Baby stuff...

So I have beyond sucked at blogging through this pregnancy. I thought for sure I would be good at keeping up with all the appointments and information but I am not. My mind is like mush and when I get home from working... I find myself wanting to do nothing but lay on the couch. I can't even tell you the last time I cooked dinner (seriously).

Anyways here are lots of pictures of the last couple months...mostly the baby shower and the Kai's room.

The baby shower theme was childrens books- every centerpiece was a diaper cake decorated after a childrens book on top of a recieving blanket that my mom made to match. It was sooooo cute.

The favors were magnets of some favorite words like "Bliss" and "joy" and "Giggle" along with cake pops.

The cake was made by my friends Neil and Megan at Sugar and Spice and Everything Iced. It not only looked awesome, was completely edible, it tasted amazing

My Aunts and Mother who put the shower on for me

LOVE MY MOM!!!

Kai's ROOM!

My mom made this mobile for over his crib. It is painted shower curtain rings and looks AWESOME

My mom made the dresser

My Dad made this book rack for all the childrens books that I love so much.

Yes Kai has a 40 inch tv in his room

More pictures will be on the wall. My mom made the curtains

Kai's custom surfboard from Hawaii

Our Christmas Card picture.

So the little guy will be here next Thursday (the 30th). I will be induced just shy of 39 weeks. I asked my doctor about the tax writeoff if I have him before the new year. Yes... I know maybe bad but heck if he comes two days after Jan 1st or two days before and I can get money from the government... I will take the two days before. Plus- I am ready to meet the little guy and he is ready to come out (I know this because he kicks me all the time like he is trying to bust through the walls).

We have been SOOOOO Blessed this year with the baby and everyones support. I am amazed at the love I feel from people and some that I don't even know. I am so grateful for everything that I have been given and know that this next year will be an exciting and challanging one for us. The hubbs will always turn to me when I get that "oh crap...we are having a baby look" and gives me a high five and says "Team B squared". (thats us...get it Brooke and Brian "B SQUARED"). Anyways- I am so grateful for such a loving husband who has been right there with me through this whole thing. I remember laying in bed crying my eyes out when we were trying to get pregnant and he just held me and soothed the pain away. I am so grateful for him.

Brookies Cookies

I tend to jump from hobby to hobby...

 one day I am a photographer

the next I am a knitter

the next I am a baker

the next I am a quilter

then a crocheter

then a cook

then I am writer

then a gardener

then a food storage master of the universe

then a photographer again

Well whatever- I think I consider it multitalented- or multi "wanna be" talented

Anyways- Last year around this time I wanted to be a "Cookie Maker"

and I was convinced I would open a little shop called

Brookies Cookies (catchy huh?)

My parents bought me this wonderful Bosch Mixer and I just want to say... its AMAZING

I love this mixer... I highly recommend it for all baking needs.

I can't really compare it to the kitchenaid mixer but I love my machine.

I made some fabulous cookies as well that I will share in another Fall Baking post

(make sure you check out the sign in the picture... love it)

The Baby Bump

Me at 28.5 weeks

I made the Hubbs take this picture like 20 times.

me- "I look fat"

me-"I have a muffin top"

me-"Let me change shirts because this one is to tight"

after changing shirts

me-"this shirt makes me look like I am not even pregnant"

me-"Do I look fat to you?"

me-"honey... don't cut my face out of the picture"

me-"honey... my face looks huge"

the hubbs- "you are so beautiful and I love you so much"

Gotta love good husbands

Fall Baking- Peanut Butter Rocky Road Brownies

Another one of my Fall Baking Projects

Heat oven 350 degrees. Grease bottom of 13x9 inch pan.

1 box Betty Crocker fudge brownie mix

(all ingredients for brownie mix- water, oil, eggs)

1 jar marshmellow creme

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tbsp. milk

30 minature peanut butter cups

1/3 cup chopped salted peanuts

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 tsp veg. oil

Make brownies as directed on box. Let them completely cool once baked.

While baking/cooling- chop up peanuts and unwrap all peanut butter cups. Chop up peanut butter cups into small pieces

Mix marshmellow, peanut butter, milk in a mixer until fluffy.

Once brownies are cooled, put the marshmellow fluff mixture on top of brownies.

Then sprinkle peanuts and peanut butter cup pieces over the baked and cooled brownies

** its very important that the brownies are completely cooled otherwise this will become a messy project of melted everything**

melt the chocolate chips and oil in the microwave for 20 seconds stiring often until all is melted. Drizzle that ontop of the brownies.

I put the brownies in the fridge and let them cool down completely and harden up. Once completely cooled and chilled, I took them out cut into small pieces and served in cupcake liners. These are really rich (but amazingly yummy).

They were a HUGE hit at my Relief Society meething that I took them too.





Fall Baking- Pumpkin Woopie Pies

I love the FALL TIME even though here in Arizona it is still like 98 degrees outside. Ugh!

But whatever... I can imagine a nice crisp fall time.

I have done a little fall baking and everything turned out so yummy so I thought I would share the recipes.

I got them all from here... As you all know I love Bakerella and making cake pops so I was naturally drawn to this little book at the grocery store. If you have never bought these little recipe books- you should. They have some great stuff in there.

Pumpkin Woopie Pies

(these were super yummy and easy to  make)

1 pouch of Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix

1 tablespoon of flour

1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1/3 cup of butter softened

2 tsps. ground cinnamon

1 egg

Mix the above ingredients in the mixer on slow/med speed and then scoop in rounded tablespoons onto a non greased cookie sheet

If you do not have a cookie scoop (looks like a little ice cream scoop) I would suggest getting one. It is an awesome tool and makes your cookies round and all the same size.

You will have to put a little flour on your fingers and push down on the cookie dough balls so they flatten a little.

Bake 8-10 minutes in a preheated 375 oven.

Let the cookies completely cool down

Filling:

2/3 cup of marshmellow creme

1/3 cup of butter or margerine softened

2/3 cup powdered sugar

 

beat these ingredients in a bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy.

Once the cookies are cooled down- scoop a little of the filling on one cookie (the bottom) and sandwich them together (bottoms together). Store them in the fridge until serving. When serving, place them on a plate or cake plate and allow them to thaw a little and sprinkle powdered sugar on them.

Yummy.





28 weeks and counting...

Time flies by so fast. I am 28 weeks pregnant now and starting my 3rd trimester. It seems to be going by so quickly. Just yesterday I was sitting at a restaurant enjoying a nice meal with the hubbs and I looked over at him and said... "uh you do realize that in a very short time our world will be flipped upside down??" I am not really sure if either one of us is really prepared for having a baby.

Neither of us have ever changed a dirty diaper (like the REAL dirty stuff... I have changed wet diapers but not DIRTY ones).

Neither of us have little brothers and sisters that we got stuck babysitting

Neither of us have any nieces or nephews that we been around

Neither of us have ever had a baby (duh). Brian was married previously and his ex had a daughter so he is told me he is good once the child walks, talks, and goes to the bathroom in a toilet (geez thanks hubbs).

Both of us LOVE to sleep

Both of us enjoy going out to dinner

Both of us enjoy coming and going as we want....

But with that all said-- BOTH OF US ARE SUPER EXCITED...scared, nervous, freaking out yes... BUT EXCITED.

Here are some advances we have made in the Kai's room. Still alot of work to do but I thought I would give you a sneak peak.

I love sea turtles... my dream is to swim with them someday. Since Kai mean "the sea" in Hawaiian, we decided (or I decided) to add some sea turtle touches to his room. I have had this picture in my Crafice for a while and love the colors. We used this as the color palette for the room.

My mom found this dresser. I wish I had before and after pictures but imagine an old looking dark brown dresser with lots of drawers. She totally transformed it to exactly what I wanted. My dad helped in working the drawers to that we could have baskets slide in and out. They painted it and changed the nobs. LOVE IT. Thanks Mom.

I just love this piggy bank. The hubbs played football in college and we love football AND it matches perfect.

This is our crib. My mother in law took me and Bri out to pick it out. At the time I did not know if I was having a boy or girl. I did know that I wanted something that was very straight lined. I love it. Now just imagine all the bedding (my mom is making it all) and an awesome surfboard we ordered with his name on it above it.

I still have ALOT to do. We also have bought a LAZY BOY recliner that will go in there but currently it is in the living room being enjoyed by me as we speak. We also bought a 40 inch TV because every baby needs a huge tv in his room-- really?? We went out to get a small 19 inch tv but they had a huge sale on the big tv's so we got one. It will only be in Kai's room while he is a baby and up all night so I have something to watch while I am in there with him. After that- he will get a little one and the big one will go in our room.

Still lots to do.







An Apple a Day....

I have been sorta on an APPLE kick lately. I have been lots of apples and trying different kinds. A friend suggested Honeycrisp Apples and I haven't been the same since. I LOVE THEM. Yummy. I think my baby in utero likes them too...

Since apples are in season and there are so many great prices on them right now I decided to buy a bunch and make some applesauce. I have never done this before so I did a little online research (love The Google) and watched some YouTube and enlisted the help of my dad. He is always excited about any canning project. Here are some pictures of my applesauce canning adventure.

I bought this awesome thing at the local thrift store (for $4.00) and it peels, cores, and slices my apples. What used to take like FOR EV ER now is super simple. You can get the same one from Pampered Chef but its a little more expensive.

After you have sliced or cubed your apples you want to cook them on the stove for about 20 minutes until they are soft. You will need to add a little water to the mixture so it kinda simmers the apples.

I blended my apple mush in a blender and added cinnamon and sugar. You don't really need to add anything beacuse the apples naturally give off sweetness but the cinnamon is a nice touch. Then I filled pint jars and processed then cold packed them to seal the jars. Love it.



I hope Kai likes applesauce because he will be eating lots of it. Now I am thinking about what other babytype foods I can make and store.

DADDY/DAUGHTER FUN

i LOVE My Dad

(I love my Mom too but this post is about hanging out with my dad)

Dad and I have a great relationship. Its awesome because we do lots of fun things together

that are totally different then I would do with my mom.

One of those things is watch Football.
Prior to dating and marrying my husband (who was a high school and college football player)

I never really liked football. But I am kinda one of THOSE GIRLS that

adopt whatever sport the guy I was dating liked.

So since my hubbs loves football...

SO DO I

and my Dad does too (but he liked it long before I dated the Hubbs).

Dad and I went on a Daddy/Daughter date this last week to the

Arizona Cardinals pre-season game

I have been before

Dad hasn't

So it was lots of fun to take him to the game. Plus- we had great seats

and you gotta love Quarterback bums

My attempt at Healthy- introducing Shrek Shakes

I like (okay LOVE) reading blogs and getting a glimpse into other peoples lives and what they do and don't do. Yes maybe its stalkerish but hey... if they put it out there then they must want SOMEONE to read it and maybe that SOMEONE is me. (someone being said in that tone of voice where its kind of drawn out more like sooooomeone...just a sidnenote).

Anyways- in my various blog readings I came across Jenny Vest (who is now Hatch). I don't know if she ever reads my blog but I read hers. We were in the same church together when I lived in Texas and she was a year older then me- awesome gal- awesome family. Anyways she shared on her blog this green smoothie which she calls (along with others in the blogsphere) a SHREK SHAKE. Now I normally am not a health nut by any means but Jenny claims that drinking these shakes and giving them to her children was "the best things she has done for her children health wise" (or something like that). So I was interested.

I am getting large with child.

I like to eat "not so healthy things".

I am getting large with child.

My lovely Mema told me on the phone that I need to eat more fruits and vegatables. So I sold. I am going to try the Shrek Shake.

I followed the recipe that Jenny shares here and my did not turn out green. It was more of a sludgish brownish redish color. It didn't taste fabulous but it did have alot of good stuff in it- Fruit, Spinich, Collard Greens (whatever those are) and Flax seed. I drank it and went on with my day.

Then next day... I made another Shrek Shake (really its a smoothie so I think I will call them Shrek Smoothies) and again it did not turn out green. I took some fruit out and added more spinich. Tasted okay and went on my day.

Today I made this beauty.

Its Green and it tasted SUPER YUMMY. So here is my recipe- a little different then Jennys but I am hoping to work up to hers.

2 Bananas

1 Tablespoon of Flax Seed (bought at Sprouts)

Blend that up

Add two large handfuls of raw spinich

Blend that up

One squirt of Agave Nector

5 ice cubes

and a little water

Blend that up.

MMMMM.... tasty.

I didn't really drink it in this class- just wanted you to see how beautifully green it was.

So here is the great things about the smoothie that I can testify to after 3 days.

I feel better.

I have more energy- who needs that 5 hr energy drink??

I feel semi Popeyeish

and it has helped some of my not so pleasant bathroom issues I have had since I have been pregnant

(okay probably TMI but just want to give the facts)

 I am getting alot of nutrients that I wouldn't otherwise... who eats 2 large handfuls of spinich a day??

So try it out- just once. Promise you will likey.

Also- Google Shrek Shakes if you want more information- apparently its pretty popular amongst the healthy crowd (which I am not part of but maybe will be if I continue with my smoothies).

Baby Baking

Golly it has been a while since I have blogged. I feel like a schmuck because I always have lots to say but apparently can't sit down to write it out. I figure I also should chronicle life for my future child.

So I did write that we are having a baby. I should probably go back and check what I last wrote... please hold. Okay I am back-

So it was like a week after I last posted so I was 14 weeks along and magically woke up one day and felt great. I had energy. I wasn't sick and boy I was hungry. I did lose close to 20 lbs while being sick. I hated being sick but definitly needed to lose 20 pounds so I guess there is a positive there.

We had an ultrasound at 17.5 weeks and here is what we saw.

The ultrsound tech had a hard time because our baby was being stubborn and the umbilical cord was between the legs so it was hard to tell but she did tell us it was a girl. Now I always thought I would be the mother of lots of little boys. So when I found we were having a girl I was excited but a little shocked. I had already named our baby Kai (which is a boys name) and picked out a baby room that I liked (which was a boys room) but at the same time I have three girlfriends that just had baby girls so I imagined having fun tea parties and dress up parties and lots of fun "girly" things.

We also got to see this cute picture of our little one.

The babies head looks kinda funny but thats the placenta. I love 3D pictures though. They are so fun.

Because of the babies position, we were scheduled to go back in two weeks so I would be at 19.5 weeks to do the anatomy ultrasound. It was then that we got this picture.

So at this ultrasound the babys weiner came out from behind the umbilical cord. During the ultrasound I said to the tech, "well it looks like the baby is still a girl" and she was like "uh...I can't confirm that- it looks like a boy to me". I made her check and check again but apparently we are HAVING A BOY!

Here is another picture of our little boy sucking his thumb

Kai Frederick Beaudoin

He is measuring right where he should be and they said everything looks good.

We are super excited.

His name Kai is Hawaiian for "The Sea". The Hubbs and I really wanted something unique for a name

something that was different and he liked Hawaiian names because my grandfather (mom's dad) was Hawaiian.

Frederick is Brians grandfather (mom's dad) name and Brians middle name.

Its kinda funny but right when we first looked at names- Kai stood out to me. Even when we thought we were having a girl I kept saying, this baby is supposed to be named Kai but because it is more of a boy name I looked for other options (she would have been named Skye)

So all in all... we are super excited. Feeling good and excited to meet our little buddy.

Here is a picture of me getting large with child.

Me at 20 weeks