Foodie Friday: Help me choose!

Happy Friday! Before I get to my usual food related Friday stuff, I have news! I had another u/s this morning.. we trigger Saturday night with an IUI Monday morning!!! That's cycle day 13!! Holy crap, my body is so ready to get this show on the road. :) I still have 1 follie in the lead but he thinks 2 more will definitely catch up.. maybe 3. Exciting!!!!

Ok, on to the subject of FOOD.

A couple times each year San Diego has what we call "Restaurant Week". Restaurants that participate will have a prix fixe meal that consists of an app, main course, and dessert. Depending on the restaurant they'll charge either $20, $30 or $40 per person. It's always a great chance to get a good meal at a nice restaurant.

We're hoping to participate this go around, but we'll see. At Dan's company he gets rewarded periodically from his peers, and gets to choose his reward from a catalog. Well, he always picks the $100 Amex Restaurant card. So, when he gets one we take advantage and have a nice meal out with it. He has one on the way, we just don't know if it will make it to us in time.

I'm having a hard time deciding where to go, so I'm going to post the menus for the places I've narrowed it down to, and you let me know what sounds good to you!

We like to try a new place every time, but even though we've been before, Peohe's is so tempting. It's delicious, overlooks the water, and $30/per person is a great steal.

Choice of First/Appetizers Course

Lobster Bisque

A classic lobster dish served piping hot and finished with whole butter and sherry.

Peohe's Salad

Field greens, mandarin oranges and candied walnuts tossed in orange-ginger vinaigrette.

Herb Steamed Artichoke

Poached in seasoned broth and served with clarified butter and lemon-basil aioli.

Choice of Second/Main Course

Prime Rib of Beef

Slow-roasted with herbs and spices and served with garlic mashed potatoes.

Coconut Crunchy Shrimp

Large shrimp breaded with tempura batter, coconut and panko breadcrumbs. Served with white rice and sweet, yet tangy plum sauce.

Crab Stuffed Tilapia

Coated wtih breadcrumbs, stuffed with crabmeat. Baked and finished with caper butter sauce and wild rice.

Choice of Third/Dessert Course

Macadamia Nut Creme Brulee

Home made custard topped with caramelized sugar, macadamia nuts and fresh berries.

No Ka Oi (Hawaiian translation: “The Best”)

Macadamia nut ice cream pie in a chocolate cookie crust with bittersweet chocolate sauce.

And the 2nd option I'm considering is called Suite & Tender. This one earns a few points for being a place we've never tried before. It's also a $30/per person option.

Choice of First/Appetizers Course

Grilled Lamb Riblets

Yogurt & Cucumber Sauce

Bacon Braised Pork Belly

Apple & Fennel Slaw, Cider Vinaigrette

Chopped Salad

Bibb Lettuce, Teardrop Tomatoes, Maple Bacon Lardons, Blue Cheese Dressing

Choice of Second/Main Course

Mustard Brined Jidori Chicken Breast

White Cheddar & Truffle Macaroni & Cheese

Crispy Sea Bass

Israeli Cous Cous, Tomato & Garlic Confit, Pea Tendrils

Grilled Flat Iron Steak

Crushed Red Skin Potatoes, Shiitake Mushrooms, Chef's Steak Sauce

Choice of Third/Dessert Course

Chocolate Ganache Tart

Lemon Curd Ice Cream

Brownie Crusted Cheesecake

Bing Cherry Coulis

Strawberry Sorbet

Balsamic Glazed Berries Medley

Oh my god.. is your mouth watering yet?? Ok, so what would YOU pick??

Thankful Thursday

Hello readers! Last nights phone call with the in-laws went better than expected. All four of us.. me, Dan, my MIL and FIL, got on speaker phone to talk about what's up next for us.

We told them that we're undergoing our last IUI and that if it doesn't work we're doing IVF.. with the money due just a few days after finding out if the IUI worked, or not. I told them a little more about IVF.. the actual procedure, the success rate (& how that compares to an IUI) and how highly everyone speaks about the clinic we'll be going to.

Of course we talked costs, and without hesitation his parents said to not worry about it.. they'll take care of it for us. I already knew how awesome his parents were, but to hear his Dad tell us not to worry about the money.. that we already have enough to focus on.. it was just so comforting.

So, today I'm feeling particularly thankful to have such amazing, generous in-laws.

I'm going to use today's post to tell you a little more about my in-laws.. if you care to know. :)

First off, my FIL, Doug. He's been a policeman, the head of a swat team, and eventually retired as police captain of Richmond, California. Richmond is no joke.. it's listed as America's 12th most dangerous cities. So, needless to say he's got stories. He's seen everything. Horrible things that make his eyes well up with tears when he's telling us the story, and things that make us all cry with laughter.

Doug has always been a great mentor for me and my career. Managing people can be tough, but Doug always had the best advice for me. He's always encouraged me to demand the things I deserve in my career, while still maintaining composure and dignity.

My MIL, Carol, is your typical Mom.. and I mean that in the best way! She's an amazing cook, and she knows all the little housekeeping tips & tricks. I don't want to paint her out to be Suzy Homemaker though because she is way more than that. She's a great golfer, she's great with finances, and she's incredibly smart.

Carol is generous and sensitive.. and loves her family like crazy. I kept the card she gave me at my wedding shower because she said she couldn't wait to have me as her daughter, since she already considers me a friend. It totally made me cry. And it's true! I consider Carol my friend.. someone I can go shopping with and gab to, share recipes and of course our favorite thing to do.. drink wine. :)

I will forever be thankful for their love, support, and generosity.

A little update & finger crossing needed!

First off let me start off by saying how crappy this week has started off.

The Chargers lost on Monday, to the CHIEFS.. how embarrassing. And the past few days I've been feeling under the weather. What's new, right? I feel like I'm always getting sick. This time it's mainly sinus issues, but I started getting that achey feeling last night. I'm drinking my tea, and trying to take it easy.

This morning I had another u/s and I could tell right away that I had a huge follie that was clearly jumping ahead of the rest. I couldn't see my RE because he was running late, but he called me and said I have to start the ganirelix injections tomorrow morning. Boo. I HATE the ganirelix injection. It's always red & itchy afterwards, and since I have to do it in the morning, instead of putting some comfy yoga pants on afterwards, I have to yank up a skirt or work pants and be on my way. UGH.

I know.. I'm just being a big pouty face complainer. Of course I'm going to do whatever I've got to do to make this work. I'm entitled to some complaining along the way, right? :)

I have a feeling this week will turn around though. I'm getting my hair did today after work (woot!) and Dan & I are having a little staycation downtown on Friday night. I get to meet 3 great friends who I actually met online! I've already met the lovely Gina, but I get to see her again. Yay!

Oh, and the finger crossing.. tonight Dan's going to have the talk with his Mom about IVF costs, and we're really hoping they'll want to help us out. We certainly don't like the fact that we have to go to a family member and ask for help, but we also don't have $15k floating around. I just have to keep reminding myself what it's all for... our baby, our baby, our baby.

Hail Mary IUI in full effect!

I had my baseline u/s last Friday. There was no cyst, so IUI#4 is officially A GO!!!

On top of my regular bloodwork they do after each u/s, I had blood drawn for cystic fibrosis & rubella. I have to do cystic fibrosis testing for IVF, so I figured I'd get that out of the way. And apparently after they did the immunization for Rubella earlier this year, they never tested to make sure it worked. haha. Since it's another requirement for IVF, I went ahead and got that out of the way now too.

I generally don't really mind getting blood drawn, but three vials drawn + no breakfast that morning = a dizzy Lolo.

I started my follistim injections Friday night, and I go in this Wednesday & Friday for u/s' to see how I'm progressing.

Knowing that technically the last IUI worked, and that if we move on to IVF I'm going to be in great hands, I'm feeling excited, hopeful, and relaxed. Yay!

Now, if the Chargers can pull out a win tonight I'll be an extreeeemely happy camper. Go Bolts!!!

Foodie Friday: Sausage Spaghetti Spirals

This week I tried a new recipe out, from allrecipes.com.. Sausage Spaghetti Spirals. I had some spiral whole wheat pasta in the cupboard, and wanted to find an easy recipe with just a few ingredients. Success!

I sort of messed up and bought some ground Italian seasoned lean turkey meat.. instead of actual Italian sausage. I think I definitely would have gotten more flavor in the dish if I would have bought the Italian turkey links.. and just took the meat out of the casings. Oh well.. next time!

It was really yummy, and it makes a lot. So, if you try this recipe out, be prepared for left overs.. unless you're feeding family or friends.

Sausage Spaghetti Spirals

Ingredients:
1 lb bulk Italian sausage (see my suggestion above if you want to make this healthier)
1 medium green bell pepper
5 cups spiral pasta (this was a whole box of my whole wheat spiral noodles)
1 (28 oz) jar meatless spaghetti sauce (my jar was only 24 oz, and it was fine)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (I used the less fattening low moisture mozzarella, but I probably put more like 2 1/2 cups on it. I'm a cheese-a-holic)

Directions:
Cook and drain pasta
While your pasta is cooking, chop the bell pepper
In a skillet, cook sausage and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain
Stir in pasta and spaghetti sauce; mix well
Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2in. baking dish
Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes
Uncover; sprinkle with cheese.
Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted

Super simple, easy (even for me) to make, and tasty. We ate this with a side caesar salad and it was a perfect Football watching meal.. in front of the t.v. Don't judge. :)

Hope you like it!

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful for all things Fall.

It was drizzling on my drive in to work this morning and traffic was crazy (90% of Californians can not drive in drizzle without freaking out.. luckily I'm in the 10%) so I decided to stop at Starbucks.. and what do they have again???

Yippeeeeeeeeeee! You've gotta love Starbucks' seasonal drinks. They're the bestest.

And nothing else screams fall to me than ... the changing colors of the leaves? Nope. Pumpkin pie and other baked yumminess? Noooope.

Those things are nice, but I'm talking about FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!!! 

Today marks the official start date of regular season Football, and I'm ex.ci.ted. There's nothing better than sitting around the house all day on Sunday's, watching the games. Usually we're bbqing or making soup. And usually there's some beer involved.. of course.

And I especially love my Chargers!

So, today I'm thankful for Fall.. cooler weather, pumpkin spice lattes, and the start of another season of football.

Exciting Stuff!

Yesterday's post was totally sad an dreary.. I know. And if I'm being totally honest, I had to close my office door when I wrote it, because I couldn't do it without crying. UGH. I'm such a cry baby these days.

SO.. today's post is going to be about something a bit more happy & exciting... My IVF consult! It's probably odd to some that my IVF consult would be a happy & exciting thing, but to me it's the one thing right now that gives me some hope. Next month will mark two years of trying to get pregnant.. and about three years off birth control. I'm SO ready to move on to something more aggressive.

On to the consult. It was GREAT. Dan and I met with Dr.Garzo, who looked over my medical records, & asked us some basic questions.

Then he did an ultrasound.. which I was totally not expecting! He said my left ovary looked good, but my right was on the large side and "text book polycystic". Hm.. why nobody has mentioned that before has me baffled. I'm already on metformin though, so he asked me to double my dose. I asked him if there's anything I can change in my diet to also help and he said it doesn't hurt to cut back on sweets and whites.. white rice, white bread.. you know, all the good stuff. doh!

After the ultrasound we sat down and talked some more.. he told me with everything considered he would say I have up to an 80% chance of IVF working. WOOT! Of course the pessimist realist in me thinks "holy crap.. WHAT IF I fall in the 20% who are unsuccessful!". I don't know why I like torturing myself.. just do.

Next was the sit down with our IVF Coordinator. And the weirdest thing.. I sat next to her in a math class I took at a local community college! It was probably seven years ago, but I KNOW it's her. Such a small world. Anyways, she went through all the pre-IVF testing we'll have to do, and then went through a mock calendar of what the actual IVF cycle would look like.

Lastly, we met with the financial girl. She went through the pricing of everything.. and since we don't know whether we'll do ICSI, and how much meds will be needed, we're estimating the total cost at $12-15k.

So, that was the visit in a nutshell. I'm still hoping this next IUI will be the lucky one, but if not at least I feel comfortable knowing I'll be in great hands during our IVF cycle.

Oh, and when we came home from the IVF consult this was in our mail:

Dan picked it up, showed it to me and said "Look, babe! We don't need to do IVF.. Old Navy has babies on sale!!!" hehe.. silly hubby. We could watch some parade of babies (The Parade of Cute!) go by and pick out the one we want. If only it were that easy!