So, it occurs to me that those finding this may or may not know me. So here's a bit about me to help you get to know me better.
A few facts:
I have a wonderful husband named Erik. I can't imagine my life without him and am so lucky to have found him.
I have a 5 year old son. He's the light of our world. It took us 2 years to conceive him, and a very difficult pregnancy to get him into this world, but we're so glad he's here. We're also incredibly thankful that he is a happy, healthy, brilliant little boy.
I'm in my mid 30's.
We live in Idaho. We moved here 2 years ago. It was a great move, and we love it here. We were absolutely blessed to be able to move to pretty much anywhere we wanted. Erik was starting his own business and I already had mine running, so we had the freedom to choose our home. The only sad thing was that it meant moving away from family.
I am an oldest child, I have one sister who is 4 years younger than me. She is married with 2 children, a little girl who is 4 and a baby boy. I love her to pieces and can't stand that she and her family live so far away (they are in California, we're in Idaho).
My mom also lives in California. She's been struck with a lot of illnesses and what not over the last few years. It's been terrible, and I hate that I am so far away and can't be much physical support through all of it. It's sure made me appreciate having her around though, and I hope we get a lot more years with her, preferably in much better health. When she is in good health (and even when she's not for that matter), my mom is one of those people that no one can stop. I've seen her put her knitting down to go change the brakes on a car, you just never do know what she'll be up to.
My dad passed away more than 10 years ago. I feel guilty that I don't know what year it was, but I really couldn't say, other than to say that it was probably 13 or 14 years ago now. He never met my husband, and obviously never met my son. He'd have been excited to have a grandson. Someday I'll probably write about the strange week I had the week he died.
My parents seperated when I was 16. The divorce was not a surprise to me, but it shocked the socks off my mom. I was fortunate in that my parents worked very hard to get along so that we would never have to feel like we needed to choose between them.
My father remarried a few years later, right after the divorce became final. He married an absolutely wonderful woman who I love to pieces. I can't imagine not having her in our lives. She still a part of our family even though he's not around anymore. The fact that she is so wonderful is largely responsible for me being able to have a relationship with my dad as an adult as we had a lot of bad history. She managed to help him be the best person he could be, and I'm so thankful she was there so we could have some pleasant memories of those years.
My husband and I both work at home, which is a real blessing, although it did take us a little while to get used to it. Every now and then we still find a few little hurdles to navigate from being together so much, but I wouldn't change it for the world.
I run 2 businesses from home, and also babysit a little girl. My main business is The Babbling Baby, which is a baby boutique of sorts, focusing on baby gifts and supplies for baby showers, baptisms/christenings, and young kids birthdays.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Store blog
The store blog has been up and running for a little bit, check it out when you get a chance and if you have any ideas, let me know.
www.thebabblingbaby.com/blog
www.thebabblingbaby.com/blog
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Thanksgiving
Another Thanksgiving day is drawing to an end. It was a great day, other than an electrical issue we had with the house. In keeping with the season, here are a few of the things that I'm thankful for, there are way too many to list, but here are some that are high on my list this thanksgiving.
- I'm VERY thankful that whatever it was that caused our little electrical problem was not serious enough to set our house on fire, and that enough electricity kept working to keep the kitchen operational and to allow us to plug the freezer into an alternate power source. AND I'm thankful that the problem is FIXED without us having to lay a single cent out for an electrician.
- I'm thankful for the little boy that bounced around our house all day, full of excitement. Although I am always thankful for him, I was particularly struck today by how much he adds to our lives and how very grateful I am that he is here. It took so much to get this little boy here into this world and I am eternally grateful that he made it.
- I'm thankful for a wonderful husband. I can't imagine what this life would be like without him. I'm so thankful that he is always willing to pitch in and do whatever needs to be done to keep our house and family going. Being a work at home, homeschooling, babysitting, stay-at-home mom is a tricky job and often it means things just don't get done the way I'd like, but it seems like everytime I turn around, my wonderful husband has noticed and picked up the pieces, keeping me from losing my mine.
- I'm so thankful that my mom is still here with us. There have been so many times over the last few years that we could have lost her, and many, many more health scares. Nothing like almost losing someone to make you appreciate them. I can't imagine life without her love and support, and I only wish we lived closer to be able to help her through the difficult days.
- I'm thankful that we are sooo much better off financially this year than we were this time last year. Finances are still a struggle sometimes, but every month is better than before.
- I'm thankful that my business is going better than ever, despite the poopy economy, and hope it will continue to grow in the new year.
- I'm thankful for new friendships started and hope to see the friendships started over the last couple of years continue to grow and hope some will grow into true, long lasting friendships.
- I'm VERY thankful that whatever it was that caused our little electrical problem was not serious enough to set our house on fire, and that enough electricity kept working to keep the kitchen operational and to allow us to plug the freezer into an alternate power source. AND I'm thankful that the problem is FIXED without us having to lay a single cent out for an electrician.
- I'm thankful for the little boy that bounced around our house all day, full of excitement. Although I am always thankful for him, I was particularly struck today by how much he adds to our lives and how very grateful I am that he is here. It took so much to get this little boy here into this world and I am eternally grateful that he made it.
- I'm thankful for a wonderful husband. I can't imagine what this life would be like without him. I'm so thankful that he is always willing to pitch in and do whatever needs to be done to keep our house and family going. Being a work at home, homeschooling, babysitting, stay-at-home mom is a tricky job and often it means things just don't get done the way I'd like, but it seems like everytime I turn around, my wonderful husband has noticed and picked up the pieces, keeping me from losing my mine.
- I'm so thankful that my mom is still here with us. There have been so many times over the last few years that we could have lost her, and many, many more health scares. Nothing like almost losing someone to make you appreciate them. I can't imagine life without her love and support, and I only wish we lived closer to be able to help her through the difficult days.
- I'm thankful that we are sooo much better off financially this year than we were this time last year. Finances are still a struggle sometimes, but every month is better than before.
- I'm thankful that my business is going better than ever, despite the poopy economy, and hope it will continue to grow in the new year.
- I'm thankful for new friendships started and hope to see the friendships started over the last couple of years continue to grow and hope some will grow into true, long lasting friendships.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Snow
It's snowing! Our entire neighborhood is covered in pure white sparkling snow goodness. Soooo beautiful.
I'm hoping we'll get a nice white Thanksgiving, since we don't get to enjoy a white Christmas.
Oh the joy and excitement that winter brings:
snowmen
hot chocolate
clean smell of snow
sledding
ice skating (hope we make it this year)
sledding some more :)
cold noses
warm blankets
lots of fires in the fireplace
ahhhh..............
I'm hoping we'll get a nice white Thanksgiving, since we don't get to enjoy a white Christmas.
Oh the joy and excitement that winter brings:
snowmen
hot chocolate
clean smell of snow
sledding
ice skating (hope we make it this year)
sledding some more :)
cold noses
warm blankets
lots of fires in the fireplace
ahhhh..............
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Winnie the Pooh makes way for the Transformers
Today I cleaned Nick's closet out. I've been noticing a progressive trend in his closet everytime I change clothes he's outgrown out. His clothes are growing progressively darker. Why don't they make little boy's clothes in fun colors? His adorable little Winnie the Pooh and Diego clothes came in reds, oranges, yellows, and bright greens. Now, his clothes all come in dark blue and black. Why can't the transformers be on a fun orange or red shirt? I wish they'd make them in better colors and with more characters for the young kids. Just because their clothes are in the same area as the 9 and 10 year olds doesn't mean they have the same interests. It's of course compounded by the fact that Nick is a tall kid, but I just hate that we can't find clothes for him that look his age.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Real Canadian Bacon
I am so excited, I found a recipe for REAL Canadian bacon. Of course they don't call it Canadian bacon in Canada and it doesn't even resemble the stuff they call Candian Bacon in the US, but rumor has it that this is supposed to be what it's modeled after. Anyways, it's called peameal bacon.
http://momskitchencooking.blogspot.com/2006/09/pea-meal-bacon.html
http://momskitchencooking.blogspot.com/2006/09/pea-meal-bacon.html
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Why so expensive?
Why is it that everything the government even talks about passing laws about (credit cards, health care, etc) instantly becomes 10 times more expensive?
Monday, November 16, 2009
5 years, 4 months, 7 days
5 years, 4 months, 7 days
That's how long it has been since I had Nick. That's how long we've been hoping that I would just "get pregnant" like so many women are able to. Like so many just take for granted.
11 months
That's how long it's been since we tried to do the IUI cycle, that didn't quite make it to being an IUI.
6 years, 1 month
That's how far apart Nick and his baby brother or sister would be if I got pregnant now, this month, which isn't likely.
The time is passing quickly, too quickly. I so desperately want another child. And even more desperately want Nick to have a sibling, but even now I wonder if we do get pregnant if they will have much of a relationship at all. Not only will they be more than 6 years apart, but there will be no children between them to help bridge the gap. It breaks my heart.
Some days, the pain of not being able to conceive is excrutiating. Today is one of those days. I made it worse by doing research. I'm still hoping to come across the natural treatment, or simple treatment that will allow us to conceive without having to spend a fortune.
I found a treatment called Low Dose Naltrexone. It's actually a drug that has been around for a long time. Naltrexone is licensed for use in helping people through additions to opiates. But has been shown to help people with a lot of different disorders, and doctors have shown that in it's low dose form it is very effective for people with PCOS and also for people with hypothyroidism (and a variety of other things that fortunately I do not have).
The problem is, since it is being used for an "off label" treatment, there aren't many doctors willing to do it. So how do I find a doctor willing to try? The really amazing thing is that this drug has been show to slow cancer, put people with MS into remission, essentially getting rid of their attacks, seriously slow AIDS, and do a variety of other things that involve the immune system, and all with very few side effects. So why don't they use it? It's not been tested. Why not? There's no money in it. The patent on it has expired, and the medicine is inexpensive (about $30 a month), so who wants to put the money forward to test it. Aargh.
Right now I'm taking fertility blend which is a natural treatment that has been pretty successful for pcos, and I'm taking metformin again, even though it makes me sick. The metformin is supposed to help me lose weight too, but instead I always gain weight on it. I've been on the fertility blend steadily for a week, it takes 6 months to work, if it works.
I need to find a way to earn the money for another IUI cycle I think. But I can't come up with a way to do that right now. All of the funds we have are going to month to month living and any extra we get goes either to our emergency fund, or to helping get us out of the mountain of debt we got ourselves into during the time Erik's business was getting going.
I'm 36, Erik is 41. We aren't getting younger. We don't feel old, in fact I barely feel old enough to have a 5 year old, but I'm considered "of advanced maternal age" already, what will I be by the time I actually get pregnant?
I just wish there was a way that had certainty. It'd be hard to scrape together the cash for an IUI, but even if we were to manage, there's no guarantee that it'll work this time.
I see families all around town with their 4, 5, 6, or more kids. We can't even seem to get to 2. I know it's terrible, but it seems so unfair. As a child I dreamed of having lots of kids, now I just dream of having another child.
I'm sorry this isn't a happy feel good post, but sometimes life isn't happy.
That's how long it has been since I had Nick. That's how long we've been hoping that I would just "get pregnant" like so many women are able to. Like so many just take for granted.
11 months
That's how long it's been since we tried to do the IUI cycle, that didn't quite make it to being an IUI.
6 years, 1 month
That's how far apart Nick and his baby brother or sister would be if I got pregnant now, this month, which isn't likely.
The time is passing quickly, too quickly. I so desperately want another child. And even more desperately want Nick to have a sibling, but even now I wonder if we do get pregnant if they will have much of a relationship at all. Not only will they be more than 6 years apart, but there will be no children between them to help bridge the gap. It breaks my heart.
Some days, the pain of not being able to conceive is excrutiating. Today is one of those days. I made it worse by doing research. I'm still hoping to come across the natural treatment, or simple treatment that will allow us to conceive without having to spend a fortune.
I found a treatment called Low Dose Naltrexone. It's actually a drug that has been around for a long time. Naltrexone is licensed for use in helping people through additions to opiates. But has been shown to help people with a lot of different disorders, and doctors have shown that in it's low dose form it is very effective for people with PCOS and also for people with hypothyroidism (and a variety of other things that fortunately I do not have).
The problem is, since it is being used for an "off label" treatment, there aren't many doctors willing to do it. So how do I find a doctor willing to try? The really amazing thing is that this drug has been show to slow cancer, put people with MS into remission, essentially getting rid of their attacks, seriously slow AIDS, and do a variety of other things that involve the immune system, and all with very few side effects. So why don't they use it? It's not been tested. Why not? There's no money in it. The patent on it has expired, and the medicine is inexpensive (about $30 a month), so who wants to put the money forward to test it. Aargh.
Right now I'm taking fertility blend which is a natural treatment that has been pretty successful for pcos, and I'm taking metformin again, even though it makes me sick. The metformin is supposed to help me lose weight too, but instead I always gain weight on it. I've been on the fertility blend steadily for a week, it takes 6 months to work, if it works.
I need to find a way to earn the money for another IUI cycle I think. But I can't come up with a way to do that right now. All of the funds we have are going to month to month living and any extra we get goes either to our emergency fund, or to helping get us out of the mountain of debt we got ourselves into during the time Erik's business was getting going.
I'm 36, Erik is 41. We aren't getting younger. We don't feel old, in fact I barely feel old enough to have a 5 year old, but I'm considered "of advanced maternal age" already, what will I be by the time I actually get pregnant?
I just wish there was a way that had certainty. It'd be hard to scrape together the cash for an IUI, but even if we were to manage, there's no guarantee that it'll work this time.
I see families all around town with their 4, 5, 6, or more kids. We can't even seem to get to 2. I know it's terrible, but it seems so unfair. As a child I dreamed of having lots of kids, now I just dream of having another child.
I'm sorry this isn't a happy feel good post, but sometimes life isn't happy.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
An Interesting Day
Today I didn't have extra child (the little one I take care of during the day), because her mom was off work. I decided that son and I should have a nice mother/son day. I wanted to take him out to do something he'd enjoy and then come home, play games, maybe paint his volcano. It didn't quite go as planned.
I spent the ENTIRE morning (until 11:50) trying to get him to get dressed. Plus, he didn't want to go out, at all. I really wanted to make it a special day and was really dissappointed that he found puttering around in his room for 2 hours more interesting than gettind dressed so that he could do something special with mom. It especially upset me because I know when hubby wants to take him out, he's dressed, shoes and all, in about 5 minutes. I guess though when you spend all day every day with mom, going out with her isn't quite so exciting.
It did turn around though. By the time he finally got ready, it was lunch time, so we had lunch with hubby and then went and played a couple of Wii games, a gazillion board games, and then read a couple of stories. All in all we enjoyed each other and had a lot of fun. Son laughed hysterically throughout the games, and it brought great joy to me to see him so happy.
So in the end it was a good day.
I spent the ENTIRE morning (until 11:50) trying to get him to get dressed. Plus, he didn't want to go out, at all. I really wanted to make it a special day and was really dissappointed that he found puttering around in his room for 2 hours more interesting than gettind dressed so that he could do something special with mom. It especially upset me because I know when hubby wants to take him out, he's dressed, shoes and all, in about 5 minutes. I guess though when you spend all day every day with mom, going out with her isn't quite so exciting.
It did turn around though. By the time he finally got ready, it was lunch time, so we had lunch with hubby and then went and played a couple of Wii games, a gazillion board games, and then read a couple of stories. All in all we enjoyed each other and had a lot of fun. Son laughed hysterically throughout the games, and it brought great joy to me to see him so happy.
So in the end it was a good day.
Thankful
Today I am thankful for:
- a wonderful son who thinks that opening the door for his mommy is one of the greatest things in the world. Thanks daddy for teaching our little boy to be a gentleman!
- a loving husband who didn't kill me when we spent 15 minutes hunting for 4 checks ($300 that we couldn't afford to lose), just to find them sitting on the counter under a Walgreens ad.
- Enough money to eat out every now and then, and the lack of money that we've had that has made us appreciate what a treat that is.
- The opportunity to take care of one of the sweetest little girls on the planet, and the constant reminder she provides of just how far Nick has come.
- My SUV that faithfully carts the 3 of us (who those three are may vary from time to time) around town. It may be a mess inside, but it's all ours.
- Bills that get paid a little easier each month then they did the month before.
- My wonderful Erik who gets to write the checks and thus deal with the stress of making sure all of those bills get paid, and paid on time each month.
- My business that allows me to help with some of the expenses and gives me an outlet for some of my creative energy, as well as my need to have something to do that can actually be said to be done (houses get dirty as fast as they get cleaned)
- The fact that God has pulled people out of my life that have been unhealthy or destructive to me, has shown me the people who are already in my life that I can rely upon and who really care about me, and is sending new people all of the time that I am getting the priviledge of getting to know.
- A beautiful house that is twice as big as our last, and has enough room that we don't feel like we're sitting on each other. Sometimes I forget just how nice it is because I get boggled down by our lack of furniture and decorations, but it is a wonderful house. I can hardly wait to get it decorated up for the holidays.
- Time spent today, spinning around on the merry-go-round at the park with Nick. It's one of those wonderful playground toys from when I was young that they just don't make anymore, and we had so much fun spinning our hearts out and watching the BLUE, BLUE, Idaho sky!
- a wonderful son who thinks that opening the door for his mommy is one of the greatest things in the world. Thanks daddy for teaching our little boy to be a gentleman!
- a loving husband who didn't kill me when we spent 15 minutes hunting for 4 checks ($300 that we couldn't afford to lose), just to find them sitting on the counter under a Walgreens ad.
- Enough money to eat out every now and then, and the lack of money that we've had that has made us appreciate what a treat that is.
- The opportunity to take care of one of the sweetest little girls on the planet, and the constant reminder she provides of just how far Nick has come.
- My SUV that faithfully carts the 3 of us (who those three are may vary from time to time) around town. It may be a mess inside, but it's all ours.
- Bills that get paid a little easier each month then they did the month before.
- My wonderful Erik who gets to write the checks and thus deal with the stress of making sure all of those bills get paid, and paid on time each month.
- My business that allows me to help with some of the expenses and gives me an outlet for some of my creative energy, as well as my need to have something to do that can actually be said to be done (houses get dirty as fast as they get cleaned)
- The fact that God has pulled people out of my life that have been unhealthy or destructive to me, has shown me the people who are already in my life that I can rely upon and who really care about me, and is sending new people all of the time that I am getting the priviledge of getting to know.
- A beautiful house that is twice as big as our last, and has enough room that we don't feel like we're sitting on each other. Sometimes I forget just how nice it is because I get boggled down by our lack of furniture and decorations, but it is a wonderful house. I can hardly wait to get it decorated up for the holidays.
- Time spent today, spinning around on the merry-go-round at the park with Nick. It's one of those wonderful playground toys from when I was young that they just don't make anymore, and we had so much fun spinning our hearts out and watching the BLUE, BLUE, Idaho sky!
Missing : One Mind
I know I had one. Once. I'm sure of it. Where it has gone now, I do not know. But, I have this memory of good grades, thoughtful discussions, being able to remember conversations word for word. It went missing sometime in 2004, while I was pregnant, and although we have moved everything, I've yet to find where I placed it. I sure hope it didn't get left behind or permanently lost in the move, because I REALLY need it. If you see it, could you please send it home? I'd ask you to call me if you found it, but without it I can't figure out where I put the phone anyways.
Monday, November 9, 2009
I Love Couponing
I am so excited! Today was the best couponing day I've EVER had. I bought $150 worth of groceries for $30. WooHoo!!!
Add on:
I went back out on Tuesday with Erik, we went to Smith's this time. We bought 8 packs of Keebler Cookies, 2 32 oz containers of plain yogurt, and 2 bags of chips (yeah, a lot of junk, but hopefully it'll last a long time) for $8.48. We saved 81% off of the original prices, and that was even counting part of the good deal we got on the yogurt, which had been marked down, but showed as the original price.
Total for the week:
$193 in groceries for less than $40!
Add on:
I went back out on Tuesday with Erik, we went to Smith's this time. We bought 8 packs of Keebler Cookies, 2 32 oz containers of plain yogurt, and 2 bags of chips (yeah, a lot of junk, but hopefully it'll last a long time) for $8.48. We saved 81% off of the original prices, and that was even counting part of the good deal we got on the yogurt, which had been marked down, but showed as the original price.
Total for the week:
$193 in groceries for less than $40!
Tempers
I seem to have developed a fierce temper sometime during the last 10 years. I'm not quite sure how it happened, I've never been a tempermental person in fact I've always considered myself calm and patient for the most part. Yet here I am, I find myself losing my temper and not sure how to get it under control. I am married to the greatest man alive, yet I find myself biting his head off for the dumbest things, what's that about? I sure wish I knew.
I Feel My Saviors Love
The kids at church sang this song, and it really touched me. I love the words, and the tune is kind of catchy too :)
I feel my Savior’s love,
In all the world around me
His Spirit warms my soul
Through everything I see
He knows I will follow Him,
Give all my life to Him
I feel my Savior's love
The love He freely gives me.
I feel my Savior’s love
Its gentleness enfolds me
And when I kneel to pray
My heart is filled with peace
He knows I will follow Him,
Give all my life to Him
I feel my Savior’s love
The love He freely gives me.
I feel my Savior’s love
And know that He will bless me
I offer Him my heart;
My shepherd He will be
He knows I will follow Him,
Give all my life to Him
I feel my Savior’s love,
The love He freely gives me.
I’ll share my Savior’s love
By serving others freely,
In serving I am blessed,
In giving I receive
He knows I will follow Him,
Give all my life to Him
I feel my Savior’s love,
The love He freely gives me.
I feel my Savior’s love,
In all the world around me
His Spirit warms my soul
Through everything I see
He knows I will follow Him,
Give all my life to Him
I feel my Savior's love
The love He freely gives me.
I feel my Savior’s love
Its gentleness enfolds me
And when I kneel to pray
My heart is filled with peace
He knows I will follow Him,
Give all my life to Him
I feel my Savior’s love
The love He freely gives me.
I feel my Savior’s love
And know that He will bless me
I offer Him my heart;
My shepherd He will be
He knows I will follow Him,
Give all my life to Him
I feel my Savior’s love,
The love He freely gives me.
I’ll share my Savior’s love
By serving others freely,
In serving I am blessed,
In giving I receive
He knows I will follow Him,
Give all my life to Him
I feel my Savior’s love,
The love He freely gives me.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Coupon Policies - What's the Deal?
Warning - Rant coming on
Okay, I love coupon shopping, it is fun, saves a ton of money, and there is a huge feeling of satisifaction when you get a really good deal. If everything works the way it's supposed to. But what's the deal? It seems like the most of the cashiers don't know their stores coupon policies, half the time the stores don't know their policies even! The worst offenders have got to be Walgreens and Fred Meyers. Their rules literally change depending on who the cashier of the day is. At least with Walgreens they have a published policy though, so most of the time it can be straightened out pretty easily. I can't even locate a policy for Fred Meyers, and everytime I go in the rules are different. I guess it's good that I don't need to shop there a lot, but is it that hard to train your cashiers in your own store's policy? Come on people!
Okay, I love coupon shopping, it is fun, saves a ton of money, and there is a huge feeling of satisifaction when you get a really good deal. If everything works the way it's supposed to. But what's the deal? It seems like the most of the cashiers don't know their stores coupon policies, half the time the stores don't know their policies even! The worst offenders have got to be Walgreens and Fred Meyers. Their rules literally change depending on who the cashier of the day is. At least with Walgreens they have a published policy though, so most of the time it can be straightened out pretty easily. I can't even locate a policy for Fred Meyers, and everytime I go in the rules are different. I guess it's good that I don't need to shop there a lot, but is it that hard to train your cashiers in your own store's policy? Come on people!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Sunsets
One of the great side-effects of living in Idaho is the beautiful sunsets we've seen since we've been here. We had a gorgeous one tonight.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Hi!
I've started this blog to give me a place to ramble about the hundreds of miscellaneous thoughts that come to mind from day to day. I write this as a blog rather than a private journal, because I enjoy the thought of someone actually reading what I write. If you enjoy more blog, or something I post, I hope you'll leave a comment.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)