Win a Free Book!

Head on over to Live Journal; Book Mosaic to Enter!

Ways to WIN:

1. By joining the community if you are not a member already! That counts for one entry! Also, you can get an entry for ever friend you bring to the community! Be sure to tell them to list you as a referral!
EDIT: Friend referral entires will be capped at ten. Sorry for any confusion! Just trying to keep the game fair! Make sure to tell them that Megabyte_8709 sent ya!
2. By pimping this community on your LiveJournal! Post a description of the community and/or the contest and a link to the community and invite all of your friends to join as well! You will get one entry for your post.
3. By posting a book recommendation! We all love books, so use this opportunity to share one of your favorites! Each new recommendation post is worth one entry! However, you MUST use the book recommendation format that is outlined on our profile and the recommendation must be new, created for the purpose of this contest. Entries that are copied from other book recs sites, such as goodreads, will not be counted.
4. By posting a link to this contest on your blog, or Facebook/Twitter accounts. This counts as one entry.

***Please note that you must comment back to THE CONTEST post with your entires/links to any postings you have made. Remember, I MUST be able to see the posts in order for them to count. If your FB, Twitter, of LJ is private and we are not friends, I will accept screenshots of your entries! :) ***

Winners will be picked by a random number generator. The more entries you have, the more opportunities you have to win! :)

DEADLINE: Midnight (EST) on January 1st, 2011.
*If you want me to email you if you win, please leave your email in the comments.

19 & Counting!

Here is what 3D Pregnancy has to say this week:

Now that you're almost halfway done, it's time to start really planning for life after baby. That means making room for Junior, whether it's on the floor of your closet or in his own apartment, like the celebrity babies do it.

This week your baby starts bulking up and packing on the grossly named "brown fat" he'll need to keep warm when he gets evicted from his comfortable uterine home. Other highlights this week:

Vernix, a milky white coating that protects your baby's skin, appears all over your baby's body to keep his skin from getting pickled in the amniotic fluid. Think of it as if your baby has been dipped in yogurt, like those delicious but fake-healthy yogurt-covered raisins and pretzels. Ooh, we feel another craving comin' on. ... Under the vernix, a fuzzy layer of hair called lanugo now covers baby's body. Don't worry, your Mini won't look like Cousin It when he's born. Most of the fuzz will fall off before baby makes his grand entrance.

Good news: Your baby's kidneys are fully functioning and producing urine this week. Bad news: That means there will be lots of diapers in your future. But so far you're safe—at the moment the pee just passes into the amniotic fluid.

He or she now weighs about 8½ ounces and measures 6 inches, as long as a turkey sub from Subway on warm, delicious Italian Herbs and Cheese bread (or Honey Oat bread, or Oregano bread or ...)

I have decided on the color of furniture I want, white. Other than that... there are a lot more plans to be made in the nursery. But first, I have to get the room cleaned out. Clean slate. That will be done as soon as possible. Only 14 more days until we hopefully find out if little one is a boy or a girl!

We are looking forward to all the things this baby will bring to our lives, the good and the bad! (:

Wordless Wednesday - Neglected!

50 Books to Read Before I'm 30!

Well, that's not what the book mark says, but this is a goal I'm setting for myself! (:
My sister got me this bookmark for Christmas...

Here is the book list. I've colored all the ones I have read before. The rest I plan on reading before I turn 30! I will keep track of the list and update my blog as I get them read! (:
I've read 11 books so far... I have 39 more to read!
Piece of cake!
Keep checking back for my progress and book recommendations/comments!

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien
2. 1984 by George Orwell
   
3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
4. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
5. To kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
6. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
7. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
8. A Passage to India by E. M. Forster
9. The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
10. Hamlet by William Shakespeare
11. A Bend in the River by V. S. Naipaul
12. The great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald
13. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
14. The Bell Jar by Sylvie Plath
15. Brave new World by Aldous Huxley
16. The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank
17. Don Quixote by Miduel de Cervantes
18. The Bible by Various
19. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
20. Ulysses by James Joyce
21. The quiet American by Graham Greene
22. Birdsong by Sebastian Faulke
23. Money by Martin Amis
24. Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling
25. Moby Dick by Herman Melville
26. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
27. His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman
28. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
29. Alice´s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll
30. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
31. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
32. On the Road by Jack Kerouac
33. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
34. The way we live now by Antony Trollope
35. The Outsider by Albert Camus
36. The colour Purple by Alice Walker
37. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
38. Frankenstein by Mary Selley
39. The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells
40. Man without Woman by Ernest Hemingway
41. Gulliver´s Travels by Jonathan Swift
42. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
43. Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
44. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Dafoe
45. One flew over the Cockoo´s Nest by Ken Kesey
46. Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
47. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
48. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
49. The Divine Comedy by Alighieri Dante
50. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

On being a Mom...

When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts.
A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.
~Sophia Loren

It was last night on the phone with my cousin/best friend that the realization first hit me since I found out that I'm expecting... I'm going to be someone's Mom.

Now, don't get me wrong. I knew that... that's what happens when you get pregnant. The problem is, I had not yet thought about all the things that come with being someone's Mom.

• years of home work, birthday parties, lunches, school dances, football games and parent teacher conferences
• molding them into little polite and well-mannered humans
• teaching them many things that one day they will hopefully appreciate me for: how to drive a car, balance a checkbook, do their own taxes, make friends, that sometimes life is disappointing
  
• watching them grow up into the adults they are meant to be and praying that I don't screw it up somehow
• learning to appreciate my own mom for doing this before me, and doing such a great job
• responsibility for someone else's actions 24/7
  
• thinking once for myself and then twice for my kids
  
• starting my own holiday traditions
• realizing that one day my teenager is going to hate me for a while, and trying not to take it personally

I'm sure there are a TON of other things I could add to this list... but I'm already overwhelmed! It's so weird to think about being responsible for another human being. I am having to remind myself daily that these feelings are normal, and that I can do this. I am strong enough for this.

I guess I'm mostly just afraid of the things that will happen one day... the growing up, the resenting me for one thing or another, and the blaming me for ruing their lives. I just hope that God will give me the strength I need to get over these thoughts and help me to keep going and to be the best Mom that I can be to my baby. Being a Mom for the first time is a little scary... I have to admit - but it's not the labor I'm scared of. It's what comes after that. It's raising the child. Hoping and praying that I don't ruin them, or spoil them.

Please pray for me! I need some real spiritual support right now!

5 Simple MOM Resolutions for a Better 2011

New Year’s Day is just around the corner. Have you made your resolutions yet? Maybe you want to quit smoking, drop the extra pounds or get out of debt.... those are a few of the most common goals. But more and more parents are making even more personal goals this year, like finding balance, spending more time with the kids, or becoming a better mom.

Here’s a word of advice -- don’t go crazy.

Like the stereotypical resolutions we hear of every year, it’s not helpful to anyone to put unattainable expectations on ourselves, only adding more pressure to what’s already there. If you’re looking to become a better parent, first work on becoming a happier, less-stressed out version of you.

5 SIMPLE WAYS TO IMPROVE MOM'S LIFE

Just say no The class Valentine's Day party will not collapse if you don’t plan it. It’s time to think about what really benefits your family and let go of some of time/energy-sucking tasks.

Speaking of time When’s the last time you sat down to drink your morning coffee? Or took a ten minute break in the middle of the day? It sounds cliche’ but only because it actually helps! Tuning everything out and tuning into yourself, if even for only ten minutes, can make a huge difference in your outlook and state of mind. Try it!

Gratuity included When something frustrating happens, moms flock to Facebook to tell the world about it. Yet we tend to ignore the little things that go right in our lives. I’m not saying to necessarily dedicate a status update to the fact that your son didn’t have a pre-breakfast tantrum, but taking a second to recognize the blessings is enough to set a positive tone for the rest of your day.

Bigger is not better Try making small, manageable weekly goals and plot them on your calendar. TIP: Give yourself a reasonable amount of time. If “prepare taxes” is on your to-do list, spread it out over a few days. And if it’s not physically possible to get the car washed and the post office done in the same day, be realistic and don’t set yourself up for failure.

Play it again, Mom Repeat after me, PLAYING WITH MY KIDS DOES NOT MAKE ME A SLACKER. (Can you tell this is one I struggle with?) Skipping the dishes for a round of Scrabble or laying the smackdown over a game of Wii will not only channel your inner kid, it will make memories for your family that last a lifetime. (Maybe even balancing out their eventual need for therapy -- just sayin'!)

One last tip: Be NICE to yourself. If you wouldn’t have insane expectations of your best friend, don’t have them of yourself. Perfection is not only improbable, it’s impossible. Being a supermom might be about baking cupcakes and playing PTA president, but being a super mom is about taking a moment to enjoy the benefits of your labor.

Happy New Year.

Source: Yahoo Shine

Hilarious Holiday Videos!

This Week in MOM: Hilarious Holiday Videos! From crazy gift reactions to dancing Santa babies, our host Teresa Strasser has some holiday home videos that are sure to get you in the spirit of the season.

Source: Yahoo Shine

Most Inspiring Women of 2010

It's that time of year again - where we look back over the year and remember everything that happened, good or bad. I read this article this morning and wanted to share it with my readers... it's from the Yahoo Shine site and I agree with every word about these ladies...

Shine's most inspiring women of the year are truth-tellers, athletes, innovators, survivors, and one is about to be royalty. These leading ladies are by no means the only women of the year that had a lasting effect on us, they are simply a few whose persistent presence in the news made our staff proud. Flip on to read why we believe that these women deserve a nod.

Sandra Bullock

When the romcom queen became an Oscar winner this year, we got a taste of what Sandra Bullock is really made of. When she thanked her husband Jesse James for making this new deeper level of her work possible, we were inspired by their relationship. From there it didn't take long for Jesse James' mistress to reveal a very different picture. Because of her Oscar speech, we knew the gravity of what Sandra had lost. What we didn't know was that her adoption of a baby boy was nearly complete. With strength that she can no longer trace to anyone but herself, she has boldly taken on motherhood at what is likely the most trying time of her life.

Michelle Obama

When congress approved the Child Nutrition Bill on December 2, it was a win for kids, families, and the First Lady, who lobbied hard for the bill. Planting a vegetable garden at the White House was one lovely thing, but this program that brings healthier foods to schools and free lunches to children on Medicaid is real, far-reaching change.


Read about the rest of the women here.

Holiday Hoopla!

There's not much to tell... most everyone I know had a wonderful Christmas weekend! There are some good things and some great things... most can be told through the photos on my facebook page, which I'm not going to re-post here.

My favorite part was that my Mom, Santa, got my unborn baby a stocking full of things. But not just one stocking... we had a girl one and a boy one. Wesley and I got to open both! They were full of all things we need and can use for baby #1 depending on it's gender, and the rest we can hold onto for baby #2 one day about two years down the road! We had a lot of fun oohing and ahhing over all the little toys and goodies for our baby. Just a reminder, we go January 12th for our next ultrasound and we hope to find out the sex of the baby! (:

I'm not going to go on and on about our silly family Christmas traditions and fun. There was lots of time devoted to new Wii games and card games, and lots of time spend with family. Overall, it was a great weekend!

On a sadder note, please keep my Aunt Kim in your prayers over the next few days. Her family is dealing with the loss of a loved one from very early on Sunday morning. He had been in the hospital all week dealing with an illness and the doctor's did all they could for him. We will be attending the funeral later this week. Johnson was a well loved Step-Father and Grandfather. He will be missed by many! I just hate that this Christmas was all about saying goodbye to him before he went home to be with the Lord.

'Twas The Night Before Christmas, Contract Version

(as if written by a technical writer for a firm that does US government contracting)

'Twas the nocturnal segment of the diurnal period preceding the annual Yuletide celebration, and throughout our place of residence, kinetic activity was not in evidence among the possessors of this potential, including that species of domestic rodent known as Mus musculus.

Hosiery was meticulously suspended from the forward edge of the wood burning caloric apparatus, pursuant to our anticipatory pleasure regarding an imminent visitation from an eccentric philanthropist among whose folkloric appellations is the honorific title of St. Nicholas.

The prepubescent siblings, comfortably ensconced in their respective accommodations of repose, were experiencing subconscious visual hallucinations of variegated fruit confections moving rhythmically through their cerebrums. My conjugal partner and I, attired in our nocturnal head coverings, were about to take slumberous advantage of the hibernal darkness when upon the avenaceous exterior portion of the grounds there ascended such a cacophony of dissonance that I felt compelled to arise with alacrity from my place of repose for the purpose of ascertaining the precise source thereof.

Hastening to the casement, I forthwith opened the barriers sealing this fenestration, noting thereupon that the lunar brilliance without, reflected as it was on the surface of a recent crystalline precipitation, might be said to rival that of the solar meridian itself - thus permitting my incredulous optical sensory organs to behold a miniature airborne runnered conveyance drawn by eight diminutive specimens of the genus Rangifer, piloted by a minuscule, aged chauffeur so ebullient and nimble that it became instantly apparent to me that he was indeed our anticipated caller. With his ungulate motive power travelling at what may possibly have been more vertiginous velocity than patriotic alar predators, he vociferated loudly, expelled breath musically through contracted labia, and addressed each of the octet by his or her respective cognomen - "Now Dasher, now Dancer..." et al. - guiding them to the uppermost exterior level of our abode, through which structure I could readily distinguish the concatenations of each of the 32 cloven pedal extremities.

As I retracted my cranium from its erstwhile location, and was performing a 180-degree pivot, our distinguished visitant achieved - with utmost celerity and via a downward leap - entry by way of the smoke passage. He was clad entirely in animal pelts soiled by the ebony residue from oxidations of carboniferous fuels which had accumulated on the walls thereof. His resemblance to a street vendor I attributed largely to the plethora of assorted playthings which he bore dorsally in a commodious cloth receptacle.

His orbs were scintillant with reflected luminosity, while his submaxillary dermal indentations gave every evidence of engaging amiability. The capillaries of his malar regions and nasal appurtenance were engorged with blood which suffused the subcutaneous layers, the former approximating the coloration of Albion's floral emblem, the latter that of the Prunus avium, or sweet cherry. His amusing sub- and supralabials resembled nothing so much as a common loop knot, and their ambient hirsute facial adornment appeared like small, tabular and columnar crystals of frozen water.

Clenched firmly between his incisors was a smoking piece whose grey fumes, forming a tenuous ellipse about his occiput, were suggestive of a decorative seasonal circlet of holly. His visage was wider than it was high, and when he waxed audibly mirthful, his corpulent abdominal region undulated in the manner of impectinated fruit syrup in a hemispherical container. He was, in short, neither more nor less than an obese, jocund, multigenarian gnome, the optical perception of whom rendered me visibly frolicsome despite every effort to refrain from so being. By rapidly lowering and then elevating one eyelid and rotating his head slightly to one side, he indicated that trepidation on my part was groundless.

Without utterance and with dispatch, he commenced filling the aforementioned appended hosiery with various of the aforementioned articles of merchandise extracted from his aforementioned previously dorsally transported cloth receptacle. Upon completion of this task, he executed an abrupt about-face, placed a single manual digit in lateral juxtaposition to his olfactory organ, inclined his cranium forward in a gesture of leave-taking, and forthwith effected his egress by renegotiating (in reverse) the smoke passage. He then propelled himself in a short vector onto his conveyance, directed a musical expulsion of air through his contracted oral sphincter to the antlered quadrupeds of burden, and proceeded to soar aloft in a movement hitherto observable chiefly among the seed-bearing portions of a common weed. But I overheard his parting exclamation, audible immediately prior to his vehiculation beyond the limits of visibility: "Ecstatic Yuletide to the planetary constituency, and to that self same assemblage, my sincerest wishes for a salubriously beneficial and gratifyingly pleasurable period between sunset and dawn."

One Tree Hill Returns January 25th!

Wordless Wednesday - Best Friend!

I am 17, going on 18!

Weeks that is. Here is what 3D Pregnancy says:

At about 18 weeks, you might begin to feel a suspicious flutter in your belly. The professionals call it "quickening," we call it "baby's makin' waves!" Within the next few weeks, those tiny bubbly feelings will become more obvious. And soon enough they'll be unmistakably identifiable—especially when you (and anyone within 10 feet of you) can see tiny feet, elbows and knees moving across your belly.

This week is also the beginning of ossification. And while that sounds like some long and involved paperwork you'll have to fill out, it's really a fancy medical term for the hardening of your baby's miniature bones. And that's a good thing.

Your baby's nerves are making more and more complex connections. Her sense of smell, taste, sight and hearing are all developing. A substance called myelin, which makes nerve connections travel faster, is now coating your baby's nerves.

Your baby now weighs between 5 and 7 ounces and is about 5½ inches long—about the size of a pickle from the corner deli.

I personally have not been able to feel my little one yet... but my Doctor's say it won't be long! I'm kind of excited about that, and then about finding out the baby's sex on January 12th! (:

Not a lot going on this week... just working and getting ready for time with family and friends for Christmas. Looking forward to a fun, yet relaxing and short travel weekend - going to see my parents and then Wesley's family on Saturday in North Carolina. Should make for a fun weekend! Late night card games, and new Wii games to play at Mom's...

Hope everyone out there in Blogger land has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I'm sure my posts will be slow from here on into the new year.

There aren't enough days in the weekend!

This weekend felt like it FLEW right by me... Christmas is less than a week away now and I'm not ready for this year and holiday season to be over! We had a family Christmas party on Friday night at my Sister-in-law's house, lots of family and friends around. It was a fun night, and I got to see some faces that I haven't seen in a while and I also got to meet some new ones!

Saturday was a lazy, rainy day. We had lunch at the Bell House and exchanged gifts. I think that Cullen is going to enjoy the Duplo legos we got him - but he was enjoying the wrapping paper a little more! When Patrick turned in for a nap and Wesley left me there, Marlena and I finally got a chance for some girl time to watch 'Sex and the City 2". It was good! I enjoyed it! The rest of the night I spent getting ready for my party on Sunday.

Sunday morning was spent getting the rest of my treats together for my party and then waiting around for people to arrive. We had a good time, ate snacks, swapped ornaments, and decorated cookies! The rest of the night was spent on the couch watching television with my husband... my most favorite thing to do on the weekends anyways!

This week is going to be short but sweet... lots of family and friends packed into the last minute plans of the holidays! Here's to hoping that Wesley and I can find some time alone to spend together in all this holiday madness!

Oh, and Buster is adapting well! Larson and him are starting to get along well, almost like brothers! But he's been getting into some trouble... chewing on window seals and peeing on the carpet!

Meet Buster!

Last night, Wesley and I went to see this puppy that my sister's friend was giving away. We weren't sure if we were going to take him home at first, but we got to playing with him in the yard and I fell in love with him.


He's already starting to make good friends with Larson - although they tend to hump one another a lot... so I think it's safe to say that they both need to be fixed in the near future. He's still young, but playful (and not as hyper as Larson). What a sweetheart though - he is a good cuddlier and rides well in the car. We love him already and can't wait to see him grow up!

Wordless Wednesday - Mouth Golf! (:

17 Weeks & Counting!

Here is what 3D Pregnancy has to say about this week:

By now you're well aware you're pregnant, even if your Mini hasn't started to make too much of a ruckus yet. You'll feel random aches and pains in weird places as your uterus grows. It's all part of the whole journey so don't freak out too much. Focus on those little flutters you feel in your belly as your baby lets his presence be known.

Speaking of packing on the pounds, that what it's all about for baby this week. He's adding fat stores that will keep him warm and cozy after he's born. Your baby's weight will increase approximately six times over the next four weeks. Good to know you're not the only one tipping the scale. Your baby is hard at work honing his sucking and swallowing reflexes—all the better for eating that 2 AM (and 5 AM, and 8 AM ...) meal in a few months! The finger- and toenails are beginning to grow from their nail beds, which would explain why he'll need them trimmed almost as soon as he's born!

Your baby weighs nearly 5 ounces and is a little over 5 inches long—about the size of a baked potato (load on the butter and sour cream, please).

It's so exciting learning about what is going on inside of me... I went to the OB's office yesterday and everything is still good and baby is still growing! The heartbeat is strong and my uterus is where it's supposed to be! I met the midwife, and I'm super excited about the next few months and all the changes that are coming.

Tonight, Wesley and I are going to check out a dog. A friend of my sister's is trying to get rid of him, he was a rescue. He's a Sealyham Terrier, black, and his name is Buster. I'm excited to meet him and see if he would be a good fit with our family... guess we'll see tonight around 8pm! (: More updates to come soon!

'Twas the Week Before Christmas

'Twas the week before Christmas and all through the school
Not a pupil was silent, no matter what rule.
The children were busy with paper and paste;
The mess that they made with it couldn't be faced.

The teacher half frantic and almost in tears,
Had just settled down to work with her dears,
When out in the hall there arose such a clatter
up sprang the kids to see what was the matter!

Away to the door they all flew like a flash;
The one who was leading went down with a crash.
Then what to their wondering eyes did appear
But a green Christmas tree! (To decorate I fear!)

When the teacher saw this, she almost grew sick.
She knew in a moment it must be Old Nick!
She ran to the door (all her efforts were vain)
But she shouted, and stamped, and she called them by name;

"Now Tommy! Now Sandy, Now Judy and Harry!
Stop Billy! Stop Robert! Stop Donny and Sherry!
Now get to your places get away from the hall
Now get away! Get away! Get away all!

As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly
The pupils, pell mell, started scurrying by.
They ran to the blackboard and skipped down the aisle;
Their faces were shining and each had a smile.

First came a basket of popcorn to string
-Then came the Christmas tree (menacing thing).
As the tree was brought in there arose a great shout;
The pupils were merrily romping about.

The state they were in could lead to a riot;
The teacher was sure, if allowed, they would try it.
Her nerves how they jangled! Her temples were throbbing!
The rush of her breath sounded almost like sobbing!

The lines of her face were as fixed as a mask;
It was plain that she didn't feel up to her task.
The look in her eye would have tamed a wild steer,
But the children ignored it; they did every year.

A tear from her eye and a shake of her head
Soon led me to think that she wished she were dead.
She spoke not a word but went straight to her work,
Strung all the popcorn which broke with a jerk.

But at last it was finished and placed on the tree;
Then came the bell and the children were free.
Their shrill little voices soon faded away
And peace was restored at the end of the day.
As she looked at the Christmas tree glistening and tall,
She smiled as she whispered, Merry Christmas to all!

Graduation, Dirty Santa and Harry Potter...

What a great weekend! (:

My Grandparents came into town on Thursday for my little sister's (Stephanie) college graduation! We went to Mom's that night for Chili and Hot dogs... one of my most favorite winter time meals! We visited for a while and then headed home. Friday, I was out of work, but was feeling okay. We did some much needed 'girl shopping' with Mom, Gram, and my sisters. It was a fun time and we had some good laughs!

Saturday came really early - we had to be at Mom's around 7:30am to eat breakfast before going over to Stephanie's graduation. It started at 9am, we were in the overflow room (Mom, Dad, Gram, & Gramps were in the actually ceremony). So, once Steph walked, Wesley, Renee, Nate, and I left to go home and chill until everyone else showed up. Mom had planned a lunch for her at the local O'Charley's, so at 11:30am, Renee and I (and our guys) went over to decorate and get ready for Steph's arrival.

Lunch was fun - we had famliy, friends, and many church friends show up to tell Stephanie congrats on graduation and give her money! (: (Which she needs because she doesn't have a big girl job yet!) We had a great time visiting and then Wesley and I headed home for a nap before our other party that night!

Bring on the Annual Dirty Santa! Saturday evening, Wesley and I went over to a friend's house for an annual Christmas party with a Dirty Santa gift exchange. (It's called 'Dirty Santa' because you steal gifts from others if you want it, but after it's been stolen 3 times, that gift is locked!) The big hits this year were the Fushigi balls. I came home with a basket full of yummy homemade goodies from Momma Pat, and Wesley came home with Inception on DVD. We had a great time, ate some yummy gumbo, and visited with some wonderful friends! Everyone there kept telling me that this baby needs to be a girl! LOL

Yesterday was a catch up day - Wesley had to work late on Saturday night, so we both kind of did our own things. While he went to bed at 8am when I got up, I watched Harry Potter on the couch - the first four movies. We only left the house to go grab some Mexican food for lunch and catch a glimpse of the Falcon's game. Once we were back home, more Harry Potter watching and being lazy on the couch. It was the perfect end to a great weekend!

Next weekend won't be any different... We have 2 Christmas parties to attend, one of which is my own being thrown at my house at 2:30pm on Sunday! (Bring the kiddies by and bring an ornament to swap!) Also, we will be having dinner with the Bell family and exchanging gifts... I can't wait for Cullen to open his! (:

Have a great week everyone!

Santa's Replacement: Bubba Claus

----- MEMO -----

To: Southern USA Residents From: Santa RE: Replacement Santa

I regret to inform you that effective immediately, I will no longer be able to serve the Southern United States on Christmas Eve. Due to overwhelming current population of the earth, my contract was renegotiated by North American Fairies and Elves Local 209. I now serve only certain areas of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan. As part of the new and better contract I also get longer breaks for milk and cookies so keep that in mind. However, I'm certain that your children will be in good hands with your local replacement who happens to be my third cousin, Bubba Claus. His side of the family in from the South pole. He shares my goal of delivering toys to all the good boys and girls; however, there are a few differences between us. Differences such as: 1. There is no danger of a Grinch stealing your presents from Bubba Claus. He has a gun rack on his sleigh and a bumper sticker that reads: "These toys insured by Smith & Wesson."

2. Instead of milk and cookies, Bubba Claus prefers that children leave a RC Cola and pork rinds (or a moon pie) on the fireplace. And Bubba doesn't smoke a pipe. He dips a little snuff though, so please have an empty spit can handy.

3. Bubba Claus' sleigh is pulled by floppy-eared, flyin' coon dogs instead of reindeer. I made the mistake of loaning him a couple of my reindeer one time, and Blitzen's head now overlooks Bubba's fireplace.

4. You won't hear "On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen..." when Bubba Claus arrives. Instead you'll hear, "On Earnhardt, on Wallace, on Martin and LaBonte. On Rudd, on Jarrett, on Elliot and Petty."

5. "Ho, ho, ho!" has been replaced by "Yee Haw!" And you also are likely to hear Bubba's elves reply, "I her'd dat!"

6. As required by Southern highway laws, Bubba Claus' sleigh does have a Yosemite Sam safety triangle on the back with the words, "Back Off!" The last I heard it also had other decorations on the sleigh back as well. One is Ford or Chevy logo with lights that race through the letters and the other is a caricature of me (Santa Claus) peeing on the Tooth Fairy.

7. The usual Christmas movie classics such as "Miracle on 34th Street" and "It's a Wonderful Life" will not be shown in your negotiated viewing area. Instead, you will see "Boss Hogg Saves Christmas" and "Smokey and the Bandit IV" featuring Burt Reynolds as Bubba Claus and dozens of State Patrol cars crashing into each other.

8. Bubba Claus doesn't wear a belt. If I were you, I'd make sure you, the wife, and the kids turn the other way when he bends over to put presents under the tree.

9. And finally, lovely Christmas songs have been sung about me like "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" and Bing Crosby's "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town". This year, songs about Bubba Claus will be played on all the AM radio stations in the South. These song titles will be Mark Chesnutt's "Bubba Claus shot the jukebox"; Cledus T. Judd's, "All I want for Christmas is my Woman and a Six-opack", and Hank Williams Jr's "If You Don't Like Bubba Claus, You Shove It."

Sincerely Yours, Santa Claus(Member of North American Fairies and Elves Local 209)

Wordless Wednesday - My Puppy Love!

Offically 16 Weeks!

Here is what 3D Pregnancy has to say:

No, you don't have a new superpower, although it'll feel like it because you're able to smell pizza, burnt toast or a pulled-pork sandwich from miles away. Your heightened sense of smell isn't the only new trick your nose is doing. You're probably noticing some extra nasal congestion and maybe even some nosebleeds to go along with it.

Your baby is already mugging for the camera as she practices all sorts of facial expressions, such as squinting, yawning and grimacing, which will come in handy when you introduce her to pureed spinach.

Your baby weighs about 3 ounces this week and measures between 4 and 5 inches, about the length of your mascara.

I have the heightened sense of smell and nasal congestion, that's for sure! (: I don't have nosebleeds, so thank god for that. Apparently they can be a sign of high blood pressure in pregnant women. I'm super excited about the facial expressions - and when I go back to the Doc next week to hear the heartbeat, I'll get to make the ever so important 'gender appointment'. I'm hoping that it will be able to be the first week of January so we can find out if we are having a boy or a girl just before my birthday! I'm so stoked to find out!

On a lighter note this week, we started Secret Santa at work and I already LOVE whoever has my name! I've gotten two presents already this week! What an amazing person! I can't wait to find out who they are and hug their neck! Also, on the upside... the person I have has gotten two gifts this week too! (:

Lots of big plans this weekend... my sister graduates from college and some Christmas party fun is to be had as well! I'm excited because we're going to a Dirty Santa party... and I have one of the best gifts EVA to take... and I have a great idea for a second one to take as well... just have to find somewhere to buy it!! (:

Hope you all have a great week! Thanks for stopping by!

Cute Gift on a Budget!

Need an idea to give someone you work with on a budget?? Go to the dollar store and follow this list - put it all in a bag together with a copy of this list and you have a 'Holiday Survival Kit'!

1. A stick of gum to remind you to stick to it.

2. A candle to remind you to shine brightly.

3. A chocolate kiss to remind you that you are loved.

4. A match to light your fire when you feel burned out.

5. A Tootsie Roll to remind you not to bite off more than you can chew.

6. A pin to remind you to stay sharp.

7. A Smartie to help you on those days you don't feel so smart.

8. A Starburst to give you a burst of energy on days you don't have any.

9. A Snickers to remind you to take time to laugh.

10. Confetti to remind you to have fun.

11. A bandage to fix things that just will not work.

12. A bag to help you keep it all together and give you food for thought.

Weekends are a bit like rainbows; they look good from a distance but disappear when you get up close to them.

I was hoping that my first weekend in December would be a nice one, at home, curled up with hubby on the couch, watching Christmas movies (or Harry Potter). But, that's not what I got. What I got was another cold, and an upper respiratory infection! I went to the Doc yesterday and got put on another antibiotic. I hope this one really helps me kick it. I'm miserable! I slept very little this weekend, and coughed my head off not to mention I was constantly blowing my nose! You'd think as much as I have had to do that over the past four months, that I wouldn't have any mucus left. Apparently, that's not the case!

The plus side, the nausea is mostly gone when it comes to the pregnancy, and I go back to the the OB's office next week to hear the heartbeat again! (:

Hope everyone else had a better weekend!

Christmas Carol Quiz!

Let's see if we can use this to get into the Christmas Spirit! Post a comment with your answers if you want... sometime next week I will post the answers! (:

1. Quadruped with crimson proboscis

2. 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. without noise

3. Miniscule hamlet in the far east

4. Ancient benevolent despot

5. Adorn the vestibule

6. Exuberance directed to the planet

7. Listen, aerial spirits harmonizing

8. Monarchial trio

9. Yonder in the haystack

10. Assemble, everyone who believes

11. Hallowed post meridian

12. Fantasies of a colorless December 25th

13. Tin tintinnabulums

14. A dozen 24-hour Yule periods

15. Befell during the transparent bewitching hour

16. Homo sapien of crystallized vapor

17. I merely desire a pair of incisors

18. I spied my maternal parent osculating a fat man in red

19. Perambulating through a December solstice fantasy

20. Aloft on the acme of the abode

Offically 15 Weeks Pregnant!

Here is what 3D Pregnancy has to say:

Although many women don't start feeling the baby move until the 17th week (or later), your baby has been having his own party in the amniotic sac he calls home. If you feel a little flutter in your belly this week, don't discount it as gas or hunger. It could be your babe banging around. Although baby's eyes are sealed shut, he's now able to sense light. His eyes and ears finally look like real baby features now. As your baby practices sucking and swallowing actions, he may actually hiccup. You'll know he's had one too many shots of amniotic fluid by the steady thump-thump you feel.

Over the next month, baby will grow faster than ever, so make sure you load up on enough nutritious food and fluids to support his growth. Your baby now measures nearly 4 inches, about the size of a Kit Kat "finger" (regular-size, not the Big one you get at the movies), and weighs almost 2 ounces.

I personally can't WAIT to be able to feel my baby moving around in the coming weeks! Not to mention that the first week of January is when I should be schedule for a sonogram to find out what we're having. I keep praying that baby cooperates!

My energy is definitely returning, but not my appetite. I still don't have any weird cravings... but I have been waiting Arby's a lot! (: Even if I can only eat half a sandwich and half my fries! Oh, and pizza is NOT my friend lately. It's been taken off the list of dinner choices until further notice!

Hope to have more updates soon, my next doc appointment is December 16th and I'll get to hear the heartbeat again! I can't wait!

Join the Hump Day Blog Hop!

My friend, Gina, over at Fantasy Casting is once again hosting her Weekly Hump Day Blog Hop! (: This is a way to get more readers/followers on your blog, so head on over to post your site there and see if you get anymore interest!

For those new readers coming to check out this blog from Fantasy Casting, I want to welcome you to my humble little blog! I don't always post personal rants, but every now and then you will see some personal information. I use this blog to share things I like/love/care about with the people who care enough to read it! Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's meaningful to my life or someone else's, and sometimes it's down right personal.

I like having a place to share my thoughts and other things with people who care about the same things. I'm a geek in many ways, but I love being a girl too! I'm also pregnant with my first baby, so some of that journey is bound to appear here as well!

Read on to see some more interesting posts, much like my review on the new Harry Potter movie!

'Twas the Night before Finals

This goes out to all my fellow college students that are finishing up their semesters before the holidays! (:

Twas the night before finals, and all through the lab
Not a student was sleeping, not even McNabb.
Their projects were finished, completed with care
In hopes that the grades would be easy (and fair).


The students were wired with caffeine in their veins
While visions of quals nearly drove them insane.
With piles of books and a brand new highlighter,
I had just settled down for another all nighter ---


When out from our gateways arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my desk to see what was the matter;
Away to the console I flew like a flash,
And logged in as root to fend off a crash.


The windows displayed on my brand new Sun-3,
Gave oodles of info --- some in 3-D.
When, what to my burning red eyes should appear
But dozens of "nobody" jobs. Oh dear!


With a blitzkrieg invasion, so virulent and firm,
I knew in a moment, it was Morris's Worm!
More rapid than eagles his processes came,
And they forked and exec'ed and they copied by name:


"Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On Comet! On Cupid! On Donner and Blitzen!
To the sites in .rhosts and host.equiv
Now, dash away! dash away! dash away all!"


And then in a twinkling, I heard on the phone,
The complaints of the users. (Thought I was alone!)
"The load is too high!" "I can't read my files!"
"I can't send my mail over miles and miles!"


I unplugged the net, and was turning around,
When the worm-ridden system went down with a bound.
I fretted. I frittered. I sweated. I wept.
Then finally I core dumped the worm in /tmp.


It was smart and pervasive, a right jolly old stealth,
And I laughed, when I saw it, in spite of myself.
A look at the dump of that invasive thread
Soon gave me to know we had nothing to dread.


The next day was slow with no network connections,
For we wanted no more of those pesky infections.
But in spite of the news and the noise and the clatter,
Soon all became normal, as if naught were the matter.


Then later that month while all were away,
A virus came calling and then went away.
The system then told us, when we logged in one night:
"Merry Christmas to all! (You guys aren't so bright.)"

Wordless Wednesday - My Love Story!