These are a few of my favorite things...

I will start in the top left corner...

*Going to cut down a tree. we always get a real tree, and usually go in my in-law's woods to find one. *Wrapping gifts. I love to wrap gifts! *Candlelight service on Christmas eve, there is something so magical about it! *New pajamas, while we didn't do this as kids, this is definitely something I would love to start with our child next year. *New Christmas book on Christmas eve. The one pictured is my favorite! The illustrations are amazing!! "It's called Snowmen at Christmas" *German Pickle Tradition. *Decorating the tree as a family. *Christmas dinner! *Building gingerbread houses *Listening to Christmas music! *Decorating Christmas cookies *Watching Christmas specials on tv *Lights aglow outside against the snow. Beautiful! *Sledding!! *Elf on the Shelf-I cant wait to start this with our little one! *Hot cocoa!! *Driving around to scope out the best light display! *Buying gifts for our friends and family!

Pregnancy Week 10

This week felt like it took forever! Thanksgiving was great! I helped my brother with hosting. He did such a great job! :) Thursday night I found some amazing deals online on cloth diaper covers. SCORE!! I ended up buying 11 covers (from cottonbabies and kellyscloset) for $89 and free shipping! Yay!! 6 flip covers from cottonbabies, and 5 thirsities duo wrap size 1 from kellyscloset.

                                                      


Sweet sweet deals! I worked friday and a half day on saturday. Then another Thanksgiving dinner at the in-laws. Everything was delicious there as well. I eventually found my way to the couch to take a nap. OH! and we found out my sister-in-law is pregnant too!! She's due a month behind me. :) They are doing a midwife too! It will be neat to have someone to journey along with me :)

Anyways, onto the update...


How far along? 10 weeks

Total weight gain: 0 from last week, fluctuating from my pp weight to +5 pounds. So I'm going with no weight gain right now.

Maternity clothes: Yes, my work pants and my jeans have now gone maternity. Soooo much more comfortable!

Stretch marks: Nope

Sleep: Has gotten much better already, usually only wake up to pee around 5:30am, and my dreams have been less strange and less frequent which is nice since I am sleeping deeper and more restful now.

Best Moment this week: wearing my maternity jeans! The comfort!! Thanksgiving with family! Yummy food! Finding out my sis-in-law Amy is preggers!

Miss anything? wine at thanksgiving dinner, lunch meat, not feeling bloated.

Food cravings: orange juice!! I am really enjoying bananas this week.

Anything make you queasy/sick? Nothing specific, but pretty much any weird/strong smells.

Gender prediction: I still say boy, I ordered an Intelligender test so we'll see what it says in week 11. :)

Wedding ring: on

Symptoms: they seem less this week, other than a little moody, and craving OJ. Im not nearly as tired.

Mood: Good, slightly moody

Looking forward to: getting my fluff mail! My midwife appointment dec 5th, then christmas shopping with Billie :)

I hope you all had a lovely time with your families and found some amazing deals!! :)
N.

Pregnancy Week 9

This week feels pretty uneventful, other than my extreme exhaustion and mild acne again not too much has changed. I have been crazy busy preparing for Thanksgiving at both families. I enjoy entertaining and cooking so much! We would have been hosting Turkey day at my home if the downstairs was finished and we were settled in. We'll see what happens for Christmas. My mom is very protective about Christmas, but every year my step dad and I make all the food, clean, and pretty much run the show. My mom hates entertaining now that she is so sick and cant get around very well. I really know that Christmas morning has always been something she looks forward to (since she was pregnant with my brother). She was so excited to have little ones running around and gathering around the tree. Even though we're not little, she still wants us all there (at her house). I told her once that instead of Grandma making her way over to her house on Christmas morning, someday she will be a grandma and will be coming over to my house to do Christmas...and then she cried. really....she cried, not happy tears, but sad ones! Anyways, all this ranting just to say that maybe, just maybe I will be hosting Christmas some year soon...hopefully. 

How far along: 9 Weeks

Total weight gain: +3lbs

Maternity clothes: my bella band when we are out in public, I feel so bloated! My pants are zipping less and less.

Stretch marks: Nope

Sleep: tired all the time. hard to fall asleep, when I do, its all dreams and waking up once/twice a night to pee. Once I wake up for the day, I am awake, but then I get to work, and I'm exhausted right away! ugh!

Best moment this week: telling some of the girls at work. I have already told my boss. Some of the girls at work sorta cornered me into telling them, I hate lying, and so I figured I'd let it out. They are so excited for me! It's nice to share the news and people be happy! Just 2 more short weeks until we can officially tell the world! I can't believe we have come this far!

Miss anything? Lunch meat (deli shaved ham and turkey!) Holiday cocktails, restful sleep.

Food cravings: Nothing real intense. OJ, PBJ sandwiches. 

Anything make you queasy/sick? Nothing specifically, many things turn my stomach, but I usually distract myself.

Gender prediction: Boy (I had a weird dream I was breastfeeding my baby boy!)

Wedding ring: On

Symptoms: Strange sleep/dreams, exhausted, emotional, tender breasts.

Mood: tired, good, tired...

Looking forward to: Spending time with family and cooking up a storm for Turkey Day! 

I hope you have a safe and delicious Thanksgiving holiday!! 
Nikky

A Pinned Thanksgiving

Here is what my Thanksgiving will look like via pinterest. This is as close as it will probably get, and I urge you, if there is anything you would like to see the recipe for, follow the link to my pinterest board and find the pin to click on. This will take you to the website/recipe.

Happy Turkey Day everyone!

 

 Click HERE to find my pinterest board where you will find the sources and recipes!

May your heart and home be filled with love, laughter, and delicious food this Thanksgiving holiday!

N.

Pregnancy Week 8

This week was pretty crazy! My emotions are insane!! My dreams are out there, and my food cravings have sunk to "nothing sounds good now..wait, yes I want chips, no, now I cant stand chips." This happens in a matter of 10 minutes, so it's terribly difficult to figure out what to cook! My breasts are hurting again, and very swollen, I have definitely outgrown my bra, and if it weren't for camis I would most definitely have to go shopping. For now, I'm still doing the lift and tuck method and hoping I can make it until my next midwife appointment when Billie and I go shopping.

It snowed here today, big white fluffy flakes! There really wasn't accumulation, except on the rooftops and along the sidewalks. Boy did it make me want to hear some good ol' christmas carols. So, yes, of course I am listening to my pandora christmas station and lovin' it!! I am also making a veggie chowder of sorts. I'm just making it up as I go. (That's usually how I cook anyway.)

How far along? 8 Weeks

Total weight gain: back down to my PP weight. so -4lbs from last week. Bloat much?!

Maternity Clothes: Bella band mostly. My mom bought me some cute maternity shirts and shorts for spring/summer.

Stretch marks: nope

Sleep: Like I said out there! I had a dream about pirates the other day. So weird...Otherwise good, I barely get up in the middle of the night to pee.

Best moment this week: hitting the 8 week mark!

Miss anything? bloody mary's, craving and eating something and then not getting sick afterward, lunch meat!

Food cravings: nothing really

Anything make you queasy? most everything, especially after I eat it, or think about eating it. Smells!! Stinky customers at work!!

Gender prediction: Boy

Wedding ring: On

Symptoms: Tender and swollen breasts, moodiness, weird dreams, nauseous most of the time (still haven't thrown up).

Mood: not myself, easily irritated, testy.

Looking forward to: Thanksgiving!! For the family time and the food!!

Love and Snowflakes!
Nikky

A feast fit for a king...

With all of my Christmas talk lately, I figured I'd reassure you that I am most definitely NOT skipping Thanksgiving!! Below are a few of my must haves for Thanksgiving dinner. Enjoy!

Starting at the top left and headin' left...

Sweet potatoes--no marshmallows please. Scott's mom makes these and it is AMAZING!!! 

Jello--the classic. We call it ribbon cake at Scott's family's.

Green Fluff--or pistachio fluff. One of my absolute must haves! I'm totally obsessed with this! I'm the one that makes it so I can bring the left overs home :) 

I cannot make it through T-Dinner without a tall glass of milk--straight from the bulk tank thank you very much.

Veggies--I love either corn or garlicky green beans--or both! 

Mashed potatoes--the main food of T-Day!! It would never be Thanksgiving without mashers and gravy made from the bird!!

Turkey of course!--we use a Nesco to cook ours, lots of homemade wine and delicious spices to help in basting. Mmmm...White meat only please.

Stuffing--I never liked stuffing until a few years ago, and now I make a Gluten Free version with corn bread! AMAZING!! I'm always glad to have leftovers of this one!

Cranberry sauce--Again, not until recently. Nothing beats a little cranberry sauce with your turkey!!

Rolls--Although I miss terribly those non-rolls (brown n serve), or any for that matter. I do make a few gluten free, but there is nothing like a crusty roll all steamy and soft on the inside...just begging for butter and potato gravy goodness!!

That's all for now. I'll have to do a dessert collage later, it mostly consists of pies, but I just couldnt fit it on here. My favorite dessert memory: My grandma grabbing the pie and running with it because for some reason she doesnt stuff her self full of dinner and she wants dessert right away. My mom told her no, and chased after her for it--mind you my mom is hobbling along since she has a hard time walking these days, and my mom wrestled my grandma for the pie...sigh...nothing's better than that!! I love my family!

N.

I warned you it was coming... :)

With Christmas just 49 days away, I wanted to share my ideas for my wishlist with you. Let me know what will be on your list this year too!

2012 Christmas Wish List

Here is my current wish list. Some things are kinda random, or silly... 

I really want the wisk and dough hook attachments to my kitchenaid stand mixer. I found them on amazon. There are a few others that I'd love to have as well, but we'll save those for the next few years :) 

wisk attachment and hook attachment I also really need new cookie sheets.

I also really need a new computer, I would prefer a laptop. I trust my husband will figure out which one would be best for me, but I just found this one as an example.


With a baby on the way, we will definitely need a camcorder, I would really be fine with a Flip or the like since we both have camcorders on our digital cameras, but its more fun to see a picture of this one.


I am so excited to start the Elf on the Shelf tradition (even though we wouldn't really use it until two christmas' from now, I am so going to get it soon! 

Now onto the gift cards: Amazon to buy some Kindle books, or anything really. BabiesRus, Target for baby stuff, Mountain rose herbs is where I get my organic herbs for my teas, soaps, oils, lotions, etc. And Natures Garden is where I get my soap fragrances if I'm not using essential oils.

mountain rose herbs gift certificate
natures garden gift certificate

I think that just about covers it. I love the holiday season and I cant cant wait to start fun traditions with our little one! Hurrah!!! Enjoy, and let me know what's on your wish list!

Love and Snowflakes, 

Nikky

Pregnancy Week 7

I'm not sure why I feel so excited to write this week's blog, maybe it's because I'm at 8 weeks + 1 day and each day I'm worrying less and less, or it could be the festive feeling I'm in. Anyways, I'm so excited today. I have off of work and have secretly started listening to Christmas Music! Shhhh! I cant believe I'm saying it, but it feels so good to do it! It put me in a cleaning and cooking mood this morning, which Scott can't complain much about... I'm currently listening to pandora radio and Johnny Mathis is singing "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" sigh, I love it! I think I'll have to make up my wish list soon! Anyways, onto week 7.

How far along? 7 weeks

Total weight gain: up 4lbs from my pp weight.--bloat?

Maternity clothes: bella band, and my trusty yoga capris

Stretch marks: nope

Sleep: getting weirder...I'm exhausted, but once I get into bed, I can't turn my brain off, once I do fall asleep, I dream all night long--I think this is why I'm tired all day long. People at work even say, "Wow, you look tired." gee thanks :) anyways, my dreams are just plain strange, I've never been much for dreaming, but now its a totally different story!

Best moment this week: my first midwife appointment! Everything went really well. The drive was long (1hr, 15mins) but nice to spend the time with Scott. I did blood work, and a urine test. Everything came back normal. My vitamin D was low, so I've been taking a supplement which will help with the pain in my joints. (they normally don't test for vit d, but when I mentioned how sometimes my body just hurts, she recommended this test b/c she had the same problem until she was tested and now takes a supplement. I really feel a difference thank goodness!)

Miss anything: Fitting into my jeans!! I feel so bloated all the time! Also, knowing what I want to eat and not changing my mind or getting nauseous over it!

Food Cravings: not much to be honest. Maybe soup.

Anything make you queasy? Pretty much anything and everything! Especially smells, and living with two men doesn't help the stink factor!

Gender prediction: boy

Wedding ring: On

Symptoms: Super smell sensitive! Nauseous over most things--I usually can distract myself with something else to let it pass. Weird and frequent dreams. Easily emotional.

Mood: Pretty good most of the time. Unless I just woke up. My patience to put up with people's crap is definitely thinner than normal.

Looking forward to: Thanksgiving! Just 2 weeks + 2 days away!! I've already started on my menu!

I would love to hear from some of you out there in Blogger land. Let me know what your blogs are so I can follow you too! Lots of Love and Festive Cheer!!
Nikky