made me chuckle

i stumbled across these lounge pants yesterday and just HAD to buy myself a pair... since i basically live in this type of thing on the weekend - what's better than having them look like actual jeans... now i can go to the grocery store in style! =)

www.webundies.com



i made it

i'm happy to say that july went-out with a bang - the party was a success, everyone had a good time, and i didn't have a meltdown (amazing!)... eric had to go back into work friday night for a system upgrade, so i took advantage of being home alone and made him a carrot cake (from scratch) as well as got most of the food ready... some of my friends brought dishes as well and we had just enough, thank-god - i hate running-out or having way too much leftover... 2 of his siblings came from pittsburgh, as well as my brother and mom, and the last of the guests left around 11:30... all in all, it was a great time... =)

sunday, was THE most perfect day i've had in months... we did absolute nothing besides watch some movies (kick-ass and hot tub time machine) and i did a few loads of laundry... party clean-up was a breeze since i did most of the kitchen/dining room stuff on saturday night, so we were just left with taking down the tiki decorations, gathering the trash & recycling, and putting away what alcohol was leftover (not much)... i cannot TELL you how nice it was just to lay on the couch and do nothing... not having a project to work-on, or errand to run, or something to clean was priceless! =)

and speaking of kitchen, here are the before/after shots that i promised (still owe you the bathroom ones, sorry)... enjoy! =)











TGIF

happy friday! thought this week would never end, but there's still much to do before tomorrow's party... i spent the better part of last night cleaning the basement and doing laundry... tonight, i'll need to do some grocery shopping and then clean the dining room since that's where the food will be setup... tomorrow - there's much to do in the backyard/patio area, but that will be eric's job and i will be stuck in the house cleaning and making food... a few friends have offered to bring something, so i don't have to worry about EVERYthing, but still - when you host a party, you want to make sure all the bases are covered... and ontop of all this - 2 of eric's siblings are coming from pittsburgh - perhaps i'll give them a job since they're family... either way - i know it will be a good time and the weather is looking fantastic (mid-80s)... yay! =)

yesterday was my 28-week check-up as well as my glucose test - it really wasn't that bad (taste) but the nurse, as usual, had a hard time finding my veins... seems they are "deep and thin", she said - just like my mom... the little guy was really kicking during the sonogram and at one point - he kicked so hard, it made the wand move off my belly and the nurse laughed and laughed... everything looked good, she said, and according to my doc - i'm measuring well and i didn't get yelled at for gaining 3 pounds since the last time... between my scale and their scale - there's a 2-3 difference, so my numbers below are from home... not ideal, but i think i'm doing good... perhaps if i was exercising more, but that's another story... :(

weight-update: 192.6
total pregnancy gain so far: 21.8 pounds
how many weeks along: 28

i've updated my pic in the sidebar and also took one from the front... the women in the cafe downstairs at work couldn't believe i was due in october... one of them is expecting in september and she's huge - guess i'm looking small to them (yay!)... eric, on the otherhand, was shocked when i told him what my weight was - he really has no idea when it comes to stuff like this... ;)

anyway, i hope you all have a nice weekend... :)



yes, we are spoiled

we were working in the backyard last night when i thought i heard the a/c unit running... i was like, "hey, i think our power is back on" and i was right... yay! they said 11:30 but beat that time by a few hours, so good job, pepco... unfortunately, many in the area are still without power and might not get it back until this weekend - we are SO SO SO very lucky... =)

so instead of enjoying the a/c - we spent the next few hours in the backyard weeding and then trimming a tree... eric noticed a branch that had split during the storm and the next thing you know - he's got the chainsaw-on-a-stick and limbs are falling everywhere... we were still bundling and cleaning-up in the dark - so much for making progress in the kitchen... it WAS nice to come in though, take a shower, and relax in the cooled-off house... and last night's sleep - perfect! didn't wake-up once! =)

oh, and before all this happened - i tripped and fell walking home again... same spot as before and i scraped the same, goddamn knee... i really need to walk on the other sidewalk because apparently - that one is not level or something... i cried for a while (because i've turned into a weeping baby) and then eric bandaged me up and i was good to go... =)

today - it's off to the dermatologist, then to home depot, then to target, and then home... tomorrow morning - i have the glucose test, a sonogram, and my check-up... hope everything goes well...

happy hump day...



thought we were done w/camping

our power has been out since sunday around 4:00 - some major storm came thru during the afternoon and we've been suffering ever since... they say it may have been a tornado, but who knows... there are limbs down everywhere which has caused streets to be closed, traffic lights to stop working, and major power-outtages... we're doing okay, considering - eric managed to find some dry ice yesterday but unless the power comes back today, we may be out of luck... i could care less about the fridge in the kitchen - it's the stuff in our chest freezer that i'd hate to see spoil... stuff like meat from his parent's farm, berries that i've been picking this summer, the top to our wedding cake... still, things could be worse and i'm just thankful that it hasn't been hot like it was on thursday, friday, and saturday - just unbearable... anyway, here is the most recent map i could find - we live in the red area and they have no idea when power will be restored... =(

UPDATE: i called the hotline and they said power could be restored by 11:30 tonight (fingers-crossed)... and thanks for the concern, but it really hasn't been that bad/hot in the house - we've had multiple people offer us to stay their houses, so i think we're okay... plus, we have the kitties to take care of and if they can manage - we can too! =)

so besides all this excitement - our weekend was rather busy with house/kitchen stuff (story of my life, as of late)... i finished painting the trim and we swapped-out all the hinges, handles, and knobs on the cabinets... and thanks to mom - we spent a few hours cleaning/polishing them and boy do they look great! almost brand-new! eric finished grouting the tiles that he fixed and once we do the sealant tonight, that's it... well - i still have SOME work to do (putting things back to where they belong) but overall - the kitchen is done... i also got my haircut (very short, aka Pink) and bought party supplies for this saturday... on sunday, we worked on the front and side flowerbeds and started on the backyard, but didn't make it far since it was too hot... i hate that we let the beds get so overgrown, but there just hasn't been time to keep-up... such is life...

yesterday was eric's 40th bday, but because we went to dinner on sunday and the power was out - we opted to stay home... instead of celebrating - we spent the better part of last night weeding the rest of the flowerbeds in the backyard... tonight, we'll finish what we missed and then tackle the garden which looks horrendous... since we have a covered patio in the backyard, that is where most of the party-activities will be held (hence why we're doing so much yardwork)... we also have a new patio set that has to be put together, maybe that will happen tomorrow or thursday... eric will be doing an upgrage overnight on friday (for work) so i need to get as much done, with his help, as possible before then... i'm not too worried about getting the house ready or decorating because that's what i'm good at... ha, that's what i say now anyway... =)

so that's pretty much what i've been up too... haven't been to the gym in a few days but will try today - work has been crazy and today has been the first day things are normal... hate when that happens...

happy tuesday...



ready for fall & football

thought i should drop-by before the weekend comes & goes... everything is just a blur right now and i'm hoping once this kitchen is done and eric's bday party is over (next saturday), i can start focusing on "me" stuff again... it's been VERY hot and humid here - today over 100 and same for tomorrow, if not hotter... good thing i have a lot of projects to keep me busy... =)

vacation was okay - i can't say it was great or perfect because it was hot and buggy and i was pretty miserable... i never used to mind the heat but since becoming pregnant, this summer has been hard... we usually go camping later in the year so even if it's warm during the day, it will cool-off at night - not the case this time around... trying to sleep in the back of a truck, with no breeze, is just not my idea of fun (and neither was getting up to pee!)... i finally reached my limit on monday and had a meltdown on the beach... we were huddled under the umbrella and it was so hot, that i felt like i was suffocating... and because the bugs were bad, i was wrapped-up and that just made things worse... i knew there was nothing eric or i could do, but i just had it and cried for a good 10-minutes... thankfully, it was a bit better on tuesday but since we had to pack-up and leave around 2:00 - i dealt w/the bugs one more time... it was bittersweet leaving since it was the last time it would be just us... next time, the rugrat will be with us and i can't wait to start making new memories as a family... =)

pregnancy update: i've been feeling bigger, that's for sure, and my ankles started swelling yesterday (or maybe i just haven't been noticing)... i'm sure it's the heat, but i've been trying to drink more water which is still such an issue for me (i know, i know)... the little guy has been moving a lot and it's not just at night anymore - there are plenty of times when i'm sitting here and all of a sudden i'll just feel "something" move down there... i've also been getting side-cramps when i walk - again, i'm guessing this is normal?

kitchen update: we found more loose tile/grout this week so eric replaced 3 of them yesterday (i told him IF have to redo the whole floor, i want wood next time)... the new granite counters were put in on wednesday and they look awesome - i couldn't be happier (finally, something that went right!)... last night, i finished the painting the walls and just need to do the window trim... slowly but surly, it's beginning to look like a new kitchen - shelves, pictures, etc. will go back up next week and then it will be done! yay! =)

can't think of much else... we have a busy morning tomorrow and then i'm off to get my haircut and buy party supplies... since it's going to be so hot - i want to get everything done early and then stay inside for the rest of the day... we MAY venture out and catch "predators" but that all depends on how much we get done - an early evening break may be just what we need...

hope you have a great weekend... =)



wishing it was 5:00

it's been a rather long few days and i'm counting the hours until this day is over because then my vacation can begin... eric and i are heading to the beach for a few days and it couldn't come at a better time... between the renovations and all the problems that we've had - getting away and being unplugged is just what we need... i have been so worn-out (emotionally and physically) that i can't wait to just lay on the beach (under the umbrella) and sleep... and read... and look for seashells... and have s'mores every night by the fire... and did i mention, sleep? =)

the kitchen floor is pretty much done - after the guy finished the grout this weekend, i found 2 loose tiles on sunday night... he fixed them on monday and so far, so good, but we won't be moving any appliances back until next week (so it has more time to settle)... i also painted 1.5 walls a nice, warm yellow and already - it's beginning to feel like a new kitchen... i enjoy painting and though eric has offered to help, i keep declining because i feel like this is the one thing i can control right now... if i mess-up, then it's my fault and no one else's... sick huh... and the bathroom - well, that's pretty much done too... on saturday, i did 2 coats of paint on the wainscoting and the doors, and eric hung the new mirror on sunday... looks fabulous (pics to come)... =)

not much else has been going on - haven't been to the gym in a few days, but am hoping to go for some walks while at the beach... i had a dentist appt. yesterday and when she saw me, she gave me a hug and congratulated me... my mom had stole my thunder a few weeks back and told them i was expecting - that woman just can't keep her mouth shut! ha, just kidding... after that, i met my mom and we picked some blueberries and then it was back home to paint trim in the kitchen and get more things together for our trip... much to do tonight and i'm keeping my fingers-crossed that i don't have to stay late (a few projects are behind schedule, but not on my account)...

have a great week! =)



TGIF

a lot of progress was made on the kitchen floor yesterday, but there's still much to be done - grout, sealant, and trim all the way around... we thought that we had a home depot-free night, but that wasn't the case... the grout we ordered with the tile, wasn't enough, and it would've cost a fortune to get another container... so off to HD we went, which meant picking a new color - who would've though that there were 30 colors of grout? i stuck with something neutral (not white and not black) and think it will look pretty good... the cats have been exploring and laying on the floor - my guess is the tile is nice and cool... anyway, to be continued... =)

i promise to post pics of the bathroom (i didn't have any good "pre" shots on my iphone)...

as for this weekend, we have much to do and since we leave for the beach on thursday - we have to go thru all our camping gear and see what we need to still get... i got the bathroom mirror yesterday so hopefully we can put that up and once the doors are painted, i will consider that project done! the kitchen floor should be done by sunday (hopefully) and that will have to be cleaned and put back together before we leave as well (appliances must be in-place for the new countertop which will be installed on the 21st)... then the kitchen will have to be painted... and then we'll be done with project #2... *whew* =)

i have a to-do list that's about a mile long, but will spare you from the details... tonight is "date-night" and we'll be going to maggianno's which is this great restaurant in chevy chase (italian) and come hell or high water - no house stuff will be involved... i'd also like to go see 'predators' at some point, but we'll see where that falls on the list... oh - i have to paint the baker's rack for the kitchen too... so much for my list not getting any shorter... =(

have a great weekend, everyone...



what time is it

yesterday was rough - i can't really blame it on one thing though having to wait an hour and 20 minutes to see my OB didn't help... this guy is known for running late, but it still makes me angry esp. when it was a 10:00 appointment... who runs THAT behind, THAT early in the day? anyway - my sonogram went well (cervix check) and i was told that i have to do the glucose test in 3-weeks... SO looking forward to that! and then starting shortly thereafter - i will have weekly check-ups so they can monitor the baby and make sure no clots are forming anywhere... talk about a pain in the ass, but it's all part of the process (for me anyway)... this morning was my monthly bloodwork and everything looks good there too - can't complain... i snapped a new pic and will update monthly in the sidebar... =)

my whole day was ruined after that appointment and some things at work weren't going well either, so i had a meltdown at my desk and cried for about 10-minutes... i hate being late and i hate feeling like i'm not pulling my weight around here (even though i know i am)... just one of those things... i was tired and just wanted to go home, but made it til 5:00...

on the way home - we picked-up the kitchen tile, then met w/the guy at the house to discuss details, then hopped back in the truck to meet a friend and pick-up something he was giving us to use for the project... then it was back to lowes (after grabbing dinner at chipotle) and we were home after 10:00... i was exhausted and fell asleep in record-time...

today has been much better, thank-god... i'm wearing a cute, new dress and enjoyed a light coffee frappuccino on the way in (so did the baby_... lets just hope the rest of the day continues on this pleasant note... =)

happy thursday...



i need a nap

i want my 3-day weekend back WITHOUT working the whole time... man, i am tired and there's no end in sight until we leave for the beach next thursday... and yes, it was my idea to get all this "house" stuff done before eric's 40th bday AND before the baby, but jesus - this is exhausting... i told eric that my goal is to have nothing to do in september besides plan for the new edition (though i'm sure things will come up)... =)

i will try and keep things short and sweet, since you're all probably sick of hearing about the damn bathroom (me too)... on friday night - i discovered a crack in the brand new sink and had another meltdown... i am pretty sure that i would've noticed it after they installed it, but i can't be 100% sure... eric, being the wonderful hubby that he is, ran next door to talk to the guy that does kitchen/bathrooms and asked if would help us swap out sinks, if we got another one on saturday... the guy said, "sure" and by saturday afternoon - things were back to normal and the bad sink was returned to home depot...

on saturday morning - we went to pick-out our granite slab which was fun... i had gotten 3 prices for black and ended up liking the one in person, that i had liked online (shocking)... i brought one of our cabinet doors to make sure and the tiny specs of brown will look nice... after that - we looked at their tile and got some prices before heading to another place where i found something i loved even more AND it was cheaper! the guy let us bring home the sample tile and when i layed it on our existing floor - i knew it was the right choice (see pic below)... the paint color i had also chosen will pull everything together nicely - so excited! =)

on sunday - we were super busy as well... i had told eric that we should paint the front/back screen doors since the house was painted... that was a chore, but i'm glad we did because now everything looks brand-new! i also cleaned the bathroom from the ceiling to floor and we were finally able to enjoy it that night - incredible! if anyone is looking for a new shower head, i can recommend a great one! for dinner - we tried grilled pizza (thanks to alton brown) and then watched the DC fireworks, on tv, in bed... =)

yesterday was probably busier than sat/sun... we put up the screen doors and then my job was to finish cleaning the house which meant wiping down everything and anything close to the bathroom... i also vacuumed all the furniture and cleaned the hardwood floors - it's so nice to be dust-free again! i also started tackling the kitchen since the guy will start this week, and that involves removing everything that's on the floor - fridge, stove, baker's rack, table, and chairs... just saying that makes me even more tired... in between all the house stuff - eric has been trying to finish putting the harley back together and last night he finished the bags so we took it out and had some dinner... after we got back, i said, "it was too hot, i was very uncomfortable in the seat, and am more paranoid than i used to be"... not sure how much longer i could fit anyway so i told him that any time he wants to go out, please do - no need to ask me... =)

the last pic is of a mocha frappe that i made yesterday... we are addicted to the ones from mcdonald's so i made my own and they came out really good (and were way-less fattening too!)...

happy tuesday...







ready for the weekend

it's friday and i'm staring at a 3-day weekend - what could be better? oh yea, maybe having our bathroom finished would be nice (hopefully that will be today)... it's been a long and agrivating week - first it's one thing, then it's something else... last night, the guy was installing the tub/shower door wrong so eric got pretty upset... then as they were doing it - i thought to myself, "wow, that looks shorter than our other one"... and it is by 3 inches... but we'll live with it for now, though i'm not sure how long is long since it will bother me... also, our old mirror is a tad too large to fit over the sink and next to the cabinet, so that's my next purchase though finding something other than a standard size is going to be challenging... i may just need to go to a hardware store, have them cut a mirror, and then buy a frame-kit (totally doable)... besides painting the rest of the trim, hanging the towel racks, and sealing the grout - i think that's it (for him anyway)... i will need to find a new window valance and possibly a new rug since the one we were using is on the small-side... just another excuse for me to go to homegoods and tjmaxx tonight... yay! =)

weight-update: i'm back down to 185.8 (down a pound from last week)... lets just hope i can keep things steady until my next OB appointment which is on wednesday... this whole "2-pounds a month" thing is really haunting me...

total pregnancy gain so far: 15 pounds

how many weeks along: 24

the weather in DC has been incredible this week - low 60s at night and low 80s during the day... i may just need to go for a walk outside again today... and spin class will be tomorrow morning at 8:00... =)

weekend plans: pick-out our granite, have our existing counters measured, find tile for the kitchen, decide on a paint color, find a bathroom mirror, paint some spots on the DR wall that eric fixed, clean, laundry, grocery shop, and hopefully - go for a ride on the harley... eric just about has it put back together and it's looking pretty spiffy... the tins are all painted and the chrome has been polished - can't wait... =)

hope you guys have a wonderful and safe 4th of july...



tell me that didn't just happen

i had another coffee episode this morning and yes, it involved a white shirt that i had never worn before... i really should make sure my coffee cup lid is on tight before drinking... anyway, i did cry but only for a second and then decided to try and wash out the stain and then dry it with my hairdryer... it's not perfect, but i refused to change my shirt so that's my story... =p

the contractor is moving-along and said he'd be done today - i told eric that made me uncomfortable since he still had to paint, install the sink, light, toilet, shower door, and seal the edges around the tub... eric also had a chat with him about working past 9:00 - that's just not working and maybe if he started before 10:00 - that wouldn't be the case... anyhoo, we'll see how things look tonight but it appears things could be done by this weekend... i'll need one day just to clean and that involves wiping down the walls, the floor, and furniture... =(

kitchen update: i've gotten all but one estimate back and hope to make a decision by the end of this week... we decided that it made more sense to get the countertop done first, then do the floor and paint... have i mentioned my goal is to have this all done by 7/31 - eric's 40th birthday party? yea, call me crazy... =)

went to the gym yesterday and had a good treadmill workout... today will be weights... =)

lunch today will be a salad with romaine from our garden, dried cranberries, granny smith apple, walnuts, gorgonzola cheese, and homemade balsamic vinaigrette... yummy... =)

happy tuesday...



tired of peeing downstairs

wow, i didn't realize that it had been almost a week since i last posted... the bathroom remodel is going slower than expected - the tile was put down on friday and then the grout on saturday... that's it for weekend work and i'm a bit unhappy about that, so eric's going to talk to the guy tonight and see what's going on... i would hope it's done by this coming weekend since i'd like to get the house back in-shape before we move onto the kitchen... it's also becoming more annoying during the night when i have to pee since our other bathroom is downstairs... =(

we've decided to do a tile floor since we already have wood in the LR and DR - adding yet another kind/color in the kitchen wouldn't look as nice (all 3 rooms are next to each other)... the guy already gave us a price for laying the tile (we'd buy the supplies again) and he said it wouldn't take longer than a week (removal of old floor, new subfloor, lay the tile, grout, and then seal)... as for the countertops - i'm going with a black granite and have contacted about 6 companies for estimates (go me!)... still waiting on 2 more quotes and then we'll be able to make a decision and maybe get the ball rolling next week... exciting indeed!

i'm also getting my antique couch and chair redone for the LR... unfortunately, this will not be a cheap job but it was my great aunt's (mom's side) and i've been told, in so many words, that i can't get rid of it... even though i can probably buy 5 new pieces for the same cost - it's nice to have something that's been passed-down and hopefully enjoyed for many years to come...

my mom and i did some thrift-store shopping saturday, and also hit kohl's and lowe's... she is not the best person to go maternity clothes shopping with because everytime i'd say i didn't like a shirt or dress - she'd get mad... i know that i need to dress differently now, but that doesn't mean i have to wear something that's ugly... meanwhile, my sister sent me a package with some baby clothes and 3, very cute maternity shirts - i told her that i wished mom had the same taste as she did... =)

well, work has been quiet and i'm going to take advantage of the boss being out and hit the gym late today... i had a great spin class on saturday too - she really kicked our butts!

happy monday...



that looks like sh*t

yesterday ended better than it started, but that wasn't without another breakdown once i got home... eric was like, "before you go into the bathroom, i just want you to know that i want ramiro to fix some things"... great... i knew one of the corner, horizontal seams was a bit large, but seeing it grouted made it stand out even more... it looks horrible and very unprofessional, and with the darker glass tile - it was very obvious that it's wrong... i laid on the bed cried... then i got myelf cleaned-up and went to home depot to buy paint, a wall register cover, and some light switches - spending money always makes me feel better (insert sarcasm)... when i got back - eric called the guy and told him how unhappy we were and that he needs to figure out how to fix it... i have just enough glass tile for him to redo that wall, if needed and hopefully he can make it right... my whole issue is that i refuse to pay someone, a lot of money, especially if they say tile is their expertise... to be continued... 

the rest of my evening was okay - we watched 'aliens' for a while, had leftover chicken enchiladas for dinner, and then i went to bed... feeling better today, thank goodness, and we have plans to hit both home depot AND lowes after work... lets hope they have, what we need, in-stock...

happy tuesday...

p.s. no gym yesterday but i WILL be going today... must stay active!



my morning

so i go to put-on a skirt that i had picked-out to wear today, and it doesn't fit... so i found another one that DID fit, then had to find another shirt to go with it... fine, okay... i do my usual morning routine and as i'm going to fill-up my coffee cup for the car - low and behold, eric had already done so... but i didn't know this and scalding coffee goes all over me, the counter, and the kitchen floor... not a pretty sight... so, while he's cleaning up the mess - i change into yet another outfit (which is #3) and wait for the coffee to finish brewing...

once everything is okay - we hit the road and what happens less than a mile away from the house? i go to take a sip of my coffee, and it spills down the front of my very new, very cute, and very ivory shirt... we turn around and i start crying... more like bawling because i'm so pissed-off and frustrated and get this, pregnant... we run back into the house, i find yet another shirt (#4), fix my makeup, and then because we had to turn-around - i told eric to drop me off at the metro station... which means - i never got my goddamn coffee!

this morning totally, utterly, and completly sucked, and i'm really not liking this new, emotional jodi... and this was my second meltdown in 3 days... =(

on friday night - we headed to lowe's to pick-up some things i had ordered online, as well as buy supplies so the guy can start on the bathroom saturday morning... we find the wainscotting, and the trim, and the shower tile, etc., but when i go to pick-up my items - they tell me they don't have the porcelain knobs... these knobs were impossible to find (in chrome) and i never received a message or phonecall saying they weren't in-stock, so i was a bit upset... and started crying in the store... and i cried all the way home... and because we were running so late - eric had to cancel plans with a friend and was sort-of pissed off (even though i told him the bathroom remodel should trump hanging out with friends)... it was not a good evening... =(

thankfully, the rest of the weekend was better... the contractor made great progress on the bathroom and finished the shower tile yesterday (see pic)... we took a truck-load of materials to the dump and finally found 12" x 12" white, ceramic tile for the floor (very hard to find since it's not a standard color these days)... we also decided to guy a dual-flush toilet (like they had in france) and will gain some space since they are much narrower in size... yay! =)

knob update: i found them in-stock, at another lowes, so we picked them up on saturday night (9:40 to be exact)... they are perfect! =)

yesterday - i picked cherries and blueberries with my mom, went to the grocery store, found some storage containers at homegoods, and finished the laundry... it feels like i didn't have a real weekend, but such is life...

happy monday... 



6 really means 9

man am i sleepy... the contractor was supposed to be at our house at 6:00am, but i told eric that will never happen... and it didn't... so we're leaving early and meeting him after work instead... thanks, buddy... they made HUGE progress on the bathroom yesterday - like the whole thing is gutted and ready to go (i will post photos later)... eric and i have to run to lowes to pick-up some stuff that i ordered (new vanity light and shower fixture) as well as look at their tile, sinks, paint, and toilets... who knew it would be this much work, but honestly - i love it... though i had originally wanted brushed nickel fixtures - i have swapped to chrome because the cross-bar porcelain handles for the shower are very hard to find in a dull finish... such is life...

last night my friend, daisy, and i went to the melting pot for dinner... that place just rocks and that's all i have to say... we had the usual 4-courses: cheese, salad, entree, and dessert - they even stuck a candle in the cheesecake since i had told them it was her birthday... and to top the evening off, i got a coupon for a free chocolate fondue! excellent! =)

no time for the gym today (leaving early), but am going to spin class tomorrow... =)

oh, and on the weight front - i'm down a pound this week (no, i'm not trying to lose weight)... so my total pregnancy gain so far is --> 14 pounds... =)

as for the weekend - my laundry list is long, but it's manageable and hopefully we can work around the whole bathroom thing... i'd like to go pick some sour cherries and blueberries with my mom and we HAVE to get our honeymoon photos posted online... it's been almost a month and no progess has been made... and no progress on my wedding album either, but that's another story... ;)

hope you have a great weekend! =)



yes, this is me

i know these photos aren't very flattering or show that much, but they are the most recent ones i have (this morning actually)... this is one of the dresses that i bought at kohls a few months back, before i was really showing - now, it's pretty obvious and i hope i can wear it a few more times before it gets too small (it's a size large)... my pantyhose, on the other hand, are definitely too small and aren't that comfortable - they may be coming-off later today... as for my weight - i forgot to do it this morning so i'll have to do it tomorrow instead - lets hope i didn't gain another magic 5-pounds... =)

since the bathroom demolition begins tomorrow - i was busy last night cleaning out the closet and trying to find a place for everything... we also have to put up the door to the basement (since that's where the kitties will be living during the day) and move some furniture in the LR... i also need to order the wall cabinet today and see if i can find anymore faucets that have the white, porcelain handles (that say hot and cold)... if any of you know a good website, please pass it along... =)

everyday when i get home, there's been a package for me... i ordered some new workout gear that will fit my ever-expanding belly and keep me motivated to workout (great sale at hanes.com)... i also got the nursery bedding which is just adorable - i will have some decisions to make about how to paint the walls since the blue in the bedding is almost the same as the blue i want for the bathroom... call me crazy, but i can't have the same color in 2 different rooms so i'm not sure what to do... i could always do brown on the bottom, but then it would be the same as our DR... ugh... any suggestions?

and on the food front - i've been doing pretty well i think... eric made beer can chicken last night and it came out fabulous (see below)! i also made smashed potatoes with that buttermilk dressing i made the other night and roasted veggies... talk about yummy! =)

happy hump day!



so much for progress

the good: had a great workout - did the elliptical for 45-minutes (intervals) and burned 500 calories... =)

the bad: went to a new fro-yo place where it's self-serve with over 12 flavors, a ton of toppings (frozenyo), and it's sold by weight... and it was VERY yummy... =(



are you kidding?

happy sunday! our plans for making beer-can chicken for dinner were foiled when i took the chicken out of the fridge and realized it was still frozen... ugh, i hate when that happens... it doesn't help that i spent the whole afternoon in the kitchen prepping things for the week and was looking forward to eric handling dinner, but alas - we'll be having it another night instead... i'm still roasting veggies, but will making a salad and bought a baguette while at the store and some goat cheese... just hate when you're REALLY looking forward to something and then it doesn't pan-out... =(

on a more positive note - i DID get my ass to the gym yesterday for spinning... =)

we've also hired the guy that painted our house to redo our bathroom (he actually specializes in tile)... it won't be cheap, unfortunately, since he said it's better to redo all the walls so everything's even - who knows what things look like under the tile... they will start demolition on thursday so i'll make sure and take progress pics... =)

i've also been getting estimates on having my great aunt's couch & chair redone... it's in pretty good shape considering how old it is, but the fabric is outdated and the springs are going... i called another place yesterday and it ends up that the owner knew my dad and remembers us coming in to the shop when i was little... talk about a small world! i do too actually, so we had a nice conversation - i emailed him some pictures so hopefully his price will be cheaper than the first one i got... i know reupholstery is expensive, but damn - buying something new would be cheaper! =(

sounds like we have a lot going on and yes, i agree... i told eric that regardless if we spend money now (before the baby) or after - we're still going to spend money... i think getting some of the bigger stuff done this summer will be great because then it will be less to worry about this winter... and if eric does find a job in pittsburgh in the next year or so - we'll have less to redo before putting the house on the market... i WOULD also like to enjoy the new bathroom and kitchen while i can... =)

well, that's about it for me - hope you're having a great weekend!



i'll take that, oh and that, and...

if you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that i'm a fan of kohls and tend to do a lot of my shopping there (plus they're always having a sale or sending me coupons)... slickdeals.net had a 30% code today, so i hopped onto their site and managed to score some great deals... i picked-up a few dresses (3:4 were under $10), some shirts, a pair of shorts, and some polos for eric... grand total was $135 for 14 items = $9.65 each... not bad, not bad at all... =)

my doctor's appointment went well yesterday, though my cholesterol is high (he says because of being pregnant) and my vitamin D was on the low side... i'll be taking a supplement along with my prenatal and some extra folic acid... i've gained 20-pounds since my last physical (may '09) but most of that is baby, and he said i should be aiming for 2-pounds a month at this point... i've already gained more than half of what the target-weight gain is (20-25 pounds) so i need to be careful and make sure i keep exercising... he also proceeded to tell me that he's known women who have gained 100+ pounds and to me, that's just not right nor healthy... my blood pressure and sugar-levels were perfect so all-in-all, not a bad appointment...=)

after i left, i headed straight for the gym and did 45-minutes on the elliptical... then went to baja fresh where i got a chicken salad with the sour cream and guacamole on the side... i had no intention of eating the fried shell, but they are too damn good and i ate the whole thing... next time, i'm ordering it sans-shell... =(

tomorrow is a busy one - spin class, then haircut, then back home so the guy can finish a few things around the house... eric is taking his exam (been in training all week) and will be gone for most of the day - i've barely seen him this week since he gets home late every night... sunday, we have plans to go through our trip pictures and finally get them posted - sounds like it will be rainy, so that will be the perfect thing to work on...

hope you have a great weekend... =)