It's been a while...

I'm sorry I've not been updating my blog for the last few weeks. I had some laptop trouble and I'm still struggling but I will try to keep the posts coming. I missed out on the Lovelace Files' Challenge and I feel terrible but I will finish the challenge and update you as soon as I'm done.

Well it's Christmas Eve and I'm excited. It's Mwagala's first Christmas and she turns 9 months tomorrow too. Boy, has she grown! And for now let me leave you with some photos.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Meal Planning Challenge - Week 1

The challenge has begun! And what an exciting week it has been. This week we focused on meal planning and boy did I need to get organised. Each day I have to figure out what we're going to cook and I had thought of putting together a weekly meal plan but I hadn't gotten around to it but this week I did!

Recipes
The first day was dedicated to organising recipes. I had never really printed out the recipes that I get on the internet so this week I did and put them in a binder. Plus I found a new recipe website www.pikachakula.com It's amazing. I like it because the recipes are not too complicated and I can get most of the ingredients easily. Kathy suggested putting the recipes in sheet protectors so that you don't get spills on them while you cook which I thought was absolutely brilliant. I divided the recipes into 6 categories:

• Appetizers
• Main dishes
• Side dishes
• Desserts
• Drinks
• Breakfast

I used one binder because I wanted to save on space. And also because I haven't really got that many recipes yet - most of them are in recipe books. 

I can't wait to try out the new recipes!

Meal Plan
I also got to plan our weekly meals using a meal plan from here. We cook one meal a day because I'm home at lunch alone and I really don't mind eating the same thing for lunch and dinner so I chose this meal plan.

Food prep
I usually shop meats for a whole month. So I buy meats in bulk and split them up into one-meal portions  then freeze. This helps ration the food and also cuts out some prep time.

So far I'm loving the challenge :)

Next week we tackle cleaning schedules.

Fish & chips - with a twist

We were surprised with a public holiday last week. So I gave our house-help a day off and went into the kitchen to have a little fun. Thankfully, Mwagala behaved herself and I was able to get lunch ready quicker than usual.

My dear hubby recently had a tooth extracted and had been taking a lot of soup so I decided to make his 'first' meal a special one. I made grilled fish and chips. With a bit of a twist on the chips. So I'll let you in on the recipe. (I forgot to measure but I will estimate.)

Ingredients for fish (Serves 2)

• Fish fillet (4)
• Unsalted Butter/ Olive oil 
• White pepper
• Garlic powder
• Salt 

Pre-heat the oven grill to 210C

With Butter 
Melt butter in pan and add salt, garlic powder and white pepper to taste. 

With Olive Oil
Pour olive oil in a pan and add salt, garlic powder and white pepper to taste. 

Rub the oil/ butter mixture on both sides of the fish fillet and place on baking tray.
Place in the oven grill for about 20 minutes on one side and then turn to the other side. 
Reduce the heat and leave to cook through. You could cover with foil to allow them to cook through without drying out. 

Fish fillet in the oven. I forgot to take a before or during photo :( 

Ingredients for chips (Serves 2)

• 6 large potatoes
• 4 large onions
• 2 large green pepper
• Salt
• White Pepper 
• Sunflower oil/ vegetable oil

Peel, wash and chop the potatoes into chips/ fries. 
Slice the onions into rings and the green pepper longitudinally.
Pour about 2 tablespoons of oil into the frying pan and place on high heat. 
Add two handfuls of potatoes.

Add salt to taste.
Fry potatoes until they begin to brown. (Do not stir them too much as this will make them break up.)
When slightly brown, add some onions and green pepper. 
Add salt and white pepper to taste. (Easy on the salt since you already put some in the beginning.)

Add salt and white pepper to taste. 
Fry for about 2 more minutes and place on a kitchen towel to drain out the oil. 
Serve hot.

So yummy :)

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did :)

Lovelace Files' 30 Day Home Routine and Schedule Challenge

So the mighty organised Kathy over at Lovelace Files has set up a 30 day Home Routine and Schedule Challenge for the month of November. And I have decided to join in. I need this challenge. Did I mention that Kathy is super organised? Maybe you didn't get it - she is SUPER ORGANISED! So I know that she is the best person to help whip me into shape.

So every week for the month of November we will have a particular area of our lives to organise and I will blog about my progress each week.

• Week 1: Meal Planning
• Week 2: Cleaning schedule
• Week 3: Good Morning & Good night routines
• Week 4: Exercise routine

I'm looking forward! Let's do this :)

Formula - to be or not to be?

Until a few days ago I was all for breast feeding Mwagala until she’s a year old without supplementing with formula. I’m rethinking this plan. Sure breast is best and I don’t want to stop completely but I’d really like to get some relief from nursing once in a while. The problem is that formula doesn’t come cheap- which is the very reason why I wanted to avoid it in the first place. But it really does come in handy. Formula would allow me to leave her with the nanny without having to worry about whether I've pumped enough milk. I also think that the breast milk isn’t filling her enough anymore. And she’s not yet enjoying her solids so it’s more breast milk than anything else really.

 I love my baby but sometimes I just want a little space to spontaneously get out of the house without her. I need some me time. I’m fully aware how selfish that sounds. But it’s the truth. I love watching her nurse. She looks so content and it has really helped us create a bond. I’ve thought long and hard about the decision to introduce formula and I think I’m going to try it. Mwagala is quite opinionated so when she doesn’t like something she will let me know so I’m counting on her to tell me if I’ve made the right decision.

Hopefully the fact that she will still be nursing will keep the formula cost down. Here’s hoping. I’m taking the leap. *fingers crossed*

Oh Sleep, where art thou?

Today I woke up feeling drained. Mwagala kept waking up last night. She had started sleeping through the night but these days it's getting harder for her to make it through one night. And that is exhausting. Mostly because she doesn't sleep well during the day. (That also explains why I'm finding it hard to find time to blog).
Anyway, I woke up exhausted. And feeling overwhelmed. So I went into complaining mode. I complained about not getting enough sleep. About her crying for no good reason (as if). About my weight. About her being too clingy. The list went on and on. After a few hours of feeling sorry for myself. I looked at Mwagala as she nursed and my heart melted. She looked so peaceful. So beautiful. I think it's her way of making me fall in love with her all over again :-)

I stopped my complaining and began to thank God. I thanked Him for my beautiful baby girl. For her health. And for her smile. Her smile makes me feel better. It's like a slice of sunshine on a gloomy day.

I know that there are a lot of things that I would like to be able to do. Like sleep through the night, or not feel  hungry all the time because I'm still nursing. I would love to have my pre-pregnancy body back so that my clothes can fit again. But for now I'll let all those feelings take a back seat. You can't be a mother without making some sacrifices and the love I feel for her is worth every single sacrifice. I love being her Mama. Even though I can't plan my day and expect it all to go as planned she is still the apple of my eye. And she has taught me to be selfless.

So today I may have woken up feeling drained, exhausted and overwhelmed but I will keep reminding myself that I'm blessed to be a mum. Blessed to have a beautiful, happy, energetic little girl who steals my heart each time she calls out 'Mama'.

I'm in love. It's an exhausting kind of love but it's worth it and I'm blessed. One day she'll be all grown up so I'm going to take the good and the bad days as they come and purpose to enjoy them.

50 Years of Independence. I choose to celebrate!

The National Flag of Uganda (source)

Tomorrow my country, Uganda, will celebrate 50 years of independence. I am proud to be Ugandan. Some Ugandans have chosen to use this time to complain about what the government isn't doing - which is a lot. But I choose to celebrate my country's independence. The government may be messed up but that's not the point here. Like my dad says; "We're not thanking the NRM, we're thanking God.'

And God has been good to us. This year, after 40 years, a Ugandan won a gold medal at the Olympics. It was exciting. What was even better was that at the Olympic closing ceremony our national Anthem was sung. It was absolutely glorious! I was so proud to be Ugandan.

I know that a lot of things in my country are a far cry from what they should be but I'm thankful that I have a place to call home. A place that has such a rich culture and the friendliest people I know. I've not travelled much but I've not yet been to a country where I can strike up a conversation with anyone I meet on the road side. And I don't just mean saying 'Hello'. In Uganda you can start talking to a stranger and actually exchange life stories and jokes- without even telling them your name. It keeps amazing me how when I get into a taxi many times the person I sit next to will greet me. Not with a smile but with actual words. Ugandans are so relational.

I'm proud to be Ugandan not because it is perfect but because it is home. You don't say you're proud of your family because they are perfect. You're proud of them because they are your family. My country is my identity.

I'll just list a few things I'm thankful for when it comes to my country:

• I'm thankful that we are a God-fearing state (generally). That is something I do not take for granted. 
• I'm thankful for the different tribes that make our nation what it is. Each of them make our country richer with their cultures and languages. 
• I'm thankful for the climate. It's summer all year round :) Sometimes I complain that it's too hot but honestly our climate is just right. Not too hot and not too cold. Just perfect.
• I'm thankful for the  fertile soils. As a farmer's wife this is something we thank God for often. That we can plant crops almost anywhere and reap a harvest. 
• I'm thankful that morals are still pretty important in Uganda. They are in short supply elsewhere in the world. 
• I'm thankful that we have some peace in our country. 

My country is not perfect. I know that very, VERY well. But I love it. I know that God will slowly get us to where He wants us to be.

Today, as I watched the National Prayer Breakfast they stood up to sing the national anthem- all 3 stanzas- and I sang along with all my heart, proud to be Ugandan and meaning every word. Here it is:

Oh Uganda! may God uphold thee, 

We lay our future in thy hand. 

United, free, 

For liberty 

Together we'll always stand. 

Oh Uganda! the land of freedom. 

Our love and labour we give, 

And with neighbours all 

At our country's call 

In peace and friendship we'll live. 

Oh Uganda! the land that feeds us 

By sun and fertile soil grown. 

For our own dear land, 

We'll always stand: 

The Pearl of Africa's Crown. 

source: Source

HAPPY 50TH INDEPENDENCE UGANDA!!!!! May God continue to lead you. I look forward to the next 50 years! 

For God and my country.

The Coat of Arms (source)

Mwagala

I have been struggling with the decision to use my daughter's name on the blog. I didn't want to but I also did not want to keep referring to her as princess or baby. So I'm going to use her middle name- Mwagala.

Mwagala was a name given to her by my parents and loosely translated means 'I love the Lord' It's taken from Psalm 116:1 that says; 'I love the Lord for he heard my voice...'

I love that name because to me it's a prophecy over her life. I pray that she will indeed be a girl who loves the Lord.

Mwagala

Starting solids

My princess has been breast feeding exclusively for six months and it's been interesting. But boy was I ready to start solids! I made sure everything was ready - bibs, high chair, spoons, plate and lots of enthusiasm. Sadly, she was not as enthusiastic.

'Mama, what is this?'

Food: Banana (mixed with breast milk to make a runny mash)
Time of day: Evening - I wanted to make sure Taata (Daddy) was home for her first meal.
Response: She took 4 spoonfuls and then sealed her mouth shut!
Mama's reaction: Despair :(

Honestly, I was disappointed. I guess I thought that because she feeds so well, the transition to solids would be a piece of cake. Wrong! Oh well. I licked my wounds and tried again the next day - this time at lunch time. She ate a little more but not much. The third time was a charm. I made half a banana and she ate it all! Yay! I was so excited. And she clearly looked happy.

Happy face :)

Then I let my excitement get the better of me. The next day I thought I'd try a potato. She did not like it at all. I was disappointed - again. But a friend encouraged me and I licked my wounds- again. I decided to stick to banana for a while. And yesterday she ate a whole banana! *Fist pump* I love watching her face when she's eating and yesterday she tried to hold the spoon for herself and push it into her mouth. I'm looking forward to feeding her more solids but for now I'll pace myself.

6 months old

Our princess is 6 months old today! I cannot believe it's been 6 months since she was born. I've almost forgotten the days when she had colic and wouldn't sleep through the night. Almost forgotten.... Haha!

Here's what she is up to lately:

• Putting everything- and I do mean EVERYTHING- in her mouth. If it's in her hand her mouth is wide open, ready to receive it. 
• Saying 'Ma-ma'. She is still perfecting this very important word but I was pleasantly surprised to hear her say it. She's practicing everyday :) 
• Making a wet razzing sound. She loves this sound. Lately it's been the first thing she does when she wakes up. 

Razzing away

• Sitting upright without support. 

She has been breast feeding exclusively so now it's time for solids. I'm looking forward to that and I'm pretty sure she is too because each time we're eating she starts chewing. Hahaha! Poor thing. Your misery is about to end.

Just For Laughs

A friend of mine posted this a while back and I found it hilarious! I laughed so hard because it is so true. Any breast feeding mother has had this happen.

I had a good laugh. I hope you did too.

Have a lovely Monday :)

Recap

It’s been about a year since I last blogged so a lot has happened. I got pregnant and was very very excited about it. I was even more excited when I found out it was a girl! I had my baby in March. It was a wonderful, scary, exciting and life-changing experience. I will do it again. Not soon, but again. You can read the birth story here.

At 4 months pregnant

At 6 months

At 7 months

At 8 months

Just about ready to pop!

So it’s been almost 6 months since the handsome farmer and I became parents and so far it’s amazing. Our princess is everything we could have asked for and she keeps teaching us so much. 

You'll be hearing a lot about her :)

I also left my job and so now I'm a stay-at-home mum. I'm loving it. It has it's challenges but it is so worth it. 

The farmer hubby is still as handsome as ever :) 

I'm glad to be back to the blogging world. 

I'm back!

I’m back to blogging. I didn’t think I’d ever make the bold step to come back but here I am. I’m excited and anxious. I want to share so much but I also want to keep some things to myself. Well, I guess I’ll figure it out as I go. I realised it didn’t help sitting around trying to find the ‘right’ way to go about it. Sometimes you just need to make the rules as you go. So, here I am. Back to share all the exciting experiences I’ll go through as a farmer’s wife and now a mother to a beautiful baby girl. I’m looking forward to sharing with you and learning from you. Let’s do this! J