Monday, December 19, 2011

the hubs

this weekend adam told me he was playing his monthly poker game on monday night. i ranted and raved a little bit about it not feeling like it was a month ago and it was already! i guess between getting ready for Christmas, fighting off a cold and well - thinking aout other things - I forgot about it.

I made dinner tonight. Adam stopped and picked up a few things at the store for me and came home. He sat by me on the couch. Then he said, "when the timer goes off will dinner be done?" I said, "yes, why?" - he said, "it's poker night" and then - the tears rolled down my face. I couldn't stop.

I love that man.

Pregnancy Hormones 101 my friends.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

update

I must go on this blog three times a day. Not to post anything. For the simple reason that i have this expectation that other people will have posted something on their blog and I expect updates. Sometimes I amaze myself how I can expect something of someone else - but not expect the same of myself.

Everyone that reads this - i think - are all pretty much my Facebook friends - so everyone knows we're having baby. We're obviously thrilled and over the moon about it but at the same time - I try to keep it low key. I understand the struggle. I try not to touch my starting to expand belly in public because i understand how gut wrenching horrible it feels to someone who doesn't have that. It's crazy because now - being 14 weeks pregnant - I sometimes look at another pregnant person and give them the look of death - before I realize that it's ok now. It was always ok to smile at them.

Adam is beyond thrilled. He cracks me up. He will do just about anything for me and seldom complains & only once and a while throws out the - you're out of control statement - in which I quickly reply back - this (as i'm pointing to my belly) you don't understand - this - so just do it now and i don't need your attitude. it works. he's amazing.

I'm scary organized this holiday season. I need to finish ordering a calendar for my grandmother and pick up something at best buy for my dad and then I'm done. Decorations are up - just not the tree - I'm still trying to win on the real tree debate.

My family is healthy and happy - to be honest that's all I've wanted for a long long time. I'm so thankful.


This year for thanksgiving I had everyone in my family write down what they were thankful for and put it in a thankful vase - as we were eating dinner we passed the vase around and each took out one thing to share until they were all gone. I saved them all and made a great collage/picture for my folks for Christmas. The kids loved doing it too!

Monday, October 31, 2011

seriously

http://wonderwall.msn.com/tv/gossip-kim-kardashian-filing-for-divorce-16148.gallery

Kim Kardashian - give me a flipping break. It's no wonder people give up on marriage so easily.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

disclaimer - this is 100% stolen from a blog i follow and love: http://chaddypants.blogspot.com/

don't you just love a me

1. favorite color.
green.

2. favorite food that you cook.
I make a pretty mean salad. we have an oilery not far from our house w/ 25 year old balsamic vinegar - it's so yummy. so organic salad mix, 1/2 cut up grilled chicken salad, dried cherries, 1/2 apple, feta and balsamic & oil mixed. yum.

3. favorite food network chef.
I've never watched it. I find cooking shows to be beyond boring.

4. what is the last beauty product you bought and are you liking it.
benefits - stay don't stray. love it.

5. what are your top three beauty products.
Kerstain Florian Caviar Age-Defense Crème - awesome.
a great SPF
Dior - Show - great mascara

6. essie or opi.
essie

7. how often do you workout.
4-6 times a week

8. iced or hot coffee.
hot - just a cup in the morning.

9. place you have never been but would like to go.
banff, canada

10. what gift did you get from your wedding registery that you got the most use out of.
towels. everyday.

11. biggest pet peeve.
loud chewers. people who tell me what to do.

12. best guilty pleasure.
chips and icy cold coke.

13. magazines you subscribe to.
fitness. clean eating.

14. drink of choice.
room temp water.

15. advice you would give your 17 year old self.
dump him and don't give it a second thought. take care of yourself. got to college right away. get out of the tanning bed.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Day 13 - Favorite Artist


Guess what? I got my laptop back - so that must mean that I have to finish my 30 mission that started somewhere in 2011.

At this rate - finishing 30 days will take just as long as it does for us to get knocked up.

My favorite artist is Tim McGraw. Always has been. It just does something to me.... one of his songs was our wedding song. He makes my heart happy.

This weekend Adam and I are celebrating our anniversary by going to Chicago for a little Lallapolloza. Looking forward to some time together.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Day 12

Well this funny thing happened since the last time I posted. My lab top crashed and I have no idea what day 12 was suppose to be. I got a great big new beautiful desktop computer that is upstairs so I'm on my computer a whole lot less & to be honest - I love it. So since day 12 is MIA and I'm sure I could find it somewhere but I don't really want to I'll post about family instead.

This 4th of July weekend I spent in CO with my Mom, Dad, 2 Brothers, little brothers girlfriend & my hubby. My older brothers wife & 4 kids stayed home. We were celebrating a very important time in our lives. For the last way too many years to count - my little brother wasn't in the best place in his life - he knew, we knew it & no one knew exactly how to help. Sometimes that happens in life. Four months later - I have this amazing kid back in my life that I missed every single day & I'm so grateful & humbled for forgiveness, love & family. Here's one of my favorites.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Day 11 - A picture of something you hate




i hate the smell of fish, the thought of eating it, swimming in the same body of water as one & pretty much everything about them but the way they look. I think they are beautiful to look at, amazing creatures - but it ends there. don't expect me to jump in an ocean, snorkel or spend any amount of enjoyable time in a fresh water lake.

i also find it really rude that restaurants even offer fish as an option. during lent wisconsin is really well known for their "friday night fish fry's". i avoid restaurants like the plague during this terrible time.

honestly, way to debbie downer a post after not posting anything for a while - but i have to finish my challenge people!


i'm off to run 1/2 marathon #6 this weekend - let's hope the rain holds out & it's a better experience than last years green bay half!

Happy Friday!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the most messed up things with.

i stopped the challenge - i'll do all 30 days - just might take me 60. i don't do messed up things. i hated this one. i thought about it for several days. so that's right - 30 day photo challenge by a photographer. no picture. take that.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Day 9 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most

This is like a six way tie. My mom. My dad. My grandmother. My husband. Myself (yep). And this girl - my bestie - Melissa.



We met in the 7th grade. Talked 7th grade girl talk. Figured out we had the same birthday - she's older, taller and more beautiful. We became instant friends. It's never changed. She's consistent. She's loyal. She's honest. She's caring. She's kind. She tells it like it is. I bitch to her about kid crap, she listens. i'm a better person because she's in my life. period.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Day 8 - A picture that makes you laugh

I took family pictures. For Amy on the left & Nicole on the right. Both have been very dear friends of mine for a very long time. So afterwards I asked Adam to take some pictures of us. Just for fun. Because sometimes I think like everyone is dying soon (not my best quality) and how I want to capture every moment. There was a dead bird on the beach. I pushed Amy (lightly) and told her to watch out for it. I mean - about 10 feet away from it. She screamed. I laughed. Nicole didn't know what to do :). Made for some great pictures. I have some of the greatest friends on earth.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Day 7 - My most prized possession

So the obvious for some would be your wedding ring. I love mine. No doubt. This ring, however - does it for me on prized possession.

Here's the story.

Look closely. See the tiny little yellow gold band in between the two white gold w/ scattered diamonds. That was my grandmothers (my mom's side) original wedding band. My grandparents had 12 children. My grandmother was a saint. So saint like that she died on 9/11/2005 and on her death certificate the time of death is one of these three times - 8:46, 9:03, 9:59. not kidding. (i cant remember anymore which one it is).

When my grandmother died - I was cleaning out my grandfathers dresser drawers (he had died a few years before) and I found an old jewelery box with nothing inside - but when i went to close it - i heard something. Under some torn material I found a boyscout pin that said "be prepared" & this ring. It was in the shape of an oval. My grandmother wore it until it about fell off. I asked my mom if I could have it and she said yes.

Adam's uncle is a jeweler (a very good one i might add) and I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do with it - I came up with this idea.



Now - if you look closely at the inside - you'll see little round circles. There are four of them. Two on the top inside, two on the bottom inside. Two emeralds, one garnet & one peridox. They are the birthstones of my four grandparents & a constant reminder of where I came from.

I love to wear this ring - sometimes when I just want a ring & not a diamond on my wedding ring finger, sometimes when I feel like I need an extra marriage boost from my grandmother (she did make it all with one man - and 12 kids - bless her heart) and sometimes when I'm just missing my grandparents. I still have one grandmother left - and I'm so happy that she got to see it.

This ring makes me happy. Always.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Day 6 - A person you'd like to trade places with for one day.

of course i can't choose just one person. i would choose the two people i spend the most amount of time with. i'd love to be inside Adam's brain. he's so crazy smart & i'd love to really understand the way he thinks. i'd also like to know how he really feels about our struggles to have our own family.




this precious little boy. i'd love to know exactly what he wants when he cries, why doing certain things with him (like playing trains for hours and hours and reading about them for hours and hours) makes him so gosh darn happy. i'd love to know what life is like for a 19 month old. it sure looks like fun doesn't it?



These two boys, light up my world every single day. Most importantly I love the relationship that they have. B loves Adam so much and Adam feels the same way. Ad was one of the first words he spoke at our house. I love their relationship so much. It goes to show - sometimes nurture vs nature - nurture wins.
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Saturday, April 16, 2011

Day 5 - A picture of your favorite memory

"A" picture of my favorite memory would be impossible for me. Sure was my wedding a wonderful memory, yes, but all the days before, the moments after & the memories that will come - well, they make me who I am.

This picture is a tree at the end of my grandmothers driveway. In the field is the winter wheat my father planted. This picture makes my heart glow. My grandfather would come home from work or after he retired - we would sit outside on the east deck and enjoy fat freddies, icy cold coke, apple slices, & cheese before dinner. We'd play kings in the corner, enjoy each others company & the beauty of the country air.




Every summer my brother & his family come to stay at our house for a few days & we enjoy Bay Beach and just hanging out. I love when they come. My mom always joins us too. 7 extra people in the house makes for some unexpected laughs & wonderful memories. We decided on this night to have a parade & dance around the house - Adam came down dressed like this. The boys just about fell down dying of laughter.




Winters in Wisconsin are what you make of it. Last winter we got awesome packing snow and headed down to the woods for a day of snowman making. My sister in law was pregnant with my niece & we even made a pregnant snowman. What a great day.




Christmas. It's magical at my parents house. Enough said.




Me. My grandfather. The first love of my life. At the end of this month it will be 15 years since he died. I still can't believe it. Not a day goes by that I don't think of this man. He was kind. He was caring. He was humble. He was honest. He was giving. He was private. He worked hard. He was incredible. I will always love him.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

#4 - Favorite Show




I'm not sure if it's my favorite show - but I really do enjoy & look forward to it. The sex, the money, the scandals, the saving lives. I just love the drama. Truth be told - I love to run on the treadmill. I know, weird - but I do - while watching Grey's & PP back to back. It's good for at least 8 miles.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Day Three

3. A Picture of My Night.



This picture makes me smile. Adam grew up & still likes to by choice, watch a lot of tv. I on the other hand grew up playing outside and most of the movie classics, I have never seen. It's easy to get into your comfy place on the couch after dinner and watch TV until bed. I don't feel like much bonding happens. We've recently started playing cribbage again & I just love the one on one time with him.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Picture 2

2. A picture of the person that you've been closest to for the longest.



this is a picture of my mom and I from our trip to Mexico this October. Tomorrow she's leaving for three weeks to go to Paris, Iceland & Provence with her brother & his family. Lucky duck. She's such an awesome women!!

Monday, April 11, 2011

30 Days of Pictures

This idea is from facebook but to be honest - I'm really lacking on any blogging ideas - so I'm stealing it. 30 days, 30 pictures, 30 random post. Enough said.

Day 01 - A picture of yourself with fifteen facts.




1. You won't ever have a question as to what I'm thinking. I'll tell you. I can't help it. In fact, it's filtered - you don't want to know my real thoughts.

2. I can't stand being the passenger in a car when I'm driving with someone who I haven't driven with before. I usually end up sick.

3. I run because I have to run. If I don't run all aspects of my life fall apart. (trust me, I've tried to quit running, it's no good)

4. I'm think it's the most inconsiderate & rude thing ever when people tell Adam and I that we're "just a couple." no, "we're a family, damn it."

5. The greatest lesson my mother taught me was to be extra special to kids with special needs. She also taught me to never make fun of a kid because of a way that they smelled or looked - it just meant they had a harder life than I did. She couldn't have been more right. She lead by example.

6. The greatest lesson my father taught me was to be kind to the elderly & to your neighbors. He leads by example in doing this every single day of his life. I'm beyond grateful.

7. My husband is the smartest man I know (even if he doesn't agree with me politically).

8. Sometimes my brothers tell me they are lucky to have me, truth is I'd be lost without them.

9. My family hasn't been in this amazing of a place in a long long time & the only one to thank is God.

10. I'm convinced that by the end of the summer I'm going to be able to do a pull-up.

11. I drink more water in an average day than anyone I have ever met which also means that I pee that much more. I think it's a nervous thing.

12. Dazey Chic is my favorite artist on Etsy. Her work, makes my heart sing.

13. I love taking pictures.

14. I have the best job.

15. Someday Adam & I plan to renew our vows - the day we got married - we had no idea life would throw us all of these curveballs - no one does.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Vegas, Baby

I'm headed to Vegas in just a few hours and can't wait for a little R&R, shopping, nickel slot machines & amazing people watching. Ads is going there for the construction show that they have every three years and he left this morning with a co-worker from GB. The co-workers wife (the wonderful, Jess - my friend) & I are headed this afternoon.

Wish us luck! Enjoy your week!

Monday, February 28, 2011

Bieber Fever



This weekend I took our PAL out for a special day. We headed to the mall where she got a gleaming new outfit - complete with jeans, a tank & a cute 3/4 cardigan. We stopped at Children's Place for headbands and a BFF bracelet to share with her friend (really my friends daughter). It was so cute. From there we headed to see JB in 3D. Let me tell you - I have Bieber Fever now. What a great great movie. It was so cute to see her all dolled up with her 3D glasses on and sipping her slushy (a big treat for her when she's with me)! Before we went home, I ended the night with stopping at Target to get the CD. We jammed out the whole way home. This morning when Adam brought her to school - he jammed out with her. I think we've got "one less lonely girl."

Monday, February 21, 2011

its time

it's time to get out of my lack of blogging funk. here's some pictures that bring me pure joy. I had the pleasure of photographing an old friends family - she honestly loves her children in a way that brought tears to my eyes during the shoot. so amazing.



i love the one of the baby with his arms out - i call it - "what's up ladies." so cute. the boys are twins. 4 year old twins and a newborn - she was so calm it was amazing.

in other news - life is pretty much the same. running. looking for new donors. loving life gluten free - for almost a year now - and counting my blessings.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

seriously

i haven't posted in over a month. what have i been doing? i think a whole lot of everything really important.

i've been spending time with a really amazing friend that lives far away.

i've been going to the movies with my three favorite nephews.

i've been hanging out with my folks.

i've been running.

i've been jullian michaels it. (her new shred it dvd's - rock. my. world) ($9.00 at wal-mart - seriously)

i've been taking a ton of pictures.

i haven't been watching much tv, blogging, facebooking or searching for dna.

it's been just what i needed.