tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24467136614939492902024-02-07T00:27:14.957-08:00promisingly penny-wiseRachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09634335686794872101noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446713661493949290.post-12716786468097834982015-05-12T15:32:00.000-07:002015-05-12T15:32:30.162-07:00I've moved!Sunday was my birthday, and as a present to myself I purchased a domain and hosting for promisingly penny-wise! I'm now at <a href="http://www.promisinglypennywise.com/">http://www.promisinglypennywise.com</a>.Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09634335686794872101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446713661493949290.post-1440327963029147572015-04-15T17:34:00.000-07:002015-04-15T17:34:19.350-07:00Meet Baby G<h2>
Meet Baby G:</h2>
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Baby G and me after she was dressed for the hospital photographers.</div>
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Baby G, Gary and me</div>
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Finally home:</div>
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We are so in love. Baby G was due on the 7th, but arrived on April 11th. We had an induction set for the 13th, but I had really hoped to go into labor on my own to avoid being induced with Pitocin. Everything went better than I could have hoped!<br />
I am so in awe that God chose us to be the parents of this sweet baby girl and so so thankful!<br />
<br />Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09634335686794872101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446713661493949290.post-4972536419699626282015-04-09T16:12:00.001-07:002015-04-29T15:37:31.426-07:00Surefire Labor Inducing Recipe?Ways to Induce Labor at Home (according to fitpregnancy.com):<br />
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Nipple Stimulation (Such as using a breast pump for 1 to 3 hours a day)</div>
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Sexual Intercourse</div>
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Spicy Foods and Castor Oil</div>
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Herbs and Acupuncture</div>
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Exercise and Patience</div>
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We've tried several of these methods, though no castor oil, herbs or acupuncture. I've also tried bouncing/rocking on an exercise ball. Yep, none of them have worked so far. I think if your body is ready, some of them could potentially work. I also think some of the "surefire ways to induce labor" just happen to have been tried by desperate pregnant women who were about to go into labor anyway. </div>
<h3>
Like the method we're trying tonight:</h3>
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<a href="http://www.realradio.fm/articles/phile-recipes-238006/philips-phile-surefire-birth-recipe-3064058/?hc_location=ufi">Philips Phile Surefire Birth Recipe</a></div>
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My husband is a big fan of the Philips Phile talk radio show, but believe it or not, this "surefire labor inducing" recipe was actually suggested by three people we know before we stumbled upon it online. I think if this recipe has ever been effective, it's been either coincidence or because eating so much of this stuff had the same effect as drinking castor oil. But, it has been years since I've had Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (a once a beloved childhood meal time staple), so when Gary suggested it I figured why not try it? </div>
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After he went to store to buy the ingredients (the recipe clearly states that the husband has to do all of the prep work), Gary tuned in to the Philips Phile radio show which happened to be playing. Gary mentioned earlier on twitter that he was going to try the recipe. On the show, they sometimes do a shout out to twitter followers. While we were listening, they started talking about us trying the recipe. It was fun to hear.</div>
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If I do go into labor tonight, I promise to not try to try to tell every pregnant woman who's past their due date that they have to try this.</div>
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What crazy tips for inducing labor have you heard?</div>
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<b>Update:</b><br />
So, I did end up going into labor, but not 24 hours later like the recipe promised. Still, I did go into labor about 29 hours later. Am I convinced that the Surefire Labor Inducing Recipe did it?<br />
Not really. We tried soooo many labor inducing tips and ideas that week that any of them could have done it, or it could have been that I was already 4 days past my due date and my body was just ready. But, if you're really desperate, it's worth a shot. :)</div>
Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09634335686794872101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446713661493949290.post-63164246368542604842015-04-07T18:49:00.000-07:002015-04-10T10:41:02.116-07:00Due Date Today!It's Baby G's due date today!<br />
We did our 39 week appointment yesterday even though it was only a day from hitting 40 weeks because our doctor was out last week since his wife just gave birth to their second child! He's an awesome doctor, so it was worth the wait.<br />
I've shown some progress, but still not so much that it looks like I'll actually go into labor today. The doctor said he thinks there's about a 40% chance that I'll go into labor on my own before 41 weeks, though of course it's hard to predict. He did say I've made enough progress that if I were induced it wouldn't increase the risk of c-section.<br />
I'm still hoping not to be induced, since I'd rather avoid being given Pitocin, but after talking it over with the doctor Gary and I decided to go ahead and schedule an induction for Monday (the day before I would hit 41 weeks). Our doctor will be at the hospital that day, and as much as we want things to progress naturally, we don't want to wait much longer than 41 weeks due to the possible risks for the baby as you get closer to 42 weeks and because the longer it takes for her to get here, the less time Gary will have with her before he goes back to work near the end of April. Also, my dad, who lives 6+ hours away, now knows that he can plan on coming to town this weekend to meet his first granddaughter at the start of next week if she's not here before then.<br />
It's also nice that after all of the "When will she get here?" of the last few days we know that at this time next week, she'll be here.<br />
In the meantime, I'll be using my exercise ball, going on walks with Gary, and praying that she comes any day!<br />
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<h3>
Baby G at 36 weeks:</h3>
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She loves putting her hand over her face.<br />
<h3>
Baby G at 30 weeks:</h3>
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<br />Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09634335686794872101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446713661493949290.post-856309178982704982015-04-06T20:39:00.000-07:002015-04-10T10:41:25.754-07:00The After Bath<div class="MsoNormal">
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We have two amazing dogs, a four year old bulloxer (boxer/American
bulldog mix) and a 1 year old that we think may be a cross between a ridgeback
and a whippet. They’re both rescues, so it’s anyone’s guess.<br />
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One of their favorite things to do together is to run laps
around the back yard, tackling each other, and rolling around together. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Rita is also a fan of lizard hunting, and occasionally
digging holes, which she knows is a no-no.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And Hayworth seems to love finding the sunniest patch of
dirt in the yard to lay in. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Which of course results in some very dirty dogs. Gary gave
them a bath a few days ago in preparation of Baby G’s arrival since we knew it
may be a while before we felt we had time to bathe either of them again. We
managed to keep them in the house the rest of the night. <br />
But of course the next day:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09634335686794872101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446713661493949290.post-54095062143036781802015-04-05T16:47:00.002-07:002015-04-10T10:41:52.257-07:00So Close, and Happy Easter!<h3>
When Will It Be?</h3>
Just 2 days from our due date, and we can't wait to meet baby G. Will she be late, early (though she'll have to come pretty soon if so), or right on her due date? Gary is predicting that she'll come one day late, on Wednesday.<br />
It certainly seems like time has slowed down as we approach her arrival. Now that we're so close, the anticipation makes each day that we go without meeting her seem that much longer.<br />
It's so exciting to think that next Easter we'll have a precious little girl to celebrate with.<br />
<h3>
Speaking of Easter:</h3>
I love the quote from Ravi Zacharias in his book The Grand Weaver:<br />
"<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">"Jesus does not offer to make bad people good but to make dead people alive."</span><br />
And that's exactly what Jesus accomplished for us. He suffered and died, but was raise again for us. Not just to make us "good enough", but to bring us to true life.<br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28&version=NIV">Click here to read the account of Jesus after the crucifixion in Matthew.</a><br />
Happy Easter!Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09634335686794872101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446713661493949290.post-87335363490258474492015-04-03T08:29:00.001-07:002015-04-10T10:43:03.684-07:00Oh Pregnancy, You Tease<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">We're just 4 days from our due
date, so it's anyone guess when baby G will get here. Will she be early, or late
or come right on her due date? Both of my parents called me yesterday within
minutes of each other to just check in and see how things were going. My answer
was, I'm still feeling good (I've been so blessed this pregnancy) and there's
still no way of knowing when she's coming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I'm finding
that late pregnancy is a lot like early pregnancy. Before we took our first pregnancy
test, I was constantly considering the early pregnancy symptoms I may or may
not be feeling. The problem was, so many of the symptoms of early pregnancy
mirror PMS. There was the back and forth of "Well, I could be pregnant,
but it could just be...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Now, the
thought is "Well, it could be early labor, or it could just be..."
Everyone's heard of someone, or knows someone who's had a false alarm. Living
45 minutes from the hospital, we really don't want to drive all the way there
just to get sent home. At the same time, I really don't want to spend 45
minutes in the car in the middle of painful contractions. Still, since it's my
first pregnancy, the doctor is in no hurry for me to rush in since labor
usually takes a while for first time moms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Last night
was my first "Could it be labor?" experience. I've had lots of
Braxton Hicks contractions in the third trimester especially. Some seem to last
forever, but they've never been painful. Just the intense tightening
sensation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Late last
night, right before I usually would have been heading to bed, I started feeling
uncomfortable. I'd had trouble sleeping the night before, but otherwise felt
okay yesterday. Then, I started feeling some pain with the Braxton Hicks
contractions, but was convinced it was just a result of the massive amount of candy
I'd eaten. (Okay, not massive, but more than I usually eat) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Gary was
convinced it could be the start of labor, while I told him no, it was just the
candy. But, I kept getting more and more uncomfortable, and the pain eventually
started to go into my back as well. Still, it wasn't unbearable, and hard to
time with consistency, though it was happening often. After reading tons of
"What did labor feel like for you?" pregnancy posts and seeing that
it is completely different for everyone and basically if your water doesn't
break (which despite what movies would have you believe only happens in a tiny
percentage of pregnancies before active labor), it could or couldn't be labor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">When Gary
came to bed, I decided that if this was it I should get sleep while I could,
though I didn't know if it would be possible. But, I did manage to fall asleep
and slept most of the night. I woke up to another painful Braxton Hicks
contraction and decided to get up and take a shower. I felt nauseous, but after
a long shower, I didn't feel any more pain. It's now been over an hour and
nothing. So, it looks like baby girl is still hanging in there for now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09634335686794872101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446713661493949290.post-57326573499170008102015-03-30T17:57:00.001-07:002015-04-02T16:12:51.334-07:00Any Day Now & 6 Penny-Wise Freezer Meals<h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Any Day Now</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">As
I type baby girl is moving all around. We're just 8 days from her estimated due
date. It's crazy to know that she could come at any time. I promised Gary that
I'd spend today off my feet as much as possible since it's his last work event
and he'll be out of the house until at least midnight. Then, he has more than 3
weeks off. Though I'm getting more excited by the day to see her, I'm not in a
rush to hurry her out before she's ready. I've been enjoying resting today, but
I'm looking forward to doing some more active chores, like vacuuming every
room, and some fun stuff too like taking a walk.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Last
week was spring break for my Kindergarten students, and the start of my
transition to being a homemaker (soon to be stay at home mom). I spent much of
the week making as many freezer meals as my 38 week pregnant energy levels
would allow. The following are the meals I made:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Budget Friendly Freezer Meals</span></h3>
<h4>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Taste
Tested: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I had a
chance to try the following before freezing.</span></span></h4>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://happymoneysaver.com/honey-lime-chicken/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;" target="_blank">Honey Lime Chicken:</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> I precooked this meal as if serving it for dinner and got to
sample some. It was excellent, pretty simple to make, and very budget friendly.
Allow to cool before transferring to freezer bags.</span></li>
<li><a href="http://damndelicious.net/2014/10/15/asian-quinoa-meatballs/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;" target="_blank">Asian Quinoa Meatballs:</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> I made a double batch of these
so that we could have them on two separate occasions. Though I could have
frozen them prior to cooking, I chose to precook them and mix them with the
sauce instead. Then, I allowed them to cool before placing in freezer bags.
Gary and I both tried these before I froze the rest and thought they were
great. </span></li>
<li><a href="http://naturallyella.com/2012/02/24/peanut-stew-with-sweet-potatoes-and-spinach/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;" target="_blank">Peanut Stew With Sweet Potatoes and Spinach</a><a href="http://naturallyella.com/2012/02/24/peanut-stew-with-sweet-potatoes-and-spinach/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;" target="_blank">:</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> I've made
this recipe several times over the past 3 years and love it! It's a great
vegetarian option. I usually make a few modifications. I sub dried ginger for
fresh (cut way back on the amount you use if you choose to do this!), and I add
in extra garlic instead of onions since I have a slight onion intolerance. I
precook the stew, allow it to cool, and then place it in a gallon sized freezer
bag. The night before we plan to eat it, I place it in the refrigerator. The
next day I heat it in a pot and throw some rice or quinoa in the rice cooker to
go with it.</span></li>
</ol>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<h4>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Untested: </span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">I didn't get a chance to
taste any of these, but they were all easy to make and budget friendly!</span></span></h4>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://happymoneysaver.com/chicken-enchiladas-recipe/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;" target="_blank">Enchiladas:</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> I
usually prefer to make my own enchilada sauce using</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> </span><a href="http://ohsheglows.com/2011/12/13/naughty-nice-vegan-enchilada-casserole/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;" target="_blank">this recipe,</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> but chose to use the canned sauce this
time to save time. I did alter the recipe by using black beans instead of
chicken (something I've done in other enchilada recipes). I'll try to update in
the future about how they turned out. I froze these following the suggestions
at the link to the recipe. </span></li>
<li><a href="http://thegreenbacksgal.com/sugar-detox-quick-and-healthy-slow-cooker-chicken-fajitas/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;" target="_blank">Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas:</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> These were super easy to
make! I froze everything raw and plan to defrost before placing in my slow
cooker. </span></li>
<li><a href="http://penniesandpancakes.blogspot.com/2014/01/slow-cooker-spicy-peanut-chicken.html#.VQtjp454pPJ" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;" target="_blank">Slow Cooker Spicy Peanut Chicken:</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> This was also very
easy to make. Again, I froze this raw and plan to defrost before placing in the
slow cooker. I will probably try making this in the future using chick peas or
sweet potato as a vegetarian option (as one comment mentioned she did).</span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">What
are your favorite freezer friendly or budget friendly meals?</span><br />
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Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09634335686794872101noreply@blogger.com0