Fabulous food with good friends

We had dinner at John & Katie's last night & it was FANTASTIC. They went ALL OUT! We had roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, asparagus w/ hollandaise sauce, cranberry sauce, corn, salad & delicious BISCUITS! (& the reason I am putting so much emphasis on the biscuits is because before last night, I was pretty sure that I strongly DISLIKED biscuits, assuming they were dry and I've never had an interest. Boy, was I WRONG. I ate 2, yes, 2 whole biscuits with REAL butter....although it could have been the butter since we don't eat real butter EVER...hmm.)
Regardless of my debate, dinner was delicious and the company was even better! We stayed 2.5 whole hours past my bedtime!

Which is the reason I can blame for somehow turning off the alarm this morning and waking up an entire hour later than normal to get ready for work. But, its Friday and it's POURING rain & sleeping in just felt good!

Belly at week 23

Week 23 belly is growing & I am feeling GREAT!

What to do with leftover whipping cream?

Make this delicious sauce!!

Sautee 1lb. hot italian sausage until cooked through (about 7 minutes), add chopped onion (1/2 onion) and cook through, add 1 can of plum tomatoes, and cook for a few minutes while pasta is cooking, (We chose fettucine) Add 3/4 cup of whipping cream to sauce and simmer on low, add cooked pasta and stir until thick, serve with italian bread and garnish with parsley & fresh parmesean cheese. This recipe was SO quick & out of this world!! UMMM!

A bouquet of Iris's and a single rose

So bright!

Do I really need to keep going to work everyday?

Can't I just take pictures of musicians and artsy fartsy types? Can't I simply do that?

 

Or Food. Definitely take pictures of food.

Missing Mary's vist & Cosmopolitans

This was a great day!

 

A nice weekend

Friday night we met John over at Gram's and she made a delicious dinner of chicken cutlets, steamed broccoli with garlic, her famous potato salad & some nice italian bread. We were beyond stuffed so we took her sour cream cake home with us.
Saturday I got a haircut & thank god b/c the vitamins are making it grow so fast, its unruly. So now I have short bangs which I am trying to get used to. She straightened it so I was able to wear it that way the whole weekend, this morning was the first time fooling with it. I think I have some playing around to do still. I lost 4 inches on the length & got some long layers. It makes a world of difference trying to get a brush through it! I kicked back in the afternoon and watched a corny romantic comedy, then I bartended from 4-10, made some decent $ and decided to head straight to the gig and surprise Mike & John. It was 16 degrees out and windy like you read about. I was blowing away just trying to walk! I knew had I gone home, I would have gotten warm by the fire and never made it out again, so I stopped off at the Ivory Pub and got to watch the guys play for about an hour. I was home by midnight and fell asleep watching some movie I can't remember so it must not have been good. Mike didn't get in until after 2:30am, so I awoke for a bit.
He was up Sunday at 8:00am craving chocolate milk. He cracks me up, so we started talking about breakfast & the rest of HIS cravings and decided to head out to J.A.M.S.S in Old Saybrook & get a great spot at the counter. I had a spinach, mushroom & cheese omlette with raisin toast and he got to satisfy another craving- he had 3 eggs o/e w/ kuilbasa, homefries & rye toast. Afterwards we ran some errands and then made our way through the Chester Winter Carnival which, once driving through decided that was about enough for us! We went home and rather than being productive decided to take a long afternoon nap! We haven't done that in what felt like forever. Later, I did some grocery shopping while he prepared his famous roasted chicken with mashed potatos, homemade gravy & corn. I got to take a nice long, hot bath afterwards and catch up over the phone with my friend Kathy in Jersey who is due to give birth to her son any day now!! (She is already 2 cm dialated & has been for a week!)

Today, its back to reality & there is snow on the ground. Will winter END in New England this year??

Almost there

23+ weeks...less than 17 to go!

And afterwards, I would really appreciate it if my body would just go right back to this size.

 

...the same size as when I met my husband!

Valentine's day is every day-

Is it really the growing baby inside of my belly or just my husbands delicious cooking??

I was able to get out of work on time yesterday and come home to my sweetheart. A beautiful bouquet of Iris's and a single red rose awaited me on the counter, with a card that made my cry and a Cadbury caramellow egg:) Scallops wrapped in bacon for an appetizer and a Rib-eye with garlic sauteed asparagus and rice pilaf for our main course. For dessert he made fresh strawberry shortcake with homemade whipped cream and forbidden chocolate ice cream.
We even watched a corny chic flick- "Leap Year."

Remember this room?

The room that used to look like this-

 Now, looks like this & this-

This room will be the nursery when it is complete. We are going to keep the ceiling and paint it and leave the ceiling fan of course, new insulation, new sheetrock, new trim, new baseboard, new window frame, & new electrical. We just want to know that everything is clean, fresh and properly functional. We will have the entire upstairs carpeted which will be nice and warm & cozy. We have decided we want to go with a black & white nursery. (Shades of white and shades of black) I cannot WAIT until it is complete!!!!!

Steamers & Scallops

I swear Mike is the one with the cravings!!! 

I went to work Sat. night and picked up 2 qts. of Steamers & 2 lbs. of Scallops which I took home for Sunday's nights dinner at his request.
The Steamers were the sweetest we've had all year and he tried a new recipe for baking the Scallops.
Simple Recipe: Butter crackers (approx. 20 crumbled, black pepper, garlic powder & add in clean scallops) In a sep. container melt butter, 1/2 lemon and drizzle on top. Place in greased pyrex & Bake on 350 for 15 minutes uncovered & Wala- Serve over Basmati rice! Delicious!!

My husband the romantic

Heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast 

 

Mommy is getting BIG!!

I am now into my 22nd week. I've gained approx. 10 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight and my belly is measuring a whopping 38 inches around at the bellybutton!!!
Luckily, I am carrying so high that I can still button some of my jeans under this big belly!!

Red Velvet Cupcakes!

I followed this recipe on Sunday-(Using Mrs. Cartwright's 1972 Sunbeam Mixer.) Boy, Baking is a PROCESS....especially the sifting. Jeesh! I really enjoyed myself though and now I need to find other recipes to use all the new ingredients I now possess in our kitchen!

http://www.jasonandshawnda.com/foodiebride/?p=3652

Mike enjoyed this little pre-Valentines day treat as well!!

Sweet Stella Azul

I love when she covers her little nose like this.

Homemade Lasagna

Minus the homemade pasta. However, it came out pretty good. This was Superbowl Sunday dinner...which of course, we didn't watch!

(I forgot to take a picture of the after shot!!)

weekend re-cap

Friday- the longest work day. ever., art show, fancy art work, good friends, the worst mexican dinner out. ever. ever. & the Baker boys until 1:30a.m.
Saturday- muffin trays, groceries, pouring strong drinks and serving fried fish, late dinner, mediocre bath, short nap, watching the 'smoke bubbles band' back together for 1-night of great music, the Labrynth at 1:00am, David Bowie dancing in spandex & I laugh. aloud by myself., husband waking me at 3:00am, chicken nuggets
Sunday- sleeping in. late., heart-shaped pancakes, homemade red velvet cupcakes w/ cream cheese frosting, a 1972 Sunbeam mixer, steamers & scallops and a couple bad movies, forbidden chocolate ice cream

Thinking back...

It's 52 degrees right now. It kind of gives you an extra spring in your step on a day like today when it has been NOTHING but cold cold and more cold for what feels like several months now!
I was able to escape the office at lunch for a bit and roll the windows down and enjoy some sunshine. I was looking back through last years photos today and found this one:

It was just before sunset, probably mid-summer. Umm, I can just smell what the tall green grass smelled like and I can feel the sun on my shoulders. It will be here again, before we know it & I CANNOT WAIT!!!

Way to spread the word!

What a great article in the local paper today on my sister in law Kathleen Miksa! I had the blast of taking the photographs that she used for her albumn!

http://www.theday.com/article/20110210/LIV01/302109930

Can it get cuter than this?

Maybe b/c I've just been following the birth and lives of Angel's litter of 12...but really, this is TIA, she was the runt. For days it was touch and go as to whether she would make it. She is 5 weeks old now.

Dinner at 20 weeks 4 days

Who says I wear nothing but black??? When I get home I pull out the brightest colors I've got and wear them all at once!! I made us Grilled Chicken over Romaine Lettuce with Calamata olives, fresh mozzerella, grape tomatos and homemade vinaigrette dressing. Serve with toasted Ciabatta bread. Delicious!

Simple Nachos

Easy Peesy Nacho Sunday- Bite size Tortilla Rounds, Jalapenos, Grape Tomatos (sliced in 1/2), Pearl Black Olives (Jumbo), 4 blend Mexican cheese- Serve with a side of Full Circle Organic Vegetarian beans! Ummmmm