Midwives

Today is National Midwife Day and so I wanted to reminisce the special day Jane was born. It was a perfect first birth and a beautiful memory to look back on. I felt my water break at 8 at the Idaho Falls Court House, all the major contractions began at midnight and baby Jane was born 5:10 am. I never could have fathomed what this experience works be like or how hard it truly would be. My midwives and doula were perfect for our little family. James was the best support and literally helped me pull through the hardest moments of birth. Jane was a beautiful baby and was so very sweet the moment she was born.

Krista and Shayna were our midwives and were the perfect team accompanied by our wonderful Doula Natalie. They helped James and I know what was going on, stayed calm, brought humor, and truly were perfect. We could not have asked for a better support to bring our first baby into the world. Midwives are amazing!!! They travel at all times of night, get little sleep, have trained themselves to handle any birth complication, bless countless women and help babies arrive safely into this world. They really are incredible! The birth process and the woman's body are miracles. They are meant to be a natural and beautiful process, and midwives have allowed that process to be available to so many women. We live in an era where hospital births are the norm and the only way to go, but the woman's body is designed to have children. I'm so grateful I was blessed to feel and experience the birth process to its fullest with no medication and my mind and body working together so crucially. There is great power in creation. I am grateful there is modern medicine and hospitals for mothers and babies who would otherwise not survive, what a huge blessing that is for these times. Trusting ones body and abilities is empowering though and if you're body can and it is a safe pregnancy choose midwives, choose natural. Women are strong, babies are to!!! Happy Midwifery day!!

Creation

Yesterday and today we had some fun creation time. We got out some white paint and paper and made Mothers Day cards to mail out this week. Jane had a lot of fun painting, as you can tell. She is so funny and makes the silliest of faces right now. It's always so special to watch her create, she loves to color and paint! Il be special to mail her grandmas and great grandmas the special cards she created.

And then I had the opportunity to work on a little project for a dear friend. She had a quote stand out to her from the past April LDS Conference that she wanted to hang in her home and give as gifts. So she asked if I would design her something. This was a quote that had also stood out to me and so I was excited to piece something together for her worthy of this great little proverb. I love having the opportunity to create! I love making something out of nothing, giving life to a beautiful saying, having a product come forth with great meaning. This is why I love design, why I love being a mom why I love life. Creation is beautiful!

Cook'n

 

I haven't remembered to post to my blog as of late. I wanted to share the articles I wrote for the month of May for my little side writing job. It has been so fun to write articles each month and reminisce of cooking memories. I love food!! And I love eating! And now I'm learning to love writing about those loves.  Enjoy reading away!!

My articles are:

Yummy Flower Pots

Dinner Party Success

Spring Clean that Kitchen!

Pinterest Salad the Maindish

The Link is:

http://www.dvo.com/newsletter/monthly/2015/may/index.html

Love,

Carolyn

Citrus Cake

Today was super long. I had a lot of to-do's and didn't get half of them done I feel. But I got really important ones accomplished, like; write and send in all my articles for my food writing job, make eight packets for an FHE swap, bake a cake for the Young Women's dessert auction, spend some quality time with Mister James and Jane.

The Young Women of our church ward do a fundraiser every year to earn money so that they can afford going to camp. I was in charge the very first year we were here and it was a lot of fun. Recently they've been doing a dessert auction, and wow there was a lot of yummy goodies.

I made a lemon coconut citrus cake. It was really fun to decorate and prepare. I even let the person who won it keep the nice platter I put it on. Which I thought was a pretty nice added bonus! We were able to contribute but sadly have no pocket change right now to have gotten anything they auctioned. There were so many delectable treats that this pregnant mama wanted, but I was good and had to just be content serving this night and not getting. It sure was fun to see the battling of the auctioneers :). 

Sprinkler Fun

Jane LOVES to be outside. We spend a lot of time on the swing, slide and going on walks. This little gal is an adventurer and loves to pick bouquets of dandelions, collect handfuls of sticks and rocks, find buuuugs, and get dirty. Today was the hottest day we've had this year and it was a blast to see Jane enjoy some sprinkler time. Usually she is not a fan of the water falling on her (showers kinda freak her out) but today she loved it. She walked back and forth, back and forth on our little walkway in the yard and giggled every time the water went over her. She is such a happy little spirit and she brings joy into my heart every day!!

New babies!!!

Today my amazing brother and incredible sister in law had their baby, Penelope May. She is so little, 5lbs 11 oz!! I can't wait to meet her in person and to kiss her cheeks and nose. New babies are so special. Each one is a miracle and a blessing! They are little pieces of heaven we get to hold in our arms.

Mister James and baby Jane accompanied me to Ashton to bring a surprise meal to welcome the new little family home when they are done at the hospital. We took a special drink and chicken pot pies, and a "happy birthday" cake for the little lady :). It was really special to go and clean up their kitchen and space for them so they could feel welcomed home after a long week. I know I so appreciated help that first week with Jane. Having meals and a little clean up help was such a blessing. Becoming a mother for the first time is overwhelming, physically, emotionally and spiritually. All in happy ways, but you definitely are exhausted and a little overwhelmed at first. How thankful I am for family and friends who helped my transition into motherhood be so wonderful. I am so proud of Matt and Paige and their new baby girly!

We hung a little welcome home sign for little Penny (jane even scribbled a little for her!) to feel the love. Sure is special bringing a new baby into the world and into your home!

Mmmmmmuffins

I have deemed these to be the honorary muffin that we freeze when little man arrives!! I would love to have a bunch of frozen muffins we can take out and thaw for a snack or breakfast! They are devine!

Nana-PB-Cookie Muffins

Makes 24 muffins

Cook time 20(ish) minutes

Bake at 350

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)

1 cup granulated sugar (or you can 1/2 cup brown + 1/2 cup white sugar)

1 Large Egg

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Dash of salt

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup Peanut Butter

1/4 cup Cookie Butter

1/2 cup chocolate chips (more always seem to end up getting in ;), I like to sprinkle extra on top before they go in the oven to bake!)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Mix your butter, sugar and egg. Then add your mashed bananas, and then your Peanut Butter/Cookie Butter.

2. Add all your dry ingredients into the sugar/nana mix and mix well. 

3. Then add your milk and vanilla!! Fold in chocolate chips at the very end.

4. Get your muffin tins lined with cute liners or spray. And fill away! Place in oven and cook till slightly brown on top, roughly 20 minutes.

5. Break out a glass of milk and eat away as they pop out of the oven. Or make a big batch like I'm planning to ;) and let them cool and then freeze in gallon ziplock bags. Then whenever you reeeealy need a muffin pop it out of the freezer microwave a few seconds and enjoy.

This recipe was adapted from several I found online and then j just had to add a special ingredient: speculoos cookie butter. Mmmmm they are finger lickin good!!! Bake a batch up today before those bananas go out by way of the fruit fly!