we're moving!

Well, after a year of trying to sell our home in this almost nonexistent market, we finally did it, and managed to find our dream house back home for a price we can afford. Now, once all the paperwork is done and both houses close, we'll be on our way!

So, what with all of that, a recent three day stay in the hospital due to a raging kidney infection, this crazy tropical storm bringing all kinds of weather (though I should probably thank the universe for sparing both our locations thus far from anything truly damaging. may that hold true thru the end of it!), and three feral kittens who recently showed up at our doorstep (literally) that I'm trying to foster then find homes for (even though the Cap'n keeps calling one of them Seven, as in the seventh stray cat we take in. sigh), I think this blog may be on a bit of a hiatus. We hope to be fully moved by the end of September, so I'm thinking I'll make it back to the blogosphere by Halloween, for sure, complete with scary vegan treats and cute baby costume. Until then I hope I even find a moment to check out all of your blogs and if not, I know I'll have a ton of catching up to do!

For now, here's Taylor. Lately, she's been trying to talk like crazy and I've taught her to roar like a lion. too cute.
Thanks to everyone who always still checks in even though it's been a long while since I shared anything edible. It's nice to know you're all still there!

A Quick Hello

I have something really fun to share with everyone mid August. My sister is having a baby, and I've volunteered to supply the cake for the shower. She's gluten intolerant, so this will be a fun challenge for me. I can't give anything away just yet, but I'm thinking it will be worth the wait. I've got all kinds of ideas to help celebrate my nephew and my beautiful sister. Can't wait to share!

I also have a couple other fun food things to blog about once I find the cord for my camera that has mysteriously vanished. til then you know I'm gonna brag and show you these.....

litte miss smiley pants
we play this game in the morning to see who wakes up first

I let her think it's her and she gets a kick out of that

pondering the universe....or poo...it's really hard to tell
sweet Taylor, she's an exceptional listener

i just love this one

and after you've had your say.....
she has plenty to say back!
being so cute is exhausting!
just when we think it's not possible, little Taylor wows us daily with how interested in her world she is. she's a smiley, funny baby, and we're having the time of our lives. sure, it's the sleep-deprived, do we get to shower today?, we may never eat a meal together again, how did the house get this dirty time, but the time of our lives, all the same. <3

I'm still here...I'm just not HERE.

What they say is true...when you have a newborn, you have time for little else. sleep? eating? who needs 'em? The littlest vegan is currently napping snugly on my person in one of those ingenius baby riders. As she is now four weeks old and a whopping 8 lbs, 8oz she can use it and we're both reeeeally happy about that, especially since she's coming down with a cold, is all congested, and spent all last night and today really ticked off at the world. poor baby.

sadly, I barely get to enjoy a full meal, much less come up with time or energy to whip anything blogworthy, but I wanted to thank everyone for stopping by and sending the love. it's certainly felt and appreciated. I'm on the mend and still battling the blood pressure, but we're getting there.

i'd love to brag with a ton of recent pics, but they're all on the Cap'n's computer so I'll just leave you this one of little Taylor Louise and my Grandma Louise (her namesake) when T was just a few days old. Gma has Alzheimers and seeing these two together was beautiful and bittersweet.

and here's one from a couple weekends ago. swaddlers are GENIUS, i tell you. love 'em!

i'm hoping to have some time to cruise everyone else's blogs soon....but it may take a couple more months, if ya know what i mean.

much love to you all!

She's Here!!!!!!!

On May 7th, the Cap'n and I strolled into my OB's office for our 39 week appt anxiously awaiting news of when we could expect our daughter to arrive. My bp, however, was thru the roof and seven hours later I was having an emergency(ish) c-section followed by a five day stint in the hospital trying to get my bp back to something normal. We're home now and I'm battling a chest cold while healing from the c-section (i don't wish this on anyone, wow), but little Taylor is thriving and perfect and the most content little baby. She weighed in at 6lbs, 8oz and measured 18 1/4 inches.

I know I'll be back to share many more pictures of perfection and likely the grueling story of her arrival (because there's little therapy better than pouring your guts out on the internet :), but for now we're just trying to settle in and find a way for me to heal and get past the worst of this cough.

We are so ecstatic to have her here. I am totally smitten and inspired every time I look at her and feel so very blessed to be surrounded by the most amazing, loving and supporting family.

So much love to you all, I'll be back soon!

Satiating the Cookie Monster

I realize that I never posted this one, so while I'm away I figured I should share!

That sugar craving that I mentioned a few posts back? I'm trying with all my might to beat it down with these... Almond butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. They're super sweet (what with the cup of sugar and half cup of chocolate chips they call for) but also reeeeally tasty and almost good for you as they contain almond butter, only whole wheat flour, and walnuts too!

I know I've posted about them before, I think I got the recipe from VegWeb, but they're so amazingly tasty that showing them off again is totally necessary. This batch (I believe because I flattened them down a bit before baking when before I just spooned without touching them) came out a little less chewy, with more crunch and almost as if the sugar content caused a crunchy sweet glaze on the bottom.
Either way they're utterly delicious and a healthier way (sort of) to get your sugar fix on. I suppose you could dabble with lowering the amount of sugar you add, but I wouldn't dare. ;)

In other news, only 23 days to go! It's nice being with family and friends, but this living in limbo can be quite anxiety causing. We still haven't had any bites on our house but I'm hoping the next 23 days will prove fortuitous in that regard. I'd actually love nothing more than caring for a newborn WHILE house hunting and moving. Yep, we want to move back here THAT badly. hehe.

I've been enjoying simple meals or nights out at our favorite restaurants (for in Gainesville, there are many) so I've nothing new and exciting to share food-wise. In the meantime, I give you me, in all my pregnant glory, chilling out in my husband's aunt's salt water pool. Nothing makes a pregnant woman happier than spending an hour or two weightless in the sun. sigh. thanks for all the well wishes, can't wait to share the news with you when Taylor decides to arrive!