting pregnant. Just say, "oh they'll be close together, huh? They'll be best friends." That's much more positive and much less creepy.

"You haven't had that baby yet?" No I haven't. Evident by the huge tummy I'm still sporting.

I'm sure many of you have something to add to the discussion. Feel free to chime in on the comment section if you want to share something.

And here's a free PSA: If you want to say something to a pregnant woman, how about, "wow, you look great! Congratulations!" Cause that's what every pregnant lady wants to hear. Of course, you should make sure they are pregnant first. =) If in doubt, say nothing!

2011-02-21T12:24:00.003-06:00

36.5

Oh man this plant run the course! I planted my "baby plant" when I was pregnant with Alex and it is now 3 years old. It has now counted all three pregnancies and kept its lovely place on my kitchen window sill. You'll notice that it has also had its share of bumps and bruises (just like the boys, I suppose.) Henry used to take his baths in the kitchen sink. That is, until he grabbed my plant and sent it crashing...now it has a permanent ding. No harm done, though. Henry now takes his baths in the big boy tub and my pot - scars and all - keeps on countin' down the weeks for Brother #3.

If you are a long time blog reader, you might also notice that the actual plant is considerably smaller than it used to be. It was getting so big that I had to transfer it to a bigger pot and transplant a smaller one to this one. Maybe someday I'll have a house full of ivy pots to match my house full of children. Hope so!

Thanks, Baby Plant, for helping Mama keep track of the days. Baby Brother, we can't wait for you to arrive!

2011-02-15T20:43:00.007-06:00

My Latest Photography Gig.

My photography hobby has suffered lately in light of my extremely busy life as a Mommy. Thankfully I have managed to continue building my experience through few and far between projects. I had the chance to photograph some of our friends here in Houston back before Christmas. The goal was to get some shots that would work for Christmas cards and for photo gifts. I was really happy with the results and encouraged that maybe someday I might really have a great hobby on my hands....I mean, that someday when I have more than 12 minutes of free time a week to devote to it. =)

Thanks, Pagets, for letting me capture some great moments with your sweet little family!

2011-02-05T09:32:00.003-06:00

Lovely.

It's the season of love in all the stores and it seems everyone is advertising ways to "make her Valentine's Day special".

You know what? I am thankful for my husband who, 4 years ago when we were dating, gave me this lovely crystal vase - with no flowers - on Valentine's Day. The card simply said, "I promise to fill it often." He always says that it seems silly to spend big money and pull out all the stops on ONE day of the year and neglect the other 364 days. I'm grateful he has a year-round view of love. It includes flowers, dates, diapers, laundry, and a whole slew of other things that might not be as romantic to others, but are certainly Lovely to me.

And I'm thankful for the flowers he brought home this week ... on a Monday. =)

2011-01-10T13:35:00.005-06:00

2010 Christmas Photo Shoot

These were my favorite pictures of the boys this year. They are getting older now and can actually sit together - so cute for a pair of brothers, I think. These boys are men in the making. I couldn't be a prouder mama!

2010-12-17T05:16:00.000-06:00

Third Trimester, we meet again!

2010-12-16T18:52:00.000-06:00

Finished. With 10 days to spare.

2010-12-06T15:27:00.002-06:00

I used to be a perfectionist.

There was a day when I could not sleep if there was unfinished business. Perhaps some may say this is a positive quality - like, for example, my husband who appreciates the fact that I can't go to bed angry or with a conversation "unresolved". Or, my old bosses, who always marveled at my ability to finish projects without cutting corners.

But you know what? I actually think for most of my life this might have been a borderline negative quality for me...and I'm just now admitting it. It is not until Mommyhood that I have been allowed to let go of my need to have things perfect. I now realize that it's not always possible to go to bed with all the dishes washed, all the laundry folded, and all the day's tasks completed. I understand that sometimes things get broken, messed up, and abandoned with parts undone. And, get ready, folks. I now understand that *gasp* sometimes the bread can't be made from scratch, frozen veggies will do in a pinch, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich will do for my toddler's lunch.

I am thankful that with God's help, I am coming to grips with my insane addiction to perfection. I used to think my mom was exaggerating when she said I would NOT eat a piece of broken cheese on my sandwich as a child - even if my life depended on it. Now I believe she's probably not stretching the truth at all. =)

It is a really wonderful thing to have all other things in my life become secondary to being a good wife and mom. Could I have finished my Christmas tree a couple of days ago like I wanted to? Probably. But it would have involved a late night trip to the store to get replacement bulbs to finish out the lights, a late night finishing out the cranberry garland, careful placement of all the ornaments, and probably a cranky morning after it was all done. But instead I chose to go to the park with my boys, play blocks, snuggle in the mornings, and enjoy my evenings at home with my husband...

Oh, I'm sure it will all be finished by the time the week is done, but for now this tree is a good reminder of how I am being ever-molded into a woman with new priorities. How I love the changes that come with this stage of life. I hope I never resist opportunities in life to be changed and grow. I'm thankful for God, my husband, and the little people that surround me for helping me on the path to post-perfectionism!

2010-11-29T06:20:00.002-06:00

The Season is Upon Us...

We are excited to really celebrate Advent this year as a family. After all, we are not moving to another state, having a baby (yet anyway), or traveling. We are home in Houston for this whole season - yay!

We are using this book by Henri Nouwen as our Advent guide. It is a great book complete with daily scripture reading, prayers, and daily advent activities for personal reflection and outward service. I highly recommend it.

Hope you are enjoying the beginning of this wonderful season!

2010-11-17T13:37:00.001-06:00

Overachiever.

2010-11-07T15:22:00.012-06:00

A Kid-Free Vacation

Oh, how I love vacationing with just my husband. Jason and I had the opportunity to go away this past weekend, thanks to Grandma who was willing to hold down the fort in Houston for us. We have made a yearly habit out of taking a husband/wife vacation each year and it has been some of the best money we've spent in our short married life. Having 48 hours of eating meals out with no highchairs, ordering milk & warm cookies from room service, sleeping late, and leisurely sightseeing together does us a world of good!

This year we went to San Antonio and stayed in a lovely hotel on the Riverwalk. We enjoyed the beautiful weather, to die for Mexican food, and overall time to relax together...We are already looking at the calendar for when we can book the next kid-free weekend!

The one photo we have together, thanks to the iphone and the hotel doorman. =)

The Riverwalk.

Good food and plenty of outdoor seating - perfect for the current Fall weather.

Lots of Old World looking charm on the Riverwalk.

A pair of cool bikes.

My dashing husband in his uber cool aviators.

Lots of tall buildings.

This Mexican food restaurant was already well lit for the holidays. Glad I'm not paying their electric bill.

Mexican breakfast complete with chips & salsa. Who could turn down chips at 7:00 a.m.? Yummy.

The panaderia was quite tempting - so many colors and flavors of Mexican sweets to choose from.

2010-10-29T05:40:00.002-05:00

Baby Brother.

Looks like Baby #3 has the Reynolds profile. We are gonna have another handsome little boy running around here!

2010-10-13T06:09:00.000-05:00

3 Years Today.

3 years, 3 babies. We are planning to be married a long, long time, so I guess at this rate we are on track for 48 babies.
(Ha ha. Just kidding, Mom!)

There's not much to say other than we have had a very happy 3 years...
Happy Anniversary to us!

A little more about the photo: At our wedding reception, we had a vintage photo booth for the guests. We asked everyone to take some pictures and paste one of them in a scrapbook for us with a message. It is seriously one of our best wedding mementos. We love seeing all the pictures and remembering who was there to join us on that special day. And, hey, photo booths provide a great excuse for the bride and groom to sit in an tiny enclosed space with the curtain closed - during the reception!

2010-09-29T19:00:00.002-05:00

Housekeeping: Toddler Style

Since finding the whole roll of toilet paper in a crumpled mess on the bathroom floor is the new normal, I've decided to make the best of it.

I figure the hotel fold makes it a lot less obvious, don't you think?

2010-09-12T19:59:00.001-05:00

Time is Flyin'.

Henry is 6 months old....already!

2010-09-05T15:30:00.001-05:00

Little Sweet Cheeks.

2010-08-26T07:01:00.001-05:00

...and our family continues to grow. =)

2010-08-13T07:40:00.000-05:00

2010-08-05T07:16:00.002-05:00

Me & the Boys.

2010-08-02T14:01:00.004-05:00

An Important Blog

I want to introduce my blog readers to what I believe is a very important blog post. Our Army Life details the life of some of our family friends - one of the many military families in our country who are serving on the front lines in a post-9/11 world.

Our friend, Gabe, is leaving this week for the hills of Afghanistan to fight in a war he wholeheartedly believes in. Mostly he believes (which you'll discover if you read his recent blog post) that the world should remain free from the threat of terror. Whether you support this war or not, you should still take an honest look at the people who are fighting it. You simply cannot deny that they are brave, honorable, and willing to risk everything for our freedom and for their future.

Please join our family in praying for Gabe, Carolyn, and their children. May they be strengthened and encouraged in these days...

2010-07-25T10:55:00.007-05:00

Galveston

Yesterday we set out for our second Saturday of Reynolds Family Vacation Training. We have been making a habit of road trips lately in preparation for our vacation this week to the mountains of New Mexico. We are flying most of the way, but we will spend a significant amount of time riding in the car. Since we haven't done it much with 2 kiddos, we thought it necessary to consider full fledged training - picnic lunches, extra diapers, toys, snacks, etc etc.

Saturday we ventured out to Galveston, which is about an hour drive from us. Did you know that I have grown up in Texas and I have never even seen a Texas beach? Some might snort and say I'm not missing much. And, let's be honest, it ain't Tahiti or anything. But it is a beach, and there is lots of sand and fun to be had for an active toddler. So, Saturday was a success. Let's hope this week is full of more successes! Enjoy the pics.

Yes, this photo is way overexposed. But I love it.

A colorful beach.

Happy toddler running in the sand. I think the beach is the perfect place to ensure a good afternoon naptime!

Daddy and Alex taking it all in.

Henry enjoying the beach from his stroller.

Mommy testing out the Texas waters for the first time.

The rescue squad - minus the actual rescuers.

2010-07-12T21:05:00.002-05:00

Making a Wish.

Check out my big boy blowing out his birthday candle!

2010-07-11T09:11:00.000-05:00

2010-06-30T13:33:00.000-05:00

Cute little Henry.

2010-06-10T22:21:00.000-05:00

2010-06-06T11:21:00.005-05:00

10 Reasons to Love Whole Foods

1. Last week, I went to buy Alex some new sunscreen. I'd done some research online and decided that California Baby's Sunscreen with Citronella was the best choice. The price was marked $21.99. Pricey, but from what I'd read, I was convinced it is the best choice for our family. When I got to the register, it rang up $22.49. Only a $.50 difference, but when I mentioned it to the clerk, he offered to go check the price. He came back with the tag that read $21.99 and agreed it was priced incorrectly. He said I should go over to the help desk for my refund. I actually thought, "oh well, it's only $.50. Is it really worth the tiny refund?" But, on principal, I decided to go to the help desk to get my two quarters. You know what? They gave me an ENTIRE refund on the sunscreen and insisted I keep it. Are you serious?! Who does that? Any store that is willing to lose a few bucks to correct their own mistake is worth any extra money it will cost me to shop there in the long run.

2. They have Cedar's Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. I've given up on making my own hummus these days (who has time to roast their own red peppers?!) Cedar's is my new fave.

3. Samples on virtually every aisle, every day of the week. Samples = Happy Toddler Shopper + Happy Shopper Mommy too. Need I say more?

4. They have the most inexpensive Organic Whole Milk I've found in my neighborhood.

5. They have vegetarian and vegan ready-made food items. Even vegan chocolate cake.

6. On another shopping trip this week, I was shopping with Alex. He was riding in the front of the cart and evidently, feeling a little feisty that day. He reached behind him, grabbed my bag of apples and tossed them on to the floor. I whispered a scolding in his ear and (sweetly, of course) told him not to do it again. One of the Whole Foods employees standing nearby picked up the apples and instructed me to go get a new bag of them. I told him no problem, I'm used to eating things that my toddler ruins. Still, he insisted I go get a new bag. "I don't want you to leave this store with bruised apples." So I went and got a new bag to take home. Again, not afraid to lose a few bucks to make sure I get home with good products. Impressive.

7. They will let you taste ANYTHING. Seriously, cheese, bread, prepared foods, fruit, you name it. Probably because they understand that I'm much more willing to take home a $13 block of cheese if I already know I like it.

8. They have the greatest employee health plan I've ever heard of. Companies who take good care of their employees are few and far between these days. Whole Foods is smart to offer good benefits, which equals happy employees, which equals a pleasant shopping experience for everyone.

9. My kid never leaves there empty handed. The cashiers are always ready with some kind of treat for him. Sometimes it's a cereal bar, sometimes it's a sucker. Either way, it's a nice conclusion to our grocery shopping.

10. I can walk there from my house. Not that I'd want to in the Houston summer heat, but it was a nice perk in the winter and spring. =)

2010-06-01T13:44:00.013-05:00

The Return of the Cloth.

Recently, Erin commented on my blog asking about my experience with cloth diapers. I actually do have a little spare time today, so I thought I'd talk a little bit about it...

First, to answer her question, yes, I am using cloth diapers on Henry. I will be careful not to claim expert status because my experience is probably a little different than other cloth diapering moms. I am using (and used with Alex) a cloth diaper service. I'll explain a little about the logistics of that later.

Second, I must state up front that this post is totally based on MY experience and MY opinions. I would never want anyone to think that I am instructing everyone to use cloth diapers. Sometimes they just aren't practical for everyone or won't work for various reasons and that's fine. There are many perspectives on diapering (like most areas of parenting), so please just consider this my perspective and not a mandate for everyone!

Overall, I LOVE cloth diapers for the following reasons:
1. They are cheap. We are thrifty and disposables are expensive. Hey, let's be honest, the bottom line matters to everyone and I can say with certainty that cloth is WAY cheaper.

2. They are better for baby bottoms. Cotton on your baby's bum is much better than bleached paper. Also disposables are filled with little gel beads made from chemicals. Often, when a diaper is full it bursts and the beads can get all up in your baby's junk. I figure that my baby's tush is one of that last places I'd be willing to expose to unnecessary chemicals.

3. They are better for the environment. We are not enviro-nuts or anything, but we felt like using cloth is a responsible way to reduce the waste we produce in our household. When you consider that 18 billion disposable diapers are thrown into landfills each year, requiring a total of 500 years to decompose, it only makes sense to try to reduce our contribution to the overwhelming amount of waste.

There are a couple of things I DON'T LOVE about cloth:
1. Newborn breastfed baby poo is very runny. Since I use pre-fold diapers and a diaper cover, it sometimes makes a mess. It is rare that my baby's clothing is soiled, but usually the diaper cover gets a good dose of the mess.

2. When Alex got older (around a year old) and was eating a diet of regular foods, the diapers were just plain disgusting. My kid is really regular and poops about 4 times every day. Even though many online articles suggest that the poop can be simply shaken into the toilet, this was never the case for me. At this stage, it was a little too much for me to handle. I was in the early stages of pregnancy and just couldn't do the poop shake with the diapers.

3. Again, when babies are eating more "real" food, the diapers themselves were a little stinky. Breastfed baby poo is odorless, so this is not an issue for the first 6 months or so. But as their diet changes, it requires a little work to keep the dirty bin from stinking. There are deoderizers and other things you can put in the bin to keep it from being too stinky, but to say that the bin never stinks would be a lie.

How it works for me:
As I mentioned earlier, I use a cloth diaper service. This means that the service actually owns the diapers and does the work of cleaning them. Each week, they pick up my dirty diapers - which I leave outside on my front porch - and deliver clean ones. Many might consider this a "halfway" approach to cloth diapering, but it is still cheaper than disposable and allows me all the benefits of "full" cloth diapering. I use Thirsties brand diaper covers and have about 8-10 of them in each size. We knew we would use cloth for each baby so we went ahead and bought a supply of covers knowing we could use them longterm. This is one of the upfront expenses of cloth diapering. I recommend that you buy the covers a size at a time so you can evaluate if you are going to continue with the cloth.

I would venture to say that most cloth diapering moms don't use a service and do their own washing of the diapers. Most of those moms would probably tell you that they are already doing lots of laundry already, so one more load of diapers is not an inconvenience. To get started, they simply buy the pre-fold diapers, covers and a good soap. It is recommended that you start with about 24-36 diapers and a trash can with a lid and a liner (some use plastic trash bags, some more sophisticated diaper hamper bags). There are complete instructions and tips on this website if you are doing your own washing.

Probably many cloth diapering moms use all-in-one diapers. If you sew, you can make them yourself and save tons of money on purchasing them. Otherwise, purchasing the all-in-ones can be a bit pricey. I don't have much experience with these, so that's all I'll say about them. Perhaps some moms will want to comment on their experience with these.

On a side note, I also use cloth wipes (for all the same reasons I use cloth diapers) and I love them. I make a wipe solution to put in a squirt bottle, wet the wipe, use it and toss it into a little trash can with a lid. When it comes time to wash them, I just dump them in a hot wash and then dry them.

I gotta run because my free time is coming to a close, but I'm going to leave the discussion open to others who have used cloth and are willing to share their experience. The web has tons of resources and tips about how to cloth diaper. My best advice is to talk to others who do it and read about the benefits. Then you can decide if it will work for your family.

Hope that helps! Oh, and here's a picture of Alex "helping" me with Henry's diapers. =)

2010-05-19T13:22:00.003-05:00

Stayin' Home.

So glad I get to stay home with my boys...so I don't miss moments like these.

2010-05-11T08:13:00.005-05:00

Happy and Plump.

My firstborn gave me a very good laugh this morning. I gotta show you the pictures so you can have a good laugh too...

This is where Alex gets his diaper changed. It consists of a dresser, changing pad, and a colorful homemade changing pad cover that matched his nursery.

The changing pad has blocks with pictures of old fashioned toys. He often points to each square and we learn the word that goes with the picture. For example, "airplane".

"duck"

Then, this morning, he points to this one and says, "Mama". I wasn't sure whether to be offended that my son sees me as, well, happy and plump, or laugh my head off. I chose to laugh. And laugh. And laugh! I guess maybe if I were sensitive about my weight or appearance (which I'm not), I might be offended. But instead, I find it simply hilarious.

Maybe someday he'll point to this one (she's so skinny, you know) and say, "Mama".
I'm not going to hold my breath, though!

2010-05-09T10:51:00.005-05:00

One Happy Mama.

I'm thankful for all of these boys today!

2010-05-07T12:06:00.004-05:00

Stylish Rollin'

My friend, Todd Schulz, has a way of finding the most hilarious things on the internet and posting them on his blog. Seriously, I am laughing so hard at this video that I am now thanking my lucky stars that Todd has the time to discover this stuff...and also wondering if I, too, should get a minivan...?

After all, I got skills too, ya know.

Thanks for the Friday laugh, Todd! And, oh yeah, Toyota.

2010-04-30T06:13:00.004-05:00

Dark Chocolate Microwave Brownies

These little jewels are an after-pregnancy-I-really-gotta-lose-these-extra-25-lbs dieter's dream. If you are not a huge fan of dark chocolate, you can back off the cocoa a bit and they are still very yummy. Oh, and the best part? They are ready in less than 5 minutes! Perfect when you need a fix but are not willing to bust the whole diet plan with the real thing.

Ingredients:
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/2 c raw sugar
1/4 c canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 c whole wheat pastry flour
4 heaping tablespoons of cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c vanilla soy milk (or almond milk, or rice, whatever kind you drink that's low fat)
a handful of chocolate chips

Directions:
Mix wet ingredients in a bowl, except for soy milk. Then add dry ingredients, except for chocolate chips. Use soy milk to make the batter like brownie batter - it takes about 1/2 cup. Just add slowly and stir it till it looks like real brownie batter. Then stir in the chocolate chips.

Spray a microwave-safe dish (I use a pyrex 8" round) with baking spray and pour the batter in. Microwave it for 4-5 minutes on high. I do closer to 4 minutes because I like 'em gooey, but if you want them to be more fully cooked, do 5 minutes. They are best when they are still warm. You'll also have to resist the temptation to cover them with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. That, folks, is a Southern tradition, but it doesn't help keep these in the "decent tasting diet dessert" category. That would automatically qualify it for the "this used to be diet, but then I went and added stuff that will make me fat" category.

I'd include a picture, but I ate them all. Does that mean they still qualify as "diet"? Not sure...but they were so delicious I couldn't resist. =)

2010-04-15T11:45:00.002-05:00

The newborn fog is lifting. Last night I even slept for 3 continuous hours! Needless to say, these days we are thankful for 7:45 p.m. bedtimes - for us, not the kids - and coffee. We're almost through the roughest part and expect to be sleeping more soon. At least, we hope! =)

2010-04-12T17:17:00.002-05:00

Seriously, Mama.

Henry says, "How many more photos are you gonna take?"

2010-04-01T19:58:00.007-05:00

Resolution.

Earlier in the week I blogged about the feeding troubles around our house. We have come to a resolution, so I thought I'd share...

We have decided to pump my milk and bottle-feed Henry. There are lots of reasons for the decision, but mainly it stems from us sensing that trying and trying to breastfeed him (with little success) was becoming a major stress on our entire family.

We went to see a lactation counselor this week and she was actually very helpful and encouraging. She assured us that Henry probably could breastfeed at some point, but his only problem was that he was used to the bottle. I fed him while we were there and he was only getting about a half an ounce in an hour of trying to nurse him. She encouraged us to go home, get rid of the bottle, and try to breastfeed him only. So I spent the rest of that day trying for an hour at a time to nurse him, then pump, and then feed him with a syringe. Meanwhile my almost-two-year-old wandered around the house getting into all sorts of mischief for 4 hours of that day. By the end of the day, Henry was ravenous and mad because he simply wasn't getting enough food. And actually I don't blame him...do you know how slow it is to eat from a syringe?! Like eating crumb by crumb when all you want is a whole plate of food. We decided that we should abandon the effort, even if it'd only been 12 hours. Henry was hungry and crying non-stop and he needed to be fed.

I am totally okay with our decision and actually, I'm really glad to be moving forward. We will not give up totally on the whole BF mission. I'll still offer him chances to nurse in the coming weeks and maybe he'll get it. But if he doesn't, that's fine too. The benefit of having peaceful mealtimes for Henry (and for our whole family) and the ability to enjoy our baby are worth far more to me than the cost of not actually nursing Henry. Sometimes you gotta make decisions for the sanity of your whole family. Besides, now we can actually enjoy all the things Henry really excels at...he's a great sleeper, hardly ever fusses, and is already taking the title of Laid Back Baby at our house. We've actually never had one of those. =)

I'm actually finding out - as someone who commented on my first post pointed out - that there is a lot of flexibility with pumping and bottle-feeding. Jason is in charge of the middle of the night feedings, while I am busy pumping. It's a nice way for us to tag team and both spend quality time with Henry. I'm also really digging my new hands-free pumping bra. (Here's a link to one - CAUTION: don't click on the link if you don't want to see a picture of the actual bra and a nursing mom!) Hope this is not too much information for y'all, but seriously, if you are a mom who uses a breast pump, you totally need one. I now feel like I am redeeming the time while I'm pumping instead of counting down the 20 minutes that I have to sit there in the stillness with the sound of my pump. So fabulous.

Thanks to all of you who have commented and kept up with our journey. These newborn weeks are full of sleepless nights, demanding days, and hard work. But we are loving every minute of it!

2010-04-01T18:20:00.001-05:00

2010-03-28T07:21:00.006-05:00

Breastfeeding Woes.

I thought I'd give a little "how the baby's doing" update on my blog since many of you are probably wondering. Henry is a super sweet addition to our family and we are enjoying our new life as a family of four. Alex is very sweet with the baby and has really taken to his new role of Big Brother.

One thing that hasn't been as easy as I thought it would be is feeding Henry. He had an improper latch from the beginning, and I let it go for about 10 days. I was extremely sore, but wrote it off as normal soreness. When I took Henry back to the pedi for his 2 week check up, he had only gained 2 ounces in 6 days and was still 2 ounces away from his original birth weight. The pedi was concerned, and as the day wore on and Henry was less and less interested in eating, my pedi (Jason) was also concerned. So we started supplementing him with formula and he was more alert and eating more after a day - a noticeable difference. For those of you who have had a similar issue, I'm sure you understand how anxiety-inducing it is for you to think that your baby is not getting enough to eat. Not to mention the fact that as a mom, there is the never-going-away feeling that somehow you have failed your baby when breastfeeding doesn't work out exactly as planned. I tell you, trying to breastfeed and being unsuccessful (even if for a time) is very, very difficult...both for mom and for baby.

With Alex, I never had any breastfeeding issues. He latched on properly at first and I had good help in the hospital with friends and lactation nurses. Now that I have had a totally different experience with Henry, I fear that I didn't have enough grace for others who had "issues". At the time I was in a small group of women who all had different experiences with breastfeeding, some positive and some negative. While I would have never intentionally been proud of my breastfeeding success, there is a nagging feeling inside me now that perhaps I was. Oh, how good it is now (despite its difficulty to accept and the sadness it brings) to say that I have been humbled. I now have a better perspective and have accepted the fact that God has different journeys for everyone with newborns, hopefully all leading believers to trust Him more and see His goodness in different ways. After all, we have been blessed with health and the gift of knowing Him personally. Who am I to demand more from Him?

Not everyone succeeds at the breastfeeding task. No matter how easy the books and other moms make it sound, breastfeeding is hard work. And sometimes it doesn't work at all. And actually that's okay.

For now, I am pumping my milk and feeding Henry with a bottle. This seems to be more functional for our family than trying to get him to latch on for 20 minutes, hearing him cry and seeing him get frustrated, and ultimately giving up and giving him the bottle. We are going to see a lactation counselor this week to get some advice and guidance about what to do next. So many people have told me stories about how their baby didn't learn to breastfeed properly until a month or two. Of course I am hoping Henry will be in this camp - for the simple fact that it's just plain easier to do the breast than to do the pump/bottle. But there comes a time when we as a family will have to be okay with Henry eating from a bottle if he needs to. Lots of babies do it and it's gonna be okay. In the meantime, we are praying and trusting that God will give us everything we need for today.
And for tomorrow.
And for the next day.

I'm blogging about this because it has sometimes been my experience in parenting that people rarely share about the difficult issues they have with newborns. They are quick to report how much they sleep, how well they eat, how much weight they are gaining, etc., but rarely offer details about the difficult parts. I know lots of seasoned moms, new moms, and expecting moms read this blog. Let our current experience be an encouragement to you - just as the stories of successful breastfeeding are.

I will keep you posted on our progress.

2010-03-26T17:09:00.002-05:00

These are so rad.

Last week Jason's mom came to help us out and she brought along with her a huge box of Jason's old things. Class pictures from kindergarten on, report cards, hand-knitted baby booties, and all kinds of other treasures from Jason's childhood. We found these seriously cute little Spiderman shoes in the box too. They are too small for Alex, but Henry will totally be sporting these when he's a little bigger. Hard to believe that these 35-year-old sneakers still look so cool!

2010-03-24T15:02:00.001-05:00

2010-03-20T18:40:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I wonder if my oldest kid is practicing for a modeling career...

2010-03-14T11:14:00.003-05:00

Here's a pic of Henry all dressed and ready to come home. He did good for his first photo shoot...he probably figures he'd better get used to this!

2010-03-13T10:56:00.001-06:00

Henry's Birth Day.

I know some of you mommy readers are interested in the details of the labor and birth. I know I always like to hear how things go for others...especially when they have a positive experience! So I'll share a little about mine - without too much information for you non-mommy readers.

On Tuesday I visited my doctor for my 41 week appointment. I had not made much progress on labor (only 50% effaced and 2 cm dilated), so we decided that Thursday morning would be a good day to induce. We honestly wanted to give it just a couple more days because I so wanted a natural delivery. On Wednesday, I was really excited when I started to feel regular contractions around 2pm. They were fairly mild, but regular, so we were excited! Contractions became more intense as the day went on, and at 7pm, I was having 3 of them in 10 minutes. We decided it was probably time for us to head to the hospital. So we put Alex to bed, got our things together, and drove the 12 or so blocks to the hospital.

We got checked in and saw the doctor. When he checked, he said I was 50% effaced and 3 cm dilated. I couldn't believe it! I was so disappointed. He gave us the option to stay in the hospital (after all, we were scheduled to be there the next morning at 6am) or to go home and labor some more. I wanted to go home to labor. They said if I stayed, I probably couldn't move around much. I also got the impression that if things weren't "progressing" they would start encouraging pitocin and such. So we decided to leave.

We left the hospital around 9:30pm. I was bracing myself for a long night of laboring and since I didn't eat my dinner, we headed to Whole Foods. I was still having contractions every 2-3 minutes, mind you. So Jason and I walked around Whole Foods gathering some essentials (hummus, pita chips & dark chocolate almonds), all the while stopping every few minutes so I could bury my head into his chest and breathe hard through my contractions. At first I was nervous that anyone who saw might be a bit freaked out. But then I figured of all the places we could be, Whole Foods might actually be one of the best. In fact, while we were standing at the prepared foods section, I had an intense contraction. The woman behind the counter who was preparing my quiche to go calmly said to Jason, "Aren't women amazing?...Congratulations to you. Good luck!" I remember thinking, "yeah, that woman knows exactly what's happening here."

We got home around 10pm and ate a little, but by 10:30 the contractions were hard and intense. I started to feel like it was time to push, which scared me a lot. So we got back in the car. I screamed my way through 3 contractions on the way and Jason ran a couple of red lights. I was getting nervous that we weren't going to make it. In the back of my mind I was preparing myself for Jason delivering the baby on the side of the road!

We pulled into the valet in the middle of a contraction, so I stayed in the car and screamed while Jason got a wheelchair. We had no time to get anything out of the car and went straight upstairs, arriving at around 11:10pm. I went straight to the bed and I was at 8 cm, then 5 minutes later, 9 cm. In between contractions, which was about a minute, the nurse poked me 4 different times to try to get an IV. They probably wouldn't have worried about it except that my strep B test was positive and I was supposed to get antibiotics before I delivered. Finally they gave up on the IV when I was ready to push. I pushed a couple of times and I heard the resident say she saw the head. Even though I was intense pain (natural birth ain't for sissies!), I was encouraged. I pushed a couple more times and Henry came out, healthy and crying.

I have never been so scared, overwhelmed, or excited about such an event in my life. We were SO grateful to have a natural birth. It came about exactly as we had prepared for it before Alex was born. Alex's birth experience was totally different. Still good, just different. I am thankful now that I finally have a perspective on both "ways" of giving birth. Any way you do it, it is an amazing process. After Henry's birth, I found myself constantly in prayer thanking God for allowing us to take part in such an unbelievable process.

Thanks to all of you who prayed for us over the past few weeks and months as we waited for Henry. I am grateful for all the encouragement you have given me and words of wisdom. We feel like we have been blessed beyond measure.

And secretly, I'm kind of glad I had the little things that make labor so TV-like. The contractions, the screaming, the speeding car ride, the wheelchair, the pushing - all of it - made for a great birth day and a great story for Henry. The very beginning of his story is a very good one.

2010-03-12T13:09:00.007-06:00

Here's Henry.

Sweet newborn sleep.

Long toes.

Proud Daddy.

Meeting Big Brother for the first time.

Alex loves his Baby Brother.

Henry's 41 week fingernails. He's desperately in need of a manicure!

2010-03-11T21:43:00.002-06:00

He's here!

Henry Lewis arrived last night at 11:49 p.m. We are just now getting all the photos downloaded and hope to have some on the blog(s) soon. Oh and we have a great labor story, so we'll work on that too! He's healthy and we are all doing great. He weighs 8 lb., 2 oz. and is 20" long. He has been a champion sleeper and eater so far, so we are thankful for that. We are hoping to get a little rest tonight and post more soon!

2010-03-10T08:01:00.002-06:00

Wow.

It is hard to believe that I have carried Baby Brother an entire month longer than Alex. I went to the doctor yesterday and they did an ultrasound to check and make sure Brother is doing okay. He is very healthy and weighing in at around 7.5 pounds. Guess he is just really comfortable in there!

We have decided with our doctor that it is best to induce on Thursday. It wouldn't have been my choice since I am hoping for an all natural labor, but we have faith that it is best. Ultimately the Lord knows the details of Brother's arrival and we trust Him. We are hoping he comes on his own today, but if not, he'll be on his way tomorrow. We'll post an update on the blog when he makes his debut.

2010-03-04T06:17:00.006-06:00

Nesting Series #3: The Essential Slow Cooker

I would have never guessed I'd have the time for another lengthy blog, but since I'm still waiting on Baby Brother, here it is...

When I think about one of the ways I've survived pregnancy #2 and a toddler, I have to give props to the slow cooker. Now, at first I was a little reluctant to use it because I really love the process of cooking. I like the chopping, the sauteing, the simmering. You know, the process. The slow cooker doesn't exactly have much process, but it does have convenience. I have discovered the Cooking Light Slow Cooker Cookbook and I love it! The recipes are really, really good and I can feel good about eating them since they use fresh ingredients and are lower in calories and fat.

Jason wakes up for work at 5:30am, so since I'm up early too, I assemble the entire dinner before Alex even wakes up. The only work that's left to do is turn on the cooker. Blissfully simple!

Here are three of my favorite recipes...

Thai Style Pork
We love the chance to get a little ethnic flair with dinner. This Thai pork is almost as good as take out!

2 lbs boneless pork loin, cut into 4 pieces, trimmed
2 cups julienne-cut red bell pepper
1/4 C teriyaki sauce
2 Tblsp rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 tsp crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 C creamy peanut butter
Remaining Ingredients:
6 cups hot cooked rice - brown, or basmati
1/2 C. chopped green onions
2 Tblsp chopped dry roasted peanuts
Lime wedges

1. Place pork, bell pepper, and next 4 ingredients in a 4-qt slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour, reduce heat to LOW, and cook 6 hours (can be a few hours longer if necessary). Remove pork from cooker and coarsely chop. Add peanut butter to cooking liquid, stir well. Stir in pork.

2. Serve over rice in individual bowls and top with onions and peanuts. Garnish with a lime wedge for a real Thai taste and look.
Per serving: Calories 412, Fat 13.6g, Protein 29g

Barley, Black Bean, and Corn Burritos
A meatless burrito using a super good-for-you grain...without losing the great Mexican taste.

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained (I use Mexican Rotel tomatoes)
1 C uncooked pearl barley
2 C vegetable broth (about 1 can)
3/4 C frozen whole kernel corn
1/4 C chopped green onions
1 Tblsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro
18 tortillas (whole grain, corn, or flour)
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Salsa
Light sour cream

1. Place first 11 ingredients in a 3 or 4-qt slow cooker, stir well. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until the barley is tender. Stir in cilantro.

2. Heat the tortillas according to the package directions. Spoon barley and bean filling into them and top with cheese, sour cream, and salsa. Yum!
Calories: 402, Fat: 8.5g, Protein: 16g (may vary depending on how much cheese and sour cream you use!)

Pesto Lasagna with Spinach and Mushrooms
This one takes a little more preparation on the front side, but it is SO good. You'd never guess that lasagna could be so good in the slow cooker. This is a great vegetarian meal.

4 C. torn fresh spinach
2 C. sliced cremini mushrooms
1/2 C. commercial pesto
3/4 C shredded part-skim mozzarella
3/4 C. shredded provolone (OR, substitute about 1.5 cups of an Italian shredded cheese mixture to keep from buying two different shredded cheeses)
1 (15 oz) carton fat-free ricotta cheese
1 large egg, slightly beaten
3/4 C. shredded parmesan cheese, divided
1 (26 oz) jar basil tomato pasta sauce
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
Cooking Spray
1 (8 oz) package precooked lasagna noodles

1. Steam spinach, covered, 3 minutes or until it wilts. Drain, squeeze dry, and coarsely chop. Combine spinach, mushrooms, and pesto in a medium bowl and set aside.

2. Combine mozzarella, provolone, ricotta and egg in a medium bow, stirring well. Stir in 1/4 c. parmesan cheese and set aside. Combine pasta sauce and tomato sauce in a medium bowl.

3. Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Spread 1 C. pasta sauce mixture in the bottom of the cooker. Arrange 3 noodles over pasta sauce mix, and top with 1 C. cheese mixture and 1 C. spinach mixture. Repeat layers once, ending with spinach mix. Arrange 3 noodles over the mixture, top with remaining cheese mixture, and 1 C. pasta sauce mix. Place 3 noodles over sauce mix; spread remaining sauce mixture over noodles. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese. Cover and cook on low 5 hours or until done.
Calories 398, Fat 18g, Protein 22g

NOTE: I use whole wheat lasagna noodles and they work great. The key is to cook them beforehand for about 3/4 of the time suggested on the box. Then rinse them in cold water and pat them dry. It adds an extra step, but they are healthier and easier to handle when they are flimsy instead of dry.

2010-03-03T12:34:00.000-06:00

The official due date has arrived. C'mon, Baby Brother!

2010-02-25T07:58:00.011-06:00

Nesting Series #2: Things I Learned in the Second Pregnancy

39 weeks pregnant - the baby is due in 5 days!

1. Second pregnancy has proven to be lots easier. Perhaps it is because I am super busy all day with my 19-month-old and have no time to obsess about the small things. Seriously it's like I woke up one day and was already in month nine. It's gone fast and I think it's good that I've been distracted. The first pregnancy everything is new and requires adjustment. This time around I am much more laid back about the entire process.

2. Watching what I eat has proven to be WAY better than eating everything in sight. Sounds simple, but really true. I attended the Bradley Method classes when I was pregnant with Alex. While I loved the classes and the method, there was a lot of emphasis on eating tons of protein and keeping a food log. I found that this made me overly obsessed with what I ate, and usually encouraged me to eat more than necessary. A healthy, well-balanced diet and eating when I'm hungry (without focusing on whether the food is a good protein source or not...) has been much better for me this time.

3. There is no choice but to stay active during the second pregnancy, and I know I feel better physically because of it. I admit that I was not as intentional about exercise the first time due to any excuse I could find - nausea, weather, fatigue, etc.

4. I've learned that I can and should refuse some of the testing that is "required" during pregnancy and some of the newborn treatments that are "required". I think it's important for people to ask questions about their health care. Perhaps it is because I am married to a doctor, or because I am just a naturally analytical person - not sure. But I think asking questions is important. For example, why do I need two different HIV tests during my nine months of pregnancy? Why should I opt for early "genetic screening" for my baby? Do I really need vaginal exams during the last month if my pregnancy is normal? Does my baby really need that eye gunk immediately after he is born? I have found that there are many unnecessary and (sometimes) unpleasant "requirements" from our health providers.

*For the curious, yes, I do refuse all these tests. I know I'm not HIV positive and it is a waste of health care dollars to test me. We also refuse genetic testing because no matter what "condition" (if any) our baby has, we will accept it with joy as God's plan for us. Often those tests produce false positives anyway and cause undue stress for the parents. And, yes, I have also refused vaginal exams during this last month. There is no medical reason for them since no matter how far dialated I am, it is still not a true indicator of how soon I will go into labor. I prefer to leave it a mystery and attend my appointments without invasion. =) On a side note, most doctors are very willing to engage patients in dialog and respect your wishes. After all, you are the patient. If your doctor has a different attitude, you should maybe look for a new one. Everyone is different and I am not suggesting you make all the same decisions I have. Only suggesting that it's good to be a curious patient and ask questions of your health care providers.*

5. I don't take dates with my husband for granted. We have lots of take-out dates at home, babysitters, and adult dinners - dinner for just Jason and I after Alex is in bed. I cherish every moment of time we have to build our marriage and take a small break from being parents for a few hours. It does a marriage good.

6. Being pregnant does not exclude me from serving others or doing what I like to do (photography, cooking, etc.) It makes it more challenging, but doesn't exclude me from it. As my husband says, "Your creative things are good for the soul. Constant housework is not." I agree.

7. The expensive heartburn medicine is so worth it.

2010-02-24T13:34:00.006-06:00

Nesting Series #1: Freezing Food

Well, since I have a little extra time on my hands with all my nesting tasks done, I thought I'd start a new little series on the blog. The Nesting Series. And I guess I'll continue until this baby comes...

Someone commented on my recent post asking about freezing meals and some tips on how to do it. I'll do my best to share some of my helpful hints and perhaps some others can chime in too. (I know that lots of you who read my blog are also food lovers and have tons of good kitchen tips.)

Jason, Alex, and I basically only eat the equivalent of 2 large adult servings, so we often have leftovers. I am not a huge fan of them, and find it especially hard to eat the same thing two or three times in one week. It is also often economical to buy grocery items (especially meat) in larger packages. In order to reduce waste in my kitchen, I have learned how to freeze pretty much anything.

Here are a few tips:

1. For raw meat, I always wash it with water and put it in a labeled freezer bag. I often freeze single chicken breasts in quart sized freezer bags because they are easy to use for a single meal. I also always go through this process as soon as I return home from the grocery store because that way, the meat is at its freshest for freezing. Otherwise, sometimes I put it away, forget about it for a few days and then freeze it...or realize that it's now ruined. =(

2. For many dishes I make (casseroles, enchiladas, and lasagna), the recipe usually calls for a 9"x13" dish. I buy the disposable 8"x8" foil pans with lids at the grocery store and split up the dish before it is even cooked. I cover the unused dish tightly with foil, label it, and store it in the freezer. That way, dinner is already made for sometime next month! Be sure to label it with temperature setting and add about an extra hour for cook time on a frozen dish. It's not an exact science, but keep checking on it till it's heated through. For enchiladas and other recipes that have a separate sauce with it, I usually freeze the sauce separately in a freezer bag. It can be thawed in a water bath in about 30 minutes and added before baking.

3. When I make soup or chili, I always freeze half of the leftovers. It freezes well in quart-sized freezer bags (a good amount for 2-3 servings). Press out as much air as possible in the bag and seal it well. Thaw it in a water bath for about 45 minutes and it's ready to be reheated. Of course, some readers may have larger families and need to actually double recipes in order to get enough to freeze.

4. In general, most items will keep in the freezer for 2 months or so. Again, I have found that detailed labeling with a Sharpie helps on this. Always date the food so you remember when it was placed in the freezer.

5. The key to successful freezing is all about air and wrapping. Use a container that will allow the least amount of empty space. The more that's allowed in there, the more chance for freezer burn. I usually cover dishes tightly with Press 'N Seal (one of my kitchen essentials) and heavy duty foil to make sure they are secure for freezing. Or freezer bags work great because you can press out all the extra air.

6. Always use freezer bags, not just plain storage bags. There's a difference in the weight of them.

7. When I make homemade cookie dough (yes, I am a snob and find it hard to make slice and bake), I always freeze the dough. This helps me to only make as many cookies as I need - like only 6 at a time for our family - and avoid making an entire batch and eating them all. The frozen dough just needs to be thawed for about 20 minutes until it's soft enough to spoon out onto the cookie sheet. If you really want to be anal, you can shape the dough into a log using wax paper or press n' seal to make your own slice and bake. Put it in a gallon sized bag and get rave reviews on your homemade slice and bake cookies!

8. You can also freeze already-made cookies, bread, and cakes without icing. I promise you probably won't notice any difference in the taste.

9. To reduce waste on fresh fruit, I cut up strawberries, pineapple, blueberries, banana, peaches, and mango in pieces to be used for smoothies.

10. I often make a big batch of my husband's favorite foods and freeze it in those Glad disposable tupperware things for his lunch. They are easy to buy in a single serving size, and he can eat healthy lunches from home. By the time lunch rolls around, all he needs is a nearby microwave.

11. Items that do not freeze well are milk and cream-based soups and sauces, and egg-based dishes. There may be more items, but I'll let y'all chime in if you have experience with something that doesn't freeze well.

Sometimes preparing things for the freezer adds a little time on the front end of cooking, but I have found that overall, it saves me time and money. I often have my own homemade frozen entrees on hand, but also reduce waste in my kitchen.

I'd be interested to see if any other readers have useful tips. Chime in on the comments section!

2010-02-24T09:06:00.000-06:00

Any day now.

2010-02-18T14:38:00.005-06:00

Nesting Complete.

This week I have finally finished the nursery for Baby Brother. And, hey, I have almost two weeks to spare.

The room is complete.
Our freezer is full of meals for after his arrival.
His clothes are clean.
His diaper basket is full.
Our house is spotless. Including the kitchen cabinets, which have been thoroughly scrubbed.
We have a double stroller on order.
All the newborn gadgets are out of the closet.
We are ready, I tell ya!

Here are a couple of pics of our handiwork in the nursery...

The rocker I found on craigslist (with new custom cushions), the guest bed, the baby comforter, and the canvases I painted for the wall.

Baby Brother's bed, complete with his homemade mobile.

The mobile I made for him. I stole this idea from a gal in California, who is a member of what might just be the most creative family ever.

A closer look at the quilt, courtesy of Target.

A closer look at the canvases. My sister and sister-in-law will be proud. They are both art teachers and always have the most fabulous creative things in their homes. It has taken awhile, but I think I'm finally coming into my craftiness. Thanks for the inspiration and instruction, Sisters!

Please come soon, Baby Brother!

2010-02-12T12:26:00.002-06:00

Dear Starbucks Hot Chocolate:

You have been a great companion over these pregnancy months. You are sweet, smooth, and oh so chocolatey. I appreciate all of these lovely qualities you have to offer. However, I regret to inform you that as soon as I'm done with pregnancy, I will be returning to my heartburn-inducing White Mocha with Soy.

It's been great. Really. And I seriously love your new cup. But in just a couple of weeks, you'll have to find another pregnant lady (or non-coffee drinker) to charm.

Thanks for your service as my hot drink of choice during the expecting months.

Best Wishes and Happy V-day,
Nicole

2010-02-06T09:16:00.006-06:00

A Sprinkle for Baby Brother

Last night a few friends hosted a "sprinkle" for me and Baby Brother. I love the term "sprinkle"! It makes so much sense that for a second kid (or third, fourth, whatever...) a sprinkle is all you need. Less focus on gifts for the baby - although they are involved - and more focus on spending quality time with friends in anticipation of a new baby. I am so grateful to already have a group of ladies here in Houston to hang out with. Some of them I've known as long as 10 years and some as short as a few months. We had a fabulous time last night at the Dessert Gallery chatting about babies, birth, jobs, family, and the best dessert venues in Houston...you know, just the important stuff. Thanks, ladies, for a wonderful sprinkle!

36.5 weeks pregnant

The fabulous Big O cake at Dessert Gallery. Rich, chocolatey, and generously served. Over the course of two hours, I had no problem finishing every bit of it.

All the ladies attending the sprinkle.

Daddy's dessert...I couldn't leave the Gallery without a treat for him!

2010-02-01T07:45:00.002-06:00

A Mommy Paraphrase

If you are a bible scholar, you probably won't appreciate this paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 13. But if you are not a scholar and can appreciate such things, hopefully this will be an encouragement to you. It came from a book I am reading in a ladies bible study here in Houston. The book is called A Mother's Heart by Jean Fleming. It's a great read for moms who want to instill Christian values, vision, and character in their children.

So, the paraphrase:
---
If I keep my house immaculately clean, and am envied by all for my interior decorating, but do not show love in my family - I'm just another housewife.

If I'm always producing lovely things - sewing, art (for me, photography, cooking!); if I always look attractive, and speak intelligently, but am not loving to my family - I am nothing.

If I'm busy in community affairs, teach Sunday school, and drive in the carpool, but fail to give adequate love to my family - I gain nothing.

Love changes diapers, cleans up messes, and ties shoes - over and over again.

Love is kind, though tired and frazzled.

Love doesn't envy another wife - one whose children are "spaced" better, or in school so she has time to pursue her own interests.

Love doesn't try to impress others by my abilities or knowledge as a mother.

Love doesn't scream at the kids.

Love doesn't feel cheated because I didn't get to do what I wanted to do today - sew, read, soak in a hot tub.

Love doesn't loose its temper easily.

Love doesn't assume that my children are being naughty just because their noise level is irritating.

Love doesn't rejoice when other people's children misbehave and make mine look good. Love is genuinely happy when others are honored by their children.
---

Love your family with excellence today!

2010-01-27T21:26:00.002-06:00

Today I paid $15 for heartburn.

I am a major sucker when it comes to extra items that salespeople try to sell me. For example, they say "oh, it's buy 3, get 3 free today". Really, I only need one but end up with six...then get home and think, why did I buy so many...?

Today was one of those days.

I went to the bakery to buy some cookies for the administrative assistant at Jason's work who has been so helpful to us over the past weeks. Typically I would enjoy making them myself, but my pregnant state coupled with my lack of willpower has kept me from making homemade treats lately. (This is how I gained 60 lbs. last time.)

Anyway, I went in with the idea that I should buy 6-8 cookies to fill a box I have at home. The sales lady asks, "do you want a dozen for $10.50?" Of course, I blindly answer, "sure." So, here I am with 4-6 extra cookies, two of which I promptly eat as soon as I walk out of the bakery.

Those cookies gave me raging heartburn.

So I went to Walgreen's to buy a $12 bottle of Extra Strength Tums.
Let's make a little equation:
$10.50 - the cookies I bought for admin assistant + $12 =
about $15, the price I paid for today's heartburn.

How's that for pregnancy economics?!

2010-01-15T18:45:00.004-06:00

Oh my. Our neighbor brought us some Crave cupcakes tonight, to welcome us to the neighborhood. I think I'm in love with Houston's fabulous full-fat-creamy-icing-topped boutique style cupcakes.

Good thing I'm 8.5 months pregnant because I'm gonna enjoy them guilt free. And judging by the neighbor's good taste in sweet treats, I think I'm gonna like this neighborhood...

2010-01-14T12:11:00.002-06:00

Hard to believe that in 7 weeks or less we'll have another little one at our house. Yes, we are having a boy! Exciting. Also notice that my "baby plant" has a new spot at our new house - a window seat. The plant is probably SO grateful for a little natural light. Hopefully that keeps him healthy for years to come. I plan on counting all the babies on this one.

On a side note, I don't think there's any way I'm going to make it another 7 weeks before this baby comes. My tummy is pushing out so far that people often ask when I'm due - and when I say March 1st, they say, "oh! March?!". Translation: "Lady, I thought you were having that kid tomorrow." So, my money is on an early delivery!

2009-12-21T07:48:00.011-06:00

A Few of my favorite things...

Completing a state-to-state move, being 7.5 months pregnant, and having my husband work out of town for 14 days this month has made this holiday season a bit different than most. Even still, we are enjoying our new home and enjoying several days together as a family this week.

It has been so fun to share this Christmas season with Jason and Alex. We are grateful for another little one who will join our family soon. Especially during this season, we are reminded that God is the giver of life. So many years ago He sent His own Son to earth as a baby...To live as a Man and as God...And to lay down His life so that we might have a new one. This season, above all else, we are grateful.

Here are a few of my favorite things this season. I hope you are making your own holiday memories this year with lots and lots of favorites.

One of my favorite photos from Alex's Christmas photo shoot.

The live wreath on my door. I love the real ones for the way they smell and look.

Pivner. This is a new favorite for me - a Danish cookie specifically made at Christmas time. It's a longtime tradition in Jason's family and now, ours. Thanks to my mother-in-law for the family recipe!

Christmas cards received from friends - many of them welcoming us back to Texas.

Fresh flowers delivered to me when my husband was out of town. Oh sweet man of mine!

This tiny little stocking on our tree, in honor of Baby #2.

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas week!

2009-12-19T15:10:00.002-06:00

The Lemon Harvest

I just picked all these lemons off the lemon tree in our backyard. And there's about 100 more still hanging on the tree! If any of you have any favorite lemon recipes, pass them on. Pies, cakes, savory stuff, anything you can use a fresh lemon for - I will not discriminate much against any recipes at this point. I have a feeling I will be making lots of lemon treats in the coming years!

2009-12-14T21:52:00.002-06:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in our new house. Once I get a little more organized I'll post more but I simply had to show y'all how cute Alex is checking out the Christmas tree!

2009-12-04T19:30:00.002-06:00

Oh, the irony.

Snow in Houston today?! Yep, that's right - even 4 inches in some areas! We have not quite made it to Houston yet (we are still with family in Dallas/Fort Worth), but I would have loved to be there in the middle of a rare snowstorm in South Texas. I thought we were saying goodbye to snow weather, but maybe not...?

All I can say is that I hope those lemon trees in my new backyard weathered the storm. I will be so sad if all the tropical plants in the yard are dead before we arrive.

Oh, global warming, you are such a crock!

2009-11-10T13:07:00.003-06:00

Houston.

If you haven't been keeping up with me on other social media, you might not be aware that we are moving to Houston, Texas in a few weeks. We are so excited about a new city and being closer to friends and family. Jason and I both are "city people" so it will be fun to explore all the city fun Houston has to offer. If you are interested in more details, read about it here on our family blog.

Oh, and thanks to google images for the pic of downtown Houston. I haven't had a chance to take my own yet!

2009-11-10T12:57:00.001-06:00

2009-10-30T08:21:00.004-05:00

Bell's Palsy: The Final Chapter

If you are a long time reader, you might have been looking for an update on my Bell's Palsy. I blogged about it last July and last November, but haven't really updated you all since then.

To be honest, I think I have been waiting to announce that the Bell's is completely cured and my face has returned to look the way it always has. But it turns out that I am in the 10% of people who get most of their facial nerves back, but not all of them. It has taken me a long time to be ready to talk about it simply because there has been sort of a grieving process. I never thought that I'd grieve so much over my "old" facial expressions!

There is good news, though. You'd probably never notice I had Bell's Palsy unless you knew me well before and noticed that my previously animated expressions are a bit toned down now. If you'd never met me, you probably wouldn't notice that my right eyebrow doesn't move and my right upper lip doesn't move much either. Thankfully, though, I've had months to work on correcting my smile in the mirror and for photos. I am happy to report that it's barely visible anymore...especially for photos, which is where I really noticed it most. I'd say that's real progress.

I appreciate all of you who have shared your Bell's stories, prayers, and encouragement. I hope that by following my story, maybe you'll understand what it means when a friend or relative tells you they have Bell's Palsy. You can tell them that you know someone who had it, lived through it, and is completely healthy and happy afterwards.

A friend took this picture on my birthday and I think it's the best post-Bell's picture so far.

2009-10-27T08:21:00.003-05:00

I heart Target.

So since the ascent of my shoe size has begun (pregnancy will do that to you), I have been on the hunt for some cute new flats a half size bigger. Target came through for me again - and at $12.99, I figure these bronze flats are a steal! Thanks, Target for keeping me somewhat stylish during pregnancy. Cause we all know that pregnancy is no excuse for being out of style!

2009-10-23T19:50:00.000-05:00

Just past the halfway mark!

2009-10-19T20:10:00.003-05:00

My Little Lion.

On a whim today, I decided that Alex should try on his Halloween costume (or Fall outfit, or Harvest Festival clothes, whatever you want to call them...) so I could take his picture. He was a very good sport. And, of course, I'm biased, but I think he's the cutest Lion ever. I'm going to put some different pics on our family blog, so check there if you want to see more of today's shoot.

2009-10-13T06:28:00.004-05:00

2 Years Today. Oh Happy Day!

2009-10-05T20:40:00.007-05:00

Chris & Mary

Our good friends Chris & Mary are expecting a baby girl in a couple of weeks. I was thrilled that they took me up on the offer to do a pregnancy photo shoot with them. It was my first, so they were good sports as we learned all about pre-baby photo shoots. Thanks, guys, for a super fun Sunday afternoon downtown!

2009-10-01T12:01:00.006-05:00

Clever. Very clever.

Many are getting tired of the health care debate at this point. After all, it's been going on for sooooo long. I must admit, though, this major issue facing Americans has brought out some real political marketing creativity. If you read my blog, it's obvious what side of the debate I'm on. I don't support a government take-over of health care. Reform yes, "government-run options", no.

I really like this little spoof called Listen to Overpaid Celebrities (a Public Service Announcement). It's the second video. I had to include the first one - even though I disagree with its message - so you'd see the genius of the second one! Enjoy!

2009-09-28T20:45:00.003-05:00

Mmm...Fall!

Today the air was crisp and the wind was blowing the leaves all over the neighborhood - Fall has arrived. I was inspired by today's weather to try out a new recipe for Stuffed Winter Squash. I got the recipe from a West Texas cookbook called Barbecue, Biscuits, & Beans. It's a fabulous little collection of real deal cowboy recipes. They even tell you how to make sourdough over a campfire! The winter squash looked so yummy in the photos I had to give it a try. As a bonus, it was on sale at the grocery store last week for $ .39/lb. I love seasonal veggie specials!

Not only did it taste fabulous, it looked fabulous. I am a sucker for food that looks pretty and tastes good. Of course, I changed the recipe a bit. (Shhh...don't tell the cowboy cooks.) After all, I am a mostly vegetarian dieter now and I'm trying to watch the pregnancy weight. Both of those factors necessitated me omitting the entire stick of butter and adding some whole grain brown rice to balance out the chicken. And yes, I'm aware that the cowboys would probably not appreciate that brown rice bit. But look at it this way, I am totally giving them credit for a tasty and beautiful Fall recipe!

Stuffed Winter Squash

6 Winter Squash (Acorn or Butternut)
3 8-oz. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon salt
2 ears of corn, kernels removed OR 1 cup of frozen sweet corn
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cups cooked long grain brown rice (follow package instructions for cooking the dry rice)
1 can vegetable broth*
1/2 c. dry white wine*
1 Tbsp. Smart Balance non-hydrogenated margarine*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut top off squash and remove seeds. Place cut side down in 1/2 inch of water in a baking pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes until squash is tender. While squash is baking, prepare stuffing.

STUFFING: Cook chicken breasts in vegetable broth + salted water to cover until done, about 20 minutes, then dice. Save the vegetable broth/water mixture from cooking the chicken. Melt margarine in large skillet and add onions. Saute about 5 minutes, then add wine and veg broth mixture if you need more liquid. (This method of cooking saves you a ton of fat instead of cooking the onions in the butter!) Add corn to onions and cook for about 8 minutes. Again, if you need more liquid - you don't want it to boil dry - add the veg broth mixture. And, hey, even add a little more wine if you have it! Not more than a 1/2 cup, though. Add bell pepper and chicken and cook for about 3 minutes over low heat. Remove from heat and add the rice to the mixture. Salt and pepper to taste.

Dry inside of squash with a paper towel. Add stuffing and bake, stuffing side up, in same pan without water for 10 minutes. Serve hot. Add a salad and you have a whole meal in less than an hour!

* If you'd like to try the full fat method, omit the veg broth, wine, and margarine. Use a whole stick of butter instead. The cowboys also recommended you add some diced jalapeno to the onion mixture, but I couldn't bring myself to add it for fear that my 14-month-old wouldn't eat it!

2009-09-20T08:14:00.009-05:00

Mary's Baby Shower

Our small group from church is getting quite good at throwing baby showers. At any given time, there are anywhere from 1-4 pregnant ladies in the group, so we have a grand time celebrating all the babies and the mamas. Yesterday we hosted a brunch for Mary and her baby girl, due to arrive October 20. It was a fun, girly party. Ladies, we should do this more often!

Pink roses for soon-to-arrive Little Miss Ryan.

The lovely Mama-to-be.

Most of our small group ladies and babies. (we missed you, Carolyn!)

Virgin Mimosas. Yum.

I contributed the sunflower cupcakes, thanks to Hello, Cupcake! Seriously, y'all, these cupcakes are way easier than they look. If you like creating cute things in the kitchen, that cookbook is a jewel.

A closer look at one of the cupcakes.

The buffet.

Anja says, "where's my mimosa?"

2009-09-13T20:38:00.010-05:00

The Prendergast Family

This past week I got to do a photo shoot with Kristin, Mark, and Cole. Cole is so sweet and photogenic, which made for a very fun shoot.

After several of these family portrait sessions, I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of it!

2009-09-11T10:21:00.001-05:00

I wrote this blog entry three years ago on the 5th Anniversary of 9/11. Since today will forever be a day when people think about where they were and what they were doing when the attack happened, I thought it was appropriate to share...

==
(September 11, 2006)

On this five year anniversary of 9/11, I’m sure most people are remembering where they were, what they were doing, and who they were with on September 11, 2001.

Me too.

On 9/11, I was living in Turkey. I remember that it was about 3:00 p.m. and I was walking down a busy Istanbul street on my way to a popular shopping area with my friend Elizabeth. There wasn’t anything out of the ordinary that day, other than the “normal” of everyday life overseas…constantly speaking and thinking in a foreign language, practicing care to not look men in the eyes (important in a Muslim culture), and smiling at the beggar children who always followed us down city streets asking for money.

My cell phone rang and an American friend who also lived in Istanbul said, “Hey there’s something going on in New York. I’m watching CNN and it looks like the whole city is on fire.” “Okay, Clay,” I said. “Thanks for calling.” Then I hung up and was actually annoyed that he would interrupt my path to the mall with news of a fire thousands of miles away in New York. Within fifteen minutes, he called again and said, “Nicole, as soon as you guys get to the mall, you need to find a department store with a television. You won’t believe it. There’s been a terrorist attack in New York and this is big.”

We sped up our pace to the mall and immediately went to the electronics department of the biggest store we could find. Without asking, we switched the channel from a Turkish soap opera to CNN in English. Then we saw the pictures of the towers – both smoking by this point. I stood about a foot from the TV in disbelief and I remember thinking that my mouth simply wouldn’t close. It felt frozen in shock. Within minutes, the Turks standing around us took notice of what was happening on the screen. This was the first they had seen of the news, and a crowd gathered around the television. They began to say in Turkish, “Change it to Turkish! I can’t understand English!” So they switched the channel and the reporting was now by a Turkish reporter, displaying the same images we’d just seen of the towers.

My cell phone rang again and I heard my mom’s voice. I couldn’t help but break down and cry. “Mom, what’s happening?” “Are you okay? Where are you? What are you doing?” She asked a million questions and I remember saying to her, “Mom, you’re in America, not me. Nothing is happening here. It’s happening there!” I remember her saying at the end of our conversation “The day is not over yet.” Then it hit me that it was early morning in the U.S. and she was right. Who knew what the rest of the day held?

The next few days we (me, Elizabeth, and other Americans living in the city) were sort of in a holding pattern. I remember our company issuing plans with all kinds of scenarios and emergency plans to evacuate if that was necessary. We sat glued to CNN all day for three days.
Things I remember most about those days:
1. I felt helpless.
2. I cried a lot.
3. I didn’t want to go back to work when things began to settle down.
4. I wanted my mom.
5. I prayed non-stop for the families who had lost people they loved.

I also remember my Turkish neighbors and friends who expressed so much concern for Americans and sadness at such a cowardly act of terrorism. They really were sympathetic. One neighbor even broke down in tears when she was telling me how sorry she was for our loss. Turkish people (and much of the rest of the world) understand the effects of terrorism. They have lived with it as long as they can remember and stand alongside anyone else who is affected by its devastation. I also remember many of them saying “This is NOT the way of Islam.” They were heartbroken that now Islam had been the basis for such an act of terrorism.

It’s been a long five years. This is not the place to comment on the state of things now. But it is a place to share a story and hope that many others, on this day, will remember that our world is broken. It is in need of redemption. My faith in Jesus Christ tells me the kind of redemption that’s needed can only come through Him. If anyone does, He understands betrayal, pain, surrender, and ultimate victory over evil. In Him, there is goodness, hope, healing, and salvation for all people on earth. May we be reminded of those things today…

Rarely do I use this blog for entries like these because it seems like more of personal journal entry than something to be public. But, in this case, it is part of me seeking to identify with other people’s experiences on that day and offer a word of hope, even on a day that is very solemn for many Americans.

2009-09-06T17:54:00.006-05:00

Vacation Pics

A couple of favorites...

Hubba hubba in a plastic lawn chair. I'm biased, but I think I have the cutest husband ever.

Alex on the sandy beach at Edward Lake in Minnesota.

Alex in the hammock swing.

Walking in the water with Daddy.

Happy splasher.

2009-08-26T12:39:00.005-05:00

Our Favorite Snack.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is our absolute favorite snack. We eat it with just about anything: raw veggies, pita bread, chips, you name it! Since we love it so much, I thought some of you might like the very simple recipe:

1 Roasted Red Pepper (directions for roasting your own are below, or you can use the jar stuff. Personally, I prefer the fresh roasted one, but up to you.)
1 can of chick peas/garbanzo beans
1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup Tahini (ground sesame seeds)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp garlic salt (to taste)

For Hummus:
Drain the chick peas and pour them into a food processor. (This could probably work in a blender, but I haven't tried it.) Add the tahini, lemon juice, and garlic salt. Puree the mixture until it's smooth. Scrape down the sides of the processor or blender, then add the red pepper. Puree again until it is well-blended. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Serve at room temperature.

To Roast your own red pepper:
Spray a 8x8 square pan or round pie pan with non-stick spray. Place the whole red pepper in the pan, broil on high. When the top side of the pepper is blackened and bubbly, turn it. You should evenly blacken every side. This process takes about 30 minutes. When the pepper is blackened, take it out and put it in an air tight container (Tupperware or a bowl tightly covered with foil or press 'n seal). Let it sit for about 30 minutes, until it is cooled and softened. Peel all the skin off, core, and seed the pepper, reserving the juices. Add the pieces of red pepper to the hummus and puree.

Yum! Even Alex loves it!

2009-08-24T21:23:00.006-05:00

The Schulz Family

Back in July I had the chance to photograph our good friends and fave bloggers, The Schulz Family. They were so gracious to participate in one of my little portrait practice sessions this summer. They are a very photogenic bunch, don't you think?

2009-08-20T19:59:00.002-05:00

Baby #2

This is our Baby #2's first of many, many photos.
We are grateful for new, healthy beginnings!

2009-08-17T15:40:00.001-05:00

2009-08-15T21:13:00.004-05:00

Interesting Thoughts on Health Reform...

This is a great article published this week in the Wall Street Journal. It's written by John Mackey, the co-founder and CEO of Whole Foods. I think this guy has some great common sense ideas about health care reform in America.

Wouldn't it be great if we ALL had the Whole Foods employee benefits?!

****

The Whole Foods Alternative to Obamacare

“The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out
of other people’s money.”

—Margaret Thatcher

With a projected $1.8 trillion deficit for 2009, several trillions more in deficits projected over the next decade, and with both Medicare and Social Security entitlement spending about to ratchet up several notches over the next 15 years as Baby Boomers become eligible for both, we are rapidly running out of other people’s money. These deficits are simply not sustainable. They are either going to result in unprecedented new taxes and inflation, or they will bankrupt us.

While we clearly need health-care reform, the last thing our country needs is a massive new health-care entitlement that will create hundreds of billions of dollars of new unfunded deficits and move us much closer to a government takeover of our health-care system. Instead, we should be trying to achieve reforms by moving in the opposite direction—toward less government control and more individual empowerment. Here are eight reforms that would greatly lower the cost of health care for everyone:

• Remove the legal obstacles that slow the creation of high-deductible health insurance plans and health savings accounts (HSAs). The combination of high-deductible health insurance and HSAs is one solution that could solve many of our health-care problems. For example, Whole Foods Market pays 100% of the premiums for all our team members who work 30 hours or more per week (about 89% of all team members) for our high-deductible health-insurance plan. We also provide up to $1,800 per year in additional health-care dollars through deposits into employees’ Personal Wellness Accounts to spend as they choose on their own health and wellness.

Money not spent in one year rolls over to the next and grows over time. Our team members therefore spend their own health-care dollars until the annual deductible is covered (about $2,500) and the insurance plan kicks in. This creates incentives to spend the first $2,500 more carefully. Our plan’s costs are much lower than typical health insurance, while providing a very high degree of worker satisfaction.

• Equalize the tax laws so that that employer-provided health insurance and individually owned health insurance have the same tax benefits. Now employer health insurance benefits are fully tax deductible, but individual health insurance is not. This is unfair.

• Repeal all state laws which prevent insurance companies from competing across state lines. We should all have the legal right to purchase health insurance from any insurance company in any state and we should be able use that insurance wherever we live. Health insurance should be portable.

• Repeal government mandates regarding what insurance companies must cover. These mandates have increased the cost of health insurance by billions of dollars. What is insured and what is not insured should be determined by individual customer preferences and not through special-interest lobbying.

• Enact tort reform to end the ruinous lawsuits that force doctors to pay insurance costs of hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. These costs are passed back to us through much higher prices for health care.

• Make costs transparent so that consumers understand what health-care treatments cost. How many people know the total cost of their last doctor’s visit and how that total breaks down? What other goods or services do we buy without knowing how much they will cost us?

• Enact Medicare reform. We need to face up to the actuarial fact that Medicare is heading towards bankruptcy and enact reforms that create greater patient empowerment, choice and responsibility.

• Finally, revise tax forms to make it easier for individuals to make a voluntary, tax-deductible donation to help the millions of people who have no insurance and aren’t covered by Medicare, Medicaid or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Many promoters of health-care reform believe that people have an intrinsic ethical right to health care—to equal access to doctors, medicines and hospitals. While all of us empathize with those who are sick, how can we say that all people have more of an intrinsic right to health care than they have to food or shelter?

Health care is a service that we all need, but just like food and shelter it is best provided through voluntary and mutually beneficial market exchanges. A careful reading of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution will not reveal any intrinsic right to health care, food or shelter. That’s because there isn’t any. This “right” has never existed in America

Even in countries like Canada and the U.K., there is no intrinsic right to health care. Rather, citizens in these countries are told by government bureaucrats what health-care treatments they are eligible to receive and when they can receive them. All countries with socialized medicine ration health care by forcing their citizens to wait in lines to receive scarce treatments.

Although Canada has a population smaller than California, 830,000 Canadians are currently waiting to be admitted to a hospital or to get treatment, according to a report last month in Investor’s Business Daily. In England, the waiting list is 1.8 million.

At Whole Foods we allow our team members to vote on what benefits they most want the company to fund. Our Canadian and British employees express their benefit preferences very clearly—they want supplemental health-care dollars that they can control and spend themselves without permission from their governments. Why would they want such additional health-care benefit dollars if they already have an “intrinsic right to health care”? The answer is clear—no such right truly exists in either Canada or the U.K.—or in any other country.

Rather than increase government spending and control, we need to address the root causes of poor health. This begins with the realization that every American adult is responsible for his or her own health.

Unfortunately many of our health-care problems are self-inflicted: two-thirds of Americans are now overweight and one-third are obese. Most of the diseases that kill us and account for about 70% of all health-care spending—heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and obesity—are mostly preventable through proper diet, exercise, not smoking, minimal alcohol consumption and other healthy lifestyle choices.

Recent scientific and medical evidence shows that a diet consisting of foods that are plant-based, nutrient dense and low-fat will help prevent and often reverse most degenerative diseases that kill us and are expensive to treat. We should be able to live largely disease-free lives until we are well into our 90s and even past 100 years of age.

Health-care reform is very important. Whatever reforms are enacted it is essential that they be financially responsible, and that we have the freedom to choose doctors and the health-care services that best suit our own unique set of lifestyle choices. We are all responsible for our own lives and our own health. We should take that responsibility very seriously and use our freedom to make wise lifestyle choices that will protect our health. Doing so will enrich our lives and will help create a vibrant and sustainable American society.

—Mr. Mackey is co-founder and CEO of Whole Foods Market Inc.

2009-08-15T10:53:00.006-05:00

Bye Bye, Cloth Diapers.

(This could be a bit gross for you non-mom readers who are not accustomed to discussing poop. Be forewarned!)

I've blogged several times about my love for cloth diapers and their wonderful money-saving potential. But, a couple of weeks ago, I had to say goodbye to the cloth. Now I am remembering how I touted the benefits and claimed that I might not "ever" use disposables - oh, if only I had known that pregnancy #2 was just around the corner!

Yep, pregnancy #2 has been filled with nausea, fatigue, and overall yuckiness. I decided that dumping baby poop in the toilet was just one thing I could do without. So I sucked it up and went to Target to plunk down a chunk of change for the disposables. And I have been in diaper heaven ever since.

Overall, I loved the cloth when Alex was younger. I will probably use them on Baby #2 for the first year too. But when baby poop becomes like big people poop, frankly, it's yucky. Real yucky. I know that all the cloth diaper blogs I read suggested that you will just dump the poop in the toilet and then put the diaper in the dirty bin. But you know what? My kid's poop never just plunked into the toilet. Ever. It usually involved shaking the diaper (which usually resulted in a poop-splatted toilet), or worse, dipping it in the toilet. Oh, and did I mention that my kid poops 3-5 times a day? (Yes...he's all boy.) Now, I was willing to handle this for a few months with a good attitude. But then when pregnancy came along, and I could smell the neighbors' chopped onions from 2 floors down - with the windows and doors closed! - I knew it was time to make a change concerning the diapers. My super sonic nose and my stomach simply refused to handle the cloth diaper situation. So we made a change. Now we are all happier and my toilet is clean.

So, this post is to give major kudos to all you real-deal cloth diapering moms. I tried. And I may try again. But honestly, I'll never measure up to all you gals who are willing do the really dirty work. Kudos to you Greenies and Money-Saving Mommies!