Our baby has a smile

Last week was a busy one for all three of us - three doctor's appointments, one weekend trip to Oregon for a best friend's baby shower, a mass scour at most of the Goodwill stores in Eugene for maternity clothes, and a visit from Adam's parents who are staying with his brother here in San Jose.

We completed our prenatal group "class" from Kaiser, which mostly consisted of a powerpoint presentation of do's and don'ts for pregnancy. It wasn't a waste of time, but much of the information we had already gleaned from our trusty copy of "What to Expect When You're Expecting." We did learn a few new things and I was just glad for Adam's company. It was nice to have someone there to squeeze my hand and write funny notes when the father-to-be in front of us asked questions such as whether or not pineapple is safe during pregnancy. (Really? Pineapple?! The list of dangerous foods during pregnancy is growing everyday, but thankfully pineapple has still not made the list.) After our class, we decided to pass the next three hours before our 12-week checkup by doing something delightfully non-baby-related and took in Thor at a nearby movie theater. It was Thor-oughly entertaining (sorry, had to do that) and helped take my mind off the anxiety of all the appointments. Actually, our next one was fairly uneventful and consisted of the standard routine: pee-in-a-cup, fill out the same intake form which asks questions such as "Have you ever had sex?" (to which I am always tempted to check no), and a visit from the doctor to talk about any questions or issues. We had another quick ultrasound which showed a strong heartbeat but no fetal movement. I was worried at first but was reassured by the doctor that we were catching the baby during a "sleep cycle." In any case, it looked very peaceful resting there and I hoped we weren't waking the baby from a good dream. If the baby is anything like me I'm sure it fully enjoys a nice, uninterrupted afternoon nap.

The next day was our scheduled Nuchal Translucency scan, which is a special ultrasound done at around 12 weeks of pregnancy used to screen risk for birth defects. It was part of an optional, non-invasive prenatal testing program administered by the state of California. This ultrasound is best done on a full bladder, to ensure the uterus is pushed up to the top of the belly for the sonographer's viewing pleasure. After a good twenty minutes of pushing the ultrasound wand against my delicate, *ahem* full abdomen, the technician found just the right angle and we got to see some great pictures of the baby. That afternoon, the baby was very active practicing its skills in swimming, bouncing, dancing, and generally looking very cute. Even though I was quite uncomfortable, I was sad when it ended because I loved seeing the baby so much. As I mentioned, however, the real purpose of the test was to measure a small pocket of fluid in the back of the baby's neck and provide a risk level to us for birth defects. I was thankful to hear we screened "negative," which means we are very low risk and thus won't be opting for more invasive tests such as amniocentesis.

In this profile photo, you can just barely see the outline of an eye, nose, and yes, a smile:


I flew up to Oregon over the weekend to attend my best friend Liz's baby shower, which was a lot of fun and a great opportunity to see some of my Eugene-based friends. Liz is due in late July, and I am excited for the possibility that our kids will be close in age and get to grow up together. One of the special things about the shower was there were actually four pregnant attendees including myself and Liz, so we posed for a line-up in order of our due date. My friend Liz is the cute one with the blond hair and purple shirt, and I'm at the end next to the painting of the unnamed Russian fellow:


Also on the agenda for my short trip was to find some pants suitable for my slightly-larger waist size. After visiting three different thrift stores, I found four pairs of maternity pants, one shirt, and some pajamas that all cost less than only one pair new in a department store. I love bargain shopping and am definitely am enjoying having some new clothes that fit better. I'm convinced that maternity pants are pretty much one of man's greatest creations, or at least in the top five with the likes of sliced bread. After straining to button my pants for weeks, it feels positively heavenly to have a nice, stretchy panel on the top of my pants. Such relief and comfort! I should say a big thank-you to my mom for helping me with this task. Just like when I was twelve, I sometimes complain about trying on clothes but am always glad in the end to have something nice to wear.

We are enjoying some nice weather here and will be seeing Adam's parents tomorrow, who are visiting Adam's brother's family in San Jose for the week. Sadly, my weekend has officially ended and I'm off to bed.

Surprise! One more Pruett is on the way!

You read right...we found out recently that we are expecting our first baby this fall! We're really happy to share the news with you all and show off our first baby photo. I'm not going to make this blog entirely baby-centric, but am feeling re-inspired to write about all the big changes going on in our lives and what we are looking forward to. I am exactly 12 weeks along today, which have flown by. Or, considering I slept more in those first 8 weeks than in my entire life, I might have just slept through it. In any case, I think it will be fun to look back and remember this time and our blog might be a good way to record some of it. Since I've announced my pregnancy, I've learned that people tend to ask similar questions. Here are some of our most popular FAQs:

1. Were you guys trying to have a baby? How did you react?

It wasn't out of the realm of possibility, but we were surprised since it wasn't something we expected. The day I found out, I was shocked and very emotional. It was terrifying and overwhelming, even though it was something we had always talked about and looked forward to. I had made a doctor's appointment because I knew something was "off," though didn't actually think I was pregnant. Once I found out, I drove around a little bit and walked through Target to clear my head. I had always envisioned doing something really special to tell Adam we were having a baby, but when the day finally came, all my plans went out the window and I decided to buy a simple "I love Daddy" bib to share the news. Adam was all smiles from the very beginning and couldn't have been happier.

2. How far along are you? When is your due date?

Today we are exactly 12 weeks and nearing the end of my first trimester. Our most recent "guess" due date is November 29th, though we have also been told November 27th and November 24th. He or she will be joining the ranks of many other fine Saggitariuses in our family. This baby seems to do things on its own schedule so I'm sure it'll make its appearance whenever the time is right. The only thing I'm sure of is this Thanksgiving will be a memorable one.

3. Any pregnancy symptoms so far?

Yes, definitely lots of fatigue, and nausea early on. I'm grateful to say I only threw up twice and I think I've had a very easy pregnancy so far (thank you little baby!). I do have a small baby bump and have started using a special band to hold up my unbuttoned pants. My friend Jennifer kindly pointed out that I pretty much look like I've had "too many brownies." It'll be nice to finally have a more solid belly bump so the world will know I have a much better reason for looking the way I do.

Emotionally, there have been lots of ups and downs and the extra hormones running through me have made for quite a ride. One night, Adam was planning to take me out for a nice dinner and I felt too nauseous to go, and just started sobbing for no reason. Adam has been totally supportive, patient, and kind. He does a great job of laughing and reminding me when I'm just being ridiculous, too.

4. Any food cravings or aversions?

Yes - both. I have been eating fresh fruit of all kinds, and strawberries and mangoes taste better than ever before. No matter how I feel I'm always in the mood for fruit! I've also craved mashed potatoes, tuna noodle casserole, and chocolate milk.

Foods that don't sound so good: pretty much most meat (especially chicken), and raw vegetables and salads (which I sometimes force myself to eat anyway).

5. Are you finding out the sex of the baby?

Yes, we are excited to find out - though neither of us care at all and would be over the moon to have a son or daughter. For whatever it's worth, Sarah is thinking it's a boy. We may be able to find out in early July at our 18-20 week ultrasound.

6. Have you thought of any names yet?

We have a few names we like, but probably won't be sharing until the baby is born.

7. Any highlights so far?

Definitely the few times we have gotten a sneak peak at our adorable little baby. It was amazing to see the heartbeat, and watch it bounce around moving its little arms and legs. Finally, it wasn't just two lines on a stick or an idea in our heads, but was clearly a real baby. It is truly miraculous to think of a tiny baby existing where only cells did just weeks earlier.

I am already overjoyed with love and wonder for this beautiful new person we can't wait to meet. Actually, I can wait a while longer - our baby has a lot of growing left and our to-do list is growing everyday. Not to mention my waistline...hmmm....

Sarah - all smiles after our six-week confirmation ultrasound. We saw a perfect little "sparkle" of a heartbeat.


10 weeks, 5 days

Our little lovebug! You can see the head (on the right), waving its hand, and the rest of the body on the left. Our baby seems to be saying "Hello world! Here I am!" :)

The *real* California giants

Earlier this month, dad flew down for some bay area adventures. We had a fun time eating Thai food in the city, hanging out in North Beach, and driving up to Marin to see the Muir Woods National Monument. Muir Woods has been on my bay area bucket list and it did not disappoint. It is quite popular, and yes, crowded even on a weekday, but on the trails you can hike for miles in near solitude. The park was named in honor of John Muir, naturalist and founder of the Sierra Club.

Sequoia sempervirens.



The average age of redwoods in this park are between 500 - 800 years old, and the oldest is 1,200 years old.

Muir Beach overlook

For the love of strawberries

Strawberry season is in full swing and the ones I've bought this year are fantastic. I put them in oatmeal, cereal, fruit salsa, have them with whipped cream, or just by themselves. I was on such a strawberry kick last week that I bought a half flat and baked a strawberry rhubarb pie - one of my favorite things. We love this pie so much we had it served it at our wedding. I've tried making fresh strawberry pies but prefer the tartness of the rhubarb in a traditional baked double-crust pie. I use the standard recipe from my Joy of Cooking cookbook and love it.

For all those of you out in there in the blogosphere who bake pies, I'm curious to hear what type of pastry crust you use. I recently tried a variety of pre-made pie crust in the box at the grocery store one night when I was feeling lazy and was pretty unimpressed with the results. I almost always make my own since it only takes a few minutes and I sort of enjoy doing it myself anyway. Anyway, I was taught to make pie crust the way my mom does - plain flour, shortening, and minimal ice water. I've also experimented with all-butter crusts and have known folks who use lard with good results. Which kind do you make and why?

Here are some photos of Adam & I cutting into our ceremonial pie at our wedding reception. It was not without some laughs.

Strawberry rhubarb and blueberry pie - our favorites

Someone (*ahem*) was trying hard to stick to our wedding budget and bought a pretty inexpensive cake cutter. Turns out, it didn't work so well with the pie and actually snapped in half. Right in front of everyone! What else could we do but laugh and dig in anyway...

We were finally successful, and pie was had by everyone.

Also...if any of you have a fantastic strawberry recipe, please share!

Hawaiian Honeymoon

Well, our last blog post is a painful reminder how slow we are with blog updates. I do love seeing that picture of Adam in the Santa beard, however - always makes me smile. He can grow a solid beard with the rest of 'em, and we decided that down the road, when his beard turns white, he would make a pretty formidable Santa.

In late January, we took a belated honeymoon to Kauai. We planned and saved for the trip for an entire year and had the vacation of a lifetime. Save for a random weekend we spent in Vegas a few years ago, he and I had never actually taken a proper vacation together. Pretty sad considering we've been together for 7 years this June. The best part of the trip was just spending an entire week of leisure time with no schedules or agendas. We laughed, spent a lot of time walking on the beach, exploring new things, and just having a great time together. Kauai is truly about as close to paradise as any place I've been, and we're hoping to return again someday in the not-too-far-off future. Our favorite honeymoon highlights were:

- Scuba diving (it was Sarah's first time) in the beautiful warm waters off Kauai

- Eating massive quantities of fresh pineapple

- Snorkeling every single day and seeing beautiful fish and sea turtles

- Sitting out on our lanai and listening to the ocean at night

- Swimming in the largest pool in all of Hawaii

- Feeling like newlyweds all over again

The beautiful caverns off Poipu

Adam looking dashing in his scuba attire

The beautiful pool at the Kauai Beach Resort. We had it all to ourselves.

We got updated to an ocean view room at the top of the Marriott. It was heavenly!

Thanks to our travel agent, we also had breakfast included in our room rate. A delicious way to start each day.

Sarah swimming at Secret Falls. We kayaked down the river and hiked in a couple of miles to reach this spot. It was wonderful to swim in the water once we got there.

Waimea Canyon - the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific"

Lone horse on the side of the road on the North Shore. This is where they filed Jurassic Park; the entire Northern side of the island is wet, lush, and green. We loved it.

We hope you are all doing well and enjoying the new life and sunshine of spring. Stay tuned for more updates soon!

Soupe Au Pistou

Sorry the sorrisome state of blog posts lately. The holidays came and went, which were spent in San Jose with Adam's family. Here are a few pictures they sent, including some of Adam, who played Santa this year.


As it's the new year and all, I've been trying some healthy recipes and making lots of soup. I love making soup because you don't need exact recipes, as you do in baking, and can make a pretty satisfying meal without spending a lot. This year we made big pots of potato leek , potato and ham, and multiple batches of tomato basil (a favorite for both of us.)

I was trying to dream up a recipe to use some leftover vegetables and remembered a soup called "Soupe Au Pistou." Here a long, somewhat self-indulgent version of the story of Soupe Au Pistou. Years ago, I was fortunate to spend a couple of summers with a French host family. I had a strange fascination with French language and culture in high school and was ecstatic to be afforded the opportunity to visit there. Since that time, my host sister, Florence, and I have visited each other multiple times - most recently last summer when she flew over to take in San Francisco. She lives a life I consider somewhat idyllic. Her family owns a vineyard in a picturesque French village about 45 minutes outside of Bordeaux. This vineyard has been in the family for generations, and produces excellent wine which is exported internationally. It's the type of place where fresh baguettes are delivered each morning by bicycle, where mass is held at the centuries-old church in the town square, and and all families know each other intimately. The bedrooms of Florence's home have French doors which open up onto their patio and pool, and overlook the nearby vineyards and lavender fields. They vacation, on a whim, to Spain, the Swiss Alps, and sometimes take casual weekend drives through the Pays-Basque to visit extended family. They also own a small apartment at the beach, where we stayed about the half the time I visited.

Obviously, it's hard conjure generalities about a nation of people given the inherent diversity of socioeconomic class, race, religion, etc. But there are some real stereotypes about French people that I believe are true, at least most of the time. For example, they never, ever wear shorts (except maybe for "football.") They walk everywhere, and feel very strongly about their exceptional universal health care and generous vacation pay. And they do make fantastic food. I think when a lot of Americans conjure up images of French food, complex meals like duck confit and creme brulee come to mind. (There are certainly fancy items served for special occasions, such as when I was presented with foie gras made on the family farm at a birthday party. I had no choice but to dig in, but can honestly say the smell and taste was reminiscent of canned cat food.) Most of the time, French people eat home-cooked, good quality foods that are often dictated by season or region. At every single meal (yes, even a late breakfast) you will find bread and table wine. Lunch is the main meal of the day, during which working professionals often return to the family home to spend two or more hours eating and drinking in leisure. They tend to eat "real foods" - chicken, pork, vegetables, salads, fruit, pasta, bread, and lots of cheese. The entire two summers I spent there, I never once saw my French family or friends eating anything like processed macaroni and cheese from a box. In a pinch, they'd rather pick up some cured meats from the charcuterie, and grab some cheese and a baguette and maybe some fruit and call it a quick bite. For dinners, they often roasted a chicken, served with roast tomatoes and salad with "les lardons," little pieces of bacon in a vinaigrette.

My host mother, Marie-France, was a really warm, kind woman who was also an exceptional cook. She made this soup on a rare rainy day and let us help her in the kitchen. Making it reminds me of her. There are many versions of this soup. Julia Child has a recipe with lots and lots of ingredients, which I'm sure is great. I was happy to find one in my Joy of Cooking book, as well. It's a very basic but delicious vegetable soup served with a pistou, or type of petso, spooned in at the end, which is the most important part. It's also essential that it be served with bread and your favorite cheese. (Unlike me, Marie-France kept her neighbors' goat cheese on hand...But just for her, I bought some.) Here is my recipe for Soupe Au Pistou - great anytime of year, hot or cold.

Soupe Au Pistou

Ingredients for soup
- Olive oil
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 1 or 2 leeks, cleaned and chopped
- 1 or 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 large, ripe tomatoes
- 2 waxy potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, diced into bite-size chunks
- 8 cups of water
- 1 can of cannellini or white beans, or 2 cups cooked beans
- 1 zucchini
- Large handful of green beans, washed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- Optional: pinch saffron, 2 tablespoons Bragg's Liquid Aminos All-Purpose Seasoning

1. Saute the onion, leeks, and carrots on medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until tender but not browned.
2. Add in the potatoes and tomatoes, along with optional seasonings (if using) and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until tomatoes are tender.
3. Add in the zucchini, green beans and white beans at the end. Serve each bowl with a large spoonful or two of Pistou.
(To make pistou: Either in a food processor, blender or mortar & pestle, combine 2 cups basil leaves, 3 smashed garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons parmesan, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, and 1/2 cup of olive oil and pinch of black pepper. Store for up to two weeks.)

Adapted somewhat from the Joy of Cooking:


(I cooked up my own beans, since I had a bag of dried white beans laying around.)

Stir in big spoonfuls of pistou, or store-bought pesto, and enjoy!

Happy Birthday Adam and Christmas Cookie Insanity!

December 4th marked Adam's 27th birthday. We had a very low-key celebration this year which was Amazon.com and delicious goodies-themed. This means that for about a month, we are the same age and I can't use my "I'm a year older/wiser" line to win arguments. Anyway, a very Happy Birthday to Adam, who is pretty much the best husband a gal could ever ask for. I didn't snap any birthday pictures this year, so I reached into our archives and found this one - an oldie but a goodie. It was taken by a friend in an elevator back in 2005, and showcases one of his best features - his eyebrows.

We are getting ready for Christmas this year which I can hardly believe is next week. Adam's parents are visiting us from Oregon and are due to arrive on Christmas Eve. I will actually be working but am grateful we can share the holidays together. Of course I'm also grateful for my job, and working at the hospital is a constant reminder of how lucky I am for my health and that of my loved ones. I work some late nights and really enjoy the beautiful nighttime view from our parking garage when I leave. Unfortunately my camera can't capture the full 360-degree view of San Francisco, but here is a look towards the skyscrapers downtown:

Isn't it magical? I think it's one of the lesser-known romantic spots in the city. The red-colored dome building in the second picture is City Hall, festive and lit up for Christmas. Ever since visiting here as a young girl, I've always loved San Francisco. It's strange to think that now at this time in my life I actually work here. On good days, the city can be quite picturesque, exciting and seems full of possibility.

We finally set up our Christmas tree, which we chose at the FoodMaxx lot for the second year in a row. It's nothing like tromping through the woods in the snow for the perfect tree, but it can't be beat for quality and value. We chose a nice Noble Fir, and right after we decorated half of the tree lights went out. (Doesn't that always happen?!)

This is one of my favorite oranaments, a beautiful ceramic dove made by Adam's mom.


We are baking cookies as gifts this year and have made quite a few so far. Below are the classic Jif Peanut Butter Blossoms, a favorite of Adam's. He has a special place in his heart for peanut butter and milk chocolate.

Whether or not you're a fan of Rachael Ray's 30-minute cooking style, she's got a lot of great cookie recipes I've made over the years including these Peppermint Chocolate Cookies. You basically make a simple cocoa cookie dough, and shape into a large log like this:
After chilling, it's sliced in enough chocolate disks to make about 24 cookies, and after baking, topped with melted good-quality dark chocolate and peppermint candy cane pieces:

The cookies that I most enjoy baking are these Pecan Carmel Surprises. A cup of pecans is ground to a fine consistency in a food processor, then added to a light vanilla cookie dough and shaped around chewy carmel candies which end up baking in the center. The entire cookie is then rolled in powdered sugar. The pecans give them great flavor and the carmel in the center is the best part.
To round off the bunch, we couldn't resist making a batch of rice krispy treats.

Wishing you all a festive Christmas season and lots of love.