BoC: Christmas Tour Part V

A favorite place for me to seasonally decorate is the shelf in our dinning room that we use to hold our extra appliances. I just threw some of the extra decorations I had together. I also brought the Christmas cactus up from the basement as it had buds on it. Now I am betting that the blooms will open while we are out of town. Maybe a few will be left when we get home. In the end I decided to add the hanging arrangement above. The basket is holding all of the Christmas letters that we receive.

BoC: Christmas Tour Part IV

Since M and I hardly ever eat at the table, I thought I would go ahead and decorate it as well. Not too much, but just enough. My mom made the table runner as a Christmas gift last year and I was so excited to see it when I got it out of the Christmas decorations.

The bowl is from M's grandma's house. It was something that I choose when we were cleaning out the house after she went to heaven. The faux-antique ornaments were a super steal. I got them last February in a little store when I was visiting family. They were marked down over 75 percent. I grabbed up all that they had. Another exciting thing to get out of the Christmas decorations.

The antique eggnog cups were a gift from my mom last year for Christmas. We even use them to enjoy our eggnog.

BoC: Christmas Tour Part III

M comes from a real tree family and I come from an artificial tree family. Our first Christmas together we bought a real tree only to find out that we weren't supposed to have them in our apartment. (We didn't get caught, but we did remove it piece by piece in many garbage bags. This process ended up with a clogged vacuum and a backed up kitchen drain. But we will always have the memories.)

The next two years in our apartment we used an artificial tree that we purchased at a second hand store. It was somewhat of a Charlie Brown tree and we donated it back to the store when we moved this summer. So that meant that this year we would have to get a new tree. Now the debate was on again, real or artificial? We ended up picking up a real tree at Menards of all places.

This year I am going to keep my eyes open for a decent artificial tree at the after Christmas sales for the future. So we will see what next year brings.

We have no shortage of ornaments around here. M's grandma made the grandkids a new ornament every year and my mom would (and still does) make or buy a new ornament for us every year. It is so much fun decorating the tree every year and thinking back on the Christmases past. So, our tree may not look like it has a theme, but it has a theme of love.

(You can't see it very well in the picture, but our topper is a shabby chic white wooden star. I love it!!)

BoC: Christmas Tour Part II

One of the fun things with a new house is figuring out how you want to decorate it for the seasons. We don't have many shelves or places to put extra decorations in our house. When I got out the Christmas decorations I knew I wanted to have a few extra pieces out, but where to put them? I decided the ledge that overlooks the foyer would work out nicely. I really like how the lights tend to spotlight each individual item. I don't really think that the picture does it justice. (The lights are from our wedding. I had bought them on clearance the Christmas before we got married. We will never be short of Christmas lights.)

BoC: Christmas Tour Part I

While we are off celebrating Christmas with our families, I thought I would share what Christmas looks like around here. I hope you enjoy!

I currently don't have a picture of the outside of our house. I will see if I can conquer the snow and do that. For now, when you first enter you will see our nativity scene on our coat hook mirror.

And since we don't have a chimney, our stockings are hung by the stairs with care. My mom has made many of these stockings, each different. We even have a set that is still at their house. I am thinking I will try to add some greenery up there next year.

Foodie Friday: Chili for a Crowd

Last week Friday was our annual preschool party/Christmas service/Christmas lunch. This year I made a large batch of chili for everyone in a roaster oven. I found my recipe online (only to later discover that the oven's instruction manual had one right in front of my face.) Not a drop was left, so I am considering it a success.

Chili for 50! (Recipezaar)

-5 1/2 pd. ground beef

-2 pd. ground sausage

-9 oz. chopped green chilies

-112 oz. crushed tomatoes

-112 oz. tomato sauce

-1 oz. cumin

-2 1/2 oz. chili powder

-5 lg. onions diced

-42 oz. kidney beans

-2 T garlic salt

-1 t paprika

I added all of my ingredients into the roaster oven and let it bake for a few hours at 225 degrees. (Stir it occasionally.) About an hour before lunch I turned the roaster up to 350. I had diced onions, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and oyster crackers available for toppings.

Merry Christmas

Ta-da! Here is your very own Christmas card from the Bowl of Cherrys. And you thought that you wouldn't get any mail today.

I pray that you are enjoying a wonderful Christmas with those you love! God's richest blessings to all of you!

Another Dream Gone

As I planned what treats I was going to prepare for Christmas, I found this yummy looking recipe for Eggnog Truffles from Katie at Good Things Catered. While I am a baker, I have never really tried to tackle the whole candy making area. Lets just say, a candy maker I am not. Here are Katie's perfectly spherical truffles:

And here are my pancake/egg shaped reproductions:

See the resemblance? No? Oh, fine, I don't either.

At least my cookies have all been turning out. I guess I will leave the candy making to those more gifted in that area. (Like Katie and my sister-in-law Jenny.)

The Halfway Point

Today marks the midpoint of my pregnancy! I am still doing really well. It is true what they say about the 2nd trimester being the easy one. We will get to see our little one in January via ultrasound. We are hoping to keep the gender a surprise, we will see if he/she cooperates. According to what I read, I should be able to feel his/hers movements at any time. So far I haven't felt anything except for a bit of indigestion. :o) Maybe he/she takes after her parents and is being stubborn.

Foodie Friday: Monterey Tortilla Casseroles

I got this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens. I am on their email list to get a recipe a day. This one sounded yummy and it was! We decided it was a little on the spicy side. I used medium salsa verde and next time will definitely switch to mild. (I guess we aren't as tough as we think we are.)

-6 6-inch corn tortillas, each cut into 6 wedges

-2 c cubed cooked chicken

-1 c frozen whole kernel corn

-16 oz salsa verde

-3 T sour cream

-3 T fresh cilantro

-1 T flour

-1 c cheese (they suggested Mexican Chihauhua, I didn't have that, go figure, I used pepper jack)

1. Spray four 10 to 12 oz baking dishes with cooking spray. (I had to use five as two of mine weren't big enough. I really can count.) Place 5 tortilla wedges in the bottom of each. Place remaining pieces on a baking sheet; bake in at 350 until crisp. (About 10 minutes.)

2. Combine chicken, corn, salsa, sour cream, cilantro, and flour. Divide among four dishes.

3. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and arrange baked tortilla pieces atop casseroles. Top with cheese; bake 5 to 10 minutes. (Garnish with extra sour cream, jalapeno slices, extra cilantro, and tomatoes if desired.)

Snow Day: Part II

While the storm was basically over in a day, digging out from the storm was going to take a bit longer. M went out to start the shoveling process and came back in reporting that our driveway was one solid 12 inch snow drift. Thanks to M, enough of our driveway got shoveled that we can get out. Unfortunately, M had to go to work, but I don't think that I will be going out there today. I was out for 10 minuted while he shoveled and my legs were instantly frozen. I guess he will have to clear the rest of the driveway once he gets home. (I wouldn't want to hurt the baby.)

It is crazy to see how the snow is drifted outside. The neighbors across the street have three foot drifts in some parts of their driveways and blocking their front doors. Our air conditioning unit is almost completely buried in the backyard, yet there are also spots that are almost completely bare back there.

The one casualty that we have discovered so far is a crack in one of our front windows. We both heard something in the middle of the night and couldn't quite identify it. This morning, I saw the window and realized that must have been it. Hopefully that is covered in our one year home warranty.

Snow Day: Part I

Remember when I was bragging about the sun and above zero temperatures? Well, they are gone and have been replaced by wind, snow, blowing snow, drifting snow, and freezing cold. Oh well, I knew it was too good to last.


The good thing about all of this is that on the actual day of the blizzard, M and I didn't set foot outside of the house. We stayed in where we were nice and cozy glancing out the window to see how the storm was progressing. Everything in town was closed, so even if you could get out, there was nothing to get out to.


We enjoyed watching several movies, finishing the Christmas cards, and starting on the Christmas baking. (Having an extra set of hands when baking is really nice. I don't know if I ever want to go back to baking alone again.) I really enjoyed the day with just the two of us. (M has been working extra hours lately, and it was so nice just being together.) It was also nice to get a jump on Christmas preparations.

But You Never Guessed

Fleet Farm!!

I was at the good old FF the other day looking for a good pair of winter boots. I not only came away with the boots, but 5 Christmas presents, dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, and two kinds of sparkling beverages for the pregnant lady at Christmas.

Time and time again, M and I stop at Fleet Farm and find just what we were looking for at a decent price. Once you get over the tire rubber smell, it really isn't such a bad place to shop. However, with the exception of my winter hat and my new boots, I have not purchased clothing for myself there. Don't think that I ever will go that far. But other than that, I think the sky is the limit!

A Perfect Pair

I love the combination of cranberries and white chocolate. Whoever came up with this magnificent food pairing is really a geneous. I will eat it as a snack mix with a few other ingredients thrown in. I will add the combination to cookies and bars. And lately I have been enjoying this delicious twosome in my oatmeal with a few almonds sprinkled in.

I just was out shopping and bought a new bag of each. Here they are sitting on my counter just waiting to be used.

The best part is, you will never guess where I bought them. You will have to stay tuned to find out.

Foodie Friday: Pizza Calzones

You all know I love me a good pizza. (Okay, I don't think that I have ever met a bad one.) Here is a slight variation.

Basic Dough Recipe

Once the dough has rested for ten minutes, roll it out into two circles. Fill one side of each circle with the pizza toppings of your choice. (We used pizza sauce, black olives, pepperoni, and chunks of string cheese as I was out of mozzarella.) Make sure to leave enough room to close it up.

Close the dough, pinching each side. (You may want to prick the top with a fork a few times for ventilation.) I spread a little olive oil on top and then sprinkled it with pizza seasonings. You definitely do not have to do this step. The choice is yours. (We have also made other types of calzones, but I will leave that for another post.)

Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes. This time we served it with a big old spoonful of sauce on the top.

I Was Wrong

You won't hear me saying that very often, so mark this date. (J/K I am actually wrong quite often and am usually not afraid to admit it.) Remember how I thought that the snow would keep the giant rabbits from mowing down our grass? Well, the snow is here, and apparently the rabbits are still here too.



(Notice the distinct line in the snow. That is our exact property line. Wonder what M planted that they like so much. Maybe it still has a hint of the timber that M dragged around.)



M just says, "I hope that rabbit turds are good for the lawn."

Guess What This Is?

Check out this picture and see if you can tell me what that is in the sky.

Yes, it is the SUN!!! Not only is it the sun, but it is above freezing outside right now. There still is a bit of a breeze in the air, but I don't want to be greedy and ask for too much.

Ah, how refreshing to feel the sun kissing your cheeks rather than frost bite nipping at them.

Hope that all of you are having a sunny day as well.

December Obsessions

I don't know if it is the pregnancy, or simply gluttony, but I can't get enough of these lately. (Not necessarily at the same time.)

Mission Cillantro Lime Tortilla Chips

m&m's Holiday Mint Candies

And for those times that I am not really hungry:

Seasonal Sensations Baked Goodies Candle (from Target)

with three layers: Gingerbread House, Maple Pecan Cookies, and Hot Cocoa & Cookies

Foodie Friday: Loaded Potato Soup in Bread Bowls

I am enjoying listening to Christmas music and puttering around the kitchen this afternoon. (And enjoying the fact that I have the energy to do it!) I decided that I wanted to make a hearty soup for supper as it is very cold here today. (I also needed to make something in the slow cooker as M will not be home before I have to leave again.)

I started with a basic dough recipe for the bread bowls.

Basic Dough Recipe

1 pkg yeast

1 c hot water

1 T sugar

1 t oil

1/4 t salt

2 1/2 c flour*

Dissolve yeast in water in large mixing bowl. (I used my Kitchen Aid with the dough hook.) Add sugar, oil, salt and 1 1/2 c flour. Mix. Gradually add in more flour until a dough ball forms. Turn out onto floured surface, cover, and let rest 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll out into four even circles. Grease four small bowls. Place bowls on baking sheet upside down. (You may want to cover the sheets with foil and spray with cooking spray.) Drape dough circles over bowls. (Sometimes this takes some artful arranging. They won't look perfect, but will be yummy.) Bake for 10 to 15 minute. (Until they are starting to brown.) Carefully remove from sheet and pry out of bowls. (It will be very hot.) Place on wire rack to cool.

*I used a combination of whole wheat flour and bread flour.

Loaded Potato Soup

10 slices bacon** (chopped into 1/4 inch pieces)

3 med. carrots (quartered and chopped)

3 celery stalks chopped

1 med. onion chopped

5 med. potatoes chopped into 1 inch or smaller pieces

1 c heavy cream

4-5 c chicken broth

1 pkg frozen broccoli

Shredded cheese to taste

Green onions sliced as garnish

Brown bacon in large stock pot. Remove bacon and add onion, celery, and carrots. Saute until soft. Add bacon back into pot. Add cream and stock. Add potatoes. (I didn't have much time to let this cook, so I microwaved the potato pieces with some water for about 10 minutes to get them cooking before adding them to the mix.) Add broccoli. Bring to rapid bowl for 5-10 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker. Cook on high for a few hours, on low all day. 15 minutes before serving, add in cheese. (Or you could just add once served, which is what we did.) Serve in bread bowls garnished with green onions.

**I used thick cut bacon. We get it from M's parents. You may want to use more if you are using thinner cut bacon.

A Look Into the Future

Here is M over Thanksgiving playing with my cousin's son. I enjoyed seeing this slight glimpse into the future. (And catching a glimpse of those cute chunky thighs!!)

The "F" Word . . . Finances

When we first got married it soon became apparent that we would need to work on some sort of financial planning. Some of our family members suggested that we look into Dave Ramsey for some practical advice. We read through his book, "The Total Money Makeover," and found some good common sense ways to manage our household finances. One of the main things we came away with was the monthly budget. At the start of every month we sit down and decide where every cent we make that month is going. (As Dave says, we spend it first "on paper, on purpose.") Following this routine has helped us to get out of debt, except the mortgage.

Financial planning has also helped me to be a better household planner. Since we only have so much allotted for groceries in a month, I better figure out what I am going to make and what I am going to need to make it. I take a pretty laid-back approach to menu planning. I look through recipes (from books, magazines, binders, the internet) and pick out around 20 dishes that sound good. Armed with a shopping list, I hit the grocery store and buy almost everything that I will need to make those dishes. (Obviously some perishables won't last through the month and I take that into account while shopping.) When it comes time to answer the age-old question, "What's for dinner?" I simply pick the dish that I would like to make that night and go.

Throughout the month I make small additional trips to the grocery store to pick up extra milk or veggies or whatever else we may end up needing. I also make sure to have some ready to bake items on hand like frozen pizzas. This way when I don't feel like cooking all I have to do is heat up the oven and we have food.

I took this picture of the fridge yesterday after unloading all of the groceries for the month.

And you know, it works. We never have gone hungry.

CYO: Christmas Wreath

It is out with the fall and in with the Christmas here at Bowl of Cherrys. Now that Thanksgiving is over, we are welcoming in the Christmas cheer with a new wreath on our front door. I purchased a simple grapevine wreath from the craft store along with some sprigs of berries in white, red, and gold. (I am not a huge metallic person, so I bought 2 sprigs each of the red and white and only one of the gold.) I simply cut the berry springs into smaller sections and poked them into the wreath. In some places I used the wire stems to wrap them around the wreath. Once the berries were all on, I made a bow out of some ribbon I had on hand. (I may end up replacing the bow. It gets a little dwarfed by everything else.)

This couldn't be easier and I am very happy with how it turned out. Now on to the other Christmas decorating.

Black Foodie Friday

Here it Black Friday and all you can think about is how much you ate yesterday! Well, think of the people like me who have another Thanksgiving feast coming at them tomorrow.

All that you need to do to eat today (and for a month, for that matter) is go to the fridge, take out a container or two, heat in the microwave and enjoy those Thanksgiving left overs.

Happy Thanksgiving!

4 Months!

I have been pregnant for four months as of yesterday. It is crazy how slowly and yet how quickly the time has been going. Part of me just wants to fast-forward to May and part of me wants to enjoy every minute before then. I guess that awaiting the birth of your first child is a bit of an emotional roller coaster. There are the daily concerns with how the baby is doing. There are the thoughts of what it will be like to be a parent. And there are the more practical thoughts of what stuff we are going to be needing and when we should start collecting it. The best part of all these thoughts is that I can daily leave it in the Lord's hands. His hands are much more capable of such things and it is not something that I can control anyway.

Our baby currently is the size of an opened hand, 5 inches long. Most of our baby's body parts and systems are in place. Now it is just a matter of maturing and growing. Our baby can even hear noises in the world around him/her. (That means it will come out knowing what the sound of its mother yelling because he/she gets to hear it daily at preschool.) :o/

We have started to collect a few baby things. (A crib mattress, some used onsies, some darling gifts from a wonderful friend.) They are all sitting in the room that will be the nursery. It is crazy to walk in there and see baby things. It never fails to put a smile on my face.

I have made the jump into maternity clothes. (Although the trapeze style shirts that are in style now work well with the early belly, too. Thank you Kohls.) Maternity pants sure are a lot more comfortable than trying to squeeze into my pre-pregnancy ones. Besides, once you have those knit top maternity pants on and covered with a shirt, no one even knows that they are there. :o)

I go to see the doctor again a week from today. I am praying that it is another quick and reassuring visit. For now, I am going to enjoy all of the Thanksgiving food that I can. (And try not to let the weigh-in at the doctor's office get in my way.)

Why We Need Snow . . .

This little--er big--guy here is why we need a good covering of snow on the ground. Without M and my knowledge, we apparently opened an all-you-can-eat salad bar in our backyard.
We must have moved into jack rabbit territory when we bought our house. At first it was fun watching them lope across our backyard. Then M started to notice that someone was munching on our nice, new grass. Since then, it is a common sight to look out our back window and see the sight of a jack munching our green goods. Tonight I looked out and found four of these giants out there. (Imagine how much grass four jack rabbits can go through?!) I tried to catch them on film, but unfortunately the lighting wasn't good.
I am thinking that we need some of the white stuff or we won't have any green stuff left.

Christmas Memories

Don't worry, I haven't skipped over Thanksgiving. I just saw this new ornament from Hallmark and had to share it with you. My sister and I had this Fisher Price farm when we were growing up. Now here it is in adorable, mini-ornament form. Seeing this brings back so many wonderful memories! (Like opening the door to hear the cow moo!!)

Foodie Friday: Dirty Martini Spread

When we were home at the beginning of the month my mom had some of this spread in the fridge and it was so good. Apparently they had bought a mix for it a while back and then decided that they could probably duplicate it on their own.

-1 pkg. Cream Cheese (I used Neufatchel to make for easier mixing/spreading)

-ranch dressing mix

-hot sauce

-random other spices (I used some garlic powder and a little bit of cumin)

-sliced green olives (to taste; I didn't add many and M thought that it was plenty. You don't want them to overwhelm the other spices.)

Mix the cheese and seasoning together until well mixed. Gently stir in olives. Chill. Use for spread on crackers.

My Craft Room

Would you like to see one of the rooms in our lower level? (I know you all have been holding your breath.) This is currently my craft room. Sometime before May it will become the office/spare room. The current office is where we are planning on having the nursery. The plan is to then build a little craft nook in the downstairs living room.

So, for now, this is where I stamp, scrapbook, sew, and create.

1) The multi-purpose table. I had been sewing this weekend so the sewing machine is out. After I took these shots, I put the machine away so I could work on a stamping project.

2) Some of the containers that I keep supplies in along the ledge of the room.

3) The stamp cabinet that my dad made for me.

4) All of my paper. (I tend to collect it.)

5) The closet where some supplies are stored. We had plans to build shelving in here before we knew we were having the baby. (You can even see the Post-It notes where I was thinking that the shelves should be placed. Hopefully I will now have a shelving unit in the living room to hold everything.)

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

Emily over at Imperfect has nominated me for the Kreativ Blogger Award. (Thanks, Emily.)

Now that I have been nominated I am supposed to name six things that I am thankful for and then pass this on to six of the blogs that I read. Now even though I am a teacher, I am not always very good at following directions. I have decided that I WILL name six things that I am thankful for, but I will not nominate six other blogs. Most of the blogs I read have already been nominated. (You know who you are!)

1) I am thankful for a loving God, who forgives all of my wrongs and sends me countless earthly blessings.

2) I am thankful for a wonderful marriage that just keeps getting better and better.

3) I am thankful for the new life that is growing inside of me. I can't go a minute without thinking of our little baby and the amazing miracle being performed inside of me.

4) I am thankful for all of those that hold me near and dear. (I can't wait to see many of you at Thanksgiving and Christmas!)

5) I am thankful for the new home that we have been enjoying (for 4 months now.)

6) I am thankful for the jobs that M and I are able to go to everyday. (Even on the days we don't want to get out of our warm, soft bed.)

While I am not passing this on to anyone, maybe you can take a few moments today and think of what the blessings are in your life.

C-Y-O: Make a Purse

It has been a while since I wrote a Create-Your-Own entry. I have been creating, I just haven't blogged about any of my creations. Here is one of the latest.

Have you noticed the cute purses that you can buy these days? I am not talking about Dooney and Burke, but the modern handmade purses that you can purchase. (Just a quick search on Etsy turns up so, so many to drool over.) Of course, if you can buy them handmade, you can make them yourself. I decided to purchase the Marlo Bloom pattern from the Heather Bailey Store, make it, and give it to my sister for her birthday. It is a fun purse with fun lines. I would think you could make it out of just about any print fabric and it would turn out fabulously. (And did I mention that it is reversible?!)

The purse turned out wonderfully, I think. The only problem I had was getting it done on time. I did finally get it out to her; now I can blog about it. I can't wait to make up some more. (That may have to wait until after Christmas, however. The creative que is getting long.)

The Other Side

When M and I watch a movie, it is ussually rented. If we do go to a theater, it is the cheap theater which is convienently located a few blocks from our home. The cheap theater is . . . cheap. The chairs are all a bit broken. The floor is always sticky. The heat is always turned down. It is however . . . cheap. I can't see spending more than two times the amount of money to see the same thing. It just doesn't make sense to me.
Just this month, however, we went to a "real" theater two times. (It was even an UltraScreen!!) We had coupons to get $4 tickets the first time and then free ticket vouchers the second time. You should have seen us as we walked in. It was like being in New York City for the first time. The carpet was vacuumed. There were digital signs naming the movie playing outside of each theater and how long until show time. Once we entered our theater, we walked to our seats without having to peel our shoes from the floor. Oh and our seats, they were so comfy!! Even better, I didn't need the extra coat I always carry to movies as they seemed to have the heat turned up to a comfortable temperature.
Now this doesn't mean that we won't be going right back to our cheap theater ways now that the coupons have been redeemed, but it was nice to see how the other side lives--even for a few hours.

Foodie Friday: Cheese Rolls

Here is another recipe from the recipe binder. (This one is from Better Homes and Gardens, but I am not sure what date.) I made these the other night to go with a homemade soup. I was pretty proud of myself for making everything for supper completely from scratch. (Not that this never happens, it is just fun to make food unassisted.) The dough makes a really good roll. I might even try it for cinnamon rolls someday.

Here is what you will need:

1 pkg. active dry yeast

1/4 c. sugar

1 egg

1/4 c. shortening

3 1/4 to 3 1/2 c. flour

1 t. salt

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 c. chopped onion

1 T. dried chives

1 t. garlic salt

Here is what to do:

1. In large bowl (I used my Kitchen Aid with the dough beater) combine 1 c. warm water and yeast; stir until yest is dissolved. Stir in sugar. Add egg, shortening, 1 c. of the flour, and salt. Beat on low speed until combined. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minuted total.) Shape dough into a ball. Place in a greased bowl; turn once. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 1 hour).

2. Punch dough down; turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease a 9x9x2 pan. In a medium bowl combine cheese, onion, chives and garlic salt. Roll dough to a 15x12 rectangle. Sprinkle cheese mixture over dough. Roll up starting from a long side. Seal seam. Slice roll into 9 pieces. Place in prepared pan. Cover; let rise 40 minutes or until almost doubled. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool 20 minutes.

Aw, How Cute

Do you ever see an older couple and wonder if that is how you will be when you get to that point in your life. Sometimes you can just see the love that they have for each other in the simplest of glances or the merest of touches. When I was out running errands today I caught a glimpse of the couple M and I will most likely become. As this elderly couple was making their way across the parking lot to the store the woman gestures with her hand to her husband. The meaning of the gesture was apparent to all. "Get over here and hold my arm so I don't slip and fall, you big gallute." Yep, that will be us someday.

Pizza! Pizza!

So, ever since I found out I was pregnant, I can't get enough pizza. Pizza is the one thing that has always sounded good to me. It is too bad that it doesn't count for all of my nutritional needs or I would give in to my craving a little more often. (Um, like, everyday.)

We have had Little Cesar's, Papa John's, regular old frozen pizza, homemade pizza, Papa Murphy's, and right now I am cooking up a Digiorno Pizza. I am wondering if I will ever get sick of pizza. (Maybe M is wondering that too.)