17 weeks and counting…

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Suzanne

How far along are you? 17 weeks

Total weight gain/loss so far: Officially down 10 pounds according to doctor’s weight, but really closer to 20 based on what I’ve lost since Peanut started baking.

Wearing any maternity clothes? Yes. May still be loosing weight, but the belly is getting bigger.

How’s the sleep? It’s okay. Most nights are pretty good.

Best moment of the week: Getting to hear Peanut’s heart beat at my check up

Do you miss anything? Sub sandwiches

How much is baby moving? Still haven’t felt anything yet; however, when looking for Peanut’s heart beat, you could hear him/her grooving around in there.

What are the food cravings like? Chips and salsa…specifically Chili’s salsa

Is anything making you queasy or sick? Still most foods, unfortunately.

Have you started to show yet? Yep. Nice little bump making a debut.

Boy or girl? Not sure yet. Find out in about 2 weeks.

Any labor signs? No. And not for many weeks yet.

Is the belly button in or out? Still in, but getting a little flatter.

Are the wedding rings on or off? On

What’s the mood? Pretty good.

How big is the baby? About 5.1 inches long and 5.9 ounces…or, the size of an onion.

What’s baby up to this week? Peanut’s bones are changing from cartilage to actual bone and beefing up a little bit (or becoming soft, depending on how you see baby fat).

What are you looking forward to? Finding out if Peanut is a boy or girl!

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A year ago today

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Jon
jpeg-6

Marble sleeps after checking out the entire apartment on his first day with us.

A year ago after having lunch with Suzanne’s grandmother, we decided to go visit a dog that we saw on the local SPCA shelter website. We’d talked about it the day before, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to get a dog. This one, named Bonnie, was a four year old long haired dachshund. But when we got to the shelter, she was already gone.

They had another, they told us. The only one left at the shelter right now. It was a one and a half year old long haired dachshund named Marvel (who we later renamed Marble). They said he had another couple that put a 24 hour hold on him as they considered whether to get him or not. We decided to see him anyway.

So we asked to see him and they brought him to one of the rooms. He was really shy and seemed content to just sniff around the room, mostly ignoring us. He’d been a popular boy that day and was likely very exhausted from meeting new people. We wanted to put in an application to get him, but we had to play the waiting game.

We went home, hoping and praying that he would still be available the next day. After spending my Monday morning attempting to call the shelter and getting nobody on the phone to check if he was still there, I took off from my internship earlier than usual and ran over to the shelter. He was there and he didn’t have a hold on him anymore! I filled out the application, paid my money, but decided I’d wait until after I picked up Suzanne from work at 5 to come back and get him.

I went back to go check on him in the back and he was in his room all alone, napping on a towel on the middle of the floor. Little did he know just how much his life was going to change in the coming hours. Continue reading →

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15 weeks and counting!

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Suzanne

So, I am excited about this little Peanut coming…and I know our families are. Between our two families, this is the first grand- or great-grandchild. I’ve seen this (below) as an increasingly popular way to update the world on the progress we’re making during pregnancy, and my plan is to continue the tradition. It will be neat to look back on it as Peanut grows, and even after Peanut is born. Without further ado, my 15 week update!

How far along are you? 15 weeks

Total weight gain/loss so far: -12, thank you morning sickness

Wearing any maternity clothes? Yes, I have for several weeks. Certainly more comfortable than squeezing into regular jeans. However, still a fair number of regular clothes. Mostly shirts and sweatpants.

How’s the sleep? Some night are good, some aren’t so good. Naps are a common occurrence for me…even after a good night of sleep! (I feel like I’m turning into my mom…)

Do you miss anything? Cold sub sandwiches. I’ve already told Jon that the way to get to see me (or Peanut) after they come is to bring me a sub. No sub, no entrance. Continue reading →

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My absence explained…

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Suzanne

So, I realize that the last 2+ months have been really slow on here. And by “slow”, I mean “non existent”. For that I can only apologize and explain to you why. There are 2 reasons:

1) Jon deleted something-something-something and broke our site. But it’s fixed now! And we’re back in business!

2)  Continue reading →

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Pumpkin Pie

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Suzanne

It may not be fall, but this cold weather makes it seem appropriate to bake up some delicious pumpkin pie!

I have always enjoyed pumpkin pie — but I have never made my own. I got to thinking about it and I couldn’t believe I had never baked a pumpkin pie! As a result of my misguided steps in never making this delectable dessert, I went hunting for a recipe that I could try out. After all, I was not going to use the canned pumpkin pie mix. I want to put a little effort into it. And this was the end result:

Pumpkin Pie {jonandsuze.com}

Looks yummy, doesn’t it? It was. I’d say it’s one of the best I’ve had. Continue reading →

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Breakfast Potatoes

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Suzanne

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: breakfast foods are one of our favorite foods in this house. From cinnamon roll waffles, to scrambled eggs, to potatoes, we love it! Breakfast for dinner is a common theme around here. The potatoes are a favorite of mine. Jon enjoys them, too — but I am the potato-aholic in this family. I could live off potatoes and be happy.

Because I love them so much, I want to share a recipe with you. Breakfast Potatoes.

Breakfast Potatoes {jonandsuze.com}

I have made these for several years. It’s a concoction all of my own, although I am sure I drew inspiration from other sources to make this delectable dish (however, I am not sure where so I am unable to site my source). Continue reading →

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Pepper Ranch Cheese Ball

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Suzanne

In December, for a gathering with friends, I made a cheese ball — the same cheese ball as someone else who attended! To be fair, I got the recipe from her 2 years ago…but still! What are the odds?

So why did two of us make the same cheese ball? (Well, I made a cheese ball because I got some adorable cheese spreaders for Christmas. But that’s beyond the point…) Because it’s delish. And easy to make. That is all that needs to be said. I mean, what more needs to be said.

Pepper Ranch Cheese Ball {jonandsuze.com}

The beautiful ball before anyone dove in

What you need to make this: Continue reading →

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Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Suzanne

I LOVE potatoes. And, for holiday meals, potatoes are a staple. Good thing I love potatoes. And good thing I have a hubby that loves to eat them too.

For our Christmas dinner, I wanted to make the ‘ole staple. But, I didn’t want to have all of my dishes needing to be made at the same time. So, I found a recipe to help me with that. I found a delicious slow cooker recipe (and we all know about my on-going “love affair” with my slow cooker…) that would solve that issue.

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes {jonandsuze.com}

They turned out fabulously. And, with my new KitchenAid mixer that I got for Christmas, it made the job even easier! Continue reading →

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Strawberry Limeade

Posted on January 1, 2013 by Suzanne

Happy new year! We have made it through 2012 and 2013 is now here! 2012 was a year full of ups and downs, but still a great one overall! I am excited to see what 2013 brings!

Now, onto the recipe I want to share with you. Strawberry limeade:

Strawberry Limeade {jonandsuze.com}

For our Christmas dinner, I made this as a special drink. I mean…water is great but I wanted something new and different and delicious. And I found it in this drink. (Jon would agree.) Continue reading →

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Merry Christmas!

Posted on December 24, 2012 by Suzanne

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope that you all have been enjoying time with your loved ones over the long weekend. We have visited some family and will be spending time with family through this coming weekend.

Today, I have felt very “domesticated” as a wife. I spent time working on a sewing project that has been in progress for several months. (It continues to make progress but I have a long way to go. I am can’t wait to see it when it’s completed!) I cooked some dinner: breakfast foods (a favorite around here). And I have prepped some of the food for our Christmas dinner. And that, friends, is what I have come to share with you: the menu plan for tomorrow.

For breakfast/brunch (whenever we wake up), there will be cinnamon roll cake. I have never made this before, but it looks delicious! I have mixed it up (with my new KitchenAid mixer! …thanks Mom and Dad!!) and it is waiting to be baked tomorrow morning. :-)

For “lunch”, the plan is to have some appetizers and snack-y tidbits. The plan is to do some crescent roll ups (of the pepperoni variety), little smokies, chips and salsa…and whatever else we can muster up.

And for dinner…the master of all meals…there is a delicious menu planned. The main course will be a baby turkey (3 pound chicken breast) that has cooked all day in my slow cooker (delicious…moist…wonderful!). We love starches around here and that explains the stuffing and mashed potatoes (however, the stuffing is really for hubby and mashed potatoes will fill my plate!), as well as some tasty bread. We will have some corn and fruit with the meal. And it will all be topped off with some pie (not sure if it will be pumpkin or chess). And, we shall (hopefully) have a delicious limeade-strawberry drink.

After Christmas, I hope to give you some recipes so you can enjoy some of the yumminess that will grace our table for Christmas dinner.

So, enjoy time with your loved ones and make sure you take time to reflect upon the true reason for the season. From our home to yours, Merry Christmas!

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