First Trimester, Laying Low in the Snow

Life has been fairly uneventful lately. This pregnancy has seemed so strangely easy so far that it's almost hard to believe it's real. A few bouts of nausea in the beginning, but so far no puking. I've been a little tired in the afternoons, but thanks to the amazing rock hard sleep I get with my c-pap machine I still feel pretty good. I worried how my appetite would be given that I had bariatric surgery two years ago, but it remains pretty normal. I've gained 3lbs and have just a little over a week until I'm in the 2nd trimester.

I did get a new catagorization from the OB the other day, 'advanced maternal age'...because I will be 35 when the baby is born. Basically that means I get a couple extra genetic tests and a 3D ultrasound that is covered by our insurance. We've never had a 3D before, so being old is cool!

Our weather has been cold cold COLD lately, and the kids had 2hr delays every day this week.. Most of my days this winter consist of getting the kids off to school, running errands, going to pilates class, doing some church commitments and cleaning my house. And in the afternoon, I usually hang out with my good friends Waffle, Rosie and Netflix.

As much as I love binge watching Netflix shows, I am more than ready for spring. Walking around the neighborhood or getting my hands in some dirt would be awesome. I've already mentally mapped our garden for this summer. Daydreaming about corn.

Today we had a perfect combination of snow accumulation AND a mild temperature around 30. Finally!...snow that can be played in. For hours. 

We took a break in the play to go to a Ninja birthday party at a gymnastics studio where the kids flipped and ran for 2 hours straight. I'm thinking they'll sleep well tonight. 

I'm not sure why I waited until 34 years old to get a real pair of snow boots, but I did. They are insulated and waterproof and not from Target. It's amazing how warm and dry my feet stay. And at the price they were...I'm assuming my grandchildren will see these boots. 

Jeremy's so cammo...can you even see him?

New Year's Day 2015 and the Best Dinner Ever?

Since we spend out New Year's Eve with a very sick Jeremy, and barely made it to 10:30pm for celebrations, I decided to make a nice 'fancy dinner' for New Year's Day as a means for extra celebration. When you have 5 and 7 year old kids, 'fancy dinner' really means...we're setting the table, using nice plates and trying not to fart at the table or knock anything over. While we eat dinner at the table together several nights a week let's just say....we rarely ever use these perimeters.

I spent most of the whole day tearing down Christmas and organizing it with  my trusty label maker. While I was doing that our lamb roast was curing in a delicious smelling rub for many hours.

Our lamb roast with all kinds of goodies added to the dutch oven before cooking all afternoon....

....and after

While the family played Wii, I set the table including candles, napkin rings and chargers.

Jeremy said that this lamb dish was the best thing that I have EVER produced in this kitchen. Really? This kitchen that I have cooked in for almost 10 years? Like...ever ever? I'm not sure if that was the food talking or the fact that his bronchitis had kept him from eating a real meal for far too long.

Either way, I'll be making it again.

Yes we are all in pajamas and the kids have wet hair from an afternoon bath. Doesn't mean we weren't still being fancy. 

On my goal list for 2015....

...more fancy dinners.

A couple of people have asked for the recipe. It's from cookbook and I couldn't find it online. So just because I'm feeling nice...here it is typed out for you all!

Lamb, Prune and Almond Tagine

Ingredients:
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1tbsp paprika
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
3 pounds lamb cutlets
1/3 cup clarified butter (I just used regular)
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
3.5 cups lamb stock (I just used beef)
2 1/3 cup prunes
4 cinnamon sticks
4 bay leaves
1/2 cup almond meal
12 shallots
1 tbsp honey
salt and ground black pepper
toasted almonds and fresh parsley to garnish. 

Steps:
1) Using a mortar and pestle or a blender, combine the coriander and cumin seeds, chili powder, paprika, turmeric, garlic and 1/4 cup of oil. Coat the lamb with the paste, then cover and chill for at least 5 hours.  

2) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven. Add the onions and carrot and cook until soft. Remove and put to one side. Cook the paste-coated lamb on both sides in the remaining butter. Add a little of the stock and bring to a boil, scraping up the sediment from the bottom of the pot. Put the onions and carrot back in the pot and add one-third of the prunes. Add the remaining stock with the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and almond meal. Season, cover and bake in the oven for 2 hours or until the meat is really tender. 

3) Meanwhile, saute the shallots in the remaining oil and the honey until they turn a deep golden brown. Add to the pot 30-40 minutes before the end of the cooking time. 

4) Take the lamb out of the sauce and put to one side. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce tot a thick consistency. Put the lamb back in the casserole, add the remaining prunes, and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Garnish with the almonds and parsley. Serve with couscous. (I chose the Trader Joe's harvest grain blend instead because we loooove it).

Egg Carton Mini Muffins

Being home all day with nowhere to go...such a shock to my system nowadays. It wasn't all that long ago that I was home most days with my preschoolers or babies, and domesticity ruled my life. But now, such a rare treat. I am still continuing not to work (you know, by the Uncle Sam definition of 'work' not that every-Mom-knows-it's-a-real-job definition of 'work').

This year since the kids are now both in school, I'm finding myself busier than ever. Volunteering at school, running the kids to vision therapy, karate and dance classes, overseeing the coffee ministry and singing on the worship band at our church, hostessing a weekly small group, and attempting to get to regular exercise classes. Oh and packing cute lunch boxes.  Whew.

But today Charley had a cough, so I cleared my calendar and stayed home with him and did domestic things. Like finally washed our stinky comforter.

I also had a stroke of genius about mini-muffins and egg cartons, which led me to our little project.

First we painted some paper egg cartons to be all holiday pretty.

Then I made some mini muffins (don't ask for a recipe, it was just Jiffy mix with dried cherries added)

Then we put a dozen mini-muffins in each egg carton and will later delivery them to our neighbors. Ta-da!!!

*Disclaimer- my coughing kid did not touch any part of the food process and washed his hands well before painting the cartons. Plus he's not really that sick, so I feel confident in sharing these muffins. I'm not a horrible virus spreading neighbor...I don't think.

2014 Pumpkin Pictures

Every October we go down and see our pumpkin man in Morgan County. Not a pumpkin patch or anything fancy, just a farmer with an honor box and a beautiful yard full of pumpkins.

It's the only time we ever do a 'photo shoot' and pose the kids. Then the awesome part is look at all their pumpkin pictures through the years and watching them grow.

I have to say, I think that this year's crop of pics are the best we've ever gotten. We hit the lighting just at the perfect time.

Happy Autumn everyone! 

Pumpkin Retrospective '14, bigger and more orangey

Tessa

 Age 18 months

 Age 2

 Age 3

 Age 4 
(couldn't find a solo shot from her that year but it was a weird year. I was still unable to walk)

 Age 5

 Age 6

 Age 7

Charley 

 Age 9 months

 Age 21 months

 Age 2

 Age 3

Age 4

 Age 5

Group Shots

2009 

2010 

2011

 (I was still non-weight bearing on my boot at this point so how I got over into the picture was a big feat indeed)

 2012

2013

2014