25 weeks pregnant

I'm 25 weeks pregnant today :) Some websites say that this is the beginning of my 3rd trimester but most of them say I won't be there until 28 weeks. Why is this even debatable? It's so confusing that not only do they add 2 weeks to pregnancy, but also that no one seems to know when the third trimester starts. Oh well!






I saw my doctor today. Sort of.






I got to the doctor's office, signed in, and was then called to the back and the secretary says to me, "Well, you may or may not know this, but Dr. Broussard retired this week." I don't know if it was pregnancy hormones or if I was genuinely this upset, but I broke into tears. The secretary starts to cry too (like balling crying like me with big tears rolling down her face) and says that it was really sudden for all of them too and not to worry- they will take care of me and find a new doctor for me. She also said that he didn't call anybody, but that he put an article in the newspaper.

She walked with me- arm in arm- to where my new Dr. office will be showed me the waiting room and handed me some tissues. I was a wreck. I could NOT stop crying! I was trying to get it together because I didn't want this doctor to think that I was dissapointed that he was going to be my doctor. My new nurse called me in and took one look at me and said, "You sunburned or something?" I am sunburned but my face was even more red and puffy from the crying. I told her that I was just a little caught of guard with Dr. Broussard retiring and that I was emotional. She tells me, "Well at least he didn't die!" I just looked at her and shook my head...realllllly slowly...What?! And then she tells me that when she was pregnant, her doctor went on vacation- I think to a hunting trip- and was accidently shot. :( In her odd attempt at making me feel better, it at least got my mind off it and helped me to calm down a bit. (I'm serious--I was sobbing!) I am not emotional about this anymore but I am dissapointed. I really really liked my doctor, my nurse, and -this is going to sound really picky but -I liked his office better! He had a big beautiful fish tank with exotic fish and the room was decorated all colorful and had whimsical mermaids hanging from the ceiling...He was such a FUN guy!!!!! AHHH! I'm getting over it.

So my new doctor is Dr. Hill. http://www.acadianawomen.com/Dochill.htm He reminds me of Andy from "The Office". He sounds like him and kind of makes the same gestures! Too funny. He's a lot younger than Dr. B and was really talkative. I don't know what else I would expect, but I liked that he just jumped right in as my doctor. He expressed a lot of concern about Erik being born premature (by 8 weeks) and so from now on I will be seeing him every two weeks. It seems like a lot since I have 15 more weeks to go, but it does make me feel like I am being taken care of. This was also fun to read about: (from the link that I posted up there) " Interests include music (singer/songwriter, violin, guitar, harmonica), hunting, fishing, weightlifting/fitness, gardening." He seems like a really well rounded and interesting guy!

After all of that craziness, my mom and I went to Target and I started up a baby registry. I'm having a small shower in about a month and Wendy and Katy told me that I needed to get my registry set up and my addresses to them by Monday. I'm really excited because it will be fun having another shower, especially because this baby is a different gender than my first. This one is going to be much smaller since it is my 2nd go-round and so I told myself that I would limit myself to 15 items. And then I got carried away!!! Going around with that little pricing gun was almost as fun as shopping! Plus, Target has this great perk--whatever is left on my registry will be discounted after the due date. I think it's something like 10-20%. I hope no one thinks I'm greedy!

Then we went to Cafe Roma for lunch (mmm) and after we saw the comedy "Medea Goes to Jail". Maybe it was more pregnancy hormones surging through me, but I cried more than I laughed. It was a good movie with a ton of good messages throughout. My mom loved it and was cracking up! She really needed a pick-me-up. There is a lot going on in my family right now and I think some good belly laughs were just what she needed. The last movie that she saw in theaters was "Toy Story"! She took me and my sisters who were only toddlers back then and now they are in highschool!


Well, little miss Ivy is about the size of an eggplant. I took some pictures of my pregnant belly and will post them later. I look like I have about 5 eggplants in there! Hahha!

Gardening: I love Mulch!

20 bags of mulch and a few new plants to brighten up the back garden bed.

Before: Overgrown with weeds and in need of some new plants and mulch.

After: Looking fresh! Hibiscus coming back from the winter in the back left and right corners. White Irises under the window. Ginger in the middle, Sweet olive in the front, and a very tiny mexican sage in the middle toward the right side.

Recipe: Cheddar Apple Soup; Cajun Turkey Pita

Yep! I'm still on a soup kick. This soup recipe is originally from the Better Homes And Gardens magazine (October 2007) but I saw it this morning on another blog and decided to give it a try. It was good, but not soup-y enough for me. It was more like a side dish that would go great with a honey ham around Christmas time. It's still a keeper, but will probably only make this once a year or so. In my opinion, the title should be called Cheddar Potato Soup because it was mostly potato with a little bit of an apple taste. VERY FILLING! I could hardly even eat half of what was in my bowl.

My sandwich:

Half of a toasted whole wheat pita

Cajun Turkey {Thinly sliced from the Walmart Deli}

spoonful of Avacado

sprouts

2 slices of "lean" bacon {Oscar Meyer's Center Cut Bacon- 20 calories a slice}

Honey Dijon mustard

Ingredients for Cheddar Apple Soup

2 medium baking potatoes, peeled and diced

2 c. apple cider {I use apple juice and just added a little spice-dash nutmeg,clove,

1 t. fresh thyme, crushed

1/2 t. salt>

dash cayenne pepper> {I omitted salt and cayenne and used Tony Chachere's.}

1 medium cooking apple, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/2 c. milk

2 T. flour

1 c. Sharp cheddar, shredded

Garnish:

Fresh apple slices

Green peppercorns

(And I shredded a little extra cheddar in my bowl)

In large saucepan cook onion in butter over medium heat until tender (cover pot but stir and check often).

Meanwhile peel and dice the potatoes, and measure out the cider, seasoning, and thyme.

When onions are soft stir in potatoes, cider, thyme, and seasoning.

Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Simmer covered for 15-20 minutes until potatoes start to get soft.

Add chopped apple; simmer, covered 5 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

In small bowl whisk together milk and flour; stir into soup.

Cook and stir until bubbly. Slowly add cheese, whisking until melted.

Garnish with fresh apples slices and peppercorns.

Erik goes to a four wheeler party!

Erik's little friend Jonathan turned 2 and had a birthday party on Saturday. Erik had a blast! They had about 5 power wheels and an open field. What more could kids ask for? Oh wait, and they had a Fun Jump and of course, cake! What a party!

Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Personality Test

***When taking personality tests, it is important to not trap ourselves in a box and label ourselves as one way. We should always keep in mind that everyone is unique. However, I think that personality tests help us to understand ourselves and others and help us to work on our weaknesses. It's such a cop out to say, "Oh that's just part of my personality." Or "That's just the way I am." We can and should work on curbing our downfalls. As parents we can help our children to find out what their strengths are and nurture them from when they are young.


Two books that I have read are "Personality Plus" and "Personality Plus for Couples" by Florence Littauer.

Today I ordered "Personality Plus for Parents" on eBay for a few bucks. Erik is still very young, but he won't always be! And while he does have a
personality already, it is a little difficult to tell just yet what exactly it is. This book will help me get a head start on understanding him and what makes him "tick".

I can't find the exact personality test online that I take (I got it almost 10 years ago when I was in youth group), but this one is almost identical. The wording of the questions are slightly different but mean the same things.
http://www.neoxenos.org/temperaments/temperament_test.htm

My personality

The Sanguine / Phlegmatic

The sanguine-phlegmatic is an extroverted, optimistic, warm individual who readily connects with others and is well-liked by all. His sanguine side makes him creative, enthusiastic, friendly, and inspiring. His phlegmatic side makes him somewhat cautious at times, and also highly sensitive to other people’s moods, emotions, likes and dislikes. He keenly desires harmony in relationships. He tends to overextend himself in order to meet others’ needs and to personalize any negative criticism (If the boss says, “We are not meeting our quotas,” the sanguine-phlegmatic thinks, “Is he angry at me?” If her best friend says, “I really can’t wear red lipstick,” the sanguine-phlegmatic will think, “She’s trying to tell me that my lipstick looks terrible!”). After all, the sanguine-phlegmatic has a double-dose of feeling; twice-blessed by the tendency to prioritize relationships and harmony. If you are a sanguine-phlegmatic, most everyone likes you! You are easy-going, creative, fun-loving, enthusiastic, imaginative, caring, generous, flexible, and spontaneous. You are probably considered “emotional” because of your easily aroused feelings, your attentiveness to relationships, and your tender heart. Your weaknesses are superficiality, indecisiveness, disorganization, and procrastination. Often you find it difficult to know exactly how to state what you mean, or how to express yourself logically; this contributes to a tendency to talk more than is needed or to provide more detail than is necessary. In a relationship, you will likely gravitate toward a logical, organized, strong-willed and decisive partner—someone who makes decisions quickly and provides strong moral certitude and structure to your life. You can be easily influenced (which is exacerbated by your tendency to ask others for advice — without thinking it through) and to do what seems “kind” before considering whether it is objectively right. Many sanguine-phlegmatics are drawn to teaching (and parenting), the helping professions, and volunteer works for the Church or for the welfare of society. You place a high priority on your personal search for meaning and self-identity. The strong need to discover your “true self” will be met by a rich prayer life and a personal relationship with Christ. Your weaknesses probably tend to bother you more than anyone else. For example, you may find yourself blurting out something without thinking, or spending too much time seeking advice only to find yourself more confused than you started, or oversleeping every day this week — despite all the best of intentions. You may find yourself becoming over committed because you simply can’t say “no” and have a strong need to be liked/please people. A typical sanguine-phlegmatic trick is to spend too much money shopping or (better yet) dining out with friends, and then to put off balancing the checkbook (too much work, too many other distractions) until it is hopelessly behind. Now you are overwhelmed with everything that has piled up! You may complain half-heartedly, blame circumstances, or go shopping. . . but you may not really make a concerted effort to change. If your temperament is sanguine-phlegmatic, for a better understanding of your temperament it is recommended that you read the full descriptions of the sanguine and phlegmatic.

The elephant and the mouse.

2nd Corinthians Chapter 10 Verses 4-64 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.


i·mag·i·na·tions (-mj-nshn) n. a. The formation of a mental image of something that is neither perceived as real nor present to the senses.b. The mental image so formed.c. The ability or tendency to form such images.
a. An unrealistic idea or notion; a fancy.
b. A plan or scheme.


This scripture speaks to me in different ways. When I was younger it helped to remind me not to let impure imaginations run wild in my mind. Now it speaks to me in a different way. God's word is alive and does speak to us if we are willing to hear. Even though this particular scripture is talking about something different than what I am about to write about, it does speak to my personal life about casting down my own vain imaginations...not only against God's word, but against people in general.


This scripture reminds me to not let what others say get blown out of context and allowing it to become distorted. I think women struggle with this more than men do because we are usually more in tune with "reading between the lines." While this is a God-given gift to be intuitive, we shouldn't let it get out of control. I think God is warning us that if we let our imaginations run wild with these "unrealistic ideas or notions" that we are actually in disobedience to him by letting these thoughts exalt themselves against Him. When I think of something exalting itself against God, I think of Pride. I think of when the angel, Lucifer, thought he was better than God and was cast out of heaven. He tried to exalt himself against the Lord...and look what he is now...the epitomy of evil, Satan himself.

This is a very strong warning that I don't think we take serious enough. If someone says something, we should take it to mean what they say!!! We shouldn't let insecurity take over and twist it around just to appease our minds! Why would we do this? Because sometimes we get this "feeling" that someone thinks a certain way about us and when they start talking we automatically look for something that they say or do to confirm that in our minds. Again, I think women are the WORST for doing this. God is warning us to say what we mean, mean what we say, and take what others are saying as meaning simply that. There is absolutely no way for us to be able to tell what others are really thinking or going through unless they tell us themselves.

Recipe: French Onion Soup

French Onion soup is on the top of my list as far as soup goes. It has so much flavor and is easy to make. However, it does take some time and attention so this is a dish to make when the kiddos are napping or preoccupied! Lately I have been craving it, (pregnancy will do that to a girl) so earlier this week I went out and bought the ingredients that I didn't already have on hand. Today was my 4th time having it this week! Yumm!

Ingredients

(You will need an oven safe bowl)

One small onion (or a half of a large one)
enough Olive Oil to cover the bottom of pan
1 pat of butter (about a tbls)
1 heaping spoon of minced garlic (I love garlic!)
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbls. flour
A splash of White cooking wine
A few shakes of Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 cups of beef stock (I just eyeball it!)
A thick chunk of french bread
white cheese

(The traditional cheese for this soup is Gruyere, but I have yet to find that in the store. I've used different ones like provolone or white cheddar, or mozzarella. This time I used an Italian blend of shredded cheeses since it is what I already had on hand. It had Parmesan, mozzarella, asiago,provolone, fontina, and Romano.)

***(TASTE FIRST BEFORE ADDING SALT! Mine was not salty enough (i used unsalted butter) so I added a few shakes of Tony Chachere's (a cajun spice that has salt in it).

***I also had parsley on hand, so I threw a pinch of it in there.)


Pour the olive oil in the pan, and turn on medium. Cut the onion in quarter to half dollar size pieces. Put the onions in with the pat of butter and the tsp. of sugar. Cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes covering the pan, but stirring often. DO NOT BURN! You want the onions to get really soft, but you don't want to see any brown on them. Add the garlic and the Tbls. of flour and stir, cooking for about 2 more minutes. Add a splash of white cooking wine and scrape the bottom of the pan, getting all of the onion, garlic and flour mixture off of the bottom. (That's where a lot of the flavor is.) Add a few splashes of Worcestershire. Slowly pour in the beef broth and cook for another 5-10 minutes on medium to medium high heat or until really hot and bubbling.


Pour the soup into an oven safe crock (or bowl) and top with french bread. I break a little of it up and put some at the bottom and then place the other pieces on top. Add cheese.

Turn oven on broil (I use a small conventional oven) and place in oven on the top rack. Keep an eye on it so that it won't burn. You just want the cheese to melt and get a little brown.

Eat and Enjoy!!!

Movie Date, Lobster and Red Velvet Cheescake

Chris and I had a fun Valentine's date. We celebrated on Friday so that we could get a sitter for Erik. His Aunt Jess came over to watch him while we went out on the town.

First we went to see "Coraline 3D". Pretty weird movie! It was like having one of those dreams that you just can't explain. I guess the moral of the story was to be careful what you wish for and also that things aren't always what they appear to be. Young kids might be scared by this movie or a little creeped out. I know I was!

After the movie we were planning on going out to eat at a hibachi grill. We went to one in Oklahoma and it was such a fun experience. You sit at a large table (with other people besides yourselves) and the table has a huge grill right in the middle and the cook actually cooks everything right in front of you. I think since we ended up not going I want to go for my birthday in April with my gal pals!

So last minute Chris changed his mind and wanted to go eat at our favorite restaurant, Phares'. We mainly go there for their fire roasted oyster appetizer! The atmosphere is also perfect for a nice date.

Chris ordered the Valentine's special, which was stuffed Lobster, grilled asparagus and rosemary potatoes. He gave me a few bites of it and it was delicious!

I ordered the same thing I always do. The stacked grilled chicken, with mashed sweet potatoes and eggplant fries. The chicken is stacked on top of a portabello mushroom with a spinach and artichoke sauce in between. I always eat about half of the meal because it is so much food and take the rest home for the next day.

Since it was Valentine's, we splurged ($15!) and ordered desert. We ordered off of the Valentine's special menu again and got the red velvet cheesecake.
It was a red cheesecake with a graham cracker-like crust, served with blueberries, strawberries, and whipped cream. We ate about half of it because it was so rich, but finished it off when we got home!! :)~

Play Date: Valentine's Party!

Decorating for the party







Mommies- Katie and Wendy

Mommies: Katie and Marissa (the host)

Decorating Cookies

We used premade sugar cookie dough and
red sprinkles. The kids took turns sprinkling
the cookies.

Exchanging Valentines

Valentine's Lunch

We had such a fun day. He still talks about sprinkling the cookings. His word for "sprinkles" is "pickles"!!!!!

Arts and Crafts: Valentine's Box

YYYYYYYYYY
Gluing hearts on the box

Dot Paint

Happy Valentine's Day!