Weeeelcome To The Danger Zone

We've been at it! Or rather....Joe's really been at it. I can't believe how hard he's been working. He heads over to the duplex right after work at around 3:30-4:00 and cranks out a solid 6 to 7 hours of work each night. I've elected to be put on fire guard, burning nasty ceiling tiles, slats of wood from the plaster walls, and random pieces of cardboard. Powered with our homemade cinder block fire pit, I've been crankin' nightly flames Smokey the Bear would fear.

So far, we dug out the nasty dirt floor of a basement, laid down a couple tons of gravel, then poured another couple tons of concrete on top. Our friend Jeremy ended up being the bull float master and did an amazing job smoooothing out the cement. My friends, not an easy task.

The entire bathroom has been taken down to the studs, Joe replaced and rerouted all of the plumbing so we can make the most of the tiny bathroom....a ridiculous feat in tetris piping skills. Tub/shower should be going in today, along with a new subfloor. Yay!

A couple of buddies came over and helped Joe tear down a few walls in the living/dining/kitchen area. We exposed the ancient brick chimney and love it. Definitely a keeper.

Things are crankin'!

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Making Sure We Eat Our Spinach

We closed last Thursday! This is what we did the next day. : ) More...MUCH more to come....

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22 Weeks

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19 Weeks

Buddha belly has arrived in full force this week. Passers by are definitely beginning to give me the "is she expecting....or is she just kinda fat?" look. :) Coming up on our next ultrasound.... if Critter isn't shy or squatting on legs, we should be able to find out if we're harvesting a boy or a girl. Yay!

We got our duplex appraised and all systems are go. Probably closing in a week! Let the sledge hammering begin.

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Growing

It's looking like we'll be closing on our duplex within the next 3 weeks! Then it's going to be a crazy 5-6 weeks of replacing the heating, windows, kitchen, flooring, plumbing. Yeeyah! Seriously though, having the opportunity to make our cozy place exactly how we want it, is worth allllll the work.

Things on the baby front are amazing as can be. We had an appointment with our midwives this afternoon and got to hear the heartbeat again. Definitely can't button any of my pants anymore; a knock-off version of the BellaBand I got on Etsy is definitely paying off. I'm chowing protein laden mini meals throughout the day, drinking a tincture to help with my varicose veins, doing a little light cardio, and getting foot rubs from Joe. We're in the 17th week of things and I'm not quite "showing" much. My midwives attest this delay of protruding gut to my long-ish torso and...**ahem**..."nice abs".

I promise I'll post fat pictures as soon as this belly of mine starts inflating a little.

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Had an awesome Paula Dean worthy meatloaf dinner with all the fixin's the other night. Friends of ours invited us over and we couldn't say no to such a feast. Mashed taters were there too... mmmmm. We topped it off with homemade caramel apples lathered in chocolate chunks and peanuts.

A pregnant lady needs 85-95 grams of protein a day you say? Fear not, I love to eat.

I can't fasten the clasp on my deliciously fashionable Class B pants anymore. Or my jeans, or my dress pants, or my corduroys. I love sweatpants.

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Disco

A pretty sweet birthday, getting to see our Critter in full human action form! The last time we saw the little thing, it looked like a bean, straight outta some soup, no joke. Bust out the music, because Critter was waving arms, kicking, grasping, having a him/herself a dance party while we watched the screen. It was so. amazing.

Everything on the pregnancy front is going very smoothly. Can't complain a bit.

Our apartment still smells of bacon....from last night's birthday feast. Nom nom.

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*thump *thump *thump *thump *thump *thump

Had a nom nom light fare dinner tonight to top off our new interaction with Critter. Joe and I headed up to Gardiner, NY to meet up with our midwives for an "appointment", which never ever feels like what we've all become accustomed to.... Dr. Whatever knocks, walks in, looking at your chart, asks questions while somehow never looking up, scribbles some things down, leaks the all too familiar "Mmmm Hmmmmm", and without too much thought, *bam, prescription. Pats you on the butt, and says to call if the meds don't do the trick.

Not here my friends. Not with our freakishly fantastic midwives whom we've grown to love and become wonderful friends with. Our appointments are loaded with quality individualized care, thoughtful answers to any kind of questions and more than enough options for whatever ailment or concern you may have. My family's thorough blessing of varicose veins is pronouncing itself as my inflating body pumps 40% more blood volume. Gross.

We're on a honeymoon with our midwives.

Not to mention, we were able to listen to Critter's heartbeat (and a little kicking!) today. 150-160 bpm. Crazy.

Ohhhhh the miso soup, soba noodles and salmon was soooo tasty.

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1+1=3

A mini-Skinner is on the way! We're hoping to be marveling at our squinty eyed, freckle faced, rolly polly of kid this upcoming March.

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A New Notch On Our Growth Chart

Check our our thweet views on our daily route to work! Rte 218 winds along side Storm King Mountain, which is what stands between West Point to the south and the village of Cornwall on the north. And speaking of Cornwall...

We've been going back and forth the past two months with a sister duo who are selling their duplex without a realtor, which, in this case, has been a minor pain. Thinking your property is worth more than it is, and not having a realtor to put you in your place can make it difficult to reach a fair outcome. Not to mention...this place hasn't been updated in a good 15-20 years....

But all things aside, our realtor patiently kept at 'em and finally was able to work the sisters down to a price we thought fair. So, yes! Our offer has been accepted, and we're getting an inspector to take a look at the place Monday afternoon. We're definitely bracing for a long list of things that will need to be fixed, but we're up for it.

The right side unit (hopefully, if this whole process works out) will be where we'll be living. There's a guy living on the left side already, who will be there for at least another couple of years. So, having him essentially pay for our mortgage is a thweet bonus. Then, when then the day comes when we feel the need for a little more space, we'll probably find a house nearby, keep the duplex and have it churn out a little extra income for us.

And might I say *cue the hallejujah chorus* that we'll finally have a washer and drier for ourselves?!!

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Vacay

Had ourselves a grand ol' time in Boston. Rained the first day we were there, but we made good of it and chilled out in a scrumptious cafe/chocolatier recommended to us by a good friend and nibbed on fig filled chocolates and a toasty panini. We also hit up a cupcake shop where Joe ate himself a creamcheese lathered carrot cake cupcake, topped with flakes of gold, so posh.

Joe also got a tasty dish of steak tar tar later that night at a place we ate with Julie and Dave. Sooo, we pretty much ate our way through Boston, which I can't protest to. We loved Boston, big city but nice and cozy at the same time.

Found this Harvard law student giving me the up down and checking me out.

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Relaaaax

Joe brought home a big bowl o' berries he picked from the bushes behind West Point's outdoor concert amphitheater. Tasty, tasty, tasty. They were gone by the time dinner rolled around. We're waiting for the next wave of berries to ripen up...

Today is our first day of "leave" as they call it in Uncle Sam's club. We're taking this week off from work, checking into a bed and breakfast, and checking out Boston. Toodles!

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Ahhhhh, so good.

We hit up West Point's Round Pond for a canoe picnic for today's lunch date! Peanut butter, banana, and honey sandwich, coupled with a bag of nom-nom Cheetos. We licked them orange fingers good. Can't beat a $4.00/hr canoe rental just 10 minutes from our apartment.

On other things, Joe and I put in an offer for a duplex located in the village of Cornwall On Hudson, just north of West Point. We thought to ourselves....heck we don't quiiiite need a house yet, so why not live in one side of a duplex, collect rent from the other side, and make a little extra moneys?? It's a for sale by owner, and the lady selling the place is a bit out of touch with the current market. She bought it at the peak of the bubble and still thinks it's worth every penny. We'll see about that. Plus, it's in dire need of a facelift.....she said the guy who fixes the boiler in the basement has never seen a boiler that old...

Other than that though, not much a' happenin' in our neck of the woods. The weather up here is freaking fantastic. Still haven't had to turn on the A/C.

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Oh My!

Chocolate cake my friends...from scratch, in a mug, made in a microwave. Why not?!

Here's what you need and how you do it

4 Tablespoons flour

4 Tablespoons granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons cocoa

1 Egg

3 Tablespoons milk

3 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil (or 1.5 Tablespoons oil and 1.5 Tablespoons applesauce)

Pinch salt

Cooking spray

1 Mug

Coat inside of mug with cooking spray. Mix flour, sugar, salt and cocoa. Stir in egg. Pour in milk and oil and combine thoroughly.

Put in microwave for 3 minutes on maximum power (1,000 watts). Let it sit for five or so minutes before spooning the cake onto a plate.

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Thuper Duper

Last day of June, and we're still A/C free. By all means...doesn't mean we've had a handful of nights of Joe and I laying next to each other, in a "don't touch me 'cause it's so freaking hot" position, only a strip teeeeez away from our birthday suites.

What to fix for din-din when the sweat starts to bead, and maximizing your stove to it's full potential is not in your favor? Joe found this which made us both do this.

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Ta Daaaaaaa. Almost.

Still trying to work out some kinks (like the "search" box....it's not exactly doin' any "searching" as of now), but all in all not too shabby, eh? I ended up taking bits and pieces from other blog-o-licious sites and created this dainty scheme.

Back to looking into "search" boxes...

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Yeehaw!

Paid a visit to good ol' Oklahoma last week to celebrate Mike and Amy's wedding. If the picture of Lacey whippin' my mom around on the dance floor doesn't suffice, please let it be know that we had a freaking great time. During our stay in tornado country, Joe and I got to finally meet our new niece, Nikki. So. Cute. Below is the dad himself, the chillest baby I've ever met, and Uncle Joe.

I've been studying up, rackin' my brain, and learning XML code in my spare time...blog makeover to soon appear...hopefuly.

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Viva la Panama

4 summers ago, my friends Isaac, Lacey, and I were floating on a plastic portable "deck-like" thing you once enjoyed jumping off of at summer camp. We lounged, soaked in the Mediterranean sun, watching man after hairy man struttin' in ye ol' speedo. We chitted, we chatted, Isaac bringing up his grand idea of someday starting a music festival, from scratch mind you, in his home country of Panama.

This summer, was the 3rd anniversary of Isaac's creation. The "Alfredo de Saint Malo Music Festival" takes place in the historic downtown of Panama, hosting recitals given by members of the Metropolitan Opera, The Rome Opera House, down to a finale orchestra concert given by local school children from unfortunate districts and circumstances.

Amazing time. Amazing.

One note.
The Panama Canal? I mean, it's worth going to see, just to see. But it's just not as glorious as your elementary school teacher made it out to be. Pooey.

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Vacay

Joe and I took a Memorial Day trip to visit our friends Julie and Dave out in Vermont. Cruised down the Connecticut River in a thweet canoe, hit up some bueno eateries and soaked in the countryside. Above is where Julie and her roomies live in. It's an old barn that's been converted into a house. "Come to me my animal friends!"

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Plug

Why wouldn't you want a $500 desk, for free?

My cousin Anna entered a giveaway for a super duper holy moly scrapbook organizer desk that will take her to the next level of memory preservation and is by golly going to win this thang. The desk has a plethora of storage for all of her heart shaped cut-outs and zig-zag scissors.

I mean, take a LOOK!


All you gotta do, is go to "The Original Scrap Box" by clicking HERE, then click on the "Cutest Craft Giveaway" (it's right smack dab in the middle of the page people), then vote for #259. That's it! Easy. Just a couple seconds of your day. And if you're feeling reeeally genorous with your time, you can vote everyday until the 28th. So, go! Help my Anna!

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Whoa.......That Dudn't Look Right.

Dislocated the ol' digit playing a mean game of volleyball with fellow bandees. Oh man you should have seen it. The joint that connects the thumb to your wrist looked somekind of inverted, leaving my thumb stuck pointing in a direction....not.....normal.

Ironically(?), luckily(?) we were playing against the medic team, who let out an "Ohhhhhhhhh....." upon seeing my funk of a thumb. After a couple minutes of deliberation, they decided to go ahead and pull it back into place, and told me to head to the emergency room to get an x-ray.

So here I sit, slowly plucking away at the keyboard while catching faint wafts of stink floating from my sweaty casted hand.

Next time it's time to take care of your pearlies, try brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand. Comical.

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65 degrees, mostly sunny, 37% humidty

Woke up with the windows open, enjoyed some blueberry pancakes and green tea, then off we went for a beautimous hike up Storm King Mountain. Can't beat it.

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...

Got home from playing at a funeral, walked up the stairs to our apartment, turned the corner into our living room, lo and behold.

He (or she, I guess) ate through the sheet rock in our kitchen wall, ate through a bag of my attempt at homemade english muffins, enjoyed some almond meal, then somehow climbed up the curtains to chill on the curtain rod until I came home to crash his glutenous afternoon.

Joe gave the apartment manager a ring to see if they could send anyone over to help get the critter out. Two portly guys came over, one with a broom, the other with a piece of poster board (?)....

We chased the thing around the apartment for a good 20-30 minutes until he fiiiiinally ran out the front door.

Bats = check
Squirrels = check

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Like aunt, like niece? That's little Nikkia on the right, but strangely, my mom's got plenty-o pics of me chillin' in the exact same pose. In Japan, their Superman-esque hero is affectionately known to all boys (and those girls not in love with Hello Kitty), as Ultraman. And when he holds his arms as pictured above, a supersonic beam of lazer justice pierces the likeliness of Godzilla or the like.

So here's to a new generation of infant Ultraman wannabe's.

And if you're bored, watch this epic of epicness.

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