My 1st Thanksgiving Preparation

You read my menu and plan, now here are the results of my very first Thanksgiving preparation of my favorite yummy foods!

First thing I got up in the morning and prepared an herb paste of sage, parsley, lemon zest, onion and EVOO which I stuffed under the skin of the turkey breast. (Thank You, Pampered Chef, for my plastic food handling gloves or I never would have been able to complete this seasoning task!) Next I chatted on the phone with my sisters, both living in Minneapolis/St. Paul area, while I prepped freshly shredded colby cheese for the veggie casserole, and halved grapes for my grandma's fruit salad. Everything was prepped and ready, the turkey cooking in the roaster, and I had 2 hours to spare before needing to put everything together to cook and be done at the same time. Nice! I don't know what people are talking about when they say they are cooking "all-day" and complain about it... ?? what in the world are they doing "all-day"? I don't get it.

Once all was complete and presented on the table beautifully, decked out in all of my Pampered Chef stoneware, Simple Additions, and bamboo, of course, I took some pictures.

MMMMMMmm YUMMMM!! Looks good! Tom and I enjoyed this delicious meal with his parents, and everyone was stuffed! Tom's mom had made pumpkin pie for dessert and I also served hot apple cider from my silver Carafe. Yummm! I think I'll go have some leftovers for lunch today.

Here is the wall above our kitchen table. A year after having painted the kitchen, put our house up on the market, took it down, and with a blank wall, it was finally time to get a little personality pumped back in. I put up these decorative shelves, which were a wedding gift 4 yrs ago, and the 12x12 scrapbook frame with a piece of my scrapbook paper within and an Uppercase Living expression applied to the face. I plan to change the decorative framed art with each changing season. Although the lighting wasn't the best to photograph in the evening, with the kitchen overhead light on, I think it still looks really cute!

I hope you and your families had a yummy and enjoyable Thanksgiving meal! Next up? Christmas! My favorite holiday. And who knows where we will be celebrating. Christmas plans all depend on when baby schwandt decides to arrive. We're hoping he comes before Dec 20th as my Dr is on holiday vacation beginning that date! We...will...see...! :)

*hugs*

Roxanne :)

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Thanksgiving & a Menu

We have so many things to be THANKFUL for this year. Just to name a few...

• Our health
• Tom being 3-yrs cancer-free
• A healthy baby boy on the way
• the fact that we have stable jobs
• supportive and loving friends and family
• a loving God to bless us with all of this in our happy life together

FOOD!

I am really looking forward to preparing my very own Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow! I have my menu planned and the grocery list organized so as soon as I am out of work, I can go tackle the grocery store!!

Everything I am making are my favorites. From my all-time fav, green bean casserole, to my grandma's yummy fruit salad, and traditional biscuits. Yummmy! I am not shy, I will and fully intend on overinduldging in this meal! My mother-in-law is making her homemade apple pie, my favorite, and I will serve it with vanilla bean ice cream! MMmmmm :)

Here is my MENU:

Turkey
Gravy sauce
Cranberry Stuffing
Green Bean Casserole
Grandma's Fruit Salad
Creamy Cornbread
Biscuits & butter
Cheesy veggie casserole
Mashed Potatoes
Apple Pie


What are you THANKFUL for? What is on your holiday menu?


*hugs*
Roxanne
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This and That

Not a whole bunch new, just a few odds and ends of "This and That" going on.


To-Do list.
Things are getting done, the house is clean, laundry washed, but not all put away yet. I have a P-Chef show tonight in Green Bay, so guess it will wait another day.


Thanksgiving.
Tom and I are hosting his parents for a Thanksgiving dinner. Being so close to my due date, it's not safe to travel 4 hrs south to my Grandma's house (usual tradition), or 4 hrs west to see my sisters. They will all be here in town soon once the baby is born, so I will see them all for Christmas.

I have my menu down, my grocery list ready and my re-useable grocery bags on stand-by in the truck for Wednesday after work when I attack Copp's grocery store! I am really looking forward to cooking my favorite things, getting out my nice P-Chef Simple Additions Square plates, Dots bowls, lighting candles, playing holiday music, and enjoying a nice yummy dinner that I fully intend on indulging without regret!


Baby.
Baby boy Schwandt is surely growing! I think he's dropped because this past weekend I felt a lot of pressure really low on my pelvic bone and my lower back. I had a massage last night which was super fabulously wonderful. No, we still do not have a name picked out for our son. We have ideas, about 8 on the list, and are working to reduce that down to 3 or 5 by the time we go to the hospital. We really just have to meet him and then I know we will just KNOW. In the meantime, the running joke has been that we call him "yoda" (having to do with Tom's childhood passion for Star Wars). While this is fine for now, I have a bone to pick. I hope you are listening.... I DO NOT WANT ANYONE CALLING MY SON "YODA" ONCE HE IS BORN. It is not nice, not fair to the child, and once he has a NAME on his BIRTH CERTIFICATE, people, THAT is his name and should be called by that name and that name alone! Yes, I am passionate about this. Would you want people to call you MORON if that isn't your name? Just because Tom and I have chosen to take our time naming our child, and keeping the names on our list to ourselves does not entitle anyone to their free will of name-calling once he is named by his parents. Thank you for listening/reading, for your time and considerateness towards our new family.


Work.
Yesterday was the first day I sat at my desk and actually felt HUGE. I usually can be found scrunched-in bellied-up close to my keyboard, but now I feel 3 ft away, stretching my arms to reach, leaning forward to read the papers and reports on my desk, with my feet propped on a footrest. I stretch my back and have to remind myself to get up and use the facilities. Once I stand up, sometimes I can't stand straight cuz the bladder is so full. Both bathrooms are a bit of a hike, but the walk back is nice to move my body around a bit.

I'm so glad we only have today and tomorrow with 2 days off this week! I'm counting down the days till I go on leave with the baby. No, it's not determined yet, but it sure is getting close and I'm looking forward to being away for a while, especially since that means taking care of my new loving son.


Weather.
We got snowed on. Yup, Sunday night I went to bed, Monday morning I woke up, and when I looked out the window I did a double-take. I couldn't believe my eyes! Although I hadn't watched the evening news like everyone else to be forewarned, I did hear we were supposed to get more last night, but we didn't.

The snow and the cold wind-chill sure puts me in the mood for some Christmas music. I've been listening to Martina McBride's Christmas CD in my truck. I love her voice! Of course, I try to sing like her as long as I'm alone driving down the road. I think baby likes it :) I've got to get my iPod updated with my other two new Christmas CDs I bought.... and 80's Christmas Mix and a 2-cd collection called Peaceful Christmas.


Other.
That's about all for now. My hopes for this weekend are BLACK FRIDAY shopping, and getting the decorative things done in the baby's room and put up on the walls. As soon as I have that done, I will take pics and post.


*hugs*
Roxanne

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A weekend of BABY

This past weekend we spent a lot of time on BABY, for BABY, and about BABY!

Saturday was our full day class for Birth Preparation. We learned a great deal about how babies are born, the stages of labor, and much more about after baby is born. I'm so glad we did this class because I feel like I have a better understanding of my body and what might be going on to tell me when I'm starting labor. We learned different positions to help overcome pains and help open the space for baby to decend. Yes, I've heard other's birth stories and what contractions felt like to them, but honestly, until you really feel it yourself, it's hard to grasp what those feelings will be like to you. We are hoping baby will come naturally, but if cesarean is necessary, that is ok too. What I really like about what our hospital is doing now is once baby is born, he is placed on mommy's chest to be wiped off, then he goes straight to skin-on-skin for 2 hours before bath, measure, etc.. They've found in doing this that babies are responding so much better to their adjustment into the world, and instinctively are looking for the breast to feed. In addition, while they are in the womb, their body temp is controlled by mom's body, but once they make their entrance into the world, it's all-systems-go and their little body's have to adjust. By placing baby skin-to-skin on mommy's chest for those first 2 hours, mom's breasts naturally will help to adjust baby's temp giving him more heat or less heat to help him learn how to control his body. I just think this is so amazing, it's natural raw-ness, and exactly what God intended when He created us. I can't wait for this first bonding time for our new little family!!

Sunday we had fun doing maternity pictures! My friend Pahla takes her family to The Picture People and I always love her results. Once I found out how totally reasonably priced they were, I made the appointment. Of course we had to leave the house in the middle of the 4th qtr of the Packer/Bear game, but Tom survived! Luckily the Packers were already killing the Bears, so all was safe ;) Here are a few pictures from our session:

The last picture is the one pose that I requested. You may remember me in this kind of pose when I had Tom stand on our stoop and I was wearing the teal colored top. The photographer was showing everyone this picture and they all loved it. They can't wait to share the pose with other couples. I hope it turns out as good for them as it did for me! The only thing I had them change was to edit out my necklace pendant. I didn't like it -- looks like it's coming out of my chin. All-in-all, I am very happy with the pictures and the fact that we walked out the door with them in hand! How cool you don't have to wait a month to pick up your pictures! Next will be baby newborn pics! I will be doing birth announcement pics incorporated with our Christmas cards. So depending on exactly when baby comes, Christmas cards may be late, but it will have to do!

Love,
Roxanne :)
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34 weeks and Great!!

I had my regularly scheduled OB appt today. I am 34 weeks and doc gave me a rave review! After last Friday, I was a little anxious as to what he might have to say.

Firstly, I lost the 5 extra pounds of water weight I had freakishly gained last week. I'm so glad, but my feetsies don't look any less pudgy or papaya-like. That's ok though, cuz Tom promised to give me a foot and back massage this weekend. That, on top of my exciting afternoon at the spa tomorrow!! I'll post about that later this weekend. :)

Dr. Kaldas told me I look good, no rash on my tummy. I'm like, rash? what kind of rash? He was referring to PUPPPs syndrome where some women, at this point in pregnancy, develop a red rash with blisters on their tummies... Here, this is how crazy PUPPPs is: (One study has shown that male fetal DNA can be found in skin biopsies of the rash. Since 70% of women with PUPPP give birth to boys, a new hypothesis is that male fetal DNA acts as a skin irritant.)

Doc also told me as long as I am feeling well, no unrelieveable headache, and no painful contractions, I am good to go for another 2 weeks. So I will be back for Week 36 check up on 11/26.

Now that ROXANNE is back, me and my old self, here's the weekend plan:

Friday afternoon 11/14: Spa Ben Mar Nico's for prenatal massage, facial, manicure and pedicure with my 31 wk pregnant girlfriend, Toni, for our b-day presents to eachother:)

Saturday 9am-3pm 11/15: Tom & Rox birth prep class at AMC. We will install the car seat in the truck and leave the base in there (prepare is my middle name), make dinner and watch movies while Tom fulfills his foot/back massage promises:)

Sunday 11/16: Church, then visit my family to hear all about their wonderful vacation/cruise in Italy! They fly into Minneapolis late Friday night, then mom and dad will drive home on Saturday afternoon. I can't wait to see the video's and pictures!!

*hugs*
roxanne :)
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Anticipation

November 21st is fast approaching and I am anxiously anticipating seeing TWILIGHT come to life on the big screen!! My boss at work just came back from lunch and handed me THE COMPLETE ILLUSTRATED TWILIGHT MOVIE COMPANION!

This magazine-size book is SO cool!! It shows pictures from the scenes of the movie, how they got the shots, and everything in between! I can't wait to put my papaya's up on the couch and read my TWILIGHT MOVIE COMPANION!! Yes, I still need to finish Breaking Dawn, but I will do that in due time before next Friday.

Speaking of next Friday, November 21st... I just purchased 4 Adult tickets on Fandango for the 7:30pm showing of TWILIGHT. Me, my mother-in-law Donna, my sister-in-law Debbie, and my friend Nikki are so excited to see the movie! I wanted to be sure we had tickets secured since this movie is highly anticipated by folks in ages from 12 - 73. Thank you, Fandango, for securing our tickets! I think we will arrive at the theater an hour early to ensure we can pick up our tickets at the box office, buy some popcorn and drinks, and get comfortably seated to prepare to meet our favorite vampires!

*hugs*

Roxanne :)

the scare at 33w 1d

I was in the hospital on Friday 11/7 being monitored. Everything is ok now, but here's what happened...

I woke up at 4:30am (nothing new) but I had a really bad headache. I went to work and it got worse. I couldn't stand to look at my LCD monitor...it was so blury and bright. Took 2 Tylenol extra stength and it wouldn't go away. My eyes hurt, my face hurt, my head hurt, my hands and feet still hurt (swollen like melons), and I just felt down in the dumps. So after freaking out worrying about these symptoms of pre-eclampsia, I called and got an appt for 2pm to see my OB.

My OB, Dr. Kaldas, was off so I saw Dr. Schluzelberger. Not sure how to spell her name, but she was very nice. Turns out I had gained 5 pounds of water weight in the past week (not good), my blood pressure was ok, but considering my other symptoms, she wanted to do some tests and monitor me to find out what was going on... So they sent me up to the 3rd floor (baby floor). On my way, I lost it, again. I called Tom, who was home raking leaves with his nephew Ryan helping, and I could hardly speak through sobbing tears streaming my face and trying to catch my breath. I was scared of what the outcome might be, I wasn't scared we'd be having the baby, but I was worried for his health, my health and the fact that I just couldn't stand the thought of possibly being put on bed rest. I can't! I just can't! Can't afford it paycheck-wise, can't stand it sanity-wise. There's so much we have to do yet before the baby comes and time is ticking. Being put on bedrest would be the worst possible thing that could happen to me right now. So Tom was on his way.... And then I called work to tell them I wouldn't be back. My boss could tell how upset I was, sensing my previous sobbing and all, and she was very supportive and encouraging.

So I got on the elevator and pushed the "3" button. I just felt so drained emotionally and energy. I had none left. They got me set up in a room and just as soon, Tom came in. I instantly felt better having him there with me. They took my blood to run tests and hooked me up to some monitors. One on the baby's heart rate, and one on my uterus. The baby was doing perfectly - very energetic, excellent heartbeat, "textbook-perfect" the nurses said. But I was contracting. Had 4 in like 10 minutes. But they didn't hurt, I didn't even know!! Once I watched the machine and concentrated on my body, I could associate what I felt with it being a contraction. Weird, but not good. If this was baby #2 or #3 for me, then fine they would probably go along with it, but not for the 1st and at 33w 1d, so they had more tests to do and were able to rule out pre-eclampsia which they did, so that was a relief. What they did find is that I have a bladder infection, my cervix is 50% thinned out (not common for 1st time and this early) but my cervix is definitely closed. I got set up on an antibiotic for the bladder infection and they gave me a shot to stop the contractions, which worked. Oh, and they had given me a narcotic to get rid of the terrible headache, which worked like a charm.

All in all, I was there from 2pm and didn't get home until 7pm. Once my headache was relieved, knew the baby was fine, and pre-eclampsia was ruled out, I felt 100 times better. My next regularly scheduled OB appt with Dr. Kaldas is this Thursday, so I will go to that and see what he says. We need to keep the baby in as long as possible. He has lots of growing to do yet in these final weeks, and being in the womb is the best place for him. Mommy and Daddy have lots to do yet to get ready for his arrival!

In fact, my friend Nikki came shopping with me at Babies R Us to get items on our "absolutely-need-before-baby-comes-home-list". After $450, the only two things I need yet are the breast pump and the pack-n-play. I want to make sure breast feeding is going to work out for us before I buy the pump cuz it's like almost $300, probably more after all the accessories for freezing, etc... I have a couple 15% off coupons that I can use the end of this month and into December, so we'll hold off on those two items for now. As of this moment, I have yet another load of baby stuff in the wash. It's drying now, so I'll start putting those things away... a nice sling to carry baby and still have use of 2 hands, a peanut shell for nursing, 0-3m white onesies, changing pad covers, boppy covers, lap pads, crib mattress pad, etc... I happily fold and put away baby's beloved laundry; I just love the smell of Dreft baby detergent!

How am I feeling now? I am much better. My happy, energetic self is back and baby is happily bouncing around doing his normal aerobics. Oh, and I'm hungry... time for lunch!

Love,
Roxanne :)

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Papayas, an Expo, and To-Do List

Papayas.
This is what my feet look like. Yes, swollen and huge. A few weeks ago I started to notice my ankles were slowing disappearing. I joked to Tom that I had "k'ankles" and we laughed. But last Monday I finally broke down and bought a size 7 1/2 Wide width pair of shoes. My normal size is 6 or 6 1/2 and have very narrow feet, normally. Every day as I look down at my feet in the shower, they are growing chubbier and chubbier and I no longer can see or feel my ankle bones. Not to mention the soreness and aches... Yesterday and today it wasn't so easy to slide my feet into my new "fat" shoes, but once I get them on, and proceed about my day, they are fine.... Until mid-day when I take them off (habit), like yesterday, and notice all the swollenness water retention is just shoving up to the top of my foot like squeezing toothpaste from the bottom of the tube! This morning it occured to me that my feet resemble papayas because they are not only swollen on the tops, but the bottoms, too. While I will reserve from posting a picture of my feet until after my spa trip next friday when I'll have a beautiful and much needed pedicure, here is a picture of a papaya.
Expo.
While my feet are looking like papaya's, I have been steadily working on a Holiday Extravaganza Expo. As co-coordinator with my friend, Cassie, we have been working hard to attract vendors, get advertising organized, plan a layout, confirm reservations, and get the word out about our event. I haven't had much time to actually come home from work and put my feet up. Last night after eating dinner, checking email and a few quick things, I forced myself to lay on the couch with a pillow propping up my papaya-feet at 7:30pm. I watched Ugly Betty and cried my eyes out at Grey's Anatomy. Nothing new with crying my eyes out at that show, along with Private Practice the night before. Ok, so maybe a few extra tears shed due to increased hormones...


Anyhow, the Holiday Extravaganza is coming along great. The event is this Saturday, Nov. 8th from 10am - 3pm at The Stone Toad on Oneida Street in Menasha. I will be there with my Pampered Chef business, as well as other businesses like Arbonne, Uppercase Living, Tastefully Simple, Tupperware, lia sophia, WineShop at Home, Close to my Heart, and many more. We have a total of 20 vendors and are very much looking forward to meeting new people, building our businesses, and enjoying a little holiday shopping! If you are in town, please stop by and visit us! There will be a ton of door prize drawings and cash-n-carry items. You can even get yourself a quick back massage from The Massage Factory.


To-Do List.
My papaya's, and the Expo lead me to my To-Do list. While I have so many things yet to do to prepare for tomorrow's event, I need to find time to get my feet up. Literally. I have to elevate them. I do not, and can not afford to be put on bed rest before the baby is born. Not only would it drive me totally insane, but there is so much yet to do to prepare for baby's arrival! Here are some things on my list:

1. Get a changing pad, covers, lap pads, a bathtub, bottles, and other baby necessities

2. Install Uppercase Living expressions on baby's room walls (Miracles... believe in them and I'm a Dream Come True, BABY)

3. Wash more clothes recently received, along with organizing the closet.

4. Remove shelves in living room closet so we can put the vacuum cleaner and steam cleaner in there (Tom's job)

5. Rake leaves... wet leaves now since it's been raining and we're due to get a snowy/rain mix on Saturday.

6. Pack my hospital bag

7. Pack baby's diaper bag

8. Give Theo a bath

9. Organize Pampered Chef world and get files moved up stairs to new file cabinet.

10. Relax & finish reading Breaking Dawn (for crying out loud, I want to finish SO bad!!!)

This is just a sampling of my to-do list. I have a headache now and can't think of anything other than everything I need to do tonight alone just to be prepared for tomorrow's event. I also suppose I should re-direct my focus to actual work that I need to get done today here at my FT job. I'll let you all know how the Holiday Extravaganza goes after tomorrow! :)

*HUGS*
Roxanne :)

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Homemade Dog Treats

Do you remember my first post where I talked about Theodore's surgery in March of this year to remove 14 stones from his bladder? Dr. Chris, our vet, had just called to confirm the stones removed were calcium oxalate, the most hardy, worse kind of stones a dog's body can develop. They are also very common to develop in Schnauzers, and the risk is the fact that they can come back. Our poor, sweet, little adorable dog had the most difficult recovery and we almost lost him. It was the scariest hardest thing we've had to go through since Tom's cancer in '05 and our lost pregnancy in Dec '06. We couldn't imagine life without Theodore.

While this post is NOT to say the stones have come back, because they HAVEN'T, *knock on wood* I am writing to tell you about a really fun recipe for homemade dog treats! Since Theo can't eat milkbones, snausages, and pigs ears, he's become our little vegen-dog. His favorite treats are apples and frozen peas. I can even entice him to come in the house after playing Chuck-it by saying "who wants an apple?" (of course, I cut it up and we share) He also loves frozen little carrots, and fresh green beans, along with his canned u/d formula dog food, which he inhales fast so the cats don't eat it :) hahaha He's so funny!

I found this receipe at bullwrinkle.com. They have a ton of recipes on there, but I will not make any that contain garlic or other processed food I know he can't have. I think he'll really like these Apple Cinnamon Drops!!

Homemade Dog Treat Recipe

Apple Cinnamon Drops

1 large apple

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup of water

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup oatmeal

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/8 cup whole wheat flour

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 ° F (180 ° C).

Core, slice and mince the apple (use a food processor if you have one). In a large bowl, combine the minced apple bits, honey, water, cinnamon, and oatmeal. Gradually blend in the wheat flour, adding enough to form a stiff dough.

In a small bowl, add 1/8 cup wheat flour. Spoon the dough by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches (5cm) apart. Using the bottom of a glass dipped in the wheat flour (to prevent sticking), flatten each spoonful of dough into a circle. Adjust the size of the drops based on how big a treat you like to feed your dog.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and flip each cookie to brown evenly on both sides. Reduce oven temperature to 325 ° F (180 °C). Return to oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Let cool overnight.

Makes about 3 dozen crunchy cookies, depending on how big you make them.

I am planning on making these treats for Theo for Thanksgiving & Christmas. I hope he'll have fun opening his presents!! We'll have to get the DVD camcorder out for that! :)

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