24 weeks

How far along: 24 weeks

Maternity clothes: Yes. I'm looking at a lot of maternity pics to try to find some that I like and it surprises me how many pictures the momma is wearing her pre-preg jeans unbuttoned. I can't even get mine past my hips.

Stretch marks: Nothing new yet. But my linea negra showed up on Christmas day. Another, oh.my.gawd. This is really real moment. Merry Christmas, Mommy.

Sleep: Still relatively good. I know a lot of people nap during the day which is something I just can't do and I wonder if that's why I'm sleeping so much through the night (with the occasional potty run). It's really not been all that bad.

23 weeks

How far along: 23 weeks. In the beginning, time was creeping by... But now it seems like I JUST wrote my 22 week update last week! Time is FLYING by.

Maternity clothes: Yes. I dropped Hubbys clothes off to the drycleaners yesterday and the lady actually reached out and grabbed my belly. I have to say, it really doesn't bother me at all. Now, if some complete stranger that I've never spoken to before did that, that might be a little weird. Otherwise, I don't care who wants to say hello to my little angel :)

Stretch marks: Nope.

Sleep: Ah, sleep. I can't say I'm not sleeping well, because I have pretty insane nightmares almost every night and I'm too knocked out to wake up. But my back is starting to ache a little and my butt muscles hurt and I'm pretty sure it's because I'm not sleeping in a position that's really comfortable. More than once I've woken up laying on my back which is a pretty big no-no.

22 weeks

How far along: 22 weeks. This is exactly how I feel like I look. Except, this is probably a little cuter.

Maternity clothes: Still fulltime. I mean, what else is there. By the time I feel cold enough to wear my winter coat (which I'm not entirely sure will ever come considering how HOT I am all the time), I won't be able to button it. So, it looks like I'll be wearing a ski jacket to work in a few weeks. Maybe.

Stretch marks: Nope.

Sleep: Still good. My body is starting to get sore and although we still haven't turned the heat on up here, (currently 66 in my bedroom) I'll wake up in a few hours and need the blankets off.

Registering/Nursery Planning Part Duex

I gave up on having two registries. We have registered at Babies R Us only... which makes me only slightly piffed (lol Nat, piff). I kept comparing prices and colors offered for different things, and then I heard about Targets return policy, which I should have known first hand. They won't let you return anything without the receipt. No exceptions ,even for a registry. WTH? I don't think many people usually give gifts with the receipt anymore (except maybe me). So, whatever BRU. You have my businessm, I guess. And I dislike you already so here's a chance to make a better impression (and maybe customer) on me.

Well, yea. Little mans room is pretty much the only thing I've been thinking about as of late. You already know I'm hung up on a stars theme. But I don't want this to be girlie at all or too baby-ish as I know he'll be a little boy and not a baby before I know it. So, I've narrowed down the bedding choices which will pretty much dictate what color I paint the room and design accessories for. You can see where I'm at a stand still now.

21 weeks

How far along: 21 weeks. I'm promising myself to keep up with the pictures from here on out because the bump is changing every week substantially in my opinion. 

Maternity clothes: If you could wear elastic waist bands 24/7, wouldn't you, too??

Stretch marks: Negative. Is it the Curel? I guess the next couple of weeks will tell.

Sleep: Still pretty good... except I think I'm sort of cheating which I hope is not such a bad thing. I'm still about 50% on my tummy. Kind of like a side sleeping on the topish half of my body and turning down by my feet with one leg propped up on the side. Technically, not full on belly... and I am sleeping okay, so it can't be bad right?

Little Mans Nursery: Part 1 (of who knows how many)

Have you heard of this website by Urban Barn? The Room Planner. Well, geez, it's pretty awesome. I'm sitting in baby's to-be nursery right now and playing around with soon to be furniture before it even gets here to decide if we (meaning I) even like it in the room. I struggle with this space because it's an odd shape and doubles as my "workspace." Here's the space I've set up so far.

 

On the left is his nursery area with a long dresser where the changing pad would be on top of, a glider and ottoman, hamper and his crib against the left top wall. Between the two windows on the bottom is another dresser but taller. Starting right is my corner I guess. It's a book shelf with a desk that comes out and my computer. I like that I'm not all up in his business in case he's napping and I need to be on my computer, but at the same time, I think I'd rather have the changing area closer to the bathroom (top right). Thoughts?

OK on to the fun stuff. I'm pressing forward with a "twinkle, twinkle" theme nursery. Think blues, silver and gold. Here are some of my inspiration ideas. I love the stars pictured here and they're pretty much already bought. I love the mobile and I plan on DIY'ing his so it'll be the exact colors I want (plus, 

you know I like doing that kind of stuff). Finally, I LOVE the twinkle stars peeking through this canvas and could definitely use this above his changing table. I was thinking of adding a quote to it so it would be functional even when it's not on being all pretty and sparkly. Another DIY.

 

Thoughts?

20 weeks

How far along: December marks the half way point in my pregnancy - OMGOSH we're halfway there to meeting my little miracle of a son! <3 20 weeks

Maternity clothes: Again, yes. Yes, I am. The bump is in full effect, as you can see. It's finally looking more round rather than that frumpy B shape it was for a LONG time.

Stretch marks: Negative.

Sleep: Hit or miss. Sometimes I sleep through the night, other times, I'm up twice peeing. I'm pretty sure baby is currently sitting right on my bladder because I can never seem to fully empty.

My Pinterest Thankgiving

I LOVE PINTEREST. And I'm not afraid to tell you. I pin and pin and pin, but do I really make that stuff? I did a few for Thankgiving and took pictures to share! Here are the potato skins/wedges I made. I put a piece of butter on each slice under the cheese and didn't put the bacon on until they were finished baking. They were seriously delicious and duh, super easy.

Next up, cupcake teepees. Seriously adorable, definitely not easy to make them stand up. I should have taken pictures of that... I tried with the round tin she suggested, but it wasn't working for me, so I ended up using a muffin tin and use a hell of a lot of tin foil to make them stand up while baking. It was a big mess early Thanksgiving morning. Thankfully, we only lost 3 in the baking process. They are super cute if you ask me, and pretty damn yummy, too.

And finally, these were supposed to be snackable acorns. But I used pretzels because cookies don't go over very well in my house (with anyone else but me). I think they were probably way more delicious with the nutterbutters. These were okay.

I also made the "best broccoli you've ever tasted." Quite honestly, it wasn't anything to write home about. I'd probably make it again, because it's different than steamed broccoli and just as tasty, but I couldn't see having this in replace of a steak as she was saying in the blog... It was good, but not THAT good.

Happy pinning everyone!

19 weeks

How far along: 19 weeks. Happy Thanksgiving!

Maternity clothes: This question is getting a bit redundant. Yes, I'm wearing them probably 70% of the time.

Stretch marks: none that I see.

Sleep: The joys of 330am potty trips have begun. I'm still, very well rested in the morning, but will randomly roll over and realize I have to get up.

Best moment this week: Finding out with Hubby that we're expecting a beautiful and healthy little BOY! We were only partly shocked because of the dreams both of us had prior to knowing. I'm so thankful he didn't have his legs crossed this time!! His heartbeat was right in "boy range" at 141 compared to the 160's I was being told at my regular checkups (hmm, Dr. are you sure you know how to use that thing??).

Movement: I feel BabyBoy moving everyday but differently each time still. He kicks/headbutts still mostly on the right but randomly on the left too. Sometimes it feels like bubbles and other times it feels like "knock knock HELLO!!" I LOVE the knock knock ones. :) Hubby still can't feel the kicks, but I'm hoping it'll be pretty soon.

Food cravings: I feel like I'm missing out on something wonderful here. I want to crazy something crazy and delicious, but things have been pretty normal.

Food aversions: I'm down to chicken (mostly home style grilled-blehhh) and mushrooms. Olives I can handle, occasionally.

Gender: Only about 140 days until I meet MY SON! :)

Labor pains: No. Round ligament pain is still going on mostly in the morning and when I stand up too quickly.

Belly Button in or out? In. I took my belly ring out on Monday for the u/s and haven't put it back in. My belly looks much cuter without it (not to mention is more comfortable), but I don't want to lose it once pregnancy is over.

What I miss: Home and holidays with my family. I want babyBoy to know his aunts and uncles and grandparents and crazy extended family. But it sucks that we are so far... especially this time of year.

What I am looking forward to: A few things. Christmas in just 4 short weeks, Hubby feeling baby movements, and planning little mans nursery! Since I believe babyBoy sent me the dreams about him being a boy, I think he's quite literally my dream come true. And that's my inspiration for a nursery. :)

Weekly Wisdom: If the only prayer you ever said was "Thank you," that would suffice.

Milestones: BabyBoy is now the size of a papaya, or heirloom tomato. All of his organs are fully formed and he's now starting to hear and recognize voices. The doctor said he's about 8.5 ounces now and measuring 2 days ahead of his due date. Without further ado, here are a few shots from our ultrasound this week.

Little mans profile. Well, they tried to get his profile, but he was looking right at us. Can't wait to see his smile :)

 BabyBoys handsome little feet.

Aaand the money shot.  Before your chin drops to the floor, there is some umbilical cord in the front of his... um, goodies. But he is without a doubt, our little man <3

the wait is over...

I can't believe in 20 or so weeks, I'll be holding a little baby BOY in my arms... my little boy... my son <3 It feels so strangely comforting and wonderful knowing that my little tatertot is starting to take on his own identity. I absolutely can not wait to meet him. <3

The anatomy scan went well. Little man didn't hold back in showing off the goods like he did in the 11w scan. I instantly thought I saw his you-know-what about 2 seconds after she put the wand on my belly. He was squirming around and at least twice I saw him kick and actually felt it, but my oh my, he is moving A LOT in there that I'm still not feeling! His heart and organs are measuring perfectly and he's two days ahead of his due date at this point weighing in at about 8.5 ounces. Hubby is beside himself with excitement. Now, we have to start figuring out a name for this little wiggle worm more seriously. I'll post pictures from the U/S in my weekly update. Thanks for reading! :)

Is it a boy or a girl? A girl or a boy?

There are SO many old wives tales and ancient prediction methods you can use to try to guess the sex of your unborn child. I think the first question people ask is, "Do you know what you're having?" And I've always been one to question your maternal instinct to see if the mommy feels a certain way towards boy or girl. I've gone back and forth during my pregnancy; initially I thought boy, but for a few weeks I thought girl for sure. Now, I'm back to boy. It's funny how certain symptoms or lack there of can make you feel a certain way. Hubby is currently on the boy train too, but we REALLY and HONESTLY don't care either way. A healthy little one is all we ask for. So, here are some old wives tales for guessing!

1. Chinese prediction calendar: Girl.
2. Mayan prediction or Numerolgy: Girl.
3. Cravings: Boy. Cravings for sweet stuff usually mean you're having a girl. If you crave salty, it's a boy. (This could be hit or miss. I don't eat potato chips often, but I've wanted them. Same thing with pickles, and soup. Yet, I'm still eating ice cream, too.)
4. Morning sickness: Boy. The more morning sickness you have, the more likely your little one is a girl. I had extreme nausea but thankfully was only... um, productive on that twice.
5. A little girl might be the cause of these blackheads and crazy oily skin. Girls are rumored to "steal your beauty." With all the blackheads and oily build up I've been having (even today!), I'll say this is leaning towards Girl.
6. If you carry low, it's a boy; high, it's a girl. My bump is square, but the top of me was bigger before the bottom was - if that makes any sense at all? But I can feel baby way down low still. So, I guess I'm going to say Boy on this one because I can feel where baby is, the top stuff is probably just organs.
7. If you carry in front, it's a boy; if you're wide at the middle, it's a girl. I definitely got wider before my belly popped. But after spending the weekend with my mom, she says I still have curves so,... Boy
8. If Baby's heart beat is faster than 140 beats per minute (bpm)? It's a girl. Less than 130 bpm? It's a boy. First ultrasound 145, second ultrasound at NT scan167, listening on the dopler at 16 week appointment 160.  Girl.
9. Norwegian wives' tales say that boys kick to the right and girls kick to the left. I've felt baby on the right from the very beginning. Boy.
10. If your nails and hair start growing faster and stronger than before you were pregnant, that's a sign of a boy. If it's the same as before, it's a girl. Boy for this one too. My body hair is growing ridiculously fast and I have not broken a nail during this pregnancy yet (knock on wood!)

Ok so 6 to 4. A lot of these things seem so silly, but it's strange how some ring so true. I've got friends who are convinced it's a girl and others who have said boy all along... I guess we'll find out in 2 days!

18 weeks

This is going to be a crazy week!  Breaking Dawn starts on Friday, then Anatomy Scan on Monday (holy cow it's finally here!) And family comes in on Monday for Thanksgiving on Thursday. Now, the big thing is, do we want to wait until Thanksgiving to do the reveal or just shout it out on Monday... Knowing me, the world will know 30 seconds after I do. :)

How far along: 18 weeks

Maternity clothes: You love my twihard shirt... I know you do. =P

Stretch marks: Nope.

Sleep: Still knocked out and well rested through the night. Still haunted by super crazy dreams. I probably shouldn't watch Dexter so close to my bed time.

Best moment this week: Melissa is "out!" Even though we're do far away, it's really nice to have someone you know and love going through the same things at pretty much the same time. It makes me semi-homesick, but also, super happy for her and her husband. <3<3

Movement: Tatertot mostly kicks (or headbutts, for all I know) on the right side. Occasionally I feel it in the middle but I don't think ever on the left. **Updated, I wrote this last night in preparation for today and bam.. baby is kicking (maybe fist pumping??) on the left this morning. Way to prove me wrong, little one. <3

Food cravings: I'm still waiting to wake up in the middle of the night with an unmistakable, undeniable craving for some bizarre food. But, nope. Not yet. All I can say is milk is delicious and a very good friend of mind.

Food aversions: The water aversion is FINALLY over. I bought a case this week and have it at my desk as I normally do. I usually drink 3-4 bottles a day and am REALLY glad that I'm resuming this because I'm pretty sure that all the sugary juices and teas helped me to pack on some of those early unnecessary pounds. Still have an aversion for chicken (most chicken) and chop meat. I almost made meatloaf last week though, but hubby didn't want to chance it. He has sympathy aversions, I guess.

Gender: 4 more freakin' days and we will know for sure!!

Labor pains: Thankfully, no. But sneezing hurts something awful, and if I stand up too fast, I definitely feel the stretching going on in there. Ouch!

Belly Button in or out? I'll show you mine if you show me yours. =P

What I miss: I'm not missing much this week. I'm not a big drinker as it is, and

What I am looking forward to: Holding my son or daughter in my arms and studying their individual features. Learning all the unique facial expressions, dimples, freckles, and crinkles of their little nose. Looking into his or her beautiful eyes and learning all about this wonderful individual tickling inside my belly.

Weekly Wisdom:  When you're a mother, you're never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child. -Sophia Loren

Milestones: Another AlphaMom update this week, because I love this site. Her updates for the week are right on! I went ahead and read them all when I first found out I was pregnant, but now I'm keeping up weekly, and really, she's hilarious and so truthful!

17 weeks

How far along: 17 weeks. I was in FL this weekend and didn't take a picture. Oops. Maybe this is sort of an every other week type of thing. So, here are a few of my furbabies already cuddling with their little sister or brother to be. You can't tell me that animals don't sense the differences in us. Lilly (the little one) was the first to pick up on it. But I'm pretty sure they both sense some changes that are coming.

Maternity clothes: Yes, I am. When I came back from FL on Tuesday one of my co-workers said to me "Oh, you're starting to look pregnant!" I wanted to be happy to hear that, but a part of me thought, did she just say I'm looking fat? I know, I know what she meant... But still. Just tell the pregnant lady she looks cute (even if you think she looks frumpy) and leave it at that.

Stretch marks: Nope.

Sleep: Still good. I had some weird cramping over the weekend, but I'm going to attribute it to the different bed and pillows I slept with. The pillows were really full and hard so it wasn't as comfortable to sleep with between my legs and I think that caused the achiness during the day, because it's gone away now.

Best moment this week: Quality time with my mom. Definitely. Oh, and I finally picked a crib! More on that to come.

Movement: Still here and there. Mostly in the mornings before I roll out of bed and at night while relaxing after dinner. Hasn't been much to catch me off guard just yet, I'm waiting to feel those solid BOOM "yea that was a kick" feeling.

Food cravings: Really not much. Back to drinking water which is nice.

Food aversions: A lot of the same. Raw meat and I'm smelling my fridge and it smells like raw onions and I'm thinking that's a trigger now too. It stinks. But my nose is REALLY sensitive.

Gender: I really CAN NOT wait to find out if little one is a boy or a girl. I've had 3 dreams so far that it's a little boy. One was just a delivery room covered in blue. Another was... pretty hilarious. Hubby and I at our anatomy scan and as soon as the tech put the wand on my belly a penis was on the screen. Not a baby penis, mind you, this is a pregnant lady's dream... it was an adult penis!! And I said "Oh, look it's a boy!" and Hubby says "Where do you see that?!" Really, these dreams are out of control.

Labor pains: Nope, but there's a hell of a lot of stretching going on.

Belly Button in or out? in

What I miss: My mom. <3 It was really awesome spending time with her and my family this weekend.

What I am looking forward to: Christmas and the holidays with an actual baby bump! Already have a Christmas shirt and bought an adorable Thanksgiving tee from my favorite Etsy shop :)

Weekly Wisdom: Follow your heart, but take your brain with you.


Milestones: This week baby is starting to really gain speed in the whole growth process - he or she is getting cuter by the day and packing on what we affectionately call baby fat. Just for giggles and the other pregnant mommas in my life here is an awesome link to a weekly blog that is both entertaining and informative. AlphaMom

16 weeks

Peyton, our bulldog, just couldn't resist the photo-op this week. :)

Peyton, our bulldog, just couldn't resist the photo-op this week. :)

How far along: 16 weeks. Happy Halloween, tatertot! Your dad and I think you're going to be a potato for your first Halloween with us.

Maternity clothes: I scored a shirt this week from target for $3 on Daily Deals. But when I went into Motherhood Maternity to get some pants, I wound up having a mini-panic attack bc I couldn't find pants that fit at all. I wound up crying and left. I need a someone to come with me and help me shop. Really, it sucks living so far from home because I'm pretty sure the skinny girl there shopping with her mom added to my meltdown.

Stretch marks: none. Still lotioning and lotioning and lotioning...

Sleep: Awesome. Can't complain. I'm seriously down for the count when I go to bed and start waking up at around 615ish which is ok because I need to be up by 7. But these dreams are freaking me out! I woke up one day this week convinced my husband wanted a 3rd dog... which is not happening... not now, and likely not ever. The two we have are already more than we can handle.

Best moment this week: After the Motherhood Maternity incident, I curled up on the couch with hubby just trying to have my little sob party and ohBaby was definitely dancing. I tried to put hubbys hand where the movements were feeling, but he couldn't feel anything, which makes sense because it still really feels inside. Sort of like the feeling when you snap your fingers lightly but not hard enough to make any noise? It's a VERY strange feeling. Definitely not gas, thank you very much. I'm happy that I'm not going crazy with the every few days feeling a little something. I got a good 4-5 feelings in a row while lying very still.

Movement: see above :)

Food cravings: Still loving my milk each morning. 

Food aversions: Getting better. I can at least tolerate chicken. I made some for my husband for dinner this week. I stuck with the shrimp, but at least I'm back to cooking. And I am now able to drink WATER once again. THANK YOU PRAISE GOD for this one. I'm so sick of sugary drinks and juices, lemonade, gatorade, iced tea you name it.

Gender: Your daddy had a dream you were a boy this week! I think we should have opted for the elective u/s last week just to calm our suspicions and to know for sure... but just 2 weeks left until we know which dreams are right and which are wrong!

Labor pains: nope.

Belly Button in or out? In. Contemplating getting myself the pregnancy belly ring because I don't want to loose it, but it feels like you are pushing my belly ring out on the top half. :(

What I miss: Feeling cute and sexy. I feel frumpy and pale.

What I am looking forward to: Anatomy Scan!! November 21st :) boy girl boy girl boy girl... it's driving me mad!!

Weekly Wisdom: No one will ever know the strength of my love for you. After all you're the only one who knows the sound of my heart from the inside. <3<3

Milestones: You're deciding what color hair you'll have this week. Hair follicles are forming and if you're brunette (which I suspect you will be) you're making the pigments for your hair color. No pressure if you want to come out blond or bald, that's fine with me. You've already got my heart in your hands, little one.

Cheesy Potatoes

I have been slacking on my 30 before 30 list. But now that we're in 2nd tri and my energy is slowly creeping back, I'm going to get back into it full force. I didn't plan for this to be a pregnancy/baby blog, but that's sort of what it feels like lately... Let's return to the originally scheduled programming... with a recipe! Even if it is stolen!

CHEESY POTATOES

Stolen from i'mthisbabysmom from theBump (my satisfied belly and was a great thing to bring to Lindseys Halloween Party. Thank you!)

INGREDIENTS:
1 Bag of Orieda Southern Style Hash Browns (small cubed potato) or slice fresh potatoes but that takes a lot longer. (I used the fresh potatoes and used about 8 or 9 smallish/medium potatoes)

3 cups of Mild Shredded Cheddar Cheese.

1 small box of Velveeta Cheese (dice it).

1 pack of Cubed Ham (or bacon or whatever meat you like, or no meat). (I did not use the meat this time around, but Hubby told me he thought it should have some bacon.)

1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup.

1/2 cup of Mayo or Miracle Whip.

1/2 cup of Sour Cream.

3/4 cup of Heavy Whipping Cream.

INSTRUCTIONS:
Thaw the potatoes in a large mixing bowl. All add the ingredients EXCEPT half of the heavy whipping cream. Stir to mix. Pour into a buttered baking dish (I used the large pyrex type of dish). Pour the rest of the heavy whipping cream on top and pat in. Bake at 350 for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hour until the top is slightly golden brown.

Then stuff your face!!!

Enjoy!

15 weeks

How far along: 15 weeks (sorry, no picture this week.)

Maternity clothes: Officially full time. I can still wear my clothes but not without the assistance of a BeeBand

Stretch marks: none. I've started a morning and night routine of lotioning my belly. I've gotten mixed reviews if that's going to work or not.

Sleep: I've begun waking up in the middle of the night again. Sometimes to pee, other times to wonder about the random dream I just had. Seriously crazy dreams. Our friend who is a graphic designer/waiter is the zookeeper in my dreams. He is not a fan of animals either. Anyway, sometimes I can get back to sleep, other times I'm on Facebook trying to pass the time.

Best moment this week: Actually has nothing to do with baby... But, mommy is doing really good in work! I had possibly the best day yesterday! I'm excited to finally be productive again.

Movement: I'm about 90% sure I feel ohBaby moving every couple of days. Usually pretty low on my left side, and it's only for like 2 seconds. It's ok if people don't believe me. It's my pregnancy, not yours. I'm waiting for some more consistent feelings to confirm my suspicion.

Food cravings: Chicken noodle soup.

Food aversions: Chicken, unless it's in chicken noodle soup.

Gender: For the record, I did have two dreams that it was a boy this week. Once it was during our anatomy scan and the second time, I just dreamed about baby blue blankets. I guess we'll know soon enough!

Labor pains: Nope.

Belly Button in or out? In. Still pierced.

What I miss: clothes that fit and look cute.

What I am looking forward to: Adorable little baby clothes. I did some shopping for a baby shower, and there are just too many cute options!!

Weekly Wisdom: "I didn't give you the gift of life; Life gave me the gift of you." <3unknown

Milestones: ohBaby is making nails and teeth buds and eye lashes this week. Look how much like a little baby he/she looks like now! The model officially has a bump going on... which is pretty similar to what I have too. It looks more like chub than a baby bump still though. :(

14 weeks

How far along: 14 weeks. I have to say, when I looked at this picture after hubby took it my first thought was, "omg... here it comes." So clearly I see some bumpage going on.

Total weight gain/loss: yea, I'm not so sure I'm going to share this anymore...

Maternity clothes: Half and half, but definitely going full time in the near future. I need to stock up on some more stuff.

Stretch marks: Nope, but where the heck did these veins come from? I swear you can see every single vein I have in my body.

Sleep: Still getting 9ish hours each night. Bedtime is usually 930 and I'm dead to the world until around 630. Sometimes I'll wake up in the middle of the night, but really no complaints. Sidenote: Pregnancy dreams are really REALLY strange.

Best moment this week: Feeling semi better. Everyone has shared their milestone for when they started feeling better and I can't remember who it was that said they woke up literally on the first day of 2nd trimester and felt worlds better, but that's exactly what happened. I'm so happy to not feel like a complete pile of doo-doo now. :)

Movement: I would swear that I felt some flutters this week. I mentioned it to hubby and he said "Yeah, I'm sure. How big is that baby now?" So yea, maybe still has lol but I'm waiting anxiously to feel you little one!!

Food cravings: Still very much into milk. Sushi almost every other day is on my mind. And steak maybe? I don't know if I'm really craving that but I've wanted to eat a little more and when I want to eat well, steak is usually involved.

Food aversions: Chicken. Not happening.

Gender: TBD 11/21 :) only about a month away! My feeling is still strongly towards girl, however, looking at how my bump is taking shape, it makes me think boy. Aren't boys held higher? Or am I completely wrong?

Labor pains: Absolutely not.

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Being free to make good food/drink choices. Drinking water was never an issue for me. Now, I struggle trying to make sure I have enough to drink.


What I am looking forward to: Decorating the nursery and getting my house ready for baby. That's been a hot discussion in our house this week. Where is this baby going?

Weekly Wisdom: It's nice to be nice. So please share your pickles with me. :)


Milestones: OhBabys head is no longer bigger than his/her entire body. You're starting to make facial expressions and will be moving around more and more! Oh baby, you're growing so fast! :)

The Registry Adventure... (part 1)

I've been antsy to start creating ohBaby's nursery since I found out he/her was in the making. I'm not sure how many pins I've bogged people down with on Pinterest or how many google searches I've done to try to find the *perfect* home sweet home for my little one. So I've decided to put the nursery planning on hold because I'm sure that will have to be all matchy matchy with the things we register for right?

Although, I'm also excited about starting a registry, I made the assumption that registering for baby would be just like registering for our wedding (which I had a ball with!). It's not. You can just pick a store and pick the prettiest patterns that fit your lifestyle. There's a whole lot of safety measurements involved... Very important safety stuff. Anyway, I've decided the best way to approach this is to start with one item, do all the research I can and then start a registry.

So, we picked a car seat. We're going with the Chicco Keyfit 30. It gets great ratings in Baby Bargains, is mentioned again on Lucie's List which is a pretty funny and condensed registering guide for new mommies. It's pretty popular. Let's face it, I had brunch this morning with two mommies sporting this accessory. We're still up in the air if we want to do the entire Chicco Travel System (car seat, base and stroller) or if we want to do another stroller attachment and this car seat (mainly for size... the Chicco travel system is pretty big). Here's a picture, but we're not 100% sold on color either. So, now we're we have to decide where to register for said item.

The big players are Babies R Us (does anyone not register here?), Target (because who doesn't love wasting time in Target? for real), and Buy Buy Baby (pretty new, but a spin-off of the other BBB - Bed, Bath and Beyond). Tell me why each of those locations has the same item for 3 different prices?
BabiesRUs - $169
Target - $152.99
BuyBuyBaby - $179

I really wanted to register at BBBaby because of the great experience we had the BBBeyond... but they are consistently higher priced... I just don't get it. They do the coupon thing the same as BBBeyond; 20% off one single item every few weeks. I'm going to assume they'll take the expired coupons too (but don't quote me, I have not tried this.) Not to mention, it would be a little out of the way for my family to travel to the BBB in their area. So, yeah. I picked an item and I can't decide where to register for it.

13 weeks

Sorry, no picture this week. :( You can blame it on my pregnancy brain, or the fact that I didn't get off the couch the entire weekend. Meh. I'm doing something a little different this week and will continue to do so every 4 weeks just to change it up a bit.

How far along: 13 weeks


Describe how you felt the moment you found out you were pregnant: Oh my. Really? No way. Wait, let me look at that again. Yup... it's there. Wait, is it?? Omg! YAY!! Hang on, maybe I should take another test to be sure. A line is a line right? Oh my.

Who was the first person you told that you were pregnant? My husband. I wish I would have made this announcement a little more creative. But my nerves were shot and the symptoms were starting to roll right in, so I did it a little old school... Honey, we're late.

Are you remembering to take your prenatal vitamins regularly? I've been getting better. I was taking a vitamin regularly before getting knocked up (sorry, I had to!), but my taste has been completely off and those chewy yummy ones are no longer as easy to swallow.

What is your favorite food this month? Cereal. Fruit Loops, Raisin Bran, Apple Jacks. Everyday I change it up. I think I'm more looking forward to the milk at the end though. Mmmm... Milk...

If you've experienced morning sickness, is it starting to subside? Still very much here... But on and off. I felt like total c.r.a.p. last weekend. Vomited for the very first time on Monday, and you would never have guessed that by Tuesday.

Who do you regularly talk to and share all your pregnancy details with? My mom.

What are you wearing this month?(i.e. maternity clothes, oversized clothes, etc.) Yes and no. Wearing some old clothes that are a size larger along with some maternity pants during the week. I need to invest in some better work clothes.

Sleep: Between my rolly polly bulldog sleeping in the middle of the bed and the recent middle of the night bathroom runs, not to mention the absolutely freakishly crazy pregnancy dreams, a full night of uninterrupted sleep is not happening this week.

Milestones: Hello 2nd Trimester!

12 weeks

How far along: 12 weeks. All I can say is... I'm sorry, I'll try to find a better place to take a picture next week. You can see some "friends" joined in for the photo :)

Total weight gain/loss: 7lbs yup.

Maternity clothes: Yes, I did wear Maternity pants twice this week. I don't actually need them just yet, but they are way more comfortable, especially in the afternoon when bloat hits like whoa.

Stretch marks: Nope. But, I am becoming a lot more frecklier... Did I just make up a word? I haven't been getting more sun so I can only attribute the new mini beauty marks to the beauty of pregnancy.

Sleep: I still LOVE my sleep. Knocked out by 9:30 most nights and do NOT want to get out of bed until 7. So thankful I don't have the pee every 3 hours thing going on. (knock on wood)

Best moment this week: NT Scan. Definitely seeing ohBaby in action. Everything was healthy and normal for our little tatertot. He/she was about 4-5 days ahead of schedule when it comes to growth. Our tech would have definitely taken a guess (which I was praying for all week!) but ohBaby decided to stay cross legged the entire time (which I guess I should have prayed for a willing baby, too!). His/her heart was beating away at 167 bpm. Such a beautiful sight and sound.

Movement: Nada yet. But there must be a lot going on in there because there was a ton of wiggling and waving happening on that screen!

Food cravings: Potatoes. Mashed mostly, but potato soup, too. And milk still. Preferably chocolate, but I think it would be genius if Hershey's made a vanilla milk syrup.

Food aversions: Still present. Actually, I know this isn't related, but morning sickness hit me hard for the first time on Monday morning and again on Wednesday. I really hope that's not a sign for the coming weeks. I thought it was supposed to get better, not worse. :(

Gender: Unfortunately we didn't get a guess... but, here's a view from the bottom up (remember, he/she was sitting cross legged, so you can see the feet crossed on the bottom right. There are no bits to be seen there... So, I'm thinking girl... but yes, it's probably too early to tell.

Labor pains: Nothing.

Belly Button in or out? In.

What I miss: My energy. (Although, I'm feeling strangely vibrant today...)

What I am looking forward to: Watching the bump grow. I actually feel like I've got a little something going on there now... which is why there's a picture this week :)

Weekly Wisdom: Mother knows best. And that's me :)

Milestones: ohBaby is officially a fetus! And before we know it, you'll be our little blessing in our arms <3

11 weeks and a first trimester catch up

I've been keeping a running log in this blog post so I didn't forget anything to mention when we were finally "out." Ah! Still can't believe we are finally out!

How far along: 11 weeks. Happy birthday Grammy-to-be :)

Total weight gain/loss: +5 I'm going to go ahead and attribute a lot of that to water weight. The more you drink, the more you expel... Well, my stomach is having a hard time with plain water so, I know I've been drinking less than I should and normally do, along with a lot of other beverages I don't normally have... Juices, soda, etc. So yea, I've already gained 5 of my self allotted 30. Bleh.

Maternity clothes: not yet. I haven't even bought any. I did buy some tops that were larger but not for my tummy... My girls are out of control! Huge! I remember reading in the pregnancy books "you might want to buy another bra." Yeah. This. ASAP!

Stretch marks: Not yet, and no thank you. pleaseandthankyou.

Sleep: During weeks 5 and 6 sleep was awful. I would wake up in the middle of the night and not go back to sleep for hours. I was sooo drained. Hubby finally suggested maybe it was my newly raised body temp that was waking me up. So, we got a stand up fan from Target, turned down the air (to 68 whoa!) and I slept with a cool rag on my forehead for a few nights. I was so excited when I didn't wake up at all! Since then, it's been decent. I sleep through the night but the dreams are cray-cray!! I am a stomach sleeper, so I now this is going to get interesting.

Best moment this week: of the past 11 weeks? probably squealing to some of my friends and family. So many people are so very happy for us. We are truly blessed.

Movement: I'm pretty sure that's just gas lol. Although, since about 7 weeks I've been trying to feel my uterus and I'm pretty sure I found it around week 9. It's was just above my pubic bone and a sort of pointy shape. I keep feeling around to see if it'll move and I swear it has risen a little more! Hubby thinks I'm nuts but my mom was here this weekend and she felt it too! So maybe I will feel baby earlier. Who knows!

Food cravings: Milk. I've always liked milk, but now I seriously love it. Eggs. Scrambled, hard boiled, over easy. It doesn't matter. Yum. :) Ate a ton of broccoli and spinach until the morning sickness set in. Food was hard there for a few weeks, and I ate only the things that didn't sound absolutely repulsive at the time. There was a week that I had perogies and grilled veggies for dinner almost every night. Mmm... Perogies.

Food aversions: Definitely Hubby's baby. There will be no mushrooms in this house for a long time. Ugh. Just the sight of them. Yech!

Gender: TBD. I like to imagine that he/she is giggling every time I take a guess. I was feeling boy for a while, but now... don't tell my hubby this, I'm thinking girl. :)

Labor pains: Not yet. But I do have some RLP.

Belly Button in or out? In, definitely in. When do I have to take my belly ring out? Yikes.

What I miss: Feeling like myself. Although I'm not feeling terrible, I'm still feeling tired as all hell. It's similar to a hangover that just doesn't go away. I say that in the most loving and honest way. Headaches, cramps, round ligament pain, tiredness... It all comes and goes. And I'm not drinking, I swear.

What I am looking forward to: Are you a boy or girl!? Gimme a hint already, tatertot!

Weekly Wisdom: Don't put it off until tomorrow because then it all piles up. And now that I've got
pregnancy brain, I'll probably forget.

Milestones: Yesss! Checking off number 3! Woohoo!

Happy birthday to my husband

Happy birthday to my very best friend and handsome husband. We are opening a brand new chapter in our lives and although it does make me nervous (oh geez, it makes me nervous!), it makes me so happy to be sharing all of this together and now with all of our family and friends!

Our little family is growing... and time is already flying by! We are 10weeks and 5days pregnant today. OhBaby is roughly the size of a strawberry/small lime by now, has all of his or her vital organs and is just starting to use them on his or her own. Wow! Happy birthday to my amazing husband who has put up with so many pregnancy demands already. I hope this is the most amazing year yet!

Heaven is for Real.

I read a book and didn't tell you! Heaven is for Real

While I was in Savannah (driving to and from) I read a pretty short and sweet read by Todd Burpo who is a pastor and his wife. If you know me, you know I LOVE these types of books. I love stories about what happens after we're gone, heaven, reincarnation. It's the kind of book that is modeled around real life experience and you can take it all with a grain of salt if you believe the kinds of things that this pastors son said he had seen while he was in the hospital and had almost died. I had tears in my eyes the whole time I was reading. What a beautiful story and experience the family had and were so brave to share. Great read. :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Lemon Cream Pasta with Chicken

I didn't take a picture... so if you don't believe I made this, I won't be made. Oops! But it was delicious, and very easy. If you've ever been to Houlihans and had the Tuscany Lemon Chicken pasta, this is VERY similar. I added some peas to mine to color up the plate a little bit and mushrooms to mine (because I love mushrooms and hubby does not.) Delicious!
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2009/02/lemon-cream-pasta-with-chicken.html

Savannah! Check!

We went to Savannah this past weekend and it was absolutely wonderful! We stayed at The Eliza Thompson House, a small bed and breakfast on Jones Street in the historic downtown area. Ever heard of the phrase "keeping up with the Jones'?" It was actually coined with this same street in mind. Here's the outside of our B&B.

Monday's motivation... on Tuesday :)

Sorry, I'm a little late... again. That's my style I guess. So, the other night I passed out on the couch watching TV. Hubby was playing video games on his computer next to me and just left the station on and a random programming about faith and God and church life came on. We still haven't found a church to attend down here and I'll admit is is completely because we have stopped looking! But when this show came on, Hubby said he was inspired. He really liked the program and that made me happy. So this weeks motivation comes to you tied with a bow that's faith. Put a little positivity in your hearts today and believe in the things that you desire. Visualize what your heart most desires and make it yours. Have a great (and short!) week everyone!

Why is my bank charging me to use my debit card??

Yes, my blog has another flavor that's not part of the bland 30beforeThirty project (or spicy as it has been this week with the Enchilada Pasta!)... it's the banking/finance part that I promised I was going to to talk about when I started this blog. So, I'm going to try to explain the recent appearance of debit/check card fees since I seem to be entertaining that question at least a dozen times a day for the last few weeks.

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Another Pinterest find! Super easy and my husband (ok and I) LOVED it! I was a little nervous about the green chile sauce because it definitely does not look appetizing, but all mixed together it was pretty yum-o-rific. I'm not even going to rehash the recipe because her instructions are insanely easy. Enjoy!

DIY: wreath

OK, so Pinterest has really inspired me to do about a million DIY projects around the house.  SO! I took my first attempt at one this weekend. It's a yarn wreath and I have to say, I'm pretty stinkin' proud about the way it turned out. I bought a styrofoam wreath about 4 sheets of felt and two spools (is that the right word?) of yarn.

Mondays Motivation

This is my last full week of work at the branch. I'm so excited to start my new position, and I'm sure it shows. I've been sharing the good news with several clients and I'm feeling more and more like my happy former self every day. I will surely keep praying that this job will be the blessing it looks like it is when I start next Thursday.

Have a great week everyone!

Motivation and a check off my list!

A little late this morning... hell, for the past few weeks. I've been really tired and unmotivated, BUT I'm back to blogging and really want to get some items checked off my list in the next few months. So here's my motivation for the week.

#5 Baked chicken with California Mashers

OK, so I'm cheating. I've made this chicken before and it's ridiculously easy... but I haven't made it in a long time and I've never made the mashers before... so there!

Monday Motivation

You already know what I'm going to say... Don't let them get in your head! If you want to do something, you're the only person that can make that something happen. Don't let someone else stand in your way or let you feel like your dream is too big to be accomplished. I'm going to try to follow my own advice. :)
Have a great week!!

aLL that sparkLeS

Wedding planning was/is possibly my most favorite thing to do. I was never the girl who planned her wedding as a pre-teen, but once it was my time, I dove head first into the process whole-heartedly. It was a lot of work and a lot of research, but every bit of it paid off. I've never felt more special in my entire life or more confidant as I married the man of my dreams. Every woman should feel as special, radiant and beautiful on their wedding day.

Monday Motivation

Today's motivation came to me from the great motivator herself; my mom. :) love you.

The parable of the pencil...

What is your DTI ratio?

I can't stand jargon. DTI is a perfect example of banker jargon. What does that even mean? I try very hard not to use any of these terms in my daily work life; so let's simplify things. DTI stands for "Debt to Income."

Monday Motivation

Better late than never...

If you wish to achieve worthwhile things in your personal and career life, you must become a worthwhile person in your own self-development. - Brian Tracy

Today was one of the best Monday's I've had in a while. I'm a happy person. I have to remind myself of that sometimes. Have a great week!

GA Foreclosure Procedures

I mentioned a few months ago that I believe another home in my neighborhood was foreclosed on. Even after speaking with several neighbors, I haven't gotten any additional information as to who these people were, or why they were foreclosed on if at all.

Thirty Before 30: Thursday Update

#5 Recipe: I slacked on June's recipe. I made healthy lasagna but sort of just made it up as I went along. I cut up an onion and sauted it until soft then added in some zuchini and spinach and layered that with the lasagna noodles, sauce, mozzerella and ricotta cheese, and some cooked up ground turkey breast. It was actually, really really good. I used whole wheat noodles as well. The only thing is I guess I didn't need to bake it very long because the noodles on top got sort of... crunchy... so! don't overbake it if you try it. I promise to do better next month with a *new* recipe.

#6 New restaurant x2 - Arelios. They just opened by my job and I tried it out with a co-worker of mine after work. It was so good! Apparently it's a chain, so see if there's one in your area. They serve Chicago style pizza. I had a calzone type pizza (they called it something else), but it was HUGE and filled with spinach cheese and mushrooms. So good! I really wanted to try one of the desserts which was listed as a half a pound of chocolate chip cookie dough topped with ice cream, whipped cream and a cherry, but I was so full after my meal. Next time, I'll know to save room. :)
I hadn't planned on going out to eat at a new restaurant again in June, but my brother-in-law's father (yes, I said that right) was in town visiting us and we decided to grab something quick before dropping him off at the airport so we stopped at The Vortex in Little Five Points. I'm so glad we did because my husband, who has a motorcycle, goes to this biker bar pretty frequently with his friends. It was so good! I had the egghead sandwich (fried egg on a BLT with cheese on texas toast) with a side of plaintains. Everything was SO GOOD. I won't tell hubby because next time he asks if I want to go to bike night, I'm going!

#9 Current mile pace: last months pace 12:58, this months pace 12:20. Actually, I run about 2 miles in each time, and the second mile is much slower. I actual finished the first mile in under 10 minutes! But I would still like to be able to do it with just running the whole time (instead of run/walk/run/walk) So, I'm still trying to get up to that.

#10 Gym: Awesome! I'm doing great with going to the gym 3 times a week. I've been going 3-4 times a week all month. Even pushed myself one day that I got home late and went at 845 at night to do my cardio and chest workout. I'm proud (and so is hubby :)


#11 Pushups: 6. Don't laugh at me. It's better than last month :)

Mint.com

As a banker, I have to tell you one of the worst things I hear people say is "I don't use a checkbook." Seriously?! Most often, this comes with some sort of complaint attached to it and somehow, their lack of record keeping is supposed to be my problem? That's why I want to suggest Mint.com for anyone reading this and everyone who has used the "I don't balance my checkbook" complaint! It's a FREE financial management tool that brings all of your accounts (checking, savings, credit cards, mortgages, etc.) into one total management product.

One of the things I want to accomplish this year is (#29) to set a budget for myself and stick to it. Through using Mint.com, I've been able to see how much money each month I'm spending at Starbucks (more than I thought) and how much money we spend on gas and electric from month to month. By logging into this website once or twice a week, I'm able to hold myself accountable for what I've spent during the month. So, if $100 on Starbucks seems excessive for the month, now I can bring it down to $25 which (in my opinion) isn't that bad and put a little extra into savings.

After you set up your user name and password for the website, it will ask you what accounts you want to import. Mint will automatically take the last 3 months of activity and categorize the transactions from your chosen accounts into the appropriate categories. Occasionally, I'll have to change a transaction that should be categorized as "eating out" to "dry-cleaning," etc., but it usually gets it right. Once you have several months of history to view, you can view a bunch of different options on there. For example, I'm able to compare what our water or electric bill has been over the past year (or more if you have it stored) or see how much you spend on a specific store for the month or several months, etc.

I hope this website will help you as much as it has helped me - I find it to be very useful in balancing my checkbook ;)

Monday

Instead of sharing one of my motivating quotes this week, I'll share the one my manager gave us at work last week. You can tell me how motivated you are after reading this...

A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions. - Proverbs 18:2

jaiMelody is on Facebook!

I'm so excited to announce that I've started a fanpage for my Etsy Shop to help me reach my goal of selling 300 hoodies by my 30th birthday!


The hoodies are completely customizable with the brides name and wedding colors. Typically I stay with white and black hoodies, but can do additional colors upon special request. They make great gifts for engagements, wearing at Bachlorette partys, and especially for getting ready the morning of the wedding.

So, if you haven't already... head over to Facebook and LIKE my fanpage JAIMELODY DESIGNS! :)

Monday Motivation

I was taught that the way of progress is neither swift nor easy. - Marie Curie

Almost every day, my manager sends out an E-mail to our branch with some peice of information to motivate us for the sales of the week. This weeks motivation is being derived from that E-mail. I find it strangely odd that this is the motivational quote considering everything that is going on within my office, never-the-less, it is completely relevant. I'm not going to elaborate, but some of you already know the details... Have a great week!!

Water for Elephants & my Tomatos!

I FINALLY finished Water for Elephants! I bought this book in February I think? After the book club I belong to introduced it as one of the titles for the month. I just never got into it because I was afraid of reading about the treatment of animals in the story. And while the love story was definitely beautiful, my trepidation was accurate. Hubby and I made plans to see it with another couple and somehow the guys managed to let just us girls go see the movie while they went to see The Hangover 2... Normally, I'd be a little peeved, but at least I don't have to sit through that movie with him now. Seeing Your Highness was plenty stupidity for me for the next couple of months. :)

I have a pretty sensative stomach when it comes to brutality and animals or individuals and the story is written so well that I couldn't tear my eyes away quick enough to save myself from reading certain points where the animals were harmed. It takes a lot for me to well up with tears over anything, much less a book or movie, but I cried for both with Water for Elephants! Yes, there are a lot of things different in the book than were shown on the screen (there were whole characters missing!), but I don't think anything that was left out took away from the story and it still made for a good movie. I was impressed with Robert Pattinson; Reese Witherspoon, not so much. I can't really put my finger on what I didn't like about her character in this movie. I guess I just didn't see her feeding into his infatuation and when they finally got together, I was confused as to why she would have liked him. In the book, there is much greater detail for their love.

Overall, I'd probably give the book an 7-8. But remember my rating as a lot to do with the fact that I don't like seeing much of anything in the way of harming animals. If you get a chance to go see it in the movies, I would definitely recommend. :)

On another note, my tomatoes are doing MUCH better! I bought a new "pot" for them as Lindsay suggested. And they are just thriving now! I'm so happy that was an easy fix. I'll have to take some pictures for the next post at how much they are growing now :)

Thirty before 30: Thursday Update

#5 Here is May's recipe: Stuffed Chicken with Mozzerella and Basil and Sweet Potato Fries.
This turned out to be FANTASTIC and actually kind of easy. I was really looking for a recipe that would pull from all of the herbs in my garden since they are overgrowing and really need to be used. It calls for fresh basil, green onions (scallions), and parsley (hello? Did they write this specifically for me?) The only part I had a hard time with was gently pounding the chicken to 1/4 inch thickness. How does one gently pound a chicken??! I put each peice between wax paper and tried to pound it with a rolling pin and it did flatten, however, the chicken was fraying on the ends... I'm pretty sure that's not supposed to happen. Still, the recipe turned out delicious and right at my skill level.

I made the sauce, too, even though it's not pictured (my husband doesn't like mushrooms) and it was really good as well! I'm usually terrible with gravys and sauces because they don't thicken for me, or get too thick, but this was perfect. I'll definitely save it for another time to make! The sweet potato fries were insanely easy and taste great. I definitely recommend them for an easy side!

#9 Current mile pace: 12:58 (Although I usually run at least 2 miles in one session, I do it pretty slowly because I like to alternate running and walking, so my goal is to at least get up to doing the first full mile running.)
#10 Gym: Awful. I've only gone twice this month (Tuesday and Thursday this week). Ew. But in my defense, I've only been tracking since mid-month. So, as long as I go on Saturday, I should meet my 3 times a week for this week and hopefully that'll start a good trend for me.
#11 Pushups: 4. That's pretty sad. I've included the link here for the program I'm using that will hopefully get me to at least 50 push-ups in a row. My original goal was set at 100, but hubby doesn't think that's possible. (Thanks for the confidence, hun!) Either way, I plan on starting this week to try and increase my strength!
Situps: I'm starting out with 90 every other night. (30 reg, 30 to the left, and 30 to the right).
Random IPod song:  

Monday Motivation

As you think, so shall you be. Proverbs 23:7

Every Monday, my branch huddles together for a weekly meeting. We take turns giving motivation for the week for the team. This week it's my turn and this is the quote I am going to give. There's really no secret recipe towards becoming a better sales person, and I seriously doubt a few words every Monday morning are going to inspire the team to produce larger numbers. It's a continual process. 

Yes, this quote has been modernized. The version from the King James Bible is "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." Still the same meaning, but it rolls off the tongue a little easier, no? Confidence in yourself and your skills must come first. Just because others want you to succeed, or even believe you will succeed, doesn't make your task at hand any easier. Knowing your self worth and capabilities in your own heart and mind will set you on the path to where you want to go.

Have a great week!

What's in your cup?

Lately, for me this has been a tough question. Some days it's definitely full. Others, I feel like I'm trying really hard to fill it up, but there must be a hole in the bottom. It's not that I'm not happy with myself, but rather, I'm disappointed in a lot of the things that are happening around me and I struggle with the words to express how I feel and what actions I can take to make things better on my own.

There's not much of a point to this post... Just some cute cartoons I found to help explain again the name I've picked for my blog.

 

Where ever you are, I hope you're making the most out of your Saturday and filling your glass to the tippy top! I got to work early this morning and treated myself to a full cup of carmel latte to help pick me up :)

Shh... Don't tell anyone but...

It's my birthday. Man, they always sneak up on me. I'm 29 years old today and becoming a thirty-something is coming closer every day. Everyone always says time flies but wow, it speeds up as you get older. When you're little and can't wait to do all the things grown-ups do, the time ticks by and you feel like you're moving at a snails pace. Well, now that I'm sitting here as a 29 year old(yikes), my snail has upgraded it's shell for a shiny new race car and we're speeding towards 30 leaving all those childhood dreams behind. So, it's true; life happens whether you're watching or not. It's not that I feel I haven't achieved anything in my 29 years, but that dream of what I will be and what I have become is very different. So, in honor of procrastination I'm taking on a little self-improvement task. This is my 30 before 30 project. I was inspired by another blogger, but the more I looked into this, the more I decided I want to do one for myself. So here's my list. Most of them are self-explanatory, so I'll save you some time and keep the details for later.

1. Start a blog
2. Write 3 letters about good service I've received
3. Visit Savannah, GA
4. Get a tattoo
5. Cook at least one new meal I've never cooked each month
6. Try one new restaurant each month
7. Read one book per month
8. Send birthday cards to friends and family
9. Run a mile in under 8 minutes
10. Stop making excuses for not going to the gym and go at least 3 times a week
11. Do 50 push-ups in one attempt
12. Lose 15 lbs
13. Spend a weekend without Internet or TV
14. Paint at least one room in my house
15. Keep my fuchsia alive for more than one season
16. Find a church that "fits"
17. Teach my dogs to sit and actually STAY
18. Get a job related to my degree
19. Get up to date on my scrapbook (that's been on pause since 2006...)
20. Recreate our wedding montage video (the one that died before being shown at the wedding)
21. Go to a drive-in movie
22. Shoot a gun
23. Try to make a baby
24. Volunteer 15 hours
25. Hit the 300 hoodie's sold milestone
26. Take a photoshop class
27. Learn to apply eye make-up correctly
28. Make a skin regimen to start preventing wrinkles
29. Make a budget and stick with it
30. Go out for New Years

I plan to use this blog to keep myself motivated and will periodically update my progress. I'm also going to make a big effort to post some meaning information here, so I hope you'll stay tuned.

Yay... Happy birthday to me :)

Happy First Anniversary to us :)

A year goes by so fast! I can't believe how vividly I can recall every perfect moment from my wedding day, May 16, 2010. Waking up after what could only have been 15 minutes of actual sleep because of the butterflies in my stomach, driving to get breakfast with my moms bestie, then watching everyone get ready for our special day and almost smudging up my make-up when our song came on the radio in the salon. I remember seeing my bouquet for the first time and seeing my mom hold back the tears while putting my veil and finishing touches on. The best feeling of the day was FINALLY getting into the limo and driving to county park where I knew my soon-to-be husband was waiting. (yes, I saw him before the ceremony :) After all of the planning and stress, our wedding was without a doubt, the most magical day of my life. "To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides." I truly married my best friend and am thankful for him every day. And what's more, our relationship grows and changes into something better everyday. He really is my better half and I'm so lucky to have him.

Here's a slideshow of some wedding photos that I put together after the wedding.

Oh, and if you're interested in seeing my brother and I do a "special" dance here's a second video from our wedding :)

Why won't my tomatoes grow?!

My mom was in town a few weeks ago and she planted me the prettiest garden for my back porch/patio. I've got a cute little herb garden with chives, parsley, hot peppers (although my husband hasn't been brave enough to try one yet), and basil, a tomato plant, a pepper plant, two containers impatiens, and a bucket of lantanas. My lantanas are growing like crazy which is great since they attract butterflies and those are my favorite. And my herbs are also overflowing and we've been using them to make homemade pizzas, on potatos, and other dishes. But my tomatos and peppers are suffering big time! I water them everyday and they are in plenty of sun. I can't say that it's been too hot just yet - probably 80's and nice for most of the time, although we did have some storms. It just looks like the poor thing is suffering.

I did some research online about how to grow your own tomato plants - and it suggested a larger container for the tomatos so they could really root into the soil as well as plenty of fertilizer. I did fertilize them when I first got them, but I'm thinking about picking up some different plant food to help it out a litte. Any other suggestions?! I really don't want them to die. I definitely do not have a green thumb!

Mondays Motivation

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. John Quincy Adams


It doesn't matter if you're a manager or a front line employee, you can still have the attitude of a leader without being in the role of one. I've had so many different kinds of managers; some are more demanding, and some were more inspiring, and it's become obvious to me that not all managers are leaders. But the reverse is true as well; not all leaders are managers. I want to make an impression on the lives I touch during my work day. I want to inspire people to speak up, do as they dream, and have the courage to take the road less traveled by. If you're reading this today, I hope you're inspired to learn something new, to say you can instead of I can't, and to seize the day for everything it's worth!


Have a great week :)