My husband and I have been unpacking, storing, tossing, and setting aside. While this obviously isn't our first move, it's the first place we've moved where a Yard Sale is in our future and our last move until our *fingers crossed* final move. Or at least out last move before our first move across the country *fingers still crossed*.

Within this move, we've come to a few startling conclusions.

First, it gets on my husband's nerves that I'm a pack rat.

Second, it gets on my nerves that my husband is a piler.

Third, it gets on both of our nerves that we're not sure if we're both pack rats and pilers, or if one label is specific to each one of us.

So, what's the difference?

Here are some examples.

I have at least ten empty jewelry boxes. You know, the kind that the jewelry actually comes in when it's presented to you. Maybe not ten. That might be an exaggeration. But I had the one from my engagement ring, my opal ring, my sapphire ring, a pair of earrings, a necklace, the Murano glass my parents/sisters brought me from Italy, a Tiffany's box....

These boxes, to me, all represent memories. The thing is, I have an actual jewelry box that the jewelry was transferred to. The other boxes were just taking up space in my top dresser drawer. So... I suppose that's a little pack-rattish.

My husband makes piles. There was a pile in our room of his Marine Corps uniforms that had yet to be folded and put away. A pile of his clean clothes he hadn't put in his closet. There was a pile of books that he didn't know where they went. There was a pile of receipts on the desk that he was "going to file"... so he said a month ago even before we moved.

There is a pile of things that still need to be hung. There is a pile of things that were on the desk and he's clearly deemed they don't belong there. There's a pile of Michael's toys that we have yet to put away. There's a pile of documents that need to be sorted through. There's a pile of my things that he's moved from where I've had them dispersed to somewhere that he thinks is more convenient. Piles. He's a piled.

Now, here's the fine line.

I have a pile of things: my One Year Bible, my journal, my prayer journal, and my planner. However, these are all a part of my morning... or afternoon... we'll say daily routine. I visit each of these things at some point during the day, which is why they are all together. I have a pile of books that I want to read. These books are not put away on a book shelf, but are in a pile because there isn't room for them on the book shelf. I have a mess of a pile that is my scrapbook stuff. But... my piles have a purpose to me. Clark's piles just seem to be a mess.

Clark saves things. He has a letter from a previous employer in a bag of letters and documents he hasn't decided if he's going to keep or toss. He has some clothes he refuses to get rid of that he's had since sometime before high school, but they still fit (even though they have multiple holes and stains), so he's keeping them. He has boxes of things that he hasn't used yet but may use someday, or things that he used in the past but may use again (not likely). He HAD (he finally got rid of them) a pair of hiking boots that he had, I'm pretty sure, since 8th grade that he finally got rid of due tot he fact that they'd been falling apart for at least three or four years and it was clear that they weren't going to do the job anymore. So, his stuff is more reasonably sentimental to him and therefore not pack-rattish.

(By the way, I do realize that I have made up the words "piler" and "rattish" for this blog.)

Today we found a way to compromise.

Clark finally got rid of most of his piles, and I went through and tossed some of the empty jewelry boxes and other things that I was holding on to. There are still piles, and I'm sure I still have some things that Clark thinks I should get rid of (like the bedding to my dorm room bed... since we don't have a little girl or a twin bed).

The point is we're working on it.

We're doing our best to put our house together as our house.

The thing is, whether you're a pack rat or a piler... every now and then you have to go through what's yours and put it away, toss it, sell it, or store it. It's a part of life, after all. And I don't just mean around the house.

Do you have something you need to put away, toss, sell, or store? I'm all ears!

So, I've been craving things from the grill. Perhaps it's because lately our temperatures have been nearing the 60s. Maybe it's because things cooked on the grill are generally healthy.

Whatever the true reason, I decided to use our broiler as a substitute... but I imagine these will be even more delicious come summer time!

TERIYAKI PORK CHOPS

Supplies:

- 1 lb lean, center cut pork chops
- 3 tbsp teriyaki sauce (low sodium)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium)
- 1 tbsp pineapple juice (fresh or canned)

DIRECTIONS:

- Trim the pork chops of any fat.
- Put the pork chops in a one gallon ziploc/freezer bag. Add the teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, and pineapple juice. Close the bag tightly and thoroughly and give it a good shake, or message the chops into the sauce so they are all well coated.
- Put them in the fridge to marinate for a good one to three hours.
- Once the pork chops have marinated, take them out and put them on a prepared broiler pan. Broil on high for ten minutes on each side.

EASY AS THAT!

VEGETABLE SKEWERS

Supplies:

- Any vegetables you might wish to skew! I used:

- 1/2 Red Onion
- 1 Zucchini
- 1/2 Yellow Squash
- 1/2- 1 Red Pepper
- 1/2 Pineapple (obviously not a vegetable)

Directions:

- Arrange your cut up vegetables as desired on the skewers.
- Place on the same broiler (now pork chop free) and cook for at least five minutes, turning them over half way through.
- Before serving, check to make sure all veggies are warm/cooked. If they aren't, put back in until they are!


I also served some of our left over black beans and rice. It definitely added to the variety of flavors!

Nowadays when people ask me if Michael's a good sleeper, I hesitate.

Do they mean easy to get to sleep, or easy once he's in his deep sleep?

For the past week or so Michael has had an awful time going to sleep. We'd be in bed for close to an hour before he'd wake up, back arched, legs and arms going this way and that, and he'd start crying. I didn't understand one bit.

We tried everything.

I thought it was gas, so I had gas drops and gripe water ready. That didn't seem to do much.

I thought he needed a new diaper. I'd change it even if it wasn't that wet.

I thought maybe it was because he's getting over a nasty cough/cold. That may play into it still.

I thought maybe it's because he's going through a growth spurt, I've been focusing more on feeding him, he's started rolling over more, maybe I ate something different, I've been drinking too much caffeine....

So many things have gone through my mind, and I tried to do everything in my power to help.

And yet, last night, he still woke up crying.

So Clark did his research.

That's right. I cannot claim this one. Everything I found said perhaps he had acid reflex, perhaps it was bad gas, perhaps he needed to pass a bowel movement... the list goes on.

But never did I ever look it up by his age.

Clark found this.

Apparently between three to five months, babies brains and sleep patterns grow up in a major way.

Babies brains start acting like ours do in the sense that they don't truly sleep through the night. As the article says, a full night's rest is actually considered to be five hours.

Not eight. Not ten. Five.

We wake up and check the time, or get on Facebook, or roll over, re-position our covers... whatever. As adults we are aware that we're waking up and we attempt to go back to sleep.

For babies, it's a bit more difficult. After all, babies don't typically just fall asleep on their on. It's a process.

If you do give in to the "crying out" method, it means another round of crying.

If you rock your baby to sleep, perhaps another round of rocking.

Nursing.
Putting in the pacifier.
Singing,
Walking.
Patting.

And so on, and so forth, and so on.

So, tonight, in an attempt to help Michael learn, we're crawling into bed a little bit early.

While he is starting to finally nap on his own, he still hasn't quite gotten to the point where I can put him down for his night sleep and he'll be fine without me for awhile.

What does this mean?

It means when Michael goes to bed, I go to bed.

I can't say I mind. There are random nights when I'm wide awake at godless hours, but those nights are very rare. I'm typically the true "early to bed, early to rise" sort of person.

For my friends... going to bed early still means post ten, maybe even eleven o'clock at night.

For me?

Going to bed early can mean anywhere between 8:30pm and 9:30pm. But usually we're in bed at a strict nine o'clock.

It's not THAT much earlier tonight... I mean... it's 8:43. Besides... we get up early.

Don't judge me.

If your baby is having a hard time getting into his true sleep... just know you're not alone. Have some advice? PLEASE feel free to share it!

Last night was Italian night and I thought I'd finally try some true lasagna! Now, I didn't do everything from scratch. As a mom of a four month old I find it impossible to believe that anyone would unless they have a full time nanny or stay-at-home-husband/dad.

While mine did not turn out quite how I wanted it to, I know what went wrong and therefore you will benefit from my mistake!

In the end, it turned out delicious enough that my husband ate about four true servings of it... so two servings according to American standards.

Supplies:

- 1 lb ground, white turkey meat (or if you just can't do it, stick to ground beef!)
- 29 oz can tomato sauce
- 1/2 tsp Basil
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder (or two fresh garlic cloves, minced)
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 28 oz diced tomatoes, drained
- 15 oz Ricotta Cheese (Low Fat)
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
- 3/4 C Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- 3/4 C Parmesan Cheese, shredded
- 15 oz package of Lasagna (whole wheat if you can find it!)

DIRECTIONS:

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Brown the turkey meat and drain it of any possible grease. If you buy the white, ground turkey that's 97/3... you really shouldn't have much grease.
- Add the tomato sauce and seasonings to the turkey meat. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat or turn it off completely.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, olive oil, 1/4 C Mozzarella, and 1/4 C Parmesan.
- Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with 1/4 to 1/3 of the meat sauce.
- Put lasagna noodles on top of the meat sauce. Then add the 1/2 of the cheese mixture on top of that, as well as 1/4 C of Mozzarella.
- Next add 1/2 of the 28 oz of diced tomatoes and 1/4 C of Parmesan. Put another portion of the meat sauce and lasagna noodles on top of that and repeat the process.
- Finish the casserole by topping it of with the final noodles and meat sauce on the very top.

**HOWEVER, when I did mine I did not have enough meat sauce to put on the very top of the Lasagna noodles, therefore causing the very top noodles to bubble up and not cook thoroughly because there was nothing to keep the moisture in. I would suggest either buying 1 and 1/4 pound of ground turkey, or spreading the meat a little thin and adding sliced portabello mushrooms to give the lasagna more density. If you only have two layers of noodles, as I did, I can say that it may not turn out quite as well as you'd like it to!***

- Cover the Lasagna with tin foil and put in the oven for 50 minutes to an hour. For the last five minutes, remove the foil and sprinkle some extra Parmesan on top with Parsley flakes. It really adds a finishing, delicious touch!

ALSO, care to make it vegetarian? Skip the "turkey" and mix one pound of spinach into the ricotta cheese mixture and add a layer or two of portabello mushrooms!

Oh, yes we did.

We moved... again!

Needless to say this past week + one day has been hectic. We were moving into our new place, Clark started classes again, Michael had a doctor's appointment... the works.

And we're still living in a state of turmoil.

A lot of people I know are still going through moving changes. Two of our dearest friends (who just happen to be married) just moved to Washington State and are attempting to unload all of their things. My older sister told me that she and her husband still don't have all their things together in their house that they've now lived in for, I believe, a year or more.

Moving is hard. It doesn't matter who you are.

My husband and I kept playing off this move like it was no big deal. We literally moved right around the corner, so we kept saying we could walk boxes and things over and it wouldn't take longer than a day.

We were wrong.

I also thought it would be a lot easier to help move with Michael than it was when I was pregnant.

I was wrong.

We didn't pack things up enough so when the time came Clark kept making trips back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, loading and unloading, loading and unloading, loading and unloading.

Where was I, you ask? I was where ever the most furniture was sitting with Michael, lying with Michael, playing with Michael, walking with Michael. I was taking care of Michael.

I was of NO use.

I mean, I kept the baby entertained and happy, but I was of no use helping with the back and forth or loading and unloading. At least when I was pregnant I could do some light lifting and could easily unpack boxes. Clark was just needed to move the heavy stuff like furniture. This time? It's been an even bigger challenge.

So, our house is still packed with boxes. It's still a matter of shuffling piles from one room to the next until they dwindle down and you realize everything has been strategically placed in the right room, and then you can move forward in arranging, organizing, and cleaning.

I have to give my husband props. He's been doing 90% of the moving work. I have been doing 90% of the baby work. A fair trade, I'd say.

Michael is a little high maintenance. When I say this I am referring to his need and desire to be held. When it comes to life, he seems to be completely laid back and easy going (something he definitely gets from his father). He just goes with the flow.

But if you try to put him down when he's asleep, or when he's almost asleep, or when he wants to play-- WATCH OUT! The boy has lungs.

Both of our families have observed that it would be hard to have a baby that just won't be put down. At first he would be put down in his swing. He LOVED his swing. But ever since we returned from our Christmas vacation, it hasn't been the biggest hit.

I've started trying to lie down to feed him and leave him there to nap... but he won't have it. He wakes up instantly and starts crying. My sister put it as, "Mummy, I woke up, and you weren't there, and I was frightened, and I didn't know what to do...." The "ands" in his cries refer to his squeaks, which happens to be his nickname my sister gave him as well.

The really upset cries come from when I put him down and he doesn't want to be down, or I'm trying to change his diaper when he clearly wants something to eat, or I'm trying to feed him and he just wants to go to sleep without nursing. Or if I stop walking, thinking he's fallen asleep, and I come to find out he hasn't.

Anyway, what this all is leading back to is the fact that all I have been able to do with our move is small things here and there when a miracle happens and I am able to put our child down for a moment.

And, to answer a question that may be on some of your minds, no, I am not a fan of the "crying out" method. Read this article and this articleif you are or think you are. Perhaps it will help change your mind.

So, here's the big "but".

BUT.

I am SO happy to be in a bigger place.

Michael will have his own room (on the off chance that he actually begins sleeping in his crib), and we have that much more space. We have hardwood floors which will force us to keep them cleaner, not to mention it will be a bit healthier for us because our dog's hair won't shed into carpet. I have a bigger kitchen, room for a bookshelf or two, and so much more.

Another thing we've realized (or at least I have) is that our next move will be close to our final move (we hope). In that case we only intend to bring our good stuff with us, and have a huge yard sale to get rid of the things that we've bought as "filler furniture and accessories" for the multiple apartments, condos, duplexes, and houses we've occupied in our almost five years of marriage.

Well, that's all for now folks. Have any moving stories to share? I'm all ears! I'm hoping my next post will be a new recipe!

On January 7th, Michael was officially four months old. I waited to post so I could give a full report!

Michael is now 24.25 inches long! He weighs 11 lbs, 13 oz. Unfortunately this is not exactly prime, so we're working towards Michael gaining some extra weight before his six months check up. Say some prayers that he can catch up!

Although I am happy to report that Michael rolled over! January 10th he finally made the plunge and rolled from his tummy to his back. He's done it three times now, which doesn't seem like much, but I promise it is. I was over enthusiastic when he rolled over. I literally exclaimed with joy. Poor Clark has yet to see him do it, but I assure you it has happened.

Michael never stops talking, whether it's positive cooing, demanding attention, or full out crying. He is incredibly vocal. He just loves being social.

He is quite taken with playing peek-a-boo and his two plastic rattles... as well as mommy's hair. Although his new most favorite toy is the Baby Einsteins Take-Along Tunes Infant Toy. He can't quite hold it, but he loves the blinking lights and obviously the music.

It is crazy to think that less than a month ago he was in 3 month clothing and he's now in 3 to 6. He's growing so fast and bringing the most joy to our lives as he does... let's just hope he puts on a little more "chunk"!

When we were visiting my family in Kansas for Christmas, my older sister and beautiful niece were there (my brother in-law sadly had to work). My older sister had told me she had switched to cloth diapers to save money. To me it just kind of sounded silly, to be perfectly honest, the first time we talked about it. I imagined her folding/pinning the old fashioned way.

Oh, how wrong I was.

Come to find out that you can save anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000 if you switch to cloth diapers. Not to mention it's really not that much more work. The kind she was talking about do not require folds and pins. They are pre-designed and only require snaps or velcro. However, if you have a weak stomach when it comes to poop... they may not be the best idea.

So, after getting the 411 on how they work and Katie (my older sister) showing me them, I started to ponder the idea of switching.

When Clark, Michael and I returned to Fayetteville, NC (where Clark's parents live), we visited a fabulous little baby boutique that carried the precise brand (as well as Bum Genius and a few others) that Katie uses. We decided to buy a couple and give them a try.

Our first night home, we put one on Michael thinking it would last him through the night and we'd get an idea of just how efficient they are.

But what does Michael do as soon as that cloth diaper was securely fastened on his adorable little bottom?

He poops.

And I don't mean he just pooped. He pooped A LOT. A few days worth, since he tends to go on poop strikes and let loose two, sometimes three, sometimes five days later.

Clark was not ready for a poopy cloth diaper. So I faced the challenge.

I must say I was and am impressed.

It was not that bad to have to rinse it and scrub a little to prevent staining. It was so much easier to clean Michael since the cloth had absorbed his mess.

I'm in love.

Not with his poopy diaper, but with the cloth diapers :).

And so is Michael.

I don't know how to explain it, but he seems to love the cloth diapers. After all, can you imagine wearing a diaper all day? It doesn't seem to me like they would be very comfortable.

However, if it came down to it, I can't say I'd object to Rumparooz.

They come in all different colors and prints, and the site has some great information. Just check it out. You may be persuaded!

Happy 2012!

It is crazy to think that another year has come and gone. I still find myself wishing I could write "2011" on anything that needs a date. Of course, it is only the third day of 2012, so I'd say I can give myself some time before I get with the program.

There are many things within these first few days, and weeks, that are happening.

First, I've started my resolutions out with a bang. I'm so determined to make the most of this year. Last year was full of many changes, all of which I think I just let pass me by and I didn't realize how BIG they were.

This is not including the birth of our son. I totally caught on to the importance of that one!

Anyway. This year I'm determined to really take things in and not "just" live, but LIVE.

So, I'm cutting back on my sweets (but keeping up the cals because Michael's gotta eat) and revving up the exercise routine. Life is not about how skinny you are, but it is important to stay in shape. As long as I feel good about myself, I'm not going to worry. And right now I'm not feeling the greatest about my body... which is why I'm working on it!

Also, I'm really discovering myself this year. Getting married young has tons of advantages. It also has its disadvantages. I've never had a moment where I haven't had someone by my side influencing who I am.

I don't know who I am. I know who I am with Clark.

I know who I am with my parents. I know who I am as a sister. I know who I am as a student... but I don't know the core of all of those things. So, I'm getting to know myself.

Don't worry. I'm not going to go crazy and run away from my son/husband/family/responsibilities and go on some self-discovery journey. I'm just using this year to really be intent on being the best mom/wife/person I can be, and within that journey really recognizing who I am as an individual.

Along with many other things, I'm really going to work on sprucing up this blog. I want it to go somewhere... I'm just not sure where that is yet!

So, please join me for a whole new year/ride and tell others to do so as well (if you enjoy what you read, that is).

I have a feeling this is going to be a GREAT year!