Feeling the itch...

I have been feeling the itch to start canning for the year! I fell in love last year with the process. By the end of summer though, I was done! I knew that it was something I enjoyed though and want to continue to do each year. I am so excited for strawberries to come out. I have so many things I want to try with them including just plain freezing some. I ordered some vanilla beans online and am looking forward to using that in some of my recipes. Wow, vanilla is expensive! Thank the Lord someone gave me a tip to try ebay. I remember who said it but I either heard or read it last summer and fortunately I remembered.

This week I made limoncello. I have been wanting to make it for about two years now and my neighbor loves it. I figured since I am still waiting on strawberries to come in I might as well go ahead and make some. Also as soon as my vanilla gets here I will be making our own vanilla extract. Unfortunately it takes a long time to get ready to use but I will try to be patient. My mom bought some from Mexico years ago and that was the best vanilla I have ever used so I am pretty excited to make it at home.

We have stayed busy here. Randy has cut down some trees in the yard. He is still working on cleaning up that mess but we are going to put some fruit trees in the place of the ones cut. One or two of them were just taking over the yard so nothing else was growing properly so as sad as I am to see the shade go I am looking forward to fresh fruit from the trees and seeing our other trees thrive.

There is still so much needed to be done before my plants arrive and the baby arrives but I am trying to stay calm and if it is done it is done and if not, well, we tried. I just get frustrated because I can't help more but the family is very understanding and I am blessed to have such great people in my life!

Some may be wondering why my child and her friend are wearing trash bags. On Friday my neighbor and I were hanging out and doing a little weeding in the garden and the girls were digging for worms. Eli was hiding inside our neighbor's house because he saw a few bees. While the girls were digging for worms, Corbin, asked for a Hefty bag so she could sit down and not get dirty. I know digging for worms but doesn't want to get dirty, how a little girl thinks! She went and got one and soon after coming back outside it started raining. We all went in but I went home for a couple minutes. When I returned all three kids were playing with this bag. Don't worry they kept it away from their face and had supervision. Then they started making scarfs and such with the torn pieces. Corbin asked her mom for her own box of bags. She got them and by Saturday they were making trash bag clothes. I don't have a pic. of Eli but his outfit was pretty impressive. Who knew garbage bags could be so much fun!!?? I love how kids find ways to entertain themselves!!!

So much going on this week!

We have had a big but fun week and weekend! We are trying to get our yard garden ready and I would really like to do some landscaping and make it pretty. I, unfortunately, can't do much but try to pitch in it with little time consuming tasks. We are having an early spring this year and praying we don't get hit with a late frost but with the high 70's and 80's a frost seems so far away right about now. We planted some broccoli for Eli since he really wanted some and Randy planted some spinach in the garden. Randy also planted some cilantro. He has read and heard about the health benefits of cilantro and has been really wanting to plant some. Unfortunately, mom and I love the flavor of cilantro but last time we had it, it made both of us sick so we will get our health somewhere else. I have a plan to make a garden in the front yard, which in my opinion, needs help. It isn't a horrible front yard but we have never really done much with it since moving in and there is so much usable space there. We have a wood wall by the driveway and around the well next to the wood wall there are some bulbs that come out each spring. It is absolutely gorgeous to see the color there. I want Randy to put a usable garden. I want two berry shrubs and some flowers and plants there. I found a bird sanctuary garden in one of our garden catalogs that I really want there. I want to incorporate some of our own plants into it as well as what they have though. I also want to work on the side of the house and side of the garage. Maybe put some grape vines and berry bushes. There is just so much to do!

Our side of town does a big consignment sale for kids clothes a couple times a year. This was my first time going even though it is right down the street from our neighborhood. I am so glad I went this time. All three youngest kids need summer clothes. I was able to get some really cute clothes for an excellent price! I also got clothes for the baby boy and some maternity clothes. I had in my head that I could just wear my winter maternity clothes through the spring since it really doesn't get too warm here till April. Then we will still have some cooler days and warm days. How wrong was I with this unseasonably warm weather. I was so excited to see they had some shorts and tops for this weather! They also had a lady there who make the cutest hair bows. I bought several for Hanni bug since she still loves a big bow in her hair each day! She was so excited to get them. She even got two tractor ones. Hanni loves those two. She is such a daddy's girl. All girl with a little farmer in her! lol

Hanni bug also had her first BIG sleepover last night. She has slept over at the neighbors house before but I am two doors down if she needs me (and Maryjo was with her). Yesterday afternoon I got a call from my neighbor who asked if Hanni could go to Columbia with them and stay the night. I was a little nervous at first but knew Hanni would love it. So in about 10 minutes we had a bag packed and off they went. They are staying with my neighbor's mom who my kiddos have kind of adopted as another grandmother so Hanni was so excited to be going, and even more exciting she got to spend the night with her best friend! My baby is growing up! Sniffle.

Yesterday we had a lot to do. Randy had a errand to run in Greer in the morning which I went along with him. So nice to spend that time together. Then he had school work to do. Yesterday afternoon he dug three holes for me in the yard and planted my mutsu apple trees and a pomegranate tree for Maryjo. The kiddos fished off the dock while he did this and I spent time trimming old growth in the front yard and keeping him company. It really was a perfect afternoon. I am so excited about these apple trees though. We go pick apples in NC once a year and always come home with about four HUGE bags of apples. Usually 3 of those four bags are these mutsu apples. I tasted them a couple years ago and have never had an apple like it. It is hard to find these trees without researching and ordering where to get them. The place we pick apples could order a couple for us but it would be a while till we get them. We were looking at trees at the farm supply store on Thursday and sure enough they had them! It didn't take much to convince Randy to get them then and there! So excited for them to start producing apples!!

We have just had the perfect spring week and look forward to what this week brings!!

Almost 27 weeks!!

How far along?
26 weeks but only one more day til 27

Weight gain?
Too much!

Maternity clothes?
Yes

Stretch marks?
Still no new ones that I can tell!! Hopefully it will stay that way!!

Sleep?
Ha! Some nights I sleep great but other nights I toss and turn and the leg cramps are keeping me up! Now I have this wonderful sprain that keeps me up in pain. Getting comfortable is a whole different issue. I do get up early still and am usually full of energy like I have had a great nights sleep but by about noon I am ready to put my head on a pillow (which many days I take advantage of).

Best moment this week?
Through all the rough patches this week, we got the baby furniture put up last weekend, found out the baby is doing well and then found out again after I fell that he is good. Spent some time with the little kiddos and have really just tried to enjoy this pregnancy. I am trying to stay positive!

Food cravings?
Not quite as bad but I am still eating alot! My sweet tooth, which started to fade a bit, has come back. I am learning that I can't eat alot of foods due to tummy issues and indigestion. I eat enough of what I can handle to feed an army though!!

Gender?
Boy

Belly button?
Still in but getting almost flat when I lay down. I am guessing if it decides to pop out it will soon.

Movement?
Most days he is moving alot! I feel him roll more than kick though now. He still kicks quite a bit but he is rolling alot.

What I miss?
Eating without feeling punished by my body for doing so. Sleeping comfortably. I, for the most part, enjoy being pregnant so there isn't too much I miss.

What I am looking forward to?
Seeing our little one for the first time. Eating normally again. Being able to get comfortable in bed.

Not the most classy pregnant lady

Oh my! I am now in a boot limping on both legs! I had finally gotten over this major leg cramp I got in the middle of the night last week when on Friday afternoon I took my kiddos out to see The Lorax to celebrate Dr. Suess birthday and for being so patient going to appts and such with me. We decided to go have some lunch first. We went to a family favorite restaurant, Fatz and had a good time. At the end of our meal Eli had to go potty and I got up to point him in the direction of the boys room and fell. It was actually pretty weird, when I got up my foot just rolled under me and my ankle gave out. I threw myself back so I wouldn't fall forward on my belly. I fell hard. I have a pretty little bruise on my back. I tried not to cry (one from incredible pain and two from embarrassment). I got up as calmly as I could and pointed Eli (who was just standing there in shock the whole time)towards the bathroom. I then sat down and waited for the check. By the time we got to the car my foot and ankle were swollen pretty bad. I swung by to take Randy so food and he looked at it. I was also monitoring kicks from the baby at this point. I called the nurse and she told me signs to look for but told me other than that the baby is well cushioned and most likely fine. We then went to the movie. I was in pain and trying not to cry the whole time but figured out I could count baby kicks there. Ha! I had to go to the potty so much that I never got a good kick count. But when we got to the car my foot and ankle were huge. We went home and I elevated and iced it. By the time I got Randy the baby was moving but very low (lower than ever before) and not as much as normal. Randy took one look at my foot and said we were going to the hospital. I called the nurses line to find out where to go. As we waited for a call back we just went to the ER. They sent me straight to L & D to monitor the baby. Baby boy is fine (praise God)! We went back to the ER. Xrays on my foot because the doctor really couldn't tell with all the swelling if it was broken. Well, it is a severe sprain. They put me in a boot since I am pregnant and worried about me with crutches. It actually helps to walk surprisingly well. Without it I am just hobbling in a funny manner.
Well, tonight I am up in the middle of the night with another leg cramp. So now I am hobbling on that leg and limping on my sprain! Whoever said pregnancy is beautiful is crazy! I don't sleep well most nights, I have constant indigestion, tummy aches and gas, and now I can't even walk pretty! Pregnancy might not be a pretty thing but in all honesty it is so worth every minute of it!