Bummis Fleece Liners

Man oh man do I wish I had these from the get go! I was leery of buying them because I was afraid that

I Heart My Cloth Diapers

That is a sentence I honestly never thought I would ever say. It is true! I really do! I am so glad I chose the ones I did. I hear people say how they are disappointed with their first ones and have to try a few others until they find the ones they really like. I tested them out for a couple of days before I committed to it. Today I prepped the rest of them.
I can't say enough about Gro Via AIO and Thirsties Fitted. I use the Gro Via all day and the Thirsties for naps and bedtime. I love how trim and absorbant the Gro Via. It really isn't too much bulkier than a disposable diaper. Which is awesome!!! The Thirsties keep him D. R. Y. all night long. When I say dry I mean not an ounce of wet on him. It is too bad that they aren't trimmer otherwise I would use then during the day too. They really are to bulky for little walkers. It made Ethan walk funny ( hehehe).
I am glad I decided to give cloth diapering a try. It really is pretty easy. It comes down to an extra load or two of laundry a week. That being said... 2hr wash cycle EEEK!

First Night Trial & The 1st Poop!

Last night I finished prepping the cloth diapers. I was able to try out both the Thirsties and Gro Via diapers. I was pleasantly surprised! It seems that the Gro Via's will do well for anywhere between 2 and 3 hrs. When it came to the Thirsties after 8 hrs they were wet, but he was not wet :) There were no leaks at all!
This morning we continued on with the cloth diapers. I was really curious how it would go with a poopie diaper. I soon found out. It wasn't too bad. I made a few errors that when corrected should make it much better.
THINGS I LEARNED :
1. I will need stuffers for the Thirsties to make them even more absorbent.
2. DO NOT FOLD BIO LINERS! The poop will get on the diaper. It's not pretty. LOL
3. I will want a diaper sprayer.
4. I will want cloth / fabric liners to pair with the bio liners to protect the diapers from stains.
5. I will need to change Ethan every 2 to 3 hrs during the day.
6. I need to get little trash bags or something to store the used disposable wipes when he has a poopie diaper. Any suggestions welcomed :)

Cloth Diapers

Cloth Diapers & A Doula?

Cloth diapers?? Doulas?? Water Births?? Home Births?? These are the things I have been looking into lately. We went to a maternity tour at the hospital I was thinking about delivering at, and was surprised to see tons of vendors there for different baby related companies. That is how I came to meet Gina and Jessica.
I was interested in these things with baby #5 but the situation I was in at the time did not permit any of these things. I know I may sound crazy to some, but it is what the hubs and I are really considering right now.
This is the cloth diaper I am thinking about... Super cute.


Cloth Diapers sure have changed over the years! There are so many different options out there it is overwhelming to figure it out on your own. Luckily for me there is a company here that does a cloth diapering class and they also do individual consults to help you decide what is best for you, and if it is something you even want to do.

I can't wait for our class with Gina on Saturday! This is a link to her sight : http://gobabygoshop.com/index.html

Then there is this really nice Doula/ Midwife that I met at the hospital maternity tour. Her name is Jessica and we get to meet with her on Friday. She is going to answer our questions and tell us about the services that she offers.

Here is a link to her website. http://newbirthing.com/

You can find both of these lovely ladies on Facebook. If you have never given these things a thought I encourage you to look into them.

Sunshine Kids Car Seats Sale!!

I have this seat already for one of my children. It is by far the best seat I have ever invested in. They are super safe and very comfortable. The only down side is that they are heavy and a little complicated to get set up initially. After that you won't regret it! I will be getting another 2 of these seats just in different colors. One for our soon to be Sophia and for Isaiah. It lasts your child from birth to 53 inches! How great is that? I got so tired of having to buy a rear facing car seat. To replace that with a forward facing car seat. Then having to replace that with a booster seat. Now it's a one time investment that is so worth them being comfortable and safe! So if you have little ones in car seats DON"T MISS THIS SALE!

Just A Little Crazy

Just as you may have guessed... Life right now is just a little crazy! It seems that just when it starts to calm down everything gets turned upside down once again. Right now I am dealing with being preggo, adjusting to moving once again, and having the kids mostly by myself ( hubby visits every other week until Aug. Then it will be one week a month.).
This is going to be an interesting year to say the least. The goal is to get completely debt free! As excited as I am about this it is a very big adjustment for everyone. In the house it is myself, our soon to be 6 children, my mother in law, my 2 sister in laws, and my niece ( and every other week my hubby ). That is a grand total of  12 people on any given day!
So I ask that you please bear with me as I try to go through the garage and unpack and get settled. I hope that I can get back to blogging soon. I do miss it. In the mean time please check out some of the great bloggers on My Places.

Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana

This is my husband's favorite soup to get every time we go to Olive Gardens. I have made this before and with it being Fathers Day he requested it. How could I not make it? LOL.. I hope you enjoy it.

Awesome Stuffed French Toast

These are OMG GREAT! I made these this morning for my hubby to celebrate Fathers Day. He loved every last bite. Needless to say I sent him to work with a full tummy and a smile on his face.
Just a quick note : I made 8 of these and still had custard left over for tomorrow. Feel free to use which ever flavor jam, jelly, preserve, or marmalade that suits your tastes. Also.. If you make the custard the night before it makes it that much easier to get these going.

Camping Trip

My husband found this website ( http://beta-www.tpwd.state.tx.us/outdoor-learning/texas-outdoor-family/ ). He told me about it and we decided why not? I used to go camping every summer with my parents. Those are some of my best memories as a child. I had been bugging my hubby for years about us taking the kids camping and this seemed like the bast way to introduce them to it.

Grrr!

Got to love it when stuff like this happens.....I was trying to add some recipes to my recipe page and deleted the entire thing! Now I have to start all over. So much fun.

Great Idea For Those " Mom I'm Bored" Days

Activity Jar !

 

The wonderful mom over at The Happy House Wife posted this a little while back and I thought I would pass it on. Just follow the link.http://thehappyhousewife.com/homeschool/mom-im-bored-activity-cards/

Laundry Tips

I saw this post on The Happy House Wife's blog. I thought I would pass it on. Check out the link. http://thehappyhousewife.com/home-management/simple-ways-to-manage-laundry/

Trail mix cereal

I made this because I was making trail mix and rice krispie treats for our upcoming camping trip. I had leftovers and the kids were hungry, so I threw it together and they loved it. Yes I realize that there is candy in it but I figure it can't be any worse than some of those sugary cereals out there.

Ingredients :
- leftover rice krispies
- leftover wheat chex cereal
- about 1 cup of m& m's
-1 cup of raisins

Mix it all together. Divide into bowls and enjoy with milk :)

Fiesta Rice Bake

This was a throw together what I had in the pantry kinda meal. It requires very little effort and is pretty inexpensive to make. * Note: I had to use sliced sharp cheddar because it was all that I had. I would have used shredded if I had had some.

Ingredients:
- 2 cups uncooked rice
-2 cans diced tomatoes ( I used one original and one with green chilies. Mix and match as you please )
-2 cans pinto beans rinsed and drained ( you can use black beans as well )
- 2-4 cups if shredded cheddar ( I am guessing )
- Salt, pepper, and cumin to taste

Cook the rice according to package directions. When cooked place in a large bowl with all of the ingredients except for the cheese. When it is seasoned to your taste and you have mixed it together add it to a greased baking dish. Top with as much cheese as you would like. Place in 350 oven for 20-30 min.

Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

This is very easy to make! Everyone enjoyed it :)

Ingredients :

• - 1lb medium frozen shrimp peeled and deveined
• -18 ounces fresh fettuccine
• - 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
• - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice ( you may want to use less )
• - 12 tablespoons unsalted butter. Plus 3 Tbs for the shrimp
• - 2 cups grated Parmesan
• - Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• - Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• - 2 tsp of garlic

Thaw shrimp according to package. Place the shrimp in a pan with the butter, garlic, salt, and pepper. Saute until just done. Set aside.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Drain.

Stir 2 cups of the cream and the lemon juice in a heavy large skillet to blend. Add the butter and cook over medium heat just until the butter melts, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Add the pasta and toss. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of cream, and Parmesan to the cream sauce in the skillet. Add the nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Toss the pasta mixture over low heat until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute.

Easy Chicken Cacciatore

This is a 15min meal! On nights when dinner is running late this is a life saver. If you have large chicken breasts you will want to cut them in half.  I served this with a side salad.

Ingredients:
   - 1lb of fresh chicken breasts ( or cooked frozen chicken breasts)
   - 1lb whole wheat spaghetti
   - 1 jar of spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce
   - Parmesan Cheese

In a large skillet place either chicken breasts ( frozen or fresh ) in skillet. Pour the jar of sauce over the chicken. Cover and simmer for 15 min for fresh. 20 min for frozen. While chicken is simmering cook your pasta. When chicken is done cut it up into bite size pieces and return to pan. Add the cooked pasta and mix. Top with Parmesan cheese.

Apple Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Broccoli Cole Slaw

My kids loved this. I actually got this recipe for the sandwich from a Weight Watchers magazine. They of coarse used low fat items. For instance the cheese is 4 Tbs of low fat shredded cheddar cheese per sandwich and low fat mayo.
I doubled it to accommodated my family. The original serves 4. So just take my amounts and cut it in half :)
Sandwich Ingredients:
                                 - 16 slices of whole grain bread
                                 - 2 gala apples
                                 - 4 Tbs Mayo
                                 - 4 Tbs Country Dijon ( the grainy dijon mustard )
                                 - 16 slices of Cheddar Cheese
                                 - Non stick spray or butter
Cut the apples in 1/4ths. Take each quarter and cut them into 8 slices. You will use 8 slices per sandwich. Then mix the mayo and the mustard together in a small bowl. Spray your griddle with the non stick spray and get it heating up. Spray the back sides of all of the bread slices with non stick spray. Spread each slice with the mayo/mustard mix. Then place one slice of cheese down on a slice of bread. Top that with the apple slices. Then top with another piece of cheese. Followed by a piece of bread. Place on the hot griddle until golden brown on both sides. If the cheese is not as melted as you would like . Place them on a cookie sheet and place in a 350 degree oven until melted.

Ingredients For The Broccoli Cole Slaw:
                                  - 1 package of broccoli cole slaw mix
                                  - 1 jar of cole slaw dressing
Put the mix in a bowl. Then add as much of the dressing that you like. Let chill for 2 hrs.before serving.

Twitter

If you would like to follow me on Twitter my twitter name is sbernal4.

Up Date

Yesterday was the "official ultrasound" for our newest member of our family. It turns out that yes indeed we are having a baby girl and she is looking great. It is crazy how fast they grow! It seems that I say that often when it comes to my children. Some days it feels like they change in a blink of an eye.

I also found out some news that I am a little concerned about. My right breast has begun to hurt and my doctor discovered that the breast tissue on that side is larger than on the other side in the same spot. She says that at this time she is thinking that it is just due to pregnancy, but if the pain does not get better in a month she is going to send me for an ultrasound of that breast. So, please pray that this is nothing and that the pain goes away.

Today is the last day of school here in College Station, TX. I can't believe that the year has come and gone. It is officially summer break! We have plans to go camping , going to the beach, and maybe even going to Schlitterbahn! Other than that my biggest plan is to try to stay cool in this Texas heat.

It's A.....

Drum roll please....... It's a GIRL!!!! We are so excited about this! You know there are too many little boys in a family when even they wanted this baby to be a girl. LOL.

Changes.... AGANI?!

Since my husband and I found out that we were expecting baby bernal #6 we decided that it was really time to get debt free. With that will come many sacrifices for this family.I will admit that I was very much against the drastic step that we are going to take to do this, but with some time I finally have a peace about it.
We will be moving out of our rental and into Andrew's mothers house for the next 9 + months..... Yup you read it right! My preggo behind and the 5 kids will be moving in with his mom, and he will stay somewhere in Jewett close to his job. We will see him every other week for the next couple of months and then when he changes shifts we will see him about once a month if lucky.
During this time we will be putting all extra cash to paying off debt as fast as we can. It will be tight and uncomfortable, but worth it in the end. I just have to keep telling myself that it isn't forever and I should be a pro at this by now. It's not like Andrew has always been around due to his time in the Navy. Although I will admit that the more kids you have the harder it is. I am just grateful that I will not be completely on my own. I will have his mom and his sister there as well to help if needed.
I am looking forward when this is done and we can get back to life as normal minus all debt :)

New Addition :)

It looks like the 7 B's is going to become the 8 B's the beginning of October. Yup! You read that correctly. We found out that we are expecting another bundle of joy :) I am currently 14 weeks along and am excited to see what this little baby is going to be. I will say that we are all crossing fingers for a girl. Even the boys are wanting a girl. They claim that there are too many boys in the house. LOL. I will keep you updated as I get further along.

Blogging Time Out

I haven't been blogging lately because I have been under the weather. I promise that once I get back to myself I will be right back at it. I have some ideas of things I would love to try but I just am not feeling well enough to get them done at this moment. During my little time away PLEASE check out some of the blogs that I love to visit. They are listed under MY Places on the right hand side. 

I may just do a few blogs on some of the dinners that I cook during my little time out. We will see how I feel. 

San Antonio Trip

One More Pic :)

Note: I did everything the same as mentioned in Scissors & Spatulas except I used a spring confetti cake mix & Frosting, and I added pink food coloring to the white chocolate. These are really good and if you have not tried these you should!

Cake Balls

Don't these just scream SPRING! I have a little bit of spring fever. I am so looking forward to the sun, the warm air, and flowers blooming.

I got the idea from Scissors & Spatulas.

Wordless Wednesday

My Little Honey Bee

Kid's Valentine Activity

I got this from Smockity Frocks it's a really great idea for siblings to show love to each other. Here is mine.

This is what you will need :

Paper hear doilies
Scrap booking paper
Red stamp pad
Lined stamp
glue stick

1. Cut the paper into the size heart that will fit the doilies.
2. Apply glue to the back of the paper heart. Then place it on the heart doiile.
3. Then stamp the lines onto the heart.

There should be enough hearts for each child to have one per sibling to fill out. They will write something that they love about them on the heart. Things like " You are nice." are not acceptable. It needs to be more personal. Have them really think at what they love about their sibling.

Picture Frame Makeover

This is the finished result! I love it :) I was pretty pleased with how fast it came together.
Supplies : 1 Picture Frame
                1 Sheet of Scrap Book Paper
                Antique White Paint
                Modge Podge
                Sponge Brushes
                Embellishments of your choice

This is the back of the frame. That way you can sorta of see what I started with.
1. Using the Sponge Brush apply the paint to the frame. I let some of the brown show through. It gave it a distressed/ antique feel.
2. While paint is drying cut your scrap book paper the way you want it. Make sure to figure out where you want to place it.
3. Once the frame is dry you may then start the messy part.....Modge Podge! :) Go to town. Be  liberal with it. Start with the frame in the area you will place your paper. Then add it to the back of the paper. Once frame area and back are coated with modge podge go ahead and position your piece the way you please. Once it is in place begin to cover the top with the modge podge. Using your fingers press the paper into creases and get it to lay flat on the frame. Proceed with the other pieces.
4. Then add your embellishment.

 I am so excited to place a picture of my daughter in this frame. I know she will love it :)

New Craft Ideas...

http://itsapricelesslife.blogspot.com/2011/01/3-valentine-decor.html.... I also am thinking about doing I Love U blocks.... We will see.

Things I Often Crave

There are a few things.....1. Soda
                                       2. Sushi
                                       3. Mexican
                                       4. Chinese
                                       5. Something sweet like cake or ice cream.
I have gotten better about soda. It has actually been some time since I have had a soda. I have had a long battle when it comes to soda. I can get rid of bad for me stuff very easily except when it has come to soda. You would think I was addicted. I will go a little while but the min. I have one it's all over with and then I am back to drinking it like it's water. I have actually gone an entire day without drinking anything because it wasn't soda...See???? I get bad when it comes to soda. Being on Weight Watchers has really helped because I will not drink diet soda and on W.W. it carries a high point value. It is no longer worth it :)
As for the others...I have been eating sushi regularly lately. I need to cut it back just a tad. When it comes to 3-5 I crave them occasionally but it doesn't bother me too bad.

Magnetic Picture Board

I got the idea from CRAFTING. You should check out her blog. The Lowes that is near my house would not cut sheet metal so I had to change it up slightly. I was really happy with the way that it turned out.
Supplies:
              24x24 Piece of sheet metal
              4  12x12 Sheets Scrap booking paper
              Various stickers to decorate
              1 Spool of ribbon
              8 decorative beads
              8 magnets
              16 ft of decorative molding
              1 pack of sponge brushes
              Modge podge
              Antique White Paint
              1 can of glitter spray
              Gorilla Glue
              Super Glue
              2 to 3 clamps per side

1. Use sand paper on the sheet metal to ruff it up just a tad.
2. Next comes the fun part. Using the sponge brush  apply modge podge on the sheet metal first working one square at a time. Then apply modge podge on the back of the paper. Place the paper on top of the modge podge covered area of sheet metal. Then apply a liberal amount of modge podge on the front of the paper. The paper will begin to bubble. Using your fingers you will smooth them out. Then go over it with the sponge brush to smooth the surface coat of modge podge.
3. Once it has dried then you may place your embellishments onto the surface.
4. Cut the decorative molding picture frame style.
5. Paint the frame pieces with the antique white paint.
6. When the paint is dry spray with the spray glitter.
7. Using the super glue , glue the beads onto the magnets.
8. Once the frame pieces are dry use the gorilla glue to adhere them to the sheet metal. You will also need clamps to hold the pieces in place for 30 min. You can either do all sides at once or one side at a time.

Here is the finished product. The picture does not do it justice. Bad lighting.

Something That Makes Me Different From Everyone Else

This one is hard.... I don't feel like I really am any different from anyone else. I don't necessarily stand out in a crowd. I don't have any unusual or great talents. I do not do anything extraordinary. If I had to take a stab at it... I guess I would say I am honest to a fault. If you really want to know what I think I will tell you. I am at times a little to direct and blunt. I will tell it like it is. This is not necessarily the best thing at times. I find the older I get the more I bite my tongue. This has done me well in some cases. In others not so well. I am still learning to know when to open my mouth and when to keep it shut. I guess I can tack that on to my long list of things to tackle this year.

Changes

So..This new year is bringing many different changes. I am loosing weight, finding time to do the things I enjoy, working on being a better mother and wife, letting go of certain people in my life , and getting my finances together to just name a few.
The one that I am going to address today is of letting go of people. I would have to say that most ( ok all) of my relationships are one sided. I am not sure how it happened and I became that person but I did.... You know what I am talking about? The fall back friend? The used to be really great friend when we lived in the same state? The person that chases everyone down to say hi and see how they are but no one ever calls me person? This includes family. Well....#1 It is hurtful- because at times it feels like no one really cares. #2 I deserve better than that. I deserve a normal friendship that goes both ways. #3. It is just plain exhausting trying to chase family and friends down.
Having said that ....My whole point is I am letting go. I am letting go of friends that have been "friends" for years. Same goes with family. If you want to talk you know where I am at. Until then I am concentrating on my family closest and building lasting friendships here in my home town. It is time to let go and move on.

A Picture Of Something That Makes Me Happy

There is nothing like a baby's smile. This is Ethan when he was 2 months old.

Someone I See Marring/ Being With In The Future

This is a no brainer seeing as how I am married to the love of my life,  the man of my dreams, the father of my children, and my best friend. We have been together for 10 years and married for 7 years.  I love him and am so glad that he is in my life. We have been through good times, bad times, and in between times. I never knew what it meant to truly love someone until I met him. I honestly couldn't picture my life without him. I am honored that he chose me to go on this crazy and wonderful journey.

Nicknames

From my husband- Babe, baby, sweetheart, beautiful, and turkey
From my kids- Mom and mommy
Melissa- Chica and or chicky

Plans/Dreams/Goals

Plans- My plans for most days are the same...Clean, take care of kids, run errands, cook, blah blah blah.

Dreams- I dream that my child who has ADHD & Bi-Polar Disorders will get better. I dream that one day we will be in our dream house and financially stable. I dream about going back to school and my husband being in the job that he has always wanted to be in. I dream of family vacations and smiling faces.

Goals- 1. Finish getting this house settled.

           2. Getting our budget put together.

           3. Paying off debt.

           4. Going back to school hopefully next year.

           5. Loosing weight.

           6. Making new friends here in College Station.

           7. Start crafting and drawing again.

           8. Exercising 

So far I am working diligently on 1,5,and 6. 

Someone I Would Like To Switch Lives With

I do not think my brain is working this morning. I can't think of anything. I am blank.

Childhood Picture

This is the only picture I have access to of me when I was younger. It is one of my favorite photos of me and my father together. Just to clarify... I have all of my childhood pictures but they are currently in storage. This was the only one on the computer :)

Pandora Shuffle?

Today was supposed to be the first 10 songs to play on the IPod on shuffle. My MP3 player is lost still. It went missing during the move. So, I put the Pandora player on shuffle. It is the best I could do. So here it is.
1. Can't Hold Us Down- Christina Aguilera
2.Nobody Knows- Tony Rich
3.They Don't Know- Jon B
4.No Air- Jordin Sparks
5.Not Myself Tonight- Christina Aguilera
6..Lately- Tyrese
7.If I Were A Boy-Beyonce
8.One Sweet Day- Boyz 2 Men
9.Too Close-Next
10. Wait For You- Elliott Yamin

A Picture Of My Family :)

It's not the best photo , but it's the only with all of my children in it. The last family photo session was right before I got pregnant with Ethan. I guess it is safe to say we are due for another family photo ;)