Stay at Home Mommy in the making

Well in a few months we will add our new little man to our family. Having the big #3 child has really caused Derek and I to look at what needs to be done for our family since he is still in school and not finishing his college education is just simply not an option.

It can be done with kids...does it make it a lot harder I would probably for sure have to say yes, but I finished school with kids and so can Derek. Anyways- I have been the sugar mama while he's been in school, however we are re-thinking some things. Three kids in daycare is highway robbery just in case anyone wanted to know...it averages about $800-$1000 a month...sooo not cool.

Derek and I have come to the conclusion that we need to cut, cut, cut in anyway that we can. He says he truly wants to find a full time job that could support us. So we talked with Weber State about the hours that the MET program usually has. They said most classes are each day from about 8-12 in the morning. So we figure that's do-able with a job. The exciting, scary news for me is...if he can find a high enough paying job...I probably could come home about 90% of the time. I may have to make up the difference a little bit, but we're working on that part...I've been wondering if I should maybe babysit a few kids or try and work PRN (on call) at a hospital or something one day a week since I get paid a higher rate for PRN.

Well, I say this is scary because honestly I have never been a full time stay at home mom...ever. I've either been in school or working. Thank heaven this last year has only been part - time but I have done full - time and it's totally not super enjoyable.

So I've been trying to see what I can do...we do have bills...some are annoying we wish we didn't have debt bills but what can you do so I can't just cut that out of our budget. I've started simple right now like going homemade on some things to save. So I decided boxed snacks are processed and not super great for you anyways right...but they are also soo expensive so I've begun to make all our snack food homemade. I think I've mastered several different granola's and granola bars- homemade bars are sooooo much cheaper than store bought stuff and personally I think it tastes better.

I've learned my kids love muffins...and I am really utilizing my freezer. My kids eat a lot of apples and fruits for snacks with peanut butter or something like that. Linnea loves carrot sticks so she just munches on those all she wants...I make homemade fruit snacks instead of buying the ones from the store and I think they are great.

I've also started to make my own bread. I'm so not a pro yet, but I've actually mastered it enough to make good sized sandwich bread. I get four loaves out of one batch and we freeze it and it lasts for us.

I get two newspapers for coupons, and honestly lately they haven't been much help unless I want oreo's (not saying I don't, just saying why waste the money) I am really trying to be a hardcore meal planner, I only do week by week because it's not quite as overwhelming to me. After reviewing our budget the money that disappeared the most was on food...you know those nights where you don't have anything planned and you really don't want to cook...yep those nights-- so turning into hard core meal planning has helped cut the out to eat runs quite a bit...we still do it occasionally but we've really cut back.

I'm doing bountiful baskets co-op again to get more fruits and veggies for a good price so hopefully that will start to add up!

I can't tell you how bad I want this. We finally kicked ourselves in the butt and said instead of just complaining and waiting for a solution to fall into our laps if this is what we want for our family then we need to make some changes. We don't live in luxury homes, my kids very well may be bunk bedding it with the baby in the room too to save on living expenses, we don't have TV, we don't even have netflix...just movies and online shows....(to be honest that's what I miss the most is our Dish Network...ahhh someday)

So my reason for this post is for all you money savvy people...what other ideas can you throw at me? I'm so ready to pinch and save for 2 1/2 years until Derek is done if it means I get to spend almost everyday with my pumpkins...I am realistic I probably will have to do something to help bring in money (stupid debt) but if I get the majority of the week at home I'll take it... I'm excited to see how our journey plays out in the next few months. Derek does have some prospective jobs, we are actually waiting back on an awesome internship that we really hope he gets...if not we're still looking! So keep the ideas coming....what do you do to save and cut costs in your house?

 

(oldie but a cutie)

Our life Changes

Wow, this is the first post that I've done about our little nugget that is baking in the oven.

I blame my computer for some of that, it's really had a hard time with this site for some reason, but also I've just been putting things off for a long time I guess.

Well we have baby number three coming and we recently learned it is another BOY! We're pretty excited, but I have to admit I am nervous to have two boys right next to each other. Drew is kind of going through some busy, tornado, terrible twos! Linnea was busy at this age, but not quite as destructive. Drew takes pleasure in pulling things off the shelves, climbing on furniture, and I have used more band aids and Neosporin on this kid than I ever did with Linnea. So...yes I am a little nervous to have two little destructos within two years of each other!

At the beginning of this pregnancy I felt so much anxiety....doesn't make sense  right....it's not my first time around the baby block, but it came much faster than I expected. Derek still has three years left before he's out of school and holy cow I just felt like there was no way we could keep adding more kids to the picture.

This pregnancy has also been my hardest so far. I've only actually thrown up twice, but I had extreme nausea all day long to the point I was actually trying to throw up and it wouldn't come...it was pleasant. Well for the most part that has passed, now I'm dealing with intense pain during walking. It has slowly gotten worse with each baby and this little guy is really making it tough. I'm going to be ordering a band to help lift him up and see if that helps. I wish I could explain it, the only way I can describe it is a shot put ball putting burning pressure between my hips every time I move my lower half...it doesn't make it easy at work working with patients...secretly I want to steal their wheelchairs and wheel myself around the building :)

At this point I am 22 weeks along and I have had an attitude change, I am ecstatic about our little guy, I can't wait to meet him. Some how things will work out and Derek will continue and will graduate the same as always. I admit I was 100% sure this little guy was a girl. Linnea told me it was girl, I had the fuzzies it was a girl so when we found out it was a boy I litterally asked the tech if she was sure. I was worried I would be disappointed but I only felt confused for a  minute and then I couldn't wait to start really focusing on names and getting to know this little guy.

The two kids are getting ready as well. Linnea is going to be such a little mom I can already tell. I promised her I would let her help me feed him with a bottle at one point. She is good at being mom...sometimes too much. I often find her putting her younger brother in time out and taking privalages away :). Drew I only worry that he won't understand why the kid won't play with him so I do worry he might touch a little rough at times, but he'll learn. And as many of you know newborns take up a lot of time so I worry my little destructive boy may take that opportunity to make a run through the house :)

I'm prepping already to have this kid. I'm planning on no medical interventions again, just like with Drew. I struggled during pushing with Drew so Derek and I are prepping so hopefully  I won't beg for a C-section again when his head is basically out :) Drew's labor was pretty fast, so the Doctor told me they typically just get faster so be sure and get to the hospital as soon as I have consistant contractions, so that will be nice too if he comes fast :) I am so happy to have a summer baby (June 12) I think that will help with the other kids too, we'll be able to go outside and let them get their wiggles out.

Well life is pretty good....it doesn't change a lot, we're just busy mentally preparring to officially be outnumbered kid wise :)

How grateful I am

 

I re-lived one of the most horrific experiences of my life last night...in a dream. It was the first few minutes of Linnea's life.

 

What you may say would make the birth of your first child horrific...try having no sound when she comes out and a red blinking light and a team of nurses and respiratory therapists rushing in. Try watching your husband freeze and your mom crying her eyes out...and never hearing your baby cry! The worst part is...the medical staff never told me what was happening. They smiled at me and said everything is fine...as a mom you know everything is not fine.

 

Finally after what seemed like an eternity, but in all reality was a little over a minute I heard Linnea cry for the first time. I have her birth on film. I've watched it once since she was born almost four years ago...I've watched Drew's multiple times now because it brings me joy, I can't watch Nea's because she is born blue and floppy. I had the whole experience flood back to me last night...and it made me pick her up this morning and kiss her so hard! I am so blessed my story ended beautifully with a healthy, spit fire daughter!

 

Why did this happen to her? Well no one had an answer, but after watching the footage of her birth beforehand I noticed something...as soon as I got my epidural my labor slowed down...then I noticed (because we filmed it) the heart rate of Linnea was dropping, then rising...after hours of this she was born. Any type of drug effects me in strong ways. I couldn't walk for hours after delivery. This is why Andrew was born without drugs. I learned that epidurals can at times cause depressed breathing.

 

Natural birth is not for everyone (I think everyone can do it, you have to get your mind in it)...but it is for me! This is the only explaination I have as to why Linnea was not breathing, it shows on her monitors....so I won't use one again unless medically necessary. I don't know why I'm writing this...probably because it's a very emotional experience and I need to get it out of my mind for now!

 

 

I'm just feeling really grateful for this beautiful little girl right now!

Both my healthy kids for that matter!

 

 

Some catch up thought!

Life is a whirlwind. We have been through a lot this summer and I can't say I'm sad to see it go. I hope this fall brings great changes for my family and I. Derek is about to start school on Monday, and I am so excited for him to be that much closer to graduating.

I am struggling to be blunt. I am amazed at myself and feel like I'm a complainer, but I can't stinking help it. I work less than I did and my job is as close to my home as I could ever want it and I'm having a HARDER time working than I was when we were living in Eagle Mountain and I commuted forty minutes both ways and worked forty hours a week. What the heck? I feel I'm in a constant battle with myself to enjoy my job, to just suck it up and deal with it for the next few years. Has anyone felt their whole soul was in unrest! That's what I've felt for the last three months and I'm running out of steam. I don't know how to deal. I pray multiple times a day just to help me have a positive out look on things. Derek and I are praying that our soon to be released eBook can help us financially and maybe allow me to go PRN, cross your fingers. We feel good about it, we feel like it's a good goal, and we both feel like it's a good eBook, I hope you'll all take a look at it!

Anyways, life is crazy and it's crazy the way it teaches you lessons. I've never been a patient person, until the last few months or so. I've been barely holding on sometimes, and I've been patiently waiting to see the outcomes of our decisions and I've been patiently waiting for answers to my prayers. In my patriarchal blessing I was told patience is one of the lessons I am to learn and I'm learning it! I'm grateful for the lesson even though the process bluntly sucks, but it will help me throughout my life.

I've learned that I'm developing new talents. My other blog is slowly growing, some days it gets around 200 visitors. It's still a little guy, but I've really developed a love for healthy eating and living and can't wait to grow that talent and hopefully share it with others.

I've learned I don't take my children for granted as much as I used to. I have some amazing friends who haven't found it so easy to have kids quickly or in their time frame and I am so inspired by their strength and example and they are helping me to be a better mom and love my little ones more! I look for the day when I can stay home full-time and I swear it if any of you hear my complain about being a stay at home mom you have my permission to stand up, walk across the room, and smack me in my face so hard it leaves a mark! I pray I will never take my sweet kids for granted! They are my life as well as Derek! I don't know what I'd do without them.

Even though our struggles may seem small to others or may look like they aren't really struggles...they are ours. These are trials that the Lord is using to build us and make  us better....most days I think I endure it well....other's I fall short, but even though this has been a tough summer I'm grateful for these invaluable lessons I've learned and for the appreciation I've gained for what I have and hope to have someday!

Giveaway at My other blog!!!

Hey guys I'm so excited to write and tell you I've had a company allow me to do some product reviews and now I'm hosting a giveaway! 

I love this company they always have awesome products. If you want a healthy, filling, free snack for yourself head on over and enter the giveaway!! It closes Saturday

www.naturallyhealthyandhappy.blogspot.com

The intense Joy of Multiple Children!!!

Oh I love my kids, so I just wanted to show you how the little sweeties helped me while I went upstairs to fold laundry for five minutes, literally five minutes! I don't know what I'd do without them!!! :)







Mommy, went upstairs so let's do this....

and let's finish it off by doing this....

ahhhh....memories...they are such helpers!

Happy Fourth of July!

We had a great fourth of July, my parents and brother came up on the 3rd to have dinner with us, then on the 4th we headed over to Katie and Eric's for a BBQ, swimming, and fun. We watched our super early firework show, (due to grumpy kids) and just had a great day!!! Linnea kept saying all day "It's America's Birthday!" Well true... We hope everyone had a great 4th of July!!!!

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