ROCKETT'S LANDING

A few last minute photos from a refreshing/sweaty gathering at the Conch Republic near Rockett's Landing to hang with Laura's mama.

A few things of note: 
1) Check out those rad retro yellow sunglasses (Laura had the purple version), apparently $12 at Nordstrom's. I'm loving them in mint, and how cool are these pink ombre ones!
2) Drinking two cups of club soda makes me have to go to the bathroom five times in a span of 1.5 hours.
3) Rockett's Landing in RVA is an awesome place to appreciate the river, a view of the city, and the sunset.
4) I'm so grateful for the lovely ladies in my life.
5) I'm really going to miss the friends who are leaving RVA way too soon...

THE BEST CRAB CAKES

....and homemade fries!






Crab cakes are: 1) delicious and 2) easy to make. Two things that make me like you and include you in our dinner rotation, if you're a food. I've gone through many a crab cake recipe and this is the best one, in my opinion. It helps to refrigerate the patties for an hour or so before cooking, but no biggie if you don't, just add some more crushed crackers to keep the patty together. Also, the quality of the crab meat is very important. In regards to the best combination of quality and price, I like Chicken of the Sea's crab meat, available at Trader Joe's. These cakes are also just as good the next day - I made crab cake burgers with avocado, red onion, coleslaw and tarter sauce on whole wheat kaiser rolls - delicious!

Also, my sister, Sharon, recently shared her recipe for homemade fries and I am happy to report they were a success. Making fries at home can be not fun if your fries turn out limp and sad, but I think the trick is to boil the potatoes a little beforehand, and then turn up your oven and tend to your fries as they get golden. Basically, you need to get friendly with your oven and know its tendencies. I'm going to try this with sweet potatoes and see how crispy I can get them orange sticks.


The Best Crab Cakes
(Adapted from Tastebook)

• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons asian mayonnaise 
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice 
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
• 1 teaspoon old bay 
• 1 tablespoon minced green onions 
• 8 ounces crabmeat 
• 1/2 cup crushed buttery round crackers 
• 1 tablespoon butter 

 In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, mayonnaise, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, old bay, and scallions. Gently stir in crabmeat, being careful not to break up meat. Gradually mix in cracker crumbs, adding until desired consistency is achieved. Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Form crab mixture into patties. Place patties in skillet, and cook until golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes on each side.


Easy Homemade Fries
(Recipe from Sharon)

• Russet or Idaho potatoes, sliced into desired stick-shapes
• salt
• pepper
• garlic powder
• chili powder 
• olive oil

Preheat oven to 450F. Boil sliced potatoes in water with some salt until it's half-way cooked, about 10-15 minutes. Drain potatoes and spread them on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic powder, and chili powder on top of the potatoes and toss. Bake in oven until golden, about 20 minutes, then flip the potatoes and bake for another 20 minutes.

28 WEEKS

....means 7 months!

I would like to say a warm, heartfelt welcome to my 3rd trimester. WELCOME. Veterans say that it’s the roughest toughest part of the pregnancy, so I will brace myself, but boy am I glad you are here. Staring my 3rd trimester means there is only 3 more months left, and I am increasingly getting antsy about seeing the end of this pregnancy so that I can meet my baby. I keep thinking, 3 more months until we meet our daughter!

Also, admittedly, I am ready to see the end to my incessant need to use the bathroom. People, going to the bathroom to pee every 20-30 minutes is no joke. It is such an impediment to life, and its implications are things like, having to wash my hands AT LEAST 20-30 times a day, which leads to dry and wrinkled hands and going through copious amounts of lotion. But I’ve got to say, I am again amazed at the things that a person can get used to. I always say humans are amazing for our ability to adapt, and being pregnant is no different. Yes, I do miss the things I can’t consume, but I have definitely taken not being able to have: coffee, alcohol, sushi, deli meat, hot dogs, sugar-free gum, Advil, soft unpasteurized cheeses, medium rare steak, etc. – into stride! Who would have thought? I’ve also gotten pretty much used to sleeping on my side, waking up several times in the middle of the night to pee, and pacing myself while exercising. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t love these last few things, but after a while, it becomes more normal than not. I’m grateful for this God-given, God-taught ability to adapt and grow. Especially because I’m going to need an extra dose of this ability when the baby comes…maybe an extra two doses.

The neatest thing about this past week is probably that I can now SEE her moving around in my stomach. It. is. so. wild.  She notably is the most active right after I eat and right before I go to sleep, and sometimes when she is at the peak of her dance party or whatever she is doing in there, I can see the jabs coming through the skin on my stomach, even through my clothes! Other times, the movements cause a ripple through my skin and it’s her, moving around or shifting. It is such a supernatural thing to watch, and yes, it’s my new favorite thing to do these days, staring at my stomach. K. has seen it too, and when we catch it, we are both like omg.omg.zomg.

-    At 7 months -

Pros: Seeing her move around in the belly
Cons: Occasional back pain, leg pain (?), not getting good night's sleep = tired days
Currently craving: Fruit and homemade chocolate chip cookies. And the occasional hamburger.

Outlook on the coming of baby: Hurry up!
Feelings about husband: I could not have asked for a better supporter and partner.

INSTAGRAM PEEKS

An instagram a day for the past week:

 

monday: simone, the cutest bike-riding hipster baby in town at community group

 tuesday: thanks to martha, obsessed with museli


wednesday: orange-red lipstick, thank you kate moss, from this post

thursday: restaurant week at six burner, sippin on my new favorite drank:
sparkling water + lime

 
friday: happily saying goodbye to the work week

saturday: dinner with friends at the swanky new 2113 in church hill.

PARA-NOIA

This is definitely not how this shirt looked on me a few months ago.

Pet peeve: When I'm walking down a relatively empty street and I hear the footsteps of someone following close behind me, a little too close, wearing loud shoes and sounding like they are going to catch up any second. I get more than a little irritated by that. It's a combination of feeling like I want to turn around to see if I know them - because why else would they be walking so close?- but not wanting to, in case I don't know them, and a feeling of paranoia that I'm going to get grabbed.

Why do I share this? Because paranoia is not a feeling I enjoy, and of late, it's been a more prevalent feeling than I like to admit. Most times I am calm, and I feel like I am taking so many of these life changes into stride. Other times, I think if I look in the mirror I'll see a wide-eyed panicked version of myself, unblinking and demanding answers.

Growing a human inside your body for the first time is prime time, a perfect environment for breeding all sorts of paranoid issues and self-doubt. I wash my hands too many times a day. I avoid foods on the no-no list and I am constantly trolling the web to see if there is anything else I should be staying away from.  I replay and analyze whether or not that bite of meat I ate was slightly undercooked. I lay awake at night when I can't fall back asleep wondering if she's moving around so much because she's uncomfortable due to something I did or ate that day.

All of this is totally unlike my usual self. I'm a brush-it-off, don't-sweat-the-small-stuff, don't-take-yourself-too-seriously, kind of gal, but being responsible for the life and future of an unborn child is new to me. And in this case, the not-knowing is normal, but sometimes - only sometimes - it can slide into a rabbit trail that ends with me imagining the worst case scenario. To be fair to myself, it's rare when this happens, but what I'm doing here is acknowledging that it DOES happen, maybe in an attempt to hold on to the good (habits) and let go of the delusional. I recently had a conversation with my mom who said one of the surprisingly hardest things about being a parent is letting go. Not necessarily of your child, but of your fears and your expectations. Especially if you are one who believes that you are not in control, that this baby is not just your own, and that God is the kind of God who wants us to trust him, I can see this letting go thing is definitely going to have to be a habit when I become a parent. So that's what pregnant-me is about, I guess, doing my best at what I can, letting go of my fears, and being patient....

THE WEEKEND, HEY-OH

People, we are having issues in the Lu household with this dog of ours. It's like he is reverting back to his puppy status and it's driving us a little crazy..! Which is one of the many reasons why I am welcoming the weekend with the big wide open arms that are expecting extra sleep and some outdoor play time for our anxiety-ridden pet. Hope yours too is a respite from the crazy!  Things of note from around the monsterweb:

1. I can be all about toting this bag around this summer...

2. I've been reading up on argan oil and might try this chemical-free sunblock this summer.

3. 10 things kids learn from their parent's marriage

4. Wow, hand-painted peonies for the nursery walls - aamazing.

5. When in RVA!

6. The only chocolate chip cookie I will ever need?? This I gotta try.

7. I can't wait to get my hands on this book.

8. Adorable measuring spoons.

9. My cousin sent me this article today; food for thought...

10. This is my jam right now. It moves my underbelly.

ORANGE-RED LIPSTICK

Sometimes you have one of those days when you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror looking sort of grey and blah, and you realize that’s pretty much how you’re feeling, too. I think one of the best quick-fix ways to put some pep back into your look and overall feeling (besides a shower!) is to put on some bright-colored lipstick or maybe even some lip gloss. It instantly makes your face appear brighter and also adds an element of interest.

I’ve been experimenting with bright reds and found some pretty decent ones along the way (i.e. Revlon’s Just Bitten Lipstain in Flame), but I think so far my favorite is Rimmel London's Lasting Finish by Kate Moss. Yes, Kate Moss released a lipstick line with Rimmel and she did done good.

I learned about this shade as I was checking out of Michael's and the cute checkout girl was rocking this great shade of orange-red lipstick, so naturally I asked her about it, and she excitedly shared her intel, because thats what lovely ladies do- share beauty secrets. I picked up a tube at Ulta for about $5-6, which is so so reasonable, and have been sporting it ever since. There is no name for the color, just the number, '12'.  I like the consistency, the smell, and depending on how much you put on, you can control the potency of the orange redness. It doesn’t quite last the alleged 8 hours, but stays on pretty well nonetheless. I hear the other shades are great too, so if orange-red is not for you, maybe give some other colors a try.

SPANISH CHICKEN WITH ROASTED POTATOES

I am constantly on the lookout for dinner ideas that are relatively simple and don’t take up too much time (who isn’t?), and I especially like this one because I think it’s a basic enough idea that you can interchange the vegetables and chicken for your own preferences and come up with a roast that works for you. For example, you could use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs, and substitute sweet potatoes or other types of potatoes for the Yukon gold, and add vegetables like carrots and green pepper, to change it up.  (I like to prepare the meat and marinade the night before because it cuts down the cooking time and also because it makes the chicken more flavorful.) It’s good with rice or by itself and the potatoes make it a really hearty meal.




 

 

 
Spanish chicken and potato roast (recipe adapted from Food Network). 

•    1 1/2 pounds large Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
•    4 cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped
•    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
•    Kosher salt
•    1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs (5 to 6 thighs)
•    2 teaspoons smoked paprika
•    Freshly ground pepper
•    4 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley
•    2 lemons (1 juiced, 1 cut into wedges)
•    2 large medium red onions, halved and thinly sliced
•    1 cup of white mushrooms, sliced.

1.    Marinate chicken thighs using: the juice of one lemon, salt and pepper, smoked paprika (about 2 teaspoons), fresh parsley (about 4 tablespoons), chili powder, and garlic powder.  Set aside for immediate use or cover and refrigerate over night.
2.    Put the potatoes, garlic, olive oil, 1 tablespoon water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large microwave-safe baking dish and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap, pierce the plastic in a few places with a knife and microwave 8 minutes to partially cook.
3.    Position a rack in the upper third of the oven. Place a large cast-iron baking dish or a rimmed baking sheet on the rack and preheat to 500 degrees F.
4.    Once the oven is ready to go, remove the hot baking dish from the oven; carefully add the potatoes and spread in an even layer. Scatter sliced onions and mushrooms on top. Roast until the potatoes start to brown, about 12-15 minutes.
5.    Take out the baking dish and flip the potatoes.  Lay the chicken pieces on top, adding any accumulated juices from the bowl; return to the oven and roast until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 12-15 more minutes. Remove from the oven and top with remaining parsley if you like. Serve it with lemon wedges and on a bed of Spanish yellow rice. Bon appetite!

 

27 WEEKS

I am noticeably growing now each week, and even the stretchiest of my skirts is getting tight. So I've been having a lot of fun making trips to the thrift store to browse through the racks and come up with outfits that I can make work around my changing body. The skirt above was thrifted for $3, and it is a long skirt that is typically worn at the waist that I've pulled up to the top of my new waistline...right under my boobs.

Her thing now is being squirmy and wiggly when I lay down to go to sleep. I may not have felt a peep from her all day, but as soon as I'm in bed, she's thumping about. It's even harder than you would think, trying to fall asleep with baby jabs happening in your stomach. 

But sometimes, as I'm going about my day, she jabs/kicks/wiggles extra hard, so hard that it catches me completely by surprise and makes me laugh because it is still such a strange, awe-some, funny feeling to me. Regardless of sleep or sores, I'm glad that she's letting me know she's in there by all that dancing. It reminds me that I'm growing a life, and makes me feel that much closer to her.

OUR HOUSE GOES UP

After we found out our family was going to go from two to three (well, four, including rusty), there was some serious researching and discussing and house hunting that went on in the lu household and ultimately, we ended up purchasing our first house! It was nerve-racking initially to think about taking such a big step, but then the papers were signed and the baby keeps growing in my stomach, and we find ourselves getting more and more excited.

We bought from a commercial builder who is developing a particular area in the North side and the contract is for them to build the house in the model and style that we chose, all of which will hopefully be done at the end of June. The really neat thing about having our house built is that we can see it go up. We've been visiting the plot of land almost every week to check on the progression.

Here is the plot of land with all the trees cleared. Don't you just love the spindly trees in the back? I call them Dr. Seuss trees.

Then they dug the foundation and started laying the brick and cement blocks for the base of the house.

 

This is where our living room and kitchen are going to be.

 
Surveying 

The next week, we saw that they had almost finished putting up the frames for the first floor!

Front door and hallway.

K. is standing in our garage, and that's the living room behind him.

The kitchen.

The view from our living room.

*

Then, just a week later, they had put up the second floor AND the roof!



 

So exciting! I will post with more updates as they come...

INSTAGRAM PEEKS

Are you having a good weekend??
Here are some photos of what my instagram documented today.

I had what seemed like a bazillion errands to run and it being a nice day and K. being otherwise occupied, I took a deep breath and dove right in. I started off by making a stop at one of my favorite thrift stores and scored some great finds at a great deal, which is oh-so-satisfying, and while I was there I stalked a very adorable old man who was trying to pick out a book for what I imagined to be an afternoon reading in the park. I have this thing when it comes to old men, especially cute or classy ones. Everything they do somehow seems like the most endearing, joyous, heartbreaking thing. I feel this way about classy old ladies too. I know it's not just me.

He's standing in line to buy his $1 book and has the dollar bill out and ready. I die.

tabletop lovely wildflowers at martha's. they were from last week, not this weekend, but i love these flowers so much I keep looking at the photo.

saturday morning belly rubs

she's grrooowwing!

 

giant strawberries and Trader Joe's s'mores ice cream sandwiches.
because the baby says so.

I'm so glad it's Friday

How will you spend your weekend? Among other things, I am going to make a trip to the library and borrow some books that I've been meaning to bring home to read.  If the weather is nice, I am hoping to spend some time reading outside!

And a few things I've been eyeing and loving around the web:

1.  Matchbook views: Graphite drawings on matchbooks based on Google Street View photographs.

2. I would totally rock one of these: You Can't Judge a Book By it's Cover collection by Olympia Le-Tan

3. This is totally out of our price range, but everything from this furniture store, please.

4. I've been thinking about getting a new iPhone case, but might try this cheaper option first.

5. Sad that these are out of stock!

6. A great summer accessory.

7. Oils: thinking about trying this or this.

8. I can't wait to get this book and do these projects with my kid.

9. This dress reminds me of the 5th grade... in the best way.

10. Who knew pallets could be turned into so many great things?

Roasted edamame and cranberry mix

I love this snack because it’s a great mix of sweet and salty. It’s also appealing because I much prefer edamame over nuts, and roasting them makes them slightly crunchy so you still get a lot of texture. More bonus points: it's a healthy snack that the husband likes.

The great thing about putting together an easy mix like this is that the portions are whatever you desire. If you like more of the salty, go heavy on the edamame. If you prefer the sweet, add some extra cranberries.

Dry-roasted edamame and cranberry mix
(Recipe adapted from Shutterbean, which is a recipe adapted from Whole Living Magazine)

Frozen shelled edamame, thawed
Extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt (I just used regular salt)
Dried cranberries Heat oven to 425F.

Arrange edamame on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool and mix with cranberries.