Life Update

So much has happened since the last time I've blogged.  Although I haven't written a post, I've been thinking about you all.  I've told myself for the past few weeks that I was going to post more often but I haven't.  My bad :).  Hope you all are doing well.  I'm good and growing. LOL.  I know I still have to post preggo pix but I promise they are on their way.

I just wanted to drop by to give you all a brief update:

-- Hubby, Baby K, and I are doing well

-- Our "vacation" went well.  The crabcakes at Koco's Pub in Maryland are to die for.  It was great visiting all the museums, monuments and memorials in DC.  We did the DC by Foot tour, which was great.  Stopped by Philly on the way to NY and had a long (fun) lunch with my cousin.  Cheesesteaks at Ishkabibble's were yummy.  Saw the Liberty Bell in Philly (which was anticlimactic).  Crammed a lot in during the 2-3 days in NY.  We stayed in NJ at a crappy hotel to save money (instead of staying in Manhattan) which was almost a disaster but I was a trooper. :).  Wicked was great!  Spent last 2 days in a cabin Luray, Virginia.  We were unexpectedly snowed in but we needed the time to recuperate from our "vacation."  We basically ate egg and cheese sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and dinner during the 2 days we were snowed in.  We played scrabble and hubby taught me how to play chess.  We just enjoyed each other's company.  The day we left hubby had to dig us out of the snow with the fireplace shovel.  Overall, good experience :).  Oh, how could I forget.  The fall foliage was beautiful (especially in Virginia).

-- I went to my first hockey game: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Tampa Bay Lightenings.  Interesting experience but still not a fan of hockey.

-- We finally started getting prepped for baby stuff.  Created a registry.  Well at least, I started one.  Have 2 showers coming up (late Nov and early Dec).  We bought our first baby item in DC at the National Aquarium.

-- Hosted a dinner at our house that turned out great (with less than a week's notice).  There were 12 adults and 6 kids. 

-- Got a stomach virus that was horrible (not related to the dinner I don't think).  Thankfully that's over.  Had to call in sick for the first time ever.

--Planning to take pregnancy photos within the next few weeks.

So, how are things going with you?  Great, I hope :)

Mrs. K

A photo trip down pregnancy memory lane: 1st Trimester

FIRST TRIMESTER:

Found out we were preggers on 6/10/11:  Super duper excited.  

First belly pic (also 6/10/11): Hubby used his cell phone to take this picture.  This is later that morning we found out we were preggers.  I was not having any nausea yet.  We went hiking with the dogs.  Was bursting with excitement and wanted to announce it to the world but we stuck with our plan to wait until after the first trimester.  Was still running regularly.

The following week we told our good friends C and D.  Well we tried to announce it in a creative way but D popped our bubbles and guessed it even before we said anything.  We were leaving MS and although we said we wouldn’t tell anyone until after the first trimester we really wanted them to know before we left (especially since we talked babies with them so many times in the past)

Shortly after, I got my first pregnancy gift from D which included crackers, sour patch kids because the nausea (and vomiting) had kicked in.  She also got us a book (What to Expect When You’re Expecting).  That same week I went into work then had to leave because of a combination of headache and intolerable nausea.  While in Walmart I projectile vomited in their bathroom (barely made it).

About 1-2 weeks later I told another friend (B and C) who also live in MS.  C was so excited too and started brainstorming about baby shower although I was still in the first trimester. LOL.  That same week I told a friend and co-worker (S and her husband B).  We had always joked about being pregnant and having kids.  I just could not leave MS without telling her in person.

All these people were awesome and kept our secret so well.  We chose to not make the BIG announcement until after the first trimester because of the risks of first trimester miscarriages, etc.  We wanted to get past that critical period.

Graduation for hubby and I 6/24 and 6/25

Hubby’s parents were in town and went to both our graduations.  They also helped us with the big move to NC.  It was so hard holding back such exciting news.  Of course, as usual the talk about kids would come up and we (hubby and I) would make a funny comment.  We didn’t lie, we were just creative with our answers.  I remember his mother asking us directly and we completely avoided answering by using humor.  It was so hard trying to move AND hide a pregnancy (not only was I nauseated I also could not lift certain objects).

Cousin’s wedding on 7/2 in VA:

So, no one in my family knew about our news.  I have a HUGE family and a lot of them were at my cousin’s wedding.  It wasn’t so tough hiding it because I wasn’t showing and I had already committed to taking anti-nausea medication (if I was going to be able to function at all).  We had a great time and no one had a clue.  It was actually fun keeping that secret mainly between hubby and I.

Belly pic in NC (taken by hubby): 7/21

Maybe showing a little bit.  I don’t know.  Anyway, I went through work orientation and no one suspected.  The first month I had to tell one of the girls I work with because I wanted her to switch calls with me (because one of my calls fell during the time when I would be on maternity leave).

Ignore the disorganization in the room.  We were still in the middle of moving.

 Not long after that I told my program director who was very excited for me.  She even encouraged me to take at least 12 weeks or as long as I need on maternity leave.  My training program was so supportive so all the worrying I had before hand was for no reason.

We had our first OB appointment at 10 weeks.  We had to see the ob nurse which we felt was somewhat of a waste.  We decided we wanted to work with an OB Gyn for this pregnancy and not the midwives in the practice.  The next week we saw the doctor for the first time.  We were almost 12 weeks when we got our first ultrasound.  It was so exciting seeing that there was a real baby in there.  I had been nauseated and vomiting for weeks and my body had been changing but seeing the baby brought it home to us.  Hubby was with me.  He was a teeny-tiny bit disappointed that there was only one baby (and not 2 or 3) but I was jumping for joy.  I can't imagine having multiples.

We had labs done (which were all normal) and opted to not have the First Screen or the Triple Screen.  We figured it wouldn’t make a difference in our approach to the pregnancy so we decided not to have it.  Also knowing that they were screening tools and NOT diagnostic and that I was healthy we didn’t see the need. 

After our Ob appt we called my mother on the same day.  She was so excited about having her first grandchild.  I had my husband announce it to her in patois (over the phone, as she lives in Jamaica). 

A part of the package we sent to my husband's parents to make the announcement.  They were ecstatic too.  We then told his siblings in order of age.  That part was exciting too.  We tried to have one of his sister's kid (4 yo) announce it to her but we were on speakerphone so hubby's sister heard us prepping his niece and she started screaming with excitement.

We then announced it to the rest of my family and went in age order too when it came to my extended family so that no one felt left out or that we had preferences.  I know, we are such crazy planners when it comes to certain things.

Anyway, bottom line is that everyone was surprised and excited and basically said it was about time. LOL.  No one was upset that we waited that long to tell them.  

OK, so more to come in future post about the second trimester (which I'm more than half way through).  I'm documenting all the details so I can refer back to how it all unfolded some day.  Oh and by the way, I am so ready for Baby K to get here, although we haven't bought anything or prepared much.  I'm just excited to meet our little one.

Mrs. K

It's Official

I need to only use the oven for baking main dishes and NOT desserts.  I am really bad at making desserts (especially in the oven) and I am officially giving up (for now).  Tonight, I tried to surprise my husband by making cinnamon rolls (of course courtesy of Pillsbury) and I failed miserable.  I misread and placed the oven on 425 for 25 minutes instead of 325.  You can only imagine how bad they looked.  Hubby said that they didn't taste too bad but I think he was trying to be nice OR maybe he's not very picky.  I say they tasted terrible (like cardboard with icing on top).

Anyway, we are going on a road trip from North Carolina to New York next week.  We plan to stop in DC for about 3 days, stop in Philly for a day then go up to NY and spend 3 days in the city.  On our way back to NC we plan to rent a cabin for about 2-3 days to chill out before going back to work.  We've never done the DC tour before so we need your help.  Do you have any recommendations about where to visit/eat?  What to do?  The only part of our trip that is planned so far is that we are seeing Wicked on Broadway.  We would appreciate any tips.  Thanks!

Mrs. K

Today I'm thankful for my husband

Hubby has made dinner two nights in a row and I'm very grateful.  Both meals were so yummy.  Obviously he doesn't cook all the time or else I wouldn't be dedicating a special post about it but neither do I. LOL.  If he blogged he could also post about all the times I cook (not frequent enough but we are working on it).  The past two weeks we've been eating more at home.  We go throught spurts of this, just like exercising (lately).

What are you thankful for today?

Mrs. K

My Pregnancy Scoop

So I'll fill you ladies in about all that has transpired over the past 20 weeks.  First of all thank you for your sweet and hilarious comments.  And yes we are really excited about our first kiddo being on the way.  I must say that I thought I would be documenting the whole process as it happens but a combination of not feeling my best (nauseated and tired) AND wanting to keep it private for a while prevented me from doing so.

Before hubby and I even started trying to conceive we talked about when we will address certain milestones including when to let our families know (and even the order of who to tell and how), when to tell our friends and when to reveal it on this  blog, etc.  You may not believe this but we waited until after the first trimester to tell our family (at around 12 weeks).  My mother was the first in our family to know then Jon's parents and siblings, then my grandparents and so on.  I'll probably blog about the details of all that in the future.

Just to summarize our TTC journey.  I took my last OCP in early January but not with the intent to try to get pregnant.  We just wanted to "get it out of my system" although truthfully there's no such thing because it varies depending on the woman.  Anyway, I wasn't ready to get pregnant yet so we used other forms of contraception and I also used the time to "study" my cycle (basically charting my cycle on my iPhone app).  In February we decided to NPC (not prevent contraception) and see what happens, knowing that we would be comfortable if we did get pregnant.  In March we decided to start TTC and was not successful until May.  So we became pregnant after the 3rd month.  It was awful getting negative pregnancy test 2 months in row, but looking back I am very grateful that it only took 3 months.  I've talked with a lot of other woman (many who are now pregnant or who have had kids) and realized that the process can take a VERY long time.  I always thought it was simple: MAN + WOMAN = BABY.  But that is not always the case.   During those 2 months of frustration I remembered thinking about how I spent the past 3 years of marriage trying to prevent pregnancy and now that I wanted to get pregnant it wasn't as easy as I thought.

Anyway, looking back it wasn't so bad.  As I said, I am very grateful that it only took 3 months.  I regularly think about and pray for the women I know who are trying to conceive.

Ok so moving on.  Where was I?  Oh yeah, so we found out right after my first missed period but I did not see an Ob gyn until about 11 weeks (because of moving to a new state and getting a new job).  We then told family and friends and job.  All were excited (including job--yeah awesome! I know right!).

So it's been 20 going on 21 weeks and I'm still nauseated and having occasional vomiting (gross!).  Nausea and vomiting started around week 4 I think and has persisted but has gotten a lot better.  I'm tired a lot but not as bad as other women describe.  My body has morphed into something completely different (but I'm liking the new look for now, lol).  My nails and hair (I think) looks healthier.  Baby K's kicking up a storm (started feeling it around week 16 0r 17) which is strange and feels like nothing I've felt before but it's a sweet reminder that the baby is fine.  I'm a bit moody but not much more than my usual self...lol (right hubby?).

Overall I'm content and thankful!  Still more to come.  Also, I promise I wont only blog about my pregnancy but this blog is about my life in general and this is a huge part of it right now :)

Mrs. K

Celebrated two important things not too long ago...

Hey blog buddies!!!  I hope you all are doing well.  Once again I've been lazy with the blogging but my plan STILL is to do better.  I've been enjoying reading some of your blogs although I haven't commented much.  Someone thought I gave up on blogging...but I haven't, not yet.  I've even missed by blog-o-versary about one month ago.  So happy belated 1 year blog-o-versary to me.  LOL.  Anyway, that's not what I'm celebrating.

Today (well Sunday...I started this post on Sunday and didn't finish it) I'm celebrating my honey's 30th birthday.  Yippee!!!  We are celebrating low key.  Just treating him EXTRA special today.

The second thing that we are celebrating is also important.  Sunday marks the halfway point to one of the most important events in our life (if that makes sense...)  Anyway, you may have guessed it already but WE ARE HAVING A BABY! No, it's not April fool's, it's actually true.  We are very excited.  That's also partly the reason why I haven't blogged much--I wanted to wait to make the announcement and it's hard to blog and not mention something so important.  Also, I've been ridiculously tired lately so it wasn't just laziness ;).

I will post more about this later with possibly some preggo pix

Thanks for hanging in there with me!

Mrs. K

iLike: fun-filled family weekends

Last weekend my dad and my nephew visited us and we had a great time.  My husband and I love visitors (so much that we constantly invite random strange people into our home).  OK, just kidding.  We are not that bad but we do like it when people visit (especially family).  Growing up, my dad and I weren't very close and our conversations have always been very brief.  I think that was because we didn't know what to say to each other.  Anyway, last weekend was different.  We all (hubby, my nephew, dad and I) were kind of  locked inside due to bad weather.  My husband was busy with work stuff for part of the time and my nephew was exploring the house, playing with the cat and doing other random things.  My dad and I talked for a looooong time about eeeeverything and it was great.  Hubby even commented about how glad he was that my dad and I got to really chat.  Another highlight of the weekend was when my dad cooked curry chicken for us for dinner.  It was so good (especially with the dumplin' and banana to compliment it).

This past weekend (labor day weekend) my husband's parents came to visit us.  They drove 11 hours from Florida.  (I know we felt really special).  His parents are awesome.  They are hilarious and very down to earth people.  We did so much with them in so little time.  Because they are in such great shape we took them hiking (with the dogs too) and I think they liked it.  They had to do some climbing on rocks and hopping over water but they were troopers and didn't complain.  Every time I visit with my husband's family, I learn so much more about him and it helps me understand him better.  His mom really adores him (his dad too, but you know how moms are).  I enjoyed hearing about some of the stories from his childhood and hearing them made me love and value him even more.

Overall, I think the past 2 weekends have been very refreshing for both of us (hubby and I).  I hope you have had a great weekend too :)

Mrs. K

Being deconditioned stinks

OK, so after moving and all the various transitions and changes over the past few months, I've finally started back exercising.  I know, it's about time.  It's been over 2 months since I last exercised, actually maybe 3 months (I stopped counting).   Anyway, I'm just excited to have started back.  The first few weeks will be tough since I'm so out of shape but I know I have to stay encouraged.  I can do it.  Yes, I can.  

Anyway, I thought I hated the gym after my last few gym experiences but I realized that all I needed was a break.  It actually felt good going to the gym again.  I felt so accomplished.

If you've neglected exercising (as I have) I encourage you to start up again and if you've maintained, I say keep at it.  We can do it!

Mrs. K

Another quick drop in

So I figure something is better than nothing.  This is just another quick hello.  If I had visitors or friends in my home it would be rude for me not to say hello.  So......BIG HELLO to all.

The new job is a bit stressful due to all the adjustments, transitions, etc but it is more stressful for me because of my OCD nature.  The good news is I am learning to CALM DOWN and take a breather once in a while.  It also helps having a very supportive and sweet husband.  I'd be a complete mess (instead of just a partial mess) if my home life was stressful too.  I thank God for that.

Anyway, so I love living in NC.  There's so much to DO, so much to EAT, so much to SEE (but not right now...maybe later).  It's just nice to know that I've got sooo many options.  Another thing is that we are surprised at how  many "us couples" there are and the fact that no one cares that we are IR.  We love it.  My husband and I joke that we are bland and no longer superstars because we are not getting stares from everyone.

Some upcoming plans include more church hunting, finish unpacking, hanging out with family this weekend.  I'm sure there's a lot more to do but this is all I can think of right now.  I'll continue to drop in and provide quick updates until I'm settled then I'll write "real" posts :).

BTW...thanks for dropping in and for leaving your sweet and supportive comments.  I'm about to go check out a few of your blogs!

Mrs. K

A quick visit

Hey all!  I hope you ladies have been wonderful.  This is the longest break I've taken from blogging.  It's been almost a month since my last post.  I hope I wont go this long without posting again.  Anyway, in addition to not posting I've also been very behind on most of the blogs I follow but I plan to catch up soon.  

Soooo much has happened over the past month.  I wish I could tell you that I was on vacation in some beautiful country but that would not be true :).  I've been attending graduations and weddings, moved to a different state, unpacking/decorating the new house and orienting for a new job.   So far it's been great (thank God) but it's been hectic.

I just wanted to drop you all a line to let you know that I'm still alive and haven't given up on blogging (yet). LOL.  Thanks for  hanging in there with me.  I look forward to catching up on what you all have been up to soon.

Mrs. K

Good food good peeps

For the past few days we've been eating it up with some wonderful people.  Because we are moving to a different state in exactly 19 days we've been spending quality time with the people we love.  Of course spending quality time includes eating.  It wouldn't be quality without some good food to accompany the good people.

On Saturday evening we had dinner with one of my husband's friend/basketball colleague and his family.  They are from Nicaragua and they cooked us some good food.  They grilled this steak thingy and made Spanish rice.  It was so freaking yummy.  For dessert, was the most awesome tasting tres leche cake.  Needless to say, hubby and I overdid it but it was so worth it.  It was also fun to sit around and laugh.  We have a big language barrier as we hardly speak Spanish and they barely speak English but it was all good.  My husband knows a lot more Spanish than I do so he acted as translator for me the majority of the time.

Sunday after church we went to dinner with an "us" couple.  "Us" couples are what we call other couples in interracial relationships that are similar to ours (bfwm).  They attend our church and are A LOT younger than us (a whole decade younger).  Regardless they were very mature and very sweet.  This was our first time ever hanging out with an "us" couple and it was so refreshing.  At dinner we talked about some of the similar challenges we face.  We also talked about a lot of the good things about being interracial.  We chatted about everything.  This couple is actually new to us and this was our first time doing something with them.  I wish we had known them longer.

Last night our lovely neighbors had us over for dinner and stuffed us.  Saying that her husband is an awesome cook is an understatement.  Let's just say that so far he's the only one that makes me go back for seconds of beans.  I hate most beans but last night at the rate I was going you wouldn't believe that.  We had rice with pinto beans, sausage, and steak.  Everything was delicious.  I wasn't even embarrassed to ask to take leftovers home. LOL.  And today, while at work, all I could think of was my leftovers.  I asked him how to make the beans and it was like a 4-5 hour adventure that he described.  I was thinking, no one wonder they are best I've ever tasted.  

Anyway it was great to dine with friends.  We don't have any family here but we've met some great folks that are like family.  We feel very blessed to have them in our lives.

Mrs. K

Doggie adventure

Yesterday I laughed my butt off at our dog.  She is totally nuts.  She's the youngest and smallest of our two dogs but you wouldn't believe it.  She is so bossy.  She is definitely the alpha dog among the dog crews (in our neighborhood, at PetSmart and at the park).   She is so sweet to people though.  For the most part she acts like an angel with hubby and I but she's selfish with her big brother, Gideon.  She doesn't share toys and sometimes doesn't even want to share food.  If Gideon is playing with a toy she'll drop the toy she has and take his from him.  If he reaches for another toy she'll grab that one too.  She's such a mess.  If Gideon decides not to risk it by reaching for another toy, she'll stand over her toy then slowly walk away from it, hoping he'll go for it so she can continue her little cycle of harassing him.

Anyway, the reason for saying all this is so that I can set you up for her little (mis)adventure.  My neighbor has put out one of those lawn sprinklers that are set to come on at a certain time.  They'll also rotate clockwise then counterclockwise.   That little stinker, Eliza, as soon as it came on kept chasing it down.  I'm not sure if she thought it was a toy or what.  She kept running back and forth trying to "grab a hold" of the water but of course this is impossible.  She kept getting sprayed in the face as she chased it, jumping, doing cartwheels, with mouth wide open.  She was so intent on getting it that she didn't even pay attention to my loud laughter on the side.  I'm sure passer's by thought we were both nuts.

So I watched her do this for about 5-7 minutes then decided to finally take her out of her misery.  She finally came over to me after calling her and she was dripping wet and looked disappointed.  It was flipping hilarious.

I tried taking pix with my phone but they came out blurry.  I was too lazy to get my camera to video it but I have to do it one time.  I wish you all could see it.  Eliza is such a meanie to Gideon so I think she deserved it but I felt bad for letting it go on for so long.  I guess it was payback for her. LOL.

Mrs. K

The verdict on the house in NC

Just wanted to update you all about our North Carolina trip.  We went this past weekend to take care of some business and to see the house that we are renting.  I am happy to report that we like it overall.  The bedrooms are a little small but they will do.  The house has a lot more storage space than our current house which is great because my husband and I have a lot of stuff.  The yard is huge and I think the dogs will love it.  I like the quiet neighborhood.

Some things that we do not like but hopefully will be fixed by the time we get there include the house needing to be painted.  It was built in 1999 which is older than our house but that doesn't bother me.  It just needs to be painted.  The owners say they will paint, pressure wash the outside of the house and driveway, and work on the landscaping before we move in.  I hope they stick to their word because these are the main things that I don't particularly like right now.

I know that we are just renting and we will only live in it for 2 years but I like a well kept home (inside and out).  My husband and I joke that we will probably take better care of it than the owners.  I'll definitely make sure the inside stays immaculate and my husband will take care of the yard work.

It was good seeing the house.  In my true OCD planning/organizing self I've been typing up a word document about how I want each room set up (the color scheme included).  OK, don't judge me. LOL.  There's a reason for that.  Once we move, I will only have about 1 week to decorate the house before starting work.  I have to make sure that the majority of the house is set up or else it wont get done once I start working.

Pic of the front of the house

We are looking forward to grilling out on the deck

 Anyway we like it and we look forward to making it our home for the next 2 years.

Mrs. K

Bridesmaids

So you may remember that we love going to the movie theater.  Well, I take that back.  We live in a place where there's not much to do except watch movies or go out to eat.  We don't really go clubbing so that's off the list.  There are some arts and cultural activities but you have to go searching for them.  I usually find out about those things way after they've passed.  Anyway, we are regular movie goers mainly because there's not much else to do and we don't have TV at home.  We don't mind though.  I used to hate movie theaters because I used to think they smell awful (I know that's crazy, lol) but I think I'm desensitized to them now.

OK, I said all that to say that I watched another movie tonight.  This time I went with my friend to see Bridesmaids.  Yeah, I didn't even ask hubby to see this one with me because just by the title I know what the response would have been. Hehehe.  I wished I wouldn't have been so prejudiced by the title because I think he would have liked it too.

The movie was sooo hilarious.  It was like the female version of Hangover but twice as funny to me and without all that craziness at the end.  I was laughing so hard.  My friend is also married and we were able to look at each other and laugh at some of the stuff because we could relate.  I was also surprised by how emotional I was in the movie.  I mean, I'm a sensitive person and I'm usually the one crying in every almost every movie but tonight was a little worse.  I was tearing up pretty frequently (not sobbing though).  I'm a mess.  I can't imagine how I will be when I'm pregnant.  I'll probably glance at a flower and start crying (hopefully not).

Anyway, I'm glad I got to see it and I would definitely recommend it to a friend.

We are headed off to NC very early tomorrow morning so gotta go.  Have a good LOOOONNNNGGG weekend!

Mrs. K

*We've been packing, packing, packing.  We both have so much stuff and we've decided to donate most of it.  *We've been eating out with our special friends and making plans to do so with others.  *We've been preparing for 2 graduations.  *Again, we met up with our renters and showed them the house (let them do a walk through).  And we're still happy that we are renting to them. *Off to North Carolina this weekend to see the house we'll be moving into.  We'll also move some of our stuff this weekend. *Lots to do and we are taking it one day at a time, although my OCD-ness is definitely coming out and I'm trying not to drive my husband too crazy. LOL.  *Our moving date is not until the last week of June but if it was up to me we'd be packed up already and living out of suitcases and boxes and sleeping up on the floor. LOL.  What can I say--I like to get it done.  But my husband is not having that :). *I'm glad I have someone to show me a different perspective talk some sense into me. Ha!

Have a good day!

Mrs. K

Happy Belated Anniversary to us

Hubby and I have been married 3 years now.  Woohoo!  Our anniversary was on May 18.  We both had to work but we went out after work.  Usually we don't have lunch together although we work at the same place but we were blessed to both have a few hours together to have lunch.   After work we went to eat at a new restaurant in the area (called Table 100).  The food was good and we had such a great time. 

I cannot believe 3 years have gone by already. Wow.  We've been together wayyyyy longer than 3 years but our relationship still feels new and vibrant.  I feel like we have the securities of an established relationship but all the excitement of a new one.  I feel very blessed and we both are thankful for each other.

Us on our wedding day.  I guess this is the first wedding pic I've posted, huh?

 I hope you ladies are having a wonderful weekend :)

Mrs. K

A glimpse of how I would look pregnant

Hubby and I went to a wedding this past weekend in New Orleans.  It was a lot of fun: laughing, dancing and good eating.  The bride and groom looked dapper.  Hubby was looking mighty scrumptious too :). 

I liked the dress I wore but it didn't translate well in the pictures.  In almost every picture I looked pregnant and I'm not.  Umm...at least, I think I'm not.  Just kidding.  I know I'm not pregnant.

What do you think, about 4-5 months?  Kidding.  I'll compare this picture some day to an actual preggo photo. LOL

 

Well, it may have been the dress or the fact that I ate a crap ton of food.  Maybe both.  Regardless, at least I have an idea of how I would look if I were pregnant.

This is a little better :)

I love weddings :)

Mrs. K

We're officially landlords

Well not yet since we are not moving for another month.  But we found a family to rent our home.  We are so excited.  I mean it sucks that we have to rent because the market isn't too good and we are not trying to sell because we are upside down on our mortgage.  But things could be worse.  

We rented our house without having to negotiate or go down on the rental price.  I think that the whole thing was a blessing.  The family that we are renting to seem really cool and most importantly clean and responsible.  The dad seems like a handy man so they probably wont freak out at the drop of a hat.  Anyway, the "cherry on top" about the whole deal is that they are also potential buyers.  They plan to permanently relocate to the area so they are possibly looking to buy it in a few years (at least that's what they say).  Yippee!!!

I must admit that although this is all good, there is still some minor anxiety about renting.  You never really know what you're getting into unless you're into it or beyond it.  You know what I mean.  Well, regardless, I'm staying positive and having faith that things will work out.

Mrs. K

Things I don't particularly care for but I have to live with

Hey all, hope you had a great weekend.  We've been busy for the past few days.  Well, it feels like we are busy all the time so I guess that's the story of our lives. LOL.  Who isn't busy nowadays?  Anyway, I just wanted to share a few things and maybe whine a bit.

I will start out with some things I don't particularly care for:

1) My husband getting a speeding ticket while trying to rush me home so that I could use the bathroom.  It's so sad that it's funny.  We ate Thai food and I usually have an "iron stomach" but that night was different.  Actually, I think I just ate too much.  My husband was driving 16 miles above the speed limit when we got stopped.  Needless to say that telling the truth didn't help.  I'm still grumbling $200 later.  My sweet hubby was very understanding and just paid the ticket.  He wasn't mad at all but I was (at myself and the cop)! Grrr...

2) Not having a work out plan that kicks my butt.  I was doing P90x for a while.  I came up with my own schedule that was supposed to give me a harder workout without being too hard on the knees.  It was tough for me to stick to that schedule.  I didn't feel like I was getting a good workout so on some days I didn't even bother doing it.  After trying this for a few weeks, I've decided to go back to Insanity.  My new workout started today and I'm liking it so far.  This is Round 2 of Insanity for me.

3) Leaving unfinished work.  This is in general.  Anyone who knows me, know that I'm obsessive about my work and almost everything I do.  I hate leaving things unfinished.  With that being said, I started a challenge a few days ago to read the Bible in 90 days and I've failed.  I'm too far behind to even catch up.  I did good for about week but I've been playing catch up for a while now.  I'm not giving up on completing the assignment, I've just set more realistic goals for myself.  I still want to will complete the task.

4) Worrying about moving (a little).  So, I'm thankful we found a house to rent but I'm worrying some about finding someone to rent our home.  The time is winding down and we haven't had any serious offers yet.  Also, I usually don't mind moving but sometimes all this packing and organizing is a pain.  I'm more looking forward to unpacking and re-decorating our new place.

5) Relying on others.  This is not always true.  Let me explain.  For my new job in NC I need two references.  I asked for those 2 references close to 1 month ago but they have not been done as yet.  This is frustrating since I've been sending my 2 references reminders and even offered them a stamp and envelope which they declined.  My application has to be complete by late June and these 2 important documents still aren't in.  I had to ditch my two original references and find 2 more  who completed it right away.  Note to myself: don't do this to others in the future, be reliable!

6) Whining, so I'll stop :)

On a better note:

1) This past weekend we were in Florida again.  We borrowed our brother-in-law's moving trailer so we can start loading it up to move in about a month and a half.  We got to spend time with my in-laws who are awesome.  Hubby's mom cooked some delicious foods as usual and we got to hang out some with his little nieces and nephew.  They are so cute.

2) I have 100 followers.  Thanks to Mrs. H.  I'd like to thank all of you too for following and leaving comments.  I appreciate it!

Ciao!  Hopefully the next post will be more exciting and uplifting. Ha!

Mrs. K

Housing ad blooper

Hubby and I are trying to sell/rent our house since we are  moving in less than 2 months.  He did a great job making the flyers with all the details and pretty pix.  I hung some of the flyers around the hospital and he posted them at some other locations too (I think).  Well, anyway I got home today and was eating left overs at our dinner table while reading one of the flyers.  I was admiring all the details he managed to put on there and how great the layout was.  I then noticed that there was no contact information on them.  Yeah, so we hung all those pretty flyers and there's no number or email address on there for them to contact us. LOL.  So hilarious.  

That could explain why we haven't gotten any calls or emails. Hehehe.

I'm usually the ditsy one (who gets made fun of--lol) so I wont let him live this one down for a while.

Mrs. K

Happenings

Just an update on STUFF in no particular order:

* Watched African Cats: very cute but got a little boring towards the end.  I was tired and it was at the end of the day so that might have been the reason I was falling asleep at the end.  Hubby is all about animals and wild life so it was a must see for us.

* Watched Fast Five: not a movie I was particularly interested in so I was very surprised that I enjoyed it.  It was a fast pace, adrenaline rush throughout.  You know the type where everyone in the movie theater is getting into it.

* Watched Hanna: I really liked this movie but hubby didn't like it as much as I did.  I just like seeing girls kick butt.  It reminded of the movie Salt.  Ok, I know we watched a lot of movies but I guess that's what happens when you don't watch TV. Ha!

* Last week tornado alarms were going off  again (even during the daytime).  They usually go off at night, at least that's what I've noticed while living here.  Also, one night we were awoken from sleep by very loud wind.  It was crazy but I'm glad that's over and I hope we wont have too much of that anytime soon.

* Less than 2 months before we move...yay!  I did some minor packing this weekend.  I got rid of a bunch of clothes and shoes--trying to decide if I should donate or have a garage sale.  If I donate to Goodwill or Salvation Army, they sell it anyway.  I dunno, we'll see.  Any ideas?

* Working out (some with P90X, other times running) but not as often as I would like.  In my mind I want to do it about 5 times per week but I've been slacking some (maybe about 2-3 times per week).  Hubby went running with me one day last week.  This was huge because he hates running, so I really appreciated it (hopefully he's reading this and will come running with me more often--hehe!).  Anyway, I went with him to the gym one day last week also which was monumental for me as I'm going through a phase where I hate going to the gym and would rather workout at home.

* Had dinner with a sweet couple tonight.  We had sushi and hibachi and it was really good.  We spent a lot of the time making fun of our waitress for having such a bad attitude.  The good food made up for it though and we didn't let her ruin our dinner.  That same couple had me over the previous night for barbecue and some other yummy food.

* A close family member got engaged this weekend.  The wedding is coming soon and I'm so excited.  You know I love weddings!

Anyway, that's my little update.  I gotta go get ready for tomorrow.  What's happening with you?

Mrs. K

Attack of the sweet tooth, again...

Ok, I know you're probably saying "so what's new?"  You all probably remember that I have a sweet tooth that is usually worse certain times most days of the month.  Well, it's taken me over again.  It's like crack (not that I know what crack is like first hand, but based on what people say).  

Nothing can satisfy my sweet tooth other than eating something sweet.  I'll think and feel "I need something sweet" and the thought never goes away until I get something sweet (even if it's something small).  Remember my bread and condensed milk adventure?  Well today it's wheat bread and nutella.  

Picture credit

At first I wasn't feeling so bad about eating wheat bread and nutella because I read on the nutella container that with milk it's a "great healthy way to start the day."  I started feeling better about the whole thing....then I read that the first ingredient in it was sugar.  Yah, not so nutritious after all.  I should have known.  It tastes way too good to be good for me. Ha!  

So there you go!  For me, it's another day of Woman Conquered by her Sugar Craving.  And I'm sure there will be many more days like this to come.  It's one of my weaknesses that I will continue to try to work on although I know I will fail miserably, well actually happily because I get what I want--sweets!

Hope you ladies had a sweet day too :)

Mrs. K

Great long weekend

Although it wasn't a holiday hubby and I had a 3 day weekend.  We decided to take off Friday and head to the beach.  Hubby knows someone who owns a beach house in Sandestin, FL and we stayed there the whole weekend.  It was so fun and relaxing and so very needed.  We He drove down Thursday night (while I slept).   I tried to stay awake but when sleep calls, it's over for me. 

As I was saying, we had a great time.  We had a lot of alone time (which we always have since we don't have children as yet) but we also spent a few hours hanging out with his family which was also great.  We took tons of pictures but I have to get ready for work tomorrow so here's just one...

Want to hear something funny: hubby brought dressie shoes but they were both for the right foot so he ended up wearing sneakers. Too funny! He was mad but I thought it was hilarious.  Sounds like something I would do.

 Hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing weekend too!

Mrs. K

We've met some good people here...

As hubby and I are  preparing to pack up and move to another state, I've been thinking more about the relationships we've built while in our current one.  We have met some great couples here (some with kids and others without).  It would be awesome if I could transplant them to North Carolina but I know that's not possible.  My plan is to keep in touch as best I can (although I'm horrible at it) and to visit often (either them visiting us or the reverse).

We hung out with one of these couples this past weekend.  They live in Biloxi, MS and has 3 adorable kiddos.  Since hubby and I don't have any kids yet, it's a lot easier for us to just pack up and go somewhere for the weekend.  We decided to drive about 3 hours to make waffles for this lovely family (and of course just to hang out too).  My hubby is on this whole making waffles thing for all our friends.  I love it because I think it's so sweet.  He gets all excited about it and prepares ahead of time.

Anyway, we drove down (or up...I'm bad with directions) to Biloxi on Friday night after work.  We were greeted with happy faces and tasty BBQ as soon as we arrived.  D is a stay at home mom that is really a supermom.  Her house is very nicely (and uniquely) decorated, clean, and she makes yummy food.  On Saturday morning we went to watch their 10 year old son play baseball.  He's a superstar at baseball with a Justin Bieber haircut.  Their 2 adorable daughters also went to the game.  After the game we all had my husband's Liege Belgian waffles.  They were a hit and I'm drooling now as I'm typing because I want one.

M: future pro-baseball player

H & A: 2 cutie patuties

Us at the baseball game.  Excuse the wild looking hair.  I call it my "lion hair"

Later that evening, they got a baby sitter so the adults could have some fun.  We went to downtown Ocean Springs  and visited tons of  little shops.  I bought a cute shirt/dress.  We also hung out at the beach for a little while.  We visited the Beau Rivage (hotel/casino) and watched old folks choke on their cigarettes while pulling the handle on slot machines.  Really, that place was a smoker's paradise and I had to dart out of there before my asthma got the best of me.  Anyway, we ate biegnet's before dinner and they were soooo good.  Yum! I've got a sweet tooth, can you tell?

Later that evening we ate at a restaurant called the Blue Fly Inn.  It was not aesthetically pretty but it was on the bay and had a very calming feel.  It also had a family atmosphere and the seafood was good.  I had the Blackened Snapper and hubby had the Stuffed Flounder.  I was so full that hubby ordered dessert and I didn't even touch a piece (highly unusual for me).  Unfortunately hubby had to work the next day so we drove home that night.  Overall it was a great trip.

At the Blue Fly Inn.  See...not too fancy but the food was terrific.

We had such a good time.  It was great hanging out with a couple who were cool, funny, and share similar values as us.   I know people say that it gets more difficult to make friends the older one gets but that is not the case for me.  I've formed some very meaningful relationships over the past few years.  I also look forward to even forming more in North Carolina.

Oh BTW, we found a house to rent in NC and sealed the deal.  Yay! 

Mrs. K

Thank Yous

This post has been long overdo.  I received the Memetastic Award from the lovely Jamie at What I Did Today.  I thanked her on the day I received the award but I wanted to officially thank her on my blog and also pass on the award to someone else (and not just keep it to myself).

The award requires me to tell you 4 lies and 1 truth and it is up to you to find the truth among the lies.  So here we go:

1) I have my pilot license. Woohoo for flying.  Who wants a ride?

2) I'm pregnant with twins! Surprise.

3) I'm part Chinese. Yay for some United Nations representation in my family

4) I'm over my frog phobia.  Thanks to exposure therapy.  Now I can hike and camp without freaking out.

5) My husband and I got matching tattoos this weekend.  Our wedding date tattooed on our left ring fingers.


*I may post about the truth in the future.  So what do you think?

I will give this award to five fairly new blogs I've discovered:

1) In Case You Need Proof

2) Stay Forever Sunday

3) Natural Homeschooling Momma
4) Our Life Unrehearsed
5) Upside To Madness


Also, I won a giveaway to Restaurant.com from The Chocolate Knot. Thanks again Mrs. Mayberry :)

Mrs. K

Today was a great day

Some of you may remember from previous posts that Thursdays are usually my toughest days of the week.  But, today was an exception. 

My hubby made some regular waffles last night (for dessert I guess, at my special request) and some were left over.  I woke up this morning and ate the left over waffles and they were so good.  It was a great and unusual way for me to start my day.  My day usually starts with oatmeal (which I like, but nothing beats waffles with whipped cream).

It was an unusually relaxed day at work and I managed to get out early.  I was shocked because this never happens on Thursdays.  So I was able to run a few errands...

I sped drove to LabCorp to do a pre-employment urine drug screen and got there just minutes before it closed.  I'll be moving to NC in a few months and this is a requirement for my job there.  Anyway, I forgot to hold my pee so when I got there and the attendant asked if I needed to use the bathroom I started loading up on water.  She threatened that if I didn't have to use the bathroom she would have to rip up the paperwork and I would have to request that my (future) job send another set of paperwork.  I think she was a little mad because I barely made it on time and she was ready to go home (which I totally understand).  Anyway, 2 other people came in the lab--to my relief, because this gave me time to try to pee).  I kept loading up on water as I thought about how much time it would take for it to reach my bladder.  I kept walking around and jumping hoping the pee would move down (I knew that didn't work but I did it anyway).  Finally, when it was my turn I was nervous because I still didn't have the urge to go but to my surprise I could have filled like 10 cups.  Kidding.  Ok, I know you probably didn't want to know about my urine adventures but...it was a part of my day.  I was just glad to be able to get something accomplished.  Usually, by the time I get out of work, most businesses are closed so I usually can't get much done.

Before the above adventure, on my way to the lab, I called my husband.  Well, I thought it was my husband and left a message saying I was going to the lab to get my drug test done and that I would be home soon.  After I left the message, I hung up and realized that I had left that message on my friend's voice mail and not my husband's.  I called her back and left a message explaining that I was not a drug addict, it was for a pre-employment screen.  So, she calls me back a few hours later cracking up.  She said that at least it wasn't some kind of "sex talk" message that I left on her phone.  We both cracked up then came up with ideas of what those possible messages could have been.  It was hilarious.  I guess I need to be more careful about who I'm calling and leaving messages for. Ha!

Anyway, I finally got home and did a P90X  video. Hubby partially joined me but really wasn't into it since he did an hour of cardio earlier in the day.  He quit midway and got started on dinner.   We ate then hung out with the doggies a bit.  I sang or tried to sing to my husband (standing in our living room acting as if I'm on stage and using a decorative ornament as my microphone).  I'm bad with lyrics to songs so while the music was playing I was singing random words to songs that I should know the words to (since they are some of my favorite songs).  My husband watched and smiled in disbelief.

Today was a great day :)

Mrs. K

Quick Weekend Rundown

We had a very pleasant weekend.  For me the weekend started Friday evening and it started off great.   I was glad to hear that one of my blog friends is preggers. Congrats to TOI formerly known as MsBabyPlan.  Hooray!

On Friday night hubby and I had Italian at one of our favorite restaurants then saw the movie Sucker Punch.  Overall it was a great night with tons of silliness (like we usually do).  The movie was pretty good--had an interesting concept.  I did a lot of "girl power" cheering while hubby stared at me.

We had breakfast with a couple friend on Saturday morning.  We invited them over to our house.  Hubby made Belgian waffles (Liege type--see below) from scratch.  Yes, he used flour, yeast and a ton of other stuff that I don't normally cook with.  I usually cook waffles or pancakes out of the box (Just Add Water). Ha!  He also made eggs and sausage.  I'm not a fan of breakfast meat but the eggs were so delicious and the waffles were to die for.  I think he makes the best eggs out of anyone I know.

Picture credit

After breakfast we went to a park with our couple friend and took our dogs.  It was great just enjoying nature on a beautiful sunny day.  After lunch we went to a birthday party for a 1 year old.  She is the daughter of one's of my husband's coworkers.  She was so adorable.  In my usual style, I had a "open mouth insert foot moment" after I asked my husband's coworker if the interesting man that I was talking was her grandfather.  She nicely said that it was her father and that "he didn't age too well."  Errr...needless to say I felt horrible and my husband could not stop laughing at my blunder.

Saturday evening we had dinner with another couple (friend and fellow blogger), D.  We brought over pizza from Sal and Mookies and watched the VCU vs. Butler basketball game.  They have an adorable almost 2 year old son (if you check out her blog there's the cutest video of him saying "praise the Lord.")  I must admit that I wasn't interested in the game at all but enjoyed the time chatting it up and playing with their son.

Today I went to church (the early service) and did a bunch of stuff after.  I went shopping for household items then came home and did some Spring cleaning.  I did a little packing in preparation for our BIG move in less than 3 months.  I got rid of a bunch of clothes that I plan to donate.  I have to go through shoes next weekend.  I rearranged the attic and got rid of a bunch of stuff that I don't want to take with us to NC. 

I should be embarrassed to say this but I had tons of wedding stuff from 3 years ago (left over favors, programs, disposable cameras, bubbles, gifts, etc) that were just thrown in the attic.  I finally went through the stuff today.  I was hoping to find money but I had no such luck.  There were tons of wedding gifts that has never been used and some have duplicates.  Now the attic is organized which should make it easier on us when it's time to move.

I also co-sewed a patch on my neighbor's nursing uniform.  This was an interesting little adventure--the patch is on fine but the bobbing thread was doing something funky so the underside looks a little very erratic.  That's alright, we got the job done.  Finally, I spoke with an old friend today and it was so refreshing.

Ok, maybe this was not such a quick rundown.  How was your weekend?

Mrs. K