Baking

It's a mildly snowy day in Portland... So I thought I'd reminisce on some warm, yummy memories... BAKING!

This Fall I've gotten into baking again.  Little by little.  On night shift I would do it as therapy when I couldn't sleep.  This last year, however, I have filled my days with other things (gestating, being a significant one).  :) 

So I've made a pumpkin roll, pumpkin muffins, some baked apples, assisted my mom in her famous apple pie a raspberry pie (SUPER delicious), made some almond whipped cream for hot cocoa (yum!!!).... Not really that much now that I've listed them :( 

Hopefully I can bake some chocolate chip cookies today in between dishes and laundry.

Here is a photo dump of some of my favorite things...starting with the inside of the apple pie that caved in (I used 2 kinds of apples... It was still yummy!) 

What have you been cooking up?

Cheers!

Lucy's closet

Lately I've been organizing Lucy's closet and getting ready for her arrival... In about 14 weeks our sweet girl will join us!

We have an older home with small closets, which is good because it helps keep us "minimalists" ;)

We don't have a bunch of clothes, but some.  I wanted to organize the sizes and found an Etsy store with $5 "closet dividers" for a nursery.  I think they're pretty cute! 

Grandma Sally has been giving us little gifts for Lucy when we see her... I love them!  A thrifted 12 month fleece and 3-6 month pink sparkly slippers... And I can't wait to see her in them!

We bought a small organizer with pull-out sliding drawers from IKEA.  The thing just SNAPPED together in 5 minutes.  When does that ever happen with IKEA purchases?!  So far it houses some random diapering items and nursing supplies.  Once we get the dresser in the room I'll reorganize.  

Well that's all for now :) cheers to DECEMBER!  

I love the chilly, cozy season!

25 weeks!

I'm 25 weeks tomorrow and certainly growing each week :)

There's some swelling in my feet at the end of my long shifts and LOTS of back pain... But I found a back support from Motherhood Maternity!  It works wonders!! 

I'm feeling Lucy love more and more, and some mornings I see her move in my belly :) It's amazing!  Tim and I can't wait for him to be able to feel it!

We have set up pieces of our nursery and I love being in there :)  We have her crib up, and the closet is mostly ready for her things (and already packed with some goodies!).

Our cloth diaper stash is complete!  

The picture  below is of my last purchase. these are "all-in-one" cloth diapers from Bum Genius called Freetimes.  They have inserts sewn in so I'm hoping for ease of use by Tim and myself. We purchased 37 of them on MANY sales (since Tim's brother and sister-in-law told us they have 50+... I purchased a couple more than I thought I would).   

We also bought 3 "pocket" diapers for night time to add more absorbency.   24 Cloth wipes and  2 wet bags should be coming SOON from Nickie's Diapers... Yeow! 

We will start with disposables on Lucy as a newborn and see when she will fit into the cloth diapers.  I hope before I'm off maternity leave :) 

Looking forward to her coming, but there's lots to mentally and spacially prep for still :)

  Thank you, Lord, for this most amazing gift!

22 weeks!

Well... Almost 22 weeks :)

There is LOTS if movement and it can catch me off guard... Especially when I sit down.

I'm feeling bigger by the day.

Here is me at 21 weeks and 4 days 

Tim put up the crib last week so we could put things we've borrowed in it :)

I can't wait for Miss Lucy... But I'm a little thankful for the prep time.  And that I'm still sleeping (albeit with MANY potty breaks)!!!

We have our stash of cloth diapers and averaged $11.70 per diaper (I used lots of sales).  I'm hoping we get the hang of it before I'm back to work... I think we can do it :) I bought Tide Original Powder and have instructions on the washer.  

We just started our Birthing Classes last night... Very entertaining to see my cute husband get all if the info. He is quite attentive!

That's the update!

Cheers!

19 weeks and our baby is...

We'll I'm just past 19 weeks (almost half way there!) and we had our sonogram a bit early last week to make sure all is well with our baby.

So far it all looks beautiful!  It's amazing how God has created this life inside me.  Even though my belly is growing, I still wasn't sure if there was a baby in there still!  

Baby K at 18.5 weeks gestation!

Once the ultrasound tech placed it on my belly we got to see Baby Kurkinen turn and flip and suck on her hand!

Whoops! I guess the secret is out!

Baby K is a GIRL!! I was SO surprised, and Tim was too! 

We went to a marriage retreat this weekend and came up with a name we love...

Lucy Louise :)

Cheers!

17 weeks PLUS!

Well, today I am 17 weeks and 2 days pregnant.

It's miraculous to lay down at night, have Timmy hand me the doppler and we can listen to... my heartbeat, my heartbeat...BABY KURKINEN'S HEARTBEAT!!!!  Such a gift.  Thank you, God, for this child.

Signed up for our birthing classes a wee bit early (because they had no dates yet for 2014, and I needed to get it on the calendar).

Our 20 week ultrasound is scheduled for the week after Tim's birthday... 3 weeks and 2 days away :)

Slowly we're getting things ready around the house.  Mostly for Tim's "open house birthday" but also for peace of mind before we add to the family.

Right now I'm going to sit on the recliner and hopefully snooze a bit with Maggie, our "borrowed Scotty dog" from my folks.  Since our fence is in need of repair, Piper had gotten out...so he's having a vaca with my parents and we have their sweet napping hound.  She's a good snuggle buddy.

I'm making a list of things to be grateful for.  It feels like a good way for me to focus on the positives.

So far:

• Part-time!  Hello!
• Tim's new job position
• Sweatpants and wool socks
• A healthy baby

God provides.  I'm going to trust Him because He's worthy.

Cheers!

Kurkinen Life Lately

LOTS of change in the last 12 months.
--> (Warning: this list is mostly for me to remember what has happened... it may BORE you)

October 2012:

• Tim celebrated his 27th birthday... I love that his birthday is in the Fall

November 2012:

• We added Piper, our sweet Scottie dog to our family :)  He's good entertainment to have around.

December 2012:

• I started researching what it would look like to buy a home

January 2013:

• January 1st I started Day Shift, and Tim ended his "season" with Portland Parks

• January 31st we put money down on a house...

February 2013:

• In February Tim started a new job working with a tree company
• I applied for a part-time position at work

March 2013:

• March 8th I had a surgery in hopes it would help me feel better and help us to (maybe) get me pregnant:)

• March 22, 2013 we got keys!

May 2013:

• In May I celebrated my 26th birthday, under a cloud of sadness and fighting some difficult emotions.

June 2013:

• In June Tim stopped working with the tree company and started working more frequently at the Retreat Center again.  I found out I would go to Part-Time September 22nd.

• June 30th I peed on the 1,000th pregnancy test and God had a surprise up His sleeve! (That was by far the most AMAZING surprise we've had... still can't believe HE gave us a child)

August 2013:

• We celebrated 4 years of marriage in August in LaConner, Wa.  It was a needed weekend away with my love.

• Just before Labor Day Tim heard he would take on the his new position at the Retreat Center... we are OVERJOYED!  I love that he gets to work there.  I do feel like it suits him, and only God could have orchestrated this role.

September 2013:

• Tim began training for his new role at the Retreat Center

• I just started a Prenatal Aquatic Aerobics class... so fun!

• Next week I start Part-Time :) Sounds so beautiful to my ears!

Through all these changes, I know the next year will have an even more significant change as we add a child to our small family.  But I recognize how blessed we are, and that this change is something that will add unending happy memories, little moments of quiet praise and an eternity of gratefulness in the midst of diapers, feedings and learning to be parents and keep our love alive.

I cannot WAIT to meet this little being growing away in my belly.  Tim and I listen to the heartbeat and stand in awe at God's amazing creation- the process of pregnancy, the beauty of carrying life.

I'm almost 4 months in!  Boy or Girl?  Who knows!

Well....here's to the next months!  Cheers!