Crockpot Pulled Pork... Yeah Right!!!

So today I went to put a pork roast in the crock pot.... the blood from it had leaked out all over the shelf and down into the drawer BLECH! Why am I not a vegetarian anymore? Sometimes I still wonder.. If you don't like blood don't look at the next two pictures. So I went ahead and took everything off the shelf and out of the drawer so I could wash it. Of course it then got on the shelf below..

This is where it had leaked onto the shelf

This is just a SMALL amount of the blood.
There was a ton more

Since two shelves had to be washed it meant the entire fridge needed to be cleaned out. It just happened to work out that tomorrow is trash day.

Fridge Before

Stuff I was taking out to clean up the mess.

Instead of filling up my trash can with everything from the fridge that needed to be tossed I came up with a great idea. To use something with wheels that I don't use very often. 

This is normal right? Everyone uses a stroller to clean out their fridge.

It worked perfect!

 After I got everything out that needed to be tossed I went on to clean the shelves. I didn't want to use clorox or windex. I didn't want the chemical smell to linger. I recently had bought Method Glass and Surface Cleaner. It is a natural glass cleaner and smells like mint! I love it! It doesn't have a lingering smell either! I also don't like to use paper towels in my house, both to cut down on waste and save money. Instead I use unpaper towels. They are cloth "paper" towels that have snaps to snap together onto a roll like paper towels. I love them! I got them from this lovely Etsy shop owner Ashley. Click her name or the pictures of them to visit her shop.

Method Glass + Surface

On the roll.

I use a wet bag for the dirty ones then wash them.

This is the back of  them.

After cleaning all the shelves and taking off the ones on the door and wiping down the door I put everything back in the fridge. It looks like it is time to go grocery shopping. Anybody want a pickle?

After :) oh so clean!!

I got a pickle, I got a pickle, I got a pickle hey hey hey!
I keep my eggs in the basket so I can just reach in and grab
what I need.

 So needless to say I didn't make pulled pork today. I did however end up with a clean fridge.. now the freezer.. that's for another day. What have I learned from this experience? Don't try to make pulled pork you'll have to clean the fridge!

The Birth Story

Our little bear is stubborn like his mommy. He decided he was coming when he wanted and it didn't matter that the grandparents weren't here yet. At 37 weeks he decided it was time to take the world on!

 He didn't want to turn though. I tried doing turn baby turn. I prayed a lot asking for him to turn if he was supposed to. Well he didn't. Two days before I went into labor I ran out of my blood pressure meds (great timing right) so when I was in labor my blood pressure shot up pretty high. That combined with him being breech called for a ceserean. We actually had one scheduled for August 14th just incase he didn't turn. Everything was going to be great our moms were flying in on the 13th and we could get prepared together......

 August 3, 2014 is the day he decided he was coming. It was kind of funny the day before my sister in law told me I was probably in labor, I just laughed cuz I didn't feel anything lol. I even had a gas station clerk tell me she thought I was close by how I was walking when I went in for a 3am snack two days before.

 There is something about 3am. My whole pregnancy if I was asleep I would wake up to go to the bathroom then. My cravings would be stronger then if I was awake and it is when I realized I was in labor.

 So 3am on Sunday August 3 I had the bloody show but still thought eh I'm good we don't need to go. Something told me I should tell Lyal that we might have a baby today. I also called the doctor to see if he wanted me to go in. He said yes. So I told I went and woke up Lyal and told him I think it is time but I'm not sure I'm waiting for the doctor to call back. He told me but I got a puppy (he was out of it) and she is comfy. I told him I would let him know. After the doctor called back I told him it was time to go so let the furbabies out because we aren't coming home for a while.

 I'm at 37 weeks, so I'm packed and ready right? hahahaha NOPE! My plan for that week was to pack everything, get the carseat installed and meet with pediatricians in our area. Yeah that all flew out the window. So as Lyal let the dogs out I packed us trying to remember everything we needed.

 After packing and getting the dogs taken out we loaded up the car. I grabbed the car seat from the front room. Lyal asked me why I was taking it. I said because we aren't leaving without a baby this time (i had been to l&d 2 times already once for bp and once for lack of movement).

 I have absolutely no idea how many pressure waves I had on the way up there. I couldn't even tell you how long apart they were. Lyal luckily payed attention for me so he could let the nurses know. I was hypnotastic! I do know that I had one when we parked in the parking lot then one as we were walking in. As we were walking in we just stopped and Lyal held me like we practiced in class. We got checked in and sent up to L&D (this time Lyal didn't run into anything!)

 I should have fired my nurse the second she walked in. Ugh I still don't know why I didn't.

 She walked in and said the famous "you don't look like you are in labor"....... I politely told her that I was. We tried explaining that we are doing hypnobabies even though it is very possible I will have a ceserean. I don't think she cared. We even gave her the paperwork. I still don't know why I didn't fire her. So she goes through all the questions and would repeat them if I didn't answer her during a pressure wave, Lyal told her every time to stop talking and I would answer when it was over. She hooked me up to the monitors told me that I wasn't having contractions I told her that I am and they are pressure waves. During the next one I stopped talking again and she asked what was going on. Lyal told her I was having a pressure wave. She got irritated and said well you need to say something because it is not showing on the monitor. She then proceeded to push on my stomach while it was going on. Why didn't I fire her? I kept saying I was going to. She then says well I think we are going to discharge you but I will check you out first.... famous last words of her. I had already told her the doctor needed to be on the way, but what did I know I was just the one having the kid. So she checked thinking I wouldn't be dilated at all. I was at a 4 with a bulging sac! Bam take that miss nurse I told you! Lyal said the look on her face was priceless. I hadn't been looking I had my eyes closed. So she left and called the doctor and told him that he did need to come. So they got me all set up.

 When the doctor arrived he did an ultrasound to check what position he was in. It was the same so off to the OR we went. They had Lyal wait outside while they did the spinal. I continued with hypnobabies through the entire procedure. I don't think I would have been as calm about everything had I not done hypnobabies. I was shaking in the OR but we think it was because I was so cold (for the first time in almost 9 months). Once the spinal was in place they let Lyal in and started the ceserean.

 It was kind of peaceful throughout the procedure. Then at 7:05 am our little guy came into the world pooping! So his first nickname was poophead (can I blame the drugs on that one?). He didn't cry at first but I knew everything was ok. When I heard that first cry I started crying I was so happy to finally hear him after waiting for months to. Lyal got to go over to help/watch while they checked him out. Before they went to the nursery they brought him to me and I got to meet my favorite person in the world! Lyal went with him everywhere and they met me in the recovery room. I was feeling very out of it and actually threw up as soon as I got in the room. Whoever drove my bed back to the room made me dizzy lol! It took a while to get a new gown and pillow since it was shift change. It was nice when I finally got it though!

It took a while for us to get into our room we would be in for the duration of our stay. They had 13 families being discharged that day!!! Once we got moved into our room we were able to settle a little more and begin the next chapter in parenthood.

 Although my birth didn't go how I wanted it to. I am still for the most part (other than not firing the nurse) happy with it. I knew going in what the possibilities were. I had spoken with my doctor exstensively about our options so I felt very prepared. Other than the packing and car seat (I'll let Lyal tell the car seat story).

 So hopefully next time we will have a successful VBAC!

I'm doing what?

This August when my parents came out they brought my accordion for me. I hadn't been able to sit down and play it yet.  While they were here I wasn't allowed to lift anything except the baby. Well yesterday I decided I wanted to try and play again. I couldn't find my sheet music though. So I called my parents to see if it was still in Utah. My mom told me I had it. So I looked in a closet and found it WOOHOO. Of course I found it when baby bear was sleeping so I had to wait until today!
It felt so good to play again and Im surprised how much I remember!  I had forgotten how zoned out I get when I play, I should have started playing again a lot sooner than now maybe it will help me relax sometimes. I'm so excited to be playing again! When I looked through my books I saw I had been assigned my last song in 1997 that is 17 years ago! Yes 17 years since I last played! Wow time flies and I feel old now! Anyhow I will update how I progress on this rekindled love of playing the accordion!

Pit Bull Awareness Day Event with Nashville Pittie!

I can't wait for this event it is my favorite event of the year by far.

Post by Pibbles and Babies.

Pit Bulls in the Media.

A lot of times the information you get through different media outlets about Pit Bulls is negative. Unfortunately negativity is what catches peoples attention and tends to sell. Luckily there are some media sources that have realized that they don't need to spread the negativity and have started sharing the positive things pit bulls are doing in their community and the opposition they face sometimes. One article that I came across recently is from Huff Post Pit Bulls. It is Pit Bull Discrimination Is Never OK -- Especially For A Superhero Therapy Dog it talks about Aladdin who is a volunteer Therapy Dog who goes to all different places to comfort those who need comforting. Unfortunately he was not allowed at one of the hospitals in his area because of his breed. I'm so happy to see that the therapy dog community is supporting Aladdin the way they are. How's that you ask? Click the article title to find out :)!

My Pit Bulls Are Why I'm Here Today!

I've been asked many times why I have pit bulls because "they aren't good dogs" etc. I especially was asked this throughout my recent pregnancy. I usually just give my normal somewhat brief and to the point answer explaining why they actually are good dogs and how the media and dog fighters have ruined their reputation. I don't usually explain that they are one of the reasons I am still here today. I've always been interested in the breed and when I got married and moved to Tennessee I jumped on the opportunity to get one, well I ended up with two. They added spunk and craziness to our lives and kept us on our toes. About a year or two after I got them I went through a divorce and then shortly after deployed to Iraq for the second time. While I went through my divorce I relied on Livana and Takoda a lot. I would sit there and cuddle with them and just cry and ask why it was happening, what I did wrong, how could I be such a failure. They would just look at me and give me kisses. Somehow this made me realize everything was going to be ok, I may not have my marriage anymore but I have two wonderful furbabies that love me unconditionally even though I had "failed". A month after my divorce we deployed to Iraq for my second deployment. I missed my furbabies a ton while gone and am so thankful for the fact that my mom was able to babysit them while I was gone and didn't think I was crazy when I asked to skype with them. The time finally came for me to head home and I had absolutely NO idea what I was going to do when I got there. I was single, only had a part time job and didn't really know anyone in my area. When I got home I came home to my loving pitties and boy did they save my life. I was very unhappy, extremely stressed out and still feeling like a failure. There were many days I did not want to get out of bed and thought to myself everything would just be easier if I never woke up again. Two things would always pop up in my head when I had these thoughts, Livana and Takoda. The fact they relied on me for their livelihood, were there to comfort me no matter what and didn't get mad at me if I cancelled plans with them kept me here. I know if it were not for their unconditional love I would not be here writing this blog with my almost two month old in the bouncer next to me and my wonderful husband behind me cleaning his gun and singing along to Pandora. I thank my Heavenly Father everyday for putting Livana and Takoda in my life and making such a wonderful, loyal, loving breed on this earth. I also thank Him for all the people who are willing to advocate for this breed and do everything in their power to educate those who do not know the true pit bull like those of us who have them do.

Pit Bull Awareness Month!!

October is Pit Bull Awareness Month! This is a very dear cause to me as we have two wonderful family members who fit into the category of a pit bull type dog. I have set a goal to post every day this month about this wonderful breed. I missed the first so this will count for that one and I will do another for today (the second). I hope I am able to educate you on what are myths and what is the reality of having a pit bull. Stay tuned!