7 Quick Takes

Looks like we made it to Friday, folks! I can only speak for myself but this week seemed to drag a bit and even though weekends don't really have any meaning when you are unemployed and spend the majority of your time at home, it is still nice for the weekend to be here! Due to the increased down time I am going to have to rack my brain a bit to fill all of the necessary slots.....

1. Rack vs. Wrack : Because I do not know how to be a normal person, I felt the need to use Google to determine the proper spelling of the phrase "rack my brain(s)". As it turns out everyone disagrees and I was left more confused than I was before the search attempt. Also, I'm not sure whether or not "brain" should be pluralized and I have half a mind to just delete the last sentence of the previous paragraph so I can put this absurd business to rest.

2. Absurd : I am not sure when it started but I have noticed that lately I have been using the word "absurd" a ridiculous amount (yes, I actually had to fight the urge to write "an absurd amount"). It has become somewhat of a verbal tic. In my defense, life has been a bit on the absurd side for the past few weeks (or is it months?) so it is not wholly unreasonable that such a word would become such a constant in my daily speech. There is the business of my pregnancy brain (i.e. depletion of brain cells, memory, etc.), the rather imminent arrival of Baby Leo (due date is February 17th), Ben's upcoming trip/interview, etc. I find myself forgetting and/or doing all sorts of bizarre things. I feel that this event from yesterday might help to illustrate my point -->

Ben : "Hey. Is that tuna on your foot?"
Me (looking down) : "Oh. Yeah. I forgot about that."

Yes, there really was tuna on my foot (it fell down when I was standing in the kitchen eating, which is my main pastime as of late) and yes, I really had forgotten to wash it off and had been walking around the apartment with it being there for well over an hour. Absurd!

3. Third Trimester : Just in case you weren't already waiting on pins and needles to meet your unborn child and finally see what he looks and sounds like, the third trimester helps spur you on by adding new aches and pains, swelling, more insomnia, nausea, etc. to the mix. In other words, I'm whining again. It's times like these that my guardian angel probably wishes she/he (if they even have genders) could slap me....

4. Valentine's Day : I apologize in advance to anyone reading this who happens to be of a sentimental or romantic nature. I am not a fan of Valentine's Day. I never have been. When I was younger I was convinced it was just me being negative because I was single and awkward and all of that. But now that I am married and actually have a love well worth celebrating I find that my attitude towards this particular "holiday" is not terribly different. Maybe it has nothing to do with being single or married and everything to do with hating the idea that Hallmark, chocolate companies, and florists get to dictate when and how I ought to communicate my love to my spouse. I feel like those candy hearts really ought to read "We Own You" and "Nothing Says Love Like Forced Affection." Ok, ok - I'll back off. And the truth is that Yes, I will jump through the silly hoops of Valentine's Day and I will make sure that I do or get something for my husband because I happen to be married to a romantic. Funnily enough he cannot stand being described as such but I think that's just because when he hears that term he thinks I'm saying he is basically like one of these guys.....

Romance was dead until my pale cold sparkly skin and
creepy red eyes brought it back

5. Tea vs. Coffee : Yes, the battle rages on. I am still drinking copious amount of Red Raspberry Leaf tea and loving every scalding sip of it, but I have been dabbling in coffee again and had a few magical cups this week that make me think our magical relationship will soon be restored. I only wish that this coincided with the very bestest part of the year. That's right, I'm referring to

And the angels sing......

6. Nesting : Is it really nesting if you have been doing it the entire pregnancy? Because what everyone describes as "nesting" is basically just that. I mean, now that I have more time on my hands I can do it more but it's just more of what I was doing before. Seriously, Kiddo's clothes were washed, folded, and put in their place before my 2nd trimester was over! Hmmmm.....

7. Monday Blog : This past Monday was my first successful post in my weekly recipe series! I am prepping my second post already and am happy to report that I actually remembered to take pictures of that recipe so I will have my very own pictures to upload! I hope you will consider stopping by to check it out and even consider joining in =) 

Now that you have successfully reached the end of my meandering post please do yourself a favor and check out Jen and all of the other awesome Quick Takers!

What I Wore Sunday (Vol. 5)

Well it is Sunday, folks, so you all know what that means! Time to link up with all the lovely ladies (and gentlemen, as it turns out) over at Fine Linen and Purple! I have to confess that I have been dreading this for the past week or so. As I have mentioned before, having my picture taken is not something I look forward to with great enthusiasm just in general, but now that I am 38 weeks pregnant it is all I can do not to cover up every mirror in our apartment and avoid all reflective surfaces that I come across so you can imagine how I feel about pictures! I bet you didn't think an adult could muster up that much angst in a single sentence - please, be impressed. I really ought to be slapped.*** Until then and without further ado, here are the pics.......

with awkward arm pose - without glasses

without awkward arm pose - with glasses

earrings
(blog will not post picture upright)

Details -->

Dress : Macy's (not maternity)

Shoes : Target (Note : I barely wore these during mass, as they were cutting off the circulation to my extremities.... yay 3rd Trimester!!!)

Earrings : Etsy 

Thanks for stopping by and please don't forget to drop in tomorrow to check out the first post of my Recipe series!!! 

*** In all honesty this week has been FULL of incredible blessings and one long demonstration of God's love and providential care of our little family. And if the price of motherhood is extra poundage then I will take it!!! 

7 Quick Takes

Well, it seems like this late business is becoming a trend! Really I have no excuse this time. I could have written this yesterday and had it posted right on time. The truth is I don't even remember what I did instead! How absurd is that?

I don't own a cat and I'm not blond, but otherwise it seems spot on.

1. The Recipe Post : As I mentioned before I am planning on starting a blog/post series pertaining to recently tried recipes. I have tried my hand at a fair few new ones lately so I am really looking forward to it! Because I'm scatterbrained and forgetful as all get out these days I did manage to forget to take any pictures of said recipes... So the pictures that will accompany my post(s) may not be pictures of what I personally made. Don't worry, though - I won't choose photos that make it look like I belong on Iron Chef (is that a thing?).

2. Work : This past Wednesday marked my last day as a crisis pregnancy counselor with the Women's Care Center, a job that I have held for the past 2 1/2 years. My coworkers bought me a lovely (and delicious!) cake and baby gifts and even some of my clients stopped by to say goodbye. I think I will have to devote an entire post to express what the past 2 1/2 years have meant to me and how they have affected me. Here's hoping I remember to do it! 

3. Home : Now that I am not employed my time is spent putzing around the apartment, washing and folding laundry that doesn't even necessarily need it (seriously, I am redefining what a "small" load of laundry is), penning a few thank you notes (really I should be devoting ALL my time to this!), and scanning the internet. My relationship with the internet is somewhat like a desperate girl waiting for her crush to call... I don't really know what I'm waiting for or expecting but man, it's gonna be AWESOME! 

New email?! I don't even care that it's junk! HOOBOY!

4. Shopping : Now that I have successfully signed up for WIC shopping is a much more intense experience. I only had to go up and down the aisles 29 times before I successfully retrieved everything on my list. Just so you understand how truly ridiculous that is, when I write my list I break it down by aisle. In other words, I have NO EXCUSE! 

5. Job Search : My incredible and amazing husband is finishing up his doctorate and on the job market. As everyone on Planet Earth knows, said market is not terribly friendly these days. Still, he has managed to snag a couple interviews and that is super awesome! The interview that I happen to be the most insanely excited about is scheduled over a period of three days this month. It is out of state so he will have to leave me for that stretch of time. This wouldn't be an issue at all except for the little niggling bit where that happens to be four days before my due date. I mentioned this to my doctor today and he informed that, as it happens, he also will be out of town for those days....... What!?! I was ordered not to go into labor until after they both have returned. I feel like we ought to use sign language while discussing this because I just bet you that Leo is listening, a knowing smile on his cherubic face, and making plans of his own. Prayers on the job hunt and delivery are appreciated all around! 

6. Tea vs. Coffee : Over the course of the pregnancy I have lost my taste for coffee. This is kind of a big deal. Before I became pregnant I had a minimum of 3 cups of coffee every day. I have become obsessed with Red Raspberry Leaf tea, however, and prefer it over coffee like I prefer Double Stuffed Oreos over beets (I hate beets, just in case that was not clear). The analogy is not perfect because I do not actually hate coffee... I just don't care for it that much. I am hopeful that my love for java will return after delivery and that I will return to my previous state --> 

They're missing the carafe full of creamer and bucket of sugar I require....

7. Weather : Ben and I have been quite good about getting outside and walking throughout the pregnancy. We have braved frigid temperatures, biting winds, and even falling snow on occasion. But the recent weather patterns here in South Bend/Mishawaka have proven to be too much (even for us) and so I have had to resort to exercising with my good friend Leslie Sansone. Yeah, she's crazy annoying. I don't know how anyone that pathologically positive is allowed to make an exercise DVD but she's done it, man. The exercise on her DVDs is great for someone like me because all it really involves is walking in place, with occasional additions thrown in to spice things up. I am actually so uncoordinated that I cannot include the arm exercises she tries to incorporate, but otherwise I can keep up (me and the other 60-80 year olds walking with her. no, seriously). Anyways, since it is as basic as exercise routines go I can mute the video and play my Pandora stations in the background. HUGE difference! So, in other words, the weather really needs to improve. ASAP. 

Now, go check out Jen, Ana, and the others 7 Quick Takers! 

~ Happy Friday ~