Ben Kweller - Penny On The Train Track

Make Me Laugh Monday (okay, I know its Tuesday): Little girl and monsters

Trying to Post!

I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm not totally slacking again. I'm in Cleveland so I'm a little behind, but I've been trying to post for 2 days now and can't get any pictures or videos to post. I'll keep trying, but I just wanted to let people know that I'm working on it!
Sorry!

Tasty Tuesday: 20 Worst Foods In America

I stole this list from Melissa Worthen's blog because I thought it was so interesting. Eating out three times a day is making me crazy anyway and once I read this I'm even more disgusted by the whole thing! I can't wait until I get my kitchen back! As you read, keep in mind that 2,500 calories a day is a reasonable intake for the average guy. (by the way Dad, check out the worst Mexican entree, sorry!)

If you want to read the rest of the article...which you will..go to
http://www.menshealth.com/eatthis/worstffchicken.html

The Worst Fast-Food Chicken Meal
20- Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips from McDonald's (5 pieces) with creamy ranch sauce
830 calories55g fat (4. 5g trans fat)48 g carbs

The Worst Drink
19-Jamba Juice Chocolate Moo'd Power Smoothie (30 fl oz)
900 calories10 g fat 183 g carbs (166 g sugar)

The Worst Supermarket Meal
18-Pepperidge Farm Roasted Chicken Pot Pie (whole pie)
1,020 calories 64 g fat 86 g carbs

The Worst Healthy Burger
17-Ruby Tuesday Bella Turkey Burger
1,145 calories 71 g fat 56 g carbs

The worst Mexican Entree
16-Chipotle Mexican Grilled Chicken Burrito
1,179 calories 7 g fat 125 g carbs 2,656 mg sodium

The Worst Kids Meal
15-Macaroni Grill Double Macaroni 'n' Cheese
1,210 calories 62 g fat 3,450 mg sodium

The Worst Sandwich
14-Quizno's Chicken Carbonara (large)
1,510 calories 82 g fat 3,750 mg sodium 106 g carbs

The Worst Salad
13-On the Border Grande Taco Salad with Taco Beef
1,450 calories 102 g fat 78 g carbs 2,410 mg sodium

The Worst Burger
12-Carl's Jr. Double Six Dollar Burger
1,520 calories 111 g fat

The Worst Steak
11-Lonestar 20 oz T-bone
1,540 calories 124 g fat

The Worst Breakfast
10-Bob Evans Caramel Banana Pecan Cream Stacked and Stuffed Hotcakes
1,540 calories 77 g fat (9 g trans fat) 198 g carbs(109 g sugar)

The Worst Dessert
9-Chili's Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
1,600 calories 78 g fat 215 g carbs
***Calorie equivalant of 3 Big Macs!!

The Worst Chinese Entree
8-P.F. Chang's Pork Lo Mein
1,820 calories 127 g fat 95 g carbs

The Worst Chicken Entree
7-Chili's Honey Chipotle Crispers with Chipotle Sauce
2,040 calories 99 g fat 240 g carbs

The Worst Fish Entree
6-On the Border Dos XX Fish Tacos with Rice and Beans
2,100 calories 130 g fat 169 g carbs 4,750 mg sodium

The Worst Pizza
5-Uno Chicago Grill Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza
2,310 calories 162 g fat 123 g carbs 4,470 mg sodium

The Worst Pasta
4-Macaroni Grill Spaghetti and Meatballs with Meat Sauce
2,430 calories 128 g fat 207 g carbs 5,290 mg sodium

The Worst Nachos
3-On the Border Stacked Border Nachos
2,740 calories 166 g fat 191 g carbs 5,280 mg sodium

The Worst Starter
2-Chili's Awesome Blossom
2,710 calories 203 g fat 194 g carbs 6,360 mg sodium

The Worst Food In America
1-Outback Steakhouse Aussie Cheese Fries with Ranch Dressing
2,900 calories 182 g fat 240 g carbs

Lots to Celebrate!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

I can't believe how different a holiday can be from one place to another. When I first moved out to Idaho I was totally shocked on my first St. Patty's Day here-nothing happens! Growing up in Cleveland, it is one of the biggest holidays of the year. It is rare you could find anyone not wearing green or celebrating in some way or another. School isn't "officially" canceled, but if you show up you are bound to be one of only a few kids in each of your classes. I have tons of fun memories of St Patty's day in high school: green donuts, shamrock shakes, being in the big parade (or getting kicked out of it- which was even more fun), just to name a few. Because I love all holidays, I was so sad when I realized that nobody out here really even cares that it is St Patrick's day so I've tried to keep at least a little bit of celebration going each year on my own. No, I don't bust out kegs of green beer and hang out in the streets, so it isn't quite like being in Cleveland, but I at least wear green and try to make some fun St Patty's treats. A few years ago I even bought some shamrock dishes and I usually attempt a traditional Irish meal for dinner to try and make it fun. Well, this year is going to be by far the most boring St Patty's Day ever for us here in Idaho! Without a kitchen to cook in there will be no green treats and to Trav's great relief that also means no corned beef and cabbage for dinner (he hates it)! I'm not even sure if I own any green clothing that will fit over my big belly, I'll have to go look, and the cute shamrock dishes and other decorations are packed away with everything else I own! So I'm a little sad about missing a holiday, but next year I'll just have to go all out! I stole a couple pictures from one of my best friends, Lindsay, just to show you Idaho people what this holiday is like in the rest of the world! (hope you don't mind linds) They've already been celebrating all weekend!




Not only is today St Patrick's Day, but it is also one of my best friends birthdays. And not just any friend, it is Abbie's birthday, my redheaded, irish step dancing friend! I just think that is so perfect! And this year Abbie has even more to celebrate than her St Patty's Day birthday...Her boyfriend Dan popped the big question this weekend and it's official, they are tying the knot! I am so freakin excited for Abbie, she is so happy and no one deserves it more! She is one of the very best friends I've ever had and still some of my best memories of my entire life are the times we spent together. I don't get to see her much these days, but still love her to death and can't wait to see her next week and get all the fun details. Happy Birthday and Congratulations Abs (and Dan)!! I can't wait for your big day!

Make Me Laugh Monday: Attack of the Killer Mice

Well, amongst all the other chaos and drama that has been going on over the past few weeks the most traumatic event of all happened about 2 weeks ago. Travis and I had just come home from a nice dinner date at the collage and I, as usual, thought I was going to pee my pants by the time we got to the house (one of the many joys of pregnancy) so I hopped out of the car before it had even come to a complete stop and ran as fast as I could to our master bathroom and sat down on the toilet. That is when my worst nightmare of all time came true. I saw a mouse run across the other side of the room and crawl into a hole in our cabinets (thanks to them not being finished)! I cannot even describe the horror that ran through my body! I really honestly thought I might have a heart attack right there on the toilet! I screamed so loud I thought a neighbor might call the police, yet Travis was still out in the garage and somehow didn't hear me. I picked my feet up off the floor and continued to scream bloody murder for about five minutes straight. The mouse was long gone, but I didn't know what to do with myself. Finally Travis heard my screams and came dashing in. As soon as he came in I started to explain what happened and burst into hysterical tears! I was seriously traumatized. I made Travis carry me to the bed and I cried all night long! I had never seen a mouse in person before, except in a pet store. It was horrifying! I couldn't bring myself to walk on the floor in the bathroom for almost two straight weeks.

My family got such a kick out of my trauma! I'm not sure why they find my fright so hilarious (maybe the fact that I was on the toilet added to the humor), but I'm glad I can provide them with some entertainment! So a few days later I got this email from my sister, and the subject line read "Remember the last time you were attacked by mice?"



First of all, Lex you have too much time on your hands! But it totally made my day, and I really needed a good laugh this week! Thanks! But you could have used a more flattering picture! (Jimmy, your gross emails of mice pictures made me sick, I didn't love those.)

On a happier note...

Everyone has been bugging me for a baby update, so here it is!

First of all, The Bellies!




As you can see, the bellies (both of them) are growing everyday! Having to eat out 3 meals a day (see last post) is obviously having its effect on both of us, okay mostly me! I still can't believe it is going to get SO much bigger in the next four months!

Second, for those of you that haven't heard...I'm having an alien baby! I can't believe I'm actually going to post these pictures but they are too freaky and crazy not to! Travis and I came home from dinner one night and as I was taking off my coat I looked down and was shocked to see a large bump on my bump! It looked like my baby was pregnant! It was the weirdest thing, so we took pictures and sent them off to family to see what they thought. After a few intrigued and concerned phone calls from our moms and families, I decided to go to the doctor just to be safe. Turns out it really isn't too big of a deal. It is called diastasis recti and means that my abdominal muscles split apart in the middle allowing the contents of my stomach (baby, uterus, etc) to bulge through the middle in a sort of mock hernia. Sounds nasty, I know, but it really just means I'll have to work extra hard after the baby is born to ever have a normal looking stomach again! So please ignore the grossness of looking at my pasty white flabby tummy and just enjoy the weirdness of these pictures!

Home Sweet Home??

Excuses, excuses! I know excuses don't make it better, but here is mine anyway! This is my excuse for everything in the last 3 weeks or so... not blogging, not returning phone calls, not responding to emails... you name it, if it was in the last few weeks, this is why I didn't get it done!

Building our home was a dream come true, or at least it felt like it 5 months ago. Now it is feeling much more like a nightmare! Without going into too much of the gorey details, I wanted to show you all a little bit of how we are living. Yes, we are actually living in this house, or at least sleeping there. I know that in the end it will all turn out okay and be the house that we have dreamed of, but right now it just seems like a never ending nightmare (and the pregnancy hormones don't help)! Let's just say that when we started this journey I never thought it would come to tears, chaos, and arguments!

So I apologize for being anti-social and neglecting everything else, and mostly I apologize to all of you who checked my blog and had to see Keith's face every time you did! I swear I'm going to try to do better!