Morning/All Day sickness

Believe it or not, it actually makes me sick to read right now.  I can't read a book for more than a couple of paragraphs at a time.  This is KILLING me as I usually read ALL THE TIME!  Can't read blogs all in one sitting (unless they are short).  Going to have to take a break in the middle of this blog probably to finish it, or I will just cut it short.

So, to deal with my morning/all day sickness, I have been eating every hour or two, eating protein, wearing Sea Bands and avoiding too much reading or riding in cars.  Fun huh?  Most of the day I feel ok enough to go out and about in this world for short periods of time.  Come 4:00 or 5:00 pm though, I am all but housebound.  I get so sick.  Ugh!

As many of my friends and family have said to me on multiple occassions.  I DO know that having morning sickness is a good sign.  I KNOW this...but that knowledge doesn't always help in the throes of nausea and vomiting.

It IS getting better, I am not just horrifically sick ALL day like a was a couple of weeks ago.  I am hoping this is a good sign and I will be rid of this by the end of my first tri-mester.  Wish me luck!

I'm PREGNANT!!

I am 10 weeks pregnant!  We were trying to wait until 12 weeks to announce, but alas, my belly just will not cooperate!  I am showing already and my morning/all day sickness is HORRENDOUS.  My due date is May 18.

I have to admit, I am not only elated with the news of our new little one, I am terrified as well.  As many of you know, my son Daniel was still born in January of this year.  Most all women have at least some level of anxiety with pregnancy...it's normal.  My anxiety level, at times, is off the charts.  God has given me much peace about this pregnancy...however I am still human and sometimes scared to death.

I will be posting belly pictures soon, for those who are interested.  I would venture to say that many of my posts for the next several months will be about pregnancy, so I hope I don't annoy any of you!  ; )

I am starting to see a little, very small and faint light at the end of the morning sickness tunnel.  Now, I am usually only sick from about 4:00pm til I go to sleep.  I have nausea all day, but not the kind where I am afraid to leave the house, not until late afternoon anyway.  I am hoping my morning sickness will not last much past the first trimester.  PLEASE!?!?!?!!?

I had an ultrasound at 6 weeks to ensure that the pregnancy is only a singleton (as originally with Daniel I was pregnant with twins until about week 9).  The ultrasound showed only one little heartbeat, so that's good.  Not that I wouldn't want twins, but this pregnancy is high risk enough without the addition of another "bundle of joy". 

I am excited for the weeks and months to come and invite you (when and if you want) to join in my joy, fear and pregnancy brain mishaps!  Here goes nothing!

Homemade chicken broth: Why and How?

Homemade chicken broth.  Why in the  world would someone want to make homemade chicken broth when it only costs me about $3.50 for 32oz. of the stuff at the store?  And doesn't it take FOREVER to make?  Well, I am glad you asked.  If you are anything like me, you want to know WHY first.  Without the WHY,  the how is irrelevant right?

Well, the reason I make my own chicken broth is the same reason I make most all of my food from scratch:  it's healthier and cheaper.  No deep philosophical reason...just plain and simple.

Here's a breakdown of the WHY:

Here is a list of ingredients in Swanson's "No MSG" Chicken Broth:  

Chicken Stock, contains Less than 2% of: Salt, Flavoring*, Dextrose, Autolyzed Yeast Extract*, Celery Juice Concentrate, Carrot Juice Concentrate, Onion Juice Concentrate.

*For those of you who don't know...there is MSG in Autolyzed Yeast Extract and possibly in the "Flavoring" as the FDA does not require the disclosure of what constitutes "Flavoring".  They can put a certain amount of MSG in the flavoring category and still label it "No MSG", I'm not making this up!!

Here is a list of ingredients in my homemade chicken broth:

chicken

water

salt

celery

onion

garlic

carrot

apple cider vinegar

As I mentioned earlier, the cost of Swanson's 32oz. chicken broth is about $3.50 (on average).  My recipe will provide approx. 6 quarts of chicken broth and enough cooked chicken for about 3 dinners.  Average  cost of 32oz of my chicken broth is $.75 not including the cost savings of the chicken meat.  If we were to factor in the meat cost savings (compared with boneless skinless chicken breasts) the broth is all but free. 

It's simple to make...I make mine overnight while I am sleeping (doesn't get much easier than that).  

Here is the recipe I use:

In your largest stock pot, put in 1 whole chicken, a couple carrots roughly chopped, 1 onion roughly chopped, 2 celery stalks roughly chopped, a couple garlic cloves chopped in half, 2 tablespoons of apple cinder vinegar.  Then fill the rest of the pot up with water.  Bring all this to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer (covered).  Let simmer for 8-12 hours.  (Here is where I go to bed for the night).  (In the morning I...)Take out the chicken and remove the veggies with a large slotted spoon.  Bring the liquid back to a rolling boil for about 1 hour uncovered (this will reduce the stock and give it more flavor).  Let cool.  Add salt to taste.  Pour the liquid through a strainer into canning jars (only the wide mouth jars as we will be freezing them).  Leave 1 inch head space.  Put the lids on and put in your freezer.  Voila!!

This was one of the first "old school" recipes I ever made due to it's simplicity, health benefits and cost savings.  In my opinion it's well worth the time and effort.  

**Disclaimer** Regardless of how "reduced" the sodium in a store bought chicken broth, you will be surprised to note how much salt you will have to add to your broth or dishes made with the homemade chicken broth to make it taste like that which you are accustomed.  It was definitely a shock for me!!

Have you ever made your own chicken stock?  If so...was it worth it?  Did it turn out like you thought it would?

The broom fell...company's coming!

What is it about the knowledge that you will be having company over that makes you finally open your eyes and 'see' the mess that your house has become?  It was fine (as far as you were concerned) just yesterday, but now...no, no, no...it will NEVER do to have someone ELSE see your house in this manner!!

Just tonight Darren says to me, "I think the secret to a happy home is having people over."  He meant that, even though we keep the house relatively live-able...it's never as clean as when we are expecting company.  Not to mention the perks to having friends in the house.  It seems to lighten the day and strengthen the soul.

Our friends Dave and Denise Highfill (and their children) will be coming over for dinner tomorrow night.  Earlier in the week I had noticed that the house needed a little straightening, but today, I noticed FAR more that needed to be tended to.  Now all of a sudden I am able to see the cobwebs in the corner.  I can now see the fingerprints on the sliding glass door.  Huh, how long has it been since I dusted my nightstand?  LOL!

When I was a small child, if my Mom told us it was time to clean the house we asked, "Who's coming over?".  We did very little house cleaning, that I remember, unless company was coming.  Well heck, there were 4 children living in the house.  I am sure at times, housecleaning seemed like an exercise in futility.  As I got older and the number of children in the house was only 2, our house was cleaned much more often.

Was my mother a bad housekeeper?  Before I had children I would have said a resounding, "YES!".  But our house was not foul.  It was cluttered, yes, but not scary.  Now that I have my son (and only 1 child so far), I can already well appreciate the mad dash cleaning ritual.  

I like to think I am a pretty good housekeeper.  My house is not filthy.  The dishes are done nightly, and the rest of the household chores are done on a weekly basis if not more often.  Still, there is that lull that happens, everything is pretty much picked up.  The house has been dusted, for the most part.  You know how it goes. 

If none of this is ringing true for you, perhaps you have no children. Better yet, perhaps you are a housecleaning goddess, in which case I need you to be my mentor for about 6 months.

Cheerful cleaning ladies!!

I'm on a roll

Thanks to my friend Jen's wonderful blog Lipstick and Laundry and her tutorial, I was able to make her 'No Sew Pumpkin'.     

I also made the jar covers below for my MOPS Moms.  I will fill these jars next week with homemade hand moisturizer!

I am so excited!!  I have never been a crafty person.  My mother and my two sisters have always had an amazing knack for things of that nature, but I never felt like I did.

I am also blessed with many friends who are crafty.  I have always been so overwhelmed when looking at their latest creation because it was so intricate and beautiful.  

However, the other day I decided I was going to get up off my duff and learn how to do some crafts dag nab it!!!  All my friends had to start with the simple stuff too, at one point in time, so here I am.  Simply happy with my simple creations!!

Crafty?

SQQQUUUUUUEEEEEE!!!  I am SO pickin' proud of myself right now. 

I (on my own and of my own volition) went to the store, bought a grass broom and silk flowers to make a CRAFT!  Yep, you got it...Debbie Didreckson made a CRAFT ladies and gentlemen!  I think I have removed the finger prints from my right forefinger and middle finger with my glue gun, but a small price to pay, right??

I know it may seem so simple to my many crafty-gifted friends, but it's a BIG deal to me and all I could think to do was be vain and share.  So....here it is.  Not fancy, I am a pretty plain gal...but I LOVE IT!!  Better yet, the whole project only cost me $5.00! 

**cheesy grin** 

 

My passion as of late...

...has been making my own, well, just about everything!  I have made my own:  toothpaste, lotion, carpet deodorizer, shampoo, play-dough, finger paints, deodorant, scrape/burn/rash ointment, shaving cream, window cleaner, laundry detergent, counter sanitizer, furniture polish, air fresheners, canned food, bread, sprouted flour, etc.

I have a PASSION for making and using as many 'natural' products (or pretty close to natural) as possible.  I really enjoy making them and using them as well.  I believe that God wants us to take care of ourselves the best way we know how.  What better way to take care of ourselves but ensuring all manner of things which go in or on our bodies is homemade?

This is a fairly new passion of mine.  It all came about when I was pregnant with Luke.  My husband, Darren was very ill and I was taking 12 pills a day for high blood pressure.  (I have not asked Darren's permission to reveal his illness in this post so I will withhold it out of respect.)

Darren was in one of the Bible book stores in Edmond, OK one day and happened to glance at a book entitled, "The Maker's Diet" by Jordan Rubin.  He didn't purchase the book that day.  However, that night he tells me about the book he thummed through and says, "I feel God wants me to go back to that bookstore tomorrow and buy that book.".  I am so proud of him for listening to God speaking to him and obeying.  It has been one of the best things that has ever happened to our family.

Darren read the book and then so did I.  I was particularly drawn to this way of eating as it is based on biblical principals (post flood).  We participated in a 40 day "trial" if you will, per the books suggestion.  By the time the 40 days was up, I was down to 3 blood pressure pills a day and Darren was weaning himself off his medication.  Within 3 months we were both of ALL medication and have remained that way for 2.5 years! 


Since then, of course, we have been FAR from perfect in following our eating guidelines.  Life happens, sometimes it is very overwhelming and one can only do what one can do at the time.  More often than not, we stick to them and have reaped wonderful benefits by doing so.  Out of that came my passion for healthy eating and healthy living.


My son will be 3 in December and has never had a soda (diet or regular), has never had artificial sweeteners, has never had a twinkie or the like, has never had cool-aid, never a TV dinner, never a low-fat food, never a meal out of a box or can and is a happy and VERY healthy little boy for it.


It may sound like what we eat is boring, but I tell you, that is certainly not the case.  We eat QUITE well.  Very rich foods, as I do not skimp on fat or flavor.  We eat as our great grandparents might have.  All food is REAL food and not from a manufacturer.  No cheese that doesn't melt, no bread that is as stiff as cardboard, no science fiction low-fat, low-calorie, low-tasting foods. 


I wrote all of that because I got a little excited and once it was written I was NOT going to erase it...LOL!  The original meaning for this post was to get any and all recipes you, my readers, may have for REAL food and/or homemade household or personal products.  I would really be interested in trying them!!