Do You Know What Today Is (Saturday)?

Good evening friends!

Do you know what today is? It's Saturday, August 7th!!

Always on the seventh my husband and I acknowledge our monthly anniversary. For the past several months...heck, as long as I can recall, I have beaten my husband to the punch.
See...it's like this little game...whoever says "Happy (fill in the month) anniversary first...wins". Well, yesterday, I knew it was today. Even last week I knew it was today.

But there I was this morning...so engrossed in reading my latest Jack Reacher novel that I completely blanked it when my husband comes walking into the room...

he leans down and says to me, "Happy 106 month anniversary, honey!" followed it with a kiss...

then follows it with this huge "whoop" and "Halu" like he just got down watching the Nebraska Cornhuskers score a touchdown against Colorado State. "I got you!!" he says and walks out of the room.

Later he told me he thought of it while in the middle of making pancakes. And knew... at any moment I could remember too, so he quick dropped what he was doing and grabbed a calculator to quickly compute the number of months we've been married. It doesn't count if you don't know the months (ha, Ha) and yes, we've been married so long now we need a calculator to figure it up.

So, in honor of this momentous, blog worthy occasion..."drum roll please"

I've decided to post a few pictures of something that I hope symbolizes how long our love for each other will last...

... This 120 year old turtle that we saw at Reptile Gardens while on our trip to South Dakota last month.

See, isn't he cute?

And Daddy Rainmaker posed next to this turtle's head just for your benefit (kind of like he does next to food on Fantasy Food Friday) so that you could more fully appreciate the scale of the turtle's head.

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But, besides all that, we spent some time in the kitchen yesterday....

making some home-made whole wheat noodles. We started with wheat berries and ground it into flour.

This is our 15-year-old daughter hard at work.

Aided by our two-year old.

Ok, I'll admit it.

We patted their faces with flour for effect.

Homemade noodles need a few hours to dry on a rack like this

(It's actually the rack from our microwave oven).
I plan to use these noodles in a soup for tomorrow. I will share those pictures with you later.

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I love being back in blog world, folks!!

I made it to the gym again last night even though I didn't want to go.

I didn't make it there today, but I did manage to bike outside for about four miles.

So, I weight lifted four out of the five days that I had originally planned.

Thank you for all of your encouragement.
I think it helps me.

Now on to offer you all encouragement too!!

Have a good one!

Sincerely,

Sunshine Mama

Happy Thursday!! I'm 27 weeks, Two Days Along

Happy Thursday friends!

I'm 27 weeks and two days along. That means I have exactly 88 days until I'm due on November 2. Although, I don't think I want to start actually counting down single days until I hit 21 days out. But, I am excited to count single weeks once I hit ten weeks out.

A few days ago I went in for a check-up and had a glucose screening test where they make you drink this sugary orange drink to see if you body metabolizes sugar correctly, to then see if you are a concern for different things. I came through with flying colors on that score.

My abdomen measured slightly big at 28 centimeters instead of 27. Usually the abdomen measurement coincides with the number of weeks that you are. Being slightly big is really not that big of a concern.

I normally see midwives and had the unusual opportunity to meet with a male doctor. The whole time that I was talking to him I kept thinking to myself that there is no way he could really understand what I'm feeling or going through. I made a comment to him like, "I feel like I'm already big...and I know I'm just going to get bigger!"

And perceptive guy that he is, he says, "Uncomfortably so!"

Ha, Ha!! That struck me as funny. "Uncomfortably so" is such an understatement.

Well, this morning I began the the day, sometime after breakfast by whipping up some chewy chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. I didn't like the normal chocolate chip cookie recipe that I had made a few days ago. It seemed like all it had was sugar, brown sugar, white flour and a pound of butter. And then when you cooked it, it just spread out all flat and fatty.

So, I found an oatmeal cookie recipe and switched the raisins for some chocolate chips. Much better. And there was even some sugar and cinnamon in it, SunshineMeg.

Doesn't this look good?

I baked it with three cups of oatmeal and one cup of white flour.

I added some nuts in the last dozen cookies and I liked the extra crunch.

For supper, it was baked potato soup with summer sausage.

There's actually a few more ingredients than this.
Like 4 1/2 cups of chicken broth and some butter and milk.
I'm being lazy and not posting the recipe.

But I served it with some 100 percent whole wheat bread that we baked up the other week and froze. The bread is made from freshly ground wheat berries. It's very filling and very good for the family to be eating. We also had carrots.

I love how this potato soup recipe has a chunky texture to it.
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Did you guys get in a work-out tonight?

I did.

And it wasn't too bad.

I just may be getting back into the groove.

Some of the gym goers are starting to make comments

and ask questions of the "pregnant lady" working out.

Tonight someone asked, "So, how much longer?"

Me: "three months?"

I feel like I look more like I only have one month left.

I know, I know...I'm working on that picture for you all.

I guess I'm trying to figure out how to do it so I don't look huge.

Ha, Ha!!

Another guy, about 55-60 wanted to know if the baby started doing anything inside me while I was weight lifting.

Like moving around or something...

No.

I think I may just keep going just for all the interesting interaction I get.

Well, you know what tomorrow is?

Friday!!!

Have a good one!

Sincerely,

Sunshine Mama

Fresh Blueberries

Good evening everyone! Thanks for welcoming me back.

Is it just me or is it hot around here? Seems like everywhere I go, I sweat. Oh, sorry, must be this pregnancy thing.

Ahem...Guess how much I paid for these beautiful blueberries? There were about 12 to 13 ounce in a pack. I only bought two I should have bought wayyyy more.

These blueberries only cost $1.18 per pack!!

And they tasted great! So, I had blueberries on my oatmeal...

And had the two year old make blueberry muffins...

It was his first time...

But I think he got the hang of it.

I used half whole wheat and half white flour.

But this didn't count as a baking day around here...

Just you wait in a few days when we really get to baking...

And then I really get to sweating....

We made a double batch...24 muffins altogether on Tuesday...

And the last one got gobbled up this afternoon (Wednesday).
So that's 24 muffins in 24 hours.

Sounds about right.
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Well, I made it to the gym tonight and last night.

I'll admit, I didn't want to go.

I felt sweaty and uncomfortable...

But I did my work-out anyway.

How many more weeks of this?

I still have three days left to go this week yet.

I'll make you all a deal...

If you work out, I'll work out.

Or... if I work out, you work out...

Rah, Rah, Rah...

We can do it!!!

Have a good one!

Sincerely,

Sunshine Mama

P.S. I'm working on this next preggo picture. I'm in the planning stages right now. Ha! Ha!!

I'm Back!!

Good evening folks!

Long time no write...me that is! I took a little longer time off than I anticipated. We did indeed go on a trip to South Dakota July 7th for about a week and we all had a blast. And just to prove it, I have a few pictures here...in front of the corn palace and on top of a giant jackalope at Wall Drug. Although, I just realized I should also post the Mt. Rushmore shots too.

When we got back from the trip, the computer was still not hooking up to the Internet and I was unpacking and in the middle of a really good book.

Has anyone read any of the Jack Reacher novels written by Lee Child? My parents got me into them. Well, I've since read five of his books.

Oh, and I also have been doing a lot of cooking from scratch. Remember when I said I was trying to cook meals for the entire family with just what I had in the house? Well, that went on for another two weeks after I got back from the trip. Then I went shopping and have been baking my own bread, making foods from scratch like a lot of soups. Eventually I'll post pictures of all that. We even made home-made whole wheat noodles for chicken noodle soup. Yum, yum!

So, by the time I finally got around to calling our phone company to get the Internet working...that was last Friday. A tech came and all it was...was a cord somehow got unplugged. Oh, we also had this Malware virus embedded in our computer that was impersonating a malwar program to try to get us to download it. A computer friend came to visit us and got it "un-imbedded". Wheeww...so now it's like we have a whole new computer. Almost. Ha, Ha!!

In the meantime, remember my sister-in-law who was running all these races last winter while pregnant? Well, she had their son a few weeks ago and everyone is doing great! I haven't asked her yet when she's doing her next race. I'll wait a bit.

I'll be 27 weeks tomorrow on Tuesday. That means I'm entering my last tri-mester and will have 13 weeks left before the baby is due. I'm getting big. I'm sure you will all want to see a picture while I don't want you to. Ha! Ha!!

I'm feeling the need to go on a diet or at the very least eat less sugar-y stuff. I also took about three weeks off at the gym and started back last week for two days. This week I really need to get in three to five days.

So, that's my short little update. I do have a little surprise for you all that I have been sitting on for a long time...that I am waiting to spring on you all. Maybe I will when the time is right in a few weeks.

In the mean time, I need to do some catch up on everyone!

I hope you are all having a great summer!

Sincerely,

Sunshine Mama

A Quick Post

hi folks!

Sorry I haven't written in a few days, I have been unable to get online at home. So...I am here at the library printing out directions for all of the places we are going to see in South Dakota.

We are very excited to be leaving and I probably won't post again until later next week.

I hope you all had a good holiday weekend! I did actually make it to our local fest grounds and shared some Tom Thumb donuts. When my husband and I walked past the funnel cakes, he says, "Now's you're chance to get some..."

I declined. Now that I know how many calories there are in them, I just couldn't do it.

I'm 23 weeks along. When I come back I will officially be 6 months along. But that means I still have four months left.

Hope you all have a good week!

Sincerely,
Sunshine Mama

Fantasy Food Friday...Tom Thumb Donuts and Funnel Cakes

Hi folks!

Welcome to Fantasy Food Friday where I talk about food that I fantasize about but shouldn't necessarily be eating. In tonight's edition these foods are a big, big "no, no", but they are what I fantasize about all year long. Then I wait until our town's local fourth of July celebration to fulfill my fantasies.

Well, after doing some research on the world wide web tonight...I now have a more accurate picture of just how calorie laden my fantasy foods are.

Before I looked online, I thought Tom Thumb donuts was a local secret. I was completely wrong on that perception. Here is what a typical Tom Thumb donut stand looks like.

I visited their website just for the fun of it, and was entertained by the six little donuts that followed the movements of my mouse throughout the visit. You should try it. Not a single calorie in it. Ha, Ha!!

Anyway, here's part of the process of making these donuts. They do it right in front of you.

There are 16 donuts to a bag, which if I recall costs about $4. You can get more bags in which case the price gets reduced.

I really like this picture...it really captures how wonderful they really do look and taste.

Oh, and I found out the calorie content of a little bag...

500 calories. For some reason I was expecting more.

Maybe I could buy a bag and have two and give each of our family members two.

That almost takes care of the entire bag.

Then, there's my next fantasy that is even worse than the donuts.

Funnel cakes!

But I don't eat them just plain like this.

That is absolutely no fun.

Especially when they come with all different toppings.

My favorite is the cherry topping.

So...how many calories do you think one of these bad boys are?

Any guesses.

Well, with it plain, it's around 760 calories.

Dressed up it has to be more....like maybe 125 calories or so more...

So, about 900 calories?

For one?

Yikes!!

So, yah...that's nice to know now before going down to the fest grounds this weekend.

I think if I do this, I'll definitely have to split it up with my family.

Good thing I have a large family. Ha! Ha!

So what about you all?

Is it the fried fest foods you like or is it something else?

And I have to know, has anyone tried any unusual deep fried fest foods?

Well, on that note, I'm so glad it's July 4th weekend.

I hope you all relax and enjoy yourself!

Sincerely,

Sunshine Mama

Happy Thursday...Day 2 Of Creative Cooking

Happy Thursday folks!

Today I am 22 weeks and two days along! I'm feeling decent, however, I felt a little worn out from all of the cooking I did in the kitchen today. This is day two of me trying to put together meals for the family with what I have left in the house because I didn't go grocery shopping last weekend.

But, I'm very proud of my culinary efforts and the bounty of food they have yielded. I made some things today that I've never made before and may very well make them part of the rotation.

If you recall, yesterday I had made some original malt-o-meal muffins made with malt-o-meal and whole wheat flour. I started the day with making a double batch since the kids ate them so fast yesterday. Then for lunch, I fed them, a muffin, the leftover spaghetti dish that I had made last night....

And boiled up some broccoli florets that had been sitting in the freezer for a few months. I wasn't sure if the broccoli would still be good, but it was.

I used it a 13 ounce bag and the kids, for the most part, ate it.

For myself, I skipped the pasta dish and had two whole eggs instead.

I started preparing the supper meal around 11:00 a.m. with making a few batches of whole wheat bread. The recipe, which I found on the back of this flour bag, asked for 1/4 cup of powdered milk. I didn't have that, but I did find this powdered formula for babies. The recipe also asked for "instant" yeast. I had yeast, but I wasn't sure if my yeast was different than instant yeast.

This is what the dough looked liked "before" the bread raised...

Then, this is what it looked like 90 minutes later after raising.

Then, I cooked it for 35 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees.

This is what it looked like.

It was a hit!!

The entire family ate this bread like it was candy...

I couldn't believe it.

For dinner I decided to make barley soup and add some lentils, split peas and these spices, and not pictured was a little over a pound of chicken breasts that I found spread apart in two bags in the freezer.

The directions on the barley said I needed to "hand sort" it and wash it.

Same directions with the lentils and split peas.

Well, after yesterday's bug scare, I was keeping an eye out for anything that moved.

Yes, Sunshine Meg, I do think I was traumatized by the whole bug fest going on in the Rice-a-Roni box.

The whole barley thing amazed me.

I had to cook one pound of barely in 12 cups of water. The whole process took about 2 1/2 to three hours. But, the barely expanded. And by the time I was done with all of my add-ins, my "little" recipe filled a crock pot.

Folks, I don't think I'll be needing to cook tomorrow, because I have so much chicken and barley left-overs.

And this bag of barely only cost like fifty cents and it's super healthy and low calorie.

So, this is dinner.

I will admit that the kids weren't as impressed with the barley dish as I was.

I think the next time I make this I will use less salt.

Otherwise, it tasted great.

But...the kids did like dessert.

I unthawed a bag of strawberries that I had picked from a few weeks ago and served it as a topping for some vanilla ice cream that I had in the freezer.

Wow...that was good.

So, now you can see why I am worn out from cooking...

But the good thing is that I made so much food today that I probably won't really need to cook much tomorrow. I still have a whole loaf of bread yet, 3/4 of a crock pot full of chicken barley, I have several muffins still.

And, honestly, I really wasn't expecting this barley dish to turn out so huge. Ha, ha!!

And by the time, I pick up and photograph what I plan to use for Fantasy Food Friday...Well, I won't need to cook until Saturday!

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Other than that, I have to tell you all that I went to my first "Mom's In Motion" class tonight at the local YMCA and the instructor, who I'm sure has never been pregnant, had us doing three or four songs of Zumba, which involves very quick, hip swiveling movements.

Jumping, leaping...I guess I was expecting a class that had slower movements that involved more strength. I'm not sure pregnant women should be doing zumba.

I demonstrated some of the movements to my husband and daughter when I got home and they looked at me in shock. Ha, Ha!

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Well, you all know what tomorrow is...

Have a good Friday!!

Sincerely,

Sunshine Mama