Getting the House in Order

I've had one of those weekends that has been thoroughly consumed in catching up with domestic work. I did three loads of laundry today (as I was looking at nothing clean to wear to work), and over the course of the weekend, I've cooked the following:

• Black beans and brown rice
• Spicy lentil and cauliflower soup
• Granola
• Huevos rancheros
• Pot roast with potatoes, carrots, and onions

Except the roast, everything I've cooked has come from recipes in my pregnancy cookbook, I'm Pregnant! Now What Do I Eat? The granola especially is excellent.

As much as possible, I try to do a modified version of once a month cooking for two main reasons:

1. Saving money. I live in a restaurant-rich city, and residents can, if they're not careful, dine themselves into a zero bank balance, if not debt. We're putting as much money as possible toward a down payment on a house, so we do NOT need to be going out to eat all the time. There's also all the baby stuff we still have to buy.

2. Health. I love how almost all the foods in the I'm Pregnant! book are high in fiber and protein but low in sugar and white carbs; they almost assume a diabetic diet. The authors also suggest fast meals, for when you're seriously about to faint. One example is a quick taco with black beans, salsa, and cheese on a whole wheat tortilla. Another is a toasted English muffin with sliced tomatoes and melted mozzarella on top. After making the black beans, which also included jalapenos, onion, garlic, and red and green bell peppers, I realized that I could put the bean mixture, cheese, and salsa on one of the whole wheat tortillas, poach some eggs, and have myself some huevos rancheros, which Jonathan and I did.

I've also been packing away winter clothes (didn't really need those, as it turned out) and hauling tote bags of books to my office. In preparation to move out of this apartment, I'm moving a lot of my books and fold-up shelves into my office.

Speaking of shelves, a house, and a baby, if anyone knows of any good online sources that show ways to secure shelves to walls in case crawly babies try to climb up them, please let me know. I'm interested in getting an estimate from some contractors on some built-in (or built-on, rather) shelves, as those seem the safest. Barring that, I think wall-mounted shelves may be the way to go, the kind with the brackets. I'm also toying with the idea of getting these barrister bookshelves, which close up.

Please don't do any teasing of the nesting instinct variety. kthx