{happy times}

Meri’s arrival

March 21, 2012 5 Comments

{Meri – having her range of motion checked just a short while after birth.}

When it’s time to arrive our babies like to come fast. This we know. It is a huge blessing in some ways and a little crazy in others. We have discussed the idea of a home birth before, but never felt it was right for our family until this last birth. There are risks that need to be calculated. We have always had low-risk pregnancies. Labor and delivery have never been complicated. We had our doctor do all the blood work and was on board if we needed to suddenly – or not-so-suddenly – have a hospital birth. We decided on two mid-wives we love and trust. Ones that insist on proper care and will transport at the first signs of need – no egos there. We consciously made the decision to have a home birth and there were so many ways our family was blessed by this decision.

A few reasons I loved a home birth:

We had a fairly relaxed atmosphere. We were not rushing to hospital (it is a 20 minute drive – quite a bit less when Katey was about to be born).

We felt prepared and learned so much along the way. I learned which vitamins and supplements would help with a lot of my symptoms. (flavinoids and cayenne for varicose veins; calcium and magnesium for charley horse cramps in my legs; overall better nutrition and exercise for arthritis; water, protein and walking for swelling; & bland diet and papaya enzymes for heartburn} I loved learning about more natural ways to provide relief.

I took better care of myself. Especially towards the end I reported weekly on my water intake, exercise (yoga and walking) and sleep. It was my best pregnancy yet, in huge part to taking responsibility for my care. I loved the personal care from my mid-wives. Texts and phone calls to check in were common.

I also learned a lot about the birthing process. I learned how to tuck my chin to my chest to help curve the spine and help the baby along. We planned on a water birth and were able to have that at the end of labor and delivery. Barely. Labor is fast for us. By the time the pool was full Meri was almost here. The warm water totally muted my contractions and I was able to focus for the delivery. Huge blessings. I breathed through contractions and gave gentle pushes between contractions to allow time to stretch. Every other delivery I have torn – partly because of the speed of delivery. This time we were able to slow the process a little by breathing and waiting and the outcome was much better. A little nick, nothing more – and it healed up on it’s own.

It was wonderful to have Jim Bob deliver Meri. After the head and shoulders were through (the tricky part 🙂 ) Jim Bob took over and was able to place Meri in my arms. She was then wrapped in a towel and we enjoyed meeting each other face to face.

Pure happiness.

My home is a wonderful place to recover. Jim Bob made sure we were stocked up on Cottonelle toilet paper, a variety of cranberry and grape juices, and crushed ice from Fred’s.

There were a few things I missed about having a baby at the hospital. I missed the baby heart monitor. I love hearing the sound throughout labor. A baby’s heartbeat can be checked often at home, but it wasn’t quite the same for me. The nurses. I miss the nurses in our small hospital fawning over our new baby – often the only one there at the time. Our little ones would get three baths in the day we were there. It was always fun to watch the sweet, excited nurses.

I know not all women would be able… or would even want to have a baby at home, but it was wonderful for us. We loved our experience and packed up our pool (minus the liner) for future use.

Meri a few days later:

Filed Under: {happy times}, {holidays and celebrations}, {Ta-Da! accomplishments}

Love Stories, con.

March 19, 2012 Leave a Comment

Dear you,

Here are four love stories from the files (photos from a few years back) and one recent one.

{credits: here}

Evidence of a perfect day.

Fishing lessons from daddy. Nachos on the shore. Mini-adventures for all – exploring and discovering. Snuggles and photography for mama. The perfect day? For us – yes! Case closed.

{credits: here}

Drewby was so concerned when he would wake up and his favorite car was on the floor. He knew he had gone to sleep holding it! Here’s his solution – a little kite string and a lot of winding – silly guy. We did not let him sleep like this – just took a whole bunch of photos and then carefully unwound.

{credits: here}

Decorated bag, cute love notes, and a “sugary snack”. Lunch essentials. 🙂

{credits: here}

Perfect for me. My sweet 3-year-old LOVES her baby sister. I hear her whispering and talking to her all the time. This phrase is one of my favorites – “You are the perfect sister for me.” *sigh* Recording this moment so she can remember what it’s all about.

{credits: here}

“Daddy, graham crackers and a book… simple joys are truly the best.” Okay – that’s what I wished I put on there – left off the truly part, but we can pretend. 🙂 Also lovin’ on my hunny – who later told me that he tried to angle the Baby Haiku book just right while I was snapping photos – he wanted that light on her face. love.

Did you find a heart on each layout? The lunch one is a teeny bit tricky. <3

Hope your day is a perfectly snuggly one.

Much love, Becky

Filed Under: {digital happiness}, {happy times}, {Jessica Sprague}, {tickles and smiles}

March Forth…

March 19, 2012 3 Comments

I’ve been crushing on this site: Purdue Avenue

What’s not to love about a site that features crafty goodness, photography tips and inspiration about life? As promised, it is a site that leads to all things fabulous. See?

{Click on any of the photos to go straight to that project.}

The tutorials are thorough – complete with pictures and ooze creativity. I would not mind taking up permanent residence on Purdue Avenue.

One of the contributors is my very good friend Mandi. I *adore* her. She posts sweet and fun weekly layouts of her family. Weekly! She also makes adorable stuff like this:

and this:

And inspiring things like these:

Cards can be downloaded here.

Mandi does all the research and lets you know the best products and process. Even those photos turn out cute.

Mandi made my blog header – I’m so blessed. Have you noticed that my puddle splashes change each time you visit… or refresh? Try it out. 🙂 Love! And she sent me the cutest package when Meri was born. Mandi found things I had pinned on Pinterest and made them for me. All in my color I chose for last year. Who does that? Mandi. She’s amazing.

I love her idea of setting goals on March 4th. I always need a refresher by then.

Here is my first week in March goal:

My comments on the blog: “I have spent a full day contemplating. Then I realized there is more than one week in March and that took some of the pressure off. 🙂 So I decided. This week I will not let my perfectionism keep me from starting. Yes, there are things that I put off doing because I know they won’t be perfect in the near future. I’m going to start anyway. Starting with a newsletter I volunteered to make… over a month ago.”

Almost week later – “I did pretty good on my goal – it wasn’t everyday though. 🙁 And there my perfectionism peeks out again. So – I’m gonna celebrate what I did accomplish! ready? * Newsletter for the Humanitarian Center? started, finished and delivered. hurray! * a guest blog post for the 1940 census blog? sweet. fun photo shoot for said post? can do. Except not a 1940s radio in site. Instead I sketched a radio for a backdrop and let my little ones dance in front. It worked and I think it turned out even cuter than my first idea – love. And my final one? I haven’t hung anything on one of my bedroom walls because I’d love to re-paint it sometime. So here’s a beautiful wall needing a little color with no holes at all. I decided it’s okay to put a few holes in it while it waits to get painted. It’s right by where Meri sleeps and I put up the most beautiful yellow cloth banner EVER. And it makes me smile.

Thanks for getting me started Mandi!”

Here’s my goal for this week:

Some posts from my draft folder, some formulating in my brain… consider yourself warned. 🙂

Filed Under: {digital happiness}, {happy times}, {one little word}, {Ta-Da! accomplishments}, {tickles and smiles}

behind the scenes…

March 13, 2012 4 Comments

Yesterday the post I wrote for the 1940 Census blog went live.

You swingin’?

The blog is all about generating interest for when the 1940 census is made public on April 2nd. More about that on this post here. 🙂 Have you indexed? It is basically transcribing handwritten or typed images into digital images so they are searchable. My favorites so far have been draft cards – there were some fascinating questions in Ohio. All types of records are being indexed so they can be searchable for family history. I’ve always been a people watcher. I love the time period of the 40s – and I’ve been indexing for a few years and love that too. It kinda just all came together for me to be a blog ambassador for the 1940 Census Project. 🙂

Here are a few back-stage photos behind the post.

My cast of characters:

By characters, I mean characters:

The fun backdrop:

I imagined a 1940s radio for my little ones to dance by, but wasn’t able to find one in real life. That’s when I sketched one on a roll of butcher paper and hung it in our treehouse.

It works – and I think it’s kinda whimsically fun too. Don’t you love when things turn out even better than imagined?

Could not have pulled it off without my man and his skills:

Although we didn’t need it, he knows how to work the reflector too.

We got some great shots:

And lest you think the whole shoot was frosting and sprinkles, I captured this fine moment:

To make the post have a more 40s feel I turned the photos black and white. SO very fun.

Happy Indexing! 🙂

Filed Under: {1940 census}, {happy times}, {Ta-Da! accomplishments}

contemplating life

February 25, 2012 4 Comments

What is life all about?

Spit bubbles?

Peek-a-boo smiles?

Perfecting the art of coo?

Or something else entirely?

Back to contemplating…

p.s. For me right now life is about spit bubbles, peek-a-boo smiles and cooing. So thankful.

p.p.s. All photos of Meri taken by Jim Bob yesterday (February 24th) and appear in chronological order. Sweet, silly baby.

Filed Under: {happy times}, {tickles and smiles}

Freckles

February 7, 2012 Leave a Comment

Is there anything cuter than oreo freckles?

Nope, I didn’t think so.

Filed Under: {happy times}, {tickles and smiles}

Month of Love

February 5, 2012 1 Comment

During a lesson a few weeks ago at church we were challenged to show love everyday for the whole month leading up to Valentine’s Day. Simple or grand, well thought out or spontaneous – show love. The sweet sister teaching the lesson talked about how “all people are our brothers and sisters, children of our Heavenly Father”. She said she might be taking it a bit literally – but how do children show love? There was a whole list on the board – children are so good at it! That was the other aspect of the challenge – share child-like love – whole-hearted. Cute notes on pillows, weed bouquets, prayers, hugs and big kisses… a whole month of love.

Here’s my first week:
Made cherry pie for JB, explained gingerbread nativity and let little ones go for it (had all the parts for about a month – kept putting it off – no longer 😉 ), painted Katey’s nails, let Katey paint mine, made banners for Family Story Night with lots of help :), had a baby!, nursed, loved, snuggled, sweet-talked, repeat :), back rub for the mister, and shared my brownies.

The last one might have been the hardest. 😉

I loved President George Albert Smith’s thoughts in the same lesson, “… the more we give of that which is uplifting and enriching to our Father’s children, the more we have to give. It grows like a great fountain of life and bubbles up to eternal happiness.”

It’s been wonderful focusing on showing love in simple ways. Care to join me? It’s down to a little over a week now – but truly, anytime is a good time to show love.

Filed Under: {happy times}, {holidays and celebrations}, {tickles and smiles}

Meri Jane

January 22, 2012 4 Comments

America Jane Pipes

born the 18th of January at 6:10 pm

8 lb. 19 3/4 inches long

red hair, blue eyes

Such a sweetheart! 🙂

photos captured by Jim Bob, how I love that man.

Filed Under: {happy times}, {Ta-Da! accomplishments}, {tickles and smiles}

A short time ago in a land not too far away…

January 7, 2012 6 Comments

a fun event took place. Our ward’s second annual chili cook-off occurred on October 21. Thrilled that it happened for a second year – with bishoprics and Relief Society presidencies both having changed this last year. Our bishop and counselors this time were also good sports and along with their wives gave beautiful performances as the “Squeeky Cheeks”. A fine musical group with colorful bow-ties that played rousing renditions of ol’ time favorite songs – with their instruments of choice…balloons. Sometimes the silly fun that causes tears to run down your face can be so bonding and downright enjoyable.

We once again tied two quilts and had a wonderful evening.

I decided to enter a new kind of chili (because I was feeling dangerous, spontaneous and decided – what’s to lose? – except the candy bar prize I suppose. Luckily it paid off. 😉 ). Introducing:

Buffalo Chicken Chili

I heard about Rachael Ray’s recipe and checked it out. I’m sure it’s yummy, but I didn’t have some of the ingredients and I wasn’t too sure about lots of celery in a chili – although I do love bleu cheese. And no beans? I just couldn’t do it. So instead I took my basic recipe:

Chili

Put four cups of beans in crock-pot. Fill water to within an inch of the top of crock-pot. Add palm-ful of salt, 3 oz. chili powder, 2 cloves of garlic, 3 liberal shakes Chicago Steak Seasoning by Weber, small handful dried onions and a dash of crushed red pepper. Cook for 6-7 hours. Throw in 1/4 lb. browned ground beef and tomatoes or salsa.

…And then substituted using 3 kinds of beans (white, pinto and red kidney) instead of just pinto as usual. I then added a whole bunch of hot sauce, chicken chunks, and a little more hot sauce.

Ready for my award? (we won’t talk about the fact that about half the pots of chili there win prizes. 😉 )

That’s right! Thankfully I didn’t eat but a small nibble of my chili that night – there were too many other yummy ones to taste! Not sure I would have wanted that result. 🙂

And the inside of the prize: