[product highlight] umami paste

If you're like me, there are some products you stumble upon at the grocery store that you want to tell people about because they're so good.  I've decided I need to do more of that, hence this post.

When I found this umami paste at TJ's, it was calling my name and I had to try it!  I have a highly umami palate and love finding fun sauces/pastes that add quick and easy flavor to dishes.  And this stuff did not disappoint.  I love it.  I'll squirt it in tomato sauces, curries, stir-fry's... things like that.  It adds a nice saltiness and richness.  

[side note: if you don't live by TJ's... first, I'm sorry, second, if you really want to try this let me know and I might just mail you one 😁]

Here's a soup I made this week that used the umami paste.  It's almost soup season, but sometimes the things that need used up in my fridge just scream for me to make soup out of them... and I think I'm one of those people that can really eat soup anytime.  This one was super flavorful and delicious.  I'm not much of a recipe repeater, but I think I'll definitely make this again.  Hope you love it if you try it!

How to make the soup:

2 T. bacon grease *

one onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. pepper & paprika

Saute onion and garlic in bacon grease for a few minutes, then add spices and cook a few more minutes until the onions start to get tender.  I wanted to add red wine but didn't have any open... if you do I would recommend adding a big splash at this point.

4-5 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1/2 c. sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped

squeeze of umami paste, about 1 T.

Add in these ingredients and saute a few more minutes until the tomatoes start to break down.

1c. green lentils

~ 4c. chicken broth

Add lentils and broth.  Cover and simmer until lentils are almost tender.  You could start with 3 c. of broth and add more as needed.  My lentils needed about 4 c. of broth, but I also made my soup pretty thick.

2 c. chopped cooked chicken (optional)

big handful chopped fresh basil

Add in the chicken and basil and cook just until the lentils are tender.  

* or any type of fat if you're not wise enough to save your bacon grease... my husband was delighted when I started doing that and I felt like my mom 😜

** between the umami paste, sun-dried tomatoes, and chicken broth, I didn't have to add any extra salt, but add to your taste if needed

the second month

I feel like I'm getting the hang of this baby thing a little more now that Oliver is two months.  He's more predictable and eats better... some of the hard/annoying things in the beginning work themselves out.  One of my goals, or hopes with Oliver was to really just enjoy each stage.  Partly because I didn't do very good at that with Creighton and his first two years are kind of a blur, and partly because Oliver is likely our last kid.  I'm thankful to say that I really have been enjoying him as a baby.  Yes, there are moments I get frustrated at his crying or feel like I'm not parenting the older boys well when Oliver demands my attention, but I'm trying to be more intentional about soaking in the sweetness of having a baby.

+ will give smiles and coo's, mostly in the morning after he's eaten
+ starting to only wake up at 4/4:30 at night to eat, after eating somewhere between 8-9p for his last feeding of the day
+ still doesn't want to just sit in a swing or bouncy seat while he's awake.  he might give me a happy 5 minutes in his seat, then he's crying for some attention.  needless to say, I hold him a lot while he's awake.
+ starting to like his bath a little, or at least not always cry during it :)
+ still not a fan of his carseat, but he is starting to cry a little less
+ sometimes gets called "boob" by Creighton, who I believe randomly made up the nickname, not realizing how appropriate it is!  😂

getting some of our first smiles!

love how babies tuck their legs when they sleep.  also loving the blue color that we painted the crib.

Ollie gets all the attention. 💕

That side profile... those cheeks and chin :). It's one of the things about him that reminds me most of the other boys... or maybe just Beckham

Creighton loves on Oliver while Beckham is in school... he's constantly kissing him and telling him how cute he is and how much he loves him!

the first month

Alright... how can I not be working and still not find time to do a blog post that isn't over a month late??  Oh well... these posts are more for my information since I don't have a baby book.  I know what my baby is doing isn't really that interesting to anyone else. :)

The first month with Oliver was sweet... both grandmas kept the boys and Chad was home a decent amount and could entertain the older boys, leaving me with quite a bit of one-on-one time with Oliver.  Which was a good thing, because I felt like it took a bit for me to "figure him out," why he was crying, was he hungry or tired, etc.  It all felt a little new and not like "oh, it's my third kid, I got this," since it had been four years since I had a baby.  But of course you figure it out pretty quick, since, well, you've had a baby before. :)  So a little about Ollie...

- he's not quite the "laid back third child" that so many people told me about... at least for now.  he's not a bad baby, just doesn't really sit and chill on his own while he's awake... always wants held.
- is already pretty routine, which I love.  starting at about 3 weeks he eats at 8-9p, goes to bed and gets up around 1a/4a/7a at night, then eats every 3-3 1/2 hrs during the day.
- he is not a fan of his car seat and riding in the car.  even the times I've just fed him and we go somewhere and I think surely he'll be happy... usually he's not.  he's not great at self-soothing and just cries and cries... once in a while he doesn't or he finally stops after crying most of the way.  the other boys don't seem to mind, so that's a plus.  I thought they would get bugged by his crying but don't.
- he can roll over!  I think he did it the first time around 3 weeks and I wasn't sure I believed he did it!  he sleeps on his tummy and a few times when he's gotten mad while crying, he's rolled over to his back.  I haven't seen him do it, but he did it for the pediatrician during his one month appointment while I was taking C to the bathroom, so I have an official eye witness.
- he's quickly gaining weight, as did my other boys.  he was 9 lbs. 5 oz. at his one month appointment, gaining a little more than 2 lbs. in the first month.
- the boys are really sweet and patient with him.  they want to hold and kiss him frequently and love to hover around me while I'm feeding him... much to my dismay. ;)  Beckham also informed that it was weird when I was pumping 😆

the arrival of Oliver Douglas

And just like that.. our much deliberated, much anticipated third child has arrived.  How does 9 months go so slow and so fast at the same time?!  I will say, despite my days being consumed with feedings and little sleep and figuring out what a 1 week old baby could possibly be mad about, being on this side of pregnancy is much better than being pregnant!  To meet the little baby you've been carrying and get to snuggle them and watch them grow is so sweet.

I had previously joked in this post that the baby would probably be overdue and I wondered if his delivery would be like the other boys.  Well, Oliver was almost overdue and came just one day before my due date and his delivery was Nothing like Beckham or Creighton's.  It was so much better, faster and smoother... such a blessing.

For starters, my water didn't break first like it did both times before, which I've heard makes the contractions more bearable and I think I agree.  Of course it was still painful, but maybe just a smidgen less.  Second, everything progressed very fast!  A little timeline:

around 2p: started to feel some mild contractions but didn't want to get my hopes up b/c I had them on the Saturday before and they had stopped.
2:30-4p: hung out with a friend and chatted since the boys were at Sheli's house and I had the day to myself (yea for friends that are neighbors and live around the corner!)... still having the same contractions, maybe getting slightly more painful
4-4:30p: went home and showered, contractions getting a little more painful.  We were supposed to go to Sheli's house for dinner and I let her know I was having contractions but I thought we could still come to dinner.
4:30-5: got ready, finished packing my hospital bag, as I was pretty sure this was the real deal.
5p: called Chad (who was on way home from work) and let him know that we wouldn't be going to Sheli's for dinner b/c my contractions were too painful.  Called the doctor.  By this time I was breathing through contractions.
5:15p: Chad gets home from work and we leave for the hospital.  It felt like every contraction got more painful on the way there.  I was hoping I would be at least 5 cm dilated by the time we got to the hospital.. Chad told me not to hope for more than a 3 and was expecting another 10 hours of labor.
5:45p: Arrive at hospital and check in.  I'm dilated to a 7!!  I was hoping to not get an epidural this time (mostly b/c I thought it would help me push better/faster than with the other boys) and once I realized how far along I was, I knew I wouldn't have to get one.
6:30p: Little Oliver is born!  Such a different experience without an epidural.  It's hard and painful but better in the sense that you feel everything your body is telling you to do and there's such a sense of satisfaction when it's all over!

6 lbs 15 oz. 20" long

such long little toes!

the boys didn't know what to think of Oliver in the hospital... Beck has tentative and sweet with him and Creigh kind of acted like he didn't exist and tried to be the center of attention as much as possible... not too different than what we expected :) 

Oliver had some jaundice and had to be under the lights at the hospital...  I was loving that cute little mask he had to wear until I realized how much he didn't like it, or being under the lights!

amazing how those teeny tiny newborn clothes can be baggy on a baby!

we're thinking Oliver looks a lot like Creighton!  I even find myself calling him Creighton... 

a newborn pic of Beckham

and one of Creighton

La Jolla

Chad and I were wanting to plan a little getaway before kiddo #3 comes along and due to earning flight vouchers as a result of this incident last May, we decided to take advantage of them before they expire and flew to California.  [yes, even though the flight was cancelled b/c of me, Chad's dad complained to United about having to sit in the airplane for 3 hours while it was being fixed and that's why the vouchers were earned]

We picked La Jolla (actually stayed in La Jolla shores) b/c I had never been to that area, we wanted somewhere that would be warmer than IN, and no one ever says anything bad about going to San Diego!  And it definitely didn't disappoint... the weather is so moderate, the sun shines, the food was delicious, the ocean is beautiful, and I loved being part of the little La Jolla Shores surf community for a long weekend.

We stayed in a little one bedroom room Chad found on Airbnb that was attached to someone's house.  It had it's own private little patio which was perfect for afternoon reading and was a block from the beach and some fun restaurants and shops.  Definitely a good find and I'm so glad we stayed in La Jolla Shores rather than La Jolla or San Diego.  It had a very non-tourist, family friendly feel - kids playing on the beach, moms changing diapers at the park, teenagers having bonfires on the beach on the weekend, surfers young and old were everywhere.  We did go into San Diego and walk around along the coast and downtown for a couple hours, but it felt a little too tourist-y for us so we didn't do much there.

There were activities I would've loved to take advantage of had I not been pregnant, like kayaking on the ocean, being more adventurous on our bikes, drinking wine on our patio in the evening, or maybe even surfing?  However, it was nice to get in lots of walking, a little bike riding, delicious food eating, and reading at the beach.  A little get-away is always a good idea.

                Some pictures of the street right by where we stayed with fun shops and restaurants:

Shore Rider - first meal upon arrival.  Had a yummy portabello  sandwich but I was so hungry I think anything would've tasted good!

Loved this display of succulents on the wall at Shore Rider.

our favorite breakfast place - loved being able to sit outside at all the restaurants

our walk to the beach - so nice to be so close!

beach reading... a very interesting book!

A hike that we did one morning at Torrey Pines:

really it was just a hike down!  we went down this hill and walked along the beach for 3-4 miles until it leveled out and we never had to hike back up... which was quite ok with the pregnant girl :) 

it was quite the deserted walk along the beach, just saw a few people here and there ... so peaceful

La Jolla:

Puesto - a taco place that was so good we ate there twice.  Amazing salsa and virgin mojitos too - could've drank them all day! 

the BEST gelato place!  If we would've stayed closer, I definitely would've eaten this everyday!! 

an amazing curry noodle bowl I had one night - maybe my favorite thing I ate on the trip?!

one afternoon we biked the 1.5 miles from La Jolla Shores to La Jolla and another night we walked it 

you know you are a mom of boys...

...when...



+ your pocket's often full of little lego pieces that need returned to their rightful place
+ you get excited to see construction sites along the road and call mini excavators "cute"
+ wrestling is a common after dinner activity
+ "poop," "stink," and "butt" are used as often as possible and are hilarious terms
+ you try to believe kicking footballs and throwing baseballs can be safe indoor activities... always quickly realizing they aren't
+ everything is a competition... who is faster, gets the toy first, has more milk in their glass, picks the first book
+ there are 100% zero dolls in your house
+ your garden box has plants for part of the year and the rest of the year it is a dirt digging haven full of trucks
+ going to Lowes and "riding the lawn mowers" is a fun family activity
+ you think about making dinner and what the kids will eat well, you think of meat
+ you ask how their school day was and they say "good" (and mean it, no other details necessary!)
+ you get told "I love you so much," "big or small, I'll always be your boy," and "you're the best mom" because little boys are just the sweetest! (or can be :))

pregnancy facts

I've been asked many times during this pregnancy how I feel and if it is different than my other pregnancies.  My response is usually "good" and "I don't really remember, but I think about the same!"  Since Creigh is 4 I really don't remember much about his pregnancy, but I do know that both his and Beck's went smooth and were fairly uneventful, thankfully.  I never have anything really to complain about with pregnancy, but I would still always prefer to not be pregnant. :)


I thought it would be fun (mostly for my own sake) to document some random pregnancy info this time around:


Favorite foods?  Grapefruit!  Cottage cheese.  French fries.  Salt & vinegar chips.  Pizza.  Asian food.  Anything tomato.  Vanilla ice cream.  Give me all the savory, salty, cheesy food when I'm pregnant.  Maybe it's not really that different than when I'm not pregnant, just a little more carbs and cheese. :) 


Aversions?  Strong smells.  Mostly in the fragrance dept., like soaps or cologne.  I know that whatever soap is in my bathroom, if it's slightly strong, I'll hate by the end of pregnancy.  The balm I put on my stomach has a very light smell and I'm still sooo sick of it!  There are still some smells from prior pregnancies that I just can't take.


How much weight do I gain?  I gained 20 lbs. with B and 25 with C, so I'm not heading in the right direction!  ...although I was pregnant 2 weeks longer with C.  That's something right?  And speaking of being pregnant two weeks longer with C... I had Beck 4 weeks early, Creigh 2 weeks early... this one will likely be overdue!  haha


Aches and pains?  In some ways I actually feel better when I'm pregnant.  My low back gets achy and my left hip/glute get tight fairly regularly, but when I'm pregnant they don't really... not sure if it's a posture thing, or just the fact that I'm not beating up my body with intense work-outs?  Either way, it's a nice positive.


Workout routine?  It's fairly non-existent when I'm pregnant... which is kind of nice in a way to get a break from the norm and have an excuse to sleep in, rather than be disciplined and work out.  There's so much modifying and discomfort that goes along with working out when pregnant, that I probably do less of it with each kid.  These days I usually do an arm workout 1 day/week, cardio with light weights one day/week and maybe a day of running, if it's decent in the morning.  And by running, I should say jogging with small walk breaks if my legs or stomach are tight.  Me and running really don't get along that well when I'm pregnant, but it's still refreshing enough that I try to it here and there.
* running update:  I tried this morning b/c it was sooo nice out and made it like 1/4 of a mile and decided that it's time to be done.  No more running during pregnancy.  There was just nothing slightly enjoyable about it and my legs were screaming for me to "please just walk!"


Labor & delivery?  Both B & C's L&D were very similar.  Water broke.  No contractions.  Not dilated.  Walked for 2-3 hrs at hospital to get labor going.  Pushed for 1.5-2 hrs.  Baby born 14 hours after water broke.  The main difference was that I needed Pitocin with C b/c contractions stopped and I also needed oxygen while pushing due to his heart rate fluxuating.  Curious to see if this baby follows suit with my water breaking first and feeling like I'm not in labor yet.


Favorite baby app?  Don't use one.  I download very few aps and tend to be a little old school in the technology dept.  I have no idea how big my baby is or how it is developing... which I kind of thought I would follow a little more this time... I'm probably missing out on all the fun stuff.


Favorite maternity clothes?  Gap.  They are the only jeans I have found that fit good and you can always get Gap clothes on sale.  I did discover Pink Blush maternity clothes this time around and got a couple dresses and shirts from there.  Overall, their stuff looks super cute online, but I was disappointed in the actual fit... it was a little too flowy for me.  I returned several dresses that felt like they had way too much material, so maybe order a size down on the flowy stuff.


Least favorite thing about pregnancy?  Everything!  haha.. not really.  I don't like the restrictions on the activities I can do and the food I can eat.  I don't like feeling like your stomach is always in the way and so, so tight.  And the light cramps/general discomfort in the stomach area isn't so fun... I carry my babies low, so there's just lots of extra pressure down there.  Oh!  and I almost forgot the annoying fact that my left ear pops all the time during pregnancy... more later in my pregnancy.  Not the right, just the left.  It's delightful.


Favorite thing about pregnancy?  Some days... nothing!  But if I have to pick Something, I would say that it's kind of nice to have a break in some of my normal routines (like I was saying before about exercise) and have an excuse to sleep more or just eat what sounds good.  There's always the typical answer of "feeling the baby move," which is true too.  And I kind of like the challenge of losing my baby weight... gives me motivation for getting back in shape.  I love running after I've been pregnant - I feel so light and free!  And going back to regular clothes and feeling like you have a new wardrobe again!

# 3

For a long time I wondered if I would ever write this post... really ever since Creighton was born.  I pictured writing it as times, but often thought I never would.  There has never been a decision in my life, in Chad and I's married life, that has been so debated, so mulled over, prayed over, surrounded by so much indecision.  Why was it so complicated and so hard?  Maybe because we're both analytical, or we both like things calm and simple.  Because we had gotten in the groove of having just two boys and it was starting to feel "easy?"  Because I like to work and it seems hard to have three kids and keep working part-time?  Because we have two healthy boys and what if the third isn't so healthy?  Whatever the reasons, at the end of the day, I kept being convicted that they were selfish and driven by fear.  Yes, it's ok to only have two kids, many families do.  But for some reason we kept praying and discussing and could never really say,  "Ok, we're done, done.  Two boys is all that's in it for us."

So here we are today.  #3 is on the way.  Due to the practical nature of the decision and the fact that we didn't "always know that we wanted three kids and we're just so thankful for another one," I started off pretty neutral about the news and still struggle with being excited.  Just the other day I had another bought of "what are we doing?  I can't even handle two kids, how am I going to be able to mother three?  Why are we adding this stress to our lives?  Aren't we into the groove of two kids and it fits us so well?"

But that's just the thing.. it can be so easy to think of the negatives... how my life is going to change and be so much harder and how what little independence I had is going to be gone forever (or so it seems).   I know I can be irrational and that there are going to be so many blessings and joys that will come from this child that I can't feel or picture yet, because they aren't here.  I only know what life is like now, but it's impossible to fully understand the future until it's here and reality.

And I say that we wavered on the decision and make it sound like we were unsure, but at the end of the day, we really did have peace and confidence in our decision... that it was where God was leading us even if we didn't fully understand or it seemed hard, or we weren't even sure we wanted to go there.  There has never been anything in my life that I've chosen to do (by God's leading) that felt so hard and unknown.  It has felt so backwards for me to choose something that (in my mind) is going to be much harder than my current stage.

But Ephesians 4:20 kept coming back to me:
"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us"

...And I wanted to be able to say that we gave God the opportunity to do far more abundantly with our lives than we could ask or think.  So we chose to surrender.  We chose to say yes.  And God chose to bless us with a pregnancy (very quickly) that will hopefully end with a healthy baby.  I know that God has plans for us that will be far greater than I can hope or imagine, I just have to trust in the process and not let my limited knowledge lead to doubt.  To not let the fear of the unknown overrule the peace of Christ in my heart.  Obedience requires faith and I can find joy in knowing that God has a plan and will equip me for life with three littles.

we'll miss you

we'll miss your charming smile
and your pockets full of love
we'll miss how you tease Sheli
your steadfastness in your Father above

we'll miss your confident demeanor
your endless stories and advice
we'll miss your generous spirit
your relationships went beyond just being nice

we'll miss the future memories
with the boys you'll fail to make
we're sad you won't meet the baby
their little hand you'll never shake

I'll miss you asking about my day
when I come to pick up the boys
how you cared about those little guys
were even patient enough to fix their toys

we'll do our best to carry on your legacy
so our memory of you never dies
to share love abundantly as you did to others
as our time on earth here flies

you were patient, humble, kind and joyful
too many positive characteristics to name
that's why we chose to name our son after you
our precious Creighton James

we love you Jim.

Both of these pictures were taken at the Traders Point Loft restaurant, one of our favorite places to eat out with Jim and Sheli, and was actually the last place we ate out with them to celebrate Beckham's 6th birthday.  Lots of good memories made there...