15 Weeks

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15WEEKS
This post was supposed to be posted last week, but we have been super busy! So 16 weeks will be following shortly!
How far along? 15 weeks

Total weight gain: 3 or 4 still

Maternity clothes? Most of my clothes are still fitting. The pants I worked to get into are now getting tight and after awhile I want them off immediately! I am loving the maternity yoga pants and leggings though… they are big, but they are comfortable!

Sleep: I have started having to wake up around 4 a.m. to use the bathroom, and sometimes I have trouble going back to sleep. All the stuff with buying a house this week has been stressful too, so sometimes I lay there thinking even though I am exhausted!

Best moment this week: We bought a house on Friday (which was actually the start of 16 weeks, but it was exciting all week!)

Miss Anything? I have been wanting sushi, specifically tuna, so that’s sad. Of course a cocktail would be nice too. I made a homemade butterscotch pudding this week, which had Bailey’s in it. After eating half of it I decided it tasted too alcoholic and panicked, even though I know that it was cooked.  

Movement: I thought I might be feeling movement, but that was after the pudding so I wasn’t sure if I was making myself panic. (Or if it was, well, just gas.)

Food cravings: Ice Cream Sandwiches made with chocolate chip cookies, chocolate, cheesecake, green peas, baked beans

Anything making you queasy or sick: Still not a huge meat fan.

Gender Prediction: I feel like it’s a girl…

Labor Signs: Nope! I will die when that moment comes… of excitement or fear I am not sure!

Symptoms: Tired still, back aches- but that could also come from waitressing.

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! Stressed!

Looking forward to: Buying a house! Seeing my sister and her boyfriend, getting back into the house and getting the whole thing done… 3 weeks to find out the gender!


So Little Time

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Did anyone used to watch that show? With Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen before they got weird?

I loved all MK & A shows… you got it dude! They had some cute shows and movies, but of course Full House was the best, and To Grandmother’s House We Go and It Takes Two were their best movies…  please tell me that my sister and I weren’t the only ones who knew It Takes Two by heart… “Back off Barbie!” I still know that movie by heart. You may also remember them in their show Two of a Kind, which was another cute one (better than SLT.)

Sorry, I just love ABC Family/TGIF, etc. shows. Such memories. I would seriously love to relive the 90′s again… I mean Lisa Frank and Trapper Keepers? Family Double Dare, What Would You Do and TGIF? Oh man… and the neon, so glad it’s back. Fanny packs can stay in the 90′s though. I don’t need any extra baggage on my hips, thank you very much. My ice cream sandwich cravings can take care of that all on it’s own. So anyway, back on topic- so little time. (Not the show this time!)

Oh goodness, we have been so busy. We close on the house this week- wish us luck! I have been working a lot, packing… I really am exhausted. After we close we are going to spend the weekend painting the house before we move everything in and hopefully refinishing the floors. I also can’t wait to rip up the hideous green carpet on the stairs and hopefully all the carpet in the bedrooms. I am hoping to find some secret hardwood, but I doubt we will get that lucky! Cross your fingers.

I am super weird about living somewhere someone else has lived- I know it’s weird. Using a bathroom someone else has used kind of creeps me out, and I am not a germaphobe! I am just a bathroom-aphobe. Although that didn’t stop me a few weeks ago from dragging my husband down the road to look at a free toilet- it was a Toto, and my dad worked for a plumbing and heating company so I know they are the best and aren’t cheap! The toilet was in perfect condition, but he sat on it and said he didn’t like the shape. He told me to sit on it to see for myself, but we were on a busy road in front of a cafe I used to work/we visit often so I was too embarrassed. But not embarrassed enough to drag him down there! Not sure why a free toilet didn’t skeeve me out- maybe because it was in front of a nice house and it looked brand new?  We didn’t take it home, although MW said we could if I really wanted to… it was gone before the day was over. Someone else out their knows their toilets! So anyway, of course, we aren’t going to be able to re-do the bathrooms right away (probably for a long while) but I will clean them like crazy! I really, really want the carpets out though because I am allergic to cats and we have no idea what animals have lived on the carpets.

So anyway, be prepared for some updates and photos. Let’s hope I can keep on top of everything! :)


Oreo Cream Cheese Cupcakes

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I don’t think these need much of a description. Every time I have made them people have loved them. To be honest, I try not to use cake mixes from a box, 89% of the time (that isn’t approximate) I try to make my desserts from scratch. Regardless, I love these cupcakes and you will too, because who doesn’t love chocolate, cream cheese and Oreo? Trust me, if you bake these and bring them somewhere all of them will disappear!

Oreo Cream Cheese Cupcakes by sweetebakes on Tasty Kitchen

  • FOR THE CUPCAKES:
  • 1 box Duncan Hines Devil’s Food Cake Mix (18 Ounce Box)
  • 4 whole Eggs
  • 1 cup Sour Cream
  • ¼ cups Water
  • ¼ cups Sugar
  • ⅓ cups Oil
  • 1 cup Crushed Oreos
  • _____
  • FOR THE ICING:
  • 8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese (for Icing)
  • ½ cups Butter (For Icing)
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla (For Icing)
  • 1 cup Powdered Sugar (For Icing)
  • ¼ cups Heavy Whipping Cream, Whipped (for Icing)
  • 1 cup FINELY Crushed Oreos (for Icing)

Prep

Preheat oven to 350.

Line 24-count muffin tins with paper liners.

In a large bowl, beat all of the cupcake ingredients (expect Oreos) until blended and smooth. Fold in crushed Oreos until incorporated.

Fill prepared cupcake tins 2/3 full with batter. Transfer to oven and bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and cake bounces back to touch. After baking, remove from pan and transfer to cooling rack.

After cooling, frost with Cream Cheese Icing:

In large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Sift powdered sugar into cream cheese/butter mixture and beat until smooth.

In a small bowl, beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add whipped cream to cream cheese mixture and beat until incorporated and fluffy. Fold in crushed Oreos. And frost (or pipe) away!

 

oreocupcakes


27, A Heartbeat and 2 Elephants

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Yesterday we got to hear little babe’s heartbeat for the first time! It was so neat- we had seen it on the ultrasound, but hadn’t gotten to hear it as of yet (it was too early.) My birthday was on Sunday, so it was a good little late Birthday present.

It sort of sounded like the baby was underwater. I am sure other first time mom’s feel the same panic I do- you wonder if the baby is okay because you can’t feel it kicking/swimming/dancing yet. (But I have seen that dancing baby, and he/she can move :)  It’s not like I am sick all the time like some mom’s so they have that sign that baby is in there and fine.  I have had it pretty easy, so I interpret my exhausted state and obsession with desserts as a sign baby is okay… oh, and my forgetting my forgetfulness reminds me that baby is there too. For instance, the other day I said, “Oh I can’t believe I am turning 28- I am getting so close to 30!” My husband looked at me and said, “You aren’t turning 28 you are turning 27.” Woops… so on that note, let’s segway into my birthday, shall we?

I didn’t throw a birthday party this year with fun cocktails or anything- it was pretty tame in a wild animal sense. That doesn’t make sense? Sure it does. I love elephants… so much so that when we were on vacation (which reminds me I still need to finish that last vacation post- see, forgetfulness!) and on the ferry I had fallen asleep, and I woke myself up by saying, “I just really want a baby elephant.” I would love an elephant. They are such amazing and awesome creatures- I also would love a dolphin, and I think I love them both because they share human characteristics, such as feeling love. And my goodness, elephants with those ears and trunks and personalities- so cute! Love them.

So back to the topic at hand, we went to Hope Elephants for my birthday, which is a sanctuary for two elephants, Opal and Rosie. They were circus elephants that were brought to Hope Elephants in October of last year to live the rest of their days in solitude. The man who started it had worked with them both in the 1970′s when they were just wee elephants and he and his brother decided they want to do something nice for them when they got old. Which is how they came to Hope, Maine. Anyway, I suggest you go and visit it was such a great experience- I wish I could have petted them, but the state of Maine says no way, Jose! Here are some photos of my friends Rosie and Opal… (unedited because I am tired, but I think they would look great in B&W!)

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IMG_2894

IMG_2951 IMG_2977
IMG_3003 IMG_3008 IMG_3009 IMG_3012 IMG_3015

 

 

The last few photos were taken at my grandmother’s where then we ate cake (I love Boston Creme Pie for my birthday), played mini golf (I won for once- I had two hole in ones in a row!) and then we went to one of my favorite restaurants for dinner, where I had the world’s best risotto. Overall, 27 ain’t half bad- I wonder what 28 will look like when it actually arrives!

 


14 Weeks

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week 14
How far along? 14 weeks

Total weight gain: Ugh, I think it’s been like 3 or 4- I am still 6 pounds less than I started the New Year though.

Maternity clothes? No, although I did order a belly band (I have some pants that I finally got fitting into and soon they will be small again so this will make them work!) I also bought some maternity leggings and yoga pants- my favorite lounge wear!

Sleep: I thought I was getting my energy back, but I am so tired again. And the dreams are getting wackier and wackier!

Best moment this week: Hearing the heartbeat! So cool!

Miss Anything? I have been thinking about Sangria… and mojitos. And the doctor told me the other day it was best to avoid soft cheese, even if pasteurized :(

Movement: None. Except me running to the kitchen for cake :)

Food cravings: Cake, chocolate, milk, risotto

Anything making you queasy or sick: The other night we had jerk chicken thighs- could not stand the chicken! Yuck! I have not been feeling chicken… or cheeseburgers :(

Gender Prediction: I feel like it’s a girl…

Labor Signs: Nope!

Symptoms: Tired!

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? They slipped off the other day- so on!

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!

Looking forward to: Finding out what this dancing bean is


Chicken Marsala

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I absolutely adore Chicken Marsala. I remember the first time I tried, I think it was, Veal Marsala, at Tuffulio’s in Carrabassett Valley, Maine. I never really branched out from Penguin Pie and the chicken stir fry until I decided to try the dish my parents were always raving about. From there, I fell in love with all things Marsala. A few years ago I found a recipe and it was amazing. I don’t have photos to accompany, for some reason I don’t make this as often as I should (but I will and will update the photos- I need more on here!) You will love this recipe because it has just the right amount of delicious mushrooms and marsala flavor (and if you are under 21 not to worry-you still should be able to buy Marsala Wine- even though it does have alcohol they never ID for it- just don’t try to get drunk off it!)  And to be honest, I have tried many Marsala dishes at many restaurants and I think this one is probably one of the best- not too salty, not too thick, think Goldilocks- it’s just right! Enjoy!

Chicken Marsala from Epicurious (sometimes I add more Marsala and mushrooms than the recipe calls for!)

  • 1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 fl oz)
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 10 oz mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (2 lb total)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry Marsala wine
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 200°F.

Bring broth to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan over high heat, then boil, uncovered, until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes.

Cook shallot in 3 tablespoons butter in an 8- to 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until shallot begins to turn golden, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, 1 teaspoon sage, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat.

Put flour in a wide shallow bowl. Gently pound chicken to 1/4 inch thick between 2 sheets of plastic wrap using the flat side of a meat pounder or a rolling pin.

Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, 1 piece at a time, shaking off excess. Transfer to sheets of wax paper, arranging chicken in 1 layer.

Heat 1 tablespoon each of oil and butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté half of chicken, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes total. Transfer cooked chicken to a large heatproof platter, arranging in 1 layer, then put platter in oven to keep warm. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and cook remaining chicken in same manner, then transfer to oven, arranging in 1 layer.

Add 1/2 cup wine to skillet and boil over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, about 30 seconds. Add reduced broth, cream, and mushrooms, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons wine and 1/2 teaspoon sage.

Serve chicken with sauce.

 


Hey, Hey, Hey What’s Going On Here?

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Who said that?

C’mon, you must know.

If I said Kelly and Zach it would totally give it away. God, I loved Saved by the Bell as a kid, however it set very unrealistic expectations for high school and then I was let down. Sort of like how Sex and the City set very unrealistic expectations for being a 20+ something (if only I was rich and lived in NYC, where I would likely be broke.) Granted, I did not live in California for high school, I am not sure what I thought a little high school in Maine was going to offer that came anything close to Bayside. I mean really, there is no Max here… no music videos (I loved the girls music video you will see shortly)… but there were other things I hoped for in high school that didn’t happen. The biggest short coming was that there was no Zack Morris and of course, I was no Kelly. I had hoped to have a cool substitute come in to break all the rules, make a music video (lip singing of course), throw our graduation caps, have a teen line, a costume ball, a glee club, and well, pretty much all the other high jinks they got into. Of course, there was no high school great love like Zack and Kelly either- I mean geez, they got more romantic than adults do. All this made them seem so grown up and when I got to high school I still felt like a kid. (And I was, because in high school you are so far from being a grown up it isn’t even funny- for 90% of the people anyway.) You just act like a smart a double q and some day you will look back on how immature you really were.

Anyhow, despite my shortcomings in high school and not having life be a replica of Saved by the Bell I still love the show. And I still feel like they are all older than I am now- they still seem more grown up than I feel. This “collage” of Saved by the Bell memories… well, brings back so many memories. I know what I will be doing this Fall- sewing baby/house items, blogging and watching every SBTB episode E.V.E.R.

I’m so excited, I’m so excited… I’m so not scared!

Thanks for sharing Emily!

xo,

Mrs. Zack Morris


Weeks Thus Far

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Okay, so the whole time we knew a baby was arriving we have been keeping track of how big/old/fruity the babe is. Here are the first chalkboards and surveys of how I have been feeling!  (Please excuse the lighting on a bunch of the photos- the lighting in this house is so not cool… especially in the night shots! Also, I never did a week 9- I can’t really remember why, but baby was the size of a raspberry!)

week 7 week 9 week 10 week 11

 week12
How far along? 12 weeks

Total weight gain: 2 pounds or so depending

Maternity clothes? No!

Sleep: Yes, please… meaning I am tired! Sleeping well! 

Best moment this week: The second ultrasound- so crazy to see arms and legs now… not just a blob! And boy does that baby love to dance! Zumba baby!

Miss Anything? Now that the weather is warmer I want a mojito and a margarita!

Movement: None.

Food cravings: Cake, chocolate, milk

Anything making you queasy or sick: Meat is not high on the list of favorites, normally it is my favorite! Mmmm rare steak! 

Gender Prediction: I feel like it’s a girl…

Labor Signs: No way!

Symptoms: A little tired… I haven’t been sick once, but queasy every once in awhile.

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On- they were getting too loose, so they should hopefully say fitting!

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!

Looking forward to: Finding out what this dancing bean is

week13 How far along? 13 weeks

Total weight gain: 2 pounds or so depending

Maternity clothes? No!

Sleep: Crazy dreams! Last night I was chillin’ with Aerosmith, rekindling their friendship with my dad (that part isn’t a dream, I would like to do that!), the night before I was running away from someone, the night before I was kidnapping a friend from the psych ward while wearing a purple tutu and sparkly purple tank top… ummm yeah!

Best moment this week: Getting the bank to close a week early on our house… then I can plan a nursery!

Miss Anything? I still want a mojito and a margarita… and a Subway turkey sandwich- I am not supposed to have deli meat unless it’s hot and that is not how I do Subway… cold sub only!

Movement: None.

Food cravings: Cake, chocolate, milk, cheese… chocolate, cake, milk… did I mention dessert and milk? Oh and pineapple!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Still can’t make myself want a cheeseburger and I normally could live off them!

Gender Prediction: Still think there’s a dancing queen in there!

Labor Signs: Nope

Symptoms: A little tired… but my energy is starting to come back! My back hurts like a mofo, but that probably has a lot to do with being on my feet all day!

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! Happy! Feed me cake!

Looking forward to: Getting our house- baby bean’s first pad and DIY!

 


Announcing the Bump

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So in my last post I mentioned that I found out about our baby bean right before we went away for the long Easter weekend. I knew I wanted to tell my family while we were all together, since it doesn’t happen very often. Part of me thought we should wait until after my doctor’s appointment which was the next week so we could give specifics, but I knew it would then have to be done over the phone to my sister and I didn’t want to do that. So I made excuses as to why I was drinking so much seltzer water. “Don’t want to drink my calories, you know.” Then when we got to the hotel my sister pulled out a bottle of birthday champagne. First when everyone wasn’t looking I would dump it into MW’s glass… then when it didn’t seem like I could be sneaky any longer I would casually walk into the kitchen and dump it down the drain (I know, such a waste, but it was only maybe a 1/2 of a small glass!) So if you ever need to be sneaky either pass it off to your accomplice (and hope that multiple glasses don’t get poured because they will be in trouble!) or find a way to ditch it- sort of like hiding your least favorite vegetable behind the couch/in the plant/in the dog, etc. when you were a kid. It was so hard not to let it slip, especially when we were in the cutest baby shop and my sister said that she already had tons of cute clothes picked out for my future baby. We decided to tell everyone that night at my sister’s birthday dinner. (The confusion over how many glasses we needed for the bottle of wine was very confusing for everyone- our poor waitress!) I felt sort of bad infringing upon her dinner, but I wasn’t sure we would see each other long enough on Sunday and I didn’t want to say anything at lunch, because I didn’t want everyone to focus on me and how I was doing on her big day. Of course, in true photographer fashion, I wanted a photo of us telling everyone.So MW snuck off to tell our waitress what was going on and to ask her to offer to take our photo. I got out my camera and played around with my settings (while my dad told me I had better not use a flash and that we didn’t need a photo of our dinner.) Then the waitress came over and offered to take a photo. When she went to take it MW said, “Everyone smile, Whitney’s pregnant.” There was some confusion. Not a lot of excitement- they thought he was kidding. So the waitress asked to take one more, and he said again, “Really, she is pregnant.” There was shock, excitement… I think happiness :) The photos weren’t awesome due to the low light but here are our outtakes… (starting with me testing the camera settings without flash, the first time we said it, the second time we said it, then the cupcakes I made for Brooke’s birthday and a family shot.) IMG_0715 IMG_0728 IMG_0729 IMG_0745 IMG_0746 Then the waitress told us that the table behind us were also having a baby in November and that her birthday was 11/12 and that this year it would be awesome to have a baby on 11/12/13. I agreed- I thought the 12th or the 19th (my grandfather’s birthday) would be perfect. The whole night was overwhelming (so much so I couldn’t finish my dinner.) The waitress laughed at the whole wine glass count from earlier and it dawned on everyone why I had seltzer glued to my hand.

Then when we got home I had to tell my grandmother (and swear her to secrecy.) Unfortunately the little video from my phone did not work, but the conversation went like this:

Me: “Grammy, what wish would you like most on Easter.”

Her: “Well, I certainly wouldn’t wish for a bunny rabbit.”

Me: “But what would you wish for?”

Her: “Well I wouldn’t mind if you had a little bunny.” (She has been on us to have children since the day after we got married.)

Me: “Well then your wish is going to come true.”

Her: “What do you mean?”

Me: “Well we are going to add a bunny to our family. He is in the car, want to see him?”

Her: “Oh my God, you did not get another dog did you? You better have not gotten another dog. God, or a rabbit!”

Then we told her what was really going on after I pretended to have gotten another pet. She was beyond excited. Needless to say she was beyond happy. That night, MW called his grandmother (he tells her everything- it’s so sweet.) We decided to wait to tell the rest of his family until after our first appointment and then our friends around the 10th week (and then the rest of the world after 12 or so.) Then after our first ultrasound we told one of my best friend’s over dinner… she would have killed me if I showed the video, but it didn’t work, so here’s the sound byte.

VID_20130412_184707_734

So anyway, I am feeling good. No morning sickness yet- a little queasy sometimes, a smaller appetite, smelling things like crazy and feeling super bloated, but overall pretty great. I know it can’t stay that way, but it’s totally worth it in the end. It still doesn’t feel real, but I know soon enough it will!


The License Plate Said Fresh

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… and there were dice in the mirror.

What song is that? If you grew up in the 90′s you should totally know the one. I mean, if you have Nick at Night or something like that you should know this one, homes. (I can’t believe these are the shows on Nick at Night now- when I was a kid it was  I Love Lucy, Taxi, Mary Tyler Moore, That Girl, etc. not shows from 15 years before!)

You don’t need another hint do you?

If anything I could say that this cab was rare
But I thought nah, forget it, yo homes to Bel-air!

At first when I started to watch this I thought, “Well Will’s kid is good, but he’s not his dad. He is not the Fresh Prince.” And then they totally shocked me, in a Joey from Blossom like “Whoa” way. And my goodness, they have not aged a day, seriously. I always wonder what celebrities are nice people and I think Will Smith seems like a genuinely nice guy. He seems fun, down to earth and good to be around.

Now, if we could just have Fresh Prince, Blossom, Punky Brewster, Saved by the Bell and Full House reunions my little 80′s/90′s heart would be super happy.