Monday Mommy Confession #27
Welcome to 2012 and a new year of Monday Mommy Confessions! Who knows what this year will bring and what laughable stories I will have to share with you all. Only time will tell. Today’s story is less than 24 hours old.
Confession: I am a sucker for Sammie’s big blue sleep eyes and little curly blond head snuggling into my neck.
Sammie has been cutting teeth again the last couple of days. Last night in particular was especially hard for her, keeping her from falling soundly asleep. She would wake up and cry out for me, sometimes falling back asleep on her own and sometimes needing daddy to go up and comfort her. When we were heading into our room to turn in for the evening she cried again and I decided it was time for some pain meds. I brought her into our room and gave her some meds and decided to keep her in with us for a little bit to snuggle (I covet snuggle time with my girls right now.) Then I started reading to her from my book for a little while until it was time to turn out the lights.
Of course by now she didn’t want to go back to her bed. She wanted to stay with me. And of course I obliged. I figured once she fell asleep I would carry her into her room and put her to bed, which I did. Only problem was she woke up and proceeded to cry off and on for the next ten minutes. Finally Joel woke up and went in to get her. We went a couple hours more with her in bed with us before Joel couldn’t take being kick any longer.
Joel carried her in and put her to bed with much better success than I had. I sung his praises when he came back in and we were able to sleep a couple more hours until Joel’s alarm went off at 6:30.
Thankfully my girls were kind enough to let me and let me sleep in this morning.
I wish I knew better. This happens with both girls every time, and yet I think the next time will be different.
When it’s all said and done, I will gladly be a sucker for their blue eyes, curly blonde hair and the sweetest, biggest smiles ever, any day of the week!
Anyone else’s kids have you wrapped around their little finger?
2012 Goals: Recipes
Along with reading and crafting goals, I am challenging myself in the kitchen as well. I figure if I try just one new skill or recipe per month (save April) I can overcome my fear of failure in the kitchen once and for all. Granted I have tried new recipes and different takes on recipes, but my biggest fear is waste. “What if it turns out badly and no one will eat it and I’ll have to throw the whole thing away or worse yet, I’ll have to suffer through eating all the leftovers myself because I can’t bring myself to throw it away?” That is over my friends! It has been a looong time since I have screwed something up so royally or picked such a terrible recipe that we had to scrap the whole meal. And even if it were a total flop, so what, you live and learn and do better next time.
With that, here is my list of skills/recipes for 2012 broken down into monthly goals:
January
Basic Bread Recipe
February
Cinnamon Raisin Bread
March
Homemade Crackers-Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it
April
Homemade Mustard-Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it
Homemade Ketchup-Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it
May
Homemade Soda-Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it (this one will be with the help of hubby since he’s the one who reeeally wants to try it!)
June
July
Homemade Salsa
August
Better then Panera Broccoli and Cheddar Soup
September
Homemade Tomato Sauce-Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it
October
Homemade Pie Crust Recipe
November
Homemade Pitas (I want to make Gyros)
December
Homemade Granola
BONUS
Homemade Runzas (once I get the bread thing down I will be whipping up a batch of these babies! I made them with my mother-in-law once but she had already made up the dough. They are so good and are great to keep in the freezer and pull out for a quick lunch or dinner!)
How about you, do you have any recipes you are dying to try? How about that culinary skill you need to suck it up and try? Share with us below and we’ll give you lots of encouragement!
I’m linking this to Monday’s Homestead Barn Hop!
2012 Goals-Crafting
With the aid of pinterest I have made myself a list of crafts I would like to try this year. I would like to consider myself a creative person, but over the last couple of years that creativity has taken a back burner to motherhood. Even though we will be adding a third little to the Terrell Clan, I am determined to keep up with my Goals and get back into the crafting game. There will always be something keeping me from it if I let it.
Here is my list broken down into monthly goals:
January
February
March
April
Grocery Bags from Recycled T-Shirts
May
June
Braided necklace from old shirts
July
August
September
October
November
December
Bonus
Do you have any craft projects you hope to tackle this year? Please share with us below! You never know when it will be just the project someone else has been looking for!
2012 Reading List Monthly Breakdown
I am a huge fan of Crystal over at Money Saving Mom. I’ve been following her blog since Emma was a little baby and I was trying to find ways to cut down our budget. Last year she listed her goals and books she wanted to read that year broken down by monthly goals. Since it worked so well for Crystal, I am going to try my hand at it. This is the year that I am going to get things done and not let fear stand in my way.
So here is my reading list broken down into monthly goals.
January
Skinny B*tch (Don’t judge, I didn’t make up the title. I’ve already started this and it has great straight forward nutritional information. I can’t say that I appreciate some of the language or the way they address the reader, but I do like the way they clearly explain things. Plus I think I only paid $1 at a garage sale for it. And Yes, I did change the “I” so that it wouldn’t be the whole word. That isn’t actually the way it reads on the book.)
February
March
April
The Simple Dollar: How One Man Wiped Out His Debts and Achieved the Life of His Dreams
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Books I’m going to read over the entire year
These are books that are more how-to’s or not chapter books.
The American Red Cross First Aid and Safety Handbook
Back to Basics: A complete Guide to Traditional Skills
The Complete Tightwad Gazette
I’m linking this to Money Saving mom’s My Goals for 2012
2012 Reading List
I received quite a few books for Christmas that were on my wish list so I am ready to get started devouring them. Actually, I’m already several chapters into 3 of them and I flipped through another. I want to read all the books that I got for Christmas, some books that I got through Amazon for free using the free kindle program on my computer, plus a few more that I have or still need to purchased. Also, I want to have a regular time set aside each day to read to the girls. We aren’t to the point of doing chapter books yet, but I’m able to ready longer stories and keep their attention.
I know this is a long list and for someone (meaning me) who finished two maybe three books last year it seems a little ridiculous, but I am determined to read a lot more this year and be more disciplined with my time. I am becoming far less interested in watching TV and using that time learning in one way or another or working on writing for my blog.
Books From Christmas
Miserly Moms (I’m doing a bit of skimming in some sections of the book since a lot of this stuff I already know or is outdated.)
The Complete Tightwad Gazette (there are 3 volumes total so there is a lot of info to go through. I think I will ready a little each day and spread it out over the entire year)
Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits and Vegetables
Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it-And other cooking projects (This is a recipe book that Joel and I have already flipped through. I love that she describes how each food actually tastes. There are several recipes that I want to try in the next few months)
Back to Basics: A complete Guide to Traditional Skills (This one won’t be a cover to cover read, but more of a flip through and see what all is included and what we could learn sooner than later. Really it’s a reference book.)
Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners
How to Dry Foods: The Complete Guide to Drying Foods at Home
The American Red Cross First Aid and Safety Handbook (This will be a book I read throughout the year as well)
Books on Kindle
The Simple Dollar: How One Man Wiped Out His Debts and Achieved the Life of His Dreams
Organizing for a Fresh Start: Embracing Your Next Chapter in Life (This one is still currently free for Kindle)
Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives
Calm My Anxious Heart: A Woman’s Guide to Finding Contentment
Other Books
Entreleadership: 20 Years of Practical Business Wisdom from the Trenches
Skinny B*tch (Don’t judge, I didn’t make up the title. I’ve already started this and it has great straight forward nutritional information. I can’t say that I appreciate some of the language or the way they address the reader, but I do like the way they clearly explain things. Plus I think I only paid $1 at a garage sale for it. And Yes, I did change the “I” so that it wouldn’t be the whole word. That isn’t actually the way it reads on the book.)
Note-All of the book links are through my Amazon.com affiliate program. All the books were chosen by me without any outside influence.
I’m going to break down these lists of books so that I have smaller goals. I’ll post that once I have it done.
What’s on your reading list for 2012? Do you plan on adding any of these books to your list?
Monday Mommy Confession #26
Butter, butter, who’s got the butter? I’ll tell you who, it’s Sammie J!
Most of the time I enjoy being able to just let my girls run around and play without me hovering, especially around dinner time when I am trying to get things all put together and on the table. I thought I was doing great the other night when I had the table settings stacked on the porch table as well as any condiments we would need. I was finishing up the food in the kitchen when Emma comes in and informs me that Sammie was in the butter-Great. At the worst I thought she had poked her finger in it.
I didn’t expect this:
It took everything in me to keep from laughing! I went back into the living room and grabbed the camera to capture the moment. I snapped a couple of pictures to preserve the memory and hollered at my dad to come down and see. I warned him when he got to the bottom of the stairs to do his best NOT to laugh. I’ve learned my lesson. I won’t put an almost brand new stick of butter on the table unsupervised!
I had to crop down the picture since we were attempting potty training that week and she was bottomless so you don’t quite get the full scope of everythings. Oh well, it makes a great family picture!
Do you have any funny stories or pictures you’ve recorded to embarrass, um humble, uh share with your children when they get older?
Monday Mommy Confession #25
I’m just going to say this upfront. This is a really weird confession, and when I realized I was doing this I thought maybe I was losing it Juuuust a little bit. So here it goes.
More times then I would care to admit I have stood by my bed ready to get in and looked around the bed like I was missing something.; and every time it dawns on me that I am looking for my “blanky”. First of all, no I don’t actually have a blanky. Night after night we do the blanky search for our girls and apparently it has rubbed off on my bed time as well. I’m hoping that this will pass soon, because every time it happens I just think to myself “really, again?”
So I hope this brought a smile and maybe a little chuckle for you!
Happy Monday ya’ll!
Monday Mommy Confession #24
One word-PROCRASTINATION.
Ya, that’s me. Leave it to me to put off something that takes sixty seconds. And when I say put it off, I mean, like, two months. I. am. pathentic.
It all started when my lovely daughter, dunked Woody’s head into her older sisters pee in the potty chair. Ya, the joys of motherhood. I put him up and told the girls he needed to be cleaned. He sat next the sink for two whole months.
I finally got him cleaned and the girls have been carrying him everywhere.
Everyone was happy in the end, but really, I think I can do better than two months.
Monday Mommy Confession #23
God is in the little things. And I mean itsy bitsy, tiny things.
But first, the confession. I am an equal chewer. Not with everything, but with a lot of things. What is an equal chewer you ask? Well, it someone who “needs” to chew equally on both sides of the mouth. Or have equal numbers of an item on either side of the mouth like raisins or peanuts. If there is only three left some will only eat two and throw the third away, while others, like me, will bit the third in half and divide it between the two sides.
Some call this Obsessive compulsive; I think it just means I like things symmetrical!
And now on to the God in the little things part. Last week my brother was over for a visit. While we were sitting chatting I opened a snack sized bag of peanut M & M’s and dumped them into my hand. I immediately started grabbing the first two of the same color (did I mention I also have to eat like colors. No mixing of the colors her people!). I ate the first two and looked down at my hand to find the next two when I realized that all six of the remaining M & M’s had matches AND were sitting next to their color partner! I had not rearranged them people. They dumped out of the bag that way. I stopped the conversation dead in its tracks and exclaimed to my brother “Do you see this!” He then admitted that he had noticed earlier but wasn’t going to say anything. Each pair was a different color, four pairs in total. Seriously, it made my afternoon! I know I am ridiculous, but I am who I am so take it or leave it!
Do you have a fun obsession you are willing to admit to us? Surely I can’t be the ONLY one!
‘Making’ Christmas Special 2011
I’m starting a new series that hopefully I will see through. This year I am planning to make most of the girls’ gifts plus various gifts for friends and family.
I have been taking a hard look at what’s important to me and with every day that passes I am drawn less and less to things. It is more important to me that my kids are fed well, are warm, are learning to love and respect others and the what’s around them, and that they learn each day new ways that Jesus loves and impacts their lives and how to turn around and do the same. Now if I come across an item that can help me do that (for instance the 10 cup food processor that I bought myself with birthday money-yea for homemade apple sauce!) then I will ask for it or buy it with birthday money.
In the same way, if there is a particular item that I know someone would really enjoy or appreciate I am more than willing to get it for them. However, I don’t like just picking up something shiny and new for them just because. I would rather save them the hassle of returning it or finding a place for it and make them something they can use or something that I know will hold sentimental value for them.
Giving gifts is about showing someone how special they are to you and blessing them beyond expectation (don’t read $$, read thoughtfulness).
That’s enough of my ranting. Here’s a rough list of the gifts I am making my girls:
A winter scarf-I’m crocheting them
A bear bank-Made from recycled Animal cracker containers
Building blocks- made from recycled cardboard egg cartons
Baby doll clothes and diapers-made from old clothes I’ve kept because I liked the fabric
If I can get all of that done in the next month and a half I will be delighted.
Wish me luck!
Here’s a couple of links to gifts I’ve made or assembled in past years.
Money Saving Mom