The Bible in 150 Days

Jordan over at Choosing Home is embarking on a journey through the Bible in 150 days. I've decided to join her and am super excited to start! I tried doing a 90 Bible-reading challenge but with my baby it was just too much. Spreading the Bible out over 150 days makes it much more manageable because there isn't as much to read daily. Jordan's reading plan is alphabetical instead of chronological which I appreciate because I tend to lose focus easily and jumping around the Bible will make the reading more fun for me. I'd love it if you'd join us! Visit Jordan for her reading plan and let her know you'll be following along.

St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Search

St. Patrick's day is right around the corner and I thought I'd share a fun little activity from one of my favorite books, Mrs. Sharp's Traditions by Sarah Ban Breathnach (she wrote Simple Abudance if the name sounds familiar). I highly recommend any homemakers with children get a copy of this book! It's hardcover and beautiful and has tons of Victorian illustrations. The book is written from the point of view of Mrs. Sharp, a fictional Victorian woman, and is organized by month and has fun little family activities, recipes, and historical information for each month. I absolutely adore this book! I borrowed it from the library so much that I decided to get my own copy. It sells for $30 but I got it used for a few dollars online. I can't wait until Annabelle is older so I can start doing the neat things in the book with her!

For St. Patrick's day, the book gives the history of the holiday, a poem, recipes for colcannon (a potato, cabbage, leek dish) and soda bread and the following activities:

Mrs. Sharp gets little pots of shamrocks and "plants" them in the yard and has the children go search for them the day before St. Patrick's day. Because everything in March is generally still brown and lifeless (maybe not this March!), the little bits of green should be easily found. On St. Patrick's day, she sends her children to school with shamrock-shaped sandwiches and they invite their friends over to search for leprechauns and their gold after school. She hides bags of gold-covered chocolate coins for the children to find. Alas, no leprechauns will be found but the children will have fun searching for the gold!

I like how Ban Breathnach brings a moral to these activities, "Celebrating St. Patrick's Day can help remind everyone that when we search for the end of the rainbow, we often find the pot of gold in our own backyard." Amen to that!

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! What will you be doing to celebrate?

Slow Cooker Beans to Freeze

Awhile ago on the pregnancy forum I frequent, someone posted about how they cooked beans in their slow cooker to freeze and store to use in other recipes. What a great idea! Anytime I can eliminate cans and the BPA they leach into food I'm a happy camper. Plus beans are very healthy and seriously cheap and can help stretch your food budget. I planned to make chili tonight so I started the beans this afternoon and now I have a bunch of freshly cooked kidney beans ready to use. I believe the recipe is from the Wildly Affordable Organic book. Here it is:

Boil 12 cups of water (10 cups for lentils) add to the slow cooker with 2 lbs rinsed and sorted dried beans and 1 Tbsp salt. For split peas, lentils, or black-eyed peas, cook 1 hour 15 minutes. For black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, and pinto beans cook 3.5 hours all on high setting. If you use cold water instead of boiled, the cooking time increases to 6-7/5 hours. Cool, then use or freeze the beans. Easy as pie!

The woman who posted this used ball canning jars to freeze the beans but I think I'll use smaller freezer baggies in 1 or 2 cup portions. I only had a 16 oz bag of kidney beans, so I used 6 cups of boiled water and they were tender around 2 hours later. Next time I do half the recipe I think I'll start checking for tenderness around 1.5 hours of cooking. I love this method and am excited to fill my freezer with ready to use, inexpensive, BPA-free beans!

Hungarian Cookie Recipe

I thought I'd share one of the cookie recipes we used for the baptism reception. These are called "Hungarian Nut Nuggets" and while the name might not be so elegant, the cookies are. They are similar to Mexican wedding cookies and are super butter-rich and not too sweet; perfect with coffee. This recipe is from June Meyer's website and other Hungarian recipes can be found there as well:
http://homepage.interaccess.com/~june4/nutnuggetcookie.html

Hungarian Nut Nugget Cookies

• 1 lb butter, room temperature
• 10Tablespoons of powdered sugar
• 2 cups of medium-coarse chopped nuts (Walnut is traditional but can use Pecans also)
• 2 Teaspoons of vanilla
• 4 cups of flour

In a large bowl blend the ingredients with a wire pastry blender until the ingredients form a small nugget when squeezed together.
Form into nuggets by scooping out a tablespoon of dough and forming it with hand.
Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes until they start to brown around edges. Watch them so they do not burn.
Cool and roll in powdered sugar. Store in cool place until needed. (They are full of butter).
Makes 2 1/2 lbs. of cookies.
Enjoy!

 I forgot to mention, guess who gave up sugar and sweets for Lent? Oh yes, that'd be me! I'm sorely missing out and am tempted daily by all the leftover cookies. Oh bother!

Annabelle's Baptism

Well, we finally had Annabelle baptized! It was supposed to be done in December but we rescheduled because it was too crazy with Christmas. Then it was supposed to be a few weeks ago but I got sick. I had my wedding gown made into Annabelle's baptismal gown and I was hoping it would still fit her and it did. She looked so pretty! I made two headbands to match the gown and good thing I did because after she was blessed with the water, the first headband broke. Oh well! A little glue and good as new.

Rob and I had Annabelle baptized by the minister who married us, Reverend Ron. He ministers to a small congregation at a local ethnic Hungarian church. Both Rob and I have Hungarian blood so we were drawn to the church for that reason. Plus Reverend Ron is so much fun! We've gotten really involved in the church lately, so much so that we became their newest members. I've been looking for a church to call home for a long time and Rob is a very reluctant church goer so this is wonderful news. The congregation is tiny and mostly elderly Hungarians but despite its small size it is big on warmth and welcoming. To keep the church running, they make strudel, nut/poppyseed rolls, and kifles weekly. I've started to help out with the weekly baking as much as I can with baby in tow. So far I've really just observed and helped clean up. Last week both Rob and I helped make donuts and had a great time getting to know our new congregation better (and inside my heart was warmed by my husband's enthusiasm and involvement). We made over 300 dozen and brought in over $1500! But back to the baptism...

Annabelle is lucky to have two wonderful godmothers, my dear friends Josephine and Dolly (her godfather is Jojo's husband Steve). Jojo lives directly behind me and we get together often to chat and bake--something we both love to do! Jojo is Italian and loves to bake lots of cookies for big events so we thought it would be nice to make a ton of cookies for the baptism. In the past two weeks I've gone from strudel-making to donut-making to cookie-making! We started last Wednesday and baked seven varieties: kifles, Hungarian nut nuggets, butter spritz, chocolate/cranberry biscotti, apricot/walnut biscotti, cocoa kisses, and pignoli cookies. In addition to the cookies we also made deli meat/cheese platters, as well as veggie and fruit platters (my wonderful mom helped too).

The baptism ceremony was lovely. Annabelle was so adorable! She was very quiet the entire time and kept gazing up at Reverend Ron as he spoke. She didn't cry one bit when he poured the water on her head (three times too!) and she was calm and collected as he carried her around the church to introduce her to everyone. She's going through bouts of separation anxiety so it was no small thing that she was so composed. We were so tickled pink with her and everyone at the church just loves her to pieces! The reception went well and everyone loved the baked goods and food and most of all they loved the little guest of honor Annabelle. Such wonderful memories! I'll try to get more pics up sooner or (likely, knowing me) later.

Our little blessing with her Mommy and Daddy

It's Been Too Long!

I kind of gave up on blogging for awhile there. It's hard to find time to turn the computer on, sit down, come up with something thoughtful to say and try to post it before the baby needs me. I have to say that I miss blogging though! Since the last time I posted I've had a renewal of my Christian faith. I've always been a Christian and my faith has had its ups and downs. I go through phases where I am feeling incredibly faithful and then I guess a bit of the "excitement" wears off and my faith and prayer life take a back seat. Becoming a mother and seeing the miracle of birth and life has been a life changing experience for me (well, duh! It should be and is for almost every mother.) and since bringing my baby into the world, I've thanked God every day for the blessing that she is. It truly has opened my eyes to how wonderful my life is and has renewed my faith in God.

Here's a little back story about my faith journey starting a bit before my marriage last October:

Rob and I got engaged Christmas day, 2009. I have to say that during that time I wasn't particularly invested in my faith. Somewhere along the line I started watching the Duggar show on TLC and purchased their book.  Rob and I knew we wanted to have children pretty quickly into our marriage but after reading the Duggars' story I felt convicted to go off birth control, practice abstinence (meaning abstinence with Rob, but how I wish I could have saved that part of me just for him prior to our marriage!) until the wedding and leave the conceiving of children in God's hands. It was a bit scary because I honestly wasn't sure I was ready to have a baby straight away but that's what faith is all about: trust. I knew it could take a few months or even a year or two to conceive and I had been on the pill for quite awhile so I didn't know how that would affect my fertility. I'm happy to say we concieved on our honeymoon!

I was a bit worried that maybe it was too soon into our marriage to have a baby and I was so used to going out with my girlfriends and having fun that it was a big change to leave that season of my life behind but God is good and knows what he is doing and his plan for my life was better than anything I could've hoped for! I've always known I wanted to be a homemaker and mother and when asked what I wanted to do with myself after school that's what I would always answer with. Some people saw it as a waste of my education (I have a Bachelor's in Asian Studies/Chinese and a Master's in Elementary Education) but now that Annabelle is here I know in my heart homeschooling is right for us and my education degree will be so useful!

I can't wait to have more children. I wish I could've started my family and life with Rob years ago so we'd have more time (not that 30 is old but it would have been nice to start in my earlier 20s). We thought we'd wait until at least 6 months to try for another baby but now it seems we might be waiting a bit longer. We aren't using any birth control though so we'll see what happens! I would be so happy to be pregnant again and can't wait!

I've realized since the last time I posted that the direction of this blog is probably going to change a bit. I am still wholeheartedly in agreeance with natural and attachment parenting: breastfeeding until baby weans herself, cosleeping, babywearing, etc but now the blog with have more homemaking and faith-related articles as well and I'm very excited about this. Homemaking and motherhood are definitely my domains and my callings and I can't wait to share more about both with you!

Better Body by Baby

Welcome to the I Love Me! Carnival!



This post was written for inclusion in the I Love Me! Carnival hosted by Amy at Anktangle. This carnival is all about love of self, challenging you to lift yourself up, just for being you.



Please read to the bottom to find a list of submissions from the other carnival participants.

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I never had a terrible body image. Like most women I complained about my hips, tummy, or thighs every now and then but I’ve done a somewhat decent job over the years taking care of my body. I’ve had my ups and downs; ups when I was intensely into weight lifting and watched my body being sculpted like a piece of clay and downs when I’d fall off the workout wagon and “let myself go” a bit. All-in-all though I’ve been pretty happy with what I’ve got.

I became pregnant for the first time last November and gained about 35 pounds on my then 115 pound frame. I got compliments all the time on how little I looked and on how good I looked pregnant. My ego sucked up every one of these compliments. As the trimesters went by I gained more weight. I began to feel miserable about my looks. I especially had a hard time with my face and the perceived double chins I saw there. My husband was always so sweet and supportive, telling me how beautiful I looked and what an amazing thing my body was doing. My clothes started getting tighter and tighter and I had a harder time feeling pretty when I looked in the mirror. I knew it was important to gain weight for the baby’s sake, but the baby seemed like such an abstract concept at the time. I knew she was in there and I knew I would love her when she came out but I had a hard time wrapping my head around the whole thing sometimes.

Most women that are pregnant experience the overwhelming wish to be done with their pregnancy toward the end. You feel a bit like a beached whale, have heartburn, can’t sleep comfortably and that big belly gets in the way. Even though my husband assured me that I was as gorgeous as ever, I just couldn’t wait to get my body back and be myself again. Then something magical happened: I delivered my baby this July and my whole life (and body image) changed. After nine hours of a natural labor, I had my prize in my arms and that abstract concept became a reality; a very much loved reality that I now can’t believe I’ve ever been without. I remember looking at my body in the mirror a few weeks postpartum. Normally I probably would have been horrified. I mean look at that flabby belly, those swollen, tender breasts, those large thighs and line running down my belly! And don’t forget about those nether bits! They certainly don’t look the same (or feel the same, for that matter). But you know what? That body was strong. It was so very, very strong and not only did it create the little being in my arms that I will love unconditionally with every fiber of my being, but it delivered her into this world the old fashioned way: without medication and with so much pain but such beautiful pain! Those breasts nurture and feed my sweet baby and sustain her life. Such power! That line down my tummy? That’s there because my body is so amazing that it stretched out to hold and form something where there was nothing. The bit of flabbiness and extra weight are worth it and oh-so-beautiful now. I’ve never in my life felt more like a woman and I’ve never loved my body more. It gave me my sweet baby girl and I can’t wait until it can give me more!

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Thank you for reading this post from the I Love Me! Carnival. Please take some time to read the contributions from the
other carnival participants:


(This list will be updated by the afternoon of October 28th with all the carnival links.)

• The Art of Being Thoughtful – Becky at Old New Legacy likes that she is mostly thoughtful but wants to become more thoughtful. She shares a story that demonstrates that giving gifts doesn't have to be expensive.
• I love me (and running)! – Sheryl of Little Snowflakes writes about her new love of running and how it has helped her learn to love herself!
• For the Love of Moe – Valerie at Momma in Progress shares her thoughts on a body forever changed, but forever loved.
• Where I Find My Worth – Sarah at Parenting God's Children shares how finding her worth in worldly things always falls short.
• Oh Yeah, I'm Cool – Tree at Mom Grooves shares her very favorite gift and the thing she most wants to pass on to her daughter.
• Loving – Rosemary at Rosmarinus Officinalis talks about some of the things she loves about herself - some easily, and some by choice for the sake of healing.
• Baby Strikes A Pose – Emma from Your Fonder Heart writes about her family's decision not to let their 7 month old model, and uses the opportunity to think more deeply about girls (young and old) and how they determine their self-worth.
• I Love Me! - A Rampage of Appreciation! – Terri at Child of the Nature Isle stops waiting for anyone else to tell her she is wonderful and goes on a rampage of appreciation for herself!
• Raising Healthy Daughters – In a guest post at Natural Parents Network, Kate Wicker offers tips to pass on a healthy self-image to the young ladies in our care.
• Unexpected Benefits of a Healthy Pregnancy – How does it feel to have a healthy pregnancy? Dionna at Code Name: Mama discovers that making positive choices can be empowering.
• Filling Up Our Watering Cans – Nada at miniMOMist believes that practicing Sabbath is the same as being a gardener who lovingly tends to the flowers in her garden. She needs to fill up her watering can first.
• Better Body by Baby – Jess from Mama 'Roo and Family Too! shares how having her first baby makes her feel even more beautiful and confident about her body than ever before.
• These Breasts Were Made for Nursing – Becoming a mother helped Mandy from Living Peacefully with Children to embrace her womanhood and improve her self image.
• Yeah, I'm Pretty Cool – Amanda at Let's Take the Metro writes about her own self love and how she hopes to foster the same self-respect in her children.
• Who I've Become – The future is bright with That Mama Gretchen who shares her past and present perspective on body image and how she hopes to become a change agent with her daughter.
• Ever-Evolving Me – Joella at Fine and Fair writes to her daughter about her innate drive to continue learning, growing, and evolving.
• I love you for your mind – Lauren at Hobo Mama turns a dubious phrase on its head with a little self-loving slam poetry.
• Stop Think of Love with Your Body – Amy of Peace 4 Parents shares an exercise to gradually transition from hating to loving your body - stretch marks, sags, imperfections, and all.
• I Love Me! – Jenny @ I'm a full-time mummy shares the things that she loves about herself!
• caught in a landslide – jaqbuncad of wakey wakey, eggs and bakey! shares a list of reasons why zie loves hir body.
• Love Your Tree – How do you picture the ways your body and mind change? Amy at Anktangle writes about how trees help her have perspective about her own growth over time.
• Pumpkin Butt – Zoie at TouchstoneZ writes about how birth and pumpkins are the way to accepting her body
• I do love me – Shannon at Pineapples & Artichokes talks about the lessons about loving herself she wants to pass along to her daughter.
• Appreciating Who I Am – Linni at An Unschooling Adventure describes the things she likes about herself and the way she appreciates who she is as a person.
• I love me! : A journey – Christine at African Babies Don't Cry shares her journey on arriving at the point where she can say: I love me!
• My Daughter Doesn't Care So Why Should I? – Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama calls herself on the carpet for the image of self love and beauty she portrays in front of her toddler.
• Finding out who I am – Melissa at Vibrant Wanderings shares an exercise that helped her identify positive qualities she possesses, and how that has helped her learn to love herself.