Weston is 3 Months Old!

Yesterday Weston turned 3 months old! Our pediatrician had told us that the fun of parenting would only increase with time, and so far we have not been disappointed! Weston's smiles have become more frequent and more endearing (though still challenging to capture on camera!). He coos and makes all kinds of adorable vocalizations. He likes to practice standing up and taking steps while we hold onto his shoulders. He enjoys playing simple nursery rhyme games like "This Little Piggy Went to Market." I tell him every day that he is my "favorite baby in the whole wide world," and I think that he understands because he smiles widely and even sort of blushes! And his sleep habits are much better than they used to be! We are thankful for this baby!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall Recipes

Funny how discovering a new recipe can make a homemaker's heart sing with happiness. Haha. I just wanted to share two new fall recipes, shared with me by family and friends, that I have tried and loved!

Pumpkin Bran Muffins
http://www.womansday.com/recipefinder/pumpkin-bran-muffins-recipe-wdy1013

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup wheat bran
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
2 eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, wheat bran, granulated sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, buttermilk, and oil. Fold the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture just until combined. Divide the batter among 12 paper-lined muffin cups. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Turkey, Kale, and Brown Rice Soup
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/turkey-kale-and-brown-rice-soup-recipe/index.html\

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 to 6 large shallots, chopped
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
8 ounces ground turkey
1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice, drained
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 small bunch kale, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, carrots, and bell pepper and sauté, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to brown and soften slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the ground turkey and stir until the meat turns white and begins to color very slightly around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the herbes de Provence and stir, 1 minute. Add 4 cups broth, tomatoes, and rice. Bring to a boil. Stir in the kale and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

 

 

When You are a First-time Mom...

• You cannot help staring and smiling at that first good family photo. Wow, you think, we are a FAMILY!
• You have researched so much about pregnancy, birth, breast-feeding, child-rearing, etc., that you feel like you deserve another master's degree!
• Even though your labor was the closest thing that you have ever experienced to torture, you soon learn to join the legions of other women who simply smile and say that "everything went well."
• You listen to mothers squabbling over Attachment Parenting versus Baby Wise, and it is so intense that you feel like you are listening to theologians debating over Arminianism versus Calvinism! You wish that the angel Gabriel would come down from heaven to show you which way is right.
• Your home life is transformed into a musical as you constantly make up silly songs to entertain the baby.
• Finding time for household chores is so difficult that when your husband offers to mop the floors with you on a Friday night, you cannot think of a more romantic gesture.
• You walk into the post office, toting the baby in his car seat, and elderly women literally line up to catch a glimpse of your baby. You feel like a movie star, or rather, the chauffeur for the movie star.
• If the joy of your new baby ever starts to lose its luster, you simply drive to Grandma's house, place him in her arms, and listen as she expounds upon his wonders. You leave refreshed and recharged every time! 
• You flip through an American Girl catalog, admiring the Bitty Baby collection. The little girl who still lives inside of you almost wishes that you had one. Then it hits you: who needs a Bitty Baby when you have THE REAL THING?
• You wish that everybody could know the joy of a new baby, and you thank God for His all-sufficient grace and amazing blessings! 

Weston is Six Weeks Old!

Yes, unbelievable--my baby is 6 weeks old today! Weston has been growing so fast! As of today, he weighs 9 pounds 11 1/2 ounces and measures 22 inches long. Last Thursday he smiled at us for the first time--so exciting! His favorite pastime is eating (of course). Other activities that he enjoys are cuddling, taking walks, exercising his arms and legs, taking baths, and going to Grandpa Bill and Grandma Sandy's house every Wednesday. Big events for Weston have included his first doctor appointment, his first church service, and a special week-long visit from Grandma Kandy.

These past few weeks have been a roller coaster for me. Most days have been full of joy, but there have also been a few exhausting, frustrating days and nights. Praise God for bringing us through the first 6 weeks! When I reflect over this time, I am so grateful for family, friends, and our church body who have blessed us by sending gifts and bringing meals and playing with the baby so that I could sleep, etc. I am so grateful for my husband who is such a fabulous daddy! And I am so grateful for the privilege of being a mommy to this handsome, sweet little boy, who is sleeping in my arms as I type this blog post!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Blessing of our Baby's Birth!

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;

Streams of mercy, never ceasing,

Call for songs of loudest praise.

I love this old hymn. Today, as I tend to my newborn baby, remembering that one week ago we brought him home from the hospital, I think of this hymn and how blessed we are!

Weston Carl Barnett was born on Wednesday, September 4th at 12:14 AM. He weighed 7 pounds 3 ounces and measured 20 inches long. The birth was difficult because I had back labor and Weston was born "sunny-side-up." God showed His goodness and mercy in so many ways, though. My labor lasted only 9 hours, which I hear is relatively short. My husband was an incredible coach, tirelessly applying counter-pressure on my lower back to help relieve the pain. My doctor happened to be on call that day, so we were privileged to have her deliver our baby. She was the best! She followed our wishes exactly, and we were able to have a natural, drug-free, Bradley birth! Finally being able to meet our baby was amazing! He is absolutely adorable, with thick dark hair and thoughtful, alert eyes. We love him! We are so blessed!   

 

 

 



39 Weeks and Graduates of the Bradley Method!

Today I am 39 weeks pregnant. This afternoon my doctor told me that I am 3 centimeters dilated and 90% effaced. Our baby could come at anytime!

Honestly, childbirth has been a big fear of mine ever since I was a little girl. Perhaps I have heard too many horror stories about birth from other women or seen too many dramatic renditions of birth from Hollywood.

Of course, my greatest encouragement is knowing that God will be with me. And my next greatest encouragement is knowing that my husband will be with me! But I also have to say that taking the Bradley Method comprehensive 12-week childbirth education course has given me a HUGE boost of confidence--along with a wealth of information.

You can read about the Bradley Method here.

http://www.bradleybirth.com/

It is a method based on the principles of Dr. Robert A. Bradley, who lived from 1917-1998. His book Husband-Coached Childbirth, first published in 1965, is one of the most well-known books on natural childbirth. Dr. Bradley advocated two main concepts: that childbirth is safest, most efficient, and most fulfilling without the use of pain medication, and that trained husbands make the best labor coaches.

 

 



I read the book from cover to cover, and I would recommend it. However, the Bradley course itself was even more helpful than the book. Ben and I met at our instructor's home one evening per week for 12 sessions. There were two other couples in our class. We studied everything from proper nutrition and exercise during pregnancy, to how the process of labor works, to the benefits and risks of common hospital procedures, to relaxation techniques and pushing positions to use during labor, to caring for a newborn. Our instructor presented information in class in an interesting way, took time to answer our questions, and then gave us various articles to read at home. Occasionally we had to research a topic and give a presentation in class. We even had to go through a "labor rehearsal" during one of the last classes!

A few evenings ago was our last Bradley class, so Ben and I can now say that we are graduates of the Bradley Method! I am so glad that we took the course together so that we could learn everything together. I truly believe that knowledge is power. I feel so much more confident about the labor and birth now that I know what to expect and what I want!

Still, several questions remain. Will Ben and I be able to remember everything that we have learned? Will I be able to give birth without pain medication as I hope to do? And WHEN will our sweet baby arrive??? We are ready for you, Baby Boo! 

Zucchini Madness

This week has been zucchini madness! On Friday I made zucchini bread. On Monday I made zucchini quiche. On Tuesday I made zucchini cake. Today (Thursday) I made zucchini muffins and a different kind of zucchini bread, looking forward to finally using up all of my zucchini. But alas (see distraught picture above), I still have half of a huge zucchini on my kitchen counter! I am almost afraid to look in our garden, for fear that I will find even more zucchini!

Despite the overabundance that we are experiencing, I have to admit that I love baked goods with zucchini in them. I have to share three of my favorite zucchini recipes.

Blueberry Zucchini Muffins (adapted from www.alaskafromscratch.com)

http://www.alaskafromscratch.com/2012/07/11/blueberry-zucchini-muffins/

(Note: I have slightly revised the original recipe for purposes of health/convenience, substituting whole wheat flour for some of the white flour, substituting lemon juice for lemon zest, and omitting the crumble topping. The original recipe, though not as healthy, is fabulous! I recommend trying both versions.)

3 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup applesauce
3 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups sugar
2 cups zucchini, grated
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups fresh blueberries

Beat together eggs, oil, vanilla, sugar, zucchini, and lemon juice. Mix in dry ingredients. Fold in blueberries. Scoop into prepared muffin tins, almost completely full. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until muffins are golden and cooked through. Makes about two dozen muffins.

Zucchini Cake (from my former piano instructor, mentor, and friend, Melanie Munro)

3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind (lemon juice seems to work fine, too)

Beat eggs until firm and light and foamy. Add sugar, oil, zucchini, vanilla, and lemon rind. Combine dry ingredients and add to zucchini mixture. Blend well. Add nuts and blend. Pour into greased and floured tube cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes until well done. Sprinkle after cooled and on a cake platter with powdered sugar. Makes 10-12 servings.

Zucchini Chocolate Cake (from my mother-in-law, Kandy Barnett)

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 cup dry baking cocoa, unsweetened
3 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup buttermilk
12 ounces chocolate chips

Cream together sugars, butter, oil, eggs, and vanilla. In another bowl combine flour, allspice, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and cocoa. To the creamed mix, add zucchini and buttermilk. Mix well. Add dry ingredients; mix well. Pour in lightly greased/floured 9 by 13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over batter. Bake at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

July Travels

Whew. After 12 days of traveling, we are finally home! We had wonderful visits, though, both in northeastern Ohio with Ben's family and in Seattle, Washington with my family.

Here are the summaries of our trips with a few snapshots.

Northeastern Ohio

The 4th of July is a big event for Ben's family. Not only do they celebrate Independence Day, but also they celebrate birthdays for five people: Ben's grandmother, Ben's siblings, and two of Ben's cousins! This year the clan added another event--they surprised me with a baby shower! The women in Ben's family are phenomenal party-givers. It was the most creative baby shower that I have ever attended. When I entered the room of the shower, I looked up to see multitudes of hand-decorated onesies hanging from a clothesline!

 

Even the food was creative. The fruit salad was a beautiful baby!

 

 

I wish that I had pictures of the "diaper" games. Ben's cousins microwaved several different candy bars and then deposited each one into its own diaper. We had to pass around the "dirty diapers" and guess the kind of candy bar. It was absolutely disgusting and hilarious at the same time! Then we divided into teams and competed to see which team could design the best diaper out of toilet paper. I had to join the little girls as one of the diaper models! Haha.

 

Other highlights of the weekend were attending a baby shower for Ben's cousin on the other side of the family (whose baby is due one week after mine!) and enjoying a night ride in my father-in-law's pontoon boat. It was a great weekend!

 

Seattle, Washington

 

One day after driving home from Ohio, we flew to Washington! For Ben and me, it was our first visit to the state. I loved the mild climate, as well as the natural beauties of the mountains and the water. We visited my Uncle Dale and Aunt Nancy, who were fabulous hosts. Aunt Nancy is the kind of hostess who leaves a basket of fruit and Ghiradelli chocolate in your bedroom and plans the activities of each day with the finesse of a professional tour guide! We saw my cousin Phil, and I was thrilled to finally meet his wife Heidi and daughter Emi. My parents and brothers came, too, so it was a special family reunion.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ten-year High School Reunion!

Believe it or not, my high school graduation was 10 years ago! In May of 2003, I was one of 13 graduates from the Marion Home School Assistance Program.

Homeschooling would not have been as effective without MHSAP, an amazing home school support group. I remember countless good times, especially the dinner theatres and plays and mock trials.

 

 

 

I became close friends with many of the girls in my graduating class, and I have been blessed to keep in touch with several of them.

This morning I hosted a reunion brunch. Nine girls came. Over chicken salad sandwiches, coffee cake, and muffins, we each shared where God has brought us over the past 10 years. I loved hearing my friends share about their college experiences, career adventures, love stories, babies, life-and-death situations, etc. I think that as 28 year-olds, we are just as excited about the future as when we were 18! God is good.

  

 

 

 

Newest Member of the Family: Our Beloved John Deere

I think that I married a country boy.

 

 

And sometimes I wonder, am I becoming a country girl?

 

 





 

 

Anyway, please join me in welcoming our newest member of the family! He has made our lives much easier.

 



 

 

Sunday School Resources

Though I will be going on "maternity leave" soon, I have been blessed to teach my church's 4 and 5 year-old Sunday School class for the past year. Getting to know the children and teaching exciting Bible stories to them has been a privilege! My church uses a curriculum that has an excellent gospel-centered foundation but lacks visual aids or suggestions for crafts, games, and other activities. Thankfully, I have discovered some resources that have been a huge help! I thought that I would share a few of them.

Visual Aids for Bible Stories:

Toys
I learned from my mother and grandmother (both veteran Sunday School teachers) to use toys to bring Bible stories to life! The children have enjoyed watching Barbie dolls tell the story of Queen Esther or Waffle Block people tell the story of Jesus healing the blind man.

Felt Board
My husband and I made a simple felt board by covering a large piece of cardboard with white felt, and my father-in-law built me a wooden stand for the felt board.

I found some cheap but adorable Bible story punch-outs from Carson Dellosa Publishing, now out of print but still available on Oriental Trading's website. After attaching a piece of felt to the backs of them, they made the perfect felt board figures!

http://www.orientaltrading.com/carson-dellosa-old-testament-storytelling-punch-outs-a2-64_963.fltr
http://www.orientaltrading.com/carson-dellosa-new-testament-storytelling-punch-outs-a2-64_962.fltr

The Jesus Storybook Bible
I love The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones! It does a wonderful job of showing how every story in the Bible points to Jesus, and it has great illustrations, too!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0310708257/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=16220928444&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1801259231884425274&hvpone=12.23&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_5tyfiggtde_b

Suggestions for Crafts, Games, and Other Activities:

Pinterest
Though I am not as obsessed with Pinterest as some of my friends are, I have used it successfully several times to find inspiration for Sunday School.

http://pinterest.com/

Danielle's Place
Danielle's Place is a website with some great ideas for teaching Sunday School. You can pay to become a member with access to everything, or without paying you can still find some helpful tips.

http://www.daniellesplace.com/html/bible_lessons.html

Ministry-to-Children Bible "Storybooks"
I stumbled across a website, Ministry-to-Children, that offers free Bible "storybooks" for children to color and assemble. I love using them for the 4 and 5 year-old age group!

http://ministry-to-children.com/sequence-bible-stories/

Hello, Third Trimester!



Today I am 27 weeks pregnant, so I am officially starting the third trimester of pregnancy! Wow! Time flies. Before we know it, we will be parents to our baby boy!

I am a list person, so today I found myself creating all kinds of checklists for what needs to happen during these last 13 weeks.

Of course, the most important checklist focuses on preparing for the baby's arrival! We still need to shop for a crib. We still need to decide on a name. We also just began a 12 week childbirth education course about the Bradley method, which will give us some helpful information on having a natural birth versus a medicated one. I plan to skim through several pregnancy/motherhood books during the next few weeks and learn as much as I can. I also need to be more consistent with proper exercise and nutrition.

I made some other lists today, too. I have this overwhelming, obsessive desire to organize. I feel like I need to organize every inch of my house before my baby claims all of my attention! I want to organize my clothes, recipes, piano books, photos, etc., etc., etc.! Not to mention all of my husband's stuff. And the baby's stuff. Sometimes I start thinking that perfect organization would equal perfect happiness, and then I stop and realize that I am on the verge of insanity!

We also hope to do some entertaining before the baby comes. We still have a long list of people that we have been wanting to have over. Hopefully we can have some dinners and bonfires this summer before the chaos ensues!

13 weeks to complete all of the tasks on my to-do lists! Go, go, go!










  

Delicious, Nutritious No-Bake Cookies

About a year ago, I saw a link to a recipe for no-bake energy bites on a friend's Facebook page.

http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/no-bake-energy-bites/

I made them a couple of times, and this weekend I made them again with a few changes. I LOVE the taste, as well as the knowledge that they are good for my body and my baby!

Here is the recipe variation that I tried and enjoyed this weekend. My only warning is that the cookies were very crumbly. Maybe I should have used a little more of the pure maple syrup to hold them together.

Delicious, Nutritious No-Bake Cookies

1 cup old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup dried cherries
a small handful (maybe 2 tablespoons?) chocolate chips
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Chill in the refrigerator for a half-hour. Roll into cookie balls and enjoy!

Kate's Graduation

Last weekend we drove to Tennessee to see Ben's sister graduate with her master's degree in Sport Administration. I thought that I would share a few pictures. Congratulations, Kate! What a huge accomplishment!

Today's Ultrasound

After today's ultrasound, I have not been able to stop smiling. Our baby appears to be perfectly healthy, praise God!

One surprise is that the due date has been moved from September 6th to August 28th. I don't mind at all! :)

And the big announcement is...we are having a BOY!

Can't wait to start shopping for blue things!

Florida Trip

Last week we vacationed in Orlando, Florida with Ben's parents and siblings. We had a great time with them in the sunshine and 80-degree weather! Highlights of the trip were attending a Good Friday service at the church of well-known Bible teacher R.C. Sproul, seeing the animals at the Central Florida Zoo, biking 9 miles on the gorgeous West Orange Trail, swimming at Disney World's Typhoon Lagoon, and shopping at various places from an eclectic flea market to a fancy outlet mall. When we had down time, I enjoyed chatting with my mother-in-law and starting to read a new novel. Ben and I returned home on Friday feeling refreshed and ready to welcome springtime in Iowa!

Encouraging Author for Singles: Carolyn McCulley

I love Christian author Carolyn McCulley. Her book for single women, Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye?, was wonderful medicine for me when I read it a few years ago as a single twenty-something. I have to admit that I hate the title, because it sounds so depressing! I think that the subtitle, Trusting God with a Hope Deferred, would have been a more appropriate and appealing title. But I love the book's contents--foundational teachings and practical ideas from Proverbs 31 about how to live a God-glorifying, joyful life as a single woman.

Today I checked Carolyn's blog and found a great article for singles called Sanctification in the Season of Singleness. I thought that I would share!

http://solofemininity.blogs.com/posts/2013/03/sanctification-in-the-season-of-singleness.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A typepad%2Fsolofemininity %28Radical Womanhood %28formerly Solo Femininity%29%29#close=1

One-year Wedding Anniversary

Exactly one year ago yesterday, I married Benjamin Barnett. I cherish my memories of that special day. (I also am glad to be done with wedding-planning forever!) Here are some of my favorite wedding photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We celebrated our anniversary by taking a train trip to Galesburg, Illinois just for the day. We had a great time. The Amtrak train ride (made complete by eating supper in the dining car and befriending two old men named Fred and Bert!) was the highlight of the trip. It was our first experience on an Amtrak train, and we liked it so much that we want to do it again! Galesburg, Illinois may not be an extraordinary place, but we enjoyed discovering some of the gift shops and coffee shops in the downtown area. We also had lunch at Hammer's General Feed Store, which was an amazing restaurant! The pizza was excellent....yum, yum. Here are a few photos of our day.

 

  

 

 

I am so thankful for Ben. He is my best friend. I am also thankful for the gift of God's institution of marriage. One man and one woman complement each other so perfectly, and love in the context of a life-long commitment is truly beautiful. Marriage can be hard work sometimes (I have often found myself turning to Ephesians 4:31-32 after a little argument with my husband, and I am sure that he has needed similar encouragement when dealing with me!), but God gives grace when we ask Him. Our first year of marriage has been adjusting to a life of two people instead of one, and it seems that our second year of marriage will be adjusting to a life of three people instead of two! Let the adventures begin!