the city of brotherly love

One of my dearest friends got married last weekend to her long-time boyfriend.  The wedding was in Philadelphia where they've lived for the past six years or so.  I've visited them there a few times over the years during trips back to NY.  But I had never gotten to take Adam along and thoroughly explore the historic city.  We were fortunate to have amazing weather the whole time we were there and the fall there is just awesome.  The colorful trees and falling leaves against the historic buildings and cobblestone streets is about as charming as it gets.

Our travel day was Adam's birthday.  He was a trooper about spending the majority of his day cooped up on an airplane.  He was rewarded handsomely with dinner that night at a cute little Italian restaurant called Porcini culminating with his most favorite dessert, tiramisu.  He probably could have done without the waiters singing, dimmed lights and candle that left all eyes in the restaurant on him.  But that wouldn't have been nearly as much fun!

Here we are all cleaned up and heading to the wedding.

The wedding had a lovely fall theme with orange gerbera daisies, pine cones and candles adorning the tables.

There were many of my oldest and dearest friends from the Portland era of my life in attendance.  This is my friend Berit, whom I met my freshman year at KU, and her husband.  Berit is one of my best friends in the world and the whole reason I ended up on the west coast.  It was great spending time with them.

The bride and groom both glowed with happiness and love.  They are currently honeymooning in Jamaica.  Wish I were there!

The highlight of the night for this preggy girl was the announcement that the bride and groom were cutting the cake!  Shortly after, I sent my husband to look for a piece of cake for me, but he soon came back to report that the cake was just sitting there, with no one preparing it for cutting or serving.  Most other guests were not concerned, but I certainly was!  So I sent my husband back on a mission to get that cake cut!  He did not disappoint me. . .and here is the fine young lad who hand delivered two pieces of cake just for me.  I only ate one piece.

Oh what a happy girl a piece of cake makes!

Once the cake kicked in, I was ready to dance.  And dance I did, belly and all.

The final day, we had several hours before our flight and decided to take in some of the history and culture of the city.  First stop, the Liberty Bell.  You know how many times they rang the Liberty Bell before it cracked?  One!  One measly time.

Next we visited Elfreth's Alley, popularly known as "our nation's oldest residential street".

It was a darling little street with pumpkins on every stoop and sleeping cats in the windows.  Crazy to think people still reside in these historic houses built in the early 18th century.

Wandering around this quaint Old Town area, we stumbled upon many random anomalies which we couldn't resist.

Historic figures were everywhere. . .

And we did our best to blend in.

Overall, a fantastic voyage filled with friends, food and fun.  Three of my favorite things!

hollywood nights

so it's true.  i do get moments of the full Hollywood experience from time to time.  last night was no exception.  we hosted a party at the Burton Snowboards store in LA to kick of the winter season and Shaun White was onsite to sign autographs and mingle with fans.  needless to say, his fans came out in droves to meet the Olympic gold medal superstar, lining up down the block several hours before we even opened the doors with everything from his notorious Wheaties box to snowboards to get signed.  but a few of his biggest fans were notorious in their own right.  the littlest Beckhams of soccer great David Beckham and uber "spicey" Victoria Beckham stopped by the store to meet Mr. White in person, skateboard around and get a couple of snowboards signed.  Becks looked on, snapping photos and looking every bit the proud papa.  we had to shut the store door for the few minutes they were there to ensure everyone's safety, but outside, the paparazzi crowded the windows trying to capture photos. 

and i stood by watching it all unfold.  with a full belly.

i love my sister

I just learned that it's *LOVE MY SISTER* week. According to the post I saw on Facebook, if you have a sister who has "made you laugh, wiped your tears, hugged you, watched you succeed, saw you stumble, cheered you on and kept you strong", you are supposed to change your Facebook status for them.  Well my sister isn't on Facebook, so I'm doing a special blog post in her honor because she's done all of those things for me. 

My sister is 4 years older than me and has always served the protective big sister role.  I was kind of a runt AND I wore big, thick glasses.  Let's just say that gave a lot of leverage for mean kids to bully me.  But she was always there to stick up for me. 

Although we've had our ups and downs and growing pains over the years, I'm proud to report that we've fully embraced each other now that we're all grown up.  There isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish I could see my sister and spend more time hanging out together. . .laughing, crying, cooking, cleaning, shopping, eating and doing crafts. Well, maybe not so much cleaning.  We are so different, yet so similar.  And there are so many things in life that I know only my sister can understand.  Thank God for the telephone. . .and email. . .and texting. . .and blogs!

Love you sister!

fall is finally here!

the last month or so, i've been craving fall weather.  and despite temps still in the upper 90s, i've been pretending it's fall and making fall comfort foods like chicken and noodles and chili.  today, after much waiting, fall is finally here!  it's overcast and rainy with only a high of 72 degrees and i absolutely love it.  granted, i don't have to go anywhere, so that makes it all the much better. 

last night, i got home a little late after a movie and hadn't eaten dinner.  adam had already eaten, so i decided to keep it simple and fast and nuked up some potato soup from a can.  blech!  it was horrible and only made my craving for good potato soup all the stronger.  so i decided today that i would make some.  but i didn't want to go out in the rain to the store.  so i searched for a simple recipe that didn't call for anything i didn't already have.  voila!  i found this one.  the soup has been simmering for a few hours and has filled the house with it's aroma.  and even though it's only 11:30 in LA, i can't wait any longer!  i'm baking up some garlic bread, grating a little sharp cheddar on top of the soup and then digging in. 

here's the simple recipe!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
• 1/4 minced onions
• 1/2 t. seasoning salt
• 1/4 t. white pepper
• 1/4 t. ground red pepper
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, cut into small chunks

Directions:

1. Combine broth, potatoes, onion, and spices.
2. Boil on medium heat until potatoes are tender.
3. Smash a few of the potatoes to release their starch for thickening.
4. Reduce to low heat.
5. Add cream cheese.
6. Heat, stirring frequently, until cheese melts.

or find a direct link here:
http://www.food.com/recipe/paneras-cream-cheese-potato-soup-150863

growing

22 weeks and 3 days
waist now measures 35 inches (originally 27 inches)
weight = 132 pounds (originally 120 pounds)

shopping problem

i have been on a purchasing frenzy.  shopping for our new little addition to the family is just too much fun.  and since she's our first, we need everything!  here's a round up of our major purchases so far.

this high chair is from IKEA.  it was only $20!  it gets rave reviews for its clean, modern lines and also it's safety and functionality.  i have to admit it was quite a task to get my hands on it as it's always sold out.  my diligence paid off and we scored one a few weeks ago.  i know, i know. . .i won't need it for awhile.  but i'm glad we have it for when we do!

this organic crib bedding set was a total impulse buy.  i wasn't even looking for bedding when i stumbled upon it online.  but it was too cute to pass up and fits perfectly with the look and colors of what i am going for in the nursery. it's modern and feminine without being too frilly or girly.  and no pink (yay!)   it looks really different in our nursery on our white crib against our spearmint walls. . .much better really.  i'll share pics soon.

loved this simple modern bamboo mobile.  i've been a bit obsessed with birds!  it was a total pain to assemble and hang.  the included thread was literally as thin as a strand of hair and so hard to work with.  so i finally switched to a thicker fishing line that i had around and things went much more smoothly.  it's hanging over the crib!

this glider was one of my first big purchases for the nursery.  i loved it's clean simple lines, neutral color and it's absolutely cozy.  kind of makes you feel like you're sitting in a big marshmallow.  thinking that'll be a bonus during those middle of the night feedings.  i plan on adding a little footstool and a cozy blanket for those very occassions.

this is the Gulliver crib from IKEA.  it's exactly what i wanted. . .clean, modern, simple and budget friendly!  the mattress can be dropped lower when the little peanut gets bigger and starts standing.

i've been on the hunt for the perfect alphabet print.  i discovered this one on Etsy and thought the color combination worked perfectly with the room.  it hasn't arrived yet, but hoping the colors are true to what they look line online.

this is the stroller i purchased.  it has an adapter to carry the carseat, or a bassinet for use early on.  babies can right forward or backward facing and it's got lots of bells and whistles. it's lightweight, folds up easily and travels over all kinds of terrain.  i love it.

here's another print that i just love with the color combo in the nursery.  it's hanging in there now!

this is our carseat. . .the chicco keyfit 30.  it integrates well with the stroller and is easy to install in the car.  i've tried it myself with success!

 and finally, the "you are my sunshine" print. . .also purchased from Etsy.  i just love that Etsy site.

happy anniversary to us!

four years ago today, i married my sweet husband.  they say there is someone for everyone, and there wasn't a doubt in my mind, i had found my perfect someone.  four years later, i'm still convinced that we are a perfect match.  oh sure, we have our moments of discourse.  but more times than not, i'm in total awe and appreciation at what a fantastic man i have by my side.  he completely blows the stereotypes of a typical guy out of the water.  he does the laundry and the dishes.  he takes the trash out without me asking.  he grocery shops.  he compliments me relentlessly. . .even now in my bloated state.  he's sensitive and sweet and romantic.  he rubs my back every night for hours without complaint and without wanting anything in return.  he likes to watch just about everything i like to watch on tv.  he brings me flowers for no reason at all.  he never ditches me for sporting events, televised or otherwise.  and sometimes, he even wears eyeliner.  yes, he is my perfect match and i cherish him daily.

four months from now, we are having a baby.  i have no doubt, he will be the best dad too.