Kitty Thursday

izC wants to find out about her family history, too.

If I could freeze time...

I without a doubt would.

With another baby on the way, I'm trying so hard to savor luC's babyhood as much as I can. In 5ish months, she will no longer be the baby in the family, and there is a part of me that mourns that loss for her. I know this time will pass all too quickly.

I have been so easily frustrated with my children these last few weeks, but I know that this time won't last forever, and it's images and times like this that I want ingrained in my mind forever.

Kitty Thursday

izC loves the new couch, too.

I'm in love.

When we moved into a house with a "formal living room" I knew that I needed just the perfect couch to go in it. For months I scoured Craig's list, trying to find the one. But, to no avail. Then when my sister was here, we went to one of my favorite antique spots, at which time I spotted the perfect couch. And lucky me, it was on sale. After sending a picture to juC to ask his permission, it was purchased. Then, as the cushions were getting loaded into my car, I saw that the antique dealer had left the "Salvation Army" sticker with the original price on it, for considerably less than what I paid. Oh well, I guess all that extra I paid was the finders fee...and I truly don't feel bad about the price I paid at all.

And now I have the perfect couch (for me) for our "formal living room". Or as I like to call it, our receiving room.

And I don't care what anyone thinks, I'm in love with it.

A family secret

(If I'm remembering this story correctly...) When my parents were first married, my mom made my dad a grilled cheese sandwich and she got in trouble for missing a key ingredient. A key ingredient she had no idea belonged in a grilled cheese sandwich. But according to my dad, a grilled cheese sandwich isn't a grilled cheese sandwich without sugar.

Yep, that's right. Sugar.

So from then until forever more, grilled cheese sandwiches were made in their household with a heaping spoon of sugar spread between the bread and cheese. I really don't know if this is a southern thing (my dad was born and raised in South Carolina) or a "my dad" thing. Either way, it's the best way to make and eat a grilled cheese sandwich. And it's come back to life in my house now that I have found that it's something my 3 and a half year old will actually eat. (He is absolutely the pickiest eater, alongside my daughter). So now that I have another lunch option for him, I'm slightly more than happy.

If you'd to try our families "Perfectly Sweet Grilled Cheese Sandwich", all you need is:

-2 pieces of bread

-spreadable Country Crock (or whatever is your brand of choice)

-slice of cheddar cheese

-a spoon FULL o' sugar

Make sure your pan is heated, and assemble your sandwich as your normally would for grilled cheese, but spreading the sugar to the inside of the bread that will be cooking first. After cooking, enjoy it's sweet cheesy goodness. I know it might sound simple (or to some even gross) but I promise...you'll thank me later.

Kitty Thursday

My sister loves me so much that while she was here, not only did she watch our kids so we could have a getaway, she tortured my cat so I didn't have to. Sorry, izC, but you needed it!

Kitty Thursday and a Giveaway

Play time!

And on a completely different subject: Milan Maternity (the company I blog for twice a week) is having 2 $100 gift card giveaways!!

GIVEAWAY #1: We're hosting our Mother's Day Makeover again and want your nominations. One lucky mom will be surprised this Sunday with a $100 Milan Maternity gift card! If you know someone who deserves a little pick-me-up, needs a maternity/nursing wardrobe update, or works hard and never takes time for herself, let us know! Tell us why you think this special woman deserves our Mother's Day Makeover giveaway. E-mail your nominations to service@milanmaternity.com.

A few rules/details:

-Nominations must be received no later than this Saturday, 5:00pm PST.

-You cannot nominate yourself (but read on, you're eligible for giveaway #2!)

-You can remain annonymous if desired (we can e-mail the gift card to your nominee if you have an e-mail address for them)

-The winning nomination will be notified by Saturday, 7:00pm PST.

-You may nominate more than one super mom

Giveaway #2: You can enter to win $100 gift card for yourself! Click here to enter.

Their clothes are awesome. And even if you are no longer pregnant, but are nursing, they have great maternity clothes that double as nursing clothes. Make sure you enter!!

The birthday

Yesterday was juC's birthday!!

I love birthdays. Love, love, love, love, love!! I love trying to find the perfect gift for someone. I love getting them cheesy little extra gifts. I love trying to figure out what to make for dinner, and making them the perfect birthday cake. I love putting up birthday banners/signs. I just love all of it!So I started planning juC's birthday well in advance. I knew what I was getting him for his birthday months before, and had it ordered and in the house about a month before. I knew I was going to make his favorite cake...red velvet cake, because I'd never made it for him before. I was trying my hardest to figure out a favorite meal to make him, but a few days before his birthday, he took the pressure off and said he wanted Cafe Rio for dinner.

All day long I got ready for him to come home from work. The kids and I were all set up in the dining room ready to surprise him. (And my sister, elB, too.)

When he came in and walked around the corner we yelled "Surprise!" and as you can see, he was totally surprised. Or maybe I had to get him to pose again because the first picture I took didn't turn out.

He and the kids enjoyed opening his presents.

His "big" present was a butler. My sweet juC loves setting his clothes out the night before...in a big clump on our bath tub. I wasn't about to try to put it together, so he got to open a piece of paper with a picture on it. Being so on top of things he got it put together last night...and then put his clothes in a big lump pile right beside it. But now he has the perfect spot to hang his shirt, pants, tie, and everything else, when he gets over his clothes clumping addiction.

I may kind of like making fun of him for getting "old". Clearly I know he isn't old, but it's still fun. So...I might have gotten him this card.

He loved it...I just know he did. And don't worry. I wrote in the card that I will love him in spite of his age.

After all the exciting present opening was done, we headed to Cafe Rio for dinner. Then came back home for some delicious red velvet cake with the most amazing cream cheese frosting ever. (I can't help but divert from this birthday post to talk about how amazing this frosting is. Anything that calls for cream cheese frosting, I use this recipe. Chocolate cake, carrot cake, red velvet cake...it's amazing!! Although it should be noted that this recipe makes a large amount, so halfing it is usually needed. Try it!! You'll love it!!)

juC's parents called on Skype just as I was getting the cake ready for him to blow out the candles so they got to participate in the festivities and sing with us and see him blow out the candles. I'm not sure what he wished for, but hopefully it was for a van for our family.

Hopefully it was a perfect birthday for my dear, sweet, loving, perfect husband.

Anniversary AND birthday

This past Saturday, juC and I celebrated our wedding anniversary. We were lucky enough to be able to go away for a few days (thanks to my dear sister, elB). After little to no to debate, we decided to head to rural Pennsylvania. Why? Umm...not really sure. But it was great. We were in a teeny-tiny town, in this super cute place.

Not sure what the history of this place is, but it was divided up into different rooms and we were in a room up top at the far right. We had a kitchen, a living room, bathroom, bedroom, cable tv, and a mouse. It was wonderful.

As with anything juC and I do, I planned it all...in spite of me trying soooo hard to get him to plan something. While we were talking one night while on our trip, he tried to say he did plan stuff, and I said "Name just one thing you planned for this trip." To which he replied "I planned on not having fun, but you changed my mind." And that folks, is the reason I married this man 5 years ago. He is quick and witty and he lets me do what I want.

A couple of highlights from our trip:

As we were driving around doing nothing on the rural Pennsylvania roads, I spotted this place and said "STOP!" It was much like a place we have in my home town. I wish I had a picture to show you what we got but I haven't yet developed the pictures I took with the disposable camera I got (The one that juC fought tooth and nail to try and not let me get). I got a glorious hot fudge sundae here, and juC got a "medium" ice cream cone...that was about the size of his head. This place was great!

We were close to Shanksville, Pa...the location that Flight 93 went down on September 11, so we went to the memorial site. Amazing! As soon as I stepped out of the car, I couldn't help but feel a since of overwhelming love for each of the people that sacrificed their lives to save so many others. I couldn't help but think how amazing it was that the plane, headed straight for the US Capitol was brought down in the middle of a field...sparing the lives of so many. What an amazing miracle in that tragic day. Those people on that plane are truly heroes and I'm so glad we got to go to the memorial site.

For our anniversary dinner, we had troubles finding the perfect restaurant, and ended up finding the perfect place on accident. Obviously, the perfect place for a Cinco de Mayo anniversary would be at a Mexican restaurant, but we had Mexican the night before. After some frustration on my part in finding a good place, we ended up at a Chinese restaurant, and it was great. It was the "real deal" as juC called it. Again...no picture yet, as it is still on the forbidden disposable camera, but just know that it was a wonderful anniversary dinner.

And now, after all of that excitement, today is juC's birthday. I couldn't help but publicly remind him that this is the last year that he is closer to 20 than he is to 50. I love giving him a hard time about his age. (Especially after we had an intense conversation one time because he was convinced he was a year younger than he actually was.)

I'm doing my best to make sure that when he gets home it will be a wonderful birthday. I will have to post later to let you know if I succeeded.

Happy anniversary and happy birthday, my dear juC. Couldn't be happier that I get to celebrate with you! I think it would be especially awkward at this point if we celebrated either of those things with anyone else.

Kitty Thursday

Not only does Chipotle have good burritos, but apparently their napkins are good for napping on.