There are lots and lots of reasons why I don't blog anymore; most of them start with a "T" and end with a "J", but there are others as well. For example, I can't find my camera ANYWHERE, and I generally prefer to post pictures if I'm going to bother publishing a post. This does need to be remedied sometime in the next 10 weeks or so, as I'm certain to want snapshots of the baby. Although, I don't love pictures of myself pregnant, so I won't complain too loudly if we don't find the camera till the bitter end.
The pregnancy continues to go well. I have roughly 2 1/2 months or so left, and can complain of all the general aches and pains common to women in their third trimester. However, I'm generally just trying to keep my mouth shut and remember, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all"; and I don't have much nice to say about being pregnant. I've posted a daily and weekly goal list in my kitchen to help me cope, and it is helping. I still spend lots of time staring at the calendar and willing time along, but at least now there is something ON the calendar--other than the oppressively-distant D-Day-- to help distract me. I was able to run until just recently when the sciatica really flared up. Since then, I'm trying to do daily yoga or walks to help keep it under control, and it is helping; but I would give almost anything to take a nice long run in the sunshine. I'm really, really tired, but it can be debated how much of that comes from having an active two-year-old and how much from the pregnancy. I've finally had to admit that I'm just not going to get anywhere near as much accomplished as I had thought I could. In the beginning, I had all these grand plans of all the beautiful things I wanted to sew, and what I wanted to do with the rooms. But then morning sickness hit, and being bent over the machine was a sure-fire puke-initiator. Once I got over that, I've just been too tired, and now my hips hurt too bad to sit on that hard little chair. So I may have to eat crow and BUY curtains, and some other things that that empty room needs. Or wait until after the baby comes. And starts to sleep. And I can find some time. And I'm not too tired from being up all night. And...
well, okay. Going shopping sounds easier all the time.
TJ is going through both some really fun, and some really-NOT fun phases, all at the same time. His climbing prowess grows daily, and I am forever helping him down from precarious perches and scary heights. About six weeks ago, he mastered the art of escaping his room (yes, despite locks) and ran out the front door and up the street in his pajamas. I had put him down for a nap, and he had never before managed to get out of the crib AND get the lock opened. So I assumed he was safe. Seems reasonable, right? So I start working in the other room, and since all is silent I assume he is asleep. Now, anyone with a toddler will agree that there are only 2 times said child is quiet: 1- While fast asleep, and 2-Whilst engaged in terrible mischief. Unfortunately for me, it was the latter. During the course of his "nap", he escaped from his room, ran water over the kitchen floor, for, gauging from the amount of water, and time lapsed, about an hour, flooding the entire kitchen and pantry, and then opened the front door and took off running. All silently.
All this while I'm working in the other room, trying to get it painted and ready for TJ to move into so the baby can have the nursery (and maybe the most amazing part of this entire story, is that in order to get from his room to the kitchen, TJ had to pass the open doorway, where I was painting. HOW did he pass by the chance to climb a ladder, and HOW did I not hear anything? I wasn't listening to music, talking on the phone, or anything. I guess all my concentration was taken up by making sure I didn't fall off the ladder). So as I'm painting, I heard the front door open. It scared me to death, because I was home alone (and still believe TJ is asleep in his crib), so I'm trying to decide if I grab TJ and run for it, or if I cautiously go take a peek and see if I have an intruder in my home (and Yes, I do keep my doors locked, but TJ can open deadbolts, and has been able to for MONTHS and MONTHS now). After a moment of debate--that seemed rather long-- I decided since the dog was not barking, I had better go see who had just come in my door. So I creep out there... and find the front door wide open. The second I saw the open door I knew... I ran outside, my heart in my throat, just in time to see TJ at the top of the hill, turning the corner to the next street. And he is FAST. It still scares me just how long he was in the open road before I made it up the (steep!!! gasp gasp) hill to him. He, of course, thought the whole thing was a grand lark, and screamed in rage that I was dragging him home. I'm just glad we both survived the experience with nothing more than a saturated kitchen and pantry.
So that's us, I guess. TJ has certainly had other "adventures" lately, but that is the one of greatest note. Someday, I really need to take pictures of all different child locks I've tried with him. Rob has been really busy with work, and that's mostly a good thing. I've got a busy Primary calling, and that's mostly a good thing.
As for the blog... Well, we'll see. Lately, I have lots and lots of days where the only thing I'm really up for is keeping TJ alive (and, really, I think that's no small task, and so small accomplishment)!
Okay, so since it was the mention of a crockpot that started it all, of course I jumped on this book. This is my first America's Test Kitchen cookbook, and I really like it, but it's also really different than I expected. My experience with a crockpot was limited to throwing something in, and plugging it in. To actually get good results, a little more is required. I did have to buy a new crockpot (which I also researched long and obsessively, buying and returning multiple types; I learned you get what you pay for) since mine is from my college days, sized for one to two people, and not programmable. There is definitely more prep--including pre-browning or microwaving, etc-- required for some of these recipes than I had ever planned on; however, it works for me, because I can choose when I do the prep, such as in the morning before I start feeling rotten, or during naptime. I do tend to feel the worst in the evenings, about when dinner needs to be getting started. Cooking BEFORE that happens is a nice compromise, even if I'm not necessarily eating until 8pm or so; and my men get dinner on time. Plus, it is SO nice to be able to stay late at the park and know that dinner is waiting. So I have to recommend this book. Just know that ATK does not cut any corners; the focus is on results, not on quick and easy prep. Every meal thus far has been delicious. The most common cook-time is 4-6 hours, so those who work full-time will require a programmable pot.
A nice traditionally-organized cookbook of appetizers, sides, breads, desserts, meats, pastas, etc. I really like the ethnic influence (one of the authors lived in Brazil for 18 months), and the recipes are much more varied and lively than I had at first expected; Mormon moms are no longer all about Cream of Chicken soup and casseroles (sigh of relief). The recipes are accessible, easy to serve a family, usually not too much prep, and again, everything we've had has been really good. Plus, it's just fun to see what other families eat, and this book definitely provides a very real snapshot of real families with children and busy lives. So even if you have no interest in the book, totally check out their blog.
