Feeding Andrew: Part Two

When I posted the other day, I didn't realize that I was going to have more time to make and freeze more food to send with Andrew. When I realized that I still had cooking time left, I went to work again!

Here's what I was able to add:

A double batch of chili.

This gave him 4 containers to take to New York.

A double batch of beef & cabbage stew.

This gave him three large containers (& I mean large!) and one medium container.

Baked chicked & bacon with gravy.

Which gave him two full meals to take to New York.

And cranberry orange muffins. He was able to take 8 of these with him.

So, what does he have total?

2 pounds of granola

9 blueberry muffins

8 cranberry orange muffins

3 containers of chipped beef gravy

7 containers of sloppy joe meat

3 containers of summer medley

4 containers of chili (Nana Helen's recipe!!)

3 large containers of beef & cabbage stew

1 medium container of beef & cabbage stew

5 pieces of cornbread

2 containers of chicken with bacon and gravy

I am hopeful that he won't go hungry while in New York! It has made me feel so good that I've been able to prepare so much food for him.

He left this morning. Lots of tears were shed on my part- and he prayed over us several times. I am going to miss him like crazy, but I am SO proud of him and all that he's accomplished. I can't wait to join him in May, but until then, I'm incredibly thankful for technology!

Day 18 Update

A few days ago, I blogged about a hairstyle I would love to have. Upon reading it, Andrew insisted that we fulfill that wish. So- he set up a hair appointment and told my hair stylist to chop it off.

I love the end result!

It looks reeeaaallllyyy cute when I am all dolled up. But, today was spent packing Andrew's belongings, so there was no sense in getting too cute.

Anyway, I love the new haircut- and so does Andrew. It's so nice to have a fresh look!



Day Twenty-Three: A Place Where You Want to Live

I'm playing catch-up so I can finish this 30 Days of Blogging sooner : )

I would love to live right here. How beautiful is this view?!

Anyway- this is in Montana. I think it's absolutely gorgeous.



I will; however, be very happy living in New York!

Mostly- I just want to live with Andrew! It will be so nice when we're finally together... forever!!!

Day Twenty-Two: Most Awkward First Impression You Feel You've Ever Given

Unknowingly, my in-laws.

If you know the story of how Andrew and I met, then you already know that we met through a guy I was dating at the time. That guy happened to be Andrew's best friend. It's a good story- and it's not as bad as it may sound.

BUT... One thing was bad. Very, very bad.

The guy I was dating before Andrew did not have a very good reputation- and I did not know this at the time I was dating him. Andrew's parents; however, did know.

That means, when Andrew and I first began our relationship, they had the absolute wrong impression of me. They now laugh about it, but for a while, they thought that I was going to be bad news for Andrew.

Upon our first meeting, my father-in-law gave me the third degree. He grilled me on EVERYTHING. I mean religion, politics, education- any major issue was NOT left untouched.

I passed with flying colors- right down to which three churches I was going to try when I moved away to college. I met- and exceeded- his expectations... and I'm so thankful that I did!

So, my most awkward first impression was unknowingly given- but, it has since been recovered!



Day Twenty-One: Someone You Would Give Your Life Up for Without Question

My husband.



Day Twenty: Things You Want Your Children to Know

Wow. This could be a really, really long blog. There are so many things that I want my children to know. I'll try to keep it short, but I don't want to leave anything out.

• Love.
• I want my children to know that their parents love them. I don't want them to ever doubt how much they are cared for- or how much they mean to us. I also want them to know that they have a strong family network behind them at all times... even when they make mistakes. Andrew and I are very blessed with amazing families, and I am so thankful that our children will have the same support system we do.
• Kindness.
• I want my children to know kindness and compassion. I want to teach them by example how to love each other and the world. In a world where there is so much negativity, I want them to be beacons of hope to others around them. I want them to feel kindness and compassion so they will be able to show kindness and compassion to others.
• Strength.
• I want my children to know strength. Most often, strength comes with trials- and I want them to know how to handle the difficult times. Do I want my children to suffer? No way! Will I want to take their pain away? Absolutely! But, I know that in my own life, learning from the trials has made me who I am today.
• Understanding.
• I want them to have a knowledge base of many different things. I want them to understand history, english, science, and math. I want them to be well-rounded. I want them to be educated. I also want them to be understanding of others. I don't want my children to be blind to the world around them.
• Respect.
• I want my children to respect their elders, peers, and society. While they may not always agree with the actions of others, I want them to respect them for who they are. I also want them to respect their parents and show that respect in their actions. Therefore, I want to be a respectable parent so my kids have no reason to be disrespectful. It's a tall order, but I will do my best to fulfill it.
• Imagination.
• I want my kids to have an imagination- and use it during play. I feel strongly about exposure to technology, and I do not plan on my kids seeing a TV show or movie until they are over two years of age. I want them to provide their own stimulation- and I do not want them to let various things (TV, video games, etc) think for them. I want them to know how to PLAY- inside and out. Too many sensory issues (in my personal opinion) stem from too much technology and constant stimulation- I do not want that for my children.
•   Christ.
• Most importantly, I want my children to know our Lord and Savior. I want them to grow up in an environment that exemplifies Christ's love. I want them to be raised in God's word, and I want them to practice what they know. I want them to know that with Christ's help, they can make it through anything. I also want them to know that they are trusted with the ultimate gift. I don't want them to take their faith lightly- and I want them to demonstrate Christ's love, compassion, and hope to people around them. I don't want them to use it as an excuse for bad behavior (such as hateful actions), but I want them to have a definitive line of right and wrong. I want them to feel the strength, hope, peace, and love that I feel through my relationship with Jesus Christ.

I think this sums up the major details. Like I said, I could go on and on about what I want my children to know, but these are the biggest ones in my book.



Feeding Andrew

My husband moves in less than a week. That means severe denial on my part- and avoidance of the issue. When I want to avoid something, I make myself busy. So- I've been crafting and cooking. Today I dedicated much of the day to cooking, packaging, and freezing some of Andrew's favorites for him to take with him. Hopefully that will give him a taste of home while he's away from me.

Here's what he has:

Triple batch of chipped beef on toast = 1 breakfast for us, up to 6 meals for him.

Double batch sloppy joes = 2 meals for us, up to 12 meals for him.

1 batch summer medley = 1 dinner for us, 1 container for me, up to 6 meals for him.

Current Total = 12 containers = 24+ meals for him.

I feel like I should cook more than this. I mean, we'll be apart for a whole semester... 16 weeks total. That's not much food when you take that into account. Anyway, I am out of freezer containers- and he says that he will have plenty to get by. He also assured me that he can take care of himself too. I am happy to know that he will be able to have some home cooked meals while we are apart. It makes me feel good to know that I am still able to care for him the way I want to.

Everything is becoming so real so quickly. I am really, really going to miss that man! He's pretty awesome, and it won't be fun to be away from him.



Day Nineteen: A Band that You Immediately Liked and the Song that Made You Like Them

The Band Perry

... and their song If I Die Young.

It's good.



Classic Creation

I absolutely love fulfilling wedding orders. A dear lady in my life sent me several pictures of combs she was eyeing and wanted to know if I would be able to make something similar. I gave it my best shot- and I am pleasantly surprised at how well the final product turned out.

What a classic comb. I'm pretty proud of this hair accessory!



Day Eighteen: Photo of a Hairstyle You'd Like to Have

This was pretty much a no brainer- you can google Mandy Moore and pretty much any shorter hairstyle she's had, I want. She's classy, cute, and put together.

Perfect "mom" style.

I love this.

Way cute.

I'll take this one, too.

And to mix it up- I like this one as well. I used a hairstyle of Eva Longoria's for my last haircut- and I have to say, it's my favorite so far. Here's a picture of it (on me):

I'm wanting to go even shorter- I just may do that soon!!