15 weeks.

I am getting more creative with my words. Mom thinks I sound more like I am talking? Well, I am talking! I still go my big gasp, but now I add coos, and even gurgles. I put them all together to make sentences and sometimes I go on and one. My uncle Kevin talks a lot and I think he is pretty cool, so I thought I would try too. I make a "guh" sound and an "mmm" sound. Momma thinks I could be talking about her, but I know that is not her name. Sometimes I yawn and do a little scream at the end of it, that always make Mom laugh.

Mom is playing this new game that I find funny. She will say "Shake-a-shake-a-shake" while she shakes my arm. I like to laugh when my arm makes my whole body move. Mom must love my laugh because she does that all the time now, even thought I don't always laugh. When I do laugh it's just a single, deep grunt. I might do it a few times, but I think that I sound older then a baby with that belly laugh.

I have been spending a few days a week with Emily, Anna, & Ellie. They are introducing me to a lot of things that I did not know about. I watch a show called Calliou with Ellie; she really likes that one. I like to stare at all the colors and I think the kid and I have the same bald head. Anna and Ellie both like to hold me and play with me. I love all the action. I even went to a Barbie wedding! I also like to look at the lights there, especially the Christmas lights and the tree that goes on and off. I feel really loved when I am there and I know that Mom and Dad are so happy that I am safe and cared for. (Oh, and don't tell Dad that I kinda played with Barbies).

Love & Laughs,
Isaac

14 weeks.

I am 3 months old! I didn't go to the doctor this month, but mom is sure that I am growing and and gaining weight. She is not sure how much I weigh, but thinks 14-15 pounds. I am wearing 3-6 months clothes;  my torso is long. I seem to be growing into my feet. They are not only long, but now have a nice fat cushion on the top. Dad is impressed with my feet and looks at them and talks about them a lot. I am eating 6.5 ounces in each bottle, 5 times a day. I take about 4 naps a day, 45 minutes long. I sleep great at night, usually 8:00 p.m. until 7:00 or 7:30 a.m. Some nights I have slept over 12 hours.

Now that mom is at work, she comes home and has to start dinner. I either watch her cook or Dad will hold me and we have guy time. Dad holds me a lot in his lazy boy. We sit and read together or watch TV. He sings to me with music on or just out loud. I like to listen to his voice. I really like Dad. At dinner I always sit between Mom and Dad in my blue chair. They turn the vibration on and rock me if I am grumpy. I usually enjoy listening to them. They always pray and thank God for the meal and His provision. Then they eat and talk about their days at work. They talk about me a lot too. I like to look at Dad and then at Mom. Sometimes I don;t know who to look at, so I just look back and forth, back and forth. This makes Mom laugh. Sometimes I fall asleep during dinner because I am just too tired to make it until bedtime. Mom says I cannot do this much longer, I's be OK if she gives me an earlier bedtime like she is thinking about, once her hours at work change.

I laughed for the first time this week. Just a single grunt is all I know how to do. I also rolled up on my side for the first time. I didn't really know what to do with that, so I did not stay there. I also have been testing out a new cry that I make when I am mad. Mom calls it a "screech" and she doesn't like it; it sure does get her attention, though. Sometimes I just don't want to be in my bed for a nap; I'm much too tired for that.

Love & Laughs,
Isaac

2011: A Great Year!

2010 was an amazing year. Looking back, it is crazy how much has changed. A brand new amazing job, my boys (triplets I nanny) are 4!, visited new cities: Philly and San Francisco, elected to a board, put on a conference, remodel the living room, pulling up all the carpet in our house..... It was overall one of the best years of my life. I was awarded "Nanny of the Year" which was a huge honor. Blessing after blessing, this year just had God's gifts and provision all over it. I sat thinking the other day, how could 2011 be anywhere as awesome as 2010. Well, quickly I felt impressed that our lives are not measured by how exciting one year is. In fact a great year only seems so wonderful in comparison to the difficult ones. As I sat longer, more questions began to pop up.

Am I living a life that is pleasing to the Lord?
Am I honoring my husband and thus leading him closer to Christ?
Am I discipling in anyone?
Am I in community with others that are challenging me?

I have areas I need to grow and need to posture my life to bend that way.

Over 10 years ago, God spoke to me. (There are those moments, when you know that it is beyond you... and this was one of them). I was on a youth retreat and the Lord gave me a mental picture, how he often does when He speaks to me.

The picture was of a pitcher. The pitcher was not sitting still on a table (like the one on the left) but tilted and pouring. The pitcher needed to continually be filled to have the ability to continue to give of what is inside it. God was showing me that this pitcher was me, and that I consistently need to be filled to be able to to give to those around me.

I feel pretty full to overflowing, blessed and cared for. It is time for me to give more of myself. Also, I must consistently be filled.

So here are some resolutions (or better said - goals, vision, mission, plans) for 2011and beyond. It is important for me to put it in writing.  "And then God answered: "Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run.This vision-message is a witness pointing to what's coming. It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait! And it doesn't lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It's on its way. It will come right on time." Habakkuk 2:2-3

1. Reading Wednesdays (with Doug): Doug and I both love to read. We have a pretty big library of books that we haven't completed. We wished we spent more time reading, so we decided to have a quiet night without TV and music, where we focus on reading books individually and reading the bible together.

2. Community Game Nights (with Doug): We hope to have game nights once a month to invite different friends over, just to spend time together. We enjoy cooking and hanging out with others at our house, so we decided to make more of an effort to plan things and invite others over.

3. Family Days (with Doug and his parents): One Saturday a month Doug and his dad will get together and work on our house and his dad's house - projects are more fun with someone. Doug's mom and I will cook or shop. We'll then meet up to hang out, eat dinner, etc.

4. Our New Budget (with Doug): Over the last couple months we have been changing our budget. January begins some new areas in our budget including: date night, house fund, & Game Change campaign.

5.  Finish Our Fully-Funded Emergency Fund (with Doug): We are so close to finishing this! Very exciting. We follow Dave Ramsey's plan, so this is 3-6 months of your expenses.

6. Save Money for New Truck for Doug (with Doug): We are still figuring out what he wants and how long it will take us to save to pay cash, but after our Emergency Fund is done, this is our next task.

7. Two Vacations (with Doug): We will be taking a "friends vacation" around a friends wedding and our 5 year anniversary vacation that we had to cancel last fall!

8. Work Up to Working Out 4 Times a Week: One of my new benefits with my new job is a gym membership. I am so glad to be able to swim often, take Zumba and lift weights among other things. Though I love to dance, I plan to slowly add and increase my workouts.

9. Cook Two New Meals and One New Dessert a Month: I have so many recipes on lists that I have never tried. This is one thing that is not only fun for me but rewarding for Doug. I will be learning recipes from Mom Schraer and trying new recipes from my Christmas presents:  Rachael Ray Look & Cook, Martha Stewart Cupcakes and more!

10. Drinking More Water: I need to drink more water. I know that, but how much. It seems that I need 100 ounces/day from this Hyrdation Calculator, which asked me about 10 questions specific to me.

11. Carving Out More Time for Bible and Prayer in the Mornings: I now have a 30 minute commute each morning and afternoon. This has come to be a good time to enjoy my coffee and pray. I want to add to that Bible (from Doug's audio bible) and worship. I plan to make a playlist on my iphone each weekend for the week ahead (takes just a minute to drag the mp3s to the day). I have never read the whole bible in a year, but listing to a few chapters a day could make that easy. 

12. Community/Small Group: I have been involved in a few in my church, but none that I have been long-lasting. I also have felt impressioned to begin discipling. I am not sure of all the details, but will actively seek the opportunities this year. 

13. Honoring Doug: I just re-found a book I purchased last year called Sacred Marriage. I am only on chapter 3, but completely challenged to more aware how I treat Doug. I am not sure how or what this looks like, but I am on the journey to live this. 

14. More Nesting: I love our house. Over the last year, we have accomplished a few projects on the house. Lately I have been reading new blogs, like Young House Love, and so encouraged that you can do a lot with a little money. I cannot wait to tackle some creative projects that will make our home just a little more ours! 

15. More Writing For Pleasure: Writing for me has always been a discipline that bring me peace, inspiration, direction. Even as I wrote today, I feel encouraged and challenged. For many years I have journaled privately, but I feel that if my thoughts, challenges and experiences can be a benefit to even 1 person, why not let God use that. While I will continue to write on CincyNanny and Regarding Nannies,  you will see more personal writing here or possibly a new blog.

So that is what has been on my mind. Not a list that I threw together, but things that I have already been working on and other that I have been thinking or nervous about.

What are you committing to for 2011?
Anything on my list that you share the desire for?

Allow God to speak to you, and write it down. It is going to be a GREAT year!

Decisions, decisions...

Today is 10.10.10... a memorable day in Cincinnati sports. The Reds and The Bengals both played downtown today, both lost. The Reds, who made it to the playoffs for the first time in 15 years, are now out. But... the weather was gorgeous! ... and, at church the beginning of a new journey. I am really excited about it. My pastor said "Crossroads is at a crossroads" .... I couldn't help but think, and Greta is at a crossroads.

Decisions, decisions... I have decisions to make.

See this summer I smelled change. I knew that Doug and I were going to have to make some new decisions to financially prepare for our future. Transition was a 'comin. We new it, we felt it. Secret be told, I thought he would begin looking for a new position. That was until my position ended.

Decisions...

I updated my resume, created an online portfolio, and began connecting and seeking interviews. Thank God that this year I was the recipient of the INA Nanny of the Year award. It was that extra little title that had people calling me in a hurry. All the while, another opportunity began to form. Something I was not seeking but seemed to find me.

I am open to God's leading, but, everyday my mind changes.

When I was about 20, I dated my first love who adopted a word to describe me..."fickle". I had a hard time trusting him and yet cared for him very much. I definitely did teeter back and forth, but always proclaimed that I wasn't fickle -- the word drove me crazy. It is not a word I hear people say often, in fact I don't think that I have heard it since.

Decisions...

So on a lighter note, I have been wanting a new work bag.  A few months ago, while I was employed,  I bought one that I thought I loved. I returned it after a week. I figured out that it's value to me was far below the price tag. So since then, I have been looking for a replacement, and a good deal. Last week at TJ Maxx -the best place to buy bags- I found a few that I really liked. I walked around, bags on my shoulders and arms, thinking and looking, and finally narrowed down my search. These two were my favorites...

The orange was fun, bright, strong, and daring. 

The blue was safe, simple, cozy, and classic. 

I knew what I liked; I liked them both. Either would be a good choice that I would be happy with. But which was the right choice? I found myself asking out loud "why am I so fickle?!" The word! I hadn't heard it in years and years and there it was. Fickle. Ewww!! Getting over the shock of what had come out of my own mouth, I wondered ...why am I so indecisive? It is just a bag. I can always return it. Uhhhh! I exhaled and took a break to look at shoes. (I also tweeted pictures, asking for some help from some of my most trusted gals.)

After a few minutes, I was taken from my silly purse fiasco to the REAL decision I haven't been able to make. I thought about how much my two choices resembled my bags. One is daring... a job that is unexpected, unsought, and yet may be really fun and exciting. The other classic... the road I have been traveling, a great road....something safe and "right".

My thoughts turned to prayers and not about the bag. Would God speak to a person at TJMaxx? The answer is yes. I came to a realization as I shopped that there is no decision that is going to make or break me. I get so worked up sometimes about doing the RIGHT thing. Sometimes the wrong thing just may be the right thing. (Do you follow?) I often worry about letting people down. I worry about not being faithful. That is some baggage God doesn't intend me to carry. Now in the accessories department, I was taken back to the picture God gave me in my mind at Last Weds Service a week before. Rather than look all around and make a logical, practical decision... based on all the details that are stressing me out, I was simply to look up. Metaphoric that HE is so far above and beyond my human trappings. My life's decisions cannot always be made by weighing everything perfectly or creating pro and con lists. That is because my life is not my own. I live to please God and carry out whatever purpose he calls me to. And that will bring peace and fulfillment.  God has never been unfaithful. In fact even when we are faithless, he still remains faithful, for he cannot go against his own character (2 Tim. 2:13). Oh, how silly I feel being reminded of something I already knew. 

But, once again, what a relief. I do not have to fear. He is walking with me. 

So one decision was made.... (with receipt in hand, just in case.) 

Another is still to be made. I could use your prayers as I move forward, not that I will make to RIGHT decision, but that I will follow God's leading.  I know that this crossroad is approaching.

My First Cooking Class!

My First Cooking Class

When we were dating Doug and I made a deal.... if we were going to be an item, I was going to have to learn to cook. I agreed with the condition that he was going to have to learn to dance! Over the last 5 years I have been watching a lot of Rachael Ray and trying many recipes. I have gotten a lot better, but still have room to grow.

Thanks to Groupon, I finally did something I have been wanting to do for a LONG TIME! I took a cooking class - live, in person. You know with my very own cook station! Look how beautiful it was when I showed up! 

The class was at The Learning Kitchen in West Chester. Within the 2 hours we learned to cook three meals, each a "20 Minute Pasta". The classes are listed online, and upload the first of every month, for the next month. They fill up so quickly! I bought my Groupon (half off my class) in May and scheduled my class finally on August 1st. 

The Cooktop has room for 10-12 students, each with our own workstation. I took the class on my own, but I thought how fun it would be to share the experience with friends or family. 

We started talking about all the instruments and appliances we would be using. Then the instructor gave us a short knife skills lesson. I realized that I have been holding the knife wrong all this time (no one had shown me!) So I now know how to hold a knife more stable, and a how to cut to protect the knife as well as my own hands. We cut up everything that we would need for all three meals: onion, garlic, tomato, mozzarella, red pepper, green onion, basil, cilantro and parsley. 

Here are some pics from the cooking process:

Here are the finished meals:

1) Linguini with Roasted Tomatoes and Herb Panko Topping

2) Chicken Cutlet with Lemon Parsley Sauce over Angel Hair (pictured below on the left) 

3) Ziti with Steak and Chipotle Sauce (pictured above on the right)

I think that they turned out REALLY good. I was groaning as I ate them. There was no takehomasak, so I only had a little of each of them. I will have to make them for Doug, soon. 

If this was cheaper, I would love to do more classes. It was fun, easy and I could totally follow along. I can cross one more thing off my bucket list. My first cooking class, but hopefully not my last! 

Project of the Month: Pantry

I have decided that I can do a home project a month. There are so many that I want to do and need to do, but... well, life gets in the way. I actually enjoy being crafty, artistic and seeing my life become more organized and simplified. If there is anything I get high on, it's getting rid of stuff and seeing a perfect finished product.

This week I had a few days off of work. I some how packed those days pretty full of things that I needed to do. But, I told myself "you HAVE to do something off your project list". See I need to have some fun!! (I also made myself have a SPA DAY for no reason. That. Was. Glorious).

So the project of the month of August was to reorganize the pantry. I have very small kitchen and a very hungry husband, so when we moved in I started a little storage just down the basement stairs. I have had the plan to buy some large shelves so that I can add even more food as it goes on sale. I figure this is a smart wife thing to do...

coupon clipping +58 wife points

food on-hand +76 wife points

See, by the math it is a good decision. And, since Target had a nice little sale for me, I was able to have my project completed this week! So what do you think?

BEFORE:

AFTER:

you know i am busy when.....

.....I have a pile of magazines that I haven't read! I am such a fan of the magazine. Oh yes, beautiful pictures, lots of info, efficient reading and study!

In the next week I will be finished with my NOTY Portfolio and I will have chosen a Paint Color ! I will be able to plow through my zines in delight. I will be ripping out new recipes, planning crafts, and creating my spring fashion shopping trip. Oh the joy, that is waiting me!