Picking Out Paint Colors

Next month we’re moving down the street to a nearly-identical house (in layout) that’s bigger with more bedrooms. We’re thrilled to stay on the street we love, near our beloved neighbors, yet gain more space to accommodate our growing family. We’ll even have a homeschool-craft-library room. Can you say EXCITED?!

Since we’re packing and moving, I can’t do typical pregnancy nesting activities. Instead I’m fixating on paint colors and obsessed with selecting the perfect white paint color for the downstairs, debating between warm whites and cool whites, grey whites and blue whites.

MAJOR TIME SUCKAGE, let me tell you.

I’ve even been known to carry paint chips with me should inspiration hit. Sure enough, David and I walked into an ice cream shop in Santa Cruz and both LOVED the white walls:

Picking a white paint color
Picking a white paint color

I whipped out our paint samples to match the white:

Picking a white paint color
Picking a white paint color

Turns out the walls weren’t White Dove or Super White or Ice Mist or Decorators White or Alpine White or any of the colors I was debating between.

The color we both really love is called…

WHITE.

Just white, nothing else. Facepalm.

Mission white paint color selection accomplished.

A Girl or a Boy?

26 weeks pregnant while on vacation in Santa Cruz
Pregnant at 26 weeks

A quick mama-baby update:
No more (precautionary) bed rest for me! An ultrasound revealed that all is well with the baby and the state of my cervix (especially now that the baby isn’t continually bouncing up and down on it). We are incredibly relieved.

So now our family has this awesome secret that we’re excited to share with you.

Baby's profile in utero at 26 weeks pregnant

Do you think we’re having a boy or a girl?

Please leave a comment with your guess and then check back here tomorrow for the big reveal!

Gluten-free Garlic Cheese Biscuits

Our family was thrilled to see that Pamela’s now makes a gluten-free Biscuit and Scone Mix! One of our favorite locally owned companies, their gluten-free brownies, cake and cookie mixes are consistently delicious. In fact they are so good that we make their fudgiest brownie recipe for our daughter’s birthday every year to rave reviews.

Gluten-free garlic cheese biscuits

Now the drop biscuit recipe straight off the box is pretty yummy, but my cousin Julia has one-upped it, transforming the biscuits from tasty to downright heavenly. Here’s her take:

Gluten-free garlic cheese biscuits

Gluten-free Garlic Cheese Biscuits
adapted from the Pamela’s Drop Biscuits recipe

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Add one bag of Pamela’s Biscuit Mix into a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or pastry blender. Mix 8 TBSP well-chilled butter (cut into 1/2″ cubes) into the dry mix until pea-sized crumbs are formed. Add 1 1/4 cups milk and 1 cup grated full-fat Monterrey Jack cheese and stir until just incorporated. Scoop large dallops onto a greased or parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until just starting to brown. After removing the biscuits from the oven, brush the tops with a mixture of melted butter and garlic powder. Serve and enjoy!

Gluten-free garlic cheese biscuits

Watch out, you may find yourself eating the whole batch. Of course, I’m pregnant so I have a great excuse to over-indulge. Ahem.

Just the Two of Us

There’s so much going on with us and so little time to blog! Have I mentioned that my cousin Julia is now living with us, that we’re moving down the street next month, that I am on modified bed rest (again) until at least Tuesday?! See, so much going on.

RIGHT NOW though David and I are vacationing in Santa Cruz, just the two of us, celebrating ten years together and our first trip away since the birth of our daughter almost five years ago.

Trip to Santa Cruz

Instead of romping around the area, we’re resting and reading, chatting and laughing, playing games, and eating yummy food. Just two best friends, hanging out, savoring uninterrupted time together.

Oh, and sleeping in. I haven’t slept this well in years.

See you back here again soon!