Missing my Hubby

So today is day 2 that Dustin is visiting the icy cold Philly... and I wish he was home. I miss him when he's gone...

And I hate having to wait to watch House, How I Met Your Mother, 2 and a Half Men, Worst Week, The Big Bang Theory, Lost... the list goes on and on!

Come home, Snoopy!

5 days in... and the Pregnancy.

So, I am on day 5 of my change away from the internet connection. I really suck at these kinds of things. I am finding more than ever that I *need* to be online. I have been paying our bills, filing taxes... playing on Facebook. I admit... this is tough trying to unplug.

But, truth be told... I am getting better at the things I felt I was failing at by being online so much. I made dinner from scratch every day last week (except 1 where the hubs took me to happy hour). I also have been slowly getting things organized and figured out, so much so that Dustin has been saying things letting me know that he notices the extra effort. That makes me happy! :o)

So... in other news... I really haven't talked much about the new Baby on the way... we are 18w pregnant... yep... almost 1/2 way there! I still feel a little bit "chubby not pregnant"... but the belly has won the boobs vs belly war. And, we finally feel movement! Don't ask.. we aren't finding out what we are having (although we have ruled out kittens and puppies), and our only goals are that we have a happy, healthy Mom, baby and that both Dustin and I get to be awake and present at the birth! If that can happen... we will be absolutely content with the world!

Days 2 and 3... eh...

Ok.. so yesterday was day 2 of my transition... and of course I had to spend the morning freaking out about the in utero baby... so my mind, hands, eyes... whatever... were glued to the internet trying to find answers... first to my hubby's IM's. Then to my world of online friends. Then of course when I finally talked to my doctor and things were A-OK... I had to come back and update everyone... and then I pretty much just said screw it. I think I was only online for 3 hours yesterday, so that's an improvement... but it wasn't the 1 hour I committed to!

Today, I am hoping to do much better... I have come up with loads of stuff I need to do anyway... so hopefully I won't be on here too much. :oP

So, I did want to let you know of a delicious dinner I made last night... the Husband asked for 2nds and kept saying the whole time "Tab, this is really good!" I was originally going to make Shrimp Pasta Pomodoro... but I didn't have everything... so I adjusted a lot of things... to the extent that it no longer can be a Pasta Pomodoro... but I don't have a more clever name. Anyway... I'll share my "recipe"... but I didn't care for the shrimp, but it was likely a weird pregnancy thing b/c Dustin gobbled them up! So... this would be yummy sans shrimp!

1/2 lb shrimp (raw, peeled, tails off)
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing
1 clove garlic, minced
4oz cream cheese, cubed
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 tsp dried basil
Penne Pasta

Put the shrimp in a bowl and cover with the dressing to marinate. Do this at least 20 minutes ahead of time to give them time to do their thing. :o)

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Take a skillet and heat to medium high. Add the shrimp mixture (marinade and all) plus the garlic into the skillet. let cook 3 minutes on each side approximately... stirring often to prevent overcooking. Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and keep warm.

Add cream cheese and tomatoes to skillet. Stir to mix and melt the cream cheese. if sauce seems too thick for you, add some of the pasta water (from the pot of penne) to help thin it out... I use about 1/2 a cup usually. Stir in basil. Once it's ready, and your pasta is too... I dump them together in either the pasta pot or the skillet depending on where they will fit! I serve this in bowls, and then top with the shrimp (so that I can make sure one of us doesn't get all of the shrimpies). Add fresh grated Parmesan! Bon Apetit!

30 Day Difference.

So, as I was falling asleep last night, I started talking to myself. Outloud. I actually do this alot... but I pretend I am talking to my hubby, so he doesn't commit me to the looney bin. Anyway, the topic of discussion last night was that I feel like my brain is turning to mush... I need stimulation and I need to do things.

And then I fell asleep. I thought about it more in Dreamland, and again this morning. I realized a few things. First... I live "plugged in". I am probably on my computer more than the average person is in their car, or working, or eating... and I am usually pretty proud of this fact. But I also realized that I haven't gone grocery shopping in a month. We've eaten... but it's things we whip up or we buy 1 meals worth of stuff. Then I thought about how in only 5 short months, we will have another little guy (or gal) around here demanding attention and how I am going to be feeling so deprived and having no idea who I am anymore.

But, while none of this seems like major issues... I hate the fact that if I were to get a "Stay At Home Wife" grade... I'd likely get a D+. I am not even going to add in here that I am a Mom to a busy toddler... that part I'd ace... but the housekeeping, meal making, laundry doing side of me is really lacking. But ask me what happened last week on House or send me an email and I will be all over it!

So... it is with this that I am making a change. I am committing to a 30 Day Difference. I don't make New Year's Resolutions... but I am gonna take this time to reconnect with who I am... and UNPLUG! I am making the choice to spend 1 hour or less online every day. I will be caught up on laundry. I will have a plan. I will play with Bug. And most importantly... when this baby is ready to make it's appearance... I won't have to quit my online world cold turkey... I am sure I can manage an hour there as well!

I'll be posting here daily as part of my daily hour... letting you know what I have accomplished and how I am feeling. I am hoping this really makes a difference in my priorities and my perspective!

Believing is seeing...

My sister has been bugging me for months to get my video chat to work. As much as I understand why she wants me to do it (to see the kiddo), and I know that she wants nothing more than to talk to me (or the kiddo) every day... I just can't do it. I just can't.

I got lucky when my computer freaked out when I downloaded the software and I thought it was a safe out... my computer doesn't let me run more than 2 programs now at the same time withoug deciding life is over and crashing... but sis says that she wants me to just hook the dang thing up and let her see the kiddo.

So, why do I have such an issue and just keep dragging my feet about this? Well.. it's simple... I am a stay at home mom... I stopped getting ready for someone else on Oct. 15, 2007. That was my last day of work. Now... if I never brush my hair... nobody knows. If I haven't put on makeup in 3 days, nobodey is the wiser... and if I wear the same pj's for 2 days... I don't have to justify it to anyone. The Kiddo never says anything. :o)

But I am afraid that if I put up the webcam.. I am gonna have to shower daily, put on my eyeliner, and coordinate my earrings... not to mention pay attention to someone else during the day... I am not sure I can do that. :oP

Someday...

Today I was listening to the radio and I heard a song that really hit me in a good way. I mean, a lot of songs "hit me"... I am pregnant and super emotional... but this one just make me say "Huh... that should be written in ink on my planner, on my mirror, on my fridge...." I am sure you get the idea.

Anyway... the song said about how even though things don't seem ideal right now... someday, I am really going to miss this. That is totally where I am right now. I consider myself pretty lucky to be able to stay home with Ryan and do whatever I want to do pretty much... but sometimes things seem to suck. My house isn't clean because I have a toddler that likes to pull everything out. I never plan dinner. I suck at the housewife stuff because I never really was a housewife... and it's hard! But anyway...

I took Ryan to the zoo today with some friends. He had a blast... but every time I'd set him down, he'd go running and screaming and giggling about how funny he was that I couldn't catch him. He has no fear and would go climb in with the monkeys if the zookeeper would let him! And I was just thinking "God... where is this child's mother?!?" He was crazy and out of control. And it didn't end when we left and ran to the bookstore.

But... I remembered the song... and one day... I am really going to miss Ryan being my little bug. I am going to miss my one-on-one time with him. I am going to miss his silly little games and his funny little laughs. When he is a "too-cool-for-Mom" ::gasp:: teenager... I will really miss my little boy who loved to cuddle and explore...

Someday... I'm gonna miss this.

Keeping House and a Command Center...

I will be the first to admit... a very common phrase out of my mouth is "Please excuse my house." I am trying to change that this year. I started off the new year by emptying my living room completely and steam cleaning carpets. Next came a deep clean of my furniture and a weeding though of Ryan's toys. And then I tackled the kitchen. Then the laundry room. Those rooms are the majority of the "livable" portions of our house... so now I am feeling better about actually living in them!

I am wanting to be someone that can do lots of things because she has the time to do it... and because there is nothing at her house to do... no rooms needing a cleaning, no piles of laundry begging to be washed and folded. A girl can dream, can't she?

But my next project is going to be a family command center. A place for our family calendar, hooks for diaper bags and purses, hanging bins for mail to go out, and I think a bulletin board for coupons, tickets, and menu's... I am a very visual person, so I need to be able to see all of this at a glance... and I need the hubs to see it too... so a pocket calendar just isn't cutting it...

Have you done this in your own homes or have an idea for one? My goal is to have this up by Sunday! Watch for pictures!

Frozen Love

My hubby's mom used to make him lots of meals that he truly loved... and he is kind of sad that she doesn't cook for him anymore. Not that my cooking sucks... it's just that I don't lace everything with wine I guess. ;o)

One of his favorite desserts is a Key Lemon Pie... it's a frozen pie that is almost like a key lime pie... only it's lemon. I am guessing it's served frozen b/c there is no way for this pie to set... and IMO it's not even that safe to eat... but he loves it, nonetheless. The last time his mom made it, it was actually in my kitchen and I watched her... it wasn't anything super special... so I told him I could make him one. He said it was a top secret recipe and there is no way to make it exactly right... he was wrong.

Key Lemon Pie

6 Egg Yolks
1 can Sweetened Evaporated Milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
Graham cracker crust (I used the 6 mini's)

Whip up the yolks until they form ribbons... add in the milk and lemon juice and whisk away until well mixed. Don't sample it... it's raw egg, for heaven's sake! Pour into the crust and freeze. I like putting coolwhip on after it's frozen; Dustin likes it on before so that the coolwhip freezes too... either way... you have a nice little pie in a few hours. And they are pretty good.