Head over to Chelsea's to link up! Questions provided by Kara’s Chatter.
1. What’s your variety of apple? I used to like Granny Smith the best, but now I'm not so sure. I pretty much like all apples except for the ones that are totally red. That might sound crazy, but I can't even name that many apple varieties. I go by color.
2. Do you prefer Long-English or Field cucumbers? Hmm, I have no idea what this means.
3. Tomatoes – Delicious or disgusting? Delicious. Slice one up and add a little salt, and you've got yourself a fine snack.
4. What’s one fruit or vegetable that you can’t stand and why is that? Hmm, I dislike green peas and brussels sprouts. I think the flakiness and texture of the sprouts is what throws me off. The peas are just too mushy.
5. What’s your favourite way to prepare veggies? (Grilled, boiled, roasted, sautéed, etc.) I mostly sautee them for a couple of reasons: 1) it's easy and quick and 2) I try not to run the oven for long periods of time when it's hot outside, which is about 11 months out of the year.
6. Sweet potato pie: Love it or hate it? I don't think I've ever had it, but if it's something that might be covered in candied pecans, sign me up.
7. What’s your favourite “style” of French fry? Wedges, shoelace, curly, crinkle-cut or other? Shoelace. The thinner, the better.
8. What’s your favourite fruit-pie filling? Well, pumpkin is a fruit, then pumpkin. I am not a fan of warm, gooey fruit though, so I have literally never eaten an entire piece of fruit pie. I may try a few bites every now and then if I'm feeling crazy and there is ice cream thrown on top.
9. When you were a kid did your parents make you sit at the table until all your veggies were eaten off your plate? My mom never made us eat anything. I think she was rebelling against her upbringing. But, she made one meal and we could eat what we wanted and leave what we didn't. No special foods were made for picky eaters (a.k.a. Me).
10. Do you drink veggie & fruit juice blends (such as V8, etc.) or make them yourself? I do enjoy V8 splash, but I don't really purchase juice anymore because I don't want to pay for it. I occasionally grab some if I need it for a recipe (like butternut squash bisque). If I bought juice, I would trade off between orange juice and Cranberry-Apple.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Meal Plan Mayhem and other Random Facts
- This week I was going to post my meal plan with a theme of "Ten-Dollar Dinners" (unashamedly stolen from the Melissa D'Arabian on Food Network). But then, I mentioned to Dave that I needed to double check to see how much grocery money I have left for the month. His answer? "You have 15 dollars." Uh, excuse me? Turns out my lovely husband went out for a "couple things we needed" like "razors and chocolate syrup" and dropped about 50 bucks Dadgum razors. I may or may not have responded like this: "What?! How did you spend fifty dollars?! That's almost an entire week's food budget! I shave with crappy Kroger razors! You ruined my birthday. We are not eating this week."
- Seriously, I only bought milk and bread. We are eating from the freezer this week. It's somewhat of a free-for-all, but we aren't starving. Also, maybe my reaction was a teensy bit dramatic.
- At our anniversary dinner, Dave got all serious and said, "I really think that after this baby we should wait a significant chunk of time before getting pregnant again." To which I responded, "What do you mean, like a year?" And he said, "Yea, like a year." Our warped version of reality has caused my dear, sweet love to think that a whole year is a nice length of time for me to not be with child. It is kind of hilarious.
- Ladies of Sugar Land: I need a nail salon suggestion. You see, the place I usually go whenever Mom gets the hankering to pay for my pedicure (read: a normal Sugar Land place) is apparently unacceptable. Why, you might ask? Well, Dave picked me up from there once and declared that the fumes are too strong. He thinks our baby might turn into an alien or something if I spend time there. Like the quiet-hearted, submissive kind of wife I long to be, I told him he was being ridiculous and acted really mad at him for an entire night. But anyway, do you know of a nail place that doesn't smell, you know, like a nail place?
- My sister and her fiancee set a wedding date, and I'm so excited to be the matron of honor! On the day of the wedding, I will officially be one week more pregnant than I was in this photo. (I stopped taking photos last time around 35 weeks, because it occurred to me that it really wasn't cute anymore). Needless to say, I will only be purchasing photos of the bride and groom.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Mmm, Pasta.
Scooter loves pasta. She has some pretty mad self-feeding skills, too. Do you think we should go ahead and teach her the old fork-swirling into a spoon method?
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Have you met baby Georgia?
Well if you haven't, you should. Georgia is my dear friends' new babe, and they are too busy doing important things like feeding and taking care of her to write blog posts.
She was born on December 28, weighing in at 8 pounds, 13 ounces. She is perfect. She had a little broken clavicle, because her mama has those coveted narrow hips, but praise God for making babies heal so quickly!
Have I mentioned that I love her?
When we went to visit, we just kept Myla in this bag so she wouldn't bother the baby.
The craziest part of it all is that these two girls grew up to be mothers.
She was born on December 28, weighing in at 8 pounds, 13 ounces. She is perfect. She had a little broken clavicle, because her mama has those coveted narrow hips, but praise God for making babies heal so quickly!
Have I mentioned that I love her?
The craziest part of it all is that these two girls grew up to be mothers.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Meal Plan
How's that for a boring post? I got up and got dressed to work out today, then there was a severe thunderstorm and later tornado warning for my county. I took it as a sign from God to hunker down at the house, and by hunkering down I mean: making some coffee and writing a blog post.
Of all the skills of your typical stay-at-home mom/wife bloggers, the one I took to immediately was meal planning. I can't really cook, sew, or clean very well, but man, I like to write lists. I also like to budget (kind of). When Dave and I first got married, grocery shopping was somewhat of a project for me. I meandered down the aisles and knew almost exactly how much I was going to spend before hitting the check-out lane. Now, I still have an idea of my budget, but most of the time, I estimate along the way and hold my breath until I see the total. Myla is pretty much a gem in the store, though, so I don't have a great excuse for laziness. Somehow, the only months I have gone over have been times when I let Dave come to the store with me...
Nowadays, I have moved from weekly meal planning to bi-monthly planning. This is partly because I aspire to be like this girl (who I don't actually know in person), and because I partially read the book these people wrote. The main take-away is this: If you go to the store less often, you automatically save yourself from the random extras you end up buying unexpectedly. (Or, you only pick up an "extra" say, once a month, rather than every single week).
Full disclosure: My grocery budget is about $70/week right now, and has been for at least the past year. This usually includes perishables like toilet paper, laundry detergent, etc.
Our typical meals are 4-6 servings. We eat dinner then box up leftovers in one of our 1,000 pieces of tupperware. A meal or two goes into the refrigerator for Dave's lunch, and the rest go into the freezer. Dave pretty much eats every meal at least 3 times. I only eat certain leftovers, like soup and chili-- personal preference. I would probably be surviving solely on quesadillas if I wasn't married. I don't know if anyone is still reading this since I haven't even posted a meal plan yet!
There are a few things you might notice about the plan:
Of all the skills of your typical stay-at-home mom/wife bloggers, the one I took to immediately was meal planning. I can't really cook, sew, or clean very well, but man, I like to write lists. I also like to budget (kind of). When Dave and I first got married, grocery shopping was somewhat of a project for me. I meandered down the aisles and knew almost exactly how much I was going to spend before hitting the check-out lane. Now, I still have an idea of my budget, but most of the time, I estimate along the way and hold my breath until I see the total. Myla is pretty much a gem in the store, though, so I don't have a great excuse for laziness. Somehow, the only months I have gone over have been times when I let Dave come to the store with me...
Nowadays, I have moved from weekly meal planning to bi-monthly planning. This is partly because I aspire to be like this girl (who I don't actually know in person), and because I partially read the book these people wrote. The main take-away is this: If you go to the store less often, you automatically save yourself from the random extras you end up buying unexpectedly. (Or, you only pick up an "extra" say, once a month, rather than every single week).
Full disclosure: My grocery budget is about $70/week right now, and has been for at least the past year. This usually includes perishables like toilet paper, laundry detergent, etc.
Our typical meals are 4-6 servings. We eat dinner then box up leftovers in one of our 1,000 pieces of tupperware. A meal or two goes into the refrigerator for Dave's lunch, and the rest go into the freezer. Dave pretty much eats every meal at least 3 times. I only eat certain leftovers, like soup and chili-- personal preference. I would probably be surviving solely on quesadillas if I wasn't married. I don't know if anyone is still reading this since I haven't even posted a meal plan yet!
There are a few things you might notice about the plan:
- Not every meal is filled--> Yes, things come up. Sometimes the days are juggled around a bit. Where there are holes, we aren't starving. We are just eating leftovers or a quesadilla. Maybe that's just me. Also, Dave eats oatmeal with fruit every single day for breakfast, so I don't really have to plan for that.
- My weekend chef is usually assigned much more labor-intensive meals than I am. He's ok with it.
- The "frozen lasagna" is a lasagna I made a few weeks ago and froze. It's not Stouffer's. I don't have anything against my friends at Stouffer's, but I think Dave does.
| Day and Meal | Ingredients to Purchase |
| Tuesday, Jan. 3 | |
| Wednesday, Jan. 4 · Crock pot shredded beef | roast, steal coke from mom's house |
| Thursday, Jan. 5 · Salad | Tomato, nuts, lettuce |
| Friday, Jan. 6 DATE NIGHT | |
| Saturday, Jan. 7 · Cilantro pesto pork loin, cauliflower “mashed potatoes,” broccoli | 16 ounces frozen cauliflower, 2-lb pork tenderloin, 4 cloves garlic, 1 inch fresh ginger, 1 bunch cilantro, 1 cup coconut milk |
| Sunday, Jan. 8 (KK works Crossbridge kids) · Chicken cordon bleu, green beans, rosemary potatoes | frozen green beans, bag chicken breasts, swiss cheese slices, 6 slices ham, dry white wine, potatoes |
| Monday, Jan. 9 · Olive garden zuppa Toscana, salad | Salad stuff, 1-lb Italian sausage, 2 large russet potatoes, 2 cups kale or swiss chard, 1-cup heavy cream |
| Tuesday, Jan. 10 · Crispy orange beef, rice | 1.5 pounds sirloin, frozen orange juice concentrate (or preserves—check reviews), fresh ginger, broccoli |
| Wednesday, Jan. 11 · Fajitas or fajita salad | Avocado, skirt or flank steak, tomato, onion, bell peppers, wheat tortillas, salsa |
| Thursday, Jan. 12 (Community Group @ 7:00) · Frozen lasagna | |
| Friday, Jan. 13 DATE NIGHT | |
| Saturday, Jan. 14 · Dave: frozen meatloaf | |
| Sunday, Jan. 15 (KK works Crossbridge Kids) · Butternut squash bisque | 2-3 lb butternut squash, bacon, medium onion, carrots, celery, 2 large braeburn/gala apples, 48-oz chicken broth, chipotle sauce, sour cream, smoked gouda |
Friday, January 6, 2012
It's Friday. How About a List?
- Yesterday, I got up and got dressed to go to the gym. Then, I made random excuses for myself and ended up calling a friend to meet at a park for a picnic lunch and kiddie playtime.
- Today, I got up again and got dressed to go to the gym. Then, I made random excuses for myself and ended up eating an entire Totino's frozen pizza for lunch and taking a long bath.
- Did I mention I am en route to gain more weight with this baby than with Myla? True story.
- In other BIG news, my sister got engaged! I probably should have written that first.
WeShe and my mom are feverishly looking for a venue and date, so I am waiting to find out whether I will be a very pregnant matron of honor or a post-pardum doughboy matron of honor. In all seriousness though, we are pretty excited. And now since we're family, my brother should let us borrow his boat, right? Isn't that how these things work?? - Myles is walking like a champ now, and it's pretty dang cute. Something that is less cute right now is this new picky eating phase. I usually explain to Dave that it's a totally normal phase while thinking to myself, "Oh crap, am I going to have to end up reading Jessica Seinfeld's book?!"
- I can't think of anything else, so I'll finish with these pregnancy highlights (stolen from many people):
Pregnancy Highlights:
How far Along: 20 weeksSize of baby: about the length of a banana, about ten ounces
Total Weight Gain/Loss: +13 pounds. Eek!
Maternity clothes: Yep, definitely merging into maternity pants. I can button my regular jeans, but it's definitely not comfortable.
Gender: It's a surprise!
Movement: I am feeling movement at least a few times a day, but it is definitely a light feeling still.
Sleep: Yes, a LOT.
What I miss: Having a margarita every once in a while. But really, I have no complaints. I'm in the good phase!
Cravings: I just crave more of the things I already like, like ice cream and queso. Every. Day.
Symptoms: Growing belly. Heartburn like whoa.
Best Moment this Week: Seeing BooBoo in our ultrasound, realizing he/she is shy, and ultimately deciding to wait until delivery to find out of it's a boy or girl!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
DL + KL 4-Eva. The Second Anniversary Celebration
This has nothing to do with the actual post, but check out these pics I stole from my dad showing how Dave made two best friends at Christmas brunch.
Last year, Dave and I spent our anniversary driving back from a road trip to Wisconsin with a 2.5 week-old in tow. It was awesome. This year, we decided to step it up (which obviously wasn't very difficult).
I knew we wouldn't be taking a big trip this year, but I figured there are a lot of fun things to do in H-town (since everyone really calls it that). Thus began the plan for my first night away from Myla Grace. Dave and I decided that from now on, I will be in charge of planning our anniversary celebration on even years, and Dave will handle the odd years. Of course, we will not always have a getaway, but it makes iteasier more interesting to divide responsibilities that way.
So, the first part of anniversary fun involved arranging a car swap with some very generous friends. The two best things about this were: Dave got to drive an awesome Lexus for the weekend, and we got to meet at Bob's Taco Station to make the switch. Yum.
We wandered around the land of Sugar and went to see "We Bought a Zoo." We both really enjoyed it! After that, we headed out to the Alden Hotel to check in. The hotel was alright-- I think Dave liked it more than I did. Much like every hotel in the world, the pictures made it look slightly more amazing than the real thing. Also, the museum district in Houston might not be the best place to stay if you don't care to stop and speak with any hobos on your way to dinner. The Alden did have one great thing which is a marriage saver: two bathrooms. Bliss.
We walked to dinner at McCormick and Schmick's. For the love, if you like seafood, please eat there sometime. Also, Dave kept calling it McCormick and Schmidt all weekend. Oh well. After dinner, we walked back to the hotel and spent the evening watching a show about Saturday Night Live through the decades. Romantic, I know.
Saturday morning, we grabbed some breakfast at Barnaby's and hit up the Museum of Natural Science. Sometimes, the museum experience is a little lost on Dave and me, but we both enjoyed our visit.
Then, duh, we ate again. We ate THREE times per day! We picked up Scooter from Nana and PawPaw's house, and it was clear she didn't miss us at all. Then, we begrudgingly returned Alexis the Lexus.
All in all, it was a fun little staycation. But it definitely isn't as cool as our third anniversary celebration for which Dave has already sent me an Evite: a trip to Colorado.
Last year, Dave and I spent our anniversary driving back from a road trip to Wisconsin with a 2.5 week-old in tow. It was awesome. This year, we decided to step it up (which obviously wasn't very difficult).
I knew we wouldn't be taking a big trip this year, but I figured there are a lot of fun things to do in H-town (since everyone really calls it that). Thus began the plan for my first night away from Myla Grace. Dave and I decided that from now on, I will be in charge of planning our anniversary celebration on even years, and Dave will handle the odd years. Of course, we will not always have a getaway, but it makes it
So, the first part of anniversary fun involved arranging a car swap with some very generous friends. The two best things about this were: Dave got to drive an awesome Lexus for the weekend, and we got to meet at Bob's Taco Station to make the switch. Yum.
We wandered around the land of Sugar and went to see "We Bought a Zoo." We both really enjoyed it! After that, we headed out to the Alden Hotel to check in. The hotel was alright-- I think Dave liked it more than I did. Much like every hotel in the world, the pictures made it look slightly more amazing than the real thing. Also, the museum district in Houston might not be the best place to stay if you don't care to stop and speak with any hobos on your way to dinner. The Alden did have one great thing which is a marriage saver: two bathrooms. Bliss.
We walked to dinner at McCormick and Schmick's. For the love, if you like seafood, please eat there sometime. Also, Dave kept calling it McCormick and Schmidt all weekend. Oh well. After dinner, we walked back to the hotel and spent the evening watching a show about Saturday Night Live through the decades. Romantic, I know.
Saturday morning, we grabbed some breakfast at Barnaby's and hit up the Museum of Natural Science. Sometimes, the museum experience is a little lost on Dave and me, but we both enjoyed our visit.
Then, duh, we ate again. We ate THREE times per day! We picked up Scooter from Nana and PawPaw's house, and it was clear she didn't miss us at all. Then, we begrudgingly returned Alexis the Lexus.
All in all, it was a fun little staycation. But it definitely isn't as cool as our third anniversary celebration for which Dave has already sent me an Evite: a trip to Colorado.
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