March Cookbook Challenge Link Up

If you want to see all the recipes for this month check them out here at Emily's Blog!

Official Countdown:

7 days!

Ballerinas are so cute

Sweet girl - just trying so hard!

Date Night - Chepe's

Last Friday we had our Date Night back over in our old stomping ground, East Cobb, for the food and for the movie to follow. We used a Half-off Depot Coupon for a new Mexican Grill called Chepe's. It was surprisingly good (I am can be an exterior judge-snob and I didn't like the sign of the place so I assumed it'd be nasty). But, great guac, hot chips, classic enchiladas and a new delicious venture for Tay: Flautas! We will go back - it's nice to find a Mexican place in the "in-betweener" category. I recommend you try it out.

We went to see The King's Speech - a little late to hop on this party van, I know, but so glad we did! We loved it and wished it wasn't over at the end. I completely recommend you see this movie - I believe it's about to come out to rent. We love true stories and ones where the characters live with just that: character! (minus the older brother).

I also had received 2 free movie tickets from Fandango so, the night was amazingly affordable (there's that alliteration again). And when things are amazingly affordable, they are entirely enjoyable!

Date Night was great conversation. We are reading For Men Only and For Women Only in our Small Group, so it was an opportune time for us to really ask each other, "Is what I read this week true for you?" We're all a bunch of confusing human beings. The study has been really great so far. Almost all of us had read these books before we got married, but it's completely different to read them after having been married for a little while. And really worth it. Since I have taken the liberty to be the Resourceful Recommender in this post: Everyone should read this/these books! Such an open door to better understand and appreciate the opposite sex.

We hope to make it to our Date Night this week if Baby Bukes doesn't come before then. Last night I had the first feeling of, Something's going on inside . . . could this be the start of "it"'?

But, in all embarrassing honesty, I think my pants were just too tight and it was causing gas.

Ha!

We'll see . . .

Official Countdown: (this is a big one because we're now in the single digits!)

9 Days!

March Cookbook Challenge: Sliced Pork Tenderloin Saltimbocca on Spinich and Arugula Salad

This was delicious! I pulled out a Rachel Ray cookbook I got for a Wedding Shower - haven't pulled out this cookbook in AGES! It is Rachel Ray 30-Minute GET REAL Meals.

Sadly, I didn't take a picture of the process - which is most of the fun of these posts. I apologize. However, I highly recommend it! We ate on it for lunch the next day and Tay was quite pleased!

INGREDIENTS:

2 Prok Tenderloins (about 2 lbs), trimmed of silver skin and connective tissue

6 garlic cloves

1/4 Cup EVOO, plus more for drizzling

S&P

Bundle of fresh Sage Leaves

1/4 lb prosciutto di Parma

1 lb baby spinich

2 Cups arugula leaves (1 bunch), washed and tremmed of stems

6 button mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 shallot, minced

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 Tablespoons fresh chopped thyme leaves

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 450

2. Place the pork tenderloins on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Cut 3 slits into each loin a few inches apart. Nest the cloves of garlic into the slits.

3. Slather the pork with a healthy drizzle of EVOO and use your hands to coat the pork.

4. Strap leaves of sage across each piece of pork. Wrapt the tenderloins in prosciutto, covering the pork entirely. Drizzle again with EVOO.

5. Roast the pork for 25 minutes. While pork roasts, prepare the salad.

6. Combine the greens and mushrooms in a salad bowl. In a smaller bowl, combine the minced shallot with the vinegar, lemon juice, and thyme. Let stand for 15 minutes.

7. Stream about 1/4 Cup EVOO into the dressing while whisking to emulsify it.

8. Toss the salad with the dressing.

To serve, pile the salad onto plates. Slice the tenderloins on an angle, 1/2-in slices, and arrange the sliced pork atop the salad.

See other recipes from this month's challenge at Emily's blog!

PS

OFFICIAL COUNTDOWN:

10 DAYS!!!!!

The Teens!

We are now in the teens countdown before the big day. I went to the Dr. last Friday and there was no report on any action thus far. The Dr. told me to not read into any status update they give me in the coming visits: basically, this baby is going to come when she wants to. So, if there has been action within the last week, I should not assume she is about to arrive, however, if there is no change, I should also not assume that she is going to be late. . . (however, I'm still preparing myself that she will be!)

Headed to the Dr. again in 1 hour!

I want to do a tribute to the Phelpsinator since his whole world is about to be turned upside down when his baby sister arrives :). He is my sweet sweet pal and I love him SO much! Someone told me yesterday in talking about adding another child to your family (and they were actually talking about human beings - not dogs, but I thought it applied to our situation here:), "It's not that you have to divide and apply the love you already have among new and old family members, God gives you a new supply of love to cover your spouse, your first born, your second born, and so on. You don't have to "come up with it"; He blesses you with more." I love this image - our ultimate Provider, knowing just how to care for the needs of his children.

So, although Phelps is a dog, he is one of my greatest blessings and has been like a child to me!

Phelps, this is for you!

You were so cute and tiny!

You obey (sometimes)

You love to be near us

You actually have been nicknamed, "Smiles" by lots of people :)

You like to be rugged with Daddy

You are stately

You are incredibly fast and my walking buddy

You get all tangled up when you nap (and you love to protect your chicken)

You are pals with other dogs (whether they are on TV or by your side)

You are a rascal!

You share one of my life's greatest passions: sleeping!

You have mad ups!

You are a star student!

You are our little buddy and we love you!

I must admit I've caught myself say to you more times than one, "You are my best friend."

I am so glad you are apart of our family!

Official Countdown:

13 Days!

Nursery Nook!

So, it is still not officially complete, but it has made tremendous progress!!!

I will try to give a snapshot of the progression. . .

Below is how the room started out

Sweet Bukes put together the crib at 10 at night, I was so excited!

Then Sweet Mama came and helped sew the dust ruffle (we bought the only one they had left which was intended for a twin bed). So, she whipped out her sewing skills and tada!

I finally packed up the closet (over to the right) to clear space for her things!

Here the walls have been painted and I am trying to get a visual for what the curtains will look like once they are hung

2 Curtain panels have been hung (the end result has 4) thanks to Bukes and his master handyman of a self!

4 panels hung. Working on putting everything together

Ahh! The great reveal . . .

I know you remember those ceiling puffs :)

To the right of the crib

To the left of the crib

Still trying to figure out a rug and potential chandelier. . .

And here is me - 9 months pregnant!

Went to the Dr. today for week 37 appointment! Everything looked fine - no progression on the baby's part! They have done a super job preparing me to expect either the due date or past it. I'm feeling like she will be late! We know for sure they will induce on the 14th if she has not come by then. So, this time next month? You guessed it! We'll have a baby girl in our arms!

Official Countdown

21 Days!

p.s. this countdown is to the due date: April 7th!

Amazing Talent

So, I was hesitant to post pictures featuring yours truly, but I have to brag on my pal, Hal, and her amazing talent! She took these Pregnancy Pics for us on February 27 (which was around week 34). She will also be taking some Newborn Nimages (wanted to have the alliteration factor I was able to have with "Pregnancy Pics" so just know that when you say, "Nimages" it stands for "Images") once our little bundle arrives! I cannot wait to see and be able to post precious pics of our little girl - C-R-A-Z-Y!!!

I did just have the fleeting thought, "What if she ends up being a boy?!?"

And then I pictured her/him in the Nursery Nook (see I like alliteration) with all the pink . . . if it ends up being a boy, he'll survive. It's highly unlikely, but I have heard of Dr.'s making mistakes when they determine fetuses are girls - they don't make a mistake when they determine fetuses are boys, if you get the "Nimage" :).

So, on to the pictures!

Head on over to Hal's blog to check out more amazing pictures she's taken through the ages! You should totally contact her if you want some serious skill (alliteration again) ((and again)) :)

p.s. Her name is not actually "Hal". Her name is Hailey. However, she sometimes is called, "Hales" by friends. One time her name was typoed in an email. The email was supposed to read, "Hales house" and it came out "Hals house". And, from that moment on, she inherited the nickname, "Hal". Mostly because I love to imagine her as a "Hal" and secondly because it rhymes with "Sal" and thirdly we are "pals"!

ok, enough jabbering already - pictures for your perusing pleasure (seriously, I'm some kind of Amazing Alliteration Animal!)

and the sweet Big Brother! He did great at first, but after a while we had to put him inside to not distract the photographer.

after putting him inside we looked over and discovered this :)

Official Countdown:

23 Days!

28 Days!

I usually end the posts with the Official Countdown, but when I woke up yesterday and saw that we were now in the "20's" I let out a sharp gasp! Today marks the official 36 weeks! Only 4 more to go! 28 days to be exact. Although, over the last few days I have learned of at least 5 women who went into labor and had the baby anywhere from 5 weeks to 1 week early. All of them have been early. Anna asked me yesterday, "do you think God is preparing you for the fact that your baby girl will come early?" My response is I think He is preparing me that she will NOT come early :) Don't want to get in the mindset that she will be coming early because it will make these days even longer. The Dr. told me a few weeks ago to expect the due date or at least a week later. They will not let me go past a week - so, if she's not come yet by April 14, they will induce. I go to the Dr. again tomorrow and apparently it's a "big" appointment. From here on out I go to the Dr. every week. Which means, only 4 more times to the Dr. . . it's quite surreal!

I spent this week doing some really fun things:

- Sunday my sister and sister in-laws threw me a Baby Shower! It was precious and thoughtful and so fun! I loved every second of it. Everyone has been SO kind during this time. I am so appreciative. I could kick myself because I didn't take an pictures. I had my camera and everything - should have given it to someone to snap the day, but failed. boooo!!!! maybe someone got some?

- I washed all of her clothes, blankets, towels and sheets in baby laundry detergent! I woke up excited each day to pull her things out of the dryer and fold them - they are soooo tiny and sweet!

- I finished the ceiling puffs! I LOVE them! What do you think?

- I packed my bag and her bag for the hospital :) Why not just be prepared, right?

Tonight is Date Night with Tay! I am excited to see where we go/what we do - he's taken all the planning reigns on this one.

We did use Scoutmob for The Sound Table. Don't judge by the website. It was GREAT and far exceeded our expectations! Quite an eclectic place in the Old Fourth Ward. But absolutely everything we had was delicious! We got the Cheese Plate Special, the Autumn Salad and the Bacon Burger with Frites . . . mmmmmm, can't wait to go back! Love Scoutmob!!! We finally got a picture at the restaurant.

Just for giggles:

Official Countdown:

28 Days!

Date Night-C'om

This week we had date night at C'om Grill in Dundwoody. We had a "meet and greet" with our future peiatrician at Dunwoody Pediatrics (whom we LOVED and are super excited about!) and so we went to C'om right across the street. It was delightful! It was authentic. It was a neighborhood joint. It was a great date! We ordered egg rolls for our appetizer (they were legit egg rolls, not frozen, mmmm I can still taste them) and Indochine KoBe Beef Bo' kho for our entree. In all honesty, I don't think we've ever been to a Vietnamese Grill, but we will be going back to this one! The owner knew every person that walked in the door. He was working the tables in the most pleasant way and invited us back for Salsa with the live band tonight! When I went to the bathroom (which happens every single time Tay and I are on our date night) and left Tay at the table by himself, a group of women walked in and as they were sitting down one of the women lifted up her shirt and said, "Look at the tummy tuck, girls!" He said he was quite uncomfortable! Hahaha! Seriously Lady, at a restaurant?

We finished off our date with a trip to starbucks across the street - cappuccino for me, latte for Bukes and a coffee cake to share. Starbucks was surprisingly quiet so we were able to get two comfy chairs in a corner and leisurely wind down (decaf drinks, you know).

I really love our time on our dates. Even if there is nothing profound that we talk about, just getting to be one-on-one intentionally is a gift I treasure. I love my Bukes!

I didn't have my camera for a picture, but I am thinking as I type this that pretty soon I will be posting pictures of Baby Bukes! 5 weeks left - Holy Stinking Cow!

The nursery is still a work in progress, but coming together! We put up the curtains Wednesday night and it really helps make it seem like a little nook. I also picked up all my children's books from storage (have no idea where I will put all of them, but sooo excited to have them! I can't wait to read to her). And, I started making the ceiling puffs! Here are a few glimpses . . . remember "A-Work-In-Progress!"

Official Countdown:

34 Days!