A baby sprinkle turned pouring rain!

Oh pregnancy, you magical body crushing miracle you.

I've finally hit my uncomfortable point.  I'm pretty proud I've made it so far!

Saturday I will be 34 weeks, I really can't believe how fast time has flown and I'm still trying to accept the fact that this is most likely the last time I get to experience the joys [and pains] of being pregnant.

I am almost ashamed to admit that I am one of those women that love pregnancy.  I never throw up, I don't get hemorrhoids or swollen feet.  I do what I want and keep going.  Maybe since after having my first baby you don't really get a choice!  I feel the most beautiful when I'm pregnant, like my body has purpose and those extra rolls of skin are just baby love and that's ok. ;)

One of my favorite parts of being pregnant is having a shower!  I know, you're not really supposed to have a shower after the first baby especially if you've had 3 and already have both sexes of children but darn it I love a good party!  I also am constantly moving so there is really nothing that has made it from child #1 to child #4 despite the fact that they're only 6 years apart. 

So this time for Miss Tulip Bea I thought it would be appropriate to have a "sprinkle" or as I've seen them called.  My Mom and sister came in from California to help celebrate and I just really wanted an excuse to celebrate this new life with all my new found friends here on the island.  

<--------------- Dark Chocolate/Strawberry Cupcakes made by my sister, Jordan! 

 I should have known that my Mom, friends, and family would spoil me beyond belief.  And Tulip Bea is seriously set!  We had a great time just being together, enjoying the weather and getting ready for our little girl's arrival.  Which after the birth of my friend Bree's baby last week I am seriously getting so excited for, ahh newborns. <3

[My "sprinkle" had the cutest pink/jungle theme!  Pink. Zebra. Cheetah. Adorable.]

I am continually blessed and amazed by everything that was given to us for Tulip.  I have such talented caring friends and got so many beautiful home made gifts I loved it!  A new bow holder for Tulip?  Check.  A handmade Christmas pillow dress? Check. Lots of bows? Check.  A personalized cloth diaper and wet bag?  That too.  Seriously awesome.  Presents even came from afar with my biff from California spoiling me like she always does with a Bath Pod, bags of Rockin Green marshmallow scented cloth diaper detergent, The Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears and a Boba Wrap! 

[A cloth diaper cake made by my friend Dawn.  She made it with Oso Cozy prefolds & a Thirsties cover!  I am a lucky girl.]

I had so much fun and was so relaxed just enjoying the company, I know I keep saying it but I just feel so lucky to have friends that encouraged me to relax, to sit down, to eat all things I need reminded to do!  

Even the games were fun, but then again I love shower games in general.  I'm a competitive person so any chance to win prizes I'm down for.  This time I just had to observe but watching everyone play games and win prizes was a blast.  

I wonder if it's bad that we did a Who Knows Mommy Best? game and the question was "What has Nicole been craving this pregnancy?" and everyone answered coffee & Dr. Pepper. :/

Just don't tell my midwife!

And of course Noni [my Mom] spoils her grandchildren that are already born so she had to give Tulip some love too!  New cloth diapers, a diaper sprayer [Thank God!], and a Nosefrida she knit me a boobie hat and got me a Beco Gemini carrier.  I'm pretty much in baby heaven.  Now I just need the baby!

So no I'm not lucky, I'm blessed [yes!]

By so many people that I adore and can't wait to introduce Tulip too.  A successful baby "sprinkle" if I do say so myself!

Check out my friend's Facebook stores! 

https://www.facebook.com/ArianasAccessories

[For family date timelines, pillow dresses, home made bows & wipe cases and more!]

https://www.facebook.com/BanginBabyBritches

[For WAHM cloth diapers & wet bags!]

Support your work at home Mommies! <3

[My BIG girl having fun at her sister's shower!  Doing it Mother/Daughter was so fun. :)]

Tulip: A flower symbolizing forgiveness.

Bea: Blessed, she who brings happiness. 

The Incredible Lily Pax turns 6!

I can't believe our biggest "baby" is already 6 years old!  

It amazes me how much has happened in 6 years, that I've been able to watch this little person grow from just a heartbeat in my womb to a smart & sassy little girl with her two front teeth missing and an opinion on everything.  I am in awe, that we somehow managed to raise her to be such a loving, kind & thoughtful person.  I think the oldest kid always gets the brunt of the parental mistakes, responsibility and bossiness.  I'm the oldest child, I should know!

[Our baby girl when she turned 2 years old!  She has always had such a unique personality.]

Lily Pax was the child we prayed for.  After getting married in November 2004 we knew we wanted kids right away, not that we KNEW what we we're doing but that's besides the point!  

It took us longer than we had thought to get pregnant with her, which in reality was less than a year.  But at the time, and only 21 years old I thought having babies was just something that happened like magic, people had them on accident after all right?  I was a little bummed it wasn't happening on the timeline I expected so I prayed about it a lot, especially, for some reason to the Virgin Mary.

"I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him"

1 Samuel 1:27

So, we named Lily after The Virgin Mary.  The Virgin Mary is sometimes referenced to as the white Lily.  Pax, her middle name is Latin for peace.  She is the peacemaker of our family.  Whether trying to stop a fight between her brothers or getting upset if anyone is talking too loudly to one another she will definitely try to make everything better. <3

Lily was always my fast learned.  She crawled at 5 months and set the pace for which her brothers just can't quite keep up!  

And while she is quick when she wants to be I always remember as my 12 days late baby.  I went into the labor the night before I was supposed to be induced feeling huge & ready to meet my baby girl.  She was born July 21st, 2006 in Honolulu, Hawaii and has been our little island girl ever since.

[It amazes me how much Oliver looks like his big sister!  Sure the boys look alike but I swear Oliver is Lily with her hair cut off.]

10 Facts about Lily Pax!

1.  Her favorite subject is math.  Sometimes she'll make up her own math work sheets when she's in bed and then answer them all.

2.  She loves fruit.  Apples, watermelon, strawberries & grapes are her favorite.

3. She likes to make up her own songs & sings a lot of the stuff she says.

4. She can swim like a fish.

5. Her favorite things to do are go to the water park, mini golfing, library & Target.

6. The thing she misses most about California is her dog, Maeby. 

7. She will take an hour long bath if you let her.

8. She likes to watch cooking shows & the greatest tragedy in her life is that she isn't allowed to eat in her bed.

9. Sometimes she wakes up and changes Oliver's diaper & makes her bed before waking me up in the morning.

10.  She is growing up way too fast. 

For her 6th birthday party she wanted a Mermaid Party because she's currently addicted to an Australian TV series on Netflix called H20.  We had a great time with Mermaid cupcakes, slip & slides & Ocean punch only to get rained out.....in July.  In Waipahu. Hmph.  Luckily we have a bunch of laid back friends and family & we played in the rain & celebrated the life of my most favorite little girl.

[Lily wearing her mermaid tale made by Noni, with her best friend/Auntie Gloria!]

Lily's Mermaid Jell-O Cupcakes with Jell-O Frosting!

Cupcakes: 

1 box of White Cake Mix

1 3 oz. box of Jell-O [any flavor/color you want]

These were easy since I had a crazy busy week and just needed something fast & simple.  Plus Lily's favorite color is blue so I aim to please!

[1] Make cake according to box directions.  Divide batter in half.

[2] Mix Jell-O into half the batter.  I actually made 48 cupcakes so I used 2 boxes of cake mix and just dyed one box worth, either way will work.

[3] Alternating, drop spoonfuls of each color batter into cupcake liners.

[4] With a butter knife kind of swirl batters together to get them looking tie-dyed.

[5] Bake as directed!

Frosting:

1 3 oz. box of Jell-O [any flavor/color you want]

1/2 cup boiling water

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 egg white

[1] Put all ingredients, except for water, into a metal or glass stand mixer.  You HAVE to use a stand mixer for this one otherwise it won't work!

[2] Turn mixer on high and pour in your boiling water.

[3] Beat on high for about 5 minutes until you have stiff peaks!

[4] I added more food coloring to mine because it didn't come out as blue as I wanted but basically whatever color/flavor you choose will be what your frosting tastes like!  It has almost a marshmallow consistency.  

Party Hardy!

We decorated her cupcakes with gummy Octopuses, plastic mermaids, beach umbrellas & sand!

P.S. If you want to make the sand just put Vanilla Wafers & Oreos in a food processor, more Vanilla Wafers than Oreos and just adjust to how dark you want your sand to be! 

A-Lotta Ricotta Cupcakes w/ a Dark but Lovely girl.

Today was the first Risen Lord Women's Bible Study.  We got together to discuss what we wanted to do with our time together, we'll only be meeting once a month but since most of us have young children a 2 hour uninterrupted break certainly sounds like heaven!  Today we went over accountability, who is holding YOU as a Christian woman accountable?

I went a long time without having anybody hold me accountable, I thought I knew best and I honestly could justify almost everything I did.  I didn't have anybody else telling me that I was straying from God and that I was deep in sin.  I honesty didn't want to hear it and many things suffered from it. 

 My marriage, my self, my children.

A Christian cannot walk alone, at least not this Christian.  It is far too easy to stray from God's path for me and use the ways of this world as a barometer for what is wrong & right when honestly the things that are "right" in this nation are most definitely wrong to me.  

I was using other people as my measuring stick, not what I knew God wanted from me and how much better I could be doing.  I have always thought of myself as a bad person, hence the title of my blog.  I heard a sermon years ago where our archbishop preached on the concept of Dark but Lovely.  

How could I be both?  For I knew I was dark, sin was eating away at me and even when I was in it thinking I needed it, that I loved it.  It only sought to destroy me, and many times it almost did.

Sin is all consuming and without another Christian to help me grab my footing, to be my anchor when I have drifted away from my God I could easily be lost at sea.

But to God we are Dark but Lovely.  No human is without sin, those that condemn others are just not looking at their own sin cause really its much easier to judge others.  But remember you are judged the same,  true only God can judge you and have it actually matter but the people on this Earth that can now so easily see the choices you make, and the things you brag about without a second thought are judging you as well, and often more harshly than our loving Christ. 

I am no theologian,  the things I write cannot be backed up with scripture word for word, and I won't pretend to have it all figured out.  But I'm trying.  And thats all I can do for myself and my family.  To want to HEAR when God speaks to me, to TRUST him more than I do myself, to be open and honest that it is a daily struggle for me.  I am so thankful for the women that help hold me accountable far & near and I hope that one day I can help someone in even just the tiniest bit with their faith, for I once was lost but now am found.  But I continue to search because I know I will never find what I'm looking for in this World.

Accountability Questions

[From Character that Counts]

[1] Have you spent daily time in the Scriptures and in prayer?

[2] How do you feel about how you've handled personal, family, and/or business finances?

[3] What three relationships have you nurtured most?

[4] What has made it difficult to do your 100% best in the different roles in your life?

[5] Have your words built up or tore down other or self?

After making baked ziti a week or so ago I ended up with a huge tub of leftover ricotta cheese.

I made some decent spinach ravioli and still had a ton left.  So these cupcakes were the answer to cleaning out my fridge.  If you don't like ricotta don't worry, you can't taste it at all! 

I brought these to group today & am happy to say there are still some left for my late night episode of Big Love.  With fresh strawberries.....oh yes.

A-lotta Ricotta Cupcakes

w/ Lemon Glaze

adapted from www.cupcakerehab.com

For the cupcakes:

9 tbs. [1/2 cup] unsalted butter at room temp.

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup ricotta cheese

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tbs. baking powder

2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

For the glaze:

Juice of 1 lemon

1 cup confectioner's sugar

[1] In a mixer cream butter and sugar until light & fluffy.

[2] On low add eggs one at a time scraping sides if needed.

[3] Add the olive oil than slowly add in flour, salt, ricotta, lemon zest & baking powder.

[4] Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 or so minutes.  Let cool before icing!

[5] For the glaze slowly add lemon juice to confectioner's sugar, you might need a little more or a little less depending on how thin you like yours.  Super easy and brings out the sweetness and tartness even more.  

Now go share! 

Aloha & Cupcakes!

Welcome to Hawaii!  The land of Aloha.