The Power of Suggestion

January 18th, 2012 | Posted by Alison Spath in Dinner Time - (7 Comments)

I get these “Your Pregnancy This Week” emails that list a myriad of facts and tidbits about the wee babe growing inside my uterus, along with any other timely pregnancy notes. You know, like “you’re probably busting out of your bra by now” or “your baby is the size of a tarantula”. Stuff like that.

The Week 18 email mentioned that I’m probably feeling an increase in appetite now.

Well, I hadn’t noticed, but now that you’ve planted the hunger seed, I think I AM feeling hungrier than usual. Thanks for the idea!

In fact, now I’m positively starving.  Read more...

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Letters to Breakfast

January 15th, 2012 | Posted by Alison Spath in Breakfast - (9 Comments)

Dear Everything Bagel,

Everything Bag

I know you aren’t the best thing in the world to eat, but you’ve really got a hold on me right now, so I’m rolling with it. Like a bagel would roll down a hill, you might say.

I justified you today with an early morning two mile walk to the bagel shop and then a two mile walk home. Kids at Granny’s for the weekend, husband at home in bed – just you, me, fetus and Jillian Michaels on a sunny Sunday morning? There are worse things.  Read more...

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The Magical Fruit

January 3rd, 2012 | Posted by Alison Spath in Dinner Time - (13 Comments)

Let’s say you laid down on the couch this afternoon, kids busy and frolicking to and fro, and you decide to close your eyes for “just a minute”.

Then let’s say you woke up some unknown amount of time later, living room dark, kids off entertaining themselves some place else, and suddenly you realize you’ve got about a half hour before your hungry husband would be home from work and ready for dinner.

In other words, let’s say you needed to throw something together for dinner fast.  Read more...

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And so twenty twelve begins.

January 1st, 2012 | Posted by Alison Spath in Life - (9 Comments)

16 weeks

16 weeks pregnant (tomorrow). I think I’m starting to feel the baby move, but these early flutters are so easy to confuse with the digestive process sometimes I wonder if it’s just dinner that I’m feeling move around.

January One started with a four mile walk. A walk sprinkled with the tiniest bit of running. I had intended to run the entire way today, but running for very long is proving to be too uncomfortable these days. “Mostly walking” it is then.  Read more...

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Insomnia Cure

December 22nd, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Healthy Habits - (4 Comments)

When I was pregnant with Maxine, I struggled with insomnia regularly.

I use to get up in the middle of the night and watch two or three episodes of CSI on DVD before schlepping myself back upstairs to dream about working in the crime lab with Gil Grissom. I’d also have that common pregnancy dream where you can see through your belly like a fish bowl. Except I’d be dusting the fish bowl for finger prints.  Read more...

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This Post Contains Three Useful Items

December 19th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Life - (9 Comments)

I’m on reprieve from my usual cooking, cleaning and other domestic duties for a bit here thanks to an early Christmas gift for the girls.

Surprise Toronto Trip

We’re in Toronto! Me, two girlies, one fetus and one Granny Weeds.

CN Tower

We had to leave Dad at home to go to that pesky thing called work. Don’t feel too bad for him though. He threw a party over the weekend, he gets a three night break from the bedtime routine and I left him with a crock pot full of No Fry Refried Beans.

Crockpot and Pinto Beans  Read more...

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Some Exercise Love

December 1st, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Fitness - (1 Comments)

My energy is returning, the second trimester is nearly upon us here!  I almost feel like I’m starting to recognize myself again, larger waist circumference notwithstanding.

I’ve spent every spare moment of the last two days catching up on some long overdue housework.  I forgot how good my stairs look without a nest of dust bunnies in every corner.  All the finger smears and toothpaste splatters have been wiped from the mirrors.  The laundry is caught up, the floors have been mopped and I finally sucked the giant cob web out of the corner of our entry way (with the vacuum, people) that I’ve been staring at for weeks.  Read more...

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A PLT

November 27th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Lunch - (3 Comments)

I know this first little tidbit won’t be helpful to the majority of you guys, but one morning sickness remedy that I’ve come to discover works well for me is to “eat small, frequent meals”.

This “small, frequent meal” approach is supposed to help keep your blood sugar in check, and makes the rollercoaster of riding nausea waves a little less up-and-downy.

And see, I’m good with the “eating frequently” part. That’s easy!

That “small” part? Bah! Humbug!

(I’m working on it.)  Read more...

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Orange You Glad I Wrote This Post?

November 20th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Vegetable Lovin' - (11 Comments)

I think I’ve taken more naps in the past month than I have in the last 3 years. I’ve replaced meals with snacks, I’ve swapped vegetables for fruit, and now instead of running or blogging, I’ve been watching Season 1 of Modern Family on DVD.

I hate to be wimpy, but the first trimester has beaten me to a pulp. And that show is so damn funny I can’t tear myself away.

But speaking of pulp and tearing stuff away, let’s chat about oranges!

Box of Oranges  Read more...

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The Ungreen

November 16th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Vegetable Lovin' - (6 Comments)

Behold! The most beautiful box on earth.

Kashi Blueberry Waffles

When I spied that magnificent cardboard cube in the freezer case, it looked to me as though each one of those little waffle squares was delicately hand carved by fairies riding magical unicorns through the mystical forest. A magical mystical forest where streams of real maple syrup poured over majestic waterfalls and not a single creature in all the land felt as though they were living with a perpetual hangover.

Now you see why I had no choice but to bring those blue babies home with me yesterday.  This is also why I dove head first into that box first thing this morning.  Read more...

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