Belly shot...

Well, I kinda dropped off the belly pic wagon somewhere around 25 weeks.  I'm not sure why - I just kept forgetting to take them when I meant to and who knows what else.  And then we got a Mac for Christmas, which I LOVE, but the picture system is all wonky and I don't really like it.  On my PC, I organized them all by seasons and years (Spring 2011, Summer 2011, etc) and just imported to a certain folder, but I haven't quite figured out the Mac picture system yet.  Mac wants you just to import and then categorize them for you.  No thank you.

Anyways....here's one that will show quite the growth I'm sure, especially if you haven't seen me in a while!  Baby boy is growing, there's no doubt about it.  We had a sonogram this week and they estimated he was about 5.5 lbs!  Its just an estimate of course but still....Wow!  He'll be here before we know it.

During spring break, around 31 weeks.  

This picture was taken in the mirror and it was to show the big belly that goes with the big yellow bag.  That's my diaper bag that Pat and Cherish got for me off of Etsy.  I love it!!

Pantry Organization

This week, I have been on spring break.  It has been wonderful!  Usually we go somewhere, even if its just to Dallas but this year, we stayed put.  Ben's in a new job and preggers here is craving time at home to organize and decorate Caleb's room and other areas that just need some attention.  Monday, I tackled the kitchen.  I organized and cleaned out most of the cabinets, the freezer, and the pantry.  I found mail from our apartment...yeah, the one we lived in more than 3 years ago!!  It feels so good and amazingly, I have some empty cabinet space now!

Top 2 shelves of the pantry before.  Notice the wreaths stacked in the corner.

Top two shelves after

I organized everything into tubs that I got for $1 each at Dollar Tree and then labeled them with labels I printed off from HERE.  I got the idea of organizing everything into tubs from HERE.  

Bottom shelves before

Bottom shelves after

Now it just makes me smile every time that I open up my pantry instead of sighing.  

And those wreaths now have a very organized place hanging in the hall closet.  

Happy Organizing!

Recipes...from pinterest

In the past two days, I've made two recipes that I found via pinterest that are from some wonderfully clever blogs.  About a month ago, I made a recipe I found through pinterest and it LOOKED delicious.  The comments on the blog post all said, "I can't wait to try this!" or "It looks soooo good!" but none of them actually said that its was good.  You must proceed with caution if you're going to take a recipe from pinterest or some one's blog.  Looks can be deceiving!!

These, thankfully, were not.  I made sure I read up on the comments and people who had actually tried and cooked these recipes loved them and said they were good.  That's the test - if people go back to comment that it was delicious, not just that it looks delicious, then its a little more trustworthy.  The two recipes I tried were...

Salted Caramel Butter Bars

I made these for our Bible study tonight and they turned out delicious!  Not too sweet but just right.  YUM! 

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

I made these for Ben and I Monday night to go with our chicken and veggies and pasta dish.  They are supposed to be just like the Red Lobster ones and guess what?!  They are!  To be honest, I don't love the food at Red Lobster (overpriced and just not that great) but the cheddar biscuits keep me coming back.  Well, Red Lobster, your power over me is no longer!  All to say...I recommend them.  Also YUM.

If you're not on pinterest yet...you should be!  

We can bring him home

Well, we still have a lot more things we need for baby boy, but at least we could bring him home!  Ben put our stroller and carseat combo together and I just love it.  The little insert for the carseat for when the baby is small is so small!

I just can't wait to meet our little guy.  I'm 30 weeks now and feeling him kick all the time.  My belly moves around in weird ways and I'm starting to get some Braxton Hicks.  I'm thankfully still sleeping great - today I even took a 2 hour nap after my doctor's appointment.  I haven't done that in a while but it was glorious.  We've chosen our hospital and are about to look into taking some classes before the big day.  Its going to be an exciting and special next 2 months before he is born, but also a time to trust in God and lean on Him during this huge transition.  He is taking care of us and even in my little moments of panic or freaking out about all the unknown, He is with us and providing for us in ways we don't even see.  I am so thankful that we know the Lord and that we have the privilege of walking through life WITH HIM.

Got Cravings?

One of the questions I have gotten over and over is "So, have you had any cravings?".  I always try to think really hard about it but have to say, well no, not really.  But thinking back, I have had some different phases...and in my current state, I give into them in the name of pregnancy.  Most of them have to do with breakfast as that is when I felt the worst early on.

In the beginning, it was whole wheat bagels and cream cheese for breakfast, specifically those from Starbucks (who knew they had toasted bagels?!).  I discovered anew this breakfast food when I was in the "Please stop the car, I need to throw up" phase.   It was something hearty that filled me up and that I kept down.  Then there was eggo whole wheat waffles.  I ate those for a while and then one morning I ate them and they didn't stay down, and they weren't quite as appetizing anymore.  There are a few foods like that that will never be the same.  Lately its been muffins - whole wheat or fiber 1.  Dinners and lunch haven't changed too much and snacks are just more frequent.  In the beginning, my sweet tooth was temporarily absent and I wanted more salty carbs but oh man, my sweet tooth is back with a vengeance.

And finally, the craving of my life - grapefruit.  I have loved grapefruit since I was a little toddler.  My moms says I ate it as a little one without any sugar.  And oh I have loved them during pregnancy as well.  One week only, and oh what a great week, HEB had a bag of 5 grapefruits on sale for 97 cents!  I still think someone just marked it wrong, but they were delicious and I had a grapefruit every day.  Then my mom sent me home with all the grapefruits left from a box of grapefruits that my dad has gotten from a client every Christmas since I was in elementary school.  I hope baby boy will love them too!

Well folks, tomorrow, I am 30 weeks.  Yes ladies and gentlemen...10 weeks left.  WOW.  I am excited and anxious and nervous and so joyful all in one.  Today I bought the book "Heading Home with YOUR NEWBORN - from birth to reality".  Its interesting and witty and a good dose of reality!  This baby is comin soon!

Sweet Shower

The weekend before last, my sister threw me a shower with high school friends, family, and a few college friends.  It was such a sweet time with friends and family and everyone was so generous!  My sister, Anne, did an amazing job creating the owl theme with just enough owl and vintage and cuteness.  I just love her style!  My parents gave us our stroller and we got so many other great things that we need for our sweet boy.

Owl cookie favors 

Caleb's name banner...Did you know that is his name?  We are so excited for baby boy Caleb to come! 

Sweet friends 

Adorable little onsies.  They are so SMALL.  And soon we will have a little baby to put IN THEM.  WHOA. 

The group 

Lauren, Jamie, me, and Katie - my sweet high school friends.  We have so many pics of the 4 of us like this at all the events of our lives....7th grade concerts, prom, high school graduation, college, weddings, and now babies!  So fun.

Michelle and Katie - Aggie friends 

Family 

Cherish and Pat - Sister and Mother-in-law.  They are so great! 

Mom and our family friend Sandy 

The Hostesses, my wonderful sister Anne and my amazing mom.  I love you both!

4 cities tour: Part 2

City #2: Austin

After our trip from Houston to Dallas, we headed to San Antonio for a mini vacation, a mini baby-moon if you will, and stopped in Austin on our way down.  Our stop in Austin was for one specific purpose: Franklin BBQ!  In Texas Monthly, it was rated the #1 BBQ place to eat in the COUNTRY!  It started out in a trailer and just recently moved to its own permanent location.  We got there around 10am, waited in line until the doors opened at 11am, and then waited in line some more as people moved through until about 12pm when we got our food.  We got a little sampler plate - some lean and fatty brisket, some sausage and some turkey.  They had Dublin Dr. Pepper from the fountain (YUM!) and delicious sauces.  It was quite the delicious treat.  Afterwards (somehow) we ate ice cream at the Cool Haus traveling ice cream truck.  Needless to say, dinner was quite small.

 I really would have liked to take a pic of us in line but I felt a bit silly so I just took a pic of the line.  With our 2 hours in line, we became friends with the people right in front of us.  They took off work to come just to Franklin's.  

The sign, and these two random men.  I did not realize they were in my photo.  It kinda looks like they are posing but I do not know them at all!

City #3: San Antonio

We finally got to San Antonio (after a brief stop at the San Marcos outlets) around 3pm.  We have done all the traditional San Antonio sights many times before so this trip was more for relaxation than anything else.  We stayed at the Ruckman Haus bed and breakfast in the Sun Room.  We actually spent a lot of time in the gorgeous room just reading, watching tv, and relaxing.  The breakfast was delicious and was so filling we really didn't need lunch and the two owners, the Ruckmans, were so nice and friendly.  On Saturday, we went out to the La Cantera Resort where I spent the day being pampered at the spa and Ben golfed.  We ended the day with a nice dinner on the river walk.  So fun and relaxing!

Reading - I pretty much started and finished the Hunger Games this weekend.  Soooo good! 

Let's call this the belly shot, vacation style!  25 weeks

 Walking up to the amazing sun deck on the top of the house...

The beautiful sun deck - on Friday when we got there, I spent the afternoon reading and napping up here.  I was even visited by a squirrel! 

More sun deck...with a view 

Self portrait! 

And from the top of the stairs

City #4: Houston (Katy, HOME)

We ended our tour of Texas at our home in Katy.  It was nice to be home after 4 days of traveling.  The cats were happy to see us and I have spent the day reading and napping with them snuggled up next to me.