Coming Soon to the Knettles Clan!

This month has brought us news that we will be expecting a third child into our family. Very exciting times! Of course timing couldn't be more awkward but I'm sure we will figure it out. Today I had an ultrasound and our new little 'Olive' is well stuck in the safety of belly, with a hearty little heartbeat. I must say it wasn't the heartbeat that brought me the most joy today, but instead the presence of just ONE little Olive. I have been quite ill, and was just a tad worried there may be two Olives. Whew. And WOOT WOOT for only one!

So far the plan is, we will still go as a family to Dhaka, I should be about 21 weeks or so. Then I will come back with B at 34 weeks, and rest up until delivery. Come back, come back where, that has yet to be decided. Most likely Seattle, maybe Virginia, maybe I'll go on vacation and go to Hawaii, or maybe I'll stay close as possible to Dhaka and deliver in Singapore. Oh the choices. Right now, I choose to keep my food down, and rest when I can. Other decisions can wait until the second trimester.

Ben's Five

Ok he's been Five since Feb. and I am a whole week late posting about his birthday party, but i've been distracted.

My baby (who's not a baby anymore) is FIVE! What a big boy! He had 17 kids to the Long Branch Nature Center for a birthday party. I think it went pretty well. They ran, and yelled, and wrestled and played tag. Then there was the turtles who came to visit. They had turtle races and everyone giggled and rolled on the rug.

They ate sandwiches, apples, and of course goldfish crackers. Then they had orange and green cupcakes. Ben's favorite colors. He opened a mass of presents, which excited him to no end. He spent the rest of the afternoon and the rest of this week, making sure every bit and piece of those present was scattered about the 900 sq ft we call home. Good fun. He had a fabulous time.

This week, has been quiet for me, spending much time on the couch, or in bed or in the bathroom. Hoping my stomach will settle down soon. I have been watching Greys Anatomy, which i've never seen. I am now to season 5, which will tell you how much watching i've been doing.

Protocol

Yesterday, I spent the day at FSI (Foreign Service Institute) learning about Protocol. Protocol is a "set of rules prescribing good manners and customs internationally recognized by diplomats." We learned how shake hands and introduce ourselves and others, and who to introduce whom. We learnt how to network and "work a room".

We spent the afternoon learning about silverware, china and crystal. Learning that all fork with one exception go on the left hand side. The shrimp fork goes on the right. We practiced eating continental style and american style. I think continental is easier. By the end of the day, we knew how to set a table and where to seat all the guests. The place to the right of the host is the place of honor and reserved either for the guest of honor or highest ranking person at the table.

Other tid bits.... All ambassadors must be addressed as "Your Excellency", you must stand when they enter the room, and never address them by their first name. I am sure I will mess up, but I shall do my best to abide by all the rules.

Winter Time Activities

We are surviving winter. Do I wish it was warmer? Yes but for now we are getting by in the cold without too much to worry about. R and I went to the Washington Monument with friends on a cold, and cloudy day. Ok not the best day to go up 550 to see the sights of DC, but she and her friends had fun none the less.

We got a bunch of snow, not as much as the people north of us, but enough to have school cancelled for a couple of day. Sledding and fort building was on the agenda. Luckily the T family just got a new house with a perfect sledding area. The kids had a blast. The day was actually warm, so they played outside for hours without complaining.

Last weekend we went to the Luray Caverns. It's an underground wonderland. Full of stalactites and stalagmites. They had headphones to listen to a tour while we walked around. The kid version of the tour was better than the adult version, so if you ever go, make sure you listen to the kids program. It was two hours away, but it got us out of the apartment and the kids were excited to be in a big cave.

This weekend we went ice skating, just the kids and I because J can't skate. They did well. Started off falling every couple of seconds, to making it halfway around before biting the ice. I was worried it was only an hour, but it turned out perfect. They were tired and fell immediately asleep when we got home! Yippee!

I decided I needed another hobby. (like a hole in the head, you all think) so I got a cheap sewing machine and found a pattern online for a '5 minute' skirt. Ok, so it took me an hour, but I did it! Well then I had to re-do it since I miss read one part of the instructions and it looked crazy. It's done, and it was easy. I was proud of my self. I even came up with the cute little rick rack hem idea all by myself, since the pattern called for a hem done with a serger, which I don't have.

More suzy homemaker time yesterday as I made bread, and fashioned the bread into cute little slider size buns. I made black bean burgers that were very yummy. I thought these were a good little appetizer to bring to the super bowl gathering. Did I know that making cute little veggie sliders would take all day? Nope, but they were good anyhow.

Maybe my name is Suzy!

I have started to really fall into step with this SAHM gig! I am really enjoying the food part. For Christmas, I got the much coveted Dutch Oven. Can I say I'm in love with my pot? I am! Sorry J, but your gift is now the love of my life! So of course I had to try it out right away and make turkey soup, from the left over turkey at Christmas! Yummy. Never, in my long life, have I ever made soup, so this was really a feat. It tasted good too! I also tried a Potato and Ham soup, but that wasn't so good. Life is about trial and error, right?

Then my lovely friend M, told me about the NY Times article about baking bread in the Dutch Oven. So off to the store to get yeast, and I was ready. This bread is amazing! You do not knead it! Just mix up the ingredients in a bowl and leave it for 18 hours to rise. Yes, you read that correctly, 18 hours. But it works out perfectly if you want bread the next day. So I tried it. The next morning, after making healthy lunches for my children, I fold the dough, over on itself, twice and then leave it again to rise, for a couple of hours. Perfect timing for me to take kids to school, and come home, shower and ready to bake. The key is the dutch oven. You pre-heat it in the oven, and then put the dough in. The result is a perfect artisan round loaf. The crust is crispy and even crackles when you take it out of the oven. The inside is soft and delicious! Today I am making another loaf, this time with rosemary in the dough.

I have been baking and cooking up a storm. I have made scottish pancakes, my grandmothers recipe! They were awesome, just like Grandma's and oh the memories! They kids loved them. I have also been making healthy muffins for afternoon snack. They have flax in them for extra fiber. Dinners are fun. I have made fish, Mahi Mahi, and Salmon, and they were great. Slowly, I am mastering the art of rice... plain, pilaf, risotto... R and I, made a great old fashioned, Beef Stew. Much to J's dismay, we used his last beer in it! It was really good. Last night, I made a really colorful, black bean and corn salad. It was so great I had four helpings. Yikes, 4! It was so good, and it's just vegetables, so it's all ok. Beans, Corn, peppers, onions, tomatoes and cilantro. YUM.

While on the topic of food, our family and the T family went out for Ethiopian food! It was such an experience for the kids. They were encouraged to use their hands and dig in! Luckily both sets of kids were starving before hand, so they actually tried the food. Not sure how they liked it, but no one complained and they ate. It was really good, the lentils were my favorite. The bread was my least favorite. Cold, and flat, almost a skin like quality. I think it was the texture I didn't enjoy, because it tasted fine. Highly recommend trying it one day!

Today, I have made homemade granola, and homemade pancake syrup. Thank you M, for the Tightwad Gazette book you have lent me. All sorts of money saving tips! The syrup and granola is perfect. I have also learned if you step on the toilet paper roll it will not roll easily and then the kids won't use 14 feet of TP and clog the toilet and use up a whole roll in one day. Dryer sheets work just as well when they are half the size. Do you ever really need a full sheet of paper towel? Cut the roll in half, (not sure how yet, maybe a hacksaw, which I don't have) and use half a sheet. There is too much to list, but these ones stuck out for me. Good book.

Suzy Homemaker!

Flu Season

Interestingly enough, I forgot to get a flu shot this year. Maybe that is because I am not working in the hospital, where people jump up and down with balloons, streamers, banners and all sorts of noise makers, reminding you to get the flu shot or else! So, I did not get one. Either did R my daughter, she just didn't have a reason to see the doctor and since we have moved, we really didn't have a pediatrician. Sure, you say, you could have taken her to 'Safeway' and paid the $25 dollars to get her vaccinated. Really I didn't even think about it. My friend, M, really went out of her way to get her children the mist, and went to three or four pharmacies and the other doctors offices. I talked with her daily about her flu mist woes and never once did it occur to me, that maybe these should be my woes too. B, on the other hand, had to visit the pediatrician for a school physical. The US state dept one, wasn't good enough. So he got in to one across the street, who told me, he need four shots and flu mist. How'd I miss that? He had his four year old check up in Washington. Now at four and a half, he's behind? What? Oh in the state of Virginia, all the kindergarten shots are at four, not five. Ok. So he's now up to date with vaccines and flu mist. Did this clue me in to the fact, my daughter needs to be vaccinated too? NOPE. DUH.

This Christmas, R has 6 days of fever, aches, headaches, chills, and general yuck, all due to her mother forgetting to get her protected from a horrible virus. Being the brave and strong girl she is, she did NOT complain, and got better. She enjoyed Christmas and her holidays despite her illness, and was better by the end of the break, so she didn't miss school. B, did not get sick, except for a small low grade temp for one day. Oh, so it works! Flu shots and Flu mist are helpful in preventing kids from getting sick.

I have spent this week on the couch. R, shared her virus with me, which is so kind and generous of her. I, and not so brave and strong, and complained bitterly. Lovely husband, and proud soon to be Bangladesh bound US diplomat, took great care of his wife and children. Picking the kids up from school after his work was done for the day, making dinner and cleaning up after the day. He was a saviour. Thank goodness.

This week, will be better. Back to regular life. Getting off couch, going to go to gym (because it is January), entertaining friends, going out with the girls, date nights with husband. Life must go on. It might be rough, but someone has to do it!

New Years

We spent New Years Eve at the National Botanical Gardens. It was lovely. Warm, humid, and beautiful. I tried to be artistic with my point and shoot because the flowers were gorgeous!

Finally my favorite, a chocolate tree! YUM