Being Pregnant

     I wanted to end my days of Thankful posts this month with the one I'm probably most excited about.  Although, I must say, I'm pretty ready to meet our daughter instead of housing her.  :)  I'm continuously amazed at how much bigger my belly is getting, which of course, is a reflection of how much bigger she is getting.  Oh dear.  In only a few short months we'll be holding her in our arms and seeing just how big she is.

     I'm already bigger than I am in that picture.  Sometimes I think that it's all happening so fast, but then when I reflect on how long it took us to get here, I remember how those months passed so slowly.  My Heavenly Father has been so good to us and hindsight has helped me to appreciate the blessing we had to enjoy our marriage with just the two of us.  Even more now than before.  It's also allowed us to appreciate what a gift it is that we are being given on an even deeper level.  I believe that had we had children when I wanted we never would be able to have experiences that needed to grow and become better.  It's a little easier for me to empathize with those struggle with infertility (though I don't pretend to be an expert of any one person's situation and experience).  The time I struggled with it helped to test my faith and show me how weak I really am and that through my Heavenly Father, true miracles take place.  Now that I am pregnant, though it challenges me in different ways, I'm so grateful to be able to know I can have children and that we are chosen to have this child come to us first.  I hope we live up to the job.  I'm looking forward to getting to know this little spirit and understand who she is as a person.

I'm thankful to Be Pregnant because it's just one more way the Lord has shown his love for me.

     As a side note, my sister-in-law, Cecilia gave birth to their twin boys on Monday, November 28th, and she is amazing and wonderful, having done it completely natural.  Her birth story is written on her blog found here.

Garage Sales

     Until I started experiencing morning sickness, this summer I had one mission.  Garage Sales.  Go and save on awesome things.  I know Extreme Couponing has been getting a lot of press lately and it's pretty impressive what people can get for next to nothing.  However, sometimes I find people are overindulgent in their purchases and buy things they don't really need simply because they can.  Getting a good find at a Garage Sale is like hitting the jackpot or finding buried treasure. 

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     I love that I was able to buy a toaster oven, fully functional and working, just needed to be cleaned, for $5.  Yes!!!  Those bad boys can be expensive and I saved a bunch.  One of my favorite events of this year was the huge Mill Creek Garage Sales we were able to go to in October.  We were lucky to go up with my in-laws with their truck and trailer and find the majority of things we need for our little girl and some other fun items.  We were able to get a travel system, pack n' play, bouncer, carseat cover, co-sleeper, baby bathtub, high chair, breast pump, glider & ottoman, baby clothes, bed frame (for us), leather chair, and a George Foreman Grill (new) for under $250.  Yeah, we scored.  I've been able to find more baby clothes in our own area of Garage Sales as well.  Thanks to Craigslist, which is like an online Garage Sale, we also found a crib w/ mattress and bedding and a papasan swing.  With the exception of a few onesies I was gifted and a nursing cover I found for really cheap, nothing I have for our daughter so far is brand new.  The old saying, "One man's trash is another man's treasure" is absolutely true in the case of Garage Sales.

I'm thankful for Garage Sales because they've allowed me to buy things I need (and don't need ;) ) without braking our bank account.

Time Out for Women

     For the past few years I've been really lucky to have been able to attend a women's conference put together by Deseret Book, called Time Out for Women.  It's a Friday night and all day Saturday event (though you can choose to do only one day) where us ladies congregate and listen to uplifting music and talks shared by selected talent and speakers.  You don't have to be LDS to attend, but generally speaking most who go are, though I'm confident everyone would enjoy it. 

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     To make each event more meaningful for myself, I would take notes and post my interpretations and inspirations on the blog.  You can find all of my posts so far here.  Unfortunately because I'll be so newly introduced to motherhood only a couple of months before, I won't be able to attend in 2012 as far as I can tell.  Also, I'm not sure where I'd stay.  This is regretful as the schedule for speakers and musical guests are going to be people high up on my list of those I'd like to hear, as well as the topics for the messages they've prepared.  Each year is uplifting in its own way and I always look forward to the next year.  If you are going this year please, please, pretty please write about it so I can live vicariously through you!!!  :)

I'm thankful for Time Out for Women because it helps me feel better about where I'm going and what I'm doing in my life.

Emotion Code/Muscle Testing

     I've mentioned it before, but in Ty's family we use something called the Emotion Code and Muscle Testing.  It truly amazing work.  Delving into what it is and how it works would be awfully complicated and take a ridiculously great amount of time to explain.  I would recommend reading the book, which you can find on Amazon here.  To briefly explain, we all have profound experiences (which are defined differently by each person) in our lives that can cause negative reactions.  It's a common thing to not deal with those negative emotions properly and this causes energy to be blocked and proclaiming itself in a physical manner.  The Emotion Code provides a way to release and deal with those blocked energies and "trapped emotions", helping to heal ourselves.

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     I can't even begin to tell you the amount of help it has given our family and I've also seen personal benefit.  There will be a lot of people who call this cockamamie, but to you I say, "Don't knock it 'til you try it."  It helps me to understand why I might get upset or anxious or feel sad about things and work to changing that.  The Muscle Testing work that we use in correlation to the Emotion Code helps to figure out what the body is yelling at us, trying to say.  Our bodies can give us the answers if we just take a minute or two to listen.

I'm thankful for the Emotion Code and Muscle Testing because they have helped me in physical and emotional ways so that I can be a happier person.

TV Episodes Online

     Have you ever missed your favorite show the night it was on?  We have plenty of times.  In fact, this holiday weekend, we are staying with family that does have cable, and we'll probably be hanging out and chatting most of the time anyway.  That doesn't mean I want to miss what happened this week on The Office though.

     Last night I missed Biggest Loser and we'll be at my parents' house tonight so I'll miss it again tonight.  I'm not worried though, because luckily I can go online and watch it for completely free!  Yay!  There are some shows that the company doesn't post online, like The Mentalist.......However, if you do enough digging you can find them online for free.  We always miss Bones and sometimes Mentalist on Thursdays, but there's a site that provides those episodes so we never have to miss them for long. 

I'm thankful for TV Episodes Online because it allows me to watch the entertainment I might have normally missed.  Technology is awesome.

Amazon.com

     It's Black Friday and I'm staying home and avoiding the chaos that is the sales.  Instead, I'm calmly awaiting Cyber Monday and all of its lovely deals.  I love being able to shop from home and rest my feet instead of walking around the store, frantically trying to find the item I MUST have.  My favorite online store:  Amazon.com.

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     Where else can you find a TV and German chocolate at the same place for relatively cheap?  I usually find the best deals there and I love that they have such a wide variety of stuff.  Typically, if I want something they have it.  Hooray!!  I don't know about you, but I do a lot of Christmas shopping here and that makes life so much easier.

I'm thankful for Amazon.com because it makes shopping better and easier.

Facebook

     Even through all the changes and updates, I still have to be thankful and glad for Facebook.  Where else can I spy stalk keep up with all of my friends and family?

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     I'm a social creature and love to interact with many people.  I love staying updated on everyone and not have to hear about it through the grapevine.  It's funny because my Mom will tell me some news about someone we know and I'll say, "Oh yeah, I already know that."  "How?", she asks.  "Uh, Facebook."  She then tells me how much she hates it and I continue to have my own opinion and use it.  To me, email is great, but if I really want people to know about something, my wedding reception for example, I put it on Facebook.  If I have a question that one or more of my friends might be able to help me out with, it goes on Facebook and more likely than not, I'll get a good response.  I refuse to use Facebook as my diary.  That's what this blog is for.  :)  Well, maybe not a full diary.  There are social limits and boundaries that get crossed on occasion by friends and it drives me mad.  I don't need or care to know what time you went to the store or ate a sandwich.  And I really don't need to know the personal details of your marriage or other relationships.  Tell your therapist, mom, or best friend.  For the most part though, I enjoy reading people's updates and seeing pictures of their families and how cute and adorable everyone's kids have gotten.  Unless you delete them, you don't have to loose track of friends and keep up with family you don't see often.  How wonderful is that? 

I'm thankful for Facebook because of the connection it gives me to my friends and family.

“[Consumers] don't have to worry about what's for dinner at the end of the day when they are using their Crock-Pot,” John Hanson

     We received our Crock Pot at our wedding and boy have I loved it!  I hate to keep saying this, but especially now.  By the end of the day I'm beat and don't really have the desire to make dinner.  However, with this beauty I can get started early and do little work.

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     Our favorite concoction is a Chicken Fiesta Soup.  The soup is really good and you can vary the heat depending on your tastebuds.  The best part is actually an idea that Ty came up with.  We drain it and use the meaty part for burritos.  YUM!!!  That's been such a lifesaver since it makes so much.  In fact, I always try to make some when I run out.  We've done a few other experiments with different recipes and again, I love that it doesn't take much work.  I have a cookbook full of recipes and I'm always looking on Pinterest for more.  If you have any that you'd like to share, please do!  I also love that it's low energy and doesn't heat up the kitchen like the oven does.  It really is a wonderful invention.

I'm thankful for my Crock Pot because of the time it saves me and the yummy meals it helps me make.

Energy....When I Have It

     If there is anything good about being sick or down for the count, it's that it helps us appreciate when we are healthy and everything is good.  So far, I've been fortunate to have only gotten sick once for a week in the very beginning of pregnancy.  However, who knew growing humans took so much out of you?  Especially, if I'm not careful and getting enough protein and water, I tend to feel quite exhausted.  Though sometimes regardless of that, sleep does elude me and I will still have a tough time not taking a nap during the day. 

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     When Energy does come my way, I like to take full advantage of it and get stuff done.  Sometimes it happens so out of the blue that Ty is confused and says, "I could have done that for you."  Probably, but if I can I'm gonna.  Today, I'm hoping that I'll have enough energy since I have some shopping and errands that need to get done.  My feet don't always last so long, but I'm going to do my best to finish everything on my list.  I think even when not pregnant, it's nice to have that boost of Energy to get you through the day.  To get things accomplished and checked off your list is wonderful and if I have the Energy to do it in one day, then we are in serious business.  :)

I'm thankful for When I Have Energy because it allows me to get things done and makes me feel better.

"This feature will no longer be available."

   
     That is what Facebook is telling me about my blog posts being imported to Notes starting tomorrow, November 22nd.  Seriously?!  I'm not excited about this.  There are a lot of you who only read my blog posts when they are put on Facebook.  However, I'm hoping that just because I will have to switch gears and do things differently, you'll all still love me and still come to my blog.  :)  My plan is to still post a link on Facebook when a new blog post is up.  My desire and hope is that you'll all still come visit and leave comments.  Leaving a comment is easily done, even if you don't have an account with Blogger, as they have a few options to choose from.  I hope you will leave comments because I love them.  :)