somewhere over the rainbow

Week 23

2010-06-11T09:40:00.001-04:00

How Far along: 23 weeks

Total weight gain: 2 lbs

Maternity clothes: Yes and enjoying them :) I did use the belly band this week with a pair of pre-pregnancy pants as I spilled juice on the ones I was wearing and the other pair I would have worn were in the washer :)

Sleep: Not too bad. Dh has been giving me foot or back rubs almost every night to help me fall asleep.

Best Moment this week: While out for a nice bike ride, the hubby and I randomly starting talking about how many weeks the babe has left in utero, as we passed the park talking about how we can't wait to take the babe there... great convo and lots of great things to look forward too!

Movement: Yes. The hubby downloaded a lullabye on our phones and he plays it for the babe at night and I play it for the babe during the day. It's the same tune that will be played in the babe's nursery :)

Gender: Team Green

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: yogurt

What I miss: Wine... just a little.

Stretch Marks: nope

What I am looking forward to this week: Next week's appt :) Love hearing the heartbeat!

Week 22

2010-06-10T09:28:00.002-04:00

How Far along: 22 weeks

Total weight gain: 2 lbs

Maternity clothes: Yes and sporting my belly band from time to time.
Sleep: some nights are better than others

Best Moment this week: Hubby seeing the baby move :)

Movement: Most definitely!

Gender: Team Green

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: baby carrots

What I miss: nothing

Stretch Marks: nope

What I am looking forward to this week: Getting more done in the nursery and finishing up the baby registry!

Week 21

2010-06-09T09:18:00.001-04:00

How Far along: 21 weeks

Total weight gain: 2 lbs

Maternity clothes: Yup and using my belly band.

Sleep: Not bad this week.

Best Moment this week: Sharing ultrasound photos with family :)

Movement: All the time. Like clockwork in the morning and at night.

Gender: Team Green

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: Nothing this week.

What I miss: My morning coffee - I so could have used some caffine this week.

Stretch Marks: nope

What I am looking forward to this week: Knowing I'm "over half way there". :)

Week 20

2010-06-08T21:16:00.002-04:00

How Far along: 20 weeks

Total weight gain: 2 lbs (per my 20 week appt weigh in)

Maternity clothes: Yup although I'm still sporting my belly band with my normal pants.

Sleep: I love my body pillow :)

Best Moment this week: 20 week appt and ultrasound

Movement: Lots!

Gender: Team Green

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: Still Sprite - can't figure out why...

What I miss: Being able to walk around at work without being stopped by someone in every hallway asking about names and pregnancy details. Love my coworkers and that they're excited but come on.. :)

Stretch Marks: nope

What I am looking forward to this week: Sharing ultrasound photos with the family!

Week 19

2010-06-04T09:46:00.002-04:00

How Far along: 19 weeks

Total weight gain: 0

Maternity clothes: This is my first maternity shirt; nothing special just a baby saying on it. I'm using the BeBand with some pants.

Sleep: some nights are better than others

Best Moment this week: Knowing that the hubby and I can relax this weekend!

Movement: Yes and it's great to share it with the hubby. Definitely getting stronger :)

Gender: Team Green

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: Sadly I've been craving Sprite.

What I miss: Sprite - I'm trying not to drink much of it.

Stretch Marks: nope

What I am looking forward to this week: Maternity clothes shopping with the sis!

Week 18

2010-06-03T09:40:00.000-04:00

How Far along: 18 weeks

Total weight gain: 0

Maternity clothes: Not yet but I'm using the BeBand with some pants.

Sleep: some nights are better than others

Best Moment this week: The hubby felt the babe move!
Movement: Yes and it's great to share it with the hubby. Definitely getting stronger :)

Gender: Team Green

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: Still veggies - all kinds.

What I miss: Nothing this week.

Stretch Marks: nope

What I am looking forward to this week: Weekend bbq at the hubby's grandma's place on the lake with family visiting from all over.

Week 17

2010-06-02T09:34:00.000-04:00

How Far along: 17 weeks

Photo taken while on our weekend vaca... lighting wasn't great.

Total weight gain: 0

Maternity clothes: Not yet but I'm starting to use the BeBand with some pants.

Sleep: not bad
Best Moment this week: Celebrating out anniversary with a weekend getaway!

Movement: Yes!

Gender: Team Green

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: Still veggies.

What I miss: Nothing this week.

Stretch Marks: nope
What I am looking forward to this week: Our weekend getaway!

Week 16

2010-06-01T20:45:00.001-04:00

How Far along: 16 weeks

Total weight gain: 0

Maternity clothes: Not yet but I'm starting to use the BeBand with some pants.

Sleep: not bad

Best Moment this week: 16 week MD appt! Babe's heartbeat was in the 150's and we met with a midwife - she was absolutely amazing!

Movement: Yes and it's amazing! I feel it when I'm in bed at night. Little flutters :)

Gender: Team Green

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: Veggies - carirot and celery sticks, cuccumber slices.

What I miss: My morning lattes.

Stretch Marks: nope

What I am looking forward to this week: My friends wedding this weekend!

Week 15

2010-04-25T13:16:00.001-04:00

How Far along: 15 weeks

Total weight gain: 0

Maternity clothes: Not yet but I think I might get my Be Band out soon.

Sleep: getting better...

Best Moment this week: Getting ready for my friend's big day! I can't wait to stand by her side :)

Movement: Maybe but I'm not getting to excited yet... :)

Gender: Team Green

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: Oranges... again.

What I miss: Nothing really this week. Morning sickness is starting to go away... for good I hope.

Stretch Marks: nope

What I am looking forward to this week: Next appt scheduled for 16 weeks!

Week 14

2010-04-23T16:04:00.005-04:00

More of a bump but still being told on a regular basis that I don't look pregnant.

How Far along: 14 weeks

Total weight gain: 0

Maternity clothes: nope

Sleep: I'm thinking of upgrading to a body pillow. I heart cuddling with an extra pillow :)

Best Moment this week: I think I got a bit of energy back! I started do some stuff around the house after work the other day and the hubby looked on speechless :)

Movement: nope

Gender: Team Green

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: Cereal

What I miss: The rest of my energy! Hurry back!

Stretch Marks: nope

What I am looking forward to this week: Just enjoying the pregnancy and others knowing about it.

Week 13

2010-04-22T17:57:00.002-04:00

How Far along: 13 weeks

Total weight gain: 0

Maternity clothes: nope - wearing all my regular clothes :)

Sleep: Weird dreams! Had a dream that the little one was a boy... we'll see!
Best Moment this week: We told our families last week that we were expecting! It went well and everyone is super excited and happy for us. Now on to tell work and spread the news to others.

Movement: nope

Gender: Team Green

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: I'm back to eating oranges!

What I miss: Energy... still. Hoping it lets up soon along with the morning sickness!
Stretch Marks: nope
What I am looking forward to this week: Sharing the news with more people!

Week 12

2010-04-21T18:50:00.001-04:00

Two photos to show what I see bare belly and what others see, covered of course :)

How Far along: 12 weeks

Total weight gain: 0

Maternity clothes: nope

Sleep: Much better this past week!
Best Moment this week: Our first ultrasound! Most amazing thing even though I had to pee like none other. Got to hear the little one's heartbeat as well. A wonderful sound at 148 bpm! Both brought tears to my eyes.

Movement: nope

Gender: Team Green

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: Nothing that I can put my finger one this week.

What I miss: What it felt like to not having morning sickness all day.

Stretch Marks: nope

What I am looking forward to this week: Telling our family!

Week 11

2010-04-20T16:45:00.001-04:00

How Far along: 11 weeks

Pregnancy brain set in hardcore this week! Apparently we forgot to take a picture all together :(

Total weight gain: 0

Maternity clothes: nope

Sleep: I'm doing good with "training" myself to sleep on my side. Pre-pregnancy I was a big tummy or back sleeper. Trying to break the habit early :)

Best Moment this week: Just working on plans to tell the family next week. We're thinking of slipping in some ultrasound pics with some home improvement and furbaby pics and having our families figure it out.

Movement: nope

Gender: Team Green

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: Celery... Strange but atleast all the cravings so far have been pretty healthy!

What I miss: Coffee when I wake up dead tired.
Stretch Marks: nope

What I am looking forward to this week: Ultrasound is next week!!!

Week 10

2010-04-19T15:39:00.000-04:00

How Far along: 10 weeks

Total weight gain: 0

Maternity clothes: nope

Sleep: Loving my extra pillows these days. Also sleeping in a sports bra - a must have!
Best Moment this week: Getting new bras! I'm not sure how long I'll be able to wear them; they seem to be filling up fast :) I've gone up a cup size already.

Movement: nope

Gender: Team Green

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: Yogurt

What I miss: Having energy and feeling good. Morning sickness is still visiting several times daily.

Stretch Marks: nope

What I am looking forward to this week: The weekend so I can sleep!

** Not sure why my photo is so fuzzy... Sorry!

Week 9

2010-04-18T21:39:00.000-04:00

How Far along: 9 weeks

No photo... Not sure what happened to it; I swear we took one. Darn pregnancy brain!

Total weight gain: 0

Maternity clothes: nope

Sleep: Still getting up during the night to pee. :)

Best Moment this week: Our first OB appointment! Makes it feel a little more real :)

Movement: nope

Gender: Team Green

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: Oranges, still.

What I miss: Sleeping thru the night... baby is training me early..lol

Stretch Marks: nope

What I am looking forward to this week: Well I'm counting down the days until our next appt. The OB ordered an ultrasound for our 12 week appt and we can't wait!

Week 8

2010-03-29T10:13:00.001-04:00

How Far along: 8 weeks

Total weight gain: 0 - Photo was taken after dinner.

Maternity clothes: nope

Sleep: I'm using a regular pillow between my knees since I'm sleeping on my side more. Still getting up at least once to run to the bathroom. I've also been lucky to have morning sickness from about 10:30pm until 2:30am :)

Best Moment this week: Not much. Just knowing that our first appt is next week!

Movement: nope

Gender: Team Green

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: Oranges

What I miss: Coffee - I tried to have a small latte the other day but it just didn't taste good. :(

Stretch Marks: nope

What I am looking forward to this week: Our first appt at the end of the week!

Week 7

2010-03-28T10:07:00.000-04:00

How Far along: 6 weeks

Total weight gain: 0

Maternity clothes: nope

Sleep: I've been waking up at least once every night just because and up to the bathroom.

Best Moment this week: Three more weeks until my first appt!

Movement: nope

Gender: Team Green

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: Nothing yet.

What I miss: My energy and not feeling sick...lol

Stretch Marks: nope

What I am looking forward to this week: Not getting sick at work :)

Week 5

2010-03-27T10:04:00.004-04:00

How Far along: 5 weeks

Total weight gain: 0 - still feeling bloated.

Maternity clothes: nope

Sleep: I've been waking up at least once every night this week and toss in a trip to the bathroom too!

Best Moment this week: My niece was born :)

Movement: nope

Gender: Team Green at this point.

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: Nothing yet.

What I miss: Nothing yet.

Stretch Marks: nope

What I am looking forward to this week: Spending time with my new niece!

Back to reading.

2010-03-17T21:35:00.002-04:00

So my little new years resolution of reading a book a month went on it's own little path... or so I thought. The hubby reminded me the other day that I've been reading books; just not the ones I planned to read for my little book club.

I'm working on Baby Bargains and finished Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy last month. :)

The hubby is reading The Baby Owner's Manual: Operating Instructions, Trouble-Shooting Tips, and Advice on First-Year Maintenance .

I'm always in search of more books to read!

Week 4

2010-03-09T19:27:00.004-05:00

How Far along: 4 weeks

Total weight gain: 0 - I feel so bloated!

Maternity clothes: nope

Sleep: I've been waking up at least once every night this week but for no reason.

Best Moment this week: Finding out we're expecting!

Movement: nope

Gender: Thinking it might be a boy...

Labor signs: nope

Belly button: Right where it should be.

Cravings: Nothing yet.

What I miss: Nothing yet - too excited to think about it.

Stretch Marks: nope

What I am looking forward to this week: Just knowing that hubby and I have a secret :)

New year's fail.

2010-03-04T06:00:00.001-05:00

In case you haven't noticed, I never posted my February book. That's because this baby is kicking my butt and I've had zero engery. I'm hoping this month will be different!

How it all went down.

2010-03-03T06:00:00.003-05:00

Well not all of it... lol. Back in August 2008 we put a ban on the pill. I figured I would chart for a few months to see what my cycles looked like since a few of my friends have had some fertility problems. All looked well and we were ready to start a family.

Here's where the many road blocks showed up. First hubby's company had a series of layoffs. Now we really weren't too concerned with his actually job/department but definitely wanted to wait it out just to be on the safe side. Little did we know that 1 round of layoffs would turn into 4 over the course of several months.

Next up was a temporary wait due to my job. I work at an agency and our fiscal year runs from October to September. Our agency is pretty sound but we did lose some funding. Our September staff meeting is devoted to discussing the budget. Well our September, October and November meetings were all canceled. This was starting to make everyone at work nervous as this had never happened before.

In between his company's layoffs and my agency's unknown, hubby got a promotion, something he was hoping to get before all the layoffs started since there was an opening. We were confident that his job was secure and even more after this. With this news we decided to end the waiting game.

Finally January hit and although past charts looked good, I felt different about this one. I kept telling hubby that I thought this was it. I didn't want to get too excited so I waited a little while to test. Now I know many people say to wait until the morning to test for the best results but frankly I could wait that long. So one day after a busy day at work and a trip to the gym, while eating dinner I said to hubby, "This is it." I marched into the bathroom (followed the instructions) and came back out to the living room where hubby was watching TV. He asked how long it would take. We watched the test and instead of having to wait a full 3 minutes, we got our answer in about 30 seconds... on January 21st at 8:00pm we celebrated our mommy and daddy to-be status!

So many positive things in life...

2010-03-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

Including this:

I'm excited to announce that Baby B is on the way!

This is also the biggest reason I've been slacking with my blog. I've been enjoying all the fatigue and morning sickness :) I'll be updating the blog with weekly updates that started back in January!

The hubby and I are so excited and happy. We've been looking forward to this for quite some time.

A little party.

2010-02-08T20:22:00.001-05:00

Like many people, our house also watched the Super Bowl last night. And what an evening it was. A good friend of ours is heading out on a new career adventure, so the game night was also one of our last get togethers before he leaves later this week.

The menu: pizza bites, bbq honey chicken wings, chili, chips and dip, veggies and dip and lots of beverages.

We also checked out part of the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet. So cute and boy did it make us want a few puppies around the house. Back to the Super Bowl... the commercials were also pretty good this year, however, I wasn't keen on the half time show performance.

Ah, now I am left sleepy!

It's been quite the week...plus some.

2010-01-30T10:58:00.001-05:00

And I mean that in the most loving way. My world completely changed last weekend. I'm an auntie again! I'm head over heels in love with my niece :) Yes, I'm an auntie to two other fabulous little girls but this was my sis's first babe. This past week I've done lots of cuddling and snuggling with her. She's so sweet and smells it too. I've also been helping the new mommy and daddy out around the house but who wants to hear about that?! lol

I've finished my first book! I'm actually pretty proud of myself. Grant it the book was not a life changing book but it was exactly what I was craving - brain candy!

The hubby has lots on the agenda for this weekend and it's only Saturday morning. :)

1. Clean house
2. Prep dining room walls to paint
3. Clean spare room - it needs it for many reasons
4. Never ending laundry because we slacked off all week

Fortunately I agree that it all needs to get done I'm just not sure I'm ready to start on the dining room just yet... aka I don't want to live in a messy room all week because realistically it won't be completed until next weekend.

Busy busy.

2010-01-22T22:50:00.000-05:00

I'm busy finishing up my book for January and working on a few other things. Details to follow.

I can feel it.

2010-01-17T21:31:00.000-05:00

I did much better with the workout schedule this past week. So so much fun and you know you worked hard when you can feel it the next day. It's official - I have fallen in love with Zumba. Out of the three classes I do a week, there's two instructors. Both are fabulously energetic and make class so much fun!

I'm very much looking forward to another week of classes :)

So that workout thing.

2010-01-11T21:07:00.001-05:00

My workout schedule last week didn't go quite as planned. I had fabulous intensions, I really did. I decided to start attending a class at the gym – it’s one of my New Years goals. My gym offers several but it wasn’t hard to decide. I picked (drum roll please….) ZUMBA!!! The goal was to go to the gym Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for the Zumba class (hour long each) and then add on a couple days for the elliptical or running.

I made it Tuesday but then it went downhill from there. The weather was crappy for a few days which means the roads were as well. On a good note, it was so much fun and the time passes so quickly.

Only making it there once last week, can we say FAIL? LOL

My own little book club - january.

2010-01-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

As I wrote in by goals for 2010, I plan to read one book every month. I've chosen Over the Holidays by Sandra Harper for my January book. I adore the holiday season and now that the tree is down and the decor is put away, I thought it would be one last way to hold on to the Christmas spirit just a little longer :)

Christmas goodies.

2010-01-06T07:44:00.001-05:00

I received so many great Christmas gifts this year (some big, some small) - all were perfect. Here are a couple of my favorites:

My new Nikon camera:

My new spice jars (minus the spice rack):

I'm looking forward to a year of better photos and a more organized spice cabinet!

Getting a head start.

2010-01-04T08:00:00.002-05:00

I was catching up on some of the other blogs I follow and came across the following words:

Would a resolution of a cleaner, more organized, happy house be a good resolution for you? I'm here to challenge you to do it! And I'll be here every step of the way to help you get it there, starting with a New Year Challenge! We'll begin with a big jump start getting all the rooms of your house organized and clean, that way, the rest of the year can be about maintaining and fine tuning.

Would it be a good resolution? Hell yeah! I've decided that my 2009 goal of being more organized will continue into this year, I'll definitely be following My Happy House!

Being organized just makes me feel better and less stressed. Of course it also makes the house look mighty good :) With all the things we have planned this year - I know the hubby will agree that anything we can do to make things more simplified is worth trying.

Getting my sporty on.

2010-01-03T00:55:00.004-05:00

One of my goals for 2010 is to build on 2009's goal of becoming healthier. Last year I joined the gym and have had lots of fun working out (in front of the TV...lol) on the elliptical. This year I'm up for some changes and wanting to challenge myself a little more. I have my week planned out and I will share that later (probably over the weekend so I can do a single post on how it went).

I have been getting most of my workout clothing at Target because 1) I really don't own that much and 2) it's cheap but has held up. I love these pants from Target. They are super comfy and allow me to move around easily. I also have a couple of the C9 sports bras. So far so good; no complaints.

As a little motivation to gear up for a new year and new goals - I ran to Victoria's Secret because everyone loves a little semi-annual sale! I found some great deals on sports bras! I grabbed a few and not all of them are shown online but here's one. All the sports bras I snagged were $8.99 each (with regular prices ranging from $22 - $40). I also found some great shirts but couldn't find photos online.

I'm looking forward to a new year at the gym!

Good-bye 2009 – hello 2010!

2010-01-01T21:16:00.000-05:00

Now 2009 was a good year for the hubby and I (not the best but by far not horrible!) but we’re both ready for 2010.

A quick look back at last year’s goals:

1. Work on a healthier me. (Read: say no to coworker when she comes by with a bag of M's, stop parking right next to the handicap spots and start parking at the end of the row and walk, and realize that I don't have to get a mocha, coffee, or the like, just because I'm driving by Tim Horton's, Starbucks, etc.)

2. Work on getting more organized. (Read: stop clearing off the counter by stashing everything into the junk drawer and tossing everything that doesn't have a home, in the closet.)

And now… Goals for 2010!

1. Expand on a healthier me. Last year I joined the gym and spent many hours on the elliptical. This year I want to try some classes and maybe even start running.

2. Getting more organized stays on the list once again this year because frankly there’s always room for improvement!

3. Reading more! I’ve decided to read at least one book a month which seems like nothing but it’ll be a big improvement from last year! If I read more than that great, if not – oh well. Oh and they’ll be anything from cheesy fiction to something more serious and enriching.

4. Do more – hopefully with less. The hubby and I would really like to more things together. This past year we took a few shorter vacations and did many things closer to home but we’d love to do more. I’m hoping that we can take advantage of many of the free or low cost activities that happen in our city and local areas. The goal is to spend more time together but just less money doing it as we’re saving for other things.

Good luck with your new goals! I look forward to reading about others' - maybe I'll get some good ideas for this year yet or for next :)

Almost a new year.

2009-12-31T16:32:00.003-05:00

With 2010 just around the corner (literally just a handful of hours away), it’s time once again to look at New Year’s resolutions. With a quick Google search the most popular choices seem to be spending more time with family/friends, getting out of debt and losing weight.

I’ll be posting mine later – probably tomorrow after a couple cups of coffee :)

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-26T08:56:00.001-05:00

I hope that everyone had a fabulous holiday and that travels were safe. I hope that everyone enjoyed time with family and friends, enjoyed exchanging presents and eating lots of good food but also remembered the true meaning of Christmas.

We're still not done with holiday celebrations in this house! We have two more to go; I hope we can survive! Up next... working on those darn New Year's resolutions. Ha!

Popcorn please.

2009-12-16T18:12:00.001-05:00

Another one of my favorite things to do this time of year (well all year around but... lol) is watch movies! A bowl of popcorn and a glass of wine and I'm all set.

A few of my favorites that I've watched so far this holiday:

Holiday countdown: week five.

2009-12-14T17:00:00.003-05:00

This week I'm finishing up my Christmas shopping and wrapping as well as doing some food planning. The hubby and I will be attending his extended family Christmas this weekend and I get to make a yummy appitizer and dessert. I'm excited because I can make what I wish but this also makes it hard to think what do I make?

I'll be spending some serious time checking out some ideas at Sugar & Spice. All of the recipes she posts are so yummy looking and easily make me drool.

A few of my favorite things.

2009-12-13T21:51:00.004-05:00

Here are some of my favorite things around the house. The hubby and I spent part of the day wrapping presents and watching holiday movies. I love this time of year! And yes, my wrapping paper matches my tree decor. :)

Tis the season to decorate.

2009-12-09T22:01:00.000-05:00

Or update the blog. I'm not one to change my layout often (with the holiday, season, etc). While I like to mix things up and try new things often, I'm also a fan of consistency. Besides the hubby thought the new layout truly reflected my "somewhere over the rainbow".

Holiday countdown: week four

2009-12-08T20:01:00.000-05:00

This week has been a relaxing one thus far. The to-do list includes:

- addressing/mailing Christmas cards
- more shopping
- meal planning for the holiday (more on that below)

In the past, this would have been the week that we hosted our annual Christmas party with our friends but we've opted not to host one this year. There are several reasons and I'm still unsure if I want to forgo it completely. I would still like to invite friends over - just maybe in a low-key way.

Meal planning is something that I always spend a lot of time on. Not necessarily cooking/baking but thinking! This weekend we have my extended family's Christmas celebration. I always look forward to seeing my grandmother, aunts, uncles, cousins and now second cousins! What's hard is figuring out what food to take since we all bring yummy things to share. Next week we have another extended family Christmas with hubby's family. The host/hostess assigns families with different things to bring which helps make it a little easier. For this year's gathering we were asked to bring an appetizer and a dessert.

Here's to another great week of the holiday season!

Holiday countdown: week three (late)

2009-12-08T19:22:00.000-05:00

First of all, Thanksgiving kicked my butt. Secondly, I was sick for a couple days. Thirdly, the hubby and I have been behind with everything - I think the house and work are suffering the most!

Last week I shopped, shopped and shopped! I have been finding better deals online than in the store which has saved me so much time! The hubby found a great wallet for my dad at Lands' End. I found some camera accessories for my sister on another site. It's been a great "online" year! Don't get me wrong, I've spent plenty of time in the stores as well. It's a must for me and a true way for me to get into the holiday spirit.

We had our Christmas photo taken last week as well. I ordered our cards online. Fast and Easy! What more could you want? :)

We also decided on our Christmas travel plans!

Holiday countdown: week two

2009-11-24T23:04:00.001-05:00

Week two of my holiday countdown has arrived and gets a little busy with Thanksgiving on Thursday! This is the time when I start getting excited about decorating the house and tree. And yes there has been some Christmas music playing in my office at work :)

This week’s goals/to do list:

1. Finalize Thanksgiving Day plans. This one isn't much of a big challenge for us. We travel a little ways but are thankfully able to do so by car. We just have to figure out what food we're taking (whether it's make ahead or make once we get there), what time we're leaving and remembering to pack :)

2. Remember that list of "people to shop for" that you made last week? Time to put it to use! I organize mine so that each person gets their own page. At the top I jot down ages (for the little ones) and clothing/shoe sizes. I also like to list hobbies/interests on the page so when I'm shopping all the information is in one spot. An example would be:

3. Decide what kind of holiday cards you are going to mail out. There's the traditional half fold card were you can jot down a nice message, the holiday letter that lets you share what your family has been up to over the past year and the ever so popular holiday photo cards. I'm sure there are lots of other options you can do but that would be a whole other post - lol. If you opt for a photo card you'll have to decide if you want to take the photo yourself or get professional ones done and set a date to have the photo taken. If you opt for a traditional card you can head straight to the store or internet and pick out the perfect ones. And if a family letter is more your style you can start searching for the perfect stationary. I'll admit letters aren't my thing, probably because I don't have any children to brag about I do buy holiday stationary for casual invites and have found some really nice options at Target.

4. Get the house ready to decorate! This week I usually start making a game plan for decorating the house and doing the necessary deep cleaning. I keep all of my fall décor up until the day after Thanksgiving aka Black Friday (for the shopping lovers out there). So I spend the weekend putting all fall decor away and decorating the entire house! My hubby has already been outside putting up the lights for the simple fact that he prefers to walk on the roof when the weather's nice and it lacks ice :) The lights won't get plugged in until the weekend though.

5. Update the calendar to include any new events or important dates.

6. Start shopping for gifts. Start thinking about how you've done your shopping in the past and how you might be able to improve it to cut down on stress. For myself, I don't like to start too soon because I enjoy holiday deals but I also don't like to wait until the last minute and grab whatever I can find knowing it wasn't what I planned to purchase. I look at store ads every week while reviewing the gift list we talked about above. I used to tuck the lists in my handbag so when I'm out on my lunch or think I might do some shopping and I come across something, I can double check sizes, etc. But this year I'm utilizing my phone (I heart my Palm Pre)!

7. Keep all original and gift receipts organized in case you have to make a return or find something else. I keep all of these in one spot in my binder. It has saved me many times!

8. Keep track of purchases! Once you start buying items for people, keep a running total on each person's page with the amount that you have spent. It keeps your budget in check :)

Holiday countdown: week one

2009-11-18T22:04:00.000-05:00

So week one of my holiday countdown has arrived. I'll admit I don't keep a rigid timeline nor do I say I have to start this countdown at a particular time. I review my calendar and decide a head of time when I should start. For example, this year I looked at my calendar the first part of October and decided on the week of November 15th.

This week’s goals/to do list is as follows:

1. Organize my holiday planner (make a planner if this is your first year).
My planner is a three ring binder. I put everything in it (see below) and also keep all receipts and gift receipts in it for easy finding.

2. Make/review Christmas card list (make sure addresses are updated).
I list addresses in alphabetical order and keep room to note if I mailed one out and if I received one.

3. Print calendar and note all known events/appointments.
I print out November, December and January and jot down all important dates and plans that are known at that time.

4. Make a list with all the people you need to buy presents for (I also set a budget at this time).
My list typically includes my parents, siblings, in laws, sibling in laws, nieces and other family/friends. Each person gets their own page (more on that later) and I jot down the dollar amount I plan to spend. This is definitely the time of year when it's seems so very easily to spend more than you planned. I love lists and this really keeps me on track.

5. Make a draft of your Thanksgiving and Christmas travel plans: where you'll go and what days.
I make a list of what all of our obligations/upcoming events. Then we decide which ones we'll attend and decide on travel dates, etc.

6. Review family holiday traditions and goals.
When the hubs and I got married we each decided on some family traditions we wanted to continue and then also decided on some new ones to start. Our list includes: putting up and decorating our tree the weekend after Thanksgiving (while watching holiday movies and/or listening to holiday music), watching the Rockefeller Center tree lighting ceremony, completing some shopping together, etc. We also look at goals for the season. What did we like about last year and what do we want to do this year. Example: limit obligations and really enjoy the ones we commit to instead of running around to attend several things in a short amount of time.

Have fun getting started :)

Some things we just don't understand.

2009-11-18T07:30:00.000-05:00

I've been gone all week from the blogging world. My dear friend went into preterm labor over the weekend and gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on Monday. Unfortunately her sweet baby went to heaven shortly after. My friend has had complications since the emergency c-section as well. Things are looking up for her but I'm completely heartbroken for her. I have never felt more helpless in my life.

Holiday countdown.

2009-11-08T21:58:00.001-05:00

Like I've said before, I adore the holidays and it's truly on the top of my list of favorites. I know some people fear them for several reasons from the over-crowded stores to having too many places to go/things to do, the cost, etc.

As a way to keep things as smooth and stress free as possible, I've followed a basic countdown the past couple of years. It's been so hopeful so I figured I would blog about it as I countdown to Christmas this year. Hopefully someone else finds it helpful; at the very least it will keep me on track! The countdown I use is broken down by weeks so each week I'll share my list of things to do and think about.

Being "greener".

2009-11-04T19:00:00.002-05:00

So in an ideal world I would have no waste. I would recycle every single item I could. I would buy only eco-friendly products and revamp my house to have the best of the best in energy efficient everything. In an ideal world...

Well the reality is I'm getting better. No I'm not going to go out and purchase all new appliances; there's nothing wrong with my current ones and while not the highest rated, they are energy star. However, we recycle as much as we can but admit we have room for improvement. I'm trying harder to turn lights off when they're not needed. I'm trying to repurpose items when I can. I try to request electronic versions of everything I can (newspapers, books, etc).

I'm really trying to improve when it comes to cleaning. I still have my tub of Clorox wipes on the counter. I love and adore them. I have been using more vinegar than ever before. I've also decided to use up all the current cleaning products in my cupboard first. It's already purchase and if I don't use it, they'll just go to waste. That alone has been noticeable. I haven't purchased anything other than Clorox wipes and vinegar in probably two months! And yes, I'm still cleaning my house...lol

53 days to go.

2009-11-02T22:09:00.001-05:00

Christmas is my favorite holiday by far for so many reasons. It's also the one that I plan and organize the most for and in return enjoy the most!

It starts with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I watch it every year and have been known to set the DVR and watch it again that weekend. :) The day after Thanksgiving marks the official start for me. I love decorating the Christmas tree, fireplace - heck the entire house and yard. I love the smell of holiday cookies and candles. I love shopping for people and wrapping presents. Let's not forget all the wonderful music!

I look forward to the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony and adore the Radio City Rockettes. The hubby and I take advantage of our local city activities during the season which typically includes a horse drawn carriage ride on a snowy Sunday afternoon, watching classic holiday movies at the old theatre, getting hot chocolate/hot cider/coffee from the local coffee house while window shopping downtown.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… :)

Fall is fabulous!

2009-10-31T19:21:00.010-04:00

Happy Halloween!

Fall is such a great season. It decorates itself with such warm colors. The cooler (ok sometimes freakin' COLD) air allows for a warmer coat and a switch to a warmer wardrobe. The hubby and I have enjoyed pumpkin hunting, apple cider and carmel apples. I've enjoyed decorating the house and making Halloween cards for family and friends. The only down fall was the low trick or treater numbers. I think much of it has to do with the number of sick kids. Both of our nieces had temps yesterday. No fun!

Here's a photo of my favorite pumpkins outside:

And some house decor:

Sick of being sick.

2009-10-16T10:53:00.004-04:00

I've been sick all week and it's been anything but fun. This is the first time I've missed more than a single day of work other than being on vacation. Here's what my week has looked like:

Monday: I took a much needed vacation day but didn't do anything but lay around, drink hot tea and use an entire box of Kleenex.

Tuesday: Didn't get any sleep the night before - I was too congested to breathe normally and was coughing. Had a slight temp, drank lots of hot tea and used another box of Kleenex.

Wednesday: Still didn't get any sleep but forced myself to go to work and felt miserable the entire time I was there. I left a couple hours early. Still using a lot of Kleenex.

Thursday: Stayed home from work. Finally made it in to the doctors office (slightly annoyed that my regular doctor was booked until the end of the month but happy the other doctor could see me). Prescribed antibiotics and also received a basic panel lab request.... ugh I went in for a COLD and now you want my BLOOD???

Note: Yes doctor, I see that I have not been here for a year, I haven't been sick. Yes I understand you like to have basics done to make sure I'm healthy. Well frankly doctor, I don't like needles, you're not my regular doctor and even though I feel I have nothing to worry about, I will now worry that something is wrong with me until you call me with the results. THANK YOU VERY MUCH :( I think D and I have similar thoughts here: http://allthingsgd.blogspot.com/2009/05/needles-make-me-nauseous.html

Friday: Feeling a little better but not much. Already had the day off - no work missed. Still feeling annoyed with the doctor but I know I'll survive.

I'm hoping next week is a better one.

Great things in life.

2009-10-07T23:55:00.009-04:00

With so much going on over the past few weeks I decided that it was time to remind myself of all the great things in my life.

a hubby that believes in me and loves me unconditionally
cliff bars
the color of fall leaves
the smell and taste of starbucks (coffee in general)
fluffy bathrobes
my amazing coworkers that remind me that i did everything that i could and help me cope when i feel like i could have done more
m&m's
family - even though none of us are perfect
my furbabies that cuddle with me at night and wake me in the morning with their little nudges
target clearance
my future niece/nephew - new life in general
my friends even though we're all on different pages in the book of life
memories of my grandparents and stories of their struggles and triumphs
knowing that i believe in a higher being

It's definately september.

2009-09-10T21:29:00.001-04:00

How do I know? Well the yellow buses are back on the road and kids fill the sidewalks near the schools. This also means I've been late for work all week! Why? Because I haven't adjusted my morning schedule to accommodate which is very sad since we don't have kids.

Once I get off the freeway I still have to venture across half of the city to get to work. This also means I pass about three elementary schools and a high school (utilizing the quickest route, of course). Buses are slow and crossing guards are all around.

It's time to set the alarm for an earlier time. Bye, bye extra sleep. I will see you again in June.

"Where midnight meets purple."

2009-09-10T18:03:00.001-04:00

OPI gives me another reason to look forward to fall! Lincoln Park After Dark is on my list of must haves for next month.

The only downfall is that no matter how many coats of clear polish I use before applying the color, my nails are destined to get stained. Now if only I could find a handbag... :)

A craving for some shopping.

2009-09-02T21:39:00.005-04:00

The stores are filled with fall fashion and I so want to be out buying it but I've been holding off. Every time I find myself in a store I find a bunch of things I like and then a day later I walk into another store and find something "better". I've also been on the search for a new handbag.

It's hard to think fall when it's only Sept 2 but it's also hard not to when the mornings have been chilly. I know all things pumpkin will be here soon!

Oh the things you see on a roadtrip.

2009-08-18T22:07:00.006-04:00

So a couple months ago the hubby and I took a road trip to Nashville to visit some friends. First of all, it was a long drive. Secondly, when I'm in the car for long periods of time, I start getting goofy. Sometimes I think the hubby pretends I don't belong to him. :)

Well anyways, I was on my way home from work today, stuck on the freeway. Gotta love a little road rage and some tired and cranky drivers. I was ready to say a few words but then remembered that I did go to a parochial school for a short time. It didn't last long and I made it to my exit quicker than expected. None the less, it reminded me of our brief experience of road rage on our wonderful road trip.

The picture says it all.

The countdown is on.

2009-08-17T19:51:00.005-04:00

Just wanted to toss some dates out there, as of today, because I aparently have nothing else better to do :)

Halloween: 75 days to go
Thanksgiving: 101 days to go
Christmas: 130 days to go
New Years: 137 days to go

No I'm not nuts for counting. I have good reasons. I love holidays (all of them) - I love being organized. I've already been planning my 2009 Christmas Tree decor since oh, the day after I took it down which was half way through January. Heck, D and I had a similar problem... http://allthingsgd.blogspot.com/2009/01/so-long-christmas.html

I also have to have plenty of time to find cute trick or treat bags, get all my fall decor out, make travel plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Ah, I love it!

Dress... check.

2009-08-07T21:38:00.005-04:00

After a morning of trying on dress after dress for my best friend's wedding, I think we've decided on the bridesmaids dresses! I'm pretty excited. It wasn't our first trip and I'm sure it won't be the last. They will be coming from David's Bridal (with locations all over the place) as all of us girls are spread out from coast to coast. Not 100% sure what color it will be but the bride is narrowing down :)

Here's the style. What do you think?

Some days are better than others... (the bling)

2009-07-29T21:28:00.005-04:00

And heck even some weeks are better than others. I guess you could say I've been seeing the glass has half empty. There's been a few events but hey, one thing at a time.

It all started when my wedding ring got caught on my clothes. I bent a prong which led to hearing something hit the floor. I looked at my ring and was devastated to see that one of my side diamonds was gone. Things ended on a more positive note as I found the diamond and called the jewelry store. They said it would take about a week to fix and wouldn't cost a penny - yay for being insured!

So I get to the store to find out that it won't take one week but two weeks. Fine. I can handle that. I'll still wear my wedding band. Two weeks pass and I get a call informing that it wouldn't make it back the day they had promised as the jewelers all had lunch together and all got food poisoning causing them to get behind. I was annoyed but pleased when they said it would be ready the next day.

Finally I get the call that my ring is officially fixed and ready for pick up. I was thrilled that it was all back in one piece. I signed a few forms and was on my way. Well about 10 steps on my way. I took a closer look at it and turned right back around. The lady was still be hind the counter and asked if there was something wrong. Uh, yeah! (FYI: my e-ring was a solitaire which was paired with a wrap - soldered together. I also have a separate wedding band that I wear with it or by it's self when I don't feel like wearing all the bling.)

Me: Did they separate the solitaire and the wrap to fix the ring?
Lady: Yes they did.
Me: This is not what my ring looked like when I dropped it off.
Lady: Oh...

Basically my solitaire and wrap were soldered but it was not set centered and wasn't lined up correctly with the wrap. After she looked at and the before photo they snapped, she agreed with me. She noted it was a "rework" with hopes that it would be priority but it looks like I'll be sporting my wedding band solo for a total of a month by the time all is done.

Carter's stock?

2009-07-16T20:52:00.007-04:00

Now I typically don't chat about stocks but when I look in my spare bedroom closet and see more Carter's clothing than I thought I bought, investing in stock crossed my mind.

Now I know I'm already an auntie (thanks to hubby's sister) but this is going to be my first niece or nephew from my side of the family. Also the first one that I'll get to meet shortly after birth! I'm pretty excited to say the least.

Here's a few things I've already snagged because darn it, I'm gonna be an awesome auntie!

Another great 4th of July

2009-07-06T18:22:00.003-04:00

After being away and on the road so much last month we decided we very much wanted to stay put for the 4th of July holiday. It was well worth it and very relaxing!

My holiday weekend consisted of: shopping (who doesn't like that?!) with my sister, hanging out in the pool (trying to tan, not burn) with the hubby, BBQ with family (eating more than I care to admit) and watching the fireworks.

And what's on the agenda for this weekend? Heading back to the hometown for a weekend celebration which includes a good ol' fashion beer tent, various festivities and a parade! Can't forget lots of catching up with family, friends and old high school classmates!

Busy, busy june.

2009-06-30T20:22:00.006-04:00

I can't believe how busy the month of June was.

We had an out of town wedding that we attended. It was nice to get away for the weekend, see family we haven't seen in quite some time and enjoy the weather. The wedding was beautiful and so was the bride!

We also went on another little vacation and spent some time with a friend. Long drive - should have flown... oh well. Did some catching up, some relaxing and of course some touristy stuff!

Hopefully I can get myself motivated long enough to post some pictures.

In between all the traveling and packing/unpacking, I did manage to get some sleep and go to work. Things that got ignored: laundry, the gym, my new vacuum, the pool, grocery shopping, etc.

Oh and I'm going to be an AUNTIE!!!

Making a list "take two".

2009-06-07T19:00:00.003-04:00

So a couple posts ago I jotted down some goals. Here's how I did:

- Update my recipe binder/cookbooks.
- Finalize plans for our June vaca.
- Organize/clean bedroom closets.
- Make some freezer meals for busy week nights/ends.
- Organize kitchen and linen closets.

Now the reason that the one is half and half is frankly I didn't finish...lol. The idea of doing freezer meals is still in my head but I just never got to it. I'll blame that on laziness :)

Now on a positive note we bought an awesome vacuum that we're in love with and we're planning a second vaca for this month. We're looking forward to both! Now if I could only hit the gym more than two days this week...

When you find brown bananas on your counter...

2009-05-24T13:41:00.008-04:00

It's time to make banana bread! And some muffins in my case. The other day I was craving something sweet but with trying to get to the gym as much as possible, I didn't want to go all crazy with something too sugary. It started with the idea of making bread. It ended with the hubby coming home to find two loaves of bread, a dozen muffins and two dozen mini muffins! Yum :)

Here's some photos.

Making a list.

2009-05-17T17:16:00.003-04:00

I've been in a mood to make a list. Some people frown at the thought but really I love lists. I've realized over the past couple weeks that there are things I want to do but just don't seem to have time to do them. I'll think about doing something like scrapbook or even reorganizing my closet but then forget about it and remember a few days later. So I feel it's past due to make a list! Here goes nothing :)

- Update my recipe binder and cookbooks.
- Finalize plans for our June vaca.
- Organize/clean bedroom closets.
- Make some freezer meals for busy week nights/ends.
- Organize kitchen and linen closets.

Eh, not too much to do. Right? Yeah a lot of it is organizing and it's not that I can't remember to do it but more so of making enough time for myself to do it. There's something about this time of year with the warm(er) weather, fresh air and the birdies chirping that make me want to make things fresh and organized.

Oh and I'm hoping to have all of this done by the end of the month. Wish me luck!

It's gonna be a crazy month.

2009-05-08T23:06:00.002-04:00

How is it possible for the month of May to start and for me to look at my calendar and find that it's full? Holy cats! May is usually the month that I ease into and then June is crazy. This weekend: celebrating with the mom's, family photos. Next weekend: two bridal showers and a christening. The following weekend: a friend's party and my first ever parade of homes! And lets not forget Memorial Day weekend festivities.

I'm sure the month will fly by :)

Holy crap it's may.

2009-05-02T07:46:00.002-04:00

It seemed as though spring would never get here and now it's May. There are so many things I'm looking forward to this spring and summer. It's only fitting that season finales are lining up because soon I won't have time to catch up on the DVR.

I can't wait to buy flowers to pot and plants for our garden. It's amazing to watch how quickly a little seed and small flower can become vegetables to eat and colorful, blooming buds to view. I'll have to take pictures once we plant our garden and as it grows.

Love is in the air. The hubs and I are planning to attend his cousin's wedding in June, which will be out of state, and turn it into a mini vaca. It's been years since he visited his aunt and uncle's home and I've never been there. We're not as close to them as his other family; sadly because we don't seem them as much. In between planning our travels, I'll be on the hunt for something sweet to wear :)

Spring also calls for a fresh start and that is why I'm off to the salon. I've decided that a new look is in order... or maybe I'll chicken out and get a trim.

Slacking at it's finest.

2009-04-26T11:02:00.006-04:00

And I'm NOT proud of it. I only went to the gym twice last week. How lame is that? I can't even say I have good excuses. The only real excuse is that we took our anniversary off. That's it. So I'm trying to forget last week altogether and hit the gym super hard this week.

Did I mention my most recent motivation? Oh, yeah. Family photo session in just a few weeks. I'm excited to have pictures done but if the hubby and I were doing them solo we would have waited until late summer or early fall.

Oh, and I have a confession. I used duvet clips for the first time last weekend! I've known of their existence for quite some time from the help of an organization bio but just never got them. Omigosh... I'm in love! They are wonderful.

While on Google, looking for a picture of the clips, one of my favorite blogs showed up in the search. So instead of a photo, here's a link to G&D's blog. In my eyes, she's brilliant with decor, organization and has a love for wine (I had to toss that in there). Enjoy! http://allthingsgd.blogspot.com/2008/09/3-bedroom-essentials.html

Completely in love.

2009-04-20T22:57:00.003-04:00

The hubby and I are celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary tomorrow! Our love has grown so much and we have so many wonderful hopes and dreams for the future. I absolutely love being married. I'm very blessed.

I had to laugh tonight while we were talking about our favorite things about the past year. I told N that last year when we hit the 1 year mark I wasn't ready to give up the "newlywed" status and decided that we would be newlyweds another year. Now that we're hitting the 2 year mark I'm very much ready to let go of the status. We've been together for almost 8 years now so it's not a matter of "getting to know each other". I think a lot of it had to do with the first year going by so fast.

Anyways, we're going to celebrate this weekend: quiet and low key. We'll probably spend some time looking at our wedding album and watching some of our wedding video. Ah, memories :) We're planning a vaca for June so we didn't see the need to do anything big before then.

Where are you, spring?

2009-04-14T22:21:00.004-04:00

I am really getting bummed out by all the cold/cool weather. Don't get me wrong, I'm big on having snow for Christmas but every season must come to an end. I can't figure out why spring is taking it's time on getting here.

On a good note it's giving me more time in the gym. My fear is that once it starts warming up, I'm going to start slacking. I met with one of the trainers last week to revamp my workout. I'm excited. I'm even planning to start running which isn't something I've done in ages!

The month is only half over and three babies have been welcomed into the world. They are all wonderful blessings. It also reminds me of how much I want one of my own...

Easter actually went really well. The hubby and I enjoyed our road trip to visit family. We had lots of fun hiding eggs for our nieces to find later - two are still missing. They really enjoyed their Easter gifts as well. I was terrified that they would be disappointed to each receive a book - gasp, I know. I like my sister in law and brother in law but honestly I've never seen either of the girls with a book. Always toys - mostly computer, Wii, etc.

Where have the days gone?

2009-03-27T11:15:00.007-04:00

I cannot believe that it's been so long since I last blogged! I do have a few excuses.

I've been working hard at the gym. Some days it's hard to get there - my stomach is growling, furbabies might need to be fed, did Netflix come? I'm even thinking about joining the PiYo or Zumba classes. I've peeked in the classroom from time to time and it looks like so much fun.

I am no longer a Netflix virgin. N and I signed up earlier this month. It's exciting to get the mail and find a DVD rather than bills and junk mail. We rarely go the the movies so we figured it was about time the movies came to us.

Our local hockey team is doing great! We've been catching as many home games as we can. Tuesday night's game was amazing with a double over time win!

N surprised me with a mini vaca and it was so refreshing. My only complaint is that it wasn't long enough. We did some sight seeing, shopping and eating. My favorite part was going wine tasting and bringing a couple bottles back with us! It was so tempting to pop the corks and drink it all when we got home. At this time the bottles are safe and sound in the wine cabinet.

A view of the vineyard and bay.

Favorite things about february.

2009-03-07T19:55:00.003-05:00

February was a good month for me! Here's a list of my favorite things - in no particular order.

1. The hubby and I joined the gym and have had lots of fun working out.
2. My best girlfriend had her baby!
3. The Oscars - enough said.
4. The hubby and I have also been enjoying some time watching the local hockey team!

I'm hoping that March will be a grand month as well. I'm wishing for warmer weather. Also going to finish planning our anniversary trip :)

Oscar night...

2009-02-23T20:14:00.018-05:00

I don't know about anyone else but I greatly enjoyed the Oscars last night! Great clothes, great movies (still need to see a few) and great people. A few highlights and my votes :)

Best dressed: Kate - the dress, the bling and the hair all stunning!

Good jewels: Angelina - the dress is kinda blah on it's own but the earrings are great.

Best gown: Jennifer - love the color, cut... everything!

Other classy gals: Anne and Penelope - they just look great.

Seeing everyone on the red carpet made me feel very under dressed in my pj's.... :)

Tis' the season.

2009-02-11T19:07:00.004-05:00

Tis' the season to be knocked up, apparently. (Nope, I'm not pregnant.) New life is an amazing thing. One of my best girl friends just had a beautiful baby along with two of my cousins and a good handful of other friends and ladies I went to college and high school with. To add to that list is the number of ladies I know that are expecting. This list keeps growing even as babies are welcomed into the world.

With this comes lots of baby showers to attend and lots of baby gifts to buy. I'm running to Babies R Us and Target more than I'm running to the grocery store. Well maybe it's not that bad. :) Anyway, it results in more baby fever. I know my time will come but I can't help looking at items here and there while I'm buying gifts. Eh, it's life and I will just drool over anything baby related until then.

I'm surviving.

2009-02-03T14:19:00.005-05:00

So after day two of the 30 Day Shred, I had decided that Jillian hates me. It's the only way I can explain it. :) So I'll admit I was hurting a little. The more I kept going, the easier it got. I have some definate pros to working out at home.
1. I can talk back to Jillian.
2. I can call Jillian names when she makes me hurt.
3. No one sees me :)

This also comes with some cons.
1. N thinks it's funny to watch me.
2. I miss the bikes, elliptical, etc.

N and I decided to try out his work gym since he really wants to get back into shape too and isn't fond of workout videos. We get the month for free and then we can decide if we want to join after that. So far I'm really liking it. We're also scheduling it instead of deciding last minute if we "have time". When we walked in for the orientation, I wasn't too excited. It was busy and I wasn't sure about working out in front of so many people. By the time we got done with the orientation and were ready for our first workout, the gym started to empty out some. It'll just take some getting used to.

We were both bummed about not being able to go yesterday or today and are looking forward to getting back in there tomorrow!

I will survive.

2009-01-25T18:01:00.004-05:00

I'm starting the 30 Day Shred today! I'm really pumped but a little scared none the less. I've read some reviews on other blogs and I think it's going to hurt a little bit. I'm also a fan of the Biggest Loser and well Jillian is tough and I've been slacking in the workout department. Here's to hoping I can survive a straight 30 days!

"Will you marry me?"

2009-01-19T21:00:00.005-05:00

The answer is "YES"! No, hubby didn't propose again. My best friend, Em is engaged! I am so happy and excited for her. Her hubby to be is a really great guy and is very lucky :) This topic is blog-worthy for two reasons.

1. She's one of my best friends and I'm uber excited for her!
2. She asked me to be her Matron of Honor!

Now status of bridesmaid, matron of honor, etc doesn't matter to me but I'm beyond thrilled and honored to be chosen! Em and I have been friends since I was a freshman in college (six'ish years) and she was a bridesmaid in my wedding.

I really loved planning my wedding and I'm really happy to be able to help my friend out in any way I can. I'm already looking into ideas for her shower, bachelorette party, etc and the wedding is months away. Oh well. You can never be too prepared, right? That also means I need to step it up in the "get in shape" department as well.

Welcome 2009!

2009-01-08T19:50:00.007-05:00

Yay for 2009! I can't believe another year has started. I'm still working on a list of goals for the year but it's almost done. I don't really like the whole New Years resolutions so I do goals - usually 3 or so things I want to improve on during the year. So far I have:

1. Work on a healthier me. (Read: say no to coworker when she comes by with a bag of M's, stop parking right next to the handicap spots and start parking at the end of the row and walk, and realize that I don't have to get a mocha, coffee, or the like, just because I'm driving by Tim Horton's, Starbucks, etc.)

2. Work on getting more organized. (Read: stop clearing off the counter by stashing everything into the junk drawer and tossing everything that doesn't have a home, in the closet.)

Still working on the third one.

Until then I'll be drinking coffee like none other :)

The journey thus far.

2008-12-27T14:31:00.000-05:00

It's strange to think back to a time when I would have said "Marriage? Umm... what's that all about?" Don't get me wrong. I've always dreamed of getting married and having a family, etc. but never really knew when it would happen. But then I met N and completely fell in love. We dated all through college. Before I knew it I was getting ready to finish up my final semester of college and found myself engaged. Not only was I knee deep in text books, some days overwhelmed with my internship and my job but I was also planning a wedding. I would sneak the planning in whenever I could. Looking through bridal magazines and making to-do lists during boring lectures and looking for bridesmaid dresses and favors during my lunch hours at both work and my internship. I loved it.

I'm not really sure when it hit me that I was "growing up". Although I was independent all through college - living away from home, paying my own bills and watching my student loans grow - it still felt like mom and dad's place was home and they were my family. Before I knew it I was getting ready to start my own family, complete with in-laws.

Fast forward to the present. We've been married almost two years. We’ve bought a house and adopted some furbabies along the way. I am completely happy with my life. Yeah, it's not always smooth sailing. Sometimes taking out the garbage sucks and we have to call for delivery because we haven’t gone shopping and the fridge is empty but that's part of the journey. Welcome to my life.