Encyclopedia of Mollie: F

(ok, ok, I sort of skipped E. I seriously couldn't think of anything. I'll do it when I find something eeeeenteresting to write about)

Encyclopedia of Mollie

Volume F

Fancy Thursday:

I do love the "Dress Code" at my office, mostly because there is none. We wear jeans, the guys wear t-shirts and hoodies. The higher-ups wear dresses and ties and such, though you can tell when they don't have a meeting schedule with Cyma that day because they come dressed like the rest of us. It has certainly helped my maternity wardrobe, because I can plan mix and match with my three basics -- jeans, tank top, cardigan (rinse and repeat). But some days, you just need to dress it up. Thursdays are those days for me. I call them "Fancy Thursday". Thursdays are rough days at the office -- lots of meetings, lots of schedules due, lots of running around, not usually enough time to eat a full meal, and lots of last-minute-throw-out-everything-you-did-today-and-do-it-over sort of changes. However, if you KNOW it's going to happen, it's not so bad. And if you look cute doing it, well that doesn't hurt either. Here's my theory: if I look adorable, that's one less thing I have to worry about. Even if my whole day goes in the pooper, I can still say, "At least I look cute."

We had a show on a few years ago, "Queen Bees". I think it deserved another season, but unfortunately, they didn't ask me. But there was one girl, Stacy (pronounced "st-AH-see", of course), and she had the best quote of the whole series:

Fertility Awareness:

Fertility Awareness refers to a set of practices used to determine the fertile and infertile phases of a woman's menstrual cycle. Fertility awareness methods may be used to avoid pregnancy, to achieve pregnancy, or as a way to monitor gynecological health (wiki). About two years ago I decided to stop using The Pill, mostly because my moods were all crazy and I was going to need to stop at some point anyway if I wanted to make babies. I had heard about this method and soon became a convert/unofficial spokesperson. Seriously, Toni Weschler should cut me a check for the number of people I've told to go get her book, Taking Charge of Your Fertility. Every woman should read this book. Full stop.

Anyway, some people think it's a little controversial, mostly because other methods like "The Rhythm Method" and "Natural Family Planning" have a religious and downright ineffective reputation. This book teaches a more scientific and objective method, which can be just as effective as hormonal and barrier contraceptives. And, on the plus side, when you're ready to get pregnant, it tends to give you an edge on pin-pointing ovulation (downside -- it makes you one of those patients who ultrasound techs hate, since you argue with them about your due date and say things like, "Did YOU take my Basal Body Temperature every day? No. I did. Were YOU there when this baby was conceived? No. I was."). 

Birth Control/conception aside, I also found it super helpful in pin-pointing the original issues I went OFF the pill in the first place. Turns out my body does not respond well to the progesterone lingering around in my body about a week before my period, and I turn into a sullen, weepy person who wants to crawl into a hole, and if you (read: my husband) prevent me from crawling into said hole, I yell at you about something completely unrelated. However, if my FAM chart is sitting on the nightstand, and you (again read: my husband) takes a gander and sees that we are in the "Progesterone Dark Time", then you'll know to ignore most of the things I say, allow me to crawl into my hole, and everyone will be happier once I emerge. Problem solved.

Foliage:

I grew up in New England. We are famous for a few distinct things in New England: Independence from Great Brittan (I know most of the planning happened in Philadelphia, but, despite what Michele Bachmann thinks, the Battle Lexington and Concord did happen in Massachusetts, along with the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere, John Adams, etc. etc.); The Red Sox; and Seasons. Children who grow up in the Northeast are often surprised to learn that other parts of the country/world do not have "seasons" as we know them. We take for granted that, in winter, it snows nearly every day (every few years, it will also snow on Mother's Day); in summer, it thunder-storms for about 10-20 minutes every day ("If you don't like the weather, wait 10 minutes" was my grandfather's favorite saying); and, most importantly, the trees change color. While on the outside we complain about the "Leaf-Peepers" who invade our roads every fall, drive really REALLY slowly and take pictures of our front yards, inside we're thinking, "Yeah, that's right. You WISH you lived here." (Unless they're creepy, like the one guy who I found one day literally IN my front yard with a tripod as I got off the bus in the 4th grade, who tried to talk to me about setting up a daily photo shoot and was my mommy home? No, he was just creepy.)

I've recently discovered that the mental image of red and orange leaves falling from a tree lowers my blood pressure (as documented by my midwife). Currently looking for good screensaver/youtube video of falling leaves to keep with me at all times.

Fried stuff with cheese:

Note: There is a FriedStuffWithCheese.com, Fried Stuff with Cheese Facebook page, and of course, the scene from Friends with a "what if Monica and Joey got together":

My friend/co-worker came up to me a few weeks ago and asked, "What is your favorite food?" "Fried stuff with cheese," I replied, before even swiveling around in my chair to see who had asked. I later learned that she was helping to plan my upcoming baby shower, where the theme of the food, I've heard, is "Good Bad Food" (bad-for-you food that is delicious). But yes, my favorite foods include things like Chicken Fingers, Mozzarella Sticks, Jalapeño Poppers, Pizza, Grilled Cheese, and Deep-Fried Anything. I purposely do NOT own a deep fryer, because I would use it. Every once in a while, "Date Night" means, "let's go to a bar so I can eat Mozzarella Sticks for dinner." The only real craving I had during this pregnancy was for cheese . . . processed, molten, not even in the dairy family CHEESE!!!! I'm talking about Movie Theater Nachos, Nathans Cheese Fries, Salsa Con Queso "CHEESE". And I ate it. And it was amazing.

  

Some of my fondest memories are of Fried things and/or Cheese.


Our 2nd anniversary dinner was at a restaurant called "Strip House". The wine was amazing, the steak was tender and juicy . . . but the bread sticks . . .


OH.


MY.


GOD.


I believe they are listed in the menu as "Warm Garlic Bread with Gorgonzola Fondue". Basically, it is a Jenga-style pyramid of fried garlic bread sitting in a pool of warm Gorgonzola.

(OH. MY. GOD.)

Many a birthday has been spent over Fondue. Many a cooking adventure has involved deep-frying things.

        

(Donuts, Oreos, Empanadas)

“Friends”:

I can't help it. I just love this show. I'm actually surprised that I don't have the entire series on DVD. $140 is just a lot to spend on DVDs. I have most of them illegally yanked off Napster (that ages me, doesn't it?), and I've watched them so many times, I don't actually have to "watch" them, I can just listen to them. On nights when I'm alone in the apartment, I put them on to go to sleep. They're my Friends, and they're oddly comforting.

<-- Volume E

Volume G -->

Hostess Cake Balls

effing YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Homemade Hostess Cupcake Cake Balls

One Year to an Organized Life . . . with Baby

I love love LOVE Regina Leeds and her book series "One Year to an Organized Life."

     

I picked up her "Work Life" book on the free table at my office and devoured it. Lots of good times for leaving your work at work, and leaving your desk not in shambles. I ran out and got the original "Organized Life" book, and while I don't think I made it all the way through, it did help a bit while packing for the Big Move last summer. In general, her tips are really simple and easy to implement. The idea of changing your world over a year is way more manageable than throwing all the tips at you and expecting them to stick. Every month has a set of habits, and every week has one project, broken down over a few days, to gradually get your life back in order.

The Simple Mom blog recently had a giveaway for "One Year to an Organized Life with Baby", and I was surprised at myself that I hadn't already picked it up. Amazon.com, a the next day, I had it in my hand. Technically you're supposed to get it at the beginning of pregnancy and do the steps gradually, but it's possible to use it in the throws of one's third trimester.

I am simultaneously doing my appropriate week's project (this week is "Shop for Postpartum Supplies") and reading it from the beginning. While I give myself an A+ for having done most of the big stuff already (Birth Plan, childcare, etc.) there are a few things I hadn't gotten to yet.

For example, week 9 -- Banish Paper Pile-Ups. This is meant to get my home free of the piles of mail, magazines, bills, etc that are currently living on my kitchen island. I have the theory of a filing system in there somewhere, it just doesn't get implemented, and is therefore not a system. Week 13 -- Take Care of Business. We have the Will drafted (oy, not fun), the 529 planned (Chris actually DOES think that is fun), but Life Insurance is still up in the air for me . . . a piece of advice: don't attempt CIGNA if you're ever been to a therapist. They think you're a menace to society and liable to throw yourself, your spouse, and any innocent bystanders in front of a moving train, regardless of your diagnosis, or lack thereof. Anyway . . . There was also the steps for preparing my office for my absence. I think week 13 was too early for this anyway, but the tips definitely came in handy this week. I've made more How-To documents and set up more training meetings in the last few days. Mondays are slow, so today was Cube Cleaning day -- I cleared off the bulletin board, and emptied the drawers for things that I should take home. There was a lot of junk. It's weird how gung-ho I get throwing stuff away . . . or of like a high.

Week 14 was Organize Your Closet, which I tackled this weekend. I had taken a stab at it a few months ago, and got rid of all clothing that would never fit again (the size C and D bras and size 8 pants), and put away most things that won't fit for a while. This weekend I took it one step further, tossing shoes that were warn out, clothing I haven't worn in years, and extra hats, scarves, and mittens that just take up space.
Week 20 was Organize Your Kitchen, which I will tackle this week. My kitchen is not too bad, especially because I cook a lot now. Things are in good places, but I think there are a great many items that we never use that could be given away or put away better (e.g. I loved our electric skillet, but our new stove has a griddle, so we hardly ever use it anymore. I think I may shove it in the cabinet above the fridge with Nana's china).

The next few missed weeks have to do with setting up the nursery (almost done!) and registering for baby showers (oops, too late now). I'm looking forward to the "Planning for Co-Parenting" chapter, as I think it may have some concrete techniques for Dad (what he should do when he's not allowed to feed the baby yet) and for the two-career household, before and after I go back to work (how can he help when he has to work in the AM and I don't, and then how do we deal when we BOTH have to work). After that, I think I'll be back on time, and can tackle the postpartum chapters in order.

Speaking of organizing though, this is the prettiest sight . . .

Baby clothes separated and put away by size

Diapers, Diapers, and more Diapers, ready to go!

Adventures in Cooking: Doughnuts

"Your doughnuts make me go nuts!!!"

I'm not sure how we got on the subject today, but it ended in a pretty severe craving for doughnuts. It may have come from a discussion about cravings, in which I described my inadequate breakfast the other day, and how I feared I would only be satisfied by a Bacon, Egg, and Cheese sandwiched between two chocolate frosted doughnuts. The discussion ended as many do, with a comment of "I/You could totally do that."

Challenge accepted.

Please note: I had to walk PAST Dunkin' Donuts to get to the grocery store to get the ingredients to make doughnuts. That's how hardcore I am.

Recipe:
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Krispy-Kreme-Doughnuts
(I cut it in half to start)

I didn't have a "doughnut cutter", so I used a margarita glass and a shot glass! At least they're being used for something!

I also learned 1) how to use a candy thermometer, and 2) that I actually had a candy thermometer in my drawer.

Frying:

Varieties:

Glazed!

Chocolate Kreme

Chocolate Frosted

With Sprinkles!!!

Donuts are for people who don't want to admit they're eating cake for breakfast.

Maternity Photo Shoot

I have a shoot next weekend with Capture Our Moments Photography (woo Janna!), and I had a moment this morning to get some ideas of what I want.

Notes to self . . . find underwear that fits, a bra that is not a frumpy nursing bra, and yoga pants without baby-room paint on them.