25 Random Things

I wasn't going to do this, but enjoyed reading every ones, that I couldn't help but start thinking of what I would put. And then I had 25...so here they are in no particular order.

1. When I make salads for us, I don't wash the lettuce. If we have guests, I do.
2. Miguel picked all of the colors for our house. He has a much better sense of decorating than I do.
3. I hate to mop and have only mopped once in the last two months. I spot clean.
4. I drink my soda through a straw so I won't stain my teeth.
5. I am a closet Justin Timberlake fan. Yeah, I'm bringing sexy back.
6. I hate scary movies, but love Stephen King's books, especially Misery. I had to sleep with the light on one night after reading it in bed.
7. I change toilet paper rolls at other people's houses so the paper hangs OVER.
8. I loved being pregnant.
9. With that said, I wouldn't mind being pregnant again by this summer.
10. I don't like cheese on my burgers, but always get it on the side to eat separately.
11. I have a secret desire to go to culinary school.
12. I can easily shop for and dress others, but have a very hard time doing so for myself.
13. I have a horrible memory. I can't even remember the plot of the movie we watched this weekend.
14. I love technical writing and edit papers on the side.
15. I used to love ice hockey and had posters in my room of Pavel Bure and Sergei Federov.
16. I am a very critical person.
17. I think pretty much all babies are funky looking, even mine when she was born.
18. In college, if I ate on campus, I would order cheese and mayo on wheat with a big pickle. It was the cheapest sandwich on the menu and I love it.
19. As a kid, I hated messes and couldn't finger paint because my hands would get dirty. My granny still forced me to.
20. Irregardless is NOT a word, and I cringe it when people say it.
21. I am ultra competitive. Miguel and I have to be on the same team when playing games.
22. I'm embarrassed when people come over because of all the dog hair. I always offer a lint brush before they even sit down.
23. I would get rid of the dog so I can have a clean house for longer than 2 seconds.
24. I motivate myself to not be lazy by saying, "Do it now." sometimes I have to say it out loud, so I really hear it and listen.
25. Miguel laughed at me when I told him I was a laid back mom. Guess I am not!

Cookies?!

Yesterday, Kjirstin and I spent the afternoon together. We are forcing our little ones to be friends, whether they grow up and like each other or not! =) Since it's not exactly warm and sunny right now, we decided that instead of venturing out, we would do some baking and cooking during our weekly playgroups. Kjirstin isn't eating wheat, because of Logan's allergies, so she brought along this recipe:

Wheat-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

1 C. Peanut Butter
3/4 C. Sugar (we used 1 C., but I would definitely use 3/4 next time)
1 egg

Whisk the egg. Add the PB and Sugar. Beat until well combined. Spoon rounded tablespoon sized cookies onto an ungreased sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8ish minutes. Cookies will set-up as they cool.

I was quite skeptical of these "cookies," but they ended up being quite delicious!! Not to mention they're the easiest cookies in the world to make. I always have the ingredients on hand, so Miguel and I will probably make them quite often to go with our nightly ice cream!

Book Club Update

It's been a while since I have posted our book club's readings. Perhaps this is due to lack of time, or just lack of interesting reads! December's book was "The Christmas Train" by David Baldacci. Cheesy plot, if you can call it a plot; predictable twist; action packed, in a ridiculous "ALL this drama could never happen to one person" sort of way. Need I say more?! I didn't make it to the meeting due to a family gathering.

January's book was "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyers. I had no desire to see the vampire movie when it came out, nor did I have any intentions of reading the book. In fact, I didn't realize the movie was based on a popular young-adult book series. I went into it thinking "Harry Potter." Fabulous, a new series for me to devour. But, what I discovered was little more than a young-adult romance. It held my attention, and I was drawn in, I admit. It was a bit like watching those cheesy chick-flicks -we make fun of the movies, but secretly are quite entertained. However, I am not going to read the series. "Harry Potter," it was not.

Now, a complete shift in genre. "Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is our February book. I've found it a bit difficult to move from fluff to heavier reading. Perhaps because I am constantly stopping and starting again between Isabel's feedings...hmmm....wonder how long it will take me to finish?

2 months

Isabel turned two months today and our baby girl isn't so much of a baby any more. I was looking at pictures on facebook yesterday from the past 8 weeks, and teared up. She is so big, and I wonder who let that happen? Major milestones (at least to me!) over the past weeks have included:

-Smiling at us when we talk to her. She smiles and coos the most when she's on her back on the changing pad.
-Holding her head up on her own to look around. She absolutely loves to look over her left shoulder (??weirdo??)
-Sleeping through the night, at least most nights.
-Weighing in at 9 pounds, 14 ounces. OHMYGOSH. That means size 1/2 diapers and 0-3 month clothing.

I have loved motherhood more than I ever imagined I would or could. I am amazed by the most simple of things-watching her sleep, hearing her "tired" cries, seeing her stare at colorful objects. There are many times that I cry as I realize how blessed we are; I want to remember every moment of these sweet and all-too-quickly-passing days.

Perfect Super Bowl Party Food

I am always trying to come up with new "party" foods. At caregroup this past week, Cathy made an amazing Buffalo Chicken Dip. Miguel loved it so much that he had me make it for the Raven's game on Sunday. I think the dip was devoured in under 5 minutes. The dip is simple to make and is sure to be a huge hit at any party you host.

Ingredients
1 lb. chicken, boiled and shredded
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened (I used one low-fat and one regular)
1 C. Ranch Dressing (low-fat)
3/4 C. hot sauce, such as Frank's
2 C. shredded Cheddar Cheese

1. In a large bowl, cream together cream cheese and Ranch dressing.
2. Stir in hot sauce and 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar cheese.
3. Stir in chicken.
4. Bake in 350 degree oven until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 C. cheddar over top and let bake 2 more minutes or until melted.

Serve with tortilla chips, Triscuits, celery, etc.

Extreme Home Makeover

Occasionally we watch Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. I love how Ty has his "special" project room, and the other designers make sure that the kids will absolutely love their rooms. The designers spend time talking with the kids, finding out what would make the room the best possible for them. Sometimes it's a Disney room, or maybe a jungle theme, and sometimes even a Harry Potter room with doors and drawers that open when you point the wand at them. Amazing. I love to see the face of each family member as they enter the room made JUST for them.

As we were watching last night, Miguel wondered aloud what type of room he would want. A snowboarding room? A room full of tools and work space? He decided on a running/gym room, fully equipped with high-end workout equipment, weights, and training gear. Wonder what that room would cost??

I quickly stated that I would want my room to be a library. I can picture myself walking into a room with floor to ceiling bookshelves. Dark mahogany wood, of course. The shelves would be stocked with books of all kinds-classics, contemporary fiction, children's literature...and the book list would go on and on.

What does your "dream" room look like?