Trick-Or-Treat

Tonight, we will be visited by a lovely little Snow White Princess who has been counting down the days for her to put on her lovely dress. She also wants to come by for candy (chocolate to be exact). Hmmm, who can that be you ask. Well no other the Princess Ally. I will have some photos to share of the royal visit after this evening.


Zack will be a vampire this evening. I hope we will get some pictures of that to share, but we can never tell. I wish he was around here since he is getting to that age where this could be his last magical Halloween. You know the ones where HE wants to get dressed up and go trick-or-treating. Soon he'll be all grown up and not want to put on the silly costumes (as I sit here with a frown on my face). But, until then we will enjoy what we can being so far away.

For everyone else, I hope you have a fun, safe and haunting Halloween!

Problem With Shopping Early

I've decided this year for Christmas that I'm going to avoid putting presents on my credit cards as much as possible. If I have to shop online, I want to be able to reimburse myself asap. But, my biggest thing for this year is that on every pay day weekend (I get paid every other week) I will go shopping for a present or two to help spread out the spending.

So, a couple of weekends ago I was out shopping with my mom. I wanted to shop for my FIL first since I knew what I wanted to get him and the item was on sale. We stopped into Brookstone and I picked up one of those home weather centers that tells you the outside temperature and some other neat weather details. We have one now, but for some reason it just stopped reporting the outside temperature, so it was time for a new one. I bought it and tucked it away.

The advance model, not the one I bought for my FIL (I couldn't find a photo of the one I got)

Well, the bad thing about shopping for the holidays so early is trying to convince the person not to buy the present you just purchased. Let me set up the scenario I was in a couple of days ago with my FIL.


We went out to Brookstone to return Jeff's heated gloves that he bought a few weeks back for his cold morning motorcycle days, but they just didn't work they way he assumed. So, I was standing at the counter while the clerk processed the return and my FIL is roaming the store. I look over my shoulder to see what he's doing (and to keep my eye on him since he's like a little kid) and where is he standing? Yup, at the weather station table.


The return was taking some time since the clerk had to call customer service and I'm starting to panic in my head since my FIL is studying all the weather unit displays. Oh, I was getting ancy thinking to myself, what do I tell him? Do I tell him that I already bought it? Do I tell him he can't get it? Oh my, oh my, oh my. Finally the return finished and at the same time he walked over to me (hands empty) and I ask him, whatcha lookin' at?


He responded, Oh these weather things. He then proceeded to walk over to show them to me. I kept thinking to myself, oh please don't pick one up to buy. So, he shows all three to me with the pro's and con's of all of them. He seemed to like the middle devise the best (yup, that's the one I bought him) since it was a step up from the basic and not as high tech as the high end one.


Then the interest just vanished. Phew! I walked out telling him, oh those are all pretty neat and thinking to myself, oh this will definitely be a story to tell Christmas day after he opens his present.

Possible Side Effects

This book was just another memoir for Augusten Burroughs, but in short story form. Some of the stories I had wished they would just give a little bit more information rather then just leaving you hanging and others were just right.

I wish I remembered as much detail as he could from my childhood, adolescence and beyond. Just like his previous novels, he shares in great detail about all of his challenges, adventures and mischief that he comes across in his life time. What I found interesting is the notation of locations he talked about since he grew up in the Northampton/Amherst area (which is right down the road from me) and just to see his interpretation of experiences were intriguing in those areas.

Also, I didn't notice the extra finger on the cover photo until I was half way through the book. Is there something wrong with me?

But, If you like short stories and you are drawn to Augusten's story telling, I'd definitely recommend this book. I really like his writing style regardless if part of his stories are fabricated or not, he makes things interesting.

New Yoga Experiance

Last week I signed up for a prenatal yoga class through the hospital I will be using for the delivery of my baby (I love saying that). On the day I signed up for the class, I wasn't left with the warm and fuzzes about the whole operation, but I decided to still go to my class on Saturday.

I should have listened to my initial feeling and just skipped the class since it was not a fun time. So, let me walk you through my experience.

I walked into an office building of sorts to find the yoga class setting up in an open lobby area of the building. It wasn't in an office or room of its own, it was being held in the corner of a lunch/conference/main lobby area. The office building was associated to the hospital, so you would think they would have its own room set aside.

I noticed there were no yoga mats or supplies provided. I was counting my lucky stars that I decided to purchase my own mat the night before, phew!

The instructor was late, which cut into our hour of time. There is another "class" right after ours. The instructor also announced that in two weeks the class will move from Saturdays to Sunday morning. To me, my Sunday mornings are reserved for reading the paper, maybe going out to breakfast or just relaxing on the couch since its the last day before the new work week. I wasn't excited that the class date change.

Then the class started. The instructor wasn't respectful that a yoga class is the time to meditate/relax to get your energy flowing. She would talk and laugh throughout the entire class. I must have been spoiled at the last yoga place I went too!

I think it was also pick on the new person day. The instructor kept having me adjust my feet for every pose. Um, I learned that yoga was practiced to the ability the individuals body could do. The funny thing is, the girl in front of me wasn't doing the pose like the instructor had me do, but she didn't say a word to her. So, half way through the class, I had enough. I just kept telling myself, just get through the rest of the class and you don't have to come back.

The worse part was, during one pose, the instructor was about to come over and move my body the way she thought it should be. Before she could even touch me, I said this is as far as I can go. Ok, that is a big no-no in my book. Don't force my body into a pose that you the instructor feels it should be/look like. She doesn't know my body limitations. That was it! I wanted to just leave, but the class was almost over.

So, I paid my $12 and will be in the pursuit of another prenatal yoga. I wish the center I went to for normal yoga had a prenatal class. I may even look into a DVD to practice the yoga in the comfort of my own home.

Price Check

Has the gas prices in your area fallen? Our surly have! The lowest fuel cost I saw today was $2.39 a gallen for regular at a little rinky-dink station by my house that competes with the big Sunoco, but other stations average $2.42. The price in our area was well over $3.00 (I can't remember the exact price since I've blocked it out).

I'm happy that the prices are going down, but the damage is done. The price of food, heating oil, clothes and pretty much everything has sky rocketed because of the rising fuel costs. I seriously dought those prices of everything will adjust to the lowering fuel costs we are experiencing now.

Also, it makes you wonder why the prices are falling. Is it because of the upcoming elections? Is it because of the scary economic crisis? Or is the government hearing the cries of the average Americans (and fellow countries) that we are all hurting here and need some relief?

What are your thoughts? And are you experiencing some fuel cost relief? I hope so!

Thankful Thursday

1. Having patients. Oh, I'm so thankful I've been blessed with my amount of patients I possess.
2. Online resources. Yeah, sometime those websites could make your mind race with possibilities, but for the most part they are a good place to look up random information. Its almost like a securing blanket, you know it will always be there.
3. Family. I can never be too thankful to have the family around me that I do (I'm sure I say this often, but its always nice to express to those around me how much I appreciate them).
4. Paid maternity leave. My company has a 6 week paid maternity leave that I get to take advantage of in the spring.
5. Tropical island pictures. I have a page-a-day calender on my desk at work that shows a different island photo each day and its great for cool fall days like today.

Grandpa Knows

I've been in the process over the last few days passing along our good news (about the little one) to friends, family and co-workers since our appointment last week.

My biggest question was, when do I tell my grandpa (my best friend!). I wanted to tell him from the very beginning, but I didn't want to tell him too early and repeat what happened during my first pregnancy. Grandpa never knew about the second one either since I was waiting (and good thing too). But, now that we are moving so positively with this one, I'm spreading the news.

I wanted to tell him in person at Thanksgiving, but then after we heard the heart beat, I wanted to tell him sooner. I was debating if I should send him a card from his great-granddaughter/son and see if he got what it meant. Then I decided not too. I was thinking of sending him a picture from our first ultrasound at 6 1/2 weeks, but there really isn't much to see unless you explain, so I decided that shouldn't be the way.

So, yesterday I called him up to check-in with him and I just decided to tell him over the phone. We were chatting and it came a moment in the conversation when I told him I have some news. He of course asked, what? Then I told him that I was pregnant. There was a pause (I'm assuming so he could smile big) and the first thing he asked me was "are you excited?" I said yes, we both are!

Then I told him when I was due (4/29). Then the smart-ass remark came from the 82 year old "well, you missed it by two months". I pause for a couple of seconds to think, what the heck is he talking about? Then I realized, he was talking about HIS birthday month (even though our birthdays are in the same month, its his month) and that the baby won't be born in June. I just laughed and said sorry, but I tried! What a goof-ball that man is!

But, he was tickled and I know he can't wait either! This will be his first great-grandchild.

Boys just don't understand!

Well, I shouldn't assume all boys, just the two that I live with......Jeff and my FIL.

I know that they have to deal with alot from me with my mood swings, food aversions, food I have to avoid and being so tired. But, they also have to understand that I can't help any of it! I'm growing a baby!

What frustrates me is, once one of them gets frustrated, they take it out on me. Just verbally stating their minds and not believing that I have no control over things I can't eat or be around. Most of it comes from my FIL and Jeff just feeds off of it at times and it can get a little annoying.

Let me give you the most recent example-

Sunday my FIL and I were grocery shopping. We walked down the cleaning products isle and he asked if the main floor toilet needed a new bleach tab. I told him, lets skip it for awhile because of the smell. I can smell it and its not good for me to be around. He just sucked in his breath hard and said in a frustrated tone "Then it just won't be cleaned" and huff and puffed down the isle while I stood there shaking my head (now I'm not the only one in the house who could clean, but that's a different story). I explained to him that I do clean the bathroom, but without the harsh chemicals. That seemed to calm him done for a little while.

Then after we got home, sometime after lunch, I can't remember how it all started but Jeff and my FIL were feeding off each other with how I can't cook spaghetti sauce anymore (since it makes me gag), how my FIL things my nausea it all in my head, how I'm tired all the time and how I can't eat this and that and so on.

I just looked at my FIL and asked how long ago did you have kids? I reminded him that he started having kids over 30 years ago and things were EXTREMELY different then, compared to now. But I've used that line several times and its getting a little old. He is just old and stuck in his ways.

Its just frustrating when I've got double trouble under the same roof when there isn't a whole lot I have control over while being pregnant. I hope it won't be a long 6 months!

I've been tagged!

So it looks like Ive been tagged by Cherish.

First the rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share 6 unimportant things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. Tag 6 random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website/blog.

Ok now this will be the hard part. How do I come up with 6 random things about myself?

1. Living in New England is really growing on me. I try to imagine living in other regions of the country, and it just doesn't seem like it would be the same. I didn't always think this way, its just recent (withing the last few years) that I've felt that way.

2. I don't like brussel sprouts. I love may veggies, but I can't get around eating those brussel sprouts.

3. Purple is my favorite color. Ever since middle school, its been my obsession.

4. When my grandma passed away in 1996, I used to carry around her rosary beads when ever I traveled as my good luck charm. That lasted a few years after her death. Now-a-days, when I need some encouragement or luck, I think of her smiling face.

5. I tend to take care of others before myself. I have to try and make myself relax more now then ever, but I still try and but others before me.

*I won't post names, but I'll let anyone borrow the tag who wants too :)

We heard it! We really did!

Today was my 12-week/3 month check up and to hear the little ones heart beat. I was so nervous up until my name was called in the waiting room. Once I heard my name, I stood up and walked across the room with confidence.

My doctor reviewed some history (again, I thought they took notes), conducted the exam (it was just like a yearly exam that every women "loves") and then the moment we were waiting for. The nurse went to get Jeff who was out in the waiting room during the exam.

After Jeff walked in the room, the doc asked if we were ready and we both said yeah. He put a little microphone hooked up to a speaker on my belly, just below my belly-button. There was a moment of silence, then a faint sound of thud, thud, thud. He moved the microphone up just a little and all of a sudden the room was filled with a load, fast little heart beat.

My heart melted and a great big smile was across my face. I looked over at Jeff and he had the same expression while he looked at my belly. What a relief! It was music to our ears.

Our next apt is in 4 weeks (my 4 month/16 week mark) with just a check in. Then the big apt 4 weeks after that.....to find out if we are having a boy or a girl.

Wordless Weds-Our trip to VT

*We went this weekend to visit Jeffs family & do a little leaf peeping*

Columbus Day

Around here, Columbus Day is an odd holiday. I don't mean because of the person the holiday represents, but the way some things are open and other things are closed.

Today, we don't have our mail delivered, our bank accounts aren't updated until tomorrow, we can't visit our local libraries and kindergarten through high school kids have it off. Also, some private companies gave their employees the day off too.

But, if you want to go shopping, buy liquor, sit in a bar, watch your stocks rise and fall (mostly fall), feel free to do so. Its like a normal day for that!

Since I work at a private college, guess who is working!?!?! Me! But, today and tomorrow is considered mid-semester break for the students, so it should be quite. A nice day to catch up on some work at a leisurely pace.

But, Jeff and my FIL have the day off. That is the only thing that stinks. I'm at work while they are off joy riding on there motorcycles (uust picture me sticking my tongue out at them while I type!). But there will be other days that I have the day off and they don't (now picture me with a great big Kool-Aid smile on my face).

Well, what ever you have planned for today, enjoy your day off or maybe your quite day at work!

Keep those fingers warm!

Jeff has been stocking up on warm cloths for riding his motorcycle. I don't blame him since the mornings have been a tad bit chilly. Its been in the low 40's in the mornings, but then it warms up to be in the mid-70's during the day. With that type of wonderful fall weather, I can definitely see why he wants to ride his bike to work so he can enjoy the ride home from work. I guess it takes a little sacrifice to enjoy something that much (wink, wink!).

He's bought a leather coat, leather chaps, a fleece wrap around for his neck, a fleece neck and head cover (to go under his helmet) and high-tech long-johns that are almost like under armour.

The newest addition to his fall motorcycle gear is................

Yup, heated glove liners to go under his leather gloves.

This idea came from a Christmas present my dad got my mom last year, a heated fleece jacket. Thanks dad for the inspiration! If you want to browse the line of heated coats, vests and gloves, check out Brookstone. Jeff should be getting them in the mail next week (since they were on back order and the store at the mall did not have any in stock).

I'm very anxious to see if they work as good as my mom's jacket (by the way, she loves that jacket so much, she wears it until the battery dies).

Thankful Thursday

1. Quick and easy suppers! Oh, they've saved me over the last couple of weeks with having no energy to do anything after I get home from work.
2. Flu Shot. I got mine last week and I hope I don't get sick this winter.
3. Warm sweaters. Its been cold in the mornings....brrrr!
4. Our down comforter. There isn't anything better then a cozy night sleep.
5. Being 11 weeks strong! Yeah! Next week is our heart beat appointment.
   

Marley & Me

This was such a cute, funny and heart wrenching book, all in one. It took me a little longer then normal to read it and it wasn't any fault of the book. I just stalled around the middle of the novel and I just don't know why. Oh well!

But anyway, the book is about a family who adopted a pure breed golden retriever who followed life on his own terms. Some of the mischief Marley created for himself (like jumping through the screen door to go outside) and other times he couldn't help it (like his anxiety for storms).

As you know from a previous post (So funny it made me cry), I laughed at times so hard it made me cry (I still don't know why) and at other times I cried because I felt a connection with the author with the love and tenderness he described about Marley. Also, I'm sure pregnancy hormones don't help!

This book was definitely a heartfelt novel from the author John about his "life and love with the worlds worst dog". If you are an animal lover, you will enjoy this book. I would wait some time though if you just lost your beloved animal since it could be real tough. It was hard at times for me to read and I lost my doggy almost 10 years ago.

But regardless, I can't wait for the movie to come out soon!

Jeff's Favorite Thing in the Fall

Jeff has a list of favorite things that keep him going year round. Of course I'm at that top of that list, then his video games, his motorcycle, his beer (yuck) and sports. The thing that he likes the most in the fall is his apple crisp! The days leading up to apple picking, I get the question over and over again "Are you going to make me something?". Then on apple picking day, there is no more beating around the bush, I get the direct question "Are you going to make me apple crisp?".

Now, for the last several years I've always either made him an apple pie or apple crisp. I've never skipped a year, but they way he asks in his desperate, I never make him anything voice, he just wants to make sure. I just shake my head and say "Um, yeah!". Its just not for him you know, but he likes to think so!

But, I'd like to share with you the easy recipe I found for Apple Crisp. I found it on myrecipes.com and modified is just slightly, but its simple and yummy.

Easy Apple Crisp

Ingredients:


6 apples - peeled, cored & sliced
1 cup water
1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Arrange apples in an even layer in bottom of baking dish (I usually do several layers since I use the largest apples I can find in my bag). Pour water over apples.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together cake mix, brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter or margarine until ingredients are thoroughly blended; mixture will be crumbly (I usually sprinkle a layer of cinnamon on top of the apples before I put the crumbly mix on top). Sprinkle mixture over apples.
4. Bake in preheated over for 50-55 minutes.


I wanted to show a picture of the yummy, gooey goodness before it was consumed, but I was lucky enough to get a picture of the pan right out of the oven.

I'm thinking of serving this as a Christmas dessert this year instead of apple pie. Jeff doesn't seem to mind!

Pick the perfect one!

Today, we went apple picking! It was myself, Jeff, my SIL, my BIL, my FIL and Ally. This was the first time in years we didn't have Zack around. But don't worry, I'm going to send him some apples and pictures so he's not left out.

We go to a local farm who has been opening their doors for many seasons so people can pick apples (and other fruit when its different seasons). So, at the local farm you get your 1/2 bushel bag, climb on a tractor, the tractor brings you to the apple picking trees, you pick the apples until your bag is full, then you return to the tractor pick-up area.

I've never picked apples anywhere else, so I'm not sure how the trees look somewhere else, but pictured above is the trees at the place we go. I think its pretty neat since its not your traditional tree and the low branches allow kids easy access to the apples (as long as they aren't picked already).

The weather was perfect too. It was a brisk fall day, with those marshmallow clouds, but the sun shined bright and warm. The breeze would come along once you got a little toasty standing in the sunshine. What a wonderful day it was!

Ally is helped Uncle Jeff with the high apples. It was so cute too. He would lift her up so she could reach a bundle of apples, maybe 5-6 apples on a branch all bunched together. She would pull one off the branch and the rest of the bundle would fall to the ground. Hey, she didn't mind since she had the one in her hand that she picked herself with a big smile on her face. She also helped her father reach those high, big juicy apples.

Its hard to resist when you are around all those apples, not to eat one while you fill up your bag. At least you can try them out before hand, right? We discovered that the big, dark red ones were juicer and sweeter then the small apples. Good to know!

Ally was helping fill up too bags, reach high for the big apples and search for low branches with apples that she worked up an appetite. Or it could be that she saw everyone else eating the apples. Either way, she had a blast picking and eating the apples.

Me, my SIL Sarah, my FIL, my BIL Johm, Ally hugging him and Jeff

I can't wait until next year! I hope we will have Zack around too. Him and I started this tradition 5 years ago and it just feels weird without him around. But until then, its off to make apple crisp and munch on my yummy apples.

So, what have you done?

In lieu of anything substantial, I stole this from Scenic Overlook.

Take the list and bold what you HAVE done.

1. Touched an iceberg

2. Slept under the stars

3. Been a part of a hockey fight

4. Changed a baby's diaper

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Swam with wild dolphins

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a tarantula

10. Said "I love you" and meant it

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise

15. Seen the Northern Lights

16. Gone to a huge sports game

17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables

19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope

20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Bet on a winning horse

23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Taken an ice cold bath

28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Ridden a roller coaster

31. Hit a home run

32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking

33. Adopted an accent for fun

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment

36. Loved your job 90% of the time

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Watched wild whales

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach

41. Gone sky diving

42. Visited Ireland

43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited India

45. Bench-pressed your own weight

46. Milked a cow

47. Alphabetized your personal files

48. Ever worn a superhero costume

49. Sung karaoke

50. Lounged around in bed all day

51. Gone scuba diving

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Done something you should regret, but don't

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Been in a movie

60. Gone without food for 3 days

61. Made cookies from scratch

62. Won first prize in a costume contest

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Been in a combat zone

65. Spoken more than one language fluently

66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone

67. Bounced a check

68. Read - and understood - your credit report

69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy

70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did

71. Called or written your Congress person

72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over

73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge

74. Helped (watched) an animal give birth

75. Been fired or laid off from a job

76. Won money

77. Broken a bone

78. Ridden a motorcycle

79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph

80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon

81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing

82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

83. Eaten sushi

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read The Bible cover to cover

86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about

87. Gotten someone fired for their actions

88. Gone back to school

89. Changed your name

90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands

91. Eaten fried green tomatoes

92. Read The Iliad

93. Taught yourself an art from scratch

94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt

96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language

97. Been elected to public office

98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream

99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care

100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you

101. Had a booth at a street fair

102. Dyed your hair

103. Been a DJ

104. Rocked a baby to sleep

105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours

106. Raked your carpet

107. Brought out the best in people

108. Brought out the worst in people

109. Worn a mood ring

110. Ridden a horse

111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap

112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe

113. Buried a child

114. Gone to a Broadway play

115. Been inside the pyramids

116. Shot a basketball into a basket

117. Danced at a disco

118. Played in a band(orchestra)

119. Shot a bird

120. Gone to an arboretum

121. Tutored someone

122. Ridden a train

123. Brought an old fad back into style

124. Eaten caviar

125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need

126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant

127. Published a book

128. Pieced a quilt

129. Lived in an historic place

130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage

131. Asked for a raise

132. Made a hole-in-one

133. Gone kayaking in the ocean

134. Gone roller skating

135. Run a marathon

136. Learned to surf

137. Invented something

138. Flown first class

139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite

140. Flown in a helicopter

141. Visited Africa

142. Sang a solo

143. Gone spelunking

144. Learned how to take a compliment

145. Written a love-story

146. Seen Michelangelo’s David

147. Had your portrait painted

148. Written a fan letter

149. Spent the night in something haunted

150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane

151. Ran away

152. Learned to juggle

153. Been a boss

154. Sat on a jury

155. Lied about your weight

156. Gone on a diet

157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget

158. Written a poem not for school

159. Carried your lunch in a lunch box

160. Gotten food poisoning

161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission

162. Gone deep-sea fishing

163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks

164. Gone to the opera

165. Gotten a letter from someone famous

166. Worn knickers

167. Ridden in a limousine

168. Attended the Olympics

169. Can hula or waltz

170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books

171. Been stuck in an elevator

172. Had a revelatory dream

173. Thought you might crash in an airplane

174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert

175. Saved someone’s life

176. Eaten raw whale

177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint

178. Laughed till your side hurt

179. Straddled the equator

180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing

181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival

182. Sent a message in a bottle

183. Spent the night in a hostel

184. Been a cashier

185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

186. Joined a union

187. Donated blood or plasma

188. Built a campfire

189. Kept a blog

190. Had hives

191. Worn custom made shoes or boots

192. Made a PowerPoint presentation

193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course

194. Served at a soup kitchen

195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube

196. Know CPR

197. Ridden in or owned a convertible

198. Found a long lost friend

199. Helped solve a crime

200. Commented on a stranger's blog

Yup, its true!

Yes, your assumptions are correct! Jeff and I are pregnant! We are 10 weeks along and it came about as a surprise. But, I am getting ahead of myself. First when I decided to tell my blogger friends when I hit the 10 week mark, I was trying to figure out how to announce the news. I took the idea from Amy since she announced her moving news on a Wordless Wednesday by showing a picture and I thought it was brilliant! Thanks Amy!

So, where to begin my new pregnancy chapter....of course at the very start but from where!?!?!? Its kind of a long story, so please hang tight.

Ah, lets start back in mid-August when I met with the doctor about the challenges Jeff and I were facing with staying pregnant. I mentioned to the doctor that Aunt Flo wasn't anywhere to be seen since the mid-July miscarriage and should I be worried? He mentioned that there isn't anything to worry about unless it turns out to be 3 months with no visit, then the office would give me something to help my body adjust. So, I went along with my business.

About mid-week, that same week, I started to feel odd. At first I thought it was my body getting ready to send Aunt Flo for a visit, but things just didn't add up. So, on Sunday 8/24 I took a home pregnancy test and sure enough, it was positive. Let me just tell you that all at once I felt shock, excitement and worries. How could this have happened, Aunt Flo never came!?!?!? Oh my, did we do something wrong because we didn't wait the 3 months (after the miscarriage)?!?!?! These were just a couple of the questions running through my head.

The next day, I called the doctors office to tell them what I discovered and apologized because I have no idea how far along I was. The nurse giggled and said don't worry, we'll figure it out. Later on that week I had an ultrasound and found out I was 5 weeks 2 days along. It was still too early to really see anything (we only could see the sac) so another ultrasound was made for about a week 1/2 later. The nurse told me that if we saw the heartbeat next time, we would be in good shape. Everyday until my next ultrasound I repeated "heartbeat" in my head to cheer along the little one inside me.

On 9/8, we were able to see a teeny-tiny little body and a little heart beat. You don't know how relieved and happy I was at that very moment. The little heart beat looked like TV static in this tiny little circle. The heart was beating at 115 too. The goal was to be over 100. At that time, I was 6 weeks 5 days.

And that brings us to today, 10 weeks, 1 day! I am due 4/29/2009. We are so excited right now! We are going to tell Zack at Thanksgiving and I can't wait to see his face.

According to Babycenter.com, our little one is the size of a Kumquat this week (its the orange fruit on the right, and the yellow one is a large lemonquat).

I've been feeling OK. I have good days and bad with the nausea. I've been exhausted and don't feel like doing anything when I get home from work except lay on the couch. I have some food aversions, like spaghetti sauce, chicken and my prenatal vitamins. Other then that, I feel great and take one day at a time.

My next appointment is in two weeks. I will then get a full exam and hear the heart beat. So, everyone say it together "heartbeat, heartbeat"!

Wordless Wednesday - 10 weeks of what?!?!