My Baby is Two

Rylee turned two last Thursday, and sadly I was going to pass on doing anything especially because we don't have any family in town. After deciding I could possibly be the worst mother by skipping celebrating Ry's b'day we settled for a "play date" with friends and cupcakes for treats. Word got around that it was Ry's b'day, and the play date turned into a party...which now I'm really grateful for.

Ry's b'day present from us was this kitchen, which she loves. She is constantly making soup on the stove and in the microwave, and talking to each grandparent on the phone.

Little Bit of This Little Bit of That

I am not on the ball with anything, including this sad site I call a blog. Anyways, here is our last couple weeks.

Grandma Lou came for a visit, and we were so lucky to have beautiful warm sunny days. We went to the zoo, had lunch at Cosco, and went on walks...so nice to have my mom here.

Chocolate covered strawberries for my Valentine on Valentines Day!! Sooooo Goooood!

Ry and I made some cookies for her upcoming birthday. This is her favorite part..."taste, taste, taste??"

Since we have told our families via text our good news, I guess it's time we share it with everyone else. I'm 15 weeks prego, so there will be a new baby mid August for the McMinns. In Kev's words I'm already looking a little pregnant, which I informed him happened to just be my fat gut since I'm pretty positive you don't show at 15 weeks. Thanks babe!

I Love Food

We have been missing the food from Hong Kong ever since we got back to the States in August so here was my lame attempt to recreate the yummy delicacies in my home. I made Char Siu Bao (the roll looking thing) which is bbq pork in a roll, pot stickers which we actually never had in HK but it's an Asian food and we love them, and some char siu pork on rice. To finish it off I made cocktail buns (rolls with a coconut/sugar filling) which were so delicious in HK and not so delicious from my kitchen. The only foods missing (besides any sort of vegetable) were don tarts, mango pudding, and taro cake.

Why Not to Use Chocolate for Decoration

Going

Going

Gone

Just wanted to put in my support for a couple items:

First - Go Steelers!!! Wish we could be in the Burgh to feel the Superbowl jubilee, like we did a couple years ago. Although, I will not miss hearing the "Palamaloo" song on the radio over and over and over again.

Second - Whether President Obama was my choice or not in November, I support him now and pray that he will facilitate the positive changes this Country needs.

Today was an exceptionally good day -

1. Kevin had the day off (one benefit of being in school full time, all the holidays)
2. Temperature in the 60's (it's amazing what the sun will do for the soul)
3. Morning spent at the park with Ry
4. Round of golf for Kev (I know that made his day)
5. Went to Dim Sum for lunch
6. Took a nap with Kev (I napped, he watched a movie)
7. Waiting for Kev to bring home some Samoa (like the girl scout cookie) ice cream

The only spoiler is that I can smell something coming from Ry's diaper, and by the red face I think I have a gross diaper to change.

Not Your Mama's Cooking

It's official, food tastes better when someone else prepares it. Case in point - my mom makes this stir fry that I love. It was the meal I would request and was excited to see when I lived at home, the dish that when I ate it I would stop and really savor the flavor. I'm sure everyone has the same perfectly healthy obsession with food (right?). Well, I've made it several times and once again made it tonight. As I'm tasting it for the 20th time I'm thinking, this tastes exactly the same as my mom's, but for some reason it doesn't bring me the same joy or euphoric feeling it used to. This is too bad since I am the one that makes dinner every night. I guess I will have to convince Kevin that it is imperative to my happiness that he learn to cook.