...the big news...

Buddy's going to be a big brother!!

Baby Kuhn

After many years, and many heartbreaks, Andy and I will be blessed with a little one this coming May. We are surprised, overwhelmed, and as the reality sinks in, we are slowly allowing ourselves to be swept up in the bittersweet joy of it all.

I hope you'll all forgive me for not being more on top of my blog during the past few months. Though my nausea was manageable, my exhaustion was not, and I found myself sleeping when I wasn't working, or running, or eating. (I was 10 weeks pregnant when I ran the half marathon.)

I feel that the fog of fatigue is lifting, and I'm hoping to finish the year strong. Thank you all for coming on this journey with me. I can't believe the year is almost over!

I hope that you, too, have had an amazing year! Remember, there's still time to do whatever it is that you had planned on, and if it can't be finished, at least it can be started. To me, that has proven to be the most challenging part.

If you do, tell me about it so I can encourage you! Again, thank you all for taking the time to read this silly little blog. You have encouraged me more than you know.

Buddy's photo shoot. You can see it was getting old.
Let's just say that he got so many treats!

...adventure date...

I bundled up and took Buddy out to go potty one morning this week before 6am, and I noticed he began to pick up two paws off the ground as he sniffed around. Concerned something was stuck in his little paws, I picked him up only to realize that he was shivering. I hugged him close and quickly ran back to the house and bundled him in a blanket. Poor little guy!

Yes, St. Louis, winter has arrived, unwelcome though she may be.

With the unbearable chill, Andy and I needed to get away. We had heard of this awesome little island in a warm part of the world and made a last minute decision, to take some time off and check out this adventure island, where we could test our skills in archery, fencing, wakeboarding, canoeing and more.

It was more fun than we realized it would be.

Upon arriving, we got settled and then headed off for our first sport, fencing. High above the water, we stood on a circular platform and battled one another for first place. Andy won the first bout, but I crushed him on the next two. It was so fun to watch him slip and fall into the warm waters below.

Don't feel bad for him, though. He dominated in our next event, wakeboarding. While it was fun, I'm just not as brave and daring as him, and doing all the flips and spins is a little too much for me.

Overall, Andy won wakeboarding, archery, golf, and power cruising, I brought home the gold in fencing, basketball, table tennis, bowling and my most favorite: frisbee! Yes, I beat Andy at his own game! He was a good sport about it, of course.

I've posted some pictures below so that you can relive our adventure!

Andy getting some serious air!

Look at the determination in my face!

Andy's jump shot...

vs. my jump shot!

Of course this "island" was Wii Sport Resort, because, one, this place only exists in video games, and, two, if it did exist, Andy and I couldn't afford it!

But seriously, it doesn't matter that we were in the family room curled up in front of the TV. We had an amazing time playing and laughing together!

Do you have any unique date ideas that require more creativity than cash? I'd love to hear about them!

...intermediate tap...

Have I told you that I was moved into Intermediate Tap II? No joke, although to watch me you'd think it was.

At the beginning of October, my teacher at Dancing Thru Life, Christine, suggested that I move into the Intermediate class since the focus in the beginner classes was on balance and I seemed to do just fine there. I went to one class, tripped and stumbled my way through, and she still felt that it was the class for me. I was reluctant, but excited for the challenge.

Oh, what a challenge it's been!

Each Wednesday, I walk into the studio with women twice my age who are more than impressive and quite intimidating in their skills. While they gracefully glide across the floor, I tend to trip and stumble, while still managing to make the correct tap sounds (just not the correct tap moves.) To be honest, I've caught some staring at me, and more than one laughing at me. (No, no, not laughing at me, laughing with me. I'm usually laughing the hardest, anyway.)

I'm only just starting to make a few friends. While, in the beginner's class we were all new, many of these ladies have been dancing together for years. There have been many moments when I felt like I didn't belong...until this past week.

Rita sent me the steps in an email so that I could practice during the week. (My biggest issue is remembering the order of steps.) Many of the ladies noticed I was under the weather and gave me small encouragements and well wishes. (I've been battling a monster cold virus since last Thursday.) And they included me in their Thanksgiving plans conversation. It's always nice to feel like you belong.

There's no class next week, and Christine says she'll have everything picked out for our recital after Thanksgiving. Oh, yes, for those of you in town, my very first dance recital will be Saturday, April 18, 2015. Mark your calendars!

Taking a dance class has been on my list of goals for longer than I care to share. I'm glad I took the plunge this year, and I can't imagine a better studio for adults than Dancing Thru Life.

What goals will you be able to cross of your bucket list this year?

...taking stock...

Most people wouldn't consider baking an adventure, and maybe I shouldn't call it that either. Maybe my baking is more like a comedy of errors. I have frequently forgotten ingredients and misread directions, only to end up with a complete (and usually burnt) mess on my hands.

But not today. Today was a total win!

The only spice we put on our chicken is lemon pepper (we're creatures of habit) and the best lemon pepper seasoning we've found is at Penzeys. I signed up for their magazine, which boasts a handful of recipes and a free spice. Sitting on the couch, I'll flip through it, visions of well baked meals dancing in my head, but I've never really tried a recipe, until I happened upon the Oatmeal Toffee Cookies. I couldn't resist.

I gathered the ingredients this weekend and set aside some time this afternoon to bake them. I diligently followed all the instructions and added my own creative flair (instead of toffee, I used caramel bits, and I didn't add the cranberries or walnuts.) They were wonderful right out of the oven, but even better tonight after they had been sitting out for a while. Sweet, chewy goodness.

coooooookies!

This year has been a great exercise in stepping outside of my comfort zone. I've surprised myself more than a few times, and, though I haven't always been ecstatic with the results, the fact that I've tried so many new things has made me more aware of the possibilities before me.

What have you learned from all you accomplished this year? How will you take that into the coming year and expand on it?

Looking for the recipe? Stop into any Penzeys and grab a complimentary copy of their magazine. Or contact me and I'll type it up for you. If I can do it, so can you! (I also tried the Chicken and Broccoli Casserole from this magazine...totally botched it. One success at a time...one success at a time.)

...energy...

...well, do you?

Richard Wilkins, an Australian TV presenter once said, "Miracles start to happen when you give as much energy to your dreams as you do to your fears."

I tend to spend more time considering what might go wrong, versus what might go right. I think of all the ways I could fail, while failing to recognize the ways I could succeed.

What about you? Just something to think about as you start your Monday...

...the art of deduction...

We tend to make assumptions before we know all the facts. We form a hypothesis in our minds and then seek facts that will support our hypothesis.

Sherlock Holmes would never do this!

I'm not sure if it's the distant and arrogant (yet swoon-y) demeanor of Benedict Cumberbatch, my love of all things reasonable, or my insatiable hunger for mystery that has recently caused me to take great interest in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, but I simply can't get enough of it.

The St. Louis Science Center is currently hosting the International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes, and I have been desperately seeking an opportunity to go. That happened today!

This is a well crafted exhibition, allowing us to fully participate in solving the crime. First, our powers of observation were tested in a small room, as we searched for articles amidst Sherlock Holmes possessions. Then, we learned about several different aspects of detective work, like ballistics, etc, to help us along the way. After examining the murder room (and taking copious notes) we performed a series of tests to confirm our findings.

Though the cost is steep, this is definitely worth the price of admission. Andy and I both agreed that it was a super fun way to spend the afternoon. Don't miss out! The game is afoot!

Here are some pictures from our adventure!

Oh, it's been solved!

Classic

Andy matching bullet trajectory

The murder room

Learned about all this stuff

Classic Sherlock!

Sherlock and Dr. Watson

Are you a mystery buff? What's your favorite series?

...corn mazin & punkin chunkin...

I had an aunt an uncle who were determined that their children would not grow up afraid, so, whenever we were over at their house, scary movies were usually playing on the TV. Poltergeist and Children of the Corn are a part of my childhood.

Children of the Corn was particularly terrifying to me, and to this day, though it is obviously ridiculous and utterly un-scary, I am only able to view it as my nine year old self. Thus, I have steered clear of corn fields my entire adult life.

But today, I pushed my fears aside and wondered through the corn maze at Brookdale Farms in Eureka. Yes, it was daylight, and it wasn't a haunted corn maze (though they do have one of those as well) but it was a big step for me. With cute little CORNundrums to find throughout the field, I had a great time. (Though I might have scolded Andy once or twice for getting too far ahead of me.)

There were some farm animals about. I'm hoping this guy doesn't
lose his head come November 27.

At the start of the maze. Not too creepy looking.

Honestly, it was a beautiful day for it.

A little too close for comfort...

Autumn - the most wonderful time of the year.

There was a group of middle schoolers on a field trip, and we had heard their gleeful screams as their classmates chunked pumpkins, so Andy was desperate to get over to the field and give it a try. So we hopped on a hayride headed toward the punkin chunkin patch.

Don't cross him!

I got as low and as far back as I could, but I barely made
it across the field. Andy on the other hand, nearly hit the
bucket on his first try.

The punkin chunker was out of commission, but it looks like fun!

We drove away happy, giddy, like kids. Brookdale Farms is only open for a few more days if you'd like to try your had at punkin chunkin before the season ends. If not, put it on your list of activities for next year. They also have a haunted corn maze and hayride, and zombie paintball.

For more information on Brookdale Farms, click here.