Where I spent my afternoon...

I love shopping. I especially love getting great deals.  And while the hubby spent the day virtual golfing (it is a little cold here!), I spent a few hours at the outlet stores.

Osage Beach Premium Outlet Mall

Some noteworthy purchases today:

• A pair of Joe's maternity jeans (for $57 dollars.  Yes, $57. I was amazed too!  They were the only pair of Joe's left on clearance and they were in my size!  Always a good feeling!)
• A few dresses from J. Crew - they'll work for the rest of pregnancy and will just fit a little big after the baby is born.  Thank goodness dresses with empire waists are in style right now!
• A pair of BCBG shoes for $29.  They'll work for the rest of spring and summer (and they match one of the dresses I bought).
• Another pair of maternity pantyhose.  This time in nude (which I don't already have in my closet)
• A new cardigan from J. Crew - to add to my collection of six others at home.  Again, a size up is always good!

I spent a little time (and money) yesterday at Marshall's as well.  They have a ton of cute baby things, but I really restrained myself!  I only purchased a Cardinal's outfit for this summer (in pink, of course!).  I did, however, purchase new bathroom accessories for our soon-to-be remodeled bathroom.  I got six handtowels and wash cloths, bath rugs, toothbrush holder, trash can, tissue cover, and more for less than $100.  And I didn't sacrifice quality/design for cost!

Shopping makes me happy, and also serves as good exercise when walking around an outlet mall! 

Now, spending the rest of the day relaxing!  

A little weekend vacay

The hubby and I are taking a long weekend to spend time at the Lake of the Ozarks.  We live about 5 hours away from the lake, and thanks to a family owned condo we visit quite often.  We most often visit in the summer, and both love boating.  This weekend, I will spend my time shopping and studying and the hubby will spend time on the golf course.  The weather is supposed to be in the 60s, which is not bad for the beginning of March!

While on the topic of of the Ozarks, I cannot help but think about boating.  Sun, the lake, a few adult beverages = total relaxation. 

I can imagine our lake trips will be a little different this summer.  With our little girl on the way and due in June, we are planning most of our trips to be in late July or early August.  She will still be young, but we want to introduce her to the Ozarks early! 

So, instead of spending eight hours on the lake without returning to the condo - I imagine this summer will include a lot of short trips, worry about making sure she stays in the shade and cool, and time spent next to the pool instead of at the lake while being close enough to allow her to nap with someone else in the condo. 

Will this summer be different than past summer boating trips?  Absolutely.  Will our change in routine be worth it?  Absolutely!  I cannot wait to introduce our little baby girl to the lake!

Baby Bump - Week 26

The baby bump has been existent for quite a few weeks - but I'm finally starting to notice it!  A few weeks ago, I would look in the mirror and surprise myself at times with my reflection. 

And now, the bump just keeps growing.  Which, of course, is a good thing because that means that my baby girl is growing!  But, there are minor inconveniences involved with the growing bump. 

• It's not possible to bend over straight down anymore! Fortunately, I can still bend without too much strain...but it is still an adjustment. 
• Sleep is different than before.  I used to sleep on my stomach, clearly I do not anymore! I am still adjusting to sleeping on my side...and sometimes I struggle to fall asleep!
• Maternity pants finally fit!  Things that used to be baggy in the belly area now fit...again, it is a good thing because that means baby girl is growing.  Regardless, it is still an interesting phenomenon. 
• Women spend the majority of their lives trying to be fit with a flat stomach.  During pregnancy, people want to see your belly grow and it's the first time in my life that it is acceptable to show off a growing belly!
• Weight gain is hard to stomach (no pun intended), even though it is for a good cause. 
• Extra weight gain + wearing heels all day = sore feet at the end of the day

In all honesty, I am enjoying my baby bump and like seeing it grow on a weekly basis.

Feeding a family - what will I do?!?

I have to start this post by stating one thing: I.do.not.cook.  Period.  I can cook, although not that well and only a few staple foods.  Most of my “cooking” is preparing foods.

Don’t get me wrong, I love home cooked meals – but I just have never had a huge desire to learn.  And I have unique tastes – I prefer healthy foods and most of the cooking that my mom did while I was growing up included home-style meals (think homemade mashed potatoes, red meat, casseroles, etc.).  I prefer broiled fish and steamed broccoli.  Preparing either does not feel like I’m actually “cooking”.  We also survive a lot at our house on take out – typically Indian or sushi.  We also eat a lot of shrimp, prepared in many different ways.

So, one of the changes I know I will have to institute when our daughter starts eating real foods is a change in my cooking.  The hubby and I eat healthy for the most part – a lot of lean protein, veggies, fruits, but we rarely combine all of those things into an actual meal.  And we typically eat while watching TV in the living room – another change.

So, the main concern is finding time to prepare a meal for the fam that is healthy, quick, and easy.  I have a lot of ideas (i.e. crock pot soups, preparing a few meals in advance on Sundays) – but I’m open to any new ideas! 

This blog post discussed a unique way Amy approaches preparing meals for her family.  

I personally couldn’t eat the way that Amy describes, because I hate leftovers and rarely eat the same thing more than once in a week.  But the concept is a good one.  One take-away that I took is that a weeks worth of meals could center around one theme or food.  For example, grilled chicken and veggies one night, alfredo and chicken another night, chicken salad another.  Some of which could be prepared the night before and be ready to heat up when we get home from work the next day.

I also love the idea of omelets for dinner – easy and delicious!  And my husband would love the sausage week – he loves brats! 

Anyone else have any great ideas for preparing (healthy) meals in advance?