Why I wasn't daring enough for the Daring Bakers July Challenge?

10 reasons why I wasn't daring enough to participate this month and bake a Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream.  (#'s 7 and up are very very important stuff)

1)  I hate pralines.

2) I hate buttercream.

3) We already made a layered, nut rich cake 2 challenges ago (Opera Cake).

4) It's so hard to find real butter these days in Tokyo.  Yes, we have a butter shortage.  And on top of that, prices of cake ingredients are rising.

5) I've never seen or tasted a filbert gateau, so I couldn't really bake something I knew nothing about.  

6) Bandie and I have been so busy with work.  I want to quit being his personal manager.  (but maybe then I'll be too bored.)

7) We found out we were pregnant and I've been ignoring looking at new recipes.  I only browse pregnancy websites now.

8) I have been so paranoid of miscarrying the baby.  I still am now, but we saw and heard the baby's heartbeat yesterday, so I'm feeling much better.  I couldn't even cook until recently because of this paranoia.  

9) I am too tired to cook because I'm pregnant.

10) I just want to eat spicy things because that's all I crave now.

The day we found out we were preggers!  Yay!  It's positive!

Ultrasound at 8 weeks!  We saw and heard the heartbeat! Yay!

Us in Hawaii!  Where we conceived!

We're gonna be Papa and Mama Bear!