Tuesday, October 26, 2010

I'm so stinkin' sick of contractors..

So, we hired this guy to build us a fireplace mantle.  First, he calls to confirm when I told him to come and TELLS me that after he comes over, he'll measure the fireplace then go home and build it, then come over to put in on..Whoa..I told him let's meet first, discuss what we want,etc.  So, he brings his wife and she goes on and on how he's so great and is so talented yada yada...I had a feeling about them..you know that even though the price is good it just doesn't seem right, but I overlooked it because they were soooo cheap!

So, he gives us a price and we agree to let him build the mantle.  This was on Friday.  He was supposed to go get the wood(we even had a sawmill that we knew had the perfect piece that he called and reserved)  He asked us for $50 for the wood.  Not knowing him from Adam we said no-he obviously knew where we lived but we didn't feel comfortable giving him money until the job was done-thank goodness..
He was to come today at noon to fit the mantle that he apparantly built this weekend.  Darryl was coming home from a trip and I didn't want to be here alone with some random guy so I scheduled it for when Darryl was home...12:00 comes and goes...1:00..same...2:00..you get the picture...So, Darryl calls him and asks him what's up...He hasn't even bought the wood yet!!  He didn't call..nothing!  He said he couldn't do it unless we bought the wood first or paid him for the wood...yeah right..I wasn't born yesterday buddy...
What I don't get is obviously this guy needs the money...he sat here forever on Friday wasting his and our time yet doesn't even bother to show up?!! 
So, I'm sans mantle....
Thankfully, I found another guy with good references and seem to be very professional.  Only time will tell..we'll see how this one goes...

Monday, October 25, 2010

Is it totally bad that It's 6:15 pm and I'm still in my pj's ?

Thursday, October 21, 2010

A Quick Update

I don't have much time this morning for a full post but wanted to update my blog(My sweet brother constantly reminds me that yes..I've done a bad job lately of updating)...so, a more thorough post will come later.  Some things that have been happening:
We went to the Biltmore last Saturday, which was really neat but suprisingly busy...it would seem our economy was having NO issues with the amount of people we saw there (It's really expensive to get in..)
We hit downtown Asheville afterwards to take in the sights and hopefully get into my favorite restaurant for dinner.  Alas, there was a 2 hour wait and it was already 8pm so we just walked around for a bit, listened to the street singers, and hit the road to find a Carrabas...I was pretty bummed I love to eat at local establishments vs. chain but 2 hours we just couldn't do..The upside is that Tupelo Honey Cafe(the restaurant I speak of has a cookbook coming out in the Spring so I'll be able to make their wonderful food at home!)

I went for another ultrasound on Friday.  I HAD to find out if there was 2 babies in there..I know I'm crazy, I know whether their was 2 or 20 it is was it is..but I HAD TO KNOW...I was in a panic, making deals with God-like he's some sort of saleman and this is a negotiation boy that's a laugh..but I was desparate...in a panic I promised to find joy and be happy if he would just put one..oh it had to be healthy..oh..and if it could be the sex I wanted that would be great too...I act like I'm 6 sometimes..really...
Well, I went in and the ultrasound tech was wonderful(much better than the girl at the doctor's office) She checked for like 20 minutes and even gave me some 4D images of the baby(which looks like an alien right now)..their is only 1...I feel confident in that now and can rest a little easier.  Not that I don't absolutely adore my twins..everyone that knows me knows that they are everything to me..but..I just want one set...I've done it and I had fun and it was great and all that jazz but I don't want to do it again...period...

I've noticed lately my patience is really running thin.  I'm not very tolerant lately of alot of things.  It's not the kids or anything..it's other people.  I don't know if it's a pregnancy thing or what but somethings that irritated me before really are setting me off lately.  Like how certain people say certain words-It's stupid I know but for some reason it's really bothering me lately.  I won't go into them here my family knows what they are and constantly think it's funny to bring them up and say them to irritate me...it's kindof funny now that I write it out how silly it is..but still...it does irritate me..

I'm planning on buying a treadmill this week or next.  We had an awesome treadmill that we sold for pennies two homes ago and I so wish we had that one!   I really want to keep in shape during this pregnancy and since there is only one I want to make sure I'm careful about how much weight I gain.  I gained 28 pounds with the boys, which I know is good with twins, since most singelton pregnancys gain 25-35 pounds, so I'm hoping to only gain about 20 pounds with this one.  So far, it seems that it will be easy because I have no appetite for anything but I know after the first trimester is over, the food cravings begin..so I have to be careful.  Plus, the holiday season is coming and I have a hard time controlling myself during that time.  I also had gestastional diabetes with the twins and hope this time I don't get it again. 

Whew!  That was a long post for what was to be a short update.  Will be back soon with pictures from the Biltmore!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Simple Woman's Daybook

Tuesday October 19, 2010


For Today…



Outside my window... The leaves are changing  and are starting to fall.  I love when they get blown around it looks like it's snowing orange,red, yellow and brown-it's beautiful!

I am thinking....about holiday gift making-don't tell the boys but I want to make them sock monkeys

I am wearing...Long sleeve knit top and bermuda shorts

I am remembering...my wierd dreams last night.  I dreamed I sold this house and then changed my mind but it was too late.  I have been talking about selling but it's only because I get the itch because my extended family isn't here.  When they come(noticed I said when not if)..I'm never leaving!

I am going...to get the rest of the boys Halloween items today.  I'm also hoping to find some flannel sheets for my bed.  I saw on Kohl's website that they had all their spring maternity things on sale and they didn't look to *maternity-like*(I don't do big shirts, dresses that look like I'm a parachute, or anything like that)..so I may check out what they have since I will be big next spring...

I am hoping....that I can keep it together this week.  So far, I haven't cried since Sunday(which is an accomplishment-BELIEVE me).  I just keep looking foward and trying to see the positive-I'm trying to choose joy again.

From the learning rooms…playing catch up from the last couple of weeks.  I've really dropped the ball since I found out I was pregnant.  Thankfully, they both are really into reading right now and have been reading constantly so I feel like we are still progressing foward.  We went to the zoo yesterday for zoo club and that was fun but today it's back to the books!

Noticing that...My boys are going to be fine...they really have embraced this new change and for that, I'm thankful

Pondering these words...

From the kitchen…Nothing special to be honest.  I just don't have an appetite lately so I've been forcing myself to at least eat salad and a bit of protein.

Around the house...It's a mess...period...trying to get back into the swing of things..

One of my favorite things: Flannel sheets..I keep cozing up with the boys at night because of their flannel sheets..oh and they are super cozy kids too...

A few plans for the rest of the week:   Baseball tournaments, dinner with friends on Wednesday and I have a dear friend coming over Saturday night for dinner-can't wait!

From my picture journal...
I bought these flowers at Walmart for .50 for a scrawny pack of 6 flowers.  They looked really bad but I figured for .50 if they didn't come back it wasn't a huge loss..but they ended up thriving!

If you'd like to participate in the simple woman's daybook, visit:

Saturday, October 9, 2010

A special birthday

It was my sweet husband's birthday on Thursday-Oct. 7th...
I knew for at least one day I needed to suck it up and do something for someone else.(I hadn't cooked a dinner in at least 7 days-I know...I just couldn't do it for some reason)..So, although I cried in the morning, I got myself together and prepared his favorite dinner-Chicken Marsala with Fettucine Alfredo...
It was really, really good...

I also made him an ice cream cake for dessert.  Not just any ice cream cake but an ice cream cake with a chocolate crust.  The first layer of ice cream was chocolate with crushed cookie crumbs.  Then I crushed an entire bag of snack sized snickers and put that in the middle layer...then I put another layer of Edy's Chocolate ice cream.  Then I made some whipped cream..I decorated the top with the whipped cream and put some more crushed snickers on top....It was S...O....G..O..O..D...!!!


We opened gifts.  One thing Darryl and I love to do for each other is to take the boys to the paint your own pottery place and make something with their hand or footprints.  Well, this year we made a popcorn bowl.  You see Darryl is the best popcorn maker and on Friday night movie nights he always makes popcorn for us(which is kindof neat because his dad used to do the same thing)
He loved it...







Hopefully, he had a wonderful birthday and I didn't spoil it with my depression and tears...I love him so much and am blessed to have him as my husband...
Happy Birthday Darryl!
I love you...

Friday, October 8, 2010

Life changes

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing"
                                                                                        -Helen Keller

Boy, I have sat down to write another blog post several times only to just put it away...put my life away for now and forget....I have had such a range of emotion this last couple of weeks and it's hard to contain into one simple journal entry.....

I'm pregnant...there...I've said it and written it down....

First, I went through a series of fear-paralyzing fear that crippled me, depressed me, and cause me to not only not be able to take care of my family but fear of my own thoughts and how they would possibly manifest themselves...you see, this was planned...we tried to get pregnant.  But, something happens to me when I get pregnant-I am gripped by the fear of change.  I could pack up tomorrow and move to Alaska with my family-no fear...My husband could lose his job, we lose this home and move into a trailer somewhere-no fear...I love a new adventure-I thrive on new experiences(which is probably why we move so much)...but this...this is where Satan knows he can get me....I feel like I'm attacked by Satan.  My friend Elise said it right, she said that it's like Satan is throwing arrows at you and you have your arms wide open...she's right...
I have no joy, absolutely zero, in this situation..and it's happened before so I know it will happen..but still...

Then, I though we were going to miscarry.  The midwife was not optimistic in my hcg levels.  She had prepared me for the worst and I had to accept it.  So, again on the roller coaster of emotion-how do I feel about this?  Would we try again?  I was sad at the thought of not having the baby(even though days before I was sad at the thought of having the baby)..it's like you want something only when you can't have it, know what I mean?  So, I had resolved(in my mind) how this was a good thing..our lives would go back to normal..everything would be fine..we would discuss whether I could go through this again when the time came...

Then, I had another doctors appointment.  The midwife wanted to do another ultrasound.  She felt like we would have our definite answer by then.  We could do what was necessary with the information we would get...if there was no growth in the sac..we knew I would miscarry.  She said if we were lucky we'd see a fetal pole and maybe the baby would be o.k.....well, we not only saw the fetal pole but the heartbeat.  The midwife rejoiced and said it was a miracle! 

Back onto the roller coaster.....Here I had went in preparing myself for the fact that I'm going to miscarry and she's rejoicing in the miracle of the baby's heartbeat.  She said everything was fine, gave me a due date and sent me on my way....and the emotions began AGAIN...
Fear, sadness, lonelieness, anger, self-pity....it was all their again...

I knew people were praying for me...I know a lot of people are praying for me and I thank you.  I feel those prayers, I really do...

We still haven't told the boys(which is wierd because here I am sharing this news with the world yet haven't shared it with my two precious boys) There are reasons for that...first, I need to journal this...I need to get this down on print so that I can always remember these moments..and second, that fear, that fear is the reason I don't tell the boys I have to wait until I'm o.k. with saying it before I can tell the boys(although I think they already have an idea-Matthew found my ultrasound picture the other day)...We plan to tell them after my next appointment just to make sure everything is o.k.(and to make sure their is only 1 baby in there..if not...well, I'll need some time to get over that hump)...

I know some folks probably think I'm ungrateful.  I know I feel like I'm *spitting* in God's face for even thinking these things.  The Bible clearly states children are a blessing from the Lord...yet, I felt I was being punished...God knows me...he knows how I get in this situation..why would he do this to me?  Even though we tried I felt like he knew I would freak out, why would he choose to bless me instead of someone else that is struggling with infertility?  These are questions I may never know the answer to...but, I do know this..before this baby was even concieved I felt God telling me that a baby needed to come into this world ...I know it sounds wierd but it's true..I felt it several times...Maybe that's why there is such a struggle..maybe Satan doesn't want this baby in the world for whatever reason..I don't know...

In my prayer time this morning, I felt God speaking to me and saying that this baby would help to unite our family once again...I hope so..that would be such a wonderful gift.

(And please-if you don't know me personally and you are reading this post, please don't feel the need to post a negative comment regarding this....These are *MY* feelings on *MY* blog and if you don't agree with them-as I'm sure most people will not-I'm a basket case of emotions lately-then don't respond or read my blog)..I recorded this so I could look back on this and see how I was feeling NOW-I hope and pray daily that I will rejoice in this blessing and have happiness and joy once again...Also, please know that I do view all children as a blessing and gift from God-I really do..my boys are the biggest joy I've ever experienced in my life...unfortunately, my fear right now is overshadowing the joy of this...I hope and pray it is reversed soon..)  And if your curious how my other half is feeling...he is elated, over the moon, excited...He is my rock during this time and I have leaned on him for support and encouragement.  His excitement is contagious(a little bit) as he shares with me how excited and blessed he feels to get to be a daddy again...

Also, if you are the praying type...I would appreciate your prayers...

Let the adventure begin...