{strawberry salads forever}

Tonight

an easy dinner that only looks complicated.

{the best kind}
Starring the best fruit ever:
the strawberry.

Start with fresh, luscious strawberries...

 ...toss them in with baby lettuces, thinly sliced red onion, and a balsamic vinegarette...

 ...top with goat cheese crumbles and candied pecans -- my favorite salad!

Serve with some scallops sauteed in butter, seasoned with salt and pepper {read: easy!}, wild rice {hellooo Rice-o-Roni!} and baked salmon.  Season it however you like.  {I use olive oil, paprika and marjoram.}

 {got omega 3's???}

What did you have for dinner tonight?
Much love from the kitchen...oh, and then the couch watching Idol {go casey!}

G

are you {succulent}?

Are you a  

"succulent wild woman?"

This is one of my favorite inspirational books.  If you have never read Succulent Wild Woman by SARK - do so!  You will be inspired! 

Sometimes I forget I am succulent.  

Like when I eat fries from McDonalds and feel fat.

Like when I get so overwhelmed with all my projects that I throw my hands up in the air, bury myself in my bed, and get absolutely nothing done.

Like when I feel like I have no control over anything. 
Like when my hormones/life overwhelms me and for seemingly no reason at all I have to have an ugly cry in order to feel better.
{my husband loves that one}

I had to re-read Succulent Wild Woman recently to remind myself that being imperfect is all part of my succulence.  To remind myself that being authentic is more important than being every thing to every person.  That I might not be the best at something, but putting my best effort in will only make me do it better each time I hunker down and TRY.  That I can choose to be happy and I am capable of doing ANYTHING!  I can also choose to hide in bed for most of the day and that is OKAY.  :o)  That I should SAVOR everything - dessert, the sunshine, sleeping in with the one you love, uncontrollable laughter with a true friend.

"Don't power walk. Saunter slowly in the sun, eating chocolate, and carry a blanket so you can take a nap."
-SARK

What made you feel succulent today?  


For me?

Sleeping in...with my new full-body preggo pillow:

This Boppy makes me happy!

Finally bringing home a sprig of the plant I take care for at work...so I can grow my own at home:

{someday you'll have roots!}

{growing things makes me feel like I am a part of something bigger}

"Nourish your eye and spirit with inspiring things. They will bloom with your tending." 

-SARK

Hoping you had a wild, Succulent Saturday...

G

{a peek at the nursery}

People say, "Oh, you're due in July?  You have plenty of time!"

I think, "Yikes.  Only 4 more months!?!?"

Needless to say, I'm a planner.

Not a throw-things-together-perfectly-at-the-last-minute planner.

{I wish}

I am a write-a-million-lists, dream, daydream, create-inspiration-boards, steal-a-million-pictures-off-the-internet, dream some more, ask-a-million-questions, complete-in-phases planner.

{Exhausting, yes}

So here is where I am at with the nursery design process:

The bedding was the most difficult part...especially considering there are not a lot of cute baby boy bedding sets out there.   At least not that suit my specific taste {read: modern yet classic yet munchkin}  I managed to find a set that is both of these elements, and also colorful enough to stimulate Baby.  

I picture him dreaming sweet dreams while surrounded by these fabrics:

As for wall color, I want a color that was light, modern, and doesn't scream: "Nursery!" I figure the Boy will do enough screaming on his own.  Though probably not "nursery." Unless he is exceptionally verbose.

 I will be using a combo of these paint colors:

Oh, and let's not forget my {Craig's List beauty} of a crib.  I am in so in love with this crib I might marry it.  I am also secretly glad I found one I didn't have to repaint.  Here is a tiny glimpse of its sleigh-style loveliness:

Eat your heart out, Pottery Barn Kids...I paid only 100 bucks.

The next item on the nursery planning list: the changing table.  I am actually looking more for a large dresser that I can morph into a spacious changing table/baby clothing storage unit. 

My budget is $40...definitely don't think I will get out of re-painting this one.

Sweet decorating dreams to you!

G

calling all mamas!

I have zero experience with babies.

While I am {thrilled/delighted/enamored} by the one kicking around in my tummy...

{twenty lovely weeks}

...I don't really know what I need stocked in his nursery to make his first months of life comfy.  In fact, I am quite concerned Baby will pop out and his nursery will contain zero diapers, three million onesies, dozens of adorable hats!  I need to enlist the help of those that have gone before me.  You amazing women who have had at least one baby and are familiar with the real needs of a new mom and her adorable bambino.

Among my many questions:

  How does one choose a breast pump? I am completely baffled by breast pumps! This one looks complicated:

{source}

 Are sweet, adorable crib bumpers, like this one,  really evil baby killers in disguise????  

Will a Diaper Genie grant me three wishes?  

{source}

So before I go nuts armed with a registry gun, shooting needless amounts of kiddie couture, please, wise Mothers out there: 

help a sista out!

What are 3 Must-Haves on a baby registry?   

What makes "new mommy" life easier?  What do I just NOT need?

{Help!}

G

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