What are you having?!? Boy or Girl?

I didn't realize how often this question would be asked of us once we reached the 20 week mark in the pregnancy. Rarely do we even get asked "Do you know what you're having?" It is more often assumed that, of course we would already know. Why in the world would we not want to be prepared? It is quite interesting to get people's responses when we say that we do not know and that we are waiting to be surprised. Some people think it is so wonderful and commend us for having the patience to wait. Others say that it is great, but they know they could've never done it themselves. And then there are even some who appear to be mad at us for not finding out. This is quite entertaining to me. I mean, really, you are mad at me because I am not finding out MY child's gender until the day he or she is born??? Weird.

I have always had the desire to be surprised. When we first got married and talked about it, Mark seemed to think that I was crazy. It didn't really matter much to either one of us at that point though because we knew children were not in our near future. Then, about a year and a half ago when we started feeling like we might want to start trying to have a baby, Mark informed me that he didn't want to fnd out either. I was very surprised, but excited. It just seems that since we are now living in this world of facebook, twitter, blogs, etc., everyone knows everything about each others' babies before they are born. Gender, name, and sometimes even the date that the baby will be born are often revealed way before the child has entered the world. Sometimes the only thing left to hear is how big the baby was at birth. I am not criticizing people who find out because that is what works best for them and it can definitely help a lot in registering, decorating, etc. But this is what works for us, so I don't know why people seem upset that we decided to wait.

There are just so few surprises in life...

Buffalo - The Best Food in the world?

For those of you who are from Buffalo, I am sure you know where I am going with this blog. Those of you who are have never experienced it firsthand, I am truly sorry and I encourage you to make the trip up here. We use Niagara Falls as bait to try to get people to visit, but they usually leave talking about the food more than one of the Wonders of the World. So, since I am pregnant and think of my favorite foods often, I have compiled a list of the places that are going to make it very difficult to lose my baby weight living here. :(

#1.) Swiss Chalet - anyone who knows me knows that this is my all time favorite restaurant in the WORLD! There are no longer any in the U.S., but just across the bridge on Lundy's Lane in Niagara Falls, Canada, one can be found - and it is tasty!!! Their rotisserie chicken is amazing, as well as their fresh cut fries - and both are even better when dipped in their delicious Chalet sauce. My mouth is watering just thinking of it.

#2.) Sorrentino's (Main & Mill) - This has now become one of Mark's favorites as well. We LOVE their pizza (with burnt pepperoni) and BBQ wings - and they have a great House Italian dressing too. (Yes, we do actually eat salads once in a while up here.) Their only downfall is that they don't give free refills on pop, and although I did it the other day, it is not easy to drink water with pizza and wings. (Almost forgot, their bleu cheese isn't too great either.)

#3.) Pizza Works (Maple & North Forest) - My favorite things to get here are the chicken finger subs - no veggies, just chicken fingers with medium sauce, mozzarella, and bleu cheese, and then of course their garlic bread with cheese. Both are AMAZING! They also have GREAT wings (but you have to get medium, my dad likes the mild and they are a completely different flavor.) The pizza is usually very good too, but for some reason it is best when you get a sheet instead of just a round one. Don't know why this is, but there is a difference in the taste.

#4.) Mighty Taco (numerous locations) - Taco Bell has got nothing on them. Mighty Taco has the cheapest and best fast food around. Beef & Cheese tacos are awesome there - soft shell, medium sauce, no sour cream. Mark prefers the burritos because, obviously, you get more.

#5.) LaBella Sicilia (Genessee) - This does not seem to be a place that is talked about by many people, but it is a family favorite. They have all different kinds of wonderful pastas - spaghetti, baked tortellini, stuffed shells, lasagna and fettucine alfredo (just to name a few that we love.) They also give you great bread to start off the meal. Unfortunately, no free refills here either.

#6.) Duff's (Dick Rd.) - Although I don't feel the need to eat at Duff's as often as my siblings and their spouses, they do have excellent wings and it is a must-have for anyone visiting the Buffalo area. This newer location may not have the same ethos as the original on Sheridan, but the wings taste better and they provide much better service in a bigger space. We prefer the "Medium Light" wings there.

#7.) Ted's (numerous locations) - Sahlen's hot dogs are served here and they are a great treat. The regular size is good, but it's always tempting to get the footlongs once you see them being grilled in front of you.

#8.) Greek Open Beef Soulvaki - I never knew that this was a Western NY food until I moved away and couldn't find it anywhere in VA, FL, MO, TN, or WA. I don't necessarily have a favorite restaurant that serves it, but it had to be mentioned. (Sheridan Family Restaurant & the Eastern Hills Mall food court both do it well.) It is basically just a Greek salad with beef, feta cheese, tomatoes, and a great dressing on top with a pita on the side. Not sure why it is so good - it just is.

This is all for now...let me know your favorites! Now that I am living here, I just might have to go try them. :)

Trying this out...

I love reading other peoples' blogs and some friends have told me that I should do one myself. This may not seem like the best time to start since I am 36 weeks pregnant, but these days I find myself somewhat bored. I can't go out and do much because my feet swell into chubby bear-like paws and my ankles look like tree stumps. And, I can't do much to prepare a nursery since we are living at my parents' house for the time being. Instead, I am spending a lot of time inside with my legs elevated and not much to do except look at Facebook and play Words With Friends (joynoelle) since there is not much good on TV anymore these days. Sounds fun, right? I can't complain since I know my world is about to change drastically when our precious little baby arrives in (hopefully) less than 4 weeks. I guess I just figure that while I have this time, I will blog about life - where we have come from and where we are going. And although it is called Mark & Joy's Journey, I highly doubt that Mark will ever blog on here. I just thought I would include his name since my journey is not complete without him. :)

Here goes nothing...