Happy New Year! This Year’s Goals of the Year and More!

It’s 2023! Happy New Year friends! I can’t believe my baby is almost a year old! Where did the time go??? Any who… this year I’ve got plans, like I always do. I always like to reach big for the goals I set for myself each year. However, I also want to bring into the new year something I learned from 2022, and that is flexibility. Last year, I was challenged to be flexible with my time, money, plans, parenting and expectations. This year I’m going to try and continue to keep that flexibility at times, as hard as it is for me not to be a control freak.

This year I am setting 10 goals for myself. These are 10 goals that I hope to be intentional as well as manageable. Without further or do, here are my goals for 2023!

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My Goals for 2023

1. Buy a House

This is the big one. This is the one I want to come true the most! We have been saving up and looking for the perfect starter home for our little family. My hope is to find our home and move in before summer, if not by the end of the year.

2. Go on a Family Trip

I would like to go on at least one family trip this year, even if it’s just a day trip. A few ideas I have include the zoo, northern Michigan, Great a Wolf Lodge, the apple orchard, the dairy farm or Mackinac.

3. Publish one of my Books

I said this in my last post. This goal will be on this list until I complete it!

4. Decorate my New Home

This one goes along with my first goal. But it’s honestly what I am most excited about with getting a new home. We get to decorate and make it our own!

5. Get my Eyes Checked

Now, at first glance you guys might think this is a dumb goal. But give me a moment to explain. The last time I had my eyes checked was in 2018. It’s been 5 years. I need my eyes checked and I really need new glasses. I’m just terrified of going to the eye doctor, for reasons I will share in a future post. So this is a big deal for me, but I gotta do it.

6. Start Our Homesteading Lifestyle

I’ve mentioned in previous posts how I am very interested in homesteading and would eventually like to have my own garden/green house, chicken coup with laying egg hens, and a goat or two for goat milk. I realize I can’t begin this lifestyle until we are moved into our new home. However, I would like to at least begin the process of homestead living by continuing to research and maybe even start buying supplies.

7. Host a Party or Family Gathering

As we wrap up the holidays, I have thought about how much I would one day love to host a family gathering and or party at my own home in the coming year. I have a few ideas including a house warming party, Easter Dinner, Mother’s Day, Christmas or New Year’s Eve. Depending on when we move and get settled in will depend on when all this happens, but I simply can’t wait!

8. Write 515 Blog Posts

I know I didn’t reach my goal of 500 blog posts in 2022, but I hope to reach this one in 2023. With my little one being a little more mobile and independent, I’m hopeful this will allow me to dive back into my hobby of writing.

9. Implement Fun and Structured Activities with my Son

As Matthew quickly emerges from baby to toddler, I would like to start doing more intentional, structural activities throughout the year. I have a few ideas like sensory bins/bags, art projects and outside activities.

10. Start Developing Our Homeschool Curriculum

As many of you know, I have degrees in Early Childhood Education and Child and Family Development. This is my field. I have always wanted to develop my own toddler/preschool curriculum.

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My Word of the Year…

This year I have decided to include a word of the year. Something I want to ponder, remember and reflect on as each month passes this year. I asked my husband to think of a word for me. I said to think of the first word that comes to his head, and he said Resilience. I instantly thought it was perfect! No matter what this year brings, I’m going to have faith, trust in Jesus and come out with resilience.

Bring on 2023, cause I’m ready! 💕

Christmas Traditions

Growing up, my mom made sure my childhood was filled with various Christmas traditions. For as long as I can remember, every year we would spend an entire Saturday cleaning the living room and pulling out several totes of Christmas items and decorating our Christmas tree.

When I was about 10, we decided to start the tradition of ordering Chinese food on Christmas Eve. We got this idea from the movie A Christmas Story.

This year, I have been so excited to start some new Christmas traditions with my son. Some I have already started while others I plan to start when he is older.

1. Family Christmas Cards.

I have been doing Christmas cards since Charles and I got married 6 years ago. We started doing family photo Christmas cards the second year we were married. Last year, I was lame and did a virtual Christmas card because I was so close to my due date and my to-do list was piling up. This year I’m thankful I was able to incorporate our fall photos into an adorable Christmas Card.

2. Chinese for Christmas Eve

Not sure if any of ya’ll are aware, but Michigan and a few other states were hit with a blizzard Thursday. So, my family decided to order Chinese food on the 21st instead of Christmas Eve since we are pretty much snowed in until New Years.

3. Start Listening to Christmas Music in November

I can’t tell you exactly what day in November I will start the Christmas music, but you better believe every year I plan to play it!

4. Family Photos in Matching PJs

This year I was very excited to buy some matching pj bottoms and receive matching shirts to create some cute Family Christmas photos.

Here’s a few other Christmas Tradition ideas I hope to start either this year or next year.

• Bake Christmas Cookies
• Open 1 Gift on Christmas Eve
• Put up a Christmas Tree
• Watch Christmas Movies
• Read the Christmas Story (Jesus’s Birth) on Christmas Eve
• Do a Christmas Craft
• Do a Christmas Box the day after Thanksgiving with pjs, a movie, and a stuffy.
• Put up a Nativity Scene.
• Fill Stockings.

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What are your favorite Christmas traditions?

Thanksgiving 2022

This Thanksgiving has truly taught me to be thankful for what I have. I’m thankful for my family including my son, my husband, my parents, Grandma, aunts, uncles and extended family. I’m thankful for my friends and my friends who are practically family. I’m thankful for our home even if we are sharing it with others right now… God, our car, our faith, church family, income, food, safety and so much more. I’m thankful!

This time last year I was just getting over covid and 34 weeks pregnant.

This year I am beyond blessed to be able to spend Thanksgiving with my little turkey. 🦃 💕

This year was a little more low key as far as our food, but of course I made my stable Bruschetta to chow down on before the big feast.

We did cook a big turkey this year which was super exciting.

Our little boy loved trying stuffing, black olives, turkey, mashed potatoes and asparagus.

It was a great first Thanksgiving for our son and a wonderful reminder to be grateful for what we have especially in times of hardship.

Happy Thanksgiving 🦃🍁 💕

Recipe Reshare: Bruschetta Recipe

Hey Everybody! Since it’s the holiday season, I decided I would share my Bruschetta recipe! I recently have fallen in love with Bruschetta! It is perfect for any holiday event and SO easy to make!

INGREDIENTS 

Baget (Large)

Mozzerella Cheese (4 Oz. of block cheese) Optional*

Tomato (2 Medium or Large)

Onion (1/2 a red onion)

Olive Oil (1/4 cup)

Garlic (minced, 2 tablespoons)

Cilantro (1 teaspoon)

Basil (1 teaspoon)

Red Pepper Flakes (2 teaspoons)

1. Cut baget into slices, should make about 20 pieces. 

2. Toast baget in oven at 350* for 10 – 15 minutes, a nonstick cookie sheet works great! 

3. Dice tomatoes and onions. 

4. Slice Mozzarella cheese (optional)

5. Mix together tomatoes, onions, olive oil, garlic, cilantro, basil and red pepper flakes. 

6. Remove bagets from oven, let cool, and spread toppings on each baget. 

7. Place bagets on a plate or board. If desired, place cheese slices in a bowl for your friends and family to enjoy with their Bruschetta. Enjoy!

Easter

Easter this year did not go as planned. I had all these high expectations that everything would go smoothly and my son would have the very best first Easter. My expectations were we’d get up, listen to worship music, have breakfast, dress up for church, read the Easter story from the Bible and children’s bible as a family. We’d find some church service virtually to view online, and/or go visit some church for a sunrise service. We would then head to my parent’s house for lunch, spend time with family, take some gorgeous family photos outside and create precious memories until the sunset and we headed home.

Those were my expectations…..

This was my reality:

Matty woke me up around 6:30-7am. I changed him, nursed him and we played. He was in the best mood! Everything was going great. I turned on some worship music and got some breakfast. After that it was like a switch flipped. Matty got fussy and I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. I changed him, burped him, tried feeding him, putting him in the swing, letting him play on the floor… nothing was working. I woke up my husband and he was exhausted and struggling to get out of bed.

I then decided to get Matty dressed. Now as a new mom, I knew better than to put him in his outfit I wanted his pictures done in until right before hand in case he had a blow out or spit up. I however didn’t factor this in when I was putting on my Easter dress. Matty started screaming as I got him dressed. I became frustrated and impatient as I quickly tried getting him ready. I picked him up so he would stop crying… and… he burped. It was quiet and I figured that’s why he was screaming. He had a bubble. And within seconds a waterfall of baby spit up went down my dress. Of course.

Charles got up and got breakfast. I walked around the house bouncing our 3 month old trying to get him to calm down. I tried different positions, singing, rocking… nothing. When Charles was free I handed him off. Low and behold Matty stopped crying immediately.

By this time it was already 9:30, and I was at least an hour behind on where I wanted to be with our morning. Charles pulled out the children’s bible and handed it to me. I read the scripture about the empty tomb, and Jesus coming back. Matty sat on his Daddy’s lap smiling and listening. The minute we were done he started screaming again. I nursed him and put him down. We started loading up so we could decide where we wanted to go for church.

By the time we got the car loaded, and Matty in his car seat it was already almost 11. No matter where we went to church at the this point the service would be almost over. And of course Matty woke up in his car seat and started crying. The morning was not off to a good start.

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We got to my parents close to 11:30am. Matty fell asleep in his car seat just minutes before we pulled in. When we got in the house Matty was all smiles at Grandma and Grandpa’s. Me on the other hand, I was officially in a funk. I was taking it rather personally that Matty was in a bad mood at home, but all smiles at Grandma and Grandpas. I was disappointed things weren’t going as I had planned and I felt the weight of grief on my chest that I just couldn’t seem to shake.

My mom made ham, green beans, corn bread casserole, jello salad, deviled eggs, hors d’oeuvres, and baked potato which tasted great. Everybody was exhausted after dinner and we all took little cat naps throughout the afternoon, even Matty… thank goodness cause that baby needed sleep.

In the afternoon, Matty seemed off. He had a bellyache, acted like he needed to poop but couldn’t and was gnawing and drooling like crazy as if his mouth hurt. Poor baby, it felt like one thing after another. I tried handing him off when I could so I could get rest while I had help but when your baby doesn’t feel good, sometimes the only thing they want is mom.

In the evening before getting ready to leave we tried taking family photos. There were more outtakes than good photos. Matty seemed uncomfortable and didn’t want to smile in any of them… and if you know my baby boy you know he is very photogenic and loves to smile. We were also stuck taking pictures inside since it was a chilling 45° and I didn’t want to take Matty out in the cold if he already didn’t feel good. This all made for awkward, poor lighting family photos.

By 6:30, we said bye to my parents and headed home.

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On the way home, I found myself sitting in the backseat with my baby, sobbing on the way home. Some big emotions I had been trying to keep buried all day were welling up to the surface. It dawned on me how old my other babies would be on this holiday. Mackenzie would be two and a half and Chase would be one. Grief never really goes away. I then found myself feeling guilty looking at my son with a tear stained face. Was I being selfish for wanting things to be perfect? Did I seem ungrateful because he was now here, but i still missed my other babies? Was I being a bad Christian for focusing on my grief and motherhood rather than remembering the true meaning of Easter?

By the end of the day, I felt defeated. I tried. I tried making my son’s first Easter the best I could. But you know what, he’s not going to remember it anyway. All he is going to remember is that he was loved. And as he gets older he will continue to feel loved and learn the importance of Easter as his Daddy and I teach it to him. And that’s what matters, not some picture perfect holiday.

Chickpea Pasta

Chickpea pasta is something I just thought of and wasn’t sure if it was a real thing. So, I went to Google to see if anyone else has combined chickpeas and pasta, and sure enough it’s a real thing! I scanned through a variety of different recipes then decided to make my own!

Check out my Chickpea Pasta recipe below! ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Ingredients

• Penne pasta
• Chickpeas (1 can)
• Olive Oil
• Tomatoes (1)
• Black olives (small can)
• Pepperonis (10-20)
• Italian Seasoning
• Minced Garlic
• Parmesan Cheese

First, boil a pot of water. Depending on how many noodles you want to make will depend on how much water you choose to boil.

Next, pour penne pasta into boiling water. Stir occasionally until noodles are soft and tender.

Chop tomatoes, black olives, and pepperonis.

Next, drain noodles and place in a bowl.

Drain canned chickpeas, and combine in bowl of noodles.

Then add olive oil, chopped pepperonis, olives, and tomatoes.

Season to taste with minced garlic, Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Grief & Mercy 6th Blog Post Round Up

It’s round up time again! I am sharing my most liked, commented and viewed posts since my last round up. Check it out!

Sequential Screening During the 12th Week of Pregnancy

In this post I discuss not only the anxiety that comes with going through a pregnancy after loss, but also our experience with different genetic testing.

First Few Little Kicks

Feeling baby kicks for the first time was amazing and nothing like I had ever experienced. ❤️

18 Weeks Pregnant! (Third Pregnancy/ Second Trimester)

This post is about my pregnancy update at 18 weeks.

Gender Reveal! 20 Week Anatomy Scan

Hitting half way in my pregnancy was a huge milestone. Going to our anatomy scan and being able to see baby and all his features was so exciting. My favorite part was finding out what we were having. 🥰

27 Weeks Pregnant! (Third Pregnancy/ Second Trimester)

This post is about my 27 week update of my pregnancy.

Decorating the Nursery/ Organizing Baby’s Things

In a one bedroom apartment, you are very limited on space. However, I love how our bedroom/baby’s nursery turned out 🥰

10 Things I Will Miss About Being Pregnant

For the most part I had a pretty easy pregnancy until I hit the third trimester. In the third trimester I dealt with GD, thyroid problems and covid. In this post, I talk about the things I will soon miss about being pregnant.

Feeling a Little Extra Thankful

Being pregnant on Thanksgiving was a lot of fun. Charles and I cherished our little family of two + a fur baby, before our rainbow baby arrives. We also spent the morning cooking together.

37 Weeks Pregnant! (Third Pregnancy/ Third Trimester)

In this post I give a 37 week pregnancy update, and talk about ways I am preparing for labor.

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A Look Ahead…

My Top 10 Favorite Date Night Ideas

DIY Padsicles and Postpartum Care

Merry Christmas 2021

Merry Christmas to all our friends and family! This is our last Christmas as a family of 3… and yes I am including Rocky in our little family. This year I was very hopeful that our Baby Bear would have a Christmas birthday but that just wasn’t meant to be. It’s okay. We know he’ll come when he is good and ready.

This year has been a little crazy, but Charles and I feel so blessed for everything God has taught us this year.

I unfortunately didn’t get to making Christmas cards this year because Christmas just kinda snuck up on me and I ran out of time.

From our family to yours, we hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

– The Rhames (Charles, Kaylee, Baby Bear and Rocky!

38 Weeks Pregnant! (Third Pregnancy/ Third Trimester)

38 Weeks and ready to pop! Baby could come any time! This week baby is the size of a winter melon or a pumpkin depending on which set of measurements you go by.

Today we had a non-stress test and baby did great. He slept in the beginning and they had to use a buzzer to wake him up, but he started moving and grooving after that.

Later, we had a midwife appointment. I have gained another pound and have gained a total of 9 lbs this pregnancy so far. My blood pressure is looking good and baby is still measuring a week ahead. He is still head down, and in a good position for labor when ever he decides to get things moving.

We also talked to the midwife about my ultrasound. Since baby is measuring fine, and passing all of his tests, my midwife said they will let me go to 40 weeks and 5 days before having an induction on 1/11. I did ask to have a membrane sweep done and my midwife said at my next visit (39 weeks) I can have it done.

7 weeks vs 38 weeks

At the end of my visit my midwife did give me permission to try and induce labor naturally at home. Here are a few things she suggested I should try:

• Curb Stepping
• Exercising/Being Active
• Eating Dates
• Drinking Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
• Doing the Miles Circuit

This week’s symptoms include fatigue, nesting, nausea, pelvic and back pain, irregular contractions, mood swings and lots of baby kicks. I’m getting very uncomfortable and not feeling cute these days as my clothes just don’t seem to fit right, and everything just feels snug.

This mama is trying and doing what she can to stay active for labor, and allow my body to get ready for whenever labor kicks in. We are getting so excited to meet our baby boy. We are still of course hoping for a Christmas baby, but honestly we will be fine with whenever Baby Rhames decides to make his grand arrival! 💕

Maternity Photos!

So as many of you know, I’ve stayed pretty on top of documenting and taking photos of my pregnancy and bump progress. One thing I really wish I was able to do, is take some professional maternity photos. For weeks I tried budgeting for photos and we simply just didn’t have the funds. Then I tried reaching out to different family members and friends to take the photos, but it seemed like every time we tried to schedule something there was either bad weather or someone was exposed to Covid.

Thankfully at 35 weeks, my Mama took some time out of her day to take a few cute maternity pictures of us. They turned out adorable and I’m thankful for what we have! 🥰

Baby Bear, we love you so much and can’t wait to meet you! 💕

When Will Baby Rhames Arrive?

We are officially one month away from my due date, I still can’t believe it. I’m curious when everyone thinks Baby Rhames will arrive. Before you make your guess, here are a few things to consider…

Due Date is 1/6/22

Baby is measuring a week ahead.

This is my third pregnancy, but first time making it to term.

With various health issues and complications, my doctors will likely not let me go past my due date.

I’m secretly hoping for a Christmas baby!

What’s your guess?

Feeling a Little Extra Thankful This Year 🍂

We are feeling a little extra thankful this year! I thank God for my family and friends, my job, my kitty, my health, a roof over my head, clothes on my back, our little bun in the oven and so much more! ❤️

This year we decided to change our Thanksgiving menu a little and have a porterhouse steak instead of turkey!

We also stuck with some classics, including crescent rolls and gravy.

Charcuterie board

Of course, my holiday staple Bruschetta

Homemade mashed potatoes

Stuffing and corn

Green bean casserole

Veggies and hummus

… and cranberry sauce.

I hope you and yours have a Happy Thanksgiving! 🍂