What's new with you, Pleo?

Us? Well, we're having a baby.
Thanks for asking. ;) giggle

I'm 18 weeks and a day. Whew. Crazy.

My hair is still blowing from this windstorm.

But, I'm happy and still in shock.

I've never really been one to jump into the dark without a flashlight. After over a year of "whatever happens, happens"...it happened. And it took me over a month to realize it. Me...Mrs. Organized, planner, chart it all out....woke up one Saturday morning and realized she was pregnant. And didn't say a word for a week. Yep..to nobody...not even my incredible husband. Of course I hadn't tested, I mean...I just knew. Like somehow my body forced the idea up into my brain and woke me up bright and early to announce it. I needed some time to absorb. I wasn't sure that it would happen. Not that I had given up hope by any means, I just figured it might not happen. I never stressed. I wondered. I had faith. I knew some day I would be a mother, I just wasn't sure how it would happen. There are no road maps, no guarantees. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't. I didn't have any medical reasons to support either way, just the thought that maybe it wouldn't be so easy. It turned out, it was and it wasn't. God had His time and He let us have some more "our" time and I'll always be forever grateful. Because...it was perfect and needed for us, and I am thankful that we will have celebrated 4 incredible years together before this amazing gift (and I truly feel that this is the best present ever) will make his/her entrance into our love. This child is wanted, craved, adored and is from our Heavenly Father...and we don't even know him/her yet. What a blessing to be so wanted, so loved.

How terrifying to know that we are responsible for another soul. So many hopes/dreams/so much faith wrapped up into a tiny person who has yet to hear his/her mother's voice.

Sickness is over (again...whew...gag)
and sunshine has set in.

I do have some advice. Don't loudly whisper to your friends..."Is she, isn't she?" It's far too tempting to retort in a (mockingly) shocked way..."No, I'm not, why do you ask?" But, alas, that's the imp in me and I can't help but giggle mid-sentence. And if you happen to be a male (any male, but especially one in your 60's) and you say something cruel like, "My, but aren't you looking motherly today," and upon further probing you admit that you actually meant FRUMPY, (yes, frumpy), be prepared to hear an earful and you best duck your head on the way out. I mean, who doesn't have a bad hair/body/face day once in a while? If you don't, don't answer me.

Of course, if you happen to be nearly everyone else who says amazingly positive and uplifting things about being a mom or how wonderful pregnant women look, I love you and thanks. I feel wonderful, have not gained too much and think my bump is divine. Plus, hubby really digs the "evolving" me. Oh, and tomorrow, we get to find out what gender peanut is.
We're happy.
  • curlie
    Aw... I'm sure you're beautiful. :) Very excited to find out what you're having. :)
    by curlie at 04/07/11 10:47PM
  • jodimn
    This post just makes me so very happy!
    by jodimn at 04/07/11 11:27PM
  • hmjmom
    Congratulations! Motherhood is such a blessing. I'm sure you will be a great mom.
    You cn start now practicing ignoring dumb comments. People will make them now and after the baby is born. Ignore them. Being pregnant is a blessing and after the baby is born you and your husband will decide what is best for your circumstances. Don't let the dumb comments from other people diminsh your joy. This is a WONDERFUL time in your life. Enjoy.
    by hmjmom at 04/08/11 8:21AM
  • heatheronthehill
    CONGRATULATIONS!!! :) So happy for you!!

    Babies are such blessings! Love this Charles Dickens quote if you've not heard it: "I love these little people; and it is not a slight thing when they, who are so fresh from God, love us."

    And I'm sure you are a gorgeous mama! :)
    by heatheronthehill at 04/08/11 9:06AM
  • katie_fitz_steinback
    Rachel I am so happy for you and Bryce. I love this post. The pictures I have seen of you are wonderful. I think pregnant women in general are beautiful. They just have a glow about them. I LOVED being pregnant every time. One time when I was about 7 months along someone asked me if I was pregnant and I just answered no I was just gaining weight. I only let it go for a second before I smiled and told her yes I was.
    by katie_fitz_steinback at 04/08/11 11:16AM
  • maddieandiansmama
    Congratulations! I am so thankful for my two blessings everyday - and I can't imagine life without them. You are going to be a wonderful mother!
    by maddieandiansmama at 04/08/11 7:08PM
  • fullofgrace
    so happy for you guys!
    ((hug))
    by fullofgrace at 04/09/11 7:38PM
  • mjintexas
    Congrats again, and I love your happy post. :)
    by mjintexas at 04/10/11 1:26AM
  • nzmom
    So what gender? You have to tell me if you aren't gonna post! And FWIW, Gary and I were 4+ years married before our DS was born - those were great times to be just us.
    by nzmom at 04/14/11 5:14PM

Cruising

We've been back from the cruise for a week already. We had a great time! It was my 1st. No problem with sea sickness, but I will say it can be a bit unsettling at times. Eventually you get used to it. In fact, once we were on dry ground, I still felt like I was on a boat. LOL

We ate to our heart's content. It was Delicious! People ask me how the cruise was and I keep replying "Yummy". I didn't really even gain any weight. Maybe a pound? Good deal all around.

Cozumel was okay. The island was pretty, the water was pretty, the "Mayan Ruins" were not. Expensive joke, but oh well.

It was great having the whole family on board. Even neater having visitors at our services on Sunday. We had 4 visitors on a cruise ship. Wonderful! There were like 20 of us total.

My favorite part besides the food, but dressing up for dinner and getting TONS of free pics taken. We chose some really nice ones to buy when they were on special, plus we split a package with Dave/Janice so they were affordable. Seriously, you can't beat free sitting fees. Most of the photographers were pretty good. We stayed away from the cheesy backgrounds and Bryce refused to have our picture taken with the piano and roses (LOL), but we did find some good ones.


Work seems to be getting more streamlined. I cleaned out another portion of the office on Friday and was able to throw some junk away. One office has been painted. Dave's will probably be next, followed by the main waiting area and then hopefully mine will be renovated. I need a wall knocked out, a new doorway put in and to reconfigure my desk. I'm currently using a countertop in a cubby hole with my back facing the only window. :( I saw an office in a magazine that was seriously the CUTEST one I've ever seen. They used hot pink, green and white and it was beautiful. Very energizing and organized. Makes me sigh. Here's hoping.....

  • mjintexas
    LOL... ok, now I've quit wondering how you get to go on all the neat trips, and am wondering where you get the TIME!? I don't have that much vacation at all!
    by mjintexas at 11/22/10 4:21PM
  • nzmom
    I didn't realize this was your first cruise! I credit Janice and Leslie with my "cruise fever" and you know I have a serious case of it :) It's my family's favorite way to vacation. Yummy food, exotic locations, unpack once, someone to make my bed, clean my room, leave me lots of shampoo and lotion. Lots to do or nothing at all - whichever suits my mood! Glad you had a good time. Now you need to talk Janice into having Dave find a good deal for a girlfriends cruise!!!!
    by nzmom at 11/22/10 4:44PM
  • fullofgrace
    i want to see some pictures!!
    *grin*
    by fullofgrace at 12/01/10 3:27PM

So excited to be cheap

I get such a high from saving money.

Last night I bought:

2 tubes of toothpaste
2 boxes of Cheerios
2 bags of candy corn
8 bars of soap

for.....$1.48

Today I saved at Target.com with free shipping and 10% off of entire purchase (which consisted of ONLY clearance items). Total savings before the 10% and the free shipping was $120. I paid $56 for 10 items. Yes...10 items shipped to my house. And, I used Ebates so I get 3% back.

L.O.V.E. I.T.

ahhhhh....

This, my dear friends, is why I am blessed to be able to go on vacations. And I consider it part of my full time job. Saving money.
  • mjintexas
    I love love love saving money too. I have to be careful not to buy things I don't need just because they're such a great deal though.
    by mjintexas at 10/12/10 2:13PM
  • mjintexas
    BTW, is there a coupon code for the 10% off/free shipping at target?
    by mjintexas at 10/12/10 2:15PM
  • mrs_worm
    A man at church asked me if I was still working (outside the home) and I told him "no". He continued to ask different questions on whether I was going to find a job to help bring in money. I told him, "I enjoy staying at home and taking care of my children. That is the most important thing to us. My job is to look for ways to SAVE the money that Andy (my husband) brings home! So --- I SAVE the money and then, in a way, I "bring it in"."
    by mrs_worm at 10/12/10 2:18PM
  • jodimn
    Nice!!!
    by jodimn at 10/12/10 2:29PM
  • littledieman
    Ok, I'm gonna need some tips and advice on how to do this! James and I got online once and tried to figure it out but it just seems like so much trouble! Now that I'm not working, I'd like to save a little here and there - ok a lot - too!
    by littledieman at 10/12/10 10:36PM
  • nzmom
    Girl after my own heart! I have a stack of cpns for you tonight. Any you can't use, pass on to someone else.
    by nzmom at 10/13/10 3:37AM
  • littledieman
    I use Walmart - but have a Kroger and Meijer really close too. It seems that the Great Value brand is so much cheaper than any brand at Kroger or Meijer, so we seem to save the most there. We do have some products that we're picky about and do get brand-names for those, but the majority of the groceries I get are the Great Value brand. I'll have to give you a call! We have a CVS real close to us (I always forget it's there, I've actually never been in it!!) but don't get out much since having a baby. It may not be this weekend, but I'll have to give you a call in the next few weeks or so! Thanks!
    by littledieman at 10/19/10 10:26AM
  • heatheronthehill
    Another surprise from you!!! Wow! LOVE the play food! The little guys are going to have so much fun with this!

    Thank you so much for thinking of us! You are just so sweet and generous!
    by heatheronthehill at 11/07/10 9:32PM
  • jodimn
    I'm good. Getting ready to be done, but at the same time not quite ready to be done!!!
    I miss you and hope you are great. Love you.
    by jodimn at 11/16/10 1:50PM

Cabo

Bryce and I just got back from Cabo San Lucas. We had a great time and it was nice to see it 3 years after honeymooning there. Can't believe its been 3 years! We noticed a lot of changes. Mainly, new construction. The resort we stayed at was called Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach. I HIGHLY recommend it! It was truly beautiful!

I'm trying to catch up on work, laundry and I am so tired (we got up at 4am yesterday). But, I did get a nice tan. Crazy, huh? White, pasty me with some color. Oh! And the weather here is amazing! It was actually cool and pleasant. SOOO wonderful to come back to. I love Fall!
  • heatheronthehill
    OOoooh! Sounds amazing!! Glad you had such a wonderful get-a-way!
    by heatheronthehill at 10/07/10 9:45PM
  • mjintexas
    Wow, you guys get to go on the best trips!!
    by mjintexas at 10/08/10 12:03AM
  • musicaljill
    How fun! I saw Dave's pictures and it looked like a beautiful place. :) And I'm impressed about your tan. Maybe that's where I have to go to get one! lol
    by musicaljill at 10/11/10 3:41PM
  • jodimn
    Fun! I saw a few of the pics on FB :) So when are you going to go on a grand Minnesotan adventure?!
    by jodimn at 10/12/10 1:05PM

Taste of Home

I really enjoy Fall and Winter recipes. The holidays just make me feel so happy and excited. I know it is still warm out, but it actually seems a bit like Fall here. (If you squint really hard and turn up the a/c.) Today my MIL let me borrow a new copy of Taste of Home magazine. The recipes just looked so delicious, I couldn't help myself. Tonight I made:

Chocolate Chunk Muffins (not from the magazine)
Cranberry-Orange Scones (not from the magazine)
Mini Cinnamon Roll Cookies
Pumpkin Spice Chex Mix
Pumpkin pancakes

NO I did not eat all of these things. I didn't even sample all of them. I just wanted to make them. The pancake batter is in the fridge for tomorrow's "dinner." I'll be taking some of the stuff to work to get it out of my house. :)

So, now I'm tired but happy. I got it out of my system. Until next month's issue....
  • heatheronthehill
    I'm greatly anticipating making my pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for our camping trip next month! Mmmmmm!

    These recipes all sound REALLY good!
    by heatheronthehill at 09/22/10 7:25AM
  • nzmom
    I love pumpkin desserts! And breakfast for dinner.
    by nzmom at 09/22/10 9:28AM
  • staci
    You are inspiring me to go back. I love the orange scones from Panera so I can only imagine how awesome cranberry-orange ones would be! I become a bit obsessed with pumpkin this time of year and am always looking for new ways to use it. How was the Pumpkin Chex Mix?
    by staci at 09/22/10 10:36AM
  • jodimn
    Yum! I just made pumpkin bread last night and it was so yummy. I do love the fall. We are having perfect fall weather this year :)

    Sorry I haven't called back yet...I've been sick :(
    by jodimn at 09/22/10 11:01AM
  • mjintexas
    I like fall and winter recipes too! I support all making of muffins and chex mix.
    by mjintexas at 09/22/10 11:50AM
  • apple
    :)
    by apple at 09/22/10 6:29PM
  • staci
    I'll google it. I'm sure I'll find it. All of the elementary teachers at school have a pumpkin obsession and that would make a great team meeting snack :) Thanks!
    by staci at 09/23/10 10:07AM