On the Healthy Side of the Tracks

 Dear hubs and I have been taking a careful look at a lot of the food that is in our home lately.  Hubs is training for hist 1st triathlon and I'm still trying to lose baby weight from Madeline, so it seems like we're headed to the healthier side of the tracks.  The only down fall is the impact it has been having on our budget, so you can imagine my excitement today when I saw an article titled "20 Ways to Build A Whole Foods Kitchen on a Half-Price Budget." This one article lead me to all sorts of different articles and information that can help keep us on a healthy track but not kill our monthly grocery budget.

One of the things I found interesting in the Whole Foods article was that it ways build your weekly menu AFTER you grocery shop.  I don't know about y'all, but I do the exact opposite!  But the article makes sense - grocery shop and get value-priced produce and items, then plan your menu.  Why plan on making zucchini that may be at its highest price when asparagus is on sale?  So it looks like I might be changing my menu-planning style! 

So today, I just wanted to share some of the links that I've found in hopes that it might help you as well.  But, I also want to know what some of your tips are on how you and your family eat healthy.  How do you use fresh vegetables?  Do you freeze a lot of fresh foods?  Are you a member of a co-op?  I want to know it all!  Tell me how you and your family eat nutrient-rich foods on a budget.  


Here are some helpful links:
20 Ways to Build a Whole Food Kitchen on a Half-Priced Budget
Weekly Food Prep to Keep You on Budget
Eating by the Seasons
Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen
Month-by-Month Guide to Seasonal Produce
Seasonal Produce Recipe Guide

The Summer Fun List

With summer right around the corner, I always love putting together a 

Summer Fun List!

If you've never done a Summer Fun List, it is a great way to explore your town, or just get outside and have fun, especially as a family.  We've done this the past several years and love marking things off our list.  So here are the fun things we want to do this summer! 

Thankful Thursday

Its Thankful Thursday!!!

Today I'm thankful for doctor's and healthcare professionals that help us feel better!

My poor family seems to be so sick lately.

There's Madeline.  Poor baby girl had a urinary tract infection at only 5 months old, which lead us to do testing and find out that she has grade 2 bilateral urinary reflux in her kidneys.

Then Emmalee got a stomach bug about 6 weeks ago, then she gave it to Madeline.  Then we were healthy.

Then they both got snotty noses and congested, but we took care of that too.

Then Emmalee got another stomach bug two weeks ago; then gave it to Madeline and she was sick last week; then Madeline gave it to our Daddy who is STILL sick.

Then on Friday I took Emmalee in for her 3 year well-check, only to discover that she has a double ear infection, but has never complained or said her ears hurt at all!  So mom-fail!

But through it all, our doctor's and healthcare professionals have helped us feel better and get well.  I'm so thankful for a doctor who knew that a 5 month old should not have a UTI, and insisted that we perform tests and "dig deeper" into what was going on or we would not have found the reflux.  I'm thankful for a great pediatric urologist that got us in quickly to see him and was so great with our daughter, and actually explained this condition to us in a way we could understand.

So if you are a doctor, a nurse, a caretaker, or anyone in the health care industry...

Thank you!!!

Thank you for what you do and the difference you make!

Prayer Life

Beth Moore tweeted something this morning that really got me thinking:

"Some things just flat-out aren't going to happen if we don't get our tails up and pray with faith, courage, passion, and confidence.  As the saying goes, we can't keep doing the same thing the same way and expect something different. Let's press in to a new level of prayer."

I literally reread this tweet over and over and over again.  She might as well just have put @awilliams0720 in the beginning and spoke these words straight to me because I NEEDED to hear this!  For some reason I guess it's never occurred to me that praying for the same thing in the same way over and over again, but expecting different results could be a "problem area" in my prayer life.  Then, the question came to mind "What is my prayer life even like?"

Let me completely pen and transparent here:  I pray, I believe in prayer, but do I have a prayer "life"?  What does a prayer LIFE look like?  Sadly, when I begin to actually dwell on it and ponder my prayer "life" I just see the occasional "bless this food" and "Lord help me to..." kind of prayers.  So if this is my prayer LIFE, why would I EVER expect for things to be different in my life?  

On the flip side, I did get a glimpse of what a true prayer life if like about 3 months.  Brant had applied for a new job.  One that would have moved our family to a different state, and one that he desperately wanted.  He got pretty far into the interview process and it really looked as if we could be moving.  From the day of his first interview and for the next month, I felt like we both immersed ourselves (morning, noon and night) into prayer for the Lord's will to happen - not our's.  It seemed that when our whole future was up in the air, a peace that passes all understanding still prevailed.  I remember telling Brant one day that I was feeling a peace and presence in my life that I simply could not understand.  It was incredible.  

And now, I look back on that few months and wonder what happened?  And sadly, I know what happened. 

I stopped.

I stopped immersing my life in prayer. I stopped seeking His will and praying for His will.  I went back to "my" normal.  

But I don't want my normal anymore.  I want my normal to be a life that seeks His way everyday; a life that runs after Him; a life that moves only toward Him.  

So today is the beginning of a new adventure - one that uses Him as my guide and uses His lamp to light my path.  I want to pray with courage, and passion, and confidence that He will do great things.  He is the author and perfecter of my life, so I will cover every inch of my life and prayer and seek the Holy Spirit who lives within me.  This is what I want!  This is a prayer life!  This is what I will start TODAY!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Emmalee Caroline

HAPPY 3rd BIRTHDAY 

EMMALEE CAROLINE!!!

Emmalee Caroline,
You are 3 years old today, and I simply cannot believe it.  It's hard to remember what life was like before you. You made all me dreams of being a momma come true just 3 short years ago, and life has only gotten sweeter.  

You have the sweetest spirit and love people unconditionally, especially your baby sister.  She is the first thing you usually ask for in the mornings and you're always telling me and daddy that you "want to keep her."  You love playing tea party with her and are always wanting to hug her, and kiss her, and help feed her and help burp her...you want to be involved in everything. 

You are so funny.  You constantly make me, your daddy, and your sister laugh.  You love to sing and are always making up songs for everything.  Sometimes I think you sing more than you speak.  You are so smart and incredibly inquisitive.  You ask some of the most deep questions and have a wonderful memory.  You like order - you're always wanting to know "the plan" and what is going to happen.  You are not a fan of bedtime, but still love taking baths or anything involving water.  You are a ball of energy that is constantly on the go.  You love the outdoors and playing pretend. 

Your favorite food is spaghetti.  Two days ago I asked you if you wanted to go out to dinner for your birthday or for momma to cook, and you said you wanted momma to cook.   When I asked you what you wanted me to cook, you quickly asked for spaghetti & meatballs, even though we just had it last week.  You were thrilled when I told you "yes!"  You also like most vegetables:  squash, broccoli. green beans, carrots, and tomatoes.  You like cheese, peanuts, vanilla wafers, and anything sweet.

More than anything, you fill our home with laughter and liveliness.  The Lord made you so special and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for you.  Remember that your mommy and daddy are always so proud you, and love you more than you will ever know.

Happy birthday sweet baby girl; I love you!
Momma

Baby Food in a Flash - Crockpot Version

Baby food making - something I never thought I would find myself doing.  I had it in my mind that it would be difficult and time consuming.  As a FT working mom, my time at home is precious so I didn't want to take up any of that valuable time making something that I could conveniently purchase at the store. 

But, a few friends I work with have babies about the same age as Madeline and convinced me that it was actually quite simple and really didn't take up much time at all.  So I decided to give it a whirl, and little did I know that I would soon be making up my own recipes and methods to make my own baby food.  The craziest part is that I am truly enjoying it and it actually does save money. 

So here is a quick guide to "Baby Food Making for Moms Always on the Go!"

 Today's specialty:  Carrots.

Here is a list of everything you'll need (prepare yourself, its lengthy, lol):
Sauce-sized crockpot
About 1 cup water
Bag of baby peeled carrots
pinch of salt
Immersion blender
Storage container.

To begin, I have my crockpot and 1 16 oz bag of organic baby carrots that I got for only $1.59.  

 

 Put your carrots in your crockpot with about 1 cup of water.  The water is simply to make your puree smooth and creamy.  If you prefer, you can exclude the water (or some of it) and add breast milk (if you're nursing)  in to end to make it smooth & thin.  I added a pinch of salt to mine, just to season and add some flavor.

Turn your crockpot on low for 5-6 hours, or you can cook on high for about 4 hours.

 Once the carrots are done (sliced of smushed easily with a fork), take your immersion blender (a hand-held mixer works just as good) and begin to puree until smooth and creamy.

Here we are - smooth & creamy.  

If you feel your puree is too thick, add more water or breast milk.  Also consider the age of your child. Madeline just started eating solids, so I want mine more thin so her little tummy can digest it easily.

 

 Just to give you a better idea of how much one bag of carrots can make, I poured my puree into this measuring cup.  It's a little over 2 cups, which I will make into 6 generous servings of food. 

STORAGE OPTIONS:

There are several different storage options.  You can use  the small glad containers, ziplock bags, breastmilk bags, or any other seal-able container you have.  I have given Madeline several serving of store-bought food, so I saved the containers and they are perfect for storage and freezing.

 Here's my new stash!  6 containers of freshly carrot puree, ready for the freezer or refrigerator.  I'll feed one serving to Madeline tonight, and save the rest of later.  I'll just put these in the freezer for now.  To thaw,  you can set them refrigerate, or sit the container in warm water for 5-10 minutes.  Very simple.

I was a complete skeptic on the whole "making your own baby food saves money" but I did the math and its actually true.  These Gerber foods are purchased at my local Kroger for $0.99.  Each item has 2 servings.  So $1 for 2 servings, roughly.  I just made 6 servings of carrots for $1.59!  That's roughly half the cost I would have spent buying 6 servings of Gerber foods.  

My serving sizes are the same as Gerber's because I am using the Gerber containers for storage.

That's it!  So simple and easy.  Total time actually "making" this was less than 10 minutes.  Since the cooking takes place in the crockpot, you can walk away and just let it be.  You can cook them while you're running errands, or at work, or playing with your kids.  It's a great time saver, but still allows me to savor the special time I have at home. 

Do you make your own baby food?  I'm intrigued to see who makes their own and what are some of your favorite recipes?  Do you get "creative" when your little ones are a bit older and exploring new foods? 

These Two Have Stolen My Heart

There are some days when raising two girls makes me feel run down and exhausted, and then there are days when it blesses my heart beyond imagination.  Saturday was one of those days when they did both.

Daddy was working a double header at the ballpark, and I was at home trying to take care of both girls, do the laundry, pick up the house, clean the kitchen, plan the weekly dinner menu, oh, and give my kids the attention they craved. It absolutely wore me out. 

But then this happened, and the joy in my heart outweighed any exhaustion.  Seeing the two of these angels together is the sweetest thing, especially when Emmalee has Madeline laughing.  

This is My Story

Ever since I was a little girl, all I have ever wanted was to be a wife and a mom. Well my first dream came true when I married my husband, Brant on July 20, 2007. After a year and a half of marriage, we decided to try and start our family.

I had been on birth control for several years, so I obviously got off of it, but after 14 weeks, still did not have a cycle. That began our almost 2 year long journey to have a baby. The doctors began to run an assortment of tests, but nothing seemed to reveal the cause of a lack of ovulation. I was prescribed progesterone and different hormones in hopes that my body would react to them, but it didn't. I was prescribed high doses of Clomid, but is still did nothing. Last October, the doctor told us that our next option was an infertility specialist. He had exhausted every avenue possible to him but a specialist may be more suited to address the "problem."

As I began to research infertility specialists in my area, I reached a breaking point. I was stressed out, emotionally exhausted, and scared of what the future held. So I called a dear friend of my family, Mrs. Edith. Mrs. Edith has a doctorate in natural medicine. I simply called and asked her if she would tell me something that I could take for the stress. After a long appointment with her in early November, she put me on a cell detox. Her thoughts were that since I was on birth control, the tissue and cells of my ovaries and uterus had absorbed the toxins in the birth control; therefore, my body still had the drug in the bloodstream which prevented ovulation. So, I started to take a cell detox. On January 1st, I had a cycle.

I will remember that for a long time. Brant and I felt like we had finally won a battle in this infertility war because I finally ovulated.  Before I went to the infertility specialist, I wanted to exhaust my options. So we did. I continued the cell detox, got back on Clomid, and let nature take its course. After 5 months, we still were without a baby, and again felt completed defeated.

Brant and I began to talk about adoption more and more. We had finally come to a place where we just laid it at His feet. I told the Lord that I would be ok if I never "had" a child, but that I still desired to be a mother. I told Him that I trusted His plan, and that if He would just lead us, we would gladly follow. I remember what a peace I felt after finally giving it ALL to Him.

I never imagined that God just needed me to finally let Him have the reins before He was ready to put His plan into action.

August 20, 2010 is a day that changed our lives forever. After two years of trying, we found out that we were going to have a baby. On September 3rd, we heard the sweetest sound - a strong beating heart. Our sweet baby girl Emmalee was born on April 15, 2011.


Today, at almost three years old, she is one of the spunkiest, sassiest, and funny little girls I've ever met!  





At the time I never knew God's plan for my family, but He has proved Himself faithful over and over. On the days where I felt nothing but despair, He provided people to pray over me. When I felt hopeless, He provided women who encouraged me. He was my ultimate physician and healer.

Fast forward a few years and we were thrilled and VERY surprised when we found out that God was going to bless us again!  This past September Ms. Madeline Grace was born.







In an instant, God changed our lives. I will encourage those struggling with infertility by saying this: His plan is perfect, even when we are not. Rest in Him and follow where He leads you. Remember Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you' declares the Lord, ' plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for a HOPE and a FUTURE."

Pouring into the Next Generation

Brant and I have been doing going to a weekly Bible Study that is studying Kay Arthur's "Marriage Without Regrets" precept course.  It has been so enlightening to study what God's plan for marriage is and knowing the roles and expectations He laid out for man and woman.  On the other hand, it's made me realize the example that I want to be for my girls, and that my friends is definitely bringing some changes in my heart and actions.

Many of you may know, or read the blog of, Amanda Jones (AKA Baby Bangs).  Her dear husband Curtis once preached a sermon about being Godly men and women, and during his sermon he made one of the most profound statements that I will never forget:  When your children think about the most Godly woman they know, they should be thinking about you, their mother.  And when your children think about the Godliest man they they know, they should think about their dad! 

Wow!  What a powerful statement!  It was probably close to 10 years ago that I heard this sermon, but it made such an impact on me that I still remember it today.  The problem with this statement is that its PURE TRUTH!  If I want my girls to fall in love with their Savior and serve Him, then I have to do the same thing.  If I want my girls to be Godly women who are obedient to His calling; who raise their own children in a Godly home and show them what the "Proverbs 31 Woman" is, then I have to be an example of the Proverbs 31 Woman!

What this precept class has shown me more than anything is what God actually intended for that woman to look; what her role for her family was to be; what characteristics she should possess.  So now I've started the journey of becoming more like "that" woman.  I want to be a Godly example for my children, regardless of the secular world we live in.  I want to show them that, even though there is darkness around you, you can still be the light! 

To add fuel to "my" fire, I watched all of the IF: Gathering videos last Monday (yes, I wanted them all in a day because I felt like I couldn't get enough of them).  How fitting that this was about running the race and pouring into the next generation.  Christine Cain just about hit the nail on the head when she said God wants "the wisdom of the older generation, the resources of the middle generation and the zeal of the younger generation all running together."  But we have to BE the generation!  We have to instill a sense of urgency in the younger generation to have that zeal because the Lord is coming again, and we MUST be ready. 

So as a Godly woman, the biggest "generation" I can pour into is my own children!  I want to pour love, and wisdom, and truth into them, but I cannot do it on my own.  So I praise the Lord that He gave us the Holy Spirit who can work through me.  So today, I'm starting with the little things.  I'm talking to Emmalee more about who Jesus is, and the love that He has for her; we pray as a family more; we talk about how Jesus likes us to act.  They may seem like small things, but my prayer is that they turn into life-long things. 

So if you're pouring into your kids to raise up the next generation, what are you teaching them?  How are you the example for them to look up to?  What are you instilling in them and showing them so that, in 20 years when they think about the most Godly woman they know, they think of you? 

One Blessed Life

Welcome to One Blessed Life.  Do you like it?

The other day I was just spending some time thinking about my blog and trying to think about what I really wanted it to be.  This blog is basically a chronicle of me and my family; our life and adventures; the good, the bad and the ugly.  Its a place where I can be "real" and share my heart or share the joy my kids bring to my life.  I can talk about some of my favorite things:  crockpots, cooking, scrapbooking, shopping, decorating, and every little thing in between. 

Because its a blog about me, I began to wonder what I wanted people to most know about me, and it is this: that no matter what trials come, I am blessed.  So out of this thought process came One Blessed Life.  A blog that is still about me and my sweet family, just with a different name.  Its a name that best describes us:  BLESSED! 

So I hope that you'll take note of the new blog url and follow along with us on this journey we consider One Blessed Life!

Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I can't believe its been so long since I posted, but life has been crazy busy having a baby who is a BIG momma's girl and a toddler who has more energy than energizer bunny! But here I am still, still alive and well and hoping to blog a little more in 2014.  I have a few other hopes for the new year, aka (dare I say the word) resolutions!

1) Obviously, as I stated, I need to blog more.  I love having my blog and I love looking back at old posts.  I think one of my favorite things was posting on the 15th of every month during Emmalee's first year of life.  I would talk about all the great and fun things she was doing.  Then, when I was doing her scrapbook, I was able to copy all of those posts and record all of the firsts and all the fun things of watching her grow up.  I think I've only done it once with Madeline, so call me a slacker mom.  So yes, I want to blog more.

2)  Scrapbook.  Y'all, I have got to get caught up in my scrapbooking.  I absolutely love doing it, I just never sit down and dedicate time to it.  My family scrapbook is so far behind its not even funny, and Emmalee's scrapbook is only completed through 6 months, and Madeline's isn't even started.  Yeah, so that's slacker mom #2! 

3) Lose Weight.  Yes, I know that is probably on everybody's list, but I HAVE to get off this baby weight, and an extra 15 or 20 wouldn't hurt. 

and my most important and my "REAL" resolution

4) I will spend more time holding my babies and loving my family instead of being so concerned about how my house looks and worried about "stuff" that needs to get done.  I usually come home from work, make dinner, eat, bathe kids, and spend time picking up the house or cleaning the kitchen.  But this year, all the housework can wait.  Toys can stay in the floor a little bit longer.  Dishes can be washed in a little while.  But when my children are awake and my husband is home, I will devote myself to them.  I will take the time to hug and kiss them, and make sure I savor every moment possible. 

Emmalee is with her Aunt Sis and cousin Aeson today, so Lil miss Madeline wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year! May your 2014 be filled with joy and peace!

Madeline's Birth Announcement

I have to say that making Madeline's birth announcement was so much fun, and so was the newborn photo shoot to get the pictures.  I know I've said it 100 times, but I'll say it again - there is nothing greater than having a sister who is an AMAZING photographer!  She knows how to capture just how small and fragile they are, and how precious and sweet.  I love it.

So without further ado, here is the birth announcement for our sweet and precious Madeline Grace.

front

 

back

We are beyond blessed by our two sweet girls.  Its funny because I never imagined my heart could be so full.  I'm reminded everyday how lucky I am to have my girls.  I still can't believe Madeline is 2 months old already, and I promise to do that post soon. 

If you're a mom struggling with infertility, know that I am praying for you.  I've been down that road; I've traveled that journey; I understand that heartache.  But know that the Lord's plan is always greater than our own...this baby girl is proof of that! 

Kitchen Makeover!

Y'all know that I have been dying for a kitchen makeover, kind of like a kitchen facelift.  I love my little house, but I have always hated the kitchen.  There is great functionality, but I've always hated how it looked.  Well my dear husband PROMISED that I could have my kitchen makeover before Madeline was born, so this summer I knew we had to get to work.

My budget was $2000, but my secret is that through amazing friends and family who were able to get us some fantastic discounts, I had a FULL kitchen facelift for only $1300, including a new range vent, sink and faucet!  If you include the new stovetop we got about a year ago, then it was only $1800!  Now that is what I call staying on budget!

Here is the before! It was awful.  The countertop was a nice quality laminate but it also was the backsplash.  The color was nice neutral beige, but the red hues in the cabinets made it look pink.  Maybe you're different than me, but I wasn't so keen on pink countertops.  The sink was only 6" deep, which means I couldn't hardly wash dishes without water getting everywhere. 

So here was the plan.  Instead of replacing the countertops (because they were in great shape), we had a contractor come in and use epoxy paint to create a neutral stone look.  At only $300 for the full kitchen, it saved us a great deal of money!  At the same time, we had the laminate backsplash removed.

Next step was to paint the cabinets.  I still don't know how we did it, but we painted the entire kitchen in only a weekend!  We used Sherwin Williams ProClassic water based paint.  It was amazing!  It had the great quality of oil based, but drys quickly like a water based.  It was a huge time-saver and I loved the result.  Of course we sanded and primed them first.  Another huge time saver on this was a paint sprayer.  We removed all of the cabinets and drawers and while I was inside painting, Brant was spraying all of the doors & drawers. 

Primed and ready for the 1st coat of paint!

I chose the paint color based on the countertops.  I looked for a darker color because I didn't want it so light in color that I had to repaint the walls.  I chose a Sherwin Williams color Down Home.  I LOVED the way it turned out. It worked to well with the countertops.  Here is a closeup! 

 And the last step, the tile backsplash.  We wanted another light and neutral tile color, but I wanted a "pop" so I added some small 2x2" accent tiles.  We chose Daltile Brixton in the stone color.  Brant and I decided that a diamond pattern was great to add some elegance.

And then it was complete!  I have to tell yall that I LOVE my new kitchen.  It feels so much more open and bright.  The darker cabinets made it feel so small, but now anymore!  With all the finishing touches, here is my new kitchen!

 Want to see a side-by-side comparison??? What do you think?  Do you love my new kitchen, too?

She's A Big Girl Now

When we found out that Madeline was going to be a girl, I knew that I would keep the nursery the same and Emmalee would get a "big girl" room.  I wanted to make her big girl room a special place for her - a place that she liked and enjoyed playing in.  So I made the decision to let her make the room her own.

First, I had to pick out the bedspread.  I picked 3 different spreads that I liked, each having their own color scheme or theme.  Then I let her pick the one that she liked best.  She chose the American Sweetheart, which just happened to be my favorite!  I adore all the colors in it and its not too "girly," but still contains some pink so I was able to use several of her name and "E's" from her nursery.

Part of making this room her own was letting her help create things in this room.  She helped create pictures for the wall and she has a craft line that she can hang her artwork on.  Everyday she makes projects at Ms. Kim's house during their "school-time" and this has been a great way to reinforce the letters, colors & numbers she's learning.  

A lot of the decorative items in her room are ideas that I found off pinterest.  They were so great, and simple.  I posted on a "5 on Friday" about some of the projects I wanted to do and you can see it here.  Here are some close-ups of handmade items in her room...

Here's what we did.
1.  I found some beautiful scroll brackets at Canton before Emmalee was born.  I got some crystal knobs and wood and Brant made this shelf for her nursery.  It's perfect to hold the letters for her name.  I knew this would be something that I wanted in her big girl room.  This piece cost us a whopping $15 to create.

2.  I love that the girls' rooms have window seats and I enjoy making them a focal point.  To help make this simple red curtain pop, I used an idea from Pintrest to create this pennant banner to go across the window.  This was made with white cardboard, scrapbook paper, and ribbon - it was that simple.  I adhered the banner to the curtain rod with two bows and I honestly LOVE the touch it gives to the room.  Cost, MAYBE $3.00!!!

3.  If you look at the picture of the dresser area above, you can see that the mirror over the dresser was much smaller than the width of the dresser.  I loved the mirror and wanted to use it, but I needed something to help fill the space.  I found simple thin wood frames for only $2.99 each at Micheal's.  I spray painted the wood, then took the scrapbook paper used for the banner and simple adhered it to the back of the frame.  I absolutely adore the color this brings to the wall and fit perfectly over the dresser.

4.  This is one of my favorite parts of Emmalee's room, mainly because she helped create them - her button pictures.  I just happened to be at Micheal's when they had little containers of buttons for only $1.  I got a small set of craft paints and canvases, heated up my glue gun, then we got to work.  Again, this was another Pintrest idea and I spent maybe $15 on all of the materials.  Emmalee is so proud of her artwork and loves showing all of her friends what she created. This was a super fun project for us to do together.

I have to admit that I truly enjoy how this room turned out.  I feel like it took forever for it all to come together, but now it is one of my favorite rooms in the house.  Emmalee loves her room too, which was so important to me. 

5 on Friday

Emmalee was incredibly laid back and only cried when she was hungry.  She was one of the easiest babies I have ever known.  Madeline is different.  Madeline is a momma's girl and loves to be held by her momma.  She fusses quite a bit in the evenings and loves nursing, so it can make life and mothering a little more different than it was when Emmalee, not to mention the fact that I'm still trying to be a "hands-on" mom to Emmalee.  Having 2 is completely different than having 1, that is for sure! 

So today my 5 on Friday is all about the things that is making my life a little easier and manageable.

{ONE}

The Swing

I have the Sung-A-Bug Craddle and Swing and I LOVE it.  One of my favorite things about this swing is that it has a power cord that allows you to plug it into the wall so if you use it for hours at a time (as i do) then you're not constantly worried about having to buy stock in Energizer!  The swing also has several speed settings and can swing side to side, or you can switch it to a backward/forward motion setting.  Emmalee and Madeline both are "swing-babies" so this is one of my ultimate must-haves for baby.  I can sit Madeline in her swing just to "play" and look at the birds, or she'll nap here, so for me, this is one way that allows me some hands-free time.

{TWO}

SwaddleMe Blanet

  The swaddle blanket is my new BFF, y'all.  Emmalee was an incredible sleeper and I just swaddled, or tightly wrapped, her in a receiving blanket.  But Madeline is a wild-hands sleeper - she flails, like many babies do.  So I tried the swaddle blanket.  At first, she hated it and would scream.  Well, come to find out I was doing it wrong.  Once I watched a few videos and learned to tuck her hands down under her bottom, things improved - literally over night!  Now, Madeline loves being swaddled and sleeps GREAT!  She has consistantly (for almost 2 weeks now) slept for one 6 hour stretch, wakes and eats, then goes back to bed for another 4-5 hours.  So, I love the SwaddleMe blanket and it has greatly improved our quality of sleep! 

{THREE}

Moby Wrap

My personal choice for an infant carrier is the Moby Wrap. I was given a Boppy (sling style) carrier before Emmalee was born and she hated it, so I got the Moby.  Emmalee and I both loved it, so I've continued using it with Madeline. Since Madeline loves being held, especially in the evenings, I've been able to put her in the Moby and make dinner, fold clothes, play with Emmalee, etc.  It is definitely on my Favorites List! 

{FOUR}

Although Madeline doesn't have colic, I love Gripe Water.  It seems like Madeline ALWAYS has the hiccups - she had them 3 or 4 times a day while I was pregnant with her and she still has then a few times a day.  So, I always have a small bottle with equal parts tap water & Gripe Water that help so much when she has the hiccups, and can be a life saver when she is gassy. 

{FIVE}

My Crockpot!!

I LOVE my Crockpot, and if you have ever read any of my recipes, then you know I will cook just about anything in it.  This thing has been incredibly helpful in getting meals on the table.  I can put dinner on to cook in the morning (when Madeline naps the best), but can still have a reasonable dinner on my table with little effort by 6ish during her fussy period.  Its great, and I've been discovering so many great new recipes while I've been at home!  

So, what are some of the tricks or things you have up your sleeve to keep your life manageable with a new baby at home?