baby bump alert: embracing my "big" bump

I've been pretty lazy about photo-journalling my baby bump. 

I meant to do a pic every week...but since I don't notice a huge difference between weeks I decided every four weeks would suffice.  So here is my 20 week shot:

I love my ever-expanding tummy.  I have never been so happy have a part of me called "big."

"Big" is not typically a complimentary word, and usually I would clock call out anyone
for making any type of negative comment about any woman's size.  Sadly it doesn't always matter how much you work out, eat healthy, or feel good...there will always be those negative people who will want to cut you down.  In fact, out at dinner once a woman at the same table made a crack to someone sitting next to her about my arms being "big." This was said in a not-so-quiet, not-so-complimentary tone. {Note: If you are about to use the word "big" when referring to a woman's body part, get a thesaurus, and find a more creative word. "Strong," "voluptuous," "pronounced"...or perhaps follow the classic advice: if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.} I did call her out, incredulously asking, "Did you just call my arms 'big'?  I work out everyday for these muscles, girl!"  I got no apology {***at the time} but am glad I stuck up for myself in this instance of female-to-female bullying.  Geez!


Always build each other up, ladies!  No matter what size a person is: ultra-thin, uber-muscular, or plus-size -- be encouraging and don't assume someone doesn't like how they look.   As women, we should not change because other people make us feel pressured to look a certain way.  If you want to make a change,  do it because you want to feel better about yourself!  Do it to be healthy!  Do it to look how you want to look in your clothes!   

Thanks for letting me have a mini-rant!  

:D

Back to my, ahem, "progressing" waistline:

Weight gain so far: 18 lbs.

Also, gained a bra size and a pants size.

I am sure it will be difficult to get back to the weight at which I feel my best after having Baby.

I anticipate many challenges, especially finding time and energy to work out!

Now, however, every time someone eyes my tummy and exclaims:

"You are getting so big!"

I take it as a compliment.

{because it is actually meant as one}

:)

And look:  I still have my *cough* "big" arms.

Big and

strong 

enough to 

someday

carry my 

beautiful 

Baby

Boy.

G

pot roast virgin!

Do you sometimes feel like your womanhood is judged on whether or not you can make a delicious pot roast?

(*cough* yeah, um, me neither.)

Since I had never made a classic, beef pot roast, ever, yesterday I figured: 
carpe diem.

Today I will make a pot roast.

Plus, I was off due to President's Day {thank you Mr. Presidents} and figured, heck, why not?


Because I normally don't eat meat I really haven't put a lot of thought into how to roast a huge hunk of chuck.  However, now that I am pregnant, and let's just say "Baby Wants Meat" I have let some meat creep back into my diet.  In fact, pot roast was sounding pretty darn delicious...but also pretty darn daunting.


I can take no credit for this pot roast...except for the sweat and tears I put into it.  The recipe is from the ever-amazing blogger Pioneer Woman, as I had seen her recipe various places, including her blog, and it looked beautiful.  You can find PW's recipe HERE.  Warning: you'll probably become addicted to her blog.  It happens.


She is an amazing cook.  I am not.  But I tried, and you can see my virgin efforts below.  Like any virgin I didn't do it perfectly the first time.  Ah, but I plan on doing it again -  many, many more times.  Cook a pot roast,  I mean {dirty mind!}.   Anyway, I didn't have fresh herbs or carrots...so I made due with dry spices and celery.

Searing the onions was rather terrifying exciting!  That is, if you get excited by smoke alarms going off and having hot oil burn you on various body parts.

 But oh, those burns were worth it!  :o)

Searing the meat - equally dangerous delightful:

 Into the crock pot you go!  

Several hours, various hot oil burns and a smoky house later...we get...a pot roast!

Oh, and a TON of mashed potatoes.  Love me some mashed potatoes.  

When did you lose your "pot roast virginity?"  

I don't know about you, but I will always remember my first time with fondness. 
Except for the burns.

G

garden graveyard

I miss spring.

And summer.

Yesterday we got a February teaser: sixty-five degrees and sunshine.

It made me want to unearth my flower beds, getting rid of the dead, to make room for beautiful new buds!

However, since I know March is sure to bring more snow...

I will enjoy my "garden graveyard" for a another long month...

{you'll be a knockout someday, honey}

 {a future hot pink cluster on my crepe myrtle}

{sweet, sweet jane magnolia bud}

{a bed of dead, wet, beautiful leaves to keep the garden warm}

{hang on droopy, droopy hang on}

{fuzzy bud, you make me feel all fuzzy inside}

{i see you, my lovely pup}

Clearly I was bored today. 

 But it was a really good kind of bored.
The day started with: with fresh-baked donuts, coffee, {yes, I can have one cup a day -- "my vagina gets a vote!" for all you Grey's fans out there -- loved that episode for obvious reasons!} and lounging on the couch with Hubby watching White Men Can't Jump.

Now time to get to work painting the currently being re-vamped master bath...

more on that to come!

Anything pretty happening in your garden graveyard?

G

laundry room redo!

I have shared our dining room transformation,
 and our kitchen renovation.

So I thought I might also give you a glimpse at the scary whitewashed mess that was...

the laundry room:

When we first looked at our house, I was actually delighted by this idea of this room -- a whole separate area that housed the things you generally want hidden:  the laundry, the dog, and the basement door.  Fantastic! But I still wanted it to be pretty.

It came complete with: a really old washer and dryer and white, white, white paint everywhere.  

If nothing else I knew it needed warming up...so that I didn't dread doing the laundry. Well, any more than usual.  So I went to my favorite go-to cozy color: chocolatey brown.  Since there are several different surfaces in the room {brick wall, drywall, cement, pipes, I chose 3 different shades of brown to add dimension to the room.


Besides three different yummy shades of chocolate, I added:

• a {very durable} bamboo area rug
• a bamboo shade 
• new, more modern looking bronze wall sconce
• white cabinet {bargain scratch-n-dent from Crate & Barrel}
• dark wicker baskets to hold {read: hide!} doggie, laundry, and garden supplies
• art!  Life is Beautiful canvas from Pier1, flowered canvas I had already

And here are the results...

BEFORE: Not sure why the washer hookup was under the window, catty-corner from the dryer.  Awkward! 

AFTER: Updated lighting, bamboo shade, and pops of orange warm the room up:

BEFORE: AH!  Beware the cellar door!  Plus that gray utility rug makes me shiver.

AFTER: What laundry room doesn't need art?  And a wreath?  And you almost didn't notice the scary hatch.  LURVE!

BEFORE: The dog looks like he would rather live anywhere else but in the disorganized, whitewashed mess that was his room.

 AFTER: Cozy, chocolatey, laundry-licious.  {Yep. I went there.}

And there you have it.  A warmer, comfier laundry room.  Even the dog looks much happier. :)  Mission accomplished!

Hope everyone is having a beautiful, warm, sunny Saturday {at least, for February.}

G


Linking this post up to these fun link parties...click on the buttons below to get inspired!

{valentines loves: a lil late}

Yeah, yeah, I know.  

Valentines Day was two whole days ago.  

But being preggo has me running a little late, lately.

I did, however, celebrate, on time, with my loves.

And though this year we took a break from 

roses...

{our bridesmaid's bouquets}

we did delight in strawberries...

...drizzled with white chocolate, nestled on a fudge brownie...

and I got a romantic dinner out with this guy...

{cruise 2007}

....and got to feel this Little Bean flip-flopping inside of me!

Hope your Valentine's Day was filled with those people and things that you

L.O.V.E.


G

{the inspired nursery}

Soon {as in 2 weeks} 

we find out what kind of Baby Ford is blooming inside me!

I have been dreaming a lot 

about nursery design and what kind of 

lovely space to create for

Baby...

Each of the pictures below has something in it I am going to incorporate in our nursery 

{aka place I imagine I will be spending oodles of time!}

So I want it to be cute.

And girlie...

or, um, boy-ie.

Can you guess what design elements I might be using as my design {inspirations}?

This nursery is simple yet super fun!  Love the pops of yellow on the valences and lamp.  I feel this shows you can use fun, rainbow colors, yet tie it all together. Also, the pale gray walls add a little neutrality to it.  

{source}

 Okay, if I have a girl, there will be pink.  Lots and lots of pale, girlie pink:

{source}

 Love, love, super love this nursery.  I would like to transport it to my house.   Simple and elegant:

{source}

 This nursery is a little too ornate for my particular taste; however, that chaise lounge is calling my name, and the brilliant turquoise poms are dreamy like clouds.  I want to nap in this nursery:

{source}

I love that this room is fun, simple, and modern.  It has plenty of color, but is not too overwhelming:

{source}

I love the different shades of blue in this little baby boy's room.  Plus, doesn't that tiny onesie hanging on that itsy-bitsy hanger just get you all teary-eyed and make you want to have lots of little babies???  {Okay, maybe that's just me and my hormones...}

{source}

I love the contrast between the white sleigh crib and the vintage gray walls.  And while the butterflies would be a little much in our small space, I adore the oversized piece of art as the focal point behind the crib:

{source}

Well, if nothing else, surely you can guess what color Baby's gorgeous crib is!

G

{chicken with tomatoes and goat cheese}

Some of the best recipes I find  Hubby finds in men's magazines.  They tend to be really easy, and relatively healthy.

Think: "Me man. Me need protein. Me no cook."  You get it.

This is one of our favorite Men's Fitness finds...
(don't ask me what issue - I have had the recipe awhile. Circa 2009?)


Chicken with Tomatoes and Goat Cheese (no fancy names here, Rachel Ray!)


Ingredients:


4 chicken breasts, trimmed
1 can diced tomatoes (for an extra kick use the garlic-roasted flavor)
crumbled goat cheese
basil (dried is fine...fresh is divine)
salt + pepper

First, preheat an oven-safe pan on medium heat, spray lightly with cooking spray, and sear the chicken breasts (seasoned with the salt and pepper) about 2 minutes on each side:

Remove the pan from the heat, then spoon heaping spoonfuls of the tomatoes onto each one.  Top with a LOT of goat cheese crumbles.  Oh. So. Good.  Plus, surprisingly low cal, all you cheese lovers out there!  Finish by sprinkling with the basil.

Move the pan to your oven, which has been preheated to 350 degrees.  Finish cooking the chicken all the way through, about 25-30 minutes.

Serve!  So easy!  

Only hard part is not eating all the goat cheese crumbles during prep time...


G

Linking this post up to the sistas at Between 3 Sisters...they are hosting their weekly Midweek Motivation Party!  Click here for more recipes and fun ideas:

{tears and flutters and onesies} oh my!

So we still have no idea if we are having a boy or a girlie...

but Baby got a sweet gift on Sunday...

his/her very first onesie!

{Hubby went to the University of Kentucky and is a passionate Wildcats fan.  I am too, um, sort of.  I get into it on occasion!}

Dear Nana and Papa, 

Thank you for this very cute onesie!

Love, Baby

Speaking of, did I tell you the other day I got teary-eyed while looking at onesies?

{source}

Or while I was watching the movie Juno?  Okay, I was literally sobbing at one part, teary-eyed at five other parts.  Moral: Do not watch the movie Juno while pregnant.


Or do.  If you like sobbing.


The part I was sobbing at was when Juno goes into labor and the whole family is rushing to the car, and her stepmom nearly forgets Liberty Bell, who is still in her cute little ballet uniform.  No freaking clue why that in particular made me start sobbing uncontrollably.

{source}

Hormones, people.  Lots of them.


{ps Not naming my baby Juno.  Or Liberty Bell.}


Other fun pregnancy news:  I think I felt my first "flutters!"  I have felt this several times over the past week.  Either that, or it was just gas bubbles.  Again.


But this felt different...like fun, sweet, fluttery gas bubbles!


I'm not crazy.


Just pregnant.


Which is different.  Sort of.  :)

Happy Monday!


G