Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Magic Button...not so much. Crockpot for the win!

So, I recently posted this to my FB: "I thought FOR SURE being a stay at home mom would be the magic button to making me love cooking. Wrong. So wrong. #dontdeceiveyourself #ihavenotime #Iwillpayyoutocookforme"

It's true. I've never been a "good" cook or have really liked cooking. I willfully bow out and hand over the expertise of cooking to someone else. 

Being that I am a stay at home mom now, I really do want to tackle this chore (yes it's a chore to me) much better. I'm the type that starts looking for meals online, starts a list, but then gets overwhelmed by it all, and I just give up and end up winging it at the grocery store. 

Our meals usually end up consisting of plan Jane chicken and some cooked veggies. On the dual side. Every now and then though I'll get "creative" and make something out of the norm, but not often enough. 

So here's my challenge to myself - to start pushing through the blah blah blah of cooking, buckle down and get-er-done! Instead of overwhelming myself with Martha Stewart type cooking goals/skills, I've decided to try making at least 2-3 new meals a week. I'm determined to figure out/and find healthy, delicious, quick meals that aren't so boring.



In all my 27 years (6 years of marriage) I've used the crockpot once. This has got to stop. Today I put my foot down and turned on my crockpot! I'm starting this new venture with this Cream Cheese Chicken Chili crockpot meal I found over at Rita's Recipes

My modifications to this recipe:

  • I didn't use frozen chicken
  • I used frozen corn 
  • Added 1 cup of water in place of the corn juice
And it turned out perfect!

(Pic Source: Rita's Recipes)


This crockpot stuff is AH.mazing. Being a new mom is exhausting. I have the most energy earlier in the day so making dinner (putting it all in the crockpot) is awesome. It sure beats trying to muster up energy at the end of the day in order to make dinner. 

Whoever invented the crockpot. You. Are. Boss. #winning

If you have any awesome crockpot recipes, please please share them!! I'm desperate over here. ;) Would love to try them and post how it went. I will also be pinning the meals that I try over here on Pinterest

Monday, September 9, 2013

Psalms ::

As a Christian I battle the pride of, "I should have arrived in my faith by now." 
This is SUCH false thinking. 
If I've arrived what need of the God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit is there in my life? 
In the past & present I have been scared to go forward in church due to pride, but a few Sundays ago I went forward. 
Not needing to be saved, but needing to be washed again. 
I was in such a dark place, but the moment I set my pride aside and walked forward I literally felt free, felt chains falling, and my mind was clearing again. 
I encourage you today to go forward, 
humble yourself before God. He desires all of us... Our pain & our joy. 
I've come to grips with the fact that I will find myself going forward again & again & again...and that's ok. 
My hope is that it encourages others to do the same. 
#wearevictors #wearefree
For some reason I've never been one to love reading the Psalms, but recently that's changed.
I love the constant love, grace, and mercy you find in them. 
Maybe I'm at a point in my life where I realize more and more how much I NEED those things from God.
Psalm 73 (above): 
Here David's talking about how foolish and ignorant he was being, then goes on to say, "YET..." 23-24

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Abram David :: 2 & 3 MONTHS



*Since I skipped posting Abe's 2 month update, I'm posting it with his 3 month one.


(his hair is much lighter in person. The 3m pic makes it look dark)

Our sweet boy is such a joy.
He has really taken to smiling a lot. He can get laughing pretty hard too, but not as much as smiling. 
He does this big open mouth smile that sure does make me happy. 
He's getting big so quick. It's crazy how much they grow before your eyes and you don't even realize it until you are looking back at previous pictures. 
We LOVE watching Abram develop. It is such a blessing. 
At 3 months he started copying us when we would stick our tongues out at him. Too cute!

Abe loves sleeping. Although, we've had some night time sleep regression, but it's gotten better. 
It's not so much that he's not sleeping, it's more so where he wants to sleep isn't conducive to mommy getting sleep. ;)

His sleep schedule has gotten more and more predictable. He's a cat napper.
He's usually awake an hour, then sleeps an hour, awake an hour, and sleeps an hour,
but has a long nap midday.
He likes napping in his swing, but he loves napping with his mama.
I rock him to sleep every night, and I love it.

We call Abram "Munch" & "Munchie" a lot. 
He's also begun observing his toys a lot more. 
It's the cutest thing to see him try and reach for a toy. He can't quite control his hands, and he usually goes cross-eyed doing it because he's concentrating so hard. Be still my heart!

He's always scrunching his toes (as you can see above). 
People often comment saying that he has such big eyes. I love that, because I dreamed of having a baby with big eyes. People more so say he looks like Kevin, but their are a few that think he looks like me. They usually say he has my eyes. I'll take it! 

Apart from being too tired or hungry, Abe is generally a happy baby ;)

Munch has big feet! His feet are too big for most of his footy PJ's. 
He's currently in 0-3 month clothes. 
It's hit or miss with him liking the carseat. Unfortunately he usually doesn't like it. 

:: AS FOR ME  ::
I'm starting get into a mommy groove more and more. 
It's tough going from adult interaction all day to NOT. 
The more predictable Abe has become, the easier it is for me to add "adult" things to my weekly schedule.  I didn't think being a stay at home mom would be such an adjustment, but it has been!
Although it has, I wouldn't trade it. I am SO VERY thankful I get the oppurtunity to stay home and raise my babe. I know I am priviledged to be able to and I don't want to take it for granted.

:: Pictures leading up to 3 months ::
*Picture overload*






My sweet boy had to have his tongue clipped twice. :( 
The second time was the worst day ever being a parent. 




















Abe - meeting Uncle Shnikes for the first time.

 Hanging with Grandpa.
On a flight to Michigan


 Grandpa - the baby whisperer




 Ha, LOVE his belly. :)

 Grandma and great grandma Stryjak.








 Uncly Ty loves his lil nephew.
 Cousin Sean
 Grandma! Chaney granny she says.


 My siblings.
 Great uncle Steve. :)
Uncle Tyle & Aunt Maddy














 When Abe's in a bad mood, sometimes stripping him naked puts him in a good mood. ;)


 Tummy time like a boss.





 I love his face.












 Only a mother can think her baby is cute even when he cries. ;)