Obsessions of the Moment

In Beauty
I don't wear a lot of make-up.  I am lucky if I get some mascara on my peepers when I leave the house, but I do have a think for lipsticks.  I am picky though.  I can't wear a lipstick that has ANY perfume or scent to it.  My new favorite product is the Clinique Chubby Stick.  It's like I am not even wearing lipstick.

In Time Wasting
I spend way too much time on Pinterest.  I love to see what everyone else is loving and "pinning".  My current obsession is pinning recipes and home improvement tasks.  At least I am not searching and pinning ideas and never doing anything with these ideas.  I have used several teacher ideas in the classroom and loved them.  It is a pretty smart idea, that Pinterest.

In Food
I have been eating quite healthy for two months.  I have lost 21 pounds.  However, I had my first pub fare in months.  Delicious.  Now, I am fantasizing about bleu cheese and bacon burgers with homemade thin onion rings.  In order to get over this obsession, I must find a recipe that covers the trifecta of food for me right now and make it healthy.  Wish me luck.

Inspired by Five Year Olds

This week, two of my kindergarten friends came to school with hearts sewed onto their shirts for Valentine's Day.  The hearts were patterned material that had their favorite things on them.  One had foxes and the other had rainbows.

I was jealous.  I wanted their shirts.  Or a version of their shirts.  My heart shirt would have books or laptops or Kitchenaid mixers all over it.  When I asked these girls about their lovely handmade shirts, they both said that their moms made it special for Valentine's Day.

It inspired me.  Actually, all of my time wasting on pinterest.com has inspired me to take up sewing.  I am not going to be quilting or anything fancy, but I would like to whip up a heart-shaped shirt for me and Elsa.

Soapbox Rant: Baby Piercing

I was walking through the mall on a rare toddler-free shopping trip when I witnessed a very disturbing scene.

I heard a baby crying.  It was the kind of cry that is usually only heard at the doctor's office when shots and other unpleasantries are occurring.  When I searched to find the cry, I saw a mother holding her baby in her arms so she could have her ears pierced.

Why would you do that to your baby?  Shouldn't a person have a choice whether or not they are going to put holes in her body?  Why would you put your baby in a physically and emotionally painful situation?  They endure a lot navigating this new world.

When I complained about this moment in the mall to a friend, she asked me when I would allow Elsa to get her ears pierced.  I will allow Elsa to pierce her ears when she asks for it and she is able to care for her pierced ears.  I am sure she will have the gross nickel allergy like her mother and not be able to wear cute earrings, but instead the same old hoops day after day.  But whatever it looks like at that moment, it will be her choice and her pain that she has asked to endure. 

Feelings Proclamations

The nightly routine has turned out to be not so routine.  This is not by my choice.  Elsa has realized that she has a lot more control over her compliance or more likely, non-compliance with the bedtime routine.  Her latest avoidance technique are what I call "feelings proclamations".  She likes to sit in her crib and call out "I am angry.  Very angry."  or "I am happy.  So happy."

Her facial expressions match the words and then, she moves into the dramatic presentation of her feelings.  Dora and Boots, her stuffed best friends, act out these emotions in a story line that may have happened to Elsa recently.  I am her captivated audience.  The show only lasts about three minutes, but don't worry.  There is always an encore.  She makes the feelings proclamation again and the show repeats.

I have tried to video tape this nightly event but then, the show comes to a halt.  I am curious what the next feeling will be...jealousy, frustration, annoyance, elation.  So far, she has three - angry, sad, and happy.

Valentine's Day Born Again

I am just not going to buy into Valentine's Day.

Or at least the way Target would like me to buy into it with Dora Valentines or special Valentine plates.

To celebrate Valentine's Day, we made heart shaped cookies with pink sprinkles.  Elsa was so pleased with herself as she stood next to me on the steps with her pink sprinkle shaker.  I rolled and cut the cookies and she was a patient girl for her moment to sprinkle.  She used her pent up shaking energy well!  She shook and shook and shook those sprinkles!

Elsa colored two heart shapes for her beloved Miss Arlene and Miss Joanne.

After a couple of practice greetings, she had "Happy Valentine's Day!" down and was ready to greet the day.

For having a mother who is pretty anti-Valentine's Day, I think I pulled it off.  It turns out these sort of manufactured holidays are a lot more fun when you have little ones.

More Cheese For Me

We are all snobs about something.  Some people are wine snobs.  Some people are shoe snobs.  Some people are literary snobs.  Turns out, you can even be a cheese snob.

I made a soup recipe for my co-workers that had all the midwestern essentials.  A can of this.  A can of that.  It was creamy and delicious and I usually keep the ingredients secret because I know that the can of this and that are not always appreciated.  However, everyone always says, "This is so good".

And wouldn't you know...the cans aren't even the "best" part.  It's the Velveeta.  Yes, the big block of yellow cheese product that can make any healthy creation into an instant artery clogger.  It is not an everyday food, but rather, a twice a year kind of ingredient.

When a co-worker wanted the recipe, I was happy to share it because she is the kind of person who just likes what she likes.  She has no snobberies about food.  However, when she passed along the recipe to a friend, her friend responded with "I don't think I'll be making THAT."

Why was I so offended?  Probably the same reasons that I got offended when a fellow midwesterner came to my house for dinner and commented, "you cook so midwestern".

There is a lot wrong with that statement.  First, I do cook like a midwesterner because I am one.  Second, I see your plate is empty.  Third, I can cook with Velveeta cheese or goat cheese.  Just because I come from a place that loves its 'hotdishes' and crockpot meals does not mean that I can't cook the finer things.  However, I take comfort in those dishes that taste like home.

It's the Chocolate Chips

If you are like me, just the picture of this chocolate heart-shaped delicacy is enough to put your fragile diet in grave peril.  I pull up to the Dunkin' Donuts and there the donut provokes me and dares me to just order the medium coffee.  I stare down and defeat the donut.  I win that battle. But, can I win the war?  Can I hold out until February 14 when they take that picture down and hopefully, replace it with something that is not sprinkled with chocolate chips?

Tim and I talk all of the time about how we have vices.  Most 'grown-ups' enjoy a little drink here or there, but for us, it is all about the sugar.  Tim likes to get his tingle from soda.  Cold, straight from the can cola.  I take mine in baked good form.  I am on the wagon and trying my very best to hold it together, but that donut might just be my Waterloo.

Not-So-Super

I am using my blog as a kind of time machine into the past.  I am lucky enough to be able to browse through what was my life for eight years -- minus the past two -- and enjoy each rumination with happy nostalgia.  So, when I was thinking about the Super Bowl last night and how much I detest the hype, I was knee-deep in the middle of 2006.  I came across a post about exactly how much I do not like the Super Bowl and the dreaminess of Tom Brady.

Turns out, I have even more to say about the Super Bowl and the cultural hangover that it forces upon us. I just feel like we can all be better than the Super Bowl.  Once a year, the media and the powers that be create an event that is steeped in commercialism and money, money, money.  Even if you can avoid the actual game and the build up that precedes the game, it is next to impossible to avoid the morning after.

I turn into this anti-social girl who avoids conversations because I do not want to discuss commercials.  I don't really want to hear about which one was funny, or even worse, which ones were not funny.  There is always the person who says, without fail, "They weren't that funny.  I was disappointed."

Disappointed?  Really?  Did you have high expectations for a 30 second form of entertainment that basically exists to encourage you to spend money on their product?

And then, there is the pathos that the media tries to evoke for the loser.  Today, I read a headline about the "emotional loss" for the Patriots.  Go cry in your big bag of money.

That Darn FB

Like many in the world, I am on Facebook.  My husband does not use Facebook and probably never will.  Not the first wise move he has made in his life.  He probably does not suffer from what many Facebookers suffer from...the thought that enters your mind when you see a post about a sunny vacation, a fun Super Bowl party or even a link to a fantastic restaurant.

You know the thought that I am talking about, right?  I can't be the only one who thinks to herself, "Man, that looks fun.  Why aren't I having fun like that?"

Sometimes this can be motivating.  It can remind you that you DO like to go to new restaurants.  Call the babysitter and make it happen!  Sometimes, it can be confusing.  I do not even like the Super Bowl.  Why am I feeling envious about those potato shaped cookies?!  Sometimes, it can even make you sad.  Ah, man, if I were in that state, I would so be invited to that party!  I miss my chums.  Most of the time, it makes us glad.  That looks like so much fun.  I am glad they had a good time.

A Very Good Chance of Meatballs

I am the kind of person who obsesses.  It doesn't take much for me to start hemming and hawing over something of no consequence.  Today, it is meatballs.

I made homemade meatballs for the first time over Christmas.  The recipe came from my Grandma Mabel.  When I think about her, my mind goes to the Friday nights that we would arrive at her house and we would be served meatballs in a beef gravy with riced potatoes.  It was a food that my mother did not make and it seemed like such an exotic meal to me, yet I always looked forward to it.

So, in my attempt to try new recipes, I decided to give it a go.  They were good, but not as great as I had remembered.  Maybe it was the gravy, but it really was something else.  I was not sitting around Grandma's oval table with the swivel orange chairs.  I was not wondering if there would be rectangle cookies for dessert.  I was not watching my Grandpa take a very, very long time to prepare his plate while the rest of us were already on meatball number three.

Thankfully, I did not give up on the meatball.  I cooked up some amazing Swedish Meatballs from skinnytaste.com.  The secret is you cook the meatballs in beef broth.  Brilliant!  It keeps them from drying out.  Next meatball moment will be asian style meatballs!

I am starting to be embarrassed by how many times I have discussed meatballs with people this week... but here I am...writing about meatballs on a Saturday night.

Once a Circle, Now a Square

It has been two years since my last post...that sounded a little like a Catholic confessional, right?  I have decided to give it a go again.  This blog used to be the place for me to give my two cents on things that were not important, yet were of some mild interest to me.  I was able to hold down the blog with ease for a good four years. 

Then, Elsa came.  All of my energies and creativity went into my bundle of joy.  She is still the priority in my life, but I decided that I must find other outlets of creativity.

You see...I used to be a circle.  I was quite good at being a circle.  I had being a circle down.  No problem.

Then, Elsa came.  Instantly, I became a square.  I had never been a square.  It actually took me a long time to realize that I had become a square.  I kept trying to jam the square into a circle, baffled by the mismatched shapes.

Revisiting my blogging life is my attempt to round out the edges of my square self. 

8 Weeks

So, Elsa is almost nine weeks old now. Some things remain the same since the day we brought her home and some things are rapidly changing.

Elsa still enjoys her cuddles, her food, and her blankets. She has come to appreciate the diaper changes and the changing of clothes. We go through burp rags and bibs like crazy because she is a happy spitter.

Elsa has enjoyed looking past whoever is holding her and checks out whatever is on the walls. She likes to "stand" on our laps and do a version of bouncing. She is beginning to hold our gaze and smile back at us. As of today, she has really started to chat on her own.

Proudly, Elsa sleeps through the night and is a pleasure to put to bed each evening. Of course, she has her fussy times too. Usually, it happens during dinner time, but as long as she is being held and walked around, she is content. But don't even think about sitting down. She will let you know that was not what she had in mind.

Let's Rock

Tim is so proud of his rock-n-roll daughter. She is wearing a shirt that she received from our friends Rick and Theresa. They know how much Tim enjoys AC/DC. I think Elsa enjoys them too by the look on her face.

Five Weeks Old!

Life has been a little busy with our new baby. I am enjoying each day with Elsa. She grows and changes and I feel so lucky to be a part of it. She has started to socially smile and engage with us. The exciting part is that it will only increase as she grows. With Christmas around the corner, it has been fun buying a stocking for Elsa and filling it with things that she loves. Her first gift from Santa will be a teddy bear and some new pacifiers. She LOVES her pacifier!

It is easy to only focus on Elsa, but we also have visitors coming for Christmas. Tim's parents and brother and sister-in-law will be joining us along with our very cute niece Leah. She is two and a half. We've been preparing for the visit and looking forward to some family time together.

I feel like I am physically getting back to normal. Today, I put on my pre-pregnancy jeans and they fit COMFORTABLY. I did not have to squeeze into them.

Go Vikes!

This has been an exceptional year for the Minnesota Vikings. We have been able to watch several games. We've gone some years with just one Monday night game. We celebrated another Vikings game on television with Elsa wearing Tim's Christmas Vikings hat. Poor Elsa...I have a feeling that she will be dressed up in lots of get-ups to entertain her parents.

Introducing...

On November 16, my daughter was born. We named her Elsa Maxine. Her first name was a name that I had for several years that I had always liked and her middle name is after my paternal grandmother.

I am amazed at the love and connection that I feel for Elsa. She already has a personality of her very own. She likes fuzzy blankets. She likes to stretch. She likes to face out and see the world. She makes really big burps.

We are still working out the difference between night and day. She likes to be held with one exception...she likes to swing in her swing. She is not a fan of getting her diaper changed.

Preparing for Baby

As promised, I am posting photos of our baby's nursery. We do not know the gender of the baby even though we tried to find out...it is modest. We went with a gender neutral nursery set. I knew we were not planning on painting the walls so I wanted bright colors. I left some spaces on the wall for future photos of our baby with his/her grandparents and cousins. I plan on purchasing letters for his/her name to place on the wall too. I want to give a lot of credit to Tim for preparing the nursery. He was handyman-in-chief!

If you know me at all, you know that I like to have things prepared and ready. Unfortunately, it comes from a controlling place, but what I have learned in preparation for the baby is that I really have very little control and will not have control for a very long time...or that's what people are telling me.

I am in my 33rd week of pregnancy and feel quite good. Turns out, no matter how good you actually feel, things can be going on inside your body that are not so good. I won't bother you with the details, but there is a good possibility that I will be going on bed rest and if that does not improve things, we will be meeting our lil' bundle sooner than expected.

Thank goodness for the Internet. I did almost all of my shopping for the nursery and beyond from the comfort of my own couch. I have always been a big believer in the Internet gods, but more so than ever. First of all, shop around. I saved $150 from the most expensive retailer to where I actually bought my nursery set (bedding, valances, etc).

Then, the car seat shop around saved me about $30 dollars from retailer to retailer. You must use the promo codes for discounts and free shipping. My plug of the day is diapers.com. I ordered my car seat and stroller at 6PM on a Monday and it was at my door step by Tuesday noon with free shipping.

This weekend was filled with even more preparation. I made a mammoth trip to Target to stock up on all items, household and baby, that I felt I would need for the next couple of months. It is true that I am within driving distance to several Targets and I do plan on doing some Target shopping after the baby arrives, but I like a stocked house.

I have been trying not to overdo my nesting and tire myself out. I have a grand plan, but remember, the plan doesn't always work out for reasons out of my control...UGH. Next on my to-do list is prepare some foods. I am going to make several casseroles, lasagna, and dishes so we can just pull something from the freezer and eat. We are happy with sandwiches on a weekly basis and I know that cooking will not come to an end once the baby arrives, but I know that this will comfort me in the early days of our new family. I should probably stock up on some take-out menus too!

Because You Asked For It...

Living away from friends and family means that they get to always envision you as you have always been. Well, I am a larger version of myself these days. With about two and a half months left until our baby arrives, I am posting a photo of my larger self because people have asked me to do it. This is the first "belly shot" that I have taken for the sole purpose of documenting the ever-growing middle section.

We've been busy making changes to our house to prepare for the baby's arrival. The office is now a nursery. The bedrooms have been switched around to make room for the stuff that was once in the office. We are crossing off the TO-DO list that we never really had a reason to finish. For example, we put off washing windows and now, the windows are done. I have put off backing up the photos on my computer, but now, that is done.

We have some names picked out, but we are still looking for one more boy name. We want to have two picked out and when we look at the baby, we'll choose from the two names. We do, however, have two girl names picked out. You can give suggestions for boy names if you would like!

Midwestern Movie: 500 Days of Summer

Before the hectic schedule of school starts and the official ending of summer happens, I was able to squeeze in one last summer movie. Thank goodness. I could not have chosen a better movie, 500 Days of Summer.

It is the story of Tom and Summer who meet and have a story told within 500 days. Normally, I do not love romantic comedy type movies, but I would not lump this film within the romantic comedy genre. There are definitely funny parts to this story about finding love, enjoying love, and losing love, but the emotions in 500 Days of Summer are so much more genuine than the generic romantic comedy.

If you have ever been in a relationship, on either end of the break-up spectrum, you can appreciate each of the characters. There are no bad guys in the end. Just two people who experience a relationship very differently.

Along with a unique viewpoint, the director utilizes an amazing soundtrack. The Smiths. Hall and Oates, and The Doves. Of course, I love a movie with karaoke and love a movie even more if they sing interesting karaoke like The Pixies. Find a theater and go to 500 Days of Summer.

MIdwestern Movie: Julie and Julia

I have just returned from a Sunday matinee with my friend Laura. We saw Julie and Julia which is based on the book Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell. I have read this book and I thought the movie was great. It may not have been exactly as the book, but I thought it was even better.

The best part of the movie was Meryl Streep playing the gregarious Julia Child. Because the movie was also based on the Julia Child autobiography, My Life in France, the movie shared more about Julia child than the Powell book.

It is no surprise that Meryl Streep's story line of Julia Child was so entertaining. I could have watched an entire movie all about Julia Child and her life in Paris and beyond. I have always loved to cook, but the movie inspires me to cook more interesting meals and desserts. More than when I read Julie Powell's book, the movie makes it all look so easy, but we know that it is not.