The LLLOOONNNGGG Weekend Rewind

It was quite the adjustment to go back to work today after being off work for the past 4 days...and even more of an adjustment since most of those days included little to no official plans! Hubby and I had a great Thanksgiving holiday and it was so great to spend time with friends, family, & just our little family of 2...soon to be 3!

We started off with our one and only Thanksgiving celebration on Thursday at my parents' house. I was in charge of the mashed potatoes and thankfully 2 pans turned out to be enough for the almost 40 people who filled my parents house. I was a big fat failure when it came to taking pictures on Thanksgiving, but I was forced to spend plenty of time resting so as not to overdue it with helping out. Definitely a hard thing for this girl to do!

We had a wonderful meal, followed by some time outside in the beautiful weather. As is tradition, we also had a Thanksgiving Day craft for the ladies. I'd share more details...but some of it turned into a Christmas gift so I can't share the details!

However, this is what the table looked like while we were getting our craft on!

Hubby & I spent the afternoon and evening with my parents' & my brother & SIL, just hanging out together...after the craziness of the crowds, it was nice to spend some quality time with just the 6 of us.

With no official plans for Friday or Saturday, Hubby & I took advantage of the Black Friday sales online and managed to get probably 95% of our shopping done without ever leaving the warmth of our bed! Since we obviously have no idea when Elyse will arrive, it's so nice to have so much of my shopping done. I'd love to be able to say that I was super prepared and finished up early, but that's just not true! However, I've only got a few things left to take care of and shopping will be done for this year!

We did stop by Lowe's and cashed in on some Black Friday deals there...including a great deal on another storage locker for the garage. Something about bringing another person into this house, makes additional storage a necessity! Hubby also spent a lot of Friday working on the outside lights before we headed out for a gourmet dinner at Chick-Fil-A and a little bit of legitimate Black Friday shopping. We checked a few more things off our list before coming home for a movie on the couch. The perfect Black Friday if you ask me!

Saturday was another day full of decking the halls! Hubby was incredible and unloaded almost EVERY SINGLE ONE of these boxes, put ornaments on the tree as I unwrapped them, and even spent a ton of time decorating the house. That's normally a task I look so forward to...but this year, the whole process was just a bit overwhelming! However, Hubby knew how important it was to me and so we knocked out the decorating in no time flat!

We took ALL of these boxes...

and created this....

and this...

and much, much more that I'll get show later on!

Saturday night we enjoyed dinner with my parents' before heading out to a Missouri State Bears basketball game...it was a crazy overtime win, but a win's a win!

Sunday we had a fabulous church service and then came home for a bit of R & R. We had plans to have another productive day but both ended up napping on the couch! Ooops!

Last night we headed to Silver Dollar City in Branson with my parents for the incredible light display. If I'm being honest, it was also an attempt at possibly jump-starting Elyse's arrival! ha! All of the walking is bound to encourage her arrival to be sooner rather than later...right?!?

We had a wonderful evening as there was basically NO one there. We had hot chocolate, a funnel cake, and cinnamon rolls...yum! The food is incredible at SDC!

Hubby on a rocking horse...he tried to convince me to hop on, but there isn't much hopping left in this momma!
One of the beautiful light displays!

My wonderful parents

Hubby & I while riding the train

The highlight of the park...the singing tree...absolutely stunning!

Hubby & I

It was a fabulous evening and maybe a new family tradition...the weather was just perfect with just a bit of a chill in the air and the lack of a crowd made it even better!

Today it's back to the grindstone, but wonderful to have another Monday going to work together with Hubby. It's crazy to think about the fact that we have no idea when my last day at work will be...I have this feeling Elyse will definitely be making her debut before Dec. 17th! Only time will tell!

Elyse Love ~ 36 Weeks

36w4d

Total Weight Gain/Loss: And some of the big news from our first weekly appointment is...NO WEIGHT GAIN in the past 10 days! Yippee! At this point my doctor wasn't concerned or anything because my stomach is still growing and Elyse is most likely packing on the pounds as well. This means that I'm still at about the +33 mark for the entire pregnancy...not too bad if I do say so myself!

Gender: Our beautiful baby girl Elyse Ann...she hasn't even arrived and I know that she'll be just beautiful!

Movement: Gymnastics, dance movements, sports...I'm not exactly sure what all she's doing there, but she's a busy girl! There have been some recent times where she decides to push her little booty out so far & it's not very comfortable for this momma!

Sleep: Sleep still continues to be pretty great. Sure there are those occasional nights when I'll toss and turn or wake up early, but thankfully sleep has followed me into my last weeks!

What I miss: Life as a pregnant woman has become my normal, but I'm certainly hoping to go back to my normal self very soon! I still miss bending over & my energy level & being able to go, go, go...but this is all just part of the process!

Cravings: 1st pregnancy = Craving free for this momma! And my hunger level seems to be completely back to normal...I've been doing great with 3 daily meals & maybe just one small snack.

Symptoms: I just seem to get uncomfortable really fast! I can't sit in one position for too long without moving. I've got some slightly swollen ankles that are hanging around for now and at times those slightly swollen ankles become full-on cankles! Thankfully lots of water & just putting my feet up for a bit seems to take care of the cankles! ha!

Maternity Clothes: Not really an option at this point! ha! I've got several non-maternity items that I can still wear but those items are becoming fewer & fewer!

Best Moment this week: Lots of fun this week! We had our first weekly appointment on Monday & Elyse has definitely started to make her decent. Of course my doctor isn't going to give any predictions of going early, but it's so nice to know that she's making some progress! We also found out that she's head down & all ready to go! We couldn't really ask for more...

It was also a pretty awesome feeling to know that her nursery is practically completely ready for her arrival. We certainly still have some details to deal with, but for the most part we're as ready as we'll ever be!

Baby To-Do List: The list has been put on hold for the most part until after Thanksgiving. But after Thanksgiving we've definitely got some things to do! You know those really un important things like installing the car seat, packing the diaper bag, preparing the hospital bag, etc.! ha!

And....here's the Thanksgiving baby bump! I can't believe that at next Thanksgiving our baby girl will be almost a year old!

Give Thanks to the Lord!

At our Thanksgiving church service last Sunday, we were reminded again & again that we should be thankful TO THE LORD for the blessings in our life. And so...

via

I'm so thankful to God for...

the precious miracle of a baby who will arrive so very soon!

an incredible husband who loves me for me and supports our family is ways that leave me speechless.

a family who never ceases to support, encourage, & love on each other in good times & in bad.

our furry son Bogey who makes me smile each morning & night.

a small group who lifts me up and makes me laugh on a regular basis.

a cozy home that Hubby & I can call our own.

the resources to give back to others and support those causes that are dear to our hearts.

a God who loves me, sent his son to die for me, and guides me through each & everyday regardless of how I treated Him the day before.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Elyse's Nursery Reveal ~ Modern with a Little bit of Flair

And so it's time...while every single little detail isn't complete, my goal was to be practically finished with Elyse's nursery by Thanksgiving and I feel like I certainly met that goal! After a lot of hardwork, love, and creativity, I'm so thrilled to see my vision come together. I was going for a blend of modern but girly with just a little bit of froo-froo!

My goal was Thanksgiving, so I thought it only appropriate to post the big reveal the day before. Most all of the pictures can speak for themselves...so here it is...our baby girl's nursery!

The Details:

Crib, Dresser/Hutch Combo, & 5-Drawer Chest of Drawers (located in other room): Davenport by Baby Appleseed

Rocker/Glider & Ottoman: Storytime Series by Best Chairs in Joker fabric

Raspberry Shaggy Raggy Rug: Ordered from Bella Baby

Bedding, Curtains, Quilt, Fabric-Covered Canvases and Embroidery Hoops: Various fabrics from Hobby Lobby, JoAnn's, & Fabric.com all made with love by Gigi & Grandpa

Tissue Paper Pom Poms: Pomtastic via Etsy

Ornaments: Hobby Lobby Christmas Decor

Matching 11x14 Bible Verse Prints: MissNibbit via Etsy

Closet: Closetmaid Cubeicals Storage & Fabric Drawers from Lowe's & Target

Weekend Rewind: Breaking Dawn, Basketball, & Baby Girl

It was certainly a busy, busy weekend and it was followed up by a busy Monday...which would explain why I'm just now posting our weekend rewind.

Friday night Hubby & I went our separate ways...he headed to dinner with one of his guy friends and I headed out for girls' night with fondue and a viewing of Breaking Dawn!

A local fondue restaurant sponsored a VIP Breaking Dawn night that included a drink voucher (non-alcoholic of course for me!), a voucher for fondue, and a ticket to Breaking Dawn! We met up around 7 and stuffed ourselves silly with yummy cheese fondue & chocolate fondue with all the trimmings!

Bethany & I @ Fedora Social House

Our spread of dessert fondue...oh my goodness, we were SOOO full!

The movie didn't start until 9:45, so this momma was EXHAUSTED by the time I got home...but it was such a fabulous evening with some great girls!

Saturday I headed to work until noon and then Hubby sent me to bed for a nap. We had plans to run several errands for Elyse on Saturday afternoon and I definitely needed to sleep after a late night on Friday! We were able to check several things off the "must-buy" list which is definitely a great feeling. After our errands and dinner we headed to the home-opener game of the Missouri State Bears. Hubby & I are season ticket holders this year, along with my parents so I'm definitely looking forward to lots of games this season! We've already got some good intentions of taking baby girl to the games...hopefully we're actually able to get that accomplished.

Sunday we enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving church service and then came home to work on Elyse's nursery. I finally had most all of the wall decor so it was time to get it all hung up. I am SOOO incredibly happy with how everything turned out! My plan is to do a big nursery reveal on Wednesday...the day before Thanksgiving, my deadline for having everything done! But for now...a little sneak peek of some of the details...

Today was a fabulous Monday even if it was busy! We had our first weekly OB appointment and I'm so happy to report that Elyse is starting to make her move...definitely so crazy to think that hopefully in less than a month we'll be meeting our baby girl instead of just watching her roll around in my tummy!

Not only was it an exciting baby day, it was Hubby's first day at his new job and our first day as co-workers...everything went so well and I know that it's going to be such a fabulous opportunity for our family. Thank you God for having perfect timing!

A New Level of Teamwork

When Nick & I were first married, we quickly discovered that regardless of the situation we would have to be a team. We would need to be a team when it came to finances, and our faith, and decisions for our household.

As we prepare for Elyse's arrival I know that we are about to embark on an experience that will require teamwork in a way that we've never even imagined. Teamwork to make our baby happy & to protect her & to raise her in a home that loves Jesus & to teach her to respect others & have respect for herself & to discipline her when necessary & love on her every second of every day.

However, today as we are 4 weeks away from Elyse's due date, Hubby & I are less than 6 hours away from starting a new adventure where being a team will be ever so important. At 5:00 today, he will pack up his things and walk away from the job he's held for the past 5 1/2 years. At the end of the day today, he'll leave his job as an accountant and enter the world of insurance.

Starting on Monday, Nick will come to work with my dad & I and the other employees here at our insurance agency. Beginning then, we will have become a team in almost every single sense of the word...at home, at work, and as we prepare for parenthood. Once Elyse arrives, and when I eventually come back to work we'll be together practically all hours of the day. We'll ride to work together, drop Elyse off together, have lunch together, ride home together and spend our evenings playing with our baby girl together.

While some couples might be scared of all that "quantity time" we're so excited for the additional "quality time" it will bring us as a family. We have been praying & hoping for God to open doors in regards to Nick's job, and for both us & my parents, this seemed to be exactly where God wants us to be. This certainly wasn't a situation where doors were flung wide open...more like a situation where doors were slammed shut.

We certainly don't know exactly how all the details are going to play out, and we know that it certainly isn't going to be easy...but we are so excited to see how God uses this new opportunity to strengthen our family & make us stronger than ever!

A team...now and forevermore.

Elyse Love ~ 35 Weeks

35w4d

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I certainly don't feel like I've had any massive weight gain & thankfully I haven't been retaining much water so my weight gain should be right on track...this would put me about +35ish. That sounds horrendous when I actually type it out, but we've only got around 4 more weeks so while I'm certainly not "pleased" with my weight gain...it's still at a level that I consider manageable to lose once Elyse arrives!

Gender: Why a baby girl of course! Elyse Ann will be here so soon...I can't believe how fast time has flown by!

Movement: She's definitely GOT to be crowded in there! Meal times and when I've been drinking a ton of water seem to make her incredibly active...think that might have something to do with taking up even more of her space as my food digests! It's so fun to feel her going crazy in there...and it will be so strange to actually have her in my arms and not feel her move around inside!

Sleep: Awww..sleep. It's honestly been great and I hate to even mention it for fear of jinxing it! Still just once a night to the bathroom and back to bed! I'm hoping this routine will continue in the future...up once for Elyse and back to bed! ha! who am I kidding?!?

What I miss: 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. I'm also starting to just be uncomfortable in some cases...mainly in the evenings after I've been sitting for long periods of time. It's also becoming more & more difficult for me to bend over and pick things up. And seriously, let's not even talk about how badly this girl needs a pedicure! Thankfully it's boot season & not time for flip-flops!

Cravings: 1st pregnancy = Craving free for this momma!

Symptoms: Discomfort is really something I've begun to notice at various times. When I'm feeling uncomfortable 5 more weeks seems so far away, but when I'm feeling great 5 weeks seems like it will be here so soon! I was looking at some earlier bump photos and it's hard to believe how much my body has changed in these past 35 weeks. It's just the little things...a little bit of roundness to my face, a little more in my arms, and definitely a whole lot more in my belly!

Maternity Clothes: Yes please! There are still of course a few items that I can wear that aren't true maternity...I'm definitely thankful for the empire-waist tops or tunic trend right now!

Best Moment this week: Hmmm...not really sure what the BEST moment would be. We finished up our child-birth classes, I attended my epidural interview (so that all the paperwork is taken care of should I want the epidurl...which at this point I'm planning on), and we received some of the artwork in the mail for the nursery.

Baby To-Do List: Had a little bit of a concern moment yesterday as I realized all that we still need to purchase...but the word "need" really isn't correct. Sure, there are a few things we truly do NEED to buy before Elyse arrives and NEED to do before we head to the hospital but for the most part we've got absolutely anything she would need...even if she came today. I'm trying to keep all that in perspective and know that anything we don't have right now, we can always buy as we need it!

And....here's the bump! I'm not exactly sure what to call it, but it's definitely not just a BUMP anymore! Thankfully Hubby's little angle on the shot takes a little of the hugeness away!