fall weekend

It was one of those weekends where we did just enough to not feel like it was a complete waste, but not so much that we felt like slaves to the weekend.  We got a coat of paint in the nursery, then ran out of paint.  I love it already.  White was definitely the right choice.

Friday was pedicures and BLTs for supper.  Baby wanted a BLT, so baby had 3 over the course of the weekend.  Saturday we grocery shopped, painted, made apple crisp, J mowed [hopefully for the last time of the year], then we went to a friend's house for the Iowa vs. Iowa State game.  It was not a pretty sight.  None of us really cared, though, because the 15 month old kept us entertained by splashing in the dog water and dancing.  She also demanded that I share my apple crisp with her.  Apparently mine was better than everyone else's?

Today we went to church where we got soaked in a down pour.  So we came home and made french onion soup.  Perfect for fall.  Now there's stuffing and a chicken waiting to be put in the oven and potatoes waiting to be boiled and mashed for the epitome of a fall dinner.  Plus some apple crisp to polish off.  Let it be known that I have had more than Justin.  But I think the baby made me do it.

To cap off the wonderfulness of this weekend, I seem to be over the morning sickness hump.  I even forgot to take my Zofran this morning and haven't needed it yet.  That's not saying that I'm completely done being nauseous.  But it's definitely becoming less constant.  Thanks be to GOD!

iPhone evidence of the weekend.  Also known as, I need to charge both of my real cameras.

Lady having a lie in on Friday morning.  Waking up is hard.

One of my glorious BLTs.  Seriously delicious.

Lady wanted the BLT.  But didn't want to beg from the floor, so she tried the beg-from-the-couch method.  

The bump and I in our ISU attire.  Apparently it isn't a lucky shirt.  Also, let it be known; my pants are not buttoned in this picture.

basically I'm freaking out

I had my ideas for the nursery set in stone.  I was going to have white walls with grey polka dots, then splashes of chartreuse for an accent throughout the room.

photo originally found here.

Then ehh, maybe all grey walls with pale white polka dots.  

Then I realized my walls are far too heavily textured to ever achieve the perfect polka dot and I do not want to drive my poor pregnant self crazy.

So.  Scratch the polka dots.  We'll do grey walls with one accent wall of chartreuse.  Paint colors were picked out.  Everything was good to go.  Until Justin said "let's go get paint then."

*cue brakes coming to a screeching halt*

All of the sudden I hate grey walls.  They depress me.  The oppress me.  The just mess with me.  No grey.  No chartreuse.  I just want white.

"White?"  he says.  "You know we're only doing this once."

More panic.  Do I want white?  Do I want a color?  Will I change my mind once every 3 weeks for the next 27 weeks making 9 total nursery decoration changes?

I consulted my pinterest "For when I have a squishy babe" pin board.  I definitely want white walls.  Then I did something stupid.  I consulted the website Houzz.  Ridiculously amazing nurseries.  And I saw it.  The one. After much research, and a conversation with Justin about how he can either know the price, or just be blissfully unaware and I'll be happy.  He chose blissfully unaware.  I think?  Anyways.  White walls, with an accent of THIS:

photo originally from here.

So cute.  Gender neutralish... If I have a girl I'll add some girlish accents and presto.  Plus, I would have loved it as a little girl.  The elephants!  The birds!  The lambs!

White paint is bought.  Carpet is shampooed.

That's the plan.  This week.

Here is my inspiration picture.

Contemporary Kids by Toronto Interior Designers & Decorators Dvira - Interior Design Toronto

home

Generally speaking, people refer to the places in which they live as their homes. I call my home in Dubuque "home", but I also call my parent's house and Justin's parents house "home." 

In my younger, more dramatic years[....] when distraught I'd often cry I want to go home. And that was always to this place. The A-frame log cabin on Lake Huron. Still when I dream of home, it's here majority of the time. Is that how one qualifies home? The place that you visit the most in your subconscious? 

When will it stop being my home? Where I can relax in peace. I could sit at the bottom of the steps for hours and study the logs that build these walls or watch the waves as they slowly lap against the sand. I look around its sad, gutted walls and I still see the old pictures of us when we were younger. The ghost of my parent's wedding picture hangs in the hallway until I turn to examine it. I can hear the end of the Tiger's game as I drift to sleep, until I realize it is silent downstairs. 

Even if this place won't be here for me forever, I can visit it in my mind whenever I want. Is that the same, though?

I love this picture. It looks like it was taken 30 years ago. 

The view from "my spot" at the table. 

The view of the lake from the dining room. 

Wallpaper on the ceiling people. It's a thing. 

Best mirror for plucking eyebrows or doing makeovers. Ignore my awkward face. Clearly I'm blowing a bubble with my gum. Also, Lady insisted on being a part of this. 

The view from the bottom of the stairs. Already so different from what it used to be. 

Perilous stairs. 

Map of the bay. 

98% vegan

I say that because, occasionally, I cheat.  Like the cookies that my brother brought me from Germany, I'll be damned if I don't eat those puppies!  But for the most part, we've been vegan for 2 weeks and 1 day.  And it's not too bad.  I'll admit, I did have to text my friend whose husband is vegetarian last night and beg for her veggie burger recipe.  But other than that, it's going well.  So well that when I see chicken it grosses me out.  No worries, hamburgers still look amazing.  Hopefully our veggie burgers tomorrow will kick that craving.

Another benefit to going vegan is I've stopped eating candy.  I went cold turkey off of it.  And I don't miss it.  That has never happened to me before.  Usually when I give up candy I get really grumpy and think about it constantly.  That has not been the case this time.  I made black bean brownies for J's birthday last week that weren't stupendous, but we'll get there.  

The worst thing I've made while being a vegan was probably my vegan chili.  Horrible.  The best thing was the vegan waffles.  They.  Were.  Amazing.  Crispy and delicious.  Even if we went off being vegan, I'd never use my old recipe again.  I could eat waffles every day.

I'm even eating spinach.  It's happening people.  I didn't put one piece of spinach in the discard pile tonight. [Background: the discard pile is where I place all of the unsavory bits of food that aren't fit for consumption.  Be it an item that touched the table -the horror- an iffy looking leaf of lettuce, or a particularly menacing spinach stem.  Justin also makes discard piles, but he usually forgets they're discards and eats them...]  This week of vegan meals is looking to be the best one yet.  Pizza, veggie burgers, and one pot pasta are on the list.  

Happy Monday!

fuggy

Which means warm and muggy in my head.  And maybe I read something like it somewhere but now I walk into a room and say "ergh, it's fuggy in here." Which in turn makes people go "huh?"  Which is okay I guess.

There are three words I say far too often both in conversation and in writing.  They are as follows; which, but, and also.  I'm working on it.

Today was a weird day for me.  I had vertigo all day from goodness knows what, so I took some Benadryl because, honestly, I take Benadryl for just about everything...  So I was out. of. it.  But it helped with the dizziness.  Then I was on a phone call and the person I was talking to was hardcore recruiting me to join his company.  He wanted me to relocate which I told him isn't exactly feasible at the moment because the old husband has a kick bum job here and I can't make him move.  Then I texted that same elderly husband about the phone call and he immediately looked up job postings in that area.  My response was very surprising to me.

I put on the brakes.  Said "hold the phone, Stan!" And felt weirdly nostalgic about this town that I degrade on the daily.  What!?  Megan, you can't possibly like it here.  Not enough to stay forever.  But the idea of leaving right now, or within the next couple of months.  Unfathomable.  So I learned that about myself today.  It's always enlightening to discover what you truly want, isn't it though?

the summer without leaves

and other short stories.

Tonight J-dawg informed me that this will be the summer without leaves.  I kind of believe him.  I'm feeling hopeless about the tree's nudity.  The trees above dwell in our backyard and wave their cold, naked branches in the wind.  I've seen leaves in pictures, but I haven't seen a real, green leaf in person since last summer.  

I would also like to include my decision that sweet potato fries cool down quicker than regular potato fries.  This is real people.  They get clammy.  Ew, what a horrible description.

Tonight I cut a big piece of Easter candy in half for J and I to share and placed each half on a saucer.  When Justin picked up his plate, he also picked up the spoon sitting on the counter next to his dessert then asked, "Wait, what do I need a spoon for?"  I laughed for five minutes.  And then decided that I'm not the best at putting my breakfast dishes away.  [I could have said that I decided to be better about putting my dirty dishes in the dishwasher, but let's be honest...]

There are 70 and 80 degree days in the ten day forecast.  I want to dance and sing and befriend woodland creatures.

Thank goodness that this winter is coming to an end.  But please, can we have leaves?

april showers

We spent the weekend in Minnesota where it snowed.  All weekend.  Happy Birthday, Mom, here's a bucketload of snow and some lovely January worthy temperatures.  As the whole midwest has been complaining, it has been a dismal spring.  Last year at this time my crabapple trees were in beautiful full bloom and all the leaves were out.  Today it drizzled and was 38 degrees.  Seriously April 15th?  Last night when we returned to Dubuque, however, it was 70.  We experienced a 40 degree temperature change over 250 miles.  That threw me out of whack!  I was dizzy from the pressure change but after a weekend of snow, it was welcome.

These are my trees last year at this time.  If not a few weeks earlier.

I had a very negative week last week.  I started about 4 blog posts and deleted them out of frustration.  I didn't get into the graduate program that I applied to and felt very unwanted because of it.  I spent the weekend at home trying to rise above my funk through shopping and chocolate chip cookies.  Let me tell you, it worked.  There are many grad programs that I can apply to for the next year.  And the one that rejected me would have been a pain anyway with the two hour drive once a week.

Adorned with my new attitude, I kicked bum at the grocery store today and got a week's worth of food for 65$ [boom].  Then made kick bum fajitas [boom].  Then cleaned all the floors and kitchen cabinets [seriously, boom].  The following are the reasons why I love cleaning the floors:

1. I love when the carpet is all going the right direction before it gets mussed up by a certain pit bull.
2. I love watching homeland security [Lady, the aforementioned pit bull] try to decide how to deal with the vacuum and swiffer.  They're frightening.  Tonight she ended up hiding behind Justin on the couch with her poor little ears back.
3. I love, LOVEEE the way it smells in the house when the floors are clean.

Also today I got my Kohl's card in the mail.  It is evidence that some people just need to retire.  My first name and middle initial is repeated on it about 4 times before they put my last name [Megan M Megan M Megan M].  Who even sent that out?  Obviously that cannot possibly be my name!  Plus my address is jacked up.  It's a miracle the card got to me in the first place.  So that's something exciting I get to work on tomorrow...

Happy Monday.  Bring it on week.  Also Universe, please can I have some blossoms? 

A couple of things

1. It is Tuesday and we had tacos.  Unintentional Taco Tuesday win in the Gross household.  Can we just reminisce for a minute how much I love tacos?  See here & here [specifically number 8].

2. Apparently I really like numbering.  I don't know why I'm acting surprised.  I send Justin text messages with numbers too.

3. The guy on tv right now talking about some suicide case looks like the oldest Brady brother of whose name I have forgotten.  I know it's not Bobby...

4. Lady does this thing when she sees something out of the window, she thinks it's out every window.  Or something.  Today some kids dropped an informational packet about a food bank fundraiser off on our front porch and Lady went bonkers.  When a strange noise is heard in the dark of night she'll give off a little woof, but when a child comes innocently to the porch in broad daylight she decides to sound the alarms.  Weirdo.  Anyways, after the threat had been neutralized she ran to the back window to...watch them?  Obviously they weren't out there.  This dumbfounded her.  She is equally confused during the summer when the chipmunk [Stuart] teases  her outside our patio door.  He'll run down under the deck and Lady will run into the next room expecting him to be there.  Every time.  We've given up hope on her figuring that one out.

5. I have a secret stash of jellybeans that Justin can't find.

6. I've filled out my March Madness bracket and this year is the year.  Gonzaga will win!  I don't know where Gonzaga is even, but every year I choose them to win the championship because of their awesome sounding name.  I can smell it this year.  It's happening.  I also have Bucknell going pretty far.  Where the h is Bucknell?  Finally, why did I not go to a more excitingly named school?

And since it snowed another 4 inches yesterday [March 18th gosh darnit!] here is a picture from our honeymoon.  It was blessedly warm, and we ate so many hamburgers.  Disney World is the best.  But also... Hogwarts. Hogwarts.  Hoggy Warty Hogwarts. teach me something please!

Nerd.

fin.

Dabbling in goat cheese

Usually when Justin and I undertake in DIY house projects one or both of us end up in a sour mood.  I know they say that there's more than one way to skin a cat.  And that may be true.  AANNDD I've never skinned a cat... but I'm pretty sure my way would be the best way.

It's like that.

Luckily I was inspired while dodging co-workers at Hy-vee and bought a rack of ribs, so I already had that going for me as a good apology dinner.  To accompany the ribs I made goat cheese scalloped potatoes.  Justin isn't very sure about goat cheese so I went light on it, but if you love it by all means use a heavy hand.

Goat Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

[the UN-recipe]

3[ish] pounds of potatoes- if using baby reds or yukon golds, then keep the skins on, otherwise peel.

A roll, or log if you will, or chèvre.  Herb chèvre highly recommended but the good 'ol Fareway didn't have it this time. Note: I only used about 1/3 of the log, possibly 1/2 if you account for the snacking I did while assembling.

Salt and or garlic salt.

Pepper

1/4 stick of butter

1/4-1/3 cup of corn starch

1-2 cups of milk of choice (almond, coconut, soy, cow, NOT goat)

Any other flavoring you like, for example, thinly slice onion may be appropriate If your husband is mad at you for being huffy about wall hangings I recommend skiping the onions.

Thinly slice the onions [by hand for those seeking penance for their bad attitudes] and layer them in a deep, greased casserole dish.  After there are enough potatoes in the bottom, sprinkle with salt, pepper then dot with butter and chèvre and sprinkle with corn starch.  Repeat layers.  When you reach the top layer, skip the corn starch as it isn't the prettiest on top.  Once everyone is all layered in and happy pour enough milk in the casserole to come about 3/4th of the way up the pan.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1-11/2 hours.  Check the potatoes to see if they're tender and if the sauce is thickening up.

Whatever you do, DO NOT cover the casserole dish or you and your partner in crime will be running around opening doors and windows and flapping towels as the dog runs around looking very concerned about the decibal at which the smoke alarm screams.  Plus you'll have to clean the oven, and that's such a bummer.  

Harry Potter is on ABC Family, which is excellent.

It's "The Order of the Phoenix" which I haven't always appreciated enough.  But as I've grown older, I appreciate it more.  Except for the part when Cho and Harry kiss because that is just so weird.

Also tonight we went to the Hyvee, which I love because we didn't need anything real (except syrup for my pancakes) so we could just meander around.  And meander we did.  We roamed around the fruit and J let me prod a weird looking fruit that actually was really pokey and hurt.  Then we considered buying sun dried tomatoes, but they were expensive so we got roasted red peppers instead.  Then we bought Log Cabin syrup, which reminds me of growing up.

I was also allowed to buy Peanut butter Panda Puffs because I said I was craving them.  PLUS we got to buy treats.  Justin got frozen greek yogurt and I got raspberry sorbet which was so good.  

When we got home I ate some sorbet.  And then a bowl of Panda Puffs.  And then I almost cried.  Because the snacks were good.  And I really love when Harry Potter is on tv.

In which Lady smells like a rotting fish. And makes me crazy.

Lately my pit bull has been driving me bonkers.  I don't' know what it is.  Let me restate, I don't know what it is that has gotten into her to make her so annoying.  

On Tuesday we got an epic March snow storm.  It snowed to beat the band.  An inch per hour.  March snow is wet snow, heavy snow.  Of course this just being our first year of homeownership, we have yet to purchase a snow blower.  I beat Justin home, and ate over half of a Happy Joe's BLT pizza [let it be known, BLT is the best flavor of pizza] and felt like I should be a helpful and supportive wife.  I shall shovel so that my knight in shining armor can make it safely into the driveway! This I boldly stated to myself and my Ladydog.  

I put the aforementioned canine on her chain outside and set out into the tundra to partake in my first commitment to tundra removal in many a moon.  I probably lifted about 16 shovels full of snow, but those shovels were HEAVY!  Oofda.  Lady hated it.  She was barking like an idiot.  Being a considerate and embarrassed neighbor, I decided it was time for this beast to be placated by putting her in the garage.  This is where she goes when we aren't home lest she feel the need to take a poo on the rug or pee on my blanket.  Again I say, MY BLANKET!!! 

As I escorted her royal barkness to her throne room, she did a bunk.  Pulled a fake.  Blitzed the quarterback.  So I called her.  Lady, sillyhead, don't run up the driveway.  Come back! Lady!  LADY!

LADY!

Oh $&*%!

Picture a girl, not very big, in green hunter boots, a brown eskimo parka, and chartreuse mittens running like the wind after the skinniest, stripiest pit bull hell bent on getting the H out of here.  She was gone.  I panicked whilst I ran.  Will the neighbors hate me?  Will she jet out into the street and be squashed under a passerby?  Will I throw up that pizza?  Will Justin divorce me in the event of a lost forever dog?  Will I slip on some well hidden ice?  Seriously, am I going to upchuck this pizza?  Then as I yelled "STAY" my pit bull finally came to a stop about 5 or 6 houses down.  She kept trying to skulk away from me.  I used my angriest mom voice [you have to practice before you need to use it for real] and finally was able to grab her by the collar.  She wouldn't come willingly, so I carried my 50 pound pit bull back to the house. Then I called her grandmother.  Her grandmother was disappointed by her choices.  She then made excuses for the pit bull because she loves her to pieces.  On days again like today I don't quite understand why.

So far today she has tried to lick the clean dishes in the dishwasher maniacally, tried to remove all of the pillows and cushions from the couch and chair, told me THREE times that she needs to go outside only to be put on her chain to sniff at the snow and cast judging glares into the neighbor's yard, tried to assault me on the couch because I was on the computer and not spooning her [spooning is kind of her thing], and last but not least, turned on my caps lock.  

She's currently curled up next to me sleeping, her ears and eyelids twitching.  I guess she's pretty cute.  

This is our B-E-A-UTIFUL new couch that was delivered yesterday.  It's everything I wanted in a couch.  Plus.  Seriously those pillows.