Lucky Me!

I know I said I was going to start doing "Belly Tuesdays", and, I promise, I will. This past week I was a tad busy spending time with my parents! It was their first time to see our home and only their second time to see Colorado! I sure do love them. We were able to clear out the room that will be the nursery as well as switch around some rooms in the home. We made a MASSIVE Goodwill run and made all 4 rooms in our home functional! We now have a master bedroom, a nursery, a guest room, and an office. Perfect! We were also able to go to Boulder one day and have a mom/daughter and dad-in-law/son another day. Dad went skiing with Chad while mom and I shopped Arvada and bought some maternity clothes. Mom, Dad, and myself went to Black Hawk to see the casinos. I came away $35.00 richer, Dad made .40 and Mom, not so much. We were also able to see my Aunt Carol and Uncle Glen and the cousins, Syd and Hailey. It was a good trip, filled with naps. I am a lucky woman to have such an amazing family. :)
Here are some pictures from their trip (including a "Belly Tuesday" picture--at the basketball game!)

Chad and Dad skiing at Breckenridge. Apparently, it was just amazing that day. Dad hadn't been skiing since we left Santa Fe 15 years ago! Go Dad!

Belly Tuesday picture! Not the best picture of Chad after his game (Sorry Hubs!), but the best picture of my belly and the four of us.

Dad and I at Chad's weekly basketball game! Gotta love the hat

Chad and my Mom at Woody's! It's one of my very favorite places to eat in Colorado! The very BEST pizza I have ever had. seriously

This is Mom and I at Woody's!


That's it for now! Just wanted to make sure I update on a weekly basis! More to come! Right now, I'm heading to a tasting with Chris and Shelby! When there is food calling, I better answer.

Belly Tuesday!

Following the advice of my sister-in-law, Carrie, I have decided to start doing "Belly Tuesdays" and provide a picture update of my belly's growth progress. I feel like my belly has just POPPED! Seriously. I feel like I woke up last week and thought, "well, this isn't a pee belly". Its really there. The baby is growing and is healthy, as far as we know!
Here's me at 15 weeks:

Crazy, huh? You probably can't see it like I can see it. Its strange to have this new belly on me. But, be excited! I will try my very best to post a new picture every Tuesday!



In other news, I had my 15 week check up and Triple Screen on Monday. This test is to test for birth defects and genetic disorders like Down Syndrome. This test is optional to everyone, but is becoming more of the "norm" for expecting mothers now a days. The heart beat was strong and healthy at 140! They say (whoever "they" are) that a heart beat at 140 and below may be a boy. We'll see! My ultra sound is March 23. I'm super excited.

Chad and I just returned from Oklahoma to celebrate his grandparent's 60 wedding anniversary. Isn't that amazing? 60 years! I pray that Chad and I can be celebrating that one day with our family surrounding us.

Also, Papa Jim and Nana Sue (my parents) are coming to visit this weekend. We are very excited. The hope is to get the nursery cleaned out so it can become a "blank canvas".

I also thought I would add a few more pictures of my life as of late.


Here is me with Nana Arnold this past weekend:









Then, here is Shelbs and I at the boy's b-ball game last week. Shelby is getting married August 15 to Chris. We are so excited for them. I love having one of my very best friends so close. I love her, for sure. As a side note, as you can tell, I obviously love that hoodie.





Well, I'm off to take a nap with the newly groomed puppies, Willis and Ripley.

Blogs to come (and I promise, they will come eventually):

The Should Dos
Belly Yoga
Nursery Updates
Belly Tuesday!

It's Been a While

So, this technology thing gets me sometimes. I know its been a while since I have blogged anything. This is not a new pattern. I haven't updated my twitter in so long, I can't remember my password. With that said, I promise to update more often. If not for all you readers out there (6, maybe?), for me. Its therapeutic to blog, really.

I have ideas for a few blogs to come. Here's what I'm thinking:

The Should Dos (regarding advice for pregnancy and life)

Belly Blues (about the growth of my belly, clothing, and the like)

The "I Really Really Want This List" (some things Chad and I have spotted that we really want for the baby)


For now, i thought I would talk about one of my biggest cravings (surprised much? I obviously love talking about food!) I have been craving, in an unhealthy way, Eggs Benedict. I was actually just introduced to this amazing breakfast item this past summer at Papa Jim and Nana Susan's house (AKA: my parents). I LOVE IT. Well, let me restate this: I LOVE IT (sans ham). A few weeks ago, I realized that I have all the ingredients (all 4) that it takes to make Eggs Benedict (again, without ham). I called up Papa Jim, who is the best cook I have ever met, and obtained the recipe and talked to him as I made my very first batch of Hollandaise sauce. The first batch did not turn out so well. I used all my butter that night making the second batch. IT WAS AMAZING. My taste buds were so happy that night. My stomach, on the other hand, not too fond of the two Eggs Benedict I consumed in an unprecedented amount of time as well as finishing off the rest of the Hollandaise Sauce batch with asparagus. I may have paid for that later. But that is besides the point. It was incredible, really.

With ALL of that said, I wanted to share the recipe with you all!

Source: I actually have no idea what cookbook Papa Jim got this from

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

Servings: 4

Prep time: 20-30 minutues

Equipment needed: Double Broiler and wooden spoon (per recipe)

Ingredients: 4 egg yokes
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 Pound butter (2 sticks), melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
a little dash of pepper

Directions: 1. Fill double broiler with water. DO NOT HEAT before adding ingredients (this was my downfall the first go-round)
2. Beat egg yokes in top of double broiler (at this point, you can turn on the heat, but make sure that the water NEVER boils. It all needs to heat VERY slowly)
3. stir in lemon juice
4. add butter little at a time once egg/lemon juice is heated up
5. stir constantly until thick
6. add salt and pepper

And that's it for the sauce!

Now, for the rest of the Eggs Benedict, this is what I did:
1. Lightly toast english muffin
2. Fry 2 eggs sunny side up (although, you are suppose to poach the eggs)
3. Layer egg on top of muffin, pour sauce over egg and muffin (ham, obviously optional).

Like I said at the beginning, it was amazing. I just wanted to share with you all.


In other random news:
Chad and I are starting to clear out the baby's room and organize the office. All VERY exciting. I will take before and after pictures, for sure.
Chad's basketball team, the infamous Team Uni, is undefeated. I'm about to head to their 5th game now.
Grammy (aka Chad's mom) just left after a good visit. We looked at baby things, and it was slightly overwhelming, but soo fun!
Papa Jim and Nana Sue are heading this way in a week and a half, and I am SO excited.


That's all I got! Off to cheer on Team Uni!

More blogs to follow. :)