Thursday, December 29, 2011
Another little thing to peruse on one of your vacation days. :)
http://www.oprah.com/packages/your-happiness-plan.html
Is it 2012 yet?!
The Christmas decorations are down, the house looks "normal" and "decluttered"- obviously, I was quickly over all the holiday stuff. I always love when a new year comes. It's like a fresh start. Nothing will really change immediately for us in 2012 but I like the idea of it. It makes me want to put fresh yellow flowers in the house and pretend that it's springtime. Yeah, good luck with that, huh? haha We have a good four months of this cold weather left before we get anything that resembles a spring day.
But, luckily for us, we have something coming smack in the middle of those four months to bring some brightness to our lives! Less than two months and baby Max will be here! I'm so excited, I can't stand it. I have two friends giving birth to their babies this week and I am j-e-a-l-o-u-s! haha Laura and Stan are having their twins, Lilah & Colin, this Friday and I'm SOOOO excited for them! And, Christina and Chad went into the hospital this morning to have their baby boy, Hudson, today! Plus, great for the 2011 tax returns! haha
I'm pretty much ready for this pregnancy thing to come to a happy ending. I'm uncomfortable now, I'm not very fond of the extra junk in my trunk anymore, I now like staying behind the camera instead of in front of it, and I can't sleep through the night, or more than about an hour for that matter, without waking up for any of the following reasons: my back hurts, my hip hurts, I catch myself laying on my back and then I can't breathe, Christian nudging me because apparently I'm a champion snorer now, or because, of course, I have to pee. Plus, I'm tired of not being able to hug or kiss my husband without practically bending over. haha It's all very awkward. But, I know he needs to stay in there a little while longer. Plus, Christian made a good point the other day: he's easier to keep track of while he's in my tummy. haha
So anyway, on to other things. We had a great Christmas as I hope all of you did! We went to Western Maryland to visit Christian's family for the weekend. The warm winter has hit over there this year too so we didn't have a white Christmas. That's pretty odd for the mountains but I'm not complaining. As many of you know, Christian and I don't really exchange gifts for Christmas so there's nothing to report there but we are planning a beach vacation at the end of April that will count as somewhat of a late Christmas present. We planned on a ski trip this year between Christmas and New Years but that fizzled out due to not being able to get everything coordinated with a larger group. But, anyway, for those of you who did exchange gifts, I hope you got what you wanted/needed!
Anyone have any New Year's resolutions?? I don't really have one this year. I definitely want to get back in shape ASAP after Max is here but I already work out so that really can't be a resolution.... I'd like to read more but I know with baby here, that will be close to impossible to keep up with.... So, I think I'll just stick to the good ol' "maintain a happy life by choice" motto as my resolution. It's been working pretty dang well for the past two years! I hope all of you have a fabulously happy 2012! Make it a priority and a choice!
Oh, I have an idea.... some of your resolutions should be to visit Chrissi & Christian more often! That would be fabulous! ;-) We love having company and any of our friends and family are more than welcome anytime!
Now, I just want to touch on a few things in the news lately. First off, the funeral of North Korean leader Kim Jung Il. Have any of you seen the footage of the people "crying" and going into convulsions? It's a bit much. The news is saying that it's mostly fake because people don't want to seem unsupportive of the regime but WOW! Christian and I watched some of Anderson Cooper 360 last night and he showed the footage and we were blown away and were kind of laughing at how dramatic it was. Yes, it's sad that someone (anyone) passed away but there were no tears and the people who didn't think the camera was capturing them weren't even grimacing. Craziness. So, I guess we'll see how his son does.
Secondly, have any of you heard of breastfeeding "nurse-ins" going on around the country? Let me first make something clear: I am all about breastfeeding and I think it's 100% natural and beautiful and all that jazz. But, is it really necessary for a Texas woman to sit ON THE FLOOR in the women's clothing department of a Target store and breastfeed her child? I've provided a link to this story about the TX woman.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2011/12/breastfeeding-at-target-moms-stage-national-demonstration/
She was on GMA yesterday talking about how offended she was that people kept giving her bad looks and shaking their heads. She was even offered a dressing room by one of the Target employees but refused it and that's when she says she kept getting bad looks. I'm a woman about to have a child who I will hopefully breastfeed but even I get a smidge uncomfortable when I see women doing this in a wide open public place. Is it so hard to find a place a little more private than the floor of Target? I'm not a fan of this...
Third news story... the awful, awful Christmas Eve fire in Connecticut. The mother lost her parents and her three children. The fire was caused by embers from the fireplace being discarded outside the home but still close enough to the home to catch fire. They were trying to be safe by getting the embers outside but I guess they weren't safe enough. There were no smoke detectors in the home as it was being renovated. This is such a sad story. If any of you are thinking you're having a bad day, bad year, bad anything, just think, it could be WAY worse. Also, please take time in the next day or two to check your smoke detectors! After hearing this story, I replaced batteries in all of ours.
Ok, so anyway, I hope all of you are having a great week! Tomorrow is Friday! Enjoy the long weekend and have a SUPER happy New Year!!!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
But, luckily for us, we have something coming smack in the middle of those four months to bring some brightness to our lives! Less than two months and baby Max will be here! I'm so excited, I can't stand it. I have two friends giving birth to their babies this week and I am j-e-a-l-o-u-s! haha Laura and Stan are having their twins, Lilah & Colin, this Friday and I'm SOOOO excited for them! And, Christina and Chad went into the hospital this morning to have their baby boy, Hudson, today! Plus, great for the 2011 tax returns! haha
I'm pretty much ready for this pregnancy thing to come to a happy ending. I'm uncomfortable now, I'm not very fond of the extra junk in my trunk anymore, I now like staying behind the camera instead of in front of it, and I can't sleep through the night, or more than about an hour for that matter, without waking up for any of the following reasons: my back hurts, my hip hurts, I catch myself laying on my back and then I can't breathe, Christian nudging me because apparently I'm a champion snorer now, or because, of course, I have to pee. Plus, I'm tired of not being able to hug or kiss my husband without practically bending over. haha It's all very awkward. But, I know he needs to stay in there a little while longer. Plus, Christian made a good point the other day: he's easier to keep track of while he's in my tummy. haha
So anyway, on to other things. We had a great Christmas as I hope all of you did! We went to Western Maryland to visit Christian's family for the weekend. The warm winter has hit over there this year too so we didn't have a white Christmas. That's pretty odd for the mountains but I'm not complaining. As many of you know, Christian and I don't really exchange gifts for Christmas so there's nothing to report there but we are planning a beach vacation at the end of April that will count as somewhat of a late Christmas present. We planned on a ski trip this year between Christmas and New Years but that fizzled out due to not being able to get everything coordinated with a larger group. But, anyway, for those of you who did exchange gifts, I hope you got what you wanted/needed!
Anyone have any New Year's resolutions?? I don't really have one this year. I definitely want to get back in shape ASAP after Max is here but I already work out so that really can't be a resolution.... I'd like to read more but I know with baby here, that will be close to impossible to keep up with.... So, I think I'll just stick to the good ol' "maintain a happy life by choice" motto as my resolution. It's been working pretty dang well for the past two years! I hope all of you have a fabulously happy 2012! Make it a priority and a choice!
Oh, I have an idea.... some of your resolutions should be to visit Chrissi & Christian more often! That would be fabulous! ;-) We love having company and any of our friends and family are more than welcome anytime!
Now, I just want to touch on a few things in the news lately. First off, the funeral of North Korean leader Kim Jung Il. Have any of you seen the footage of the people "crying" and going into convulsions? It's a bit much. The news is saying that it's mostly fake because people don't want to seem unsupportive of the regime but WOW! Christian and I watched some of Anderson Cooper 360 last night and he showed the footage and we were blown away and were kind of laughing at how dramatic it was. Yes, it's sad that someone (anyone) passed away but there were no tears and the people who didn't think the camera was capturing them weren't even grimacing. Craziness. So, I guess we'll see how his son does.
Secondly, have any of you heard of breastfeeding "nurse-ins" going on around the country? Let me first make something clear: I am all about breastfeeding and I think it's 100% natural and beautiful and all that jazz. But, is it really necessary for a Texas woman to sit ON THE FLOOR in the women's clothing department of a Target store and breastfeed her child? I've provided a link to this story about the TX woman.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2011/12/breastfeeding-at-target-moms-stage-national-demonstration/
She was on GMA yesterday talking about how offended she was that people kept giving her bad looks and shaking their heads. She was even offered a dressing room by one of the Target employees but refused it and that's when she says she kept getting bad looks. I'm a woman about to have a child who I will hopefully breastfeed but even I get a smidge uncomfortable when I see women doing this in a wide open public place. Is it so hard to find a place a little more private than the floor of Target? I'm not a fan of this...
Third news story... the awful, awful Christmas Eve fire in Connecticut. The mother lost her parents and her three children. The fire was caused by embers from the fireplace being discarded outside the home but still close enough to the home to catch fire. They were trying to be safe by getting the embers outside but I guess they weren't safe enough. There were no smoke detectors in the home as it was being renovated. This is such a sad story. If any of you are thinking you're having a bad day, bad year, bad anything, just think, it could be WAY worse. Also, please take time in the next day or two to check your smoke detectors! After hearing this story, I replaced batteries in all of ours.
Ok, so anyway, I hope all of you are having a great week! Tomorrow is Friday! Enjoy the long weekend and have a SUPER happy New Year!!!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Ok, ok... so it's been (almost) a month since I've blogged. Sorry folks.
Gosh- so much to catch up on! I haven't blogged since before Thanksgiving and I feel I should catch everyone up on this life of mine.
So, last time I blogged, we were getting ready for a LONG drive down to Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday. And, boy was it a long drive.... especially since we started it off with two flat tires just 40 minutes into our trip. We must have run over something on our way out of town. The "low tire pressure" alert went off for the rear right tire and then immediately "dinged" for the front right tire. Christian watched the tire pressure gage in the truck slowly creep down as we hurried to get off the freeway. We were able to make it off the freeway and were only ONE MILE away from the Midas garage when we weren't able to drive anymore. So, we had to wait about 30 minutes on roadside assistance to come pump the tires and plug them well enough for us to make it to the tire place. We made it to Midas and about an hour and half later, we were patched and ready to hit the road. We only got about four hours of driving in that day but made it safely to Florida the next evening. Sixteen hours was our total time. Blahhhh.
We got to Pensacola the weekend before Thanksgiving and just spent time with family and friends the first few days. Then, we went to New Orleans for Thanksgiving day and night with my mom and step-dad. That was a fun thing to do and it was different.... kind of a change of scenery from the typical Thanksgiving hooplah that usually takes place. :) So, it was nice. Then, the day after Turkey Day, we headed back to Florida where I hosted my best friend's (Alison) bridal shower with some of our closest friends. It was a fun time and it was great to see everyone. The Sunday that followed was my first baby shower and it was so fantastic! It was hosted by Karyn, Alison and Ali and I couldn't have been happier with the turnout! We got some GREAT gifts for Max and the food was delicious! Christian had to leave that day to head to Dallas for a class for work. So, he was gone for the rest of my time in Florida. He flew back into Pensacola on Thursday, I picked him up from the airport and we got about six hours of driving in before we stopped for the night on our way back to NJ.
There really is nothing quite like being back at home when you've been gone for about two weeks. Our bed never feels better than that first night back! Plus, I was anxious to get all of our nursery stuff put away and organized! Speaking of- the next day, my friends Vicki and Paige hosted another baby shower up here for me! It was also fantastic! They put so much work into it and it was beautiful and so thoughtful! Most of my NJ/PA friends were able to make it so it was a lot of fun! And, we got even more great gifts!!
The same day as my shower, we had Christian's squadron's Christmas party that night. It was fun and it was good to see all the folks he works with. I never realized how many people were in his squadron! It takes anArmy (err... Navy), I guess!
Maybe all that going, going, going is what put me down for the count this past Monday. I felt like I was hit with a ton of bricks that afternoon. My whole body hurt, I was coughing and had a horrible headache. Then, to top it all off, I pulled a muscle or something in my right side that made it painful to breathe! I felt awful. But, I'm slowly getting over the remnants of whatever it was. I still have a little bit of a cough, sore through when I wake up and some congestion but I'm pushing through!
In the middle of all that junk, I had a MUCH needed hair appointment! I ended up having about six inches cut off of my hair and I really couldn't be happier with that decision!!! My hair was looking raggedy and definitely needed a fresh look. So, I lightened it up some and chopped it into a long bob. It's resting on my shoulders now and looks SO much healthier!
So, then we come to this past weekend. Dad and Rhonda flew in Friday around lunchtime and we had a great weekend with them. Friday was spent just shopping around town and taking them to Ikea for the first time. haha Then, we all got up early Saturday morning and hopped on the train to NYC. We had great chilly weather the whole day and the city was jammed packed with other Christmas tourist. We spent most of the morning walking around and seeing all of the decorations for the holidays. In the early afternoon, we got to see the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular show featuring the Rockettes! It was a GREAT show! It was so pretty and kind of magical! Then, we walked up to Central Park and got a horse and carriage ride through the park before we headed off to dinner at the Time Warner Center. We had a great day! Thanks to Dad for the show and dinner!
It was a quick trip for them as they flew out on Sunday. But, we had a great time. Sunday was spent shopping for baby stuff that we still need. We got our monitor and made some other decisions on items that we still need to get now that I've price shopped all of them. I'll probably be making another trip to Babies R Us this afternoon to scratch off a few more items on our "we need" list. Our crib arrived today and I can't wait for Christian to get home from work so we can put it together!!!
I had my last ultrasound today! Everything went really well and Max is measuring great! He's already moved into the head down position, which is great and he weighs three pounds and eight ounces and is around the 50th percentile for most of his measurements. I can't wait for his arrival! I know I should really slow down and cherish these last weeks of pregnancy (and sleep and quietness) but I'm just so excited to see what he looks like and actually hold him.
That pretty much sums up everything that has been going on in our lives. This weekend, we're heading down to Annapolis, MD for a wedding. I have an interview appointment with a pediatrician this week too to see if she's one I'd like Max to see. I need to schedule these with a few more docs but I'll start with this one first.
Then, can you believe that Christmas is less that two weeks away?!?!?!! CRAAAAZY! I hope all of you are having fun Christmas shopping and getting into the holiday spirit! Have a great week!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
So, last time I blogged, we were getting ready for a LONG drive down to Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday. And, boy was it a long drive.... especially since we started it off with two flat tires just 40 minutes into our trip. We must have run over something on our way out of town. The "low tire pressure" alert went off for the rear right tire and then immediately "dinged" for the front right tire. Christian watched the tire pressure gage in the truck slowly creep down as we hurried to get off the freeway. We were able to make it off the freeway and were only ONE MILE away from the Midas garage when we weren't able to drive anymore. So, we had to wait about 30 minutes on roadside assistance to come pump the tires and plug them well enough for us to make it to the tire place. We made it to Midas and about an hour and half later, we were patched and ready to hit the road. We only got about four hours of driving in that day but made it safely to Florida the next evening. Sixteen hours was our total time. Blahhhh.
We got to Pensacola the weekend before Thanksgiving and just spent time with family and friends the first few days. Then, we went to New Orleans for Thanksgiving day and night with my mom and step-dad. That was a fun thing to do and it was different.... kind of a change of scenery from the typical Thanksgiving hooplah that usually takes place. :) So, it was nice. Then, the day after Turkey Day, we headed back to Florida where I hosted my best friend's (Alison) bridal shower with some of our closest friends. It was a fun time and it was great to see everyone. The Sunday that followed was my first baby shower and it was so fantastic! It was hosted by Karyn, Alison and Ali and I couldn't have been happier with the turnout! We got some GREAT gifts for Max and the food was delicious! Christian had to leave that day to head to Dallas for a class for work. So, he was gone for the rest of my time in Florida. He flew back into Pensacola on Thursday, I picked him up from the airport and we got about six hours of driving in before we stopped for the night on our way back to NJ.
There really is nothing quite like being back at home when you've been gone for about two weeks. Our bed never feels better than that first night back! Plus, I was anxious to get all of our nursery stuff put away and organized! Speaking of- the next day, my friends Vicki and Paige hosted another baby shower up here for me! It was also fantastic! They put so much work into it and it was beautiful and so thoughtful! Most of my NJ/PA friends were able to make it so it was a lot of fun! And, we got even more great gifts!!
The same day as my shower, we had Christian's squadron's Christmas party that night. It was fun and it was good to see all the folks he works with. I never realized how many people were in his squadron! It takes an
Maybe all that going, going, going is what put me down for the count this past Monday. I felt like I was hit with a ton of bricks that afternoon. My whole body hurt, I was coughing and had a horrible headache. Then, to top it all off, I pulled a muscle or something in my right side that made it painful to breathe! I felt awful. But, I'm slowly getting over the remnants of whatever it was. I still have a little bit of a cough, sore through when I wake up and some congestion but I'm pushing through!
In the middle of all that junk, I had a MUCH needed hair appointment! I ended up having about six inches cut off of my hair and I really couldn't be happier with that decision!!! My hair was looking raggedy and definitely needed a fresh look. So, I lightened it up some and chopped it into a long bob. It's resting on my shoulders now and looks SO much healthier!
So, then we come to this past weekend. Dad and Rhonda flew in Friday around lunchtime and we had a great weekend with them. Friday was spent just shopping around town and taking them to Ikea for the first time. haha Then, we all got up early Saturday morning and hopped on the train to NYC. We had great chilly weather the whole day and the city was jammed packed with other Christmas tourist. We spent most of the morning walking around and seeing all of the decorations for the holidays. In the early afternoon, we got to see the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular show featuring the Rockettes! It was a GREAT show! It was so pretty and kind of magical! Then, we walked up to Central Park and got a horse and carriage ride through the park before we headed off to dinner at the Time Warner Center. We had a great day! Thanks to Dad for the show and dinner!
It was a quick trip for them as they flew out on Sunday. But, we had a great time. Sunday was spent shopping for baby stuff that we still need. We got our monitor and made some other decisions on items that we still need to get now that I've price shopped all of them. I'll probably be making another trip to Babies R Us this afternoon to scratch off a few more items on our "we need" list. Our crib arrived today and I can't wait for Christian to get home from work so we can put it together!!!
I had my last ultrasound today! Everything went really well and Max is measuring great! He's already moved into the head down position, which is great and he weighs three pounds and eight ounces and is around the 50th percentile for most of his measurements. I can't wait for his arrival! I know I should really slow down and cherish these last weeks of pregnancy (and sleep and quietness) but I'm just so excited to see what he looks like and actually hold him.
That pretty much sums up everything that has been going on in our lives. This weekend, we're heading down to Annapolis, MD for a wedding. I have an interview appointment with a pediatrician this week too to see if she's one I'd like Max to see. I need to schedule these with a few more docs but I'll start with this one first.
Then, can you believe that Christmas is less that two weeks away?!?!?!! CRAAAAZY! I hope all of you are having fun Christmas shopping and getting into the holiday spirit! Have a great week!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Energy needed!!!
Good morning everyone!
I'm dragging this morning and cannot get any energy! I'm on my second cup of tea so hopefully I'll get a little pep in my step soon enough. I feel like I have a zillion things to do before we leave this Friday to head down to Florida. I like to have the house super clean and everything in order before we leave so we can come back home to a house that isn't in need of anything. So, I have two days to do all of that. Christian is thinking he'll get out of work pretty early on Friday so I'll have to have everything packed and ready to go tomorrow evening so we can get on the road as soon as he gets home Friday. So much to do!
Well, someone who doesn't seem tired is this little man inside my belly. He's jumping around and rolling around like crazy all day. My stomach looks like something from the Aliens movies. Weird. I read on one of my weekly pregnancy updates yesterday that my amniotic fluid has decreased by half and that's one of the reasons I can feel and see every single little movement now. It's kind of funny because Max seems the like my lower left side. He always seems to burrow down into that area and when he does, I get a lop-sided belly. You know, something that I've been thinking about for a while is how I can't even logically comprehend the fact that I am growing a person inside of me. Seriously, it's mind blowing. When I start to think about it, I just have to stop because it's just too much to really understand. I've always thought the human body was pretty amazing but now, I have a totally new respect for my body and the crazy, wild things it can do. Really neat.
Ok, so... moving on. :) If any of you are looking for a good book, I should recommend one that I finished last week. I can't remember if I've already mentioned it to you guys but if I have, sorry for the repeat. It's called The Glass Castle. It's such a good book! It's written by Jeanette Walls who is a regular contributor to MSNBC and has also done work for the NY Times, Esquire and USA Today. This book is actually a memoir. It's a book that is full of some amazing stories about her childhood, her alcoholic father and artist mother. As screwed up as her childhood was, there were some amazing life lessons learned through crazy experiences and from her parents' "live free or die" lifestyle. It's an easy read and so, so great. The story-telling capability that she has reminds me of the great stories my uncle, Glen, used to tell me and Ali when we were little. I've always loved a good, exciting story. So, it's great!
I'm now reading a book called Republic: A Novel of America's Future. It was recommended to me by a friend of mine from high school. I'm about 100 pages into it and it reads pretty easily. It reminds me a little of the writing style that James Patterson has. So, hopefully it will be pretty good.
Anyway, I'm so excited to be heading home this weekend. I can't wait to see family and friends! I miss everyone so much!!! Another little thing I'm super excited about is the fact that we will be spending Thanksgiving in New Orleans this year! Christian, me, Mom, John and hopefully Adam and his lady-friend will be heading over Thanksgiving day. As many of you know, New Orleans is my favorite place on earth so I'm super excited to spend some time in this great city. Plus, a great cajun style Thanksgiving dinner! We're staying right on Bourbon Street so we're trying so soak up as much New Orleans charm as possible in the one night that we are there.
I also have Laura's baby shower for the twins and Alison's bridal shower while we're in town which I'm so excited about! And, my first baby shower! I'm super excited about that too! Good times!
Well, anyway, I hope y'all are having a good week! Take some time to enjoy some "me time" for yourself! Here's a great quote I want to share:
"Optimist: A person who travels on nothing from nowhere to happiness"
Have a fabulous day!!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
I'm dragging this morning and cannot get any energy! I'm on my second cup of tea so hopefully I'll get a little pep in my step soon enough. I feel like I have a zillion things to do before we leave this Friday to head down to Florida. I like to have the house super clean and everything in order before we leave so we can come back home to a house that isn't in need of anything. So, I have two days to do all of that. Christian is thinking he'll get out of work pretty early on Friday so I'll have to have everything packed and ready to go tomorrow evening so we can get on the road as soon as he gets home Friday. So much to do!
Well, someone who doesn't seem tired is this little man inside my belly. He's jumping around and rolling around like crazy all day. My stomach looks like something from the Aliens movies. Weird. I read on one of my weekly pregnancy updates yesterday that my amniotic fluid has decreased by half and that's one of the reasons I can feel and see every single little movement now. It's kind of funny because Max seems the like my lower left side. He always seems to burrow down into that area and when he does, I get a lop-sided belly. You know, something that I've been thinking about for a while is how I can't even logically comprehend the fact that I am growing a person inside of me. Seriously, it's mind blowing. When I start to think about it, I just have to stop because it's just too much to really understand. I've always thought the human body was pretty amazing but now, I have a totally new respect for my body and the crazy, wild things it can do. Really neat.
Ok, so... moving on. :) If any of you are looking for a good book, I should recommend one that I finished last week. I can't remember if I've already mentioned it to you guys but if I have, sorry for the repeat. It's called The Glass Castle. It's such a good book! It's written by Jeanette Walls who is a regular contributor to MSNBC and has also done work for the NY Times, Esquire and USA Today. This book is actually a memoir. It's a book that is full of some amazing stories about her childhood, her alcoholic father and artist mother. As screwed up as her childhood was, there were some amazing life lessons learned through crazy experiences and from her parents' "live free or die" lifestyle. It's an easy read and so, so great. The story-telling capability that she has reminds me of the great stories my uncle, Glen, used to tell me and Ali when we were little. I've always loved a good, exciting story. So, it's great!
I'm now reading a book called Republic: A Novel of America's Future. It was recommended to me by a friend of mine from high school. I'm about 100 pages into it and it reads pretty easily. It reminds me a little of the writing style that James Patterson has. So, hopefully it will be pretty good.
Anyway, I'm so excited to be heading home this weekend. I can't wait to see family and friends! I miss everyone so much!!! Another little thing I'm super excited about is the fact that we will be spending Thanksgiving in New Orleans this year! Christian, me, Mom, John and hopefully Adam and his lady-friend will be heading over Thanksgiving day. As many of you know, New Orleans is my favorite place on earth so I'm super excited to spend some time in this great city. Plus, a great cajun style Thanksgiving dinner! We're staying right on Bourbon Street so we're trying so soak up as much New Orleans charm as possible in the one night that we are there.
I also have Laura's baby shower for the twins and Alison's bridal shower while we're in town which I'm so excited about! And, my first baby shower! I'm super excited about that too! Good times!
Well, anyway, I hope y'all are having a good week! Take some time to enjoy some "me time" for yourself! Here's a great quote I want to share:
"Optimist: A person who travels on nothing from nowhere to happiness"
Have a fabulous day!!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Good morning!
Good morning everyone and happy Thursday!
I hope you have had a good week so far! Tomorrow's Friday!! I'm pretty excited about tomorrow being Friday because we're leaving tomorrow morning to head to Texas! We're going to Houston for our friend's wedding. We have a lot of friends going also so it should be a fun weekend. Plus, as weird as it sounds, I'm excited about the four hour flight tomorrow because I just got a Nook this week and downloaded a book that was recommended to me by a friend and it's a pretty good one so far! Plus, I have the December Issue of O Magazine which is the Favorite Things issue! So, plenty of great reading material!
Then, a little update on our travels down to FL for Thanksgiving. We're getting in town quite a bit earlier than we had planned. Christian's leave starts on Tuesday the 22nd but he's just going to take a comp day for that Monday and we're actually going to start heading down there next Friday and get there Saturday. We're so excited to come home! I miss my family so much so I'm definitely excited about the extra time. And, actually, we'll be staying a little longer than planned too. Christian has a class to attend in Dallas the week after Thanksgiving so he'll fly out of Pcola on the 27th for that and I'll just stay in town until he flies back into Pcola that Thursday and then we'll start our drive back up here that day and be home by Friday. Good stuff. :)
So, some updates on baby Max. Everything is still going well. I went for a check-up yesterday and everything is perfect! I'm so happy to be feeling so well. The only thing going on is the occasional back pain and I know that definitely comes with the territory. So, everything is good! I have to have a Rhogam shot next week since I'm Rh Negative but that's the only thing going on that's somewhat outside the norm.
Christian and I went to our first labor related class last night. It was a Breathing and Relaxation class and it was pretty helpful. It was nice because it forced us to actually do the breathing methods and relaxation techniques. So, I definitely wasn't complaining about all the massages Christian got to give me last night! ;) Most of the stuff I could have learned from a book but we were glad they forced us to do it. And, I'm surprised by how few jokes Christian made about everything. haha He was a great sport and he'll be a great coach throughout labor. One thing that was funny about the class was that I didn't read any of the paperwork that was sent to me about the class so we were the only couple that showed up without pillows and blankets. haha So, we had to sit on the hard floor but we made our way through it. I felt like a dummy though. haha
Another thing that made me feel like a total airhead this week was when I realized that I had screwed up my best friend's bridal shower invitations that have already been mailed out. hahaha I went up to my office to send out a few more of the invites and realized that I had put her name as Alison Leja, NOT Alison Collier. So, basically, I put her soon-to-be married name and not her current maiden name. When I realized that, I thought my eyes were deceiving me. Haha I literally flipped through every single invite that I still had to make sure this was actually happening. I called Alison immediately but she didn't answer! haha Gosh, I felt so stupid. So, I emailed the group of girls we invited and 'fessed up to my mistake. Goodness.... this pregnancy brain thing is amazing. haha
So, anyway, I guess the whole country has heard this morning that Joe Paterno has been fired as the head coach of Penn State. Christian is a huge Penn State fan so it's kind of a weird thing to think about. He's such a legacy and to see that legacy end in such an unfortunate way is really sad. And the quote that sits beside JoePa's picture on the cover of the Philadelphia Inquirer this morning says it all; "I should have done more." Yes, he should have. As much and I love this 84-year-old man who has the winningest career in college football, he made a very bad decision to not take the disgusting information to police. Sad, sad stuff.
Well, I hope y'all have a fan-freakin-tastic weekend coming up! I'll be seeing a lot of you soon!!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
I hope you have had a good week so far! Tomorrow's Friday!! I'm pretty excited about tomorrow being Friday because we're leaving tomorrow morning to head to Texas! We're going to Houston for our friend's wedding. We have a lot of friends going also so it should be a fun weekend. Plus, as weird as it sounds, I'm excited about the four hour flight tomorrow because I just got a Nook this week and downloaded a book that was recommended to me by a friend and it's a pretty good one so far! Plus, I have the December Issue of O Magazine which is the Favorite Things issue! So, plenty of great reading material!
Then, a little update on our travels down to FL for Thanksgiving. We're getting in town quite a bit earlier than we had planned. Christian's leave starts on Tuesday the 22nd but he's just going to take a comp day for that Monday and we're actually going to start heading down there next Friday and get there Saturday. We're so excited to come home! I miss my family so much so I'm definitely excited about the extra time. And, actually, we'll be staying a little longer than planned too. Christian has a class to attend in Dallas the week after Thanksgiving so he'll fly out of Pcola on the 27th for that and I'll just stay in town until he flies back into Pcola that Thursday and then we'll start our drive back up here that day and be home by Friday. Good stuff. :)
So, some updates on baby Max. Everything is still going well. I went for a check-up yesterday and everything is perfect! I'm so happy to be feeling so well. The only thing going on is the occasional back pain and I know that definitely comes with the territory. So, everything is good! I have to have a Rhogam shot next week since I'm Rh Negative but that's the only thing going on that's somewhat outside the norm.
Christian and I went to our first labor related class last night. It was a Breathing and Relaxation class and it was pretty helpful. It was nice because it forced us to actually do the breathing methods and relaxation techniques. So, I definitely wasn't complaining about all the massages Christian got to give me last night! ;) Most of the stuff I could have learned from a book but we were glad they forced us to do it. And, I'm surprised by how few jokes Christian made about everything. haha He was a great sport and he'll be a great coach throughout labor. One thing that was funny about the class was that I didn't read any of the paperwork that was sent to me about the class so we were the only couple that showed up without pillows and blankets. haha So, we had to sit on the hard floor but we made our way through it. I felt like a dummy though. haha
Another thing that made me feel like a total airhead this week was when I realized that I had screwed up my best friend's bridal shower invitations that have already been mailed out. hahaha I went up to my office to send out a few more of the invites and realized that I had put her name as Alison Leja, NOT Alison Collier. So, basically, I put her soon-to-be married name and not her current maiden name. When I realized that, I thought my eyes were deceiving me. Haha I literally flipped through every single invite that I still had to make sure this was actually happening. I called Alison immediately but she didn't answer! haha Gosh, I felt so stupid. So, I emailed the group of girls we invited and 'fessed up to my mistake. Goodness.... this pregnancy brain thing is amazing. haha
So, anyway, I guess the whole country has heard this morning that Joe Paterno has been fired as the head coach of Penn State. Christian is a huge Penn State fan so it's kind of a weird thing to think about. He's such a legacy and to see that legacy end in such an unfortunate way is really sad. And the quote that sits beside JoePa's picture on the cover of the Philadelphia Inquirer this morning says it all; "I should have done more." Yes, he should have. As much and I love this 84-year-old man who has the winningest career in college football, he made a very bad decision to not take the disgusting information to police. Sad, sad stuff.
Well, I hope y'all have a fan-freakin-tastic weekend coming up! I'll be seeing a lot of you soon!!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Saturday, October 29, 2011
um, it's snowing.... in October.
So, last post, I said "rain, rain, go away".... this post I should change rain to snow. That's right, it's snowing in the great state of New Jersey! The last time it snowed in this area this early was in 1979! That's before I was even born! So, I'm getting in the spirit by listening to Christmas music and baking oatmeal cookies (my fave!). I can at least fake that it's really that time of year for snow, right?
Speaking of Christmas music, Michael Buble just came out with a Christmas album and it's fabulous! I highly recommend it. He's just amazing. :)
Since today is just nasty out, I'm not leaving the house! I went out to check the mail and just about froze my butt off. And, mind you, our mailbox is one of those that is connected to the house. You know, the ones that require a postman on foot. So, I didn't have to go far. haha IT'S COLD! I didn't prepare for this cold weather very well either. We only have a little firewood left over from last year and I haven't gotten any of those self-starter fire logs either. Plus, I'm terrified to go in the garage to get last year's firewood b/c I'm freakishly scared of spiders being on it. So, I'm SOL. haha Plus, I'm trying to not raise the heat over about 65 because we REALLY don't want the $500 power bills to start yet. Oh the joys of gas heat.
Anyway.... Christian gets home on Wednesday! I can't wait! We have our tour of the hospital's maternity ward next Saturday and one of our first birthing classes next Wednesday! So, all of this should be very interesting. The class next week is the natural birth class. Then, in December, we'll take the regular, all-encompassing birth class so we know about all aspects. As far as baby goes, everything is going great! He's moving almost all day now; which really makes me wonder if I'm going to have a kid that never sleeps. Lord, I hope not! haha I had an ultrasound last week and he's measuring perfectly. The nursery is starting to come together and I'm loving it. And... I'm now starting to feel fat. haha I've gained about 18 pounds so far and thanks to my genes, it's going straight to my butt and legs... and, of course, my belly. Now, I'll admit, I'm digging my new found "junk in the trunk", as Christian calls it. haha But, I had to go up a size in jeans yesterday and that was no fun. But, it's all for a good cause, right? ;) And those cookies I'm baking probably aren't the best idea I've had. Oh well.
So, are you guys dressing up for Halloween? No costumes for me this year but I'll be propped on my porch Monday handing out candy to all the little trick or treaters this year. I know a lot of people are celebrating tonight by going to parties and all that stuff. All I have to say is I feel for those of you who are going out in Philly or anywhere else up here! It's friggin' cold and yuck and only supposed to get colder and yuckier throughout the night.
Well, I hope you guys have a great weekend and Happy Halloween!!! Next year, we'll have our own little pumpkin to dress up!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Speaking of Christmas music, Michael Buble just came out with a Christmas album and it's fabulous! I highly recommend it. He's just amazing. :)
Since today is just nasty out, I'm not leaving the house! I went out to check the mail and just about froze my butt off. And, mind you, our mailbox is one of those that is connected to the house. You know, the ones that require a postman on foot. So, I didn't have to go far. haha IT'S COLD! I didn't prepare for this cold weather very well either. We only have a little firewood left over from last year and I haven't gotten any of those self-starter fire logs either. Plus, I'm terrified to go in the garage to get last year's firewood b/c I'm freakishly scared of spiders being on it. So, I'm SOL. haha Plus, I'm trying to not raise the heat over about 65 because we REALLY don't want the $500 power bills to start yet. Oh the joys of gas heat.
Anyway.... Christian gets home on Wednesday! I can't wait! We have our tour of the hospital's maternity ward next Saturday and one of our first birthing classes next Wednesday! So, all of this should be very interesting. The class next week is the natural birth class. Then, in December, we'll take the regular, all-encompassing birth class so we know about all aspects. As far as baby goes, everything is going great! He's moving almost all day now; which really makes me wonder if I'm going to have a kid that never sleeps. Lord, I hope not! haha I had an ultrasound last week and he's measuring perfectly. The nursery is starting to come together and I'm loving it. And... I'm now starting to feel fat. haha I've gained about 18 pounds so far and thanks to my genes, it's going straight to my butt and legs... and, of course, my belly. Now, I'll admit, I'm digging my new found "junk in the trunk", as Christian calls it. haha But, I had to go up a size in jeans yesterday and that was no fun. But, it's all for a good cause, right? ;) And those cookies I'm baking probably aren't the best idea I've had. Oh well.
So, are you guys dressing up for Halloween? No costumes for me this year but I'll be propped on my porch Monday handing out candy to all the little trick or treaters this year. I know a lot of people are celebrating tonight by going to parties and all that stuff. All I have to say is I feel for those of you who are going out in Philly or anywhere else up here! It's friggin' cold and yuck and only supposed to get colder and yuckier throughout the night.
Well, I hope you guys have a great weekend and Happy Halloween!!! Next year, we'll have our own little pumpkin to dress up!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Rain, Rain, Go AWAY!
I know it's only supposed to rain today and then be gorgeous for the next few days but it's making me gloooooomy. :( Plus, Christian left today for his two week det in the Middle East. Fun fun.... NOT. haha It could be MUCH worse and MUCH longer so I won't complain. :)
So, I just have a few updates on everything going on in our lives lately. It's been a couple weeks since I've posted so I'll catch y'all up to speed.
Well, we had our little weekend away in New Hampshire and that was fabulous. We had such a great time and stayed a such a great little bed & breakfast. It's called the Squam Lake Inn and I HIGHLY recommend it for anyone going to the Meredith, NH region. Anyway, the weekend was great, the clam bake we went to was fantastic and the weather was to die for! Good things all around. :)
Since we got back from New England, we've been focusing on normal life things.... getting the house prepped for fall/winter, finishing the re-finishing of the furniture we got the Max's room, and living our every day lives. But, like I said, Christian finished the Hoosier cabinet for the nursery and I couldn't be happier with the outcome! Now, I can't wait to really start decorating and for our little guy to be here! He's going to have such a cool room. I wonder if I'm ever going to want to leave it! haha Here are a few pictures from my "Max's room inspiration folder" on my desktop:
So, I just have a few updates on everything going on in our lives lately. It's been a couple weeks since I've posted so I'll catch y'all up to speed.
Well, we had our little weekend away in New Hampshire and that was fabulous. We had such a great time and stayed a such a great little bed & breakfast. It's called the Squam Lake Inn and I HIGHLY recommend it for anyone going to the Meredith, NH region. Anyway, the weekend was great, the clam bake we went to was fantastic and the weather was to die for! Good things all around. :)
Since we got back from New England, we've been focusing on normal life things.... getting the house prepped for fall/winter, finishing the re-finishing of the furniture we got the Max's room, and living our every day lives. But, like I said, Christian finished the Hoosier cabinet for the nursery and I couldn't be happier with the outcome! Now, I can't wait to really start decorating and for our little guy to be here! He's going to have such a cool room. I wonder if I'm ever going to want to leave it! haha Here are a few pictures from my "Max's room inspiration folder" on my desktop:
I love all of these and the eclectic feel that they all have. I especially love the cow hide rug in the top pic! That room is my favorite anyway. But, like I've said before, I definitely don't want a theme and I don't want the room to be too baby-ish. I want the room to grow with him and I don't want to have to get rid of a zillion things when he's too old and too cool. :) So, the crib in the first picture is the crib we'll get (Jenny Lind Crib- it's fantastic b/c it's super cheap and it's exactly the look I want!), Christian really likes the orange curtains and I definitely want a fabric-covered ottoman to put by the Amish rocker we're using and to just go in the middle of the room for him to walk around when he gets old enough. I'm so excited! :)
So anyway, in other news... I officially switched to a new OB this morning. I just haven't had a fantastic feeling about my doc recently and his office isn't familiar enough with my insurance so I wasn't getting ultrasounds that should be covered by my insurance. They basically just didn't know what they were doing when dealing with Tricare. So, the new OBGYN practice I go to is called Phoenix OBGYN and they're directly affiliated with the hospital where I'll deliver and they even have a person on staff who handles all military patients. Fantastic, right?! So, I saw one of the docs this morning and he was pretty nice and mega calm... almost too calm. But, there are still four other docs for me to meet during the rest of my pregnancy so I'm not committed to just one yet. But, I just feel better about everything. This new office is cleaner, the staff is more friendly and they actually ordered the anatomy ultrasound that my old doc said I wasn't able to have b/c of my insurance.... when in reality, this one IS covered.... like I said, they didn't know what they were doing. So, I finally get to see my little man again on Friday. Let's just hope and pray his anatomy is all good. :) Also, the doc I met with this morning seemed a little more open to the natural birth option for me. I got a little kick-back from my other doc, which I didn't like. I mean, I'm not a lunatic about it and I will get meds if I need them but I want to definitely try for a natural one. That's about it as far as the baby goes. He sounded great on the heart monitor this morning so that was good. He's still moving like crazy and I love it. He usually moves around the most after we've eaten dinner and I'm just sitting on the couch. Christian has started talking to him and he kicks like crazy when he hears Christian. Whether Max knows what he's doing or not, that melts my heart. :*)
So anyways, I've been keeping pretty busy with Junior League lately. Since I'm an advisor this year, I have about one or two meetings/events each week which has been great. It's really nice when Christian is gone so I have stuff to look forward to.
Lots of birthdays and anniversaries are coming about lately! My mom and John celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary this past Monday. Love that! We have my friend Summer's b-day today, my cousin Ali's tomorrow, my pawpaw's on Friday, my friend Jenna's next Wednesday and then Laura & Stan's anniversary is next Friday! I should buy stock in greeting cards! haha I hope all of them enjoy their days!
Well, I hope y'all are having a good week! I love y'all!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Happy Fall Y'all!
Hey everybody!
I hope all of you are doing well and enjoying your weekend. We've had a great weekend and it's pretty chilly up here today. I'm sitting here in sweats b/c we refuse to turn on the heat since it's supposed to be back in the 70s this week. It's about 64 in our house! haha Christian's actually about to start a fire to warm it up a little in here. First one of the season!
We've been home for a week and it's been great getting back to normal. Christian went back to work and I got back in my normal routine.... back to working out at the gym, cooking dinner every night and actually being up-to-date with current events. :) It's good to be home.
We had a pretty low-key weekend. Friday evening we grilled steaks here at the house and then we both fell asleep around 8:30 on the couch. haha Saturday was spent cleaning for me and Christian worked on finishing his part of the Hoosier cabinet. We got it all stripped and sanded and we were able to prime it yesterday! I'll paint it this week and then it will be ready to go in the baby's room! Then, yesterday afternoon we watched some great college football and ended up craving tailgating food so I made some meatballs with grape jelly and bbq sauce. YUMMY! Then, I fell asleep pretty early again and Christian stayed up to watch some of the later games. Then, today, we ran in a 5k for Junior League. Christian and I met up with my friend Megan (who's also pregnant) and her husband, Matt and ran some and walked some. I was proud of us! I've still been jogging throughout my pregnancy and everything has been great so far so I'm going to keep going until it's uncomfortable. My doc said it was fine as long as my heart rate doesn't get too high. After the 5k, we came home, rested a little and then walked down the street to a little festival going on. Now, we're relaxing and Christian is obsessing over his fantasy football. haha Every Sunday!
We have a short week this week because we're leaving Friday morning to head to New Hampshire for the holiday weekend (Columbus Day)! I'm so excited! It's supposed to be gorgeous weather and we're pumped for the annual Troop Family Clam Bake!
Once we're back from NH, Christian will be home another week and then he's off on another det for 2-3 weeks. Then, after that, only short trips for him until after the baby is here!
Speaking of baby. I went to the doc Wednesday for my monthly check-up and everything is going great. Max's heart rate sounds great, I'm measuring perfectly and I'm gaining the right amount of weight to stay within the recommended 25-30 pounds total for the whole pregnancy. Max is also moving around like crazy now and I can see the little thumps on my belly when he's moving a lot. Christian saw one yesterday. It's so neat.
Well, that's about all I have for now. I hope you all have a great week coming up!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
I hope all of you are doing well and enjoying your weekend. We've had a great weekend and it's pretty chilly up here today. I'm sitting here in sweats b/c we refuse to turn on the heat since it's supposed to be back in the 70s this week. It's about 64 in our house! haha Christian's actually about to start a fire to warm it up a little in here. First one of the season!
We've been home for a week and it's been great getting back to normal. Christian went back to work and I got back in my normal routine.... back to working out at the gym, cooking dinner every night and actually being up-to-date with current events. :) It's good to be home.
We had a pretty low-key weekend. Friday evening we grilled steaks here at the house and then we both fell asleep around 8:30 on the couch. haha Saturday was spent cleaning for me and Christian worked on finishing his part of the Hoosier cabinet. We got it all stripped and sanded and we were able to prime it yesterday! I'll paint it this week and then it will be ready to go in the baby's room! Then, yesterday afternoon we watched some great college football and ended up craving tailgating food so I made some meatballs with grape jelly and bbq sauce. YUMMY! Then, I fell asleep pretty early again and Christian stayed up to watch some of the later games. Then, today, we ran in a 5k for Junior League. Christian and I met up with my friend Megan (who's also pregnant) and her husband, Matt and ran some and walked some. I was proud of us! I've still been jogging throughout my pregnancy and everything has been great so far so I'm going to keep going until it's uncomfortable. My doc said it was fine as long as my heart rate doesn't get too high. After the 5k, we came home, rested a little and then walked down the street to a little festival going on. Now, we're relaxing and Christian is obsessing over his fantasy football. haha Every Sunday!
We have a short week this week because we're leaving Friday morning to head to New Hampshire for the holiday weekend (Columbus Day)! I'm so excited! It's supposed to be gorgeous weather and we're pumped for the annual Troop Family Clam Bake!
Once we're back from NH, Christian will be home another week and then he's off on another det for 2-3 weeks. Then, after that, only short trips for him until after the baby is here!
Speaking of baby. I went to the doc Wednesday for my monthly check-up and everything is going great. Max's heart rate sounds great, I'm measuring perfectly and I'm gaining the right amount of weight to stay within the recommended 25-30 pounds total for the whole pregnancy. Max is also moving around like crazy now and I can see the little thumps on my belly when he's moving a lot. Christian saw one yesterday. It's so neat.
Well, that's about all I have for now. I hope you all have a great week coming up!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Monday, September 26, 2011
Newest news
The first portion of this post was written on our way home from Germany and the latter part is more up-to-date. :)
Hey folks-
Well, how about this for a story: I’m writing this post from aboard Air Force 2. Well, actually it’s the plane that becomes Air Force 2 when Vice President Joe Biden is on board. Apparently, Hillary Clinton uses this plane a lot too.... and other heads of state from around the world. One leader from the Middle East (can’t remember who) just used it to return to his country from the UN Summit after the Afghan ex-president was killed by a suicide bomber a few days ago. That’s why the plane was across the pond.
So, I’m sitting in a big reclined seat, we got to go into the private room where the leaders hold meetings, and I got to sit up in the cockpit for about 20 minutes and see everything from the pilots’ perspective. This is awesome!
So, you’re probably wondering how the hell we got this gig. We arrived at Ramstein AFB yesterday afternoon to stay the night and catch a C17 back to McGuire AFB (where we are stationed) this morning. We got to the terminal at 4:15 this morning only to find out that flight was canceled and the only other flight going to the states today was at 1:40 this afternoon. So, we were definitely disappointed. I told Christian that we should just go check back to the hotel and get some more sleep but he told me he didn’t want to leave the terminal “just in case something becomes available”. Well, thank God we stuck around because about thirty minutes later, over the loud speaker, we heard an announcement for a flight leaving within the next two hours for Andrews AFB (about 2 hours from our house and right outside DC). We were picked for the flight, checked in and got ready to board. We then found out we would be flying on a C-32, and since none of us knew what kind of airplane that was, I Googled it and figured out we had just gotten a first class ticket on Air Force 2. The area we’re sitting in is full of about 30 business/first class seats with leg extenders. Then there’s the private room that I mentioned and a conference room with two separate tables with big, cushy chairs around them. We get to walk all around the plane and the entire crew is dressed in suits, yet they are all active duty military. It’s really a neat experience! So, now, I’ll never want to fly a stupid commercial flight again! haha Oh, and Christian and I got to pick the in-flight movie. haha It’s just so neat b/c we will always remember this.
Another thing that makes this flight really great is that Christian got to feel Max kick for the first time! He was moving like crazy when we first took off so I told Christian to put his hand on my belly and he felt it. So great! :)
Oh yeah, we’ve also finalized his name. It is Maximus Cullen Jenkins. :) Looks good, huh? We’ve heard so much shit from people about the name Maximus but we both really love it. Plus, it means “the greatest”. Only the best for this kid.
So, anyway, our trip to Germany was great! We really didn’t do a whole lot of sight-seeing but we spent a lot of time with the family and ate some delicious food! Christian’s grandmother cooks soooooo well! Lunch is always the big meal over there so from about 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., she’s cooking. And, seriously, it’s all so good. Some of the stuff is super random for me as an American. For instance, hamburger patties with onions and all kinds of stuff mixed in served with creamed spinach and scrambled eggs and then you mix it all together. Random, right? But, so yummy!
The little bit of sight seeing we did was fun. One day, we drove down the Rhine River to see the castles and we had lunch at the same restaurant where we got engaged two years ago! It was great. :) Then, another day, we went to the International Auto Show in Frankfurt. That was really neat. We got to see all the new cars from around the world including Ferrari, Bugatti, Lamborghini, concept cars from Audi, BMW and Mercedes and all kinds of other really neat cars. It took us about five hours to see the entire layout of the show. We also went into Frankfurt a couple days just to look around at everything we’ve seen before and we did a little shopping. But, everything is really expensive in Europe for us because the American dollar still isn’t very strong. It’s getting a little better but it’s still pricey to buy anything over there. I think it’s about 35-40% more expensive. For instance, if I buy something for 100 euros, I’m really spending about $135. So, that stinks.
All in all, we had a great time and we love Europe so much but I’m so ready to be back to the good ol’ US of A. Since we’re flying into Andrews AFB, we’ll have to rent a car to get back home this afternoon. We’re supposed to be going out to Western Maryland to see Christian’s dad this weekend so I’m not sure if we’ll leave later this afternoon or if we’ll wait until the morning. I swear, the traveling never stops with us.
So, anyway, I hope all of you have had a great past couple weeks. The weather is starting to cool off everywhere and we’re getting into Fall up in Jersey!
I’ll talk to you guys soon!
xoxo,
Chrissi
I'll finish up that previously written portion with a little more info about the flight we were on! Towards the end of the flight, the flight crew allowed two people to sit up in the cock-pit for landing and Christian and another guy were chosen. So, since Christian does that for a living, he told me to go so I got to sit in the cockpit for the landing of our flight. It was a really neat experience!
Anyway, we did end up going to Maryland this weekend and now we're finally home. I am SO DANG happy to be home for a while. We're home for about two weeks then we head to New Hampshire for the weekend! I can't wait for that. We're going to the same party (clambake) we've been going to for the past three years and we're staying in a different B&B this time. I'm really pumped! A lot of our friends will be there and it's always a BLAST of a party!
So, that pretty much sums up everything going on on this end. I hope all of you had a great weekend!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Frogs and Snails & Puppy Dog Tails!
We're having a baby BOY!!!!!!!!!! Man, oh, man- I did NOT expect that! I would have bet someone $100 that we were having a girl. I guess a woman's intuition isn't right all the time, after all. Oh, but we are SO excited! I can't wait to experience the relationship between mom and little boy. All my friends say it's so special! And, I'm so excited for Christian. He wants a boy first so bad!
It wasn't super easy to get a glimpse of little man at first. He was balled up (napping, I suppose), when we first tried to get a shot of him. So, I had to drink some juice, jump around a little and tap on my tummy to get him to wake up and move to a better position. So, we finally got a good view and when the ultrasound tech asked us if we could tell what we were looking at, Christian said "I know it's gotta be ovaries" haha. But, the ultrasound tech then started pointing out a leg and then I yelled "and there's a penis!!!!" hahahaha. And, yes, there it was, for the world to see! haha Christian and I grabbed hands and held tight b/c we were both so excited!
We went to a great facility called Fetal Vision Imaging over in Langhorne, PA and the owner did our ultrasound. It was actually a guy who decided to open this business after years as a financial advisor in corporate America. He was super nice. He gave us a couple of 3D images too so we could see what our baby boy's body looks like. He had his hands in front of this face so we didn't see his face this time. We also got a DVD of the whole ultrasound! I've already watched it and we got home less than an hour ago. haha
Well, I'm going to keep this post short but I just wanted to explain a little about what we got to experience today! So, soon, we'll be welcoming Maximus (middle name still to be determined) into the world!
xoxo,
Chrissi
It wasn't super easy to get a glimpse of little man at first. He was balled up (napping, I suppose), when we first tried to get a shot of him. So, I had to drink some juice, jump around a little and tap on my tummy to get him to wake up and move to a better position. So, we finally got a good view and when the ultrasound tech asked us if we could tell what we were looking at, Christian said "I know it's gotta be ovaries" haha. But, the ultrasound tech then started pointing out a leg and then I yelled "and there's a penis!!!!" hahahaha. And, yes, there it was, for the world to see! haha Christian and I grabbed hands and held tight b/c we were both so excited!
We went to a great facility called Fetal Vision Imaging over in Langhorne, PA and the owner did our ultrasound. It was actually a guy who decided to open this business after years as a financial advisor in corporate America. He was super nice. He gave us a couple of 3D images too so we could see what our baby boy's body looks like. He had his hands in front of this face so we didn't see his face this time. We also got a DVD of the whole ultrasound! I've already watched it and we got home less than an hour ago. haha
Well, I'm going to keep this post short but I just wanted to explain a little about what we got to experience today! So, soon, we'll be welcoming Maximus (middle name still to be determined) into the world!
xoxo,
Chrissi
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