Handy Food and Other Stuff

1. Dairy - Milk, 2%, shredded Mexican style cheese, yogurt (nonfat Greek, cream on top, and drinks)
2. Juices - OJ, white grape juice, Gatorade for the husband;
3. Grains - bread, raisin bread, rice, tortillas;
4. Veggies - all the time - broccoli, carrots, cucumber, lettuce, tomato, peppers, potato; when in season - potato, squashes, avocado;
5. Fruits - all the time - bananas; when in season - apples, peaches/plums, Rainier Cherries, persimmons;
6. Other - Salsa (chunky, mild), Chips (current favorite Lays Baked Ruffles), PB&J, Cereal;
7. Travel size - Horizon 2% milk (chocolate and white), Welch's White Grape Juice, Annie's fruit snacks, Goldfish, Starbucks Via Instant coffee, Coffeemate Instant Creamer (for me), and of course travel dishes, linens, and extra clothing all kept in a ready to go bag in my automobiles.
8. Water - I always have water with me in my stainless steel containers. My son and I use Kleen Kanteen products and now I use the 16 oz. insulated cup with the cafe top for nearly everything. For power outages we always keep a dozen or so bottles on hand in addition to a few gallons for the dogs and chickens.

Movies in My Romance Collection

Still adding to this collection. My main criteria is that it has to continue to move me over and over, whether it's to tears or just makes me laugh again and again.

The Notebook
The Proposal
Two Weeks Notice
Love Affair
Return to MeAdam's Rib
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
The Princess Bride
Shall We Dance
Catch and Release
No Reservations
The Legend of Zorro
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
You've Got Mail
Australia
Chasing Liberty
An American President
The Count of Monte Cristo
Pirates of the Carribean (series)
Matrix (series)
Underworld Revolution... what can I say, I like Sci-Fi too!
An American Werewolf in Paris
Twilight (series)

Must Have Movies for My Son

1) Land Before Time (series, especially with Chomper)
2) Lion King
3) Cars
4) Kung Fu Panda
5) The Heffalump Movie

What to Do on a 2ww

1) Watch movies/shows. I watch www.hulu.com or Netflixstreaming and rentals. We don't have cable.
2) Read a book. Right now I'm reading "Bel Canto" by Ann Patchett. I'm also a romance junkie but I'm avoiding those books because I am currently abstaining from intercourse and don't want any outside influences to interfere with that abstinence, including kicking my husband out of our bedroom for as long as possible.
3) Blog/Journal. I'm doing both reading and writing in blogs and journals.
4) Sew. I have some unfinished hand sewing projects. I only wish I had gotten out my unfinished hand quilting projects as well. Oh well, see #1.
5) Organize electronic (or paper) files. Most of my home office is paperless. I can organize that "paperwork" in bed with my laptop with an internet connection and a plethora of USB thumb drives.
6) Work. OK, so not ideal and certainly not helpful on my stress level but there is something to be said about the distraction of work than can soothe a restless soul. Since I am self-employed and work from home I can do this at my own pace and I've prepared my work load to be light this week. Also, see #7.
7) Crosswords and Puzzles. I am a puzzle addict! I keep a book of "Variety Puzzles" at my bedside for those difficult nights of sleeplessness. If I work too long in a day with numbers, taxes, and accounting running through my head I turn to the comfort of crosswords and puzzles, specifically anything non-number related.
8) Meals in bed. This isn't the average normal eating in bed and it's reserved for the time I spend in bed rest. Breakfast is usually a hot cup of cocoa with an egg white and cheese burrito on a small corn tortilla or oatmeal with fruit and nuts. Lunch is soup and chips (Lays Baked original). Dinner cravings have been a little crazy with marinated beef and eggplant or a kale/carrot/rice noodle stir fry. I'm craving BBQ anything right now too.
9) Gentle yoga/meditation. Most stretching or yoga for pregnancy is safe. I avoid crunchies and other activities involving the abdomen. Also, it's best not to do strenuous exercise, especially anything you're not used to or didn't do before you were (potentially) pregnant.
10) Make Lists. Grocery lists, to do lists, lists for work, baby names, desirable maternity clothing, desirable new baby gear, ways to save money on that gear, list of symptoms, and what to do during my 2ww, LOL.

In The Works

Here is my first list...

Things to do to get this blog up and running:
1) Find a funky-cool blog layout to transform this blog into;
2) Update the heading font;
3) Write my background info;
4) Double check blog settings and layout;
5) Gather more of my lists to prepare for posting;
5) Publish!

I'm not sure if I'm just an obsessive compulsive person or a list-addict. Maybe it's both. I find it soothing, mentally soothing. So, I thought I'd share them with the world. My lists range from practical and helpful to the downright ridiculous, what's currently going on in my life, things I wish I could get done, things I have done, and things I would never do. You get the picture. Feel free to share your lists in the comments!

List on, Alister