A Friday Morning List.

1.  My son woke up at 5:45 this morning.  No idea why - must be the early sunrise.  Since I'm now at home, I can't justify nudging (read: shoving) Nate out of bed to go get him.  Thus, I stumbled in to his room and retrieved the wide awake kid.

2.  This blurry picture was taken around 7:00a.  Please note the one frog boot and that he is talking fervently on a very tiny pretend cell phone.  He thinks that you have to walk around when you talk on the phone...wonder where he got that from.

3.  Harris Teeter had Triple Coupons this past week...I rocked out.  My second trip is pictured below.  $11 for all of this - I saved roughly $26.  It's an awesome thing to do when you need to get all you can out of a dollar.  Time consuming, but well worth it!

4.  Some very good friends of ours had a baby girl 2 days ago, and I met her last night.  My goodness she is beautiful - she was born in the same room I had my son.  It was special being back in that room again holding a tiny little one.  Baby fever, anyone?  I digress.

5.  I'm going to go start some laundry or something while the kid mentioned in Items No. 1 and 2 sleeps off his early wake up time...bless him.

The New and Improved Me!

My recent (super recent) transition to a stay-at-home Mom has allowed me a little more time to write.  That is not to say I'm not busy.  Holy cow.  I think this is the first time I've sat still since last Friday when I said Adios! to my good friends at the workplace!  I don't feel like it's real yet.  I keep going to sleep thinking, "I'll have to go to work tomorrow." But, no.

Part of that may be due to the fact that God is awesome, and has already all but put in place a working from home job for me.  Not to mention, I have cake orders coming in left and right.  It's like it was meant to be!

Since hubby was in Canada for my first week as a SAHM...

Nate and giant pike.

...it wasn't all that realistic.  Me, my boy and the dog stayed with my Mom all week.  It was awesome to be back home for a while!

My goal for the re-start (for the bazillionth time) of this blog is to share random thoughts, recipes and funny stories about my new life!  I hope you guys enjoy!

p.s.  I'm sorry if you are my close friend or family member and you are finding out about me leaving work through my blog - I'm not one to make a huge deal out of things like this...Love you, mean it.

Today:

I resolve to eat better.  (No, that mini-oatmeal raisin cookie I had this morning does not count - Nate said I had to try it.  I was just being a good wife.)  I'm not trying to lose weight, just trying to prevent gaining more - plus, I'd like to feel a little better.  Eating habits are a good place to start for that.

Problem is, I resolved to do this last Monday, too - except I then proceeded to eat so many Frosted Flakes for breakfast that I had a sugar high, and ate about 741 chocolate covered raisins.  Fail.

Good news:  this week I'm out of Frosted Flakes and chocolate covered raisins.

Other goals involve only having one Coke every other day (I'm addicted, okay - this requires baby steps), sweets such as the Halloween candy can only be had once in a blue moon,  (anyone want some Halloween candy?) and fast food only once a week. 

High stakes, but I need to do this!  After all, the Holidays are right around the corner and I'd like to be able to enjoy them...by rewarding myself by eating whatever I want to!

My World.

My boys.  The best reason to wake up in the morning.  My comfort.  Happiness.  The leading cause of stress.  Buddies.  My heart.  The blue eyes of the family.  Wearers of camo.  Friends of the chocolate dog.   Family.  

Genuine hearts.  Future hunting team.  Smiles.  Unruly hair. 

Tears.  Fans of Backyardigans.  Creators of dirty laundry. 

Unconditional love.  God's children.  

Mine.

Dang Good Pork Chops

In my house we eat a lot of chicken and ground beef.  Like a lot.  It's quick and easy, so it usually wins out.  Yesterday, I remembered I had some thick pork chops in the freezer and decided to thaw them out and try something new.  Pork chops have always been more difficult for me to cook, just because they can be so dry and so not-flavorful. 

I searched online for a good slow cook recipe for tenderness, combined a couple of them, and voila!  I actually made good pork chops, and I wanted to share.  It's SO easy, and a crockpot is involved.  Win-win.

Dang Good Pork Chops:

Serves: 2

2 bone-in thick cut pork chops

1 packet of onion soup mix

1 cup of chicken broth

1/4 cup of apple juice

salt, pepper

Lawry's seasoning salt

Brown pork chops on both sides with salt, pepper and Lawry's.  In separate bowl, combine onion soup mix and chicken broth.  Place pork chops in crock pot (I used my really small one so that the juice could cover as much of the chop as possible) and pour the onion/broth mixture over it.  Then pour in about 1/4 cup of apple juice.  Cook on low for 5 hours.  I turned them over and flipped them around every once in a while to make sure maximum juice absorption was happening equally.     

Delicious!  And so tender!  I served it over some Jambalaya Wild Rice, but also think it would be awesome with some mashed potatoes!

I miss blogging.  It's true, I do.  Well, to be truthful, I miss writing and giving people the option to follow and read it or not.  Is that the definition of blogging?  I think I'm a good writer (well, decent) and I communicate much better on paper, because there I can formulate my thoughts ahead of time and actually be witty, and possibly even make a good point now and then.  In real life, I think of something funny about 10 minutes after "the moment" has passed.  And though I spend literally hours in the car per week thinking of what to write about (weird, I know), when I sit down at the computer, nothing comes.  All those clever ideas?  Gone.  Little quips?  Out the window.

I think my problem is just getting going.  That first post after my five month hiatus.  I figure, the best way to get over this hump is just to give a general update.  Then my random thoughts, pictures and ideas will pour out?  One can only hope.  Here's a list:

1.  My baby boy is about to be 9 months old (Wednesday).  Nuts, I know.  He's standing up by himself and trying to walk already.  Bless him.  He's also in the 95 percentile on everything.  Who knew I'd birth a giant?  Love, love this kid. 

2.  Sometimes you wonder if you've done the right thing in life.  Right?  Saturday night I was up with said sweet boy above at 1:25a.m.  It dawned on me that while I soothed my teething baby, my friends were out drinking with sexy costumes on while I sat in a rocking chair half asleep.  Then I realized...there is no way in the world I would trade places.  (Don't get me wrong, I would have fun if I went with them - that's not the point.)  This is where I'm supposed to be.  Here with my boys (and chocolate dog).  It was just that little confirmation you get every once in a while that you might be on the right track.

3.  I'm still making cakes.  Just finished my 3rd wedding cake this past weekend!  I also have slacked off on my cake blog.  If I'm feeling super ambitious, I'll update it tonight after Little Man goes night-night.  Don't hold your breath though.  This is a pic of the second I've done.

4.  I'm part-time paralegal, full-time Mommy, and part-time cake maker.  It makes for one busy woman.  Oh, and a wife, and friend, and daughter, and sister, and time management is important.

5.  I'm ready for the Holidays.  I usually get mad at Christmas music the day after Halloween, but you know what - being a mother has taught me a valuable lesson in appreciating and embracing every day.  No use in avoiding happiness.  Plus, I get to be Santa Clause this year! 

6.  I went to New York a couple weekends ago.  Mark that one off the bucket list!  I'll post more on that adventure later.

7.  I'm liking the way this writing thing is feeling...I'll be back y'all!

Well, hello there.

Hi everyone!  Sorry it's been so long...but life is happening.  My son is now 9 weeks old.  And time is flying by.  I don't even find time to get on facebook as much anymore.  And that is saying something. 

I last blogged about my work dilemma - and I can't lie, I was in the process of making some changes with it, but wasn't ready to say it out loud yet just in case it didn't work out...but my firm as so graciously allowed me to come back part-time.  I'm the first person in my position that they have approved to do so (although I'm not sure anyone else has ever asked?).  Either way, I guess my hard work finally paid off and is appreciated!  I'll be working 3 days a week, leaving 4 for my little man!  It's the perfect compromise for me because I absolutely 100% could happily be a stay-at-home-mom, but I do crave the adult interaction.  I think it will be good for me and Peanut to have our time with others, and this way I'll have more money to buy my little man toys and cute clothes. (Note: this is me justifying my return to work to myself.)  

Peanut is great - growing like a weed.  He smiles and coos and does all sorts of cute baby things.  I love it!

A Nice Break.

I've spent the last few weeks getting acclimated to life as a parent.  Whoa - yeah.  It's a wild ride!  I've learned so much, and yet felt so dumb, all the while growing to love a tee-nincy little boy more than I ever thought possible.  I've taken a break - a break from work, writing, cake decorating, living life as I used to know it.  I've spent a few great days on my couch watching two or three Harry Potter movies while holding Little A, and I've spent days doing nothing but cleaning.

Now here we are nearly six weeks into life as a Mom (yeah, he'll be six weeks old next Wednesday!) and things are slowly going back to the new normal.  I did my first cake last weekend, and have been so pleased with how many people didn't forget about me :)  I already have 4 orders for March and have been asked to do three more wedding cakes!

While I'm okay with things going back to normal - I'm not okay with the thought of working just yet.  I seriously could write a really loooong letter to my Congressman (or whoever I need to yell at) that six weeks is just.not.enough. for maternity leave.  I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of my son's personality, likes and dislikes and according to corporate America I'm just supposed to hand him over to someone when he can't even fully control his head movement yet.  Uhh no.

Luckily, my firm has been so understanding and is allowing me an additional two weeks (I couldn't take the full 12 FMLA weeks because of my bedrest - that's another letter to the Congressman) and I am fortunate enough to have my Mom willing to keep little man when I go back.  I don't like it though and that's all I have to say about that right now.

I've also taken a break from reading other blogs - not by intention - just by exhaustion.  I sit down on the computer and totally forget what I'm doing.  So, I apologize if I haven't commented on your blog in a while - I haven't forgotten about you and promise to catch up soon!

Now, it's time for me to go to bed...super early, on a Friday.  I'll just be up in three hours anyway! :)

Motherhood is...

A full time job.  Crazy.  Rewarding.  A feeling like never before.  Waking up at 1, 4, and 7 a.m.  Lots of laundry.  Wearing a baby bjourn for the first time.  Fun.  Nerve-racking.  Endless amounts of pictures.  Smiles.  Tears.  Playing dress up.  The biggest responsibility of your life.  The reason I had to stop 7 times to do something for the baby while writing this post.  A little scary.  Sleep depriving.  Amazing.  Loving your husband in a new way.  Seeing your parents light up when they look at their grandchild. Sustaining another life.  Constant prayer for your child.  Learning to do everything one-handed.  Sheer joy when he smiles...even if he doesn't know he's smiling yet.  Changing diapers.  A tiny hand wrapped around your finger.  Talking like an idiot in your "baby voice."  Looking at the world in a whole new light.  Being the person that can make the baby stop crying when no one else can.  Trying.  Staring at him because he won't be this little for long.  Cleaning just to clean up again tomorrow.  Driving slower because there is now a life more important than yours in the car.  Being nervous every time he grunts in the middle of the night.  Crying because the baby is a whole week old.  Expensive.  Discovering that you can, in fact, sleep for several hours without moving while the baby lays on your chest.  Having to make time for yourself.  Appreciating family and friends.  Not to be taken lightly.  Remembering what it felt like to sleep for more than 3 hours at a time.  Googling every.single.thing. you worry or wonder about.  Re-prioritizing your life.  Pure Joy.

My sweet baby boy is here!  Austin Phillip was born Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 4:21 p.m.  8lbs 2oz.

The past few days with him have been wonderful, and I'm just trying to soak it all in :)  Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers.  I'll post my Baby Story soon!