Welcome 3rd Trimester!

Hello 3rd trimester, and hello lots more eating!  My appetite has definitely exceeded that of my hyper-metabolic 6'2" husband.  At our last check up, doctor states that I'm "in perfect health" and the baby is doing great too!  Now we start going to the doctor every other week rather than once a month.  We have painted the nursery a neutral gray color, and we continue to read, attend classes, and prepare for welcoming the "Wittle Wooter" into the world.  Here's the most recent bump picture - I can't believe I'm going to get (lots) bigger than this!

I left the t-shirt on just for you Carrie ;)

Grandma Brown is Getting Excited

Though I haven't even my own child, I can imagine that being a grandparent must be even more fun than being a parent.  You get to witness all the goodness and joy without as much responsibility, discipline, and "bad-guy" as the parents.  By the looks of it, Grandma Brown is getting pretty excited for Baby Wooster to make his/her appearance in November!

Courtesy of the Iowa State Fair - Grandma holds a doll the size of a 30 week old gestational baby

Also at the fair - Grandma's got baby on her mind when decorating a cookie and entering it for official judging

Saved the best for last - remember those beautiful wedding bags that she made each of my bridesmaids?  Baby Wooster has one too, but of course baby style.  Very precious.  

I hear that Grandma Wooster has some surprises of her own in store for us too ;)

From the Kitchen...

Good cooking this week.  I got a new pizza crust recipe (I'm always searching for a keeper), and this one is a good one!  Crispy crust, relatively easy to make, and delicious!  Andrew made his into a perfect circle and mine turned out like blobs. 

 

I also recently made Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps from the Pioneer Woman's blog.  They were yummy and what really put them over the top was an easy-peasy peanut sauce I stirred up to go on top (I can't remember where I got the recipe but it is similar to this one). 

Five Month Bump

Time flies when you're, 'er, having fun?!  Not sure I can say my whole pregnancy has been fun but I can say that everyday is better than the last - filling with anticipation to meet our little one, preparing for labor & delivery (I can handle it!), starting to work on the nursery, and shopping for the necessary goodies to care for a baby.  Our family will be THREE before we know it!

 

 

I do believe I'm going to have to get a new t-shirt for next month!

Relaxing Minnesota Vacation

We enjoyed a relaxing vacation in northern Minnesota at my folks' cabin on Leech Lake over 4th of July week.  Although we were without power for 3 days due to a massive summer storm, we had a great time eating walleye, swimming & boating, partying with the 70 year olds and daily napping!

A calm part of the boat ride in Roosevelt Canal

So many beautiful sunsets - view from the beach

 

 

Celebrating with the 70 year olds!  My mom hosted a party and we had fun decorating and baking the cakes.  I hope I look that good when I'm 70!

another sunset - I will be printing these out and hanging the prints in our house

Andrew's first being towed behind a boat and he made it up on the knee board!  Next year, slalom skiing.

 

Dad caught a 21" walleye - too big to keep so had to throw it back

another gorgeous sunset - I think this is my fav

Wouldn't be a trip to northern Minnesota without a visit to Paul & Babe

Bump Update

Now strangers can tell I'm pregnant!  I definitely FEEL more pregnant too as I have an obvious bump, I can feel the little Muffin in the oven kicking/punching/flipping, and I'm eating A LOT more.  My goal is to buy no maternity clothes - I am way too practical A) they're expensive, B) I can re-wear clothing I buy now later on.  I do need to find a dress to wear to the Church-Stoll wedding in September where I'll be almost 8 months pregnant - wish me luck!

Better Appetite, More Cooking!

I certainly haven't been cooking as much as I want to the past couple of months.  With a combination of triathlon training and feeling nauseous/having food aversions, I guess cooking hasn't been as fun :(  Well, I'm not exercising as much anymore and pregnancy hormones at bay are allowing for even the richest foods to be more palatable! 

I threw some things together this weekend, that I intend make again...

Homemade Peanut Butter - I have made this previously and did not turn out so good.  Last time I added oil, this time NO oil!  I just put about 1.5 cups of dry roasted peanuts in my food processor and LET HER RIP for about 3 minutes.  When I walked away I there were peanut crumbs, when I came back to check on it, PEANUT BUTTER!  It's pretty smooth and tastes just like the fresh peanut butter I get at the grocery.  I usually go through a jar of peanut butter a week so hopefully I'll keep making this.

Energy Balls - I've been meaning to make these little gems for awhile.  Finally.  They taste pretty much like a granola bar and I'll label them as 'healthy,' despite lots o' sugar.  Found the recipe on Pinterest.  Very easy to whip together - used homemade peanut butter ;)

Homemade bread - Andrew bought me the cookbook Make the Bread, Buy the Butter for my birthday this year.  The author breaks down each recipe by cost & "hassel" factor if one ought to make or buy the food.  "Everyday Bread" is the first recipe in the book - "Can you stir?  You can make this bread."  The first time I made it I think I overcooked it and it came out a little too crusty & hard.  The second time I made it I upped the yeast from 1 tsp to 1.5 tsp which made it more fluffy and I didn't overcook it!  Too bad you can't smell-o-vision homemade bread or else I'd post that too ;)

Here's to a better appetite to fuel more cooking!