Weekend Rewind

First, a little rant.

I've been a pretty faithful Office watcher for the first 7 seasons. Once Michael Scott left, I didn't really keep up with it at all, and I was okay with that. But then. The Office had their season finale and it was ALL OVER  my twitter and facebook feed. Everyone was talking about it. And it was what they were saying that caught my eye. I read things like "best season finale ever," "i cried," 'i loved it, was so moved." 

So of course after reading this over and over I decided that I must watch the last two seasons, just so I could really get to this amazing season finale. (see where i'm going with this?)

So Daniel and I have been faithfully watching the last 2 seasons over the last few weeks. Friday night we watched the last few episodes, including the season finale. When it ended, the first thing I said was "I am so disappointed!"

There was no big twist. No big surprise. No big lookback at the previous seasons. Michael Scott was barely mentioned. I was never even close to crying. People, i was not moved. If we're going to talk amazing Season Finales, it should be Friends. I've watched it several times and love it every time. Right now, I could care less about the Office. Honestly, it just made me want to go back and watch the older season when Michael was on, because I felt jipped. 

Okay, rant over.

So that was Friday night. 

Saturday, we went out for breakfast. I was calling it a breakfast date, but I've realized that if Paige is with us, it's not so much a date. Especially if there is spit up and changing diapers involved. Not that I don't love bringing her with us, but let's call it what it is. It's a family outing.

Paige took a little nap in her stroller while we ate. I got my usual, french toast, and it was amazing!!!!

Saturday I also taught Paige a trick. I'm convinced she is the smartest baby in the world. She was on her changing table and I was just making noises to entertain her. I put my lips together, blew out, and made a noise that sounds a little like a fart. Anyways....I was changing her diaper and she started copying me! She put her little lips together and started making the noise too! So of course, for the next several hours, we kept making the noise, watching her copy us, and laughing. We have a video of it, and it's adorable. The last two days, she'll do it randomly, then give us a huge grin as if to say how proud she is of herself. It's beyond adorable. I love watching her process it all, try to get her little lips to make the noise, and then get so proud of herself when she realizes she did it! Daniel is also teaching Paige how to bring her hands together, like a clap. 

Yesterday we were coming home after having lunch with a friend, and Paige was SO tired. She had missed her nap and just couldn't take it any longer. 

Have I mentioned how cute she is when she sucks her thumb?! And does she look huge here???

The weather here is pretty warm, so Paige has been wearing lots of little onesies. Today was her first time to wear this from Auntie Sarah.

(it says Auntie loves me)

Not related at all, but last week I met Daniel's new tutor. She thought I was 21. Score.

Then 2 days later I was at a little store and they were having a sale. I wanted to try on a dress that was on sale, and a shirt that was regular price. When I asked to try them on, the lady looked at them and said I couldn't try on the dress that was on sale. I asked why not, thinking maybe they didn't let people try on sale items? She looked at me and said it was too small for me. Ouch. 

**Someone asked me about the question I get here about if I take care of Paige myself. 

There are a lot of moms here who work full time. Usually their parents or in-laws will watch the baby while she's working. Or, it's pretty common to have a househelper who cleans and also takes care of the baby. Some of the househelpers work all day long, including evenings. 

I think it's interesting that this is considered to have someone else taking care or raising the baby. I know lots of people in the States who work full time while their child is in daycare or a family member babysits for them. But I would still say that they take care of and are raising their child. Personally, unless the child is living somewhere away from the parents, I would say mom and dad are raising the child.

But here it's just different. From what I understand, whoever takes care of the baby during the day is who they consider raising the child. 

Tomorrow, this happens. I'm excited, and so ready!

Also, this past week had a couple of big days for us! June 5th was the day I found out I was pregnant last year. 

June 7th marked our 2 year anniversary here in East Asia!

love

laura

My 12 pound Pumpkin

No, I am not talking about my baby, because that would be frightening. 

With Daniel being out of town, I made a list of things I wanted to do while he was gone...the usual-go thru winter clothes (see what will still fit this preggo mama), run certain errands, and also try to bake and freeze some breads in prep for baby. 

I've been good at freezing meals before, but freezing breads and cookies is a new thing to me, and I will say-I like it! 

So I waddled my way to the market to buy a few veggies and a pumpkin. My plan was to puree the pumpkin, and make some muffins and breads to freeze.

I picked out a large pumpkin and the lady told me, "it's really heavy." Yeah yeah yeah, I'll be fine. 

So when she handed me the pumpkin, I almost dropped it. It was 12 pounds!!!! I know because I weighed it when I got home. Honestly, I didn't even think I was going to make it home. I know many of you carry around your 30 lb child all the time, but an oddly shaped pumpkin is a completely different story. I had to stop several times on the way back home to readjust, and was thankful I hadn't bought some other things that had been on my list. Granted, the market isn't a full mile from our house, but it's not like it's next door either! (and yes, my right bicep was sore the next day)

So I got home, weighed the pumpkin and got to work. I cut it in fourths, scraped the seeds out, and cooked it for about an hour and a half.

After I pureed the pumpkin, my plan was to freeze the puree in one cup baggies, and leave a few cups out to bake with. However, I ran out of ziplocks, so right now I have two large bowls of puree in my fridge.

So yesterday morning I decided to make Pumpkin spice pancakes. I didn't put the sugar cinnamon topping on, I just ate these like regular pancakes-butter and syrup. Let me tell you, these were delicious!!!!!!!!!!

Since it was just me, I halved the recipe, and got about 5 large pancakes out of it. I will probably make these again tomorrow too!

I made my fave Cream of Pumpkin Soup for dinner Friday night......yummmm yummmmm. Sorry I don't have a picture, but trust me it was yummy. I found the recipe here....I've never made the croutons. 

Saturday, I went to work on pumpkin bread and muffins. I used this recipe (but doubled it), and used 5 eggs. I ground 1 cup of oatmeal and substituted that for a cup of flour. I got 1 large loaf, 2 mini's, and 12 muffins. i froze everything but one mini loaf. And for Daniel, I added chocolate chips.

Right now I also have several pounds of fruit-some familiar, some not, in my kitchen. Friday my teacher showed up with several bags of different fruits for me to try. Let's just say I really took one for the team. 

I had my teacher and her friend over last night for dinner, and received several more pounds of fruit. This time, I at least knew what they were. :) 

In other news, I've been watching Season 1 of Downton Abbey. This morning I woke up and had the thought that it would be lovely if people would start calling me "Your Ladyship." Maybe a few too many episodes?? 

What do you like to freeze?? Any DA fans out there?

love

laura

For Reals...

I've missed you!!!!! for real though. I've missed not blogging!!! I haven't blogged since last Saturday, which is truly a crime.

Last Saturday after our very-hard-for-some-reason 5 miler, i went to a wedding shower for my friend Carly. Like me and Daniel, Carly met her love overseas. I love Carly! She's someone who will do anything for you and is one of the most sincere people i know.

Here we are:

Opening presents (which totally makes me want to get married all over again! To Daniel, not someone else, ha)

I had SO much fun at the shower. I have to be honest, i was worried, because Kirk and Carly were the only people i knew, and you can't really hog the guests of honor the whole time. But i sat at a great table with a few other girls and one older lady that was a hoot and a half!!!! She kept us roaring with her blunt comments and unabandonded joy.

After running a ton of errands, Daniel and I went out for our Valentine's dinner. We went to a restaurant we'd never been to on the lake. I was SO psyched about being able to watch the sunset over the lake.

Well, we did have a great table,but  it started getting cloudy while we were driving. So we didn't catch the sunset, but it was still fun to just watch the water.

Not sure why i'm deer in the headlights, ah well!

We lived it up by getting an appetizer. While this may look like a lot of food (totally is), we had no problem devouring it!

I ordered the halibut.

Daniel got the trout.

While we love The Biggest Loser- we don't want to be eligible for it, so we did take some of our food home.

Here are some highlights from the week:

Monday, we went to a friends house from church. We had a dessert with fresh blueberries. Now, i'd never had a blueberry before. I'd convinced myself they were gross because whenever you see them in pancakes or muffins, they always look gooey and wet. But to be polite, and because we were guests, i ate all of them!!! And much to my surprise, they were SO good!!! I'm not to the point of wanting to buy them myself yet, but good to know that i can totally eat them.

Our friends also broke out the Wii while we were there. At this point in my life, i had NEVER played Wii or been around it. But we played  (Wiied??) bowling, ping pong, and swordfighting. I wasn't really good at the ping pong, i kept hitting the ball way off the table. I didn't really care though, bc i was just excited to make contact with it, ha!

Also, i sword fighted against their 4 year old. 4.years.old. She kicked my tale!!! It was so not even close! But i loved every minute of it!! Not sure if we'd ever think about getting one, because honestly i don't have 5 minutes to read or sit down, so not sure where the Wii would fit into my schedule.

Tuesday: TBL. I was hurling insults at the Black Team the whole time. This whole child/parent dependancy thing kills me. Cut the cord. Make them stand on their own two feet. People who throw weigh ins are immediately added to my "i don't like them" list. Okay, the list might only have people from TBL, but still....

Wednesday: We had church and we are starting new Wednesday night classes. I signed up for a Parenting class. Before you think anything (NO.), i'll tell you the why.

A. I have a lot of respect for the lady who is teaching the class. She has the experience, and i've seen her parent.

B. I don't think i'll have another opportunity like this before we have children and why waste it?

C. I want to be able to interact when i'm around children that aren't my nephews. Sometimes i kind of freeze around them, because it's new territory. So hopefully i can learn from people who've already done this and get some good pointers.

(sidenote: i was just rereading this and realized i bashed the whole parent/child relationship on TBL and then said i'm taking a parenting class...CLEARLY ya'll can see the need right?)

Grantisms:

Grant to Sarah: "Did Auntie Laura learn how to draw hearts in school?"

Grant to Sarah: "Why is mommy's doctors office next to the children's museum?

Sarah: "I don't know, that is just where it is."

Grant: "That is how God must have wanted it to be."

Precious!!!!

Seriously, i'll write more later when i'm not distracted and can focus on what i'm actually writing.

love

laura

my fave

For all of you who don't know......my favorite show starts tonight. I revolve my entire schedule around Tuesday nights. I will let nothing and no one come between me and

THE BIGGEST LOSER!!!!!!!

We don't have DVR, so i will turn down dinner invites, weddings, friends, family, running, etc... to be able to sit in front of my TV at 7pm on a Tuesday night. (What's so sad about that is about a year ago i had gone about 18 months without TV and seemed pretty well adjusted.)

Everyone has their American dream....TBL is mine.

It's almost sad how much joy i get from this show. almost.

Here's a little prediction of what we can expect:

First few episodes, everyone is extremely large and in charge, and I watch in fascination (probably eating chick fil a or cookies), all the time telling myself that most of these people have a good 300lbs on me, so i'm doing ok.

THEN we get a little further into the show and people who are still way bigger than me start running marathons and dropping my dream weight-loss goal in a week. 1 week people!!! And I then I start a new weight loss journey every Wednesday morning because i'm so inspired about what is possible.

Of course I get frustrated and mad if i don't lose 13lbs in a week, and Daniel gently reminds me that i don't weigh 426 lbs. It's just so easy to get sucked into their world!!

I love love love love this show!!! I cry a lot when i watch it. I just get SO emotionally involved that i really feel like i've gone thru their journey with them. I also yell. Don't get me started on crazy Tracey from 2 seasons ago. anyone??

sidenote: Daniel came and surprised me at work today with a new journal (that i've been needing for a while now.) Totally made my day!!! i love surprises and gifts, and like i always say....what is better than a surprise gift??

(my goal in writing this post is to hopefully get everyone else addicted to TBL so you can experience the same joy i do, and not get bored when it's all i ever talk about on the blog, ha!)

love
laura