Picture this.....
Being pregnant can be pretty hard on a woman's body. Being out of shape and over weight for years also can be very hard on a body. Eating crap about half the time? You guessed it, hard on your body.
You know what? I am sick and tired of doing poor things to my body. I'm tired of being plus sized. I'm tired of feeling bad and having such a poor body image. I'm tired of feeling like I am not good enough and that I am not teaching my kids how to be healthy. So, it is time to do something about it.
Over the past couple of weeks, I have been making a point to do a lot of walking. I have also been tracking my eating and nutrition. Why? I wanted to prepare my body to start...AGAIN....a couch to 5k run program. Third times a charm they say. I am determined to do it and determined to not only finish, but to rock it. But, I was nervous. Last time I tried this, first time out, I injured my foot. It took over a year for it to get back to 100%. This is why I started with just some walking.
Well, today was D-day. Time to try that first podcast of week one in this 9 week program. I was not feeling confident. But, since it is a billion degrees outside and east coast kinda humid, I decided to run indoors at our fitness center's track. It is small, 20 laps to equal a mile. But, I didn't want to use a treadmill. Just me, the track and my i-pod.
The podcast was from running into shape and uses the run program from the cool running website. Week one is a 5 minute warm up, 8 intervals that include 60 second runs followed by 90 second recovery periods. And, I rocked it. My feet feel great. I did not get winded. I was not really all that tired at the end and after the 5 minute cool down. In total, I finished 32 laps in thoes 30 minutes. I finished off with 10ish minutes of core work and 5 minutes of stretching.
I'm shocked. I may feel different tomorrow. But holy cannoli batman, it felt GREAT! I'm so excited I don't know what to do with myself. I have been considering, and then chickening out of, signing up for the local 5k run in mid July. I will only be on week 7 at that point. But you know what? I think I'm gonna do it anyhow. And I'm gonna drag my husband along with me. ;-) Hmmmm...guess I should let him know, eh?
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
Walgreens Trip
One of the other ways we are saving $$$ is through couponing. I call it not quite extreme because, well, the stuff on that TLC show is not a true representation. My normal goal is to save at minimum 50% on a shopping bill. But, that is for another blog.
Today, I went to Walgreens. I bought in two different orders:
- Two packages of Huggies Little Swimmers (on sale, walgreens and manufacturer coupons)
- Two packages of Thermacare Wraps (on sale, Register Rewards and manf coupon)
- One package of Tampax tampons (RR and manf coupon)
- Two Colgate toothbrushes (On sale, RR and manf coupon)
- Three candy bars that were on sale to use as fillers
I love Walgreens.........
May 20 Meal Plan
And so, the meal planning continues. We ended up with a lot of extra leftovers last week. So, a couple of items from last week are being moved to this week.
Margarita Chicken Quesadillas
Mango Chicken
Pork Shoulder Roast
Something with beef and peppers
Not very imaginative this week. My husband will be away for most of the month of June in a training course for the National Guard. Beyond milk and a few fresh produce purchases, I am going to do my very best to buy as little as possible and just cook mostly from our pantry. Should be interesting. Considering that both Ray and I are still job searching (a few potentials but nothing firm), we really need to spend as little money as possible. July with no severance and pay check will be here before we know it.
Are you planning to many anything super yummy this week? Need any ideas? Let's talk here and share some ideas.
Margarita Chicken Quesadillas
Mango Chicken
Pork Shoulder Roast
Something with beef and peppers
Not very imaginative this week. My husband will be away for most of the month of June in a training course for the National Guard. Beyond milk and a few fresh produce purchases, I am going to do my very best to buy as little as possible and just cook mostly from our pantry. Should be interesting. Considering that both Ray and I are still job searching (a few potentials but nothing firm), we really need to spend as little money as possible. July with no severance and pay check will be here before we know it.
Are you planning to many anything super yummy this week? Need any ideas? Let's talk here and share some ideas.
Monday, May 14, 2012
May 13 - Weekly Meal Plan
I mentioned back in a previous blog post how organization and some tools I learned early on in my marriage were going to help us during a time when money is beyond tight. Meal planning and efficient use of our home pantry (stockpile as some call it) will help us eat, and eat well, for at least 3 months.
Many people who do meal or menu planning for their families do weekly plans. Well, we live a hair shorter than an hour from the closest military commissary. Even with sales, shopping here with coupons can not be beat. But, it is a drive that is a bit longer than I would like to make weekly with the cost of gas. Instead, I make a list of 15-20 main course meals for the month to coinside with our commissary road trips and what I have in our pantry. I also take into consideration sales at our little local stores and what fresh produce should be in season and in abundance, ie.....cheap.
Considering one or two meals per month eating out or at someone's home and leftovers, we don't need much more than the 15-20 for the month. And we have standing options in the house all the time for breakfast and lunches as well as veggies and fillers for the main meals if needed.
For this week, here is my list of meals:
-Margarita Chicken Quesadillas
-Beef and Spinach Gyros
-Pineapple and Mango Chicken
-Thai Chicken
-Fried Round Steak
My moods and what I crave change all the time. So, as you will see, I do not do a list such as, on Monday, we will each Thai Chicken...and on and on. What I do have is a small dry erase board on our refridgerator. The top half is where I list my 4-5 main courses for the week. When I write them up there, I take out whatever meat we need and put it in the fridge to defrost. Then, as I cook it, I just wipe off that meal. When they are all gone as well as the leftovers, I start the process over again.
It is what works for us. Since all of these recipes are new to our family with the exception of the Thai Chicken, I'll let you know how they turn out. Let me know if you would like any of the recipes. I'll post them after I make them because honestly, I rarely ever follow a recipe 100%.
In case you are looking for cheap produce....around here right now we are getting mangos, pineapple, asparagus, sweet corn and strawberries dirt cheap. One good thing about having a deep freezer is that we can stock up on them, blanch and freeze them at dirt cheap prices for later use. And produce frozen from fresh packs a higher nutrional punch than anything you can buy that is canned.
Many people who do meal or menu planning for their families do weekly plans. Well, we live a hair shorter than an hour from the closest military commissary. Even with sales, shopping here with coupons can not be beat. But, it is a drive that is a bit longer than I would like to make weekly with the cost of gas. Instead, I make a list of 15-20 main course meals for the month to coinside with our commissary road trips and what I have in our pantry. I also take into consideration sales at our little local stores and what fresh produce should be in season and in abundance, ie.....cheap.
Considering one or two meals per month eating out or at someone's home and leftovers, we don't need much more than the 15-20 for the month. And we have standing options in the house all the time for breakfast and lunches as well as veggies and fillers for the main meals if needed.
For this week, here is my list of meals:
-Margarita Chicken Quesadillas
-Beef and Spinach Gyros
-Pineapple and Mango Chicken
-Thai Chicken
-Fried Round Steak
My moods and what I crave change all the time. So, as you will see, I do not do a list such as, on Monday, we will each Thai Chicken...and on and on. What I do have is a small dry erase board on our refridgerator. The top half is where I list my 4-5 main courses for the week. When I write them up there, I take out whatever meat we need and put it in the fridge to defrost. Then, as I cook it, I just wipe off that meal. When they are all gone as well as the leftovers, I start the process over again.
It is what works for us. Since all of these recipes are new to our family with the exception of the Thai Chicken, I'll let you know how they turn out. Let me know if you would like any of the recipes. I'll post them after I make them because honestly, I rarely ever follow a recipe 100%.
In case you are looking for cheap produce....around here right now we are getting mangos, pineapple, asparagus, sweet corn and strawberries dirt cheap. One good thing about having a deep freezer is that we can stock up on them, blanch and freeze them at dirt cheap prices for later use. And produce frozen from fresh packs a higher nutrional punch than anything you can buy that is canned.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
First Things First....
Picture this, and believe it or not, there is one good thing about losing a job during this Great Recession we find ourselves in....extended unemployment.
Just after we found out I was pregnant with our first child, I was let go due to downsizing and lower sales from my job. It really was not that big of a deal because both Ray and I had decided that I was going to be a stay at home mom when we had children. In fact, when we bought our home, we based everything budget wise off of only his salary. My salary was bonus. But, I still wanted to be working up until the baby came, and I applied for and started receiving unemployment benefits as I looked for a job to hold us over.
I never found that job, and baby Derrek arrived. So, I called the local unemployment office and told them, as they requested we do, that I was no longer going to be taking the benefit. The lady asked me why. I told her that I had no intention of working at this time and that it would, in effect, be stealing. She spent 15 minutes on the phone with me trying to talk me out of it and to take the money the government was offering.
Huh? How was that possible? What would be the benefit of taking advantage of the system? What's more, is that some family and friends tried to convince me of the same thing. But, I stuck to my guns and the unemployment checks stopped coming, even when many thought we were nuts.
Now, every state and their unemployment laws are different. If all goes well, I should hopefully be eligible for an additional 20 weeks, then 14 more on top of that by reopening my old unemployment case. The laws are funky and different now, and I will only collect while we are job searching. If Ray finds a good job and I can continue to stay at home or I end up finding a great job, we will obviously end those benefits again.
I don't normally do what other people tell me to. Especially when I find a moral issue with it in the first place. Taking the unemployment benefits when I knew very well I was not really looking for a job did not sit well with me, so I did not do it even though the "free" money was VERY tempting. And, I am glad we made that choice. If all goes well, the benefits will kick in and help us get through a period when, frankly, the only income will be Ray's monthly weekend drill pay. Money that would no longer be available to us had I continued to take it before.
Doing the right thing really does make a difference. Sometimes, the difference between feeding your family or losing your home and not. So, let's pray I hear back from unemployment next week and that we can start putting that money away in savings for July when Ray will no longer be getting severance and his National Guard course will be over. And that Ray will be able to secure a great job that will both meet our financial needs AND that he will love.
Just after we found out I was pregnant with our first child, I was let go due to downsizing and lower sales from my job. It really was not that big of a deal because both Ray and I had decided that I was going to be a stay at home mom when we had children. In fact, when we bought our home, we based everything budget wise off of only his salary. My salary was bonus. But, I still wanted to be working up until the baby came, and I applied for and started receiving unemployment benefits as I looked for a job to hold us over.
I never found that job, and baby Derrek arrived. So, I called the local unemployment office and told them, as they requested we do, that I was no longer going to be taking the benefit. The lady asked me why. I told her that I had no intention of working at this time and that it would, in effect, be stealing. She spent 15 minutes on the phone with me trying to talk me out of it and to take the money the government was offering.
Huh? How was that possible? What would be the benefit of taking advantage of the system? What's more, is that some family and friends tried to convince me of the same thing. But, I stuck to my guns and the unemployment checks stopped coming, even when many thought we were nuts.
Now, every state and their unemployment laws are different. If all goes well, I should hopefully be eligible for an additional 20 weeks, then 14 more on top of that by reopening my old unemployment case. The laws are funky and different now, and I will only collect while we are job searching. If Ray finds a good job and I can continue to stay at home or I end up finding a great job, we will obviously end those benefits again.
I don't normally do what other people tell me to. Especially when I find a moral issue with it in the first place. Taking the unemployment benefits when I knew very well I was not really looking for a job did not sit well with me, so I did not do it even though the "free" money was VERY tempting. And, I am glad we made that choice. If all goes well, the benefits will kick in and help us get through a period when, frankly, the only income will be Ray's monthly weekend drill pay. Money that would no longer be available to us had I continued to take it before.
Doing the right thing really does make a difference. Sometimes, the difference between feeding your family or losing your home and not. So, let's pray I hear back from unemployment next week and that we can start putting that money away in savings for July when Ray will no longer be getting severance and his National Guard course will be over. And that Ray will be able to secure a great job that will both meet our financial needs AND that he will love.
The Truth Shall Set Us Free...
Picture this..... Your husband is in his dream job. There are some challenges, as it is a challenging job. And it has some surprise politics involved that you would not normally consider in this line of work. But, it is what it is. Our family has relocated almost 2 hours away for this job. Then, two weeks to the day that your beautiful baby girl was born (adding to the handsome toddler boy you already have), your husband is let go from his job.
No big deal. Well, having to move so soon after having a baby sucks. Making this the second move in 6ish months. And you are moving back into the house you own, but that is smaller and a totally different set up than the one you had been living in. Sigh.... At least hubs should be able to get his previous job back. Not a job he loves. Not a job he normally even likes. But yet, a job he is good at and that will pay the bills. And we have 2 weeks severance and a month long National Guard course he is going to be taking. There is no reason to panic.
And here we are. Back in our home, with two children to raise and our home and property that needs some work. Ray tried to get his job back at the prison, but will not be eligible now until November some time. Sigh....how did this happen? How are we going to survive? Am I going to have to go back to work? If so, how are we going to handle the cost of childcare?
Lots of questions still yet to be answered. We are past that emotional panic reaction and both Ray and I are in action mode. He is furiously job searching at the moment, as am I. I am taking stock of the state of our home food pantry and trying to find the best way to sell a lot of the stuff we no longer need. Our junk. Our duplicates. We are also trying to get a handle on this crazy yard. Seriously....NEVER buy a house that has no real lawn, just garden. It is more than a full time job just to weed. And covering it in river rock in no way will help the next owners replace a majority of that garden with grass. Speaking of which, anyone want some landscaping rock? We have three varieties for your rock choosing pleasure.
I am not writing about this season of our life because we want charity or pity. (Although, prayers and good thoughts would be much appreciated) I am writing this for several other reasons however:
1. To help me get all these ideas in my brain in order and down on virtual paper. Organization is the key.
2. To share with other's what has and has not worked for us while trying to find jobs and hopefully still be able to pay our bills.
3. To perhaps get some advice from others who have been there and done that, as well as provide this information to other people who may be going through a similar financial situation.
Sharing this information with the public is not easy. I still have some internal melt down moments; times of panic when I just don't know how we are gonna make it. And yet, I am moved to action. If you like, you are welcome, through this blog here, to come along on this journey with us.
God is in control. My brain knows that. But God is not going to drop a job in our laps. God is not going to transfer money into our checking account so we don't lose our house. God is not going to pull up in a 2nd car for our family. Nor fill the gas tank on the car we already have. What God has done however is given us a lot of tools and resources to help us make it through this, hopefully short, challenge for our family. So while my posts may seem a bit disjointed and have no real theme to them as a whole, they are all from this point on to the foreseeable future about all the ways we are getting it done.
No big deal. Well, having to move so soon after having a baby sucks. Making this the second move in 6ish months. And you are moving back into the house you own, but that is smaller and a totally different set up than the one you had been living in. Sigh.... At least hubs should be able to get his previous job back. Not a job he loves. Not a job he normally even likes. But yet, a job he is good at and that will pay the bills. And we have 2 weeks severance and a month long National Guard course he is going to be taking. There is no reason to panic.
And here we are. Back in our home, with two children to raise and our home and property that needs some work. Ray tried to get his job back at the prison, but will not be eligible now until November some time. Sigh....how did this happen? How are we going to survive? Am I going to have to go back to work? If so, how are we going to handle the cost of childcare?
Lots of questions still yet to be answered. We are past that emotional panic reaction and both Ray and I are in action mode. He is furiously job searching at the moment, as am I. I am taking stock of the state of our home food pantry and trying to find the best way to sell a lot of the stuff we no longer need. Our junk. Our duplicates. We are also trying to get a handle on this crazy yard. Seriously....NEVER buy a house that has no real lawn, just garden. It is more than a full time job just to weed. And covering it in river rock in no way will help the next owners replace a majority of that garden with grass. Speaking of which, anyone want some landscaping rock? We have three varieties for your rock choosing pleasure.
I am not writing about this season of our life because we want charity or pity. (Although, prayers and good thoughts would be much appreciated) I am writing this for several other reasons however:
1. To help me get all these ideas in my brain in order and down on virtual paper. Organization is the key.
2. To share with other's what has and has not worked for us while trying to find jobs and hopefully still be able to pay our bills.
3. To perhaps get some advice from others who have been there and done that, as well as provide this information to other people who may be going through a similar financial situation.
Sharing this information with the public is not easy. I still have some internal melt down moments; times of panic when I just don't know how we are gonna make it. And yet, I am moved to action. If you like, you are welcome, through this blog here, to come along on this journey with us.
God is in control. My brain knows that. But God is not going to drop a job in our laps. God is not going to transfer money into our checking account so we don't lose our house. God is not going to pull up in a 2nd car for our family. Nor fill the gas tank on the car we already have. What God has done however is given us a lot of tools and resources to help us make it through this, hopefully short, challenge for our family. So while my posts may seem a bit disjointed and have no real theme to them as a whole, they are all from this point on to the foreseeable future about all the ways we are getting it done.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Cloth Diapering The Infant
I talked before about our plans for cloth diapering our newborn. Well, that beautiful baby girl is now 9 1/2 weeks old. We started off with disposables. Mostly because they were easy and my mom was there to help. She does not do cloth diapers. ;-) They also proved to be helpful when my husband lost his job and we had to move. Laundering cloth diapers would have just added to the headache and stress of that moment.
But now, we are back in our home and are cloth diapering her most of the time. I have tried everything I bought and here are our experiences up to this point.
Fitteds....
The ease of using fitted diapers is wonderful. They go on in a flash and we are back to doing something else much more exciting than diaper changes. However, they take FOREVER to dry in the dryer. In fact, I normally have to hang them for a while after being in the dryer to finish them off. That is annoying. Since we plan to start hanging out the diapers to dry in the back yard, I can imagine it is going to be an all day deal to get them dry. At least it won't add to my electric bill.
Prefolds....
I really was not looking forward to using them. But, I must admit that once I got the hang of putting them on and securing them with the snappi's, They are my favorite. So easy, so simple. I do like the hemp ones a bit better than the cotton ones for laundering. Because of how they are made, they are MUCH easier and faster to dry. They also, after time, are more absorbent than cotton.
However, while the unbleached cotton prefolds take longer to dry that center section, for some reason I just like them better. Chalk it up to preference, but the cotton prefolds are the first I reach for when it is time for changing her.
Now, we had some Gerber bleached cotton prefolds and some of the non-bleached cotton prefolds. The non-bleached ones are much softer, much more absorbent and dry faster than the bleached ones.
Flats...
I can't lie, we have primarily used these for burp cloths. However, since I really hate drying the fitteds and the prefolds, I need to really practice my folds on the flats. If we can figure them out, not only will they be the cheapest option, they will dry in a flash since they are a single layer of cotton.
There is one pocket diaper we have been able to use so far. It is one that was given to us as a gift. I believe it is from Thirsties. It has both a hemp and a cotton insert that snap together. It is also a size one. I really like this one and it just reminds me that I long for the day my baby girl chunks up enough that we can use primarily pocket diapers on her. They are still, by far, my favorite overall.
So, wish me luck figuring out those flats. I'll update you once we have mastered the art of flat folding.
But now, we are back in our home and are cloth diapering her most of the time. I have tried everything I bought and here are our experiences up to this point.
Fitteds....
The ease of using fitted diapers is wonderful. They go on in a flash and we are back to doing something else much more exciting than diaper changes. However, they take FOREVER to dry in the dryer. In fact, I normally have to hang them for a while after being in the dryer to finish them off. That is annoying. Since we plan to start hanging out the diapers to dry in the back yard, I can imagine it is going to be an all day deal to get them dry. At least it won't add to my electric bill.
Prefolds....
I really was not looking forward to using them. But, I must admit that once I got the hang of putting them on and securing them with the snappi's, They are my favorite. So easy, so simple. I do like the hemp ones a bit better than the cotton ones for laundering. Because of how they are made, they are MUCH easier and faster to dry. They also, after time, are more absorbent than cotton.
However, while the unbleached cotton prefolds take longer to dry that center section, for some reason I just like them better. Chalk it up to preference, but the cotton prefolds are the first I reach for when it is time for changing her.
Now, we had some Gerber bleached cotton prefolds and some of the non-bleached cotton prefolds. The non-bleached ones are much softer, much more absorbent and dry faster than the bleached ones.
Flats...
I can't lie, we have primarily used these for burp cloths. However, since I really hate drying the fitteds and the prefolds, I need to really practice my folds on the flats. If we can figure them out, not only will they be the cheapest option, they will dry in a flash since they are a single layer of cotton.
There is one pocket diaper we have been able to use so far. It is one that was given to us as a gift. I believe it is from Thirsties. It has both a hemp and a cotton insert that snap together. It is also a size one. I really like this one and it just reminds me that I long for the day my baby girl chunks up enough that we can use primarily pocket diapers on her. They are still, by far, my favorite overall.
So, wish me luck figuring out those flats. I'll update you once we have mastered the art of flat folding.
Morgan's Birth Story, Part III
So, you have by this time probably read parts one and two of Morgan's birth story. The first part describing why I was so bent about having a VBAC instead of another cesarean and the second the actual story of labor and delivery with Morgan. Here in part three, my goal is to compare the two births and experiences since so many have asked, "was all the stress and process of the VBAC worth it?"
The simple answer is, YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The recovery from the c-section was hard. It seemed like it took forever for me to be able to do certain things. It made breastfeeding harder. The memory of the surgery itself still frightens me. Did we end up with a healthy baby and mommy? Yes. But when you take into consideration all that happened before, during and after that experience, It was by far the hardest of the two deliveries.
That said, let me talk a bit about the VBAC. The perineum support or stretching provided by the nurse and then my doctor HURT. At times, it hurt more than the pain I felt during the c-section. Same when the forceps were inserted and placed in the proper spot around my child's 14 inch head. It's no wonder I had 3rd degree and bilateral tearing. Morgan's actual birth, however, was not painful at all. I never felt that ring of fire. I suppose that is because of the epidural. But oh my heavens, did I feel the pressure! The contractions were very intense and sometimes painful, especially after the doctor broke my water. But it was not like any other pain I have ever experienced in my life.
Many women told me contractions were normally very painful in active labor, especially during transition. But it was not a normal kind of pain and your body registers it different. I have to agree. When allowed to move with the contractions, vocalize and try different ways to handle them, they are not so bad. Pain with a purpose. And what a wonderful purpose it is.
So yes, even considering the tearing and normal backache/pain from the epidural, the VBAC was worth it. Soooooooooooooooooooooooooo worth it to me! There is just no comparison regarding the recoveries. Ray and I at this time still hope to add at least one more biological child to the family. This time though, I don't feel fear when thinking about the labor and delivery. I am looking forward to it! I know that sounds odd to many, and that is ok. I'm used to not being "normal" regarding these subjects. Hopefully, Nebraska laws will change by the time we are expecting again and we can legally consider a midwife assisted home birth. I would very VERY much like to try a fully natural birth and honestly, I don't see that as an option in our local hospitals. Especially considering I am still a VBAC patient.
Time will tell I suppose.
The simple answer is, YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The recovery from the c-section was hard. It seemed like it took forever for me to be able to do certain things. It made breastfeeding harder. The memory of the surgery itself still frightens me. Did we end up with a healthy baby and mommy? Yes. But when you take into consideration all that happened before, during and after that experience, It was by far the hardest of the two deliveries.
That said, let me talk a bit about the VBAC. The perineum support or stretching provided by the nurse and then my doctor HURT. At times, it hurt more than the pain I felt during the c-section. Same when the forceps were inserted and placed in the proper spot around my child's 14 inch head. It's no wonder I had 3rd degree and bilateral tearing. Morgan's actual birth, however, was not painful at all. I never felt that ring of fire. I suppose that is because of the epidural. But oh my heavens, did I feel the pressure! The contractions were very intense and sometimes painful, especially after the doctor broke my water. But it was not like any other pain I have ever experienced in my life.
Many women told me contractions were normally very painful in active labor, especially during transition. But it was not a normal kind of pain and your body registers it different. I have to agree. When allowed to move with the contractions, vocalize and try different ways to handle them, they are not so bad. Pain with a purpose. And what a wonderful purpose it is.
So yes, even considering the tearing and normal backache/pain from the epidural, the VBAC was worth it. Soooooooooooooooooooooooooo worth it to me! There is just no comparison regarding the recoveries. Ray and I at this time still hope to add at least one more biological child to the family. This time though, I don't feel fear when thinking about the labor and delivery. I am looking forward to it! I know that sounds odd to many, and that is ok. I'm used to not being "normal" regarding these subjects. Hopefully, Nebraska laws will change by the time we are expecting again and we can legally consider a midwife assisted home birth. I would very VERY much like to try a fully natural birth and honestly, I don't see that as an option in our local hospitals. Especially considering I am still a VBAC patient.
Time will tell I suppose.
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