Something is definitely wrong.

I know something is wrong because I'm no longer feeling nauseaous 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
It snuck up on me about 3 days ago.
I woke up feeling, well, how can I explain it other than, I felt good! I didn't feel like I was going to throw up, I wasn't gagging at every little scent that came happened to cross my path.
This must be it!
Dare I say my morning sickness is over?
It can't be. I've been used to this sick feeling for 18 weeks.
Now I can actually eat again like a normal person. Yippee! I'm so happy.
To celebrate "No more morning sickness" my Husband toook  me to my favorite Mexican Restaruant and I had a great big bowl of Chil Colorado.

 It really hit the spot.
Sure, I had a bit of heartburn later in the day but an antacid tablet took care of that.
Now I can let out a big sigh of relief.
That was a long, roller coaster ride of nausea but I'm glad it's all behind me.
Time to tackle all of the baby stuff that need to get done before the baby arrives.
I can't wait to see this little monkey!

A little bit of sweetness from my daughter.

I had a particularly bad day of morning sickness. My daughter took it upon herself to make me a "Get well Card".
She gave it to me in the morning as I was lying on the couch, feeling sorry for myself.
She hoped it would help me to feel better.
She handed me the card and then rubbed my tummy and told the baby, "Stop making Mommy sick". It was such a cute moment.
The card really did make me feel better.
It was a reminder that al of this nausea will be worth it in the end.
Thank you sweet Daughter, I love you!

Who are these kids and why are they so sweet?

I have had an awful bout of morning sickness/nausea today.
I've been lying on the couch most of the day trying to rest and keep my mind off of how horrible I feel.
Both of my children stayed home today due to the storm that hit us late last night.
As lunch time approached I wasn't sure how I was going to make lunch for the children and my Husband who would be joining us for lunch at any moment.

Then, out of no where, without me having to say anything, my darling, 7 year old son asked if I wanted him to make lunch? Of course I was ecstatic that he offered. I wasn't exactly sure what he was going to make, but I knew he'd figure something out.
My daughter immediately jumped in to help.
They proceeded to gather together all the items needed for PB & J sandwiches.
My son spread the peanut butter, my daughter spread the jelly, they also put some sliced fruit on the plate and topped it off with peanuts.

I was so proud of them. How sweet of them to help me out!
When I told them that I was very proud of them and that they made my heart smile, my son said, "I'm sorry  you are so sick Mom. I hope you feel better soon so you can do things with us again instead of lying on the couch all day."
What a sweet heart.

Sometimes I doubt myself as a Mom and I wonder if I'm doing a good enough job in raising my children to be responsible, caring, independant people. It's days like this when I know I'm doing a good enough job.

Bargain of the day!

Can you believe I found this lovely dress for only $3.99?

I consider myself a frugal Mom and I love a bargain.
I was at my local Savers thrift store the other day and I came across this beauty for under $4.00!
I thought it would be a lovely Easter dress for my daughter.
There are tons of bargains out there ladies, if you haven't been to your local neighborhood thrift store recently, I encourage you to get out there and start shopping!
It's a great way to be green too, don't you think?


Linked to:
Coastal Charm

Slow cooker chicken posole (mexican stew)

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken trimmed and cut into 1 in. pieces.
1 14.5 oz. can hominey (yellow or white, it doesn't matter).
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies ( I used rotel).
1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies, drained
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, such as onion, pepper and celery. I use fresh vegetables and sautee them till softened.
1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
1 garlic clove, minced1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4tsp. black pepper
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges.

Preparation
1. Place all the ingredients except the lime in a 4 to 5 quart slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, 4-5 hours on high or 7 hours on low.
Serve with lime wedges.
May also garnish with chopped cilantro.

This only serves 4, so I usually make a double batch and freeze some for later.

Linked to: Tasty Tuesday Parade 
All things Related Tuesday

Wanna know if it's a boy or a girl?

I want to know too.
However, we won't be finding out the sex of the baby.
Sorry to disappoint you, along with all my other friends and family, but we've decided to not find out.
We didn't find out the sex with our first two pregnancies and it was the best surprise in the world.
It killed me to not know if I was having a boy or a girl.
I'm the kind of girl who does not like surprises!
I was the kind of girl who snuck around the Christmas tree at night when my Parents were asleep and I would search for my presents and carefully peel open one side of the package to see what my gift would be.
Bad, I know.
That's just me.
Fortunately, my Husband talked me into waiting.
Thank you, sweetie for talking me into doing something that I didn't want to do, it truly was worth the wait with each birth.
There was no sneaking around this time.

So just keep in mind, if you know someone who is pregnant and they don't want to know the sex of the baby, be nice to them. Don't ridicule them or exclaim, "What? You don't want to know what you're having?"
I'm sure they have their reasons. They just might want to be as surprised as we were when I thought for sure I was having a boy and I heard those beautiful words I'd been waiting to hear, "Congratulations, it's a girl!"

Hand made jewelry

A few of my creations that I have made with my own two hands.
I started out making jewelry about 2 years ago.
A friend of mine showed me how to get started with the basics. Once I found out how easy it was to do, I was addicted.
I sell some of my items on etsy, but mostly I sell to friends and family. Knowing how to make your own jewelry really does come in handy when you need a last minute gift for someone.Here is just a small sample of some of my items.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask.



Enjoy!

Why do they call it morning sickness?

I'm currently 15 weeks pregnant with my 3rd child and I'm glad to say I've never experienced morning sickness.
Really, I haven't.
It's not fair to call it morning sickness when it's 24 hours of nausea.
I prefer for it to be called "All day sickness" because I've been nauseous all day for the past 8 weeks.
Today has easily been the worst day of "all day" sickness during this pregnancy.

The only thing I have had to eat today was some french bread with olive oil, a few orange slices and some tea.
I am so hungry, yet I can't seem to keep anything down.
My husband and children are currently in the dining room chomping down on some pizza and listening to the soothing sounds of "House of Pain."
Oh, how I wish I could eat some and groove out to the music with them.
My poor tummy is just growling away.

Here is a list of all the foods that currently disgust be which I hope to be able to eat again someday soon.

• Pizza
• Salad
• french fries
• red meat
• pasta with red sauce
• bananas
• rice
• eggs

I know there are more to add to the list, but that's all I can think of for now.
I will just continue to ride this carousel of nausea unil it stops.
I do hope that is soon.

Crockpot chicken chowder

There are not too many foods I can eat these days. Being 4 months pregnant and still quite nauseous, I have to pick my meals carefully.

I came across this recipe online and it is delicious, easy and kid friendly.

Anything that my children eat willingly, on their own with no whining, I consider to be kid friendly.

Enjoy!

Crockpot Chicken chowder

• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 potato, peeled, cut in 1/2" chunks
• 4 chopped green onions
• 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, in 1-inch cubes
• 2 cans (approx. 15 ounces each) cream style corn
• 1/4 cup mashed potato flakes
• 1 cup skim or lowfat milk
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation

Mix all ingredients except cheese, potato flakes, and milk in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through. Stir in potato flakes and milk and cook on HIGH, uncovered for 15 minutes until chowder has thickened and flakes have dissolved. Top with cheese before serving.

Serves approx. 6

southernfood.about.com/od/crockpotchickensoups
Linked to: All things related Tuesday

The Simple life

"Happiness consists not in having much, but in being content with little."
-Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington.

I came across this quote today and it really hit me. It helps to remind me to be grateful for what I have in life.
I don't live in a mansion, I don't have expensive jewels or wear designer clothes.
However, I have a loving family, I have a roof over my head, I have food in my pantry.
It may not be a glamorous life, but it's my life and I'm content.

It's days like these when I miss you the most

Days when my kids won't stop arguing.
Days when I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.
Days when I want to make enchiladas for my family, but I can never quite seem to get the recipe right and make it as delicious as you used to.
Days when I'm lonely and I just need someone to talk to.
Days when I want to tell you something cute or funny that one of the kids said.
Days when I feel like I'm having a nervous break down and I just need a shoulder to cry on.
Days when I've created something with my own two hands and I want you to know that I really did inherit your creative gene.
Days when I'm nursing my son's broken arm and I want you to tell me how to make it all better.
Days when I hear my unborn baby's heartbeat for the first time and I'm overwhelmed with emotion.
Days when I want to ask you if you see me as a child when you see my Daughter.
Days when I've had a rough day and I want you to comb your fingers through my hair and tell me, " Everything is going to be ok".
Days when I want you to see what a pretty good person I've grown up to be.
Days when people you used to know say, "Wow, you look just like her".
Days when I hear someone playing the piano and it brings tears to my eyes because it makes me think about you and the beautiful music you used to play.
Days when I look down at my hands and for a moment I swear that I see your hands.

Today is that day. Every day is that day.

I miss you every day of my life. I'm so grateful that I had you in my life for 23 years. You were my best friend.

I love you, Mom!

Love always, Your Daughter