Great Recent Books

Since Christmas I have read some fabulous books. Totally engrossing story lines that kept me gripped to the edge of my pillow every night before bed.


The Heretic's Daughter

Its the story of the Salem witch trials... told through the eyes of a convicted woman's daughter. Very interesting! The author is an actual descendant. It was very well written, and well researched. I really enjoyed it, and don't think you'll be disappointed.



Skeletons at the Feast

An enthralling story about the end of WWII. Russia has invaded Poland, so a young german girl marches across wintry Poland with her Scottish POW lover, and a German soldier who in reality is an undercover Jew. Fascinating and tear inducing many times. I will warn you that there are some graphic war scenes.





The Hunger Games

Basically, its post-apocalyptic America, and once a year they have these Hunger Games... and a young girl and the boy who loves her, are chosen by Lottery to go and they have to fight to the death. Only one is allowed to live.


Firefly Lane

I just started this... a total chick lit book. The story of two friends over 30 years, and all of their ups and downs.

And there you have it... four books I promise that will NOT disappoint. Read them, and enjoy them as much as I did. :)

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My sister-in-law recently came to visit, and brought my bee-yoo-tee-ful nieces. Just a couple snaps....

To see more of each niece, head on over to My Photo Blog! :)

Preparing for Lucas' Lucky #2!

Nate and I fully acknowledge that we have gone overboard and seriously overdid it the last couple of birthdays and Christmases. So this year, we want to concentrate on more quality, less quantity. First birthdays are B-I-G in our book, thus 2nd birthdays are just relaxed and simple. No plans for a party this year (and we didn't do one for Seth). This year we are just taking our family and meeting a few more of my family at the local Chuck E. Cheese for pizza and rides. I'll use the following to dress up our table....


Now, on to gifts. Lucas is my kitchen buddy... often right underfoot and desperately wanting to see what's going on. He is constantly in my utensil drawers. So Nate and I found him this great little tabletop stove and pot/ pan set from Pottery Barn Kids. I'm really enjoying toys made of wood... usable for generations, and I can already see my grandkids playing with this!



Next is another toy from PBK. Both boys got one of the smaller cars for Christmas, and they are a big hit. Lucas is receiving the bigger Push Car (handle can be removed) for his birthday. This car is so cool. The smaller cars, when you push on the rear, it generates power to light up the guide's helmet. In the bigger car, when you push it, they light up AND tell adventure stories.


Lucas has had a fascination with planes, ever since he could speak. "Mane!!" was one of his first words, as he would point to the sky as a plane flew overhead. So Nate picked up a couple of these Plan City planes.




And finally, from Gramma.... a steerable trike. So he can join his brother on bike rides.


March 12 is going to be a FUN FUN day! I'm going to make Lucas a Caramel Banana Cake!

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Caramel Banana Cake

3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
3 large eggs, separated
One 5.5-ounce bag soft caramels, such as Werther's Original Chewy
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat 1 stick butter with 1 cup granulated sugar until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add 3/4 cup bananas, the baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt and beat until smooth. Stir in 1 cup flour. Mix in 6 tablespoons milk and the remaining 3/4 cup flour until smooth.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually mix in the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar at high speed until stiff and glossy. Fold the egg whites into the batter until no streaks remain.

Spoon the batter into cake pan. Cut 9 caramels in half, and press into batter. Bake until the cake is springy to the touch, about 30-40 minutes. Let cool.

Meanwhile, in a small, heavy saucepan, cook the remaining caramels, 1/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup banana and 1/4 teaspoon salt over medium heat, stirring, until the caramels are melted.

Using the electric mixer, beat the egg yolks and confectioners' sugar until thick, about 3 minutes. Slowly beat in the caramel mixture; transfer the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly for about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cool.

Using the electric mixer, beat the remaining 2 sticks butter at high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the cooled caramel mixture, then beat at high speed until fluffy. Spread the frosting onto the cake.

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We had a busy day here yeaterday. I had my 30 week DA at noon. Nate got the first coat of "Cafe Pink" paint up in the nursery. For dinner, we ate Bertucci's Pizza. Nate started our taxes last night. Looks like we are getting our FIRST Tax Return in 8 years!

30 week DA:

Of course I passed the 3 Hr Glucose. With Flying Colors.

I gained 3 lbs since last time. Heartbeat & Blood Pressure all good and normal.

We talked briefly about permanent methods of birth control, but no decisions have been made.

That is about it! March 6 is my 32 Week DA, I am now visiting bi-monthly. I will also have my last US!

Bliss Is....

Bliss is love and hugs from dear cousins...

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I'm pretty sure Sugar has turned. Last night while watching LOST, I could distinctly feel a foot pressing above my belly button. Isn't that exciting?

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Nutter Butter- Banana- Pudding Trifle

2 boxes Jello brand Vanilla Pudding
6 cups milk, divided
3 large ripe bananas
1 box Nutter Butter cookies
Whip Cream

Following Pudding directions, beat with a wire whisk 1 box of pudding and 3 cups of milk. Put in bottom of glass dish and let it set in fridge for 10 minutes. Slice up bananas and break cookies into thirds, reserving 1 whole cookie. (You may only need 2/3's box of cookies). Layer the banana slices and broken cookies on top of first layer of pudding. Whisk the 2nd box of pudding with remaining 3 cups of milk and pour over top of cookie layer. Let set in fridge for 10 minutes. Before serving, smooth some Whip Cream on top of pudding, and garnish with reserved whole cookie and 2 or 3 banana slices.

What a Week!

What a week I had last week!

I developed a nasty sinus cold. As if I wasn't already having a hard enough time with breathing. I think I'm coming towards the end of it now, but am still quite congested.

Friday morning was my 3 hour Glucose test. One gross drink and 4 blood draws later, it was done. I was nauseated the first hour, b/c I had to fast, and the room was hot.... I read through 5 magazines, and 100 pages of my book. I even took a 20 minute nap, LOL. The drive home was bad, I broke out into a full sweat and was shaking from lack of food. Then I couldn't stop stuffing my face.

I had my sweet Mother-In-Law & Sister-In-Law with her 3 kids here all weekend, and they left this morning. Talk about W.I.L.D. Nothing like 9 people, and 4 of them under the age of 8, all crammed into my townhouse. It was still fun, and oh so sweet to watch all of the cousins play and relate to each other. I got to shoot some sweet photos of my nieces and nephew... just wait till you see what I got!

Saturday night, Nate and I did Japanese Hibachi for Valentine's Day. Then we headed over to Barnes & Noble and shared some Mochas and Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake for desert.

Today our family left to go home, and I took advantage of Nate having the day off as well. I just got back from the Hospital and from getting my Rogam shot. (sigh) The 1 hour shot that somehow turned into most of my day. I'm quite done with long Doctor's appointments... I'm more than ready to get back to "nice and boring."

This coming weekend I have my Labor & Delivery Hospital Tour, and we start painting the nursery. "Cafe Pink." Sugar's dresser was delivered a couple days ago. Nate is currently assembling it and is going to paint it white, and I want to get pink glass pulls for the drawers. I scored at Target last Thursday when I found a white mirror. Upon checking out, it was on sale, and I saved over $20 on it! :)

28 Weeks

This was my Friday.


The consumption of food coloring and the dumping of plant dirt and sleepy drives to and from Walmart and then belly shots.


28 weeks, watch me grow! (really... watch me waddle, lol).



Hmmm... need to work on getting all my colors to match here (its called being lazy and not doing a custom white balance on myself.)

Guess who failed that miserable glucose test? Guess who they are making come in and take the 3 hour test? Guess who said NO to redoing the 1 hour, due to the craziness?

I ended my Friday not happy. At all.

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ILP is my favorite Photog website. FA= Full Access. But the owner is in the process of changing names of statuses, so it will soon mean "Pro" If you were to go sign up on the ILP site today, you'd be considered JSO (Just Starting Out) Being JSOBiz or FA means, you have more access to hidden forums, and business topics. Your application is your website... and basically a team of Pro panelists review it to make sure that you are proficient, take on enough clients, have a defined style, and then they all vote and have to agree that you be allowed this new status. It basically boils down to this... I am a Pro Photog, and now my peers also recognize me as an accomplished pro, that I have accomplished something pretty big here. It's like taking a final for accreditation, or passing the bar (OK, not really) but its a status thing.

FA= Pro

The last week I have been working non-stop on my website and new photo blog. I just about re-edited everything, reordered, switched out images.... oh, was I a busy gal. I was preparing my sites for review at ILP, to retain my Pro Status. Not everyone gets in the first try, and usually the wait time can be from a month to 3 months, before you hear your news. I applied 4 or 5 days ago.

This morning as I check my email, there is my letter. My heart sunk. This fast?

I woke up to fantastic news! I made FA at ILP! WooHoooooo!" I now have official "Pro" recognition among my photog peers! And, now I'll be bumping elbows with some of the greats in the industry! I'm so geeked! I was really surprised to see such a QUICK response, b/c sometimes photogs don't hear for 2 or 3 months, and I heard back within 5 days.

NEW Photo Blog!

I have created a brand new Photography-Specific Blog! I've spent a lot of time the past couple days putting it together with nice big pictures, and separated them into specific galleries. Enjoy! I'd love it if you would take a peek, and bookmark it! If you see something you like, leave an Ooh La La! :)

Andrea Burns Photography Blog

Visit often, as I will update with new sessions, and even fun contests! I'll still be posting to this old one, but the new one is purely business, purely photography.

Rough Visit

Thursday's OB/ Glucose appointment was just a huge, huge mess. I was originally planned for Friday, but they called and rescheduled b/c that day's doctor was going to be out. Apparently the office girl didn't realize I also needed my glucose done as well.

So I show up, and I casually mention I wasn't sure if I was supposed to show up at the office, or go downstairs to the lab for my glucose first. The girl just looks at me, and then informs me that the Lab stops doing glucose testing at 3:30. It was currently 3:15. So the nurse in the office calls down and asks if I can go down, have the drink, then be "escorted" back up for my DA. The Lab girl says that is fine. So I hurry down, and the Window girl there informs me, that "No" I can't go back up once I drink the drink. It defeats the purpose of my test if "I burn off the glucose" by climbing a set of stairs. Once I drink it, I have to sit. So now I'm getting upset that I'm being given the run around. She said that I could still have the test done if I was back for 4pm.

I go back upstairs, tell them this. They fluster around a bit, and then have me immediately seen, AT this point it is 3:40.

My Blood Pressure is fine. Nurse said it is remarkably good for being pregnant. I have gained 5 lbs this past month for a total of 20. I guess for being 3/4's of the way done, 20 isn't so bad, considering I gained 40 with both boys. I'm measuring right on track in the belly, and Dr tells me to go ahead and schedule my Walk Through of the Hospital, and my Rogam Shot at the same time.

So then I go back downstairs, its 3:50 at this time.

While waiting for my Glucose drink, a CRAZY old man just looks at me and says "Has anyone told you its a boy yet?" I politely shook my head no, and told him it was a girl. Well, then he just speels off telling me he's done research, and since I'm "all out front" that signifies a boy.

I drink my drink. I read the back of the drink. It says that I was supposed to FAST for 12 hrs. What? No one told me I had to do this? No one mentioned this at any time, and I don't recall doing this for the boys. Now I'm worried I messed the test up, b/c I certainly did have lunch earlier.

In walks a man, who I am sure does NOT work there. I am sitting in the lobby where it is clearly marked No Cell Phone, Please Be Courteous To Your Neighbors, and he proceeds to go behind the desk and ON SPEAKERPHONE has a half hour conversation LOUDLY with his wife.

The hour is up, I go back for my blood draw. The girl asks how far along I am. I say "28 weeks." She then goes on and on about how HUGE I am, that she would have guessed 8 months.

So yeah. Pleasant visit. I hope I didn't fail that, b/c God help me if I have to sit through 3 hrs of that. If worse comes to worse, I'll just request the first test again... claiming the disorganization and the fact no one informed me of the fast. Or... just refuse, LOL! I was perfectly fine with the boys.

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We rented Fireproof for Saturday night... supposed to be very good, movie wise and for your marriage wise. Its by the same church who made Facing the Giants and it stars Kurt Cameron.

Fireproof was really good! I totally recommend it! I had a VERY good laugh in the middle though, when Nate goes, "hey, that guy looks a lot like Kurt Cameron." BWAHAHAHA!

But then, he got the laugh last night... (you are about to as well!) Do you know that I have lived in Maryland for 15 years or so, and thought that the Washington Redskins were from Washington State? Seriously.

We had a good Superbowl Bash last night, we had over 7 other people. Made for a crowded living room, but good times.