Oh my darlin', OH MY DARLIN'....OH MY DAAAAAARLIN' Clementine...

Dearest Clementine...
Oh how I love thee...let me count the ways!

This is my one craving for this pregnancy. I don't know if I've mentioned it...but I've been freaking out b/c I really have no appetite...I mean, I'm a girl who knows how to EAT...but nothing really ever sounds GOOD (except steak...but only from Chili's or Tx Roadhouse or Red Lobster...but I don't think eating out every night is in our budget), it's really sad, I know. It's actually a good thing...cause I'm not gaining any weight. I lost a few pounds in the 1st trimester and I've just stayed there. Obviously I'm getting ginormous-er, duh...that's what happens when your preggo. But scale-wise, I'm happy for now ;).
I love these little Cuties, I eat them constantly all day long...and MerlinColtonEugeneWilbur loves them, too. Seriously...after I eat one of these, he's doing backflips in there...it's such a great feeling!

Our Thanksgiving day

Today, we spent our "dinner" at Texas de Brazil, a little unconventional but a perfect fit for James and I since for one, we don't like turkey, and for two, we don't like cooking or cleaning Ü. And oh my goodness, did we make the right decision! That was some GOOD food.
The girls enjoyed themselves! I love downtown Ft Worth, lots of green spots for photo ops!They aren't so easy to photograph.....and this is more of a blooper....but I love the way Bella has her hand on Aube's shoulder, she was cracking me up.

Bella wasn't very cooperative....she was quite upset she couldn't get a burger Ü. She did, however love her big blue water cup!
Aube ate almost as much as James and I. I don't blame her though, the meat was seasoned so well, and just melted in your mouth!This was the yummiest of them all....the house special. I don't know the name, of course, but maybe like picante something or other. James' drink of choice....Guarana....a brazillian soda, something he drank alot on his mission.After our wonderful lunch, we went walking around downtown. I wanted to see if we could find the Water Gardens, but they must be closed for the season. Instead, we found a cute little trail that led down to the Trinity River. It was a bit farther away than we expected, so we didnt make it all the way down to the river....but we enjoyed the color of this little path.We tried our hand at a little timer-action. I love the color of fall!!We walked a little more...wanting to go by the big Christmas tree. I was in a picture taking mood, and had to take one of this beauty. It's my favorite building in downtown.The Christmas tree in Sundance Square. I checked out the parade that they are having there, and it looks like fun...something to think about for next year, since I work this year. I love parades! We kept the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on all morning, and the girls loved it.

We all settled in after getting home, taking long naps and chillaxin'. It felt good to walk around after eating, but we were all pretty worn out.

James and I STILL aren't hungry....so full from our power eating ;). We had planned a nice dinner with Cornish Hens and potatoes....but even thinking of food makes me nauseous!

The girls ate a little...then had themselves a nice pretend dinner. Complete with the turkey they didn't get this year!

By request...

Pumpkin Bars (Cupcakes)
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 eggs
1 -15 oz can of pumpkin
1 cup cooking oil

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt & cloves. Stir in eggs, pumpkin and oil till mixed thoroughly. Spread batter into ungreased pan. Or fill 24 cupcake liners.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes (for bars) or 22-25 minutes (for cupcakes). Cool on wire rack & frost with cream cheese frosting, cut into bars (or just eat the cupcakes). Frosting optional, cupcakes are good with or without it.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 -3oz package of cream cheese
1/4 cup softened butter
1 tsp of vanilla
2 1/4 to 2 3/8 cups of powdered sugar

Beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Add 1 cup powdered sugar, beating well....gradually at the rest of the powdered sugar.

Because he's my favorite....

I have a rough time for James' birthday...mostly because he answers the question "What do you want for your birthday?" with a "I don't care" every.single.time. It never fails. So, I usually strike out in the gift department for him, just like this year...even though I did find an Office sticky note pad with "That's what she said" (Michael's fave saying) across the top. And I made him a keychain out of Bella's Art.

When it comes to a birthday cake, he never wants one...he would rather have a coconut cream pie....which are VERY lovely when made by his Mom or by Marie Calendar's Ü. This year, he came up with the idea of a CANDY CAKE...right down Mr Sweettooth's lane.

Started with a cake pan thing:Covered it with icing.

Then added a couple of boxes of candy and WAAAALA (viola). The first ever James Candy Cake!

We didn't have 30 candles...but we did have a 3! James is over-exaggerating his blowing-out-a-candle-face for the camera.

Then we sat and picked the candy off...

Bella enjoyed it a little too much! We made this Saturday afternoon, but didn't enjoy till Sunday night and she could barely keep her hands off of it!

One day I will make James' birthday (month) fantastic!
I love you, sweetcheeks.

It's that time of year again, folks!

Yes....it has begun! It's Monopoly Game time at McDonalds! Woohoo....our yearly over-indulge in greasy, fattening foods and gallons of Dr Pepper! The last time we played we were traveling to MN alot...and it just so happens that every stop in the Kansas turnpike has a McDonalds.....so we were set! Gonna be up to me this year.....such a heavy (HEAVY is the word) burden to bear! I have seen Super-size Me....I know what happens when you eat McDonalds food!
So far, we have won 2 hours of Wifi time....Nice.....EXACTLY what I wanted. Who cares about $$1,000,000$$ when you can have FREE WIFI!
They need to put game pieces on their ice cream cones!!
So...if you happen to not be collecting these precious squares and find yourself at a McDonalds...we'll except your donation! (and OF COURSE split the big money with you....will 1/100000000th of a million work for you?)

Isn't it annoying trying to think of a title for posts? Seriously...I could sit here for an hour trying to think of something whitty or funny....

Today I went in search of some paper for a project...since PSE just wasnt cutting it for me! And there is seriously some AWESOME paper out there...no matter how much I have grown to love digiscrapping and will be doing tons of it...my heart is still with PAPER! Oh how I LOVE creating stuff with PAPER! Ü
And because I was on such a 'high' from finding such great stuff at Michaels, I pulled into Steak 'n Shake to have lunch with my girls. It may make me ghetto...but I love me some S'nS, it reminds me of stake dances! We would always go there afterwards.

The girls both got a hat with their crayons...and Bella kept hers on thru most of her meal, silly girl! They won the hearts of about 3 elderly couples that would wave and smile at them!

The reason I wanted to go there was for their Taco Salad! Ü And it's not black and white like the other pictures b/c it looks like poop instead of beef on top there! Haha...yeah, sorry for that image.

My oh-so-scary picture with Bella...I had to crop out half my face to make myself feel better! But I love the look on Bella's face! And Aube...sweet, sweet Aube....if you put a plate of chicken fingers, fries and ranch {Dip-it..or BIP-IT, in aube-speak}...she will guzzle down the ranch, leaving slimey chicken & fries in her wake! Yum oh yum.

I don't often take the girls to sit- down restaurants by myself...it takes a large amount of courage to brave that scenario. But today I thought, what the heck...beats getting McD's drive thru! And they did so nicely....I love days like these, sitting back and appreciating my two lovely girls.

{Backtracking}

I've meant to blog about this sooner, but you know me...I'll always win the procrastinating crown! (It sure is pretty, all sparkly...)
Friday night we had ourselves a Girl's Night....Shannon and I enjoyed a yummy and FILLING seafood dinner. I seriously think I broke a few ribs with the pressure from my expanding stomach. Then we met up with Bonnie and Julie for dessert....how I fit anything else in my stomach, I don't know!
MMM...I think I dreamt about how good those crablegs were!
It's so nice to have friends that will go out and chill with me, rejuvenate by laughing and chit-chattin', and in turn making me miss my little family, just a bit Ü.

{Get in my BELLY}

Wednesday (since now it's officially Thursday) was The Cheesecake Factory's 30th Anniversary and they celebrated it with $1.50 pieces of cheesecake! James was home sick, so I got to leave Aube with him...so Bella and I got to have a little fun together and met Shannon & Co and a friend from work. We waited for a little over an hour for our table, then around 40 minutes to get the cheesecake....mixed in with tired kiddos....we were READY for that cheesecake! It was yummy...and well worth the wait!

It makes me soooo happy to be able to spend some one on one time with my sweet Bella. She can get a little onery here and there....but she is just growing up SO fast. Love that girl.

More Bellanguage

Prayers last night:

Me: Heavenly Father,
Bella: Heavenly Father, thank you for soup.
Me: Thank you for this day
Bella: Thank you for soup.
Me: Thank you for mommy and daddy
Bella: Thank you for cake
Me: Thank you for church
Bella: Thank you for church (Yay! we got one!)
Me: Thank you for Grammy and Papa
Bella: Thank you for soup, Papa, Gammy
Me: Thank you for Gramma and Grampa
Bella: Thank you for Bubba
Me: Thank you for our blessing.
Bella: Thank you for soup.
Me: Help us to sleep good
Bella: Soup.
Me: Help us to be safe.
Bella: Cake
Me: In the name of Jesus Christ,
Bella: AMEN!

It gets frustrating b/c how can you NOT LAUGH when your child says she is thankful for soup???

The Great Ketchup vs Mustard Debate

I never thought I would raise a child
to like MUSTARD, of all things!
I grew up hating mustard, relish, tunafish
and mayonaise.....I now love mayo,
since it was brought to my knowledge
that my parents bough Miracle Whip, which indeed
is NOT mayonaise....hmmm.
I still hate mustard and relish, and love tunafish melts.
Anyways...not about me....
BELLA....today she had a hotdog for lunch
I got out the hotdogs, bread and ketchup...
She would have none of that, raced over to
the fridge (which she thinks is her own)
and jumped and jumped till I got her the mustard.

And on top of that! She wanted mustard on the
side to DIP the hot dog in! Lovely habits and taste's
picked up from her father Ü.

post-Valentine's Sweetness

Now that the post-Valentine's sugar buzz
has worn off...Im gonna show off our loot:
This is what my sweet sweetie
got for me...an orchid (I finally figured it out!)
Hopefully I don't kill it, b/c she is so pretty!

And this is what I got for James:

mmmmmm.....
Pan-fried steak-heaven-in-a-skillet
Courtesy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Earlier in the day, I debated on actually cooking
steak at home...determined that it might actually cost
just as much to just go out and have someone cook it
FOR ME....ya know? BUT...I didn't want to be out
in the dining-out-mayhem known as Valentine's Day-Eve
so...I bought the steaks, cooked 'em up...
and GLORY GLORY HALLELUJIAH, to my surprise
it was DE-LI-CIOUS! Yum yum....
And I cooked enough to even have leftovers
for lunch tomorrow! Thank you PW!