California

Rob and I just returned from ten days of enjoying beautiful California with his family. We started off in Sacramento, drove to Napa/Sonoma and then spent the rest of our time in Yosemite. Needless to say the weather was beautiful -- cool mornings and evenings and warm days, but with no humidity.

We crammed a lot into ten days which wasn't always easy on my seven month pregnant body, but we managed pretty well for the most part. It's hard to describe our whole trip so I thought I'd just put some pictures up and let the pictures do the talking. :)

The first winery we went to was a pretty famous one that gave a great tour. It was so neat to learn about how wine is made -- it's quite the process!

A view down the vineyard.

Waiting for our tour to start

Later, we felt very french with our lunch of bread, cheese, olives and sandwiches at another winery

This is a very realistic picture of how I spent most of the trip...

Rob and his parents did an extra day of wine tasting, but since neither Kayla nor I could drink much wine we opted for massages instead on our second day there.

In the vineyards there are gorgeous roses everywhere. We learned later that roses are a good indicator of mold and mildew that can grow and ruin grapes.

We spent our last day in the Napa area in San Francisco. There is always fog in the mornings, but eventually it clears up and the sun comes out.

Rob and I are huge fans of a show on the Food Network called 'Best Thing I Ever Ate'. Two of the places featured on a recent episode happened to be in San Francisco within blocks of each other. First stop - Dynamo Donuts for something Rob was dying to have - Maple Glazed Bacon Apple donut. Yum. It was so fun to actually find a place featured on the show as we probably never would have found it otherwise.

We also tried the Lemon Pistachio, a vanilla one and a Spiced Chocolate one that had chili powder in it. Hello morning snack.

Next stop: Around the corner to an ice cream store called Humphry Slocombe that sells the strangest flavors of ice cream you've ever heard of. Here Rob is enjoying Secret Breakfast (made with Bourbon and cornflakes) and Peanut Butter Curry. I opted for a safer option - Brown Butter ice cream. Delish. Some more crazy flavors they offer? Boccalone Proscuitto (featured on the Best Thing I Ever Ate), Candied Chestnut, Cinnamon Brittle, Collaborative Evil Ale, Eight Ball Stout (stout is a kind of beer), Government Cheese, Green Tea Black Sesame, Guinness Gingerbread, McEvoy Olive Oil, Russian Imperial Stout, Salt and Pepper, Salted Licorice, Strawberry Candied Jalapeño, Sweet Corn-Blackberry, Balsamic Caramel. If you're not into trying new flavors, they also have more normal flavors that sound much better, such as: Chocolate, Honey Thyme, Malted Vanilla, Malted Dulce de Leche, Maple Walnut, Toasted Almond, Banana Pecan and White Chocolate Lavender. There are even more, but I don't want to take up more space. The guy in line behind us said he heard about it in the New York Times. So it sounds like a pretty famous ice cream joint.

The fog slowly burns away...

The must have photo of Alcatraz

It was so cold and windy down by the water so we didn't stay for very long

On our way to Yosemite we stopped at In and Out Burger -- famous in California. It was pretty good -- not the best I've ever had, but not bad.

One of our first stops in Yosemite was Mariposa Grove, an enormous grove of Sequoia trees. They are literally hundreds of years old, some close to 2,000, and just spectacular. We took a tram ride through the park and learned all about the trees.

The family

Magnificent

This one you can walk through. We learned that Sequoias don't need their inner hardwood to survive (their food is in the bark) so often times the centers can burn away and the tree can still live.

One evening we had dinner at a train depot and took a train ride out into the woods for a live show. It was pretty good and the moon on the way back was beautiful.

We spent one full day inside Yosemite Park which was so beautiful. We couldn't do much hiking, but we did get to see some waterfalls and scenery. This is at Bridal Veil falls.

Bridal Veil falls

We went further into the park and saw the Upper and Lower Yosemite falls

We took a short walk back to the falls where Rob and Kayla climbed on rocks and I fed nuts to a squirrel.

The famous rock face of El Capitan

And yes, we did see these climbers up on the face of the rock. Apparently they climb at night and sleep anchored to the rock during the day. They also carry about 13 gallons of water, plus gear and food with them when they climb. Yikes! I wanted to know how they got down...

There are no words for this sibling love...

One of our last days in Yosemite we rented a boat for an afternoon and had a lovely time. I missed out on the waterskiing though. There was plenty of fun tubing for Rob and Kayla though

This was how I spent my boating time. I was also keeper of the caution flag for when people fell down

What a stud!

And after many valiant tries Kayla also got up on the wakeboard

Overall a good trip, a few rocky points, but we made it. Now it's home again to humidity and our crazy apartment that needs to be packed up and moved by Thursday! Life with the Bedinghaus' is never dull...!

Husband Bragging

We're back home again for a bit in the midst of our whirlwind summer. It seems like forever since I've written on here, mostly because we are having a very full summer. But our traveling has been great -- nothing like going to the hot beach in June (even a New Jersey beach) and spending lots of great quality time with family and friends.

But we're here now, cleaning out our apartment and getting ready for our next move on August 5th. I'm seriously asking myself, didn't we just do this? Oh right, we did, about a year ago...and I wasn't pregnant then. Oh and we're *obsessively* and watching Lost which we never got in to until now.

I could write a blog post about our trip, but posting photos on Facebook is about as far as I will get I think. Too much to say! So instead, today I wanted to brag on my husband for a moment and tell a classic Rob story that is sure to be remembered forever (by me anyways).

We decided on Thursday to go on a date to a local winery, pack a picnic and spend some quality time together. We're gearing up for our trip in about a week out to Napa so we (ie. Rob - I'm still pregnant here and wine is off limits unfortunately for me) thought it would be good to do a little practice run at the free wine tasting this winery has. On our way there I mentioned how I wished we had chocolate milk to go with our picnic. Call it a pregnancy craving perhaps, but in that moment chocolate milk just sounded so delicious. But we didn't have any money so we didn't stop and I (almost) forgot about chocolate milk.

We had a great picnic and Rob had a nice wine tasting, but it was pretty hard for me to stand there and watch him drink wine when I really wanted some and couldn't have any. Frankly, it didn't put me in the best mood for Napa because I realized this trip might be harder than I anticipated. I was a little cranky when we got home, so I laid down to take a nap and when I woke up, Rob was gone and so was our car. I didn't think much of it until he walked back into our apartment with his hands behind his back and a mischievous smile on his face. He made me close my eyes and when I opened them he was standing there with two half gallons of rich, delicious, pudding like chocolate milk from Kroger.

Turns out, while I was sleeping he went through the mail and saw in the Kroger circular that their chocolate milk was on sale 10 for $10. So my precious husband went through our spare change jar and counted out twenty dimes (he didn't even dip into our laundry quarters like I've been known to do...) and went off to Kroger to buy me chocolate milk.

The best part though? He served me some in a wine glass. :)

Parties, graduation and cupcakes oh my!

It has been a crazy few weeks around the Bedinghaus home, hence the lack of blog posts. Summer is fully upon us and Rob and I are realizing that for us this summer, that means a lot of traveling, lots of family time and many memories in the making.

I finally ended my job on the 28th and practically danced my way out of the building. It was a good job for the season and I did learn some good lessons, but frankly, it was time to be done with that. Whew!

After my work day was over we headed off to Cincinnati for a full ten days of living with the Bedinghaus family and enjoying many festivities surrounding Kayla's graduation. First, Lauren and I hosted a bridal shower for our mutual friend Kathryn Goodwin who I met in Bloomington, but Lauren knew from high school. It was a a lovely afternoon tea, complete with scones, little sandwiches, a botched lemon curd (it refused to harden) and of course, tea.

Our lovely tea table. Yes, I did haul an entire box of my wedding china all the way there to use. Kathryn's colors were pink and orange so we made sure to have lots of pink around!

The shower went great, but we still had another big party to host on Sunday for Kayla's graduation. It was hot, but it didn't rain and we had lots of food and guests stop by to celebrate Kayla.

Yay! Guess where she is going to school!

Kayla and Ross the cheeser...

All three of us :)

Once the party was over the week slowed down a little bit and it was nice to have some family time. Unfortunately I got really sick on Tuesday with what we now think was a stomach bug that resulted in me throwing up four times in one day. Not fun. Especially considering how easy my pregnancy has been so far. It was a little scary because we didn't know what was going on and if it was related to the baby or not, but the next day I felt much better.

By the time the next weekend rolled around things were a bit crazy again. I had agreed to make 75 chocolate cupcakes for Kathryn's wedding on Saturday the 5th, which in hindsight was maybe not the best decision, but anything for a friend right? I enlisted Lauren to help and so on Friday we made more chocolate cupcakes than I care to remember. They did turn out beautifully and on Saturday Rob and I hauled them all down to her wedding and set up her cupcake stand. In total, she had about 300 cupcakes, half lemon, half chocolate, so we were only responsible for a small part of that, but I was still nervous about the cupcake stand itself. Her wedding was outdoors with the reception under this huge pavilion, but it was about 90 degrees with 100 percent humidity all day. Clearly, as you will see in the pictures, humidity and cardboard cupcake stands are not friends...

A little wobbly....don't touch it, it might fall over

The beautiful bride coming down the aisle

Right before Kathryn almost passed out from being so hot in her dress. We're glad they will be living in Bloomington next year!

Oh and the chocolate cupcakes...let's just say they were a hit and very yummy

We finally made it to the main event on Sunday, Kayla's graduation. After the week of parties and other school events, it was time for her to actually walk across the stage and finish high school. We couldn't be more proud of her and we know she will love Taylor and excel there.

Diploma in hand! You did it Kayla!

The proud family

And more proud family to celebrate Kayla

At the grad party we went to after graduation all I wanted to do was lay on this lounger and rest. What a week!

Did I mention too that yesterday I was 23 weeks pregnant? Yup -- it's moving right along.

Now we're home and it's a quiet morning here. It does feel a bit strange not going to work, like I'm taking a sick day or something, but I can definitely get used to this. Going to bed late, sleeping til after 9...yup, it's good. We're off again on Monday for three days on Long Island, NY to visit Matt and Erica and Rob's cousin Jeff and his family and then on to Pennsylvania and New Jersey for some much needed Yoder/Beiler family time. Can't wait to be at the beach! Sorry you can't all come along, but I'll put some pictures up for you. :)

Coconut Robot

Hello to all my friends who are mommies and who read my blog! Just wanted to pass along a great blog + company, Coconut Robot. A friend of ours from Taylor, Kacia, is the brains and beauty behind the most adorable baby booties and other stuff too that she makes. Everything is so sweet and personal for your baby.

Right now she's having a giveaway that you can enter by becoming a fan of hers on Facebook, on Twitter, by subscribing to her blog and by blogging about her giveaway on your blog (like I'm doing now :)

For more information about Kacia and Coconut Robot and the giveaway check out her blog here or just click on the button below.

Enjoy!

Austin + Amy = Forever

This past weekend Rob and I had the amazing joy of traveling to Grand Rapids, Michigan to witness and celebrate the marriage of my good friend from Taylor, Amy Reid, to her wonderful fiance, Austin Knuppe.

But before I tell you about their beautiful wedding, a little background. Amy and I met our freshman year at Taylor when we lived across the hall from each other in English Hall. We became quick friends and spent a lot of time together our freshman year and all our subsequent years at Taylor culminating in living off-campus together our last semester of college.

Amy & I at our sophomore year formal. (I still like that dress Erica :)

This was probably sophomore year too -- four dear friends

My senior year when friends kidnapped me for my birthday

A post-college girls weekend.

Exactly one year ago this weekend we flew to North Carolina to celebrate a bridal shower for our dear friend Erica.

Amy is one of those friends who is such a constant, steady friend. She is one of the most generous, considerate, sweet people I know. And, by God's grace, she met an amazing man who is the most perfect fit for her. It was truly a joy to see them both so happy and excited on their wedding day. Their personalities shone through the whole day -- from Austin's happy, calm greeting to us in the lobby before the ceremony, to Amy's relaxed smiles, to their desire to donate money they would have spent on favors to help build a library at a college to Uganda, to Amy writing a personal note to every person on the inside of our seating cards at the reception. A very personal and precious wedding.

First, Jessie and Amy came to visit me before my wedding almost two years ago...

Then we went to see Amy before her wedding....

You're next Jessie!!

Coming down the aisle to her man

During the ceremony

Yay! The happy and beautiful married couple

Baby B got to come to the wedding too :) Thanks mom for the maternity dress!

An almost Second South English reunion (Shanna on the far left is an honorary member!)

Sarah, Nicole, Jessie and Ashley

Peonies at our table! My favorite.

This was so cool. Amy and her bridesmaids (plus some other friends) practiced the dance from the end of the movie Slumdog Millionaire. It's a really fast paced Indian dance and they were amazing at it. A very cool touch to their wedding.

We're so excited that Amy and Austin are going to be living in Chicago starting the end of this summer because Austin will be starting his masters at the University of Chicago. It will be great to be close to them and be able to see them when we visit Chicago. I know they are the kind of friends we will have for a lifetime and we are so thankful for them and their commitment to marriage and each other on Saturday. We love you guys!

My New Favorite

Hi everyone! Long time no post. Sometimes I just run out of things to say (imagine that!) or I think I want to blog about something and then it passes and life goes on. Oh well, thanks for sticking with me on this boring ole' blog.

Today though, I do have something to say about a new food blog I found that I want to share with you. A girl at work sent a recipe around from it and when I discovered the blog I was hooked. So here's my endorsement (I'm not being paid in cake or anything to tell you about her) for Joy the Baker.

Hello yum.

You will be hooked too. So far I've made her Lemon Whoopie Pies and her Peanut Butter Blondies with Milk Chocolate Frosting. Both times I scored major points with Rob (not that I'm keeping score -- I actually made both things as special treats when he was having a hard time finishing up his semester) and basically secured these two recipes into the Bedinghaus Family Recipe Hall of Fame. Which is something I'm starting asap.

Not only does she make great desserts (she makes other stuff too) and post gorgeous pictures of them, but she's funny and is funny about food and I like that. Frankly I don't really have a sweet tooth so I barely eat any of the stuff I make, but it's fun to try new things and make stuff for the sweet tooth man I'm married to.

Who by the way, finished his first year of grad school today! I couldn't be more proud. He officially wrote 71 pages of papers in the past two weeks and worked his little butt off. I have never seen him work so hard (except maybe when he was wooing me :) and it really paid off. Now he gets to take four months off for some well deserved rest and serious hang out time with his pregnant wife who missed him.

Life is good. And Joy the Baker is pretty darn good too. If you try one of her recipes and it turns out as well as my two did, please share. Rob asked me yesterday what we're making next from Joy the Baker. I'll keep you posted!