Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
A break...
So, as you can tell, I have taken a little vacation from blogging... I was determined to blog 30 times in 30 days, but life has caught up to me. Besides enjoying a wonderful Thanksgiving with family, we have also had my college roommate come visit with her family, black friday shopping, an overnight trip to Richmond that included The Cheesecake Factory and more shopping, our vacuum broke - yep haven't vacuumed in a week now, drs appointment, trip to the pharmacy to get some medicine for Carter's rash on his face, school for Emma, my car battery died and now that it's working again - I can't listen to anything until I figure out the code to get into the system, and Jon's car is totally on the fritz again and the reason why it is sitting at an autobody shop at the moment. Shwew! All that in LESS THAN A WEEK! Oh yes, and did I mention I have a cold and I have yet to put away my fall decorations and put up Christmas ones??? So, as I was saying - I'm taking a little vacation. Be back when I'm no longer behind on my massive to do list and have caught up on some sleep. Let's just say that baby Carter is having a growth spurt... ahhhh! :) Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
7. Favorite song and why
The first time I heard this song was in our church. The words are, in a word, amazing. I considered all of the songs that I would consider "favorites" even including secular songs - but honestly, none qualified as my favorite favorite. It's not a complicated song and I know it is more of an outreach song than a subjective song just for me. But there is no other song that reminds me how much God is in control. I'm the type of person who enjoys being in control - and this song reminds me that I am not in control - God is. Even though the last year I lost my beloved uncle to cancer, had job and money issues, birthed a perfect baby boy whom we initially thought may have Down Syndrome, and things happened that were out of our control - God was and is still there for us through it all. He was there for myself and my family and He will be there for you. He will use MY story for His glory. It's amazing to me that I am just a tiny, itty bitty intricate piece of a whole. God is here. Can you feel Him?
Saturday, November 20, 2010
6. Earliest thing you can remember
The earliest thing that I can remember is in the very first house my family lived in. I can't remember very much of it, but I can mostly remember the layout. I know my bedroom was down a hallway, and that right across from my room was my parent's bedroom. I remember some of the living room and for some reason, I can remember distinct 80's decor... haha! Most everything else that comes to mind, I believe come from pictures from when I was little. There are many times that I really wished that we could go back to that house. We moved out when I was like 3 or 4 I think - I'm not really quite sure. I have driven past it many times, but never have had the privilege of being inside it since we lived there. Maybe someday I'll get that chance! :)
5. A thank you letter to someone who has changed your life
Dear Emma and Carter:
You would think that if I were writing a letter to someone who has changed my life, you might automatically think that it would be to someone who is older or maybe to someone who has had many, many years of wisdom behind their belt. But of all the people who I have interacted with in my lifetime, there are no two more beautiful and wonderful children as you two. The moment I realized that I had the privilege of being a mother to you both, my life was forever changed - and for the better!
I spent 9+ months for each of you waiting in wonder and imagining what you might look like. I dreamt of the wonderful baby smell (and the not so wonderful smell of stinky diapers) and the cooing sounds you would make. There is nothing like the unconditional love of a child and everytime I looked into your eyes, I was reminded how blessed I was and am now. I dream and plan about the days you would learn new things, your first day of school, your first date, when you got married, and someday, Lord willing - become parents yourselves. I loved you from the moment you were created.
You both have made me a better person and a better mother. The way I feel about you every single day reminds me how much more God loves me and loves each of you. It's so amazing to know that God placed both of you on this earth to glorify Him. I pray for the day you both realize the wonderful Gift that God offers to each of us and for the moment you accept it! I'm the most blessed mother in the world to be the one God appointed to guide you and help you grow in His image.
I love you both so much.
Praying for you each and every day,
Mommy
You would think that if I were writing a letter to someone who has changed my life, you might automatically think that it would be to someone who is older or maybe to someone who has had many, many years of wisdom behind their belt. But of all the people who I have interacted with in my lifetime, there are no two more beautiful and wonderful children as you two. The moment I realized that I had the privilege of being a mother to you both, my life was forever changed - and for the better!
I spent 9+ months for each of you waiting in wonder and imagining what you might look like. I dreamt of the wonderful baby smell (and the not so wonderful smell of stinky diapers) and the cooing sounds you would make. There is nothing like the unconditional love of a child and everytime I looked into your eyes, I was reminded how blessed I was and am now. I dream and plan about the days you would learn new things, your first day of school, your first date, when you got married, and someday, Lord willing - become parents yourselves. I loved you from the moment you were created.
You both have made me a better person and a better mother. The way I feel about you every single day reminds me how much more God loves me and loves each of you. It's so amazing to know that God placed both of you on this earth to glorify Him. I pray for the day you both realize the wonderful Gift that God offers to each of us and for the moment you accept it! I'm the most blessed mother in the world to be the one God appointed to guide you and help you grow in His image.
I love you both so much.
Praying for you each and every day,
Mommy
Thursday, November 18, 2010
4. What you imagine paradise to be like
Revelation 21:
"2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children...
27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life."
Now that's what I imagine true paradise to be like!
"2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children...
27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life."
Now that's what I imagine true paradise to be like!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
3. The five songs you would have with you on a desert island and why
This is a tough one. There aren't too many songs out there that I think I could listen to over and over and not get tired of listening to it. But anyways, that is besides the point! Seriously... who would take songs with them on a desert island? I mean, yeah - books maybe. Or as my husband suggested - "podcasts - like "How to Survive on a Deserted Island"... haha! And even if our boat or plane was crashing, the iPod would NOT be my first choice to grab! If I did happen to grab my iPod instead of let's say, a raft or supply of water, how would I even listen to my music? I'm not supposing that there are electric sockets to charge my iPod in. I'm thinkin that when someone thought this question up, they may have been a little loopy. Just sayin'. :)
1. So What by Pink: I don't know why, but this song always gets me movin'. No matter the circumstances (like being on a deserted island), it's always good to remember "I'm still a rock star!"
2. She's Everything by Brad Paisley: Jon's favorite song and one of mine!
3. I Think We're Alone Now by Tiffany: Just a classic... lol
4. Someday by Sugar Ray: To reminisce.
5. How Great Thou Art: To always remind me how amazing my Savior is and that I am here only for His glory. :)
1. So What by Pink: I don't know why, but this song always gets me movin'. No matter the circumstances (like being on a deserted island), it's always good to remember "I'm still a rock star!"
2. She's Everything by Brad Paisley: Jon's favorite song and one of mine!
3. I Think We're Alone Now by Tiffany: Just a classic... lol
4. Someday by Sugar Ray: To reminisce.
5. How Great Thou Art: To always remind me how amazing my Savior is and that I am here only for His glory. :)
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
2. Something that inspires you
There is no one on this earth who inspires me as a parent more than my best friend. He is dependable, smart, funny, and the best parent I know. I love my husband. Above all else, he is my bestest and truest friend. Every moment I see that he spends with Emma and Carter inspire me to be a better parent. He is so patient with Emma - even when she is stretching us to our limits. He plays with Carter and gets up with him at night to change his diaper and soothe him. On days when I feel as though I'm ready to crash and have been stretched thin, I remember how much love and patience my husband has for our children. Men like my husband are few and far between. I thank God everyday for putting Jonathan in my life and making him the man/husband/father he is today.
Monday, November 15, 2010
30 Posts in 30 Days - Day One
In my quest for bettering myself, I have come to the realization that I enjoy challenges. Growing up, I was mostly an only child. I had a much older brother (12 years older) and a much younger brother (16 years younger), so I never had anyone to compete with.
I do remember in my junior year in high school that my goal was always to beat the grades my friend Shalee received in the classes we had together. It was the best year in my whole school career. The challenge - which she may never know until now even existed - made me a better person and of course, proved my mother right - "See! I knew if you applied yourself you could be an A+ student!"
Even to this day, Jon and I have competitions - even though they are mostly dumb and trivial and I almost always lose, they can be so much fun! So here is my new challenge. 30 posts in 30 days. (I tried posting every day with the soda challenge, but didn't quite make it ;) I found some topics to write about in these next 30 days. Not only will I get to learn a little about myself - but you will too! I'm even going to go so far as to challenge YOU to do this also. Who knows? It may even be fun. :)
Day...
1. Guilty pleasure
2. Something that inspires you
3. The five songs you would have with you on a desert island and why
4. What you imagine paradise to be like
5. A thank you letter to someone who has changed your life
6. Earliest thing you can remember
7. Favorite song and why
8. Someone you think would make a good president
9. Five things you want to see change
10. A dream you had this past week described in detail
11. Favorite picture ever taken of yourself
12. Your favorite story
13. A memory that never fails to make you laugh
14. Best meal you've ever had
15. Amoment, phrase, or song that has changed your life the most
16. Something that you want to do within the next five years
17. What you want to be remembered for
18. A picture that makes you feel
19. A passage from a book that has touched you
20. A person that you immediately liked upon first meeting them
21. Your favorite medium of art
22. Someone you would give your life up for without question
23. Most awkward first impression you feel you’ve ever given
24. Something you did as a child that other people remember you for
25. Something you would do if no one stopped you or if you knew you wouldn’t fail
26. Your definition of love
27. Your definition of the meaning of life
28. A moment you remember being completely happy in and a description of why you believe you were
29. What you live for
30. Ways you believe you have grown over the past thirty days
DAY ONE: Guilty Pleasure
My husband asked me one time what my guilty pleasure was and I promptly responded "reading!". To which he laughed and then had to explain that reading is NOT a guilty pleasure. Up until this point, I had not given it much more thought. And the more and more I thought about it, I couldn't come up with a good answer. So the googling person that I am, I looked it up. The definitition of guilty pleasure is this...
"A guilty pleasure is something one enjoys and considers pleasurable despite feeling guilt for enjoying it. Often, the "guilt" involved is simply fear of others discovering one's lowbrow or otherwise embarrassing tastes, rather than actual moral guilt. Fashion, music, and food (especially unhealthier foods high in sugar and/or fat) can be examples of guilty pleasures."
My guilty pleasure is SHOPPING. Yep. I love to shop. No, I'm not exceptionally good at it - I can't always find great deals, I get frustrated when I can't find what I'm looking for, and I'm not really fashionably ahead of the game. But I love to buy things - for the house and the kids mostly. I think I may just make us go bankrupt...! I'm just kidding! However, I always have things on my mind that I think I "need" and the word "buy" has become a bad word in our house. The worst part is that my husband is the most content person in the world. He still wears the same t-shirts as he did in high school. So we are hugely different. When the word "buy" comes up in my sentences, I think my husband lovingly wants to strangle me! ;)
What is your guilty pleasure?
I do remember in my junior year in high school that my goal was always to beat the grades my friend Shalee received in the classes we had together. It was the best year in my whole school career. The challenge - which she may never know until now even existed - made me a better person and of course, proved my mother right - "See! I knew if you applied yourself you could be an A+ student!"
Even to this day, Jon and I have competitions - even though they are mostly dumb and trivial and I almost always lose, they can be so much fun! So here is my new challenge. 30 posts in 30 days. (I tried posting every day with the soda challenge, but didn't quite make it ;) I found some topics to write about in these next 30 days. Not only will I get to learn a little about myself - but you will too! I'm even going to go so far as to challenge YOU to do this also. Who knows? It may even be fun. :)
Day...
1. Guilty pleasure
2. Something that inspires you
3. The five songs you would have with you on a desert island and why
4. What you imagine paradise to be like
5. A thank you letter to someone who has changed your life
6. Earliest thing you can remember
7. Favorite song and why
8. Someone you think would make a good president
9. Five things you want to see change
10. A dream you had this past week described in detail
11. Favorite picture ever taken of yourself
12. Your favorite story
13. A memory that never fails to make you laugh
14. Best meal you've ever had
15. Amoment, phrase, or song that has changed your life the most
16. Something that you want to do within the next five years
17. What you want to be remembered for
18. A picture that makes you feel
19. A passage from a book that has touched you
20. A person that you immediately liked upon first meeting them
21. Your favorite medium of art
22. Someone you would give your life up for without question
23. Most awkward first impression you feel you’ve ever given
24. Something you did as a child that other people remember you for
25. Something you would do if no one stopped you or if you knew you wouldn’t fail
26. Your definition of love
27. Your definition of the meaning of life
28. A moment you remember being completely happy in and a description of why you believe you were
29. What you live for
30. Ways you believe you have grown over the past thirty days
DAY ONE: Guilty Pleasure
My husband asked me one time what my guilty pleasure was and I promptly responded "reading!". To which he laughed and then had to explain that reading is NOT a guilty pleasure. Up until this point, I had not given it much more thought. And the more and more I thought about it, I couldn't come up with a good answer. So the googling person that I am, I looked it up. The definitition of guilty pleasure is this...
"A guilty pleasure is something one enjoys and considers pleasurable despite feeling guilt for enjoying it. Often, the "guilt" involved is simply fear of others discovering one's lowbrow or otherwise embarrassing tastes, rather than actual moral guilt. Fashion, music, and food (especially unhealthier foods high in sugar and/or fat) can be examples of guilty pleasures."
My guilty pleasure is SHOPPING. Yep. I love to shop. No, I'm not exceptionally good at it - I can't always find great deals, I get frustrated when I can't find what I'm looking for, and I'm not really fashionably ahead of the game. But I love to buy things - for the house and the kids mostly. I think I may just make us go bankrupt...! I'm just kidding! However, I always have things on my mind that I think I "need" and the word "buy" has become a bad word in our house. The worst part is that my husband is the most content person in the world. He still wears the same t-shirts as he did in high school. So we are hugely different. When the word "buy" comes up in my sentences, I think my husband lovingly wants to strangle me! ;)
What is your guilty pleasure?
Sunday, November 14, 2010
28 days of no soda...
So here I am on the opposite side of 28 days of absolutely no soda of any kind. And the question is whether or not I am all the better for it. Now I'll be honest... I totally said that I would blog every day and obviously I did not. I have no excuse. Life is busy. I get tired. Annnnd I'm lazy. But I have kept up with weighing myself every day and Jon and I both have an ending weight that is different from our starting weight. However, it is not what I expected, and I will let you take from it what you will.
Here is our beginning weight:
Jonathan: 169.0
Gina: 140.4
And... drumroll please -
Jonathan: 166.6 (-2.4 lbs)
Gina: 136.8 (-3.6 lbs)
As you can see, both Jon and I did lose some weight. Now if this loss was because we weighed ourself first thing in the morning or if mine is because I am breastfeeding - I will let you decide. Honestly? I thought I would lose like 10 lbs because I drink at least a soda or two a day normally. I was a little disappointed. However, it is a little less than a pound a week which in actuality isn't too bad. My weight has fluctuated up and down since I've started, (one day 139 the next 137 then back up to 140) so it's pretty hard to say that it's all from a lack of soda. In the end though - the good thing is that I didn't GAIN any weight. Which I have to say is a good benefit!
I think the best thing that came from this for me is the fact that I now know that I can set a goal for myself and make it. No soda for 28 days. That's pretty good for me. I'm proud of myself! However, Jon and I will be breaking the "soda fast" tonight. We normally would have done it tomorrow - but since he will be out of town (and it's a whole lot more fun to do this together) we will watch a movie, eat some popcorn, and enjoy a nice cold one - soda of course!
I think my next goal is to watch my portions. I think for the next couple of months, I'm going to try weight watchers. My goal is to lose 10% of my weight which is about 13 lbs which will take me to about 124 lbs. I don't personally think that I'm overweight, but I do know that I have some extra poundage that I would love to lose from having two kids. I want to feel more comfortable and more confident, and since I could go 28 days with no soda, I think I can go a couple of months counting calories to see how much I really intake. (I love my sweets!) I'm motivated by a friend of mine who lost 25 lbs in 10 weeks. How awesome is that?! And she looks amazing. What better motivation is that than a friend with a great success story?!
Thank you to those who have followed a long on the few blog posts I've written and for all of your encouragement. It was knowing that you were there cheering me on that kept me going!
Here is our beginning weight:
Jonathan: 169.0
Gina: 140.4
And... drumroll please -
Jonathan: 166.6 (-2.4 lbs)
Gina: 136.8 (-3.6 lbs)
As you can see, both Jon and I did lose some weight. Now if this loss was because we weighed ourself first thing in the morning or if mine is because I am breastfeeding - I will let you decide. Honestly? I thought I would lose like 10 lbs because I drink at least a soda or two a day normally. I was a little disappointed. However, it is a little less than a pound a week which in actuality isn't too bad. My weight has fluctuated up and down since I've started, (one day 139 the next 137 then back up to 140) so it's pretty hard to say that it's all from a lack of soda. In the end though - the good thing is that I didn't GAIN any weight. Which I have to say is a good benefit!
I think the best thing that came from this for me is the fact that I now know that I can set a goal for myself and make it. No soda for 28 days. That's pretty good for me. I'm proud of myself! However, Jon and I will be breaking the "soda fast" tonight. We normally would have done it tomorrow - but since he will be out of town (and it's a whole lot more fun to do this together) we will watch a movie, eat some popcorn, and enjoy a nice cold one - soda of course!
I think my next goal is to watch my portions. I think for the next couple of months, I'm going to try weight watchers. My goal is to lose 10% of my weight which is about 13 lbs which will take me to about 124 lbs. I don't personally think that I'm overweight, but I do know that I have some extra poundage that I would love to lose from having two kids. I want to feel more comfortable and more confident, and since I could go 28 days with no soda, I think I can go a couple of months counting calories to see how much I really intake. (I love my sweets!) I'm motivated by a friend of mine who lost 25 lbs in 10 weeks. How awesome is that?! And she looks amazing. What better motivation is that than a friend with a great success story?!
Thank you to those who have followed a long on the few blog posts I've written and for all of your encouragement. It was knowing that you were there cheering me on that kept me going!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Random meanderings...
I am sitting here on my bed just trying to figure out how to put the last week into words (and listening to Emma - out in the living room, putting a DVD on to watch. Miss Little Independent). It has been a super crazy busy week - which has its good and wonderful moments but it has its crappy (sorry, this is the best I could come up with... my brain has become mush!) moments.
My husband flew out early Monday morning and spent the week in Connecticut. Since his last trip, we have come up with some new terminology for my daughter to understand what is going on. When he traveled earlier in the month, I told Emma that Daddy was at work. I figured that this was as good an explanation as any and would end the conversation pretty much there. It did. It worked, and although Emma asked throughout the week, it didn't seem to matter too much to her. She was thoroughly excited to talk to Daddy on the phone, but didn't seem to realize that we hadn't seen him in days. However, last week, when Jonathan was in Roanoke working, we realized our mistake. On Monday morning when Jon was telling Emma goodbye, she had a massive meltdown. She sobbed uncontrollably and kept yelling for Daddy... We understood at this point that Emma thought that Jon was going away and wouldn't come back for awhile since that is what happened the last time he went to work. We now have new terminology. During this last week, we told her that Daddy was going to work - we even went to the office so that Emma could understand what "work" meant. When we dropped Jonathan off at the airport this past Monday, we told Emma that Daddy was traveling. Of course, this meant that all week long Emma thought that he was flying. Oh well. At least she seems to be comprehending it so much better!
I've also come to the realization that without Jon here, my daughter is absolutely attached to my leg. She follows me everywhere - to go take the laundry downstairs, to take a shower, to go to the bathroom... oh my. Right now is the most alone I've been in a week's time (don't worry, I can hear Emma - she is less than 20 feet away playing with her Disney Princesses... lol). I will have to say that baby Carter seems to take the transition well - of course, he really is only three months old and is lucky to realize that his fist is not the same as his pacifier. Poor boy... haha!
I can also happily say that I have gone 12 days without drinking any soda. I am sad to say that I have only lost a couple of pounds though - and I definitely don't feel any different. I do massively crave soda - especially since it has been so warm. There is nothing like a cold glass of soda on a hot day! We will have to see what happens in the next 16 days or so to see if I will totally stop drinking soda at all. But at this point, it's not looking good! :)
Well now that I've spent some time jotting down my random thoughts, my precocious 2 year old is demanding some attention. May you all have a lovely Halloween weekend!
My husband flew out early Monday morning and spent the week in Connecticut. Since his last trip, we have come up with some new terminology for my daughter to understand what is going on. When he traveled earlier in the month, I told Emma that Daddy was at work. I figured that this was as good an explanation as any and would end the conversation pretty much there. It did. It worked, and although Emma asked throughout the week, it didn't seem to matter too much to her. She was thoroughly excited to talk to Daddy on the phone, but didn't seem to realize that we hadn't seen him in days. However, last week, when Jonathan was in Roanoke working, we realized our mistake. On Monday morning when Jon was telling Emma goodbye, she had a massive meltdown. She sobbed uncontrollably and kept yelling for Daddy... We understood at this point that Emma thought that Jon was going away and wouldn't come back for awhile since that is what happened the last time he went to work. We now have new terminology. During this last week, we told her that Daddy was going to work - we even went to the office so that Emma could understand what "work" meant. When we dropped Jonathan off at the airport this past Monday, we told Emma that Daddy was traveling. Of course, this meant that all week long Emma thought that he was flying. Oh well. At least she seems to be comprehending it so much better!
I've also come to the realization that without Jon here, my daughter is absolutely attached to my leg. She follows me everywhere - to go take the laundry downstairs, to take a shower, to go to the bathroom... oh my. Right now is the most alone I've been in a week's time (don't worry, I can hear Emma - she is less than 20 feet away playing with her Disney Princesses... lol). I will have to say that baby Carter seems to take the transition well - of course, he really is only three months old and is lucky to realize that his fist is not the same as his pacifier. Poor boy... haha!
I can also happily say that I have gone 12 days without drinking any soda. I am sad to say that I have only lost a couple of pounds though - and I definitely don't feel any different. I do massively crave soda - especially since it has been so warm. There is nothing like a cold glass of soda on a hot day! We will have to see what happens in the next 16 days or so to see if I will totally stop drinking soda at all. But at this point, it's not looking good! :)
Well now that I've spent some time jotting down my random thoughts, my precocious 2 year old is demanding some attention. May you all have a lovely Halloween weekend!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
2nd Annual Pumpkin Patch Day with the Clarks!
Today we had the privilege of going to Layman Farms with the Clark family...
You never can tell what these two are up to... :)
Jessica, Mike, and Mary
We did it! Our first picture together... lol.
Myself and the two men in my life :)
I love my crazy Emma-girl!
And of course, my little man, Carter!
It's so funny to think where we were a year ago. The Clark and Dickinson families each only consisted of three members (and now we have Mary and Carter) and Jon had just quit his job at Wachovia. It's amazing to me the blessings God can bring out of hardship. This last year was probably one of the hardest for our family - but in the end, Jon has a wonderful much better job, we've had a wonderful new addition to the family by the name of Carter David, and we realized what good friends and family we are surrounded by. God has blessed us immensely!
Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul,
Thank you, Lord, for making me whole;
Thank you, Lord, for giving to me
Thy great salvation so rich and free.
Some thank Him for the flow'rs that grow,
Some for the stars that shine;
My heart is filled with joy and praise,
Because I know He's mine.
Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul,
Thank you, Lord, for making me whole;
Thank you, Lord, for giving to me
Thy great salvation so rich and free.
I trust in Him from day to day,
I prove His saving grace;
I'll sing this song of praise to Him
Until I see His face.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Day Five of No Soda
5 days, 120 hours, 7200 minutes without soda - ahhh! Tonight I could so go for a nice cold Pepsi. But I must prevail ;)
Here are our current weights:
Jonathan: 168.0 (-1.0)
Gina: 139.8 (-1.6) Woo hoo! :D
Here are our current weights:
Jonathan: 168.0 (-1.0)
Gina: 139.8 (-1.6) Woo hoo! :D
Thursday, October 21, 2010
I Love Fall!
Fall could quite possibly be my most favorite time of the year... the smells, the changing of the leaves, the cool - but not cold - weather. It all adds up to a perfect time for being with family!
This morning, I was fortunate to be able to take this little farmer to school:
This morning, I was fortunate to be able to take this little farmer to school:
Today was the Fall Harvest party at school and the kids were supposed to dress like a farmer or a farm animal. Don't I have the cutest little farmer ever? :) Of course, I am a little biased.
I also love fall for football. When I had the chance to travel to PA to spend the week with my mom and brother, I had the chance to see my little brother play in Pony Football (5th and 6th graders).
My cute handsome little brother :)
Who knows why he stands like that... lol.
We also got the chance to go to one of Kurt's practices. And let me just tell you, in northcentral PA it IS COLD! But oh so beautiful!
My mom and Emma near CARP Park waiting on Kurt while he is at football practice.
This is a picture of the PA Grand Canyon (borrowed from my friend, Talia - thanks!). Aren't the leaves absolutely gorgeous? PA has the best fall leaves in the world. Incidentally, this is actually where Jon and I got engaged. :)
And to end our wonderful fall experience in PA, Emma got to take a trip back to my childhood and ride this wonderful merry go round at the park... oh the joys of being a child. Annnnd the joys of being the adult that had to run in circles to get it moving. That was so much easier 15 years ago. I must be getting old! ;)
Well I sure do love fall for so many reasons. What do YOU love about fall?
**Day 4 of No Soda**
Jonathan: 166.0 (-3.0)
Gina: 140.4 (0.0)
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Day Three
Yay! I've made it to day three... haha! I will tell you that it has been such an encouragment to get people's comments on my challenge of not drinking soda for 28 days... even as much as getting a friend to do it also (yay, Nic!). I think that is my favorite thing of doing this -- reading your comments and suggestions! And I definitely think I will take Becca's suggestion and ordering a glass of water with my sweet tea when I'm out to eat. I think this will definitely help me to not order so much tea and keep that at a minimum. :)
I am pretty darn proud of myself... while I haven't lost any weight since I've started this (a whole whoppin' three days ago...lol), I have found myself drinking more water. If you know me, this is quite an accomplishment!
I will say that today was not without it's temptations. While running errands, my daughter adamantly told me that she wanted a drink - 50 billion times... in a row. Normally, when this happens, I try to distract her and it usually works... today it was an umbrella of her very own. I had promised her at the beginning of our errand running, that if she was good, that I would buy her an umbrella. She is absolutely obsessed with carrying her own and let me tell you... it's not a pretty picture -- her carrying the umbrella, thus making me squat to keep myself and Carter underneath it, while it is massively pouring outside. Usually at this time, my shirt will come up in the back, my pants will slide down to show a wonderful image of the perfect plumber's crack, and I will have to use one hand to pull my shirt down to cover it up - while still trying to keep my daughter out of traffic and balancing my 100lb son and his car seat (okay - so I know he's not even near 100lbs, but he sure is heavy!), and keep myself from looking like a drowned rat. Anyways, back to the drink story. She would not be disuaded from the lack of drink that I was not providing! So, as I went into the ghetto - and yes, I definitely mean ghetto, Kmart, I thought that hopefully there would be something that I would willingly venture to buy from this Kmart. Fortunately, there was a Little Caesars inside of this store - but low and behold - there was nothing but soda and slushies. I mean, c'mon! Seriously? Just tempt a girl. I honestly thought to myself, why not? Emma's whining, Carter is fussing, and I really REALLY want a soda. Who would know?! Lol. Luckily, I got a hold of myself and told myself that it was not even an option to go buy a fountain soda and I turned myself and my kids around and went hunting for some water. Are you proud of me? Okay, so I seriously couldn't make it 3 days without being tempted, but hey - that's a long time for me to be deprived of soda! ;)
So here is our weight as of today:
Jonathan: 168.0 (-1.0)
Gina: 141.4 (+1.0)
I am pretty darn proud of myself... while I haven't lost any weight since I've started this (a whole whoppin' three days ago...lol), I have found myself drinking more water. If you know me, this is quite an accomplishment!
I will say that today was not without it's temptations. While running errands, my daughter adamantly told me that she wanted a drink - 50 billion times... in a row. Normally, when this happens, I try to distract her and it usually works... today it was an umbrella of her very own. I had promised her at the beginning of our errand running, that if she was good, that I would buy her an umbrella. She is absolutely obsessed with carrying her own and let me tell you... it's not a pretty picture -- her carrying the umbrella, thus making me squat to keep myself and Carter underneath it, while it is massively pouring outside. Usually at this time, my shirt will come up in the back, my pants will slide down to show a wonderful image of the perfect plumber's crack, and I will have to use one hand to pull my shirt down to cover it up - while still trying to keep my daughter out of traffic and balancing my 100lb son and his car seat (okay - so I know he's not even near 100lbs, but he sure is heavy!), and keep myself from looking like a drowned rat. Anyways, back to the drink story. She would not be disuaded from the lack of drink that I was not providing! So, as I went into the ghetto - and yes, I definitely mean ghetto, Kmart, I thought that hopefully there would be something that I would willingly venture to buy from this Kmart. Fortunately, there was a Little Caesars inside of this store - but low and behold - there was nothing but soda and slushies. I mean, c'mon! Seriously? Just tempt a girl. I honestly thought to myself, why not? Emma's whining, Carter is fussing, and I really REALLY want a soda. Who would know?! Lol. Luckily, I got a hold of myself and told myself that it was not even an option to go buy a fountain soda and I turned myself and my kids around and went hunting for some water. Are you proud of me? Okay, so I seriously couldn't make it 3 days without being tempted, but hey - that's a long time for me to be deprived of soda! ;)
So here is our weight as of today:
Jonathan: 168.0 (-1.0)
Gina: 141.4 (+1.0)
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Day Two of No Soda :)
So I know that I am only on day two of not drinking soda, but I feel like I'm doing pretty well. I gave the 12 pack of Pepsi that we had to my brother-in-law and bought some bottled water (the water from our faucet is probably fine, but I grew up on well water and spring water - so I'm a little spoiled). I also bought some flavored sparkling water that has 0 sugar, calories, sodium, and caffeine. There were pretty cheap too - $0.64 for a big bottle of it. My husband would be so proud - not drinking soda AND saving money (soda can get so expensive - especially since we like to buy the cans).
I am in a conundrum though. I'm not sure if I should rule out sweet tea. I don't drink it very often - only when I'm out to eat. But it does have a lot of sugar in it and has caffeine - two of the things I'm trying to avoid by drinking soda. My problem is that 1) I wasn't going to change anything except for the fact that I'm no longer drinking soda and 2) I hate drinking water. This is why I bought bottled water and flavored sparkling water - to sort of replace my liquid intake of soda. I also drink juice once in awhile - but I can only drink so much of that before I get tired of it - and this is where my weakness for soda comes in. I no longer want to drink any juice and I don't like water. So... hopefully I've beaten that battle before it starts by buying spring water and flavored water. Anyways, back to the sweet tea - should this be okay as long as I regulate how much I drink of it (since I'm only drinking it when I'm out to dinner) or should I rule it out completely?
I have observed, however, with my lack of soda intake, I am drinking more water. Normally, I drink A LOT in a day - whether it be soda, tea, juice, kool aid, etc. I've noticed that while last night at dinner, I drank only 1 glass of peach bellini tea (yum!) and then the waiter gave me a to go cup of it. So that was only 2 teas versus I'm not even sure how many sodas I would normally drink (way too many to be sure). Usually the waiter or waitress is constantly filling up my cup with soda. So I definitely thought this was a good sign. The water I drank during the day was definitely hydrating me. :)
Now to our weight. I am sad to say that while I happen to have gained a pound (dang it!) my husband has lost more than a pound. I will say, however, that my husband is sick and has only eaten soup and drank hot tea and water for the last two days (cheater! ;) haha!)
Jonathan: 167.8 (-1.2)
Gina: 141.8 (+1.4)
Better luck tomorrow! :)
I am in a conundrum though. I'm not sure if I should rule out sweet tea. I don't drink it very often - only when I'm out to eat. But it does have a lot of sugar in it and has caffeine - two of the things I'm trying to avoid by drinking soda. My problem is that 1) I wasn't going to change anything except for the fact that I'm no longer drinking soda and 2) I hate drinking water. This is why I bought bottled water and flavored sparkling water - to sort of replace my liquid intake of soda. I also drink juice once in awhile - but I can only drink so much of that before I get tired of it - and this is where my weakness for soda comes in. I no longer want to drink any juice and I don't like water. So... hopefully I've beaten that battle before it starts by buying spring water and flavored water. Anyways, back to the sweet tea - should this be okay as long as I regulate how much I drink of it (since I'm only drinking it when I'm out to dinner) or should I rule it out completely?
I have observed, however, with my lack of soda intake, I am drinking more water. Normally, I drink A LOT in a day - whether it be soda, tea, juice, kool aid, etc. I've noticed that while last night at dinner, I drank only 1 glass of peach bellini tea (yum!) and then the waiter gave me a to go cup of it. So that was only 2 teas versus I'm not even sure how many sodas I would normally drink (way too many to be sure). Usually the waiter or waitress is constantly filling up my cup with soda. So I definitely thought this was a good sign. The water I drank during the day was definitely hydrating me. :)
Now to our weight. I am sad to say that while I happen to have gained a pound (dang it!) my husband has lost more than a pound. I will say, however, that my husband is sick and has only eaten soup and drank hot tea and water for the last two days (cheater! ;) haha!)
Jonathan: 167.8 (-1.2)
Gina: 141.8 (+1.4)
Better luck tomorrow! :)
Monday, October 18, 2010
The No Soda Challenge - Day One
This past week, I had the pleasure of getting to spend the week with my mom and my little brother Kurt. It was a great week, filled with new memories, and lots of wonderful food. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately :), my mother is addicted to the doctor shows... for example the Doctors tv show and Dr. Oz (formerly on Oprah). So this resulted in my also watching the shows with her, which then turned into me surfing their websites (I'm an internet surfing addict... lol). I came upon where Dr. Oz has a page strictly for challenges. The second one listed was a "No Soda Challenge". My first instinct was to as quickly as possible scroll past it... I've tried one time to cut soda out of my diet - I lasted two days. Two days. That's not even enough to say that I tried. It was more like we didn't have soda in the house and I didn't have time to run to the store and buy more! Well, in the end, I did click on the link and read about the challenge. There are four different steps involving drinking sugar free soda, sugar and caffeine free soda, cutting down on your soda consumption by 50%, and then completely not drinking any soda at all (it sounds like trying to break a cigarette addiction... lol). Jon and I decided that if we were going to do a challenge, that we needed to do it cold turkey.
Here is our plan:
We will not drink any soda at all for 28 days.
We will weigh ourselves each day.
I will blog about our days (including our current weights... ahhh!)
Our goal is to see if cutting soda out of our diet will affect how much weight we lose. We won't be changing our lifestyles - no extra working out (not that we do any now... lol), no change in the foods we eat (yes! no cutting out the chocolate!), and no other strategies to try and lose weight. This is completely and fully just cutting soda out. We can still drink juice, gatorade, sparkling water, and of course, water. I'm looking forward to seeing how much weight we lose, if any.
Here are our beginning weights... (I can't believe I'm posting how much I weigh on a public blog... oh the joy)
Jonathan: 169.0
Gina: 140.4
Here's to not drinking soda!
Here is our plan:
We will not drink any soda at all for 28 days.
We will weigh ourselves each day.
I will blog about our days (including our current weights... ahhh!)
Our goal is to see if cutting soda out of our diet will affect how much weight we lose. We won't be changing our lifestyles - no extra working out (not that we do any now... lol), no change in the foods we eat (yes! no cutting out the chocolate!), and no other strategies to try and lose weight. This is completely and fully just cutting soda out. We can still drink juice, gatorade, sparkling water, and of course, water. I'm looking forward to seeing how much weight we lose, if any.
Here are our beginning weights... (I can't believe I'm posting how much I weigh on a public blog... oh the joy)
Jonathan: 169.0
Gina: 140.4
Here's to not drinking soda!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Emma's 1st Big Girl Haircut
So today, I decided that my little girl needed a haircut. In the past, I have cut her hair - or rather, trimmed it up - trying to get rid of the mullet look. :) Her hair was getting a little out of control and I thought it would be a great idea to go and get it cut instead of fighting that battle myself... haha!
Fortunately, Emma did terrific! She was a trooper and sat there so well and did what the hairstylist asked. I was so proud of her.
I'm so happy we won't have hair morning like this for at least the next week:
Fortunately, Emma did terrific! She was a trooper and sat there so well and did what the hairstylist asked. I was so proud of her.
I'm so happy we won't have hair morning like this for at least the next week:
And now have this:
Besides the fact that they charged me $2 to blow dry her hair (which took approximately 20 seconds to do), we had a great first experience! And I think Emma looks so beautiful!
My little girl looks like such a big girl! Yay, Emma!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Overheard at My House...
Momma: You're my chunky monkey.
Emma: You're my chunky monkey!
Momma: I love you, baby.
Emma: I love you, baby.
Momma: You're so pretty!
Emma: I know.
Emma: You're my chunky monkey!
Momma: I love you, baby.
Emma: I love you, baby.
Momma: You're so pretty!
Emma: I know.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Not Me (Beach Edition)
I did NOT go to the pool and lay in the sun during the hottest time of the day with my sunglasses on and NOT receive a very unattractive raccoon face in reward on the very first day of vacation. Not me!
I did NOT slack on being consistent with my 2-1/2 year old's potty training this past week because I was just plain lazy. She has NOT regressed back into wearing diapers all the time now. Not me!
I did NOT get told when grocery shopping with my family to buy food for the week at our beach house that my butt crack was showing. I was NOT completely mortified and definitely did NOT feel a little angry even though the lady paid my a courtesy by telling me. (Hey- I had a newborn a month and a half ago - don't I get a little slack? Lol.)
It was NOT me sitting on the body board on the beach telling my daughter to pull me around on it in the water. I was NOT doing this because I was too tired to stand there or chase her around and I did NOT think that this would keep her busy for awhile. Not me!
My husband did NOT dig a big hole in the sand to stick our procoscious daughter in to keep her out of trouble. I did NOT get jealous that I didn't think of this first. =P
My daughter's diet this past week did NOT consist of chips and Capri-Suns with the occassional oreo. I would NOT be the type of mom who let this go just because "we're on vacation!" Not me!
On the way home from literally traveling all day yesterday, I did NOT realize that we had not changed Emma's diaper in over 12 hours. My poor daughter did NOT sit in the same diaper all day. Not me!
What have you "not" done this past week?
I did NOT slack on being consistent with my 2-1/2 year old's potty training this past week because I was just plain lazy. She has NOT regressed back into wearing diapers all the time now. Not me!
I did NOT get told when grocery shopping with my family to buy food for the week at our beach house that my butt crack was showing. I was NOT completely mortified and definitely did NOT feel a little angry even though the lady paid my a courtesy by telling me. (Hey- I had a newborn a month and a half ago - don't I get a little slack? Lol.)
It was NOT me sitting on the body board on the beach telling my daughter to pull me around on it in the water. I was NOT doing this because I was too tired to stand there or chase her around and I did NOT think that this would keep her busy for awhile. Not me!
My husband did NOT dig a big hole in the sand to stick our procoscious daughter in to keep her out of trouble. I did NOT get jealous that I didn't think of this first. =P
My daughter's diet this past week did NOT consist of chips and Capri-Suns with the occassional oreo. I would NOT be the type of mom who let this go just because "we're on vacation!" Not me!
On the way home from literally traveling all day yesterday, I did NOT realize that we had not changed Emma's diaper in over 12 hours. My poor daughter did NOT sit in the same diaper all day. Not me!
What have you "not" done this past week?
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
First Day of Preschool!
My little girl - who only 2-1/2 short years ago looked like this -
started her first day of school today. Oh my!
Luckily, she has an advantage with starting out the year with 2 friends already!
Emma, Savannah, and Sydney!
What a big girl!
Bring your smiles everyone.
Hope on down for some preschool fun.
Singing, dancing, playing too; lots of fun for me and you.
Running and jumping in the sun, exercise is so much fun.
Bring your smiles everyone, hop on down for some preschool fun.
Love you baby girl!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Not Me Monday...
I do not plant my toddler in her high chair every morning with a poptart and a movie so that I can go back to bed for 20 minutes while the newborn is still sleeping. I definitely do not rank 20 minutes of sleep as more important than letting my daughter watch cartoons every morning. Not me!
I did not find my toddler hiding underneath her bed the other day with a pillow and some books avoiding a certain crying newborn. I did not seriously also contemplate crawling under there with her. Not me!
I definitely have not already labeled my 3 week old newborn as high maintenance. Not me! Lucky for him he's such a cutie! ;)
I do not go around in my pajamas all day long. And when I finally do take a shower, I definitely do not put another set of pajamas on. Hey! At least they are clean! ;)
I did not go through drive-thru at Starbuck's to buy just a gift card. I also did not judge the cashier/barista when he suggested that I come in and pick out the card that I wanted. I mean, sheesh, can't they see through the intercom system that I am a mother of 2 and it would be more work than it's worth to unbuckle them both and take them into the cafe?!
I did not find out this last week that I owed the Roanoke Library $39 in late charges. I also did not send my husband in to find out how much it was because I was embarrassed. I did not avoid the library for 4 years all because I did not return 2 books. (By the way, fortunately, by returning 2 said books, they lowered my fee considerably... wow. I'm such a loser! I mean, who racks up $39 in late charges... Not me!)
I also am not so incredibly excited about my toddler starting preschool in September that I am counting down the days. And the reason that I am so excited is not because I am counting on taking a nap during those two hours! Not me!
I did not find my toddler hiding underneath her bed the other day with a pillow and some books avoiding a certain crying newborn. I did not seriously also contemplate crawling under there with her. Not me!
I definitely have not already labeled my 3 week old newborn as high maintenance. Not me! Lucky for him he's such a cutie! ;)
I do not go around in my pajamas all day long. And when I finally do take a shower, I definitely do not put another set of pajamas on. Hey! At least they are clean! ;)
I did not go through drive-thru at Starbuck's to buy just a gift card. I also did not judge the cashier/barista when he suggested that I come in and pick out the card that I wanted. I mean, sheesh, can't they see through the intercom system that I am a mother of 2 and it would be more work than it's worth to unbuckle them both and take them into the cafe?!
I did not find out this last week that I owed the Roanoke Library $39 in late charges. I also did not send my husband in to find out how much it was because I was embarrassed. I did not avoid the library for 4 years all because I did not return 2 books. (By the way, fortunately, by returning 2 said books, they lowered my fee considerably... wow. I'm such a loser! I mean, who racks up $39 in late charges... Not me!)
I also am not so incredibly excited about my toddler starting preschool in September that I am counting down the days. And the reason that I am so excited is not because I am counting on taking a nap during those two hours! Not me!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Our Newest Addition...
After a 40 weeks of a lot of "mild" complaining, napping, eating, crying, throwing up, sleepness nights, and trips to the bathroom, the Dickinson family was very happy to welcome the newest and wonderful addition to our family:
Carter David Dickinson
Carter was born after 14 hours of labor (but only 20 min of pushing... yay!) at 10:32 pm on July 26, 2010. He was a whopping 8lbs 2oz and 22 inches long.
Welcome to the family baby boy! We are so excited you are finally here!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Open Mouth... Insert Foot
So today I had the pleasure of meeting a man in the mall who decided that it just took too much out of him to think before he spoke. Yes, that is right -- there are people out there who say things they shouldn't. And yes -- these certain people think they are genius. Or at least this guy did.
I will be the first to admit that I am not the smallest pregnant woman in the world, but please, please -- someone tell me that I'm not the largest! Although I know that I certainly do not look nearly as attractive as this cartoon above, I would like to think that my body does not resemble one carrying twins... this is at least according to the wonderfully blunt man I encountered today.
I can honestly laugh at this because I have come to realize that what a pregnant woman might think is worthy of an all out brawl on the floor (I sure could have punched that guy), I realize that it's just not worth it. He's still going to think what he does, and punching him in the face is certainly not going to change his opinion of me! Lol... not to mention that with all of my other complaints, I really don't need a black and blue eye to go with my back pain... :)
I can honestly laugh at this because I have come to realize that what a pregnant woman might think is worthy of an all out brawl on the floor (I sure could have punched that guy), I realize that it's just not worth it. He's still going to think what he does, and punching him in the face is certainly not going to change his opinion of me! Lol... not to mention that with all of my other complaints, I really don't need a black and blue eye to go with my back pain... :)
All of this to say, please, before you make a random comment to a pregnant woman, think before you talk, or we may just stick that foot in your mouth for you!
When I was pregnant with Emma, there used to be a patient that came in once a month and he would exclaim how much he loved pregnant women and how beautiful he thought they all are. At the time, I'm not going to lie, as charming as he was, I kind of thought it was creepy. But as I look back, I understand that he was reminding me how thankful I should be for this God given gift!
To all of you wonderful pregnant women - past or present - who have encountered someone who does not immediately say something wonderfully nice about you and all the work you do to bring another wonderful beautiful baby in the world - just remember this: They most likely are just jealous that they don't have a built in shelf like we do! ;)
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Not Me Monday... on Wednesday
I have NOT completely become so caught up in my appearance that I have NOT started getting extremely cranky at random people who make comments about how big I am. I definitely do NOT hold this against them, and I most likely will NOT hold a grudge against them until this little boy enters the world and I can wear normal clothes again.
It now takes me so long to get up and down because of mylaziness tiredness and size, that I definitely do NOT send my 2-1/2 year old daughter to do all of my dirty work - letting the dog in, throwing trash away, and putting in her own movies in the dvd player. This definitely has NOT spread to my husband who now has her standing on a stool drying dishes and putting dishes away from the dishwasher. Did I mention she's 2-1/2? I guess it's never too young to start having chores... ;-)
I have definitely NOT become such a big Grey's Anatomy junkie that I did NOT race to the mailbox everyday hoping and praying for the next installment in the series from Netflix. I have NOT scheduled most everything this week based on the ample amount of time I plan on spending vegging out in front of the tv watching it.
I have NOT craved a 675 calorie drink everyday from McDonald's and I would NOT ever get upset if my husband didn't get my ever-so-subtle hints that he was supposed to bring me home a Mocha Frappe everyday from work.
I have NOT used my belly as a holding area for my cell phone, cereal bowl, or drink. (And I definitely am NOT proud of this and accuse my husband that he was just jealous he didn't have one!)
I have NOT realized how much food and/or drink I spill down the front of me until I had something to catch it all on... ahem.
Have you had a NOT ME moment? Feel free to share!
It now takes me so long to get up and down because of my
I have definitely NOT become such a big Grey's Anatomy junkie that I did NOT race to the mailbox everyday hoping and praying for the next installment in the series from Netflix. I have NOT scheduled most everything this week based on the ample amount of time I plan on spending vegging out in front of the tv watching it.
I have NOT craved a 675 calorie drink everyday from McDonald's and I would NOT ever get upset if my husband didn't get my ever-so-subtle hints that he was supposed to bring me home a Mocha Frappe everyday from work.
I have NOT used my belly as a holding area for my cell phone, cereal bowl, or drink. (And I definitely am NOT proud of this and accuse my husband that he was just jealous he didn't have one!)
I have NOT realized how much food and/or drink I spill down the front of me until I had something to catch it all on... ahem.
Have you had a NOT ME moment? Feel free to share!
Monday, June 7, 2010
A baby shower and a baseball game...
I was so fortunate this weekend to get to spend some good quality time with family and friends. Thank you to my good friend, Lauren for the beautiful baby shower she threw for me!
A doughnut cake from Blue Collar Joes!
Playing a game... each person guessed how big around they thought my belly was. Some were pretty close...
And some were not... lol!
Thank you to those who came to my shower... Lauren, Roxy, Jocelyn, Emily, Mandy, Marlene, and Liz. You'll never know how much we appreciate your thoughtfulness and support! :)
You can also see a couple more pictures on Lauren's site!
The next day, we headed to Baltimore for some good time with good friends!
And then in the 9th inning, sadly the Red Sox were losing. So....
It was time for the "rally caps."
And as much as we thought they were going to bring it back as the Sox brought it back to a tie...
It ended up as a loss for the Boston Red Sox. The Baltimore Orioles won 4-3 after 11 innings.
And although the trip was long and the weather was not exactly as we had hoped, we came back with some wonderful memories and times together. Hmmm... maybe we should make this an annual trip! :)
I hope you all had as wonderful a weekend as we did!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
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