Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Creating New Life. Week 37 1/2

I can't believe my stomach use to look like this....

And six months later we've got this....

Monday, January 30, 2012

Birthday Stuff

Jim's a ripe old 32 today. Happy Birthday Love! We celebrated yesterday with his family & gluten free carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. YUM!


Gluten free baking still makes me a little nervous but I used Simply Organic Gluten Free mix, have used the mix before to make pumpkin spice bars so was pretty confident it wouldn't turn out terrible. I made a double batch this time to make 2-8 inch round cakes and added in 2 C. of grated carrots and 1/2 C. applesauce and it turned out awesome! For the cream cheese frosting I basically followed this recipe. I don't really measure the powdered sugar, I just add it until it taste right.

He's been really wanting a juicer so I splurged a little and got him a really nice one. I heard if you're going to do just do it right. He seems really happy with it so far. We experimented last night with a carrot apple variety and a beet one that tasted like dirty ginger. I just can't like beets, but I guess I'll keep trying.

Today I was feeling extra energetic and decided it was a good idea to stock up our fridge and pantry. We're filled up with extra veggies & fruits for juicing and some extra snacks for Jim's lunch. Still a yummy glass of beet dirt juice left....any takers?


I'm also working on a batch of creamy cauliflower soup for birthday dinner. It smells sooo good in the kitchen right now. I pretty much made up the recipe but there are lots of ones that sound delicious on the web like this one and this one.


For last years birthday.
and Jim turns 30 here and here.

Monday...

“It is utterly false and cruelly arbitrary to put all the play and learning into childhood, all the work into middle age, and all the regrets into old age.”

~Margaret Mead

Happy Birthday Jim!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Random

Sitting at the computer has been making my back hurt. I've been limiting my time overall and using a physioball instead of chair, which helps but still means limited and brief blogging time.

I'm in the middle of Mockingjay, the final book in the Hunger Game series. So far I think the first book was the best but I guess I should wait until I finish to make my final judgement. They're extremely quick reads and keep your attention. Have you gotten caught up in the hype? Will you watch the movie?



Jim came across an interesting post on NPR about a former vegan who makes a big life change to embrace butchering. The article also includes a pretty cool little documentary type video on the butchering and agriculture.

We recently watched FoodMatters. No matter what your views are on health & wellness it's worth watching. Some of it may seem like really drastic changes for people (like switching to a primarily whole foods diet) but in the end we all need to think more about what we put into our bodies and try to make steps towards better daily habits. Let's just say someone in our house might be getting a fancy new juicer for his birthday.

And not at all related to health food....how awesome is this cake?Must be my belly talking...




Monday, January 23, 2012

Monday...

"When love is not madness, it is not love."

~Pedro Calderon de La Barca

Friday, January 20, 2012

Another man's treasure

Some things in life are hard to come by. True love, good friends, a rewarding career, and lets not forget tin coffee cans. Seriously! Plastic has total taken over the industry but a tin coffee can, especially one with a lid, has so many uses. They are super sturdy and great for storing all kinds of things, like screws, nails, construction materials, buttons, or craft supplies. You can get really crazy and make a light fixture or lamp. You can paint them and use them as mini vases or planters for herbs.

You could easily have a few in every room of your house. If only they weren't so darn difficult to come by...

Well yesterday was Jim's lucky day. He was just walking down the street to work and there it was, a perfectly good tin coffee can in the street. A brief inspection revealed that it was not infested with roaches or been used as urinal by a homeless person, so he picked it up and continued on his way. Once inside the office, with great excitement, as he was carefully wiping and cleaning the canister, he showed off his new prize to several staff members. All of whom thought it was the weirdest thing. Why anyone in their right mind would pick up trash off the street? Perhaps it goes back to my redneck Ohio roots, but my initial response was "Sweet!"

Thursday, January 19, 2012

A Hope Chest

The last few times I made a trip to Ohio, I packed up the extra space in our car with stuff I'm been storing at my dad's house for the last ten years. You know the kind of stuff you didn't want to get rid of but didn't want to lug around with you from apartment to apartment in college. Now that I have my own house my dad and I agreed it was time to clear some of it out.

One such item....
Jim and I have plans for a little paint job and transformation to a toy box for the babies room. But that meant first finding a home for the precious memories it has been storing for nearly 15 years. There were a few bigger items that were easier to make decisions about....a mirror (keep it), a collection of beautiful doilies that were my mothers (keep 'em), a few random stuff animals and cookbooks (donated).

Then we move onto to this lovely keepsake box filled with random, but apparently sentimental items......

Let's start with the paper collection: a laffy taffy wrapper, a card from by brother, the label from sparkling wine with NYE 1997 etched into the back, a completely random note from my dad that says nothing particularly touching or sentimental, a letter from my mom apologizing for an argument, a few touching sayings from Dove chocolate, a quote on perseverance, and a few other random encouraging notes/letters from adults such as our minister.


I tucked away the letter from my mom and tossed/recycled everything else.

Next up in the keepsake box were my random assortment of miniature "things" including: dried carnations, a hand-carved bear, Guatemalan worry dolls, some random Christmas ornaments, a pink shiny rock, and a really old Hershey kiss which I associate with a memory of my first "love" and the Goshen Dairy parking lot, although I can't be certain that it's an accurate connection.


I kept the necklace and worry dolls.

And finally, not in the keepsake box but in the chest itself we have the following figurines:

I think the suitcase is pretty suit so it's currently being used as a bookend in the living room. I donated everything else with the exception of the larger carousel house which is also a music box, which I would be nice if we have a girl or otherwise gifted to my adorable niece.

A whole chest of things that once seemed important and valuable.....

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Showered

We were lucky enough to have two really wonderful showers to help prepare for Baby Robinson's arrival. Back in November my sister-in-law and sister hosted a small shower for some of my high school and college friends back in my home town. She decided on an adorable Dr. Seuss theme. I've been meaning to do a separate post about it because the decorations were sooo cute, but I'm computer challenged and can't figure out how to get the pictures she sent on Shutterfly onto my computer and/or blog. My sister-in-law did do a post on her blog so you can check out pictures there.


Last weekend was the second shower for my family and friends on the east coast. Again, the hosts (my friend Sarah and mother-in-law) went out of their way to make a beautiful and creative display. This time they decided on a fun multi-colored theme complete with a candy bar and handmade tissue paper flowers.



Jim and I are so thankful for all our wonderful family and friends. Everyone has been so supportive and generous throughout our whole preparations process! We are overwhelmed with excitement and can't wait for out little one to meet everyone! One more month!!!

Monday, January 16, 2012

Monday...

"I have decided to stick to love. Hate is too great a burden to bear. "

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Artichoke Spinach Dip

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. mayo
1/2 grated parmesan or romano cheese (or 1/4 C. each)
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 14oz can artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
1/2 C. frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained
1/4 C. shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease small baking dish.
Mix cream cheese, mayo, parmasan and/or romano cheese, garlic, basil, and salt & pepper to taste.
Once well mix gently stir in chopped artichoke hearts and spinach.
Scoop into prepared baking dish & top with mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until lightly browned and warmed throughout.

I love this stuff!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Swaddled

We rented and watched The Happiest Baby on the Block Sunday night. Jim is now an expert teddy bear swaddler.


Doesn't Mr. Bear look so cozy?

Monday, January 9, 2012

Monday...

"Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today."

~James Dean

Friday, January 6, 2012

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

A New Year.

I didn't do it last year but enjoyed reading back at my goals for 2010 so thought I'd get something in writing while I'm feeling inspired!


Take more pictures. I'm usually really good at this but last year I hardly had the camera out at all, especially after I got pregnant. I'm hoping to recruit Jim on this one too so I actually appear in some photos with the new babe.

Use technology better. Although I love certain stone age practices like sending letters snail mail style and carrying a paper planner, I know I could put technology to better use. I want to get a better handle on technology in useful ways, like paperless statements from my bank and other accounts, keeping track of birthdays, and a better way to follow blogs I read regularly.

Get myself together. This probably sounds ridiculous but I don't want to fall into the mom in sweat pants trap. I could totally see it happening since I'm slowing slipping into a cozy oversized tshirt and sweats world as we speak. And once the baby comes I know my time will be limited, simple task may seem overwhelming, and my wardrobe will be in some kind of in between stage. But, I don't want that to mean a year from now I'm bumming around in tattered yoga pants with no bra at Target. I want to make an effort to get back into actually getting dressed and ready even when I have no real place to go. Just for for me.

Stay healthy. Over the last year I was fortune to have an abundance of time and energy to spend on myself. I know the demands of motherhood are going to cut into my personal time a bit, but I want to make sure that I keep exercise and healthy eating a priority for myself and my family.

Here's to a happy and healthy 2012!!!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy New Year!

Last year we had a super lazy New Year's Eve but a busy fun New Year's Day. This year we pulled the 'ole switch-a-roo, stayed up late celebrating and playing cards with the Crookers followed by the laziest day of lounging and napping on the couch that the Robinson house has ever seen. Aside from making chili this poem is the most exertion thing I've done all day.....

A night with the Crookers celebrated the end of this year
Their little man Cameron, fast asleep by 8:15 made him even cuter.
We passed the time with fun and good cheer
But allowed only games with the weirdest of names like farkle and euchre.


Midnight chimed and the champagne was poured
With just one lone water glass for the childbearing gal.
Burning and choking as the laughter loudly roared.
She was struck in the eye and with the unexpected fizz required a towel.


Another year now behind us and we got some stuff done
The biggest of all a baby.
A new year filled with love and new kinds of fun
Twenty Twelve will be awesome, not even a maybe.