I'm back

I'm back!!! 

A lot has happened since my last post {hospital stays, hubby came home, and we had a baby}

I'll keep the recaps short. 

Hospital stays......UGH

I started to develop preeclampsia again durning this pregnancy which caused for high blood pressure and an abnormal amount of pregnancy swelling. I also had the joy of getting gestational diabetes too, which included pricking myself 8x thought the day (blood sugar check and insulin). The good news is it has all went away since having the baby. In the last few weeks of my pregnancy I ended up in the hospital 4x, it was annoying to say the lease. 

I was lucky enough to be able to FaceTime with John durning every dr/hospital visit. I doubt he realized it but even though he was 6000 miles away he helped keep my sanity. Due to some of the issues I was having with this pregnancy, John was able to put in a packet (to return home early) thankfully it was approved and with in a few days he was on his way home. We decided not to tell anyone because you never know how the Army operates and we didn't want to get anyone's hopes up of john coming home. 

The day John came home was of course the day I got sent to the hospital for an overnight visit! I was so upset because that was not part of my plan. I was going to get graham and we were going to surprise him at the airport. Now I was going to be stuck in a hospital bed for 24hrs. Luckily my awesome friend Jackie stuck around hung out at the hospital with me then when his delayed flight actually came in she ran over to get him.  So sadly there was no grand airport greating...just me layed up in a hospital bed. But the hubby was the talk on the OB floor that night.

Hubby Came Home

This was probably the hardest secret that I had to keep...I knew roughly a week or so prior that John would be coming home early from his deployment but we chose not to tell anyone.  We weren't looking for a grand homecoming we both knew how the Army operates and until his plane landed at home...neither one of us would believe it.

John's first night back home was spent in the hospital with me while I was being monitored.  He came in my hospital room in uniform and bags in tow.  For whatever reason, I was so nervous to see him. This was the first time, durning this pregnancy that he would see me in person (9months pregnant...Sexy let me tell yea).  It worked out in our favor because my dr was the on call dr that day and they got us out of there pretty quickly and we were on our way home.

My mother & father-in law and the boys were all at the house and no one had a clue that John was with me.  John was driving as we pulled into the drive way...luckily my windows are tented so no one noticed who was driving the van.  I got out of the passenger side of the van as my MIL came outside and I think it took her a minute to realize what was going on.

We also waited until my stepson was away from all vehicles because I was pretty sure he was going to jump off of the lawnmower.


I was most concerned for Graham and Daddy's reunion...I wasn't sure how he would react to seeing daddy in person. I didn't want him to be scared or not want to go to him...when we got home Graham was sleeping and we decided to take a chance and wake him up.  Luckily, Graham picked up right where they left off.


We had a baby

A few days after John got home, I had my bi-weekly Dr visit.  The nurses loved that he was able to make it to every dr apt (via Facetime)  My one nurse was so excited she game him a huge hug lol.  On our final visit my vitals were of course enough to send us back to the hospital.  Here we were, 4 days before our delivery date and I'm back in the hospital. At this point we were ready for baby, but the dr decided to hold off until our delivery date the following week.

August 26, 2014....we meet with our birth photographer at the hospital a little before 1000, checked in, and started getting ready for baby.  I went in to surgery at 1200 and at 1234 we had a healthy baby boy (i'll do a birth store post later)

My Guilty Pleasure

So this might be the only good thing about my husband being gone….I am able to give in to my guilty pleasure uninterrupted!!!

Yes…I watch the Bachelor/Bachelorette.  I have not watched every season, I did take a break for a while but my Monday nights are consumed with dinner, smut TV and girl talk.

If you don’t watch this dramatic display of 25-ish men and women all “dating/competing” over the same person…let me give you a little rundown.

 This season’s Bachelorette is Andi Dorfman.  She was one of the finalist from the Juan Pablo Season of the Bachelor.

I think she is going to be a very interesting Bachelorette.  She’s an assistant prosecutor from Atlanta…I’m thinking she can hold her own and won’t put up with people’s crap.

The 25 and 1 Suitors

As the seasons continue, it seems to be more drama each time. Like I said earlier…I have a feeling this season is no different and won’t disappoint.

This season’s into started out with good ol’ Chris Harrison (the host) dedicating the season to one of the gentlemen, Eric Hill, who died in a paragliding accident back in April. It was not show related, the accident occurred after Eric had left the show. The sad part is…he would have been one of my top picks :)

Now on to the awkwardness….

 I mean really…what’s more awkward that going on a TV show, stepping out of a limo, trying have 1 person remember who you are with 25 other guys all while trying to come up with some catchy pick up line.

Without boring you all my 2cents about all the guys…I’ll just give you the WTH’s, Really and my top picks.

WTH….

Brett….the guy walked out of the limo carrying a floor lamp he stole from the hotel room. Oh and his hair…WTH is going on with that?

J.J….his job…”pantsapreneur”? WTH is that?

Cody…I have 1 word for him…Meathead…his intro…pushing the “broken down” limo his hair doesn’t help either. I foresee a lot of aggression with him.

Chris Bukowski…He is who I referred to as “and 1” an alum from Emily’s Season and one of the Bachelor Pad sneaks in and gets caught by security and wants..Must see Andi…CREEPY!!! Glad she didn’t humor his intrusion.

Really…

Bradley…He’s an opera singer and seems really annoying. Remember the last opera singer on Juano Pablo’s seasons…enough said.

Craig…there is always one…he seemed drunk when he stepped out of the limo.

Josh B..Cry baby…holds a grudge..glad that guy is gone. Thank you for showing your true colors right away.

My Top Picks…

Eric…Minus the fact that he is no longer with us….I thought he was totally cute, interesting and sweet. Giving Andi little dolls from the Andes Mountains..Super cute. Oh and he a world traveler….SOLD!!!

Nick S….The Golfer from Chicago. I’m not sure what it is about him..but I kinda like him…hope he doesn’t turn into a Dbag.

Chris…Nice country farmer from Iowa…There’s something about him that I like…Will it work with Andi…probably not…he doesn’t have a job that he can pick up and go anywhere so it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

We’ll see how far Nick S & Chris hang around.

For those of you who watch the Bachelorette…Who’s your fave pick so far?

Five on Friday

Thank You Lord it's Friday!!!

I swear the last few weeks have been crazy and I look forward to the weekends more and more.

So I decided that since it is Friday, I’d post about some of my favorite things.

1.     Oreck Steam Mop

I ran to Walmart the other day and they had their clearance stuff strategically placed in the front of the store. So you HAD to look at it as you walked in.  We’ve been wanting a steam mop for a while but I didn’t want to spend the $150 on one…yea I’m cheap like that. But to my  surprise there was an Oreck Steam Mop for $20!!!! SCORE…I checked online to see how much they typically sell for ($130-160) so there was no doubt that I bought it. and I LOVE IT!!! I wish we would of bought it sooner.  With a 12 yrs old, a 2 yr old and 3 dogs…I should be moping every morning, noon and night.  I haven’t used all the attachments yet, only to mop the hardwood floor…but it’s AMAZING!!!!!  It has a nice long cord, different steam levels, warms up really fast, its super quite and the floor isn’t left all wet from the water/steam. It’s definitely an item I would of paid full price for known that now.

2.    Red Vines and Country Time Lemonade

I’ve always liked Red Vines over Twizzlers but this pregnancy I could probably eat a one pound bag daily. It’s a sickness….I know L The same goes for Country Time lemonade, actually any lemonade really as long as it’s good.  The water down stuff….not so much.  I can’t wait for county fair time….Lemon shake ups!!! So if you haven’t notices….I like sugar.

3.    My iphone5

I know it sounds super techy and nerdy…but the iphone 5 is one of my FAVE things.  Why? Well for the time being it is my main source of communication with the hubs while he’s deployed.  I chose the 5 because I don’t have to be on a wireless network to facetime. As long as I/we have, good signal we are golden.

This morning the boys were able to talk to daddy before dropping them off with grandma and then we were able to talk while I was on my way into work.

4.     BareMinerals BAREskin

So last week when I was back at my parents…I totally forgot my makeup. I don’t wear makeup very often but from time to time I try to look like a girl and presentable.  Anyway, I ran into ulta to grab a few small things and came across the bareMinerals BAREskin and to my surprise,…I liked it. I wasn’t 100% sure if I would like it or not since it was a liquid foundation but it wasn’t that bad. I’ve used bareminerals for years now and love it. It’s so light and easy on the skin.  I was expecting the BAREskin to be the same but it wasn’t.  It went on very smooth and light and gave a nice full coverage. I would recommend doing a color match in the store just to make sure you get the right shade.  I wasn’t planning on spending $28 for the foundation and brush (which is highly recommended)…yes that’s $28 a piece. And that is probably my biggest complaint is the cost for the brush or that you can’t purchase them together.

5.     Hunter Rain Boots

I LOVE my hunter rain boots! I want my next pair to be PINK!!!!

I held out on buying them forever before I stumbled across a pretty good 24hr sale and decided to take the plunge and buy them.  Over the winter, I debated on buying the sock inserts but really didn’t need them. My toesies stayed pretty warm with just a good pair of socks. It’s been raining almost nonstop here for last few days so I’ve gotten some more wear out of them lately.  For a rainboot, they are cute and comfy. And yes, I am one of those people who use them as a multipurpose “work” outdoor boot too.  Hey I’m gonna get my money’s worth. 

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!!!

Military Spouse Appreciation Day

Every year, the Friday before Mother's Day is designated as Military Spouse Appreciation Day.

Today is that day. This year's celebration on May 9 is a time to recognize and applaud the selfless contributions and daily sacrifices our military spouses make.

The Army life is challenging.  

I have people ask me on an almost daily basis how do it do it. There are of course some days that are harder than others.  There are many times that military spouses routinely put the welfare of their Soldier/Airman/Seaman/Marine, Family, and Nation above their own. 

This is for the husbands and wives who wake up early when their Soldier leaves for PT.

This is for the fathers and mothers who hold their children tight when they cling and cry for a parent overseas at night.

This is for the men and women who avoid the news, watch the news, or are glued to the news every day for months on end, hoping for good and not bad.

This is for the cooks who learn the gobbledygook acronyms and threaten to serve MREs if they are faced with a caselot sale on a payday at the commissary again.

This is for the lovers who touch photographs and hold back tears.

This is for the actors who put on a happy face when their soldier takes one more look over a shoulder while the transport is moving out.

This is for the comedians who crack jokes on the phone or over webcams, just to see their soldier smile thousands of miles away.

This is for the tired whose hearts break at the thought of just one more day alone, much less several more months.

This is for the strong who keep moving when all they want to do is stay under the covers curled into a ball.

This is for the "dependents" who know that a greater oxymoron was never coined, who rise to the call of independence in order to keep the house running smoothly, or to move it across the country alone.

This is for the proud, whose hearts are full to bursting as their loved one steps off that plane, that bus, that boat to stand in formation and affirm that they have served and will continue to serve their country.

This is for those who also serve, by making their own sacrifices and supporting their military loved one on the homefront, giving them assurance that all is well and that they can focus on the job at hand until it's time to come home.

~author unknown

Stay-Cation and May's Favorite Things

Hey Ya’ll!!!

Hope you’re all doing well. 

Last week I was supposed to be enjoying my work trip to St. Croix, before it was cancelled 18 hrs before we were supposed to leave. I decided not to dwell on it too much, mostly because I wasn’t out anything {hotel, plane, rental,ect..}

So instead, I took a hiatus from work and decided on a stay-cation.  Not as picturesque, warm or sunny as I would of liked it to be, but there was no work phone calls or emails and we SLEPT in..until like 7AM and Graham would tell me he wanted to cuddle when he crawled into bed with me. I’ll take it!!!

May marks 4 months into the deployment and so far things are going well. 

I’ve had my days that I wanted to curl up into a ball and cry, scream, drink you name it. There hasn’t been anything life altering happen, so far everyone and all animals are alive and let’s hope it stays that way. 

We are also a little over half way until we get to meet baby #2.  I think we have finally gotten our name selection down to 3-4 names.  We have a front-runner but will most likely wait until he gets here to see if the name fits.

Since the weather is warming up I wanted to share some of my favorite things for May!

1.     Kiki La’ Rue…I’m a Tom boy at heart and seriously could live in shorts and t-shirt.  I came across Kiki La’ Rue probably about a year ago and fell in love. Becka and the ladies at Kiki La’ Rue do awesome work. Packages are sent and received in a very timely manner and there has always been a personal note with every order I have received.  I’ve noticed since having Graham I haven’t felt near as cute in clothes and since wearing KLR, I can no longer say that.

2.      Outdoor Swing Set…I just picked this up for Graham for his birthday next month!!! The kid loves to be outside swinging or on the slides so I’m sure he will love it which means I will too until it’s time to come inside and he doesn’t want to and has a major meltdown. Or until he falls from the monkeybars and it’s a trip to the ER. Let’s hope that’s not the case. I’ll take a meltdown over a broken arm. We got a pretty decent deal on our at Toys R Us.

3.     Quest Bars…YUM. I’m not a huge fan of protein drinks, mixes or bars but these are pretty darn good.  High in protein low in sugars and they have a ton a different flavors. Most Vitamin shops carry them but if they are out check out amazon.

4.     Batiste Dry Shampoo….I’m a wash your hair everyday sort of girl. I might be able to make it to the next day but not very often.  I’ve found a new love for dry shampoo and normally get mine from TJMAXX because it tends to be a little cheaper there. I’m by far no expert but my pick is the Batiste Dry Shampoo.

5.     Silikids…I’ve been on the hunt for a sippy cup that doesn’t leak!!! During my searches, I came across the silikids sippy cups and I’m definitely looking at ordering some. Silicone tops that will fit with almost any cup and not leak….i’m a sucker. I’m gonna totally order some.

6.     Native Shoes…I found these on the super cute Shay Shull’s website, mix and match momma.  These look like they will be the perfect little summer shoes.  They can be found on Zappos, Amazon, Nordstrom

7.     Gold Bond Ultimate Lotion…LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!! I swear this winter killed my hands and I am still doing damage control on them. This stuff is great. Its not super greasy like some thicker lotions, rubs in great too.

8.     Amazon Prime…I couldn’t agree more with Emily from Beauty and the Greek. Central Illinois is lacking in accessibility to a lot of products and with Amazon Prime…bam..normally cheaper, ships to your house in 2-3 days and you can order it all in the privacy of your own home and never have to leave to deal with the crazies! Sounds like a win to me.  I signed up for Amazon Prime right before Christmas this year so I could save on the shipping on our Christmas gifts this year. And I have to say I’ve fallen in love. I’ll only buy items w/ Prime on them now J

9.     Aussie Moist 3 minute conditioner…another LOVE LOVE LOVE product!!! Even though my hair won’t last more than a day without a wash and it’s still super dry feeling. I LOVE Aussie’s 3 minute conditioner. I use it all the time. It’s a total must have for me.

10.  Coach Poppy Blossom…might be my new fave scent. It’s a nice light, vibrant, fruity/floral smell. And Ulta had it on sale for 50% off. SCORE!!!.

 

Baby #2

Baby #2 is a….

Boy!!!

(I figured since john was 6,000 miles away, I'd let him share the news)

Where you right? I wasn’t lol

Nope….I had a feeling (REALLY hoping) for a girl this time.  With Graham, I was never sick, queasy nothing.  This time around…I was never really sick just queasy here and there and not 100%.  With Graham I wanted sweats, cherry coke and a cheeseburger all the time…this time not so much…Fruit, water, buffalo chicken.

 

As much as I thought I would be having a girl, a part of me knew before I went in for the sonogram that it was going to be a boy. IDK if it was just dumb luck or it was meant for me to find out in the very beginning but as soon as the tech started the sono….there it was balls and wiener plan as day, with in the first 3 seconds. I suddenly felt gender disappointment and wanted her to stop the sono say thanks and have a nice day. But since I was face timing with Daddy…figured I’d stick it out and let him see his baby from 6k miles away.

When I found out Graham was a boy I cried and canceled out gender reveal party. Childish….Maybe but I wasn’t handling it well. John already had a son from before and I wanted a girl so if we decide on baby #2 it could be whatever. John gave me until the end of the day to pout then said I had to get over it.

 I realized that at this point there isn’t a damn thing I could do but accept that I am going to be in a house full of boys. A BOY MOM!!!! Dirty, stinky, messy boys.  Lord help me.  I actually thought to myself, how in the world does Mandy, from House of Rose do it?  3 boys under 7!!!! Bless her heart.

So I decided to make some gender reveal cupcakes and take them to work. Figured it was the least I could do since I shortchanged it the last time because I was pouting.

Am I thrilled to be having another boy? Honestly, no not really, but what can I do about it…nothing

Am I grateful and relieved he’s healthy? Without a doubt. That’s almost a stupid question.  

I have no doubt that Graham is going to be an awesome big brother.  He loves his bubba so much I know that he will love his younger brother too. I’m hoping that having a brother closer in age, they will become best buds.  There is 11yr difference between Graham and his older brother, so I think it’s safe to say that they will never be close or at least until they are much older.

As for me, I’m working on accepting a future of trucks, wheelers, broken bones, guns, hunting, snakes, and sporting events (which won’t be too bad) instead of dolls, dresses, bows, dances and makeup. I have to tell myself, that I think God knows that I don’t have the patience for the drama that girls can bring to the table.

Now the hard part is trying to come up with a second boy name. We have a few names on our list but nothing we are falling in love with. So if you have any suggestions for boy names that are not super popular, and no nick names…like you can name him William and call him Bill…No I would name him Bill if I wanted to call him that.

Sorry pet peeve.  But seriously, if you have any boy names, I’d love to hear them

And if you have any tips on being a BOY MOM, I’m listening!

Book 1 Review of My 2014 Reading List

So I told myself, while John is deployed I'm going to attempt to read a book a month.

Sounds like a pretty small task...but if you know me at all, when I start reading a book, if it doesn't catch my interest within the first few chapters I either give up or it will take me forever to finish.

Since Jan is coming to an end...I'll give you a recap on my Jan Book. (I actually read it at the end of Dec and alittle bit into Jan...so it counts right)

The Fault in Our Stars



The Synopsis by Goodreads:

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumors in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumors tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

My thoughts:

A friend of mine, Jackie, who is a total book whore, had already read The Fault in Our Stars so I had a good idea what was in store for me.  And lets be honest, the story is about teenagers with cancer how do you not know whats going to happen in the end. Anyway, even though it was about teenagers, I really liked it.  It was a nice, fast, easy read. Definately a good book for me to start out with for my 1 book a month goal.

There was a point that one day at work I was asking Jackie about certain characters in the book and she refused to tell me what happened.  UGH....so I decide the next day to bring my Kindle to work and read durning lunch.  I'm not much of a cryer, so I did not cry durning the book. However, I could very well see where people could.

With out getting into too much detail about the book, my favorite characters were Hazel and Augustus. 

I would highly recommend reading The Fault in Our Stars.

Up Next...

Serena

The Synopsis by Goodreads:



The year is 1929, and newlyweds George and Serena Pemberton travel from Boston to the North Carolina mountains where they plan to create a timber empire. Although George has already lived in the camp long enough to father an illegitimate child, Serena is new to the mountains—but she soon shows herself to be the equal of any man, overseeing crews, hunting rattle-snakes, even saving her husband's life in the wilderness. Together this lord and lady of the woodlands ruthlessly kill or vanquish all who fall out of favor. Yet when Serena learns that she will never bear a child, she sets out to murder the son George fathered without her. Mother and child begin a struggle for their lives, and when Serena suspects George is protecting his illegitimate family, the Pembertons' intense, passionate marriage starts to unravel as the story moves toward its shocking reckoning.

Rash's masterful balance of violence and beauty yields a riveting novel that, at its core, tells of love both honored and betrayed

My thoughts:

I am only a few chapters into the book. The beginning is slow..but I have a feeling its about to start picking up.

Also on my reading List

 Ophan Train

The Longest Ride

Gone Girl

The Book Theif

Know of any other good reads? Let me know, I'm still looking for about 5-6 more.

Month 1 in the books

I decided a few months ago to give blogging a whirl.  

My life is nothing too exciting these days. 

Work and Family time with a little bit of adult time here and there.

One of the reasons I was going to take up blogging was to fill up my time while John is deployed.

I figured, little man goes to bed early...I could do a little catching up on reading and maybe doing a little blogging of my own, as my adult personal outlet.

I was originally going to do a weekly recap of John's deployment but decided not too. Figured that would be too long and drawn out. I mean 40-52 post on a deployment or me about to lose my marbles. So instead I decide on a monthly recap.

This is not my 1st deployment rodeo, this will be my 3rd. 

Each deployment is different from the next.

The 1st deployment was when I was married before. We were young; no kids, I had just finished up, my bachelors, I had my own military 17 week school that I had to attend and the ex was in the "green zone" so there wasn't a lot to worry about. Even though you still here the occasional explosions every so often on the phone. So needless to say my time was consumed.

Skinny Kira is on the far left. talk about throw back pic...lol

The second deployment, was totally different. We (my ex & i) had moved to Germany and my ex was being deployed. I had only been in Germany a few months before he left, we lived off post, so our interaction with other military couples was limited at first...and we were the married couple with no kids. I had a dog and he was like my kid.  Needless to say it took people awhile to get used to that one. 

Anyway, I had transferred over the the Reserves and continued to drill and work as a Family Readiness  Assistant for an Infantry Battalion in Germany. Oh the stories I could tell!!!

I of course traveled as much as I could. I LOVE traveling!!! Living in Germany opened so many doors to traveling that I would have never gotten to experience before if I hadn't of went.  I was lucky enough to have my parents come visit and even had a good girl friend from college come visit, Myla. You should check out her blog. She is like Martha Stewart, the Pioneer Women and Pinterest all rolled up into one.  

Myla & I durning our Champagne Cruise. That was a story all in its own.

When I would come back home people could not fathom that I could get in my car and drive 4 hrs to Paris, Amsterdam, or where ever just because I wanted to.  It was amazing, I miss it. I could flood this page with pictures from my trips, but I will refrain. 

Ok ok back to the deployment countdown...

I knew that this deployment was going to be different.  This time there are kids (2), dogs(3), work and my military obligations. 

So far it hasn't been bad. Graham knows what we talk/facetime to daddy on the phone every night. The kids, dog and work keeps me busy. I've kinda taken up running again...well at least doing races again. I have a goal to read a book a month..which I'm slacking on.

Well enough for now.