Turkey Stock

For Christmas, JM wanted a big turkey dinner. Since he would be the one to cook the bird, I agreed. We had a delicious dinner that night and I decided to try my hand at making homemade turkey stock. I figured it couldn't be that hard, just throw the bones in with some veggies and water and let it cook all day.

Well, up to that point, it was pretty straight forward. It was after that it got to be a little more work. I strained everything from the liquid and let it cool. After leaving it in the fridge overnight, I scrapped off the fat (eww) and poured it into containers. Any one step wasn't too difficult but when you are dealing with such huge pots of often hot liquid, it was hard work. I'm not sure if it was worth it. I got 6.5 quarts of turkey stock that I put in the freezer for later use. We use chicken stock quite a bit, so we'll see how this compares. At the very least I learned something new!

Nursery Reveal

We got the nursery painted and all the furniture put together. We don't have bedding yet (that's Grandma's job) but I wanted to show the pictures of what we have done. We re-painted everything and it was a lot of work to get the three tone done. I have decided that I won't paint base boards again until they are being replaced.

I'm thrilled with how the room turned out. JM likes it too. Sometimes I like to just sit in there. It's so peaceful and quiet right now. It holds all the promise of a new little life just waiting to arrive.

I still want to get some decorations to go in there, but that will come. Once we decide on a name (we haven't yet) I want to put that in vinyl on the top chocolate part. There is only the tiniest part of me that is concerned that we painted the nursery pink. What if it turns out Blanche is a boy? I guess I'll have to send JM home from the hospital to buy blue paint and get to work.

One Month and Counting

Last night we had a conversation that went like this.

JM: Are you ready to have the baby?
Me: For the rest of the child's life, I would not want a Christmas baby, but today, I'd be happy with it.

In honor of such a conversation, I offer you a list of things of things to know you are ready for the baby, Redneck style. (IE- You might be a redneck if...)

You might be ready to have the baby if:

• A regular size bath towel no longer fits around you.
• The doctors at your office are now on their second round of commenting "You sure are getting big."
• You are disappointed every morning to wake up to a dry bed and no contractions.
• Counting down to the due date is more exciting than the countdown to Christmas.
• You are looking forward to working out to get your pre-pregnancy body back.
• Dropping something on the floor means it's going to stay there.
• You can no longer reach across your own body to buckle your seat belt.
• You can't hold your toddler on your lap because it's full of baby.

I'm to the point of being tired of being pregnant. I am not actually ready to have the baby yet - there is still a long to-do list. But being pregnant has lost it's fun.

Sugar Induced Coma

I get excited about Christmas. I love all the stuff going on and the baking. This year the plan was to go light on the neighbor gifts to make my life easier. Instead, I ended up making multiple treats and packing them into cute little boxes. It took me two days to make all the "simple" treats. Granted, each one was fairly easy, but the time commitment adds up when you have a list of 5 treats. I made:

1. Oreo Balls
2. Peppermint Brownies
3. Mini-turtles
4. Carmel & chocolate dipped pretzels sticks
5. Chocolate dipped pretzels

I thought about doing chocolate dipped candy canes too, but I never made it that far. That's ok. It was a bit much for me anyway. JM kept coming into the kitchen and was bewildered by all the treats. He asked if I was trying to share Christmas cheer or induce diabetes for our neighbors. But don't those little boxes look so cute with all the variety!

After making the boxes, there was some leftovers. I ate WAY too many sweets and ended up feeling sick. Good thing there is still more for tomorrow!

He's Baaaaaa-ack

Remember how I had a dream that involved the impressive anatomy of Barack Obama? Well, he appeared again in my dreams the other night. Well, the promise of him anyway.

I dreamt that I was hosting an important diplomat dinner. I have no idea why or how it would come about that I would be hosting such a thing, but in dreams, details like that are irrelevant. I was all kinds of stressed out because everything was taking longer to prepare than I planned. My dad, who was supposed to be grilling the meat was taking a leisurely attitude about starting it. I kept running around telling my family "Barack Obama will be at this dinner!" to stress the importance. No one seemed to appreciate why that should encourage a timely meal preparation. At one point I realized that I hadn't arranged for servers and was mortified that we would have to pass food around the table instead of having a plated meal.

I woke up in the middle of the night feeling really stressed out and had to remind myself that I am not hosting the president in my home anytime soon. When I told JM about the dream, he asked if I knew who the other "diplomats" were that were attending my dinner. I didn't know anyone else, just the president. What exactly does this say about me?

Friday Fragments

Getting kicked from the inside hurts. It hurts even worse when you are getting kicked in the cervix. Ouch!

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BG has started using the word "impressive". It is not uncommon to hear her declare "I am impressive!"

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Do you realize that Christmas is less than two weeks away? I have offically given up on doing Christmas cards this year. I'll just send out a new baby announcement next year and call it good. Neighbor gifts are the next thing to go.

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I don't like the cold. With the weekly highs being in the 20s, it has not been a good week. The worst part is that I can't even make use of my flannel lined pants from last winter. Darn this pregnancy.

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Ever since we told BG about the pregnancy and that Mommy has a baby in her tummy, BG has had a doggie in her tummy. Over the months it has grown to multiple doggies and kitties. A few weeks ago frogs got thrown into this mix. This morning she told there were elephants in her tummy, but just little ones. Should I be concerned about her birthing a zoo one of these days?

One is the lonliness number

Is it just me or do us girls make things too difficult? Like getting together with friends. Why is that if I want a girls night out it requires multiple conversations, emails, and phone calls with a booking many weeks out? When JM wants a night with the guys it involves a 2 text conversation and happens in two days. I may be a little jealous of that.

After a conversation last night that went something like this, it got me to thinking.
JM: Are we doing anything Thursday?
Me: I don't think so. Why?
JM: John invited me over to his house. You ok if I go?
Me: Aren't you guys getting together on Saturday night too?
JM: Yeah, but he lives close and we were going to watch a movie.

Perhaps it's wrong, but this conversation left me a bit miffed. Why isn't it so easy for me to get together with my friends? Are we really that much busier? Do we just make it too hard? Do I just not have good enough friends to have a casual get together on a few days notice? I'm not sure what the reason it, but it's bugging me. It's making me ponder on the effort involved in maintaining a relationship. I think it's important to have girlfriends, but I know those relationships frequently slip down the priority list at an alarming rate. So this is me stating I am going to make a better effort. I am going to work harder to get together with the girls. I am going to try and make new friends. After all, I need some time away too. (If you are in need of another friend, please let me know! I need more too.)

Birth Day

Some women seem to know if their baby will arrive early, late, or right on cue. With BG I had no idea. This time around, I think Blanche might come early. I have been having contractions for several weeks now. My contractions are neither regular nor frequent, but I get them a few times a week. My mom says that means my labor will go quickly. I keep telling Blanche that she cannot come until after the new year.

I have another Dr appointment tomorrow. With this one I will start going every two weeks instead of monthly. When I told JM last night I was excited to go to the doctor this week, he laughed and told me it sounded strange. I do find going comforting. I like hearing her heartbeat and being reassured that everything is going smoothly. I tend to worry otherwise (even without cause).

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our Thanksgiving weekend was really good, but very busy. It was filled with lots of this.

We spent nearly three days painting. A few weeks ago I painted BG's big girl room. She was happy to help with taping. This weekend we painted the nursery. Once we get the furniture assembled, and the rooms fully put together, I'll post pictures of both rooms.

We also spend time with family, ate lots of food, and pondered on the many blessings we have. We have so much to be grateful for and I appreciate having a specific time of year set aside to remember those things.

Mom's Cheeseball

There are many food dishes that are traditional this time of year. One of my favorites both growing up and still today is cheeseball and crackers. It's hard to go wrong with cheese, but growing up on my mom's homemade cheeseball had made me particular about cheeseball.

It is actually a pretty simple recipe, but so delicious! The recipe originally comes from a Betty Crocker cookbook.

2 packages cream cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar (I never measure and I'm sure use much more.)
1 package crumbled blue cheese (4 oz)
1/4 cup minced onion
1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
Chopped Walnuts



Let cream cheese come to room temperature. Combine everything except walnuts in a mixer. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, place chopped walnuts on a plate. Take out cheese mixture and roll into balls. This will make three medium balls or any other size you choose. Roll cheese balls in the chopped walnuts. Place on platter with crackers and enjoy!

I love this recipe and it has become the dish my in-laws request I bring for Thanksgiving. I usually take two and keep one at home just for me our family. Link up to Bake at 350 for more delicious traditional recipes.

New Moon: Greatest Movie Ever?

Let me preface my movie review by saying I am far from the uber-fan. I read the first book, but never saw the movie. I haven't read any of the other books. I enjoyed the first book for the teenage romance that it is. However, I do not own anything with a symbolic apple and you may notice the lack of a "My heart belongs to Edward" button on my side bar.

My mom called me and invited me to go to New Moon with her. I was happy to go because 1- Free ticket 2- Adult girl time and 3-Why not? I went into it thinking it would be mediocre at best. I'd heard the CG was pretty impressive with the werewolves, and it was.

So as to not give away the story to those who haven't seen it (is it possible to spoil a book-based movie for fans?), I'll just give my general thoughts. I left the theater thinking it was a good chick-flick. A fun movie to see with your girlfriend, but not award winning. The one thing that I am still having a hard time with is how unrealistic it all is. No, not the part about vampires. Or even the whole werewolf thing. What bugs me is that some random, plain Jane girl moves to po-dunk Smallville and ends up with two super-human, super-natural, hot guys fighting for her love. Come on now. Like THAT ever happens.

As I was driving home thinking about all the drama, The Cure came on the radio and it was like a slingshot back to high school. I realized that I would have LOVED this series in high school. Mostly because I would have related Edward and Bella to my own, at the time, torrid relationship with a boy who was neither forthcoming nor overly affectionate. Then again, I think I was kind of depressed in high school. (It makes me grateful for the happy, drama-less life I currently lead.)

So all in all, a decent movie worth seeing for the casual fan like me. If you are the uber fan, I don't think anyone could stop you from seeing it.

It's Growing

I thought it might be time for an updated belly shot for those of you who don't live near by. I have gotten large enough and obviously pregnant enough that strangers now feel comfortable commenting. I have gotten several questions about my due date from complete strangers. So, here I am in all my end-of-a-long-day and tired glory at 31 weeks.

Those pants I'm wearing, they are my favorite thing ever. They are maternity sweat pants. Can you think of anything that screams "I'm lounging at home" more than that? I think I may actually miss them when I don't fit into them anymore.

I'm a Little Ashamed

Yesterday when I was driving home, I was flipping through radio stations looking for something good. I stopped on the Christmas station and listened to several Christmas songs. I was bit embarrassed seeing as how it is not yet Thanksgiving.

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The pregnancy counter on my sidebar gives me panic attacks. Somehow saying I'm 31 weeks along makes it sound like I have more time than "9 weeks left". What does that say about me that I'm avoiding my own blog because of something I put up?

Online Discounts

Have you ever wondered if there was a discount code for the retailer you are ordering from? I sure don't have time to spend hours on Google looking for codes only to hope they will work. At some point, someone told me about retailmenot.com. It is the GREATEST site for compiling discount codes. Basically, you type in the online retailer and it will pull up a list of discount codes. It only takes seconds, but can save you lots of money!

For example, I just ordered a crib, changing table, and dresser from an online retailer. I had done my research to find the best online deal. Right before I finished checking out, I went to retailmenot and typed in the retailer. Up popped several coupons - $10 off $100, $20 off $200. Then I found the one I really wanted - 10% off orders over $200. BINGO! Since buying three pieces of furniture is pricy, I was pretty excited to find a 10% off code. I put the code into the promo box and it worked.

One of the other things I love about retailmenot is that if a code doesn't work, you click a button to notify them and they will remove it from their site. Every code has a percentage rate for how often it works for customers so you can easily see how well the coupon works. This helps eliminate outdated , expired, or incorrect codes. I’m not getting paid anything for this endorsement; just want to share a great resource!

I Forget..

I forget that the third trimester of pregnancy is physically exhausting. I'm still clinging to the energy of the 2nd trimester (even though it has long since past).

I forget that I can't bend, lift, and squat like I used to pre-pregnancy without regretting it later.

I forget that fetal movements can sometimes feel like you are getting kicked in the ribs, repeatedly.

I forget that pregnancy brings on emotional highs and lows worthy of their own soap opera. (I may have burst into hysterical tears after church while telling JM my tights were too small and hurting me.)

I forget that being pregnant is more than just having "put on a few pounds". I actually have to purchase clothing made for pregnancy. (See above.)

How is that I have a child but still feel like a first time mom with this pregnancy?

Halloween

BG had a hard time deciding what to be for Halloween this year. I had been asking for weeks and she couldn't decide on just one thing. After a while, I suggested she wear her Tinkerbell costume with the wings that she has to play dress up. She was thrilled with the idea and immediately started telling people she was going to be a butterfly.

Thankfully it didn't snow on Halloween, but it was a bit chilly. Luckily BG happens to own a green hoodie that not only fit under her costume, but matched perfectly. She looked really cute and was so excited to go trick-or-treating.

We had a fun time going around the neighborhood and BG got a good stash of goodies. I may or may not have eaten more of her candy than she has at this point.

People with Faces

I am far from a child development expert. However, I do know that it's a big accomplishment for a child to start drawing faces on people. Those faces will later be following by arms, legs, fingers, etc. BG has just recently begun drawing her family as circles with faces. I love these pictures. She also frequently includes her baby sister in her family portraits.

This is the one she brought home from church last week. When I asked what was on Daddy's head she informed me that those were his legs. She was offended that I had to ask. I'm not sure why she is not in this family picture.

Candy Decor

I love to decorate with candy. It's an easy way to add some holiday cheer at a great price. I use this same vase every year and just fill it with appropriately themed candy. For Halloween it's candy corn. For Christmas it's either something red and white (peppermints) or last year I just used small Christmas balls. For Easter I use Robin's eggs. The possibilities are endless and it gives me an excuse to have a yummy treat around!

The only downside is when I'm craving candy corn only to realize it's been sitting out for a month and really stale. My vase usually starts out more full, but over the weeks, well, you can guess.

For more great tips and tricks, visit Works for Me Wednesday.

Open Letter

Dear Vandals-

Really?! I know that pumpkin smashing is all the rage this time of year among teenagers, but did you have to smash ours? BG lovingly picked them out and tells me every morning "The big one is BG's, the other big one is Mommy's and the little one is Daddy's." You really had to take away the joy for a 3 year old? We hadn't even carved them yet. I was going to roast those seeds.

And another thing, why only ours? When I check the neighborhood this morning I didn't see any other large orange gourds with their guts spilled. Not that I wish it upon my neighbors, but why not everyone's if you already out causing mischief?

I'm disappointed. Disappointed that you would bring something like that to our quiet, suburban neighborhood.

Signed-
You Owe Me Two Large Pumpkins

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On another note, Happy Birthday to my sister! And happy (hopeful) birthday to the new baby my friend is having today.

Friday Fragments

I have arrived as a blogger! I got an email from someone wanting me to review their product on my blog. I haven't responded.

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BG's hair was really snarly the other day. Even after a bath, combing it was a challenge. She was wincing as I tried to comb through the tangles. I told her she had a rat's nest in her hair and asked what she had put in her hair at school. Her response: "A rat".

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BG is starting to talk about her little sister more and more. After buying pumpkins (three, one for each family member) she told me that we needed another one for her sister.

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When setting the table last night, BG got out spoons for the soup. She got out a baby one for her sister.

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I bought the first baby items for Blanche. She got new winter sleepers and bibs. I'm hoping to use a lot of BG's baby stuff for Blanche, but BG was born in June and Blanche is due in Jan. There is going to be a weather difference to be accounted for. The bibs? Well, BG was an incessant drooler and her bibs have seen their best days. My favorites (after much trial and error) are the Carter's dribble bibs. They have a plastic lining so it takes longer for the drool to soak through to an outfit.

Restrictions and Ramblings

I went to the OB today for my 25 weeks visit. I've made it to viability! (That means should Blanche be born, she actually has a chance of survival. Not that anyone wants that now, but a big milestone anyway.) Everything looks good and Blanche is growing well. She is really active and my OB, at times, has a hard time pinning down her heartbeat.

While at my appointment, we discussed hospital restrictions. Most hospitals in our area (including the one I work at and the one I will deliver at) are implementing visitor restrictions this winter due to H1N1. While I knew that was happening it didn't hit me until today that BG will not get to visit me in the hospital when Blanche is born. Visitors are restricted to two at a time and must be over age 12. While it makes me kind of sad that BG won't get to meet Blanche until we bring her home, I understand the rationale behind it. I don't want someone else's sick 3 year old coughing on my new baby.

On a totally different note, I made more caramel popcorn last night. Yes, the other batch was gone and yes, I wanted more. We also got Wolverine from Redbox and enjoyed a night in. I know I'm pathetic that I am just now seeing this movie, but that's how we roll. Hugh Jackman in yummy but I actually have liked him better as Wolverine in the other X-Men movies.

I Can Blame the Pregnancy Right?

BG and I made pumpkin bread with chocolate chips in it on Friday. We made it in honor of JM's last day at his current job. Plus it's delicious and I've been craving some.

Last night I polished off JM's shake from Iceberg before I even knew it.

Tonight, I made pecan caramel popcorn. It was almost too easy, which only concerns me because it means I will be making it much more frequently. I was kind of thinking about making enough to take to some neighbors, but, well.... there's not enough left to share.

I'm already plotting for when I can make pumpkin roll with cream cheese frosting.

I bought a decorative candy corn this weekend to add to my fall decor. JM laughed when he saw it and asked why it didn't have a bite taken out of it. I do have a love affair with those delicious little multi-colored triangles.

All I want to eat is sweets!

Shooting Up

No, I'm talking about illegal substances; don't go calling DCFS on me. What I mean is the flu shot. Have you gotten yours? Are you going to be getting one?

I have never been a big believer in getting flu shots. I also rarely get the flu. Last year (after I started working at a hospital) it was required for all employees to either get the shot or sign a waiver refusing the shot. I got the shot and fell horribly ill two weeks later.

This year the job still requires one of the above two options. Since it is highly recommended for pregnant women, I got my shot.

My real question is about the H1N1 vaccine that will be coming out soon. Those highest on the priority shot for the vaccine include pregnant women (raises hand) and health care workers (keeps hand up). I am generally a believer in western medicine and vaccines and all things scientific. But with this one, I'm a bit hesitant. I'm hesitant because this is the first time we've ever had this vaccine. It has been rushed through production and there is no long-term information about the effects - good or bad. So it makes me feel a bit like a I, and my unborn child, are a bit of a guinea pig for this vaccine. I wish there was at least one year of data to look at.

On the other hand, I fully recognize there is a good reason pregnant women are at the top of the priority list. Studies of H1N1 have found that when preggos get it, they respond much worse than the general population. Even if they were healthy before they got it. I have heard some unsettling (yet unofficial) information about babies doing poorly after birth when mom had H1N1. I would hate to not do everything I can to protect myself and Blanche (in-utero baby name).

What complicates this is a Jan. due date. That is pretty smack in the middle of winter. It's not as though I can have this kid in the fall and then just become a hermit over the winter to minimize exposure. I will be out there working and living life. What would (or are) you doing about the H1N1 vaccine?

*Did I mention that I did talk to my OB about the vaccine. She said that the benefits of it outweigh the risks and will be getting it herself and encouraging her patients to get it too.

The Change

Remember a few weeks ago I talked about how I was giddy with a new change that was coming? The details have finally been worked out and the proper order for announcing the news has taken place. So now I can write about it on the blog. (Sorry blogger friends, you will always be the last to know.)

JM is getting a new job! We are really excited about it and feel very blessed to have this opportunity, especially in this kind of economy. The job is similar work to what he is currently doing, but with a much larger software company. One of the great things about this job is that we don't have to move to the frozen north. We get to stay in the home we love and watch the fruit trees we planted this spring grow over time. We are excited about the possibilities this new job will mean for his career and feel it is a great move for him right now.

His current employer is not happy to see him go, but we feel good about the decision. It will be hard for him to leave some great friends he has made at his current job. At least we will still be local, so the boys can still hang out.

He is taking a week off between jobs but then will be hitting the learning curve hard. So, I will enjoy having a husband for the next few weeks before he goes into overdrive working to learn a new company and products.

Fall Cooking

I love fall. I love the crispness in the air and all the yummy things to cook. I love that my kitchen isn't too hot to cook. I always get really ambitious this time of year and think I am going to bake up a storm. It rarely happens to the extent in my head, but it's fun just the same.

I love pumpkin. Pumpkin bread, roll, cheesecake, etc. (not so much the cookies, go figure). I have seen around that apparently there is a shortage of canned pumpkin this year. I bought an overpriced can at Smiths last week because it was there. The next time I was at Walmart, the pumpkin shelf was completely empty and I thought there might be some truth to this. Gasp! So I am planning on starting my baking with pumpkin bread. I have to get it in while we have some canned stuff in the pantry. Our family has already purchased more pumpkin bread from Kneaders this month than I care to share. Yum!!

I also made carmel apples a few weeks back and they were delish! Best Bites has a really yummy looking recipe for fancy carmel popcorn so I might have to give that a try too.

It doesn't help that I've hit the stage of pregnancy where I crave sweets constantly. Last night my dad brought us pizza and then we made cookies. I figure once you've already eaten 4 you might as well round up and make it an even 5. How could I not?! I brought some to work today and I'm sure I'll be eating more for dessert after dinner. So many great thing to cook for fall and just not enough time...

BG and a Baby

I took dinner to a friend with a new baby a few weeks ago. I brought BG along to see how she would do with a new baby. (My friend was more than willing to let her child be my guinea pig.) BG held the baby and loved every minute of it. At one point we asked if she wanted to give the baby back and she told us no.


I think she will do well when her little sister arrives. She talks about her frequently now. Just the other day she told the baby to "grow up big like me so you can come out!"My next task is to teach her how to change a diaper. You bet I'm enlisting help if I can get it!

Giddy

I'm giddy with excitement. There are some great new changes coming to our family soon. It's still too early to post details, but hopefully that will come in the next few days as it unravels.

It's the kind of change that left me unable to sleep last night because I couldn't turn my brain off. I kept rolling around different scenerios in my head and daydreaming about the future. Which means I'm actually very tired today, but still excited.

Busy Life

I didn't think that being a full time employee, wife, mother, and being pregnant was enough. So this semester I am also teaching a class at the local community college turned University. I'll tell you what! I have a much greater appreciation for my college professors.

The class I am teaching is a health class and the curriculum was all put together for me (thank goodeness!). All I have to do is read the book, present the materials and grade papers. Even that is turning out to be a lot of work! So to all you teachers out there, thank you for what you do. Thank you for taking the time it takes to teach well and educate students. I have been humbled by my small taste of your profession.

Gender Reveal

Yesterday we went the the OB and had my mid-pregnancy ultrasound. Just to increase the suspense, the tech did all the measurements and organ checking first. I'm measuring right on target for my Jan 21 due date. The baby has all the important features such as: heart, spine, brain, diaphragm, kidneys, stomach.

When we got to the money shot, the little bugger was crossing it's legs at the ankle. The tech looked at several different angles before telling us.

WE




ARE




HAVING




A




GIRL!
(I realize that was a bit TAMN-esk, but I wanted to build suspense.)

We are really excited. BG is excited about having a sister and has been talking about it ever since. I think there must be something in the water because I know of very few boys in utero right now.

Now we have to start on the name game. JM and I have a really hard time agreeing on girl names. It took a long time to get a short list for BG. Last night when we were laying in bed super tired, JM said "How about Blanche? It's a name AND a verb!" Maybe it was just because I was so tired, but I laughed pretty hard. What are your favorite girl names?

Buddy or Princess

We have our ultrasound scheduled for next week. In addition to making sure the baby is healthy, has a working heart, two kidneys and so on, we also (hopefully) get to find out the gender. I'm all for finding out. I'm a planner and need to know. I also know from experience, it will help me bond with the baby better if I know what gender it is.

I don't have any strong inclination on the gender of this baby. When I was pregnant with BG, I was positive she was a boy. When I found out she was a girl, I cried. And not tears of joy. It took me a while to adjust to the idea of having a girl. Now I love having a girl and think it would be fun to have another. JM would like a boy. I will be happy either way. So what do you think? Vote on my poll and I'll let you know next week who is right. *Did I mention that everyone I know who is pregnant right now is having a girl?*

Happy Birthday

Today is my honey's birthday. Since I will be gone all day, I made him a birthday cake last night. I even made it from scratch. (Since I rarely succeed at making frosting, I bought that in a can.) It turned out pretty tasty.

It doesn't look too pretty cut because my man likes chocolate on chocolate. Doesn't make for a pretty picture, but a yummy dessert.

I'm one lucky lady to be married to this man. Here is a short list of reasons why he's great and I love him.

1. When we are walking down the street, he always walks on the street side to protect me from traffic.
2. He is super supportive of me, my career, and the things I want to do.
3. He is a great father.
4. He is a hard working, dedicated man. When he wants something, he will do what it takes to get it.
5. He insists that BG is respectful of her mother and won't tolerate anything less.
6. He is a wonderful provider for our family and makes sure we are well taken care of.
7. He washes my car for me.
8. He helps out around the house cleaning, doing dishes, and folding laundry.
9. He makes the bed most days.
10. He is a great listener and my best friend.

Happy Birthday Honey! I love you!

Half Marathon

JM has been training for a year to run a half marathon. I have been really impressed with his dedication to go running multiple times a week. This weekend, he completed his first, and was really excited about it. He finished in 2 hrs 6 minutes. BG and I were there at the finish line with a sign to cheer him on.

BG wasn't so excited about waiting, but did a good job.

JM after crossing the finish line with is buddy.

Even after torturing himself by running 13.1 miles, he wants to not only do it again but also run a full marathon. So we may be doing more family weekend trips so he can run. Apparently there is one in Vegas in December. I wouldn't mind going there when it's cold here!

Even with thousands of people milling around, this is the one family picture we got. I was too lazy to ask someone else to take a picture for us.

Friday Fragments

I had to work late last night so I haven't watched Project Runway yet. You'll get my full report later this weekend.
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JM is running his first half marathon tomorrow, two hours north of home. He has been training for a year to do this and is really excited. He was going to run one in April but got injured right before it.
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We are staying in a hotel tonight in preparation for the marathon. I was hoping to take BG swimming. When I tried on my swimsuit this morning, it was not such a pretty site, being large and pregnant and all. Does that mean I'm giving up swimming? Nope, just means others will have to advert their eyes (and I'm hoping we are the only ones at the pool).
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My clothes are in a constant state of mis-fit. Today I'm wearing new maternity pants that refuse to stay up. I intentionally bought them a little large because we all know I'm just getting bigger. Tomorrow's outfit consists of shorts that are now too small and I can't button. I'm really not trying to look so disheveled, my body is just in a constant state of flux for the next year.

Diaper Cake

A good friend of mine just adopted a baby. She is having a baby shower in a few weeks and I have been so excited about it. I decided to make her a diaper cake. I looked up instructions online and set to work. I rolled diapers and assembled the cake. I love the way it turned out!



The baby's name starts with an A and her room will be decorate in chocolate brown, pink, and ladybugs. I painted the letter and and even free handed the ladybug on it. I figured every new mom needs a ton of diapers so it would be a great gift, in a fun way.

*If you are seeing this as the recipient of the gift, please still act surprised at the shower. I was so excited to post it, I couldn't wait until after the shower.

Blog Book

It has only taken me eight months, but I finally got all my 2008 posts printed in a book. I used Blurb and was happy with them. The book arrived late last week and I was so excited to open it up.

I liked that Blurb automatically slurps your blog and all pictures and spits it into a book format. You can, from there, arrange pages, change backgrounds, add more pictures, etc. There were a few things that were tedious, such as the cut and paste option. That seemed to take a really long time. I think they addressed that in the newer version, but I'm not sure. Also, there was no way to add the comments, so if that's important to you, you might want a different product.

In the end, my book ended up at 118 pages for about 15 months worth of posts. This year I have posted much more frequently so I'm sure it will be longer, aka more expensive. I'm hoping to print my blog every year since I use it as a journal. (I'm not sure the last time I wrote in an actual journal.)

See the fun backgrounds you can get? I love it and I'm glad I can finally check this one item off my list.

I'm linking up to Works for Me Wednesday. This is a great way to preserve your blog!

Project Runway

Last night I got home and immediately checked my DVR to make sure PR was going to be recorded. Good thing I did, because it wasn't set. I set it then forgot about it while making dinner, then putting BG to bed. By about 8:20 when we finally sat down to watch, it wasn't recording. You can imagine I was less than thrilled. Instead it was set to record the rerun starting at 9:30. Since I didn't feel like waiting until 9:30 to start the show, we started watching 20 minutes in.

This being the first week, there are 16 contestants. The first thing that struck me was how many young designers there are this season. Many of them are in their mid-20s. I'm not going to go into a lot of detail on the contestants because 1- I want to get to know them better and 2- I'm too lazy to discuss all 16. I'll wait until it's been paired down a bit.

The challenge this week was to create an innovative red carpet look that showed their point of view. As expected, there were some really good ones, some really bad ones, and mostly average ones. When it came down to the final six at elimination (the top 3 and bottom 3) the looks ranged from soft & edgy to naked (seriously, it was sheer). Here is the winning dress. (Sorry the pictures are so crappy, click on them to make them bigger, or click over to the website.)

I like this dress and so did the judges. They said it did a great job at combining a hard, edgy look with a soft feminine look. I must agree. Great job designer Christopher! The next one is the losing dress. It got crazy designer Ari eliminated.

This garment (can't even call it a dress) is so far out there and so not red carpet appropriate. She looks like something from outer space and not in a good way. The judges told Ari that she has to consider the someone has to actually buy her designs to be successful. And here is the naked dress that Mitchell threw together in 30 minutes.

Why 30 minutes you ask? Well, he spend the whole first day smocking his dress only to discover it didn't fit his model when she came for the fitting. So he threw this together at the last second and it really showed. This picture makes it look far more opaque than it did on TV. I felt bad for the model.

I really thought they were going to send Mitchell home and keep Ari for her craziness and drama. In all honestly, both garments were really bad. I have no favorites are this point, but I will as things progress. Oh, and the guest judge was Lindsay Lohan. Seriously? Lindsay? I think that was in poor taste, but I'm not a fan of her in general. The best part was when one designer (who made an ugly dress) said she designed it with someone like Lindsay in mind. The camera panned to Lindsay who, you could tell, was thinking "He** no, I wouldn't wear that!"

After watching I wanted to make sure my DVR was properly set so I reviewed my list and switched up the priorities. It was then that I discovered something horrible. Now that PR is on Thursday, it lines up with other favorite shows. My DVR will only record 2 shows at a time and I watch shows on three channels that night. NNNNNnnooooooooooooO!!!!!!! So I'm going to have to choose between The Office, Grey's and PR. Sadly, I think Grey's is going to get the boot because the other two are shows JM and I watch together. So please, take pity on my and invite me to your house to watch Grey's this fall.

It's Almost Here!

I am so excited for the start of this, Project Runway. Does it make me a nerd for getting so excited about a reality fashion show? Or perhaps I just like living vicariously through the designers - a job I would love but have no talent for. Designing requires skills like sewing. I don't even own and sewing machine and call my mom for help with any project. The point is, I love this show. My sweet husband even likes it (though he won't admit it if asked). It a fun show for us to watch together.

I'm going to try and do a PR recap post after every show. You know, let you know my thoughts, judgements, critiques, etc. Ahhh, it's nice to have the life of sitting on the couch judging others while I eat ice cream. I'll try to get those up for Friday, but it will depend on if I actually get around to watching it on Thursday night (love my DVR!) Which reminds me, I need to go check to make sure my DVR is set to record tonight.

What fall shows are you excited about? I'm also anxious for The Office, Grey's, Private Practice and Community.

Big Girl Bike

For BG's birthday, we told her she was getting a big girl bike. Since I am a bad busy parent, we just barely got around to actually buying it for her. JM has already found it a great incentive to get her to listen and obey. When she is good, she gets to ride her bike. When she is bad, she doesn't get to ride it, or "Daddy throw it in garbage" as she will tell you. I couldn't resist breaking out the camera for her first run on her new bike.

She got the hang of it really quickly. Half way around the block she was showing me how fast she could go and I had to speed up to keep up. Whenever I told her she was doing really well, she said "Thanks Mom." It was so precious. I think we'll be spending a lot more evenings walking/riding around the block.

He's Dreamy

I've read that often dreams are more memorable during pregnancy. I think that proved to be true for me this weekend. Here's roughly how the dream went.

I had given some presentation that resulted in an invitation to the White House. Yes, like where the president lives in D.C. So off I went to spend some time with the Obama's. Barack had just returned from a run. While I was walking around Brack walked out in, ummmm, his birthday suit. All I can say is wow - congrats Michelle!

The dream did continue with me chatting with the workers at the White House. When I woke up I was pretty surprised. I told JM about my nocturnal escapade and he has been teasing me relentlessly ever since. We went to the dinosaur museum and I was explaining to BG how a dinosaur's bones are much bigger than ours. He walked up and asked if it was a Barackasaurus. I'm a bit embarrassed by it, but what can I do? I may have blushed a little when I saw Barack on a news story later than day. Do you think Michelle ever considered that unknown, white women would be dreaming about her husband nekkid?

Friday Fragments

On Sunday morning, JM was laying in bed when BG came to jump on him. He told her "I just want to take a little catnap before church." She matter-of-factly told him "That's not going to happen."
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I did not pay $25 to find out the gender early. I will have to wait until Sept 8, but everyone I know right now who is pregnant is having a girl. Could that mean anything?
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JM gets home today from a week-long business trip. It has been a long week and I will be happy to have him home.
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I've hit the eat-everything-in-sight phase of pregnancy. I can now polish off anything from Cafe Rio in one sitting. When I went out to dinner with a girlfriend this week, I ate a whole plate of BBQ with three sides and was still hungry.

Baby Bump

I thought I would take a picture to show my baby bump at 17 weeks. Sorry for the flash. As it turns out, it's kind of hard to take a profile shot of yourself in the mirror.

Please: don't make comments about how you can't even see it. Because really, all that says is "You always have a protruding belly, this is no different."

And for a quick update: I had my OB appt this week and all looks well. Strong heartbeat and good growth. I can now feel the baby moving too which is always fun.

Blogging Ethics

I've seen several posts around about blogging etiquette. Things such as not using all caps, breaking writing into paragraphs, linking back to original content etc. I think those are all good tips. Today I read an article about something else entirely - Blogging Ethics.

This article came from CNN and was about popular Mommy Bloggers who get PR pitches for products. The hope of the companies is that the blogger will write about their product and provide exposure to their readers. Apparently there are some people upset about disclosure of those relationships. A new "Blog with Integrity" movement has started among these bloggers to properly disclose and outline any relationships with sponsors.

I'm curious what you all think. I think if you are being sponsored or have been gifted a product, it's a good idea to tell your readers. However, as a reader it actually annoys me to read the "fine print" of your relationship (boring!). I appreciate you being upfront about it, but mostly I don't care. I want to know how the product works for you. Then again, I'm naive enough to think that most people are honest and their opinions can't be purchased. Your thoughts?

Friday Fragments

I finally mopped my floor today. It ha been a really long time since it was last done. I'll just say I found birthday frosting.

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I love it when good things happen to good people. I got a text today from a girlfriend that they are getting a baby after trying to adopt. They are in Florida waiting to take their new baby girl home. Hurray!

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Does anyone know the magic button to make a 3 year old listen? Is it a lost cause? It sure is causing tears and headaches at our house right now.

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I got to see my high school girlfriends for dinner the other night. It was so fun to see them and their cute kids!


Why do I always look so weird in pictures? Ignore the crazed look in my eyes. I'll blame it on being pregnant. That will make you take worse pictures right?

Woman Get in the Kitchen-

And make me a pie!

Ok, so my husband has never actually said this to me. In fact, I was to one who said it. Bake at 350 is doing a fun food carnival. This month's theme was pie. A bunch of talented baker bloggers took on the challenge and baked up pies. I did not participate. However, it did make me crave pie and decide to take on the challenge of making one from those that linked up.


Since I had most of the ingredients for a mixed berry pie, I decided to use this recipe and start baking. I didn't think to buy pie crusts at the store so I had to make it from scratch (Yikes!). I started on the mammoth project at 4pm and didn't eat pie until 8:00. I started with a clean kitchen and no dishes and ended with a full load of dishes and ok, a clean kitchen (but I have to clean it up.) But yum, home baked pie.



Doesn't that look pretty! I love the crumble topping. It was crispy and sweet - perfect. I was glad I decided at the last minute to cook it on a cookie sheet because it overflowed the pie dish.

Even after letting it cool for nearly an hour, it was pretty soupy. Plating was a bit challenging. It looked more like berry cobbler, but I didn't mind. I was pretty impressed with myself for my first attempt at baking a pie. JM didn't complain. I think next time I'll go for the coconut cream. It looks easier and I love coconut!

Retreat = Fabulous

About a week ago JM and I took a wonderful, much needed retreat. We dropped BG off at Grandma's house (thanks mom!) and headed off to a day just for two.

We started out by checking into our Bed and Breakfast, the Castle Creek Inn. It was fun little place the came recommended by a friend (thanks Jilene!) It's a cute little castle right off main road but still tucked into the mountains. After checking in, we headed out to dinner at Tsunami for sushi. This is one of our favorite sushi places. They have three locations and we've eaten at all of them - all delicious. Dinner was fabulous and the conversation didn't once include directions to "Sit on your chair or you're going on time out." Ahhhh, heaven. At dinner I had a fabulous realization - I like my husband! Not that I didn't know that before but it had been so long since we had a night out with just the two of us, I have almost forgotten we enjoy each other's company.

After dinner we walked around the little complex and picked up dessert at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (Yum!) and did a little shopping. We headed back to the B&B and went to bed. (They had a great selection of movies but we were too pooped to even watch one.)

The next morning we woke up and enjoyed the large tub in our room before heading down to breakfast. Breakfast came with an appetizer of fresh fruit and chocolate dipped strawberries. We had the choice of two entrees and got one of each. My honey was kind enough to trade me when I liked his better than mine. After checking out of our room we heading to the spa for a couples massage.

We got there and put on their fancy robes and plastic slippers. We were taken to a couples rooms where we got foot scrubs before our massages. After a heavenly hour of being rubbed by a man who has now seen more of me than most people on this planet, they turned on their large and very deep tub to a couple's soak. They brought of a tray of snacks, told us what time we needed to exit the room and let us enjoy.

It was again so nice to sit and talk with my honey. I even got him to admit how nice and relaxing the whole trip has been and that we should do this more often (No, the admission didn't require any arm twisting). He, who has always been weirded out by massages, agreed it was fabulous and we need to start budgeting for them more regularly.

We left and went to our separate dressing rooms. He sat in the sauna for a while while I showered using fancy spa products. They even had a blow dryer and an assortment of hair products for use. It was fantastic. After the spa we went to lunch before heading home.

Since we hadn't been relaxing enough, we took a nap and watched a movie before we begrudgingly went to pick up BG from Grandma's house. It was such a nice retreat and I'm so glad we gave it to ourselves. It also made us both realize we need to take more time to have just us dates. So if anyone wants to swap babysitting, please let me know!

Testing, Testing

Now that the cat is out of the bag, I'm sure my blog is going to be including a lot more posts about pregnancy. Feel free to pass over them at your discretion.

At my next doctor appointment is when I have the option of doing the Quad Test. This is the blood test they do to look a range of fetal abnormalities - such as Down Syndrome. It's an optional test, very low risk, and easy to do. (As long a you consider a blood draw easy.) There is a chance of false positives leading expectant mothers to a lot of unnecessary worry. I took this test with my first pregnancy and will most likely do it again.

The reason being - we are planners. JM and I are the planning type. We don't do spontaneous well. Sometimes I wish we could do that better, but we don't. I enjoy planning. I love daydreaming about our future. I like the certainty that comes with planning. I like knowing what I will be fixing for dinner and what we will be doing this weekend. The unknown is very scary for me. Not surprisingly, I don't handle change all that well. I need a plan, a direction, a purpose.

To me, a test like this provides that kind of knowledge. I know some parents who reason they don't what to know about a disability prior to birth, because there is nothing they can do about it. I look at from a different point of view. Even if there is nothing I can do to change the disability, knowing gives me direction. It gives me a heads up for what is coming down the road. It gives me a chance to research and prepare - mentally, emotionally, and physically. I need to know so I can adjust to any change before it happens. So yes, I will begrudgingly roll my sleeve up for this blood draw. Because I'm a planner, and I need to know.

Along those lines of needing to know information, we plan to find out the sex of the baby. My OB actually offers mothers the chance to do an ultrasound at 16 weeks to determine gender. Since it is not covered by insurance, it costs $25 to cover the cost of the tech. I have not signed up for this, mostly because I'm cheap. At 20 weeks I will get a fully funded ultrasound and will (hopefully) find out the sex then. What do you think? Should I shell out $25 to determine pink or blue now or wait until it's free at 20 weeks? Take the poll on my sidebar!

This is Why I'm Fat

Have you ever seen the website, This is Why You're Fat? It's a hilarious, albeit, disgusting website to showcase all the most horrible food on the planet. Bacon and cheese abound. While viewing it I often wonder if people actually eat these things or it they are sitting in their kitchens concocting the most disgusting thing they can think of. Sadly, I feel our obesity epidemic answers that question. I must also admit, I sometimes look at it make myself feel better. I mean honestly, as long and I'm not eating that, I can't be doing too bad right?

The Scooby Snack: A hamburger patty topped with a lorne sausage, cheese, bacon, egg and a potato scone served on a square bun.

My point in all this is that I'm gaining weight. I have been for several months now. I am happy to report it has nothing to do with eating Deep Fried Twinkies (although I have had the very unlike-me cravings for bacon).

Instead, it has everything to do with the tiny human growing inside me. Yup, I'm preggo. 15 weeks in fact.

So next time you see me and think to yourself "Has she gained weight?" the answer is yes. Even though I'm at the horrible in-between stage where I look fat but not yet pregnant, rest assured there is a new life growing in there, not a beer belly.

Ignoring You

I have been ignoring my blog for a week now. It has been wonderful. No pressure to post, no stressing over a topic, no guilt for not having taken any pictures this summer.

Instead, we have been going on family walks in the evening and enjoying couple time after BG is in bed. This weekend we are taking a semi-sporadic romantic retreat. I'm beyond thrilled, giddy, ecstatic. It has been nearly 2 years since I've had a night away with my honey. BG is having a sleepover with Grandma. I'm not sure who is more excited.

So I will most likely continue to ignore you until next week. If I'm feeling really ambitious, I might check in on your blog. Or not.

(Linking up to Mama Kat for what is making me giddy: A break!)

Money to Burn

I had the following conversation with BG this morning as we were driving to work/school.

BG: Mommy, you want an airplane?
Me: No. I actually don't want an airplane. (I don't like flying.) But I know Daddy would really like an airplane.
BG: Gramma buy Daddy airplane?
Me: I think if Grandma was buying anyone an airplane, it would be for Papa.
BG:I buy airplane for Daddy.
Me: Airplanes cost a lot of money. Do you have a lot of money?
BG: My Daddy has a lot of money.
Me: (trying to stifle the laughter)
BG: I buy airplane for Daddy and Papa.
Me: Well, you are just buying airplanes for everyone.
BG: Not everyone. Just Daddy and Papa.

There you have it. Someday when she wonders why her parents can't afford college, I'll let her know it was due to her own generous gifts to others.

The Retreat

Does your husband do this? I will suggest something which he will shoot down. At some point in the future, he has the same idea but it is now brilliant. Why do men do that? Not that I'm really complaining too much. In this instance, I am beyond thrilled he has "come up" with this idea.

He has been working a lot lately. Even more than his usual work-aholic self. I've been feeling overwhelmed and need a break together with my honey. Last night he had the ingenious idea to go on a relaxing get away together. He even said he would be willing to do a couples massage. I was in heaven. I told him I was going to book it before he changed his mind.

So last night I spent most of the evening checking out romantic escapes. I'm looking for something nearby, romantic but not too much (cuz I'm cheap and I have a mortgage to pay too). I was originally looking at resorts with spas on site but those are kind of pricey. So now I'm thinking maybe a hotel and a local day spa instead. I need some recommendations people! I'd love to do a couple massage and facials but more likely we'll only pay for the massages. Where have you gone and liked? Any great romantic hidden hotel/B&B gems that aren't advertised? I'm so excited to have a break! I've already been talking up Grandma for a sleepover to cover childcare.

Blog Lunch is great!

On Saturday I met up with some great bloggers for a yummy lunch. I was in desperate need of a girls day out without the kiddo and this filled that need perfectly!

I met up with lots of bloggers and it was really fun to put faces with names. Since I didn't bring my own camera, go visit Erin for the photo of all in attendance.

In addition to yummy lunch and great company, I did a little shopping afterwards. That's right. I hit the Old Navy summer sale and picked up a few things just for me. It was so different to be shopping on my own and being able try on clothes without constantly looking to see where BG had run off to.

On another note, this morning I took in revised menus to school along with bags of food for substitutions. Can you believe that on the same day, the kids are eating chicken nuggets, french fries, and Oreos? Needless to say, most of those items got crossed off the list and BG will be eating carrots or strawberries instead. We're going to have to have a chat since I'm nervous she will feel left out at meal/snack time. But I do feel more in control about what she will be eating. Now I'm working on the other side of things and looking into what the regulations actually are.

Friday Fragments

I am on a mission! I talked to BG's daycare director about their menu. Apparently their menus are regulated by the state and they are required to serve things like Ding Dongs and Marshmallow Mateys. WHAT?! They can also be fined for having too many fresh fruits and veggies on hand, limiting the number they can serve. I was told the best I can do as a parent is bring in my own substitutions for the menu items I don't like. I was infuriated after leaving the meeting. I can do a lot more than that! I can, and will, start a crusade to get these absurd regulations changed.

Did you know the Bureau of Child Care Licensing has a public meeting every other month to discuss their guidelines? Guess where I will be on Sept 10? Fighting for the health of my child at that meeting. If any other concerned parents want to join me, here is their meeting schedule.

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Most days driving to work we pass para gliders. BG thinks they are pretty neat and told me she wants to jump off a mountain. I told her she would have to be a lot bigger before she could do that. I also told her it would scare mommy. She said "It not scare Mommy. I give you hug."

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The other day BG was sitting at the table when she wrinkled up her nose and said "I mell something." I asked her what it was at the same moment JM walked up the stairs into the room. She responded "I mell Daddy." (mell = smell)

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I can't spell the word "Bureau" to save my life. It took me three tries before spell check would even pick it up with the correct spelling. Do you have words like that?

Zoo Trip

On Friday we went to the Zoo. BG was really excited to go see the animals. We went up early and boy am I glad we did. The Zoo was packed and by the time we left at noon, it was starting to get hot. Hot and crowded is not where I want to be. Here are a bunch of pictures from our trip. I'm not even going to try and put them in order, because that is more trouble than it's worth at this point.

At the Ape House, is this fun display to see how you measure up to the size of a gorilla (I think). I have pictures of me standing next to this as a child so it was a must to take some pictures here.

BG liked all the statues of animals around the zoo. I convinced JM to get in a picture with BG. She really wanted to sit on the gorilla and that required the help of Daddy.

Another shot of Daddy and BG watching the camels.

We did take of pictures of the actual animals. The giraffes were outside, which was pretty cool. Most of my giraffe memories involve the really stinky giraffe house - not pleasant.

BG sitting on the rhino. Not sure why JM didn't include the statue in the picture. This shot was the most zoomed out of any of the shots. I guess the purpose of the shot was lost on him.

This is BG looking at the rhinos. She let us know which animals were stinky. I love the look on her face!

The elephants were out eating. BG loved them and wanted to stay there all day.

JM took this shot of BG and I watching the monkeys. I thought it was kind of cool, so I thought I would include it. I'm not great at taking the artsy shots, so I'm usually easily impressed by them.

We also saw the snakes - which BG kept asking about and went to the Madagascar exhibit. She loved seeing King Julian (lemurs) and the others animals. I thought she would be really excited to see the penguins but she was less than thrilled. I think because they were panting in the desert heat instead of concocting funny plans. The black bears were pretty active, but stinky.

This concludes our trip to the Zoo. We had lots of fun and I'm glad we went. We will definitely have to go back again another time.

I'm linking up to Works for Me Wednesday for summer tips. Go to the zoo early, and leave before the heat and crowds get too bad.

Finally, The Pictures

I finally found my camera cord thing so here are really late birthday pictures! With the camera battery fiasco, we didn't get many great pictures. We do however, have lots of pictures of BG using her new camera. She loves it.

This is the penguin cake my sister in law made for BG. She was really excited about it. The penguins are on the beach because it's the penguins of Madagascar, hence the beach theme.

And here is a cute shot of my princess. Isn't she adorable?! I admit I am biased, but how can you argue with a blond hair, blue-eyed beauty? (And I still maintain that she is not overweight, maybe her height just hasn't caught up to her weight.) What a sweet girl.