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9.30.2013

Weekend Recap + 18 Week Bump Pictures

We had one rainy, stormy weekend. The kind that calls for reruns of your favorite TV shows, long naps, and baking. Lots of baking.  

Steven had to work late Friday night so I got home feeling pretty bummed, preparing myself for a boring Friday evening alone, but then I found a cute little package on my doorstep from my sweet friend, Jen, and well, my mood changed quite considerably. It's amazing how simply knowing that someone else is thinking about you can uplift your spirits and change the gloomy outlook that was shading your eyes just moments before! So thank you, Jen! Your thoughtful gifts could not have come at a better time! 
With a renewed look at the alone time ahead of me, I decided to bake some yummy pumpkin chocolate chip bread, dive into a new book, and take a much needed bubble bath! It was a pretty perfect Friday night.
The rest of the weekend consisted of stuffing my face with the above mentioned bread, watching lots of football, and tackling some home improvement projects. I actually painted so much yesterday that I woke up to a pretty sore arm this morning. Who knew painting could be such a workout!? I hope to finish and share the house projects later in the week. ;)

But no weekend is complete without cuddles from this cute little man. His favorite pastime this time of year is running outside in the rain and then coming in soaking wet and demanding cuddles. And I mean, really, how could anyone resist this face?
I'm sorry I was such a slacker last week and didn't post a week 18 pregnancy update! There really haven't been many changes though. With each new day I am feeling better and better. My nausea doesn't last as long nor is it as intense as it was the first 16 weeks of my pregnancy. I am eating better, drinking lots of water, and (overall) feeling really good! 

With Steven's crazy schedule these last few weeks we didn't even find the time to snap our normal pregnancy update photo, so these cell pics will have to do.
I hope everyone else had a great weekend!
p.s. did anyone watch the Breaking Bad finale?? 
OH.EM.GEE.

9.26.2013

Brave Face


There are a couple things I've mastered in this life: the not-too-annoying-but-just-whiny-enough voice that makes Steven get off the couch to get me a glass of water every time, the art of making a bed using hospital corners just how my grandma taught me, how to put my contacts in without losing an eye, and the brave face. I've really mastered the brave face. I use it almost daily to conceal negative emotion, to shield me from bad news, to lessen the pain of brutal blows. But lately, I reach for that mask first thing in the morning and refuse to discard it until late at night when the lights go down and I can allow the awfulness that's been festering in my mind all day to flood me, washing over every inch of my body and soul. I seem to never give my brave face a rest. 

"I'm nervous," Steven confided to me last night...and even then I held on tightly to the brave face. But the truth is I'm nervous, too. I'm nervous that the doctor's appointment I have today may bear bad news, I'm nervous that I lack those maternal instincts they say surface when you hold your baby in your arms for the very first time, I'm nervous I may have to leave my baby to go back to work after 3 months, and I'm nervous about how the world will respond to that even though they don't know the half of our circumstance. I'm very nervous, and feeling anything but brave. 

I'm also exhausted. It's tiring to keep the brave face firmly in place. I want so desperately to set it aside and feel even the most painful of blows. But that takes bravery, and bravery is something I have yet to master. 

I'm working on it. I'm working on discarding my brave face for good and really being brave. To put my trust in the Lord and confine my fears to those who I know love me. To not hide behind this mask anymore because, at it's core, it is dishonest. I don't have it all together despite what I convey here on this blog and in my other day to day interactions. I really don't. Most days I am more terrified about my impending role as a mother than excited. And oftentimes, I am ashamed of that and feel broken.  

But I think I've realized that it's okay to not always have it all together, it's okay to let down your mask and allow others to see your struggles, and it's even okay to ask for a helping hand, a note of encouragement, or a heartfelt prayer. It's okay. What's not okay is allowing the brave face to be your everyday wear. It will eventually begin to crack like all shields eventually do. 

So today, instead of wearing the brave face I've cultivated and mastered these last 25 years, I'm going to lay it down and practice really being brave. And I think that begins with admitting to you that I'm nervous.  

9.24.2013

My (Revised) Eating Habits: Pregnancy Edition

Hello! Two good things have happened since the last time I blogged. 1) I survived a crazy work week (and should be rewarded with gifts) and 2) I regained my appetite. Due to how sick I've been feeling since I discovered I was pregnant, I pretty much tossed my yeast free / Paleo way of eating out the window. Unfortunately, I was only able to keep down foods that were definitely not Paleo, but I figured some nutrients were better than none at all and took my eating cues from my body. I was repulsed by any kind of meat, eggs, and most veggies (and water)! Which is basically all you eat when you follow a Paleo lifestyle! Needless to say, it was frustrating. 

But this weekend I really felt like I regained my appetite, and things that sounded repulsive before actually sounded tasty!
I was able to eat eggs, bacon, salmon, and even steamed broccoli! And although I'm not 100% back to how I had been eating the 6 months prior to my pregnancy, I feel like I'm slowly making my way back.
For now, potatoes and rice really calm my stomach if I'd had a particularly nauseous day, so I allow myself to eat that anytime I'm feeling ill. And sometimes, red meat still makes my stomach roll. So if I'm not feeling it, I steer clear! 

I know nutrition is so important, especially when you're pregnant, but I feel that for now the most important thing is to listen to my body. I've simply been rolling with the punches when it comes to my pregnancy, and although that often means using non-gluten free rice in a stir fry rather than my substitute cauliflower "rice," or heck, just opting for a bowl of Cheerios for dinner the third night in a row, I'm eating what I can keep down! 

It has been challenging for me to let go of my rigid eating guidelines (I think that again this points to my extreme type A tendencies), but it feels good to eat a full meal and not throw up! And it feels even better to have some energy! Throwing up is already exhausting for your body, but throwing up when you hardly have any nutrients to begin with inside of you is just depleting. 

So hello to my regained appetite and finding my way back to healthy eating and hello to accepting that sometimes the best thing to eat is whatever stays down. And an even bigger hello to accepting that fact rather than beating yourself up over it. Hello!

9.20.2013

17 Weeks

Almost forgot the pregnancy update this week! I made Steven snap a photo of me right after I ate dinner last night. I think I look a little larger in this photo than I usually do (I did just scarf down three pieces of pizza), but this was definitely the first week that I felt like I actually look pregnant! Everyday the reality of that sets in a little more. 

Thankfully though, I am still able to wear all my regular clothes. I'm trying to hold out as long as possible before I open my wallet to dish out on maternity wear. Maternity clothes shopping just does not sound enjoyable at all!  
Baby: Baby is 17 weeks and the size of an onion! Fun fact: baby is now starting to beef up and put on that baby fat that makes them so cute!

Weight: I haven't weighed myself since my last midwife appointment. But I'd guess I'm still right around a 4-5 lb weight gain. 

Symptoms: I have been experiencing bad enough nausea to cause me to throw up 1 or 2 times a week, but I'll take it! Beats throwing up 3+ times a day like I was doing! I am starting to feel better much earlier in the day then I was before. Now, around 12-1ish I feel pretty good. Still feel a lot of fatigue. I'm not sure how much of it is pregnancy related compared to how much of it is contributed to work. We are nearing the end of busy season over here and I'm doing my best to keep up physically and mentally. 

Sleep: Last night I went to bed at 8:30! I feel absolutely wiped out by the end of the day and am enjoying sleep immensely! I am at the point where I have to sleep on my side instead of my back, which I'm not a big fan of. I wake up in the mornings with a sore back! I think you just use different muscles when sleeping on your side? Not sure. But hopefully I get used to it soon so it doesn't become a constant issue. 

Cravings/Aversions: I feel like my cravings and aversions have calmed down quite a bit! This past week there wasn't anything I was dying to eat. I still like my tuna fish and I really enjoy spicy food...

Workouts: Some yoga stretches at night before I go to bed. I started doing it in hopes that it would take care of my restless leg syndrome issues at night. So far it seems to be working! Other than that I really don't have the energy for much exercise and I'm just taking cues from my body. I think after busy season, when I'm not so mentally fried, I'll have more energy to incorporate physically activity into my day. 

Random Thoughts: Not only was this the first week I actually felt like I looked pregnant, but this was also the first week I felt baby kick!!! Such a cool feeling! It literally feels like someone is lightly flicking the inside of my tummy or like bubbles are popping in there. So surreal! The movements still aren't strong enough for Steven to feel, but I hope he will be able to soon :)

9.19.2013

For the Love of Huck (once again)

Huckleberry gave me quite the scare the other day! He was asleep on the kitchen floor when I called him to come over to me. He quickly stood up and then collapsed. He tried to get up a second time but collapsed again. It was the weirdest thing and scared me to death!

Then a bunch of other things happened, which involved intense internet searching on my part that led to me believing Huck had lyme disease and was going to die... 

Well, one vet visit and $300 later the vet confirmed what Steven's been trying to tell me for months. Huck is fine. I am crazy.  But goodness gracious I just love this fur butt so darn much! 
doctor appointments are exhausting

Huck did however have a small abscessed from a tick I removed a few weeks ago. No biggie though. He's on antibiotics, which he thinks are treats, so he's a happy camper.  

9.17.2013

Surviving Pregnancy When You're a Type A

I'm going to let you in on a little secret about me that you may not know. My personality strongly leans towards that of a Type A. I think that may be hard for people who only know me through my blog to see, because I come across as carefree, joyful, relaxed, and dare I say creative in most posts. However, much of how I live my day-to-day life would not only be labeled as Type A, but extremely Type A. 

I like to joke that I'm the worst of both worlds. I am highly analytical (Type A), and highly emotional (Type B). I am extremely ambitious (Type A), yet mostly passive aggressive (Type B). Basically, I'm an analytical, impatient, ambitious, rigid, fast talking, multitasking workaholic who cries when things don't go my way. 

Also, apparently, I'm self deprecating. (Another Type A trait I might add.)

So how does someone like myself deal with such an unpredictable event as pregnancy without losing my mind and placing myself in a self-induced coma? Well I'm only 4 months in, but I've found a few things to be extremely helpful for me and wanted to pass them along to all you other Type A'ers out there.
1) Find a knowledgeable, professional staff that makes you comfortable. I say this because I fear that a lot of women don't do this. It's easy to become pregnant and simply go to the hospital where your friend's had their baby or where your mother gave birth. But I think it's important to stop and ask if that's the right place for you? If the people there are the ones you want to surround yourself with during one of the biggest events of your life? For myself, I knew the big, sterile, bright walls of a hospital were not where I would feel the most comfortable during my most vulnerable moment. After much research, I decided on a birth center where one of three midwives will be attending my birth. Amazing women who know me and understand my wishes and limitations when it comes to my birth experience. I didn't want to be another face in the crowd and I didn't want the first hands that touched my baby to be impersonal ones. You aren't your best friend or your mother. You're unique. Take the time to find the best birth place (and people) for you. I think your mental state over the next 9 months depend on it.

2) Remember that those pregnancy rules are mostly just recommendations. Type A's, we LOVE to follow the rules. No deli meat, no raw fish, no more than 8oz of this a week, and no more than 16oz of that. There is a lot to remember when it comes to the do's and don't of pregnancy! And that pregnancy brain --you know, the forgetfulness you've been experiencing -- isn't helping! But if you happen to forget a rule you will not be arrested by the pregnancy police and forced to wear a sign on your forehead that reads, "I'm a bad mother." I know this because one day I accidentally ate blue cheese in my salad (oops) and said pregnancy police didn't arrest me! I got my panties in a bunch for nothing and probably caused more undue stress to my baby by all the worrying I allowed myself to wallow in after the fact. Plus, these rules weren't around a few decades ago when momma's-to-be were puffing away on their cigarettes and sipping their martinis...yet humanity survived. Go figure.

3) Don't read What to Expect when You're Expecting. And/or other books (and internet forums) that will scare the bejeezus out of you and fool your over analytical / hypocrondriac obsessed brain into thinking you have every disease known to man and that there is no way you and your baby can survive such a dangerous phenomenon as pregnancy. Instead, read books that are empowering and informative. Books that present information to you in an unbiased manner and that educate and inform you rather than simply instill fear. Pregnancy shouldn't be written as an apocalyptic event. People survive it everyday.

4) Remember you were created to do this. "This" being give birth. There is a reason women give birth and not men. (There is also a reason why I first wrote that sentence as "men give birth and not women." see #2 pregnancy brain above.) We were created to do this. I don't know about you, but I find immense comfort in that. I have been uniquely designed to give life to another being and if nothing else can soothe my soul and quench my fears, so be it. I was created by the world's most magnificent designer to bring forth life and that fact alone is great enough for me to find peace in.

5) Know that your identity is not found within your birth story. Ladies, why are we so critical of one another when we should be each other's biggest support? And why do we put so much emphasis in our birth experiences as if they somehow define us and prove our womanhood? And is womanhood even a word? ...But really, WHY? You had an all natural birth? Good for you. You screamed for an epidural? That's more than okay. You opted for a Cesarean Section because of this, that, or whatever? That's great, too!  I think it's important to remember that your identity is not found within your birth story. You don't have to stand for other women pushing their birth experience on you. Remember that you are unique, you body is unique, your baby is unique, and only you know what is best for your situation. I am planning an all natural birth at a birth center, but if something does not go as planned and my midwife says I need to be transported to the hospital for a c-section, I refuse to allow that circumstance to shape the rest of my life --what kind of mother, wife, or friend I am. My identity does not lie in a natural vs. medicated birth. Nor does my child's. Don't hold too tightly to the notion of a "perfect birth." Your health, happiness, identity, and sanity does not lie within it.

Remembering and following through with these 5 things has helped me thus far, but I still have 5 months to go! Does anyone else out there have any helpful advice for other Type A personalities to stay calm during their pregnancy? Feel free to leave your suggestions below!

9.16.2013

Breaking Bad & the Smartest Little Seahawks Fan

Did this post's title confuse you? Me too.

My weekend was slooooow and uneventful. Just how I like it at times ;) We had some rainy days that called for homemade chicken tortilla soup and lots of moving watching and cuddling! I didn't take any pictures or check my email or Instagram feed (I know, I have unheard of self control), and I didn't really miss any of it. It's beginning to feel a lot like Fall and I simply wanted to relax and relish in that fact for a few days before the busy work week began again.

The most excitement I had this weekend was definitely the Breaking Bad episode last night. OH.EM.GEE. Are there any Breaking Bad fans out there who were suffering from heart palpitations the entire episode like me!?!?! I don't want to spoil it for anyone if you haven't watched yet...so if you do watch EMAIL ME! I want to know your thoughts on last night's episode. Definitely the BEST written show I have seen in a long, long time! 

But speaking of heart palpitations, this little girl is sure to give you a few. This is my friend's daughter Kalee, otherwise known as the smartest little Seahawks fan! Her dad posted this short video of her reciting Seahawks players and their jersey numbers. This smarty pants knows the team better than most born and breed Seahawks fans 10x her age! It's a definite must watch. She is just too cute!

Seriously, I just can't take the cuteness.

Hope you had an amazing weekend, too! 
Now all you Breaking Bad fans, seriously, what did you think??

9.13.2013

Settling In

This morning the realization hit me that I've lived in Washington for over 2 years. I can remember how scared and unsure I felt when I first moved out here --Will I be able to get a job? Can I afford to live on my own? Will Steven ever propose? I had a lot of questions about my future and a lot of uncertainty as to whether or not I had made the right decision for myself. 

That first year was a whirlwind of events. I did get a job, I was able to afford my own place, and Steven and I got married. But I'd have to admit that during that first year, even though things were working out better than I had ever hoped, I wasn't very happy. In fact, I was pretty damn miserable. I experienced that kind of homesickness that causes physical pain. I ached for my family, friends, and a comfortable home I felt secure in. I was plagued by severe anxiety. My mental state began to wear down my physical wellbeing. I gained weight and suffered from stress induced dermatitis and acne outbreaks. I allowed myself to wallow in negativity and resentment. And then one day, I decided to make a change.

I decided to take my happiness into my own hands, to change my lifestyle and take control of my physical and mental wellbeing, to think positively and practice gratitude. I completely revamped my diet and dived headfirst into a new Paleo / yeast free way of eating, I took up yoga and spent long hours on walks with the pup and my husband. I invested in quality time with others, allowing myself to open up and to enrich my life with friendships. I found a Naturopath and discovered the healing powers of vitamin D! 

It wasn't easy, it took lots of disciple and hard work, but slowly I started to notice that I was beginning to feel a sense of contentment and experience joy in my day to day. It was as if I shed bitterness, resentment, and negativity along with the 15 lbs I dropped and the bad skin. I felt lighter, freer, and settled. And that's when it hit me, I'm beginning to settle in. I'm beginning to settle into this new life on the West coast. I'm beginning to settle into my marriage, into my home, into the friendships I have made, and into the life Steven and I have begun to build for ourselves. 

I'm not "settling" in the bad kind of way -- as in settling for a mediocre life -- but in a much different way. Just as a tree plants its roots deep in the ground and becomes firm enough to withstand all of life's storms, I too am feeling grounded with where I am in life. I've begun to settle into this new place. I feel firm, grounded, and secure. And although there is still a lot of uncertainty in my life, one thing I am certain of is that I can withstand any storm that may head my way. I might be rattled and come to a little worse for the wear, but I know I can remain strong and grounded. 

It may have taken 730+ days, but here in Washington, 3,000 miles away from all I used to know and love, I am settling in --and that feels really, really good. 

9.12.2013

16 Weeks

Guuyyyyyys! I am a lazy, preggo slacker! 
Blogging is hard when my mornings are consumed with nausea and headaches.
and work...don't get me started on work.
Work right now = major thorn in my side

But I am back to bring you my 16 week pregnancy update. 
Because I know without it your life would simply be incomplete. 
Baby: Baby is 16 weeks and the size of an avocado! Fun fact: bones in baby's tiny ears are beginning to form so baby will be able to hear soon and be able to recognize my voice at birth! 

Weight: Had an appointment with my midwife yesterday and I've gained 4 pounds! I may have whined a little bit that I hardly have a tummy (I know, terrible thing to complain about), but she assured me it will come! Apparently, right now my abs are strong enough to conceal my growing baby bump, but soon they won't be able to withstand the pressure anymore and I'll wake up one morning to a big ole' bump.  

Symptoms: I totally lost my breakfast on Tuesday. First time in 3 weeks that I've thrown up. For some reason, my nausea has come back full force this week. I never know if I'm going to survive the car ride to work without throwing up. My headaches have been pretty bad, too. So painful I have to lay my head down on my desk and close my eyes for 20 minutes or so and just pray they pass so I can get some work done. I've also had trouble sleeping this past week. I'll get up to use the restroom and then find myself tossing and turning afterwards for an hour or so. Very frustrating! 

Sleep: My sleep is being interrupted by a lot of potty breaks! Yes, I just said potty. And that is NO FUN! Still going to bed pretty early in the evenings to maximize my sleeping time.

Cravings/Aversions: I still love tuna fish. Kind of seems like a strange craving, but I can't get enough of tuna melt sandwiches so far. I wish I craved lots of green vegetables instead ;)

Workouts: Too sick this week, too. I tried to do some yoga stretches last night and I felt so stiff and tight. I gave up within 10 minutes. I know, impressive. Excuse me while I go stand in the corner and hang my head in shame.

Random Thoughts: Almost finished with the book Guide to Childbirth by Ina May and it has been a pretty amazing, empowering read. I definitely would recommend it to anyone who is pregnant, whether they are considering a natural childbirth or not. And once I do finish it, I plan on doing a little book review for your reading pleasure. Oh, you are so very welcome. 

Also, we get to find out the sex of baby in three weeks :) :) :) 

9.09.2013

Washington State Fair

This is my third summer in Washington, but the very fist time I've been able to make it to the state fair. I must admit, it sure put the West Virginia state fair to shame, although that shouldn't have been surprising...

I've always loved going to the fair every summer. A little bit for the fun rides and games, but mostly because of the 4-H and agriculture buildings (what? I'm a little nerdy, okay?) and the food.

The food. Yum!

So here are a few snapshots of our Saturday at the fair!
Prize winning pumpkins
(these were outrageous)
Loved all the beautiful flowers, plants, and vegetable displays
The animal section always makes me cry...becauase I'm weird and also because I think it's so sad they're in cages. 
Alsooo, I'm pregnant and hormonal.
Steven sat in every truck on display and made sure to enter every drawing :)
He's so cute.
pumpkin and wood carving...these were amazing!
I tried to convince Steven that we needed to buy this huge $600 moose.
He wasn't having it.
Fair food...need I say more?
It was such a fun weekend! And although my feet were aching after 7 hours of walking around (there was so much to see!), I would do it again this weekend if for no other reason than to get another one of those yummy fair scones! Or a funnel cake. Or an elephant ear. Or fried butter. Or...you get my point. I'd go again for the food!

Hope you had a great weekend, too! 

9.06.2013

15 Weeks

Week 15 update! Overall, this week I've felt a lot better. My nausea still seems to be subsiding with each week, meaning I'm eating a lot better! It feels so nice to be able to keep my food down!  
Baby: Baby is 15 weeks and the size of a naval orange. Fun fact: all of baby's joints and limbs can now move! Apparently, there is a lot of squirming going on in there and I should be able to feel it soon!

Weight: According to my scale at home I've gained 1 pound. Waiting for a more accurate reading at my 16 week appointment next Tuesday. 

Symptoms: Today marks 3 weeks without throwing up! I think I'm officially clear of that symptom (thank you, Lord!). I still experience terribly painful headaches while at work, but they are always gone by the evenings. Still get nauseous while riding in a car whether I'm behind the wheel or not. That sure makes my 45 minute morning commute to work even less enjoyable than usual! Fatigue. Mostly on the week days. I think work just wears me out and I feel ready for bed right after dinner! Breakouts. Hello, 13 year old, Danielle! I really thought I was done with you and your skin issues! 

Sleep: Sleep is awesome. Can't get enough! I find myself crawling into bed around 9 every night and I usually don't wake up till 6:30. That's 9 1/2 hours of sleep a night! I definitely want to soak up these hours of rest while sleeping is still comfortable for me!

Cravings/Aversions: Still tuna fish...yummmm. I may have broken the one-can-a-week rule this week and allowed myself to splurge a little on that craving. Aversions: eggs. I think it's more the smell than anything else, but definitely the thought of eggs has been making me want to gag lately. 

Workouts: I don't want to talk about it. I'm too tired/lazy.

Thoughts: Ever hear the old wives tale that girls steal your beauty? Well, if there is any truth to that, I think I'm having a girl! I have been having terrible breakouts on my face and upper back, and the whole "your hair and nails look amazing while pregnant" is definitely not the case with me! If anything I feel like my hair is falling out and there has been no positive changes to my nails. This baby is for sure stealing my beauty! ;)


Oh yeah, it's Friday. Happy Weekend, friends! 

9.05.2013

DIY: All Natural Carrot & Banana Dog Treats

I pinned this recipe months ago and completely forgot about it! But while searching for a yummy birthday treat to make Huck, I noticed a bag of organic baby carrots in our fridge and this recipe came rushing back to me. And what a hit it was! Huckleberry gobbled these snacks up in no time and begged for more!
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 bag organic baby carrots, pulsed into small pieces in blender
2 bananas, peeled and mashed or pulsed into small pieces in blender
1 beaten egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup cold water

The recipe also calls for 1 tsp brown sugar, but I left it out since the 2 bananas would make it sweet enough.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease baking sheet.

Combine dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and then add the carrots, bananas, egg, vegetable oil, and water until well blended.
Flour your workspace and roll out dough to desired thickness. Cut treats to desired shape and size and place on baking sheet. Cook for 35 minutes.

If you want the treats to be more crisp instead of soft cookies, after baking turn off oven but leave them in for another 35 minutes to harden.
My dog bone cookie cutter is 4 in long, yielding about 40 dog treats. More than enough for Huck to take with him to daycare and share with all his furry friends!

At daycare he had a little birthday celebration with a cute sign, new scarf, and a ton of wet nosed fur babies waiting to get their chomps on these treats! (so glad they snapped a few shots to share with me!)
Man o' man, is he one spoiled pup or what?!?!
:)

9.04.2013

Happy Birthday, Huckleberry!!

Huck turns 2 today! 
Which means in doggie years he's 14...
My little man is a teenager!! 
I never imaged when we picked him out of that litter of nine pups just 2 years ago that he would become such an integral part of my life. He is my constant companion, protector, and one of my very best friends. This golden pup has filled a part of my soul I feel other human's don't have the capacity to touch. He is sensitive, wise, and goofy
 --bringing me comfort, peace, and laughter. 
In this home, he's never been simply a dog.

So happy birthday, Huck and thank you for all the joy you have brought into mine and Steven's life!
We couldn't image our little family without you in it. 

9.03.2013

Weekend Recap: Jurassic Park & Puppy Snacks

Long weekends are the best. Going back to work after one of them is the hardest. Especially when you're baby is threatening to make you lose your Cheerios. The only thing I hate worse than losing my Cheerios is losing them while at work. 

All in all, we had a great Labor Day weekend! It started off with the Ben & Jerry's ice cream truck stopping by work so I could fill my face with some chocolate chip cookie dough goodness... a weekend simply can't go wrong when it starts off with that!
On Saturday, Steven and I headed up to Seattle so he could get a fitting at Brooks Brothers. We decided to make a little day trip out of it and did some shopping and hit up the Pike Place Market.
Maybe not the best idea since being Labor Day weekend Seattle was packed! I felt like a sardine walking down the street shoulder to shoulder with strangers...but after seeing this Jurassic Park jeep on the way I decided all was good and the trip was well worth it. 
 Seriously! How funny is that??

Sunday and Monday were spent pretty laid back. Steven did some home beautification while I sat close by on the floor yelling words of encouragement and asking if he was done yet. We did a little yard work, played an intense game of Scrabble, and watched more hours of Law & Order: SVU than I'd like to admit. ;)
Pretty typical weekend activities for a holiday weekend, but it was still lots of fun! And the extra day off work was much needed. Partly because I was able to catch up on some much needed zzzz's, but mostly because it gave me extra time to prepare for a very special somebody's birthday this week!
Our little Hucklebutt turns 2 tomorrow! I gave him a treat early so he could do a little taste test. We'll be dropping these yummy, homemade carrot and banana snacks off at daycare tomorrow to share with all his furry friends! Huck eagerly gobbled his treat up and begged for another, so I'd say this recipe is definitely a keeper!!

Hope each of you had an amazing labor day weekend as well!

Sami's Shenanigans