Goals and such (food-related) (not health-related)
What Are Your Favorite . . . Maternity Stores
(This is what I like to call a “stream of consciousness blog post. I’m just writing thoughts. It’s pretty scattered. You were warned.)
I have certain goals that I set for when I return home to chicagoland for a little family time.
Most of them involve food.
And they are pretty much the same if I’m pregnant or not.
It is practically a requirement that I eat at :
Portillos
Houlihans
Giordanos
Egg Harbor Cafe
Extras include:
having sprinkle donuts from The Cake Box bakery in Zion
binging on dot/sprinkle cookies from a bakery in Wheaton
(are you sensing a trend?)
eating a bowl or four of Lucky Charms (at 4:10a if pregnant, at 9:00a if not pregnant)
I accomplished each and every one of these goals. In fact, I even had Portillos twice! A true gift!
Justin calls my family the “Re-pedersens” since we repeat the same restaurants all the time. That’s my maiden name with the “re” added to it. We had a handful that we ate at when my parents owned a home in South Carolina. And we pretty much stick to the same pizza spot in Wisconsin as well.
What can I say? We know what we like.
The rest of my time spent at home was an absolute dream. I had a lovely time visiting my long-lost sister (remember her? the peace-er outer?) at her fantastic little apartment in downtown Chicago. Girlfriend could not have picked a better location. I got to see my kitten nephews too and that’s always a pleasure.
My mom and sister threw me a lovely shower over the weekend. It was my second baby shower. Both were absolutely, heart-warmingly sweet. I feel so dang humbled that people care to celebrate this tiny baby.
I grabbed dinner with my brother the night before I left. It was great, as usual, to see him and spend some quality time together. He’s sort of half baby whisperer half animal whisperer so I’m pretty excited for him to come visit his nephew once he’s born. He doesn’t know it yet, but he will be the person to hand the baby to if the baby is crying. It must be something about his tender heart that translates through his touch to the baby or animal. It’s pretty much fool proof.
I posted a photo of him and I on Instagram and I was practically blushing reading some of the comments from women fawning after him! He’s a good lookin’ dude, so I don’t blame them. He also likes cats (has 2) and loves long walks on the beach . . .wait a second. This is starting to sound wrong.
Anyway, I flew home on Tuesday and realized that it was the last flight I’ll probably ever take by myself. Of course, if Justin wants to whisk me away on a vacation without the kids one day, I won’t object. But I can pretty much guarantee that ain’t happening. And I’m not doggin’ on my husband either. He just ain’t a whisker.
Speaking of whiskers, did I tell you he started shaving with a straight razor? It’s quite the process. He looks pretty manly when he does it-has the towel tied around his waist, brushes his face with the shaving cream, and sharpens the razor with the leather strop. It’s overflowing with manliness.
I’m usually sitting nearby either watching him shave, or inspecting my belly for stretch marks. I’d say it’s probably the top scene that I’d want filmed if we had a reality show. I have literally no idea why my sister would always complain that we were “boring”.
I finally look pregnant enough that people are becoming super helpful. I barely have to lift a finger at the airport. It’s quite nice. I’m very appreciative. It’s funny though, because as soon as you see a mom with a screaming child people run in the opposite direction. I guess as long as the child is contained and muffled they like you.
I made a pretty stupid decision on the airplane and decided to sit between two huge men with broad shoulders. What on earth was I thinking? I wrote all my thank you notes in flight, and since both men practically spilled into my seat, I felt like we were writing them together. I should have said, “love, us”.
I weirdly am looking forward to the first really uncomfortable interaction between my belly and a stranger. I just want to soak in the awkward. I can’t explain it.
I’m thinking about starting a new acronym. I wonder if you’ll help me get it popular? It’s “CTG”. It stands for “consult the google”. It just sounds better than telling someone to “google it”. It’s a little bit more refined, perhaps even a tiny bit sarcastic if you prefer, but I think it has a nice ring to it, don’t you?
Here it is used in a sentence.
“Sarah, how can I find out whether cats control their tails, or if the movement is involuntary?”
“Well Mary, I would CTG.”
as opposed to
“Well Mary, why don’t you google it, ya dope?”
See? CTG just sounds better. Anyway, let me know if you use it and how it goes for you.
At this point I’d venture to guess I’ve lost about 25 “readers” since this post was an unedited peek into how my brain works. It’s time to shut it down.
comments
LOL You crack me up!! <3 you and your blog and your random thoughts! Glad Martha Stewart didn’t get you down. 😀
what do you mean about martha stewart?
Girl. Martha Stewart just bashed on bloggers in an interview. CTG. 😉
I had no idea. I will CTG stat. 🙂
LOL Kate! (since we’re using acronyms)
I’m curious…why can’t you eat Lucky Charms in North Carolina? I can even get them here in South Africa! 😉
I just don’t buy them. My dad loved them so they are always at my parent’s house!
I love your randomness! I will definitely use CTG!
I’m so happy I’m not the only one who calls my sister’s cats my “cat nephews” haha.
Cute lol
“Love, us”. ….. Just laughed SO hard! Don’t worry you’ll have a lot of encounters before he gets here!! 🙂
I loved this post! Stream of consciousness works for you! 🙂
I literally laughed out loud at the “love us” as well. My three year old said “mommy what is you laughing at?!”
You put a smile on my face with the “love us” comment. So funny!
Oh my this post made me laugh out loud and I love it! 🙂 “Love Us” did make me LOL out loud 🙂
very entertaining :). I hope you write about it when you have that first “awkward interaction” between your belly and a stranger!
very entertaining :). I hope you write about it when you have that first “awkward interaction” between your belly and a stranger!
Think everyone can get CTG Trending on Twitter?! It can be the newest hashtag! I love it…and this post!
So gonna start using CTG!!!
You’re too funny! Loved your “Love, us” thank you note joke.
I want to go home to Chicago so badly…my restaurants are Giordano’s and a hot dog place called “Wolfy’s” that tastes quite like Portillo’s. I have been looking up the cost of shipping pizza and hot dogs, but I can’t afford it! 🙂
You look so great at 31 weeks–I can’t wait for the point when my family and other random people think that I’m pregnant enough to start catering to me 😉
http://www.floralandfudge.blogspot.com
http://www.floralandfudge.blogspot.com
Aww I think you your thought flow are adorable! Would love to know the MUST pizza spot in Wisconsin – I am in Wisconsin & have yet to find a really great pizza joint. And I’ve lived here all my life! Clearly I’m not traveling to the hip & trendy parts of Wisconsin ….
Michelle, I am from the Lake Geneva area and the best place for pizza is a joint called Upper Crust. It is in a little out of the way place between Lake Geneva and Genoa City in a town called Pell Lake. Right on Hwy H. Get interior too. Really cool place with tons of memorabilia hanging from the ceiling and walls. The best pizza but everything else is great there too, burgers, hot dogs, cheesy garlic bread is over the top! I hope you live close enough to try it sometime.
You made this Grandma smile! 🙂
I really liked this post, you crack me up!
agirlandhersparkles.blogspot.com
Thanks for my morning giggles! Or burst of uncontrollable laughter….whatever you choose to call it. 😀
i’m from texas and i’ve lived in massachusetts for the past 3.5 years. so everytime i go to texas, it involves about 15 of my favorite tex-mex places. i’m pretty sure i gained 5 pounds the last week i went there.
http://www.caitlinmfrost.wordpress.com
This is one of my favorite posts! Oh my funny =)
I just snort laughed reading this!! It got a little embarrassing for a second.
Lol. This post was great! You are too funny. Also, CTG sounds fabulous. I’ll have to try it out soon!
this was great. I thought it was very comical. You’re so cute…in a funny Leslie Knope way…and I loveeeeee Leslie Knope.
I enjoyed reading this ! When you have that first awkward interaction with your belly and a stranger, please share.. I would love to hear how it went. When I was pregnant with any of my kids, there was always that awkward belly interaction with random people.. CTG is great.. I bet it will catch on…Glad to hear that your visit to Chicago was a treat.
Love Houlihans! We have one less than a block away from our house. I lived in CA for a while but when I came back to MI to visit I for sure had those restaurants and food that were a must eat.
This is like, my favorite post you have ever written. And I am not even kidding. I loved it!
And I am totally going to use ctg. Probably at least 20 times today. It may not even make sense why I am using it and I won’t care. I will just tell people to ctg to find out what it means. 🙂
I laughed all the way through! Don’t know what was funnier – the reality show scene or the food related goals. Glad you had a great time!
I think posts like this from you are my absolute favorite.
HA! Thank you for listing like…all of my favorite food places. I ALWAYS have to go to Los Burritos Mexicanos in Saint Charles whenever I visit Chicago- I think they’ve expanded into Aurora and Wheaton, but the one in STC was the first and oh. so. good.
You are too funny!
I have the same priorities when I go home to visit my mom. There’s an Italian place I grew up with that has The Best Stromboli Ever, and I have to get one whenever I’m in town.
Loved it! Definitely makes you seem just like the rest of us. Makes me feel like I know you more. Love the tutorials. I work in a hair salon part time as a receptionist for 20+ years (my fun job) besides full time at a company for 35 years and a grandmother of 4 under 5 (same family). I feel I have learned so much more about doing different hair styles from your blog than from watching the stylists work.
Omg you’re hilarious! I absolutely love your blog. 🙂
What a delightful post! Unedited works for you!
But for real your brother is a nice looking guy! I foresee a post about him (why hasn’t this happened before?!?), with a spinoff “Bachelor” style competition among your single female readers. Seriously tho, that needs to happen.
CTG! I am so using this at work. I am the resident Googler, so whenever someone asks me something I say “GOOGLE.” I need to step up my game and say CTG.
This post is so hard funny. I love the google part. I work with a bunch of non-internet friendly people and they are always asking me if I can “ask the internet” to answer their questions. We need a google intervention up in here 🙂
I laughed through this entire post, I LOVE it!!
ah!! i didn’t know Egg Harbor Cafe was a “must!” I’ve never eaten there before, but went Friday am — it was SO GOOD!!! Now I see that it was a smart decision!!
xo!
You probably gained readers through this one! I loved every word!
Oh my word, you are hilarious. I have definitely sent this post to 5 friends.
I loved the randomness of this blog, you crack me up! I just spent the weekend in Chicago for my first visit, I am in LOVE. I envy your sister some days 😉
SO glad I’m not the only one with a completely random thought process (that makes TOTAL sense to me). 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Hilarious post! I’ll definitely be using CTG instead of saying google it.
I love this post. Don’t get me wrong, I love the hair posts, but I like this open stream of consciousness too!! Prob one of my faves…
Haha, you are awesome!! And I loved having a little peek into your brain!! Probably cuz mine is equally as crazy/random!! 🙂 And I will definitely be using the CTG phrase!! Love it!! Thanks for the laugh this morning!!! 🙂
Oh my gosh, I freaking love this post. Hilarious and perfect.
“I guess as long as the child is contained and muffled they like you.”
HA! This part made me laugh out loud.
lol this is one of the funniest posts I’ve read in a while! I’ll work on my CTG usage.
I got my husband a straight razor for Christmas!!! He shaves his head and has mentioned wanting one, and I spend way to much money on razors a year–so I took the plunge and got him an engraved one! I can’t wait to give it to him!
LOVE LOVE LOVE CTG…will probs use it on a daily basis. Thanks for that little gem 🙂
What a nice visit you had! I’m with you on CTG. I typically say “why don’t you see what the google machine says?” CTG is faster, I’m in!
Pretty sure I love you even more after reading this post! 🙂 LOL
Awesome post! Thoroughly entertaining 🙂
loved it! you have a great personality!
This is hilarious! Cant stop laughing over here! Ill try to get CTG rolling in Texas 🙂
My boss says GGTS – aka Go Google That Shit HAHA!
… and now you have me CTG-ing “do cats control their tails or is movement involuntary?”
Just texted my girlfriends about CTG… I am thinking it is going to be hot. Brilliance is the mind of a pregnant woman! People usually say “watch out she’s got pregnancy brain” and scoff at our absent mindedness, wild trains of thought, etc. but this right here…this is pure genius.
xoxo & CTG
I like the way you think
Would love to know your ‘go to’ restaurants in South Carolina. I lived there many years.
This post was hilarious. Curious to know what your fav SC eateries were. There are some good ones! Oh, and a cute guy who loves and HAS cats?! Tell him to email me 😉
Ahh, Giordano’s…YUM! I’d say that I liked Lou Malnati’s better because I had a little delivery fiasco with Giordano’s at my hotel, but it was still good lukewarm. I’ve been craving Chicago pizza ever since I got home to Idaho…
Swooning over the brother (Michigan isn’t that far away! *wishful thinking* lol)
Also, dying!!!! over the CTGing of cat tail swishiness! DYING!!!! lol Love it!
“Love, us.” Lol!
I’m curious what the sweet spot in Wheaton is that you seek out? We live just west of Wheaton and I am NEEDING a sweet spot. I am definitely going to check out the Zion bakery though!
haha he is cute! that is funny! & I SO make lists of restaurant goals! 😉
you are hilarious 🙂
I actually find this post as one of my favorites, it’s like sitting at Starbucks, looking outside the window and drinking a hot latte while you just let your brain go. But, in this case you have a friend or I should say an imaginary friend listening to you on the other side!!
I absolutely loved your post. It is a glimpse into you. It’s like we were sitting together and having a laughing good time. Sounds like you had a lovely time, and your brother is quite cute.
I am exactly the same way when I go back to WI! I must eat at the same handful of restaurants. Is this a midwestern trait? 🙂
I must know the pizza place you love in Wisconsin!
I love these posts. You are so funny!
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This is hilarious. I am simultaneously laughing and also trying to think of a way to work in CTG into my daily conversations. I am sure the people around me are enjoying my facial expressions.
Thanks ok though. I will find a way to tell them to CTG later. (not it sounds like a curse word.)
http://hazelberrypaper.blogspot.com
Honestly, this may be one of my very favorite posts of yours! I love the random thoughts!:)
You are hilarious and I love it! I’ll work on making CTG a thing for sure 🙂
Absolutely hysterical! I loved everything about this post. Random Thoughts are awesome. 🙂
My friends and I say GTS – google that *coughcoughinsertbadwordhere*
And even though I’ve been a cat mom for more than 16 years, I totally had to google that *coughcough* about the cats tails!!
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Can I ask what bakery in Wheaton?? My Grandma and other family members live in Wheaton (I was born in Lombard and lived there till I was 12) and I feel like I missing out on some great cookies! I might need to pick some up when we visit for Christmas…
Re-Pedersens! Classic! Love this! GLad you had such a great trip.
“love us” hahaha. you’re hilarious.
Cracked up at your thought of putting “love, us” on your thank you cards.
Food is the most important part of any trip home. If I’m home longer than a week, I find that I can’t remember any other restaurants other than my favorites that are must-visits. Then I just re-visit the faves. Oh well! They’re delicious.
Just a heads up. I didn’t get a single stretch mark during my pregnancy but saw several right after delivery and I had rubbed cocoa butter on my tummy every day.
the majority of my goals when i go anywhere revolve around food. california? in-n-out burger. charleston? mama kim’s. chicago? giordano’s and egg harbor. we’re the same really. also, i’m a fan f these stream of consciousness posts, so maybe lets make it a weekly thing?
The stream of randomness is why I remain a reader! Love your blog!
So umm, your maiden name is the same as my married name! It’s very rare to find someone else that has the same exact spelling. I wonder if you are somehow related to my husbands side of the family?!
This is one of my favorite Small Things posts ever!! And…do people ever go home for a visit without a food checklist? Lame. It’s all about the food.
……
……
And the family and stuff, of course. 🙂
Sounds like a great weekend in food! 🙂
Dang girl, loved it. More SOC posts, please 🙂 Your family sounds like a blast. That baby is coming all the closer and how good is that!
Oh my gosh, I loved this post!! You def need to write more “Deep Thoughts with Kate” posts in the future. It was really nice to see this side of you, which is super funny! I vote for a weekly ramble session. It will be therapeutic for you to write it and comedy relief for us to read. Win win!!! I gotta go spread the word about CTG now….
I.Love.Your.BLog! This Was Awesome.
I literally laughed out loud at the “love, us” comment. =]
And by the way, I think these posts are great! I do “brain dump” posts on my blog too. I’m pretty sure my only follower is my dad though so if you really did lose 25 readers because of this post, just know that you still have a million more than me and that should make you feel better. Ha! =]
Runt
runtspickins@yahoo.com
http://www.runtspickins.wordpress.com
Loved this post 🙂 It’s good to know someone else has random thoughts too!
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CTG is a little less unwieldy than Let Me Google That For You:
http://lmgtfy.com/
The ultimate sarcastic answer when people ask you dumb questions.
My maiden name was Peterson. 🙂 My husband and I used to live in Chicago, but now we live in TN. We enjoy living here, but we miss the amazing food. I agree that you definitely have to get deep dish pizza and Portillos when you’re up there. Gotta love the Italian beef with sweet peppers… mmm. They just don’t do food down here like they did in Chicago.
Oh my goodness. I laughed through this whole thing, Kate!! I think these “random” posts should become a regular thing. 🙂
So funny! And I’m totally down with the CTG.
What’s the pizza place up in Wisconsin? I live in Kenosha so I’m thinking it could be in my neck of the woods 🙂
Great post Kate! My children think I’m crazy because I burst out in spurts of laughter! Oh my… “random” posts are good for us…keep them coming! (apparently there’s technically not a “pregnancy brain”…how do I know? Well, I had to CTG…of course!!!) 😉
Nice post!
We use “yabingle” at my work whenever we need to use a search engine. It’s a mash up of Yahoo, Bing & Google. And I totally get eating at the favorite places whenever I go home. We do it too 😉
I found the #nofilter blog posting quite entertaining! I especially like “love, us.” Moreover, I can’t wait to utilize the CTG acronym. In fact, it is #1 on tomorrow’s “to do” list. Thanks. =)
I had Giordanos for the first time in August–it was AMAZING!
So funny! For the record, when you have a cute baby and are traveling alone with the baby people are generally helpful too. Maybe it’s the screaming, bratty toddlers people stay away from. I had a great experience with people being just as helpful as when I was pregnant when I flew with my daughter when she was around a year old. And, we’ve definitely flown sans bebe…thank goodness. You might be surprised as you’ll need a grown up vacation as vacations will never be the same with children (which is both a good and a bad thing!). I also travel for work by myself which you may end up doing at some point with blogging things when baby is a little older.
A true sign you went back to the Chicagoland area, you put “the” in front of Google! I love it! I too miss Portillos and Egg Harbor Cafe. I cannot wait until after we have our little one and I can finally eat a hot dog again. The 56 hour drive to Portillos will be a must. =)
You my dear, have started to sound like a mom.. All moms, well I speak for my self and moms I know, just talk, or write randomly. I love it! And I get the Lucky Charm thing, there is something about our parents home that makes things(even a bowl of cereal) taste extra special. CTG is Awesome!
I’m curious of two of the food things. 1–what is the name of the place in Wheaton? I work in Carol Stream and am curious. 2— Why do you have to be in the Chicago area for Lucky Charms?
Loved this post! You’re not losing this reader 🙂
I like the “CTG”, but can’t help you make it popular because I already have one myself. It is “GTS”, the pc version is Google That Subject. Love reading your blog!
You are hilarious!!
I loved being pregnant and never experienced that awkward moment. I don’t think a stranger ever touched my belly; but if they did, I was so in love with my big belly that I didn’t think twice about it. It’s a beautiful thing!
My favorite post to date! LOL…
THIS post FTW!!! Everything about it was awesome! My dog and husband are giving me very strange looks as I sit here laughing like a crazy person. 🙂
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Could never give up Let Me Google that For You
http://bit.ly/1goGMil
Portillos and Giordanos are always a MUST-EAT for me when I visit my parents in Chicago! Although its the Cap’n Crunch I look forward to at their house 😉
Will you please post a picture when you go to Giordanos?!? The BEST Chicago pizza. Guess what I’ll be craving all weekend now?!? 😉 Going to follow on IG now so I can look out for that pie photo.
Sooooo funny! As I was reading on my phone a comment from Instagram popped up asking me “What’s Birchbox?” My response shall be CTG.
Kate, I grew up in Naperville so I know all of those places too well. I now live in WI, and of course know of The Cake Box dounts too. They are sinful. Curious…whats your favorite pizza place in WI? Mine of course is Wells Brothers in Racine, ever been there?? You look like a doll!!
Love this post. I like all of your posts but this one ranks at the very top! I can’t wait to see what comes out of your brain after you have had a few shortened nights with the new baby. I replied to a comment above, my favorite Wisconsin Pizza place is a place called Upper Crust. It is in a small little town between Lake Geneva and Genoa City. Great atmosphere and lots of other items besides pizza. The cheesy garlic bread is out of this world!
I love this!
My first teaching position was at St. Michael school in Wheaton and my wonderful coworkers introduced me to the likes of an egg harbor scramble and Houlihans mini desserts—creme brûlée was always my favorite. We now live in Iowa and my hubby and I talk about missing Portillos all the time. When I was 8-9 pregnant and on summer break, I’d often visit Portillos twice a day. Ahhh…those were the days. I so, so, so love your blog!
The above was by me Peggy, Mark’s wife!
I loved this post!! You are too funny!
The whole “looking forward to an awkward stranger-bump interaction” literally had me laughing out loud. I had my first one a few weeks ago (I’m 25 weeks now). She was a sweet Latino lady and it was actually really funny and cute at the same time. I totally thought it would weird me out but it didn’t! Maybe it depends on the stranger. ? Definitely fill us in when it happens to you. 🙂
Most of your posts make me giggle but this was a great post! The best part was when I was reading about the “Re-Pedersens” because my maiden name is Pederson and I was offended until you said that was your maiden name! I was like does he has something against Pedersons???Or in your case Pedersens. 😀 I also love the comment about how your sister says you guys are boring. Love reading your posts!
I’m on board for CTG! I’m going to start using it all the time! I’m looking forward to reading about an awkward stranger-bump interaction because it will happen. When I was pregnant walking through the mall was always uncomfortable because people would just come up to me and start rubbing my baby bump. I wanted to be like Baby in Dirty Dancing. This is my dance space and this is your dance space.
Wait til you visit family the next time with baby and you can shop at Mariano’s. I’ve re-pedersened the same meal at Egg Harbor for 15 years-Greg’s Chili and Eggs. I’m afraid to order anything else for fear I won’t love it as much. You look great, Kate!
Whenever I go back to Wheaton I always stop at Grahm’s chocolate! And Egg Harbor of course. SO GOOD! And Portillo’s. And… Well I think you see where I’m going with this.
Head to vegas with your belly if you want awkwardness. Bugging brings out the crazy touchy drink people quite like a bump. Went to vegas 6 1/2 months pregnant, it was so weird.
Ugh my phone…nothing brings out the crazy touchy drunk people like a bump.
Um…I love your stream of consciousness. I laughed aloud at a few points, so THANK YOU for making my lunch break more enjoyable today. 🙂
I’m in Northern IL, so I love the local references. I’ve had all of your must haves & agree 100%, but I haven’t tried the Cakery Box in Zion. It’s around 40 mins away, but if you travel across the country for it, my short trip would be worth it. We are only 10 mins from WI border so do share your Pizza location. We love our pizza up here & always looking to try a new place.
Don’t worry about the random thoughts, those are the most enlightening ones.
HA!!! I grew up in Zion IL and now live in Wheaton. Reading what you wrote about the cake box brought back many childhood birthday memories.
Hey, you lost readers after this post? This can’t be! I love your blog even more, after reading this. I just read it this minute at my office desk and had to laugh a lot. Thank god my boss isn’ in today. I am looking forward to reading a lot more of you.
Lovely greetings from Germany, yours Birgit
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OMG… I happened upon your blog (which I love BTW) and when I saw Zion, IL, my mouth dropped. What a small world – I live in Wadsworth. 🙂 Just wanted to say hi!
Okay this is going to sound stalker-ish but I promise it’s not I’m just genuinely curious…. how old is your brother? LOL
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