Ten on Tuesday: August 31st

1. Pretend it’s Monday morning–take us through a day in the life of you.

Hear my favorite toddler start chatting thru the monitor ~ breakfast ~ get dress & see 'Daddy' off to work. Usually morning errands & playtime ~ lunch and then she naps and I shower and enjoy some downtime reading/blogging and housework, once she is awake we play and/or possibly more errands ~ her dinner ~ bath & bedtime ~ our dinner ~ TV/computer time ~ bed.

2. What’s your favorite reality tv show?

Top Chef

3. What motto do you live by?

You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you

4. If you knew could you try anything and not fail, what dream would you attempt?

Photographer of babies and children

5. What was your first job?

Teachers Aide at Vacation Bible School

6. What is your current job?

SAHM

7. What would you call yourself if you could choose your own name (and you cannot pick the one you already have)?

Until recently Elisabeth which is my favorite girls name but since that is my daughter's name to avoid confusion I would choose Erin.

8. What musical instruments can you play?

None currently ~ as a child I studied the viola and am now learning guitar but just a beginner.

9. Is it easier to forgive or forget?

Forgive

10. What is one food you’d never want to taste again?

Key Lime Pie on a Rum Raisin Crust

My thanks as always to Chelsea of Roots and Rings for hosting this fun & informative carnival

Pregnant Pause: 38 weeks, tales from the sofa

So ~ so far, so good. Monitoring at the hospital went well this morning and while I won't know if I've gained any weight till my midwife appointment tomorrow, my husband and others have said that the bump is looking bigger. Judging by kicks and squirms Cashew is still enjoying her/him watery home.

Overall doing well, making the adjustment to eating more and doing less. My favorite toddler has been wonderfully understanding that mommy now plays blocks lying down and does not at all seem to mind the occasional ice cream runs in the afternoon. Seriously she continues to nap well which allows me to rest in the afternoon and C. has been able to get home a bit earlier in the evening. The weekend brought the great pleasure and blessing of a visit from grandma.

Now that I'm full-term I'm sure that we will discuss at the appointment tomorrow striking the right balance of keeping the baby where he/she is since being inside does not require expending energy maintaining temperature or eating and not pushing past when the placenta is really no longer doing its job. Still having the occasional Braxton Hicks contraction but nothing strong or organized.

So far ~ so good! Looking forward to September and discovering who is joining our family and when our personal 'labor day' is going to be.

Wednesday Wondering: Big Sister Present

In the tradition of Wondering on Wednesday started by Maggie of From the Heart:

My favorite toddler is about to become a big sister (whether she realizes it or not) and so we have been talking about if we should get her something to mark the new status, and if so what? from us or the new baby? Give to her at the hospital or when we come home?

Any suggestions or recommendations?

Pregnant Pause: 37 weeks

When I was pregnant with Lisbeth since we chose to wait for birth day to find out if it was a boy or girl joining our family we called the baby Peanut and continuing the tradition we have been calling this baby Cashew. Well it turns out that Cashew is a bit of a peanut! The ultrasound today showed that while the placenta and fluid level looks fine that baby is on the small side ~ 10 th percentile (granted an ultrasound estimate).

So the plan is starting today to do weekly NSTs (monitoring the baby's heartbeat without the stress of contractions) and while no official bedrest trying to rest & eat in the hopes of helping the baby get a bit bigger before his or her birthday.

Overall grateful for all the kicks and squirms despite the related increase in heartburn and while obviously a challenge with an active toddler to keep up with, there are definitely tougher recommendations to follow than eat well and rest. Bring on the ice cream!

Quick Takes Vol. #60

1. Vacation was wonderful: good weather, excellent company, the joy of watching E. playing with her cousins, and ample ice cream.
2. Shortly before we left, while listening to my IPod on shuffle Faith Hill's A Baby Changes Everything came on and I started thinking about some of the events the lyrics recounts about Mary's traveling close to term.
3. She has to leave, go far away
   Heaven knows she can't stay
   A baby changes everything
   
   She can feel it's coming soon
   There's no place, there's no room
   A baby changes everything
   A baby changes everything
   
4. Did she know that she would likely give birth while away? Were they able to adjust their travel time to take into account the fatigue of late pregnancy. Before we left for Maine, knowing that I was traveling relatively close to my due date I got a copy of my labs from my midwife and my MIL confirmed which of the local hospitals provided Maternity services. Very different I think from her preparations.
5. Upon returning we have jumped right back in to the craziness of life with having our old falling down fence replaced. Did you know that fences have a front and back? I didn't and since our old fence was hung backwards when the fencer asked if we wanted the new hung and same as the old I said "Yes". Fast forward to C. coming home and saying "It's backwards!". Luckily they were not done and coming back the next day ( and we had a little money left in the fence budget), the fence is now hung correctly... I now know how a fence should be hung.
6. Prayer Request: At my prenatal visit this week the baby was again measuring small so my midwife is sending me for an ultrasound next week. Would really appreciate good thoughts and prayers that the baby is growing well and has a good amount of fluid to float around in. I had low fluid with my pregnancy with Elisabeth and had really hoped to avoid that this time.
7. Plans for the weekend: washing some newborn clothes and weather permitting picking peaches. Hope whatever you are doing is fine and fun!

Please visit Conversion Diary hosted by Jen to enjoy the rest of this week's Quick Takes.

Wordless Wednesday: Vacation Fun

Ten on Tuesday: College Edition

1. Where did you go to college?

University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia

2. What did you study?

Nursing, with a minor in Women's Studies

3. Was college really all that it was cracked up to be?

Mostly, I'm not sure what I was expecting ~ but I really enjoyed college

4. How far were you from home?

About three hours

5. Did you have the same roommate all four years?

No, random match freshman year, friends sophomore and junior year and a single senior

6. Where did you order food from at 2 am?

Did not order so much as go on ice cream runs to the snack bar in Lower Quad

7. Did you date in college or were you tied down?

Started college unattached, but by mid Sophomore year I was in a steady relationship (with my now husband).

8. Funniest drunk college moment?

Random people walking into our room too drunk to realize it was not theirs ~ we locked our door after the second.

9. Did you make it to class on time?

Generally yes, once my sophomore year I hugely overslept and had to make-up a clinical

10. What was your favorite class in college?

Remember a couple of great literature classes my junior year, really enjoyed the break from all the science and using my brain in a different way.

Please visit Roots and Rings to read and enjoy other answers to these fun questions.

Assumption Thoughts

For as long as I can remember in my family we have celebrated today as my and my mom's 'name day'. My mother is Belgian and continued the tradition of celebrating name or patron days with my sisters and me.

The day gained greater poignancy six years ago when my father-in-law lost his battle with cancer and was called home to God.

This week I have been taking time to enjoy and perhaps even soak in the wonder of God's creation as I look out over the ocean, inhale as the wind breezes thru the pines or watch for a shooting star ~ but as I watched the sun come up this morning I was again reminded that while we are blessed to know this wonderful and wondrous world at some point we are called home to live and love in ever greater measure our Heavenly Father.

Small Successes: August vacation edition

1. Left for vacation and only forgot minor things!
2. Safely made it to our destination with a sleepy but content child and non-frazzled parents
3. Am listening to my husband and letting others do the heavy lifting (most of the time).

Please visit Faith and Family Live to celebrate and share your own successes!

So thankful this Thursday for:

safe travels

chance to visit with friends and family

ocean breezes

ice cream

fresh seafood

cousins playing together

familiar rhythms of Mass

grace abundant and love everlasting

Ten on Tuesday: August 10th

1. Do you have an innie or an outie?

Ha! Usually an innie but currently a bit of an outie

2. What kind of milkshake do you order?

Coffee!!

3. How often do you repeat outfits at work?

Bottoms: Pants/Skirts often weekly Tops: Maybe a couple times a month

4. What are your feelings about thank you notes?

Love to receive them, try and remember to write them in a timely fashion

5. Do you like spicy food?

No, though as getting more adventurous as I get older. Thai, anyone?

6. How many toilet paper squares do you use?

??3-4??

7. Were you in Girl Scouts?

Yes ~ Brownies thru Cadettes (I predate Daisies).

8. Notebooks/Journals: College ruled? Wide Ruled? No lines? Spiral Bound? Plain front? Decorative?

Definitely lined, usually college though not always ~ with a decorative cover and page mark if I can find.

9. Do you snack throughout the day? What do you pack for snacks?

Recently-definitely ~ Usually a piece of fruit or trail mix, sometimes 100 calorie packs of cookies or such.

10. What is your favorite month? Why?

May ~ my birthday, my husbands, Mothers Day, spring well settled with summer beginning to peak around the corner.

My thanks as always to our lovely host Chelsea, please visit Roots and Rings to join the fun.

Quick Takes Vol. #59

1. Happy August!! August has come to mean vacation with ocean breezes, time with family sharing hot dogs, ice cream and good seafood.
2. This year it also means approximately one more month till Cashew's arrival, and therefore making ready. The bins with newborn clothes are out of storage but not yet washed, the cradle is still filled with blankets and other random stuff, and car seat base needs to be installed.
3. Enjoyed a wonderful lunch date with Elizabeth of That Married Couple. In person she is taller, but every bit as warmly wonderful as you would expect reading her blog. Another get together has been planned for the spring when we will be able to meet the coming babies on the outside.
4. Lisbeth was initially somewhat confused to meet someone with the same name, later deciding it was great fun!!
5. Personal accomplishment of the week was completely a continuing education module for my license. Really nice to have that in the done pile pre-vacation and baby.
6. Very excited to have finally lined up a contractor to replace the fence which has been falling slowly for awhile and quickly since this winters storms. Happily anticipating an enclosed backyard very soon.
7. Wishing all a good and restful weekend!!

Visit Conversion Diary to enjoy more of this weeks Quick Takes!

Small Successes: August 5th

1. Weeding, got two big beds weeded and cleared out.
2. Have gotten all the reading done for a continuing education module I need to do this summer (hoping to get the post-test done this week
3. Hauled the recycling not pick-up by our town to the local recycling center.

Bonus: Have hopefully lined up a contractor to replace the falling down fence.

So Thankful this Thursday for:

a cool home to escape the heat and humidity in

the blossoming imagination of my little one

continued kicks and squirms from within

a loving A-framing husband

the chance to meet a blog friend in person

the fresh start feeling that follows Reconciliation

Naps

Please visit Faith and Family Live to share and celebrate your successes; small and otherwise!

Ten on Tuesday: August 3rd

1. What is your current favorite television show?

Army Wives, though a surprising close second (as I in general dislike reality shows) is Bethenny Gets Married.

2. Apple juice or orange juice?

Orange Juice

3. It’s Shark Week on Discover Channel. Do you watch? Why or why not?

Nope, just not my thing

4. What are the non-blog websites that you visit regularly?

Facebook, My Mommy Time and Faith and Famiiy Live

5. What is your favorite way to prepare green beans? Asparagus? Potatoes? Carrots?

Green Beans: steamed with almonds Asparagus: Roasted (or grilled) Potatoes: Mashed (or Fries)

6. What is your favorite flower?

Tulips and/or Daisies

7. How do you feel about handkerchiefs?

Reminder of a by-gone age.

8. If you could only shop at 3 stores for the rest of your life, what would they be? (You probably should include a grocery store.)

Wegmans- favorite grocery store Old Navy: Decent adult and children's clothes Target: Everything else

9. If you could only use wine for one purpose for the rest of your life, which would you choose? To cook with or to drink?

Drink, thank you!

10. What’s your bedtime?

Generally around 11pm but really depends on when husband gets home from work, I try really hard to wait up for him.

Please visit Roots and Rings to enjoy others answers to this weeks questions, and thank our host Chelsea