Scrapblog...New Fun

I can't remember how I heard of this site (http://www.scrapblog.com/) but I finally played around with it today. It is so easy to navigate. It's a quick online scrapbook site that will give you layouts to use or you can make your own. This was my first attempt. Too fun!

10, 9, 8, 7...

There are only 10 days left until Baby Bug's official due date! We are almost ready. The one thing left to do is hang the pictures on the walls. I am feeling relatively good however, sitting and sleeping are less and less comfortable and bending is out of the question. On a happy note, my overwhelming need to have 800 rolls of toilet paper and boxes of kleenex in the house has been met. It's not as if the stores are going to close or anything. I just feel the need to hoard household items right now. People could actually shop from my cupboards this week and probably again next week. "Attention shoppers, toothpaste is on special in the master bathroom."

Organ Donation

picture stolen from Jamie's blog

Are you an organ donor? It's no fun to really think about this issue but I can't tell you how important it is. My friend Jamie has had two kidney transplants in her short life and really needs another but the risks are too high this time. While I've never told her this, she is one of the bravest people I know. She is a beautiful, funny, upbeat and positive person. And most important she is living her life. Here's a brief, brief background. We met in college. Jamie was my suitemate and roommate to my other friend, Shannon. By our senior year the three of us shared an apartment and Jamie was dating our high school buddy Ryan. A few years later Jamie and Ryan were married and are today living happily in Austin.

Jamie posted some great information on organ donation a couple of months ago and I've been meaning to link to it. So here it is. I highly recommend taking a look. Love ya' Jamie!!!

More Burpees!

Here are the latest in the bunch. I love the baseball one. Scott is a big time Red Sox fan so I had to make this one for the up-coming play-offs.

I Love Ribbon!

I ventured out today amongst the crazy drivers. Thank goodness it was worth it. Michael's and Jo-Ann's were both open. So, as if I don't have anything of importance to do, like finishing the baby's room, I bought new ribbons and fabrics to decorate more burp cloths. I even found some Halloween scraps and Christmas ribbon to make a couple of seasonal ones. I can't wait to get started.

Baby Burps

A while ago we received a baby gift with a cloth diaper that was embelished with some cute ribbon and stitching. I thought it was so cute I would have to give it a try. So the other day, when Ike was on the horizon, I needed a project to keep me busy and my mind off impending doom. Luckily Scott's mom had sent us a bunch of cloth diapers a few weeks earlier in a big box of goodies. I got them out and then dug around in my ribbon box (which by the way, needs some major replenishing) and basket of scrap cloth and came up with these. It was "sew" easy! (sorry, I couldn't resist the bad pun) Once stores reopen around here I want to get some more ribbon and make more.

Ike? Really?

I am very unhappy with the name of this Hurricane! Of all names to use, the National Hurricane Center picks our boy name. Why not Ichabod, Isis, Irving or Ian? Granted we are going with Isaac but how cute is the nickname Ike! Or how cute did it use to be? I can hear it now, "hmmm, you named him after the hurricane?" Well Bug, if you are a boy, everyone will associate your name with the "Big One of 2008." I'm sure you can handle it.

Here are some pictures of our yard and the surrounding area after Ike. We were so fortunate, no real damage to the house or property. We obviously lost power for a few days, had tree limbs all over the place and our hot water vent flew off the house. The power was the worst but just when I was having a total pregnant meltdown, our friends Sheryl and Joe lent us their generator and window unit (not to mention a shower and some cool air relief at their house). They were our life savers! We can't thank them enough for their generosity! Can you guess what we are buying when all the stores open back up? Thank you Sheryl and Joe!!!

This is our patio area Saturday afternoon.

this is where our water heater vent landed (it's actually in our yard; we couldn't believe it)

The Sevigny Clean-Up Crew

We drove around one evening (before curfew). This is Memorial Drive near Tully stadium where the National Guard was stationed.

This is a neighborhood off of Memorial.

These three were taken up and down Kirkwood. Just about every other tree was blown over.

Here is one of our gourmet meals we prepared outside on the grill. It was yummy!

We are so very thankful that we did not suffer the damage and loss that so many people across Houston and Galveston have experienced. Our pictures are nothing like what we have seen on the news. We feel blessed.

Cute as a Bug!

On Saturday my cousins, my mom's first cousins, hosted a shower for the Baby Bug in Bay City. Mary, Betty, Debbie & Linda did a wonderful job and we all had a great time! I had to post the picture of the cake. It is just about the cutest cake I've ever seen.

Thank you ladies for a wonderful afternoon!

Fat and Sassy!

So there have been many requests for a photo of prego me. I think it's funny how our mind can fool us. I don't feel like a big pregnant person. I see pictures of other women due around the same time I am and I think to myself, "oh my, she is huge! So glad I don't look like that!" And then I see this... Wow, have I blossomed or what?

As much as I have struggled with my weight over the years this is totally worth it! I have learned to embrace the moon pie face and budda belly! Besides, I love to eat and food just tastes so much better these days. I'll enjoy it while I can - 8 to 9 more weeks to go before Baby Bug greets us all.

lemon cheesecake squares

Scott loves anything lemon or raspberry. He's been very patient will all the chocolate things I've been making lately. So for the 4th, I made him these lemon cheesecake squares from Martha Stewart. They are very yummy and very easy to make. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Makes 16

FOR THE CRUST:
8 graham crackers (each 2 1/2 by 5 inches)
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE FILLING:
2 bars (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon (2 to 3 teaspoons zest and about 3 tablespoons juice)

Directions
Make the crust: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. Crimp overhang under rim of pan.
In a food processor, blend graham crackers with sugar until finely ground; add butter and pulse until moistened.
Transfer crumb mixture to prepared pan, and pat in gently (wipe processor bowl clean, and reserve for making filling). Bake until beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. While crust is baking, make filling.
Make the filling: Place cream cheese in food processor; blend until smooth. Add sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice; blend until smooth.
Pour mixture onto hot crust in pan; smooth top. Return to oven, and bake until set (filling should jiggle only slightly when pan is gently shaken), 30 to 35 minutes.
Cool completely in pan. Cover very loosely with plastic wrap; chill until firm, at least 2 hours (and up to 2 days). Use foil overhang to lift cheesecake out of pan. With metal spatula, lift cheesecake from foil; cut into 16 squares.

I used salted butter for the crust (it's what I had) and it was still yummy!