Charley's Costume...
Carving pumpkins...
Haha... mine is staring at Peanut!!
My pumpkin & pumpkin belly :)
Casey w/his Charley Pumpkin & Charley Brown
On the porch...
Casey, Ashley, Keaton, Nikolaus, & Rowan take on Chicagoland...
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Pre-Halloween Pics
Pics of the night before Halloween... pumpkin carving and Charley Brown's costume! Enjoy!
Charley's Costume...
Carving pumpkins...
Haha... mine is staring at Peanut!!
My pumpkin & pumpkin belly :)
Casey w/his Charley Pumpkin & Charley Brown
On the porch...
Charley's Costume...
Carving pumpkins...
Haha... mine is staring at Peanut!!
My pumpkin & pumpkin belly :)
Casey w/his Charley Pumpkin & Charley Brown
On the porch...
Friday, October 30, 2009
Gearing up for Halloween...
Halloween is almost here!! I found some brown spray-in hair color yesterday after class, so I am all set on the Juno costume. If you can believe it, Casey still doesn't know what he's going to be this year. I don't know what to do with that guy. Sounds like tonight after he gets off work, we're going shopping for whatever he decides to be during the course of the day. Then we're carving pumpkins tonight! We had planned to last night, but we were both so tired after getting off work that we decided to put it off.
I was draaaaaaagging at work yesterday. Not sure why my energy level was so low, although the rainy weather isn't helping! Maybe it was because of all the running around I did on Wednesday afternoon. I took Charley to the pumpkin patch (he had to stay in the car because they had a cat...) so I managed to get 2 huge pumpkins into a cart and roll it up to the register. Found out later I should have asked because they would have helped me... I probably shouldn't have lifted either of them. Lesson learned. After taking Charley back home, I had to head to Walmart for some much-needed grocery shopping. I got all my goods and got in line, only to find out that my gallon of milk decided to explode. The little Indian guy at the counter started freaking out and running around, so I just stood there and watched for a sec until he said, "Ma'am, would you mind going to get another gallon of milk?" I was a little surprised by the request (secretly hoping they would call someone to go get one for me), but felt bad for him, so I waddled all the way on the other side of the store for the milk, then waddled back (even moreso because I'm not used to lugging around a gallon of milk more than a few steps). By the time I got back to the line, there were a bunch of people waiting on me. I must have looked pretty bad at that point (red face, disheveled hair, sweating) and apologized to everyone by saying, "Sorry, I don't move as fast as I used to (while opening my coat and gesturing to my belly, which seemed to work because the annoyed stares turned to sympathy... score one for the baby bump!)... anyway, long story short, by the time I checked out and got to my car, I was absolutely exhausted. Then I had to put everything in the car, and take it out again when I got home (which now takes more trips than it used to because I realize I shouldn't lift very much). I was spent. I came home and sat on the couch for a good 30 minutes afterward. Too much heavy lifting and exercise for one day! So I think that's probably a good reason why my energy level was on the low end Thursday.
As far as work is concerned, they made the part-time schedule for November. At first I was a little upset that I have fewer days next month, but I realize they need to prepare for me to leave in December. I will only work Mondays and Thursdays now. I think this will be a good thing for a lot of reasons. I need to get used to being home more, and start to manage my time better. I am not scheduled to work any weekends next month, either. I have gotten to used to it that now it seems weird, but I will not complain!! I complain about work enough on here as it is. Soon I will probably complain about not working. I promise I'm a happy person! I guess it just takes more for me to be satisfied anymore. Who knows...
Anyway, I should probably get around here and get some things done. Charley is bored and I was thinking about taking him somewhere today so he can socialize. He'll probably be pretty hyped up tomorrow night when our doorbell rings all night long! Can't wait to see all the little neighborhood kids in their costumes!! :) I'll try to post pics on Sunday of our Halloween festivities.
Love,
Ash
PS: Peanut is 23 weeks today!! He/she has had the hiccups quite a few times lately, which is hilarious! Casey felt more substantial movement this week, too! We try to have him feel the baby move every night, but sometimes Peanut is stubborn and won't cooperate. We finally had some success on Thursday!! Yaaaay!!!
I was draaaaaaagging at work yesterday. Not sure why my energy level was so low, although the rainy weather isn't helping! Maybe it was because of all the running around I did on Wednesday afternoon. I took Charley to the pumpkin patch (he had to stay in the car because they had a cat...) so I managed to get 2 huge pumpkins into a cart and roll it up to the register. Found out later I should have asked because they would have helped me... I probably shouldn't have lifted either of them. Lesson learned. After taking Charley back home, I had to head to Walmart for some much-needed grocery shopping. I got all my goods and got in line, only to find out that my gallon of milk decided to explode. The little Indian guy at the counter started freaking out and running around, so I just stood there and watched for a sec until he said, "Ma'am, would you mind going to get another gallon of milk?" I was a little surprised by the request (secretly hoping they would call someone to go get one for me), but felt bad for him, so I waddled all the way on the other side of the store for the milk, then waddled back (even moreso because I'm not used to lugging around a gallon of milk more than a few steps). By the time I got back to the line, there were a bunch of people waiting on me. I must have looked pretty bad at that point (red face, disheveled hair, sweating) and apologized to everyone by saying, "Sorry, I don't move as fast as I used to (while opening my coat and gesturing to my belly, which seemed to work because the annoyed stares turned to sympathy... score one for the baby bump!)... anyway, long story short, by the time I checked out and got to my car, I was absolutely exhausted. Then I had to put everything in the car, and take it out again when I got home (which now takes more trips than it used to because I realize I shouldn't lift very much). I was spent. I came home and sat on the couch for a good 30 minutes afterward. Too much heavy lifting and exercise for one day! So I think that's probably a good reason why my energy level was on the low end Thursday.
As far as work is concerned, they made the part-time schedule for November. At first I was a little upset that I have fewer days next month, but I realize they need to prepare for me to leave in December. I will only work Mondays and Thursdays now. I think this will be a good thing for a lot of reasons. I need to get used to being home more, and start to manage my time better. I am not scheduled to work any weekends next month, either. I have gotten to used to it that now it seems weird, but I will not complain!! I complain about work enough on here as it is. Soon I will probably complain about not working. I promise I'm a happy person! I guess it just takes more for me to be satisfied anymore. Who knows...
Anyway, I should probably get around here and get some things done. Charley is bored and I was thinking about taking him somewhere today so he can socialize. He'll probably be pretty hyped up tomorrow night when our doorbell rings all night long! Can't wait to see all the little neighborhood kids in their costumes!! :) I'll try to post pics on Sunday of our Halloween festivities.
Love,
Ash
PS: Peanut is 23 weeks today!! He/she has had the hiccups quite a few times lately, which is hilarious! Casey felt more substantial movement this week, too! We try to have him feel the baby move every night, but sometimes Peanut is stubborn and won't cooperate. We finally had some success on Thursday!! Yaaaay!!!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The Waiting Game
I know I've been complaining a lot about trying to track down a swine flu vaccine lately, but now I have an even more urgent reason. One of the agents at work tested positive for it on Monday evening, but spent a lot of the day on Monday in our office. She came in even though she had a fever and everything. Then she sent out an e-mail yesterday (which a lot of people overlooked because it was titled "Open House") and casually mentioned that a homeowner asked her not to come to the open house she was holding because she was sick. Sooo... as word spread throughout the office, more and more people started either 1) freaking out about germs, or 2) mentioning that they didn't feel well, either. Another agent came up to the front desk, hacking and coughing, and started grabbing candy out of the candy dish, right in front of us. I probably offended her, but I told her I couldn't be around her at all if she is sick. I backed away and went to the work room. People seriously just need to realize that work can wait, and they should stay home if they're sick!! It's not that difficult! I know the economy sucks right now and everyone needs money, but just be smart about it and take a day or two off! I don't think anything is really life or death as far as real estate goes... although I could be wrong.
So now I have to sit and wait until I can get a vaccine. I would go to the clinic today, but all the latest information says that they still only have the nasal mist, which I am not allowed to take because I'm pregnant. My OBGYN isn't providing the shots, either. Not sure what to do. I guess all I can really do is wait, and be sure to wash my hands often and be cautious. They are leaving me with no choice!
Other than that, I'm trying to get some things accomplished around here. It's been slow so far. I'm planning to go to the local Farmer's Market today to get a few pumpkins to carve in the next few days. The farm closes for the season on Halloween, so I want to go support them! I can't believe we haven't decorated the house at all yet for Halloween. I would imagine that we'll do a lot more next year since Peanut will be around to celebrate. :) I really look forward to going to the pumpkin patch with Peanut & Casey... that will be so much fun! I also can't wait to dress he/she up in their first costume. I have always loved Halloween, so it will be even more fun with a kid around! :)
I guess I should get going now.. more later!
-Ash
So now I have to sit and wait until I can get a vaccine. I would go to the clinic today, but all the latest information says that they still only have the nasal mist, which I am not allowed to take because I'm pregnant. My OBGYN isn't providing the shots, either. Not sure what to do. I guess all I can really do is wait, and be sure to wash my hands often and be cautious. They are leaving me with no choice!
Other than that, I'm trying to get some things accomplished around here. It's been slow so far. I'm planning to go to the local Farmer's Market today to get a few pumpkins to carve in the next few days. The farm closes for the season on Halloween, so I want to go support them! I can't believe we haven't decorated the house at all yet for Halloween. I would imagine that we'll do a lot more next year since Peanut will be around to celebrate. :) I really look forward to going to the pumpkin patch with Peanut & Casey... that will be so much fun! I also can't wait to dress he/she up in their first costume. I have always loved Halloween, so it will be even more fun with a kid around! :)
I guess I should get going now.. more later!
-Ash
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Please work, please work, please work...
I took some pictures over the weekend for my homework assignment that is due this Thursday, but I've been having some problems with my Compact Flash (CF) card and it's driving me a little nuts. I'm troubleshooting it right now, but it's taking a long time. Basically, I can see all of the pictures on my camera from my computer, but it won't let me copy them. Stupid, right? I just switched out the USB cable and am hoping for the best... so I'm blogging while I wait for everything to *hopefully* upload... please work please work....
Other than that, things are going pretty well. I'm excited about Halloween, even though we will probably just stay home and hand out candy this year. I doubt it will be 70 degrees like it was last year, but hopefully it won't be cold and rainy like it has been recently. Still trying to figure out what Charley's going to wear... and Casey for that matter. I think he's going to go with wearing his hardhat and lab coat from work, and then we're going to get some make up and make it look like he had an accident or something. His idea, not mine. :) As far as CB goes... no clue. But I guess I still have 4 days to figure it out!
Okay, so it looks like changing the USB cable may have done the trick... hopefully so because then I'll actually have pictures to turn in on Thursday! Kind of pointless to go to lab today when I didn't have anything to bring for it. That's the nice thing about this class.. since Tuesdays are lab, and I have Photoshop at home, we aren't required to come in, and we don't get points taken off if we're not there. I have a good line of communication going with my teacher, so he knows I'm having card/camera/cord issues and is very understanding, as usual. Time to work on homework, then get ready for work. We have another person interviewing today at 3... let's hope she is good, or hell- let's hope she even shows up! That will be an improvement from the norm. :)
-Ash
Other than that, things are going pretty well. I'm excited about Halloween, even though we will probably just stay home and hand out candy this year. I doubt it will be 70 degrees like it was last year, but hopefully it won't be cold and rainy like it has been recently. Still trying to figure out what Charley's going to wear... and Casey for that matter. I think he's going to go with wearing his hardhat and lab coat from work, and then we're going to get some make up and make it look like he had an accident or something. His idea, not mine. :) As far as CB goes... no clue. But I guess I still have 4 days to figure it out!
Okay, so it looks like changing the USB cable may have done the trick... hopefully so because then I'll actually have pictures to turn in on Thursday! Kind of pointless to go to lab today when I didn't have anything to bring for it. That's the nice thing about this class.. since Tuesdays are lab, and I have Photoshop at home, we aren't required to come in, and we don't get points taken off if we're not there. I have a good line of communication going with my teacher, so he knows I'm having card/camera/cord issues and is very understanding, as usual. Time to work on homework, then get ready for work. We have another person interviewing today at 3... let's hope she is good, or hell- let's hope she even shows up! That will be an improvement from the norm. :)
-Ash
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Stressin' about the Swine Flu
All this craze about the H1N1 vaccine is starting to get to me. I'm at the top of the priority list to get it, but finding one seems nearly impossible. I am willing to risk the crowds of people to stand in line and hope that I am able to get it, but what if they run out before I'm able to? Am I putting my baby's life at risk if I have to wait until mid November to get it? Since I work directly with a lot of people, and a lot of people come in to work even when they are sick, it makes me really nervous. So many people are sick right now... I really don't want to risk it.
The first clinic is scheduled to open this Wednesday at 3 pm, so I'm planning to go. The only problem right now is that people are saying that only the mist is available (which pregnant women aren't supposed to have), but they *may* have the shot available at that time. I guess all I can really do is try. Hopefully it won't be a big waste of time and energy... and hopefully it won't be a million people trying to do the same thing I am.
Ideally, my OBGYN would provide one for me, or make sure I'm on the list to get one, since pregnant women seem to be at the top of the priority list right now... but instead it seems to be completely up to chance. I just hope things go in my favor and I'm able to get the shot before anything bad happens!!!
Thanks for letting me stress...
-Ash
The first clinic is scheduled to open this Wednesday at 3 pm, so I'm planning to go. The only problem right now is that people are saying that only the mist is available (which pregnant women aren't supposed to have), but they *may* have the shot available at that time. I guess all I can really do is try. Hopefully it won't be a big waste of time and energy... and hopefully it won't be a million people trying to do the same thing I am.
Ideally, my OBGYN would provide one for me, or make sure I'm on the list to get one, since pregnant women seem to be at the top of the priority list right now... but instead it seems to be completely up to chance. I just hope things go in my favor and I'm able to get the shot before anything bad happens!!!
Thanks for letting me stress...
-Ash
Early morning for me...
I'm awake right now but really wish I wasn't. Oh well, I will get used to this one of these days... :) Just wanted to update that my "mentor" at work had to have an emergency c-section yesterday, and that baby Dominick was born and is doing well! She was only at 34 weeks, so it was pretty scary, but it sounds like everything is going really well for she and the little guy. It is going to be strange not seeing her at work now! I don't know if she'll come back anytime soon, if at all. It's also strange because now I'll be the only pregnant Ashley at work (which is weird enough to write!). I am really glad that everything went well for them. We just had a baby shower for her at work last Tuesday, and not even a week later, she's a mom!! Crazy stuff!
Case and I did more crib hunting yesterday. We have finally narrowed it down to about 4 cribs. By this time next weekend, we plan to have picked one out and put it on order. Everyone is telling us that we're being smart doing it early, but after thinking about Ashlee's situation with Dominick, I have to think that earlier is better! You just never know when they might be ready to enter the world.
Speaking of kids, after we got done shopping last night, we came home and I tried to take pictures for class because the sun finally came out. While I was outside, Casey started raking the leaves in our front yard. Two of the neighbor kids came over, and by the time I got back to the house after wandering the neighborhood, I saw them both helping Case rake the leaves. This was short-lived because, as siblings tend to do, they started having a competition and throwing leaves at each other. At one point, one of them was sitting on top of the other, trying to shove leaves in the other's mouth. I think because I'm an only child, I couldn't fully understand the rivalry between them, but I almost felt like a referee at times. They were pretty intense! I was happy when their dad came over and broke it up. Not only that, but the boy (who has a bit of a reputation on the street for mistreating animals) kept throwing leaves at Charley and scaring him. I ended up having to yell at him twice because he wouldn't stop. I don't like trying to discipline kids I don't really know... it's awkward. I did take some mental notes, though. Definitely had a little chat with Peanut about it and we've decided that he/she would will not act that when they get old enough. I have also decided that those kids will never, ever dog-sit!
One more thing!!! We are going to be able to go to Columbia to visit in early December! I think we're booking our tickets today. I am donating at least half of my birthday money to the trip, because I don't think we'll be able to go back anytime soon if we don't do it now. To any Columbia folks actually reading this, we will be there from late Thursday, December 3rd, to early Sunday, December 6th. We plan to spend all day Friday at USC, trying to see as many people as possible, then Saturday we'll try to catch up with anyone we missed. It's going to be insane, and I'm already a little worn out thinking about it, but I am SUPER excited to go and I know it will be a blast! :-D
Anyway, I guess that's about all for now. It's 6 am and I have to get up in a few hours to get ready to go to work again. :( Oh well, more $ is always good.
Love,
Ash
Case and I did more crib hunting yesterday. We have finally narrowed it down to about 4 cribs. By this time next weekend, we plan to have picked one out and put it on order. Everyone is telling us that we're being smart doing it early, but after thinking about Ashlee's situation with Dominick, I have to think that earlier is better! You just never know when they might be ready to enter the world.
Speaking of kids, after we got done shopping last night, we came home and I tried to take pictures for class because the sun finally came out. While I was outside, Casey started raking the leaves in our front yard. Two of the neighbor kids came over, and by the time I got back to the house after wandering the neighborhood, I saw them both helping Case rake the leaves. This was short-lived because, as siblings tend to do, they started having a competition and throwing leaves at each other. At one point, one of them was sitting on top of the other, trying to shove leaves in the other's mouth. I think because I'm an only child, I couldn't fully understand the rivalry between them, but I almost felt like a referee at times. They were pretty intense! I was happy when their dad came over and broke it up. Not only that, but the boy (who has a bit of a reputation on the street for mistreating animals) kept throwing leaves at Charley and scaring him. I ended up having to yell at him twice because he wouldn't stop. I don't like trying to discipline kids I don't really know... it's awkward. I did take some mental notes, though. Definitely had a little chat with Peanut about it and we've decided that he/she would will not act that when they get old enough. I have also decided that those kids will never, ever dog-sit!
One more thing!!! We are going to be able to go to Columbia to visit in early December! I think we're booking our tickets today. I am donating at least half of my birthday money to the trip, because I don't think we'll be able to go back anytime soon if we don't do it now. To any Columbia folks actually reading this, we will be there from late Thursday, December 3rd, to early Sunday, December 6th. We plan to spend all day Friday at USC, trying to see as many people as possible, then Saturday we'll try to catch up with anyone we missed. It's going to be insane, and I'm already a little worn out thinking about it, but I am SUPER excited to go and I know it will be a blast! :-D
Anyway, I guess that's about all for now. It's 6 am and I have to get up in a few hours to get ready to go to work again. :( Oh well, more $ is always good.
Love,
Ash
Friday, October 23, 2009
Holy Stress Batman!
Okay, don't panic. At least that's what I'm telling myself right now. I am slightly overwhelmed with the idea that I have a TON to do and I feel like I'm not getting anything accomplished!! Okay, I'm fine now. Deep breaths.
My TO DO list is filling up quick. Find a crib. Narrow down a theme for the nursery. Register for baby stuff. Get a list together for invitations. Start getting the room ready. Etc. etc. etc. Since I've had to work one weekend day for the last 3 weeks, I only get one full day with Casey to try to get through this stuff, and he's so stressed about projects with work and the house right now that I'm not sure when things will get done. So instead of sitting here blogging about my stress, I'm going to be productive and at least get some things done around here so I can feel better about things in general. Time to do 3-4 loads of laundry! Woo hoo! :-P
*****
Okay, it's later. I got a lot done today... maybe not baby-wise, but still. :) 3 loads of laundry, cleaned the master bathroom, took Charley to Petsmart (where we saw 3 other Boxers and CB almost ripped off my hand/arm in the process because he was so excited!), registered for the Prepared Childbirth class in January, did the dishes, cleaned the sink... hmmm... I think that's enough for one day. Tomorrow will be crib hunting/possibly buying, and whatever else Casey and I can get done on our day together. One thing at a time!! :)
Love,
Ash
My TO DO list is filling up quick. Find a crib. Narrow down a theme for the nursery. Register for baby stuff. Get a list together for invitations. Start getting the room ready. Etc. etc. etc. Since I've had to work one weekend day for the last 3 weeks, I only get one full day with Casey to try to get through this stuff, and he's so stressed about projects with work and the house right now that I'm not sure when things will get done. So instead of sitting here blogging about my stress, I'm going to be productive and at least get some things done around here so I can feel better about things in general. Time to do 3-4 loads of laundry! Woo hoo! :-P
*****
Okay, it's later. I got a lot done today... maybe not baby-wise, but still. :) 3 loads of laundry, cleaned the master bathroom, took Charley to Petsmart (where we saw 3 other Boxers and CB almost ripped off my hand/arm in the process because he was so excited!), registered for the Prepared Childbirth class in January, did the dishes, cleaned the sink... hmmm... I think that's enough for one day. Tomorrow will be crib hunting/possibly buying, and whatever else Casey and I can get done on our day together. One thing at a time!! :)
Love,
Ash
Monday, October 19, 2009
Laughter is the best medicine...
There is nothing quite like laughing until you cry... which is what I just did. I am trying hard to remember what the heck was so funny... I was watching America's Funniest Home Videos (I try to at least once or twice a week) and tonight I lost it over some clips of dogs... seriously I don't remember what made me laugh so hard... but I laughed until no sound was coming out, and I thought I might possibly pee my pants. I had tears streaming down my face... and I'm still recovering. Whoo!!
In other news, I just found out that my other KSU roommate is pregnant! Crazy stuff. I think that brings the count up to 13 girls I know that are pregnant right now, and a lot of them are within a few weeks of me. Talk about a baby boom! There are going to be a lot of little ones around the first of the year!
I really think that's it for now. I had a loooong day at work that was actually pretty stressful at times, but AFV made me forget about it for now, so I don't think it's worth revisiting. I'll write again later!
-Ash
In other news, I just found out that my other KSU roommate is pregnant! Crazy stuff. I think that brings the count up to 13 girls I know that are pregnant right now, and a lot of them are within a few weeks of me. Talk about a baby boom! There are going to be a lot of little ones around the first of the year!
I really think that's it for now. I had a loooong day at work that was actually pretty stressful at times, but AFV made me forget about it for now, so I don't think it's worth revisiting. I'll write again later!
-Ash
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Holy Man in the Sky, this is a long entry!
Another Sunday, another long day in the office while I stare at the beautiful weather outside. Bah! Okay, I will try to keep my complaints to a minimum. I have a lot on my mind today, so what better way to get it out than to blog? So far I haven't found a better one.
So I really wonder what's going on with the younger generation right now. It bugs me that out of 5 or more interviews for new part-time staff at work, only 2 people bothered to show up (the others didn't even call to let us know they weren't coming). Then out of those two (who both got hired), only one came in when she was scheduled, and the other never showed at all. I was supposed to train her today, but she never came in on Friday, which was supposed to be her first day. That is so sad to me. I realize that I've not always been the ideal employee and have had moments where I could use a swift kick in the rear end, but at least I would let my bosses know if I wasn't coming in, etc. And I would never stand someone up if I was scheduled to interview with them, out of respect. When over 50% of the people that even qualify to interview don't show up or call to give a reason why they won't be there, it really makes me sad for things to come. Not only that, but with the job market the way it is right now, you would think these people would be a little more anxious to have an income. I hope to teach my kids better than that, and glad that my parents worked hard and showed me what work ethic is supposed to be, by example.
Speaking of kids, mine has been a lot more active recently. We have moved from the funny tickling sensation to actual kicks now. Something was going on in there around 4 o'clock this morning... it felt like Peanut may have been changing positions or something to that effect. I tend to sleep on my side, and put more weight on my stomach, but when I did that it felt like little limbs were jabbing me as if to say, "Mom, you're smashing me! Move over!" We fought a bit about which position was going to work for the both of us. Peanut won, of course. I hate sleeping on my back, but I didn't have much of a choice, as that's the only way I could get comfortable and the only way Peanut would settle down. I also had to prop my head up with pillows because my lovely friend Acid Reflux kicked in again. (I blame the hotdog & nachos I ate yesterday during a movie Casey and I went to... maybe I'll learn eventually that things like that are probably going to give me a bad reaction and I WON'T EAT THEM. Too bad I like food a lot and feel the need to eat it no matter how it might affect me later on...
More baby stuff. This Tuesday, people in my office are throwing a baby shower for the other pregnant girl whose name happens to be Ashlee (who has a dog named Charlie... weird, huh?). This has been a little awkward, because a lot of the agents actually think the baby shower is for me. Ashlee has been with the company for 9 years, and used to work at the front desk. Now she works for a specific group of agents, and the newer people in the office just assume that the flyer/e-mail that went out was about me. I think a few of them have even chipped in money or bought presents, thinking I'm the one they are buying for. Again, very awkward situation, for many reasons. I don't really know what else to say other than that. Tuesday may be interesting.
Okay, could I possibly talk about anything else? More baby stuff. Yesterday Casey and I spent a large chunk of the day looking at cribs for Peanut. Good Lord there are a lot of different types of cribs. I think we have finally narrowed down what we want, now we just have to find the store that has the best deal. Soon we'll have to register. So much to think about and do in the next month... ahhh!!
Casey and I took a break from crib hunting yesterday and went to see "The Invention of Lying". I thought it was actually really good. For those of you who haven't seen it and don't care to know the plot, please skip this paragraph. For everyone else, I'd like to summarize it. It takes place in a world that only tells the truth; no one knows what a lie is. Everyone speaks exactly what's on their mind, which can lead to some pretty hilarious, and sometimes a little depressing, things that people say right to someone else's face. The main character, Mark, is a little on the chubby side, and everyone he meets pretty much let him know that he's a 'fat loser'. You hear this a lot in the movie. But anyway, everything really starts when Mark's mother is on her death bed. She is absolutely terrified of death, and that life just ends and nothing happens afterward. Mark wants to comfort her, so he 'makes up' a story about how there is a place you go when you die, and everyone gets mansions, everything is happy. You never feel pain, etc. He mentions there is a 'man in the sky' that is in charge of everything, etc. Some of the medical staff overhear what he's saying to his mom, and they have to know more about this "man in the sky" and what happens after you die. This turns into a huge ordeal, and suddenly Mark is the most popular man in the world. Everyone hangs on his every word, just to hear things he 'knows' that they don't. He claims the "man in the sky" tells him everything. Besides some funny but obviously sacreligious moments, the movie is pretty clever. I mean, he writes the 'rules' of life on the back of two Pizza Hut boxes! They call a church a "quiet place to think about the man in the sky". I was laughing from the beginning credits to the very end. They even threw in some sentimental moments and I thought I might cry... so basically the movie has it all. I recommend it!
So I guess that's it for now. I honestly have been here for almost 2.5 hours now, and have a feeling I may end up blogging again if the day doesn't start to be more exciting. For now, I'll end this horribly long novel... sorry for all the words. My brain is on overload today.
Love,
Ash
So I really wonder what's going on with the younger generation right now. It bugs me that out of 5 or more interviews for new part-time staff at work, only 2 people bothered to show up (the others didn't even call to let us know they weren't coming). Then out of those two (who both got hired), only one came in when she was scheduled, and the other never showed at all. I was supposed to train her today, but she never came in on Friday, which was supposed to be her first day. That is so sad to me. I realize that I've not always been the ideal employee and have had moments where I could use a swift kick in the rear end, but at least I would let my bosses know if I wasn't coming in, etc. And I would never stand someone up if I was scheduled to interview with them, out of respect. When over 50% of the people that even qualify to interview don't show up or call to give a reason why they won't be there, it really makes me sad for things to come. Not only that, but with the job market the way it is right now, you would think these people would be a little more anxious to have an income. I hope to teach my kids better than that, and glad that my parents worked hard and showed me what work ethic is supposed to be, by example.
Speaking of kids, mine has been a lot more active recently. We have moved from the funny tickling sensation to actual kicks now. Something was going on in there around 4 o'clock this morning... it felt like Peanut may have been changing positions or something to that effect. I tend to sleep on my side, and put more weight on my stomach, but when I did that it felt like little limbs were jabbing me as if to say, "Mom, you're smashing me! Move over!" We fought a bit about which position was going to work for the both of us. Peanut won, of course. I hate sleeping on my back, but I didn't have much of a choice, as that's the only way I could get comfortable and the only way Peanut would settle down. I also had to prop my head up with pillows because my lovely friend Acid Reflux kicked in again. (I blame the hotdog & nachos I ate yesterday during a movie Casey and I went to... maybe I'll learn eventually that things like that are probably going to give me a bad reaction and I WON'T EAT THEM. Too bad I like food a lot and feel the need to eat it no matter how it might affect me later on...
More baby stuff. This Tuesday, people in my office are throwing a baby shower for the other pregnant girl whose name happens to be Ashlee (who has a dog named Charlie... weird, huh?). This has been a little awkward, because a lot of the agents actually think the baby shower is for me. Ashlee has been with the company for 9 years, and used to work at the front desk. Now she works for a specific group of agents, and the newer people in the office just assume that the flyer/e-mail that went out was about me. I think a few of them have even chipped in money or bought presents, thinking I'm the one they are buying for. Again, very awkward situation, for many reasons. I don't really know what else to say other than that. Tuesday may be interesting.
Okay, could I possibly talk about anything else? More baby stuff. Yesterday Casey and I spent a large chunk of the day looking at cribs for Peanut. Good Lord there are a lot of different types of cribs. I think we have finally narrowed down what we want, now we just have to find the store that has the best deal. Soon we'll have to register. So much to think about and do in the next month... ahhh!!
Casey and I took a break from crib hunting yesterday and went to see "The Invention of Lying". I thought it was actually really good. For those of you who haven't seen it and don't care to know the plot, please skip this paragraph. For everyone else, I'd like to summarize it. It takes place in a world that only tells the truth; no one knows what a lie is. Everyone speaks exactly what's on their mind, which can lead to some pretty hilarious, and sometimes a little depressing, things that people say right to someone else's face. The main character, Mark, is a little on the chubby side, and everyone he meets pretty much let him know that he's a 'fat loser'. You hear this a lot in the movie. But anyway, everything really starts when Mark's mother is on her death bed. She is absolutely terrified of death, and that life just ends and nothing happens afterward. Mark wants to comfort her, so he 'makes up' a story about how there is a place you go when you die, and everyone gets mansions, everything is happy. You never feel pain, etc. He mentions there is a 'man in the sky' that is in charge of everything, etc. Some of the medical staff overhear what he's saying to his mom, and they have to know more about this "man in the sky" and what happens after you die. This turns into a huge ordeal, and suddenly Mark is the most popular man in the world. Everyone hangs on his every word, just to hear things he 'knows' that they don't. He claims the "man in the sky" tells him everything. Besides some funny but obviously sacreligious moments, the movie is pretty clever. I mean, he writes the 'rules' of life on the back of two Pizza Hut boxes! They call a church a "quiet place to think about the man in the sky". I was laughing from the beginning credits to the very end. They even threw in some sentimental moments and I thought I might cry... so basically the movie has it all. I recommend it!
So I guess that's it for now. I honestly have been here for almost 2.5 hours now, and have a feeling I may end up blogging again if the day doesn't start to be more exciting. For now, I'll end this horribly long novel... sorry for all the words. My brain is on overload today.
Love,
Ash
Friday, October 16, 2009
Upcoming Events
So after a few more days of having my head in the clouds and dreaming about little feet, I am slowly coming back down to Earth. Any mention of the baby sends me back up a little bit, and anytime it kicks now I picture the little tiny feet on my internal organs, but I'm trying to concentrate on what's going on right now and keep my head in the game. We've got a ton going on and I can't afford to space out and/or slack off right now!
My two amazing best friends and sisters-in-law have started planning our baby shower for December, so reality is setting in that we need to register ASAP! I think we might go do that tomorrow, or at least start the process. We are also going crib hunting tomorrow, so Saturday is officially the day we are going to crack down and figure some things out for Peanut. I know Casey will morph into Engineer mode and want to research things (I actually envy that he does this, even if I do tease him about it... haha) so I'm prepared for this to take a few weeks to actually get done. With the help of several people who have recently had babies, I have a decent list going of things I think we might need. The trick now is finding out which products are the 'best' and what things we can avoid getting altogether.
In other news, there are two new girls starting this week at work. I got to start training one of them yesterday, and so far I have to say that if she keeps up the way she did, I will not feel guilty about leaving work in December. She seems highly capable and very smart. (Incidentally, her last name is Smart.) In fact, she pays enough attention to detail that she even caught a few mistakes I made yesterday... which was a little embarrassing, but good! I know I like to talk, but I realized that as the day went on and I had to explain everything I was doing, I started getting tired and very spacey (yes, more so than normal). I slept better last night than I have in a long time! Sunday may be the same for me, because the other new girl will be at work half day so I can train her on phones, etc. She seems a little more reserved, but hopefully she'll be able to catch on quickly and fill in some of the hours. It was a little strange yesterday when some of the agents would meet Amber (new girl #1) and ask, "So whose place are you taking?" I guess a lot of people didn't realize that I may not be coming back after I have the baby. I am still keeping the door open so that in a few months I might take a weekend slot here and there, but because I don't know many people here, and I definitely don't want to send my kid to a day care right away, I plan on being a stay at home mom. They seem to understand that this may have been different if we were not as new to the area, or if we had family that lived closer. But most people seem to get the fact that 1) I'm only part-time, and 2) I don't get maternity leave BECAUSE I'm part-time. I think they wonder why I'm leaving so early (mid-December), but if they could see the schedule I'm going to have between December and February when the baby is born, I don't think many people would question it. I anticipate a lot of visitors, plus we have a lot of preparation to get done on the house (nursery, basement) before Peanut arrives. I didn't really want the nightmare of trying to take a lot of time off work around Christmas because I'm so low on the totem pole, so I thought I'd just skip it and leave a little earlier. Additionally, I will have to start going to the doctor more frequently around that time. And if those weren't reasons enough, I am ready for a break!
Other than that, school is going well, and Casey seems to still enjoy work. He's had a lot going on recently and has been a little stressed while at home, but compared to the old days of grad school, life has changed a lot for him. He manages to come home and relax (or at least the Casey version of relax) almost every night now. If he's working on a report or something for work, he still makes time to sit down and eat dinner with me and hang out for awhile. It sure beats the old days when I'd bring him dinner at work and then not get to eat with him because he was busy working on an experiment. Although I don't miss that aspect of grad school, I really miss the people. We are trying to work out a quick trip back to Columbia in early December. So far it looks like it might work out, now we are just looking into places to stay. Hopefully everything will come together and we'll get to go before I fill up 2 seats on the plane instead of one! Haha!
I guess that's all for now. I need to start on laundry, and then run some errands. Hoping to find a white and orange striped shirt today for my Juno costume. :) More later!
-Ash
My two amazing best friends and sisters-in-law have started planning our baby shower for December, so reality is setting in that we need to register ASAP! I think we might go do that tomorrow, or at least start the process. We are also going crib hunting tomorrow, so Saturday is officially the day we are going to crack down and figure some things out for Peanut. I know Casey will morph into Engineer mode and want to research things (I actually envy that he does this, even if I do tease him about it... haha) so I'm prepared for this to take a few weeks to actually get done. With the help of several people who have recently had babies, I have a decent list going of things I think we might need. The trick now is finding out which products are the 'best' and what things we can avoid getting altogether.
In other news, there are two new girls starting this week at work. I got to start training one of them yesterday, and so far I have to say that if she keeps up the way she did, I will not feel guilty about leaving work in December. She seems highly capable and very smart. (Incidentally, her last name is Smart.) In fact, she pays enough attention to detail that she even caught a few mistakes I made yesterday... which was a little embarrassing, but good! I know I like to talk, but I realized that as the day went on and I had to explain everything I was doing, I started getting tired and very spacey (yes, more so than normal). I slept better last night than I have in a long time! Sunday may be the same for me, because the other new girl will be at work half day so I can train her on phones, etc. She seems a little more reserved, but hopefully she'll be able to catch on quickly and fill in some of the hours. It was a little strange yesterday when some of the agents would meet Amber (new girl #1) and ask, "So whose place are you taking?" I guess a lot of people didn't realize that I may not be coming back after I have the baby. I am still keeping the door open so that in a few months I might take a weekend slot here and there, but because I don't know many people here, and I definitely don't want to send my kid to a day care right away, I plan on being a stay at home mom. They seem to understand that this may have been different if we were not as new to the area, or if we had family that lived closer. But most people seem to get the fact that 1) I'm only part-time, and 2) I don't get maternity leave BECAUSE I'm part-time. I think they wonder why I'm leaving so early (mid-December), but if they could see the schedule I'm going to have between December and February when the baby is born, I don't think many people would question it. I anticipate a lot of visitors, plus we have a lot of preparation to get done on the house (nursery, basement) before Peanut arrives. I didn't really want the nightmare of trying to take a lot of time off work around Christmas because I'm so low on the totem pole, so I thought I'd just skip it and leave a little earlier. Additionally, I will have to start going to the doctor more frequently around that time. And if those weren't reasons enough, I am ready for a break!
Other than that, school is going well, and Casey seems to still enjoy work. He's had a lot going on recently and has been a little stressed while at home, but compared to the old days of grad school, life has changed a lot for him. He manages to come home and relax (or at least the Casey version of relax) almost every night now. If he's working on a report or something for work, he still makes time to sit down and eat dinner with me and hang out for awhile. It sure beats the old days when I'd bring him dinner at work and then not get to eat with him because he was busy working on an experiment. Although I don't miss that aspect of grad school, I really miss the people. We are trying to work out a quick trip back to Columbia in early December. So far it looks like it might work out, now we are just looking into places to stay. Hopefully everything will come together and we'll get to go before I fill up 2 seats on the plane instead of one! Haha!
I guess that's all for now. I need to start on laundry, and then run some errands. Hoping to find a white and orange striped shirt today for my Juno costume. :) More later!
-Ash
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Labeled versions...
I think I could look at the foot all day long. Maybe it's good that there wasn't a picture of both feet, or I would not be able to function correctly. I LOVE LITTLE FEET!!!!! This pic is awesome.
Here is the picture of Peanut, right-side up. People were really confused by the original ultrasound picture today, so I thought I would label it. Also, there is not, and I repeat NOT another baby in the picture!!! I promise it is Peanut's tummy. There is no room for another one in there!! The End. :)
Newest Peanut Pictures!!!
Yay for Peanut not looking like a peanut anymore!!! He/She did not flash us, either! The sonogram went very well. We got to see just about every side of the baby (besides the nether regions), including all the chambers of the heart! Everything looks good, and we are right in line with the due date, February 26th. The next pic is my favorite... I love the first one because it was when Peanut waved its little hand, and we saw the mouth move! But the next one is my fave because it is a very tiny little foot and I can't wait to see it in person!! (I have a slight obsession with little baby feet.. haha... and now that my kid is starting to kick, it's kind of fun to see the feet that are kicking my internal organs!) :)
The next two are of the heartbeat (137 bpm) and a profile shot.
I've gained a little weight (3 lbs) and they're telling me to eat more protein and drink more water, but don't seem concerned about anything. In all, not a bad visit! We're not really impressed with some of the reception staff and a few of the nurses, but we went on an off day when my normal nurse practitioner wasn't there. I'm not too worried. It would take a lot to make me feel down right now after getting to see the baby and knowing that everything is working the way it's supposed to.
That's all for now... more later! :-D
-Ash
Monday, October 12, 2009
Funny moment, and Halloween Revelation!
My boss was cleaning out his desk and he said, "Oh look, a Viagra pen!" and without thinking I reply, "Oh, does it still work?" I don't know where that comment came from, and at the time it didn't seem very funny, but he started laughing.. and laughing and laughing, and before I knew it we were both cracking up and my face was bright red. LOL... wow. I'm glad I have a boss that won't think less of me (at least that I know of...) if I say things like that. Yikes!
In other news, I think I'm going to be Juno for Halloween. I found the idea online and think it's the most fun and easiest to pull off, so far. Everyone else had their pregnant bellies painted, and it's going to be WAAAAY too cold to do anything like that... not to mention that I don't like showing much skin as it is.
I guess that's all for now... goodnight!
-Ash
In other news, I think I'm going to be Juno for Halloween. I found the idea online and think it's the most fun and easiest to pull off, so far. Everyone else had their pregnant bellies painted, and it's going to be WAAAAY too cold to do anything like that... not to mention that I don't like showing much skin as it is.
I guess that's all for now... goodnight!
-Ash
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Learning to read, and FONDUE!
Only two hours left at work before I get to go home and start my 1 day weekend. I never work Saturdays, but our weekend girl just celebrated her 21st birthday, so I felt I could make an exception. :) Saturdays aren't quite as boring as Sundays, mainly because I get a lot of phone calls and almost all of them are with problems... so it gives me something to do. Sometimes I feel like I'm a detective at work. Someone will call and say, "I just got a phone call from this number. Who called me?" Then I have to ask a series of questions to figure out which of the 150+ agents called them, and why. It normally ends with, "Oh, I think they left me a message, so I'll just check it." Okay... you would have saved yourself some time if you would have checked it first... but I digress.
Another common one is to schedule a showing for a property that's listed with our office. Nine times out of ten, the person just didn't read the showing instructions, so they call our office just to have us tell them they need to call somewhere else. The kicker is that they often get frustrated because they have to be directed to another number, but the fact of the matter is, again, that they could have saved themselves some time by READING. I know I am guilty of not reading things from time to time, but I'm trying to learn from the people that annoy me so I can change my ways. :)
In other, less complain-y news, Casey and I got to go out last night to celebrate Peanut's 20th week! He took me to a fondue restaurant called The Melting Pot, one of my favorite places to eat. We had a 4 course meal, and I almost literally had to be rolled out of there at the end. The best part was the dessert- a platter of things like fruit, brownies, pound cake, cheesecake, etc- that you dip in chocolate fondue. I have been thinking about it quite a bit today, it was DELICIOUS. I'm sorry to torture anyone that might be reading this... I am now torturing myself just from writing it. SOOOOO GOOD. Okay I'm done.
Well, I'm headed home in about 20 minutes so I should probably start shutting this place down. Just wanted to update while I had the chance. :)
-Ash
Another common one is to schedule a showing for a property that's listed with our office. Nine times out of ten, the person just didn't read the showing instructions, so they call our office just to have us tell them they need to call somewhere else. The kicker is that they often get frustrated because they have to be directed to another number, but the fact of the matter is, again, that they could have saved themselves some time by READING. I know I am guilty of not reading things from time to time, but I'm trying to learn from the people that annoy me so I can change my ways. :)
In other, less complain-y news, Casey and I got to go out last night to celebrate Peanut's 20th week! He took me to a fondue restaurant called The Melting Pot, one of my favorite places to eat. We had a 4 course meal, and I almost literally had to be rolled out of there at the end. The best part was the dessert- a platter of things like fruit, brownies, pound cake, cheesecake, etc- that you dip in chocolate fondue. I have been thinking about it quite a bit today, it was DELICIOUS. I'm sorry to torture anyone that might be reading this... I am now torturing myself just from writing it. SOOOOO GOOD. Okay I'm done.
Well, I'm headed home in about 20 minutes so I should probably start shutting this place down. Just wanted to update while I had the chance. :)
-Ash
Friday, October 9, 2009
20 Week Mark = Half-way there!!
It is so hard to believe that the first half of pregnancy is over now! It has been the fastest 20 weeks of my life, so far. I have a TON to do (I realize I say that a lot)... hopefully tonight Casey and I will get to go out and spend some quality time together, and think more about the nursery, etc. He's had a busy week at work, entertaining people almost every night, and going to dinners and other events. Wednesday was the only night he was actually home at a normal time, and I have a feeling he's going to be pretty tired tonight. Nonetheless, I am excited to see him and get to hang out this evening. This week has almost felt a bit like the old days in grad school... so I'm ready for him to be home!!!
This week has been a pretty good one. Sunday's baby shower was fun, although my coworker Michelle and I got really lost on the way there, and were over an hour late. It ended up working out okay, but we only stayed about an hour and a half because the party was over pretty quickly. We were there long enough to see Ashlee open presents, and to eat the delicious food. Since Ashlee knew she's having a boy, she got a TON of clothes. I think the only advantage I might have in not knowing the sex of the baby is that maybe I will get more things I need instead of a lot of little outfits. Granted, they are cute, but I realize that she is having a difficult time because she didn't get a lot of things she really needs for the baby. She's at 32 weeks now, so if the little guy decides to come early, she may have to scramble a bit and get some of the essentials. But I guess at least he'll have plenty of clothes to wear!
The rest of the week went pretty well. I realize more than ever that I really have a lot of respect for my teacher. I missed class last week, so when I went in on Tuesday I was anticipating bad news as far as turning in last week's assignment. Turns out he is a VERY very understanding guy, and didn't take any points off for being late. Basically the fact that I'm still doing my work and keeping the lines of communication open with him about what's going on is keeping me in the game. When I reminded him that I won't be in class on Tuesday because of the 20 week ultrasound, he was more than understanding. He basically told me not to worry about it, and that it was more important than class anyway. I am really thankful that I have someone as understanding as he is, especially right now! I think it helps that he has a family of his own. It still sucks missing class, but at least I know he's on my side about it. I remember in earlier college years, and even high school, being a bit apprehensive about talking to the teacher about things like absences, homework, test scores, etc... but I see the advantage in being honest with them (now) and letting them know what's going on. It doesn't guarantee a good grade by any means, but at least they know you care enough to keep them in the loop. If only I would have known that 10 years ago! (Memories of high school Chemistry...)
I spent most of the day on Wednesday taking pictures for class on Thursday. This week's assignment was "Shutter Priority" or different techniques using shutter speed. I thought taking pictures of Charley would be ideal for this assignment, but he was less than helpful. Turns out that Wednesday was the only nice day this week, so when I took him outside and thought he would chase the ball around, he just laid in the grass. I think he's pretty tired of me taking pictures of him... but that won't change anytime in the near future. :) Anyway, I took over 600 pictures on Wednesday, and had to narrow them down to 5 for class. I wasn't really proud of the 5 I chose, especially after seeing everyone else's work yesterday in class. There are some really talented people in that class, and they are using a lot of techniques I wish I would have thought about, like painting with light, etc. I learned how to do that in high school, and it was one of my favorite topics to explore. Maybe next time I'll think outside the box a little more. I hope to work on next Thursday's homework sometime this weekend, but it looks like the weather isn't going to cooperate anytime soon. We are supposed to get our first hard freeze on Saturday night. I am definitely not excited about winter... at ALL. I'm trying to take in Fall right now, and enjoy the leaves changing around the neighborhood. Soon it will be cold and I won't want to go outside! Hearing the weatherman say (jokingly...I hope) that it probably won't get warm again until sometime next May really took the wind out of my sails!! I miss you, South Carolina!!
So I have the day off today, but have to work tomorrow. I hope working Saturday will be a bit more exciting than the previous Sundays, which are normally pretty boring. I only have about 2 months left at work. When I feel myself getting really stressed or annoyed, I try to put it in perspective and think that 3 months from now things will be a lot different. I'm glad they hired someone last week, and she starts next Monday. That will take some of the pressure off, and hopefully I won't have to work a weekend day again... it cuts into my Casey time!
On a more emotional note, this week marked the 9 year anniversary of the death of my grandmother. I thought about it quite a bit this week, and how much has happened since then. I think she would be excited about what Casey and I are doing now, and definitely excited about the baby. She was always really good with kids, and I am happy I got to spend so much time with her when I was younger. I learned a lot from her. I still think about her a lot. She was an awesome lady! :)
I guess that's about all for now. I have a lot of other things on my mind, but I've written too much at this point. Time to edit some photos and get some things done around the house.
-Ash
This week has been a pretty good one. Sunday's baby shower was fun, although my coworker Michelle and I got really lost on the way there, and were over an hour late. It ended up working out okay, but we only stayed about an hour and a half because the party was over pretty quickly. We were there long enough to see Ashlee open presents, and to eat the delicious food. Since Ashlee knew she's having a boy, she got a TON of clothes. I think the only advantage I might have in not knowing the sex of the baby is that maybe I will get more things I need instead of a lot of little outfits. Granted, they are cute, but I realize that she is having a difficult time because she didn't get a lot of things she really needs for the baby. She's at 32 weeks now, so if the little guy decides to come early, she may have to scramble a bit and get some of the essentials. But I guess at least he'll have plenty of clothes to wear!
The rest of the week went pretty well. I realize more than ever that I really have a lot of respect for my teacher. I missed class last week, so when I went in on Tuesday I was anticipating bad news as far as turning in last week's assignment. Turns out he is a VERY very understanding guy, and didn't take any points off for being late. Basically the fact that I'm still doing my work and keeping the lines of communication open with him about what's going on is keeping me in the game. When I reminded him that I won't be in class on Tuesday because of the 20 week ultrasound, he was more than understanding. He basically told me not to worry about it, and that it was more important than class anyway. I am really thankful that I have someone as understanding as he is, especially right now! I think it helps that he has a family of his own. It still sucks missing class, but at least I know he's on my side about it. I remember in earlier college years, and even high school, being a bit apprehensive about talking to the teacher about things like absences, homework, test scores, etc... but I see the advantage in being honest with them (now) and letting them know what's going on. It doesn't guarantee a good grade by any means, but at least they know you care enough to keep them in the loop. If only I would have known that 10 years ago! (Memories of high school Chemistry...)
I spent most of the day on Wednesday taking pictures for class on Thursday. This week's assignment was "Shutter Priority" or different techniques using shutter speed. I thought taking pictures of Charley would be ideal for this assignment, but he was less than helpful. Turns out that Wednesday was the only nice day this week, so when I took him outside and thought he would chase the ball around, he just laid in the grass. I think he's pretty tired of me taking pictures of him... but that won't change anytime in the near future. :) Anyway, I took over 600 pictures on Wednesday, and had to narrow them down to 5 for class. I wasn't really proud of the 5 I chose, especially after seeing everyone else's work yesterday in class. There are some really talented people in that class, and they are using a lot of techniques I wish I would have thought about, like painting with light, etc. I learned how to do that in high school, and it was one of my favorite topics to explore. Maybe next time I'll think outside the box a little more. I hope to work on next Thursday's homework sometime this weekend, but it looks like the weather isn't going to cooperate anytime soon. We are supposed to get our first hard freeze on Saturday night. I am definitely not excited about winter... at ALL. I'm trying to take in Fall right now, and enjoy the leaves changing around the neighborhood. Soon it will be cold and I won't want to go outside! Hearing the weatherman say (jokingly...I hope) that it probably won't get warm again until sometime next May really took the wind out of my sails!! I miss you, South Carolina!!
So I have the day off today, but have to work tomorrow. I hope working Saturday will be a bit more exciting than the previous Sundays, which are normally pretty boring. I only have about 2 months left at work. When I feel myself getting really stressed or annoyed, I try to put it in perspective and think that 3 months from now things will be a lot different. I'm glad they hired someone last week, and she starts next Monday. That will take some of the pressure off, and hopefully I won't have to work a weekend day again... it cuts into my Casey time!
On a more emotional note, this week marked the 9 year anniversary of the death of my grandmother. I thought about it quite a bit this week, and how much has happened since then. I think she would be excited about what Casey and I are doing now, and definitely excited about the baby. She was always really good with kids, and I am happy I got to spend so much time with her when I was younger. I learned a lot from her. I still think about her a lot. She was an awesome lady! :)
I guess that's about all for now. I have a lot of other things on my mind, but I've written too much at this point. Time to edit some photos and get some things done around the house.
-Ash
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Another quick weekend...
If you know me, you know that cleaning is never on my priority list. I have blogged about it numerous times, and will tell pretty much anyone without hesitation that I avoid it as much as possible. I think I may have found a cure, though.
Anger. Casey and I got into an argument this morning, and instead of pouting or shutting down, I found myself cleaning. Organizing. Moving things and cleaning behind them. Throwing things away that I don't need. And it wasn't the "I'm going to slam things around because I'm mad" kind of thing, either. It was actual, genuine, "the kitchen is a mess and I'm tired of looking at it" kind of clean. I moved into the dining room, and then the living room. I have found that I have gotten more done in the last 2.5 hours than I have in over a week. It felt good to get things done. I just wish I could hold on to that and use it to motivate myself again when I need to. Anyway, I am happy that I was productive today. Even if it took anger to get it done.
In other news, I played Bunco on Friday night for the first time, and had a LOT of fun! I didn't really win anything, but got to hang out with some fun ladies. Definitely got a ton of advice about being a Mom, though... lots of talk about breastfeeding, etc. It actually freaked me out at times because there were 11 women coming at me with a ton of advice and information, but I tried to filter out some of it and take notes on the rest. I met a woman who had the same doctor as I do, so it was nice to chat with her about what to expect from him. In all, Friday was a lot of fun, and I'm glad I went.
We took Charley to PetsMart to see 'his people' again last night. He as really whiny yesterday so we figured we would spoil him a bit and get him out of the house. The weather has been pretty gross this week, and with me being sick most of the time, he was getting pretty antsy. Anyway, we got him some treats, along with another sweater. This time it's black with a red and white argyle pattern. I haven't tried it on him yet, but I'm sure he'll look cute. :) I know, I am one of 'those people' now... but that's okay. I'll take pictures at some point. :)
I leave in a few hours to go to a coworker's baby shower. Hopefully I'll be able to get some good ideas for Peanut at the party. I have a decent list of what I think I need, but it's always good to check things out and do a little more research before making any big decisions, or so I have learned from my husband.
Ummmm.. what else. My car is acting up right now, which is awesome. I honestly can't even tell you what is going on with it. Case and I were leaving last night and the Check Engine light came on. It's something to do with the idle... or whatever. It runs okay, but we're not sure if it's something that needs to be replaced, or if it is an easier fix. I think Casey's going to look at it today while I'm at the baby shower. Always something with my car... then again, I could have taken better care of it. Hopefully it's nothing too bad!
I guess that's all for now. Time for me to get more laundry done. Yippee. :)
-Ash
Anger. Casey and I got into an argument this morning, and instead of pouting or shutting down, I found myself cleaning. Organizing. Moving things and cleaning behind them. Throwing things away that I don't need. And it wasn't the "I'm going to slam things around because I'm mad" kind of thing, either. It was actual, genuine, "the kitchen is a mess and I'm tired of looking at it" kind of clean. I moved into the dining room, and then the living room. I have found that I have gotten more done in the last 2.5 hours than I have in over a week. It felt good to get things done. I just wish I could hold on to that and use it to motivate myself again when I need to. Anyway, I am happy that I was productive today. Even if it took anger to get it done.
In other news, I played Bunco on Friday night for the first time, and had a LOT of fun! I didn't really win anything, but got to hang out with some fun ladies. Definitely got a ton of advice about being a Mom, though... lots of talk about breastfeeding, etc. It actually freaked me out at times because there were 11 women coming at me with a ton of advice and information, but I tried to filter out some of it and take notes on the rest. I met a woman who had the same doctor as I do, so it was nice to chat with her about what to expect from him. In all, Friday was a lot of fun, and I'm glad I went.
We took Charley to PetsMart to see 'his people' again last night. He as really whiny yesterday so we figured we would spoil him a bit and get him out of the house. The weather has been pretty gross this week, and with me being sick most of the time, he was getting pretty antsy. Anyway, we got him some treats, along with another sweater. This time it's black with a red and white argyle pattern. I haven't tried it on him yet, but I'm sure he'll look cute. :) I know, I am one of 'those people' now... but that's okay. I'll take pictures at some point. :)
I leave in a few hours to go to a coworker's baby shower. Hopefully I'll be able to get some good ideas for Peanut at the party. I have a decent list of what I think I need, but it's always good to check things out and do a little more research before making any big decisions, or so I have learned from my husband.
Ummmm.. what else. My car is acting up right now, which is awesome. I honestly can't even tell you what is going on with it. Case and I were leaving last night and the Check Engine light came on. It's something to do with the idle... or whatever. It runs okay, but we're not sure if it's something that needs to be replaced, or if it is an easier fix. I think Casey's going to look at it today while I'm at the baby shower. Always something with my car... then again, I could have taken better care of it. Hopefully it's nothing too bad!
I guess that's all for now. Time for me to get more laundry done. Yippee. :)
-Ash
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Casey's awesome, and 19 weeks!
If I haven't mentioned it lately, my husband is amazing. He has really gone out of his way to take care of me this week. When he brought home my Vicks Vaporub and Puffs (w/Vicks... I see a theme!) on Tuesday night, inside the Walgreen's bag was a super cute get-well card. :) He took care of dinner both Tuesday and Wednesday night (even though I couldn't taste it, boo!!). When I missed class for a 2nd time this week, he didn't get upset with me (although I was upset with myself... I totally overslept due to the 3 hours of sleep on Wednesday night). To top it all off, yesterday he called me at work when he was on his way home, and ended up surprising me with hot cocoa and a warm apple pie from McDonald's. :) (PS, their hot cocoa is delicious!!) He had remembered that I had said earlier in the week that apple pie sounded good, which is weird because I'm not really a big fan of pies, normally. Very thoughtful guy. :) I am very happy to say that after 6 years of marriage, and almost 11 years together, he still thinks of ways to surprise me, and I am very thankful for that. :)
The weather has been pretty chilly and wet this week, so the surprise really lifted my spirits. Not to mention the fact that although I arrived at work at 2 on Thursday, and by the time I talked to Casey around 5, I was really dragging. It was the first time I was actually out of bed and moving around a lot. I was only going about 2 mph the whole day, which didn't do much for my productivity. Oh well, at least I was there! And spending the previous 2 days in bed at least convinced me that I wouldn't be contagious. I'm not sneezing anymore, and hand sanitizer has become a big deal to all of us at the front desk. I guess you are bound to catch something when there are 150+ agents, along with their clients, children, and random others off the street that come in sometimes. On my last paycheck, there was a memo attached with the 'proper' way of conducting yourself while being sick. (Cough/sneeze into your elbow, wash your hands, don't come to work until at least 24 hours after your fever breaks, etc). The paycheck also came with a HUGE, industrial-sized vat of hand sanitizer for the office. It sits at the front desk, right next to the candy jar. LOL..
Casey has the day "off" today (meaning the BP site is shut down, and everyone is working from home) so it'll be nice to have him around. I'm sure Charley will feel the same way. As usual, I have a ton of things on my mind to get done today, especially since the rest of the week has been a waste in that department. My day off on Wednesday consisted of me laying in bed, and taking some pictures for my neighbor. That alone wore me out. But I have more energy right now (at 5:20 am) than I have all the rest of the week. I almost don't want to go back to sleep for fear that the motivation will go away... but I also don't want to wake Casey up on the one morning he can actually sleep in! Sleep always wins... who am I kidding? :)
I'm supposed to go to the neighbor's house tonight for Bunko. I've never played before, so it should be interesting. It will be nice to hang out with some ladies from the neighborhood, though. I will need to strengthen my support system around here because soon I'll be a stay at home mom like most of them! Should be fun... I'll update later.
I also need to take a belly picture... today marks 19 weeks! People are definitely noticing The Bump now. Even my sweatshirts aren't fitting correctly! I'm almost half-way done with this pregnancy. That just blows my mind to think, then type, then read again. Time is going so fast!! Where the heck did summer go, and how is it already October?!?!?! Pardon my moment of panic... but WOW do I have a lot to learn/do before this is over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I guess that's it for now. Going to head back to bed for awhile. Sometime this morning we will learn soon if Chicago will host the 2016 Olympics... we're up against some pretty amazing places, so I'm not going to hold my breath... and now that my nasal passages have unblocked themselves, I REALLY won't hold my breath! Lame, sorry... it's too early for me. I'll write again later. :)
-Ash
The weather has been pretty chilly and wet this week, so the surprise really lifted my spirits. Not to mention the fact that although I arrived at work at 2 on Thursday, and by the time I talked to Casey around 5, I was really dragging. It was the first time I was actually out of bed and moving around a lot. I was only going about 2 mph the whole day, which didn't do much for my productivity. Oh well, at least I was there! And spending the previous 2 days in bed at least convinced me that I wouldn't be contagious. I'm not sneezing anymore, and hand sanitizer has become a big deal to all of us at the front desk. I guess you are bound to catch something when there are 150+ agents, along with their clients, children, and random others off the street that come in sometimes. On my last paycheck, there was a memo attached with the 'proper' way of conducting yourself while being sick. (Cough/sneeze into your elbow, wash your hands, don't come to work until at least 24 hours after your fever breaks, etc). The paycheck also came with a HUGE, industrial-sized vat of hand sanitizer for the office. It sits at the front desk, right next to the candy jar. LOL..
Casey has the day "off" today (meaning the BP site is shut down, and everyone is working from home) so it'll be nice to have him around. I'm sure Charley will feel the same way. As usual, I have a ton of things on my mind to get done today, especially since the rest of the week has been a waste in that department. My day off on Wednesday consisted of me laying in bed, and taking some pictures for my neighbor. That alone wore me out. But I have more energy right now (at 5:20 am) than I have all the rest of the week. I almost don't want to go back to sleep for fear that the motivation will go away... but I also don't want to wake Casey up on the one morning he can actually sleep in! Sleep always wins... who am I kidding? :)
I'm supposed to go to the neighbor's house tonight for Bunko. I've never played before, so it should be interesting. It will be nice to hang out with some ladies from the neighborhood, though. I will need to strengthen my support system around here because soon I'll be a stay at home mom like most of them! Should be fun... I'll update later.
I also need to take a belly picture... today marks 19 weeks! People are definitely noticing The Bump now. Even my sweatshirts aren't fitting correctly! I'm almost half-way done with this pregnancy. That just blows my mind to think, then type, then read again. Time is going so fast!! Where the heck did summer go, and how is it already October?!?!?! Pardon my moment of panic... but WOW do I have a lot to learn/do before this is over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I guess that's it for now. Going to head back to bed for awhile. Sometime this morning we will learn soon if Chicago will host the 2016 Olympics... we're up against some pretty amazing places, so I'm not going to hold my breath... and now that my nasal passages have unblocked themselves, I REALLY won't hold my breath! Lame, sorry... it's too early for me. I'll write again later. :)
-Ash
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