Well, we’re off to our first Christmas party of the weekend… Merry Christmas everyone!
Merry Christmas!
While our baby has been busy growing, Luke and I have been busy nesting! We spent the first two Saturdays in December attending childbirth class “Birth, Babies & Beyond”. We also decorated the house for Christmas and got the baby’s room ready. AND, last week we traded in my Honda Civic for a Toyota Highlander! So far we love it. I just have to adjust to the fact that we’ll need to fill the tank up a little more often. :( I’ve also been working on a new blog design. What do you think?
CPCU
Yesterday, I passed the eighth and final test needed to earn my Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter designation! After working towards this goal for over two years, accomplishing it feels so good! Thank you Federated for the incentives you’ve given me along the way and for the upcoming trip to the National CPCU Conferment Ceremony.
Thank you Father for this baby.
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| Give thanks for the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 107:1 |
28 weeks
Hip hip for making it to the third trimester! The saying time flies when you’re having fun is so true. I’ve enjoyed carrying this little baby bumpkin with me everyday that I can’t believe he or she will be here in such a short amount of time. I haven’t done a great job of taking pictures to capture my growing bump, but I do have some to share so I’ll do that now. :)
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Nursery Furniture
I’m so happy with the furniture I picked out for the baby’s room! Yes, I picked it out and Luke gladly gave his stamp of approval. :) We went with the Argington Bam collection and I just have to tell you why. First, they used solid birch wood (and birch plywood), which is a hardwood. Most nursery furniture today is made with softwoods, which tend to be less dense aka durable. Not only will this furniture hold up against wear and tear better, but so will the environment because the wood was harvested from sustainably managed sources. Also, they finished the furniture with stains, glues, etc that contain zero formaldehyde and are 100% non-toxic. Did I mention that the bassinet and crib exceed all safety regulations? Lastly, I like that the bassinet and crib heights are only 33.5”. Since I’m only 5’2” lifting Baby in and out will be a breeze!
Thanks Mom and Dad for your help with the nursery furniture!
Goodie Goodie Gumdrop
I made some yummy gumdrops this week; however the first batch was a complete disaster so I thought I’d share a few tips that will help anyone who wants to give this recipe a try!
- four tablespoons is closer to five packets of gelatin – not six
- measure out the gelatin don’t just trust the recipe :)
- use a three-quart (or slightly larger) pan
- to help prevent burning, bring the mixture to a boil and then turn it down to about medium
- line your pans with wax or parchment paper and coat the paper with cooking spray
- pull the chilled cubes out of the pans and place them on a sugared cutting board - don’t cut the gumdrops while they’re in the pan!
Happy Anniversary!
Today is our four-year wedding anniversary. Can you believe it? It’s hard enough to believe that we’re already more than halfway through this pregnancy! It’s fun to look back on all the memories we've had together, but nothing can compare to what’s in store for us. I married the best person for me and am so happy to have a baby on the way!
Half Baked
Last Monday, we had our “big” 20-week ultrasound appointment. Luke and I got to watch our little baby for an entire hour. :) It was amazing! The best part of the whole appointment was when the ultrasound tech commented that our baby had a beautiful heart. Then, later when we met with the doctor, he said the exact same thing! Luke and I have been praying for a healthy baby with a strong heart and then to hear those words was nothing less than an answered prayer. To top it off, he or she was measuring right at 20 weeks! Here are a few pictures of Baby Erickson:
Blackberry Jam
My mother-in-law was so generous when she sent Luke home last Tuesday with a huge box stuffed full of onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers, basil, blackberries, potatoes, and more! We knew we weren’t going to be able to eat it all, so we canned cucumbers and blackberries. We also chopped up the green peppers and froze them. Since I am just in love with the blackberry jam, I’ve posted my easy recipe for those canners out there!
2 cups smashed blackberries
2 packets True Lemon
2 Tbsp + ¾ tsp Ball RealFruit Classic Pectin (I used slightly less and it worked just fine)
2 cups sugar
First, prepare your waterbath canner, 3 half pint (8 oz) jars, lids, and rings. Once you’re done with that, place the blackberries, lemon, and pectin in a 2-quart saucepan and bring the contents to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add the sugar and then boil for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and ladle into clean jars leaving ¼ inch headspace. Put the lids on and tighten the rings. Place the jars into the waterbath canner for 10 minutes. Cool on a towel for about 12 hours. Yum...
Second Trimester!
Now that we’ve shared the news with just about everyone, I thought it was time to make it official on my blog. Luke and I are expecting! Our little baby is due to make his or her grand entrance on February 13th. I don’t think it’s possible for us to be any more excited than we are!
Overall, I’ve been feeling pretty well. I’ve had sporadic nausea and headaches and constant exhaustion and food aversions. I’m not complaining though; I will gladly take the little discomfort that I’ve had for a little baby. Luke has truly been a lifesaver picking up my slack around the house and giving me and baby :) time to rest! I haven’t gained much, if any, weight but my tummy has taken on a new shape.
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| 14 weeks - 08/15/2011 |
Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
Molly, a friend from work hosted a Norwex party tonight and even though I’m a big fan of their products what I’m most excited to share with you is a website and no it’s not norwex.com (although you can check out all their awesome products there)! Molly’s sister-in-law provided us with a website that scores products on a scale from 1-10 (low hazard-high hazard) based on the health concerns of the products’ ingredients. I found a couple products on that website that I use such as Aveda’s Confixor Liquid Gel that have a pretty high rating. Like me, you may be surprised by what you find. Check it out for yourself at www.ewg.org/skindeep.
Card Crafting
I recently setup an Etsy site for the Stampin’ Up! cards I’ve been making. Etsy is similar to eBay, but it’s geared towards buyers and sellers of handmade items. I haven’t had too much traffic yet, so please check out my storefront and pass the website along to anyone you think may be interested!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ejunkbox?ref=si_shop
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ejunkbox?ref=si_shop
The Way Back
Luke and I watched a good movie last weekend called The Way Back that I’d recommend to just about anyone. It was a 2 hour 15 minute drama based on a true story (see disclaimer below) of World War II Siberian labor camp escapees. The small group journey from Siberia, through the Gobi Desert, and traverse the Himalayas to find freedom. Even though many people challenge the book that the movie is based on, The Long Walk as a fraud, I enjoyed the story and the cinematography nonetheless. For those of you who haven’t tried Netflix yet, I suggest you start your free trial this weekend!
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