Happy New Year!

We did have a happy New Year's Day, spending the day with almost all of my immediate family at my parent's house. It was a busy, full day but much fun for all of us. That was on Wednesday and then Saturday morning we hit the road for a 3 hour drive to a family get-together with my Mom's family. It was fun to see my aunts, uncles, cousins and Grandpa again; the last time we saw most of them was about a year and a half ago which is hard to believe! On the way home our car heater decided to really work (instead of just sort-of work, like it's been doing despite all of Daniel's efforts and work to get it fully functioning) and it was nice to finish the trip with nice, warm toes. :)  The girls handled all of the festivities and traveling very well, but we are all SO glad to be home and finished with parties for a while!!

 Breakfast with her new curly straw.

I have spent a lot of time working in my sewing area, cleaning it up, doing some re-arranging and now I am eagerly awaiting 2 pieces of furniture from my sister that will fit perfectly with my storage and surface needs!! There are some other, very exciting, new things going on in the sewing department but I want to save those for another post. :-)

Coloring with new Christmas gifts from Aunts and Uncles

On Tuesday I had my 30-week appointment and I continue to really like my new OB (I switched from the one I used for the first two pregnancies). It was another good appointment and everything is going great and healthy. The babies heart-rate was the lowest it's been yet, 138, which made me wonder for the first time if maybe this baby is a boy. Only another 10-ish weeks until we find out! I did do something that was a little different for me and got the recommended D-TaP vaccine. Ouchie!! The shot didn't hurt, but about 30 minutes later my shoulder started aching and the next 48 hours it was very sore. Thankfully yesterday was a little better, and today it only aches a little. Now I know why Sylvia kept saying her leg was "ouchie" for several days after her last round of vaccines!

 Both girls, but especially Sylvia, love to rock. 

Their new rocking chairs from Grandma and Grandpa are perfect!

It has been cold here (undoubtedly the topic of everyone's conversations lately!) and we have been keeping the hungry wood stove well fed! Daniel does a great job of hauling in firewood which makes my "feeling super pregnant lately" days so much easier. When all the conditions are just right (mostly the dampers adjusted perfectly, which I'm still learning!) and the 2 box fans running on low, it can get the old part of our house up to a comfy 70° - 72°! It is nice to keep our electric bill low even though it cost Daniel lots of energy to split and stack the wood.

 After supper one evening Susannah asked Daniel

if they could snuggle specifically like this.

I have been in a forever-long slump for meal inspiration (maybe just tired of the recipes I've been using for years? I don't know), and this week decided to go back to The Nourishing Home's menu plan for this week and next (and for however long I decide to keep doing it). I have followed her menu plans loosely before, and all the recipes have been very good!! The menu suggestion for lunch today (these sandwiches) looks really different and I hesitated making them. However, after reading the reviews I decided to try them regardless of how "strange" they looked. The girls loved their sandwiches and I thought it was very good myself! I think my carrot:cheese ratio was a little different than the recipe calls for, so next time I'll cut back the carrot and up the cheese and it will still be yummy!

Coloring

Yesterday was the day to make another big grocery shopping trip to Costco and Kroger. I don't remember when the last trip was but it was before the week of Christmas at least. I always feel like the stuff I bring home should last several weeks or a few months! I guess in reality some of the stuff does, like the toilet paper, laundry soap and so on. This trip I did buy a few things in preparation for when the baby comes: paper cups, paper bowls and plastic utensils (we already have a big supply of paper plates). Since we can't skip eating (so I will have to cook or heat up food), we can't wear disposable clothes (I'll have to do laundry), and my last two babies took an HOUR to eat each feeding for the first many weeks, I am aiming for "less is more" in the work department this time around. Less dishes to do will make a huge difference in the transition period, I know.

Today it is cold and rainy. Just warm enough that it's rain and not snow. I wouldn't mind the snow but I know the rain is a good thing when I consider that it is watering the earth and eventually ends up filling our well providing us with running water.