thanks to our farmer friends

A few weeks ago, at our Rhody reunion, our farmer friends Jeff & Carolyn generously left us a huge bin of dirt cover root veggies.  In the excitement of the reunion and catching up I didn't quite get a good glimpse of all that it contained.  It is chalk full of delicious carrots, beets, turnips, potatoes and more - all heirloom...and all so so so good.  Last night I opened the bin and dug through, barely skimming the surface, and fed my family roasted root veggies with some meat that had been saved in the freezer...and well the meat was good but the highlight was most definitely those veggies.  So today, or I guess really yesterday, we wanted to send a huge thank you to both Jeff and Carolyn whose hands worked so hard in their commitment to sustainable agriculture and the production of grass fed beef and veggies that are not only good for our tummy but also our soul.

our basket o veggies

just a few picked from the top

so so so so good

You can check out more on Jeff & Carolyn at Potter Hill Farm here.  And if you happen to live in their neck of the woods (Grafton, Ma) or are interested in grass fed beef shares (for next year....i think...) you should get in touch with them!

the belly cast

isabelle prepping herself...gloves on!

Last night I decided it was time to finally break out the belly cast kit I ordered a month ago.  At first I was super excited to cast my belly and then well it sort of fizzled and I wondered why I had purchased the kit in the first place.  But last night, at a ripe 39 weeks and feeling like I could pop any time now, we decided it was do or "due"...because if we didn't do it now I would surely go into labor and I would miss the opportunity to cast this huge belly.  And let me tell you it is huge...

my belly cast

 (no comments necessary on my sausage fingers...)

And well, I am so happy we did it!  I think it came out awesome and I am looking forward to sanding and painting it at some point....I think I would like to put all our hand prints onto the belly including babies once he or she arrives.  And well, then some might wonder what on earth you do with a belly cast...and well I don't have that exact answer....but for now I'm happy I have it and it will always remind me of the 9 months I carried this little person.

Today I had an appointment with the midwives and everything is going perfect.  I am measuring spot on - 40 cm today, perfect blood pressure, and yes still gaining weight....  One of my midwives is convinced the baby is a boy and she predicts it will come this weekend.  I'm game for anytime now and am upping my prenatal tea, planning to take lots of long walks, and will start taking evening primrose oil tonight.  

I'm so ready!

the next few weeks...

I suspect my ability to keep up with the blog has been dwindling this past week and may do so even more leading up to D-day (and the weeks that follow).  I am going to try to the best of my ability to post a picture or two a day this week, mainly because I know my Grandma looks every day - and I don't want to disappoint!

2 of my favorite things:

 watching isabelle enjoy these toy horses as much as i did when i was younger

and the gap between her two front teeth

I can't believe it is only a week until my expected due date (seriously...it just sounds crazy typing those words).  Currently I still feel good, sleeping is a bit uncomfortable and I continue to have braxton hix contractions through out the day.  I feel, in many ways, like this is my first time being pregnant.  With Isabelle I was induced 4 days prior to my due date because my stomach "wasn't growing" according to the 4 different doctors that measured me on different dates....(sigh).  I don't really know what to expect as far as what it will feel like to start labor...I do remember labor and contractions quite well...just the beginning and progression of my labor was completely artificial the first time around (cervidil, pitocin, epidural...etc).  I suppose I am most excited to just call Aaron or wake him up in the middle of the night and say those epic words..."i think it's time!".

But for now we wait and enjoy the last few days of just the three of us...

Thanksgiving and more

We have been super busy around here!!  Considering my pregnant state we decided to have Thanksgiving at our house and were pleased to have some family come to us.  Aunt Melanie and Uncle Todd arrived Wednesday evening (after a bit of a NE tour themselves) and Nana came up on Thursday to celebrate turkey day with us.  This Thanksgiving we were all grateful to be back in New England and to be able to spend so much more time with our family.  While I didn't get to spend the holiday with my family we were still able to skype a quick hello and connect with them - and we hope to see them all on Christmas (pending baby's arrival).  The following are a few pictures of our turkey day extravaganza!

the turkey

We scored the most delicious free range local turkey by keeping tabs on craigslist ads.  The gal we got turkey from was awesome and so excited for us to enjoy....Isabelle even managed to find a few turkey feathers on the farm to bring home with her... Anyone who wants to argue that a butterball is more moist or juicy is wrong.  A little brine love and attention to how a turkey should be cooked made this bird 100% amazing.

impatience

Todd carving up the bird

the spread

In addition we also celebrated Nana's birthday and had a small baby shower for Melanie and Todd, who are expecting their baby to arrive late January.  My parents came up on Friday to help celebrate and decompress after their own turkey day craziness in RI.  We are so excited to meet baby Biggs - this means Isabelle will have a cousin and Aaron and I get to be Uncle and Auntie - so excited!

happy birthday Nana!

dueling bellies (I obviously won...)
I am SO round.

some Patriots apparel for the new little ones coming soon

All in all it was a wonderful long holiday weekend...and now as I sit here I can't believe it is over... the house is quiet other than the dishwasher running (again...I hate it but I could fill it so fine...), clothes in the washer, turkey stock simmering on the stove, and Isabelle playing quietly with her play dough.  

turkey stock...making the house smell soooo good

playing beautifully and independently....

And here we are... a week now until my expected due date... and all is quiet.  I am looking forward to taking this week to relax and recoup and get ready for the next bit of excitement to start.  

recently enjoyed...

making play dough (purple of course)

sid kisses

and snuggles

just about 38 weeks pregnant...so close!

cranberry walnut bread that won't make it to the end of the day...let alone Thanksgiving

best to taste test somethings first right??

starting my Thanksgiving prep list...pie crust...check!

identifying beetles with daddy

perfecting mary had a little lamb

not many words needed

we are all happy daddy is home from Reno

...just barely escaping the fires!

Have a great weekend!

a little gem...literally

So yesterday while on our walk we decided to check out this little special spot in the middle of nowhere down the road from our house called Gem Star.  I had seen it in the past but with funny hours of operation and just not having the right moment we hadn't stopped in - and well yesterday was just the day!  And what we found was quite a surprise!  This little store is filled to the brink with beading supplies (yikes...) and outside is a gemstone graveyard - beautiful gems everywhere...stacked like wood...sitting out on rickety old tables...and purple and yellow towers standing in the woods...

towers of amethyst

stacks of the mineral selenite (what sheet rock is made of)

stone eggs

isabelle's new star necklace

Hard to imagine this place is less than a mile from our house (we really live in the middle of nowhere!), but oh so special...and I see many visits to this special spot in the future.  And as you can imagine my eyes nearly popped out of my head with all the potential ideas for jewelry making....control yourself Caitlyn!  Isabelle managed to make out with a special new necklace we put together when we got home made with a little stone star...  and we also decided to pick one out for our sorely missed friend Maggie in Idaho (I hope your not reading this out loud Melissa!) to send out with a special care package.  She also picked out a pile of stone eggs which we promptly had to play "Easter" with and hide and find these little eggs all over the house.

You just never know what kind of special spot is practically in your backyard...

Grammy time

With Aaron away for a few days in Reno for a meeting we are enjoying having grammy around for a few days.  Considering I am now a ripe 37 weeks pregnant and could technically go anytime now we thought it might be good to have grammy around just incase....plus it is so much fun to have her around!  Isabelle has been being super boss lately and taking full advantage of having gram around...

grammy and isabelle on the bike path - they ran practically the whole time!

Thanks Grammy!!

b-way

As mentioned we had a little Rhody reunion Friday evening and it was, as expected, filled with catching up, inappropriate banter, laughs, and lots of eating.  Kelly decided to throw me a sort of blessing way/mother's blessing - which I guess was agreed on by all the men with the stipulation of calling it anything but a blessing way (hence...b-way).  It may not have been the most traditional blessing way but it was so much fun and I laughed so hard I cried myself silly...and nearly wet myself.

cheese & meat spread...

me laughing so hard I was afraid it might onset labor

kelly gave me a foot bath with some deliciously smelling homemade sugar rub 

and aaron later massaged my feet...

"happy labor caitlyn" cake from Pastiche....

My b-way consisted of a foot bath, then some herbs added by everyone, a foot rub, a lovely green crown, some yarn tied around us all to connect us, some fortune cookies (read the fortune and then end it with..."in labor"...example: "New and rewarding opportunities will soon develop for you...in labor"), some lovely poetry, and of course a delicious coconut cake from Pastiche.  And even though we all laughed and giggled over it all-- it was really special and very thoughtful of my dear friend Kelly to do for me - so thanks Kel, from the bottom of my heart!  And thanks to my amazing husband, Jeff & Carolyn and Dave for taking part in this special ritual.

pajammy buddies, Isabelle & Noa

love...

In addition everyone took home a candle, with the intention that once labor begins we will have a sort of phone/text/email tree to let everyone know that labor has started and that the baby is on his or her way...  and I would like to extend this to everyone (if you want to partake) - I will be sending out an email at some point with a reminder to set aside a candle and have it ready around December 5th.... and that when we actually start we will let you know - you can light your candle as a way to "connect" with us and as a reminder to send us some positive thoughts.  

oh and the verdict from the ultrasound was that the head is indeed down and baby is in position!

walking and talking

Lately Isabelle and I have been taking lots of walks and talking quite a bit about the baby and what life will be like with a baby in the house.  She has so many questions, like...where the baby will sleep, what toys will the baby play with, will the baby cry a lot...and so on.  Most questions I can answer but some are a bit tough to know until we meet the baby and that in itself is a hard concept for Isabelle to grasp.

on our morning walk today (and yes she has been swallowed by the purple monster)

silliness

In a little while Isabelle and I will head down to Concord for a quick visit with our midwives...they are 90% sure the baby is head down (there is a little confusion because of the placement of my placenta) but want to be 100% sure so we are going to do a quick ultrasound to make sure baby is where it is supposed to be.  Both Isabelle and I are excited to get a quick glimpse of the baby one last time before we get to meet him or her!

Congregate by Nikki McClure

And later today we will be having a little Rhody reunion with some friends - we are really looking forward to seeing them, getting involved in inappropriate banter, and of course eating...  We wish the whole gang could come up but understand Kris & Sarah have more important things like work and what not in their life....(booo).....:).

Hopefully I will remember to take out my camera tonight to capture some silliness....

all isabelle, all day

So as mentioned...yesterday was sort of "my day" - Isabelle let me get away with a lot of crafting during the day.  And well...it sort of caught up.  This morning we already had one end of the world blow out...  I was merely trying to quickly combine ingredients for boston baked beans and put together dough for a no-knead bread....and well hell broke loose.  There was raised voices yelling, stomping, spilt milk (literally), door slamming, and tears...from both of us.  Some days are not meant to be filled with over ambitious ideas of what I think I need to accomplish...

the boston baked beans...

So today, we will be playing all day...and with 65 degrees and sun in the forecast I simply can't wait to go outside... and do what ever she wants... which so far has been:

dancing to our pandora station: kids folk music

declaring we NEED a magic wand...and promptly getting out supplies

and smiling...

which is so much better than 2 hours ago

And now Isabelle decided, on her own, that she needed a warm bath to relax before we go outside (I wish I could fit in our mini tub with her...it sounds wonderful indeed).  Hence why I was able to throw up a quick post to share in our not so perfect but wonderful morning.   

corners of crafty

Today was a crafty sort of day.  Slowly finishing projects and breaking out some that have been abandoned for over a year.  Isabelle is pretty patient with me on days like this and in return I end up stopping every ten minutes to meet her needs - help her dress and undress dolly, read her books, and even join her for a quick dance around the living room.  She also helps by pressing the foot on the sewing machine and "organizing" my yarn.

reversible pants for a special lady

(quick change trousers from handmade beginnings by anna maria horner)

more baby bonnets

a christmas stocking i started in 2009 for isabelle

yes it is definitely time to just finish it...

I have to admit that I must have had a premonition that I would have lots of time and little money to splurge on crafting supplies because I have been so preoccupied with my stash it has been wonderful....while I do crave a trip to the yarn shop, the fabric store, or an online splurge on craft items I know I have lots to work through first.  I remember thinking it was ridiculous to buy loads of cashmere/silk baby yarn with no project (it was just such a good deal!) and that time I thought I would sew up dresses and aprons....well now that yarn is being knit into lots of baby hats and booties and that fabric is being used for bibs, blankets, and pants.  And yes I suppose you have a right to think I am totally baby crazy....but baby projects are so quick and simple... they are just so hard to resist.

weekend happenings: in the kitchen

This was one of those weekends I wish I could hit the repeat button on... we cooked, we bottled, we baked, we walked, we talked, we took naps (oh wait that was just me...)  and watched too many episodes of Mad Men.  And it isn't until now that I really think about the days of us three are limited and quite priceless - in the coming months I don't expect us to make homemade pasta, brownies, or slow cooked ragu bolognese...(well I suppose I hope the brownies will rear their delicious head...they are amazing).  I recall quite a lull in our love of cooking and baking following the birth of Isabelle.  Between the summer heat, Aaron working his butt off finishing his Phd, and my lack of sleep we weren't all that interesting in the kitchen.  Hopefully with Isabelle's interest in the kitchen it will keep us motivated and inspired to do more - there is just nothing better (and sometimes nothing more stressful) than working with little hands in the kitchen.  She is so eager to be in the middle and be apart of every step.  And I know I've mentioned it before but she will eat anything that she makes.

learning how to bottle and cap beer

(Carter would be so proud of our little brewmaster)

kneading the pasta dough

rolling out the dough

admiring our work

cutting our pasta into fettucini

devouring...

I'm sure most of you out there reading this has experienced homemade pasta but if you haven't you truly must.  Nothing can compare.  

Note: the spinach pasta & ragu recipes are from Mario Batali's Molto Italiano and my favorite brownie recipe is Alton Browns, which can be found here....just beware they are probably a heart attack waiting to happen and you can't just eat one...:)