Good Eats

I tried a couple of new recipes last week that I wanted to share. I read this cooking blog, almost every day. She has some great recipes. I made peanut butter and chocolate chip muffins-they were ok, the girls loved them, but Kevin and I didn't think they were any better than any other muffin. Then, I made the oatmeal breakfast bars. These were sooooo good! I mean, really good. I need to make a double batch and keep some in the freezer. I miss freezer cooking. I miss the comfort of knowing there are meals in the freezer that just need to be heated. I'm anxious to get into my new kitchen and start cooking again. Oh, I still cook here in the apartment, when the stove actually works, that is.

I only have about a week from the time we move into our house until baby blue comes, so I've started making a list of what to make for the freezer to have postpartum. My mom is coming, so I know she'll cook, too. In fact. McKenna has already said she wanted Grandma to make gumbo when she's here. I miss my mom's cooking. I miss my mom even more. 3 1/2 more weeks...!

Denial

Last Sunday at church, I saw 3 different newborns. They were so tiny, so perfect. My heart melted. Then, all of a sudden I thought, OMG that's gonna be us before we know it. Holding a baby. I think this kid is going to come sooner than I want. I know he's coming. 5 weeks from today. There's a small part of me that's really getting excited about it. But, most of the time, I'm still trying to admit that I am, in fact, pregnant. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that we'll be a family of 6 soon. This pregnancy was just such a huge surprise that it's taken me this long to adjust and realize all of the changes ahead for our family. I think Kevin has been in denial, too, from his blog post last week. He has his own stuff going on, and didn't even mention it.

Last week, we found out that we have to have the baby in a different hospital. I've been in touch with this hospital, and, let's just say, I'm hoping to not have to stay there for the full time allotted after a c-section. The lady spent 10 minutes telling me how great this hospital is and that it is considered a small town hospital. Um...that's not really what I want to hear. She also said that the hospital was built in 1972 and was the first hospital in the state to have dads stay in the room with the mom and baby. Because of this, the rooms are quite small. In fact, after boasting about letting dads stay, she quickly said that they usually don't b/c of the small space. Great...And, because of the way the rooms are laid out, the showers are located down the hall. NOT in the hospital room. Are you kidding me? Is that even legal? I am suddenly dreading this delivery more and more with every thought. Never in a million years did I think that by having a baby in California, that I'd be stepping back in time...I am soooo not thrilled about this.

Just give me the percocept that I've been looking forward to getting and let me recover at home.

June 22, 2010

That's the day our son will be born. That's the plan right now anyway. However, nothing in the last 6 months has gone according to plan, so we'll see. I had an ob appointment yesterday, he said the head is down, but hasn't dropped yet. He started looking at his calendar and gave me 2 dates. I chose June 22. 6 weeks from today. I can't believe it. He also asked if I had registered at the hospital yet. I told him no, but the nurse was getting me the forms to fill out. He casually mentioned Verdugo Hills hospital. Um...What??? I thought I would deliver at Huntington, the only hospital in Pasadena. Apparently not. My insurance is only covered at Verdugo Hills, in Glendale. Nowhere have I seen this in writing. I've looked online, in my coverage book, on my insurance delivery approval sheet, everywhere. I called Cigna this morning, and, sure enough, I need to deliver at Verdugo Hills. AAARRRRGGGHHH! Much worse thoughts are in my head, believe me. It would be nice if me and my type A personality would have known this sooner. So, today, I'm trying to process things differently. I need to find this hospital, which, according to my i-phone, is 15 minutes away. The good thing is that this is 15 minutes closer to Valencia, where we'll be living when he's born.

My dr. has been telling me to travel, shop and have fun the last several appointments. Yesterday, he told me I needed to slow down and rest more. Um....ok-Yeah...right. We're moving in 4 weeks! I did follow his orders last night, I fell asleep before 8:30. Poor Kevin is usually on his own with the girls after supper these days, especially if I don't get a quick nap in the afternoons. Today, the nap is a priority, since LOST is on and I have to wait until 9pm to watch it.

Date Night!

So, Kevin's folks have been wanting to come out to California to visit us, pretty much since we moved here last December. We've been putting them off, simply because we don't have a home yet and didn't want them to have to stay in a hotel. My MIL emailed me a few weeks ago, asking if they could come out for a few days and watch the girls, so Kevin and I could have a date. They were really missing their grandkids. Um...Ok...Yes, please...

I can't tell you how excited I am for tomorrow night. May 7. Our 12 year, 11 month anniversary. Kevin and I are going to the Melting Pot. After that, I don't know-maybe walk down Paseo Colorado, maybe see a movie. Frankly, I could care less. I get to spend time with my husband, without my kids. I love my kids. I spend time with them 24/7. I am apart from them on Sundays for an hour while we are in church, and I usually try to go get groceries without them once a week. Otherwise, I am with them. All of the time. Don't get me wrong, this is my dream. This is really what I want. To be a stay at home mom. To spend time with my kids. Really. I'm just ready for a break. To be alone with Kevin and not having the girls compete for either of our attention. I honestly cannot wait. I bought a new outfit. I painted my nails. I feel like I'm back in college, I'm so giddy.

We both know having 1 date night in the last 6 months isn't a good thing. We've just been in a difficult transition period. Hopefully, we'll find some good babysitters once we move to Valencia and make it more of a priority. We do have a plan to take a trip together that I'm already looking forward to. Sometime in 2012. It will be our 15th anniversary, and I won't be pregnant or nursing, promise! I'm thinking Hawaii...

Our pastor, Rusty, said something during his message last Sunday that stuck with me. He said, "You are the only legitimate source of romance for your spouse." This is so true, and I'm still processing what it means...

So, the next few days will be great and packed with fun. We're planning a trip to the beach, we'll get to eat out, the girls are excited to swim in their hotel pool. Just to have family here, even for just a few days, will be so nice!

ok, your turn. When was your last date night and what did you do on it?

Menu Plan Monday

I was very excited to Redbox at Ralphs last week for the first time. That was one, of many, things we missed about Kansas. A redbox on every corner. Since then, we've canceled our netflix subscription, and have watched Princess and the Frog and Blind Side. Highly recommend the Blind Side. It was soooo good.

Moving on to food-here's what's on the table this week-

• Taco Salad, guacamole, chips
• Honey mustard pork chops, garlic butter rice, corn on the cob, and blackberry crisp-blackberries were on sale for 99 cents, so I bought 3 containers. And, I think I'm the only one who likes blackberries.
• Chipotle-you should know this by now...
• Pesto Mozzarella chicken, potatoes, salad
• Breakfast for supper-don't know what yet, maybe biscuits and gravy and fruit...

Kevin's folks are coming on Thursday for a couple of days. Kevin and I are going on a date on Friday! I'm so excited, a whole blog post may be devoted to it. Our last date was November 20, 2009. Not that I'm keeping track or anything...Anyhoo-our meals, and my cooking may be sporatic the rest of the week, not that I mind :) I am planning a Mother's day breakfast-peach french toast and breakfast casseroles, fruit salad, and whatever anyone wants to eat that morning.

I'm also starting to plan a batch cooking day, so we'll have plenty of meals after blue comes. I can't decide whether to do it now while here in the apt. or wait until after we move. Probably after we move, to break my new kitchen in and not have to transport so many freezer meals. Nothing like waiting until the last minute. Once a Month Mom posted her summer menu and there are several recipes I want to try.

Presley is sitting next to me on the couch and keeps saying, "hold you?" which really means, "hold me" so I'm off of the computer for some cuddle time with my favorite 19m old!

Music to my ears...gone bad

So, in yesterday's Target ad, Kevin saw that they had the Dyson vacuum he's been eyeing on sale, with a $150 gift card with purchase. I didn't know he was that interested in it, until I got a text at 11:30 from him, asking if I wanted to go to Target over lunch. Are you serious? He's asking me if I want to go to Target? Um, yes, please!!!!! I never hear those words come from his lips. Ever. So, I jumped on it and we all went. All 5.8 of us. At this time, my mind is racing, thinking of how I can spend a $150 gift card. Do I buy clothes for the family, diapers, home decor? My thoughts are endless...

No vacuums in stock. They didn't even have a floor model. Weird. You might think we just came home. Oh no. We left the store with a frog humidifier and $30 worth of sunscreen for the family. Side note-I took the girls to the park this morning and Presley got pink in a very short amount of time. Not the purchase we planned on, but I'm not complaining, yet.

So, we go home and eat a quick lunch, I get online to see if that vacuum is at any other Target in Pasadena. While I'm on the computer, Kevin finds the vacuum on his phone for, get this, $150 LESS than Target's price with the gift card. Kevin gets perturbed and decides, if he can get it online with free shipping, there's no need to get it at Target. What? But, I already spent that gift card about 4 times in my head! AAAARRRRRGGGGHH!

I've had a couple of hours now to settle down and realize how misleading Target's ad really is. I thought there was a law against marking things up in order to have a sale. Maybe not in California. Oh well. Maybe next week's ad will have something good in it...