Mommy Mondays Week 26

I can't believe that in just one week I'll officially be in the third trimester. Time has absolutely flown by! I've been so busy working that I haven't accomplished much else. In November we'll start on the nursery. I want to paint her room, finish painting and refinishing the furniture she already has, purchase the crib and changer, and start decorating! I plan on making her a chandelier mobile, a frame with her initial (hint, it's an I) to go over her crib, and some other sweet touches. Should be fun!

Spinach, Bacon, and Mushroom Breakfast Quesadillas

My hubby and I call breakfast for dinner "brinner," and it's one of our favorite things to make. It's usually quick and easy. You can just do toast and eggs, or pancakes and omelets. We decided to get fancy and make some gourmet quesadillas. I ended up making a ton of food, which we ate. All of it. No shame. 

Protein Packed Chocolate Milkshake: A Pregnancy Treat!

I find myself wanting ice cream more now that I'm pregnant. I'm not sure if it's because of the sugar or my new found love of dairy. I did read online it's a good craving to indulge in, in moderation, because at the very least it has calcium. I only wish it would fill me up a bit more, for longer anyway. Enter protein powder. We have huge tubs of this stuff because my hubby is a fitness buff, and honestly it doesn't taste all that bad. But when you add milk and chocolate ice cream, it's certainly more satisfying.

Mommy Mondays Week 25

I think it's safe to say this was the best week ever. No work, all play. It was just what I needed. I want to see my husband, friends, and family more. I also want to cook and blog more because I really enjoy it. I'm looking forward to November. Work will be slow, the weather will hopefully cool down, and I can just focus on being healthy for baby and cooking up a storm!

Sweet Potato Soup with Carrots, Apples, and Ginger

My birthday week was a definite success! The only downside was gaining five pounds in a week. It wasn't because I was eating in excess, it was because we were eating restaurant food! My stomach hasn't been feeling great from the lack of fiber, and I am definitely retaining water. My solution is to eat as clean as possible and see if a few of the pounds will come off. I've been wanting soup lately. Something creamy and rich, even though it's been beach weather this whole week. Who says you can't make soup when it's 82 degrees out!? I went to the store and picked up all organic ingredients for this meal, and I absolutely love the way it turned out.

Apartment Redesign: Updating the Bathroom

The longer my husband and I have lived in our current apartment, three years now, the more things I notice that really need fixing. It's hard living in an apartment with ugly doorknobs, bad paint, or hideous carpet. Luckily being a renter doesn't mean you can't make some changes of your own.

Doorknobs can certainly be swapped out, just not the front door! We went and bought a new doorknob with a lock for our bedroom door when we moved in. I'm home alone 3-4 days a week, and it makes me feel safer. When we move out, we'll just swap it with the original knob. There are also little cosmetic things you can change like the knobs on cabinets, the paint (if your complex allows it), new light switch covers, and putting down a rug to cover ugly carpet. The closer we get to baby's arrival, the more I want to change. 

Mommy Mondays Week 24

Another week down! Sometimes I feel like I'm really waiting to pop still. My family and friends say they can tell I'm pregnant, but they also know I am. I'm waiting for strangers to be able to tell! That way they probably won't be thinking "why is that fat girl out of breath if she's walking so slow?"

Guest Post by Linda from Chef Needs!

Chef Needs has a wonderful blog with great tips on buying and caring for restaurant equipment and supplies. They also have a website where you can purchase anything and everything from graters to refrigerated bakery display cases! It's really fun just to look at all the restaurant supply products. I don't have room for anything, but it's nice to window shop.

You can find Linda's blog at http://chefneeds.com/blog

They also have a fan page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chefneedsrestaurantequipment

Below you will find Linda's fantastic recipes for healthy side dishes! Enjoy!

Mommy Mondays Week 23

WOW what a week! It's crazy how 'pregnant' I feel now that the baby weighs more. We had a doctors appointment during week 23, and found out my placenta is within 1 cm of my cervix. He's not calling it placenta previa, but I have to go back for another ultrasound at 25 weeks. Hopefully everything will move along and it won't be an issue, otherwise I will need a c-section. I'm not anti c-section for the women who choose to have them or have to have them, I just really don't want one. This week also came with a lot more movement, reflux, some nausea, and an upset tummy. I think I'm dehydrated, I need to be better about getting all of my water. I look huge in the picture, but I swear it's half undigested food. And I took this picture after work, so I had already eaten two meals plus snacks. 

5 Ingredient Homemade Mac n Cheese

Now there's absolutely nothing wrong with the stuff in the blue box, but homemade macaroni and cheese is completely different and more satisfying in my opinion. The good news is, it's basically the same amount of ingredients (pasta, cheese, butter, milk) this recipe just adds flour! You can prepare it in one pot, so you aren't making more of a mess. The fun thing about making it from scratch is the many variations you have available. You can make it the basic way, which I'll show, but you can also turn it into a casserole with a few mix-ins. Here is the basic recipe, and I'm guessing you already have these ingredients.