Back to the Daily Grind

We're back from vacation. We went to the mountains to visit Mimo and Papa for Memorial Day weekend and we had a ball. It's so easy to forget about your life when you are up there, very relaxing. We did a lot of swinging
and rocking on the porch
and one day we took the Little Buddy to Sliding Rock


He's still too little to slide down but he dug around in the mud with his new friend, Frank and he never knew what he was missing. Mimo and Papa live the life up there. They just fiddle around the yard, eat, excercise, go for long walks, drink tea in the afternoon at the inn and do much partying at night. It made me think that we should be retired when we are young with kids so we can do all that fun stuff and then when you're old you can go to work but then I guess we wouldn't have anything to look forward to.

The LB had a blast up there but he was giddy to be back at his house with his toys. He ran around like a chicken with his head cut off the first afternoon we got home-laughing the whole time. I'd rather be lolling the days away in the mountains than getting back to the daily grind but it is nice to get our routine back.

Lauren Conrad on The Hills is back for the summer

I know I'm supposed to be on a mental vacation but I just found out some news that is too good not to share. The Hills will be returning for the summer. We won't have to wait until the fall! Wahooooo!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

I'm very excited about this Memorial Day Weekend. J is finally taking time off so I will be back in touch at the end of the holidays. Hope you enjoy it too!

Tessa beats Bevin out for Lt. Andy Baldwin

I loooove Tessa. She's much prettier than Bevin. It always solidifies my opinion when they get kicked out. The 'poor me, it always happens to me' ranting. Blah. But I was totally shocked that Andy picked her and I was happy for her but at the same time sad for her. I can't explain why. Maybe a little bit of me thinks that she can do better than Andy Baldwin. I don't know. I did enjoy his family especially Grandpa. He's kind of spunky, that one. I somehow knew the Bahai (sp?) faith wouldn't go over well with the conservative family from Pennsylvania. But I thought she had finally won them over.

I'm atleast glad that Tessa didn't get her "heart broken" and maybe she can move on her own time. I don't see it working out but I've been wrong before. We will see on "After the Final Rose".

As I get farther into my pregnancy, I worry a bit more about the change in our family. It's perfect right now and the Little Buddy is our life. He is growing up so fast and everyday I hang onto him more. When he sits in my lap I think about how there won't be a lap there much longer and how I have to hold him tight so he won't get up and I can treasure those small moments. When I pick him out of his crib in the morning or after naptime and he hugs me tight and puts his head on his shoulder I think about how my stomach will soon get in the way. and then I get sad. because by the time I have a lap again or no stomach to get in the way he will be too old and too independent to want to sit on my lap. It's kind of bittersweet. I want him to be my baby forever (he will be my baby forever I guess, but you know what I mean) but then that would make me pregnant forever too!

Tomatoe, Basil and Fresh Mozzarella pasta

I made the pasta that Kate F. wrote about in her blog. I tried to make something similar once when I was younger and it never came out as I tasted it in my mind so it was helpful to have her directions. It was perfect and great for leftovers. I did add one ingredient to marinate with the tomatoes, salt and olive oil. Garlic. I minced it, super fine, sprinkled it with a bit of sea salt and olive oil and then mushed it up with the blade of my knife. We had it with a filet on Friday night (I cook a mean steak in my cast iron skillet (and then over roasted).) Today we had it for lunch ( I asked J to take it out of the ice box while I was working out so that it would come back to room temp) with fried eggs on top. If you like eggs, it's a great combo. So thanks Kate F. The dish came out as I had tasted it in my mind.

I know I've gained weight these first 18 weeks solely because I can't have my wine so my sweet tooth is not satisfied after supper. So I have to substitute it with ice cream.

We went to Stella! last night with Aunt Liz and Uncle Bob. Uncle RaRa had been there a few weeks ago and said it was stellar compared to the time we went a few years ago for my dad's birthday. I decided to give it another try. It was phenomenal. Now let me preface this by saying that Gautreau's is still hands down the best meal I have had in years but the experience at Stella! was a different one. There aren't many restaurants in New Orleans that have menus like this. It was eyecatching and mouth watering. The use of fresh ingredients and the different combinations of those ingredients were very interesting. We wanted to order all the appetizers. We probably should have gotten the 7 course tasting menu but I hate to do that when I cannot enjoy the wine pairings that go with each course so we'll save that for after the baby is here. But that's not why I'm blogging about last night. When we were finished, all sufficiently stuffed we decided to check out Sucre on Magazine.

It was so cool! We walked off of the Magazine Street grit (not saying grit is a bad thing) into this clean, crisp, cool place. You felt like you were in New York or even Paris. I can't even describe it. You'll have to go see for yourself. The desserts were fancy (not the kind of desserts I like to eat) but it was the ice cream display that got me. It was delicious. I will definitely go back for one of my nightly ice cream fixes.

I met him when I was 3 and he is still my friend. He has stuck with me through thick and thin. Through sickness and health, through joy and tears. I can't really explain how much he means to me. He is not as healthy as he once was. He's older and his hygiene has something to be desired, but I love him him like no other.



It's Snoopy. My great aunt gave him to me. He's not the mass marketed snoopy dolls that everyone had that you could dress. I had one of those. My Snoopy is a bean bag. I slept with him every night, probably until I was into my late 20's. He doesn't have ears, has one eye and not even many beans left. He once was white, now he's a dirty grey. I stopped bringing him on trips because he slowly leaks beans. My other friends used to hide him from me and one time hung him by the ceiling fan and turned it on. It was just jealousy. Now he sits on my mantel in the bedroom watching over us. I feel guilty though. When people ask that question, "What would you take in case of a fire?" my answer was undoubtedly Snoopy (this was before the LB's time, obviously) But when the time came (there was a fire in one of the townhouses where we used to live and we had to get out quickly in the middle of the night) I didn't take him. I took W, of course. I know he would understand. He's groomed me for this job. Showed me how to love and care for someone unconditionally. I often think about sharing him with the LB but Snoopy is in such a state of disrepair that I think it's best to keep him where he is. But he makes me wonder if W will have something that he loves as much. He wasn't interested in stuffed animals until recently but lately he's become attached to Mr. Teddy Bear. My mom bought Mr. Teddy Bear for him before he was born. He hugs and kisses him and offers him to me to kiss. If he's anything like Snoopy he's got a good friend for life.

I don't know if the weather surprised all of us today or just W and me but we were pleasantly so. We both had an extra spring in our step. Just look how excited W was to be playing outside in it. The park is so predictable that I think even the LB is getting bored so we mixed it up today and instead of going to the park after coffee we came home and played in the yard.

I had 3 hours to do "stuff" today and it always amazes me how quickly it goes by. Never enough time. Half of it was spent at Walmart. The good part about it was that I got W a new swimming pool. We had a big, fancy 20 dollar one. Have I mentionned it before? It took 2 hours (no exaggeration) for the electric pump to blow it up and another hour to fill it. Then to drain it took an hour. Too much maintenance fore me.
Fancy Pool
But with the dog days of summer coming I wanted an easy, convenient cheap way for the Little Buddy to cool off. Walmart to the rescue. It's so easy to get suckered into all the backyard gear. I almost got sucked it again and bought a blow up water playland complete with a slide a wading pool, a sitting pool and circus animals, again $20, but I came to my senses and ended up with the $7.99 pop up pool. No assembly required. It's not perfect. The walls were kind of wavy and the bottom was a bit wrinkled but it did the trick

So hopefully the weather will hold out through the weekend so that J can enjoy that extra bounce in the LB's step in between hours working.

Me and my shadow

Today was a good day. The Little Buddy and I had a great time-of course we had our ups and downs but mostly ups. He slept in so J, who has been getting up with him in the morning since he is the world's greatest husband, didn't get a chance to give him breakfast. So instead of his usual cookie snack at the coffee house he ate a big, fat, 25 grams of fat, blueberry muffin. He thoroughly enjoyed it, as would've I. He was awfully patient. He sat in a highchair and waited for me, almost 10 minutes, for me to get my coffee and his muffin. He people watched and didn't make a peep-smiled occasionally and high-fived the odd, but nice lady we see there most mornings.

Then we had to go to his 21 month check up. Luckily, we were the only ones in the office. I'm neurotic about catching something from there. We sanitized our hands atleast 3 times while we were there. He had no tolerance for the doctor's shenanigans. Screamed bloody murder and he didn't even get a shot. It really was very sad and I felt so helpless.

BUT, he was glad to leave and we made a stop at the park for 20 minutes on the way home. A quick one because prego mama had to once again go to the bathroom for the 20th time. Then we made our way to the library. That was really fun and we didn't let the fact that there was no AC, a rude librarian and dead roaches in the stacks take away from it. I'm glad we went because he had a field day rummaging through the children's books, coloring at the pint sized table and running through FICTION pushing the books through to the other side. The rude librarian would not have been pleased. Don't worry, I picked them up.

When we got home I was starvin' marvin. I was super excited to eat a meatloaf sandwhich (we had meatloaf the night before) and gave the LB a snack. Then we both took a nap.

At 3 he woke up and we played around. I wanted to go get ice cream-never got around to it-but we laughed and laughed and laughed-it all started when I swatted a fly on the wall....

We went for a walk in the late afternoon. When we got home W sat on the stoop. It must run in the family. We love a good stoop sittin' in the afternoon. Preferably with a bottle of wine but that will have to wait until October. It's one complaint I have about our new house-there is not much of a stoop, but we make do.

So our day was full. Me and my shadow laughed for what seemed like all day. I can't wait for tomorrow.

I noticed the other day while trying to shave my legs in the shower that it was a strain to put my leg up on the little bench to shave. I'm really inflexible. I don't know if it's because I'm pregnant and not as limber or it's from lifting weights and I've never been that flexible. The point is, is that I decided that it was time to start stretching. A few minutes I got down on the floor to do my daily pushups and then I tried to touch my toes. Like I always do since W was born, I was talking out loud and said "Touch my toes". I couldn't touch them, pitiful, I know but luckily W was right there. He bent down and touched my toes for me.

Happy Mother's Day!

So far my 2nd Mother's Day has been fantastic. I slept until 8:30 and J got up with the LB. Then I walked around the park alone. Not that I didn't want J and W to come with me it's just that the more pregnant I get the more of a hassle it is to not only get the jog stroller in the car (if my lazy butt decides to drive rather than walk to the park) but pushing it around seems a lot harder when I'm walking around alone. So I had a nice brisk walk with my own thoughts. We went to a Mother's Day brunch before W went down for a nap.

My two boys got me a PJ's gift card! YAAAAAYYYYYYYYY! That really made my day. My coffee costs $2.46 per day. and I feel chintzy not leaving the rest in the tip jar but now with my gift card it won't even be an issue. I penny saved....Oh, speaking of....One morning when we were leaving the coffee shop I saw shiny quarter. I bent down to pick it up. Someone had glued it to the sidewalk. I felt stupid but since, it has brought endless entertainment to W when we sit outside in the morning. Not to mention that it has brought endless entertainment to me watching all the idiots like me bend down and try to pick it up. I swear someone somewhere is watching us all on a hidden video camera.

When I got back from the park there were more presents waiting for me. A gift certificate to Belladonna Day Spa and a load of flowers. A good day so far.

The Red Sandal Saga

I bought the LB the cutest red sandals a few months ago for summer. I tried to put them on him way back then but he wanted no part of it. Now it's so hot and his feet get sweaty in socks and tennis shoes that I thought it was time to break out the red sandals. I put them on him yesterday. He cried and screamed and cried and stuck out his lower lip. It was the saddest display I have ever seen. It was time for his milk so I thought that would distract him. Well, I was able to get him to walk to the kitchen holding my finger. He took his milk but continued to wail in between slugs. It really was sad but at the same time I couldn't help myself from taking a picture for everyone to see. Pitifully cute.

The Aquarium-Done it.

I've Done it. I've taken the LB to the Aquarium. My parents swore up and down how much he loved it. He doesn't have me so convinced. Maybe it was too close to his naptime but he was not all that interested. He was more into eating his goldfish than he was to watching the ones there. and I have to admit, I was none to impressed. I've never really liked it-it always made me dizzy, it still does and well, it's just fish (the sharks were cool and the itty bitty jellyfish were interesting). I also cannot stand the field trips. The zoo is the same way. It's stuffed full of so many school field trips that you feel like you are getting lost in the shuffle and you have to rudely shove your way past to get anywhere. I think they need to have a day set aside when they don't allow field trips. The whole thing is just not my thing. That can be Mimo and Papa's special outing with the LB. I'll still go to the zoo because it's close, you don't have to pay 8 bucks to park and you don't feel guilty leaving after 45 minutes if you're over it.

Bachelor-can''t decide if he shocked me or not

First of all-I've called Danielle and Tessa as the last two standing. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. But I think I am a bit shocked that Bevin is one of the final three. I think her past threw him for a loop and if that didn't do it, her crying father wouldn't have made me want to throw her out the window as far as I could throw her. Not to mention the wierd mom's painting that she gave to both of them.

But then when I think about the scene with Amber and the roomate at the dinner table-guffawing over the dog peeing on the floor acting like, well, like what they are, just out of college girls-I'm not so shocked that he kept Bevin. But I really do like Amber and I was even more surprised at her hyperventilating in the limo. I guess it shows that she's not as mature as she thinks she is.

and even though I called Tessa as making it through, she made me a little nervous during their last conversation. But he seemed to think that it went awesome so that is all that matters. I love her. She's normal and nice and pretty (in a different sort of way).

Danielle's family was probably the most normal although I couldn't stop looking at her mom's teeth and I would like to put some meat on her dad's bones. He looked like Jack Spratt but the marathon running explained a lot.

I cannot wait until next week. Again, I am calling Danielle and Tessa as the final two but a little part of me is secretly worried that Bevin will pull something out of her hat, like sex, to stick around until the end.

Home grown herbs

Awhile back we planted some basil and rosemary. W loves sniffing them and he loves sitting on the stoop next to the basil.


Last week when I went to the grocery I paid attention to the price of bell peppers. Usually I just buy them. I like the red ones the best and they are so good for you. We eat them in everything, sandwhices, salads etc. But for some reason happened to notice that they were $5.00 per pound. and one pepper is almost 3/4 of a pound. Ridiculous. I settled for a green one. But saturday we went to Lowes to get a thousand lightbulbs since almost every single on in the house is out and another one blows out each day and we bought yellow pepper plants (they didn't have red). So now I can eat them to my hearts content and not have to pay an arm and leg for it. Atleast I can in about 75 days.

The Bachelor-Tessa and Danielle

I am calling it already. Yes, even before seeing the home town dates. Tessa and Danielle will be the last two standing. Bevin is waaaaay too desperate. Although I don't find what's his name to be the best looking bachelor, and although a bit dorky, I do like him and I find that he sees through all the crap. I don't think he will care when Bevin tells him she's divorced. Let me rephrase. If it weren't for all the melodrama she is creating over her divorce, I don't think he would think twice about it. I really do like Amber but I am worried about her hometown date. Now this is strictly judging from the previews that show her crying over the fact that her family won't meet the bachelor (what is his name!? I'm drawing a blank) but I have a feeling that it will be too much for the bachelor.

We'll see how accurate my predictions are tomorrow.

Oh and this just in from Reality TV News Blog. Amber's principal at the school where she teaches got demoted for letting her go on The Bachelor.

St. Louis and the Mexican Fiesta

I feel like I've been out of pocket for years. We went to J's Dad's Surprise Birthday party last week in St. Louis. W had a great time meeting his aunt and uncles and cousins. There are so many of them that it's hard to get them all in one place at once. Being in St. Louis makes you realize how different New Orleans is. Good and bad. The lawns are huge and pristine and it's cleaner than you knew any city could be. But I do have to say that New Orleans has a grit that you just have to love.

W is a great flyer. Knock on wood. He'll have one more flying trip this summer and I don't want to jinx myself. He sat on J's lap and ate goldfish and colored there and back. I think he had a good time.

So we're back. We've been going to the park and stuff. Mimo and Papa took him to the Aquarium last week. They said he giggled at the fish and touched a big ole snake-twice. I know, I should take him there but it's such a hassle.

Last night we had a Mexican Fiesta. J made his famous Green Chile Enchilada's. I made margaritas and a strawberry and candied almond salad. Uncle Bob made the best seven layer dip-believe me when I say that this isn't your mother's seven layer dip. It was so fresh and deep and spicy and sassy. Aunt Liz made chocolate souffles with caramel sauce. It was a first try and they turned out beautifully. I tried to download a photo but for some reason I can't. Anyway, the story goes like this:

It was her first try. She didn't know that you couldn't make souffles ahead of time. Who does? They rose perfectly and then she read on the recipe: Serve immediately. Oops. So by the time she got them here they were flat. But still they were the best souffles I've ever had-better than Commanders-just without the poof.

The Little Buddy enjoyed the beginning of the fiesta. He dug into the chips and choked. Aah! IT FREAKED ME OUT. I never used to let him have chips for that very fear but the past few weeks I have noticed other moms letting their toddler eat them so I have gotten kind of lax. He never finished one-he took a bite and gave the rest to me only to grab another from the bowl. And then he choked. Luckily he threw up-everywhere. I hugged him to me for dear life and when I knew he was okay rushed upstairs to put him in the bath before he could lick the remainder of it off of his hands and face. Blah. No more chips for W.

Our plan was to invite others for the big fiesta but J's Green Chile Enchilada recipe only serves four and he wasn't totally confident yet to double the recipe. If you ask me he had no reason not to be. They truly are authentic, masterful enchiladas. Although now we know that one enchilada per person is enough and we would have had plenty to go around.

Ole!