28 Weeks!!

Hi Everyone!  I have some posts planned, but I just never seem to sit down to write them!  Here is a little update on me and the baby! :)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Up about 13lbs from weight pre-preg, but lost about 15lbs in the first trimester.

Maternity Clothes: All of my pants and undershirts are maternity at this point.  Still wearing some non-maternity sweaters and cardigans.  I love maternity pants with the full panel; I think I want to wear them for the rest of my life!

Stretch Marks: None yet.  Here's hoping.  Just went out and bought some organic palmer's lotion just in case.

Sleep: I haven't been sleeping great.  I've been having really, really, really vivid dreams that keep me awake a lot.  Also, my knees which were bad to begin with seem to be getting much more sore at night.  I just bought the Boppy cuddle pillow and used it for the first time last night; it seems to help!

Movement: Lots and lots of movement.  The moving isn't as weird as the pressure coming from inside.  I love it, but it's a little strange.

Food Cravings/Aversions: I had a pretty good craving for a grilled cheese this week, and talked Nick into taking me over to Friendly's to get the perfect one!  Chicken is still something that is not my favorite at this point.  Nick made pulled chicken in the crock pot and the smell just grossed me out!

Gender: Sweet Baby Girl!  

Belly Button - In, but getting shallow.  I have a feeling it will be an outie sooner or later.

What I miss: Wine, margaritas, cap't and coke.  Basically, booze.

What I am looking forward to: Right now, Super Bowl Sunday!  We're having a few friends over and I'm making a bunch of delish football food.  Beyond that, I can't wait for my shower to see what else we need to get for her nursery.  Nick said that I can also start buying clothes after we see what people might gift for us.  There are SO many cute things that I want to get for her, especially from Carter's!




I don't have a picture from this week, but here is one from 27 weeks!  I need to take some better ones soon :)

Wellness Wednesday - Volleyball

When I was in 7th and 8th grade, we had what was called "wellness Wednesday" in gym class.  I think that it was once a month, if gym class fell on Wednesday, there would be a special set-up of things to do.  We would have to run a mile (timed), see how many pull ups and push ups we could do, and also do some flexibility tests.  I hated it.  I wasn't strong, I couldn't run, and I was not flexible in the least bit.  Even though I hated it, I thought it could be a good thing for my blog!  Keep a look out every week for an entry related to overall wellness (healthy recipes, workouts, ways to destress).


Today, I want to talk about volleyball!  I played volleyball in high school, and we were generally 3rd in our division and played against the two best teams in the state.  I also played my freshman year at a tiny women's college, but our team was not as good.  I think we won one game!  But, no matter how good the team I'm on is, I love to play.


Yesterday, I went to play at my hometown recreation center.  They have adult volleyball on Tuesday nights, and I have been trying to go every week.  I am not as good a I used to be (since I am out of practice and a bit out of shape), but I love to play.  I have been using "my fitness pal" to track my food and exercise, and according to them playing volleyball for 2 hours competitively in a gymnasium burns about 1350 calories!  Now I know why I was so skinny when I was playing ever day!

This is me, 40 lbs lighter, my freshman year of college when I was playing volleyball every day.  I am not trying to be this skinny again, I am hoping to lose about 20 lbs.

For me, playing volleyball is a fun way to mix up my work out routine.  It burns more calories than anything that I do at the gym, and works muscles that I just can't seem to target there, too.  I know that I will have a flat stomach in no time if I keep playing weekly.  Here's hoping!


Did you play any sports in high school or college?  Do you still play sports?  Do you do any nontraditional workouts?

So excited for Christmas!!

So sorry that I have been completely out of touch! I just finished up my classes and have two weeks where I don't have to worry about homework. I also finalized graduation plans and will for sure be graduating in May and finishing up my classes in July. I cannot wait.

Christmas is coming this week, and I am beyond excited to spend some time with my family in Wilmington. Plus, the longest road trip Nick and I have ever taken was to Albany, so this will be a nice experience for us.

I will update some more after the holiday, and expect some fun family photos (I am VERY tempted to have someone take some impromptu engagement pictures with my step dad's higher end camera).

I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas. Enjoy the time with your friends and family, to me, that's what it's all about ♥ ♥ ♥

Thankful

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving week. Wednesday night, I was able to go out with some of my oldest friends (3 of us have been friends since the 6th grade!). We had a great night, and just like we used to, we wound up dressed alike! When we were in the 6th grade, we used to plan what we were going to wear in order to dress alike, this time it was purely coincidental.

I guess black turtlenecks are just universally flattering!

On Thanksgiving Day, Nick and I were able to spend the day with his parents, and their longtime friends. It was a great day with awesome food. With my family far away, it was nice to still be able to have a great holiday with his family.

Friday night, I went to a place nearby called Edaville Railroad with my best friend, her husband, in-laws, and adorable baby girl. Even though I grew up about a half an hour away, I had never been! It was really fun, with the entire area decorated with tons and tons of Christmas lights. It certainly got me into the Christmas spirit.

Me, My BFF Katie, and her sweet baby girl Caroline

On Saturday, I got to meet the woman that I have contacted to take our engagement pictures while she was taking family portraits for Katie and her family. She was great and I am really excited to get our pictures taken! The rest of the day with spent with Katie, her sister (who is 8 months pregnant!) and her sister's husband. We had a great day hanging out and doing some shopping. We also gorged ourselves on my favorite chicken fingers!

Saturday did bring a rude awakening to me, that even though I have been out of high school for almost 8 years now, apparently people (guys) don't ever grow up. I overheard a kid who pretended to be happy to see my friend and I talking about how I don't deserve an opinion on something because I am "freakishly tall". Unreal, right? I guess I will never get away from the being tall ridicule!

Anyway, all in all, I had a wonderful holiday. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

Last night's phonecall...

Last night, I got a phone call from my cousin April. Usually, we talk through text or facebook, so I was hoping that this phone call was for a happy reason...

It was!!!

Her (now) fiancé asked her to marry him last night! I could not be happier for the two of them, and I know that their wedding is going to be beautiful and full of love ♥

When we were kids, we used to make up "clubs" so that our younger siblings couldn't hang out with us, or at least so that we would get extra privileges (yes, we were those mean older cousins). When I was 10 and she was 11, it was the "Double digits club". When she came to visit me with her sister in the summer of 2004 it was the "18 and up club". When we all went on vacation in 2007 it was the "21 and up club". When we got to see each other this year, we joked that it was now the "25 and up club", but who knew that we could now be a part of the "engaged club", too!

Congratulations again to April and Sayer ♥

Pizza-versary

Nick and I celebrated our monthly dating anniversary for years! Once we started talking weddings, we wondered if we would still do something to celebrate on the 13th of every month like we used to before we were married. We decided that a pizza-versary would be a fun way to keep celebrating! So, we started the tradition a little early, as I think we were initially talking about if we would have certain foods once a week when we have a family, like his family had hamburgers and fries every Friday, and mine had pizza. We decided that we wouldn't want to have pizza once a week (expensive and unhealthy!), but that we could do it once a month, for sure!

Yesterday, when I was on a break from my 10 hours of classes (literally), I called Nick to remind him that it was the 13th. On my way home from school, I got a text saying that the pizza was on it's way. It was so sweet for Nick to do that and have it waiting. I love pizza-versary!!

And, to commemorate, here is a picture of our first 13th (March 13, 2005). This was our very first picture together and was taken hours before Nick asked me to be his girlfriend!

It's time for a change!

I love to change things. I used to dye my hair with the seasons, and I will wear different makeup and jewelry depending on my mood.

Back when I had that classic Nokia cell phone (aka BRICK), I used to change the faceplate all the time. I remember that was the only way to differentiate your phone from your friends, since that was pretty much the only phone available!

What does this mean for my blog? It means it's time for me to change my faceplate! Keep your eyes peeled for a new background! I'm excited for the change!

A Different Kind of Mess

For the last 5 years or so, I have been very inactive. I worked a desk job where I commuted for close to three hours a day. Basically, I sat all day long. Now that I am not working, I have so much more time!

Last New Years, I made it a resolution to take better care of myself. While I did good with my eating for a while (Lean Cuisine's for lunch for a few MONTHS in a row instead of getting takeout subs or something), I never got much use out of my gym membership. I signed up for one on January 5th, worked out on January 6th, and never went back.

Thankfully, my friend Christie moved close to the gym that I belong to. She is also trying to get into better shape so we have been each others gym buddies! We've been trying to work out together at least 3 times a week, and when we are there we stay for about 2 hours. Here's a little run-down of what we've been doing.

• Start out on the bike for about 20 minutes to warm up. This is also where we do most of our catching up and chit chat.
• Then we go into the circuit room so that we can use the weight machines without being out in the big area of the gym. This is much less intimidating than working out in the large room with all the dudes. Seriously.
• Depending on the day, we will also do some ab stuff in the circuit room using a medicine ball.
• Then we hit the treadmill. Since my knees are terrible from being so tall all my life and lots of years of volleyball, I can't really run. I spend the 45 minutes to an hour using the weight loss program. Generally, I will wind up doing a pretty quick walk while the treadmill varies the incline. This is my favorite part (and not just because of the Motown playlist that I listen to).

I have seen some results that make me smile, and I can't wait until I can really feel strong and confident in the gym! Fitting into my skinny clothes would make me happy, too but that's not the point for me.

What's your favorite way to exercise?

A Little Study Break

I am finishing up my work for the last part of the two classes that I am taking right now, but I need a little study break! Last week, my friend Tara over at Connecticut Yankees in South Carolina posted some questions for her readers to answer. Here go the questions and answers from me!

1) Do you think you're a good cook? Why or why not?

I think that the things that I cook taste good. Do I think that I am a good cook? No. This is mostly because I am not very adventurous when it comes to what I make, and I don't feel confident enough to just "whip up a dinner".

2) Regardless of your answer to the above question, share a recipe with me :)

I am totally cheating on this question, and will just direct you here. This is supposed to be a quick study break after all;)

3) Do you feel as if crime shows such as the Law & Order series or Criminal Minds scare you or make you hypervigilant?

We watch Law and Order: SVU all the time. Even before we did, my Dad was a big L&O fan, so we watched a lot of it with him, too. I don't think that it really scares me or makes me hypervigilant, but it does make me wonder a little more. If I see something suspicious on the side of the road, I tend to think it could be something more than just a bag of trash!

4) Where was the last place you went on vacation?

The last place I went on vacation was to my Mom's house in Wilmington, NC. My cousin and I got to go together and spend the weekend.

5) In regards to the above question...did you enjoy yourself? What was your favorite part?

We had a great time! It was so awesome to see my cousin April, my sister, my brother, and my Mom. We got to go to the beach one day, and since it was already September, the beach was quiet and awesome. We also got to kayak near the house and wound up on a little beach there, too! My favorite part was the night that we spent drinking wine and eating baked brie. The food was delish, and it was nice to relax with everyone!

6) Name anywhere from one to three of your favorite stores. They can be anything from grocery stores to shoe stores!

My favorite stores are Target (I can always find something I love!), Savers (Again, I can always find something to bring home), and Christmas Tree Shops (since I am in a crazy decorating phase right now!).

7) What was the best pet you ever had? Cat, dog, guinea pig, I don't care! What was its name, what did you love about it, etc. :)

I've never been much of a pet person. We always had indoor/outdoor cats and they weren't my favorite. I guess the best on was a cat named Tiger. He was a striped cat who was just very relaxed. I'm sure this will change once Nick and I get our first pet!

8) Now share a [preferably personal, as in yours and not a random one from the internet] picture! Either of something you've cooked, from the vacation mentioned above, or of that favorite pet you just wrote about :)

Here is a picture of the view from the beach that we kayaked to. My Mom lives in the middle area of the picture!

Day 20 - A Hobby of Yours

This one is a day late, too! forgive me?

hobby n. , pl. , -bies . An activity or interest pursued outside one's

regular occupation and engaged in primarily for pleasure.

If I go by this definition of hobby, then I can only think of a handful of things that I do that count. I guess I would have to say that my main hobby is reading magazines. I also read books, but reading magazines relaxes me. I have loved them since my first issue of Tiger Beat (Hanson was probably on the cover!). I remember being sick and my Dad would get me an issue of Seventeen along with my tissues. Right now, I have active subscriptions to O Magazine (Oprah), Sports Illustrated, and Country Living. I will also pick up Real Simple, Glamour, Allure, Brides, Family Circle, Woman's Day, or Marie Claire depending on if I see something appealing on the cover that month!

I admit that I tend to hang on to magazines for far too long. But, in my defense, I do re-read them. There are housecleaning tips in Real Simple that can be used over and over. There are beautiful homes in Country Living that I want to keep drooling over. Family Circle and Woman's Day both have a million recipes an issue (although, I am pretty good about tearing out the recipes and throwing the rest of the magazine away!). If you were to come into my house, there would be a stack of magazines on the bottom shelf of each of the bookshelves in the living room, and another stack next to my bed for night reading. I love magazines!

Day 10- A Picture of You Taken over 10 Years Ago

First thing's first, Happy Birthday to my wonderful fiancé! He is doing better today as far as the blood poisoning goes, but we still will be making a trip to the hospital for some I/V antibiotics!

I couldn't just pick one picture for this one, mostly because I don't actually have many pictures of me from this time at my apartment. I had to take them from my Mom's facebook page. Since they are not the best scans, I figure I would show you two of them! These are from when I was 5 years old and OBSESSED with the New Kids on the Block (Donnie was my fave!). The first one with the NKOTB t-shirt and slippers was from my 5th birthday. The second one with the NKOTB bedsheets and fanny pack was from the following Christmas. I would like to thank my Aunt Karen, who was 14 that summer and came to stay with us, for introducing me to my first boy band crushes!

Day 8- A Picture That Makes You Angry/Sad

Well hi. I know I was supposed to write this one yesterday, but we were dealing with some crazy infection that Nick got, so we spent a good amount of time in the ER yesterday. He is OK thankfully:)

So, a photo that makes me angry or sad. I don't think I have a personal photo that makes me angry. And the picture that I chose makes me happy as much as it makes me sad. My siblings alllllllll moved away this summer. This photo was taken the day before my youngest sibs moved. It makes me sad because I miss them everyday, and wish that we could all be together. It makes me happy because it was a fun afternoon that we all spent together.

back row L-R, Adrienne (20), Abigail (12), Me- Marjorie (25), Madeline (22)

front row - Manny (5)

Day 6- 20 of My Favorite Things

I sort of feel like Julie Andrews writing this post, but I promise that "raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens" will not make the cut;)

1. My engagement ring (it's new, so it's the first thing I thought of!)

2. mark. makeup

3. Mom's spinach lasagna

4. Dad's Chili

5. Grandma's ceramic roosters

6. the color purple (the actual color and the movie!)

7. sweater weather

8. my knee high riding style boots

9. my 2008 Ford Fusion

10. goofing around with Nick

11. Savers

12. watching football games with friends

13. Sam Diego's bean burrito with queso sauce

14. flip flops

15. summer nights

16. Bay Path College's One Day a Week Saturday Program

17. Hanson

18. Spending time with my Sisters and Brother

19. baked brie with apricot preserves

20. seemingly effortless friendships

Day 3 - Your Favorite Television Show

Alright, I will admit, I am a bit of a couch potato. Especially now that I am not working during the day, I have been watching a lot of T.V. Picking one show is really tough for me, so I think today I will have to do a list of my favorites instead of just narrowing it down to one (I know I am taking the easy way out here!).

1. Grey's Anatomy (Thank you Lifetime for replaying last season so that I can catch up!)

2. How I Met Your Mother (Nick and I watched 3 seasons in like a month last summer and are hooked!)

3. Pretty Little Liars (I was mildly obsessed with this ABC Family show this summer.)

4. Without a Trace (I love the characters on this show)

5. Law and Order: SVU (who doesn't like this show?)

6. History Detectives (This show is one of the best PBS has to offer in my opinion, and I was coincidentally "watching" this when Nick proposed!)

7. Army Wives (I am about a season behind, but this is a show that makes me cry EVERY episode!)

8. Modern Family (I literally laugh out loud at every episode I watch!!)

These are my top choices. Some are shows that I watch religiously, others are ones that I DVR, and some are just what I will watch if there is nothing else on...but if any of these is on T.V. you can probably guess I will be watching one of them!

Day 2- Your Favorite Movie

I like to think that I watch a lot of movies. Maybe not as much as some people, but a lot nonetheless. There are a lot of movies that I love and will watch any time they are on TV (Love and Basketball, The Temptations, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Uptown Girls), and there are movies that I own that I will watch over and over (Mr. Hollands Opus, Fargo, Just Married, Click).

But, there can only be one "favorite" movie, and I can say, without hesitation that it is "Little Women" (1994). This movie was the one that I would watch when I was home sick from school, and the one that my sisters and I would watch during snow days. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I can relate to the sisters in the story, or that I love period movies, whatever the reasons, I love it. My sisters and I have watched it so much that we can even "sing' along to the theme music.

To this day, when it gets cold out, I have an overwhelming urge to snuggle on the couch with a bowl of Progresso Lentil soup (what my mom always made us) and my sisters and watch this movie!

Day 1 - Your Favorite Song

Well, this one is kind of tough for me. I love music, all kinds. I would probably have an easier time telling you what my favorite song from each of my favorite artists is instead of picking just one.

But, if I had to choose, then it would be "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town" by Pearl Jam. I just think the lyrics of this song are so beautiful, and I love Eddie Vedder's voice when he sings simple songs.

30 Day Blog Journal

Well, I saw this idea over on Confessions of a Newlywed and thought it could be really fun to try. Since Nick and I are looking at a long engagement, I don't want to get too burnt out on wedding related posts, so why not give this a try. I can't promise that I will be able to do this everyday, but I will try!

Here is the line up for the challenge:

Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of my favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a YouYube video
Day 24 - where I live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - my worst habit
Day 28 - whats in my handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes,dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

I am excited, so be on the lookout for day one tomorrow!

Weekend Getaway

This past weekend, I was able to get away for a little while. My cousin April lives in Raleigh, NC and we were able to go and stay with my Mom in Wilmington, NC for the weekend. It was so great to see my cousin because I hadn't seen her since 2008! We spent a very sun-filled weekend at my Mom's house (aka "The Haven"). We were able to spend some time on the beach on Saturday, had some yummy baked brie and wine on Saturday night, and then went kayaking towards Masonboro Island with my sister on Sunday (side note: following directions in the water is NOT as easy as following directions on roads!).

It was so great to see where my Mom, Step-Dad, Sister, and Brother live now. Their house is so interesting, and once they get all settled in, it will be an awesome place. There is a large deck that goes all the way around the house, and a great big gazebo on the back that overlooks the Inter-coastal Waterway. They also have a small dock where they can fish and catch crabs. The house is suited for company with a big great room on the front of the house that can close off completely from the part of the house with the bedrooms. It was hard leaving my family knowing that I won't see them again until Christmas, but it was a great visit. I loved spending some time with my cousin and catching each other up on our lives (and we discovered that we both love blogging).

Here are a couple of pictures from our weekend. The first one is April and I on the small island that we kayaked to. The second one is myself, My Mom, My Sister Abigail, and my Brother Manny right before we left. As you can see there was lots of sun had by all, but it was a great Summer send off!

Big Changes...

Well, I know that I usually blog about cleaning and organizing and all the excuses that go along with it, but today I thought I should update on my life.

This week, I worked my last day at the job I've been at for the last 5 years. The company that my step-dad owns is being sold so that he can get down to North Carolina with my mom, brother, and sister. This means that the job I work is no longer available. While it's sad to be leaving the place that I have spent most of the last half a decade at, I am excited for the possibilities that my days now have.

Instead of spending 3 hours a day commuting, I can spend that time doing anything really. I can tackle the projects around the apartment that I never found time to do before. I can plan meals, and have dinner on the table for Nick when he gets home, since he has usually left the house before 5 a.m. I can spend some time with my Sisters before they leave at the end of the summer.

Although I love the freedom that I now have in my days, I am having a hard time adjusting to this schedule. Today, for example, I layed around the house a little in the morning, cleaned up the kitchen a bit, spent a couple of hours at the beach with my sis and her friend, had dinner in the crockpot all day so it was ready when Nick was home. Since we ate around 6 o'clock and he had been working since 4, he was ready for bed. He's been asleep since 7. So I watched a 2 1/2 hour long movie on Hulu (Vanity Fair with Reece Witherspoon...had never seen it and I loved it!), and now am updating the blog. I know that I will adjust to the time that I have now, and certainly don't want to seem like I am complaining about have all day to do whatever needs to be done, it's just weird right now.

Anyway, I am pumped to see what things I will do with my days, and can't wait to share pictures of the projects I will tackle (like that big clothes purge I talked about months ago!).

A Little Getaway

I have been MIA for a little while, sorry! Things have been a bit stressful in my world, and have finally feel like they are starting to calm down. Luckily, I was able to get away for a couple of days with a good friend earlier this week. This particular friend, Michaela, is so much like me in so many, many ways; especially the cleaning way! When we were chatting on the 4 hour ride to New Hampshire, and reminiscing about how we met 7 years ago as freshmen in college, the topic of stuff came up. Stuff that we both have too much of. Stuff that we both will not get rid of. She was telling me a story about a conversation that she had with her mom, and it sounded very similar to one I had with Nick.
Mom/Nick: What are in the boxes you have in storage?
Michaela/Me: I don't know, stuff.
Mom/Nick: So, can we throw them away?
Michaela/Me: No!
Mom/Nick: But, you don't even know what's in them!
Michaela/Me: I know I need it!

It made me laugh and almost feel better that at least I was not alone. We then began comparing the stuff that we have in our closet that doesn't fit anymore, and the random other things that we know we don't need to keep (like the things we "colored" to de-stress during finals!). We both decided that we should try and help each other with getting rid of clothes. I can be cut throat with the stuff she can't wear anymore, and she could do the same for me and we could still keep our friendship intact!! I loved spending time with her, and knowing that I am not alone in my struggle!