Menu Plan Monday

Plan A -Have the baby so people will bring me meals.

Plan B - Scrounge around to see what I can find. Avoid going to the grocery store by myself with two kiddos at all costs. Maybe convince Dave to take us out to eat one night.

And here's my to-do-list for the week -
Plan A - Have baby

Plan B - Survive

Hope everyone has a great week!

Let the Festivities Begin

My brother Phillip was home for a long weekend, and we celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas while he was here. This was the first of many Christmas celebrations, which will continue all the way until Dave's parents come around New Year's. Anyway, here are some pictures.

Give Thanks

Psalm 136 (English Standard Version)

¹ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
²Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
³Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

⁴to him who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁵to him who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁶to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁷to him who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁸the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁹the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

¹⁰to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹¹and brought Israel out from among them,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹²with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹³to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁴and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁵but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁶to him who led his people through the wilderness,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

¹⁷to him who struck down great kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁸and killed mighty kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁹Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
²⁰and Og, king of Bashan,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
²¹and gave their land as a heritage,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
²²a heritage to Israel his servant,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

²³It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
²⁴and rescued us from our foes,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
²⁵he who gives food to all flesh,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

²⁶Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

Playing with Playdough, Putting up the Christmas Tree, and Preparing for Baby

Yesterday morning, I got the oil changed in the van along with a free wash and vacuum. I also finished shopping for stocking stuffers and picked up one of Dave's Christmas presents at Borders.

Meanwhile Dave and the kids had fun with play dough among other activities.
After lunch, we put up the Christmas decorations. I think the tree may be a little bottom heavy this year.


Dave even got the outside lights put up and all the boxes put back up in the attic.

This morning, the kids helped me clean upstairs. Alexa and I also sorted through a big bin of girl's clothes. Dave got the oil changed in his car today and did some Christmas shopping of his own. This afternoon I worked on finishing up my lesson plans and grading for the rest of December.

So, the pre-baby checklist is almost finished. My brother is home until Sunday and would love to meet his new niece, but I'm not holding my breath that she will come by then.

I Can't Think of a Good Post Title

Here are the cuties who woke me up way too early Saturday morning.
Since I was up, I decided to make a double batch of waffles for the freezer. We spent Saturday puttering around the house, doing some laundry, and trying to decide if Alexa was feeling any better. She seemed to be doing okay, so Dave and I went out on a date Saturday night as planned, while Molly and Nick kept the kids.

First, we went to see New Moon at the theater. It was good, but we were reminded why we usually watch movies in the comfort of our own home. Movies are SO expensive, and so is the popcorn. And no one will pause the movie in a theater for the pregnant woman who has to go the bathroom. And the chairs really aren't that comfortable. Anyway, after the movie, we had dinner at Ippolito's, which was very yummy! It's not often that I can talk Dave into Italian food, but they had calzones on the menu, so he had one of those.

Sunday morning, we met the kids at church when we got there. I'm not sure they particularly noticed our arrival, but I suppose they were happy to see us.

Dave is off of school for the week, so he kept the kids Monday morning while I went to the doctor and did a few errands. He got the Nintendo hooked up and let Caleb try his hand at Duck Hunt. The Nintendo is probably over 20 years old, but it still works and apparently can still keep kids entertained.


In baby news, I have been having contractions off and on since Friday, so something is definitely happening. I got my hospital bag packed and the bassinet set up yesterday, so now pretty much all is left is for the baby to decide to come.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday - Hamburgers, hotdogs, oven fries, carrots with dip

Tuesday - Monterey chicken, rice, asparagus

Wednesday - Eggs, bacon, pancakes

Thursday - Turkey and stuff, bringing pecan pie and macaroni and cheese

Friday - Homemade pizza, salad

Saturday - ?

Sunday - ?

Sick Baby Girl

Last night around 3:00 a.m., I heard Alexa wailing from her room. So I did what any good mom would do and woke her daddy up to go check on her. He settled her back down and came back to bed. A bit later, she started crying again, so I went to check on her this time. Then later Dave got up AGAIN and brought her to bed with us. She made herself comfy on my pillow for awhile, giving me and my huge belly about 4 inches of space to sleep on. She was still restless and whiny, so I finally took her downstairs and popped in a movie. Eventually, close to two hours after we had first been wakened, she asked to go back to bed. She had a bit of a cold recently, so I decided to give her some Motrin before I put her in bed in case her throat or ears were hurting. After putting her in bed, I was starving, so I had a bowl of cereal and checked my e-mail. I got back in bed but did not fall asleep before it was time for Dave to get up for work. Once he left, I did fall back into a VERY deep sleep.

Fast forward to 7:30, when Caleb walked into my room and said, "Why are you still sleeping, Mommy? It's sunny today." I told him to go potty and then he climbed into bed with me to watch TV while I woke up. Alexa slept until I woke her up 9:00 a.m., which is unheard of for her. She told me that one ear hurt and the other was okay. So I tried to call the pediatrician, but there were 17 calls ahead of me. I didn't have time to wait on hold because we had somewhere that we needed to be at 10:00.

We ran our errands and came home. Alexa was a bit grumpy while we were gone, but not too bad. When we got home, though, she completely fell apart. So I decided to call the doctor again. They did not have any more appointments for today, but the nurse called back and said they would work her in at 2:00, which of course is right in the middle of her naptime. I made lunch quickly so I could feed her and put her down for a short, early nap before her appointment. She was too grumpy to even eat lunch, so I gave her some more Motrin and put her down for a nap.

I had to wake her up around 1:30 and give her lunch in the car so we could get to her appointment. We actually got called back pretty quickly. She was acting completely fine by this point, probably due to the Motrin and nap. The doctor checked her first ear and said it was fine. But when he checked the ear she had been complaining about, he did find an ear infection. So I'm glad I did decided to take her in. He prescribed her an antibiotic (her first that I can remember), ear drops, and a cough medicine. We went to CVS after the doctor and got her prescriptions filled.

When we got home, she ate a snack and happily played outside, but by dinner time, she was losing it again. She begged to go to bed, so we put her down at 6:15. So I am heading to bed soon as well because I'm sure she will wake me up bright and early tomorrow.

Best Seat in the House

Most Friday nights, we like to watch a movie with the kids and have popcorn. After Caleb finished his popcorn tonight, this is where he decided to sit to watch the rest of the movie.

Yes, We Are Still Alive Again

I was doing so great with blogging last week but have kinda slacked off again this week. So, here's what we have been up to.

Monday we finished up our school week about "L" is for leaves by making sugar cookies in the shape of leaves. How handy that I just so happen to have a maple leaf shaped cookie cutter hanging around thanks to my mom.

Tuesday was my last day of school before Thanksgiving Break. I don't go back for 2 weeks. It was an interesting day, however, because the other teacher was not there. Since the headmaster was tied up in a meeting for most of the morning, I simultaneously taught middle school English and high school history. I think I managed to at least touch on everything on my lesson plans and the other teacher's lesson plans, but I made no guarantee. I was exhausted when I got home, but Alexa had decided not to nap, so I didn't get much of a break. And Dave had an Open House that night, so I did bath and bed time by myself and then collapsed.

Yesterday, I had a random burst of energy, so I put it to good use cleaning and organizing the laundry room, washing cloth diapers to get them ready for Jordanna, vacumming the house and the van, and switching around and installing car seats. We also went to CVS, the library for story time, and Publix. Alexa and I took nice long naps. And then I made dinner for a family from church with a new baby and dinner for us. After dinner, we went to a special Thanksgiving prayer meeting for our church, which was followed by homemade hot cocoa and cookies. We got home late with two very tired children.

This morning, neither of the kiddos slept in, so they were a bit (VERY) grumpy. We managed to survive the morning. I even got some laundry done and organized the kitchen utensil drawer. It was getting a bit scary in there. I also put clean sheets on Alexa's bed and on her trundle for upcoming guests and swept and mopped the kitchen floor. Then we went to drop off some clothes to be donated, pick up some stain remover at Ace Hardware, and meet Aunt Molly at her school. We had a yummy lunch at La Parilla before we went to deliver the meal I had made to the new mom from church. They recently moved to a beautiful new house, which is almost an hour from our house (with the church situated almost halfway in between), so we spent a lot of time in the car today. The kids had fun playing with the baby's two year old brother, while Molly and I took our turns holding the baby. Alexa slept all the way home, which was good. This afternoon, I finished up the laundry and set up the changing table in the girls' room and a changing station in our room with diapers for Jordanna.

I still have a few things on my on my to-do-list before the baby is born in addition to the regular cleaning, laundry, cooking, etc.
-pack my hospital bag
-shop for stocking stuffers for the kiddos, Dave, and myself
-stock up on light bulbs and batteries (we are almost out of both)
-get all my lesson plans and copies made for school for the 3 weeks before Christmas break
-put up the Christmas tree and decorations
-find my winter clothes and reorganize my closet so I actually have something to wear once the baby is born

I alternate between wanting her to come early, so I can be done with all the discomforts of pregnancy and wanting her to wait until I have all my ducks in a row. I guess we shall see what happens.

Menu Plan Monday

Tonight - Beef and gravy, rice, green beans

Tuesday - Cheesy ranch chicken pasta, salad, rolls

Wednesday - Ham, macaroni and cheese, broccoli

Thursday - Soup, sandwiches, fruit

Friday - Monterey chicken, oven fries, salad

Saturday and Sunday - ?

Sweet Hour of Prayer

I woke up this morning thinking about the hymn "Sweet Hour of Prayer" by William Walford. You see, thanks to pregnancy aches and pains, I spent a sweet hour in prayer last night from about 2:00-3:00 when I couldn't sleep. Also soon, I'm sure I will be up in the middle of the night nursing a newborn, which is a time I also like to spend in prayer. Last night, and especially while up nursing, I pray over my children, for their health, salvation, growth, future spouses, etc. For grace in parenting them. I pray for our families and friends. For those we know who are unsaved. For those who have lost a family member. For those who are expecting or longing for a child. For our country and for the economy. For our church and our new pastor and more. While I do not love being unable to sleep, I do enjoy the time spent before my Father's throne.

Here are some of the words to the hymn, "Sweet Hour of Prayer" -

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

77% Savings at Publix

Can you tell I am on a mission to get stocked up before this baby (who has the hiccups at the moment) is born? Then I am hoping to take a good 4 weeks off of bargain hunting and just make quick runs to the store for bread, milk, meat, produce, etc. Anyway, today I spent $19.48 and saved $63.44.

Here's what I got -
1 bag Kraft shredded cheddar - $1.67
5 packages Chinet napkins - $.05 overage each
3 packages Yoplait Yo plus yogurt - $.25 each
8 packages McCormick gravy mix - FREE
1.23 lb grapes - $2.08 (we have been going through grapes like crazy lately)
2 boxes Town House Flipsides crackers - $1.50 each
6 tubs Betty Crocker frosting - $.05 overage each (to go with all the cake mixes I already have)
1 package stew beef - $3.47
1 bag White Lily bread flour - $1.49
2 boxes Del Monte fruit chillers - $.38 each
2 boxes Scotties tissues - $.25 each
2 packages Dannon Danonino yogurt - $.67 each
2 boxes Kelloggs cereal - $1.00 each
1 jar Mott's applesauce - $1.37
1 bottle Coffeemate creamer - $.66

Personal Chef and Customer Service

Many days, okay most days, I would love to have a personal chef to make yummy, healthy meals for my family every night. Or maybe a maid. Hmmmm. Anyway, this is as close as it gets around here. - my bread machine and my crock pot.
I have dough going in the bread machine and chicken breasts (which I got on special today for $.99/lb) in the crock pot, which I will use to make chicken squares for dinner tonight (recipe below).

On another note, the little plastic thingy that holds the carpet attachment onto the pole of my vacuum broke last week. I am apparently too hard on it, because this is the second time it has broken in the 11.5 months or so that I have had the vacuum. Anyway, I called yesterday to order a new piece. I did not pay for expedited shipping, and the estimated arrival of the part was November 16. Until then, I figured I could either skip vacuuming (my favorite option) or duct tape the part on like I did yesterday. But, when I stepped out onto the porch this afternoon, there was a box containing the part. Talk about fast! Now I just need Dave to put it on, and I will be good to go (and have no excuse not to vacuum. Well except for being hugely pregnant).


Chicken Squares -

Bread dough of sort. I used the white bread recipe from my bread machine cookbook today. Sometimes I use a yeast biscuit recipe. You could also use Pillsbury crescent rolls or pizza dough.

Filling:
3 oz cream cheese, softened
3 TB margarine or butter, melted
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 TB milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix filling ingredients together. Divide dough into 4 small balls (or if you are using an 8 pack of crescent rolls, press 2 together to make 4 squares). If I have extra dough, I make some into dinner rolls for another night. Roll out dough into 4 squares. Place approximately 1/2 c of filling on each square. Fold edges together and seal. Bake seam side down for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Leaves, Leaves, Leaves

Our letter of the week for preschool right now is "L," and our theme is leaves. So this morning we went on a walk to gather leaves (right after grocery shopping and before mopping; my back is SO done for the day). Then we came inside and did leaf rubbings. The kiddos had a great time with this project as you can probably tell.

One More Month to Go!

Alternate Title: Humongous!

Today is exactly one month until my due date. I'm really hoping (as I'm sure you could guess) that she decides to make her appearance at least a few days early, but we shall see.
Week 36

How Big is the Baby at 36 Weeks Pregnant?
By 36 weeks pregnant your baby is now 5.9 pounds and is about 18.6 inches or more long! Your little one will soon enter the ranks of heavyweight champs as you continue pregnancy week by week and he approaches delivery!

Your Baby's Growth and Development
Your baby is still working on putting on weight during pregnancy week 36. While that may not seem very exciting, keep in mind this is his primary job from now until delivery. Round babies are healthy babies. This is probably the one time in your baby's life they can put on pounds with wild abandon. If you were to peak inside your womb, you'd probably see your baby giddy with glee.

Did you know that some researchers believe your baby actually releases a signal to trigger labor? There are actually several different theories. Some believe that when your baby's brain is completely mature it sends a signal to the fetal adrenal glands. These glands then start to secrete the hormone cortisol, which may alter the metabolism of estrogen and progesterone, resulting in labor.

Other researchers have postulated that the fetal lungs secrete signals indicating they are mature, as well as enzymes that result in the release of prostaglandins, which help the cervix ripen and help the uterus to contract. This is highly likely as the body does release prostaglandins around the time of birth.

Your Growth and Development
You are round and beautiful during pregnancy 36 weeks. Your uterus during pregnancy at 36 weeks is now more than 5 and a half inches from your navel. You may think you simply can't get any bigger by pregnancy at 36 weeks, but don't forget you still have four weeks of growing left! Some women may even have a little bit more!

The capacity of the uterus and abdomen to stretch during pregnancy is truly a remarkable phenomena. At no other time will the body transform at such a rapid rate than during pregnancy. Amazingly, while it takes nine months for the uterus to stretch to several times its normal size during pregnancy, by your six week checkup it will be back to its normal pre-pregnancy size already.

Changes in You
You are probably getting more and more anxious for delivery by 36 weeks pregnant. You probably still have a good 4 to 5 weeks to go however even at 36 weeks pregnant, particularly if this is your first pregnancy. Full term is defined as gestation between 37 and 41 weeks. That means your baby could come any time between then and that would be perfectly normal.

From the Lips of Caleb

Remember my menu plan for the week? Something quick, easy, and remotely healthy. Well, after serving such a dinner tonight, chicken and bacon pizza, carrots, and grapes, Caleb ate every bite on his plate. Then he looked up and said, "You're a good cook, Mommy." So sweet!

Freezer Inventory

I went into the garage last night to get something out of the freezer and found that it was unplugged. I literally almost cried. Upon further inspection, though, it had not been unplugged long and nothing had thawed. In addition to all the random stuff that is in there (veggies, frozen lemonade, popsicles, etc.), it is nearly full with food I have prepped in advance for when the baby comes.

Here's what I have stashed so far -
2 homemade pepperoni pizzas (making one of these tonight actually)
3 bags spaghetti sauce
3 bags chicken and wild rice soup
2 bags chicken noodle soup
3 meals of garlic parmesan chicken tenderloins
3 meals of orange teriyaki chicken
Several cups of cooked, cubed chicken breast
Cheesy garlic rolls
Pumpkin, apple, and banana muffins (Three different kinds, not some weird new concoction)
2 loaves Focaccia bread
Homemade ham and cheese hot pockets
3 pans chicken enchiladas
Several bags of homemade waffles and pancakes (But I don't actually expect these to last that long)
1 1/2 bacon quiches (we only eat 1/2 at a time)
3 bags pork BBQ

Publix Savings and Menu Plan Monday

Here's what you can get for $12.50 at Publix without coupons and sales (The thing in the front is an eyeglass repair kit for Caleb's Mickey Mouse sunglasses. He reminded me about halfway through the store that I needed to buy something to fix his glasses.).
And here's what I got today for $12.47. I saved $67.87, which is 84%. I used a coupon for $3/$30 purchase as well as a $2 coupon from Kroger.
Here are the details -
1 12 pack Coke - $4.00
2 bags Bird's Eye Voila - $1.75 each
1 canister Publix oats - $.01
3 boxes Betty Crocker potatoes - FREE (going straight to the donation box)
4 boxes Scotties tissues - $.25 each (price has gone up since Friday, but still a good deal)
1 box Zantac - $.41 overage
3 bags Nestle morsels - $.25 each (thanks to Molly for more coupons)
2 cans Campbell's soup - $.20 each
4 packages Nestle cookies - $.45 each
1 package Hormel pepperoni - $1.29
1 glasses repair kit - $2.49
1 bag Publix shredded cheese - $1.66
2 boxes Tylenol PM - $1.00 overage each
.81 lb grapes - $1.37

And here's my menu plan for the week -

Every night - something quick, easy, and remotely healthy :)

I actually do have a menu plan on the fridge, but it is too pitiful to even share. Let's just say I'm sure my family will be glad when I'm not hugely pregnant anymore and actually feel like cooking again.

Little Librarian

Grammy has been taking the kids to story time at her library on Tuesdays, and I take them to our library on Wednesdays. Well, Alexa has started "reading" her books facing outwards like a librarian. If she finishes eating first (like in the picture), she will get a pile of books to read to us while we finish. This morning she even sang me some songs that she learned at the library. She often gets a bunch of her babies together and reads to them as well. Too cute!

73% Savings at Publix

I have already made one trip to Publix this week. But we needed some produce and there were some great deals, so I decided to go again. Also, with only 5 weeks until my due date, I'm trying to get the pantry, freezers, and refrigerator stocked (not like they weren't already). It's a good thing Publix is close because I left my wallet on my desk this morning and had to go back and get it. Fortunately I noticed in the parking lot before I went in. Anyway, I spent $34.09, saved $90.23, and got several freebies. I used a coupon for $3/$30 purchase. I also will be getting back a $5 rebate for the Nestle cookies and chocolate chips.

Here's what I got -
2 bags Birds Eye Voila - $$1.75 each (These are great for when the cook doesn't feel like cooking, which lately is every night.)
1 head Romaine lettuce - $1.99 (The price went up on this and several other vegetables since I was at Publix on Monday.)
2 boxes Betty Crocker potatoes - FREE
1 box Jolly Time popcorn - FREE
8 packages Nestle cookies - $.45 each (I can't make homemade cookies for that cheap, nor do I have the energy or desire to do so lately.)
2 bags Wise potato chips - $.50 each
1 bag Gold Medal bread flour - $1.39
2 cans Pam spray - $1.25 each
2 boxes Extra Strength Tylenol - FREE
1 bag Maxwell House coffee - $2.00
2 bags Publix shredded cheese - $1.66 each
1 bag Lenders bagels - $.90
1.39 lb red grapes - $2.35
1 roll Publix paper towels - $.99
2 boxes Scotties tissues - FREE
1 roll Scotch mailing tape - $.60
1 package Oscar Mayer beef bologna - $2.50
1 package Hormel bacon - $3.00
1 bag baby carrots - $1.29
6 bags Nestle chocolate chunks - $.25 each
2 cans Hunts diced tomatoes - $.20 each

For Your Viewing Pleasure

Yesterday I subbed for Molly, who is gone on a trip for her 30th birthday. While I was working, Miss Carol Ann, a friend from church, watched the kids. They were so excited to go to her house and had a great time. Here are some pictures that she sent me.

New Hangout?

It seems like Alexa might have moved her hangout from the bottom of the stairs to the upstairs hallway. She has all the necessary stuff - water cup, slippers, babies and stroller, books, bottle for the baby, and her Minnie Mouse ears.

Menu Plan Monday and Other Stuff

Tonight - Bangkok chicken satay (bumped from last week), rice, carrots

Tuesday - Chicken fingers, macaroni and cheese, salad

Wednesday - Steak, roasted potatoes, asparagus

Thursday - Homemade pizza, salad

Friday - ? Depends on if Dave is gone or not

Saturday - Asparagus and chicken penne pasta

Sunday - ? I can't think that far ahead right now

We did make our usual Publix run this morning. No picture or list, though, for two reasons. 1) I didn't get any fantabulous deals. There just weren't many this week. Mostly I just picked up produce on sale and a few things I needed for meals this week. I did still manage to save 66%. 2) I slammed my finger in the van door when we got home. I have been icing it with the boo boo bunny (a stuffed bunny holding a plastic ice cube), which makes typing difficult.