Celebration: Andrew!

My love turned 25 today!! It is the first birthday for either of us to celebrate away from our family, so I tried a little harder to make it extra special for him. Overall, I think it turned out well!!

Here's how we spent his Happy Birthday weekend...

Yesterday, I made chipped beef on toast for breakfast. I hadn't made this for him in quite a while. He was one happy camper!

Afterward, we spent the day working on the house. We got a lot accomplished. Woo hoo!!

We then went on a double date with a co-worker of mine. That was fun!

This morning, we went to an incredible church service at our new church. It was so nice to worship together on Andrew's birthday. He put it very well by saying that it was the best way to spend his day.

After lunch at Five Guys, he wanted to get some exercise. So...

We hiked three miles on a local trail before deciding to try a bike ride. I haven't been on my bike since I've been pregnant because I've worried about it. I'm happy to say that I was able to bike two miles with Andrew. He then finished the trail while I picked him up at the end- I just wanted to be extra cautious, especially since I had already walked three miles. He was so cute! He definitely enjoy this part of his birthday. I'm glad today turned out to be a beautiful day for him. It was supposed to be cool and rainy, but the forecast changed to sunny and 80 degrees at the last minute. Happy Birthday from God!!

We also discovered this beautiful waterfall. I love this area because of all of the waterfalls.

When we got home, I made him beef stroganoff. He gobbled it up & grinned from ear to ear. I think it was a hit!

We also got our new fishtank all set up. It's a cube tank on a sturdy stand (so it's safer for Little Bit), and it's so zen. Lady is loving the extra space (a 17 gallon increase), and she is loving the algea-free environment even more. Andrew thinks this tank is pretty incredible, and it was made complete with a bonsai tree- his favorite. Happy Birthday, Love!!

We topped the night off with a Happy Birthday confetti cake- another one of his favorites. I know it's just the two of us, but what's a birthday without a cake?! He'll take the rest with him to work tomorrow to share with the guys.

I really enjoyed spending today with Andrew. I am so thankful for the day he was brought into this world. His life has changed mine. God sure knew what He was doing when He created Andrew. We were definitely made specifically for each other.

Happy, Happy Birthday, Andrew!!! I love you so, so much!!!

On that note...

Yesterday, we celebrated 5 years of being together. I came out of the bedroom to this cheery surprise. He always knows how to make me smile. He's pretty fantastic!

And completely off-topic...

We have finally finished painting the main portion of the house!! This afternoon, I was suprised by this plaque being hung up in my kitchen! YAY! It's one of my favorite decorations for many reasons, and I'm so excited that we're to the point of decorating. We just have Sophia's room and the bathrooms to paint. Now, if only those boxes would unpack themselves...



Saucy Little Spitfire {Plus a Lesson in Patience}

My workday was one of "those days". You know, the type of day where one leaves convinced that God thought a good lesson in patience was necessary. I had decided by 9:00 this morning that He must have thought that I could use some instruction in that area.

Anyway, while dealing with the situation that set the tone for the rest of my day, it was also confirmed that our sweet daughter is also a little spitfire. While my redheaded temper was flaring (and rightfully so), it seemed as if Sophia was getting hot as well. I was trying my best to be nice, and while I was very firmly letting people know that what was going on was not ok (nothing too major), my once-still child, started throwing punches and bouncing around my womb.

It was so hard to keep a straight face when all I could picture were these sweet hands throwing punches. I could just picture her shaking her little fist and telling them what she thought. She was worked up the entire time that I was, and once I had calmed down, she calmed down as well. Yes, I realize that she could probably sense that I was upset, but it's also fun to believe that she is going to be able to hold her own when the situation calls for it.

Today, I am reminded of the lyrics to Francesca Battistelli's song "This is the Stuff", and yes, I belted this out on the drive home. It goes something like this...

"This is the stuff that drives me crazy

This is the stuff that's getting to me lately

In the middle of my little mess

I forget how big I'm blessed

This is the stuff that gets under my skin

But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing

It might not be what I would choose

But this is the stuff You use

So break me of impatience

Conquer my frustrations"

Sophia made me stop and think today about how truly thankful I am for her. She is still in my womb, but she is making a difference in my life each and every day. She already brings so much joy to my life, and she already knows just what to do to bring a smile to my face. In the midst of my frustrations today, she made me stop and realized how BLESSED I am in spite of everything that goes on around me.

1 Thessalonians 5:14 also seems appropriate for today.

"And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who unruly, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone."

I hope my lesson in patience is over for the day... or even the week. Oh boy, here I go being impatient again.

What To Do...

... with a 10 pound cabbage.

First, take a picture for comparison. Let me tell ya, my husband has a fairly large noggin. This cabbage is HUGE!

Then, make a pot of beef and cabbage stew with a portion of the cabbage.

Finally...

Make galumpkis!!! I first had these at my adult externship in Cape. For nursing home food, I thought they were amazing. I then resorted to eating them from Lean Cuisine. I am getting off topic...

How do you make these, and what are they?! Both are very good questions. They are simply cabbage rolls & they are SO fun to make!

 A friend at work shared his family's recipe (I mean, actually MADE me some to try before giving me the recipe), and I am so appreciative of that! Let me share with you!

Ingredients:

1 large (very large) head of cabbage

2 pounds ground turkey or beef

3/4 box 10 minute brown rice

1 onion, finely chopped

1 green pepper, finely chopped

3 eggs

Salt, pepper, italian seasonings, and garlic powder to taste

1 can diced tomatoes

1 jar spaghetti sauce of choice

Preparation:

Blanche cabbage.

Mix meat, rice, onion, green pepper, eggs and seasonings in a large bowl. No need to cook any of these items.

Carefully peel each leaf off. Plop as much meat mixture as you wish on the leaf. Roll tightly, and admire the adorable fat pig you have created.

Place all of these fat piggies in a greased baking dish.

Top with diced tomatoes and spaghetti sauce. Cover.

Bake at 400 degrees for an hour or until the meat mixture is thoroughly cooked.

Serve with mashed potatoes (we cheated on these), and ENJOY the amazing concoction.

Out of a 10 pound cabbage, after cooking beef and cabbage stew and galumpkis, this is all we had left. Not too bad!

I must also add that we got this cabbage at a local Amish stand. We only paid $1 for it. That is 10 cents per pound. That is a price that can't be beat! What a delish fall treat... and now the majority of our meals are cooked for the week.



Out with the Old, In with the New

We have been looking at bigger vehicles for a while now. We knew that we would need something more practical for having an infant (you know, something with more than two doors), and we wanted a vehicle with four-wheel drive for the snowy winters we get up here. I had narrowed my vehicle choice to a Ford Escape. I really liked the sleek lines, smaller body style, and convenient height of this vehicle. Adorable meets practical... it was just what I was hoping to find. After the decision had been made, we started looking around. We couldn't really commit to anything though. Then, on Thursday evening, we were in a nearby town, and we saw a fun berry red Escape and decided to check it out.

We learned that it is a 2011, top of the line model, with only 5,000 miles on it. Since it was used for a rental vehicle, the price was comparable to older models with higher mileage. Red was in my top three color choices, so we decided that we had found "the one". The black and cream two-tone interior just made this SUV that much more appealing to the eye. So, we test drove it yesterday, traded-in my beloved Civic, and we couldn't be happier with our purchase!

I, of course, had to take lots of pictures!

The Civic sure was a good car. I was actually sad to see it go, but I knew that it would not be easy putting a carseat in and out of the backseat. I did so with many kids that I babysat, but that wasn't a daily ordeal. I also knew that there would be a much safer option for Sophia and me than this fun car. To put it short and sweet... I needed a "mom car" more than I needed this one.

Right after we became the proud owners of this little cutie. It was a tad bit chilly when this picture was taken. The red in this picture is closer to the red that it actually is... just add a bit more sparkle. :-)

Not a bad upgrade if I do say so myself!! I also must say, it is much easier to get in and out of this Escape. It was becoming a challenge to get in and out of the Civic. Pictures make it look a little bit brighter than what it is. In person, it's a rich berry red. It looks sharp!

I told Andrew that this is a good transitional vehicle into the bigger one that I'll need when more than two kids come along. I am pretty excited about driving this cutie patootie around.

The back end is my favorite... just as it was with the Civic. I think we will really enjoy the extra room, added storage space, and enhanced safety that this vehicle offers. Plus... I'm excited to finally own a Ford!! Coming from a family who favors the GMC/Chevy line, the rebel part of my heart is bursting with excitement. Yes, I know, I'm a dork.

Sophia & Little T

We have been incredibly busy painting our home & trying to get it right where we want it. Last week, we had a little set-back. We had the roof re-done before we purchased the house, sadly, the sellers hired a roofer that didn't do the job as well as he should have. It leaked during the hurricane rains. Our half bath has seen better days, but that's a whole different story.

Sophia is doing wonderfully! Her heartbeat was 156 yesterday, and she is measuring right on track as far as growth is concerned. She is a WIGGLE WORM, and I have started feeling her movements EVERYWHERE. She is so funny. The only time she is still is when Andrew tries to feel those sweet movements. Onery, onery, onery. Not sure where she gets that. Some could argue that it's from me... others that it's from Andrew... it all boils down to this, she comes by it honestly.

A sweet kitten has adopted Theodore as its grouchy uncle. The kitten will cry at the window to get Theodore's attention. It is hilarious. We feed this kitty in hopes that he will hunt mice for us. His mom shows up every once in a while, but she isn't named Jezabel for no reason...

Anyway, the kitten is adorable, fluffy, and fun to watch. It reminds us so much of my family's cat, Tizzy. So... we have named this little guy Little T, Tizzy Junior, etc. This is his favorite spot.

And I had planned to throw that nasty bench away...

Meditating Friend

I was starting to put a load of laundry into the washer when Andrew excitedly called me into the living room. I about wiped out with my fuzzy socks and woods floors, but it was worth it!

From the first living room window, this is what we saw. Too, too cute!!

From the second living room window, we were able to see more adorableness. I LOVE how his little paws are on the landscaping bricks. He is just too fat and lovable!

What an awesome sight! Shortly after this, we had two deer in our front yard as well. Who says you need TV for entertainment?! Andrew and I could watch this kind of thing for hours.

Our yard continues to amaze us... it was the selling factor for the house. I'm glad it's not letting us down.



Meet Me At The Fair

Andrew and I went to the New York State Fair yesterday! Andrew got tickets through his work for general admission, and he then surprised me with tickets to see Sugarland in concert!! We were completely overwhelmed with everything at the fair, but we had so much fun! It was hot, required a lot of walking, but Andrew kept me well hydrated and we took lots of rest breaks. Thankfully, I was not one of the many people we saw being escorted out my medical personnel. I took lots of pictures (are you surprised?!), but let me share a few of our favorite moments from the fair.

Memorial Sand Sculpture

This sand sculpture brought a lump to my throat. It was incredible, and it really made us stop and think. It's hard to believe that this tragedy happened almost 10 years ago, and it is also hard to believe that we will be in New York when the 10 year anniversary rolls around. Everyone was in awe at this sculpture.

The Chickens

This guy was quite literally the most perfect chicken.

This skinny legged guy made me laugh. He kept turning his head sideways at me. What a dork.

This goofball puffed his chest up at me when I went to take a picture. He had quite the attitude.

What beautiful colors!

The llama chicken. :-)

The Concert

Sara Bareilles opened for Sugarland. She did a great job! I'm thinking I may have to invest in some of her music.

Sugarland put on a FANTASTIC show! Jennifer Nettles is truly an entertainer. We enjoyed every moment of the concert. They sure know how to work a crowd! I would recommend them to anyone.

The Nighttime Ferris Wheel

This thing was so distracting during the concert. The colors were always changing, and it was so pretty!

How neat!!

So, we are newly residents of New York, and we have already attended the state fair. I don't think either of us had ever even been to the Missouri State Fair. It was a lot of fun, and we really enjoyed a day away from everything. It was great to spend time with each other! We needed that.