Celebrate We Will...

Seriously?

2012-01-16T16:05:00.003-05:00

I read this blog post from one of my mom blogger friends and it made me sick.....

If you want to sign the petition to allow Amelia to have the transplant, please click here.

It makes me sick that things like this still go on in 2012. No one should be allow to choose whether or not to save a child because of his/her quality of life.

Camden Aquarium

2012-01-08T21:26:00.004-05:00

Today, we took the kids to the Camden Aquarium! (well, really Mackenzie since Mason just slept the ENTIRE time!)

We had a great time- saw lots of fish, sharks, penguins, seals, and Mackenzie even touched a stingray! :)

My in laws live near there, so we met them for dinner. A great day!

Clean Basement Therapy!!!

2012-01-07T00:00:00.001-05:00

So yesterday was mission: clean basement. All in all I'd say it was successful even though I have a heaping mound of crap in my garage. There are things that need to be thrown out, donated or sold at consignment.

Does anyone else feel like cleaning is therapy!? Since I've been on maternity leave and had a little more time for projects I've gotten rid of so much junk. Things we don't need, things I don't know why I bought, clothes that don't fit or don't look right. It's ALL gotta go! Very therapeutic. I didn't think at 27 you could have so much shit but apparently I've managed to collect it!!

Before a after photos with trash and donations in the garage:

Operation Clean Basement!

2012-01-06T08:33:00.003-05:00

Operation Clean Basement begins today! Thankfully, I recruited my mother in law to come help. Eric's in charge of the rugrats. It's a VERY overwhelming task, considering there is SO much crap, and it's not organized at all. Lately, I've been in a getridofeverything! mood, so hopefully I'll be able to part with some crap, ahem, stuff. I don't care if I have to sell it, donate it, or just throw it out, but it's not going back in that basement!

Pictures and an update to follow.....

Happy Birthday Fig!

2012-01-03T22:50:00.001-05:00

Happy birthday to the crazy, fun loving, best daddy and husband out there!

P.S. Your wife is the best for hooking you up with this Sweeet Flyers winter classic jersey! :)

Love you!

I'm STILL alive!

2012-01-03T13:39:00.003-05:00

Can you believe it? I'm still here- even though I took nearly a year and a half off. And shame on me for doing it. I wish I had documented those oh so great days of Mackenzie's but life got in the way. I promise it won't happen with the duo. So, my first resolution of 2012 is to BLOG more! I enjoy reading everyone else's blogs, so why would I not continue with my own? It was so nice to look back on Mackenzie's pregnancy and compare to it with Mason's, so I know will look back again someday and be happy for these memories. So without further adieu, here are this year's resolutions:

1. Blog more- Why would I NOT blog about these two????

2. Financial responsibility- looking at the Dave Ramsey way of doing things. Another blogger friend, Jen, wrote a really inspiring post about Dave Ramsey and I've heard of him before, so it's work trying. Hubs and I have some debt to get rid of, and I'm sick of this burden on my back. We'd like nice things, like a new car and a bigger house someday, so it's time to get rid of the debt and start saving. We're very good at saving for things like our retirement and our kid's college, but we don't save in the day-to-day scheme of things. Not.Good.

3. Photo a day- see this link- this is the best way (along with blogging) to document my life (especially my oh.so.cute. kiddos!)

4. Lose this baby weight! I'm taking it easy on myself here since Mason is only 7 1/2 weeks, but I don't feel good in my skin or about myself when I'm not close to my normal weight, so I joined Weight Watchers again, and my blogger friend Jaime started a facebook group for several women (mostly moms) who are looking forward to a New Year and a New You! That's a great way for me to think about it. I don't need to look the way I did when I was 20 (that will NEVER happen), but I'd like to be proud of my mom body and rock a bikini again someday (okay, I have stretch marks, but maybe at least look REALLY hot in a tankini!)

So there- it's in print. I have to stick to it now- yes?

Baby Weight....

2010-08-13T09:34:00.003-04:00

While I've been EXTREMELY lucky that we have a well-adjusted, easy baby (she's the angel baby in the Baby Whisper's explanation!), I can't say that losing the baby weight has been easy. I breast fed for three months, and stopped when I had to go back to work. I was thankful for the time that I had, but didn't see the weight "fall off" like people told me it would if I breast fed. It also didn't help that I kept feeling hungry all the time when I was breast-feeding. I had an unbelievable appetite and could always eat! It was nice while it lasted, and although I wasn't gaining weight, I certainly wasn't losing.

Around May, I joined Weight Watchers. I was sick of my body looking the way it did and decided I needed to do something for me. Although it's another bill and financial commitment, I know it's important for my health. So far, I've lost 8 lbs. It's okay, and I know a lot of people would be happy, but I wasn't giving it an honest effort in the beginning. I was tracking, but I was using the extra point available every week, just to get through my daily allotment.

As I got more desperate, I was approached by a friend on Facebook to talk with a trainer, Ty Turner. Ty is a nationally certified trainer and used to be a manager of a fitness club. He has a vision of an online training/nutrition program, and is hoping to work with more than just his clients in Oregon. Ty took me under his wing because I was one of the initial 100 people needed for him to show his success. He has been so motivating and helpful. His advice about food, working out and commitment to the goal have been awesome. I email him frequently with questions and he always gets back to me with a well-justified answer. His support has been invaluable.

Lastly, I know that a lot of what I put in my body has been less than par. I try to eat healthy, but we are always tempted with other things. I need to work on my will power to say no when we are out, and knowing that every occasion is not a special occasion. I wanted to do something easy that would help me "start over" with my eating. I tried an Isagenix cleanse. I used the 9-day cleanse, and found that it helped me think about what I was putting in my mouth. I signed up to be an associate so I could get a discount, but that means that I can sell it to myself now too!!!

In the last two weeks, I've lost an additional 6 lbs. Between Ty and Isagenix, I feel that was the difference. Ty provided the support and Isagenix got me back on track. My goal is to be back in my "old clothes" by my friends wedding on November 6. That's about 23lbs left. My ultimate goal is to be in my "bikini form" by next January, when we go to Puerto Rico. That's about 31 lbs. I know I can do it, if I just put my mind to it. I'm hoping that the school year will put me back into a nice pattern again and packing my meals will take the guessing game out of bad choices... what about you? Do (did) you have trouble losing the baby weight??

Back!

2010-08-05T00:00:00.003-04:00

I'm back from a blogging hiatus! A much needed break from an overwhelming life... I wonder if anyone will actually read this anymore!!! If you're still out there reading- please let me know!!

Anyway, baby girl has grown so much in the last couple of months! I can't believe how far we've come... she is absolutely perfect in every way. She's the easiest, most relaxed baby (just like her mother!) :) We are so lucky... truly blessed.

I've included some pictures over the last months (mostly my favorites) and have made a promise to myself that I need to blog once a week... whether anyone is reading or not... because it's the best outlet for my sanity next to exercise!!!

MacKenzie and I at a bridal shower for Eric's cousin.

First time playing in her exersaucer!!!

She actually fell asleep after her dinner... on the deck... at the shore!!

With Poppy at my birthday dinner!!

Pool time with Mommy!!

She's Growing Up!

2010-04-24T19:24:00.003-04:00

Miss MacKenzie is growing up so fast! At three months....
-she's holding her up for long amounts of time!
-she's sitting in her Bumbo chair!
-she's found her fingers and thumb, and rarely uses her binky anymore
-she sleeps from 9pm-4am, eats and then goes back to bed until sometimes 9am!
-she babbles all the time! We love to hang out and talk!
-she smiles back at you when you're smiling
-she's weighing in right around 11lbs! (we haven't actually been to the doctor since her two month checkup, so this is a guesstimate!)

We are enjoying our time together.... I went back to work on April 5, so my mother in law is home with her during the day. I'm definitely meant to be a working mom. As much as I enjoy spending time with her, I need to interact with adults and feel like I'm a part of the working world! Teaching is nice though, since it provides a nice summer break to hang out with my Mackers again!

Still trying to be successful in my endeavor to be a better blogger... I promise I'm working on it, but whenever I have a free minute, I just can't help but think I want to spend it with my beautiful little peanut!

Exhausted... and Loving It!

2010-02-25T23:08:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the blogging hiatus! It's funny how when blogger friends had babies and took a break in posts, I used to think that somehow I would be able to keep up with mine and promised not to do that, but here I am apologizing like a hypocrite! Anyway... life with MacKenzie is fun, and challenging, and demanding, but most of all, it's wonderful. She's absolutely perfect. I always worried about "what if my baby is ugly?" and thank goodness- she's beautiful- you know that I'm not the least bit biased!

Anyway, here is a MacKenzie picture for all of you!

I also had my announcements done... my friend Kristen did them... she's a fabulous graphic designer- if you want her email so she can do your work- let me know and I can forward it on!

We are still struggling with baby reflux- anyone have any good tips? We've got the bassinet elevated, trying to keep her upright, but any other ideas you have are greatly appreciated!

Well, time for the last feeding before bed- I promise to stay more current now!

Welcome to the world MacKenzie Gabrielle!

2010-01-30T13:21:00.003-05:00

Our little bundle of joy arrived on Tuesday, January 26, at 9:10am. She's perfect! MacKenzie came VERY quickly- I was extremely thankful for that!

It's Time!

2010-01-26T05:31:00.002-05:00

Last post as a preggo! Yesterday, at work, I had some chest pain and I asked the nurse for some Tums. While I was there, she checked my blood pressure, and it was a little on the high side. She asked that I call my doctor and they wanted me to come in and get checked out. It turns out that some of my liver enzymes were high, so they decided to go ahead and keep me. They kept me overnight and started Pitocin about an hour ago. Pretty soon we will have a new Baby Fig to share with you!

Wish me luck!

Still Here!

2010-01-16T12:52:00.002-05:00

I'm still here... no news yet!

My parents left this morning for Aruba, so as much as I'm ready to get this baby out- it would be nice if it could hold on until my mom and dad came back! We'll see. I haven't had many contractions in the last 24 hours, but my back hurts really bad. I think this could also be because there is just no reasonably comfortable sleeping position anymore!

Other than that, I'm just feeling huge and uncomfortable! We'll head to the Doctor again on Monday for my 38 week appt, so we'll see if we have any news!

Doctor Update

2010-01-13T22:51:00.002-05:00

So... I made it home from the doctor.... they did my internal and I'm 75% effaced and 1-2 cm dilated. She said she didn't think I'd make it to full term because the head was so far down already... very exciting. I do feel a bit bad, because my parents are planning on leaving for vacation on Saturday and will be gone (in Aruba!) for a week. I know my mom would be sad if the baby were born and she wasn't around for it.

Hopefully this baby will budge before Friday... if not, then it needs to stay put until next Saturday! My mom's looking into whether or not they'll be able to take an earlier flight if they need to, so we'll see.

Anyway, I came home from the doctor and noticed some spotting. I've had contractions on and off since then, but nothing regular.... perhaps I'll have an interesting Thursday? Who knows? Maybe it's all in my head!

25 Days?!!??!

2010-01-10T22:45:00.003-05:00

37 Week Summary

How am I feeling?
I'm starting to dislike being pregnant.... seriously, I'm happy I've survived this long! I'm ready to go, and now that I know that the baby is healthy weight already and everything looks okay, I wouldn't be upset if I went in to labor NOW!

How do I look? bigger and bigger every day... and my stretch marks are stretching :(

Milestones
Needing LOTS of help, and being winded at the top of the stairs!

What am I craving?
Still no cravings- I've been pretty good throughout this pregnancy!

Aversions?
Nothing really.

What do I miss?
Rolling over without having to pick up my belly, sleeping through the night!

What am I looking forward to?
Waiting for his/her arrival!

Weight gain :
+34 lbs.

Discovery of the week?
We discovered two really cool things last week:
1. Baby Fig is already over 6 1/2 lbs. (and that was an estimate from last week!) The good news is that if the baby was born right now, we would be fine and the doctor would not stop labor. The bad news is that I could easily have a 9 or 10 lb baby!

2. We saw some ultrasound pictures that shows that Baby Fig has a LOT of hair! We'll have to make sure we have hats or bows on hand because he/she will have LOTS to show off!

36 Week Ultrasound

2010-01-10T22:17:00.003-05:00

Last week we went for another ultrasound... Baby Fig was actually sticking out his/her tongue! We also heard from the Doctor that we're going to have an above average sized baby. They were guessing that he/she weighs somewhere close to 6 1/2 lbs when we still had 5 weeks to go! Look at the pictures and movie below to see what we saw!

Hands on his/her face

Tongue sticking out!

A cute little face shot!

A profile shot!

Here's a video of Baby Fig sticking out his/her tongue!

Christmas and Baby Showers!

2009-12-30T11:16:00.004-05:00

Hoping everyone had a wonderful Christmas! Things went well here. Eric and I hosted Christmas Eve dinner at our house and we went to Eric's parents' house on Christmas Day.

On Sunday, I had Baby Shower Round 3! My sister hosted my family and friends for a beautiful baby shower!

The beautiful spread!

Opening presents!

The onesies- every one decorated one for me to take home! Such a cute idea!

Things are going well here- we went to the Doctor on Monday and he told us that this baby will likely be larger than 8 or 9 lbs since it is close to 6 lbs already and we still have a month to go! He did also say that even though it's early, if I went into labor at this point, that he would not stop it... so needless to say, I went home and packed my bag right away, just in case! Knowing me and my stubborn husband, I'm sure this baby will need to be coaxed out by induction, but we'll see! Next week, I get an ultrasound, so hopefully I'll have cool pictures to post!

Time for an update....

2009-12-09T19:16:00.002-05:00

32 Week Summary

How am I feeling?
I feel great during the day. At about 7:00 I start to peter out. I get tired and my ankles start to swell. I've increased my water intake, so I'm hoping this helps! Thank goodness it's pant weather!

How do I look? HUGE!!! (can you see my nasty stretch mark???)

Milestones
Watching my entire stomach move from left to right... and back again.

What am I craving?
Just food in general!

Aversions?
Not really!

What do I miss?
Being able to be completely independent... carrying things... walking up and down stairs without being winded... not needing to ask for help.

What am I looking forward to?
Meeting him/her for the first time! Maybe childbirth class this weekend also- only parts of it though!

Weight gain :
+29 lbs.

Discovery of the week?
Shaving is REALLY difficult when you're pregnant! I can't bend over that far to get to my legs!

58 Days?!?!?!

2009-12-09T09:37:00.002-05:00

Are you kidding me? That can't be all. It seems so soon when you say 58 days! Time is flying by!

I will have an update soon- I promise!

Yes, I AM alive!

2009-11-27T16:33:00.003-05:00

Who knew I would take almost a one-month blogging hiatus? Sorry for letting you down, anyway! Here are some pictures from my last ultrasound!

Baby Fig's Face

A foot!

More face shots!

Another foot!

Here's a video of the baby smiling!!!!

I feel good- but I'm getting VERY big! Starting to feel a bit uncomfortable if I'm very busy... but I guess that's to be expected. We go the Dr. again on Monday and I'll probably have another update post after that!!!

(Un)Prepared

2009-11-08T21:47:00.002-05:00

I feel VERY unprepared about this baby. There's some kind of instinct inside that's pushing this, but I don't really know why. I know that at my 4- yes FOUR showers (one for work, one for me second job, and one for both my and my in-law's side of the family) that I will get MORE than enough stuff- but there's something that I still feel like I have to do. The thought that the only think I have in my house right now is a crib is just frightening.

I know- I've done it all, registered for the crap, even received two presents (that I haven't yet opened) and I even have the bedding already, but I still feel like I'm forgetting or skipping something. What could it be?

In other news- several of my friends are preggo- which I'm very happy about, because I know some of them have been trying for quite some time! :) Congratulations to them!

So really- what AM I missing (besides my brain of course!)

25 Weeks Already?!?!!

2009-10-27T07:06:00.004-04:00

25 Week Summary

How am I feeling?
I feel good- even though I've been sick for awhile!

How do I look? Cow kinda describes it!

Milestones
The baby is very active and always moving all over the place!

What am I craving?
Junk! Candy, brownies, anything sweet!

Aversions?
None

What do I miss?
Sleeping the entire night through.

What am I looking forward to?
Finding out if it's a boy or a girl! 15 more weeks!

Weight gain :
+14 lbs.

Discovery of the week?
We're almost there! There's really not that much time left! I've registered and the showers are planned. Now, we just wait!

Time Is Flying!

2009-10-23T07:34:00.002-04:00

I can't believe how quickly time is flying. There are just over 100 days until Baby Fig is here! That is exciting, but scary too! We are frantically saving money, trying to get the necessary things in order and trying to make the guest room look like a baby's room! I will be sure to post pictures of my progress!

I have a Dr's appointment next Wednesday, so I'm sure I'll have more to post after that. Sorry about the no belly shots- but I couldn't find the battery to my camera for a long time! Anyway, I'll make sure to get that done this weekend too!

TGIF!!! School has been busy- but good.... I can't believe how fast life is flying by right now!!!

Ultrasound Update

2009-10-06T21:29:00.003-04:00

So, I went on Monday morning for my ultrasound as part of the fetal growth study. Here's some of the pictures/video I got!!!

A foot!

Thumb sucker!

Update!

2009-09-22T18:37:00.004-04:00

21 Week Summary

How am I feeling?
Still feeling pretty good- but tired after working all day!

How do I look? I definitely look pregnant now! There's a belly for sure!

Milestones
In the last two weeks, I really started to feel the baby kick. It was slow at first, but now, it's whenever I'm sitting down or laying in bed at night!

What am I craving?
Anything I can fit in my mouth!

Aversions?
Not really!

What do I miss?
I miss laying on my stomach!

What am I looking forward to?
Starting on the nursery!

Weight gain :
Who knows? I go to the dr next week. I think I'll probably be up about 7 or 8 lbs overall.

Discovery of the week?
I REALLY need to get a body pillow!!!!

I'm Still Alive!

2009-09-20T21:15:00.002-04:00

I know, I know... I'm in trouble with my bloggers. Sorry! If you're not a teacher, remember what the beginning of the school year is like?!!?!? Absolute CHAOS! My class is great- but it has been a LOT of work. I moved classrooms yet AGAIN and have taken on a whole bunch of extras. This is all okay, but working two jobs and being pregnant don't really help.

The beginning of the school year went off without a hitch, back to school night went great, my parents were really supportive of my pregnancy (which I was a little leary about), and I'm taking 6 credits this fall (working toward that Master's +30 raise!). So, needless to say, breathing time is at a minimum.

I wrote a grant last year for a SMART board. If you're not familiar, they are interactive whiteboards. The kids absolutely LOVE using it in class. I'm sure the novelty will wear off soon, but it's a really great resource for classrooms. Not only can you interact with the board, but you can save, print and add web resources all in one place! It pretty much takes away the need for an LCD projector, TV and overhead! The hard part is that it requires a lot of prep outside of the school day. Your lessons have to be completely planned which can sometimes be hours of work (but are worth it if your kids are sucking in the knowledge!)

So, not much else is new... working on getting my 20 week update done for you! I promise I will not go astray for awhile- I have to MAKE blogging time! Give me until Tuesday for an update (I have class tomorrow night!)

Enjoy the beautiful fall weather!

17 Week Update

2009-09-01T06:43:00.003-04:00

17 Week Summary

How am I feeling?
Still feeling pretty good, but I really have to pace myself when I eat!

How do I look? Starting to look more and more pregnant every day. I think I've popped! I only have one pair of non-maternity shorts that I can still squeeze into!

Milestones
I'm hoping to feel the baby kick soon- the baby books say possibly in the next couple of weeks!

What am I craving?
Spaghettio's, Spaghettio's and more Spaghettio's

Aversions?
Nothing really.

What do I miss?
ALCOHOL!

What am I looking forward to?
Finding out the sex (although we will have to wait at least another 20 weeks!)

Weight gain I dropped 1.5 lbs at my dr's appt... this means I'm back to 3.5lbs. I have a feeling the scale will continue to rise at my next appt though!

Discovery of the week?
Trying to dress for work in the few maternity clothes I own really sucks!

My 20 week ultrasound is tonight. Eric cannot go because he can't get out of work, so I'm taking my mom! Hopefully I'll come home with some pictures! We'll have to remind the ultrasound tech that we're not finding out the sex!

15 Weeks!

2009-08-16T19:11:00.003-04:00

15 Week Summary

How am I feeling?
I feel great most days, although yesterday I felt very dizzy and tired. Thank goodness I woke up feeling better today!

How do I look? I feel just fat right now! Here's my 15 week picture:

Milestones
I'm hoping to feel the baby kick soon- the baby books say possibly in the next couple of weeks!

What am I craving?
Today all I wanted was soup- of course on one of the hottest days of the year!

Aversions?
Mexican food, anything with a strong scent.

What do I miss?
A beer now and then!

What am I looking forward to?
Looking pregnant!

Weight gain 4.0 lbs.

Discovery of the week?
I better buy some more maternity shirts or I may never have ANYTHING to wear!

I have an ultrasound tomorrow for my fetal growth study participation. Maybe we'll get another movie!

Video Update!

2009-08-05T17:31:00.005-04:00

So I think I mentioned before that I agreed to this research study. The study is to re-evaluate the Fetal Growth Charts. They haven't been updated in 30 years! 3,000 women across the country are participating. The study gets you 6 extra FREE ultrasounds. I was tempted to say yes, but then when they told me that they pay you to come, it was a no brainer! Sure! Here are the videos they took from today's visit!

13 Weeks

2009-08-01T19:58:00.005-04:00

Well, I'm just about out of the first trimester!!!

13w Summary

How am I feeling?
I feel pretty good, although I was super dehydrated yesterday!

How do I look? Clothes are starting to get tight.... here's the 13 week picture:

Milestones
First real craving this last week- CHOCOLATE milk! I must need the Calcium!

What am I craving?
See above!

Aversions?
Ummm.... "heavy" foods.... I don't know if I can eat a real dinner yet.

What do I miss?
Fitting in anything in my closet! I just want to look pregnant at this point (okay not huge, but big enough that I don't need to explain myself!)

What am I looking forward to?
Feeling the baby move!

Weight gain 2 lbs so far.... looks like WAY more than that!

Discovery of the week?
I can't do it all anymore.... I've got to rely on other to help.... how did that take 25 years to learn?

Ultrasound Update

2009-07-30T15:23:00.004-04:00

Here are some photos from my ultrasound today.... 13 weeks!

Baby Fig was very active today.... jumping all over the place!! The ultrasound tech said everything looked great, and that no news is good news, so hopefully we're all finished with that!

While I was there, a research student came in and asked me to participate in a fetal growth study. The study involves tracking, height, weight, mood and baby's measurements via ultrasounds. This means that I get 5 extra ultrasounds for FREE!!! As if that wasn't good enough, they pay you to come in! So, of course I said yes. My first appt. is next week. We'll see how it goes.... now that I'm in the second trimester, I'm hoping some of my energy comes back soon!

Hope everyone else is well.... I haven't heard from my blogger friends in awhile.... everything okay?

Beach Post!

2009-07-30T08:12:00.004-04:00

Sunday, we left for the beach for a couple of days. It was a nice anniversary getaway! We forgot our cake- so we had to compromise with regular dessert after dinner. :( Anyway, Monday was not a very good beach day, so we went to the Ocean City Boardwalk and spent the day there. It was very fun! I felt like a little kid again! On Monday night, we met Eric's parents in Atlantic City for some shopping and dinner. It was nice to see them (we don't get to see them that much during the summer) and get some great back to school shopping done at the outlets (considering NOTHING will fit!)

Tuesday, we spent most of our morning here.....

It was SO relaxing! We had to leave on the earlier side because I had to come back to a meeting and prepare for classwork due on Wednesday, but after napping at the house, I took some pictures of the view before heading home!

View from my parents balcony:
That's the bay right there! We really wanted to kayak, but we just didn't have enough time! So, it'll be the top of our agenda for our next visit, which hopefully isn't too long away!

Busy day today, meeting with financial planner, tutoring, and then an ultrasound to see Little Fig today! I'll be sure to let you know how it goes!

Beach Bound!

2009-07-27T09:06:00.002-04:00

We drove to the beach last night after work for our anniversary. We'll be here only until tomorrow, but two nights away in the summer is a lot for a golf pro! So, we went out to dinner at a yummy Italian restaurant. This morning, we're getting ready to go to breakfast at Eric's favorite place, Brian's Waffle House. Tonight, we'll meet up with Eric's parents in Atlantic City to shop at the outlets and then have dinner together. I'm sure Eric will sneak in a little gambling too! Anyway, I hope to get down to the beach to take some nice photos to post later.... I hear that we had a horrible storm without power last night... crazy!

Hope all is well. I'll get my 12 week photo up soon as well!

Belly Pictures... Ugh!

2009-07-22T16:38:00.003-04:00

So here are the long awaited belly pics.... I'm waited on posting them because I'm still not a huge fan of the way they look yet.... more like fat and not so much like a baby is in there! A couple more weeks.... Anyway... here's you're 11 week photo from last week!
I am feeling a ton better.... the energy is not 100% yet, but I can eat most anything. I think I'm over the hump! I go next Wednesday for my first trimester ultrasound to make sure there's nothing majorly wrong in there!

I'm finishing up my second week of a 6-credit grad course which has gone really well. I've been able to accomplish a lot of work in Science (the subject which I like the least!) We're almost finished and after work on Sunday, we're going to head to the beach for our anniversary... can you believe it's been a year already? It's time to bust that freezer-burnt cake out!

I'm Back!

2009-07-13T08:58:00.005-04:00

I know I promised pictures the next day.... sorry! I had to work a ton last week, because I was gone all weekend to be in a wedding in Connecticut! I'll post about that next! Anyway, here are the ultrasound pictures!

This shows the little one at about 10 weeks... I can't believe you can see the legs already! Everything looked great and the doctor said it should be fine. I went for my first trimester bloodwoork and will go back again in the beginning of August.

I am feeling better, but still sometimes have weird food aversions... it's kinda weird, but it beats being sick.

Will post about the wedding soon!

Better!

2009-07-02T22:06:00.002-04:00

I'm starting to feel better. The last three days have been a TON better! It's so funny how much I hated feeling like crap, but of course now that I'm feeling good, I'm nervous that something's wrong! We'll see what the Dr. says on Monday when I have my next ultrasound and checkup! I have to work all weekend, which really stinks, but at least it will be helpful when we're buying baby stuff in the near future!

Hope everyone has a great fourth- I will be sure to post pictures when I get home from the Dr. on Monday!

Feeling Pregnant

2009-06-23T10:25:00.002-04:00

I'm definitely feeling more signs of pregnancy as I go along.... day after day, usually within an hour of eating, I feel like I could throw up at any given moment.... not a great feeling, but we have to eat, right? I've been sticking to small meals, but I feel sick anyway, so whatever. At least I was smart enough to start taking my vitamin before bed... that was making my day miserable.

But I guess other than that, things are going well.... giving up alcohol is difficult. Not because I like to be drunk, but to have a beer or a glass of wine whenever is a nice treat. Water is just so.... boring sometimes!

Anyway.... all in all, things are good. I go back to the doctor on July 6. Hopefully we'll have some new information then!

Update...

2009-06-15T20:56:00.002-04:00

So, I went back to the doctor today for a followup ultrasound. They just want to make sure everything's okay because of my past history. It was cool to see how much changes in one week. The little blip on the screen looks like a lima bean now and we were able to see a heartbeat! It was pretty cool. No pictures today, but still awesome to see the beating right there on the screen. The doctor also said that usually when you see a heartbeat, the risk of miscarriage drops to less than 5% after that.

I got back to the Doctor on July 8 for my first "real" visit. They'll work up all of my paperwork and get everything in order. Looks like things are good!

Keep your fingers crossed! :)

Pictures!

2009-06-10T10:26:00.003-04:00

Here are some pictures from my ultrasound on Monday. I am about 5 1/2 weeks, and there was no heartbeat yet, so he's taking me next week to see if we can find it! It's the little white bean looking thing inside of the black circle!

I Guess It's Time To Tell...

2009-06-07T20:44:00.002-04:00

...only because I'm not very good at keeping secrets! I'm pregnant! I'm headed to the doctor tomorrow for an ultrasound just to make sure everything's alright, but so far, everything seems great. I definitely have a lot more symptoms than I had before! Anyway... an update after I get home tomorrow.... think happy thoughts for me!

A Day Off!

2009-05-22T21:41:00.002-04:00

I SO much enjoyed my first day off in seven weeks! Eric happened to have the day off also, so we got to spend it together. I know this is normal for some people, but we usually never have days off in common, so we had to seize the moment. I actually slept until 8:30- I couldn't believe it! After this, I finally woke Eric up around 9:00 and we headed to breakfast. We stopped at the country club to pick up my paycheck and for Eric to say hello to all of his old co-workers.

After breakfast/errands, I got a lot of laundry done, and met Elizabeth for lunch. I got to hang out with her and Reiley, who is getting SO big!

THEN, Eric and I took Sadie to Pet Smart to get a new leash, since she chewed her old one, and some toys. We tried to take her to the dog park, but I didn't realize that it wasn't completely enclose and we were a little leary of letting her go without the leash so close to a highway. On our way home, we stopped at Rita's, which was AWESOME!

I came home, got a pedicure and went grocery shopping- I must say, I was pretty productive!

I have to work the rest of this weekend and I'm not looking forward to it, but hopefully I'll be putting away money for daycare or babysitting services soon!

Post for My Sister....

2009-05-21T08:12:00.002-04:00

because she says I don't blog enough! Well, here ya go! Anyway, things are great- but busy... my phone died the other night, so I went and bought myself a BlackBerry! The technology geek that I am- I like being connected all the time.

I'm getting back into my exercise routine after my short bout with walking pneumonia. It wasn't that bad, but I did have trouble breathing when I tried to exercise.... so slowly, it's coming back!

I'm headed to a friend's for my bridesmaid dress fitting tonight... I'm pretty excited considering that her mom made it! It's simple and cute, just the way I like it...

Anyway, only 15 days of school left! Wahoo!

Mother's Day

2009-05-16T18:26:00.003-04:00

Here are some pictures from Mother's Day at my sister's house.... it was really nice to be outside playing with the kids after dinner!

Happy Birthday Mom!

2009-05-16T18:21:00.002-04:00

Some pictures from my mom's birthday last week.... Happy Birthday Mom!

It's Here

2009-05-02T18:53:00.000-04:00

Without fail.... Aunt Flo arrived this morning.... damn her!

Another day, more nothing.

2009-05-01T19:00:00.002-04:00

I know some of you are dying to know what has happened.... and nothing is the answer.

I called the doctor to schedule my annual exam- and asked to speak to a nurse.... she just gave the quick general, "Wait another week and take another test." Oh yeah, I'm sorry, I forgot how easy that is.... I'll just go on with my merry life NOT obsessing over each and every move, and every beer I put to my lips. Oy.

Anyway, soooo happy it's Friday! I have to work all weekend, but tomorrow, I don't have to be at work until 10:00! This will be the first time I slept past 6:00 in more than a month! I know, I know, once I have kids, I'm sure I'll never sleep past 6:00 again, but for now, that's NICE!

Going out with friends tonight to Landmark.... so excited! Have a great weekend!

Not Here Yet!

2009-04-30T06:18:00.001-04:00

Still no period. But no positive pregnancy test either???? Hmmmm.... I'm not sure exactly how long I should wait until I call my doctor.... any thoughts??

Long Week

2009-04-27T17:41:00.002-04:00

So, I know I'm to blame again. I've been gone for awhile. I'm busy people, SORRY! Anyway, still no period.... only 4 days late.... I tested on Saturday and it was negative.... hmmm... it could also be related to the stress I've had with regards to not feeling well. Here's what I've got going on....
1. sinus infection
2. bronchitis
3. walking pneumonia

Ugh- are you serious? Thankfully, although I pulled a muscle in my chest from hacking up my right lung, I feel pretty much okay. I feel like a bad cold, but not like I need to stop my daily routine. So, eh, if I keep using the inhalers, life will be good.

Anyway, I will keep you updated on the period front.... I'm sure it's nothing, but, weirder things have happened!

Video is Finished!

2009-04-20T18:20:00.002-04:00

I finished the project I'm working on.

Here's the link to my new little business idea....

Here's the link to the video I just finished (deluxe package)

Hope you like it!

Easter Update

2009-04-15T09:18:00.004-04:00

Well, Easter's come and gone and I haven't updated! Our quick trip to the beach was pretty fun. I ended up not having to work on Saturday because of the rain, so we go to leave a lot earlier than expected, which was very nice. We arrived, spent some time shopping and took a nap! Saturday night, we had our big Easter dinner and relaxed before going out for a few hours. We chose to give the kids their Easter gifts from Eric and I on Saturday night as well because we knew we would have to leave early Sunday to go back to work. Here are some pictures of their reaction to the baskets:

Faith and Hayden at dinner

Hayden getting his basket!

Faith finding Peeps!

My sister Suzie and Faith

On Easter morning Eric and I packed up the dog, went out for a quick breakfast since we knew we wouldn't be around after church and got ready to go. We weren't looking forward to heading back, but it was nice to make it down there! Here's a picture of my niece and nephew on Easter morning before church:

Faith and Hayden on Easter!

So now we're back to the grind. Life as usual. I have been trying in the last couple of months to train for the Broad Street Run, which is ten miles. I have loved training up to this point, but my foot is really bothering me. I had surgery on both my feet for bunions and although the screws from repairing my foot are still in tact, the way that I run on my feet causes a lot pain. I'm still attempting to try, but will have to make a decision about whether or not I can run soon. The race is in two weeks and I am supposed to run my last couple of long runs before then. My podiatrist basically told me that I'm not cut out to be a runner! Ugh, so that's hard.

I did post about a side business I'm interested in starting with slideshows and videos. I'm working on a 30th birthday project for my aunt, who's throwing a surprise party with my cousin's wife for him. I'll be sure to post a link when it's finished!

Still Hoping!

2009-04-07T14:53:00.002-04:00

Day two of spring break is wonderful. It's cold and I had to get a cortisone shot this morning for my foot, but I'm still very relaxed.... and happy! No positive pregnancy test yet, but we're still working on it! I'm trying to get some projects done around the house, including cleaning out my closet and changing winter/spring clothes, but it's going pretty slowly. It's funny how the time passes by so fast when you don't really have anywhere to be!

We're headed to the shore for Easter, but only for the night. I have to work on Saturday and Eric has to work late on Sunday, so we're going to shoot down just for the night- to have our Easter dinner! It's always fun, because after dinner, we all go out to the bar for a little bit...

Eric's friend's wife just told me that they're trying.... it's funny, because now we email back and forth all of the time to compare, complain and just talk. It's nice to have someone that's in the same situation as me.

Not much new, just very thankful for an uneventful break. It's nice to travel, but it's nice to be home with no agenda sometimes. My sister and brother in law will be home from Florida on Thursday night, so they'll be down the shore too, which is always fun with the kids!

That's all for now- have a great day!

WOAH!!!

2009-04-01T07:43:00.002-04:00

I'm still here, barely.. Three more days until spring break. It'll be a miracle if I don't have a nervous breakdown before then! Things have been SO crazy.... as much as I like things busy- this is insane! On top of all of it- I got my period on Monday- AHHHHH!!!! I'm not that bummed, but hopefully things look brighter for April. We'll see.

It's April Fool's Day. I'm waiting for the kids to play some nasty trick on me at school. I'm pretty observant though- so who knows if they'll be able to get anything past me.

Anyone playing any good tricks on someone today???

Bad Blogger!

2009-03-30T15:08:00.001-04:00

I am a bad blogger- I apologize!!! It's just that recently, I haven't felt that there was a whole lot to blog about! If you have ideas, I would LOVE them!

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing...

2009-03-22T16:01:00.002-04:00

I love that song by Jack Johnson.... it's so true. I feel like I spend way too much of my life waiting for something.... I am by nature a planner and I am always wishing and waiting for the next plan. I need to practice being in the moment.

Okay, I'm finished with my soapbox. My week was crazy, and I'm thankful it's over. We had state testing this week as well as parent teacher conferences, so our schedule was completely turned upside down as well. Thankfully, it looked as though the kids did pretty well on the tests, and all of my conferences ended well. I even got a wonderful thank you email the following day after one of my conferences.... definitley makes it all worthwhile.

Friday night, I was so tired, I didn't feel like doing much of anything. We ended up going out for pizza and a couple of beers and I was in bed at 10:30.... just wonderful! On Saturday, I babysat my sister's kids for a few hours in the morning and then worked until dinner time. One of my co-workers 30th birthday parties was yesterday so I went over to his house after work. I paid for that this morning. They had a keg and I wasn't a huge fan of the beer on tap, so I stuck with liquor.... I can't remember the last time I drank liquor and I think I mixed every liquor imaginable last night.... I was greeted at the door with two jello shots- seriously- haven't done that since college! Followed by some long island iced teas, a strawberry daquiri or two, it just went all downhill. So needless to say, my Broad Street Run training didn't happen this morning. I was happy I was well enough to take the dog out. It was AWFUL.... One of those times when you promise you will NEVER do it again....

So, here I am at work again (my little spending cash/pay off the credit cards second job that I've had since high school). I'm finally feeling back to normalish.... thank god. It would be nice if I could get out of here at a decent hour and try and get my run in tonight, but being that the weather is awesome and everyone wants to be outside... they're all golfing, which means that I will probably be here awhile.

Hope all is well.... and some of you lurkers better delurk soon- unless of course, everyone stopped reading!

Busy Bee.....

2009-03-13T13:40:00.003-04:00

This week has been really hectic! I've had so much on my plate I forgot to blog. I apologize that I've been a horrible blogger lately, but I feel like I don't have much to say and that my life is not that important anyway! So for lack of blogging, here's what I've been up to:

Two weekends ago, Eric and I went to Avalon for a brief getaway. He starts his new job tomorrow and although I think he's going to love it, it's going to be a lot of hours. On top of that, I went back to my second job on Sunday, so things get tense from now until the end of the school year when I'm not as stressed. Needless to say, the beach was wonderful.

Here's a view from our morning walk:

Sadie LOVED the beach!

This weekend, I went to a show in Kennett that had Irish music. We had a really good time with two other couples, but I had a busy Saturday planned, so we came home rather early. Saturday, I had a bridal shower in the morning for my college roommate Alli in New Jersey. Her wedding is in Ocean City in May.... I'm really looking forward to another excuse to go to the beach!

Alli and her bridesmaids

As soon as I got home Saturday, we had to get ready for the Saint Patrick's benefit party. The Catholic school in our area had their annual fundraiser. It was really nice and I'm pretty sure they make a lot of money off it. We headed out to Hartefeld and partied for awhile. Eric was in the poker tournament and came in third place! I hung out with the crazy PTO moms at school!

Seriously.... these are the best moms to have in your class.

By Sunday, getting up for work was torture. I felt terrible and exhausted. My weekend was almost as busy as my week! Sunday night, I was in bed NICE and early. I'm hoping I'll relax a BIT this weekend.

I've gotten into this crazy cleaning binge in the last week or so. I think it stemmed from not having a clean house for three weeks! Seriously, that might have been the longest period of time that my house has gone without a proper cleaning. The floor was gross, the carpets were filthy and the laundry was overflowing (even though it was clean, I hadn't put it away). I'm trying to recruit my sister to come help me declutter our life/house. I don't realize how much we have until I no longer want any of it! I think spring cleaning is a necessary in everyone's life!

On the baby front, nothing yet.... although he has gone back to his "lax birth control" plan. I reminded him that the last time this happened it cause a pregnancy, and he told me didn't really care at the moment. Not sure what to get out of that one.... maybe I'm wearing him down :) So, we'll see.... I'll keep you posted if I think there's a pregnancy test coming my way, but not any time soon!

Well, I better keep checking on the kiddos PSSA testing..... thank goodness this will be over soon! HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Who Knows?

2009-03-08T22:12:00.002-04:00

This weekend was incredible in the north east!!! We had temperatures almost near 70, which is amazing, considering we had a good 6 inches of snow last Monday! Eric and I decided to seize the moment and head down to my parent's beach house and spend the weekend with them. I haven't uploaded all the pictures yet, but I posted what I did upload on Saturday. I promise to update soon! It was so nice to have a change of pace and get out town for awhile. Although the mess was still here when I got home, and I'm back to the grind, I definitely have a lot more energy and better attitude toward doing things.

I did talk to Eric, thanks for your comments.... he seems to be where he was before. He knows where I stand, but still thinks he's not ready, as much as he loves being a daddy to Sadie (our pup). So, I'm pretty much back to where I started in Sept/Oct. We'll see where that lands us. I just found out that I do have a wedding to be in July, but even if I got pregnant this month, it's only 4 months!!!! Ugh, who knows! In the mean time, I'm still trying my best for a clean house and losing 15 lbs, but seriously, who isn't?

Hope you enjoyed your weekend!!!! Thanks for your wonderful comments!

Still Wanting....

2009-03-04T23:15:00.003-05:00

Although I haven't talked about it a lot since the miscarriage, I still REALLY want to get pregnant in the near future. I didn't go back on the pill, and we're not using birth control, so I guess it will happen eventually, but I hate that we don't talk about it, and when it comes up in a joke, it's just that, a joke. So, I don't know what to think anymore. As much as I'm trying not to think about it, I'm frustrated. Any advice?

FABULOUS Long Weekend!

2009-03-01T20:27:00.002-05:00

So, guess who has a snow day tomorrow? I'm really looking forward to it! There are a couple of things on my agenda:
1. organizing a coupon binder (because I was inspired by Christina and from watching a woman on the news who had a $240 grocery bill and got it down to $0.47! Now, I know I won't get mine that good because she spends a GREAT deal of time looking for deals, but I do hope to save some cash!

2. working on my mini-business opportunity putting together movie slideshows. When I finally get the digital edit uploaded- I will put my youtube video up- but for now- just envision a slideshow movie set to music for special occasions, weddings, funerals, birthdays, etc.

So, we'll see how much I accomplish, but for now, my goals are set high! Hope everyone has a night, warm night!

My Weekend

2009-02-22T13:19:00.005-05:00

My weekend was VERY busy! On Friday night, I went to my friend Elizabeth's house. She sells Sabika jewlery so I went to look at their new spring stuff and the awesome fall stuff that was on sale! After making my purchase and getting a tour of her BEAUTIFUL home, I was shocked to see some high school friends I hadn't seen in a LONG time! I stayed for a glass of wine (or three) and then went home. It was so nice to catch up, see people (and their cute babies!) and relax! Let me know if you're interested in Sabika and I'll hook you up with Elizabeth!

On Saturday, I had to complete my long run for my Broad Street run training. So far, the runs aren't actually THAT long (only 4 miles), but for me, that is FAR! I ran at the Y on the track, so it wasn't as boring as the treadmill, but I was shocked how well I did. I guess all of the running I have done so far has paid off!

After the Y, I got a quick shower and went to Amy's house for Ellen's bridal shower. I used to work with Ellen when I got my first teaching job in Delaware. She's getting married at the Coast Guard Academy in July. It'll be one of the 6 weddings we have this summer! So, here's a picture of her sitting in the "hot seat".

After I got home, we had to run off to a surprise birthday party for our friend Stephen. I didn't take any pictures because I forgot my camera at Amy's (I had to go BACK to Delaware this morning and pick it up). The party was a BLAST! We were playing drinking games from college and loved the Mardi Gras theme (this was the only way to keep the secret from him!) Now, today, we're just relaxing and hanging out since it's crappy and cold outside. A busy, busy weekend, but fun!

Hopefully these next couple of weeks will go fast so spring will be here!

A Surprise!

2009-02-15T09:30:00.003-05:00

okay, I apologize about the lack of blogging, I just haven't felt like ANYTHING was that exciting (or not exciting) to blog about. Apparently, my sister thinks I've fallen off the face of the earth for doing so!

So, my first married Valentine's Day wasn't quite as bad as I thought it was. As much as people think it's a Hallmark holiday and don't do anything, I definitely consider it important, because it's a friendly reminder to my not so spontaneous husband that he needs to do something unexpected. But rather, it's become pretty expected for me not to expect anything. So, I woke up, put his card and doggie gift out, and waited. And waited. And, he didn't get out of bed until 11:30. So, when he did get up, he saw his card, and immediately left the house (of course because he didn't do anything unexpected!) He came back with flowers and a card! (which are beautiful by the way)

So, I thought that would pretty much be the extent of my Valentine's Day. I knew there were no reservations, no plans etc. I griped about not being able to go anywhere because there would be no way in hell that we would get in and I decided to take a bath and plan on ordering pizza. Eric sneakily called one of my favorite restaurants and got a reservation for 8:00! Seriously- who gets a reservation on VALENTINE'S day at 5:45? Only my husband gets that lucky.

So out we went.... it was very nice, and very romantic. I had delish surf and turf and Eric had veal parm. Yum yum. We shared a heart shaped piece of cheese cake and I waddled my fat but home. I don't know if it could have gotten much better!

Tired!

2009-02-03T08:15:00.002-05:00

I have been absolutely exhausted lately. I don't know whether it's because I can't get to sleep at night or that I just have too much on my plate.

I can't seem to figure out why I can't get to sleep. It's like if I don't go to bed by 10, I'm up until 11:40-12:00.... which is ENTIRELY too late for me. I'm sure it has something with Eric not going to bed until really late, but usually that doesn't bother me too much. In any case, it's time to change!

I'm expecting my friend this week, we'll see what happens and if it's actually normal. They said if it is, then I don't have to worry about waiting any longer to try again. If it's not, I have to wait one more cycle. Although Eric still says things about waiting, I'm not back on the pill yet, so we'll see.

This weekend we went to Eric's Aunt's surprise 50th birthday party. It was nice. We also went to a superbowl party at Eric's old boss' house. That was fun too. Other than that, life is pretty boring. I hate winter for that reason. Eric's leaving on Wednesday for Level III testing, which is the last level, then hopefully he'll be a PGA member! That means hopefully we can stop paying all of this money for books and testing! It'll be really nice for him to have something to feel proud about.

Not much new- hope all is well with you guys!

A Day Off

2009-01-28T22:35:00.002-05:00

Today we had a snow day... it was kinda nice. I laid around most of the day, which is REALLY unlike me. I was at a meeting last night that ran really late, and I had trouble getting back to sleep after my 4:55 AM phone call, so I needed some rest (or at least that's my excuse). While laying around with Eric, we had a little tiff about our revised baby making schedule. Yeah, I'm not too excited. Apparently, the whole miscarriage really scared him and now he's really unsure of the getting pregnant in the near future! Ugh, I was hoping that being preggo once already would have made it easier. So, eh, I don't know where we stand with that.

After taking multiple naps and only doing laundry, I decided to get back on my training regimen (Broad Street Run in May!) and get my butt to the YMCA. I got to the Y, dutifully did my 2 1/2 miles, lifted some weights and came home. The good thing is I lost 3 lbs. so far since starting my little diet. I'm proud of myself and know I can do a lot better if I try a bit more (I haven't been giving it a TRUE effort!) So, back to the grind tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll be able to pick myself out of the mid-winter blues. I just keep reminding myself that I very lucky to be where I am in life. I should be more grateful.

Pulling It Back Together

2009-01-24T17:38:00.002-05:00

So today was the first day I actually felt productive in a LONG while. For the first time in a long time, I actually felt like I was pulling it back together. I was able to go to the Y (my now New Year's Resolution), get some laundry done from our vacation, clean the house and get a massage (thanks for a gift card from a friend who knew how rough life can be). So, I feel a lot more together these days. Thanks goodness, because I was really getting sick of coming home to mess, going to work in a mess, looking like a mess, etc. The trend was just really annoying and not like me.

As much as all of that is helping, I still can't help but wonder, what if? We're planning on going on going to the mall tonight, and I know I'll stare into Baby Gap, maternity stores, etc and think how much I'd like to be shopping for those reasons. I know the only thing that's going to help is time, but I wish I could fast forward at this point. I'm also really scared about if I get pregnant again, how paranoid I will be.

Oh well, I guess there's not much we can do now, except wait (and lose a few pounds!) I know it'll come someday, but I'm about the worst and being patient for things I really want. Because of my go-getter attitude, if I want something, I just make it happen. Unfortunately, many times my sister has reminded me that this is not something you can just "make happen." Anyway, now that's off my chest.... haha, isn't that what blogs are for?

Mexico= Wonderful

2009-01-23T23:37:00.003-05:00

Mexico was wonderful! It was such a nice vacation from life. We were able to spend time with my family and relax. And boy, did I need relaxing. Although I'm still wishing I was pregnant, it's nice to get away once in awhile. It also helped that I was able to drink on this vacation! Here are some pictures:

Eric and I getting ready for dinner

The Beach

The hotel

View from my chair..... WONDERFUL!

I'm really tired, and I promised a date at the Y for kickboxing in the morning. It's time to start my resolution a few weeks late! Good night!

Back to Antarctica!

2009-01-22T12:03:00.001-05:00

Well, we're back! The trip was awesome. We had such a good time. It wasn't long enough. In 5 days, we managed to go to an underground river, parasail, and rent a jet ski, as well as get a rockin tan! So, things are good.... I can't upload pictures at work, but I will be sure to when I get home! Have a great day!

Back On Track

2009-01-13T20:05:00.004-05:00

I'm feeling a little bit better each day. Thank you for all of your well wishes and support. You guys really are great! I've gotten back to exercising (5 days off was making me a little mental!) and the routine of school is a good distraction. Another good distraction is Mexico on Saturday! I'm really looking forward to getting away with Eric. My sister, brother in law and my uncle are all fun, and my parents are crazier than we are. I'm sure it'll be a blast. At this point, I don't really care what I look like in a bathing suit, because I can't starve myself skinny this quick. We will simply just deal with it!

So, looking forward, it seems like we're just going to take the same plan we took before. No "trying" but not really avoiding either. It seemed to work last time, and pretty quick at that, so who knows? Maybe it'll work this time too. Of course, I'll be sure to keep all of your bloggers in the loop!

So, as if these 15* temps aren't making you feel cold enough.... think of me here on Saturday by lunchtime..... yeah, I know you're jealous.... my parents rock.

Last Call

2009-01-10T17:01:00.001-05:00

Last call before I go private. If you already left a comment or emailed me, I've got you on the list. If you haven't please let me know before tomorrow night!

Such a Slow Process

2009-01-09T12:46:00.002-05:00

Miscarriage is much different and slower than I thought it would be. It feels a lot like getting your period, but there's a lot more pain in your back and stomach. I pretty much just ache. All in all, I'm still pretty unhappy with the Dr's office giving me the run around, and I'm ready for a vacation. Mexico will be a nice break from the frustration of life right now. I'm ready for a break. I wish I had more information for all of you, but the problem is I don't really know anything else. I feel VERY misinformed.

Not Good....

2009-01-08T09:56:00.000-05:00

My second betas went down. I started at 1203 last Friday and I'm down to 637. The nurse told me to expect heavy bleeding soon. I guess some things are just too good to be true! Don't worry- I'm sure I'll get pregnant some time!

More Bloodwork

2009-01-07T19:31:00.002-05:00

So, I started spotting a little bit last night. I wasn't terribly worried, but after doing way too much research online, I made myself paranoid. Since we're leaving in 10 days for Mexico, I was a little worried that something might go wrong while we're not in the country! I called the Dr's office this morning and she told me that normally she would said that this is normal, but because my first appointment is for another month, she said it would probably be a good idea to see me. I got an appointment right away and the nurse said everything looked okay, but they're still having trouble figuring out how far along I am. They wrote up more lab work, and I had to go back to the lab at lunch to have the blood drawn. Hopefully we'll get results tomorrow. We also did some Rh test to figure out my blood to make sure it's going to work with Eric's blood type. So, keep your fingers crossed that everything's okay! I feel good after kickboxing and there's no more spotting, so I guess that's good sign!

Have a good night!

Pay It Forward

2009-01-06T21:30:00.001-05:00

Life is full of surprises. However, few things are 'true' surprises that we never saw coming. Here's a chance to "pay it forward" and surprise three people you may/may not know and, in return, be surprised yourself!

WANT TO PLAY?!

To play Pay It Forward, you must:

1. Have your own blog
2. You must be willing to continue to "pay it forward" by sending the first three people who comment (on your blog) a gift. It can be homemade or bought-- there is no limit to what you can give!
3. If you are someone that I surprise you must, in return, post something similar to this on your blog, so that you can pay it forward to three more people and the surprises will continue!

(For the first three people who comment, make sure I have your email so I can get in contact with you about your gift!)

Private...

2009-01-05T18:23:00.001-05:00

I think it's time to go private. With my job and the current situation, I would prefer not to indulge my personal life to the ENTIRE world. If you want to be added to the list, leave a comment or send me an email Kfigueroa7@yahoo.com I will leave it public for a week or so and then go private!

Seriously?

2009-01-03T14:44:00.002-05:00

Okay bloggers.... deal with my mental messed-upness because you're about the only people I can tell besides my husband and family. I know I know I know. I found out on New Year's Day, but we other than the fact that I peed on about 20 of these, I don't know anything else. I went for bloodwork on Friday morning, and they said they would try to have the results by the end of the day, but they weren't in yet, so I've just kinda been waiting all weekend. I'm going to stalk that place on Monday till I get an answer.

I thought that I got pregnant in December, but according to the nurse, there's no way it would come up on a test yet according to the date of my period. So, they think that I might have actually gotten pregnant in November, and am further along than I initially thought. So, that's why they sent me for bloodwork. I'm trying to contain myself until I know anything for sure.

So, today's also Eric's birthday- Happy Birthday Love! We're going out for a nice dinner tonight, and hopefully back to relax, because if I have ONE pregnancy symptom- it's complete exhaustion!

Hope all is well for everyone else- keep your fingers crossed!

2008 in Review

2008-12-29T22:40:00.005-05:00

Christina posted an interesting 2008 Q & A. I thought it may be interesting to review my 2008 since it's my FIRST year blogging!

So here ya go. 2008 in retrospect, 2009 to come:

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Got married! It's not that I didn't think I would do it, but I've never done it before- and I never plan on doing it again (although it was a beautiful day)!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any resolutions last year. I wanted to be more organized (especially planning for the wedding) and I wanted to finish my master's degree.

I'm going to try and get rid of the 11 lbs I gained since the wedding- I must admit I completely gave up after the wedding- but I'm getting back on track now!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My co-worker in May, My cousin in August.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My Grammy passed in October and my cousin passed last week. I hope they're looking down on me now.

5. What countries did you visit?
Ummmmm.... none. We went to Hawaii, but that's still in the US.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
A BABY!!!! Now, if I could only work on convincing my husband....

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July 26, 2008 at 2:00 pm! I walked down the long marble aisle of St. Patrick Church to tie the knot!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Master's Degree, buying a new house, getting married, all within, eh, six weeks. Yeah, I know, I'm pretty badass.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Letting myself go after the wedding- but I REALLY needed a break! Something had to give!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Other than this nagging cold for the last 4 weeks on and off, no.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A honeymoon!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
No idea.... I'm going to have to side with Christina here and say that Britney was pretty amazing. I loved watching her documentary and seeing that she pulled herself together.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
George W.- yeah, he pretty much sucks.

14. Where did most of your money go?
BILLS! Mortgage, wedding, credit cards, etc.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Getting MARRIED! And my new puppy Sadie!

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Michael Jackson- The Way You Make Me Feel or Norah Jones- Come Away With Me. Neither were written in 2008 but they were our wedding songs- one slow, and one fast (it was such a good surprise to our guests to see the hilarious fast dance)!

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? HAPPIER
b) thinner or fatter? FATTER
c) richer or poorer? Probably the same financially, but we have more (bigger house, nicer things, etc.)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Exercise/ relaxing

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Eat crap, work work work!

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas Eve at my sister's house. Christmas morning at my sister's (to watch the kids open presents) Then Christmas at Eric's parents' house.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
I'm still in love.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Real Housewives of Orange County- I just want to be as pampered as they are!

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Not that I know of....

24. What was the best book you read?
A Pilot's Wife.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I still love Dave- he will always be my favorite.

26. What did you want and get?
A new house!

27. What did you want and not get?
Bambino!

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
I am not really a movie person- I just fall asleep during movies!

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Went down the shore- went out to eat- my niece made me cupcakes and I got lots of cool wedding related gifts (as it was three weeks before!)

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Preggo my eggo!

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Still pretty boring! I'm pretty conservative at work, but the budget keeps me in check.

32. What kept you sane?
Friends, my sister, my husband

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Good question.... I just like reading the trashy mags.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
The election. Yay Obama!

35. Who did you miss?
Grammy. Jenny.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Sadie puppy! Dogs count right?

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Be thankful for what you have. People always have it worse that you.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

I've been waiting for so long
Now I've finally found someone
To stand by me
We saw the writing on the wall
As we felt this magical fantasy

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T23:49:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas! Stinks that I've got a cold today, but it's nice and quiet in our house. We just home from dinner at my sister's and we're settling down for bed before going back to watch the kids open presents in the morning. Eric and I aren't exchanging presents, so we'll just dote over Sadie's stocking stuffers in the morning. I made sure to tell Eric that all I want for Christmas is to get pregnant.... and if I'm counting correctly, it would mean sometime soon!

Hope you have a great holiday!

Pretty Pictures

2008-12-23T00:07:00.001-05:00

Some pretty pictures of Jenny.... sorry, it's the one of the few things that makes me feel better.... I love thinking about all of the happy times!

The Time Has Come

2008-12-22T07:45:00.003-05:00

Jenny passed last night. I'm sure that she was hanging on, waiting for her brother to arrive from Germany. He made it here with his wife and baby on Saturday afternoon. Although I'm terribly upset, I feel relived that her family was not sitting at her bedside on Christmas. I'm ready for 2008 to go, and welcoming 2009.

Best Time To Shop...

2008-12-20T22:18:00.002-05:00

I'm convinced the best time to shop is on Saturday night at 9 pm. I just got home from Target and it was AWESOME. There was no one there and they were restocking the shelves for tomorrow. Score! So, now I'm home wrapping. Eric is out with his friends and I've got really boring Saturday night shows (that I actually enjoy) on. Yay- sweatpants are a fabulous thing!

Hope all is well- please keep Jenny in your prayers. Her brother, sister in law and niece arrived here from Germany this afternoon. When we told her they were coming, she did actually open her eyes a bit and stick our her arm. I'm just hoping she's not in pain.

Thanks for stopping! Please leave your comments- I love reading them!

It Doesn't Seem Fair...

2008-12-18T23:15:00.002-05:00

I went back to see Jenny tonight. I was at the hospital for awhile last night and they decided to move her to hospice. I was shocked that they were moving her because although she was sleeping a lot, she could wake up, wave, and give you a thumbs up or down to answer your questions.

Today was a different story. I got to the hospice after work and it seems as though things really turned. Her breathing is very labored, she's almost completely unresponsive, and she feel almost "gone." So, needless to say, it was much harder than being there yesterday. Seeing the priest come in confirmed my every last fear..... it really is the beginning of the end.

All I can do is hope and pray that she's not suffering and that her family will someday will be able to cope with the pain of losing someone so wonderful, so soon. It truly doesn't seem fair. It makes you question life, God and your morals. Why do good people have to deal with so much? Hasn't she had enough? Hasn't her family been through enough? Seriously, I don't know how they can do it.

So Jen, if you're listening someday to me, you're the best, I love you.

"Because I have loved life, I shall have no sorrow to die." ~Amelia Burr

Too Young.... Too Soon

2008-12-17T07:43:00.000-05:00

My cousin is battling brain cancer.... for the second time at 26. Although she's a fighter, she's had her "maximum" of radiation the first time she had cancer. Unfortunately, although they removed most of the tumor, there's not much she can do. She's in the hospital now, but her parents are considering moving her to hospice. As far as I know, hospice means... the end. It's so heart-breaking. She's a great person, and a true hero to have even dealt with this once, let alone twice.... and no complaining whatsoever. So, we're waiting. She was in a hospital in VA, where she lives, but her parents had her choppered up here on Monday. I'm going to run over to the hospital tonight to visit. She can't really speak, but she's coherent and alert. I'm going to try real hard to pull it together all day and put on my strong face, because I know she's the one who's strong, not me.

I feel terrible for my mom, who is her godmother, not only because she's losing a god daughter, but she's also losing her best friend. She's so worried that Jenny's mom will never be the same.

There's so much negativity right now, I don't even know how I feel like Christmas is coming. Many of our friends are going through divorce, my grandmother passed, Jenny's sick, it's just a lot all at once. Although I do feel extremely grateful to be alive and healthy, I feel most worried for those who are not in my shoes. I'm going to say my prayers and hope for the best.... because I do believe in miracles.

"Each of my days are miracles. I won't waste my day; I won't throw away miracle. "- Unknown

Favorite Things

2008-12-14T09:48:00.005-05:00

So, I'm done complaining from yesterday. So, I decided to start making food. I figured it would help my mood and my expanding butt.

FYI- before I start talking about food, I MUST introduce my favorite Christmas Candle:
And it's not because I'm married to a Puerto Rican guy and I love all things Spanish, but I LOVE Feliz Navidad. Not too cinnamony (Is that a word?) and provides a YUMMY smell in my house!

Okay.... now on to food:

First, I made fudge..... YUMMY!!!

These are the ingredients I used:

I can't believe that this disgusting mess made WONDERFUL fudge!
Miss Sadie taking a nap while I'm hard at work in the kitchen!

The finished product:Now- on to Chex Muddy Buddy Mix!

First, I took all of the topping indegredients and melted them in the microwave.
Then, you add them to your Chex cereal.

Mix 'em up! I used my hands. It was a little messy, but it got the job done a LOT easier!
Then, you put the mix in a bag with powdered sugar and SHAKE it up!
Then, I layed it all out on the counter to cool.
My husband told me it looked nasty, but once he tried it, he was addicted.

See- I CAN cook! (er- well..... bake..... I can do SOME things!)

No Preggo My Eggo

2008-12-13T11:39:00.002-05:00

Yeah, well, it came last night. Ugh. Oh well. I'm making up for it by baking like CRAZY today. I just got home from the Y and I'm heading to the grocery stores to purchase all of my supplies. MMMMM.... of course, this is not helping my "I want to be healthy" diet, but I have my period. Seriously. There are no boundaries right now.

I'm in one of those crazy moods where I feel like I could drive for hours. I went for a drive after the Y and I feel better, but I could have kept going. No Kelly, it's time to come back to reality. Just need time to think.

Anyway, thought I'd update the blogging world of my status.... or non-status depending on how you look at it.

Hope you have a great day. I'll be sure to take many pictures of my baking adventure. Next stop: supermarket.

1. Fudge
2. Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
3. Chex Muddy Buddy Mix

WAHOO

Period? Or Not....

2008-12-10T22:48:00.002-05:00

I was supposed to get my period today.... nothing.... I'm too scared to pee. I tried on Monday when it was on my mind and it said not preggo. Haven't tried since then. It really had me thinking when I threw up on Sunday night out of the blue..... so.... I wait. I'm sure it'll be here tomorrow, but so far, the last three months since I've been off the pill, I'm just like clock work. We'll see.

Thank goodness it's not super freezing anymore! I can't imagine doing that for much longer! If it's going to be that cold, we might as well have a snow storm!

My student teacher's last day is tomorrow. I'm going to miss her. She really made my life a lot easier. It's not that I don't like my job, but it's nice not to have to bring papers home at night and time to plan ahead. I find that I'm much better at planning than executing. So, we shall see. It'll be nice to have my kids back to myself.

Only 9 more days until break.... seriously...... I CAN NOT WAIT!!!!!!

Soooooooready.

Hope you're having a wonderful week! I'm making a new year's resolution to be a better blogger!

Faking it...

2008-12-04T07:28:00.004-05:00

So I've been trying really hard lately to put on my happy face and fake it, but it's getting really hard. I've been really good in the last 4 or 5 weeks about keeping my mouth shut, keeping my opinions to myself and just dealing.... but seriously, how long do I have to deal? It's so frustrating. With the current economic situation and the fact that Eric might get laid off from Jan-March, I guess it's better that we're not pregnant, but like I said before, are you ever able to afford it? I don't know. I try and try to think logically, but, my put together image can't last forever. My house is all decorated, and I only want one thing for Christmas....

Ugh, enough complaining.... I'm finished.... time to put on my happy face again. Thanks goodness for blogs and venting.

2008-12-01T23:05:00.004-05:00

Christmas is coming! Here's what I did this weekend:

Our Christmas Tree

Just Call us the Grizwald's!

Santa

The staircase

Eric's mom made this wreath!

Stockings and christmas trees!

The Buffet Table Santa Collection

Daddy and Sadie

Sadie's a sleepy girl!

Colds and Baby Fever

2008-11-29T14:22:00.002-05:00

So, I'm sick. I have a cold... .blagh.... I hate being sick because it just totally slows you down! Anyway, I stopped feeling sorry for myself this morning and got up for the gym anyway. I've gotten a lot done around the house and believe it or not, I'm almost finished Christmas shopping! It's really easy when you don't have to buy for your immediate family. We're not exchanging gifts because we're going on vacation in January instead. So, gotta work off that butt!!!

Anyway, I'm back to baby fever. I went out the night before Thanksgiving and saw a whole bunch of friends from high school. Of course for most of them, it was the first time since the wedding that they saw me. So, the first question was, "How is married life?" The second one was, "When are you going to have kids?" I would have them soon if you would stop asking me!!!! Jeesh- talk to my husband! At home, it's a bit easier, but Eric's still a pain in the butt. It would have been easy if Eric would have stuck to his promise of not "teasing" me. Well, the other night, he "somehow" lost control.... yeah right. Just so happens I think I'm right in the middle of my cycle so now it's constantly on my mind again. So.... ugh.

Anyway, I'm done cleaning for a bit, I'm going to try and lay down so I can clear my sinuses!!!

BUSY BUSY Week!

2008-11-25T07:31:00.003-05:00

Sorry I have been MIA. After we got Sadie, we've been super busy with her and other stuff. Sadie's coming along well. She's still working on getting her house trained which is a feat in itself, but it's coming along. Last week, on Friday, we had our read a thon sleepover. It went VERY well, but I was SO tired on Saturday. I felt like I had a hangover with a terrible headache and exhaustion. So, Saturday, I didn't do a whole lot of everything. On Sunday, I helped my mom finish cleaning out my grandmother's house and picked up my wedding video. It came out really nice! We spent the better part on Sunday afternoon/evening watching the video and making fun of ourselves!

This week is conference week. That means that the kids have half days and we have conferences all afternoon. It's nice to have a half day of school, but it's stressful to have conferences all afternoon. Just one more day!

I'm pretty psyched that my high school friends will be home tomorrow to go out tomorrow night. I am not sure if I can hold my own alcohol wise anymore, but I'm sure it'll be fun!

Well, I better get this day started since I've been at work for a half an hour already and haven't done a thing!

Cozy Sunday!

2008-11-16T21:15:00.003-05:00

Well, we've had Sadie for more than 24 hours now. She's a great dog. She's really mellow, especially for all the craziness she's gone through in the last day! First, we had the appointment at the shelter on Saturday morning. We had purchased tickets to the Brian Regan (comedy) show in Atlantic City months ago and we didn't want to cancel our trip, so we just assumed that worst case scenario that if my parents wouldn't let us take her to their beach house that we would just leave her with my uncle. Besides, we didn't even know if we would come back with a dog! I took my uncle with me to the rescue since Eric had to work.

So we arrived and went back to the barn where the puppies were. There were about 10 puppies and we were looking for Sadie (Greta) as we had seen in the photos online. She didn't really look the same as her coat was lighter in person than it was in the photos so I didn't know it was her at first.

After we found her, we took her out to play a bit and I was shocked at how calm she was for a puppy. She doesn't bark, doesn't pull on the leash a lot, and isn't super jumpy. I was happy about ALL of this. So, we decided to go with her. I made my donation and we headed out. After that, I proceeded to confuse her for a VERY long time. We first stopped at the club so that Eric could meet her. He was in love right away. After that, we stopped to drop off my uncle and took his dog and Sadie on a walk. After that, we stopped at my sister's so everyone could meet her. She was very good around all of the other dogs.

Finally, we arrived home, but only for two hours before heading to the shore. We packed up all of her stuff and my parents agreed to let her come with us because we promised she would be crated when we weren't home. I think my dad secretly liked her although I know he'll never admit it.

She was awesome in the car, she just slept the whole way. We took her for a long walk, she walked right into her crate and we left for the Borgata. We came home a VERY long time later and she had a little accident in her crate, but finally ate her food. She didn't seem to freak out either.

We came home this morning and stopped by my other uncle's house because he wanted to meet her. Then we took her to PetSmart to get a doggie tag. Now she's officially named. We slept on the couch for awhile and went to Applebee's for dinner. Now, we're home in our jammies cuddling on the couch! I think we're officially home bodies now!!!

Well, that's all for now, I'm off to iron and do laundry for the week! Have a great night!

Sadie!

2008-11-15T12:50:00.002-05:00

Meet Sadie! Here's our rescue pup from La Mancha Rescue in Unionville. It's such a GREAT facility. They have so many dogs, including puppies! She's about 3 months old and she's a Lab Shepard mix. She's SO calm! She may have been abused, because she flinches if you put your hand down to pet her. She also shows her submissiveness to other dogs too. She's really friendly though!! Here are some pictures!

ONE positive!!!

2008-11-11T18:41:00.004-05:00

Yeah, not a preggo test...... I wish!

But, we got a reply from one of the rescues! La Mancha Rescue approved our application and said we can make an appointment to come look. Unfortunately, the dog Eric really wants, Lily, is at the other rescue. I might force him to go look at other dogs, just to look. Who knows? Sometimes the cutest dogs are annoying and the best dogs are the ugliest ones in pictures.... so we'll see. We have to wait until he gets home tomorrow night to talk about it.

I'm super excited (I never thought I'd be that way). Although I'm not a HUGE dog person, it's only because I don't want the responsibility. If we get one now, Eric will be home to train it with his work schedule.

We'll see....

Still Nothing...

2008-11-10T12:27:00.000-05:00

We still haven't heard anything from the rescue and Eric's very intent on having THAT dog. We sent the form in on Thursday.... and I'm getting antsy!

We did go to Pet Smart on Friday night and looked at various doggy related items. Hopefully, we'll have a Christmas present!

Eric's in Charlottesville, VA until Wednesday for a golf tournament. It's really nice because I'm cleaning out the closets, but it stinks going to bed alone!

Still at work, and happy my second observation today went well! Only two more to go!

Have a great week!

Rescue!!!

2008-11-07T14:32:00.000-05:00

So, I think we've agreed to rescue. We spent some time on Petfinder and found two shelters around here. We've submitted our applications to them and just waiting to hear. There is a dog that we like right now, and her name is Lily. We don't know if we'll get her, but it's worth trying. She's a beagle mix. Although I think Eric still wants a big dog, I just don't know if our townhouse can handle it. I'm not worried about the size, because our townhouse is bigger than some people's single family homes, but because we don't have much of a yard, it might be an issue for a big dog.
I will post a picture later!

Doggie

2008-11-05T22:36:00.003-05:00

So I've pretty much decided that I'm going to get Eric a dog for Christmas or his birthday (in Jan.) I'm still worried and nervous. I know it's going to be a pain for awhile, but it's proving my commitment. And come on, they're really stinkin cute. Thanks for all of your advice! Maybe having a dog will get him to come around on the baby front? Who knows? Haha.....

So, does anyone know of either a good breeder or shelter where I can get a YOUNG dog? The key thing Eric wants is a puppy. I would rather rescue an older, trained dog, but he really wants a puppy, so my boy gets what he wants. I need your help if you live near the PA, DE, MD area!

Hopefully I'll figure it out soon!

Keep On Keepin On

2008-11-03T14:53:00.001-05:00

So, not much new, just pretty overwhelmed with life right now. I'm trying to get cleaned up from my family staying with me this weekend. Also, I'm supposed to have people over on Thursday, so I have to RECLEAN for that..... AHHH!!! Tonight, I have a meeting, tomorrow I have to tutor and a doctor's appointment (thank goodness it's an inservice day!) and Wednesday I have class. I feel like I'm just trying to get my head above water.

I'm still debating on whether or not to get Eric a dog for Christmas. He really wants a Chocolate Lab. I don't mind the dog, but I know he wants a puppy and it's just like having a baby. Except babies don't chew brand new furniture. Soooo.... as much as I'd like to surprise him for Christmas, I don't know how to do it.... hmmmm Any thoughts about puppies????

Back to the Grind...

2008-10-31T18:17:00.000-04:00

So, I am back at it again. Time to move on. Reality is here whether I'm ready or not. The service was really nice. I was happy that so many of my grandmother's family and friends were able to attend. I'm going to post the movie to You Tube and I'll the post the link when I get it. I'm sitting on the couch waiting for trick or treaters. I'm hoping no babies come around. Go figure that there were FOUR, yes.... FOUR infants in my classroom for our party today. What is that all about?!!?!?!? Torture.... anyway, now that all the mania has subsided, I'm hoping that I'll be able to talk with Eric again soon. I don't know what his plan is with his job, his certification and his mind. Just haven't been together a lot lately with his work schedule, the Phillies, and my grandmother. We'll see though. Anyway, better get off my butt and wait for those kiddies!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Off...

2008-10-29T07:54:00.000-04:00

I'm off of work today preparing for the funeral. We have several family members staying with us and my house is a MESS from trying to get everything ready! I need to get cleaning so it looks decent by this afternoon. I also need to go grocery shopping so there's actually something to eat!

I made a really nice IMovie for my Grandmother. It's a slideshow of pictures from throughout her life. I'm very proud of myself. I'm also working on a program for the funeral. I hope that turns out well.

Well that's it for now.... I wish I were still in bed, but there's too much to do!

Rest in Peace....

2008-10-25T20:08:00.001-04:00

My grandmother passed away last night at 7:15 pm. It was very peaceful and calm. She was surrounded by her family and friends and I felt a lot of closure being in the room when she left us. It was almost as if she waited for my cousin to get there and see her before she passed.

The funeral will be on Thursday, so I'm going to take off of work on Wednesday and Thursday. We have a lot of out of town family coming in, so I need to make sure we have the house in order, food and the slideshow for her viewing prepared.

On a different note, Eric got a ticket from his boss to the World Series game. He was very excited to go, and I hope he gets to see a win!

Just relaxing tonight- I am completely exhausted.....

We love you Gram!

Holding on...

2008-10-24T13:23:00.000-04:00

My grandmother has slowly started slipping away. She was great yesterday morning, she was in physical therapy and had been doing well. My mom went and visited with her during lunch and she was looking forward to getting out over the weekend and on the road to recovery. Not even 30 minutes after she returned to work, the doctor called and informed my mom that she was experiencing congestive heart failure. She was put on a ventilator and they were trying their best. She has a living will and explained that she doesn't want to be on a respirator if anything of this nature was to happen. My mom, aunt and uncles has to tell the doctor last night to pull the plug on the respirator and let it be.

She's only on morphine and being giving oxygen. She will most likely pass soon, but it could take days before this happens. It depends on how long it takes for her body to give up. It is tearing my family apart. I feel so badly for my mom and the rest of the family. They are physically and mentally exhausted.

I am finally at peace with her going. My sister and I visited with my grandmother last night and said our goodbyes. I am happy because she had a wonderful life, loved her family and was an incredible grandmother. It's nice and peaceful to think of her with my grandfather again.

Although it's agonizing and exhausting, I am thankful for my family and friends.

I appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

Confused...

2008-10-21T21:33:00.000-04:00

I'm just confused.... bothered.... frustrated... let down... sad. I'm not sure which adjective describes it best. This is the only time in my life besides getting married I've ever had to wait on someone else to make a decision. It's really hard when you disagree. The even harder thing is when you have no other option but to wait. So we're at it again. He's still not ready. The okay news is that I really honestly think I can get over that. I do. It will take time, but I do. But seriously, honestly, truthfully from the bottom of my heart think that he will never, ever, ever be ready.

He doesn't know what he wants. He doesn't want to sit at a desk all day, but doesn't want to be out and about. He doesn't want to work weekends, but wants to be in the golf business. He truly does not know. The funny thing is that that is what I love about him. I love that he doesn't make decisions and doesn't plan. And you wonder why I'm frustrated?

So, I realize that this is not the right time I guess.... but I still refuse to go back on the pill. I don't feel like screwing with my body again. He can take care of it if that's what he actually does know that he wants.

But what do I want? If I can't have what I want.... then I want time.... to be alone... and deal.

Pray for Grammie!!!

2008-10-19T22:00:00.000-04:00

So.... I got the phone call tonight that Grammie's oxygen levels were dropping. My mom was very worried that the doctor said she might not make it through the night so my sister and I headed over to the hospital and met everyone there. When we went in, I expected to see my grandmother lifeless and out of it. I was wrong. She was wearing an oxygen mask, but she sure was with it! Although her levels were low, after a while on the oxygen, she started to stabilize. I was glad to see her that way. Although she looked good, the doctor was still a bit nervous until she gets to dialysis tomorrow. They made sure to check her living will, which was depressing, but necessary.

All in all, things are shaky, but I'm glad I went to the hospital even though I was there yesterday. I will be sure to update tomorrow when I have more news.... in the meantime, please say a prayer....