Take a trip back to the “thumb” of Michigan in 1880. The loggers have moved north and the area has been settled by German immigrants seeking refuge from the feudal system of their homeland. It’s in this setting that Jody Hedlund weaves this story of love, forgiveness, and fresh perspective.

From the Publisher

Annalisa Werner’s hope for a fairy tale love is over. Her husband failed her in every way and now his death has left her with few options to save the family farm. She needs a plentiful harvest. That, and a husband to help bring it in. Someone strong, dependable. That’ll be enough. A marriage for love…that’s something she’s given up on.

So her father sends a letter to his brother in the Old Country, asking him to find Annalisa a groom.

Then a man appears: Carl Richards, from their home country of Germany and a former schoolteacher–or so he says. He’s looking for work and will serve on the farm until her husband arrives.

With time running out, she accepts his help, but there’s more to this man than he’s admitting. He’s also gentle, kind, charming–unlike any man she’s ever known. But even as Carl is shining light into the darkness of her heart, she knows her true groom may arrive any day.

My Thoughts

One of the reasons I love Jody Hedlund’s novels is because I learn something new about Michigan history every time I read one.

Having grown up in Michigan, I am still very much a “Michigander” at heart and consider it to be “home.”

A Noble Groom was no exception to the history lessons I have come to love and expect from Hedlund – a new insight into the farming communities of the “thumb” of Michigan and the people who made it their home.

Whether you are looking for a romance, looking to be inspired in your faith, or just looking for a page-turning read, A Noble Groom is a great story for any fan of historical fiction. From page one, I was hooked. Jody Hedlund has woven relatable characters, a compelling plot, and excellent storytelling skills together in one delightful book.

I highly recommend A Noble Groom and give it 5 stars!

Related posts:

The post A Noble Gentleman by Jody Hedlund appeared first on Life by Ashley Pichea.

Photo posted on my social media platforms yesterday afternoon: “No more #bedrest!! I just got the green light to go into labor whenever this baby is ready to come. :-D”

And this has left me in a bit of a quandary…

While I’m happy to no longer have to stick to low-key activities and spend much of my days napping/resting, I’m not sure I want to jump back into the fast pace of life that I was living prior to being put on bed rest. And I’m not just talking about the time between now and when Christopher arrives – I’m looking ahead at the summer months approaching.

Maternity Leave

I realized this morning that I’ve never actually taken a “maternity leave” – life either stayed the same or I just quit. I never took a temporary leave of absence, putting a job and/or other responsibilities on hold for a short time, but I want to try to do so (to a degree) this time around.

Maternity Leave with Jennifer

When I had Jenny, I was a stay-at-home wife with zero responsibilities outside of taking care of our home. We were living in the middle of the woods at a camp in northern Wisconsin, and my life didn’t really change all that much when she came along (apart from having the new responsibilities that came with a baby).

Maternity Leave with David

When David was born, I quit my full-time job to be a stay-at-home mom. There was no time of transition between working all day and being home all day. I finished working on a Friday, spent the night at the hospital in pre-term labor, and was released to bed rest on Saturday morning. I never went back to work. I had to find a new routine and a new purpose.

Maternity Leave with Christopher

When I realized yesterday that I was about to “have control” of my time again (i.e. no restrictions on activities and schedules), I acknowledged that I actually enjoyed having more “down time” over the past few weeks, and I wondered what steps I might be able to take to continue to have that same amount of freedom and flexibility after Christopher is born.

an Unplugged Summer

I’ve been considering what a slower pace for the next few months might look like for my online existence, and I’m excited to enter a season of less online engagement and more offline interaction.

Last summer, I cut back on my blogging and social media, basically eliminating my “need” to be online except for a few hours a week to keep up with client work and an hour or two to check in with my online friends throughout the summer. I invited a number of blogging friends to guest post on this blog with summer bucket list ideas and activities, allowing me to continue to offer quality content without having to spend hours planning and writing.

I honestly loved the freedom and flexibility I had with my online world last summer. I loved the opportunity to unplug and enjoy the summer with my kids, and I would really like to do the same again this summer.

So what does that mean?

For Life by Ashley Pichea, it means I’ll probably be blogging once or twice a week, and I’ll probably be hosting several of my blogging friends here (through guest posts). I haven’t decided if I’ll be doing a “summer series” again – I’ll let you know when I know.

For HomeschoolBlogging.com (my “other” blog), it means I’m working to put together a team of content contributors that will allow me to take a step back from having to be constantly creating content. I’m debating on whether or not to continue the weekly #HSBloggers Twitter Tuesday chats, or perhaps taking the summer off. As much as I love the community and hate to take a hiatus, I also don’t want to have to schedule my summer around a mid-day Twitter chat each Tuesday.

P.S. If you’re a blogger or thinking about blogging or just wanting a place to “hang out” online, join us each Tuesday on Twitter at 3pm ET. Just follow @hsblogging and use the #hsbloggers hashtag!

In general, it means I’ll be online less and living life offline more. I’ll be enjoying getting to know my new baby and spending my days soaking up my kids. It means more unplugged family time on the weekends and being tied to my computer less.

Doing Life Together Unplugged

Even though I won’t be “plugged in” to my computer constantly this summer, my phone will still be my constant companion, so photos and updates will still be shared as life happens, and you’ll still be able to follow my journey as we “do life” together.

Follow me on:

• Instagram
• Facebook (personal)
• Facebook (blog)
• Twitter

Let’s do life unplugged together this summer – let’s enjoy our days and soak up our families!

Related posts:

The post Maternity Leave // an Unplugged Summer appeared first on Life by Ashley Pichea.

Recently, I spent the better part of two days in airports and on airplanes traveling to and from the 2:1 Conference in Washington, DC. One of my favorite ways to pass time while traveling is to read, and I’m so glad I took When a Secret Kills along for the ride!

From the Publisher

She’s come home to put a killer behind bars. But the killer plans to put her six feet under.

Investigative reporter Jillian Carter knows it’s time to put the past to rest. She’s tired of looking over her shoulder, letting a killer go free. She’s no longer the scared kid who changed her name and disappeared. Now, no matter what the cost, Jillian must do what she is trained to do-find the truth and expose it. And the truth is that Senator Frank Hoffman committed murder ten years ago-and Jillian watched it happen.

Didn’t she?

Get ready for the spine-tingling, nail-biting conclusion to this explosive series.

My Thoughts

The final book of Lynette Eason’s Deadly Reunions triology, When a Secret Kills reveals an ending to this story that no one sees coming.

Jillian Carter finally returns home after 10 years of hiding – running for her life. She’s come to the point of no return – the answers must be revealed before anyone else dies. But coming home doesn’t solve the problem – only when the truth is revealed will her life and the lives of her friends and family finally be safe again.

Lynette Eason has done a wonderful job of building up a story that keeps readers turning pages, eager to solve the mystery of “who done what” as they cheer on Jillian. From developing characters who are easy to love (or hate in the case of the villains) to keeping readers guessing as they read, Eason has written another stellar novel!

[Spoiler Alert]: One of my favorite aspects of this story is Colton’s reaction to meeting his and Jillian’s daughter. Even through his anger at missing the first ten years of his little girl’s life, the love and acceptance he displays is truly moving.

I give When a Secret Kills five stars!

—

Thanks to Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, for providing a free copy of When a Secret Kills for me to review. Get your copy today!

Related posts:

The post When a Secret Kills by Lynette Eason appeared first on Life by Ashley Pichea.

I’m a bit late to the party – this post was supposed to go up on Monday in order to give you the whole week to take advantage of this amazing deal. But you know how life goes, especially when you’re on bed rest. So I hope you’ll forgive me for my delay in posting this amazing offer – just be sure YOU don’t delay in taking advantage of the deal, because it’s only good through 11:59pm ET on May 4th!!

[Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. *A]

The Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle

For 6 days only, more than 75 widely-known bloggers and authors in the homemaking sphere have joined together to offer 97 of their most popular eBooks and eCourses, valued at just over $600, for the incredibly low price of $29.97! More than anything, our goal for this sale was for it to be, well… ultimate! We firmly believe that you will not find a more comprehensive collection of homemaking resources anywhere on the web, and particularly not in this price range. For this low price, you gain access to every single one of these resources, so that you can customize your own collection to contain exactly the ones you want and know you’ll use. This library of homemaking helps include topics such as mothering, organization and cleaning, recipes and kitchen helps, home education, spiritual growth for both moms and kids, home décor and DIY, pregnancy and baby care, frugal living, health and fitness, and even work-from-home and financial tools. To sweeten the pot, we’ve also teamed up with 10 companies to bring you over $140 in bonus offers, giving you an affordable opportunity to get products you’ll use and love for only the cost of shipping, or in some cases, entirely for free!

What’s Included in the Sale?

When you purchase The Ultimate Homemaking eBook collection, you will get instant access to any of the 97 eBooks and eCourses listed below.

PLUS over $140 of FREE Bonuses

Each The Ultimate Homemaking eBook collection comes with more than $140 of FREE Bonuses from 10 companies that we know you’ll love. More on these bonuses below.

Please note: This collection is only available from 9 a.m. EST on April 29th to 11:59 p.m. EST on May 4th. There will be no late sales offered.

Home & Property {Cleaning, Organizing, Decor}

• 31 Days to Clean by Sarah Mae @ SarahMae.com ($4.99)
• Getting it Together: Your Guide to Setting Up a Home Management System that Works by Kayse @ kayse pratt ($3.99)
• Pulling Yourself Together: Implementing a Cleaning Routine that Sticks by Becky @ Clean Mama ($10.00)
• Simple Living by Lorilee @ Loving Simple Living ($2.99)
• NOT a DIY Diva by Melissa @ The Inspired Room ($3.99)
• One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler by Tsh @ Simple Mom ($5.00)
• 28 Days to Hope for Your Home by Dana @ A Slob Comes Clean ($5.00)
• Organizing Life as Mom by Jessica @ Life as Mom ($9.00)
• Clean Enough: Simple Solutions for the Overwhelmed by Jenni @ Live Called ($4.99)
• 10 Steps to Organized Paper by Lisa @ Lisa Woodruff.net($5.00)
• Handmade Walls by Jamin and Ashley @ the handmade home ($9.95)
• Easy Peasy Chores: An Easy-to-Use Chore System That Brings JOY Back Into Family Chores by Alina Joy @ The Good Old Days Farm ($17.99)

Educational Children’s Resources

• Princess Training by Richele @ Under the Golden Apple Tree ($3.99)
• The Armor of God by Richele @ Under the Golden Apple Tree ($2.50)
• My Bedtime Learning Book by Richele @ Under the Golden Apple Tree ($1.00)
• Think Outside the Classroom by Kelly @ Generation Cedar ($6.97)
• Raising Rock Stars — Kindergarten Bundle by Carissa @ 1plus1plus1equals1 ($10.00)
• The ABC’s For Godly Boys Curriculum by Lindsey @ Road to 31 ($8.00)
• The ABC’s For Godly Girls Curriculum by Lindsey @ Road to 31 ($8.00)
• K4 Curriculum by Erica @ Confessions of a Homeschooler ($15.00)
• Write Through the Bible (print) by Trisha @ Intoxicated on Life ($5.00)
• Write Through the Bible (cursive) by Trisha @ Intoxicated on Life ($5.00)
• Balcony Girls (books 1 & 2) by Sandy @ Reluctant Entertainer ($19.90)
• The Dig for Kids: Luke (Volumes 1 and 2) by Patrick, husband of Ruth @ The Better Mom ($5.98)
• Music: An Essential Ingredient for Life by Ryan @ Resound School of Music ($6.99)

Budgeting {Finance & Time}

• From Debtor to Better by Barry @ From Debtor to Better ($10.00)
• Tell Your Time by Amy @ Blogging with Amy ($2.99)
• The Homemakers Guide to Creating the Perfect Schedule by Amy @ Raising Arrows ($4.99)
• Your Grocery Budget Toolbox by Anne @ Authentic Simplicity ($7.99)
• Finding Financial Freedom by Kelly @ Generation Cedar ($5.97)
• Become a Frugalista in 30 Days by Susan @ The Confident Mom ($3.99)

In the Kitchen {Recipes and Cooking}

• Crock On by Stacy @ Stacy Makes Cents ($5.00)
• Real Food, Real Easy by various bloggers @ The Humbled Homemaker ($9.95)
• Wholesome Mixes by Kristy @ Little Natural Cottage ($4.00)
• 20-Minute Meals by Leigh Ann @ Intentional by Grace ($4.99)
• Restocking the Pantry by Kresha @ Nourishing Joy ($9.99)
• Money Saving Mom’s Guide to Freezer Cooking by Crystal @ Money Saving Mom ($3.99)
• Simply Summer by Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama ($7.95)
• Do the Funky Kitchen by Laura @ Heavenly Homemakers ($4.95)
• Real Food Kids: In the Kitchen plus 1 month access to select Real Food Kids eCourse videos by Wardeh @ GNOWFGLINS and Jami @ Eat Nourishing ($20.00)
• Seasonal Menu Plans on a Budget: A Month of Meals from My Humble Kitchen to Yours by Diana @ My Humble Kitchen ($4.99)
• Just Making Ice Cream by Marillyn @ Just Making Noise ($12.00)
• The Curative Kitchen by Susan @ Handy Pantry ($20.00)

Pregnancy & Baby Care

• First Bites by Hilary @ Accidentally Green ($9.99)
• Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert by Erin @ The Humbled Homemaker ($9.95)
• Stress-Free Baby Shower by Sara @ Your Thriving Family ($4.00)
• Unbound Birth by Jenny @ The Southern Institute ($4.99)
• My Pregnancy Journey by Mindy @ Simply Designs ($9.99)
• My Buttered Life Baby Edition by Renee @ Made On Hard Lotion ($5.00)
• The Minimalist Mom’s Guide to Baby’s First Year by Rachel @ The Minimalist Mom ($5.00)
• Redeeming Childbirth: Growth & Study Guide by Angie @ Redeeming Childbirth ($3.99)

Holidays & Special Events

• Festive Traditions by Jill @ Modern Alternative Kitchen ($7.95)
• Holiday Mixes: Gifts in a Jar by Kristy @ Little Natural Cottage ($4.00)
• Flourishing Spring by Michele @ Frugal Granola ($5.95)
• Family Camping Handbook by Katie @ Kitchen Stewardship ($6.95)
• Truth in the Tinsel by Amanda @ Oh, Amanda! ($7.99)
• Plan a Fabulous Party by Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect ($4.99)
• iPhone Photography: The Visual Guide by Alli @ Alli Worthington ($9.97)

Spiritual Growth

• Pursuit of the Proverbs 31 by Amy @ Amy Bayliss ($3.99)
• The Best of Visionary Womanhood by Natalie @ Visionary Womanhood ($5.00)
• God’s Word in my Heart: A Scripture Memory Learning Guide with Verses {all 4 versions} by Jenn @ The Purposeful Mom ($3.99)
• Kept: a 13-Week Inductive Study on 1 Peter by Lara and Katie @ Quench Bible ($4.99)
• Love Like Him: an 8 week Inductive Bible study on 1 Corinthians 13 by Lara and Katie @ Quench Bible ($2.99)

Marriage & Romance

• Rekindling Romance by Jason & Jami @ A Biblical Marriage ($4.99)
• Good Wife’s Guide by Darlene @ Time-Warp Wife ($2.99)
• 31 Days to Build a Better Spouse by Ashley @ Ashley Pichea ($4.99)
• 31 Days to Great Sex by Sheila @ To Love, Honor and Vacuum ($4.99)
• Entangled: Recognize Your Emotional Affair by Amy @ Amy J. Bennett ($4.99)

Motherhood

• The Heart of Simplicity by various authors @ The Heart of Simplicity ($9.99)
• True Christian Motherhood by June @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home ($7.00)
• Hula Hoop Girl by September @ One September Day ($4.99)
• When Motherhood Feels Too Hard by Kelly @ Generation Cedar ($4.97)
• Mindset for Moms by Jamie @ Steady Days ($4.99)
• From Cube to Farm by Heather @ From Cube to Farm ($2.99)
• 4 Moms of 35+ Kids Answer Your Parenting Questions by various authors @ 4 Moms, 35+ Kids Parenting E-book ($7.99)
• That Works for Me! by Kristen @ We are THAT Family ($8.00)

Health & Fitness

• 100-pound Loser by Jessica @ Muthering Heights ($4.99)
• Honoring the Rhythm of Rest by Danielle @ Domestic Serenity ($2.99)
• 42 Days to Fit by Brandy, Emma and Stacy @ The Marathon Mom ($4.99)
• Healthy Homemaking by Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home ($12.95)
• Personal ePlanner by Jennifer @ ListPlanIt ($5.00)

Beauty

• Frumps to Pumps by Sarah Mae @ SaraMae.com ($4.99)
• The Cottage Mama’s DIY Guide by Kristy @ Little Natural Cottage ($4.00)
• Simple Scrubs to Make and Give by Stacy @ A Delightful Home ($3.99)
• The No Brainer Wardrobe by Hayley @ The No Brainer Wardrobe ($7.99)
• Embracing Beauty by Trina @ Trina Holden ($9.00)
• Reuse, Refresh, Repurpose by Kristen @ The Frugal Girl ($3.99)

Working from Home & Blogging

• Your Blogging Business: Tax, Talk and Tips by Nikki @ Christian Mommy Blogger ($4.99)
• The Bootstrap VA by Lisa @ The Home Life {and Me} ($12.99)
• How to Grow Your Blog and Manage Your Home by Jacinda @ Growing Home ($4.99)
• How to Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too by Mandi @ Life Your Way ($12.00)
• Simple Blogging: Less Computer Time, Better Blogging by Rachel @ Small Notebook ($8.00)

Ecourses

• Learning in Love: The Preschool Years by Renee @ Tougas Cafe ($7.99)
• Homeschooling from the Heart by Renee @ Tougas Cafe ($7.99)
• Grocery University by Carrie @ Colorado Bargains ($24.95)
• Vibrant Living Strategies for Moms by Lisa @ Well-Grounded Life ($59)
• You Can Do This! The First Five Steps to a Real Food Kitchen by Laura @ Heavenly Homemakers ($5.00)

PLUS, You will receive FREE Bonuses from these companies…

A FREE Two-Month Membership to Fit2B Studio, where their wholesome workouts for the whole family are tummy safe and particularly target Diastasis Recti (split abs). ($19.98 value. No shipping restrictions.)

A $15 store credit to TruKid. With products like their aware-winning sun care, they are dedicated to providing all natural skin and hair care for kids, babies, and now pets. ($15.00 value. Standard shipping applies. International shipping available.)

Your choice of incredible natural products like sea salt and clay for FREE. Choose from the Redmond Trading Earthpaste Bundle ($24.90 value) or the Facial Mud Bundle ($26.90 value). (Standard shipping applies. Continental US only.)

Your choice of a FREE heirloom sourdough starter or FREE yogurt starter from Cultures for Health, the leading supplier of starter cultures and supplies for making cultured and fermented foods ($12.95 value. US & CAN addresses only. Standard shipping applies.)

Your choice of: a FREE 3-Month Subscription (for new accounts) or 30% off a One Year Subscription. Plan to Eat is an online menu planner that uses your recipes, scheduled for the days you want them. ($15.00 value. No shipping restrictions.)

A FREE Culinary Herbs Assorted Seed Pack Check just in time for spring planting from www.wheatgrasskits.com, a living whole foods company. ($11.95 value. Standard shipping applies to all US states and territories- no international shipping for seeds.)

Get $10 off their original “my husband rocks” tee. Their marriage apparel lets you celebrate your spouse in style. ($10.00 value. Standard shipping rates apply. International shipping available, but free shipping only available within USA.)

A $10 store credit plus 1 FREE lip balm from Bee All Natural. Their whole body products nourish and heal, and are made using only the highest quality, food grade, organic ingredients. ($13.49 value. Standard shipping applies. International shipping available.)

A FREE 2 oz. bottle of your choice of liquid herbal formula from TriLight Health. They specialize in fast acting, great tasting natural herbal remedies. ($12.95 value or more. Standard shipping applies, within the USA only.)

Your choice of 3 FREE ePlanners OR a 3-Month FREE Membership to ListPlanIt, whose mobile lists will help to organize your life. ($15.00 value. No shipping restrictions.)

The fine print:

• Each bonus offer can be redeemed once only per eBook Bundle purchase.
• For each bonus offer, transaction numbers or proof of purchase may be required at the time of redemption.
• All bonus offers are free gifts from the bonus sponsors, are their sole responsibility to provide, and are subject to availability.
• All bonus offers expire at midnight on May 25th, 2013 (3 weeks from the last day of this sale).

• It is your responsibility to download and back-up your purchase within the 1-month download time-frame. With proof of purchase, we can renew download links up until August 1st, 2013. After this date we will no longer have access to the books and will not be able to provide any new links to download.
• Due to the nature of this sale, there will be no refunds available. However, we would invite you to read our Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more about the file types, the download process, how the bonus offers work, etc.

Please note: This collection is only available from 9 a.m. EST on April 29th to 11:59 p.m. EST on May 4th. There will be no late sales offered, so make sure that you get your bundle right away!

Related posts:

The post 97 eBooks for Less Than $30!! appeared first on Life by Ashley Pichea.

1. Friends who provide dinner so J doesn’t have to worry about one more thing. (Our fridge is so full of food right now that even on the nights we don’t have a “fresh” meal, we still have more than enough to eat without having to cook!)

I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to remove the plastic cover before baking… turns out I was!

2. A piano teacher who offered to come to our house to teach Jenny’s lessons since I can’t take her. (This wouldn’t be as important except that her spring recital is the week after I get off bed rest – such a blessing that she will still be able to participate thanks to being able to continue her weekly lessons!)

3. Family who are willing to drive 3 hours one way to come help us with weekend projects and/or just hang out since we’re unable to go to them as planned. (J’s parents were here last weekend, and my parents are coming this weekend.)

The result of our weekend project – a new look for my office/den space!

4. A husband who understands the importance of my being mostly immobile and is willing to pitch in and help with daily household chores. (It’s difficult for me to see him having to take on all the extra responsibilities of running the household on top of having to work his normal 10+ hour days, but he is faithful to do so each day!)

5. A husband who brings me breakfast in bed every morning before he leaves for work. (This may be part of the reason I’ve turned into a morning person – food can be quite motivating!)

Ordering breakfast via text message.

6. Kids who are old enough and independent enough to mostly fend for themselves. (Jenny has even taken it upon herself to burst into my room to announce when she’s ready to “do school” each day – too bad most days she’s ready for school about the same time I’m ready for my morning nap!)

7. Beautiful weather to enjoy through my open window. (Nothing is better than sunshine and a nice breeze to help me wake up happy!)

8. Friends who are willing to transport the kids to/from AWANA. (This week is the last week for David, and next week is the last week for Jenny. Thanks to our friends, they don’t have to miss out on these last few weeks!)

9. The internet and social media. (Do I really need to expound on this one?)

10. Online friends who are intentional about checking on me each day and praying for me. (You all are such a blessing to me each and every day. I cherish your friendships!)

Finding joy in the little things helps me find a proper perspective on a potentially rough day.

What little things are you thankful for today?

P.S. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram for daily updates from bed rest.

Related posts:

The post The Blessings of Bed Rest appeared first on Life by Ashley Pichea.

Now Available from What’s in the Bible?: Volume 11 – Spreading the Good News!

Volume 11 Spreading The Good News! will send your family on a journey through the book of Acts – starting with Pentecost, following Jesus’ disciples as they spread the Good News through the world, and watching the conversion and ministry of Saul.

Save 20% on 3 New Bundles

Check out the current savings available at What’s in the Bible?!!

Win a KitchenAid Mixer or Lisa Leonard Jewelry for Mother’s Day

What’s in the Bible? is hosting a Mother’s Day Giveaway all this week. Enter to win a KitchenAid Mixer or Lisa Leonard Jewelry for mom!!

BONUS: All entries will receive a free download the Mother’s Day Fun Pack featuring a “Mad About Mom” mad-lib and coloring page greeting card printables!

Related posts:

The post Happy Mother’s Day from What’s in the Bible? appeared first on Life by Ashley Pichea.

A week and a half later, I’m a believer.

Bed rest has definitely slowed life down for me, but it’s also stripped me of all my energy, leaving me with less “productive time” than I had while living life full speed ahead.

[warning: affiliate links have been scattered throughout this post]

• All those books I thought I’d get read? I’ve managed to finish one book (Renegades Write the Rules) and start another (Start).
• All the projects on my computer I wanted to get caught up on? I can’t even keep up with my weekly blogging and social media schedule, let alone tackle my to-do list.
• All the client work I thought I’d be able to do? I’m just barely making deadlines, and I’ve had to say “no” to any new projects.

Productivity is NOT happening.

I don’t remember being this tired when I was on bed rest with David – I remember reading lots of books, watching lots of TV, and still being bored. This time around, I’m lucky if I manage to stay awake for more than 3 hours at a time.

I grabbed the first season of one of my favorite TV shows (One Tree Hill) to start re-watching again while on bed rest, thinking I’d have lots of time for my yearly viewing marathon, but I’ve only managed to make it through two disks.

Thursday, I had to go to the doctor for a scheduled check-up, so we decided that we’d prolong the trip out and enjoy a breakfast together as a family afterwards to celebrate J’s birthday (he turned 30 on Wednesday). We literally did nothing more than go to the doctor and the restaurant. Before we even left the restaurant, I was feeling the affects of being “out of bed” for that long. Within minutes of being home, I was back in bed and sound asleep for several hours.

Saturday, I think I probably broke most of the rules of bed rest at some point during the day. My in-laws came into town to help us with a few projects around the house since I wasn’t going to be able to help J with them.

However, I had a few “messes” that needed to be cleaned up and organized before certain projects could be done, so I spent the morning attending to the “messes” before they arrived.

Also, I hadn’t seen them in several months, so spending the weekend in my room being “anti-social” wasn’t exactly high on my to-do list. I decided to “hang out” downstairs on the couch while everybody else was working on the various projects around the house. Do you know how difficult it is to just lay around watching while people around you are working?!? Let’s just say I “helped” a little more than I probably ought to have.

By Saturday night, I was exhausted and was looking forward to a really good night of sleep… but that wasn’t happening. I tossed and turned all night long, and when I “woke up” in the morning, I felt less than stellar. I literally spent most of yesterday asleep, and when I wasn’t asleep, I felt pretty cruddy.

I think I’m going to try and take it super easy this week – no more trying to get stuff done or pushing the limits of my bed rest. Another week and a half, and I can wear myself out with all the last minute pre-baby projects, but until then, I’m going to try to be still and let my body rest.

After all, I won’t be doing much resting once Christopher makes his appearance…

Related posts:

The post Week Two on Bed Rest appeared first on Life by Ashley Pichea.

Funny Story

Having looked at my chaotic calendar for this spring, it crossed my mind several times that I really needed to find some time to “get ready” for Christopher’s impending arrival. After all, he is “due” to arrive on June 5th, and my calendar was quite full until May 19th. (It also crossed my mind that after having to be on bed rest for three and a half weeks when I was pregnant with David, there was a possibility that I may have to do the same with Christopher.) So I found myself making an off-handed comment to God several times over the past few weeks…

“God, if you want to put me on bed rest again, I guess I’d be OK with that… but PLEASE don’t do so until at least the week after the 2:1 Conference!”

The Details

Wednesday, I started to feel “odd” and had a feeling something was “not quite right.” I ended up taking a much needed two hour nap in the middle of the afternoon (which seriously threw off my normal schedule for the week), and I went on with life. As I tried to fall asleep that night, I was having contractions, but they were about 10 minutes apart and I chalked them up to just needing to go to sleep.

After a fitful night of sleep, I woke up around 7:30am on Thursday morning with steady contractions (every 3-4 minutes). I knew in the back of my mind that I was probably in preterm labor, but I really didn’t want to have to call the doctor and go into the hospital (been there, done that – with David). I tried everything I could think of to stop the contractions and prayed hard that they’d go away.

No such luck. By 11:30am, I finally gave up hoping they’d go away and I called my doctor who wanted me to go to the hospital to be monitored. Thankfully, J was home so he was able to help me drop the kids off at a friend’s house and then drive me to the hospital and keep me company while I played the waiting game.

We arrived at the hospital around 12:30pm on Thursday afternoon, and they got me hooked up to the monitors. The nurse checked my cervix at 2pm and 4pm and noted little change, but I was still having steady contractions (which had grown in intensity throughout the afternoon), so my doctor decided he wanted to see me himself before he’d release me. However, he had patients scheduled in his office (down the road from the hospital) until after 8pm, so I was going to have to spend the evening waiting.

By the time my doctor finally made it over to the hospital to check on me, my contractions had slowed down significantly and the intensity had lessened. He finally released me to go home on bed rest at 9pm Thursday night.

Bed Rest

With David (last pregnancy), I was on bed rest from 33 weeks until 37 weeks. This was in the days before I knew about blogging and the only social media I participated in was Facebook (and much of the world still hadn’t made it to Facebook yet). I spent a lot of time reading (I read ALL of Dave Ramsey’s books) and watching daytime TV (I pretty much loathe daytime TV) and playing games on my netbook. I had been working fulltime outside of the home, so Jenny was at daycare during the day while J was at work (which was really nice since taking care of a 20 month old while on bed rest wasn’t exactly doable). The weekends were a mixture of our parents coming down to Indiana to help out or taking Jenny to Michigan if J had to work. I basically laid in bed for 3.5 weeks trying not to get too bored.

With Christopher (this pregnancy), I went on bed rest at 33 weeks and will be on it until 36 weeks. (I was so happy when my doctor said I could be off at 36 weeks!) This time around, I have the world of blogging and social media at my finger tips when I need interaction with the outside world. I have two semi-independent kids to supervise during the days while J is at work (though I definitely appreciate him being home the first three days while I got used to my “new rules and routine.”) We have friends from church who have taken it upon themselves to organize meals for us so J doesn’t have to worry about trying to fix dinner when he gets home or bring home takeout every night. Jenny and I are continuing on with homeschool, and David is getting to watch a lot of movies.

Time to Slow Down and Reflect

I’ve been running full steam ahead since before Christmas (basically since I started feeling “normal” again after my rough first four months of pregnancy), and I haven’t really had time to even stop and process all that having a new baby in the house is going to mean. I’ve been putting off all the normal tasks of preparing for a baby, as my schedule hasn’t really allowed me time to focus on those activities.

I realized this past weekend that I’ve been assuming that life will pretty much continue on as it has been, forgetting all the details that go along with having a newborn. The first time I was pregnant, my life pretty much revolved around getting ready for a baby. The second time I was pregnant, I was still in “baby mode” since Jenny was only 20 months old when David was born. This time, I’ve been out of “baby mode” for a good 3+ years.

It’s going to be an adjustment, and I have a feeling I’m not going to know what hit me!

I think God knew that I needed supernatural intervention – that I needed to be told to stop and slow down in order to be “ready” when Christopher makes his appearance into this world. Left on my own, I would probably have continued doing life at my busy pace, not preparing my heart and my mind for the major changes that are going to be necessary while caring for a newborn. God knew I needed help, and I think He is using bed rest to not only get my attention but also give me the time I need to get prepared.

Stop Before Go

My calendar has been put on hold. I’ve cancelled my plans and sent my regards. I’m looking forward to the extra rest and the time to get loose ends tied up before Christopher arrives. I’m about to enter a brand new season of life, and only God knows what He has in store!

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No, he’s not here yet, but having been put on bed rest last week, I finally had time to stop and think about all I have yet to get accomplished before Christopher makes his appearance. Thankfully, I don’t have to think too hard about his birth announcements, thanks to Minted.com!

Birth Announcements from Minted.com

I’ve been drooling over the awesome birth announcement options that are available on Minted.com – I’m loving the simple and clean looks of these ones…

And I love the fun infographics on this birth announcement from Minted.com – this one might be my favorite!

I love that Minted.com has birth announcements that are as unique as each baby – there is truly a design that fits every personality and every family!

And, check this out…

Minted.com will print recipient addresses on your envelopes, and it’s included at no additional charge with save the date, birth announcement, and holiday card orders!

How’s that for an extra blessing for a mom of a newborn!?!

A $50 Giveaway from Minted.com

You might not be having a baby (or maybe you are), but I’m sure that you are like me and have NO trouble finding something on Minted.com that has grabs your attention. Well, today might be your lucky day!

Minted.com has generously offered to give one of you a $50 credit toward ANYTHING on their website!! AND, they ship internationally, so this giveaway is open to those of you without a US mailing address, too!!

[if you cannot see the entry form, please click here: Minted.com Giveaway]

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Countdown is On…

My official due date is June 5th. I am released from bed rest on May 8th. When will Christopher make his appearance?!?

Be sure to subscribe to my daily blog emails so you don’t miss the big “He’s Here!!” announcement!!

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I can’t believe it’s been three years this month since we signed the paperwork and began the process of building our house. It seems like it was just yesterday!

Building Versus Buying: Our Home Ownership Journey

When we started looking for a home of our own, we did a LOT of research. We knew want we wanted in a home (attached garage, three or more bedrooms, yard space, energy efficiency, updated appliances, etc.), and we were having a difficult time finding any homes in our area that fit our criteria AND fit our budget.

One day we ran across an advertisement in the local paper that was promoting the idea that we could build a brand new, customized to our family, home for the same monthly payment as we were currently paying for our rent. We were hesitant to believe the ad, but we were also intrigued.

We made the initial phone call, found out that the “to good to be true” ad was actually true, and we began the process of building our own home.

From my blog on 4/27/10: “We’re meeting with our Realtor this week to start the home building process!  I can’t believe that a month ago we weren’t even thinking about buying a house, let alone building one!  God has definitely moved quickly on this process – we are trusting Him one step at a time.”

Picking and Choosing

One of our favorite parts of building our home (versus buying “used”) was the ability to customize every part of the home – from the blueprints, to the walls and flooring, to the knobs and handles on the doors and cupboards. We were able to pick out each element of our new home with our family in mind.

• We chose a two-floor layout with all of the bedrooms on the upper level and the main living areas downstairs – I love this layout, especially with having young kids.
• We chose to add a walk-in closet to our downstairs “den” (which is my office), adding a “bedroom” to our home.
• We chose to use laminate flooring on the main level of the home (except in my office – it’s carpeted) – this makes cleaning SO much easier.
• We were able to choose a “four bedroom” layout upstairs with two bathrooms (one for the kids and one in the master bedroom) with a walk-in closet in each bedroom.
• We were able to get all of the “must have” features on our “wish list” for a new home – attached garage, three or more bedrooms, yard space, energy efficiency, and updated appliances.

If There’s a “Next Time”…

If/when we ever find ourselves needing/wanting to move, I’m going to have a difficult time finding a home that fits our family quite as nicely as this one does. We will probably want to build again!

If you’re interested in building a new home, check out BHI’s Start Fresh Buy New website.

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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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