I Spy...

...our first, ripening cherry tomato!

... yellow blooms on our vastly growing squash!

...huge cantaloupe leaves, can't wait!

...flowers!

...green tomatoes, hurry up!

A lot of growth since we started our above-ground garden!

Ready to Fly Away

Family vacation is near...

Fly fishing, spa days, hot springs.... a vacation sure to remember!

Baby Love

Who will most of my posts be about for the next 6 months.... and beyond, for that matter?

This little one.

We had a bit of a scare yesterday and had to go to the hospital to get things checked out. The ultrasound showed that all is ok with me and baby. The sweet ultrasound tech snuck us a few photos to bring home. Our sweet baby was doing just fine in there, looking as relaxed as could be! The baby was kicking and grooving all over the place, I can't imagine what it will feel like when I actually start to feel the movement!

I feel that I am already showing, although people are being really nice and saying I don't look pregnant at all. I guess when you know your body so well and you feel it change each day, you can't help but notice the physical changes. Here is a picture of my slight baby pooch:

12 weeks, baby is size of a lime

Sticks and 'Staches...

So, it won't take long for you to see the pictures below to decide what it is exactly I am posting about! YES... Greg and I are pregnant - that sounds weird when you say "we" are pregnant, but if I just say "I"... well I feel like it's just me in this journey and it definitely is not, it has been a team effort! ANYWAYS... we found out that I was pregnant on March 26, 2011 and our lives have really never been the same since! We wanted to wait until we were near the end of the first trimester to announce it to the world for several reasons, but mainly to be sure all is ok!

The Stick

Seeing this on the stick was WEIRD!!!

Life as we know it CHANGED immediately...

After a wonderful and encouraging doctor's appointment yesterday, we decided to spread the news! Here is a picture of our sweet butter bean - as of today I am about 11 weeks pregnant, moving into my 12th week! If you look closely and squint you can see one hand is over the face and one is up against the left side of the head. The baby was moving around, it was the most amazing sight.... and her heart, as always, is the most amazing sound. To think another heart is inside me beating.... holy cow batman!

Now for the story on The 'Stache....

Greg is not a "just 'stache" kind of guy, he prefers (and I prefer) the goatee.....

BUT, Greg and his buddies, at a MSU football game a few years back, decided it would be interesting to make a pregnancy pact (what guys do this? OUR guys...). Whichever wife happened to get pregnant first... the husband of that baby mama must grow a mustache and sport it for the duration of the pregnancy. So there ya have it, Greg's poor naked chin is just out there ... so vulnerable. I may petition for the goatee to come back and this pact to only last a few weeks.... please guys?! Please!!

We are expecting the little one around December 4th. We are choosing NOT to find out the sex of the baby, do you think I can hold out?

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Introducing our raised-bed garden for this year! We thought we'd give this a try - with some fencing we have been able to keep the Birdie away. Greg built this and planted everything, I can take no credit. Didn't he do a wonderful job? We have tomato plants (cherry and large), squash, bell peppers, banana peppers, cayenne peppers and cantaloupe. The cayenne pepper plant was not in the plan but somehow it ended up making it home with us, so we'll see what we can do with that!

A Dying Breed: The Mullet

With his mullet in tow and wearing his Lynyrd Skynyrd shirt - the little man was taken to get his first haircut! At nearly 1 year old, you've never seen the cutest, most soft, sweet smelling hair! After I left the salon that day, I shed a tear for the almighty mullet. It's remains are now in a ziploc bag.... sealed away for the baby book. They're a dying breed.

My sweet little nephew ... he's growing up too fast! I can't wait until he's 17 and we're showing him these pictures of such precious years. I'd give my life for this little guy.

Wear Peace

I saw these unique bracelets on the Today Show yesterday morning. The bracelets are made by Afghan women. They use authentic materials used by our soldiers in the field. The bracelets are parachute cords woven tightly together. This organization is empowering the Afghan women by giving them jobs to help bring their families out of poverty.

Check out the website. For $10 I think it is a great way to show peace and support for our troops who are rebuilding other nations.

https://www.peacecord.org/index.cfm

Peace Cord Mission:

To empower Afghan women to lift their
families out of poverty and to support
efforts by our troops to help the Afghan
people rebuild their country.

Allergic to Teaching?

For several weeks now I have wondered if I am allergic to kids and teaching. I've always had sinus problems, but ever since I began teaching 6 weeks ago - I have stayed sick!

Well the verdict is in - I am HIGHLY allergic to dust mites and grass and have cysts in my sinus cavity. I should be a science experiment for someone.

Lovely... I am also a candidate for allergy shots.

A shot per week, for a year? No way, I don't want to deal with that!

For now the doctor gave me 2 different nasal sprays, of which the doctor wants me to use religiously each day. I'll see how that helps my sinus issues and go back to see her in a month.

Dust mites? Ugh, what are those? I am so disgusted right now at the thought of tiny mites lingering around in the dust around our house. I can dust in the morning and new dust appears within hours - how is one to keep a house free of dust mites? I wash our sheets every Saturday, dust, and vacuum. I swear I'm a clean person. Having this new diagnosis really creeps me out. I won't even google what a dust mite is, afraid I'll go into anaphylactic shock.

As for being allergic to grass - sorry Greg, no longer can I help you with mowing the yard and raking... doctor's orders.

FYI - if you are allergic to dust mites DO NOT use a humidifier. Humidity actually causes the production of more dust mites - ack!!!

Here are some nice pictures of my allergy test that was done on my poor arm!

Pretty hardcore, eh?

Run, Lass, Run!

Today I will participate in the Run For the Irish 5k, here in Memphis. Along my side will be my sister, Amy, my Aunt Becky, and my nephew Aidan. Hoping to post more pictures later! They'll be having bagpipers along with Irish dancers! I wonder if they'll be serving any boxties post-race? May the Irish luck be with us!

So, I am home now - I finished the race in about 47 minutes! I was real excited, seeing that I haven't ran a 5k in a LONG time and I walked most of this one.

P.S. My and Aunt Becky found the cutest leprechaun!