DT's big boy room

With the coming of a new baby brother, we thought it would be a good time to give DT his own big boy room. He, of course, wanted it painted red. We've been working hard this weekend to get it ready for him by his birthday and we were able to finish it today. Here are some before and after pictures.

Before:










This was once the man room...










even though it had this awful wallpaper on the walls.

In progress:










Notice how the crappy wallpaper is bubbling up. This was quite a disappointment. Why didn't we take the wallpaper down, you might ask. Well, I'll give you the shortest version I can. As we were taking down even uglier wallpaper in our bedroom and bathroom, we realized the idiots that put it on didn't prepare the walls or size them or whatever the term is. They just slapped the stuff up on the sheet rock. When you take wallpaper off of sheet rock, it takes chunks of sheet rock with it it. It took a lot of mud and sanding to get our walls to look half way decent, and I mean half way. We didn't want to go through that again, so we thought the best thing would be to paint of the stuff... and it bubbled. By this point, we don't care. There is nothing we can do and we'll just cover it good and let the next owners deal with it. :)

After:











The red turned out a little different than I thought it would but still looks good and my boy loves it. That's all that matters.

Spasms, Baby, Smokey C's

Spasm is such a funny word. It looks funny and sounds funny but I'm here to tell you it doesn't feel funny! Monday morning, I was getting ready in the bathroom, so I could take DT to school and all of the sudden I had a sharp pain in the lower, middle part of my back. It took me by surprise b/c I was just standing there rubbing lotion on my belly. I was still in pain but went ahead and took DT to school. Getting into the car was no fun but I made it in. Unfortunately I adjusted when I got in there and the pain worsened. I, of course, started to cry like a baby b/c it hurt like hell and I knew I was going to have a very hard time getting out of my car. Once I got to the school and out of the car, I stiffly walked Dylan to class. His teacher and another 4 year old teacher were in the hall talking and knew something was wrong. I told them what happened, still crying, and DT's teacher said she wouldn't let me drive and took me to mom's house.
Long story short (it could be a lot longer)... I had to go to my doctor and he said I was having back spasms. I was thinking 'That's it?! Back spasms?' b/c it felt way more serious than that. These things felt like they were breaking my body in half. I've never felt so much pain in my life. The doc wrote me a prescription, which he told me would be Darvocet (spelling?) and I was almost giddy b/c I thought I'd be in la-la land while getting to rest on the couch for a few days. Let's just say the medicine has most definitely helped but it wasn't anything thing like I thought it would be. It made me a little drowsy, that's it. Dang!
The doc also went ahead and checked to make sure I wasn't in labor and I haven't softened or thinned AT ALL but the baby's head is real low. Doesn't matter anyway... you know, with the whole c-section thing and all.

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Speaking of baby :), I had another doc's appt. today to get an ultrasound and test. They couldn't do everything Monday . Deacon looks like he is going to be a big boy. They say, as far a weight goes, that he is about a week ahead of time. He measured about 6 lbs and 14 oz. This is at 36 weeks. When Dylan was born, which was at about 40 weeks, he weighed 7 lbs and 4oz. Babies gain about a 1/2 an ounce each week from 36 weeks on. SO, since he his already almost 7 lbs now, he could weigh over 8 lbs at birth. Again, doesn't matter much anyway b/c of the whole c-section thing. I weighed 8 lbs and 15 oz when I was born. He must get it from his momma.

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I haven't said much about Smokey's lately. We have been blessed once again. Smokey's has done pretty good, especially since we opened in such a crappy economic time, but there have been slow times. Well, now things are really picking up. We had and have several big catering jobs and we've had a lot of orders to cook people's turkeys for Thanksgiving. We are seeing lots of new customers and still seeing lots of our repeat customers. We have a lot to be thankful for this year!

Sunday Post

Here we are at 35 weeks... only 4 weeks and 2 days left. I had a doctor's appt. this past Thursday and everything is going good. He said all of my numbers look good. I'm so glad too. At this stage of pregnancy with Dylan, I was beginning to be warned about my weight and blood pressure. I've tried pretty hard to keep those numbers good this time around. The only thing about this visit was I didn't get to see my normal doctor. He has moved to Madison and I won't see him until delivery day. I'm not big on change, especially with something so private as an OBGYN doctor.

Last night, I started having contractions with light menstrual-like cramps. Casey was asleep on the couch, so I started to time them myself, just to see. They were about 8 minutes apart but never got stronger or closer together. I finally gave up and went to sleep, figuring that if it was real labor, it would eventually wake up. Sure enough, I made it until morning. It was probably just my indigestion, which I seem to suffer with on a daily basis now.

A Happy Birthday & A Barack Roll

Happy Birthday to the best sis-in-law ever! Hope you have a great day... love ya!




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Here is a video I thought was worth sharing. I stole it off of someone else's blog and like them, I'm not trying to make a political statement or anything like that. I just thought it was funny! I love the whole "Rick Rolled" thing anyway. Enjoy!

Halloween and the Blahs

Halloween was great this year. I'm really too tired to go into great detail. It was bigger and better than years past and we had A LOT of people come to our haunted house. Here are some pictures:


This was the haunted house crew. From left to right: Bloody victim- Heather, Leatherface- Michael T., chainsaw monster- Ken, big-headed monster- Ben, Jason- Casey, Michael Myers- Michael B., and then our guide Bo. We had three others but they left earlier.




If you can see him, this is Dylan in his Mr. Dude (the grim reaper) costume. We've always called the big blow up thing Mr. Dude so DT wouldn't be scared of him... it worked. Dylan wanted to be a bleeding skeleton this year but I thought that might be just a little much for a 4 year old, so we went with this instead.




We went to a costume party Saturday night and had a great time too. I took my camera w/ me did left the memory card at home. I love Halloween but am so glad it's over.

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Well, we only have 5 weeks until Deacon will be here and I am so ready, though our house still isn't. We will be starting that this weekend... fun! I'm getting to that wonderful point in pregnancy where you feel tired, uncomfortable and just HUGE all of the time. I may post a picture later but I'm not feeling too cute today. I had one of those loud, nosey mom's tell me today that I am just keep getting bigger and bigger and that everything looks like it starting to swell. Thanks. That's just what I wanted to hear, especially since I had just scarfed down a double cheese burger and medium fry from greasy-as-hell Wendy's. I've noticed I've become moody and emotional again too. I left the restaurant early Saturday and cried all the way home. I had no reason but it sure felt good. I must be such a joy to be around.

Catching up...

Sorry, it's been a long time. I get on here to post and then just lose the desire. Not much has been going on anyway. Here are a few things:

1. We had Dylan's b-day party early this year b/c I knew I wouldn't have the energy later on. It was a great party. Fun was had by all. Here are a few pictures.















I love Luke's expression in this picture.

















2. This past Thursday, I went with Dylan on his first field trip. We were both pretty excited. You know how field trips become such a big deal. We went to the pumpkin patch and it was kind of a disappointment. The kids had fun and that is all that matters. Here are a few pics of that too.







I can never get a serious picture out of him.








Dylan's teacher and class... look at all of those boys! I don't know how she does it.







I think this was the kid's favorite part. All of us moms sat there and cringed b/c they were covered in dirt when it was all said and done, but you've just got to let them have fun sometimes.






Dylan with his pumpkin. It wasn't even an actual pumpkin patch. They just sat these bumpy pumpkins out on this dirt patch for the kids to go pick out. It took maybe 30 seconds to get one. It was kind of buddy (haven't used that word in a long time but it fits).







3. I've had two doctor's visits I think, since the last time I blogged. Deacon is arriving December 9th, unless he decides to come earlier. All of my numbers look good and I'll have one more ultrasound at 36 weeks. I still look in the mirror and can't believe I am pregnant, much less 6 weeks away from having a new baby. Needless to say, I'm ready.

Birthdays

I went to the doctor today and everything looks great. We got to schedule my c-section... baby Deacon will be here December 9th. That is exactly one week after Dylan's birthday. I can't believe it is already that close but I'm ready, although the house isn't. Casey isn't in denial but it just hasn't hit him yet. I guess it's that way for daddies, since they aren't carrying the extra weight that happens to move at anytime of the day and occasionally gets the hiccups.

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Since Deacon is due so close to Dylan's birthday, I decided to throw his birthday party this weekend. I knew I'd be too tired to handle that in December and besides, we can still have it outside this time of year. We are going to have it at a beautiful park by the river. It should be fun.

Well, that's pretty much it. Hope y'all have a great weekend.

:)

Yay! Today I got a new, old dryer. A BIG thanks to Kitten and Bill who gave us their old dryer. I put that sucker to use immediately. I hope I don't over work it. We've been without a dryer for over a month now and I couldn't wait to wash some clothes. I don't know which is more sad... getting excited about washing clothes or not knowing where to start b/c there are so many that need to be washed. I do dread folding and putting them away, however.

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I'm huge now but Mimi, I can still touch my toes. :)

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My friend Christi, who I've know quite literally all my life, is pregnant for a 5th time but has lost two babies due to rare diseases. She went to the doctor today and found out this baby seems healthy and it's a boy! We've been praying pretty hard. Still praying pretty hard...

It's actually kind of neat, the two girls I've know all of my life are pregnant the same time I am. We were all born in the same neighborhood and played together. Two of us are having boys and the other, a girl. We all still keep in touch.

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Go ask your mother.

Yesterday, while Dylan was riding his bike, the girl from across the street came over. I had an old Auburn shirt on and it wasn't a maternity shirt, so it was pretty tight across my belly. It was obvious she hadn't been around many pregnant bellies b/c she kept staring at it. I asked her if she would like to feel the baby move if I could wake him up. At first, she was a little hesitant (she's 7) but then became almost annoying about it. From the start, the baby wasn't having it. I tried everything to get him to move. He would move every now and then and finally she got to feel him kick. Good thing too b/c I was getting tired of her shaking and poking my belly, which she had seen me do.

After that, the questions started coming, for example: "can you walk when your pregnant?", "are you going to get bigger than you already are?", "how do you wear clothes when your that big?", ect. While most questions centered around how big I was, I knew what was coming... "how do babies come out?". So I told her the truth, at least about my situation... that I would have surgery to have the baby. They'd cut me open, ect. I hoped to get away with that but didn't. She asked " well how do they get out when you don't have surgery?". It would have been funny to scare her but I just told her to "go ask you mother".

3D/4D ultrasound continued...

Ok y'all... I know this is all kinds of messed up but I hope you can see them. I used my scanner for only the second time tonight and am not sure if this will work out or not.

He still wasn't cooperating very well but we were able to see him better. He kept both of his hands up by his face and wouldn't turn towards us anymore. Matter of fact, he wouldn't hardly move for us no matter how hard we tried. Tonight, however, he is VERY active.

The first picture (if you can even see it) is of Deacon smiling. It was so amazing to be able to see that. The ultrasound technician couldn't quite capture the full smile but we were lucky enough to get what we got.

The second picture is of him yawning. It was so cute and again, amazing.

The last two pictures are the best ones we could get of his face. At least in these ultrasound photos, he looks like DT.

If these don't work out, I'm sure my dad can figure something out.

3D/4D ultrasound...

I just got back from my 3D/4D ultrasound and, of course, Deacon was facing my spine! It's been that kind of day. No one seems to be in a good mood, I was emotional and both my boys were being difficult. While getting prepared for the ultrasound, the technician had two pretty empty bottles of jell and tried squirting it on my belly. It pretty much splattered everywhere but my belly, mostly my face. She kept yawning the whole time too. Come on! Shouldn't everyone be excited about this wonderful moment? Seems not... not even the baby cooperated. I got back on Thursday for my glucose test (yum) and they are going to check again. If it doesn't work then, I go back next Tuesday. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed, especially since it costs a pretty penny.

To be continued...

I'm too tired to come up with a good title...

Sorry it's been so long since a post... the energy levels are beginning to lower. A lot has happened at Smokey C's lately. We have begun to advertise through radio, newspaper and even t.v. Business seems to be getting steadier, which is great.

Casey went on a local tv station and did about a 15 minute spot. They came by the restaurant and shot a short commercial one morning. Casey was super nervous but did a great job. We didn't know they were going to come by and shoot that morning. Anyway, they posted it on youtube and now I can share it with you. So here it is. Enjoy! (As I said, I think Casey did great, especially for being put on the spot, but the other guy is so cheezy!).

Baby stuff

Today I am 25 weeks... only 15 more to go! I'm starting to loose energy again but I am hoping to counteract that with some prenatal yoga. Everyday this week, my belly seems to be changing shape. So much so that others even noticed. Deacon was sitting pretty high one day, then way out front the next and then he dropped low again, which is where he sits now. He isn't quite as active as Dylan was but he makes his movements count for something. They are strong.

I wish that I could figure the scanner to computer process but I've tried before and failed. If I could, I would post his ultrasound pictures. They were good ones. Here in about 3 weeks I go for my 3D/4D ultrasound. Yay!

A few weeks ago, right after I found out we were having a boy, mom and I went to Target and of course, I had to check out the baby stuff. I hadn't intended to buy anything but I found Deacon's nursery bedding. Even before I found out the sex, I had been checking out different styles for both boys and girls. I didn't do that with Dylan b/c we bought the nursery furniture from some nice people who already had the bedding to go with it. This time I wanted something new and different. Anyway, we were in Target and I found what I had been looking for. I went ahead and purchased it because it was the only one left and I am kind of picky and was afraid I wouldn't be able to find it again. I'm glad I did because I haven't been able to find it in the store again or on the internet. So here it is: It matches the paint already on the walls from when DT was a baby.
We are going to move DT into the "man room" so he can have what we are calling a big brother room.

A few new pics

A new baby bump picture taken about 2 weeks ago. Twenty four weeks down, sixteen weeks to go. I'm ready.

I think Deacon has changed positions and is now punching or kicking my bladder. I have just about peed on myself several times in the past few days. I have seriously debated getting some Depends b/c they are some serious attacks. I believe he is using all my energy to do this as well... I've been super tired lately.




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This is our "new" '86 pop-up Jayco camper. We decided to try it our this past weekend at PM (our local water park and campgrounds). We were planning to stay through Monday but Faye ruined those plans. We still had a good time though and I'm sure there are many more ahead. The only problem was the frequent bathroom trips. I definitely got my exercise.



This is a family picture taken by a nice lady at the campgrounds. As you can see, my plans for a tan this summer did not happen.

It was so nice to actually be in a picture with my family. I'm usually the one behind the camera.




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This is just a random picture of DT that I like. It pretty sums up how he is most of the time, except he is actually sitting still.












Here is a picture of Casey and Cory in front of the new smoker. Cory did the paint job you see in the background. Nice, huh?








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Special thanks to you Jen... I went through the maternity clothes you gave me and found the most wonderful pair of plain black pants. If I could, I would live in those things. They are so comfortable. Love ya!

Dogs, Sweet Moments, Home Improvements/Repair

I'm sick of dogs! I love 'em but they've got to get out. Our fence is broken, which allowed Lily to have her little adventure a few weeks ago, and so our dogs have become mostly indoor dogs. All they do is scratch and lick, lick and scratch. It drives me nuts! And as I sit here typing this, Lily has released one of the most foul smelling things I have ever smelled.

Then, this morning, I decide to open our windows since is was a beautiful and cool morning and our house smells like bulldog. What do I immediately hear? The two pitbulls down the street having a barking contest. Did their owners come out and tell them to 'shut up'? No. Did I? Yes. Did they? No. It was 7:30... people are trying to sleep. We have three dogs and are able to keep them pretty much under control but I guess that is easy when they get to stay in the house all the time. Ugh!

Good news... today we are putting up a new fence whenever Casey gets back from an unexpected trip to the golf course. Isn't it lovely how guys can have plans that suddenly come up and just be able to go? I don't know many women, especially mom's that can do that. Maybe its just me. By the way, I'm not the least bit cranky today. :)

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Last night, I had my first sweet moment with my two boys. Dylan asks me every night to lay with him until he goes to sleep. I always tell him "not tonight" like a bad mom but a) I don't want to make a habit of it and b) I am either busy trying to straighten the house up b/c of the dogs or I am on my way to bed. However, I gave in last night. While we were lying there, Deacon decided to start kicking up a storm. I asked DT if he'd like to feel his little brother moving. So he gave me his hand and I put it on the most active part of my belly. It wasn't hard for DT to feel Deacon moving. Of course, he thought it was really neat but I thought it was pretty incredible. It was just a perfect moment. It was peaceful and quiet and my boys had their first interaction with each other. Before now, Dylan hadn't really gotten to feel the baby moving b/c he always stops whenever someone puts their hand on my belly.

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Besides putting up a new fence, converting the man room into Dylan's new room and updating the nursery a little, Casey and I have decided that we would love to replace our dog infested carpet with wood floors. I've always loved them but preferred carpet with kids around. For some reason, the last two weeks have changed my mind. We are hoping to find a good deal with a one year same as cash plan and do it as our Christmas present to each other this year. It would really help to update the house and make it look so much better. We would just start out with the living room and hallway but would eventually like to do the kitchen and maybe the rest of the house.

A few questions:
1) Which is easier to clean: carpet or hardwood?
2) What is the easiest way to clean hardwood floors?
3) Which do you prefer?

Jen, I know that you can help me with this one. :)

Did I mention that our dryer went out on us last weekend and that we still have to get Rocky his $650 surgery done? Seriously, I'm thinking the home improvement thing is just a pipe dream.

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Well, I'm gonna go take a shower now and then, maybe some oreos and milk will brighten my day a little more. It's really not that bad but today is my day off and the first day I've had a chance to stop and think about all the little annoyances and they added up quick.

I may post a new baby bump pic later and one of Deacon's bedding. I can't get one of my camera's photo cards to import my pictures onto my computer. :P

I broke the family tradition...

well, my family tradition of the 2nd child being a girl. It's a boy and he is proud of it too!!! Those Culver's are going to take over the world. At least they are all good looking. ;) We are super excited, especially Dylan. He's always said he wanted a brother and that it was going to be a boy. We haven't completely decided on a name just yet but it will most likely be Deacon Reid. We like Deacon b/c it is different and Reid is a family name on my dad's side. Besides, we really can't agree on any other names.

The baby looks great. I'm 21 weeks and he is a little over a pound. Everything is moving a long perfectly. I couldn't ask for anything more.

Just a thought

As Casey, Dylan and I were driving today, the thought that we could be grandparents in 20 years popped into my head. It was out of nowhere! Although 20 yrs seems like a good bit away, it was, for some reason, kind of shocking.

Jake, new smoker

Happy (day late) 1st Birthday to Jake!!! Sorry I'm late. I knew it was yesterday. I wish I had a picture but I don't. Actually, I do but I don't know how to work my scanner.

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Yesterday, we had a new arrival... our smoker. The boys took the old one to the scrap yard and had them beat it up a little before they left to put the new one in. Needless to say, they are excited.

That's all I really have. We've been enjoying our long weekend before works starts bright and early again on Monday.

Lily

Please pray that we are able to find Lily. We let the dogs out about 8:30 last night and when I went to let them back in
the morning (b/c of the heat) Lily wasn't in the yard. Our fence is messed up but they hadn't gotten out in a long time. We searched our neighborhood and couldn't find her. We are afraid she has been picked up by someone. She can't handle this heat at all. Please hope and pray we find her. She is one of our babies.



Update:
We found Lily. Casey and I searched our area of the neighborhood for a long time and never saw any sign of her. We finally had to go back to work to help get ready for lunch. Mom said she would go over around 10:30 to have a look. She was driving down a culdasac down the street from us and spotted her on someone's front porch. The lady that lived there was giving her some water to drink. She is now home safe and back to being her diva self.

The Aftermath

This picture pretty much sums up how we all feel after our first three days at Smokey's. The picture was taken about 6:30 last night (he went to bed shortly after). We all could have gone to bed then. Bless his heart, since we have to get up at 4:30, so does he. DT has done so good with it all, though. Thankfully, this won't be a permanent thing... getting up at that time of day is rough on me, too.


I knew that having a drive-thru was going to be hard work but I never expected it to be so, so quickly. I had faith that this was and is going to do good but we sold out of food everyday by 2:00. I never expected that! We had to close down before dinner. Once the new smoker comes in, we will be able to handle the demand. I know the boys can't wait. We've had people come b/c someone called them and told them how good the food was, and even had people come back the next day for more. It is so exciting. I am so proud for the guys... well, everyone. There has been a lot of hard work put into this and it is working out for them. The hardest part, right now, is trying to set up a routine and a way to get the food out more efficiently but that is to be expected... at lunch, we've been slammed from the get go and none of us has ever really done this before. Thank you to all who have prayed and sent good thoughts our way! They were obviously heard.

BIG thanks to mom and dad for watching Dylan during all of this!!!

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In baby news, I'm now 19 weeks pregnant. I'm feeling the baby move around pretty good now but it's another stubborn one. Every time Casey or Dylan put their hands on my belly to feel the baby, it stops moving. It's really not that active of a baby, at least during the day. The funny thing is, the only time it seems to get excited and move a lot is when I'm eating. Sounds like a kid after my own heart. I have a doctor's appointment this week and then in two weeks we find out what it is. yay!

So Blessed

Smokey C's had a very successful first day. We sold out of pretty much everything by 1:30! We all get to go home a little early today, which is nice since we were all there by 5-5:30. Everyone is tired and worn out. I'll post more about it later on. I've got house work to do now. Thanks for all the prayers and good thoughts.

It's Been One Hell of a Day!

Pardon the expression but it just fits! Today, at Smokey C's, our biggest and main smoker finally bit the dust and made sure it had a victim, besides the bank account, before it did. Last week, the guys had the gas regulator fixed and thought (hoped) that maybe it was finally fixed for good. They set the grand opening date for this Thursday. Well, today, they turned the beast on and it tried to take them out. Casey went to open the fire box door, the area where the gas regulator is supposed to work, and a big ball of fire shot out and singed the hair off his arms. This has happened before, except it got both Casey and Cory. This is why the regulator was supposed to get fixed last week. Later on this morning, Casey was walking up to the fire box door to check the inside but before he could open it, it burst open on its own and fire shot out again! This time, to keep from getting burned, Casey jumped over a table and broke his big toe. That was the last straw. We have to buy a brand new smoker.

We are still planning to open Thursday. Pray that we can cook enough food and that our other smokers don't become possessed, too.

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While I'm already gripping and complaining... I had a kidney stone this weekend. That was fun.

I hate McDonald's. Their drive-thrus turn everyone into grade A a-holes (sorry, I'm trying really hard to censor myself today). Also, their employees are just so delightful.

Last but not least, my left butt cheek cramps up every night. Kinda makes sleeping only on my left side hard.

Note: I know I'm very blessed and my day wasn't really that bad, I just think everyone has a right to complain every now and then. Besides, I'm pregnant... this is the only time its okay, right? :)

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So, how was your day?

Dreams, Rocky, Smoker

I've always had very vivid and weird dreams. I can usually remember more that one a night. I can see color, feel pain, remember little details and so on. But since I've been pregnant I've had terrible dreams... worse than normal. The other morning, I was dreaming and had to tell myself that it was ok to wake up and thankfully I did. I won't explain the whole dream but it was kind of like a school shooting dream but everyone had a gun and was shooting anyone in sight. Me and several other girls were hiding behind a tree and then went to hide in the river. We made it out ok but there were thousands of casualties. The part that had me crying and hugging Casey, when I woke up, was Casey was in the dream, too and we had been separated and I never knew what had happened to him. I just kept sitting there waiting for him to show up. I woke up before I ever found out. It took me about 5 to 10 minutes to calm down and Casey had to hold me the whole time. That is how real my dreams are. Rarely, are the dreams good. They are always bad or just plain weird. I hope that doesn't say something about me.

Is anyone else like that?

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Yesterday, Rocky was running up and down our back fence, barking at the City workers who finally came to clean up the ditch behind our house, when he hurt himself. He wouldn't put his back, right leg down, so Casey and I decided to take him to the vet this morning. Diagnosis: torn ACL. Cure: surgery! Who knew? I thought only athletes did that. So now we have until August 21 to save up the money to get him fixed. If we didn't do the surgery, he basically be a gimp and would be in pain from time to time. We couldn't do that to him b/c he is one of our babies and also, our walking and hiking buddy. He loves it and we couldn't do that to him. At the vet's, they had to give him something to relax b/c his legs are pretty muscular and the doctor couldn't find what was wrong. After is was over, we couldn't pass up the chance to take a few pictures. Bless his heart... he was out of it.

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The smoker seems to be fixed, finally! I probably just jinxed it but so far so good. If all goes well, we should open next Tuesday or Thursday. This weekend we have our first catering gig. Yay!

Random things

Our 4th of July was a good one. We got to spend some time with our friends Ken and Emily at their condo on the river. It was beautiful out there and peaceful. The condominium had their own fireworks display and we were practically right under them. It was awesome. DT got to stay with Mimi and Papa and spend time with Luke and Jake. Fun was had by all.

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Casey and I did some much needed yard work yesterday. During that time, I found three baby blue jays in our backyard. They were pretty big but not yet able to fly. Luckily, we had to let the dogs in so Casey could mow the yard b/c Lucy would have made a meal out of them. I threw some bread and bird seed out b/c the mom and dad were still around. I hoped the best for them and left them alone. I went and checked on them this afternoon and two were dead and the other missing. I hope the other was able to eventually fly off. It's so sad about the other two. I remember when I was little bringing home baby birds that had fallen out of their nests. For some reason, every time I did, my parents would let me keep them and try to keep the alive but they always died over night. I come by it naturally though... they are big animal lovers too.

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Pray for Smokey C's. Casey and Cory are having problem after problem with the main smoker. They bought it used but it supposed to be a good one. They can't seem to keep it running. A new one costs about as much as a new car. Everyone is real anxious to open. Pray this thing can get fixed and for Casey and Cory... they need it.

My CVS experience

To go along with Jen's blog, I thought I'd share my first, what I consider, real success story from CVS. I went this morning b/c they had several things that I actually needed on sale. We don't have much extra cash flow so I can only buy the things I really need. Anyway, I bought $41 worth of stuff and saved $22.49. I had only $5 worth of ECB's but I had coupon and a $4 off $20 spent coupon. It was still $18 out of pocket but I was pretty proud. It is going to take awhile to get to where a lot of people are but I'll get there.

One of the items I bought today was the buy one get one free Intuition razor cartridges. I was so excited to see this item for sale. I absolutely love this razor. I just discovered it about two weeks ago. I was having trouble finding a razor that wouldn't tear up my skin or leave razor burn. This one does the job just right. I also had a two dollar off coupon. Now I am stocked up for quite awhile. Just thought I'd share. It really is a great razor.

Wow!

I just wanted to say, real quick, that I am so proud of my husband and everyone (like Mimi, Papa, Cory and many more) who have worked so hard to get Smokey C's up and running. We aren't even open yet and already have a catering job in a couple of weeks, a possible one in July, lots of people interested in when we are opening, and now we have a chance to get on a lunch rotation with a very reputable business in town. How awesome is that?! God has already blessed us so much. I'm so excited. Yay!

Smokey C's!!!

Well, Smokey C's is official!!! Today we had our last inspection, which was the health inspection. Smokey C's had the highest health rating today too with a 99. Casey went and got the business license and now we can open. It will still be probably another week or so b/c we need to get all the operations organized and such. We would have loved to open before the 4th but would rather take time and get things right and provide good food and service to everyone. I can't believe everything is done. We even got our shirts in yesterday. Yay! Please pray for the boys and the business. I know they all will do great!

A Few Things I Love

First off, I went to the doc's today and everything was good. I go back in 4 wks for another check up and in 6 wks we get to have our ultrasound. Yay! I was kind of hoping they'd surprise me with one today but knew that was a slim chance. By the look of things in the doc's office today, Decatur is about to have a population boom.

This is a picture of the baby bump at 15 1/2 weeks (4 months). DT jumped in at the last second.



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Okay, I don't really have much to blog about so I thought I'd list a few things that I love besides my family. Here goes (in no particular order):

1. I love wickles. They are bread 'n butter pickle chips that are pickled with peppers so they are spicy. I can eat those things like regular chips!

2. I love driving Casey's big old beat up pick up. It is so high up and I feel like I could ram or run over anything and not make a dent in the truck.

3. I love that they now make shirts long and stretchy so I can still wear normal clothes for the time being.

4. I love it when my neighbors are drying their clothes and I can smell their fabric softener sheets when I step outside. (I know, it's kinda weird).

5. I those pink iced animal cookies. Yum!

Ok that is enough. Those are just some of the small things that I've been enjoying lately.

DT and Me... Our Week in Review

Monday:
~Dylan started swimming lessons and VBS. I couldn't wait for both. I thought I'd get kind of an easy week and a break. HA! He was so excited about both that I could hardly get him to settle down or listen.
~I felt the baby move for the first time, which is always exciting.

Tuesday:
~Dylan did great at swimming lessons. He's always been a bit skittish about getting in water, especially getting his head and face wet.

Wednesday:
~The kid was slowly but surely driving me crazy. Loved the three hours at night that he was gone to VBS but needed them to recuperate. Everyone said he was doing great and having a blast. I was happy.

Thursday:
~Dylan finally went all the way under water by himself. This is a major deal. I was so proud! ~Also, another amazing thing happened that morning... he slept in till 8:30! I couldn't believe it. He is always up between 6-6:45.

Friday:
~Dylan continued the miracle and woke up a little after 8:00. This help to ease the frustration the week (his being way to hyper and not listening) a little. By the end of the day, however, my eye was twitching and I couldn't wait for VBS.
~Speaking of which, he said the closing prayer into the microphone in front of everyone. I couldn't believe that either! He makes me so proud.

He never fails to amaze me. He can literally drive me crazy one moment and then do something so surprising that I'm almost speechless. But I guess that is what kids are good at. By the way, my eye is still twitching. Not sure what to do about that.

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Smokey C's is coming along pretty good. We have almost all of the equipment and tables set up so it's looking like an actual bbq place. They now have business cards and to-go menus. Everyday people drive up, even though we have the entrance blocked, to try and order some bbq. All the inspections should be done on Monday and Tuesday. Then it should be smooth sailing to opening day, which we hope will be before the 4th of July. I'll keep everyone updated.

Monday, Monday

Here is the latest picture of Smokey C's. It is all lit up! Hopefully, we will be open soon! Everything is starting to come together.







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Today, I felt the baby move for the first time. Yes, I know, it's kinda early but I know it wasn't gas. I've had enough to know the difference. Casey even felt it a little. It was around this time when I was pregnant with DT that I felt him move. I'm so excited! By the way, consignment shops are awesome places to go for maternity clothes.

It's a Big Day!

Wow! There are a lot of special things going on today!

First off, I want to wish my wonderful husband a big Happy Anniversary and Happy Father's Day! I love him so much. I'm such a lucky girl!!! He is the best daddy too!




Happy Birthday to Mr. Luke today too! They grow so fast.




Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. Sorry I don't have a picture of all of you. :( I don't have all of my pictures on my computer yet. Hopefully next year. :)

Last but not least, today is the first day of my second trimester! Yay! Only 26 more weeks to go. FYI... that means Christmas is only a little over 27 weeks away.

Water Fun

Here are the boys slip 'n sliding. Girls just wanna have fun but boys do have fun. The muddy picture was from a different day but I had to include it. They were both cover head to toe in mud but boys don't care.










Sorry, I really tried to get the pictures lined up good but couldn't work it out.

Cleaning tips from a 4 year old; Dr. appointment

As I was making a bowl of cheerios this morning, Dylan asks "mom, do you know what you need?"
me: "What?"
him: "You need Clorox toilet wand. It cleans better than other toilet wands. All you do is stick it in the toilet and scrub it around. You should get that."
me: "thanks."
him: "You can keep it under the counter."
me: "ok."
him: "You should get it."

I guess I better get it.


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I had another doctor's appointment this morning. All they did was take my blood pressure, weigh me and take a urine sample. However, we did get to hear the heartbeat! It was a strong 160. The doc said everything looks great. Yay!

The Great Memorial Day Race

Casey and Dylan racing on their scooters.





And the winner is...

I just love my guys!

Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday. I am now on that side of 20. The day started off great. DT went to Mimi and Papa's and Casey took me to this really nice movie theater over in H'ville to see the new Indiana Jones film. It was pretty good. I wasn't disappointed. Then we went to Cheeburger Cheeburger to eat lunch. I love that place! Unfortunately, on the way over I started to get a headache and it only continued to get worse. By the time we got home, it had grown into a migraine and since I'm preggers I can't take my beloved Excedrin and Tylenol extra strength does nothing for a headache like that. So instead of going to see the hot air balloons last night, I laid in bed and on the couch for the rest of my b-day. But I have the sweetest husband and he took good care of me and made sure I had everything I needed.

Off to the park

Took DT to the park today before his nap. As I expected, there were a lot of kids there. Most of them had on school uniforms so I assumed they were from the Catholic school in town. All I know is those kids were so mean, especially to each other. There were throwing shovels of sand at each other, stepping on each other and a couple of the bigger boys (about 9 or 10) were kicking balls right in the middle of a bunch of the kids and I mean hard. Several got hit by them when they would bounce off the swing set and slides. Sounds like ordinary kids stuff I suppose, but no one was laughing and few kids cried. I just about got beamed in the back of the head with one. That would have sent this moody, pregnant woman into a rage I'm afraid. All the parents and/or teachers just sat and talked under the pavilion. Anyway, we stayed but I kept a close eye, as always, on DT. Some of them were kind enough to let him use their toys in the sand but wouldn't really play with him.

As I was sitting in the shade, a stretch Ford Excursion limo pulled up. I was talking to another mom and one of the city's park maintenance guys and we were wondering what in the world a limo was doing there. The other mom said that some parents rent limos for their kids b-days. Sure enough about 10 little girls came bounding out of it. I couldn't believe it. A limo to take your kids to the park. Man! The park guy went to talk to the two mom's that joined the kids and asked them if he could have a ride home. The mom said "sure, if you have $156/hr"! I can't even imagine. It was about this time I decided to leave. The park was getting full and I was getting hot. I thought I had seen the limo leave but as we left I noticed that it had moved to a better parking space and was left running. I wonder how much money that mom is going to end up spending in the end. Of course all the little girls were asking all the other kids if they had seen the limo and bragging that they had come in it. I supposed I would have too at that age. I remember when having a party at Chuck E. Cheese was a big deal.

There were two very different sets of kids at the park today and I couldn't help but feel DT was somewhere in between, not that that is a bad thing.

News stories and the weekend round up

I've never posted about news stories before but these two caught my eye immediately. The first story is just awful (in my opinion). How can children know what they want when they are 7 or even 17? I find it disgusting and I can't believe that there are parents out there that would allow this.

Anyway, on to a good story. I so wish that had happened here. I would have been out there helping with the clean up. And they were double stuffed too! I would have seen that as a sign and blessing from God!

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We had a nice weekend. Casey went camping, Dylan went to a birthday party and discovered "E.T." (not at the same time though) and I got to watch whatever I wanted. Although, there isn't anything on tv these days. We've been taking advantage of our Netflix account lately.

I started the whole baby bump picture thing. Casey decided to get in on the action too. Here are the pictures from that. I'm at 10 weeks now.



Not much going on there for me anyway :) but I didn't think I'd start to show this early.

Smokey C's update...

Well, it's finally getting there. Things went really fast in the beginning but then it slowed down. It always helps when people call you back and show up when they say they will. Anyway, here are a few pictures of the front room, the handicap bathroom (rolling of the eyes) and one of the new signs. A lot of work has gone into it and I am proud to say my hubby did a lot of it. So many people have helped out and we are all so grateful. Right now, the target date is around the first week of June. Next week is going to be a big week. They should be able to start moving in equipment and getting everything ready. Keep your fingers crossed.

Long Time No Post

I'll have more time now that school is out! I am so glad too. I am finally taking a semester off. In the fall, I finally get to go to a big girl school. Yay!

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I'm now in my 9th week or 3rd month. The baby is officially a 'fetus' but I don't like that word. It's simply a baby. The nausea is pretty much gone. I still have bouts of it every now and then and can't, for the life of me, get any energy.

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I'm thinking about cutting my hair. Actually, I have no choice. It is so dead and frizzy on the ends. This is the hairstyle I believe I'm gonna go for. It's real simple but pretty (I think).

Birthday and Tortuga

Happy Birthday to the hottest, most wonderful husband!!! I love you baby!


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Have you ever had a word stuck in your head, kind of like a song? I've had the word 'Tortuga' stuck in mine. I saw it sometime this week and now it just kind of pops in my head every now and then. It's kind of nice, though, because when it does, a picture of Johnny Depp does too.

Mommy/Baby status and Dylan

Just thought that I'd share where the baby and I are in our development. I am 7 weeks pregnant. Most women are just finding out they are pregnant... I've known for 3 weeks. The nausea seems to be easing up a bit but it's still there. I actually think I'm just getting used to it. I have to potty a lot more but kind of having a hard time too because of the tipped uterus. I have zero energy and now love naps! There are a lot of other not so fun things going on but I won't share.

The baby is about 1/2 an inch long or (supposedly) about the size of a blueberry. It is beginning to grow it's little hands and feet and it's eyes are starting to develop. It still has a tail but should loose it soon. It's brain, red blood cells, appendix and pancreas are all beginning to develop as well. No one can convince me that this isn't a living person but that is a whole other topic.

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Today, as I was picking DT up from school, a little girl from his class was leaving too with her mom. The little girl's name is Marley. She's cute too, with curly blonde hair. Anyway, her and her mom were walking behind us when she said "bye Dylan" but it was slow and kind of flirty (know what I mean). Dylan pretty much ignored her, so I told him to say bye. He gave an unenthusiastic bye. Then Marley said "it's kissy, kissy time" then made several smooch noises and came after Dylan. It was so funny! He started to run away from her and finally she gave up. We were all laughing, except, of course, Dylan. Marley's mom told me that she comes home all the time talking about how Dylan is her boyfriend. Dylan, overhearing this, immediately corrected her by saying he was NOT her boyfriend. We all, including Marley, had a good laugh. Dylan later admitted though, that Marley had succeeded in giving him a kiss one time on the playground but he didn't kiss her back. Boy, they start out early don't they?!

Nashville Trip...

This is a long one so hold on and I mean long!


Bon Jovi and Daughtry concert!
The concert was an awesome experience overall. Daughtry put on a great show. It was only about 30 minutes long (they only have one album out). Casey enjoyed them more than Bon Jovi. Chris and the band all sound just as good in person as they do on the radio or cd. I was very impressed. It also helps when the singer is hot!
Bon Jovi came out about 15 minutes after Daughtry left the stage, which I thought was very fast. Usually, it seems like you have to wait longer. I was afraid that they wouldn't be able to have the energy that Daughtry had but I was wrong! They can still rock and put on a great show after 20+ years. Jon still looks great! Age and the rockstar life hasn't affected him at all. I can't say the same for Richie or Tico or any of the other band members. I wish I could have gotten pictures but I wasn't sure if I could take my camera in or not. Because we had to walk a good ways, I opted to play on the safe side and keep it in my car. Big mistake! Cameras were allowed and I would have gone back and gotten it if I had know before we got in to the building. Once you were in, you couldn't leave the building and come back. I was so mad! We actually had decent seats. We pretty much stared at their sides the whole time but they had ramps off the side of the stage and we could see them so clearly. I would have had awesome pictures.
My only real complaint about the concert, besides the whole camera thing, was the lady sitting next to Casey had the sweetest smelling perfume. Even when she left her seat, you could still smell it as if she were sitting there. I don't do perfumes very well in normal circumstances, much less being pregnant and queasy. Oh yeah, just a not of caution, if you go to Nashville and you want to have a drink at the concert, you might want to pre-flight before you get there. Beer was $10 a piece. Granted, they were pretty big but still! I got a bottle of water for $3.50. I almost didn't buy it but I was too thirsty not too. By the middle of the Bon Jovi concert, my energy levels had decreased to zero and I wasn't sure I'd make it back to the car, but I did.

Friday Afternoon
We got up the next morning and went to Cracker Barrel and had some breakfast then headed over to Opryland Hotel to walk around and go to the mall. We drove around and around to find a way to the mall or free parking. Couldn't find either! By the way, Nashville will make you go bankrupt with what they charge for parking. ($16 for the concert, $17 at the Opryland Hotel!) Like I said, we really did try to find the mall parking lot but never saw any signs. We didn't know what else to do but pay for parking. We had 'suckers' written all over our foreheads. The hotel was beautiful and I have a few pictures that I will share. Only once we were inside did we see signs for Opry Mills mall. We read that we could walk there from the hotel, so we began our 10 mile journey there. Okay, so it wasn't 10 miles but it might as well have been. We had to cross the malls huge (mostly empty and FREE) parking lot to get there. Once inside, it was close to noon and we were a bit tired from all the walking, so we decided to go see a movie. We chose 'The Ruins'. I had read the book not too long ago and was curious to see how the movie compared. Neither the movie or the book was my favorite but still good. After that we walked around the mall and got some early dinner at Macaroni Grill. We had never been there before and decided to try it. It was pretty good. After that, we left to go rest at the hotel for a little while before the Ghost Tour.

Ghost Tour! Mua-ah-ah-ah-ahhh! :)
I was really excited about this part of the trip. Most may not know, but I've always loved a good ghost story and I've had a few experiences in my life that I cannot explain. I pretty much watch any show that has anything to do with ghosts. Call me weird but I kinda come by it naturally and yes, I do believe in ghosts. Anyway, this was the first time for anything like this for me and Casey, too. It started around 8:00 in downtown Nashville. We didn't go on a ghost hunt per say (sp?) but the guide told us we'd might be able to see one of their famous ghosts on the tour. It had happened before. Also, he told us that people had captured things on film, so take plenty of pictures. The most common thing that was caught on film were orbs. A lot of people believe this is how ghost naturally manifest themselves. I personally believe they are bugs or dust particles. I have a few in some of my pictures that I'll put up in a bit.
Our tour began in front of the beautiful Hermitage Hotel. It is believed that there are at least three ghosts in the hotel. There are reports of a baby crying in one of the rooms and when people go into the room the crying stops and no one is in there. If you'd like to stay in this room, it will cost you $2,000/night. It's a really nice hotel. Another story is that of a lady in white. She likes to come around when there is a party going on and they say she is quite beautiful. The tour guide said they have seen her before in the second story window but no luck for us. Then, there is a third ghost. Not much is known about, except that he roams the hotel freely and can be seen just about anywhere, which leads me to the most exciting part of the trip. Before the tour began, I had to use the restroom and the tour guide said that I could go into the hotel and use theirs. When, I got in to the bathroom, I was alone. All the stall doors were open and it was quite obvious that I was alone. While I was doing my business, I heard a toilet flush. I found this very odd since I was the only one in there and no one had entered the room. I left my stall and curiously looked around and found that one of the stall doors was closed. I know they had all been open when I came in. I kind of bent over to see if I could see any feet but there wasn't anything. Since I watch ghost hunters every time it is on, I know that you can capture things on film that you can't see with the naked eye. I decided to be brave and open the door and take a picture. I figure I wouldn't pee on myself if I got scared since I had already taken care of that. I opened the door and didn't see anything but took the picture anyway. I hurried out of the bathroom and found Casey. I told him of my experience and of course, he didn't believe me. I decided to check my camera. There was a full body apparition!!! I couldn't believe it. We showed the tour guide and he was amazed and said no one had ever captured anything like it before. Click here to see it. Feel free to tell me your thoughts about it.
After we left the Hermitage hotel, we went on to the state capital, where Andrew Jackson's wife, Rachel, supposedly haunts the tower. I missed some of the story but her first marriage to Andrew wasn't legal and they re-married but she was shunned my high society. Tragically, she died the day before they were to leave for Washington for his presidential inauguration. She never got to become first lady. It is also a beautiful building. There are at least 3 other ghosts that haunt the building. The architect who designed and built the building and the man who was in charged of the finances for building the building. They became mortal enemies b/c they couldn't agree on how much money to spend. They are both buried on the grounds and people claim to hear them arguing and fighting but when they go to investigate, there is no one there. The other ghost is believed to be a general from the civil war. Also buried on the grounds is James K. Polk and his wife.
The next stop on the tour, we went to the oldest church in Nashville. I believe it was called St. Mary's church of Seven Sorrows or something like that. Supposedly a priest haunts the place. He died just before the Union Army arrived in Nashville during the Civil War. They didn't have time to give him a proper burial so they buried him in the floor and ended up forgetting about him. Just a few years ago, there was work being done on the church and some worker found a coffin. They opened it up and discovered the priest. Only, he look as if he has recently died. He wasn't very decomposed. The Catholics believe this is a sign of a saint. The tour guide said it is only a matter of time before they name this priest a saint. During this stop on the tour, I quite literally stopped the tour. A HUGE cockroach had followed me and Casey across the street and headed up the church steps to where I sat. I can handle bugs, even spiders better than I can handle those things. I jumped up and ran down the steps. I think the tour guide thought I was being attacked by a ghost. He stopped what he was saying to make sure I was alright. Kind of embarrassing.
The rest of the tour was interesting but not much exciting happened. We went to Printer's Alley and then to the Ryman Auditorium. Supposedly, Hank Williams Sr. and an old Civil War soldier haunt the place. Also, Mr. Ryman himself.
It was a really good tour and neat to hear not only the ghost stories but some of the history of Nashville.
Once the tour was over, we decided to head back to the hotel and get some dinner. We were very tired and had done a ton of walking that day. I such a great time. It was a break both Casey and I needed.
Also, we paid $10 to park for the ghost tour. The guide told us, after the fact, that the best place to park downtown are on the numbered streets like 6th ave, ect. and the meter parking is free after 6:00. If only we had meet him right when we got in Nashville, we would have saved $33.00. Sorry this was so long... I can't explain anything quickly. Again, I've been call Rose b/c of my storying telling abilities, or lack there of. Here are the pictures from the trip.

Soon...

We had a great time in Nashville and I promise to write all about it and have some pictures up. I have a great story to tell but I have to leave y'all in suspense for a little longer. Like I said, the trip was great but left me with very little energy. I've got to do a few things around the house and for school. Hopefully, sometime tonight, I can tell you all about it.

We have a baby!

I went to the doctor this morning and had my ultrasound and immediately saw a heartbeat!!! I was so relieved, excited, emotional, ect. I had been so nervous. I didn't hardly sleep at all last night.

The heart rate was a healthy 113 and the due date is December 14th. I guess we will be having fall birthday parties b/c December is going to kick out butts financially!

I just wanted to say how blessed I am that I have such wonderful friends and family. Thank you all so much for the prayers and good thoughts. They have meant the world to me. Thank you guys so so so much!!!

doctor update

My blood tests came back ok. My hormone levels are rising but they said they are still concerned b/c they should have seen more on the ultrasound. I have another ultrasound Monday morning. All we can do right now is hope and pray that the baby grows a lot this week and that they are able to find a heartbeat. If not, at least it happened early on.

We are still doing good. I'm just super tired and nauseated. I just thought I'd update everyone, even though it's not much different than yesterday.

Hopefully, I'll have some good news or at least something funny on here soon. I don't like having a depressing blog.

Doctor visit

I went in this morning to get more blood work done but when I got there, they decided to go ahead and do a second ultrasound. This time they did see something in the uterus but didn't detect a heartbeat. The ultrasound technician said that it could be because I was too early (I'm about 5 weeks and a day) or that the pregnancy had stopped itself. I have to go back in next Monday for another ultrasound. They went ahead with the blood work afterwards. I probably won't get the results until tomorrow morning. Even when the results come in, they won't know 100% sure what is going on until the next ultrasound.

I'm doing fine. I'm hopeful but realistic, too. I know that whatever happens, it is for a reason. I'm just relieved that I don't have to worry about an ectopic pregnancy now. I was afraid my tube was going to rupture and then I would have lost a baby and have more fertility problems. I'll keep updating as I get news. Thank you all for the prayers and encouragement.

By the way, nausea has set in. Fun!

A little bit of this...a little bit of that.

Thank you for all of the 'congratulations'. We are very excited. I went to the doctor yesterday and they gave me an ultrasound to determine how far along I am. I'm about 4 weeks and 5 days but they couldn't see anything in the uterus. We were told that this can be normal for someone as early as I am but I have to go in on Monday for a blood test to make sure I don't have an ectopic pregnancy. This means that the egg could have implanted outside the uterus, often in the fallopian tubes. We will, hopefully, have the results back that afternoon. I have faith that no matter what happens, everything will be ok. It's just a long way until Monday.

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Dylan love Pauls Harvey. If we are in the car and I pass a radio station with his show on, we have to listen to it. Weird.

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Today was baby Bo's funeral. It was a nice and simple funeral. Anthony and Kelli seem to be holding together pretty well. Bless his heart, this afternoon during our severe weather, he called to check on us because one of the storms seemed to be on top of us. It was, but it didn't produce a tornado. It's too bad we had to have tornado warnings today of all days.

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Smokey C's is still coming along. Casey is up there now painting. We are still continuing to be blessed. It's just been amazing.

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Back to the pregnancy for a minutes. It's kicking my butt! I have had zero energy but so far no morning sickness. The good news is, I've been losing weight. I've lost a total of 15 lbs since November. I've been taking a yoga class and aerobics class this semester. Also, I must have so many minutes in the gym for another class. I'm sure, however, that I will be gaining the weight back very soon.

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Oh my goodness! I just checked my email and I won 2 tickets to see Bon Jovi and Daughtry in concert on April 24th! I can't believe it, I never win anything! I've loved Bon Jovi since I was little bitty. I can't wait. This is the pick me up I needed!