Introductions

I had a post all ready to go about this crazy braided lemon bread I made last week but instead, I'd rather share these....




And introduce you to our son....

Dizzy

Today I am feeling a bit dizzy... and a little nauseous... and a tad light headed. This picture really does sum it all up.

Maybe I'll go back to sleep.

17 Weeks

Today I am 17 weeks - our bebe is the size of a turnip. For those of you, like both myself & my husband, who have no idea what size a turnip is... allow me to share:



That's pretty big! I think it's hilarious that the photos that are emailed to me every week with my "updates" show this super skinny woman with a baby snug inside... and very little bump. I'm sorry... I have a TURNIP in my uterus... I'd be shocked and appalled if I didn't have much of a bump. So, without further blathering, here is me at 17 weeks.



It does sort of resemble a turnip..

One more week until we find out what flavor baby we're having and we can hardly wait!

Dear Baby,
Please be spread eagle next Tuesday so we can see if you're a girl or boy turnip.
Love, Mom & Dad

Granola

Today I am making home-made Granola. It is a recipe my mom has been making for years - and still makes for my step-dad. After many weeks of craving Cinnamon Toast Crunch I've decided to try to eat a bit healthier & cheaper and just make my own cereal. Plus, this tends to stick with me better and longer than a silly bowl of CTC. It's so yummy -like a bowl of cookie!



So, in the spirit of giving and sharing, I will be so nice to share with you below the greatest granola recipe! Enjoy!

Granola

1 C Honey
1/2 C Vegetable Oil
Stir together in a saucepan until melted. Remove from heat.
Add:
1 Tbsp Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Almond extract
Set aside

In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients:
9 C Oats
2 C Wheat or Oat Germ
2 C Sunflower seeds (shelled, obviously!)
1/2C Brown Sugar
7 oz Shredded Coconut (I prefer unsweetened, but to each their own)
2 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Nutmeg

Drizzle honey mix over dried ingredients & mix. Divide mix up onto 2 cookie sheets (sprayed with Pam or something similar) with 1-2" sides. Spread evenly & put in 350 degree oven for 8min. Rotate sheets top to bottom & back to front, bake another 8 minutes until edges are browning, like an oatmeal cookie. Remove from oven & stir while cooling. This is important - if you don't stir while cooling the oatmeal will form one big sheet and will be a mess! Once it is thoroughly cooled store in an air-tight container. Granola should be good for about 2 weeks in the container. You can always freeze it if you need to.

Yum!!!!!

New Landscaping!

Mark and have been working on our yard for ever... or at least it feels that way. I think I posted a bit earlier this year about the dramatic down-turn our back yard took. Ugh. Well, things are on the upswing! Yesterday, Mark and I completed the first re-planting done since we moved in almost a year ago. And we have conquered the driveway strip! Yes, it is true!

Mere weeks ago it was dirt & sprinklers... now it is beautiful with 28 society garlic plants and lots of friendly mulch. Oh... it's just so beautiful.


Now we're pumped to keep it going... this weekend while Mark is continuing work on the sprinklers, I will be plotting and planning for the Front Garden!



It's almost too much!

Without Further Ado...

.. I bring you, my belly.

Here's the first official picture of me and my growing belly - 15 1/2 weeks. I am pretty sure that, since I am showing this much this early, that I am going to be very large towards the end of my pregnancy. Good thing it'll be the hottest part of the year... oh wait..



I promise more pics to come.. and fingers are crossed - next week we might find out if we're having a mini me or a mini Mark! hmm... Mini Mark... scary. Cute, but scary.

Mother of all Slackers!

I'm not going to get into it because we all know I am slacking big time. I bet you didn't know that I am already almost 4 months along & going strong into my 2nd trimester. Yep, I am! How the time flies.

So, mini recap from First Trimester...

- Nausea was kicking my butt - felt hungover all the time (without the fun drunken escapade from the night before)

- only ate like a teenage boy for about 2 weeks - then got to start eating a bit more normal

- not too many food aversions or cravings. I definitely am wary of ranch dressing and some chicken things... but mostly good to go for most food

- got our first pictures of bebe and got to hear its heartbeat - precious

Now we're into the 2nd Trimester - I'm still waiting for that burst of energy that I hear is supposed to happen. No dice yet. I do feel better - no nausea! Yay! We have our 3rd Dr appointment next week and there is a chance that we might be able to find out the gender of our wee one. That would just be SO great!

I will do my best to keep updates going. I've also promised pictures which I'll get up this week. Why people want to see pics of my ever-expanding waistline is beyond me!

Until then...