the one with lemon blueberry zuchinni loaf

A friend of mine has this huge, beautiful garden in her backyard and she gives us some goodies whenever they have extra (which happens to be pretty often).
This visit, she gave me a bunch of zuchinni's. I immediately headed to PINTEREST to find something fun and yummy to do with the zuchinni. I also wanted to be able to make something with ingredients I already had in the house.
This brings me to Lemon Bluberry (or Raspberry, whichever you prefer) Zuchinni loaf.

Ingredients:
-2 cups all purpose flour
-2 teaspoons of baking powder
-pinch of salt
-2 eggs
-1/2 cup vegetable oil (or applesauce)
-2/3 cup of sugar
-1/2 cup milk (I used whole)
-1/4 cup of fresh lemon
-1 cup blueberries
-1 cup shredded zuchinni

a few notes on the ingredients: add lemon as you want. I love lemon flavored food so I go lemon crazy! Also as noted above: use apple sauce rather than vegetable oil to make it healthier. Zuchinni needs to be shredded but not tiny.

Steps:
-preheat oven to 350 degrees
-mix the dry ingredients
-mix wet ingredients
-mix that all together & fold in zuchinni/blueberries
-put into 9' loaf pan
-cook for between 40-45 min

You can add icing on top of this after it cools off and the icing will harden.

ICING:
-1 cup powdered sugar
-lemon juice
-some milk
Mix this all together so its the consistency you like and put it on the loaf once cooled.

the one where Im 17 weeks along

17 weeks! I cant believe I am almost halfway there!

 

How far along: 17 weeks!
Total weight gain: Im not sure. I haven't weighed myself in forever and my next dr appointment isn't until mid July
Maternity clothes: I am wearing my regular clothes right now but with my belly band. Momma cant zip or button up my pants.
Stretch marks: Fingers crossed for none!
Sleep: I think I have figured out that if I go to sleep at 10 and wake up with Tori I can make it through the day without a nap. If I go to sleep any earlier its too much sleep and if its any later its not enough sleep.
Best moment of this week: How many people have told me I am officially showing! The bump has officially made its debut.
Miss anything: Alcohol.
Movement: YES! No one on the outside can feel her yet but I can when I am laying down.. especially on the couch at night.
Food cravings: N/A
Anything making you queasy or sick: Still no chipotle.
Have you started to show yet: Yep
Gender: GIRL GIRL GIRL
Labor signs: Thankfully no!
Belly button in or out: In but on its way out.
Wedding rings on or off: On
Happy or moody most of the time: Neither. Exhausted.
Looking forward to: Dan and Tori getting to feel her move!

the one with fathers day 2015

This letter is from Tori to Dan.

Daddy,
I love you so much. Thank you for always playing with me. Thank you for always watching me and worrying about me and making sure that I am safe. I especially like when you tickle my neck. It makes me laugh so loud and I always beg you for more and you keep doing it. I also really like when I say to you "Daddy, toys" and you come with me to my playroom to play and sometimes you just watch me play but that is ok because I just like when you are with me. You are funny. You are very handsome and I like your beard. I like the way you use it to tickle my face. I miss you when you are at work. I love to hide from you and scare you when I see you. I also like to pretend that I don't want to see you when I first get up from a nap but then I am actually really happy to see you and want to hug you. My arms fit so perfectly around your neck. I like to give you kisses. Daddy, even though it seems like Mommy is my favorite, you actually are. I love you so much. You are the best daddy in the whole wide world. Happy Fathers Day.

the one with our gender reveal

I am so not a surprise kind of person. I hate surprises. NOTE TO ANYONE who ever thinks "Hey, Itd be fun to surprise Ang for her bday-Xmas-Vday". Don't do it. I wont like it lol.
This rolls over onto my pregnancies. The whole giving birth thing is surprise enough for me, so yes, I want to know the gender ASAP. Like as in, the day I find out I am pregnant, that would be great.
Things have changed a little since I had Tori. My OB now offers what is called the "Harmony blood test". It is a blood test done around 10 weeks of pregnancy. They take my blood (it in no way affects the baby)... then they send it away to a lab which dissects my blood to find the fetal cells (crazy, I know).. and from there, the blood test checks for a couple of different trisomys (they give you a high risk or low risk response and then you still get an ultrasound to do an old school way of looking for those things) and then they can also tell you the gender because they can check the chromosomes that the baby has. So I have known the gender since about 12 weeks.

Our baby has XX.

IT'S A GIRL!

 

I found out over the phone while sitting in the Giant parking lot. I was beyond shocked. I dont know.. I just could not imagine another Tori. She is so beautiful, smart, sassy.. I cant imagine what another girl is going to look like. When I was pregnant with Tori I literally KNEW she would have my skin and Dans lighter hair and eye coloring. I told everyone, and then she was born.. and she has grown into exactly that.. my little light brown curly haired, blue eyed girl. I wonder if since I cant imagine this baby girl's looks it means they will be way different? Dan says he hopes she looks like Tori.. I say I hope she has dark brown hair and dark brown eyes so I can take credit for at least one child's looks lol.

Anywho.. how I told Dan:

He had work that day so once I found out, me and Tori went on the run looking for anything we could find that said 'little sister'. It was actually harder to find than I was expecting. Finally, Target saved the day. We found an adorable tshirt and pants set that said "Little Sister" on it. When Dan got home from school we were sitting out back and I said to him "You have to see what Tori picked out for the baby today"... he read it and goes "aw, that's cute"... and about a minute later it processed & he was like "WAIT?! WHAT?! LITTLE SISTER?!" and started laughing a nervous and surprised laugh. He couldn't believe it either. Can we handle another Tori? LOL. I used that adorable outfit to pretty much tell all of our family and close friends. I was very pleasantly surprised at how exciting it was to find out she is a GIRL even though I alrdy have one girl. I wasnt sure how it would hit me but it was just as awesome as finding out Tori was a girl.

I love being a girl mom. I love all things girl. The colors, the fashion, the time together, the way we cuddle.. the way we know each other on such a deep level because we are two of the same. I know I will also love all things woman. The relationships. The lunches together. Shopping together. The advice. Watching my girls become women who then become mommies. Or doctors. Or not. Whatever the want, because they are mine and I will always support anything and everything they do. My girls, my best friends for life. I am so so so lucky and happy! And I could not be more thrilled to raise two little ladies who will also be the best of friends and support each other through life.

 



the one with Lake Tobias

This past Monday we visited Lake Tobias.
Dan's dads 80th birthday is this week so we invited him to come along as part of his birthday celebration. There aren't many things to do with an 80 year old that aren't too physically demanding, he doesn't drink, hes super religious. This all means we have to play the bday celebrations very safe. Luckily for us, he has never been to Lake Tobias and it had been a really, really long time since he had been to any sort of zoo.

Everything we loved:
-The trip was so easy. Mostly highway and then through a tiny town called Halifax, which btw.. there is NOTHING there. We saw a Mcdonalds. Exciting.
-It was extremely family friendly. From the 2 year old to the 80 year old, we all loved it.
-The safari ride was definitely the best part. The way the animals would come up to the bus and let you pet them and feed them, it was awesome.
-They had really cool animals. It wasn't just buffalo and goats. They had bears, lions, zebras, etc.
-Anyone over the age of 3 cost $7 for entry to the park and $6 for the safari ride. Totally reasonable.

NOTES IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE THE TRIP:
-I recommend packing a lunch. The parking lots all had pavilions for seating/eating and they also had parks for the kids to play right at the pavilions. They have a food court, the prices were good but the food was not.
-If you have to take a stroller, take a heavy duty one. We took Tori's little folding one that is super light and easy to take places which is great but it slid on the stones sooo much. It was a pain. We ended up putting it under a tree and just remembering to pick it up afterwards.
-Make sure you have your hand sanitizer. They have some in various spots but your child will touch animals and dirty things in between the sanitizing stations and you will need your own.
-Do not forget your camera.
-Try to go during a weekday. Apparently the weekends are crazy and since we went on a Monday (and a lot of schools were still in session) we pretty much had the place to ourselves.
-Dress for hiking. Sneakers. Casual outdoor clothing.
-Pack your own water.

*Overall, I would give this trip a 9/10. Literally the only thing is I wish I would have packed our lunches. Now time for the picture overload:

the one where I talk about June

June is my most favorite month of the year. Always has been. This year (or really since adding Tori to our family) it is even busier and more fun than ever. So.. our month:

-My friend Danica's wedding starts off wedding season for us. It is going to be gorgeous. This is my first CBRB wedding, I am so excited.
-Dan is finished school this week!!! Daddy takes on a part time job at my aunt and uncles shop (his second yr) but the hours are short (lunch time, mon-thurs) so we get lots more daddy time!!! So excited.
-Real estate, real estate, real estate. I am SO busy and just loving it.
-My daddys birthday. Our special guy. Love him. We are going out for dinner as a joint bday/fathers day gift. John Wright. We haven't been there and it is where Chris and Madelyn are having their wedding so I cant wait to try it. I heard its delish!
-Dan's dads birthday. He is turning 80!!! Yes, you read that right... 80!!! We are taking him to spend a day with us and Tori at Lake Tobias and take him for lunch. Should be a lot of fun. He loves anything that has to do with his family. He is so proud of all of us. Its adorable.
-My sister in laws 21st birthday!!! FINALLY, SUMMER WILL BE 21!! SO EXCITED. We are meeting her out in Lancaster to celebrate. Annie B's, Marion Court..Im sure it wont be a late night since she is a light weight.
-Madelyns birthday... celebrating with dinner with friends, totally pregnancy friendly.
-MY 28TH BIRTHDAY!!!!! I can hardly believe it. 28 is real life. This year I will become the mother of two, celebrate our 4 year wedding anniversary.. the 2nd year in our home.. 4 years in real estate.. will hopefully pop this babe out and be in better shape than I ever have been. I might even add run a half marathon to my 28th birthday year to-do list (See Summer, Im really considering it!). I really want to blow this year out of the water. I am celebrating with a PaintNite with my girlfriends.
-Strawberry picking with Tori and Izzy and Sum Sum.
-Lots and Lots of pool days.
-BEACH TRIP WITH TORI, MY MOM AND MY MAMMY! I cannot wait to get my baby girl at the beach. She loves the water more than ever.
-My cousins baby shower. More babies being added to the family makes me so happy. Our little beans will be 3 months apart. Good stuff.

the one at 13.5 weeks and a scare

This post is a bit on the TMI side but hey.. if I am being honest and not just showing the -fluffy- good stuff in life, then what is the point of a blog?
I had a huge scare yesterday but all is ok now so I can talk about it.
Yesterday morning I headed to York for a real estate appointment. Days in York usually means I get some time with my Momma which is always fun. We had lunch and a shopping day planned. After my appointment, we go to Cracker Barrel as it is close to my new listing and Dan hates any chain restaurant so I am able to go to one when hes not along (lol). We are waiting in line to be seated and I thought I laughed too hard or something and had a trinkle. LOL. Ladies, you know how it is... it happens sometimes when you are pregnant. Or after you have given birth. Of course Tori didn't want me to go to the bathroom alone and I end up taking her with me. I go to the bathroom, look down and the most terrifying sight: blood. A lot of it. I must have had it written all over my face, as soon as I come out of the bathroom I tell my mom we have to go right now, I am bleeding and need to call the dr. When we walk out of the door of the restaurant I just lose it. Im crying and shaking and every terrible thought you can imagine is going through my mind. Having just had a miscarriage in October, that was the first thing that came to mind. But how could I be having a miscarriage at almost 14 weeks?! The dr told me once you make it to your second trimester you are 95% likely to complete the pregnancy. This couldn't be happening. How would I tell everyone? Would we try again? Could I put myself through this again? Every. worst. possible. thought.
My mom kept Tori for me and Dan was able to leave school and meet me at triage. I could not even kind of fathom hearing any bad news by myself. We were scared. We could not be losing this baby but what else could it be? Why would I bleed this much? What can we do?
After about an hour and a half of lots of waiting (seriously why do Emergency rooms suck and why are they so slow?!) a nurse came in and said she wanted to listen to the heartbeat. She told me not to freak out if she couldn't find one they would do an internal and try that way. She tried for a minute or two and me and Dan were just sitting there looking at each other so scared and I kept thinking about how we have heard the heartbeat a couple of times already when nurses have used that same device so she just had to find the heartbeat.
Fast forward two minutes or so and a couple of adjustments and there it is... our sweet, beautiful baby's heartbeat. Such a huge relief. Dan kept saying he couldn't believe it. We were both getting prepared for the worst case scenario but there it was, in all of its little baby glory, a sweet, sweet heartbeat. Thank you God.
We were both so relieved and then still worried about what was wrong. By the time the Dr came in and checked me all out (3 hours after we got there) she said everything looked great. My cervix was thick (no sign of miscarriage or anything of that sort) and since the nurse found the heartbeat she "wasn't worried". REALLY?! But yep.. the Dr said a lot of women bleed when they are pregnant and a lot bleed throughout the entire pregnancy. They are only worried at all if you are bleeding so much that it is through a pad (again, sorry for the TMI). She said there is no definite reason for why women bleed. Could be stress, sex, too much exercise, too much running around, too much anything. The resolve from this was to take off work/the gym for a couple of days and just take it easy. I am already feeling much better today. The bleeding has let up. It is still there but barely. Definitely not like yesterday.
I really debated posting about this but the fact is, this will probably be our last pregnancy and this is all a part of the story of our baby #2. The baby that I keep telling Dan is going to be the chill and go with the flow child. But if yesterday was any indication of their temperament, we may have our work wayyyyyyy cut out for us! Please prayers our way as I am feeling better and hopefully the rest of this pregnancy is smooth. This weekend is 14 weeks!