One Word

I'm seeing it pop up everywhere but I first heard this idea from my wonderful sister. Pick one word, just one, to reflect on for the year. I've been contemplating what my word would be since the first of the year and I think I've finally found one. Before I reveal it, a little explanation of my thought process. 2012 is certainly going to be different than 2011. I didn't have a word for 2011 but probably needed one. When I think back to 2011 the words that come mind - chaos, stress, anxiety, unsettled. Certainly not positive words and certainly not ones I would have hung around my neck and reflected on every day. Perhaps my word for 2011 should have been faith or trust. Because those were what I needed to get through and were two powerful words that brought me to 2012. 2011 was a year of change - I graduated, we decided where we wanted to live and raise our family, I got a new job, we bought a new house. In early 2011 I struggled as a mom and student. During the summer I stressed myself out as we had no idea where we'd go, where we'd be, where I'd work. Things calmed down and by the end of 2011, things were clear and those pesky words and feelings began to dissipate. And so when it came to find a word for 2012 I had a lot to choose from - settled, peace, content, family. I've thrown many around in the last few weeks until I settled on one. One that seems to reflect how far we come and will help me celebrate what is still to be. And that word is ...

Grateful for mine, my husband, and my daughter's health.

Grateful that we don't want for anything.

Grateful that we have more than we need and are finding ways to share our excess with others.

Grateful that even when you don't see him or ask for him, God is there.

Grateful that the words I was able to reflect on are positive this year.

And the list could go on and on ... and so this year I give thanks and strive to wake up each day with a grateful heart.

What's your word of the year?

Happy Birthday Brynna!

2

Two years ago tonight I went to bed in tears. I was convinced I was going to be pregnant forever and ever and ever. Little did I know just 24 hours later my precious girl would be in my arms. Two years later I go to bed with a huge smile on my face and a love and joy in my heart I never could have fathomed. When Brynna wakes up tomorrow she will be 2, two, TWO!!!!!! Where has the time gone? Brendan and I look at each other every day and say, "Can you really believe she is ours?" I realize it's been awhile since I've done an update on her. Life has caught up to us and between fulltime work and parenting, there just hasn't been the time to get on this blog. But here's what she's up to these days ...

She is learning at every turn. She knows all of her colors, a lot of shapes, can count to 30, knows her ABCs, and is starting to identify letters. She will tell you the "B is for Brynna" and "D is for daddy" and is able to point some of them out. We continue to be amazed at her memory! We tell her or show her something once and she can recall it days or weeks later.

Her vocal skills continue to amaze us and her teachers at school. She speaks in full sentences, can communicate clearly with us, and continues to be Miss Manners. We are so proud of how well she is doing! It's so wonderful to be able to carry on a conversation with her and know exactly what she needs or wants.

This morning she woke up, decided to put on her "special undies" and then spent the rest of the day using the potty! We had a few near misses - small accidents on the way to the toilet. But also lots of successes and she was on her way to the right place, just didn't make it in time, during her 2 accidents. So we'll see how tomorrow goes! We had been tossing around the idea of potty training but she seems to have made the choice for us!

What is she into these days? Elmo, her kitchen set, puzzles, babies (pause so someone can insert the "perhaps you should make her a big sister" comment, ok, moving on), music, singing, coloring, painting ... the list could go on and on. She is also all girl - pink, pink, pink! Singing is a big one. She will randomly burst into song - Five Little Monkeys, ABCs, Moves Like Jagger, you name it, she knows most of the lyrics!

She is also miss stubborn at times. She has decided she needs to pick out her own clothes in the morning. This is one battle we are not willing to take on so we let her. And sometimes she matches. And sometimes she goes to school in 3 shades of pink with a monkey on the butt of her pants and Elmo on her shirt. And then we take photos so we can show them to her when she is 16. But the stubborness comes in handy too because it turns into perseverance, hence the potty training. So we choose our battles, and matching clothes, and pretties in her hair just aren't worth the fight.

I am sure there is much, much more that I am just not thinking of. Right now I need to get to bed so I can wake up with my TWO year old tomorrow to celebrate! Daddy loves to make a big deal about birthdays so I'm sure the whole day will be wonderful. We are so thankful to have such a wonderful, sweet, healthy little girl in our lives. Two years ago tonight I never could have imagined how my life would change. We are so lucky to be your parents, Brynna Evelyn! Happy 2nd Birthday big girl!

Happy Birthday to Meeeeeeee!!!

Brynna has been singing herself happy birthday for awhile now. And why not? We celebrated Brynna's birthday a week early so this year she got a birthday week, not a day. Just like her daddy insists he gets each year. Her grandma, grandpa, auntie, and cousins were in town for a late Christmas and we wanted to make sure they could join in the celebration. And celebrate we did! We threw her an Elmo party (her favorite!) and she had a blast. The entire morning of she was running around the house yelling "Elmo Party!" We even got a special CD - Elmo sings all of her favorite songs and her name is included! We were so blessed so many of our wonderful friends were able to come help us celebrate. It was amazing to see the difference from her first birthday party to this one. She loved opening presents, talking to everyone, and eating her cupcake. No tears this time around!

Munching on goldfish with cousin Sophie before our friends arrive!

She refused to take a photo with us, this is the best we did. Someone had to help her photo bomb it.

But of course she was all smiles and posing with Uncle Pete!

Tearing into the gifts.

Elmo cupcake cake

"Happy Birthday to you ..."

Yummy!

Happy Birthday to my sweet girl!

We got a great photo of all the kids at her first birthday so I wanted one at her second. And this is what we ended up with. So much easier when they weren't mobile.

Sneak Peek

I just put the finishing touches on Brynna's Christmas present and I am so excited to share! DIY Play Kitchens have been all the rage on Pinterest and I was happy to jump on the bandwagon. I love that this is something we made by hand and an original! Without further adieu ...

Before - a lovely rolling microwave cart I got for $15 at a resale store. 1970's anyone?

Removed the bottom, added a door and a backsplash.

All ready for the little cook!

Chalkboard to write her weekly menu on!

Storage on the sides and behind the curtain.

Can't wait to get cookin' with her!

Featured!

My DIY Scrabble Tiles are being featured today on Balancing Home. Make sure to stop by and say hi to Megan. While you are there take a look around. Megan has beautiful ideas and 2 adorable little Badger fans!

101 in 1001

A while ago (well about 1001 days) my mom, sisters, and I jumped on the "101 in 1001" bandwagon. We each set out 101 goals we wanted to accomplish in the next 1001 days. I am happy to say that I accomplished 71 of my 101 goals! 6 of them were dropped due to logistics (like that we sold the La Crosse house so we didn't need to make updates on some of it). While going over my list I see the biggest place I struggled was my health goals - namely working out. So this is something I need to focus on and be more intentional about. The other areas I need to improve are my volunteering. Brendan and I have always wanted to do Big Brother/Big Sister but over the last few years never knew where we'd be a year from then. They ask for a year commitment at minimum so now that we are settled we can work on that goal. Instead of doing the 101 in 1001 again I think I am going to set new goals for myself but not so many at a time and with a more intentional time line. One of my goals was to donate $3 for every goal I accomplished. So 71 accomplished goals = $213. I have an idea of how/where I want to donate it so I'll update once I am done. And without any futher ado, my goals ...

Success!

Did not accomplish

Didn't accomplish due to logistics

For Health, Well-being, & Sanity
1. Take a pilates class
2. Go to the weight room 2 times a week for 2 months (0/2)
3. Go to the weight room 3 times a week for 2 months (0/2)
4. Walk the dog 3 times a week for 3 months (2/3) - 6 weeks down! Have to start this one over, got to 9 weeks then got too cold/icy to safely walk all the time.
5. Walk the dog 4 times a week for 3 months (0/3)
6. Bike 3 miles with Brendan without complaining/dying
7. Take my vitamin every day for a month (1/1) - has now become a habit!
8. Floss every day for a month (0/1) - Not sure why I never got around to this!
9. Wean off Topamax for migraines
10. Get a diagnosis for my abdominal pain
11. Graduate
12. Don’t drink any soda for 1 month (1/1)
13. Don’t drink any soda for the another month (1/1)

14. Lose 5 pounds (Goal 140) - 138 as of Feb 1, 2009

15. Lose 5 more pounds (Goal 135) - 131.5 as of March 4, 2009
15. Keep the weight off: weigh 140 pounds at the end of 2009 - not going to be under 140 since I'll still be pregnant but am confident I would have been as I am only 150 at 9 months pregnant
16. Keep the weight off: weigh 135 pounds at the end of 2010
17. Get name changed on passport - Easier to wait for it to expire, then do paperwork so not going to be accomplished in time!
18. Make an emergency kit for my car
19. Make an emergency kit for Brendan’s car

20. Organize our bills/files/paperwork
21. Figure out the bus schedule on campus
22. Go to a Theta Alum event or initiation

23. Write in gratitude diary at least every other day for one year

24. Join at least one professional nursing organization

25. Do yoga breathing 4 times a day

26. Take a yoga class

For Fun/Organization
27. Go to a movie outdoors - Was out of town the weekend there was one hosted in a park near us.
28. Make t-shirt quilt with Theta and Wisconsin shirts

29. Organize scrapbook supplies

30. Organize loose pictures

31. Get scrapbooks caught up to date
32. Finish wedding album
33. Go ice skating
34. Go snow skiing
35. Go sledding
36. Read a book for fun once a month (32/32)
37. Participate in www.gimmeyourstuff.blogspot.com - Signed up for this but my post was never put on the website; website appears to no longer be updated (4/4/10)

38. Join paperbackswap (Someone already ordered a book from me so I can send it out and order one myself!) Love this site!

39. Back up my pictures

40. Back up my music

In the Kitchen
41. Perfect a recipe for homemade croutons
42. Learn to make own bread crumbs
43. Learn 10 new recipes (10/10) + more even!!
44. Put together a recipe book
45. For one month use up everything in kitchen and only buy what is necessary - We are working on meal planning and basing our groceries off of what we have in the house already and only buying what we need.
46. Host Thanksgiving one year (make the turkey) - 2012

47. Clean out "bad" foods in kitchen and donate to food pantry - donated 45 pounds of food 2/10/2009

48. Learn to make low-carb carrot cake

49. Learn to make own baby food

50. Start meal-planning to reduce grocery bills and food waste

51. Stick to grocery list and not buy any extras even if we want them/are on good sale (10/10)

With my husband
52. Visit Kruser and Arlene in Boston
53. Be pregnant by the end of 1001 days
54. Visit New York City
55. Go to a Brewer’s series

56. Go to a Badger's game
57. Go on our honeymoon
58. Visit Louisville family
59. Finish living wills and power of attorney for healthcare paperwork
60. Take a completely impulsive spur of the moment roadtrip
61. Send Autumn a letter every other month (14/32)
62. Find a church we are both comfortable going to
63. Go to a wine tasting/winery
64. Try 5 new restaurants (5/5)
65. Complete Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet

66. Complete Phase 2 of the South Beach Diet

67. Figure out where we will be living for Fall 2009 -moved to Cedar Rapids 5/29/09

68. Get another dog so Bailey has a friend - Soon!

69. Get Brendan's ring resized - went from a 13 to a 10.5! He now needs it resized again!

70. Update my resume

71. Update Brendan's resume

72. Save our change for 1001 days

73. Take a cardio class at the rec center

74. Plant tomatoes in pots at the condo this summer - The tomatoes died but we tried!

75. Plant peppers in pots at the condo this summer - 2 pots worth and we also have a blueberry and blackberry tree!

76. Plant a garden once we have the room - Moved too late in the year but will have one next summer!

77. Buy a new car

78. Get Brendan's computer updated so he can start doing freelance projects

79. Name our daughter

80. Be settled - graduate, get a job, buy a house, be in a place we plan on staying for a long time!

81. Spend one month at home - no visiting friends, going to weddings, visiting family (4 whole weekends in a row at home!) - By default because of baby!

For/With Others

82. Volunteer at a soup kitchen
83. Become a Big Sister (BBBS Program)
84. Adopt a child each Christmas (2009, 2010) (2/2)
85. Write to Magatte (my CCF child) at least 10 times (2/10)

86. Save $3 for each goal I complete and donate at the end of 1001 days
87. Send birthday cards to everyone in the family for one year -Got to start this one over! Started it over twice and then missed people! Have a new organization system in place that should help with this.
88. Visit Jen, Ryan, Elicia, and Ian in Eau Claire for a weekend
89. Have a girls’/baby weekend with Marie & Michele
90. Visit Amber, Amalia, and Rori for a weekend
91. Take Laura to a musical - She still needs to pick one!!
92. Babysit Sydney and John for a long weekend so Jen and Rich can get away - they moved :(
93. Take Mom for a day at the spa

94. Donate 100 items I get "free" through couponing (100/100)

95. Go to Homecoming with Jen - moved out of country :(

Around the House
96. Call a realtor in March and get appraisal on La Crosse house
97. Sell the La Crosse house
98. Put window boxes on La Crosse house - did not do on advice of realtor
99. Paint the office in the La Crosse house - did not do on advice of realtor

100. Decorate the baby's nursery on a budget

101. Get the car detailed before baby is here

Goals Accomplished: 71

Goals Not Accomplished: 24

Not Able to be Accomplished due to logistics: 6

My New Way of Cooking

I always hear a lot about "once a month cooking". I've never done it and really had no intention to give it a try. Yesterday I decided to do some freezer cooking. We are still working on getting into a rhythm with me back at work and have eaten a lot of sandwiches or dinners out the last 2 weeks. So I wanted to get some meals in the freezer to save those, "Oh let's just get a pizza" moments. I made a very ambitious list on Saturday morning and set off to the store. Figured I'd get all the ingredients and finish what I was able to, then do the rest later. I started around 12 noon and had the kitchen cleaned by 8 pm. Now before you think, "8 hours of cooking?? No way!" let me tell you in the 8 hours I also made and fed my family lunch and dinner, put Brynna down for a nap (which was a 45 minute process), took the dogs out twice and played catch (at least 20 minutes each time), talked to my mom on the phone, made a dip for Brendan's poker game, greeted said poker players, got Brynna into bathed and into bed, and did several loads of laundry. Whew, no wonder I crashed by 10 pm. So really it was probably 4 hours of cooking. And the result? 30 meals in my freezer and pantry which will require, max, 5 minutes preparation to get them in the oven or crockpot! So this will easily get us through November! Not have to cook for a month? I'm sold on the Once a Month Cooking!

What I made:

Pantry Meals (ingredients packaged and ready to throw together in the pantry, just add the meat!)

1.Black Bean Salsa Chicken x 2 (salsa, black beans, taco seasoning poured over chicken)
2.Pesto Chicken x 2 (jar of pesto, parm cheese)
3.Spaghetti x 2

Crock Pot
1. Healthy Mama BBQ Chicken x 2
2. Beef Goulash x 2
3. Mexican Goulash x 2
4. Crock Pot Chicken Curry x 2

Oven Meals
1. Feta Spinach Chicken x 2
2. Baked Shrimp Scampi (We ate this for dinner last night ... ah-mazing!)
3. Enchiladas x 2
4. Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells (modified this a bit, added some spaghetti sauce over it)

Frozen and Ready to Go
1. Taco Beef x 2
2. Spaghetti Beef x 2
3. Taco Chicken x
4. Shredded Chicken
5. Chicken packaged per meal size x 6 (to go with ingredients in pantry)

In the crockpot now:
1. Pork Barbacoa (going to try it with Diet coke instead)

If you're looking for great recipes I just found this blog. Several of the recipes come from that and she has more I want to try. I'll let everyone know how this once a month cooking goes for us! I think next time I will do it a bit differently. Yesterday I just tackled one recipe at a time. Several called for things like chopping sweet potatoes or onions. So next time I might lay all the recipes out and figure out exactly how many of each thing I need and prep each ingredient and not each meal. Should cut down on time. Right now I'm just happy to have a stocked freezer and only need to run to the store for the essentials!

You would have thought she was the one cooking!

My Statement Wall

I am so excited to finally have a few projects finished up and ready to show off! I saw this post on Pinterest and wanted to try it out. (And then of course a few days later the method was featured on Young House Love so I'm sure this project is going up all over the place!)

So, true confession. I almost gave upon this. Several times. Here's the rundown. I painted the wall and then stenciled it, the whole thing. Halfway through tracing the stencil I thought about giving the painting a try. But since I am usually ADD about projects I decided to do it step by step and traced the entire wall. Too bad my ADD didn't kick in because when I went to start painting I couldn't get the technique down and wanted to quit. Maybe it's a good thing it didn't kick in because I probably would have given up. Instead I took a few days off.

The first attempts, not loving it!

Even tried using a "paint pen" but it was too thin and you couldn't see it unless you were close up!

I mean really, look at those sad attempts. Wouldn't you have taken a few days off? I tried a small stencil that I had (seen above) to see how that worked. I actually purchased a new real stencil (which will now be used in our bedroom) but got the technique down before it arrived. Before I repainted the whole wall and used the new stencil I decided to give it one more try. Glad I did. Of course I originally bought a special $5 paint brush but the lines weren't right. So at the last minute I grabbed one of the brushes that came from a $1.99 pack of ten (that our nieces and nephews had used to paint pumpkins) and low and behold - perfect! So I stenciled away and I LOVE it!!! It's a huge statement wall and we always get lots of nice compliments!

Cozy nook.

Can't wait to fix up the screened in patio next summer! Am picturing willowy white drapes and comfy couches!

Close up.

My tips so you can avoid my frustration:
1. Practice first. Paint a small section and give it a go. This will allow you to get the technique down and find a good paint brush!
2. Make sure you paint on the inside of each pencil line. At first I thought you painted in between but painting on the inside gives the "double line" effect and gives it huge impact.
3. Start in a place that won't be seen (up top, down low) because it takes awhile to get the rhythm down.
4. DON'T GIVE UP! You'll love the end result, trust me!

Introducing ...

Miller!!

We've talked for awhile about getting another dog. And since our life isn't crazy enough with a new house, new job, new daycare, new schedule, why not now?? Last weekend Brendan woke up and was excited to show me a dog he had found while pursuing the internet after I'd gone to sleep. I decided to humor him and agreed to head to the shelter to check her out. While when we got there the pup had gone home with her new family. There were only 3 dogs that were approved for children Brynna's age. Two of them were breeds we had no interest in. The third was a beagle mix so we decided to check her out. Well she was definitely different than I expected -- all black and looking like a mini Bailey! I don't know much about dogs but I'm not completely convinced on the Beagle. She might be part Beagle but there's definitely something else mixed in! She doesn't look like a Beagle and we haven't heard much noise from her but doesn't sound much like one either. Either way we fell in love and picked her up tonight. We were told by many shelter workers that she was an incredibly sweet dog and we've found that to be true thus far. She and Bailey get along great and have been tearing up the house together. Brynna loves her as well and the feeling seems to be mutual! I'm sure we'll have plenty of adventures and updates!

"What were you thinking?" - Bailey

This the best picture I got with two moving targets.

Crashed.

Fitting right in!