Dear Pinterest: I need folders

Let me just start with saying I don't understand couponing. We don't coupon. I've tried. For several weeks I bought newspapers, but I just never found enough coupons of things I actually bought or needed. Maybe someone can explain this whole couponing thing to me.

I have however managed to save plenty of money each week just by planning dinner menus and going to the store with a list. That and going alone (sorry Brian).  I am telling you, this alone has probably cut our grocery bill in half.

I don't mind cooking at all, I just hate coming up with ideas of what to make.  Pinterest has helped me change up our meals a bit. And Brian has gotten much better at letting me experiment on him.
My one complaint is looking through my food board on Pinterest and its so unorganized. Yes I could just make several new boards (drinks, soups, salads, dinners, appetizers...) but I'd really just like to see folders inside the board to organize it.


Somedays I much prefer to look at other blogs, which have their recipes organized.

The Girl who Ate Everything

I am really enjoying this blog, like pinterest, there are pictures to show you what the recipe is.

 

 

Sweet Tooth Sweet Life

This blog has a lot of great recipes we have tried out, but you need to click the links to get to her pictures.

So PLEASE Pinterest, can I have folders to help organize my boards?

If anyone has any great recipes or tricks you would like to share for cutting costs on your grocery bills, Please share away!

Rainy Summer :(

We have had a lot of rain here over the past month.  Unfortunately that means we have to stay inside, BORING.

Liam seems to think this means he can watch television all day.  This is not going to happen and this has been a hard concept for him to grasp.  As we are trying to get into some sort of routine in our new life of me at home, I am trying to find times of the day to allow him this down time with the television, without him watching too much. 

So his television watching has revolved around his sleeping.  When we get up in the morning he watches a program, after his nap or quiet time he watches another program, and as we wind down before bed.

I know my mom is surprised I let him watch television at all, I always said how against television for children I am.  But it is more of an over use of television that I am against.  As easy as life could be, I do not want to use the television to baby-sit my child.

I was so happy yesterday to see Liam enjoying the background noise the television provided, without really caring to watch it.  

Yes, he wears seasonal pajamas year round.

 

 

So I guess we need to find some special rainy day activities for him for these summer days we are stuck inside.

LCF Threadz: Car Seat Canopies

Hey There!

I just wanted to show you all one of my new favorite products I have been making.  The Car Seat Canopy.  Its like a blanket that attaches to the handles of the infant carseat.

These are great to use year round.   In the summer, the "blanket" will keep the sun out of the baby's eyes, or you can use it in stores to cover the baby while s/he sleeps, or just to keep others from touching him/her.

In the winter, the blanket will help block the wind  and cold air from the baby.

These Car Seat Canopies can be made with either coordinating fabrics or with one side a soft, cuddly minky.

And as an added bonus, my carseat expert (yes, I really do have one :))  tells me this is one of the few  approved after market products.

If you are in need of a gift for someone having a baby, these are perfect!

Car Seat Canopies on LCF Threadz

Swim Lesson Fail

Liam's first swim lesson was a complete disaster!

Brian and I have been wanting to get Liam into swim lessons for quite a while now, we just could never get it to work with our work schedules. But now that school is out and I'll be home for an extended period of time we jumped at the chance to sign him up.

Swim lessons are important to us because we do not have a pool or has access to one so Liam's water experience is limited. When our new house is finished we will have a pool so we want Liam to understand pool safety and be able to enjoy the pool.

I talked to Liam about going to swim lessons all week. He was excited, turns out he thought we were going to a friends house who has a pool and he was going to get to play with some toys he enjoys there.

We walked into Little Otter's Swim School, he was still excited. "Look! There's a big blue pool". And then we checked in at the front desk. When asked if we were there for his first swim lesson he told the lady "no, I don't need to go in the water".
This continued while I was trying to help ( read: force) him to change. 20 minutes if arguing and tears in the changing room later I convinced him to just come sit and watch the other lessons with me. Good thing we came early.

Somehow when it was his turn I got him out on the pool deck without an opposition... Until he was asked to sit on the edge. I ended up having to hand him to the instructor, who walked around in the water with him, as he clung to her to dear life, before she was able to sit him on the edge of the pool, feet in the water, for the rest of the class.






I know his water experience is very limited, so yes it will take him a while to warm up to the idea. This was just so stressful for me, I don't want to force him into an activity he doesn't want to do, but we do see this as more of a necessity than a choice activity.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day Brian.
Liam is so lucky to have you.

Wordless Wednesday: Best Card Shop EVER!

Yeah... if we are real life friends, don't be suprised if you see a card from this shop showing up in your mailbox someday soon.

 

Etsy Shop: Lemons with a Pea

33 Weeks!

 

 

6 more weeks!

 

Baby Fudge is the size of a pineapple.  About 4 pounds and 17 inches.

 

As I have said the whole time, this pregnacy is so different!  My sleep has been effected, I go to sleep peacefully each night, only to wake up in the middle of the night and not able to get back to sleep.

 

I am swollen, all the time.  I used to be able to get my rings on in the morning, but not anymore.  I am swollen from my knees to my toes.  I never had this problem with Liam.

 

Baby movement:  I feel her shifting around and the pressure of her pushing out all day, but she is not as active as Liam was, much less actual jabs and kicks.  Her head is in the same place in my ribs that Liam's was... I guess I am good at growing breech babies!

 

Mommy's movement:  With the beautiful weather, we are trying to get in as many walks as possible.  It feels great to be up and moving since I haven't been able to run this pregnancy.

 



Where is the Passion When You Need it the Most

As part of the blog ever day in May series, the topic for May 20: Get Real. Share something you have been struggling with. It has taken me this long to finish writing about this.

This is something I touched on at the beginning of the year, my New Years "resolution" was to find purpose.

I struggle with Sundays.

Depression usually sets in shortly after waking up Sunday morning if not Saturday night. And really it's not just a normal end of the weekend blues. I end up in absolute tears over having to go back to work the next day.

And it's not just pregnancy hormones either, this pattern was established well before the fetus.

I love teaching. I have an amazing group of students. They work hard, they are motivated to learn, well behaved. As a whole, my students this year the ideal boys and girls every teacher hopes for each year.

So often I hear from others that teachers have it made with summers off, finished with work before 5 o'clock...
I do not find teaching to be a family friendly profession. Students may go home before 5, and yes I do too, but only because I don't want to leave Liam at the sitter's that long. We get home, after feeding Liam I find something to entertain Liam while I continue to work.

And I cannot tell you how many times you will find me at work at 5am.

And I'm not the only one feeling this way. Teaching in a district with nearly 200 schools, the system has assigned a task force to investigate staff moral.

Teachers being under appreciated and bullied is not limited to public perception, it begins directly with administration.

I love teaching, I love watching the growth if students throughout the year. But I am ready for a break. With a lot if anxiety I have decided to take a year of maternity leave after the baby comes.

I hope to see you here more with many updates on Liam and Baby Fudge each week!
Wish me luck!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Happy Cancer Survivor Day

 



 

You have been through so much.  We are so blessed to have you.  Liam will always be my superhero!