Sandy Hook Reflection

This time last week, I was watching as reports began popping up of lockdowns at schools in a small Connecticut due to a gunman. I watched as those reports verified that shots had been fired. I watched as the fatality count jumped from the single digits to the teens, and eventually to the twenties. I watched as the reports confirmed that the majority of these fatalities were children--young, innocent children.

I've been avoiding discussing this tragic incident all week, not because I think that it doesn't need attention, but because I haven't known what to say about it. Many people have attempted to pigeon-hole this incident as being about gun control, mental illness, or even "banning" God from schools, but it's not that simple. There isn't any one issue at fault, and there isn't any one simple solution. In fact, I don't know that there is really a "solution" at all--I'm not sure I believe that there is truly a way to guarantee that something like this could never happen again.

But I do believe there is something that we--everyone, in all corners of the US and world--can do for Newtown. And it isn't send hundreds of teddy bears or thousands of cards/pictures, or even build elaborate memorials. Sure, these gestures are nice, and certainly well-intentioned, but Newtown doesn't need all of those things. Newtown is a community that has been torn apart, and that wound is something that only those community members can fix.

Instead, let's make it our mission to honor Newtown by reaching out and strengthening the bonds within our own community. Use your fundraising efforts to supply Christmas presents to the less fortunate in your own community. Have your classroom full of students make cards and drawings to deliver to nearby hospitals, nursing homes, prisons--even the families that live in the neighborhood of the school. Take the time to explain the importance of community to your children as you are talking with them about the tragedy--and then model being a good citizen by serving the at the food pantry as a family. Don't just jump on board with the 26 Random Acts of Kindness movement to honor the victims--make it a goal to perform a random act of kindness every day. And if your schedule and abilities allow, mentor a child at a nearby school.

When a distant community like Newtown is broken, "helping out" by sending a token of your sympathy is easy--it's a one-time, no commitment obligation. But taking the step to invest those efforts into your own community--and invest them more often than just when tragedy strikes--that's a much more difficult step. But in a time like this, nothing is more important than community.

Random Update

So aside from ultrasound/belly photos and drinking decoys, I haven't exactly been posting updates about my pregnancy (whoops). Thankfully, most of the reason for that has been that there isn't much to share--don't really have anything to complain about (not that you'd want to listen anyway), and no "fascinating" developments to share (aside from the normal stuff that happens during pregnancy).

But, for the sake of remembering some of the things that have happened and some of the things I have been feeling, I figured I'd chronicle a few of the latest developments. Feel free to yawn--you probably won't find most of this stuff very interesting.

--Darrell has been able to feel quite a bit of movement lately. The other night we were watching some episodes of Bones and BOB was squirming away. The first few rolls and kicks Darrell could feel he got all excited about--ten minutes later he looked at me and said "Seriously? Is that still baby that I'm feeling?". Welcome to my life dear.

--I can definitely notice kicks to the bladder. I'll be sitting there, perfectly fine, then all of the sudden *BAM*--I have to go to the bathroom. And then just like that, I'm fine again. Kind of annoying, but better than having BOB set up camp on top of my bladder, I suppose.

--You know that whole "eating for two" thing? Well, it's kind of a misnomer. Sure, I am *technically* eating for two, but I can't actually eat as much as I used to in one sitting. And I certainly can't eat heaping portions of food (at least not without getting super uncomfortable). Smaller, more frequent meals is what I've needed to get used to--and this can be kind of challenging at school when I only get one lunch break.

--One thing that has surprised me the most is that the growth of my belly has not been consistent. I imagined my belly would just continue to grow a little more each day, and that is definitely not the case. At 3:00 on a Monday, my belly might be bigger than it is at 10:00 on the following Thursday. It seems to swell and shrink randomly, which I was not expecting. There are still some mornings when I wake up and feel like I don't even look 12 weeks pregnant, let alone 23 weeks pregnant. It's kind of weird.

--I'm just starting to get to the point where bending over is uncomfortable. Not always, and not in all situations, but I've especially noticed that if I'm sitting in a chair and I try to bend forward to pick something off the floor I can't quite make it. Not cool.

--Maybe it's just because I'm pregnant in South Dakota in the middle of winter, but I have definitely not had any issues with getting warm too easily. In fact, I more often tend to get cold. Which, as it turns out, is actually an uncomfortable thing to be while pregnant. Shivering causes my core to tense up, which is not a pleasant feeling when my core is currently being stretched to accommodate BOB.

I can't really think of anything else right now--I'm sure Darrell would tell you I'm forgetting to mention my moodiness and laziness and inability to walk and talk without getting winded--but those haven't really been bothering me, so I don't see any reason to bring them up  :-)

Wedding Wednesday: Favors

In the spirit of Christmas and gift-giving, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about wedding gifts--and subsequently, the wedding registry. But then I remembered that a year and a half ago, for our one year wedding anniversary, I did a whole series of wedding-related posts. Included a pretty detailed one on tips for the wedding registry (if you haven't checked it out, though, be sure to!). So, rather than repeat myself (because I really don't have any "new" advice from what is on there), I figured I would instead talk about the "gift" you will end up giving your guests: the wedding favor.

The whole idea behind giving your guests some sort of wedding favor is to thank them for coming to your wedding. At the very least, your guests have given up an afternoon/evening to drive across town and celebrate with you; at the most, they've given up an entire weekend and poured a decent amount of money into traveling to your wedding to celebrate with you. And in either scenario, they've likely brought you a gift as well. While you'll (hopefully!) be sending out thank you cards to personally acknowledge your gratitude, it's also courteous to have a little something for them at the wedding. Thankfully, there are no real "guidelines" in place for what the favor needs to be, so with a little creativity it's possible to find something nice for every budget. Here are a few different ideas, and a few notes about why I do (or don't) like them as favors.

(all images from Style Me Pretty)

Food as a Favor

 Food is probably one of the most common wedding favors. Candy is generally really easy to throw together as a favor; all you need is a few economy-sized bags of your candy of choice, a cute little box/bag to put a few pieces into, and a little personalized tag, and viola! Your favor is ready to go. While I understand the simplicity (and budget-friendliness) of doing something like this as a favor, it's personally not my favorite type of favor to get. Especially when the couple has clearly spent significant time wrapping the candy bars in personalized labels or paid extra money for personalized M&Ms. When it comes to food, I'm just going to eat it. I'm not going to save the personalized wrapper, and I'm not going to care if there is something special written on the candies. Save the extra money (and time), and put it toward something else: another food option on the buffet line, a larger portion of candy for each guest, or perhaps a different favor option all together. Like either of these.

I love both of these favors. These favors don't need fancy little wrappers or anything to be "personalized", by nature of the gift themselves they are a much more personalized reflection of the bride and groom (and perhaps a nod to the wedding location--like blueberry jam for a Maine wedding). Bonus points if the food item is homemade--and if you include the recipe it'll definitely be a favor they can cherish for a long time!

Centerpieces/Place Cards as a Favor

If you are doing assigned seating at your wedding, chances are that you'll be needing some sort of place card to direct your guests to the appropriate table. Rather than buying cutesy little card tents printed with each guest's name and then also having a favor sitting at the table for them, why not combine the two and save a little money? This way you also ensure that each guest will get a favor (no sticky fingers swiping goodies off the table). I was at a garden-themed wedding where the place card/favor was a packet of seeds printed with each guest's name and table number--definitely a unique way for the guest to remember your wedding for months/years to come!

You are also probably going to have some sort of centerpiece decorating the tables at your wedding. This is another good place to save some money by making the pieces multi-functional. Have the centerpieces be an arrangement of small potted flowers--and then encourage the guests to take them home at the end of the night. Or the centerpieces could be small packets of potpourri placed around some candles--another easy item for the guests to grab on their way out. Of course, a potential drawback with this option is that guests will leave without taking a favor with them, so make sure you have a plan in mind for what to do with extra favors.

"Trinkets" for Favors

I know this is kind of vague category, but for the sake of this post I'm categorizing a "trinket" as a non-perishable item that the guest can take home with him/her and enjoy for years to come. By nature of this sustainability, these gifts can easily become more expensive than some of the other types, but are often very well received by guests. I mean seriously, who wouldn't get use out of that super cute canvas tote bag? And one can never have too many bottle openers (stash one in your car if you already have one for the house--you'll be surprised when you might need it!). Obviously for a large wedding, a favor like one of these might blow the budget (although many places give you discounts for buying in bulk), but being able to "gift" your guests with something nice like this is just another reason to keep the guest list at a reasonable size. A few options that fall into this category that can be a little bit more reasonable in cost: matches and koozies.

(Not from Style Me Pretty... Obviously I'm not cool enough to have my wedding featured there)

Do try to keep your "trinket" practical for the majority of your guests; if you know only a small percentage of your guests drink beer, a bottle opener or koozie may not be the best idea because many guests may just leave the favor behind. And trust me, there is only so much you can do with a shoebox (or two!) full of extra koozies.

A Donation in lieu of a Favor

If there's been one common theme throughout all my comments covering a variety of favor ideas, it's been that many times the favor is not as well received as the bride and groom would hope. And really, this is unavoidable. You are never going to please everyone. Even the option of giving a donation in lieu of a favor is likely to be poorly received by some guests. However, this option is becoming more and more popular with couples because not only is it very worthwhile and altruistic, but it's also the only option that doesn't leave them with the possibility of figuring out what to do with the "extra" favors. Candy favors just gets eaten (and really, you're likely already feeding them a meal and cake, so it's not like candy is a necessity), live favors like flowers eventually die, and trinkets can get lost or left behind--a donation is really the only "favor" that is permanent. Just an option to keep in mind if you don't feel like "wasting" your money on a favor that only a portion of your guests will truly appreciate.

Parker House Rolls

So I know that I've already posted a dinner roll recipe on this blog, and if you are anything like me you are probably thinking that dinner rolls are dinner rolls and you don't really need two different recipes for them. However, despite the fact that I wasn't actively seeking out a new dinner roll recipe, this one caught my eye anyway. And it has nothing to do with the fact that these are made with milk and butter instead of water and oil (although I certainly liked the idea of the richness those ingredients would offer). I noticed that this recipe came with directions for freezing the rolls prior to baking, and I loved the idea (and ease) of storing homemade rolls in the freezer that can be pulled out a few hours prior to dinner and make a delicious addition to the meal. It's the perfect recipe to get a head start on your holiday cooking--whip the recipe up sometime this week, stash them in the freezer, then pull them out a few hours before dinner and wow your guests. And don't worry about the freezer affecting the taste; I have frozen a few batches of these myself and they still rise up nicely and with great flavor.

(Note: I realize that probably any dinner roll recipe can be frozen much like these are, but I'm not daring enough in the kitchen to just try something like that on my own. And besides, now that I know how nicely these can be stored in the freezer, I don't need to worry about trying to freeze other recipes. If it ain't broke don't fix it, right?)

Parker House Rolls
(from Martha Stewart)

1 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed to approximately 110*
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (one packet)
4 cups all-purpose flour
5 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp coarse salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 1/2 tsp sugar
Nonstick cooking spray

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine milk and yeast and let stand for five minutes. Add flour, five tablespoons of butter pieces, 1 tsp coarse salt, and sugar. With dough hook, mix on low until mixture just comes together. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until butter is incorporated and dough is soft, about ten minutes. Lightly coat a large bowl with cooking spray. Form dough into a ball, place in bowl, and cover with a damp cloth. Set aside in a warm, draft-free place and let rise until dough doubles in size, one to two hours. Spray a 9x13 pan lightly with cooking spray. Turn dough out onto work surface and loosely cover with a damp towel so it doesn't dry out. With a sharp knife, divide dough into 24 pieces. Roll into a smooth ball (about two inches in size) and arrange in pan (see note below for instructions to freeze dough). Cover with towel and let rise until rolls begin to touch, one to two hours. Preheat oven to 350*. Brush rolls with half the melted butter and bake until golden brown, about thirty minutes. Brush with remaining butter, sprinkle with salt, and serve warm.

*If you are freezing, arrange rolls on a parchment-lined baking pan. Cover with plastic and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag and store up to three months. To serve, let rise in baking pan in a warm place, covered with a damp towel, until rolls begin to touch, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Bake as directed above.

"I'm Not Drinking" Decoy #6

The last (but certainly not least) decoy of all decoies:

The Koozie Cover-Up

Oh, by the way, like our wedding favors? We *may* have over-ordered on them and still have a box at the house. Whateves

I challenge you to tell me which is the beer and which one is just a soda. Perfect decoy to use at outdoor festivals/sporting events that allow you to bring in your own drinks. And, you know, it always helps to "rope" your significant other into using a koozie as well so you aren't the only one using one--but who doesn't want to use a koozie on a hot summer day? Bonus points for bringing extra koozies to hand out to your friends. And even if you are inside (because, you know, it's winter in South Dakota), using a koozie is still perfectly acceptable. It keeps your drink better insulated, plus keeps your hands from getting cold from holding a well-chilled can.

PS Major points to anyone who can actually identify the two drinks being masked by the koozies. There might be something in it for you, like your own awesome Jess and Darrell koozies! And, you know, maybe something that isn't quite so lame :)

Ultrasound Pics!

Sorry it took all week, but I've finally got our ultrasound pictures ready to share! I would like to point out that while I can't blame Darrell's slow editing for this delay because there wasn't any editing that he needed to do, he was the one responsible for scanning the ultrasound pictures and sending them to me. So technically I can still blame him (but not really because he has had a pretty crazy week at work. So there's no hard feelings. Plus a Friday is the perfect day spend gazing at these pictures anyway).

As I mentioned on Tuesday, baby was an uncooperative little stink during the ultrasound. The sonographer was still able to get all the measurements and stuff that he needed, but try as he might he couldn't get BOB to cooperate and give us much for quality pictures. Granted, we were more concerned with making sure everything looked okay than getting exceptional pictures, so we're not too heartbroken over the matter. Besides, since this is our first and we don't have much to compare them to, the pictures look pretty darn good to us. I have tried to label them though so hopefully they'll make sense to you as well.

Shortly before this shot BOB tried to flip us the bird, but his other fingers wiggled up there before the sonographer could get a clear shot

Strong little leg kicking away--and we totally think it looks like he has a sneaker on his foot already

A good top-down shot of BOB being stubborn. Those arms stayed up in front of his face like that for the entire ultrasound--Darrell blames me for this because apparently I sleep with my hands up by my face as well 

We did managed to get a pretty decent profile shot, although you can still see a little hand up by the face. And if this picture was in real time, you'd probably be able to see that little hand trying to make its way into baby's mouth. We may end up with a thumb-sucker on our hands--although I'm hoping it means he'll be a good nurser

For the record, I know that on more than one occasion I've referred to BOB as a "he"--it is not intentional, nor does it mean anything. It just sounds funny to call the baby "it", and since we've "named" him BOB, the male pronoun just comes more naturally. Only time will tell if there is some subconscious "mother's instinct" causing me to lean in this direction!

"I'm Not Drinking" Decoy #5

I have to be honest, I'm a little ashamed of myself for posting this as a decoy. And I'm equally ashamed that I've actually put this decoy into practice. But, desperate times call for desperate measures.

Commit Alcohol Abuse (also known as a party foul).

The most common form of alcohol abuse consists of spilling your drink. However, this is hard to do tactfully, and--especially if you are at someone else's house--it can be downright annoying. Plus, there is always a good chance that if you spill your drink, someone will offer to bring you another, which means you now have to figure out what to do with that drink (unless, of course, you just blame the spill on a high level of intoxication and refuse to continue drinking*). The only exception to this is if you are at some sort of outdoor party--walking a little briskly and sloshing some of your drink over the side of your glass is totally acceptable (as is "forgetting" how much drink you have in your glass and "accidently" tipping it a little to much while having a conversation with someone). Just don't be that jerk who spills your drink on someone else.

What I find to be much less conspicuous--and way less of a mess--is to gradually dump the drink down the drain (note--you are probably limited to doing this when you are at a house; I don't know many people who take their drinks into the bathroom with them at a bar/restaurant). Obviously, if you are sitting down having dinner at the table, it would probably look strange to dismiss yourself to the bathroom and take your drink with you. However, if you are at a house party, it probably isn't unusual that you would be walking around with your drink in hand, making it very easy to disappear with it into the bathroom. Just make sure that you are carrying your drink to other rooms of the house as well; if the bathroom is the only place you carry it then someone might question what you are doing.

*As my husband so kindly pointed out, if someone were at the intoxication level to be spilling his/her drinks, that person would probably not have the mental awareness to stop drinking. So, this would be another good time to have a buddy or significant other in on your ploy so that they can be the one to step in and say that you should quit drinking. Plus, the ploy is that much more believable if the impetus to stop drinking comes from someone other than yourself.

Wedding Wednesday: Being Unique

I don't want to stray from my weekly "Wedding Wednesday" tidbit, but I feel I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge the uniqueness that is today's date: 12/12/12. Not only is it fun repetition, but it is the last repeating date sequence that most anyone alive today will see (arguably, there are people today who could live to January 1st, 2101, which would be 01/01/01, although those people likely won't remember today as being 12/12/12). And as has been the case for many of the "fun" date sequences over the past twelve years, today is expected to be a popular day for weddings (even though it is a Wednesday). Understandably, there is something exciting about a wedding date with a fun pattern (especially if you are a numbers person), and as many couples would probably tell you, getting married on a day like today certainly makes the anniversary easy to remember. But even if you don't have the luxury of getting married on a date with a cool pattern (or if numbers aren't your thing), there are lots of ways to make your wedding uniquely "you".

(For the record, most of my examples are going to be personal examples that I've witnessed at weddings. I realize that many of these things won't be applicable to all couples and all weddings, but hopefully it will get the wheels turning to help you come up with your own unique aspects to include in your wedding.)

Incorporate hobbies/something from your love story into the wedding photos
A couple I went to college with met while playing soccer. For their wedding, they brought along their soccer cleats and a soccer play and used these "props" to take some fun outdoor photos. I've also seen musical couples stage some clever shots with a piano and/or other instruments--the possibilities are endless!

Offer a "speciality" drink from the bar
Did you meet on a trip to Mexico? Consider working with your bartenders to create a "Love-a-Rita" to offer to your guests. One couple we know celebrated their engagement by going to a local bar and asking the bartender to make them a shot--any shot--for them to "toast" with. They then offered this same shot to the guests at their wedding, which also gave them an opportunity to share a fun story from their engagement.

Consider transportation beyond the standard limo or classic car
Most every wedding I've been to (and probably most of the ones you've been to), have involved the married couple leaving the ceremony/reception in a limo or some type of classic car/convertible. Now, I'm not meaning to say that this option is boring (we used a convertible ourselves), and many couples certainly make this a unique aspect (such as leaving in a classic car the groom restored himself), but don't be afraid to think outside of the box on this one. I've seen weddings where the wedding party leaves on a flatbed truck with hay bales (perfect for that rustic country wedding), weddings where the wedding party heads off in a trolley, even a wedding where the group left the ceremony in a fire engine because the groom was a fireman. The most unique form of transportation I've seen, though, is a canoe. Some friends of mine canoed from their ceremony to the reception--and they loved every minute of it. And I have to admit--as a guest, I thought it was pretty awesome. And perfectly fitting for the couple.

Serve food that has some special meaning to your love story--and share that story with your guests
Darrell and I love to cook (and, well, love food), so it was really important to us to serve good food. While we were limited to sticking to the choices our caterer offered due to budgetary concerns, I would have loved to serve our guests a dish that was uniquely "us"--a recipe from our kitchen that we could have then shared with our guests. In fact, I can even tell you what we would have served had we been able to--bacon chicken, which was the first real meal Darrell and I ever prepared together from scratch (and I can't believe I don't have it on the blog! Shame on me). Cajun chicken pasta was also a consideration because it is a dish equally meaningful to us, and also one that we've been cooking together for seven (!!) years. Even though we couldn't customize our reception meal like I would have wanted to, we did have a little more fun with our rehearsal dinner. The long and the short of our "first date" story is that I ordered a full rack of ribs at dinner, and proceeded to eat the whole thing (using my fingers to pick up the bones and everything). And I'm sure I ate all my potatoes and other sides as well. Oh, and I also had a black eye from a soccer game. Super sexy. While many guys might have been mortified by this behavior and, well, manly appetite (especially on a first date!), Darrell apparently liked what he saw. So in honor of that, I insisted that we order ribs for our rehearsal dinner (actually, I tried lobbying to get ribs catered for the reception, but Darrell poo-pooed that idea). If there is a particular food or dish that would be special to include at your reception, don't be afraid to talk with your caterer about it! You might be surprised by their flexibility (I've actually seen mini peanut butter and jelly sandwiches served as appetizers--I don't know the backstory on that one, but it's totally cute).

Again, I know that these aren't exactly ideas that you can take from here and incorporate into your wedding plans, but that's kind of the point. What is unique for one couple won't necessarily be unique for another. Hopefully, though, these ideas will get you thinking about unique aspects of your love story that you could work into your wedding--from the date you get married on to what you serve to your guests.

Reasons Why BOB is a Boy

As a continuation from yesterday, here are the reasons why BOB is a boy.

(And as far as we know, everything from the ultrasound yesterday looked great. Baby was a little stinker and didn't want to show his/her face--but with Darrell and I for parents, no one will really be surprised if baby has a strong stubborn streak. More details--and pictures!--later this week.)

--In the past three years, lots of babies have been born to female co-workers of mine. Four ladies in the English/Spanish department all had girls; three ladies in the math/science department all had boys. Another boy was had by a SPED teacher. Since what I do falls mostly in the math area, but is also all-encompassing like a SPED teacher, I should follow their pattern of having boys.

--The Chinese Gender Chart says so.

--Darrell is a first-born son. Darrell's dad is a first-born son. Darrell's paternal grandfather is a first-born son. It only makes sense that he would father a first-born son.

--The first collegiate soccer teammate (from my graduating class) to have a kid had a girl. The next had a boy in September, and a third is due with a girl later in December. A boy would keep the pattern going.

--My good friend Tim said so (and, if you must know, Tim considers himself something of a god-figure, so maybe there is some actual legitimacy to his claim. Probably not, but it's still fun to pretend).

--Old wive's tales would say that my lack of morning sickness is indicative of male offspring (apparently girls make you sick as a dog--no thank you).

--Supposedly I'm carrying BOB low, and this is more common with boys. Since this is my first pregnancy, I really don't have much basis for verifying where I am or am not carrying him (there's something in there that kicks me around my belly button, that's all I know), but I'll go along with what people tell me.

Reasons Why BOB is a Girl

Well, today is the big day. We finally get to see our little nugget on the ultrasound. And, if we so desired, we'd get to find out the sex. But, much to the dismay of many family and friends, we're not going to. However, that hasn't kept us (and others) from speculating what the sex might be. So, in honor of "the day we could find out", I've decided to share a few reasons why we thing BOB (Baby on Board) is a girl--and tomorrow I'll be back with reasons why we think BOB is a boy. I'll let you decide which list you think is more compelling.

--The gender predictor on everydayfamily.com said so.

--Darrell's sister has two boys. Darrell's other sister is expecting a boy in February. Darrell's female cousin (three or four years older) on his dad's side has a boy. Darrell's female cousin (one year younger) on his dad's side has two boys. Darrell's female cousin (five years older) on his mom's side has two boys. Darrell's male cousin (one year older) on his mom's side has two girls. There are no male relatives (in that age range, on either side) with sons and no female relatives (in that age range, on either side) with daughters.

--My first close friend from high school to get pregnant had a girl. The next girl from high school to get pregnant had a boy. A girl would keep the pattern going.

--When we first heard the heartbeat at 14 weeks it was a solid 158 bpm. Four weeks later it had dropped slightly to 152 bpm. Supposedly anything over 140 bpm is indicative of a girl (our doctor even commented to this "myth" after finding the heartbeat at 18 weeks, so it's definitely not something I'm just making up).

--The Mayans said so. (Apparently, if the year of conception and mother's age at conception are both even or both odd, the baby will be a girl. If one is odd and one is even, the baby will be a boy. I was 26 and it is 2012, so both even. Although if the Mayans are right about this they may also be right about the world ending in a few short weeks, which would mean all this speculation is for naught).

--According to an old wive's tales, the acne I've been battling has presented itself because my baby girl is stealing my beauty. All I have to say is that if the level of acne is any indicator toward the beauty of the baby, Darrell better watch out in about 16 years because he'll have his hands full with one beautiful daughter. This is seriously worse acne than I had in high school--it's almost embarrassing. I feel like I need to ask the high school kids I work with for makeup advice because I've never had to deal with this before.

--Can we say sweet tooth? If it has chocolate in it I am all over it (preferably not peanut butter and chocolate, though). Granted, I still have some Wheat Thins every morning for my snack, although I'm not heartbroken if I don't get to them. But the other day when I ran out of Halloween candy and didn't have a treat for after lunch? Disaster. The wive's tales say this can mean only one thing: a sweet little girl is on the way.

Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies

The first time I made these cookies, Darrell immediately proclaimed them his favorite. They've become staples in my holiday baking, and I even turned them into a cookie cake for Darrell's birthday in 2011. However, I realized the other day that I had never actually posted the recipe for said cookies. Shame on me. They are super easy, pretty unique (the cinnamon chips themselves are only made by Hershey's, I believe), and quite tasty. I'd call Darrell out as a pig since he ate the whole (half) batch that I made, but truthfully, I made them only for him anyway. I've been having a weird thing with oatmeal and nuts lately, and these were too oatmeal-y for pregnant me. Thankfully none of my favorite holiday treats are oatmeal- or nut-based.

Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies
(from Hershey's)

1 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups oats
1 10 oz bag Hershey's Cinnamon Chips (approx 1 2/3 cup)

Preheat oven to 350*. Beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until smooth. Gradually add flour and baking soda, mixing well. Stir in oats and cinnamon chips. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto un-greased cookie sheet. Bake ten to twelve minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on pan slightly, then transfer to cooling rack. Yields approximately four dozen.

Pregnancy Lesson

(08 Sept)

Fact: Going to the gym and discovering that you've actually lost 2.5 pounds between your 5th and 9th week of pregnancy does not mean that it is a good idea to do nothing but eat junk food for the next six hours. Especially when a large portion of that "junk food" is chips and nearly half a jar of Tostitos Zesty Taco chip dip. Because chances are, you probably won't accomplish anything but make yourself feel so nauseous that you are unable to stomach the thought of ingesting anything but water for the remainder of the night. Not exactly a productive way to get more calories--although it sure was delicious. Definitely looking forward to finishing off the rest of jar, just not in one sitting.

For the record, Darrell and I don't own a scale, which is why I rely on the scale at the gym and subsequently went a whole month without weighing myself (I don't really have a good excuse for avoiding the gym for a month, other than being "too busy", but that's a separate issue)

Wedding Wednesday: Bridal Party (Part II)

So I realized that in my discussion of things to consider when selecting your bridal party last week, I didn't address the issue of including flower girls/ring bearers in said party. For some people, it's a no-brainer to include these little ones in the wedding, whether it be because you and/or your fiance have young children or because you have close family members who do. For others, it's equally as easy of a decision to exclude these roles from the wedding, usually for a variety of reasons. But if you are on the fence, here are a few things to consider.

The Ring Bearer and Flower Girl do not have to be a package deal
There is no rule that says having a flower girl requires you to have a ring bearer as well. While it may have been the tradition in the past to have both (or neither), many people are straying from that. A cute-looking youngster walking down the aisle is always adorable, alone or with others. No one will really pay attention to the fact that there was a cute looking flower girl but no ring bearer.

Kids are unpredictable, no matter what
You may think your little nephew is an angel and super well-behaved, and it the confines of a family home, he just might be. But when you put him in front of a church full of people, there's no telling what he might do. He might refuse to go down the aisle altogether; he may sprint down the aisle like a bat out of hell; he may get bored and start exploring the alter area during the service; trust me, I've seen it all. And pictures? Don't count on them cooperating--if you can even get them in the picture at all. If the idea of random surprises on your wedding day alarms you, having kids in your wedding party may not be right for you. Even if you are convinced your six-year-old niece is a perfectly well-mannered.

Kids come with baggage
You know that cute four-year-old you want to come drop rose petals in the aisle at your wedding? Well, she'll have to be at your rehearsal. And kids don't get themselves to rehearsals on their own. So expect to feed a few extra mouths at the rehearsal dinner, because you'll need to have the parents of your little ones invited as well. And the nosy dad of your adorable flower girl? Well, he may think that he's entitled to share his opinion about some of the details since his little girl is a part of the affair. Just something to keep in mind.

I realize that most of those points could be construed as reasons not to have a flower girl/ring bearer, and I should clarify--that really isn't my opinion in the least. Darrell and I had both at our wedding, and I wouldn't change it, even though our ring bearer never made it down the aisle and is throwing a tantrum in the only picture we have with him in it. For starters, I didn't know that he refused to walk down the aisle until after the ceremony was over, and by then I was too excited to care that something hadn't gone "perfectly". Plus, Darrell and I happen to think the picture of him throwing a tantrum is pretty darn cute. But I also know that Darrell and I are not everyone, and I know that some of these things would put a serious damper on someone else's wedding day. So I just wanted to make sure to be thorough and put a few things out there that some people may not consider before deciding to include little ones in their wedding party.

Imagination Overload (in Reverse)

(13 September)

So, back when Darrell and I were trying to get pregnant, I wrote a post about how my imagination got the best of me and I perceived everything to be a sign of an impending pregnancy. Well, now that I am actually pregnant, it's like the opposite is true. Any sign or symptom that may be indicative of a pregnancy I dismiss and blame on some other cause. Case in point:

The fatigue I've been feeling? Definitely caused by the fact that I'm still adjusting to being back at work full-time (summers off can almost be a curse), in addition to coaching soccer every day and working until eight at Excel one or two nights a week. Totally not a pregnancy symptom.

The oh-so-wonderful acne that has started to pop up? Probably being caused by the fact that I always sleep on the same side of my face and haven't washed my pillowcase very recently (gross, I know). Definitely not because my skin is more sensitive due to my pregnancy.

The middle of the night trips to the bathroom? Two factors at work here. A) I'm getting older and all the times I strove to hold it as long as I could are finally catching up to me. B) I've been drinking a crap ton of water throughout the day, including into the evening, and, well, it's gotta come out sometime. Not being caused by the fact that my uterus is at least twice its normal size.

Any food aversions/cravings I've been having? Puh-leeze. I was queen of random food cravings years before I was pregnant. And I blame my yogurt/cottage cheese (shudder) aversion on the fact that just before the aversion hit I decided to try Greek yogurt for the first time and didn't particularly like it. Completely unrelated to pregnancy.

My (somewhat) heightened sense of smell? Like being around sweaty high school boys and drowned-in-purfume (and purfume-y lotion) high school girls wouldn't be enough to trigger anyone's sense of smell into overdrive, pregnant or not.


Now, here's the thing. I am actually intelligent enough to realize that all these symptoms are, in fact, being caused by my pregnancy (they're seriously in every thing I've read about first trimester symptoms. Along with swollen, tender breasts, which actually haven't been bothering me at all. But that really isn't too surprising; my breasts have always been under-achievers anyway). And I also realize that I am incredibly fortunate that my symptoms haven't been any more severe than they are. For whatever reason, though, my mind's first instinct is to dismiss them as signs of pregnancy and blame them on something else. I've come up with two reasons for why I think that might be.

1) I'm a stubborn ass who secretly likes to one-up other people. Oh, that movie was too scary for you? Pfft, it was no big deal for me. You went to the doctor for a cut on your finger? I didn't even go when my tooth got kicked through my lip (true story actually--and, in retrospect, probably a very dumb decision, but oh well). Two pieces of pizza was enough to fill you up? C'mon, I ate four plus five breadsticks (probably also true a true story, especially when I'm comparing my eating habits to those of my sister). So it would only be fitting that I would (subconsciously) approach my pregnancy in the same way and strive to get through it without being plagued by the "normal" symptoms because, well, I'm above the average person anyway.

2) I'm secretly terrified that I won't be able to carry this baby to term, so I'm building up a wall to keep myself from getting too emotionally attached. Because if we end up getting bad news at the doctor's office on Monday (I'll be just over ten weeks so I'm assuming/hoping they'll do an ultrasound), I can convince myself that it really isn't that big of a deal because I never "felt" pregnant anyway so it isn't that major of a loss. Darrell has already admitted that anything but good news would be devastating to him, so I'm trying to make sure that isn't the case for me (and therefore--like mentioned above--"one up" him because I was better prepared for the worst case scenario).

I realize I come out as a horrible person in both scenarios--in the first I'm a conceited brat, and in the second I'm a callous, pessimistic, worrywart--but there's probably some truth to both of them. Thankfully, my personality is made up of more than just the sum of those two parts, and you can bet your balls that once this pregnancy starts to feel a little bit more real I'll let my guard down and really start to get excited about things. In the meantime, though, I'll just be a slightly conceited person that doesn't fully believe in this pregnancy yet, okay? And you won't even have to deal with it anyway since none of these posts will be going live until well after I'm in the "excited" stage.

12/4 Update: Well, I'm 21 weeks now and we still haven't gotten an ultrasound, but I'm not concerned about that in the least. We've heard the heartbeat, I've been feeling kicks--this pregnancy is definitely real. However, I will say that I still feel like Darrell is more excited than me. Not because I'm still trying to (subconsciously) prepare myself for a worst-case scenario, but because the reality of the kicking and movement is making me realize that this is actually happening--whether we're ready for it or not. And sometimes, I feel like maybe we aren't. 

Getting Ready for Christmas

It's a rarity at our house, but Darrell and I actually had a full weekend with nothing on the schedule. Of course, this only happened because we were planning on going out of town, but ended up changing our minds a few days beforehand. We decided that it would be nice to have a free weekend at home and play catch-up with a few projects we've been putting off--and play catch up we did.

Friday night was spent cleaning the last few items out of what will become the baby's room so that we can start painting in there and getting it organized for when baby comes. We also started putting up Christmas decorations--usually I would do this myself the day after Thanksgiving, but this pregnancy has made me a little less coordinated than usual and I figured I should wait until Darrell was around to help, especially with some of the bigger items.

Saturday was a marathon day of running errands. We started the day by cutting down our Christmas tree...

and after visits to twelve different stores we were finally done for the day. But we got a lot taken care of--I finally have more than four maternity items to choose from, we have paint for the nursery, and we have some of our Christmas shopping done, just to name a few of the accomplishments.

We finally relaxed a little bit on Sunday: some (depressing) Vikings football in the afternoon, a casual walk in the unseasonably warm temperatures, a little Christmas tree decorating that evening, and a few episodes of Psych and ice cream to wrap up the day.

Hopefully we can keep this productivity going into next weekend--I've got some serious Christmas baking on my agenda and Darrell is planning to get the nursery painted!

"I'm Not Drinking" Decoy #4

I'm/We're trying to be more fiscally responsible.

Of course, this decoy doesn't work if either you or your significant other is, well, loaded. But for Darrell and I, pulling this one off was an easy sell. Of course, it required participation from Darrell as well, because by using this excuse he was also barred from ordering a drink. And it also isn't a good idea to pull this strategy out if the sole purpose for getting together with the group of people is to drink. But since we were getting together with friends to go to Buffalo Wild Wings, it was perfectly believable that we weren't ordering beer to go with our wings because we were trying to cut back a little bit. And really, if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, chances are you are legitimately trying to be more fiscally responsible, so it really isn't even like you are lying!

Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

I know what you are thinking. Homemade cinnamon rolls? That sounds time consuming. That sounds like I have to do lots of planning ahead. I know that you are probably thinking that because that's what I thought every time I saw a recipe for homemade rolls. The recipes always seemed unreasonable--if I wanted to make them in the morning for breakfast, I'd have to get up at the crack of dawn to make sure the dough would have enough time to rise. Most recipes do have the option of pre-making the dough and then storing it in the fridge so that it is ready to use in the morning, but that requires planning ahead. What about those mornings when you wake up and just decide--I want cinnamon rolls? What's a person to do--especially if you don't have a container of the Pillsbury ones waiting patiently in your fridge?

Well, this is the recipe for you. It isn't exactly super speedy--especially compared to those ready-to-use refrigerator varieties--but it's certainly speedier than most yeast recipes. And I dare say that when (because there will be another go at these rolls. You can bet on it) I make these rolls again, the process will go even smoothly than it did the first time. In fact, the person I found this recipe from claimed she could go from ingredients to finished product in an hour. I wasn't quite that efficient with my first attempt at them--but practice makes perfect.

We may have drowned the middle one in a little too much frosting. Whoops :)

Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
(recipe found here--check the link out for lots of pictures of the process)

For the Dough:
3 cups flour
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk, just mix 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar into 1 cup milk and let sit for 10 minutes)
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and divided
1/3 cup maple syrup

For the Filling:
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the Icing:
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 to 2 tsp milk
1 cup powdered sugar

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the buttermilk, maple syrup, and 2 tbsp of the melted butter. Stir until just combined. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead until smooth (it will still be very soft and a little sticky, but will be smoother and less lumpy). Place in a lightly floured bowl, cover, and chill for 20 minutes. To make the filling, combine all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add the melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture looks like wet sand. Prepare a 9-inch cake pan for the rolls by brushing with 1 tbsp melted butter and preheat the oven to 425*.

Once chilled, flatten the dough into a rectangle about 12x8 inches (flour work surface lightly if dough is still a little sticky). Pour 2 tbsp of the melted butter on to the dough and spread around. Pour the filling over the dough and spread it evenly over the top, leaving about a 1/2 border around the outside edge. Press the filling down slightly to pack it on top of the dough. Starting on the long side of the dough, roll the side up, pressing as you go, to create a tightly rolled log (work slowly in case the dough sticks to the work surface slightly). Pinch the seam closed and cut into eight even pieces. Transfer each roll to the prepared pan and brush with the remaining 2 tbsp of melted butter. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, until golden brown.

To make the icing, cream the butter in a medium bowl and then add the sugar. Mix until the sugar and butter start to come together. Add the syrup and whisk well, until the mixture is smooth. If it is too thick, add a teaspoon or two of milk. Allow the cinnamon rolls to cool for about five minutes before topping with the icing.

I will warn you--these suckers are sweet. Darrell and I could each only eat one at a sitting. So prepare to have leftovers of these (don't worry--they taste just as good reheated the next morning), or serve them to some friends (and, you know, impress them with your mad skills).

Wedding Wednesday: Picking the Bridal Party

As I mentioned right off the bat, one of the biggest factors that can increase the cost of a wedding is the size of the guest list. But many brides also forget that the size of the bridal party can be a huge cost factor as well. Let's look at a few things to keep in mind when determining who--and how many--to ask to stand up with you on your big day.

Bigger isn't always better
This is may be just a personal preference, but I think large bridal parties are overwhelming. I know that some people just have that many close family members and friends, but when there is a whole entourage of people at the front of the church, it can get easy to lose the bride and groom. And I find this to be especially true when looking at photographs of large bridal parties--it gets to be hard to "see" everyone because you are trying to cram so many people into the frame.

Images from Style Me Pretty

And there are obviously the financial considerations of having a large bridal party--more people in the bridal party means more people to pay for at the rehearsal dinner, more bridal party gifts to buy, a larger limo/vehicle to transport everyone from the wedding to reception (if you are planning to do that)--the list goes on.

Choose people who will make you wedding day better--not more stressful
The people in your bridal party will be around you the entire day of your wedding. So if you have a friend who is only tolerable in small doses, it is probably not wise to ask her to be in your bridal party. And that cousin who is more critical than helpful? Probably not a good idea to ask her either. Stick with people who make you smile, who make you feel relaxed, and who won't try to steal the limelight from you on your big day. Don't let yourself feel guilted into asking people to be in your bridal party--if they truly get offended that you didn't include them and subsequently hold it against you, then they probably weren't truly your friend in the first place--or at least weren't friends with you for the right reasons. But if they are truly your friend, they will understand and respect your decision, and probably still offer to help in whatever way they can. (And in fact, some might even be relieved not to be asked to be a bridesmaid because being a bridesmaid can be somewhat of a financial burden. Which brings me to point three....)

Don't make being a member of the bridal party a huge financial--or time--burden.
This is a huge one for me. By asking someone to be in your bridal party, you are pretty much acknowledging the special role he or she plays in your life. So don't turn around and take advantage of those special people in your life by asking them to shell out tons of money--or dedicate hours of their time--to be a part of your big day. Obviously there are some financial commitments; I pretty much expect that when someone asks me to be a bridesmaid that I'll be expected to pay for a dress (and possibly matching shoes and jewelry--more on bridesmaid dresses later though). But as the bride, you can make this burden a little bit easier by selecting items that are reasonably priced, or even paying for an element of their wedding day attire (make the jewelry their bridesmaid gift, for example). Also, be understanding when planing the bridal shower and/or bachelorette party. If you have your heart set on going to Vegas, understand that some of your bridal party might not be able to afford the trip (or at least make sure they are aware of--and okay with--this "obligation" from the start).

And even though you may have lots of wonderful DIY elements that you want to add to your wedding, don't expect your bridal party to help you put those elements together. Sure, you may have friends that are as DIY-minded as you are and would subsequently love to help out, but you may have other friends who are not comfortable with those kind of projects--or who might not have the time to spend four hours on a Saturday to help you put together invitations. Be understanding of these things--remember, you asked them to be in your bridal party because they have a meaningful relationship with you; a wedding is not a good excuse to take advantage of that relationship.

Belly Pictures: Weeks 17-20

Halfway there! Although I suspect that I am significantly less than halfway done in terms of my growth--considering baby is only in the ballpark of seven ounces right now and will likely be over six pounds by the time he/she is born (or--knowing the way things work in my family--over eight pounds), it's safe to say I've only seen the tip of the iceberg on the growth scale. And that's also evident a little bit from these pictures--over the span of four weeks there really hasn't been much significant growth (although there is definitely a difference looking back to some of the earlier weeks). I have had co-workers tell me that I've definitely started the pop in the past few weeks (which had lead to an increase in the number of hands that touch my belly), but I still feel like I'm at that stage where I kind of just look a little fat instead of pregnant. But that's probably just the hormones talking.

Quick disclaimer--I know that I definitely look bigger in Week 17 than I do in Week 18 (and even Week 19); prior to taking the Week 17 picture Darrell and I had a turkey dinner at my grandpa's church, which was, well, quite filling. So my week 17 belly is half-baby half-turkey, which is why it is somewhat disproportionally sized compared to the other weeks.

Week 17

Week 18

Week 19

Week 20

Other fun things to note: I've definitely been feeling the baby move for a week or two now. Usually it's just small little rolls and turns that I can feel from inside my belly (which is a little weird, for the record), but every now and then I feel a swift kick or punch. In fact, Darrell even got to feel one of those kicks on Saturday, so that was exciting. We have our ultrasound scheduled for December 10th (thirteen more days! Not that I'm counting....)--no plans to find out the gender, but excited to get a peek at this little bugger!

The Power of Pregnancy

(written August 30th)

Well, I'm currently 7.5 weeks pregnant, and have so far been blessedly free of any major symptoms. In fact, if it weren't for the sticks I've peed on and the preliminary OB/GYN visit, I'd consider questioning the fact that I was indeed pregnant. Because while I've had a few bouts of nausea, most have been directly connected to some sort of foul smell (which--apparently--my sense of smell might also be heightened). And yes, I've been feeling some fatigue, but even without the pregnancy I think that my crazy schedule of full-time job, soccer coaching, and part-time job would be enough to make me fatigued. 

Recently, though, a dairy aversion has started to set in. Not all dairy, just, well, chunky dairy. Like yogurt (but not the frozen stuff) and cottage cheese (and that's the last time you'll hear me mention those items until this aversion is long gone. *Shudder*). And, naturally, according to one of those fancy week-by-week pregnancy updaters, I find out that around eight weeks my dear parasite (call it what you want--the darn thing is a parasite. I love it to death--but it's still a parasite) begins the ossification of it's bones. Excellent. Just the time to get a dairy aversion (as Darrell pointed out, the whole vomiting and food aversion thing all seem very counter-intuitive to what a pregnant woman's body is trying to do). So, I casually send Darrell an email letting him know that we'll need to make a conscious effort to get dairy-rich foods into my diet (like broccoli and spinach), as well as plenty of the actual dairy items that I can still tolerate (which, thankfully, still includes milk and cheese). And oh, speaking of cheese--cheese and crackers sounds delicious. And that was it for the email. Just a casual mentioning of cheese and crackers. Well, I get home that night to find a platter with not one, but two different types of cheeses all sliced up and ready to eat, and a box of Triscuits. Ah-mazing. 

And to make this even more outstanding--this is all happening during a week where my schedule is straight ridiculous. Monday and Wednesday both I was working at Excel until eight, and today (Thursday) we have soccer in Vermillion, which means I won't be getting home until after nine. And oh, did I mention that it also happens to be Labor Day weekend this weekend, and Darrell and I are supposed to be getting ready to head out to Wisconsin to go camping? And that, because of the drive, we are needing to leave immediately after practice/work Friday afternoon so everything needs to be ready to go before then? Needless to say, Darrell is pretty much taking care of everything. And not just everything that we need for camping, but everything that needs to get done around the house as well. Like making dinners (and cleaning up--every night this week). And doing laundry. And who knows what else. It's safe to say I'm pretty darn lucky.

Side note: I considering typing this up--sans pregnancy references since we haven't officially told anyone yet--and publishing it on the day that it was actually happening, but I was too worried that the ever-intuitive Mama Shirley (and even Darrell's sisters) might start to get a little suspicious because Darrell was being too nice for just normal day-to-day stuff. And since we already have pretty fun ideas in mind for how we want to tell our families (with surprise being a key element), I couldn't risk publishing this and raising any red flags. So, off to sit in my "Drafts" folder it goes. 

11/26 Update: You know that dairy aversion I mentioned? Hasn't really gone away. Although it has gotten a little better--I can actually say the word "yogurt" without gagging and a few weeks ago I had a (small) spoonful of cottage cheese. And I don't have to banish Darrell to a different room of the house if he wants to eat yogurt. Thank goodness milk and cheese are still a-okay though. Oh, and this post is also the last time you'll hear me refer to the baby as a "parasite"; despite my very accurate reasonings for calling the baby such, Darrell was none too thrilled with that moniker. Instead, we coined the name BOB (Baby On Board) to refer to the baby. So if you hear us use that name, that's why. We have no idea if baby is a boy or not--and no intent of using the name BOB even if it is a boy.  

Giving Thanks

Since I plan to take the rest of the week off blogging so that I can focus on family time over the holiday, I figured I would put my normal "Wedding Wednesday" on hold and spend a moment giving thanks instead.

And while I could rattle off the "standard" list of things I'm thankful for, which really hasn't changed since last year or the year before (except, of course, that I'm thankful this year for the baby growing in my belly), I'm going to focus instead on a specific thing that I'm thankful for--namely, a specific group of people that I'm thankful for, and especially thankful for the fact that I got to spend some quality time with them last night.

I have known these girls (separately and together) for the better part of my life. KWills, on the far left, lived just down the street from the house my family moved into when I was five. She and her mom brought us cookies to welcome us to the neighborhood, and we've been friends ever since. Eddy, to my left, and I have gone to church together since, well, about as long as I can remember. I met Jen (to my right) in seventh grade through the other two. Seventh grade was also the year I joined these three on a club soccer team, and we spent many fun years playing together and traveling to tournaments together. In fact, for most of our years on the team, these girls and I were the defense of the team--I was the keeper, Jen was my sweeper/center back, and Eddy and KWills were my outside backs. So many good times.

Countless years later, we still get together whenever we have the opportunity, and it's like we've never missed a beat. While I could go on about why I love spending time with these girls, the best way I can think of to sum up why I these girls are so important to me is to say that last night while we were hanging out, we (unintentionally) had discussions on all three of the "taboo" conversation topics: sex, religion, and politics. And I don't mean that as a bragging point that we all share the same views and perspectives on those topics and subsequently have no problem discussing those issues; in fact, quite the opposite is true. But these are all girls who will never judge you for having an opinion different from theirs, and are always open to engage in conversation with people of different opinions to widen their own knowledge, not to push their opinion on others. There's no right or wrong, just open-mindedness and acceptance of who you are. And for that, I am thankful.

"I'm Not Drinking" Decoy #3

I promise to have some non-pregnancy related posts later this week/next week (yay for getting to do baking over the holiday!), but for now, here's another useful strategy for hiding your pregnancy at a bar or social event.

Order a beer (or drink of some sort), but don't really drink it. If/When someone asks, claim to not like it very much and pawn it off on a significant other (or friend).

I'll be honest, this was a challenging guise . We were at JL Beers with a friend, and I knowingly ordered a beer that was a little bit more up Darrell's alley than mine so that it would be easy for me to claim that I didn't like it. But let me tell you--it's really hard to sit there and eat a delicious burger with a full beer in front of you and Not. Drink. Any of it. Regardless of the fact that it was a beer I didn't particularly care for anyway.

The ploy worked well, though, because when the guys were ready to order their second round and my friend realized how much beer I still had left I sheepishly admitted that it was a little "too hoppy" for me so I was having to drink it slowly. And he shrugged it off without an issue (actually, he may have called me an amateur, but given the circumstances I suppose I can handle a little bit of an insult).

I will say, though, to "sell" this decoy a little bit, you might want to take occasional "sips" of the beer. If you aren't comfortable taking tiny sips and ingesting even a small amount of alcohol, you might be able to get away with just raising your drink to your lips and tilting it backwards and having it hit your lips a little bit. And then, if there's the opportunity, have your significant other take a swallow out of it to help make it look like something is actually being consumed. And unless you have really astute friends (in which case, maybe make sure they are a few drinks ahead of you by this point), you should be able to slip this decoy under their nose without much issue.

Our New Guest "Room"

Since we've started telling people that we're expecting, Darrell and I have been fielding questions right and left. Many of them I expected--When are you due? (April 13th is the "official" date.) How have you been feeling? (Pretty good, actually.) Are you going to find out what you are having? (No.) Some I was a little surprised by--Were you trying? (Not that it is any of your business, but yes, we were trying, it was not an accident.) How long had you been trying for? (Again, a little personal, but if you've been paying attention to the posts you'll know we started trying in May and were pregnant by the end of July.) There has been one question, though, that made me laugh a little bit--Have you decided which room you are going to turn into the nursery?

Here's why that question is humorous--our house only has two finished bedrooms. Obviously the person who asked us that question did not know that (and clearly thinks we are well-off enough to be able to afford a house with a multitude of bedrooms), but for someone privy to the facts, it's a comical question. Because there was really no debate about it--we were going to be turning our guest bedroom into the nursery, and subsequently be without a guest bedroom (at least until we finish the basement--if we finish the basement).

Now, while I knew that this had to be the arrangement, the hostess in me did not like eliminating the guest bedroom. I want to be able to invite company to our house, and when they come, I want to be able to offer them a nice place to stay, not expect them to get a hotel room (or make arrangements for them to stay at my parent's house). So, we did some cleaning and rearranging and moved the guest room to the basement.

It isn't exactly five-star or anything, but it's a start. We've even run some extension cords into the area so that our guests will have access to electricity. I'm still hoping to find a few rugs or something for the floor because, well, cement can be cold and uncomfortable to walk on. And you know, maybe some window treatments. After that, all we'll need are guests! Any takers?

Breaking the Baby News to Darrell

One of my favorite moments so far in this pregnancy was telling Darrell that he was going to be a dad. As you read yesterday, Darrell was out of town until after dinner the day I peed on a stick. Rather than break the news over the phone, I decided to wait until he was home, which gave me ample time to plan something a little on the elaborate side (and, well, keep me occupied so I didn't go completely stir-crazy waiting for him to get home).

As you may recall, Darrell has sent me on a scavenger hunt or two for presents in the past. And, nerd that I am, I thoroughly enjoyed the scavenger hunts. Well, since I know that Darrell is as much of a nerd as I am, I decided to send him on a little scavenger hunt of his own. Except I wasn't nice enough to give him just word clues; instead, he had to solve Sudoku puzzles, pair the highlighted number in each row up with a letter in the alphabet, and then unscramble the letters to find the location of the next clue.

It was totally nerdy. But awesome. And to reward him for his efforts, I had a small gift certificate placed with each clue.

Harold's Photo because Darrell has always talked about buying a flash for his camera so that he'll be able to take better indoor shots (definitely important with a newborn), Barnes and Noble so we could buy our first pregnancy book (we went with What to Expect when You're Expecting), and Target because, well, Target is awesome and has everything you would ever need (baby on the way or not). For his final clue, the letters unscrambled to spell the word "pregnant", although it didn't take him solving the puzzle for all eight letters to figure out what the word was. This revelation was naturally followed by lots of jumping and hugging and general excitement (mostly on his end--I was still a little bit in a state of disbelief). And then because Darrell decided he wouldn't possibly be able to settle down and go to bed anytime soon he insisted we head out to Target and Barnes and Noble and redeem our gift cards (thank goodness for stores open until 10:00).

We were pretty disappointed in the gender-neutral clothing selection at Target, so we settled for getting a blanket instead--still just as cute, and still pretty weird to think in a mere five months we'll have a little baby to wrap in the blanket!

Disbelief

(11 August 2012)

Just peed on a stick.

Just got a positive pregnancy test.

Kind of having a hard time believing it.

Which is stupid. Because we were trying. Because for the past few months I've been hoping to miss my period and get pregnant. And this time it happened. And I'm pretty much shocked. Maybe the excitement will set in once I tell Darrell. But he's out of town until 9:00 tonight.....

Pregnant? Me? That's going to take some getting used to.


Just peed on another stick twenty minutes later. 

Still positive.

Gulp.

Ready or not..... 

Wedding Wednesday: On Dieting

Shortly after getting engaged, I had a few different people ask me what "wedding diet" I was going to go on. My initial reaction was to be upset by their question and the implication that I even needed to go on a diet prior to getting married. However, the question was usually followed up by the statement "not that you need to go on a diet or anything, but I just figured you would since everyone else does".

Here's my two cents on that. "Diets" are terrible ideas (sorry if you thought you were going to be getting an analysis of the different, popular wedding diets in this post. You aren't). Most diets produce results that are difficult, if not impossible, to maintain. And long-term, constantly going on and off diets can actually be bad for your body.

Now, that isn't to say I'm against people wanting to look their best at their wedding. I totally understand that these are pictures that you will (hopefully) cherish for the rest of your life and you want to look good in them. But ideally, you'll want to look good after them as well. Personally, I think I would get upset looking at my wedding photos if they were images of a much slimmer me that I had lost shortly after getting married. I feel like the pictures would "taunt" me with an image of what I could look like, and make me feel guilty for how I currently looked.

The solution? (Yes, I do have one. This isn't going to be a total Debbie-Downer kind of post. Although I'm sort of in that mood today which maybe explains my choice of topic.) Find a lifestyle change that will work for you. Lifestyle changes aren't easy--but the results and benefits are much longer lasting than a 30-day juice cleanse diet. Start small if you need to--cut out one fast food meal per week. Go for a 30 minute walk one night per week. Switch your afternoon soda to a glass of water. Pack a handful of carrots with your lunch. Sure, you may not see results as immediately as you would if you jumped on board with an extreme diet plan, but trust me, you will see results. And they will be much easier to maintain because you've built the habits into your daily life--not into some crazy liquid diet that you'll drop immediately after the wedding.

It's one thing to look your best on your wedding day. But to be able to maintain that change and continue to look your best (and even continue to fit into your wedding dress) five, ten, even fifteen years down the road? Now that's an accomplishment to be proud of.

Food for thought.

Chunky Pecan Pie Bars

To me, the biggest indicator of a successful recipe is one that people request the recipe for. Sure, it's always flattering when people look at a picture of a recipe or the ingredients of a recipe and say "wow, that sounds so good, I can't wait to try it". But when I'm actually sharing my food with others and after sampling it they request the recipe for their own collection, I know I've found a winner.

Such was the case for this recipe. I was in charge of preparing a dessert for a lunch with some extended family this past weekend, and with Darrell's input, decided on this recipe that I had torn out of a magazine quite a few years ago (actually--the decision was pretty quick. This was the first recipe I showed Darrell, and when he saw the photo he said "make that one" and refused to look at any more recipes). Then at the lunch, I had two different people request the recipe (and Darrell--who was quite pleased with his decision--may have eaten three pieces).

It certainly mimics the flavors of a pecan pie (but with chocolate!), but has a crust that is much less fussy than a pie crust (if you are in to making those on your own and not just buying a frozen one). Plus, you definitely get more servings out of this than you would a pie, so it's more bang for your buck. Definitely one to keep in mind for the holidays!

Chunky Pecan Pie Bars
(from a Nestle ad in a magazine)

Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar

Filling:
3 large eggs
3/4 cup corn syrup
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (11.5 oz pkg) semi-sweet chocolate chunks
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350*. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan. Beat flour, butter, and brown sugar in a small mixer bowl until crumbly. Press into pan. Bake for twelve to fifteen minutes or until lightly browned. In a medium bowl with a wire whisk, beat eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter, and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chunks and pecans. Pour evenly over baked crust. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Enjoy!