It's OK

It's ok to clean under your finger nails with a potato scrubber. Or an earring post. Whatever.

It's ok to tell your dog 10 times in a row to stop eating the ashes out of the bbq pit but to not stand up and empty them out so he doesn't keep doing it.

It's ok to feel just a little sad that you're having a boy rather than a girl every time you see adorable hairbows for sale. (as long as you're thrilled about it the rest of the time)

It's ok to have an enormous stockpile of greeting cards that you bought with the best of intentions even though they may never get sent, at least to their originally intended recipients.

It's ok to try to slip in coupons that you know are expired or two for the same product just to see if the store will take them. It's not stealing. Or maybe it is, I've been feeling a little guilty for this lately.

It's ok to spend whole days watching marathons of House, or Law and Order SVU, or Top Chef, or Little Miss Perfect.

It's ok to make up or embellish pregnancy aches and pains so your husband will keep massaging.

It's ok to throw away perfectly good lightbulbs because you just can't store that many of them. How did we get that many lightbulbs anyway?

It's ok to take the free eye exam at WalMart just to hear them say your vision is perfect, again.

It's ok to categorically like all songs with a whistling part in them and dislike all songs that include the lyrics "for you and for me" or refer to one's generation.

And just for good measure, this song is ok too!

Menu Plan Monday

Shopping and cooking are on my no-can-do list of bed rest restrictions (along with travel, sex and cleaning), which came as bummers since those are kind of the highlights of my day! So for the last few weeks I've had to plan meals that are quick and easy for Brian to make when he gets home from work, with a little help from me because I'm not that good at following instructions. Most of the meals I've picked are coming from the Simple and Delicious cookbook put out by Taste of Home. I love how they organize the meals and time each of the recipes. None of them are over 30 minutes. Sides are based almost solely on what we found at the farmers' market on Saturday. So here's what we're having (it's running Saturday to Friday even though I'm posting on Monday):

Saturday: Uglies, roasted broccoli greens, and mashed potatoes.

Did you know you could use the broccoli leaves? I didn't until a nice farmer sold us some. They were delicious! Less bitter than collards, and really simple to make with this roasting recipe. Different than the usual sauteeing I do with pretty much all other greens.

The filling for the uglies would have been better divided among 10 biscuits rather than 8. There was some left after I stuffed as much as I could into the biscuit cups that I had to eat with a spoon. Oh, the sacrifice!

Sunday: Chicken Tikka Masala (sort of), taboule from the box, naan, and sliced radishes and vinegar. The radishes were Easter egg radishes, a mix of pink, red, purple, white and yellow. So pretty!

The reason I say sort of about the Tikka Masala is that we bought a premade batch of it from a guy at the farmers market that was intended to be a dip, but I used it as a marinade then followed these instructions for sesame chicken to bake it and serve over rice.

Monday: Tuna Burgers with mustard greens and chips

Tuesday: Spaghetti and meatballs, zucchini boats

I already made the meatballs with what was left of the ground beef after the uglies on Saturday

Wednesday: beer marinated Chicken tacos with super spicy Brianmade salsa to hurry Will along if he's not here yet, and canned beans

Friday: Pine Nut Crusted Red Snapper, spinach and rice

Come on, baby!

This certainly hasn't been a pregnancy blog, but inspired by Allie's weekly postings, I thought I might should do one of my own before it's over. For the last few weeks I've been thinking everything I do is the last time I'm going to do it before the baby gets here. Saturday I went to the Farmer's Market, again thinking it's the last time. Yesterday was the third week in a row I thought I would be going to Mass for the last time before baby gets here. Let's hope I was right and that this is the last Monday before baby gets here. The good news though is that this means so far my doctor has decided baby and I are healthy enough to carry on in pregnancy rather than inducing. That was a real possibility because of high blood pressure, but as of now he says that I am fine to continue to 41 weeks (yikes!) as long as nothing changes. Tomorrow is my e.d.d. and I know only 5% of babies are actually born on their due dates, but lets offer a prayer that this little boy is!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 40 weeks

Total Weight Gain/Loss: +25 lbs

Is your nursery done? basically. I need to hang his quilt and post the decal of his name on the wall. Also my parents ordered us a glider that hasn't come yet. So actually I guess the nursery isn't done, but we don't really plan on having him in there much anyway, at least at first.

What is your favorite piece of baby gear that you've purchased? I'm really excited to try out the Baby K'Tan carrier I got us.

Which stroller did you buy? My parents gave us a Bob Revolution jogging stroller. I'd also like to pick up a smaller umbrella stroller for shopping trips, etc. I couldn't believe there wasn't a single stroller at the consignment store when I went but I have my eyes peeled.

How many inches around is that bump? I don't know in terms of inches, but out of curiousity I played the toilet paper game alone at home just to see. I insisted that we not play it at either of my showers because honestly how fun is measuring your body under the scrutiny of all your family and friends under any circumstances? But fyi, it took 11 squares of toilet paper to wrap around my belly at the belly button. Incidentally, that is still about half a square too short to wrap around my hips at the widest point. Even 9 months pregnant, I'm pear shaped!

Are you getting nervous? Yes, a little. I was confident when we were planning a home birth with a midwife that I knew would be calm and comfortable. Knowing now that I'll be giving birth in the hospital I'm worried about the chance for interventions I don't want and just that the environment is going to be tense and disruptive. I'm not nervous that anything is actually going to go wrong, surprisingly. I have faith that we'll both come through healthy and strong on the other side.

Have you dropped yet? yes, that boy is fully snuggled into my pelvis.

Lost your plug? I think that's what it was...

Are you still working/how long will you work? No, I've been on bed rest for the last few weeks. About 20 hours a day are spent laying on my left side.

How do you feel in general? bored, achy, and oh so ready to hold my baby in my arms

What are you getting the most excited about? I can't wait for us to be a family of 3!

The Accent Vlog

I vlogged!! I'm hit or miss, I get that. I miss you guys, really, I do! But there are no long apologies or best laid plans to return to blogging this time. I'd love to update you, especially since the baby is coming any day now, but right now I am just dropping in to share this vlog about accents. You should think about doing it too! If you want to follow along or do the Accent Vlog yourself, here are the words/questions: Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught, Coffee, Daughter. What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house? What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball? What is the bubbly carbonated drink called? What do you call gym shoes? What do you say to address a group of people? What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs? What do you call your grandparents? What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket? What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining? What is the thing you change the TV channel with?

The latest game of tag

So my best friend ever, Allie-Mac-Fallie, tagged me last week to answer the 8 questions she made up and then tag 8 people answer the ones I'll write. I'm not in the habit of letting this girl down, at least when I can help it, so that tag, along with her regular nagging ever since I abandoned my blog early this summer were the final impetus in bringing me back. Wives, don't nag your husbands, but apparently nagging your bff is acceptable and effective. I think she missed my presence here the very most, closely followed by my other bestie, Neely, and my New York grandparents! Hi Guys!

So, here we go...

1. What is the best vacation you have ever taken/ favorite vacation spot?

Quite honestly, I think it was the road trip my parents, Brian and I took to North Carolina for Allie and Karl's wedding this summer followed by a week on the Outer Banks. We stopped in Mobile, AL on the way to Charlotte, attended the most fabulous and fun wedding of our dear friends, then headed out to Hatteras Island where we stayed in a condo on the beach and toured light houses. One was a national park, that's why I got to cross that off my list. Then on the way back we stopped in Savannah, GA (where the baby was created!!!) and Hammond, LA. It was a trip I'll never forget, and definitely eased my mind about all that driving! We've always flown everywhere, but really the driving is not that bad. I did find out that Texas has some of the ugliest interstates in the south though, followed by anywhere within 50 miles of a casino. I wish I had the pictures here, maybe I'll make a slideshow later.

2. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be/why? (Money isn't an object)

In one of the big beautiful antique houses in New Braunfels, maybe on the banks of the river as long as it's the non-flooding side. I felt completely at home in New Braunfels and was sorry as hell to have to leave. I would be totally satisfied to live and die there. Unfortunately, even though Brian loved NB, he feels the draw to return to the coast one day soon, so that's probably what we'll do.

3. What is your "go-to" outfit? or your favorite outfit (pictures?)?

I have a new favorite I think I'm going to get a ton of use out of this Fall. I've only worn it twice so far including out with Neely when she was here last weekend, but there's some belly growing room in it, and I wear it with leggings and cute red flats. Very comfy!

4. What are you most thankful for in your life?

I can't help but thank God for my Husband and our baby in the same breath 100+ times a day! I'm so blessed by them! I hope I never forget that. I'm also thankful that He's been leading my steps even when I was a less than obedient follower, because I can see now that's exactly what was happening.

5. What is one piece of advice you would give other women?

Don't follow so much advice. Do what your conscience/heart/gut says more often than what other people say.

6. What is one thing you plan to accomplish before the end of this year?

I have a list a mile long to accomplish this week! I get a little frightened by thoughts of the end of the year right around the corner. I'd like to say something about finding a house to buy but that will actually happen early next year. So hmm... how about fit in a camping trip later this Fall. That would be lots of fun, and quite an accomplishment too.

7. What is your favorite purchase you have made in the past month?

My new Southern Plate cookbook!! It's fabulous and you need your own copy. But not you, Allie, you're already getting one. I actually pre-ordered them this April but they came in this month and I just treasure it already.

8. Do you save money for things? What are you saving for? If not, what would you like to save you money up for?

Yes, I try to save up. We are definitely saving right now, for a house, for the baby, for Brian a new truck, for a trip to Colorado next year and maybe one to Florida too.

Here are my questions:

1. What is your favorite holiday and how do you celebrate it?

2. Who was your favorite teacher, why?

3. What should your parents have named you besides your real name?

4. What do you hope will be different about next year than this one?

5. What is a lesson you have learned from an ex?

6. Do you have a specific moment that you realized you're an adult now?

7. What is a skill you wish you had?

8. What makes you feel beautiful?

I'm tagging:

Neely

Skye

Jess

Jamie

Keli

Courtney

Janice (in the hopes it will bring her back to blogging like it did me!)

And you of course!

A Cure for the Common Cold

Hint: There isn't one!

This is how a cold works. Maybe it’s a little different for you but it’s always the same for me. It always amazes me how surprised some people act about colds though and how there are still so many widely believed myths about them. Here to set the record straight, at least from my point of view, is an accounting of the cold I’m getting over right now and every one I’ve every had before.

Day 1: My throat hurts. I try to make excuses for it besides getting sick, like maybe I sang too loud in the car yesterday. By nightfall this excuse is wearing thin.

Day 2: My throat is hurting super bad. I’m wondering if it’s strep this time, because sometimes it is. Start taking mega doses of Vitamin C (anyone remember that song?) and drinking hot tea and chicken bouillon.

Day 3: Throat still hurts, but a whole lot less and now I have a sinus headache, which proves that it’s not strep and the cold will continue per usual. Voice gets hoarse as the day goes on, and I can’t smell anything.

Someone (probably the mother of the person you caught the cold from) says "oh it’s this weather we’re having." It’s not the weather. Weather doesn’t have germs. Weather has nothing to do with it. And besides the “weather we’ve been having” is perfectly ideal chamber of commerce weather. That’s not it. It’s germs, specifically a virus.

Day 4: No one wants me around them. I wake up the house coughing, and there’s a growing pile of Kleenex on the floor near my bed. I’ve probably been throwing up from all the mucus that’s drained down there. TMI, I know.

Someone suggests that it’s probably allergies. It’s not allergies.

Someone else suggests that maybe it’s more than a cold and I should go to a doc in the box. I should not go to a doc in the box. If he was a decent doctor he would say “it’s a cold. Here’s an expectorant to help your body clear out the mucus which is what it’s already trying to do with all the coughing. Drink lots of fluids.” But I’m pregnant and couldn’t take the expectorant anyway and I already know about the fluids thing. Unfortunately, there are a lot of less than decent doctors out there who would say instead “here’s an antibiotic (worthless against a virus which is what a cold is) and a cough suppressant (exactly the opposite of what I need right now).”

Day 5: My cough will continue, drier now, but it has mostly done its job already. It’s always the worst in the morning, but it’ll get better as the day goes on. My nose is chapped, my lips are chapped, my hands are dried out from all the GermX, and I still can’t smell very well. But the good news is the cold is pretty much done! Even though I still sound gross, I’m starting to feel fine. This is where I am today, and that’s pretty good news.

I've been a little busy lately...

So you might have realized I basically took the whole summer off of blogging and we're now a good way into fall and I've been silent. I'm sorry about that. I kept wanting to come back to blogging, really I did, but each time I put it off it seemed even more and more overwhelming to come back to.
I have some big stuff to talk about! I may have missed the window for talking about our one year anniversary and the incredible vacation to NC this summer. But I definitely owe you at least a recap about how I have a job now! Brian's been gone for the last 7 weeks at boot camp. How we moved in with his parents in Austin and are starting the search for a house. And last but not least, how we're expecting a baby in April! That's right, there's an egg in this nest. I think it might take a whole week of straight up writing to get all that on screen so I'm going to just ease back in I think. I've been missing you all!
Here's an update on my 30 before 30 list to kick off my reentry into blog world.
1. Become a mom
2. Buy a house
3. Leave the continent
4. Bring a neighbor something I baked
5. Plant a tree
6. Read 10 more books on the College Board List
7. Be a Maid of Honor
8. Ride in a hot air balloon
9. Throw a baby shower
10. Get my concealed handgun license
11. Join a gym
12. Watch Gone With Wind
13. take ballet again
14. Join the Junior League
15. Host a theme party
16. Wear something I sewed myself
17. Learn to play golf
18. Have a 6 month savings account
19. Get a job I lovelike
20. Find a dentist I trust
21. Meet a blog friend IRL
22. Go strawberry picking
23. Make over a piece of furniture
24. Own a Corgi
25. Visit a national park
26. Print our wedding album
27. Attend my 10 year High School reunion
28. Go on a mission trip
29. Get season tickets for the Aggies
30. Attend the the Republican State Convention

I think I lost a few followers while I was gone. Sad, but completely understandable, so if you do drop by could you let me know in the comments? I'd like to know also which blogs I need to hurry back to visit!