How Do You Like Your Granola?

Crunchy Granola

This is a term used to describe women who:

"characterized themselves by or define themselves by ecological awareness, liberal political views, and support or use of natural products and health foods."...see also: nursing until child is self-weaned, water birthing, homebirths...

I don't consider myself to be a crunchy granola woman although I do very much do many things that one would attribute to that lifestyle.

- I am still nursing Anya at 16 months. I have every intention of nursing her until she weans herself. I am looking forward to possibly tandem nursing her and her brother/sister when I have another baby.

-  I cloth diaper. I enjoy it so very much. My friend Lindy and I like to call our daughters, Miss Fluffy Tushy, in their cloth diapers because it really poofs out their hindquarters, haha!

- I buy organic whenever possible. It' just TASTES better. Many times it's smaller than the other products and more expensive, but it's so worth it. 

- I attempted to have a homebirth with a midwife but couldn't because I had gestational hypertension and no homebirth midwife would come near me =[

- I attempted to have a waterbirth at the hospital and will most CERTAINLY strive toward this goal with my next child. I couldn't have a waterbirth with Anya because I was in labor SOOOO LONG that I just gave up mentally and asked for an epidural. I do not regret this decision because my body was exhausted and I couldn't handle it anymore after 17 hours of labor...after receiving the epidural I still labored for another 15 hours!! It was ROUGH!!

- I fully support women who nurse in public. I see nothing wrong with it and I think children that observe them and don't understand should be told that those mommies are feeding their babies with milk that their bodies make. We allow our children to walk through the mall and be exposed to skimpy clothing and Victoria's Secret posters, so what's wrong with a mother naturally feeding her child?



Well, that's a little about me. Not really crunchy granola, more like natural rolled oats from the Amish market :D  hahaha!

                                                       ~October 2012~

Susie

~Happy 27th Birthday to my little sister, Susanna!!!~


-Susie is a very good sister-friend of mine. She is my sister and my friend :D

- I see Susie more than all of my other sisters combined. It's not that I don't love my other sisters, I just see Susie more because I feed her dinner every night and she spends her weekend days here. We also attend the same church.

- Susie and I are on the same page with MOST of our views and interests

-Susie looks the most like me out of all of our siblings

-Susie is so very generous and loving to all of her nieces and nephews

-Susie is going to make a great wife one day because she is very loving and she doesn't take others for granted

-Susie is beautiful on the inside and the outside!!

Happy Birthday, Suz!! I hope this year is a great one!! GOD has truly blessed you in all things!

                                          ~Susie and I drew these beautiful pictures!~
    

~My One True Love~

MUSH ALERT! MUSH ALERT!
THIS IS YOU FAIR WARNING THAT I AM ABOUT TO BE SUPER MUSHY!!!!!!


James....oooooh that name is just the cutest name around, isn't it? I used to not like it that much because let's face it, there are A LOT of James/Jimmy's in this world. It ranked #1 Boys name from 1940-1952 and was #17 in 2011 so it's still VERY popular! 

But this isn't just ANY James I'm talking about, this is MY James!! 

James and I met at Target while I was shopping and he was working, in April 2002 and became pretty good friends when I began working there the following month. He was rough around the edges and quite a mean guy but he always had this very nice respect for me and my beliefs. I am a Christian and he WAS a Wiccan. 
In Jan of 2004 James gave his heart to Jesus and after spending a year denying that there would ever be any kind of romantic connection between us, we began dating. My Dad, who was dying of cancer was overjoyed. He had always prayed for a good Christian man to come love and care for me. We began dating Feb 12, 2005 and Daddy passed away March 23, 2005. James and I were engaged May 7, 2005 and married October 21, 2006.

But those are just little snippet details, let me tell you WHY I am so in love with him

#1. James STRIVES to love and treat me just at the LORD commands him to. (Ephesians 5:25)  James strives to love me just as Jesus loves His Church. James is so selfless and giving in our relationship. He very often puts me to shame (though he does not realize this) because he is so eager to love and adore me and I sometimes take it for granted.

#2. James is a SUPER hard worker. He in working full time, in online Bible college full time and he runs the youth and young adult ministry at our church which provides the home that we live in. He is amazing and loving and very organized and thorough in all that he does. 

#3. He's got great hair... What?? I'm allowed to pick out some of the physical attributes of my love! I once heard a preacher who was speaking on relationships say, "Looks aren't everything, but they are SOMETHING" You need to be attracted to your husband or wife...and I am very attracted to James. Like I said, he's got great hair, and he's got these eyes that can make me blush. He just does this certain thing with them sometimes and I come unglued! 

#4. He is an AMAZING father!! He loves Anya so very much and I love to see him with her. Anya loves when Daddy comes home from work! It's so cute! She runs to the door saying, "Dada Dada". He's not afraid to change a poopy diaper or wipe a boogie nose and he enjoys bathing her and snuggling her. He is just her most favorite person! I honestly believe that if it wasn't for the fact that I'm the only one that can nurse her, she would choose Dada over me every time! haha!

#5. He's just the perfect man for me! He's exactly what I need and the LORD knew it and blessed me so very much by giving him to me! I love you, James!!!!!!!!!!


- I realize that we are not the best looking couple in the whole wide world, we aren't thin and pretty, we aren't rich and barely have a penny to our name, but we belong to each other. He is mine and I am his and that is what matters. I wouldn't trade him for anything! He is my one true love and I am so much more blessed than I could've ever hoped for!!

<3

                                          ~6 year anniversary~

 

Background Music

Do any of you enjoy background music?

 I certainly do! But only if I'm not trying to talk to someone! haha!

I enjoy listening to music while I blog, check my emails, or cruise around Pintrest. Everything from hymns, contemporary Christian, 80's love songs, rock ballads, and movie theme songs. There's not too much I don't like...


...BUT...


...it HAS got to be instrumental piano music! If it's anything else, particularly singing, it's too distracting and I can't concentrate on what I what to write.

I think it's because I grew up in a home where Mom played the piano and I don't ever remember not having one. Mom used to play almost every night and I guess I got used to doing chores, homework, and yes, even watching TV, all while hearing piano music in the background.

I do miss that aspect of my life. I miss my Mom so much sometimes and listening to instrumental piano music while I do work really helps me to remember those good times...

Here are some of my favorite Youtube links:

- In Christ Alone

-How Great Thou Art

-How Firm A Foundation

-All I Ask Of You

-Weekend In New England

-I Would Do Anything For Love

I miss you Blog!!!

As you can tell, I haven't blogged in a while =[

My computer is broken...

I miss blogging...

Oh, Jimmy, PLEASE fix my computer soon!!!!

Undercover Boss

I really enjoy the show Undercover Boss on CBS. It's really just an amazing show all around. Not only do the big cheeses of these big corporations have to step in and do the jobs of the "little people", but they get a HUGE dose of reality in how HARD those "little $10 an hour jobs" really are...I also like that at the end of the show the "big cheese" usually gives rewards to some of his very hardworking employees. It's always so wonderful to see people being appreciated and loved on. I would like to be a big CEO one day, but only if it meant I got to go around all the time and reward people, haha! I think I'll look for that job starting tomorrow! LOL!!!

                                       ~Please enjoy this random photo of toys by S or G~

~About Me~

Just some fun facts about me:

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
     Nope. 
 
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
    I cried two weeks about when I saw this video about how Jesus is with you all the time. You can
    view it here

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
    Yes, My mom used to say I had the neatest handwriting in the house! I miss her handwriting

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
     chicken breast
 
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
    yes


6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
    yes, I think I would be, I'm a fun girl :D

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
     not really

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
    yup

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
    no way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
      Cinnamon Toast Crunch!

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
       haha! Nope, I never do!

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
      yes. My dad used to say (in a thick Russian accent) "Big girl work in tractor factory"

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
       Ben and Jerry's Cookie Mint

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
       Their voice

15. RED OR PINK?
       neither...

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
       Sometimes I can be quite irresponsible with important things, like giftcards!

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
       My Momma and Daddy

18. WHAT IS THE PAUL MCKENNA TECHNIQUE THAT YOU NEED TO WORK ON THE MOST?
       Huh????

19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
       no shoes here, just my bare piggy toes

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
       A strawberry banana fruit twist

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
       Sarah DesLonde eating and talking on my couch...and complaining about the Barney
        episode that Ani is watching

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
       Yellow, because I'm such a ray of sunshine! LOL!

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
      fresh cut grass, honeysuckle, the shore, Christmas trees, Ani when she's fresh from the bath, Thanksgiving morning
 
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
        Paula

25. MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE?
      Beach house for my beach house ministry

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
      Mets or Yankees baseball

27. HAIR COLOR?
      brown

28. EYE COLOR?
      green

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
      nope. I like my glasses :D

30. FAVORITE FOOD?
      mmmmmmmm, precious foooood! haha! Ummmmm, I guess my homemade taco ring

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
       Happy Endings

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
       I think it was Pillow Talk

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
       A light blue vintage Star Wars Episode IV shirt

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
       Winter

35. HUGS OR KISSES?
      Yes

36. FAVORITE DESSERT?
      The black tie mousse cake from Olive Garden

37. STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO?
      Both are important

38. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?
       Yes, I like to be on the computer while I watch TV, haha!

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
       GOD in Math

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
       Laptop, no mouse or mousepad here

42. FAVORITE SOUND
      Jimmy's voice

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
      neither

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
       Florida

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT
      yes, keeping my cool when dramatic people annoy me

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
       in a hospital

47. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW?
       in my house

48. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR HOUSE?
       white

49. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR CAR?
       green

50. DO YOU LIKE ANSWERING 50 QUESTIONS?
       Sure did, thanks for asking :D