Weekly Chat ~ Dec 3 - Dec 9 - Page 2 « Back to Group Discussions

[nstewart]

Originally Posted by adventuregirl 

Hi Mamas! Been a busy week, so I am just finally catching up here.

N - the cold kicking remedy sounds great. I wonder if I could get dd to keep the socks on tho! I may try it on myself with my next cold.

Our tree has been up for a week and we are loving it. Lights outside too, and around the inside of the house, I love, love lights! I actually did my cards this weekend too, I NEVER get them done this early. Feels great! Still struggling with gifts for 2 of my brothers...what do you get for single dudes in their 20's? And these I have to send to FL, so gotta get them done soon.

DS kind of protested when I put the first wet sock on, but as soon as I put the wool over top he was totally fine. 

For your brothers, do they play video games?  My DH is not single or in his 20s but he always wants the new NHL game for play station (he can play with his brother and my nephew online which is pretty cool since one lives 6 hours in one direct, the other 4 hours in another direction).  Do they live on their own or own homes?  Tools are great.  Some key ones (according to DH) are circular saws, sazall, and a really good drill.  The drill would be the main key tool.  Are they outdoors-y?  DH got a headlamp last year and holy is it handy!  Great for camping, but we've actually used it around the house a ton (looking for Christmas decorations in our crawl space most recently).

I am loving our tree too!  We have it on a light switch, so DSs job when we get home from work is to turn it on.  He loves all the lights and I am so excited that he is so exctited for Christmas. We are actually doing Christmas cards for the FIRST time this year!  I feel like such a grown up.  I picked up stamps today, DH is printing the cards this evening, and I will be addressing envelopes I guess.

I think I need to do a to-do list as I'm starting to get stressed about Christmas' quick  approach.  I have a few gifts left to get, I need to do baking and prepare some other traditional foods (perogies and neleshniki for sure!), get the Christmas cards sent....Plus I really want to make it magical for DS this year.  It's so cute and awesome that he "gets it" this year!

[AmandaLynnH]

Hi everyone!  Seems like most are doing well now that we got Bailey off the ledge.  And Times, look at you meeting people!  Happy you found someone who isn't a jerk to you, you certainly deserve it.

No minivans here, at least not that we're planning right now.  I have a Saturn Vue and DH has a Nissan Sentra.  The car seat will be interesting in his car but mine is the primary vehicle so hopefully everything fits ok.  I do worry about cargo room when we travel since we normally put the pup (a 65 lb german shepherd) in the back seat.  She'll probably be ok sharing it with baby though and we can still use the floor in between the seats for storage too.  I hear that babies don't exactly travel light.

Our tree is up, our gifts are all purchased and wrapped except one to wrap (needed to find a box big enough to ship it).  Actually looking forward to Christmas since we'll be at home and 4.5 hours away from my mother and all her drama.  How do people handle presents with the kiddos?  I was reading about the one want, one need, one to wear, and one to read and liked that.  I also like the idea of using the holidays as a time to go through the kid's stuff and teach them about sharing and giving to others by getting rid of a few toys in anticipation of getting new ones. Maybe picking out a gift for toys for tots too.

I'm planning on going back to work after babe is born.  Kinda have to unless the bank decides to give us our house as a baby gift.  Now granted, my mother is crazy, so for me, I was my mother's identity, like I was a limb or something, so I look forward to showing my children that while you're a parent you're also a person and they don't have to be your identity.  I certainly don't think that's the case with 99% of SAHMs, it was just my experience with my crazy one.  Plus, again, for us, I'm sure the kid would like to eat and have clothing as it gets older so I probably should continue to help with the bacon bringing.

[Quinalla]

Well, we did it, got a new Honda Odyssey last night and I already am in love. DH is sad to see the MDX go, but he's happy that I'm happy and that the kids will be safe and comfy and we'll be able to travel with all our stuff like normal. It's nice because this car is so very similar controls-wise to the MDX (since Acura is just Honda's luxury brand) so there is minimal adjustment needed. I was pointing out all the cool parent/kid-friendly stuff in the car (tethers at every position, latch at every position except middle of the 3rd row, the built in sun shades, the peek-a-boo mirror built in so you aren't messing with your rear view to see the kids, the awesome sliding doors that you can open automatically from everywhere, etc.) and he said "Yup, it's like a breeding machine."

We got us a sweet deal on the car and a great deal on the trade in and 0.9% financing, so I'm quite happy. Got a 2012 of course, but got it way below invoice, gotta love the deals before the end of the year! Thanks again for everyone for the advice and info.

DD also informed me last night, "We don't bite friends, we bite cheese!" after she got done eating a piece of cheese. I told her that was correct, too cute

[CoBabyMaker]

Yay!  That's great! 

DD also informed me last night, "We don't bite friends, we bite cheese!" after she got done eating a piece of cheese. I told her that was correct, too cute

So cute!  She's right!  I usually try not to bite my friends.

[adventuregirl]

Katie & N - thanks for the suggestions! I thought I had settled on locally made toffee (SO delicious!), but then talked to my mom this am and my youngest bro is having some major stomach problems, so I will be taking your suggestions to the street!

Katie - awesome on the car! I was just listening to something on the radio this am about how Dec is the best month to buy and this year in particular due to some overstock issues the car makers got themselves into.

Amanda - you are ON IT! Good job, I need to take xmas prep lessons from you!

Next weekend I am planning to make Christmas cookies with dd. I am looking forward to it as I plan to share a lot of them this year (i don't always have an opportunity to do so), and that makes me happy. What I hate though is that dd's school has a rule where you can't bring in anything homemade, all food has to be store-bought. So poo on them for not getting any of my awesome cookies!

[CoBabyMaker]

Sheryl, that would frustrate me too that you can't bring anything homemade!  I am sure they do it for safety reasons and allergy labeling but there is so much junk in most store-bought things.  What kind of cookies do you make for Christmas?  Growing up my BFFs mom used to make gingerbread men for our entire class and bring them and all sorts of goodies for us to decorate!  It has always been one of my favorite memories.  I remember being so proud of them that I would bring them to my grandparents' house 5 hours away to show them.  As a mom I realize what a lot of work that was so make and gather enough for the whole class!

NStewart, What do you  fill your neleshniki with ( I had to look that up by the way)?  I have never had perogi before but they always sound SO good.  I love anything potato!

My SIL called this morning to tell DH and I that she is pregnant!  We are so excited for them!  We are the only ones that know right now so that's kind of fun too.  I was laughing at her though because she is an ultrasound tech so she has been scanning herself at work instead of getting a pregnancy test. (Even though I do agree to ultrasounds part of me worries about that many but that's up to her.)  She will tell the rest of the family when she can see a good heartbeat.  Yay!  What fun!  Now if we could just get them to move back here so I could snuggle her baby too!  They are in New York and we are in Northern Nevada so visits are rare. 

Well, our advent activity went not quite as planned today.  It was fine, just different.  We were supposed to read The Gingerbread Man book and then decorate a paper gingerbread man because we don't need the sugar and I'm too lazy to make real cookies.  Turns out the kids either destroyed or lost our Gingerbread man book so I had to find a reading of it on YouTube.  I was glad that was an option so I didn't have to tell it from memory.  Then when they were coloring the gingerbread men I left the room to do some laundry and returned to DD2 with a very blue face and mouth.  I let out a "Aack!"  which I think scared her.  I felt bad that it upset her.  I didn't mean to it just wasn't what I was expecting.  It cleaned off easily though and we glued on some raisins for eyes.  All is well.  I think she's still a bit sensitive from her cold. 

I'm trying to decide on neighbor gifts:  Hot cocoa with homemade marshmallows, apples with homemade caramel dip or some savory cheese and herb crackers maybe? 

[nstewart]

Originally Posted by CoBabyMaker 

I'm trying to decide on neighbor gifts:  Hot cocoa with homemade marshmallows, apples with homemade caramel dip or some savory cheese and herb crackers maybe? 

Oh man I'd be happy to receive any of those!  I've always wanted to make homemade marshmallows (watched it on Alton Brown's "Good Eats" once) but it seems very intimidating.

Perogies are REALLY easy to make, and nelesniki is even easier.  I do bacon/onion/chedder perogies (the trick is to cook the onion and bacon really slowly so they almost melt, then mash all the fat from the bacon right in with the potatoes).  They blow anything store bought out the window.  Nelesniki that we make are filled with a mixture of dry and wet cottage cheese, a bit of egg to act as a binder, salt, pepper and dill.  You bake them in cream.   I am not ukrainian at all, BTW.  A mix of Scotish (dad) and total mutt (mom).  But grew up in a very ukrainian area and for my family Christmas isn't Christmas without these ukrainian treats (and cabbage rolls, but I haven't made those myself yet, although I do make them with my MIL who is half ukrainian and who even does her own sour cabbage leaves the old fashioned way).  If you want any recipes, let me know!

Sheryl, cookie making sounds fun! The no homemade rule would bug me too, even though I agree that they probably do it for food safety issues.  And I agree with  Co, all that pre-packaged stuff is usually full of things that are bad for the kids!

Glad to hear you scooped such a sweet deal katie, and that you are loving the van so far!

Amanda, I'm a bit jeleous that you are DONE shopping!  Wow.  I guess I'm not that far off, but of course just have the hard stuff left! 

[adventuregirl]

CBM - I think all of your neighbor gift ideas are awesome! Homemade marshmallows sound super special too!

I think this year I am going to make sugar cut out cookies (dd's must), chocolate chip and these divine things called butterscotch bars. They are crazy good and really simple to make.

N - I grew up on perogies, my Grandma was Polish and always made them, my absolute favorite! I've never made them myself, but really should try, esp since we do buy the frozen ones sometimes.

Any fun weekend plans out there? Not a whole lot going on here, shopping, wrapping and assembling packages to send are my main objectives. We are supposed to get snow and I really hope we do! We have had extremely little so far this year (like two very early snows that produced barely anything that would even stick to the grass) which is really unusual.

[Quinalla]

I think we'll probably buy some ornaments (and maybe an Advent calendar) and decorate the tree (it has lights on it already, artificial tree), might also get a wreath or a couple wreathes to decorate outside with. DH will do more work in the basement and I want to start going through the storage bins he brought up from the basement to trash/donate stuff I don't need and get the rest organized, may not get it all done, but I want to get a good start. Otherwise, probably go to the grocery store and laundry, normal weekend stuff. Oh and I would like to get the carseats in my minivan and see how everything looks. Might get the rest of the Christmas gifts for DD that we want to get, we'll see.

[Kate&Joey]

I still need to decide on Christmas cookies.  FIL's extended side of the family has their big Christmas party next weekend and there is a cookie swap.  Last year I only did toffee cookies.  This year I want to try these red velvet brownies (recipes in this month's Southern Living) because DH loves red velvet anything.  I also saw a recipe for sweet potato sandwich cookies filled with a cream frosting. 

This weekend = crazy.  I started dreading it last Monday. 

Tonight is spirit night for DS's school at a pizza place, but this is good because I'm not cooking.  Tomorrow morning, DSD has her first indoor soccer game.  Then we are planning on getting a tree.  Tomorrow night is my work holiday party.  Sunday morning, we're going to try to see Santa.  Sunday afternoon, DSD has offseason soccer camp.  After that, we need to go straight to her outdoor team's end of season party.  I'm tired of being in the car already!  Of course, none of this is convenient for us because we live 30 miles away from her mother and she signs DSD up for all of this stuff without discussing it with DH.  Sigh....

[Ghislaine]

Originally Posted by CoBabyMaker 

I'm trying to decide on neighbor gifts:  Hot cocoa with homemade marshmallows, apples with homemade caramel dip or some savory cheese and herb crackers maybe? 

Mmmmm, my vote goes to the savory cheese and herb crackers!  LOL  

Our weekend:  I'm taking our daughter over to my in-laws where she'll spend the day.  When I pick her up in the evening we'll head to the airport to pick up my husband who's been in India all week.  I can't decide if I should have a dinner ready at home somehow or just eat out since we'll be out near the restaurants anyway.  Sunday morning I'll take our daughter to church to let him sleep in then I think it'll be my turn for a nap!  I hope my husband never has a week+ long trip while neither my parents or my in-laws are available during the week ever again!  

[BaileyB]

I have read all the posts that were put up yesterday but I think they went in my head and out without me even comprehending any of it.

CBM - Those neighbor gifts sound nice. I just ordered a yogurt maker and am hoping to master that thing in time to make some home made yogurt for DH's office people. There's only 4 of them and 2 are married to each other so it shouldn't be too hard

Quinalla - When do you find out what genders you are having?

kate&Joey - Those sweet potato things sound yummy.

Sorry if I forgot anyone. I'm sure I did. I have been suffering from major pregnancy brain. I need a note to remind me to take my grocery/shopping list with me and then I still forget something that was on that list.

DH works part time for our township and gets paid once a year, which happened lastnite. We were expecting to check to be big enough to pay off the new carpet and linoleum we put in this last July. It ended up being $800 bigger than we expected so that was a nice surprise. DD and I went shopping for a few nice things for the baby. I got some nice muslin swaddling blankets with cute prints, a few baby boy clothes since we have none, some little boy booties, and a big box of nursing pads. I also got a new maternity tank and sweater thing and got some ingredients for a few special suppers at the grocery store. Tomorrow we have cookie baking with my relatives and then more cookie baking on Sunday with my MIL. I am glad DH will be around and with us both of those days because I have been getting wore out quickly lately. I feel good the first part of the day but by 3 I am low on energy and some crankiness sets in, then I have been having a cup of coffee and watching tv for about an hour, then I am good until around 7 then I basically have to quit everything and just coast until I go to bed. I feel a little useless but its not as bad as the first tri tiredness. My bff was over today to take our Christmas card photo and she is 26 weeks pregnant and she said she had been feeling tired too so I am glad its not just me.

Is anybody drinking raspberry leaf tea? I started some a couple of days ago (only 1 cup a day-ish) and it has really brought on some BH's. Maybe I should stop until closer to third tri.

[pastormama]

Is anybody drinking raspberry leaf tea? I started some a couple of days ago (only 1 cup a day-ish) and it has really brought on some BH's. Maybe I should stop until closer to third tri.

Me!  I picked up my herbs earlier this week at the health food store, and starting daily drinking 2 quarts of water infused with 1/4 C alfalfa, 1/4 C red raspberry leaf, and 1/4 C nettle overnight.  I felt some slight tinges of cramping, but nothing alarming to me.  But in my first pregnancy I never had a BH, never even had a contraction until my water broken and I had to be augmented to jumpstart labor.  Plus I can tell the nettle is helping keep my swelling (that was already just starting to pinch my rings!) to a minimum.  I really dont' mind the taste.  I make it double-strength in a one-quart jar, then dilute with water with lemon or orange juice as I drink throughout the day.  I find it pleasantly grassy, just a little bitter.

[nstewart]

Well, after a crazy busy day today I don't think my weekend should be too bad.  This morning I had an ultrasound (anatomy scan) and it was somewhere I hadn't been before.  So, after accidentily sleeping in and rushing out the door, DH and I got lost trying to get to the ultrasound place.  DS was a total monkey while we were there (bad idea to bring him in retrospect, but I wanted to include him in the event and remember going with my mom when I was the same age and she was pg with my sis) and DH and I were both grumpy and hungry by the time we left bc we skipped breakfast in our rush.  THEN DS and I dropped DH at work and I went to COSTCO (always relaxing ) with DS, then the farmers market so I could get some produce, and DS could play in the indoor playground.  As I was there I got a reminder for a chiro appt I had totally forgotten about, on the other side of the city!  So I called and they moved my appointment ahead an hour.  So DS and I rushed across the city, stopped at home on they way to throw the fish and prawns from costco in the freezer, and made it to the Chiro on time .  If you are still reading this, you deserve a medal! lol.  The afternoon I spent cleaning the house as my in-laws are coming tonight for the weekend. Thankfully, I did sneak in a short nap while DS was napping. But, now that that is all done, I should get to just enjoy haning with them and going to our company Christmas party tomorrow night.

Kate, a cookie exchange sounds awesome!  Those red velvet brownies sound  amazing!  Good luck with yoru weekend, it sounds busy busy!

Ghislaine, I vote for a restaurant, but maybe not indian .

Bailey, did you see the Modern Family last week where Gloria had total pregnancy brain?  DH and I had a good laugh at that episode!  And hey, how exciting about DHs extra pay!  Those unexpected bonuses are always extra awesome!  I haven't started RRL tea.  I did drink some in the third tri when I was pg with DS and actually enjoyed the taste.  Just havent really gotten around to it this time, and likely because I'm not in the habit of drinking tea.  Pastormama's blend sounds really interesting.  I'd esp like to avoid swelling this time as I suffered so bad when I was pg with DS.

[Quinalla]

BaileyB, we will find out genders on January 9, so not long now! I drink a cup or two of RRL tea every work day, I usually forget to make it on the weekends. I did the same with My first pregnancy. It doesn't cause BH that I notice anyway and I love the taste. I drink it all the time as it helps with period cramps too. If you are going to drink a lot, just buy a lb of the leaves from someone, I usually just do red mountain herbs or amazon. It is cheap and will usually last longer than it is fresh

We got some ornaments last night and will put them up today once DH wakes up. DD and I are watching Nightmare Before Christmas right now. I will probably make some cookies, but I don't know if am motivated enough this weekend! Definitely some spritz, probably oatmeal raisin (DH's fav), and sugar cookies with lemon&orange zest. Might do some cookie cutter cookies and frost and decorate them, but the spritz are cookie press cookies so I will at least have Christmas tree shapes from that and I can do wreathes too.

[CoBabyMaker]

NStewart, What a fun tradition to have, even if you're not Ukranian.  I really should try making them sometime but I get nervous making things like that if I haven't eaten them before.  I feel like I'm not sure I'm getting it right since I have nothing to go off of.  Are the frozen ones even sort of passable so I can get a feel for what they should be like.  I think I've seen them at Trader Joe's.  Your day sounds REALLY busy yesterday. I hope you have a nice relaxing weekend with your ILs!

Oh and I think I saw the Alton Brown episode where he made marshmallows.  If I remember her piped them which sounds harder to me.  I just put them in a pan and cut them into squares with a greased knife.

Kate, Those sweet potato cookies do sound yummy!  Would you PM me the recipe please? Hopefully all the busy-ness goes smoothly for you this weekend and you can fit some rest in there somewhere!

Ghislaine, I hope you had a nice time welcoming your husband home last night!  I would want to go out for dinner too!

Bailey, Yogurt is a fun idea for neighbor gifts!  I never thought of that.  What great news about getting extra money-that's always nice.  I have never heard of someone being payed once a year like that, how interesting.  I haven't started the RRL yet because it just doesn't sound good still but I should.  BTW, I love the picture of your DD in the laundry basket- cute!

DD2 has been waking a lot at night and then waking really early.  She's getting her molars and I'm sure that's why but I could do without it.  Not really sure what's happening around here this weekend since the girls and I are getting over colds.  DH wanted to go on a lunch date today but we'll see how the girls are feeling first.  We could really use some time together.  It's just been such a busy time!

[BaileyB]

CBM - My DD just went through the same thing with getting up at night and then getting up early. She is also getting her molars. She hasn't been acting too terrible during the days as long as I can keep her really busy but she is chewing like a puppy! I finally set up her "coloring table" that I got at a garage sale 2 years ago and then she got that slide and basketball hoop so I have been rotating those with some new cartoons from netflix.

nstewart - I didn't see the episode but I saw the preview where she tries to get out of the car while the other chick is still driving. I laughed at that. I am almost that bad.

Yesterday we did 8 hours of cookie baking. My legs actually were swollen at the end. Owie. I get a weird swelling in each leg behind my shins and it feels weird. It was gone after our car ride home but today my pubic bone pain was extra sore. MIL and I both decided we didn't feel like baking today so we mutually cancelled another round of cookies. We also had a "blizzard" (deemed that by the snow mongering weather people). We got maybe 3 inches of wet stuff but tonight it is suppose to get to -20F and a high of 10 tomorrow with like 40 MPH winds. DH drives all day for work so he is thinking he will stay home, which is kind of exciting since he is the kind of person who has to keep busy all.the.time but tomorrow he might just be stuck inside with us all day! Yay!

Quinalla - I just saw that you mentioned you are making spritz. We had such an issue getting the dough the right temp to come out of the gun yesterday. I was hoping to make a few dozen but got out maybe 1 dozen.

[BaileyB]

Also, according the thebump.com my baby should be the size of a mango! Wow!