Six Word Saturday- Aug 28, 2011

Pretty simple to participate, you just describe your life, or something, in only 6 words. Then you go back to Show My Face and link it up. Feel free to check out all the other six words too!

 I’m on modified Bedrest until 27weeks!

 

Yep, you heard it right! Friday I went to my regular check up,  with no worries at all! Turns out there where things to  worry about.  I have already begun dialiting. EEP! I’m not far along yet, but I am only 29 weeks so I shouldn’t be dialated at all. My doctor said… go straight to the hospital to get admitted and started on steroid shots. The shots help develop the babies lungs, just in case I do deliver early.

Not what I wanted to hear, nor was it really how I wanted to spend my weekend. I was going to be child free this weekend and had made plans. I was going to register for my baby showers, do some swiming in my mother in laws pool, plan my baby shower. Now, all of a sudden, I am to go straight to the hospital and be admitted right away.

I spent the night in the hospital, and was sent home. The resident doctor came in said “oh your fine you can go back to work, don’t worry about it” i was nervous at that, but exctied because lord knows we need the money. Then not long after MY actual doctor came in and said.. “no, we are going to place you on modified bedrest, I don’t want you on your feet for more than an hour at a time” SCARY!! She said that I am on modified bedrest until I reach at least 36 weeks. If I make it that long I can go back to work if I want to. Key word there being IF!

Here is what I can/cannot do:

I can go up/down the stairs UP to two times a day.

I can go to the store/out UP to two times a week.

I can do slight cleaning, no moping, no scrubbing the floors (no laundry, because its in the basement) etc

I can relax in the bed, couch or chair.

I CANNOT take a walk around the block, to the car and back.

I CANNOT do jumping jacks (yes she said that)

I am terrified, but I know everything will be okay, eventually!!

 

on a side note check out this baking stone!….

AWESOME!

This baking stone CAN GO IN THE DISHWASHER! It also has movable chrome handles, that can go up for an easy way to take it out of the oven and for carrying, or down to keep the hot surface off of your counters pace. Best thing about it (like there could be anything better) is that it is UNDER $20!!! Get yours here!

Making a change, for the better.

It is always there, watching, lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike its vulnerable prey. I just so happen to be that prey, and my depression is my biggest predator.
It seems to get worse in waves, I will be fine for a while, and then BAM it hits and all my hope is gone. Being pregnant and having all of that added hormone bull crap doesn’t help one bit.
As I was lying in bed last night, trying to fall asleep, it felt like a big wave came and took my under. I so desperately wanted to just cry myself to sleep, but I have done that so many nights that I refused to give into its seducing allure.
My husband was sound asleep, just inches from me, snoring peacefully, after a long night at work. It made me realize that I always seem to be the most depressed when I am surrounded by those that I love.  You would think being surrounded by loved ones would cheer me up, brighten my day, but it does not. I don’t have many friends in this town, and the only family I have is my husbands. It is hard. My husband always tells me “each person controls how they react to a situation.” It is true. I control how I react, and ultimately how I feel.
I decided I need to make a change, and try and look at things on the brighter side. I also need to try and figure out what causes me to be so sad, and see if there is a pattern to the waves. One of the things that will help me in doing that, is to remember to do things for myself every once and a while. That is a simple idea really, but one I struggle with. I don’t feel as though I am worthy enough to do something for me.
Well I started that change last night. I did not give in to the oh so decadent idea of rolling over and crying my self to sleep like the so, so many pervious nights. No, instead, I picked up my kindle and started to read. I got a kindle a couple of months ago, and at first read all the time, then my depression took over and I didn’t pick the thing up for weeks at a time. I even contemplated selling it, why own a $100 electronic if you are never going to use it. Slowly I have been picking it up more and more. I have decided that every night, instead of laying in bed desperate to fall asleep, I will pick up that kindle and read. Now ever since I was a kid reading has given me more energy, rather then tire me out, so I am giving my self a limit. I will read no more than 5 chapters a night, that might seem like a lot, but I read fast. I so wanted to finish my book last night, but instead I put it down once I reached my goal.
Ultimately, rather then being stricken with grief and allowing my brain to go in a vicious circle of sadness, I was able to give my brainy some fictional zombie goodness to ponder.
I am happy to say that I chose to react differently to a situation, and I succeeded.

Menu Plan Monday- Aug 22-Aug 28

Laura, over at I’m An Organizing Junkie, has an amazing thing called Menu Plan Monday. Tons of menus, complete with recipes, and many times shopping lists.

Click on the picture to see 100s of more menus!

Here is my menu, but don’t forget to stop by and check out all of the other menus!

 

Menu Plan Monday! Week of August 22-August 28!!

Monday:  Chili Dogs

Tuesday:  Baked Chicken, Mixed Veggies, Rice or Quinoa 

Wednesday:  Ribs, Baked Beans

Thursday:  Pork Cutlets, green beans

Friday:  Crock Pot Lasagna

Saturday: Pancakes and Bacon 

Sunday: Leftovers 

Six Word Saturday–August 20, 2011

Pretty simple to participate, you just describe your life, or something, in only 6 words. Then you go back to Show My Face and link it up. Feel free to check out all the other six words too!

 

 

 

I need to learn to budget!!

Aloha Friday- August 19, 2011

Hello again my Friday Friends.

For those of you who don’t know, Aloha Friday is a fun meme where you ask a question and other bloggers/friends stop by and answer it!

For more question and answer fun check out An Island Life!

 

 

Last night, while making dinner, I kept getting so frustrated. I didn’t have one of the main ingredients (vegetable broth), and then didn’t think I had the other main ingredient (quinoa.) It made me so mad, that is the whole reason why I menu plan, so that doesnt happen. Well I ended up finding a recipe for dry vegetable broth that you just add to water. It was fantastic! I could drink it! I will keep it handy for next time someone has the flu!!

A couple months ago they were having a sale at my work place on their bulk foods, and since we wanted to get healthy I bought a ton of seeds, beans and grains even though I didn’t know what they were. I attempted to label the containers I put them in, but apparently I didn’t do a good job, because they are no longer labeled! I didn’t know what quinoa looked like uncooked, so I assumed I didn’t have any after all. Used what I thought would be couscous… turns out it was quinoa! haha I got mad over nothing. I do that a lot!

quinoa, with black beans and corn! it was good, we served it inside of tortillas!

You know what I did to make my self feel better.. I did the dishes, wiped off the counter, cleared off the table and swept the floor. Yep thats right, messy, cluttery old me felt better when she cleaned! What is the world coming too!!!

 

My question for you is:

 

What do you do to calm down after you have gotten frustrated over one thing or another??

 

 

 

 

PS… Have you entered A Crazy Coupon Giveaway yet??? If not, what are you waiting for???!!!!

Thursday Thirteen… My week in pictures!

Its Thursday again! Over at Thursday 13, is a blog dedicated to list making! ooooh I am in love already! Every Thursday you share your list of 13, whatever it may be! Be sure to check it out because there is some interesting lists.

1.

This is what I awoke to one morning!

2.

I cleaned my daughters bed room! With her help!

3.

CLEANish (after)

4.

We made homemade strawberry lemonade!

5.

I had chocolate cake.. on two seperate occasions!

6.

I watched my daughter as she put a puzzle together all by her self!

7.

I'm hosting a coupon give away! for more info click here8.

I ate one of my favorite meals! You can find the recipe here

9.

I relaunched my Celebrating Home business!

click here for more information on Cerebrating Home

 

10.

We got to see the baby, and got mixed news!

11.

I watched my daughter paint a rainbow,, most impressively she knew the order of the colors! Including Indigo!

12.

Janice received two new Cabbage Patch dolls complete with accesories.. I love that she loves the same toys I did when I was a kid!

13.

Got to visit with family, and baby kitties! Janice and her Aunt Mandy!

Tackle It Tuesday- Homemade Lemonade!

What did you tackle today? Feel free to share with everyone and link up over at Tackle It Tuesday, hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom!!

For over a month now, Janice has wanted to make lemonade. Every time we go to the store, she wants to buy lemons. Evey time we go to her grandmas, or aunt and uncles, she wants to know if they have lemons so she can make lemonade.

The other day we went to the grocery store and bought 6 lemons, we also bought a pint of strawberries, 3 limes, and some grapes.

Today we decided we would make lemonade… but kick it up a notch and make STRAWBERRY LEMONADE!!! She loves anything pink, and anything strawberry, so she was happy as can be!

We don’t have a juicer, so it was a fun process.

Janice Juicing the Lemons!

She loved Juicing the lemons! She loves doing anything her self.

Janice stiring the sugar mixed with water to make syrup!

She even got to stir the sugar, with my supervision. We had 1 2/3 cups sugar mixed with 1 cup water.

All of our juice!

The Juice from 5 and 1/2 lemons… juiced by Janice!

Mix MIX Mix

Janice loved mixing the lemon juice, sugar syrup, and the strawberry puree. I pureed one pint of strawberries (minus 2), two tablespoons sugar, and 1/3 cup of water.

All mixed together!

The lemonade all mixed together, there are lemon slices floating around in there too, you just cant see them!  She was so excited to have a taste!

YUMO!

She said it was perfect! She had a blast making the lemonade, and when I asked her what her favorite part was, she said all of it, but her favorite favorite part was when she got to taste it!

Our homemade lemonade was a hit, even my husband who HATES lemonade said it was tasty!

On a side note, I am having A Crazy Coupon Giveaway, check it out and be sure to enter to win!

Lets Have A Crazy Coupon Giveaway!

 

I know I said I was going to wait until I had 100 likes on facebook or twitter to hold my first giveaway, but I have decided to giveaway an envelope of coupons!

In part it is due to me feeling generous, but the real reason is that I won’t use them and don’t want them to go to waste!!

 

A CRAZY COUPON GIVEAWAY!!

This is an envelope FULL of healthy and beauty, pet supplies, and some household coupons!

well over $200 worth!!

 

How to enter:

 Mandatory entry: comment bellow and tell me how you organize your coupons, if you are new  to couponing (like me) then tell me that instead! 🙂 and please include your email address so I know how to contact you, you only have to do that once.

Extra Entries: please leave a separate comment for each of the following!

1. Like “A Penguin’s Palette” on Facebook
2. Like “A Greener Gateway” on Facebook
3. Follow “A Penguin’s Palette” on Twitter
4. Tweet about this giveaway! (lease leave link to the tweet)
5. Blog about this giveaway! (Please leave link to blog post!)
6. Subscribe to this blog via email!

The Winner will be picked Saturday August 20, at 12:00pm (noon) CST and will have b24 hours to get back to me! 🙂

Depending on the amount of excitement this giveaway creates, I will be having one of these EVERY TWO weeks!!!

Who doesn’t Love a Give-A-Way??

Once there is 100 likes on either my facebook, or twitter page I am going to hold a giveaway!

You can find the links to the right of your screen!

GET LIKING!

 

The giveaway will be products from A Greener Gateway…. these days who doesn’t want to go green, especially when its free! 🙂

Menu Plan Monday Aug 15-Aug 21 (and I won a giveaway)

Laura, over at I’m An Organizing Junkie, has an amazing thing called Menu Plan Monday. Tons of menus, complete with recipes, and many times shopping lists.

Click on the picture to see 100s of more menus!

Here is my menu, but don’t forget to stop by and check out all of the other menus!

Menu Plan Monday! Week of August 8-August 19

Monday:   Crescent Roll Tacos, recipe and pictures have been posted! Yum!

Tuesday:  Crock Pot Pork Steaks

Wednesday:  Chicken Dumpling Soup

Thursday: Quinoa and Black Beans

Friday:  Sausage and Lentil Soup

Saturday:   Chili

Sunday:   Chili Dogs

I will attempt to post the recipes, and pictures, for all of those meals throughout the week. There are two new meals to this family and I am excited to see what we think of them.

I won something. That’s right… me! 🙂

Kortney, over at Kortney’s Krazy Life, had a Fiber One giveaway. The giveaway was for a box of the new Fiber One 80 Calorie Cereal, a usb pedometer, and an arm band that holds an ipod/mp3 player! I am so excited it will be just what I need to get me out and walking once this baby is born!

Be sure to check out her site because she has a new giveaway going on now!!

Once my facebook site, or my twitter site receive 100 likes I will be having my very first giveaway. SO GET LIKING people! 🙂

I hope everyone has a great week!