Spike update Inside and Out

Dinner tonight

I am posting this recipe so that it will be easier to find next time I want it.  We have tried this many times and it is delicious.  My only addition to the recipe as it is written is to add chopped grilled chicken.

Enjoy!  I know we will.

ONE POT CREAMY GARLIC PASTA 

Ingredients
1 lb angel hair pasta
(3) 14.5 oz cans of chicken broth
2 cups of whipping cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp minced garlic
chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions
1. Melt butter in large pot over medium heat.
2. When butter is melted, add garlic.
3. Cook for 1 minute.
4. After cooking garlic, add chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil.
5. Once chicken broth is boiling, add angel hair pasta.
6. Cook pasta until done then lower heat and let simmer until most of the broth has evaporated.
7. Turn heat off and add whipping cream and parmesan cheese.
8. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve
9. Enjoy!

That's right folks;  Spike is a little GIRL!!!!

Big thanks to Grandma H for the perfect little onesie for our little one.  We are so excited for her to wear it in a few months.

A little peek

One of the perks of working in an OBGYN office while pregnant is that occasionally you get to go in an empty room and just listen to the baby's heartbeat at lunch or buddy up with the ultrasound tech and take a peek at what is happening on the inside.
I listen to Spike's (the name we are calling our baby right now) heart beat at least once a week but up till now I have only taken advantage of the ultrasound peeks one other time before today; and that was when I was only 9 weeks along.
Today at 17 weeks we took another quick peek.  No, we did not take any more then 3-4 minutes and no, we did not find out the gender.  We will do that in a few weeks when Nathan can be there as well.

Here is a preview of what we will see in more detail in a few weeks!  

Enjoy.

Sorry it has been so long....

Nathan and I have been a bit preoccupied the last few months but we are finally ready to share our wonderful news.

16 weeks

I am four months pregnant.  With a little help from my wonderful doctor and boss, Dr. Vered and a whole lot of hope, faith, and patience, we will be welcoming baby 'Spike' (the name we are calling our baby right now) into our family in December of this year.  

It is truly a miracle and we are still hopeful that adoption will be part of our future.

Until then, we are happy to share this journey we are currently on with all of you who have supported our adoption goals for so long.  Thank you for your support and your prayers.  We know that without you all of you, none of this, miracle pregnancy or adoption would be possible.  

Here is a video of us telling my parents on their birthdays that they would finally be grandparents.

Happy Happy Friday!1!

National Puppy Day!!!!

Just a few (OK, a lot) of pictures of my favorite puppies in the world in honor of it being National Puppy Day.  Enjoy.  These are in no particular order. 

Puppy dog eyes.

So innocent.

Family picture 2012

BIG bone from Grandma and Grandpa. 2010

One of Jasper's favorite pass-times.  Standing
in the window watching the cars go by.

He's always excited for a walk.

Halloween 2011

So Regal.

Crazy boys.

Jasper and Frankie wrestling.

Frankie!

On a family walk.

Getting to know each other.

Cuddle pups.

Jasper and his big Christmas bone from
Grandma and Grandpa  2014.
They love their grand-pups.

....and he's out.

Jasper trying to sit on my lap while I read.

Two of my favorites.  

Jasper and puppy cousin Harley.

Nathan's 2013 buck.

Jasper just couldn't stay awake.  Sleeping on the
stairs because he wouldn't leave my side.

Serious pup.  (Falling asleep while sitting up)

Both our dogs sleep like this.
Butt on the pillow, head on the floor,

Photo bomb!

Look how little Jasper was.  Christmas 2009

Jasper swimming at the cabin.

Playing catch the twig/branch.

Family picture at the cabin 2014

Puppy cousins Harley and Jasper running.

Frankie and Jasper running in the back yard.

Frankie and his little bone.  Now he has a big bone
 cuz he always wanted the one Jasper was chewing on,

Picking up Frankie from the airport.  A very happy day.
January 2015

Jasper 'helping' set up the Christmas tree 2014

First cuddles with Frankie.  Potty break after his flights home.

Trying to get them both to sit for a picture.
The bone is standing up on its end.
Jasper was very talented that day.

Sweet dreams.  

Frankie got Jasper's big bone.

Family picture 2013

Jasper in his 'sausage suit' watching me shovel.  2012

Jasper's first week home. 2009

We love you Jasper and Frankie!

Happiness Thy Name Is Puppy (Frankie!)

My sister just published a post by this same name on her blog and I thought that since it was such a great title that I would also use it.  While here post which you can read here is about a day spent playing with puppies at a pet store my puppy love/joy is currently asleep at my feet.

Notice the tongue.  :-)

We have now had Frankie home for about a week and a half.  He continues to live up to his reputation as the "Best puppy ever!!!!" -Dr Matt from Vet Ranch, and gets along great with Jasper.

After he came home to us  Dr. Matt and the Vet Ranch crew posted a follow-up video from the original one in December where we initially found Frankie.

Dr. Matt was kind enough to allow us to share some footage in that post as well.

As I said Jasper and Frankie are now great buddies.  They love to play chase and wrestle in the back yard all day long.  They also are doing very well at sharing, which is a very good thing because even though we have several different toys and two identical bones, Frankie is only interested in playing with the exact item Jasper currently has.  It doesn't matter whether it is the nyla-bone, Kong toy, or tennis ball.  Whatever Jasper has, Frankie wants to play too.   They play and wrestle for hours a day.

Over the weekend we took the puppies (big and small) for a walk around the neighborhood.  Frankie is still young and needs some practice on good walk etiquette, but all in all they did very well and it was a pleasant evening.  We ended up and Nathan's sister Jennifer's house and Frankie and Jasper were even able to visit with some of their puppy cousins Harley and Ellie and Frankie was very good with that new environment.

Last week we were also able to figure out what exact breed mix Frankie is.  We knew he was part Pit-bull but his speckled coat is not traditional pit-bull coloring.  We asked a vet friend and after her suggestion we googled pit-bull/blue heeler mix and sure enough it all fits!  There is even a picture of a female puppy that has the exact same markings and coloring as Frankie.  Mystery solved!

We love Frankie,  And Jasper too.  We never planned on having two puppies, let alone two pit-bull's at one time; but we can not imagine it any other way now.  Life is good and all is as it is meant to be.

P.S.  Happy Birthday Grandpa Parkinson!!! aka Grumpy.  We LOVE you.  Sending puppy kisses your way.

Good Night from all of Us.