Happy BELATED Christmas...argh, I hate being late...

Wineinger Christmas Picture 2012

Yes..yes...it has been wayyy too long!  I agree.  I want to come up with something snappy, maybe a good excuse.  Yea...got nothin.'  This new baby, new house, new job routine is kicking my butt!  I really am a late hater, and I have been embarrassingly behind since August.  I hope the cycle breaks soon.

To redeem myself/create a blog post/update/avoid type overload, I'm gonna post my Christmas letter!    Yeah.  I'll come up with an exciting post soon.  I'm working on it really!  I am also going to create a break in the post in case you don't want to read my letter.  If you just want to look at my year end pictures, click "The Wineinger 2012" page above (or that link).

And I promise! I'll post again next week...maybe sooner...maybe...

Be Like Ree...

I have grown to understand that I have a slightly unhealthy obsession with Ree Drummond... aka the Pioneer Woman... blogger, writer, photographer, accidental country girl... i didn't come up with that.  That is what she clams on her cooking show every Saturday morning on the food network (9:30a EST 8:30a my time...i DVR it).  It's nothing we need to inform the police about, but I'm pretty sure we could be kin.  I almost said we could be the same person, but I can't photograph as well as her.  I tried and failed.

Here is a bulleted list of why I think we could be bestest friends ever...

• She likes making bulleted lists.
• She has cows... LOTS of cows.  I per say have cows...kinda.
• She has red hair. I have kinda red hair.
• She cooks ALOT and loves it!  I would cook more if I didnt have a job, but I cook more then most and LOVE it.  
• She has the garden I can only dream of.
• She lives on a ranch in Oklahoma with wild horses and cowboys.  I can't really compare...corn does not run and our boys wear john deere or DeKalb hats.
• We kind of look alike (see picture) except for the eyes, and her hairs a little darker, and, well maybe her nose a little... but for the most part.
• Her style is fabulous.  Clothing and house...It's country but contemporary.  Look at her daughters' room.  This was also featured in Country Living which i also subscribe to.  And the staircase! That was pretty awesome too.
•  From her blog and her show, I have concluded we have the SAME sense of humor.  And I secretly think that if she didnt have someone managing her websites, she would misspell just as much as me.
• She names her animals (even the cows) that get killed.  See it's not that odd.  
• We have amazing canine companions...Her basset hounds, Charlie & Walter, and my Thing 1, Moose, and Thing 2 Hummer.
• Her husband doesn't venture too far away from red meat, bread, and potatoes.  My husband consumes no green besides ice burg lettuce.  I believe Ladd aka Marlboro Man aka her hubby is way more adventurous..
• There are many, MANY more... scary really.

I will be like her when I have more grown children.  I'm sure of it.  When Tricia and I were driving to Dallas in July, I got so excited when we were driving through OK b/c I thought that we might be seeing Dummond cattle...just maybe.  And after looking at a map, i think that possibility is more like 60% because of their distance from I-44, but I got chills thinking she drove on the interstate we were on... do you see where I get unhealthy in this obsession...

I have her first cookbook and i have made all but one or two recipes out of it.  AND her website, Tasty Kitchen is one of my go-tos to see how other women sub stuff or cook stuff or find fast recipes   I aspire to blog like her, but I don't have nearly enough entertaining moments in my life or pictures to post...well...and i have a day job...that kinda hinders stuff.  Her day job IS her blog/writing/TV show/awesomeness.

So, Santa (aka anyone), here is what I want for Christmas... Lunch with Ree, Alex, and Paige (those are her daughters who are similarly awesome). And if you're elves can't do that, her second cook book would suffice.

On a slightly serious note though, it's pretty stinkin' awesome to see a woman who loves and is dedicated to her family who can still be quarky and do what she absolutely LOVES.  Did i mention she home-schools her kids, too?  I mean she's a rock star... a COUNTRY rock star!  Minus the vocals...man shoot..she's prob so good she can sing too.  Oh, and the men in her family BULL RIDE!  What?!?

Ree, if you ever read this... which truly may never happen, you dang well inspire me. Keep on keepin' on. I think you show other women that each one of us can each live our dreams on our own "homesteads."

I am Becoming a Royal Red Eaglebird...

Holy cow, do I feel like the world is flying by!  I have a 2 mo old AND a husband again (aka football is over on Monday). The Princes weren't so charming this year so I think Nathan's secretly glad to be done. But I guess I just gave his secret away... Ruthie's better than ever.  We're getting a few smiles out of her here and there.  Now over 6 lb, she looks like a normal baby...not a 2 mo old, but people aren't commenting on her size as much.  And for the record, she is a farting machine!  We have her on gas medicine to make it easier on her, but it makes her even more musical. She will appreciate me blogging about that later on in life. I just know it. (Picture was taken yesterday night...that's a 6 mo. onsie, but had to put it on for support and a picture:)


The house is just about the same. I could use a day or 2 to decorate and rearrange. I still have to finish the nursery...argh.  There's no excuse now though because she would have totally been here more than a week. I also have kids from a choir staying at the house next weekend, so hopefully that will motivate me to finish the guest room. WEEKEND PROJECT!  

In other news I got a new job!  It's bittersweet really.  I had no real desire to leave my current job, but I just couldn't pass up the offer.  I will be that admin assistant to the athletic director at Dunlap high school.  I applied because it was a little better pay and I got full benefits for the family.  But, when D. Joseph heard, they matched it...yet another reason making it hard to leave.  It was one of the hardest decisions of my life, but the main reasons I switched with because of the benefits and vacation days and holidays.  It will help us save tons of money in the long run by not having to pay for childcare in the summers.  And come on!  Who doesn't want a summer break. I mean really!  This will also make it possible for Nathan and I to go on family mission trip every year. And that's something that we both decided is going to be priority in our family.  

So I'm pretty excited but I have a lot of work in store for me.  The director hasn't had an assistant yet since he took the position a year ago July and the previous person had the position for over 20 years with a pretty extensive paper system. We've got to make that athletic department computerized!  Not to mention the massive amounts of sports Dunlap has...football, volleyball, girl's track, boy's track, girl's tennis, boy's tennis, softball, baseball, girl's soccer, boy's soccer, swimming, diving, and I'm sure I missing something...ohh cross country. I think that's it.  So, I guess this makes me a Royal Red Eaglebird.  i.e. I hold true to my Metamora Redbird roots, I married a Prince, and my daughter will be a Princeville Lady Prince (why not a Princess, no one knows...), and now I am an Eagle.  I'm picturing an all red eagle with a crown on it's head...it's in the same animal kingdom as Napolian Dynamite's liger...pretty much my favorite animal, ever!  

I am pretty excited to be working at Dunlap though.  For those of you not from Ptown, Dunlap is the closest city to Peoria that isn't apart of the Peoria school district, which is currently less than desirable   And most of the families that go there just happened to be loaded!  I'm not knocking them at all! I've had many friends from Dunlap. But it's encouraging to know that the district is doing well and will continue to do well.  There are lots of teachers on my mom's side of the family, and I decided that if I were to ever be a teacher I'd always want to be a high school teacher.  I feel like you could have way more fun with the kids.  And the passion of a teenager is just immeasurable. Even if they say they don't care.  They just have to focus their passion off of parties and booze and each other... yet another reason why I'm pretty pumped about working at the high school.  This is the long term now. I thought last time was a long term but it wasn't. Now that I have a kid, this job is perfect. Well, I'll let all ya'll know a week from now how things are going with a new job and a new niece.  It's crazy how much life changes soooo quickly...Blows my mind sometimes.  

Brittany is days away from baby #2.  Layla Anne Marie almost came today, but the doctor wanted to give her a little bit more time. I think she'll definitely be here by Wednesday. She's going to be a pretty large and in charge baby.  This is going to be interesting. Bella's 13.5 months and a very jealous little girl.  She does love Ruthie though. She reaches out and pets her head as if she were petting Jack the cat...soft and sweet and she whispers so she "doesn't wake the baby" Brittany says. She whispers gibberish, but still very quietly.  Andy was holding Ruthie once and not paying attention to Bella, and that wasn't to pretty.  Only time will tell really.  

Happy 0th Birthday, Ruthie!

So today is a special day...or should I say would have been a special day.  Today is Ruthie's due date...

It's CRAZY to think about!  She is almost 6 lb now.  I can't fathom just meeting her now!  I am so glad she came when she did!  I was getting anxious.  Brittany had her sonogram last week.  My sis's scheduled C-section with Layla (such a cute name...Layla Ann Marie) is Oct 29.  Layla is well over 6 lb now in the womb.  CRAZY...

Now, If you were around me at all the week before I had here, or even saw me in the hospital, can you imagine what I would be like right now?!  A BEACHED WHALE!  For sure!  I am going to go where most women NEVER go, but I just want to put it in perspective.  I started my pregnancy at about 155lb.  That's the biggest I've ever been and I had been working on getting that weight off running and weight lifting.  About 12 weeks into the pregnancy, because of morning sickness, I was down to about 140lb.  The day I went to the doc and he sent me to the hospital, Aug 8, I was 176lb! and the day I had her I was in the 180s!  BEACHED WHALE I tell you!  At the rate I was going 200 lb would not be out of the question.  BLAH!  (For the record, I'm not that big still...I'm back down in the 140s.  Just sayin')
 
My maternity leave would have started probably at the beginning of this week, and currently it's my second day back at work.  Very hard for me...I'm anxious.  So what if she sleeps all the time.  I still like to be there while she's sleeping.

The perks of being born ahead of schedule... she got to go to her daddy's football games and she got to go to Joy's wedding.  She will be 11 months younger than her cousin, Bella, and two months older than her cousin, Layla.  We have the option of sending her to school early or holding her a year.  She's strong!  She's as healthy as a mini ox!

So happy 0th Birthday, Sweet Ruthie!  I'm so glad you're already here!  My body and Nathan thank you!

Hello, Motherhood...My name is Lindsay

Let's talk about feelings...

I feel like a freshman in the school of motherhood.  You know that first week of school where you are learning the ropes.  Where you do everything almost to the T of what you have been taught and then as you get comfortable you break the rules more and more and then start giving a little sass to you teachers... i feel like that right now.  

Baby Ruthie really has been doing great.  She eats every three hours about 1.5 oz. and we are steadily increasing that as she allows (aka doesn't throw it back up:).  She is 4 lb 12oz. now and really is progressing as the doc wants.  She EXPLODES in her diaper and sleeps constantly...in fact she is doing those two simultaneously right now.

She is 17.5 in long...1.5 in longer then when she was born, but she still curls up when she sleeps.  She is sleeping on my chest and i am typing and she still cant reach the keyboard...to give you the idea.

Some truths that i believe and disregard that people have told me...

- My nesting didnt come until after she arrived.  Granted she arrived two months early AND i had no where to nest until the 1st of Sept.

- If you do pump drink LOTS and LOTS of fluids...pref water.  I was wondering why things weren't working...they i drank about 1/2 gal of water and there she flowed!

- I have become a very light sleeper.  Those first nights where you get out of bed to verify that the last sound you heard was not the demise of your child.  If fact it came from her butt and not even her mouth... yeah that happened.  

- I LOVE how breastfeeding/pumping allows you to shed your pounds fast...now from what i understand it's not the case for everyone, but I have lost almost 10lb past my pre preg weight.  Now the trick is keeping it off once im done.  

-  I put extra lotion on her forehead from where i kiss her too much.  It gets a little dry.  

-  I DO feel like im doing laundry continuously.  But Im ok with that.  

I can tell you that i still have so much to learn.  But she's making it very easy!  Im eager to watch her grow and to spend tons of time with her.  I have taken her out in public, but it's not one of my favorites...esp walmart.  People are normally one to say, "Oh cute." but for her, they say, "SHE'S SO SMALL!  How old is she!??  How much does she weigh?" and then they pull the blanket off her face to see... I just want to yell GET UP OFF OF THIS! But politely reply and then purell her forehead where they may have breathed when they are out of sight.  

I apologize if I post to many pictures.  I'm still in the obsessed phase.  I will post again soon...

The Wineinger Calendar Countdown CORRECTED...

It is TRULY amazing how God's timing and our timing are SOOOOOOO off the chain different.  So please allow me to correct my previous post of dates...holy cow how things have changed!!!!

• 47 days until Ruthie's due date (10/3)   Today Ruthie is 8 days old!  Yeah...  
• Pre-eclamsia caused me to get admitted to the hospital last wednesday, and she arrived Thurs. evening via C-section.  I am so grateful that she is out and doing AWESOME! And grateful i didnt have to experience the last two gruesome months of pregnancy OR contractions... :)
• She also shared a special day with her great Grandma Sue Yates who dies just 4 hours before her arrival.  We just know that Gma Sue gave her a kiss in Heaven before Ruthie came to us.  LOVE YOU GMA SUE!  
• 22 days until my sweet cousin, Kelsey's wedding (9/8)  STILL GOOD! 
• This will probably we Ruthie's first outing!  She will be a month old then!  WHAT??!?
• 20 days until Bella's 1st B-day!  (9/6) 
• again still good.  Her new trick this week...elephant sounds.  She's kind of a genius.
• 14 days until we move into our new house! (9/1)
• We closed on the house THIS MORNING!!!  Awesome!  I'm going over this weekend to take pictures and start the cleaning process!  And, now that im not preggers, I can actually help in the moving/painting process!  AWESOME!!!  
• Ruthie's new room is gonna be so stinkin' cute...just sayin'
• T-Minus a few hours until Nathan is lost in the obis of Pville football.  
• they have the Maroon & White scrimmage game tonight.  Yeah he's all in now.  But don't you dare think he sacrifices Ruthie time for that!  Shoot!  He'll make your heart melt when you see them together.

It's sometimes all the time hard lesson for me to learn to trust in God and his timing.  I can EASILY say this is one of those humbling moments for us, Nate and I.  And now that things have fallen as they may, it makes so much more sense for things coming up why God wanted it this way.  

We got a letter in the mail from someone wishing us the best and welcoming the baby, but also saying this is a lot for our family right now with births and deaths and houses, but God gave you all of it at once first, b/c that was his will, but also b/c he wanted us to re-rely on Him for strength, faith, perseverance, **fill in the blank...**   So good to hear and be reassured of.  

PS.  Our first picture together... well, outside of the C-section room...  :)

And Gma D took this picture to show the world her red hair.  Hard to see in pic but DEFINITELY red!

The Wineinger Calendar Countdown

• 56 days until Ruthie’s due date (10/3) 
• But of course there is that chance that she could come before or after that…I also haven’t had a shower yet so I’m slightly freaking out about what I still need. - 
•  31 days until my sweet cousin, Kelsey’s wedding (9/8) 
• Slightly humorous happening…my sister who will be 8 mo preg and myself who will be 9 mo preg are cutting the cake. Good luck on getting your hands on a slice! Hehehe 
• 29 days until Bella’s 1st birthday! (9/6) 
• Her b-day party is hot pink and zebra! Pretty much the cutest thing ever! 
• 24 days until we move into our house (9/1) 
• I can’t write too much about this yet, b/c I don’t want to jinx it, but don’t worry! I will fill you all in with pictures very soon! 
• Take note: we have to DEEP CLEAN, de-nail, clean the carpets, paint, and install a fence before this day, too. AHHH!
• 16 days until Princeville’s first football game. (8/26) 
• Against Stark County…their biggest rivals. They are nervous but they are high school big boys so they won’t lead you to believe they’re nervous. So they’re tough and they’re gonna do great and this coach’s wife will hoot and howler for them! 
• 10 days until the weekend of showers (Kelsey’s bridal- 8/18, My baby- 8/19) 
• Super excited to celebrate with Kels! I’m in charge of games which is one of my favorite parts! And my shower… I will finally have a little peace of mind once I have some baby items. 
• 1 day until Pville football HELL WEEK! (Tomorrow) 
• I have already become somewhat of what we call a “coach’s widow” what with weight lifting and some practices. But come tomorrow, the next time I will see my husband will be…well…not sure…maybe the day Ruthie’s born???

Deep in the HEART of Texas...

So Mission Serve 2012...What a week!

I can basically understand why so many people thought I was crazy for going.  I officially believe I was.  But I would have done it again.  What a blast...*sigh.*

Our days consisted of waking up at 4am, baking muffins and scrambling an extremely large amount of eggs.  Then we would prepare a main dish like biscuits and gravy or french toast, etc.  Monday 4am was fine.  We were focused...had some minor hick-ups we worked through, but by Thursday I was rapping and Friday we were pretty much laughing dead zombies just walking around the kitchen.  Very entertaining, I'm sure, to watch.  After breakfast we would plan our shopping trips for the day to get everything we need for dinner and for breakfast the next morning so the cycle would start again.  Restaurant Depot was usually our first stop.  It was like Sam's only even BIGGER quantities.  Their freezer section was actually about 1/3 of their store where you would borrow a coat and walk into this floor-to-ceiling door where the temp would drop to about 45 degrees and there was your frozen food and refrigerated meat.  Mind-blowing really...  Then we would head to Sams for things in slightly smaller quantities, then Wal-mart for bananas and a few small things (more for us and personal shopping), and then Aldi's for our baking ingredients that we didn't need much of at all.   Then we would head home, take and hour-ish nap, wake up, and start the dinner festivities.

Our menu:

• Sunday Night: Spaghetti
• Monday Morning: Biscuits & Gravy
  Dinner: Pulled Pork & Corn on the cob
• Tuesday Morning: Pancakes
  Dinner: Chicken Nuggets & Mac 'n Cheese (More like Chez with some noodles- YUM)
• Wednesday Morning: French Toast
  Wednesday was Free nite at the Historic Stock Yards in Fort Worth
• Thursday Morning: Biscuits & Gravy
  Dinner: Homemade Pizza
• Friday Morning: Smorgasbord- Leftover B&G, Egg Casseroles, and Pancakes
  Dinner: The church made us TRUE Mexican Fajitas!  YUM!!

Here is the crew.  Those pans would be stacks of chicken nuggets waiting for the oven on Tuesday nite.  

L to R: Emily, Wendy, Troy, Dad aka Mark, Stacy, Me & Sue.  Pretty stellar team!

The hard stuff...Ruthie hit a growth spurt while we were there.  I grew out of 2 pairs of pants that I had tried on and packed.  My bathroom routine in the middle of the night was slightly difficult in that I had to walk a good distance to the nearest loo.  My ankles turned into small pork tenderloins.  I could work for long periods of time and they wouldnt bother me, I would just look down and be like, "Holy Cow, I should prob sit down."  

Dallas was about 5 to 10 degrees cooler than home everyday, so heat really wasnt a problem.  And the only time I would go outside was for shopping trips and lunch.  

I also left part of my heart in TX.  My dear Tricia MG has moved to Dallas for Seminary.  She is one of those wonderful ladies that keeps me grounded and reminds me that I'm still a girl besides being a wife and soon a mom.  Without her, I feel like an adult.  With her i feel like a girl.  I will miss her terribly.... TERRIBLY!  Love you, Tricia!

I love seeing my husband serve Jesus.  If we could get paid to do this the rest of our lives that would be amazing.  We was resilient under an almost impossible job, petty criticism, he ran in 4pm Dallas heat (slightly crazy), and he still checked on me every night to see how I was holding up. What a man.  

I become a football widow now that we are home.  Practices start every night this week.  Fall has basically begun.  We also had GREAT news that we bought our first house.  I'll post about that soon! VERY SOON.    All in all, Dallas was a crazy, hot, successful trip with lots of memories, and food, and JESUS!  

Pinterest Project COMPLETE!

I just love when I can check things off the ever growing list of thing I must get done before October and this week I accomplished 2!  TWO!  That's huge!!

About 2 months ago, Mom gave me a stroller and car seat that she bought when Bella arrived that was in pretty great shape and the stroller is a jogging stroller which is what I REALLY wanted.  Downfall...Jack the Cat, my sister's cat, who has a peeing problem, found it first.  But, I was determined to majorly clean it, get the cat pee smell out, and make it work!  I soaked the seat in mild yet "you better get the heck out" chemicals and then washed it twice, and then let it dry in the sun.  I had to replace a piece of particle board which was the biggest feat but we survived and now, I HAVE A STROLLER & AND A CAR SEAT!  (No pictures, but come on.  You know what a stroller looks like.)  

NOW FOR THE MAIN EVENT!

I finished a Pinterest Project!!!!!  YAY!  This was also on the list of projects to get done, so last night while I slightly moped, while my family was playing volleyball and I wished I could have played, I stayed home and created.  

This was my inspiration...

I know that it's been pinned about a gazillion times, but I was determined to make it with my own twist.  It's taken me a REALLY long time.  I've had my canvases covered for MONTHS!  But, here is the final project!

I think I will still look at it and touch up with a marker here and there, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.  (Please disregard terrible picture.)  Not sure where it will go yet, but I like.  

Now for my next projects to finish...

The Ornament wreath I started before LAST Christmas for my front door.  

This sweater I saved so I can turn into leg warmers.  I think Ruthie with LOVE them!  

I think I am going to glue the letters together and screw hooks into the bottom of them for the wall to hang bows, or jackets, or ANYTHING.  

This is supposed to be a large rug that I started crocheting out of T-shirts.  I have the t-shirts, it's just cutting them up that's the hard part which I still have to do.  Ugh.  

So, craft on, I MUST!  I also have to refinish a cedar chest for a toy box, and paint/assemble a coffee table that I have, and I am determined to make another print with the quote that says, "Let her sleep, for when she wakes, she will move mountains."  that I will put above her crib.  Not to mention, I would like to have some new tree skirts done to sell before Christmas.  Why am i still typing?!?!

The WIERDness of being Preggers...

I apologize if pregancy/babies/food is all i've talk about around you, on here, in general everywhere lately.  It quite literally has consumed my life, and my body for that matter and it's a new experience for me that I have yet to get used to.  I understand they have books about this, "What to Expect When You're Expecting" and "Child Birth for Dummies," but they scare me, they are large, and i have a general understanding that many people have done it without them so I'll be just fine, I'll just be kind of in the dark.

Also, seeing as how I generally avoid ANYTHING that has to do with hospital-ness, medicine, I have experience some crazy things that come with baby that I had no idea.   Then I get on TheBump.com or BabyCenter.com and read..."You may be experiencing...(fill in the blank)..." and then I feel better.

But stuff that I didn't know that freak me out for 5.7 sec and then I'm ok...

• I got my hair cut the other day and usually the hair dresser oos and ahhs about how soft and healthy my hair is..."Do you flat iron your hair?  Or blow dry it?  Your ends are really wimpy.  Have you been shedding a lot lately??"  WHAT?!?  It is growing REALLY fast though...
• My stomach is hairy.  Not like what Nathan refers to as a "man sweater"  but my tummy glistens with my blond hairs all over.  I laugh when i look at it.
• No major details here, but I'm pretty POSITIVE this constipation business was involved just to get you prepared for the birthing process!!  Misery.
• Because your skin stretches, it itches.  I'm sure I look like an ape scratching my tummy and my sides.  
• My co-workers make fun of me because I have a food stash box at work...It includes
• lemon heads
• rice cakes
• caramels
• club crackers & wheat thins
• microwave popcorn
• almonds
• easy cheese
• powdered donuts
• granola bars
• fruit jerky
• bananas
• I'm extremely hungry often, so I get something to eat and then eat it really fast.  Then b/c I ate to fast, I get sick and the vicious cycle starts again.  The other day at Jimmy John's, Nathan just laughed at me.  Especially when I couldn't get my shoes on fast enough so I ran to the bathroom barefoot.  I laughed too, so no harm.  Now, if he notices, he tells me to slow down....lol he takes care of me...:)
• I drink a half gallon if milk in two days.  Then, I feel like I pee for two days straight, but  it tastes sooo good!
• I waddle. BAHAHAHAahaha.

I know that this may not be her topic of choice, but I love talking to Tricia about this kind of stuff, b/c she generally find most of these things weird also, and then I don't feel like such a bad mother-to-be.  I am soooo happy that I am generally not moody.  I have notice times where my sarcasm with my boss especially may be slightly harsh, but that's when I say I'm pregnant and you just have to deal with it!  

Shag Carpet, Radon, & Answered prayers...

God gave me one of those, “I told you so…” moments today. 

So the house Nathan and I live in is pretty stinkin’ awesome.  It is a flip house that his parents bought, flipped the upstairs and are slowly flipping the down stairs as they have time.  We moved in to help them with payments and to get us out of Peoria.  We love it, but we obviously know it’s temporary.  In it’s final form, the house will be a 2-story, 5 bedroom, 2.5 bath masterpiece, sitting on just over an acre with two out buildings, a 2 car garage, amazing sunrise and sunset views out in the beautiful cornfields of IL…and out of our price range. 

So, we’ve been looking…nothing urgent.  Just keeping an eye on things to come and go on the market.  So there’s this house.  In the school district we want, in the general price we want.  We understand that the resale may not be great, but we could rent it when the time comes for a profit and really make this place work.  It’s also VERY outdated.  There are oh…5 different colors of carpet throughout the house; green & blue & black shag in the master, brown & white & pink-ish upstairs, brown throughout the living and dinning room, blue in the kitchen…yes there’s carpet in the kitchen.  It was a very stylish kitchen in the 70s!  But yeah… we would have to work on it. 

**Pictures thanks to PAAR 

There was that glimmer of hope in Nathan and I as we walked around this house…until the basement.  RADON…I hate you, radon.  The owner is one of Nathan’s friend’s grandmother who’s still well.  When she put the house on the market, she found out that the radon levels in her basement were at a 40.  In order to get a conventional loan or even a rural development loan the radon test has to come back at 3.9… and no, I didn’t misplace that decimal point.  We are looking for a difference here of about 36.1 points.  They put in a mitigation system (somewhat costly which includes drilling a hole in the basement), but still only cut the radon in little more than half to a 17. 

So remember, gimmer, stellar carpet…and radon.  So did Nathan and I want to pursue this?  Is this a battle to fight?  This was when a few weeks ago I posted on facebook, “How do you know when God's wanting you to fight for something vs. God saying, "Give it up already, Linz...I'm trying to close the door, so just let me!"’  So I prayed.  I didn’t pray a lot for a reason; because I didn’t want to convince myself that I should fight for it, which is my natural instinct, but I wanted to say, “If this is what you want for Nate, me, and the Ruth I trust you.  If not, I’ll forget about it.”  Granted I didn’t forget about it, but I talked to Nathan one more time, and said, should we just ask if they’d fix it?  The worst they would say is no, and then we’d move on.

So, about 20 emails and a week later, with LOTs of conditions, they agreed they would accept a certain offer if the stars aligned and they made the radon disappear.  So there was no fighting or  God back-talking me, but this morning on the way in to work, it was made very clear to me that God majorly answered.  Not, “can I have this house?” or “What does everything have to be so difficult?” but “I’ve had the baby and you in Nathan in my mind all along.  Don’t ever doubt that I’ve got things under control.”  And I smiled, and of course slightly teared up…b/c that’s what pregnant women do, and then made it to work peacefully. 

This still isn’t a done deal yet.  There’s still LOTS of stipulations and still a large change that this isn’t THE house.  But,  when God reveals things to you like that,  man, it’s just cool.  

IT'S A GIRL!

I’ve known our baby was a girl for quite a while.  Everyone I’m close to has known that I wanted lots of boys…to field a baseball team, to fill the starting D-line for football…and to help their father with the family business.  But, about a month into the pregnancy, the inkling hit. 

I’m really not upset or anything.  I mean really?! We have been so exited for this baby!  And as we have been around Bella, uncle Nathan adores her! I mean, I do too, but I’m getting exited to see him as a daughter’s father.  On many occasions, Bella and Uncle Nathan have sat in a chair, watched tv and played with rattles and cell phones for hours.  They’re easily entertained like that. J

After our appointment, we got McDonald’s and Nathan and I headed to church to eat.  Brittany was cooking tonight so that meant Bella would be there, and I could tell her and Dad the news.  Joel, our pastor and really good friend, came out and chatted with us.  Nathan chuckled and said, “I guess I need to start working on my sensitivity.” And I replied, “And I need to get a little better with compassion.”  He reassured us we’ll be fine, and I’m pretty sure we will be.  Just entertaining.  VERY entertaining. 

This also means that my CREATIVITY GETS TO SHINE!  I refuse the color pink!  REFUSE!  I will do everything in my power to avoid pink at all cost!  I’m sure this will backfire when after I withhold her from pink and she sees it, she’s going to cling to it and demand it! But I will fight it!  Fight it I tell you!

Her name by the way is Ruthie May.  Ruthie means companion or dear friend and May, depending on the website, means the 5^th month of the year, which is my favorite J, but also, it means great.  So she’s a great companion! 

Darling Ruthie,

Though you may hate me later in life for withholding pink from you, or embarrassing you, or destroying your dating life, the love that your father and I have for you is and will always be immeasurable.  I’m scared to death that I’m going to down right suck at this (please don’t say that until your in high school at least), but with the help of our Mighty God and your sweet, sweet father, you will surpass all of our wildest dreams!  I’m so anxious to hold you. So anxious.  Sigh…

Love, mom

The First 16 Weeks...

The Hard Stuff...

• I have not had coffee in over 90 days...no caffeine for that matter.  I still think about it every morning.
• The baby flu-  I lost a grand total of 13 lbs. Some may find this GREAT! but I just have started gaining weight with in the last 4 days.  I was generally fearful.  
• Being SOOO tired.  I was ready for bed last night and it was still light outside.
• Heart burn...I have been pretty fortunate to not have to deal with much sickness or digestive problems.  Tums and me...now we're like this!
• Brushing my teeth...nathan finds this slightly humorous...generally, gagging is NOT humorous.
• I can't leave the dishes more than a day or else the smell is just bad enough that i gag the whole time.  I confess, I have worn a nose plug doing dishes.  
• My brother-in-laws/future brother-in-laws/Boss/any other male in my life who teases me who says I'm "milking it."  I could slap you right now, and no one would bat an eye..."hormones," they'd say.  And I would play right along!  

The AWESOME Stuff...

• I can't/shouldn't change the litter box.  Nathan tried hard to get rid of the cat, but i told him he couldn't cause me stress b/c i was pregnant.
• I gag every time i take care of the dogs, so Nathan took over doing that as well...only when i'm really brave or i really want to impress him do I find my nose plug and forge through...
• That whole, CREATING A HUMAN THING!  That's pretty sweet!
• I've starting looking at my reflection in buildings and things out and public and giggling...it's just different than looking in the mirror at home.  Makes it more real.
• I get LOTS of Sleep.  (Well, lots of time to sleep...i toss and turn alot for comfort sake)
• Maternity Leave...need I say more. 
• This may be TMI but let's get real...my boobs fit my clothes!  Awesome!
• I can get away with not buttoning my pants...no one else knows, but i do.  :)
• I have lots of people around me that I can ask questions.  LOTS!  
• The gushy stuff...right before bed at night when Nathan puts his hand over on my tummy.  I cried the first time he did that...extra emotions, ya know.  Now i just smile.  
• The butterfly flutters.  He/She's not big enough yet to flat out kick me, but I def feel movement.
• My change in diet.  Besides my crazing for morning hash browns, im eating tons of fruit, almonds, cheese, lots of water, granola, good carbs, an occasional bowl of ice cream, but nothing too fatty or greasy!  
• My perspective in life is changing hard core.  I'll be the first to admit im pretty self centered.  How are things going to affect me?  I can definitely see a shift in perspective...what about Nathan, the Baby, the family...
• I CAN NOT WAIT for my baby to know Jesus! For the learning and the questions!  I dont know how prepared I'll be, but I'm def. excited!  

I know there's tons more...but these things stick out the most.  The Awesome stuff outweighs the bad right now a gazillion to 1.  I'll try to post belly pictures soon...but im still in the fat stage...not looking pregnant yet. 

I stayed up a little late last night thinking about the child birthing process...(I swear if you could read my  thoughts like I read Katniss Everdeens, you'd not stop laughing...her and Petaa are what i though about after this) freaking about the pain and the needles.  I've decided that I HAVE to tell the doc that I CAN NOT see the epidural needle.  And if I do see it, then i'm screwed b/c then I wont want it but then I'll be even more scared b/c of all the pain to come.  Then i doze off and dream I'm a bodyguard in the Hunger Games, and then i wake up thinking about that... humorous.  And last week, dreams about buffalo attacking people and me losing Daniel Monahan's non-existent dog and missing a class and calculators...oh the dreams.  

Man, I've got to stop.  I am all over the place!  Needless to say pregnancy is so entertaining in my head, yet slightly uneventful on the outside.  

A Man of Few Words...

So, we were meeting at this bar for nathan's friend, Ronnie's, birthday.  I knew it was gonna be bar food, and I knew that I would prob want a Coors so I thought I will try one more time.  I felt so weird and nathan and I had been praying for this, so i'd try.  

I swung by the walgreens on my way home.  I picked up the ept and some other things to make it look like that wasnt all that I was picking up.  The guy that checked me out at the register was nice and polite.  As he handed me my bag, he said,"If you are congradulations.  We just had our first and she's the best."  I met his eyes slightly shocked...."Thank you...my husband and I have been praying really hard."  We exchanged smiles and i left.  

I got home and first thing I did was clean the cat's litter box.  I dont know why i remember that.  I think it was to convince myself that I still has responsibility stirring around in my head somewhere...and it needed it...Then me and the ForFor (that's my cat) went to the bathroom.  And I prayed.  I prayed out loud that i could really use a nice cold beer but i would trade beer for the rest of my life for this to be the chance to have a baby.  I took the test.  I didnt look at it.  I set on the counter and I prayed again.  Nathan had his Bible sitting right on the counter there, and I opened it.  And read it...

¹ “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

   ⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

That would be John 15:1-8  I shed a tear and smiled big and picked up the test... It was light.  But i just knew it.  I hopped in the shower fast and the whole time i just knew it.  

I made myself extra cute b/c i felt extra cute.  I WAS PREGNANT! :)  I was meeting nathan there. I was trying to figure out the whole ride how to tell him.  I knew he wouldn't say much, whatever he said.  But i still wanted to be clever.  It had snowed enough to make things slick and I knew nathan would have to get up and work the next morning.  And it was COLD and his coat was in my back seat.  I met him in the parking lot of the bar and he immediately was ready to go inside b/c he was cold.  I said hey wait.  

"You and I are gonna have a baby."  *not very clever mind you...*

"Ha! Really.  I really dont know what to say right now." Big Smiles. 

He hugged me and kissed me and we headed in.  He ordered me a root beer and we held hands almost the whole nite.  He was taking care of me and that spoke volumes.

I'm pretty sure we're not ready, but that's not important.  God's got that under control.  We've started the worrying process...money, house, insurance...but we'll be just fine.  I know it.  I just know it.  

Wow....a baby... hmm...

Thank you, Jesus. 

27 New Uses For Old Things...

Not sure how everyone else's new year has started, but the refreshing idea of newness and starting over always is a reassuring feeling for me.    I like to start with a clean house, rested, and with my head in the right place.  I am doing a new yearly fast this year, so hopefully that's gonna make me feel better.

I am an avid REAL SIMPLE reader also, and I always love the "New Uses for Old Things."  So here is a list that I came up with of things that I use, and some that i don't.... and some that are just plain awesome that are ingenious!

1. Coffee Filter- Clean your windows with these to avoid the leftovers from a paper towel. (Newspaper also works as well.)
2. Sand Paper- Can be used to clean the pills off a sweater.  This can also be used to show wear on jeans.  Also, scuff up the bottom of shoes so they're not so slippery.
3. Clear Nail Polish-  There is SO MANY uses for this!  
• Put a dot on to stop runs in tights
• Put it over screws on your glasses and they're less likely to fall out.
• Seals envelopes
• Put it on the bottom of your shaving cream to avoid those gross rust marks in the tub or on the counter.
4. Old Wine Bottles-  Stick these in your boots to keep the shape.
5. Pencil erasers-  Have you lost an earring back?  Just snip of the end of a pencil eraser and stick it on.
6. Toilet Paper/Paper Towel Rolls-  Another, multiple use item...
• I have cut them up and decorated with them
• Can be used in the bathroom of little girls to keep all their hairbands in one place.
• Paper towel rolls can be used to roll up scarves so they don't wrinkle.
• Shove plastic bags inside fore a compact way to store bags when you get home from the store.  Any that don't fit get recycled.   
7. The Lone sock- From hair curler to decorator to organizer
• Long sock- cut the end out of it and use it to create curls overnight. Video Here
• Long sock- string all your wires through it behind the TV or computer to keep all your wires untangled and out of the way
• Short socks- use as foot protectors on your furniure with legs when your moving stuff around a lot.  This will help not scuff up your floors (esp. wood!)
8. Empty veggie/fruit can- need a biscuit cutter?  Just cut the other end out and use it as a biscuit cutter...Not to mention, covering it with fabric or modge podging something on it for a pencil holder (or holder of anything really...)
9. Golf Tees-  Having a bunch of different kinds of breakfast muffins?  Use different color golf tees to tell which is which...
10. Ziplock Bag- Another Million use item..
• Don't have a piping bag to decorate a cake or cupcakes?  Cut the corner off your ziplock bag and squeeze.
• Amazing at the beach.  Keep the items you need to keep sand free in a ziplock.  
• Funnel for filling salt and pepper in shakers.
• Put your graham crackers or oreos in a ziplock to crumble for your crusts.
• Blow up large bags with air and use them as package padding when mailing stuff.
11. Shower curtain rings- use them on a pan hanger and sting your scarves though them.  
12. Paper Clip- for when a zipper breaks!
13. Hair straightener- Much more convenient to straighten ribbon and to touch up small spots on a shirt.
14. Empty 2-Liter- This can also be used to stick in boots to keep the shape.
15. Ceramic Tiles-  Redone your kitchen or bathroom floors and have a spare ceramic tile?  These work great as pot trivets!  
16. Dental Floss (unflavored)-  This is sooo valuable in the kitchen!  With brittle cheeses like goat and feta, use dental floss to cut it.  Also use dental floss for leveling cakes.  And because most of us don't whole chickens or turkeys every week, use it as bakers twine for Christmas and thanksgiving.
17. Old gift boxes-  These are great for delivering a cupcakes.  Cut about 8 "x" in the top that will fit your cupcakes.  I have used this one multiple times...
18. Muffin Tin- 
• In the kitchen, these work great as turned over to set hot pans on, to portion things, or to 
• For crafts, use these to separate paints, beads, really anything that you need contained.
• For garage sales, we use these as our change holder inside a Tupperware container for our change box.
• Before a party, scoop out ice cream into each spot and stick them in the freezer.  Then, you don't have to battle the ice cream scoop in front of guests.  
19. Wine Glasses- Turn them over to place candles on top.  I have also seen wedding tables used these turned over with flowers under the glass and candles on top.  Pretty cute.
20. iPod/iPhone/MP3 Speakers-  Just place it in a bowl!  Creates an easy amplifier.
21. Plate holders for a picnic- FRISBEES!  
22. Silly Bandz- Can be the perfect wine glass tag.  
23. Straw- strand one side of your necklace in it to travel!  Helps avoid tangles.
24. Sheet bags with zippers- GREAT for storing kid's coloring books and crayons, you can also store fabric and ribbons in for those crafters out there.  
25. Empty picture frame- put a pretty peice of scrapbook paper in there and use it as a dry erase board!
26. Counter Paper towel holder- Stack your ribbon up!  Pretty looking too!
27. Potato bag closers- Ya know those plastic things to hold bags closed?  Use them to determine which plug is what on a powerstrip.  Just write what it is on the tag and clip it on.