Just pictures of our little man! He is becoming more and more awake every day and growing out of his clothes very quickly!
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| One month old! |
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| The Grandparents |
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| We love Maddie in this...clearly feeling left out as the second child... |
Monday, December 22, 2014
Baby Pictures
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Oh Baby!
There is so much to write, and where to begin!
First, and most importantly, we have been blessed with a beautiful healthy baby boy. Caleb was born on November 21st at 1:10am. He was 6 lbs, 15 oz and 19.3 inches. Life has changed so much from the second we entered the hospital on Wednesday Nov. 19th and we couldn't be happier. The exhaustion is so worth this little miracle.
He made quite an unexpected entrance. We knew within the last month, he could really come at anytime, but we were not expecting him to come quite at quickly as he did.
At my 37 week appointment on Tuesday preceding the birth, my blood pressure was high. This was abnormal for me since all through pregnancy it had been completely normal and this was a sudden spike. They took it once when I arrived and again when I left. Before I left it was still high but not enough to send me to have any tests done. The midwife told me to watch for certain signs of preeclampsia, a very serious pregnancy complication that can cause seizures in the mother and a lack of oxygen to the baby. Surprisingly, I wasn't worried. I didn't have any symptoms and figured the high blood pressure was a fluke.
On Wednesday after getting home from work I went out to get groceries and decided to test my BP again at one of the machines in store. It was high again...still odd. I wasn't stressed, work was fine, but I decided to call my midwife. She told me to come in for testing and luckily I was on the phone when Danny arrived home and we were able to leave right away. We decided to bring the hospital bags just in case but had little worry and assumed we would be home late the same night.
When we got to the hospital, they monitored Caleb's heartbeat, my contractions, and my BP every 10 minutes. Apparently I was having very consistent contractions but not feeling them at all. My BP was high but stable, and Caleb was doing just fine. The midwife came and talked to us and told us we are not leaving the hospital without a baby! It was too high of a risk to continue pregnancy and because I was 37 weeks there was little if any risk to the baby. I was 3 cm dilated and 75 percent effaced, and at 0 position so there was little concern that inducing me wouldn't work. Tuesday I had been at 2 cm, and 60 percent effaced so I was progressing fast.
I was given an IV and a pitocin drip, and about 8:30 or 9pm, I entered active labor. We all assumed I would have this baby in no time...ha. The next morning around 9am, there was little change and the midwife thought it would be best to break my water in hopes it would bring on stronger contractions. It did. Contractions picked up on intensity and time but at about 5pm I was still only 6 cm dilated, but 100 percent effaced. By this point, after 22 hours of labor, I was exhausted. I had no idea how much longer this road was, and I had little strength left for pushing. As much as I didn't want it, I talked with the midwife and she said "there is a time and a place for an epidural, and I think you are there". I needed the epidural to get enough rest to have strength for pushing. Two hours later (and after a nap for both Danny and I) the midwife informed me I was 10 cm dilated and it was time to push this baby out!
Four hours of pushing later...no baby. I was SO close...and so so so exhausted. We could see Caleb's head but he was stuck. It was too late for a c-section and I didn't have any strength. The epidural had been wearing off, and they had cut back on the pitocin. My last option was a vacuum birth...something else I had not planned but I knew had to be done. Thankfully Caleb was still doing great. The OB on call came in and with no issue at all, Caleb was suctioned right out with very little pulling. He was born with his hand by his head and the umbilical cord around his neck. We were told that essentially my placenta was done and had stopped doing its job long ago most likely due to the long labor. There was also a high risk of me hemorrhaging because I had been in labor so long and the placenta had stopped, but thankfully no hemorrhaging and I (surprisingly) didn't tear.
I immediately burst into tears at the site of this little guy. Such an amazing miracle and after the 28 hours of labor, he was worth every second. I could not have done any of this without Danny by my side. He never left me and I needed him the entire time. We are so thankful and blessed that despite so many unplanned events during labor, everything went very well. A huge thank you as well to my mid-wife, Heather, who helped us the entire way and offered support for both myself and Danny. The staff at Evergreen Hospital were amazing in providing constant care and support and having incredibly informed nurses. Lactation consultants visited us multiple times and all the nurses were well trained in breastfeeding support as well. We had nonstop attention which was exhausting but good.There is no doubt I will choose the midwifery care at Evergreen for baby number two!
First, and most importantly, we have been blessed with a beautiful healthy baby boy. Caleb was born on November 21st at 1:10am. He was 6 lbs, 15 oz and 19.3 inches. Life has changed so much from the second we entered the hospital on Wednesday Nov. 19th and we couldn't be happier. The exhaustion is so worth this little miracle.
He made quite an unexpected entrance. We knew within the last month, he could really come at anytime, but we were not expecting him to come quite at quickly as he did.
At my 37 week appointment on Tuesday preceding the birth, my blood pressure was high. This was abnormal for me since all through pregnancy it had been completely normal and this was a sudden spike. They took it once when I arrived and again when I left. Before I left it was still high but not enough to send me to have any tests done. The midwife told me to watch for certain signs of preeclampsia, a very serious pregnancy complication that can cause seizures in the mother and a lack of oxygen to the baby. Surprisingly, I wasn't worried. I didn't have any symptoms and figured the high blood pressure was a fluke.
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| Our last pregnancy update |
On Wednesday after getting home from work I went out to get groceries and decided to test my BP again at one of the machines in store. It was high again...still odd. I wasn't stressed, work was fine, but I decided to call my midwife. She told me to come in for testing and luckily I was on the phone when Danny arrived home and we were able to leave right away. We decided to bring the hospital bags just in case but had little worry and assumed we would be home late the same night.
When we got to the hospital, they monitored Caleb's heartbeat, my contractions, and my BP every 10 minutes. Apparently I was having very consistent contractions but not feeling them at all. My BP was high but stable, and Caleb was doing just fine. The midwife came and talked to us and told us we are not leaving the hospital without a baby! It was too high of a risk to continue pregnancy and because I was 37 weeks there was little if any risk to the baby. I was 3 cm dilated and 75 percent effaced, and at 0 position so there was little concern that inducing me wouldn't work. Tuesday I had been at 2 cm, and 60 percent effaced so I was progressing fast.
I was given an IV and a pitocin drip, and about 8:30 or 9pm, I entered active labor. We all assumed I would have this baby in no time...ha. The next morning around 9am, there was little change and the midwife thought it would be best to break my water in hopes it would bring on stronger contractions. It did. Contractions picked up on intensity and time but at about 5pm I was still only 6 cm dilated, but 100 percent effaced. By this point, after 22 hours of labor, I was exhausted. I had no idea how much longer this road was, and I had little strength left for pushing. As much as I didn't want it, I talked with the midwife and she said "there is a time and a place for an epidural, and I think you are there". I needed the epidural to get enough rest to have strength for pushing. Two hours later (and after a nap for both Danny and I) the midwife informed me I was 10 cm dilated and it was time to push this baby out!
Four hours of pushing later...no baby. I was SO close...and so so so exhausted. We could see Caleb's head but he was stuck. It was too late for a c-section and I didn't have any strength. The epidural had been wearing off, and they had cut back on the pitocin. My last option was a vacuum birth...something else I had not planned but I knew had to be done. Thankfully Caleb was still doing great. The OB on call came in and with no issue at all, Caleb was suctioned right out with very little pulling. He was born with his hand by his head and the umbilical cord around his neck. We were told that essentially my placenta was done and had stopped doing its job long ago most likely due to the long labor. There was also a high risk of me hemorrhaging because I had been in labor so long and the placenta had stopped, but thankfully no hemorrhaging and I (surprisingly) didn't tear.
I immediately burst into tears at the site of this little guy. Such an amazing miracle and after the 28 hours of labor, he was worth every second. I could not have done any of this without Danny by my side. He never left me and I needed him the entire time. We are so thankful and blessed that despite so many unplanned events during labor, everything went very well. A huge thank you as well to my mid-wife, Heather, who helped us the entire way and offered support for both myself and Danny. The staff at Evergreen Hospital were amazing in providing constant care and support and having incredibly informed nurses. Lactation consultants visited us multiple times and all the nurses were well trained in breastfeeding support as well. We had nonstop attention which was exhausting but good.There is no doubt I will choose the midwifery care at Evergreen for baby number two!
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Nursery
Here
are a few pictures of our nursery! It's ready for a baby, but I am not
sure I will stop having fun decorating. Thank you to Amanda and Daniel
for the adorable sheets and elephant box (among other things), my
mother-in-law, Wendy for the very cute baby quilt (and other things) and
my parents for the crib and mattress! All these things have helped to
make this nursery complete and comfortable. 
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| The adorable bookshelf Danny made |
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| The chair I re-upholstered- a BIG deal for me because I don't sew, and I am not sure I like to either! |
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Downfalls of Pregnancy
So, I have gestational diabetes. There, I said it. Laughing? Confused? I was both.
Early in pregnancy, I never thought about gestational diabetes, I just worried about everything else that could go wrong. As I got closer to the dreaded glucose test, I was nervous, but not for the result. Simply for the disgusting sugar loaded drink they give you and not being able to eat before hand, and then having to sit there for two hours. I fairly assumed my results would be just fine and I would continue along with an easy pregnancy excitedly awaiting our little one.
Then the midwife called and told me I was completely fine for my first two blood tests but off by two points on my last test. She gave me the option of testing again or receiving a referral to talk to a dietician and begin with the glucose monitoring. I was scared and surprised but I though it was just a fluke. I chose to re-test and thought I would have no issue. Unfortunately this didn't happen and it was a repeat of the first but the last test was off by more.
My first reaction was stress and anger. I was embarrassed. I had been eating healthy, I have always been an active person and I had no risk factors for this to be a positive test except I am over the age of 25. I was completely on track for my weight gain and baby was measuring on track. After a few teary appointments with the midwife and dietician, intensely researching this topic online and trying to think of any excuses such as "I am petite, and my insides are getting squished more than most and therefore my pancreas can't work properly" (I was stretching for anything here), I have accepted that this isn't my fault at all. The midwives, dieticians, and nurses reiterated this over and over but I still felt the guilt. Pregnancy is weird and my body is simply reacting. Hormones are all over the place (this may have had something to do with the tears) and my next pregnancy could be dramatically different.
Since I have had my appointments and started monitoring my blood glucose, everything is normal. My numbers are all within range and I am following portions and carbs very strictly. I was scared that as a result I would not be able to continue with my midwives which would (and can) happen if I have to use pills or insulin to help my sugar levels. I am afraid of the possibility of a C-Section, but in the end I will do whatever it takes for this baby. My actions and diet will not be a result of him having low blood sugar or a risk of diabetes. Two more months and I will have a happy, healthy baby boy in my arms.
This has made me have a greater respect and awareness for those with diabetes. It's not hard to manage, but it isn't fun. I am sure that it is difficult however for those with severe diabetes. I am complaining and I only have it temporarily and thankfully, it hasn't been too bad.
This all brings me to another point about pregnancy. I am not one of those women who love being pregnant. Don't get me wrong, I love feeling him move and I get so excited for my appointments and being able to hear his tiny heart beat, but there is little beyond that I love. Morning sickness until 20 weeks, although not miserable, was enough to make me puke, cry, and gag. Second trimester was good, but I am not sure I would call it the "honeymoon stage" that many women claim it to be. And third trimester? I am just tired...tired of watching everything I eat, poking myself, hormones, not being able to have my favorite drinks, sushi, being uncomfortable and not sleeping well. Funny enough, I have never wanted to run a marathon so badly. With all that said, this pregnancy really hasn't been that bad (I just am laying all the negatives out at once on this post) and I am lucky that I haven't had more severe issues. I know there are many women out there who go through much more than this, and I am still thankful for what I have (and haven't had). Aside from GD, everything is great, I just am tired of it.
9 more weeks to go!
Early in pregnancy, I never thought about gestational diabetes, I just worried about everything else that could go wrong. As I got closer to the dreaded glucose test, I was nervous, but not for the result. Simply for the disgusting sugar loaded drink they give you and not being able to eat before hand, and then having to sit there for two hours. I fairly assumed my results would be just fine and I would continue along with an easy pregnancy excitedly awaiting our little one.
Then the midwife called and told me I was completely fine for my first two blood tests but off by two points on my last test. She gave me the option of testing again or receiving a referral to talk to a dietician and begin with the glucose monitoring. I was scared and surprised but I though it was just a fluke. I chose to re-test and thought I would have no issue. Unfortunately this didn't happen and it was a repeat of the first but the last test was off by more.
My first reaction was stress and anger. I was embarrassed. I had been eating healthy, I have always been an active person and I had no risk factors for this to be a positive test except I am over the age of 25. I was completely on track for my weight gain and baby was measuring on track. After a few teary appointments with the midwife and dietician, intensely researching this topic online and trying to think of any excuses such as "I am petite, and my insides are getting squished more than most and therefore my pancreas can't work properly" (I was stretching for anything here), I have accepted that this isn't my fault at all. The midwives, dieticians, and nurses reiterated this over and over but I still felt the guilt. Pregnancy is weird and my body is simply reacting. Hormones are all over the place (this may have had something to do with the tears) and my next pregnancy could be dramatically different.
Since I have had my appointments and started monitoring my blood glucose, everything is normal. My numbers are all within range and I am following portions and carbs very strictly. I was scared that as a result I would not be able to continue with my midwives which would (and can) happen if I have to use pills or insulin to help my sugar levels. I am afraid of the possibility of a C-Section, but in the end I will do whatever it takes for this baby. My actions and diet will not be a result of him having low blood sugar or a risk of diabetes. Two more months and I will have a happy, healthy baby boy in my arms.
This has made me have a greater respect and awareness for those with diabetes. It's not hard to manage, but it isn't fun. I am sure that it is difficult however for those with severe diabetes. I am complaining and I only have it temporarily and thankfully, it hasn't been too bad.
This all brings me to another point about pregnancy. I am not one of those women who love being pregnant. Don't get me wrong, I love feeling him move and I get so excited for my appointments and being able to hear his tiny heart beat, but there is little beyond that I love. Morning sickness until 20 weeks, although not miserable, was enough to make me puke, cry, and gag. Second trimester was good, but I am not sure I would call it the "honeymoon stage" that many women claim it to be. And third trimester? I am just tired...tired of watching everything I eat, poking myself, hormones, not being able to have my favorite drinks, sushi, being uncomfortable and not sleeping well. Funny enough, I have never wanted to run a marathon so badly. With all that said, this pregnancy really hasn't been that bad (I just am laying all the negatives out at once on this post) and I am lucky that I haven't had more severe issues. I know there are many women out there who go through much more than this, and I am still thankful for what I have (and haven't had). Aside from GD, everything is great, I just am tired of it.
9 more weeks to go!
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Baby Prep!
Overall in the Miller house, things have been pretty good. We have been busy prepping for our new baby boy, and December can't come soon enough. We have to remind ourselves that Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around then...and then we go back to planning for our little one. The holidays will be minimal for us, and that is okay.
Danny has been working on a bookshelf for the nursery and it is turning out to be adorable! I had been searching online for nursery bookshelves and found one in the shape of a tree. The issue being they were all about $250 and up...not worth it. I sent it to Danny and he replied, why not make it? It's been a fun project for him and has turned out really well.
I have had so much fun decorating the nursery. It is ready for a baby, but I am continuing to decorate. We went with an elephant theme since we are still in love with the elephants we saw in Thailand. Pregnancy has been good overall, but as I enter the third trimester, I know it will be uncomfortable. I am not a very big person and this little guy has nowhere to go but out. The days of needing a nap are slowly creeping back but I have not started waddling just yet. Danny and I will be calling it a "turbo waddle" when there are times I need to move faster. Sleeping at night is getting harder and I have to eat small meals often because I am pretty sure my stomach is getting squished. Morning sickness has made it's way back, but nothing near what it was in the first trimester. And breathing...my lungs...pretty sure those are squished as well. It's hilarious what gets me out of breath these days. I can't wait to meet him, get back to running, eating sushi and I want pumpkin beer....Danny is saving me a six pack :)
For work, Danny has transitioned to a new supplier in Bournemouth, England (about two hours south of London). He took his first trip early in September and will be heading back in October and again in February. He stopped in Bath, England to look at the Roman Baths (such a creative name, way to go England!) and continued on to see Stonehenge. We hope to make one of his trips into a vacation depending on how well we brave the first time parent world. We have done lots of reading on traveling and camping with a baby and it all seems the younger they are, the easier it is. Once they become mobile, life gets more hectic.
Recently, Danny also went on a hike up to Lake Serene and Bridal Veil falls. I would have LOVED to go, and it was so hard staying behind, but I would have taken forever. It was very foggy so the pictures are not the best but he said it was a great hike and Maddie was exhausted. The pictures of the lake were too foggy to post but we hope to go again next year.
Danny has been working on a bookshelf for the nursery and it is turning out to be adorable! I had been searching online for nursery bookshelves and found one in the shape of a tree. The issue being they were all about $250 and up...not worth it. I sent it to Danny and he replied, why not make it? It's been a fun project for him and has turned out really well.
I have had so much fun decorating the nursery. It is ready for a baby, but I am continuing to decorate. We went with an elephant theme since we are still in love with the elephants we saw in Thailand. Pregnancy has been good overall, but as I enter the third trimester, I know it will be uncomfortable. I am not a very big person and this little guy has nowhere to go but out. The days of needing a nap are slowly creeping back but I have not started waddling just yet. Danny and I will be calling it a "turbo waddle" when there are times I need to move faster. Sleeping at night is getting harder and I have to eat small meals often because I am pretty sure my stomach is getting squished. Morning sickness has made it's way back, but nothing near what it was in the first trimester. And breathing...my lungs...pretty sure those are squished as well. It's hilarious what gets me out of breath these days. I can't wait to meet him, get back to running, eating sushi and I want pumpkin beer....Danny is saving me a six pack :)
For work, Danny has transitioned to a new supplier in Bournemouth, England (about two hours south of London). He took his first trip early in September and will be heading back in October and again in February. He stopped in Bath, England to look at the Roman Baths (such a creative name, way to go England!) and continued on to see Stonehenge. We hope to make one of his trips into a vacation depending on how well we brave the first time parent world. We have done lots of reading on traveling and camping with a baby and it all seems the younger they are, the easier it is. Once they become mobile, life gets more hectic.
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| Human statue near the Roman Baths |
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| Primary Roman Bath |
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| Main cathedral in Bath, England |
Recently, Danny also went on a hike up to Lake Serene and Bridal Veil falls. I would have LOVED to go, and it was so hard staying behind, but I would have taken forever. It was very foggy so the pictures are not the best but he said it was a great hike and Maddie was exhausted. The pictures of the lake were too foggy to post but we hope to go again next year.
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| Maddie with her pack |
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| Bridal Veil Falls |
Monday, June 2, 2014
It's Official!
What's that you say? THREE Peas in a Pod? That's right, WE ARE HAVING A BABY! We have been going crazy not being able to spread the news, but now we can officially let the cat out of the bag.
Our little one is one of those poor souls to have a birthday in December (poor kid, hasn't even entered the world and we feel bad already). December 8th to be exact, although not so exact since rarely do babies make their entrance on their due date.
Here is a little run down of questions we are already getting:
-Yes, we will find out the gender and yes, we will tell everyone! But you are not getting the name out of us. We can find gender out during our 20 week appointment so some time at the end of July.
- We have chosen to use a midwife, not an OB (although will be referred to an OB if there is any sign of risk)
- Yes, I have had morning sickness. Along with almost every other symptom in the book. I have been exhausted. I run a mile and feel like I completed a marathon. I am bloated beyond belief and feel like I have looked preggo since day one. I call it our little gas baby.
- I hate food, which is terrible because I am normally not a picky eater and I love food. Spinach, vegetables, meat, everything good for me....makes me want to vomit. We can't plan meals because who knows what will sound good.
- However, I am craving sweets and those do not make me sick. Unfortunately I can't, and haven't made a diet of this. But I would if I could. Especially ice cream.
- Anything pickled will make me run a mile in the opposite direction.
- Most importantly, Danny has been AMAZING. He wants to help in any way possible and I am so happy to have him by my side. Thankfully there have been no 2am insane craving runs, but I know he would do it regardless. I couldn't ask for better support.He is so excited about all the changes to the baby, me, and wants to be involved in everything possible. This little one has already become everything to us!
The physical, emotional, chemical and hormonal changes our bodies go through to prep for a baby is so amazing. The baby was only the size of a peanut and still had a huge impact on me. It's all crazy and I have loved every minute of it no matter how uncomfortable I have been at times.
But there is also a lot we don't know yet. I plan to continue work and (GASP) we will send our child to daycare. Unfortunately we don't have family close by that can babysit all day, or even occasionally babysit. We have to figure out our work schedules. We have to fit in the crazy cost of daycare (that is basically a whole mortgage payment) into our finances. We have to learn to be super flexible (will be all kinds of fun with us being such planners!), adjust our lives, depend on each other more than we ever have and pray REALLY hard that we are doing the best we can as parents.
We are lucky that our friends and family are incredibly supportive. We have a world of change ahead of us but we have each other and we are prepared for whatever happens. As we say so often to ourselves; whatever happens, happens and we will figure it out.
And of course, above all else, WE ARE SO EXCITED! We will give this little one all the love we can possibly squeeze out, and then some more, and even more on top of that...and more...
Our little one is one of those poor souls to have a birthday in December (poor kid, hasn't even entered the world and we feel bad already). December 8th to be exact, although not so exact since rarely do babies make their entrance on their due date.
Here is a little run down of questions we are already getting:
-Yes, we will find out the gender and yes, we will tell everyone! But you are not getting the name out of us. We can find gender out during our 20 week appointment so some time at the end of July.
- We have chosen to use a midwife, not an OB (although will be referred to an OB if there is any sign of risk)
- Yes, I have had morning sickness. Along with almost every other symptom in the book. I have been exhausted. I run a mile and feel like I completed a marathon. I am bloated beyond belief and feel like I have looked preggo since day one. I call it our little gas baby.
- I hate food, which is terrible because I am normally not a picky eater and I love food. Spinach, vegetables, meat, everything good for me....makes me want to vomit. We can't plan meals because who knows what will sound good.
- However, I am craving sweets and those do not make me sick. Unfortunately I can't, and haven't made a diet of this. But I would if I could. Especially ice cream.
- Anything pickled will make me run a mile in the opposite direction.
- Most importantly, Danny has been AMAZING. He wants to help in any way possible and I am so happy to have him by my side. Thankfully there have been no 2am insane craving runs, but I know he would do it regardless. I couldn't ask for better support.He is so excited about all the changes to the baby, me, and wants to be involved in everything possible. This little one has already become everything to us!
The physical, emotional, chemical and hormonal changes our bodies go through to prep for a baby is so amazing. The baby was only the size of a peanut and still had a huge impact on me. It's all crazy and I have loved every minute of it no matter how uncomfortable I have been at times.
But there is also a lot we don't know yet. I plan to continue work and (GASP) we will send our child to daycare. Unfortunately we don't have family close by that can babysit all day, or even occasionally babysit. We have to figure out our work schedules. We have to fit in the crazy cost of daycare (that is basically a whole mortgage payment) into our finances. We have to learn to be super flexible (will be all kinds of fun with us being such planners!), adjust our lives, depend on each other more than we ever have and pray REALLY hard that we are doing the best we can as parents.
We are lucky that our friends and family are incredibly supportive. We have a world of change ahead of us but we have each other and we are prepared for whatever happens. As we say so often to ourselves; whatever happens, happens and we will figure it out.
And of course, above all else, WE ARE SO EXCITED! We will give this little one all the love we can possibly squeeze out, and then some more, and even more on top of that...and more...
Monday, March 31, 2014
Our Changing Home
Spring is finally here! Danny and I were getting cabin fever and were tired of staying inside; the cold, the wet...but we did make the best of it by making small changes in the house. Danny added knobs and handles in the kitchen- a small project that makes a big difference! I busied myself with painting rooms, re-arranging pictures, and putting together photo albums.
Something else we planned this year was to have our back yard finished. When we bought the house we knew we would have to put some time (and money) into finishing the yard. Being excited and naive first-time home owners, little did we know just how much work this would be. Silly us. We took the easy way out and hired someone else to do the work. In fairness, we were also concerned about the potential legal issues that could surround us after building a large retaining wall. We have neighbors below and they have had issues with drainage. Lawsuit or hire a contractor? We hired! And we are so glad. What they accomplished in seven days would have taken us a year. From this, we have gained a lot more privacy, a flat backyard, and grass! We have never been so excited about grass!
Before:
After:
It's a huge difference and we love it!
These are big changes for us and there are big changes ahead. We are re-thinking the car situation after just buying a car last year. Since we love the outdoors, camping, hiking, dogs, and more, we really need an SUV. Typically, we cram every corner of the trunk in our Nissan, pile extras on the floor of the car, manage to cram Maddie in the back, and don't dare to re-arrange anything once it's all in. We need a bigger car, and we don't even have kids! As for the Mazda, we love it, but it doesn't make since to keep it once we have an SUV. We hope to replace the Mazda with a smaller car that maintains good gas mileage.
More to come!
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| Before.... |
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| After the handles and knobs |
Before:
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| Side of our house, looking into the backyard |
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| Backyard, looking away from greenbelt |
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| Backyard, looking toward greenbelt |
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| Looking into our back neighbors house, you can see our wall! |
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| The WALL |
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| Beginning the fence... |
These are big changes for us and there are big changes ahead. We are re-thinking the car situation after just buying a car last year. Since we love the outdoors, camping, hiking, dogs, and more, we really need an SUV. Typically, we cram every corner of the trunk in our Nissan, pile extras on the floor of the car, manage to cram Maddie in the back, and don't dare to re-arrange anything once it's all in. We need a bigger car, and we don't even have kids! As for the Mazda, we love it, but it doesn't make since to keep it once we have an SUV. We hope to replace the Mazda with a smaller car that maintains good gas mileage.
More to come!
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Salmon and Quinoa
I have been slacking on the recipe portion of this blog, whoops! Here is a great salmon recipe from Target. And easy too! As if my addiction with Target wasn't already strong enough, they have added recipes...
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
what you need
- 1 cup Rainbow Quinoa or Quinoa
- 1 (16 ounce) package frozen Alaskan Sockeye Salmon Fillets, thawed as directed (I buy fresh salmon, whatever is on sale. I prefer fresh seafood when possible! But do what works best for you)
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and pepper
- 1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 3 or 4 green onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup Organic 100% Pure Maple Syrup (I used whatever was in the pantry)
- 1/4 cup whole grain mustard
here's how
- Cook quinoa according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, sprinkle salmon with chili powder, salt and pepper. Prepare as desired according to package directions.
- Stir apple, cranberries, pecans and onions into cooked quinoa. In a small bowl, combine syrup and mustard; toss about half with quinoa mixture.
- To serve, arrange salmon on quinoa; drizzle with remaining sauce. Garnish with additional green onion, if desired.
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