2013 Pantry Remodel

Two years ago, I decided to take a picture each day to serve as a journal, recording my year in the form of (mostly) cell phone pictures.  Although I'm ridiculously happy I kept it up (and plan on continuing), I am certain that I only stuck to it because I posted the pictures to Facebook. In an unexplainable way, posting kept me accountable.  And now, I have 2 awesome albums filled with blurry, special pictures that take me right back to the captured moments.

So....this year, I've decided to make a new commitment: 

I will not buy any junk food, for our family.  
But...
I will make one homemade snack each week.

think.....

....vs....

Could this be an undercover way to focus on being healthier in the New Year?

Yes.
Could this be a shameless attempt at an excuse to do Pinterest projects weekly? 
More than likely.
But will this accomplish some great learning goals?
I sure hope so.

And because I'm a teacher.....here are a few of those learning goals:
1. Chelsey will become more familiar with the kitchen.
2. Bria will learn to value whole foods.
3. The Harlans will honor the Lord with their food choices.

Hey, the leftover Christmas cookies sitting on my counter were homemade...fair game???

And now....2 Truths...
1. I'm scared to make this commitment so publicly, but I know it'll be a fun experiment! Justin is even excited about it!
2. I feel sad for any babysitters who come to our house this year....snacks were always a highlight, when I babysat, and I feel like I'm letting them down ;)

You know what they say...

Bria is 8 months old, and I can attest to the fact that it truly does take a village! Without the help of some of the following phrases spoken by the "theys" in my life (other Moms), I think I would still be a deflated new mom, stuck in sweats, hunched over Bria willing her to nurse, wondering what in the world we were thinking 9 months ago!

1. My mom always says (and still does), "Babies are always growing something." It took all of 24 hours for Bria to grow her first "something" on her newborn baby face! Of course, when the pediatrician visited the next day, I wasted no time asking him about it. He simply replied that it's normal and "her face will clear up just in time for newborn pictures." How did he know that had been my real intention in asking?

2. Lori Fischer, a Mom of a dear friend from high school told me to "Put blinders on" and it transformed my...everything! Bria's birthday brought with it so many concerns: Should I wear Bria all day or let her cry it out on the floor? Oh shoot, I forgot her socks! I'm sure to be judged, now! People have huge reactions when she pukes...is it excessive?? Should I call the doctor? I allowed myself to spiral and become consumed....then I realized, I often cared more about what others perceived rather than what I knew to be true about my daughter and her needs. Blinders = freedom. I was a new woman....I could finally do what I thought was best for me and Bria!

3. While stuck in indecisiveness about whether to camp with Bria yet or not, a pregnant friend, Natalie, grounded me by saying, "There will always be moms who do more with their baby than I will. And there will always be moms who do less. I'm just going to do what's comfortable for me." I am Bria's advocate. 'Nuff said.

4. Finally, because our mothers are usually the ones who impact us the most, the last piece of advice is again, from my mom. No matter how frazzled I am--on the phone or in person--she always calmly says, "You know what you're doing...Trust your instincts." I realize that God gave me Bria as a gift, and I can't just wing it. I must be intentional in how I raise her, but there is truth behind this statement. God gives me intuitions, feelings, and emotions. Pair those innate attributes with a healthy dose of knowledge and wisdom, take a deep breath, and go with the flow.


I'm eternally grateful for these and many other pieces of advice I've received. But, it is to God that I am the most indebted.  For He reminds me that "whatever I do, do all to the Glory of God." That's why I'm a mom. To show the weight of God's worth!

Well, we did go camping! And it turned out to be just what God wanted for our family! More on that, later.

Hey, where's the cream filling?

I thought starting a blog last year, when I was set to be a mom soon, was smart because I would have infinitely more free time at home then I did when I worked full-time as a teacher. (Moms, stop laughing...read on...) I was excited to finally encounter the "cream filling" of my life and begin doing what I've looked forward to the most since I was a young girl! Little did I know....

Well, it's become partly true. I DO have more time at home, but it isn't free. It's filled each day with tasks, lists, and errands. Puke, diapers, bottles. Yes, I have made it a habit, during her afternoon nap, to allow myself to put my feet up and read, watch TV, facebook (yes, it's a verb!), or call a friend. But I just don't have nearly the amount of unaccounted-for time that I thought I'd have when I envisioned my new job of Mommy.

This is just one of the many discoveries I've made in the journey of parenting--just one of the chapters in the (hypothetical) journal of "Parenting: Fact vs. Fiction". A story of the many expectations a woman has before she actually becomes a mom. The following are some other possible entries (that I feel vulnerable enough to admit) that other moms may be able to relate to:

• Nursing isn't glamorous.
• I can't always make my baby do what I want her to, when I want her to, how I want her to...no matter how many books I read about it.
• Being pregnant and nursing didn't instantly take away all my cravings for less-nutritious foods, simply because I didn't want to possibly "harm" her.  Good intentions; demanding taste buds
• I just simply can't go and do everything I did before birth-day, no matter how well adjusted my baby is or how much I put my mind to it. 
• Nursing doesn't make losing the baby weight effortless.
• Even at 3 weeks old, my baby can do no wrong. "Not my baby" is a constant thought, no matter how ridiculous I know that is. 

Everyday I'm faced with reality. Being a mom is--mostly--nothing like I expected.  Somedays, it's way better. Others, way different. Rarely, way worse. But never easy, never mundane, and never boring. 

So, where's the cream filling, you ask?  It's in my squishy-cheeked Bria Belle!