Thanksgiving 2011

We had lots of plans for Thanksgiving week and luckily most of them fell into my "we MUST DO THINGs" mindset.

For Thanksgiving on my side we went to my Grandpa's and also celebrated his 93rd birthday.  My mom and aunt mentioned needing a small cake and I volunteered - with hesitation - because I always seem to get myself into things I shouldn't.  But it actually turned out nice and I was glad I did it.  Tuesday I baked and Wednesday I decorated.

I didn't do a big announcement about it being a girl and just kinda told people.  That just fits with that side of the family.  Then we went to Bear's family and he asked his Mema to tell everyone.  We had other plans to tell everyone, but then didn't end up doing any of them.  But it was still fun!!!

So Thanksgiving was very nice, except of course the football game we shall not speak of.

Luckily, Bear has been very cooperative about things I want done around the house, but it may end soon as I continue to think of things that "need" to be done.  However, the we did accomplish quite a few things on our time off after Thanksgiving.  I almost exhausted myself, but dang it they got DONE.  And some have been waiting forever!

• The Wednesday before Thanksgiving we got the TV mounted over the fireplace -- by professionals!  We needed power and cable on the other side of the room, plus the mount, so I really wanted it done correctly and Bear didn't object.  This way we have a clear walkway to the other part of the house AND we can have more options for rearranging the living room furniture.  Also, I want a recliner and that was the only way to fit it into the furniture grouping.  Now this gives me another thing I have to do which is decorate the very large empty living room wall that is now blank.  But... not before we paint the entire room - or so Bear suggests and I won't object!  Not sure when that is exactly going to happen yet ... to be continued.  

• Friday we of course shopped!  Until I almost dropped and I didn't even go out until lunch.
• Saturday we continued with the projects.
• We bought a new dining room light fixture to replace the yucky brass and white ceiling fan.  Bear hung it and also centered it to my liking.  

I tried to take a picture, but it was really hard to get it right.

See!?  Anyway, I like it.

One without the light on in the daylight. 

• And we also got a pendant for over the sink and he hung that too.

• He almost got to hang the mantle back under the TV, but we needed more things from Lowes, which we did get, but we were too tired by the time we got to that. 
• THEN we got all the Christmas decorations down from the attic.
• Then, side break while I cleaned out my entire closet and put together things to give to goodwill. (I SWEAR I hope this energy lasts!)
• And then, I did fluff and put all the lights on the tree.  And that is where I had to call it quits.  I was so tired and my hips and feet hurt!
  

It's a ....

GIRL!  Check out the new tab I added with ultrasound pics if you are interested.  We found out last Wednesday and we are of course very excited!

I can't believe this is really going to happen - it's really REAL!  Now that I finally believe it, after 20 weeks of convincing, my mind is in super duper overdrive.  I feel anxious like there is SOooooooooooo much to DOOoooo and I want to do it all right this very second.  I can barely think of anything else.  It's like I am on a really good caffeine buzz, but I haven't had but one cup of coffee and that was at 8 this morning.

Playing Catch Up

Well, my plans to put up a bunch of rewind posts a few weekends ago were foiled.  My sweet Mema passed away and we had to rush back home.  It was expected, but unexpected.  I know she is peaceful now.  She hated the nursing home so at least she doesn't have to be there anymore.  She hadn't been herself for quite some time and that is what I think was the most sad to realize.  My cousin put together a very nice picture slide show and wrote a wonderful obituary that captured a lot of things I had forgotten about.  Of everything my Mema couldn't remember, she did remember I was going to have a baby.  Which makes me very happy.  And I know she is in heaven watching out for our baby and us from above.  Old age can be both good and bad.  I hope that if I am lucky enough to live a long life, that I will age gracefully and remember to always laugh, even when it doesn't seem funny.  Love her and will miss her dearly. 

After all of that settled, work has been super busy with one crazy thing after the next.  This past week I was in Phoenix at a project meeting, but spent most of the time in my hotel room working on a last minute proposal.  Traveling for work can be fun, but trying to work on a proposal and being pregnant PLUS traveling.... maybe not so much.  I was exhausted.  And so swollen everyday!  Then on the way home we were going Phoenix to Dallas to College Station.  Well when we go to Dallas our flight was cancelled!  And the next one fully booked and the next not until 8am Saturday.  Note to self, do not fly American out of College Station.  Most especially on a Friday of game day weekend.  We ended up renting a car and driving home with two researchers, one of which had his 2 year old daughter with him.  It was a very interesting experience, but I was sooooo glad to be home!

I could not be more ready for Thanksgiving and a short work week!  And we get to find out the gender this week, YAY!  All I have standing between me and that excitement is 3 proposals due Tuesday.

Here is picture, 19 weeks today.  I have discovered I am absolutely no good at taking pictures of myself and also the lighting is not so good in the guest bath.  (Which by the way,  I did finally finish redoing that bathroom minus hardware, but probably hard to tell the color by this bad picture). 

And also, I am going to be huge by the end of this.

Hello? (echo echo echo)

Hi there.  It's totally almost November 2011 and I haven't posted not one exciting thing since a very long time ago in 2010.  And we have actually done some exciting things mixed in with the boring things, LOL!  So I guess its time for some rewind posts :-)  They seem to be a reoccurring theme around here.

I am also hoping the blog is going to become more active (in real time instead of rewind) because of some big changes in our lives.   I think everyone knows by now, but in case you didn't, we are expecting a baby in April 2012.  I have hesitated to write it down here because I am still unreasonably paranoid about everything pregnancy.  But I know that I need to get over it, and maybe writing and sharing will help.

So now, finally, this can become a family blog which makes me very excited and happy.