Can you believe this?

I totally understand closing a day here and there for budget cuts. I'm very understanding, even though I have books on hold and would like to be able to go pick them up today. But the thing that gets me is that they SHUT DOWN THE WEBSITE!! For the day! How does that do a thing for budget cuts? I wanted to browse the catalog and put things on hold, not talk to a librarian. Bull crap. And book drop access! My books better not be late because I couldn't drop them off today. Bah.

Pink or Blue?

So, as the rest of the world is slowly picking up, I must divulge to you, my single reader.

I'm pregnant.

I was getting frustrated because it was not happening as quickly as I would have liked once I made the decision to have another child, now that it's here I think: Why was I in such a hurry? I can never imagine what people are going through who have fertility issues - I have been blessed with a fertile womb and a fertile husband. But why did I get so annoyed when it didn't happen one month in to my decision?

I feel run down, queasy (although not sick, I've also been blessed there), tired, cranky and bloated. My clothes still fit but I feel uncomfortable in them. I have the urge (which I almost always indulge) to wear pjs every second that I am home. I'm hungry all the time and yet also have a stomachache at all times. Why can't pregnancy be happy from beginning to end? Why must your body act like it's rejecting a foreign growth on your abdomen first?

Anyhow, enough of that rant. I'm happy I'm pregnant. Here's hoping for another boy (one that doesn't do Evel Knieval stunts). I'm hungry.

Here's that chicken salad recipe (yes, it's that good)

I forgot to add this to the post below, and then it didn't really fit in with my freak out about my son's new Evel Knieval status, so I decided to post it separately.

I'm not a big salad-making person, mostly because they just don't feel substantial enough for dinner even though they're often delicious. But I made up this salad, and I'm addicted - I've made it 3 times in the last month! Here's my (seriously) informal recipe:

honey-basted chicken salad

chicken: cut the breasts in a couple long strips; sprinkle salt, pepper and thyme on both sides. Then I made a baste from melted butter and honey, and basted it and cooked (in my toaster oven) at 330 for 30 minutes, basting a couple of times.

I cooked a little pasta and caramelized some onions, and I let both of those cool. Then I mixed them with some goat cheese and a bag of butter lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, mushrooms and tomatoes. Topped with the chicken.


Phenomenal. All I can say.

The One where I advise I'm not good at the "every week" sort of posts

I believe that last week I had portrayed that I would post my menu every week. Ummm, oops! Here it is in retrospect:

• Sunday: crap, what did we eat on Sunday?


• Monday: sushi!! woot!


• Tuesday: Honey grilled chicken salad (recipe with no photo below, I'm lazy but it's freaking fantastic)


• Wednesday: rotisserie chicken and brussel sprouts (Spencer ate one this time!!!)


• Thursday: pork roast and turnips in the slow cooker


• Friday: grilled pizza with PW's pizza dough recipe


• Saturday: who knows? I'm hoping for leftover pork we can have pulled pork sandwiches with or something. Or Winghouse.

So as you can tell, I'm not very good at "Menu Mondays" or any of those weekly arrangements. I'm barely remembering to post at all (and I used to be so good at that!). So I'll just try to start posting again, period, and won't worry so much about posting certain things on certain days. Woohoo!

**Sidenote: Oh holy Jeebus! My son, on the first day it's been warm enough to play outside since Christmas, decided to take this:

to the top of this:

and ride it down. He ended up on his head right about here:

(that's the concrete)

But oddly enough didn't cry in the least! I'm changing his nickname from My Little Rockstar to Evel Knieval!

Menu Monday

Except a day early, ha.

My friend Suzanne started Menu Mondays a few weeks ago. I'm sure it was hard on her since she started it around the holidays, but I started a similar thing non-blog last year and thought I'd pick it back up on this blog. I usually write mine on Sundays before I go grocery-shopping, but I can't think of something "S" to go with Sundays ... any suggestions?

• Sunday: Parmesan-crusted pork tenderloin and broccoli
  
• Monday:Fancy Macaroni
• Tuesday: Beef roast w/ potatoes and carrots
  
• Wednesday: turkey soup (the last of the stock and turkey from my freezer from Thanksgiving
  
• Thursday: Shrimp skewers, asparagus and acorn squash.
  
• Friday: TBD (I'm sure there's something in there)
  
• Saturday: out (we usually go out on Tuesdays, but Becky will be here so I'd rather stay in)
  

Reflections of the year past

In the spirit of new beginnings, this is a New Years survey that I saw over at All & Sundry and at She Likes Purple and thought it would be a good start to a new year.

1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?

In theory it was a fairly uneventful year. I didn't get married, have a child, buy a house or car, I had the same job ... I did attempt to knit, which failed (looking into lessons now). And I went to Chicago on vacation, which was amazing. I left my son for more than a night (he stayed with Grandma and Grandpa for 5 days). And my Easter mini-vacation with Becks which was the first excursion I've taken with a friend and it was awesome.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I wanted to get more in shape, which lasted until June. I'm still the size I got to in June, but I've put a little of the weight back on and I'm a little flabbier again. I hate that, and I'd like to work on it again this year but only to the extent that I'd like to be more confident in my own skin. I'm never going to be a size 6. I'm okay with that. I'd like to be more photogenic though. I don't think that's something I can fix. I also started making a weekly menu, which lagged after several months and I'd like to pick that up again.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

YES! One of my closest friends gave birth a couple weeks ago. He's so precious!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

My Uncle Louie died in November, and it was a large loss. He was a good man.

5. What countries did you visit?

I stayed in the US (someday, I'll go elsewhere. Someday). We went to Chicago for Independence Day, and I've been on a plane more times than I'd like to think about flying around Florida for work.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you didn't have in 2009?

A calmer demeanor

7. What dates from 2009 will be etched upon your memory, and why?

February 8 - The Little Rockstar's first birthday. Otherwise, the year has been a bit of a blur.

8. What was your biggest achievement of this year?

I've gotten to be a much better cook in the past year, which I've enjoyed immensely. I also truly think I've been a good mother, and that means everything to me.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I've let my work overwhelm me on occasion, and I don't know that I've always been the best wife I could be. I let my patience fail too often.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

No

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Other than the plethora of items and clothing I purchased for Little Rockstar, I'm pretty sure nothing I purchased merited much excitement. Oh wait, there was the iBert! I loved iBert. We need to start biking again. And my lovely new washer and dryer. And the PS3/Rock Band assortment. So I guess there were a few things.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My son was an angel-child for much of the year, save for the occasional "I'm nearly two, I must learn the ancient art of throwing a tantrum".

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

You know, there were certain family members that made me cringe at their craziness, but I think things are getting better on all fronts there. So ... I'll go with no one.

14. Where did most your money go?

Bills, mortgage, daycare, washer and dryer, and the PS3 and accouterments was a hefty investment.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

I got very excited when my close friend got pregnant, and then again when she had precious Alexander, and also I was very excited about my immersion blender that I got for Christmas. Does that count?

There was also New York with Becky, and Chicago with the hubby.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

I absolutely cannot think of a song that epitomizes 2009 for me. I listened to a lot of Sirius radio, so I really heard no new music. The Barney clean-up song comes to mind though.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

Happier, much.
Thinner, but just barely.
Slightly richer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

saved money.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

losing my patience.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

We had all the grandparents (and my brother and sister and my dad's girlfriend) over for a sit-down breakfast and present opening, which is lovely because it's really not that stressful except making sure the bathrooms are clean and the dog hair is off the rug. I served biscuits and gravy, hash brown casserole, fresh fruit, and quiche, all made the day before. We had a wonderful morning of watching Spencer open his gifts and opening some of our own. Then we got a break and went to my husband's parents' house for Christmas dinner with the aunts and uncles and more present-opening.

21. Did you fall in love with 2009?

Just further in love with my husband and son.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

I refused to let myself get hooked into anymore shows, but I loved How I Met Your Mother, House, MD, and Lie to Me.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

nope, I really don't hate anyone.

24. What was the best book you read?

I read so many books this year and didn't keep good enough track of it. I loved both Steig Larsson books (The Girl with the Green Dragon Tattoo, and further, The Girl Who Played With Fire). Also I got on a vamp-fiction kick and my favorite discovery on that front was Richelle Mead who really is a very talented writer. Pat Conroy's newest novel South of Broad was released this year, and though it didn't measure up to Beach Music or Prince of Tides, his worst effort is still miles above what other writers can hope to achieve. This week I read Nick Hornby's Shakespeare Wrote for Money, which was great fun.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I don't think I made any musical discoveries, but I did rediscovery my love for 40s and 50s music. Ahh, Sinatra. How my heart goes pitter-patter.

26. What did you want and get?

We bit the bullet and got a front-loading washer/dryer, which is lovely. And an immersion blender. And ... Rock Band.

27. What did you want and not get?

I want for nothing. Except a new Coach or Michael Kors handbag.

28. What was your favorite film of 2009?

Revolutionary Road was beautiful and depressing, as was The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The Hangover was hilarious, and I'm always a sucker for cheesy romantic comedies, so take your pick at what came out over the past year (on DVD, because I'm addicted to Netflix) in that vein, and I probably adored it.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

Superman and I went to Chicago for his 30th and my 29th, for five wonderful, beautiful days. We took in Taste of Chicago, ate and drank our way around the town, and missed our son terribly but it was amazing to have some time to ourselves.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

I don't honestly know. I had a good year.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept of 2009?

Got a little fancier as I lost a little weight, but ultimately didn't change much from 2008.

32. What kept you sane?

My son. He's also what drove me crazy, but in a good way - I promise.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?

The polarization of politics. Why is my opinion so wrong? Crazy people at both sides of the political spectrum scare me. This is why I do not discuss it.

34. Who did you miss?

I missed some friends that chose to stop including me in their plans, whether it was because I was married with a baby or just because they stopped enjoying my company I'm not sure, but I both miss them and do not lose sleep over the loss.

35. Who was the best new person you met?

Little Alexander, and I've gotten to know more about a lot of people I was only acquaintances with previously and now count as dear friends.

36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.

See #37.

37. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans. - John Lennon

A new year, a new everything

I've always been a blogger. I started my first blog in (checking, hold on) 2004. I loved who I was in print at that time - snarky (do we still use that word?), fun, sarcastic. As the blog went on, I became a chronicler. Something happened, I wrote about it. Funny, I like reading that with others, but I hate how I come across the same way.

So I changed it up. After my wedding in 2007, I started a new blog. It didn't last long - a little over a year? I felt boring. So after the birth of my son in 2008, I started again, this time on wordpress.

I loved that blog. I posted recipes, pictures of the boy, crazy little side comments. The problem I found was that people I knew new about it, and so there were a few things I yearned to write about that I didn't. And then I ran out of content. And the will to blog.

So I've been silent for a few months, but I still think about posting. When something happens, I think - who can I tell? I've decided to tell: You.