My Week in Meals

So here are my thoughts.
I find it hard to always keep up with the meals I hope to make.
So, I figured I could at least share what I do end up making.
Here's what I made last week as far as food...
Or what we ate as meals.

10.28-11.4

Sunday:

Pretty lazy day!
Joe baked chicken wings in the oven w/ homemade BBQ sauce

I just made us (organic) chicken in a can sandwiches for dinner.

[sorry no photos of that pathetic meal day!]

Monday:

 Potato Cheese Soup

{Recipe}

Chicken Bruschetta

{Recipe}

served with Garlic Knots

Tuesday:

Baked Oatmeal

 

{Recipe}

I drizzled some maple syrup on it. 

This is great to make and re-heat too!

Homemade Applesauce

 {Peel, core, cover with water, a little sugar, boil, & smash.}

Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast

 {Recipe}

Great for leftover sandwiches!!

Gourmet Mushroom Risotto

 {Recipe}

The risotto was good, I still prefer Giada's lemon though.

I made a salad & served canned cranberry sauce with it.

Mini-Thanksgiving.

Wednesday:

Halloween
Only 'new thing' I made today was gravy.
Take the drippings/juices from turkey and place in fridge overnight.
Skim off fats/run through a strainer.
Bring the juice to a boil, add a few tablespoons of water & flour.
Stir.
Serve with leftover turkey on open face sandwiches.
White for him.

Whole Wheat for her.

Served with a salad & leftover mushroom risotto.
Easy peasy!

Thursday:
I just wanted cereal...
I made Joe "Bacon Pasta" for lunch.

{Recipe}
I didn't feel too hot today, so I ordered a pizza.
Friday:
I had avocados on their way out,
hamburger to use up,
and some tortillas...
So?
Tacos it was.

My husband is the most meticulous taco maker, ever.

Saturday:

  My friend came out for my baby shower, so we went out for sushi
{I had hibachi}
Sunday:
My baby shower--
so I ate there and we just had PB&J for a later dinner.
This week??
No clue.
I'll make a menu plan up, grocery shop and see what I come up with.
My hips are KILLING me.
So, super easy and tasty is most likely on the menu!
Any suggestions?

31 Week Bumpdate

How Far Along:

31 Weeks

9

more

to

go

  OOTD:
Infinity Scarf: Express

Shirt/Pants: Motherhood Maternity

It's weird. 

Sometimes I feel unbelievably huge.

Other times I feel like, oh yeah, I'm definitely going to get wayyyyy bigger.

 OOTD:

Wrap: ON Maternity

Jeans: Motherhood Maternity

Tank: Target

Today at the nail salon I got,

"Wow, you look like you're due in 2 weeks!"
Gee.
Thanks.
Baby is the size of a pineapple:

 

Weight Gain:

I have not stepped on the scale.

Maybe I'll check it out...

or 

I'll wait until the next Dr. appointment

Clothes:

How about my favorite maternity??

Motherhood Maternity Velour pants/zip up hoodie

ON wrap {pic above}

Gap Leggings

My PINK boyfriend sweatpants.

I also started wearing this contraption:

It actually does help 'hold' the bump up.

I suggest you get one if your load is getting heavy!

Stretch Marks:

Still lubing up & crossing fingers!
Good to go so far...

Sleep:

Some good nights, some bad.
Yesterday I really took it easy, felt lousy all day...

I slept a lot last night and felt great today!
I'm back to napping again...

Best Moment of the Week:

With all the hurricane talk, we were VERY fortunate nothing really bad happened here.

I found my baby shower dress---It was totally meant to be.

Today while hubby went hunting I got a mani/pedi...

I stopped at Trader Joe's for my first time;

LOVE it there!
{Now obsessed with their artisan cheeses & croissants. }

I also stopped at the dairy farm for my cream top whole milk...oy!

We also got this in the mail today!

Baby girl is always moving too.

I love feeling her wiggling and dancing.

I love that she's always with me.

Cravings:

Cheese, breads, milk I guess!

I'm still pounding water like it's my job--I'm so thirsty all the time.

Sugar cookies are my weakness.

I'm also eating spinach every day!!

Mood:

I got a little teary last night...

I just didn't feel well and 9 more weeks seems like so long.

But, I feel much better today so I guess if I get like that,

I just need to sleep and know it will pass & soon enough baby will be here.

I'm soooo looking forward to Sunday! 

Belly Button:

Weird and stretched out. 

I guess it's not going to pop out....

Wedding Rings: 

Still on and no real swelling in hands or feet.

Looking forward to:

 My friend Ann & her daughter coming tomorrow

because my baby shower is Sunday!!
I am  so excited to see all my friends and family in one place,

celebrating our beautiful baby girl!

I can't wait to see what my sister, mother in law and step mom have put together!

DIY Cloth Wipes

DIY Cloth Wipes

Even if you've never sewn before, this is something you can do!

In my current 7.5 months preggars state, I have literally lost my mind

over all the adorable baby fabric out there.

Jo-Ann's is my favorite new hangout.

I have a problem!!

I decided since I could sew a pillow,

I could probably sew a few more things...

and my mother-in-law is so encouraging;

she has really helped me so much during these last few months!

My goal is to cloth diaper with Brooke,

and with the research I've done, 

you may as well use cloth wipes if you're gonna cloth diaper.

Here is what we did to make our own cloth wipes.

Materials:

Several 'fat quarters' of fabric.

I chose to make one side regular cotton, one side flannel.

They had precious fat-quarters already cut, so that's what I used in this project.

The amount needed really depends on how many wipes you want...
{You could & maybe should use flannel both sides,
 but I didn't think of that until after I bought fabric.
OR
Use terry cloth.}

I chose 3 flannel fat quarters

and 3 cotton fat quarters.

Measuring tape

Rotary cutter

Thread

Sewing machine

Scissors

Step One:

Figure out which fabrics you want to sew together

  Step Two:

Measure to see how much you're working with.

I eye-balled it and decided there was enough to divide it into 3 sections.

Step Three:

 Line up & using rotary cutter,

cut a straight line down against the plastic thingy.

{Don't take yourself too seriously}

What's it called?! 

 Step Four:

You should have 3 "even" sections.

Step Five:

Measure the length of these, and cut down the middle.

You should want a square.

Step Six:

Turn them "pretty sides facing each other"
{ugly sides out} & sew.

LEAVE a little opening so you can turn it right-side out!

By this point, if you're pregnant, you'll probably be sweating.

Feel free to strip.

 Step Seven:

Snip the corners before turning inside-out

Step Eight:

With the small opening you left,

flip your fabric through.

Step Nine:

Sew opening shut.

Alternative:

Have an experienced seamstress 

aka awesome MIL

sew a funky stitch all fancy pants style

Notice how she doesn't cut until after she stitched squares?!

And either way,

you'll end up with a finished product much like these...

Pinspiration for Photo Bump Sesh

Happy Halloween!

I want to say first how very fortunate we are that 

Sandy did not cause any damage to our house.

Our area got hit with some rough winds,

some power outtages and trees down.

We only have branches down, thank goodness!

I am so thankful nothing happened.

I was worried another tree limb would take out 

our freshly replaced window in the nursery.

Phew.

So,
this whole pregnancy thing is FLYING by!!

This Sunday is my baby shower

{and yayyyy I found an adorable dress!!}

2 weeks from today we'll be having our maternity photo-shoot.

I am hoping it will be a little snowy,

but either way I'm excited.

We decided that we're going to shoot at my dad's land.
It was my grandparents' and there are 100 acres.

I seriously loved going there as a little girl.
I would run around the fields,

pretending I was galloping on my own horse...

I'd walk the trails singing silly songs,
picking leaves with grams,

and we'd iron on wax paper.

I'd look for "Puff Balls" with my grandpa.

The woods are magical to me,

and I hope that Brooke experiences that with her grandparents there too!

So hopefully we'll get plenty of goregous shots,

out in nature.
Since it could be in the 70's or in the 20's...
I need lots of ideas!

Here is some pinspiration for that day!

Classic B&W

Source: Uploaded by user via Jenn on Pinterest

Lovin the bump.

Source: vickiknightsblog.com via Jenn on Pinterest

With her letter "B" of course

Source: ilariacorticelli.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Obviously if we are shooting outside, it may be a tad chilly for some of these,

but I think I'd like a few bare bump shots...

Source: ilariacorticelli.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Love the shadow idea!

Source: Uploaded by user via Jenn on Pinterest

I wonder how playful hubs will get hehe

{The bottom right can definitely happen in these woods!}

Source: susiemoorephoto.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Weather permitting...

Source: buzzle.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Look at these gorgeous snow shots...

Source: greylikesbaby.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Source: greylikesbaby.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Totally gonna rock some Uggs if I can!

Source: google.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Holiday Red

Source: loretablog.blogspot.com via Jenn on Pinterest

I adore the side ribbon-tie,

as well as the back to back headless shot.

Source: google.com via Jenn on Pinterest

How cute for Christmas?!

Source: photographybysondra.blogspot.ca via Jenn on Pinterest

Scarves & smiles

Source: blog.jeffreysimms.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Again that perfect side bow...

LOVE.

Source: scenesfromthewild.blogspot.ca via Jenn on Pinterest

So clearly I need to make a list of props

and outfits that I'd like to wear.

We are meeting at 3,
so it should give us plenty of time before the sun goes down,

maybe we'll even catch a gorgeous sunset!

Our photographer did our engagment photos

and our wedding photos.

 It was a perfectly sunny day in May,

and we got some great beach shots!

And one of our "little family"

http://loraannphotography.com/

That was before our little Holly! 

A bump sesh will be so fun though.

 Any other tips or ideas?

A Prego Halloween

 I'll be the first to admit, Halloween is never my favorite holiday.

Sure it's fun to dress up and all...

but I always have a hard time deciding what to wear.

This year we kept it soooo simple and cheap.

Our costumes didn't cost us a single penny!!

I'm sorry if our choices offend you,

they were all in good fun and not meant to cause any harm.

We decided Joe would be a priest:

 If you actually know my husband,

this is quite hysterical.

As for me?

Of course, a pregnant nun.

Oops.

My Costume consisted of: 

Black yoga pants

White Maternity T-shirt

Black Cardigan

I cut an old black short sleeve cardi that hung long 

& funny & put that on my head.

I cut the sleeve off an old white t-shirt for my headband.

Of course I needed to wear some jewels,

because, well, I'm me.

Joe's just wearing a black button down shirt & black pants.

I cut a piece of white cardboard and used a safety pin to secure it.

I think the costumes came out alright!
Most importantly,

I was sooooo comfy.

We tried to put miss Holly in a costume...

 Or as Joe called her,

Mother Consuela

But she wasn't very happy!

We went to my sister's party...

She loves Halloween as much as I love Christmas I think.

 Candy Corn Jello Shots!

 Yummy Festive cupcakes!

 Mummy weenies!

 I loved this!!

 I thought she did a great job with all the festive food/decor!

 My sis was complaining all night she had to be a princess..

Her husband wanted to be Robin Hood

So she got stuck as Maid Marian.

I thought she looked great!

 Notice the fog from the fog machine...

We had an Obama

and my step-brother was a middle finger!

 And of course, and 80's girl.

My husband got to enjoy some champagne...

and I was DD.

It was nice to get out off the couch on a Saturday night!

I will admit I'm far more excited for next Halloween,

when I can dress my little girl up!!

Did any of you dress up and go out?!

 I'm hurrying off to the mall before Frankenstorm really hits.

I'm not sure how much wind damage we will get,

but I hope it's nothing too bad.

I hope all of you stay safe!