Sunny Sunday.

 

   

                   

Winter Remedies

Overall, I've been pretty good about handling the winter blues.  

Until Saturday, that is.   

I woke up in a nasty funk in which I wanted to be anywhere but cold, snowy Chicago.  Any (warm) country, town, street, corner.  Well, mostly, I wanted to be back in warm, sunny New Orleans with Alex again, but I would have taken pretty much anywhere.

How to banish such stormy clouds?

Alex, who excels at leading me out of the occasional dark mood (ain't nobody got time for that!), suggested that we go to the Orchid Show at the Chicago Botanical Gardens.  It was exactly what I needed, and I am so grateful we went.  On a related note, Here is an interesting article on the positive psychological, mental, and physical effects plants have on people.  Guess we should get some more plants ASAP as possible...

If you're in Chicago, do go!  It's exceptionally lovely, and raises the spirits so.  

The Friday Post Day; An Assortment of Things Interesting and Uninteresting

So, my Dad sent along this ridiculous Turkish rock music video the other day.  Alex can't stop listening to it (apparently he listened to it six times at work yesterday, and twice while we were playing Yahtzee after dinner).  He claims that "when you listen to it with headphones you get a great bass line." I'll just take his word for it.  

Looks like we've found a winner for the next Burch Family talent show.

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I've finished Persuasion, and have moved on to The Awakening by Kate Chopin.  

I'm only a few chapters in, leaving me incapable of commenting on the story itself,  but thus far her writing is quite lovely (and vaguely reminiscent of, though not as perfect as, Woolf's).  Plus, the story takes place in New Orleans and the Southern Coast of Louisiana, a setting alluring in and of itself.  The novel exudes the Old South Romanticism still present in New Orleans, and fills me with the strongest desire to revisit that lovely city.  We'll see where the rest of the book takes me, but so far I'm enjoying it immensely.

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I made this ear-warmer/headband yesterday.   Now I won't have to have both my ears amputated due to freezing before the winter is out.

I don't know why I didn't make this ear-lier...haha...get it?

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Look at these awesome Mondrian inspired bathing suits!

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Can I just say how much I'm obsessed with Evangeline?  She must be doing something crazy in there because as I type I can see my stomach moving all around as she moves.  Golly, she's just the cutest, and that's an understatement.    

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Finally, I took the Which Joss Whedon Heroine Are You quiz on Buzzfeed, and am definitely not mad at the result (even though I know I'm not as cool as she is): 

You got: Buffy Summers

Wikia / Via buffy.wikia.com

Way to go, Chosen One. You’re witty, know how to stay cool under pressure, and you have an endless store of one-line zingers. You never run from a fight. Beneath that sassy exterior, you’re very sensitive, and wise beyond your years. You value your friends above everything else, and you make sure they know it.

1. 
   

Soup, it's what's for dinner.

Last night I made soup for dinner.  Really good soup.  I modified the recipe just a little from one I found online (eg. used rich, freshly homemade turkey broth, switched out the fat-free "milk" for real milk, and substituted carrots for chicken because I didn't have any).  Looking at the recipe I didn't think it was going to be as delicious as it was, but it was delicious, and now I've got soup on the brain. 

 Luckily, I have a wonderful sister who has been making lots of soup lately and has given me plenty of soupy suggestions for next week's meal plan...yum.

"You can't eat this soup standing up, your knees buckle."

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tbs. butter

4 c. chicken broth

1 lb. potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

3 large carrots, diced

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 c. flour

1 c. milk

1 c. evaporated milk

1 tsp. minced fresh parsley

In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in broth, potatoes, and carrots. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add salt and pepper. Combine flour and milk until smooth; stir into saucepan. Add evaporated milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Sprinkle with parsley.   6 servings.

These Days...

How am I avoiding the winter blues?  

Reading...

Eating...

Staying productive...

Holding out for our mid-March Phoenix trip...

What I'm reading: 

After finishing The Devil in the White City (which read like a sensational, yet depressing documentary), I felt I needed some Austen to rejuvenate me...I'd really forgotten how wonderful her writing is.  The perfect remedy for these dreary winter months...

(The only things I disliked about this book were the soft cover and the predominance of shitty analogies.  Other than that, I cannot even begin to tell you how much I learned about Chicago and the World's Fair, and how much I enjoyed learning about it.)

What we've been eating/what I've been craving: 

I just cannot get enough caprese.  It's literally all I want to eat.   

What we've been doing: 

When I'm not taking Zimbio quizzes and forcing Alex to do the same (how else would I discover  that I am most akin to Berlin Bowie and Pocahontas?!), I actually do productive things.  Like today, for instance, I finally got around to conditioning my leather jacket (definitely the only cool item of clothing I've ever owned).  Now I'll look super hip come Spring.  Watch out Chicago. 

Alex has been diligently caring for our little collection of plants and they are currently thriving.  Great job, Ace.  (Good thing he's doing it because I tend to love plants to death.)

How we're looking: 

Looking good, hollywood.  But I do wish you'd start gaining some sympathy weight.

What I've been thinking about: 

Oh, the warmth...

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My brother Edmund just turned 13...Happy Birthday to him! 

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This article about Putin.

Sweet Valentines.

Evangeline Camille Burch!

Our perfect little girl!

(She's kicking SO hard as I'm posting this.  I think she knows we know!)

Some Valentines Day Pretties.

I love Valentines Day.  One doesn't need an excuse to show affection towards and spoil those one loves, however, having a day dedicated to love in the middle of this cold, bleak time of the year is so cheering. 

Here are a few sweet things to welcome Valentines Day...

These charming cards from Rifle Paper Co. 

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This cute DIY xo giftwrap.

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Apple Tart recipe from Once Wed.

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Anthro bubble bath.

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This Keats letter.

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oh, and this guy...

Hurrah!

So, I had my first midwife appointment today and it was phenomenal.  We are really so happy with them.  I got to hear Baby's heartbeat (for the first time...it's about time!), which made me so happy, and doubly so because it's super strong and very healthy.  The best part of this appointment was being able to schedule an ultrasound for Wednesday!  Girl or boy, we'll find out then...    

I really have no inkling whatsoever as to whether Baby is a boy or a girl.  Being such a sucker for online quizzes and shit, I took this ancient Chinese Birth Chart thingy....no, I'm not telling what I got.  I want to see if it's actually accurate when we have the ultrasound.  It's such a silly thing, but it was kind of fun.  Cheap thrills...

Speaking of cheap thrills, I'm rewarding us for our long drive out to the suburbs with Trader Joe's mandarin chicken and pot-stickers.

In reality, I'm just feeling a little tired and lazy and don't want to make dinner.  And hey, we never eat this stuff, so it's kind of fun too...

~

Also, something super awesome--my dear friend Mary was featured on The Chicago Artists Resource tumblr today!  So exciting!

Baby Burch Update.

I've finally succumbed to the "mirror bump picture".  

...

But I was realizing today that I have been awful, just awful, at documenting Baby's obvious growth which astounds me every day.  I think I have two total bump pictures...these make four...and Baby Burch is already 21 going on 22 weeks.  

Little Baby weighs roughly 3/4 of a pound and is about the size of a carrot (or so I'm told).  He/she is bopping around in there like nobody's business, and those little kicks are so strong that Alex can feel them now.  Feeling Baby move is probably definitely the cutest thing I've ever experienced.  

My first appointment with our new midwives is this coming Monday, and I'm greatly looking forward to it.  At that meeting I can finally schedule an ultrasound!  I also need to start figuring out what birth class to take.  I'm really turned off by the Bradley method classes based on the research I've done and the stories from some other Mom friends...I'd rather do Lamaze, but unfortunately it doesn't look as there isn't a Lamaze program near us.  Hopefully the midwives will be able to give me a hand in finding a class that is comfortable and accessible for Alex and me.  

The most overwhelming part of pregnancy at this point is just sifting through hundreds of pages of information like what you have to do or to have in order to be a good parent.  NO DRINKING EVER or your baby WILL have brain defects, some websites say.  Others say, yeah, moderate drinking is fine.  Some say that bassinets are the worst possible thing to get because they're dangerous and only last a few months; others say they're a lifesaver.  I read a few days ago that cloth diapers are the only way to properly care for your child.  But ew, I don't like cloth diapers.  Every time I turn around I feel like I'm either a way way way over-cautious and over-protective mother, or a wicked mother whose child will suffer the consequences of my bad parenting.  Ahhh!

Oh well.  Alex definitely keeps me much more grounded about things.  And I know that ultimately we just need to love love love this little Baby so much (already the easiest thing in the world) and everything else will fall into place.

St. Gerard, pray for us! 

Home Sweet Home.

Alex and I have slowly but surely been collecting new pieces for our lovely little home.  We've been very successful at finding things we love at the thrift stores around our area (thank you, Chicagoans for giving away cool stuff), even if some of it requires quite a bit of work.  Our most recent project was converting this wooden bookshelf...

...into this one...

It was quite a long (and smelly--polyurethane, yuck) process, which required lots of sanding, lots of staining, and lots and lots of drying time.  But I'm quite happy with the final product!  I will be on the lookout for more pretty things to mix in with the books, and I think Alex needs a little scotch in that decanter on top....hmmm...

I found this great print of what I believe to be Judith with the head of Holofernes in Andersonville when I bought the bookshelf. I just love it...and, what can I say, I'm a sucker for gold leaf. 

Who ever said orange was a bad idea? 

Our most recent treasure was this Danish Modern coffee table from the Salvation Army:

My next goal is to find some sort of table or shelf for the kitchen.  I'm in dire need of counter and storage space...A little something like this French Kitchen Island from Crate and Barrel...just maybe a tad cheaper...

case of the Mondays...and the Tuesdays...

On Monday I learned that the Social Security office is literally the worst place in the world.  I spent the better part of my day there in that smelly, loud, scary office (first part of the treacherous name change process), only to realize after leaving that I had forgotten to sign my form (they apparently forgot that that's necessary too).  Damn.  Buckets of tears.  Hot, bitter ones.

After I got home, I realized that I was two days late on the rent check.  I never forget the rent check. 

 Luckily, I have an amazing husband who went to the apartment office after work, and figured everything out with them, and paid rent, and brought home the most beautiful bouquet of irises for me.  Thanks, Alex, for being the best when I am the worst.   

This morning, I called the SS office to try to talk with them about the previous day's mishap.  I spent an hour on hold waiting for an agent to get to my call only to have them hang up on me.  So I called again.  And again.  Finally the computer I was speaking with told me they would call me back.  OK, sure, that's fine.  An hour later, they called.  Twice.  Of course, this is the moment my iPhone decided to have a hiccup and now I missed both calls because my phone never rang.  

I'm sick of trying to deal with it, so I'm just hoping that if not signing is a problem, they'll call me and tell me so.  They wouldn't just hang me out to dry by not even letting me know they can't process my incomplete form, right...?  Right?

       

random snap-shots.

Since posting last...

I made these delicious Blueberry Pie Bars.  We ate them...all of them...in an embarrassingly short length of time.  

Alex discovered his new favourite drink, the Sazerac.

We went to our friend Bob's art show. 

I investigated Hendrickx Belgian Bread Crafter in the Gold Coast to try their Liège waffles.  They were delicious, though not warm and fresh as they are from the waffle carts in Belgium.  Tant pis...

We went to see Lord Huron at Metro, a super cool venue very close to our apartment.  It was all kinds of wonderful.  Take a listen.

We spent a delightful, snowy Saturday with some friends of ours which included plenty of bagels and mimosas and Settlers of Catan.

I made Eggs Benedict for Alex, because they're his favourite and he's the best.  If I do say so, my first time poaching eggs was very successful--they turned out very nicely.