Bob's my Uncle

It's Not Easy Being Cheesy

2010-06-29T22:06:00.004+01:00

I think I'll hold off getting business cards that say "Lynnsey Sitter: Artisan Cheesemaker" made up.

I made my first, valiant attempt at making mozzarella cheese. The product is definitely what I'd call cheese...although, perhaps, not what I'd call mozzarella.

It all started out innocently enough. A pot of milk with some acid in it. Another pot with some boiling salt water for the brining. You know, the same thing everybody has on their stove.

Yep. Just like mom used to make. Or...not so much.

Apparently, the magic temperature for making mozzarella is 88 degrees. Oh, and then later 106 degrees. These seem like totally arbitrary numbers to me.

Cheesecloth lined colander ready to go. It's really hard to rinse out cheesecloth, in case you were wondering. I'm going to have to boil it again.

Yes, I own a book that is not recipes with cheese, but recipes for cheese. That's how I roll. I also have a little diluted calcium chloride and rennet.

Cover and let stand. So your curds can form. Or something.

Curds. The whey went down the drain. Because it was kinda gross.

In the salt water brine. Which was quite hot. My rubber gloves...not heat-resistant, by the way.

And then into the ice water after you stretch and fold it. I'm not sure I did that part right.

I don't know if I over- or under- worked it. It is definitely cheese-like in nature. It's a little bland. It's not a texture I'd call fantastic. Still cheese, though. Oh, and I couldn't get it to roll into a nice ball so its not very pretty.

I'm thinking I'll give it another try. Maybe a different type of cheese...or the other recipe for mozzarella...or maybe I'll stick to knitting.

We Be Jammin'

2010-06-26T16:53:00.003+01:00

I made jam today. Blackberry jam...from this recipe.

I also found out that the time-consuming part is getting ready to make jam. There's a lot of simmering.

And a lot of sugar.

That's a pretty color...you have to admit.

This pan was almost not big enough. It got dicey towards the end.

Keeping it hot...I mean warm.

How did people get these out before the magnetic lid lifters? I could barely get them with the lifter.

Almost boiling. Don't watch!

There's something supremely happy about lids that pop as you walk back into the kitchen.

Liam officially taste-tests the leftovers from the fridge on a sandwich with some peanut butter. He seems to like it.

Chicken Quesadillas

2010-06-24T22:55:00.004+01:00

...or, as Ryan calls them, "kwesadilluhs."

First, you simmer the chicken in seasonings until it falls apart.

Next you put cheese on one side of your whole wheat tortilla. A lot of cheese.

Then you put the fallen-apart, seasoned chicken on top of the cheese.

Then...wait for it...you put more cheese on top. A lot more cheese.

Fold them in half. I like to make a pile. It's just fun.

Next, you take them to the grill. If you are unable to get to a grill...well, I guess you're out of luck, eh? I mean, you could cook them in a pan or on an electric griddle if you absolutely had to.

Top with your choice of salsa, sour cream, guacamole, whatever.

Or just eat them plain like Liam does with a big cup of milk.

Cedar-Planked Salmon with Lemon Dill Butter

2010-06-21T02:48:00.009+01:00

As a birthdays/anniversary present we got a big basket of BBQ goodness. One of the things in it was a package of cedar planks. Coupled with Wegman's current supply of Alaskan wild-caught salmon (have you heard what's in farm-raised?) we decided that it sounded like a good Father's Day dinner.

Chopped some dill from the garden. Zested and sliced some lemons.

Softened some butter. Added garlic and the dill and the lemon zest.

Here's the color that salmon should be, kids.

Soaked the cedar plank.

Made some rice to go with.

Here we go!

Hot stuff!

Heat the cedar plank until it chars and smokes. It's too bad I can't take a picture of the smell.

Smoky, butter-y, dill-y, goodness.

I can't quite deal with this part. It reminds me of what I'm eating. Yuck.

But it looks nice on the plate.

And Liam likes it.

Springish

2010-04-18T20:58:00.010+01:00

Well, it's been a really long time since I've written anything. Sorry about that. Most days I feel like I don't get halfway down my to-do list and that makes it difficult to find time to do much of anything.

So...what's been going on? Well, Liam is huge.

Stuff is growing in our backyard as I try in vain to figure out what color I want to paint each and every room in our house.

I actually managed to clean out, thin, and tie back the berries without too many scrapes.

We're working on a garden. Mostly a tomato, pepper, and herb garden. Ryan is working on getting ready for our rototiller-extraordinaire, Cindy.

I'm getting ready by checking obsessively on my herbs and trying to figure out if there's extra storm windows in our garage rafters so I can make a cold frame because they're getting too big for the seed starter.

I'm also looking for strawberry plants because I have a strawberry pot and my seeds don't seem to be doing anything. Oh, and lavender for the other side of the brick wall. And waiting to see what kind of heirloom tomato plants I can get my hands on.

Ryan left for Jordan today so Liam and I are eating ice cream for dinner, um...I mean carrots...yeah, carrots! That's it. He's going to take lots of pictures and write about it when he gets back. Look for that somewhere around August (you've all met Ryan).

Liam has all of the trappings of toddler summer fun. Swingset, sandbox, and pool are all ready to go.

I'm making cheese and knitting lace in my spare time (ha!). I'm on the sixth lace scarf of the year. My original goal was one a month, so I'm ahead still. The cheese-making has just begun, so I'm not sure how that's going to go yet.

I'm also thinking about canning salsa (in case we don't eat all the tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro) this summer and maybe making jelly (I know I can't NOT eat the berries, so we'll have to figure that one out). I'm also going to have a lot of herbs from the look of it, so I'll be drying those, too.

This is just the beginning. We need to re-glaze the windows, re-do the garage roof, paint, fix or re-do the siding, make a workshop...I'd like to get rainwater barrels and a composter going...no problem.

Oh, Christmas Tree

2009-12-14T01:19:00.003Z

We trimmed the tree tonight. Liam seems to think we're crazy for having a tree in the living room. He laughed all day. He likes the pretty lights.

"So let me get this straight...We put the tree in the living room...then we put lights on it...and then we put silly, shiny things on it?"

That makes perfect sense.

Perfect.

Happy Birthday!

2009-11-15T23:14:00.010Z

Wednesday marked the anniversary of a truly historic occasion...the birth of Liam M. Sitter.

Wednesday is not a fun day to celebrate birthdays, however. So we partied on Sunday!

To properly celebrate a momentous birthday like 1, you need the right equipment.

You also need balloons...

Winnie the Pooh balloons

And silly hats...well, you really only need one silly hat, but if you can pull off two, why not?

You also need a dumptruck load of presents. Apparently, if you're super cute this isn't all that hard to get.

Don't forget the guests! It's no fun to party by yourself.

You definitely need cake. Even better if it has a sparkly number one candle.

We've done Liam a disservice by not giving him very many sweets. He wasn't all that excited by cake. He hardly knew what to do with that big bite of frosting. He did know what to do with his new Clifford bowl, though...carry it around for the rest of the day.

I'm glad that I cleaned up the house. Otherwise we wouldn't have had room for all the new stuff. We're going to need a bigger house at this rate.

Mister got all kinds of stuff to help attract the ladies.

A snow suit for the ski bunnies...

A whole pile of clothes to help maintain his sharp-dressed image.

A big truck for all the roughneck girls...

A guitar for, well let's be honest...all the girls.

A pile of books for the smart girls.

Cleo and Clifford for the animal lovers.

A hot car for, again, all the girls.

Of course, then there's the dog that comes with his own USB cable so he can learn Liam's name, favorite food (cheese), favorite animal (cat) and favorite color (blue). You can also program the songs he plays...kind of a furry, green iPod. This must be for the nerdy girls.

Mister would like to thank everybody for the great presents and for coming to party with him!

Out and About

2009-11-13T01:46:00.002Z

I started this post months ago...sorry. I'm working on it...really.

It occurs to me that those of you too cool for Facebook haven't really seen pictures of the house.

I thought I'd start with the outside.

Here's where the magic happens. I love grilling. I don't love the creepy elecrtic meter cover.

The herb crew from the apartment...hanging out on the patio.

Liam's yard.

Weather vane...how many of you have a weather vane? Huh?

Black raspberries...mmm. There's blackberries, too. Not bad for a house in the city, eh?

Ginger's bunny friend.

Blue hydrangeas. I guess this is a big deal. I like the pink ones, personally.

Clematis. I learned that if you don't pick off the dead ones they stop flowering. Noted.

Big orange lilies. There are little red and yellow lilies, too.

I had nothing to do with any of these flowers. They all just do their own thing. It's probably better that way. I am hoping I killed some of the hosta because I hate it, but I think it takes nuclear measures to get rid of it, though. I did keep the tomatoes alive. That's something.

I have some plans for next year...a little garden with some herbs, tomatoes, and hot peppers. Keep the raspberries going strong. Maybe get a rainwater collection system and a compost heap going. We'll see.

The Wonderful thing about Tiggers...

2009-10-02T01:15:00.002+01:00

A Tigger's a wonderful thing.

Their tops are made out of rubber...

Their bottoms are made out of springs!

It's Not the Size...

2009-08-17T00:29:00.006+01:00

Of your pool that matters...it's how cool the water is on a hot day!

He wasn't all that excited when I lubed him up with his SPF 7,982 sunscreen, but after he got to splashing I think he forgave me.

I think he may have realized that those aren't pool toys. They worked for a while, though...until he tried to drink out of them.

Nothing like a little sunscreen, dead grass, and bug cocktail on a hot, sticky afternoon.

Life's a Beach

2009-08-13T03:26:00.003+01:00

Mister and I went to the peninsula today...or as Liam knows it, the place with the water and the girls in bikinis. He dipped his tootsies in again and even sat in the sand.

Liam ponders all manner of scratchy, wet things.

Liam and mommy have sandy toes.

Liam gets ready for winter...practice makes perfect.

Blues and Jazz

2009-08-03T14:45:00.004+01:00

On Saturday, we went to the Blues and Jazz Fest at Frontier Park. Mister donned his party shirt and we loaded daddy up with provisions.

Here, Liam and baby Hedwig hang out with Bink on the blanket, listening to the blues.

Liam enjoys a cold one...a teether, that is. Straight from the cooler.

What would a bluesman be without his cool shades?

I think that mister might have a future in the music biz. He's certainly got some rhythm.

Hooray for Yard Sales

2009-07-21T02:58:00.004+01:00

I love yard sales. I remember the Lake Street yard sales in Girard way back in the day. My mom always went. I got to a point where I would complain about getting up so early and at some point they just stopped.

The weekend before last, there were sales all the way up and down Harvard Street, just a couple of blocks away, so after breakfast Liam and I headed out to see what we could come up with.

My love of yard sales has been rekindled...to say the least.

I came up with a baker's dozen articles of clothing (including a Ralph Lauren polo shirt and a Baby Gap denim jacket) for 50 cents each. Gently used clothing, by the way, has the added bonus of containing much less residue from pesticides used on cotton...and, again, 50 cents each...what is that? 5 percent of the original cost of some of these things?

I got a couple of annoying electronic toys that mister loves, a Boppy pillow, and a bunch of books.

I also found this...

For those of you unfamiliar with this contraption, it is a Jumperoo. They retail for close to $100, depending on the bells and whistles. This one was $10 and a moment of my spare time to wipe it down (it's barely been used). Score.

I'm going to have to start getting the Friday paper to check out the sales.

The Whole Enchilada

2009-07-21T02:09:00.003+01:00

I make really great enchiladas. Really. Ask Ryan.

This is the recipe. You'll notice that I do what I normally do with directions of any kind. I read them, decide that I like parts of them, and then change the rest.

This was the first time I used the grill as part of the enchilada prep. The chicken is rubbed with a spicy blend that is mostly ground chipotle and cumin...I could tell you the rest, but then I'd have to kill you...and, no, that recipe isn't 100% accurate, so don't even try it.

There are, for those of you counting, three jalapenos and two habaneros headed into the mix for eight enchiladas. If you're good at math...(3+2)/8 = spicy.

If you lean in close, you'll probably clear your sinuses. I'll bill you later.

What would the enchilada be without its authentic Goya red beans and rice? (10 points if you can't hear "red beans and rice" without starting to hum a certain Sir Mix-a-lot song...)

One last coat of cheese before it goes in the oven...mmmm...cheese.

The finished product, complete with almost enough sour cream to make it possible to eat without dying. For me, at least...According to Ryan, it was "a good start."

He wants me to make the next batch spicier. He forgets that I have to sleep with him.

Liam Likes It

2009-07-01T16:57:00.003+01:00

So far, Liam seems to like his room. He seems concerned about that ray of sunshine, though...it must not be certified organic.

He was making that funny noise because it echoed while the upstairs was empty. Now, there are a lot more toys than I thought he had in his room. Along with his crib, which he is sleeping very well in despite the change. He actually naps better...must be having his own space out of the hustle and bustle.

I'd say he likes it.

Back at It

2009-06-15T18:06:00.003+01:00

"It" being Puffer-hole (see previous post about hole-ness). This is a little late. We were actually there on the 31st of May...we counted that as our June outing.

A shot from the only good place to eat outside in Erie if you're a baby. Heck, one of the best places to eat in Erie no matter who you are.

The best place to read a book, too. I believe Ryan was taking his dorkiness to a new level and reading about Napoleon on this bright, beautiful day.

Mister loves him some Pufferbelly. He mostly likes to flirt with the waitresses. He likes older women. He tried to order a beer, but since he doesn't speak English yet it didn't work out too well. It's probably better that way...Tigger's had some trouble with the booze.

Liam also loves mommy...and self-portraits.

Stay tuned for our photo-documentary on Erie's unhealthy obsession with block glass...Part One: Erie Insurance and the Parking Garage of Doom.

Happy (Early) Father's Day

2009-06-13T14:18:00.002+01:00

With all of the housiness that will be going on next weekend I figure it's better to get it out there.

For the best daddy ever...

Comin' at Ya!

2009-06-06T14:00:00.002+01:00

Mister has almost figured out how to crawl...he has all the pieces, he just hasn't quite figured out how to put them together. If his butt is up, his head is down...and his arms just don't seem to go the right way.

He has mastered scooching, creeping, whatever you want to call it.

Here he comes!

Comin' to get ya!

A Big Round of Applause

2009-06-06T13:54:00.002+01:00

For Liam...who has figured out how to clap.

He still hits himself in the face from time to time...or just totally misses. It's pretty cute either way.

Funny Doggie

2009-06-02T13:16:00.003+01:00

Pete says I should consider stand-up. I'm not so sure. Not everyone gets me.

Liam, however, thinks I'm hilarious...

Doggie says...?

Hole in the Wall

2009-05-11T12:59:00.002+01:00

Ryan has this odd habit of referring to things he likes with "hole" either stuck on the end of the word or replacing part of it. Many of these "words" are palces to get food of some sort. Not sure why, but it's been going on for a while now...Weg-hole, Clifton-hole, Market-hole, etc.

This weekend we made a little trip to Puffer-hole.

Of course, we sat in our middle booth by the bar. We've sat there a lot. This time was a little different.

Unfortunately, Rose wasn't there...and will probably kick us when she finds out she missed Liam on his very first trip to the restaurant...well, any restaurant nicer than Panera, for that matter.

He was very good. We'd been out looking at houses and he was hungry by this time. He had lunch (from a bottle)...we had lunch (from a bottle...just kidding, we both had really good cheeseburgers). We even managed to eat cheesecake for dessert before he got tired of watching us eat.

On Sunday, I got purty flowers from Ryan. Liam sang to me all day and I was even sung a duet at one point. Very nice.

The Nose Knows

2009-04-06T17:30:00.002+01:00

It's been brought to my attention that Liam might look a little bit like me, too. I don't see it so much...I still say he looks like Ry, with his crooked smile and (sorry) Sitter ears.

I'm on the left (that's my nephew on the right...he was known as "little Dale" growing up...the last time I saw him, nearly ten years ago, my hand was the size of his palm...) with my dad, circa 1981.

I might concede that he has my nose...but that's it.

When Bath Towels Attack!

2009-04-06T01:09:00.002+01:00

Today, after his bath, Liam was attacked...by none other than his towel!

It tried to eat him. Luckily he had his trusty spoons and easily made short work of the blue terry terror.

Ryan also took a picture of us in the bath (Liam mostly soaks the whole bathroom when we use the little tub, so now I just throw on my suit and climb in the big tub with him...he likes to float, who knew?). Needless to say, it will not be available to the public. It would almost be cute if I didn't look like a black and pasty-white manatee. Time to get on the bike, I guess.

This Place is a Zoo!

2009-04-02T20:58:00.020+01:00

Liam and I went to the zoo today. Before we left, though, we had to check to see if the Bjorn (or the Bjork as Ryan calls it...apparently, I'm carrying our son around with the help of a small, Icelandic singer with no fashion sense) was set up correctly. Mister has grown a little since we used it last. Now, Instead of facing me and looking out the armholes, he can actually face out and see the world.

Unfortunately for you Liam watchers out there, this means there are more pictures of critters than of him. It's hard to take a picture of someone who's strapped to your chest.

We started our tour with mommy's favorite...the red panda.

And his next-door neighbor, the lemur. I'm having flashbacks of watching Zoboomafoo with Amber when she was little...

Next, we went inside. It's been quite some time since I've been to the zoo, so it was almost as new to me as it was to Liam. In other words, I had no idea where I was going. It turned out ok...this is what we saw next.

The gorilla looked like she was deep in thought. This little guy, however, was scratching his butt repeatedly.

Liam liked this kitty...she's just a little bit bigger than Lola.

There are actually two birds at the top of this water fall...and a turtle down in the water. I couldn't get a good shot of either.

Just outside, there was another kitty. We like kitties.

This one looks bored.

These llamas live across from the kitty. I don't know if I'd put my llamas that close to the kitty...I'm just saying.

Onward, to the hardest working animal in the zoo. It's a tough life, being a polar bear.

It's also very tough to be a lioness. In the wild, she'd have to hunt. Here, I think she was reading Cosmo.

I don't even have to say anything about warthogs. They're funny on their own.

We tried to bring this guy home with us, but I thought Ryan would notice another cat...

It's gotta be tough being a turtle at the zoo. Does anybody go to see the turtles?

We almost missed the rhinoceros...Don't ask me how you miss a rhino...they're surprisingly stealthy.

I've got a bone to pick with these guys...They called that American-Villanova game pretty crooked, if you ask me.

Ha!

*Indiana Jones theme here*

Yippee! More red pandas. I love these guys. I want to take one home!

This looks familiar somehow...

This guy's working on his tan.

Who knew giraffes had such huge heads? Or that the zoo had such dirty windows?

I think that the ducks are in the same boat as the turtles. Who goes to see the ducks? Now, if they really were in a boat with the turtles...that might draw a crowd.

Liam's favorite thing was the otters. I think he wanted to dive in and swim with them. This guy is much cuter than the hockey players.

There are a lot more pictures, but I can't think of anything to write about them. Go to the zoo yourself...don't expect me to do all the work.

I finally took Liam out of the Bjork. He got awfully heavy after the second hour. We made it all the way through, though. Score one for the Bjork.

Of course, Liam had to have a shirt. I'm not sure whether this will end up as part of the big quilt or the one I'm planning out of all the baby stuff (when we're done using it for babies, that is).

That's it for the zoo. It's supposed to snow next week or Liam and I could start our new lives as beach bums...

The Liam Sleeps Tonight...

2009-03-29T16:42:00.005+01:00

Liam sleeps around...

with Mommy...

With Daddy...

With Grammy...

This is the only way to get him to take a nap...If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Taco Night Meets the Sunday Morning Omelet

2009-03-29T16:27:00.006+01:00

Saturday night was taco night at our Liberty Street palace. Sue and Pete joined us for chips with salsa and guacamole, chicken quesadillas, make-your-own tacos, frozen strawberry margaritas (with an assist on the blender), and sundaes topped with chocolate and Spanish roasted peanuts (courtesy, again, of Sue).

Before the big game...

Ryan got promoted to head cook.

Liam decided to get very angry because no one offered him a taco, but other than that, I'd say it was success.

This morning, in a flash of inspiration, I decided to make taco omelets...so that the fun (and the indigestion) could continue.

And, yes, mom...you're invited next weekend for dinner...I'll make "that chicken stuff."

How Sweet It Is

2009-03-22T18:58:00.003Z

Liam has started eating solid foods...well, more solid than breast milk, anyways. He's shown quite an interest in what Ryan and I eat for quite a while now and has reached the proper developmental milestones...doubling his birth weight, holding his head steady when sitting supported, not pushing everything out of his mouth with his tongue, etc. He was eyeballing my enchiladas the other night, but we're not quite there yet.

We started with the obligatory wall paper paste, I mean, rice cereal. He liked that well enough...until he got some sweet potatoes.

I surprised him with the first spoonful, so you get his funny face, but after he figured it all out he gobbled it right up.

If you don't have the audio it goes something like this:

Liam: "The service in this restaurant sucks...I've been waiting for at least a minute and a half! Where's my food? What is that thing?...Why is it furry? Why is it sniffing my feet? Tell it to get away from my cereal...You'll let anybody in here, won't you? What kind of restaurant is this? Where's my milk?"

If you do have audio, you know I'm full of crap...well, even if you didn't have audio you probably guessed that.

Liam Sings the Blues

2009-03-18T18:57:00.003Z

Ok, maybe not the blues, but Dave Matthews.

I had a really long drive to work every day while I was pregnant during which I listened to my iPod because Erie area radio sucks. The iPod is a little heavy on the DMB...just a little. That might be what is to blame here.

The angle is a little weird because if he sees you he won't do it anymore. I had to wait around the corner for a couple of minutes to catch him doing it again. He does this a lot lately. He's actually singing John Mayer behind me as we speak...but I know that if I turn around he'll just look at me like he wasn't doing anything.

New Frontiers

2009-03-17T18:38:00.008Z

Liam and I took our second trip to Frontier Park. We went this weekend with daddy, but since somebody's got to make the doughnuts we were on our own this time.

No problem, though. We got all packed up and headed out on a little St. Patty's day expedition. Liam made sure to bring everything an explorer needs...burpie, blankie, spoons...

We decided to do a little off-roading in the Cadillac Escalade of a stroller that we have and took a little detour to this green bench...

Where Liam got out and took a look around. It's tough to explore when you're lying on your back and all you can see is the tops of leafless trees. This is a much better view.

He also got to see what was making all that noise. Here Mr. Robin poses for a shot.

Soon, we head back to the beaten path...and by beaten path I mean relatively well-maintained, paved trail...and continue our journey, spoons at the ready.

Heading around the south horn of the park we venture into uncharted territory...wait, no...there's a bench...I guess somebody's been here before. Oh, well...it's still pretty.

We round the corner and stop at a local establishment for some refreshments.

Just kidding...we stopped and got some chocolate! No...I'm kidding again... really, we stayed on the other side of the road. I swear! Jeez! Ryan's going to be searching for this imaginary chocolate now...

Next stop...Bridge. Liam likes water almost as much as I do.

See? Doesn't he look fascinated?

You really can't blame him, though. Enough of this and you'd fall asleep, too.

On our way back around, we stop and have a little sit on the stones.

This elusive creature is rarely caught on film...so enjoy it now.

Liam is almost overwhelmed with excitement about his walk in the park.

He's even more overwhelmed to be returning home. You can tell by how he's almost moved since the last picture.

As always...happy to be back at the crib...

Splish Splash

2009-03-08T21:53:00.003Z

Liam likes the bath. He's determined that if he kicks his right leg, mommy gets the brunt of the splash. He seems to find this amusing.

He doesn't like to get out of the bath...except for one thing, his big towel.

This is the only thing worth getting out of the tub for. This and maybe some milk...

You Be the Judge

2009-02-18T19:07:00.003Z

I know that babies lack not only the intellectual ability, but also the physical ability to speak at this age. They start to make cooing sounds and "ah" and "goo" usually follow shortly after. They start to babble around now.

Babies usually say "da-da" before "ma-ma" because the "d" sound is easier physically to create. We could get into the hole conversation about phonemes and language, but we won't.

I know he's not actually saying what it sounds like, but it's still fun for me.

I'll let you be the judge.

Rollin'

2009-02-18T16:26:00.002Z

He doesn't look quite as surprised as he did the first time he made it around, but...

The judges deducted points for getting stuck on the landing. Hopefully, he'll realize that if he just moves that one arm and puts his head down he'll roll all the way over.

Valentine's Day 2.0

2009-02-14T11:57:00.007Z

Today is the second Valentine's Day Ryan and I have celebrated together. Last year was great. This year wasn't so shabby either.

Ryan brought home some red roses. A first. I've gotten lots of flowers...everything from sunflowers to orchids, but these are the first red roses.

He also brought home some Romolo's chocolates. I think this might have been a ploy to get some himself, but it was still sweet.

And of course, our old favorite...the Chateauneuf du Pape...the only red I like.

So we have a romantic setting for dinner. Wine, candles, roses, chocolates...

and a baby in a swing.

Now all we need is food. We decide that chicken stir-fry just isn't all that romantic and Ryan heads out to find some red meat.

I get a little bored waiting for Ryan to get back from the store and start playing around with the camera...

Soon we have a delicious meal. Steak au poivre with garlic mashed potatoes and sauteed mushrooms. It might look familiar.

Here is one very lucky guy about to enjoy the fruits of his labors.

And here's a very lucky girl with a very lucky guy.

After Much Deliberation...

2009-02-13T21:00:00.004Z

The first time Liam swatted the blue thing it was a a little random. He did it a few times in a row, but still...it wasn't a terribly deliberate effort. The swatting is a lot more deliberate now that he knows that he has hands!

After spending a month or so in the jungle, he has become quite the hunter. He kicks the jingly toucan, he smacks the rattly elephant, talks trash to the butterflies, and swats the blue thing with the fiercest intent.

And when he's done he stares at that handsome guy in the mirror.

Heads Up!

2009-02-12T22:51:00.003Z

Back in the day, before the launch of the "Back to Sleep" campaign, babies used to reach a lot of tummy-type milestones earlier (lifting their heads, crawling, rolling over, etc.) because they slept on their tummies. Now these developments are delayed slightly because babies don't spend as much time this way (well worth the over 50% decrease in SIDS deaths in the last decade or so).

It has become increasingly important to give babies so-called tummy time to help them reach these developmental milestones as well as to avoid flat-head syndrome (that's a real thing...not some incredibly obscure dork reference to the old Zork games).

We spend a lot of time on our tummies here. Mr. Liam is going to be like mommy, though, and often falls asleep this way.

Our hard work is paying off, though.

According to my mom, it's taken this long only because his (rather large) head is packed full of so many brains.

Like Father...

2009-02-10T13:46:00.002Z

Hopefully, this will keep some of our rabid readers satisfied for a little while...I'm working on it...

People keep asking me who Liam looks like. For those of you who question my answer...

I think he looks like Ry. He even has his crooked smile (although he does pout like me...I'll give you that).

Swat Team

2009-01-12T18:42:00.003Z

Liam loves the rainforest.

He doesn't seem to like the little blue thing dangling from the toucan, however.

That, or he's found something other than daddy to swat at.

In the Jungle

2008-12-26T15:13:00.006Z

The Sitter family has moved!

We now live in the rain forest.

It all started with the soother. Mobiles have to be taken down as soon as babies start to pull up, so I decided to go with the soother. It plays music and makes rain forest sounds. It lights up and the monkey, fish, and frog all move. It's pretty great. When he gets old enough he can even turn it on by himself (you press the toucan).

We got another piece of rain forest on Christmas Eve.

Here Liam lounges under the canopy.

He has become great friends with the giraffe (who I'm pretty sure doesn't live in the rain forest...along with the elephant or the zebra, but hey, whatever!).

The toucan does belong in the rain forest. There's a whole flock of them.

This is the same monkey from the soother. I think he really belongs in the rain forest, too. He's very cute.

We got anther piece of rain forest on Christmas day.

It has another giraffe. I think this is the other one's girlfriend.

It also has a zebra that plays music when you spin his little ball. We've been rocking out to zebra ever since.

There is a leaf. Not all that exciting, I know.

But, if you pick the leaf up...

Liam seems to like living in the rain forest.

Liam's Big Weekend

2008-12-15T00:28:00.003Z

Liam had a big weekend.

We trimmed the tree with Grammy and Grampy! He supervised, of course!

Here he is in front of his masterpiece with mommy!

On Sunday, we went to the grocery store. It took a loooooong time to convince daddy that we wouldn't get the plague from spending an hour at Wegman's. Liam slept in the Bjorn the whole time, drooling right down mommy's shirt. Actually, I'm not sure he even realized we went anywhere...he slept through the whole thing.

Here we go! Ready for the road trip to Wegman's!

When we got home, Liam ate lunch. Then we had some tummy time with mommy. We're reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Usually, he falls asleep by the middle of each chapter.

Then, (Great!) Grandma and Grandpa Sitter came over to visit! Liam spent an hour or two being told how cute he was...it was exhausting! It's tough work having everyone love you!

Then Liam watched some football with daddy. I'm not pointing any fingers, but I'd swear his breath smelled like pretzels...

Oh, Christmas Tree

2008-12-08T15:02:00.003Z

Well, if you haven't been over, the place looks much fuller than it did last time you saw pictures. We have furniture and stuff!

However, we still only have one chair for the big table.

But we have more than one couch. We actually have more couches than we need. One has become the place for cool cats to hang out. We still have cool stained-glass windows and a nifty light. We've yet to have a fire in the fireplace this year, but it's in the works.

We also have a Christmas tree! The same fake, from-Lowe's, bought-on-Black-Friday, tree that Gracie climbed last year (we got smart and bought another kitty-zapper this time so she can't perch in the tree and break things). Here, a bird's-eye view of the unfurling process.

Liam and bink supervise from the swing.

It's up. The star is on top (mostly because it's easier to do it that way than climb something and fight with it for ten minutes). That's about it. Between Clarion and global logistics we haven't gotten any further. Paco the Christmas Parrot is still resting in his box and the Yuletide Cactus is wrapped up, too. Maybe this week. I bought more egg nog just in case!

And, no, it's not that crooked anymore. We straightened it out after this picture was taken!

Thank You..Thank You Very Much!

2008-12-05T18:28:00.002Z

A great big round of applause for Team Grammy this week. Between my mom and Sue, I actually got some homework done. They now believe me when I say that Liam stays awake all day.

Since the term (and the whole program) ends Sunday and I need to get a B to get these bad boys paid for we called in the troops. Hooray!

It's hard to hold a baby and type...

The Adventures of Teeny Little Super Guy and Super Dad!

2008-11-16T13:04:00.003Z

Liam had his first bath...and everyone survived. Even dad! He didn't care much for it, but he's cleaner now. He had a rough day yesterday, but he got over that hump. He's apparently eating pretty well (who'd have thought you could get so excited about poop...).

Super Dad, aka Ryan, is now a pro at changing diapers, squeezing vaseline, arranging pillows, keeping sleepy babies awake while they breastfeed, and dressing squirmy babies.

He's also really good at fixing meals (since mommy's a little sore and stuck upstairs for the most part), hauling water, doing laundry, running the dishwasher, and running to the baby store (later today!).

Even more important, he's really good at keeping mommy from having a crazy breakdown while she fights the evil forces of sore breasts and sleep deprivation. Yay, Super Dad!

November 11th

2008-11-15T13:05:00.005Z

On this day...

The Fourth Lateran Council, the signing of the Mayflower Compact, the start of Sherman's "March to the Sea," Washington becomes a state, World War I ends, the famous US Route 66 is established, the newest Las Vegas casino opens...and, most importantly, Liam is born!

The saga (of course it was...haven't you been paying attention so far?) began on Monday with the phone call to find out when the c-section was actually scheduled. All of my paperwork says "call if you haven't heard from us by 4." So I called the number on the paper. They don't have that schedule, but they can transfer me to the people who should.

Okay.

They transfer me. I explain again. They don't do that either...but, they can transfer me to the people who do.

Uh-huh.

They transfer me. I explain again. Well, they have that information, but they're not the ones who are supposed to let me know what time it is. "We really need to find out who's supposed to be calling the c-sections." Yeah, I'd say that would be a step in the right direction.

So, I'm scheduled for 8:45...need to be there at 6. Really, 6? Jeez. I'm glad I called. I was told be there at 7:30 for a 9:30.

So, we get up reallllly early and go to the hospital where the nice lady at the nurses' station tells me I'm not scheduled until 10. I'm pretty sure that I was really mean to her, but I was working on not bursting into tears right there in the hallway, so she'll have to get over it.

So we wait. This picture is from after I got over my nervous breakdown about letting people cut me open who can't even tell me what time to be at the hospital (for those of you who missed it...I still have my tonsils, have never had so much as a stitch...the last time I was admitted to a hospital was probably when I was being hatched...so I'm not really keen on the whole thing).

So we keep waiting. The two scheduled ahead of me are running a little behind. Pretty normal. They get me all set up...gown, IV, catheter (third time's a charm) and we head over to the recovery room for one last sonogram to make sure baby is still going the wrong direction. That would be pretty crappy...to go through all of this and have them say "Whoops! He turned around!"

We start the paperwork and then we learn there's someone on the way in an ambulance. We get bumped and head back to the room.

That one takes awhile due to some extra complications and in the meantime another emergency c-section, twins this time, bumps us again. Only I could end up scheduled on the day they have two emergency c-sections.

After they clear out, the lovely Mindy rushes us over to the OR. No, really rushes. Doesn't bother grabbing a wheelchair or anything. We're going to beat the other person who is waiting. Because I've been waiting longer...much longer. It's been 8 hours now.

I get all ready to go in the bright, cold, scary room with lots of sharp things and three very nice ladies. Two nurses and the anesthesiologist are getting everything ready for me. Another nurse comes in to get things ready for Liam while they look for the doctors.

Oh, yeah. We're still missing doctors. That might be important.

Obviously, they were found in time. Both of them and Amanda the PA. I can't feel anything. In fact, the spinal was so high that my hands are numb and I think I'm having trouble breathing, but they're not worried because my oxygen levels are great.

Mostly, what I remember is Ryan's grip on my tingly hand, seeing the vague reflection of blood in the big light over me, and then a very tiny, very slimy baby. We officially have a baby 31 minutes later at 2:31.

Ryan and Liam went to the nursery while they closed me up. I recovered in one of the labor rooms (it was a busy day for babies at Saint Vincent's) with Ryan (who left Liam with the nice nursery ladies and a large crowd of fans) and my mom and the grab-the-bull-by-the-horns Mindy.

Luckily, we got done in time for the Sitter side to see the little guy before heading off to California for another very important day...Uncle Sean's wedding!

Liam weighs in at 6 pounds 7 ounces. I think a lot of it is those huge feet

All swaddled up and no place to go. Have to wait for mommy!

Here we are! I'm still pretty high...there was a little bit of morphine in that spinal (note to self...no more morphine ever! The itching was soooo much worse than the pain. I know it sounds crazy, but it's true! A big thanks to Bethany!).

We start right away trying to put some meat on this little guy's bones. He's a natural. Then he snuggles with mommy for awhile.

I'm sure that I'm biased, but I swear he keeps getting cuter.

It could be because he looks like daddy. Especially when he's asleep. Here, Super Dad gets some sleep. Since I couldn't do anything the first night, Ryan got a crash course in diapers, swaddling, pee fountains, and sheer exhaustion. He did great!

Grammy helps out the next day while Ryan goes home to shower up, get some food not prepared by a hospital, and sleep in a real bed for an hour or so. Thanks, Grammy!

We made it! We look pretty tired (especially Liam). Probably because we are.

We're still figuring it all out, but we got through the first night at home without any major disasters (just sad, noisy kitties who haven't seen me in days). We have been reminded about what happens to those not prepared for the pee fountain and have discussed polar bears at 3 a.m. while daddy tried to get some sleep. We're going to take a little bath later and do the basket of laundry we've already accumulated. We don't have enough clothes small enough, so we have to get it done!

No problem!

Where's Mine?

2008-10-20T01:21:00.002+01:00

We finally got batteries for the bouncy seat. I put it together while Ryan was in California. It helps so much to have an advanced degree in engineering and a solid understanding of snaps.

Here Paddington, our crash test bear, tries out the bouncy. He loves it. Heck, I love it. I want one. It vibrates and makes ocean noises. Jeez! Mostly I love the soft little sheepy! He's my favorite.

Thanks, Aunt Katy (and Uncle Sean!...although if you're like your brother...and every other man I know...you had no idea what you got and had to ask Katy!)

Cribbage

2008-10-20T00:22:00.006+01:00

This weekend we put together the world' s "easiest crib to assemble." It actually might have been. I think it took more tools to open the box and get the pieces out than it did to put it together. We wouldn't have needed any tools at all if we'd put the drop-side in the right place the first time around.

Ryan tries out the side rail. I think it'll hold.

Blueberry is going to hang out in our bedroom for a while, at least. Hopefully, it will make those late-night feedings a little bit easier. So, we set the crib up opposite our bed. We'll see how that goes.

I saved some money by not buying one of the cutesy, frou-frou bedding sets...although that one at Babies R Expensive with the lion was pretty cute. I figure I can make a quilt. Not to mention the fact that quilts and such shouldn't be in the crib for the first year or so to help prevent SIDS...no cute lion is worth that.

I did buy a couple of fitted sheets...one with stars, one with stripes, one with cars and trucks. I bought a crib bumper that matches the colors of the sheets and has a striped side and a starry side. I also bought a waterproof sheet, and now that I know it fits well I will be buying another.

Hooray, crib!

Blueberry Waves Hello

2008-09-26T20:51:00.002+01:00

Hi, everybody!

Grandmas Gone Wild!

2008-09-20T12:10:00.001+01:00

Note: This post is from a while ago...I just didn't have pictures. I still don't have enough...things are stacked everywhere upstairs...makes it hard to take pictures.

My mother has been, for many years now, strong in the conviction that I needn't have any children on her account. She was perfectly happy to have "grandcats."

She has changed her tune. She went crazy in the baby store. Really crazy.

(I promise I will get a picture of Ryan toting this around...it's pretty hot!)

She's not alone, either.

Don't get me wrong, I'm certainly not complaining. We got a lot of great stuff and we definitely appreciate it.

Of course, (great!) Grandma Sitter outdid herself...as usual. If you witnessed Ryan's dowry...it was a comparable haul to that.

Sue, too (with some help from Karen on the wheels!)! Here Paddington reads his new book in the safety and comfort of the a stroller that needs only one more thing...a sound system...to be completely decked out. Not to mention enough clothes to last through at least a couple of rough days of multiple wardrobe changes.

My mom is the funny one, though. She barely made it in the door to the baby store before she went totally crazy. Not only that, but she has since bought a diaper bag, some snap t-shirts and another outfit (she tried to say that Amber bought that one, but I don't know if I believe it!).

Oh, and diapers that have a little cut-out for the cord! How did we ever survive?

Breastfeeding Class

2008-09-12T19:19:00.001+01:00

We attended our first St. V's baby class last night. It was the breastfeeding class, or as Ryan referred to it in the car, "boobies and babies."

It was ok...except for the chairs...could you do something about that, Grandpa(I know, not if we keep calling you "grandpa")?

I guess teaching this stuff and looking up everything on the planet has some advantages. I felt like I knew an awful lot of the stuff...even the answers to some of the questions other people asked.

Maybe I'll be ok. I can hold an ugly fake baby in a great cross cradle and football hold.

I did realize that the first of the really long two-day extravaganza that we go to in October starts on the weekend that Ryan goes to California, so he'll miss the fun of that 4-hour day. I'll have to take good notes.

How Many Petticoats Does Your Baby Need?

2008-09-01T15:02:00.002+01:00

One of the gifts I received at the baby shower this past weekend (more on that later) was a book called Expectant Motherhood by Nicholson J. Eastman. Apparently, my mom found it at a garage sale and thought I might find it amusing. First published in August of 1940, the second edition was printed in 1947. Huge changes in the field of obstetrics occurred during this time.

Here's some of the little gems of wisdom from Expectant Motherhood:

From page v of the preface, "Childbearing...is the supreme physical function of womanhood." That's a good start. It's nice to know that I have a purpose.

Page 15 describes how to determine pregnancy by the incredible scientific process of injecting urine into a rabbit or mouse...although the rabbit test operated on the same principal as the modern pregnancy test, it's still kinda gross...poor bunny.

Page 15 also list another of the "laboratory tests" available to the woman who thinks she may be with child, X-ray diagnosis (no, I am not making this up)..."The skeleton of the growing baby is usually demonstrable in X-ray pictures of the mother's abdomen from the beginning of the fifth month and when thus seen is, of course (of course!) absolute proof of pregnancy."

Or, you could wait until "the fifth month when the baby's heart sounds become audible." We've come a long way, baby! I saw the heart beat at 10 weeks.

I've come to the conclusion that my favorite phrase in this entire book is "date of confinement," as though a laboring woman is something akin to a violent mental patient that must be locked up for her sake and the sake of others. Interesting. Maybe not far from the truth in some cases.

The section on "Diet and Hygiene in Pregnancy" has a great bit about syphilis if anyone's interested in catching up.

I also like the section about the seven food groups. That's right, seven. The most important of which might be the "Butter and Fortified Margarine" group.

"Tea and coffee may be drunk as usual." Wrong. More than 200 mg a day has been linked to a number of different problems.

"Small amounts of alcohol, let us say a cocktail now and then or a glass of wine, are harmless..." Well, it's good to know that nobody can make up their mind about this one.

Page 68, in regard to clothing..." The most important consideration in regard to the expectant mother's wardrobe is that it should be attractive." Yeah, that's right...attractive. But wait there's more..."This may sound like a superficial observation (you don't say!), but it is profoundly true...More important than knowing the dangers of...high heels is the knowledge that you are well-groomed, because only then will you really enjoy entertaining your friends and meeting your husband's friends, and in turn, visiting their homes." That's definitely my priority, entertaining large crowds of guests. My goals are all screwed up, eh?

"Throughout pregnancy, long "soaks" in a very hot bath are to be avoided since they are more likely to cause fatigue than comfort..." Well, half right.

Parental warning! "Under no circumstances is sexual intercourse permissible during the last six weeks of pregnancy. This is one rule which is extremely important and absolute." Yeah, it'd be a real shame if you got more pregnant. Good luck with that.

Even better..."While most obstetrical authorities, then, disapprove of excessive smoking in pregnancy (twenty-five or more cigarettes daily), there is no reason for believing that a woman who smokes moderately, let us say ten cigarettes or less a day, need change her custom at this time." And on top of that, "by no means try to give them up in pregnancy. There is no surer way of...converting a placid, sweet-tempered girl into an intolerable shrew." Hmmm. Maybe that''s my problem. "With negligible effort...(a) smoker can usually be content with a package a day or somewhat less, and if you can arrange this there is no great cause for concern." Just cut back to a pack a day and you'll be fine.

Step 6 in how to gain the proper amount of weight advises the following easy step which "may well be taken with Step 5, namely, to substitute saccharin for sugar, not only in coffee or tea, but for cereals and fruit."

And last but not least...In case you've ever wondered the proper number of petticoats is 2, the fabric depending on the season, of course.

Closing the Curtain on China '08

2008-08-26T23:28:00.003+01:00

Some parting shots from the LATimes and a bit of a counter point from a Denver Post columnist (in the Seattle Post Intelligencer)

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-olympics26-2008aug26,0,4466878.story

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/olympics/376460_voices26.html

...and an interesting "people in glass houses"+"we're in the same boat" (the one Bush built for us) viewpoint

http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?autono=332686

...and reflections of a Boston Globe reporter...

http://www.boston.com/sports/other_sports/olympics/extras/olympics_blog/2008/08/one_last_lap_ar.html

OK enough is enough. I'm just going to have to muscle through until football starts. It's going to be a long week!
R

Correction

2008-08-20T01:09:00.003+01:00

It's been brought to my attention by certain parties (Ryan) that I ought to mention that we ate our omelets around noon, thus making his consumption of beer less odd.

The Triumphant Return of the Sunday Morning Omelet

2008-08-17T20:42:00.008+01:00

Once upon a time, in jolly old England, there was a tradition of Sunday morning omelets. These omelets were accompanied by pastries and breads (from the Belgian bakery I wanted to move into) and mimosas. The tradition continued in the U.S. when we were both in it and began to occasionally see some of the best French toast on the planet (if I do say so myself...and I do). It even happened shortly after we moved in to the new apartment. We were the largest consumers of chicken sausage in Erie county (I can't actually substantiate that particular statement...).

It fell apart after I got pregnant. Apparently, my inability to tolerate the smell of cooking chicken extended to cooking eggs. We hadn't had Sunday morning omelets in a very long time until last weekend.

The magic has returned.

My omelet in progress. Yes, I see the shmootz on the stove. Yes, I cleaned it up. I'm great, but I'm not particularly neat...what do you want?

Ryan accused me of loading his omelet with vegetables so that I could put all the sausage and cheese in mine. He seems to forget that he ASKS for jalapeños and onions and such in his omelets.

Ok. Maybe there is a lot of sausage and cheese in mine. Baby wanted chorizo.

Wow. That looks good enough to eat...oh, wait...that's right...we did.

Ryan tears into his omelet like a ravening beast.

Gracie chews on something a little less delicious...her leg.

For those of you who were keen enough to spot it in the above picture of Ryan devouring his omelet...ten points. That is a can of lager from "America's Oldest Brewery." Yes, nothing tops off breakfast like a fine can of Yuengling, brewed right here in beautiful nearby Pottsville, PA (ok, it's not really "nearby," but it's way closer than the Guinness brewery).

So, the Sunday morning omelets have found their way back into the Sitter household...at least as long as I get relatively long periods of uninterrupted sleep, that is. Somehow I think a screaming baby will make the preparation of omelets much less appealing.

Milli Vanilli & the Potemkin Olympics

2008-08-13T13:10:00.005+01:00

Lynnsey is handling my addiction with remarkable fortitude. Most of you may not know I've been addicted to the Olypmics since I was a wee lad. I've been glued to NBC since last Friday's opening ceremonies the way I was glued to the Tour de France through most of July (sorry babe :-). Phelps & Co. are amazing and the US mens gymnastics guys rose to the occasion admirably a couple of nights back. I can't get enough!!

When I think of the Olympics the picture in my mind's eye is the ideal of the olympic movement - the expression of humanity that radiates from fair and sportsmanlike competition between the best athletes in the world. The Olympic charter says it best: "The goal of Olympism is to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity."

The embrace of the beach volleyball players from Georgia and Russia before they did battle on the sand court in Beijing yesterday is the latest example of how the Olympics embodies that ideal.

There is, unfortunately, a commercial parasite - also called the Olympics - that feeds on this positive energy. Big Business and Big Government see Big Bucks when they think of the Olympics. That vibe is decidely phony and the synicism it promotes poisons the true Olympic spirit. Yuck!!

Maybe I'm biased (by my naive idealistic tendencies :-)) but it seems like this time around the negative vibe has been even worse than in the past due to the selection of China as the host country. Don't get me wrong, I've got no beef with the Chinese masses but I do with their apparatchik overloards.

The Chinese government has turned Beijing into an enormous Potemkin Village, a sad display of life behind the curtain. I can understand playing good hosts to the world but I think it stinks when you go so far as to pull a Milli Vanilli with an 8-year-old little girl because she is "too ugly" to represent the country. Does that demonstrate China is a "society concerned with the preservation of human dignity"? Do they play the rest of the world for fools? Too bad they couldn't find the courage to respect the diginity of this girl by celebrating her genuine beauty and her wonderful voice...

...and that is just the most emblematic example of countless other phony, oft-publicized measures the government has taken including the attempt to hide China's atrociously polluted air.

The funny thing and one of the unitended consequences - both at home in China and around the world - may be that people see the true face of China. This article in the Washington Post this morning was pretty interesting: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/12/AR2008081203262.html?hpid=topnews... I hope that people celebrate the good vibe of the Olympics - it would be a shame for them not to enjoy the spirit of the games - but I also hope they see the Olympic parasite and its Chinese host for what they really are - a sham. I shudder to imagine these guys as a superpower at the help of world politics.

-R

Little Eagle

2008-07-22T02:02:00.001+01:00

While we were in DC, Ryan showed me where he spent a lot of time partying...whoops! I mean, learning (come on, have you met him?...which do you think he did more of?). We visited the campus of AU. I got to see the location of so many of the stories I've heard about. It was pretty cool. I like the "flaming cupcake" the best!

While we were there Ryan got a new t-shirt (that has already been claimed for the next quilt...I don't know if he realizes that or not) and a hat (see above). He looks hot.

We also bought young Mr. Sitter a little something...

Even better...After we got back, I found a baby Prep shirt, too!

More than Just Crabcakes

2008-07-22T01:21:00.000+01:00

Our first night in Annapolis we headed to the Middleton Tavern. I think pretty much every restaurant in the city (even the Starbucks we popped into a few days later) is in a building that's at least 200 years old. The Middleton was pretty good and we got to watch the people next to us have their dinner prepared tableside by what I'm pretty sure was the owner.

The next day, during our walking tour (yes, with the wands) around town we stopped for lunch at Galway Bay. Ryan had mussels and I had what might be the second best burger ever (after Clifton Manor and neck and neck with J. Paul's).

That night we had dinner at O'Leary's Seafood. Ryan had some kind of scallops for an appetizer and some kind of tuna something as an entree. You can see I'm really concerned with seafood. I suppose if I liked seafood, I would have been happier. You see, the filet I ordered medium came out pretty much seared on each side and was so raw I was afraid to eat it (pregnancy has it price). They did give us dessert for free because of the problem, chocolate cake-the kind with the molten middle, so I couldn't complain too much.

Next day for lunch we hit the jackpot at O'Brien's Oyster Bar. Ryan had noticed the pizza on a table outside the previous day. So, when we were looking for lunch we stopped in and had what I think might be the best pizza I've had in quite a while. Crust was great...not too doughy, not too chewy. Sauce was spicy and thick. Pepperoni was greasy and delicious, like it was meant to be. We considered ordering a second one.

That night we went to Lewnes' Steakhouse at the recommendation of a former citizen of fair Annapolis. It was fantastic. The only drawback was my window seat overlooking the enormous collection of wine that I couldn't drink. We both had great steaks (although the delmonico at Calao's still holds the number one spot) and they actually managed to cook my steak thoroughly enough that I could eat it without fear of foodborne illness.

Lewnes' has among their fine collection a bottle of $1050 wine. I believe that you get what you pay for...to an extent. I know that a $60 bottle tastes better than a $6 bottle, but can a wine really be good enough to warrant dropping a grand on it? I'm not convinced.

I can't forget to mention Ann's breakfasts at Georgian House. They were great...fresh fruit, puffy pancakes and French toast, bacon, muffins...yum!

DC was a little less interesting on the food front. Of course, we went to J. Paul's. We ended up at an Italian place called Bertucci's for dinner that night. We ended up at an Elephant and Castle for lunch. We tried to hit Lauriol Plaza, but the wait was too long for a preggo with a headache, so we went to Circa instead. Had some ice cream at Kramer Books that was ridiculously good.

Before we headed out, we had breakfast at the Beacon Hotel's bar and grill-type place. Mine was good...bacon, eggs, potatoes, toast, juice, milk...you can't go wrong there. Ryan had oatmeal with golden raisins. He said he liked it, but I don't know how good it could have possibly been...it was oatmeal.

Jeez! You'd think all we did was eat...

Annapolis

2008-07-21T01:13:00.002+01:00

We finally decided to take a little honeymoon. Our first stop was Annapolis, Maryland...home of the...

We did the requisite walking tour of the historic sites, complete with dorky wands.

We also stood in the middle of Main Street to try to get this picture. I like Main Street. There's a store called "Alpaca International."

Annapolis is quite the sailing town. I'm really surprised that I didn't get more of "Would you be mad if I bought a boat?"

Annapolis is a great example of what Erie could be, but isn't. Historic waterfront district, free music, great little shops, amazing restaurants. We could learn a thing or two.

Order of the Garter

2008-07-13T19:22:00.004+01:00

One of our goals is to educate here at Bob's My Uncle...so without further ado.

As far as I can gather, the tradition of the garter toss comes from the ancient belief that it was lucky to have a piece of the bride's wedding attire. As you can imagine, this easily got out of hand...people ripping apart the bridal gown. Even though you aren't going to wear it again, the destruction of the gown is still tragic.

There are other explanations, but they're not as sweet as that one. I'll let you look that one up yourself!

The DJ explains the process to Ryan.

"Hey! How many layers does this thing have? Do you think we could insulate the apartment with it?"

"Why does your mom have that baseball bat?"

"Hey, they did a great job on your pedicure."

"Woo-hooo!"

"I am the man!"

I made all of that up, by the way. I don't really remember what he said. It was still pretty funny and the pictures did come out great. I like it.

Let Them Eat Cake

2008-07-12T15:03:00.002+01:00

All Occasions Goodies is responsible for our beautiful cake. It tasted at least as good as it looks.

We had some cutlery issues when it came time to cut the cake. Apparently, the only thing they could find was this machete.

You'd think Ryan would trust me with a knife...I AM a trained professional.

Ryan was very good about not smushing me in the face with cake. I think it's because I told him that I would probably cry if he did...hormones, you know.

I returned the favor. I smushed a little, but it was mostly because the piece I cut was a little too big.

Sweet!

Abbey Road

2008-07-12T14:56:00.003+01:00

It's very possible that I'm crazy...but I think this picture looks familiar somehow.

They're going the wrong direction...and Kayla's a little short, but I think there's a hint of similarity.

Is it just me?

That's Mr. Blueberry to You!

2008-06-24T22:25:00.002+01:00

So, it's official...Blueberry is a BOY! Just what we need around here, another Sitter man! Ryan has been gloating all day...along with a couple of silly victory dances. He's already trying to apply for the Prep class of 2026.

It was actually the nice lady doing the echocardiogram who asked if we wanted to know the sex of the baby. Apparently, it was pretty obvious. Magee is a teaching hospital, so we had a bit of an audience in the form of two nice students observing. Even the girl who had started a week ago could identify the equipment.

They were having trouble getting a good look at the heart...the reason for this whole shindig...and the other student made a comment about him being willing to show us his "part," but not his heart. Typical man ;)

Everything looks good. The heart and hands look normal. He's practicing gymnastics in there from the look of it. All day they had trouble getting a clear shot at whatever they were trying to see.

Emma Wins!

2008-06-24T12:22:00.002+01:00

The prize for best reader goes to...Emma!

She's certainly working the hardest, anyways. The rest of you are very passive readers. It's fun to get comments, you know!

So, keep up the good work, Emma! And teach your mom how to work that thing :)

Mr. and Mrs. Sitter

2008-06-22T11:50:00.005+01:00

Yesterday was the big day.

Most of you know that, though. I think 90 percent of our readership was there. Thanks again for coming and helping us celebrate. To those of you who couldn't make it...you missed a great ceremony and some pretty darn good food. And to those of you who were scared off by the tornado-y winds...you missed a rip-roaring afterparty and a rather lively game of Trivial Pursuit.

I only have a few pictures at this point...courtesy of my mom...but, they're a start! (You could all e-mail your, high-resolution, please, pictures to me...there's a link over there!).

Here, Luke and Kayla steal the show. I think we have arranged another marriage! From what I hear young Mr. Martinucci was quite smitten with our tiny beauty.

The ceremony, much to everyone's delight, was short and sweet...and pretty funny. We couldn't have come up with a better referee.

The money shot.

It was a great day. The weather held for the ceremony and for dinner. The winds picked up and scattered our guests, but I hope everyone had a great time. I know those who stayed did!

A big, huge, humongous, gigantic, colossal (there's really not words) thanks goes to Sue and Mike for transforming their yard and their home into such a beautiful setting...harder than you'd think, even considering how beautiful it is to begin with. All of the beautiful flowers...in the ground, on the tables, in bouquets and boutonnieres...were the product of long, hard work on Sue's part. I personally can't tell a petunia from a poppy seed, but even I know that they were incredible. Mike likes to pretend he didn't do anything, but we all know better. That kind of magic doesn't just happen.

I'm just getting started. There's lots more (especially if you kind souls send pictures!).

Blueberry Kicks Ryan's Butt

2008-06-15T12:35:00.003+01:00

It's said that there are certain traits that seem to lend themselves to feeling the baby move early...being thin (not a problem I've ever had), having previous pregnancies, or being very in tune with your body.

I'm pretty in tune with my body (well, with the exception of not noticing for a month that I was probably pregnant, but I have excuses for that one!) and I'm pretty sure I've felt Blueberry move. I have to sit still for a little while and concentrate, but I know I can't just be that gassy!

At any rate...the other morning, while snuggled up, I'm pretty sure Blueberry kicked. Which means she kicked Ryan in the butt. He didn't find it nearly as amusing as I did, but he didn't feel it either.

I'm training her well already!

One Week

2008-06-14T22:40:00.002+01:00

Dress...check.

Dress to change into because the big one barely fits...check.

Tuxes...check.

Bridal party...check.

Flowers..check.

Tents, tables, chairs...check.

Food...check.

Music...check.

Booze...check...but who cares?

Photographer...check.

Rings...almost check...Tom's finishing mine up!

Cake...check.

Hair appointments, shoes, jewelry, makeup...check.

Referee...check.

We might just make it...check.

Library

2008-06-05T00:14:00.001+01:00

Fantastic dorks that we are...we have enough books between the two of us that we've created something of a library. Ryan built some extra shelves, but we're already pretty much full. We'll soon need a couple more for Dr. Seuss!

You'll notice two of our collective 4.5 degrees hung on the wall. Overachievers!

The library also seems to be the musical hub of the apartment. Here Ryan looks hot with his guitar. He can play some distinguishable riffs. He has to learn so that he can teach me. God knows neither of us can sing to the baby.

We're thinking of opening to the public. We probably rival some of the smaller branches. All I know is that I'm not using Dewey to catalog it!

Wrong Way

2008-06-01T14:35:00.001+01:00

According to the "lunch bunch," I'm looking at this bathing suit thing the wrong way.

Apparently, I should view it as a time when I can be huge in a bathing suit and not be concerned by it at all.

I don't know if I can pull that off.

That's Where I Got It

2008-06-01T09:34:00.000+01:00

Cindy made us a picnic basket for a shower gift. Yeah, that's right, made. Or, at least, might as well have.

She found a basket that she liked, but it needed a lot of work.

So she just re-weaved the broken pieces, sanded, stained, and varnished (I think...I don't know what that stinky, shiny stuff is called) it. Oh, and put in things to hold the silverware.

No big deal. Really. The handle is cracked, actually. Jeez!

The basket came complete with melamine plates and nifty glasses, a salt and pepper grinder, a blanket...all the fixin's for a picnic. Too bad we didn't have this for Canary Wharf!

That's where I get it, apparently. When someone tells me what a great job I did on someting amazing that most people wouldn't even consider trying, I shrug it off like anybody could have done it. It's genetic, apparently.

All Mixed Up

2008-06-01T03:37:00.001+01:00

Another great shower gift...from Sue... a hardcore Artisan stand mixer. You could make cement in this bad boy.

I opted to make something much more delicious than cement. I made dough for pepperoni balls. I forgot how much easier it is than trying to knead it by hand.

The finished product.

Ryan ate half a dozen when he got home. According to him...the best he's had. The secret is the topping. And, no, I'm not telling what it is.

The Only Thing Worse Than Trying On Bathing Suits...

2008-05-30T15:25:00.003+01:00

is trying on bathing suits when you're pregnant.

I think that if you're very, very bad, there's a lower ring of Hades where all you do is try on bathing suits in a poorly lit fitting room. You have to do really terrible things to end up there, though. Like rip the tag off your mattress or forget to rewind your videos before you return them.

May Showers

2008-05-30T03:23:00.001+01:00

By special request...the first in a series of blogs about the wedding shower. It was great. People came from far and wide to give me (oh, and Ryan) presents. Who could argue with that? Some stuff is already put away or in use. Omissions are not intentional (I just got way too much cool stuff).

I didn't take a picture of the other gift from Tammy and Lindsay, a gift card to Coventina Day Spa. Maybe I'll have someone take a picture of my manicure. I do have a picture of the lilacs and the pretty vase they were in. You could smell them from 10 feet away. They were great, too.

Aunt Marsha and Olivia provided towels for the previously naked downstairs bathroom along with a very useful cloth bin that is now holding scarves and other such goodies. Ooh, and some nice sachet-type smelly (in a good way) things.

This is the slow cooker my mom got. It's supposed to have three inserts... a 2, 4, and 6 quart. Unfortunately, I'm a spazz and I dropped the big one and it shattered into a million pieces.

That's why it's fortuitous that we got a 6.5 quart programmable slow cooker.

Ha! Ha! I will process you. Ryan was excited when I let him use the little one! Just wait.

Thanks again to Aunt Julie and Emma, who (with a little help from Uncle Bob, I'm sure) have made mine the poster kitchen for KitchenAid products. I still can't explain the purpose of an immersion blender to Ryan. He just doesn't get it.

This fine griddle has already entertained guests with a fantastic breakfast of bacon, eggs, and the best French toast ever. Works great. Cleans up great.

Monkey peeler and nifty biodegradable type scrubbies among the basket of goodies from Aunt Judy. Ryan loves the monkey.

Karen (and Greg) provide some tunes and something less obnoxious than the alarm clock to wake up to. I even programmed NPR into the presets...that's love. If I could just get the remote to work from downstairs.

Possibly the most immediately useful gift. Ever. Ryan feels like he's been replaced. If he'd just stay in one spot like the pillow...

Katy pitched in from sunny CA with the oil bottle and plates to dip. I love olive oil on my bread.

Wendy knows that it is necessary to take your lunch to school. Now I can do it in style.

There are a few others that get their very own blogs for various reasons. Wait for it!

Ryan's Tail

2008-05-27T00:22:00.003+01:00

For somebody who hates cats...he spends an awful lot of time doing really silly things to amuse them.

Blueberry Does Some Gardening

2008-05-26T23:04:00.008+01:00

It's well established that I usually can't grow things. My mom jokes that she's able to kill plastic flowers, except she's not joking. I inherited that from her.

Cindy has a theory, though. That Blueberry is the gardener...gardening vicariously through me.

I swear the window is not that dirty on the inside. I just can't reach the outside.

The window doesn't look as bad here...

The basil is great. It's been bruschetta-ed a couple of times now. The parsley is finally growing up instead of sideways. That's a bonus.

This kid has skills.

Wedding Party

2008-05-21T22:55:00.007+01:00

I stole the basis of this idea from Katy and Sean's fabulous website for their wedding...with a little twist (because we're a little twisted).

My matron of honor. This is us back in the glory days of football cheerleading. We were hot.

A lovely bridesmaid. I realized this is the only picture of Lindsay that I have. I think it has to do with us b oth being a little camera shy. Put us together and we're more elusive than the Loch Ness Monster.

Ooh! Another bridesmaid. Look how cute she was. What happened? Just kidding! Hey, it's almost time for you to wear the awful, nearly-pink, polyester robe. Good job, kid!

Ryan and his best man. Circa early 1980's. You were cute, too. Again, what happened? Behave yourself...I have other, much more incriminating, photos of you, sir!

Funny thing about this picture is Pat still looks like trouble ten years later. That's what I like about him.

I'm in search of a picture of Ryan and BT together in which Ryan is not dressd like a pimp and appears to be chugging a 40. If anybody has any good leads...you know, something really dorky from way back would be great...let me know!

Burnin' Down the House

2008-05-15T14:54:00.003+01:00

Well, not the house, but the place I spend a lot of time.

My little wonders in 7th grade decided that the day the assistant superintendent came to observe me teaching would be a good day to set one of the stoves on fire. They broke my 5 year streak.

It was an accident, really. They were just measuring the oil a little too close to the stove that happened to be on. We've had a big talk (again) about kitchen safety and proper measuring techniques. They think it's cool that I know how to use a fire extinguisher.

I suppose it's not all bad. How many teachers get to prove that they can handle an emergency in front of administrators? Then again, how many people have things in their rooms that catch on fire easily? I get the most sympathy from the shop guys and the chemistry teachers!

They managed not to set anything ablaze today while they made their pizza dough. That might have something to do with the fact that they didn't turn on the stove, but I still think it counts.

45 Days

2008-05-07T04:59:00.000+01:00

Well, there's now forty-five days until the wedding.

We have a DJ.

We have a referee...we're meeting her for dinner next week.

I have a dress (while this is true, I'm uncertain as to whether or not I'm going to be able to get it zipped around my even more ample than usual bustline...it's karma for making fun of maternity wedding gowns.).

We have a wedding party (half of whom also have dresses...Sean looks great in his! Just kidding...although that would make for a much more amusing evening.).

Ryan has tuxes squared away.

We're working on invitations and finishing up addresses. Ryan likes wedding registry sites. He's been cut off, actually. He needs to address some envelopes!

We're having a wedding shower.

I think we have bartenders...not that it matters to me anymore.

We looked at wedding bands. They're expensive, by the way.

We have cake and food. That's the part I'm excited for since I can't drink! Oh, and that thing about getting married to the greatest guy ever...that's pretty exciting, too!

We might actually make it.

Blueberry Explained

2008-04-30T14:53:00.002+01:00

It occurs to me that some of you are confused by the Blueberry references.

When we first realized that I was "in the family way" Ryan asked me a question about the baby. I don't even remember exactly what it was, but my response was essentially that the baby was approximately the size of a blueberry at the time (she's about the size of fig now).

Thus, Blueberry.

It's already sticking.

Kitty on a Leash

2008-04-29T23:49:00.002+01:00

The lady across the way from us has a gray and white kitty. We know this because kitty goes out on a long red leash.

The pictures are a little fuzzy because I was trying to take them inconspicuously through a window, but you get the idea.

The girls love to sit and watch kitty. Ryan keeps offering to take them outside, but I don't think that's a good idea.

I put Gigi on a leash once. Have you ever seen a fish flopping around on the end of a line? It was a little like that.

I Know You're Out There

2008-04-25T14:31:00.002+01:00

Really. I see you.

Well, most of you. Some of you are out there and we didn't even know it. Apparently, our readership is even wider than we suspected.

Know why?

It's because you never leave COMMENTS!

Jeez! You make the crazy pregnant lady do ALL the work. I see how it is.

Something's Growing On

2008-04-25T02:29:00.003+01:00

Besides that!

For a long time, I've been unable to grow plants. Not just unable...I've killed cacti. Sue has plants I don't even sit that close to. I thought that my body emitted some kind of toxin that destroys plants on the molecular level.

I was wrong.

I've actually managed to grow some things. The following pictures are actually a week or two old, so most of the plants are even bigger. I even used some of the basil in the bruschetta I made for dinner tonight.

This is the cat nip. Not really hard to grow, but it's going crazy! Makes kitties happy.

Happy kitties help out with the planting.

I think this is the oregano. It smells like (wait for it!) oregano. That's pretty cool.

Ad here's George, the mint plant that started it all. He's getting too big for his coffee cup.

I have some lavender that's doing really well. The basil is all over the place. There's rosemary that's finally doing something. The parsley is getting somewhere finally. I'm pretty impressed. I actually need a couple more cool cups to put a few more odds and ends into.

And Sue's cactus-y thing is still alive!

Baby Sitter

2008-04-20T18:31:00.002+01:00

Making her (we don't actually know that...won't for a while, either...I just like to mess with Ryan) blog debut...the fetus currently referred to as "Blueberry."

It's a sick, cruel joke to make pregnant women drink 32 ounces of water. But, that's how they get these nifty little pictures, so I guess it was worth it.

She's in a good position in the uterus and her heart is beating as fast as it should. Squirmy little twerp. I think the sonographer was having a tough time getting her.

So far so good. She's due in mid-November. We've started negotiating names. I have another appointment today to go over all the tests they did on the gallon of blood that the drew. We have a level 2 ultrasound and fetal echocardiograph scheduled for June. There's a couple more, but they're not as cool.

I'm good, too. I haven't actually gotten sick yet...that's a bonus. The smell of cooking chicken makes me want to barf, though...which is a problem because that's what we usually eat 3 nights a week, at least. I'm exhausted even when I don't do anything and all I want to do is eat fruit or steak (or cheese mustard crackers, but that's not just a prego thing, I swear!). I cry at dog food commercials and Ryan thinks I'm crazy (he thought that anyways, but...).

Babies suck out your brains. I get stupider every day. You should see the number of words I've misspelled. It's incredible. I wore two different color shoes to school the other day.

This oughtta be good.

Everyday Food

2008-03-20T23:48:00.001Z

Poor Ryan...he has to put up with all of my quirks (although, I do remember a certain brother of his telling me that he was glad Ryan found someone who could appreciate his quirks...).

I think I know why he does it, though.

They say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I think they're right. He was mine with that first batch of cookies!

Here he is with the first of our traditional Sunday omelets in the new apartment. It's not beautiful...there is always a learning curve to a new stove. But it tasted good!

A little re-creation of the first dinner I ever made for him in honor of the anniversary of our first date. Steak au poivre, garlic parmesan mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, stuffed mushrooms, and (not in the shot) bananas Foster. Another bottle of red from the Chateauneuf-du-Pape region of the Rhone valley (my two favorite reds so far, but I'm not sure if that's a function of the region or the cost of each bottle).

Nothing like a pan sauce made with brandy and heavy cream. Nutritious and delicious!

How many guys get homemade tomato soup and colby jack paninis? Most guys are lucky to get a can of Campbell's and a plain old grilled cheese!

Possibly one of the most beautiful salads in history. I think it's the feta.

Not really very pretty, but it tasted pretty good. Healthy New England Clam Chowder from Cooking Light. A little thin, but great flavor.

Simple tomato and cheese pizzas made on whole wheat tortillas. Mushrooms on mine. Kalamata olives on his!

Yes, folks! He eats like this pretty much everyday. Poor guy has it rough, eh?

No, Really...Ryan HATES Cats

2008-03-19T23:46:00.001Z

As I've said before...one of the first conversations I ever had with Ryan included a part about how much he hated cats. He was a dog person. He still maintains that he likes dogs better. That dogs like him. That he hates cats.

Yeah, I can feel the hate. He'll probably make up some story about how he's really trying to strangle her or something. We know better.

I don't think there's any way of explaining his way out of this one. He is definitely cuddling with Lola on the couch. I don't know many cat-haters that let 20 pound cats sit on their laps.

One of these days I'll get another picture of him with our elusive Gigi. She's his favorite, but don't tell anybody.

Come Together

2008-03-18T03:30:00.000Z

This place is starting to come together.

We have more furniture. We need desks and 30 or 40 more bookshelves, but we can sleep and eat and sit in front of the fire without much trouble. That's something.

There's an awful lot of "wall" in this place. That means we need an awful lot of art. There's some random things hung about (who would've figured that?). Here's some of it now in the entryway bathroom. Ignore the crooked towel, please.

We got a great deal on some pretty comfy furniture from a friend of mine at school. This love seat and couch fit in pretty well and they're great for napping. No kitties on the couch!

My quilt (which you might recognize from the header of the crafty page) is no longer under my butt, it's hung over the loft area where it dangles majestically into the living room. It really needs pressed, but other than that it looks pretty good.

We've set a few fires. On-purpose, contained fires. Very nice on some of the nights we've had here recently. Very snuggly. The kitties like fires almost as much as naps in the sun.

The cathedral light is still pretty cool. It does look great when you have it on at night. It has a very warm orange-y glow. Fairly high romantic value.

Spiral staircases are a pain the butt to carry things up and down. And they pose some challenges in terms of kitty restraint, but they are fun for said kitties. They make nice perches. They also make nice places to roar and assert your dominance.

As mentioned previously, we do have a place to eat. I even bought placemats today that match the cushions on the chairs (ish). Ryan's kinda messy! Just kidding. It's great to open the blinds and have a nice meal at our cozy little table. In the works is a great big daddy of a table for entertaining all you fine people. We'll be scouring garage and estate sales soon for funky one-of-a-kind antique chairs to make that as quirky as the rest.

By far the most important part of the dining room...the "bar." You'll see the wonderful wine cooler (with one lonely bottle of Oregonian Riesling) and on top the Christmas wine rack from my mom holding Luke's gift from his visit the other day. You can also see our reusable Wegman's bag being put to great use holding all of the rest of the liquor. I don't think that's helping the environment.

On your right, the deceptively large kitchen that is now holding all of my cooking implements. No small feat, that.

To hold all of that and to have the kind of counter space I have. That's really impressive. Look. I have room for the panini press and room to work. It's a miracle.

Of course, anyone who knows Ryan knows what he set up first. Here's our "gym" complete with bikes, treadmill, weight bench, and, somewhere out of shot, a big exercise ball. All we need now is an elliptical...I love those things.

Not so glamorous yet...the downstairs bedroom. It took a marvel of engineering and a Sunday of hammering to get the bottom part of the bed downstairs. It is currently being occupied by kitties...much like the bathroom. This room needs a lot of work yet. It has mostly been used to sort laundry and feed cats. I hope nobody comes to stay for a little while.

Even less glamorous...the washer and dryer. They're very nice, though. And we didn't have to haul them downstairs. Bonus!

You'll never be confused about how to leave. Thanks to the lovely British people, it's easy to find the "way out."

It's getting there. It has a few quirks (who doesn't?) and there's some things that I would change in a minute if it weren't a rental, but overall, it has a lot of character and it fits us pretty well. We have some big (and small) plans for different aspects of the apartment. One of these days we'll have everybody over...there's plenty of room.

Mint Condition

2008-03-17T23:45:00.000Z

The giant south-facing window in the kitchen, complete with two ledges, coupled with my success in not killing Sue's cactus-like thing (should I be doing anything to it? Because I haven't...that's probably why it's doing so well) and keeping a mint plant alive for well over a week now, has inspired me to try to grow more plants.

While I was out the other day, I found this nifty little greenhouse thing that goes on the window sill. It comes with little pellets of dirt (and probably some kind of stuff that helps plants grow big and strong). You just add water and seeds and put it somewhere kinda warm and vaguely sunny. Then you wait.

I'm not good at that part. I probably should have just looked for plants that were already big and strong. I'd probably have better luck. I planted a bunch of each kind of seed I got (that nifty thing holds 24 "plants") in the hopes that something will grow. There's lavender (the short, light purplish kind...I've wanted some of that since this summer in Jolly Old England), basil, cilantro, parsley, oregano, catnip (ha!), and something else that I can't for the life of me remember. It's okay...I wrote it down...somewhere.

We'll see how this goes. My mint plant is actually growing pretty well. He needs a pretty pot, though. He's in a little dorky plastic thing right now. I've been talking to him. I think you're supposed to do that. Maybe I'm just crazy!

St. Patrick's Day 10k

2008-03-16T23:00:00.008Z

Another fabulous sunny day in Erie, Pennsylvania as we prepared for the St. Patrick's Day 10k.

By we, I mean Ryan prepared for the race and I carried all of the clothes he took off as he did so.

"That was fun." Yeah, like a root canal is fun. He did pretty well considering I keep feeding him bad things and distracting him from the treadmill.

Next up...The Virgina Duathlon. Woo-hoo.

Ryan Makes Dinner (Again)

2008-03-13T20:21:00.002Z

Ryan really did make dinner the other night.

Here we have the proud hunter with his fresh kill. Pay no attention to the fact that his kill is covered in cheese and pepperoni and it came from Papa John's.

Good work, baby!

100 Days

2008-03-13T13:14:00.002Z

Today is the one year anniversary of our first date. (As a girl, I'm required to know these things.)

We went to Figgie's and then to Tim Horton's as you know. We hit it off so well that I didn't catch his last name. We clicked almost immediately and started having conversations that most people aren't comfortable enough to have even after they're married within a few weeks. We went on a week-long vacation together three weeks (or so) after we met. It's been a wild ride.

We've been thousands of miles apart. Dealt with some (of my) drama. Suffered from feline allergies.

We're celebrating this weekend by recreating that first fantastic meal I cooked. This time I'm not as nervous. I've realized that he'd eat a linen napkin if I prepared it properly. And this time, it's in our place.

It's worked out pretty well so far. I think I'll keep him. Which is probably a good thing since there's 100 days until the wedding.

No Worries

2008-03-06T14:40:00.002Z

I was concerned initially by the seemingly small kitchen.

I needn't have bothered.

This kitchen is deceptively large. There is so much storage below the surprisingly ample counter space. The cupboards are deep and the drawers are many.

I can't store quite as much food as I'm used to. Growing up with huge freezers and shelves of canned goods in the basement will have that effect on you. But I can actually fit all of the things I'm working with on the counters at the same time so far. Very nice.

So far we've had chili, barbecue chicken pizza, pork quesadillas (with some fantastic sangria), and pork tenderloin with mushroom and romano risotto. All with absolutely no problems (except the one burner being a little loose). Tonight, shrimp and broccoli stir-fry with jasmine rice.

We're still working on getting settled and getting everything put away. When it looks a little better, we'll have the full photo documentary.

Give Me Liberty

2008-02-29T03:00:00.009Z

Last night we got the keys to our new place.

What we know so far...Originally a church, built around 1907, it was converted into townhouse style apartments in the 70's. So we live in part of a church, complete with cathedral light, stained glass windows, and evidence of the arches that once graced our upper walls.

This is the view from the entryway. You can see the spiral staircase and the three stained glass windows on the far wall. The room is actually twice as wide as it looks in this picture. The wall you see is that of a galley kitchen that takes up one third of that side. We're thinking of putting a little breakfast bar (ish) where the cutout is, complete with stools.

If you turn around from that vantage point, you see the entryway (and Ryan's skis...which are finally out of my truck). I am a big fan of the entryway. I dislike stepping immediately into someone's space. This entryway is fantastic. It's kind of rustic, between the heavy wooden door and the brick floor. It needs a little table.

And a new rug.

One of the things that sold us (along with the fact that it has a fireplace and is just really, really cool) is the stained glass windows. There are more upstairs in the office area, but these are blocked in by later construction. The three in the main living area catch the afternoon sunlight and make the whole place glow.

One of the other features that lends to the high cool factor is the cathedral light that hangs from the loft area into the main living area. It can be controlled from the loft or from the downstairs. The natural light in this place is amazing, but add to it the not-so-natural light and you have some really cool effects. I can't wait to see what it looks like when the place is dark with the exception of this light.

Of course, my main concern (as always) was the kitchen. It's workable. A little smaller than I might like, but everything is within reach. We might have to get creative about storage, but we'll manage.

The giant south-facing window makes it worth it. There's a huge ledge (actually two) that are inspiring even me to place some plants there. That says a lot.

What has already been claimed as the office upstairs has another huge window that overlooks the courtyard. This is the room that contains the rest of the stained glass, although these do not face outward and aren't quite as spectacular. I have yet to claim a specific space for my craftiness, but I'm working on it.

I'm not exactly looking forward to trying to carry things up and down, but the spiral staircase is still pretty awesome. These treads are a key factor in the development of the "kitty restraint system" to keep furballs from reaching the upper limits of the apartment. I think I have it figured out. We'll just have to see how athletic Gracie really is.

The view from above.

We christened the place with wine in red Dixie cups along with Ryan's parents last night. Don't worry, though...there will be plenty more opportunities in the near future to come and hang out. Ryan has already started the slate of events. I need to warm up my pans and sharpen my knives, I guess.

This Week in Chess

2008-02-18T16:32:00.002Z

Dork update: After a fantastic, nail-biter of a match the other night...Ryan is still up 4-2.

A Day in the Life of Gracie

2008-02-18T03:01:00.000Z

This may appear to be your average, everyday quilt on a couch, but lurking below the surface is...Gracie! This is one of her favorite places to hang out. You'd think after the third or eighth time she got sat on, she'd stop, but that's Gracie for you.

Next in her busy day...a little philanthropic activity. Here she's helping to raise awareness about the plight of the homeless by sleeping under some newspaper.

Later in the day, she continues her selflessness by making sure the bathroom is clear of buggies. She waits patiently, cleverly concealed by the table, for the sight of a spider or other creepy-crawlie. Not one dares set foot in the bathroom with Gracie on patrol! Good work, Gracie!

All of her valiant efforts finally get rewarded at the end of a hard day with a head-rub from her favorite cat-hater, Ryan. What a day! Sleeping under the quilt. Knocking over newspapers. Chasing imaginary buggies. She deserves a good rub!

1201

2008-02-15T16:05:00.004Z

If you get the chance (and have a day that is deserving of dropping a ridiculous amount of money on dinner) go to Twelve O' One some time. We went last night after the hilarity at Jr.'s. We had a great meal and a great time.

Some times when we go out, I feel like I could have made a better meal for way less than we spent. Today, I feel challenged. I had the most amazing avocado bisque with butter poached lobster. It was a risk for me. I don't really like avocado all that much...or lobster, but it sounded good. Ryan was my out on this gamble. He told me he'd trade me his arugula salad if I didn't like it. That's a landmine he didn't have to step on. It was amazing. I'm now on a mission to create something that even approaches it. I'll see what I can do.

We both had fantastic entrees. Kobe-style beef tenderloin for him and ribeye for me. Mine came with a shitake and spinach gratin that is competing for the best use of spinach ever.

We had a Godiva chocolate fondue with bruleed bananas, strawberries, and angel food cake. Ryan ate the chocolate with a spoon (health freak, my foot!).

Not to mention the wine (it is a wine bar, after all). I had a great Riesling, my favorite...the sweet, German kind.

Tonight we're having barbecue chicken pizza.

Many of you might think that would be a big step down, but it is one of our all-time favorites. We both move effortlessly from wine and Kobe beef to beer and pizza. That's just one of the reasons we're a great match!

Happy

2008-02-14T17:00:00.002Z

Happy Valentine's Day, everybody!

We're headed out for a night on the town! Ryan already got his present (the chess set...get your minds out of the gutter!) and he loves it.

Dork update: Ryan is still up, 3-2.

In Training

2008-02-14T02:48:00.002Z

As Ryan prepares for the 2008 season of various combinations of swimming, biking, running, and changing clothes...it appears that I, too, am in training.

I can already change my clothes pretty fast and we all know I'll never run very fast...So, we thought we'd start with the biking. Here's my brand-spanking new Trek girl bike! Hooray for "Women Specific Design" and watching E! while you ride.

Ginger is my pit chief. Here she checks the trainer before I put my bike on. She likes to make sure that things are secure. Helps keep me safe! What would I do without her?

My ultimate goal is to kick Ryan's butt on the bike. Because heaven knows I'll never outrun him!

I'm Down, 2-1

2008-02-13T17:47:00.000Z

What began as a random Saturday at Matthew's became the inspiration for what might be the dorkiest Valentine's Day present ever.

We were having a drink at Matthew's and there was a chess board on the bar. Ryan won, but the next day I found the perfect gift for him. A wooden chess set. Ryan, being a giant dork, loves it...just like I thought he would.

If you count the game at Matthew's, I am currently down 2-1 overall. Which doesn't say much because neither one of us is all that fantastic.

Ryan is officially the black and I am the white, from now until the end of time. I don't know if he thought about this very hard. That means I always go first. Such a gentleman!

We're both pretty competitive, so I imagine we'll get better pretty quickly. We seem evenly matched (we both suck), so around the time we're in our eighties we'll be at 1,689-1,687, give or take.

All in all, a great present for nerds like us. We just need a better way to keep track of who's ahead.

Bear Rug

2008-02-12T02:45:00.001Z

Very early on, Ryan and I got into a conversation about interior design and home decor. We both agreed that a library was an absolute necessity. It needed big leather chairs...the kind with the brass buttons. It needed one of those "slide-y ladder things." It needed a fireplace.

I was with him up to this point. Then, he decided it needed a moose head over the fireplace. I agreed, as long as he killed the moose himself (I figure I'm safe on that count).

He also wants a bear rug. I'm not really sure how to get out of this one. Maybe I'll tell him he has to kill it and skin it himself.

He didn't like what I came up with...

I think it's cute. That'll look great in front of the fireplace.

Ginger is the Normal One...

2008-02-02T17:49:00.000Z

According to Ryan, Ginger is the normal one of my three cats. I don't think he has any idea what he's talking about. She is, however, the funniest of the three. (please ignore the commercial in the background for Taylor Dane's greatest hits!)

She, apparently, has a love/hate relationship with this particular dish towel. She nuzzles it and then she kicks it. I think she might be mad that it's on her face!

Yeah, that seems normal.

Cute Kids

2008-01-09T02:49:00.000Z

This one is for Grandma Sitter! Thanks for setting out the pictures!

It goes without saying that Ryan and I will likely have reasonably intelligent children. We're both pretty smart and I (oh, I don't know) only teach Child Development, so I like to pretend I know a thing or two about kids even if the thought of my own is a little intimidating.

I think they have a pretty good shot at being cute, too!

(Did everybody have that couch?)

I keep telling Ryan...because he wants boys, he's going to end up with a whole crew of frilly pink, unicorn-loving, ballerinas that look just like that. I've even threatened to teach them how to pout.

I Made My Own Dinner

2008-01-07T18:00:00.000Z

So the other night, I made pork chops (shake n' baked, of course) along with green beans, corn and the famous garlic parmesan mashed potatoes (with the skins in, yummy!). I handed Ryan a plate with a pork chop and he spooned the rest onto his plate.

"Look. I made my own dinner," he said.

Uh-huh. You made your own dinner, eh?

What he didn't know was that there were hungry kitties waiting to be fed. They were even sitting at the table like big girls.

Side note: Ryan did actually make the salad Sunday night and it was pretty darn good!

Ryan and Ginger

2007-12-31T14:41:00.002Z

It's already been noted that Ryan "hates cats." He especially "hates" Ginger.

Ginger loooooves Ryan. Ginger (or Gigi Wigi, as she's known to friends) runs away from pretty much everybody else. She'll come back out to see Cindy or my mom, but other than that she's very skittish. She came fully grown from the Las Vegas Humane Society and judging by her reactions to things and her reluctance to get very snuggly until a year or so ago, I'd say she was probably mistreated.

The very first time Ryan came to my house Ginger stood on the back of her green chair and sniffed him out like he was her best friend...instead of running and hiding like she does with everyone else. Smart cat!

Ginger likes to share chairs with people...and by people, I mean either myself or Ryan.

And possibly even better...What they're looking at. I only caught the end, unfortunately.