Monday, February 28, 2011

Hockey Tourney

Andi's company produced a global hockey tournament for the second year, and hosted the finale event on Saturday in the Twin Cities. My poor husband was put through the ringer with a February thaw, which then turned to freezing temperatures; melting ice advisories on local ponds to a storm that dumped 14 inches of snow last week. Welcome to winter in the Mid-West, right? Because of all of this, he moved the event last minute to a refrigerated ice rink (which happened to be right by our house, so no complaining from the wife)!

Saturday, a group of us girls went out to dinner before and then to the final championship hockey game. It was COLD Saturday - about 7 degrees by the time we got to the outdoor rink and we were dressed for it!   


The boys called us the "Real Housewives of Open Ice" - gracefully showing up at the last minute for the good part :) The final game was between a team from Finland and another from the USA. USA won!


Luckily, the game only lasted an hour, followed by a quick awards ceremony. Did I mention how COLD it was? 

We made our way to the after-party a little later in the evening. I was SO PROUD of myself for going out on a Saturday night and until 1:00am, no doubt. I think Andi was surprised too. He kept asking me, "are you really coming to the party?" Although, I politely made my exit when the fog machine started and all the bumping and grinding ensued. My friend Ellie asked if Baby Dick likes to dance. Eh, nope, and neither does its mom. 

Also SO PROUD of my husband for pulling off another successful event. He makes it look so easy! 

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Taking Bacon Consumption from 0-60

I love sandwiches, but lately I've found it difficult to eat them because of this little peanut growing inside me. Did you know you aren't suppose to each lunchmeat while pregnant? I did, but never realized it'd be SUCH A BIG DEAL until I actually became preggo. I want a turkey sandwich more than caffeine or booze. More than chocolate or ibuprofen. I nearly threw myself in a tizzy the other day when I realized I couldn't satisfy my craving for a Rachel (that's a Reuben Sandwich made with turkey, for all you non-Minnesotans).

So! Why is this so important that I'm devoting an entire blog post to it? Well, the only sandwiches I have been able to eat for the last 14+ weeks is PB&J and BLTs. Hence what I'm about to tell you: you need to get a microwave bacon cooker. It's ah-mazing.

Let me throw out this disclaimer, Andi and I really like crispy bacon. But making bacon is so darn messy and smelly. Cooking it on the stove splatters grease all over the place and baking it in the oven not only takes forever, but it's messy too. Then my house reeks like bacon for 24+ hours and a few weeks ago I literally woke up gagging in the middle of the night because I could STILL smell it (I believe that was around Week 9 when pregnancy nausea was in full force).

Enter the bacon cooker. Andi ordered this handy tray from Amazon a few weeks ago and we've used it a bunch. The bacon cooker microwaves bacon in under 3 minutes. (Remember, I like it crispy. Probably less time depending how you like it). The best part is all the grease stays inside the tray groves and there's no smell. The tray washes up like a dream and you can even throw it in the dishwasher.

Maybe I'm the only one who had never heard of this little invention before. Or maybe I'm the only one who reserves bacon eating for the rare times my dad will make it for me (and then clean up all the mess). Since I'm 30 and my dad lives 7 hours away, it's nice to have another option for my BLT sandwiches, you know? I sure do.

The bacon cooker. Apparently, it doesn't take much to satisfy me these days.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Spring Break: Booked!

We've had a March vacation on our radar for a few months now. Spring Break's a good week for me to take time off work for obvious reasons working at a University campus. It's also a nice chance to take time away and not be sucker-punched with massive amounts of work when I return because almost everyone else has been on vacation as well. Additionally, I'm forced to take a vacation day on the Friday of Spring Break because it's a University holiday (I say "forced" because while I technically don't work for the University, I work at a University and my company mandates we take a vacation day when the campus is closed). So! Thus all the planning for a little get-away in March.

During our December Europe trip, Andi and I were being all whiny about our decision to take a vacation to somewhere cold and wintery during our already cold and wintery Minnesota season. We vowed then we'd go somewhere warm for my birthday in February (which we sort of did by visiting Southern California) and also planned to take a big trip in March. Andi's had his heart set on Nicaragua for a while now. A friend of his traveled there last year he's had it on his "must see" travel list ever since. Nicaragua's suppose to be the new Costa Rica - less developed and commercialized, tropical and inexpensive. I was all in at the time, except the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if traveling to a third world country while 17 weeks pregnant was such a good idea.

After writing about the topic here on my Baby Blog this week, my nerves were calmed and I was more confident than ever the trip would be a fun and safe one.  Andi had done his own research on the message boards at www.tripadvisor.com. We compared our notes and made a decision. We're going to Walker, Minnesota.

Eh? Say what?

Yep, we decided to stay closer to home. Truthfully, our final decision had nothing to do with the baby or traveling internationally. Part of it was finding a sweet travel deal (and waiting until three weeks before our trip to book didn't prove successful this time) and part of it was this weird consensus we both came to about our trip.

A few months ago, Andi bought a Groupon for a weekend stay at Chase on the Lake in Walker. The package included two night's stay at the Northern Minnesota resort and a day of snowmobiling. I'm obviously not that crazy about snowmobiling at 17 weeks pregnant, so Andi called the resort and traded the deal for an upgraded suite and spa package. I really think this all sounds lovely. We still get a mini getaway together and best of all, we get to bring Chloe along. If the weather's warm, we can take walks by Leech Lake and if it's still snowy, we'll go snowshoeing and spend our time at the spa.


I do appreciate all your comments and suggestions about traveling pre-baby and I think we're doing just that; spending time together as a couple before our little one arrives. I'm looking forward to our trip!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

O-My Magic Bullet

A few years ago, Andi received a Magic Bullet for Christmas.

Quit! I know what you're thinking and I'm talking about the BLENDER.


Andi uses it on and off but it mostly collects dust on our kitchen shelf. I can honestly say, I never even thought about using it until a few weeks ago. More than anything during this pregnancy, I've been craving fresh fruit (which is a little hard to come by during Minnesota winters). Somewhere along the line, I had the brainiac idea to whip out the Magic Bullet and make smoothies! I've been obsessed ever since. Here's what I do:

Buy as many fresh, organic ingredients as I can. My smoothie staples include organic french vanilla yogurt, Organic Valley skim milk and organic applesauce.



Next, I add any fresh produce I have one hand. And, in the event I can't find quality fresh fruit, I opt for frozen fruits like bananas, blueberries, raspberries or mixed berries.



Mix together and blend!



Ta-dah! Refreshing homemade organic smoothies. I feel like I'm on a warm, sunny beach already.

Monday, February 21, 2011

February Blizzard

Yesterday was a snow day in every sense of the word, and today the fun began: digging ourselves out of the heavy, white mess. The snow always looks so pretty and peaceful from the inside comforts of my house, but the moment I step outside and begin to navigate though it I find myself wondering why the heck we live where we do.

The weather report says we officially got 14 inches of snow in St. Paul - the biggest snow fall in February on record. Sweet. (Note the sarcasm, it's really not that sweet). Fortunately, we live on a snow emergency route so our main street was plowed early this morning. Unfortunately, the alley behind our house had not been plowed by the time I left this morning and neither had the side streets.

Poor Chloe had to use this winter wonderland for a restroom this morning. She looked at us like we were crazy for making her go out there! Today was her free pass for pooping in the house which she took full advantage of.

Luckily or unluckily, I had a doctor's appointment for the baby (which you can read about here) this morning at 8:15am. I say unluckily because had it not been for that doctor's appointment, I probably would have called in to work today. Andi usually leaves a few hours before I do and my car would have never made it on its own. But since he drove me to the appointment and it's only a few blocks away from my office, I figured I better go in.

They're forecasting even more snow for later this week and all I can think is when will cabin season be here?! I'm ready.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Girls Weekend

Our weekend girls trip to Des Moines was shortened to "Girl's Day" due to the giant snow storm embarking on Minnesota today. I'm excited we were still able to squeeze in our trip on Saturday and even more thankful we decided to leave before the big storm hit today. So far, we've only had a few inches in St. Paul. The forecast is calling for 10-14 inches in the Twin Cities by the end of the day. Ugh.

Our back door
Think I need a house with better insulation

Yesterday morning, I swung by my friend Val's house to pick up her and her little son Kasen. Before we left, we treated ourselves to "mommy coffees" at Caribou (no dairy for her and no caffeine for me). We drove 3 1/2 hours south to meet Ashley, my childhood best friend and Val's college friend from Nebraska.

We arrived in Des Moines around Noon and met for lunch at On the Border restaurant. Val also invited one of her childhood friends who lives in Des Moines and she brought along her 5 week-old son. I had to laugh; there were 2 car seats at our table with two little babies. Our teenage male waiter was overwhelmed to say the least!

After lunch, we shopped at the Jordan Creek Mall for the afternoon. Ashley and Val shopped the non-preggo stores and I was lucky enough to push baby Kasen in the stroller. We also went to GAP Maternity and I bought a pair of maternity black work pants and a few long-sleeve shirts to add to my wardrobe. Our last stop was in Buckle where Val wanted to try on some jeans. We felt so OLD there! Val accidently ran over some teenie-bobber's heel with the stroller and the look on that girl's face was priceless. Let's just say I don't think they get many strollers in that store. We had to laugh - what happen to us?
Kasen
I have to say, it felt so nice to be around my best friends and in a place where I could talk openly about babies. I'm lucky to have a friend like Val who's just been through it all, and blessed to have a friend like Ashley who's excited to hear about it all.

We stopped for dinner before heading back on the road around 7:30pm. We pulled into the Twin Cities around 11:30pm last night. It was a long day of driving but completely worth it to spend time with my best girls. I hope we do it again soon ... and this time, I hope Mother Nature deals us a better hand.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Weekend

Our lovely, enjoyable spring weather has officially ended. It's 27 degrees today and feels more like 10 with the blustery wind. The last few days have been such a tease! It's been mostly sunny and high 40's all week which was such a nice change of pace. Chloe and I went on a walk every night after work and she was so excited to get outside and sniff and stretch her legs.

Mother Nature's now threatening to reek havoc on my weekend plans. My friend Val and I are planning to meet our girlfriend Ashley (who lives in Nebraska) in Des Moines tomorrow, which is basically the half way point between our two cities. It's the first time Ashley will meet Val's new baby boy and we all thought it'd be a great chance for quality some girl time. I'm so looking forward to it. I just hope the weather holds up. Sunday's forecast is calling for rain in Iowa, freezing rain in Southern Minnesota and snow in the Twin Cities. It makes me nervous to drive though ice and snow with such precious cargo in my car so I'm hoping for the best. They're saying double digit snow fall totals for the Twin Cities - for real?! I'm sooo ready for spring.

Otherwise, tonight I'm going to take it easy and spend time with my hubby. I'm thinking dinner in and lots of lounging. Happy weekend!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

My Lovely Valentine

Andi and I went easy on celebrating Valentine's Day this year. With our weekend getaway to Southern California, my birthday on the 13th and all the baby excitement as of late, neither of us felt the need to go BIG this year. We actually tried to make dinner plans with a couple friend of ours by accident - ha!

"How does Monday work?" we asked.

"Uh, Monday's Valentine's Day," they replied.

Is that a NO?

On Saturday, Andi and I started to discuss how we wanted to celebrate our little day of love. I confessed I hadn't bought him anything yet and he said he hadn't either. We decided to cook dinner at home in our pajamas. Isn't married life exciting?

I ran to the store and bought 2 artichokes, salad, fresh fruit and a box of brownies for dessert. Although, upon returning home, I realized we didn't have a steak in the freezer after all and I was out of eggs. Damn. So I quickly called Andi and asked him to pick up a steak and a carton of eggs on this way home. He walked in with a giant steak (I think he splurged), eggs and a bag of chips. What kind? It doesn't matter. This man knows the way to my heart.

We feasted on salad, steak and grilled artichokes last night. Warm brownies straight out of the oven and the best Alden's Organic Vanilla Bean Ice Cream for dessert. Yum! I attempted to recreate the to-die-for mayonnaise dipping sauce for the artichokes like we had at The Beach House last weekend but it didn't turn out quite the same. I'll have to continue to work on it ... we eat A TON of artichokes in the summertime.


I think we were in bed by 8:30pm last night. Valentine's Day spent with my true love and I couldn't be happier.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Birthday Vaca: Day 3

My birthday!!!

We woke up this morning around 7am and laid around the hotel room for a while before packing up and heading out for breakfast in Coronado. Andi found this little French café downtown called Tartine. I was enamored with the idea of finding real French croissants for breakfast, and on my birthday no less! We picked a spot on the patio and ordered. Macchiato for Andi; decaf coffee for me. HEAVEN.

We sat outside and watched all the cute doggies and babies stroll by. I love the way San Diego and Coronado Island have such a neighborhood feel. Very friendly and warm in all the areas we visited. We also split a Bacon Panino for breakfast, with a side of fresh fruit, a croissant and Epi bread. I wasn’t sure what Epi bread was, but apparently its like a baguette served with real butter and homemade jam. AMAZING!




After breakfast, we hopped into the car and headed for Balboa Park in San Diego. We contemplated a trip to the San Diego Zoo but at $40/per person, I picked my jaw off the seat of the car and we opted for a tour in the park instead. I’m a big fan of zoos normally, but $40 was waaay too much to spend for our 2 hour visit, in my opinion.

We walked inside Balboa Park for an hour or so. It’s a giant park with lots of paths and sculptures and gardens. There are also museums and old buildings you can tour, but we opted for the express version. The sun was shining and it was already in the high 60’s – another beautiful day in sunny California.


After Balboa Park and a quick phone call to our girl Ellie, we headed over to a farmer’s market nearby. I love the culture of farmer's markets – even if you aren’t planning to do a week’s worth of produce shopping – because you really get a sense of what it's like to live in that area. San Diego farmer’s markets are very different than Minnesota’s – lots of organic fruits like oranges and apples but very few vegetables (at least at this one, on this particular day). They did have some amazing street vendors serving up fish tacos and tamales. They all smelled delicious but we weren’t exactly hungry yet. I bought a fresh fruit smoothie and we left.



Next we drove over to Old Town in San Diego. We may have missed the memo on this one, or were too early on a Sunday to experience all it had to offer. Old Town is the historic “birthplace of California” and features an old-time city. It reminded me of a childhood family vacation to Silver Dollar City in Kansas. Very “shoot-out at the OK Corral" feeling. We browsed around the shops for a bit before hopping back into the car and heading North for the airport.

Our little weekend vaca to Southern California was nearly over, not for one last lunch stop at Wahoo Fish Tacos. We grabbed a quick bite to eat and headed to the airport. I had such an amazing birthday weekend with my husband! Just what the doctor ordered. Complete with a suntan, quality time together and lots of rest and relaxation. Thirty's going to be a banner year … 

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Birthday Vaca: Day 2

Before we left Huntington Beach this morning, we walked over to the Sugar Shack Café for breakfast. We sat outside on the back patio, next to a heat lamp and it was perfect. The air was brisk, but it was going to be a gorgeous day and we could feel it. My second a-ha of the trip? Decaf coffee. Andi ordered regular and I asked the waitress for a cup of decaf. For some reason, I had it in my head I didn’t need decaf during the pregnancy (I’m not usually the biggest coffee drinker anyway) but oh my, let me tell you - I felt like a real person again. It was glorious!

Coffee in hand, we split a breakfast burrito the size of my head and chatted about our day's plans. There’s something about the way vacation allows you BREATHE again and we were there. Excited for our day in San Diego.

After paying the check, we hopped in the car and drove south. The trip took about an hour or so and we talked along the way and listened to the radio. Our friend Ellie, a native San Diegoian, gave us some great tips on things to do in the area.  We first stopped in La Jolla to walk on the sea wall and see the sea lions. I LOVED this. It was probably one of my favorite parts of the trip. The air was already warm and we watched the waves, sea lions sun themselves and seagulls fly overhead.


Afterwards, we called and booked a night at Loews Hotel on Coronado Island and made our way there. This hotel had a pool and we thought it sounds awesome to catch some sun.

The traffic onto Coronado was horrible for some reason. We called the hotel back and they said there was a 100 year celebration for the Navy that day and therefore the one bridge to the island was backed up for hours. The lady at the front desk gave us directions for the back way onto the island and we zoomed past all the traffic and made it to the hotel in about half the time. My husband is so smart sometimes! I would’ve never thought of calling the hotel for alternate directions – I would’ve just sat in traffic for hours. Because of him we made it to the hotel, changed into our swim suits and were laying by the pool with a prime viewing spot for the air show. It was perfect.

Hotel room at Loews

Hotel pool
We laid by the pool most of the afternoon. Surprisingly, there was hardly anyone there and the temperature was perfect. It was 70 degrees, full sun and a warm breeze.

Around 4pm, we decided to shower and get ready for dinner. We called down to the front desk for recommendations and to make reservations, but she notified us we wouldn’t need one since we were going to dinner before 5:30pm. Ha! Only 30 and we’re already eating like senior citizens!

We chose an Italian restaurant called Vigilucci's which was offering a nice happy hour. Andi ordered a cocktail and I ordered a Baby Tonic (my new favorite non alcoholic), then we ordered Mahi-Mahi Sliders, Beef Skewers and Crab Cakes to share. We weren’t fully intending to fill up on appetizers but we did. We closed out our check and walked next door to the famous Hotel del Coronado to watch the sunset. We walked along the beach and then toured through the hotel before heading back to our hotel.


Awesome day in Coronado – I texted my friend Ellie and questioned her sanity for ever leaving this paradise place for the cold, wintery Minnesota. We're loving our time in the San Diego area!

Birthday Vaca: Day 1 cont.

Andi and I arrived into Orange County around Noon yesterday. We immediately stripped off all the layers and rolled down the windows of our rental car. It was warm – 65 degrees or so – and we were in heaven. Why do we live where we live again?

Andi had booked one night at a hotel near his old stomping grounds in Huntington Beach, just a block from the water. We stayed our first night at Shorebreak Hotel, a cute hotel with a surfer feel. Our room was nice – perfect for what we needed. I especially loved the laid back attitude of all the staff and guests. Would definitely recommend this place!



After we dropped our bags at the hotel, we walked down to Huntington Beach’s Main Street for some lunch. We chose Sharky’s – mostly for the outdoor patio – and ordered food. I had my first bout of vacation relaxation without being able to enjoy a cocktail and I have to admit, it stung a little. There are so few options when you can’t drink caffeine or booze. Anyway, I ordered a Sprite to go with my fajita salad.

We ate our lunches, then stopped next door for gelato before heading down to the beach. The air was chilly actually, mostly from the breeze off the water. We walked out to the pier and did a little people watching. Lots of surfers and fishermen, some toursits. I joked to Andi I am turning into a stroller stalker - I felt like I was eyeing up every person with a little baby to see what stroller they chose and how it handled!


After a while, we hopped into the car and Andi showed me the beach cities. We drove through Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, before parking the car and walking around the area. The air was much warmer down here, only a few miles away, mostly because the beach was tucked behind some rocks to break the breeze.


I gave into Andi with his favorite past time – walking in the sand – until we both decided we were getting hungry. Lucky for us, there was a nice restaurant right where we were stopped called The Beach House. It was only 4pm, but 6pm our time and we were already hungry. Lunch wasn’t the greatest meal and I think we were both looking for something a little nicer. We sat on the balcony and watched the sunset as we ate dinner. We shared a Grilled Artichoke, Andi ordered the Lobster Tail and I ordered a Sirloin. It was all delicious.




A little jealous of Andi’s gin and tonic, I got the bright idea and ordered a drink from the waitress. “Gin and tonic, hold the gin. Extra limes,” I said. My fruity tonic water tasted ALMOST as good as the real thing. I think I found my new preggo-friendly drink of choice. I call it the "Baby Tonic."


After dinner, we walked back to our car and cruised back to our hotel. We were both beat from the work week and the time change. I think we were both asleep by 9:30pm.

Today we got up early and are heading South for San Diego… more adventures to come!

Friday, February 11, 2011

Birthday Vaca: Day 1


… and we’re off! Andi and I left this morning for our mini-vaca to Southern California. I am so excited to see palm trees! And sidewalks! And celebrities! Oh my!

We’re staying in Huntington Beach tonight and San Diego tomorrow. I’m excited! I’ve been to the area for work but never for no-agenda-let’s-go-where-the-wind-takes-us play. Andi lived in Huntington Beach the year before we met and he says he’s excited to “show me his life out here.” I’m hoping that doesn’t mean he’s got another wife and kid out here hiding! I asked him if he every dreamed he’d be bringing his preggo wife back to his old stomping grounds. I can honestly say, I don’t think the thought had crossed his mind. Ha!

Today was also the first time in a looong time Andi and I refrained from our ritualistic airport stop to Ike’s for screwdrivers. Ike’s makes the best screwdrivers with freshly squeezed orange juice and we always make it a point to kick off our vacation with one (or two, or three ….) Today we buzzed right to our gate and I dreamed of a fresh fruit smoothie (because that’s how exciting my beverage intake has become these days). I also decided I’d treat myself to some tasty In N’ Out Burger – one of the few pregnancy perks of not worrying about your waistline!

Not sure what’s in store for Day 1. I got some crazy looks from friends and co-workers this week when I knew absolutely nothing about our upcoming trip. We’re staying at a trendy little surfer hotel on the beach tonight and venturing where the wind takes us tomorrow (likely to San Diego).

Before we left this morning, Andi gave me two of my birthday presents early. A new carrying case for my MacBook Air he found on Etsy (it’s super cute!) and a Goggie for Baby Dick. (Goggie was Andi’s favorite stuffed animal when he was a little kid). He researched and found the perfect Goggie for our little baby – a Yorkie pup that looks just like Chloe. Isn’t that the sweetest thing you’ve heard heard? I about melted right then and there.



Ok, off to grab some lunch by the beach! Check back to hear all about Day 1’s big adventures.  

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Get with the times

I never claimed to be "in" with the fashion world. In fact lately, I feel like it takes me a few months (or YEARS) to catch up to what those crazy young kids are wearing these days.

I refused to jump on the jegging bandwagon until a few months ago, and was a little disappointed with myself when I finally bought a pair from Gap which are now my FAVORITE PANTS OF ALL TIME. They're so comfortable and stretchy and make me look skinny and never get dirty from Minnesota winters because they're tucked safely inside my boots. Seriously, I wish someone would've grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me a long time ago. Skinny jeans ROCK. Too bad it took me forever to get with the program and now this particular pair only comes in sizes 0, 2, and 18. Okay, then.

So, last week I was doing a little online shopping for our upcoming trip to SoCal. I decided I deserved a little retail therapy because A) we're going on vacation and it's always more fun to wear something new and B) it's my birthday week and that alone equals a free pass for guilt-free shopping. The problem is, I can't buy pants in my regular size anymore because this little bean inside of me is causing my waist to expand more than you'd think. While I can still wear my Gap skinny jeans TODAY, I won't be able to wear them TOMORROW or for another 6-10 months. No need to waste my money there.

I noticed Victoria's Secret was having a sale on leggings and tunics and thought I'd give them a shot. Now leggings - whoa - very WITH THE TIMES. I mean, my college interns wear leggings. Could I really pull this off? I'm going to be 30 on Sunday after all. But the sale persuaded me and I bought 2 pairs.


You guys, let me tell you that leggings ROCK! They will officially be my pant of choice for the remainder of this pregnancy. How awesome are pants with an elastic waist? It's like wearing shoes with Velcro, if shoes with Velcro suddenly because cool and hip.

I bought a couple of the tunics shown in the picture above and they're really cute too. Plus, the ruching on the sides gives me a little extra room to grow in the tummy area.

Watch out world, it's 2011 and I'm finally with the program.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Best Gift EVER

Alright, so I told you earlier this week how I couldn't decide what I wanted for my 30th birthday. Usually birthdays are SUCH A BIG DEAL to me and the fact that I didn't have a long list of present ideas was a little out of my character.

When Andi asked me in December what I wanted for my birthday, I could really only come up with one answer: I really, really, REALLY wanted to be pregnant. Oh, and also I want to celebrate my 30th in a place where flip flops doesn't mean frost bite.

My husband's so amazing he gave me both.

Meet our little baby ...


That's right ... I'M PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our little miracle is due to arrive on August 22, 2011 and we couldn't be more excited. 

While I've known about the pregnancy since late December, it's still the best birthday gift I've ever received. Mostly because, I couldn't think of anything else in this world I ever wanted more. And now that I am pregnant, there isn't a tangible item I can possibly think of wanting. I've never been so content and so at peace. 

Andi and I decided we weren't comfortable sharing the news publicly until 12 weeks so I started a new blog Baby In The Bubble where I'm documenting every step of this pregnancy. Follow along as I write about all things baby. And don't worry, I'll still write non-baby things here too.

God is good. Life is so good. 30's going to be an amazing year! 

Monday, February 7, 2011

30th Birthday Gift

My 30th birthday is less than a week away. Whoo!

We decided to go on a mini vacation this weekend to Orange County to celebrate my big 3-0. And because I can never wait for birthday gifts, Andi gave me my present a little early. What do you think he ended up giving me?

A. Chanel Drawstring Bag





B. Baby



C. Diamond Necklace



D. Treadmill
Cast your vote on the poll on the left side of the page. I'll reveal my 30th birthday present from the hubs on Wednesday!

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Wanted: Buffalo Chicken Dip home delivery

I think Andi and I are one of 6 people in the United States without big Super bowl plans for the evening. We were invited over to a friend's house to watch the game, but opted to stay home and lay low. Andi worked a 12 hour day yesterday and can use a day to re-coup before the work week. Me? I didn't do jack yesterday (in fact, I took a 2 hour nap!) but I'm always up for relaxing around the house.

I am semi-sad we're missing out on the football party snacks. Really craving some of my friend Val's Buffalo Chicken Dip about now! Although I'm not sure I could eat another thing - Andi and I went to brunch this morning at Dixie's in St. Paul where I stuffed myself with their awesome breakfast buffet. I can't wait to take my parents there the next time they visit; the food was great and the service amazing.

Andi and I watched The Social Network this afternoon. What a good movie! Can you remember the first time you signed up for Facebook? Life before Facebook? Crazy. Love movies like that - so easy to watch.

Off to emulate some sort of Super bowl snack for our evening at home. Maybe homemade nachos? Taquitos? Fajitas? There's gotta be something laying around here ...

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Happy Birthday Jim!

Last night, Andi's parents Jim and Janie and sister Lindsay came over to our house to celebrate Jim's 59th birthday. Jim and I have a special bond as we're both Aquarius's and we both love to celebrate our birthdays!

This birthday bash was a snap. All I had to do is provide the meeting spot. Janie brought over Jim's favorite Papa Murphy's take-and-bake pizza and a side salad; Lindsay baked brownies for dessert and brought over Girl Scout Cookies for good measure (they were scandalous Girl Scout Cookies too - Lindsay's co-worker wasn't suppose to sell them to her until this weekend). 


We ate pizza and relaxed around the house. Then we lit the birthday candles, tucked into the brownies and sang Jim a Happy Birthday tune.


I love Andi's dad. Loved celebrating his birthday with him.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Groundhog's Day

Thank heavens for Punxsutawney Phil who didn't see his shadow today -- it's an early spring for all of us and lord knows, we're ready! But how much truth does Groundhog's Day actually bear? I laughed out loud today at Matt Lauer's opinion on the Today show.



BULL Matt Lauer says. And I have to agree. Does a groundhog really know how much cold and misery we have yet to endure? I think we all want to believe in that little rodent's prediction, especially when he brings the good news that spring is almost here. Let's hope he's right!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

On Turning 30

There's 12 days left of my 20's. It's hard to believe this chapter of my life is coming to a close in less than two weeks.

My 20's were an important time in my life; I graduated college, had my first drink (ahem, legally), bought my first car, lived on my own for the first time, started paying my own bills, traveled the world, discovered what makes me me, made some difficult decisions about my future and my love life, met my soul mate and married him.

In 13 days, I'll start an entirely new chapter of memories and experiences. I wonder what my 30's will bring? Here are 30 things I'm looking forward to:
  1. A new box to check when filling out forms (I'm no longer in the age group 25-29)
  2. Getting carded less frequently
  3. Becoming a parent
  4. Giving advice to people in their 20's with a hint of wisdom
  5. Buying a new house that's in my name
  6. Celebrating milestone wedding anniversaries (we'll celebrate years 2-11 before I turn 40)
  7. Being comfortable in my own skin
  8. Developing my cooking skills
  9. Becoming more financially responsible
  10. Helping at my future kiddo's school like a cool PTA mom
  11. Finding my first gray hair (just kidding, not looking forward to that one!)
  12. Taking on new responsibilities
  13. Feeling confident in my own beliefs and opinions
  14. Vacationing in new places
  15. Becoming an auntie again (hopefully someday!)
  16. Celebrating my parent's 40th wedding anniversary (in 2017)
  17. Teaching my children all their firsts (walking, talking, etc.)
  18. Making new friends
  19. Investing in my marriage
  20. Realizing I don't care what other people think of me
  21. Being young enough to still do fun and silly things yet being old enough to be wise and respected, if I choose
  22. Discovering new hobbies
  23. Celebrating childhood friendships
  24. Owning a few more cars
  25. Starting my own garden
  26. Spending my summers at the lake
  27. Meeting a celebrity (maybe?)
  28. Joining a bible study or fellowship group at church
  29. Exploring Minnesota
  30. 10 years to prepare myself for turning 40!