Chocolate & flowers

Someone knows what I like.

For my birthday (today), my friend Becky came over for a visit. We were concerned about the possibility of a washout. Lucky for us, the sun made an appearance through the clouds, fending off the predicted showers.

Now I know April showers bring May flowers, but does it have to be on my birthday?

Thank goodness Mother Nature made an exception, allowing us to spend the day walking the boardwalk, browsing the shops and topping it all off with a lovely meal from a fairly new restaurant in the area (the food was fresh, "green," and definitely worth another trip).

When we got back to the house, my hubby was waiting for me with a bouquet of flowers. He knows me so well, selecting yellow Gerber daisies and tulips. Beautiful!

I just had to take a shot of one of them (yes, Jacob left some room on the camera this time) alongside the decorative chocolates Becky helped make for me at her work (they make chocolates, if you didn't figure that out already). I know they're not raw, but I thought you'd enjoy the visual. Thanks, Becky :-)

The Good News

He is risen, and she is kicking.

That pretty much sums up the church service on Easter Sunday. Now, you probably assumed the first part of that statement, while the latter has taken some by surprise.

"He," of course, refers to Jesus, who rose from the dead in the sermon, while "she" is the tiny girl dancing around inside me. She was especially active when the choir and congregation were singing (no wonder I assumed she was dancing in there).

Yes, that's right; the little baby I'm carrying is a girl, as long as we really saw what we thought we saw (or didn't see) in the latest sonogram. It's like another Easter miracle.

You see, many of my family members thought it impossible for me to conceive a girl, mainly since my husband comes from a long line of all males (even though I told them there would still be a 50/50 chance). I guess it was time for a change.

I was so excited to share the news last weekend, as we attended holiday gatherings with both sides of the family. Reactions were of shock and amazement. Something tells me this tiny dancer is going to be spoiled.

I'm also proud to report that the dish I brought along was actually raw, although I can't take the credit for this recipe. I made a citrus and fennel salad (which I served over a bed of mixed greens) that Giada De Laurentiis made on her show, "Giada at Home" (She has a little girl, too; I hope I look that good after giving birth to mine).

The dish was a hit. Even my cousin's wife, who isn't a fennel fan, enjoyed this recipe. If I knew it was going to go over so well, I'd taken the time to snap a photo before it was all gone. Instead, you'll just have to view another sonogram pic of our little lady. Her name is Hayden :-)

Pretty sketchy

As you all know, Jacob has been monopolizing the camera lately, so I thought I'd share this family sketch in place of the usual illustrative pic.

Now, I can't take the credit for this one (unlike the characature I posted quite a well back). I hate to admit it, but this one was printed out of a machine at Chuck E. Cheese this past weekend.

Jacob was invited to a birthday party there, and Matthew and I went along for the fun. We played games and saved a couple tokens for a quick family photo session.

Unfortunately, Dumpling is not visible in this pic, although he or she was moving and grooving in my belly at the time. If the camera had panned down a bit farther, you'd be able to see the little one's growing home.

Here's what Dumpling looked like a month and a half ago when I had that emergency sonogram. I was amazed at how developed he or she was at that early stage. It was too soon to identify the sex at the time, but I should be able to report that news soon.

I am happy to say that neither I nor my newest addition ate any of the pizza offered at the party. I planned in advance, packing a snack for the ride there and a dinner for the trip home.

To my surprise, I selected mostly raw food, including a nearly raw version of no-bake cookie batter, some fruit and a cherry nut bar. I guess my taste buds are changing again :-)

No new photos

That's part of the reason you haven't heard from me in a while. I just couldn't imagine posting without a photo, but alas, I've found myself digging through my old image vault just to give this entry some visual interest.

You see, my son has taken over the digital camera these days, filling up its memory with not just photos, but videos, as well. I guess you could say it's his new trick, and although it has discouraged me from taking any new pics of my own, I have to admit that I'm proud of his accomplishments.

Not only did he figure out how to make movies; he also found a way to set up the camera to document himself learning to ride his new scooter. He creatively titled his clips, "Extreme Scooters." Thank goodness, it's much more tamer than it sounds.

He likes to set the camera up at one end of the hallway, where he announces the title of his show and what he is about to do. Then, he scoots to the other end of the hallway and back, so he can provide the play-by-play. He even acts out commercial breaks with his action figures. It's such a trip.

Kids are so very entertaining. I can't wait to see what it is like to have more than one. I'm hoping for twice the fun :-)

This time it's for real

If you've been reading my blog all along, you may recall my attempt at making knock off raw mallomars quite some time ago.

Now, I would never try to profit off someone else's genius. In fact, with the exception of some samples I offered up to eager taste-testers at work, I kept most of these bad boys to myself. My true motivation was to fulfill my craving for something I thought I may never actually have.

Lucky for me, I was wrong. Thanks to my good buddy Rawbin, I now can finally say I've tasted a real Pure Food and Wine mallomar, and in my own kitchen.

So, how did I accomplish that one? I live many, many miles away from the home of this blissful treat (yes, it is bliss), and lately, I have not felt like traveling that far in my condition.

The answer lies in the hands of a friend. Rawbin carefully transported this gem all the way from New York to Maryland, where she handed it over to yours truly. She even snapped a quick shot of the amazed look on my face as I peaked into the container (that's her photo, so don't expect to see it here on this site). All I could say was, "how did you do that?"

That will probably remain a mystery, but I'm grateful anyway. Thanks Rawbin! You're the best :-)

Warm weather and snow?

I know the two don't actually go together, but that's what we've got in our backyard (and in our front yard, too). You see, we got about a foot of snow last Sunday into Monday, and despite the warming trend, there is still evidence all around me (well, not as much as in these pictures).

Now, I'm not going to complain; it's not everyday you get to see a blanket of snow when the temp is in the mid-60s. Today, it might even hit 70, so I bet that will melt the rest.

Jacob is going to miss the white stuff. He hopes it is not the last of the season. He spent every afternoon this week sledding in our yard (once he finished his homework, of course), as well as on the more impressive hill at my parents' house.

It seems like almost all of my family members participated in the fun. Matthew and Paw Paw took turns darting down the hill, and even my mom went down when she thought no one was looking (I wish I caught that on tape).

As much as I enjoyed watching everyone, I longed to experience it for myself. Unfortunately, due to my dumpling scare last week (I had some bleeding after carrying in some very heavy groceries. Has anyone else noticed how some grocery stores will stuff as much as possible into your reusable bags, just to avoid giving you too many nickels back for your efforts?), I was forbidden to take part in that ride. It's a bummer, I know, but I totally understand.

I'm still getting my exercise inside, although I've been making some modifications to my workouts. I really like Jillian Michael's new "No More Trouble Zones" and "Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism," as well as her "30 Day Shred" (I've had that one in my 6-day rotation for a long time).

This morning, I lightened things up a bit with "Skinny B*tch Boot Camp." It was easier than my usual routines, but a welcome change. Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin are really entertaining, which is to be expected after reading their books.

By the way, has anyone checked out their "Bun in the Oven" book? I've been curious about it. If so, let me know what you think.

In the meantime, I'll probably enjoy some hot chocolate before the snow is all gone. Jacob and I always like sipping it from our tiny espresso cups. I used to concoct mine out of cocoa powder, agave, vanilla, sea salt and some warm water, but now I've had to substitute the agave with other sweeteners, due to its questionable safeness during pregnancy. Does anyone know if it is okay for me to consume it right now?

Be Kreativ :-)

Yup, that's creative, but spelled with a "k" and without an "e." I guess it's meant to differentiate itself from the other Creative Blogger awards being passed around out there.

To my surprise, although I haven't been the most creative blogger lately, my blogging buddy Charissa still bestowed this Kreativ Blogger award on yours truly. Thanks so much for recognizing my past efforts. Maybe it will inspire me to do more in the future.

Unfortunately, I haven't felt up to writing an eloquent acceptance speech. This week, I had a scare involving Dumpling, who has consumed my thoughts lately. Luckily, an emergency sonogram eased my fears, as my little mover and shaker showed me what he or she does best.

Now, back to fulfilling my responsibilities as a Kreativ Blogger, I must first provide you with a list of seven things I love. If you've been following my blog all along, you probably already know a few of them. So, here they are in no particular order:

1. I love spending time with my family. I'm so lucky to have them so close.

2. I love expressing my creativity, hence the award, I guess.

3. I love blasting old-school music and dancing/singing to it around my house, especially when no one is looking.

4. I love making up songs and singing them to my son. It's even better to hear him make up his own lyrics.

5. I love to exercise, but the best part is the feeling I get when I'm done.

6. I love to smile, and I love to laugh. I also love doing things that make me smile and laugh.

7. I love living, and I thank God for giving me this wonderful life.

As for the second part, I'm also supposed to nominate seven other bloggers for the award. Due to certain circumstances, I have decided to put my own spin on this task. Instead on naming a select handful of individuals, I'd like to pass this honor on to each and everyone of my blogger friends who use this medium as a way to share their "kreativity" with the rest of the Blogosphere. Keep up the good work, and feel free to share some things you love in your next post :-)