When in doubt, drink more water

During the entirety of this pregnancy, all of my pregnant friends and I have had various ailments, braxton hicks, serious middle-of-the-night leg cramping, carpal tunnel syndrome, constipation (TMI?), swelling of the everything, heartburn, dehydration, etc... Guess what? There is a miracle cure! Drink more water.

Today I am up before the butt-crack of dawn because I was caught lying on my back... which is bad for many reasons at this stage in pregnancy, but also means I am snoring. I am experiencing some tightening and a little bit of cramping this early morning so I thought I would do something productive. Now don't get your hopes up dear reader. I have found this means nothing at this hour. Well it does. It means I haven't had any water since 9 pm which means I need more water. And a little snack if I am being honest. (Bananas at 3 am may seem like a good idea, but maybe just stick with some cheese or cereal).

Anywho, newly expectant mama, Joanne, from Fabulously Average linked to this very blog on her Friday's Fab Five feature and so I was laying in bed thinking of all the helpful tips I could give about being pregnant and WATER is basically tip numero uno!  Every time I go to the doctor and tell them I have been having cramping or headaches they say, "Drink more water," or "Have you been drinking enough water?" At this point I am ready to hit them over the head with my large, heavy Nalgene bottle, which I fill and drink at least 3 of in a day! (Recommended amount: 64 oz)

Water is a lifesaver in many forms during pregnancy, I might add. Early in my pregnancy I swam a lot. It is highly recommended for exercise during pregnancy, so Pat bought me a little paddle board and I swam the weekends away. But, mostly because it was in the middle of summer and this AZ heat can take its toll on a pregnant body. I was never big enough to feel the effects of how awesome and pain relieving it can be for the joints. But, I can imagine. I even felt some of my first kicks from our little guy while I was in the pool. I think my little tyke liked the extra feeling of weightlessness that came when I floated around on my belly.

To feel a little bit of these effects now that it is too cold to be in the pool, I have taken a bath nearly every day this week. (Kept under 100 degrees mind you). I have never found a bath relaxing in my entire life until now. Usually I hate them. I hate getting pruney in hot water, but now, I wish I had a GINORMOUS tub that I could float in... but, my standard tub is doing the trick. My hips are relaxed, my back feels better. Even just for an hour, the relief that I am feeling is worth it. Not to mention the aromatherapy. I have been using Bath & Body Works Sleep Aroma Therapy and it is amazing. In fact, I may only have one more use out of it. But it really soothes the mind, and makes my whole house smells amazing.

I know there are mixed studies and beliefs about taking baths during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, so I also recommend talking to your Dr. about anything you may be concerned about.

37 Weeks

We are officially full term and have a happy, healthy boy ready to burst out into this world at anytime. I am ready.

Just this morning, Pat and I were discussing how we are ready for the next phase. He is ready for me to start helping with the house and yard work again, and I am ready for him to start helping with the baby. Although we have been working solo on some items, we have been really good about remaining a team and communicating our frustrations, needs, wants, etc. during the pregnancy... and now we need this baby to make his grand entrance into the world so we can go back to being a team in all aspects of our life.

The nursery is ready. All of his clothes are washed. Our hospital bags are packed. We are resting as much as we can right now because we know it will be in short supply once the beeb comes home.

I am kind of hoping for a Christmas baby. I think that would be the greatest gift in the world. But, I would be sad for him having to share his big day with the biggest day of the year. When would we have his birthday party? I think mostly, I just can't wait to meet him.

Currently

Craving: Water - lots and lots of water

Avoiding: Sitting too long. My hips are starting to really be uncomfortable

Ailments: Heartburn again... my Zantac isn't cutting it anymore

Sleep: Waking up a lot during the night due to cramps, and remaining awake to make sure I am not actually in labor.

Weight: 153

Favorite thing about being pregnant: Pat rubbing my belly and understanding how uncomfortable I am

Least favorite thing: The tightness of my belly, the lack of comfortable clothing and my protruding belly button....

37 Weeks: Christmas Traditions

My dad gave a speech at our wedding in 2011, wishing us both luck in our journey of marriage, but also wishing Pat luck in the great challenge that is meeting my Christmas Tradition expectations. Our wedding was in the summer. That just shows how well known my love for Christmas is. It's spoken about all the year round.

Living in this scorching desert can really put a strain on one's Christmas Spirit. Singing "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" in 80 degree weather just feels wrong. That is why traditions are so important. If all else fails, your traditions will bring you into the spirit, regardless if your pool is still warm enough to swim in. (We have passed that point finally).

My first tradition began when I started living on my own. The day after Thanksgiving can be a lonely one, why not take that opportunity to break out your favorite Christmas jammies, eat leftover Cinnamon Jello, turn up good ol' Bing Crosby and start decorating? And that is exactly what I do. About every 2 years my dad is here to help me hang the garland while my sister and Lisa go Black Friday shopping. Where is Pat during all this hubbub you ask? He works the day after Thanksgiving EVERY year with his job.

My tree is a fake tree that my mom used to use when us kids were still home. She inherited it from her husband's mother. It is the most REAL looking fake tree you will ever see. I believe it is from the 60's when fake trees were first being manufactured. There was no skimping on quality back then. So, the Saturday after Thanksgiving the tree goes up. This takes a good 6 hours or so because every branch is put in one by one by one. Then the lights go up. Then my Snowbaby collection. My mom bought be a Snowbaby every year for Christmas for a long as I can remember. I have most of them safely preserved in their original boxes until they are ready for the tree. After the Snowbabies, it is a free-for-all.

After the tree is lit, and I have warmed up my voice officially with Christmas tunes, Pat and I get to decorating the house with white lights. This is the Christmas purest in me. There is just something so nostalgic about white Christmas lights, green wreaths and red bows. It is classic Christmas. Saturday evening Pat gets out the ladder and the lights, I test them and hand them to him as he perfectly places them on the nails that we placed there our first Christmas in this house. Our neighbors walk by and listen to our Christmas music streaming from the garage and Lou lou, our pup, greets them with her increasing Christmas spirit. Nothing makes me happier than seeing our tree lit up in our window and our lights on the house. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas indeed. Every year our neighbors add a new element of lights to their house, so we follow suite... it's a growing competition tradition.

The next tradition comes from Pat's side of the family. Making sugar cookies. I was so excited when I became part of his family and I found out they had a Christmas tradition of their own. It was a Christmas miracle to me! Everyone meets at his grandmother's house and things are already in full swing. His grandma rolls out the dough perfectly, cuts out Christmas shapes - and whatever new shape her daughters have brought along with them from their recent trip to the antique shop. The cookies go in the oven, and Pat's mom pulls them out, no timer needed. She passes the scalding cookies onto us where we frost them and sprinkle them. Now, the rule is, you cannot eat these cookies until they are ALL done and divvied up to all the cookie helpers, unless it is broken. (Pat always seems to find the broken ones and pulls me into his dishonest games. I am not one to break rules, not around Christmas time. Do you think I want to end up on the naughty list? Not this girl).

Finally, my current last tradition occurs on Christmas Eve, and not until then. That is when I sit down with a sugar cookie, Christmas Jammies, a glass of Champagne and I watch "The Muppet Christmas Carol." I always hope to have company when I do this, but people either roll their eyes and have "something else to do," or fall asleep whilst watching. I am not sure how they are able to sleep because I am singing along at the top of my lungs, but they do *cough dad* *cough Pat*.

I am so looking forward to sharing these traditions with our little guy next Christmas and I am really excited about creating new ones too! I don't imagine he will be as big of a Christmas buff as I am, but I can't wait to see how excited he gets about Christmas lights, and singing in the car, and I am ESPECIALLY excited to have a buddy to watch The MCC with me. I want to go on the Grand Canyon Polar Express Train ride as soon as the babe is old enough.

Do you have any Christmas Traditions?

36 Weeks

I didn't know if I was going to write about this, but because this blog is also a form of documentation of our lives, I would like to reflect a bit on my feelings:

Next week our baby will be full term. He could come at any moment... and I am now undecided if I am ready. I read this quote today and it is really starting to resonate with me given the recent events in Newtown, Connecticut:

“Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” - Elizabeth Stone

I am terrified to let my "heart" outside of my body. If something were to ever happen to my son, I just don't know how I could go on, how I would ever breath again. I haven't even met him yet. I have many friends, cousins, and fellow bloggers with children that have all reacted to the horror of the event. Many of them encouraging homeschooling, and all of them crying. On one hand I don't feel like I can really grasp the magnitude and pain tragedy because I am still pregnant. But, on the other hand, my heart is now that of a parent's and I am full of sorrow for these families who have lost their babies at what should be the best, most magical time of year, especially for those with children.

But, the reality is, I can't keep our baby inside, safe forever. He will go out into the world. There will be dangers. There will be people who aren't nice. The best thing I can hope for is that he will always be a good person, and I can hope that he will never encounter someone that is out to harm others. I can teach him to know when to be brave and what brave means in a moment of crisis. 

But truly, I have to think and know how great will it be to have him out in the world with me and his dad. To actually be able to kiss his little toes and fingers. To cuddle and connect with "my heart" on the outside. I can't wait to see what he looks like. More and more I imagine a little Patrick curled up in a ball in my belly, just waiting to come out and see the world with his little big blue eyes. I am very grateful to have him in my life now, and I vow to do all I can to protect him from this cruel world, and teach him to protect himself as well. 

Currently

Craving: Water - lots and lots of water

Avoiding: Thinking I am in labor 

Ailments: Torn Tummy Muscles

Sleep: Actually getting some, as long as I cut back on the liquid intake around 5 o'clock.

Weight: Haven't weighed myself... 

Favorite thing about being pregnant: Being near the end

Least favorite thing: The feeling of a sunburned stomach - on the inside 

35 Weeks

I don't really feel like blogging today, but if I move from this spot I might just lose it.

I am certain that this baby is coming early. There is no way he is waiting the full 40 weeks. I am thinking he will come the weekend after Christmas. There is a full moon that weekend. Doesn't that make babies come? I saw it in a movie that the full moon makes women go into labor. Stay tuned.

Currently

Craving: Sugar cookies with icing

Avoiding: Thinking 

Ailments: Emotions

Sleep: Actually getting some, as long as I cut back on the liquid intake around 5 o'clock.

Weight: Haven't weighed myself... 

Favorite thing about being pregnant: Possibly getting out of jury duty tomorrow. Seriously, I have jury duty tomorrow. 

Least favorite thing: Emotions. 

34 Weeks

My co-worker that I mentioned in my last post had her baby this morning at 1 am. She is only 3 weeks ahead of me. If I have our Baby Haire in 3 weeks, he would be a Christmas baby.

Does it freak me out? Yes.
Does it make me excited? Yes.
Do I feel prepared? No. 

I need to pack my hospital bag... hell, I need to figure out what I need in my hospital bag. I need to rearrange the closet space in the baby's room, again. I need to pay the diaper service so they will deliver our first load of cloth diapers. But mostly, I need the baby to move his head down.

At my doctor appointment today, my doctor was surprised to feel that my little guy had not moved his head down. I am hoping his surprise came from the fact that the P.A. said his head was down (which she has told me for the last 2 weeks) and finding it slightly to the right and higher. My doctor said he should move down in the next week or so. Please baby, please get in the right position so we can do this the natural way!

I know my body is starting to prep itself for the birth of our little guy. I have been experiencing Braxton-Hicks for the last week. They were really intense over the weekend and still trickling in and out this week. The best thing to note about BH... they aren't regular. They will stop, go away, change. I have to tell myself this over and over, otherwise I would have Pat pull out his contraction-timing ap every day unnecessarily. (Isn't that neat? There is an ap for that! Couldn't be more accurate, right?)

My daily headache starts around 1 pm and I am exhausted by 2:30 pm every day. The cankles are an all day thing now. Coming from a girl that has always had bird legs, these are a strange thing to look down and see.

Speaking of cankles, Pat sprained his right ankle and has been out of work for a week now. His next doctor appointment is on Friday, so we are hoping he can get back to work on Monday and the sprain is healed. The bruising on his foot is quite gruesome, running all the way up to his toesies. I try to take care of him, but he is a guy. They are either completely pitiful (day one of the sprain) or frustratingly stubborn (the rest of his life). But, I love him all the same, and I will take care of him whenever he will let me. But honestly, this was a rough week with both of us having to elevate our legs. Who is going to cook dinner?

On a happy happy happy note: I got my Solly Baby wrap!!! It was the one thing I bought on Black Friday because they were having such a great deal! I have been practicing with my American Girl baby... not sure I have got it just yet.

Currently

Craving: Fudgecicles and homemade chocolate chip cookies

Avoiding: Raw vegetables and spicy things - also, standing. 

Ailments: Headaches, body aches, daily

Sleep: Only on the weekends or if Pat sleeps on the couch

Weight: 151

Favorite thing about being pregnant: People smile at you all the time.

Least favorite thing: Not being able to breathe or catch my breath after walking from the bedroom to the kitchen.

33 Weeks

I have a friend and work that is 3 weeks further along than me. She could pop at anytime now. And guess what? She still wears 3" heels to work. She has her hair done and make up on... every day. She makes this whole pregnancy thing look easy. Glamorous even. Yes, sometimes she walks out of her office and shows me the occasional swollen foot, but, that doesn't make me feel any better about my unbrushed hair in a top knot, or the bags that are getting continuously darker under my eyes that I don't even attempt to cover with makeup anymore. She is trying to make me feel better that I feel like shit and all the while she is a walking marvel!

Even though I may complain about how I look... and feel. I have this new found inner strength that comes with being a mom... Mama Bear syndrome I think they call it. I am VERY vocal about my opinions, things that do and don't affect me. I tell the Dr. what I think may be wrong with me (in which case I am usually wrong and paranoid). I have been using my horn in my car more. "Can't you see I am pregnant, idiot?" I yell at fools through my windshield. No, they can't. (Embarrassingly, I honked at an old on her scooter just 2 days ago). When people come around me and start telling me they feel like they are getting the flu, I want to fall backwards out of my chair and then karate chop them in the neck! "Can't you see I am pregnant, idiot?" I want to say. I don't.

But I think it is amazing, this new inner strength that I have found. I will do anything and everything in my power to protect my little boy. Pat is even more protective. 2 weeks ago at our monthly Dr. appointment our Physician's Assistant was showing me how to feel the baby's head. Pat immediately jumped out of his chair and wanted to be part of this party. So the PA showed him how to put his fingers around our little one's head. I am not even sure he felt it. He  is so afraid to put too much pressure on my belly that he freaks out if I push on my belly to get the beeb to move. If I am being honest, I think our little one is grateful for his protective father. After we were feeling his head, there was a HUGE swiping movement across my belly as if he were saying "Leave me alone!"

Now, we are at 33 weeks, with only 7 more to go. We have a lot on our list of things to do before the baby's grand entrance into this world. But you know what we did get done? Our maternity pictures! Here is a sneak peak in video format - created by Mrs. B. Kim herself. She will be blogging about it, when she gets some time away from her school graduation, and upcoming trip to New York. (Doesn't she rock?) Anyway, enjoy.

Emily and Pat Maternity from Brianna Kim on Vimeo.

Is time on my side?

At the beginning of our pregnancy, time wouldn't go fast enough. There were always things to look forward to: the first ultrasound, surviving the first trimester, finding out the gender, first movements to be felt, and the baby shower. These important events could not come quickly enough for us.

Well, we have hit all those landmarks, and the baby shower is this weekend. Now, with only 15 more weeks until we meet our baby boy, the next thing to look forward to is the maternity photo shoot, setting up the nursery, and finally, having the baby.

To be quite honest, I am terrified to go from two to three in our family. Pat and I work quite well with just the two of us. Our communication skills are impeccable and we have a lot of the same goals and ideas about what we want our life to be.

About 8 months ago we decided that path we wanted to travel down was the path of parents. But now, with our due date sneaking up on us, I am trying to slow things down a little. I want to savor every last moment I have where it is just me and him. Where we have time to look into each others eyes in bed on weekend mornings. Where we stay up late and watch Harry Potter until we fall asleep on the couch. Where we have no other responsibility but ourselves. (and of course all of Pat's to-do lists).

Will we remember what these moments feel like?

These next 15 weeks are going to fly by. These upcoming days, along with prepping for our little guy, Pat and I are going to refocus on us because we are the core of this family. We need to ensure our strength in our relationship will remain strong enough to support the addition of one! (I am confident it is).

Here I am at 25 weeks in my autumnal garb.

 

Currently

Craving: Cinnamon Rolls

Avoiding: Raw bell peppers and raw onions

Ailments: Heartburn & migraines

Sleep: Not much

Weight: 135 (still)

Favorite thing about being pregnant: Feeling our wee one move with excitement when he hears Pat arrive home.

Least favorite thing: Not being able to sleep through the night because of the constant night time bathroom trips, and difficulty rolling over.

A Changing Body

I remember at one point in my life saying "I can't wait to be pregnant and have that giant belly!" and "Pregnancy is beautiful." Well, insert foot in mouth. I don't think I am physically cut out for this pregnancy thing, and truthfully, I don't think I have been any uglier.When we got pregnant I weighed 120. The addition of this mis-proportioned weight is really starting to take its toll on my body and therefore zapping me of all energy.

Please don't mistake me. I am very excited about meeting our baby boy and I am thrilled with everything our future holds... even the teenage years. And I DO love feeling him move around inside me. In fact, I can't wait for when he will do it more regularly... however, I am sure I will be eating those words as well.

Last week my back pain was nearly unbearable. My pelvis and back were not in line I am sure of it. My pelvis was more like in my hip and the pain in my hips made me long for a girdle, just to put things back in place, for an hour, that's all I ask. I wear my chacos as much as I can because they have GREAT arch support. I slip them on while cooking and if I have to run errands. But, people in AZ don't realize how AWESOME they are, so I reserve wearing them for myself only. Usually.

Pictured with Big Toe Straps tucked under socks... that is even too much for me. Yikes. 

As for my belly, I do like that. (Minus the addition of the dark hair that has taken over my "happy trail"). I don't have to worry about my shirt being too tight and showing that I just had a large lunch. No, I get to look like that all day... and I get to relax. No more sucking in! I just didn't realize that my uterus itself would be so uncomfortable. Anytime I move a direction it doesn't like, or stand up too quickly, I feel like my insides are tearing into pieces. Ligament pains I am told.

Sorry for the REALLY bad cell pic. Really bad. 

And today, today I came home sick with some stomach thing that has been going on for 2 days now. The fear of things affecting our baby consumes me. This whole listeria thing REALLY freaks me out. Now that my stomach has been icky, and my body is achy, I have to think back to everything I have eaten and if I went out of the "Safe Foods" zone. Thank goodness I haven't.

I am still waiting for that "great hair" everyone talks about that happens during pregnancy. My hair is the worst it has ever been. Maybe it is the opposite with me. It is heavy and blah. All I can do with it is wear it wet on the way to work, pray the AZ heat zaps it of all its moisture before arriving at the office, and then put it in a top knot or French-braid by the end of the day. I am not exaggerating here... it is really bad. I have actually considered wearing my blonde Halloween wig that I pulled out of the closet last week. Also, I do not wear make-up anymore. I have barely enough energy to swing my legs out of bed in the morning and put my contacts in. Make-up is just 1 step too far during the week. I always promised myself I would never French-braid my hair and not wear make-up while pregnant. I promised myself that looking good would still be a priority. Well, here I am people... full of lies.

My yabos are definitely getting bigger, and for a girl with too big of yabos as it is, I am starting to get the upper back pain. I am finally accepting the fact that I need to get a bigger bra. But then there is that challenge. I REALLY hate bra shopping. Nothing makes me crankier. So. I decided not to bra shop and just pick 2 bras up on Zulily, my new favorite place to shop, from my couch. From everything I have read, "they" say to forgo regular "fashion" bras and go on ahead and get the nursing bras. So, that is what I did. In all truth, these bras have more lace on them than my current ones. (is this concerning to anyone else?) I have also read that my rib cage is going to expand 2"+ during my pregnancy, so I went 1 size up all together. If they don't work, well... I will staple them until they do. Because they will work.

My rump seems to be growing too, but not in a good way, not in the perky young butt way. I seem to be getting that "mom-butt" thing... but I get I am in "mom" territory now. I just need to start wearing the Levis 550s and I will be looking mighty sexay. My thighs are following suit. It's all one nice saddle bag package.
I have only gained about 15 lbs. Let's see where the rest of the weight is going to go in the next 3 months and how I will feel then.

I should say that is my perspective on my changing body. Pat sees a completely different image. He looks like there is light from heaven shining on my growing belly every time he sees it. Every morning he asks if it has grown and how IT is doing. He is mystified by the belly and doesn't seem to notice any other strange bumps that are starting to form on my behind body. And that is why he is a great husband. I can be ugly as sin and he would still say that my elbows look lovely. Or something along those lines.

Fall Fall Fall

I know it is cliche to blog about fall. In fact, I think it is now cliche to say it is cliche. How does one keep up?
When I lived in Idaho, my favorite season was summer. Also, I was in school the whole time I lived in Idaho. Summer meant family rafting trips and sleeping in. Now, summer is a scalding hell. But that is Arizona for you.
We are finally coming to an end of our indoor season. The last 2 summers we spent the days in the pool drinking and drinking and playing silly pool games, like handstand contests and diving for coins. Summer was like a permanent vacation... as long as we were in the pool. This summer I tried to play in the pool. But there is only so much fun to be had on my pool toys without an adult beverage in hand.  The sun just felt hot and I wasn't up for the sun damage. (My liver is thanking this baby). My growing belly made my bikini bottoms fit strangely and frankly I am not a skinny dipper.

Now that September is upon us, and the Weather channel claims we are out of the 100 degree weather it is time to start sipping on Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks and burning Harvest Candles.

Tonight my sister sent me a Tweet about the delicious Apple Cider tea she had made for the evening and how it makes her think of me. This year she is getting a real fall as she has moved back to our beloved home state. Leaves will change for her, crisp mornings will welcome her for her morning runs, and socks will be calling her name. This is the first year I haven't started in on my fall kick with her. This time of year, usually meant craft time and coffee talk for the two of us. She is usually the one to hold me back from decorating too early, which I am prone to do. But, it is practically mid-September and I will be pulling out my boxes marked "Fall" and changing the look of the house this weekend.
This also means the holiday season will be upon us in no time and I need to start prepping. I don't know what kind of mood or condition I will be in as the weeks continue to pass.

We are at 22.5 weeks tomorrow. My how time is flying.

2 Weeks Ago

I have a tough time sleeping. Apparently it is difficult to sleep when you are pregnant, given the constant peeing in the middle of the night, the inability to get comfortable, snoring dog and husband, etc... Strangely I have found that it is easier to wake up in the morning, however. Now, that doesn't mean that I function any better during the day, it just means I had enough time to put make up on in the morning, maybe do something a little more than a French-braid with my hair.

But, that is just the beginning of it. We bought a new-to-us 4 Runner from a guy on Craig's List. It was the best deal we had found. So, Pat and I jumped in my sweet ride to check this rig out. I stayed in my car because I don't trust people who sell things on Craig's List. Ever heard of the Craig's List Murderer??? Anywho, this is a decision I regret because after Pat drove it around, tested out the 4 Wheel Drive and windows, he gave the guy some moola and we were on our way.

When we got home I took it for a little test drive myself. It runs just fine! Then I was slapped in the face by a funk. The kind of funk that is only one thing... Cat Spray. Immediately Pat and I stripped our stank-ass clothes off and bathed. Then we took a whole tub of Clorox Wipes and wiped down all the hard surfaces (I gave up after a few minutes 'cause it was too hot for my pregnant ass).

I got onto Pinterest where I had read something about deodorizing a mattress. Here. Now, please know this was FULLY a temporary solution. We bought new seats for the 4 Runner last week. So I mixed together baking soda and lavender oil and dumped it all over the driver seat. That is where the worst of it was.

I think, had I gotten out to check out the car, I might have put the kabosh on buying the car. There are just some stanks that shouldn't be messed with. Cat spray being one of them.

Naturally, we started a load of laundry to wash our stinky cat-pee clothes and then started to get ready to go out for a bite. Pat was working on printing out the temporary license plate while I was putting my shoes on. As I walked back to the office to see if he was ready to go, I discovered a pool of water in the hallway. I yelled for Pat, who came splashing out of the office and nearly slipped and fell to his ultimate demise. He quickly shut off the washing machine, yelling profanities all the while.
40 towels and an hour later, we left the house. Pat deserved a beer.

After a great, stress relieving dinner, we returned home and Pat finally was able to tape his temporary license plate to the back window of the stink-mobile and I was giving the dog some water. That is when I noticed CJ playing with something black and slithery on the tile. At first glance I thought it was a worm. No. It wasn't a worm. It was a baby snake. I screamed several times, but Pat was outside. I flailed my arms around and ran out the front door, fearing for a moment that since I had taken my eyes off the serpent it would surely make its way into my bed. I yelled out the front door to Pat about the emergency- flailing my arms all the while. He came in, pushed CJ out of the way (which she was none-too-happy about) and stomped on the snake over and over and over and over. Then he picked it up and put it in the garbage disposal.

This is not at all what I expected him to do. Please note that this snake really was the size of a tiny worm... not even big enough to be fish bait. But, apparently, Pat hates snakes, and I am apparently newly terrified of them. They are second to scorpions, which are really like alien creatures. Anyhow, I was still shocked at his stomping. I thought he would pick it up with a tissue or something and put it outside. But, surely it would find its way back in.

Let's move on. This is giving me the willies.

At 9:00 pm that night Pat said I was out of emergency yells. Why am I always the one who discovers them???

With all this happening, I had to ask Pat if he had done anything bad to make the karmic beating justifiable. Neither of us can think of anything. So, I have decided we must smudge the house! Now to find a sage smudge stick in the East Valley. Anyone know of a place?

I am so grateful to have Pat as my husband. A guy who isn't afraid of hard work, a challenge or a little snake stomping. I have been hit hard with allergies this month and have been really low on motivation/energy. Oh, also, I am growing a baby inside of me. That takes some effort too. Pat really has to take on the brunt of all the heavy lifting here. He has to be motivated when all I want to do is lay on the couch. I give him a gold star for all he does.

Our Blue Moon Baby

I am not really sure if it was the full moon, the Blue Moon, or the music, but something got into our little one last night. Pat and I went to bed extra early because we haven't been feeling caught up on our sleep. Well, let's face it, I never do. I would sleep for 12+ hours a night if I could.We crawled into bed around 8:30 pm and started listening to some tunes on YouTube. With my iPad resting in my lap we checked out this gal, Beach House, that my bff told me about earlier in the evening.

Which then led us to rocking out a little to one of Pat's favorites, The Lumineers: Stubborn Love 

And Ho Hey

At that point, our little guy started moving and groovin' right along with the beats of the song. It was the first time we could visibly see my stomach moving. I was laughing so hard at the strangeness of it all. It was like he was doing DDR in the womb! Finally I simmered down and just watched our baby do his thing.

I hope he comes out liking music as much as he appears to right now.

It was a great way to spend the first night of our long labor day weekend. 


Also, in the "Stubborn Love" vid, at 1:08 - I am thinking of chopping my hair that short... giving it a month to decide for sure. Thoughts? Feelings?

Oh Boy!

We are having a little boy!
We found out on Tuesday afternoon. Initially the ultrasound tech wasn't 100%, but then the little guy started moving and flipping around. Then there was the proof!
I just stared at the screen, dumbfounded, with a smile on my face. A huge smile on my face. Pat was my mirror image. Pat immediately thought about buying baseball mitts and golf clubs for our little boy.

Earlier that morning Pat was walking around in his pjs with bed head. At that moment I thought to myself, "I hope we have a boy." I would love to see the two of them... hair sticking up and sleepy eyes eating cereal.

It is nice to know that our little one is a boy. I feel like knowing the gender has created more of a connection between us and the baby, being able to call him by his name. If I am being honest... initially, it was difficult to create a connection with our baby. Fear had gotten the best of us in the early stages. We couldn't bare to have our hearts broken again by a loss.

But now is the time to make our connection! He can hear us now. He is moving like crazy and making sure that we know it! Pat and I are growing closer together every day and constantly talking about the baby and the size of my growing belly. Pat has felt the kicks through my belly and I am trying to savor every moment of sharing my body with our child and remember everything I am feeling.

On that note: My ring finger is rejecting my wedding rings. This is apparently a common occurrence in pregnancy, allergies to metal. I have a red ring around my finger now that feels like a burn. So, I walked around ringless for a day and I felt naked for the whole time So today I dug out an old ring that my old college roommate and I bought in hopes to thwart off boys. (Ya, we were real lookers in college). The size of the ring was absolutely ridiculous, but it made me feel a little less nude.
I am hoping this reaction to gold doesn't stick around for the whole pregnancy, or after.

A Confounded Miracle

DISCLAIMER- PARENTS, GUYS and SENSITIVE FOLK- This may be a little more graphic than you would like. Please don't read on if you don't want to know about girl stuff.

I don't know if you have done the math or not, but, spoiler alert, this baby was conceived less than a week after we lost our first. (Don't worry, I won't get into the details of it.) Truly, I started to worry about the possibility of being pregnant again after I hadn't started my period for 6 weeks after the loss. I didn't think it was REALLY possible to have gotten pregnant that quickly. But, I remember what my Dr. said, "It would confound things, but it is possible."
Typically, the doctors and the internet tell you to wait for a month, maybe two after your first normal period before you start trying again. Pat and I thought we would even wait longer than that. We weren't sure that we were ready to try again, and in the worse case scenario, lose again. Pat was just starting school and life seemed to be getting a little hectic for us. Would we have time for a baby? Best to wait, we thought.
On Thursday, May 10th at 2 pm I called the nurse's line at my Doctor's office to let them know I hadn't started my period yet. I was a little crampy, (but I don't believe in cramps as a sign of a period anymore. That means your ass is pregnant!) It had been 6 weeks and it should have started by then. The first thing the nurse asks me is "Have you had unprotected sex?" I lied straight through my teeth! It was just that one time... and it was so soon after, I couldn't have been ovulating. She will never know about it."If it doesn't start in the next week, come in and we will have to jump start it." I agreed. I still don't know what it means to "jump start it." Besides, I knew at that moment it wouldn't have to come to that. I was knocked up.
I called Pat on my way home from an unproductive day of work and told him I needed to take a pregnancy test. Much like the first, he said to wait a few days. Ladies, if you think you should take a test, take it. You are probably right. I got home, dug under my bathroom sink to find my last pregnancy test. Pat wasn't home yet... but there was no waiting. I had to know, and I had to know right then. It didn't take 2 seconds to show that it was positive. I snorted out of my nose in disbelief.
Just then I heard the garage door open. Then I heard voices. Pat was talking to the neighbor. I nonchalantly went out to say "hello" and when the conversation was done, told Pat I needed to show him something. I lead him into our bathroom and showed him the stick. He looked at the directions again, making sure to decode the symbols correctly.
We sat and talked about it, trying to disprove the test. I thought maybe it was just hCG left in my body from our first. But I knew that wasn't the case. I had just gotten the phone call telling me it was negative past zero.
I still waited a week before making a doctor's appointment. May 21st I went to a new doctor's office and sure enough... I was pregnant again. No missed period date to go by... we were confounded indeed. We assumed I was about 4 weeks pregnant.
They took my blood to check my hCG levels again. I received a phone call later that day with the test results. The Nurse Practitioner was worried because the levels seemed very high for just being 4 weeks pregnant at 15,300. The Nurse said it could be one of two things, twins or a molar pregnancy. I needed to get in for an ultrasound as soon as possible. I made an appointment for that Thursday. It was the soonest I could get into the imaging center.
For nearly two days I sat and stewed on the fact that we were either having twins or I was going to have to go through a loss all over again with a molar pregnancy. I did the research, molar pregnancies are incredibly rare. I think the statistic is 1 in 1000 pregnancies are molar, but that was all I could think about. Grapes in my uterus.
That Thursday, with a WAY too full bladder I got up on the ultrasound bed and the tech couldn't find anything. My heart was racing and sinking, I had been here before, but I needed to keep my hopes up. The tech told me to empty my bladder, then empty it again. Her awesome attitude made this stressful moment a little easier. When I returned we had to look from the inside. She was quiet and didn't say much while she was peeking around my insides. Then, finally, breaking the rules of Ultrasound Techs everywhere, she turned the screen towards me and pointed to it. There it was. One little fluttering heartbeat. Just one. And it was perfect. I didn't cry like I thought I was going to. I just laid there, relieved.
The tech printed me two pictures and sent me on my way. I called Pat, and we both sat on the phone, relieved. Then shocked. Then nervous. It was hard to be excited at this point. The feeling we kept coming back to was relief.      
The ultrasound came back saying we were 6 or 7 weeks pregnant. That is why the hCG levels seemed so high. They were right on par with where they should be. The baby had a heartbeat and things seemed to be progressing just fine.
Fast forward to 18 almost 19 weeks pregnant. Everything is going great so far. We have already felt the baby move. In fact, I felt it with my hand today! This is a tough little bugger inside of me. And I am so thankful for that.

3.5 more days until we find out if it is a boy or a girl!

5 Days: He or She

I am trying to decide if I want a boy or a girl, and in my indecisiveness, I have decided I can't decide. There are so many amazing things to look forward to if we have a boy or a girl.

If we have a girl, I want to wrap her little curls around my finger in the morning, and when her hair is long enough, I will French braid it and understand that it does hurt to brush her hair. So we will use "No More Tears" for shampoo so it will tangle less. She will wear ruffle butt diapers just like I did and wear clothes with fruit on them. She will cuddle with her daddy at night and bake with her Aunt Teldi.

If we have a boy, he will have the bluest eyes and blondest hair, just like his dad. He will hold my hand because I am the most special person in his life, and he will tell me jokes that he makes up just to make me smile. He will learn how to fix a car and throw a baseball with his dad. He will want to build things and play with Lou Dog, as long as she will let him. He will never want to wear shoes, and scrape up his knees because he plays so hard. His Uncle Jake will show him all the awesome cartoons and read him books, and Uncle Bo will teach him to be extra tough!

I don't have any real expectations of my child. I haven't created any goals for him or her. I just want the bebe to be happy, feel the love that Pat and I offer, and see the world how Pat and I saw it as children. A playground. I know the bebe will surprise me everyday and my heart will fill with joy every time he/she discovers something new.

So, to my baby boy, or baby girl, I can't wait to meet you and be part of the happiness you are going to give to your family.

5 more days until we know.

What's in a name?

It's no surprise that we have a name that demands a little attention. Before meeting my sweet, I had never heard the last name Haire. People always try to make it different than it really is. For example, when we began our friendship with the Kims, TK decided to pronounce it "as the French would" Hair-Ay. The check out boy at the grocery says "Hire." Nope. It is what it is, and we are proud of it - Haire.

As soon as we announced we were pregnant, people wanted to know the names we are planning on, and they made sure to tell us that we need to be careful because kids will tease him/her if we give the beeb an outrageous name. As if we haven't already thought about that. Any parent needs to think about that really. Well, sorry kid. It is going to be rough at one point or another. But, hopefully, you will be tough like your father and never let it phase you.

In fact, Pat cannot remember a time when kids were mean to him about his name. He was always too nice a guy for people to treat him badly. People do come up with some "playful" nicknames though. My sister calls Pat "Pit Haire," for example. But that surely isn't the worst of it.

Proud as we may be, now comes the hard part. What to name the wee one?
If the beeb is a boy, we can't name him after our maternal grandfathers.

Peter   or    Richard

Do you see the dilemma?



With our last name comes a sense of humor, thick skin, and a very strong family. I hope our unborn baby is growing strong physically, and when the beeb joins us in the world, we will teach the art of humor and love to ensure he/she feels the pride that we do to be a Haire.

Only 15 more days until we know if we will be naming a boy or naming a girl!

We're Pregnant

We found out the news that we are pregnant a few months ago. But, we were holding in the news until we were safely past the 12 week mark... today we are 16.5 weeks pregnant! And it is a mere 19 days until we find out if we are having a boy or a girl beeb... The reason I haven't blogged about it isn't because I have been praying to the porcelain gods due to morning sickness, and it isn't because I am sleeping all the time (although I have been doing plenty of that). It's because I was waiting to do a preggo photo shoot with my very good friend Bri and use the stellar photos to announce the pregnancy. But, comic-con got in the way, then there was a sinus infection, visitors, and the need to do a puzzle in my undies (don't ask). So, I have decided to go ahead and blog about it. Officially.If you follow me on Twitter or IG, you probably already know, but stay tuned for some shameless cellphone photos.

Normally I don't like looking at other people's ultrasound pictures. They freak me out mostly. But this isn't other people's ultrasound pictures, this is MY ultrasound picture, and quite frankly, I think it is adorable. This is our ultrasound at 12 weeks. Still a little bean but we could see some definition! It actually looks like a baby! (In the first ultrasound, the beeb looked like an astronaut! You could still see the yolk sack, which acted as an astronaut helmet.) Pat was able to come with me to the 2nd and it was amazing watching him. He picked out the heartbeat before the Ultrasound tech could get a word in. He stood at the end of the bed and held onto my foot, squeezing it  with excitement occasionally.

My belly is popping out finally, but still mostly looks like a drink too much wine (which, to be clear, has ceased completely).

July 12th was the first day I wore maternity clothes officially, the day before my birthday! The dress is from Old Navy and I wish they had it in every color so I could wear one every day! It is the most comfortable piece of clothing I have right now. It goes to my ankles, which I think will come in handy when I am no longer able to shave my legs because of protruding belly. Who am I kidding? I never shave my legs anyway. Maxi dresses to the rescue!

Today: I am looking super pregnant, but, I am not going to lie... that could be a little bit of pizza bloat. But, I am getting bigger and bigger every day. These are the only pants that I can still fit into. And on another note, it is VERY difficult to take self-baby bump pictures. Mad props to Melissa who makes it looks so effortless!
I asked Pat to take my photo today too. I wanted to have my top knot in the picture because it is totally rockin'. Second day curly hair, if prepared right, is the best way to do a top knot.

Still garbage! Look at my posture... I will get better about this! And hopefully, when Bri and I are able to do our photo shoot, and hopefully video (check out this dope piece of work), I will have the poses down and have the posture of a lady!

Smile Darn Ya Smile!

“Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important.” ― Janet Lane

This idea goes hand in hand with being able to change our moods because we are absolutely in control of our thoughts, feelings and in turn, our mood. When I was in high school I came into my drama class pissed off at the world and another student said, "If you are aware of the situation, change it." I don't know where he heard that from, or if it was an original thought, but it is always something that has stuck with me. Now, whether or not I can quickly change my mood is another thing. But, because he said this, I take ownership of my mood, good or bad.

I also believe moods are like chalk on chalkboard, they easily can rub off on others. Your tears can easily become another's tears, laughter is contagious and smiles rub off on others too.

Because of this, I have been trying to be aware of my mood, or at least my expression, and how it rubs off on others. A smile goes a long way! If I am feeling absolutely down in the dumps I am careful not to put that on the outside. People are dealing with their own lives. I don't know what news they woke up with. But! If I can send out a smile their way, and that person smiles back, maybe I made a difference for a moment of someone's rough day.

So, perhaps you should test this out too. Give a stranger a smile and maybe you will brighten their day! 

Top Ten Things I Love: About Lou Lou

For my second installation of my Top Ten Things I have chosen to write about my puppy, who is not a puppy at all.

TOP TEN THINGS I LOVE ABOUT LOU LOU

1. She is the sweetest, calmest dog I have ever come across. (Ask anyone, they will agree).
2. She gets little bouts of energy and attacks her toys, but she never pulls the stuffing out of them.
3. She hates swimming in the pool but loves swimming in lakes and rivers.
4. She prefers to sleep on our bed rather than hers, careless of the lack of leg room she leaves me.
5. She cries with joy when we get home, regardless of the amount of time we have been away.
6. She doesn't want you to help her play with her toys, she just prances and showing them off.
7. She is terrified of the cat 99.9% of the time, but if she is feeling extra playful she might dart at her for a second before she realizes what she is doing.
8. She knows when something is wrong and she is always willing to cuddle.
9. She hates going for walks and sits down 20 yards from the house... this is really embarrassing at the moment, but adorable at the same time.
10. She will do anything for a treat.

Pat got her when she was a puppy and loved her immediately. While the rest of the pups in the litter were jumping around being playful, she sat in the corner looking concerned and he knew she was his. And she is his. She REALLY is daddy's little girl, but I like to think she has a soft spot for me too. She always comes back to bed if I am still sleeping. I would say I am the nice one in her eyes, but I have to be the one that takes her to get her nails trimmed (her 2nd most hated thing... besides walks/car rides) which is why Pat makes me do it.

Do you have a special relationship with your pet and know all their quirks?

Grand Re-Opening: Fuchsia

This past Christmas, the company I work for helped a group called The Sunshine Angels provide Christmas Gifts to 2 Group Homes. These homes house about 10 foster children each. All these kids have been rescued by CPS from abuse and/or neglect. Since then our Company has continued to support the Sunshine Angels' cause; to help these kids understand that they are loved and cared about unconditionally!

The Sunshine Angels have started "The Angel's Closet" that holds gently used donated clothing. A lot of the children that come to these homes come without any belongings, and that can include shoes, or a normal every day outfit. This is something many of us could never fathom. After meeting this kids, I feel very fortunate for my closet full of clothes and shoes and accessories. I also keep a bag in my closet that I fill with clothes that I don't want, don't fit, or are out of style. As soon as this bag is filled, and I have gone through my husband's closet, I donate it to the Sunshine Angels for "their" kids.

They need clothing of all sizes as the children range from 7-19 years old. Boys and Girls!

So, if you have done your bit of spring cleaning and have clothes to donate, please come on down to the Fuchsia Grand Reopening! They are accepting all donations for The Sunshine Angels! And, while you are there, enjoy discounted services, giveaways and much more! I hope to see you there!!!

Celebrate Our New Space with Us: May 18th, 4pm – 7pm We invite you to celebrate our Grand Re-Opening in our new space — Fuchsia style! You don't want to miss this opportunity to checkout some of the new services we are now offering and earn your chance to win a variety of special giveaways. Plus, all Fuchsia Members and the first 25 guests in the door will receive a goody bag packed with little luxuries. THE DETAILS When: Friday, May 18th, 4pm – 7pm Where: Fuchsia Spa’s new location — Village Square at Dana Park Shopping Center, 1822 S. Val Vista Dr., #103 Mesa, Arizona 85204 What: A celebratory event hosted by Fuchsia. We will be offering lite bites, beverages, discounted spa service packages, prizes, complimentary blowout styles from the “look-book”, hot-trending nail design applications, lip and chin waxing, chair massages and facial demonstrations. RSVP: All members and guests welcome. Free to attend — just enjoy the evening, relax and allow us to dote on you! Please RSVP via email to: rsvp@fuchsiaspa.com please include your name, number of guests you will be bringing and if you are a Fuchsia member. Reservations are requested by Wednesday, May 16, 2012. Stay connected with us on Facebook » Giving Back to The Community: Sunshine Angels Our Grand Re-Opening Celebration is also the perfect opportunity to give a little back to our wonderful community. Fuchsia Spa supports Sunshine Angels, a Valley non-profit, that sponsors more than 250 tweens that have been rescued from their troubled homes by Child Protective Services. During our celebration, we invite you to bring items that will make a positive impact on these young lives, such as boxers/bikini underwear, jeans, t-shirts, belts, socks, shampoo, feminine products, wash clothes, cleaning products, etc. We will have a drop box to collect all of your thoughtfulness. Learn more about Sunshine Angels » Book an Appointment Did you know that you can book your next Fuchsia service online? It's easy: Book an Appointment Forward to a Friend Share the love. Forward this email to a friend: Forward

Fuchsia and the Fuchsia Logo are registered trademarks of Owens-Hall & Vukonich, LLC. Fuchsia - 1854 S Val Vista Drive, Suite 108, Mesa, AZ 85204 - 480-813-7465 www.fuchsiaspa.com

A time to heal...

With every tragedy there has to be a time to mourn and a time to heal.

Pat and I have been doing just that, in very different ways. He has started making big changes for himself by signing up for school and absorbing himself in house projects. He is working so hard to make our future a little brighter by improving all things he has control of.

I, on the other hand, have been healing by distraction. First it was watching TV and feeling numb. Then it was watching TV to cry. I watched "A Baby Story" for 3 hours one day. Some may feel that is a mistake, but I think it is one of the best things I did. I learned about a couple that lost their baby at 35 weeks! Although they were terribly distraught, they not only tried (and succeeded) again for a baby, but they also started a program in their 1st baby's name for families that had suffered a miscarriage or still-born.

That was something that moved me forward towards healing. There has to be something good that comes out of the bad. I am still working on that "good thing," but it will come.

In the mean time, I had the luxury to spend time with my close friends and sister this last weekend and it really was nice to feel like some of the "gloom" was lifted from around me. We all shared laughs and smiles and I was even fortunate enough to meet some new great friends at the Arizona Blogger Conference that The PHX Style Collective put together.

Everyone was running around in their most stylish gear snapping photos of the beautiful Saguaro Hotel. Instead of doing that, I was being the silent observer, enjoying strangers' company and feeling relief that Bri was the only person that knew what I had recently gone through. That night was a night of moving forward.

Here is the one photo I stole from Bri, taken by Sarah from Chicks Who Give a Hoot, who coincidentally happens to be the funniest person I met all night!

So to everyone who attended, that may or may not pop by my blog, thanks for the great night and helping this girl smile!

Digging this Jam

Until it is over played on the radio I am sure...

1 in 4...

On March 27th we found out that we were going to have a baby... Little baby Haire. We were so excited! So ready. We started preparing ourselves and our house for our child. We only told our families as our doctor instructed because after our first ultrasound there would only be a 5% chance of miscarriage. Then we could tell everyone.

The day before that day, the day we were going to be sure there was only a 5% chance would wouldn't meet our little one, the Monday after Easter, I woke up feeling off. I laid in bed longer than I should have and fortunately Pat came home on his break to find me in bed, concerned. I had gone to the bathroom and there was spottiing... then came the cramping. He reacted as a concerned husband and would be father should. He called the doctor immediately. He had to get back to his route, so me and baby were on our own.

We went to the doctor in a matter of minutes. The doctor said he thought everything was okay but wanted to move the ultrasound up and see if we could hear the heartbeat that day. He also gave me a RhoGAM shot as I am B-.  As luck would have it I wasn't able to have the ultrasound onsite because of some shitty insurance issue. And so, I came home and sat, festering for 3 hours. Trying to distract myself, trying not to imagine the very worst. But it was no use. 1:30 pm could not come soon enough.

I arrived at the new, strange facility for the ultrasound. The front desk girls were not warm like the ones at my doctor and immediately I was sure something was wrong. I went into the dark cold room where the tech was training someone on the new machine. They talked tech the entire time knowing what they were looking at but leaving me to swim in my negative thoughts. I have seen enough movies to know when I should be hearing the heart beat, the heartbeat that is supposed to beat twice as fast of my own.

Pat was on his route thinking of me and the baby. We aren't a religious couple, but in times of need Pat talks to his grandfather who passed away 2 years ago. He didn't hear anything back, not a feeling or thought came to him. He came to the next intersection where someone had scrawled out "I love you"  in chalk across it. Then he knew. It seemed our hearts broke simultaneously.

We lost the baby.

This is undoubtedly the most terrible thing that has ever happened to us. These past two weeks I have been trying to search my soul for strength, guidance, and direction. I still have not found them, if I am being honest, nothing but distraction has helped me.

For the entire life of this blog I wanted it to be a fun place, with happy tales and love stories, but I wanted to share this story because I had no idea that something like this would ever happen to Pat and me. We did everything right. I stopped drinking coffee and eating lunch meat, resting when my body required it. I was taking prenatal vitamins a month prior to conception. But still it happened. It happens to 1 in 4 pregnancies. I was not prepared for a miscarriage.

1 in 4 pregnancies.

I don't want to rain on anyone's parade. Pregnancy is a wonderful and exciting time! And I truly pray that no one goes through what Pat and I have gone through. I just hope this helps someone that may go through a similar tragedy. I just wish someone had prepared me that the loss was more probable than I ever knew.

The physical pain of losing the baby was more than I expected. "Just a normal to heavy period," the doctor said. The 2 am contractions were so painful I found myself screaming out, trying to put my body into a position that would release some pressure. Nothing helped, all I could do was meditate and wait for the pain to stop.

The emotional pain and literal emptiness... feels endless.

Now Pat and I are growing, supporting each other and hopeful for the future and our future family. But, we will always remember our "Baby B."

How does your garden grow?

When I was 13 or 14 my mom and step-dad bought an old farm house that had an acre or two of land behind it. My mother, having a green thumb, planted a HUGE garden. There was corn, various kinds of squash, tomatoes, and all sorts or fun things. I never helped her with the garden because I thought I had more important things to do... like talk on the phone, or drive my sweet Blazer around town. That was back when gas was a whooping $1.14 a gallon. Remember the days? I digress. Looking back now, I wish I would have helped my mom in the garden. Not only because it would have been the nice thing to do, but because I have this new fascination with gardening. I blame it on my neighbors, and the Fabulous Beekman Boys. 
But really, ever since I moved to Arizona, I dreamed of having a garden. First I lived in an apartment, so I had flower pots that dried up and shriveled in a rapid fashion. Later I moved in with Mr. P. Funk into his town house. We had little pots full of basil and mint. The mint died, but the basil thrived.
Finally when we purchased this home, I had room for a garden. We have lived here for about a year and a half and the Mr. built me my garden last week!
It was my job to move the rocks out of the way for the raised bed. I didn't realize that that was some pretty frickin' hard labor.

I filled the pictured wheel barrel 3 times! Then neighbor Joe filled it a few times as well! Thank God he came to assist. I ran out of steam fast!
While I was shoveling mini boulders, Pat was in his garage workshop building the raised bed. He has some mad skills if you ask me!

The guys later filled the raised bed with the smelliest soil in the world. Be grateful Willy Wonka didn't invent Smell-o-Vision.

The next morning, Pat and I woke up at the crack of dawn, as good farmers do, and got straight to seedin' the garden. Pat acted as the "hole" digger and I counted the tiny seeds with my nimble fingers.

Now we play the waiting game for the little sprouts to peak there leaves out. 10 -12 days the seed packets claim. After they are a few inches tall we will have to do some thinning of the "crops" so we won't have sexin' carrots or radishes.
This summer we planted Basil, Green Onions, Tomatoes, Carrots, Radishes, and Peas! I can't wait to see if our little garden produces! Growing my own food always seems to motivate me to cook fun tasty meals.

Postino East Opens! : Dinner

It has been nearly a year that we have been waiting for Postino East to open. It truly felt like an eternity though. The long drives to Phoenix for our favorite restaurant are now a thing of the past! Rather than going to Postino East on the official opening day, we decided to go on Thursday. We thought it might be a little calmer. Well, we didn't really think that. It is just when it fit into our schedule.
Finally we have arrived to the best place on Earth! Postino East! And, yes, we took my sweet ride Vanda.

We were aware there was going to be a wait, given that it was opening week. After we put our name in we found a pretty sweet spot past the lawn, with a great view of everything that was about to happen to us lucky souls!

 

We also had a great view of the Gilbert Water Tower, which I think is definitely an East Valley gem.

We had an awesome server bring out the wine/beer list as well as a menu to look over while we were waiting. Sitting where we were felt like we were just hanging out in our back yard with good people watching.

We didn't know if the server was going to come back, so the dudes went up to the outdoor bar and ordered us some drinks. Avery delivered our wine as a nice brother-in-law would. I had the Zin and Chantele and the Red Blend. (I won)
I was such a beautiful night! We didn't mind the hour long wait at all! Once we were seated, my sister and I had to use the loo. The unisex loo that is! So, while you are waiting here is a little poster for your viewing
pleasure.

 And the toilet paper is awesome. And I always want to steal a roll, but I don't. Karma is my friend!

Here is our little AZ family. It was really a perfect night for hanging at this dope joint all night. It took us about 3 hours to get home from our Postino excursion, but it was worth every minute!

 

Saint Patrick's Day : A Goat Cheese Bust

The Mr. and his friends were golfing all day, and I mean all day! They had 36 holes to get to before the Phoenix "winter storm" came rolling in so, I laid in bed until 8:30 am.

Lou Lou pretending to be me

Then I watched gymnastics until noon (avid fan). Shortly after my preferred programming was over I received a call from the Mr. saying he was on his way with a breakfast burrito (sweet), a quick break between golf games. Cripes! I haven't got a thing done! Jump in the shower so he thinks I have been semi-productive! I thought to myself.
After chumming with the dudes for a bit, they were on there way back to another course and I got back to business... Time to get ready for the day!
Some hair days are much better than others. I think any female can agree. Fortunately, today was one of the good days. Great day really!

I don't own a lot of green and on days such as St. Paddy's day this can really put me in a "pinch." (See what I did there?) Green clothes bring out the red in my skin. But, as luck would have it, I did receive this gorgeous Yellow Turquoise necklace from my mother for Christmas a few years ago. It is a staple piece for me. A little ZING in my bor-rang wardrobe. I decided to sport a green manicure too!

I am no hand model like my sister

After my super sweet manicure was done... it was time for an afternoon cocktail with my dear friend and good neighbor, Yurki. We jumped in her EXTRA large jeep and headed to Gordon Biersch. It not being an Irish Pub we were sure it wouldn't be packed. We found a seat right away and ordered two Marzens!

Because we are not avid beer drinkers (though we are trying to be) it took us about an hour to finish these bad boys, along with our garlic fries. As always, the people watching was great! We also decided over our beers we were going to make green goat cheese for the pizzas to be had later.

I had Yurki take pictures with a real camera so I could provide an awesome tutorial later this week. (I won't be doing that now.)While the cheese was hanging out, we started in on our green "Snakebites" (Harp and Cider and food dye).

So, as the title of this blog implied, 2 hours later, when the cheese should have been plenty ready, we untied it in hopes to start eating the gloriousness that is homemade goat cheese. But, all we had was a cheese-cloth balloon full of room temperature whey. I cursed under my breath and dumped out all the green whey/warm milk. *double-sigh* I am not really sure where we went wrong, but I must persevere and try again!

This cheese debacle was nothing several slices of delicious pizza and green Snakebites couldn't fix. We even talked Joe into making a pizza with green crust!

I hope you were able to enjoy your Saint Patrick's day! With or without green beers and green goat cheese.