Lazy Relaxing Weekend

While part of me was thrilled to have a weekend with virtually NO plans, part of me was BORED to death! ha! We literally had an incredibly plan-free weekend and by Saturday afternoon I was going a little stir crazy.


I can't say that we had NO plans because Friday night we had dinner with one of our pastor's and his wife. I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before, but our church has 3 pastors who share the various pastoral roles & I absolutely LOVE it. They are all 3 in different stages of life & it makes it so much easier to relate to the pastoral staff! One of the pastors & his wife are in their early 30s with no kids and we have become great friends over the past 4 years that we've attended our church. I'm so thankful for an incredible church where we don't just attend, but we actually have a relationship with the leadership!


After dinner I headed home while Hubby & our pastor Tony headed to Silver Dollar City. They have an annual 5k called Run to the Lights and it's held after dark, after the park closes for the night. I would have loved to join in, but there was of course no way I could walk a 5k in that hilly park...let alone run it! Tony ran in my place and they were able to have a great time.


Saturday was a day spent at home doing a variety of things...trip to Walmart, writing thank-you notes, lounging around, laundry, and just some general "nesting" activities. By Saturday evening I was going a bit stir crazy, so we loaded up for a big outing to get a Redbox DVD and drinks from Sonic. Yes, I know...we are very adventurous! Hubby kept reminding me that I needed to enjoy my quiet time, but for some reason I was about to go crazy!


We had church Sunday morning and came home for another lazy afternoon. Hubby washed windows while I supervised, I finished up the last of my 48 thank-you notes, and I also managed to have a nice little nap before heading out to Small Group. We are about to finish up Financial Peace and I think overall it has been a great study! We've learned a lot and will definitely be putting several of the principles into practice as Elyse makes her arrival!


It's time for another work week and after tonight we really don't have much planned. If you think about it, you might say a quick prayer for my grandma. She was put in the hospital last Thursday due to severe dehydration and as of last night was also diagnosed with pneumonia. While it's serious, she is making some good progress and should be able to come home in the next few days. I've been banned from visiting her because no one wants me to catch any of the germs from the hospital...but I know she's in good hands & has lots of support.


Have a great week everyone!

Make a List & Check it Twice...

Nope, not a list for Santa...or whoever might play the role of Santa for you...but a list of all those who need to be sent a Christmas card this year. This year it seems that all I've been doing is making various address lists...one for this shower, one for that shower, one for Christmas cards, one for birth announcements, one for thank you notes, etc. etc.!

This year I plan on using Tiny Prints for my Christmas cards. I used them for our gender reveal party invitations earlier this year & have used them for Christmas cards in the past. I am always super excited about their selection & customer service...not to mention the quality is wonderful!

I've got my eye on several of their Christmas cards and am already having trouble deciding which ones to order! They've got traditional cards with multiple photos....

...tri-fold cards for even more photos...

...fun-shaped circle cards for a little something different...

...and even a card that fits perfectly for our family this year! (Of course my plan would be to send out Christmas cards before Elyse arrives and then send out birth announcements soon after!)

My plan is to include a variety of photos on our card this year including possibly a picture from our trip to Hawaii, an ultrasound photo of Elyse, and then a couple of our maternity photos! Everyone always seem to LOVE our photo cards, and I love sharing our photos with close family & friends!

Head on over to Tiny Prints and pick out your favorite card...I'm pretty positive you won't be disappointed!

Disclaimer: In exchange for this post, I am receiving 50 Christmas cards for free...you can too by just filling out this form! http://blog.tinyprints.com/feature-tiny-prints-christmas-cards/.

Elyse Love ~ 34 weeks

34w4d

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I'm at +33 for this entire process so far. When I walked in the exam room this week, my nurse's comment was..."well you are just all belly!" and she's right. Elyse is hanging out all in front which seems to be where the majority of my weight gain is.

Gender: Our precious baby girl...Elyse Ann! We are so excited, anxious, scared, and happy to meet her! I can't believe we're past the 6 week countdown.

Movement: Evenings seem to be the most active time for her, and then she calms down again before bed. I won't mind if she keeps this schedule once she arrives! Tonight as we sat on the couch and watched tv, we could both literally watch my stomach roll back and forth and pulse as she moved around. Such a crazy thing to witness!

Sleep: Sleep has been good this week, and I'm thankful for that. As the fatigue during the evenings sets in I'm so grateful for some good nights' sleep. I realize good sleep is definitely a fleeting thing so I'm trying to enjoy it for as long as it lasts!

What I miss: My normal energy level, getting in/out of the car without a big sigh or a groan, food digesting properly! ha! As Elyse continues to grow, she is pushing on my stomach and digestive tract...I guess this is normal, but sometimes after a meal I am extremely uncomfortable as all the food I just ate digests. I go back to feeling just great after a little while, but it's definitely not a fun feeling. All for you Elyse, all for you!

Cravings: still no cravings for this girl...momma or baby!

Symptoms: Well it's impossible to look at me and not realize I'm pregnant! ha! I have fully embraced the pregnancy waddle & I'm also having a small bit of swelling in my ankles/hands. My dr. said it was certainly nothing to be concerned about because my blood pressure levels are still perfect. I figure I should consider myself lucky if the swelling has stayed away until now.

Maternity Clothes: Not going to lie...definitely tried to wear a pair of my non-maternity dress pants to work today, and they didn't last after my weekly belly photo. I really only have 2 pair of maternity dress pants which is more than enough, but I was really wanting to wear navy pants...it just wasn't going to happen so I resorted to my nice comfy maternity-panel khaki pants instead! I'm 8+ months pregnant, everyone is looking at my belly and not the color of my pants anyway! ha!

Best Moment this week: It's been a pretty great week. We had our first of two childbirth classes, my mom joined me at a breastfeeding class, and we got to hear Elyse's heartbeat again. On top of all that (and maybe truly the best moment), my sweet mother-in-law made us dinner tonight. Ok, well as much as she could make us dinner from 12 hours away...she sent us a Ruby Tuesday gift card and it was definitely put to good use tonight. After feeling kind of crummy after lunch, it was fabulous to be able to change our original plans of staying in and just go out for a nice dinner.

Baby To-Do List: I've been checking things off my list like crazy! Yay! For the most part, we are just waiting for the wall decor to be complete and I'll be ready to do a nursery reveal. Her closet is pretty much organized, her newborn clothes are mostly washed, and we've got any of the baby items we'll need to bring her home. There's still plenty to do, but I'm certainly trying not to stress over the details! I think my Thanksgiving deadline is still attainable for the most part, at least for most of the big stuff!

And...the weekly belly pic! My belly looks HUGE in this photo and while it's certainly growing, I think it looks crazy big in this picture! I think Hubby needs to work on making me look skinny! ha!

The One You Need

I heard this song for the first time this past weekend while in Kansas City with my momma...as an expectant momma, it hit incredibly close to home.



Our baby girl hasn't even arrived yet and I still pray constantly that above all else in this world Elyse would recognize that Jesus loves her so much. And even when she's hurt or disappointed by those closest to her, that He is there and waiting with arms open wide.

Weekend Rewind: WOF 2011 & Bass Pro 1/2 Marathon

As you can see, things have been a little crazy around our house since I'm just now getting to post our Weekdn Rewind. My weekend started early as my mom & I headed out on Thursday afternoon for Kansas City. We attended the Women of Faith Over the Top Conference with several ladies from her church and had a fabulous time. As is usually the case with these conferences, I learned a ton and hopefully I'll be able to post at least a summary of some of the major points...but for now, here's one to make you think...

"God promises to feed the birds, but he doesn't put the worms in the nest...Get up & move to find God's purpose for your life."

My mom made sure that I took it easy with plenty of rest and even taking taxi's from our hotel to the convention center...Elyse definitely doesn't need to be arriving 6 weeks early!

We came home on Saturday night in time to join our men for a meal full of carbs! Hubby ran in his first 1/2 marathon on Sunday morning and it was time to carb-up for the race!

When Sunday morning rolled around I was definitely thankful for the extra hour of sleep. The race started at 7:00 am, which meant arriving to get ready at 6:30 am, which meant leaving our house at 6:00 am, which meant rolling out of bed at 5:30 am! Yikes!

I wasn't going to miss his first race, so I headed out with my hair in a ponytail and no shower to be the supportive, pregnant wife!

Hubby & two of the pastors from our church!

This was part of the Bass Pro Fitness Festival, the Cohick 1/2 Marathon. We live about 20 minutes from the original Bass Pro Shops and that's who sponsored the race.

My favorite race photo...at mile 9...and before he hit a wall!

Coming in to the finish line...Official Time: 2:08:05! Well within his goal of a 10 minute mile!

My running Hubby & his foil blanket! Elyse & I were so proud of him!

And a group shot...most of these attend our church, with a few others thrown in who train together!

After the race we headed for breakfast at Perkins, and the next stop was the couch for Hubby & the recliner for me. We had a relaxing afternoon with nice LONG naps and then finished up the weekend with small group. Seriously I am so thankful that small group is on Sunday nights...it's such a great way to finish up the weekend and get motivated to start a new week!

Elyse Love ~ 33 Weeks

33w4d

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I guess we'll find out the actual number a week from now at my next dr's appointment. While I'm still trying to eat healthy & snack healthy as well...this is a REALLY HARD time of year to resist temptation. So, I've decided to make good overall choices, but I'm certainly not going to beat myself up over enjoying some fabulous food or yummy treats! Heck, I've made it to 33 weeks...I figure I deserve it!

Gender: Our precious baby girl...Elyse Ann! All I can say is that I really, really hope she's truly a girl...otherwise this boy is going to be wearing lots of ruffles & lots of pink! ha!

Movement: All I can say is that she seriously has to be getting cramped in there! The movements have transitioned from kicks and elbows to more of a rolling motion as it feels like she's trying to turn over. I can definitely pick out those things that make her move the most...even a little bit of caffeine really gets her going!

Sleep: I'm still sleeping really well for the first 6ish hours of the night, but after I get up for my bathroom break I seem to toss and turn until my alarm goes off. I guess at least I'm getting some good, sound sleep for most of the night...but it's frustrating to not be able to go back sound asleeep for the last couple of hours. Is this God preparing me for baby girl's arrival!?!?

What I miss: My normal energy level for sure. I've been trying to rest more and even eat a quick snack while I'm getting ready for work in the morning. I normally eat breakfast right before I walk out the door and for a few days I wasn't even able to get through my normal morning routine without sitting down for a pretty substantial rest. Thankfully a quick glass of milk or a few almonds or a granola bar seem to give me that little boost I need.

Cravings: still no cravings for this girl...momma or baby! I'm so thankful that I haven't had any super crazy cravings!

Symptoms: I'm normally a go-go-go kind of girl, and that just isn't possible right now. I'm definitely feeling 8 months pregnant, so the countdown is definitely on! I'm still carrying Elyse all out in front which definitely makes my back tired & sore after a full day at work. And apparently my mom thinks that she's higher now...I certainly hope she's not moving up instead of down! ha!

Maternity Clothes: All I can say is that my wardrobe choices become fewer and fewer each week! I've still got plenty of options, but my non-maternity options are quickly going bye bye! I've pretty much given up on even trying to use my Bella Bands...maternity pants & leggings (both maternity & non-maternity) are the only option for me!

Best Moment this week: Definitely my shower thrown by all my besties last night! It was a fabulous evening & I can't wait to share all the photos and details! They did some incredibly sweet things and I am so blessed to have such incredible friends & momma role models surrounding me!

Baby To-Do List: I've been working on a wall project for above the crib, hopefully it will be finished in a few days...if it comes out half as neat as I'm hoping it will look fabulous! It's also a new month which means that my cash envelope for Elyse has been replinished, you can bet I'm gonna be buying some of the other decor items very soon! Now that we've had our last shower, there are still LOTS of things to buy. Some of it can wait, but we need to make a pretty substantial trip to Babies R Us in the next few weeks.

And of course...the belly pic...

Tuesday Tidbits

It's a busy, busy week around our house. It seems like we've got something going on almost every night...doesn't leave much time for relaxation so I'm really gonna have to watch myself to make sure I don't overdo it!

~Last night was our Trunk or Treat @ church. This was the first time Hubby & I had helped out and we were simply in charge of the information table. We collected information cards from the parents & hopefully we can use that info to reach out for our other childrens' events. I failed to take a SINGLE photo, but it was a great evening! We had over 500 people come through in just the first hour!

~Tonight is my "friends" baby shower! I couldn't be more excited. We are having it at a little cafe' and she is opening it up just for us! They're serving desserts and yummy coffee/hot chocolate drinks! I've also been told that they have just completely redecorated for the Christmas holiday...perfect decor for a December baby!

~For the St. Louis Cardinals World Series watch party with my parents, my mom whipped up a recipe from Pinterest: Chocolate Ooey Gooey Butter Cake. This might possibly be one of the best desserts I've ever eaten...INCREDIBLE!!!

~I'm know there are tons of other things filling my brain, but that's all I've got today. Plus, I'm totally distracted by that photo...I'd love a piece of that right now with a big glass of milk!