Life as Mrs. Emerson

Evangeline helping me study anatomy.  I have now reached the half way mark in my semester so I thought I would give an update on how my two classes are progressing.  I am taking a Nutrition class on line and Anatomy and Physiology I in person two nights a week.  One night is lecture night while the second night is just for the lab.  It's really the equivalent of taking three classes.  I spend about three hours a week studying for the Nutrition class and about ten hours studying for the Anatomy class.  On test weeks I try to squeeze in a few more hours but that doesn't always happen. I have been a student as a mama before so in many ways studying and balancing my various roles is old hat.  In other ways it is completely new ball game.  I now have two children and a lot less free time.  :)  I have a lot more competing for my free time these days.  I also don't think that Eli was ever sick while I was a student.  Having a si...

The cheery pumpkins I made at my mother-in-law's house.   The last two weeks have been challenging as Evangeline has been ill.  First she had croup, then she caught a horrible stomach virus which lasted 9 days, and the poor girl also had her first ear infection!  She was sick for over two weeks and took two trips to Children's and 3 visits to the pediatrician (and I'm not a mom that takes her kids to the pediatrician unless they are really sick).  We are so thankful that she is feeling better!  Here are a few things we did the last two weeks to save money and enjoy the simple life: I was so thankful that we were able to eat a few freezer meals that I had made last month.  We did end up eating out a lot more than we usually do but I am thankful that our budget didn't take a bigger hit than it easily could have.  I usually have a few freezer meals or at least some soup in the freezer at all times.  I would love to try to have more muffins, ...

I made Evangeline a sling for her birthday!  I have been wanting a baby sling for Evangeline for the last 6 months.  We have a number of baby carriers but I really wanted to have a baby sling that I could put on in just a few seconds for short episodes of baby wearing.  Originally I hoped to purchase a Maya Wrap Ring Sling but the money I had saved for that was needed to buy gas for a trip we just took.  Then I decided to try to make a Maya.  The company is so nice that they even put the instructions for how to sew one on their website!  When it came time to sew the Maya Wrap I could not find my special ring slings that a friend had given me years ago. Then I remembered the McCalls pattern I had purchased last year that included a Mei Tai and a sling pouch.  Ta da!  The sling looks very similar to a New Native Sling Pouch.  The happy hubby was watching the kiddos so this was the perfect time to get started on a new project just in time...

I realize that I mentioned last month that I was certain that I would still find time to read at least a few books each month.  Perhaps I was feeling crazy because I really don't have time to read right now.  On the flip side I am someone who just has to read.  When I haven't read a book in a while I find myself just yearning to read!  This month I will be tweaking my routine because I really want to squeeze in a little more reading despite my busy schedule.   Here are the books that I read this past month: One Pot: 120+ Easy Meals from Your Skillet, Slow Cooker, Stockpot, and More From the Kitchens of Martha Stewart: As crazy as this sounds I really enjoy reading cookbooks.  I don't just read them because I usually make at least a handful of the recipes that I find.  What is so neat about this cookbook is that every meal can be prepared in just one pot as the title suggests.  Easy cleanup and easy cooking which is perfect for this busy se...