(almost) full term Thanksgiving

Tomorrow, on Thanksgiving day, I will be 36 weeks and 3 days pregnant. Just a few days short of being officially full-term. At this point, they won't do anything to stop the baby from coming should I go into labor. Not that there are any signs of that happening, just kind of a crazy thought. With it being so close to our due date, we are staying home for Thanksgiving. Though we will miss our family, we are looking forward to a few quiet and restful days at home with the kids.

But back to the big turkey day. I am hosting dinner at my house this year. You don't have to know me well to know I love to cook, and it's usually from scratch. Which is why I feel a *little* guilty about our Thanksgiving menu. I had to compromise. Fortunately, we have great friends joining us for dinner and will be sharing a lot of the cooking. But what is the almost full term pregnant woman making for dinner? Here's my cheater's menu:

- Turkey: No way around making a turkey. Brine it and roast it. Super easy.

- Orange-cranberry relish: Probably the easiest thing to make on the menu. God bless the food processor.

- Green bean casserole: Yep, the super traditional version where you basically empty cans into a casserole dish. God bless my husband for actually requesting it vs. a more "from scratch" recipe.

- Mashed baked: It was with a heavy heart that I decided mashed potatoes from scratch might be more work than I wanted this year. It just feels wrong not to have them. And a heavy, cholesterol laden, heart is what we'll get with this super yummy Paula Dean recipe with all it's butter, sour cream, cheese, cream cheese, and boxed mashed potato mix goodness.

- Brussel sprouts: The one thing I'm making tomorrow that will require spending some time in the kitchen. But my husband loves them.

- Dinner rolls: Alright, I admit I did make these completely from scratch.

- Apple pie: Homemade filling made from local apples. But, (gasp!), store bought crust.

So there it is. My semi-homemade Thanksgiving menu. In the end, it won't matter how fancy dinner was or how much I "cheated". It's a day about giving thanks for the things we have, counting our blessings, and enjoying the company of good friends and family.

the great outdoors

we went on a family camping trip with some good friends over columbus day weekend. the site andres found was a hike in campsite. i confess, at 29 weeks pregnant, i was not thrilled about being more than stone's throw from a bathroom. but i was also worried about how the kids would do, how would their short little legs hold up.

little julia belén has always been more of the adventurer. aside from getting tired, i wasn't worried about her being fearful. but my antonio has always been much more timid. shy on the playground, hesitant to go down the slides or on the swings without coaxing. ironic as it is, my son's gross motor skills are not his strong suit.

which is why it was such a delight to see my little trailblazer take on the trails without hesitation. he just hiked right on in, completely ignoring any briars he brushed up against or the roots that created constant trip hazards. it was as if he found his niche. so at ease being out in the great outdoors. not afraid of getting dirty, piling up mounds of dirt to make "cake" and singing happy birthday. using his imagination as he found different ways to play with sticks and rocks. there was no fear, no anxiety. just a little boy being a little boy. adventurous, mischievous, unafraid.