little sophie

Here is a sneak peek at Sophie's newborn photos. These were taken by the extremely talented Sue Chambers: teacher, singer and photographer extraordinaire!

She's Here!

Ok, so I'm posting this a bit late...but we've sorta had our hands full :)

Sophia Jewel Frerichs arrived Sunday, May 29 at 12:14 pm. 8 lbs, 1 oz, 20" long. She is beautiful -if I don't say so myself- and seems so tiny compared to our boys.

I hope to post some pics soon. We've been so busy getting used to our new family of five and trying to convince Sophie to stay awake during the day and sleep at night. She's favored the opposite...but we made some promising strides last night.

Thanks for your prayers and well-wishes! God is good!

Room for Sasparilla

Yep, Sasparilla.

That was Hayden's idea. He's not sure where he heard the name, but he knows he likes it. For now, we're calling her that. It has a nice ring to it, don't you think? Sassy for short.

Anyway, we're almost done with her room, which is great since I'm officially "full term" this week. Since this is my first time diving into pink and all things girly, I wanted to share. I don't have a fancy dancy camera, so these pictures are so-so. (Note to self: put digital SLR on list of "needs" for baby)

Here's the crib! Amazing how different it looks without
baby blue & white gingham bedding & accessories!
And I swear those frames are not crooked in real life.

Troy's dad put up the beadboard and ledge.
Great job, papa!!



Got this rug on sale! I couldn't believe
how hard it was to find a semi-plain
pink rug.






I ordered this sign from Susie Harris. I've read her blog
for a few years and have always loved her
hand-made signs!! It is hanging above the closet doors.
Thanks, Susie!

Add some pink knobs and presto!
It's a changing table fit for a little girl!

This cheapskate made her own art again! Does the flower
look familiar? I've used it on everything, including
thank you cards and this blog header! I originally created it
to mimic the design in the crib bedding I thought I
was going to get (below)...



(Lola bedding by Serena & Lily)
But after I realized I was in some type of baby-girl-induced
hysteria and that $400 was way too much to spend on a
bumper, skirt and single sheet, I decided to go with
a much less expensive option.
I kept the flower design, though!



And this will be changed with the correct
name and info once she makes her grand arrival.
Who knows...Sasparilla might just
grow on us!

A Sucker for Turquoise

See this dress?

I love it.

I'm going to buy it.

And I'm going to fit into it by fall.

And by next summer, I will have worked so hard on losing the baby weight and getting back in shape that I will wear it as a dress - as opposed to a top - legs bared!

As I sit here on the couch with feet propped up on the coffee table, sporting a maternity mumu/tent, tired of hiding behind black pants, black tops, black anything that helps camouflage the extra baby "love poundage", I like having a tangible goal in the form of a dress.

A hormonal, exhausted, ready-to-pop woman can dream, right?

Never Trust a Skinny Cook?

I'll admit it. I'm a little leery of skinny cooks.

Giada DeLaurentiis? Sure, she looks great biting into all of her olive-oil-soaked goodness with that big, toothy grin and occasional Italian accent. But does she really eat what she cooks - on a regular basis? I find myself doubting that she does, or subconsciously loathing her for being able to eat like that while keeping her size 2 frame.

No, I'm more prone to enjoy cooks like Ina Garten, Lucinda Scala Quinn, Nigella Lawson or Paula Deen. You know they eat what they cook.

However, last week I saw a cook book that sparked my interest and, in turn, my debit card. The queen of skinny, Gwyneth Paltrow, has put out another cookbook. This one entitled "My Father's Daughter".

I browsed through some recipes online before hitting Barnes & Noble last week. There were several things that sucked me in. First off, she includes a "well stocked pantry" list to give you an idea of staples to pick up at the grocery store. And, she includes tips for getting your children involved in the cooking process. I also love that most of the recipes are from her family members or family friends...especially her late father (hence the name of the book). And lastly, I love that the recipes are somewhat SIMPLE and wholesome.

I'll admit, I've only tried one recipe so far - Spaghetti Limone Parmeggiano. I added grilled chicken sauteed with mushrooms and some capers. Very tasty and super simple!

But outside of that, I've found myself being inspired by her recipes. For example, I've now cooked the most fabulous omelet for myself three or four times since purchasing this. A standard (all natural egg) omelet filled with mushrooms, diced onions, tomato, reduced fat colby jack and a mix of organic arugula and a spring herb mix. (No, I haven't gone organic...have you seen the rising price of groceries?? It just happens that the arugula and fresh herb mix were both organic. So it makes me feel somewhat like a granola-tree-hugger. Oh, if only I could buy only organic! But I digress.)

It seems that I usually buy cookbooks for the mere inspiration! But I am planning to make several of the recipes from this book in the next week. I'm not sure how well these will translate into WW-friendly meals come June, but I have a feeling it will only take a few tweaks to shape them into point-friendly delights. And regardless, I love that she only uses natural, wholesome ingredients - the kind you feel good about your kids eating.

(Gwyneth also has a great blog where she writes about all things healthy: http://www.goop.com/)

In short, this cookbook gives me a warm fuzzy. Granted, it would be a warmer fuzzy if I were able to have a nice glass of cabernet sauvignon while preparing these dishes...but I can hold out for another month :) I love how she writes about food and family and the importance of sitting down together over a good meal and conversation.

So, do we trust a skinny cook?

My vote so far is yes.

Now, if only I could afford her trainer.

Somethin' Sweet for my Peeps...again

I've decided to repost this Peeps Sunflower Cake every year...as I seem to make it only once a year, at this same time every year. YUM! Super cute, easy and ever so delicious. It's baking in the oven as we speak!

Recipe from Taste of Home can be found here.

UPDATE: And this is what the cake looks like when you try to cut a slice for your boys and realize you never took the wax paper off of the bottoms of the cakes before icing it. (sigh) Still tastes yummy though!

Chubby Cheeks

Don't worry, this isn't yet another post dedicated to my rear.

I just wanted to give a sneak peek of our little baby girl. We had a 3D/4D ultrasound last Friday. She was not cooperative, but they were able to capture a few shots towards the end.

The conclusion: She has a full head of hair, big lips, super chubby cheeks and, most importantly, looks healthy!

7 weeks and counting!!!