Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Justin and me!  We hope you remember the reason for  the celebrations.  As much fun as presents, cookies, traditions, overeating, lights, and movies can be...it's all about a baby and how His birth changed the world forever.

"Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men."

Christmas Recipes

Because I think we all get tired of making some of the same ol stuff each year (but mind you, perhaps NOT tired of eating it!)  I wanted to share a few recipes I've stumbled across that you might find helpful for your last minute parties or get togethers.

These first two were stolen from Lazy Mom, who always includes simple, yet delicious ideas!  You can read her entire post, but here are a couple of my favorites from her post, along with a few favorites of my own.

Graham Cracker Toffee  I haven't tried this one...yet...but it may be coming to an event near you!

Holiday Pretzel Treats  Now these I have tried.  At least a version of them.  We've used Pretzels/Rolos/Nuts.  And Pretzels/Kisses/Nuts.  But the M&M idea makes them adorable!  And these truly are easy.  (And I'm a big fan of the salty/sweet combo!)

Oreo Balls  I honestly don't find these incredibly easy.  Sure, sounds easy enough, but blending up oreos takes some time with my blender.  And I usually have somewhat misshapen concoctions by the time the warm white chocolate starts to warm the oreo ball back up and cause it to lose it's shape.  But if you're distracted by the fact that I just said "white chocolate" and "oreo" in the same sentence, these are still a great snack for you!  YUM! 

Puppy Chow  Still a favorite for me! (I think Chex themselves actually call it Muddy Buddy.)

Harvest Spiced Nuts  This is a Pampered Chef recipe, and these are delicious!  Stir in other nuts, or dried cranberries to change it up a bit.

• 1 egg, separated
• 8 oz. pecan halves
• ½ c brown sugar
• ½ tsp Pantry Cinnamon Plus Spice Blend (can substitute Pumpkin Pie Spice)

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line Stoneware Bar Pan with an 11-inch piece of Parchment Paper. Using egg separator, separate egg into Classic Batter Bowl. (Reserve yolk for another use) Whip egg white using egg separator until frothy.

2) Add pecans to batter bowl. Toss to coat evenly with egg white using Mix N Scraper. Sprinkle brown sugar & Spice Blend over pecans; toss to coat evenly. Pour pecans out onto Parchment Paper separating into a single layer.

3) Bake 18-20 minutes or until nuts begin to brown. Remove pan from oven. Carefully slide Parchment with pecans onto Non-Stick Cooling rack. Cool completely. Place in serving dish or package into a festive container to give as a gift. Yield 4 cups Store in tightly sealed container at room temperature. Delicious to nibble, garnish or have with ice cream!

 

Merry Christmas!  And let's all just enjoy bulking up for the winter together.  It's only natural, right? 

32 Weeks quiz! (And Belly Pic)

How far along? 32 weeks!

How big is baby? The doctor did some squeezing and guessing and came up with 4-4.5 pounds. 

Weight gain? Ruh Roh.  I'm at 25 pounds gained now.  Not horrible, but I've gained more the last four weeks than I have gained in any prior 4 week period.  Not a good trend to set as we head in to Christmas!  I always gain weight during Christmas anyway!  Oh well, tis the season?

Stretch Marks? Still no...

Maternity clothes? I have a new maternity coat thanks to an early Christmas present from Jared and Crystal!  Karson is especially grateful as my other coats were no longer buttoning, leaving my belly (and therefore his home) a little exposed.

Sleep? It's overrated...right?  Sigh.

Cravings? Maybe popcorn.  But that's always been a favorite.  And Root Beer Floats are now a nice occasional treat in this house! 

Nursery update? Thanks to a gift card from cousin Sharon we finally bought a book case from Target!  Sounds like a strange update but until we decided on a book case, and therefore the arrangement in the corner, and therefore the arrangement of the "stuff" for the walls...we were on hold.  So when it arrives, we're ready to do final arrangements and decorate the walls and be done!  But might not get to it until January...

Movement? Oh yeah!

High point? Anniversary celebration with Hubs.

Low point? Can't think of one.  That's a good thing though...right?

What am I looking forward to? Christmas!

What do I miss? Being able to see to zipper my coat?

And here's me at 32 weeks!

A Happy Anny in Indy!

I've mentioned a time or two that I was looking forward to our anniversary celebration.  Well...here are some details.

First, on our anniversary night at home, we enjoyed some party snacks (my favorite) and watched New Moon! (Hubs bought New Moon and Eclipse for me!)

And then, Justin and I truly celebrated our 3 year anniversary by taking a weekend trip to Indy. We stayed downtown, and enjoyed being within walking distance of lots of shopping and good eats.


We ate at Bucca Di Beppo Friday night.  (YUM!)  .:Waistline grows just from thinking back on it.:.  We also enjoyed just walking around.  Downtown was beautifully decorated for Christmas and it seemed the holiday spirit was in the (crisp & cold) air! 
 
 

I felt like a 9 year old when I admitted to him that I was excited we could stay up as late as we wanted and sleep in as long as we wanted.   However, I was out cold by 10:30.  And...I woke up all night but was up for good by 7:00 am.  Oh well!

Saturday we shopped a bit.  More specifically I bought some awesome boots!  We took in an afternoon movie (Harry Potter) complete with too much popcorn.   .:Rubs growing belly, realizes that's not all baby in there...:.

After an accidental nap back at the room, we returned out to walk around the decorated and lively downtown including a stop for some hot chocolate from the Chocolate Store at the circle.  We then enjoyed a nice dinner at Weber Grill, including a complimentary appetizer and dessert.  .:Seriously, did I just pop a button?:. These horse drawn carriages were everywhere.  So cool!

Sunday was the big finale when we went to the Colts vs Jags game.  Lucas Oil Stadium is HUGE.  And a great place to watch a game.  We enjoyed watching the Colts secure a playoff spot.  I fell in love with an idea called a walking taco.  .:Quickly thanks God for stretchy maternity pants.:. (Check out my corner for a link to a recipe.  You should expect to eat these at my house at some point...)  We were also surrounded by some super sweet fans, and got lots of well wishes as a result of my bulging belly.  .:All that eating was good for something?:.  Karson seemed to enjoy the atmosphere and was a busy guy much of the game, practicing his own field goal kicks. 

All in all, we were happy to have the opportunity to celebrate our last childless anniversary in a way that was fun, romantic...and fit "us"!  We couldn't help but have the "this time next year" discussion, and seemed content that for our fourth anniversary, we would likely be scrambling for a baby sitter so we could salvage a dinner out - or perhaps enjoying a night in with some pretty special little company.   And that sounds perfect too.  :-)

Showers! (Of snow, baby gifts...and blessings)

*I'm super late in posting this.  But in the meantime I've gotten thank you cards out, wrapped all Christmas gifts while I can still sit in the floor, and celebrated an anniversary...so I promise it's been with good reason!*

A couple of weeks ago Justin and I had a baby shower in Kentucky.  My sister in law, friend, and mom each played a big role.  Despite some snowy weather, we had a great turnout, with over 40 friends and family in attendance.

Auburn found some adorable decorations and ideas.  They really went all out with the aviation theme, including white balloon "clouds", and signs noting the "departure" and "baggage claim" areas. 

Super cute favors! (Including personalized M&M's!)

Cake and mints:

Melissa put together some super cute games. Including a "make the baby face" game that got a little competitive between Jessie and Jean. :-) She had another one I've never seen before involving a frozen baby in an ice cube. Hard to explain, but my cousin Melanie's "water broke" first. ha!

Checking in with Jessie during game time:



Some finished products:

Gift time, (and a VERY special helper!)

No, we didn't bring that chair in just for us...I'm not that high maintenance.  Yet.

Excited to get some UK gear! 

We got so many special items!  Including a much needed swing, diaper genie, and bathtub.  We also got a great mix of clothes (including different sizes), toys, and essentials like bath items, wipes, and the ever essential diapers!!

But to help satisfy your curiosity...here are a few pics of the more unique items:

And a shot of some good looking gals.  ;-)

Special thanks to Auburn for coordinating, Melissa for doing games, and to mom, dad, and Kevin (and Gavin!) for all of their help as well.  It was a special day.  We appreciate all of the friends and family who helped us get one giant step closer to getting ready for Karson!

Day Care - Check! (sort of)

I toured the local day care facility today that has been my top choice.  I visited back in September, but this time I got an in depth tour of both the infant facility, and the larger preschool facility.  I LOVE it! 

They have a dedicated infant sight, assuming their infant headcount merits using it, that will be about half a mile from my office!!  Today I met some adorable kiddos, as well as the care givers.  It seemed like a loving, fun, interactive environment where Karson can learn and grow while mama and daddy have to work. 

The larger facility was also very nice, (and still only minutes away).  They keep 12 months to Pre K, and even K there.  Both facilities have an age appropriate curriculum and send home reports on a daily basis.  Everything just felt nice and homey!

The bad news...even though I started conversations in September, and even though I put down our deposit in December, and even though Karson won't need care there for at least four more months...she's unsure of the availability in the April/May time frame.  Because of required ratios, and of course because I'm not even sure yet when we'll need to start him there, there's a gray area in the April/May months where I'm not sure if we can get him in.  Summer will be no problem, as many of the seasonal kids will be gone, and there will be ample vacancy.  But availability prior to that end of school cutoff is somewhat more unreliable...so I need to consider some emergency options. 

So...we've found the spot!  But I need to do some contingency planning on late spring, and pray that the timing works out for all involved!!

Three Years!

*Sorry about the photo quality.  These were printed and given to me in a book.  Then scanned in. Then facebooked.  Then robbed from facebook....etc.*

Three years ago today I married this handsome fella:

Wearing this dress:

Among these friends:

Shared these moments:

Held these flowers:

Ate this cake:

Had this toast:

And fled the scene among these petals:

I know we're supposed to feel this way, but it was truly the most perfect day.  I had an amazing family helping get every detail to my liking, (and let's face it - I'm a tough gal to coordinate with).  My bridesmaids were seriously flawless, and there for me every second of the weekend.  I was lucky enough to feel like I think every bride should get to feel on their wedding day.   And I happen to think the groom was quite a catch too.

It may be a bit old or cliche now, but to me the words are perfect, and when it's sung by my uber talented cousin and his wife...there's not a more beautiful wedding song...

When I said I do, I meant that I will 'til the end of all time

Be faithful and true, devoted to you

That's what I had in mind when I said I do

Truer than true, you know that I'll always be there for you

That's what I had in mind, that's what I had in mind,

When I said I do

 
 
I love you, Justin! 

Penmanship = Fail! : Overall effort = Pass!

Happy Monday!  I had a productive weekend, including getting all of the remaining thank you cards in the mail!  While this may not sound like a monumental accomplishment...I write like a seven year old.  I'm s..l...o....w.  I grip the pen as if it might fly away from me at any moment.  And I intermingle cursive and print as if I just can't commit...even for one word.  Let's face it, I'm a keyboard kind of gal.  If I were being graded on penmanship...I suspect I would NOT get a "satisfactory" grade.

So...it takes me some time.  If you receive yours and find it to be less than legible...you should assume it was the last one I wrote and that everyone else's is perfectly penned!  (wink).  Nonetheless, it was fun thinking back on who has thought of Karson, Justin and I and provided such thoughtful gifts to help us start this new life!  We have been so fortunate!  I've been overwhelmed by the gifts, but also by the words of encouragement and commitments of prayer.  We appreciate each of you.

Because I'm slow at that process, there are a few things I wasn't allowing myself to do until I knocked that "to do" out.  Including starting on Christmas cards, blogging about the KY shower, and wrapping any more gifts.  So...Christmas cards are now in the works, I hope to post a blog entry about our Kentucky shower soon, and I have a date under the tree this evening!

In the meantime thanks for your patience! (What?  Your life hasn't been on hold awaiting further communication from me?  Interesting...and disappointing...)

If you haven't visited in a while, I hope you like the new blog layout!  I think Karson's Korner in particular will be fun to update with milestone pics and things that I should be writing in a baby book but get behind on.  (Should we just go ahead and assume his first word will be "mama"?  I think so.)

Also, the photo timeline on the right will not always just be of Justin and me.  As lovely as our mugs are, my intention is to make that a monthly progression of Karson!  But until then, you get to see more of us. .:The crowd goes wild!:.

Because you've listened so intently to my rambles, I'll include another teaser from the maternity pic set.  I'll eventually do a blog showing all of my favorites, but they are still being sent to me, and I want Christmas cards to be delivered first...so for now...here you go!

This Time Last Year...

I was a buckeye.
I had never been to Chicago or New Orleans.
I had never acted in community theater.
I was anxiously awaiting a month that would deliver two pink lines.
I, along with my husband, was making an offer on the house we now call home.

About This Blog

This blog is about our family, and will include LOTS of pregnancy info for now.  But I am primarily excited to use it as a way to keep record of Karson's early years, and keep connected with friends and family regardless of the miles between us.  But it won't just be about pregnancy and Karson.  It is about OUR Rinker family, and what makes us us.  That said - it is also my inner dialogue and I sometimes don't care forget who my audience may be.  So here are some tips on whether or not this blog is for you:

Do NOT read this blog if...

• You, are annoyed by overuse, of commas, and otherwise misappropriate use of...punctuation!!!
• Big words make you feel fancy.
• You finish EVERYTHING you start.
• You don't want to read words like bladder, mucus plug, episiotomy, placenta, nipple, poop, "diaper explosion", or other pregnancy and new baby terms and phrases.
• Your life is perfectly in order, with no chaos, confusion, missed appointments, laundry piles, dust bunnies, or frozen pizzas in sight.
• You think your baby advice is the best and most perfect around, and will judge me for not taking it or for screwing up occasionally.

DO read this blog if...

• Sometimes you dream big, but suck at seeing things through. (Hello teaching myself guitar, writing a book, knitting/crocheting, craftiness in general, writing a different book, and becoming a runner...)
• You enjoy people who gush over their babies, nieces, nephews, family, home...food? and unashamedly show you photos of everything!
• You can accept that I feel like I'm the first pregnant gal to have ever walked the Earth, and that I alone fully appreciate this miracle.  (And you can accept this without rolling your eyes.  :-D)
• You remember what it's like to not know exactly what God has in store for your life, and to be simultaneously thrilled, exhilarated, overjoyed...and scared beyond belief!

Some tips and requests:

I LOVE comments and "votes" on the posts.  It lets me know I'm not entirely talking to myself.  Not that I'm embarrassed of talking to myself as I also do that on occasion - but it's nice to know someone is reading!  So leave some love...and do it often!  You don't have to have a blogger account to do so!

If you're new to being a blogger reader, there's a monthly "archive" on the bottom right where you can view monthly posts by title.  Or if you are reading one and want to dig in to a particular "label", you can click on that label and see all of the posts with that same label.  (All of the Quiz posts, all posts regarding the Nursery, etc.)

Enjoy!  And I hope you come back often!

Karson's Korner

 Karson's Nursery

My Corner

I will use this to update you on any recipes or crafts failed projects I would like to share with you!

Recipes:

• Christmas Snacks (A collection of Christmas goodies)
• Walking Tacos (As delicious to eat as they are fun to picture. I was introduced to this at a Colts game, and my life will never be the same. Obviously you can edit this based upon what you prefer on your tacos. But you get the idea from the attached recipe.)
• Apple Bacon Pizza (Recreated from one we tasted at Grey Goose in Lextown)
• Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins (Found in a couple of places, including the linked blog.  These are yummy, and so easy!)
• Lazy Cranberry Chicken (Found on a blog.  I wasn't sold on the ingredient list, but we tried it and it was good!  And super easy!)

Crafts/Projects:
.:crickets chirping:.

And here's a skinnier longer haired version of me in an apron!

Under Construction

I'm going to spend the next few lunch breaks and evenings making some changes to the blog.  In the meantime there may be some strange posts or odd looks.  Hang in there, I'll be done soon!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

I won something!  I swear that never happens!  And not only is it something...it's a cool something!

I follow Mrs. Foreste's awesome blog about being a SAHM to a beautiful little girl, and all that comes along with keeping up with family, supporting a husband who is in school, and finding a balance between being a mommy, a wife, and having her own identity.  She has a great voice in her writing, and takes adorable pics of her daughter.

She hosted a giveaway a few days ago for Photo Card Creations - and I won!

Now I have to decide how to use the $50 certificate...Christmas cards, baby announcements....decisions decisions!!!

Here's one of my favorites!

.:oohs and ahhs:.

I'm so excited!

A little teaser...

A few weeks ago we were in Ohio with Jared and Crystal and had some maternity pics taken.  C'mon...two twins...each with prego wives...if that's not a photo opp I don't know what is!

The pictures have started rolling in!  I'm not going to show you much.  You'll just have to wait and see where else they begin to pop up.  ;-)

But for now, here's one that was special to me that I'll show you as a teaser.

Hospitals?

I thought we had this decision taken care of, but recent discussions made me question our original choice.

So - after further review, Justin and I have switched our hospital preference.

We will be going to the smaller one with less maternity traffic, that is less than a mile from our doctor's office.  They are known for having a more attentive nursing staff, and overall better service.  Their labor and delivery rooms are nicer and larger.  The anesthesiologist who will administer my epidural will likely be one of two guys who also attend our church.

Now, there's a CHANCE that we'll end up with a roommate in post partum.  They have some single and some double rooms.  But I'm told they avoid roommates whenever possible, and during our tour they had several open spots and no doubled up rooms. 

AND - their NICU isn't as high of a level as the other hospital.  Even so, both hospitals use Indianapolis as their go to if the baby is in need of serious attention.  My prayer of course is that we don't need a NICU regardless. 

But something about hospital #2 felt right.  So I think we've made our decision.  And we'll begin child birth classes soon.   .:gulp:.  Here we go!

30 Week Quiz

How far along? 30 weeks! (And one day)

How big is baby?  Umm...3.5 pounds and 15-16 inches.  Can you tell I'm making that up?

Weight gain? 22.6  Not bad overall, but if you're paying attention you'll note that's a jump from last time.  I blame Nan's dressing patties and Dee Dee's cupcakes.  Clearly I am but a mere victim.

Stretch Marks? Not yet!!! (Whoop Whoop!)

Maternity clothes? Yep.  Also bought a new robe for the hospital.  May have to look in to an inexpensive winter coat if I plan to keep my belly warm...

Sleep?  Blah - Getting worse.  I generally roll on to my back and wake myself up at least 5-6 times per night.  I'm still somehow avoiding night time bathroom trips.  But I generally don't start my day feeling rested.

Cravings? Another pumpkin cheesecake was sent back with me from KY.  Expect another big weight gain next update.  :-)

Nursery update? Lots!  We're making headway on laundering and putting away his 0-3 clothes, organizing the next sizes, and putting things in their places.  I found a lamp for the glider corner, and am in search of a bookshelf.  We're also ready to hang things on the walls.  I'll "reveal" a final update once all is finished.

Movement? Still a mover and a shaker! 

High point? Showers in WV and KY!

Low point? ANOTHER UTI.  Booo!  The good news is it doesn't appear to be a kidney infection, which we feared based on some recent back pain.

What am I looking forward to? An anniversary celebration with the hubs.  Justin completing his pilot license requirements.  Getting the nursery finalized.

What do I miss?  Wearing contacts on a regular basis.  Diet Dr. Pepper.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I wanted to share some pics of Christmas at the Rinkers!  I'm missing a few things from weird pack jobs that happened with the move - but I've decided I'm done regardless!  I've made a lot of progress on wrapping since these pics were taken.  And we're almost done shopping too! 

This is our main tree.  It contains ornaments we used from our wedding (to decorate the Christmas tree at the church) as well as random yearly ornaments.  (Just married, first year together, baby on the way, etc)

And here is this year's special ornament!

This is our snow day tree.  Complete with snow men, mittens, boots, and snowflakes!

And this is our new tree!  It's in the kitchen and is...cooking themed!  It has pillsbury dough men, doughnuts, cookies, miniature kitchen utensils, and peppermints.  Love this one!

My favorite nativity!  And one of the first Christmas decorations I bought myself.



And here's our dinner table!  Centerpiece was a wedding gift from Justin's mom.  Dishes were bought on our honeymoon, and the more decorative glass plates are Pampered Chef.  (Can't find my table cloth...perhaps its with the camping gear?)



So that's Christmas, at our place!