T-minus one month until the elusive due date. Yes, I grunt and groan like a man and I’ve been pulling the pregnancy card more and more but overall I’m feeling great and not waddling (yet!). One pregnant woman story: I was playing ball with Oslo one day and his ball got stuck under one of our cabinets. So this pregnant woman got down on the hard cement floor in an odd corner of our place to get the ball and she couldn’t get back up. A few minutes later Cooper comes looking for me and I’m just on the ground floundering like a fish out of water. Good times.
Category: life cereal
the cat is out of the bag
This ain’t no spoof photo. We are growing a mini Cdawg/Ali…27 weeks to be exact!
Although we are not in the clear yet (not until baby comes out), we are thrilled. The entire baby growing process is so incredible…I have no idea what is going on or how do deal with it all but it is just happening! Due date is Nov 2nd but I’m hoping for an Oct 31 arrival. As I tell my nieces…if it comes on Halloween then maybe the baby will come out wearing a hairless rat costume. Ha! (the look on their faces when I said this was priceless). We don’t know if it is a boy or girl so it will be a surprise for one and all. Just keep your fingers crossed that all goes ok for us. All I can say is I LOVE being pregnant during the summer in the bay area…the produce tastes better than ever!
10 things that have happened as of late
10 things I’ve done/seen/observed lately in no particular order:
1.) Went home to Colorado. I loved walking in the early morning with my mom. I am my mom. We both really enjoy eating corn.
2.) Have had 7 nosebleeds in a week and a half. I blame 6 of them on the dry Colorado air and one on stabbing myself in the nose while playing with the dog. The best attack came on 2 minutes before a conference all for work. Thank goodness it wasn’t a video call.
3.) Prime steaks. Nectarines.
4.) Witnessed a snatch and grab robbery while on BART. Note to self: if you are ever in your own world looking at your iphone it is prime time for someone to swipe it out of your hands and run away. I wish I had reacted fast enough and tripped the guy running off the train. I also heard something outside our window but can’t mention what it was because then my parents would want me to move away from the bay area, ha!
5.) Tea with a long time friend. Good for the soul.
6.) Came home after leaving Cron for a week and found he had installed a DISHWASHER! And it was FREE! I am a new woman thanks to that contraption and thanks to Ctron.
7.) Got stabbed in the hip by a bee. My hip developed this great, big, itchy welt on it for days. Thank you bee. I still love you.
8.) Just being with family. Although we are collectively a bit intense at times we’ve got spirit and spirit keeps you going.
9.) Seeing the best aerial view of SF from the plane. Wish I had had my camera handy. The lighting was magical.
10.) Listening to the symphony outside. This summer we’ve listened to the SF Symphony, happened upon the NY Symphony rehearse (in Vail) and watched the SF ballet dance to the symphony at Stern Grove. Makes me feel fulfilled.
Ctrons bday and the de young museum of wonder
This year for ctron’s bday he got to pick whatever he wanted to do (our tradition) and I’d oblige with a big toothy smile. On the agenda was a trip to the De Young museum to see the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit. First, we shared a little coconut curry soup at the museum’s cafe (I LOVE art museum cafes by the way) to fuel up for hours of art looking. As for the exhibit, let me just say I was like a child with wide eyes of wonder. Seriously. I spent probably at least a half hour just in the entryway in awe. I don’t want to spoil anything for those of you who plan to go but this is how I’d describe the show: “Disneyland’s It’s a Small World ride meets couture fashion meets the Castro meets Madonna meets lots of cone bras.”
I “flirted” with these guys for at least 20 minutes..
And this was my favorite print:
After our trip to the De Young we treated ourselves to some of the best/smokiest beef brisket I’ve ever had. And the next few hours buying a new black suit. It was a wonderful wonderful day. I had a great bday on behalf of Cooper, ha!
On his actual birthday (which was a Monday, unfortunately) we dined on Burmese food and I made him his traditional strawberry shortcake…
catching up
Holy shazbot I’ve been lacking on the photo front lately. Not because I haven’t wanted to but life and little things are getting in the way. More on that later (winka, winka).
But, to get myself caught up on what we’ve been up to, how’s about two photos from the road on our road trip to Washington in May? The second image is my dream world.
One sad side story: we went to Red Robin on the way home (because we couldn’t find anything better to eat) and I didn’t want anything on the menu so I cried. At Red Robin. I seriously wept tears at Red Robin because I couldn’t find anything to eat. I’m so embarrassed but so it goes and the side salad and mac ‘n cheese blob I ended up eating tasted mighty good. To end this drama saga on a high note, after our meal the solar eclipse was happening so we got to watch it and probably burned our eyeballs.
ctron working = an extra large science fair project
This picture of Ctron at work looks to me like an extra large science fair project. I was a finalist in the science fair once…or I should say my dad did a good job with the saliva swabs we took from our dog’s mouth to grow bacteria cultures and test various antibiotic creams. But, I’m pleased to say that at 31 years old I’ve crafted the perfect science fair project: “how the life of a modern day photographer causes gray hairs and premature aging” (although I’d having to say Cdawg is aging quite nicely). A+
At this time last year…
At the time last year in Boulder, CO it was starting to lightly snow. At the ungodly hour of 10:15am-ish a small group of special people gathered in a field. The girls kicked off their heels in exchange for rubber boots, a banjo man played under a tree and probably froze his fingers off, some kids in shorts stopped by to sing us a tune, my brother the reverend donned his finest white suit and white top hat and the Ctron and I finally married each other…
A nice way to celebrate a good 10 years of “courting”…
We escaped the cold for some great food, the warmth of a fire and just the cozy feeling you get when you are around good people…
Within this first year as a couple we earned about $4 back in taxes (getting married isn’t really much of a tax relief) and we are plotting out what might be next…maybe we’ll move to Kentucky or Minnesota, maybe we’ll become nomads and live in an RV like I’ve always wanted, maybe we’ll start raising fainting goats, maybe we’ll start making hecka good sauerkraut and selling it at farmer’s markets, maybe we’ll just continue to be slaves to computers…I don’t know. But, our lives are certainly going to be changing and it is all really exciting. If anything I’m glad to be embarking on a life long adventure with a Ctron…he is really one swell guy. Feeling very blessed.
p.s. I’m also really really really thankful to the brave souls Jenna and Matt Walker who captured our muddy mess with frozen feet and didn’t complain one bit. Being on the other end of all of this we feel SO incredibly fortunate to have had them take our photos and immortalize our awkwardness in front of the camera. You guys are rad.
p.s.s. I promise not to write stuff like this every year. Just had to do it this one time. Ok, maybe once more when we celebrate our 50 years together.
i had me hairs cut
I know, no big deal. Girls are supposed to get their hairs cut all the time….like every 6 weeks of so. Well, I work from home so few people see my hairs on a regular basis so I don’t get them cut that often. But lately my hairs have been feeling really dull and dead. And I think I’m losing some hairs. So I made an appointment and after work I got my hairs cut. I have not had a lot of really amazing experiences with hair cutting people, and they usually charge me way too much to cut all twenty five of my hairs but I thought I deserved a little perking up. And this is the result (mind you, this is the day after the appointment, i.e. it has been slept on and such:
And while it isn’t anything revolutionary I think I like it and I had a good experience with the hair cutting dude and I gave him a good tip and my hairs feel alive again. So that is what is happening in my world. Hairs got a little choppin’. That is all.
Pretzel buns make my millenium
Food epiphanies. We’ve all had them. I’ll never forget when Ctron snuck a fried cheese appetizer at a wedding we shot in Italy and while I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off Cdawg was frozen solid, fully engaged in the fried cheese moment he was having with himself. Well, one of my many “food epiphany” moments was with some friends at Suppenkuche’s biergarten. Granted, it was a beautiful sunny weekend in January, and granted we were drinking liters of foamy/bubbly beverages…
But their butter charcuterie pretzel knot. Oh my. It had pickles. It had butter. It had meats. It was salty. It was pretzely. It was amazing. I could have eaten 100 and then had a coronary from all the salt/fat. But I would do it (maybe).
And of course I recently had a craving for one of these knots of pure delight. It was midweek and in the evening and rain was on the horizon so we didn’t go to the wonderful biergarten…we tried to recreate this pure salty pleasure. And while it wasn’t 100% there is sure was good and sure was close.
To make:
- If you are crafty, make your own pretzels of pretzel buns. We were not crafty and used the pretzel buns from Trader Joe’s
- Lightly pan fry said pretzel bun in some butter.
- Layer on some favorite charcuterie meats and pickle slices.
- Maybe add a bit more butter if you are feeling sinful.
- EATTTT!
Notice my peas. Yes, I lived in the mid west and I like peas. Oh, and that isn’t Fanta. It is tropical carrot juice with a splash of bubbly water but nonetheless the image of Fanta makes me want to dance.
I know you’se people are shy but I REALLY want to hear what food epiphanies you have had in your life. I like food and I like epiphanies and I like stories. Tell me!
something I learned from a friend: how to make whipped coconut body butter
I have to share a new blog a friend started that I just LOVE: Essence of Wellness. Having grown up in Boulder and after living nearly 10 years in the bay area and in Berkeley I **should** be more of a naturalist junkie/modern hippie but I’d say I’m half and half. I try to buy local but don’t always. I try to buy all natural and/or organic everythings but don’t always. I try to eat complex carbs but don’t always. I try to limit my sugar but don’t always. I try to shower but don’t always (ha!). I try to compost but don’t always. etc., etc. But learning how Ashley uses essential oils to create safer cleaning products, or to help ward off colds or to make her own deodorant intrigues me. She has so many good thoughts and approaches to how to make a more natural well balanced life…give it a look-see!
Since coconut water and coconut oil has been all the rage I’ve been trying to grasp what the hubbub is all about. I’m a little torn with the trend for two reasons: 1.) Most coconuts are not grown in the US thus leaving a pretty big carbon footprint for something you can drink in 2.5 seconds and 2.) the ADA (American Dietetic Association) doesn’t yet give a big raving thumbs up to coconut oil. But, I’ve heard it really is so good for you. So, what’s a girl to do? Small does are ok, right? Anyhow, while I’ve been trying to include a little more coconut oil in my diet I’ve also taken one of Ashley’s suggestions from her blog and made my own whipped coconut/lavender body butter! Yee haw! It is simple and easy and wonderful. I actually like it more than my semi expensive paraben free lavender shea lotion.
I don’t even need to illustrate this but since I have not taken any photos for fun in a little while I thought I’d show you just how easy it is to make your own lotion.
Just compile all the things you need, a whipper, coconut oil, an essential oil of choice, a spatula:
Add the coconut oil and several drops of the essential oil/s. Whip it. Whip it good. (note, the stage in the photo below is not whipped, you should whip it on high for about 6 minutes).
Put it in a tightly sealed jar and smell good and have enjoy your soft skin!
