Still Here

Sorry for the lack of posts this week. I have been focusing on being a mommy. Lately I have been struggling with anxiety and sadness. I have never faced anything like this before and it truly has humbled me. I have been leaning on M and his love and understanding. I am thankful for the help of an understanding doctor who is working with me on overcoming this. I also turn to the Lord for the daily strength I need.

I would greatly appreciate your prayers that I feel more like myself soon.

I will try to post when I feel up to it. In the meantime I will focus on this, a wonderful blessing from the Lord.

A True Bowl of Cherries

The title of my blog is not just a cute moniker for me to go by. I really do love cherries. I love to decorate with them. I love to see them on my daughter's clothing. And I LOVE to eat them. So, I couldn't be happier now that it is cherry season.

I picked these bags up for $.99 a pound the other day. I just have to be careful not to sit down and eat them all at once.

Deliciousness in a bag!

Foodie Friday: Italian Garden Salad

Here is another recipe from the latest edition of the Taste of Home Magazine. This month I found lots of yummy looking recipes that I knew I would want to try. I also had the same luck with the current copy of the Rachael Ray Magazine. I love months like that. It really gets the creative juices flowing. (Not to mention the salivary glands.) Both M and I really enjoyed this fresh salad. We don't have a garden, but it would be great to use your own homegrown vegetables in it.

Ingredients:

Dressing:

-6 T canola oil

-3 T sugar

-2 T vinegar (The recipe calls for white wine vinegar, and wouldn't you know it, I was fresh out. I substituted half white vinegar and half balsamic vinegar.)

-1 t garlic salt

-1 t dried parsley

-1 t basil

-1/2 t oregano

-1/4 t onion powder

Salad:

-8 oz uncooked spaghetti

-1 c cut up green beans

-2 c cubed cooked chicken

-1 med. yellow pepper, julienned (The recipe called for green, but I had a yellow, so I grabbed it and julienned it up.)

-1 med. zucchini, sliced

-1 sm. yellow summer squash, sliced

-16 oz cherry tomatoes, halved

-1 sm onion, sliced

(The recipe also called for 4 oz. of Colby-Jack cheese, cubed. I find that some cheeses get slimy in a salad like this, so I omitted it. It also had Parmesan for sprinkling and we were out so that was also omitted.)

Directions:

Cook spaghetti according to package, adding green beans during the last 4 minutes of cooking. Combine the dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Add other salad ingredients. Drain the spaghetti and beans; rinse in cold water. Add to other ingredients. Toss to coat. Refrigerate until chilled. (Or just go ahead and eat it right away. That's what we did. There was plenty left over to refrigerate and eat later.)

The Baby Condo

Little Peachy is still living in our closet. She has been doing really well sleeping through the night and I thought that we could move her to her own room. Unfortunately that has ended. So, in the closet she stays. (Maybe she doesn't want to move downstairs and is changing her sleep habits to prolong her time in the closet. And she really does seem to enjoy the decor, rows of colorful clothes.)

*Here is the latest addition. Babies come with lots of stuff. Lots of small stuff. This stuff was starting to overtake the closet in the form of a big, disorganized mess. Enter the shoe organizer. Now all of the little stuff has a cute little place to live. This may even make the move down to her room when we put her in there. It is so nice to have everything in all of the little see-through compartments.

*Here is the diaper pail. (Hey, if you're going to have a diaper pail in your closet, this is the way to go. Sleek, stylish, and no stink.)

*Here is her current wardrobe. (Actually I have since switched out many of the 0-3 months for her 3-6 month stash. The 0-3 were getting a bit small. The 3-6 are still a little large, but I have no fear that she will be growing into them soon.)

*Here is her deluxe bed/changing table, aka, the Pack and Play. It is handy having it all in one. That way we have a nice place to change her without having to add more furniture. Currently she is still in the bassinet feature. (This makes her sleeping area higher.) I am going to keep her up there as long as possible as it makes for easier transitions in and out.

Expected Delays

I have added a new tool to my supper prep arsenal, the delay setting on the oven. (I know the picture is blurry, but see that check mark at the bottom on the left? That shows me that the delay setting is on.) While it has been at my disposal the entire year we have owned our home, I never made use of it. That is until last week.

M works long days and by the time he walks through the door we are both ready for supper. But with Little Peachy around, supper isn't always ready for us.

Lately, when I get a chance I do my supper prep work in the afternoon. And two days now I have gotten supper ready early except for baking. Then, I just put it in the oven with the delay setting set. When the time is right, the oven turns on and starts baking all by itself! (Technology these days.) I just have to make sure that I am available to get supper out of the oven when it is done.

Obviously, you can't do this super early or with everything. You have to be careful that your supper isn't spoiling while it sits in there. But it has really been nice the two times that I have done it.

Owies

I am sure this is the first of many Band Aids Little Peachy will have adorning her little body. It is just so sad to see it on her little body. However, in my mind, it is for a good cause. I know not everyone believes in the true value of vaccinations, but M and I have decided, after research, to go along with the recommendations of our pediatrician as far as immunizations.

Little Peachy is doing well after receiving three shots on Friday morning. I ended up holding her most of the day, just because I could. That TLC and Tylenol got her through with flying colors. No more shots until 4 moths.

A Welcome Sight

This is the view you are greeted with upon arriving at our home. When M's mother was here to help after Little Peachy was born, she graciously offered to plant some flowers for us on our front porch. She did a wonderful job. (I usually just grab some big plants at Wal-Mart, toss them in the pots with some dirt and call it good. She actually bought individual plants and made arrangements with them in the pots. She even gave consideration to how they would look when they grew. A little thought make s a big difference.) Here they are about two months after planting, still looking great.

I love the fact that our home has a front porch. (Especially since we currently don't have a deck.) Someday I would love to add little window boxes here. We'll see if that day ever comes. When we were first looking at this house, we considered revamping the columns at some point. The builder could have put up a square column, but it looked much the same as the round one and cost hundreds of dollars more. I would love for the porch to have more Craftsman-style pillars as I am not a big fan of the Corinthian look. We have since decided that it probably won't happen, but it was fun to dream about for a while.

And coming soon to our front yard, grass!!!

Foodie Friday: Bruschetta Pizza

I have started menu planning and nearly daily cooking again. With Little Peachy to care for, I have to plan a bit ahead, but so far it has been working out. For example, while she slept in her Pack and Play (in the closet) yesterday afternoon, I browned the meat, made the crust, grated the cheese, chopped the tomatoes, and mixed the bruschetta topping. That way, when it was time to start baking, all I had to do was assemble and throw it in the oven. (Beside the crust sticking to the baking stone, there were no problems.)

This recipe is adapted from the Taste of Home June & July 2009 magazine.

Make one batch of basic dough recipe. (As usual, I substituted 1/2 c. of bread flour for 1/2 c. of whole wheat flour.) Roll dough out for crust.

Other Ingredients:

-1/2 # pork sausage, cooked

-6 oz pepperoni

-2 c. shredded mozzarella

-1 1/2 c. chopped tomatoes

-1 T. basil

-1 T. olive oil

-1 t. garlic salt

-1/8 t. thyme

-1/2 t. balsamic vinegar

-1/8 t. pepper

1. Top crust with sausage, pepperoni, and cheese.

2. Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

3. Mix remaining ingredients in small bowl.

4. Top pizza with tomato mixture.

A Wonderful Friend

Wonder what can put a smile like this on my daughter's face?

Is it staring into her mother's eyes? Is it welcoming her father home from a long day at work? Is it her favorite stuffed animal?

No to all of the above.

Rather, it is ceiling fans.

Little Peachy developed a penchant for ceiling fans early in her life. Her first ceiling fan friend was found in our living room. (And to think I almost vetoed putting one in there.) She quickly added the ceiling fan in our bedroom to her social acquaintances.
In our travels, she was able to make many new friends wherever we journeyed.
In fact, at 4:30 this morning (she has forgotten that she knows how to sleep through the night), she cracked an ear-to-ear grin as she stared up at the ceiling fan while being re-swaddled. I had the hardest time not laughing and smiling along with her. (Night time sleep rule #1: No interacting with the baby in the middle of the night if you want them to go back to sleep quickly and quietly. Man, that is hard sometimes.)
Ah, the simple pleasures in life.

The Nursing Station

This chair is where I spend a large portion of my day. I like to refer to it as the "Nursing Station." When nursing a baby, it is not always easy to hop up and get what you need without interrupting the baby. Therefore I have found it necessary to keep it all within easy reach. Care to know what "it all" entails? I thought so!

1. The laptop: How else could I keep up on my blog writing, blog reading, and Facebooking?
2. The remote control: For my Today Show viewing pleasure.
3. My cell phone and Bluetooth: Easy hands-free talking.
4. Magazines and books: When I need a technology break.
5. Afghan: For those chilly days and nights.
6. The chair: Nice and comfortable.
7. The ottoman: For getting the right position.
8. A pillow: For some added back support.
9. A pacifier: For mouth plugging purposes when nursing is done and a nap has begun.
10. A burp cloth: You know why.
11. A lamp: To shed some light on the matter.
12. A water bottle: Must stay properly hydrated.
13. Lotion: You never know when dry skin may strike.
14. Boppy: Such a good nursing companion.

CYO: Father's Day Present

I know this post is a bit late, but I just found the picture I took of this project and realized I hadn't blogged about it yet. The great thing is, you can use this for much more than Father's Day.

What you'll need:

-frame (mine came with a mat, you could also purchase it separately)

-scrapbook paper

-double stick tape

-ruler

-scissors

-a picture, of course

What to do:

1. Trim paper to the size of the mat.

2. Use tape to adhere paper to mat.

3. Add picture.

This is an easy twist on a framed picture as a gift. The recipients of my project appreciated it immensely. (Then again, that may have had something to do with the subject of the picture.)

Singing With the Saints

(Papa and Nana at his 80th birthday party.)

When M and I got married, all of his grandparents were living and only one of my grandfathers was already at our Savior's side. Since then, the Lord has called five of our grandparents home. Most recently, my mother's father received his eternal reward.

Papa was a healthy 82 year old until about a month ago when he had a stroke. It was determined that the stroke was caused by a large tumor in his abdomen. The tumor had probably been there for years, but started causing many complications after the stroke. Finally his oncologist determined that surgery would not be a possibility and Papa entered hospice care.

I left with Peachy last week Thursday to go and see Papa for what would be the last time on this side of eternity. The Papa I saw was not the active and sharp Papa I had known my whole life, but what a blessing to see him and introduce him to his first great-granddaughter. What a blessing also to know that he is now relieved of all earthly discomfort and made whole again in Christ.

While we will miss Papa greatly, we all share the joy of resurrection and we eagerly look ahead to our reunion in heaven.

Foodie Friday: Bacon Chicken Pasta Salad

No, your eyes are not deceiving you. It is Thursday. I decided since I skipped last week and since I will be attending a funeral tomorrow, I would post Foodie Friday a day early this week. Enjoy!

While staying at my parents' house, I reverted back to my old ways. When I was younger I took it upon myself to prepare summer lunches for the members of my family when they came home for a lunch break. Since I was at the house during the day this week, I figured I could start the tradition again. Only this time around, I came up with my own recipe rather than resorting to a blue and yellow box that comes with noodles and an orange powder.

Ingredients:

-8 oz penne regata pasta, cooked and rinsed in cold water

-one chicken breast, cooked and cut into inch cubes

-3 Roma tomatoes, diced

-5 slices bacon, cooked and diced

-1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

-15 oz. chick peas

-1/2 c. mayo

-2 T ranch dressing mix

Mix together. Chill. Serve.

Great-Grandma Nana

Little Peachy has gotten to spend time in lots of loving arms lately. Most recently, with her great-grandma, Nana. Can you tell she has held a few babies in her lifetime?

You Are Getting Sleepy . . .

Want to know the secret to sleeping this peacefully? Grandpa. Peachy and I are at my parents' house this week. Its a rough way to pass a day (for both of them.) Wouldn't you say?

Happy Fourth!!

We are headed off on yet another trip. (Just breaking Little Peachy in.) I'll let you know how we traveled when I return. (We made a "little" purchase this week.)

For now there will be no Foodie Friday. Maybe next week . . .

Maybe this sweet picture will make up for it.

CYO: Mop Solution

The star of today's post: Vinegar

I am back and so is my sidekick vinegar. As promised, today's post will detail how I clean my hard floors. (So exciting, I know!)

To begin with, I have my other trusty sidekick, the Dutch Rubber Broom. This is essentially a broom with a rubber head. I also am equipped with two buckets. One is empty. The other has a solution of vinegar and warm water. (I sometimes will also add some Borax to up the ante.) I place several rags into the bucket with the vinegar. Then I wrap the broom head with one of the rags and proceed to mop the floor. Once the rag gets dirty it goes into the empty bucket and another rag is placed on the broom head. (This way you aren't repeatedly dipping a dirty rag/mop into your clean water.) When I have moped all of our floors, I simply pour out the vinegar solution and put the dirty rags into the laundry.

Vinegar's dashing co-star: Dutch Rubber Broom

The dirty rag bucket (Don't judge me for the seemingly uncleanliness of my cleaning buckets. We used them to clean paint brushes and rollers when we painted our home before moving in.)

The clean rag bucket/vinegar solution bucket

I have to admit, I did not come up with this process on my own. You will find this any many more green cleaning ideas in the book "Organic Housekeeping."