Web Finds Wednesday

Homemade Samoas


Tres Leches Pancakes

Strapless Summer Top Sewing Pattern

Tiramisu

Grilled Skirt Steak w/ Herb Sauce

Free Summer Twitter Backgrounds

Quesadilla Casserole

Frosty Freeze

This is how dilly bars are done, people. DQ is pathetic in comparison to these homemade, hand-dipped lovelies!

Really wished the soft serve flavor of the week was blueberry or black raspberry though - kinda bummed it was peach when we came through town. Ah, the tastes of our childhood!

P.S. They also have the best crushed ice ever - not sure what it is about it - but sigh!

Bump Update: 30 Weeks

How far along? 30 Weeks

How big is baby?  The ultrasound tech told us she was in the 75th or 77th (don't remember now) percentile and that she is growing great! She is somewhere around 3lb 4oz. Still kicking up a storm - even gave the ultrasound tech a piece of her mind with a big wallop! :) She's started doing this odd little rubbing sensation on the inside of my belly - the weirdest feeling! Not sure if it is her foot or hand - but she isn't kicking - just rubbing. Watching the ultrasound has to be one of the coolest things ever - besides meeting your baby in person of course! Matt and I were just in awe watching her little mouth move and seeing her open her eyes and move about. So amazing!

Food cravings: Sweets...goodness the sweets. Angel food cake, cool whip, apples, blueberries - yum!

Milestones: Cleaned out the nursery closet! Now it's no longer full of holiday decorations. Took quite a bit of reorganizing and some throwing out of stuff from our office closet where everything from the nursery closet went into - but it is pretty much finished! Just have to haul out what didn't make the cut into the garage and out to Goodwill and the trash. Feels good to have that done!

Oh, and this: I am tired. So,  so tired! I get a rush of energy in the evening - around 7 or 8 but from 10am till 4pm I could just lie around. It is amazingly frustrating because I know I have so much to do - things to make for the shower, house to clean, food to make, closets to clean out. But if I dread even just making it up the stairs you know I am feeling crappy. Just a down to your bones tired. Growing a baby is apparently some hard work!

Up Too Early = Sunday Morning Oatmeal Creme Brulee

Up a tad bit early this Sunday morning. Was thinking about making this last night for dinner, but when my eyes started blinking open and my mental to-do list started kicking at 6:30AM this morning - it seemed like an even better time to try it out!

I have researched two variations of Oatmeal Creme Brulee, one with eggs and one without - it is really the creme brulee element I am interested in, being the sweet tooth that I am. So, this morning I am trying out the recipe without the eggs (gotta save my eggs for all the meringue kisses I am making as guest favors for the baby shower!).

Another appealing aspect of this first recipe I am going to try is that you cook the oatmeal first in a rice cooker instead of on the stove - any recipe where I can push a button and walk away is fabulous! To create the crunchy topping we'll take the cooked oatmeal out and transfer it to either ramkins (which I don't have - sensing a Christmas Wishlist item here...) or into a baking dish, sprinkling with the brown sugar and white sugar mixture and popping it into the preheated broiler for about a minute.

Oh, I am also leaving out the fruit - I would like to try raspberries - but alas the fruit I have in my fridge and freezer right now are apples, grapes and frozen strawberries. If I am going to use strawberries I prefer fresh - so we will just try the recipe without the fruit element this time - just for sake of convenience.

Recipe #1 (w/out eggs)


Creme Brulee Oatmeal
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
3 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
berries of choice
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Additions: I ended up adding about 2 tablespoons white sugar and 2 tablespoons brown sugar to the oatmeal after it cooked - was a little bland for my taste - but if I had added fruit I may not have had to.

P.S. I may never go back to regular oatmeal again!

Update @7:11AM - Well, it certainly smells delicious just cooking in the rice cooker! I could see have the liquid ingredients mixed together beforehand, left in the fridge of course since it's milk, having the oatmeal already measured out in the rice cooker and waking up early Sunday mornings to come downstairs mix together and turn on the cooker and walk away to get ready, etc.

Update @7:51AM - (Delayed by doing dishes, putting up meringues I had drying overnight in the oven, cleaning the rice cooker, etc) Oatmeal is really good! I don't think my broiler got hot enough because the sugar just melted on top of the oatmeal - didn't crispen. The oven was asking me too many questions when I hit the broil button - Hi or Lo? Set Temp or Auto Set???

It "auto-set" at 350 but I think this needs to be hotter. I left it in for longer than a minute too because I could see it was melting and not necessarily burning on top. :( Still tastes good nonetheless!. (Possible mini-kitchen torch on my Christmas wish list??) :)

Warning: It did make quite a mess out of my rice cooker. I have a large rice cooker, but somehow the oatmeal managed to boil up over through the steam spout. :( AND it did burn/scald and make a little weird skin on the bottom of the pan - but I did just have to hit the button and walk away so not sure which is worse. Standing over a saucepan making oatmeal or cleaning up a messy rice cooker?

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To try next time - when I am not rationing out my eggs for other things or if I happen to have egg beaters in the house...

Recipe #2 (w/eggs)

Oatmeal Creme Brulee
2-1/4 cups Steel Cut Oatmeal
1/2 cup chopped Fruit of your choice (Sliced and Chopped Apples are Great)
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
3-1/3 cups non fat milk
1/2 cup egg substitute (such as Egg Beaters)
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/3 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place oats, chopped fruit and sugar in the prepared baking dish. Stir until well combined. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together milk, egg substitute, and vanilla extract. Pour over oatmeal mixture. Stir to make sure the oatmeal mixture is well-coated. Bake 40 to 45 minutes. Be careful not to over-bake. You want the center to still be moist, like a thick soup. Remove from the oven. Turn oven temperature up to broil. Sprinkle with the brown sugar in a thin layer, making sure the sugar coats the entire surface of the oatmeal. Return to the oven and broil 2 to 3 minutes, until the top is browned and crusty. Serve warm. For the Individual Ramekin Oatmeal Recipe Click HERE.

Still A Girl! :)

Got another little sneak peek of our little one at our ultrasound! It was amazing to see the difference between our last ultrasound at 20 weeks and now - almost 30 weeks. There isn't much room left in there! No wonder I am constantly feeling kick and jabs! :)

And yup, still most definitely a girl!

Everyone makes me nervous when they ask the whole, "What are you doing to do if it comes out a boy?" question - after seeing our room or seeing the clothes, etc.

Craft Room Makeover

Making our spare bedroom into a nursery and our office into an office/spare bedroom has had us shifting around a few things in our home here recently. I am officially happy with how the office and guest bedroom turned out. I thought at first it would be too cramped - but having the bedroom suite and the library and desk together makes the room look so much more put together and cozy!

What we were lacking though was a real craft area for my sewing, knitting, crocheting, cutting, painting, etc needs. Somewhere besides under the bed and in closets where I could stash my growing fabric collection, thread, ribbon, batting, yarn, needles, etc - in plain sight so I could see what I have and find what I need easily but done more tastifully than my rubbermaid bins.

So our white shelf that we scored for free last year ended up coming out of the office and into the landing/loft area and now happily houses all sorts of crafty tidbits, another free standing shelf holds even more, and I thought I would not need these two plastic bin/shelves that came in from the garage and used to reside in our closets when we lived in the apartment - but my crafty stash needed further containing so here they stay. And what's a craft area without a table? Not a craft area! So here steps in my blue card table...blah.

CRAFT AREA BEFORE:

But what really ties it all together I think - is my Tablevogue cover. Have you heard of these yet? If you haven't - you've gotta check them out! They take your ordinary tables from drab to fab. And I am not talking about just any old table cloth here. Because I've tried that - and nothing fits a card table well - you always have that edge that is too long - and one way too short -arg! Tablevogue, being the geniuses that they are, have created custom fitted - and fancily box-pleated - covers to fit over your standard card table and utility table. Fabulous!

I'll be using for my upcoming baby shower - and any other future parties AND it will get used everyday in my craft area! No need to fold up my unsightly card table any more - I can put it to use everyday AND make it look cute!

Ok, ok, enough dawdling - here's my craft area AFTER!

YAY!

P.S. I'll post more here soon from the other rooms - nursery and guest bedroom - but most importantly - the nursery!! It is coming together so fast now - can't wait till it's finished and there's a beautiful little baby sleeping in there! :)

Web Finds Wednesday

Vanessa's Chocolate Chip Cookies (with vanilla pudding!)

Frozen Blue Hawaiian and other fun summer drinks

Complete Online Grilling Cookbook from Sunset

Fair-Style Lemon Shake Ups Recipe 

Potato Towers - Must try this in the garden next year!


Healthy Snacks for Moms to Be

Bump Update: 29 Weeks

How far along? 29 weeks

How big is baby? Baby's now the size of a squash! Her energy is surging, thanks to white fat depositing beneath her skin. And since she's growing so fast (weight will triple by birth), things are getting kind of cramped in the womb. What all this means for me: More kicks and jabs to the ribs - oh goodness! Apparently our little one is measuring a little small - our doctor has set us up for another ultrasound  (our third) next week. I asked her, with slight panic in my voice, if I should be worried. 

Her: "No, it might just mean you'll have to push less." 

Me : (relieved at her answer) "Is that a bad thing??

Her: "No! You might just have smaller babies - with your frame, genetics, build, etc."

She said I was gaining weight appropriately so she wasn't concerned - just routine to make extra sure things are a-ok. And I definitely don't mind getting to see her again through ultrasound! :)

After talking to my mom I feel even better - all three of us kids were small babies - like 6 pounders. So, I am not worried. Especially since everything was fine on the last two ultrasounds - both done because I was small for how far along I was.

So I guess I won't be popping out a 8 or 9 pounder. I think I am a little relieved to be honest. :)

Food cravings: Blueberries - good thing too because I have a 5lb carton full of them in my fridge that we  were given at a family reunion last week! Thank you Great Grandma Peggy! Your great, great grandaughter (in my belly) loves them! :) We've had them for a week and they are almost gone.!Maybe only 1/4 left. Still loving peaches - has to be from the Farmer's Market though - yum! And chocolate...good grief I could drink hersey's syrup straight from the bottle - but I refrain for the most part and just use a spoon. ;)

Milestones: Not sure if this is a milestone, but I started working on the fabric bunting and matching quilt for her room and we bought and repainted a 9 drawer dresser that will double as our changer off craigslist - officially getting the nursery and everything ready!

I love working on projects like this for our little girl - quilts, decorations for her room and retouching up the perfect pieces of furniture. I am getting so excited!


Oh, and this: My belly button is JUST starting to pop out. There is one little spot in the middle that is beginning to push forward - looks kinda crazy! And, I am starting to get hot finally - all this summer I have been feeling normal temperature wise - but lately I've been cranking up the air, sleeping with a sheet and avoiding too much heat exposure.

Pool Escapades

 My husband and I MAY or MAY NOT have invited ourselves (with a text message warning) into his brother's pool last weekend (this is where a fence comes in handy - they don't have one and plus his parents let us in through the garage - they were returning the lawn mower they borrowed - so we had co-conspirators on our side) while we were in town and they weren't home...we also might have used some of their sunscreen, snorgeled their new little kitten and possibly broke their water facet - it wouldn't turn off, but darn-it we brought our own towels and blueberries! :)

And we did wait till they got home and then spent time visiting. No swim and runs committed! :)

Web Finds Wednesday: Zucchini Recipe Edition

My favorite zucchini recipe : Zucchini Fries

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

Baked Zucchini Strips

Parmesan Zucchini Sticks with Smoky Roasted Romesco Sauce

Parmesan Crusted Baked Zucchini Strips with Marinara Sauce

Baked Zucchini Coins

Oven Fried Zucchini Crisps

Sweet Zucchini Crisp

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Preggo at the Pet Carnival

My husband and I have gone to this Annual IVEC Pet Carnival almost every year since we've been in Indy! It is a great opportunity to take the dogs out where they are welcome in public and to have them experience large crowds and lots of other animals (great training and socialization opportunity).

Not mention there's lots of free goodies and fun vendors to meet and pet products/companies to discover! And there's always a free pet caricaturist, discounted or free micro-chipping, free pet psychic and free hot dogs, lemonade and popcorn for the humans!

This year they added a photographer who was doing 5x7 portraits for $7 - a pretty good deal (if we had any cash at all on us that day - we didn't).

Bump Update: 28 Weeks

How far along? 28 weeks

How big is baby? Still the size of an eggplant. She is now approximately 14.80 inches long and weighs roughly 2.22 pounds.

 

Food cravings: Blue berries [my great grandma picked us up a 5 lb carton - and I bet we'll be through it here soon!], peaches [need to go back to the farmer's market!] and still on the honey nut cheerios kick. Chocolate - salt water taffy - cherry star kisses from Dairy Queen - yum!

Milestones: I have my glucose screening scheduled for this week - Thursday morning.

Web Finds Wednesday!

Peanut Butter Buckeye Bars

The Do's and Don'ts of Small Talk With Pregnant Women
(pretty sure my husband could write the book for husbands - "What NOT to Say to Your Pregnant Wife" - this might be a later blog post. :) )

Yummy Cupcake Recipes from Ming Makes Cupcakes

DIY Fabric Boutonnieres 

Zucchini Recipes

Raspberry and Nutella Crepes

Summer Fruit Soup

Dried Fruit Rolls

27 Week Baby Bump Update

How far along? 27 weeks

How big is baby? The size of an eggplant. She weighs approximately 2 pounds and measures nearly 14.5 inches from head to heel!

 

Food cravings: Honey Nut Cheerios in cold milk, fruit - not much else. Unless you count pizza - which has been my constant. :) Nothing hot sounds good in this summer weather - except pizza! Specifically Arni's, Chicago's and Abe's Taco Pizza - which I haven't had in almost a year! boo! :(.

Milestones: A total stranger asked how far along I was just out of the blue - I finally look pregnant!

Say What?!:

"So, you're going to take a day or two off (for the baby), right?"
[insert raging pregnant lady outrage here]
"I don't see what the big deal is - celebrities bounce back in a day or two. "

Oh, and THIS:  

Found the cutest little small town candy shop to custom order candy for my baby shower candy buffet table! Forget ordering from Oh Nuts! - you're likely to get on back order - this great shop is all about customer service! M.W. Wadsworth's & Co. Fine Chocolates

What We Did Today

Saturdays are glorious. The slow start to the morning - sleeping in till 9. Breakfast made by my dearest love - sitting out on the deck in the warm early morning sunshine, our forks clinking against our plates. The smell of coffee drifting from my husband's mug. Fabulous! Sneaking a sip - even better!

Moseying around the backyard barefoot with my "Japanese beetle jug" collecting the stupid things off my veggies and flowers while they are still slow moving in the morning. Having my hubby help me...smiles!

Gazing at the garden, amazed at how fast it is all growing. Keeping busy picking zucchini, yellow squash and my husband's peppers and jalapenos. Peas and broccoli have been taken out, replaced with pumpkins and the peppers that were outgrowing their pots.

Back inside for showers and a change of clothes (can't wear your pjs to town!).

Took some time to set out all my glassware onto the two tables I have set up in the dining room for my upcoming baby shower in August! It's coming so quickly! Deciding what foods should go where and how much candy we need.

Bored husband is not impressed with my puttering about with the tables and jars and asks for the 30th time when we are going to town.

Putzed around long enough that hubby makes lunch.

Another meal out on the deck, under the shade of our new found umbrella.

We finally leave for town.

Stop at the library to pick up a book on hold. Yes, I know I have $3.20 fine - no, I don't want to pay it now...

Head off to visit the chocolate shop I just discovered (another post to follow up on that fabulous find).

Realized about halfway there that I forgot the camera. Turned back around - got the camera. Back on the road.

Chocolate shop browsing while snapping pics, chatting with the clerk - who's due in August, sipping on old fashioned creme soda and sharing a marshmallow filled chocolate with Matthew in the shade. Watching the small town life in the summer sun - cars going by - people walking past.

Meandered up the road for a little antiquing at The Salvage Sisters and Thanks for Your Thyme - more favorite places. Managed to make it out without spending a dime - but added 5 more things to my mental wish list. Current loves: picnic baskets, wire baskets and cake pedestals.

Stopped a garage sale to pass the time - still no money spent despite the $6 book shelf find. Startled by a box that moved - they had rabbits! Too cute! :)

Someone asked how far along I was - without me having to say I was pregnant. :)

Back home for afternoon naps in the cool indoors.

Living on cold cereal and fruit - too hot to eat much else.

Another round outside in the evening hours to let the dogs out and collect more beetles and water all the plants.

Back inside after the neighbors start up with the fireworks. Dogs are startled, hair raised and barking frantically. I turn on some music to drown out the pops and bangs. Showbiz watches the front door nervously but settles down. Lola seeks shelter next to me - nestled on the couch.

The pops and bangs finally slow to a stop - with only occasional blips from the distance.

Blog browsing till I am sleepy - collecting ideas, recipes - catching up on what my blog pals are up to - feeling my baby kick and tumble.

Never did get to my to-do list of working on my fabric bunting or making chocolate zucchini muffins or sugar cookies. But there's tomorrow and Monday yet!

Yay for Saturdays! :)

Preggo at the Pool

One of our new favorite places to go during a lazy summer evening is the neighborhood pool. We just recently discovered this practically historic local gem. We didn't even know it was here and had been going to another town's pool. This charming old city pool has quick become our favorite though! The super cheap snack shack area complete with $1 slushies, $2 pizza slices, $1 hot dogs, $1.50 pretzels, nachos, 10 cent candy, red pop and more! :) The cute little kiddie area, the diving boards and slides. And lots of room to just mosey about in the water. Pergolas built around the perimeter so you can drag your chairs into semi-shade if you want. Attentive lifeguards who will actually blow their whistle and stop rough housing and running. The periodic "adult time" where the life guards all blow their whistles and shoo the splashing kiddos out so the adults can all stand around in the water and get stared at by the waiting kids. I love it!

And the snack area! Did I mention the snack area yet? :) P.S. Don't get between the pregnant lady and the food, people. Seriously. I don't care if you are twelve or not. I am pregnant and hungry.

Happy preggo lady, all fed and cooled off in the pool! Perfect way to spend a summer evening!

Especially if I get to sit next to this guy! :)