It's Been Awhile

Well, I haven't blogged in awhile, but I've thought about it. I have several posts rolling around in my head, but none that I have the time to hash out right now.

So for something interesting, or maybe not, here's a pregnancy update. I'll be 17 weeks tomorrow and all the doctor's visits have been good. Good heart rate (on the high side if you believe the predictions about heart rates) and I haven't gained any weight yet. Which is fine, but the dr. says I'll probably have 8-10 lbs next time. Ewww! But that will be offset by the fact that we'll find out if we're having a boy or girl!!! We can't wait.

I had a relatively symptom-free 1st trimester, just a few headaches, and some other things I won't mention. I feel much more tired this trimester and it makes me feel like such a weenie. Oh well! Am I showing - well, it depends on what I wear and what time of the day it is. But I'm still in my normal clothes with a few minor adjustments to them. So, that's all folks!

OCD Grocery Shopping

Each Saturday is the same, my main goal is to plan my meals for the week and get to the grocery store. I enjoy cooking and I enjoy providing healthy home-cooked meals for my family. I just don't enjoy the minimum of the 2 hours it takes on a Saturday to do this. Especially since I work 40 hours a week and don't have much discretionary time. So I devised a plan.

About three months ago I sat down and made a meal schedule for five weeks. I figured that I cooked 4 dinners a week at home (not that we ate out the other meals, but with leftovers and unexpected events, this was the number), so I picked 20 meals to last for five weeks. I arranged the meals in each week and tried to have a variety in each week. Each week includes a fish, poultry, soup or salad, and beef or some other variation. Then I tried to group the meals together that had similar ingredients so I don't waste money on something small that I won't use again.

I have the menus on the fridge with the cookbook and page number listed. I laminated each week's grocery list, so all I have to do is check my cabinet to see what I'm out of. The list includes three sections 1. Basics (bread, milk, etc.) 2. Basics for the recipes (spices, chicken broth, etc.) 3. Necessary Items for the Recipe. I always know I need everything in category #1 or #3, unless it's been a really strange week, and then I double-check my cabinet for category #2. And each category is in the order I shop through the store.

Let me just say, this has been the BEST thing I have ever done related to grocery shopping and meal planning. Why?

1. I am spending less time in the grocery store. I can actually be in the check-out line within 30 minutes of entering the store (how long the check-out takes me varies, it's Wal-Mart).
2. I'm spending less money because I know exactly what I need. I'm spending at least $10-15 week less than my grocery budget.
3. I know what is on the menu for each evening and I'm looking forward to that meal. I'm less likely to give into a craving for a restaurant on the way home.
4. On busy weeks I can prepare a few things ahead of time so that the week will run smoother.
5. CDK is always willing to cook, so all he has to do is go to the menu list and pull out the ingredients to make it.
6. Our 5-week plan usually stretches into 6, so we can repeat the plan and it doesn't feel like we're eating the same thing again. We're about to start our third cycle of this and we're not tired of it at all. If we do get tired of it, I'll make a new one.

So, I think I could sell this. I really think busy women would pay to have a meal plan made like this and to have grocery shopping simplified. What do you think? Maybe I'll post some of my menus.

Coming Attraction

Coming this Fall to a hospital near you...

A BABY

Starring

Baby #1

Co-Starring

CDK & KLK

Arriving Oct. 31 (give or take a few days)

There will most likely be a sequel, but please don't start asking when!

A Blue Bell Dilemma

If you live in my state, you know about Blue Bell Ice Cream. It's great, and you can't get it many other places. I love Blue Bell, and always have. In high school I would eat a bowl every night. If we were out, my mom would give me money and I would drive to the store at 9 or 10 at night to buy some. I know it's sad, but it's really good ice cream.

Still not convinced how much I love it? Living in the Middle East for two years without Blue Bell, or much good ice cream at all, was a sacrifice for me. So much so that when we went on a business trip to Dubai and I mentioned that I heard you could buy Blue Bell there, our boss guaranteed me that we would track some down. No complaints here. So after a three hour cab ride, two grocery stores (one called "Safest Way"), and having to buy spoons in the grocery store, we had our Blue Bell. The funny part is that when we returned to our hotel our cab driver said "The grocery store you found the ice cream at is right by your hotel." Oh well, he got a good fare out of it. Here's the pic that documents our Blue Bell excursion.

So maybe now you're getting an idea of how much I like this stuff. So, on occasion, I buy a half gallon of Dutch Chocolate Blue Bell at the grocery store. In order to make my investment last I only have it once a day and I put it in a small coffee cup. That helps it last longer and decreases my caloric and fat intake. Not that that I care that much when it comes to Blue Bell.

This weekend I bought a half gallon and with any luck can enjoy it for about a week and a half. So here's my dilemma (sorry, long build-up), my husband has been wanting to eat some too. He's not the ice cream lover that I am and chocolate usually isn't his first choice. So I'm confused. Of course I've been sharing with him because I love him and it's just ice cream (right?). But it's not easy. It's my own special treat that I like to enjoy myself. When I want to share an ice cream experience with him, we go to Marble Slab (one of the first places we went while dating). I want my Blue Bell to myself. How selfish is that? I guess I can justify buying it more often if he's eating it too. That's the bright side. What's a Blue Bell addict to do?

Are we more connected?

When we returned to the US I was anxious to start new relationships and get to know people. Though I quickly noticed that people weren't as willing to talk and engage in relationships as they seemed to be in the Middle East. I don't say this as a criticism, simply a cultural observation.

I noticed that more and more people participated in everyday activities with ipod headphones on or a blue tooth thingy on their ear. People were not only disconnected, but were purposely showing on the outside that they wanted to disconnected and didn't have time to interact with those around them. They only had time to interact with what was in their ears.

I was excited to grab a copy of my favorite magazine when I got back. As I was reading there was an article about awkward situations. One situation was how to let the talkative person working-out next to you know that you really didn't want to talk, just work out. I was pretty upset at that, as I see the gym as a great place to try and get to know people.

I've also entered the blogging world and am a lurker on about 15 friends and acquaintances blogs. I realized I know more about some of my friends than I have in years. Which at first blush seems great, and it is, but I realized I use that as a substitute for a relationship where I show care and concern and genuine interest (I'm not dogging blogging, just making observations about my blogging habits).

So with all these ways to stay more connected (email, cell phone, portable music, songs, TV, sermons, and blogs) are we really more connected to each other or more connected to technology and ourselves? And how on earth are we supposed to meet new people and get to know them, if our world only pushes us to be more disconnected?

CDK and I are on a quest to develop relationships, real relationships; ones where honesty, accountability, and real-life are shared. It's not easy, but we think it's worth it. These relationships may be contrary to our culture, but they are the very essence of the culture Christ lived in and created.

Work on a Saturday?

Yes, that's where I am. And though I should be working to catch-up (after all that's why I'm here), I'm blogging about it instead. Why? Because it stinks and I want some sympathy. And I want my boss to know how dedicated I am! Not that he reads this (but I made sure to send him an email, so if he looks at the date, he'll know I was here:).

I've had several projects the past couple of weeks that have eaten every last bit of my time and I haven't been able to get my "real" work done. Couple that with some serious distraction and lack of motivation (because I dislike the all-consuming projects), it's been hard to push through. I came to work today to clear some things off my desk and literally clean up my office. Almost every space has a stack (or 2, or 3, or 4) of paper on it. Including the two chairs for others to sit in. It's not pretty.

Oh, well, my theory, Saturday kind of stinks because I came work, but at least Monday will be a little better, since I'll feel somewhat caught-up. Oh, and it's nice to play music loud in my office and sing, since no one else is here!

We Need Some Help

So, we're looking at spring break, CDK has a whole week off, I have two days, so we figure we should go somewhere. I could easily take off three extra days and that would give us a whole 10 days (including weekends) to have a vacation. I don't know that we necessarily need it, but we're itching to travel. After all, we travelled quiet a lot the past two years, now it seems that we don't at all.

So, where to go? We don't know, so I'm asking for your help. I don't know how many of you are actually reading this, but now is the time to chime in. We don't have long to make plans and we need some good solid ideas. I'll list our criteria and other factors affecting the vacation destination.

1. Finances - We don't have a lot to spend on a vacation, but we're willing to make some other sacrifices to make it work.
2. We don't feel like it's a vacation or an adventure unless we actually get on a plane.
3. We don't want to go to any of the surrounding states. We're willing to vacation in our state, but the drive can't be too long.
4. We would love to go to South America! It's the only continent we haven't been to, minus Antarctica. We checked out tickets to Argentina, but way too expensive.
5. We are perfectly willing to vacation in the states, and that's probably what we'll do, but where?
6. Though a beach or a ski vacation sound nice, it will be spring break, so you know what that means. Overcrowded beaches/slopes, too many drunk people, not for us.
7. On vacation we like to be in a place where there are interesting things to explore (nature, cool cities, fun activities) but also where we don't feel like we're missing out if we just "hang out" a couple of days and relax.
8. We are not all-inclusive resort or cruise people.
9. We like to go places we've never been. Though there are places we'd like to return to (Hawaii, Australia, Switzerland, Israel), the list of new places is long and usually takes precedent.

Ok, so hopefully that helps. Let the suggestions begin, we're counting on you!