Montague Monday

The past two weeks have gone by in a flash. I have been preparing to head back to school, get everything ready for my substitute, finish the nursery, attend 2 baby showers, work on the house, and other misc. things to help prepare us for our sweet little ones arrival. So today, I thought I would just post about what has been going on in my day to day life.

Health and diet
Although I do have splurge days or times this is my normal day eats
Breakfast
Scrambled egg whites with a little egg beater mixed in for color, whole wheat toast with a little butter, and a tomato sliced, a cup of cappuccino.









Lunch
My Favorite a fruit parfait with vanilla yogurt, berries and a granola bar crushed up


Dinner
Spinach salad and various veggies with an hardboiled egg and cottage cheese and lowfat, light ranch (I dipped the prongs of my fork into the dressing and then get some salad which gives me the taste for a fraction of the calories-I actually can't stand for my salad to stand in dressing--too much)



Snacks
I love apples and strawberries (especially with kiwi-but I didn't have any) with a spoonful of Free Cool Whip to dip it in.


a piece of dark chocolate (I have one everyday-it is my indulgence). These are just a few choices I keep in the snack basket. (I don't eat the whole package of skinny cow- just a few)



or rice pudding










Drinks: water, water, and more water
and an occasional cup of Milo's sweet tea with a splash of OJ

Spotlight Saturday

Today I want to focus on something that has been essential for me during this pregnancy. This thing I have only had for a few weeks now, and it is has become my greatest friend-A NEW BED MATTRESS! We looked forever trying to decide on one as we didn't want to spend a fortune on us-I want to spoil my little one-but I was driving Jeff crazy because I would toss and turn and move in a desperate attempt to get comfortable in my little queen bed. So, we decided on a King bed (giving our little monster Bella more room) and more room for my growing belly. We decided on THE BED BOSS mattress. One of the things that drew me into this particular mattress was the fact that it was toxin free and built with natural resources such as bamboo, aloe vera and and castor plant oil. The bamboo helps the memory foam keep us cooler during the night-and believe me for someone who gets so hot at night this was essential. The pillow top infused wiht aloe vera helped with the soft luxurious feel of the mattress. This bed is "healthy" and free from lead, mercury, PHTHALATES, formaldehyde, methylene, PBDE, and produces low emmissions, which is essential since the baby will be sleeping in a co sleeper next to the bed for the first little bit. I have to admit I hated it at first (for like the first 2 nights) but then I loved it. It is so comfortable. I really do sleep so much better (well as good as I can 8 months pregnant) lol.

Foodie Friday - Skinny Chicken Carbonara

I never thought that Italian dishes could be skinny, but I was wrong. While at the beach, we ate at a restaurant called Capriz where you have this huge salad bar (with a variety of other things on it) that you go get, then you flip over this little thing that looks like a drink coaster-green means go, red means stop. You have circulating waiters with dishes of pastas and meats. I fell in love with the pasta carbonara. It was so good, but I knew it had to be sooooo bad. So, I decided to revamp it...skinny girl style.

Skinny Girl Chicken Carbonara

6 oz pasta (I used shells because that is what I had in my pantry, but I wish that I had rotini or bowtie)
3/4 c fat free milk
1/3 c grated Parmesan
1 lg egg, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper (I actually probably used more pepper)
4 slices bacon-I used Hormel bacon bits that I had in a huge bag from Sams
1 small onion
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup mushrooms
1 tbsp of parsley
3/4 c chicken broth low sodium
pinch of crushed red pepper
1 wedge Swiss Laughing Cow cheese
1 cup chicken breast (cooked) (I marinated mine in milk with apple cider and garlic).
Olive oil

Cook chicken. I cooked mine in a little bit of olive oil. Set aside. Cook pasta. While pasta is boiling, whisk milk, Parm. Cheese, Laughing Cow cheese, egg, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and parsley.
Also, while the chicken is cooking, cook onion, garlic, and mushrooms in a little olive oil. Then, add chicken. Then, heat up the milk mixture (you must whisk it the entire time or you'll end up with cooked egg), and when it starts to get thick add the chicken broth and whisk some more. Drain your pasta. Add it to the chicken mixture. Then pour the milk mixture over and toss well. Add bacon and serve.
My husband added shaved Parmesan shavings over his but I ate mine with a little more pepper on top. So good and only tasted like it should be unhealthy.

33 Weeks

How far along? 33 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss:  18 + lbs.
Maternity clothes?  No.
Stretch marks?  No.
Sleep: I go out like a light but am up and down, and up and down again. Sometimes it is to pee, sometimes it is because little man is kicking around in there.
Best moment this week: Hearing the doctor say,“Look how big your little belly is getting.” Really?!?! When do you actually say that to someone.  My face was probably the best.

Have you told family and friends:  Yes.
Miss Anything?  Everything. I have to say I am at the point that I HATE being pregnant, and I want him to come NOW!
Movement:  Tons. My mom finally got to feel him which excited her beyond words. I was afraid she was going to cry.
Food cravings: Ice tea, chocolate, fruit, fruit, fruit, and breakfast foods-thank goodness that my baby shower had all of these things.
Anything making you queasy or sick:  I am not sure why but lately I haven’t been feeling 100 percent in the morning. I feel a little queasy or sick at my stomach and don’t want to eat much…(wonder why then such a big jump on the scale).
Have you started to show yet:  Yes.
Gender:  BOY.
Labor Signs:  Lots and lots of Braxton Hicks-some of them kind of painful.
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy.
Weekly Wisdom:  Weight is just a number. Weight is just a number. Weight is just a number. Hopefully it is his growth spurt, not mine.
Looking forward to:  Another baby shower. Getting started back to school (I know weird but that means I am that much closer to meeting my son. Finishing the nursery. 

32 Weeks

How far along? 32 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss:  16 + lbs.
Maternity clothes?  No. Still haven’t stepped foot into a maternity clothes store. I just haven’t needed to yet. Still wondering about what will happen when I have to go back to work.
Stretch marks?  No.
Sleep: It is an up and down roller coaster. Sometimes I sleep really well, and others it is crappy. Still having crazy dreams and having to go to the bathroom up-teen times in the night.
Best moment this week: Helping to plan for my baby shower on Saturday. Also spending time with my husband this past week on vacation. Finally, nailing down some ideas and projects left for the baby’s room.

Have you told family and friends:  Yes.
Miss Anything?  My waist line (lol). Actually being able to lay out or be out in the sun without dying of heat. Also not having my legs, feet, and ankles swell while being out in the heat. (the beach did a number on em).
Movement:  He is much more active now. Jeffrey actually got to see him moving…we were not sure if it was a foot or a knee but he saw him rolling about in my belly. I love the look on his face when he feels his son move (I think it is a look I will never forget. Then, the way he looks at me because I am carrying his son.)
Food cravings: It is definitely back to the sweet stuff. I still can devour a container of cut up cantaloupe and strawberries and blueberries with or without dip. But I love my chocolate, and while I try to have sugar free, sometimes, like on vacation you just have to be bad and have that chocolate covered creamed filled donut warmed up for breakfast. (I only have this once a year on a vacation).
Anything making you queasy or sick:  Yeah, but I can’t pinpoint it. I woke up this morning feeling sick to my stomach thinking I thought you got morning sickness at the beginning of your pregnancy not at the end. I seemed to calm it with Sprite Zero (anyone can tell you that I do not drink sodas much-maybe 5 or less a year and usually only if I have to stop and get breakfast somewhere-like driving on a vacation) and a couple of Ritz crackers as my husband loves those little butter nibbles, and my pantry lacked the saltine kind of cracker because let’s face it-It is not soup weather!
Have you started to show yet:  Yes. It depends on my outfit. While at the beach, I did have a guy tell me I was having a boy, but then turned around and had two girls not have a clue I was even pregnant. So I guess it is all in the way I flaunt or hide the bump.
Gender:  BOY.
Labor Signs:  No although lots and lots of Braxton Hicks-some of them kind of painful.
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy.
Weekly Wisdom:  Advice should be taken with a grain of salt. People will offer opinions and thoughts when you didn’t ask. People will tell you what they think you are doing right and what they think you are doing wrong. Just do what is best and most comfortable for you, your little family and the baby. If you don’t think that Huggies diapers are good, then don’t buy them no matter what someone else says. If you only want your little one in organic clothing, then that is what you buy. Again, do what is best and what feels right for you and the little one.
Looking forward to:  Finishing the nursery in the next couple of weeks. I have the last few touches ordered, and we have a few more projects to complete. My husband says we are tackling these on Sunday…lets cross our fingers that we get it done. 

Shopping for Baby

curtain tie backs



fabric mobile




burlap flowers





tissue pom poms

Try it Tuesday Tutorials ~ Letters

Letters for the Nursery

We decided we want all of his name some where in the nursery. This is a part of the last name-Boak. The B has already been completed (it was my dummy trial to make sure I liked the look). 

This is a fairly simple process.

What you need:

The cardboard like letters in your choice of letters. These are from Hobby Lobby as you can see in the second photo and cost $2.47 per letter (cheap). 

You need scissors -but what crafter doesn't have those lying around.

Burlap-this was bought at Michael's over a year ago (I think it was like 4-5 dollars a roll) and I have lots of it left over for projects such as this (and a few more in my son's room)

A thing of Mod Podge

A brush or something to apply the mod podge (I have to say we cleaned out our garage on Sunday and Jeffrey put our new pegboard in front of our supply cabinet and I could't move it to get any brushes....grrr...so I took a piece of Bounty paper towel folded it up a couple of times and used it to spread on the Mod Podge.

So first cut out the burlap in the letter shape. I do let it hang over a little because all it takes is a snip with the scissors to trim it up.

Paint on the Mod Podge on each letter and put the burlap on top.

Press down on the burlap to secure it. (I had a piece of cardboard that I laid over top to press the burlap down with that way none of the Mod Podge made its way onto my hands).

Now you have to let it dry. After it dries, trim up the edges. 

Now it is time to paint. I used the paint we used on our white dresser/changer. I used a small roller to roll it on. I made sure to get the sides as well. Then let it dry. 

Then it looks like this. 

I got a lot of comments on them at the shower, but they are actually for my little man's room. 

Montage Monday-Baby Shower

 

My sweet friend Bell.

My little Vol Fan!!!!