Does This Baby Make me Look Fat?

Behold--the obligatory belly shots! This is me @ 22 weeks.

For Memorial Day, Lancer and I hit up the tiny town of Pescadero. It's one of our favorite local haunts--good food, fun shops, and lots of interesting locals. This is our favorite way to spend the holiday.


Lancer couldn't turn down a warm, fresh ollalberry pie. Note that I can't eat any of this wheat-laden pie, so Lancer got it all for himself. Shamefully, I might add.


When we got home, we spent the rest of the evening playing on the lawn, enjoying the good weather and our fine canine baby.

I like how Logan looks trapped. He's plotting his escape.

I also found these cool vintage prints for the nursery. I love how the umbrella one will tie in with the other fabric--and the camera one is just too cute to pass up. A lady should have coordinating prints.

I picked these vintage tin signs up a few months ago. They're old gas station numbers, and I'm trying to figure out where they should go.

Check out the library this kid already has! I think we have enough books to get us started. Can you tell I teach reading?

Looking forward to a nice, relaxing summer. Maybe my left leg will even start to cooperate and do its job. A girl can dream.

Logan is on Thin Ice

Logan is on a naughty kick these days. I got home on the late side last night, and made an english muffin to help settle my stomach while I took my 8 million gag-worthy prenatal pills. I settled onto the couch, and set my plate on the couch beside me.

In a brazen act of thievery, Logan jumped up on the couch and got in 3 solid swipes of jam and cream cheese before I screamed at him and knocked him off the couch. The last time I screamed at him like that he was a puppy, and I literally scared the pee out of him. I told him that he was naughty and bad, and told him to go to his doggie den immediately.

I didn't hear a peep out of him for a solid half hour. I crept into the kitchen, and saw the most apologetic and contrite face peeking out of his doggie den. He couldn't even look me in the eye.

Note that his door was open, and he could have crept out at any time--except he knew he would face my wrath again, so he stayed put.

We had a little chat about why his actions were wrong, and he let me know it wouldn't happen again.

During our break today, I told my students about the muffin-snatching. I went out to get some snacks for them, and when I came back I saw this little drawing on the board:


My cute little student explained that the picture was of me holding a muffin--I was crying because Logan had eaten it, and I was really hungry. I got a serious laugh out of it, and felt much better. When I got home tonight, I played with Logan a little to let him know we were okay. He learned a valuable lesson learned by his dad a few months earlier--you do NOT mess with a pregnant woman's food.

Dobbie For Hire

Dobbie is pedaling his fine skills around the internet today. He would like all small children under the age of 4 to know that he is willing and available to do the following:

Show up at dinnertime and have kids feed him their gross broccoli:

He is also willing to lick applesauce off of a spoon, as long as you're cool with his germs

If, for some odd reason, you feel compelled to actually eat your food--he will patiently lay by your feet (or in between highchairs if you're a set of cute twinners) and wait until you find a particular offering offensive. Then he will pounce.

And last, but certainly not least, he will lick your plates clean. He's very reliable in this department.

Disclaimer: His services will also include popping your balloons, knocking you over, stealing your balls, slobbering on your couch, jumping on the kitchen table and snagging string cheese, and other various and assorted canine offenses.

Happy 35th to my Baby!!

Not this baby...

...this baby!! Look at Baby Dobbie--he was so little!

Baby just turned 5, which is allegedly 35 in dog years. Baby is older than me! I'm okay with that--he's still my baby.

I know he can't really read this down the line, but I thought he deserved his own post. Don't we all love being showered with accolades? I know I do.

1. When we picked him out, there was a pool of 9 puppies whining and playing. It was the single cutest thing I have ever seen. We read in a book that you should stare the dog down--if they stare back without blinking or looking away, that is the litter psycho. If you have one that never, ever looks at you, that is the runt. We did the test, and baby looked away, then back, then away. He passed.

2. He was the only redhead in his litter.

3. When we brought him home, we didn't really know what to do with him. We ran around the yard with him a little, then sat there wondering what to do when he got tired.

4. We loved playing Demon Dog with him.

Demon Dog

5. We spent forever trying top pick out his name--then settled on Logan, since that was where Lancer went to college.

6. We bought his full-size doggie den for when he was grown. Since he was so small, we boarded it up, only leaving the front 1/4 for him. We left it on a little too long, and thought we stunted his growth. Turns out he's an English lab, and they're smaller in size. Phew.

7. This is my favorite photo of Logan--we titled it "on the lam"

8. We freaked out one day when we thought we discovered a weird growth. I ran him to the vet, and then informed me it was his belly button. Doi.

9. He really, really hates that blasted head cone. I hate making him wear it.

10. His name is officially Logan Dogface Jacobs. Lancer's dad gave him the middle name--it's what he calls him when he sees him. It started as Logan, then Logie, then Dogie, then Dobie, then Dobbie. He also answers to Baby and Lil Guy. ;)

11. He once charged Bon-Bon as she bent over to put something in the cupboard. We still laugh about that one.

12. When he was little, I yelled at him for some infraction and he was so scared he peed. I felt like a bad mom.

13. Logan taught Lancer a lesson, too. He did something naughty once and Lance gave him a good scruff shaking. His shoulder still hurts 3 years later.

14. I had no idea he could jump this high. I was totally surprised, per my face.

15. Most of the Dobbie tales involve his schemes for food. He is a non-stop, eating, vittle thieving machine.

16. He ate the door handle of my car on the way to his trainer. Gee, I wonder why he needed a trainer?


17. In true "kid" fashion, we buy him a huge bin of toys, and his favorite thing to play with is a crappy, old, chewed up bag.

18. Most of the ornaments on our tree have to do with Logan and our world travels

18. Logan is the most polite, well-behaved dog you will ever meet. People are amazed at his gentle demeanor.

19. He doesn't bark--ever. Unless there's a squirrel or a cat, and then he's all over it.

20. I can't watch Marley and Me without bawling--I can't imagine not having Baby as a part of our little family.

21. He has webbed paws, and puts them to good work


22. He's happiest in a big, open, green field. Give him a stick, and he won't want to leave. When he does move on (SOB!!!!) I will envision him here, running around, waiting to see me again.


23. I believe he has a little soul, and that all dogs go to heaven. Cats are negotiable.

24. He is always, always happy to see us, and excited to play. He's all about fun. Lance says he is the dog version of me.

25. Lancer lets him come and wake me up in bed. He flies in, jumps all over me, and then has to leave because he can't stop himself from chewing on our comforter.

26. When he was little, he would whine on walks. Lancer would pick him up, snuggle him, and walk home with him in his arms. He didn't have the heart to make him walk.

27. Kids love him. He's a good "intro" dog for them because he doesn't bark, bite, nip, or jump.

28. He demands pets and rubs before entering his doggie den for the night. In the morning, he demands pets and rubs before going outside to eat.

29. He loves his pets and rubs--if you place food in front of him, and then start with a good rub, he is totally conflicted...

30. ..But will always choose food. Cause that's my lil guy. Plus, he knows pets and rubs are plentiful round these parts.

Happy Birthday Lil Guy. You make our lives so fun, and we're so happy to have you in our little family. We love you.

Cookies, Candies & Treats....oh my!

I threw my 5th annual cookie exchange this evening. I have a stomachache to end all stomachaches right now, and I have no one to blame but myself. It was fantastic fun.

The cookie swap was started by my sister, Eriika. She started hers in Colorado about 10 years ago. I didn't want to be the only sister without a tray of treats, so I joined in the cookie fun. In short, people bring 72 cookies and take home 72 different cookies. It's genius.

This picture has nothing to do with the cookie party; rather, it's to illustrate why it's a good idea to get married. Because when you don't, you eat pizza like this, because "it's too hard to cut it." Yes, Lance is married. To me. But I was busy with cookies and such. Poor Lancer has been batchin' it.

The cookie party is kinda low-key. It's all about the cookies, so dinner is secondary. Here's what I served up. Limeade...

...homemade chili, cornbread with whipped honey butter, and a green salad. And no dessert, cause that's what the cookies are for.

Here are my gluten free offerings. I did traditional peanut butter blossoms because A. I can eat them and B. No one else would make them because they would never, ever win the cookie contest. And that's what this whole deal is all about peeps--the prizes. More info to come.

Presiding over the table '0' treats. The amount of treats actually grew after this. Crazy.

Here are shots of all the treats. Take it in. There are 26 different treats here. All tasty.

The ladies, taking time to chat and catch up. There are a few girls I only see once a year at this party, and I love it. We had several new people, too, so the title for best cookie was totally up for grabs.

The cookies for the judges--lucky boys.

And here are the judges! Jesse on the left is an amazing baker with lovely blue eyes. Next is Travis who brought a salad to this Easter party--a salad I still dream about. Bon-Bon loves Travis, and often asks about him. He's so great, he even wins over moms! Next is Steve Leeflang who had whipped up some of the greatest treats I have ever eaten. And last is Hooman, an amazing professional Chef. We were lucky to have such a talented pool to judge our tasty treats.

The ladies checking out the various entries, trying to figure out who would place.

And look who popped by! Edward! His sign says it all. Click on it to enlarge. I wish I were in his special diet, though being sampled by a Werewolf is also appealing.

Exiled baby. It was for his own good. And for our cookies.

And...the judges arrive to announce the winners! This is like waiting for the Olympic scores, except for the lame Russian who is totally biased.

The ladies in waiting

Lindsay, a new party-goer, won 3rd place. She got a red cake stand in addition to the goodies all the girls get--spatula, cookie magazine, cookie plate for Santa, towel, cookie cutter, and a gingerbread man ornament for bragging rights during the holidays. Her winning entry was absolutely gorgeous. It was a cookie with 2 types of custard and topped with fresh strawberries with glaze. In fact, somebody tried to railroad her attendance in fear that she would place. As it turns out, this fear was founded. Better luck next year, girl! Though I am quite excited for you to be angry about it all year. Haha. Love ya, H.

Candace won 2nd place--she got a cute green polka dot bowl along with her goodies. Her winning entry was a flat cookie with a chocolate coating with nuts. Sorry, I don't have a better description--I can't eat them.

And first prize went to Sarah! She was so surprised--it's nice to see a happy winner. Her main prize was a set of red nesting bowls I almost kept for myself. Congrats, girl! Her winning entry was a date ball.

Once the boys announce the winners, the swap begins. The girls get their platters, and start filling their trays with treaties.

Go, ladies, go!

For my effort, I get the following:

It's a fair exchange--and then some. Thanks to everyone for another successful swap. See you in 2010. Until then...enjoy your treats!