Cooking at Home
So since staying at home full time, I've had the chance to plan out meals more and have the time to get them ready in time for when Ryan arrives home from work. My first week home, we ate a lot of leftovers from the baby shower (I knew I made too much); this second week, I got inspired by The Pioneer Woman cooking show that's available on Netflix, and binge-watched several episodes. I used to follow her blog religiously many years ago, but then fell off that wagon and moved on. I still make Pastor Ryan's Chicken Tikka Masala from her blog several times and know the recipe by heart. Several other recipes that I think I only made once, but remember them being scrumptious.
So I revisited her blog to get inspired again and decided to make some recipes this week. On Monday, I made Chicken Spaghetti--incredibly easy and reminds me of my own Chicken Pot Pie. The verdict: probably would have been tastier if I had added more salt, and also I only had one can of cream soup when the recipe calls for two. Just because it's so easy, I'd probably make it again, but I don't think it's mind-blowing or anything.
Last night, I made Orange Chicken which I liked better (of course, I like everything Asian!) and served it with white rice and broccoli.
The next meal I planned for was a Sour Cream Noodle Bake...but I have so many leftovers from the past two days, it seems wrong to keep making new dishes (and yes, I froze some already for when the baby comes, but I intentionally left a little in the fridge for my own lunches. However, my stomach is so big, I can't really eat too much at one time so the food is just sitting there).
I do have tons of shredded chicken left from when I boiled a whole chicken for Monday's dinner, so I'm racking my brain as to what I should do with it tonight. Fried rice? Maybe pesto pasta (I have so much basil from the baby shower and need to use it up before it goes bad) with chicken?
I still have some time to decide.
Other news: apparently I can't escape teaching even though I technically stopped working. First week I was off, my next door neighbor asked me to start teaching her teenage daughter. I've already taught two lessons, and I can tell that as convenient as it'd be to teach out of my home, it would be complete chaos when this baby arrives AND with two dogs. Last night, I'm teaching her and then my dog DEMANDS to go outside and I know it's an emergency. I let her out while having my student play scales, and of course Zoe has diarrhea :(. Needless to say, I had to cut the lesson short so I could deal with that mess. I'm trying to imagine a crying, vomiting, poopy baby with poopy, barking dogs, and I'm already overwhelmed with that scenario.
Pretty soon, I should have the nursery cleaned up and ready for pictures. I should probably start packing my hospital bag, too. Still need to order a few more baby things, but they're not dire. If she came today, I think we'd be fine.
I'm in awe that even though I've been feeling her move all these months and I know she is a real, living being...I just can't FATHOM her at this moment. I've dreamed about her, imagined her...but I know the reality of her won't be the same as in my dreams or imagination. I still feel strange referring her by her name when talking to Ryan, but know that when she is out and living with us and growing up, calling her by her name will be so normal and natural to us. But it's difficult to comprehend right now.
My current goal right now, though: resting! My feet and hands have gotten more swollen. I've been walking around the house barefoot (ha, barefoot and pregnant, har har) but put on some summer sandals yesterday to have lunch at my neighbor's house yesterday and was shocked at how TIGHT they were and gross my feet looked in them. So the goal is to drink lots of water, keep my feet up, but also perhaps try to walk on the treadmill today (because apparently for swollen feet, pregnant ladies need to rest AND stay physically active?! whaaa, okay).
That's it for now. Life is pretty boring when you stay at home :(
So I revisited her blog to get inspired again and decided to make some recipes this week. On Monday, I made Chicken Spaghetti--incredibly easy and reminds me of my own Chicken Pot Pie. The verdict: probably would have been tastier if I had added more salt, and also I only had one can of cream soup when the recipe calls for two. Just because it's so easy, I'd probably make it again, but I don't think it's mind-blowing or anything.
Last night, I made Orange Chicken which I liked better (of course, I like everything Asian!) and served it with white rice and broccoli.
The next meal I planned for was a Sour Cream Noodle Bake...but I have so many leftovers from the past two days, it seems wrong to keep making new dishes (and yes, I froze some already for when the baby comes, but I intentionally left a little in the fridge for my own lunches. However, my stomach is so big, I can't really eat too much at one time so the food is just sitting there).
I do have tons of shredded chicken left from when I boiled a whole chicken for Monday's dinner, so I'm racking my brain as to what I should do with it tonight. Fried rice? Maybe pesto pasta (I have so much basil from the baby shower and need to use it up before it goes bad) with chicken?
I still have some time to decide.
Other news: apparently I can't escape teaching even though I technically stopped working. First week I was off, my next door neighbor asked me to start teaching her teenage daughter. I've already taught two lessons, and I can tell that as convenient as it'd be to teach out of my home, it would be complete chaos when this baby arrives AND with two dogs. Last night, I'm teaching her and then my dog DEMANDS to go outside and I know it's an emergency. I let her out while having my student play scales, and of course Zoe has diarrhea :(. Needless to say, I had to cut the lesson short so I could deal with that mess. I'm trying to imagine a crying, vomiting, poopy baby with poopy, barking dogs, and I'm already overwhelmed with that scenario.
Pretty soon, I should have the nursery cleaned up and ready for pictures. I should probably start packing my hospital bag, too. Still need to order a few more baby things, but they're not dire. If she came today, I think we'd be fine.
I'm in awe that even though I've been feeling her move all these months and I know she is a real, living being...I just can't FATHOM her at this moment. I've dreamed about her, imagined her...but I know the reality of her won't be the same as in my dreams or imagination. I still feel strange referring her by her name when talking to Ryan, but know that when she is out and living with us and growing up, calling her by her name will be so normal and natural to us. But it's difficult to comprehend right now.
My current goal right now, though: resting! My feet and hands have gotten more swollen. I've been walking around the house barefoot (ha, barefoot and pregnant, har har) but put on some summer sandals yesterday to have lunch at my neighbor's house yesterday and was shocked at how TIGHT they were and gross my feet looked in them. So the goal is to drink lots of water, keep my feet up, but also perhaps try to walk on the treadmill today (because apparently for swollen feet, pregnant ladies need to rest AND stay physically active?! whaaa, okay).
That's it for now. Life is pretty boring when you stay at home :(
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