on wednesday ramblings and a list.

Hiiii. I’m going to share a boring little update with you! It’s like… what we are eating in photos when I’m not buried in work or “trying to nest” which means just doing more work because I lack the nesting gene.

I feel like a chicken with my head cut off. I don’t even know what that expression means but I feel like it.

The leaves are almost gone. The color is almost gone! The malls are playing Christmas music. I haven’t caved… yet.

We keep finding excuses to do things like go to brunch at the last minute randomly and spend the entire day out shopping or walking around because “it might be the last time!” We probably have a few more weeks of “last times” so that should be fun. I’ve always been able to justify anything but now… I have a partner justifying all sorts of things.

A few weeks ago we did this with last minute brunch at Marty’s. I don’t know why, but their pancakes are my FAVORITE.

I dream about them. With cinnamon butter.

Perfection right?

It’s helpful when someone wants to order two breakfasts. Yessss.

Last week I taught my last cooking class before the baby comes, and it was all about SOUP.

It was hot as all get out. Three hours to make five giant pots of soup and homemade bread bowls does not compute.

It all worked out. On the drive home I almost got stuck sitting in the car and had to pry myself out and waddle into the house.

As a side note, Eddie says I’m not waddling yet. He’s been checking constantly. We are both surprised.

On Friday, which happened to be my birthday, I blinged out my nails (that’s deborah lippman’s glitter and be gay (huge fave) and nails, inc crushed diamonds in winter mews) like a 13-year-old and went to Altius for dinner. IT WAS SO GOOD.

Like so good that the next day I almost suggested we go there again after I did a local book signing. Had it not been the middle of the afternoon (they were closed), I would have put up a fight.

This is a mocktail by the way. I don’t remember what was in it except for those magical sweet, sweet cherries.

And! I ate butternut squash gnocchi with smoked ricotta. I want to make it at home. Can I smoke ricotta in our smoker? How else would one do this? Teach me the ways please. I know ricotta is easy but… smoking it?

Uh, as another side note, you know how I wrote a post all about scarves? My mom bought me three for my birthday. Feed the obsession. Probably because it’s the sure thing I can fit in to.

I’ve been cooking up a storm lately so I have some recipes to share when the baby comes. Everyone keeps asking me what I will do regarding the blog when the baby comes, and the truth is that I.have.NO.IDEA! It’s all new to me. Not much will change content-wise, things just may be added. I have some to-die-for recipes that I’ve tested the hell out of for December and even January, so I’ll share those. I want to keep it as real life as possible though – like I can’t imagine having the baby and then instagramming about a BLT that’s on the blog two hours later? I can’t function like that. You get me? We’re gonna play it by ear. I shouldn’t say anything because I’ll probably do EXACTLY THAT. Hypocrite.

Oh! Later this week the nursery furniture is finally coming. I don’t have a bag packed (of course) but I have a LIST of things that need to go into the bag. That’s gotta count for something? My mom says “pssh. you don’t need a bag. you’ll be fine. you won’t even feel it until the end.”

For the record, the three of us basically FELL out of her. She is laid back. I am not.

I’ve been a little bit of an emotional wreck the last few days, just overly feeling the urge to OMG BAWL MY EYES OUT for no apparent reason at all. Eddie says that because of this, I should certainly not listen to the Garth Brooks “Mom” song. I haven’t.

Guess what I’m doing right this very second? Baking the cookie lidded oatmeal. I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited to eat something in my life. The bad news is that I couldn’t stop eating the raw shortbread dough. The good news is that it’s allllll for me.

Almost six months ago I shared this list – I was pregnant but keeping it from all of you – and thought it would be fun to revisit right before this huge life change.

Eating / everything above. everything in my path.
Drinking / water like it’s going out of style. so boring.
Practicing / writing things that push me out of my comfort zone.
Mastering / the art of crossing off lists. i mean, lists that don’t include “shower” as a bullet point.
Learning / how to decorate. or attempting to. at least. and failing.
Trying / to come up with a list of freezer meals. i threw this out on facebook + twitter last night. i might do it.
Playing / frozen on repeat. i know. i can’t stop. maybe just because i’m excited to have a little one?
Finishing / things too far in advance. it makes me uncomfortable because i prefer to be last minute. (for real.)
Reading / an incredible story by someone i adore… and i’ll share it soon.
Remembering / my (paternal) grandma. this hasn’t changed. i’m devastated (and pissed) she can’t meet the baby.
Wearing / scarves! puffy vests! leggings, boots, long tanks and layers.
Cooking / an insane short rib dish for eddie. you’ll see it sooner or later.
Working / on three really exciting projects that have been forever in the making.
Traveling / around my house. it still needs unpacked. haaaalp me.
Wanting / to not be scared of the next two months.