[Recipe] Freezer French Toast Sticks

Or as my toddler calls them, French Sticks, are a popular weekend breakfast.

Ingredients

• 1 loaf Texas toast
• 10 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• butter

Instructions

1. Mix together the eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon.
2. Heat griddle to a medium-low temperature and heat butter on top of griddle.
3. Put slices of bread into the egg mixture and place onto the griddle until griddle is full.
4. Cook on each side until browned. Remove and set on a plate. Repeat cooking steps until all are done. 
5. Lay them out on a cutting board & use a pizza cutter to slice them into about 4 sticks.

To freeze: Lay cooked sticks on a greased cookie sheet such that the sticks aren’t touching. Freeze for at least a couple of hours. Then put in a freezer bag. 

To serve: microwave for about 20 seconds or longer if you have a bunch on the plate.

Find Your Essentials

Over the past 5 years I've followed a handful of personal financial bloggers in and around my age group, because I could relate or liked how they approached things. However, as my life changes with having kids and their needs, living in a different location, their tips or ideas become more unrelatable or they have become too outspoken that it's hard to stay focused on what brought you to following them.

So many budgeting apps & tips have become very strong opinions of how to spend your money that it drives me nuts. I love the visual of using budgeting apps. And yes, I have beliefs on setting my budget. But no one's budget is quite the same, their situation is a bit different.

Big ones are:

• Don't go out to eat, buy coffee, etc. (latte factor)
• Pay only with cash.
• Cut out non-essentials.
• Don't get a credit card.

I do budget, but dude my mental health needs to be good too. Coffee is something I find essential, so I am going to get it. Paying with cash only loses out on interest rewards I can get by using my debt & credit cards. I find coffee as an essential & my husband finds cable to watch sporting events as essential (cheaper than going somewhere else to watch them & have to buy food & drinks to be there). Don't get a credit card? Time value of money!! I pay it off when it's due, but during that period I have the money in savings gaining interest & I am also getting credit card rewards. So sorry, going to use it. 

All I'm saying is budget to you & your needs. Know your level & keep your sanity, don't cut yourself down so much you never have fun!

Choosing to Focus

This year, this pregnancy, this infanthood, however I want to put it. I chose to focus more on myself. And my immediate family.

I wanted to find happiness in what I had, less thought on what others thought of me or my parenting, or my kids. I wanted to work to find this calm before the 2nd kid arrived, because I wanted to feel confident in my life & abilities before I had another one come and more opinions thrown my way. I wanted to prevent postpartum anxiety & depression. Knowing I couldn't completely prevent it, but to do my best to help myself.

To get here, I needed to be able to self reflect. Be able to admit when I was overwhelmed or attempting to do too much. Accepting that I can't do everything and that I can't please everyone. Accept that some people will do things differently than you and give you unsolicited advice. Learning how to manage that and being able to shrug it off is key.

I attempted to 'clean' my social media. I cut back on who I am connected to, I don't need to see everything everyone is doing, if it's someone I interact with more closely, I kept them. If not, I removed them. I don't need to see what they're constantly doing & thinking what I am doing is inadequate.

I needed to embrace myself, both a person & a mother, self doubt can be a rough place to be, but I needed to feel confident that I was doing what is right for myself and family. So sometimes that's doing what others are doing while other times it's not. Sometimes I just have to say 'no' to something and give myself time alone or just with my immediate family. This means, days on the weekends where we just play all day, leaving all the chores for another day. Or taking a day off just for myself or spend a random day with my kids. Who cares, it can be completely unplanned & fun!

I'm choosing to focus on me & my life and to have less concern on what others think or do. And it's awesome!

Toddler Breakfast - Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

Mornings can be a little rough in our house, because let's me honest there aren't really any morning people in our house, except maybe my husband. But I've found the best way to combat rough toddler mornings is with food, he's usually hungry right away. And because breakfast is at daycare, I don't like to make him a full breakfast, but this muffin recipe has saved many mornings. It is a quick & simple recipe & is healthier than other options. I love have a bag of mini muffins in the freezer, grabbing one or few & popping them in the microwave & satisfying the morning beast before we head out the door!

Oatmeal Blueberry Applesauce Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/4 cups oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375˚ F.
2. Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray -- we use a mini muffin pan.
3. In a large bowl combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a medium bowl, combine applesauce, yogurt, brown sugar, canola oil and egg.
4. Make a well in dry ingredients and add the applesauce mixture. Stir until just moist. Fold in blueberries.
5. Fill muffin pan about 2/3 or so full.
6. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin from the middle of the tray comes out clean.
7. If you’re freezing them, allow the muffins to cool, then pop them into a ziploc bag & freeze.
8. Microwave them for about 30 seconds out the freezer & their ready to eat.

I am Beyond Grateful

I am beyond grateful that I have 2 happy and healthy children.

I am beyond grateful we are able to support them.

I am beyond grateful I was able to spend 12 weeks home with my 2nd.

I am beyond grateful for the job I have and co-workers I have. 

I am beyond grateful for my family.

I am beyond grateful for the relationships I have with my siblings. 

------------------

This is list could continue, but that's not really information you need to know, but it does lay the groundwork for creating a positive mindset. 

I think far too often we start to focus on the negative and forget what we have. While I could be sad that other pregnancies ended in miscarriage or stressed by the poorer relationships in my life. I have chosen to find the good. 

Mental health is so vital in your life & relationships that you can't just let it go. The longer you neglect it the further you get buried and fighting out of it is hard. I have been in that low spot and I don't want to go back. There are times it rears it's ugly head and I have let it slip back in, but I don't like the feeling afterwards. Being able to see the good in the situation or looking at the other side of a situation will change your mindset. Don't just look for the negatives or what ifs. Think about the positives and look at the future. You can't change your past, you can't focus on your regrets - these do nothing for you. BE PRESENT.

I am not saying this is 100% my mindset these days, because it's not. It's a daily battle, but man, when I can embrace it, my outlook is better & mood is happier. 

If you want to work on your mental health, I will happily support you and join you on your journey. I challenge you to start small - every night before you fall asleep remind yourself of a few things you are grateful for that day. 

Yep, Still Prego!

If the last month of anticipation & the body changes aren't enough, having people asking you if you've had the baby the entire month will do you in. Seriously.

If you are anything like me, you're patience are pretty much toasted because you are uncomfortable, tired & full of asking yourself when you think the baby is coming. Not to mention, you may be dealing with a toddler (or other kids) running around your house demanding your attention.

I know for me, it was definitely easier waiting on the 1st one, I'm not sure why, but probably cause it was more unknown. This time around I remember bits & pieces of how I felt and then I think I am getting close and another week passes & here I am. But I have to remind myself, little man only came 2 days early, so we are just hitting that. Evidently, I need to remind others of that too.

I understand people get excited, as do I. But I don't recall myself texting my cousins or others asking if the baby has come yet. I think to myself 'hmmm, they must be getting close' or 'oh they never opened my snap...I wonder...", but I will in no way ask the mom-to-be if they baby is there. She is uncomfortable, exhausted & full of her own concerns & anticipation, she doesn't need me harassing her too!

So yes, I'm still prego. If you are on the short list for the announcement, please respect the mom-to-be and don't ask on repeat. She or dad will let you know when the day comes, let them enjoy or relax on their final days before it the new addition comes.

Taco Pasta

This quick pasta has been a hit at our house from the youngest to the oldest everyone eats! And it makes me happy cause it doesn't take much time!

Ingredients

• 2 cups or so of pasta shells
• 1 pound of ground beef
• 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning (or 1 packet)
• 3/4 cup of water
• 1 cup of salsa
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Cook pasta shells
2. Brown ground beef & drain fat
3. Add taco season & water to meat & cook until water evaporates
4. Add in pasta, cheese & salsa
5. Stir to mix & cheese melts

Schedule vs. Routine

I recently read something that made a quick explanation between a schedule & a routine and I immediately was like yes!!!

• A schedule has times, times that must be hit to make it successful. Times that cause stress when you miss it.
• A routine is a pattern of things that happen but don't have a specific time they must be done, it allows flexibility.

When you enter parenthood, you start to use these words 'schedule' 'routine' in your regular conversations. But they shouldn't be used interchangeable.

There are the parents that are stuck on a time schedule, baby must eat at these times, sleep at these times...blah, blah, blah. It leaves little flexibility for unplanned events, times when something is out of your control and it starts to raise anxiety in them. Which as a parent isn't good, let's be honest the babe probably can't tell until it senses something different in the parent. Ride it out.

With a routine, there is flexibility in the time. Babe knows rocking with a bottle and jammies is right before bed, doesn't matter the time. And so much less stress on the parent when they day has been hectic.

Okay, truth I was a little OCD on certain activities and times for the first part of my little guy's life. It took me a while to realize it didn't matter if bedtime was varied by 20 mins because something threw us off, or if we had to push bath time back a day. It happens life is hectic, babe doesn't realize it, they just want you to be there and love them. And if you are stressed you aren't full there for them.

Just a fresh perspective on your day - are you a schedule or a routine?

Starting The New Year

It's been a while since I have written, like truly written. I do find it to be something that allows me to get my thoughts out, but 2017 was busy and good in so many ways while also being a bit gray and emotional test as well.

Being a mom for the 1st time is beautiful & ugly. You're learning something new at the same time you are doing it. No manual, but so many opinions coming at you on how 'they' used to do it, or your own thoughts questioning you the entire time. It's tough. It's draining. And you will get through it. And learn many new lessons and so much more about who you are. It tests your relationships and how you are able to respond says a lot about you.

Looking back at 2017, I have reflected on low areas, the high areas & the relationships. While I wish I could have handled certain parts better, I wouldn't change them because they have led me to where I am now and the ability to recognize it and grow from it. At the end of 2017, I took some steps towards making 2018 a less stressed & happier year. And set some goals to do so.

~Reduce the Comparisons
So many of us get caught in the rut of so & so got this or so & so's kid did this. Why do this to ourselves? As a parent, I found myself doing this far too much with people who had a kid the same age as my son & it wasn't productive! And it just causes you stress. Social media hasn't helped this. I have slowly started eliminating people I follow or am connected with, if I don't regularly interact with them I don't need to follow them nor do they need to see what my family is up to. Every family has their own style and every kid develops differently.

~Reduce Electronic Time
I didn't read a book in 2017. This is odd for me. Well, I read many, many children's books because I do find reading with my little to be important and he loves it too. Many times I'd find him either flipping through a book by himself or bringing us books to read. In 2018, I want to reduce my mindless scrolling of social sites (which should help with less connections) and do something more relaxing and eye saving and just read a book, enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, or even sit in silence. It's about disconnecting.

~Create Time for Myself
This is so so hard as a mom & so so critical. I didn't do well at this within the little man's first year & am looking to improve it. As a working parent you only have a set amount of time with them in a week & you want to take advantage of the time you have and not give it away by going away for 'me time' or on a date night. But it is critical for your health - focusing here on your mental health. One for sure time I get is grocery time, I may wander the aisles a bit longer, get myself a coffee & sit in my car enjoying silence, but it's a reset I need!

~Being a Do-er more than a Say-er
So many people talk about how they're going to do this or that. But then never do it. Don't say I'm going to start walking or running to make yourself sound like a dedicated exercise person, because if you don't do it you're word starts to drop. Or say we should meet up, but then never reach out to someone. If you have no plans to do something, don't say it. There is a reason there are so many sayings out there that say something related to "I don't trust words, I trust actions". Let's be honest if you aren't doing the small things like saying you're going to start walking more and then don't, how can you be trusted in big things. My plans include reducing the talk & seeing more action. If I don't to do something, I'll let you know.

If I look at my plans for the year it looks like it's focusing on being a better me, aka. it looks like a self-help book. However, if I am not helping myself, I can't fully be there for other people. Your own health and happiness is critical in all your relationships and if you aren't working on those along the way your relationships will suffer. So, yes, they may be focused on 'me' but in the larger scheme they are base I need to grow my relationships.

Nursery Furniture

To finish off the nursery, I wanted to redo some furniture that we had. The changing table was the hardest to come with. My mom & I pinned a bunch of different options before finally determining the desk was the right option. I brought home a ton of paint samples and eventually went with Bermuda Bay. I love my mint green, but knew it wasn't quite right, so had thought about teal before finding this color which is kind of a mix of both.

We sanded down the old furniture we had and then painted, 3 coats later it was essentially done. I tried to polyurethane over the paint to make it shine and easier to clean and that was a failure. Luckily I had just done the drawers of the desk. Turns out if you try to do that with old wood it pulls what I can the wood oil and gives it a yellowy tint and definitely not what I wanted. So sanded down the drawers and repainted them. All was good.

Then I found new knobs for both that matched each other so they now look like a set, because they were far from a set when we started!

Here's the picture report:

Restored Country Style Table

I love country style tables & Greg hated the table we had because it was too short for him to fit his legs under. So began my obsessive pinning of country style tables and plans to have someone (preferably the little bro) build it for me this summer. Well lucky for him I spotted one on a for sale group that had good potential. I made my father-in-law & hubs drive up with me in the wind & rain to take a look and pick it up. It fit Greg well and 3-5 tarp wraps later we were cruising back to our house.

The table sat in our garage for a bit waiting to get it's facelift. The plan was to sand it down, reinforce weak areas in the legs and table top as well as fill in some of the cracks. Then stain and polyurethane it. All went very smoothly.

Suggestions for supplies:

• Electric detail sander
• Minwax stainable wood filler
• Minwax gel stain (this stuff is awesome, it goes on easy & you truly just need a small can!)
• Minwax polyurethane - gloss/high gloss (read the gel stain can to get suggestions on which one & gloss will wipe assist in wiping the table off.)

My mom was a trooper doing this, I had ideas, but this far into pregnancy wasn't really able to help much. She sanded, stained & polyed it all. We do suggest multiple layers of poly to make sure it is solidly covered and can handle being wiped off. 

Then I had to find some chairs to match. At 1st I was thinking of trying to match the wood, but a suggestion from a friend to do a solid color & not match changed my mind. So I looked for darker chairs that actually match our kitchen island stools. Couldn't be happier with the results!

Sanded & ready to stain

Half stained

Ready to go!

Prepping for Baby

We've officially had a baby shower and are in the homestretch. I am not a huge fan of showers, I hate having all the focus on me, I know it's friends and family that are happy for you, but boy is it out of my comfort zone.

But my sister put together an awesome shower and am grateful to have the love, support & gracious gifts of my family & friends.

Up until now I knew I was getting bigger and the baby was there, but with all the things filling up the nursery it is now sinking in that this is real. And we will have a little one joining us soon. We are in the 'safe' zone of this pregnancy.

After the shower, I used some of the decorations and gifts to get the nursery decorated. I started pulling things out of boxes and trying to organize. It blows me away how many items a baby uses at the start of life and what will be used during their development through the 1st year of life. It is incredible how far they come, how much their personality will change and how it will change you as a person.

Every night and on the weekends, I have been leaving the nursery room door open to allow the cat and dog to come in & sniff around. I don't want them to be locked out of it and reach shock when we introduce a new family member. The cat is currently in love with the stroller and the dog loves one of the super soft blankets. Sadie also feels the need to know where I am at all times, she makes sure she knows where I am before she takes her naps which is typically right next to me on the floor. Her dog senses are kicking in and she's protecting me and the baby, pretty sure she's going to be a good fur sister. And I also sense she will know when I am in labor before I do.

I can't say my nesting has hit in full effect, but I definitely have decided to have the nursery ready and also my hospital bag. If I am anything like my mom there is a chance we will be going early and I don't really want to have to have a neighbor pack my bag the 1st time like she did! :)

Reading Nook

Never stop the dreams, little one.

Backyard Refresh

Well it was a long time coming. We planned to get the fence & deck stained & repainted early in the spring but rain & work schedules haulted that plan. So after a couple months of storing all the paint & stain the garage we can say it's done! My mom & dad took on the deck with the thickest paint I've ever seen...specifically deck paint so makes sense. While Greg took on the fence...the whole fence...in one day. I believe he now regrets the one dat thing but boy does it look good!

After nearly 2 years of dogs running across the decktop a the paint makes it look brand new. And the fence took on its first stain well. It's amazing what a coat of paint  or stain can do to give it all a facelift.

Glucose Test

Okay, this was one test I was nervous about, not that I would have Gestational Diabetes, but that it wasn't a fun test.

From what I had heard it was a long test, the drink was awful and I'd probably get sick or lightheaded from it.

Wrong.

The fruit punch we had in Bible School all through elementary school definitely had more sugar in it than the fruit punch glucose drink I had to drink.

I made sure I didn't over carb before the test and just had a bit of fruit before I headed in. Took one sip of the drink & was shocked that it wasn't a thick syrup of sugar gross-ness.

The only part that kind of stunk was sitting in the waiting room for an hour until I could have my blood drawn. The rest was a piece of cake.

Everyone reacts differently, but this is definitely not anything to get worked up about! :)

Freezer Meals Round 2

We did another round of freezer meals about a month ago. We wanted to try a different group with a better mixture of tastes. So far, they've been great...and by that I only have 1 left in my freezer and I am ready to go again!

We again doubled the list to make a batch for me & a batch for my mom. We spent under $200 & made 24 meals!

Here's your grocery & recipe list!

6+ months coffee free

Yes, it's true. The girl who typically drank from a coffee mug as big as my head hasn't had coffee in over 6 months. The day I discovered I was pregnant again, I had poured myself a cup of coffee and an hour later it was still just as full because I couldn't stand the taste of it. Then as the pregnancy progressed the smell of brewing coffee made me gag. So lucky for me, I didn't have to go through the caffeine headaches as I stopped drinking coffee cold turkey & lucky for the baby, they don't have to deal with the jolt of the limited amount of caffeine I could have had from coffee.

In the fall, the 1st thing I wanted after my miscarriage was a hot steamy coffee, something I had missed over those 9 weeks. It was the the symbol of the end of the pregnancy. I could have coffee.

This pregnancy, I'm good leaving it alone. At first it was easy, but as I started to feel better and it didn't make me gag, I was like I could have a decaf. But I've held out, I don't need it to survive, and to me holding out is now the symbol of the healthy and continuing pregnancy I am going through.

Will I need it after the baby is born? Will it even taste good anymore? I don't know. I'm sure I'll need caffeine at times, but hey it may be something that changes.

Mother's Day Brunch - [Recipe]!

I wanted to something different for my mom & mother-in-law this Mother's Day becuase it is the last one before they are grandmas. So I had this French Toast bake at a friend's house a few weeks ago and then discovered it came from one of my favorite blogs & knew it was what I needed to make them.

So I planned a Mother's Day brunch a day early so they could celebrate with our grandma's on Mother's Day. It was a hit & fun to have our moms over for brunch!

Blueberry French Toast Bake

Ingredients
1 loaf of french or sourdough bread
4 eggs
2 cups milk
2 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon (I added a bit more)
1/2 cup of fresh blueberries

Directions
Grease a glass baking dish and line the sliced bread. Layer the bread so it overlaps just slightly, but not so much that it doesn't cook evenly. In a small bowl, mix together egg, milk, vanilla & cinnamon. Pour over bread evenly. Sprinkle blueberries on top, cover & place in fridge overnight.

To bake, remove cover & place in oven at 350 degrees for about 40 mins. You'll want to check it towards the end so it doesn't get overly crispy.

Dress with a dusting of powdered sugar & serve with maple syrup. Enjoy!

Why I Don't Care to Know the Gender

As my little brother says, "with technology these days, why wouldn't you find out the gender?"

Short Answer: I don't want to, it won't change if I have the baby or not or if I love them or not. Same with the genetic testing, I don't care, and I don't need to know.

Long Answer: Why does it matter that I know?

It doesn't change how I carry the pregnancy, I still have a baby growing inside of me, it's kicking, I've been sick, I go to my appointments, I follow the diet, I grow out of my clothes, etc.

I don't plan to paint my nursery pink or blue, I want it to be neutral. I plan to have more kids, so why would I want a room I am going to have to paint over & over again?

I don't want to have a shower where I get 57 headbands for my little girl. I want to have a shower that would provide me with things I actually NEED to have a kid and kids in the future.

I don't want my kid defined by their gender color, pink or blue. I am not a big fan of pink, so I don't want them dressed in their gender's commercially assigned color. I want to have it open, let them decide if they want to be a princess or an outdoorsmen on their own.

I don't want to have a name picked out that I am calling the unborn child, sure we have names we like but maybe they just won't fit when I see the new baby. I don't want to be calling my stomach, Shania or Jim, Baby O. suits it just fine.

I like the sense of not knowing, it doesn't change how I am feeling through the pregnancy, the unknown is just part of becoming a parent. How they will behave is unknown, how it will change me is unknown, why not just relax and live with the unknown.

My love for them will not change if they are a boy or a girl, Greg's love for them will not change. We enjoy the mystery and don't think we'll change in the future either.

ADDITION: This came up on my Facebook feed this morning, I fully agree with this post: http://www.scarymommy.com/not-find-out-boy-or-girl/

[Recipe] Honey Chicken

A quick 30 minute recipe that has become an easy go-to for us over the last few years. (Sorry not picture this time, you'll just have to trust it tastes good!)

Ingredients:
1 pound chicken breast
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup chopped onion (or 1/16 cup onion flakes)
1/8 cup ketchup
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Instructions:

1. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces, put into a baking dish (that has a lid).
2. Season the chicken with the salt & pepper. Mix to help cover the pieces. 
3. In a separate bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic & pepper flakes. 
4. Pour the liquid mixture over the chicken.
5. Bake at 350 degrees, stirring every 10 mins until the chicken is cooked through. It typically is 30 mins, but based on the size of chicken pieces we have had to go to 40 minutes.

Life Changes Quickly

Well, as quickly as life shuts a door another is opened. While drinking a cup of coffee in December that I could barely gag down, I realized I may be pregnant again. I didn't know what to do, I was still freaked out and emotions were still whacked by the miscarriage. As the weeks went by I finally was able to step out of the denial of being pregnant again enough to call the doctor's office to make an appointment.

I have switched offices, and let me state from the 1st appointment on, I have felt more welcomed, comfortable and informed at my new office than I did at the last one. This time we actually told our family members earlier, I wanted to have a support system around me if anything happened again, I didn't want that alone feeling.

We had our initial ultrasound and the heartbeat was very strong, I just wanted to keep listening. It was such a change compared to the last ultrasound I had seen. The weeks continued, my stress level between appointments remained, those 4 weeks in between were tough because I didn't know what was happening. The one thing I could find ease in was being nauseous and sick for 15 weeks, I knew if I was sick, things must be continuing to progress. While I no way enjoyed it, I found comfort in it.

Just before we hit 20 weeks, I started to feel the movements, another great ease in my mind. Probably more ease than the monthly appointments listening to the heartbeat, because this could be felt daily. Then the 2nd ultrasound made it more real with new measurements and images.

As the weeks progress and we long to meet the little one in August, I find comfort in the kicks that keep me awake. And treasure the exhaustion more than I may have before.