home again

we are home again after spending the weekend (and monday) in lancaster, pa driving around amish country. hubby and i stayed at a lovely "farm" which wasn't so much of a farm but had some nice animals and little pond, plus a little garden that a few amish women tended to. the food was excellent, and i was unaware that out there they use the term "smorgasbord" the same way we use "buffet," but they had a nicer buffet than i think i've ever been to. seriously, the place was not the fanciest place i've ever stayed, nor the most expensive, but i think that it was the NICEST place. big difference. everyone was super-friendly, everything was spotless, service was great, it was just an all-around nice trip. there was a really cool jungle-gym type wooden ark, and when i went to take pictures by it i looked down, and underneath the ladder there was a mama duck sitting on ther feather nest! she was there all weekend! once i get the pictures developed (i know, old fashioned...i can barely even find film most of the time anymore, but i like the waiting part, and i'm not a fan of digitals), perhaps i'll post a few. there was also a peacock, which reminded me of growing up at my parents' house. strange, i know, for a peacock to remind me of growing up in suburban nj, but for some reason there was one in my neighborhood and it made the most awful noises so i could always tell when it was around, and sometimes it would climb up on roofs and spread its feathers just to show off. as soon as i heard that noise this weekend, i knew there was a peacock around, so we looked around until we found it right off the walking trail by the barn/ anyway, there were baby ducks, geese, and even friendly swans, something i had never seen because the swans near us chase the geese and ducks off the lake! there was also a heron one morning. ted liked the sheep because they were always cuddling with each other (which probably has some scientific name and purpose, but i'd want to cuddle with a sheep too: they're super soft!).
between the smorgarbords, the whoopie pies, the "best ice cream in lancaster county," and the dining car on the train, i feel like i gained about 10 pounds...though the scale says only about 5. i'm a little nervous to go back to the doctor on tuesday because i think she'll tell me that i'm getting too fat too quick, although now i can feel the baby getting bigger and i can even feel her kicks on the outside! in fact, when daddy-to-be tried to lean on my belly to listen to the heartbeat this morning, she kicked him right in the head! she's hilarous already. but i am nervous about the weight gain thing...i did start out overweight, and i don't want to gain very much more, but now she's got to gain too!
i haven't baked too much since i got home, mostly because i'm trying to "normalize" and get back to where i was before the trip by eating a little healthier. however, i did make my "healthified" banana bread yesterday, and added some blueberries, flax seed and wheat germ to make it even healthier (and less of a guilty pleasure). it turned out a little gooier than normal, perhaps because i hadn't accounted for the extra moisture than 1 1/2 cups of wild blueberried would add! however, it was scrumptious. i do plan to do some baking when i get back from the store today. i think i'll make cookies, since hubby is playing at his friend's band's record release show in hoboken tomorrow night and i like to send something good with him sometimes, expecially when it is a special occasion (and i won't be able to make it...the shows have been too late for me, and i feel more than a little uncomfortable being visibly pregnant in a bar). so, maybe sugar cookies, snickerdoodles, oatmeal raisins or just plain chocolate chip? who knows, maybe all of them!
til next time,
v