We Got Married

 

we got married

Last week we decided to do something special… we decided to get married. This is something that I didn’t expect to happen, well, honestly ever. He always told be that if he got married again, he wasn’t going to rush into which is funny to me because we live together and are expecting a baby in the next 10 or less weeks.

In a casual conversation, over text, Doug suggested we get married before the end of the month. There is a two-part reason for this sudden rush…. the biggest being that in order for me to change my insurance to one that my delivering hospital will accept since they have changed everything after being bought out by a private company. The other reason is that we love each other and we are going to be a family solet’s make it official.

I am not going to lie, I was super hesitant at first because I wanted this wedding to be a beautiful wedding since my first was a shotgun wedding at the justice of the peace. I finally accepted the fact that this wasn’t like my first because I wasn’t feeling forced into it and that we will be renewing our vowels and having a party next year. That will give me a year to plan the beautiful wedding with the dress of dreams.

Still, I am in shock that it all happened and we got it together starting Wednesday. In New Jersey, we have a 3 day waiting period to pick up the marriage license which left us with Monday (today) and Tuesday (Halloween) to get the ceremony performed to make the necessary changes for the insurance in time. We chose Monday because it is my late Grandfather’s birthday which is very special to me.

Once we got the license process started, we had to find an officiant. This seemed to be the hardest part to set up. We tried the local Mayors and they either only did it on specific day, NOT MONDAY, or took forever to get back to us. So I found a website that I entered the details of what we were looking for and gave us a list of officiants in our area plus their fee. I contacted one that I thought looked really nice and had a good rating which worked out wonderful. RevJeff was awesome and thoughtful and I hope he will do our renewal next year.

Last was clothing and flowers… I didn’t do the traditional white dress because I am saving that for the renewal ceremony. Since Doug and I love purple, everything was a shade of purple. I found a dress in the Motherhood Maternity section at boscovs and matched it with a little black cardigan. Well it was so cold that I ended up wearing my poncho to stay warm. Danyella found a pretty lace dress and we let her get “high heels”. Doug already had a purple shirt and tie so that was easy. We got the flowers from a local grocery store that sells really nice bouquets and my sister made nice arrangements for us to hold.

Overall, the ceremony was cold but nice. We had it in the park under some trees surrounded by some of the family that could make it. Since we were keeping it quiet, we surprised everyone by announcing it on Facebook and Instagram which shocked most people since we didn’t have an engagement period. Happy Birthday to my Pop Pop and Happy Wedding Day to Doug and I.

30 Weeks Pregnant And Dealing with Depression

A smile is its sword.Even though post partum depression is still a very quiet subject that most people do not want to talk about, depression during pregnancy is an even quieter subject. I suffered from anxiety and depression long before my pregnancy but went off of my medication once I found out I was pregnant. I would do anything to keep my unborn baby healthy, but at what cost to myself.

Why did I go off of my medication? The type of medication I was on is considered a Class D drug which deemed it unsafe for a growing fetus. So of course I made the decision to put my baby and her health first.

For most of my pregnancy, I was doing well with my depression but my anxiety has yet to get under control. Some days were better than others when it came to my panic attacks but the anxiety has always been there. Whether it has been over things going on with the baby, parenting, family, relationship, our home… anything. In the past few weeks, the panic attacks not only come daily but multiple times a day or hour.

I have tried meditation, positive thinking, audio books on positivity, journaling and so much more but nothing has been working. The other day the anxiety turned to pure depression. I couldn’t move and refused to get out of bed. The tears and depressive thoughts just came in droves and consumed everything in me. I just couldn’t take anymore and this was more than just a hormonal unbalance.

When you can no longer function in your daily life because of depressive thoughts then it is more than just being sad about something. I have talked to my OB about finding a safe medication to go on because I know that I need something to help me through this.  I need be happy about my life again without anxiety and depression taking over.

No person deserves to suffer through anxiety and depression and a pregnant shouldn’t be left to feel ashamed because they need help through this time in their lives. I wish I hadn’t waited so long to speak up because having these panic attacks that lead to depression moments is exhausting for everyone, not just me but my family as well. A happy mama makes a happy baby makes a happy home!


 

Week of Eating Out #feedmefriday

bake breadWhen your week consists of being on the go between classes, mid-terms, doctors appointments, dance, family life and just life itself, being able to cook was not on the menu this week. We ended up eating out for most of our meals or eating the leftovers because we needed everything to be quick and easy.

So I will admit not all of our choices have been healthy ones…. Breakfast was between Dunkin Donuts or one of the two diners that we frequent. The diners are not as bad because I was able to order eggs BUT I had to have my crispy bacon with it which is not so healthy. Lunch was either a diner or fast food because we were on the go from one place to another and really didn’t have time sit for to long to eat. So this was a lot of sandwiches or burgers/fries. Not so healthy either. I did try to keep dinner a little healthier with salads and soup from Panera. I have been obsessed with the Fuji Apple salad and Chicken and Rice soup from Panera lately. The only downfall is that the soup is only available on specific days… that doesn’t work when a pregnant woman is craving something lol. My poor boyfriend has been stopping at Wawa for one of their bowls or ending up with late night cereal after a long day for dinner.

This just proves that I really need to start meal planning and meal prepping because when the baby comes, I won’t be able to just go out and pick up something for breakfast/lunch/dinner. Not to mention how much money we spent on eating out this week. It had to be twice as much as our typical grocery bill budget… that is scary!

With the holidays coming, it will get to easy to try to stop and eat out but I am determined to make meal plans and keep to them. Does anyone have any tips on easy meal planning?

fast food

Recycled DIY Ghost Windsock

DIY Gifts forDad for Any Occasion

This Teach Me Tuesday is so easy and cute and best of all…. kid friendly! This cute ghost windsock is created from an old plastic container, paint, string, tape and toilet paper! I used a leftover chinese container from our take-out last week. I love to keep these containers for all kinds of diy projects and what a better way to use one but to have it be the center of this project!

My original idea was to poke a hole through the top of the container to string the string but the plastic is not flexible enough and cracked the top so my suggestion is to just use tape. Plus using tape makes this 100% kid friendly! So get an old container, paint, toilet paper, string and tape to make your own Ghost Windsock!

Danyella had alot of fun making her ghost though the wind kicked up when she was drying it outside which ended up with grass and smudge-marks on it. I told her that it just gave her ghost some character. Here is Danyella’s Finished Ghost:

 

Vacation Savings Jar DIY #savingsunday

savings jar

This week we are getting hands on with our savings by making a savings jar! The kids love this part because we hit Michaels and the Dollar Store for fun stickers and a jar. I like to pick out a jar with the chalkboard stickers because we can write where we are going and a countdown on the sticker.

The kids love to decorate with the stickers and talk about how we can save money for the cool trip. They can come up with some awesome ideas on how they can help us save money. Usually it consists of giving up a favorite food they like to eat so it is one less thing to purchase in the grocery order or giving up toys or other things to sell on the yard sale groups. I love hearing them get into all of this and it gives them satisfaction to be a participant in the vacation planning and saving instead of the adults telling them what we are doing and how we are saving for it.

Our jar is Disney themed but you can find cool beach, camping and other destination stickers and you can reuse the jar by taking the stickers off using Goo-Gone or soap and hot water which saves for the next trip. Even if you are using this for your spending money on the trip, it teaches the kids how to save and have fun doing it.

What are you going to put on your Vacation Savings Jar?

vacationkids

29 Weeks Pregnant and the Hormonal Imbalance

29 weeks

 

If you have ever been pregnant or been around a pregnant woman when they watch a happy or sad movie, when they feel stressed out or when they are just sitting there and nothing is actually happening? You know that they can be happy one minute, go into a psychcoatic rage the next minute and end up in tears by the end of the moment.

I can’t remember being so hormonal with the other pregnancies but with this pregnancy, I have been off the chart with these hormones. Since the beginning  of this pregnancy, I have been crying at everything or going into a rage and yelling at everyone. I am not one that cries in front of anyone unless it is a huge thing. I don’t cry at funerals or other sad moments. This pregnancy, I cry at everything!

A couple of weeks ago, I started to hysterically cry and Doug just couldn’t understand why I was crying. So between breathes, I tried to explain that I was crying because the puppy was getting more of his attention then I was. All he could do was laugh which just made my crying even worse. I mean really, I was crying over being jealous of the puppy, I am going freaking crazy!

Then there are the movies and tv shows that make me cry… I love to watch my romantic movies but I have been craving the romance, almost like I was forcing myself to cry. Even my tv show choices have had me in tears! I watch my normal shows like NCIS and Hell’s Kitchen but Grey’s Anatomy and This Is Us has triggered tears just a few shows into the season. There is a new show, The Good Doctor, about an Autistic doctor learning how to communicate with his co-workers and patients. Every single episode has had me in tears!

Now, add all my tears to the crazy dreams that send me into rages when I wake up in the morning and it is surpsise that Doug is still alive. The other morning, I woke after another one of those dreams that he was cheating on me with some skinny, pretty girl, and just started hitting him with my pillow. All he could do was turn around with a smirk and ask if I had “one of those stupid dreams again?”! No, I was just wanting to hit you becuase I had a happy dream. In my baby mama group, this has been a repeating topic of discussion about the crazy cheating dreams we have been having even though we know they are not real or going to really happen. Crazy, Crazy Hormones!

Currently, I am torturing myself by watching Call the Midwife for the third time! How can I watch babies be born and not cry? I can’t so bring on the box of tissues while I survive the last 11 weeks of this pregnancy. Also, wish my friends and family luck while they deal with temporary hormonal insanity!

**Weekly Update: We had a growth check on Wednesday and Evelynne is looking great. She stuck her tongue out which made a cute picture. She is weighing in at almost 3 pounds and growing right on track. Everything is keeping closed like I need them to so we have graduated from the bi-weekly ultrasounds which is kinda sad because I loved seeing her so often but she lets herself be known by moving all day and night.

Photo Oct 18, 2 02 18 PM

Cinnamon Apple Pull Apart Bread with Printable Recipe #feedmefriday

How to Do Barely-There Makeup

*This post is not sponsored in any way just my recipe that I enjoy using a product that makes life easier to cook and bake

Cinnamon Apple Pull Apart Bread Recipe 

This is a yummy recipe for easy breakfast mornings, especially in the fall and winter because it fills your home with the smell of delicious apples. Feeds 4-5 People

Ingredients:

-1 can of Pillsbury biscuits (we use regular Flaky biscuits or the Honey biscuits)

-2 apples

1/2 cup of white sugar

1/4 cup of brown sugar

1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

Baking dish of your choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Note on my recipe: I use my ceramic bread baking dish which measures 9″x5″. You can increase the recipe by doubling the ingredients and using a larger baking dish or a bundt pan. Also, I use a covered bowl to more evenly coat the pieces with less mess.

 

Cinnamon Apple Pull Apart Bread Recipe

  • Servings: 4-5
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

This is a yummy recipe for easy breakfast mornings, especially in the fall and winter because it fills your home with the smell of delicious apples.


Ingredients

    -1 can of Pillsbury biscuits (we use regular Flaky biscuits or the Honey biscuits)
  • 2 apples
  • -1/2 cup of white sugar

    -1/4 cup of brown sugar

    -1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon

    -1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

    -Baking Dish of your choice Preheat oven to 350 degrees

    Note on my recipe: I use my ceramic bread baking dish which measures 9″x5″. You can increase the recipe by doubling the ingredients and using a larger baking dish or a bundt pan. Also, I use a covered bowl to more evenly coat the pieces with less mess.

Directions

  1. Cut the Biscuits in Quarters
  2. Peel and dice the apples. Then add them to the biscuits bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix the sugars, cinnamon and nutmeg together.
  4. Add a little bit of the biscuits/apples into the sugar mix.
  5. Put the lid on the mix and shake, shake, shake (kids would love this part). Place the pieces in the baking pan. Keep going until all of the bits are covered with sugar.
  6. Once all of the pieces are in the baking dish, Bake for 40 mins or until all the pieces look golden brown. I place on the bottom rack for 30 minutes and top rack for the last 10 minutes. Let the dish cool 10-15 minutes before serving.

Thankful for My Shower #thankfulthursday

Thankful for MyShower

It is Thankful Thursday and as a pregnant mom, I am Thankful for my shower! Yes, you read that right…. My Shower! My shower time is where I get my mommy time right now. It is my happy place! Do you have a happy place?

My shower time started when I was pregnant with Danyella and was told no baths and no standing for more than 5 minutes in the shower. So, I began to sit in the shower so I could enjoy the steam and water for more then a few minutes. The water dripping on me was like being outside in the rain. Sometimes we need to just feel that peace and be one with the water. This continued after Danyella was born because it became a place where I could almost meditate, relax and clear my mind.

shower

Being pregnant with Baby Evelynne has been uncomfortable between the ongoing morning sickness, growing belly and having a baby pushing against my ribs. Add that to just the stress of needing to move, starting school and being out of work. My shower time is my sanctuary. There are times where I can just sit for an hour or more. The times where I need to take a quick shower, they just suck the life out of the moment of getting out of the shower. Like it is unfinished business that I need to take care of still. My hour-long shower times will be cut shorter after the baby comes but until then I will be enjoying my shower times.

What are you thankful for today?

 

thankful

 

No Fuss Baby Girl Headbands

No fuss baby girl headbands

One item that people always ask me to make are baby girl headbands because they just look so cute especially in photo shoots. The only part that I never liked were, if I made them with ties they would come untied or if I made them with a button then I had to make multiple holes for grow with the baby. After last years, Messy Bun hat craze, I decided to use hair ties to make the headbands grow with the baby because they would stretch over the head and then have a secure, snug fit.

Photo Oct 18, 11 16 29 AM

Since I can never get rid of even the smallest amount of yarn, I am making these headbands out of leftover yarn from other projects. Lately, I have been using the different multi-colored yarns like Lion Brand Mandala and Bernat Pop so no 2 headbands will be alike. Not to say I can’t use solid colors and make them that way which will probably happen in the future.

Now I can’t wait until my live model is born and I can put some of these headbands on her to show off! If you are interested in looking around my online shop please feel free to click the link or pictures and browse ar

Halloween or Fall DIY Glass Pumpkins Decor Under $8 #teachmetuesday

DIY Glass Pumpkin BowlsUnder $8It’s Teach Me Tuesday and we are continuing our Halloween/Fall theme with DIY Glass pumpkins which you can make 2 for under $8! These pumpkins are cute for your porch, table or another place in your house. If you opt to get plastic bowls or can trust your child with Glass (even with the 10-year-old I am weary) you can have he kids participate in making these pumpkins!

Originally, I was going to do one pumpkin and one leaf bowl but our leaves went from green to a yucky brown so it was not even worth the attempt. Some of supplies came from the Dollar store which were the 2 glass bowls and the package of 2 battery-powered tea lights. The Modge Podge, foam brush and tissue paper came from Michaels. The price breakdown: bowls $2, lights $1, Modge Podge $2.50 (40% off coupon used), brush $.50 and tissue paper pack $1= 7! Plus, I have enough to supplies to pick up a couple of more bowls and make more for the Thanksgiving Decor or if I get other tissue paper, they would make a cute gift! img_2148

Directions:

Cut the tissue paper into small squares, rectangles or any other shape you desire

When applying the Modge Podge to the tissue paper on the glass, I always dab the Modge Podge on first to create a sticky surface.

Then, I sponge the Modge Podge over the piece of tissue paper to help the paper soak it up.

Next, I swipe the Modge Podge over the paper to ensure it’s stuck on the glass. For the Jack-O-Lantern, I added the black triangles after the layer of orange was placed down on the glass. Note: A little Modge Podge goes a long way!

After allowing them to dry for a few hours, I placed the tea lights in the bowls and enjoyed them.

Photo Oct 17, 2 13 07 PM