Shhhhh, Don't Tell!

Just Kidding!  We couldn't expect you to keep something so big a secret!

We are going to have a baby!

Kind of a creepy picture isn't it?  It looks like B!..... J/K.

You heard me correctly!  Come October, there will be another little Steele running around.  Yes, another!  Paisley Blue Steele, our puppy, takes offense that you didn't think of her as our firstborn.

Our bundle of joy is due October 25th.  Although right now, baby is measuring closer to the 19th, so we will see.   We are excited to finally be 13 weeks...tomorrow anyway.

Okay, have you stopped screaming?!  Oh, that was just me?  Okay. I'm done.  

We found out on the day of love.  Valentine's Day.  Which was very lucky for me considering I already had a gift ready which turned into the perfect way to tell B.  On our first Valentine's Day, I shipped in B's favorite Kentucky soft drink, Ale-8, and tagged it with all the reasons I loved him.  Cute I know.  I had already decided to recreate that gift again this year and had 12 Ale-8's waiting for me.  So I quickly whipped up some hearts on my cricut machine and got to work.  I tagged the box with this statement "I love you because...."

On the last Ale-8 I wrote...

"You are going to be the greatest dad.  No really, You are going to be a dad!"

He didn't believe me at first, but as you can tell he was very excited.

Paisley was excited too!

Yes.  We let Paisley put the pregnancy test in her mouth.  No I didn't pee on that part.  Gross.

She loves looking at pictures of the baby. 

She loves to put her nose as close as she can to the picture.

Sorry for my appearance.  This is how we spend Saturday mornings...playing with Paisley in our bed in our PJ's.

We are so excited and thankful for great friends who can be excited with us!

2011: A Year in Photo Review

Happy New Year!

2011 was a year divided.

The first two thirds was filled with nose to the grindstone, blinders and sweatpants on marathon to the grad school finish.  The last one third was a whole new world where adults work...I know I'm 27 and just got a real job... and wear professional attire...oh please, business casual better describes it..., and weekends are faster than ever before because you can do whatever you want... minus the occasional all weekend continuing education course...blah.  Overall an awesome year!  

Let's do a little photo recap.

I hope as you have looked back over 2011 you have relived a lot of wonderful memories and discovered a lot about your yourself.  I know I have...which leads me to my new year's resolutions!  We will talk about those soon.  Enjoy this 3rd day of 2012!

I like it HOT!

I don't have a lot of fun exciting news today; 

EXCEPT THAT I'M GRADUATING FROM PT SCHOOL TOMORROW!  What?!!  I know.  F-I-N-A-L-L-Y!  But for today, I will share a random, tiny something personal about myself.

Truth:  I like to eat things with a little lot of spice.  

Always have.  Not too hot, mind you.  Wouldn't want to ruin my meal with a jiggling belly full of water but I like my food far from bland.

So when I was at my favorite local bulk grocer, I had a life changing moment when I saw this...

"What?,"  I said,  "Did God make this especially for me?"

Tears!  Fireworks!  Excitement, oh my!

My dreams come true...bulk hot sauce!

I'm sure many of you are gagging at the thought of a gallon of hot sauce but not me.  I've just been refilling my regular sized bottle blissfully!  I will not be ashamed of my spiciness!

One of my favorite hot sauce recipes:  Buffalo Chicken Dip
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
(neufchatel cheese for a lower fat version)
1/2 cup of blue cheese or ranch salad dressing
1/2 cup of Frank's Redhot sauce
1/2 cup of crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cans of chicken breast, drained
(or just 2 cups cooked chicken if you don't like chicken that taste like tuna)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place cream cheese in baking dish in oven.  Stir until smooth.
Mix salad dressing, hot sauce and cheese.  Stir in chicken.
Bake 20 min or until heated through; stir.  Serve with crackers, chips or veggies.
(Please we all know we want it with chips!)

I'm telling you this dip will make you want to slap your Momma!  It is YUM!

We Are Going To Be Parents!

...to an adorable ball of fur!

She is a beautiful 7 week old German Shepherd.  

We haven't named her yet.  Well more specifically we haven't set her name in stone.  We are trying a few on for size.  It's just so hard to decide.  A dog name that's not my favorite kid name or a friend's favorite kid name...a name that fits a german shepherd but isn't too stern or serious because she is a nice girl!...a name that fits a dog that black and tan and silver. 

 I don't exactly come from a family of great pet namers.  Let's be honest we've had Bugsy, the Beagle...ok that one isn't that bad.  But then there were, Corky, the cat and C.J., Corky Junior, the cat.  And yes, Corky is what my Dad goes by...a grown human.  You can thank 3 year old Camille for those two.  Then we've had Bear, the Great Pyrenees and Baby Bear, the 2nd Pyrenees.  P.K., Princess Kitty, the dog.  Yes I said dog.  Long story that ends with we got her from a lady named Kitty who was Kitty Wells's granddaughter. So basically P.K. is famous.  But anywho, as you can see...We're bad at naming pets.  So you're thinking, it's okay, B can surely appropriately name a pet, but most of their pets were named after carbohydrates.  Sugar.  Muffin.  Hush-puppy.  Hershey.  I know we are awful!  We must get this one right!

Ok, back to our baby girl.  We are so excited.  But also nervous.  Like a baby (but I know way less serious and HUMAN...back down momma's), a puppy needs SO much stuff.  We were so out of sorts when we went on our first trip to PetSmart.

  A Crate...I hear they are important, but I'll be honest I don't know all the rules of crate training. 

A Leash... that isn't too girly so my husband won't turn into a woman when he walks her.  

A Collar... that's girly enough that people know she is a girl.  

Puppy food... that isn't too expensive so as to make us broke but is full of good things that make her grow big and beautiful and who's first ingredient is meat...Very important per animal-loving-over-eager-PetSmart-product-pushing employee.  

Toys...Every dog needs a toy.

Treats...for training and maybe for fun too.

A Dog Bowl...we went with cheap and generic for now.  Until I find a set of bowls that match my kitchen.  Please!  You knew I would.

A Teething Toy...because we are going to be doing some serious re-direction with any chewing or teething.

And I know I'm forgetting things!!!!!  It's a crazy mess around you!

So PLEASE offer your best advice for puppies and new puppy parents!  Your favorite purchases.  Things we should be sure to know from the beginning. 

Thanks for your help!  I will be looking for puppy play mates for fun play dates!  If you have a puppy, we would love to have you and your little pup over for dinner and some playtime.  We also welcome children because I hear early socialization is key.  Luckily her birth family had a 3 year-old rambunctious little boy who had played with our pup since birth.  So she loves kids right now and is a total doll right now!  But we want to keep it that way!

A life change in my mouth!

You heard me....Another life changing moment!

I will never eat the same again!

Meet the best I ever had...

Sweet Tea Cured Pork Chop

with Hoppin John, Haricot Vert sauteed with housemade Tasso, a Red Wine Vinegar Sorghum Glaze, Rosemary Black Pepper Brown Butter and spicy Rhubarb Relish

from the

YELLOW PORCH!

Honest moment:  I don't know what all that stuff means...hoppin john...sauteed vert...whatev girl!  I just know that it was a miracle in my mouth!
Wish I had taken a picture of it for you guys!  It was a beautiful presentation as well!  It was served with beautiful green beans, sweet potato pancakes, and an apple chutney!  Once again chutney-smutney...

It was the best pork chop...better yet meal I've ever had!

B wanted to take me on a special date so he made surprise reservations at Yellow Porch a place I have always wanted to go...Isn't he the best?  Hands off Ladies!  He is taken!  

This was my first Yellow Porch experience and I will never be the same.  I've already planned future events there.  It is right down the road from Baja Burrito...my all-time favorite restaurant...It's like God created this street special for my belly!  If you plan to go, maybe make reservations.  And it is a little on the pricey side depending on what you think that means.  I can eat at Baja for like $4 so Yellow Porch was steep for me, but I will be back there for sure!

Just wanted to share the wealth!  It just might change your life too!  Love you friends!

PS--Have you had any life changing moments big or small lately?  Don't be stingy...Share!