T is for...Today!

T is for…Today!

October 15^th is Stillborn and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. In the US and Canada this day is set aside to remember and honor those babies that have been lost due to miscarriage, SIDS, complications in pregnancy and ectopic pregnancy.

I am sure that there are a lot of moms and dads out there that we don’t even know about who have suffered a loss. Some choose to talk about their loss while others choose to keep it inside. I am not saying that either way is the “right” way. I just want people to be sensitive to both ways.

On this day, we are all asked to light a candle to remember these babies.

Today I was feeling bad for myself.

Recently I have begun to worry about my weight gain with this pregnancy. I was told that it is typical to gain upwards of 60 pounds with twins. That’s a lot!

I decided to torture myself today and try on a pair of jeans that I had shoved to the back of my closet. I will not make that mistake again. I was in tears as I pulled the jeans up to my butt…and that was where they stopped. It was just a few months ago that I was wearing them!

There are so many side effects that a woman’s body goes through that are rather quite frightening.

On the flip side, it gives me chills when I go to the doctor and hear two amazing heart beats…and now as I am starting to feel their movements.

As I stood there and starred at myself in the mirror I realized something. I am carrying 2 babies. I am doing something that some women never have the chance to do. I am doing something that has been taken away from so many people.

Pregnancy is truly a miracle.

Am I getting big?…yes.

Am I seeing the scale move up, up, up?…yes.

Will I get stretch marks in places I didn’t know stretch marks could happen?…yes.

Will I be able to carry and hold and love the most amazing gift that God can give someone?…yes.

I don’t like being pregnant…but that doesn’t mean that I don’t love my unborn children unconditionally.

So, I backed away from the mirror, hoisted up my adjustable waistband pants and moved on for the day. The cute jeans will stay at the back of my closet…maybe forever. It doesn’t matter. I realized today…after having 3 children…that it doesn’t matter.

I started lighting my candle today. I know…I am a day early. However, it is NEVER too early to remember the babies that people have lost.

I am a lucky woman. I will cherish my gifts from God. I will love my body as it progresses.

John 10:10 sums up my thoughts: “I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

I ask you to please light a candle on October 15^th to remember the sweet babies that we don’t get to hold. And also their families that were never able to have them.

My mom always says that God only gives us babies on loan. I believe that.

S is for...Surprise!

S is for…Surprise!

I knew that something was different the second I found out I was pregnant. I started getting bigger IMMEDIATELY…and I was so sick I couldn’t stand it! Ben said  “it’s because you have been pregnant before.” I knew something was different. And, I was completely unable to predict a gender. Usually I am dead on when it comes to that. This time, I went back and forth. Never able to pin one down.

I have to back track just a tiny bit. In June, right after Carson turned one, Ben and I decided that 3 children was a fantastic number for us. So after shedding a few tears (okay lots) I packed up my baby things and sold everything.

SURPRISE!!!

I kept this pregnancy a secret until I was able to visit the clinic up here. They said I didn’t need an ultrasound so early that my due date was March. I came home that night, and planned out a scavenger hunt for Ben to do. I figured a fun way to tell him would MAYBE lighten up the shock. As he worked his way through my easy scavenger hunt I became more and more aware of how it was not going to lighten the mood. The last clue read “We are having another baby!!” And he said “I already knew.” For those of you who know Ben, that is as excited as the man gets.

Now that he knew, I was slightly relieved...however I still felt like something was different. Ben told me no more with the clinic in International Falls. I made an appointment in Duluth and our entire family drove down.

They did an ultrasound immediately. They put the doppler down and I saw that there was two sacks. I started to cry and was completely unable to form words. Upon my crying, all three of my children broke down as well. My ever stable husband just stared at the monitor, unable to move. The ultrasound tech started rubbing my back and telling me to lie back down because she thought she saw a third sack. WHAT?!!? Turns out it was not…but WOW!!.

I am surviving this SURPRISE quite well (as is Ben). Carter thinks that we should name them both Cooper so that we don’t confuse them. Olivia wants to name them Charlotte and Isabella. Carson doesn’t have a clue what he is in for.

I have learned as well as heard a few things…ready?!?

Twin hormones are completely on steroids!  I am a MESS…repeat…A MESS!!!

Even though they are in different sacks, they could still be identical. Barring they are the same gender.

Sonograms cannot tell if twins are identical or fraternal

Only 14% of moms carry twins past 38 weeks…full term twins are 35/36.

Be prepared for LOTS of appointments and tests!

People ask a lot if we were trying for twins. HOW DO YOU TRY FOR TWINS!?

I have been asked if I am a good Catholic….what? No, I am a Lutheran who got lucky!

People want to know how I am going to feed them. Um…that is your concern because? I certainly didn’t starve any of my other kids. Why would I start now?

“Did you have sex twice in one night?”  Yes…I really did hear that comment.

“Better you than me.” Yeah, I would say so.

“Just wait until they are older. It only gets harder.” Thanks. I have other kids. I know what I am in for.

“Are they ‘paternal’ twins?” Yes, they have a father. WHAT?!?!

“You really are going to have your hands full.” Yes, and I wouldn’t want it any other way!

“Wow! You’re 15 weeks and that big? Better hope it’s two.” It is.

Mother’s of multiples are considered high risk. Even if they are healthy.

I am sure that there will be more as the time passes. Sometimes I think that people are just in so much shock that they don’t know what to say.

So, as for now, my entire family will be anxiously awaiting the arrival of our BABIES! I will continue to be nauseous. Ben will continue to deal with my roller coaster emotions. My children will have to deal with my lap being nonexistent. We will make it.

I get asked a lot how I am going to do it…I don’t know…haven’t you ever seen a Nike commercial? I will just do it.

R is for...REVAMP MY SWEATER!!!

R is for...Revamp my sweater

I recently found this super cute sweater for Olivia at a thrift store in International Falls.

It was a great buy at .50 cents. Couldn't pass it up! However, it was boring and lacking something. So, I decided to use a few ideas that I recently read on my friend Sarah's blog. Check it out: http://szymczaks.blogspot.com/ She is not only a great person, but an amazing mommy!

My first step was to remove the zipper. It was old and the color was starting to come off.

Much, much better already!

Then, I got to play around with colors. This sweater reminded me of the fall...so many different colors of felt to choose from! And what a great time of year - there is nothing better than the brilliant colors of leaves on the trees !

I then had to come up with a pattern for the owls that I planned to use on Livi's sweater. I am not artistic. At all. However, after multiple attempts, I won!! Or at least I think I did! :)

 

I pinned my patterns on to the felt and cut away!

I think he turned out okay...

Sitting on the tree branch I also added to her sweater

As Carter calls him "the big daddy owl" on the back

Okay. So...I also learned a lesson. After breaking 3 needles, this project was meant to be done by hand. What should have been a quick thing took me FOREVER. But, in the end it all worked out and I ended up with a very, very pleased little girl who is excited to wear her sweater with a jean skirt, brown tights, cowboy boots and a white shirt. Yes, she is her mommy's child. :)

Tomorrow, I am making matching hair clips. I am completely in love with the owl!

Why not revamp your clothes...saves a ton of money...and way cute!!

And, it's a little big...so she can grow into it!

Q is for....QUESTIONS!!!

I have a theory:  The exciting events we plan and look forward to in life really only make up about 2% of our lives.  The other  98% of life is the regular, daily stuff…and that time can be spent either looking ahead to the next planned 2%, or spent finding the beautiful small ways that the 98% can be enjoyed!

I’ll enjoy the 98%, please!  

One of my very favorite ways to enjoy the 98% is to simply observe…look at all the things daily life surprises us with!!  I’m obsessed with anything that makes me wonder!  Wondering is one of life’s greatest pleasures!  The world is filled with things to observe, question, wonder, and hypothesize about! 

So for today’s post, I decided to list a few questions and wonderings that I’ve seen in the 98%...the best part of life!

In the phrase “I wouldn’t know him from Adam…”  Who is Adam?  Adam...as in Adam and Eve?  Who decided to compare and contrast to Adam?  And if it’s a girl, do you say “I wouldn’t know her from Adam?”  Because if you can’t tell her from Adam, no matter which Adam you mean, that’s weird.

“I wish I could be a fly on the wall of that house…”  Hmmm…really?  A fly?  Gross.  Let’s look back at what you just said…you made a wish.  By the nature of a wish, you get to pick whatever you want and say you want it to be so.  A fly would never make my wish-list of things to be!  If I am going to make a wish, it’s gonna be something awesome!  I get what the phrase means…you wish you could observe what’s going on in the house without being noticed.  But…isn’t an invisible puma even less noticeable than a fly?  It’s certainly way cooler!

When you pay for something online with a credit card, it asks you for the expiration date of the card.  The card always has the date in numerical form…the number of the month, then the number of the year.  But…I’ve found that most of the time the online form asks for the month name, not number.  It really isn’t a major inconvenience or anything…but if every credit card has the number, why not ask for the number?

If you are driving at the speed of light, and you turn your headlights on, do they do anything? 

What does butter have to do with a butterfly?

When you sit at a baseball game, which arm rest is technically yours?

How can a product be considered “New and Improved?”  If it’s a new product, what is improved about it? 

Who on earth was Sadie Hawkins?

Think about Humpty Dumpty…what image comes to mind?  An egg?  Show me where in the poem an egg is mentioned…

Why do we say “peeyew” when something stinks?

Does each planet have its own quake?  Earthquake, Venusquake, Marsquake….

Why do people get languages they don’t speak tattooed on themselves?  In China, is it popular to get English words?

Pluto and Goofy are both dogs. 

What’s the cutoff for dying from old age?

Who got to decide the number of ridges on a quarter?  And why is it only one different from a dime?

Why is the dime smaller than the penny?

5,286 feet in a mile…why? 

I’ve never earned a penny by saving it.

What does “brand” mean in the phrase “brand new?”

At what point does hair become disgusting?  I think it’s the moment it leaves the head.  Hair on head: nice.  Hair in food: gross.  Hair in shower: gross.  Hair on floor: gross.  Hair on pet: nice.  Hair on couch: gross.  Hair off of head, but in a wig factory: nice.  Hair from a wig found in quesadilla: gross.

Nobody is required to weigh in before entering an elevator.  I’m a bad estimator.  I worry about the limit sometimes.

Why is it called an apartment, when it is really more of a togetherment?

There are millions more…I could go on for days and days!  I haven’t even gotten into how much I love shows like “How It’s Made….” 

I try to ask questions constantly!  It’s the only way I can make sure that I’m getting the most out of the 98%!!!

P is for...Pyramid Purse!

P is for…PYRAMID PURSE!

Tee-pee, pyramid, triangle...it’s a cute little purse! Actually, a friend asked me recently if I keep my isosceles triangles in them...very funny...

I have to apologize. I have made the statement before that I am NOT a seamstress. I learned when trying to post this that explaining to someone how to sew when you are really no good yourself is very, very difficult. If you want some good directions, come on over...I'll be more than  happy to show you!

This has got to be one of the easiest sewing projects I have ever done! I can finish one in about 10 minutes. Once a person learns how to sew in a zipper it’s a piece of cake. I hate zippers. They are tricky and if anybody has some great tips…please let me know!

Here are the step by step instructions for making a Grosgrain Zipper Bag. I hope this unique project will become a favorite for you to stitch out as well!

These are all the items you will need…

Grosgrain ribbon that is 1 ½ inch wide

Liquid stitch…or pins

A 5” zipper

Okay…so I know that some people like to use pins. That’s perfectly fine. However, with ribbon, it tends to put holes in it. The liquid stitch keeps it in tact much better. Just make sure you use a tiny bit…it’s all you need.

And with the zippers…I also know that it is VERY hard to find 5” zippers in fun colors. So, simply take the zipper and sew across the teeth where you want the zipper to stop. Cut off the excess material.

Cut the ribbon into 8 -5” pieces.

Then take 4 pieces and  glue or pin the sizes of the ribbon together so that they overlap by 1/4"

Repeat with the other set of 4 ribbons

Once the glue as set, sew the pieces of ribbon together. Remember, there isn’t a lot of material to sew!

Sew all sections that have been glued or pinned...creating 2 sections.

Now…the dreaded zipper…

UNZIP THE ZIPPER. (you'll kick yourself later if you forget!). Pull the two layers of fabric in the other direction, centering the zipper between the two sides.

Line up the edge of the ribbon that is the widest with the zipper. Glue or pin it down. Whichever fabric you want for the exterior of the bag should be on the TOP side of the zipper. Sew the zipper down. Pull the two sets of fabric that you've just created, so that the zipper is as centered as you can get it. Make sure you pull the fabric rather taut so that you don't get any pinched or wrinkled bits. *DO NOT DO THIS WITH A METAL ZIPPER!*

Sew the zipper in. Repeat on other half.

Now take your piece of ribbon with the zipper neatly sewn in :) and fold it in half with the wrong side out.

Sew across one side of the bag. I like to use the side that the zipper starts to open on. Keep the zipper closed at this point, it will make for a cleaner sew line.

OPEN UP THE ZIPPER...AT LEAST PART OF THE WAY.

Now, sew across the bottom of the bag.
The next part is what is going to make it into the pyramid.
Grab the bag and pull the remaining side so that the seams top and bottom seams are lined up. Creating a triangle effect to the bag.

Pull the sides so that the edges line up as straight as you can get them.

Sew up that side.

Turn the bag right side out...zip it back up!

Add a small piece of ribbon to the zipper so that it is easier to open and close.

And the finished product...super cute...super easy! Like I said...I am horrible with sewing directions. I would be more than happy to show you how to make them!

O is for...Orient!

O is for... Orient!

I love me some Chinese food! I found this recipe for egg rolls a while ago…and have tried it a few times. Just recently I made egg rolls, fried rice and fortune cookies for dinner. I would not post something if I didn’t absolutely love it! Here was our dinner…try it…it’s easy! Enjoy!

Egg Rolls

4 tablespoons Vegetable oil

1” grated fresh ginger

2 cloves of garlic…finely chopped

2 scallions…sliced thinly

1 carrot…cut into 1” julienne strips

1 small red pepper…cut into 1” julienne strips

1 Napa cabbage…shredded

¼ cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1-2 tablespoons sesame oil

20 wonton wrappers…covered loosely with a damp paper towel to prevent drying. I used egg roll wrappers. I have made them both ways…and the egg roll wrappers are better.

This recipe calls for 20 cooked shrimp…but I don’t like it that way. I throw in some cooked chicken…or nothing if you just want to go with a vegetable egg roll.

I encountered a problem almost immediately. The grocery store that I went to did not have fresh ginger. Hmmmm…so, I purchased Stir Fry Seasoning…garlic and ginger blend. It was still very good!

In a skillet, stir fry the ginger and garlic in 2 tablespoons of oil until fragrant. (If you choose to use the seasoning like I did, it takes quite a bit to season it! I bet I used 2 tablespoons) This takes about 30 seconds. Add scallions, carrots and red pepper. Stir fry over high heat for 2 minutes.

In a bowl, combine the chicken broth, soy sauce and sugar. Add cabbage and broth mix to pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally until vegetables are soft. Add sesame oil. Cool for at least 15 minutes and strain. STRAIN WELL…OR YOU WILL HAVE SOGGY EGG ROLLS. Fold in the chicken (or shrimp).

Fill and roll egg roll wrapper with about 1 tablespoon per roll. If you choose to use a traditional egg roll wrapper, use more filling.

Brush top corner with water and roll up diagonally. Fold in sides.

In a skillet over moderately high heat, heat the remaining oil and sauté the egg rolls until golden brown on both sides. Using tongs to turn them. From experience, get the oil hot, add the egg rolls and turn down the heat, slightly. They won’t burn as quickly.

I set mine on a paper towel (on a plate) to get rid of some of the oil.

Fried Rice

2 cups white rice (I used brown rice and prepared it according to the package directions)

4 cups water

2/3 cups chopped carrots

½ cup frozen green peas

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 eggs (I actually used 3 eggs)

Soy sauce

In a sauce pan, combine rice and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.

In a small saucepan, boil carrots in water for about 5 minutes. Drop peas into boiling water then drain.

Heat wok (or skillet) over high heat. Pour in oil, then stir in carrots and peas. Cook about 30 seconds. Crack in eggs, stirring quickly to scramble them with the veggies. Stir in cooked rice. Add soy sauce if desired. Again, from experience, the soy sauce is needed!

The next part of my dinner was something out of the ordinary. I had a BLAST making them. Coming up with the fortunes was fun! They are so good! Seriously…way better than store bought! I made a batch…and immediately made another batch. They go quickly in my house!

Fortune Cookies

2 Egg whites

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 tablespoons flour

1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons sugar

3 teaspoons water

Write fortunes on pieces of paper that are 3 1/2” by 1/2 “wide. Preheat oven to 300.

Grease a 9x13 baking sheet

In a medium bowl, lightly beat egg white, vanilla, almond and vegetable oil until frothy, but not stiff.

Sift flour, corn starch, salt and sugar into a separate bowl. Stir in water with the flour mix.

Add the four mix to the egg white mix and stir until batter is smooth.

Place level tablespoons of batter onto cookie sheet. Spacing them about 3” apart. Gently tilt the baking sheet back and forth and side to side so each tablespoon of batter forms into a circle about 4” in diameter.

Bake until the outer ½” of each cookie turns golden brown and they are easy to remove from the pan with a spatula. (about 14 minutes)

Working quickly, remove the cookie with a spatula and flip the cookie over in your hands. Place a fortune in the middle of each cookie, fold the cookie in half. Use the edge of a glass to fold in half again. Press together. Place cookie in muffin pan to hold the shape.

Please take this advice…put 3 on a cookie sheet. They set very quickly when you take them out of the oven..and they are incredibly hot. You have about 20 seconds to complete the entire pan. The fewer you have to get done the better they will turn out!

And maybe double it right away…seriously sooooooo good!

So…this was our Monday night dinner! It was delicious!

And what fortune did I get?? This was in my cookie…