Everyday now someone asks me if I feel like I'm about to pop. The truth is I know my belly's just going to continue growing until this baby exits, but I can't imagine it any bigger. Every time I bend over I feel like I'm going to pop, yes. Putting on my shoes makes me feel like I'm going to pop. Shaving my legs does too. But other than that I'm doing alright. More than wanting this baby out is my hoping that things will be manageable after it comes. That I can be a patient, loving mom of two little angels, and that I'll be a pleasant wife on little sleep. Besides, it's fun being in anticipation and not knowing the day or the hour that this little one will arrive. And I like it when Eric talks to my belly.

Popovers

When Eric and I were living out East one of our favorite places to visit was Acadia National Park up in Maine. In the middle of the Park they have a quaint little restaurant called the Jordan Pond House, where they are famous for their popovers and hot chocolate. This is the view from the top of the restaurant.

Here's another view. The first time we went there were children flying kites with their parents; I felt like I was in the English countryside. Anyway, for Christmas last year Ami (Eric's mom) gave me a popover pan that she had bought at the Pond House's gift shop, along with the restaurant's cookbook that included their famous popover recipe. I was so excited and I couldn't wait to try making popovers of my own!

For those of you who have never had a popover, they're like an eggy biscuit, almost like a dutch baby in a muffin form. They're pretty much hollow on the inside, and oh so yummy with jam. This is the popover pan. After Christmas I tried several times to make them (using the cookbook's recipe), but was unsuccessful. I couldn't get them to pop over the tins like they're supposed to. I looked up several recipes online, and everyone had their own versions of the recipe, but I couldn't find anything that worked.

Then by a stroke of luck I saw a Good Eats episode on the Food Network that explained how to make popovers step by step, and why each step was critical. It was the easiest recipe I'd seen, and I decided to give it a try. Last night I made two batches of popovers and they were perfect! I'm so excited to find a recipe that worked and that was so easy. Now I've just got to master the Jordan Pond House's hot chocolate recipe for a perfect winter this year :)

Popovers

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 C whole milk, room temperature

1 C flour

1 T unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 t salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and butter or oil popover pan. Make sure the oven is heated and the pan is buttered before mixing popover ingredients. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend for 30 seconds. Immediately pour into prepared pan, filling each cup only halfway. Cook for 40 minutes. Do NOT open the oven door until 40 minutes is up. Then remove popovers and slice each one at the top with a knife so they don't deflate. Enjoy!

Baby Calculator

Aspen's got this habit of naming her dolls Baby Calculator. Whenever anyone asks her what her baby brother or sister's name will be, she answers Baby Calculator. The funny thing about this is that one day I was actually using a calculator and she asked me what it was. When I told her it was a calculator, she wouldn't believe me! She has no idea what a calculator is.

I'd just like to say happy birthday to my sweet hubby, who turns 29 today. One more year, honey, and then you're old like me :) Here's to counting down.......I love you!

A bit of Fall.....

Last night we met Eric's parents at the Farmstead here in Meridian. Aspen was in heaven; there was so much for her to do! We could have spent hours there, but before too long it was bedtime.

The first thing Aspen did was jump her way to paradise. She could have been on this thing all night, and eventually we had to drag her away to something else: the cow train ride, which she did again and again, all by herself.
It was great; we adults just hung out and enjoyed the scenery while she did her thing. Usually when I take her to the park or a play area, I still have to follow her around and help her with the toys, etc. But here she was able to play all on her own, and I enjoyed every minute too!
We finished the night with a hayride, which lasted forever. We didn't realize how long it would last, but it was still fun.
Poor Aspen didn't want to leave.

On another note, Aspen and I decorated the house last week for Fall, and it was a lot of fun. I have to say that having a fireplace with a deep mantle to decorate is probably my favorite thing in our house. Happy Halloween!

Last week Eric and I went to Boston. Every six months Scentsy throws an incentive trip for their consultants who reach a certain sales goal. Eric was asked to go and get to know the consultants, and I got to go with him. Lucky me!
Aside from doing some amazingly awesome things with the consultants, Eric and I had some time to see a few things in Boston that we'd never seen before. Among those was Louisburg square, one of the most photographed places in the states. I wanted to live there the moment I saw it: brick row houses with flower boxes on the window sills, cobblestone streets and black shutters.
As you can tell we got caught in a major rainstorm! It was crazy. We kept waiting for it to lighten up but it never did. It took 3 days for our clothes to finally dry! But it was worth it.

Those are gas lit lamps, by the way. This is famous Acorn Street. Oh, and in case you wanted to know, John Kerry lives in Louisburg square. By the way, Aspen wasn't with us on this trip. Eric's parents graciously watched her for us. It was great for Eric and I to get some time together, just the two of us.

One night Scentsy treated everyone to a dinner cruise in the Boston Harbor. Don't you love how sexy my hair looks in this shot?
Another morning we got to eat breakfast at Fenway Park.

This was our view as we ate....
and here's us hanging out with Wally, the Red Sox mascot. Aspen thinks we're pretty cool now, because we're pals with someone from Sesame Street. That's what we told her, anyway.
On Wednesday we had some free time so we rented a car and drove out to Concord, one of our most favorite places. We spent most of the time just reminiscing and enjoying the rolling hills. It's so beautiful out there. We also stopped at a farm and bought me some apple cider, which I chugged all the way home.

Some of the leaves were starting to change color, but most of the changing will happen in a couple weeks. Before we took the car back that night, we stopped and visited some of our friends from Boston, who we miss so much! It was so great to spend some time with them, even though it was short.

Of course we visited Harvard while we were out there, and it was just as quaint as ever.

It was supposed to rain again this day, but we got really lucky with the weather!

These last shots are just some of my favorite places in the city: here's Boston Common.

I used to go shopping down these streets, Summer and Winter. Macy's is down there, and some other great places.

This is the Old Granary burial ground, where Samuel Adams and John Hancock are buried, among others. It's my favorite graveyard; this time of year there's always yellow leaves all over the place, and it just looks so Fall-ish.

This is Haymarket, where you can buy amazingly cheap produce.
These last two shots are of Marlborough street; I think Edgar Allen Poe was born here. We just loved the architecture and cute little gardens found among this street. Anyway, we had such a great time, and are already planning our next trip back to Boston.