28 Weeks

Oh how time flies when you are busy!  I don't know where to begin since my last post.

28 weeks

The husband returned home from deployment at the end of October.  Much of the next several weeks were filled with getting moved and settled into the new place.  I began commuting to Denver from CO Springs for work.  And baby continued growing.

Following the 20 week ultrasound, my doctor's noticed a spot on my placenta they wanted to recheck at 24 weeks.  This of course made me nervous, but on the bright side it meant my husband would be able to see an ultrasound of our son, which made me happy.  Following the 24 week ultrasound, they said everything looked fine and baby was developing right in line with where he should be.

The next several weeks went by fairly normal.  Aside from being tired, occasional nerve pains, and a super annoying reoccurring pain in one of my ribs...everything was going well.  I of course have had my moments of struggling with the ever continuous body changes.  Some days you wake up with a game face feeling good, and other days the sight of yourself in the mirror is less then glamorous.  It can definitely be tough at times to feel beautiful, and it's like you need constant reminders that you are.  I just try to remind myself it is only temporary and that the end result is obviously so well worth it.

Anyways, this past Thursday afternoon I was at work when all of a sudden I started getting pains in my abdomen.  It felt like pressure in my lower uterus, and pain that radiated up the sides and to the top of my uterus.  Along with a mild low back pain that came and went.  At first I thought I just needed to sit down for a moment, but after awhile when it didn't subside and seemed to get worse I got concerned and called my doctor.  They instructed me to drink water and lie down for an hour then call them back.  When I did, and the pain was still there, my OB instructed me that I was not to drive and not to leave Denver before going to the hospital.  My mother got dropped off at my job and drove me to the ER.  They sent me up to the labor floor and hooked me up to a contraction monitor and a monitor of the baby's heartbeat.  Baby thankfully sounded good and was ok, but I was contracting every 3-4 minutes.  They checked me, and luckily wasn't dialated at all.  I got shots to stop the contractions, and they did a fetal fibronectin test on me.  It came back positive, which essentially means I am not necessarily going to go into preterm labor but I am at risk to.  Since I wasn't dialated and the contractions stopped, I was released from the hospital.  My OB then had me go and get shots which help speed up the development of his lungs in case he is born early, and I have been put on a modified bed rest.  Many of my physical activities have to be limited, and I am restricted from driving outside of CO Springs on my own.

This has proved to be a very tough week for me.  First and foremost the fear of our son coming so early is terrifying, and as much as you realize it's not necessarily in your control, a part of you feels like you've failed because your body isn't doing "what it should".  Then the unexpected end of work has been tough.  Unlike an office job, working with children and families as a preschool teacher brings a different emotional connection with work.  I have been with the school for the past 3 years, so feeling like I just left with out saying good-bye to the kids has been hard.  I know I will have to go to work to get my things that are there, and get to see the kids, but it still wasn't the way I planned it which made it tough.  I am a planner, so unexpected change like that is not my cup of tea.  And of course learning to adapt to all my restrictions will be difficult.  I am always on the go, and have always been someone who does a million things at once.  So to be told I can't vacuum, or I can't drive myself somewhere, or I have to limit how many times I can go up or down stairs at my house will definitely be an adjustment.  I know that all these things are what is best for baby and me, though.  And anything I can do to insure his health and keeping him in as long as possible, is what's important.

Amidst all the craziness this past week, I did manage to have my baby shower this past Saturday.  Which I was so glad I was OKed to do, because I have been looking forward to it so much.  IT turned out beautifully and was beyond touched by the love and support.  My only regret is that I didn't take more photos because the ladies did such an amazing job putting it all together!

One of the games :)

 

Opening gifts

 

With my friend's dating back to high school

 

Adorable finger print tree the guests did

 

The wishing tree where guests wrote well wishes

 

 

 

 

 

 

21 Weeks

Well yesterday marked 21 weeks into the pregnancy.  It is crazy how fast it goes, and that we are more then This past Wednesday was the big 20 week appointment.  I had been looking forward to it for what felt like forever, and my entire day moved in slow motion in anticipation for it.  My good friend Megan came with me to the ultrasound, so I wouldn't have to go solo.  And I of course burst into tears the first few minutes of seeing the images on the screen.  It was so amazing to see my baby moving around, waving, sucking, yawning, and stretching out those little legs!  I could seriously stare at that baby on a screen for hours.  We saw everything from the arms, hands, legs, feet, stomach, kidneys, bladder, and more.  All looked fine, which was a big relief as well.  And I finally know baby's gender so I know longer have to refer to my child as an "it" ha....
Gender Reveal

Then this past Saturday I got the keys to our new place and began moving in.  Got furniture delivered and a portion of our stuff out of storage.  I am so thankful for the help of family and friends...with my luck I woke up pretty sick on morning of moving day.  So needless to say the being pregnant, sick, and moving combination made for one long day, and by that night I felt like death.  I am happy we got a good amount done though because that makes less to worry about once hubby gets home.

Sunday was my birthday, which unfortunately I was sick for.  I managed to go to breakfast with my dad, but by the time dinner came I told my mom I just had to pass.  By that time I was unable to taste or smell anything...which was even more of a bummer because I received beautiful flowers from my husband.

 

This morning I attempted going to work, but after an hour or so my boss sent me home to rest.  I am definitely not used to feeling this sick for this long, I can tell my immune system is weaker being pregnant.  So here's to hoping the extra rest will help me kick this cold, and get back to feeling well!

18 Weeks

I have not been the best at documenting the pregnancy week by week...but I have been so busy and life has felt so hectic lately.  Trying to balance working full time, looking for a place to live, doctors appointments, and random things like lesson planning, babysitting, and still making some time to see people has just had me on overload the last few weeks.  Not to mention the fact that "baby brain" is in full force.  I had always heard the term "baby brain" but never really quite understood it until having it.  Some days I literally feel like I am losing my mind.  I can't remember things, I have to put everything into my calendar so I don't forget, heck I can barely even finish my sentence or find the word I want to use half the time!  It is crazy how you literally get so scatter brained when you are pregnant, and for me and my type A personality, it has been driving me insane.  I hate feeling like I can't keep my thoughts in line or remember simple things.  So I am sure me trying to balance a million things doesn't make it any better.

Then there is the whole lack of balance you get.  That has officially set in.  I had my first fall about a week or so ago.  I was at work, went to walk through the baby gate, had my hands full when the gate got lose and began to tip over.  My feet got twisted up in it and I was un able to catch myself, so I don't I went with the gate, spilling everything I had in my hands.  Luckily I thought fast enough to land on my knees, but goodness were they sore for a few days.  Talk about full on limp there for a bit. And as the belly grows, the back aches have set in.  Thank goodness for my chiropractor, she has been my life saver!  Constantly getting on and off the floor, and picking kiddos up at work is slowly getting tougher.  And one particular spot on my back just aches, I found myself leaning against the edge of a doorway by the end of today to press on it, which somehow made it feel slightly better.  I suppose an actual massage may be needed rather then door ways lol.

I am hoping things slow down a bit, though I know that is a silly hope because October will be another busy month (maybe November right?) I am super excited to find out the sex of the baby though.  My last checkup at 16 weeks went well.  Got to listen to the baby's heartbeat for the first time - how absolutely amazing that was.  And they said I measured right where I should in all areas.  Then at about 17 weeks I began feeling baby for the first time.  It feels like little rumbles and it is such an incredible thing to experience, and I know it will only get more intense as baby grows. I am about 18 1/2 weeks so, so I am definitely counting down the days until my next appointment! 

So I am happy to say that thus far baby has been healthy and growing right on schedule, which I am so thankful for.  And I am hoping everything looks just as good at the 20 week ultrasound!

Rain Rain Go Away

Well this was day 5 of the rains, and as far as I know we have another day or two until we will see clear skies.  Wednesday afternoon storms came rolling in, bringing pretty heavy rains.  It went on into the night, and when I headed out for work Thursday morning I quickly learned just how bad it was.  It was coming down hard and constant, which that in itself seemed odd.  Typically, our afternoon storms come and go.  As I drove to work it wasn't long before I hit horrible traffic.  Now I realized it was coming down hard, but this traffic was crazy.  So when I came to an intersection that's cops had cut off, and was diverted I had a feeling this storm was wreaking havoc.  Much of my "drive" was spent sitting and waiting just to move an inch.

 

Shortly after I finally made it through this intersection, I witnessed a vehicle (on the other side of the median) halfway submerged in water.  At that point I had a slight sinking feeling, and even thought to myself "I sure hope I am able to get home from work."

 

As the day went on the rain did not let up, and soon enough we were on damage control at work.  We began getting leaks, puddles gathering in a spot in the basement, some ceiling tiles crumbling from the weight of the water leaking in, and our poor yard looked like a swamp.

 

By the afternoon we began more and more aware all the damage in the Boulder area, and also the Aurora area.  Which I then began seeing all the road closures due to flooding.  Almost every route I take to get between work and home had some un-crossable point.  Ultimately, I ended having to go west, far south, and then head east to get home. 

 

This was the road I was diverted from on my way to work.

 

Where I-70 and 225 merge...definitely couldn't get home that way.

 

A park I normally drive past to and from work every day.

 

Numerous roads were completely washed away, particularly in areas to the west.

 

 

Luckily, our home has been fine and we are staying above water.  But others have not been so lucky, and we really need the rain to let up.  My heart goes out to those who have been hardest hit.  Never have I ever experienced rains like this in Colorado in all my life.  Today was yet another ominous day...I am looking forward to these clouds going away and being replaced by some much needed sun.

Ready for the Weekend to be Over...

...That's right. I am. Let me start by saying the whole weekend wasn't bad.  The weekend actually started off great because I attended an AdvoCare 360 event Saturday morning, which focused on various aspects of life.  From self improvement, to nutrition, and finances.  I loved it and gained a lot of value! Plus, it's always nice to see some of my team members:

But the rest of the weekend felt like an awful reminder of how lonely I am. And maybe it's the hormones, but gaaaahh how crummy it's been literally sitting in the house doing nothing, by myself.  Some folks enjoy that kind of downtime, and I do too in small doses, but right now I can't stand it.  It even made me want to just be in the kitchen.  A few random things sounded good, but also because I think I was so bored that it gave me something to do and distracted me.  So Saturday night I made a late trip to the store, and found myself finishing up making soup at 10pm.  I was in the mood for some curry lentil soup, so I searched for a recipe that I thought looked pretty good.  I decided on a recipe that I found at Oh She Glows.  It turned out pretty good, though there are a few changes I will make next time.  Instead of water, I suggest using a chicken or vegetable broth, for a richer flavor.  Also, after soup has cooked throw some or all of it in a blender to give it a creamier texture:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1.5 cups chopped onion (approx 1 medium onion)
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped (optional - I did not use)
• 1.5-2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 cup uncooked lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste (I think I used 1/2 tsp?)
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced (optional - I did not do)
• 1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges (optional - I did not do)

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, optional celery, and carrot and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or so.
2. Add finely chopped garlic and stir until vegetables are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes longer. Reduce heat if necessary to avoid burning.
3. Add curry powder. I started with 1.5 tablespoons. Now, add the rinsed uncooked lentils and 4 cups water. Season with a sprinkle of kosher salt and pepper, add in lemon juice, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
4. When lentils are tender, I poured about half of the soup into my blender and I blended the soup for a minute. I did this to create a very thick texture. After blending, stir the soup back into the skillet/pot and you will have a very thick soup with some chunky pieces left from the soup you did not process.
5. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional curry powder, if desired. Sprinkle with thinly sliced green onions and serve with lemon wedges.
Makes about 4-5 cups

Then this morning, I made a Sausage Egg Casserole for breakfast.  I found a recipe at All Recipes and then made a few changes, as well:

Ingredients:

Makes 12 servings       

Makes servings USMetricAdjust Recipe (Help)

• 1 pound ground pork sausage (I used sage ground pork) 
• 1 tablespoon butter
• chopped white onion (I have no idea how much I used, but about an equal amount to the mushrooms)
• 1/2 pound of sliced fresh mushrooms
• 10 eggs, beaten
• 1 (16oz) container low-fat cottage cheese
• 1 bag of shredded monterey jack cheese (plus additional to top casserole at end of baking)
• 8 ounces diced green chile peppers, drained
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• Small bundle of fresh spinach leaves

 

Directions:

Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, and set aside. Melt butter in skillet, and cook and stir the onions and mushrooms until tender.
In a large bowl, mix the eggs, cottage cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and chiles. Stir in the sausage, onions, and mushrooms. Refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Blend in the melted butter. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Stir in the spinach. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
Bake 40 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly brown (sprinkle with cheese with about 5 min left). Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Well if anything, I am sure baby was thrilled mom decided to do some cooking that last two days.  And I will have yummy food to take with me to work this week.  Ha gotta find the positives in it, right!

 

 

 

12 Weeks

I am beyond thrilled to say that as of 11 weeks I started sleeping through the night again!  I don't know if all the congestion of the last 2 months just built up but I ended up getting a pretty crummy head cold for a few days.  It was no fun at all...but after that passed I magically began to sleep again. And haven't had congestion issues since.  Granted now my body thinks it needs to be wide awake super early (typically 430am during the week), but hey I will take that over being up on and off all night!  And I have still been lucky enough to not have any morning sickness.  So I am feeling pretty good, but feeling tired and drained is still there.  I'm sure it doesn't help that work has been hectic and I literally feel like I don't stop moving all day.  I would love to just get a massage or a facial, lol. I just feel kind of bla and like I am running on overdrive at times.  I keep hearing you feel so much better during the 2nd trimester, so I am looking forward to that.

I had my 12 week appointment yesterday.  To my disappointment I didn't get to hear baby's heartbeat.  When she tried to pick it up with the Doppler she couldn't, she told me it can just be how baby is sitting and since it is still early on.  But because of that, I did get to see baby on ultrasound again and saw the heartbeat (relief!)  She kept pushing on baby to try and get some movement for me to see...but no such luck.  As she said "Baby must be taking a nap", and she reassured me everything looked good.  I am not surprised though that baby was "napping"...I was around very noisy children all morning and so that was the first time all day there was quiet and that I sat still for more then a few minutes. lol.  And hey, if I have a child that is a heavier sleeper, I am fine by that :)  So I was happy to hear everything looks good, and look forward to the next appointment.

Tea Affogato

So the other day I was reading a magazine and came across a dessert drink called Tea Affogato.  It's a twist on an Italian classic, which is typically made with a shot of espresso.  It's simple, pour hot tea over vanilla ice cream.  I did opt for an ice cream alternative made from coconut milk, and I used decaf Vanilla Chai Tea (I also added a tid bit of chocolate).  I must say it was a nice quick treat, so thought I'd share...

Success School Aug.'13

So this past weekend I was in Dallas for AdvoCare's National Success School.  I was excited to go, but it turned out to be even more then I could have imagined.  First off I was thrilled because my brother and his wife went, and it was the first time I got to see them in about 2 years.  Friday night was the weekend kick-off.  I was quickly reminded of the insane Texas heat as we had to wait for awhile outside Dallas Cowboys Stadium before doors opened Friday evening. By the time we got inside I think we all had half way melted away!

 

 

It was pretty amazing being in the stadium surrounded by 25,000 champions.  The weekend was filled with product training by the science and med board, big announcements from corporate, great motivational speakers, and just so many inspiring stories from people who overcame so many obstacles and fought for their families futures.  I have never been apart of something like that...and it brought a whole new perspective to my eyes.  I know that I have been giving the opportunity to do something great...not only for myself but for others.  I have seen how much it has done for so many of my friends...and I am ready to fight for it.  Like anything...it won't happen over night and it will take work.  The Advo family are truly some of the most motivated, kind-hearted, supportive group of people.  I am thankful and blessed for the friends I have met along the way, and I am passionate about this journey.  Above all, I look forward to bringing others on this journey with me and open a world of hope and possibility.

 

My amazing team...we are ready for big things.

 

10 Weeks

Well I am at 10 weeks (as of Aug.4th)...I still have yet to sleep through the night.  The Tylenol PM did nothing for me.  I need to find a good decongestant....it just feels like I have the world's worst allergies when it comes time to try and sleep.  I sneeze, I'm congested, I literally just want to get rid of my nose.  I have tried allergy medicine and that has done nothing...so I all I have left is to try something for congestion.  So I am hoping that helps me, cause all I want is just one night of sleep.  Lord knows I won't get it once baby is here.  On the bright side, all that joint pain has gone away (for the time being, at least!)

Right around 9 weeks I began to get a bit of a bulge, and well by the end of this week I have acknowledge I am definitely showing a visible baby bump.  I had this false illusion that wouldn't show for a few more months, and I have been feeling down on myself for "showing so soon".  But friends, fellow mommies have assured me that due to my petite size it was bound to show sooner.  Yesterday at work I decided I should send out an email to the parents, because I knew they must have noticed and be wondering.  One response was "I was thinking of saying something the other day, but decided not to just in case you had just finished a really big lunch or something :)" and another said "OMG I was totally asking my kids if you had mentioned anything about a baby, because you were like washboard (abs) before"...so I am glad I let them know I am not merely just snacking and gaining weight ha!

I am still able to wear my regular clothes, but I realized that I probably to need to invest in a Bella Band.  I know in the coming weeks the pants will get tighter and less comfortable (sigh)...so off I went to Babies R Us.  Bella Band's aren't the cheapest piece of cloth in the world..so though I wanted both black and white I opted to get just one and first see how I liked it before getting more.  Well I got home last night and put that thing on and let me just say it is soooo comfy! I think I am in love....though the fact a Bella Band of all things makes me this happy is slightly depressing in itself.  This whole experience (as I knew it would be) is definitely just that...a new experience.  The changes you go through from day to day is exciting and scary all at once.  And oh the roller coaster of emotions...Dear Hormones, so unappreciated.  Some moments I am totally fine, other days I wake up and just feel on edge, and then there are the days I cry at every little sad or moving thing.  So I am just trying to take it all a day at a time, and take the changes as they come.  I am so thankful for the support of those around me thus far, and the sweet sweet comments that have made me feel beautiful even amidst my body changes and feeling less then glamorous at times.  I know this is only the beginning, but I am ready for each and every chapter that unfolds!

8 Weeks

So I have been holding off on blogging about this in hopes of waiting until I'm at 12 weeks.  But it is killing me not to blog.  So I decided it's time to put pen to paper print on screen, and I can simply hold off on publishing this post until a later date.  As you can probably tell by now....I'm pregnant!!!  And as of today (July 23rd), I am just over 8 weeks.  For those of you who don't know, there are few things in this world I have ever wanted more then to simply be a mother.  When I was younger I didn't really dream of some big career....instead I dreamt of the pure joys of having a family and (hopefully) being an awesome mom.  So the fact that it is actually going to happen...well there aren't really words for it.

So lets take a step back...a few months ago the hubs and I made the big decision to come off birth control.  I realized that there was a chance it could take awhile to be able to conceive, and I would rather start trying now then wait until later and be disappointed if we had difficulties.  The first month came and went, the good old monthly visitor made her appearance.  I didn't expect to get pregnant the first month, totally fine.  At the end of month number 2...the night before I expected my period to start, I had horrible cramps that had me literally hunched over in a ball with tears in my eyes.  I though...uhm odd...but then again I was coming off the pill and knew my body could be getting used to it's new natural routine.  That and I used to have terrible cramps, which is why I initially even went on birth control years ago.  So I didn't think too much of it.  The next day I felt a bit nauseous on and off, but still figured it must be just the onset of my cycle.  Well, by the afternoon of the following day (June 24th) I was buying a pregnancy test still not completely convinced that was a possibility.  That night after work I went home, took the test and set it down as I was unpacking my stuff from work.  I remember when I set it down it had a little sand timer image on it, a few minutes later I glanced at it and noticed the timer was gone.  Instead there were little letters.  I remember holding my breath a moment thinking "That only looks like one word, not two..." So there I stood in my bathroom, slowly inching towards it.  When I grabbed it and saw the word "Pregnant" I literally jumped back against the wall and just started yelling "Oh my gosh...oh my gosh!!!!"

So my first week after finding out I was pregnant, was rough.  Those cramps I had continued, and even became more frequent.  They were waking me up at night, and stopping me in my tracks during the day.  When they came it was so intense I couldn't do anything but hunch over, or curl up in a ball.  I had heard of implantation cramping, but I felt like this was out of the norm.  We ended up going to the ER Sunday evening to figure out why I was cramping so much and verify everything was ok.  After 6 hours (seriously why must it take so long?) we found out everything looked fine, and I just had a bacterial infection which can be common when the pH levels change with pregnancy.  So they gave me antibiotics and the cramping issue was solved, thank goodness!

Yesterday I got to see baby for the first time.  I was beyond excited.  Unfortunately, Chris is deployed and my mom is out of town.  But my dear friend Megan joined me for the appointment.  Seeing that little heart beat inside me...was....amazing.  It really does make you speechless.  They confirmed I am right at the 8 week mark, and everything looks good.  Definitely a relief.

I am also happy to say that thus far I haven't experienced morning sickness (fingers crossed that stays away), though I have had my share of other preggo whoas.  Definitely exhaustion, I feel like I'm in a cloud just going through the motions some days.  I have a habit of putting things in the wrong place...prime example is putting trash in the hamper and laundry in the trash, at work.  Or almost putting milk in the cabinet..seriously crazy brain right now.  And I am definitely hormonal.  I think I cried 3 separate times today...Once simply thinking of baby's heartbeat.  The second time was after work.  I drove the Scion today ( we have 3 vehicles), and as I was leaving work the knob part broke off the key as I was starting the car.  So then I was trying to get the key out so I could attach it back to the knob and be able to drive home.  I had a pair of pliers and was so flustered I couldn't get it and just started crying.  Thankfully, my boss who was clearly much more level headed, got it for me.  Now if only I could sleep through the night!  It has literally been like 4 weeks since I have...not that I am counting or anything. Ha!  Turns out the increased blood in my system has given me lovely nasal congestion that wakes me up every few hours throughout the night.  As if that wasn't annoying enough, lower back/hip joint pain set in.  My right side gets so sore for some reason.  It aches, and throbs, and sometimes is a sharp pain...whether I'm sitting, standing, laying down, or putting pressure on my leg a certain way.  So at the recommendation of a mommy friend, I got some Tylenol PM and hope that will help me get some sleep.



The Last Week

I have been on the go...non-stop the past week.  Tonight is the first night I have even been home long enough to consider writing a post!  But the week leading up to a deployment is always hectic I suppose.  This time just seemed worse because I was bouncing back and forth between Denver and the Springs, constantly rushing to get places on time, and battling traffic which I hate most the time.  That and the fact I think I hit every red light possible most days!

So last Thursday after work I rushed to get to the Springs for the Sky Sox game.  Division had my husband throw the first pitch and we were the honorary military family of the night.  We went out on the mound together, they introduced us and read a brief bio, then hubs threw the ball.  He did good, which I knew he would.  Then they had us return to the field to stand with the players during the national anthem.  It was nice, and I am happy I was able to make it and be there with him for it!

 

Friday I took the day off rom work.  Chris had his ALC graduation in the morning.  That evening was date night.  We went to dinner and then went and saw Pacific Rim, which we both thought was actually a pretty good movie.

 

On Saturday Chris' brother and his gf came down from Denver with their dogs.  We headed over to one of our favorite little spots to do a "hike" up to this water reservoir right by where we used to live.  The view gets me every time I go there, it's just so peaceful and beautiful.  After getting to the reservoir and letting the dogs play in the water, the afternoon rain clouds started to roll over the mountains.  I knew it was going to start coming down.  It began slightly, and by the time we were about half way down it just started to pour. We were all soaked by the time we got back to the truck.  It was still a good time though.

 

Sunday we got up and had breakfast at King Chef's, then headed to the Anasazi Cliff dwellings and the Cave of the Winds.  It was nice to get out and spend time having fun, exploring.  It had been a few years since Chris and I had gone to those places.  And I must say watching Chris and his brother attempt to fit in the doorways of the cliff dwellings or tight spots in the caves, was pretty funny.



Tuesday night Chris came up to Denver and we went to dinner with my mom at Texas de Brazil.  He wanted to eat there before he left, and I was definitely more then happy to go.  That place never fails to impress, and it's always just as good as the time before.  After dinner we headed to the Springs to spend time together before he left.  Just like that a week flies by, and it's that time to say "See you in a few months".  I am very happy this deployment is short, and that it won't be anything like the Iraq or Afghanistan deployments.  But none the less, I will be missing him.  I know I just have to stay busy and the time will go quickly.  Which with work and getting ready for conferences, and picking out furniture for our next place, finding where we are going to live...I'm sure I will have plenty to keep me occupied.

Cry for Help...

I am writing this post today asking for a serious moment of your time.  A member of my "AdvoFamily" and her family desperately need some help.  In an attempt to not repeat myself...PLEASE take a moment of your time to read this family's story and give what you can.  Whether it be $20, $10, 5$, or even $1...if every person we knew could give just a dollar it could help this sweet family tremendously!  Even if you don't feel that you can give...please take time to follow the link and read and pass the word along to those you know.  I thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing so!

Nonstop

At least that is how I feel lately.  Go here, do this, do that, remember this appointment, call so and so...Nonstop.  Last week (and this week) I have had something or another going on every day of the week, on top of work.  I can barely keep things straight and have been putting everything into the calendar on my phone, including when I am supposed to call people.  On the bright side, it keeps me on my toes (ha!) and thankfully I have Spark and Oasis to get me going every day!

I figure once I get through June I will relax again.  Chris is in ALC, and has lots of studying and work that goes along with that.  This month we have registration for two vehicles due.. and it completely baffles me how expensive registering a new vehicle is.  I mean its more then your car payment...crazy.  Work was hectic preparing for Qualistar, luckily they came last week and we can breath a sigh of relief that it is done!

Last Friday at work we had a pretty neat Father's Day party planned.  We had the dad's work on a special project with their child where they came up with some kind of creation using cardboard boxes.  I was impressed to see what they came up with!  We had a putt putt hole complete with a windmill, a fishing came complete with jewel tokens that came out a slot when you caught a fish, raceways, and a TV that changed channels just to name a few.  It was a success and I loved it.  And on Father's Day I took my dad out to dinner and we got to spend some time together which was nice.

And I am surprised I even made time to squeeze in a blogging ha.   Now I have to get on brainstorming curriculum ideas for next month (how does every month fly by so fast?)...if only I could find time to fit in a mani pedi.

Staycation

This past week Chris was on leave before he starts ALC then deploys, so I took the week off from work as well and we had a "staycation" in Colorado Springs.  As all vacations go, the week went fast.  I had a good time and it was nice to spend time together, and I am bummed that it had to come to an end.  But here are some highlights from the week:

• We saw The Hangover 3, The Great Gatsby, and After Earth through out the week.  I of course thought The Hangover was funny (my favorite line from the movie came from Allen-"Just got done playing skee ball for the last 45 minutes....sick work out"), and I thought Gatsby was fabulously enthralling.  After Earth was a good one as well.
• We went to Territory Days.  It takes place annually in Old Colorado City, the streets are lined with a variety of vendors.  We had never been before, and it was a good time.  I even ran into one of my best friends while I was there!  And we got to eat at my beloved Jake and Telly's with some friends (absolutely delish Greek food!)

• We did some hiking and trails one day.  We hiked at Helen Hunt falls, followed by going over the Seven Falls.  Hiking at waterfalls is like one of my favorite things to do, and you can't beat some of the views over looking Colorado Springs.
  
  
  
  
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  We enjoyed a steam shower and a couples massage one morning, which was really nice.  Nothing like a good massage to relax you!
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  We went to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo...which I swear gets a little better every time I go.  This trip I pet/fed the giraffes, got to see an elephant demonstration where they gave an elephant a bath, pet a 7month old baby wallaby, pet a horse, and got to see lots of great interactions among the gorillas and orangutans.

• And today I was super excited, we went on a castle tour at the Glen Eyrie Castle.  It was built by the founder of Colorado Springs.  I loved hearing the history of the place, and it was absolutely beautiful.  The grounds were breath taking and so peaceful!

One of the rock formations right outside the carriage house.

Walking up to the castle.

In front of the castle...picture perfect!

The view from the front door/porch area.

The fireplace in the front room...an import from Britain.  The armor was a Spanish import.

The fireplace in the Queen's drawing room...made from Italian marble.

Queen's drawing room...my favorite room in the castle.  Just so pretty!

A close up of the plaster work in the room...so pretty and detailed!

The ENORMOUS fireplace in the great hall, where all the big parties were hosted.  The stone work was incredible.

Us on the grounds in front of castle.

The mountain side in the background has remnants from the big fires last summer...amazing how close it was.

The path from the castle to the carriage house.

 





Once Upon a Time....

....I was really good at blogging.  Ok maybe not great, but much better then I am now it seems.  I keep telling myself I am going to get better at it...to be more regular with my posts.  Yet that has yet to happen.  So I am no longer making that promise, and I am simply saying that when I get a chance to I will.  Life has continued moving quickly as it always seems to.

Work has been hectic as we have been preparing for our upcoming rating.  Many preschools have a sort of "quality assurance" program that comes and grades them on a million things.  You can't even begin to imagine all the little details they look at!  And I am also mentally preparing for the coming months in which several of my older kids will be moving on to public schools.  The one thing I can never get used to as a preschool teacher is when I have to say "good-bye" to my kids and families.  Spending so much time with them, and having them in my lives for one or more years I became attached.  I can say I am known to cry on their last days.  So I am sure I will have some teary eyed days coming my way.

Speaking of teary eyed and good-byes...Chris finally got his orders.  I say finally because this deployment has been changed so many times I can hardly keep track.  So it is just nice to finally have orders in hand, and hopefully they won't get changed yet again.  Thus the countdown to deployment #3 begins.

Nothing too exciting has been going on, just the typical day to day for the most part.  Last weekend we went to a wedding for some close friend's of Chris from his childhood.  It was a nice ceremony and reception.  It's funny because as I (in my typical Angela manner) was freaking out and thinking of what to wear, I realized I haven't really been to many weddings.  I was in a few as a child, and went to one a few years ago.  But beyond that, my own was really the only wedding I have been to since I was younger.  Chris wore a suit so I searched my closet for something that would pair well with it.  Lucky for me, I had a few never worn before dresses in my closet, and one fit the bill!  And thanks to my recent challenge the dress fit like a glove!

My New Car

So Saturday afternoon Chris and I got ready to head to what was supposed to be the mall and then dinner at Buca di Beppo.  I have been wanting dreaming of having a Volvo S60.  I love my little Scion tc but reality is that I am going to need to get a four door.  Something that will be practical and safe for when we have children.  And Chris wants the tc to have as a daily driver because the gas cost of driving his truck has been adding up.  So I have been looking (online) at the Volvo for awhile.  I found some at a dealership near where we were going for dinner so before hand we decided to drop by so I could have a chance to drive one (because up until this point as much as I loved the car I hadn't driven one).  Well needless to say after driving it I loved it even more (if that was possible).  And I was excited for the day when I would eventually get one.  I thought we were going to head to the mall at that point, when to my surprise Chris was like "Well why don't we just get it today?"  Suddenly "Worry Wart Angela" set in...I was suddenly so apprehensive about getting my dream car.  The finances began swirling around in my head and the "omg there is no way we can afford this definitely not right now" thoughts started flying.  After much chat, and a lot of breaking down of our income and expenses, Chris reassured me can afford it and that it was too good of a deal to pass up.  Which was true.  It is a 2012 with only about 5000 miles on it...it was one of the dealerships loaner cars that they gave to customers who brought their cars in for service.  So essentially brand new, and for a lot less then a new one.  A few hours later, lots of nerves and a tension headache (ha)  I drove away with my car.  Thanks to my love.  Then off we went and enjoyed a delicious dinner at Buca di Beppo.

Just us

 

 

Officially mine

 

The car