Eight Down, One To Go

Critter is definitely growing in preparation for his big arrival, and with officially one month left to go, I'm feeling a little better about how soon that day could be.  I realize you can't predict when these little ones will come, but I'm still enjoying the countdown now that it's a much less overwhelming number.  And I feel so relieved about the diminishing count now that we have a few essentials...

Baby Laundry Detergent and Diapers!

And a Pack 'N Play! 

...which I put together in the living room and then had to collapse down to get it in the bedroom.  It was seriously about a half an inch too wide to just roll down the hall and through the door.  Luckily it's a pack 'n play, so relocating isn't that hard :)        (Thank you Mimi & Grandpa)

In its new home...  just waiting for the little guy.

And that's us too... just waiting for the little guy.  Friday is 36 weeks, so we're just about full term with a fully baked little Critter.  Yay!  Can't wait to meet him!

Bald Cupcakes

So what do you do with a million cherries when you can't bake a pie?  Seriously.  I bought some fruit from a stand earlier this week, and I ended up with zillions of cherries.  So I Googled recipes with cherries.  Luckily, I came across something I could bake.  Cherry chocolate muffins!  I'm obviously more of a cupcake fan than muffin, but let's be honest, a muffin is basically a bald cupcake.  But the best part is that because they're muffins, we can eat them for breakfast too and not just dessert :)

I told you, LOTS OF CHERRIES!

The little guys just out of the oven

I think they'd be really good with a light icing on top, but butter is good too... since they are muffins :)

Marcus isn't a huge cherry fan, but he was much more excited to eat one than this picture shows.  Promise :)

Just so you can see how many cherries were left after making these...

Don't they kind of look like this cute cupcake I got for my birthday???  :)

And We're 50!

Well, we're both now 25!  (So collectively, fifty!)  Weird.  :)  

Marcus got so excited the night before my birthday that he convinced me it was close enough he could give me my birthday presents.  :)  I hadn't been much help with suggesting reasonable ideas, so I had no idea what he had planned.  And his explanation was something like they were things I probably didn't realize I wanted or needed but did actually need them.  I called them my Birthday Bling.  :)

I definitely have a thing for hair bows.  It's something girly I actually really enjoy.  The problem is that I  don't make them, and they can get pricey.  So my collection grows slowly.  But I've got a cute little display of them now:

My two new bows :)  

(The brown and blue ones that were in the middle)

Then Marcus pulled out another box, that he'd wrapped very well in BBB purple ribbon.  I wonder where he'd found that :)

A pretty new watch!

I hadn't realized how scratched my old one was until he mentioned it.  And this one definitely looks a little fancier.  I really like it.  And he likes how he found a good deal.  So we were both excited about the gift.  He'd matched my style really well with no help :)

I opened a few cards in the morning (a big thanks to those who sent them!), and two boxes will be coming in the mail from my mom.  Our awesome baby shower gifts and a few more maternity shirts she found at a mall in Phoenix.  I guess she couldn't resist :)  But I'm excited-- presents in the mail are the best!  Especially when it extends your birthday out a few more days!  Thank you in advance, Mom!

I wore the brown bow and watch to work on my birthday.  And then to dinner after we both got off work.  We went to Benihana, of course.  We love their birthday coupons!  If you don't get them, sign up!  Seriously!  We had the best chef ever.  He was hilarious.  We've been to Benihana together a few times, but he had new tricks and jokes.  He was a cute Hispanic guy who told us everything came from Japan, except him-- he was from China.  Haha.  And the food was so good.  Man, I love their steak and zucchini!

At Benihana

A picture of the picture they take for your birthday when they bring you ice cream and sing.

And we brought home slices of cheesecake from Junior's at Grand Central.  Not quite our usual cupcake treats, but these are just too good.  And Marcus had me keep the 25 candles from his birthday for this.  :)  But he may now be regretting that since the since the wax dripped and attacked him...

Definitely a great birthday.  And today, Marcus took his last summer Friday, so he gets off work at one.    We're planning to see a movie at our small, local theater and then probably get soaked because it looks like rain.  But I'm excited anyway.  Thanks so much-- it was a wonderful birthday.  Definitely not as scary as I thought it would be to turn a quarter of a century.  :)

Oceanside

It's time for the annual beach update!  Yay :)  We love going to Oceanside every year, and we were really looking forward to the vacation this summer.  Marcus and I arrived Saturday with the rest of the Gardner family and stayed through Thursday (before heading to Oakland for Paden's wedding).  Only a couple of these pictures are from my phone/camera, but most were stolen from my mom.  Thanks :)

The house this year 

(We had actually stayed here years ago, but now we needed both the top floor and the bottom-- then we made it with just half!)

The backyard

Hanging out on the grass

Brad and Ada reading

Brian reading

Ada and her Uncle Randy

Mimi playing Mexican Train
(I think it must be her favorite game)

The Scrabble Table

BEACH!

Ada the movie star

Enjoying the beach air

Brian and Marcus

Relaxing outside

Me and Critter -- proof he's there

Trevor and Ada, now that she's not afraid of him anymore :)

Mimi, Grandpa, and Ada

Catching waves

My mom, Ada, and the girl staying next door :)

Marcus and Brian heading out

Chandler, Trevor, Marcus, Kade, and Brian digging

Grandpa and Ada

Trevor and his girlfriend Chandler

Brian, Trev, Marcus, and me

Kade, Debbie, Gage, Jeff, Jake, and Alyssa

Mimi and Grandpa

Chandler and Trevor

My mom and dad

Siblings

Jake and his fiance! :)  He proposed to Alyssa at the beach!  We missed the big proposal, but everyone else watched it on the beach.

And right before we left, my mom gave me an early birthday present

OOoo, what is it?!  Besides a freaking cute bag and case

Love it!  A necklace with blue baby foot prints

And a music charm :)

We had a great week at the beach.  Relaxed the entire time.  Read a lot.  Marcus napped and swam.  I stood in the waves but no intense swimming this year :)  Only 51 weeks until next year.  haha.  Thanks Mimi and Grandpa!