My body is all out of whack. I’ve been wishing for apple pies, pumpkin rolls, boots, sweaters and lots of fall soups and stews. I sat for a couple of hours this week and compiled a new pinterest list: Tasty Soups.

Its never too hot for soup, and just in case it is turn on the a/c and have some anyway.

{ tasty soups }

1. albondigas | 2. lasagna soup
3. beef potato quinoa | 4. french onion
5. cannelini stew with kale and sausage | 6. roasted butternut squash soup

Super easy and super tasty!

Make it today, even if you have to turn on your a/c to enjoy it.

Lasagna Soup
{adapted from a farmgirl’s dabbles}

1 tbsp olive oil
5 turkey Italian sausage links, casings removed
1 cup diced sweet onions
5 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 14.5oz cans petite diced tomatoes
2 cups sliced porcini mushrooms
6 cups chicken stock
8 oz. Orecchiette pasta
1/2 c diced Italian parsley

sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot. Cook sausage links (chop up into smaller pieces while cooking using a spatula) until browned. Add garlic, onions and tomato paste. Once onions are tender add oregano, red pepper flakes, diced tomatoes, mushrooms and chicken stock. Stir ingredients and bring pot to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add pasta and cook for another 10-12 minutes (or until al dente). Do not over cook as pasta will become mushy.

Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Serve with crusty piece of bread.

Yum!

We’ve had tons of guesses from friends and family. I even had a random guy at the gas station give his prediction. Oddly enough, neither Harry or I has a preference at this point. Another little boy would be awesome. But a little girl would be awesome too. So, really, whoever Baby turns out to be is fine by us. We just want to know. Now.

We’re going in for my anatomy scan(the BIG ultrasound) on Friday Sept 30th. I can’t wait. The excitement is growing by the day and I’m almost at that point of being the little kid who can’t sleep on Christmas Eve because she’s so excited about all the presents she’s going to get.

Now, for fun, we want your opinion.

Who do you think Baby will be?

Vote below and if you’re feeling up to it, leave a comment!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Have you tried Pinterest? I’ve talked about it before. You really should check it out. There’s nothing better than a visual record of everything you love on the internet. My favorites list is ridiculously long (it takes me forever to scroll to the bottom of it). I’m a “Show Me” person. I like pretty pictures. Pinterest gives me that.

This week, we’re talking belly stuff. Just some pretty clothes to make a pregnant lady feel cute.

1. maternity pencil skirt | 2. cute dress/top combo
3. eggplant ruffle dress | 4. crossover sweater
5. diy tank dress | 6. lbd

Week Sixteen.

I’m finally looking pregnant, y’all. I’ve got the whole Mother Earth, hand on my belly, flowy maxi dress thing going on this week.

I’m feeling good. Sleeping well. I’ve even stopped being bitchy – something that I’m sure my boys are very happy about. I’m eating well (and often, lol). I am, however, sticking to my guns and not getting on the scale unless I am at the doctor’s office when I absolutely have to. And even then, I’m not looking at the numbers. Seriously. Let this be the one time in my life when I’m not stressing about my poundage. I was already way up from where I should’ve been before I got pregnant so looking at this point is going to do more harm than good.

It seems that Baby has decided she/he is too bad ass for messing around with fluttery movements and has gone straight to the bladder kicks. BamBamBam is what I feel every morning to the left and slightly south of my belly button. Guess that’s just his/her way of saying “Good Morning Mommy”. I’ll take it.

This past Thursday, my sister gave birth to a gorgeous baby girl – Sophia, making me an Auntie. Which is awesome. Its a constant battle to not grab the car keys and drive over to visit. I’m sure at some point, my sister is going to get tired of me showing up unannounced to snuggle her baby for hours on end.

This week, my goal is to get the hubs talking about names. I’m not usually a planner but I’m home all day by myself with nothing to do but cook, clean and read. I’ve got to have something to obsessfocus on. We won’t know until the end of the month (hopefully) whether Baby is an XX or XY but its important to be prepared, right?

Welcome to the world Sophia!

I sure can’t.

On the YouTube page for the vid, she says she’s pregnant which I’m not sure about but if she is, major props to her for being able to do all that bouncing around without collapsing from too heavy belly syndrome.

Check out the video – it’s hilarious.

So far the second trimester has been good to me.

In the nauseous, smell hating, exhausted days of the first tri, I kept telling myself to just make it “a few more weeks and you’ll feel better”. Which is true. I’m not falling asleep on my feet. I’m done feeling like yacking barfing every time I catch a whiff of laundry detergent or car air freshener or even dinner. Now we’ve moved on to not sleeping, vivid dreams when I actually can fall asleep, hip pain, and the urge to eat everything in sight. Which is, believe me, much better than the symptoms of the first trimester.

I read in some stupid pregnancy and parenting book that Baby’s gender can be determined as early as 16 weeks and now I can’t get that thought of my mind. Screw the fact that my next appointment isn’t until week 17. I feel like I should be able to drive up to any random ultrasound clinic, flash my insurance card and gain immediate entrance to a dark room, an uncomfortable table narrow exam table, cold jelly and an ultrasound stick(or whatever those things are called). Sadly, it looks like we’ll be waiting for a little while longer to find out if Baby is indeed blue or pink. I’ll just have to keep reminding myself that three weeks ago, I told Harry we could find out if he wanted to but that I was patient enough to wait until delivery. Ha! Like that would have ever happened.

I still don’t feel like I look pregnant. When I’m looking down at my belly, it definitely looks round and baby-full. Then I walk past a store and catch a glimpse of myself in a window and realize that I do not look pregnant at all, just fat,. Still, whatever. Its not like anyone but family sees me anyway. And they all know that I’m too sensitive for them to point out how large I’m looking these days.

* * *

eleventhirteen

tentwelve

I know I promised weeks ago to review Shanghai Girls and one day, I will. Oh, and Dreams of Joy too. I’m just not in a reviewing mood right now.

I am, however, in a book buying mood. I’ve been complaining off and on since getting my Nook that the books were too expensive. I never pay $9.99 for a paperback book at B&N, so why would I pay that much for an ebook? I’ve been making use of the books my friends have been purchasing , and also my local library’s somewhat limited ebook downloads.

While on a hunt through the archives of a new favorite site of mine – Book Twirps, I ran across more than a few books that I’ve absolutely got to read. Cross-referencing those titles on Goodreads brought up even more.

I stuck to just a few “under $5″ purchases, but added all the others that I’m planning on getting to my TBR list.

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
The Water Wars by Cameron Stratcher
The Betrayal by Michel Mayandree
Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay
Fury by Elizabeth Miles
Divergent by Veronica Roth