Why I haven't posted in a while...

This cutie is keeping me busy. :) Jackson will be four weeks old in two days. I am tired, but in love!

Make way for baby!

Today I am 37 weeks pregnant - which means I am still 3 weeks away from my due date, but I'm officially 9 months along and "allowed" to go into labor whenever this little babe decides to make his appearance. Which I'm really hoping won't be AFTER his due date... I'm feeling much more impatient this time than I was with Charlotte, and that might have something to do with how sleepless my nights have been with preggo back/hip pain for the past few weeks. I remember the 9th month being difficult last time, but not quite this bad... Hopefully he'll follow his big sister's example and come punctually. :)

Over the past few weeks we've been busy getting things ready for his arrival. Charlotte moved to her new room and toddler bed (which she loves), John installed the infant car seat last week, all the little boy clothes are washed and folded, the home birth supplies are gathered and standing by in our room, and we just got the bassinet ready. Basically all that's left to do is just general house-tidying and organizing (or nesting?).

In all honesty, even with the above things being accomplished, I feel completely unprepared to take care of another baby - if I just did this two years ago, why do I feel like I've forgotten everything about infant care and nursing? And how exactly do you care for a crazy 2-year-old AND a newborn at the same time, all while running on just a couple hours of sleep each night? I know what I need to do now is trust God and remind myself that he will give me enough strength for each day. Prayers for peace (and that Charlotte and I would quickly heal from some bad colds we just caught) are much appreciated.

We're so excited to meet you, baby Jackson! <3

Jam Thumbprints

First time making jam thumbprint cookies! These are super easy to make. I love that shortbread is only 4 ingredients...and that it's safe to eat "raw." ;) Used Wegmans brand organic strawberry spread for the middle, although raspberry preserves would have been my first choice.

1 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. almond extract (I added 1/2 tsp. vanilla in addition, but you don't have to)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup strawberry or raspberry preserves

Cream butter, sugar and extract. Slowly add flour and blend until dough forms. Form into 1" balls and place on greased cookie sheet, pressing middle down with thumb. Spoon jam/preserves into the middles of the cookies. Bake for 14-18 mins. at 350 degrees. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheets, then transfer to wire rack.

Tomato-fest

What do you do when your backyard garden is producing this many tomatoes on a weekly basis? Cook LOTS of tomato basil soup and cappellini pomodoro! We're also getting way more cucumbers than we know what to do with - I just have to find some creative ways to use them.

Still Alive!

Oops! Time slipped through my fingers and I haven't updated the blog in almost three months. That's mostly due to the fact that I spent the last three months dealing with horrible morning sickness and couldn't cook anything except for the occasional mac n' cheese for my toddler. We're delighted about the new little one on the way, and though I'm now four months pregnant and still not out of the woods as far as nausea goes, I'm feeling a little more normal and dying to start cooking again (but only if the recipe doesn't include garlic). I can't muster enough blogging power to write a decent post at the moment (preggers brain), but since I don't want my blog to "die", here are some thoughts. I do have a lot of those!

• I've loved using cloth diapers for the past 8 months. I plan on writing a post in the near future about all the reasons why!
• I have one vanilla bean in my cabinet and am contemplating what to use it for. Maybe a bottle of homemade extract?
• I recently made some dried cherry buttermilk scones and they were scrumptious. Recipe and pictures when I find the time.
• No matter how much I wash, fold and iron, the laundry is never really done.
• I am ridiculously impatient for my ultrasound, even more so than I was with Charlotte. How can I make the next 3 weeks go faster? Dying to know if it's pink or blue! :>
• Watermelons went down in price, but cherries are still ridiculously expensive. Anyone know when they're in season?
• We have our first vegetable garden this year! Only casualty thus far is one of the basil plants - devoured by japanese beetles. Thankfully we planted two! Tomatoes are almost ready to harvest, as are some bell peppers. The cucumbers are growing like crazy, but definitely not ready to pick yet. Yum!
• You haven't had hummus until you've had it homemade, with ROASTED garlic - not raw.
• I still haven't finished Charlotte's baby quilt. *sigh*

Simple card

Threw a simple blank card together yesterday -- more to come!

Why I Love My Panini Grill: Reason #23

A better Philly Cheesesteak!

(sandwich steaks, white american cheese, sauteed peppers and onions, little bit of mayonnaise, Italian roll. Even better with mushrooms!)