menu plan and grouchy mcgroucherson

I have had a really easy pregnancy. I've been very lucky with zero complications, only a few weeks of icky sickness, yadda yadda. But folks, I am all done with this whole baby-in-my-belly thing. All of a sudden I am ridiculously uncomfortable. My feet are swollen & hurt, I have a teeny foot shoved up in my ribcage, my lungs are smushed, and since about 11 pm last night I have felt/been sick. I want to turn into the crazy girl from Wedding Crashers and throw a 2 year old hissy fit. Stomping feet and all. Is that allowed when you are 25?

I need reassurance that this baby will indeed soon be in my arms. He has to come out eventually, right?

Okay, Grouchy Loma is gone. Here is our menu for this week...on the days that I will have a husband:

Tuesday: Macaroni & Chicken Bake...never tried this before. The recipe is coming from a southern cookbook we got as a wedding present...if it is yummy, I'll post the recipe!

Wednesday: Taco ring...ground beef, taco seasoning, crescent rolls, and cheese--can't go wrong!

Thursday: Chicken cutlets, mashed potatoes & gravy, steamed carrots

I will be making 2 more freezer meals this week. Tonight I am making a chicken casserole that has cornbread stuffing in it...sounds yummy! I'm also going to make poppyseed chicken at some point this week. Thanks for the other freezer meal ideas! I can't wait to try them out!

37 weeks

*How far along?: 37 weeks...full-term today!
*How big is your baby?: a WATERMELON. do you REALIZE how big a watermelon is?!

*Total weight gain?: ha...about that...um, I gained SIX pounds in 2 weeks. holy water retention. I wasn't lying when I said I no longer had ankles...elephant feet is what I currently have.
*Sex: BOY! Grayson Benjamin:)
*Maternity clothes: I am becoming a whiny baby about maternity clothes.
*Stretch marks: 2 tiny ones where I didn't use my tummy rub. so yep, now I am REALLY lathering it on!

*Movement: He is running out of room...however, his foot is literally in my ribcage and it hurts like crazy. drop, baby, drop.
*Sleep: I guess it could be worse. Waking up a bunch to go to the bathroom & my sides still hurt throughout the night.
*Best moment this week: we installed the carseat and my hospital bag is packed & ready to go!

*Food cravings: my stomach has no room for food.

*Labor signs: BH contractions are a little more frequent. Doctor did my first "down there" exam on Wednesday and pretty much my cervix is currently closed for business. Not what I wanted to hear.

*Belly button in or out: my belly button officially came out of the closet.

*What I miss: being able to see my ankles.
*What I'm looking forward to: labor. seriously! I am totally okay with him deciding to come a little bit early:)

looking forward to...

I am a daydreamer. Some people focus on the past...I am always thinking about the future! This can be good & bad. Here are some of the things I am currently looking forward to..

• 75 degree weather
• knowing what labor actually feels like
• my kids at school getting used to our routine
• skinny jeans, boots, and jackets. 'nuff said.
• going to the farmer's market to get all my weird pumpkins. my favorites are the blue ones!
• falling in love with a snuggly baby boy
• the new season on Law & Order: SVU. I am OBSESSED.
• being able to have a glass of wine....or two:)
• college football season...there is nothing quite like SEC football on a Saturday in the fall
• Leipers Fork when the leaves are changing colors
• the leaves changing colors...period.
• getting out all my pumpkin spice/cinnamon/apple candles and making my house smell yummy
• turning on the fireplace
• my next trip to Oxford...hopefully in the spring?

What are you looking forward to?

menu plan and freezer meals

I haven't been posting my menu plan lately..but maybe if I know it's on the blog, I will actually stick to it. :) Ben is home 3 nights this week so here it goes:

Monday: Creamy Chicken and Noodles (crockpot meal-yay for easy!)

Tuesday: Chicken parmesan bites, mashed potatoes, and brown sugar glazed carrots

Wednesday: hot dogs on the grill & waffle fries

Monday's meal is something new I am trying out of my Better Homes and Gardens Bridal Cookbook. I am in a cooking rut and am so sick of doing the same things over and over again! I'm also ready for cooler weather so I can use the crockpot more for soups/pot roast/etc. 100 degrees+hot soup=sweaty Loma. Anyways, here is the recipe for the Creamy Chicken and Noodles...sounds like a pot pie without the crust!

Creamy Chicken and Noodles

2 cups sliced carrots

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

2 stalks of celery chopped

2 tbsp parsley

1 bay leaf

3 medium chicken legs (I always use breast instead...)

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup water

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp black pepper

10 ounces of wide noodles

1 cup frozen peas

1. Put your carrots, onion, celery, parsley, and bay leaf in your crockpot. Place chicken on top of veggies.

2. In a bowl, mix the soup, water, thyme, and black pepper. Pour over chicken.

3. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

4. Remove chicken and cut into bite size pieces. Boil your noodles. Stir the frozen peas into the crockpot.

5. Add chicken back in crockpot and mix. Serve over noodles.

********************************************************************

I'm having this baby soon. Ben & I will still have to eat after this baby is born and I have a feeling I will be a smidge too busy/tired/delirious to cook a meal for us each night. I want to start making freezer meals so that we have things made already when Grayson gets here. So far, I have just made 3 meals of chicken spaghetti. Tonight, I will be making baked ziti to freeze...hopefully about 3 more meals.

I need some ideas on other meals that I can make ahead and freeze. Any ideas?? Help! :)

36 weeks

*How far along?: 36 weeks=9 months=omg. do you realize that you have babies in the 9th month?!?

*How big is your baby?: still a large cantaloupe...between 5.5 and 6lbs!

*Total weight gain?: I'm sure it's a little over 18lbs now. Pretty sure each foot gained 2lbs this week. We'll find out on Wednesday!

*Sex: BOY! Grayson Benjamin:)

*Maternity clothes: I am literally dreaming of wearing regular cute clothes this fall. skinny jeans, please!

*Stretch marks: 2 tiny ones where I didn't use my tummy rub. so yep, now I am REALLY lathering it on!
*Movement: I felt his actual foot this week! So weird!

*Sleep: I guess it could be worse. Waking up a bunch to go to the bathroom & my sides still hurt throughout the night.

*Best moment this week: Highchair is in the kitchen, baby tub is ready for a bath, jumperoo is sitting in the computer room, and bottles found a home in our cabinet! Yep, getting organized.

*Food cravings: my stomach has no room for food.
*Labor signs: BH contractions have started. Feels like someone is stretching the inside of my stomach muscles trying to get out. I keep having dreams that my water is breaking. I'm paranoid of it breaking in my bed! ew.

*Belly button in or out: my belly button officially came out of the closet.
*What I miss: my ankles.

*What I'm looking forward to: hospital bag will be ready this week AND the carseat bases will make their final move to the cars! ....yeah, to say this was a BUSY week would be a major understatement. I feel like I saw my husband for like 10 minutes all week! We will definitely be doing these things this week. :)

This week marked the end to an era. I have often said that the skinniest parts on my body have always been my fingers and my feet. Those days are no longer. The wedding rings are off...even my fake one! (mainly because of a certain icky green stain being left..ha!) AND my ankles have decided that they are taking a vacation. They had enough of carrying around this baby and disappeared.

My once skinny feet and visible ankles tanning in Jamaica...

aannnddddddd introducing: fat feet and cankles.

womp, womp, womp...

our last shower..a smidge overdue

This past Saturday we had our last baby shower here in Franklin. My mom and Ben's mom hosted it at our house & it was a success! :) Lots of fun friends came, yummy food was eaten, gifts were opened, and of course we laughed...as always!

Ben and I were twins. Not planned. That's just how we roll.
Food baby vs. human baby.

The table looked so cute! Ben's mom made the diaper cake..topped with one of Ben's old baby toys.

I could eat party food for every. single. meal.

the hostesses/soon-to-be grandmas! I think they are ready for Grayson to make his debut!

Kristy & Katie saying no thanks to the Paps. Too famous.

My mom and Whitney...she drove all the way from Oxford in the middle of a housing crisis to come to the shower. I love her.

...all of Grayson's future aunts!

All we need now is a baby!!

35 weeks

*How far along?: 35 weeks
*How big is your baby?: a LARGE canteloupe. Publix didn't even have a large canteloupe...only small ones. Don't they realize I need my weekly fruits/veggies?! Doctor said "oh Grayson is a little over 5lbs...easily!"
*Total weight gain?: 18 lbs
*Sex: BOY! Grayson Benjamin:)
*Maternity clothes: I hate all my maternity clothes. That is all there is to it.
*Stretch marks: 2 tiny ones where I didn't use my tummy rub. so yep, now I am REALLY lathering it on!

*Movement: He is finally slowing down a bit. I blame the fact that he is trapped in my ribcage and probably has zero room.
*Sleep: could be better...I can't wait to lay on my sides without my ribcage aching!
*Best moment this week: We had our last shower yesterday and got lots of goodies for baby boy! Whit came up from Oxford...always fun:) AND we just went to Babies R Us and got lots of the little things we still needed!
*Food cravings: my stomach has no room for food.

*Labor signs: BH contractions have started. Feels like someone is stretching the inside of my stomach muscles trying to get out.
*Belly button in or out: my belly button officially came out of the closet.

*What I miss: my feet not hurting and swelling. I think they will hurt until Grayson arrives now that I am back at work and on my feet all day!
*What I'm looking forward to: hospital bag will be ready this week AND the carseat bases will make their final move to the cars!

MIA

I've been a bad blogger. It's not like I've had nothing going on...in fact, life has been quite the opposite. As most teachers would probably tell you, this time of the year is our busiest. I have been kidnapped by my classroom. Seriously.

Borders, fabric, bulletin boards, anything dog-themed...
rearranging, organizing, putting names on everything...

revamping my "learning stations." ew, no. revamping my CENTERS!

putting my desk together...

OH! and putting the classroom door together.

These are all the things that have been on my mind...and then some. Do you ever feel so incredibly stressed that you think your head may explode? Well, folks, I'm there. Not only do I have to get my classroom ready for me, but this year I have to get my room ready for my interim. {insert the loud thumping sound of Loma's heart racing} This is where the only child in me comes out. I'm nervous leaving someone else in charge of my room and (GASP!) my things! I have one more day to get my room prepared for 19 new first graders and then I get to meet my new little people on Thursday! Pray I don't have a panic attack before then. :)

34 weeks

Hudson will miss the weekly fruit/veggie pics...curious boy had never seen a pineapple!

*How far along?: 34 weeks and 1 day...8 1/2 months, people! Yikes!

*How big is your baby?: a pineapple. yum. He has probably reached his birth length and weighs between 4.5-4.9lbs

*Total weight gain?: maybe 16/17lbs? will find out on Tuesday..

*Sex: BOY! Grayson Benjamin:)

*Maternity clothes: I hate all my maternity clothes. That is all there is to it.

*Stretch marks: 2 tiny ones where I didn't use my tummy rub. so yep, now I am REALLY lathering it on!
*Movement: He is finally slowing down a bit. I blame the fact that he is trapped in my ribcage and probably has zero room.

*Sleep: Last night was a horrible, no good, very bad night...

*Best moment this week: I spent the whole week in my classroom. Summer is over:( But, I am getting closer to being organized and have started getting lesson plans ready for my interim.

*Food cravings: anything cold!! Still love popsicles & lately I have been wanting milk...weird.

*Labor signs: BH contractions have started. Feels like someone is stretching the inside of my stomach muscles trying to get out.

*Belly button in or out: my belly button officially came out of the closet.
*What I miss: not hurting. not feeling full after eating one bite of food. not swelling. um, lots.

*What I'm looking forward to: getting my hospital bad ready! oh, and our last shower is on Saturday!!!

my little man...

...is SIX years old today!! What in the world?! How can my teensy baby be that old??

One look at baby Jack pictures and I am reminded of why I had to have him the second that i saw him.
Proud (brunette) mama and little boy!

oh Jack, those early college years were crazy.

...but somehow we survived!

He is so gangsta with his do-rag on!

This boy will find a comfy sleep spot anywhere. Makes me a tad jealous.

My sweet Jack as a handsome 6 year old. He will always be my first baby...I give him all the credit for teaching me how to love/care/keep alive another living thing when I was just a sophomore in college! Now, we are off to Petsmart to pick out a birthday toy & then go play with his girlfriend, Millie!!