Friday, July 25, 2008

Vacation Time

On Sunday we are piling into our car, Griswold style, (including Lucy) and driving up to the Oregon coast where my parents rented a beach house. My brother, sister-in-law, niece and their dog will also be there with my parents and their dog. We will be staying for 4 or 5 nights (I haven't decided yet). The days will be filled with walking on the beach, relaxing, reading books and magazines, exploring the village and taking naps. Of course we will polish of the evenings with campfires and S'More making. Family friends from Montana will be staying with us for two of the nights, so it will be fun and loud house, that is for sure. I am not looking forward to the drive, but I am looking forward to relaxing for several days. I know once we get back, time is just going to fly by and the next thing you know it will be September!

Went and did my blood glucose screening this morning. It was barely as bad as I heard it was supposed to be. All I had to do was drink a little bottle of something that tasted like really sweet orange Gatorade and wait for an hour to get my blood drawn. I just sat in the waiting room reading my book while stealing looks across the parking lot at Donut Hut. I did not give in and squash my craving for donuts, but stayed strong and went on my way to work where I had by unsweetened oatmeal with bananas.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

The Name Game

Hubb's is determined to pick a name for our baby girl pronto. I don't know what his deal his, something about liking everything figured out. I don't know. I just can't see myself picking a name right now. We have about 3 we like. I have a couple more but he has nixed those. One day I feel like it could be one name and then the next day it could be the next. I am just not ready to lay claim on a name. There is no reason to rush it. This girl will have this name for the rest of her life.

Anyhoo, my mother in law came over a couple of weekends ago and berated me for about an hour with names she liked, like she was naming our baby or something. All of her suggestions SUCKED. I mean, sucked badly. Like they were popular when she was born and that was it. She literally was not fazed by me shooting down each name... even if I had to say "no that name reminds me of a hussy". NOT EVEN FAZED. I kept shooting the hubb's panicked looks like he better save me before I sat on her or something. He was completely oblivious, or just like me getting tortured. I never realized how freaking annoying it is to get suggestions on names. Like it is a topic we have rarely researched or thought about. We will be doing the naming people, keep your comments to yourself. Just trust us we are not going to name her Apple or something and be happy with what we tell you when the time comes. Until then, ZIP IT.

It is obvious that the incident with the M.I.L is still sitting with me. Argh.

Priorities

Since becoming pregnant and going through our family's tragedy a couple of months ago, my thoughts have started to change. I would say I am typically a planner. I like to know what is in store for me for the next couple of weeks and rarely do I like surprises. I also stress over the small stuff (dishes in the sink, dog hair on the floor, piled up laundry, etc.) but lately I really just don't care. I don't care about petty things, granted some things still rattle my chains, but I just don't get uptight like I used to. I don't have the energy to get all riled up.

Another thing that I am being really good at is not surrounding myself with negative people. There are a couple of people that I know who are negative, and they are in my family. It is hard to avoid them, but I really try to make sure I don't get so bothered by them. I normally would bite my tongue about things they would say, but now I actually argue back and they are surprised because they realize they sound like asses. I used to tend to get negative when I was around these people, now I just look back at how silly it was and such a waste for me to get like that.

Things have been stressful around these parts, but I have a feeling things will go well in the next few days. I know I am being very vague, but I just needed to vent for a while.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Traffic, bedding and the movies

Traffic in this county is down right rediculous. There is bumper to bumper conjestion no matter what time you are on the highway. A 20 minute errand is turning into a 45 minute errand. With this traffic and high gas prices I am destined to be a hermit for the next 5 years. That will make my lack of tan even more lacking.

Saw Dark Knight on Saturday. It was good, a bit long and a smidge confusing. Okay, way confusing for me, but that is typical for any action flick when it comes to me following it. Since we got to the theater way early (hubbs' insists on getting to all movies so early that we end up sitting in our seats for about 45 minutes and answering those stupid trivia questions on the screen over and over) it was amazing to see the mayhem that goes on in theaters for a big movie like that. People were trying to save seats and pissing other people off who were trying to find a place. I was so caught up in the soap operas around me that those 45 minutes just flew right by!

Due to the great response from my bedding blog below, I ended up choosing the Sophie collection. I also learned that asking for a stroller from the in-laws would be too rude. I will try to think of a more tactful way of getting to them.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Bedding Basics

Last weekend I registered with my mom for my showers in September. I have everything up except for the stroller (which Target does not have) and infant seat. I guess I will need to get those on my own. I also have not registered for bedding. I am having the hardest time picking what I want. First I wanted polka dots and stripes, then I wanted flowers, then I wanted something super plain. I just don't know what I am doing. What I do know is that I don't want to get tired of some theme I picked out. I want the bedding to be classic and not trendy. The colors I love are, bright pinks, various greens and yellow. But I also love lavender. I have narrowed down my selections below... The first three are from Pottery Barn, the second two are from Target. Any thoughts? I also love to mix and match pieces from different collections.

On another note, I am hoping the in laws volunteer to purchase a big ticket item... however, I don't know if they will, you just never know with them. I don't want to sound greedy or demanding, but with a lot of things needed, I want to make sure they are spending their money wisely and on things we need soon. Would it be appropriate to have them buy our stroller and infant car seat? Or something else big? How do I do this without sounding like a byatch?



Sophie Collection- Love all of various colors

Penelope Collection- Love the use of the hot pink

Pique Collection- I would do the hot pink and mix and match cute sheets... also can be mix and matched with Penelope

Cottage Chic- Again, I like the various colors

MiGi Sweet- very cute too!

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Cravings

Today while pretending to work, I went to the Hostess web-site and thought about whether I would rather be nibbling on Ding Dongs, Ho Ho's, or mini Donettes. I went to a junk food website and read about their products like I was researching to buy a new car. I have such a sweet tooth right now. I have limited my sugar intake since my last appt. with Substitute Doc. and have done pretty well... but for some reason I got to thinking about those chocolate, shiny, waxy tasting mini donuts which go so well with a nice glass of milk. I....love.....you....little donuts... we could be such good friends... I could keep a package of you in my desk and I would slowly eat one at a time so that the pack would last through the day. No one would have to know about us.

I was lusting and maybe even starting to drool therefore very embarrassed when a coworker snuck up on me to ask me about a project. I quickly clicked out of my sweet heaven like I was trying to hide something and pulled my head out of my tasty bliss and got back to work.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

About Me

Random Things About Me

Favorite Foods:
1) Cheeseburgers
2) Pizza
3) My mom's fried chicken
4) Popcorn
5) Watermelon

Places I Have Traveled to in the past year and a half:
1) New York City
2) Washington, D.C.
3) New Jersey
4) Scottsdale/Phoenix
5) Tucson
6) Sedona
7) Orange County
8) Tampa Bay
9) Dallas
10) Chicago

Favorite Movies:
1) Love Actually
2) Ghostbusters
3) National Lampoon's Vacation
4) Top Gun
5) Working Girl
6) When Harry Met Sally
7) Devil Wear's Prada

What Did I Eat for Breakfast Today:
Real oatmeal (no sugar) with sliced bananas and sprinkled cinnamon

What Did I Wear Today:
Mimi Maternity white and pink striped blouse, GAP maternity jeans and brown Steve Madden round toe pumps topped off with my brownish/burgundy Burberry reading glasses

Things I Rock at Cooking/Baking:
1) Stuffed bell peppers
2) Banana bread
3) Enchiladas
4) Spaghetti (real sauce, not out of a jar)
5) Twice Baked Potatoes

Favorite Books
1) Anything by David Sedaris (Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, Me Talk Pretty One Day, etc.)
2) The Devil Wear's Prada
3) The Great Gatsby
4) Prep
5) Lonesome Dove

Favorite Time of Year:
Fall

Favorite Holidays:
1) Halloween
2) Christmas
3) Thanksgiving

Favorite T.V. Shows:
1) The Office
2) How I Met Your Mother
3) Tori & Dean: Back to Hollywood
4) Run's House
5) What Not to Wear
6) Anything on Food Network
7) Bringing Home Baby
8) Baby Story
9) John and Kate Plus 8

That's it today!

Monday, July 14, 2008

This Morning in a Nut Shell

4:00 a.m.: Wake up and think how nice it is that its Sunday!!! Go back to sleep
4:15 a.m.: Wake up again and realize that I am a fool, it is freaking Monday!
6:20 a.m.: Alarm goes off
6:21 a.m.: Push snooze button
6:30 a.m.: Alarm goes off again
6:31 a.m.: Push snooze button
Continue cycle until 7:15
7:15 a.m.: Decide it is time to start my day
7:20 a.m.: Get in shower
7:30 a.m.: Figure out what to wear which I think will look cute
7:35 a.m.: Realize that this outfit makes me look like I am wearing a too big of top with a too small of blazer- story of a pregnant lady
7:37 a.m.: F-it, wearing this outfit anyways....
7:45: After hair and makeup are done, saunter downstairs to make breakfast and lunch
7:50: Make oatmeal and bananas
8:00: Eat oatmeal and bananas while sitting at computer in our office
8:02: Prepare pita pocket with hummus for lunch and see that the hummus seal is broken.
8:03: Toss out pita pocket and hummus and make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich
8:04: Finish packing lunch and contemplate eating rest of my peanut butter and chocolate cupcake from Sift (new cupcake place) as an after breakfast dessert.
8:05: Decide against eating cupcake and stick with my limited sugar consumption diet- argh
8:10: Go back upstairs to brush teeth
8:15: Pack work out clothes
8:20: Go back downstairs
8:25: Look for work out bag
8:35: Find work out bag
8:37: Try to find iPod headphones
8:45: Decide the hubb's must of taken them with him on his business trip to Hawaii yesterday.
8:50: Put Lucy in garage
8:55: Decide that tomorrow I will be on time to work
9:00: Back my car out and head to work
9:07: Arrive at work and realize parking lot is super empty and think about how I should of called in sick

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Pour Some Sugar on This!

Went to the doctor's yesterday. My regular OB was booked so her midwife saw me instead. She asked if I was sleeping through the night and I replied "like a rock!" and she remarked "you should be getting up to go to the bathroom! You are not drinking enough water!" After arguing reasons why I have not been drinking enough water I realized just to shut up.

Then she made a comment about this past month's weight gain. I chalked it up to being constipated. She did not like that response and said I was eating too much dairy. I then told her I had ..... hemorrhoids!!!! Yes, I do. It is lovely. She then asked if I wanted her to take a look at them (meanwhile the hubbs' is in the room with me with a bewildered look on his face). I said no. They are happy where they are and not in the mood for an audience thank you very much. She told me about some remedies and that was that.

Then I asked her about the indigestion I have been having after dinner sometimes. Her remark:
"Ahhh! 6 small meals a day! No big meals!".....
"but I eat 6 fricking meals a day lady!" I replied. She then recommended TUMS. Sweet.

Last but not least, she said I should start limiting my sugar... no sugary drinks (which I don't even drink....wait does that include my morning tea with two tablespoons of sugar or my coffee with cream and sugar?), cut out sugar.... period.

Let me just say I walked out of there like a dog with it's tail between its legs. I felt lousy. I have been eating very healthy, but have thrown in more sweets into my diet, that is for sure. I have been exercising. I should drink more water and maybe cut out baking cookies... but come on!!! Just because I am going through a growth spurt does not mean I need to feel like I got sent to the Principal's office.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Cookie Complex

Lately I have had the need to bake cookies. For some reason my cookies always look weird. They never look like my mom's perfect cookies. They are either small and thick or super flat. Now I know, the cookbooks say, that too thick = too much flour. Too flat= butter too softened. That may be true for many Betty Crocker's, but for me, I follow the rules/measurements to the tee and they still look goofy. Despite looking lumpy or like pancakes, they taste good.

For instance, yesterday I tried out a new chocolate chip cookie recipe which was supposed to leave the cookies more moist and gooey, just the way I like them. In order to be more healthy I cut out some of the sugar and mixed in a mashed up ripe banana instead. They ended up good size, not too little or flat but the bottoms were darker and they were also darker around the perimeter. The banana made them more cakelike than cookielike, but they were still scrumptious, even if they again looked odd. I am a pretty good cook (okay, a really good cook, but more Better Homes and Gardens than Bon Appetite) so this cookie ordeal is creating a real complex. I find myself paranoid and worried while they are in the oven. Checking in on them as they bake to make sure they do not get all weird looking.

I've got a cookie complex and I need help!

Further Proof I am a Moran

Okay, remember my post my last week about cutting off my eyelashes? Of course you do, because you dream and breath by my nonsense blogs. Anyways, here is a picture below. Yup, nice eyelashes...
Here are some 22 week belly shots (in my prenatal yoga outfit thankyouverymuch). I think I am going through a growth spurt right now because all of sudden my belly just popped out!

Yeah, that skin does not get tan. I can thank my Norwegian grandfather for that! It's okay, I am proud of my fairness!

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Sgt. Slack Off

I have been so lazy lately. Our house looks like a disaster area. I have had no energy to clean or straighten things up. Shoes are piling up at the bottom of the stairs, mail is accumulating on the counter, books and magazines are laid out all over our couch. The thought of having a housekeeper is sounding much more appealing right now.

Mission Organization is about to begin in my house. I am determined to tackle one big project each weekend through the summer. Up first is going through our closet and bagging up any clothes that I have not worn within the last year or so. Not only will I be bagging them up, I will actually be driving my ass to Goodwill and unloading them. Yup. I will.

Next up on my organization/get in order list:

1) Organize all closets, including linen closets and purge/donate things I never use
2) Organize cabinets and cupboards
3) Clean out downstairs walk in closet
4) Order photos which are sitting on computer, and put them in catalogues and frames
5) Organize my recipe book (not a big project and can be added to another project's weekend)
6) Clean out office- this one I am not looking forward to
7) Clean out dresser(s)

My new motto is "less is more". We have a pretty big house and we have stuffed every spare closet with stuff. Stuff that should of been tossed when we moved into our house in the first place. We are only going to accumulate more things with the baby and will need that space.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Sniffling Sally

Been sick since Friday. Hubbs got a bug for a day last Thursday. That night I yelled at him in the middle of the night for breathing all over me. The next morning I woke up sick, except it is hanging on way longer than his 24 hour bug.

On Saturday we went mattress shopping which was miserable considering I was almost at the peak of being sick and it was hard not to lay on your back when testing out mattresses. On Sunday I sat on the couch all day, watched E.T. and cut out recipes from old Martha Stewart magazines.

So yesterday and today the bug is mostly in my sinuses and causing serious pressure and pain. And my ear hurts so I keep on having people repeat things because I can not hear. Real classy.

Today I at least decided to look put together. I am wearing a cute black dress from Motherhood Maternity, a black Banana Republic cardigan and leopard print Banana Republic flats.

Watched Definitely, Maybe on Friday night. A cute movie and it stars Ryan Reynolds who is so hhhhhhhhhhhhot!