Three Months

For Victoria. Because i like taking pictures more than being in them. I could criticize this pic to no end, pointing out all that i do not like, but I won't. Just know that I don't like it full stop

A Merry Christmas

I hope everyone had a wonderful, warm Christmas with family and friends. We left early on Christmas Eve to beat the winter weather quickly approaching. And I'm glad we did as Oklahoma got record snow and the first white Christmas in years! We had a great time. Christmas morning we awoke to children impatiently waiting to opening their stockings.

Baby B. got it's own stocking with its first toy! Opened by daddy.

And I got my much awaited 50mm lens! This is the first picture I took with it.I moved on to some more patient subjects...

But decided vegetables are very boring objects to shoot, so I moved on to cuter subjects...

However, they weren't too excited about that idea. I suppose I will have plenty more time to practice.

After presents and photo snapping, all went outside to work off breakfast by shoveling the driveway, playing in the snow, and taking some pictures. (I know this pic is way too bright, but it was hard to tell as i was taking it)

Complete with Mark trying to plow a path

Fun was had by everyone!

Time to Move??

I had an awesome time in Arkansas, after finally getting there. It started out as a great road trip, me and my tunes cranked up high, singing my guts out. Then I realized my three hour trip was getting long and i still hadn't seen some landmarks. Turns out that I missed my 540 exit (the ONLY exit i have to take to get there) and was driving to Little Rock instead of Fayetteville. In serious need of a bathroom break i turned around to stop at a rest stop and then find my lost exit. It turns out there aren't any rest stops until the 540 exit and my three hour trip turned into a 4 1/2 hour drive. But it was all worth it to hang out with Kara and see her gorgeous new house! I loved it! They picked some awesome colors and have a really awesome open floor plan. Not to mention stained concrete floors with clean baseboards, i love my old house and all its character, but seriously, i envy new baseboards.

Here is a pic from the front door of just the living room

This is another shot from the front door looking into the wide open space. I love how it is all open and flows. Great for having people over.

Her beautiful kitchen with the 405 picture our very talented friend made. It looks perfect. We were trying to figure out the h in the corner. Does it stand for her last name or for "home" since 405 is and will always be (or should) home for Kara.


Kara is lucky to have be living down the street from some of her close friends. Why they gave her the code to it though, and i don't know why. :) Case in point- she went to her friends house while they were out of town and stole this chair and Ottoman because she needed more seating for her Christmas party. Oh, and she took their Christmas tree skirt right out from under their tree, and has found it a new home under her own. AND she was telling me how cute and well decorated her friend's house is, and so she let us in to snoop around while they were still out of town! Michelle has great taste and didn't mind at all when she found out.

And no house tour would be complete without the guard dog named Boss. He is sticking his tongue out for the camera. Gotta love him.It was a great trip and i left envying the luxury of a new home and all the amenities already when i got the call that our car had been stolen. Right out of the driveway. The second one from our neighborhood, with a third vandalized. Some 14 year old had gotten cold on the way home from his walk and decided to steal it for a warm ride. So he punched in a window, tore up the dash, hot wired it, and helped himself to my calcium chews. Unfortunately it was found in not so good condition, and we will be getting nothing from insurance for it and will be buying a new car before the new year. Here's a look at the fun he had.

Oh the joys!! But everyone is safe and we were planning on selling it in the near future anyway. That makes two stolen cars and one broken into for Alfie. Poor guy. But he still doesn't want to move back home...

First Tri Recap

It's been a while. So I'll play catch up bullet style. But first pics of our sweet little "alien".

All of that makes of this pooch.... lucky you. it wont upload. actually it is lucky me. i look huge in the photo and am really regretting skipping the gym today. that was a mistake.

• I don't know what to call the baby. "It" sounds too impersonal or rude. "Peanut" and "bean" are perhaps a little cheesy for me. I was calling "it" by "he" or "him", as i was positive, as was my husband, that it was a boy. But i was left questioning it when we heard the heartbeat and as the predictions go it sounded like a girl. Now i don't want to call him by boy pronouns, as i don't want there to be any gender confusion... I'm at a loss for a name at this point.


• The first two ultrasound photos freak me out a little bit. The head looks a little alien like, and i was hoping to see more proportion at this point. Like eyelids and thumb sucking. I know, i know, i have been reading the books... way too early for all that, but still. I want more baby, less huge head. However, i do kinda get a flutter when i look at the last photo as i can see eye sockets and legs and perhaps the nose. That little bit of baby looks so much sweeter and excitement starts to kick in.


• I'm still too scared to plan for the nursery. i still feel like buying anything or planning too far ahead will only end in disappointment. i am not superstitious per say, but i don't want to jinx us. i am just now getting comfortable with no longer saying "guest room" but nursery instead.


• i just found out tonight that you're pregnant for 10 months and not 9 months. Thanks Courtney.


• the idea of getting huge freaks me out. but i cant wait to be showing. this comes and goes. sometimes i like that i am not showing yet. that no one at the gym knows i am walking on the treadmill because i am not suppose to be running during this pregnancy, though i still try to sneak some running minutes in. but at the same time i know that as my belly gets bigger the sooner i will get to feel some baby movements, and that is what i am most looking forward to. out of the whole pregnancy experience this is the one that i have wanted to experience the most. what does the right hook feel like from the inside??


• i haven't put lotion on since finding out i am pregnant. not one drop of cocoa butter. somewhere in the back of my mind i wonder if perhaps i will get stretch marks because of it, but not enough to actually do it.


• the first trimester was not all that enjoyable for me. i thought i would instantly feel pregnant. not so much. i am lucky though, i have not been sick at all. the most i have felt is some sickness in the morning before i got out of bed. and it wasn't every morning. i didn't feel so much sick, as just off, and not quite right. and the nausea if i didn't have something in my stomach...that was bad, that would really get me gagging.


• the worse though was the exhaustion. how do moms of one do it again and again? i could come home from work and nap, but i wonder how does one make it through the day with a two year old running around?!?! we ate out more during the first tri then we probably have in the whole last year. the thought of going to the grocery store made me curl up on the couch. i think i went twice. my awesome husband did the rest.


• but besides the physical side, the emotional side. perhaps it was the mood swings, but i worried a lot. a lot more then i thought i would. are we ready for this? i can barely handle being tired now, can i do it will a baby waking up ALL the time?? what if it's not a fairy tale ending? what if my child____________? fill in the blank. any worry you can think of, i have had. i teach, i work with a lot of kids. it can make a person think shallow thoughts and some really deep thoughts.


• in the end though, i have made it through the first 12 weeks. we have heard a heartbeat. things look and sound great. and my faith is in God. His timing, this child, all in his hands in his perfect plan. i know this. i shouldn't worry. i will try really hard not to.


• the reason i started this blog was in hopes that one day i would be blogging about my baby. i have really slacked. there is so much going on, but as i look at everyone else's blog that i find inspiration from, i suddenly feel like i really don't have anything interesting. but i will be doing better. i will also be putting a belly shot up monthly, at least until i feel like it is indecent exposure and worry about being flagged. but i know my MIL will really appreciate getting to stay in touch with the pictures and thoughts as the next months progress.


• speaking of worried, i am semi-nervous for hosting the next coffee gathering for my friends. i love getting together, but stress about it every time for some unknown ridiculous reason.

The Beginning

Because i have the time today, and because some people seem to give me way too much credit in not believing i was dork, i decided to post the evidence that it started somewhere early in my young life. At that point where mom no longer has the strength or engery to fight you on every decision about clothing or hair. When mom decides to begin practicing the "learn from your mistakes" mantra. I had a hard time picking ones, so i will go from young me to older me. I do not have all my childhood photos because my mom had all four kids pictures in one huge box seperated into bags, and i only had the patience to search for cute pictures for so long. So here are the cutest photos of me, at best, during my young life.

My cute baby sister is standing, i'm the one with massive glasses.

I had to wear my hat sideways to fit all the frizz... and because it was the style.

There aren't words for my pants. These were never in style, never cool, and should never have been worn. You cant see it, but i also was wearing a really "cool" peace sign necklace, i believe it was lime green.

If you look really close you can see one of those chains to hold onto my glasses so i could take them off and wear them around my neck. Not that i ever did that, i had a lazy eye and got headaches when i didnt have my glasses on.

Building animals out of cards was a favorite pass time. This is a whale. Can you see it? The fin is the back part by my feet. Oh, and notice the pink overalls complete with a bandana.

I wonder where all my friends are? Enough said on this.

My favorite outfit, worn on the first day of i believe fourth grade, possibly third. How much shorter can my bags get?

The beginning of my chubbo stage. Notice how i am wearing my cap. If you watch the olympics or are familiar with swimming, then you know that ears should be tucked inside the cap, like the girl standing on the block.

But to give myself some credit, it one point before the perms, glasses, and freedom to "learn from my mistakes" i had been a pretty cute little toddler.

I would post some from high school, but i dont have my yearbooks. I know i bought one, but i have no idea what i did with it. At one point i wanted to throw it away, or burn it, but i think it is hiding in a box somewhere in my parents attic. One day maybe i will revisit that stage.

No More TWW

That's right! I'm pregnant!!!

It's old news by now... but the time lapse is due to the lack of energy I currently posses! It's crazy how tired I have been lately. A cup of coffee with the girls did nothing to help my desire for an afternoon nap! I am trying hard to fight it today, as I sleep better at night if I can avoid it, so I found this little link to predict my birth. I liked what it had to say, plus it is way too early to know the gender, but both the Chinese calendar and this have said a boy... I am feeling like it is as well.

The day you deliver, outside will be misty. Your baby will arrive in the
middle of the night.
After a labor lasting approximately 10 hours, your
child, a boy, will be born. Your baby will weigh about 7 pounds, 1 ounces, and
will be 16-1/2 inches long. This child will have dark brown eyes and a little
patch of black hair.

In Response

to the comment left on my last post. I decided to actually post it, since i really do need to update anyway. So

1. i have kept my blog a secret so i could complain and feel sorry for myself, and not worry about my friends thinking i was the biggest complainer of all.

2. I really need to update the fertility issue/progress since that is why i starting blogging, after finding encouragement through other girls experience and blogs. For some reason actually typing it is hard. But here is my update:

Finished all the testing part and started on IUI's. I have done 3 total, and am currently in the much dreaded and hated TWW for my fourth round. It is seriously a mourning after every single failed IUI. It is definitely worse, for me, during a medicated cycle then just a normal one. I mourn something i have never had, and it is crazy to me. My life has not drastically changed at all, yet i feel like i am useless for one day of misery. I expect more out of myself, i should be used to this. i shouldn't be crying on the phone to my mom each time, but yet somehow i find myself doing just that, but then i am over it. I am thinking of switching doctors and doing a couple more IUI's with clomid, ultrasounds, and a trigger shot (my last dr. did not do ultrasounds or trigger shots. Except this last one I did ask him to do one and my husband ended up having to give the shot to me at midnight... ha. I laugh just thinking of his panic.). If all else fails, we will start IVF in January. I am not super excited at the thought. I never thought i would experience that, but no one does. If it does not work, we will start the adoption process. At first adoption scared the crap out of me, and i never thought i could do it, but God has changed my heart, and i find myself wanting to be in a win-win situation with adoption. Each person comes away loved and loving. No matter what, i think i would like to adopt. Ideally for me it would be biological child then adoption, but i am learning not to plan too far ahead.

3. I really am not that creative. I am a copy-cat. That whole monkey see, monkey do thing? Yeah, that is me. I went to MistleToe Market this weekend and was trying to sneak pictures of things i though that i could make. I am under no illusion that it will look professional, but i love trying. Keeps me busy. Crocheting... hmmm. I haven't done a whole lot with this talent. I should probably pick it up and start again. I never could make a baby hat like i wanted so i cant teach Reba that, but if you wanted to know how to make a coaster...i'm your woman.

4. My goal this week is to make pumpkin cookies, or buy them, and visit friends during my fall break. I am a lazy, pathetic person during the week. I used to tease a friend about going to bed so early...I take it all back! I'm sorry!

5. I want to give a shout out to my plastic from high school. She now lives down the street from me. when i first moved in, i was full of dread, because i knew we had mutual friends and would eventually run into each other. You know Taylor Swift's new song "she's cheer captain, and i'm on the bleachers..." that one? Emily was the cheerleader, i was the the bench warmer. Eventually we did run into each other, and i was super excited that she even knew my name. It turns out Emily was a nice plastic, or perhaps i wasn't as dorky as i thought... though i am going with the first option, and actually came to a swim meet or two. And she has seriously turned into be a blessing to me. I am very thankful for her friendship. She is the nicest plastic i know!! She also makes the best pumpkin cookies ever, and cannot wait for the recipe!! Hint Hint!! I am also looking forward to our ten year reunion this summer....

6. I love posts with pictures and not so much writing, i like the whole a picture is worth a thousand words, and i would rather look at them then read them (unless it is from the Twilight Series), but i couldn't think of any picture that would really fit with the above mentioned, that you would be interested in seeing. So i will just leave with one that has nothing to do with my post at all, except that i hope to see some of these girls this fall break!

A little this and a little that

I've had this grapevine forever!! And finally thought I would put it to use when I found a whole lotta stuff on clearance at Michaels. Not quite sure what look I was going for so I just started sticking stuff in there. (please forgive the photo quality... i should have used the flash)
Ahhh, the flash. It looks sooo much better.

The finished project. It isn't quite this dark, and the jewels(thats all the white dots) blend better then they look in the photo

But I am much happier with my fall wreath then what I was currently welcoming visitors with

Taa-Daa!

Happy Fall!

What have I been doing?

Well, getting with the spirit and doing some decorating...

Getting my toes done with friends, sorry no action shot, much too busy catching up!

Reading this book. I'll let you know what I think when I finish

Helping the economy and updating my fall clothes. My sweet husband spent Saturday shopping with me for fall attire (his idea) and then took me for ice cream!

Watching this movie! Seriously started tearing up for the polar bears! Great watch, only a dollar at Red Box!

Shout out!

To the awesome McConathy Family!!

Blog?? What blog??

I've been caught blog stalking by friends. I have been checking out their blogs forever, but did not let them in on my secret blog... not that I have so much interesting things to say, but so that when I complain here, they do not have to read about it.

However, knowledge that my friends may occasionally pop over to say hi means I had better give this blog a little TLC, which has been way overdue.

So what have I been doing? Mostly teaching my attentive and very well behaved 23 students(yeah right, note the sarcasm). Then coming home to the usual things like cleaning, cooking, walking dogs and perhaps a little reading before being totally useless. The gym has been a no-go. Except for the Monday night interval intensity class that a friend and I catch. Now that it is fall though, I am willing myself to get back into running. I have been buying shorts, but not wearing them. I also bought that Nike thingy that goes in my shoe and calculates how much I have run, if only I would go running. A new school year can really take it out of you, at least until you get back into the grove.

I also went on a short little vacation to Alaska with my family. Here are a few of my favorite pictures. There are a ton more. I took more pictures in this week, then I did the whole of last summer in Europe. Probably due to playing around with my new camera, but there was so much to see. These pictures don't do it an ounce of justice either, it is definitely a must see!

This is in Anchorage, on our first day.

The beautiful Exit Glacier that is connected to Harding Ice Field, the largest ice field in the world. It was a LONG, but gorgeous hike up to.

Exit Glacier. We were in short sleeves, until you got this close, then it was crazy freezing from the Glacier winds. It was fun to hear it "talk to you". A lot noisier then expected.

Kenai Fjords. I forget the exact name of the Glacier, but we are about a mile and half out from the base. It looked a ton closer. We watched it break and crack into the ocean. Possibly my most favorite thing we did. SO BEAUTIFUL.Is it weird this picture makes me thing of fall? The leaves were starting to change while we were there, and the cool weather... If it weren't fort those 165 inches of snow annually, I could totally be Alaskan. The silt from the glacier made the most beautiful blue/green contrast with the trees. Have I mentioned it was gorgeous??

We had a great time. Everyone was able to make it, except my brother, who was sorely missed. We did not see any grizzly bears, though I was bound and determined to see them. We spent the whole last day "hunting" them through the Russian River area. Besides some serious footprints, we didn't see much. I also wanted to see a moose. I came home with a moose mug instead!

Grand Lake

The last weekend of summer. I report back on Friday, exactly one day after removing all four of my wisdom teeth. I know, its going to be rough, but at the time of making the appointment two weeks earlier, I didn't think i was going to make it this long. When i called i wanted to go in that day and have them removed. I have been putting this off for 6 years. It is time.

And so my last weekend of freedom from school and pain, was spent at Grand Lake. Our friends bought a house recently and invited us up for the weekend. We had a blast!! Minus a near death experience when the boat thought about sinking while i was sitting in the front.

Here are a few pics

I am sitting on a cooler and the littlest child was taking the picture


Heading off to the day dock
Waiting for the others to play
Sisterly loveGolf cart included with houseYes these sandwiches deserve a picture.