Simple Living: Memories in My Kitchen

This is a photo taken this past Christmas of my niece, Gabby and I making Christmas cookies.  To me this picture says it all, the curiousness of an almost 2 year old, and how eager she was to roll out the dough and cut her favorite shapes out of it, her want to be part of it all and to help her Aunt Steffie.

I have wonderful memories in kitchens.  From my grandparents kitchen watching in awe as my Gramps cut up that turkey at Thanksgiving, to the memory of my Dad putting a cow's head in the freezer and teaching us how to cook with it, to my Mom teaching me how a busy mom cooks, to our family friend's Hela and Rick's kitchen making Christmas Cookies every year (they even gave me as a wedding shower gift the same cookie cutters we used all those year ago), for me many kitchens have created wonderful, wonderful memories.

Living life slower and more simply means taking a step back and giving whatever I can give to those around me.  So this is a gift that I give to Gabby and any children that come into my home, my kitchen and wonderful memories in it.  That to me is what a kitchen is all about LOVE.

I encourage each of you to find a memory that you have in a kitchen as a child and to experience that with someone else as an adult.

Start of IVF Medication

As this is my 3rd round of IVF (InVitro Fertilization), I am quick to point out that this is the smallest quantity of meds I have ever had.  However, I will also point out that the majority of the meds, even four medications that are in pill containers are actually vials of medicine to be put in to syringes.

Here is my fertility history in a nutshell.  My husband and I have suffered 3 ectopic pregnancies and 2 failed rounds of IVF.  Today we started the procedure for our 3rd round...3rd times a charm right??

There are mixed emotions tonight, as I have recently quit my job to focus on relaxation and giving us the very best opportunity to have a child of our own.  Don't get me wrong I know that we are blessed to even have that option but part of me thinks...this is just another decision that only women would ever have to make.  Ok, so that was my poor me moment.

I am, however, SUPER EXCITED.  We (that's right my husband is amazing and draws all the medication into vials for me), just got done taking our first shot of Lupron.  I will be waiting for the side effects tomorrow, the last 2 times I've taken Lupron there have been some headaches and a few mood swings, worst then my normal mood swings that is, haha.

My wish tonight is that in a little under 2 months I can post to you all that all our dreams have come true :)

...Day 1

Yes, it is Day 1.  For me today is Day 1 for so many things.

• Day 1 as a stay at home wife.  For those around me I bet you never thought you would hear me say that.
• Day 1 of, "Sweet Moments with Steffie."  I'm so excited to be writing this blog.  I can't wait to share ideas with you about simple and frugal living.  Also to write about what's going on in my life, specifically IVF (InVitro Fertilization).
• Day 1 of our 3rd round of IVF.  I will write more about my story in future posts.

I hope you enjoy the blog as much as I look forward to writing it!

Stefanie