I have always been a heat kind of gal. I like it hot and every year i LIVE for the summer. I loved it when we lived in Phoenix, AZ during our first winter of marriage because i hate the cold. And you just can't complain about Phoenix's winters. I mean, 70's, no jacket and maybe two days of rain and clouds out of six months?!? It was bliss!
But i am finding this summer will be different. Much MUCH different.
As we were getting a full month of Portland-like weather with rain every other day and staying in the 50's, i was praying for good old summer to hurry up and get here. Now by about 2 o'clock i am telling everyone within 10 feet of me how hot it is! And at that point it is probably only about 80. I loved the 80's. Now i am wishing for a swimming pool, central air and the good old 70's.
A box fan in our room to sleep with, just is not cutting it anymore. I can't even sit still in the house without being wet. Example: i put on my swimming suit and got myself wet while setting up our sprinklers and now am sitting in my house in my wet suit surfing the net. Because it is just WAY to hot to not be wet!
And chocolate icecream is becoming a several times a day treat, just to cool off a bit. There go my thighs!
I suppose next year i will revel in the summer-time weather again, and enjoy a little wading pool with our little one. But until then, GIVE ME BACK SPRING!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Baby Tide
It is strange how things work out sometimes. When me and my hubby started talking about having a baby, i didn't know of any other family members or friends walking down the same path. We thought our little one would be all alone, that first baby that starts the inevitable tide of births. For it seems like it comes in waves.
For example: in our church, we have had few babies in the last two years, 06-07. But then it started. In 2008, we had 10 babies born in our church in one year. And now that we are having a baby, i know 10 different friends or relatives that are also having babies or have had babies in this year! It is like a disease! A very infectious disease, so if you don't want to be pregnant, don't come around here! It must be in the water!
And the funny thing is that all but one of the people i know that are pregnant, and know what they are having, are having boys! I don't know if that means that i am more likely to have a boy, or if that means i will be the one to break the tide and have a girl. Either way, as long as it is healthy, i am happy!
For example: in our church, we have had few babies in the last two years, 06-07. But then it started. In 2008, we had 10 babies born in our church in one year. And now that we are having a baby, i know 10 different friends or relatives that are also having babies or have had babies in this year! It is like a disease! A very infectious disease, so if you don't want to be pregnant, don't come around here! It must be in the water!
And the funny thing is that all but one of the people i know that are pregnant, and know what they are having, are having boys! I don't know if that means that i am more likely to have a boy, or if that means i will be the one to break the tide and have a girl. Either way, as long as it is healthy, i am happy!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Baby bump pics
Here is my baby bump at 18 weeks, not a great picture, but i had to take it myself cause i keep forgetting to ask my hubby when he is home! And every day i forget it seems leads to another week of forgetting and then i miss my growing progress! AAAHHHH!
18 weeks!
I can not believe that i am almost half way through this pregnancy already! I have had such a full and busy week that i haven't hardly had time to blog, but i love writing about our baby, so i made some time.
Our little one is now 5 1/2 inches long and about the size of a bell pepper! It is moving a lot now, and in the evenings i can feel it quite a bit! Just little flutters, but it is so neat! Everything is still looking good, the heartbeat was still in the 150's today at my appointment, which i think according to old wives tales means a boy? Anyway, i am feeling pretty good and growing like a weed, though i have only put on 8lbs since the beginning. I think that is pretty good!
And the big day is set for July 27th! That is the day we will find out (hopefully) if we are having a boy or a girl and get to see the little monkey in all its glory, maybe even catch it sucking its thumb! I am so excited and can hardly wait!
Our little one is now 5 1/2 inches long and about the size of a bell pepper! It is moving a lot now, and in the evenings i can feel it quite a bit! Just little flutters, but it is so neat! Everything is still looking good, the heartbeat was still in the 150's today at my appointment, which i think according to old wives tales means a boy? Anyway, i am feeling pretty good and growing like a weed, though i have only put on 8lbs since the beginning. I think that is pretty good!
And the big day is set for July 27th! That is the day we will find out (hopefully) if we are having a boy or a girl and get to see the little monkey in all its glory, maybe even catch it sucking its thumb! I am so excited and can hardly wait!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Friday's Fave Five
The last couple of days have been pretty hectic around here. My great grandmother passed away Wednesday and I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to get my hubby and I and our house ready for us to travel to Kansas tomorrow. I think i have suceeded to accomplish most of what i wanted. I just much prefer leaving a clean house to come home to, and i always want the laundry and dishes done before we leave. Then there is always the extraneous stuff like, i want my nails painted before we go, etc. But today i have feeling thankful, for many things. So here goes!
1. I am thankful for the wonderful breeze that we have today. I do not like wind, but i am finding that though my heart cries "Bring it on!" for hot summer weather, my body is crying "NO!". So, i am in conflict, and thankful for this breeze that makes the hotter days more pleasant.
2. Good jobs! My husband has a great job for many different reasons, but this week it is great because he was able to get the time off to travel to kansas with me for the funeral. No questions asked!
3. Hmmmm, this could be harder then i thought.......
Well, two is good. :)
1. I am thankful for the wonderful breeze that we have today. I do not like wind, but i am finding that though my heart cries "Bring it on!" for hot summer weather, my body is crying "NO!". So, i am in conflict, and thankful for this breeze that makes the hotter days more pleasant.
2. Good jobs! My husband has a great job for many different reasons, but this week it is great because he was able to get the time off to travel to kansas with me for the funeral. No questions asked!
3. Hmmmm, this could be harder then i thought.......
Well, two is good. :)
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Do i live in Portland????!?
So, for the past three weeks or so, we have not had more then TWO straight days were it has not rained. And not just a sprinkle here and there, but SOAKING CONTINUED rain! I am starting to feel like i live in Portland! And though i am not loving the rain, I AM loving how green my yard is, and that i haven't had to water my flowers OR the garden for a long time, and everything is still alive and growing! I am praying by blueberry bush doesn't get too used to it, it won't be like this next year buddy!
And i am so thankful that i am not a farmer, as many of my aquaintances around here are, as many of them are lamenting the rain for more then one reason: it came right after first cutting. I don't know how many farmers have utterly ruined and completely soaked hay still lying cut in the field and don't know what to do with it. You bale it wet and risk massive molding or worse, spontaneous combustion. Not to mention it might not even be fit to feed, even to cattle. So i feel bad for all my farmer friends, but thankful that the only cutting i have to worry about is cutting my grass! (and my hubby does that any way, so i guess i don't have to worry at all!)
Another positive note, also, is that we figured out WHY we had water in our basement and WHERE it was coming from! We realized a few days ago that we were getting A LOT more water coming out from under our downstairs toilet. This concerned us for several reasons:
1. We have always had the water to that bathroom shut off since we moved (where was it coming from?)
2. We realized the toilet had not been installed properly, and we would have to reinstall it (not a big deal till we realized that nothing we have in that bathroom is STANDARD size. Makes you have to jimmy everything!)
3. The water smelled! And there was lots of it! And if we already had the water shut off, how do we make it STOP continuing to come in so we can figure out how to fix it?
4. We realized with the water shut off, and water still coming in, our pipes may be blocked, which involved digging up our yard and untold expense.
But here comes the good part: It was the cities fault! Thankfully my husband mentioned the issue to his boss and so they went and checked the sewer line (apparently our block is due to be replaced and they have had problems with it in the past). Sure enough! They had a collapsed pipe and the sewer had just backed up and that was what was flooding our basement! We were relieved but a little grossed out!
So we borrowed a wet/dry vac, vaccummed up what we could, threw away some carpet and are now in the process of drying it out and then shampooing. I am SO thankful that it got figured out, and we didn't have to pay to fix it! Yeah God!
And i am so thankful that i am not a farmer, as many of my aquaintances around here are, as many of them are lamenting the rain for more then one reason: it came right after first cutting. I don't know how many farmers have utterly ruined and completely soaked hay still lying cut in the field and don't know what to do with it. You bale it wet and risk massive molding or worse, spontaneous combustion. Not to mention it might not even be fit to feed, even to cattle. So i feel bad for all my farmer friends, but thankful that the only cutting i have to worry about is cutting my grass! (and my hubby does that any way, so i guess i don't have to worry at all!)
Another positive note, also, is that we figured out WHY we had water in our basement and WHERE it was coming from! We realized a few days ago that we were getting A LOT more water coming out from under our downstairs toilet. This concerned us for several reasons:
1. We have always had the water to that bathroom shut off since we moved (where was it coming from?)
2. We realized the toilet had not been installed properly, and we would have to reinstall it (not a big deal till we realized that nothing we have in that bathroom is STANDARD size. Makes you have to jimmy everything!)
3. The water smelled! And there was lots of it! And if we already had the water shut off, how do we make it STOP continuing to come in so we can figure out how to fix it?
4. We realized with the water shut off, and water still coming in, our pipes may be blocked, which involved digging up our yard and untold expense.
But here comes the good part: It was the cities fault! Thankfully my husband mentioned the issue to his boss and so they went and checked the sewer line (apparently our block is due to be replaced and they have had problems with it in the past). Sure enough! They had a collapsed pipe and the sewer had just backed up and that was what was flooding our basement! We were relieved but a little grossed out!
So we borrowed a wet/dry vac, vaccummed up what we could, threw away some carpet and are now in the process of drying it out and then shampooing. I am SO thankful that it got figured out, and we didn't have to pay to fix it! Yeah God!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Old stuff
You know, i don't think i EVER would have survived being a pioneer woman. All the MASSIVELY hard work, washing your husbands stinky socks BY HAND, trying to get all the grime out with your own muscles, how scary child birth would be, making your own soap, etc., etc.
So I am thankful that we live in an age with modern conveniences. Hot water right out of the tap, dish washers, microwaves, washing machines, etc.
And yet i am still drawn to some of the "old ways". I would love to learn more about natural remedies using herbs. I think it would be fun to make my own soap, but just for gifts or an occasional "spa night". And i am so thankful that we can still can things!
I am actually excited about all the good things that i can CAN this year from my garden and our local orchards! Today i am making freezer strawberry jam. I just can't wait to see all those jars, lined up neatly and knowing that I will not have to buy jam ALL YEAR! i AM JUST SO EXCITED!
So I am thankful that we live in an age with modern conveniences. Hot water right out of the tap, dish washers, microwaves, washing machines, etc.
And yet i am still drawn to some of the "old ways". I would love to learn more about natural remedies using herbs. I think it would be fun to make my own soap, but just for gifts or an occasional "spa night". And i am so thankful that we can still can things!
I am actually excited about all the good things that i can CAN this year from my garden and our local orchards! Today i am making freezer strawberry jam. I just can't wait to see all those jars, lined up neatly and knowing that I will not have to buy jam ALL YEAR! i AM JUST SO EXCITED!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Life is GOOD!
I am bummed! I was so enjoying the nice hot weather! Then this morning i woke up FREEZING because all of our windows were open and i am now in long pants and a sweatshirt! :( I am ready for it to be warm again!
On the other hand though, there have been lots of things to be excited/thankful about:
Our garden is growing so good! We now have beans, corn, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, zuccinni, watermelon, peppers and jalapenos up! (and maybe more since i haven't checked since last night!) I am so thankful that those little seeds are growing so well in our garden and it is comforting to know that as long as i water them and weed them and keep the bugs away i will have LOTS of good things to can for the winter. My plan is to put as much away as possible to keep costs down and help us to eat healthy on a budget! I am making strawberry jam this week thanks to my mommy and i can't wait to see all those full jars lined up so neatly and filling my shelves and my freezer. There is nothing more comforting then full cupboards!
I have had the priviledge of borrowing a nice bit of maternity clothes from a friend of mine. I am SO thankful for this because that means i will have 3 pants to choose from instead of one and many more tops then i would ever be able to purchase on my own! And now that i have worn actual maternity pants, i don't want to wear anything else! They are so comfy! My other pants were still working, completely unzipped, unbuttoned and with a belly band, but i feel i am carrying this baby low and so as soon as i sit down, even with it unzipped, it was uncomfortable. Workable, but uncomfortable. So now i am wearing ONLY maternity pants and stuff with lots of elastic and am much happier for it!
The other thing that has so consumed my thoughts is: i want to feel the baby move again! I am not seriously worried, cause i know it is SO early still to feel much, but i find myself having fleeting thoughts of what if's. But i just can't wait till it starts moving more and i feel it more regularly, or just feel it again. So far, nothing. I am hoping in the next week or so i will start feeling it move though. I hope!
Also, i had a GREAT weekend! Perks of being on the American Massage Therapy Association board for Idaho is getting a leadership retreat once a year. The past two years it has been in Boise (fabulous for me!) And it is so nice! We stay in this really nice hotel called the Oxford Suites by Edwards 14 in Boise. We eat lots of good food, this year we went to Tocanos and McGraths Fish House, get a free massage and get to just hang out in the hot tub or the pool, relax and get to know each other. And ALL of this is free! This year we also had a self care class to help us as therapists take care of our bodies and it was really neat! Plus we got free credit hours for the class! Yeah! Anyway, it was just a really nice, relaxing weekend and i had a lot of fun. And i returned to find a house that was not too dirty and our basement has not re-flooded and is in the process of drying! THANK YOU LORD! I think our leaky outside faucet was the culprit and thankfully it was an easy fix. All it took was a little of my nailpolish!
So i am feeling very thankful today, i get to go buy some food and i am feeling well rested and full. Life is good!
On the other hand though, there have been lots of things to be excited/thankful about:
Our garden is growing so good! We now have beans, corn, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, zuccinni, watermelon, peppers and jalapenos up! (and maybe more since i haven't checked since last night!) I am so thankful that those little seeds are growing so well in our garden and it is comforting to know that as long as i water them and weed them and keep the bugs away i will have LOTS of good things to can for the winter. My plan is to put as much away as possible to keep costs down and help us to eat healthy on a budget! I am making strawberry jam this week thanks to my mommy and i can't wait to see all those full jars lined up so neatly and filling my shelves and my freezer. There is nothing more comforting then full cupboards!
I have had the priviledge of borrowing a nice bit of maternity clothes from a friend of mine. I am SO thankful for this because that means i will have 3 pants to choose from instead of one and many more tops then i would ever be able to purchase on my own! And now that i have worn actual maternity pants, i don't want to wear anything else! They are so comfy! My other pants were still working, completely unzipped, unbuttoned and with a belly band, but i feel i am carrying this baby low and so as soon as i sit down, even with it unzipped, it was uncomfortable. Workable, but uncomfortable. So now i am wearing ONLY maternity pants and stuff with lots of elastic and am much happier for it!
The other thing that has so consumed my thoughts is: i want to feel the baby move again! I am not seriously worried, cause i know it is SO early still to feel much, but i find myself having fleeting thoughts of what if's. But i just can't wait till it starts moving more and i feel it more regularly, or just feel it again. So far, nothing. I am hoping in the next week or so i will start feeling it move though. I hope!
Also, i had a GREAT weekend! Perks of being on the American Massage Therapy Association board for Idaho is getting a leadership retreat once a year. The past two years it has been in Boise (fabulous for me!) And it is so nice! We stay in this really nice hotel called the Oxford Suites by Edwards 14 in Boise. We eat lots of good food, this year we went to Tocanos and McGraths Fish House, get a free massage and get to just hang out in the hot tub or the pool, relax and get to know each other. And ALL of this is free! This year we also had a self care class to help us as therapists take care of our bodies and it was really neat! Plus we got free credit hours for the class! Yeah! Anyway, it was just a really nice, relaxing weekend and i had a lot of fun. And i returned to find a house that was not too dirty and our basement has not re-flooded and is in the process of drying! THANK YOU LORD! I think our leaky outside faucet was the culprit and thankfully it was an easy fix. All it took was a little of my nailpolish!
So i am feeling very thankful today, i get to go buy some food and i am feeling well rested and full. Life is good!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Hard Stuff
ARRGGHHH! I HATE old houses! We woke up this morning to soaking wet carpet downstairs! This is the second time this has happened, and once again we don't know where the water is coming from. So i turned off the water to the house, hopefully it won't keep spreading. We have found water in three out of the four rooms downstairs. It looks like it may be coming from the spigot that comes out of our house outside on our patio. It has been a leaky drippy thing, but i think in order for it to have come in the house it must be a pipe issue.
And that's what scares me! I am envisioning having to tear through our stucco on the outside of our house to figure it out or to fix it or having to tear apart walls. I am trying really hard to give it to God, but it is not working.
I am worried about figuring it out.
I am worried about finding the leak.
I am worried about fixing it.
I am worried about what it will cost to fix it (can WE fix it?!?)
I need an extra measure of peace today. I need some prayer to help me give up this worrying about it! It certainly won't fix the problem!
Whew! Sometimes i don' t know how life gets so messed up and we get ourselves in these terrible corners where it feels like there is no way out. God has always been my rock and he has proven time and time again that, some how, he always provides a way. Oh for me to have that faith once again!
And that's what scares me! I am envisioning having to tear through our stucco on the outside of our house to figure it out or to fix it or having to tear apart walls. I am trying really hard to give it to God, but it is not working.
I am worried about figuring it out.
I am worried about finding the leak.
I am worried about fixing it.
I am worried about what it will cost to fix it (can WE fix it?!?)
I need an extra measure of peace today. I need some prayer to help me give up this worrying about it! It certainly won't fix the problem!
Whew! Sometimes i don' t know how life gets so messed up and we get ourselves in these terrible corners where it feels like there is no way out. God has always been my rock and he has proven time and time again that, some how, he always provides a way. Oh for me to have that faith once again!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Blessings!
I just felt like i needed to be thankful today for some of our blessings! Even though things might be kind of rough, we still have good things going to and i need to focus on that!
So not only has this job at the city been such a blessing for us because of retirement, benefits, salary, etc. but it has had some....unexpected benefits as well.
Like being able to use the back hoe! We were able to get our garden going, to pull the old motor out of the derby car and numerous other things! There have been other unexpected benefits like this also that have just helped out in so many unimagineable ways! God is so good!
And our corn is up in our garden already! And i have cucumbers and beans coming up to! I am just so thankful, it seems like God is speeding up the growing process for us so that we will be on track since we planted so late this year!
And of course i have a baby update since today i am officially 15 weeks! Wow does time fly by! I can hardly believe it has been that long! I only have 25 weeks to go (which seems like a lot less time then saying "till the end of November"!)
So our baby is now between 4 and 5 inches long and weighs 3-5oz! It seems so small but it is so big compared to what it used to be! It can hear our voices now and has eyelashes and eyebrows and fingernails. It's eyesight is developing and it can see light, even though it's eyelids are still closed. It doesn't have any fat yet, so it is pretty skinny and its skin is still see through! It can straighten its head and neck now since the spine and back muscles are much stronger and hopefully i can feel it move again soon! I felt like when i woke up today that my belly is sticking out more now, not just bloated, but real baby belly. But it is hard to tell since i live with myself every day! If i am actually sticking out more, it is not by much.
So not only has this job at the city been such a blessing for us because of retirement, benefits, salary, etc. but it has had some....unexpected benefits as well.
Like being able to use the back hoe! We were able to get our garden going, to pull the old motor out of the derby car and numerous other things! There have been other unexpected benefits like this also that have just helped out in so many unimagineable ways! God is so good!
And our corn is up in our garden already! And i have cucumbers and beans coming up to! I am just so thankful, it seems like God is speeding up the growing process for us so that we will be on track since we planted so late this year!
And of course i have a baby update since today i am officially 15 weeks! Wow does time fly by! I can hardly believe it has been that long! I only have 25 weeks to go (which seems like a lot less time then saying "till the end of November"!)
So our baby is now between 4 and 5 inches long and weighs 3-5oz! It seems so small but it is so big compared to what it used to be! It can hear our voices now and has eyelashes and eyebrows and fingernails. It's eyesight is developing and it can see light, even though it's eyelids are still closed. It doesn't have any fat yet, so it is pretty skinny and its skin is still see through! It can straighten its head and neck now since the spine and back muscles are much stronger and hopefully i can feel it move again soon! I felt like when i woke up today that my belly is sticking out more now, not just bloated, but real baby belly. But it is hard to tell since i live with myself every day! If i am actually sticking out more, it is not by much.
Monday, June 1, 2009
It moved!
Guess what!?! I felt the baby move yesterday! I was so excited!
Okay, i really wasn't sure of what i felt, but it was so different from everything else i have been feeling, and after a quick call to my mummy, i believe that it really was the baby! YEAH!!!!!!!!
I can't wait till i can feel it more and till my hubby can feel it to. Now i am tempted to poke around in there and see if i can get it to do it again, but i don't think it will work. It is pretty early to feel ANYTHING, so i think i will have to wait for awhile to feel it again :(
Okay, i really wasn't sure of what i felt, but it was so different from everything else i have been feeling, and after a quick call to my mummy, i believe that it really was the baby! YEAH!!!!!!!!
I can't wait till i can feel it more and till my hubby can feel it to. Now i am tempted to poke around in there and see if i can get it to do it again, but i don't think it will work. It is pretty early to feel ANYTHING, so i think i will have to wait for awhile to feel it again :(
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