Pink Tulips and a Vanilla Latte-

Swinging

2011-02-19T13:54:00.001-08:00

We went on an early morning walk the other day, and decided to stop at the park. Annabelle is starting to get the hang of the swings and actually really enjoys them. But when I go to pull out my phone she stops smiling and gives me one of these special looks. I almost enjoy them more then her smiles- almost.

Dimi

2011-02-16T16:28:00.001-08:00

Can you come to visit please? I have a while list of projects to keep you bored. Such as:
- fixing the garage doors
- fixing the back gate
- put the post back up on our house
- fix the wet drywall
- a new roof
I'm sure by the time you get here I could have some more on the list. You can come before or after Spain, whichever works best for you. Oh and while you are here maybe you guys could help get this little munchkin to eat her food

Swinging

2011-02-15T15:49:00.001-08:00

The weather was the perfect day for the park today, no snow on the ground! And Annabelle loves being outside, must have been why she cried the whole way home

Curls

2011-02-13T19:12:00.001-08:00

GeoTagged, [N35.57371, E97.56290]

Just after her bath. Those cheeks are all daddy

Blogging made easy

2011-02-13T19:06:00.001-08:00

So maybe I will blog more now that I can upload photos and do it all from my phone. We'll see.

We're Back!

2011-01-05T08:32:00.000-08:00

where to begin? its been so long! so lets start with a few photos. Australia was great. it was wet, but fun. annabelle was able to play at the beach because she was starting to sit up on her own! this is really the first time she did it. we have a ton of photos!

this is us at bells beach watching the surfers.

we take this shot every time with the year

my favorite beach on great ocean road- possibly anywhere

the famous "12 apostles" alf's eyes are closed, but lets pretend they arent. (one day i will be so good at photoshop this wont be an issue, or my big arms)its the only picture we took because the rain clouds were once again moving in and we still had much to see.

the most gorgeous wine vineyard. yep it was raining-again. but at least the usual 5$fee to tour the gardens was waved. i'm sure they thought we were crazy. i tried to capture the beauty, but the whole time i kept thinking "if only amy where here" she would have been able to do it

i drank way too many of these, along with fresh croissants- if you know me, you know i have a problem with my love for those flaky pastries

annabelle was spoiled by family

played with friends

and dress up

(santa's helper) btw- this was going to be a "happy new years" card, since we didnt do christmas ones, but then jet lag happened. whoops!

and we even managed to see some friends

sorry i am looking weird

be back with more later!

4 months

2010-11-25T05:42:00.000-08:00

weight: 15lb 12oz
length: 26 1/2 inches
translation: the weight of a six month old and the height of a seven month old. she is still laughing and smiling all the time. talking comes and goes, so i am guessing she is more like me. i have my days were i talk nonstop mixed in with quieter days. her dad is all the time, nonstop. this is just a guess though. she is still not rolling over. if she is on her side and i give her the smallest little push she can do it, but she almost immediately starts to cry when she realizes that she is now on her belly. she does like the bumbo. she now perfers to sit in her bumbo and play with toys in the morning versus her playmate. and really she doesnt need any toys because she has discovered the dogs. she very much likes to watch them and invite them over to lick her. that is probably her most favorite thing to do at the moment. she did great with her shots the second time around. much better then the first. she really is getting big fast!

Photoshop

2010-11-24T12:49:00.000-08:00

i have had elements for a while but havent done anything with it really. so confusing, i didnt know where to start. so my very talented and awesome friend came to the rescue. it doesnt look like much, but let me tell you, i am uberproud of these edited photos. so here are some before and afters

amy warned me not to overuse the "burned edge" affect, but i think i could use this on almost every photo. i love it

the light, its blinding!

still not perfect, but getting there

mmmm, its not christmas without lefsa!!

notice the text on this one...

the rolling of the lefsa

the end to a perfect day after a lot of baking

i love a good black and white photo. notice the burned edge thing again :)

i hope to have some better edited ones from our trip. i am so excited to finally be able to do fun things with my photos!

laughing

2010-11-08T06:36:00.000-08:00

my favorite thing annabelle does right now is laugh. its hard to get her squealing still, but i love it!

playgroup

2010-10-26T12:45:00.000-07:00

this smile says it all! we love our playgroup!

ps- doesnt this stylish guy totally rock the ray bans?

baby toupe

2010-10-25T06:35:00.000-07:00

which way to comb is the question! poor annabelle! if i dont get the comb over just right, she is going to have a hair day like this-

The problem is i hate combing over too much, i dont need a donald trump baby. but if i comb over too little then her little bald spot is quite obvious- glaring in the flash :) And no matter how hard i tried to get that hair to stay down it kept popping right back up!

we have grass!

2010-10-23T06:13:00.000-07:00

This is huge! with two boxers and no sprinklers we had given up. But then annabelle came around, she's going to need an outdoor space of her own that is poop free-complete with a tree swing.

So we had Chris build a fence on one side of the house for the dogs. what is now lush green grass was all dirt not long ago.

Then Dimmi came and put in a french drain. You can see it to the left side of Boston.

The grass was looking so good i was inspired me to plant some fall flowers

I even planted some tulips (my favorite flower) in the pots, with the pansies. I totally copied Chesapeake, they have the most gorgeous tulip/Pansie combo in the spring. I couldnt pull out the geranium though- can you see it about to bloom?? i decided she could stay for that last flower's sake.

My new backyard wouldnt have been complete for the season without a pumpkin. I think my backyard now looks much better than my front yard.

Blessing

2010-10-22T05:47:00.000-07:00

Minus the whole needing surgery/no paycheck part of being hit by a car, having alfie home has been a blessing. annabelle is totally smitten with him. i actually found myself a little jealous yesterday because she would only smile at him. i got worried she liked him more than me. i guess that whole daddy's little girl relationship starts early.

Of course he and i have lots of fun together too. This is how we spent our afternoon together yesterday. Fall has been so beautiful this year!

Correction- Oklahoma is actually having the season of Fall. Usually it goes from crazy hot (why do pools have to close on Labor Day) to freezing cold with ridiculous wind gusts (that make you wish you didnt have bangs) with perhaps a day or two, of what could be referred to as Fall, in between.

Red??

2010-10-15T07:54:00.000-07:00

It has been mentioned several times now, that annabelle is going to be a red head. I have been rolling my eyes and saying whatever (under my breath). I mean she doesnt look red does she?

Then i saw this picture...

i guess anything is possible.

3 months

2010-10-14T13:52:00.000-07:00

and smiling!! Oh man do i love that smile

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-13T07:01:00.000-07:00

There's always one of us not looking at the camera

Pop has the touch

melt my heart :)

Bath Time!!

2010-10-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

My daughter is always cute, this goes without saying, but she is especially cute during her bath or wrapped up in a towel after.

does it look like she might be a little scared of the flash??

Race for the Cure

2010-10-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

I've only done it one other time, but it is always sooo much fun! We dominated the hill (aka mountain) at the end, so dont mind our sweaty faces or the fact that i am trying to stand sideways to the camera so i dont look so pregnant... thanks michael for patiently waiting for me to approve a shot...

And of course, we had to get a picture with our trainers

Because i am working on taking more family shots

need to take more pics

2010-10-09T15:06:00.000-07:00

i honestly believe i would blog more if i had an iphone. i'm not saying i need one, just that i think snapping a photo and uploading it straight to my blog would be awesome. one of those time savers i now appreciate a whole lot more.

here's the first photos i have taken with annabelle, plus a family shot, since her birth 3 mths ago...

Can I Go Too?!

2010-10-06T07:12:00.000-07:00

Annabelle helped Alfie pack for his tournament in California. We both wanted to go, unfortunately she was the one that fit into his suitcase...

Bad Car Day

2010-10-05T17:30:00.000-07:00

Early today i got pulled over and issued a ticket for expired tags- fair enough, they had expired back in April.

Then this afternoon alfie was walking into work and got hit by a car backing up in the parking lot. We spent the afternoon in the ER.

No broken bones, but waiting for swelling to go down for an MRI on friday. Hoping he is just a little banged up and nothing serious... for now he is on crutches.

Daddy Gave Me a Bath Last Night

2010-10-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

and he brushed my hair. It's a new look.

Mid-Life Crisis

2010-10-02T10:04:00.001-07:00

I think i am having one. This morning i woke up wanting to get something pierced or get a tattoo, perhaps even spend my Saturday night at Sky Bar... seriously?? I think it started with trying on a skirt yesterday and looking at the length thinking "this is so not practical" All the bending over and picking up a sweet little baby would make me look like a hoochy momma, not a stylish momma. I have the urge to do something wild and crazy... my husband is still out of town... what should i do??

It's Good To Know

2010-09-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

There are still gentlemen in this world. I have met 3 gentleman lately. 1) At homeland. He asked if i needed help getting my stroller up- i was still having a bit of trouble figuring it out, and probably looked pretty ridiculous. 2) At Walgreens. He offered to return my cart back to the store after i had put Annabelle in the car. And 3) at the drugstore. A guy working there actually came from behind the desk and held open both doors for annabelle and me. So sweet and so appreciated (and i accepted all their help), i mean this car seat is getting heavy. She loves her car seat though, point in case- she just chillaxes stretching out her long legs.

Notice her cute drool face.

The Sweetest Sounds

2010-09-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

Here's the sounds at our house lately, music to our ears!!! I am working on getting giggles out of her, and she is soooo close, but I am loving our daily heart to heart conversations! We are so blessed! (Conversation, and not me just sounded a little crazy, starts right at 55 secs)

Losing the Baby Weight

2010-09-19T12:55:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken the morning i went in, eight hours before we finally got to meet her! I can look at this picture and see that 1. i did infact put a little weight on in the face and 2. i have lost most of my baby weight. However, most of the weight means that i still have the last 10-8 lbs left. I think i heard "dont worry, breastfeeding will make it just melt off" one too many times, because when 6wks rolled around and i was nowhere near being able to wear my pre pregnancy clothes, i was more than a little depressed.

I have been running since i got the go ahead, but have been getting discouraged lately. Its hard to keep my focus when i cant see the point of getting up early, dying on every run, when things still aren't fitting. in the first 6 wks i would randomly try on something, hoping the breastfeeding had magically melted the weight away, like i had been disillusioned to believe. i decided that was counterproductive though. i'm the kind of person that consoles herself with chocolate instead of a run.

But this morning, in my desperation to find something to wear for church i tried on some of my pants again. and hallelujah i found a pair that fit!! Even though i usually need a belt to keep them up, and this morning i didnt, i was encouraged. So i tried on some jeans. I didnt think i would be able to pull them up, but i could! and i could even button both pairs that i tried on! I am still not ready to be wearing them in public (buttoning them created some MAJOR muffin top), but i feel so much better knowing that maybe i will be ready for my swimsuit in November when we leave for Australia!! It is the motivation that i needed to keep getting up and running! I'm hoping at 3 months postpartum i will be wearing my jeans again- minus the muffin top!

Where is Fall?

2010-09-16T21:06:00.000-07:00

Picnics in September should be enjoyable. One should not be so hot they are literally dripping in sweat after approximately 5 minutes of being outside. Scratch that, i was hot the second i got out of my car. If you look close every little cheek is red. They probably could have stayed longer, i was the wimp that was ready to go!!

September has always been my favorite month because it is the beginning of my favorite season. The season of layers. This probably started back when i lived in Boston. If you haven't been to Boston during September, you should put it on your to do list. The cool crisp breeze of fall, the crunch of fallen leaves, the colors of the leaves, the smell of apple cider!! i know, it sounds like i am writing poetry here, but seriously, Oklahoma get a clue!! When September rolls around its time to leave the 90 temps behind. And I'd actually enjoy having more than 2 days of layering before it becomes bundling for winter...

2 months

2010-09-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

We had our checkup today. I heard not once, but twice "she's huge, not fat, just huge." She weighs 12lb 4oz and is 25 inches long. That puts her at 97th percentile for height and 90th percentile in weight. Her head went somewhere along those stats too. I think right at 90th for head. She is as tall, or long, as a 3 month old. He said that it is typical for breastfed babies to be ahead, and that it will even itself out when we start solid food, or at about a year. But you have to look at her genes, and she definitely has tall in her family! She did not enjoy her ears being checked at all! and it goes without saying, but she hated her shots!! She calmed down pretty quick after them, but now i am constantly checking on her as she is sleeping to make sure she is okay. You can really freak yourself out if you read all the possible side affects!!

I know i havent been on here in a while, so is it me, or did blogger do something that prohibits me from moving my pictures around?? I am so annoyed!! i wanted to upload another photo, but i cant figure out how to move it to the bottom of my screen! Any advice?? I'm so annoyed. Clearly i dont do technology very well...

My Favorite Mug Just Got More Character

2010-08-16T11:16:00.000-07:00

It is a very sad day at my house today. I walked into the kitchen to see my favorite coffee cup, brought back from Poland, has lost its handle.

Motherhood

2010-08-15T09:05:00.000-07:00

Remember hearing the phrase "oh, enjoy each other now, because when that baby is born, it's not about you anymore!" Mostly from parents whose kids were grown or almost out of the house. I heard this sooo many times, especially when i was a week overdue, that i was tired of hearing it! Yesterday it popped back into my head as I had my first experience where i had to say no to something i really wanted to do, but knew it wasnt in annabelle's best interest to do- we did not make it to my high school friend's wedding reception. We did make it to her gorgeous wedding, which is the most important part i suppose.

alfie was in dallas with his brother, so i was on my own. she did great during the wedding, but we were both getting hot by the end of the ceremony and when i went to put her in her car seat in 107 degree temps (at 7p!), there was some protesting. the reception was not far, so there wasnt really anytime to cool off between locations. the thought of having to get her in and out of her car seat fussy, hot, and getting hungry, didnt seem very nice. especially since i knew she wouldnt last at the reception for very long. I had even pulled into a parking spot and was starting to take her out, but looked at her hot and crying face, and knew i should probably just take her home.

I know the bride saw me, and i got a chance to talk with another long lost friend for about 5 minutes (until bridesmaid duties took her away), so i feel good that she knows i came. But after sitting in the back and seeing a whole sect of people from high school that i had totally forgotten about, i was really looking forward to catching up with some of them. After all the work of getting ready and being there on time, i was/am disappointed. in the end though, it wasnt about me.

Happy One Month

2010-08-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

Thankful Thursday

2010-08-12T10:55:00.000-07:00

I didnt quite make it in time for a "wordless wednesday" to post pics of my sweet girl, so i'll just post what i am so thankful for.

Time spent with daddy

Being read to and bonding with abuelita

Hanging with Uncle Alex

Playing with the my best buds
Smiling at mommy

Life Has Changed

2010-08-09T13:43:00.000-07:00

In a very good way. One week and 2 days overdue, we finally met our daughter. Wide eyed and with the cutest pouty face ever!! I had to post this pic, she seriously meet the world with this face.

A lot has been going on. Its been so much fun becoming a mommy and learning new things!!

A few things i have learned thus far.

Breastfeeding- this in itself went well. It was more the pumping that i was/am massively confused about. When to pump, how to store it, warm it, save/label it for freezer use. How long can it be left out? Reheated? A series of questions that i cant even remember. These have been the most recent, as we are getting ready to introduce the bottle.

The Boob Flu (aka Mastitis)- sucks! so do cracked nipples and apparently can be the cause of this horrible flu.

Recovery-it is an 8 step process to go to the bathroom for at least 10 days after delivery. I know the steps bc i explained it to my husband. I was super vigilant about the process because i got mastitis during the first week, and i wasnt taking any risks of infection anywhere else. i dont do sick well.

Letting go of preconceived notions- this is a really good idea, otherwise you might drive yourself crazy. Like my ideas about how objects can form bad habits.

no pacifier- i now have two and have thought it a good idea to buy some more, so never to be caught without one.

no swing- she takes daily naps in this life saver, and occasionally has used it at night when nothing else will put her to sleep. i feel like i need a swing in my living room, her room, and our bedroom. i still struggle with how much time she should actually spend in here, so it is a last resort (that is being used more and more).

Then there were things that i didnt know about it. Such as being told by her ped. not to use a sleep positioner or laying baby on side for sleeping... it increases the risk for SIDS. I'm not sure i totally agree with that piece, so we still do this. Clearly she loves it. This is her standard sleep position. I cant change this, its just too cute.

There is so much. Mostly i have learned to relax more and not stress out so much. Roll with the punches. Try to get on a schedule but dont freak that she doesnt remember that schedule. This makes her (and i) much happier!

This is what she has been learning, and she is getting really good at it. Melts my heart every time!

Making Peace

2010-06-30T06:28:00.000-07:00

I am going to a pool party at 9 mths pregnant with all my size 0 (and smaller) plastic friends. So this video is speaking to me today.

39 wks

2010-06-28T10:48:00.000-07:00

Perhaps its time for a new shirt? One that fits all the way to under the belly... but then again my fingers are crossed that she comes this week. I had my Dr. appt where i again heard "no change, still closed". Then he talked about inducing next week. Thursday, July 9th. I would love for her to come this week, but more than anything, i would LOVE for her to come on her own!! I have another appointment scheduled for next Tuesday. I am hoping that if she is not already here by the appt, that she is well on her way before Thursday. I want to avoid being induced if possible, and i am not looking forward to telling this to my dr. I guess i am a chicken when it comes to telling a medical professional i dont agree with him. Especially since she doesnt seem to be ready.

The Nursery

2010-06-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so i guess its about that time. Do you remember the before shots? Here is a reminder.

Then there is the inspiration for color palette.

From the doorway

I know we didnt follow the muted pink as well as i had hoped; Alfie really wanted to make sure there was pink in the room. The pink on the handles of the dresser are a little bit bright for me, but he really likes them, so for now they're staying. For some reason the pink on the curtains look kinda more like salmon, not sure why, it really is a prettier pink.

From the corner by the changing table

This one is taken from behind the chair by her closet (which is closed for a reason). I like how it gets the most of my favorite things- her crib with the wall art (i.heart.it) and her changing table/dresser.

Right now this is our favorite room in the house, and we are really looking forward to using it on a daily basis... so Annabelle, please dont be stubborn like mommy and daddy. Dont be a fashionista, and do the whole "make a fashionably late entrance." Break the rules and come soon please!!

I'm So Cool

2010-06-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

Have you seen these? Character bracelets. Apparently there all the rage. They have become so popular that schools were banning them, due to the distractions they were creating. So of course, being as cool and trend setting that i am, i stole my husbands. Then my other super-cool-trend-setter-friend bought some and i stole some of hers.

Can you tell what these bracelets are when taken off?

Road Trip

2010-06-16T09:10:00.000-07:00

My friend, her daughter, and i went on a little road trip to Arkansas to see a friend. Given it was a short trip, all i took were these two photos. I started off well, going to document the trip for my blog of course.

First one to fall asleep:

Which i'll have you know, never happened! She played with her shoe for the first two hours of the trip! That girl has stamina! Cari had to finally turn off baby lullabies because she was falling asleep! :)

And The refreshments:

Yep, that coffee (decaf) is mine. Even though the pics dont show it, we had a great time! It was a great last trip before baby's arrival!!

A little Rain

2010-06-15T09:05:00.000-07:00

Not one to watch the news, i awoke yesterday to some pretty awesome thunder, but thought nothing of it, until i actually got out of bed to find my husband still home and not watching ESPN, but {gasp} the news. Oklahoma was having a bit of rain, the flash flood kind. After it took a little break around 11:00ish, we went to check out the car in the drainage ditch. Poor Lexus people! That's what i call a really bad day!

Sanuks

2010-06-08T07:44:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited!! i just ordered my summer flops! I've been wanting them forever, but the good old shoe store has been sold out. i decided today that i would join the world of shopping online, and i must say i liked it. minus the occasional etsy purchase, i always prefer the actual act of shopping. i could be pulled over to the other side though-especially during the summer. if i might take a minute to put a complaint out there: in and out of the car during Oklahoma heat waves/summer... yep, the push of a button is looking really good :)

36 weeks

2010-06-07T08:55:00.000-07:00

And a sneak peak of the nursery. I plan on getting all the nursery shots after we get out all the rest of the things i have yet to put away, or those items that will be moved to another room closer to her arrival. This crooked shot is courtesy Alfie. sorry you can barely see the belly.

Is it just me or does it look like i am seriously arching my back in this photo? I'm not, but it sure looks that way, i tried doing it again with my arm by my side, but that just made my arm look fat, so, here's the arched back.

Mmmmmm

2010-06-06T07:40:00.000-07:00

Summer tastes good! With retirement has come some extra play time, and thus i have even found the energy to make dinner and dessert! Gotta love summer

Have you seen this?

2010-06-01T15:47:00.000-07:00

I thought this video was too funny not to share! If driving a minivan were ever cool... Hope everyone is having a great summer and enjoying the pool!!

**Update- My husband does not think this video is funny at all, corny perhaps, but not funny. So please let me know what you think...it puts a smile on your face, right?!?

Unmotivated

2010-05-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

It's a typical Saturday, me at home and alfie working. Been up for an hour or two, and besides having some breakfast i have accomplished nothing. Things i need to do: laundry, sweep, mop, finish the curtains for the nursery, write thank you cards, paint some pots. Things i want to do: sleep. I have zero energy. Surely the three mile walk yesterday didnt do this??

But here is to doing at least one thing today... posting some pics on the ol' blog. These are from the shower the club threw us. I am 33 wk 5 days in the photos.

This one is a little cheesy, i realize, but we seriously have not taken many photos while pregnant, so i thought to include it.

The Damage and Then Some

2010-05-20T16:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, so i thought the worse was a tornado, and because we didnt have a tornado and nothing appeared broken, all was well. Ah hem... not so much. It turns out after doing some drive bys there was lots of damage. I really only took pictures of the uprooted trees, but pretty much all north facing windows were fair game, and most of them lost. So after driving around and talking to a few people, it turns out that even if you do have really great big trees to shield your north face windows, it doesnt do so much for protecting the roof. Yep, its true. We need a new roof. And new home insurance. And I'm going to leave it at that.

Crazy Hail Storm

2010-05-16T14:18:00.000-07:00

So we were leaving the shower today when people at the club started coming in saying "tornado will be here in 30 mins., golf ball and baseball size hail." We packed up the car and headed home. I wasnt worried at this point, but we didnt need any hail damage to alfie's new car, so we headed out. Then i returned a missed call to my dad, who was warning us of the weather that was heading our way. This made me a little nervous, because my dad is a lot like me in the fascination of a storm. We unloaded my mom's car so she could beat the storm home herself.

I did turn on the news, but alfie and i started sorting through gifts and putting things where they needed to go. Just as predicted, about 30 minutes later it starts to rain. Then a few sounds of little pieces of hail. Not 10 seconds after that, i am on the couch with alfie and the terrified and scaredy boxer Boston with my camera ( i didnt want to lose my photos from the shower today) and phone in hand. There was no playing anymore! I had never seen anything like it. Hail like you would not believe was coming down. It honestly looked like snow! Combined with the branches, leaves, and heavy rain, i got nervous. Then annoyed. With Alfie. I thought maybe we should go to our safe place, but there was no way he was leaving the show. I did go to the hallway, i must admit, but i couldnt stand not seeing what was happening either, so i got up to watch out the bathroom window. Within 3 minutes of starting it was over, or at least the hail storm. So i snapped some pictures. The shower ones will have to wait for another day.

Right after the hail let up and i felt it safe to go out.

Okay, so it wasnt done raining, but i had to get my neighbor's roof across the street

The backyard

The intersection from our garage door. You can barely see the little white rapid running down the street, but cant really see the massive river...

so i decided to try and walk out into it to see how deep it was. Of course it was freezing so i decided against that, and just stopped at the end of the driveway instead.

Here is my substantial piece of hail i found. At least thats what i thought.

Then alfie showed me what he found. Once again, i had been outdone.
I've got plenty more photos, but they are kinda repeats, so i will have to see if there are any other good ones. I took tons, not really believing how crazy it was. I hope everyone that got hit by the storm is okay!

Photoshop

2010-05-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

Oh dear!! I think i may have gotten in over my head! I have absolutely no clue what i am doing. Installing it was hard enough! Can installing new programs be done wrong? I just might have done that if at all possible!! I went to a friend's birthday party and was hoping to just install the program, upload my photos, do a little editing, and have professional photos!

I am going to need to call Amy and bribe her with dinner. She is the photog for my shower pics. Hopefully she can share a few secrets with me, and i can figure this out before Annabelle gets here!

This means i dont have any recent photos to upload (but i will after my shower today), so here are some old ones from Mexico in Jan. I wish i could get flowers to grow like that.

Soon to be daddy

And one of me relaxing poolside. Even though i am not excited to look like a beached whale(all for a good cause of course) i am looking forward to the pool opening so i can enjoy those last moments of just "me time".

Baby shower

2010-05-12T15:49:00.001-07:00

Oh man! It was a great shower! I was super excited about my beautiful cake that a friend, katie, made! I swear it was prettier than my wedding cake. We took several pics. Even i brought out my camera to capture its beauty, but then i let Amy do the rest of the photography! She did a great job!

Just because it really was so gorgeous here is another pic. Katie copied the flowers off my invitation, and the tulips are my favorite flower!!

Here is a layout of the gorgeous and delicious spread. My sister was up at 4 am to bake a bazillion scones and drive all the way across town. Thank you so much!!

We had a lot of fun opening gifts.
Except for my niece Jordan, who was not too impressed with the bags that you put dirty diapers in when you're out and about. A perfectly captured moment :)

These are the wonderful hostesses. I like these pics in black and white, even though the azaleas blooming were absolutely gorgeous!

This is a good friend that is due in about a week and a half from when this photo was taken!! Does she not look amazing? She had written on facebook that she was resting her ice cream bowl on her belly, so i was looking forward to seeing a belly, so i couldnt believe how small she was when she walked in. My guess is little J is right at 7 lbs. Anyone else have a guess?

It was a really great shower. We got so many things already!! Alfie has already put the swing together. Everyday is filled with anticipation for the big day. I need to take a belly shot, but alfie and i have been on opposite schedules. We have, my mom, has finished the bumpers and they are adorable. I have to get my slipcover for the chair, and finish the curtains, but then i think the nursery will be pretty close to ready. I will start uploading pics then.

Oh and we did sell the petunia pickle bottom on ebay. I'm glad we did. I dont know what i will end up using, but i think i am going to search etsy before i make any decisions.

Blog? What Blog?

2010-05-01T16:22:00.000-07:00

I wish i had a really good excuse for neglecting the blog world, but i don't. Here i am at 28 wks

And then again with a major pop, it looks like to me, at 30 wks.

I will be officially 32 wks this week, so even this pic is old. But my goal is to get it uploaded and to remain faithful for the duration of the pregnancy. I think i am going to switch to weekly photos now, since there seems to be some major growth going on, but don't hold me to it.

Today when i went shopping i was checking out, and a sweet older lady asked me when i was due, when i told her July 4th, she quickly responded "ooohhh, i don't think you are going to make it. I think she will be early!" I take it i am looking big??

Pregnancy brain has officially hit me. Starting today. In the parking lot. I got lost. Not once, but twice!! The first time was at the mall. I felt like an idiot when two different cars were trying to follow me to my spot, only for me to have to turn around a bazillion times. I had a minor panic attack because i was driving Alfie's car, so i was sure that it had been stolen. I finally found it with phone in hand to call Alfie to tell him that his car was stolen again bc i had forgotten to lock it! I had been looking nowhere near where i had parked either. I should have gone straight home after that, but went to Metro Shoes for mother's day shopping. This time when i couldn't find the car, i wasn't worried, just completely annoyed.

My weight gain at 28 wks was at 15 lbs. It's really the craziest thing, how one day you are feeling good, rocking the bump, and then you walk by a mirror and wonder when the heck you got so big. Just about the time i am feeling comfortable with my belly being that big, it grows again overnight!

Don't get me wrong, i love it. I love knowing that everyday she is growing stronger and it's a day closer to meeting her. I love her constant kicking! She is sooo active. I read that mornings are their least active part of the day, but she is up and moving as soon as i am. Alfie thinks she is practicing her tennis strokes most of the time, but he is also convinced that she likes soccer too. She is not subtle when she moves. If you are around me and watch my belly for 5 minutes you are almost guaranteed to see it go crazy!

I did not pass my glucose test the first time, so i did go back for the 3 hour test. Alfie came and played cards with me, which i totally killed him in... but i ended up passing my test. At least i assume so, as no news is good news. Really, i blame my Dr. for having to back in for the long haul. He didn't tell me not to eat a chocolate bar before i went in. If only i had known, i would have resisted the urge.

I have started experiencing some serious back pains. I don't know how people survive with a sore back. I am a bit dramatic, i know, but seriously the pain has kept me awake for hours unable to sleep. i have found myself on the couch with pillows propping me up in sitting position begging for sleep to come several times now. I like my sleep. I want to sleep. Sitting, standing, laying... it all hurts. I have not gone to the gym this week because the thought makes it hurt worse. I am going to suck it up and go this week. I am. I will. I can do it.

We are starting the childbirth class this week. For the next 3 Monday nights. Alfie actually gets props for organizing this. I mean i do want to know what is going to happen during the hospital stay, but i wasn't exactly looking forward to sitting through lectures about it. When we got the letter with directions to our class it said to bring two bed pillows. Seriously? I thought this was old school? Lamaze is still around? I mean i think i will die laughing if they make me lay on the pillows and practice breathing with Alfie "coaching" me through a contraction. Is that really going to prepare me for the intense pain of labor? I think not. I was thinking more of learning about what to expect when you check in, how to get your name on the list for an epidural ASAP upon arrival, how to know you're actually in labor... those kinda things. We are not taking any other classes. I know many friends have taken the breast feeding class, but i figure if i need help i will take full advantage of the free lactation consultant at the hospital. I had a friend that was not worried about labor, but about breastfeeding. She ended up having a c-section, not knowing what was going on when they took her in for it bc she skipped that chapter, and breastfeed completely fine. I tend to worry more about the pain of labor, and thinking the feeding will happen. I wonder if i am jinxing myself on this?? I seriously hope not, as i plan on doing cloth diapering, and i hear formula smells so much worse.

The nursery is coming along too! That part is really exciting. I have to sew the curtains, and i am waiting for the slipcover to be finished this week, along with the bumper pads. After that it is pretty much hanging things up and waiting for baby to come!

And finally, on a completely different note. I know many people use those ticker things to count the days left of pregnancy, i would like to give you the count downs i am currently thinking about.

15 (work) days-School is almost out!! It is almost summer, I will officially be a career woman no more. There might be a teeny tiny ounce of sadness about this, but i have yet to find it. I have even started cleaning out my classroom and mentally calculating what i will be taking and tossing.
10 days- till i turn 28. I love, love, love my birthday. Always have, and probably always will. It really is more like birthday week, especially when it falls during the week. I am taking school off, and am planning on doing a brunch with the girls. If you are reading this then you are officially invited! Who knows what else i will do to celebrate. My husband always spoils me. He does all the time, but he really goes all out for my birthday. He is so awesome, he humors me, knowing how much i love it.
3 wks- till i am 35 weeks pregnant. I know that at some point at 35 wks there are only 35 DAYS , days people!!, left of pregnancy. This milestone will occur during the last week of school and it couldn't be a better combo.

So in a nutshell, or an essay i suppose at this point, this is what has been happening around here. If anyone made it through all that i am impressed. A special apology to Milena and Victoria about the slack.

24 wks

2010-03-13T07:17:00.000-08:00

One month left of my second trimester! I really think the longest part of any trimester are the last four weeks. You cannot wait to be out of the first trimester, where you're back to feeling good, and telling everyone your news. And even though i am feeling great, and loving this middle trimester, i know that when i get to my third i am in the home run stretch to meeting our little girl. At times i still get a little nervous about all the changes that are ahead, but at the same time i get a little more excited as well.

Second tri recap:

Feeling great. Have been swimming more, now that it isn't so cold. I have officially said goodbye to running or walking on the treadmill, due to some curious pain.

She has been very active. i started feeling her move at 16 wks, but not consistently until around 18 wks, which is also when Alfie was able to start feeling her movements. Lately her movements have been changing from little kicks to bigger movements across more of my stomach. I have been very amused to watch my shirt spasm in different directions all of a sudden. Alfie is still not patient enough to watch this.

When i rest my arms on my stomach she will kick them, however lately when i feel her move and i put my hand there she stops. That is getting a little annoying bc i love feeling her kick my hand.

Here i am at 24 wks and feeling great!

Good intentions gone wrong

2010-03-12T18:09:00.000-08:00

Ever have a day where you have the best of intentions, wanting to help someone else by trying to ease the load they have to carry, only to have it quickly turn into one huge hot mess?

No?

Well let me tell you, that has been my day today, and it has 100% sucked. I have learned a valuable lesson i suppose. I will think twice before offering help, especially if my help also includes another individual. I will not assume anything- never, ever again. And i will most definitely try to grow thicker skin.

I now feel more like an inconvenience and a bit of an idiot.

Another hard life lesson learned.

I shouldn't judge

2010-03-09T16:05:00.000-08:00

I had my 24 wk appointment this morning, 9:45am. We walked in, sat down, and i immediately judged the VERY pregnant lady sitting down and eating a bag of Doritos for breakfast. We were both called in at the same time, but she was there first, so it was only fair that she be weighed first.

Yeah, she had lost a pound from her last weigh in!! What the heck? Seriously i have yet to see the scale go down since being pregnant. Perhaps she is on to something, and i shouldn't have judged so harshly!

I heart my stroller

2010-03-08T18:33:00.000-08:00

We actually went just to look, but found this on clearance... and i absolutely love it, color and all, so we went ahead and bought it! Usually for big purchases i need to walk away and come back if i still want it, as i don't want to be too spontaneous or have buyers regret, but not once have i regretted this stroller. It is perfect for what i was looking for and wanting. I am more excited about this then the crib. Speaking of crib, i was reminded that the finished crib was never displayed...I am working on the crib bedding, but cannot decide on anything. I am having trouble pinking out a pink that i love, but that will match future pink purchases. As you can see there are fabric samples all over the crib. I am pretty sure i know what i am going to go with, but making the final decision is one of the many goals planned for spring break. Needless to say we will be busy.

It is a little early yet, as this is a pic of the belly at 23 wk 2 d, but for my mother in law... here is the latest baby bump.

I am feeling her move like crazy all the time. I have been enjoying watching my shirt move with each of her little kicks. Alfie is getting tired of staring at my shirt :) She moves the most in the morning, and i am thinking i better start changing my ways and prepare to become a morning person!! I am getting more excited to meet her every day.

Mirror Redo

2010-02-17T17:18:00.001-08:00

I've been on the lookout for a mirror for our entryway for a while now. Mostly going into Hobby Lobby, TJ Max, Ross... the bargain places. But they all looked like the same generic square or rectangle, so i hadn't gotten anything. Then i decided to go to a favorite antique store to browse for Annabelle's room, when i expectantly found three mirrors that i loved. I came home with this one because the one i really wanted weighed a ridiculous amount, and i knew Alfie would never hang it, and the other was again, a basic rectangle.

So here is the before.

And here is the after

It is hung a little high and the entryway still needs to be painted... but i love the way it turned out, therefore impatient me posted some more bad quality photos do to lack of natural lighting, so please forgive the huge halo shinning down.

20 wks and some change

2010-02-14T07:09:00.001-08:00

Alfie seems to think you cant see any belly in this photo, but i would like to point out that that white shirt used to be long. Not so much any more. It either needs to be worn with something over it, or not at all. And just to prove my point, I am publicly showing one of those rather embarrassing bare belly shots. I seriously believe this to be my last bare belly photo, as my book has said from here on out, i will consistently get bigger.

But enough belly. We have picked out colors for the nursery!! I tried to get some good photos of the actual color, but i don't think it turned out as well as they really look. The really small scrap of fabric, though beautiful, is out. At $100.00 a yard, i think I'll pass. I am still on the hunt for a silver blue silk that has a small design like it, but am running out of places to go. Any suggestions are welcome. The wall color is Silver Sage, and the pink is more of a dusty rose color, it will be for the bumper, with the silver being a ruffled bed skirt that goes all the way to the floor.

I am really trying to stay away from the "baby pink" as my mom calls it. More shabby chic, i suppose. What do you think? Yay or nay?

I will leave you an inspiration photo. I love the muted tones in the room. Very relaxing, which i will need at the wee hours of feeding. The only thing i will change is a brighter pink. If you know who i need to give credit to for this photo, please let me know!

Happy Valentines

2010-02-13T15:45:00.001-08:00

Lovingly given to me from my students. I think this might be my most favorite V-day gift ever from them. I know i am going to catch a lot of crap about this, however, "to thine own self be true" (i believe that is Shakespeare?). and i must confess the truth, i have a mild love for both twilight and chocolate.

i hope everyone else enjoys their day of love!

Things are Happening

2010-02-08T19:37:00.000-08:00

Many things are happening at our house. Even though we have lived here for two years, these past few weeks of cleaning out, rearranging, painting, and general home improvement for baby, makes it feel like we are either coming or going. Alfie is getting excited to see things (painting) finally come to an end. What he doesn't know is that i have big plans for the guest bathroom, which will require some refinishing and painting. I just made a recent discovery of bead board wallpaper, and am running ideas around about yet another decor change in the dinning area. Eek! I get excited thinking about the possibilities, yet nervous to inform the significant other of my plans :)... i will at least wait until he is done with the nursery. But all of that is another post entirely.

Speaking of getting baby ready, he is putting together the crib tonight! I know we ordered it a bit early, but we knew we loved it for a girl, and since it has been delivered, we might as well get started.

Directions required

Some serious concentration. Must be just right (and safe) for Annabelle.

The other purchase that arrived was the much anticipated "petunia pickle bottom" must have diaper bag.

The verdict is still out on this. Not exactly what i was expecting here. All i told Alfie was that i wanted a neutral one to use for future children, and one that could be used as a backpack or messenger bag. He did the rest. Can't go wrong right? They are all so cute. What i did not know, was that not all bags come in the soft plush material i have seen. Bummer. Ours is not. See the shine?

He loves this aspect though, and it is something i can live with. Other minor disappointment is the color. Online it looked more grey than black, but guess what. It's more black than grey. Another minor let down, but it is still neutral, so again not a major complaint. My one and only concern is that the top does not open as wide as i would like. The zipper stops on the top and not down the sides.

I can see myself getting frustrated at this as i am digging around looking for whatever baby necessity i am looking for. I have never actually opened one up before, so i don't know if this is typical of all the bags or just the one we have. I am going to do some asking around. But when it is all said and done, though i am a little disappointed, Alfie loves it. So that along with the price tag, will keep me from complaining too much. I think.

What do you think? Keep it or send it back?

Snow Days!

2010-01-30T08:08:00.000-08:00

I.LOVE.SNOW.

Not the typical Oklahoma snow, which usually comes after a layer of ice and is melted by night and causes so many problems, which is also accompanied by dangerous wind speeds that pelt the snow/ice straight into your face. no, i love the kind that crunches under your boots, falls down in big fat flakes, and comes to stay for awhile. the kind you go sledding, build snowman, and enjoy walking around in.

And this morning I woke up to exactly that. I rolled up the blinds to a beautiful snowy landscape, so much better than ice branches hanging dangerously low, with the sound of them snapping all around.

Of course, staying inside in the warm, couldn't possibly capture it, so i opened up my backdoor and stood in my PJ's to get a better shot. I debated actually getting dressed and going out there, but maybe later.

The other great thing about having snow in Oklahoma is things actually shut down. Life stops, or at least slows down. The hubby and I took full advantage of this and

1. actually cooked and ate breakfast TOGETHER! That almost never happens. As he works Saturday mornings, and Sundays are rushed out the door for church.

2. enjoyed each other. we had fun hanging out and shopping online for Annabelle. we also were able to hang out with friends. a great moment in this aspect of our lives, is some of our closest friends live in the same neighborhood. (although i must make a side note, that one has decided it is time to move, and we are all very sad to see them go) we all got together and had fun playing games (girls won), with the kids dressed in their PJ's playing. it was a lot of fun. i brought my camera to take pics, but never got it out. which is okay i suppose since i was dressed in "snowed in" attire. when Alfie saw me he asked "is that what you are wearing?" of course it was, i replied. to which he answered "i guess its okay, you are pregnant." i would have worn my sweatshirt and ponytail regardless thank you very much.

3. we got a lot done around the house. we had crown molding put in the living room/dinning room and Annabelle's room, plus took down some "decorative" wall paneling from the previous owners. since i have not been able to paint, Alfie has had to do it all between lessons, so it was great to finally get all the painting done, and new curtains rehung. we also cleaned out Alfie's closet, which still doesn't look that cleaned out, so i cannot take a picture until after the closet organizer is installed. and got rid of another car load of things to donate. i figure the more i can do now, without a massive belly, the better.

There are still several things left, such as make a pillow from this bag. I love the burlap and think it will look really well in the living room on the slip covered chair.

But the biggest job left is getting this room ready!

Going for reassurance

2010-01-28T08:30:00.000-08:00

but it didn't quite work out that way. after i uploaded the belly shot last night and took another look at it, i still couldn't believe i was that big! i mean i am tall people! and after going to the gym and watching what i am eating, giving into cravings rarely, i have a hard time seeing the scale jump. thus, i made Alfie take another pic, with me wearing the shirt i had worn to work. he was getting frustrated at this point, telling me i look beautiful, relax, you're pregnant... yadda, yadda. but i was convinced he had taken it at a bad angle or the lighting was off. needless to say, what i had intended as reassurance turned out to be more of an eye opener! i really do have a bump, and now when my long-distance friends ask, i know i have to truthfully answer yes, and not "just a small pooch" like i had been saying! sorry guys! it was an unintentional lie.

Introducing

2010-01-27T18:31:00.000-08:00

Miss Annabelle Knox! Yesterday we went in for our ultrasound to find out the gender and after much poking, prodding, and repositioning, we were finally able to get a view of her girly parts. The lady was very nice, and actually very patient, as i was becoming very frustrated with the umbilical cord that refused to be kicked out of the way. We promptly made all the phone calls and texts, then went shopping at Baby Gap. We picked up a few things, went on to Old Navy, Target, and an antique store to pick up a mirror i had been eyeing for a girl's room. We are very excited, and are looking forward to meeting her. She is already very loved and we are praying for her daily.

Our actual first purchase for baby was the changing table/dresser. I picked it up at an estate sale last week, and have already started the sanding process. Here is the before shot with a few minor scratches and what not.

I was a little unsure as to whether a changing pad would fit on the top, so i actually called a few friends, then went out to buy one just to be sure (I'm a visual learner). With Holly's inspiration I am excited to have it finished in the room, with the changing pad and a basket in place. Actually, now that i know the gender i am ready to start buying the whole nursery!

I have been a terrible blogger. In fact, i started this blog a little over a year ago, and i think i might be averaging about two posts a month! I have realized that school leaves me feeling uninspired. Go to work, go to the gym, grocery store, pick up/cook, wash dishes.... it feels very uninspiring, and way too boring to type. But, i am going to try to find some little piece of inspiration every day in something somewhere. I am going to change my view of the daily grind, I suppose it will be a semi-late resolution of sorts.

For now I will leave you with a belly shot. Brace yourself, much has changed in 5 1/2 weeks. Until looking at this shot, I didn't think I was that big. So I will keep it covered and skip the actual bare belly that made me want to shed a few tears. Here I am at 17 1/2 weeks, in all my glory

Side Note- That is an actual black tank top under my white shirt. i was wearing a loose fitting shirt over it that i took off for the photo. I am not trying to revive the 80's

HI HO-HI HO

2010-01-04T16:31:00.000-08:00

credit

Its off to work I go! If only I were actually smiling and whistling this tune the whole time. After a much needed and much enjoyed break it is hard to return to recess duty and grading. And tomorrow, the kids return. And the second half of the semester will begin.

Its the last 19 weeks of school left. I know I can do this. And here is why. I have already done the break down...

19 weeks total

13 weeks until testing

1 week of state testing

1 week for spring break

3 weeks of four day work weeks

1 week for end of year activities and parties. (This is an important week to count, because grades are already taken and there is very little grading to do).

So actual teaching weeks left to plan/grade for are 13 full weeks and 3 four day work weeks.

I can make it till summer.

Ribbon Christmas Trees

2010-01-02T15:35:00.000-08:00

Well I finally have two out of three trees in my set done. I have plenty of time to get the right ribbon for the third, as they will be out for Christmas 2010. I really like the fuzzy ends on the brown tree. They look better in person, but I like the way they turned out! Thanks Joi for your help!

Three Months

2009-12-30T13:53:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-28T06:30:00.000-08:00

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??

2009-12-23T09:14:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-17T19:21:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-18T12:29:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-18T11:47:00.000-08:00

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

2009-10-12T18:12:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-29T15:53:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-09-27T14:49:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-09-27T13:09:00.000-07:00

To the awesome McConathy Family!!

Blog?? What blog??

2009-09-27T11:39:00.001-07:00

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

2009-08-10T06:59:00.000-07:00

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.

Welcome Kara!!

2009-08-05T09:04:00.000-07:00

The most awesomest chica is finally making an appearance in the blogging world!! And I am sooo excited!! I cant wait to read all about the house they have just started building and their adorable bulldog, Boss.

I really got to know Kara about three years ago. She got a job at my school the day before school started, because she is just that awesome and no interview or resume was required. She is friendly and outgoing and makes friends with EVERYONE!! The whole school was sad to lose her, as she was the social butterfly that visited with every teacher. Somewhat spontaneously we planned a backpack trip to Europe. It was awesome!! She is a kindred spirit that loves spontaneity, she is always up for a new adventure!

Kara moved to Arkansas when she realized she loved her soon -to- be- husband "more than air". They are a great couple and I have been hoping they would move back eventually. Now that they are building a house, i think it is time to face the facts... now that she will be posting like mad (more than once a week :) ) i think i will be able to except it!

Just Because...

2009-07-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

he loves me. Thats what he told me when he went to the store to get razors for church and came back with these pretty flowers. Such a sweetie! I love you!!

I have decided that i love pink accents with the paint in the guest room.

Missed Opportunity

2009-07-14T06:36:00.000-07:00

The shot is a little blurry, but when i look at this piece of furniture, i totally see a side buffet for my living room. With a little bit of TLC and a lot of paint, this would be the perfect piece.

Problem is, i don't have a dinning room. So the husband couldn't see why i would want to buy it, for possible future use, and my parents didn't seem to excited to add another piece of furniture to their growing collection in the garage, especially for an unknown amount of time. I mean come on people, where is your vision?? This is so worth the investment! I debated just getting it and putting it in the guest room for now, but the color i would use for my living room would not work in the guest, and i dont paint for fun, so i couldnt sell the idea. Thus, i am sure that my perfect side buffet has already found another home...sigh...

Still Celebrating

2009-07-11T06:59:00.000-07:00

The last two years we have been out of the country for the 4th of July. This year we were in Bali. We ate seafood and rice instead of hamburgers and hot dogs. Feeling a little twinge of disappointment, just a little as we were having a great time, we decided to buy some fireworks. After some really serious bartering by the guys we walked away with the kind of fireworks that would normally be out of my budget at home (I always end up with sparklers and the little guys). The fireworks were great. We set them off in front of our hotel on the beach. One tube sent off 8 big ones. So big that it caught the attention of some Indonesian Police. Instead of sitting back and enjoying the show we were quickly walking away trying to look innocent. Apparently you cant set fireworks off in front of resorts. Lesson learned.

So even though I am a little late, I decided that for all of the gatherings that I will be going to this weekend, I will be bringing the red, white, and blue. It is better late than never. I made these for our friends kids to enjoy last night. Our flock group is having a BBQ after church tomorrow, for no apparent reason, but I keep teasing that is actually meant to be my late July 4th. I am planning on bringing the watermelon and another patriotic dessert.

Another "better late than never" celebration took place last night. That was my birthday, which was actually back in May. Loving all things birthday I didn't mind in the least. The girls made the cake and cupcakes. And I loved my amber earrings they brought back from the DR for me.

Picture Perfect Vacation

2009-07-10T04:19:00.000-07:00

After two days of the worst jet lag i have yet experienced, i am feeling relatively more like myself. i am no longer sitting in a comatose stage thinking of all the things i would like to do. i am still waking up before the crack of dawn 4:00am- 5:00am, but i am enjoying the early start and all that i am getting done. we had a great time with our family and friends. i have planted the seed to move back. some days i am totally sure that i am suppose to be living in that beautiful country and other days i enjoy the familiarity of all that i know here. i took so many more photos, and plan on posting them soon, but here is a start.

Beach boxes on Half Moon Bay, the beach Alfie grew up swimming in. It didn't get below 65 degrees, even though it is winter. I chucked the uggs and walked in the water, and had locals starring at me like i was going to freeze while they walked in fur lined coats.

Scones in the Dandenong Mountains. I love going up there, it is about an hour from his parents. We hike around, then get tea and scones (seriously the best)
and of course we feed the birds. I love it so much, we always plan a day to go up there.We went for drinks with friends after an exciting Australian Rules Footy game and celebrated Essedon's victory. Though I have many photos of this night...I will only post one...
This is Bali. The venue where our friends got married. It was gorgeous. Private villa with every detail to perfection. She did a great job planning.

The gazebo for the ceremony was set on top of the pool. They had steps to walk over the water and the left side has candles and flowers floating. The dance floor, where I spent most of the night, was in front of the pool.

The bride and groom with all their mates. They only had three groomsmen, but it is hard to tell which ones they were, since clearly white shirts with gray pants was the thing to wear.

These are the guys that every story from Alfie's childhood centers around. They are the best. They can tell a story like no one I have ever meet. The trouble they got into... love them. The wedding took place in Bali because the bride has two stores and a factory there, where she designs and sells clothes, accessories, and some jewelry. She also currently wholesales to over 150 stores in Australia. (heres her website if you are curious www.luxeaccessories.com )She spends about 10 weeks out of the year in Bali. Her dress was designed by her. I love this dress. She is a gorgeous person.The reception was gorgeous. Each table has its own light hanging over. I did not take enough photos of this wedding.Table 7. This is where the party was. Everyone wished they were sitting here. Dinner out with the boys. They were so nice in letting me tag along pretty much the whole trip. They really made our trip. And is one of the reasons we would love to move back.
And me with the girls. Fashion is very different from Australia to the states. they always look so put together, even for drinks at a bar. i very much felt under dressed with them all this night.

I have so many pics left. Especially of me surfing the waves of the Indian ocean! My first time on real waves. We had such a great time. the location was amazing, but it is truly the people that made our travels so awesome.

Lazy Summer Days

2009-06-17T07:45:00.000-07:00

Yep. That has been my wonderful life. Beautiful hot weather requires plenty of pool time, which is the only thing I really enjoy doing during the summer. It also explains the reason I am not outside today, 6 loads of laundry are awaiting. So while I am waiting for the next load to fold, I thought I would share a few pictures of finished projects and what I have managed to squeeze in between laying out and... um, more laying out. Man it is going to suck going back to work in August...

Anyway. Here is one of the frames I bought at a garage sale a while back, now hanging in the kitchen framing a magnetic/chalkboard that I made.

And my new kitchen. Ugly and outdate brown to antiqued cream. Add some new hardware and a few rugs... viola. Now light and airy. I. Love.

Let me just add, that we have 28 doors in our kitchen. I didnt count the drawers, so that is 28 doors alone!!! It took forever! I hope I never have to do a paint project that big again. Although as soon as we get back from vacation we are planning on painting the living room... which will take some time, but I think I can handle doing just walls.

We finally picked out a new sofa. Nothing like the one we wanted from Restoration Hardware, which was discontinued (boo). But it is comfortable and I love all the pillows. We are still playing around with positioning furniture. We removed the loveseat to open the space up, and brought in a chair that was previously in the study. The trunk is temporary or permanant. Can't really decide. We will be painting the walls Cafe au latte from Restoration Hardware. It should help open the space a bit more. Out with the brown! And of course we still need a coffee table... but here is what we have so far (suggestions are welcome, as i am impaired at decorating)

Forgive the dog barrier on the couch. It was the first day, and they were a litle too excited about the new scent. I need to get a better picture....

Finished

2009-06-05T16:37:00.000-07:00

Finished with the kitchen. And... The Twilight Series. I broke down, and then got sucked in. In my defense it is the hubs who rented the video that started it all. Until watching the video, I wanted nothing to do with the vampire fad. But then I watched and realized this was more than blood sucking vampires. It is a love story. Will it go down as the best love stories such as Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, Romeo and Juliet, Noah and Allee (the notebook). Not sure I will go that far, but it is one that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I wont admit how quickly I read them, but I did fall off the face of the earth until it was finished. I might have even finished one and then went to buy the next one that very night... ugh. Shameful.

Anyway, besides Bella's happy ever after, we have finished our kitchen. And a few other projects I had laying around waiting to be completed. So now I just need to post them. That is to come. Right now my stomach is growling and the Mr. is taking me out!

Happy Memorial Day!

2009-05-25T08:21:00.000-07:00

On this glorious sunny hot celebration I will be finishing my kitchen cabinets. It was this weekend because Alfie doesn't have to work, or probably never. I will never be so glad to have a project done. It feels like forever. After this we have to paint our living room and get our new couch (this weekend) yay!! Curtains in the guest room, and finishing out a few more little projects I have started. All this before Australia... hmmm, we'll see. We didn't take a before shot, but this photo shows the whole ugly wood thing going on. Plus my hot husband and adorable fur babies!

The Before:

Frame Collage

2009-05-17T16:13:00.000-07:00

I have been working on our guest room slowly. Trying to figure out what I really like and what style I am going for, before purchasing items. I always change my mind, because my inspiration is always changing. A lot of very creative bloggers out there. :) One of which gave me the idea to do a frame collage. Check her blog here. So I think I maybe hung the frames a little high, I have discovered that I am horrible at finding the right level. I am hoping to build some height with covered books, yet to be done.

I am also picking out curtain fabric (hanging on the lamp).

Yep, after looking at it again I am sure that I will have to move my collage down about 2 inches...Boo!

Potential

2009-05-17T07:28:00.000-07:00

And the garage sale begins. My mom, sister, niece, and I went early Saturday to find our "treasure". At first we didnt find a whole thought, and driving back home when we found a church garage sale. And I found all these frames, and a movie for Joe for a total of $5.

This is the before, full of potential... I am seeing good things!

Boston

2009-05-15T18:54:00.000-07:00

The longing in her eyes is the leash I have dangling over her head. :)

LOVE

2009-05-15T18:33:00.000-07:00

W are looking for a new couch. When we first got married, we had absolutely no furniture. And we had a little money that needed to go a long way. That being said, we got micro suede couch and love seat in a style that we liked. Since getting two dogs and moving, it is evident that the time is now. I am absolutely loving the high "shelter arms" on this couch from Restoration Hardware. It looks cozy and inviting. We don't pull of "formal living" and I think this gives more of a cottage/country vibe. I am having trouble deciding what color of stripe to go with. Here are the options as of now. This first one my husband picked out. At first I wasn't sure because of the gray color, but I am starting to come around due to it looking so relaxed and comfy.Then there is the neutral color. I originally wanted to go with another neutral color couch because of the versatility, but with Wally... not sure it would stay clean...

Than the last is the cafe stripe. Cafe to me sounds brown, but when I look at the pic it doesn't really look that brown.Any suggestions? If I spend the money on this couch than I want to keep it forever, but knowing me I change my mind after a couple of years, and need change, this being said which one do you think would be the most versatile?

Devious

2009-05-14T17:27:00.000-07:00

This little guy might look cute, but he is a devious trouble maker. Somewhere last night between me taking a shower and Alfie on a business call, we realized Wally was MIA. After five minutes of panic, we realized the dog had a new talent to add to his growing list of chewing up furniture and getting out of a padlocked kennel. He can open a locked storm door. Luckily he went down the path of our usual walk, and Alfie spotted him somehow in the pitch black night.

We assumed last night that the door had not been shut properly and he just poked his nose out. But today as I am cleaning I heard the door bang open, which I had just locked due to last nights little incident, and discovered Wally had broken loose again to say hi to the neighbors and numerous cars driving by. So now we know, locked or not he can and will get out. Seriously, going to start calling him Houdini! Yeah, put your ears back, I am still mad at you!!!

Since he was not cooperating for photos I got my practice in with my garden starting to bloom

Clematis- Surprised to see it blooming this year, as I thought I had killed it!

My Whirling Butterflies and Dianthus

It might not look like much, but this has come along way from huge overgrown holly bushes. My father-in-law spent his time visiting us doing home projects and gardening. More work still needs to be done, but we now lovingly refer to this as "Dimi's garden". Thanks Dimi- you are the best!!!!

Round II

2009-05-14T05:10:00.000-07:00

First IUI was unseccessful. This sounds better to me than "failed". I go in today for an ultrasound to check for cysts from the fertility meds. If all looks good I assume I can start round 2.

UPDATE: All is well. No cysts no residual follicles. Upped the clomid dosage and ready to try again.

Weekend Project

2009-04-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

I love having a weekend to catch up and needed projects around the house. I decided my old ugly brown door needed a face lift during spring break, but I never uploaded the pictures of it. Due in part to the fact that I got a new camera and wasn't sure exactly how to do it. I had a before picture, but I am pretty sure I deleted it to make room for some other pictures... oops, will upload pics regularly starting now. Anyway here is my "new" rustic blue door. It is kinda hard to see the sanding, but I am loving it!
This weekend we finally got around to hanging the drapes in the living room, it only took the two years we have been here. But I had been dragging my feet, not wanting to plunk down the cold hard cash on them. I had been drooling over these from Pottery Barn for forever. I needed four panels for my bay window, and if it weren't for the $119.00 price tag for each, I would probably have sucked it up.

Then last night, while the husband ditched me on our weekend grocery shopping for the Red Sox, I found in the most unexpected place, the look-alike silk drapes I have been searching for. And the best part, they only cost a whopping $16.00 a panel! Woo-Hoo! So I quickly called the hubs, had him measure the window, just to make sure and picked up the last four in my color. So where did I find these gorgeous drapes you ask? Wal-Mart!! I was so surprised. I couldn't find a picture online of them up close. Here is the before

And the after ( I don't know what I did to the lighting)

And then just one more picture that deserves some attention

And that is the end to another great weekend!

Pregnant??

2009-04-15T19:42:00.000-07:00

Well, not yet... but the good news is we are finally done with the testing!! Yeah!! Which means, we could be there very soon. We are going be doing three rounds of IUI, due to my man hating vagina. The doctor did find some other things in the tubes, but did what could, and apparently doesn't think the rest is a problem. I start on clomid tomorrow. I will use a OPK to detect ovulation. That is the part that makes me nervous, pressure is on to read those colors. I will let them know when I see the color change, and we will go in the next day and fingers crossed, come out pregnant!!

I read that the first artificial insemination was done in 1908 using a donor sperm, which turned out to be the doctor that performed the procedure. He did not tell the husband until the wife became pregnant, and then they both decided not to tell the wife what had happened. Could this really be true?? I am skeptical. But, I do like the fact that it has been successful for over 100 years.

Anyone know anyone that has had a similar experience???

Avoidance

2009-03-18T17:54:00.000-07:00

I have writer's block.
I have writer's block because there is only one thing I want to blog about- fertility, or the lack thereof, it is the only thing I can think about when I look at a new post.

I suppose I was hoping that if I would write about something else, this infertility issue would just disappear, or even more accurately, it would be a minor blip on the radar, a bump in the road. No one would ever have to know I was going through it, because I thought I would end up with a baby in my belly. Keep it my little secret. Of course I would tell people after the fact, just not until I was at the finish line.

Enough avoiding the topic. Here it is, all that has been going on in my head. Sorry if I sound like a whinny baby. Just give me a moment to clear my thoughts, so I can escape from writers block and put myself out there.

Even though no one has yet to say babies are not possible, they are throwing around big, scary words like tubal disease, endometriosis, IUI and worse, IVF. These words mean it will take a lot more than my husband and I to have a baby. Now there will be a room full of people. No more POAS, and thinking of ways to tell people. No more surprising my husband. No more fun in trying. And then, of course, there is the small insignificant monetary issue. No insurance coverage. My insurance stops covering infertility when they diagnose there is a problem and need some help. They pretty much say "oh, you are infact infertile...good luck with that."

I will be calling tomorrow to find out when the Laparsocopy surgery is to take place. My guess is somewhere in the next two weeks. My TWW has changed in meaning. After this surgery we will/should know what the next step is. Possible outcomes:
1. Fixed whatever made my tubes "slow moving" and free to try on our own some more.
2. Not able to fix "slow moving tubes". Will need help getting pregnant. Which means either
a. put our money on a couple rounds of IUI. Move affordable, could pay for a round or two, but not as successful as IVF OR b. move straight to IVF. and will need to figure out how to sell a kidney on the black market for funding...
3. Adoption. Not sure I am ready for this.

My husband has already come up with the solution. Ship me off to Australia to live with his parents for six months, claim residency, and then take advantage of the socialized medicine and do IVF for FREE! The free part is tempting, but don't worry, we wouldn't really do that.

I could go on, as how I still have trouble believing that this is really happening to me. I am healthy, my husband is healthy, we are young and active. Seriously. I told my mom I wasn't too worried about having tubal disease because there is no way I could actually have it, but my always positive mom throws in the "well you never know." I know she doesn't want me to be oblivious to the possiblity, but it was not helpful. I need her to be positive. (And my doctor to tell me that he would do IVF pro bono if I were to need it. Can doctors do that? They should)

Okay, I am done. For now anyway, as I cannot promise I won't have an update after surgery.

I would like to close with advice. DO NOT, and I repeat, DO NOT ask a magic eight ball questions. I now believe that they are pestimistic smat asses. And after some profuse shaking, it admitted it was indeed demonic.

Just a Little

2009-02-23T15:49:00.000-08:00

Three miles is not much to add, but I talked the hubs into running with me, and it was the first run since being sick (I wanted to die sickness) and some puppy chow, but at least I made it. And I need to get back into the swing of things, swimsuit season is quickly approaching.

We looked for tickets to Australia and found some for around 800.00! Woo Hoo! Now we just have to book those, and then from there to Bali. Right now we are thinking it is going to be about $ 2,000 less than we originally thought! So excited, I wasn't sure it was really going to work out! I do love having the summers off!

Physically Impossible

2009-02-19T13:59:00.000-08:00

I am a firm believer that it is an impossiblity to lose weight while puppy chow is in the house. Unless of course, you hate chocolate or are tragically allergic to peanuts.

Unfortunately for me, after I have snacked on half of the bag, I just cant see the point in going to the gym, as I don't believe 5 miles of running would equal out that kind of damage. So I decided to skip the workout, finish the bag, and start fresh tomorrow.

Whoever made this for us for valentines day, please resist the urge to be so sweet next year, a card will sufice!

Finally

2009-02-16T06:26:00.000-08:00

I am feeling better. A mild cough after an outdoor run on Wednesday quickly turned into the flu or some other horrible virus. I have lived on the couch since Wednesday night. Literally. Not moving further than to check my temp and remedicate. I was meant to go to professional development on Friday but had to cancel. I was hoping by Saturday my 102 temp would be down and I would be able to run in my early morning race, but alas it was not meant to be and my husband and I instead at ice cream for dinner on the couch for Valentine's Day, which was actually my highlight of the weekend.

As I was still miserable last night, I called my boss to let her know I would be taking the day. I was so surprised when she seemed highly annoyed that I was calling in sick, which I have never done in four years, until now. I have always hated the catch up that comes with having a substitute.

So now I was sitting on the couch feeling miserable AND guilty for taking a day off work! I sat wondering if I was being a baby, and if I should just suck it up. But really more hurt that I was left feeling irresponsible for being sick.

The Newest Trend

2009-02-09T16:09:00.000-08:00

I feel like a grandma! I have taken up crocheting. All for a good cause of course, I am making a beanie for my friend's baby shower. It is going to be an adorable soft white hat, with the cutest coral/pink flower on the side. I had been thinking of needing to do something while watching my weekly shows (I can't help it, I am addicted and my husband works till ten most nights), so I was not mindlessly sitting. Sewing needed a room, not a couch, so it was between knitting and crocheting. At this point I didnt even know how to spell the word "crochet", but MeeMa told me that knitting was harder, and took longer to fix a mistake, so I quickly decided which would be my new hobby. I had my mom show me how on Thursday, and all weekend I practiced my single stitch and double stitch. Okay, not all weekend. I did manage to see He's Just Not That Into You- which I thought was great. But I actually sat on the couch and crocheted while hanging out with friends. Friends that I had driven three hours to see for the weekend. I kept thinking I needed to put it down, and act my age, but I was obsessed with mastering it. I told my mom how I felt 80, and she informed me that it is a new trend, coming back in... hmmm my mom (who is a grandma) is telling me about the upcoming trends? of crocheting?? I think I need to get out more!

Running in Slush

2009-01-29T17:11:00.000-08:00

I was so grossed out that every time I got on my mileage was not changing!!! I feel like 7 degree temperature is a good enough excuse, but after seeing a few people out, I decided not so much. So far my mile log is averaging out to be only 1 mile a day (I did go on vacation for the first week of Jan, but I am not letting myself off since the resort did have a fitness club and I purposely did not pack shoes). My goal is to not end the year with that type of numbering... so I put on my running shoes and ran in slush just to be able to update that little number on the side of my page. I cannot believe that was enough motivation for me to get out and run, but it worked. It was even enough for me to sign up for my first race of the year- "The Frigid Five," and will be running that in two weeks. Then my second race will be a leg of the OKC marathon relay. Heck, who knows, maybe by November I will actually be running my first half marathon. I never thought I would even think about it, but five today seemed like cake walk, where as that used to be my long day. Perhaps I will go for six on Saturday...

Happy Australia Day!

2009-01-26T15:34:00.000-08:00

Today is Australia's Independence Day, or something similar to. Right now Alfie's family and friends downunder are celebrating their day off at the the beach and having a BarBQ party, or sitting courtside watching the talent of Federer and Nadal swinging their raquets at the Australian Open. All of which is being done with a beer in one hand (or both).

Point in case-true blue aussies

School here has been canceled (yeah! snow day!) due to the ice storm that hits OK every year. So we will be joining them, via tv on the couch, but still with a beer, to watch the next big match tonight. I even made brownies for the occassion. However after tasting them, they would be more comparable to bread with a chocolate flavor. I have never really thought of myself as a terrible baker, but man, these were ugly. Even with a box mix. Messing up these brownies reminds me of the last time I ruined them. We were visiting the inlaws a several years back, and I wanted to make a good impression so I offered to cook a "traditional" American meal. This included brownies (they are a favorite of mine as you can tell) for dessert. But they were horrible! I could not figure out the grams for measuring or the Celcius for cooking! Converting in math was never a priority. I saw no reason to pay attention to a measuring system I would never need to use. Hindsight is 20/20.

The Dog House

2009-01-21T17:55:00.000-08:00

I went to my first bible study tonight in a long time. I was very excited as it is a Resolution of mine to be involved in my church, and because my husband works in the evenings, so I would have a chance to meet some people. We did a study of the fruits of the Spirit. And I left knowing I needed to work on my patience, kindness, humility, pride... well basically all of them. And I had every good intention on really working on them. That was before I walked in to find our leather ottoman's corner chewed up....

Then I called my husband to tell him, and let off some of that pissed anger I had going on, but he wouldn't answer! Aggghhh!! I didn't know which was more frustrating, him not answering, or coming home to another object destroyed by a dog that gets walked every day. A dog, might I add, that I did not want. I begged him not to get, knowing we already had one great dog, another one would just upset the perfect balance we already had.

I could have worked on the fruits of the Spirit, and should have. But I should have had at least one day to prepare myself!

Historical Moments

2009-01-20T18:29:00.000-08:00

I watched a world event make its way into history today. I do not pretend to keep up with CNN everynight, or the Times every morning. To be honest until recent years, I didn't know who the speaker of the house was. So I am probably not the best one to be talking about politics, but President Obama gave a darn good speech today. Not being a public speaker myself, I could not believe how well he had it memorized and than addressed the crowd. I was impressed. In other history making news, we watched his speech during class. Not sure if that is allowed, but it was history in the making, right?

In other news my Dogeared necklace broke while running (mine was on gold thread, so it looked better than this one). Even though my wish is now suppose to come true, I really liked that necklace... {sigh}...

Pathetic

2009-01-16T13:59:00.000-08:00

I. Am. Pathetic.

It all started with dinner in front of the television (the hubs was working late). Wouldn't you know there was an unbelievable CSI on that I just couldn't turn off? Which of course ended up being a "To Be Continued" episode, with the next episode being the sequel. Of course I have already watched the first half, so at this point I am dedicated to solving the crime. So I TiVo Greys and Private Practice, solved the mystery, and then watched every Tivo'd show! I had planned on catching up on some extra Zzz's but was in a TV addiction trance. Even when the hubs went to bed, I barely moved from my couch.

Pathetic.