Measuring Much Too Big

I officially am the Microwave Mama! Like James says, "You just cook up babies faster than most people." As of yesterday's ultrasound our little girl is measuring at 40 weeks and 2 days instead of 35 weeks. They took multiple measurements of her head, stomach and legs and averaged them and declare her to weigh 8lb 7 oz, give or take 1 pound. That's huge for a first! (Especially considering the fact that I still have 5 weeks left.) Think how big she could get by then. My doctor said he would induce me on Oct 20th, if I don't have her on my own by then. So cross your fingers and pray that either she comes early or I have the strength to endure & deliver a 10-12 lb baby!

The Hole-In-the-Wall Hunt

Our New Monthly Quest: To Find the Most Delicious Restaurant in Salt Lake City!

James and I both love to cook and eat, but we especially love to eat out at restaurants... its fun, usually tasty, and we get new ideas of things we'd like to make at home. Before moving here, we had already tried many of the big name restaurants in Salt Lake (Buca di Beppo, Biaggi's, Tucci's, Olive Garden, Macaroni Grill, The Roof, The Garden, Cheese Cake Factory, P.F. Changs, etc.) But now that James is in grad school, we need to save all the money we can. So we have decided to start the new adventure of eating once a month at a no name, ma & pa, hole in the wall restaurant and reviewing it for our family and friends. Our results may be both delicious and disgusting, but we are sure that we will find some cheap, less crowded gems for you.

This month we began our hunt at a place called The Blue Plate Diner located at 2041 South 2100 East, just a few blocks south of us. We see a wide variety of people there all the time and it peaked our curiosity. Could it be good? Last night we checked it out. When you enter it has the feel of an old time diner or soda shop. You grab a menu from the counter and seat yourself. Shortly one of the waiters with colorful tattoos will bring you a carafe of water and take your order. The menu is filled with home style comfort foods, but specializes in breakfasts all day long. Apparently this restaurant has won best breakfasts in SLC for the past 9 years and the "Best Eat on the Cheap" is SLC for the past 5. The menu ranges from $6 to $11 meals and has a surprising variety also on vegan and vegetarian entrees (probably to appeal to the hippie looking kids with dreadlocks sitting at the table next to us). They serve omelets, a variety of egg Benedict, tons of breakfasts, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, salads, enchiladas, etc.

So was it good or not? I ordered a cranberry turkey sandwich & steak fries and James ordered a Spanish omelet, hash browns & toast. Unfortunately I ordered the wrong thing for me... I don't know what I was thinking! I was too impulsive. The sandwich had a ton of turkey and a huge slice of cranberry sauce straight from the can. I hate jiggly canned cranberry... It wasn't their fault, I got what I asked for. I had just hoped for cranberry chunks in a creamy sauce. The fries were excellent however and I loved James' omelet. It was so cheesy and came with guacamole and more. James only critique was that he wished they wouldn't have drenched it in so much salsa. But overall the experience was good. We will go back again, but most likely to check out one of their delicious looking breakfasts. Also a little tip: after we ordered we saw on the wall their summer salad sale (6 amazing salads) and also their All You Can Eat daily specials. Friday night's is fish and chips, a veggie, and side. James wishes he would have seen that earlier.

Monthly Movie Magic

James and I decided to also review one movie a month that we would recommend watching. Last night after dinner we went to the dollar theater and finally saw the Disney Pixar movie UP. Here is our review:

If you go into this movie having just watched the trailer, you go in there with the expectation of classic Pixar humor and animation, the characters look quirky and the story seems different. Honestly this is how I usually feel about Pixar movies (e.g. Ratatouille, Monsters. Inc., Cars,) I go in thinking this plot will be difficult to pull off. But as always, Pixar does it and does it well.

One thing we noticed is how quickly we fell in love with the characters. It isn't often, (in factor never) that we love characters so much that we are in tears within the first 15 minutes of a movie, and when I say tears, I mean Kathy is sitting next to me trying to compose herself, so that she doesn't disturb the girls sitting next to her with loud, gushing sobs. We both were in tears throughout the movie (probably because A - Kathy is pregnant, B - we are just starting our story like Carl and Ellie and C - We really just fell in love the characters that much). I think the intro part of the movie was very well done. What is interesting is that they are able to create a picture of deep, life-long love, so quickly and with no dialogue between Carl and Ellie. It was simple but moving and I think, very realistic.

The plot was fun, crazy and kept you smiling or outright laughing. It moved nicely; it never felt slow. Throughout and within the humor it kept reminding you of the real heart of the movie, which is a love story and a story about hope.

One of our favorite lines is from Russell(the wilderness explorer) speaking about his father, and I think it had great meaning for the whole movie:

"And afterwards, we'd go get ice cream at Fenton's. I always get chocolate and he gets butter brickle. Then we sit on this one curb right outside, and I'd count all the blue cars and he counts all the red ones, and whoever gets the most, wins...I like that curb. It might sound boring, but I think the boring stuff is the stuff I remember the most."

We recommend this movie, for kids and adults and even teenagers.