What's The Deal Thanksgiving Blend?

Every year, since Starbucks first released their incredibly limited edition Thanksgiving blend, it has been a race to get ahold of some. The first year it came out, we made the mistake of assuming it would still be around after Thanksgiving day - and on sale. Wrong. Totally vanished without a trace. Last year we got lucky and were able to pick some up after Thanksgiving day, but only because Alabama doesn't have as many coffee snobs as Retiree-ville, Florida I guess.

Fast forward to a couple days ago, The dear Hubbsters wanted to surprise me with a pound for my birthday which is almost a week before Thanksgiving. Plenty early to pick some up. Ahhh wrong again. This year, Starbucks decided to stop selling it a week before Thanksgiving and stock the Christmas Blend early. Keith called every Starbucks in the area (about 5 I think, maybe more) and was able to lay claim to the last pound in Brevard - at a humble Target Starbucks location. Sheesh.

And so, as I sit here and sip my rare, hard to get caffeinated cup, I wonder what's up with that Starbucks? Do you, or do you not want me to give thanks for your masterfully blended beans as I savor pumpkin pie? Would it be too much to ask to have Thanksgiving Blend on Thanksgiving? Maybe my thinking is way off here, but it seems absurd to force me to purchase it weeks in advance only to experience a stale, lifeless version of what is the Thanksgiving Blend goodness - on Thanksgiving day. And for what? an extra week of Christmas Blend sales? I do make it a point not to begin my Christmas festivities until Thanksgiving has passed. So stop shoving the Christmas blend down my throat until - well - Christmas, and then by all means, you can shove away!

26

This past Friday - Nov 20, '09 - baby Nuge* and I both turned 26! I was both 26 yrs. old and 26 weeks preggo on the same day. How crazy is that? :-)

It was a great birthday, we had a blast. Thanks to everyone who made it so. Make sure to check out the Baby Pool and add your guess if you didn't get to do that.

Baby Nuge* Pool

Here are the guesses for how and when the wee babe will arrive. There will be a prize for whoever guesses closest. To add your guess to the pool, leave it in a comment at the end of the post.

• Michael Preston - March 2, Boy, 8lbs 1oz

• Jaime Ostrander - March 1, Boy, 8lbs
  

• Lindsey Evans - Feb. 23, Girl, 7lbs 6oz

• Casey Porta - March 3, Boy, 9lb 8oz

• Lynn Roth - Feb. 26, Girl, 6lb 5oz

• Jacob Roth - Feb. 24, Boy, 7lb 10oz

• Taylor Nugent - Feb. 25, Boy, 7lb 14oz

• Dewey Nugent - Feb. 26, Boy, 8lb 6oz

• Kaylee Merwin - Feb. 27, Boy, 7lb 13oz

• Jessica Nugent - Feb 28, Boy, 8lb 2oz

• Mom & Dad Nugent - March 1, Girl, 7lb 2oz

• Brady Denger - Feb 28, Boy, 8lb 3oz

Game On!

Time for amusing baby story #2!

Yesterday evening we had an appointment with the Midwife. It went really great, everything perfect. She was able to feel exactly where the baby was and how it's positioned, and then she showed us. I got to feel some cuuute baby buns! Of course our kid would be sticking its butt out... but that is a side note.

Sooo remember the little game we like to play with the kiddo? When we press on the belly, he likes to kick back. Well Pam (our midwife) went to listen to the baby heartbeat with her stethascope, and as soon as she did the baby started kicking at her. Every few seconds he would kick at the scope. She said the heartbeat would speed up every time he kicked, quite excited at this little game he was trying to play with Pam. I'm not sure she was able to get the full heart rate count, but obviously the kiddo is doing just fine!

I find myself amazed at the amount of intelligence and personality that are already so evident in one so young. Truly an amazing miracle and an awesome God.

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

So I got a mini cheesecake pan for my b-day from my dear mum. Never thought I would get so excited over a pan haha! Of course I went strait for the pumpkin. Made these last night and had one for breakfast this morning. They are so good - and way too fun.

2 things I did differently (because I just can't make a recipe exactly like it says to) - I only used 1 egg, and I omitted the maple syrup (in the filling) because it was plenty sweet without it. I thought the taste to be very comparable to cheesecake factory. Close enough anyway!

Go To Recipe

25 weeks and holy belly! :-)

Kicked In The Head

Kicked in the head is how you feel every day when you are preggy. Although that is not what this post is about. In this story it is more literal.

We have reached 23 weeks and the kiddo is growing like a weed. Its movements are getting stronger and more frequent all the time. We have noticed on occasion that pressing on the belly to try and find a head or a butt will illicit a swift kick in response. So we have started doing this sometimes on purpose - like a game. Its fun.

Well with so much going on in there, several times Keith has put his ear to the belly to see if he can hear something, and also to talk to the lil Nuge in there.
Yesterday as he was doing this, he said hello to the baby, and got a swift hard kick to the side of his head. It was enough to make his entire head jump. Quite impressive, and the funniest thing I've ever seen - future soccer star maybe?

Stay tuned...
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