Hello all.  It's Monday again!!  Time for my menu planner.  I went to the store to pick up a few things yesterday and sat down last night to make our menu planner.  This week Monday is not Meatless.  We are moving it to Tuesday evening.  Our neice Kaitlin is coming over after school to spend the evening with us.  She has requested Matthew's famous peanut butter pancakes with chocolate chips.  LOL  Of course Matthew was thrilled for a special request.

Monday:  Taco's

Tuesday:  Peanut butter pancakes (with chocolate chips)

Wednesday:  Chicken Stir Fry

Thursday:  Pork Chops, Roasted Vegetables, Steamed Broccoli

Friday:  Hamburger Steaks with gravy and onions, mashed potatoes, green beans

Saturday:  Ham and Beans, Cornbread

Sunday: Leftovers

This weekend was boring and uneventful.  Which is always a good thing.  LMSO  We didn't get much time with Matthew since he worked Saturday and then ended up working from 1-6 on Sunday as well.  :(  So hopefully he will have a slow week and we can spend time with him. 

I was secretly glad to see Monday roll around and preschool to start up again.  LOL  Noah didn't want to go to school this morning though.  He is convinced that I play with his toys and watch his shows while he is gone (which you know of course, I do! LOL)  So funny.  So he walked onto the bus with a heavy heart today whining a little.  But as he was buckled into his seat, and I  blew a kiss at him, he blew one back.  So sweet!  He will be home around 12 and will check to see if the cars he put in daddy's chair are still there I am sure.

I sat down last night (after my little shopping trip) to write out our menu for the week.  Instead of meatless Monday this week, we are having it on Tuesday.  My neice Kaitlin is coming over Tuesday for a visit and her request for supper??? Peanut butter pancakes with chocolate chips.  LMSO  It's one of Matthew's specialties, so I asked him if he could do supper Tuesday and of course he was thrilled to know she specially requested them.

Tomorrow I am super excited to be finally getting my hair done.  After being cooped up in the house for so long with all the sickness going around, I am so thankful for my health and being able to get back into my schedule of things....and my hair definately needs a pick me up!!  LMSO  Wednesday I am going over to see my great neice, Paisley.  I haven't seen her since sortly after Christmas because we have been sick, and I miss cuddling with her.   LOL  She is adorable and her momma said she is finding her voice.  She will scream and then take a breath and giggle.  LOL

Praying you all had a wonderful weekend!!!!

I was doing a little figuring after reading on a website how much difference there is in costs in cloth diapers and disposables.  I knew you could save alot of money with cloth diapers, but wasn't sure I could save "THAT" much.  Sometimes I think they beef up the money amounts to make it sound good, etc.  LOL    And with Noah, we decided against cloth diapers because I had so many other things on my plate.  My dad died when Noah was 6 months old....mom died when he was 11 months old.  And before that...ALOT of doctor, hospital and chemo, so I was running with a newborn.  It was easier for me and for my sanity to do disposables....at least for the 1st year.

But now.....as a SAHM who doesn't have all those extra responsibilities, I am seriously thinking about doing cloth diapers and washing them every evening.  I toss a load of wash in about every other day as it is now anyway, so it wouldn't be that much to toss in a days worth of diapers, too. 

As for the cost, I figured up the cost of Huggies diapers, which is what we used with Noah because they fit better and didn't leak like the other brands are about 28 cents a piece.  Doesn't sound like much does it??? Multiply by how many you use in a day, in a month, in a year, etc.  (My calculations were for 10 diapers for a newborn and 6 diapers for an older baby)  My numbers came up to $720.00 for the first year and about $630 for the 2nd year (because they don't soil as many diapers).  That is a total of $1351.80 for the first two years of birth.  OUCH!!   Add another thousand or so if you have a late bloomer (like our Noah) who can and refuses to use the potty and wears Pull-Ups.  That's a thousand dollars we have spent in a year for PULL UPS!!!  CRAZINESS    This isn't including taxes and wipes and other diapering things needed like diaper cream.

So, after some research I found the cloth diapers I want.  They are a diaper that is adjustable and fits a newborn through toddler stage of potty training (why didn't I know about these before???).  They are a little pricey, but definately not on the high end of cloth all in one diapers.  The new price for one diaper is $18.  I figure I will need about 20.   That's $360 for those who can't do the math in their head (like me! LOL)  Often times people buy diaper inserts for these diapers (or make their own, which I might do since I have alot of flannel in the house and it would only cost me the thread and a few minutes for each insert) which cost $9 for 3.  I think I would like to have 6 packages, which comes to another $54.00.  These will be used for cleaning clothes afterwards, so there is no real loss in the purchase price.  Altogether, diapers (which grow with the child) and inserts, cost $414!!!!   Are you with me still???

WOW....I am amazed at the cost difference.  I have read reviews and these particular diapers wear very well and last throughout 2-3 years of peeing pooping and washing with very little wear and tear and no fading.  So, if I didn't have to replace ANY diapers.  I would have spent $414.00 on diapers for the next 2-3 years, as apposed to the $1351.80 for 2 years or 2351.80 for 3 years of diapers/Pull-Ups.    A savings of 937.80 (if used for 2 years) or more!!!!  That's ALOT OF MONEY PEOPLE!!!

And another plus on the cloth diapering???? I can buy these diapers on Ebay probably cheaper than the cost I have quoted you, and perhaps sell them when I am done, on Ebay to recoup most of the money spent!!!!!  If I am able to buy used, and sell them for what I had in them......there would be NO COST in diapering my child for 2-3 years!!!!!    Amazing.  (I have already searched for these on Ebay and there are several up for bid for at least half the cost of retail right now)

Now, hubby is going to have a problem with this.  LOL  He isn't going to like it, and he will try to talk me out of it again.  But perhaps if I tell him I will do all the work (which I would anyway. LOL) and show him the cost difference he would be more interested.  Of course, we will supplement a little with disposable diapers when we are out and about or when we go to church......but we will still be saving alot of money  by primarily using cloth.

Here is my other idea for saving money with babies:  Make your own baby wipes and solution!  I looked up a recipe that uses apriocot oil (which I have a liter of for some reason...can't remember why though) baby shampoo and water. EASY!!!  This liter of apricot oil should last me the whole season of diapering.  And with so much flannel in the house, I could make useable wipes!  With a few minutes of sewing I can have several whipped up.  I figure I will need about 20.  Afterwards we can use these as cleaning rags, or washcloths.  And since I have so much flannel already, this will cost.....the amount of money to buy some new thread and a little time at the machine.

I figure for $400 or less if I can obtain diapers used, I can diaper my child for at least 2 years!!  This amount would include making our own flannel wipes and wipe solution and I will be able to recoup most of this cost by reselling on Ebay afterwards!

So, why do my sister in laws and friends think I am NUTS???  Our parents probably cloth diapered us (ok not me....I am a youngster. LOL), and I know our grandmother's cloth diapered our parents etc.   Why do so many people think it's so icky???  It's just poop!!!  LMSO  I have had my share already and it's just part of being a mom.  I can always  WEAR GLOVES PEOPLE!!!  Besides after working as a nurses aide in a nursing home for several years.....poop doesn't scare me.  LOL

How have some of you been blessed by using cloth diapers??? Any tips or hints I should know now??? Do any of you regret using cloth diapers??? 

Today hubs is working outside the house helping a customer with her electrical needs, but we were happy to have him home in the morning to visit with.  Noah awoke this morning looking all over the house for daddy and finally found him upstairs in the bathroom and was delighted to see him.  Matthew is usually gone to work by the time he awakes. 

Oh my......I feel like I have had my arm talked off today. LOL Noah woke up very chatty today, and had to tell us everything.  He has talked non-stop since he awoke and Matthew and I both had a good laugh over it.  I love to hear him talk and tell stories, but wow.....all at once is overwhelming.  He is such a delight though and I am greatful he is feeling back to normal after being sick so long. 

I am feeling better as well.  I have some fluid still in my ears, which I hope clears up on it's own, and of course....I am tired...but that is expected in the 1st trimester.  I am sleeping much better now that I don't wake up coughing and hacking and have to take a breathing treatment twice in the middle of the night.  Hubby never complained......but he said he noticed I was sleeping better and he has slept better as well.  

Today my energy level seems to be a bit better, so I am going to try to do the dusting and windexing today as well as vacuuming.  I will also try to keep the laundry going and get it caught up today.  And I will pop something (not sure what yet) in the crockpot for dinner so I don't have to worry about supper.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!!!

I have been looking forward to tonight all week.  I am such a child huh??  LOL  Tonight is homemade pizza and movie night.  I will brown the sausage for our pizza sometime today so that when 5pm rolls about I just need to make the dough and construct the pizza.  Noah loves to spread the sauce on but for some reason won't touch the cheese....so I sprinkle on the cheese, the sausage and some pepperoni!!  I am hoping to make some kind of simple dessert for tonight as well.  We rarely eat dessert at our house, but movie night simple screams pizza and dessert!  LOL

Matthew has already rented the movies....all kids movies.  LOL  Yes, we love the Disney and kids movies.   We have our choice tonight of the Hannah Montana movie or G-Force.  I think Noah will be excited to watch G-Force! 

My evergy level has been down lately.  For instance....I put Noah to bed at his normal 7pm bedtime and Matthew and I had planned to watch a movie afterwards in bed.  I went to bed and fell asleep before he could come in and get the movie set up to go on the DVD!  So he let me sleep.  LOL  I woke up at 8am this morning when Noah came in to wake me up.  He had gotten up before I did!!! 

Chillicothe is only 25 miles from our house, and we are there OFTEN.  Hubby's job is there and our curch, alot of our friends live there...and then there is WALMART!  LOL  So, you see we are in Chillicothe often.  I just heard last night that one of the small town banks was robbed by a serial robber.  WOW!!!   This is a town of about 10,000.  Very small and nothing like this happens in our area.  Here is the link to the SHORT news story:  http://stjoechannel.com/content/fulltext_news/?cid=111362

In other news........it's THURSDAY!!!  As my friend Angel said this morning....I am on my tippy toes and I can almost see the weekend from here.  LMSO  I am looking forward to the weekend and having hubs home.  He is hoping for an extra electrical job or a computer repair job this weekend, but I am being a bit selfish I suppose and hoping he doesn't have to and can stay home with us. 

Today I am going to try to focus on getting the laundry caught up.  I have one load to fold and more on the folding table to put away, and I am hoping only one load to wash on top of that.  I hate getting behind and trying to play catch up, especially right now when I am in my 1st trimester and don't have the energy I need to do so!  LOL  The dishes will have to wait.  I just can't stand there and wash dishes for very long at this point.

Noah has been such a big helper though.  He helped me clean up the living room yesterday and when dad got home he could see I was tired and a little emotional and he pitched in and vacuumed for me. Oh what a blessing that was, because I was just worn out at that point and wanted to sit and rest so badly, but I wasn't about to ask for help.  LMSO 

Well, I am off.  The potty calls my name yet again.  It's weird to think that I am only 7 weeks along and already peeing evevry hour or so.  LOL  I hope everyone is having a wonderful day!!!

I just read Ashley's blog.  She was responding to a comment she recieved from a older mom wanting to have more children, but afraid of the unexpected.....or possibly the expected as well.  Ashley has a beautiful spirit and answered the comment wonderfully.  But I felt lead to write about it as well.

I am 36 years old.  I will be 37 in April, and I am preggo.  Does it concern me that I am older than my mom was when she delivered me???  A little....but I was older than that when I delivered Noah, too.  LOL  My mom was 32 when she had me...the baby of the family.  Does it concern me that there is a higher risk of birth defects, etc. etc. (you have heard all the stories just like I have).....not really!  I am not a worry wart type of person.  I have learned and trained myself to put my trust in the Lord.  Worrying about it isn't going to help.  Praying about it will.  Keeping my sight upon the Lord helps tremendously, and knowing He is paying attention to my heart felt prayers brings me peace in this.

Did I worry about morning sickness and such??? A little.  I have to admit, I didn't want a repeat of before when I was so sick.  I didn't have the energy to climb out of bed most mornings.  The difference this time??? I started praying at the first time I had icky feelings (first that it was a sign of pregnancy and secondly that I would NOT be sick!).  I don't like taking meds....and my neice Megan was on meds from week 4 till the second her baby girl was born because she was sooooooooooo sick.  I didn't want that.  So I spoke blessings and health over my body and I speak blessings and health over this baby as well...every single day!!!  I haven't been sick once....although I have had dry heaves a few times. 

I will continue to pray blessings over myself, my body, my baby, etc. through out my pregnancy and will pray for an easy and healthy delivery as well.  I have prayed about this baby just as I have prayed daily over the health and protection of my hubby when he drives to and from work, during his work day and for my son as well.

I don't  "feel" that old anyway.  LMSO  Sure with the age and extra weight I carry, I can't pop up and run up the stairs like I could when I was 20.  But I do everything I can to eat well and energize myself and take care of myself.  I leave the rest up to God.  I remember when I found out almost 4 years ago that I was pregnant with Noah.  I felt OLD.  My nurse practioner was pregnant as well..........at 42!!!  I saw her pregnant and a little tired, but glowing.  And I thought....WOW.....if she can do it....with a hubby and a child at home....with a full time job as a NP in a busy doctor's office.........then why can't I????? 

Ashley answered a question:  Do you plan on having children in your later years....35-40?  For me.....it's a yes.  LMSO  I plan on having one this year....October.  And after that???? We will leave it up to God.  God truly never gives you more than you can handle......................IF YOU TRUST AND RELY ON HIM.  Try this, or any number of other things in your life alone......and you will FAIL miserably. 

It isn't about your age......your health.....your weight.....your family background.....how many siblings you had.......etc.  It's about giving your cares and concerns to God. 

So.......................older mom's..................let's speak up.  If are or were a older mom..........please speak up and tell us about it.  Let's encourage others to not be scared about being a mom over 30 or 35 or even 40!!!

I am currently about 7 weeks preggo.  A LONG way to go till baby gets here.  How did I do this the last time?? I am so impatient. LMSO   But thankfully I haven't been sick!!!  I have been praying over this pregnancy and praying over not being sick.  With Noah I was drained all the time, naseous, and got sick often.  Look at me wrong and I could slap my hand over my mouth and run to the bathroom.  Hubby almost got his feelings hurt several times as he would lean in for a kiss and I would push him away and run to the bathroom.  LMSO  I since found out that the "motion sickness" of him leaning in to fast for a kiss was doing it.  LOL 

I was a little naseous right before I found out I was pregnant.  God's way of hinting I should take a test I suppose.  LOL  And I have had the whole "dry heaving" thing a few times.  But after being so sick with Noah, it is a delight to relax and not be sick or naseous this time.  Thank you God for answering prayers....both big and small.  Other than trying to get over the head cold, I am feeling great!!!!

I have been laughing alot lately....at myself....at my body....at the symptoms, etc.  Such as this morning when I ocughed gently and peed my pants.  LOL  Ok, not completely soaked, but dripple dripple enough to have to change them.  I had to laugh!!!    Or how about when I was eating popcorn earlier and just one little stray popcorn shell hits my throat just right and GAG!  It's so easy now a days to do that to myself.  Oh and how about yesterday when the first crazy craving hit me.......BBQ meatballs and olives and pickles.  LOL 

What are some of the silly pregnancy things you have to share??? Andy wild silly cravings??? Am I the only one who has peed their pants from coughing or sneezing (and in the first 2 months no less....geesh)  Does anyone have any funny stories to tell me about how they found out they were expecting, etc???  Come on ladies, share with me!!!

Tonight is a super simple dinner, but oh so yummy!!!

The "recipe' came from an idea in a magazine.  Here is how you make it!

Dump one can of apple pie filling into a crockpot.  Place 4 porkchops on top and season as you like.  Make one box of stuffing (according to package directions, but do not cook) and spoon over the pork chops.  Then it's the "hard" part.  Turn on the crock pot and let it cook.  There you have it.  LOL

Before eating supper, I will heat up some green beans and ta da....supper.

I have a dear friend, adopted little sister, Mia who wrote on her Facebook today that she was just having a horrible day and wanted to crawl back in bed and just stay there.  Why???  Her son needs to see a nuerologist at 2 months old.  She had him all ready and in the car and got a flat tire.  So went inside and called the doctor's office, etc. and they told her that the appointment was not till tomorrow.  She isn't too worried about the doctor's appointment but she told me the flat tire was going to ruin the rest of her day. 

WHAT????  She has already DECIDED to allow this to ruin the rest of her day.  I used to do this as well.  I used to let my emotioins and feelings about life dictate how my day would go.  I used to let a bad hair day so to speak, ruin my day, or even my week.  I have been on meds for just this reason.  I couldn't cope with bad feelings and bad situations.  Maybe some of you are there, or used to be there and understand what I am talking about here.

Thank goodness that I am not in that place anymore.  I told Mia this morning she needs to remember that it is HER decision to let the flat tire ruin her day, and that she needs to remind herself of all the wonderful blessings she has in her life:  a loving husband, a gorgeous newborn baby boy, a bunch of family and friends that love her, etc. etc.   She said wow...thank you....I needed that......I MISS YOU AMY!  ahhhh......I miss you too Mia.

So today, I needed to remind some of you.......my dear friends that it is YOUR OWN DECISION to be happy today or be depressed.  Life has given you some bumps....but you can choose to sit on the bump and cry, or you can choose to leap over it...be an overcomer and go on with life.  I know I have had several hurdles in my life.  Some have looked at them and don't understand how I made it to the other side.  How did I??? Through my relationship with Jesus Christ and reminding myself of all the good in my life.....remembering the better times, and focusing on how to get to a better place.  Don't focus on where you are if you are in diffculties.....focus on where you WANT to be!!!

So, to my dear friends who have losted a loved one, are going through family troubles, dealing with financial problems or health problems..........I want you to know.....better times are right around the corner.  Choose to think about the good things, and remember that I pray for each and every one of you!!!