Pregnancy Update: 36 Weeks

Posted on May 17, 2013 by pintofgoals

Phew! We all made it through another week. Sometimes Friday seems so far away on Monday morning.

Baby and I also made it through another week together, which is good because I’m not full-term yet. Soon though. Very soon.

How far along? 36 weeks and 3 days.

Baby’s size? She’s a honeydew this week – approximately 17.5 – 19 inches and still 4.2-5.8 lbs. My fundus measurement yesterday was 37cm, so she grew a little more.

Weight gained? Between 20-25 lbs. I didn’t gain any this last week, so I’m thinking I’ve topped off. I’ve heard some women even lose a few pounds at the end, not that I really care. I’m very happy with my healthy weight gain.

Stretch marks? None.

Sleep? Now that it’s warmed up a little, it has been fantastic to sleep with the windows open. I still am up way more times than I’d like, but it’s not disrupting my daytime living.

Best moment(s) this week?I laughed the hardest when my coworker and fellow carpooler, Dave, presented me (or us, the carpool) with an Emergency Transportation Delivery Kit. Our drive is about thirty minutes, and if by chance Baby needs to come out, we are prepared: apron, forceps, sponge, ear plugs, and latex gloves.

Same picture from last post

Two days later, he brought an updated kit which included brandy wine (more for me than Dave), a garbage bag, and paper towels.

I will miss my two carpoolers next year when I’m home for first semester!

Miss anything? Regular clothes, beer (and not just a sip or two), stomach sleeping, and running.

Looking forward to? School being done (T minus 10 instructional days!!!), summer, and of course the big one: meeting Baby!

Movement? She is still quite active. Considering how cramped it’s got to be in there, she kicks me a lot. My left bottom ribs are a little sore actually.

Food cravings? Iced coffee, tortilla chips, and green monster smoothies.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nothing really. My blood pressure was again normal – yah!

Exercise? I did make it to the cardio class Saturday morning (and was the only pregnant person there), got to the dog park twice, and did 30 minutes on the elliptical one day. Not too bad.

Gender? Girl.

Labor signs? Some Braxton Hicks and a handful of twinges down there. Nothing consistent or concerning.

Symptoms? I think I “dropped” on Wednesday; there’s a little more room for me to breathe. As I mentioned before, I have some minor swelling, and my feet ache by the end of the day.

Belly button in or out? Out, and you can see it through shirts.

Wedding rings on or off Off at night and on during the day. Most of the swelling in my hands is at night, and the swelling in my feet happens at the end of the day.

Other pregnancy/baby news:
-My fellow Wine & Recipe pregnant friend, Amber, had her second child this week. They chose to not find out the gender, and they had a boy! No word yet on the name but there was a cute picture of Baby and Dad.
-I finished all of my thank you notes from my last shower (which I still need to upload photos from and do a post) but just need to buy stamps.
-As I’ve shared, all the clothes are washed and now need to be organized. A friend suggesting hanging most of it, and Brody and I both agree that’s a good idea. We’ll be able to see most things and hopefully use most of the clothes we have been given. I think we’ll still fold the white onesies though and put those in a drawer.

And to finish up, I have some questions for the mamas out there. To them and everyone else, have a great weekend!

Questions:
-Does our clothing organization sound like a reasonable plan?
-Do you recommend stocking the freezer with leftovers and/or pre-made meals?
-How many burp cloths are necessary?
-Do most newborns need to wear disposables or is there a chance she’ll be able to wear the cloth diapers right away?
-Should I buy a big thing of wipes or a small container in case she reacts to that brand?
-How many crib sheets should we have? Is three okay?
-How many nursing tanks would you recommend?

Hey Shorty, It’s Your Birthday

Posted on April 28, 2013 by pintofgoals

Yesterday I turned the big 3-0.

Some people freak out over this milestone, but it didn’t bother me at all. It was actually a lovely day from start to finish.

It started with participating in the Crazylegs two-mile walk with my friend Jena. We made shirts – people loved them!

We walked along with my former coworker Brad and his wife Jess. They had their baby girl, Hadley, about two and a half months ago. The four of us talked baby stuff (I love hearing people’s birth stories) while Hadley slept.

We made out way into Camp Randall and posed at the finish line. Both of us got a wee but jealous of all of the red-faced runners. I miss the adrenaline, exhaustion, and sweat of finishing a good run. This summer, hopefully, I’ll be back at it.

It’s crazy (no pun intended) that a year ago I ran 14 miles, with the last five being the Crazylegs race. How things can change in a year!

At 1pm, I scheduled a prenatal massage at The Wellness Room – happy birthday to myself. She didn’t have a table for me to lie on my stomach, but it still felt amazing. Because of my self-diagnosed supine hypotensive syndrome (have I mentioned this before?), I was unable to stay on my back the whole time, even at an angle. I still felt super relaxed afterwards as obvious by my manly voice for the next couple hours.

Up until this point Brody had been absent from my birthday due to a hockey tournament. He had a game at 4:30pm, so I got to the rink and watched his team shut out the other team, 9-0. Brody scored one goal (which I missed because I was in the bathroom – story of my life) and one assist. Unfortunately they didn’t make the finals. Fortunately, this meant we got to go to dinner for my birthday.

Last week I told Brody I wanted to go to the Tornado Room for steak. He was surprised because normally I choose funkier or more ethnic restaurants. This pregnant lady wanted beef, which, interestingly enough, is also what I requested for my birthday dinner last year.

I basically knew exactly what I wanted when we sat down – baked french onion soup, petit filet (medium rare), and a green vegetable (I went with asparagus). Their steak is SO good, and I love the onion ring they serve on top of the steak. I failed to take any food pics, but if you live around Madison or are visiting and you want the best steak in town, go here and you will not regret it.

At home, I had a few bites of Chocolate Shoppe peanut butter cup ice cream and then went to bed. We were asleep by 10pm. Party animals around here.

As for presents, my sweet husband got me a ten classes at my favorite yoga studio, Inner Fire Yoga, so that post-birth, I can get in the routine of going once a week on Saturday or Sunday while he stays home with our little one. He also got me a fabulous diaper bag.

I had planned on just using his (the Diaper Dude), but this one is way cuter and looks more like an over-sized purse. He’s so good at gifts!

Like I said – a very good day.

Questions:
Are you a “birthday” person?
What would your perfect birthday be like?

Pregnancy Update: Week 26

Posted on March 2, 2013 by pintofgoals

Hello! Before I head to dinner with Brody to meet up with another couple (who are also expecting their first, and a girl like us!), I wanted to check in with a baby update.

How far along? Week 26 will be done on Monday.

Baby’s size? She is a head of lettuce. Her eyes are starting to open now!

Weight gained? I weighed myself one morning this week, and I’ve gained around ten pounds.

Stretch marks? No, and hopefully it will stay that way.

Sleep? Some night were better than others this week. Falling asleep is no problem (ask Brody who has to listen to me snore a minute after closing my eyes), but I wake up to any little sound or movement. Last night was a good night though: fell asleep on the couch at 9pm, went up to be at 10:15pm, woke up around midnight to pee, up at 4:30am again, and then up for good at 7am.

Best moment this week? Brody and I switched over a bunch of items in my Wish List on Amazon in to the registry. Most of the big stuff (BOB running stroller, Liteway stroller, swing, bouncer, etc.) are on Amazon, and I’ll be registering the smaller stuff at Babies R Us. We also purchased our bedding.

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Isn’t it adorable? It’s from the Land of Nod collection through Crate and Barrel. Once it arrives, we’ll be able to pick out the paint color (we’re now thinking a pale yellow). It’ll be fun to see the nursery start to come together.

Miss anything? I haven’t officially given up running, but it’s been a week since my failed attempt. It could’ve just been the day, so I want to give it another shot. This morning in a cardio class, running in place felt awesome and made me crave real running. I also got a little jealous when I saw a bunch of my running friends met in the Arb and did 6 miles this morning.

Movement? She continues to move around, and I’m noticing it more during the day now. Her kicks or punches actually woke me up last night also for a second.

Food cravings? I like tortilla chips (the ones from Chipotle are to die for), pears, and orange juice. I have been having a glass of orange juice most mornings, with ice. Anyone else love orange juice with ice?

Anything making you queasy or sick? Car rides still aren’t the best, but no episodes like a couple weeks ago. I have been getting some mad heartburn lately, though. I carry a baggie of Tums with me wherever I go. Can someone OD on Tums? I hope not.

Gender? Girl.

Labor signs? None.

Symptoms? Round ligament pain, heartburn, and some tiredness are what I’ve been feeling lately. We have a doctor’s appointment on Thursday night, and hope she tells me the discomfort I’ve been feeling from the round ligament is normal.

Belly button in or out? It’s still kind of an innie but it looks different. I wonder if I’ll ever have a full-blown outie.

Wedding rings on or off? On – no water retention (knock on wood).

Happy or moody? Happy but normally tired by Thursday – I wish the weekend came one day earlier.

Exercise? I made it to BodyPump twice this week, walked with the dogs at the park twice, and then did an hour and twenty minutes BodyStep/Attack class this morning. I actually worked up a little bit of a sweat at it too!

Looking forward to? I am excited to get the bedding, for our doctor’s appointment on Thursday (hearing the heartbeat), and for all of the dinners we have with friends coming up.

Until next time (which will be a Wine and Recipe post – I have good and easy recipes to share)!

Not a Weekend Warrior

Posted on February 19, 2013 by pintofgoals

My weekend update is a little late, but I have a good excuse: last night I judged a Forensics tournament at the high school I teach at and didn’t get home until 9pm. As they say, better late than never.

Brody was MIA this weekend (aka bachelor party in Chicago). He was gone from Friday to Monday and had a great time with his college buddies.

Knowing I’d be home alone, my mom and sister came to hang out. We had no definite plans, and that was fine by me.

As the title states, I was not especially productive this weekend, but I did still did stuff; plus, I actually remembered to take some pictures!

Already on Friday night Moose was missing Brody, staring at the door into the garage, waiting for him to walk in. I was missing him too, but I didn’t lie down on the tile floor and stare at the door.

I was super lame-o on Friday night, but it was awesome. My mom and sister weren’t coming until Saturday, so I’d turned to Netflix for some entertainment. I watched Goats and Hungry for Change. Bridget, via text message, challenged me to watch three documentaries this weekend, but I failed. Instead, the movies became less “intellectual” as the weekend continued: Knight and Day, Mirror Mirror, and The Five-Year Engagement. Maybe next weekend Bridget!

The walk into the dog park was like an ice rink. Inside the park wasn’t much better.

The sun was out both days this weekend, and the temperatures weren’t bad at all. Saturday I went solo, but my sister joined me on Sunday. Some parts of the park are very dangerous right now, and a dog park lady and fellow Golden owner scolded me for coming while pregnant. I was careful, though, and walked off the path in the snow or shuffled slowly over the ice.

Along with walking for forty-five minutes each day, I also made it to BodyPump Saturday morning. My hope of getting to a yoga class did not happen. Can I say “Maybe next weekend” for that too?

A Food Fight gift card was burning a hole in my wallet, and I rarely go out to eat when my mom is in town. I took my mom and sister to Monty’s Blue Plate Diner, where I hadn’t been since right after college. We had to wait for about thirty minutes, and my hunger pangs told me I needed something stat.

Insert image in mind of a massive cranberry muffin.

My sister had a bite, and I had about half the muffin. Luckily I had some self-control and saved room for lunch.

My mom had a grilled sandwich with chicken (still makes me want to gag), bacon, and goat cheese; my sister chose the Florentine (two poached eggs over sourdough toast with spinach, tomatoes and a mornay sauce); I ordered the “hippie” sandwich with grilled tempeh, mushrooms, onions, and avocado.

We were all very happy and left with full bellies.

The weekend also included shopping (Home Depot, Marshall’s, hair supplies store, and the Dollar Tree), eating (frozen pizza, burgers, salad, and potatoes with sour cream), baking (macaroons), reading (I finished The Good Soldiers), and even a little grading (sonnets written by my freshmen).

Very proudly, I’ll also admit that I was sleeping by 9:30pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Before I turn in for the night, I’d like to give a shout out to my friends Jess and Brad who welcomed their baby GIRL (they had kept the gender a secret), Hadley Grace, into the world. She came two weeks early, but considering she was 8 lbs. 10 oz., I think she was ready!

Photo posted on Facebook and Instagram by Jess

Pregnancy Update: Week 24

Posted on February 14, 2013 by pintofgoals

Good morning, folks. In this update, I unfortunately do not have many pictures – not even a belly shot. I’ll get one this weekend when I’m not wearing pajamas. Promise (both that’ll I’ll take a pic and that I won’t be in comfy clothes the whole weekend).

How far along? I started week 24 on Tuesday.

Baby’s size? She’s a cantaloupe and weighs about a pound. Apparently her face is now fully formed.

Weight gained? I was up about eight pounds last week Thursday. My doctor said to expect to gain a half a pound to a pound a week from now on. Grow Baby, grow!

Stretch marks? No, and I’m still moisturizing like crazy with Neutrogena body oil and Burt’s Bees fragrance free lotion.

Sleep? Now that I’m not scared of cutting off blood flow to the baby, I have been sleeping better from not worrying about rolling on my back.

Best moment this week? It wasn’t related to pregnancy, but I had a lot of fun last weekend with Brody and our guests. Megan even brought our little girl some clothes.

So cute! Thanks Megan!!
Another great moment was getting a bouquet of red roses from Brody and the delicious dinner he made me for Valentine’s Day.

Miss anything? My Gap khakis. I have been wearing a lot of black lately. Luckily, a pair of Gap maternity khakis are on their way (the ones I was supposed to get in my last order).

Movement? She’s been a lot more active lately. When I’m busy during the day I don’t notice her moving as much. But at night when I am relaxing on the couch or in bed, I feel her punching, kicking, and squirming.

Food cravings? I am loving sunflower seed butter again, chocolate, and hard boiled eggs.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope – it’s been a good week.

Gender? Girl.

Labor signs? Nope.

Symptoms? I still have round ligament pain. It tends to be worse if I’ve been sitting or lying down for a while and then stand up. My belly is getting big – last night Brody said he could tell it was out there more.

Belly button in or out? In but getting closer to being an outie.

Wedding rings on or off? On, and hopefully they will be the whole time. I’ll feel naked without it.

Happy of moody? Happy!

Exercise? I got in a three mile run on Saturday, BodyPump on Monday, the elliptical on Tuesday, and walking for thirty minutes each of the other days. Not too shabby!

Looking forward to? Brody and I have plans to go to Buy Buy Baby in a couple weeks on a Saturday to pick out the baby furniture and check out other baby items for our registry. As of now I have started a wish list on Amazon, and we’ll eventually register on Amazon and probably Target and Babies R Us.

This weekend my mom and sister are coming to visit. They haven’t seen me since Christmas when I wasn’t showing at all. I think they’ll be surprised to see the belly!

I hope you have a great weekend!

Stuck in a Rut

Posted on February 2, 2013 by pintofgoals

Good morning! I was awake early, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed this morning just like Jimmy.

Photo of Jimmy, his handler (?), and the SP mayor last year
source

To be honest, I don’t know what time Jimmy, Sun Prairie’s groundhog, wakes up on his special day. Probably closer to sunrise. I was happy to find out that Jimmy did not see his shadow, which means an early spring. Thank you, Sun, for waiting to come out until after this very scientific event.

Apparently, Sun Prairie is the “official” groundhog capital of the world, and yet Punxsutawney stole all the glory. If you care at all, here’s Sun Prairie’s groundhog website.

The connection I made between Groundhog Day and my life comes from the movie with Bill Murray, who wakes up every morning on the same day. He relives the same day differently, and eventually starts to not care what he does (e.g. drives his car, accompanied by a groundhog, off a cliff). It has been a really long time since I’ve seen this movie, and I don’t recall all the details, but it’s safe to say Bill Murray’s character is stuck in an uncontrollable rut.

I am in some ruts; most I like, and one I don’t.

My breakfast is in a rut…and I’m loving it.

Some kind of toasted bread product, Earth Balance coconut chunky peanut butter on one slice, light cream cheese on the other, sometimes a banana, sometimes orange juice, and always my vitamins (a prenatal and 500mg of vitamin D3).

Oh, you haven’t hear of this amazing peanut butter yet?

Source
Please find the nearest store with the largest nut butter selection (for us it’s Woodman’s), and purchase this. It has a light coconut flavor that somehow complements the peanut flavor perfectly.

I’m in a survival, post-apocalyptic tv show rut…and I am happy with it. After bulldozing through The Walking Dead, we were at a loss. What to watch for a month until season three picks up again on Feb. 10? Brody suggested Jericho, a show about a small Kansas town who does their best to function after a handful of nuclear bombs cripple many major U.S. cities.

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Just the other night, we finished season one, and it was very good. Not as addicting or consuming as The Walking Dead, but still a good dose of humans dealing with a world very different from the one we know now.

I’m in a workout rut…and I’m semi-ok with it. For the last couple months, I have been running three miles twice a week, taking BodyPump once a week, and sometimes going to yoga. When it wasn’t negative a million degrees, I also get to the dog park about three times a week. Considering I am carrying a few extra pounds around in my belly, I am proud of how I’ve kept up with a decent exercise routine. While I don’t want to shock my body by doing anything new, I could benefit from taking a step or Zumba class and maybe even jumping on the elliptical from time to time. Anyone know of any good pregnancy workout DVDs?

Lastly, I’m in a non-reading rut…and I’m not okay with this one. I’m an English teacher for pete’s sake! During my first trimester, I was so tired by the time I made it to bed, I fell out of the nighttime reading habit. While Brody read or watched tv, I would pass out immediately. Now I am still quite tired at night, but not like before. With the start of a new semester, I’m not swamped in grading yet, and I have the time. I also just started a new book, The Good Soldiers by David Finkel, and I really like it so far.

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Sadly, I forgot to bring my book home from school this weekend. Can blog and Real Simple reading be an okay substitute for now? I hope so,

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Question:
What rut are you stuck in? Is it good or bad?

Pregnancy Update: Week 20

Posted on January 12, 2013 by pintofgoals

Why hello! How have you all been? I’ve been a little MIA; blame it on the holidays, the holiday-hangover, illnesses, The Walking Dead, and grading.

The purpose of this post is to update you on my pregnancy.

EXERCISE AND PREGNANCY
Running has still been happening, albeit slower and not as often. My weekly goal is to run three miles two days and get to BodyPump and/or yoga one day. The dogs still require exercise, which means I walk them at least thirty minutes most days of the week.

I hope that staying in decent shape makes labor and recovery easier and faster. It has definitely made me feel more normal and like myself.

Compared to what my exercise routine had been for the last couple years, it’s been a change, but I haven’t been hard on myself. I don’t beat myself up if I miss a few days of anything besides walking. Taking time to relax at night is important to me, and getting enough sleep also has been a priority. I know that my priorities will continue to change, but hopefully exercise will always be up there.

Ashley from My Food N Fitness Diaries is also pregnant and has been answering the same handful of questions since she announced her pregnancy. I can’t say I’ll do this every week, but let’s try it today and see how it goes!

How far along? started week 20 yesterday

Baby’s size? banana

Weight gained? probably 5 pounds by now

Stretch marks? nope, and hopefully it’ll stay that way (my mom never got them and I’ve heard it’s partially genetic)

Sleep? I am used to sleeping on my sides now but sometimes end up on my back in the night – I do get up twice a night to use the restroom

Best moment this week? Hearing the heartbeat at our appointment last week Wednesday – it was 150 beats/min.

Miss anything? red wine and beer

Movement? little flutters and bubbles but no clear kicks or punches (and because I have an anterior placenta, which means the placenta is in front of the uterus, I might not feel it as soon as other women)

Food cravings? citrus always tastes amazing and I’ve started craving chocolate again

Anything making you queasy or sick? car rides, especially when I attempt to read or do anything on my phone (when I’m not driving)

Gender? unknown…but we find out next Thursday!

Labor signs? none, and hopefully none for a long time

Symptoms? peeing more often, tired at night (but not as bad as the first semester), and painful girls when I’m cold

Belly button in or out? in still (and probably will be for a while)

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy of moody? happy

Looking forward to? the ultrasound next week to not only see Baby but also find out if we’ll be discussing girl names or confirming the use of our boy name

Picture from 18.5 weeks

That was fun! Okay, maybe I will try to start this as a weekly post.

Ten Facts About My Life Recently

Posted on December 28, 2012 by pintofgoals

I can’t believe break is almost over. Even with those two extra days, it has flown by. Good thing I’ve got a couple big things to look forward to!

Today I have lots of random thoughts and pictures to share.

1. We had a nice Christmas with my mom, my sister, her boyfriend, and Brody’s mom. It was pretty low-key and we barely left the couch or kitchen table. Brody cooked two rib roasts (long story) Christmas Eve. We opened gifts Christmas morning while eating Sara Lee butter streusel coffee cake.

After presents, my family (except me) went to church, and we spent the afternoon watching movies. Oh, and we ate – a lot and often. ‘Tis the season!

2. Brody got me a fabulous gift: a babymoon! Over my Spring Break in March, we are going to New York for four days!!! We’re staying in Soho, and the only thing set in stone as of now is we’re going to see The Book of Mormon. Any restaurant recommendations?

3. Moose and Frankie have been loving the snow. Those first few days were hard on their paws, though. Snow packs easily between their pads, so every few minutes, they are licking at them (which only makes it worse). Both dogs also LOVED the bull pizzle (aka bully stick aka bull penis). Unfortunately their stomachs didn’t love the pizzle, and we’ve been dealing with some nasty bathroom issues. To let everything work its way out, we switched the dogs over to rice and boiled chicken.

Frankie was not happy about his rice breakfast.

4. Our friends, Barret and Kelly, parents of Owen, sent us our first official piece of baby clothing: a Blackhawks onesie!

It is so adorable – even Brody said so with a big smile on his face. Whether this kid is a boy or girl, it is already determined he/she will play hockey and will be a Blackhawks fan.

5. Real Simple failed me. I know – I am still in shock.

Normally their recipes are great, but this one (pasta with sausage, arugula, and bread crumbs) missed the mark. Brody thought the arugula was too strong, but I tasted lots of thyme from the toasted bread crumbs. We both didn’t even finish our meals. I had a small bowl of Cedar Crest vanilla ice cream and Brody made nachos. Healthy alternatives around here.

6. I went to yoga yesterday! It was my second class at Bliss Flow Yoga on University Ave. Groupon had a deal a while back: $20 for 20 classes. Even if I only make it a few more times before it expires in April, that’s still a good deal. I felt comfortable doing just about everything as my belly isn’t getting in the way yet.

7. Post yoga, I met Brody for lunch. We went to Gates & Brovi, a newer restaurant on Monroe St. We both started with soup: roasted cauliflower for me and clam chowder for Brody.

For the main course, I chose the chick pea tuna sandwich. Obviously it had tuna and chick peas but also included slices of hard boiled eggs, pepperocini, capers, kalamata olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce. It was salty and delicious.

Brody had a classic burger and was very happy with it. Besides the good food, the decor is very inviting and casual with lots of reclaimed looking wood and high ceilings.

8. Real cream in coffee is SO much better than milk or flavored creamer. I bought half and half for the mashed potatoes on Christmas Eve (which you need to have with a roast), and there is at least half a container left. Yum!

9. It hasn’t all been eating and relaxing around here. I made it to work for four hours on Thursday and got lots of work done. My teaching license is set to expire in June, and in order to renew it, I need to finish my PDP (professional development plan) and submit it to DPI (Department of Public Instruction). Sidenote: The number of acronyms in education is incredible. I worked on my PDP for two hours and then planned lessons and emailed parents for the last two. At home I finished lots of grading on my two snow days and then yesterday I began grading research papers my juniors wrote. My goal for today is to finish one class, which has only seven papers left. I can do it!

10. My weekend plans involve the dog park (of course), the gym, Best Buy (to pick up a camera, a new point and shoot, Brody and I ordered), grading, watching a video about Huck Finn, seeing Django Unchained, and definitely some couch time.

Have a fabulous Saturday!

Questions:
What was your favorite gift? The best gift you gave?
What good restaurant have you been to recently?
What do you have planned for the weekend?

Christmas Survey

Posted on December 21, 2012 by pintofgoals

Everyone loves a survey! While catching up on Janae’s life, I read her Christmas survey post and decided to join in (just a little late).

1. Favorite Christmas song or album?

I love the Carpenters’ holiday album!

My dad used to play it every Christmas on our record player, and although I don’t have a CD version of it, I bet I can listen to it on Pandora. If Brody was answering this question, he’d say the Oak Ridge Boys holiday album.

We listen to it every year while decorating our tree.

2. Run on Christmas morning or take the day off?

Normally we’re in Ohio, and we open gifts Christmas morning, so I skip the workout. However last year I think my SIL and I went running Christmas afternoon because it was 50 degrees outside. This year it depends on the weather and whether my gym will be open or not. To be honest, there’s probably only a 25% chance of it happening.

3. What do you usually eat on Christmas morning?

Brody’s family, and now our family, has the tradition of eating Sara Lee’s butter streusel coffee cake. I bought three at Woodman’s today so we can continue this tradition at our house.

4. Favorite holiday or Christmas tradition?

Because we have spent the last five years in Ohio for Christmas, Brody and I always celebrated early with just the two of us. We get BBQ takeout, watch Love Actually, and open gifts. Even though we’ll be home this year, we are still doing this tomorrow night.

5. Real tree, fake tree, or no tree?

We get a real tree. I love the smell and enjoy decorating it with our mish-mash of ornaments.

6. Christmas pajamas…yay or nay?

I’m gonna say nay. While I like holiday-esque pjs, full blown holiday pjs aren’t my thing. There is also no way in hell I could ever convince Brody to wear pjs with Santas or reindeer on them.

7. Where do you spend the holidays?

As I’ve already explained in other answers, we normally go to Ohio but we are staying home this year, and everyone is coming to us. Brody’s mom flies in Sunday morning, my mom comes Monday early afternoon, and my sister and her boyfriend are also coming Monday.

8. Food that you always have during the holiday season? Favorite Christmas food or treat?

My mom makes amazing sugar cookies. She uses butter, not margarine or shortening, and something else that makes them incredible. Brody’s family makes a rib roast (like the one we had for Thanksgiving this year) for Christmas Eve dinner. We are continuing this tradition and have ordered the roast from Underground Food Collective.

9. Open presents all at once or take turns?

Growing up, we always took turns. At Brody’s, we also spread out the gift opening.

10. Favorite Christmas movie?

Brody and I were talking about this last night. I had a hard time thinking of one, but I settled on It’s a Wonderful Life. I also like Elf and Christmas Vacation.

Brody’s favorite is White Christmas.

Question:
Your turn! Answer one or more.

Snow Day Part Two

Posted on December 21, 2012 by pintofgoals

On Wednesday, I thought there was no way we’d have a snow day on Friday, but here I am, at home, and I will be home now until January 2 because of winter break. A thirteen day break is quite long, and sometimes these longer breaks make it even more difficult to go back. I hope that doesn’t sound like I am complaining, though, because I very much appreciate this perk of being a teacher.

My morning started off like yesterday: toast, a hot beverage (coffee this time), and grading.

Then I worked out.

After 65 minutes on the elliptical, my feet were sufficiently tingly and I had worked up a light sweat. I hopefully will be able to get to yoga one day this weekend and maybe start running again next week after Brody’s bronchitis clears up.

Grocery stores make me happy, especially empty ones.

A few key buys: kombucha (for $3 each), orange juice (for Brody’s vitamin C needs and my love), and dates.

You know what doesn’t make me happy? Dog poop…in the house…on the carpet. Moose must be having some tummy troubles, which I feel bad for, but I also feel bad for me because the house smells bad and it takes at least twenty minutes to thoroughly clean it up. I’ve heard that dogs can tell if you’re pregnant and sometimes act out. I don’t think that is necessarily the case here, but I do think that’s an interesting notion.

I made plans this morning to meet my friend Jennifer at the dog park this afternoon. She was a little late, but the dogs had fun playing in the deep snow and I liked sitting on a bench under a tree taking in the winter scene.

Normally, without snow, I can make it around the dog park loop, which is 2/3 a mile, in 12 minutes. It took Jennifer and I at least 30 minutes to do one lap. The snow was deep, up to my knees in some areas, as no one else had been crazy enough to go there and forge a path for us. Jerks. We actually took a few breaks, and at one point sat down in the snow to rest for a couple minutes. This was definitely my second workout of the day!

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a recipe, so I’d like to share what I’m making for dinner tonight. This was a Wine and Recipe recipe by Kathy from Mel’s bar food theme night. I loved these and hope they turn out.

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
By Rachel Ray

Ingredients:
-2 tbs vegetable oil
-4 tbs (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
-1/3 cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce
-1 pound ground chicken, preferably thigh meat
-1 large egg
-3/4 cup bread crumbs
-1/2 celery stalk, minced
-1 tsp salt

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 450 and evenly drizzle oil over baking dish.
2) Combine butter and hot sauce in a sauce pan, and cook over low heat, whisking until butter is melted. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
3) Combine chicken, hot sauce mixture, egg, celery, bread crumbs, and salt in a large bowl by hand.
4) Roll the mixture into round, 3/4 inch balls, making sure to make the meat firmly. Place balls on baking sheet, touching one another, to form a grid.
5) Roast for 15 to 20 minutes. The center of the balls should be 165 degrees.

Serve these with celery stalks and dip in blue cheese or ranch dressing.

Have a great Friday night, and to all you teachers or students out there, happy winter break!!!

Questions:
Do you enjoy or despise grocery store trips?
What was your workout today?
What is your favorite meatball recipe?