THAT question

Today was a wonderful day, until I was asked the question. You know, THE question.

"So, when is your baby due?"

Yep, standing in the grocery store with Eloise.

At first, I looked around, to see if she was talking to someone else. Then I think, is Sam with me, is he due for something.

Gasp! She's asking ME!!!

I quickly said, "Oh, I'm not pregnant, I have a small baby though". And then I continue to stumble over my words as if to explain away the ever present, will-never-go-away-unless-I-get-a-tummy-tuck belly. I'm caught between that conundrum of making the person feel better about their insensitive question and feeling mortified that I'm wearing a shirt that might remotely give off the idea that I'm with child.

I should mention here that I don't even get asked if I'm pregnant until I'm at least 6 months pregnant with an ACTUAL baby.

All this comes on the heals of an intense struggle with self-image. Something I thought only teenagers dealt with. (more on that later) It's good for motivation, but not for healthy perspective.

So there you have it. My first time being asked if I'm pregnant when I'm not. And in case you're wondering, the shirt is already in the donation pile.

Linky loo

Don't got alot this week. I've been doing tons of organizing and cleaning. Today, I actually cleaned all my baseboards and doors (my mom and dad were here and had the girls at the mall and Sam slept for 2.5 hours).

But I'm dreaming of working on the outside. I'm dreaming of patio spaces.

I love this smell in the house and it makes it all smell so clean.

I'm attempting yogurt in the crockpot today. Not really working out like I thought.

I made this tonight. I'm thinking I need to tweak it a bit. Needs more flavor for me.

That's all I got for now. But have a great weekend and enjoy the sun (hopefully).

what's going on

First, the skinny jeans. Unfortunately, I had to return them. They stretched out too much while I was wearing them, so I needed to take them back for a smaller size. They were out, so I'll look later. But, I will take a picture if I remember.

Second, still baking here, but exploring more. I made yogurt this weekend. It came out great. We love plain yogurt around here, with honey, of course. And Sam is inhaling it, without honey, of course. It turned out great. I followed Angela's steps. It was a little thin, but I strained it through a cheesecloth and came out the way we like it.

I'm developing a love of creating things from scratch. Like Taco Seasoning. I have time. I'm at home, so why not make something from scratch. I know what's in it and I know it's cheaper. Plus, I get alot of joy out of creating. And we're trying to slow down on the sugar after a fruit snack invasion and addiction.

So we're creating, making, and playing with lots of food here. I'll post pictures soon. My mind is fuzzy from all these kitchen creations.

links

Happy Spring!

**I'm getting the bug to garden and I think I'm going to start by organizing my tools in a our tiny shed.

**Thinking about eating whole foods. This is a great post about Spring cleaning the body.

**I'm loving the Inspired Room - loving it!

**DIY kids kitchens - so cute!

**I bought some skinny distressed jeans. There I said it! I really did and look, they're all the rage. And not just for teenagers. I love them. I really love them. More on that later.

oatmeal muffins

I've made these three times in the last week. And they are simply, FANTASTIC!!!

Here's my thoughts:
1. add a little vanilla with the milk and vinegar while they are soaking
2. I make them in mini-muffin tins, they only take about 8 minutes
3. my favorite add-in....mini chocolate chips. Delicious.

For more tips on how to make the best muffins ever, head over to Simple Bites

One-Bowl Oatmeal Muffins: Basic Recipe

Be sure to read the recipe all the way through before getting started. You will note that the oats soak in the milk 1 hour prior to assembling the rest of the ingredients, so take that into consideration before starting out.

Makes 12 medium muffins (or 24 mini-muffins)

• 1 cup milk*
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 tsp Vanilla
  
• 1 cup rolled oats (not quick oats)
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, freshly ground
• add-ins of your choosing
  

Combine milk, vinegar and oats in a large bowl and let stand one hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a twelve-cup muffin tin and line with cupcake papers.

Crack the egg into the oat and milk mixture; add brown sugar and mix to combine. Stir in melted butter.

Sift remaining ingredients into the bowl: flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, & spices. Gently fold into batter, taking care not to over mix.

Sprinkle add-in and flavorings of your choice and combine muffin batter gently.

Use a large ice cream scoop or 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop batter into muffin tins. Bake until light brown and tops spring back when gently touched, about 10-12 minutes. Note: Muffins will take slightly longer to bake if you are adding fresh fruit such as blueberries or rhubarb.

Remove from oven and cool in tins. To remove, run a sharp knife around the edges and pop muffins out. Enjoy!

exciting

We're pretty excited to make cinnamon rolls around here. It's our first time using the bread machine. Can you tell?

Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday

Taking this week off from Links to celebrate Good Friday. This is a great post and I'm excited to spend this weekend talking (in 4 and 3 yr old talk) about the goodness of Christ.

Blessings.