Because if I didn't post it now, it would end up being months later and I would feel very badly.
You will need:
1 carrot, chopped
1/4 bell pepper, chopped (a rare luxury, but if you have one handy, go for it!)
1 stalk of celery, chopped (or 'stick.' I don't know. A couple weeks ago, Ben told me that a 'stalk' means the whole bunch...so one of those long green things, and not the whole bunch.)
1 largish tomato, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4-ish cup pepperoni, cut into quarters
3-4 cups chicken broth
1/2 chicken breast, cooked & cubed
1-2 Tbsp butter
1-2 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
garlic
marjoram
oregano
macaroni or other noodles
parmesan cheese
mozzarella cheese
So...
Combine all of your chopped vegetables, pepperoni and chicken in a pot with chicken broth and put over medium heat on the stove. Let it cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the carrots and celery are appropriately soft (there's little that bugs me more than my carrots and/or celery being only halfway done, but some people don't mind it).
Meanwhile: melt butter and whisk in flour and then milk to make a rue. The measurements I listed above aren't exact because I'm not very good at taking measurements first...sorry... You don't want it to be too thick, like clam chowder or something. Just enough to make the soup a little bit creamy. Add this to the vegetables, broth & meat, stirring to incorporate it.
Season the soup with garlic, marjoram, oregano and black pepper. Once again, I didn't pay attention to how much I used, but don't overdo it. The pepperoni adds a lot of flavor.
Add your noodles about ten minutes before serving. This will make the soup kind of thick, so add more broth if you need to.
Add the cheeses just before serving - a generous pinch of mozzarella and a sprinkle of parmesan.
We love this one, hope you do too.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
11 Questions and Answers
So today is a glorious day. I woke up when Thunder told me to, I made a goal about the ridiculous amount of homework I was going to accomplish today...and I did it. That really caught me off guard. I'm more used to making ridiculous homework goals and getting nowhere near finished. I guess Thunder was just being my willing helper.
Anyway, I wasn't sure what to do with myself. I put this little girl in the baby sling and made dinner, put away the dishes, called my husband to ask where the cheese had gone, and then put Thunder's jacket on her and walked around the house a few times to enjoy the sunshine while she blew spit bubbles for me (I would have gone on a real walk, but we left the stroller at her Grandma's house by accident. Oops...). When she began to fuss, I was forced inside and had to decide once again, what to do. Since she wouldn't let me put her down, I couldn't clean, so I thought 'Oh yeah, I have a blog. I wonder if it's still there?' And it is!!! So I decided to finally answer Kristin's Liebster questions.
Kristin, I think I fail at this, but thanks for including me anyway.
1. What movie would you recommend to me that I probably haven't seen?
'Lagaan: Once upon a time in India.' I'm guessing you haven't seen it. It's Bollywood which means 1. you have to read subtitles, 2. the music and dancing are to die for (one Christmas I asked Santa for the soundtrack) and 3. it's clean! (I guess I don't know if all Bollywood movies are clean, but from what I've seen, they sure beat Hollywood). Best foreign-historical-sports-musical film ever. ;)
2. If you could go back to college, or just start over if you're there, what would you major in?
I think I would still major in nursing, because it's terribly practical and as soul-sucking as nursing school is, I've enjoyed every nursing job I've had so far. What I would do differently is decide on a minor that would be fun and stimulating early on. Maybe English. I tried to do an English minor, but I didn't realize that I wanted to until it was too late.
3. What's your favorite recipe that you'd like to share with me?
Pizza soup has been our latest favorite around here, but I'll post it on the next post, so I don't over-clutter this one.
4. What's the funniest thing you've heard a child say? Naturally, it could be your own.
Once when we were at my grandma's house, my very, very rambunctious cousin Tom, four or five years old at the time, walked up to my teenage sister, took her chin in his hand, and said, in his most suave voice, "here's something to remember me by," and just like that, she got her first kiss. Maybe it's one of those you-would-have-to-have-been-there stories, but that's all I have for now.
5. How much time do you spend on the computer each day?
Too much. Way too much. Only three weeks are left of online school, and then I will be free from the dismal internet, visiting only for an occasional facebook visit, and to read cooking blogs (which I think is a little strange, but I can't help myself).
6. If you had to be lactose intolerant or gluten intolerant, which would you choose?
Hard choice... maybe lactose intolerant because gluten intolerance limits you more, but oh! How I love my milk, cheese, and yogurt. Soy just isn't the same. I don't think I could ever be vegan.
7. Tell me about the funnest date you've been on.
Two years ago (has it really been that long?!), my now-husband took me to general conference and we spent two hours standing outside with a bunch of other young adults singing in the snow and rain. Then we went in to listen to conference and all through talk after talk about marriage, I thought 'it's a good thing neither of us is seriously thinking about marriage right now, or this would feel so awkward.' (He proposed three weeks later.) That was also the day he met my family and we had our first kiss. I could go on and on with detail, but that's probably a story for another day.
8. In what ways have you changed since childhood? I'm not talking physically. . .
I suppose I'm less of a drama queen...a little...
9. If there was one thing you'd change about yourself, what would it be?
Where do I start? I guess I would give up my taste for sweets. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a sugar tooth that is beyond compare. It's one of my favorite and least favorite vices.
10. What would you do if you were given one million dollars tomorrow?
Put it in the bank, probably. I know, I'm boring.
11. Did you make it clear to the end?
Yes! After how many months? But here we are, and I might add that I did it one-handed because Thunder is sleeping in the other. :)
Anyway, I wasn't sure what to do with myself. I put this little girl in the baby sling and made dinner, put away the dishes, called my husband to ask where the cheese had gone, and then put Thunder's jacket on her and walked around the house a few times to enjoy the sunshine while she blew spit bubbles for me (I would have gone on a real walk, but we left the stroller at her Grandma's house by accident. Oops...). When she began to fuss, I was forced inside and had to decide once again, what to do. Since she wouldn't let me put her down, I couldn't clean, so I thought 'Oh yeah, I have a blog. I wonder if it's still there?' And it is!!! So I decided to finally answer Kristin's Liebster questions.
Kristin, I think I fail at this, but thanks for including me anyway.
1. What movie would you recommend to me that I probably haven't seen?
'Lagaan: Once upon a time in India.' I'm guessing you haven't seen it. It's Bollywood which means 1. you have to read subtitles, 2. the music and dancing are to die for (one Christmas I asked Santa for the soundtrack) and 3. it's clean! (I guess I don't know if all Bollywood movies are clean, but from what I've seen, they sure beat Hollywood). Best foreign-historical-sports-musical film ever. ;)
2. If you could go back to college, or just start over if you're there, what would you major in?
I think I would still major in nursing, because it's terribly practical and as soul-sucking as nursing school is, I've enjoyed every nursing job I've had so far. What I would do differently is decide on a minor that would be fun and stimulating early on. Maybe English. I tried to do an English minor, but I didn't realize that I wanted to until it was too late.
3. What's your favorite recipe that you'd like to share with me?
Pizza soup has been our latest favorite around here, but I'll post it on the next post, so I don't over-clutter this one.
4. What's the funniest thing you've heard a child say? Naturally, it could be your own.
Once when we were at my grandma's house, my very, very rambunctious cousin Tom, four or five years old at the time, walked up to my teenage sister, took her chin in his hand, and said, in his most suave voice, "here's something to remember me by," and just like that, she got her first kiss. Maybe it's one of those you-would-have-to-have-been-there stories, but that's all I have for now.
5. How much time do you spend on the computer each day?
Too much. Way too much. Only three weeks are left of online school, and then I will be free from the dismal internet, visiting only for an occasional facebook visit, and to read cooking blogs (which I think is a little strange, but I can't help myself).
6. If you had to be lactose intolerant or gluten intolerant, which would you choose?
Hard choice... maybe lactose intolerant because gluten intolerance limits you more, but oh! How I love my milk, cheese, and yogurt. Soy just isn't the same. I don't think I could ever be vegan.
7. Tell me about the funnest date you've been on.
Two years ago (has it really been that long?!), my now-husband took me to general conference and we spent two hours standing outside with a bunch of other young adults singing in the snow and rain. Then we went in to listen to conference and all through talk after talk about marriage, I thought 'it's a good thing neither of us is seriously thinking about marriage right now, or this would feel so awkward.' (He proposed three weeks later.) That was also the day he met my family and we had our first kiss. I could go on and on with detail, but that's probably a story for another day.
8. In what ways have you changed since childhood? I'm not talking physically. . .
I suppose I'm less of a drama queen...a little...
9. If there was one thing you'd change about yourself, what would it be?
Where do I start? I guess I would give up my taste for sweets. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a sugar tooth that is beyond compare. It's one of my favorite and least favorite vices.
10. What would you do if you were given one million dollars tomorrow?
Put it in the bank, probably. I know, I'm boring.
11. Did you make it clear to the end?
Yes! After how many months? But here we are, and I might add that I did it one-handed because Thunder is sleeping in the other. :)
Saturday, January 26, 2013
The Rules & 11 Facts About Me
A couple of months ago, just about the same time I decided that I temporarily didn't have time to read anyone's blogs, much less blog myself, my sister-in-law nominated me for the Liebster Award, for 'up and coming bloggers' (sorry, Kristin, I hope you don't mind if I basically plagiarize the description from your blog!), though in my case, I'm sure that what I need is much less an award than a wake-up call. Either way, this might just do the trick.
The rules are as follows (and yes, I also copied and pasted these from Kristin's blog):
1. Each person awarded must post 11 facts about themselves.
2. Answer the 11 questions the nominator has set for them.
3. Choose five bloggers to nominate.
4. Create 11 more questions for the bloggers they will nominate.
5. Let the lucky bloggers know.
Admittedly, I have hesitated a couple of weeks to start working on this. Quite the opposite of Kristin, I have found that I take and upload lots of pictures, but can never quite decide what to say about them. This is such a fun idea, but I haven't had time to brainstorm all thirty-six items included in the requirements, so I'm going to be a little lazy and cut it up into lots of little posts.
Without further ado:
(I hope these don't have to be in any particular order)
1. I was once frostbitten. There's a faint scar the size and shape of a band-aid on my left ankle and I'm really quite ridiculously proud of it. Now, of course, it's lost some of its thunder because my sister recently got frostbitten worse than I did by being a much more hardcore athlete than I ever was, and the scar is fading, and I no longer push myself to go running in -13 degree weather...but still.
2. I have a serious book fetish. I collect them, especially novels. The discount book rack at the library or the ones in thrift stores rarely fail to draw me in and Ben has learned to give me five minutes or so before (literally) dragging me away. I have the book collection in my bedroom, sorted by the ones I have read and those I haven't, and I'm pleased to say that they're pretty closely tied. I'll work on reading more after I graduate, though.
3. When I was fourteen years old, I was pretty much convinced that I wanted to become a nun, largely because boys were about the least interesting thing in the world and seminary was the most interesting. By and by, I came to the realization that nuns were a Catholic thing and I was not. It turns out that being married to a boy (man ;) and having my own baby is a lot of fun, though. And I get to wear cute clothes.
4. I am just a tad bit O.C.D. (or maybe I ought to say that I have a tad bit of O.C.D. Whatever.) It used to be that there were certain tiles on my parents' kitchen floor that I made a point to avoid (every other tile, to be precise), I would count my steps on the sidewalk to make sure that I stepped on each block an even number of times and never stepped on a crack. I'm mostly cured now, but still whenever I'm eating small, bite-sized things like chocolate chips, raisins, M&Ms, etc. I have to eat an even number of them and if they are multicolored (like M&Ms or skittles), I can't eat a pair that are both the same color together.
5. Two things I have always wanted to do: run a marathon and write a book (and have it published).
6. A confession: I am something of a habitual nail-biter. It has nothing to do with nervousness or anything like that. Honestly, I find it somewhat...entertaining. Is that a bad thing to post on the internet? Oh well, there it is anyway. I guess I'll try to quit.
7. Some of my favorite things: my wonderful husband, my little girl, good poetry (I'm somewhat of a snob about it), running, mountains.
8. Chocolate chip cookie dough is definitely my guilty pleasure. I never get tired of it, except when I've had too much, in which case I get a little sick of it, but that only lasts a few hours or a couple days at most. I know, I know - salmonella (is that right? You would think I would know how to spell it...). I guess I'm a glutton for punishment, but I'll save that for another fact.
9. I'm a glutton for punishment. :)
10. Some of my favorite books (at the time I read them...it's been awhile, so I can't say for certain whether I would get the same enjoyment out of them right now) are/were: 'Cry the Beloved Country' by Alan Paton (love, love, love it), 'Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy' by Gary D. Shmidt, and 'The Book Thief' by Marcus Zusak. I also remember liking 'A Tree Grows in Brooklyn' (Betty Smith), 'Cold Sassy Tree' (Olive Ann Burns). Currently I'm reading 'Anna Karenina,' but I don't think it'll make the list.
11. I typed quite a few of these one-handed, while holding little Thunder. Woot! I do feel accomplished! Thanks Kristin.
The rules are as follows (and yes, I also copied and pasted these from Kristin's blog):
1. Each person awarded must post 11 facts about themselves.
2. Answer the 11 questions the nominator has set for them.
3. Choose five bloggers to nominate.
4. Create 11 more questions for the bloggers they will nominate.
5. Let the lucky bloggers know.
Admittedly, I have hesitated a couple of weeks to start working on this. Quite the opposite of Kristin, I have found that I take and upload lots of pictures, but can never quite decide what to say about them. This is such a fun idea, but I haven't had time to brainstorm all thirty-six items included in the requirements, so I'm going to be a little lazy and cut it up into lots of little posts.
Without further ado:
(I hope these don't have to be in any particular order)
1. I was once frostbitten. There's a faint scar the size and shape of a band-aid on my left ankle and I'm really quite ridiculously proud of it. Now, of course, it's lost some of its thunder because my sister recently got frostbitten worse than I did by being a much more hardcore athlete than I ever was, and the scar is fading, and I no longer push myself to go running in -13 degree weather...but still.
2. I have a serious book fetish. I collect them, especially novels. The discount book rack at the library or the ones in thrift stores rarely fail to draw me in and Ben has learned to give me five minutes or so before (literally) dragging me away. I have the book collection in my bedroom, sorted by the ones I have read and those I haven't, and I'm pleased to say that they're pretty closely tied. I'll work on reading more after I graduate, though.
3. When I was fourteen years old, I was pretty much convinced that I wanted to become a nun, largely because boys were about the least interesting thing in the world and seminary was the most interesting. By and by, I came to the realization that nuns were a Catholic thing and I was not. It turns out that being married to a boy (man ;) and having my own baby is a lot of fun, though. And I get to wear cute clothes.
4. I am just a tad bit O.C.D. (or maybe I ought to say that I have a tad bit of O.C.D. Whatever.) It used to be that there were certain tiles on my parents' kitchen floor that I made a point to avoid (every other tile, to be precise), I would count my steps on the sidewalk to make sure that I stepped on each block an even number of times and never stepped on a crack. I'm mostly cured now, but still whenever I'm eating small, bite-sized things like chocolate chips, raisins, M&Ms, etc. I have to eat an even number of them and if they are multicolored (like M&Ms or skittles), I can't eat a pair that are both the same color together.
5. Two things I have always wanted to do: run a marathon and write a book (and have it published).
6. A confession: I am something of a habitual nail-biter. It has nothing to do with nervousness or anything like that. Honestly, I find it somewhat...entertaining. Is that a bad thing to post on the internet? Oh well, there it is anyway. I guess I'll try to quit.
7. Some of my favorite things: my wonderful husband, my little girl, good poetry (I'm somewhat of a snob about it), running, mountains.
8. Chocolate chip cookie dough is definitely my guilty pleasure. I never get tired of it, except when I've had too much, in which case I get a little sick of it, but that only lasts a few hours or a couple days at most. I know, I know - salmonella (is that right? You would think I would know how to spell it...). I guess I'm a glutton for punishment, but I'll save that for another fact.
9. I'm a glutton for punishment. :)
10. Some of my favorite books (at the time I read them...it's been awhile, so I can't say for certain whether I would get the same enjoyment out of them right now) are/were: 'Cry the Beloved Country' by Alan Paton (love, love, love it), 'Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy' by Gary D. Shmidt, and 'The Book Thief' by Marcus Zusak. I also remember liking 'A Tree Grows in Brooklyn' (Betty Smith), 'Cold Sassy Tree' (Olive Ann Burns). Currently I'm reading 'Anna Karenina,' but I don't think it'll make the list.
11. I typed quite a few of these one-handed, while holding little Thunder. Woot! I do feel accomplished! Thanks Kristin.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Sweet Baby
So almost a month after the fact, I thought that I should finally post something about the biggest change I've ever experienced in my life.
Just a few days before we celebrated our second Christmas together, my husband and I were thrown headlong into parenthood and welcomed this precious little girl into our family. Yes, a girl! We both realized afterward that, deep down, we had both spent most of the pregnancy expecting a boy, despite our insistence on switching from 'he' to 'she' every day. This just made the surprise that much more wonderful.
I'm borrowing an idea from my sister-in-law and giving her a screen name, rather than putting her real name online. Since I don't have a lot to go on as far as personality is concerned, I'm going to humor my brother, whose first reaction to the news that we were expecting was "I've got the perfect name - Thunder Horse." Very well, Thunder it is.
I was a little ashamed of myself for getting the epidural as early on as I did, but whereas before I thought our anesthetists were nice guys, now I can see the angelic glow that follows them around.
I guess there's not too much to tell besides that. Any of you who are parents probably know how fun and exhausting the past few weeks have been. On my spare time (ha ha ha, 'spare time' - I crack myself up) I mostly take pictures of our little girl and send them to her Grandmas, so I may as well share a few of those with you too.
Just a few days before we celebrated our second Christmas together, my husband and I were thrown headlong into parenthood and welcomed this precious little girl into our family. Yes, a girl! We both realized afterward that, deep down, we had both spent most of the pregnancy expecting a boy, despite our insistence on switching from 'he' to 'she' every day. This just made the surprise that much more wonderful.
I'm borrowing an idea from my sister-in-law and giving her a screen name, rather than putting her real name online. Since I don't have a lot to go on as far as personality is concerned, I'm going to humor my brother, whose first reaction to the news that we were expecting was "I've got the perfect name - Thunder Horse." Very well, Thunder it is.
I was a little ashamed of myself for getting the epidural as early on as I did, but whereas before I thought our anesthetists were nice guys, now I can see the angelic glow that follows them around.
I guess there's not too much to tell besides that. Any of you who are parents probably know how fun and exhausting the past few weeks have been. On my spare time (ha ha ha, 'spare time' - I crack myself up) I mostly take pictures of our little girl and send them to her Grandmas, so I may as well share a few of those with you too.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Hello, World.
I really don't have much to write about today, though I could ramble for hours if I let myself. The longer I have this blog, I more I realize how little I know what I'm doing, but I wanted to check in with the world anyway because it's been awhile and because it's October and I love October above all other months, I think. The baby must love it too because he (today is a boy day) has been wiggling constantly all week and especially today. I just found a hand or foot pressed up against my ribs and another pushing out my side. He stopped pushing once I pushed back to feel but it was sort of a startling moment for me to realize all over again that there's a person in there! He makes us happy.
And do you know what? I have to admit that I like being pregnant. No, I love it. True, I've probably had the easiest pregnancy in the history of pregnancies. I spent the first trimester feeling sick, but never threw up and since then, Ben puts up with occasional spells of moodiness and a couple of times heartburn has kept me up at night. Meanwhile, I get to feel pretty and cute no matter how big of a dinner I just ate, because my bloated stomach is hiding behind my uterus. The best part of all is the kicks and wiggles. I just can't get enough. I'm sure that my coworkers have noticed me stop what I'm doing from time to time to put my hands on my belly or to just stare at it, to see it bulge out where my baby is pushing. It's like on Winnie the Pooh, when Pooh swallows a mouthful of honey, bees and all, and then the bees begin buzzing and you can see them bouncing around in his tummy. I love it. I still have moments when I realize what is about to happen to our lives and I think 'what am I doing? I don't know how to do this. What have I done?' But for the most part, it's an mix of giddy anticipation and quiet satisfaction that I find in the little mystery inside me.
Ben has been working hard all day on putting in grades and planning lessons. He'll never tell you that he's the one who does all the work around here, but I can't help but believe it's true. We spent the morning cleaning and for every task I finished, it seemed like he had finished two or three. I guess that if it doesn't bother him, I won't let it bother me. I'll become more efficient by and by, I think. I've decided that we gain strength to do what is required of us and little more. I discovered it during school last year, noticing classmates who were working full time, instead of part, as well as attending nursing school and maybe raising a couple of kids as well. Now I'm working full time and taking a full semester concurrently and surviving, but you know what? I couldn't have done it a year ago. I didn't have the capacity because I didn't have to have it. It's like pregnancy, in a way (because pregnancy and babies are on my mind lately, I hope you'll forgive the analogy. Everything is somehow like or unlike pregnancy these days - already my world is beginning to exist in relation to my baby). Your abilities stretch and grow to accommodate whatever burdens you find yourself obliged to carry, and it is a stretch, make no mistake. You'll bounce back as soon and as much as circumstance allows, but you'll never be the same again.
If it were still light outside, I might take a picture to show you how the trees in our backyard are changing color or how the walkway to our kitchen is littered with leaves. If it were possible, I'd post the smell too, because there's nothing like that smell and I have never found a decent imitation of it. Our clothes have been hanging outside on the drying lines all day and when we bring them in they will be dry, but will feel wet, just because they are so thoroughly chilled from the October-ness of this evening. When you get right down to it, there is no way to capture Autumn. One just has to experience it and then remember as best they can until it comes again. What I can give you is this, a picture of some of my favorite people in the world in my own kitchen.
Ladies and gentlemen, it doesn't get much better than this.
Love,
Caitlin
And do you know what? I have to admit that I like being pregnant. No, I love it. True, I've probably had the easiest pregnancy in the history of pregnancies. I spent the first trimester feeling sick, but never threw up and since then, Ben puts up with occasional spells of moodiness and a couple of times heartburn has kept me up at night. Meanwhile, I get to feel pretty and cute no matter how big of a dinner I just ate, because my bloated stomach is hiding behind my uterus. The best part of all is the kicks and wiggles. I just can't get enough. I'm sure that my coworkers have noticed me stop what I'm doing from time to time to put my hands on my belly or to just stare at it, to see it bulge out where my baby is pushing. It's like on Winnie the Pooh, when Pooh swallows a mouthful of honey, bees and all, and then the bees begin buzzing and you can see them bouncing around in his tummy. I love it. I still have moments when I realize what is about to happen to our lives and I think 'what am I doing? I don't know how to do this. What have I done?' But for the most part, it's an mix of giddy anticipation and quiet satisfaction that I find in the little mystery inside me.
 |
| Our chain counting the days until Christmas - yes, we are now some of those people. |
Ben has been working hard all day on putting in grades and planning lessons. He'll never tell you that he's the one who does all the work around here, but I can't help but believe it's true. We spent the morning cleaning and for every task I finished, it seemed like he had finished two or three. I guess that if it doesn't bother him, I won't let it bother me. I'll become more efficient by and by, I think. I've decided that we gain strength to do what is required of us and little more. I discovered it during school last year, noticing classmates who were working full time, instead of part, as well as attending nursing school and maybe raising a couple of kids as well. Now I'm working full time and taking a full semester concurrently and surviving, but you know what? I couldn't have done it a year ago. I didn't have the capacity because I didn't have to have it. It's like pregnancy, in a way (because pregnancy and babies are on my mind lately, I hope you'll forgive the analogy. Everything is somehow like or unlike pregnancy these days - already my world is beginning to exist in relation to my baby). Your abilities stretch and grow to accommodate whatever burdens you find yourself obliged to carry, and it is a stretch, make no mistake. You'll bounce back as soon and as much as circumstance allows, but you'll never be the same again.
If it were still light outside, I might take a picture to show you how the trees in our backyard are changing color or how the walkway to our kitchen is littered with leaves. If it were possible, I'd post the smell too, because there's nothing like that smell and I have never found a decent imitation of it. Our clothes have been hanging outside on the drying lines all day and when we bring them in they will be dry, but will feel wet, just because they are so thoroughly chilled from the October-ness of this evening. When you get right down to it, there is no way to capture Autumn. One just has to experience it and then remember as best they can until it comes again. What I can give you is this, a picture of some of my favorite people in the world in my own kitchen.
 |
| Three of my four beautiful nieces who came to pay us a visit last month. |
Love,
Caitlin
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Happily Ever After II: The Sequel!
As of last Wednesday, Ben and I are officially an old married couple. We figure that after a whole year of marriage, we can now look at newly married couples and fondly remember when. Both of us spent the day at work but since I got off a couple hours earlier than he did, I took the opportunity to attempt making a pie, something he had been talking about for a few weeks. Ironically, this made me about forty-five minutes late picking him up. He joked that I did it on purpose so that he would have time to buy me flowers after work, to make it look like he was more on top of it. I have a very good man.
In addition to flowers, chocolate, and a card, Ben decided that, since we had escaped without having our honeymoon car decorated (with the exception of a handful of sticky notes on the back windshield -- thanks, Sam & Sarah) that we should make up for it on the anniversary.
 |
| I asked him to make sure to make the '1 year ago' part obvious, since my looks implied either post-marriage or a long-postponed shotgun wedding. ;) |
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| August 2012 - Married 1 year |
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| July (or maybe 1st of August) 2012 - All dressed for the reunion with Ben's family that we're so sorry to have missed (love you guys!!!) |
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| April 2012 - Hiking trip to Zion's Canyon, just after graduation. |
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| Probably February 2012? In our first little apartment together. |
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| December 2011 - decorating our first Christmas tree together. |
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| August 2011, the day it all started. |
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Happy birthday, Mom!
So last week, I asked my mom what she would like for her birthday. She kind of smiled at me and said, "you know what I want from you." Therefore, without further delay (I apologize that it's been a few days already), here it is:
This was taken at our 20-week mark, on Tuesday. I teased Ben that she already looks like him. Note: I say 'she' because both today and the day we got the ultrasound have been 'she' days. Way back when we were deciding whether or not to find out the sex, we made a compromise. I didn't want to find out, but Ben didn't want to refer to our unborn child as 'it,' so we alternate every other day. Tomorrow, the baby will be 'he.'
Everyone has been asking us about names. The truth is that we have narrowed our list down to a few names that we really like and will probably use, but we're not ready to reveal them yet. Since we are due on Christmas day, we're all about surprises - name, sex, and all. In the meantime, our families have given us some wonderful alternatives to call the baby in the meantime.
My brother came up with Thunder Rawlings Horse (girl) or Salsita Hussein III (boy). My sister-in-law and I discovered that Experience is a family name on both sides. We're not really sure whether it was used as a boy or a girl name, so we can use Experience on either day. Some of our favorites came from my 5-year-old cousin. For a girl, he came up with Little Miss Daydreamer, and for a boy he came up with Little Miss Giggles and (when his dad pointed out that he didn't know any boys that were called little-miss-anything) John Deere.
According to my nursing textbooks, she is now about 10 inches long from crown to heel and the ultrasound tech told us that she weighs about 12 ounces. And, for anyone who cares to know, I'm getting pretty big myself and I'm glad to finally be looking pregnant as opposed to just looking like I've gained weight.
I don't think either of us has ever thought so much about Christmastime so early in the year. Ben has already said several times that it seems like December will never come and sometimes I feel that way too, but I think I have it a little easier. I can feel her moving every day now.
And so this is our shout-out to you, Mom. Happy birthday, from all three of us.
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| Ben took a picture of the screen in the office. It turned out being much more difficult to get a picture of the print-out they gave us. |
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| A little face...! |
This was taken at our 20-week mark, on Tuesday. I teased Ben that she already looks like him. Note: I say 'she' because both today and the day we got the ultrasound have been 'she' days. Way back when we were deciding whether or not to find out the sex, we made a compromise. I didn't want to find out, but Ben didn't want to refer to our unborn child as 'it,' so we alternate every other day. Tomorrow, the baby will be 'he.'
Everyone has been asking us about names. The truth is that we have narrowed our list down to a few names that we really like and will probably use, but we're not ready to reveal them yet. Since we are due on Christmas day, we're all about surprises - name, sex, and all. In the meantime, our families have given us some wonderful alternatives to call the baby in the meantime.
My brother came up with Thunder Rawlings Horse (girl) or Salsita Hussein III (boy). My sister-in-law and I discovered that Experience is a family name on both sides. We're not really sure whether it was used as a boy or a girl name, so we can use Experience on either day. Some of our favorites came from my 5-year-old cousin. For a girl, he came up with Little Miss Daydreamer, and for a boy he came up with Little Miss Giggles and (when his dad pointed out that he didn't know any boys that were called little-miss-anything) John Deere.
I don't think either of us has ever thought so much about Christmastime so early in the year. Ben has already said several times that it seems like December will never come and sometimes I feel that way too, but I think I have it a little easier. I can feel her moving every day now.
And so this is our shout-out to you, Mom. Happy birthday, from all three of us.
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| Two arms |
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