Best trip to the grocery store... EVER

Not only did I get to use the new/expectant mother parking (first time!), but it was also their "brownie tasting event." Score.

Balancing act

Being pregnant with your first child is kind of like jumping into the unknown. You know things are going to be different, but you're not exactly sure how. You try and prepare yourself, but despite your best efforts, parenthood is a club reserved for those actually living it.

What Ben and I know for sure is that our lives will never be the same. Part of what scares me the most is juggling so many important priorities at once. How do we make time for our baby, our marriage and ourselves?

Obviously, it's all baby all the time when you bring your newborn home. That's an adjustment that you can only work on one day at a time. But I appreciated these suggestions from a Bay area blogger on how to be a happier parent in the long-run.

Pillow? What pillow?

Good thing she's cute.

CSA Week 4: Summer Squash

Nothing fancy this week. Just one of summer's most delicious delights: veggies on the grill.

We got 3 zucchini and 3 patty pan squash in our CSA box. I can think of nothing better then slicing them up, coating lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper, and throwing them on the grill.

The simple seasoning and lovely grill marks make it an ideal (and easy) summer side dish. What's better than that?

Rule of Three

Some of my fav bloggers have been doing this lately, so I thought I'd jump on board. Enjoy!

Three names I go by:
Sam
Samantha
Sammy

Which again raises the issue that I've never really had a nickname. Ever.

Three jobs I have had:
Car Hop
Library Assistant
Fundraising Pee-On (er, um, Assistant)

Three places I have lived:
Winona, MN
Madison, WI
Oshkosh, WI

Incidentally, there is only one other place that I've ever lived (Lomira, WI). So I've basically lived within a 200 mile radius my entire life.

Bonus fun fact: Ben's list is exactly the same, as he lived in Winona for one summer while interning at Winona Lighting.

Three favorite drinks:
Coffee
Diet Coke
Wine

Three TV shows I watch:
Grey's Anatomy
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Gossip Girl

Three places I have been:
Italy
Jamaica
Canada (eh?)

Three places I would like to visit:
Spain
Costa Rica
Hawaii

Three favorite dishes:
Chipotle burritos
Warm chocolate chip cookies
Mom's chili

Three things I am looking forward to:
Finishing our deck/fence project
A day trip to Door County or Terre Andre
Meeting our baby!

Bump Watch

My bad... this bump photo is about a week overdue. But here we are at 33 weeks.

You may be interested to know that I can't see my feet anymore. As Ben said this morning, "nothing about pregnancy is glamorous."

Too true.

CSA Week 3: Blueberries

Yum! Organic blueberries are so incredible. They are so much fresher and sweeter than anything you can get in the super market.

Though our CSA doesn't personally grow blueberries, they partner with a few like-minded farms in Michigan and Door County to get us various summer fruits all season long. This week we got a 5 lb. box of fresh blueberries from Ludec Farms, in addition to our regular Olden Produce vegetable fare (which included an insane amount of lettuce, by the way).

We ate nearly all the blueberries right out of the box, but when a friend posted this recipe for blueberry syrup, I had to try it.

Fresh Blueberry Syrup

3 cups fresh blueberries, washed and sorted to remove any wrinkled fruit
2 cups water
1/4 - 1/2 cup brown or white sugar (optional)

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer the berries until they break open and are completely soft (about 10 minutes). The berries will turn a dark reddish violet. Pour the berries into a large metal strainer positioned above a large bowl. With a large, sturdy spoon, rub the berry solids through the strainer. There will be very little waste. The skins thicken the syrup and provide the maximum amount of antioxidant benefits blueberries are known for. Serve warm or chilled. Makes 2 cups.

Notes: Since it was just Ben and I for breakfast, I cut the recipe in half. We served warm over waffles. The syrup is pretty thin... I think I'd reduce the water next time. Recipe courtesy of the Well-Seasoned Cook.

My mother, the organizing machine

My mom was in town for a few days this week, so I took Tuesday and Wednesday off to spend some time with her. We got a ton accomplished around the house... organizing the basement, taking a car-full of crap to St. Vinny's, re-arranging the nursery furniture, washing a million baby clothes, and assembling the new deck furniture. Whew! Nothing like a mom to kick household organization projects into high gear.

We also found a few hours for leisure time, with lunch at Caramel Crisp and shopping trips to Target and the Mom and Pop Place. Her visits always go so fast... I was sad to see her go this morning. Thanks a million, Mom!