i mean it

weekends like the two gone past shouldn't go undocumented. so even though i am sleepy and feeling a little lazy, i need to post some important pictures from the last nine days or so.

a dear friend of mine from days of youth dances got married in the temple and i was able to be there for it. how incredible is it to be reunited with friends on such a happy, happy occasion?





and might i add that she was a stunning bride? so timeless.

baby belly grew a little bit more. here i am at 34 and a half weeks.



the other day i closed the fridge door and hit baby belly on the way. woops. sorry baby, but your home is getting rather large.

we had last monday off work for the delightful canadian holiday deemed "family day." awesome! we went out ice fishing with our friends, and since the small lake was aerated, we also got to do some cast fishing. it was a gorgeous day and we had lots of fun, despite jenny being the only one to catch a teeny tiny fish.



here's the proof that i went fishing at 8 months pregnant. and also that i look like the stay puft marshmallow man. awesome.



brian & john made friends with this guy out there who was laying on his stomach over the holes in the ice, using a homemade contraption to catch fish. he lent some to us and we had fun watching the fish swim around under the ice, totally dodging our bait.





although i wanted to, i didn't last long down there. turns out trying to lay on your belly on ice & snow while largely pregnant isn't as fun as it sounds.

and this past saturday, we finally did some apartment re-arranging in preparation for little one to come. brian set up the crib in the second bedroom...



...wait. what?



this is for real. i'm still a little shocked when i walk past the second room and spot the pretty crib and the glider next to it. the countdown is on.

my valentines

we had a lovely little valentines day. i worked late, and brian came to pick me up with flowers in his hand. sweet man. we came home and made dinner; breakfast for dinner. is there anything better than pancakes & sausages at 8:30 pm?

i made him a heart shaped pancake.

and he made me a fruit salad.

i felt profoundly blessed last night as i flipped pancakes and snuck fruit out of the bowl before dinner started. brian and i are happy to have eachother, and baby kicked energetically within me. i love my family so much.

happy love day to the boy who took me on my first date, eight years ago on valentines day, and to the man who spent the night online shopping for a stroller and diaper bag with me. i love you, best friend-husband.

a few hours

my dear sisters baby drew was born on friday, so brian & i drove to their home to meet the sweet little man. it was a really quick trip. i wished i could've stayed longer to snuggle my nephew, but it was worth it. it was so worth it.





welcome to the world, baby drew! we love you.

one more time

we shared brians birthday weekend with so many family members and friends. it was wonderful! and totally exhausting.

brian and his friend john went ice fishing on friday, but unfortunately, didn't catch anything. so john and his lovely wife jenny bought some fish and brought it over to our house for a fish fry, complete with french fries and coleslaw. delicious! we were then joined by more friends for brians favourite ice cream cake.

here's the recipe. because its so good.

* * * * *

butter brickle ice cream cake

2 cups of flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup margarine
1 cup chopped pecans
1 jar caramel sauce (i made this caramel sauce.)
1 pint vanilla ice cream

melt margarine. stir in flour, oatmeal, brown sugar and pecans. spread in 9x13 pan and pat thin. bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. be sure not to burn it! crumble with a fork while hot and let cool. half of the crumble stays on the bottom of the pan, take other half out. drizzle with half of caramel sauce. fill the pan with ice cream. (the ice cream should be left out to melt a little; it makes it easier to spread.) top with the rest of the crumble and drizzle with caramel. freeze. and enjoy!

* * * * *

on saturday morning, my brother jess and his wife jayna and their crew came to edmonton to go to the temple. brian and i babysat the kiddos and gracie helped me bake brians birthday cupcakes, found here. later in the afternoon, brians sister jen and her husband robert and their two little ones came over and we all feasted on roast and mashed potatoes, corn and green salad. our apartment was full of people, mostly little people, and we had such fun celebrating with those that we love.

happy birthday, brian! hope you enjoyed your party weekend!



p.s. i'm not sure why that one candle looks like its about to put the whole plate of cupcakes up in flames. we didn't light anything on fire. i promise.

quarter of a century

twenty five years ago, brians mom & dad brought a little man home from the hospital in this adorable little toque.



in a couple of months, me & that man are going to bring home a little one in the same head gear.

happy birthday, bri! i'm so glad you're mine. here's to your 25th year and to the two of us becoming parents in the very near future. you're going to be the best daddy. i love you!

a staple in our home

i am a big believer in soup. warm, hearty, delicious soup. there is nothing a bowl of soup can't handle. which is why this soup has become a staple these past couple of months. it reminds me of a soup my mom used to make, which is probably why i love it so much. i just finished making a giant pot, and i hope you'll use this recipe sometime soon. its so easy to make and super delicious! i promise!

barley beef soup
(john hair, "sensible cooking")

3/4 cup pearl barley
2 1/2 cups salt water
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups diced celery
2 cups chopped onions
3 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
8 cups beef bouillon
1 quart tomatoes, pureed
1/2 cup apple juice
salt & pepper to taste

cook barley in salt water. brown ground beef. add remaining ingredients to pot. simmer until vegetables are tender. serve with a dollop of sour cream in each bowl.

enjoy!