Dresser

So, I really wanted a dresser for William, but baby dressers are
a) expensive

b) too small for real clothes so they can't be used forever

c) did I mention expensive

&

d) we'd have to pay for delievery since we do not have a truck

BUT, our across the street neighbors are moving & guess what they had... a dresser they were giving away for free!! yaye!

It's pretty old fashioned, but ask me how much I care! That's right, none. I love DIY projects anyways, so I'm going to rent a sander (or buy, or borrow) & paint it, I'm thinking red.

Oh yeah, I decided William's room is going to be light blue, dark blue, green & red. If you can't see how great that'll be, it will don't worry, lol. Here is a picture of the toy shelf (that I'm using as an organizer for diapers & etc.) that really inspired me & made my color choices official.

& this dresser is the color I want to paint his dresser & actually, I think I'll paint his room the color on the bottom of the wall. We already have dark blue panels for the windows (that'll hopefully block the light during naptime) & get a dark blue lamp. I'm glad I finally have a direction!

30 weeks!

30 weeks!

I cannot believe it! This trimester was supposed to go by the slowest, but it is flying by! We start childbirth preparedness class in Jan. We're hoping to make some friends through that. William's room is starting to come together. I have a friend coming up who is going to help me paint. There are a few things that we would like to have still (rug, dresser, etc.) but in due time, right?

William is still moving around like crazy. I have taken to talking to him. My favorite thing to do lately is just sit or lay and feel him move back and forth while I read or watch TV. Corey found a new trick, he takes a flash light and holds it to my belly to get William to move. lol.

So, I've got to bust myself out... I was a grouch. I was getting really caught up in the stresses of life & was totally not focusing on enjoying everyday. It was really getting me down & then there was that aha moment. I am so thankful for that aha moment & my Corey who was gentle in guiding me to it, instead of being a punk like I was being. lol. I was focusing on the negatives & stresses, instead of making the best of things & remembering how much we've accomplished. I'm a recovering perfectionist. I am so glad that God overcomes that. Perfectionism is so frustrating & tiring. It's nice to take my issues to God & have him really help me through prayer & reading the bible. Have you ever struggled with perfectionism?

Alright, I'm off to get some ice cream (you know, William is taking 150 mg of calcium from me EVERYDAY now, so I need to up my calcium intake & what a better way than with ice cream. My favorite is Breyer's All-Natural strawberry or mint. lol). Here are some pics from Christmas.

The Boeckh's

Corey & I decorate a Gingerbread house every year!

Corey opened Swing Kids Sountrack

Hideous picture, but I really wanted a little swiss army knife, so happy!

Boeckh-ville

We made it to GA to visit the Boeckh's (our 2nd family) for Christmas!!!
Okay, technically we have to leave here the 23rd, because Corey has to check-in with work on the 24th morning.
We've been here since Friday night. Yup, when Corey got off work we headed straight for Columbus, GA. It took us about 6 1/2 hours, with a really long dinner stop. lol. We suprised them. They knew we were coming sometime during the week, but since I couldn't get ahold of Abi Friday to finalize the plans we figured we'd just take the whole "come anytime you can, whenever you want" to heart. lol.

So, Friday we got here pretty late, but we stayed up & chatted with Abi & Shawn til 1am. (the kids were already asleep).

Saturday, Abi & I went shopping & we went to a white elephant gift party (they call it Dirty Santa in Alabama, lol). I love those kinds of parties. I ended up leaving with a griddle!! I've been wanting one forever & couldn't believe someone really brought one & Corey picked it! We also got a little asian inspired water sculpture. It'll go really nice on our dresser.

Yesterday, the guys & I did some last minute shopping. The kiddos & Abi went to see Peter Pan the play. Tristan tried to change his name to Shawn so he could go with me & Corey, but eventually he went as Tristan & had lots of fun. lol. Then after dinner we all made Muddy Buddies together. While Tristan was shaking his bag-o-powder sugar the force must have broken the seal & chocolate-peanut-butter chex & powder sugar went flying everywhere, lol. That would've been a great picture! lol.

I love being with the Boeckh's we always have so much fun & get along so easily. At this moment I have Skylar sitting behind me on the couch playing with my back & hugging me from behind & Tristan is on my right sitting as close as physically possible while playing Ninja Turtles on the Wii. LOL.

Everyone has been loving on William. Trying to feel him move, talking to him, giving him plenty of kisses, & all that stuff. He is going to be so loved & what a blessing from God that is.

I really can't wait til he's here. I want to play with him! I think about creating traditions with him & activities that we'll do (I know it'll actually be awhile before I can really do things with him, but still). Yesterday I saw a really cool toddler cookbook.

Okay, I'm rambling. I'm going to go, I think take the kids to get ice cream just the 3 (or 4, if Corey can get ready fast) of us, no parents! lol.
I'll post pictures tomorrow!

Christmas Parties

I love the Christmas season!
It doesn't fully feel like real Christmas-time, for many reasons. I didn't fully decorate the house & we aren't getting a real tree this year (we are NOT scrooges, ok maybe we are) & I have yet to put out our little fake one. I think not being back home makes it not feel like Christmas too. Reason being is when I lived in Fairfield, I'd go out all the time with friends & you're surrounded by holiday stuff. Not so much here. I stay in a lot more & even when I do go out, there aren't a lot of stores that inendate me with holiday stuff.
Anyway,
We did have a couple of Holiday get togethers so far.

1)20th EMS Kids Holiday Party (corey's work's party for the kids of the squadron)- Yup, we do not have kids & we went. lol. I want to get to know people in general & moms specifically, so I volunteered to bust out my face painting skills I picked up from working in Childcare. Then I volun-told Corey he was helping me, but really he was excited to do it. lol. We were a hit. Some kids came to us 4 times (cheeks & hands) & even most of the parents got their faces painted. lol. I did meet some cool moms & one even offered to give me some of her son's hand-me-downs!!! SCORE! It was really fun.

2)Theresa's Cookie Exchange Hooplah- okay so technically I don't think it would be considered a hooplah per se. lol. A few friends came over & we ate cookies, snacks, drank sparkling cider, decorated sugar cookies, & chatted it up. A full party it was not, but fun we did have. lol

3)20th EMS Adults Holiday Party- Yeah... this was a little depressing. lol. It was in a wierd cold, scary place, bad food, really bad music, boring host, & no bar. Not that I really care about the bar right now, but it would've been nice for the others. Tickets were only $1, so that's not bad. They could have made it a lot nicer if they charged more & I know people are willing to pay more for a nicer party. Corey's all about getting on the planning comittee for next year, lol.

Ok, quick William update for all you William Fans!
He is moving like crazy all the time! He's going to be very active, like Daddy. If you guys were here, you could probably catch him moving, it's easy to see now. He's growing fast. He gives me mild heartburn sometimes & my belly is really close to popping (kind of scary for me)! We've been taking baths almost every night, which relieves my aches & makes it easier to sleep. Yup, we cannot wait to meet William, very exciting times!

Thanksgiving Photos

Here are some great photos Corey's sister, Kelly, took of us and for us while we were in Maryland. I think she's good & I am so thankful for these photos of this precious moment in our lives.

Menu Plan Monday~ Nov. 30- Dec. 6th

Aww, it's been awhile, eh? Well, last week Corey & I had a delightful time up north in Maryland. We spent the week with our family & friends. We got home late last night & I woke up this morning to an "empty" fridge & cupboard. So, I got on with the menu plan & here it is:

Sunday: Minestrone w/crusty french bread (perfect for today's weather; I might do a different recipe)

Monday: Leftover Minestrone

Tuesday: Steak, Potato Casserole, mixed salad w/vinegarette & feta

Wednesday: Spaghetti w/beef, green beans, garlic bread

Thursday: Chicken Fried Rice w/ mixed veggies

Friday: Homemade Artichoke-Pesto Pizza & salad

Saturday: Sweedish meatballs on rice or noodles, mixed veggies

I'm pretty excited about all the food on this menu. We don't normally have steak, but we somehow we have some in the freezer.

I think we'll do leftovers for lunch this week, as we are sure to have them. For breakfasts, we'll be rotating these:

~Smoothies & PB toast

~Cereal w/fruit on the side

~Oatmeal w/fruit & milk

~Pancakes w/fruit & milk

All of this in an effort to make sure I'm getting the right nutrients for baby Will. The doctor wants me to make sure I gain the recommended weekly weight from now on. I actually need to buy a scale. I guess this is better than gaining too much, right?

Anyways, I'm off to the commissary...

Time in Maryland, so far...

Corey & I are in Maryland! We got here Sunday, in record time may I add.
We've been hanging out with his family & friends. I really love his family, they are so welcoming. I really like his friends, they also are welcoming & super fun/funny.
Today, I spent the first half of the day with my grandma Tutu. That's my dad's mom. I haven't seen her in about 3 years. Besides the distance, she was on a missions trip for her church for 2 years. Anyway, it was really nice being able to spend time together. Corey & I went over early for breakfast (i love breakfast), we talked, went shopping at Annapolis Mall, came back for a big lunch & spent more time talking & looking at photos. It was great. I grew up so far away from my dad's family & I don't know them or their stories. It's nice to be able to start to get to know them for myself.
Tonight, we hung out with Corey's best friend Iosif. We went to his old church (they had a big hoopla) & to a friends house for dinner with a whole bunch of people. Corey & I are very social beings so it's been really nice hanging out with lots of people. (We're still in the process of making lots of friends in Sumter, hehe)
Okay, I'm going to go sleep, I'm exhausted & tomorrow is Thanksgiving, there will be lots to do. hehe
Hope your thanksgiving is wonderful!

Week 24

So here I am at the end of my 2nd trimester.

It actually went by really fast so far & I would be lying if I said I didn't have a little bit of worry that "It" is right around the corner.
I know I still have 3 months... unless he's early, which I think he's going to be, lol.
I just wonder if we will have things ready when he comes. Well, God provides, so c'est la vie.

He's moving a lot. I love it.
I kind of feel silly, because when he makes a big movement I can't hold in my reaction. I don't really remember my pregnant friends freaking out when their little ones moved. Did they just hold in the excitement/awkwardness of having a baby jumping around inside them while they were talking to someone? Will I eventually get used to it & it wont cause a reaction?

Today was the first day of my "3rd Trimester walkathon" (technically I'm not in my 3rd trimester yet, oh well).
I'm making a commitment to walking at least 1 mile a day, everyday until I deliver. I have been going on walks with Corey throughout the pregancy, but now I'm stepping it up. Lots of reasons why,
health of the baby
health/fitness of me
easier labor & delivery
something to do
energy.
Boy, did I have a lot of energy after tonights walk. I actually came home & did some dancing around the house, because I am THAT goofy! lol. Here's a pic to prove it. lol.


Yeah, that's a little embarassing...
Is it just me, or does my belly look a little fake? lol. (btw, we were washing the sheets that's why the bed is a mess. I know you didn't notice, but I'm neurotic & had to make sure you knew,lol.)

Alright, well I'm off to play XBOX with Corey. Apparently he downloaded some new stuff & I have to make myself an avatar. Je ne sais pas.

Myrtle Beach Pictures

Here they are...

Pictures from Myrtle Beach

Thanksgiving Plans

About how thrilled I am!!!
It is official, we will be going up to Maryland for Thanksgiving week!
We are leaving South Carolina this Sunday morning!!
We feel like little kids before Christmas!
I'm not quite sure why we are so excited...
Well...
1)I LOVE Corey's family. They are probably the best family someone can marry into, ever. We always have so much fun with them even if we are just hanging out.
2)I'm going to spend some good quality time with my grandma for the first time in 3 years.
3)It's a vacation! Maryland is so beautiful this time of year
4)It's Thanksgiving! Yummy food & for the first time in... forever we'll be family!
5)Plus, this is such an exciting time in our life (being pregnant with our first) & I love the thought of sharing it with family.

Molly is coming with us too, because we are driving up there & gas prices, oh sweet gas prices! lol. They are so low (at least here, it's about $1.90!!) so we will only need about $100 roundtrip for gas! (2 months ago, driving across the country we spent about $400 for the same distance).
Anyways, we are getting Miss Molly groomed today (we have to get her checked up so might as well groom her & buy her a cute Thanksgiving outfit, lol)

I made more oatmeal chocolate chip cookies today. They are soo yummy! Corey asked to take some to work. I was torn because I know I shouldn't be eating all of them (which I might just do), but I wanted to eat them all myself. lol. I ended up giving him a dozen & we have a dozen still. They are small & don't worry I'm not eating them all... just one more...

It's too early to pack right?... So excited. Well, sorry today's blog may be boring & that I still haven't added pictures to the Myrtle Beach Blog (camera is still in the car & DH has the car), but thanks for reading anyways! I feel loved!

Myrtle Beach Weekend

My camera is in the car & it's too cold & I'm too lazy to go get it, so check back for pictures tomorrow.
We went to Myrtle Beach this weekend to celebrate my birthday & to have a little babymoon! yaye!
It was so nice. It was a little chilly when we got there, but still beautiful & the sand was unbelievable soft. We cuddled on the beach while the sun set. I am so in love with Corey.
Then it started to sprinkle, so we went in & I took a little nap while Corey watched a movie.
We went out & explored the town, did a little shopping while we were at it. Ate dinner & went back to the hotel to cuddle. It was great.
The next morning we woke up had a great breakfast & starbucks. It was a lot nicer outside, so we took our coffees to the beach did some more cuddling. aww, it is so nice just thinking about it.
I'm not normally a cuddle-er, but for whatever reason I have been extraordinarily cuddly the last several months. The great thing is, Corey IS a cuddle-er.
Anywho... We had fun hanging out (he's such a great friend!) & then we went for the big treat!
A couples massage!! I got a lovely prenatal massage & he got a deep tissue/hot stone massage. Fantastic!
We headed home shortly after that.
It wasn't a long weekend, but it was really nice. It was even more nice that Corey planned the whole thing & I didn't look at a receipt the whole time.
He's really my best friend & I am so thankful that God has blessed me with him.

Productivity & Organization

Aww, I love today. I slept in after an especially long yesterday. But when I woke up, I was more than productive. I actually kept up with the household work this week, but in a non-stressful way.
Today, it's raining really hard & thundering, I love it. The only way it could be better was if it was snowing instead. I'm praying that this winter there will be several freak snowstorms here in SC. I don't care what anyone else wants, I want snow. hehe.
So, tonight we have some new friends coming over for dinner, but this is not the sole reason I organized.
I cleaned up the whole office (which was a tad bit of a disaster area, because we dump everything in this room). It's not my dream office, but I didn't have time or money to buy paint, paint, & build a bigger desk. lol
I rearranged the living room & cleaned everything. I couldn't move one thing (too heavy) so when DH gets home we'll do that & hang up the art work. I was waiting to hang it up until we paint, but it seems that paint will be a little further in the future than originally anticipated.
I deep-cleaned the kitchen & made Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, yummy! They are very good actually.
Yesterday,
I reupholstered the ottoman that goes with the glider we have. I have fallen in love with the staple gun too. I chose a cream twill to reupholster it in. I haven't done the actual glider yet, because... well that requires the sewing machine & I have never used one before. I don't think it'll be hard & I plan on practicing with some old fabric, but just in case I have a neighbor who has offered to help me. lol.
I made lists.
Oh how I love lists.
I made a list of things we need for baby. One of the "big stuff" & another for the "Layette stuff". (DH still doesn't know what layette means. lol) The thing I realized yesterday, the things for the layette need to be for 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months, & 9-12 months! lol. Yeah I made one list & thought "Wow, we're almost done with this". When I had my lightbulb moment... yeah we still need a lot. I know God provides, so I'm not worried. Plus I have no qualms with the thrift stores or any hand-me-downs any one wants to throw our way.
I made a list of future home projects.
I made a list of who I am sending, what for Christmas.
I just love having things organized.
Hmm... Where is the DH, he's normally home by now... Hope work wasn't too stressful today.
Well, I'm off to induldge in some of my cookies & then on to making dinner.
Have a great weekend!

My Birthday!

Yesterday was my birthday! Because I am soo important it's also a national federal holiday! (okay, so maybe it was Veteren's Day too).

Anyway, Corey had the day off, We relaxed, ate yummy food, went shopping, watched some of the Office, & just had fun together. It was nice.

Apparently, Corey has made some plans for this weekend, but I'm not sure at all what they are, because it's a suprise! I love suprises, btw. So, I'll probably be posting some really awesome photos next week. But to hold you over... here are some pics of yesterday, including the new belly picture!!

This is kind of a bad picture, but this is my birthday cake, we got it from a local bakery, Baker's Sweets. It's yummy!

Driving to Columbia to do some shopping & starbucks!

This is my hot husband driving. He always does the driving, sweetie!

Here's the belly, getting big!

Menu Plan for Nov. 9-15

I'm early, I know.
I was kind of anxious to make our menu for 2 reasons;
1)The Commissary (base grocery store) is closed Monday & the meat is reduced price Sundays &
2)I just read how much weight I should have gained to-date being pregnant & I am WAY behind. I checked out a personalized food pyramid plan (for your own, go here) & apparently I'm not eating enough in general, let alone of the right veggies.

SO, this week I'm going to make a real effort. I'm not trying to make up for lost time, just trying to start gaining weight, slowly & healthfully.

*Of course there are somethings we didn't get to last week

Sunday: Layered Enchiladas w/peppers & corn

Monday: Salisbury Steak w/potatoes, corn, & cresent rolls (Corey's FAV)

Tuesday: "Panera" Broccoli Cheese Soup & Chicken Ceasar Salad (My Birthday, *the last broccoli cheese soup did not turn out)

Wednesday: Chicken, Black Bean, Rice Bake

Thursday: Beef Stir-fry w/rice

Friday: Pesto Chicken & Cheese Ravioli w/green beans (easy-peasy one)

Saturday: Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese (we love this one too!)


*I know it looks like I get all my recipes online, but I actually have to Better Home & Garden Bridal Cookbook & the also have their recipes online. I just put the links for you guys. I'm nice like that, hehe jk.

If you want help menu planning, or need meal ideas check out the Organized Junkie's site & the Menu Plan Monday section.

23 weeks today!

So this week has been pretty uneventful, but it passed by really fast. Corey & I both keep forgetting it's Friday! Today we went on a walk to the park with Molly, so here's some of those pictures!










Corey update:
He switched this week from graves (10pm-7am) to day shift (6am-3pm), which is such a blessing. Before he'd be switching all the time, which was hard on his body. It's also good because now we wont have issues being able to visit churches anymore. Yaye!

William update:
He is doing good, as far as I can tell. He moves a lot more than before. He's growing or at least it feels like it, because it is getting harder to breathe! (not in a scary way, in a i'm-full way).

Other updates:
It's official, I am going to begin painting our room THIS coming week!!! Yaye! I had to put it off because we had to wait for all the moving finances to settle out & because my family was here.

Speaking of which, they should be moving out tomorrow or Sunday! They will be living in Sumter, SC, which is the town outside of base. Brandon & Katie have been out of school for 3 weeks! So they need to go back pronto!

So, Can I just say I LOVE this time of year!! It kind of starts with Halloween, but it really kicks off with my birthday!! Right after my birthday is Thanksgiving (hopefully we will be going to MD to be with Corey's family & visit my grandma), then it'll be the Christmas Season!!! The shopping!
The colors!
The smells!
The music!
The baking!
Remembering Jesus being born!
Spending time with friends & family!
AHH, it's just so wonderful! I love thinking of what to buy, or make, for the people I love. I'm such a gift person, it's definitely a love language of mine. (Have you read the 5 Love Languages? If not you should! It's great!)

Well, all that to say, I'm baking up a storm lately! I'm testing out cookie & bread recipes that I am going to be sending out to loved ones! This is the first year that I'm going to be able to do that! I'm going to write out reviews, on here, of the things I bake. If it's a good batch I'll post the recipe too! Stay tuned!

Carvin' Pumpkins!

Yaye for Halloween!!!

It's fun to dress up! This year Corey & I are only semi-dressing up. You'll see tomorrow when I post more pics.

Last night we carved pumpkins! We were going to do a lot, but in the end only bought 2. It was fun & next year we will be buying more than 2, because this year we had tons of ideas for more pumpkins.

Tonight we have some friends coming over & we are going to pass out candy to all the little kiddos. That is probably the best part of Halloween, seeing all the kids so excited to be dressed up & getting FREE candy! I don't know what we'll do next year, William will only be 7-8 months & he's not getting any candy at that age! lol. Maybe by then we'll have friends with kids a little older & we can tag along with them.

Anyways, here's some pics of the pumpkin carving fun, look back for pics of Halloween Night!

Menu Plan Monday November 2nd-8th

So, My dad & siblings are still staying with us, so I'm not really trying to be creative this week, just cheap. lol. I also decided to plan out the breakfasts & lunches, because without it, the twins seem to snack all day. I cannot believe how fast they go through somethings (milk, bread, etc.)
Anyways, here it is:

Breakfast: *Oatmeal w/jam, cinnamon, or raisins

*Cereal

*Pancakes

Lunches: *Top Ramen

*Mac n Cheese

*Soup w/ biscuts

*Turkey Sandwhiches

*Burritos

Dinners: *Layered Enchiladas w/corn (substituting turkey with chicken & omitting cranberries)

*Chicken & Rice soup

*Spaghetti w/salad & garlic bread

*Broccoli Cheddar Soup

*Taco Salad on top of potatoes (I know it might sound wierd, but it's sooo good)

*Meatloaf w/hashbrown casserole & mixed vegetables (w/ hashbrowns I'm omitting onions & mixing the cornflakes in the casserole a little, it comes out more crunchy throughout)

*Pancakes w/bacon & eggs for everyone, I'm having a BLT (I still can't do eggs, I haven't since I was preggers)

Snacks: *Crackers w/cheese, tuna, or pb

*apples or bananas

Dessert: *Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

*Also, I didn't get around to the creme brulee, so I'm doing that this week.
*There is a memorial service this Monday & I'm making sweet scones & cheddar bacon scones.
*Monday Night is Enlisted Spouse Club Potluck, so I'm making another Hashbrown Casserole.

This will be a full week.

If you'd like to start Menu Plan Mondays, or if you need creative ideas for menu making visit the Organized Junkie's Blog!

My Two Fav Cookie Recipes

Sugar Crinkles
yields: 5 dozen

1c. shortening
1 1/2c. sugar
2 lg. eggs
1tsp. lemon extract
1tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2c. all-purpose flour
2tsp. baking powder
1/2tsp. salt
1/4c. sugar

Beat shortening & 1 1/2c. sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs & flavorings, beating until blended.

Combine flour, baking powder, & salt; gradually add to shortening mixture, beating well. Cover and chill dough.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in 1/4c. sugar. Place on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 for 8-9 minutes or until barely golden. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheets; remove to wire racks to cool completely.


Peppermint Crescents
Yields: 3 dozen

*These cookies melt-in-your mouth & are perfect for the Holidays. These cookies are also a little messy, but the are so WORTH it!!

1c. butter, softened
2/3c. sifted powder sugar
1tsp. peppermint extract
1/8tsp. salt
2 1/2c. all-purpose flour
2c. sifted powder sugar, divided
2 1/2 tbsp. milk
1/4tsp. peppermint extract
Coarsely crushed hard peppermint candy

Beat butter at medium speed with an electic micer until creamy. Add 2/3c. powder sufar, 1 tsp. peppermint extract, & salt; beat well. Gradually add flour to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Divide dough into thirds; cover & chill 30 minutes.

Working with 1 portion of dough at a time, divide each portion into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a 2-inch log; curve ends of each log to form a cresent. Place cresents 2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets.

Bake at 325 for 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute on baking sheets. Carefully roll warm cookies in 1 cup of powder sugar and then cool completely on wire racks.

Combine remaining 1c. powder sugar, milk, & 1/4tsp. peppermint extract, stirring until smooth. Drizzle icing over cookies; sprinkle with crushed peppermint, pressing gently. Let icing set before serving. Store cookies in an airtight container.

Menu Plan Monday October 27th-Nov 1st

AhA, I'm ahead of schedule! C'est Sunday & I have my menu planned yaye! Okay Okay...

So this is the 2nd week my dad, brother, & sister are staying with us & I totally underestimated how much they snack, so I had to buy more groceries earlier than expected. All that to say I went for inexpensive meals this week. Oh yeah, & we didn't get to the Pepper Steak last week, so it's on here again.

Monday- Pepper Steak with rice

Tuesday- Ceasar Salad with crunchy oven-baked chicken

Wednesday- Date Night (going out to eat, leftovers, or scrounge-around)

Thursday- Pesto Ravioli with grilled chicken & squash

Friday- Spaghetti with meat sauce, garlic bread, & mixed vegetables

Saturday- Chicken Fried Rice *substituting mushrooms w/frozen corn & carrots*

I realize now we are having quiet a bit of chicken... oh well, I guess next week I'll have to look for more meat recipes.

Oh!!! For special treats this week, I am making

*Sugar Crinkle Cookies (w/ the twins, these will last all of two seconds, lol)

*Creme Brulee (Corey's favorite)

If you want to start Menu Planning, need help or ideas, visit Menu Plan Mondays on the Organized Junkie's website!!!

One more great thing for today!

Corey felt the baby move today! We were cuddling looking at the ultrasound pictures. Corey's hand was just resting on my belly & Will decided to give his dad a high-five or something. Corey can't stop talking about it & I am SOOO glad that he was able to feel it! Yaye for today!

We're Having A...

BOY!!!

Yaye! We are soooooooOOOOOoooo very excited!

It was AMAZING seeing him in the ultrasound & I was able to see everything! I am so in love!

It's so real now. We know how we are going to so the nursery & everything already. We have his name picked out already! Mr. William Thomas Shipe, with the only acceptable nickname being Will. hehe.

He was sleeping during the ultrasound. I was able to see all his fingers & toes. When I saw his hands, it hit me, those are the little hands that I am going to pretend to eat to make him giggle!

Ah, it's so great. So now, what you're all wanting... PICTURES!

Clear evidence, no?

One more day!!

So I had my first official OB appt today. I was supposed to have it last week. It went alright. They went over my history & did a couple of tests. I've gained a total of 1 pound so far, but the baby is growing & we definitely heard the galloping heartbeat.

The sad news is we did not get to have an ultrasound, even though they said I would. The good news is that I have my ultrasound tomorrow! yaye! So hold your breath for a phone call, lol. just kidding.

I'm really excited & a little nervous. You know, it's permenant once they find that little peter or va-jay-jay. It is so exciting though.

So I'll be telling the world tomorrow what we find out, so you can check here if we don't have a chance to call you!

We're off for a walk with Molly dog.

Menu Plan Monday

Okay, Okay so It's Tuesday, I'm new at this though and I will get better... hopefully. Here is my plan for this week October 20th - 26th, 2008.

Monday- Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

Tuesday- Beef Pot Roast & cresent rolls

Wednesday- Leftovers

Thursday- Cobb Salad w/turkey, bacon, & hard-boiled eggs

Friday- Swedish Meatballs & Mixed Vegetables

Saturday- Bean Quesadillas & Corn

Sunday- Pepper Steak & Rice

I'm very excited about the Cobb salad, the baby really loves this protein-filled salad. I've never tried most of the other recipes really, so this will be a fun week. I think I'm going to try to sneak in a decadent dessert on one of these nights.

*If you would like to get organized & join Menu Plan Mondays & get ideas for your weekly menu visit The Organized Junkie's blog.

Brandon's & Katie's 16th Birthday!

This weekend was my sister's & brother's birthday! They turned 16, which is sooo crazy, because I remember feeding them from a bottle!

Anyways, Corey and I were able to drive up to North Carolina & spend the weekend with them. It was so great. I'm getting reaquainted with them, since I had been living over 3,000 miles away for the last 4 years!

Katie is so spunky & girly, very into fashion & of course she has the beauty of a model (maybe not the height though, lol)!

Brandon is more quiet & reserved. He's funny & a cool guy, loves his new Nintendo DS. He looks more and more like my mom's brother Mark.

Well, with their birthday came some BIG changes. My dad & his wife are seperating & my dad is moving to South Carolina. He's looking into renting a place about an hour away. It is definitely a crazy time, but hopefully they will all get settled soon.

It is also definitely a big adjustment going from being 3,000 miles away & in essence living my own life to having to take care of my family so intensely (because it's a big life change). I wont say it's not hard, only that God has given me this for many reasons & for that I am blessed. Corey and I trust him so intensely & know that he is our strength & guidance. Amen!

The only thing that could have made this weekend better is if this guy was with us.We LOVE you Bubba Mike!!!

Bummer!

So bummed!
I got a call late this morning from my OB's office saying my insurance is not approved. My appointment is today at 2:30! I've been waiting SO long to see an OB.

I spent half an hour calling around to Shaw AFB tricare people, but they were all out to lunch, so I waited called them back & they told me it's my primary care doctor's office fault.

So, I spend another half an hour being transfered around to a million people (& just to let you know, each person asks for my story, name, birthdate, etc) at my doctor's office, only to find out that the lady who does the referals is gone early for the day!!

Then, I call Sumter OB to reschedule & someone is calling me from my doctors office, so I hang up & it's the referal lady (who is super rude) and I have to tell her my story & she says she'll call me back. When she finally does, she says that the doctor put the referal in his notes & nobody decided to take care of it and give it to her.

Anyways, she's sending the referal through tricare (insurance) & I had to reschedule my appt. for next Thursday! It's been 2 months since I've seen an OB!! I was really hoping to find out the sex of the baby too. grr... Well, there's nothing I can do.

At least the lady at the OB's office was nice & when I asked about having an ultrasound done, she said that they will most definitely do it, but that she would put a big note on it mentioning I'll be 20 weeks & need an ultrasound. That makes me happier. So shout out to lady at sumter OB, lol.

Okay, I'm done venting, & sorry that you will all have to wait another week before you know if it's a girl or a boy. hehe

19 weeks & kicking!

I probably should wait to post this since I'm going to have more news on Wednesday, but...
I can't.

I'm 19 weeks & this wonderful baby has started kicking away!
I thought I was feeling kicks, but wasn't sure.
The last few days, I started to KNOW it was the baby doing acrobatics.
I'm so happy!

I looked at the old ultrasound pictures and I got a little teary eyed, I can't believe it's a human being in my belly! A real baby, like the ones I see all the time, except it's mine! Mine & my Corey's.

The one person that I am closest to in the world, the person I love the most in this world, my husband and I are having a baby. Our child will represent the love between us. Ahhh! I love it.
This is such a blessing. I feel very lucky to be able to have this. All of this. But, I know it's not luck, it's a blessing from God.

So, I'll be posting another post Wednesday & hopefully there will be ultrasound pictures, but if not, this pic will have to hold you over, the belly IS growing!

Menu Plan Oct. 13th- 19th

http://orgjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/mpm121.jpg

Hey, so I'm getting involve in this Menu Planning website, mainly because I'm running out of good ideas for dinners. So Here is my Oct 13th - 19th.

Monday- Beef Pot Roast w/biscuts

Tuesday- Leftovers

Wednesday- Spaghetti w/salad & garlic bread

Thursday- Grilled Cheese on Whole Wheat & Chunky Tomato Soup

Friday- Pepper Steak w/rice

Saturday- Leftovers

Sunday- Cobb Salad w/bacon & turkey

Date Night

So, we finally started one! Wahoo! We've had lots of people recommend date nights & they always sounded like a great idea, but we always had so much time together we didn't really think they were all that neccissary. Well, with the impending change in our life (i.e. Baby) we decided to make it a habit before the little one arrived.

It was fantastic. Yesterday when Corey got off work, we got ready. Yup, I dressed up (as much as I could, since I don't have much in the way of maternity clothes), put on jewelry & parfume, did my make-up a little more, and all that jazz. (btw, the house was totally clean when he got home, so we could make a fast & clean exit). So we were off. We drove to the "big town" & ate an early dinner, I'm pregnant what can I say. Then we walked around a big shopping center, browsed, talked. We got some coffee, which was delicious, even though we were very full. We headed over to Books-a-Million & picked up a magazine or two. Finally we topped things off with a movie, Nights at Rodanthe. It was a good movie, a little cheesy. I would say it's a rental, but we liked it.

It was great. I kind of feel like it was slightly more of a Theresa's-type date, so now I'm trying to think really hard to think of a Corey's-type date that I can do even though Im preggers. I'm sure I'll come up with something. This is fun! I love my Corey.

We Arrived

17 weeks belly picture (I'm not standing straight, but this is how I normally stand. Hopefully the yoga improves my posture)

awh! We arrived! Okay, so we've been here for over a week.

We have been so blessed. Our drive across the country, while stressful, went well. Nothing bad happened & we got a chance to see our friends along the way. We got a late start on the first day, but eventually we made it to Ontario, California (a little past LA). The second day we made our way across death valley & into Arizona, where we stopped in Tucson. While we were trying to find out hotel we went down a little road and came within a few feet of wrecking the Budget truck, lol. There was a bridge that wasn't tall enough, but luckily we stopped the car in time, but then we had to back up the truck into an intersection. lol. Not so much fun, but we made it. The next day we made it to El Paso & stayed with our friend Michelle & her family. That was nice to see friends. Then we went on to Midland, TX (not so much fun) and Dallas, TX (alright). After that we stayed in Jackson, MS (which was FULL of bugs) and then went on to Columbus, GA. We stayed with the Boeckh's in Columbus & we did not want to leave. That feels like home to us. hehe. But we left the next day & eventually got to Shaw AFB, SC.

We stayed in Temporary Lodging on base for a few days, but we were lucky enough to have a base house waiting for us when we arrived!!! yaye. So we moved in this past Friday. It's all been going by pretty fast.

Corey started working yesterday. We are pretty much unpacked. We've ordered a couch and dressers which should be on there way soon. I'm starting to meet people. We missed church last Sunday, which was a real bummer, but we are going this Sunday. We go on walks everynight & we've been meeting some neighbors.

At first it was pretty hard & it still is a little hard, but I'm starting to like it. It helps to have my friends & family back home encouraging me & praying for me.

Tonight Corey and I are going on a date! We've already done some major exploring of the area & so far I like Columbia a LOT.

The baby is doing great. I still have to find an OB & make my first appt. Hopefully then I will get my ultrasound & find out the sex of the babe. I think I've been feeling the baby kicking, but who knows it could be gas. hehe.

Well, I better go call those doctors.

I want to say a special thanks to my friends & family that have called or messaged me. You really have helped me through this tough transition. Thanks Korinne, Michelle, Liz, Mom, Mike, & Abi. I really appreciate your love.

Here is our house on base!

Shower the Baby

What a wonderful time I had. My friend Hilarie threw me a shower in Cali before I leave! It was so awesome and since we don't know the sex of the baby yet, we made it a baby shower/bon voyage party & the theme was French! I loved it! Beautiful french music in the background, french art, eiffel tower, decadent desserts, champagne (& Martinellis for me), tea, lovely!

I had so much fun haning with some of my great friends! Mom and grandma Joyce were there, which I was so excited about. I recieved so many great gifts for the baby! Things I really really needed! Things like a Diaper Genie, a diaper bag, books, recieving blankets, burp clothes, pacifiers, baby wash, medical kit, toys, clothes, a boppy, and 2 airline tickets!!!! Yeah, My friend Hilarie, not only threw us an amazing shower, but also gifted us two buddy-passes to come back to CA when the baby is born!!!

I loved being with my friends and hearing motherhood stories. I feel very blessed with all of these women in my life. I will miss them all so much & be calling them very often for advice & to just cry. hehe. Here are some pictures: