I Love to Cook

An old high school acquaintance of mine has a blog that she uses to keep her extended family up-to-date on the life of her beautiful family. One thing she includes on her blog from time to time is a meal plan for the week. I've decided to do the same for a couple of reasons.

My Amazing Reasons:

1. Organization. Having a plan keeps me organized. It also keeps the fridge organized and the food from going bad.
2. The Big Ol' B Word: Budget. Planning out meals (and shopping lists) has really helped me to stay on budget, which is a really good thing. Especially since we've got baby #1 on his way!
3. Cheap Produce - Delivered. My mom is an amazing woman. And she picks up my produce for me on Thursdays. I drop my list and cash off with her on Wednesdays, then pick up fresh fruits and veggies on Thursdays. And the real kicker? I spend WAY less money this way. It's a life saver (and a budget saver!).

So. Here's my meal plan for the week:

Monday: Chicken Enchilada Stew (turned tacos)
Tuesday: Girls' Night @ a friend's house (leftover tacos for the hubby)
Wednesday: Salmon & Zucchini
Thursday: Homemade Mushroom & Broccoli Pizza
Friday - Saturday - Sunday: ARIZONA (so so so thankful for a family vacation!)

The enchilada stew turned tacos turned out amazingly. I stuck everything in the crockpot on Sunday night and started it up on Monday. The chicken was perfectly shred-able and delicious by 5:30. Oh, it was a beautiful dinner!

Before cooking - we were too hungry to take a picture when all was done!

Office Turned Baby Room

I decided that my weekend project would be painting the baby room. For as long as we've lived here, the second upstairs bedroom has been used as an office slash dog room slash closet. All at once. Since our boy will be here in just about 13 weeks, we figured it time to relocate the office / dog room / closet to another area in the house and really get crackin' on this kid's room.

Oh, the work we cut out for ourselves! While the husband and I have only been married for a year and a half, we have accumulated quite a lot of crap stuff. Very important stuff (can you sense the sarcasm in my typing?).

See all the crap?

We started the adventure by emptying a filing cabinet that weights nearly 1 million pounds, empty. One of the drawers was perfectly organized, with labeled files and everything. The other? The other had become a junk drawer of sorts. The catch-all for everything that didn't have a home somewhere else. Going through that was a killer, but now it is so nicely organized in our new office nook.

Once we got that complete, we realized we couldn't really empty baby's room until the green couches were gone. All of our office stuff was to be moved into a little nook that had been taken up by a big couch and a cozy chair. Two items that we rarely used. When we moved in, we had no furniture. Within a week, we had a sectional and two couch / chair sets. One couch and chair set had to go. We decided to donate the couch and chair, since they were in perfect condition. With help from our brother-in-law, they were gone from our house and the office nook was put together (stay tuned for a post on that soon).

Finally, we got around to painting the baby room. We went with non-traditional colors for a couple of reasons: blue is rather over done and I love the color orange. The stripes will only be on one wall. I hope to have the crib right there, but we will have to see how everything fits. Apparently babies have a lot of stuff, and this is a small room.

Next on the docket for baby projects? Furniture painting (changing table and book shelf).

Stay tuned!

Lessons in Crochet

I'm sorry if you stumbled upon this post looking for some actual lessons on crochet. I'm not the person to look to, as I have only just recently completed my first non-hat crochet project. And it turned out. Sort of.

I found a book at Michael's with crochet projects for baby. Baby boy is, of course, the motivation for crochet/any projects I've thought of as of late. My goal was a sweater. A pattern in the book claimed to be easy...but how can it be easy if you've never read a crochet pattern before? So for me, I'd list the pattern is "intermediate."

Either way, I completed the sweater mostly as described in the pattern. I had some issues with the yoke, so I improvised. It looks like a sweater. The sleeves are proportionate to the body, and it looks like it will fit a child.

Except I never checked the gauge of my crochet skills and the hook listed in the pattern. Eager me just started crocheting. I followed the directions to make a sweater for a six month old. It'll probably fit a one year old. Which is fine, I just won't get to use the sweater as soon as I had hoped.

Yesterday, I started a cardigan for the boy as well. I dove right in without checking the gauge and wondered why, again, was this sweater (meant for a 6 month old) turning out to be so huge?! Luckily, I was only four rows in before I realized that maybe the crochet pattern writers were on to something with gauge-checking. So I crocheted my 12 stitches with the hook listed in the pattern. Twelve stitches should have been four inches. In my case? Six.

Well, there ya go. Tried the same with a smaller hook: twelve stitches, four inches. I was set to go. And now, four rows in to this sweater? It looks like it'll fit the average 6 month old.

Someday, I'll learn to just follow directions. Until then, I'll continue to learn from my little mistakes!

Crafting Again

Well, it seems as though I've stumbled upon some time to do some crafting. Not a whole lot, but enough to keep me busy and to keep me entertained.

I picked up a book of patterns from Michael's and, while I love the book thus far, I think I will buy single patterns online from now on. Or just look for the free ones. I've only committed to using two of the 20 patterns in the book, so it really wasn't that worth it.

Long story short, I'm crocheting a sweater. This is quite new to me... I've only ever crocheted hats before. Hats of every color and ... well, I'd like to say pattern, but I was never that ambitious. But now, I'm working on a sweater.

Making the sweater is something I decided to do when we found out our little munchkin was of the male variety. I've never thought boy clothes were as cute as girl clothes, so I decided to make a few of my own. Blue crocheted sweaters included.

As I have not yet made enough progress for the sweater to resemble a sweater, there is still time for advice. Please, please leave a comment with some advice on sweater making and/or crocheting.

New Month Resolution

I don't make New Year's Resolutions. Never have, an I probably never will. January doesn't seem like a new year to me anyway. The new year for a teacher really comes mid-August, back to school time.

Back to the lack of resolutions. Although I don't make a New Year's resolution, I have noticed that I am constantly coming up with ways to improve my life. Usually on a monthly basis.

This month, I am working on follow-through. It is something I have struggled with my whole life. My mom and maternal grandmother have the same issue... My goal this month, though, is to follow through on more things.

For example, I have been talking about a "chore" schedule for the last six months (or more). Nothing had happened. Today, though, it all changed. I made the chore schedule. And it's pretty simple, too.

Each day has a five or ten minute cleaning task to complete. I didn't get super fancy with my new schedule. Have you seen those ones on Pinterest!? They're amazing!! Mine is simple...just chicken scratch on a piece of paper.

But, it will help. Just having the schedule written down will help me to complete the tasks and FOLLOW THROUGH with the house tidying efforts!

New Month Resolutions... I kinda like 'em!

Finn's helping to put shoes away...

2013! Already!?

I cannot believe that 2013 is already here! I've decided to do a recap of the year so that I may see it in 10 years and remember...

In January, I realized that I had to get my butt in gear to student teach in the fall. I was moving through my licensure and master's program at quite the leisurely pace. While the program claims to take just 18 months (not true), I was finishing up year four. Most of my classmates were finishing year three...quite a bit more time than 18 months!

In February, my husband and I celebrated our first Valentine's Day as a married pair.  Truth be told, we don't really celebrate Valentine's Day. Instead, we started some plans for our first "real" vegetable garden. And we had great plans...that produced about a million delicious tomatoes. We also made a major change to our home by tearing down an entire wall. And what a change it has been! Our upstairs is so much more inviting and wonderful.

In March, I turned 28. We also locked ourselves out of our house one morning, calling for a new front door. The new front door is delightful, even if it makes our entryway a little darker than it was before. My husband did a fabulous job replacing the door (and it wouldn't be the last time).

In April, we found ourselves parents to Fletch and Floyd, two bearded dragons. While I frantically wanted to rid our house of them, my husband took a liking and we kept them both for quite some time. Floyd stuck around for a few months, until he got aggressive and chomped on the foot of Fletcher. He was donated to a local reptilian society. They work to find homes for surrendered pets. Fletch was around for even longer; his "stump" healing beautifully. Eventually, we realized that a reptile during pregnancy was not the best idea. Although I was not yet pregnant, I knew I wanted to be soon. Fletch was given to a former student of mine, and I still get updates about him.

In May, we became parents to Finn. Our beloved little Brittany is such a wonderful guy. He loves to hunt in our backyard...birds, squirrels, mice. You name it, he will find it! We have started to bring baby stuff into the house so that Finn can get used to having a human brother.

In June we hung out around the house and found ourselves in a wonderful summer routine. With both my husband and I workin as teachers, June is a favorite month around our house!

In July, we traveled. And my beautiful niece turned two. What a joy that little girl has been. So lively, so creative, so amazing. When she was born, I found myself shocked at how much I could love that little thing. I cannot even imagine what it will feel like to love my own.

In August, I ran my first 5K. It's one of those things that was horrible while running, but such a wonderful feeling after the finish line. I cannot wait to train for and run another one. My husband and I are going to choose one in September or October of next year to run. I am quite excited.

In September, we heard the best news we could have heard. Afte taking three pregnancy tests, I finally believed what the little lines were telling me. My husband and had created a life that would be joining us in May. Now that is an amazing feeling.

In October, we saw our little peanut for the first time. There wasn't much to see...just a sac. But in reality, a life. We also went to the annual Halloween party with my husband's relatives. It was my first year without making our costumes. We didn't even dress up! I had great plans, but the exhaustion of early pregnancy got the best of me.

In November, we announced to family and friends that we were expecting a baby in May. My sister announced the same thing a week later. That's right. Two babies. Due about a week apart.

December was a whirlwind. A month that always seems to fly by so quickly. In our second Christmas season as a married couple, we found a routine that we think may work for us as far as Christmas gatherings go (there are quite a few when both families live within 20 minutes!). We also announced that our little babe is indeed a boy. And much like November, my sister announced the same thing a mere week later. Two baby boys.

In all, the year was fabulous. There was plenty newness and plenty change. Of course, this is only the beginning!

Minne-SNOW-ta

As any true Minnesotan can, I can talk about the weather. It can get rather interesting up here, the way the weather changes so.

Today, the snow finally made its appearance and I couldn't be more thrilled. I am one of those that adores all four seasons. The rain, the sun, the fallen leaves. And the snow. The beautiful snow. It's here!

Tonight's snowfall (okay, we haven't even gotten an inch) called for a candlelit spaghetti dinner and some to cuddle up on the couch with a favorite movie.

While I cannot partake in my favorite winter pastimes this time around, I am overjoyed with the preparations I get to make over the next few months. Snowboarding is a definite no-no, but there will be so many other things to do. Baby things, family growing things. Life things.

And to fill my need for outdoor winter activity? I have a nice pair of snowshoes and last year's unused Christmas present of cross country skis (there was minimal snow up here last year).