living in a world of ecstaski

Mom Rule #37

2011-03-13T13:25:00.003-04:00

Always pack your own diaper bag. It kind of falls alongs the lines of "packing your own parachute".

Welcome Violet Alaina

2010-08-11T13:25:00.003-04:00

Baby Violet has arrived!

Born August 1, 2010 at 8:39 p.m.
Six pounds and fifteen ounces
Twenty and a half inches long

A beautiful, healthy girl!

I can't believe a week has already flown by! I hope to get better about the updates and pictures. I'm still trying to get my feet on the ground. It's been overwhelming and wonderful.

Due Date!

2010-07-30T19:05:00.002-04:00

Today is my due date! I made it! Back around 36-37 weeks I was having so much cramping that I never thought I'd make it to my due date. I thought I'd deliver sometime in the 39th week easily. But here I am!

Today I woke up the most uncomfortable I've been yet. My joints hurt, and all of them! Even my fingers hurt to bend them! I feel like I have a pinched nerve in my right leg, in the upper thigh where the inside would meet the pelvic area. I'm wondering if the baby moved again. Quite possibly.

Other than the physical pains that are setting in, I'm doing just fine. Hanging in there. I'm waiting and anxiously wondering when this baby is going to make an arrival.

We got our emergency plumbing issues taken care of yesterday, the house is clean, so we just have to be patient. I'm doing just fine waiting. I've actually been enjoying my time off work and being around home. I've been cleaning periodically, getting a lot of reading done, making sure to rest my body since sleep at night is not happening these days. I'm guessing my hormones are keeping me up, along with my hourly trips to the loo, because I'm certainly not sleeping from lack of tiredness. My body is ready to rid itself of this extra person! I'm so fortunate that I didn't start having problems getting up and moving around or have pain until the last week or two. Up until then, it was all smooth sailing. Lucky me.

The Husband and I went out to a nice dinner tonight at the Thornapple Grill. We thought this could very well be our last dinner out before the baby. I also keep trying to tell the cats that pretty soon a baby is going to be joining them here. I'm not sure they get it. They still seem confused when they jump up in my lap when they can't curl up on my stomach like they used to. Soon enough, my fury friends. Soon enough. Although they may be competing for space with the baby, who is going to be getting tons of snuggle time with mama.

So here I sit. Baby Watch continues. It looks like I just may be getting an August baby after all!

Convertible Car Seat

2010-07-28T13:13:00.004-04:00

Yesterday FAO Schwarz had a private sale and one of the featured items was the Britax Boulevard Convertible Car Seat. I was able to snag this car seat for $124.00 plus free shipping! It retails for $309.99!

During this time of year, I realize the stores are clearing out their inventory for the new stock to arrive in August, but purchasing an early 2010 manufactured seat doesn't bother me at that price. I only purchased one, which I'm now kicking myself over, but I wanted to see if it fits in my VW Jetta first. I know it will definitely fit into the Husband's Mercury Mariner. Heck, if it didn't fit in my Jetta, I could have sold it on craigslist and made a profit! Darn it, I wasn't thinking! Hopefully by the time I need a second one, I will come across another sweet deal.

The seat was only available in Castlerock color, which is the color I wanted anyway, so it worked out perfect. A good deal always makes me excited.

I'll report back on the seat and give a review when it arrives and we start to use it. Baby Bargains rates it at an A-.

39 Weeks, 5 Days, 13 Hours....

2010-07-28T12:50:00.003-04:00

I really don't know if it's 13-hours, but it's definitely 39 weeks and five days of pregnancy for me. I had a doctor's appointment this morning. I am now at zero station. This baby's head is low. The drop must have just happened too, because I was feeling OK yesterday, but today, not so much. I feel like an 80-year old woman with arthritis. I'm waddling around, moving in complete slow motion. There is so much pressure. Wowie.

The doctor was unable to tell me how dilated or effaced I am, because the baby's head is in the way! She can't even get in there and get around the little bugger! The upside: She thinks my labor will be much shorter. Heck, this baby is practically out! I'm hoping I make it to the hospital in time!

The bad news for today. I found out my doctor is going to be out of town from Thursday evening through Sunday afternoon. That's not all that good for a lady who is about to deliver. Luckily, her back-up is someone I've met with a couple of times, and both the Husband and I liked him. I guess at the point of delivery, does it really matter who catches the baby? It would be nice to have someone there who knows all my history and knows me though. Oh well. I can't dwell on things I cannot control.

More bad news for today. Last night the Husband found a leak in our basement. Our sewage pipe is evidently all backed up, and it cracked. Whenever someone would use our half bath, it would leak liquid sewage into our closet where all of my Christmas stuff is stored. I lost a couple of Christmas trees, and some decor, but all in all, at least we found the leak early. It had only been going on for a couple of a days. Really, with how often we use this closet, I'm thankful we didn't find a month's worth of leaking or have the pipe burst on us. How awful would that be? But still, not the stress I needed day(s) before delivery. Someone is looking at it today, and hopefully the problem will be solved very soon!

The baby watch continues.

Flowers 2010

2010-07-27T15:10:00.004-04:00

My flowers and gardening aren't going so well this year. I decided to cut back anyway due to the pregnancy, and my cutting back has resulted in pretty much just watering when necessary. The weeds are out of control along with the insects, which have managed to kill so many of my beloved plants. I seem to have got myself a spider problem this summer. How weird is that? They have wiped out many of my plants with their disgusting webs. I have never seen this happen before. Any insight from anyone on it? Something also managed to wipe out every single one of my Sweet Williams as well. It looked like bugs ate through the leaves. The same with my rose bushes. I cut everything back to the ground, and growth is starting to resume, but I'm not sure if any of my Sweet Williams will make it back this year let alone next. The roses seem to be coming back OK, but the leaves still look somewhat damaged. I don't see any bugs on the plants, so I'm baffled. Unfortunately, I just don't have the desire to deal with it this summer. It's been hotter than blazes (seriously, how many 90-degree days did we have in July, and the humidity, my gosh??), and being in my third trimester for the entire summer hasn't helped any either. I just can't get down to ground level for the necessary weeding and attending to the plants like they need. There's always next year!

And to showcase what actually survived...
New this year: Jumping Johnnies (part of the viola family). These guys should come back next spring hopefully. In the background are Impatiens and gladiolus leaves.

Begonias.

Purple Coneflower.

Black Eyed Susans.

Phlox.

Gladiolus.

Roses.

Day Lily (notice the tiny little spider crawling on it? Grr!)

Dusty Millers and Sweet Alyssum.

Sun Coleus.

New this year: Wishbone.

Maternity Pictures

2010-07-25T20:08:00.006-04:00

My friend, Christina, from Closer to the Heart Photography took maternity pictures for me at 32-weeks. Here are some of my favorites!

The Nursery

2010-07-23T15:59:00.013-04:00

Before pictures when the nursery was our office. I probably shouldn't have waited until we had the room near empty before taking photos, but this is the gist of it.

AFTER:
Looking in from the hallway.

From inside the nursery:

After the baby is born, I have wooden letters from Hobby Lobby to hang above the crib to spell out the baby's name, along with some wall art for either a boy or girl from Babies R Us.

I found ribbon at Joann Fabric that matched the damask fabric in the crib bedding perfectly. It worked great as tiebacks for the sheers.

We were going for a gender neutral nursery since we don't know the sex of the baby. Hopefully I hit the target on that one. I started doing an owl and bird theme with the artwork. Birds are so hot right now. Kinda like Hansel.

Crib: Baby Mod by Million Dollar Baby from walmart.com
Dresser and Night Stand: Canopy from walmart.com
Mirror: Hobby Lobby
Window Sheers: Meijer
Flokati Rug: Overstock.com
Glider and Ottoman: Storkcraft from walmart.com
Paint: Sherwin Williams "Functional Gray"
Crib Bedding: Custom order from etsy seller fingers and toes
Alpha Birdies and Counting Birdies Artwork: From etsy seller Blue Finch Studios
Tree and Bird Decal: From etsy seller Janey Mac Press
Floating Shelves: homedepot.com
Ceiling Fan: Home Depot

Once I knew the furniture and decor I wanted to purchase, I kept my eye on the websites and stores for deals. Almost everything I purchased was on sale. It's a little tougher to score deals on custom orders and etsy purchases, but the rest you can definitely find sales, coupon codes and the like. If you have any questions about my nursery, please let me know!

Baby Shower

2010-07-15T15:57:00.002-04:00

The Husband and I were thrown a beautiful baby shower at the Meijer Gardens on June 13. We were joined by our loving and generous family and friends. It was a top notch venue, and the service was wonderful. The hard part was finding a place to put all of the gifts we received! Baby gear takes up so much room!

The Existing Babies

2010-07-15T12:27:00.002-04:00

These could be some of the last photos taken of the kitties before the baby arrives. I wanted to practice with a newer lens that we got before taking it to the hospital. These guys have always been the babies in the house. Things are about to change for everyone. Any day now...

36 Weeks

2010-07-14T19:37:00.001-04:00

Car Seat Installation

2010-07-09T20:48:00.002-04:00

Today we met with two representatives of Safe Kids, an affiliate of Helen DeVos Children's Hospital for assistance with our infant car seat. We got help from Jennifer and Amy who were absolutely wonderful. We got a ton of useful information, and had both car seat bases installed in two vehicles in less than an hour. We were shown how to use the LATCH system, and how to install a base using the seat belt. I'm really glad we went.

We learned things like keeping the harness straps at or below shoulder level, putting the harness clip at armpit level and using the pinch test to ensure that shoulder straps are snug.

I would highly recommend a visit to Safe Kids if you need any assistance with any type of car seat. The staff is incredibly friendly and very knowledgeable!

Our car seat is a Graco Snugride in Platinum. So far it seems quite easy to use. It's one of the top rated infant seats. It's also on the lighter side weight wise, which is a huge bonus for me. The seat has front adjusting straps - so anyone in the market for a new seat might want to consider that. We scored an awesome deal at diapers.com.

My Timeline and Milestones

2010-07-06T10:17:00.012-04:00

Month One (Weeks 1-4)

Week 1: October 30, 2009
Week 2: November 6, 2009
Week 3: November 13, 2009
Week 4: November 20, 2009
*Found out we were having a baby on Thursday, November 26, 2009.

Month Two (Weeks 5-8)

Week 5: November 27, 2009
Week 6: December 4, 2009
Week 7: December 11, 2009
Week 8: December 18, 2009

Month Three (Weeks 9-13)

Week 9: December 25, 2009
Week 10: January 1, 2010
Week 11: January 8, 2010
Week 12: January 15, 2010
Week 13: January 22, 2010
*January 8, 2010 heard baby's heartbeat for the first time by Doppler. Afterwards we told the world we were having a baby!

*January 19, 2010 had our first ultrasound and got to see a picture of the baby.

Month Four (Weeks 14-17)
Week 14: January 14, 2010
Week 15: February 5, 2010
Week 16: February 12, 2010
Week 17: February 19, 2010

Month Five (Weeks 18-22)
Week 18: February 26, 2010
Week 19: March 5, 2010
Week 20: March 12, 2010
Week 21: March 19, 2010
Week 22: March 26, 2010
*Had our halfway point ultrasound, and decided not to find out the sex of the baby on March 10, 2010.

Month Six (Weeks 23-27)
Week 23: April 2, 2010

Week 24: April 9, 2010
Week 25: April 25, 2010
Week 26: April 23, 2010
Week 27: April 30, 2010
*Started taking birthing classes on May 3, 2010.

Month Seven (Weeks 28-31)
Week 28: May 7, 2010
Week 29: Mary 14, 2010
Week 30: May 21, 2010
Week 31: May 28, 2010
*Failed my glucose screening and found out I have gestational diabetes on May 14, 2010. :-(
*Took a breastfeeding class on May 18, 2010.
*Took our Babymoon in Toronto over Memorial Day weekend.

Month Eight (Weeks 32-35)
Week 32: June 4, 2010
Week 33: June 11, 2010
Week 34: June 18, 2010
Week 35: June 25, 2010
*Maternity pictures on June 6, 2010.
*Family and friends shower at the Meijer Gardens on June 13, 2010.
*Growth ultrasound on June 15, 2010. Baby weighs approximately 5 lbs and has hair!
*Work shower on June 23, 2010.

Month Nine (Weeks 36-40)
Week 36: July 2, 2010
Week 37: July 9, 2010
Week 38: July 16, 2010
Week 39: July 23, 2010
Week 40: July 30, 2010
*Last day of work on July 8, 2010 - maternity leave begins!

____________

Weight gain to date: 21 pounds

Stretch marks: None

Feelings: Nervous! Excited! Unprepared. Uncertain. Delighted. Apprehensive. Joyful......emotional.
Words of wisdom: Never turn down a cupcake or a bathroom break.

Toronto

2010-07-01T21:32:00.009-04:00

The Husband and I went to Toronto for our Baby Moon over Memorial Day. This was my second trip there; his first. I had gone once when I was a kid with my family. I didn't remember it at all though. We drove there from Grand Rapids, and took a few breaks along the way for restroom breaks and to stretch our legs. It's a pretty easy drive actually.

We stayed at the Westin Harbour Castle right on the water. We were able to secure a great nightly rate through Priceline, and on a U.S. holiday weekend too! I would recommend this hotel.

Here is a photo of us walking along the boardwalk on the harbor with the CN Tower in the background.

A shot from the hotel pool. They had an indoor pool which was really nice. Every afternoon after we'd walk around and site see all morning, we'd come back to the hotel and hang out at the pool for a bit to relax and cool off. It was in the 80's temperature wise and sunny. Does that ever happen on Memorial Weekend in our parts???

A picture from our table at Ki, which is modern Japanese sushi + bar. One of the most expensive meals we've had since our trip to Paris, and one of us wasn't even drinking. It was delicious though!

On Sunday of our trip we went to the Hockey Hall of Fame. The Husband seemed to have a fabulous time. I thought it was neat too. Well worth seeing, since the Stanley Cup is there!

One last night shot of the city.

On the bridge back to Michigan!

I found Toronto a great city to visit. We were so impressed with how clean the city was. It was easy to get around too. We walked everywhere we wanted to go. Overall we spent the majority of our time just tooling around the city checking out sites, grabbing some great meals, and relaxing at the hotel. It was the perfect little getaway from the baby arrives!

8 Months

2010-07-01T21:03:00.004-04:00

Week 32 are maternity pictures that were taken by Christina of Closer to the Heart Photography. I will post pics when they become available.

Boy or Girl?

2010-07-01T10:59:00.005-04:00

Time is winding down. I'll be 36-weeks (9 months) tomorrow! Yikes, for real, this has gone by way too fast. I will officially go on record as saying I can hold out another month for little Babeski to show up! No problem at all with that at all!

I'm still feeling guilty about the lack of posts. I'm trying to make up for it now. I've created a Baby Pool, so if you feel like participating, have at it! It's been a lot of fun reading the guesses. I'm as much in the dark as everyone else!

That being said, earlier this week I purchased a couple of items from Etsy to have on hand for my newborn photos. How darling are these?

7 Months

2010-06-26T20:54:00.005-04:00

I missed taking a photo during Week 29. It's kind of a bummer, but I've been trying to keep up. Week 29 was a bad week for me pregnancy related, but I'm all about moving forward. Month 8 will be showing up shortly!

What I Accomplished Today

2010-06-26T16:36:00.004-04:00

I've been lacking in the posts lately, and for that I apologize. Mostly to myself, since I'm going to flip back through this blog one day and wonder what was going on for so many weeks. I've been busy, but mostly tired, so I have a lot of catching up to do.

I had a burst of energy this week (Week 35) and on Saturday I got a lot of stuff done. Well, a lot of stuff for me, being just short of 9 months pregnant.

Bassinet is put together and in the bedroom
High chair put together
Baby Einstein Musical Jumper assembled
Kitchen cleaned up (more to do on that though)
Two loads of laundry
A trip to Hobby Lobby
Outdoor flowers watered, one bed weeded and maintained

I think it's time to take a bath, relax and do some reading.

Week 27

2010-06-14T20:09:00.002-04:00

Scarf Post - Follow-up

2010-05-13T20:25:00.002-04:00

I never get follow-up questions. Funsie!

If you don't mind sharing, where did you find those and what would you wear with them them??

I found both scarves at Anthropologie here and here.

I find myself often going through my closet and pulling out plain, cotton shirts, either in black, cream or white wishing that I had something to dress them up. I have v-necks and crew neck shirts. I thought the grey scarf would work great for that, especially once fall and winter roll around.

The mint scarf I purchased specifically for my upcoming trip to Toronto. I plan to pair it with a pair of black boot cut pants, a fitted white tee or tank with a denim jacket over top. I need to go out and find a jacket before we go though! I also own a ridiculous amount of purple shirts in various shades. Again, I find myself pulling these shirts out of my closet wondering what I could do with them to dress them up, since plain shirts get a little boring after a while. This scarf has just the right amount of purple in it to pull it all together with a pair of jeans or white capris with sandals.

Too Much Down Time...

2010-05-13T12:54:00.003-04:00

Is never a good thing for my pocketbook. Online shopping is a near obsession.

My latest goodies:

Third Trimester

2010-05-10T15:20:00.002-04:00

I have entered the third trimester! As I type that out, my stomach drops a little bit. There is really no turning back now. I mean really. I'm getting nervous. I'm excited too, but mostly nervous at this point. I don't sleep well. I think my thoughts keep waking me up. But I'm doing well overall. I've got some intense back pain that I can only tack up to my sciatic nerve being aggravated by the baby's position. Other than that, I feel pretty good. We got the crib and dresser put together - so pretty. Now I need to put the final decorating touches on the nursery. We also need to finish up our home improvement projects. Should I tell you what we're doing at the end of May and June? Oh, just a little kitchen renovation, that's all. New floors, counters, back splash, paint, trim, fixtures, etc. No stress there, right? :-)

In celebration of my last trimester, I downloaded myself the Labor Mate application on my iPhone. When the time comes, this little number will track my contractions for me, so that I know when it's time to go to the hospital. Neato, huh?

Also on the horizon the Husband and I have a trip planned to visit Toronto. One last hoorah before the baby comes. I'm looking forward to experiencing a little bit of what Canada has to offer. I haven't been to Toronto since I was a kid, and I don't remember it well at all; other than the hotel we stayed in had an escalator. That was the first time I'd ever ridden an escalator, which seemed like a big deal. I wonder if where we're staying this time has one? Only time will tell. . .

Week 28: May 7, 2010

My Downgrade

2010-05-04T08:08:00.003-04:00

It's time to get back to basics. I've turned into a "big bag lady", but now that a baby is on the way, I'm taking the less is more approach.

A while back I was fixated on replacing my current bag with either a turquoise or fuchsia one. I wanted something fresh and bright. I purchased a Steve Madden bag in fuchsia, but it was just too big. Yes, there is a such thing. So back it went to the store, and my search started over. Then I got to thinking that maybe it'd be a good idea for me to downgrade and get something smaller that I could just toss into a diaper bag and go. Yeah, that's what I need. Something that will hold my cards, license, phone, lip gloss and keys. Something small and handheld. So the Kristin wristlet is what I decided upon. It also fits the turquoise criteria as well. The purse arrives on Thursday. I hope it works out!

Bumpity Bump

2010-04-29T20:23:00.003-04:00

What I've Got

2010-04-16T09:00:00.008-04:00

The "office" has finally been cleared out, and here is what I have picked out for the nursery thus far...

The crib - Baby Mod Convertible in Espresso

The furniture - Canopy Six Drawer Dresser and End Table in Mahogany
Don't fret my pets, the colors match up, I verified.

The dresser will double as a changing table, and the end table will go next to the glider, which I have yet to pick out.

Crib bedding - Custom order from a seller on Etsy

This is a picture of some the seller's work, and what my order is based on. Chartreuse green and white damask, minus pink, since we don't know the sex of the baby!

My mock-up crib set. The reverse side of the bumper and baby blanket will be white minky dot fabric. Minky fabric is soooo snugly. The bumper will also have a chartreuse piping added to the top.

Depending on if the baby is a boy or girl, I plan to pair up either lilac or robin's egg blue accents to go with the green and white.

Since our floors are all hardwood, I will be ordering a white flokati rug for the center of the room.

Curtains still need to be determined, along with paint color. I'm waiting for my fabric swatches to arrive in the mail so I can pick out paint, which should be any day now! I'm also planning on doing a wainscoting on the wall with the crib.

Here are some wall decals I will be ordering in my color scheme as soon as my swatches arrive as well. These are from Etsy.

For a boy...

For a girl...

Are you curious how it's all going to come together? Then stay tuned!

Hanging Out In the New Cat Tree

2010-04-15T15:14:00.002-04:00

Bumps Ahead

2010-04-04T21:21:00.001-04:00

I Love Text Messages

2010-03-29T13:00:00.002-04:00

Me: I just heard Loverboy - Turn Me Loose. It's OK. You can be jealous.

The Husband: No time for jealousy when you're working for the weekend.

Pure awesome.

20 Weeks

2010-03-22T14:14:00.006-04:00

Five months!!! I'm half way there!!!

I got my car seat this week. Now we have something to bring the baby home from the hospital in! Woohoo! And speaking of hospital, I had my first visit to Labor & Delivery on Wednesday.

On Tuesday night, technically really early Wednesday, I woke up in excruciating pain around 1:00 a.m. I had terrible cramps in my back. I was sweating and nauseous. Was it contractions? I could barely move. Then I realized it was on the right side of my back. Then I began to wonder if it was kidney stones, and if I should wake the husband up and go to the emergency room. I laid there for a while wondering what I should do. Finally I fell back asleep. I woke up around the time I needed to get up to get ready for work. I got up, took a shower, and started getting ready. At that point I realized I couldn't go into work. I had cramps still, and I should call the doctor. It felt like menstrual cramps times one hundred. So I called into work and crawled back into bed. At 8:00 I called the nurse's line and was told that I needed to go to Labor & Delivery at the hospital to get checked out, but not to worry.

The husband drove me to there, and we got checked in. As we were going up the elevator he asked me if we were coming home with a baby that day. I assured him that they'd be doing everything possible to make sure that didn't happen.

They ran a couple tests on my urine to check for a UTI or kidney stone. They came back clean, but they also hooked me up to monitor to check for contractions. I wasn't having any. So after an hour and a half there, I was released and told that it was probably just muscle spasms. Dang, those were some spasms.

The nurse on duty was nice enough to give us a little tour of the hospital where I'd be delivering and where I'd go for postpartum. The husband was be-bopping around, having a good time, asking all sorts of questions, and I was getting dizzy. I realized there's no turning back now. This summer I'm having a baby one way or the other. It really hit me. I'm going to be a mom here in no time. Is there any way to fully prepare yourself for that? The nurse turned on the huge overhead lights at the end of the bed, and said "when you see these come on, it's show time." That's one way to look at it, I guess.

By the time we were leaving the hospital after our tour, my "spasms" were back, and I was ready to go home and hit the couch. We discussed how it was nice to do that dry run of driving to the hospital, finding out where L&D are, and seeing the rooms. We will get a tour later this spring as part of our birthing classes, but doing the drive helped too.

The rest of the week went fine. There is lots of activity from the little person as evidenced by a couple shots we got at our ultrasound in Week 19.

Sucking his/her thumb and kicking their feet. How it makes my heart melt. It's a tiny miracle inside of me.

Week 20: March 12, 2010

19 Weeks

2010-03-09T08:55:00.003-05:00

I've got lots of baby movement this week! I was getting a little anxious about not feeling anything, but now I am. There is plenty of activity going on at the Hotel Uterus.

In other news, I have another ultrasound scheduled for tomorrow. We're going to find out the sex of the baby when s/he is delivered. I went back and forth about this decision, but the Husband really doesn't want to find out, so I came to terms with it. I've waited this long, and time has gone fast, so I can certainly wait it out for the other half.

I'm a little nervous that I'm halfway along already! We've got our crib picked out and need to get it ordered. I'm still deciding on gender neutral crib bedding and nursery decor. We're going to have to register soon too! It becomes more real by the day!

March 5, 2010: 19 Weeks

It's Like They Know

2010-03-05T09:19:00.003-05:00

The cats have been especially clingy and needy the last couple of weeks. I think they know something is going on with their mom. I have to admit, I love the extra attention and snuggles from my furry monsters. They are much more vocal when I talk to them, they follow me around, and if I'm watching TV, they have to be lying on top of me somewhere. They are being so sweet. I hope they stay this loving when the baby arrives. I imagine there will be an adjustment period, but hopefully they all come to terms with the new addition to the family.

I caught a couple shots of Nico this week on my phone. His eyes look so beautiful in the sunlight.

So he's learned a new trick that I'm not all that excited about. Little did he know, that glass of water was chock full of Benefiber. Another pregnancy perk, friends. I take Benefiber on a daily basis like a senior citizen. It's better than getting hemorrhoids though, let me tell you!

Week 18: February 26, 2010

Maternity Leave

2010-02-24T09:36:00.001-05:00

A co-worker sent me this image today. I thought it was pretty funny.

17 Weeks

2010-02-22T16:17:00.005-05:00

Bump City! I think it's safe to say I'm past the "Is she just fat or pregnant stage?" Yay!!!

February 19: 17 Weeks

16 Weeks

2010-02-22T16:09:00.003-05:00

I bought my first outfits for the Babeski! A set of four onesies and two pairs of pants. I thought they were so cute. I even got all misty eyed as I picked them out.

On Tuesday this week I think I felt my first baby flutter. It was on the way home from work. It felt like someone with a tiny little fin was doing a few kicks, and the water was fluttering. I only felt it that one time, and haven't felt it since. I'm still waiting anxiously for more!

February 12: 16 Weeks

15 Weeks

2010-02-15T17:41:00.004-05:00

15 Weeks and 2 days, and growing by the minute!

Denver Day 4

2010-02-12T08:59:00.005-05:00

On our last day in Colorado, we went to Mount Evans, which is the highest drivable mountain in America (14,000 feet!). There were lots of sharp curves, no guard rails, and a very nervous passenger (me). The views were incredible though. It's so peaceful.

Notice the snow storm we're in the middle of at the top of the mountain. It was freezing, and blowing so hard!!

After we made our way back down the mountain, we went to Sushi Sasa for dinner. We got a sushi sampler, and I think I had the best California rolls of my life. I like California rolls, but I also like to get a little more adventurous with my rolls than crab meat so I typically don't order them often or at all. These ended up being my favorite rolls of the evening! We sat at the bar, so we got to watch the chefs prepare all the food. It was a great, little place. Very contemporary and hip, but casual at the same time. We walked in with our fleeces and jeans on, and no one batted an eyelash. I wouldn't mind returning to this place someday.

The following day Brett and I went home. It was a great trip. I can't wait to go back and visit our friends again!

Week 12

2010-01-22T12:46:00.003-05:00

A big week for us! We had our first ultrasound and got to see the baby! I can't explain how cool that was (melted heart). The little baby was bouncing around and wouldn't sit still for the technician to take some pictures! The tech said we've got an active one, and stubborn too! I guess I'll know more about the activity in the months to come, right? Finally the little one settled down, and she got the pictures she needed. The baby was definitely moving around and bouncing in response to the tech prodding me with the ultrasound thingy (yes, we get technical on this blog). She said the spine looks great (yay!), all the limbs are there (yay!), my uterus looks great (yay!) and the baby is measuring right one time (yay!). She said everything looked really great! I have to say, that was definitely one of the neatest things I have ever seen. What an experience.

I can hardly believe it most of the time that there is really a baby growing inside of me. It still seems so fake! I feel like overnight I woke up and suddenly have a little pot belly too. I'm still feeling good. Hopefully all of my energy will be returning soon. I'm suffereing from insomnia pretty bad, but I'm not even tired during the day, so I must have some crazy burst of energy going on. Talk to me at 7:00 at night though. It's a different story!

I'm alllllmost to the second trimester. It's creeping up on me. Where is the time going??? I suppose when you feel well for most of the first third of your pregnancy, time seems to go a lot faster. What a blessing that was. I'm a little worried about how fast it's going though. I'm so far behind on my reading!

The big developments this week are that the baby now has reflexes. Fingers will begin to open and close, toes will curl (hopefully with delight), eye muscles will clench and the mouth will make sucking movements. This baby is about the size of a lime from head to rump. Wittle guy (or girl).

Is it me, or does it totally look like the baby is pointing? "Yo tech, quit pressing down on me with your ultrasound machine. Yeah, I'm talking to you."

Little Babeski has his/her mouth open in this one. This is Brett's favorite picture.

January 15: Week 12

Week 11

2010-01-14T10:43:00.002-05:00

During Week 11 we got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time! Wow was that cool! The doctor wasn't sure if she'd be able to find it with a Doppler machine this early, so she didn't want us to be worried, but she ended up finding it right away! Brett was able to record the sound with his phone, but unfortunately blogger doesn't have an easy way for me to upload an mp3 at the moment (I'm mad at you, blogger!).

The doctor appointment went really well. Brett loved my doctor, and we both walked away all gitty with excitement from hearing the heartbeat and getting positive feedback about the journey we're taking. Dr. B. said I looked good, and that everything was going well.

This was also the week that I noticed when getting up in the morning that "Hey, I don't feel like my stomach is burning and turning and all that other nonsense!". I am now feeling decent when waking up in the morning. Sometimes in the midday or afternoon I might feel a little yucky, but things are getting better, not that things were ever horrible for me!

I think my energy is returning too, since when I nap after work, I'll have insomnia at night, so maybe it's too much sleep for my body. That's a good sign. Wow, there are some days when I'm just wiped out though still. I seem to have an internal alarm clock that is the weirdest thing. Every night I wake up at 11:41. I wake up, turn over and go back to sleep. The same time. Every night. I also wake up again at 3:45a.m. for a bathroom break. Same time. I'm on a schedule, I guess.

The baby is the size of a fig and almost fully formed. The baby is also kicking and stretching already too!

January 8: Week 11

We're Making Progress

2010-01-13T12:39:00.001-05:00

The tile floor is going in today!

Denver Part III

2010-01-11T12:05:00.004-05:00

On the third day of our trip to Denver, Saturday, we grabbed lunch to go around noon, and hit the road to see more sites.

The first stop was a lookout point over Lake Dillon on Swan Mountain Road. Gorgeous.

We did some more driving around and sit seeing, and after that we rolled back into town to see a Colorado Rockies game. Mike and Carrie's place was a few blocks walking distance from the stadium.

Check out those rain clouds over the mountains. The rain never got to us.

After the game we went to a bar called the Thin Man Tavern. This was a pretty neat bar. They offered about five or six differnt flavors of infused vokda. I think I had a mint one with ginger ale and it was pretty good. They also have a solid selection of beer too, or any kind of mixed drink, if flavored vodka isn't your bag. They also had great food, as we got a bite to eat here too. Add the decent food and drinks with funky decor (they have a Jesus theme going on there), and it's a great place to check out.

Week 9

2010-01-09T21:07:00.003-05:00

Ahh, already received my first belly pat. I suppose I should get used to that, but still struck me as weird. I guess it depends on who is doing the patting, right?

We celebrated Christmas with our families. Only immediate families and a handful of my friends knew at this point. We decided to keep quiet about our little Babeski until after our first doctor appointment in Week 11.

Still feeling pretty well. Some downs, but mostly up's. Mom is in good spirits. Oh, and did I mention we decided to gut our bathroom and do a renovation project? Yep, that whole thing started in the middle of Week 8. It's been going alright though.

The new resident is nearly an inch long, and about the size of a grape. The essential body parts are accounted for, though they still have plenty of fine-tuning to come in the following months. The baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form - so do the teeth. The embryonic tail is completely gone. Organs, muscles and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there, but indistinguishable for another few weeks. We've got private parts, people! This seems so crazy to me!! The embryo is an inch long!!! How is this possible??? The body does amazing things.

December 25: Week 9

Weeks 7 and 8

2010-01-04T19:41:00.006-05:00

Week 7 was pretty uneventful for mom. I had a couple of days of not feeling well at all, but made it through work like a champ. Exhaustion has started settling in. At first I couldn't figure out what women who have been pregnant before meant when they asked about the exhaustion. The general consensus was "Just you wait." Message received. Excitement continues to grow, just like the embryo, which is the size of a blueberry.

Week 8....whoa, watch out. The hormones have kicked in. Mood changes galore. So where did this the anger and rage come from? And my skin? I look like a 14-year old teenage boy. This made me sad, because there is virtually nothing in my bag of beauty tricks that is considered "safe" to use while pregnant to help me. And that glow some people think I have? It's really just sweat from the hot flashes I seem to have several times a day. I will admit that most of the time I am absolutely freezing though. It's the strangest thing. I can't stay warm. Any other women out there have that happen? Then once in a while the hot flash comes on, and in ten minutes I'm freezing again. Crazy, crazy hormones. I'm praying my skin gets better. I'm already getting looks all the time from co-workers who are checking out my stomach, now my face too? I can handle my pants already getting tight; sigh, yes, I know it's early, but keeping a constant line of food in my stomach is what keeps it settled; but the skin thing has got to go. This is the week where all I wanted to say was "Stop looking at me or I will crush your city!" This is not a joke, people. You've been warned.

The embryo is about the size of a kidney bean, developing along.

December 11: Week 7
December 18: Week 8

Pot Pie

2010-01-03T21:26:00.002-05:00

Betty Crocker has got nothing on me! The Pot Pie that I made today is delectable!

I can't take full credit though, I found the recipe on Pioneer Woman's website. This is a definite keeper, and what comfort food is all about. It also got rave reviews from the Husband - which means it passed the test.

Sorry about the crummy cell phone quality photo...

Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

1 pie crust (I cheated and used a store bought crust)
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup finely diced carrot
1/2 cup finely diced celery
2 cups leftover turkey, light and dark, diced or shredded (I used chicken)
1/4 cup flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
splash of white wine (optional)
1 cup heavy cream
Frozen peas (optional)
Fresh thyme, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt butter in a skillet or dutch oven. Add onion, carrots, and celery, and cook until translucent (a couple of minutes.)
Add turkey and stir. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir. Cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly.
Pour in chicken or turkey broth, stirring constantly. Splash in wine (you can leave this out if you’d like.) Pour in cream. (May add frozen peas at this point if you’d like.)
Bring to a slow boil and allow mixture to cook and thicken for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste (do not under season), and fresh or dried thyme to taste. Do one final taste at the end and add what it needs.
Pour mixture into a casserole dish or deep pie pan.
Roll out crust so that it’s about 1 inch larger than the pan you’re using.
Place the crust on top of the pot pie mixture, and press crust into the sides of the dish. Cut vents in the top of the crust.
Bake for 30 minutes or until very golden and bubbly.
Allow to cool for a little bit before serving.

Serve with a large spoon.

And try not to eat the whole thing in one sitting!

Weeks 5 and 6

2010-01-03T19:19:00.007-05:00

Weeks five and six were pretty average in a sense that not much changed. I still had cramping and severe breast tenderness, but I was feeling pretty well overall.

Monday of week five I met with an RN at my doctor's office. She confirmed that I was indeed pregnant, in fact her words were "Oh yeah, you're definitely pregnant". I'm guessing the results she got showed up within a few seconds too, just like my home pregnancy test. We went through a bunch of paperwork, and received a binder full of reading material.

The nurse told me my estimated delivery date (EDD) is July 30, 2010. I had done a little calculating myself when I found out, and the date I came up with was August 2, 2010. I based my calculations on a 31-day cycle, which I have, not the 28-day cycle so many people assume every woman in the world has. I told the nurse that I had a 31-day cycle, and she looked at me and pretty much said "it doesn't matter". OK, for EDD, I'll give you that. Three days isn't a big deal, it's just an estimate anyway. We'll see which of us is more accurate when they start doing ultrasounds where they can really tell. :wink:

What the Husband and I did was simple. I downloaded an application on my iPhone called Ovulation. I plugged in my menses from the last eight months, and the app told me I had a 31-day cycle. What it also does is point out days of the month it predicts you'll be ovulating. It also uses the Shettles Method in predicting the sex of the baby too. Pretty neat, huh? You can also get technical and track basal temps, fluids and what not. Two months of using this app, and we got our big fat positive. The only reason I'm talking about it is because I found the accuracy amazing, with minimal effort (I didn't do temps). When I told the nurse about it, she kind of gave me the side eye. Hey, to each his own. It worked for us. Maybe it'll work you, or your friends. I love that technology can make my life easier. :-)

Monday of week six was the worst that I'd felt so far. It was mostly a lot of excess saliva, and the feeling like I had to burp, but nothing happening. This all combined with an unsettled stomach. Let's call it nausea. Definitely a saltine and water day. I can handle this though. No complaints from me!

November 27: Five weeks
December 4: Six weeks

Denver Part II

2009-12-30T10:35:00.004-05:00

The Labor Day trip continues. On Friday we got up, and had lunch at Steubens. A Denver staple. I can still picture the Philly Cheese steak we had, which seems to be a really popular sandwich in this city. Strange, huh?

After lunch we headed out into the mountains to do some light hiking and sightseeing.

After playing around in the mountains, we went into Boulder and walked around in the downtown area, which was really neat. We grabbed dinner in Boulder, and then went to see a band called Vinyl (described as old-school funk, Latin percussion, reggae, and R&B into signature California grooves) that night in Denver.

I have to say, a good day.

Labor Day In Denver

2009-12-29T14:11:00.007-05:00

For Labor Day 2009, Brett and I traveled to Denver to visit our really good friends, Mike and Carrie who moved there from L.A. in April. It was my first trip to Colorado.

We flew out of Midway in Chicago, and found traveling out of that airport to be incredibly easy, and just as far as driving to Detroit from Grand Rapids. The airfare was the best deal we could find between Detroit, Grand Rapids and Chicago. I would definitely fly out of Chicago again.

Carrie picked us up in Denver in the early afternoon when we arrived. Our first mission was to find a liquor store to pick up some Fat Tire beer. So very tasty on that incredibly hot day. I have to remind myself to ask Mike to bring some home with him the next time he visits. It's that good.

After a beer and settling in, we decided to hit Happy Hour at Trios Enoteca Wine Bar. I loved this place. It was so posh, but yet, so laid back at the same time. Apparently happy hours are big in Denver. They have them everywhere. And some places have them twice a day; one in the afternoon and one again late in the evening. Half off wine by the glass and half off pizza. Yes please. I got a Pancetta, Caramelized Onion, Mozzarella, Mushroom and Chevre Cheese pizza with a glass of Pinot. Pure bliss.

Mike and Carrie have this urban apartment in the Lodo district of Denver (lower downtown district of Denver), so it made walking to all of these places pretty easy.

After chilling at the wine bar, we hopped in the car and drove out to Boulder. We went up into the mountains a bit, parked the car, climbed some rocks and threw back a couple more beers while enjoying the sites.

A great start to a fun filled trip.

Much To Be Thankful For

2009-12-29T13:35:00.006-05:00

On Thanksgiving Day the Husband and I found out we’re going to be parents!

I had a that feeling. It was just there. Something felt different. For a couple of weeks, at night after dinner I was feeling “off” and not very well. I had what I thought were menstrual cramps, with no period to show for it. I had also starting waking up in the middle of the night having to go to the bathroom, which was unusual for me. And let’s not forget the swollen, painful breasts. Painful is not an exaggeration. All of these signs had me clued in before the missed period.

I missed my period on the Monday before Thanksgiving, but was just kind of rolling with it. It had shown up a few days late before. On Thanksgiving morning, after I was all ready and packed to go to Detroit overnight, I was sitting around waiting for the Husband to finish up, and he told me “Just take the test. Don’t you want to know?” I can’t remember for sure, but I assume I was talking about all of the symptoms and the fact that I was now three days late, which led him to urge me to test.

I had taken a couple of pregnancy tests before, but re-read the instructions just in case. OK, here we go. I did my business, put the cap back over the test strip, and set it on the end of the counter. Got myself decent again, flushed the toilet, and had a moment where I thought “I better move that stick to the center of the counter, just so I don’t knock it off.” I picked it up, and before I could even set it back down, the word “PREGNANT” was clear as day! I think it took less than 30 seconds to show up.

Let me start off by saying, I’ve taken these tests before, and when they aren’t positive, they take the full three minutes to process and give you the “Not Pregnant” results. I’ve set the timer and waited. I couldn’t believe it popped up that fast! I didn’t even have time to wash my hands. And in the excitement of the moment I don’t think I ever did, now that I think about it. Oops, don't judge me. It was a big, exciting, distracting moment.

As soon as I saw the “PREGNANT” come up, I called for Brett to come into the bathroom, and held it up for him to read. Oh my god, we’re pregnant! Eeeee! We’re having a Babeski!

Thursday, November 26: 4 weeks and 6 days pregnant.

And So It Begins

2009-12-21T14:13:00.005-05:00

Bathroom Renovation - Take One.

No turning back now.

Captions for the photo my Dad sent me:

"There! Finally, got that damn mouse."

"Ut oh, you meant the other bathroom?"

"You want it put back together by WHEN?"

Life As I Know It

2009-11-20T13:24:00.002-05:00

Life as I know it may be over. My iPhone appears to be dead. It locked up on me after lunch, and I can't get it to turn back on.

You may wonder, and I'll go ahead and answer for you. Yes, I am just that pathetic. And dramatic.

Can I get someone to queue up the choir? “Amaaaazzzzing grace…how sweet the sound…”

My Morphine Kick

2009-09-11T13:25:00.003-04:00

No, not that one. This one:

I'll have to remember the next time the Husband gets pissed at me to tell him to put this one on. And then press repeat.

Janese & Tim :: Reception

2009-08-23T18:02:00.003-04:00

Janese & Tim

2009-08-22T23:24:00.002-04:00

Turf and Sorta Surf

2009-08-21T21:18:00.004-04:00

We're goin to steak night...we're gonna eat it riiight...steak is suuuch a treat...its the world's BEST MEAT!

The Husband and I grilled steaks and had sushi with asparagus tonight. De-to-the-lish.

We used my mom's marinade for the steaks, which is beyond tasty.

3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped onion
1-1/2 teaspoons ginger
1/3 teaspoon garlic powder
Marinade for 4-hours
Enjoy yummy goodness.

iPhone photo

I Said "No"

2009-08-16T17:40:00.003-04:00

Please let me play with your dress. Pleeease!

Flowers 2009 Continued

2009-08-03T10:50:00.003-04:00

A shot of one of my Verbena. This guy hasn't gotten too big, but next year, when I get more, I'll take better care of them.

My Sweet Alyssum and Dusty Millers. These have filled in just beautifully. The Dustys are from last year, that grew back. I plan to leave both plants in over the winter to get them to return next year.

That's A Head Scratcher

2009-07-15T20:41:00.005-04:00

Last night I stopped after work to pick up a few balloons to take to my sister-in-law's hospital room to show my excitement for the baby. When we got to the hospital, I stopped at the information desk to find out how to get to the patient rooms. She gave me the information and politely told me that balloons weren't allowed in the hospital due to latex allergies, but that she'd hold them for me until we left. OK, fair enough.

The Husband and I proceeded through the hallways, making our way to our final destination. It was then that I noticed patients getting wheeled out with their floral arrangements in tow. Hmph. Well that's interesting. Flowers, which spread their stank all over the place are OK. What about all the patients with floral allergies? Does latex have a scent that goes airborne? I was under the impression that someone allergic to latex had to come in contact with the substance to have a reaction. Because I had every intention of walking into all the patient rooms on my way to my sister-in-law's and rubbing balloons all over them.

I sometimes just laugh at the great lengths our society has gone to in order to cover their asses. I'd love to see some numbers on how many patients in a given year have an allergy outbreak because of someone else's balloons, which never enter their room and stay behind closed doors in the room they were intended for, or hear a story from someone that knows of this actually being a real issue.

I thought I was doing the right thing by purchasing balloons over flowers. Who knew? Rules are rules though. Even if they are stupid.

Newest Addition To The Family

2009-07-15T10:40:00.004-04:00

Welcome to the world!

Henrik Anthony
July 14, 2009
3:20 a.m.
8-lbs and 1-oz
21-inches long

Getting Ready For Father's Day

2009-06-18T15:31:00.003-04:00

As reported by my sister:

I was in Kohls the other day and I half heard a conversation between a mom and a kid. "Because every day is kids' day." It wasn't just our dad who used that one.

This makes me laugh. Really hard. I can still remember the day my dad got home from work and my sister and I asking him "How come there is no kids' day?"

The response has never been forgotten.

Flowers 2009 Snap Dragons

2009-06-16T19:58:00.002-04:00

Flower Preview 2009

2009-06-15T19:34:00.002-04:00

Here is a shot of my Sweet Williams, which were a transplant from my Mother-in-law. Love these guys.

These are Wee Williams. The "annual" version of Sweet Williams, which came back in full force from last year.

One of my planters. It's a Spreading Petunia, Spike and Rex Begonia.

Primrose Buttercup. I had to capture a photo now, since these guys won't bloom all summer.

Photos were taken with my iPhone, so they aren't the best quality. More to come as progress unfolds.

New Family Room Setup

2009-05-11T14:45:00.001-04:00

An upside down ottoman on the couch while the Husband steam cleans carpets. Who would think that would be comfortable?

Sunday Morning Drive

2009-05-04T13:51:00.002-04:00

On the way back from the Home Depot on Sunday morning, the Husband and I drove past the horse farm on East Paris. This is the conversation that unfolded from there.

Him: That's a nice looking horse.
Me: Uh-huh.
Him: Not that I know anything about horses, but it had a nice shiny coat and mane.
Me: They are really expensive. Not only to purchase, but to take care of as well.
Him: I wonder if our neighborhood has an ordinance about getting horses?
Me: Exactly where would we keep a horse? They need a lot of space and exercise.
Him: We could take that thing out on Cascade Road and ride it.

Can you imagine? I can't stop laughing just at the thought of it.

That's A Fine How Do You Do!

2009-04-24T10:35:00.002-04:00

Wednesday night I'm lying in bed trying to fall asleep. I'm lying on my back, with my hands behind my head trying to unwind and drift off into a relaxed, deep sleep. It's just me and Nico. He's curled up on his blanket at the foot of the bed.

Suddenly a cat jumps up on the bed inches away from my head causing me to jump a little bit. It startled me, but it's only Sasha. She then walks across my neck and chest in slow motion to get to the other side of the bed. She might only be seven or eight pounds, but seven or eight pounds of pressure stepping on your neck doesn't exactly feel great. She goes all the way to the edge of the bed, looking out, curled in a ball. She stays for a couple of seconds, then comes back to my side, walks on my neck and chest again, then gets on the night stand.

A short period of time goes by, and I figure I better look to see what she's doing. I turn my head, and there she is sitting up all nice and tall just looking at me. That must have been what she wanted, because within another few seconds (long enough for me to turn my head straight and close my eyes), she comes walking back over me. This time slow enough so her butt is in my face. I can't help it, I start laughing out loud at this point. My laughter scares her, and she has a little jolt in her movement. She walks all the way over to the edge of the bed, lays down the exact same way and stays there until the Husband comes to bed.

OK, I get it. You're here. Your presence is known! Geesh, weirdo.

Happy Second Anniversary

2009-04-21T20:21:00.003-04:00

Today the Husband and I celebrate our second wedding anniversary. Our gift to each other was a trip to Paris. It was quite the experience to share together. The romantic, city of light (How breathtaking is the Eiffel at dusk? I know, right.).

Tonight we are just lying low. We thought we were going to go out to dinner, but the weather is so crummy, that we decided to go on Saturday. I'm hoping for some sun and warmer temperatures by then. I made dinner which consisted of a recipe from The Biggest Loser for turkey meatballs, pasta, and marinara sauce with fresh mushrooms and zucchini. Mmm.

Happy Anniversary, Baby! Thanks for putting up with my nonsense. I love you lots!

I've been quiet, and haven't posted any photos from the trip yet. I'm in the process of learning Adobe Lightroom. I have been taking online tutorials, and my brain is on information overload right now, but I hope to get some pictures up soon with my write-ups. For now, this "out of the camera" shot will have to do. The Husband is urging me to post photos after I edit them in Lightroom, which will force me to learn it. So there you have it. More to come very soon, I hope. I can be a slow learner sometimes. :-)

Home From Paris

2009-04-10T10:02:00.004-04:00

It was an amazing trip to Paris! We had such a wonderful time! I'm going to try to post some photos and stories this weekend. First things first - I must unpack.

Words of Wisdom

2009-03-27T12:42:00.003-04:00

If you knew my Dad, you'd know that he was one of those people that had a saying for everything. When I was in high school, it used to irritate me, but now as an adult, I've come to really get a kick out of them.

The Husband and I are traveling to Paris very soon now, as I told you. I e-mailed my parents our flight itinerary, and all of the information for the hotel that we are staying at, in case they needed to track us down. We'll check in over e-mail while there too.

The response I got back from my Dad was:
"Sounds great, we'll want to hear the details when you get home.
Be careful and aware of your surroundings, crime never takes a vacation."

Ain't that the truth.

Keep Watching

2009-03-24T11:15:00.003-04:00

I'll have an update soon. My head has been in the clouds...or resting on my pillow. I'm just now snapping out of the winter funk. I hope to have some new posts in the near future.

Bonjour, Pah-ree

2009-02-26T12:16:00.002-05:00

We're going to Paris in April! The Husband and I are ecstatic! I'm hoping for good weather, so please send good vibes our way.

Time for me to brush up on and re-learn some French.

Enjoy one of my favorite tunes of the moment, Ladyhawke's "Paris Is Burning".

Is It OK To Laugh?

2009-02-21T17:44:00.004-05:00

My sister-in-law and I made the trek to Lansing today in the snow. Bridesmaid duties. It probably wasn't the best day for this, but it was one of the only free weekends she had for the next month. The roads going there were pretty good. The right lane was clear and dry for the most part. By the time we went home, it was another story.

The roads were now wet, and getting slushy. Most people were taking it easy and driving with caution. Most people. There are always people on the roads who are driving like there's a fire, and just being stupid in poor conditions. One vehicle in particular was this honking, beast of a truck. Probably about as big as you can get. He goes speeding by in the left lane like we're standing still.

About fifteen minutes later, we drive past a truck who has slid off the road all the way across the median, and is now facing the opposite way, going with traffic in the other direction. The guy is just sitting in his truck. He could probably drive himself right out heading in the opposite direction, because it looks like he stopped on the side of the road. Then it dawns on me - that's the truck that went speeding past us moments before! Sister-in-law agrees, that is the guy.

I ask my sister-in-law, "Is it OK for me to laugh? Cuz I want to." She told me it was OK because the guy wasn't hurt. I agree, that wouldn't be funny at all, or would it have been funny if this guy took out anyone else with him. So I snickered just for a second. Hey buddy, you're going the wrong way.

Remember folks, when the weather is bad, to quote Pineapple Express, "Safety first. Then teamwork."

Be careful out there.

Falling In Love...Or Maybe Just Falling

2009-02-15T18:58:00.002-05:00

In lieu of Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share one of my proud moments from dating that happened on this such holiday.

About eight years ago, I had started hanging out and seeing someone. This is probably the second time we had gone out, and we decided to meet up a little later on Valentine's Day at one of the bars in town. My roommate and I drove up there, had a few drinks, and then he showed up a while later. My roommate decided to call it a night, and after a few more drinks, socializing, and the bar kicking us out, we did too.

Since it was one of our first dates, I was dressed to impressed. Black pants, heels, the works. He had parked probably eight blocks away, hey it was free parking. So we trudged out into the cold night on the snowy sidewalks. You can't really expect college students to shovel the walks, you know. We were having some laughs, and even ran into some people we knew walking home too. After a long walk, his SUV was finally in site. I made it all the way to the car walking on snow covered sidewalks, and then...

He walked to the passenger door to unlock it and let me in. As I stepped into the grass area between the sidewalk and the road, the snow was kind of sloped, and I lost my footing. As he stood there with the door open waiting for me, my feet slid out from underneath me. It happened so fast. I bit it hard, and ended up sliding underneath his vehicle! He asked if I was OK, and after a slight pause I got out a weak "yeessss?". My head and shoulders were sticking out from underneath the car, so he was able to help me up to my feet. In addition to my pride being injured, I had jerked my left shin up as a reaction to falling, and ended up kicking the frame of the car on my way under. If you've ever hit your shin bone (tibia for the medical folk), you know it hurts. However, through the pain, I laughed the whole way home. I mean if you don't laugh, you'll cry right?

So in addition to falling on a second date, bruising my shin, and injuring my ego, I learned an important lesson: shoes that make you fall go into the garbage.

Ahh, married life; where you can fall, and not leave your dignity under the car. Thanks to the Husband for saving me from those awkward moments for the rest of my life.

Another Reason To Love

2009-02-10T18:53:00.002-05:00

Every couple has inside jokes. That is part of the fun of being so close to someone. The Husband and I have a couple places around Macomb where his mom and step-father live that are our inside jokes.

One of the first few times we went out there together, we stopped at a liquor store to pick up some wine. The place was called BB's. I kept saying, "Bee Bee, that's you (his initials). This is your place." For whatever reason, it was just funny to us. That's how inside jokes are. You have to be there.

Another place nearby is a place I like to call "Bar". Probably because I could never remember the full name, and the sign for the place just has BAR in giant letters. So the place is called Bar. One night we went out for drinks and on the way home, we stopped at Bar. We both got Pabst Blue Ribbons out of a can, and I think we got two dimes back for the $2 we laid down on the counter to pay for them. It's just this po-dunk of a place, but I wanted to check it out, just because of the name. So now every time we go out to Macomb, I always ask if we're going to go to Bar. We have never gone back, but that place sure has a cool name.

So anyway, The Husband is out at his mom's house for a couple of days for her birthday, and he sends me these photos from his phone. No text, just photos. I just cracked up laughing when I opened the messages. See what I'm missing out on?

Dresses Decided Upon

2009-02-06T07:44:00.004-05:00

I must admit, I was a little worried what kind of dress we'd end up getting for my sister's wedding. With five bridesmaids all wanting something a little different to suit their own body types and interests, I had my doubts that I was going to be 100% happy with the selection.

The first day we went shopping for dresses though, I ended up trying this dress on and just loving it. It was on the OK list between me, my sister and sister-in-law. So after another trip out with her friends, my sister and her friends all decided on this dress. Whew, my favorite dress won out! How lucky is that?

So here they are, from the Jasmine Bridesmaid collection B2 in petunia. I love the rouching at the top, and the material is so flowy and breathable for an outdoor, August wedding.

I also bought this brooch on etsy a while back, before we had even decided on the dress. I knew my sister wanted pink dresses, so I just took a chance. If it matches, I'd like to wear this in my hair. I thought it had a little Bohemian flare to it.

Bad Kitteh

2009-01-15T18:07:00.003-05:00

As I was plugging away at work today, I heard my phone go off indicating that I got a text message. I checked the phone. It was a message from the Husband. It said, "Nico bit me." I started cracking up, then I pointed out to him in a text message back that no one likes a tattle tale.

If At First You Don't Sucseed

2009-01-04T19:22:00.010-05:00

Ok, so I failed miserably at some of the seeds I tried to grow last year. That doesn't mean that I am giving up. Here's my list for 2009. Wish me luck!

This is a Coleus Wizard Mix. It'll be great for the north and west side of my house which doesn't get much sun.

Columbine Origami Mix. These will look great in the area next to my Japanese maple and ornamental grasses.

Flowering Tobacco. I've read that these are on the easy side to sow from seed. I purchased a couple of plants last summer which were quite pretty, so I thought I'd give these a try.

Mystic Mix Impatiens. Impatiens were my huge success last year, so I was no doubt going to get these again.

The first summer the Husband and I were in our house, I purchased Sweet Alyssum as a border flower, and they grew very successfully. I thought I'd try my hand at growing my own. I've never seen these pastel shades in any nursery.

The Petunias I tried to sow last year never took off. Not even one seed. I have no idea what I did wrong, but I'm willing to give them a second chance. This color combo really drew my attention.

Ahhh, onto the Zinnias. So easy. These are Double Cherry Zinnia.

Apricot Zinnia...to go with...

Deep Apricot Zinnia...to go with...

Orange Zinnia. These are all dwarf zinnias.

Scarlet and Yellow Swizzle Zinnia.

The following three photos are of Asti. Look how great the colors coordinate together. I was drooling over them. They are actually the inspiration behind my petunias. At a whomping $6.95 for a packet of seeds, I don't really want to invest in this plant yet with my lack of experience, but maybe next yet.

I decided that I am going to get a couple of tools to assist with the gardening once the plants get going. I'm going to purchase some Watering Spikes for my larger planters, to get water to the bottom where the roots are.

Aqua Pads for my hanging baskets. These things will make it so that I only have to water my hanging baskets once a week. Nice!

So here's hoping that I have a successful growing season.

Christmas Eve 2008

2009-01-04T17:17:00.004-05:00

We spent Christmas Eve at my parents' house this year, which was nice. A couple of traditions we have are to find the pickle ornament hidden on the Christmas tree after opening gifts (which I failed miserably at this year, and I'm still pouting), and we also watch Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The original from 1966. No Jim Carrey crap.

I love going home for Christmas. It just reminds me so much of being a kid. Dorothy was onto something...there's no place like it.

O Christmas Tree

2009-01-04T17:09:00.002-05:00

Our Christmas trees and fireplace mantel for 2008.

Oh, but I don't!

2008-12-30T08:11:00.004-05:00

Last night I got the pleasure of babysitting my two and a half year old nephew for a few hours. I had a lot of laughs, and a good time.

We spent a little time playing with a fire truck. This was an especially cool fire truck because it made noises, and had an extendable ladder - all the bells the whistles.

Me: Can I push a button to make the siren go off?
Him: No, I will push the button.
Me: Ok.
Pause...
Me: Can I play with the fire truck?
Him: No share. I'm going to play with it. You can play with a pillow.
At which point he lobs a pillow into my lap.
Me: I don't want to play with the pillow.
Him: Oh, but you do!

I'm telling Grandma.

It's All About Present-ation

2008-12-21T19:02:00.004-05:00

I love wrapping presents. I love pretty paper, ribbon, and bows. So this year I bought some ornament embellishments from Michaels to spruce up the gifts.

A shot of my little nubbins.

And a close-up of the red ornament nubbin. I thought they were so cute. They are 50% off already too, so a bag of ten of these guys was like $0.59!

I tried to sneak up on Nico snoozing under the tree and snag a photo, but he caught me.

Sasha just loves sitting on the big present under the tree.

I like the simple, festive look of ornaments in a glass bowl. I think it's a nice touch for the house. Nothing too over the top, but still along the lines of holiday spirit.

Christmas Cards

2008-12-06T17:00:00.005-05:00

Check.

The Christmas cards have been designed, printed, and mailed. I finished them up this morning while enjoying the jazzy sounds of A Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack, my latest addition to the holiday music collection.

The trees are up, the house is decorated; I just have to finish up my shopping, which is close to being done. Now if we could do something about this snow....

Photos were taken by my friend, Christina!

Thankful For

2008-12-03T12:23:00.003-05:00

Last weekend was Thanksgiving. It was pretty ho hum for me this year. By Wednesday night, the night before Thanksgiving, I could tell I was getting sick. I didn't feel good. Just blah. Something. The last few weeks have been hard on me emotionally, and I think it caught up to me.

I woke up on Thanksgiving with a sore throat. Just as I suspected, sickness was setting in. Again. I thought I'd snap out of it once I got up and moving around. The Husband and I headed out to my parents' house outside of Lansing for our first Thanksgiving meal of the day at 1:00 p.m. I started to feel better once I was at there and catching up with my family. So we ate, and I stuffed myself on my mom's awesome cooking, and we had to leave at 2:30 to go to Macomb to my mother-in-law's house for another Thanksgiving celebration. After spending more time in the car than at my parents' house, we arrived. I was feeling like crap again. Nothing a few glasses of wine couldn't cure though. I was able to hit the hay around 10:00, and totally stuffed up, unable to sleep.

We finally got back home to our own house on Friday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. By then I was sick. I mean blowing multiple tissues full of snot out at a time, and have more to go (I'm picturing the clown who pulls handkerchief after handkerchief out of his pocket. Yeah, my snot was like that. Never ending.). Sinus headache, body aches, and drowsiness. So the remainder of my Friday and all of my Saturday were spent lying on the couch. One of my favorite weekends of the year was ruined. Saturday was gorgeous too. We really should have gotten our Christmas decorations for outside put up, but we didn't. Now I don't know if we'll even get to it at all this season, because since Sunday on, it's been snowing pretty good. And that pesky day job I have, seems to get away as well.

Onto the day job...about four weeks ago now I interviewed for another job. I was looking for a promotion since I was unable to get one here. I ended up getting the job offer and accepting. Ever since accepting, something just didn't feel right about it. I had a pit in my stomach about leaving my current job. Yeah, the money...we're talking in the next two years about working my way into a five-digit raise. The office is rigid though. Firm on the rules and anal. For someone like me, who commutes an hour into work, I like a little leeway when I need it, and especially when the kids come, I'm going to want that flexibility. None to be had there. So is the extra money worth anything if I can't even be with my family? And they were cold. In the interview, when we were going over the offer, when I had questions. Every time. They weren't exactly a welcoming committee, if you know what I mean.

I have some connections, so I called the person that used to have the job. She found it hard to have one positive thing to say about the place. Ut oh. Then again, it could be a personality issue on her part. Who knows.

In the meantime, I have told my boss that I got an offer to leave. She said she was sad to see my go, and wondered had I gotten a promotion here, had I even been looking elsewhere? I was honest and told her "No, I wouldn't have been looking if they had promoted me here". Truth be told, this is a pretty cush place to work. It's flexible, my boss is totally family oriented and believes in "family first", and most important, I'm in my comfort zone, but I need a raise.

I ran into the director here before Thanksgiving and we had a nice little chat. He told me that I needed to be careful at my new job, that the management there was awful, and that they can't keep their staff around because of it. He said that I would've been perfect for my boss's job when she moves up, that's its too bad I'm leaving, blah, blah.

That was the final thing that pushed me. I hadn't been feeling good about this change from the start, but that just confirmed it. The following day I marched into his office and asked him to do something to get me to stay. That in turn resulted in my boss submitting paperwork to HR immediately for me to be promoted (I just have to hope the HR committee agrees to it, because they have final say). ALSO, are you ready for this? There was talk about letting me work out of a Grand Rapids office when the weather is bad. Supposedly they are working on this for me now.

Pretty cool, huh? So I guess everything has worked out for me. On paper at least. Only time will tell. Big sigh of relief.

I don't say this often, if at all, but "thanks". He knows I'm talking to Him.

Brandon + Meghan - November 22

2008-11-30T21:36:00.005-05:00

We got the pleasure of attending the Husband's cousin's wedding in Detroit a couple of weekends ago. It was a lot of fun. We stayed right in Greektown, and the weather was perfect for November (i.e. no snow and even sunshine!).

We stayed at The Atheneum hotel. I thought it was absolutely gorgeous!

The living room area.

Our view out the 7th floor window...

The reception was at the Roostertail. Top notch indeed.

The happy, newly married couple.

And the old, married couple. We're still happy most of the time. ;-)

And The Winner Is...

2008-11-25T08:22:00.005-05:00

As a follow-up to the competition I had earlier this month, the winner is Kristen, with her guess of November 24 being the first day we'd get over 1-inch of snow accumulation this season!

The official weather report can be found here.

Kristen, please e-mail me at ker.co@hotmail.com and give me your mailing address. I will send out your $9.00 Gift Card to Celebration Cinema, good for one adult ticket into a feature film! Enjoy!

Christmas Groove

2008-11-20T17:01:00.001-05:00

We're getting into the spirit of the holidays...Check out our slamming moves...

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Say What?

2008-11-06T10:20:00.005-05:00

If the temperature hits 70-degrees today, it will mark the first time EVER that Grand Rapids has managed to have 4-days in a row in the month of November with highs at or above 70-degrees! It's looking pretty likely that it will happen. Get out and enjoy it if you can, because this is pretty unseasonable in Michigan for sure.

So in honor of this fabulous weather, and the crummy weather that is to come, I'm going to have a little competition.

Cast your vote in the comments section of this post for which day Grand Rapids will get their first official snowfall. The first official snowfall means snow in accumulation of 1-inch or more as reported by Wood TV 8.

The winner will get a prize!

**EDIT**
The prize will be awarded based on the Price Is Right rules. The closest guess to the actual snowfall date without going over, is the winner. Good luck!

Sweet Cleo

2008-11-04T18:34:00.001-05:00

Goodbye sweet Cleo. You were the kindest, most gentle creative ever. You touched our lives in so many ways. You were there for the laughter and the tears; always so loyal, always a friend, and always a part of the family. We will love you forever and will miss you with all our hearts.

1995 - 2008

Another Birthday!

2008-11-04T08:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday to my favorite brother!

...and many more!

Tayshaun and Daddy

2008-10-28T18:48:00.002-04:00

Spooky Little Girl Like Me

2008-10-27T19:50:00.003-04:00

Halloween 2008 at the Crumpets:

The Weather Lady, Edward Scissorhands, A Pirate, and an Undecided Voter.

Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for you.

I want the news AND the weather.

That's one heck of a crash if your steering wheel ends up on your insides!

And your 2008 winners of Best Overall Costume and 2nd Worst Costume: Edward and Joe the Plumber!

My New Winter Ensemble

2008-10-24T08:32:00.002-04:00

I scored this coat from New York and Company for a cool $60. Not bad, eh? It'll go perfect with the new hat I got earlier this season.

An Update for You

2008-10-23T12:37:00.002-04:00

Well, I haven't posted a real entry in a while. I should probably do that. Nothing too terribly exciting has been happening. My sister got engaged a couple of weeks ago, I guess that is pretty exciting. Weddings always are. With me though, not much is exciting.

I applied for a new job today. It'd be wonderful to even get an interview, because this job would be quite the promotion for me. I can't imagine the candidate pool I'm going to be competing against. A raise or promotion would be nice though. I haven't seen one in four years come December. And you wonder why I have a piss poor attitude at work! It's such a great feeling going in for annual evaluations and being told how great I'm doing, but sorry, no raise. Are you kidding me? That's like Santa Claus telling some little kid, "Johnny, I know you've worked real hard all year long at being a good boy. You know it. I know it. Everyone knows it. However, you're not getting any presents this year. Here's a lump of coal. Suck on that, chump!"

I told myself that I have to at least try for this job. Even if I don't get an interview, I gave it an honest shot. That's the best I can do, because quite frankly, mama is getting tired of coal for Christmas.

The Debate

2008-10-15T20:43:00.001-04:00

For entertainment purposes only, but oh so funny...is the Penguin a Republican???

Handle With Care

2008-10-15T14:58:00.002-04:00

My Lucky Day

2008-10-07T18:57:00.005-04:00

Today after work when I arrived to my car, I saw a dollar bill neatly folded in half tucked under my driver side front tire, like someone was leaving note for me. I picked it up cautiously, in case it was a poop dollar (story to follow). It was not. The dollar was as clean as a bill could be that was left on the ground, and a crisp new one at that.

Someone from work saw me pick it up to which I said "must be my lucky day!". Hey, I'll take a dollar after taking it up the rear with my investments as of late. It's always fun to find money.
***
Now, onto the game of Poop Dollar. Yes, evidently this game truly exists. I found out about it from my college roommate's boyfriend's friends (did you follow that?). This is how you play as explained to me:
-Someone goes poop.
-Then that said person uses a dollar bill to, ahem, wipe on one side.
-Take dollar bill, crumple it a little, and put it poop side down on a somewhat busy sidewalk outside of a bar.
-Sit inside the bar with your friends near the window, and watch how many people stop to pick the dollar up, then realize it has poop on it and drop it back on the ground.
-Laugh at their reaction.
-Bet on how many people will pick the dollar up, and believe it or not, some people will walk away with it.

I shit you not (pun intended), a group of college guys played this game on more than one occasion. So you've been warned, pick money up that is found on the ground with caution, because you never know when a group of college kids are watching through a window and laughing at you.
***
Come to think of it, maybe that's what someone did with all of our investment portfolios...shit all over them, and now they're watching us try to salvage our remaining dollars, while having a good laugh at our expense?
***
Good thing the government gave AIG an $85B bailout loan...cuz those executives deserved a much needed break from driving their own company into the ground. Spending $23,000 in spa treatments is a necessary business expense. Ask anyone.

Designed By Me

2008-09-30T17:54:00.003-04:00

I made this earring and bracelet set at Polka Dots in Lansing. I designed it and strung it up, but got some help with the final assembly. One of my favorite jewelry sets to date. Crafting something yourself makes it that much more special.

If You Could See Me Now

2008-09-30T15:23:00.004-04:00

Today I'm breaking in my new shoes. I thought they were so cute, and the Husband thought they were cool too. I typically don't get a response from the Husband on the coolness of shoes, so these must be special. My feet say "the jury is still out on that one."

By 10:00 this morning I had my shoes off underneath my desk. I'm not sure why a three and a half inch heel is really necessary. The slant of the shoe alone makes my ankles feel like they just walked 12 miles, but then add in where the shoe has rubbed against my feet making them raw in two spots? Mmm, ever so delightful.

So here I am sitting in my cubicle with a tissue stuffed into the left shoe protecting the side of my foot from more chaffing. If anyone has a tearful moment, I can bend down, pull a tissue out and go "There, there. Everything is going to be alright." while getting the look of disgust from the person in distress. Now that I'm thinking about it, that tissue might be better served for myself though. Anymore raw skin, and I will be the one crying.

The right foot has a piece of tissue scotch taped to the outside of my big toe. It's not quite a cast in the sense that it's wrapped around my toe, more like a fluffy, protective layer keeping my skin from touching the inside of the shoe. As you probably guessed, I have to make due with what supplies I have at my desk because I don't have any Band Aids. Nothing but class over on this end.

I haven't given up just yet though. With a little breaking in and possibly some trouser socks, we'll be golden.

Yeah, golden.

Black Bean Tostadas With Corn Relish

2008-09-26T08:05:00.003-04:00

I found another fabulous black bean recipe. This one came from Everyday Food Magazine. Aside from the cheese (which you could easily omit), this is a great vegetarian meal. I'll definitely be making this one again. Even the Husband liked it, although he thought it could use a little salt, so he topped his with Cholula Hot Sauce.

The recipe:

2-limes

2-scallions

1-package (10 oz) frozen corn kernels

3-tbsp of olive oil

Salt and pepper

1-jalapeno chile

1-pint grape tomatoes

8-ounces monterrey jack cheese, not sliced

4-flour tortillas

1-can (15 oz) black beans

1-avocado

reduced-fat sour cream, for serving (optional)

1. Start corn relish: Squeeze limes into a medium bowl. Thinly slice scallions, and add to bowl along with corn. Add 1-tbsp of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate.*

2. Prep vegetables: Halve jalapeno (remove ribs and seeds for less heat if desired), mince. Halve tomatoes. Combine in an airtight container, cover and refrigerate.**

3. Shred Cheese, place into plastic bag, and refrigerate.***

4. Make tostadas: Preheat oven to 475-degrees****. Arrange tortillas on two baking sheets; brush both sides with remaining 2-tbsp of olive oil. Rinse and drain beans; sprinkle over tortillas. Top with tomatoes, jalapeno, and cheese. Bake until golden and crisp, about 10-minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.

5. Finish with corn relish: While tostadas are baking, pit and peel avocado; dice. Toss with corn mixture to combine.*****

6. For serving, top tostadas with corn relish, and if desired, sour cream.

Now, for MY way of making the tostadas.

*I did not refrigerate the corn relish after putting it together, because I had no intention of serving it cold.

**I didn't refrigerate the jalapeno and tomatoes either.

***I used shredded cheese instead of buying a block of cheese and shredding it myself. The el lazy-o route.

****I used hard shell tortillas that I had on hand, so I didn't have to oil up the soft shells. I topped the tortillas with everything except for the avocado. I wasn't all that crazy about putting cold relish on my tostada. I wanted everything the same temperature.

*****I added the avocado to the tostadas after they came out of the oven.

Incredibly deliciously!!! Definitely a keeper.

Stock photo...

My Favorite Political Shows

2008-09-23T19:21:00.004-04:00

Here's a list of my favorite political shows. I catch at least one of them every night.

1. The Colbert Report. Stephen Colbert puts one of the funniest spins on current events. It's great political and media satire. Catch this show on Comedy Central. Ahh, if we both weren't married...

2. Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Keith is quite funny, but the political issues are heavier and discussed more in depth. Keith is also quite opinionated, which I appreciate as well. If you like Colbert, I think you'll like this one. Check it out on MSNBC.

3. Hardball With Chris Matthews. Chris knows his stuff. I love watching this guy because he is not afraid to call a bullshitter out, which can lead to some awkward confrontations. The format of the show has Chris playing a moderator between guests. This is also on MSNBC.

4.) Morning Joe. Joe Scarborough hosts this one. I have to admit, the husband watches this one a lot more than I do. Joe is a Republican. He also served in the Unite States House of Reps, so he knows his stuff, and he's entertaining. It's interesting to hear about the events from this perspective. Another MSNBC show.

5.) Real Time With Bill Maher. Ahh, now this one I really like. Serious sarcasm and swear words. My kind of show. Bill is a raging liberal. His New Rules segment usually has me rolling on the floor laughing. It's shown on HBO.

Glass Bottom Boat Ride, Cabo

2008-09-23T18:54:00.005-04:00

We took a glass bottom boat ride out to see the arch, Lover's Beach and Divorce Beach. Very beautiful. We left from Medano Beach, which is the only swimmable beach in Cabo. On the trip we were able to see all sorts of tropical fish (hence the glass bottom), and we even saw string ray jumping out of the water! That was pretty cool.

Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself

2008-09-16T15:28:00.002-04:00

Eve Ensler, the American playwright, performer, feminist and activist best known for 'The Vagina Monologues', wrote the following about Sarah Palin.

Drill, Drill, Drill

I am having Sarah Palin nightmares. I dreamt last night that she was a member of a club where they rode snowmobiles and wore the claws of drowned and starved polar bears around their necks. I have a particular thing for Polar Bears. Maybe it's their snowy whiteness or their bigness or the fact that they live in the arctic or that I have never seen one in person or touched one. Maybe it is the fact that they live so comfortably on ice. Whatever it is, I need the polar bears.

I don't like raging at women. I am a Feminist and have spent my life trying to build community, help empower women and stop violence against them. It is hard to write about Sarah Palin. This is why the Sarah Palin choice was all the more insidious and cynical. The people who made this choice> > count on the goodness and solidarity of Feminists.

But everything Sarah Palin believes in and practices is antithetical to Feminism which for me is part of one story -- connected to saving the earth, ending racism, empowering women, giving young girls options, opening our minds, deepening tolerance, and ending violence and war.

I believe that the McCain/Palin ticket is one of the most dangerous choices of my lifetime, and should this country chose those candidates the fall-out may be so great, the destruction so vast in so many areas that America may never recover. But what is equally disturbing is the impact that duo would have on the rest of the world. Unfortunately, this is not a joke. In my lifetime I have seen the clownish, the inept, the bizarre be elected to the presidency with regularity.

Sarah Palin does not believe in evolution. I take this as a metaphor. In her world and the world of Fundamentalists nothing changes or gets better or evolves. She does not believe in global warming. The melting of the arctic, the storms that are destroying our cities, the pollution and rise of cancers, are all part of God's plan. She is fighting to take the polar bears off the endangered species list. The earth, in Palin's view, is here to be taken and plundered. The wolves and the bears are here to be shot and plundered. The oil is here to be taken and plundered. Iraq is here to be taken and plundered. As she said herself of the Iraqi war, 'It was a task from God.'

Sarah Palin does not believe in abortion. She does not believe women who are raped and incested and ripped open against their will should have a right to determine whether they have their rapist's baby or not.

She obviously does not believe in sex education or birth control. I imagine her daughter was practicing abstinence and we know how many babies that makes.

Sarah Palin does not much believe in thinking. From what I gather she has tried to ban books from the library, has a tendency to dispense with people who think independently. She cannot tolerate an environment of ambiguity and difference. This is a woman who could and might very well be the next president of the United States . She would govern one of the most diverse populations on the earth.

Sarah believes in guns. She has her own custom Austrian hunting rifle. She has been known to kill 40 caribou at a clip. She has shot hundreds of wolves from the air.

Sarah believes in God. That is of course her right, her private right. But when God and Guns come together in the public sector, when war is declared in God's name, when the rights of women are denied in his name, that is the end of separation of church and state and the undoing of everything America has ever tried to be.

I write to my sisters. I write because I believe we hold this election in our hands. This vote is a vote that will determine the future not just of the U.S. , but of the planet. It will determine whether we create policies to save the earth or make it forever uninhabitable for humans. It will determine whether we move towards dialogue and diplomacy in the world or whether we escalate violence through invasion, undermining and attack. It will determine whether we go for oil, strip mining, coal burning or invest our money in alternatives that will free us from dependency and destruction. It will determine if money gets spent on education and healthcare or whether we build more and more methods of killing. It will determine whether America is a free open tolerant society or a closed place of fear, fundamentalism and aggression.

If the Polar Bears don't move you to go and do everything in your power to get Obama elected then consider the chant that filled the hall after Palin spoke at the RNC, 'Drill Drill Drill.' I think of teeth when I think of drills. I think of rape. I think of destruction. I think of domination. I think of military exercises that force mindless repetition, emptying the brain of analysis, doubt, ambiguity or dissent. I think of pain.

Do we want a future of drilling? More holes in the ozone, in the floor of the sea, more holes in our thinking, in the trust between nations and peoples, more holes in the fabric of this precious thing we call life?

Eve Ensler
September 5, 2008

So Much For A Group Photo

2008-09-14T15:29:00.003-04:00