This is Me Challenge...Days 27-30

I am bound and determined to finish this challenge so I have to finish it all up today.
Day 27: Change One Thing
I have struggled with my weight my whole life. I'll do really well for awhile and then I'll fall back into my old ways. I love food and I have a hard time giving it up but I've done it for moments in time and boy I'm proud of myself when I stick to it. When I'm eating right and working out I feel great about myself. I say all of this because if I could change one thing it would be that I would have started a workout routine early on in my life and healthy eating habits early on in my teenage years.

Day 28: Haircuts
I'm not a wild hair kinda gal. I get nervous about big changes so I've never done anything wild to my hair. I rarely do anything to my hair. All of this may be due to one afternoon when my aunt watched me. She decided to cut my hair and wow did she cut my hair. I had a mullet at age 5. I rocked it but when I see those pictures now I really think my parents should have sent me to get that mess fixed.

Day 29: Smiles
Five things that make me smile:
1. Ideas from Pinterest

2. Organization

3. Piggy Sue's (a small restaurant in my town) Sunday lunch special

4. My nephew Bennett

5. My baby Jack Henry

Day 30: Looking Forward
I have LOTS to look forward to. In one week my baby will be born. It is still crazy to me that in one week my baby will be here. I'm very nervous but also very excited. Everything is ready and now all we are waiting on is him to show up. I'm also very excited to be off work until January because I will get to spend lots of time with our new baby.

Week in Review

Monday: All I could think about was my 37 week appointment which was scheduled for the next day. I kept thinking of scenarios where he would check me and say it was time. I ended up staying at my parents house that night since my husband had to work and my parents guest bed is horrible. They bought it new and let's just say it is not broken in. I'll be spending many nights here (I'm here in it now) with my husband's work and class schedule.

Tuesday:37 week appointment day!He didn't even check me because he had written down c-section so the nurse didn't prep me to be checked. Basically all was good and I have to go back next week. He did say that I might be able to have this baby without a c-section and he might can tell me more Tuesday.

Wednesday: I decided to start my maternity leave November 1. I talked to friend at work who suggested taking off a few days earlier. She said I would need this time and the more I thought about it she was right. My friend Betsy came to stay with me since hubby was working. She brought over yummy Chinese food and we gabbed for awhile. It was great.

Thursday: I was exhausted. I was able to make it through work and as soon as I got home I got in the bed. I watched tv and then went to bed early. Some days I just feel extra exhausted.

Friday: Got in a nesting mood after work so I cleaned for hours and then separated baby clothes by size.

Saturday: Got up crazy early (4:30), got ready for the day, and then went to a garage sale. Look what I found for only $5!!!

I love this storage unit! Too bad there is NO room in the nursery but it was too much of a great deal to pass up so I'm either going to store it or change out the storage boxes and use in the den. After scoring such an amazing deal I decided to cook a big breakfast at my parents house (husband is still at work) to eat on before the Razorbacks played at 11:00. Well the game sucked but I won't go there because the anger might cause my blood pressure to rise. At the end of the game some family stopped by and dropped off a baby gift. Look at this precious outfit with socks. I just love mudpie!

Well that was pretty much my week. Husband gets to come home for 1 day (tomorrow) so I plan on cooking him his favorite meal and then the two of us relaxing and watching Monday night tv. I get to go back to the doctor on Tuesday and then Wednesday is my last day at work until January and also Halloween. Overall I have a great week ahead!

This is Me Challenge: Days 24-26

First off I need to say that I am loopy right now due to the pain pill that I took an hour ago. My doctor felt sorry for the unbearable hip pain I've been in and decided that something stronger than Tylenol was needed (yes, this medicine is okay for the baby). So anywhooo, I am loopy and need to blog so here I go.

Day 24: Least favorite chore....I'm a freak. I love to clean. Well let me rephrase-I love a clean house so much that cleaning is tolerable for me. It makes me feel so accomplished but I still have chores I hate. I'm not a fan of vacuuming. It feels like it is never enough so I don't get that accomplishment feel. My fur babies contribute to this problem more than anyone.

Day 25: Do overs.... I would have shopped around for a house longer before I bought. Don't get me wrong, I love my house but there are some things that I wanted in a home but didn't stick to them because I just wanted a house so badly.

Day 26: Childhood toys....I had dolls and all of the accessories but my favorite childhood toys were things that I could use to pretend I was grown. I took books and wrote grades on every paper like I was grading papers. I begged my mom for red high heels so I could play college (I had no idea that if I wanted to play college I should have been wearing pajamas). I grabbed up cardboard boxes and made washers and dryers because that is what a Mama used. I grabbed up every kid I could to make them be my students. I went to school on the last day so the teacher would give me all the things she was going to throw away. When I got in trouble I would beg my parents to play court for my crime and punishment. I wanted to be grown and anyone who knows me isn't the least surprised by my odd behavior as a child. I love being grown. I don't like the stress all the time but I love being in charge of my choices. 

Day 23 Challenge: Nicknames

I don't really have an official nickname. Some people call me Ash. A really close friend calls me Re which came from the middle name of Marie. Now my students they have nicknames for me. I'm an elementary librarian. Some kids call me Mrs. Ponder (my maiden name), Mrs. P, one student calls me Mrs. P Ponder, and my favorite Mrs. Library. Those are my nicknames!

This is Me Challenge: Days 19-22

Day 19:
Top 5 Favorite Movies
1. Sleepless in Seattle
2. When Harry Met Sally
3. Father of the Bride I and II
4. Gone With the Wind
5. Sound of Music

Day 20:
Top 5 Dream Jobs
1. A rich stay at home mom
2. Professional food taster
3. Product tester (I LOVE products)
4. Therapist (I enjoy listening to other people's problems)
5. Sport Broadcaster

Day 21: Senses
See: My computer, a fan, and a baby bed
Smell: Fish cooking (my Mom must already be cooking supper)
Hear: The banging of pans and Bennett slamming the kitchen cabinets
Touch: the keyboard
Taste: absolutely nothing.....waiting for supper


Day 22:
5 Random Facts About Me
1. I HATE ranch, milk, sour cream, and mayonnaise.
2. I can take the best nap while watching Gilmore Girls.
3. I talk to myself in the car. I make the best plans on my way home from work.
4. I laugh the hardest when I am by myself cause I really crack myself up.
5. I always get sad when I finish a book.

This is Me Challenge: Days 15-18

Day 15: First Driving Experience

I don't really remember my first driving experience because as children from the country we drove on Daddy's knee around the yard or on the dirt road. We drove riding lawnmowers like cars. It was just what we did. After I got my permit I do remember my dad taking me to an actual real life road with cars and stuff and him letting me drive. It was awesome! I felt so grown. Now of course driving is not my favorite thing but if anyone is going to drive I want it to be me. I always feel like I am the safest driver of anyone I know. 

Day 16: Scariest Moment of My Life

I can't remember one particular super scary moment so I'll just list a few. 

1. In southeast AR we have lots of tornadoes and I remember one that got really close to where I was and I was in a Saturday class and couldn't get home. That sucked. Being in a scary moment with strangers isn't fun because you are forced to not act like a big baby.

2. When my sister had to have a c-section that we weren't mentally prepared for. I wasn't as scared as our dad was and being worried about him being scared was the worse part. He hates not being in control. 

3. Getting married. It was scary because people were looking at me and I HATE when people are staring at me. I really wanted to elope but Mama said no way.

4. Finding out I was pregnant. It felt so surreal. I was scared to tell anyone for fear that it would disappear. I wasn't scared about having a baby but just really scared that I would be happy and have it all taken away from me. 

Day 17: Musical Influences

My mom is hands down my biggest musical influence. She taught me to love the oldies but goodies. My favorite is Percy Sledge and it is all because of her. When she had alone time after us kids were asleep she would sit in the dining room and listen to Percy and just have the most interesting look on her face. I love peeping in at those moments just to see her so relaxed. 

Day 18: What Would I Be Doing If Not Blogging?

Well right in this moment I would probably just be looking up recipes or watching tv. I don't get to blog much. /Crazy enough....I don't have internet at my house so I have to wait  until I get to my parents house or the library. 

Pumpkin Patch Pics

Bennett standing in the pumpkin patch

My sister and Bennett

He was not scared of the animals at all

He loved the straw

Nephew on the hay ride

Pumpkin Patch

This is Me Challenge: Days 13 and 14

Most Prominent Childhood Memory: On Sunday afternoons my parents would take us riding the levee. We lived close to the Mississippi River. We would drive down to Louisiana and buy lottery tickets and couldn't touch them until we hit the levee. We would then scratch them off and put any winnings up for tickets the next time. Us kids would then sit in the back of the truck and ride while my parents listened to music up front. When we were too young to know better my dad would say whoever saw a pink elephant would win 100 dollars. We would look so hard never knowing that we were being tricked. It sure kept us quiet and busy (smart parents).
Another great memory I have is my dad would have us kids build toady frog houses in the backyard. If you have never made one you put your barefoot on the ground and cover it with dirt. Pack it down and then slide your foot out gently. This is where toady frogs stay at night. In the morning we would check our houses and there would be money for rent. It was so much fun!

Shoes: I'm not a shoe person. I wear comfort shoes. I want to so badly to wear cute high heels and boots but I hate for my feet to be hot and uncomfortable. I do a lot of moving around in my line of work so I can't imagine wearing those cute but miserable shoes. Some people can pull them off and I am not one of them. My favorite shoes are Yellow Box flip-flops and Toms.

I Won a Giveaway!

I have entered many a giveaway and I have finally won one!!!!! Over at The Wright Stuff is where I won my loot. When I got the news I was skeptical but sure enough my goods arrived and now I am even more pumped! Here is a picture of all of my goodies...

 Here is an up close picture of the Baby Lips. I've been wanting to try some for awhile and now I have some. I wanted to take the picture before I opened so soon after this post I will be smothering my lips.

Here are the band-aids that I got. I've never seen any kind like this before. Super cute! I will not be hurting myself on purpose to try these out but when I do I will look fabulous sporting these fancy looking things.

Wanna give another big THANK YOU for this amazing gifts. So happy I won!!!!

I Suck at Pictures and Pregnancy Update

Let me be just perfectly honest here I suck as a blogger. It's a lot of work and no one told me this information. I am also the worst about not taking pictures and well taking pictures is pretty important to the blogging process. Here is what I do take pictures of....

These are the only three pictures I've taken. The first one was a gift given to me by the art teacher at our school. Super cute....LOVE it! The second picture is an outfit I saw at Carter's that I thought about buying because they had a 0-3 month and an 18 month. I want my nephew and my baby to match up like baby dorks. The last picture is of my parent's dog who is relaxing in my nephew's new Thomas the Train blowup toy. I love to take pictures of dogs doing funny things.

I have to get better at taking pictures. I promise I do lots of other things but I always manage to forget to take pictures. This weekend we are doing the pumpkin patch so I MUST take pictures.

Here is a little update.....Had my 36 week appointment and my doctor told me that my pelvis is way too small for this big old baby so it looks like I will be having a c-section. He hasn't told me the exact date yet (will find out on Tuesday) but I know it will be sooner than my original due date (Nov. 15) so I have this panic feeling of "GOTTA DO IT ALL NOW".

Day 12: Regrets

I have regrets. I know we aren't "suppose" to have regrets but I do. Do I focus on them? No, but I do still have them.
1. I regret not being my more outgoing self in high school. I was a whole different person on the inside than I acted. My true self didn't really reveal itself until college.
2. I regret goofing off too much my sophomore year of college and losing scholarships. Each month when I have to pay my school loan bill it eats at me that my college WAS paid for before I goofed off and lost those well deserved scholarships.
3. I regret opening my mouth when I should have been opening my ears. Too many times I wasn't listening like I needed to. Being a great friend is very important to me.
4. I regret being such an ass to my mother as a teenager. I feel the need to apologize every single day. Moms work REALLY hard and I had no idea.
5. I regret eating spaghetti tonight for supper because now I have horrible acid reflux. I should have listened to my dad when he said "you probably shouldn't eat that".

This is Me Challenge: Days 10 and 11

I'm seriously behind on this challenge but hey I am 8 months pregnant and can barely wipe myself so behind on some blogging isn't too terrible.
Day 10: A typical day for me looks a little like this.....
Wake up 6:15 am
Get ready and out the door by 7:00 am
Work by 7:30
Leave work at 3:45
Home by 4:15
Once I get home I pick the house back up and clean (takes about an hour)
If husband is home then we usually eat supper in bed while watching Cops or Jail. If husband is at work then I usually hop in bed and watch Dr. Phil or General Hospital
Life is about to drastically change this I do know. I hear how much a baby is going to change things so for now I am going to enjoy eating supper in bed and relaxing to some junk tv.
My nights are usually spent getting things ready for the next day, laundry, talking on the phone, entertaining guests, or usually here lately-going to bed early.
It's a simple life that is ready for sweet baby Jack Henry to completely disrupt.

Day 11: Favorite Foods
Now this is an easy blog post.

Copeland's White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
 
Texas Roadhouse Salad and Rolls (They have the BEST Italian dressing)


My favorite meal is a baked potato, salad, and rolls from Texas Roadhouse. After that for lunch do a little shopping and then finish the afternoon up with some cheesecake and coffee from Copeland's. Yummy, yummy, yummy I got love it my tummy!

Baby Shower

I had my first baby shower on Sunday. I took a few pictures of the super cute decorations. My friend Heather is responsible for the ubber cuteness. As you will be able to tell, she is a pinterest addict.

Day 9: Hobbies

I wish I were one of those people who could say my hobbies are hiking, photography, and scuba diving BUT I'm not. I am lazy most days, can not take a good picture to save my life, and scuba diving scares me. So what are my hobbies? Safe ones. I enjoy crafting and baking. I love reading. I love watching tv. I love talking on the phone with my best friend. Most people wouldn't consider talking on the phone a hobby but the way I do it is more like an Olympic sport. Other hobbies? I like to be sarcastic. Is that a hobby? I enjoy organizing. That sounds way dorky. Over the past two years I have seen my hobbies change dramatically. Not so long ago I would have written my hobbies as bar bouncing, beer pong, and wine tastings. As of right now it is more like nursery decorating, looking up recipes, and blogging. Things have certainly changed. I look forward to the days where my hobbies are driving my son to t-ball practice and bake sales. I'm a mommy dork at heart. Who knew???

This is Me Challenge: Day 8

Day 8 is all about the things I can't live without. My favorite thing EVER is a mocha from McDonalds. It is the only caffeine I get all day and they are so yummy.

Chewing ice is also my newest thing. I've read it could mean I have low iron but while in the hospital I became addicted to chomping ice. 

Another thing I can't live without is my tv. I have to watch the following:

This Is Me Challenge: Favorite Color

I love color and therefore my favorite color changes every single day. I love every color for various reasons. I love the simplicity of white, black, brown, and gray. I love the vibrancy of yellow, orange, various shades of blue, and the pop of a good red. If I just HAD to pick a favorite I think I would go with white....is white considered a color??? Well it is in my book. I love how clean white looks. I love that most of my linens are white because they can be bleached easily. My best ever purchase was a really nice white quilt that goes with everything. I can change accent pillows and boom it looks completely new. White goes with everything and I like things that play well with others.

Day 6: 10 Favorite Songs Right Now

People be prepared to be surprised because I don't think I even know one song that is out right now. I love music but for some reason the radio has been getting on my pregnant nerves so now I like to listen to silence so I can think. Sometimes I will put Pandora on but even then it is music from the 90's. So for this assignment I am going to jot down some of my favorites.
1. Percy Sledge "Take Time to Know Her"
2. Alabama "Love in the First Degree"
3. Conway Twitty "I'd Just Love to Lay You Down"
4. Diamond Rio "How Your Love Makes Me Feel"
5. Elton John "Bennie and the Jets"
6. Anything George Strait
7. Anything by the Judds
8. Anything by Keith Whitley
9. Pam Tillis "Shake the Sugar Tree"
10. Anything Al Green
I have a LOT more that I could add but honestly it is pass my bedtime and I'm happy with a rounded number like 10. Good night y'all!

Pets: Day 5 Challenge

I have two very odd fur babies! Here is my Lexi Boo Boo who I love so much that I'm nervous that this new baby is going to make her feel jealous. She sleeps in our bed and is all around spoiled.

Oh and then there is Charlie. Oh my poor Charlie. This is going to sound really ugly but this dog is mental. He has many problems. He can't or won't walk on anything but carpet. He is scared of every noise. He is a boy dog but does not hike his leg. He chews on himself all the time. We have been to numerous vets and no one has been able to help us. This picture is of him in the bath. He just falls. We love him though. He is very low maintenance compared to our Lexi.  

Day Four: Proudest Moment to Date

My proudest moment was when I bought my house. I was single, 28, and had no idea what my future would hold. I did the whole thing myself and it felt wonderful. I felt like a real live walking grown person. I loved that first night in my house. I kept taking it all in. I'd walk from room to room planning out all the life that would happen in those walls. As a single girl my friends and I would sit on the back patio talking to this huge pine tree that we called the Universe Tree. Yes, wine was involved. Fast forward....today I am 30, married, and waiting for a sweet baby boy. I think back to that first night in that house and all the plans I'd made. It's amazing how things have changed so much. I'm looking forward to all the new memories with my family in that house that was purchased my the single 28 year old. 

What are your phobias?

Day 3 of the challenge: What are your phobias? I'll make a list (lists make me happy)
1. Mice-my number one. When I see one my body has this reaction that some people consider dramatic but that I can not help. If I am spending the night at your house and I see a mouse I have to leave. My fear is big!
2. Being deceived. Getting married was not an easy task for me. I have this fear of being deceived by someone that I have become vulnerable to. It wasn't easy for me in the beginning and it isn't easy for me today. I love to mantra my way through certain days. It's hard having your heart so exposed.
3. Since J works 9 out of 14 days as an EMT he is not home during that time which leaves me and the fur babies to ourselves. Soon we will have a baby there as well. My phobia is that someone is hiding in my house and will come out and get me Law & Order style either by sneaking up on me in bed or the shower.
Well those are my top 3 phobias-mice, being deceived by my husband, and someone sneaking up on me to attack me.

Blogging Challenge: Days 1 and 2

This is my first blogging challenge. I learned about it here at Violet Imperfection and she learned about it from  here at Stop! She's got a Camera! So lets get started....
Day One: Why I blog?
When I found out I was pregnant the first place I turned to was the web. I ran across Morgan at http://modernmommyhood.com/ I loved hearing about her pregnancy journey. I went from one blog to the next learning more and more. I would sit down at the computer with a notebook and write down any piece of information I could and what products were the best. Then I got to thinking that maybe I could blog. I loved the idea of writing about being a brand new wife and soon to be mother. I was not very domestic prior to getting pregnant but when I found out about this little person in me I wanted to be a 50's housewife. I got over that and found a balance. Blogging connects me to women who have wonderful ideas. Through blogging I have learned a lot about myself and the type of wife and mother I hope to be.

Day Two: Favorite Vacation Destination
I'm a home body and so is J. Before I met J my friends and I liked to call ourselves Redneck Jet Setters. Why this name? Well we had no jet but we did have a car. We vacationed all over the great state of Arkansas. My favorite vacation destination would have to be Fayetteville, AR.

There is nothing better to me then hitting the Farmer's Market early on a Saturday morning, stopping by a few shops as we sip on a mocha, and then heading to Rick's Bakery to wait in line for the BEST pastries ever. Around mid-day we all gather at JJ's for margaritas and wings. Once the football game is about to start we roll over to On the Mark to watch the game with strangers who come together as friends. If the night is still young we finish the night up on Dickson street bouncing from place to place before it is time to call it a night. It isn't the beach or anywhere exotic but it is still my favorite place.

Back in the Hospital

All was super great this morning. I take a shower, get dressed for work, feed the puppies, fix my lunch, and then hop in the car for the 25 minute journey to work. I get about five minutes from work when I have this horrible pain really low. I decided to head on in to work in hopes it would just pass. It doesn't get better. After being there an hour I decide to drive back and go straight to the doctor's office. J (the husband) leaves work to meet me at the doc's office. My parents also decide to drive over just in case. 
Thankfully I was not having contractions and my cervix was closed but I still have to be admitted due to extreme dehydration and a very bad bladder infection. Here I am in this horrible bed wanting so badly to walk around. Jack Henry is doing great. I love being able to hear the heartbeat constantly. It is the best going to sleep music. Well that is the newest with me. I'm so happy to have my computer with me. Catching up on all my blog reading is nice. I'll keep you posted.