It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like...

Thanksgiving?

:) Just kidding.

Christmas! It's almost Christmas people!!!

The first year Kellen and I got married I made SURE to send Christmas cards. I accidentally was a big slacker on my thank yous for my wedding and was feeling slightly guilty when it came to December....whoops!

Not only that, but who doesn't LOVE receiving Christmas snail mail! Opening your mailbox to find a hand written card is probably one of the best joys in life (in my opinion!).

Shutterfly has some great options for Christmas cards. I actually LOVE the shutterfly site and have ordered several books for Kellen and I, and last year I pretty much did all my Christmas presents through this site.

This year Shutterfly has some beautiful selections for Christmas card products. One thing I love is the ability to use lots of fun photos on ONE card, like these:


So adorable!

Last year for Christmas I made Kellen's family a calender collage with pictures of all his brother and sisters (he has a lot!). His parents absolutely loved it! Shutterfly's picture wall calenders are a great place to display all of those pictures you maybe didn't know what to do with!


I am secretly already checking out Shutterfly's kid's birthday party invitations- they are just too cute to resist. I know Haden isn't even born yet....but how can I resist browsing at invitations that look like this!


So there you have it on my personal review of Shutterfly. I am a big fan....and you can be too! :)

*Please Note that I am receiving 50 free photo cards for this post, but all opinions are mine*

Inside My Head

So I had this random idea the other day that I would write down thoughts that came inside my head to share with you all on my blog. No requirements whatsoever. Some of them are really strange and random, some questions, some opinions, some negative, some happy. It's actually been quite fun and I think I might make it a regular addition to my  blog. So here we go with random thoughts from Nicole...round 1!

1. Why is eating out with a group of women always so awkward? 

So maybe these women look like they are having a blast. And realistically it usually is fun getting together with a bunch of girlfriends and having a nice meal. But I definitely think there are really awkward elements too. First of all, why is it that whenever the waiter brings the bread basket, it's always extremely awkward to see who takes the first piece? I could be totally and completely starving and wanting bread, but it always seems like once it is delivered it is customary to torture yourself for a good 5 minutes before indulging. Apparently this conveys a sense of healthiness and self control? Secondly, why do women mostly order salads when they are out with other women? It's like, if they are with their spouse or something, they of course get the hamburger and fries- but since they are with other women again- you must seem in "control" of your eating? Thirdly, does anyone else tend to watch how much the other person is eating? You certainly don't want to clean your plate if the other person in only going to eat half. 

Ok, so maybe these are just things I think about in my OWN head- but still- the patterns to which I see these things happen when women eat together astonish me! For once I want to see a large group of women dive into the free bread basket, order their weight in spaghetti or french fries, clean their plates, and finish off with dessert. OK, I know I am the ultimate bad healthy food blogger for condoning this behavior...but it's the freedom of self conscious thoughts I am aiming at here, people!

2. Why are on the label recipes always best? 

Again, maybe this is only my experience. But honestly, it seems like EVERY time I use a label recipe it works out perfectly. Not to mention it is so, so simple. Why is it so hard to find simple recipes online and in recipe books? Sometimes I just want PLAIN OL' chocolate chip cookies- not something fancy shmancy! 

3. Why do old people like to talk about their symptoms?

Have you ever had an experience where you are out in public, sitting near an old couple, and they are discussing their bodily functions or current health symptoms? Well, I have. And I find it rather amusing because, well, most of the time they are kind of gross, and they talk rather loudly (as to hear the other person). Most of the time it is a wife yelling loudly to a husband that doesn't say much. I start to wonder what he is thinking- is he embarrassed that his wife is discussing this topic and such a loud noise level in public? My guess is probably not. By that age, I don't think people really get embarrassed much. Or maybe he is just can't really hear her at all and he's imagining what she's saying? Either way, it really makes me giggle. 

4. Wearing leggings does not give you an excuse to wear an unusually short skirt/dress. 

While I DO appreciate the fact that you are wearing leggings underneath your skirt in general, (seriously, thank you!), I still hate to inform you that it's really just not that appropriate to think that leggings equals an excuse to wear a mini that shows off your tush. I personally don't really want to see something that is so skin tight I can see the shape of your bottom, unless perhaps it is a bathing suit. So please, choose an appropriate length for your skirts and dresses, even if you do decided to cover up with leggings. Thank you.

5. I really like coming home to a clean house after a trip somewhere. (No this is not my house, but it's adorable!) I bet I couldn't find many of you that would disagree with me on this one. Coming home to a clean home just feels so...welcoming. Unfortunately, this means that on top of packing and other "trip" preparations, you must also bust your butt cleaning it before you go. But oh, it's so worth it when you finally return!

Well, that's it for now of the first round of getting inside my head. Stay tuned for more next week (or whenever I gather enough random thoughts!). 

Mini Trip

Currently I am watching About a Boy. I guess I've never really seen this movie which is weird cause I totally dig Hugh Grant- despite his naughty British Boy reputation. My favorite movie is Notting Hill and ever since then I can't seem to bring myself to hate him. Anyway, this movie is hilarious. I love it.

So apparently my poem about scrambled eggs was really only amusing to me at 12:30 at night last night (except for Laura, thanks! haha). It's funny how anything after 11pm becomes instantly more funny in my mind. It's also really funny when I am around my mom at this time of night because it seems to be a trait I have inherited- acting a bit loopy past 11pm. 

As far as time with my momma, I will get plenty of that the next few days as we head off to a town in Washington called Leavenworth. All you out of staters will be jealous when I explain that this little town is Bavarian themed, settled in the mountains, completely picturesque and all things Christmas. 

During spring, summer, and fall, Leavenworth looks like this:

But come Winter, Leavenworth transforms into a magical Christmas town:

How completely adorable is that?!? I am so excited! 

Depending on $$, I hope to check out a little toy music box shop and see if I can find one for my little guy's room. We will see!

Scrambled Eggs.

Scrambled Eggs
Written by me
Inspired by Shel Silverstein
Brought on by pregnancy cravings

Oh scrambled eggs, dear scrambled eggs
Why must you torture me so?
The thoughts of you keep filling my head
I can't seem to let them go.

Sure, you're healthy and you're good
To this I can't deny.
But when I get a craving for you so late
It makes me want to cry.

And so my tummy rumbles as I lay here in my bed
Listening to snoring with egg thoughts in my head.
Scrambled, deviled, hard or soft,
I could eat them either way.
But alas...I must wait to eat them on a brand new day :(

22 weeks!

I can't believe I'm past my halfway point. I completely skipped my halfway celebration altogether when the ultrasound tech told me I was actually measuring one week ahead when I thought I was 19w5days- bumping me past halfway. It's crazy to think I only have 18 weeks left with this little booger living inside of me.

Lately, I feel huge. I know I've got a long way to go- and that actually really, really scares me. I can't believe that  I am going to get MUCH bigger than this! At times I feel happy that I'm finally showing and feeling pregnant, and  at other times I feel depressed that I am gaining all my weight back and still feeling uncontrollably hungry. 

I'm being honest right now with you all: I'm scared. I'm scared of gaining all the weight back and not being able to lose it. I'm scared of developing some kind of preventable pregnancy disease because I couldn't reign in my cravings. I'm scared that I will feel depressed again because I will feel like I am not in control of myself. 

It's funny how each stage of life brings new and hard struggles.

OK, moving on to a lighter and more fun subject...

How far along: 22 weeks!

Total Weight Gained: I'm going to say I'm pleading the 5th on this one. For sanity sake. 

Maternity Clothes: Still my one pair of pants. I had a lot of empire waist shirts already and so I haven't really had to buy anything.

Stretch Marks: No, but I just got some palmers body butter and body oil and have been rubbing it on vigorously. If there is ANY chance of preventing it (which I've heard isn't likely) I WILL!

Sleep: No more sleeping straight on the belly. Still sleeping on my side with one leg propped up, slightly on my stomach. For some reason this just is the most comfortable. I almost feel like its cradling baby.

Best Moment of the Week: Well technically it was last week, but the ultrasound was amazing. It honestly was such a beautiful moment for us. Other than that, just keeping motivated and finishing projects for his room like crazy. 

Movement: Yes, especially when I'm hungry (strange!) or at night. Can't wait until he's big enough that EVERYONE can feel them if they want to (grandma keeps missing him). 

Food Cravings: Nothing specific. Just pretty much everything and anything!

Gender: All Boy :)

Belly Button: Definitely getting shallower. Gross thought: maybe God decided this is the one time in our lives we can TRULY clean our belly buttons??

What I miss: sledding! What in the world? I didn't think about this until it snowed this week! How cruel!

What I'm looking forward to: My first baby shower in my hometown- should be happening sometime in January. Oh and also getting Christmas gifts for Haden. We are requesting no gifts for us this year but how can we deny gifts for our little boy?!? :)

Milestones: He is all boy! So happy to have found out. :)

Fireplaces, Hot CoCo, and Crafts!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Man there are SO many things I have to be thankful for this year. Of course my little baby Haden, and my wonderful hubby. I am thankful for a beautiful home and work for Kellen- even when work for me is a bit rocky right now. I am so thankful that God continues to bless us. I really don't deserve what He's given me- but I try to remember to thank Him for this perfect life :0). 

So, after I wrote on Monday about our first snowfall, pretty much all hell broke loose in our part of town. I took off to do a couple hours of work that day and then at 3pm, went to head home. What usually takes me 15 minutes to get home took me a total of 5 hours. I actually had to pull over midway and go see my best friend's parents for a toilet and some dinner. Thank god for their hospitality. I then headed out again at 9pm. It was really, really scary, because I had less than 1/4 of a tank of gas and the traffic was ridiculous. I was probably only ten miles from home but still scared that I would run out of gas and be stranded! Luckily, (and by God's grace) I made it home and slept in a very cold house with no power. But I really can't complain as in the morning Kellen and I left for my family's house in Tacoma- and all my poor neighbors have been stuck without power for a couple of days- some even don't have it now!

  

The morning after we woke up with no power, we decided to make the best of things and cook breakfast in our backyard. Take that mother nature! You are defeated!!

YUM :)

After heading down to Tacoma on Tuesday, we've pretty much just been chilling out at my grandparents since then. Not really heading out much except for a trip to Michael's where my mom and I picked up some crafts- including materials to make my baby shower invitations for my baby shower that my grandma is putting on in January.

Yes, I know it probably not "customary" for the mom of the baby to really help plan in any way, but I love doing that kind of stuff and so my mom and I took on the project together. I'm really glad we did- they turned out adorable.

 Every one of them is a little different- which I love. 

In other news, I have gotten sick. Nothing to big, but it is a sore throat/cold and being pregnant while sick is NOT fun. Basically this means I got virtually no sleep the night before last and then scowered the internet for safe drugs to take while pregnant. No nyquil for me!

Needless to say, I am feeling a bit better today. Thank goodness!

Well- I am off to my 3rd of 4 Thanksgivings this year (1 Canadian, 1 Friends, 2 Family). Should be delicious!

Snow!

It's funny how here in Western Washington everyone flips out over snow, myself included. It seems to come (almost) every year, for a couple days. I think the concept of snow is a lot more fun if you are kid than if you are an adult. It's only fun if you are an adult and happen to have no real responsibilities set for that day- and therefore don't have to drive anywhere. Let me just tell you, driving in the snow is not something a Western Washingtonian knows how to do AT ALL. It's scary to see so many people in the ditch and in accidents because people just won't slow down! 

A peek out our window in the morning to discover a winter wonderland:

This is the first time we've ever gotten snow at our house. Last year it didn't snow at all and we moved in the April before that winter. It's kind of fun to finally see what our little cedar house looks like in the snow!

This weather is going to give me a great excuse to bundle up and stay indoors and work on projects for Haden's room. I've gotten SO much done in the last couple of weeks- I think because it's just becoming so real to me now so I feel very motivated! 

 Let it snow! :)

It's a....

BOY!!!!

We are so happy. We both had kind of a preference for a boy first but didn't want to admit it for fear of feeling guilty if it had been a girl! But, lo and behold, it's a he!!

The ultrasound experience was really wonderful. The tech placed the doppler on my belly and within 5 seconds she said "well, i know what your having!" and I knew right away that meant boy- if you see a penis, there's no mistaking it! hehe. 

The rest of the ultrasound went smoothly. Although the tech can't tell us if there is anything wrong with baby, we got a good feeling that everything seemed right. She went quickly scanning through each section of his little body and giggling along with us as he wiggled around. He was a bit of a stinker and kept flipping over so that his head was away from the doppler! 

Towards the end, you could tell he was getting tired because he put his hands by his head and leaned against them like a little pillow. And perhaps the best part was when he did peak up at the doppler straight on and it was like he was looking straight at us. Then he got a little scared and wiggled away!

He is quite a big boy already weighing in at 12oz- almost a pound! Makes me feel a little bit better about all that extra weight I've been packing on! Also, he is measuring at 20 weeks 5 days- meaning my new due date is April Fool's Day! Woohoo! 

We're excited to announce our baby boy: Haden Bond. (middle name TBD- we still have 19 more weeks to decide!). We are already in love!

2 hours! and a Nursery Peek

2 hours until we find out if this little one is a he or she! I'm sooooo excited!

On saturday my mom and I made a mobile for above the crib. The theme for the nursery is Hot Air Balloons, but this has been difficult to find so far, so I'm ending up making a lot of the things myself. 

This is what the crib looks like. My friend Olivia and I set it up last week:

The view of the mobile for baby, notice the mirror squares on the bottom of the "baskets":

And of course, what baby will really look at every morning!:

There's your peek! More pictures to come...when I get more things done!

Tommorow!!!

Tommorow I go in for my ultrasound! I get to find out the gender!! So excited! I will keep you all updated!

Go, Baby, Grow!

My belly hurts. Really bad. It feels like my belly is now expanding very, very quickly. I saw my mom last weekend and then this weekend and she was amazed by the amount I had grown. This little bean is gaining weight and getting big!

I had my 19 week appointment on Friday and my midwife was cracking up trying to find the heartbeat because little one was a wiggly worm. She said it sounds majorly active. Uh oh. Help!!! 

I should be getting my gender ultrasound within the next two weeks. I apologize in advance for the next person that asks me if I have my ultrasound yet. I am really frustrated because it's been really complicated to schedule since my midwife lives on a different part of the puget sound than I do, so she's unfamiliar with where I can go to get one over here on this side. 

So the other night my little bean woke me up several times during the night when I rolled onto my tummy! Apparently it really doesn't like being squished! Every time I would roll over on my belly it would kick against the bed!!

The baby's room is coming along really nice. All the grass is done and now for painting we just have to finish the clouds :). Last night my mom and I made a mobile for above the crib. I can't wait to show you guys, it's adorable!!!

Show me the money!

Hello everyone!

So, no worries to anyone who has left me their email to be apart of my private blog. So far, I have procrastinated and not even started it yet. I'm trying to decide if I will make this blog be private or start a brand new one altogether. Either way, I've found myself so busy lately I haven't even been able to think about doing either. So for now, I will just keep writing here until I decide. 

So what am I keeping so busy with lately? Well, first of all, working! Kellen and I are taking Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University class on Thursday nights and have found ourselves trying to get "our income up" so we can really "pay our debt down". If you have ANY desire to get your finances under control, I would strongly suggest you check out Dave Ramsey's program at daveramsey.com. At first its seemed a little silly to  me to pay close to $100 to take a class on how to SAVE money, but now, I am beyond happy we did. We've been going a strong month now and have saved quite a bit of $ that might have otherwise gone on our overdraft credit line- or our version of the "close your eyes and swipe" syndrome. 

My favorite things about being on a budget so far:

-Kellen's amazing commitment. At the beginning of this program we both agreed he needed to start making and bringing lunches to work, instead of going out to eat (like he normally would). I asked him what he wanted and he said "Peanut butter and honey sandwiches." I was like....um...ok...but don't you think you will get sick of them? "Nope!"--and one month later the guy is still eating (and enjoying!) those sandwiches like they are going outta style! Now thats commitment!

-Having money leftover before payday. Wow! What an amazing feeling to log into my account on Thursday night (we get paid Friday) and not see my account nearly drained- or worse- going onto our credit line. 

-I'm a geek. Dave ramsey talks a lot about the "geek" and the "free spirit" in a marriage. The geek is the one that drools over lists and excel spreadsheets. Yeah, that's me. I really do love writing out that pretty little budget and following up on it at the end of the week.

-My small group that is putting on the FPU class. We've just met all these new people and we are having fun getting to know them all. It's nice have more friends in this area that at can relate to this stage of life we are at!

-Thinking about how much money I will have at retirement. According to Dave Ramsey, that number is a lot. I couldn't be more excited to be 55 (or maybe even younger!) :)

I'm being pretty openly honest about this because realistically I think money is such a hushhush topic and it NEEDS to be talked about! Everyone struggles at some point in their life. I wish someone would have came to me when I was in high school and said "Hey! You don't HAVE to go into debt to live! You have other options! You CAN have financial freedom at young age!"

Uh....How did that happen?

Seriously woke up yesterday morning and this happened over night:


No jokes or fake bellies this time :)

I'm stealing this from Katie's blog Third Time's a Charm- hope she doesn't mind!:

How far along: 18 weeks 2 days!

Total Weight Gained: 8lbs. Yuck! I still hate seeing that scale go up. But I gotta be honest, I am having a darn hard time saying no to the preganancy cravings...

Maternity Clothes: Only one pair of pants. I can still wear a lot of my jeans from before I lost weight, so that's nice. The maternity pants are seriously saggy, it's so annoying!

Stretch Marks: No. Not from pregnancy at least. hehe

Sleep: I've noticed that I turn a lot in my sleep and the most comfortable position is on my tummy with one leg propped up to kind of prop my belly. It kind of looks like I'm straddling the bed. Probably a really funny visual.

Best Moment of the Week: Either just feeling it move like crazy, or really starting my baby registry tonight. I still don't know the gender so I can't do clothes and stuff,  but most other things are gender nuetral and it was really fun picking them out!

Movement: Majorly! Especially when I'm lying on my tummy. He/She also really likes food (of course I pass on this trait!). I can tell because it starts going whacko about one hour after I eat!

Food Cravings: Honestly anything and everything. But last night it was french fries, and since we are trying to not eat out, I attempted making my own. It ended up with me crying on the couch out of frustration (hormones!) and kellen finishing the job. Luckily it satisfied the craving! :)

Gender: To be determined! Only about two more weeks of waiting!

Belly Button: Same?

What I miss: Feeling really energetic and WANTING to work out. (basically not feeling like a sloth all the time). I also wouldn't mind a margarita. Just sayin.

What I'm looking forward to: Finding out the gender! I literally can't stop thinking about it!

Milestones: My belly popping! Not even kidding when I say it happened over night!

My Money Soapbox

Something that's really getting under my skin lately is money stuff. Just trying to figure out how to get the income up before this little one arrives so we can afford the medical bills that come along with it. Why is it so expensive to birth a child in this country? Honestly, I am not a political person. But I have to say it really PISSES me off that I can go to the Emergency Room for 45 minutes and get a $500.00 bill, or that doing something as natural as having a child will cost me well over $3,000 WITH INSURANCE. It's absolutely ridiculous.

And while we are on that subject, why the HECK does higher education in this country cost so much? I just don't get it. Honestly, how can you raise your children for 18 years drilling them that the only way to succeed in this country is to have a college degree- and then turn around and charge them thousands of dollars for it?

What is the point?!?!! WHAT IS THE POINT!! Why should I spend my whole first 18 years of life to get into college, and then spend the REST of my life paying it off?!!? Oh, and by the way, when you want to expand your family and enrich your life, we're going to charge you ridiculous amounts for that too!

I so want to be able to tell my kid to just do his best in school, maybe take some time off to travel after high school, MAYBE get an education (in something that he REALLY KNOWS he wants to do, no rush) and then settle down. But honestly I just feel like in America today that advice pretty much sets him up for disaster. Sad, but true.

Eat.

I am struggling with this eating thing. I must confess, I am struggling too with being ok with this weight gain thing. I liked counting calories and fitting things into a little box (or plate). I liked feeling like I had control and feeling like I was satisfied with one serving (because I really was). But now I feel like my entire life is off kilter- I am SO hungry all the time. I eat and eat and still I feel like I could eat some more. I went a little crazy last weekend for Canadian Thanksgiving and came home weighing 3lbs more. WOAH! Yes, I do realize some of this is bloating (and my scale happily went down a bit this week) but I am still feeling angry and frustrated to have to see that thing move up.

I KNOW it's not in vain...I know I should be gaining weight...but I don't wanna! WAH! I just want my little tike to eat what he/she needs and be nice and healthy and leave the rest of my body alone.

Ok, now that I'm done whining I'm going to go eat lunch. Hmm...what will fill me, satisfy me, and be healthy for my little one? Probably an entire chicken. Ok, I kid.

Lazy Sunday

Am I the only one that feels like a big bum on Sundays every week? Even though the sun is shining and I have the whole day to do whatever I want, here I sit, on my bum, watching a new show that Kellen and I have just gotten into.

Oh well. Sometimes it's nice to be a bum. Sometimes its nice to "close the curtains and pretend like there's no world outside" as Jack Johnson may say. And to tell you the truth: I'm exhausted.

The way society and baby books paint your first two trimesters of pregnancy is this: you begin clenched over a toilet seat for the first few months, only taking breaks to swallow down a glass of water and a couple of saltine crackers. Then your second trimester hits and you magically arise and feel like the world is your oyster. I have this vision of this pregnant, second trimester super hero, kicking butt and taking names. Strategically eating a well balanced diet, she never misses a dose of her pre-natal vitamins and gallops through the park each day making sure she gets her "strongly encouraged" 30 minutes of brisk walking in.

But, as they say, every woman is different. So I was luckily spared from spending my first three months making close friends with the porcelain king, I did however, have several unplanned dates with my two favorite worldly items: my bed and pillow.

Now that my second trimester is here I think everyone (including myself) expected all energy to return and surge through me. Uh....not so much. Oh well. Who knows how long it will be until I feel free from the grasp of exhaustion again?!

I'm Famous!

I feel so special and famous today because I was able to do a guest post on the oh so fabulous blog called Girl Talk. This blog is especially for women (obviously) and covers a broad range of topics- written by a couple different ladies and there for all to see and share! Check it out if you have interest in these kinds of topics!

PS- Amber, you will like this one ;)

Oh Canada....and mashed potatoes?

Hi All!

Man am I excited! Tomorrow I take off to a new country. Crazy, huh?

Ok, not too crazy. Really, I am going to Canada. I live in Washington state so it's really only a couple of hours away. One of my best friend's is Canadian and I asked her if I could join in on her Thanksgiving this year! It kind of makes me giggle that Canadians have Thanksgiving in October, but of course that's just because I grew up here in the U.S. so it's different for me. But I'm really excited to experience it!

So yesterday I was thinking how incredibly funny that God is sometimes. Seriously guys, I am convinced the "big guy upstairs" has quite a good sense of humor. When I was little I remember praying and telling him silly jokes and wondering if He was laughing- which since I thought I was extremely funny, I always imagined he was :).

Anyway, I am reminded of this again this week. A couple of weeks ago I prayed that God would bring some ladies in my life that I could relate too. I am 22, so there are just not a lot of girls in my situation that either have kids/or are pregnant. Most people at my age are still caught up in the single/party life. I love my friends that are still enjoying this stage, but I felt like I needed at least a couple of women close to me that I could talk about things with.

Well, let's just say within the last three weeks it seems that pregnancy is spreading like a contagious disease. The checker at the grocery store. The dental assistant. Almost my ENTIRE bible study group. And also a really good friend who just found out she's due one month after me. CRAZY!

God makes me laugh. Sometimes he answers our prayers in ways we can never imagine, sometimes he purposely does NOT answer our prayers (because he has a better plan) and sometimes he answers them above and beyond what we asked for. I like Him. :)

Check out my belly!

So my blog has slowly turned into a pregnancy/life blog and less of a healthy living blog. I guess the thing is, you are going to write where your heart is at...right?

"For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks"-Matthew 12:34

The fact is, healthy living NEEDED to be my focus from November-June. I needed to put my all and every effort of my thoughts there to accomplish what I did, and I'm so happy I did. It's helped me to maintain more healthy choices before pregnancy and now throughout.

I'm not saying I don't still struggle. But the way in which I eat/move/live is drastically different than one year ago or prior. I'm so happy I took those 8+ months to install some healthy habits in my lifestyle before beginning this new journey of life.

So what have I been up to this weekend? Well...it's really weird. I woke up this morning and my belly must have just popped out over night....

.....

..........

............

....................

...............muhaha. I'm funny. Ok, this was really with a fake belly in place at "Motherhood Maternity" at the mall. Can you believe that this is what I'm suppose to look like at the BEGINNING of the third trimester? I don't see any more room for growth! This is tremendously scary people!!!!

So I got some maternity jeans today. They are SO comfy. Not that I REALLY needed them at this point (some pants will still button, only one pair I'm having trouble) but apparently my belly really is suppose to just "pop" over night. So I am prepared! haha.

Also, I mentioned to you all that I started painting the baby's room last weekend. I'm starting it early and taking it slow (like doing a little bit every day) so I don't get overwhelmed at the end (when I really am just as big as above!). I am giving you all a sneak preview tonight:

but that's all for now! I can't wait to post pictures when I am all done!

I had SO much fun last night. I got invited to go to a "coffee tasting" party with some new friends. I got to try a bunch of little samples of different kinds of starbucks coffee, paired with various desserts and appetizers. Yummy! The hosts really went all out, it was such a fun night.

I'm Excited.

I have good news!

Now, I am only 13 weeks along so if you are going to comment and tell me that is impossible, please spare me. I will ignore you simply because that is what everyone else is saying in my life but I don't really care.

Last night and this morning I am 98% positive I felt the baby. It was the weirdest feeling. All of the sudden it was like right under my skin in a certain place was a involuntary muscle twitch that went away really quickly. It definitely was not my own body....I'm not sure how to explain it other than that. I can't even really tell you how it is I know that this was in fact the baby, I just KNOW....does that make sense?

Anyway, it happened last night while I was sitting on the couch and then this morning in the exact same position. It did not feel like "gas" or a "muscle moving" (as this is what people keep saying it "must have been").

I looked it up on google and a lot of articles say its possible to feel it this early if you are "in tune"with your body. I feel like the last ten months have put me in tune with my body in a way I never was before...so for that, I am grateful! What an amazing feeling.

So anyway, I'm happy :)

Sometimes you gotta be brutally honest...

Well apparently my blog has been uninteresting lately because my blogger follower is slowly going down! LOL! Oh well. I love you all, but I have to write what I want to write...that's what blogging is all about right? I hope you still love me for it!

Today's topic is going to be one that REALLY gets under my skin. Being late. Not MY lateness (although in the rare occurrence this does happen, it does cause me major stress and frustration) but today I'm talking about people being late to hang out with me.

For some reason, it feels like people of my generation have made this a reoccurring bad habit. I have a lot of friends who do this to me. Honestly, if I ask you if want to hang out and say "7 o clock", I plan my entire day and evening on being ready for you to be there at 7 o'clock! Seriously, I really don't mean 7:30 or 8!

When you are late to hang out with me, it sends me a message that my time is not valuable to you.

Now, I understand (because I know a lot of these people) that maybe you just don't understand why it bothers me so much (what's the big deal Nicole, Gosh!!). Here's the thing. I have planned to be ready at exactly 7pm. When you aren't there, I am then sitting around for you. Being bored. I do not have any last minute "prepping" to do or anything to fill my time, because I don't want to get stuck in the middle of something and then be late for you! So instead I choose to sit around waiting for you, most likely bored. Realistically, this doesn't promote good thoughts or vibes as I sit watching the clock go by wondering when you will show up (and staring to think how frustrating it is when people can't show up on time!).

SO! Instead of just complaining here about it, which I thank you my dear bloggers for letting me do ;), I am going to tell you how it is that I show up to things on time (95% of the time at least). Hopefully this may help some of you who are wondering "is that me!?"

Nicole's steps to good time management:

1. I set a concrete time that I believe will be manageable and practical. If I have ANY doubt that I won't be able to be there by then- I either DO NOT set it, or I warn the person that there is a chance I may be late "because..."

2. When I get to the day of the "set time" I rearrange my day in order to make that goal time happen! I don't wait until the last minute to do something. Or if I do, I choose to NOT do it because again, I am choosing to show up on time and make that person know I care about honoring it!

3. 1-2 hours before I have to leave, I ALWAYS have this conversation with myself:

"I need to be there by 7pm. It takes me 25 minutes to drive there. I will give myself 5 minutes to get out the door. I will literally PUT MY SHOES ON at 6:30pm- no later!"

Ok, you may all be laughing right now at how crazy I sound, but if you only knew how many times I've wanted to have this conversation with someone!

Now, I want you all to know I did say I show up on time to 95% of all planned dates. There are acceptable excuses for being late, and I understand this! (flat tire, kid just pooped his pants, you forgot your wallet, etc). But let's be honest people, these "not on timers" usually have just really bad time management and no real valid excuses! Most of them don't even realize or apologize that they were being rude!

Hope I helped someone today.

Rant over.

Gotta go! I'm out the door by 6:55pm tonight :)

Us...

I have nothing new or exciting to write about today so I thought that this little "meme" would be fun today. Stolen from Melissa's Little Mrs. Married Blog!

1. When is your "engagement" anniversary?

December 23, 2006

2. When is your "marriage" anniversary?

July 7, 2007

3. How long have you known your spouse?

We met when I was 15 and he was 16....about 7.5 years ago.

4. How long did you date before you were engaged?

Two years.

5. Where did you meet your spouse for the first time?

Island Lake summer camp. We both were working on high school staff.

6. What is your spouses full name?

Um...I feel compelled to decline.

7. Do you have any children?

One in my tummy.

8. How many? Boys/Girls

-6 months/unknown for now!

9. Do you have any house pets?

Not anymore :(

10. Do you own a house or rent?

We bought our house in April 2008.

11. Do you live in the country/town/city?

Country/suburbish. Actually, it's a Native American Reservation! (we are not Native American, we just live here)

12. What is one of your favorite activites to do together?

Watching TV series/movies. Really just being at home and spending time together, or being with friends.

13. Do you have a favorite vacation spot?

We've been a lot of places together. For "vacation" I'd have to say Hawaii, but "adventure" would be our trip to Europe.

14. When did you first kiss?

March 20, 2005. I made him wait two long months! :)

15. What church do you attend?

NewLife Church

16. Is this the church you were married in?

Nope. We weren't married in a church. We were married outside by the pastor that lead our marriage counseling. When we got married, we both didn't have a home church.

17. What town is current address at?

Disneyland, USA :)

18. Do you work or stay home?

I work part time as a nanny. Hoping to transition to stay at home soon!

19. Where did you go on your honeymoon?

Maui, Hawaii.

20. What was the funniest gift one of you gave while dating?

He made me a "mixed" cd but the cd had only one song on it over and over- "wouldn't it be nice" by the beach boys. He's kind of strange one. But that ended up being "our song."

21. How long have you been together?

6 years together, 3.5 years married.

22. How long did you know each other before you started dating?

1.5 years?

23. Who asked who out?

No one really. We just started hanging out and then had a "DTR" (determine the relationship). He confessed he liked me over AIM though! (hehe!) We were young!

24. How old are each of you?

I am 22, he's 23.

25. Where do each of you go to school?

He goes to University of Washington online. I don't go anywhere!

26. Which situation is hardest on you as a couple?

Finances. It always seems like when you get somewhat on your feet, something happens to knock you back down. :(

27. Did you go to the same school?

We went to the same college when we first got married.

28. Are you from the same town?

Nope! 1 1/2 away actually

29. Who is smarter?

Different smarts. I'm book smart, he's street smart. We balance each other out well!

30. Who is more sensitive?

Totally me. I cry about a lot of stuff!

31. Where do you eat out most as a couple?

There is a mexican food place in our town that sells authentic REAL mexican food. We go there all the time.

32. Where is the farthest you two have traveled as a couple?

Berlin, Germany would probably be farthest from home! Either that or Rome.

33. Who has the craziest exes?

We both don't really have exes.

34. Who has the worse temper?

Kellen. He gets fired up pretty easily. He would probably disagree though :).

35. Who does the cooking?

Both of us, but mainly me.

36. Who is more social?

Great question...I don't know! We both go through phases of wanting to go out and staying at home. Just depends!

37. Who is the neat-freak?

Neither! We are both pretty messy people!

38. Who is more stubborn?

Kellen. Hands down.

39. Who hogs the bed?

Kellen! He always "cuddles" me off the edge!

40. Who wakes up earlier?

Usually Kellen, for work.

41. Where was your first date?

Shopping at value village? hehe. I don't really know. We never really had an official first date, we hung out a lot before we were "official"- but the ride home from value village is when we decided we were "an item"

42. Who had more boyfriends/girlfriends?

Really, neither. I think he maybe had some couple month long high school things, but nothing serious.

43. Do you get flowers often?

Not really, but every once in a while he surprises me!

44. How do you spend the holidays?

We usually see both our families on different days. It's getting tireding though...so we may have to cut down!

45. Who is more jealous?

We both have our small moments, but we've set up great boundaries and it really is never an issue.

46. How long did it take to get serious?

I joke with him that he told me he wanted to marry me within two months. He denies it, but I know whose right. :)

47. Who eats more?

Kellen! He is an endless pit. And skinny as a stick.

48. Who does the laundry?

Mostly me. He sometimes helps to fold.

49. Who is better with the computer?

Me! When I met him, he could barely turn a computer on.

50. Leave a piece of advice for other couples.

Laugh. At everything.

Feeling Better :)

Hi Everyone!

I'm feeling much better today. I've been semi productive and that always make me feel much better.

I started the grass on the nursery. Unfortunately, the green paint we got looks way more like yellow than green against the blue sky :(. Frustrating because we bought nice behr wall paint when I really should of just gotten acrylic. Would have been much more cost effective!

I'm having such a hard time staying active. I haven't really felt too "sick" yet in this pregnancy (other than a couple waves of nauseous early on), but I have just been SO tired. I literally feel like sitting on the couch all day long. This isn't really me! I mean, sure, there has been periods of time (ok, most of the time) where I wasn't an "active" person at all. But that still didn't mean I wanted a nap 24/7.

Every time I think I will have some free time to go running/jogging or even walking, I feel so exhausted and end up sleeping!

I'm hoping my second trimester brings a little bit more energy? We will see...only 1.5 weeks away!

Digging for Worms

What a beautiful and sunny fall afternoon here in the Pacific Northwest. I decided to get out a bit today and take advantage of the rare sun and doing some digging. Digging for worms, that is!

Ok, you may think I'm joking, but I'm really not. I actually needed these little fellas for my brand new compost bin I started in the backyard. Worms are a really great way to break down your compost faster and more efficiently.

I never really thought of myself as the "tree hugger" or "green" type. I like the idea of recycling, but to me, all it really is is tossing a bottle or a newspaper in a can and shutting the lid.

But with this whole composting thing....it's kinda fun! Yes, you still really only toss stuff in a can- but you get to see the results! And, if you are daring enough, even benefit from them! I'm pretty proud of my compost "bin" actually. While your local hardware store might sell a nice and pretty one for 100 bucks, I made mine for under 25 using a 32oz garbage bin, a drill with a big huge bit (hubby helped with this part), some mesh screen for windows, and some duct tape. Pretty handy!

Now if you have followed me for long enough you will know I "attempted" my first garden last spring until my horribly behaved yet adorable husky demolished it. Well I can't really blame all the failure on the dog. Apparently the soil surrounding my house was not really the greatest and most healthy soil on the planet.I'm pretty sure that even if the pup had not destroyed it, the veggies probably wouldn't have done so well in that stuff anyway.

BUT! I am not defeated! I WILL grow and maintain my own veggie garden someday. And I'm hoping this compost will help!

Baby News:

We heard the heartbeat friday!! It was so thrilling. The midwife found it right away, which pretty much melted all fears away of possibly not finding it and having to make a return trip. Kellen was there with me- this made it SO special. He said it sounded like a "locomotive" and when the midwife said the "squishing" noises was our baby swimming, he was smiling from ear to ear. What a melt your heart moment.

Honestly, I'm in awe. My belly is barely protruding past my pants line (no one can tell yet but me), and I have a plum sized baby in my belly doing the disco! (ok, so maybe not the disco, but kellen and I decided it would be fun to pretend its dancing in there). It's crazy!

As far as preparation, I am OVERJOYED from a little brown package I got in the mail today from Laura at Life Happens. You guys have probably already heard me rant and rave about her, but seriously, she's awesome. And she sent me a present!!

"On Becoming Baby Wise"

I am so stoked to start reading this right away. I see so many of my friends having honestly horrible schedules with their kids and to be honest it frightens me. I want adult time! I want my baby/toddler/child to have a routine! Maybe you're thinking "well good luck with that!"....well then, I wonder if you've read and followed the book? And if so...please don't rain on my parade! :)

I'll leave you all with a little picture my mom took this weekend. 11 weeks...just a bit chunky or is there a baby in there??!?

you decide! ;)

PS- don't I have the prettiest momma ever?

Update on baby lime

Hello everyone,

I want to thank you all for your funny and encouraging responses to my last post- I was a bit annoyed at that point and thought that it would make for a funny conversation topic :). You all made me smile. Rest assured, those kind of people definately annoy me, but ive also learned over the years to just laugh at those things.

As far as an update on me and my baby lime...we are doing well! Super excited for Friday as we have an appointment to hear the heart beat. Kellen is going with
me and I hope is just as special as so many have told me their experience was.

On the health front, things are going ok. Ive gained about 2lbs so far in these last 11 weeks. I can't deny that seeing the scale up just irks me to no end, but I know its not in vain. My belly looking like ive gained 10 however, is a different story. Man does it suck to be only 11 weeks. Its like you feel fat and your convinced everyone else notices the weight, but you wanna scream to everyone "its ok! Theres a lime size baby in here!!!"


Well just thought id give you all an update! By the way. les schwab gave me free tires today!!! Life is good!

Common (NO) Sense

This is going to be a bit of an angry post. Just a warning.

I shouldn't have to tell you why the next things I'm going to write are the WRONG things to say to someone. I shouldn't, but I'm going to, because apparently there are people in this world that don't use much common sense or any kind of social decency in public.

1. Do NOT, in any circumstance, ask me if I think I am "too young" or "ready" to have a baby.

First of all, I AM PREGNANT. There is a baby ALREADY in this equation. What in the world do you think you are going to accomplish in asking me this question when the decision has already been made? I'll tell you what you will accomplish: only fear and nervousness for me. Thank you.

I do understand a conversation about someone thinking about getting pregnant and maybe suggesting they wait for whatever reasons. But honestly, it's just a moot and negative point to ask this kind of question when there is no real decision left.

2. Do NOT, if you are a stranger on the street, ask me whether or not my pregnancy was planned!!

What the heck? Ok, let's make this clear, if you are friend of mine or possibly asking me through, let's say, a formspring box, this question is not completley inappropriate. But for a complete stranger to ask me this? If you don't even know my name, why in the world should you know the "terms" on which I conceived my child?!

I realize I may look young. I realize that maybe you think there is a "story" to hear. But it's none of your gosh DARN business.

3. Do not, if you find out I am ENGAGED, MARRIED or PREGNANT, tell me I am "young" when you don't know me.

Oh my gosh?!?! Really? I didn't realize. I wasn't aware of my own birthday or the fact that I have had several family members and friends express there concern. I'm not really sure how to think logically on my own, so I'm super glad you pointed out to me that I'm not an "appropriate" age to be thinking about such things. sarcasm

5. Do NOT tell me how horrible and painful your birth experience was and how you would NEVER EVER do it again.

Along with that, please, please, please, if I don't ask, DON'T SHARE (bloody, gruesome, disgusting) DETAILS.

6. Do not try to tell me something I am doing or taking to help with my pregnancy is "unnecessary."

Honestly, you are NOT my doctor and you do not know how I've derived at the decision that this is necessary in my life, so please, spare me.

The following has not yet happened to me, but I feel must be warned against:

7. Do not ask if someone is "having twins" because "they look really big!"

Really? Do I really have to explain this one? Wow.

Anyone else have some common (NO) sense remarks that have just astounded you? I have a feeling there may be a round two of these in a couple of months from now.

Couch to 5k: Pregnancy Edition

Hi Friends!

Well today I completed my first day of the couch to 5k program. Well, actually, it's technically my "second first day" since I'm an already graduate from the program as of last February. However, I am about to admit to you all that I actually haven't ran since my 4th of July run and haven't worked out in over a month. I'm out of shape and I need to so something about it!

When I first found out I was pregnant Kellen did the whole "first time dad" thing and told me he didn't want me to run. I told him it was ok, I've done the research and it's ok to continue my running throughout pregnancy. But secretly I succumbed to his daddy jitters out of running boredom combined with a fear to run in the summer heat....not my idea of fun.

Then when I went to see my new naturopath doctor a couple of weeks ago she asked about exercise. Shudder. I told her I HAD been running...and she asked why I stopped. I explained the daddy fears and she assured me that I will "not shake the baby out" and that it was actually an excellent thing for me to be doing. Not only that, but running can help with giving birth (who knew?).

So I come to today. The first day was actually challenging. I definitely think I'm more out of shape than I thought I was. Combine that with the constant feeling of having to pee (when I came home I peed and I think the "flow" lasted a whole two seconds), and I can already see that running during pregnancy is going to be a whole new animal!

I secretly always had this dream of running across a finish line with a giant belly. I hope I make that happen in the next couple of months!

I wanna take a couple minutes to thank all my readers of this blog. I am so encouraged by your comments and thank you for just being there for me, even if that means just a few words to encourage me with!

Shout out to Ruth Ann who left me a comment through my formspring about an award she gave me. I would love to follow you on blogger, hopefully this post will allow you to comment so I can find you! Thank you!

Also thank you to Whitney at finally getting healthy for another blog award! I am a new follower!

I got one other question on formspring:

Are you going to find out the baby's gender??

and the answer is...

yes,yes,yes! I can't wait. There is just WAY to much planning, shopping, and other fun things I want to do that involve knowing the gender. I will be at 20 weeks November 19th so I have a feeling the news will come sometime around then. I will definitely keep you all updated!