Monday, January 30, 2012

We have tiny arms and legs!

Well you can't see it from the picture I'm going to post, but our little bean has tiny arms and legs. I went to my regular OB finally and got to see our bean moving around! Seriously wiggling everywhere. Well not everywhere cause apparently bean likes my right corner! A whole lot. I watched the heartbeat today which was really cool. The OB held it over the baby so I could watch the heart for awhile. Pretty cool I must say. Nice and strong heartbeat today!
Not nearly as clear as last week's but the machine at my OB isn't nearly as sophisticated as the other machine.  You can barely see the arms in the picture!

I wish I could say everything else in my life was as relaxed and going as swimmingly as this baby. Taking a masters class, not a smart plan right now. I'm working on building up my motivation to work in this class. I really do enjoy it but something it's a little much to come home from teaching all day and do homework. Not to mention grade papers and pray I don't get ill. I keep telling myself the class is only ten weeks, and week five starts tomorrow night. But then I remember I still have homework to finish! Yikes! I'm hoping I'll be able to get into a groove cause I need it. In the meantime, I need to figure out what I want for dinner after my cookies and milk. Yep I can eat dairy again which is thrilling! Now I gotta get some more protein. I need some quick easy ideas!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Life as we know it

I'm sitting here while I should be in bed and pondering life. Or rather the gift of life. As I'm suffering from a bad case of heartburn and drinking some milk (my hubby suggested it) a million thoughts are racing through my brain. I'm creating a new life within me right now while I watch two dear friends struggle with their own lives and one struggle with losing a close family member. In a way, I feel as though this baby is a tiny miracle granted to give me some peace in the midst of the sadness. I know for one of my friends my baby is helping her to think about other things besides her own chemotherapy and the possible consequences. They say bad things happen in threes. Well, I'm hoping my baby is the start of good things happening. It amazes me the strength some people have when facing trials. I know Heavenly Father gives us trials to make us stronger, but I can't help but think sometimes those trials are to help others grow as well. I see so many people affected right now by recent events and yes it does make me cry but I know in my heart that somehow things will turn out the way they need to. We're given what we need, when we need it. To hear my friend whom I've only just met this year say she may not have March come up in her life pained me. More than that; it cut deep into me. She's been a strength to me, and I continue to pray she'll make it through. Only time will tell. Then I look at this other person in the same battle with cancer of a different kind face his adversities with a smile even though I know it's got to be painful. And I watch another lose her dear family member and wonder how she's managing. So many blows all at once. I know there has to be a reason for it just like there's a reason we were blessed to be pregnant now in the midst of all this sadness. I'm sending lots of prayers for peace comfort and understanding right now. A wonderful mission companion used to share a scripture with me in the New Testament in John about us being purged so that something better can come along. I've seen that come true again and again. And everytime I'm reminded of the conversations we had. Life isn't always easy that's true. But we're given what Heavenly Father knows we need. And I know I need to watch this sadness to help me appreciate the good I have right now. Also, to reach out and help them the best that I can. Only one of these dear friends has the blessings of the temple. How wonderful it is to know that even though we might be separated for a brief time, through the power of the priesthood we can be brought back together with the ones we love. I am so incredibly grateful for the Atonement in my life and all of our lives. The opportunity we have to grow each day and become a little better. And when we do fall or have bad times, Christ truly knows and understands because He suffered it for us so He is the only one who can help us. I leave with the scripture from John 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
We are the branch and when we bear fruit, we are purged so that more goodness can come from us. 


Have a good evening everyone!

Monday, January 23, 2012

Almost two months down!!

So my wonderful husband went with me to my ultrasound today. It's incredible how much our baby has grown in just a week and a few days! Although I can certainly feel the effects  as waves of nausea hit me oh every five minutes :) It'll be totally worth it in the end. I think Ruben was expecting to see something a little more shall we say baby like but he still was excited! Today I got to "graduate" from Shady Grove and start seeing my regular OB next week. Super happy about that one. I still get to take progesterone yuck. But it's helping the baby and that's the important part. Not much has happened this week except we finally got some snow and ice. Would be nice to have a real winter but I'm not complaining too much! So I leave you with our little bean!
I'm measuring 7 weeks 2 days although technically I'm almost 8 weeks. But the heart rates was 148!

Monday, January 16, 2012

Getting Creative

I'm going to be really good about posting on here for the next several months. Not only recipes, but my gripes and joys about pregnancy and my masters class. Yep I'm a busy woman right about now!

Been doing a lot of thinking about life in general. I've decided I don't like liars. People who can lie to my face are the worst kind. Really and truly I try to find something positive about everyone even when it can be a bit difficult at times. However, when I discover I've been lied to, I will make sure you know I found out. I'm not going to be rude about it or anything, but don't mess with me. And don't go behind my back thinking I won't notice cause I will. I think part of it right now is the pregnancy hormones kicking into overdrive. Makes me a little weepy, a little angry and a little well, more of everything. Meaning you might get your head bit off by accident because you happened to step in my way. I need to figure out how to calm that down. I'm finding myself really impatient right now and I realize that's not going to help one bit! I know better than to pray for patience because well, I know where that gets me and the rest of the world won't like me as Heavenly Father sends even more trials my way to help with my patience.

So my husband asked for salad on Saturday night. Salad happens to be one of the few things I can eat without gagging. At least it was on Saturday because as I'm typing this, the thought of salad is grossing me out. I also figured ok I can make some chicken too. Right now it's all about what I can make quickly and get out of the kitchen so I can sit down. My sister takes the credit for the chicken recipe today. It's super easy and quick and tastes fabulous. At least my husband enjoyed it and that's all that matters.

To make the coating you can mix whatever crackers you like. My sister uses club crackers. I took a mix of club crackers and Cheez-Its. Then I added some garlic powder and Parmesan cheese (the kind you put on spaghetti). Crush all that together and put it in a bowl. Then put some ranch dressing in a bowl. Take out your chicken breasts and pat them dry. Cut them into bite size pieces or strips. Then you dip in the dressing (make sure they're covered), dip in the cracker mix (get them nice and coated) and put them on a pan. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes. You might be able to do 8 minutes if the pieces are small. And here they are!
 Don't they look tasty? Then you add a yummy salad like this:
And you have a fabulous dinner ready to go! I'm getting things ready right now for the crock pot so I don't have to cook tomorrow because there's no telling how I'm going to feel.
I have a feeling this is going to be a long week waiting for the next ultrasound on Friday morning. Hopefully good news is heard!

Friday, January 13, 2012

Life is a wonderful thing

Should I be at school? Yes I should, and I'll be heading there shortly. Had a half day today so I could go to the doctor. I got to see the most amazing thing today. A heartbeat. You might ask, what's so amazing about a heartbeat. Well, let me tell you. Heartbeats are what help us to live. And what help other people to live. Like that wonderful person growing inside me right now!!! Sitting there during the ultrasound I just started crying. It was so incredible to realize that I can have this little person. Yeah I'm not that far along right now but we saw a heartbeat and everything looks good. I go back again next week to see how things are going. Ruben and I are so incredibly blessed right now. Heavenly Father loves each of us and has blessings for us in His time. Modern day medicine is wonderful! Here's to lots of hope, faith and prayers that everything continues working out and we have a lovely little baby to welcome in September!

Mi amor got a wonderful birthday present today. A picture of our baby! Hopefully it's the best birthday present he gets :)
That little tiny circle has our baby in it! I'm nervous about all the changes this will bring but super excited about it! It's so cool to see all of this happening! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Crazy Times

Going back to school after break is the hardest thing ever. I've now decided this. I think going back after Christmas break is even worse than summer. I mean seriously, in the summer everything is winding down so you feel like school needs to start. After Christmas?  It's darn cold outside and who wants to wake up early after having a week to be able to sleep in? Certainly not me. And certainly not right now. All I want to do is sleep for a good 10 or 11 hours a day. Doesn't work too well when you're a teacher. I have a stack of papers to grade and a master class that starts tomorrow. Can you say panic mode?

I'm going to learn how to do a lot of relaxing in the next few months. Pushing myself when I can but learning to let certain things go. How I want to cook right now but I have no energy. So my beautiful pictures of food will have to wait until I'm in a better place. I have some great recipes lined up and I'm trying to plot how to convince my wonderful husband to cook them for me. We might have a disaster on our hands however if he attempts to cook more than salsa and eggs. Now that could make for some fun pictures.

I have to say this was an amazing Christmas break. So many great things happened. There were some bad things too but with prayers those will be overcome. Right now I need to focus on getting through the next week and a half and then I can do a happy dance. You'll all find out about the happy dance when it happens. Shoot, maybe I'll even film it!

Also, if you're anywhere near me, don't eat yogurt. Please don't eat yogurt. I don't even like the sound of the word right now. I was so excited to eat my yogurt today and it couldn't happen. Threw it out in the trash can in the teacher's lounge cause I couldn't even stand to have it in my classroom. And that made me sad cause I finally got used to eating yogurt. This too shall pass. So, no yogurt but feel free to bring me veggies (the fresher the better), sharp cheddar cheese and chocolate. Dark chocolate would be yummy. Or Cadbury Flake bars but those are a little hard to find here.