Baby Mine

We got to go to the doctor again yesterday. Baby's heartbeat was 160 and the doctor said that was really good - "we got a winner!" I will never tire of hearing that sound... I still remember the first time - tears. And still, yesterday - tears. :)

I can't wait to meet this little bundle of joy...that will inevitably drive us crazy from time to time, but still.... I'm excited. Understatement of the year. ;)

Sean just beams....he's so handsome! :) "My cup runneth over..."

So... ;)

As most of you know, we have some great news! ;) After much waiting, and then some more waiting, some heartache, and then even more waiting, Sean and I are expecting a baby! ;D Baby is due the first week of May. We'll let you all know then whether it's a boy or girl! ;) I'm excited to wait (if THAT makes any sense)...

Baby is healthy and happy thus far and that's what our prayers continue to be for...

Here is Baby at 8 weeks - waving hi! ;)

Here is Baby at 10 weeks, doing the truffle shuffle! ;D

We had a couple scares there in the beginning but the doctor has assured us that everything looks really good and that Baby is growing well! :) I have another appt. on Monday, and I'll be at 13 weeks. :) God is good!

Oh for the lack of blogging!

ARG!  It has been almost one month since my last entry....my apologies!  I don't have any excuses other than being busy....

Sean and I started Firefly again - every once in a while we like to restart or re-watch a series that we love, and a couple times a year will watch Firefly.  If you've never seen it I highly recommend it - awesomely funny western-meets-space-travel written into existence by the ever-witty Joss Whedon.  It's not a long series, unfortunately - but not for lack of talented crew or skilled actors and great writing - it was pre-empted during it's first several shows for BASEBALL coverage.  arg. Nevertheless, it's a great show and worthy of checking out.  ;)  

I babble, mostly because I have no real news or anything of consequence to write about.  babblebabblebabble.  I had a job interview today.  I posted pictures for my project 365.

  http://www.flickr.com/photos/guardians_of_ithilien/sets/72157620840451666/  

Please go look if you have the inclination to....  I've been taking care of Sean while he's been sick.  I will go until I have something more interesting to write.  ;P  Take care, my dear friends!  ;D

What a start!

What a great first day for my project 365....a trip to the Biltmore Mansion!  Nevermind that I was sicker than a dog (didn't get to surprise my NC friend....)  :(  

Nevertheless, we had a beautiful day and got some cool shots to share with y'all (oh, see now - that Southern talk is rubbin off on me....)  ;)  Here are some shots from our day today.

We weren't allowed to take pictures inside, but a braver me would have anyway.  There were, however, workers EVERYWHERE, so I didn't chance it.  Maybe next time....  ;)

You can also follow my project 365 on Flickr at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39778424@N03/

This was the initial view of the mansion from the trail that we took.  Beauty, eh?

Sean and I....  ;D

My father-in-law Harvey

One of many cool fountains on the grounds, an area so vast they measure it in square miles, not acres....yeesh!

Lovely trees....

This sucker's huge!  It wouldn't all fit in there....  Beautiful details everywhere you look....

One of many gargoyles, which are *NOT* evil, by the way....they were meant to ward off evil.

We thought this lion looked like Honey.  And this is the view of Honey that I get to have every morning as she stands over me on the bed just staring at me....time to get up Mommy!  Except that she has huge golden retriever ears dangling down....and no mane....hmmm....

For those of you that have seen Private Eyes (kudos to you!), it was filmed at the Biltmore Mansion.  Here is the tunnel that several of the characters drive through at various times before ending up in a lake down the road (which is really elsewhere....sorry to disappoint....)

Sean got the biggest kick out of the name for this park, and the park after it - Melten Hill.  Sooo....he took a picture for us to treasure always.  ;)  I love it!

Fireflies and Lightning Storms, a first and a favorite

Our first night in Tennessee was graced with bunches and bunches of little glowing fireflies dancing around us in the trees and gullies surrounding the house.  As we settled back for the night, storm clouds began rolling in, thunder rumbling and lightning streaking across the sky.  It has been so very long since we've seen lightning and heard thunder, and we really enjoyed it.  

Every night since our arrival (save tonight) we've walked around the loop and looked at the fireflies dancing and flitting through the night as the deer advance on their own regular route of travel.  

And so it becomes, that one of my firsts (seeing fireflies), has also become one of my favorites (much like said lightning storms).  

*Image copyright manglobe 2004

Little Black Bear

I just came to the realization that I never posted pics from our last trip to Anchorage - when Sean saw his first black bear!  On our way through Skilak area we saw this little guy on the left side of the highway, and on our way back home later that day, it was on the other side of the road in the same area....  So, we stopped to take a couple pics.  

On the way TO Anchorage, Honey saw it and just wanted to play, but on the way back, she saw it again, and tried to tell little black bear just who was boss.  So, little black bear ran off.  :|  But we did manage to get a couple shots....  

Maybe we'll see you again someday....  

Holy Peanut Butter Cookies, Batman!

SO, tonight I baked a quadruple batch of PB cookies, and all I can say is, "holy moly!"  (No, I do not know what a moly is....so if you do, please let me know....)  ;)  I only write about this particular cookie baking instance, because due to the amount of peanut butter involved in this gargantuan batch of cookies, the evening got a little comical....

I almost lost my spoon to the pull of the PB....I seriously couldn't get it out for the longest time!

After I was able to get my spoon back (phew!), I went on with my usual cookie-bakiness....

(this is my favorite PB cookie making tool....)  ;)

...aaaand here's how we use it!

(Jimmy Buffet music not required, but definitely more fun!  Almost as fun as watching Spirit while baking, that's my usual tradition.  Which may explain why tonight's baking was vastly weirder....)

Heeeere's the first batch:

Hey....wait a second....these ones are square!  Look at these monstrosities!  Blasted methods of mass production....

Lemme try that again....

That's more like it!  Circular peanut butter cookies are definitely less ominous....  ehhhxxxxcept that now they look like unassuming cow pies.  *sigh*  They're still tasty (hey - it's peanut butter!)  ;)