Five Question Friday!

 It's Five Question Friday Time! True, I haven't done this in awhile. But I'm usually working! So here goes! 1. What is the most physically painful thing that has ever happened to you?  Physically painful, I would have to say my miscarriage.  :(  Seriously, it was like I was in labor.  I even got to the point where I was counting the minutes between intense pains.   Recovery from surgery (about a year previous to that) was painful, but I had some yummy pain meds.  So it wasn't quite so bad!
 2. How much sleep do you get at night?
 

That completely depends on the night!  I used to stay up till 10 or 11, then get up by 5am.  So 6 or 7 hours.  But since being pregnant it varies.  Some nights I'm in bed by 9, which give me 8 hours of sleep.  In the first trimester I was in bed by 7:30 some nights.  No joke.

But the problem now is I wake up every night.  More than once a night.  So I have no idea how much sleep I get, but it never feels like enough.

I know, I know.  This is just the beginning!

 3. How long did you believe in Santa Claus? How did you find out that he does not exist?  

I honestly don't think I ever really believed in Santa.  At least not that I recall.  And I certainly don't remember finding out that he didn't exist.  I'm going to have to ask my Mom about this.  I think Santa was just kind of down played in our house.  As far as I know, I always knew it was my parents who bought the presents.  And ate the cookies and milk I always left out.

(Why did I leave out cookies and milk if I didn't believe in Santa?)

Now I have to decide what to do with our kids!  Suggestions anyone??

 4. What was the last movie you saw in a theater?

John and I saw The Town recently.  I'm pretty sure that was the last movie I've seen in the theater.  It was decent, I suppose, but there are always parts that I think could have been left out and the movie would be just as good, or maybe even better.

I can tell you the next movie I'll be seeing!  Harry Potter #7, Part One!

 5. What do you wear to bed?

Comfy pants and a long sleeved t-shirt.  No socks or I'll overheat.  We even have the radiator in our bedroom turned off for just that reason.  In the summer, shorts and t-shirt.   

Update

I had an appointment on Tuesday, and it went well!

I gained 5 pounds.  In 4 weeks.  Acceptable, because that still only puts me 6 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight, due to all the weight I lost in the beginning.  But still.  Five pounds seems like a lot.  Ah well.  I'm trying to eat healthy...for the most part.

When she measured my stomach it was 4 inches bigger than 4 weeks ago.  Twenty-one inches.  The last visit there was a 4 inch gain as well.  At some point I'm assuming it'll grow less than 4 inches per visit...or else I'm most definitely having a line backer!

The baby's (should I just call him John?) heartbeat was 147 bpm.  He was moving all over too, she kept having to move the doppler thing to find him.  Just when we'd get a good solid heartbeat he'd be off and wiggling again.  Silly boy.

My blood pressure was a little high.  For me, at least.  Mine is usually very low, and the top number was in the 130's.  My midwife didn't seem worried, so I'm not.

Let's see...I think that's it!  The only pregnancy issues I'm having lately are just annoying ones: I can't get comfortable at night, or when we're just on the couch watching TV.  My back hurts.  My body is so sore by the end of the day.  I wake up all night long!  Heartburn is a killer.  But those are all so minor when I feel those little baby movements!  I think that will definitely be what I miss the most once I have him!

I need to take a picture and post it...maybe today!

Happy Anniversary

Today John and I celebrate 4 years of wedded bliss.

Well, ya know, for the most part!

Our wedding day was amazing.  Everything I could have hoped for.  We had a wonderful honeymoon too.  Coming home (but not to the home I had for 25 years previous!) was a little traumatic, but after a day or 2 I was settled in.  We also had to give away a day in those first days after our wedding.  Not easy.  But we survived.

Fast forward to anniversary number one.  We spent it at Niagara Falls!  I had never been there, and we had an awesome time.  Amazing hotel suite, overlooking the Falls.  Definitely a trip to remember...especially the part where I beat John in miniature golf.

Skip ahead another year to one of the absolute best days of my life, November 10, 2008.  We found out we were expecting our first baby!  Obviously, it didn't end well, but I have fond memories of that day: wrapping up the pregnancy test for John to open and hiding it from my parents when they unexpectedly stopped by.

Add another year, and we're brought to one of the worst days of my life.  We were in San Diego with John's family when, on our fourth anniversary, I got a horrible phone call that said all my ultrasounds and blood work were pointing to one, and only one thing.  Impending miscarriage.  Thanks for the anniversary gift.  Couldn't it have been on a different day?  We all know how that ended.

Now, November 10, 2010, I'm 22 weeks pregnant with our son.  Sometimes I look down at my belly and almost can't believe it's real.  Even though this anniversary was spent working, and at an evening training...I couldn't be happier.  Even though I've barely seen John at all today, that's okay.  They (whoever they may be) say good things are worth waiting for...and wait we have. 

I thank God for my wonderful husband who has been there to support me through all the ups and downs, even when my wacky emotions don't make sense to him.  I thank God for my son, who literally gives me a whole new outlook on life already.  And I thank God for carrying me through the years, even when I didn't feel like I could go on.

Happy Anniversary John!  They only get better from here!  <3

Focaccia

After a beautiful day of snow falling yesterday I was in the mood for yummy food.  I make a big steaming pan of baked ziti, and it really hit the spot!  I also decided to try something new in the bread maker, thanks to my friend Catie!  She talked about how much she liked to make Focaccia bread, so I decided to try it.

Of course, I left my recipe book at work.  So I browsed a few recipes online and made a basic dough: 

• 1 cup warm water
• 3 T. olive oil
• 3 c. bread flour
• 2 t. salt
• 6 t. Italian seasoning
• 2 t. active dry yeast

I ran it through the dough cycle in the bread maker which is such a great invention!!

Once it was finished I took it out, gave it a good punch, then pressed it out onto a greased cookie sheet.  I left lots of pretty little finger indentations, too.  For about 40 minutes I let it rise near the kerosene heater.  Then I drizzled some EVOO on it along with some fresh garlic and shredded parmesan and romano cheeses.  Oh yeah, I added some kosher salt too.  Into the oven (450 degrees) for 15 minutes.

And tada!

It's delish!  Already more than half gone.  And, wonder of wonders, John likes it!! 

If (when!) I make this again, I'll use just regular grated parmesan.  I think I'd like that better.  Besides that...no complaints here. 

I also thought about making it a sweet thing...I'd have to omit the Italian seasoning and maybe put brown sugar and cinnamon on the top...

The possibilities seem endless!

Random Ramblings...

Yesterday I bought 10 pounds of potatoes.  Today, I will peel, chunk and cook them.  Then I'll mash them up with butter and milk, transport to my parent's house and enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving meal.  With all the fam.

I also began my Christmas shopping yesterday.  On a very small scale.  But I saw something (for the kids, of course) and couldn't resist purchasing.  I'm always shopping last minute.  I really hope that's not the case this year.  I'm going to try hard!!

Today I made and ate a waffle and a glass of milk.  Well, the milk was from a carton.  The waffle was homemade.  From a mix.  You know what I mean. 

The sun is finally shining, it seems the rain is gone for awhile.  Yesterday I saw two rainbows.  I could cry as I look at a rainbow, knowing that it is God's promise to us.  God's promises feel so real to me lately.  I know they're always real, even when they don't feel it...but lately they really feel it.  And that's a good feeling.

Happy Birthday to my Zoe today.  She's 7.  Or 49.  However you want to look at it.

Happy Thanksgiving!  Even though, unless you're a parent, sibling or niece/nephew of mine, you're most likely not celebrating today...I'll eat some turkey for ya.

Big Brother Birthday

Today is my big brother's birthday.  In honor of him, I'm going to tell you a story.  About him, of course.  And me.

While growing up we were pretty much forced to be 'close', simply because we had the same friends.  And the home schooling thing too.  Now?  We really are close.  Sure, we love to pick on each other...but it's all in love now.  I can't really say that it was all in love when we were younger...

Dave loved to practice his karate moves on me.  One of the many 'big brother' annoyances growing up.  Also, if I was baking or cooking, he was always pestering me and stealing bites.  I don't remember a lot of really bad stuff we did to each other, we just annoyed and got on each other's nerves a lot.

So this one day I was baking.  I can't remember if it was a cake or cookies, but it was something requiring frosting.  Dave was constantly annoying me by coming in and sneaking his fingers into the frosting.  Finally, I'd had it.  I took a big spoonful of what looked like frosting, and lovingly handed it to him, in a nice, sweet, sisterly way.

I'll never forget the look on his face when his mouth swallowed up the spoon and he got a big, fat taste of Crisco! 

Looking back, I'm sure he can laugh at that moment.  But I don't really think he laughed then.

So happy birthday big brother.  I honestly couldn't ask for a better big brother, and I love you very much!

Trick or Treat!

I had a few very special Trick-or-Treaters on Halloween!

There was this scary adorable Lion!

(with her Mommy)

There was Buzz Lightyear - with an impressive wing span!

And, of course, Thomas!

And next year, we'll be adding another one to the mix!