Five Question Friday

Awesome friday fun by http://www.fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com/

So excited to answer these quetions for the first time. 

The rules? Copy and paste the following questions to your blog, answer them, grab the MckLinky BlogHop code (if you want) and link up! If you don't have a blog, but are dying to answer the questions...just leave your answers in the comments below!

And...we're off!

Questions for Friday, December 4th: (Special thanks to the following for their question suggestions this week!! Liz, Rhonda, Heidi, and Kimberly! If you have an awesome question suggestion, check out the thread in my community!)

1. Favorite gift you are GIVING this year?
a digital photo frame to my parents.  They love looking at photos of their new son, have a wireless connection in their home so it just makes sense to buy them a digital photo frame. 

2. How many parties are you attending between now and Christmas?

two or three.  One for my husbands job, one with the mothers club that I belong to, and maybe one at my job.

3. What is your favorite Christmas song?
Hands down......"All I Want for Christmas" and "Holly Jolly Christmas"

4. Who was your favorite elementary school teacher and why?
really did not have a good elementary sdhool experience, so I can't answer this question.  I went to a private catholic school which was run by the weathly and popular parents. 




5. If you had a choice to live in any other period of time (other than now) what era would you choose and why?
Definately 50's the clothes, the style, and of course shaking it all up my attitude. ;)

Anthony - My 6 Month Old Miracle!

Here's my trip down memory lane.  I can't believe how much he has changed in just 6 months, in a year.

We tried for years to get pregnant,. saw fertility doctors then took a break and then tried again.  After our first round of IVF, I was pregnant, after 6 long years I finally had a beautiful life growing inside of me.  Then on June 3rd 2009 my life forever changed for the better. 

How much I have changed in six months.  As I have stated before, this mommy thing has been harder than I though, BUT I WOULDN'T CHANGE ANY OF IT. 

It was not what I expected or planned.  I did not expect to go in on June 2nd for my 35 week visit and be told that I had preeclampsyia and had to go to the hospital to deliver.

         (looking at my mom who came with me to the appointment- see that is why I have my hospital bag packed already......cause you never know.  She didn't understand why I was packing it so early)

I had to call my DH at work and tell him to pick up the hospital bag, diaper bag, and blood cord banking box)  The whole time freaking out wondering if my baby at 35 weeks would be okay. 

After being put on pitocin (did I spell it right) for 24 hours with no results only to later find out that it did not work since it was counteracted by the medicine for high blood pressure.  So, after 24 hours, we decided it was best for me and baby to have a c-section. 

I was so sad to know that I only got to see my son for a few moments and then he was brougth to the NICU.  Thankfully he was perfectly healthy but did not have the suck reflex and therefore could not eat on his own.  So here I am in the hospital recovering from a c-section and while all the other mothers have their babies with them or brought to them, I have to VISIT mine in the NICU.  I had relatives tell me "its okay" or "at least he is healthy" when I would cry uncontrollably.  I was so upset when I was treated like I had postpartom depression.   My son is locked in a room in the hopstial and I have to be let in to see him.  Any normal women would cry under those conditions.  After I was discharged I was given a room in the hospital as a service (as long as a room was available) since Anthony was still in the NICU.  After a few days of livng in the hospital and feeling like a prisoner, I decided to go home - without my son.  It was the best decision I made, I really needed to be back home, in my own bed, cuddling with Balboa.  I would drive to the hosptial every day (still in pain) and spend most of the day in the NICU.  Until one day, he was able to go home. 

So anyway, he is now 6 months old tomorrow, happy and healthy and full of joy and love.  He has such a wonderful personality.  I am so blessed. 

Anthony's Birthday 6/3/09

I remember being wheeled into the NICU (on my bed afer the C-section) and saying hello to him. He reached out with both hands and grabbed my finger.  I wanted so bad to just grab and hold him, but had to enjoy the moment as is.  I took a picture with my camera and looked at it all night long. 

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Anthony 5 days old

(I can't believe how small he was then)

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Anthony 1 month old

(my little peanut, the jumpy seat almost swallowed him)

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Anthony 2 months old
(after one of his baths, he was starting to show his personality)

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Anthony 3 months old

(my happy little man, so full of joy)

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Anthony 4 months old

(once he started sitting with support, a whole new world opened for him)

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Anthony 5 months old

(look at him stretching and strengthning his muscles)

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Anthony 6 months old

I JUST LOVE MY HAPPY LITTLE MAN, MY ABSOLUTE MIRACLE IN EVERY SENSE

I DO know what I am doing

Just because I am a new mother does not mean I am clueless as to what my child needs or wants.  I do know what I am doing.  I know better than anyone what each cry, sigh, moan, grunt, laugh, squeal, mumble, smile, smirk, head tilt, jump, and grasp means. 

I will not let anyone make me feel inferior or silly. I will stand up for myself and model for my son how to do so in an assertive way.  My son will learn how to be confident and self-assured.

Money Saving Meal???

What makes a great money saving meal?

1. Most of the ingredients are budget friendly and/or on sale.

2. Half of the ingredients are already in your home and used in many of your meals.

3. Having extra of an ingredient that can be used in another meal, appetizer, or side.

4. Meal is flexible, you can add or change a few ingredients depending on your likes or needs.

5. You can get at least 6 dinners (servings) out of the meal

6. The cost of each dinner (serving) is no more than $3.50.


7. If an item is on sale at a good price, buy a few extra so you have it for the next meal. I like to keep one or two extra of the following.....

• dried beans or peas,
• frozen veggies,
• ground meat or chicken breasts (obviously kept in freezer)
• soups (all types of creams, french onion, or broths)
• bouillon cubes (beef and chicken)
• pasta and pasta sauce

This post and information on money saving meals was created by owner of blog, from her own experience. Before you try making any meals at home, consider if the meal is right for your family and budget. Please do not make a meal if you are allergic to an ingredient.


This post will be updated as owner of blog continues to cook and learn.


Suggestions on money saving ideas are welcome, but up to blog owner to post. If your suggestion is posted, blog owner will give you credit.

Starting to cook again - UPDATE!!!!

Update is at end of post.


Its so hard being alone at night with Anthony and Balboa.  I mean, I can do it, I am doing it, but it is tough.  I would love to start cooking meals at night again.  But since I can't I decided to use the slow cooker at night, and scoop into containers in the morning.  This way I CAN eat healthy and have time to cook. 

My plan......well I found a site sample menu that allows you to plan 5 meals, it takes time to set up the meal plan. But, having it up on the clipboard in the kitchen allows me to not use the ingredients for other items and stick to the meal plan.

I use all recipes to get great slow cooker recipes and then use peapod to buy and deliver my groceries.  So, this morning (since it is a Sunday) I decided to start with Split pea and Sausage soup.  I changed the recipe a little, but it looks really good cooking in the slowcooker right now.

I bouhgt a bunch of plastic containers to store the food, but have glass bowls to heat the food up in at both work and home.




Slow Cooker Split Pea Sausage Soup
1 pound dried split peas
10 cups water
1 pound smoked sausage of your choice, sliced
5 cubes chicken bouillon
2 bags frozen stew vegetables
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves


In a 5 quart slow cooker, combine the peas, water, sausage, bouillon, carrot, celery, potatoes, garlic powder, oregano, bay leaves, and onion.
Cover, and cook on High for 4 to 5 hours. Remove bay leaves before ladling into bowls.

I'll let you know how it turned out next post.

UPDATE!!!!

The split pea and sausage soup came out great!  I let it cook 4 hours on high and then 3 more hours on low.  It was so good.  The potatoes were so soft, the broth so yummy, the sausage perfect.  Man, I am so proud of myself. 

I let it cool and put it into containers and labeled them with the date.  Now I am working on the meatballs with buttered noodles. 

Anthony's Christening

 had Anthony's Christening on Sunday.  It was such a beautiful day and everything went perfect.

My sister and brother-in-law were the God-parents. 

He cried at the beginning of the ceremony but after a bottle, he went right to sleep.  I found it to be so surreal, here I am baptizing my child who truly is a miracle, a gift from God.  I had to hold back the tears otherwise I would have gone into full blown crying mode. 

Each time I partake in anything "mom" like I am so overwhelmed, for I thought I was doomed to be childless. 

My DH planned the party afterwards at theclubhouse where we live.  He wanted to do it all on his own, but soon realized that it was a huge undertaking.  He called on his mother, sister, and brother-in-law to help.  I knew none of this till the day before.  When we arrived, it was so breathtaking.  The clubhouse looks like someone's cozy living room, (with a fireplace, huge TV, couches, and kitchen area).  A few relatives called to say how much they loved the party.  My DH planned the party, as a gift to me for all that I do.   

Anthony was on his best behavior, he really is a happy baby.  Of course he got passed around like a football, but he enjoyed all the attention and showed off his huge smile and contagious laugh. 

my parents

DH's parents, and paternal grandma

DH's sister (BIL was getting things ready at the party )

Anthony and his cousins

Finding myself

I lost myself for a while. After a rough and disappointing labor and delivery my son was born on June 3rd. He was five weeks early, but since I was diagnosed with preeclampsia, he had to come out. After 24 hours of labor and no progress, since the high blood pressure meds counteracted the effects of the pitocin, I had a c-section.

My beautiful miracle boy spent 12 days in the NICU, he did not have the ability to suck. Yes, all of the things that could have happened I am lucky that was all. But, having to visit your newborn baby when all the other new moms get to see their baby's whenever they want is so heartbreaking. I got so much advice and stories, none of which helped. I was treated like I was going through postpartum depression. I just wanted to hold my child and take him home.

Anyway, I finally got to take my son home, and it was rough. I don;t live near my parents or inlaws, my SIL already has two kids of her own. My parents came up quite a lot, but it was rough when my husband went back to work. Anthony had digestive issues and I was stressed. Going back to work in September was a lifesaver. Now my husband works evenings and I work days, but things are a lot better. Anthony is going to be 6 months old and doing so well. I still have some more work to do to feel like my former self. I need to eat healthy and live healthy. I am slowly remember the independent powerful, confident women I used to be. I am determined to now be an INDEPENDENT, POWERFUL, CONFIDENT MOTHER.

I know I can do it, I can find a way to make it work. Sure my husand works a different shift and I am a single mother during the week, sure I am nonstop once I get home to a baby and a dog. Sure, I have to rearrange my life and cook, eat, sleep differently....... BUT I wouldn't change it for the world. Last November I was two months pregnant and all this was but a dream.

I am truly thankful for my life, for who is in my life, for what I have. Every time I get fustrated I just think about all those years I wanted a baby, nothing was worse than thinking I would be childless. So, bring it on, I'm a working mother who can do it ALL! I know I can! I am so pround of myself!