tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32197449632102614272024-02-18T21:30:35.552-05:00Lynsey Van NevelLynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-80995132021008960682018-04-05T14:09:00.002-04:002018-04-05T14:09:47.043-04:00Here's what's happened since November...Here's a super quick, down and dirty account of what's been happening since I last updated! I'll probably make some posts expanding more on many of these events soon.<br />
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We added a new family member the week before Thanksgiving - no, not the one we were expecting to add in March! A sweet kitty cat had been hanging around for weeks, and we finally decided to put in the effort to see if she had an owner. So, long story short, she no longer had an owner, and we decided to adopt her!<br />
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We arrived in Minnesota on November 27, just five days after adding the cat to the family.<br />
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Trevor interviewed at his Dream Air Line on December 7, and received a job offer. There was a voicemail from the realtor when he turned his phone on after the interview. We had a full price offer on our house!<br />
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We spent 10 days in North Dakota for Christmas.<br />
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Trevor received his official class date with Dream Air Line on January 19 - the same day we closed on the sale of our house in Georgia.<br />
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Just like with Hudson, I woke up on the morning of my due date leaking amniotic fluid. And just like with Hudson, it was a long, slow labor that last into the early morning hours the next day. Unlike with Hudson, though, I was given oxytocin and ended up pushing for just a few minutes, not the three hours I had to spend pushing Hudson out! Porter arrived on March 8 at 6:23 am. At 12:30 pm that day, we closed on the purchase of our house in Minnesota! We've spent the last few weeks adjusting to be being a family of four people and three cats in a new house. Porter is a perfect baby who nurses well and sleeps wonderfully!<br />
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On April 2, Trevor began his career at Dream Air Line! He will spend two weeks in the classroom, have about 3 weeks off, and then spend a month in simulators and flight training devices before doing some real training flights. I've got a lot of fantastic help lined up for this time.<br />
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Today, Hudson is hanging out with his grandparents, so it's just Porter, me, and our cats! I'm taking a little time to do what I enjoy before I start cleaning up the disaster area that Hudson has created over the past few days!<br />
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<br />Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-34672356569070946712017-11-12T09:00:00.000-05:002017-11-12T09:00:00.153-05:00We're on the Move!The other big news is that the baby will likely be born in Minnesota!<br />
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After eight years in Georgia, we're feeling a strong call to move back to our home in the Midwest. It's tough to travel with a toddler. Non-revenue travel is tougher each time you add a family member. We're usually lucky enough to get three seats together, but when the time comes to add a fourth seat, we know we won't be able to sit together. Two pairs of seats on the same flight might be more than we can expect, and unfortunately, Trevor's airline only flies one flight a day between Atlanta and Minneapolis.<br />
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And of course, right now, we have a lot of reasons to visit family more often. We have Hudson and a new baby on the way, and my sister and brother-in-law welcomed my first niece in August. There are some milestone birthdays happening on both sides of the family next year, and obviously, spending holidays with family will be wonderful!<br />
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We are planning to build a home not too far from Trevor's parents' current home (they are retired and considering their options right now). We put down earnest money, chose a floor plan, and have chosen interior design schemes for the house. However, if our home in Georgia does not sell, we cannot afford the home in Minnesota. We simply won't have the down payment we want to make, and we're not sure we would qualify for the home loan if we still have the debt from our current home, even if we had a fantastic renter in it. Fortunately, we think we have until January or even February to sell our house and still be able to purchase the one we are building - in the worst case scenario, anyway.<br />
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Though our house has not sold yet, we plan to move to Minnesota within the next month. We will be living in Trevor's parents' house for the winter while we wait for our new home to be completed (and our current home to sell). Trevor's parents will be in Arizona most of this winter, but they will be in Minnesota in December. That will be a huge help as we plan to fly to Minnesota with Hudson and our cats. Trevor will return to drive a moving truck with my car towed behind. Trevor's car will stay in a secure lot near the airport until he can come back for it.<br />
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We are all sad to be leaving. We have had so many good friends during our time here, and we wish we could see everyone before we leave. However, with the unpredictability of the airline industry, we may end up deciding we're leaving with little time to spare. Trevor will get his December schedule just before Thanksgiving. If he doesn't have much time off in December, we will be leaving around 11/28.<br />
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We would appreciate your thoughts and prayers over the next few months as we work out the details of our move and possibly adjust to the wintry life again!Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-85826691577247465242017-11-10T12:49:00.000-05:002017-11-10T12:49:01.780-05:00A Big Promotion!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hudson has been promoted to Big Brother! His baby brother will be arriving in early March (or maybe even late February). I'm currently 23 weeks pregnant. This has been a surprising pregnancy so far, even though it was planned. I use an app based on natural family planning, and the app told me there was a pretty slim chance it would work that month. I realized that <i>that time </i>was approaching, but I didn't feel anything at all. With Hudson, I felt nauseated for several days before I took the test, and it really just confirmed what I already knew. This time? I saw a faint second line and thought it was a faulty test. I took two more over the next two days before I fully believed it.<br />
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Everything has been the opposite of how I felt with Hudson. I'm more tired, but I'm less nauseated. The sciatic pain and stretching soreness were on the left with him; this time, it's all on the right.<br />
I had a strong feeling that Hudson was a boy from the moment I found out, but this time, I had no strong feeling in either direction. We all sort of suspected a girl because things had been so different, so we were pretty surprised when the ultrasound tech put the image on the screen and we instantly saw "boy parts." We've had another scan since then, so we are certain that he is a boy! We have a first name picked, but we are really struggling to come up with a middle name this time around. We're trying to avoid using a J name for the middle name, so many of the classic middle names for boys are out.<br />
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Just like when I was pregnant with Hudson, my cats have been more cuddly, sleeping with me most nights and wanting to be on my lap if I'm not with Hudson. I definitely don't mind! Hudson is in a less cuddly stage right now, so I'm happy to take cuddles where I can.<br />
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And as if adding a baby to the family isn't enough by itself, we have another big announcement! Come back on Sunday for that news. :)<br />
<br />Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-47617525698233924452017-08-01T17:58:00.001-04:002017-08-01T17:58:37.308-04:00Have you seen my mojo?I'm trying to get back into this blogging thing, though I don't think I've ever been too regular about it. With Hudson starting school again in about a week, I'll have six more hours a week to be productive (and that really translates into more like 18 hours because I'm three times more productive when Hudson isn't here). <div><br></div><div>We've got a lot happening in our family in the next few months, so I'm hoping this blog will be a way for me to document what's happening and for everyone else to try and keep up with us! </div>Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-62740519289786460082017-05-01T10:17:00.000-04:002017-05-01T10:17:03.286-04:00Dear Hudson, at age twoDear Hudson,<br />
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Last week, you turned two. I started writing this letter to you more than a week before your birthday, and yet, here I am, still working on it more than a week later. I feel like maybe typing this isn't the best way to go about writing your second birthday letter, but it is what it is. I think a handwritten letter would be more personal, but also probably a big mess of revisions and extra notes.<br />
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Today, I cannot imagine what my life would look like without you in it. No one would be announcing the presence of "poppies" or "geeee-tees" every time a dog or cat passed our house. No one would be pointing out the "panes" flying overhead when I was in the backyard, which would admittedly be very rare if you weren't here. No one would be snuggling with me in the afternoons and watching "Planes" or "Cars" or "Finding Dory." With Daddy having just become a captain and spending more time away from home, my life would be very lonely without you in it.<br />
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You love everything right now. When I went to order your birthday cake last week, I ended up having to say I wasn't ready to order because you would have been thrilled with any option I chose. Batman, Curious George, Dory, Elmo, Lightening McQueen, and Thomas the Tank Engine were all options, and all of them regularly grace our television screens. Dory finally won out because we watch that the most, and the movie is still very popular right now.<br />
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Bubbles, Duplo blocks, small stuffed animals, and crayons are some of your favorite things to play with. You will easily spend an hour or two at the playground, and I know you're going to love having the pool open again in a few weeks. You love to color outside with chalk, so it's a good thing that the Easter Bunny dropped off some new colors last week. I know it would be the best day of your life if the cats would let you hold them, but right now, you've got a little too much energy for them to feel comfortable around you.<br />
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You are very tall for your age. You somehow missed out on any baby chubbiness. You've always been long and lean. People sometimes think you're closer to three or four years old, but I assure them, you're just very tall. You've been wearing 2T clothing for about six months, but many pants and shorts in that size are too loose around your waist. Your shirts in that size are starting to get a bit short. I keep hoping you'll end up at a more normal height and weight because I'm nervous about finding you clothes you'll like and that will fit you when you get older.<br />
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You talk a lot. When you are awake, it's rare for you to be quiet. You even lay in your crib and talk to your animals or yourself sometimes. Mostly, you repeat things right now. "A cat! A cat!" or "A mommy! A mommy!" You do surprise me sometimes with sentences, and sometimes, it's a few sentences strung together. "Yay! I did it!" is a favorite of yours right now. You ask for your favorite foods or TV shows, and you sing the Batman theme song. You can kind of hum along to "Itsy Bitsy Spider," too. You can finish the simplified Bible verses from your preschool class, though there are times you want to finish all of them with "yight." I think the most touching thing you say right now is "I need my mommy!" right when you wake up in the morning. Often, you ask for Daddy first, but if you know he isn't home, it's Mommy.<br />
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Daddy is your favorite right now. I know it's because you miss him so much when he is gone. It usually doesn't bother me. I would be lying if I didn't admit there are moments when I feel a little jealous because I'm left out. Seeing the two of you together is so sweet, though.<br />
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Happy second birthday, Hudson! I can't wait to see what your third year of life has in store for all of us!<br />
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Love,<br />
Mommy<br />
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<br />Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-25439835696462502192017-04-30T08:45:00.000-04:002017-04-30T08:45:00.192-04:00Slow Cooker Sunday: Thai-Inspired Slow-Cooker Tilapia<img alt="" id="id_71bd_b12b_8fb3_50b7" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitOK-y8iz7T7wkWoOWD4oCqJU-tNBB9pLxZjoSqnUpVT5g0cENByE62UWprM2rPlVAIM-VCi6dOLwjfRQ4a1kE6zndyLE94tWcij2Iy2seIDyP2plor9MZ5AGppTxLxFmxE_rEUKKyXg-Q/" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />
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Sunday is the busiest day of our week. The alarm clock goes off at 7:00 so we can get the three of us up and out the door by 9:00 and to our church by 9:15 to check in Hudson before the 9:30 service. At the end of April, this service will be at 9:15, making our day start a bit earlier. We usually get out of the service no earlier than 10:45, and if we are lucky, we are out of the parking lot by 11. Often, we stop by Publix on the way home to pick up deli meat and cheese, a loaf of bread, and a side dish for our lunch paninis, making our return home another thirty minutes later.<br />
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We have a few hours at home to eat lunch, take care of household tasks, and let Hudson take a nap before our small group meets at the other church campus at 5 PM. We rarely get home from our small group before 7 PM, and we are all usually starving.<br />
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In December, I decided to start making Slow Cooker Sundays a part of our meal plan. Most of the recipes are quick to put together either right before or right after church, and they are generally ready to go with little to no extra preparation when we get home. I can't tell you what a difference it has made to have dinner taken care of when we walk in the door. I generally don't cook when Trevor is out of town, but Slow Cooker Sunday is the exception.<br />
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However, my first recipe was an epic flop. Even though I knew I wanted to do a blog post about our first Slow Cooker Sunday, I didn't even take a picture of it because it was so ugly and terrible tasting. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/thai-inspired-slow-cooker-tilapia/13272/?utm_term=.4c293e253937">Thai-Inspired Slow-Cooker Tilapia</a> was a recipe I tried out of desperation in early December. The tilapia had been in the freezer for two months, and I pulled it out to thaw for dinner earlier in the week. I realized it was too much fish for the original plan, so I made a quick swap to this meal. We had everything on hand except for the fresh basil and the Thai red curry paste. We had just replaced the coil in our HVAC system, so we were tight on money. It had to be cheap - and it was. I spent about $4 picking up the extra ingredients at Kroger. Factoring in the ingredients we had on hand already, I would say this meal probably cost around $10 and made more than the four servings the recipe claims it makes. Trevor and I each ate it twice before tossing the leftovers because they were kind of bland. It definitely isn't a make again meal for us!<br />
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Have you ever had a meal flop? A Pinterest fail? Share your story in the comments, and join me next week as I share a Slow Cooker Sunday meal that we all loved.<br />
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Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-68558071765844108162017-04-24T09:00:00.000-04:002017-04-24T09:00:19.572-04:00Happy Birthday, Jenny! <img alt="" id="id_7996_2a9c_671a_83d3" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpUQuD_j255XrpgPFw9pEh6KUPK7BoviXlZKEk-XNVzP8O7BHFVG7V3FlvIJLd3lWo9iupf6zt-elP6NeHk80jmlOEdSaCEg9nVUYyyGh-qFgrs-yvGy_cvJmpFQfbIj7ScQy0TWH3hzi/" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />
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The last time I shared a card on this blog was two years ago today - the day after Hudson was born. I had made the card a few days earlier, and I set up the blog post to publish that Friday because I knew the card would have reached its recipients by then. Once again, I'm setting up the post in advance, but thankfully, I am not anxiously sitting around the house waiting for a baby to be born! Instead, I'm waiting for a toddler to wake up from his afternoon nap.<br />
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Fun fact: Hudson and his Aunt Jenny share a birthday. Hudson was due a day earlier, and my water did break at noon on my due date, but he still didn't make his arrival until early the next morning.<br />
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I made this card quickly about a week before the shared birthday so we could get it in the mail in time to reach Aunt Jenny in Minnesota. I used some cut apart tags from Elle's Studio that I've had for a long time, and a pre-made card base from MAMBI. I pulled the brown paper from a Pink Paislee 6x6 paper pad and trimmed it to 2.5" wide and 5.5" inches tall. The cut apart elements were mounted on foam tape. I've had everything for at least a year, if not longer. I actually suspect I've had the tags for 8-9 years, and I'd never cut them apart.<br />
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Here's hoping this is the beginning of more regular crafty sharing on the blog!Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-14150466419145441752017-04-09T15:27:00.003-04:002017-04-09T15:27:20.382-04:00Reflections on 10 Years in Commercial AviationTen years ago today, Trevor began his career at Atlantic Southeast Airlines. We've been through so much in that time. We were long distance for over two years before our wedding in 2009. In 2011, we bought a house and ASA merged with another airline, becoming ExpressJet. In late 2013, we added our two cats to the family, I was offered a job at a middle school, and Trevor was offered a position at Spirit Airlines. He began training in February 2014, and six months later, we found out we were having Hudson, who was born in April 2015. This spring, Trevor completed training to become a captain at Spirit, and he will be officially signed off later this week. During all this, each of the companies he has worked for have had intense contract negotiations that went on for years. It's been going on for about two years at the company he is currently working for.<br />
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In the past ten years, we've had the opportunity to travel to Chicago (where Trevor proposed), Jamaica (our honeymoon), Hawaii, New Hampshire, Houston, Omaha, Jacksonville, Dothan, Maine, Connecticut, Michigan, Philadelphia, Iowa, North Dakota, and Minnesota. Some of these less exotic vacations were times when I (and later Hudson) joined Trevor on his overnights, some were visits to family and friends, and some were traveling just for fun.<br />
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While most people look at Trevor's schedule and think, "Wow, he's gone a lot," the truth is, he is home a lot, too. He missed just two of my prenatal appointments when we were expecting Hudson, and both were circumstances where either his schedule changed at the last minute or the clinic had to reschedule my appointment. He was home with me for over a week before Hudson was born, and he didn't return to work until nearly a month after Hudson's birth. Trevor is home with us four days a week, so he has missed very few of Hudson's firsts.<br />
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Relationships outside of our family are sometimes tough to maintain, though. I often have to tell friends that I can't join them because Trevor is out of town and there's no one to watch Hudson...or I have to tell them that Trevor IS home, but I don't want to squander his one or two days that he is home (this is actually quite rare because he generally has at least four days off between trips, but there are times when this contract provision doesn't apply). I'm finding more and more that it's difficult to relate to people whose husbands are home every night. When we are able to get together with friends, the first ones that come to mind are the friends in the aviation industry, and our long-time church friends who understand our lifestyle because they've been doing life with us for so many years that they know all about the joys and struggles of being married to a pilot.<br />
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Trevor will turn 35 later this year. That means that he will spend 30 more years in the airline industry, as long as nothing changes (mandatory retirement age is 65, and it literally was an act of Congress that set this age limit). I'm looking forward to what the next 30 years will bring. I have no idea what adventures await us. We could be traveling more. We could make a cross country move. Trevor could end up at another airline. We could even see Hudson begin an aviation career in the next 30 years. After all, Trevor was 24 when he began his airline career. Who knows?<br />
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<br />Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-64242335057910020082017-04-07T20:45:00.002-04:002017-04-07T20:45:30.071-04:00The 100 Day Project<h2>
<i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">"If creativity is a habit, then the best creativity is the result of good work habits. They are the nuts and bolts of dreaming."</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> -- Twyla Tharp, The Creative Habit </span></h2>
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The 100 Day Project is a pretty simple concept: choose a creative practice and do it for 100 days. The idea is to do something small each day and record it. That's it.<br />
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An online round of the project began on Tuesday, April 4, 2017. I found out about it on April 2, so I didn't really have a chance to gather supplies for a big crafting project. Instead, I decided I would write for sixty minutes a day. I had decided earlier in this spring that I wanted to refocus and get this blog going again. When I found out about this project, it seemed like the perfect time to get back into blogging. So, from April 4 through July 11, I'll be carving out at least sixty minutes a day to write, even if I have to type it in the notes section of my iphone or scribble it on the blank pages of my planner. I initially planned to do thirty minutes, but I realized that Hudson or the cats will interrupt me approximately 75 times each minute. Taking an hour to write assumes that I'll be distracted for about half the time I'm at my computer.<br />
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I'm not sure what this project will look like to outside observers. I know that not everything I write will end up published on the blog. I wish it was that simple, that I could just spend 100 hours writing 100 blog posts. I don't know how many finished products I'll end up with. I usually have 10-20 draft posts that are in various states of completion. What I do know is that writing has brought me clarity for more than twenty years, and when I am not writing regularly, I'm a hot mess. I don't think I know how to be introspective without putting my thoughts down in front of me,whether they are on a computer screen or in a notebook.<br />
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So, here's to 100 days of thinking, planning, and writing. If you're doing a 100 day project, please share with me in the comments!<br />
<br />Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-8793320613494962972017-04-07T14:19:00.000-04:002017-04-10T08:42:42.223-04:00OLW 2017: Complete<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Since 2009, I've been participating in a project called One Little Word from designer<a href="http://aliedwards.com/"> Ali Edwards. </a>Today's post is meant to be an introduction to the project and an explanation of my process for choosing my word and direction for 2017. Later this week, I'll share about my progress and action steps in the first quarter of the year. </div>
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This year, for the first time, I have chosen to participate in the paid workshop through Ali's website. I receive monthly prompts, pdf handouts and videos to help me in the process. The project encourages participants to choose one word that sums up what they hope to accomplish in the coming year. The word is supposed to live with you and help shape your journey through the new year. Some people start thinking about their word in late September, some people impulsively choose a word on January 1, and others need the month of January to firm up their choice.</div>
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I personally spent a week at the end of December scribbling in a notebook about the things that went well in 2016, the things that didn't go so well, my goals for 2017, my habits that I wanted to adopt or change, and where I hoped to see myself on December 31, 2017. I ultimately settled on the word <b>complete</b>.</div>
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There were a lot of reasons this word resonated with me this year. Since Hudson was born, I've felt pulled in a million directions at once, which makes it tough to feel <b>complete</b>. I have always been great about starting projects, but I often end up neglecting them or not <b>completing </b>them at all. Having a child means I have even less time to finish those projects. And, with everything else taking up my time, I haven't focused on my health at all - the mental, spiritual, and physical aspects that make up <b>complete</b> health. Finally, the saddest and most embarrassing thing is, we never really <b>completed </b>decorating and painting our house! With the exception of our master bath, Hudson's room, and an accent wall in the kitchen, everything is "builder beige." I've been wanting to add color for years, but we just haven't taken the plunge yet. I feel like our house still kind of looks like a rental because we haven't put much of a permanent touch on it. </div>
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Once I settled on my word, I started looking for my supporting scripture. In 2016, I started choosing a a Bible verse that references my word. With the Bible app, it's pretty easy to do because you can search for a word and see it in multiple verses across many translations of the Bible. This is great because a word may not be in my favorite Bible translation, or it might not be listed in the index at the back. It didn't take long to find my verse for 2017.</div>
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Nothing and no one will change overnight. Patience perfects us and leads us to <b>completion</b>. I am trying to be patient as I start making the small changes that will ultimately lead to me feeling more <b>complete</b> as a person, as mother, as a wife. This is a slow process, but I think I'm approaching it with the right amount of patience and perseverance to stick with my word through 2017. Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-57756122638885043712017-04-05T11:52:00.000-04:002017-04-05T11:52:20.764-04:00What we've been up to...I've been MIA for awhile, so I'm going to start my return to blogging with a little recap as to what has been going on with us.<br />
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We traveled to North Dakota last July to see my family.<br />
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We celebrated Trevor's birthday in August.<br />
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We went to North Dakota again in September and celebrated my birthday.<br />
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My mother-in-law came to visit us in October.<br />
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We went to Minnesota in November.<br />
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We went to Minnesota again in December.<br />
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We flew to Minnesota for a night, flew to North Dakota the next day, and spent Christmas with family. Our return trip was the same: fly to Minnesota night one and onto Georgia on day two. On the way home, Trevor realized he needed to see a doctor for his ear issues, so he dropped Hudson and me at home and drove straight to urgent care. This started the vicious cycle of all three of us getting sick... over and over again for the rest of the winter and spring.<br />
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Trevor's dad won tickets to the Super Bowl in Houston. No one else was interested or able to go, so Trevor chose to go with his dad. Trevor's parents flew to Atlanta that Friday. Trevor and his dad flew to New Orleans and drove the rest of the way to Houston on Saturday. Trevor's mom stayed with Hudson and me for the weekend while I cooked an entire month's supply of dinners. Trevor and his dad returned on Monday, and his parents left on Tuesday.<br />
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The rest of February was a blur because we got the news that Trevor would be going to captain upgrade training in early March. We spent the month getting the house as clean as possible, doing all the laundry, and getting Trevor packed for training all while he studied like crazy and still did his usual flight schedule plus some mandatory, annual first officer training, too!<br />
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March began with Trevor having five days off before his two weeks of training in Fort Lauderdale. Because he had an intense training schedule with just one day off in two weeks, not counting his the day before his flight home scheduled for the second day after his last simulator session, he wouldn't be able to come home to see us, nor would we be able to go visit him.<br />
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Day one began with a huge headache. I started trying to figure out which of our friends could take Hudson for a few hours so I could go to urgent care and maybe a pharmacy. I eventually hit on the right combo of over the counter drugs and essential oils (I know, I know, but I assure you, I only use a few that work in a way that is logical and make sense scientifically). My mom came to stay with Hudson and me for the middle five days of training. A day after she left, I ended up with another sinus headache and Hudson pooped the tub.<br />
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Trevor finally got to come home on day 15, but I ended up texting him before the flight "Check in with me when you land. Fever and chills. May send Hudson to a friend's house." Luckily, it passed, and we had a good day together before I was hit HARD with a stomach bug. I was down for three full days and part of a fourth day. Trevor quarantined me to our bedroom and kept Hudson as far from me as possible.<br />
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The week after Trevor's training ended, we were able to see two dear friends who were in town. One was preparing to interview at Delta, the other had moved onto the simulator portion of his training at Delta and will soon be flying for them.<br />
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A week later, when Trevor was set to begin his first trip as a captain, he woke up in his hotel room at 3 a.m. with my flu. Fortunately, it passed more quickly for him, and he was able to go to work the next morning and continue his trip. He's currently flying as the captain with instructor pilots flying as his first officers. Trevor will do three trips with these instructor pilots before he is signed off to continue as a normal captain. The sign off is also important because that's when he receives the pay bump that comes with his extra responsibilities!<br />
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Hudson is a busy and wild little guy right now. He turns two in just a couple weeks! He started walking last July, which quickly led to running, moving backwards, and walking on his knees. His vocabulary is growing exponentially. In October, I was worried he was a little behind, but by Christmas, his speech was well ahead of where it should be. We now hear more than 200 distinct words from him, and he speaks with simple sentences on occasion. He loves to "read," though he is more interested in looking at pictures than hearing the story! He also loves all things that "go" right now - planes, trains, cars, etc. We watch a lot of Tayo, a Korean cartoon that features a little blue bus just starting his service to the city of Seoul. We also watch Curious George, Sesame Street, Thomas and Friends, Chuggington, and Finding Dory quite often.<br />
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Hudson attends a preschool class at our church two mornings a week. He's learning his colors, numbers, and some simple sayings derived from bible verses. Most importantly, he is learning how to play with others and how to deal with Mommy and Daddy leaving him for a little while. We have been so blessed to have this option this school year, and we are actually a little sad that summer is coming! I'm exploring options for the summer months right now.<br />
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So, that's what we've been up to lately! I hope to begin posting more often. I've been doing a lot of reading this year, and I want to share my book reviews as well as my crafting adventures this year. I'm also starting to dabble in sewing, so you'll probably get a chance to see my early adventures in that, too!<br />
<br />Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-27273374208905006882017-01-30T07:15:00.001-05:002017-01-30T07:15:40.170-05:00RefocusingI realized last night that I have basically neglected this blog forever. It's easy to do when you're not crafting and your blog is primarily supposed to be about crafting. It's easy to do when you have all th busy-ness of pregnancy and a new baby keeping you away from everything else for about two years. And then that baby becomes a toddler and starts sleeping through the night and taking long naps, so you start to catch up on everything that you didn't do from the time you hit your third trimester until you stopped being 100% exhausted every day.<br />
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And then 2016 happened. What a miserable year!<br />
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A year or two ago, I started a blog post about why I would never give up Facebook for Lent. Now, I'm not so sure I'll still have an account in a year. People are not using it for intelligent or civil discussion. I know I'm guilty of sharing politics on Facebook, but I try to keep it intellectually honest and overwhelmingly civil when I do.<br />
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I still have a lot of thoughts I want to share with the world, so I think now might be the time to start to start getting serious with my blogging. And if that means refocusing what this blog is about, so be it. And if it means I need to craft more so I have a reason to blog, so be it.<br />
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I'm looking forward to sharing so much more with you in 2017.Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-51805095429802595302017-01-01T14:45:00.001-05:002017-01-01T14:46:40.512-05:00Hello 2017<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYjBdmfJj8DTce1dUMkoSgQYwz8i42BPKo92e8hZ2SUZeeouEImm0uguarwTmgNSGObezMFCImx11FfwDl5Zz_jIFFgszA02R40Yv_lS7ySia_IzpTjI7unoTldazh4Hqei6oZlaF3Nhx/s640/blogger-image--1733505458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYjBdmfJj8DTce1dUMkoSgQYwz8i42BPKo92e8hZ2SUZeeouEImm0uguarwTmgNSGObezMFCImx11FfwDl5Zz_jIFFgszA02R40Yv_lS7ySia_IzpTjI7unoTldazh4Hqei6oZlaF3Nhx/s640/blogger-image--1733505458.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Never have I ever been so excited for a new year + fresh beginnings. 2017 is going to be a big year for me and my family, I just know it! </div>Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-81243374369340841112016-09-09T09:30:00.000-04:002016-09-09T09:30:01.834-04:00Love at first sightThree years ago today, I witnessed love at first sight.<br />
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Let me begin by explaining what this story is not.<br />
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It is not the story of how I met my husband - or of how anyone met their spouse.<br />
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This is not the story of someone's birth.<br />
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This is the story of my husband and his cat.<br />
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In early September 2013, I received a Facebook message from a church friend. One of his coworkers asked him to pray about some cats who needed a home. This man's girlfriend worked at a vet clinic, and three wonderful, sweet cats had been there for two months. They were abandoned and would be put down the following Monday if they did not find a home. They were absolutely free. Alex decided he wouldn't just pray, but he would also help them find a home. He sent pictures of the cats with his message. </div>
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We had been looking all summer for a cat or two. However, we just couldn't afford the fees from our local animal control. It would be $75 per cat, and we were on a single income. We were looking for just the right <i>free </i>cats. These cats turned out to be up to date on their shots, spayed and neutered, and declawed (not something I would have chosen, but to make a long story short, it became a blessing when they got in a bad fight about six months after we got them - Crookshanks and I took a midnight trip to the emergency vet after Minerva tore him up with just her back claws!). </div>
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I wanted the one black cat in the photos. Those other two? Nope, nope, nope. That yellow one would leave hair everywhere, and the striped one...just kind of looked evil to me. I forwarded the message to Trevor, who thought the striped one was a dead ringer for one he had as a child, and he eventually got in contact with the vet clinic. The black one had found a home, but the other two had no serious inquiries. He was told that they were actually good friends, and they liked each other a lot. That was on a Friday afternoon, so they told us to come in on Monday to see them. We went out that afternoon and bought two litter boxes, two cat beds, and two carriers. </div>
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When we walked into the vet clinic, they took us to the back room where they had several animals in cages. The second the door opened, we heard an excited whimper. The sound came from a cage at chest level. The vet tech opened the door, and a striped cat jumped into Trevor's arms. </div>
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"She's going home with us," Trevor said, scratching her chin.</div>
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I knew in that instant that I had just witnessed love at first sight. </div>
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Though Minerva is sweet and affectionate with me, our relationship is nothing like the one she has with Trevor. She sleeps with him (often on top of him) each night that he is home. She sits on his lap in the evenings when we watch Netflix, and she is never far away from him. She's gotten so upset when he left for work that she would throw up on the floor right by the door to our garage. Minerva is always there to greet Trevor when he walks in the door, even if it's 4 AM. </div>
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You may be wondering about Crookshanks and me. Well, things weren't quite so easy with him...but that's a story for another day. </div>
Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-36777278081326585912016-09-02T11:47:00.002-04:002016-09-02T11:47:19.468-04:00Friday 5: Things I've learned about myself since becoming a parentHere's to a new month, a new season, and a renewed commitment to my blog! I'm easing back into it slowly, so to start, here's a Friday Five:<br />
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Five Things I've Learned About Myself Since Becoming a Parent</h2>
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<b>1. If my basic needs aren't met, I can't be the "happy mom" I want to be.</b><br />
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When I look back at the end of my worst days home alone with Hudson, I can usually see a few common denominators. I didn't get a shower. I didn't get any alone time with my coffee and my bible. I was thirsty all day. I didn't eat enough, or I ate unhealthy food. Sometimes, this happens because I'm already too worn out to worry about getting these things done. Sometimes, it's because Hudson is sick or going through a phase where he needs me more. Either way, making sure I take care of myself makes the biggest difference in my attitude and ability to cope with my toddler.<br />
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<b>2. I don't need to wear make up or do my hair for the majority of my trips out of the house.</b><br />
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The pre-parent version of me would at least put on make up before leaving the house for almost any reason, and I never went to work or church without straightening or curling my hair. However, now that I spend a lot of my time getting ready with a toddler at my feet, those heat styling devices are now a burn hazard, and make up seems like a waste of time. I mean, with a kid this cute, is anyone even looking at me, anyway?<br />
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<b>3. A lot of my identity was tied up in my work.</b><br />
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When you spend 40 hours a week doing something, it becomes a pretty big part of who you are. I do miss my job, but when I look back at how much it consumed me, I realize I'm in a better place right now. It was sometimes hard to stay positive when I realized I was working with students whose parents did not care at all about their education, and at times thought the school was out of line for punishing their children for things like hitting and slapping!<br />
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<b>4. I thrive on routine, but I'm not in a place where I can have one right now.</b><br />
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My husband is home four days, then gone 4-6 days at a time. His returns and departures are inconsistent. He might get home at 2 AM or 10 AM or 6 PM. That makes it tough for us to set consistent bedtimes and wakeups for the adults in the family, let alone a routine for the day. We have a rough routine for Hudson, but for us...Not so much. I'm making peace with the fact that it might be awhile before we can have a normal routine again.<br />
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<b>5. I need community.</b><br />
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I always thought I was a loner. I grew up with my sister on a farm far, far from any other children, so I didn't have a lot of good friends until I went to college, and even then, I really only had one close friend (we're still besties today, texting daily). When I started my last job, I connected quickly to a group of wonderful, supportive teachers. We were part of a community group at church, where we loved on one another and prayed for each other. Both of these groups were lost when I had Hudson. I became a stay at home mom, and Hudson couldn't stay up late enough for us to be part of our community group. While I am still in touch with all these people, it just isn't the same as being part of the group.<br />
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We've since joined another small group through our church, and I've become a member of our local chapter of Mothers Of PreSchoolers (MOPS). However, both groups have been off for the summer, so I'm really noticing their absence right now! No one was meant to do life alone. I'm so glad I've got these opportunities for community.<br />
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<br />Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-29399212525672673372016-08-09T08:31:00.001-04:002016-08-09T08:31:31.402-04:00Coming soonI've got big plans for blogging. Check back in September for my big relaunch! <div><br></div>Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-32433381266262288782016-03-03T12:46:00.003-05:002016-03-03T12:46:50.104-05:00February recapFebruary seemed to fly by. We started the month with Hudson's 9 month well baby visit, which was great. We were able to discontinue his medication for acid reflux, and he has basically stopped spitting up entirely!<br />
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We tried to do the Whole 30. We lasted around 20 days. I'll share more about the failures and successes we encountered in another post, but I will say, I lost about 5 pounds without even following the rules all that strictly!<br />
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We went to Chicago for a few days to visit our friends, the Cernys, for Super Bowl weekend. Their son, David, is about three months younger than Hudson, and their daughter, Courtney, is nearly 4 years old. Hudson had a great time playing with the kids, and it was so good to see our dear friends. Though Dave has been on long Atlanta overnights a few times over the past couple years, it had been over two years since I last got to see Erin and Courtney!<br />
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After we came back, Trevor had recurrent training in Fort Lauderdale followed by a two day trip that began on Valentines Day. Right after he returned from that, he got a bad stomach bug that left him in pretty rough shape for four days. He ended up calling out sick for the trip right after his illness because he was still so weak, and he feared a relapse. We ended up using a lot of that extra time off to disinfect the house. Fortunately, Hudson and I didn't get sick!<br />
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Hudson turned 10 months old on February 23. His current favorite foods are blueberries, clementines, and grapes. He's walking along the edges of furniture, and trying to talk.<br />
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We hired Hudson's first real babysitter this past weekend so we could go on a date day. We went to lunch at Meat 'n Greet followed by an afternoon showing of <i>Star Wars: The Force Awakens. </i>Hudson did really well with Miss Grace, and we can't wait to have her back again!<br />
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On Leap Day, Trevor spent the day in Atlanta renewing his passport. Because his job requires him to carry a passport, he has to go through the expedited passport process and visit the passport office. He got his passport the same day, but he had to come back several hours later. He visited a Lego outlet in Lawerenceville, ate lunch at Ikea, studied for his recurrent simulator session coming up later his week, and visited Trader Joe's while Hudson and I hung out at home.</div>
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Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-16601670572075327782016-02-26T09:00:00.000-05:002016-02-26T09:00:53.003-05:00Friday 5: Must Haves Before Baby ArrivesWith Hudson's first birthday just around the corner, I've been reflecting a lot on this past year. For the next few weeks, my Friday Five lists will be focused on what our favorite baby items have been throughout each stage of Hudson's life so far. This week, I'm sharing the things I suggest getting before baby arrives.<br />
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1. Amazon Prime/Amazon Family</h3>
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These two products are essentially the same thing. Family is free with your Prime Membership, so I recommend just getting a Prime membership and opting into Family when the time comes. You get great discounts on things like diapers and wipes, as well as other special offers. The Amazon Prime membership gives you free two day shipping on tons of items, and if you live in a Prime Now service area, you can get some items delivered within two hours! </div>
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2. The Target Red Card</h3>
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You save 5% on every purchase, whether you choose the credit card or debit card option (we use the debit card). You can combine this with all other discounts, like Cartwheel, registry completion rewards, and manufacturer coupons. You also get random special coupons or offers throughout the year, which is pretty nice. For awhile, we were able to get free sodas or smoothies each day just by showing our Red Cards!</div>
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3. A stockpile of all the essentials</h3>
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Fill the freezer with easy meals to reheat. Fill the pantry with your everyday essentials like cereal, coffee, and snacks. Have a good stash of diapers and wipes built up. Do everything you can to avoid having to go shopping for the first week you're home. We thought we were prepared, but I think Trevor went to Target and/or Publix each day for the first two weeks after we brought Hudson home.</div>
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4. Pain management options</h3>
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I received two different prescriptions for pain relief when I was discharged, but within a few days, I realized I needed relief, but not <i>that much </i>relief. I wish I would have thought ahead and purchased some pain relievers, but I had no clue how much I would hurt, nor how long I would hurt. </div>
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5. Really comfy pajamas or loungewear</h3>
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You will live in them for days (maybe weeks or months, depending on if/when you go back to work). Make sure they are comfy, fit well, and you wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen in them by a delivery man or a neighbor. I am still wearing nursing camisoles with yoga pants or pajama pants almost all the time, usually with a t-shirt or hoodie over the cami. Today, I'm rocking some grey leggings with mint and black monarch butterflies on them, a grey cami, and a mint raglan t-shirt. This outfit is perfect for following Hudson around the house because the leggings stay where they belong, and I can easily cuddle up with him when it's time for a nap. </div>
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What were your must-haves when you first brought home your baby? Let me know in the comments!</div>
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Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-67173200400810110202016-02-22T20:38:00.000-05:002016-02-22T20:38:13.632-05:00Surviving Baby's First Cold<div>
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At the end of January, we were struck with our first cold of the season. Though Trevor and I were able to avoid catching it, Hudson fell hard. Of course, it was on the second day of Trevor's six day trip, so I got to handle an angry, sick baby all on my own. It was completely miserable. However, I did figure out a few tricks to make things easier on us. Today, I'm sharing my must haves to help both baby and Mommy survive the first cold.<br />
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For baby:</h3>
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<b>1. Sleep</b><br />
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Do whatever it takes to get the baby to rest - even if you have to hold them through their naps, sleep holding them in a chair at night, or put them in your bed with you. I tried to get Hudson to nap two hours after waking up, and that worked well for us. </div>
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<b>2. Fluids</b></div>
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I offered Hudson a bottle or breast every two hours when he was awake, even if he wasn't acting hungry. These feedings usually resulted in the naps described above. Keeping Hudson hydrated helped him pass mucus, which was really important with this particular virus. Hudson sounded wheezy and sniffly most of the time if I hadn't just cleared out his nose.<br />
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When it came to solids, I tried offering him more liquidy favorites I knew he would eat, like pieces of clementines and blueberries. People often forget that food can help with hydration, and the fruits had the added bonus of vitamins and antioxidants to help fight the cold, too.</div>
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<b>3. Steam/Mist</b></div>
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I closed the bathroom, left the fan off, and put Hudson in the shower with me each day. By the end, gobs of green snot were streaming out his nose. He was SO much better after that. At bath time, I closed the bath room door and let him breathe in as much moist air as possible. I also ran a humidifier in his room non-stop. I honestly never used the Nose Frieda while Hudson was sick because the steam did such a good job opening up his passageways and getting the mucus to flow on its own. </div>
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<b>4. Hyland's Cold Tiny Tablets</b><br />
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We love the teething tablets for Hudson, so we knew that the cold tablets would probably be amazing, too. Because they dissolve as soon as they hit the tongue, Hudson showed almost immediate signs of relief when he took them.</div>
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<b>5. Vick's Babyrub</b></div>
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My friend Erin recommended this, and it helped Hudson oh so much! I rubbed it on his chest and neck at bedtime until he felt better. It's a much more mild version of the VaporRub we're all familiar with. I think it really did help him a lot because he seemed to sleep pretty well when he first went down each night (though he would wake up somewhere between 2 and 4 a.m. each night).<br />
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For Mommy:</h3>
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<b>1. Wine</b><br />
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You'll need to unwind when you finally get that angry kid to sleep. A nice glass of wine definitely helps, and red wine is full of antioxidants, right? ;)<br />
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<b>2. Healthy Snacks</b><br />
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It's always good to have something nutritionally-dense on hand that you can eat quickly, but especially so when you've got a sick baby. I basically survived on Lara Bars the week Hudson was sick. They are nut and date based bars, so they are vegan, gluten free, non-GMO, and dairy free. I think Apple Pie and Lemon Bar are my favorites. The Coconut Cream Pie bar almost tastes like an Almond Joy if you roll it in a little unsweetened cacao powder. <i>Not that I've tried that or anything....</i><br />
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<b>3. Amazon Prime Now to deliver medicine and snacks</b><br />
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If you live in the Atlanta metro area or one of the other select cities served by Prime Now, you can order certain necessities for free two hour delivery from Amazon. It's truly a lifesaver. I ordered Hudson's medicine, my Lara bars, and a few other things when he was sick. Three weeks later, Trevor got a stomach bug that was just awful. That day, I ordered saltines, Sprite, Gatorade, Pepto Bismol, and yummy snack for Hudson and me. None of us had to leave the house that weekend. It was so wonderful to not have to worry about anything!<br />
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<b>4. Comfy clothes</b><br />
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I lived in my pjs and slippers while Hudson was sick. Cozy was my number one goal. We spent a lot of time napping together either in the rocking chair or my bed, so it didn't make sense to put on anything else.<br />
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<b>5. A friend to vent to!</b><br />
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Trevor and my friend Rachel got tons of texts that weekend. I had to complain about it to someone because it was so frustrating to go through the worst of his cold without anyone to help me! But if I hadn't been able to text them, I really think the pressure would have broken me. Raising a kid alone for half a week isn't easy, but it's truly difficult when your kid is sick!<br />
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Hopefully, my experience with Hudson's first cold will help you through your kid's first cold. Every kid is different, so use your best judgment, make sure what you choose to use on your child is age appropriate, and consult a doctor when necessary (because I sure as heck don't have a medical degree, so don't take my advice as coming from any sort of expert!).</div>
Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-75434162847242592882016-02-12T09:00:00.000-05:002016-02-12T12:17:51.523-05:002016 goal updates | 2.12.2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This year is going too quickly already! I cannot believe we are almost six weeks into 2016 - and that I'm less than three months away from having a one year old little boy, not a baby. I fully intended to write this update around two weeks ago, but here it is, finally.<br>
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<b>1. Read the entire Bible.</b><br>
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I did really well for the first three weeks of the year, but then I started reading the first work of fiction I've read in years...and I got distracted. With Lent beginning this week, I plan to get back on track. I want to catch up on my year-long reading plan, as well as stay caught up on a Lent devotional plan.<br>
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<b>2. Declutter and organize our house.</b><br>
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Well, things haven't gotten worse, so I guess that's progress when I compare it to how the first eight months with a baby looked in our house! I'm slowly chipping away at the existing disorganization and putting out the organizational fires before they get too terrible. With luck, I will be satisfied with this house by the end of 2016!<br>
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<b>3. Lose the leftover baby belly. </b><br>
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I started the Whole 30, which is huge. I wanted to go walking with Hudson each day, but the weather has been extraordinarily awful over the past six weeks. Ugh. I am planning to join a gym soon. I'm really excited because I've found two gyms that have both childcare <i>and </i>barre method classes! They both cost a fraction of what I was spending to go to a Pure Barre studio, and they are both significantly closer to my house. I am still trying to decide which one will win my membership, though!<br>
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<b>4. Update the blog 3 times a week. </b><br>
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I've averaged something more like twice a week so far, but I hope that will change as the year goes on. I have about 30 posts that were started but never finished. Right now, I'm working on going back and finishing them up. I'm also trying to blog from my laptop so I can schedule posts in advance.<br>
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<b>5. Learn to use my DSLR camera. </b><br>
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I've made no real progress on this front. None whatsoever. I'm hoping I can start doing more on that front soon. I would love to sneak off to a pretty park for a day this spring and play with my camera without Trevor and Hudson. Then, maybe I can take some awesome first birthday pictures for Hudson!<br>
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<br>Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-49439415200414231312016-02-10T21:46:00.000-05:002016-02-10T21:46:01.848-05:00The (Almost) Whole 30: 10 days in<br />
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The first day of our Whole 30 was Sunday, January 31. I did pretty well the first five days. I ended up eating a handful of non-compliant foods to avoid wasting them and to help myself save some time while dealing with a sick little boy all week. It was rough trying to change my diet that much while caring for a sniffly, coughing baby all on my own!</div>
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On Thursday, we got a call from a friend who had a pretty awful thing happen (everything is OK now, though). We don't get to see her often, so we picked her up and went out for a comfort food dinner at the original Chik-fil-a Dwarfhouse in Hapeville. Well, there's nothing compliant on the menu there, so we suspended the Whole 30 until lunch the following day. I had a breakfast potluck event on Friday morning. The breakfast was amazing, but full of carbs and sugar! </div>
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We finished off Friday with delicious, healthy meals before heading to the airport on Saturday morning. We traveled to Chicago for a Super Bowl party. We ate huge, non compliant meals at Pilot Pete's, drank a lot of hard root beer, picked up dinner at Taco Bell, and gorged on creamy, cheesy, and carby snacks at the party. Then, we ended up ordering a pizza on Monday evening when we got home. We finished off the pizza for lunch on Tuesday, and got back on the Whole 30 diet with dinner.</div>
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What has surprised me most so far is how quickly I adjusted to eating fresh, healthy foods. I felt pretty icky by the time we got back from Chicago, and two days later, I'm still not feeling totally back to normal. We have decided to keep up the diet through March (or at least until Easter Sunday on March 27). We really haven't been all that serious about it so far, but we are hoping to really change our lifestyle. Doing it for another month seems necessary at this point, and highly doable. I'm really excited to see what happens in the next month and a half as we continue following this diet!</div>
Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-74671411297519130022016-02-09T18:09:00.000-05:002016-02-15T07:50:52.644-05:00Currently: February 2016 Edition<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOGtmwX5X3gHGSqtYV2XPAPWzCYQzOG5bLulLLvVKOVKceVfz7X0uROLvZpZxjcHrGDkB-78oBpoxtE2OFrKFCwKWgx-44oapBaCPWawPlmN7pAjzzyKNg05nrAiYbRDJsqL1pwDuwVLj/s640/blogger-image--441002958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOGtmwX5X3gHGSqtYV2XPAPWzCYQzOG5bLulLLvVKOVKceVfz7X0uROLvZpZxjcHrGDkB-78oBpoxtE2OFrKFCwKWgx-44oapBaCPWawPlmN7pAjzzyKNg05nrAiYbRDJsqL1pwDuwVLj/s640/blogger-image--441002958.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Each month in 2016, I'll be answering the same set of prompts. I love to document real life, but also how real life changes over time. This series is designed to help me do both.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><br></i></div>Eating: the Whole 30 diet </span></span><br>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Drinking: LaCroix sparkling water</span></span><div><font color="#666666" face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" size="2"><br></font>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Wearing: yoga pants and t-shirts</span></span></div><div><font color="#666666" face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" size="2"><br></font>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Watching: The Walking Dead</span></span><br>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Wanting: Cheese. Diet Coke. Bread. All the stuff Whole 30 forbids.</span></span><br>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Needing: More sleep!</span></span><br>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Hoping: Trevor makes his flight home tonight!</span></span></div><div><font color="#666666" face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" size="2"><br></font>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Thinking: About Hudson's first birthday party!</span></span><br>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Reading: Allegiant by Veronica Roth</span></span><br>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Praying: For a few friends quickly approaching their due dates (and it is #4 for two of them!)</span></span></div><div><font color="#666666" face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" size="2"><br></font>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Planning: Our belated Valentine's Day date </span></span></div><div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Wishing: I looked as good as Carrie Underwood does (our babies are the same age). </span></span></div>Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-51778722639820573782016-01-31T07:10:00.001-05:002016-02-02T17:29:48.250-05:00January 2016 recapThere's a meme you've probably seen. It reads "Each month has an average of 30-31 days...except the last month of pregnancy, which has 1453 days."<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEift6bJMfFR-cRvPrrA7hyphenhyphenYUTa6-9Y3K_fUSbxjnszPjXmCst41-FsBqe-f6fYh4-vZr9YeYHaYbGCbZBqwtPHA8Uh4NAeMw_dGInee6g9l6kNofUr6D219kvTgy79H0GTepAyV2dVlcvAM/s640/blogger-image--894885333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEift6bJMfFR-cRvPrrA7hyphenhyphenYUTa6-9Y3K_fUSbxjnszPjXmCst41-FsBqe-f6fYh4-vZr9YeYHaYbGCbZBqwtPHA8Uh4NAeMw_dGInee6g9l6kNofUr6D219kvTgy79H0GTepAyV2dVlcvAM/s640/blogger-image--894885333.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Well. After having been through that last month of pregnancy, I can confidently say January actually has 2000 days. ;)</div><div><br></div><div>This has been a long, tough month for me. Trevor had three sets of 6 day trips from December 27 through February 2, plus two junior man assignments and a scheduled 4 day trip. </div><div><br></div><div>Here's the big stuff that happened this month: </div><div><br></div><div>Hudson learned to pull himself to a kneel, and then to a standing position. He's going to walk well before a year, I'm sure. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtWVdO3wabXk-qtnYHyuZkM8UTlucKEfasU4HGMGDr-n32a9MI25BKE4jGH1nfoY1Q_oSfMhuEnNCjx0ubKmyGcFFxgPPfRFRCaaZNGDp-rdMqpFeN3lQpuIq6i9YR9R6FLaxzPmFiD_v/s640/blogger-image--1112557371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtWVdO3wabXk-qtnYHyuZkM8UTlucKEfasU4HGMGDr-n32a9MI25BKE4jGH1nfoY1Q_oSfMhuEnNCjx0ubKmyGcFFxgPPfRFRCaaZNGDp-rdMqpFeN3lQpuIq6i9YR9R6FLaxzPmFiD_v/s640/blogger-image--1112557371.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>We joined a new small group at church, which means we will now have a group of families that we meet with twice a month. </div><div><br></div><div>We FINALLY ordered new sheets, pillow shams, and a duvet cover for our bedroom! The duvet cover has yet to arrive, though. It's been on back order for months. I guess it's quite popular!</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmdRMId7gj8uRlIJDOdmIVN9QmGIN_sNPk9YeUsD7-tOOhy279y-hg610WjGEWLWTh4qfMhBUWdLhnWC12tpMhzATjICLrRlClhh5d-YEsVvHbPQZVpVTnvBUFtUx6IfgCLj2DU7oDnlD/s640/blogger-image-2076953870.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmdRMId7gj8uRlIJDOdmIVN9QmGIN_sNPk9YeUsD7-tOOhy279y-hg610WjGEWLWTh4qfMhBUWdLhnWC12tpMhzATjICLrRlClhh5d-YEsVvHbPQZVpVTnvBUFtUx6IfgCLj2DU7oDnlD/s640/blogger-image-2076953870.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>We took a little trip to IKEA and Trader Joe's last week to get ready to baby proof the house and start the Whole 30 challenge. The next day, Hudson and I went to story time at the library with another pilot wife, Amanda, and her 7 month old, Archer. </div><div><br></div><div>Trevor left for a 6 day trip. Hudson took a big tumble, and bit his lip open. He also rug burned his sweet little nose! To make it worse, the next night, he woke up just wailing at 11 PM. I went in his room to find green snot streaming down his face. We were struck with baby's first cold. Hudson and I spent the last part of the month hunkered down, trying to get through the week without Trevor. </div><div><br></div><div>Here's hoping February is a better, easier month for us! </div>Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-59618066928604172862016-01-28T09:37:00.001-05:002016-01-29T07:13:51.068-05:00The Almost Whole 30I've resisted the Whole 30 phenomenon for years. I argued that changing the way I eat for 30 days won't have a lasting effect, and besides, I eat healthy already. I also thought I couldn't give up things like bread, cheese, and sodas. <div><br></div><div>And then I had a baby. We started relying on fast, cheap, and easy meals for ourselves. I didn't lose the baby weight. In fact, my weight has bounced around in the upper range of where I was in my third trimester. I started looking for diet and exercise plans designed for busy moms who are still breastfeeding their babies. I stumbled on a plan written by a woman who was my height, weight, and build before she got pregnant, who gained what I gained in pregnancy, and who lost what I lost before stalling where I stalled. Her secret? The Whole 30 and lots of walking! </div><div><br></div><div>A friend of mine was pinning a ton of Whole 30 recipes on Pinterest, so I asked her if she was planning to do it soon. She was, so we formed an accountability group that will begin on Sunday, January 31. Trevor will also be following the diet while he is home, but he plans to keep his travel diet the same. We just aren't sure what he could pack that would be compliant! </div><div><br></div><div> The big challenge for me will be making sure I don't "sample" Hudson's non-compliant baby foods. He loves small cubes of peanut butter sandwiches, corn puffs, rice cereal puffs, cheese, and yogurt melts. Grain, dairy, and starchy vegetables are off limits during the While 30! </div><div><br></div><div>However, I'm taking a very laid back approach to this first Whole 30. </div><div><br></div><div>•I'm not making my own almond milk, but I am using an unsweetened, unflavored version of what we normally buy. </div><div><br></div><div>•I'm not giving up my coffee creamer, but simply cutting back. </div><div><br></div><div>•I'm taking a short trip in early February, and I plan to cheat a lot that weekend! </div><div><br></div><div>•I'm making my own Lara bars, but I couldn't find dried cherries without added sugar. </div><div><br></div><div>•I bought a jar of marinara at Trader Joe's that has soybean oil in it. Otherwise, it is compliant. </div><div><br></div><div>•I'm probably going to drink wine or rum once a week. TV chef Alton Brown lost 90 pounds on his radical diet, but he still has one martini a week. I think it's OK if it fits into his diet. </div><div><br></div><div>•I'm not giving up Diet Coke cold turkey. I'm going to wean myself and start drinking flavored sparkling water in its place. La Croix is amazing, anyway, so it should be an easy switch. </div><div><br></div><div>•I might actually go 60 days! </div><div><br></div><div>I'll be documenting and sharing my Whole 30 journey through the next several weeks. I plan to post about the process at regular intervals, sharing meals and compliant packaged foods I've found along my journey. I know I wouldn't be able to do this if I hadn't read numerous blog posts sharing the same information, so I feel obligated to contribute to the Whole 30 blogging community! </div><div><br></div>Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3219744963210261427.post-31057727379747045772016-01-20T08:54:00.001-05:002016-01-25T08:18:33.473-05:00Day in the Life: Hudson at 9 months<div>I can't believe I didn't publish a single post last week! Life was pretty crazy for us - Trevor was gone Tuesday through Friday, Hudson decided he will only nap if we hold him, and he learned how to pull himself up to kneel! He definitely lived up to his "Hurricane Hudson" nickname!</div><div><br></div><div>Loads of well meaning, curious people have asked how Hudson and I stay busy on the days Trevor is working. I always say that we have no problems staying busy, and to prove it, I tracked what we did for one day last week. Here's how we spent our Wednesday!</div><div><br></div>6 AM: Wake up. I let Hudson fuss a few minutes, and if he doesn't go back to sleep, I get up. I change his diaper and we nurse in the rocking chair.<div><br></div><div>7 AM: Done nursing, we head downstairs. Hudson plays on the floor while I have my coffee.</div><div><br></div><div>8 AM: Hudson has his second breakfast of Gerber Lil Crunchies and a banana. It takes 30-45 minutes to feed him each meal. He plays on the floor, turning on the Roomba, while I clean up. </div><div><br></div><div>9 AM: Nursing/napping time in the rocking chair. </div><div><br></div><div>9:30 AM: Hudson is wide awake and bouncing on my lap, pulling at my glasses. We move to my bedroom, where he plays on the floor and I straighten up. I also need to wipe tiny fingerprints from my glasses. The cats watch warily from the center of the bed. </div><div><br></div><div>10:15 AM: I have a grumpy, inconsolable baby pulling on my legs. Back to the rocking chair to give this nap another go. He's quickly asleep. I browse Facebook and read a chapter in an ebook.</div><div><br></div><div>11 AM: Realizong that he might be down for awhile, I take off my glasses, put down my phone, and settle in to nap with him. </div><div><br></div><div>11:45 AM: We wake up, but Hudson is fussy. I nurse him for another half hour, and he snoozes in my arms. </div><div><br></div><div>12:15 PM: It is play time! Hudson crawls to the tote with his toys and starts pulling them out. He greets several with his favorite word: Hi! </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5aZjDEl3x50P1_VK8hwE1h_uhoSKAkHHP_VTUk2362OdcAE5ZMTP-YI38m2lE6KKLSvH2BEUmDWaotGbEjooakVA9dkPmS4-oh55j1ZAx8DVFkCa6zwd4Nl-u8JZPbHwlVMdOWkBlt49j/s640/blogger-image--656933915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5aZjDEl3x50P1_VK8hwE1h_uhoSKAkHHP_VTUk2362OdcAE5ZMTP-YI38m2lE6KKLSvH2BEUmDWaotGbEjooakVA9dkPmS4-oh55j1ZAx8DVFkCa6zwd4Nl-u8JZPbHwlVMdOWkBlt49j/s640/blogger-image--656933915.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>12:30 PM: My stomach is rumbling. I change from PJs to fleece clothes and retrieve the mail, then fix lunch for Hudson and me. </div><div><br></div><div>12:45 PM: Sit down to eat. I alternate bites of my food with giving him bites of food. </div><div><br></div><div>1:30 PM: The baby/bottomless pit has been satiated, so we clean up. </div><div><br></div><div>1:45 PM: Hudson is super angry again, so I nurse him after a diaper change. He stars to nod off quickly once again.</div><div><br></div><div>2:45 PM: Hudson is suddenly awake and throws himself from my arms to the floor. He wants to see everything in his room right now! </div><div><br></div><div>3 PM: We move to my room, where I try to sort my tanks and camisoles. I am trying to work through the KonMari Process. Hudson is too interested in the bright fabric and rearranges my piles, so I give up quickly. </div><div><br></div><div>4:15 PM: Fussy again. We attempt to nap but he would rather pinch and bite. </div><div><br></div><div>4:30 PM: We go downstairs and Hudson plays while I prep his dinner. </div><div><br></div><div>5 PM: Dinner time. Hudson eats lots of applesauce, bananas, and cheese. By 5:40, he is super fussy. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-6i4kAoqyr7FPqT831Qs6V93jCqFAqkP0zLs58JS91DHGaidm0PWi0H-XkBjM7ioor9K2CR39GPy_ZsvFoWSy8jEVUjgkuqtnrIx1O0xzIfcYLoWvPr5vcRf1rWCDY8ABsHzO5x7MYZz/s640/blogger-image--1008545778.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-6i4kAoqyr7FPqT831Qs6V93jCqFAqkP0zLs58JS91DHGaidm0PWi0H-XkBjM7ioor9K2CR39GPy_ZsvFoWSy8jEVUjgkuqtnrIx1O0xzIfcYLoWvPr5vcRf1rWCDY8ABsHzO5x7MYZz/s640/blogger-image--1008545778.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>5:50 PM: Bath time. Hudson plays in the water for 15 minutes before pooping and ending his bath.</div><div><br></div><div>6:10 PM: Overnight diaper, calming bed time lotion, and fleece jammies. I nurse Hudson until he falls asleep. </div><div><br></div><div>6:35 PM: I try to switch sides but Hudson wakes up. I make a bottle of formula. He drinks half, then tries to nurse again.</div><div><br></div><div>7:20 PM: Hudson is finally asleep. I clean up the cat vomit in the hallway and the poop in the bath tub.</div><div><br></div><div>7:45 PM: I finally get to eat my dinner and relax a little before cleaning the kitchen, dining room, and living room. </div><div><br></div><div>10 PM: Shower, blow dry my hair, get ready for bed. Wind down by playing games on my phone.</div><div><br></div><div>11:30 PM: Lights out! We sleep blissfully all night, waking around 6 once again. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Lynseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09340727626533177111noreply@blogger.com0