Weekend Rewind

Hello October! 

I must say we said farewell September in a fun way.

Saturday I had my girl K over for coffee, bagels & girl time!

Since school started up for her, we have been a bit busy

and it was nice to catch up.

She also painted my nails

because mine look like a 5 year old does them when I paint

Then I got ready for our dinner date...

I was in a country mood and I just love that song "Cruise"

it reminds me of my hunny!!

I decided to try and look casual yet fun.

Insert that rap...in my white tee...

OOTN:

Bangle: Premier Jewelry

Watch: MK

Wrap Bracelet: Stella & Dot

White T-Target Liz Lange Maternity

Faux Fur: Arden B

Jeggings: Love by Heidi Klum @ Motherhood

Booties: Target

I curled my hair with my Chi Straightener!

We had reservations for a newer Italian joint downtown

Benedettos.

It was good!

Hubs didn't know my parents would be there

and he didn't know we'd sort of be celebrating his birthday.

Since his tent sale for work always falls in October around his birthday,

they never get to celebrate it with him.
So we made it happen a few days early!!

Caprese Salad--most amazing purple tomatoes

My healthy beet salad

My husband doesn't love attention, so it's fun to embarrass him a bit.

Surprises.

Balloons.

Presents.

My bump made it a tad uncomfortable to sit for too long...

but it was so so fun!!

Step-mom & Dad

My dad always calls him that...

I think he loves having another 'son'!!

Of course I ordered the pizza...

I gave it a 8.5 out of 10.

10 being pizza in Rome.

Sauce was great, good basil, dough was yummy--

just a tad too charred on the outside for my liking.
I usually eat all of the crust, but I left the burnt pieces...

Joe ordered the Bolognese.

I just think for an Italian place,

your serving size should be MUCH bigger.

Just saying.

Joe loves to sing "Happy Birthday" at the top of his lungs,

so my dad made sure he picked up the slack for him...

sorry to the other eaters!

Candle in a canoli!

He received many tools and was so excited about a flashlight.

That's my man!!

Thanks to my family for making it an extra special night for my husband.

Sunday he spent his only day off helping our friend Chris out,

then Chris returned the favor and helped him stack firewood.

I spent the day baking and cooking up a storm!

Sausage Potato Soup: Recipe here {served w/ garlic knots}

Homemade Applesauce: Recipe here

And those Pinterest Pumpkin Muffins: Recipe Here {yes, 2 ingredients!!}

I added the chocolate chips because, well, I am obsessed with sweets.

The powdered sugar was a nice touch.
Joe LOVED them.

We watched the niners kill the Jets

:::my lucky shirt did the trick:::

And I made Joe's favorite 

Bacon Pasta: Recipe here

for dinner.
He was asleep on the couch before 8.

Today's opening day of hunting and he has to work,

but tomorrow we will get up at 4 to head out to my dad's land so he can get his hunt on.

I'm going so I can hang out and chat with my step-mom Tricia.

Maybe we'll get some Fall baking done.

Tonight I'll go over to my in-laws and work on baby girl's bedding.

Fun stuff I tell ya!!

What'd you do this weekend?

A Big Day

Today is a BIG day!
I'd say the big day, but that is not until January.

We have our 20 week ultrasound appointment 

and get to find out the gender of our sweet, growing baby.

{as long as he or she cooperates!}

Here's a shot of the last 4 weeks of le belly:

Don't you love how Holly photobombs me at the mirror?

We decided to have an impromtu reveal party-like gathering tonight.

{So yes, that means we won't be telling people until after dinner!}

We're meeting our families at PF Changs.

It's kind of a meaningful place, in that back in 2008,

on a cold winter night, 

I brought Joe there to meet my dad, step-mom, & step-brother.

At that time, I would have never thought just a few years later,

we'd be telling them their grandson or daughter was on the way!!

I have such a cute little idea on how we'll share our news!
I'm only hoping my husband can keep his mouth closed as he goes back to work.

I know he's super excited, but I want to tell our parents first!
I didn't get to really make a big deal about us being pregnant,

since it was my sister's wedding and all, I didn't want to take away from her festivities/excitement.

So, now it's time to gear up and let the fun begin!!
I will say that I have had two dreams early on in first trimester.

Both involved girls.

One actually had twin girls.
Clearly we know there's only one bean in there,
but I must say I have always thought there's a baby boy in my belly.

Even though most 'wives tale signs' point to girl.

What I've been told:

Girl:

heart rate high: baby's is in 160's

craving sweets

face is getting fuller

carrying high

blowing up all over, not just my belly

more watermelon than basketball 

less than perfect skin--is she stealing my beauty??

Boy:
Cousin Mary did necklace over belly & it came out boy

hair is shiny and full, not dull and limp

 craving sour candies

hair on legs grows faster than normal

 These are all in fun, but we finally find out today!!

Cast your final votes!!

google images

Check back tomorrow for our big reveal.

Happy Tuesday!!

My Birthday Surprise Overnight

Tuesday afternoon I dropped off our furbabies! 

 I think I was a tad more excited than they were.

But they do love going "buh-byes".

When hubs got out of work, we hopped on the road

and ended up here!!

We have never been to this casino, and Joe did request a King size bed with a falls view..

But they only had 2 queens.

So we snuggled!

Loved this vanity area to get ready in...

so many mirrors!

We got ready for our big steak dinner!

 Maxi dress from my step-mom!!

 Baby came along!

 My Shirley Temple in a giant wine glass...mmm

 I asked him to smile...
Joe & his mojito

We played in the casino and won & lost a little money, but it was fun!

By 10, this mama was tired, so we headed back to the room.

Our view in the morning:

On my actual birthday,

of course we had Starbucks for breakfast!

 Iced vanilla latte

Apple Crumb fritter

 A gorgeous day for my birthday!!

 We walked over to the falls, it was so nice and breezy!

 Love this man.

 Baby & I at the falls!

 I got hungry, so we walked over to a little cafe hubs found online.

So cute; click here: Cafe Lola

We shared a yummy root beer

My lunch:

 Pesto Gnocchi --so good!

 Joe ordered a steak panini

After lunch we headed back home.

We stopped at Buy Buy Baby and looked at furniture,

but it's just too hard to pick out until we know...

boy or girl?!

It was fun to look though.

I had a great, relaxing day and really enjoyed my surprise!!

It felt like a mini-vacay in the middle of the week.

Happy {early} Birthday to Me!

Today will be a great day!

Why?
Well, for starters, Emily Giffin's newest novel is released today!!

via

I pre-ordered it (which felt like forever ago)

and this morning when I checked my e-mail, it said 

my Nook purchase was ready!
Yay!

Aaaaaaaaannddd...

I'm having lunch with my wonderful mother-in-law,

then I am boarding the dogs overnight

so my husband can whisk me away for the evening!!

Eeeeeeeeeeeep!

And he has the whole day off to spend with meeeeeeeeeeee.

I'm so excited.

I still don't know where we are going, 

but I do know I don't have to take care of our lovely furbabies for the next 24 hours

and I don't have to cook/clean/do dishes!!

That makes for a PERFECT birthday!

I love love love birthdays.

We've always spent the whole week celebrating birthdays in my family...

I turn 31 tomorrow, on July 25th.

I don't feel "thirty-one".

But I do feel different that I will be carrying a baby on my birthday!!

How exciting, that from now on I'll have a child to celebrate my birthday with.

I love our growing family.

30 was better than I ever could have imagined;

I cannot wait to see what 31 has in store.

Here's to another  year of fabulous.

To me!

What a Weekend!

Last Thursday night was finally THE night.

Joe finally got to have his final birthday gift, a surprise date night.....

I bought tickets to a local cooking class on SUSHI MAKING!! :D

Our first date in January of 2008 was a sushi date. We love love love sushi!

If you don't like sushi {or assume you don't because you've never tried it} just do it!
There are so many different kinds.  This class we learned to make avocado rolls, california rolls & a spicy tuna hand roll.  

 Joe's {on left} were far better looking than mine!

Sushi Chef!

It's all about the rice. 

To me, Friday is like our "Saturday" since we get to spend the whole day together.  

We went downtown to a little cafe, Park & Oxford and ordered an amazing sandwich {Grilled Roast Beef with sauteed mushrooms, hot peppers and American cheese on a grilled roll.}

 

~Such a cute cafe~jazz music plays...

I don't know how to pose for these pix!

e

What I wore:

Shirt: Target {Clearance- $2.50!}

Cardigan: A store in Toronto?

Skirt: F21

Leggings: Charlotte Russe 

Boots: Target

Jacket: I bought in France back in '99 haha.

 Then took care of some business....always working!

Daddy's Girl: Holly

And Sunday brought us Joe's first game of Flag Football...

Call it intuition, I felt compelled to take a 'before' picture.

And the after shot.  

Poor thing sprained his ankle & tore ligaments. Boo! =(

And that concluded our weekend...

Oh, and instead of country ham out at my dad & step-mom's house, we had Tatar-tot Casserole. Recipe to follow!

How were your weekends? Hope you made the most of it!

And always remember...

xoxox