the schaecher updater

Holiday Eating Tips...kinda

2010-12-15T12:10:00.000-08:00

Okay, okay, so I've been mia for a few months or so...I've been busy! Doing what? Who knows, but let me tell ya, that takes up a lot of time! But, I figured I better make some sort of a holiday appearance on this, or you really might think I closed up shop!

In honor of all that is good with the gluttony accompanying Thanksgiving, Ugly Sweater Parties, Christmas, New Years Eve,and Amaretto Straight-Up (my absolute favorite holiday drink), I present you with....

Holiday Eating Tips 2010

1.    Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the holiday spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go NExt door, where they're serving rum balls.
2.   Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare... You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!
3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.
4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.
5.   Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Holiday party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?
6.   Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-Pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.
7.   If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.
10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by:

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate and wine in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Parsleypalooza!

2010-08-08T12:42:00.000-07:00

Dried Herbs? Bad
Fresh Herbs? GOOD
Fresh Herbs anytime other than the summer from my garden? Outrageously expensive, and sadly subbed out with dried herbs most of the time
Solution? Yes, I have one!!

I had very high hopes with the herbs in my garden this year.
I planted: 2 rows of basil, 1 row of dill, 1 row of cilantro, 1 row of chives, and a half a row of parsley.
I currently have: 2 rows of weeds, 1 row of dill, 1 row of overgrown gone-to-seed cilantro, 1 row of weeds, and a half a row of the most beautiful parsley you have ever seen!
(note to self- next year all herbs are getting started in the greenhouse, no more of this seed business!)

Anywho, this morning and afternoon I have ALL to myself at home, so I thought I better do something with that parsley besides watch it go to seed too. I set out to chop it up with olive oil, kind of like pesto, and freeze it. This way, I will always have fresh parsley, and it won't turn black and grody because I added the oil.

So, out with my scissors and my bowl, cut all my parsley. I'm so proud of my parsley crop...this bowl is stuffed full, and my row is only about 5 or 6 feet long!

Can I get a shout out to my first 2 ripe tomatoes??

Lovely parsley again, all washed up, with little critters and weeds removed

My two BFFs...olive oil from Costco, and my Cuisinart. If I had to choose 5 things to take to a desert island, these would be 2 of them!

My mini tartlett tray via Demarle (no they aren't paying me, yes I had to pay for this!)...this is what I used to freeze the parsley in.

Next, I ripped off the top leaves and got rid of the excess stemmy business...no need for the extra roughage in my opinion.

See? Who needs all that junk?

Throw it in the Cuisinart (stuff it kind of full, or this will take a while as I found out), with maybe a 1/4 cup of oil, and use the pulse button, not the chop button, you don't want to make paste, just finely chopped.

The pieces should be small enough that they hold together, but not so small that it is pasty like pesto can be. And, add more olive oil if it's not holding together too well.

Smash it in the tray, and freeze! They will pop right out, and they you can just throw them in the freezer. I figure one little tartlett is equal to about 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs.

I can't wait to throw this in some lasagna! Fresh parsley just tastes SO much better than dried!

Where's the maid??

An Exercise in Pizza

2010-08-04T14:55:00.000-07:00

Officially, our house does not have air conditioning. Unofficially, we have 2 "whiskey tango" window ac's. If it were up to Andy, those bad boys would run 24-7 as soon as it warms up enough for him to put away his long underwear for the season. I like to use them only when it hits 90+ outside, and would prefer to just keep the windows open and enjoy the fresh air. But, I do what I can to keep the house as cool as possible, and one of those things is trying to use the oven either only in the morning, or not at all. Well, it's tough to work in one of our staple dinner rotations, pizza, when you can only cook it in the morning. So, I decided to give bbqing a homemade pizza a shot. I have done the take-n-bake kind on the bbq, but never a homemade one. A while back my friend Kelly told me that my new favorite cooking gadget, a Silpat, could withstand up to 480 degrees (she also told me broiling on them is a bad idea...bad Liz!!). Well, our bbq on high usually hits somewhere between 350 and 400, so I figured I was safe to give bbqing a pizza on a Silpat a shot. It ended up working GREAT!! No burning the bottom or the top waiting for the top or the bottom to get done, and the crust was nice and crispy, and not a bit soggy! I was unsure at first whether to cook the crust by itself and then add the toppings, but went with it all in at once, and was 100% pleased with the results! Oh, and we have a Traeger BBQ, so I'm not sure how a gas or briquette bbq would work, but I would think you would want to keep the temperature pretty low to keep the bottom from burning. Oh ya, and because I used a Silpat, all I had to do was wipe it off when I was done and that was the extent of my clean up! Happy Mom Factor for sure!! :)

YUM!

Seventeen Month Pictures

2010-07-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

Fool me once is all the Picture People are gonna get out of me! After spending a small fortune having Aiden's pictures taken back in October, Andy and I refuse to be suckers again! Luckily, we are blessed with two great photographers in our family, Andy's dad Pat, and my sister Catherine's husband Cory! Anywho, here are the pics that Pat took of Aiden a few weeks ago...they are pre-editing, which I am hoping that Cory will help me with (hint hint)! Oh, and Cory has a newly founded Nauertz Photography blog... http://corynauertz.blogspot.com/ I'm sure he will be posting tons more pictures soon, he is really getting into his photography groove!

P.S...does anyone know how to edit out slobber? This kid is always drooling all over the place!

Fourth of July

2010-07-13T21:50:00.000-07:00

The first summer that Andy and I "hung out" was the very first time that I ever attended the St. Paul 4th of July Parade. I was newly 21, he was 23 and freshly out of college, without a job, and plenty of time on his hands to "court" me. That was the best summer....tons of fun and clever dates (swathing, trips to scary cemeteries, out to fun bars) , surprises (carrot cake in a college class, a detailed car complete with my favorite Dave Matthews Band cd), and visits to me at work (also the first summer I worked for Ioka). The summer between us ended awkwardly, 100% the fault of mine, and is a ridiculously absurd story for some other time (I feel like an idiot even thinking about it). Luckily for us, alls well that ends well.

Anywho, back to the parade. We have gone to the parade every year for the past 8 years with just about all of Andy's extended family each year. It is the best small-town parade... anyone can enter into it the day-of! There is lots of candy, and lots of waving, and you always see someone in the parade you know. This year was Aiden's second parade...last year he got to meet Abe Lincolin! :) We have such a great time going, and look forward to it all year long.

Girl's Weekend in Walla Walla

2010-07-12T21:57:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks back I headed up to Walla Walla, all by myself (I think that is the furthest I have ever driven alone...it was NICE!) to see my little sister Lydia, and to join one of my best friends from college, Katie, and her sister (who also lives in WW), and their mom and friends for a girl's weekend! It was a relaxing couple of days of chatting, eating, and in true Walla Walla style, wine tasting!! The last time I was up there was in January, so it was a nice change to see all the landscapes flush with bright green, and yummy cherry and sweet onion season in full-swing!

At Three Rivers Winery for a bbq and live music

The whole girl's weekend crew (minus Emily who was taking the picture)

Katie & I

The whole gang, this time with Lydia & Emily

Beautiful Walla Walla

Father's Day

2010-07-12T21:43:00.000-07:00

What do you mean I am a month late with this?? Oh well, better late than never! Andy's Father's Day wish was to go to the Evergreen Air Museum in McMinnville. We had been there once before, but it was for a work function, so we weren't able to spend much time looking around. Well, going with a kiddo didn't give us much time to look at everything either, so we have decided to go back soon, next time, adults only! :) We did get lots of "WOW's" from Aiden, which is always so fun to listen to!!

WOW!!!!!

Aiden was thrilled to be there, can't you tell?

They also have a huge building just about the space program, it was really impressive!

Actual piece of the Berlin Wall

My boys...

Back on the Wagon

2010-07-12T10:06:00.000-07:00

When you pick up your Catholic manual at the age of 3 months after your first dunking, the first 10 chapters are on guilt. All Catholics are thoroughly trained at giving guilt; it's just a part of life as a Catholic, right along with the aerobics we do during mass and the phenomenal displays of Catholic Daughter macaroni salads after a funeral. The number one most nagging form of guilt (a definite close second to the guilt given by octogenerian grandmothers) is self-guilt. So, as the days have been passing since I have updated my blog, my self-guilt gland has been running on overtime. Time to put an end to it.

Since the end of May, life has been grand. I feel so spoiled to have the opportunity to stay home with my kiddo, that I practically feel like I am on vacation. It is so nice to have time to do all the things I need and want to do, without feeling like the fast-forward button is always pushed. Dinner is usually made or close to it when Andy gets home, the house gets cleaned on a regular basis, and I actually do the laundry instead of my mom or my mother-in-law (it just seems to be the lowest on my priority list). And most importantly, I get to spend my days with Aiden. What a blessing staying home has been!! Here are a few pics of what we have been up to...

Playing at the Beach...

Making Jam...

Building Fences.....

Also, I have deemed myself with the position of "Marketing Manager" for Schaecher Wholesale Nursery. Here is what I have been up to...a new logo and a new website in the coming weeks! (www.swnplants.com)

All-in-all, staying home has been fantastic, and I wouldn't trade it for the world!! Cheers!

Tickled Pink!

2010-04-28T21:01:00.000-07:00

I am typing this post on my (yes mine, alllll mine) new computer, on my (yes mine, alllll mine) desk, next to my (yes mine, allll mine) very own bookshelf, on my (okay, you get the point) side of our new office!!! YAHOO!!!

Since we moved into our house 4 1/2 years ago, our office has been in one of our bedrooms downstairs, and it has been primarily comprised of Andy's crap. His farm stuff, his stock stuff, his work stuff, and his random other junk. It would pile up on the desk until I would get mad at him to file it, or I would throw it away (don't tell him). The bookshelf was filled with his work books, the large file cabinet was filled with his papers. Are you getting the picture yet? :) Our Office = Andy's Stuff Storage. Not anymore!!

Since I decided to stay home full time, and work super part time from home, I was decided that I would need my own workspace. Not just for my work stuff, but also for my Ag Fest stuff (which there is a lot of), and any nursery bookkeeping stuff (oh ya, I am supposed to do that as I am technically paid to do it....hmmm). So, we decided to clear out the bigger of the rooms in our upstairs, and make it into a dual office. A trip to Ikea and a new computer later, we are in business! It is SO nice to have space for my stuff that isn't in our bedroom or kitchen, and is completely safe from being attacked by Aiden! :) Yahoo again!

I think I might just do a cartwheel I am so very tickled!!

Home on a Monday

2010-04-19T11:35:00.000-07:00

This week I am home from work all week, as Thursday through Sunday I will be "AgFesting"! You're coming right!??! :) Usually on Sundays I am a little bit (Andy would probably disagree with "a little") of a stress case trying to get groceries, all the laundry done, dinner made, lunches packed...basically just getting things ready to start the week. Yesterday it was really nice to not have to worry about that, and I am really looking forward to this being the norm instead of the exception.

Quick question...we don't have cable, so I don't often get to watch Paula Deen (if we had cable, I would probably watch the food network 23 out of 24 hours in a day). While folding a week's worth of laundry this morning, I was watching Rachel Ray's network show, and Paula Deen was a guest. That woman cannot possibly naturally say "Ya'll" as much as she does...she has to be paid per ya'll or something, because I betcha she said "YA'LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL" about 25 times in a 5 minute segment, and she puts them in spots that really don't work. Or maybe they do, I'm not from the south, so what the heck do I know?? :)

Happy Monday Ya'll!!

Thankful for the Sun

2010-04-15T19:30:00.001-07:00

Dare I say, I think that spring is officially here! (although tomorrow I think it is supposed to rain again...yay) It is so nice to feel the warm sun on my face, and I absolutely love walking around the yard each week to see what new plants are popping up. We planted a new lawn a few weeks ago, and it finally got the courage to sprout, so hopefully in a month or so Andy can try out his new riding lawn mower and Aiden can play outside!

Andy has been working a lot lately, so I have had a few quiet evenings to myself, after Aiden goes to bed of course. Tonight I am typing away, watching the sun go down, and eating Andy's ice cream (as Kevin in Home Alone would say "I'm eating junk and watching rubbish, you better come out and stop me!"). Sometimes this is really nice and welcome, but sometimes it just leaves me too much time to think, which is sometimes no good. I have been thinking a lot lately about how in about a month and a half, all that I have been working toward and building (outside of this house and family) for the last 10 years (college included) will be done, my seed girl identity will be over. I'm not sure how and I'm not sure why, but this reality really hit home last weekend , and more than a few tears followed. No more big sales, no more wheeling and dealing, no more writing up an awesome order...all that thrill will be gone. I know that my decision to "retire" (that's what I like to call it), is and was 100% mine, and it was absolutely the best and most important decision I will ever make, it is still kind of sucky. After 1. wife and 2. mom, what will my identity be? Do I need a 3rd?

I am thankful that I will still be working extremely part time and only from home, and that I have ag fest for my adult outlet. And don't get me wrong, I am very excited to be able to stay home with Aiden, to have time to actually get the laundry done (without help from the amazing grandmas), keep the house clean, and make dinner without feeling like I am constantly running around like a chicken with my head cut off. My type-A absolutley does not funtion at 100% in that senario, and Andy and Aiden are the main victims. I am thrilled to have time to grow an awesome garden and to be able to put a lot of it away in the freezer (instead of watching the weeds outgrow the veggies), and to just have flexibility to do what is best for Andy and Aiden.

But part of me is going to mourn the big part of me that has to go away, maybe for a few years, maybe forever.

Bad Blogger

2010-04-08T13:50:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I've been really bad at this lately! Seems like a fell off the wagon about a month abo when our laptop had to take a two week trip to the laptop hospital, and it's been downhill with my blogging ever since!

Hopefully now I am back on the wagon!

It seems like the last month or so has just flown by. I honestly thought when we had Aiden that things would slow down, but I'm not sure that's the case. Here are some of the things we have been up to lately...

-Lots of work outside, when it hasn't been blowing 100 miles an hour or raining cats and dogs! We got our lawn planted, and our garden is just about ready to plant (if it would ever dry out for a couple of days) I can't wait to plant our garden! I drew out where everything is going to go and when it gets planted, but because of all the rain, I am a couple weeks behind on my peas, lettuce, bok choy, and radishes. Oh well, I'll get it planted eventually!

-Aiden officially started walking about 2 weeks ago! It is a total crack up to watch, because even though he is pretty steady, he sort of stumbles around like he is drunk. And he is quite proud of himself because he figured out how to walk, AND hold something at the same time! I can't wait until it is nicer outside and our lawn is up so he can run around outside...we both have a serious case of cabin fever!

-I've been spending a lot of time planning the HEIDISTRONG 2010 Fundraiser for Heidi! I am having a really fun time doing it, and am absolutely blown away at the generosity of everyone I have come in contact with! It is on June 5th at Bauman Farms...call or email if you want tickets, tshirts, want to donate something for the auction or want to help!

-Oregon Ag Fest is right around the corner, so I have been spending a lot of time helping finalize all of those details as well. This is the 23rd year of the event, and I am proud to say this is my 6th year helping. It is amazing to watch 17,000 people, many of whom have never been on a farm before, learning all about the amazing gift of Oregon agriculture! I feel really blessed and proud to be a part of such a thing. April 24-25th at the Oregon State Fairgrounds....FREE for kids under 12, and all activities are FREE!

-Andy and I are in the process of moving our office upstairs. We have two rooms in the upstairs of our house that right now we just use for storage, but are going to consolidate (and throw away, yay!!) all the stuff into one room, and turn the larger of the two into an office for Andy and I. Our current office is mostly Andy's stuff (a few grumbles from me), but starting June 1st, I will need my own space, as I will no longer be working outside the home, I will be doing extremely part-time work only from home, but still for the same company. YAY!!!! So, starting then, I will officially be a stay-at-home mom!!! It is quite bittersweet though, because I really love my job. If there was anyway to continue to work full or part time, and keep my sanity, I would do it in a heartbeat. But the perfectionist, type-A, must-be-prepared-for-everything gal that I am, just can't do it. Me being home is what is in the absolute best interest of Andy and Aiden, and that is what I need to do.

So, that is what has been going on around here for the last month or so...I will post some pictures when I get around to taking them off of my camera, sooner or later!!

Aiden's Big Bash

2010-02-25T15:45:00.000-08:00

Thought I would share some pictures of Aiden's birthday party that we had last Saturday...we took him to pizza at Paddingtons on his actual birthday, and I of course, forgot my camera! They even put a candle in our pizza for him, it was too cute!

Happy Birthday Aiden!

2010-02-22T18:54:00.000-08:00

Oh, my sweet little baby boy, how is it possible that you are 1 year old??

So cliche, but I can remember every detail about the day you were born like it, literally, was just yesterday! I wish I could rewind back to when you were a tiny baby and press pause...even preemie clothes were too big for you, you were almost too small for your carseat, and we were constantly amazed and amused by the funny sounds you made. Now you crawl and scoot and stand, you say "wow" and maybe even "mama", and you love facing forward in your carseat.

I can only imagine all the adventures that the next year will bring....walking and talking and all sorts of discovering, I am so excited for you!

It's hard for Daddy and I to imagine life without you, we love you so very, very, very much!

Love, Mommy

I Must Vent...

2010-02-17T08:08:00.000-08:00

There was an article in the Statesman this morning about PGE replacing all of their old antiquated meters with new digital meters, and all the complaints they are getting because some people's bills are going up as the new meters are much more sensitive and pick up tiny amounts of power usage that the old ones did not (the power it takes to keep the lights on your printer on, or the clock running on your microwave). And, obviously, PGE is cutting a fat hog on this deal, raking in money hand over fist. ARGH!! I love how people are so quick to complain, but never stop to think about the incredible amount of resources it takes to run a company like PGE, and that in reality, Oregon's power rates are significantly lower than most other states. Don't they realize that, in effect, they were stealing power?

I suppose I have a small dog in this fight as Andy and my dad work for PGE, but I just wish people wouldn't be so dang quick to complain about every little thing that they see as a personal attack by big business, and would actually stop to think about how businesses run and what it takes to be even a tiny bit profitable. I have a lot of additional thoughts on this, but I think I will just stop now because it could get ugly. :) Ahhh, I feel better now!

I Can't Wait!

2010-02-15T12:02:00.000-08:00

Saturday we are throwing Aiden's 1st Birthday Party!

I'm sure he could care less, but I am so excited!! I of course wanted a giant party, but Andy rolled his eyes at that idea, so our trade off for a smaller party is having an awesome cake! I had Jennifer at Bittersweet Baking do the cake for his baptism and it was amazing (I am sad to admit that it was better cake than our wedding cake), so I made sure to book her way in advance for his birthday.

Can't wait to post pictures of Saturday up here, especially of the cake!!

Give the Malt-O-Meal Guy a Second Chance

2010-02-14T19:49:00.000-08:00

When it comes to groceries, I am a big cheapo. I buy the off brand of everything unless it is a steal, and am always appauled at how much grocery stores charge for basic necessities. Anyhow, I found a great steal today! I was at Winco fighting the crazies (yes, pray for me please), and I needed to get some cereal for Aiden to snack on. Cereal is one of those items that drive me crazy how much they charge. I am quite sure that it does not cost $4 to produce a box of Cheerios...I know for a fact what oats cost per pound (around $.20 per pound), and I would highly doubt that there is more than 2 pounds of oats in one dumb box of Cheerios. Now I know there are many other costs that go into that box, but $4?? Come on!! Woooooooow Betsy, back to the story. So, I was looking for some cheap cereal to keep in his diaper bag and for some around the house snacking, but I was also hoping to get some with nutritional value greater than cardboard.

I always crack up at the guy who scoots around on the floor in those Malt-o-meal commercials, and tend not to buy that brand much after a serious disappointment with their Captain Cruch knock-off (don't buy it, it is a horrible immitation). But, I was checking out their "Tootie Fruities" (their version of Fruit Loops), and I was pleasantly surprised by a few things. The first was the price, $1.79 for a pretty big bag. Second, absolutely no high fructose corn syrup to be found in the ingredients, sugar was about 5th in line, and all the flavoring was natural! And third, I found out when I got home, was that they are a perfect match for fruit loops! Yum! And yes, Aiden likes them (add that to the slowly growing list of foods he likes, none of which are vegetables)! I always love a good food find!!

Walla Walla

2010-02-11T10:02:00.000-08:00

Almost 3 weeks ago (yes, I know I am sort of behind getting this up), Andy and I took a weekend trip up to Walla Walla to visit my little sister Lydia. She moved up there in September to take a job as a copy editor, and that was the first time we had been up to see her.

I always thought that WW was a lot further north in Washington, but in reality, it is just across the border and only about 30 miles from Hermiston, and just about 4 1/5 hours from home. Oh, did I mention this was our first weekend fully away from Aiden? Yes, it was, and he had a great time at Grammy & Papa's house (my mom and dad)...but I think they needed about 3 days to recover! :)

When you do a grilled cheese under the broiler, you must watch it closely, or you get this...

The first winery we went to, Andy really like the label colors

Thanks Cred for the great hospitality!!

There's No Replacing Powdered Sugar

2010-02-04T14:45:00.000-08:00

Andy and his buddies are going away to Sunriver this weekend for a "man weekend". I know it will involve snowmobiling, probably some or a lot of beer, but beyond that, I'm not asking. And, who knows what they will be eating...probably burgers morning, noon, and night (as long as Cheetos are involved, Andy will be happy as a clam). But, I thought I could do my part to make sure that some sort of breakfast food is available, so today I made some cinnamon rolls. Well, you can't have a cinnamon roll without some sort of yummy glaze or frosting on top, both of which require as the main ingredient, powdered sugar. Getting everything out to make the frosting, I looked up in my baking cupboard for some powerded sugar...none. I looked out in the pantry for some powerered sugar...none. There was no powdered sugar to be had in our house. I looked across the street to see if Andy's mom was home, maybe she would have some...not home. I looked at Aiden and then thought of how increasingly difficult it is to get him in his carseat (he is not a fan), and quickly wiped running into the grocery store from my brain. This seemingly simple task of making some frosting for cinnamon rolls was becoming more difficult than it was worth. The internet provided me with zero recipes for powderded sugar-free frosting, and I couldn't think of a single other topping for those dang rolls. But then, a great idea entered my brain. Powdered sugar comes from regular sugar, and I HAD regular sugar! So, if I could just turn the granulated version into the powdered version using AHH HA, my cuisinart food processor, I would be in the chips!!! So, I processed, and I processed, and I processed, and I about burned the motor up in my poor food processor. Twenty minutes later, all I had to show for it was a kitchen filled with sugar dust, and some powdery gritty sugar. I like the saying "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade"...so I mixed that gritty powdery sugar with some butter and almond extract and frosted those rolls like I had just made the lightest, fluffiest, most delectable frosting ever to grace the tops of cinnamon rolls. And do I think those boys will know the difference? Not a chance.
Moral of the story? Make sure you have powdered sugar on hand, because there is no replacing it.

A Complete 180

2010-02-04T11:08:00.000-08:00

It's amazing how much can change in the span of a week and a half. Twelve days ago, the worlds of thousands (and amazingly I am not exagerating with that number) of people were rocked when we found out that our Heidi's snowboarding trip came to a life-altering ending. I can only speak for my own emotions those first couple of days, but helplessness and uncertainty were top of mind. But slowly, almost hour by hour, those emotions changed to encouragement and sheer amazement. I watched with my jaw on the desk as the number of people that looked at her blog grew by the minute (I know because I watched...don't worry, I didn't artificially inflate it!), and as it became apparent that not just her family and a few close friends were praying and rooting her on, but it seemed as though just about the whole country was doing the same, even New Zealand! Offers to get her and her family home by private jet & retrofitting at their house...it was like "Heidi's Army" had been called to action and all were going at 110%! And the sheer detirmination of Heidi, to not let her injuries slow her down, and the courage she has shown in the last 12 days, well, if they haven't changed the attitudes of many, I would be very surprised.
She is a bright and shining example of God's miracles in action, and I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for her!!

All Mixed Up

2010-01-26T12:49:00.000-08:00

These last 4 days have left me feeling upside down and inside out. Andy and I went to Walla Walla to see my sister on friday, and ended up in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho on sunday morning to see Andy's cousin Heidi who had a snowboarding accident that has left her, hopefully temporarily, unable to feel her legs. We got back home yesterday afternoon, but I am left feeling so many contradictory emotions that I don't know which way is up.

How can be feeling anger, saddness, extreme faith, hope, and total amazement all at the same time?? I don't think I have ever prayed so much in my entire life, and knowing that thousands of people are doing the same for the same person...there really isn't any way to really describe it. Amazing doesn't do it justice. I know that these things happen for a reason, they don't "just happen". But I want to know why...I wish I could fast forward a month or a year and see why.

My Type A/Quick Start personality is kicking in at full-steam, yet, I feel completely helpless.

Praying for Heidi has consumed me, and it is the only thing that is making me feel less helpless.

The Couch is Where It's At!

2010-01-21T14:58:00.000-08:00

Wanna know where all the cool 11 month olds hangout? The couch of course! Any baby who's any baby hangs out there! Who knew??
My sister was watching Aiden yesterday and she put him on the couch, and he went wild!! Laughing and squeeling and crawling and flopping from one end to the other, like he just discovered some lost land! I put him on there again today and got the same reaction, what a crack up!!

Craving Curry

2010-01-20T13:24:00.000-08:00

Before Aiden was born, Andy and I took a trip to Seattle to see a college buddy of his and his wife. While we were there, we had the BEST Indian food!! Just thinking about it makes my mouth water!! For some reason today, I am craving Indian food, in particular, something that combines chicken, curry, and coconut, and is easy to make. Anybody have a good recipe??

No Truer Words

2010-01-18T19:29:00.000-08:00

Before Aiden was born, Andy's dad got him this neat little book called "Things to do now that you're...a dad" by David Baird. It's just a little book with lots of nifty quotes, and neat suggestions for dads to do with their kiddos. Andy was reading it last night, and there were two cute sayings that I thought were so true!

"Now that you're a dad, your perception of your life before children is going to change radically. What once seemed a hectic life will be an oasis of blissful calm. Don't worry, it will come back, but not in a hurry." Could there be a more true statement???!!! :)

"There are three stages of a dad's life: he starts out believing in Santa Claus, then he reaches a stage where he no longer believes in Santa Claus, then he becomes Santa Claus." We both cracked up at this one!

Andy and I are looking forward to a weekend oasis of blissful calm as we head up to see my sister in Walla Walla this weekend. Aiden is having a slumber party at Grammy & Papa's house (my mom and dad), and we are looking forward to 5 hours in the car where we can stop when we want to stop, sleep all night, wake up when our bodies say it is time, AND, a full day of wine tasting and delicious food, diaper bag & bib free! Yahoo!! It goes without saying that we will miss our little man like crazy and all of his hilarious antics, but are craving a weekend to recharge.

Aiden Update

2010-01-16T21:52:00.000-08:00

I realized today that originally decided to blog to update everyone on our crazy kiddo, and I haven't been doing that very well, so here goes...

Our sweet little Aiden (wait, who am I writing about!?!?!), I should start again. Our sweet little maniac who never stops, or sleeps, just follow the trail of destruction Aiden...now that is a more accurate description! Next Saturday, he will already be 11 months old, I seriously cannot believe it!! Where the heck did the last 11 months go??? Our tiny little 6 1/2 pound angel is now about 22 pounds we think, and strong as an ox! I am always amazed at how strong this little guy is when he is trying to push you away when he doesn't want to be held, and before he realizes he can "limp noodle" his way out of your arms. He has turned into a regular chatter box; it is such a crack up to hear him talk and talk and talk as he pushes his trucks, or cell phone, or umbrella around the house. No walking as of yet, but Andy and I are just fine with that...the stories I hear from Andy's mom about Andy and his running are enough for me to practically attach a ball and chain to the kid's ankles. All I have to say is, pray for me, please!!

Here are a few pictures from the last month or so...

Christmas morning...he wasn't very interested in the wrapping paper, but he sure likes his new trucks!

He loved his tractor and wagon from Uncle Ben & Aunt Kelly!

I'm sure this wagon will get lots of use, thanks Pappa & Grammy (my mom and dad)

I've never seen a kid love taking a bath as much as Aiden! As soon as he hears the water running, he puts the crawling into 5th gear and comes tearing in the bathroom. I had the water running for this bath and he was so excited to get in that he crawled over the side of the tub and face planted in the tub...not to worry though, after a few tears and some water down the wrong pipe, he still had a great time in the bath! And...don't his eyebrows freak you out a little??? Yikes!!

No solo walking yet, but he is getting really good at walking behind this thing, he can even steer! And, he LOVES his wizard hat that Nanny made him! (Andy's mom) It's like he has a little alter-ego when he has a hat on, what a crack up!

Yay! I'm almost one, I'm practically a man you know!

A Froggie's Future

2010-01-13T20:30:00.000-08:00

First, our little froggie, Aiden. Sure wish I could sleep like this, it seems comfy!

And second, the most definite future lovebirds, Aiden, and Miss Baylor Hughes! It's love at first sight!

Wacky Wife

2010-01-12T21:44:00.000-08:00

Andy is the best husband! And I, am the worst wife. Ever.

Tonight while I was boxing my little heart out on the Wii Fit, Andy took it upon himself to change the sheets on our bed (maybe it was a hint??). He did a fantastic job too! The sheets and blanket were tucked in nicely, the comforter and quilt were lined up evenly on each side, the multitudes of pillows were arranged just so, and he even turned the electric blanket on on my side so it would be nice and toasty when I got in bed. What a guy huh!?!?! I know!!

The second part of the story is that I am certifiably insane. Yes, nuts, loco, need a padded room. I am so unimaginably particular about the way the sheet, blanket, comforter, and quilt line up at the top of the bed, that if they aren't all perfectly even within mere millimeters of each other I won't be able to sleep. Stop shaking your heads and laughing uncontrollably. So what did I do? I remade the whole stupid bed. And here I sit, at 9:40pm, 40 minutes after I had planned to be in bed, writing about this atrocity, because frankly, it is so ridiculous that it needed to be documented.

Tomorrow I am calling a shrink. Goodnight.

Wise Words

2010-01-11T13:26:00.000-08:00

This came in an email today, and I thought it was some fun, and very true advice to pass along....Enjoy!

Old Farmer's Advice:

Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.

Keep skunks and bankers at a distance.

Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.

A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.

Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.

Meanness don't jes' happen overnight..

Forgive your enemies; it messes up their heads..

Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.

It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.

You cannot unsay a cruel word.

Every path has a few puddles.

When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.

The best sermons are lived, not preached.

Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.

Don 't judge folks by their relatives.

Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

Live a good, honorable life...then when you get older and think back,
you'll enjoy it a second time.

Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't bothering you none.

Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a Rain dance.

If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.

Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.

The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with,
watches you from the mirror every mornin'.

Always drink upstream from the herd.

Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.

Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.

If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around..

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply..

Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.

Homemade Foccacia...Cheater Style

2010-01-08T14:39:00.000-08:00

I use my bread machine, A LOT, and rarely do I let the machine take the flour, yeast, and water from raw ingredients to cooked bread. 99% of the time I use the dough setting and let the machine deal with the mess and the sore arms from all of the kneeding. It seems like my assignment for many family dinners is to bring bread, and I have experimented with a bunch of different variations, and so far this is my favorite.

In your bread machine, (if you are brave and buff, do it by hand), throw the ingredients in for focaccia bread...usually some variation of yeast, flour, salt, olive oil, and water. Hit the dough setting, and let it start mixing and kneeding. As soon as it is done with its kneeding process, take the dough out, and stick in an oiled bowl to let rise for a good hour or so, or until it is doubled. Or, in my case, let it rise until the kiddo is down for a nap and you have time. We keep our house a little on the cool side, so often I use the proof setting on the oven...that setting warms your oven just a tiny tiny bit, and is a good bump-free spot to let your dough rise.

While it is rising, get out your trusty large baking sheet, and spread about 2-3 tablespoons of oil around...no one likes bread that doesn't want to come out of the pan!

A note on olive oil....a few years ago my family took a trip to Italy. While on that trip, Andy and I took a small tour into Tuscany where we learned how goooooood olive oil is made, and of course, got to taste amazing olive oil. An afternoon of serious Italian glutony and a ridicoulsly expensive olive oil purchase later, we considered ourselves true olive oil (OO) snobs. Unfortunately, our bank account quit letting us buy OO that was fit for the Queen of England, but, there are some qualities that we try not to skimp on because a good OO can really enhance your food.

1. Make sure that OO you buy is first cold pressed. That means that you are getting the first oil squeezed from the olives, and that it is done in a process that does not use heat. Heat is used later with the olives to get the very last drop of oil and it comprimises the quality.

2. The OO should be more green than yellow

3. It should smell kind of raw and tart...a good OO will have a really noticable, and unexpected smell.

Lucky for us Americans, God invented Costco and Mr. Kirkland. The OO that they sell in a 2-pack that is about $25 is pretty darn close to being as good as what we had in Italy. If you can't go through that much oil in a reasonable amount of time, split it with a friend, because it is great OO and a good value.

Now, once your dough it doubled, plop it onto the tray, and start stretching it out. Your goal is to reach the sides of the pan. It will probably be pretty elasticy, but if you let it sit for a few minutes, you should be able to get it pretty close to the edges. Then let it raise for another hour or so until it is doubled again.

Now, the topping. Fresh Rosemary, Yum! I used to really dislike rosemary, mostly because it is always on roast beef, and no offense Mom, I am not the biggest fan of roast beef. But, I gave it another chance, it is a really great herb on bread. Bonus, it is a perennial herb that is easy to grow, and it keeps forever in the fridge. So, take a couple big sprigs, and take off all the little leaves. And chop, chop, chop!

So, I forgot to tell you to put about 1/3+ cup of olive oil in a ramiken, do that first, and then put your chopped up rosemary in to it, and let it sit for a couple minutes...I did this while I was letting the dough become a little less elasticy.

Now, once your dough is doubled, gently, or not so gently, with your fingers, make a bunch of little indentations all over it. This will make lovely little pockets for your rosemary and olive oil to settle into.

And, spread the oil and rosemary all over the dough. It might seem like a lot of oil, but as it bakes it soaks in a bit and makes the bread AMAZING!

Final touch, sea salt. Again, thank you Mr. Kirkland, you make a lovely sea salt grinder!

Grind the sea salt all over the bread, the amount is really a personal preference, I like this bread a little on the salty side, as I think it really helps the flavors of the olive oil and rosemary shine.

Pop it into a 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until the top is nice and brown. When you open the oven door to take a peek (like I do much more than I should probably), the smell of the olive oil will really be amazing!!

While the bread is cooking, get out 2 cookie racks, and stick them side by side.

When the bread is nice and golden, and your kitchen smells incredible, take it out of the oven, and ever so carefully, slide the bread out of the pan and on to the racks. This will keep the bottom of the bread from getting soggy (ick!) while it cools.

And, if you can manage ( I NEVER can), wait it until it is reasonable cool to cut it up...or, burn your fingers cutting a hunk off to eat while it is still really hot!!

Enjoy!!

Writing Down Thoughts

2010-01-07T10:40:00.000-08:00

Life is so much easier when you can put your hair in a ponytail (no matter how many bobby pins you have to use to keep it from all falling out). I have crazy thick hair, so I am always debating whether to keep it short and decrease my drying time from 20 minutes to 5, or to keep it long enough to put in a ponytail.

I CANNOT believe that in a month and a half, Aiden will turn 1!

Aiden has big, SHARP teeth, and the jaw strength of a WWF wrestler. How do I know this? Because he sunk his big chompers into my shoulder this morning! Yipes!! He might be a biter, but he has a big heart, because when I yelped "OWWW!", he got a very sad look on his face and started crying. Big teeth, big heart.

I am excited for spring to be here and our new lawn to be planted. Last fall we sprayed out our "lawn", it was really mostly weeds, rototilled it, and we are letting everything sprout so we can spray it out and plant new grass. I am particularly excited for it to be smooth. Because it was so old, it was super bumpy and it hurt your bare feet to run on it.

I am trying to keep my pedometer in my pocket everyday...it's fun, and motivating to see the steps add up. I bought a good one a while ago on Amazon that you can just stick in your pocket, instead of clipping it on your hip like a geek. And, it is digital, so little movements don't add false steps, only real steps add steps.

Aiden can *almost* fit into his first pair of Wranglers and Carhart overalls!! There is just one problem! Kid can't wear his Nikes with those! So, I am on a hunt for a pair of little Romeos or cowboy boots, but I refuse to pay $50 for shoes he will wear for 2 months, and he is still a good month from walking!! Any ideas??

Homemade Calzone

2010-01-04T18:23:00.000-08:00

I make homemade calzone a lot! Why? 1. It's pretty easy and quick to make 2. The ingredients are fairly inexpensive and extremely flexible 3. I make the darn thing so big that it practically lasts all week (score!) 4. Andy really likes it. Yesterday it was on the dinner menu, so I decided to take my first stab at food blogging.

I make the dough (pizza dough) in my bread machine, I use the recipe in the machine's book that makes enough dough for 2 thick crusted pizzas. The setting takes an hour, so while it's doing its thing, I mix up the sauce. I think that soggy crust is yucko, so I make a pretty thick sauce that doesn't soak in too much by mixing a small can of tomato sauce with a big can (14 oz??) of tomato paste, some oregano, basil, sugar, and crushed red peppers.

When the dough is done, roll it out to twice the size of the calzone you want to make. The dough shouldn't be thinner than about 1/4 inch.

Then, fold it up into quarters, or it's going to be rather tricky to get it onto your baking sheet (either oiled or sprayed with Pam, very important!!)

Then, stick the dough on the pan, placing it so when you unfold it, half of it is hanging off the pan (that is the lid to your calzone).

Spread the sauce on, leave about 1 inch all the way around so you have an area to fold the dough together without sauce oozing out.

And layer it up with goodies!! I used Canadian bacon, spinach, mushrooms, and olives. And, I had some extra sauce, so I "spread" that around a bit too.

And don't forget the cheese!!! And some extra oregano, basil, and crushed red peppers.

Then fold the "lid" over the top of the toppings, lining the edges up reasonably well.

Now, the semi-tricky part, sealing up the edges. So, you fold over about a 2ish inch section back over the top, and sort of jam your finger into the dough so it sticks to itself. Yes, very Julie Child, I know, but it works. Or I suppose you could just crimp it with a fork?? I like this way though because it does an okay job of keeping the sauce and cheese from dribbling out, running off of the pan, and smoking up my house (which happens often around here).

And just keep doing it all the way around...it's easier than it looks, I promise!

Once you have it all sealed up, take a small knife and slice some holes in the top to let the steam escape so you don't end up with the Tacoma Dome of crust over some pizza toppings.

Ready to bake!! Oh ya, way back about 15 minutes ago, you should have preheated the oven to 350. Loosely cover the calzone with foil (may take two sheets if it is really wide), and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, take off the foil, and bake for another 20-25 minutes, basically until the top is brown and when you tap on the top, it sounds hollow. This will allow the crust to get mostly done (and prevent a grody soggy bottom crust), but not burn. If you are feeling brave, after the 30 minutes, slide the calzone off of the pan and directly on to the rack, that will really help the crust (and make the leftovers better!).

And here you go, final product!! Get out your largest and flattest serving platter, and slice up!! Bust out the crushed red peppers and ranch (and perhaps a beer) and you've got dinner!!

Bon Appetit!

Quick Thought

2010-01-04T06:27:00.000-08:00

Never ever ever ever underestimate the amazing power of prayer.

MMMM, Cake

2010-01-03T18:58:00.000-08:00

I am a pretty big fan of The Pioneer Woman (http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/). PW is a lady who grew up in the city and then married a cattle rancher in Oklahoma and blogs about her life on the ranch. She is an excellent writer, but even more so, she is an excellent cook. Recipes are a main part of her page, and I have lots of them, and have yet to be disappointed. Maybe it's because they are so very full of calcium?? ie Whole milk, cream, & butter. Mostly her recipes are food that you crave, foods that make you feel good, and are very simple recipes that your grandma would have made for your grandpa.

Yesterday I felt like chocolate cake. I checked in the pantry and I was all out chocolate cake mix, I didn't even have any brownie mix (don't worry, I added it to the grocery list), and cherry chip and white cake were not going to do the trick. So, I made PW's chocolate sheet cake for the first time. I had always wanted to make it, it seemed simple enough, but until a month or so ago, I didn't have a commercial sized rimmed baking sheet, which it calls to use. (those big baking sheets are super handy by the way, I had no idea what I was missing not having one!) No excuses left, I made the cake, and....OH MY!!! I licked the batter bowl and the frosting bowl atleast 4 times each to make sure there wasn't a drop of chocolate yumminess left, and I barely let it cool before I dug in. And I have to say, if you make it, eat it warm, it is like yummy gooey brownies with even yummier chocolate frosting, completely irresistable!!

See???

Just incase you need a quick chocolate fix (I might need one right now), here is the link to the recipe: www.thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/the_best_chocol/

By the way, I swapped the butter in the actual cake for homemade applesauce, and I'm not convinced that butter would make much difference, it was DANG good! And, the baking time is only 20 minutes, and you frost it hot, so it really is a quick and easy cake if you are in a pinch.

Andy's Efficiency Tip of the Day

2010-01-02T14:54:00.001-08:00

I am married to Andy. Andy has a bizarre obsession with efficiency. Anything to slice off a few milliseconds from a task is the name of his game. This used to cause arguments as he was always trying to make me more efficient, but now I'm used to it and simply ignore most of his "helpful" tips and use the tips that actually are helpful.

Today I noticed that he was putting on a button-up shirt that was mostly already buttoned. I asked him what he was doing, and his response was "if the shirt is still clean and I am just going to hang it back up, I'll just unbutton the the top couple of buttons and then take it off. That way, when I put it back on, all I have to do is slip it on and button 2 buttons!" This is coming from a guy who also will put on a somewhat wrinkled shirt before church, throw a sweatshirt on over the top of it, and then by the time we get to church the sweatshirt comes off, and the wrinkled shirt is "self ironed". The logic of my husband never surpises me!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T20:46:00.000-08:00

2010...sounds so futuristic, like we should all be living like the Jetsons! Seems like just yesterday everyone was stockpiling years of food and water for the feared Y2K...phew, glad we made it threw that one okay. This past year seemed liked it was gone in a flash- 10 months and 2 weeks ago Aiden was born, and the rest of the year is a blur of diapers, sleep deprivation, and incomprehensible joy. Okay, maybe it wasn't always joyous...we'll call those parts "life lessons" :).

And of course, with a new year brings new resolutions! I decided to set the bar a little lower than usual, with the hopes that I will stick to it a little better than I typically do.

So, my New Year's Resolutions for 2010 are:

1. Only fruit and vegetables for snacks
2. Workout 3-4 times per week
3. Blog more
4. Stick to the budget that Andy gives me that I notoriously ignore every single month

I felt like these are 4 things that are not only realistic and achievable, but they are also things that I should be doing to maintain some control, focus, and simplicity in my life. That's another thing to add to the list, Keep Things Simple!!

To a great 2010!

A Christmas Treat

2009-12-23T07:35:00.001-08:00

In in the off chance that I have any readers left (please come back, please please!), I have a Christmas gift for you!

Everyone needs a good laugh at least once a day, so my gift to you is a good daily chuckle: www.cakewrecks.blogspot.com

The gal that writes this blog finds and has pictures sent to her daily of horrible cakes...terrible decor, misunderstood words, and just plain bad ideas. It is sometimes a bit crude, but the stuff she finds cracks me up on a daily basis.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do, Merry Christmas!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

2009-12-22T19:04:00.000-08:00

Dare I say, I think I am 99% ready for Christmas! Most of the presents are wrapped, the house is decorated, our tree is still upright (Aiden has been a good boy about not attacking it), and I just have some yummy rosemary foccacia bread to bake for Christmas Eve dinner. Saying some prayers that things continue to go smoothly!!

I have to say, this year’s week before Christmas is 110% better than last year. Last year at this time, there was 2 inches of ice on top of a foot of snow outside, and absolutely no hope of Andy being home for Christmas, as 400,000 PGE customers were without power. I was also 7 months pregnant, uncomfortable, and on emotional/hormonal overload. This year is the complete opposite… I have an amazing little boy (sometimes a maniac) crawling around, a husband who is home, and a weather forecast that calls for clear weather through Christmas, YAHOO!!! I am extremely grateful to say the least!

I was just reading an article on family traditions, and I am really enjoying expanding the Christmas (and other) traditions Andy and I had started, with Aiden. When I was growing up we had lots of traditions, especially this time of the year, and continuing them with Aiden is, so far (even though he doesn’t really get it yet), a blast, and I know it will only get better. Our newest tradition is leaving snacks for Santa’s reindeer. A couple Saturdays ago I got a wild hair and decided I was going to string popcorn to put on the tree. Well, I started in the afternoon, and by 9 that night, with 5 strings made and tired fingers, I realized I still needed about 5 more to keep the tree from looking ridiculous. So, those strings of popcorn originally destined for the tree, magically became snacks for the reindeer and are nicely on our mantle! Great tradition for Aiden? I think so!!

So, from the Schaechers, we wish all of you (any of you left??), a wonderful Christmas celebration! May you stockings, and your tummies, be stuffed!

P.S...my New Year's resolution is to blog more often, I promise!!

I Still Think It's May...

2009-10-16T21:49:00.000-07:00

If I could capture time in a bottle I would...I bet I could sell it for some good money! Aiden is 1 week away from his 8 month birthday, and I swear we just brought that kid home from the hospital. Long gone are the days of him contently sitting in his bouncer looking around and dozing off every hour or so...I wish I knew how true the words would be when everybody said you will wish these days were back when he is crawling. Well, damn you people, you were all right!! Aiden has been 5th gear crawling for the past month, and as much as I chase him around, you think I would have lost 10 pounds. I have started wearing a pedometer (the most accurate I could find on Amazon.com), and on an average day that I am home with him, I take about 7,000 steps, as I am constantly walking/running to get him out of something he shouldn't be in. The cords behind the t.v., the cords behind the end table, the hutch, the garbage in the bathroom, the garbage in his room, you name it, the kid has some sort of magnet for everything he is not supposed to be in to! I think he has knocked the fake tree in our office over about 37 times in the last 2 weeks. I wish Catholics had a word like Jewish folk have Oiy...I would use it, A LOT!! Complaining I am not, drinking I could do a lot more of, thankful I am very. I guess this is just the territory that comes along with having a boy. Yes, I know, you all told me so.

For your viewing pleasure, we had Aiden's first professional pictures taken today. And, if you ask me, those lovely teenie-boppers at the picture place in the mall could use a lesson or two in how to make a kid laugh...but that's a whole separate blog post, as is those teenie-boppers seeing two suckers named Andy and Liz walking through the door.

Yikes

2009-08-17T07:30:00.000-07:00

Andy watched Aiden on Friday afternoon so I could run errands and get a pedicure. When I left, Aiden was asleep in his carseat, as putting him in it and then in his stroller is sometimes the only way he will take a nap. Andy left the room to do some work on the laptop, and he heard some noise and went to check on the kiddo and this is what he saw...

Homeboy had climed out of his carseat, and he doesn't even crawl or walk yet!!
I think we are in for it...

Aiden's First Hike...A Photo Essay

2009-08-03T19:45:00.001-07:00

This last weekend to escape the heat, Aiden and I went to the beach with my mom and dad on Wednesday night...oh, it was so much cooler over there!! At their house in Waldport, to the west is the ocean, and to the east, between their house and highway 101, are a bunch of little lakes, with a trail that runs along side them. I use the word "trail" very loosly, as this path doesn't see much traffic, or much trimming. Instead, the only people it sees are my parents, who vow to take a weed eater and chainsaw to it very, very soon! So, on Thursday, with Aiden in his baby bjorn with my dad, followed by my mom and I, we blazed the trail!

On our way...We saw some wildlife...

A snail on the trail...

In the puckerbrush...

He really wanted to eat the plants!

Yes, Aiden was still strapped to my dad

An old redwood

Let's do it again!

I can't wait for this coming weekend when we head to the beach again and Andy can scale logs with Aiden! Cheers!

Baby Food

2009-07-18T22:38:00.000-07:00

Today I made my first attempt at making homemade baby food! After doing a little research, I decided that I am not too keen on all the stuff besides food that is in the jarred stuff from the store, so I am going to try and make my own! Even though Aiden isn't quite to the solid (if you want to call it that) food stage, I wanted to take advantage of the fresh vegetables we have now, and get a head start. So, today with some green beans from my parent's garden, I got started! And, thanks to two handy appliances, the rice cooker and my 3rd love, my Cuisinart food processor (after Andy and Aiden of course), it was pretty slick!

And wallah, I now have 16 servings of green beans in the freezer! And Aiden can work on eating his vegetables instead of his fingers and plants!

Life in Fast Forward

2009-06-16T20:30:00.000-07:00

Incase anyone out there still has faith in my blogging promise, I am finally getting back to writing! It has almost been 4 months since Aiden was born, and this evening, as I found some time to look through some pictures from this last winter and just after Aiden's arrival, it really hit home how fast the time has gone and how different everything is...

This picture was taken about 1 week before I was due...these from scratch brownies had peanut butter ganache and chocolate ganache in them (stinking good recipe, email me and I will send it too you), and they probably took me close to 2 hours of prep time (no baking time in there) to make them. I think about that now and laugh...the closest I have come to brownies since then is straight out of a box made like a frantic maniac between Aiden eating and pooping!!

About 1 month ago I went back to work 3 days a week...it was probably the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Thankfully, we are blessed with 2 grandmas and and 2 aunties to watch Aiden, we couldn't be luckier to have people watching him that practically love him more than we do. I remember the first day that I was home with Aiden by myself I thought, how am I going to survive these 3 months, I am going to be so bored...how quickly that though changed, and the time went by so much faster than I could have ever imagined, or appreciated. Being able to watch him grow and change in just 3 months was miraculous, and the love that I have for him is overwhelming.

Now, just 6 days short of his 4 month birthday, Aiden, to me, is no longer a baby, but already a little boy. He has such a curious personality (definitely dad), but also a stubborn streak (definitely mom). He has really started to chat and giggle a lot in the last few weeks, and we are close to being able to roll over from back to front! I can't believe that in just a couple of months he could be crawling and will be eating "real" food.

Amazing what can change in the span of a year...last year at this time we didn't even know that I was pregnant, and now we are parents to a little miracle.

Shameless Plug...

2009-04-22T13:55:00.000-07:00

A quick, friendly reminder, that this weekend is the Oregon AgFest!!

This is a fantastic, 2-day event to teach kids (and adults too!) all about

Oregon Agriculture!!

Did you know that the majority of Oregonians are 4 generations removed from the farm? For me, that is hard to imagine, but I am always amazed

(and dumbfounded) how many people don't know that everything that they eat, and almost everything that they wear, comes from a farm!

So, if you are looking for a fun, educational, and FREE (for kids under 12) adventure this weekend, come to AgFest!!

www.oragfest.com

Happy Almost 2 Month Birthday!

2009-04-17T09:27:00.000-07:00

I could not have ever ever ever imagined how fast the time with Aiden is going!! Next Thursday, he will be 2 months old already, and I think if I blink too long, he will be in kindergarten! He is growing so stinking fast- on Easter Sunday Grandpa Pat did an "unofficial" weighing...you know, get on the scale with Aiden and then on without him, and we think he weighs about 11 pounds, what a little porker!! Kind of nice though, because at least he fits into some of his clothes now!! In the last couple of weeks he has started to smile a ton more (besides the smiles he was giving us while farting!), and has found his toungue and his voice!! It is very, very cute, and Andy and I are so excited to see him grow and change, even though it is bittersweet as the time is flying by!

A few weeks ago Andy and I did manage to get out all by ourselves for a few hours!! My mom and dad (Grammy and Papa) called on a sunday and said they would come over and babysit so we could go on a date! So, we went to lunch at this nifty little restaurant at the Salem Airport, and then went for a nice, "sunday drive". It was so weird to not have Aiden with us, but relaxing at the same time. This coming weekend I will be busy with AgFest, and will be away from Aiden for 2 full days while setting up...wish me luck!

If anyone has any tips on getting kiddos to sleep longer at night, I would welcome them with open arms...and possibly cash!! We seemed to be maxed out at about 3 hour stretches at night, and although I am used to it, 4 or 5 or 6 hour stretches would be glorious!!

Hope everyone enjoys the beautiful weekend!

I'm Five Weeks Old Already!

2009-03-30T17:59:00.000-07:00

Guest Blogger Aiden here...mom is taking a quick cat nap, so I thought I would fill in and let you know what I've been up to. The last 5 weeks have been quite eventful for me, I'll give you the David Letterman Top 10 since February 23rd...

10. I've already been to the beach 2 times!!

9. Mom swaddles me super tight at night...since then my 2 hour insomnia has increased to 4 and 5 hours!

8. Dad makes me hang out on my tummy when he gets home...did you know I rolled over twice yesterday??

7. We got to church on Saturday nights...I humor Mom and Dad by sleeping until right after communion, and then I start squaking!

6. I can pee right over the top of my head, and sometimes I can even hose off the window! (hee hee)

5. Aunt Kelly and Uncle Ben are going to be my godparents! I overheard Grammy saying something about them dunking me at church in May...

4. I like it when Dad reads me Curious George books...I want to be Curious George for Halloween!

3. I stretch a lot!!!

2. I sat in my Bumbo for the first time today, and can almost hold my head without any help!

1. I am growing like a weed!!

Well, I think it's time I eat and poop again! So this is Aiden, signing off until next time!

While He's Sleeping...

2009-03-04T13:40:00.000-08:00

Well, it's about time I got back at it and updated my blog!! I'm sure that by now, you all know that our once nameless, happy little uterus renter is here! On February 23rd at 11:36 am, Aiden Henry Schaecher was born! Andy and I could never have imagined what an incredible blessing he has already been to us in the first 10 days of his life, he truly is amazing and beautiful. I also could never fathom how true the words "your life will never be the same" could have possibly been. THANK YOU to all of you who came to see us in the hospital, have brought us dinner, and have come to visit since we have been home, Aiden is a very lucky little guy to be surrounded by such great family and friends.

I thought for the official record, I would relive the adventure of his birth, you know, for historical purposes!

On Sunday, the 22nd (my actual due date), Andy and I got up to go to church at the Abbey at 9. Obviously anxious, I was on high alert for any possible sign of labor. While in church, I started having pretty bad cramp pain, but it wasn't making the rest of my stomach tight like a braxton hicks contraction, and they weren't regular at all, so I assumed I had bad gas :), and pretty much ignored them. We went about our day of a costco trip, tidying up the house, and making dinner, and I had those pains on and off, but continued to ignore them. About 7 or so, I flopped down on the couch after making dinner, and unintentionally started paying attention to these "gas" pains I kept having, and noticed that they were getting more painful, and seemingly closer together. I called my mom and asked her what she thought, and she thought they might be contractions, but probably my body was just getting ready, so not to worry. So, I was going to do that, but they kept getting worse! Andy decided to start timing them and they were happening about every 7 minutes or so, and lasting about 40ish seconds, and he said "I think these have to be contractions!" (holy smokes, reality check, this could actually be happening!!) Still slightly in denial, we made sure that everything was packed and ready to go, and taking advise from my friend Leah, I hopped in the shower, because she said "who knows when you'll get a shower again" once you head to the hospital! And once in the shower, I decided that this had to be false labor, because the contractions seemed to be less painful, and I didn't notice them as much. But, once out of the shower, they started coming more often (about 3 minutes apart), but only lasted about 20 seconds. We were SO confused!!! So, Andy decided to call the hospital to get their opinion, and they thought this probably was early labor, and to see if I could sleep through them..if not, come on in! Well, they got WAY worse, so we loaded up and headed to the hospital!!

(Me as we left for the hospital...)

So, we zoomed to the hospital and it was so surreal...you wait and wait and wait for all these months, and you think you won't ever get to this point, and then it actually happens, and it just doesn't seem real...it still doesn't seem real!! We got to the hospital a little after midnight, and it still strikes me as funny that when we walked in, the receptionist looked at us kind of funny, and said "What can I help you with?"...and I distinctly remember thinking "what do you think we are for lady??? Dinner reservations??" I mean, not to be a pill, but why else do pregnant ladies and their husbands show up in the birthing center at midnight?? Anyway...

We checked into the triage room, and the nice nurse detirmined that I was dialated to 3 cm, and that was good, but she needed to make sure that I was progressing, so Andy and I got to walk around the hospital for an hour doing the can-can, lunges, and trying to distract myself through contractions that we getting significantly worse. So, an hour later, I was at a 4, and that was good enough to check us in for good! (Thankfully, because at that point there was no way I was going home without a fight!).

At about 2:30 or 3, we got accquainted with what would be our home away from home for the next 3 days, and gave the parents and sisters a jingle to let them know what was going on. They of course, all showed up rather quickly! When we were in the triage room, the nurse asked me what my pain management plan was, and I promptly told her an epidural, and she recommended that I try and get to 5 cm before getting one. So, at 3 am, and 4 cm dialated, I thought I could definitely make it to a 5 no problemo, and that I would hold out until atleast 5 am. Well...the contractions got insanely worse...I tried the bouncy ball thing, the jacuzzi tub, and nothing worked to ease any pain or stop my from shaking (huge props and kudos to those of you who gave birth with no pain meds...amazing). I really had no idea that progressing 1 cm would be anything like it was. Well, 5 am finally rolled around and the nurse came in, and I told her I was ready for my epidural. And finally, at 6:30, I got it, and all was good in the world again! No more shaking, no more pain, and my rear end felt like it was about 10 feet wide! Somebody told me that if I got an epidural, that I would want visitors and would want to chat, and I never believed them until I actually got it, and sure enough, I wanted our families to come in and chat for a bit, and was sending text updates on our progress to a few people! Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that things would have turned from so unbearable to so social!! Andy and I were able to sleep on and off until about 9 or 9:30 in the morning (much needed for sure), and when we woke up, I was 10 cm dialated and ready to go! So, we waited for the doctor to come, and he did about an hour later...and I pushed for a guess about an hour, and at 11:36 am on February 23rd, Aiden Henry was born!!

Patience Grasshopper...

2009-02-13T08:28:00.000-08:00

I don't mean to state the obvious here, but Baby Sheck has not shown up yet. I have told him over and over that his green card has expired and he needs to vacate, but he doesn't seem to be listening...

I had another appointment on Tuesday, but there was really not much progress from last week. I am still 1 cm dialated, but he is no longer "floating", I think the correct medical terminology for that is that he is "engaged". So, I am officially a woman on a mission....trying every suggestion in the book to speed up this process! :) On Wednesday, I think I may have gone a little overboard on the treadmill, and topped it off with "Pollo de el Diablo" aka "Chicken of the Devil" at Ixtapa, because I was quite sure I was going into labor. But, I think I was just suffering from overused back muscles, and a digestive tract that didn't enjoy the devil's chicken. However, the bright side of that was that all the laundry got done, the house is clean, the plants are watered, and Andy knows the signs of labor backwards and forwards! Maybe we'll have a Valentine's Baby...or maybe we'll have a March 1st Baby!

Andy and I are very excited to have received a wonderful gift from Grammy & Grandpa Rava and Nanny and Grandpa Schaecher (the grandpa's need to work on their names!), the nifty Bob Revoloution Stroller that we had been eyeing! I think this is our favorite baby gadget yet!!

Now...if we just had someone to push around in this! I think Andy wants to use it so bad he is close to filling it up with canned food and pushing it down the street!!

One Problem Solved, but One More Question!

2009-02-06T07:55:00.000-08:00

What would we do without Amazon.com?? I think I just might die! We have boughten so much stuff on their lately that I am sure we are in the running for Customer of the Month!! I managed to answer my own question from my previous blog about where to find bassinet bedding, by just going to Amazon! Did you know you can get a bassinett set that has the mattress, pad, and sheets, all in one?? I didn't! Amazing! Everyone reading this is probably laughing and shaking their heads, but I am still excited that I found all of this in the exact size I needed!

So, I have another question, but this one is a little more rhetorical...

How can a person, who will weigh significantly less than an average sized watermelon, and who's daily activities will involve primarily sleeping, eating, pooping, and crying (you'll notice I put those in order of time spent, hoping that the crying won't be going on too much) POSSIBLY NEED SO MUCH STUFF????!!! Or maybe they really don't, and Andy and I are just giant marketing ploy suckers?? (don't answer that one out loud!) We hopefully made our last big trip to Babys R Us on Wednesday...poor Andy, all he has to do is come within 1 mile of that store and he morphs into this sad sad man who knows he has been defeated by the marketing executives of the likes of Carters, Graco, Avent, Huggies, and Gymboree, just to name a few. Please pray that in the next days, weeks, months and years, that Andy and I will have the strength to withstand the force of the evil baby product empire!! :)

...shoot, does he have enough onsies and socks? Maybe the music on that bouncer isn't soothing enough and we should have an alternate just incase??

37 1/2 Weeks...

2009-02-04T15:59:00.000-08:00

and the little bugger hasn't reared his head yet (no pun intended...well not totally anyway!)! Last Tuesday I started going to the doctor weekly, and was 1 cm dialated and 50% effaced. I was so excited and ready to head straight to the hospital, but apparently that's not quite 'in gear' enough to check into the baby hotel! So, yesterday when I went for my appointment, I was hoping for atleast another centimeter (or more), but no such luck, just a little more effaced, and that's about the size of it, literally. Geez, what's with all my funny play-on-words today??!! Hopefully at my appointment next week I will be a little further progressed. So, I guess we are in the "hurry up and wait" mode! Thank you for waiting with me!!

Also, I have an almost-new mom question! I am using the bassinet that my parents used with my sisters and I, and the mattress that it came with is apparently not the same size as the mattresses now (assumption, since I can't find one to save my soul!), thus, the sheets and pads that I ordered for it are way too big! Any suggestions on where to find a new mattress or any nifty retro-fitting ideas??

34 Weeks and Counting!

2009-01-12T20:04:00.000-08:00

I am officially at 34 weeks! So, according to my doctor, in 4 more weeks, we better to be ready to rock n' roll at a moment's notice! Yikes!! I had an appointment last Tuesday, and the kiddo is officially head down, and she says he will be staying put...so Andy can cross "nag Liz about her posture" off of his list. Quick explanation on that one...he read somewhere that if the mom makes sure she has really good posture for the last couple months of pregnancy that you have a better chance of avoiding a breach birth, so he has been nagging me like a maniac about my posture!

I would say we are in full "nesting" mode. We got a ton of stuff crossed off our list this last weekend, including picking out a name!! Yahoo!! Sorry, you will have to wait to meet "Tiny" to find out his name...it's a secret! :) The nursery is 99% done, we just need to put up some nifty alphabet cards, and wait for the name block letters to arrive so we can put those up too. (well, I guess the name isn't a total secret...Andy, myself, and the nice lady at Goodnight Room in Bridgeport who ordered the letters know the name...sorry if I have insulted any of you!)

I am still feeling really great (knock on wood), and my complaints so far are that I can only wear my engagement ring and not my wedding band because my fingers are a little sausagy, and that I am tired of going to the bathroom 80 times a day!! I am feeling very fortunate though, because I know things could be much more uncomfortable!!

Andy and I were able to get away for a "One Last Hurrah" trip up to Seattle over New Years! After the long week he was gone working, it was much needed! We spent 4 days up there, catching up with Andy's college roommate Derek, his wife Bonnie, and their adorable baby girl, Madeline! We did some baby shopping (they have the best stores up there!!), went to the Space Needle, walked around Pikes Market Place, did the Underground City Tour, and just hungout, relaxed, ate yummy food, and the boys drank lots of microbrews! It was really nice to just get away for a few days and not worry about all things waiting for us at home!

I have another doctor appointment on the 27th, and from then on they will be weekly, and I am going to assume be much more eventful than the previous! I promise to keep you updated!!

Cheers to a fabulous and blessed 2009!!

All About Andy

2009-01-12T19:24:00.000-08:00

I saw this on my friend Mary's blog and thought it was nifty change from regular blogs. The idea is to list 10 things about your significant other, so here goes!

1. Andy is the only guy I know who would take off a day from work to stay home and trap the mouse that I saw running around. Mice, Beware!!

2. He has a new love affair with Peanut Butter M&Ms...the guy could eat a 2 pound bag without even taking a breath...truly amazing!

3. Andy is a nostalgia nut! At ever home OSU football game we attend, we must arrive at least 6 hours prior to the game so that he can go in every building he ever had a college class, walk around the entire campus, point out old places he lived, and go to the bookstore at least twice. Oh, and he refuses to sell his first car, a 1992 full-sized Blazer (which, I only curse during the summer because it comes in handy in the in winter with the 4 wheel drive).

4. He is going to be the best dad ever!! (Even if he does get unbelievably frustrated while registering for baby gear because he doesn't have enough information to make an educated choice between an orthodontic and non-orthodontic pacifier. :) )

5. He is a stock market fanatic! If he had his way, he would research stocks 24 hours a day. Today he spent an hour on the phone with the distributor of a product he owns stock in, and is getting a load of product to trial!

6. If a product isn't up to his expectations, he will let the manufacturer know! When he was in college, he bought a box of Nestle Crunch Ice Cream Bars. Well, those bars didn't crunch quite like he thought they should. So, he called up Nestle to report this grievous error, and guess who got 2 boxes of free crunch bars? You guessed it, Andy! I think this same scenario may have been repeated with Coke and Gillette Razor Blades.

7. With the exception of June, July, and August, or days over 65 degrees, he wears at least 1 pair of long underwear at all times, sometimes pushing the space allotment between his wranglers and skin by adding up to 3 "base layers"...the guy hates being cold!!

8. He is an efficiency nut! In his mind, things can always be done better and faster! Take for instance the time we were putting plant cuttings into 4 inch pots. If there was a way to cut 1/2 second off the potting time for each pot, he was going to find it. Needless to say, he almost accidentally got hit over the with a shovel by his lovely wife, and he doesn't try to make me more efficient much anymore! :)

9. He is a great relaxer! Most guys on vacation have to be going going going all the time. Andy is perfectly content to sit and read the paper or lay by the pool for hours and just zone out. In fact, I think he actually prefers this to constant vacation activity.

10. He was the only guy in our birth class to take notes...and he literally took 10 pages. Do you suppose he will bring those with us in the delivery room? Ten bucks says Yes!

It is true, he is a tough guy not to love!!

Let It Snow...No More!

2008-12-21T11:28:00.000-08:00

Just thought I would give you a glimpse into our winter wonderland! Remember to say a quick prayer for all of those people who have to work out in it to keep our power on and roads clear!!Andy's refusal to get rid of his Blazer comes in handy sometimes!!

Andy chaining up the cars...I plan to not leave the driveway until there it is about 50 degrees outside and the snow and ice are back in Alaska where they belong...so the chains were helpful for me to get back into the garage with! :)

A boxwood covered with ice

Merry Christmas to all of you!!
I hope that you enjoy a warm and peaceful day, and that God's Blessings are all around!

Two Months to Go!

2008-12-21T11:06:00.000-08:00

Well folks, I would say the countdown has officially begun, atleast around here it has. Eight weeks from tomorrow (Monday, Dec. 22nd), "Tiny" as we refer to him as, should hopefully (knock on wood that he doesn't camp out another 2 weeks) show up! We have emergency phone numbers together, the nursery 98% done, birthing classes completed (how come nobody makes you watch those horrible videos BEFORE you decided to enter the world of parenthood???) and Andy is chomping at the bit to pack our hospital bags...not to mention nagging me almost hourly to have good posture so that the kid isn't breach (he apparently read that somewhere and it stuck...shoot, I better quit slouching while I type this).

Views of the nursery...

I plan to put block letters of his name above the crib...

if we ever decide on a name that is!!

Needless to say, we can't wait to meet our little guy, and officially start our little family of 3!! (Plus, it's getting tough to put on my socks and tie my shoes!!)

Preggo Update

2008-12-05T15:39:00.000-08:00

Since this blog is supposed to be about my adventures in pregnancy, I thought I would give you an update! As of Sunday, November 31st, I am 28 weeks along. I can't believe I am already that far, it is amazing how fast it has gone, and insanely terrifying!! Although I am still a little in denial, I think I am definitely officially "showing", but, thanks to the amazing invention of rubberbands, I can still wear one pair of pre-preggo jeans! He (sorry no names yet!) is rather rambunctious, making me think I have a true mini-Andy on my hands...no chuckling Nancy & Joan!

Yesterday (Thursday) I had another prenatal appointment, and it just happened to be the one where I had to drink the glucose stuff (it tasted like a combo between flat Sprite and a really sugary snow cone...gross!) to find out if I had gestational diabetes. And, an hour and one finger prick later, I didn't pass the test!! So, this morning at 7:30am, Andy (my moral support) and I (and one hungry stomach) drove over to the hospital and made ourselves at home for 1 more yummy glucose drink and a series of 4 blood draws over 3 hours to find out if I really had gestational diabetes. Luckily, we didn't have to stay at the hospital in between blood draws, so we drove up to my office to check in, went and saw Andy's sister Kelly for a little while, and poked around Silverton to kill time. And, I am happy to report that my test results were normal, and I am diabetes free! Yahoo!! What a HUGE relief!!

Tonight and tomorrow we have our child birth classes...

don't worry, I promise to fill you in on all the scary details!

Have a great weekend!

Slow & Steady Wins the Race!

2008-11-23T11:22:00.000-08:00

ANLI Ornamentals has made it's first sale!! Incase you didn't know, ANLI Ornamentals is the name of our little nursery that consists of 99.9% expenses and now, .01% income! I know it will be a long road ahead making those percentages switch, but for now, we'll take what we can get! In all honesty though, most of the credit goes to Andy, since it is he who does most of the actual physical labor, I just mostly provide the food to keep him working!

Good work Andy!

How to Carve a Giant Pumpkin!

2008-11-05T18:25:00.000-08:00

Haven't you always wondered how to carve a pumpkin that weights 200+ pounds?

Well, wonder no more!

My dad got 1, single, solitary seed for a gianormous pumpkin plant, which he lovingly watered and fertilized (and probably fed beer and wine to) all summer long, producing 4 pumpkins, too heavy to even roll. A pallet and tractor later, they wound up in my parent's front yard, just waiting for someone to come and carve them. So, on October 31st, we set out to carve them. And carve we did...with a small chain saw, and thanks to DeWalt's lovely invention, we also employeed a "sawsall".

And there you have it...a pictoral lesson on how to carve pumpkins so mighty that even when carved, hollowed out, and degutted, Andy and my dad could barely lift them ...

(thus the hand cart).

And, my appologies for being so delinquent in posting...I was in Kansas City over the weekend, enjoying the 75 degree weather, but learning to appreciate the beauty of Oregon's multi-leveled landscape...man that place is flat!!Until next time, Happy November!

So Long Chateau...

2008-10-27T18:56:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know, that my goal (crazy or not) is to have the nursery completely done by Thanksgiving. My thought process being that Thanksgiving and Christmas are basically one giant blur, and that by the time January 1 rolls around, February 22nd will practically be here, and I will probably be big as a house! So, on Saturday, Andy and I started in...

Currently, well, until last friday, our guest bedroom was lovingly referred to as "The Chateau", our own little guest oasis for the many folks that travel great distances to be entertained and to relax on the Schaecher Estate. Okay, maybe that is a bit of an exageration, because really, it was just our friends Katie & Cameron that would come from Portland for long weekends of The Office marathons, french toast, and costco trips, and trust me, this place is pretty far from what I would consider an "estate"! Anyway, back to the story. But, our most heartfelt appologies to K&C, your oasis has been moved upstairs to the lodge.

So, on Saturday, Andy and I dismantled The Chateau, and prepared for what would be 7 long, knee torturing, brain taxing hours of putting together 4 pieces of baby furniture.

Victory!! Well...over the first 2 of 4 pieces!!

Now isn't that the cutest thing you've ever seen??

So, at about 8:30 Saturday night, we finished!! I can't say we were both happy campers, but at least we were done! Our next step in this glorious process is to refinish a rocking chair...well, I say "our", really it is Andy's, as he has refused to let me come within 25 feet of anything that may or may not be malodorous....I'll keep you posted on that project as well, as it is sure to produce some great pictures, probably primarily of Andy's growling face :)

Until next time!

Liz

Thanks For Stopping!

2008-10-27T17:09:00.000-07:00

Hello Blogland!

At the urging of my inner-nag, I have decided to start a blog to keep our family and friends up-to-date on the goings on of the Schaecher Household, and the activities surrounding the anticipated arrival of Andy Junior (don't get excited now, we aren't naming him Andy...)! Hopefully I will be on top of things enough to keep this regularly updated, but if I don't, kindly give me a kick in the rear so I don't become one of those annoying bloggers who never updates and then wonders "why doesn't anyone read my blog?".

At any rate, thanks for stopping by, come again soon!

Liz