Mmmm like butta'

Elliott took me here last night:

We ordered this:

The Meatball Sub

And something that looked similar to this:

The Firehouse "Hero" Sub. It had roast beef (my fav), smoked turkey breast and Virginia Honey Ham. This picture is pretty spot on with representing the sheer amount of salivating meat that's piled onto the bread.

We got both as larges so that we could each trade and share our halves. They slid down my mouth so easily, though most things do when I'm starving, but the food was beyond delicious. Elliott usually goes there during his dental school's lunchtime with some classmates--ironically we even saw one of them there eating--but he held off going for a while to take me!

Elliott ate leisurely and was easily filled. I ravaged the subs, ate the pickels that came with each sub and was ready to take down more. I told him that the only explanation for this was that I had a mini- Elliott inside of me (no, that's not going to be his name, but he'll most likely continue the Elliott Brennan legacy of massive food take down without even a single burp or cringe). Those are my babies!

This morning as Elliott was getting ready for work I mumbled, "Mmmm meatball and hero subs." His only response was, "So that's what you're dreaming about these days." As I said previously, I have a mini-him eating right along side (and inside) me.

"It's Gonna Be A Holly Jolly Christmas--Cause You're Jolly With Your Belly."(shakes belly mockingly)--E.B.

Elliott and I always use this time of year to make our house a little more festive, a little more piney smelling (from our artificial "Evergreen" spray) and a little more... more... fattening, though when is it not?

This is my baby bump at 20 weeks. Enough said. Though I will make the comment that my shirt cost me $2.50 at Pac Sun. Sometimes it does pay to brave Arizona Mills. But only sometimes.

I told Elliott we absolutely HAD to use colored lights on our house. It's the next best thing to those old-fashioned pepper lights. It may have required an extra trip to Target to finish the job but it was beyond worth it.

While I was at the store, Elliott used the rejected white lights and decorated our lawn. I told him I thought his "spiraling" on the tree was preeeettttyyy impressive. Ugh, this picture reminds me of how badly I want--and nearly need--a new camera. A 4mp Kodak is going to take crappy pictures of even the cutest baby in the world (which will be ours). Anyone wanna get us some sort of Canon Rebel or any type of SLR for that matter??

I absolutely love our tree. It has a shimmery green star tree topper and is starting to become more and more covered with elegant and kitschy ornaments each year. My favorite holiday tradition growing up was receiving a new ornament from my mom each year. The Christmas after we got married--uh, so last Christmas--she gave us a beautiful porcelain ornament of a man dancing with his wife. It's a little hard to see in the picture (again, the camera problem) but I always put it right up front. I also got a vintage-looking brass ornament when we were in New Zealand of what else, but a map of the country.

I feel another blog post coming on completely devoted to my ornaments.

THIS is THE baby room. I can't wait until it's finished. We're painting it a green that I paint matched from this jewelry box I "bought" at Anthropologie. Granted, I had to return the jewelry box after I paint matched it because... It's overpriced... No surprise. We also got a quart of the navy color (just in case).

Can you guess what this picture is??

Here is an update of my Winter Break To-Do List:

1. Done. And it's a boy in case you couldn't tell by that in your face TMI picture.

2. Done. And it's Directv.

3. Partially Done. Arizona Mills doesn't count.

4. Done. But I'm never satisfied.

5. Starting full-time tomorrow at ASU. Doing what? The same thing I've been doing off and on for almost two years. I don't think I'll ever address it on this blog so go ahead and email or Facebook me if you're dying to know.

6. Not necessary. We turned up our heat-- har har har.

7. Well... I'd say I'm making a bigger effort this year than last so let's just label this as "improving."

8. Done. I got this and found an online coupon for $10 off!

9. Done. But thirsty for more. Thanks to number 2, we're geared up for Monday night football tomorrow!

10. Elliott said today "We should just put that puzzle away." So... fail.

Oh, and that snow day? It's coming. Mark my words, it's coming.

No Holiday Season Is Complete Without A Little Thomas Kinkade.

This Winter I want to...

1. Find out the sex of our baby

2. Give my husband something great for Christmas

3. Hit up the outlet malls!

4. Sleep in

5. Earn a little extra Christmas cash!

6. Stay bundled (as demonstrated by my husband and cat--note he looks like a Grandpa). That's what I'm aiming for. Still... what's the point with this weather?

7. Have a spiritually enriched holiday season

8. Buy my stretch mark cream

9. Watch some good Cardinals football.

10. Finish our epic Thomas Kinkade puzzle that's 90% snow... I wanted the kitty cat puzzle with lots of detail, but Elliott is really good at completing the solid parts so I can't complain too much. He's a puzzle hero.

Oh! And have a snow day spent sledding up North with Elliott!

BFF (Black Friday Forever)

I love Black Friday. Love it. I spent many a Black Friday's at Arrowhead Mall in Glendale running around looking for "Brad" the weather guy from Channel 3 with my friend, uh, Brad. I even made it on tv one year for a free hair and makeup makeover Rolf's Salon was offering. Friend-Brad said my eye was twitching on screen.

My favorite Black Fridays, however, have been spent with Elliott because there was an absolute desperate purpose in his shopping goals. I love competition if it has to do with shopping. I do consider myself somewhat of a savvy shopper. Why, today I was given the compliment, "You are the best online shopper I know!" (and I have proof it came from people other than the ones I make up in my head). It nearly brought a tear to my eye. One day I hope to translate that success into actual "in-person shopping."

Elliott's and mine's first Black Friday was two years ago, shortly after we started dating. Elliott wanted an entire speaker system-- as in everything. So, only hours after returning home from his house in Tempe, I dragged myself out of bed at 2 am and drove all the way back (I was pretty much obsessed with the guy and still am). 3:30-ish, we took our cocoa and single camping chair and parked ourselves behind the growing line of people outside of Best Buy. No matter how long a Black Friday line is, it moves quickly. Everyone crazy enough to line up that early is at least sane enough to know that you can't just "walk" into a store once it opens. We ran to the back... actually, I ran to the bathroom and he ran to the back to find the exact speakers, cords and receiver that he had seen in the ad's and planned to buy. It was a close call, but he nabbed the last ones. After that, we were able to leisurely shop for movies, cd's and Christmas presents at a few different stores and then finish it off with a round of Orange Rolls at his house (and a nap). I was officially hooked on the planning for, scouting out and lining-up that went into seizing the best deals possible at who knows how many stores.

Last year was also so much fun as we took things a little less dramatically but were still ever-determined when planning out our shopping. We got a fantastic Christmas tree deal at Home Depot and so many little gadgets at Wal Mart. Plus, we were able to set up for our very first Christmas in our very first home together.

This year? Babies R Us, DUH!

I'm not gonna wear a ladies' wetsuit I'm a man, I got hurt feelings, I got hurt feelings--get me a small man's wetsuit please.

I was crazy when I was on birth control (fortunately, Elliott had already asked me to marry him when I started). This past June we went off "The Pill" in preparation for the normally foolish, but in our case planned, act of unprotected sex. In August I was pregnant and a few weeks later, started to feel just like I did on birth control! The hormones have hit worse than any physical ailment and it's been a treat for anyone who's come into contact with this lil princess. This clip is a spot-on reminder at how ridiculously easy it has been for me to get carried away with things that in reality, are trivial and probably laughable. I usually only get "frustrated" or "in a mood" at situations--not people--and I can't think of anyone that has said anything to upset me (so please no: "I'm sorry if I..." or "I'll be extra sensitive"-- nah, no, yuck, none of that). It's more of an I'm sorry if I... and Thank you for being superb friends and family.

Now, I also don't need all these responses of: "Don't worry, it's natural," or "These things happen," or "It takes time but you'll get through it." My gorgeous, newly shaved husband patiently reminds me of all that every time I apologize for "being crabs."

PS: We find out the sex of our baby December 5th! My due date is April 27th--my sister Anna's birthday! Truth be told, I am hoping for a May baby (sorry Anna, I will be happy with an April baby but ONLY if it's on your birthday).

"Jack" O' Lantern

Jack Dillenberg is who I was this Halloween. He is the dean of my dental school. Alisa was a bun in the oven! Cute as a button. Mine was a big hit at the dental school Boo Bash. Everyone told me I nailed it. It was at some sacrifice (my hair, shaved it) and a huge help from the wife... To shave where I couldn't see. Here are some pictures for everyone to enjoy.

The picture is a little bleached out.

Blackmail photos for the future.

I think you had to be there to see the Uncanny resemblance!