Update on Managers of Their Homes

A while back I had posted about the book Managers of Their Homes by Teri Maxwell.  It has been such a tremendous help in creating an environment that functions smoothly.  We have been pretty good with sticking to it, too, except over the holidays.  And during this time we noticed a change in our children's attitudes (not for the better). Well, I sat down yesterday and added baby Hailey....or Lucas...... to the schedule.  It was a little worrisome and tedious, but I think I am pleased with the end result and I hope it will work well for us.  If not, I know we can always change something around. 


We have never really put our new babies on a schedule.  Loosely, maybe.  This time around we are shooting for a 3 hour nursing schedule, except for through the night, and more consistency with nap times.  of course, if we see that baby needs more nourishment, we will change the schedule around. 


Another new thing we are going to try is NO co-sleeping.  I have put all three babies in bed with us.  Halfway because of laziness and halfway to protect my little ones (in my mind).  Sean has not really liked any of the babies in the bed with us, so I have decided I need to honor my husband.  We have the bassinet in our room and it's all ready for a baby (just like the other 3 times), but I am going to purpose to use it for the baby this time and not just for storing blankets, bibs, and burp cloths.  We also put our rocker in our room so I have no excuse to feed the baby in bed in the middle of the night. 


Again, this book is the best and I think can be a real blessing to many mamas out there.  :)


I really like how the schedule starts at 2 weeks of age, which will give our family time to readjust to having a new baby and time to recuperate and visit with family and friends that may come.  After 3 months of age, the book says that wake times will be adjusted (awake for longer periods) all the way to 18 months, where then the baby will be on the other boys' schedules.  Feed times are adjusted if necessary. 

Daily Schedule	Mom	Ryan-4 yrs	Hunter-2 yrs	Andrew-1 yr
Time
6:00 AM	Nurse/devotions
6:30 AM	Shower/get ready
7:00 AM
7:30 AM	Make breakfast/cleanup
8:00 AM	Morning routine w children	Morning routine and chores	Morning routine	Morning routine
8:30 AM	Eat breakfast/Bible time	Eat breakfast/Bible time	Eat breakfast/Bible time	Eat breakfast/Bible time
9:00 AM	Nurse	Alone time	Alone time	Alone time
9:30 AM	Diaper changes	Potty	Diaper change	Diaper change
10:00 AM	Ryan school/violin	School/violin	Educational DVDs	Free time/Educational DVDs in jumper
10:30 AM
11:00 AM	Lunch & Bible time/cleanup	Art/lunch & Bible time	Art/lunch & Bible time	Free time/lunch & Bible time
11:30 AM
12:00 PM	Nurse	Alone time	Alone time	With Mom
12:30 PM	Walk/play outside	Walk/play outside	Walk/play outside	Walk/play outside
1:00 PM	Nap prep/storytime	Nap prep/storytime	Nap prep/storytime	Nap prep/storytime
1:30 PM	Nap for me	Nap	Nap	Nap
2:00 PM	Honor hubby/Phone calls & texts
2:30 PM	Computer/office work
3:00 PM	Clean
3:30 PM	Workout
4:00 PM	Nurse/read
4:30 PM	Wake up children/fold laundry	Wake up/fold laundry	Wake up/fold laundry	Wake up/Exersaucer
5:00 PM	Dinner prep	Feed animals/dinner prep/movie in office	Dinner prep/movie in office	Free play/movie in office
5:30 PM
6:00 PM	Eat & Bible time/cleanup	Eat & Bible time/cleanup	Eat & Bible time/cleanup	Eat & Bible time
6:30 PM
7:00 PM	Nurse	1on1 time w Dad (10 mins)/play w AJB (10 mins)/play w HMB (10 mins)	Play w Mom & AJB (10 mins)/1on1 time w Dad (10 mins)/play w RNB (10 mins)	Play w Mom & HMB (10 mins)/play w RNB (10 mins)/1on1 time w Dad (10 mins)
7:30 PM	Playtime w all children/family cleanup	Playtime w all (incl 10 mins on tablet)/family cleanup	Playtime w all (incl 10 mins on tablet)/family cleanup	Playtime w all/family cleanup
8:00 PM	Bath/family devotions	Bath/family devotions	Bath/family devotions	Bath/family devotions
8:30 PM
9:00 PM	Nurse	Good night!	Good night!	Good night!
9:30 PM	Unfinished biz/ready for bed
10:00 PM	Devotions w Sean/TV/Relax
10:30 PM
11:00 PM	Good night!
Weekly Amendments
Sunday	Church, morn and eve	Church, morn and eve	Church, morn and eve	Church, morn and eve
Monday	Ry violin lesson 3:30	Violin lesson
Tuesday		Movie night	Movie night	Movie night
Wednesday	Grocery list, church	Church	Church	Church
Thursday	Farm/groceries	Farm/groceries	Farm/groceries	Farm/groceries
Friday	Date night/movie night with children 1st Friday	Ice cream/movie night	Ice cream/movie night	Ice cream/movie night
Saturday	Family Day/10 mins w each child	Family Day/10 mins w Mom	Family Day/10 mins w Mom	Family Day/10 mins w Mom
Sean's funny, isn't he!?  Hailucas.

Daily Schedule	Hailucas - 2 Wk to 3 Mo.
Time
6:00 AM	Nurse / sleep
6:30 AM
7:00 AM
7:30 AM
8:00 AM
8:30 AM
9:00 AM	Nurse / stay awake
9:30 AM
10:00 AM
10:30 AM	Nap
11:00 AM
11:30 AM
12:00 PM	Nurse / stay awake
12:30 PM
1:00 PM
1:30 PM	Nap
2:00 PM
2:30 PM
3:00 PM
3:30 PM
4:00 PM	Nurse / stay awake
4:30 PM
5:00 PM
5:30 PM	Nap
6:00 PM
6:30 PM
7:00 PM	Nurse / stay awake
7:30 PM
8:00 PM
8:30 PM
9:00 PM	Nurse / sleep for night
9:30 PM
10:00 PM
10:30 PM
11:00 PM
Weekly Amendments
Sunday	Church, morn and eve
Monday	Ry violin lesson 3:30
Tuesday
Wednesday	Grocery list, church
Thursday	Farm/groceries
Friday	Date night/movie night with children 1 x per month
Saturday	Family Day/10 mins w each child

One Pot Pasta with Tomato Basil Sauce

This is the second year my grandma has ordered Southern Living's subscription for me and it has been such a blessing!  We have gotten some great recipes.  Here's one.  It's delicious!  And easy.....I think......Sean made it while I was at work.  Any way, DELICIOUS! 

Ingredients

• 12 ounces casarecce or fusilli pasta
• 1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 medium-size yellow onion, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/3 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1 (6-oz.) package baby spinach
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Place first 9 ingredients and, if desired, dried crushed red pepper in a Dutch oven in order of ingredient list. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat (about 12 to 15 minutes). Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, 10 to 12 minutes or until pasta is slightly al dente, stirring at 5-minute intervals.
2. Remove from heat, and stir in spinach. Cover and let stand 10 minutes. Stir just before serving. Serve with Parmesan cheese.


http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pasta-tomato-basil-sauce-50400000132600/

Baby #4 Readiness!

We are ready for the baby!  I'm 34 weeks today!  We spent time this weekend getting the bassinet, swing, bouncer, burp cloths, bibs, clothes, socks, shoes, etc. etc. all out and ready.  We rearranged the house a bit in preparation and got our bags packed for the hospital. I went through our one box of random girl sized clothes and got the newborn sizes out.  Sean just watched me go through that box and I said "You're either thinking thank goodness those are coming out or boy, you're really wasting your time!"  He said yup, pretty much!  lol  :)  It just makes it all that more exciting, getting all ready for the new blessing!  My last appointment on New Year's Eve my fundal height was under - I measured at 30 weeks, but I was 33 weeks at the time.  The OB wants to get an ultrasound, which will be done on the 14th. 

And here's some pictures taken today outside of our house.  It's PRETTY COLD!!!  I think my Dad said it's called a polar vortex or something.  Either way, it's cold.  Our thermometer reads 15, but the feels like is -2.  It is supposed to be 0 tonight with a feels like of -10 and tomorrow night a feels like of 10-15 below.  Bur!!!!

New Year 2014

Happy New Year!!!!!  We are very excited to see God working in 2014 and for the things He will allow for our family and all of our loved ones in the coming year! 

To celebrate New Year's Eve we started some new traditions.  We went to Chilhowee Park and did the drive-thru lights thing and then we ate dinner at Litton's.  I have been wanting to eat there for months and my wonderful husband surprised me last night!  I now know why they are voted best burgers, diner, and desserts about every year for the Best of Knoxville contest.  Then we came home and let the boys stay up late and watch a movie (well, not Andrew, he only made it till about 10 or 1030) and me and the boys actually stayed awake to watch the ball drop.  First time getting to do that with the children.  They climbed up into bed with us and we rang in the New Year together.  Sooooo sweet! 

Today we are doing the typical tradition of ham, black-eyed peas, collards, and cornbread and my husband made an apple cake.  He actually is making the whole dinner, minus the ham, which we purchased from Honey Baked Ham.  The boys are getting a free day around the house and I am trying to get some chores done. 

I LOVE new beginnings.  I LOVE the start of a new day and I LOVE the start of a new year.  I just like new.  I also like new purses, new shoes, and new clothes, but that's neither here nor there.  :) We aren't really the types to make resolutions, per se, but we do have some goals that we felt like God was leading us towards for 2014. 

1.  We are going to try to be ON TIME!!!  Especially to church.  We are the worst about getting to church on time.  It's really bad.  Shame on us!
2.  We bought a devotional book for the children that has a devo for every day of the year.  We also bought them new Bibles for our evening family time. 
3.  Sean and I bought the Love Dare devotional that we are going to read together in the evenings. 
4.  I also bought a new study Bible to start. 
5.  We are starting off the month of January, learning the books of the Bible in order, which is a challenge from Pastor Bates for our church.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENT6HD58yA4 is a really good song and it will get stuck in your head for days! 
6.  I am feeling led to start memorizing James and 1 and 2 Peter.  Whoa!!!  Challenging!!!

Of course I want to (through the power of Christ) change the things in my life that don't give all the glory, honor, and praise to God.  To be more thankful.  To love more.  To enjoy each moment God gives me.  To discipline my children more, but praise them EVEN more often.  To LOVE, honor, delight, cherish, obey, and submit to my husband more.  I just want Jesus to have ALL of me and I want to walk in sweet fellowship with Him and be a blessing to others. 

I am also calling this my "year of reflection".  I am going to read through my past blog posts this year, just to remember the memories and also to make sure my posts are appropriate because God has changed me since I first began this blog.  I can't usually go back to old posts because I end up crying.  I am also going to go through all our photo albums this year and reorganize them.  Another thing I usually can't look at.  I think I am EVEN going to try to read all of me and Sean's letters to each other from when he was deployed.  He told me to let him know when I start to do that so he can be prepared for me.  HA HA!  It's time I have some healing in that area of my life and it's time I look at the past with joy and thankfulness, instead of sadness and regret.  "On life:  You can't change the past.  But with God's help you can change the future.  No matter what your life has been like so far, God wants to put your feet on a new path...a better path...His path"-Billy Graham. 

Lastly, well second to last, we talked as a family last night (another new tradition) about the ways God blessed us in 2013.  We got to travel a TON!  And God provided the financial means each time, even with our sometimes-more-limited-income-than-other-times times.  He allowed us to go to Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Colorado, Florida twice, Nashville twice, Virginia, North Carolina, and Gatlinburg many times.  Such wonderful trips and wonderful memories that we made together!  We also were blessed with a new pregnancy and we are so excited to meet our baby soon!  Ryan learned to start reading.  Andrew celebrated many milestones, like a first birthday, crawling, walking, talking.  Hunter has found wonder and amazement with God's creation, like animals and trains and planes.  :)  I graduated with my Bachelor's degree in nursing and got a new job that I LOVE and is such a blessing to our family.  We had lots of visits from Pappy and Grammy and a visit from Dave and Michelle.  Sean has been doing amazing in school and has been passing all of his classes.  Our marriage has improved a 1000 times over and I LOVE him more now than EVER before.  We had ups and downs with our townhome, but we are on an "up" right now, which is GREAT!  We have thoroughly enjoyed living in E TN and Lord willing would happily spend the rest of our lives here.  We LOVE our church and all the families around here that we have gotten to know and love, both at Bible Baptist and from our old church, Still Waters.  They are all such an encouragement to our family.  We were able to help celebrate two weddings and watch these new couples grow in love for each other and with God.  We memorized scripture and hymns as a family and Sean and I read the whole Bible in a year together as a couple!  Any way.  It's been beautiful and wonderful and joyous.  We had our down times, too, like the pasing of Grandma Brewner, townhome issues, lots of colds and stomach viruses in our house, and working through some tough spots in our marriage.  BUT God always sees us through.  He will NEVER leave us nor forsake us! 

And here's some pictures from last night.  :) 

May you have a God blessed 2014!!!