peanut butter pie

(First off, just want to let you know I made it to Maddie's bridal shower! And it was wonderful and beautiful and I was so happy to be there! Secondly, I went to Aldi this morning during preschool, and bought food for weeks and weeks. I was loading my car when a really kind woman came and said she'd return my cart for me (handing me a quarter) and said, "you just look so miserable." Ha! I was so grateful that she would return my cart, felt so worn out, and laughed at her comment and said, "thank you." So that's the baby update. No news yet, though there are a few signs that make me think the whole shebang may be beginning...Actually, I just got up from a great night's sleep with no signs of labor. Happy Tuesday everyone!)

***

My parents came to our house on their way to my Aunt Annie's church for her annual Pie Social. It's a fundraiser and Aunt Annie will bake eight or nine pies each year, all different varieties.

I feel very strongly that the world needs more Pie Socials. Anyone with me? I think I'd like to host a November gathering where the ticket to enter is a homemade pie. If I was invited to something like that I wouldn't miss it for the world!

Aunt Annie makes all sorts of pies: fruit, cream, and even a peanut butter pie.

I remember her telling me about the Peanut Butter Pie last year, and so this year as my folks left, I suddenly had a real hankerin' for a peanut butter pie. I googled and found this recipe and used a real pie crust I had in the freezer and added cool whip to the top and a little chocolate drizzle. And like all things peanut butter and chocolate, this pie did not disappoint.

It was also so rich and dense that a little goes a long, long way. I actually now have hopes to perfect this pie (or just ask Aunt Annie for her recipe!) This one was pretty dense and very, very full of peanut butter. I can't complain, my family loved it. But I'd like to attempt a lighter pie the next time around. Anybody have a peanut butter pie recipe you swear by? Let me know!

you have a nice little ministry

I have a dear friend from childhood, Julie, who used to babysit me when I was a baby. Our families were good friends through church and she was always one of my biggest cheerleaders. She has kept close tabs on me over the years and then when she had a baby girl asked me and my sister if we would be her daughter's baptismal sponsors. She named her baby girl Bailey Rebecca and I was so honored and touched. 

Well, Bailey Rebecca is now in high school and that blows my mind. Time goes so fast!

Julie and I were emailing back and forth a lot last week talking about labor and delivery, prayers and the power we have in choosing words of fear or faith. At the very end of one of her emails she wrote that she and Bailey read my blog and that a few of Bailey's friends read it too. (Hello, ladies!) Julie wrote, "You have a nice little ministry just being you."

And that line stopped me in my tracks.

Those words meant so much to me. They're such a good reminder of our calling to simply be who God made us to be. Especially in a day when it seems everyone has a brand and a platform, these words were so simple and pithy and say so, so much. I was touched by this thought and sat there wishing every girl I know could hear and believe these words too. They're the words God would want us to hear and  believe. But the world is loud, shouting its values of popularity and prestige. It's hard to remember this simple calling to shine your light right where you are. 

So this is my motto lately. I told Julie I was going to make her words into art, and this was my first attempt. I want these words around to remind me of the importance of being present and purposeful in my every day, to see my family, friends, community and daily life as my very own, very personal nice, little ministry.

39 weeks

Oh we're getting close, folks. At my midwife appointment on Tuesday they told me I was measuring 40 weeks. According to the ultrasound I had at 14 weeks, my due date is September 23rd (this Wednesday). And according to the calendar tracking from the very beginning, my due date is September 27th (a week from Sunday). It means I've been very confused as to what week I'm on throughout most of my pregnancy. But it also means that the likelihood that I'll have a baby in the next week or two, is very, very good.

Ivar was born one day before his due date and Elsie came on her due date. If I were to bet, I'd guess I'll have this baby late next week. But isn't it funny how it doesn't really matter what I bet?!! This baby will come when it will come. And I am so, so excited for it to come!

This weekend we will try to lay low as much as possible. We've got cousin Svea's 5th birthday party, seemingly the most highly anticipated event of the year for my children. We've got Family Movie Night tonight, and we will watch a kids movie altogether and then later, a mom and dad movie. Last week Rory and I watched She's Having a Baby, which I had never seen before and thought was very sweet. This week I'm hoping for Nine Months (which I've never seen) or Father of the Bride Two (which I have seen).

My niece Maddie's bridal shower is on Monday night and I just have to get to that. I want to be there so badly. And I sort of feel like my body won't relax enough to have this baby until I have been to that shower and back. I hope I'm not jinxing the whole thing by saying that. But even with the other two, I remember actually giving my body permission to go into labor. Finishing the thank you notes and knowing there wasn't much more I could do to prepare I said, "now would be fine." And a day later my contractions started with Ivar...

The best news is that I finally kicked my cold and am feeling 100% healthy. I had a few issues there for a while, but I'm feeling strong again and so, so grateful to be in this healthy and empowered place. I've got people praying for me all over the country, and that is such a good feeling.

I'll keep you posted if anything changes. Until then, know I am slowly working my way through the most divine tub of Ben and Jerry's The Tonight Dough. Oh my word, it is my dream come true in ice creams, thankfully only discovered this week.

And...I had Rory take the picture above of me this morning since I don't really have any of me at nine months with this baby. I don't have many outfit choices anymore, and most don't really show my belly very well. After I put on the dress I decided to do my hair. And then makeup. I'm all dressed up with nowhere to go. Which actually is totally fine by me. Happy Friday everyone! Have a great weekend.

Pioneer Woman's new kitchen line

I have followed Ree Drummond's blog for a long time. I'm always inspired by her. I like her television show (one weekend this winter I watched like 12 episodes in a row with my niece Josie. Remember that, Josie?!!) I like her writing style, I like her photographs. I like her cookbooks and everything I've ever made from them. (Her lasagna cannot be beat.)

This week she launched a line of dishware at Walmart, and I want every single item. (Except the basset hound cookie jar. No offense to that dog, I'm just not a dog girl...) But other than that, I can't get enough. When I registered for dishes, more than ten years ago, I chose all bright colored accent pieces (from The Bibelot) to go with my white plates. I still adore them. But I could definitely add to the collection. I'd take one of every tea cup and cereal bowl and ramekin above. And that pretty pitcher and measuring bowl.

So I told Rory his gift giving will be simple for me this year. Just head to the kitchen section at Walmart. I recognize I sound like a commercial right now...so I should mention I am in no way being asked or compensated for blogging about this. I just saw these pictures on her blog and I cannot stop thinking about how badly I want to get to Walmart now...

a kiddie parade

Out town had its big four-day celebration this weekend. It's sort of a mix of cowboys, guns, bank robbers and good immigrant pioneers who defend their town. We participated in Townie Night, a discounted night for all the locals and the Kiddie Parade and went to the big parade. I was looking for cowboy and cowgirl outfits for the kids and asked Elsie to try on a cowgirl hat. She looked at me like I was an idiot and told me with a scowl, "I'm going to be a kitty!" You know, because it was a kiddie parade. So I had one cowboy and one kitty.

She insisted on having socks on her hands like little paws and was very, very pleased.

Ivar got to wear part of a costume that my Grandma Harrington made for my dad, when he was a little boy. He loved being a "roadie cowboy" (his version of a rodeo cowboy) and practicing his lasso. At one point during the kiddie parade he lasso'd his foot and this cracked him up for a good half a block.

Elsie pushed around her pink stroller with her pink kitty, wearing her pink kitty skirt and waved at the very few spectators that came to watch. She was the happiest kitty in the kiddie parade.