Showers!

We have had two wonderful showers!

The first shower was when I was 27 weeks pregnant and it was a couples baby shower hosted by Holly and Amy (Scott's mom and sister) (actually pretty much the same crowd as our Couples Wedding Shower!) We had a great time! The food was amazing, the flowers were fabulous and gifts were very generous!

The next week was a traditional shower hosted by Sara Shower (I was 28 weeks pregnant). She did an absolutely amazing job; really channeling her inner Martha Stewart! She had fantastic food with a sherbert punch (which I am pretty sure I drank most of it!)

We played shower games (my favorite!), one being "Price is Right", which my total guess was around $70 but the actual was around $35. So it will be a nice surprise how much less my first Target trip will be than expected!

The decorations were so cute! Included were sparkly pink "CSJ" (baby's initials) hanging in the large picture window and a beautifully set table!

The cupcakes were to die for! Brought by my friend Laurie - one was a lime with blackberry frosting and the other was a Bailey's Chocolate cupcake.

We received so many gifts. We are truly blessed with so many generous friends and family! Between our two showers, we have just about everything we need and are ready for Charlotte to join us! (Well, when she is done baking!)

O'Hara Ladies!

(Marian, Dawn, Meg, Kelly and Angie)

Gustavus Grils (and babies!)

(Sara, Dawn (with Avery), Stef, Meg, Amanda (with Ellie) Laura (with Edie) and Melany)

Gender Party!

(Wow - I had every intention on writing more frequently during my pregnancy...but I guess not! But here is an update!)

I have discovered that I really can't do anything easily. I must go down the path of the most complications possible! Finding out the gender of the baby was no exception! I decided to have a gender party.With most gender parties, the parents already know the gender, not me though, I wanted to find out with everyone else!

Here is the process: Early in the week I went to Lunds and ordered a dozen cupcakes with frosting filling, with instructions that I would be dropping off an envelope with the gender in it on Thursday (the baker was actually really excited to be involved!) and that the frosting filling should be the color of the gender (pink/blue.) At the ultrasound, we told the ultrasound tech to write down the gender and put it in an envelope. (I should note that the baby was so active that she wasn't comletely sure what the gender was, but since everyone was coming over, we said, just write something down!)

After the ultrasound, I went straight to Lunds and dropped off the envelope (in order to avoid any temptation to look!) I also ordered cupcakes for my mom in Vancouver, WA and for Scott's Aunt Leslie and Uncle Paul in Cedarburg, WI (again, pre-ordered and the baker at Lunds was lovely enough to offer to call the two bakeries and provide the gender.)

After 3 long days of waiting, Saturday night came! And we are having a... girl! Her name will be Charlotte Sands Johnson (Sands is after Scott's Grandpas sur name.) 

(It's hard to tell, but the middle of the cupcake is pink frosting.)

I should note that we had a follow up ultrasound (as the tech also couldn't see one of the kidneys) and she confirmed the gender as a girl (and she does have two kidneys!)

We are expecting!!

Exciting news! We are expecting and due July 26! Currently we are about 14 weeks along, with 7 short weeks before we find out the sex of the baby!

Right now we are looking at daycares. Seriously a daunting experience!

There is so much to consider:
- Infant:teacher ratio (state max is 4:1; I would prefer a max of 3:1);
- Cost! (the most expensive is $523 a week or $26K per year!);
- Location (SW MPLS or Downtown);
- Teacher experience;
- Does it have a Preschool;
- And most importantly, will there be availability the end of October! (Of course not! Starting to look when you are only 12 weeks pregnant is too late!)

Next to do...the nursery!

Baseball Park Tour

And we are off! Scott and I are taking a baseball park tour. We left Minneapolis 90 degree weather Saturday morning for Kansas City's 100 degree weather!

There is NOTHING to see from Lakeville to Des Moines! Just flat farm land. Thank goodness we had some entertainment! On our way down we listened to David Sedaris' Naked on CD. Freaking hilarious especailly with Amy Sedaris (comedian) doing voices!

We stopped into the High Life Lounge in Des Moines. The place is famed for not serving beer introduced after the 1970's. Good food and the place looks like it was straight out of the 70's.
We made it to KC; our hotel overlooks the stadiums. Quite a sight! I can't figure out how to upload pics with my iPhone; so I'll add later!

More to come on the BBQ and blues (chris bell).

Sunday- at the Kauffman Stadium! This place is amazing; and it's been around since the 70's. Just proves if you do it right the first time you can use it and love for a long time. also whoever thought baseball should be inside be stoned. Seriously! There is no better way to watch a game!! Even in 95 degree weather!

An eventful game lead to an uneventful drive to St Louis. There were no less than 100 blown tires on the side of the road and at least 10 XXX adult book and video stores; which Scottie commented on how busy each of these stores were!

Need to comment on brewery restaurant.

And its Monday! Nothing like starting the day with a brewer tour! More to come by let's just say we had our fill of free t-shirts and the unwashed.


In St Louis, we are staying near the Union Station (near the river/arch etc.). We ate at a place that brews their own beer (not a chain!); reminds me a lot of Summit beer. Really good food as well!!

Friday night dinner- French Onion Soup

Friday night dinner I made French onion soup (Julia Child). It was Good but next time I would 6 instead of 4 bouiluon cubes, don't pour the soup over the bread (place the bread on top of the soup) then cover with cheese.

I did discover a key to cutting onions without crying (all 1.5 lbs), I wore swim googles. It worked like a charm. But don't remove them in the kitchen, the onions hit you like a brick.

Well it's March 1 and a Monday...

It's the beginning of the month and it's a Monday...a perfect time to start anything. While I didn't get up to workout, I did pack all my lunches and snacks last night in compliance with the Zone. I am training for Grandmas and I am hoping to make my goal of 4 hours. The Zone is suppose to help.

I only have 2 months until school starts for the summer in which I will have 3 week night classes. It will be tough so I need to clamp down a routine ahead of time.

Its been awhile...

Obviously I started this blog and did nothing with it; a New Year's Resolution has been added to my list to start blogging!

New Year's Resolution:
1) Walk Lucy daily
2) Bus/Bike to work
3) Bring my lunch
4) Finish projects