Relevant Living

January Projects

2012-01-22T09:52:00.000-05:00

So one of my "goals" for 2012 was to actuallyUSE some of the ideas I get from Pinterest. I used two ideas for Christmas gifts -- a baby handprint ornament andhandmade canvases. But that wasDecember, and this is January.

I saw on Pinterest an idea to store glass ornaments in egg crates. Although they don't fit the larger ornaments,the smaller ones fit perfectly in the egg crates! Score one for pinterest! :)

We also squeezed in a 2nd Pinterest idea in January! I LOVED the idea of using IKEA spice racks asbook displays. We bought them and Ipainted them last month, but we got them put up yesterday. They look GREAT!!!!

Castiel even loves them - he crawled rightover to them as soon as they were put up and had books in them!

Husband Appreciation Day

2012-01-13T22:46:00.000-05:00

Today I was thinking about all the things that Carlos does for people. He is the "go-to" guy for so many different people. My next thought was that people don't appreciate him as much as he deserves -- my NEXT thought was that I don't appreciate him as much as he deserves! I take for granted all the little things Carlos does for me on a day-to-day basis.

So, I'm going to take the time now to publicly thank him.

To my dear husband:

Thank you for getting up every morning and cooking me breakfast before I go to work. Not just any breakfast, but made-to-order eggs, hash browns, and bacon. And cafe con leche.

Thank you for helping me with school/teaching stuff when I need it - especially when it deals with technology. You even wrote one of my papers when I was getting my Master's degree. . . and I made an A. :)

Thank you for getting my lunch together on a daily basis - especially for the past year and a half when I've not only needed lunch but endless snacks packed as well!

Thank you for taking care of the finances. The fact that you take care of the bills and all money matters is a huge weight off of my shoulders. I know our lights will never be cut off and we will always have food in the fridge thanks to your careful management of the budget.

Thank you for making me cookies when I am craving something chocolate. . . and for not saying anything snide when I eat 6 cookies in less than 6 minutes!

Thank you for being an awesome stay-at-home dad to Castiél - you are a wonderful father, and I'm so glad that you two will have that incredible bond. Even more, thank you for WANTING to do it - you don't do it out of obligation, but out of pure love. And I love that!

Thank you for keeping me stable and (somewhat) level-headed. Thank you for listening to my whims and wild ideas - but I also appreciate that you don't let me chase every wild idea that pops into my head!

Thank you for doing all that you do on this house. Not only have you done the majority of the projects (I would say all, but I did pick up a paint brush here and there!), but you also make this house a home. Who needs HGTV when I've got you??? Your eye for design makes our home a pleasant place to be.

Thank you for being so smart. That sounds strange, but I really appreciate that not only do you seem to KNOW everything, you can also DO nearly everything. It's aggravating sometimes (especially when you beat me in Words with Friends EVERY TIME!), but totally worth the aggravation! :)

Thank you for being a spiritual rock - not only for me, but for everyone who knows you. There isn't a question I can ask about the Bible that you don't know the answer to. I respect your knowledge in that area. I also appreciate your praying for me and Castiél ~ "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16b)

Thank you for making me laugh . . . all the time. I'm so glad that we have fun together on a daily basis. You are my favorite person to be around.

There are so many more things, but this is a start. I'm sorry for when I take you for granted. I truly appreciate everything you do for me.

I love you,
Courtney

2012 Goals (NOT Resolutions!)

2012-01-07T11:15:00.000-05:00

Other than my one resolution, I don't want to make too many resolutions for 2012; however, I would like to set some goals for myself to work toward for the year:

Call my Mema at least twice a week. She is very lonely, and since Castiél has been born, I've not been very good about calling her.
Start working out - I'd like to work out 2-3 times a week. Just to clarify: my idea of working out is 30 minutes of Just Dance on the Wii. :)
Blog at least once a week.
Start my Ed.S. degree? There will no longer be a pay raise for this degree for those not actively enrolled in a program by Fall of 2012, so it's now or never. (Or now or Ed.D/Ph.D)
Complete one project per month from Pinterest. Not that this is highly important, but it will make me feel productive instead of feeling like I'm wasting precious time. :)

Okay, so we're a week into 2012, so I better get on it!

Book List 2012

2012-01-01T20:10:00.000-05:00

I have to admit, my reading has slowed WAY down since Castiél has been born! However, there are some books that are on my reading list for this year:

1. My Life as a Furry Red Monster by Kevin Clash ~ As Castiél adores Elmo, I would like to learn more about his puppeteer, Kevin Clash, who is also a producer and creative director of Sesame Street. On the same note, I'd like to see the 2011 documentary Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey.

2. The Intentional Family: Simple Rituals to Strengthen Family Ties by William J. Doherty ~ Recommended by my cousin and friend, Karissa, on her blog The Iris Chronicles, this seems like a great read!

3. Childproofing Your Marriage by Dr. Debbie L. Cherry ~ I've had this book for a while and intended on reading it before Castiél was born, but that didn't happen so now it's on the 2012 reading list!

4. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare ~ This is the sequel to Clockwork Angel, and this series (Infernal Devices) is a prequel to the Mortal Instruments series by Clare. This book is actually on my bedside table now. I should have started it over Christmas, but I didn't have time. I will also read the 5th book in the Mortal Instruments series, City of Lost Souls, when it comes out in May.

5. The Joyful Christian by C.S. Lewis ~ I recently watched The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe on TV and remembered how much I like C.S. Lewis. I have this book of selected readings by Lewis on my shelf, so I think I'll dust it off and read it again this year.

6. C.S. Lewis and the Bright Shadow of Holiness by Gerard Reed ~ My parents gave me this book several Christmases ago, and I haven't read it. In keeping with the C.S. Lewis theme, I think I'll read it in 2012.

7. Real Marriage: The Truth about Sex, Friendship, and Life Together by Mark and Grace Driscoll ~ Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, is a pastor we love to listen to. I have been looking forward to this book for a while.

8. Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young ~ This was one of my Christmas gifts from this year.

Okay, I'm going to stop there so I'll have a realistic list to work from. I'm sure I'll read more Young Adult books than just the ones I listed (#4), but those are the ones I KNOW I will read. I'll keep up with what I read and report back at the end of 2012! :)

Savor Life

2011-12-31T20:53:00.000-05:00

So my New Year's Resolution for 2012 unfolded slowly over the past few weeks. I have realized that I spend far too much time dreaming about the life (or job, or closet, or clothes, or house) I would like to have. This causes me to neglect and not appreciate the life and things I DO have.

So here it is, and it just came to me one morning on the way to work:

Savor and enjoy the life

you DO have

rather than obsess about the life

you think you want!

"It is better to be satisfied with what you have than always be wanting something else."

Ecclesiastes 6:9

"Relish life with the spouse you love each and every day of your precarious life.

Each day is God's gift."

Ecclesiastes 9:9

Green Grass

2011-12-28T10:17:00.000-05:00

I LOVE this quote! I used to be a "grass is greener" kind of girl. I always looked to another job, city, relationship, or some other change in situation to make me happy. I liked to "cut and run" when times got tough rather than dealing with whatever situation I had gotten myself into. This mentality led me to live in 4 states in 5 years (one state twice!) and have 7 jobs in the same amount of time!

Compared to those statistics my life has been VERY stable for the past 6 years. I have lived in ONE house, in ONE town, had ONE job, and ONE husband. :) We moved to my hometown 6 years ago, despite the fact that I swore I would never return! Sometimes I still have a hard time living this quote because I do NOT want to live here, and in particular I do not want to raise Castiél here. I want him to grow up somewhere with more culture and more diversity. Even though this is called "the International City" it isn't all that diverse.

However, as I take life day-by-day I am very content. There are a lot of things I'd like to change: I'd like to get a job as a Media Specialist and I'd like to have my fixer-upper house "fixed," among other things. But all-in-all life is pretty great and my own grass is pretty green! I'd love to take credit for this, but I must admit that my wonderful husband is the "sprinkler" in our family! I am so blessed to have him to keep me balanced when I revert to that old "cut and run" mentality!

Why We Don't Have an Elf on the Shelf

2011-12-24T23:24:00.001-05:00

I realize that the above statement is near sacrilege as this "Elf on a Shelf" phenomenon has seemingly taken over every middle-income American home. As a new parent, I am already dealing with questions over how to deal with Santa Claus within our family traditions. I want Christmas to be a fun time for Castiél, but I also do not want to elaborately lie to my child. This also applies to the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. I feel that faith is a sacred thing - I want to teach my children faith in God, not in fairy tales. Not that fairy tales and myths don't have their place, but they do not have their place as TRUTH. I do not want to betray the trust Castiél has in us as parents just for the sake of holiday "fun."

I also do not want to manipulate the behavior of my children by lying to them. Parents have used Santa Claus as a means to manipulate their children into "behaving" for decades, but now this Elf on a Shelf further propagates the lie. Not only are you telling your children that there is a Santa Claus (a myth based on a truth at least), now you are actively lying to them on a daily basis by telling them that this "magic" elf leaves your house each night to go tattle to Santa.

Now at this point you may call me cynical and wonder about my own childhood Christmas memories. They are great! I got stockings and gifts from "Santa," but my parents never created an elaborate basis for our belief in Santa. I do not remember believing in him or not believing in him, and more importantly, I do not remember a "crisis" when I found out that I had been lied to.

It amazes me how many Christian families have adopted this tradition of the Elf on a Shelf. I just can't figure out how this tradition fits into a Biblical worldview. I want to teach Castiél about St. Nicholas - the historical figure who as a Christ-follower sacrificed his own material possessions to give to those with less. THIS is a lesson I want Castiél to learn! Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, has written a phenomenal article about redeeming Christmas and celebrating the Season without caving to cultural traditions that are not in line with our faith.

The verse that is running around in my mind as I write this is Matthew 7:11, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" I think it is completely Biblical to give "good gifts" to your children in YOUR name at Christmas and teach them that God (not Santa Claus) is able to give them even more than we could ever give them.

Well, that's my two cents. Take it or leave it. I'm sure I've offended some, but I just had to get that off my chest.

Christmas Traditions

2011-12-06T19:38:00.001-05:00

I always knew it would be, but the holiday season is SO much more fun with a baby! Even though Castiél is too little to even know what is going on, it is so much fun for us! The most fun is starting family traditions that Castiél will grow up with.

The first thing we did was purchase an Advent calendar. I wasn't interested in a temporary one with candy/treats; I wanted one that we could use year after year. I lucked up and found this one in the Dollar Deals section of Target!

The pockets are the perfect size for putting treats in, but we decided to create family holiday activities to do daily. Here is today's activity:

We want to share the historical St. Nicholas rather than building up a Santa Claus fantasy. Although we love the classic Christmas shows about Santa and will happily share them with him, we don't want the entire Christmas season to be about Santa. I'm not sure how we are going to do it, but we'll just take it one year at a time - lol! Today we went to see Santa for St. Nicholas day - in the future we more do more traditional activities. My cousin Karissa is Orthodox and they do some great things for St. Nicholas Day - she shares their family traditions on her blog here.

We have so much more to come this holiday season - I will be blogging about more of these traditions as we continue some old ones and initiate some new ones!

Happy Holidays!!!

Thankful

2011-11-14T20:41:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I have so much to be thankful for! I am thankful to be spending my first holiday season as a Mom. I am thankful for the little bundle of joy that has made me a Mom. I am thankful for my husband who is the Dad to my bundle of joy. But there is so much more . . .

I have been so blessed this year. I had a healthy, full-term pregnancy and a safe delivery to a beautiful baby boy. Castiél has been a wonderful baby - the perfect baby. He is healthy and happy. He has taken to nursing well, which has allowed me a phenomenal bonding experience and saved me a lot of money on formula!

I have a wonderful husband who lovingly cares for the baby at home while I go to work. I always knew he was very nurturing, but he is a more amazing Dad than even I thought he would be! He takes care of so many things so I don't have to think about them - I am truly loved!

I am thankful for my job - I enjoy what I do, and I enjoy my colleagues. I have great bosses, from the building principals all the way up to the "head honcho." I love that I have holidays off, including an entire week at Thanksgiving to spend with my family. I also am thankful for summer vacation - woohoo!!! :)

I am thankful for my home - I complain about how much is still to be done in this "fixer-upper," but it is a warm, safe place - I'm also thankful for a husband that continually does work on the house, getting it closer to "done"!

We are all healthy and happy - the older I get the less I take my health (and the health of those I love) for granted.

I am truly blessed! And thankful for so much more than turkey! :)

Breastmilk Storage

2011-11-11T10:13:00.001-05:00

I've written a blog on Breastfeeding Tips, so I thought I'd also share how I store my stockpiled breast milk.

First of all, I try to give Castiél the freshest breast milk, so during the week, he drinks the milk I pumped on the previous day. The only day he gets frozen milk is on Mondays; however, for the first few months I pumped on Saturday and Sunday mornings and that is what he had on Mondays.

During the week I end up freezing some of milk he has left over at the end of the day, and I also freeze all of the milk pumped on Friday. Because I also pumped and froze during my maternity leave, I have quite a stockpile of frozen milk!

I use Nuk Storage Bags. I label the number of ounces and the date pumped.

I always lay the bags flat to freeze so that they are more easily stored.

I have found that Sterilite ice trays are a perfect fit for the bags! I am able to put the milk in order by date into the ice trays for storage in the freezer. I have some milk frozen in my mom's freezer as well, and she has found that the boxes that clementines come in at the grocery store are also a great fit for the bags when laid horizontally!

Even though some of the milk is in a deep freezer, my goal is to use the milk within 6 months of the pumped date. So far, I'm well within that time frame with the milk I am using, but if it gets close to 6 months, I will give Castiél frozen milk and freeze what I pump at work so I don't have to throw away any milk!

I saw a great quote on pinterest: "Whoever said not to cry over spilt milk has obviously never pumped 6 ounces and then accidentally dumped it!" So true!!!!

From a Week to a Month

2011-10-02T20:48:00.002-04:00

So THREE weeks ago, I wrote a blog trying to set goals for a week and I still haven't accomplished them all!

Personal GoalWrite a blog on virtual education ~~and on breastfeeding (what is on my mind right now).~~
Spiritual Goal~~Read the Bible daily. (almost every day)~~
School Goal ~~Read one book off of the Helen Ruffin Book Competition list (this week: Five Flavors of Dumb) and write questions for the book The Morgue and Me.~~

Pinterest Goal (in order to make Pinterest more than a time-waster)
Make a daily shower cleaner.
Scrapbooking GoalGet up-to-date on the journaling in my Project Life album.

I didn't have white vinegar in order to make the shower cleaner, but I bought that today (hooray!), and I worked one night on my Project Life album. Although I didn't get completely caught up, I made some progress.

I have decided to make MONTHLY goals. I think that will be much more attainable for me at this point.

Here are my October goals:

Personal goal:

Write a blog on virtual education and one on breastmilk storage.

School goal:

Write questions for the book Five Flavors of Dumb and read another book off of the Helen Ruffin Book List.

Pinterest goals:

Make a daily shower cleaner.

Take a fun Halloween picture of Castiél.

Try to get this pic of Castiél with books.

Create a car trash receptacle.

Buy spice racks from Ikea, paint them white, and hang them in the nursery for books.

Spiritual Goal

Read the Book of James and Proverbs.

Also, even though I don't really like cold weather, I am enjoying the smell of fall in the air! I hope it helps me to have a very productive month!!! :)

Breastfeeding Tips

2011-09-20T09:05:00.002-04:00

I am by no means a lactation expert, but I have beensuccessful in my own attempts at breastfeeding. Because I have several friends who are pregnant and planning tobreastfeed, I thought I’d give my own two cents on the topic.

If you want to breastfeed, decide you are going to do it no matter what. I think that makes the difference. If you go in with the attitude that you are going to “try it,” you probably won’t stick with it.
Know that the first two weeks are going to be hard. You will be in pain and there isn’t a whole lot you can do about it. It does get much better.
I know that many resources tell you to nurse for a set amount of time on each side, but I didn’t do that. Castiél pretty much nursed from one side at each feeding and continues to do so. I wear a hair band on my wrist and change it back and forth to remind me which side to feed on.
You will leak at night – a LOT. The cute little nursing pajamas aren’t very practical because they don’t hold nursing pads in very well. The sleep nursing bras are the best bet for at night. I also wear them whenever I’m at home because they are so much easier to deal with than the regular nursing bras.
About nursing pads, Lansinoh are my favorite disposable nursing pads, but I suggest getting at least a few cloth nursing pads. They are more comfortable and much more economical. My favorite kind are Nuk reusable nursing pads. They are kind of small, so they show through nursing tanks, but they don’t show at all under regular nursing bras.
I didn’t use them, but I think you should get the gel nursing pads to use at the very beginning when you are very sore. After the worst was over, I saw them and wished I would have had them!
Have lanolin crème available – even at the hospital. I like the Medela brand. But know that lanolin stains, so when you use it make sure you wear nursing pads, even if you aren’t leaking yet.
Breastfeed as soon as you can. This is possible even if you have a c-section. I had a c-section and was able to breastfeed in the recovery room.
Keep your baby with you in your hospital room. This is called “rooming in” and it makes a huge difference in getting a successful start in breastfeeding. I was able to feed on demand, and Castiél wasn’t already crying, hungry and frustrated when I was trying to get him latched on.
When your milk comes in you very easily get engorged – PUMP! Some resources say not to pump until a certain time, but there is no reason to wait. Pumping relieves your engorgement, helps stimulate your milk supply, and helps you build up some “reserves” in the freezer!
You can use a single pump at the beginning, but buy a good double pump for when you go back to work. Also buy a hands-free pumping bra. It makes all the difference in the world! (I’m actually writing this blog as I’m pumping!)
Freezing milk: There are “milk storage” containers that sell for $15+. Sterilite ice buckets are exactly the same and cost about $2! If you put your milk in bags and lie them flat to freeze, they fit in the ice bucket perfectly.
Feed on demand. At the beginning this means that you will be nursing ALL the time - literally. The first two weeks I pretty much nursed Castiél every time he cried - but he gained weight well and my milk supply became established very quickly.
Ask for help - from friends, family, lactation consultants - whatever you need to be successful! Don't give up right away, even if it is difficult!!

Well, that's my wealth of breastfeeding wisdom! Hope it helps those who to whom it applies! :)

Weekly Goals 9-12 to 9-19

2011-09-12T19:01:00.003-04:00

After reading The Money Saving Mom's blog post on setting goals, I have decided to do this for myself. At this point in my life, I feel like my major goal is to spend time with Castiél whenever I can; however, there are other things that need to be done. Also, there are times that he is sleeping (like now). :)

For now I am setting ONE goal per area of my life:

Personal Goal
Write a blog on virtual education and on breastfeeding (what is on my mind right now).

Spiritual Goal
Read the Bible daily.

School Goal

Read one book off of the Helen Ruffin Book Competition list (this week: Five Flavors of Dumb) and write questions for the book The Morgue and Me.

Pinterest Goal (in order to make Pinterest more than a time-waster)

Make a daily shower cleaner.

Scrapbooking Goal

Get up-to-date on the journaling in my Project Life album.

We will see how I do this week! :)

10 years later

2011-09-11T08:00:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe it has been 10 years since September 11, 2001. In some ways it seems like it was so recent, and in other ways, it seems like it was a million years ago. That moment is frozen in time for so many Americans, and for my generation, it is the defining historic event in our lives.

I was 22 years old. I was full of dreams, many of them the ridiculous dreams of the young and naive. I was living with my Aunt Kathy, trying to save money to move to Europe to teach English as a foreign language. I had it all planned out, but my plans didn't pan out. The terrorist attacks on 9/11 made the world a more dangerous place, and my hopeful dreams seemed silly. I also made some unfortunate life choices which also interfered with my plans, but that's an entirely different post.

4 states, 7 jobs, and 3 houses later here I am. 10 years older, and hopefully a bit wiser. Unfortunately I believe the entire country got "older" that day - we moved from the naive belief that we were immune from violence on our home soil to a near paranoia that has influenced nearly every area of our lives. However, I'm not sure that we as a country are any wiser. Of course, that's a different post as well!

10 years ago I would never have imagined that this is where I would be in 2011 - living in my hometown with a wonderful husband and a beautiful baby boy. . . and I certainly couldn't have imagined the journey I have taken to get here.

On this September 11th I not only remember my own past. . . I remember those who died, those who valiantly rescued, and those who serve our country now.

Lamentations 3:20-23

I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.
Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate

2011-07-21T10:33:00.000-04:00

I'm almost afraid to address this very controversial issue on my blog, but since it is an issue I am dealing with right now, it's hard not to talk about it.

Castiél's two month doctor's visit was this week, and we declined/delayed the scheduled vaccinations for today. I have always been a bit wary of the high number of vaccinations. There are so many more vaccines today than there were when I was a baby. I also don't like the vaccine "cocktails" that contain more than one vaccine in one shot. I have been very confused about what to do about vaccines, and that is why we decided to at least delay the vaccinations - we just felt like we needed additional time to do some research.

After the appointment we headed to Books-a-Million and I bought The Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears. I would highly recommend this book. It clearly states that it is not an anti-vaccine book, and it isn't. It is a very informative source that breaks down each vaccine and tells the risk of the disease and the risk of the vaccine along with how each vaccine is made. It gives the pros and cons for each vaccine in a non-biased way.

After reading the book I think I have come to some decisions.

Vaccines to completely deny due to low risk (especially since Castiél is exclusively breast fed and will not be in daycare):

HIB (Haemophilius Influenzae Type B Disease)
Rotavirus
Polio -- concerned about the ingredients in this vaccine
Pc (Pneumococcal Disease)

Other vaccines and decisions

HepB (Hepatitus B)-- possibly delayed until a teen
HepA (Hepatitus A) -- delayed until a teenager
MMR (Mumps, Measles, Rubella) -- will possibly give as a teenager as the complications of the disease are more severe when contracted then
Chickenpox -- will possibly give as a teen if he hasn't had it before then
Flu -- will probably never get unless there is some crazy outbreak - we never get flu shots and we don't get sick
Meningococcal -- given as a teenager

Undecided:

DTaP (Diptheria, Tetanus, Pertussis) - I really want Castiél to have the pertussis/whooping cough vaccine because it is much more common than some of the other vaccinated diseases. However, I do NOT want him to have the diptheria or tetanus vaccine because they are so unnecessary. There is not a pertussis only form of the vaccine, and that is where I am having issues. It is most serious in the first 6 months of life, and I'm not sure I want to get him vaccinated before 6 months of age. This may be one I deny simply because of the fact that it only comes in cocktail form.

All in all, I was shocked at how many vaccines have been added since I was born. It seems laughable to me to have a chickenpox vaccine - I mean, I had chickenpox twice if you can believe it and I'm no worse for the wear! It gives me pause that we are vaccinating against common illnesses that do not have any real severe symptoms or permanent effects. Not to be a conspiracy theorist, but it makes me wonder why the government wants to inject our children with something that that will prevent a common, non-fatal illness such as chicken pox. Things that make me go hmmmm. . .

What I Wore Wednesday: Vacation Edition

2011-07-20T11:16:00.000-04:00

So this is my first week of WIWW since Castiél was born. I am linking up with The Pleated Poppy. :)

I'm nearly back to my pre-pregnancy weight, but not quite into all my clothes yet, which creates some issues with my wardrobe. Nursing is also creating a wardrobe wrinkle as I have to consider access with every outfit. I usually wear a nursing tank top under regular shirts so I can breastfeed without showing my entire belly, but that gets hot in July.

We went on vacation last week to Orlando, which was GREAT! We got to see the final shuttle launch at Cape Canaveral and introduced Castiél to family and friends who live in Florida.

Vacation Day 1: Shuttle launch

Vacation Day 2: to Orlando

(I just recently figured out that this skirt is black and white and not navy and white!)

Vacation Day 3:

My best accessory? Castiél!!! :)

Vacation Day 4: A visit with a friend

We went to have dinner with Lea Andrew, a good friend.

She also has a great blog - www.freetobelea.com

Check it out!!!

Vacation Day 5: Hanging out at Gaylord Palms

New skirt from Old Navy - 75% off clearance!

Vacation Day 6:

I love this outfit - all Old Navy.

I got the shirt for $1.97 off a clearance rack,

and the skirt is a hand-me-down from a friend!

Vacation Day 7: Going home (????)

This was supposed to be the outfit I went home in - more on that travel drama here

Shirt: a maternity shirt holdout

Pants: Old Navy - from 75% clearance sale!

Trite Cliches: When Life Gives you Lemons

2011-07-19T19:32:00.000-04:00

Life is full of trite cliches, and I plan on examining a few on my blog. The first one is one of the most famous: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, which means make the best of what life gives you. Well, at the end of our recent vacation, we had the opportunity to put this cliche into action.

We decided to delay our return home to Georgia a few hours so that we could visit with my cousin and his wife, giving them the opportunity to meet Castiél. We ended up getting on the road at about 5 pm, the afternoon thunderstorm time in Central Florida. As we got on the interstate, the rain was coming down really hard, but it was only slowing us down a little. However, before we were on the road for an hour, our windshield wipers broke. It's not that they stopped working, they came off the track and the wiper in front of the driver started going off the window. The middle of a thunderstorm is not the place for your windshield wipers to become ineffective.

We pulled off the interstate to investigate. Carlos figured out that the wiper motor itself came off the mount. We were in New Smyrna Beach, only an hour away from my aunt's house that we had just left and about six hours from home. After checking the radar and seeing that the entire route home would be a wet one, we decided to turn around and head back to my aunt's in Brevard county.

We made it safely back without wipers, and by that time it was past 9 pm. The baby quickly went to sleep, and we ended up playing Pictionary on the Wii with my aunt and uncle. We had a great time and really enjoyed the unplanned extension to our vacation.

We still don't know what we are going to do about fixing the windshield wipers, but at least at that crucial moment, I think we successfully turned lemons into lemonade.

Baby Items I Wish I Had Bought

2011-07-18T11:21:00.000-04:00

Registering for baby stuff was the most overwhelming thing I had ever done. There is SO much to choose from, and I had no idea what was necessary and what was not. I talked to a lot of my "mommy" friends, but you just don't know until you you have a baby what you will really need and what is just superfluous "stuff." These are the items I wish I would have gotten. Some of them are rather superfluous, but they would have been useful to me. They may be items I buy if I have another baby.

Bright Starts Pack and Play -- We were blessed to be given a very nice Pack and Play, and we have used it both at home and on vacation with much success. What I like about this specific Bright Starts Pack and Play is that it has an adjustable height mattress, so you don't have to bend down nearly to the floor to put your baby in and out of. The mattress also adjusts to a 45 degree angle, which is helpful if your baby has gas. I read in a magazine that you could put books under the legs of your crib to create a 45 degree angle, but I just don't trust that! Finally, it has a changing table with it, which would be very helpful when using it on vacation. The pattern is also non-obnoxious. If I had another baby, I would consider using this in lieu of a crib for at least a few months.

Arms Reach Co-Sleeper -- In the early weeks of breastfeeding, this would have been so helpful. There were many times I brought Castiél to bed with me, and this would have been much safer and more convenient. I would probably use this instead of a bassinet in my bedroom for the first two months or so. After about two months, I don't think it would be necessary. I didn't get this item this time, because it had already been about a month when I realized just how helpful it would have been. I would probably get the miniature sized one due to cost and space if I bought one.

Baby Swing - We looked and looked and looked at baby swings. This was one item I just wasn't convinced was necessary. I now think it would be helpful to have somewhere else to put your baby where he will be entertained and you can do some things - such as go to the bathroom! :) We just didn't like any of the swings we saw online or in stores. I wish I would have seen this Fisher Price swing - it is what we were looking for. We were looking for the old style swings (like the crankup ones), but all we saw were swings that were basically car seats on a swing very low to the ground. I like that this one converts from a glider to a traditional swing. I really wish we had this swing right now!

Newborn Boppy Lounger -- This is probably one of those items that falls in the category of "unnecessary." However, since I already have a regular Boppy, I will probably buy this if I have another baby. Castiél now fits in the regular boppy and can "lounge" in it, but as a newborn, he just slid out of it. It would have been nice to have somewhere to lay him on the couch next to us or on the bed.

A Different Bouncer Seat -- We got the Infantino Fold and Go Bouncer Seat because we liked the pattern and the fact that it could be folded and put away. However, the vibrating mechanism broke - we returned it and it broke again. Like within 2 uses! So it must be a defect in the manufacturing. My mom had a bouncer seat that had been given to us, and Castiél liked it - it laid back further and seemed to vibrate more. This Fisher-Price Coco Sorbet Comfy Time Bouncer is what I would like to try next. The only problem I see with it is that it seems rather short in the legs - like a baby might outgrow it quickly.

Activity Seat - I have actually yet to buy an activity seat. Castiél isn't big enough for them yet, and they are so bulky I haven't gotten one yet. I just saw this one on Amazon, and I am very intrigued. It is portable, and can be folded up (always a bonus for us!). It is also about half the price of traditional activity seats. We would have to put our own toys on it, but I think that would be fine. The portability I think makes up for that fact.

Parenting Book Frustration

2011-07-16T08:17:00.000-04:00

Parenting should be easy, well, maybe not easy, but it should come naturally. In some ways it does, I know instinctively what to do – when my baby cries, I pick him up and tend to his needs. I know how to rock, swing, and jiggle him so that he is happy. I can provide for both his nutritional needs and his need for comfort with my own body. What makes parenting confusing is the proliferation of parenting books.

I have to admit – I am a nerd. I love to read books, both fiction and nonfiction. So I am a sucker for parenting books. I want to make sure I am doing things “right” even if I am following my natural mothering instincts. The problem is, the definition of “right” varies from book to book in the parenting genre of the bookstore. This can be very frustrating to a nerd like me who wants to do things “by the book.”

Let’s talk a little about the books. A colleague and friend gave me the book Baby 411 because it had been her favorite with her recent newborn experience. I really like this book, as it is straightforward and easy to read. It might be my favorite as far as the information it contains and the advice it gives as well. The only chapter I have problems with is the chapter on vaccinations, which is very harsh on those of us who question the safety of vaccines and want to delay the vaccination schedule for their children.

Another friend and colleague, who has her baby on a glorious schedule (what is a schedule???) recommended Baby Wise, and let me borrow it. Because I am such a book nerd, I was immediately drawn into the ideas presented in the book – I tend to believe everything I read. However, as I thought about it more and more, I realized that the ideas in this book went against all of my instincts. The only thing I thought was interesting was the idea that a baby’s schedule should follow this order: feeding, awake time, and nap, then repeat. Now, I’m not exactly sure how I’m supposed to keep Castiél awake after a feeding, but it seems like an interesting idea. Interestingly, the book Baby 411 rates Baby Wise with an F, and my pediatrician also frowns on the book’s ideas.

Finally, another friend on facebook suggested the book The Happiest Baby on the Block. This book seems to go completely against the book Baby Wise in its philosophy. I like this book much more, as it suggests that the first three months in a baby’s life are meant to be a slow transition from the womb into the real world rather than a time to attempt to instill a strict schedule. I really wish I would have had this book before Castiél was born; however, it deals mainly with the topic of colicky babies, which (Thank GOD!) Castiél is not.

All that to say, as is my normal mode of operation, after vacillating between several extremes (at least within my own thinking) as I read these books, I have finally come to a point of moderation where I feel comfortable. I’m not anti-schedule; however, I’m not trying to instill one but rather am trying to assess what Castiél’s natural schedule is and follow that. I’m not letting him “cry it out” or trying to put him to bed to fall asleep on his own – I will only have a precious few months to rock him to sleep and I am going to treasure every second of it – even if it cuts into my own sleep time. I’m going to feed him when he’s hungry, even if it means he is a “snacker” or is only nursing for comfort. I am however, not relying on nursing to solve every cry, which is helping tremendously stretch out the time between feedings. I’m going to put him to bed in his crib, but when he is fussy and doesn’t want to be there, I’ll gladly bring him to bed with me so that we can both get the sleep we need. Because he sleeps much better on his tummy, I will let him sleep on his tummy and will try to not worry so much about it but remember that I, too, slept on my tummy when I was a baby and I survived. I will thoughtfully allow Castiél to receive doctor-recommended vaccines on the regular schedule and will delay the others until he is older. As he will not be going to daycare, I have that freedom.

I can’t believe that there are so many opinions about parenting out there – and I haven’t even hit potty training, the terrible twos, or adolescent rebellion yet!!!! I hope that my instincts, along with thoughtful research and much prayer, will allow me to continue to parent successfully throughout Castiél’s life.

What Vacation is For

2011-07-15T15:23:00.000-04:00

Vacation is for forgetting that you have to return to work in two weeks.

Vacation is for dreaming big dreams for the future . . . even if some of them are pipe dreams.

Vacation is for pretending you have your life all together, even when you don’t.

Vacation is for forgetting about the gigantic to-do list you have at home.

Vacation is for time to think about things . . . or to think about nothing at all.

Vacation is for seeking out new and different experiences . . . searching for adventure even in the mundane.

And THIS time, vacation is for showing off your adorable new baby boy!!!

Adventures in Bedtime

2011-06-27T21:55:00.000-04:00

Castiél is 6 weeks old, and for the last week I've been trying to start a bedtime ritual. I know it's a little early, but it seems to be working.

We start with bathtime, which Castiél enjoys. He likes looking at that purple octopus on the Fisher Price bathtub. At first he really didn't like the getting out part - I guess it was the sudden temperature change. He's better now, but still not loving the lotion rubdown!

We then move on to the bedtime story - At this point the reading is more for me than him, but I just pick a short picture book to read. Sometimes he's upset from the lotion ritual to settle down with a book. Maybe I'll move the book time to before bath time. I'm just trying to establish the ritual at this point.

Finally I nurse him and rock him to sleep and lay him down in the crib. And yes, we've started laying him on his tummy. I know it's a no-no, but he can roll from his tummy to his back and he has a lot of head strength. He does sleep much better!!!

So far, so good -- until tonight. I've been pretty flexible and if he seemed tired (which he usually is) earlier I started the ritual at 7:30 or so. But tonight, I noticed at 7 pm that he was really tired and thought about going ahead and giving him a bath and putting him down. But I waited until about 7:45 and by then he was over-tired. It took me over an hour to get him down. I won't be doing that again! I will be much more flexible with bedtime - going anytime between 7 and 8. At least that's my plan! I hope it works!!!

Digital versus Traditional Scrapbooking

2011-06-23T14:50:00.000-04:00

So I am considering moving away from traditional scrapbooking to a more digital approach. I have always been intrigued by digital scrapbooking but have shied away from it for several reasons:

I was afraid the cost/trouble of printing the finished product would negate the savings of not buying supplies.
I doubted my technical ability to use the programs I would need to use. I have unsuccessfully tried to teach myself Photoshop several times.
I simply didn't know where to begin.

My biggest issue now is the third one - where to begin. This year I bought Becky Higgins Project Life scrapbook kit, and I love it. She also makes a digital version of the kit, which might be how dip my toe in the waters of digital scrapbooking next year.

Now as to the why. Why do I want to change to a digital format of scrapbooking? The biggest issue at this point is space. I don't have the space for all the "stuff" that traditional scrapbooking requires - mostly the space to scrapbook. Traditional scrapbooking takes up a LOT of space and a LOT of supplies. I just want to be able to make a product without having to tear up my house to do it.

I'm still unsure about the cost comparison . . . will it really be cheaper to do digital scrapbooking after printing the pages? Will I have to continue spending money on digital elements?

Finally, will digital scrapbooking fill the creative outlet for me? Will I enjoy the process as much? I don't know . . . we will have to see. Stay tuned for more to come on this in the year to come . . .

Waiting on Your Smile

2011-06-22T10:10:00.000-04:00

Castiél - From the very beginning I have enjoyed watching your smiles while you were sleeping. I've been waiting and waiting for you to give me a "real smile" when you were awake and aware that you were smiling.

And then this morning when I was rocking you and you were in and out of dreamland, you let out a giggle - a real laugh-out-loud. It was adorable and it melted my heart. Now I'm just as ready to hear your first giggle.

But don't be in too big of a rush . . . I can wait. I don't want you to grow up too fast!

Motherhood

2011-06-12T10:49:00.000-04:00

Well, Castiél is one month old today! I can't believe I've been a mom for a month already - in some ways it feels like it has been forever, and in other ways it has flown by. I waited a long time to have a baby, and even when I was pregnant I was unsure about the whole mommy thing. I've never been very nurturing and I just didn't know how I would adjust to motherhood. I just couldn't imagine how our lives would be with a baby. So now?

I've never been happier - or more exhausted! :) Thankfully, I have an awesome husband who helps so I can get sleep both at night and during the day, but he can't feed Castiél, which is what I spend most of my time doing. He eats every hour and half or so during the day and two hours at night, so sometimes it feels like non-stop nursing. Although I really enjoy nursing more than I thought I would, I am looking forward to when he goes a little longer between feedings.

I just love him to pieces and could spend most of my time just staring at him, which, admittedly, is what I do! I already dread my return to work at the end of July because I don't want to miss a second of time with him. I am glad that he will be with his Daddy when I'm at work, but I'd like to be there too!

All in all, I feel like I'm adjusting pretty well to motherhood -- I just need to figure out how to add in getting dressed every day!

Baby Essentials - Volume 1

2011-06-05T20:41:00.000-04:00

So, I'm not that experienced of a Mom, having only been one for 3 weeks, but I have found a few products that we have found to be indispensable. Enough of my friends are pregnant that I thought I would share these products in a blog. :)

aden + anais swaddles - These blankets are GREAT! They are lightweight for swaddling, which is especially great for summer in Georgia. Castiél loves being swaddled and sleeps much better when he is; however, we were using flannel or heavy cotton blankets that were quite hot. We found these blankets and they are perfect. They are large enough to double over for sufficient swaddling, and they are super soft. They can also be used for a number of other uses, such as a nursing cover (although I haven't used them for that - they are a bit thin, not too sure about that!), burp cloth, stroller cover, and any other use you can come up with for a soft blanket.

Boppy nursing pillow -- I almost didn't put this one here becuase it seems like a no-brainer. It seems like everyone gets these now. But because it has been an indispensable item, I will include it. My Boppy (I also got the waterproof cover to put under the printed one) has spent more time around my middle than anywhere else. As a nursing pillow it is great. I think it would also be great for those not breastfeeding as it would still give support for your arms and the baby while you fed him a bottle. We also use it to put the baby on by putting his bottom in the middle and leaning him against the back. Once we begin tummy time (when his umbilical cord falls off), we will probably prop him up on the Boppy the other way, with his tummy down, but his head raised. Also, the Boppy was used in our newborn picture session! :)

Baby Einstein Music -- Castiél LOVES music. It calms him down, the lullabies help him sleep, and he enjoys listening to the more upbeat music when he is awake. This 100 song collection is a great price, especially since the regular CDs are at least $7-$10 each at the store.

Medela Lanolin Creme - lanolin is a MUST if you are breastfeeding, and I have two different types. I bought the Lansinoh Lanolin creme before having Castiél, and then the hospital provided me with this Medela Lanolin creme. I like the Medela creme much better as it is thinner and easier to apply - especially when you are sore!

Lansinoh Nursing Pads - I have used two different brands of nursing pads, the Lansinoh and the Medela. I like the Lansinoh brand much better. Not exactly sure why, they seem smoother under clothes and softer as well.

Bouncer seat -- I was not sure that a bouncy seat would be a good investment. I just didn't know if it would be used much. However, I can already say I am glad I have it. The vibrating setting is calming and it is nice to have somewhere to put Castiél when he is awake where he can look around and interact. I shopped around a LOT for this item because most of them are really ugly or bulky. I liked this Infantino one the best simply because it was cute and I liked the retro pattern. So far we have been really pleased with it.

Moby Wrap -- this is a great item. To be honest, I haven't used it much because I haven't had time to perfect it's use, but I used it one morning when Castiél was particularly fussy before we had an appointment and it allowed me to put on makeup AND keep him happy! :) There is even a way to wrap the baby so you can breastfeed in it. I am looking forward to using this a lot in the future - I just need more practice at putting it on!

Chicco front carrier -- I know Baby Bjorn is the standard in front carriers, but we chose this one based on both price and the product. I really liked that there was a "bib" built in to keep baby drool from ending up on your clothes. We bought this carrier predominantly for Carlos, although I may use it as the baby gets bigger. He has already used it around the house a few times and it is great -- the baby was calm and fell asleep.

Bright Starts Links -- I have to admit that I had no idea what these were, but I got them as a gift. I am so glad I did, and I think everyone should register for them! They are useful for linking toys to bouncers, car seats, etc. There isn't much more to say about them, but they are one of those little things that make a big difference! :)

Soothie pacifiers -- This was the pacifier supplied for us in the hospital, and Castiél likes it and it didn't cause any nipple confusion. We got a couple more to have in different places in the house.

Baby 411 Guidebook -- I was given this book by a colleague who was also a recent new mom. It is a GREAT book that is simple to read and understand and has updated information. A must have for every new parent!!!

Pampers Swaddlers -- This is our favorite type of diaper. We actually registered for Huggies before having the baby, but after using samples of both Pampers and Huggies, we found that Pampers were much better.

Batteries-- they don't have to be Duracell, but register for batteries - toys, bouncer seats, and many other items will need them! I didn't think about that and have had to go and buy batteries!

Swaddleme -- These are great if you are not good at swaddling blankets or if your baby is a wiggler. They are easy to use, and the legs can be easily removed for diaper changes without unwrapping the entire baby. Castiél is now able to get his arms out of this one, but other than that it is great!

Castiel Ramon Flores

2011-05-31T10:08:00.002-04:00

Birth Announcements by WiddlyTinks.com

The Birth Story

2011-05-17T16:30:00.001-04:00

So I am now Mom to a beautiful baby boy! Castiél Ramón Flores was born on May 15th at 11:18 pm.

It all started on Saturday afternoon when we met a close personal friend at River's Crossing Mall to walk, walk, walk! :) I started having contractions on Saturday night, and then they got more frequent on Sunday morning. However, they weren't incredibly painful. We went to the hospital just in case at about noon on Sunday afternoon. I was dilated to 3 cm, and was having contractions consistently every 5 minutes, even though I couldn't feel them much. My doctor happened to be on call, and since I was a day away from my due date, he admitted me. He broke my water at about 2:10 pm, and it was THEN that I bagan feeling the contractions. DEFINITELY! They were coming about every 30 seconds to 1 minute and were incredibly painful. Luckily it only took about 30-45 minutes for me to get an epidural and then I was feeling no pain! That anesthesiologist became my new best friend!!! :) I did, however, get sick several times throughout the day, and the vomiting quickly turned to dry heaving as I had nothing but ice chips in my system.

I continued to progress throughout the afternoon and by about 6:30 I was dilated to 8 cm. And then I stopped. I was still dilated to 8 cm at 10:30 pm, so my doctor decided to prep me for a "c"-section.

Once that decision was made everything happened pretty quickly and Castiél was born at 11:18. We didn't know whether we were having a boy or a girl (although Carlos was pretty confident it was a boy), and we heard the cry first. As soon as I heard the baby cry, I started crying - I just couldn't help it. Then they said, "It's a boy!" and Carlos said, "YES!!, I TOLD you so!" :)

Carlos then went to be with the baby as they finished my surgery. (we had decided beforehand that this is how we wanted to do it) The worst part of the surgery was the medicine they gave me that dried out my mouth. I never realized just how uncomfortable dry mouth was!!!! I ate nearly a whole cup of ice chips in the recovery room!

Carlos then came back with Castiél and I was able to begin breastfeeding.

My parents then came to say goodbye and we were off to my post-partum room. Everything after that is kind of a blur. We had lots of visitors yesterday, when I looked and felt like crap. Today, when I'm up and around, it has been kind of quiet. We will go home tomorrow, and that is when the REAL adventure begins!!!

A Question of Control

2011-05-12T14:37:00.000-04:00

For those who know me, they know I like to have a good bit of control over my surroundings and life. The lack of control in situations is usually what causes me the most frustration in my life. However, as I get older (and I guess a bit wiser), I am realizing just how little I have control over. Admitting it is the first step to defeat the frustration that comes with it.
I have NO control over when this baby will come. I either have to wait on him or her to decide when to come or on the doctor to make the determination that he needs to intervene and prompt delivery.
Something I have had to deal with since becoming pregnant - I had no control over whether this would be a viable pregnancy, whether the baby would be healthy, and I still don't have any control over the health, well-being, personality, or anything else about the baby - that is all up to God.
I am currently looking into the possibility of moving into the area of online education. I have applied for several online teaching positions. However, I have no control over whether I get one of these jobs. Truthfully, I have no control over whether or not my county decides to enact another Reduction-in-Force and my job ends upon the chopping block. I have always felt very confident in my professional abilities, but my application and subsequent (unsuccessful) interviews for some jobs within my county this year have made me realize how little control I have over my career.
I have little control over my home environment. Meaning, we live in a fixer-upper, and Carlos makes most of the decisions of what gets fixed next. But even he has no control over what unexpectedly breaks next, which often changes the renovation plan.
I have NO control over other people. This one can be the most frustrating one of all. I can't control what people do and how they react. My classroom discipline got much easier once I realized this within the classroom -- that I can only work within the chosen reactions of my students rather than controlling their reactions. This is a bit harder in closer relationships. . . It is difficult not to want to control what Carlos says or does - but I guess that is part of the curse (Genesis 3:16).

All that to say this - I have finally figured out what I DO have control over in my life. And it is only TWO things: MY WORDS and MY ACTIONS.

That does make life more simple (if not easier). If I stop trying to control the world and people around me, I will have a lot more time to control my own words and actions, which is all I have control over anyway.

Apparently, the Bible has much to say about self-control (and not a whole lot about controlling others).

Proverbs 16:32 Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.

Proverbs 25:28 Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.

Galatians 5:22-24 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Titus 2:3-6 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.

Titus 2:11-13 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ

2 Peter 1:5-7 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

"Quarterly" Book Report #2

2011-04-23T20:27:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I’m not doing this quarterly, I’m pretty much doing it whenever I want, but I can’t think of a better title. J I have to do it more often than every 3 months, otherwise I will forget about what I have read!

Everything I’ve read in the past few months has been within the genre of Young Adult Lit except for Water for Elephants. And most of the books were historical fiction.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen – This was a great book! There were a couple of scenes that were shockingly explicit and not vital to the plot that I could have done without, but both the story and the storytelling was phenomenal. I highly recommend this book to adult readers (not my high school students)!

Hunger, Lies, and Plague by Michael Grant – Books 2, 3, and 4 from the Gone series. Hunger was an excellent sequel to Gone, and Lies was pretty good. Plague was without a doubt the best one since Gone. These YA books blend science fiction and reality well into a story that continues to build with each book. I think there are going to be two more books in the series, and I am very much looking forward to reading them!

The Bad Queen: Rules and Instructions for Marie-Antoinette by Carolyn Meyer – Great little historical fiction book about Marie-Antoinette. I learned a lot about her and that time period in France. I’m not sure how historically accurate the book is, but it was an enjoyable read. It comes from a series of books by Carolyn Meyer about young royals.

The Musician’s Daughter by Susanne Dunlap – This was a book of historical fiction set in the world of 18^th-century Vienna. It involves a murder of a musician and the plot revolves around his daughter trying to solve the mystery of her dad’s death. It took a little while for me to get into this book, but it wasn’t bad once I got into it.

The Education of Bet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted – Set in 19^th-century England, this is a story of an orphaned girl who was taken in by a wealthy family. She longs for an education, but as a girl is not able to attend school. She concocts a plan to switch places with her adoptive brother so he can enter the military and she can go to school, disguised as a boy. It is a good book and her character is well developed as a strong female character.

Threads and Flames by Esther Friesner – This book is about the tragic fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in 1911. It follows the immigration of a young, Jewish, Polish girl to New York City where she tries to locate her sister, who had immigrated several years before. She finds a place to live, a place to work, and she is at the factory working on the day of the fire. This historical novel describes both the lives of immigrants and the circumstances surrounding the fire in great detail. Although it took me a little while to get “into” the book and care about the characters, I would highly recommend this book!

Morning in a Different Place by Mary Ann McGuigan – This historical fiction novel is set in New York City in the 1960s and follows the friendship of an Irish girl and an African-American girl. It deals with the racism of that time and how they each deal with it. Also, each one has their own family issues they are dealing with. The assassination of JFK takes place during the story as well. I didn’t think I would like this book, but it is a short book and I ended up enjoying it.

The Morgue and Me by John C. Ford – A murder-mystery book set in a small town in Michigan. This was another book I wasn’t sure I would like but it was GREAT! A teenage boy gets a summer job at the morgue and gets pulled into a murder mystery that is being covered up as a suicide. He, along with a reporter from the newspaper work to solve the murder.

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare – FINALLY the 4^th book in The Mortal Instruments series came out. I LOVE THIS SERIES! This book was great – I ended up reading the entire thing in one day! I can’t say enough good things about this book and this series – if you haven’t read them start with City of Bones, which is the first book in the series. The author has even started a series of prequels that she is calling the Infernal Devices series. The first book, Clockwork Angel, is already out and was excellent, but it had a cliffhanger ending and I’m dying for the next one to come out!!

You know you are in your 3rd trimester when. . .

2011-04-21T18:38:00.000-04:00

You drop something on the floor and take some serious time thinking about whether it is worth picking up.
You understand that you can have a full esophagus and an empty stomach at the same time.
You realize that your current nighttime bathroom visits will roughly coordinate with future nighttime baby feedings.
You realize you have left behind the "cute" stage of pregnancy.
You seriously consider moving into the bathroom just to save the constant trips . . . complete with pillow, sleeping bag, snacks, TV, laptop, books, and anything else important to survival.
You long for a catheter.
You eat Tums like candy.
People continually tell you that you look like you are about to "pop" - as if you were a giant zit.
When hearing your due date, people respond by saying, "You're not going to make it!"
You stop wearing shoes that tie because you can't reach them.
You actually read the "Labor and Delivery" chapters in pregnancy books.
Your cute little "innie" belly button becomes an "outie"
You are getting used to the feeling of having a kickboxer inside of you. It's funny what becomes normal after a while.
"Comfortable" is a relative term.
Pillows are your new best friend.
You wonder if you can convince them to shave your legs when you get a pedicure.
People become very friendly -- strangers stop you to talk and ask about your due date, etc.
You start paying attention to when there are full moons -- just in case.
You have forgotten what it feels like to NOT be pregnant.
Your maternity clothes -- even the big ones -- don't fit anymore.

WIWW - 36 weeks!!!

2011-04-20T10:05:00.000-04:00

Well, the end is in sight!!! I'm 36 weeks and in less than a month this pregnancy will be over and a little baby will be here!!! These pictures are from the last two weeks, at this point I have no idea what day I wore what. I guess it doesn't matter much.

All of my pants were starting to get a little tight, plus, I really didn't have a pair of khakis to wear, so while we were in Florida for Spring Break, I found these great linen pants at Motherhood Maternity. They are SO comfortable!!!! After hemming them about 5 inches I was able to wear them! And I wear them a LOT! :)

For more pictures of the nursery, read this post. :)

Well, this might be the last week I do What I Wore Wednesday for a while. It's been a while because I haven't had the energy to take pictures and keep up with it, and now that the countdown is on, I just don't feel that creative in my clothing, so I'm pretty much wearing the same thing over and over!

But keep checking back! I'll definitely be blogging and posting pics once the baby gets here!!!! :)

Friends versus Acquaintances

2011-04-19T16:50:00.000-04:00

What’s the difference? In my mind, there is often no difference. I want to consider my acquaintances to be my friends. Why is that? One of the most difficult things to adjust to when it comes to being an adult is the decrease in the number of friends. At least that has been my experience. There seems to be a bigger divide between friends and acquaintances. As a teenager, and even as a young adult, all of the people who make up your social circle are considered to be friends. You have time to spend with them and it seems to be easier to find things in common with people.

As a married adult, your deepest friendship is with your spouse – which is great, but it does decrease the time you have to devote to developing other friendships. If you are very lucky, you find other couples that you both get along with and with whom you can develop a deeper friendship. That doesn’t often happen though.

I have some really deep long-term friendships that are awesome, but many of my real friends do not live close to me, which is frustrating sometimes. I would say that outside of family, I probably only have one, maybe two, “real” friends who live in my town – meaning someone that I spend time with outside of activities such as church or work.

So what’s the problem? Well, nothing other than the fact that I would love for my friends to live closer to me! But it is hard for me to realize that those people who are my acquaintances are not necessarily my friends. Carlos often has to remind me that if someone were my friend they would call me or visit me – I wouldn’t have to rely on seeing them at church or at work. But that goes both ways – who do I call and spend time with? Do I depend on convenience (being at the same place at the same time) and technology (primarily facebook) to keep up with people? Or do I take the time to develop friendships with those acquaintances with whom I really enjoy spending time?

Nursery

2011-04-17T19:21:00.000-04:00

After a ton of work done by my awesome husband, Carlos, the nursery is complete.

Here is what it looked like before it was a nursery:

This was my office/nap room/scrapbook room. :)

Then the real work began.

Our house was built in the early 60s and it doesn't have insulation, so that was our first priority.

Which meant that everything had to be demo-ed and rebuilt.

Carlos did ALL the work by himself!

Demolition:

Insulation:

Drywall:

Primed (and new windows!):

Painted:

FINISHED!!!!

And the entire view:

Now all we need is a baby! :)

Holy Week

2011-04-16T23:36:00.000-04:00

So it's the beginning of Holy Week, and I have to admit - I don't feel all that "holy." I feel very distracted . . . the entire Lenten season has pretty much passed by without much notice from me this year.

There are several reasons for this. #1 -- We have been so focused on getting the nursery completed before the baby comes that all of our energy and time has gone there. #2 -- I wasn't proactive in giving anything up for Lent or doing anything in particular to celebrate the season. #3 -- Pregnancy in general is a distraction from most other things (in my experience).

I'm thinking it would be nice to be at this stage of pregnancy around Christmas. I think instead of distracting me from the holiness of the holiday, it would draw me closer to the story of the Nativity and Incarnation. I don't know - maybe I'm just making excuses. I didn't feel any closer to God this past Christmas when I was pregnant.

I really don't have much else to say about this except that it's something I noticed today. . . and I wonder, is it wrong to let this season pass without notice?

I now know why people make sacrifices during Lent - otherwise, the busy-ness of our lives tends to take up our time and distract us from the entire Easter season. Sometimes I have thought it was mindless Christian tradition; however, I think when done with the right intentions, self-sacrifice during Lent can really help to focus on on the sacrifice that Christ made for us and help lead us toward the celebration of Easter.

I hope that next year when Ash Wednesday rolls around, I will remember my thoughts from this year and choose to be intentional in my walk with Christ during Lent and Easter.

The Day of the Mismatched Earrings

2011-04-05T19:40:00.000-04:00

Today I realized I wore two different earrings to school.

At least it was during 1st period and not later in the day!

Here's what happened:

I was dressed and ready for school, wearing a dress and sandals when I saw on the news that the high today was going to be 63 degrees. With that news, I decided to change into pants. It was right before I had to leave for work, so I changed clothes quickly and then changed jewelry. I first grabbed a necklace from my nifty necklace holder (created by my sister).

Then I grabbed some earrings.

I thought I grabbed two of the SAME earrings, but obviously I did not . . .

WIWW - 30 weeks

2011-03-09T18:56:00.000-05:00

Well, last week just flew by and I just totally missed Wednesday, so today is a smash-up of last week and this week. I'm linking up with The Pleated Poppy's What I Wore Wednesday.

Last week I went on two interviews for Media Specialist positions within my county.

I didn't get either of them, but this is what I wore to both interviews:

Here are some other random pics from last week:

Notice how differently it looks like I am carrying in each picture -

Must just be the clothes!

And some pics from this week -

30 weeks pregnant now and tired of people telling me,

"Wow, It won't be long now!" and

"You look like you are going to POP!"

Monday:

Notice my seriously cute and VERY comfortable new shoes!!

I got them on clearance at DSW!

Tuesday:

BTW, I'm very tired of these black pants . . .

Wednesday:

Eggs! Finally!!

2011-03-09T18:24:00.000-05:00

So, if you've been keeping up with our Chicken Adventures,

you know we've been waiting since just after Christmas for eggs.

And today, was the day! Finally!!!!

I'll let you know soon how they taste!!!! :)

Quarterly Book Report - March 2011

2011-03-02T17:19:00.000-05:00

This may be the most reading I get done all year, but I thought I would post what I've read each "quarter" rather than waiting for an end-of-the-year review:

The Series of Unfortunate Events series by Lemony Snicket

I actually only read the first five books - The Bad Beginning, The Reptile Room, The Wide Window, The Miserable Mill, and The Austere Academy. I read them because I may someday be a Media Specialist in an elementary or middle school and want to be familiar with some of the popular series/authors. I have to be honest, I didn't enjoy these books much. I didn't hate them either. They were just kind of blah. I can see how younger kids (upper elementary) might enjoy them. I feel like at this point I have read enough to be familiar - I don't think I can read the rest of them.

We also watched the movie, The Series of Unfortunate Events. It was based on the first 3 books, and it was just so-so as well. Great actors and such, but it wasn't all that in my opinion.

The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis

This was actually the first book I read this year as I was finishing up the Narnia series. This is a great book. I loved it. I think everyone should read the entire Narnia series.

The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve

I read this book on the snow days when I ran out of other things (young adult fiction) to read. I had picked it up at Goodwill a long time ago and it was just on the shelf. It was a great book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and read it very quickly.

So THAT'S what they're for! by Janet Tamaro

I picked this up at a yard sale or Goodwill, I can't remember which. Since I plan on breastfeeding, it was a great read. Funny yet informative.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan

The Lightning Thief - I started this series much for the same reason as the Lemony Snicket one. . . just to be familiar with it. I LOVED it! It is so well-written and just has a great plot! I actually saw the movie first, so I enjoyed it, but once I read the book I realized how much the movie was missing.
Sea of Monsters - This one I especially loved as it brought out all of the characters from the Odyssey, which I taught in 9th grade Lit.
The Titan's Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, The Last Olympian -- The rest of the Percy Jackson series was just as good as the beginning. I would recommend this series to any young adult or adult who enjoys YA Lit.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

This is a book I just realized I have never read and I knew I needed to. It was very good. Very Christian themes throughout that I didn't really expect, but I enjoyed it! I will probably try to read the sequels later.

Heading Home with Your Newborn by Laura A. Jana and Jennifer Shu

I'm not even sure how I got this book. I think I got it because Carlos registered me on some website and it was sent to me for free. Anyway, regardless of how I got it, it was a very good read. A lot of repetitive information as most baby books say the same thing, but it was good. I especially liked the section on "Activities for Daily Learning" and the "Just for the Health of It," which went into detail about infant health.

The God Questions by Hal Seed and Dan Grinder

This was a book that was done in all small groups at my church, Harvest, and correlated with a sermon series. Whereas Jim Cowart did a GREAT job with the sermons, I was not impressed with the books. It covered some very deep questions that many non-believers have about God and Christianity, but it covered them in a very superficial manner. I also felt that the author kind of talked AROUND issues rather than truly addressing them.

Likely Story by David Van Etten

This was a YA book that was given to the Northside Media Center. I read it in order to preview it for appropriateness. It centers around soap operas, so I was not expecting much from the book. It definitely is a fluff book, but I enjoyed the plot much more than I expected to!

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

To be honest, I didn't complete this book. I read it because it is a sequel (or 2nd in a series) to the book Shiver, which I really enjoyed last year. Shiver is a twist on a werewolf story. There are people in this town who turn into wolves in the winter, and over the years, eventually stay wolves longer and longer until they lose their "humanity" completely. There is a girl who was attacked by the wolves but not killed when she was little, and ever since has been obsessed with the wolves - one wolf in particular. Well, it becomes a love story between the boy/wolf and the girl. It is better than it sounds. . . but the sequel Linger just wasn't interesting to me, so I didn't finish it.

Parenting with Love and Logic by Foster Cline and Jim Fay

I know - I'm a total overachiever to already be reading parenting books, but I was loaned this book from a good friend. I kept it in the car and read it aloud with Carlos when we were running errands and out and about. I thought it was a very good book! It's parenting philosophy centers on allowing your children to make small choices throughout life and experiencing natural consequences, so that as they become young adults, they are accustomed to decision making and are more responsible people. I don't know if I would follow everything in it to the letter, but it is a book I would recommend to any parent.

Gone by Michael Grant

This is the first in a YA series that I heard about at a professional development class last year. My school's media center just got them in, so I decided to read it. It is GREAT! I loved it, and in fact, I am reading the second book in the series right now - Hunger. In the book Gone, suddenly everyone over the age of 14 disappears instantly in a small California town. The book is about how the children left begin to deal with the situation. A twist in the story is that some of the kids begin to discover that they have certain powers, which sets up a struggle between two groups. One of the blurbs/reviews on the book states, "If Stephen King would have written The Lord of the Flies, this would be that book."

WIWW - 3rd trimester begins!

2011-02-23T16:36:00.000-05:00

28 weeks - finally! :) We had an abbreviated Winter Break last week, and we spent most of the weekend working on the nursery (see Chaotic Progress and One Wall Down (literally!) for more information on the renovation.

So, I don't have too many pics, but here's what I have . . . it's finally warmer so I'm excited to finally not have to wear winter clothes!!!

Thursday was the only day we went anywhere besides Home Depot or Lowes. We went with a friend to Lane Southern Orchards in Fort Valley, GA. If you are ever traveling I-75 through middle GA, it is definitely worth the stop! Great produce, great food, and GREAT peach cobbler and peach ice cream!

My pics from this week were mostly blurry - I only got one really good one, and it is a good example because it is the first time I've worn this dress:

My mom bought this dress for me in the fall when I first was pregnant. I really like it now that I'm big enough for it and it's warm enough to wear it! We got it at JCPenney's in their (very) small maternity section.

Eating Organic

2011-02-22T09:32:00.002-05:00

Over the years we have slowly tried to replace some of our basic grocery staples with organic items. Right now, we consistently buy the following organic items: milk (white and chocolate), eggs (sometimes from a friend in Macon who has chickens), and sugar.

This week I added yogurt to that list, as I realized that the increase in cost for organic was not substantial enough to matter.

However, now I feel like we are stuck. The next logical step would either be to go organic with produce or meat, both of which are a substantial increase in price over non-organic.

I think our logical next step would be to plant a garden with items we eat often. I wouldn't be able to succeed at this since I can't keep any plant alive, but Carlos, jack-of-all-trades and master of all it seems, would be great.
Of course that would put one more thing on his plate. And right now our plates are pretty full . . .

I also went to the Local Harvest website where you can find local farmers in your area. I was able to find some local farms, as well as information on some farmers' markets in my area. I was even able to find them and add them on facebook! (I love fb!)

So, at this point I am going to check out these local markets and see how it goes.

More to come on this organic adventure. . .

Chicken Adventures: Part 2

2011-02-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

Lots to update since our Chicken Adventure started! First of all, we (meaning Carlos) finished the chicken coop. Once it gets warm we are going to paint it and put a run on the side.

Of course, since then he built a door. He even built roosts for them!

And a little "hatch" at the back for us to get eggs from.

He's so smart!

Then, in December 2010, the chickens came home to roost, so to speak . . .

They were HUGE! And there are three hens and one rooster.

I finally got a clear visual of the word "hen-pecked."

The hens had totally beat up the poor rooster.

He had a huge hole that they had pecked in his wing.

Luckily, he got better.

At first, they didn't get into the roosts (we weren't even sure they would fit!)

However, Carlos put some branches in there and they started to perch.

They are finally starting to get into the roosts at night.

BUT . . .

No eggs. . .

I have heard that chickens have to be somewhere for 9 months before they start laying eggs.

I have also heard that I should put some "fake" eggs in there to show them what I want them to do.

We don't even know if they will ever lay eggs! I'm hoping so. . .

I'd like to get something out of all this chicken feed we are buying! :)

And now, mid-February:

They are happy and healthy.

And our dogs, who we were afraid would want to eat them,

pretty much just ignore them.

One Wall Down (literally!)

2011-02-19T17:04:00.000-05:00

So, I helped with the demo, and here is my proof:

I got to take off the corner round and the baseboards. Well, I couldn't get the baseboards off - Carlos had to do that but I then cut the nails off of what we will be able to reuse!

Once Carlos started tearing down walls and it got dusty, he kicked me out of the room.

I got all suited up to help with the insulation, but I ended up not being able to help much.

One exterior wall down, insulated, and wired:

Chaotic Progress

2011-02-19T01:02:00.000-05:00

My house is in chaos . . . but it is for a good cause. . . a nursery.

We live in an older house that does not have insulation, and that room (previously my office and "nap room") was VERY cold. So, we wanted to tear down the walls, insulate, re-drywall, and then paint and decorate the nursery. Very overwhelming!

Well, this week I had some days off for Winter Break so the work began.

It started with completely clearing out the room:

So where did everything go?

The living room:

BOTH sides of the living room:

Also, a bunch of the books

(see about my book problem here)

ended up in the bedroom for that shelf:

That shelf had to be moved from one wall to the other

to accommodate my desk,

so ALL the books had to go on the bed.

But the end result was nice.

And my desk and some scrapbook stuff landed in the bedroom too:

So right now, the only peaceful place in the house is the master bedroom.

Carlos put a TV in there, and even though we don't have cable,

I can watch DVDs and escape the chaos.

Sweet!

Status Quo

2011-02-18T21:24:00.000-05:00

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Status Quo as “the existing state of affairs.” It is usually spoken with a negative connotation, as in someone who is unwilling to change with the times or move forward when it is obvious a change is needed.

However, I am beginning to see the value in the status quo. I have always been one who has sought change. I have lived and worked in four different states in the 11 years since I graduated college. I am always looking for new challenges and new ideas. One of my flaws would be that I jump into change (even if it is a good change) without truly thinking through the decision or consequences.

At work, I always come up with some “great new idea” that usually only means more work for me, and it doesn’t always end with the intended benefit. New programs, new curriculum, new classes, new projects. This year I am going to strive to accept the status quo. . . even if a change is needed. At least for a little while until I have time to truly think through the change completely.

I am wanting to change jobs, which I guess doesn’t really fit in with the whole idea of staying with the status quo, but I have had my Media certification for almost four years now and I would like to put it to good use as a school media specialist. However, I’m thinking if I do land in a new place, I need to accept the status quo and not immediately start making drastic changes to the programs or policies. And if I DON’T end up somewhere new, I need to accept the status quo of where I am . . . no grandiose new “ideas.”

I’m thinking that will probably be harder than it sounds – I LOVE new ideas!

27 weeks - WIWW

2011-02-16T16:54:00.000-05:00

Saturday: Stayed at home all day in sweats :)

Although I have two pair of brown corduroy pants, I see that I wore them 3 out of the last 4 days!
I really hope it warms up soon so I can start wearing dresses!!!

Short and simple this week! :) Linking up with The Pleated Poppy!
(I will be in my 3rd trimester next What I Wore Wednesday! Woohoo!!!)

My Funny Valentine

2011-02-13T15:53:00.000-05:00

In honor of Valentine's Day tomorrow , I thought I would share with the world at least some of the reasons I adore my husband. :)

He cooks me breakfast (usually eggs, hash browns, and bacon) every morning.
He packs me lunch for school and cooks me dinner every evening.
Although I occasionally jump in and do a few dishes, he is pretty much the one who keeps the kitchen clean (can you tell that is "his" room?)
He has been so gracious in the past few months when I have come home from work and slept until time to go to bed - and he has made sure I ate dinner between those two "naps"! He has even taken over nearly all the cleaning responsibilities as it is hard to clean the bathroom while sleeping!
He is brilliant - really - it gets on my nerves a lot of the time, but he knows a lot about everything. He is a trivia genius and beats me in Scrabble every time (which really bothers me!).
There just isn't much he doesn't know how to do. He is a computer guru, cooks, and even cuts my hair!
Specifically, he knows a LOT about the Bible. Anytime I have a question, he can answer it almost without blinking.
He makes me laugh - a lot! He is so silly and it is great to be around someone who doesn't take themselves so seriously all the time.
He is nurturing. Much more nurturing than I am. He is the one who not only takes care of me, but also of the dogs and the chickens. I know he will be a great Dad!
He takes care of all of the finances, which takes a huge burden off of me, because when I am in charge of the money, it causes me much undue stress.

I could go on for ages, but these are probably the top 10 - at least the first 10 I thought of! :)

Feeling Gigantic - 2 weeks of WIWW

2011-02-08T19:14:00.001-05:00

So I'm posting 2 weeks of What I Wore Wednesday because I totally missed it last week. Wednesday just passed by and I didn't even realize it!!! In week 1, I'm 24/25 weeks pregnant, and 25/26 weeks in week 2. I have to say, the 25 week mark was when I truly started to feel "big." It is so scary that I have an entire trimester left to grow!!!

This is the end of week 24. Still feeling good!

This week was the start of week 25.

Tuesday was the first day I actually felt huge.

But I felt huge in a very cute borrowed maternity dress!

Getting big!

By the way, today, one of my 9th grade students told me I looked like a witch.

I didn't ask what he meant by that . . .

Friday
One of my students
(not the one who said I looked like a witch yesterday)
told me I was "swag" because my pants were cuffed.
I informed him it was because of my height (or lack thereof) -
but he was impressed nonetheless.
I'm wondering if this means I should go get them hemmed?!?!?? :)

This is the start of Week 26.
Saturday #1: Errands - I love this (borrowed) shirt, but realized it was much too cold for it
Saturday #2: Church - all bundled up (and much warmer!)
Sunday: Wearing new (to me) jeans given to me by another great friend!
These fit GREAT and when she said she lived in them, I totally understand why!
They are Gap Long and Lean maternity jeans - which is funny,
because whereas I might have once been "lean" I have never been "long".
It seems that these were given to her by a tall friend and she already had them altered to fit a shorty! :)

Monday: This cute Gap maternity skirt is from the most recent addition to the wardrobe.
I figured out this layering of the shirts on Saturday (okay so Carlos picked it out!)
Tuesday: A complete "new" outfit from my friend -
Gap Maternity corduroys
Gap brown/beige striped maternity shirt
This is a SUPER comfortable outfit!!

Books, Books, Everywhere

2011-02-06T20:09:00.000-05:00

A friend said something on facebook about having books in various places around her house. It made me look around and realize just how many books are everywhere around me. I LOVE to read, and as an adult I tend to go through reading "phases" - sometimes I read a lot, sometimes I take a break and don't read as much. Right now I am in a heavy reading phase. Therefore, I have books EVERYWHERE!

My office, soon to be the nursery, has my "nap bed" and some of the books:

You can tell a nap has been recently taken! :)

I have a book by the couch in the living room:

And here are where most of our books are housed (in the living room):

On another shelf in the living room, another book (that is borrowed) sits waiting to be read:

(Note the hat -

I could probably do a similar post about how we have

my husband's hats all over the house!)

Another shelf in the living room - it houses mostly records (yes, we have a record player!) and movies, but there are some books there as well:

(See the additional hats!)

I was reading at the kitchen table while eating lunch:

I keep my Bible in my bedroom on a shelf (that I built in high school, by the way):

I even keep a book in the car (this happens to be our current small group study) to read aloud to my husband when we are driving around:

I also have a crate full of books that need have a home found for them:

Finally, I have started to gather my own books from childhood to build the new baby's first library:

I suppose we would save a lot of space in our house if we got a Kindle, but I'm not sure it would be the same. . .

WIWW - 24 weeks

2011-01-26T17:51:00.000-05:00

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy's What I Wore Wednesday Link-up!
I'm 24 weeks now, and starting to feel it! :)

School:

Wednesday: Probably the last time I can wear this non-maternity sweater.

Thursday: Everything non-maternity except the black shirt.

Flowered shirt borrowed from my mom.

Friday: Just got these great new jeans from Sears!

I can't find a link for them, but love them!

Saturday: Leggings attempt #2

#1 - This is what I looked like getting ready.

Carlos (who isn't a huge fan of leggings anyway) told me

I looked like a pregnant superhero.

#2 -- This is what I WANTED to wear, but the t-shirt just wasn't long enough.

#3 -- I ended up putting on my go-to maternity skirt on over it.

Boots: These Aerosoles boots are awesome!

My niece didn't want them anymore, so I took them.

I love them, but I've pretty much worn them out so I will have to get rid of them after this season.

I will definitely be looking to replace them with an identical pair!!

School:

Monday: My non-maternity Old Navy sweater.
(Same as the black one with the leggings above)
Love it!
Tuesday: Non-maternity sweater (can you tell?)
with a borrowed red maternity turtleneck.
Wednesday: Borrowed blue maternity turtleneck with borrowed maternity pants
(Aren't friends great?!)
Non-maternity jacket handed down from a colleague -- big enough to close!

I am SO ready for spring clothes -- short sleeves, sandals, dresses . . . I am praying for an early arrival of warm weather!

Pregnancy Pearls of Wisdom

2011-01-23T08:44:00.000-05:00

In your 1st trimester, do not try to stay awake. It will not work. Just sleep as much as you can. Don't try to be productive. The baby needs sleep. Your body needs sleep. It's nature - don't fight it.
Read all the books, but the funniest is The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy. I was loaned a copy from a friend, and it was the first edition, but it has been updated. This will especially help the chapter on maternity fashion, which was so outdated from the first edition that it was laugh-out-loud funny.
Maternity clothes suck. At the beginning (before you are even showing), they seem exciting. They are not. Wear normal clothes for as long as you can! Integrate as many non-maternity items into your wardrobe as possible. I promise it will make you feel much better.
Speaking of maternity clothes, shop the maternity section at Sears. You may have never stepped into Sears for anything other than tires, but believe me, they have a decent selection. You will probably not buy all of your maternity clothes here, but they have the basics: jeans, pants, bras, underwear, and pjs. They also carry many of the same clothes as Motherhood Maternity.
You don't really "feel" pregnant (if that is a feeling that can be quantified) until you feel the baby move. You will be so anxious to feel the baby move that every gas bubble will be analyzed from week 13 or so on until you are sure that what you are feeling is the baby. Enjoy those first flutters, but just wait. It gets so much better!
Speaking of gas, you will have it. And it WILL come out one end or the other. I burped from the very beginning of my pregnancy to the end. Loudly. And without warning. I was constantly saying "Excuse me" as I drew the attention of people around me.
The books say that you will not have to pee as much during the 2nd trimester. They lie. You have to pee all the time from the very beginning, then it just gets progressively worse starting at the end of your 2nd trimester. There will be a point when you will consider Depends. That point will probably be as you are walking away from the restroom and realize that you already have to go again.
Related to the above, at some point in your pregnancy you WILL pee on yourself when you cough, laugh, or sneeze.
Finally, sleep on the side of the bed closest to the bathroom. Make sure the path is clear as you will be walking that path several times a night for many months.
There are pros and cons to finding out the sex of your baby. I didn't find out. Whatever you decide, don't worry about what other people think.
If you are going to find out what you are having, consider not giving away the name. This serves several purposes. #1, it gives you the right to change your mind, which you might do, and #2, it leaves some news to tell when the baby gets here. Also, it saves you from hearing everyone's opinion of the name you love. Few people will bash a name once it is actually attached to a baby in your arms.
Your brain leaves you when you are pregnant. I'm not sure where it goes, but it isn't anywhere accessible to you. Don't plan on using it during this time.
Size is relative when you are pregnant. On the same day one person will tell you how small you are and another will tell you that you are huge. Ignore them all. Size is relative to you as well. Some days you feel gigantic, and others you don't feel big at all and can't believe there is a human growing inside of you.
Always have something to eat with you. I promise you will need it. Hunger strikes quickly and fiercely and a hungry pregnant woman is not a pleasant thing!

What I Wore Wednesday -- Catching up

2011-01-19T17:59:00.000-05:00

Since I missed WIWW the last couple of weeks, I decided to post several weeks of pics. I'm linking up with The Pleated Poppy's weekly What I Wore Wednesday blog - check it out - and join in the fun!

My wardrobe got an injection of new clothes when a co-worker and friend brought me her maternity clothes to borrow! I am SO excited! I was getting very tired of the same few shirts!

Sunday: Church, errands, and small group

Monday: Teacher workday at school

New shoes! Rocket dog flats

Tuesday: School

Wednesday: School

Thursday: School
Shirt, pants, and sweater all loaned to me!

Friday: Dr. appt

Saturday: Church

Sunday: Church
This is a non-maternity Old Navy sweater that works
GREAT for me right now and hopefully will fit next winter too!

Sunday night: Small group

The most comfortable sweatsuit ever!
I was outgrowing my others so my sister got me this maternity one from Kohls for Christmas.

School: I can't remember what day

School: One day last week

Birthday Dinner

I wore this outfit to dinner for my birthday. It was my first real attempt at leggings (ever).

I normally don't wear leggings because I'm so short I feel it makes me look ridiculous.

But they are a maternity staple and now I understand why!

I am SO tired of wearing big tops AND baggy pants.

I just feel like a slob.

So I thought I would try the leggings out.

Carlos said I looked like an ice cream cone (small on the bottom and big on the top).

I kind of took it as a compliment, since I have NEVER been smaller on the bottom than on the top! :)

The outfit is extra special because a student gave me the white shirt today for my birthday!

(I rarely get gifts from students because I work at a Title 1 high school.)

I thought it was really sweet of her.

SO, I can't wear leggings to school, but I will be busting them out again sometime in the next few months! :)

Birthday Blues

2011-01-19T17:40:00.000-05:00

January is such a dreadful month - cold, dreary, miserable, depressing, and long! Sorry to sound so dismal, blame it on my recent reading of Lemony Snicket's The Series of Unfortunate Events - (which isn't that great, I am just trying to expand my reading in case I am a Media Specialist in an elementary or middle school in the future.)

Anyway, every year around my birthday I battle this feeling - it probably has more to do with weather than anything else, but it seems so depressing to celebrate my birthday when it is so cold and miserable! Plus, it's right after Christmas and people don't have the money to do anything fun, and it's so cold no one wants to do anything. . . Every year I consider waiting and celebrating my half-birthday so I can have a proper summer celebration! I haven't done it yet . . . but I still think it's a good idea.

Yesterday was my birthday, and it wasn't so bad of a day, but not that exciting either. I went to work, and because they announced my birthday on the morning announcements, teachers and students wished me Happy Birthday all day. Plus I had lots of birthday greetings on facebook, which made me smile. It was a dreadfully cold and dreary day, but I survived it. :) Carlos and I went out to dinner, then I spent the evening watching Dr. Who.

Chico gave me a nice birthday present though. For my birthday, he or she started kicking hard enough to be visible from the outside. That was very exciting and pretty much made my day!

Too Much to Do!

2011-01-10T12:44:00.002-05:00

I do not want to call my house "the money pit," although it might be one. It is overwhelming how MUCH of a fixer-upper it has turned out to be! Here is a current list of projects that need to be done (in no particular order).

Repair, replace and re-roof carport from where the tree fell on it.
Close in a room in the carport with a door to the back yard.
Nursery - Replace windows, insulate, drywall, and paint
Redo hall bathroom (already gutted) -- also replace plumbing and repair ventilation problem
Fix dishwasher - heating element broken
Fence/Gate - repair and reinstall correctly
Barn/Work building - rebuild roof, reroof, insulate, new doors and windows (bye-bye giant bird house!)
New windows throughout the house
Turn window into sliding glass door in master bedroom
New heating and a/c unit - moved to the side of the house with all new ductwork
Master bath renovation - with addition of walk-in closet
Move washer/dryer to new laundry room in "new" carport room
Renovate entire kitchen
Paint exterior of house or get vinyl siding
New shutters
Paint front door
Paint chicken coop
Stain mantel
Get glass doors for fireplace

Chico - 21 weeks

2011-01-10T11:30:00.000-05:00

Chico from the Outside:

Chico from the Inside:

One Little Word for 2011

2011-01-07T09:27:00.000-05:00

Inspired by Ali Edward's One Little Word Project, I have chosen my word for 2011. My word for this year is Nurture.

Those that truly know me (and are truly honest) will admit that I am not a nurturing person. I'm not very compassionate (although that is changing thanks to a lot of prayer and the Holy Spirit) and I definitely do not see myself as a care-taker. When Carlos is sick, he gets very little sympathy, but rather a request/demand for something to eat. (Poor guy!)

So, with the coming of a little one that I will be responsible for nurturing, I want to focus on this characteristic this year. Although the coming of Chico is probably the main reason for this choice of word, there are a lot of areas in which I want to become more nurturing. I want to really pay attention and nurture the relationships around me - my relationship with Carlos, and with family and friends. Sometimes I get on autopilot and think a facebook "like" or comment is enough to maintain friendships. And although I LOVE facebook for how it helps me keep in touch with friends and family, it cannot be the main instrument for nurturing relationships.

I also want to be able to be more nurturing in very practical ways. I am notorious for killing plants, but I would love for us to have a vegetable garden. With a great deal of help from Carlos, I am hoping this is something we can nurture into existence this year. We also have a chicken coop and hope to get some chickens that will lay fresh eggs for us this year. This will undoubtedly take a great deal of nurturing as well.

All that to say, I hope by the end of 2011 I (and those who know me) can use the word "nurturing" as one that accurately describes me.

Questions from Genesis

2011-01-02T06:28:00.000-05:00

So today I read Genesis 4-6 in my One Year Chronological Bible. These chapters of Genesis leave me with many questions. I'm sure some have been answered by scholars, and maybe one day I will research those answers. For today, I'm just going to allow the questions to be.

Was the first language spoken Hebrew?
What was the mark put on Cain in Genesis 4:15?
Where did Enoch go when he disappeared because God "took him"? (Genesis 5:24)
Who were the "sons of God" who married/procreated with women on earth? (Genesis 6:2) Were they angels? Fallen angels? Demons?
Were these children of the sons of God, the Nephilites, the cause of the evil that prompted God to destroy the earth? (Genesis 6:5)

The Curse

2011-01-01T18:52:00.000-05:00

So I'm starting my year through the Bible using the NLT One Year Chronological Bible. Today was (of course), the story of creation and the fall of man. As I read, it struck me how misunderstood the curse of the woman is. As I was growing up in church, the only part that was emphasized was the pain in childbirth. But that's easy to avoid - just don't have kids. Plus, it's just one day, right?

However, I think the "real" curse is in the second part of Genesis 3:16:

"And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you."

And maybe this one only applies to married women, but it definitely DOES apply to married women! I don't know any woman who doesn't want to be in charge - of everything, especially her husband. I would even venture to say it is the major cause of conflict in a marriage. . . the power struggle for control.

A secular, but interesting, book that talks about this issue is The Surrendered Wife. Our culture (even Christian culture) is very against the idea of "Wives submit to your husbands" (Ephesians 5:22, Colossians 3:18, 1 Peter 3:1) Women run most churches (at least most ministries within the church) and most women run their households, including major decisions, finances, and parenting. Watch any TV sitcom and you will see an intelligent woman in control and an idiotic husband who is simply there to be the butt of the jokes. I think this cultural phenomenon ties directly back to Genesis 3:16. Of course, men aren't blameless - they passively stand by and allow this to happen. I mean look at Genesis 3. Adam was WITH Eve when the serpent convinced her to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and he did NOTHING.

I think this is something that all Christian couples must stand against in our culture. And it isn't easy. (Believe me!) But this is one very concrete way that we can live counter-culturally and follow the commands of the Bible. And although it isn't fun to give up control, it is beneficial -- to the relationship and to your own general happiness.

I finally decided that if I couldn't submit to my husband in tangible, concrete ways, how was I ever going to submit to God in ways that are usually much more abstract?

2 Chronicles 30:8, Job 22:21, Romans 10:3, James 4:7

Book List of 2011

2010-12-31T10:26:00.001-05:00

I've started making a list of the books I want to read in the next year. I'm well aware that much of this reading probably needs to happen before spring when my attention will be otherwise diverted, so I thought I better get started soon.

First, I am finishing up the Chronicles of Narnia series with The Last Battle. I'm about halfway done with that book now.

Next, I am ashamed to say that as an English teacher I haven't read the Harry Potter series. I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, but got bogged down with book #2. Now I have the added incentive of watching each movie once I finish the book so I should be able to get through them pretty quickly!

Finally, there are some sequels to other series I am reading that are coming out in the spring. The Mortal Instruments series, a young adult series that is excellent, comes out with Book #4 - City of Fallen Angels on April 5, 2011.

Another favorite and guilty pleasure is the Sookie Stackhouse novels. Book #11, Dead Reckoning, comes out the first of May. However, I read those books so quickly that I usually have to go back and reread a few to "catch" up to where the new book starts.

I also am going to get the Chronological Bible to read through it in a year (which I have done before), but I am very interested in reading it in chronological order.

What do YOU plan on reading in 2011???

What I Wore Wednesday: 20 weeks

2010-12-29T21:33:00.000-05:00

Well, I haven't linked up with the Pleated Poppy in a couple of weeks, so today I thought I would take some extra effort to look nice so I would have at least one picture to post for this week's WIWW. Since I've been on Christmas break, it's been hard to get too motivated to look cute. And definitely too hard to remember to take pictures if I do!

I especially wanted to share today's outfit because I am loving the felt flower pin my sister made and gave me for Christmas!

Since it's so cold, I'm trying to learn how to wear leggings (which seem to be a maternity staple) and not look like a 13-year-old girl.

I also thought I'd share a picture of our Christmas tree, since it's still Christmas around here. Actually, it's only the 5th day of Christmas according to the 12 Days of Christmas. We celebrate Three Kings Day with my husband's family, so our Christmas celebrations are not over (and our decorations are not down) until January 6th each year. I enjoy the prolonged season. After the hustle and bustle of getting to Christmas, we actually have time to sit and enjoy the season, family, and reflect on the meaning of it all: Jesus's birth.

Things that I didn't expect from pregnancy:

2010-12-26T19:35:00.003-05:00

The need to pee -- I always thought this was a phenomenon that came at the END of pregnancy, not something that was a part of your life almost from the time you finished peeing on a stick!
Hunger -- Insanity-inducing hunger that comes on immediately with NO warning whatsoever!
A passionate love affair with food -- I love food. Not all foods, it has to be the RIGHT food. My love affair with food can quickly turn to hatred if I am disappointed with the taste.
Pregnancy brain -- I always thought this was just an excuse to be stupid. But I really do feel stupid right now. The simplest tasks are very complicated and it's as if I'm constantly in a fog. Maybe it's because all I'm really thinking about is food. . . .
How comfy maternity pants are -- Seriously, I'm not sure I will be able to return to a world of pants with buttons and zippers.
Acne -- enough said.
Sheer exhaustion -- although this only lasted the first 3 months or so, I never realized I would need so much sleep. I already slept a LOT and that wasn't enough! I feel like I totally slept through the fall this year.
Mucus Mania -- I had no idea the snot build-up that came with pregnancy. Who knew that growing a baby could affect your sinuses???
Finally, the fact that you don't "feel" pregnant - at least not the first half of the pregnancy. I'm now 20 weeks, and pretty much all I've felt is tired, hungry, and fat. Maybe once the baby gets moving more than little flutters I will feel differently. Right now it's easy to forget I'm pregnant - it just feels like I have on comfy pants all the time!

Laughing All the Way

2010-12-25T19:34:00.000-05:00

Today I realized something . . . I LOVE my family. Of course, I have always known this, but today, as I laughed so hard I cried at least twice, I realized how much fun I have with them.

Now, I do laugh a lot, but there is something about laughing with family over some silly something that just gets the giggles going until it's almost uncontrollable. I love a good belly laugh that makes you laugh almost as hard later just remembering it. There are only a few people outside of family that I laugh that hard with.

Which is why I love my family.

And, although I'd love to tell you what was so funny, I can't, because you just had to be there!!!

Awesome gift idea

2010-12-11T13:58:00.000-05:00

I just found this awesome site - A Dog's Life, where you can buy wine or dog treats with personalized labels with pictures of YOUR dogs!

If you don't have dogs, you can also get personalized labels for gifts for a variety of occasions: birthday, anniversary, wedding, thank you, Christmas, Hanukkah, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day, New Year's, and graduation! These templates allow you to put a personalized message on your bottle of wine.

You can also upload your dog's picture and if it wins one of the monthly contests, you get a gift certificate to use on the site!

They also have a Rescue Dogs series of labels! As an owner of one rescue dog, I LOVE that!

At least go and vote for your favorite dog - - here is my favorite. Maybe just because it's name is Chico and that is what we are calling the baby right now! :)

WIWW: 17 weeks - BRRR!!!

2010-12-08T16:19:00.002-05:00

Cold weather has arrived in Georgia - brrrrrr!!!!! I am not fond of cold weather, or cold weather clothes - mostly because I'm not great at layering, etc.

Thursday: School

Friday: Field Trip to World of Coke and the Varsity (YUM!)

Saturday: Errands and Church

Sunday: Church

Monday: School

My Old Navy maternity dress with a brown cardigan

Brown boots

Tuesday: School

Non-maternity gray corduroys (the LAST day I will be wearing them -

my rubber band was stretched to it's limit!!!)

Gray maternity T-shirt and a sweater that my sister gave me (non-maternity)

It looks pretty cute in the picture, but by the end of the day I felt like I looked like a bum.

Not sure why.

Wednesday: School - and FREEZING

It was still only 35 degrees when I left school at 3:30!!!

Old Navy maternity skirt (AWESOME!)

Gray maternity tank top

Pink Old Navy sweater (non-maternity)

Black maternity cardigan

Pink scarf from who knows where

Feel free to VOTE on my potential baby names (see blog about it here) to the right! :)

I'm linked up with The Pleated Poppy!

What's in a Name?

2010-12-06T17:43:00.000-05:00

So we have narrowed down our baby name list, but we still have not decided on one particular name for a boy or a girl. Because we aren't finding out what we are having, we have to have names ready for both. We are sure about our middle names, but probably won't decide the first name definitely until the baby is here and we can see what name we think best fits it.

We want the name to start with a "C" - to go along with Courtney and Carlos, and we need it to either be a Spanish name or translate well into Spanish. We would also like for it to have some purpose or connection to family heritage.

For a boy, we have several names on the list, but Caden and Carlisle are probably the top two. I like Christian, but Carlos doesn't really like it. I just read that Caden is in the top 10 boy names for 2010, so that kind of influences me against using that one. I really like it, but I don't want my child to have a name that a bunch of other kids his age have.

The middle name for a boy is definitely going to be Ramon. Ramon is my dad and grandfather's name, and it is also Carlos' grandfather's name.

A girl - the top two names are Chloe and Cadence. Everyone loves Chloe, but it too is on the top 10 list for names in 2010. Carlos loves Cadence, because it means rhythm, and that appeals to him as a musician. My only issue with Cadence is that a teacher I work with just recently named her daughter Kadence. Other people tell me that shouldn't matter, but I haven't completely come to terms with that yet!

The middle name for a girl will definitely be Ricole. Ricole is my middle name (and my niece's middle name - after ME!). My parents created that name from their own two names - Rick and Carole.

So those are all my (current) thoughts on names. I have added a poll so YOU can vote on which one you like best! :)

But I don't wanna get up!!!!

2010-12-02T15:25:00.002-05:00

Roxy, our oh-so-spoiled beagle, is NOT a morning person!

I don't want to get up!

You can't make me!

Please get that camera out of my face and turn out the lights!

WIWW: 16 weeks and Thanksgiving

2010-12-01T17:52:00.001-05:00

We had Thanksgiving early with my family, and on Thanksgiving Day, Carlos' family came over to our house. Here is what I wore that day:

Seriously - Peachy LOVES to pose!
This awesome maternity dress is from Old Navy!

Saturday and Sunday we are at church (our church as 4 services) --

Carlos plays the congas and I work with the children.

This week I included Carlos in on the WIWW action! :)

Me:

Carlos:

Carlos is known for his hats (Fedoras)- many people don't even recognize him if he isn't wearing one.
I guess this weekend he decided on blue shirts for him.

Sunday evening, small group:

I dressed like a bum,

Carlos wore the same thing he wore to church that morning,

so he looked nice.

Work Week:

Me:

Now - notice I wore the same pants 2 days in a row.

I normally would NEVER do that, but pregnancy has a way of limiting your wardrobe.

But I was thinking about it today - what's the big deal?

Am I really that vain and prideful?

Certainly no one else notices or cares.

Why do I care so much?

I saw this Minimalist Wardrobe vlog on Money Saving Mom a few months ago, and it has stuck with me.

Although I'm not sure I could pare down my wardrobe quite that much,

why couldn't I get rid of a LOT of my excess?

I'm still not sure I can.

However, after packing up 7+ boxes of clothes that I can't wear now,

I am beginning to think I might have too many clothes!

Carlos (only 2 pics though):

Well, that was our week!

Be sure to check out all the other Weekly Wardrobes at The Pleated Poppy!

Nursery Decor

2010-11-30T16:41:00.002-05:00

So, a lot of people have asked how we are going to decorate the nursery since we aren't going to find out the sex of the baby ahead of time.

We are going to go with a neutral base that we can add pops of color to later. Carlos likes vintage colors like aqua, green, and yellow which are pretty gender-neutral anyway.

The crib bedding we registered for is DwellStudio for Target Little Dots Crib Set.

We also will keep our twin bed in the nursery (for mommy now, and for baby later!)

DwellStudio has a Little Dots Kids Comforter Set as well!!!

We are excited and think these linens will provide a good "base" to decorate from!

If it walks like a duck . . .

2010-11-29T15:58:00.003-05:00

I have two words for you: QUACK, QUACK. I am already waddling like a duck - or a penguin, take your pick. (To be honest, I've been waddling for several weeks now, but it is really pronounced now!) I didn't think I would waddle until closer to the end. Sigh.

The Wreathmaster!!!

2010-11-28T15:52:00.006-05:00

Carlos is the Wreathmaster around our house. He actually does most of the decorating (Christmas and otherwise), but he really enjoys creating Christmas wreaths.

The Wreathmaster hard at work

Wait! My hair looks bad - don't take my picture!!!

Give me that Santa hat.

There, much better!

The finished products:

Christmas Wreaths 2010

Courtney's Rules for a Happy Life

2010-11-24T20:30:00.003-05:00

1. Be content with what you have.

2. Never say anything negative in public about your spouse or your children. You should be their #1 supporter! (And they should be yours!)

3. Own a dog. They really are man's (or woman's) best friend. They listen when no one else will. They also love you when you haven't brushed your teeth or showered in three days and are still wearing last week's pajamas.

4. Work to Live, Don't Live to Work - However, if you don't love at least one thing about your job, maybe it's time to look for another one.

5. Find 2-3 songs that lift your spirit and have at least one of them accessible at all times. You never know when you will need a pick-me-up. (By the way, my songs are "Boogie Shoes" by the BeeGees, almost anything by Earth, Wind, and Fire or Tom Jones, and "Upside Down" by Paloma Faith.

6. Take naps.

7. Read (often). It doesn't matter what you read - books, newspapers, blogs, magazines - just don't limit yourself to your own thoughts. They are probably shallow and selfish; at least mine are.

8. Travel as much as you can. God made the whole world - you don't have be stuck in one place your whole life.

9. Find a church that you LOVE to go to. Not one that feels like a duty or obligation, but one that makes you excited to drive in the parking lot.

10. Brush your teeth twice a day. I don't really know how this can make your life happy, but it's important, so do it anyway -- even if your dogs don't care whether your teeth are brushed or not!

WIWW: 15 weeks

2010-11-24T10:32:00.001-05:00

Wow! Wednesdays come around quickly, don't they? Linking up at The Pleated Poppy for this week's edition of What I Wore Wednesday.

Last week was jean's week at school, and as you can tell, I was feeling quite lazy as I didn't do my hair on either Thursday or Friday:

After frustration last week with being "in-between" regular and maternity clothes, I decided to just wear dresses for the rest of the week (I like dresses better anyway!)

The skirt is from Old Navy, and it is a GREAT maternity skirt! I think I want it in brown too!!
I must note that in that 2nd picture, Carlos took the picture from a strange angle - I'm not quite that big (yet)!

And I got a great new dress on clearance from Target that I LOVE:

Peachy posed with me on this one! :)

And my great purchase of the week -- maternity tights!!!! I tried to wear regular tights one day, and that did NOT work at all!!! I got a pair in black and plum - hoping to get some in brown soon!

What I Wore Wednesday: 14 weeks

2010-11-17T16:17:00.009-05:00

So I'm now 14 weeks pregnant, and although I am not as exhausted as I was, I have still not experienced the burst of energy that all the books promise come with the 2nd trimester. I'm hoping the energy comes during the school holidays so I can get a lot accomplished!

I'm linking up again with The Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesday. Every week there are more and more people linking up and sharing what they wear - it's fun, check it out!

Last week at school:

The weekend:

This week is dress down week at school, which means we can wear jeans without having to wear a school shirt. Although that doesn't fill me with the same joy as it does some other teachers at my school, it is nice to know what pants I am going to wear each day at least!

My only pair of maternity jeans - my other jeans are being held together with a rubber band!

Some days I look cuter than others, I guess - it's hard to learn to dress around this bump!

Goodbye 1st trimester, Hello 2nd trimester!

2010-11-15T19:50:00.004-05:00

goodbye 1st trimester, hello 2nd trimester

goodbye looking fat, hello looking pregnant

goodbye regular clothes, hello maternity clothes

goodbye constipation, hello acne

goodbye exhaustion, hello mood swings

What I Wore Wednesday - the last 3 weeks

2010-11-10T16:47:00.007-05:00

So I have been terrible at taking pictures and doing WIWW! There are several reasons for this. #1 - I forget to take the pictures, #2 - I hate this time of year when it is 30 degrees in the morning and 80 degrees in the afternoon, and #3 - My wardrobe is dwindling every day as I get bigger and bigger.

BUT, I do have a few pictures from the last 3 weeks, and most of these clothes have since been put away, but here they are!

Jackets:
The orange jacket on the right is new this season from Forever 21 outlet in Orlando. I LOVE it!

Skirts:

And I was able to squeeze into one of my vintage dresses for a Halloween party:

I am linking up with The Pleated Poppy - go over and see some cute outfits!

Ready for the Loony Bin?

2010-11-03T20:53:00.004-04:00

So I had my first total emotional breakdown tonight. I mean sobbing, snot running down my face, uncontrollable crying emotional breakdown.

And what was the cause of this crying fit?

Smallville . . . seriously! A romantic ending to an episode of Smallville completely pushed me over the edge. . . how sad is that??!!!???

Carlos saw it coming but pretty much freaked out the dog (Roxy, not Peachy, she could have cared less!)

This was my first experience with crazy pregnancy emotions, and I can honestly say, I didn't care for it much. I hope it doesn't happen very often!!

1st trimester

2010-11-01T19:54:00.004-04:00

Okay, so I know I'm not actually out of my first trimester yet, but I've only been taking pictures every two weeks - here is the progress of the baby bump so far . . .

Also - here is the sonogram of the baby just prior to 10 weeks:

Pregnancy Brain

2010-10-31T16:51:00.002-04:00

So I already have a good "pregnancy brain" story - it actually happened two weeks ago. Carlos usually drives me to school and picks me up in the afternoon. Well, one day I texted him and asked him to come get me at 3 pm.

Well, I did some stuff after school was out, waiting until 3:00 when he would be there. I went to the office to go the restroom and on the way I looked out the doors to see if he was there yet. I saw the car parked, and I thought to myself, "Why did he park in my parking spot?"

It took about 30 seconds for it to then sink in that I drove myself to school that day!!!

Baby Stuff

2010-10-24T14:59:00.004-04:00

Well, the first round of baby stuff has entered the house. Yesterday, a good friend called to tell us that she was having a multi-family yard sale and there was some good baby stuff that she put aside for us. We ended up getting a carseat/stroller, crib mattress, and a bumbo seat.
Let me tell you, it was kind of scary seeing all of that baby stuff sitting in the living room!! Talk about making it seem "real"!
I did get it all in the closet in what will be the nursery. (Which is what has been my office/nap room!)
On another note, I took out my belly button ring last night. I feel kind of naked without it . . . I've had it for 10 years, and even though no one really ever saw it, I was so used to seeing it that it kind of seems weird without it.

Ugly Shoes

2010-10-21T21:10:00.003-04:00

Carlos made me look at ugly shoes today. After 5 years of marriage to a guy who usually won't let me even LOOK at flats and definitely prefers 3+ inch heels (as do I), today was shocking.

I know I'm pregnant, and people keep telling me, "You'll stop wearing those high heels soon!" But I don't care. I still want to wear cute shoes. I cannot stand an entire winter in ugly shoes - summer would be easy - flip flops and cute sandals. But winter? That's boot season. And what 5'0" girl is going to look good in flat boots?!?!?

To be honest, I don't really like winter shoes to begin with. I'd much prefer a strappy sandal to a boot. But I don't live in Florida anymore and I do need some winter-appropriate shoes. Any suggestions??? Do I REALLY need to wear flats just because I am pregnant???

What I Wore Wednesday - Hiding the Baby Bump

2010-10-20T19:14:00.002-04:00

So I haven't linked up with The Pleated Poppy in quite a few weeks. Actually I've been napping. Plus my clothes have been frustrating rather than fun as I have been trying to hide my new baby bump for as long as I can. That's right - a little Carlos or Courtney will be here in May (God help us all!) I'm 10 weeks and I am really starting to show (and have been for a while) - I attribute it to the fact that I'm only 5'0" and there isn't really anywhere else for a baby to go than out.
So, back to WIWW, I thought I would go back and see what pictures I had actually taken in the last few weeks and see what I had. Recently, I haven't been too good at getting the pictures taken.
The first few weeks were easy:

And in those first few weeks I exhausted my "easy" clothes options.
The next set of pictures was okay:

Although that last picture leaves much to be desired.
Then came the not-so-great. Now, I was comfy, believe me, but I wasn't very convincing at hiding a new pregnancy.

So maybe now that it is public knowledge and I don't have to stress so much about what I wear, I will do better at taking pictures and posting again. Plus, I'm not having to sleep quite as much, although I do still love an afternoon nap!!!

The Cat's Out of the Bag

2010-10-18T19:33:00.005-04:00

Well, it seems that now it is public knowledge that I am pregnant! I am 10 weeks and my due date is on May 16, 2011. We are excited - and nervous - and glad that we have 7 months to prepare!

We are not going to find out the gender of the baby, which shocks and upsets some people, but we don't care. I want the "It's a ______!" moment and I am willing to wait for it.

I haven't been sick (thankfully), but I have been completely and totally exhausted. My routine is this: school, nap (2-3 hours), eat, watch 1-2 TV shows with the hubby, then sleep. Then it starts all over the next day!

I've been blogging about the pregnancy from the beginning, but I'm just publishing those posts now so if you are interested, check out all posts with the tag: pregnancy and read from the bottom up!

Sometimes it takes a while to sink in . . .

2010-10-15T20:35:00.006-04:00

Today we told Carlos' parents about the pregnancy. Our cute way of doing that was we wrapped up a newborn onesie and gave it to his mom. Well, Carlos' niece is also pregnant, so his mom thought we were giving her the onesie to give to her. Then Carlos pulled out the sonogram pictures and she "oohed" and "aahed" over them and then said, "How did you get these?" She thought it was the niece's sonogram pics! Carlos just looked at her, and FINALLY . . .

Publish Post

Surprise! :)

Our First Prediction

2010-10-10T20:33:00.002-04:00

We are in Florida and yesterday we went to the Flea Market on 192. We were looking at a booth of knock-off designer purses and bags and the Asian woman working the booth told me that I needed a diaper bag.

That was the first incident of someone saying something to me about being pregnant - it was strange. Then the other woman (also Asian) told me I was having a boy. Hmmm . . . I guess we are already taking predictions.

Well, the predictions will have to go on for a LONG time because we have decided not to find out the gender of the baby before it is born. So let the guessing games begin!!

Too Tired for WIWW

2010-09-22T20:30:00.004-04:00

FYI: I'm writing this as it happens, but I won't post it until I announce this publicly . . . so this will be an old post by the time anyone gets to read it, but I wanted to write about it anyway!

Okay - I was going to do What I Wore Wednesday this week, really I was. I even took the pictures every day (since I do that anyway). But I'm just so TIRED!!! So I took a 3 hour nap instead today. You will have to forgive me - I promise my clothes weren't that outstanding. I'm starting to be limited by clothing that doesn't show my "pooch" - especially since people often asked me if I was pregnant when I wasn't I'm trying to be extra careful. I don't want to have to lie to anyone!

Not to belabor the point, but I am TIRED! I can barely keep my eyes open right now, and I just got up from my nap! Even though I am not experiencing morning sickness (yet), this fatigue is about to do me in! I push through school, with only the promise of a nap at home to get me through the day. I go home, sleep 2-3 hours, wake up, eat supper, and go back to sleep! I don't know how women with small children do it. I know they probably just push through, but I'm not sure I could!

Poor Carlos - not only does he never see me, he is having to completely take up the slack - he has always done the cooking and a lot of the cleaning, but now he is doing the cooking, the cleaning, the laundry, dog care, grocery shopping, and everything else that goes into running a household. Thank God I have a great husband who is understanding. He has been so sweet and hasn't complained at all.

On that note, I think I will go back to bed while he goes to the grocery store!!

Guess What?

2010-09-20T05:50:00.008-04:00

FYI: I'm writing this as it happens, but I won't post it until I announce this publicly . . . so this will be an old post by the time anyone gets to read it, but I wanted to write about it anyway!

We went to Alabama this weekend to see my sister and her family. Her kids are all involved in a variety of activities. . . On Friday night, we went to the local high school football game to watch my niece, Leeana, play in the marching band. Saturday morning was filled with (very hot) soccer games for Benjamin and Brock. However, the true purpose of going to Alabama was to share the news of my pregnancy!

I had it all planned out. I wanted to tell them in a creative way, so I searched for some ideas online. I decided I was going to gather them for a family picture, and then, instead of "Say Cheese" I would say, "Say Courtney is having a baby!" then be able to snap a picture of their first responses.

They just said it and smiled! Rana said later that she was thinking, "That's a dumb thing to say when you are taking a picture!" Turns out, they didn't believe me. Rana said, "Nuh-uh," to which I responded, "Uh-huh!" Then I got this picture:

Still not the response I was expecting, but everyone was tired after the football game (where the home team lost). Once it sunk in, they were excited, which I guess is what matters.

My Thoughts on the NYC Mosque Controversy

2010-09-17T05:14:00.004-04:00

I have some thoughts on the controversy, but my thoughts don't matter much. What the Bible says DOES matter though.

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:43-48)

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." (Luke 6:27-28)

"But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked." (Luke 6:35)

Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"says the Lord.
On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19-21)

I feel as if those verses are pretty clear; however, I do not believe that Muslims (or even the terrorists themselves) are our enemies. Christ loves the terrorist as much as he loves me, and He died for us both. Satan is the enemy, and he will use whatever and whomever he can to bring about destruction.

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (I Peter 5:8)

Okay, now back to my thoughts (which don't matter): It is my opinion that Christians should be so loving toward Muslims (and all people really, but in this case I am speaking in particulars) that it is shocking to non-Christians. Christian churches should be at that mosque volunteering to paint, build, etc. Love is the only thing that draws people to Jesus, and that should be our #1 goal.

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (Luke 13:34-35)

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:11-13)

The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:9-10)

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. (I Corinthians 13:2-4)

Do everything in love. (I Corinthians 16:14)