Adventures in cooking

I love to bake, cook, eat. Basically if it involves food I enjoy it! I actually missed cooking, not only for myself but for others, while I was sick. Lo and behold I arrive in sunny Florida feeling much better than the previous 4 months so I have been on a cooking spree! I began this baking binge with my sister, Meghan's, whole wheat bread recipe. The picture pretty much says it all but let's just say it was an oven I'd never used and I got distracted during "rise time!" I just laughed but kind of wanted to cry when I opened the oven door and saw this!

They were edible just not very pretty.

My second attempt I knew how to use the oven, I am now aware of Florida and it's lack of altitude and I had this cute little helper! It made a world of difference!

I love Meg's recipe (thanks again!) and so does Jared! The loaves turned out pretty and very soft!
After the first week here I realized how quickly bananas go bad and decided to whip up some banana bread. Well my 3 bad bananas turned into 11 somehow and I made 3 loaves with different toppings (plain, chocolate chip (which turned into chocolate smear), and brown sugar pecan. They were all made with whole wheat flour which made me feel a little less guilty as I shoveled in my 3rd piece of nutty deliciousness!

Then there was the craving that had to be satisfied! I crave pretzels! Not just any pretzels. I'm talking mall pretzels that are salty, buttery, and scrumptious. And they HAVE to have the HOT cheese for dipping otherwise the whole thing is ca put! Well for some odd reason, that is completely unknown to me, Florida doesn't have a Pretzel Time or anything remotely close within a 50 mile radius! So the ladies (fellow Floridian wives) and I decided a baking session would be our best bet! We found a promising recipe that included ingredients we already mostly had and began this new cooking adventure.

Pretzel dough is quite tough to knead and dries out quickly, just FYI.

Again we had cute little helpers that wanted to help make the "snakes!"

Pretzel dough also shrinks back pretty quickly so ya gotta get the "snakes" pretty long. Brynn, Tommy, and a little someone named Michelle liked to steal pieces of dough!

My craving was satisfied! But now I just want to make them again!

These babies were enjoyed by all, as you can see.

To recap: I heart food and everything involved with it. I just wish I had all the ingredients and all the know how already to make anything and everything I desired!

Half way

It feels good and surreal to be half way through pregnancy. On one hand I still have to remind myself regularly that I am pregnant. On the other hand being so sick at the beginning made it drag on and on for what seemed like forever! So here I am just over 20 weeks and I already want to hold our baby girl but I am savoring this time Jared and I have while it's still just us.
Pictures make blogging better so here's to half way!

The news

We have had a lot going on! Between packing, cleaning, and last minute shopping trips, driving 48 hours straight and shopping several times in our new town for the summer there hasn't been much time for anything except...RELAXING!! We have been super busy but when we can stop we do. We've been exploring our new summer home town, going to the beach, and swimming at our very convenient apartment pool! I am LOVING Florida so far and hope that love sticks through the mucky weather time.

Brynn after napping somewhere along the drive. Doesn't she look happy??

We arrived in Florida to our new place on Monday which was my birthday, best gift was being DONE driving! We were all really wiped out but got moved in and settled pretty quickly. I love our apartment complex and the area. Our apartment is really nice but it doesn't quite feel like home yet, that shouldn't take long.

Feeding our neighborhood ducks, they are a little freaky and come right up close and hiss!At Fort Lauderdale Beach! Lots of fun but man we are white!

Now the exciting news that concludes my last post. We went to my 20 week ultrasound (I was still only 18 weeks). Everything was normal except our little one is not so little, measuring a little on the big side, yikes! Anyway they had a little trouble determining the gender because our baby was being private and the cord was between the legs. However after much deliberation they concluded our baby is 95% likely a GIRL!!!! Honestly I was a little surprised and Jared was a little bummed (that punk) but it all started sinking in and we started getting really excited soon after! Jared got me beautiful pink flowers and a card that night to reassure me that he was very excited for our baby girl, whom Brynnie (our pretend daughter for now) has affectionately named "Baby Princess!" (Jared was also the first to come home with a little pink sleeper).

We are SO excited for the summer adventures and even more excited about our Baby Princess!

I am a chubby bunny

Has anyone played this camping game favorite? I will give you a brief run down of the rules: You put one marshmallow in your mouth and declare aloud, "I am a chubby bunny." Then the next few people participating do the same until it's back to you and you stuff another large, fluffy, mallow in your pie hole. Around and around you go until you have 7 in your mouth, you're trying not to gag, and yelling out, "I AM a chuubby mbuunny!!" (The game usually ends with marshmallow flying out your nose and mouth into the campfire while you try not to fall in from laughing so hard!)

Well the title is just about how I feel right now...chubby (and I thought the bunny part was appropriate what with Easter and all). I am 17 weeks along now and just feel fat. Don't get me wrong I am SO happy to be pregnant and I know I am only going to get fatter but I had to vent a little!

Also people, we are finding out the gender of our little one in one week!! Please make a guess (poll to the right) and leave me a comment if you wish. I am curious to find out what the consensus is! Now for the much *cough* anticipated belly pics!

Week 11: This was in the midst of the sickness. At this point it was very hard to even get dressed, let alone stand up straight and smile for the camera. I'd lost a few pounds also.

From week 11 to 15 nothing much happened. A lot of laying in bed and throwing up, I only really got dressed for my doc's appointment..
Week 16 I suddenly have a very pronounced belly! (Please ignore the crap in the background, we do attempt to clean.)
Week 17: I feel chubby but happy. The Chubby Bunny!

Long enough

I guess I have waited long enough. I have no pictures which makes this post a little lack-luster, everything is better with pictures! But without further adieu: There will soon be three Zanks in our little party! We are VERY excited and will be expecting our little one sometime mid-September!

Also, if I haven't seen you or talked to you in awhile I promise there is a good reason! I have felt like I have been on my death bed, ok that's a little dramatic, but I have been very ill for the past 3 months. I *think* it's coming to the end of it's torment but only time will tell. I am 15 weeks and hoping things are looking up!

I am trying to do belly pics (for those of you who are interested). I haven't done many so far just for the fact that I didn't want to have to change into something other than an over-sized t-shirts for the snap shot. But I'll post those at some point.

Thanks for all the love and congrats I have already received!

Where to?

It's that time again! Jared and I are moving for the Summer again for Jared's work. Last year was St. Paul, MN. I liked Minni. The weather was usually mild, we lived right off the Mississippi River and it was our first married Summer together.

This year is somewhere TOTALLY different! Any guesses..............?

That's right everyone who figured it out! That's a pic of Miami, Florida! It's gonna be hot, humid, and lots of fun!

If anyone feels like a vacation consider Florida and us! We would love to see anyone that might head out our way! We'll be leaving at the end of April for anyone wondering.

Christmas

It's the most wonderful time of the year! This year was our first ever Zank Christmas! It was lots of fun and very different than all my past Christmases. I have to say being an adult now during christmas is strange and doesn't quite feel as enchanting but it's not all bad. Jared spoiled me of course (that's just what Jared does best)! And I got my wedding video!! That's right, Jared and I have been married 1 year and 4 months and I just received it but I don't care I love it! Here are a few pics. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Me and Rhi-bee on Christmas Eve.
Jared and I ( Jared's the one making the creepy face) Little Turtle as an elf. She makes a very cute one!

Jared being Jared Jared and his brothers on Christmas Eve.

On to 2010! That's gonna take some getting used to!