So what do you think?

I have been toying around with the idea of doing a daily blog for awhile now.... I go back and forth.... I have some ideas, but I always wonder - if I go through all the time and effort to write the blog will people actually read it????  

So as I have been contemplating this over the past two months with no real answer I thought I would put it out to you the readers to see if there is an interest in the topics that I have chosen and a reader base.  

This is what I need from you.... your opinion and/or suggestions.  This is what I have come up with as my daily themes.

Modge Podge Mondays - Writing about anything - ideas, home, family, ministry, events, charities, etc.

Tastefully Simple Tuesdays - I will feature a different product or recipes from the TS line

In the Word Wednesday - a verse and/or devotional for that day.

Thrifty Thursdays - Ideas of how to save time, money, or energy

Family Fun Fridays - Ideas of things you can do with your family, or things we have tried with ours.

So there you have it - the potential future blog found at gripofgrace.com  The other thing that I am planning to do it to marry my two blogs (sounds kinda funny).  I would no longer be using the msbabyandme.blogspot.com - since so much of what I write about can fall under either blog - why not save the time and just combine it.  

So here are three questions for you - please comment below or leave me a message on my facebook page.

1.  Do you read blogs regularly?

2.  Would you read or subscribe to my blog with this format?

3.  Which of these topics are the most interesting to you?

Homemade Baby Food

Last week I began the adventure of making my own baby food.  It was so easy!  All I had to do was cook the veggies put them in the processor and after a minute or two - they were ready to be put into jars.  I did my math just to see and I saved over 5 dollars just on my beans and peas.   That may not sound like much savings but in a week that food will be gone.  

The fruit was even easier - all I did was put the bananas in press the button and it was ready to be put into containers.  I have still had to buy some (using coupons of course) however, to even save five dollars a week will be helpful for our budget.

As Ella gets older and begins to try some new foods and combinations.  I was encouraged to look at the site www.wholesomebabyfood.com  As I went to the site it gave me great ideas for new recipes to try and what foods should be introduced first.  One food that I was surprised to hear was so good for babies is avocados.  I had no idea - I guess it has great benefits for babies and is super easy to prepare - no cooking necessary.

One this that I will note is that freezer veggies and canned veggies cook differently - therefore come out differently in the food processor.  Ella doesn't seem to care for the texture of the freezer peas because they don't chop up as finely as the canned peas..... but thanks to a tip from my friend Rachel Mingle - I added a little applesauce (sounds gross to me) and she loved it!  Another food victory for momma and baby!  

I will confess I probably won't be a "homemade food only" type a person just for the convience of throwing a jar in my diaper bag but I will be trying to make a majority of my food for savings and for the nutritional value.

Every day is a gift

"Every day is a gift you've been given, make the most of your time, every minute your living" that is an excerpt from a song by Chris Rice called "Life Means So Much"  It was the line that has been running through my head all morning.

Last night was a bit rough for me I had just packed up the car and headed to Selinsgrove to get the food for the overnight ski trip for our youth group.  I then went to get something to eat while I waited to meet up and car pool with Joel and the rest of the group.  While eating I got terribly sick - I had to put Ella back in her seat in the middle of eating because I was sure I was going to be sick right there in the restaurant (thankfully I never did throw up!)  I went to the car with Ella crying and me feeling like I was going to lose my dinner - I realized there was no way I was making a three hour trip in the car feeling like I did.  So instead of heading up with the group, I headed home with a crying baby.

It seemed like a very long trip, but as soon as I got home and crawled into bed with my little one, she just laid there and smiled at me.  It was such a nice time just laying there and cuddling together.  It was a gift!  A very unexpected one.  This morning was the same - a gift..... I figured I had three ways to look at it - either I would sit here alone being sad and jealous that I didn't get to go,  I can lay here and think - I have so much to do around the house and feel guilty for laying here (regardless of how I feel), or I can celebrate the fact that I have no reason not to just lay here and cuddle with my little snugglebug!

Today has been a rare gift - to bad I had to get sick to be able to enjoy this time.  But what a blessing it has been to have this day.  If you have never heard this song by Chris Rice that I had mentioned I am including a video and the lyrics.  Take a few minutes and just listen and watch!  Today is a gift - what will you do with your day to celebrate the gift!

Every day is a journal page

Every man holds a quill and ink

And there's plenty of room for writing in

All we do is believe and think

So will you compose a curse

Or will today bring the blessing

Fill the page with rhyming verse

Or some random sketching

Teach us to count the days

Teach us to make the days count

Lead us in better ways

That somehow our souls forgot

Life means so much

Life means so much

Life means so much

Every day is a bank account

And time is our currency

So nobody's rich, nobody's poor

We get 24 hours each

So how are you gonna spend

Will you invest, or squander

Try to get ahead

Or help someone who's under

Teach us to count the days

Teach us to make the days count

Lead us in better ways

That somehow our souls forgot

Life means so much

Life means so much

Life means so much

Has anybody ever lived who knew the value of a life

And don't you think giving is all 

What proves the worth of yours and mine

Teach us to count the days

Teach us to make the days count

Lead us in better ways

That somehow our souls forgot

Life means so much

Every day is a gift you've been given

Make the most of the time every minute you're living

Real Food

It is hard to believe that my baby is now ready to venture into the world of eating food!  Our doctor told us a few weeks ago that we could start around 5 months with Rice Cereal and as my husband says I am usually a rule follower.... however - I decided today after dealing with a fussy baby who would eat and fuss and eat and fuss  - maybe she was ready to try something a little more exciting than mommy milk.

Check out our first adventure with rice cereal!

Being Me and Drug Free!

That was a catchy slogan that I remember having a poster of in my health classroom many years ago..... but every time I think about my current situation - that is what I think of.

For the last 4 years of my life I have been the pharmacists best friend (or worst nightmare - I hope not).  With all my MS drugs and injections, as well as my vitamin supplements, and my blood clotting meds - it seems that I was always taking something or giving myself a shot.

During my pregnancy, I had to give myself shots daily.... however that was instead of my MS injection (which is much larger and makes me much sicker) so as much as I didn't like it - it was a welcome change, and the trade off in the end was well worth it!

Now - I have been off all my MS meds and pregnancy injections for two months.... I feel like a new woman.  I have all the benefits of pregnancy, without being pregnant because I am nursing.  I know that nursing isn't for everyone and many wish they could nurse but just couldn't - for me it has changed my life.... as long as I nurse my chances of staying in remission are so much greater!  My friends and I joke that maybe I should just become a wet nurse until I am 50 or so and send my milk to a milk bank somewhere.

All I can say is that I feel great!  And whether this is temporary or long term - each day is a gift and I am blessed to have the gift of remission for the time being!

The Smiles, and the Laughter

The greatest gift that we received this year was our little girl.... and the Christmas season took on all new meaning this year.  As I reflected on the Christmas story in a whole new way - from the eyes of a mother.  Before this year I never could have imagined the emotions that Mary felt when she gave birth to her child, however now I have a new understanding.  My life has been changed by a baby - but in the large scheme of things it had been changed by a baby 2000 years ago.

The joys of Christmas are remembering that Jesus was born as a baby and came to save the world from their sins... the bible tells us about it.  But what the bible doesn't talk about is what it was like being the mother of Jesus - wow - I can't even begin to imagine....but I am guessing that she had some mommy moments when all she wanted to do was stare at her smiling little baby much like we enjoyed over Christmas vacation.  Check out our newest Ella video!

A blast from the past

As many of you know I was adopted at the age of 2.5 months.  From what my mom said I was a very little girl even at that point.  I only weighed a bit over 9 pounds.  I guess you could say - like mother, like daughter because at 2 and half months Ella was still under 10 pounds.

My mom much like me saves everything.... and this is one of those things I am so grateful that she saved... the outfit that I came in.  It was a little blue dress with a bunny coming out of an egg and a bit of beat up yellow sweater.

I thought it would be fun to have a little fashion show - so here is Ella wearing the little outfit that I came in.  Oh what a joy it is to have someone who looks like me.