Baby Belly 19 Weeks!

My sister requested a belly picture...I'm getting big! We went in for our 18-20 week ultrasound last Thursday. Everything looks really good! We also found out if it's a boy or a girl!

Spoiler Alert!

It's a girl! I can't wait to play Barbies and American Girl Dolls!

Recent Reads

I haven't been doing a lot of blogging lately but I have been doing a log of reading. Here are the most recent books I've read. They are all wonderful in there own unique ways!

I'm still here...

I've been busy traveling, the last couple of weekends. I also got sick (could it have been H1N1?..who knows for sure) while back in Minnesota. Lots has happened in my absence. I hope to start blogging again regularly on this blog and my Project365 blog real soon!

The Colony

The first time I learned about the book The Colony by John Tayman was a few years back. I was still living in Minnesota and I was driving from Mankato to Mapleton listening to Fresh Air on NPR. Terry Gross was interviewing the author of the Colony John Tayman. He was talking about a place that I knew very little about...Molokai Hawaii. He was talking about a place where people who were diagnosed with leprosy were sent to die. The thing that shocked me the most was people were being sent there as recent and the 1960's. I finally got my hands on a copy...I learned a lot from this book. The whole idea of sending people into exile because of a disease that is just not understood seems so strange to me but it also seems like something that could happen again. I would recommend this book. It was extremely interesting...the author also used personal accounts to tell the story and that made the book that much more captivating .

Mac and Cheese

I've been craving macaroni and cheese like crazy lately. I'm not real sure what's in blue box mac and cheese...Do you? Plus I've been avoiding eating meals that come right out of a box while I'm pregnant. I have an amazing husband who not only found a great macaroni and cheese recipe but he also made it for me! How cool is that.

Yield

6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 12 ounces strozzapreti or penne pasta
• 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups skim milk, divided
• 2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 slices center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
• Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Bring 6 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Add pasta; cook 8 minutes or until al dente; drain.

3. Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add 1 cup milk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until it cools to 155°. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, onions, hot sauce, pepper, and bacon; stir. Add pasta; toss. Spoon into a 2-quart broiler-safe dish coated with cooking spray; top with 1/2 cup cheese. Broil 7 minutes.

You can also check out the recipe here. He substituted hot sauce with cayenne pepper and only put bacon in his half. You can also see he added bread crumbs.

National Parks

Who's watching The National Parks series on PBS? I was only able to watch Sunday night's episode. I work evenings so I'm hoping to catch up online this weekend...if not I guess I'll be begging my Library to get it so I can check it out!

All I know from watching Sunday nights episode is that I want to take a long long road trip! Gotta love our National Parks!

Martha Stewart Halloween

I live in a large apartment complex where people are constantly dumping their magazines. Today I scored the new Halloween mag from Martha Stewart. I've been wanting to pick this up but I just can't justify sending $7.00 on a magazine right now.

I have to say I am really impressed. The issue is full of awesome decoration, consume, and Halloween treat ideas. It makes me want to throw a Halloween party! If you have an extra seven bucks laying around or if you just get a chance to flip through it while waiting in line a the grocery store check it out...it's a lot of fun.

Baby Belly Photos

I'm in love with these baby belly pictures! You can check out the whole series here.

Project 365

I took a few months off from my Project 365 but I'm back on picking up where I left off.
Check it out here!

500 Days of Summer

Doesn't it seem like every romantic comedy that has come out in the last five or so years have just been stale and generic. That is why 500 Days of Summer was so refreshing. It was a cute creative twist on a romantic comedy. I have to say this is one of the first movies that I've seen in a while that I'd actually buy on DVD! I also loved the wardrobe and soundtrack!

2 Year Portland Anniversary!

It's so hard to believe that I've been living in Portland Oregon for 2 years now. Josh and I arrived in Portland around 5 in the afternoon 2 years ago. I look back and it's so hard to believe how much I've changed in the last 2 years. I have so much more confidence and so much more drive then when I first moved here. I also am a Mrs. and soon to be mom! Life couldn't be better.

Oregon! I love you!

I've been keeping a secret

and I'm ready to shout it to the world. Josh and I are having a baby! After being home for a week from our honeymoon back in July certain things just didn't seem right and to our surprise I was pregnant. We are super excited! Josh took this photo of me today. I'm 13 weeks and feeling pretty good. My only real problems so far is tiredness and back pain. I'll try to keep you all posted on how things go!

Wedding Video

I just wanted to share with you the first min and a half of our wedding video. Even though it's just during picture time it really brings me back to that day!

Check it out here!

Our videographer Matt Grams was awesome by the way...you can check out his blog here.

Still feels like summer to me!

It was an amazing beautiful day today! I went for a stroll down NW 23rd. I stopped at the new M.A.C store. Yep there's a M.A.C on 23rd! I picked up some studio fix powder. I also grabbed some new eye liner too. I picked out fly-by-blu..very fun!

I also swung by Escape from New York and grabbed a slice of pizza. Yummy.

Days like today it's hard to believe the rain is right around the corner!

What's playing on my iPod right now

I'm in love with Regina Spektor's new album, far. I don't think they're is a single Regina Spektor song that I don't like! Seriously!
I'm really loving the first single off her new album,laughing with.

My personal relationship with God has really been in an state of evolution lately and I feel this song pretty much explains that current relationship.

Handbag Love

I think this is the cutest purse ever!

To bad I don't have $425 sitting around.

Last day of summer

To me Labor Day always seems to mark the end of summer and the beginning of fall. I had a pretty awesome summer and it all seemed to catch up with me this last weekend. I spent most of my four day weekend curled up on the couch with a pretty icky cold. Luckily this morning I woke up and was able to breath out of my nose. Josh and I decided we needed to get out of the apartment and do something so we headed down to the Fine Arts Festival in the Pearl. Josh was a pretty good sport...it was super busy and hard to get around. He also doesn't really get fine art. He complained a little but let me enjoy myself. Next year though I think I'll leave him at home ;)

We also stopped by Cargo on the walk home. If your ever in downtown Portland take a little stop at Cargo...it's a pretty fun store.

Tomorrow is back to work and it's the first day of my after school program for the year. I love the kids that are in the program and I can't wait to see them all tomorrow.

It's time to welcome fall with big wide open arms! Yay! I can't wait for the new colors, the cool weather, rainy days, football, and the pumpkin patches!

It's starting to feel like Fall!!!!

I couldn't be more excited. I want to be wearing comfy sweaters and warm colors!!!

Who else loves fall!!!

Breaking Dawn

Love me or hate me but I just finished reading the last book in the Twilight series Breaking Dawn. I'd actually been putting off reading this one hoping to draw out my Twilight experience as long as possible. I ended up feeling that I needed to read it because a tweener that I met at work started giving away spoilers...some of which I later found out were false. I have to admit I've really enjoyed the Twilight books. No they are not amazing works of fiction but they were very very entertaining and if you disagree you probably have not read them. Now I'm going to sit back and look forward to the movies.

In other exciting Twilight news Perez Hilton is reporting that Death Cab for a Cutie will be releasing a music video for the New Moon movie on September 13.

Bruno

Josh and I went to see the movie Bruno at the Laurelhurst Theater today. We knew going that it was going to be all about shock factor. I have to say Sacha Baron Cohen out did himself this time. He even managed to make Josh uncomfortable. We were definitely entertained but I have to say you better be in the right mood to see this one.

Happy Saturday!

I had a wonderful little day!

I finally got a library card...no more buying books for me. We have such a wonderful little library right down the street why wouldn't I utilize it?!

Josh made a great pasta dish for dinner with chicken and capers. He also surprised me by baking an apple pie...so yummy.

I finished up watching this. So funny!

Clean Start

I've started two blogs within the last two years. I quit blogging for a while...I guess I just didn't see the point. Lately I've seen and done things and wished I had a place to share my thoughts and ideas. That is hopefully what this blog will become. I hope this blog will be a place for me to share my photos, talk about life, and share all the great things I see along the way. Let's see how it goes ;)