This past week, we put together a huge outdoor play set from Costco for my parents, (for the grand kids). And let me tell you, it was a BEAST!
First Day: Open the boxes, pull each item out, (screws, nuts, bolts, washers, wood, poles, slide parts, swings, chains, rope, door, windows, climbing pegs, anything needed to put this monster together). I think it took hubby about 2-3 hours just to pull everything out and put it in order to make sure all the parts were there and nothing was missing.
While dh (dear husband) was outside slaving away in the hot sun and heat, I was inside with our little monster trying to keep him entertained. Toys, running around, watching daddy out the window, saying hi to the dog (Boomer), getting into grandmas kitchen cabinets, climbing all over the chairs, getting into the house plants, anything that would keep him outta daddy's hair while all the little packages of nuts, bolts and screws were sitting there as a temptation to any two year old. Then we finally made lunch! Tuna sandwiches and fruit, the lunch of champions! Thanks grandma Boo!
Nap time for mommy and the boy!
It's always nice to drop the kid off with the parents! When nap time was finished, grandma Boo took the kiddo outside to fill up the kiddie pool and play with the little yard toys such as the toddler car and tractor..you know, the toys with wheels that the kids sit on/in and drive themselves around with their feet as the "engines" lol. They played outside for a long time, which was great.
Then it was grandpas turn! Grandpa Boo brought out the 4-wheeler and took our little guy for a fun ride around the property.
About 7 o'clock, my brother and his family came over for a small visit and had dinner with us. Yummy lasagna and salad with fresh ingredients from grandmas garden.
My big bro helped move the playhouse to it's true location and helped with a few other things until they needed to leave. Not too long afterwards, dh had a large part of the main structure for the playhouse put together. He worked into the late evening hours till it became too dark to more and thus ended the first day.
2nd Day: Dh and kiddo stayed at the parents over night so they were able to start the day early and I was able to sleep in at home :) After my doctor appointment for the "1/2 child", I drove the 45 minutes back down to my parents house for the rest of the day.
It was about 4pm when I arrived. Half the day gone and it was a much needed break from the ever present mommy duties. But it was great to be back because even though breaks are nice, I still miss the rug rat, lol.
By this time, most of the playhouse has been put together. It gets very tedious as there are so many pieces to out together. After the kiddos nap time, we did some of the same things, played with Boomer, rode on the yard toys, got the kiddie pool set up, had a snack, bothered daddy and tried taking his drills to play with, and had fun with grandma and grandpa.
All three of us went home this time.
Day Three: A few days later, we went back down to the parents house to finish the playhouse. The slide was the last thing to be completed except for a few last bolts and fastenings. These took another 3-4 hours to finish but we were finally done! Yes, I saw "we" because I helped intermittently with different things and our whole little family was there involved for three whole days.
Now, when we visit my parents, they'll have a lot more for the kiddo to play on and do!
To finish off the night, we went to a local eatery and celebrated for a job well done with pizza!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Homemade Brazilian Lemonade and the In-Laws
My in-laws came to stay with us the past couple of days and it ended up being quite a nice visit. We were able to catch up on the things going on in our lives and had a good chat about the new area we live in, etc. One day we went down to city beach (the lake where there's a nice large park and swimming, including lifeguards). The weather was perfect. A little overcast, warm and a slight breeze. We let the kiddo get his energy out and had a nice lunch at Jalapenos, a local Mexican restaurant which was very yummy!
Later that day when we made dinner, mom-in-law made Brazilian Lemonade for us and left us the recipe! This is one recipe that we'll make often and it's very simple and quick. When you have company over, this is a good drink to make and you can even dress it up a little with real lime or lemon slices in nice glasses. We also tried it today using Limeade that you can pick up in the frozen section in any grocery store and it turned out a little more sour but still very enjoyable.
Do you know why Brazilian Lemonade is called "Lemonade" and not "Limeade" as there aren't any lemons in the recipe? Limes are called Limons (lemons) in their language, so the drink is then called Lemonade.
The recipe is as follows:
5 C. Water
1 C. Sugar
4 fresh limes, cubed
8oz. or 1/2 (small) can of Sweet & Condensed Milk
Ice Cubes
Blender
Mesh Strainer
Use warm water. Add sugar to melt, put in fridge to cool. After water has cooled, pour about 1/4 of water into a blender, add 1 lime. Pulse blender until the pulp of the lime has come out. Strain mixture into a drink pitcher. (If there's still a lot of pulp, you can re-blend those pieces of lime.) Repeat the blending process until all four limes and sugar water have been used. Throw away the rhines and any other lime particles that were caught in the strainer. Pour water mixture back into blender. Add 8oz. of the Sweet & Condensed Milk and blend. Add about a half dozen Ice Cubes to blender and blend until smooth. This will chill the drink quickly. Strain into your pitcher once more. Serve right away.
Note: This drink may turn bitter the longer you let it sit. Do not let it sit for more than 24hrs.
For the recipe with the frozen Limeade, the substitutions are as follows:
6 C. Water (instead of 5 C.)
1 Lime (instead of 4)
1 can Frozen Limeade
No Ice
All else is the same. Mix water and Sugar, refrigerate. Blend Sugar Water and the Lime as directed above. Add the Limeade partially frozen. When the drink is done, you may add ice cubes to each separate glass.
The second recipe is a bit more sour, which I like. If you want to make it less sour but still use the Limeade, add more water and a little sugar to taste. You may need to experiment to get it just to your liking. Depending on how dark the sweet & condensed milk it (age), your drink may be lighter or darker accordingly. But don't fret if it looks quite dark as there is nothing wrong with a darker lemonade.
Later that day when we made dinner, mom-in-law made Brazilian Lemonade for us and left us the recipe! This is one recipe that we'll make often and it's very simple and quick. When you have company over, this is a good drink to make and you can even dress it up a little with real lime or lemon slices in nice glasses. We also tried it today using Limeade that you can pick up in the frozen section in any grocery store and it turned out a little more sour but still very enjoyable.
Do you know why Brazilian Lemonade is called "Lemonade" and not "Limeade" as there aren't any lemons in the recipe? Limes are called Limons (lemons) in their language, so the drink is then called Lemonade.
The recipe is as follows:
5 C. Water
1 C. Sugar
4 fresh limes, cubed
8oz. or 1/2 (small) can of Sweet & Condensed Milk
Ice Cubes
Blender
Mesh Strainer
Use warm water. Add sugar to melt, put in fridge to cool. After water has cooled, pour about 1/4 of water into a blender, add 1 lime. Pulse blender until the pulp of the lime has come out. Strain mixture into a drink pitcher. (If there's still a lot of pulp, you can re-blend those pieces of lime.) Repeat the blending process until all four limes and sugar water have been used. Throw away the rhines and any other lime particles that were caught in the strainer. Pour water mixture back into blender. Add 8oz. of the Sweet & Condensed Milk and blend. Add about a half dozen Ice Cubes to blender and blend until smooth. This will chill the drink quickly. Strain into your pitcher once more. Serve right away.
Note: This drink may turn bitter the longer you let it sit. Do not let it sit for more than 24hrs.
For the recipe with the frozen Limeade, the substitutions are as follows:
6 C. Water (instead of 5 C.)
1 Lime (instead of 4)
1 can Frozen Limeade
No Ice
All else is the same. Mix water and Sugar, refrigerate. Blend Sugar Water and the Lime as directed above. Add the Limeade partially frozen. When the drink is done, you may add ice cubes to each separate glass.
The second recipe is a bit more sour, which I like. If you want to make it less sour but still use the Limeade, add more water and a little sugar to taste. You may need to experiment to get it just to your liking. Depending on how dark the sweet & condensed milk it (age), your drink may be lighter or darker accordingly. But don't fret if it looks quite dark as there is nothing wrong with a darker lemonade.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
BACON!!
We bought a large 7 1/2 lb package of sliced bacon which actually came in a case of 15lbs. We ended up splitting it with my parents and it's a good thing we did!
Today we pulled the flat out of the fridge, pulled it apart into slices of 5, then cut them in half, repackaged them in quart sized freezer bags and piled them up in the freezer for later use.
So, why all the bacon??
For one thing, it was a great price. And second, we can do so many things with it! I made BLT sandwiches with it for lunch today and they were so delicious! We can use it for diverse breakfast meals, cook and crumble it for salad toppers, chop it for soups, BLT's of course, sauces, use the drippings for soup, stews or baked beans. I'm sure there are probably some other things I can make with it but isn't it great that bacon can do so many things for you?!
After it was all packaged back up for freezing, we had 22 bags of 10 halves. Yummy to my tummy!! A good way to save money and also prepare for future meals :)
Today we pulled the flat out of the fridge, pulled it apart into slices of 5, then cut them in half, repackaged them in quart sized freezer bags and piled them up in the freezer for later use.
So, why all the bacon??
For one thing, it was a great price. And second, we can do so many things with it! I made BLT sandwiches with it for lunch today and they were so delicious! We can use it for diverse breakfast meals, cook and crumble it for salad toppers, chop it for soups, BLT's of course, sauces, use the drippings for soup, stews or baked beans. I'm sure there are probably some other things I can make with it but isn't it great that bacon can do so many things for you?!
After it was all packaged back up for freezing, we had 22 bags of 10 halves. Yummy to my tummy!! A good way to save money and also prepare for future meals :)
Monday, July 18, 2011
My Home is a Mess!
Do you ever feel that when you look around your house/apartment that there's just no end in sight to cleaning it up and making it look clean or presentable? Well, I feel like this all the time. Between caring for my son, fulfilling my obligations as a Scout leader, keeping up with friends and family and doing just the minimal daily chores that come with a home, I always feel overwhelmed.
The living room, dining area, kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms and closets are a mess. You might ask why it's such a mess when I stay at home all day. Shouldn't it be nice, clean and looking great? The fact is is that I don't just stay home and sit around. A two year old (with half an unborn sibling) still needs a playmate and added direction. He takes one two-hour nap each day. I can sometimes use this time for quick cleaning but this isn't always the case. As I'm 23 weeks prego, I get tired and sleepy as well as a few 'other' not so pleasant things. Most of the time I end up taking this time out for myself to either catch up on sleep, sit and relax with a book or chill in front of the television or computer. Keeping my stress levels as low as possible is key to having a healthy baby.
When do I get the cleaning done? I work on it little by little throughout the entire day. I can't spend mass amounts of time on cleaning or straightening up, so I do it in small increments. I usually will have to take 10-15 minutes out here and there and just concentrate on one specific thing. Whether the kiddo is eating a meal, engrossed with Disney Playhouse on television (no, he doesn't watch tv all day like some kids do), or playing with other toys, I take that time and put it into something productive for the home. I can get some dishes done, clean the sinks, do a spot clean in the bathroom, get laundry going, clean the desk, vacuum, pick up in the bedroom or whatever it may be. Just as long as I concentrate on one specific thing, I don't have to feel overwhelmed.
Another idea is to take one area per day with this same "minute-clean schedule." Today you might want to choose the dining area. Anytime you take your 10-15 minutes, do something in the dining area. Clean the table and chairs. Clear off the table as needed. Sweep and mop the floor or vacuum if you have carpet there. You can do the same for any room in your home.
If you concentrate on one area of the home at a time, you won't feel so overwhelmed and you'll begin to see improvement in your stress levels as well as in the appearance. It's a great feeling of accomplishment when you can see how much you've actually been able to do.
Then as the children mess things up again or you fall behind in a few chores, you get to start all over again! But this time you have a great plan to use so you're not totally overwhelmed.
The living room, dining area, kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms and closets are a mess. You might ask why it's such a mess when I stay at home all day. Shouldn't it be nice, clean and looking great? The fact is is that I don't just stay home and sit around. A two year old (with half an unborn sibling) still needs a playmate and added direction. He takes one two-hour nap each day. I can sometimes use this time for quick cleaning but this isn't always the case. As I'm 23 weeks prego, I get tired and sleepy as well as a few 'other' not so pleasant things. Most of the time I end up taking this time out for myself to either catch up on sleep, sit and relax with a book or chill in front of the television or computer. Keeping my stress levels as low as possible is key to having a healthy baby.
When do I get the cleaning done? I work on it little by little throughout the entire day. I can't spend mass amounts of time on cleaning or straightening up, so I do it in small increments. I usually will have to take 10-15 minutes out here and there and just concentrate on one specific thing. Whether the kiddo is eating a meal, engrossed with Disney Playhouse on television (no, he doesn't watch tv all day like some kids do), or playing with other toys, I take that time and put it into something productive for the home. I can get some dishes done, clean the sinks, do a spot clean in the bathroom, get laundry going, clean the desk, vacuum, pick up in the bedroom or whatever it may be. Just as long as I concentrate on one specific thing, I don't have to feel overwhelmed.
Another idea is to take one area per day with this same "minute-clean schedule." Today you might want to choose the dining area. Anytime you take your 10-15 minutes, do something in the dining area. Clean the table and chairs. Clear off the table as needed. Sweep and mop the floor or vacuum if you have carpet there. You can do the same for any room in your home.
If you concentrate on one area of the home at a time, you won't feel so overwhelmed and you'll begin to see improvement in your stress levels as well as in the appearance. It's a great feeling of accomplishment when you can see how much you've actually been able to do.
Then as the children mess things up again or you fall behind in a few chores, you get to start all over again! But this time you have a great plan to use so you're not totally overwhelmed.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Profile
So, I updated my profile tonight. It's passed midnight now so I hope I didn't totally flub it up. But I do know that I missed typing tons of music and movies I like. For now, what I have will need to be good enough to help you figure out what type of person I am.
Today was a very long day. After getting myself up and ready I woke my son up, made and ate breakfast, played games with him, played a few games online, made and ate lunch and played more games (toys) with the little one. Although you may think it's great with fun and games all day with a 2 year old, it wasn't. There was also plenty of time devoted to things such as keeping him from getting into the food closet, pulling him off the dining table each of the 5-10 times he climbed on top of it, keeping him out of the dvd's, cleaning up the dvd's, teaching him that it's not nice to hit and pinch, keeping his screaming down to a minimum so daddy could sleep, keeping him away from the tv, etc. The list goes on and on as I'm sure some have experienced for themselves! Don't get me wrong, I love my little boy, but he is definitely a handful at times.
Tonight, after we read a story with the kiddo and said prayer, I sat in the rocker in his dark bedroom, holding him close and whispering with him. He doesn't talk in sentences yet or put many words together but he will say one word at a time in sequence so we know exactly what he's trying to say such as: Car. Key. Go. This means we need the key to start the car so we can go. It's always the best time of the day and most rewarding to sit in his room with him, just holding him close and having these sweet little moments. It makes the rest of the day worth it.
It is now 1 o'clock am, The Quiet Man is playing in the dvd player so I will be off to possibly watch a little bit of it until I fall asleep. Goodnight!
Today was a very long day. After getting myself up and ready I woke my son up, made and ate breakfast, played games with him, played a few games online, made and ate lunch and played more games (toys) with the little one. Although you may think it's great with fun and games all day with a 2 year old, it wasn't. There was also plenty of time devoted to things such as keeping him from getting into the food closet, pulling him off the dining table each of the 5-10 times he climbed on top of it, keeping him out of the dvd's, cleaning up the dvd's, teaching him that it's not nice to hit and pinch, keeping his screaming down to a minimum so daddy could sleep, keeping him away from the tv, etc. The list goes on and on as I'm sure some have experienced for themselves! Don't get me wrong, I love my little boy, but he is definitely a handful at times.
Tonight, after we read a story with the kiddo and said prayer, I sat in the rocker in his dark bedroom, holding him close and whispering with him. He doesn't talk in sentences yet or put many words together but he will say one word at a time in sequence so we know exactly what he's trying to say such as: Car. Key. Go. This means we need the key to start the car so we can go. It's always the best time of the day and most rewarding to sit in his room with him, just holding him close and having these sweet little moments. It makes the rest of the day worth it.
It is now 1 o'clock am, The Quiet Man is playing in the dvd player so I will be off to possibly watch a little bit of it until I fall asleep. Goodnight!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Week 22 and Counting
I am now 22 weeks prego. The "morning sickness," if you can even call it that, has long passed since the first trimester or by the 12th week or so. For those of you having trouble counting weeks, I am almost 6 months pregnant.
We first found out about the baby at about 10 weeks into the pregnancy. Even though we suspected the possibility of it, we were surprised as it's so hard for me to even get pregnant. I have had a couple of ultrasounds and the baby is doing great so far. He/she decided not to cooperate at the last one so we were unable to discover the gender. Hopefully baby will be in a good mood the next time and we'll get it figured out so we can use the little time we have left to prepare for it's arrival.
The weather today is beautiful but I haven't had the chance to enjoy it. Instead I have been stuck inside with the hot air of our 2nd story apartment. The air conditioning unit doesn't work very well, so all of our windows are open and the ceiling and floor fans are going on high. I'm sure it's still in the 80's in here and I am wilting quickly because of it. Although we can only do so much for the AC, I keep myself hydrated with water and more water. I'm sure I sweat out half as much as I drink, if not more, but hydration is super important while prego and I can't have myself fainting (never done that before) or getting sick otherwise.
My son will be rising from his nap in a few minutes and I need more water before I go get him. Farewell and goodbye, I am off!!
We first found out about the baby at about 10 weeks into the pregnancy. Even though we suspected the possibility of it, we were surprised as it's so hard for me to even get pregnant. I have had a couple of ultrasounds and the baby is doing great so far. He/she decided not to cooperate at the last one so we were unable to discover the gender. Hopefully baby will be in a good mood the next time and we'll get it figured out so we can use the little time we have left to prepare for it's arrival.
The weather today is beautiful but I haven't had the chance to enjoy it. Instead I have been stuck inside with the hot air of our 2nd story apartment. The air conditioning unit doesn't work very well, so all of our windows are open and the ceiling and floor fans are going on high. I'm sure it's still in the 80's in here and I am wilting quickly because of it. Although we can only do so much for the AC, I keep myself hydrated with water and more water. I'm sure I sweat out half as much as I drink, if not more, but hydration is super important while prego and I can't have myself fainting (never done that before) or getting sick otherwise.
My son will be rising from his nap in a few minutes and I need more water before I go get him. Farewell and goodbye, I am off!!
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