The Chris Nelson Family

BIG Changes

2011-07-03T14:37:00.000-07:00

Changing things up a ~~little bit~~ whole bunch. I was having issues with my hotmail account. So I decided to open a gmail account. Totally love it. Problem is, I can't link the gmail account to my current Blogger account. So I have to open a new one. No problem, I just transferred my blogs over and no problem. BUT then I decided to close my Etsy shop and sewing blog. I simply do NOT have enough time to keep that going right now. Jordyn is much more important =D But I still want to post some of my sewing and such, when I do get around to it. So I made a totally new decision. I'm starting over entirely with ONE blog. It'll cover our family stuff AND my sewing stuff. Much easier. It's going to be public, so I can link up with other sewing/crafty blogs. But I don't want all our personal info out there, so it's going to be partially anonymous. My first name, but no first names for Chris and Jordyn, etc. I've still got to get it all set up, but when I do I'll post the link here.

PS - For those of you that have private blogs, could you please invite me to them? anelson726@gmail.com Thank you!

Gallstones, Ocean Shores, and Sleeping through the Night

2011-06-22T09:56:00.000-07:00

Whoops! Falling behind a bit! Well a lot has been happening the fast few days.

Last week I had two separate visits to the ER for severe back and stomach pains. Both times the pains lasted about 2 hours, and faded off while I was in the waiting room. The first time, they did a simple urine test for a Kidney infection. That was negative so they just sent me home with pain meds. The second time though I asked for more tests, so they did some blood tests. Something (they never told me what exactly) was higher than normal on the test results, so they did an ultrasound. It turns out.. I have gallstones. Yippee.. (Can you feel the sarcasm here?)

Yesterday I went in for some follow up lab work, and I'm meeting with my Dr. later this week to go over the results. I was told to avoid fatty foods, and so far it has been working. (No more attacks!) So I'm hoping this new diet will work, and I will be able to skip surgery. I am absolutely terrified of 'going under the knife.' We are talking scared-so-bad-you-lose-sleep-at-night-and-get-dizzy-just-thinking-about-it.

I know it's a simple surgery, and one of the fastest recoveries. Everyone keeps telling me to just get the surgery, it'll be easier than being on a special diet for the rest of my life. But I don't care. Surgery is surgery.

* * * * *

On a much happier note, we went on a little mini vacation last weekend. We drove up to Ocean Shores to visit Chris's grandparents. In his family, there are 4 birthdays within a week or two of Father's Day. So they always do a big get-together for everyone all at once. Jordyn did absolutely fabulous for the drive up there. No complaints at all! We only had to pull over twice for a few minutes for a bottle and diaper change.

The weather there was pretty gloomy all weekend. Lots of misty wet air and cold temperatures. So we spent most of the weekend relaxing in the house. Chris went out with his cousins for some mini golf, basketball, and kayaking at the lake. I spent most of the weekend either napping with Jordyn or reading my book. We did get a tiny bit of good weather on Saturday so we all went out for bumper cars and Go Karts on the slick track. (They spray water on the track to make you slide on the curves). I got some great pictures there. I'll post them later today.

* * * * *

Jordyn has been doing fabulous. She sleeps all the way through the night now, it's fantastic! I still have to wake up in the middle of the night to pump once, but at least I get to go right back to sleep now =D She usually falls asleep around midnight and wakes up between 8-9. We're also starting to get a bit of a routine going. It's fabulous =D

She is 7 weeks old today, I can't believe it! We took some photos a few weeks ago at Nana's (Jodi's) house for her announcement. I absolutely LOVE how they turned out. I tried posting them on here but Blogger is being dumb. I'll post them later today. I'm saving the best photo for the announcement though, so you'll have to wait to see that one ;-)

Send me an email with your address if you want one! anelson726@gmail.com.

One Month Already!!

2011-06-03T20:32:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Jordyn will be one month old tomorrow! It seems like I was in the hospital just yesterday. You guys weren't kidding when you said that you forget all about the delivery after it is over. I would do that over and over again if I had to.

I think one of the things that has surprised me the most about being a Mom, is all the things that I have learned about myself. Want to know what you are capable of? Have a baby. I never realized how tired, loving, patient, exhausted, scared, or angry I could be. Talk about an emotional roller coaster! I think it's my body's way of putting me through a crash course to show how bad it can get, so I will appreciate the good times more.

Chris has been wonderful. He has really taken to being a Daddy. It's very natural for him. He is so comfortable holding her, and he spends a lot of time talking to her when she is awake. She absolutely loves his voice too. When she is fussy at night, Chris will hold her and walk around the house humming or singing to her, and it always calms her down immediately. He is always checking in on us several times a day, and I never have to ask twice for help.

I'm also amazed at how quickly she has grown and developed, and how much she has changed! I thought I would start making a list every month. One of Chris's cousins does this, and I've always thought it was neat. So here we go..

- She loves having her feet rubbed, and stretches her legs out for more.
- Bath time is one of her favorites. She coos and splashes and kicks like crazy.
- She has been picking her head up since she was born, and gets more control of it every day.
- She is happiest in the morning, and will lay there cooing and smiling while you talk to her.
- Occasionally she will laugh in her sleep, and it's the cutest thing ever.
- Half of her newborn clothes are too small for her.
- She has already outgrown all of the newborn diapers.
- She makes tons of noises when she eats, and she always makes it sound like she is really enjoying it.
- She doesn't like being in her car seat when she is awake, but usually falls asleep pretty quick.

The Best Baby Invention Ever!!

2011-05-25T19:42:00.000-07:00

Okay, there may be better ones out there.. but this one is definitely at the top of my list!! It's a carrier called The Moby Wrap and I am absolutely in love with it.

Little Miss Jordyn is having a lot of problems with gas, and it's making her pretty fussy. The only thing that seems to help is when we hold her upright against us. Something about this position makes her happy. I saw this wrap at Target and knew I had to have it. Finally a way to keep her happy, and still be able to do laundry, dishes, or make food. I've been stuck on the couch for so long, I've been going nuts.

It looks pretty complicated, but once I was able to figure it out in a couple minutes. And as soon as I put Jordyn in it, she went right to sleep. She loves it, and I love it. It's super duper comfortable, and completely adjustable. They only had the black one in the store, but I found tons of other cute prints and designs on their website, so I'll definitely be buying another one. ;-)

Our New Life

2011-05-16T23:01:00.000-07:00

While Jordyn and Daddy are content on the couch, I figured I would catch up on blogging a little bit.

So far our little angel has been spoiling us. She has been so easy, we couldn't ask for a better baby. The only time she fusses, is if we take too long to get her bottle ready, or if we try to make her sleep when she is awake. We have had a few rough nights here and there, but overall it hasn't been bad at all. She usually sleeps for about 4-5 hours at night, and then quickly falls asleep again after her morning feeding, so we get to go back to sleep for another 2 hours.

Today we decided to try teaching a little bit of 'self soothing.' Instead of immediately picking her up as soon as she fusses, a couple times a day we will leave her there to fuss for a couple minutes. It has been sooo hard for us to let her cry. I would honestly rather go through labor again, than have to listen to her cry. But we both know that she needs to learn how to soothe herself. We're just taking it in baby steps.

Like this evening, she fell asleep and we put her in the cradle upstairs to sleep. She doesn't like the cradle very much, so she started fussing pretty quick. We talked to her while we put laundry away, but we didn't pick her up right away. After a few minutes of mild fussing, she calmed down. We went downstairs and she began crying again, but after a couple minutes she fell asleep. So I know it's working, as hard as it is =D

Well, she is asleep now, so I better take the opportunity to go to bed.

A couple of pictures..

2011-05-14T20:44:00.000-07:00

The Birth Story

2011-05-10T23:38:00.000-07:00

Well I'm just going to start at the beginning.. that's a good spot, right?

Monday we went to my weekly doctor's appointment and found out I was still only dilated to 1cm, even though I was 6 days overdue. I talked to my doctor about all the cramping and discomfort that I had been having for the last week, and she suggested that we induce. She told me that I could come in at midnight that night to start the process. Of course we agreed! We couldn't wait to move on to the next step.

That night, we checked in and they started me on the medication to help soften my cervix. Something they called "Miso." This stuff instantly sent me into contractions. They were mild though, similar to regular "monthly" cramping. We spent the next several hours playing the waiting game.. The contractions were constant, and made it impossible to have more Miso. They checked, and I still hadn't dilated at all.

The next midwife (dayshift) suggested a new approach. They have this balloon thing that they insert to actually force my cervix to dilate. This was pretty painful, so they gave me some Phentinol (sp?) This worked for about 2 minutes, and then I puked. So I dealt with the pain for a couple hours. Eventually this really sweet nurse convinced me to try the Phentinol again, this time with some anti-nausea meds. It worked perfectly. I fell asleep and napped for about 30 minutes. Then we spent more hours waiting.

Eventually I made some progress. I was up to 4 centimeters. The balloon thing was removed and I waited with Pitocin for a while. Eventually the contractions got to be more than I was willing to bear, and I got my epidural. More hours of sleeping and waiting.. Then they came in and said they had to put some internal monitors on Jordyn, because they were having a hard time tracking her heartbeat. And then they had to put me on Oxygen, because her heartrate was dropping after each contraction. This got us both pretty stressed out. I tried to relax for a bit, while they kept coming in to flip me over. My epidural kept wearing off, and they had to up in a couple times. Eventually my water broke, and I started to get pretty excited.

Chris left for some breakfast with his Dad while they came in to check me again. The nurse sat up and said "Well, looks like you're ready to go! You're finally fully dilated!" I started to panic a bit.. Chris was gone! My Mom called him and told him to get back as soon as he could. By the time he walked back into the room, I was already pushing.

Only 15 minutes later and they were setting Jordyn on my chest. She cried the instant she came out, and it was the most wonderful sound that I had ever heard. I wasn't sure whether to laugh, or cry. I had completely forgotten that I had spent 31 hours in labor.

So far, she has been a totally easy baby. I'm sure she is probably just teasing us for now.. but I'll take it! =D

She is Here!!!

2011-05-06T20:38:00.000-07:00

Jordyn Marie Nelson

Wednesday May 4th, 2011 at 7:05am

8 Pounds and 20 3/4 Inches

Perfectly healthy and earning a rating of 9.9 from the delivery staff =D

After 31 hours of labor.. Mommy is tired but doing great, full details of the delivery will come soon.

Jordyn is coming!!!

2011-05-02T21:15:00.000-07:00

Just popping in real quick to let you know that we are headed to the hospital in a few hours. I still have not dilated or effaced.. (Only 1 lame centimeter, and I'm 1 week OVERdue!) So the doctor wants to induce me tonight =D Super excited, super nervous.. as well as a million other emotions. I will post with all sorts of information and pictures in a few days!! Wish us luck!!

Happy Early Birthday Chris!

2011-04-20T01:20:00.000-07:00

Chris turns 24 this month! His birthday is on the 24th, which happens to also be Easter. Since I wasn't sure if we would be in the hospital or not, I decided to give him his birthday gift a little early this year. He has been doing a TON of fishing lately. He goes several times a week after work. I don't mind at all, since he is usually home before I'm done with my afternoon nap haha. It's really nice being this close to so many rivers. Man I love Oregon!! Earlier this month he bought his 2011 fishing license as part of his gift, and I put together a sort of gift basket filled with a bunch of different fishing supplies for him. Some storage containers, lures, swivels, flys, etc. He has also been spending some time making his own set-ups, so I bought him some yarn and beads. Since he has been sort of left-out lately with all this baby stuff, I thought I should make a quick post for him. I was even able to snag a quick picture when he wasn't looking! Haha

39 Weeks and still pregnant..

2011-04-19T15:21:00.000-07:00

*Insert exasperated sigh here*

Yes, technically I still have another week until her due date, but I am so DONE! Haha.
This isn't a 39 week photo.. it's from 38 weeks.. but trust me when I say I'm the same size.

Things I am excited to be able to do again:
- Paint my toes
- Sleep on my stomach
- Tie my shoes
- Roll over in bed
- Sit up without rocking back and forth first
- Eat spicy food
- Go for long walks
- Sleep in my bed
- Stand for more than 15 minutes without my back hurting
- Carry/Lift stuff heavier than a laundry basket
- Go up my stairs without losing my breath
- Wear high heels
- Wear my old clothes
- Go a full hour without having to pee

Things I am definitely going to miss:
- Feeling the little thumps and swooshes
- Watching my stomach change shape
- Listening to her little heartbeat at my Dr. Appts
- Seeing Chris's smile when he feels her move
- Everyone asking "How are you doing?"
- The smiles and sweet gestures from total strangers
- Having the guys at work do all the heavy lifting for me
- The excuse to nap every day

The nursery is done!

2011-04-14T01:09:00.000-07:00

We finally finished the nursery! With only 2 weeks to go, I was starting to get a little worried. Jordyn's bag is packed, Amanda's is halfway packed, all Jordyn's clothes and bedding is washed, bottles and pacifiers are washed as well. Just have to remember to get the carseat properly loaded into the car, and then we are all set!

Nostalgic

2011-04-01T08:03:00.000-07:00

Feeling nostalgic today. My mom used to have a Judds CD, and she played it all the time in the car. Naturally, I learned to love the Judds. Their songs were some of the first ones that I learned to sing along to.

Just Catching Up

2011-03-28T09:42:00.000-07:00

I've been a very bad blogger. Sorry about that =/ Things have really taken off with my Sewing Blog and my Etsy Shop. I've been a little distracted. It has been great though! I'm definitely not complaining.I've got an extra $70 hanging out in my PayPal account, so it's totally worth it. Haha.

Baby Stuff: Things are still going great. We have a doctor's appointment in just a few hours. Hoping to hear more good news, as always. One of the few complaints that I have: Sleep, or lack thereof. I'm still losing my battle with my RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome). I'm hoping the doctor can give me some advice today. *Cross your fingers* Other than that, it's been pretty easy! My feet and lower back are pretty sore, and my ankles are just starting to get a little poofy. It's definitely hard to bend over and tie my shoes haha. But nothing major at all, we've been lucky. =D Jordyn's room is almost done too! We have just about everything that we need. Just a couple more things to get out of the room, and some last minute organizing. I still have to wash all the blankets and clothes, but that can wait another week or so. Right now I'm just getting to the impatient/nervous stage. I don't anticipate any real problems with the delivery, but it's still scary as heck!

Chris: He has been doing great. Just working mainly. He has also been spending a lot of time with his RC car hobby. He is still selling those sleeping bags that I've told you guys about, and he gets to use those profits to buy parts for his project cars. For a while he was participating in races, but it didn't take long for that to get old. Chris has always been very good at following the rules, and people at the races simply don't, and it takes the fun out of everything for him. Now that summer is getting closer, he is also switching his focus towards other hobbies. He is thinking about doing some major work on his 4Runner, finally. He has wanted to get it taken care of for so long, but never had the time or means to do it.

Me: Other than the pregnancy, the biggest thing I've been busy with is definitely my sewing blog. I've been featured a few times on other blogs, and I'm back to selling things on Etsy again. It's been a little hectic, but really fun. Since it's a hobby that I can do sitting down, it's been great for all these evenings when I'm not feeling up to doing much of anything else. I'm hoping (haha) that I'll be able to get some more done during maternity leave. We'll see how that actually goes. (Leave the "Yeah right!" comments to yourselves please). I also started a new book this week. So far, I'm really liking it! It's very thick and intimidating when you first pick it up. But it's been an easy read so far. It's called "The Year I Turned Sixteen: Rose, Daisy, Laurel, Lily" and it's by Diane Schwemm.

Grateful

2011-03-17T21:45:00.000-07:00

Earlier today I was reading this post on Love Without Training Wheels. (You should really check this blog out, it's wonderful!) I felt like the author, Ada, really knew what she was talking about when she wrote this section:

"Yet when I’m in the midst of making dinner, we can share a silent glance and know that we both want of batch of biscuits to go with the meal. Often A comes from work with an arbitrary bottle of wine tucked under his arm, to celebrate, well, nothing, except maybe an exceptionally good homemade meal or an evening of Netflix watching, cuddled up together on the couch. Once in a while, he comes in the door and tosses a bag of Skittles at me: my favorite candy which I never buy because, well, my teeth would rot out if I bought Skittles every time I had a craving.

Wait, that is romance, isn’t it?"

It was one of those times when you're reading something, and actually respond out loud, because you are so touched by it. I love it when I'm reading something and get to feel that "That's exactly how I feel!" Feeling.. Don't you? Lately I have been feeling especially grateful for Chris. He has been so great with this pregnancy. I've mentioned before that I haven't been sleeping well, so I usually take a nap after work. Chris has taken over a lot of the dinner prep and cooking, so that I can sleep. He has also been helping a lot more with the cleaning and laundry, since I get so winded just walking up the stairs. When I've had my emotional meltdowns, he is handling them like a pro. He doesn't get offended with what I say, and he rarely fights back. He usually just leaves me alone so I can come back down to earth. He has been so fantastic, and I couldn't ask for a better husband, or best friend, during these few months. =D

When I read that blog post earlier, I started feeling the same way. Where did our romance go? But then I realized it has been here all along, it just changed. It's there when I buy his favorite snack at the grocery store, or when I let him spend time with his friends at the RC race track. And it's there when he lets me sleep in an extra hour, while he picks up the house.

I've come to the conclusion that: As long as you both recognize the good intentions behind the action, it doesn't matter what the action actually is, it can still be romantic. <3

Thank you Hunny, from the bottom of my heart. I love you so much!

Homemade Dinner at the Nelson's

2011-03-08T23:40:00.000-08:00

The other night, Chris decided to try smoking some ribs. They smoked in the BBQ for a couple hours, before he finished them up and covered them in sauce. Sooo good. I made some scalloped potatoes and caramelized carrots. It was heavenly. I had to snap some photos to document it.

Pictures

2011-03-07T23:39:00.000-08:00

Just some photos from the two baby showers, and a couple baby gifts =]

Crocheted blanket from Amanda's Mom

Painting from Chris's brother, Andy

Quilt from Chris's Mom

Back of the Quilt

Cake from Shower #1 - Made by Amanda's cousin Kayla

Favors from Shower #2 - Cake pops in a potted flower

Red velvet cupcake from Shower #2

Teddy bear and diaper cake from a family friend

Diaper cake from the neighbor

Jordyn's name all spelled out in blocks, also from the neighbor

Sleeping Problems

2011-03-07T23:06:00.000-08:00

How many of you Pregos and Moms out there had sleeping problems near the end of your pregnancy? I haven't had a good nights sleep in weeks. I keep getting this jittery feeling in one of my hands or one of my feet. Kinda like when your feet are hanging off the end of the bed, and they feel vulnerable, like someone is about to grab them. I keep calling it "the heeby-jeebies" haha. The only thing I can do to make it stop is take a nice hot shower. But that's not very convenient at 3am. And even when I do get a shower in, it just comes back an hour or two later. Any suggestions??

33 Weeks!!!

Donuts Make Everything Better

2011-03-04T09:07:00.000-08:00

Ever have one of those mornings? Oh mine was just fabulous! But thankfully, I can laugh about it now..

It started out by not sleeping much during the night, and then sleeping in too late because I forgot to reset my alarm. So I had to skip my shower this morning. Ick. Then I stopped at the gas station this morning, and managed to lock my keys in the car while it was still running! I tried to call Chris, but he had turned the sound off on his phone. (Of course, looking back, I should have called the house phone). Doh! So I walked my happy butt down the street to the house. (Thankfully I stopped at the station by the house, instead of the one 20 minutes away). I pounded on the door, hoping it would wake Chris up. Thankfully, it did, and he rescued me. =]

So 15 minutes later I'm on my way to work, and get behind a slow person on the highway. I switched lanes to pass him, and apparently this irritated the Subaru driver behind me. The Subaru proceded to stalk me the entire 10 miles until I got to work. He was like a bug buzzing around my head. Either in front of me, tapping his brakes; next to me, yelling; or behind me, tailgaiting.

Then I finally get in to work, and learn that I forgot to order the parts for a customer's car. I was just about ready to curl up in a ball and call it quits, when my Dad shows up with donuts =]

Moral of the story? Always keep a hide-a-key for your car, and Donuts make everything better =D

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Now, on to the fun stuff.. BABY!!

We had our regular Doctor Appointment yesterday morning. Jordyn of course is doing spectacular! Her heartbeat was nice and strong (and loud). The doctor took my measurements, and informed me that my uterus (sorry you had to hear that boys) is actually at the 33 week mark, even though I'm only 32 weeks along. Apparently this is good, not bad. Maybe that means she will come a week earlier? *Crossing my fingers* My favorite part of the appointment? When Jordyn kicked the heart monitor on my belly. It startled the Doctor, and made me laugh.We have her room almost done, and we are getting more impatient by the day.

P.S. Thank you to everyone who has sent gifts! I've tried to send Thank You cards to all of you, and I sincerely hope that I didn't miss anyone =/ Your gifts have been soooo greatly appreciated. All the help we can get!

Happy Dance

2011-02-16T20:38:00.000-08:00

Finally!! Relief!! I have been plagued with an itchy tummy for weeks. There is probably $50 worth of lotions in my bathroom right now. Each one got me slightly closer than the last. But I didn't get complete relief until now. I want to find the creator of this lotion and kiss them. I can't even begin to explain how irritating a month long itch is..

Awesome Giveaway!!

2011-02-14T15:43:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are like me, and have no idea what to do when it comes to blog designs, this one is perfect! Mismikado Creations is giving away a FREE custom design suite package OR $150 any of the services that she provides. Totally awesome, if you ask me!

The giveaway is being held through my friend Adrienne at Right Here, Right Now! Check it out! Become a follower of Adrienne while you are at it, she is awesome!

Pregnancy Fears and a Baby Nursery

2011-02-06T22:23:00.000-08:00

Woah. I got behind on my blogging! Whoops!

Well first thing is first.. We made more progress on the nursery!! Everything that doesn't belong, is officially out of the room. Everything has a place. All that is missing is the dresser, and more supplies. The changing pad will be going on top of the dresser, so we don't need a changing table. Clothes and diaper changing supplies, lotions, etc. will all go in the dresser. Right now we are storing clothes in the crib. Haha.

I had my doctor's appointment this week too. Everything is going great! I drank that nasty glucose water and had my blood drawn. All my blood counts are normal, and my glucose levels are too. Glucose was only at 91, and anything below 131 is considered normal. Whew! That was a HUGE relief for me, because I've been stressing about gestational diabetes more than anything else. I was scared too when I first read the blood counts. My hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were tagged low, but once I read further I found out that they were low for someone who was NOT pregnant. They were totally normal for pregnancy.

Here I am at 27 1/2 weeks.

My doctor also gave me a chart to record fetal kick counts. I don't think that's very necessary. Haha. Jordyn moves soo much! Chris has finally been able to feel some of her kicks too. She seems to be the most active when I am laying down relaxing, and especially after eating. Maybe she is fighting the food for extra room, but whatever it is, I love feeling it! So far she hasn't really kicked my ribs much. She usually just kicks at my left side. I'm hoping to feel some kicks up near my ribs soon, because I want to make sure she points herself down. No breech babies for me please!

Now that the diabetes test is conquered, my only real fear now is the actual delivery. I'm not too worried about the labor pains. There isn't too much I can do about those, and I'm generally pretty good with pain. I know it will go away eventually, so I just tough it out. Don't get me wrong though, I will definitely be getting an epidural!! My biggest fear is actually having to get a c-section. That scares me to death. The recovery doesn't worry me, I will heal. It's the actual c-section itself that scares me. The whole "being awake while your insides are open to the public" kind of freaks me out.. a lot. I've heard that you can feel some pressure and tugging during the process, and I'm not sure how well I could handle that. I've also heard that family isn't usually allowed in the room during emergency c-sections. I can't do that alone, I will totally have a panic attack. I'm sure of it. So many many prayers are being said.

Are these normal fears? Or am I just paranoid??

Advice??

2011-01-25T11:43:00.000-08:00

Do you ever have those people that you just want to whack every time you talk to them? I know I complain about my customers a lot.. and I've been trying to be better. Lately though, now that I'm 'obviously' pregnant, I have been getting a slew of unwanted advice.

Such as:
You are breathing too heavy.
Make sure you take trace minerals, in addition to your prenatals.
Eat standing up.
Walk around the hospital as long as you can, it will speed labor up.
Get plenty of sleep.
Eat ice cubes while you are in labor.
Drink green tea.
Don't go into the hospital until your contractions are 5 minutes apart.
Take Vaseline to the hospital with you.
Soak in a salt water bath 3 times a day when you get home, it will speed healing.
Do plenty of pelvic stretches.
Sleep with a fan blowing on you.
Sleep upright, not laying down.
Don't sit for too long, get up and walk around regularly.
Eat plenty of fiber.
Don't take any pain medications at the hospital.
You're carrying really high, it's going to be a rough delivery.
You are really big for only 6 months.. you sure there aren't twins in there?
Don't dye your hair, the hormones will mess with the color.
Don't take baths.
Don't take hot showers.
You shouldn't be working in an auto shop around all these dangerous chemicals.
Don't buy any baby clothes yet.
Buy all your diapers now.
No caffeine or sugar.
You need to take copper and magnesium supplements every day. (Oh yeah, heavy metals are exactly what a pregnant lady needs..)

Really? Can we all please leave the pregnant lady alone? I'm pretty sure I can handle this. My doctor says I am right on track with my size and weight, baby is perfectly healthy.. I'm sure my doctor knows more than the average Joe walking into an auto repair shop!

On another note.. Pregnancy is going great! I spent the last week with a nasty cold. That was fun. Many many days spent laying on the couch with a pile of Kleenex. I saw more episodes of Law & Order in the last week, than I have during my entire lifetime. Haha. Chris was great though. He made dinner every night, ran trips to the pharmacy for me, and he even set up the air mattress downstairs so that I didn't have to sleep down there alone. (I had to sleep on the couch, so that I could be propped up.) Jordyn is moving around all the time.. lots of flutters and kicks. She is hiding from Daddy though. Every time Chris puts his hand on my belly, she stops moving. The nursery really hasn't made any progress haha. The goal for this week is to get a dresser in there so I can finally start organizing everything. I'm not feeling too many pregnancy symptoms.. that has been nice. Just the occasional heartburn. It is definitely getting increasingly difficult to bend down though. I have to tie my shoes in intervals, because I can't bend over for that long all at once. lol.

S'mores Casserole

2011-01-23T19:55:00.000-08:00

Every now and then Chris gets a little creative in the kitchen. I've been really sick for the last week, so he has been helping out with dinner most nights. Tonight, he decided to try a new dessert. He made this S'mores casserole tonight. It was so good! A little messy to eat, but still delicious. It's basically layers of crushed graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate chips. Yummmm =]

We also went for a nice Sunday drive today along the Sandy and Bull Run rivers, checking out the damage from the recent flooding. Amanda posted a few photos on her Photography and Sewing blog. Click here to go check it out!

Cribs, Blankets, and Roses

2011-01-14T21:29:00.000-08:00

We finally got our crib mattress tonight! Grandma Jo bought us this cute sheet a week ago, and I have been so excited to finally set it up! The crib has been set up for a couple weeks now.. but it didn't look right until now =] Jordyn already has quite the blanket collection going too. (Thanks to our Vegas baby shower and Christmas gifts!)

Daddy filled the holes in the wall, and hung her stuffed animal sling too =] I'll get a finished photo up later when the rest of the nursery is done.

On a totally separate topic.. Chris bought me these gorgeous roses last night. But roses never last long in this house. My wonderful black furball has a taste for them. He chews on them when we aren't in the room. I woke up this morning to find the evidence...

The little brat...

OH! P.S. Chris just received his letter in the mail, announcing that his application has been accepted for the Troutdale Police Department Reserves. He has a test next month. Cross your fingers for us!! He also turned in his application to be a full time paid officer at Troutdale as well. =]

Update after Dr. Appt

2011-01-12T21:15:00.000-08:00

After worrying about it all month.. they decided that I get to wait ANOTHER week to take my Glucose Tolerance Test. Yuck. Other than that.. not much to update. Everything is going great! Measured my tummy, I'm at 24 inches from top to bottom, which matches my 24 week mark exactly =] Jordyn's heartbeat is stronger than ever, and sounds amazing! I still have no swelling in my feet or ankles, and blood pressure is right on target. I also asked her about my weight gain. Since I started out with a "higher than ideal" BMI, they only want me to gain about 25-30 lbs. So far, I am right on track!!! I've only gained 15 lbs. Yay!!! We discussed nutrition a little bit, and she told me again that I need to get my flu shot. I'm still on the fence about the shot. I've never had one in my entire life, and I've never really had the flu. I'm trying to keep as many meds out of me as possible.. so I don't really like the idea of injecting a flu virus into me. I know all the benefits.. but I'm still iffy about it. Any input about the Flu Shot? Have any of you Moms had it?

Random

2011-01-08T20:51:00.001-08:00

I think Bagheirah needs a bigger bed..

Pregnancy Stuffs

2011-01-07T11:40:00.000-08:00

Today we have another doctor appointment. It's time for the Glucose Tolerance test. I am not looking forward to it. Reason #1 - I have to drink a nasty sugar water drink. Reason #2 - The appointment takes over an hour. Reason #3 - I'm terrified that I'll fail the test and be diabetic. I don't know why I am so paranoid.. but I am. I keep thinking that I'm going to have it, because I'm 'overweight' and tired a lot. I'm sure I'm over-reacting. I'll be glad when it's all over and I can move on. Diabetic or not.

On the plus side though, we are actually moving forward with Jordyn's room! We now have a crib, porta crib, and tons of clothes and blankets. The room is mostly cleaned out too. We are getting a cradle and dresser from my parents soon too. Then we just get to wait for the baby shower and see what else comes rolling around =]

The pregnancy has been going pretty good. The headaches are less frequent, and the heartburn has been a little bit more manageable. This week though, I started having the aches and pains, mostly in my hips. I bought a prenatal yoga DVD a few days ago. I'm hoping that will help a bit, but who knows.

More than anything else, we are just getting excited. We can't wait for Jordyn to be here! 6 months has gone by so fast!!

23 Weeks

Amanda's New Blog

2011-01-05T14:38:00.000-08:00

Amanda started a new blog today.

It's called Mandy Mouse Creates

She wanted a blog separate from this one to post her sewing and photography stuff.

Now she can share with all the other crafty blogs on the web, without worrying about showing any personal info.

Click here to check it out!!

Temple Square

2011-01-05T14:36:00.000-08:00

On the way home, we stopped for the night in Midvale, Utah.

After dinner, we drove to temple square to see all the Christmas lights.

You just can't drive through Utah at Christmas time, and skip the lights.

It's like a sin or something, haha.

I can't imagine how long it took to do that one tree.. and there were dozens more!

The Nativity was really cool. Definitely worth the 5 minutes.

I wanted a ride.. but Chris said No. =( It was $50 for half an hour. Yikes!

The Perks of Driving While Pregnant

2011-01-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

#4 - You don't have to pump the gas. Those fumes are dangerous man ;-)

#3 - You get to watch your sister freeze her butt of while pumping her gas.

#2 - You don't have to wash the windows. You get to watch your hubby do it, and make faces at him through the window.

#1 - You get lots of time napping, while your sweet hubby drives. =]

Vegas: The Visit

2011-01-03T09:47:00.000-08:00

I didn't take too many pictures while actually in Vegas.

I was kinda distracted haha.

The first "tourist" stop was Outdoor World, AKA Bass Pro Shop.

For those of you like me, who have never been to a Bass Pro, it's basically like Cabela's, except with more fishing stuff.

This place was awesome!

I was too chicken to take pictures inside though..

I thought these parking lines were awfully creative.. couldn't resist taking a pic.

Then it was off to the infamous Vegas Strip.

It was a lot of walking..

My feet were hurting..

But it was sooo worth it!

These penguins were inside the huge Atrium, inside the Bellagio.

This made me laugh. We got off the escalator inside the mini food court (where the french fries are $4 for a small!!) And I saw this guy, dressed as Master Chief from the Halo video game series.

The fountain show at the Bellagio was phenomenal. If you ever go to Vegas, you MUST see this.

We also checked out the Lion Habitat inside the MGM Grand. These gals wouldn't cooperate for my pictures. Sorry it's blurry.

I really liked this

2010-12-23T08:38:00.000-08:00

Andy Rooney says:

I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December. I don't agree with Darwin , but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his Theory of Evolution.

Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game. So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire Book of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game.

But it's a Christian prayer, some will argue.

Yes, and this is the United States of America and Canada , countries founded on Christian principles. According to our very own phone book,Christian churches outnumber all others better than 200-to-1. So what would you expect -- somebody chanting Hare Krishna?

If I went to a football game in Jerusalem , I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer.

If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad , I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer.

If I went to a ping pong match in China , I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.

And I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit.

When in Rome ......

But what about the atheists? Is another argument.

What about them? Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to pass the collection plate. Just humour us for 30 seconds. If that's asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of ear plugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand. Call your lawyer!

Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations.

Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying.

God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you, well, just sue me.

The silent majority has been silent too long. It's time we tell that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard that the vast majority doesn't care what they want. It is time that the majority rules! It's time we tell them, "You don't have to pray; you don't have to say the Pledge of Allegiance; you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honour Him. That is your right, and we will honour your right; but by golly, you are no longer going to take our rights away. We are fighting back, and we WILL WIN!"

God bless us one and all...Especially those who denounce Him, God bless America and Canada , despite all our faults, We are still the greatest nation of all. God bless our service men who are fighting to protect our right to pray and worship God.

Let's make 2011 the year the silent majority is heard and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions. And our military forces come home from all the wars.

Keep looking up.

Vegas: The Drive

2010-12-20T12:51:00.000-08:00

We actually broke the drive into two parts. Day 1 we drove from Troutdale to Midvale, Utah. We crashed there at my aunt's house. Day 2 we drove from Midvale to Las Vegas.

Yup, we even drove through the corner of Arizona for about an hour.

The first half of the drive was cold, wet, and ugly.

But then on Day 2 we started to hit the gorgeous canyons in Utah and Arizona.

The very last part of the trip (I was driving) was this ugly dead stretch of nothingness in Nevada. Nothing but Cactuses.. Cacti? Whatever.. Dead-looking pokey plants. Oh and tumbleweed.. I had a very hard time staying awake.

Why I Love Being Pregnant

2010-12-03T23:24:00.000-08:00

1. Feeling like I am making a difference with my life.
2. Decorating a new room and filling a closet with itty bitty clothes.
3. Knowing that I have a future.
4. Feeling fluttery butterflies all day long.
5. Knowing that my decisions effect someone else besides me.
6. Having a round belly is now a good thing.
7. When Chris calls us "His Girls"
8. Having a reason to smile all day.
9. Seeing how happy everyone else around me is.
10. Rubbing my belly and whispering to my daughter.
11. Knowing that someone will come to me for comfort and strength.

It's a Girl!!!

2010-12-02T18:52:00.000-08:00

Say Hello to Jordyn Marie Nelson

Our Awesome Neighbor left this on my door for me =]

Scared, Nervous, Thankful, and Angry

2010-11-28T13:06:00.000-08:00

Today, I am a combination of all four of those emotions.. and many more.

Yesterday, we left our house around 12:15 and headed out for a day of Christmas Shopping.

We arrived home shortly after dark, and noticed something was wrong with our door locks.

It didn't take Chris long to realize that we had become the victims of an attempted robbery.

Our locks had been destroyed.

It looks like they attempted to shove a screwdriver in the locks to gain access to the house.

Thankfully, they never got in.

But the fear, anxiety, and violation are still present.

I am so grateful that we have neighbors to watch out for us.

He heard a pounding noise around 1:00pm and went outside to check it out.

There was no one on the front porch, and no one in sight.

I am convinced that he scared away whoever was trying to get in.

Chris immediately called the police, and they came down to inspect.

The officer entered the house first, and made sure it was safe.

Our neighbors stayed with us for the rest of the evening, and even bought us some dinner.

Today, I am thankful for many things:

- That Chris no longer works nights, and was able to stay home with me all night.

- That we have wonderful neighbors to help us in our time of need.

- That the Troutdale Police responded so quickly.

- That we have the right to own firearms to keep us safe.

- That the property owners sent maintenance out within hours to replace our door locks.

I am still nervous, and anxious, but I know that we are safe inside our home.

And I couldn't be more grateful for that.

Weather Woes

2010-11-24T09:55:00.000-08:00

It has been cold.. very very cold.
Yesterday, I could not get into my car.

It was frozen shut.

Today, I was armed.

I got into my car just fine this morning =]

I felt victorious.

And I wasn't late to work.

It was a good day =]

The simple things make me happy.

Prego Symptoms and Baby Belly

2010-11-24T08:03:00.000-08:00

Most Annoying Pregnancy Symptom:

Heartburn

Most Awesome Pregnancy Symptom:

I'm not lactose intolerant anymore!

Seriously, it's the best thing ever! I can finally eat dairy without having to take a stupid pill first. Apparently, it can happen to about 40% of pregnancy lactose-intolerant woman. I think it mainly is because things move slower through the digestive system when pregnant.

In other words, on Sunday, little baby Nelson shifted and decided to stretch out, sticking straight forward! I was huge that day, and I mean massive! (Well, compared to what I usually am). So I took a picture to show it off =] I'm back to my "normal" prego size again today..

Holiday Baking

2010-11-21T17:20:00.000-08:00

The other night, Chris had a craving for some Holiday goodies. We searched around and rounded up the recipe and ingredients for one of Chris's favorites.

We don't do a lot of cooking or baking together, so it was really nice to spend some time together.
Goofing around, eating Hershey kisses, and even cleaning up together.
I can't wait to do MORE holiday baking =]

Finally!

2010-11-16T08:44:00.000-08:00

We finally have an appointment for our ultrasound =]

December 2nd at 2:15.

Be expecting a post that evening ;-)

I AM SO EXCITED!!!

Seriously... I can NOT wait.

I think I might explode, or implode, either one.

*note* I added a poll over on the left side of the page where you can Vote! Are we having a boy or a girl??

Also, a note to all the Vegas-Dwellers out there.

We are going to be driving down for the Nelson Family Christmas Breakfast.

We will only be there for 2 days though, so it's definitely a quickie.

We just wanted to be able to see all of you before the baby comes.

And I haven't even met most of you yet!

It'll be fun. I'm stoked =]

Baby Update!!

2010-11-14T15:01:00.000-08:00

Thursday we went to our first Doctor's Appointment with an actual Doctor, instead of a midwife. I love this new doctor. She is soo much better. She answers all my questions, and gives me tons of information, without being pushy.

We have to schedule our ultrasound appointment, so we might know what it is before Thanksgiving!!

We also got to listen to the heartbeat. The Dr. had a hard time finding it at first, and that made me really nervous, but then she said it was just because the baby was moving a lot. Apparently we have a very active little baby!! I was disappointed that I still can't feel it, but at least I know that we are healthy!!

As far as the pregnancy goes, things are going pretty good. I'm having a lot of problems with heartburn, especially at night. Some nights it gets so bad that I am literally burping up bubbles of acid. Thankfully, Dr. said I can take Zantac every day with no worries or side effects. Still a little tires, but not as much fatigue, which is definitely a nice break!!

Oh Happy Day!!!!

2010-11-12T12:16:00.000-08:00

For those of you that don't know, several years ago my Dad was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

What is MS? Multiple sclerosis (or MS) is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. Symptoms may be mild, such as numbness in the limbs, or severe, such as paralysis or loss of vision.

What causes MS? MS is Thought to be an Autoimmune Disease. The body’s own defense system attacks myelin, the fatty substance that surrounds and protects the nerve fibers in the central nervous system. The nerve fibers themselves can also be damaged. The damaged myelin forms scar tissue (sclerosis), which gives the disease its name. When any part of the myelin sheath or nerve fiber is damaged or destroyed, nerve impulses traveling to and from the brain and spinal cord are distorted or interrupted, producing the variety of symptoms that can occur.

(Information from The National MS Society)

Well today he had a check up with the head Neurologist at Kaiser. His MS has been reclassified as "benign" which means he is in REMISSION!!!! Seriously, I could NOT be happier. I called my sister immediately, and we were both crying. Still haven't quite gotten over the shock. I never, and I mean NEVER, thought this would happen. He will still have flare-ups if he pushes himself too hard, but this remission means his day-to-day life can go back to normal!! For years, we have not been able to plan things ahead of time. We never knew if he was going to have a good day or not. I cannot even begin to put it into words, how incredibly ecstatic I am.

My Etsy Shop!!!!

2010-11-10T08:11:00.000-08:00

Remember those wallets that I've been making??? Well I never stopped! I finally finished most of my custom orders, and opened up an Etsy Shop!! Click on the pictures to check it out, or just click HERE!! I only have a few wallets in there now, but more are definitely coming!! I have enough fabric stashed to make dozens! Send the word around =] I'm using the profits to pay for baby stuff. <3

Day 10: What you wore today

2010-11-09T08:31:00.000-08:00

Woah! I have slacked off majorly with my blogging. I swear I'll be better =]

Day 01 – Introduce
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your ~~day~~ last 24 hours
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A moment
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – What you wore today
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – This month
Day 21 – Another moment
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – A first
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your aspirations
Day 30 – One last moment

Today I'm wearing the same thing that I wear every day. I'm not very creative. lol
- A pair of Old Navy jeans (unbuttoned with a elastic band holding them together because I can't button them around my growing belly)
- One of my work shirts (a black tshirt with the shop logo across the back and my name on the front)
- A gray long sleeve tshirt underneath the work shirt to keep me warm.
- Underoos, socks, shoes, etc...

Oh! but there was one exciting addition to today =] My Mom sent me home with $$ and told me to buy this for myself:

Soo warm.. and it covers my belly without stretching the front of my sweaters.. Yay!! Thank you Mommy!! <3

Waiting Room Etiquette

2010-11-02T08:52:00.000-07:00

I wish I could post these in the waiting room at work.. but people are too darn sensitive, and would probably be offended.

#1 - When you are waiting for your car to be fixed, please wait in the waiting room. That is what it is for. Do not stand at my counter and talk to me about your political opinions, or anything else unrelated. If I'm typing while talking to you, that's a sure sign that I'm busy, and trying to give you a hint.

#2 - Do not complain about my coffee. It's free. I may not buy the most gourmet stuff, but I also don't buy the cheapest crap I can find either. There is regular, decaf, hot cocoa, apple cider, Postum, and a variety of teas. If you don't like any of those options, go to Starbucks.

#3 - Please do not mess with my TV. There is tape over certain buttons because you are not supposed to push them. Stop messing it up. It only works on one setting. If you don't like what is playing, turn the volume down and look away.

#4 - Put the magazines and newspapers back where you found them. Do not leave them scattered all over the room.

#5 - Clean up after yourselves. This is not your living room. I am not your mother. I do not like having to pick up your garbage.

#6 - If you have kids with you, please control them. Ever heard of inside voices? The same goes for your dogs. I'm happy to allow them in here. But constant barking is not appreciated. I answer phones all day. I do not want my shop to sound like a daycare or a dog kennel.

Day 9: Your beliefs

2010-10-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

Updated: I realized that most of my beliefs were negative.. so I added some more positive ones =]

Day 01 – Introduce
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your ~~day~~ last 24 hours
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A moment
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – What you wore today
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – This month
Day 21 – Another moment
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – A first
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your aspirations
Day 30 – One last moment

Well, that one should be obvious! I don't exactly keep my beliefs to myself on this blog haha. But just in case you haven't been paying attention.. I'll briefly go over them again. Lucky you! =]

#1: I believe in God.
#2: I am 100% against abortion.
#3: I believe God made us one way. He did not make anyone homosexual.
#4: I believe that we can be born with a tendency/weakness towards certain things, but that ultimately it is always our decision.
#5: I believe that we all have the right to own guns for our own protection.
#6: I believe that as US citizens, we are losing more of our fundamental rights every day.
#7: I believe that things will get even worse, before they get better.
#8: I believe that the ethics and moral standards of society are falling away.
#9: I believe that most people lie, cheat, and steal.
#10: But I also believe that there are good people in this world, you just have to trust enough to find them.
#11: I believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and they should not be punished for having one.
#12: I believe that being judgmental is sinful.
#13: I believe that those who think they are perfect, and have no sins, really are the greatest sinners of them all.
#14: I believe in forgiveness.
#15: I believe that we, as mankind, are forgetting those around us, and tearing apart our society more and more every day, without even realizing it.
#16: I believe that everyone has some good in them, no matter who they are.
#17. I believe that those who are willing to reach out to someone around them are angels on earth.
#18. I believe what goes around, comes around. Not always the bad, but always the good.
#19. I believe in heaven, redemption, and peace.
#20. I am sentimental, and I believe your memories are your most precious possessions.

Day 8: A moment

2010-10-18T09:58:00.000-07:00

Day 01 – Introduce
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your ~~day~~ last 24 hours
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A moment
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – What you wore today
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – This month
Day 21 – Another moment
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – A first
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your aspirations
Day 30 – One last moment

Hmm.. a moment? How about the night we found out that I was pregnant? That was a fun moment =]

By this point, I had gone through several negative at-home tests. So taking a test wasn't really a 'big event.' I took the test while Chris was outside with the BBQ. I was expecting another negative, since my last three that month had all been negative. But I was three weeks late, so I kept taking tests. When the digital screen finally popped up "pregnant" I just stood there in shock. I didn't move for about 10 minutes. Finally, I went to the front door and called Chris inside. I handed him the test, and he stood there staring at it for a second, and said, "Holy Crap." We both laughed for a while, smiled, walked around in shock, and laughed some more.We didn't talk for several minutes, until Chris said, "Well, now I'm really stuck with you!" Haha that's my husband for ya ;-)

Baby Update!!

2010-10-14T16:43:00.000-07:00

Wednesday marked 12 weeks! Baby is the size of a plum now. All organs are intact now. Finally on to the second trimester. I have been waiting very impatiently for this milestone for a long time. I'm officially out of the dangerous first trimester when it comes to miscarriages and such. And all this fatigue that I've been battling should begin to finally go away!

We had our third doctor's appointment Wednesday. It only lasted about 15 minutes. Super quick. We listened to the heartbeat. (That was super cool!) And I asked a bunch of questions.

I definitely think I will be switching to a real doctor though, instead of this midwife. She just seems so air-headed. She gives very vague answers, and hasn't given me much information at all. She also pressured me a lot on the genetic testing, and I didn't like that. We decided that we are not going to do any unnecessary testing at all.

Other than that, things are going great! No real complaints at all, and I like it that way =]

Day 7: Your Best Friend

2010-10-14T16:36:00.000-07:00

Day 01 – Introduce
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your ~~day~~ last 24 hours
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A moment
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – What you wore today
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – This month
Day 21 – Another moment
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – A first
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your aspirations
Day 30 – One last moment

Well, my best friend has changed a few times during my life. Obviously, my first thought was that Chris is my best friend. But you guys already know everything about him. So I'm going to talk about the other best friends. The girls.

When we first moved to our house in Oregon in 1992, I met my neighbor, Emily. We soon became best friends, literally inseparable. During time off from school, we spent almost every single night at each others' houses. Sadly, during high school, we drifted apart. I posted about it once before, here.

Near the end of high school, and just after school for a couple years, my best friend shared my name. Her name is Amanda Marie. She moved to Colorado after school, but we still talked almost daily. Eventually, we also drifted apart. I got married, she became a single mom for twins. Our lives were different, it happens. We still try to keep in touch, but it's hard.

My friend Amanda and Me at a Carrie Underwood Concert in 2008

Currently though, my best friend is Kari Lu. This girl is a hoot! I've known her since we were very little kids. Her Mom was my Girl Scout leader. Later on, her Mom was the leader for our 4H group. We went to school together from first grade all the way up through high school. We have drifted back and forth. Some times joined at the hip, other times going months without talking to each other. We never had fights or anything, we just bounced back and forth. My favorite part about my friendship with Kari, is that no matter how long we have been apart, when we get back together, it is like nothing has changed. We were there for each other through family problems, middle school crushes, failed high school romances, and so much more. I was right there next to her during the funeral following her Mom's sudden and unexpected death from a car accident our Junior year in high school. I was there at her wedding, but she wasn't at mine. And I regret it each and every day! (We were in one of our "away" fazes, and during all the chaos from wedding planning, I forgot her invite). Now, we are pregnant together! She is 2 weeks ahead of me =]

My Beautiful friend Kari, on her wedding day.

Through it all, I've learned that friends come and go, but it's the ones who keep coming back that really matter =]

Day 6: Your Day

2010-10-06T10:41:00.000-07:00

Day 01 – Introduce
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your ~~day~~ last 24 hours
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A moment
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – What you wore today
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – This month
Day 21 – Another moment
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – A first
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your aspirations
Day 30 – One last moment

Well, it's only 10:00am. So my day hasn't been too eventful. So I'm going to change it to My Last 24 Hours.

Yesterday I worked until about 5:45pm. Nothing too eventful there.

After work I raced home and got dinner started. My parents, brother, and sister came over and we had a yummy spaghetti dinner, complete with garlic bread. We hung around watching TV for a couple hours. Nice and relaxing, I loved it.

A little later, two of my cousins showed up (and one of their cousins, who isn't my cousin. Confusing, I know). We picked up another one of my cousins, and headed to the airport. A member from our ward, Nathan, came home from his mission last night. 2 long years. Chris is really good friends with him, and we really missed him. It was great to see him and several members from our old ward again.

This morning, I had to wake up extra early. (And I am not a morning person, so that's a big deal). Our garbage disposal broke a few days ago, and the maintenance guy for our complex was coming to fix it. After getting the kitchen all cleaned up and ready for him, I started feeling sooo sick. So a short nap later, and a 20 minute drive, I'm here at work.

!Baby Update! I hit the 11 week mark today. According to this website, baby is the size of a lime now! AND I finally have a small (and I mean teeny tiny) baby bump! Woohoo!

Day 5: Your Definition of Love

2010-10-05T16:45:00.000-07:00

Day 01 – Introduce
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A moment
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – What you wore today
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – This month
Day 21 – Another moment
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – A first
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your aspirations
Day 30 – One last moment

That's definitely a big one. I have many many definitions, if you could even call them that.

Love is:

- A deeply passionate, undying affection for another.
- To care about another human being, more than you care about yourself.
- Two souls becoming one.
- Growing old together.
- Forgiving each others faults.
- Staying up all night, just talking, and enjoying every minute.
- Having someone to come home to at the end of the day, to make everything else disappear.

Day 4: What you ate today

2010-10-02T16:19:00.000-07:00

Day 01 – Introduce
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A moment
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – What you wore today
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – This month
Day 21 – Another moment
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – A first
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your aspirations
Day 30 – One last moment

This one is a little odd, but whatever =]

Breakfast was two pieces of toast, with my Mom's homemade strawberry/raspberry jam. Soooo good. Best jam EVER.

Lunch was a slice of pizza from Winco after finishing our grocery shopping. I am surprised to say that it was the best slice of pizza that I have ever had. It had pepperoni, pineapple, crumbled bacon, canadian bacon, chicken, and sausage. And drizzled over the top was BBQ sauce and ranch. It was heavenly.

Dinner will be burgers and hot dogs by the Hubby =] I'm excited because I have been craving a hot dog for weeks.

And I want dessert. So I'm sure we will be walking across the street to Dairy Queen for a blizzard =]

Day 3: Your Parents

2010-10-01T12:33:00.000-07:00

Day 01 – Introduce
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A moment
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – What you wore today
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – This month
Day 21 – Another moment
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – A first
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your aspirations
Day 30 – One last moment

My Parents: Nina Cherie and William (Bill) Elliott.

My parents were both raised in California, near San Francisco and San Jose. They lived their until 1991 when they moved our family up here to Oregon. They have owned an auto repair shop in Sandy, Oregon together since 1992.

My mom, Nina, is the rock of our family. She was always there when we got home from school. She made dinner every night, and she was always there for us when we needed something. He whole purpose in life is to serve her family. She is the perfect example of what a Mother and Wife should be, and I have tried to emulate that in my own life. She is also crafty. She sews and crochets. She made our swimsuits, our formal dresses for high school dances, Halloween costumes, pajama pants, you name it. She crochets blankets ALL the time. She is always working on someones baby blanket. If you have a baby in her ward at church, you can almost guarantee you will be getting a blanket from her.

My dad, Bill, is the patriarch of our household. He has always provided for us, and he was always there to make you feel safe. He can seem pretty intimidating at first, especially to my boyfriends in high school (haha) but he is really just a big softy at heart =] I have always been a Daddy's Girl. Dad was always in the garage working on something. A car, a motorcycle, models, guns, RC cars.. you name it. I was always there watching him and asking questions. We went hunting together, went to car shows together, and now we work together at the auto shop. He is very patriotic, very opinionated, and he has a very strong sense of right and wrong. He has always strived to be an honest man, and I have always respected that. I get my fighting side from him, my stubborn side, and my sentimental side.

Day 2: Your First Love

2010-09-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

Day 01 – Introduce
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A moment
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – What you wore today
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – This month
Day 21 – Another moment
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – A first
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your aspirations
Day 30 – One last moment

Well that's an easy one! That would be Chris =] It's funny, way back when we were in High School, I thought we would get married. Nothing was ever going to change my mind.

High School - Good Times =]

Fast forward to my Junior year, I started thinking too much. I had convinced myself that it was a bad idea to marry the first boy I ever dated, ever kissed, ever danced with.. etc. I was sure that there were other fish in the sea for both of us. So we broke up.

Well fast forward a couple more years.. I'm in a relationship with a boy from school. Don't get me wrong, he was a nice guy, but we were not a good match. (He was Atheist, I was Mormon. He wanted to stay un-married and not have kids for several years, I wanted to start my family) I started daydreaming about Chris. I knew that I should have felt guilty for thinking about another boy, but I couldn't help myself. Every time I pictured myself as a married woman with kids, I always pictured Chris next to me. I missed him. I missed his smell, his smile, his hugs, those crystal blue eyes, everything.

So I broke up with my boyfriend and started pursuing Chris. Problem was, he had a girlfriend. But I was determined, and had no shame. It didn't take too long, before I won =] We were married later that year, and life was perfect.

I think he still technically had a girlfriend at this point.. Woops =/ lol

Whenever I look back on my dating years, I realize how much I didn't know about love. When I had boyfriends, I really thought I loved them. But I soon realized that I had no idea what I was talking about. I remember the first time I realized I loved Chris, and we were meant to be together. We were sitting at my favorite spot, under a bridge on the Sandy River. Chris leaned over and kissed me, and I'm not kidding when I say there were fireworks. It really felt like a fourth of July celebration going on inside my chest. On the way home, I kept looking over at him in the driver's seat of his 4Runner. Everything felt so perfect. I knew that I was going to spend the rest of my life with that man. He was the one, and I was certain of it. <3

*Note* I read this a few days later, and I realized I sounded pretty harsh. The other guys I dated between my two relationships with Chris.. they really were good guys. I have looked back on the past and really felt terrible for thinking so much about Chris when I was with them. Sure, everyone has their faults, but they really didn't deserve that. I tried to be a good girlfriend, I really did. But ultimately, that is why I broke up with them. I didn't feel like I was putting as much into the relationship as they were. I seriously hope none of them read this.. I'll feel so bad if they do.

Ultrasound and official due date =]

2010-09-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

We had our second ultrasound today. This time it was with a ultrasound technician, instead of a midwife. This is one of the photos that we got. Look at those little arms and legs!! Such a big difference in just one week =]

The tech decided that I am at 9 weeks, which would make my new due date of April 27th, 2011.

Day 1: Introduce

2010-09-22T23:01:00.000-07:00

I copied this from a friend of mine. I thought it was such a great way to get to know people, and it gives me something to write about every day =] Here is the schedule:

Day 01 – Introduce
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A moment
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – What you wore today
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – This month
Day 21 – Another moment
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – A first
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your aspirations
Day 30 – One last moment

So.. Day 1: Introduce.

My name is Amanda Marie. I was born in California, in 1988, and moved to Oregon with my family in 1991. I don't really remember anything about California, all my memories begin here. So I consider myself an Oregonian. I am the oldest of three children.

Being the oldest, I have always had a very protective attitude about those around me. If anyone ever bothered my younger siblings, I was right there in their face, standing up for them. This also spread out to my cousins as well. We have always been a very close family. One of my cousins especially, Gavyn, is only two months younger than me. We spent the majority of our childhoods together. He has always felt like more of a twin brother than a cousin. In grade school, people thought we actually really were twins. There have been some misunderstandings in our family with a few of my cousins, and I have always been the one to speak up for them. No one, and I mean NO one, gets away with insulting those close to my heart.

I'm also most definitely my Father's daughter. I'm feisty. I don't put up with a lot. Over the past few years, it has been more obvious. If someone is treating me wrong, it doesn't last long. I wont hesitate to correct them when they are wrong, and stand up for myself. I also have a very strong sense of right and wrong. Especially with anything ethical or moral. I hate hypocrites and liars more than anything else.

I am also very sentimental. My memories are my most precious possession. I love the smell of acrylic paint, old goofy songs, and cinnamon toast, because they remind me of my Grandma Anna Marie. I love the smell of lavendar, and new fabric, because they remind me of my Mom. Brake cleaner, old musty cars, gun powder, and campfires remind me of my Dad. These will always be near and dear to me.

I can also be very deep. I love music with meaningful lyrics, and singers who really put their soul into their work. I love talking with people about personal things. Like our fears, hopes, memories, and loves. I try very hard to be real. To show who I really am, and not conform to what others want me to be.

When it comes to friendships, I like to think of myself as a very loyal friend. I try very hard to be. I also feel strongly that I should be treated the same way. If I feel like I am doing all the work in a friendship, and I am not getting anything in return, I will abandon that friendship. Likewise, it is very hard for me to build up enough trust to have a really strong friendship with people.

If anyone bothers to actually read this, I hope you will post this on your blog as well. I would love to get to know more about you all =]

Perfection?

2010-09-20T16:20:00.000-07:00

Click the Picture.
Read the Article.

You won't regret it.

First Doctor's Appointment

2010-09-15T09:29:00.000-07:00

We had our first Doctor's Appointment yesterday.

I was super nervous, but once I got there I calmed down.

The midwife I am seeing is a little kooky, but she's nice and answers all of our questions.

The first 30 minutes or so was all discussion.

We learned that I wasn't taking enough Calcium (apparently I need 1200 mg each day). We learned that Salmon is the safest fish to eat, and I need to stay away from the cat litter box.

We tried listening to the heartbeat with the Doppler device, but couldn't heart anything.

I was a little nervous at this point, but she assured me that it was rare to get a heartbeat this early in the pregnancy. She said we would be able to see it on the ultrasound.

Then we finally got the ultrasound!

Here is our little gummy bear =]

She didn't point out much, as far as where the head is, arms, etc. But she did show us the heartbeat. I wish we could show you. It was amazing!! It really made everything REAL for us.

Next visit, I'm going to try and get a video on my phone of the heart beating.

I think it looks like the baby is facing to the right of the picture, and those itty bitty little stubs are arms. I hope I'm right, because that just makes the picture SO much cooler!

I told the midwife that I was doubtful that I was at 9 weeks, because my positive test result was so late in my cycle. (Sorry, TMI boys). So she measured the baby for me. According to the ultrasound, I'm only at 7 weeks. She did say though that she is not an ultrasound specialist, so she isn't totally confident in her measuring. She told me to reschedule with the ultrasound department so I can get a more accurate due date.

Baby Update!

2010-09-12T12:20:00.000-07:00

I'm subscribed to a website called The Bump. It's a great website for first-time Moms. I love it! Every week they send me an email with an update. This was the most-recent update they sent me:

Baby's now the size of a green olive!
Your little embryo has now officially graduated to fetus-hood. Adding to the excitement, a Doppler ultrasound device might be able to pick up the beating heart. With basic physical structures in place and increasingly distinct facial features, baby is kind of starting to look like...well...a baby!

Tuesday is our first Doctor's Appointment, and we are so excited!! We should be able to pick up the heartbeat too! We are going to try to get some pictures to bring home, and I promise I will post them ASAP.

Oh and we bought our first piece of baby clothing yesterday while we were at Cabela's =]
Don't worry, if we have a girl I will be sure to put some pink leggings on with this.

Brad Paisley Concert

2010-09-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

Chris is always winning things on the radio.

Recently, he won tickets to the Brad Paisley concert.

It was an outdoor concert, and it was abnormally cold weather that day.

But we still had tons of fun.

The tour is called "The H2O Tour"

It's based around a benefit/charity for people living without clean water.

We got there around 4:00, where they had a stage outside the main amphitheater, with a few smaller artists performing. There were concession stands all around. And lots, and LOTS, of beer and cigarettes. Amanda was gagging every time she smelled either of these, so we found a quieter area and rested on the lawn until the doors to the amphitheater opened. We had lawn tickets, so we laid out our blanket and waited. And waited...

When the sun started setting, the temperature plummeted. So we cuddled up for warmth, and drank Hot Cocoa. =]

This was our view from our spot..

Finally, the concert started with Justin Moore.

We had to watch from these screens, because there was no way to view the stage from how far back we were. Darius Rucker was next.

A few minutes after taking that picture. Two girls around our age walked up to us and gave us their tickets. They were leaving the concert, and wanted someone to be able to have their seats. We moved up about 30 rows back from the stage, where it was nice and toasty warm, and we could actually see the performers!!

5 Hours after arriving, Brady Paisley finally comes on stage.

By the end of the concert, we were wiped out. We had been there for 7 hours, and Amanda was getting pretty queasy. (Notice the half smile in the next photo) But overall it was a great time, and we really enjoyed it. So thankful that those two girls decided to give their tickets to us. Without them, the night would have been a whole lot different.

Skimboarding

2010-09-12T12:02:00.000-07:00

Labor Day Weekend we went to the beach with the Stephenson family.

Chris and Billy (Amanda's younger brother) spent a lot of time skimboarding.

Fishing

2010-09-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

Chris went fishing with his Dad tonight and caught his first Salmon!!

(Photo by Jodi Nelson)

Baby Names

2010-09-07T20:41:00.000-07:00

I have been blessed with a husband that has the same tastes as me =]

We have been pondering baby names for a while now.

In high school, we always said we would have a son named Hunter.

But then we started to know way too many Hunters.

Cousins, primary kids, fellow classmates..

We fell out of love with that name.

We have both always thought that middle names are meant to be family names.

I love that we both agreed on that =]

Last night, on our way home from the beach, we decided on two names.

Ready?

We both love them!

Chase Douglas Nelson

Jordyn Marie Nelson

Like them? Aren't they awesome?

If you disagree, I don't want to hear it.

I hate it when people tell other people that they don't like their baby names.

I think it's rude.

One of those things that you just do not say.

Anyway, back to the names.

Chris has a cousin named Chase, so we tried to think of another name.

But we kept coming back to Chase.

It just feels right.

So we're sticking with it =]

Douglas, is after Chris's Dad.

He goes by his middle name, Raphael, but Chase Raphael just doesn't have the same ring to it.

Jordyn is actually a name that I saw on an "Adopt a Road" sign several years ago.

I thought it was such a cool way to spell it.

Marie is my Maternal Grandmother's middle name, and my middle name.

I really want to carry on my Grandmother's name in some way.

She meant a lot to me, and my children will never get to meet her in this life.

Granna, take care of my baby for me =]

Love them, spoil them, and spend every second of the next 7 months with them.

We still have 10-12 weeks before we get to find out the gender.

At first we said we definitely wanted a boy, but as time goes on we are starting to warm up to the idea of a girl too.

No matter what, all we want is a happy healthy perfect little baby!!

I know it's cliche, but it's true!!

Fishing

2010-09-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

We took a day and drove down to Tillamook so Chris and Raphael could do some fishing. Andy spent his time 'fishing' for crabs under the rocks. Jodi, Wyatt, and I spent most of the time in the car watching. I spent a few minutes and walked out to take some pictures.

Seaside with the Nelsons

2010-09-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

Just a few random pictures from the weekend.

Fort Stevens

2010-09-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

A few miles north of Seaside, is Fort Stevens State Park. Chris's cousin had never been here before, so we took him up to the historic site for a few hours. I love spending time here. It brings back so many fond memories of camping with my family. (There is a HUGE campground located in the park, and we often road our bikes out to the historic sites).

Finished

2010-09-02T16:38:00.000-07:00

LOVED these books. These are the second and third books from The Hunger Games trilogy. Can't say enough how much I loved them. Total page turners. Literally read the second book in two days flat. They aren't perfect happy stories, that's for sure. But they are so riveting. My mom said, "It ends the way it should." At first, I had no idea what that meant. Now that I have finished them, I agree 100%. It ends the way it should.

Skate Park

2010-09-01T20:39:00.000-07:00

We recently spent the weekend in Seaside with Chris's parents, his youngest brother, and his cousin. I have too many pictures from the weekend to post in one single post. So I'm breaking them up.

Whenever we go to Seaside or Cannon Beach, Chris always wants to stop at the skate parks there. The only way to entertain myself at the skate parks is to take pictures. These are some of my favorites.

The First Effects of Pregnancy

2010-08-26T14:43:00.000-07:00

I can't get enough of this. I have been craving it for weeks, and probably had about a dozen so far. I couldn't figure out why, and now I know =]

No morning sickness yet. Always hungry, but nothing ever sounds good. I guess that means I won't have problems over-eating! (Don't worry, if I'm hungry I will eat, getting my 3 meals a day)

So far, I'm doing pretty dang good!!

Well, except for the coughing, but that's leftover from last week's cold. It's annoying though. I hate coughing. I feel like I'm squishing my little bean whenever I flex my muscles to cough.

Biggest Bestest News Ever!!!

2010-08-25T14:48:00.000-07:00

We are going to be parents!!!!!

Yes I am finally pregnant =]

And we couldn't be happier.

I'll answer the basic questions before anyone asks:

Yes this was planned, we have been trying for a couple months.

The estimated due date is April 16th, 2011

I'm about 6 weeks along.

I feel great. Just tired, stomach is a little overly sensitive, but nothing I can't handle.

I will be posting updates every step along the way!!!!

Finished Books

2010-08-24T13:41:00.000-07:00

Loved it!!!
Sparks always seems to have some sort of death or tragedy in his books, including this one, but it still had a happy ending! I really liked how this one was written. I'm sure I will be reading it again, and probably seeing the movie as well!

Like this one. Didn't love it, but it wasn't a waste of time either. I have never read a book written by a celebrity before, and I really enjoyed it. It was fun to get a peak inside the lives of the rich and famous =] Definitely a guilty pleasure book. I almost felt like I was reading her journal. She was very open, and very honest. The style of writing was also very easy to read. It was almost like participating in a real conversation with her.

Am I paranoid??

2010-08-18T14:02:00.000-07:00

You know these little stickers??

I hate them.

Not because they are cute little stick figures.

I hate the names underneath the figures.

It is so incredibly stupid (in my opinion) to put those names on there!

****************

Let me tell you a story to explain my paranoia:

When I was little, maybe 6 or 7 years old, maybe older? My family was vacationing at Agate Beach on the Oregon Coast. My parents were sitting on a blanket, with my little brother, Billy. My sister, Jessica, and I were walking along the sand, when we heard someone call out our names. Except one of the names was wrong. The voice called out, "Amanda! Billy" I turned around and saw a man maybe 20 feet away, looking right at us. He waved us over and kept calling to us. We didn't recognize the man. I walked a little closer to get a better look. I got a really bad feeling, and turned around to head back to my parents.

My little sister, Jessica, wanted to go see him.

I said, "No way! We don't know him!"

She said, "But he knows our names!"

I replied, "No Jessa, he doesn't. He called you Billy!"

She said he probably just got her confused with Billy because he couldn't see us well.

I refused and we ran back to my parents.

My Dad was obviously furious. He ran over to the man and confronted him. The old man insisted that he was looking for his grandkids, who happened to be named Amanda and Billy. We didn't believe him for a second, we were convinced that he heard my parents call us by name. We went back to our RV and watched as he walked up into the trees, alone. To this day, we are all convinced that he was trying to kidnap us. I can't even begin to think about what my future would have been like, what would have happened to me.

****************

My entire life since that moment, I have always been very weary about possible kidnapping situations. It was my biggest fear as a child. Whenever we went on vacation, I always wanted to know all the plans. I never walked far from my parents. And I have never returned to Agate Beach, even now, as an adult.

When I see these stickers. I instantly flash back to that moment.

These stickers too:

Do people realize how easy it would be to kidnap their child? All they would have to do, is walk up to #85 and say, "Hey Richard, your parents got in a car accident, I need to take you to the hospital." Most children would completely believe that.

I will never EVER put my child's name or jersey number on my car like that.

Am I paranoid?

Personal Growth

2010-08-16T17:15:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have those moments when you realize how far you have come? I had one today, and it was rather nice =]

I called a customer and explained the diagnosis on his car. Well he didn't believe a word of it. He doesn't understand how the newer designs work. He still thinks this car is just like his old truck. So he starts yelling at me. "You don't know what you are talking about. I'm not buying it. There is no way that is the problem." yada yada yada..

Well I've had these types of customers for years. I always encounter one a couple times a month. They used to really tick me off, and ruin my whole day.

Today, after I got off the phone with this fella, I realized how calm I was. I wasn't mad, offended, or stressed out. I realized how far I have come. I have learned that what these people are saying has no effect on me. So what if they think I am incompetent? I know I'm not. I know dang well what I am talking about! Tomorrow, Bill will explain things to him, and it will make sense. Chances are, the guy will feel bad an even apologize. Why bother getting worked up about it? He doesn't know what he is talking about.

I'm quite proud of myself for finally coming to that realization. I used to care so much about what everyone else thought about me. But lately, I have been growing more confident, and I like it =]

New Song

2010-08-13T08:16:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you know by now that I am very opinionated and conservative.I discovered this song today. One of my friends posted it on Facebook.I love this song. It speaks my opinion without being too harsh. Politically Uncorrect Gretchen Wilson & Merle Haggard

Lyrics: I'm for the low man on the totem pole
And I'm for the underdog God bless his soul
And I'm for the guys still pulling third shift
And the single mom raisin' her kids
I'm for the preachers who stay on their knees
And I'm for the sinner who finally believes
And I'm for the farmer with dirt on his hands
And the soldiers who fight for this land

Chorus:

And I'm for the Bible and I'm for the flag
And I'm for the working man, me and ol' Hag
I'm just one of many
Who can't get no respect
Politically uncorrect

I guess my opinion is all out of style
Aw, but don't get me started cause I can get riled
And I'll make a fight for the forefathers plan
And the world already knows where I stand

Repeat Chorus

Nothing wrong with the Bible, nothing wrong with the flag
Nothing wrong with the working man me & ol' Hag
We're just some of many who can't get no respect
None
Politically uncorrect
Politically uncorrect

S'Mores

2010-08-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

Did you know that you can roast marshmallows on the stove?

Yes, it's true.

Last night Chris and I were roasting mallows over the stove, and making S'mores.

So good.

So bad for my diet.

But it made me happy =]

That's all that matters, right?

The Reader

2010-08-06T13:32:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading this today.

Not exactly sure if I liked it or not.

The first section had several bits about their affair.
A little too risque for my tastes.

But that was gone for the last 2/3 of the book.

The author used a lot of mature and intelligent language.

A little over my head. Very philosophical.
I had to re-read several paragraphs to fully grasp what he was saying.

It wasn't so bad that it was a waste of time.
But I don't think I will ever read it again.

I Love Teaching

2010-08-02T17:08:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I really think I should have been a teacher. I love being able to teach people something new. I'm not sure why exactly I enjoy it so much, but I do. One of the cool parts of my job is when I get to teach people things. Usually I am teaching people the concept of the air/fuel ratio that your car depends on to drive. Most people have no idea about this concept in the car. So I decided to teach a random fact on here. I doubt any of you care to know, but I'm going to tell you anyway. ;-)

Almost all vehicles on the road today have combustion engines in them. In every cylinder in the engine, there are mini explosions of fuel being ignited. These explosions push down on the pistons in the cylinders, which rotates a giant shaft, which in turn rotates the vehicles in your car.

For these mini explosions to be efficient, there is an exact mixture of air and fuel. For every gallon of fuel that you car uses, it uses at least 12,000 gallons of air. It's a very very small mist of fuel being used. (Engines are much more fuel efficient that you think)

Your vehicle is controlled by a computer. This computer uses various sensors all over the car to tell it what it going on. When air comes into your car through the air filter, it passes through the Mass Air Flow Sensor. This sensor tells your computer how much air is coming in, and the computer then tells the fuel injection system how much fuel to give, and vice versa. If you stomp on the gas pedal, it injects more fuel, so it sucks in more air. When you let off the gas pedal, you are giving less fuel, and it will then bring in less air.

Pretty smart huh?

So next time your check engine light comes on, pay attention. Quite often, this will be an indication that the car is running too lean (too much air, not enough fuel) or it is running too rich (too much fuel, not enough air). I could go into so much detail about the different things that can cause those problems. Vacuum leaks, plugged filters, etc. But I wont =]

Betcha didn't care to know any of that did you? Well you already read it, so now you know ;-)

Awww

2010-07-30T16:36:00.000-07:00

So I'm sitting here at work, and I see a truck pull up. One of our technicians, Zack, walks up to the truck, and his son jumps out of the truck and runs over for a hug. It's his turn with Daddy this weekend. He is already dressed in swim trunks and a life jacket.

The little boy squeals, "Daddy can we go now? I'm all ready!!" Zack says to his son, "Not yet buddy, I still have half an hour of work left." The little boy looks so defeated, so Zack comes in and says, "Can I get off work a little early today?" I look over the counter and this adorable little blue-eyed blonde boy is staring up at me. How could I possibly say no?? I told him that was fine with me, and the little boy about jumped through the ceiling. "Did you hear that Daddy!? We can go now!!"

I just wanted to melt.

It was so stinking CUTE!!!!

My Latest Read

2010-07-29T23:33:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading this and I loved it!!

Two Thumbs Way way up!!

Can't wait to grab the next book.

I was totally sucked in.

Loaded with suspense.

Great great book.

My Flowers

2010-07-28T21:30:00.000-07:00

I love nature, I always have. No I am not a hippie. I grew up playing in the small forest behind our house. Being around nature reminds me of those good times. When we moved to our new place, and I realized that I would have no yard, I instantly decided that I would have potted flowers. Lots and lots of them.

Today while I was watering them, I decided to take some pics =]

This next one isn't really a flower, it's a mint plant. Chris planted this one. He used to chew on mint leaves with his Dad, and he wanted his own plant for home. After it grew, we realized it was the wrong type of mint, and doesn't taste very good. But It's still a bit of green, so I kept it around =]

This last one is my newest one. My sister knew how much I loved having flowers on my decks. She arranged this pot herself and gave it to me for my birthday =] It's my favorite.

Gotta Love Stupid People

2010-07-27T16:32:00.000-07:00

Customer walks in the door, holding a brake cable.
"How much would it cost to install this? I tried doing it, but I can't get it figured out."
I looked it up and responded. "Looks like it's $74"
He says in a snappy tone, "$74?? It doesn't seem that hard to me!"

This is when I want to say: "You just said you can't figure it out. Obviously it IS that hard, or you wouldn't be standing here would you??"

Some people just don't get it do they? I really want to help them realize how stupid they sound..

Happy Birthday to Me!!

2010-07-26T17:31:00.000-07:00

I Turned 22 Today!!!

Yes I'm posting this publicly.

I'm excited, because 22 is my lucky number ;-)

Talking Too Much

2010-07-24T01:14:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I hate about myself is my habit of over-thinking things. I talk a lot.. and I mean a LOT. I always feel embarrassed after a long conversation because I look back and realize that I did most of the talking.

I was thinking about that today after a long conversation with my neighbors. I was feeling awfully stupid, self-centered, annoying, etc. I tried to figure out WHY I do that. I came to a realization:
I am always worried about what other people think about me.(I already knew this about myself, obviously.)

Well I realized that when I am having a conversation, I talk a lot to keep up the appearance that I am really interested and want to keep talking to you.

In high school, I found out through my cousin that a lot of people thought I was stuck up and rude. I had no idea, and I felt terrible. Apparently, when I was being so quiet, people thought I was being that way because I felt I was better than them. That couldn't be farther from the truth. I was always nervous and self concious. I felt like everyone else was better/cooler than me; that is why I stayed so quiet.

Ever since I learned that, I am constantly trying to make sure that I don't appear that way. I never want anyone to think I am a mean/rude person. So when I am having a conversation, I don't want to leave at all. I want to keep talking, to make sure that people know that I like being around them.

Is that weird? Do I have problems?
Wait. Don't answer that. I don't want to know.

I don't understand...

2010-07-23T10:52:00.000-07:00

There are some people that I wish I could slap across the face.

Everyone knows someone like that right?

The person you love to death, but does the stupidest things?

We have this family friend. (Mainly my parents friend) Overall, he is a great guy. Very loyal to his friends, good basic ethics, etc. Well he has.. issues. Mainly anger management stuff, which is only exacerbated by his chronic pain and insomnia.

He and his wife are separated. They still love each other, that is obvious, but there are soooo many things wedged between them. How the kids are raised, business decisions, financial purchases, etc. He will never be happy unless things are done his way, and she will never change the way that she does things. He over-reacts and throws huge fits, screaming and cussing the whole way. She cries over everything. It's really a horrendous equation.

When he gets mad, she comes crying to us (mainly my parents) and drags us into the middle of it. Every time this happens, all I can think is "Why are you still with him??" Yes they are separated, but they are always communicating with each other. Obviously things will never be fixed, they both need counseling (separately, not couples counseling, that would never work). They need to just go their separate ways. They are toxic to each other.

Of course, they will never listen. So we will have to just keep watching this soap opera and shake our heads.

I will never understand.

Just a Photo

2010-07-23T01:18:00.000-07:00

Jodi snapped this photo of us at Taylor and Brittany's wedding.

I really liked it so I stole it from her ;-)

Thanks Jodi!

Star Spangled Banner

2010-07-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the Star Spangled Banner actually has FIVE verses??
Yeah, neither did I.

Chris and I are both very patriotic, and naturally, I wanted to share them with you.

The Star Spangled Banner

Francis Scott Key

O! say can you see by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming.
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O! say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner, O! long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

(In indignation over the start of the Civil War, Oliver Wendell Holmes added a fifth stanza to the song in 1861 which appeared in songbooks of the era.)

When our land is illumined with liberty's smile,
If a foe from within strikes a blow at her glory,
Down, down with the traitor that tries to defile
The flag of the stars, and the page of her story!
By the millions unchained,
Who their birthright have gained
We will keep her bright blazon forever unstained;
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave,
While the land of the free is the home of the brave.

(In indignation over the start of the Civil War, Oliver Wendell Holmes added a fifth stanza to the song in 1861 which appeared in songbooks of the era.)

New Look!!

2010-07-19T11:13:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Alyssa Richardson for designing my new blog look!

I wanted something clean and simple, and Boy! She hit the nail right on the head!

I absolutely love it.

Clean. Simple.

And I absolutely love the bird.

How did she know I loved little birds??

Thank you Alyssa!!

PS - Check out her website!

She doesn't have her design section up yet,
But you can check out her photography.

She is amazing!!
Talk about a talented girl!

Another Late Night Post

2010-07-17T03:18:00.000-07:00

Communication, Looks like Amanda and I need to work on it, we both put up similar post around the same time. Lol

Actually Amanda and I have good communication. =]

2nd Night of Graveyard Also known as my Friday

2010-07-17T02:45:00.000-07:00

So tonight as I am sitting in my office with my face glued to the computer, talking with my Amanda on speaker phone about our annual October trip to the beach (AKA-Anniversary) and She gets an E-mail from my mother about a post my mother saw on facebook about Caffeine. So Amanda and I both on separate computers, me at work and her at home, looked up caffeine on Wikipedia. Wow were we both amazed at the facts of Caffeine.

Here are some of those facts.

Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that is a psychoactive stimulant drug.

Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the beans, leaves and fruit of some plants, WHERE IT ACTS AS A NATRUAL PESTICIDE THAT PARALYZES AND KILLS CERTAIN INSECTS FEEDING ON THE PLANTS. WOW!!

Read more on caffeine at Wikipedia by Clicking Here!

So as many of you know Amanda about 3-4 weeks ago quit consuming caffeine all together. Well after reading this I poured my caffeine drink down the sink and grabbed the water bottle. So I am thinking about doing better my self on caffeine, over the last month I have definitely cut my intake but have not given it up, I think now I will try to let it go.

Chris

Caffeine

2010-07-17T02:31:00.000-07:00

Ever since High School, I have literally been addicted to caffeine.

For several reasons, I recently decided to quit.

It has been over a month now and I am so proud of myself!

My MIL shared some information with me that sent me to Wikipedia :

I was freaked out by what I found.

Why didn't they teach us this in high school!?!?

Look at that!! It looks like crack!!

Fact #1

"Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the beans, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants."

Yup, Caffeine is a pesticide!! I have been addicted to pesticide!!

Fact #2

"Caffeine is the world's most widely consumed psychoactive substance, but, unlike many other psychoactive substances, it is legal.."

Psychoactive substance? That just doesn't sound good.

Fact #3

"Withdrawal symptoms — possibly including headache, irritability, an inability to concentrate, drowsiness, insomnia and pain in the stomach, upper body, and joints"

I can testify that those really DO happen.. and it sucks.

Fact #4

In large amounts, and especially over extended periods of time, caffeine can lead to a condition known as caffeinism. Caffeinism usually combines caffeine dependency with a wide range of unpleasant physical and mental conditions including nervousness, irritability, anxiety, tremulousness, muscle twitching (hyperreflexia), insomnia, headaches, respiratory alkalosis, and heart palpitations. Furthermore, because caffeine increases the production of stomach acid, high usage over time can lead to peptic ulcers, erosive esophagitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

I don't need to see that list twice. That's enough for me. I am NEVER going back.

Keep Calm and Carry On

2010-07-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of the "Keep Calm" poster?
I hadn't, until today, when my MIL posted about her on her blog, Pleasant Home.

Here is an brief explanation: "Keep Calm and Carry On was the third in a series of World War 2 posters drawn up by the UK Ministry of Information in order to boost the morale of the British people by passing on a message from King George VI."
You can find more info here.

Well this fun website, Keep Calm-O-Matic, has a little generator that lets you make your own Keep Calm poster.
I was inspired by the posters on Pleasant Home, and decided to make my own!

GRAVEYARD!

2010-07-16T02:47:00.000-07:00

Well I am pretty bored sitting here at work. It's 2:48am, getting to the hardest part of graveyard: the 3:30am to 5am stretch. I can't lie, all I am doing is dreaming of my comfy bed. On the plus side I am on my second to last shift before my weekend, and I plan to just lay around. Life is good right now. I took two four-day weekends. The last two weekends to spend time with the family and the wife. The students here at Springdale Job Corps Center have been gone on their two week summer break. We have about 15 back/staying. It has been nice to be so quite, but they are back on Sunday. Meaning Monday is going to be crazy. Over the last few breaks it's always been after a week that I missed the students. This year not so much. The peace is nice. Well everyone stay safe.

Chris

Update on Chris

2010-07-11T21:44:00.000-07:00

I mentioned a few months ago that Chris is applying to be a reserve (aka volunteer) for Multnomah County Sheriffs Department.

He sent in the application, and was invited to take the written test in April.
He passed the test with a great score, and moved on to the psychological evaluation.
After that, he was invited in for an interview.
After the interview, he was placed at #9 on the list to be hired.

Currently, they are performing the background investigation. This is by far the most extensive part of the hiring process. They want to know everything, and I mean EVERYTHING. The paperwork was lengthy, and took hours to fill out. They are now checking everything for accuracy. They have been calling every reference that Chris put down, and asking dozens of questions. This step has taken a few weeks so far, and we are still waiting.

There have been rumors of over a dozen openings in the department. We are hoping for at least nine! I will be sure to let you know when we hear about the next step!

*Note* Yes this is only a volunteer position, and he will not be paid for it. BUT if he successfully completes all the training he will be given, he will be able to apply for a fulltime PAID position, without having to possess a degree.

Spur-of-the-Moment

2010-07-11T21:36:00.000-07:00

We decided to go to the beach today.

We stopped at the grocery store and armed ourselves with the necessary travel items..

When we arrived, we discovered that the weather was terrible..

So rather than freezing on the sand, we hit up a few antique stores.
Chris wanted me to get this match-dispenser for the kitchen.

And I found this funny little mailbox.
Chris thought I was weird for buying it.
I have no idea what I'm going to do with it.
But it was cute, and I doubt I'll ever find one again.

I also brought home a lovely sunburn from the drive there.

Overall, not at all what we expected for a beach trip, but it was still a fun way to wrap up the weekend. We rarely get opportunities to spend a whole day together, talking and laughing.
I definitely enjoyed it =]

Water Safety Info

2010-07-08T11:53:00.000-07:00

This is a really good article that a friend of mine found.
(Click on the picture to go to the original article.)
Everyone should read this before spending any time in the water this summer.

Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

The new captain jumped from the cockpit, fully dressed, and sprinted through the water. A former lifeguard, he kept his eyes on his victim as he headed straight for the owners who were swimming between their anchored sportfisher and the beach. “I think he thinks you’re drowning,” the husband said to his wife. They had been splashing each other and she had screamed but now they were just standing, neck-deep on the sand bar. “We’re fine, what is he doing?” she asked, a little annoyed. “We’re fine!” the husband yelled, waving him off, but his captain kept swimming hard. ”Move!” he barked as he sprinted between the stunned owners. Directly behind them, not ten feet away, their nine-year-old daughter was drowning. Safely above the surface in the arms of the captain, she burst into tears, “Daddy!”

How did this captain know, from fifty feet away, what the father couldn’t recognize from just ten? Drowning is not the violent, splashing, call for help that most people expect. The captain was trained to recognize drowning by experts and years of experience. The father, on the other hand, had learned what drowning looks like by watching television. If you spend time on or near the water (hint: that’s all of us) then you should make sure that you and your crew knows what to look for whenever people enter the water. Until she cried a tearful, “Daddy,” she hadn’t made a sound. As a former Coast Guard rescue swimmer, I wasn’t surprised at all by this story. Drowning is almost always a deceptively quiet event. The waving, splashing, and yelling that dramatic conditioning (television) prepares us to look for, is rarely seen in real life.

The Instinctive Drowning Response – so named by Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D., is what people do to avoid actual or perceived suffocation in the water. And it does not look like most people expect. There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind. To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic from the surface drowning can be, consider this: It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents) – of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In ten percent of those drownings, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it is happening (source: CDC). Drowning does not look like drowning – Dr. Pia, in an article in the Coast Guard’s On Scene Magazine, described the instinctive drowning response like this:

Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled, before speech occurs.
Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.
Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water, permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.
Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.
From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.

(Source: On Scene Magazine: Fall 2006)

This doesn’t mean that a person that is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble – they are experiencing aquatic distress. Not always present before the instinctive drowning response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long – but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in their own rescue. They can grab lifelines, throw rings, etc.
Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are n the water:

Head low in the water, mouth at water level
Head tilted back with mouth open
Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus
Eyes closed
Hair over forehead or eyes
Not using legs – Vertical
Hyperventilating or gasping
Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway
Trying to roll over on the back
Ladder climb, rarely out of the water.

So if a crew member falls overboard and every looks O.K. – don’t be too sure. Sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don’t look like they’re drowning. They may just look like they are treading water and looking up at the deck. One way to be sure? Ask them: “Are you alright?” If they can answer at all – they probably are. If they return a blank stare – you may have less than 30 seconds to get to them. And parents: children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and find out why.

Convo of the Day

2010-07-06T13:32:00.000-07:00

Hi, do you carry lawnmowers?
Uh.. no, this is a repair shop.
Moen Machinery?
No, Stephenson Automotive.
Oh. Do you carry lawnmowers?
No, we fix cars.
Oh. No lawnmowers?
No, no lawnmowers.
Oh. Not Moen Machinery?
No.
Oh. You sure?
Yes.
Oh. Well, bye!

My Biggest Frustration..

2010-07-05T14:53:00.001-07:00

People.
Specifically fake people.
Not the over-tanned silicone-implanted kind of fake (though they bother me too).
No, I'm talking about the kind of people that keep changing.

I know a couple people who fit this description, and they frustrate me to no end some days. You know what I mean, the kind of people who are always changing something to be just like the people around them. The kind of people who never have one favorite thing. They switch hobbies like crazy. They seem to completely change who they are 100%.

And when they make these changes, they dive into the new stereotype completely and thoroughly.

One day they decide that sewing is cool, so they talk about it non-stop, blow all their paychecks on patterns and fabric, get the bumper stickers, buy a sewing machine, and always ask to hang out with you so you can sew together. A few weeks later, they decide that being a tomboy is cool. They buy new clothes, talk about cars non-stop, hunt down every car show they can find, and pretend to work on their own car. A few months later, they want to be a fashionista. Time for another re-do! New clothes, tons of makeup, hair supplies, and an attitude to go with.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be a hater. The people I'm talking about are awesome people.. deep down. I love them to death. That is the biggest reason why I am so frustrated. They would be so much happier if they would just be themselves!

Of course, I was at this stage during a period in my life. And guess what? I hated it! I was always putting on an act. I was always self-conscious, always trying harder. But finally, when I started dating Chris again, I finally realized who I was.

I am me.
I don't fit any stereotypes.
I dress very casual, without a specific style.
Jeans and tshirts are my style.
I don't curl my hair every day.
I don't wear much jewelry.
I wont leave my house without make up on.
I love to go clothes shopping.
I hate trying on clothes.
I love to sew and scrapbook.
I love being creative.
I cannot write poetry worth a darn.
I will never be 100% happy with my body.
But I'm learning to love myself.
I love to bake.
I can't make anything without a recipe.
I love to clean.
But rarely have the energy.
I'm always tired.
I am loud and obnoxious
I am very shy.
I listen to country.
I listen to Rock and Roll.
Even hardcore music sometimes.
I get very angry and defensive.
I can be very fiesty.
I hate confrontations.
I love cuddling.
I love being with friends.
I hate huge parties.
I love taking pictures.
I love trying to find the beauty in all things.
I like to see the good in everyone.
But I can be a pessimist and hardly trust others.

I could go on and on. But really, there is no way you could put me into a category. But everyone knows what I like. Everyone knows who I am. If you asked someone to describe me, they would say, "She is just Amanda."

And that makes me happy =]

I love that I have friends in every walk of life. I have friends who are years older than me, and friends who are years younger. I have friends who make quilts, and friends who can't sew on a button. I have a huge variety of friends, and I love it.

This may all sound so arrogant, and I'm sorry if you now think I'm a conceited brat.
Like I've said before. This blog is a journal for me. If you don't like hearing my thoughts, don't read it.

I guess the reason I am so frustrated by these types of people, is two things.
#1 - I hate hate HATE it when people try to be just like me. Don't copy me. I am me. You are not me. You are you. Be yourself.
#2 - I'm tired of seeing all the unhappiness. The happiest people I know, are 100% content with themselves, and don't fit any stereotype. I wish everyone I know was like that.

Goals

2010-06-29T22:36:00.000-07:00

It has officially been 2 solid weeks since I have had a single drop of any type of caffeinated beverage. I was to the point where I would drink at least two full bottles of Mt. Dew every day. It had to stop. So now that I feel I'm totally over my caffeine addiction, I want to quite drinking soda all together. Sprite, Orange, Rootbeer, all of them.. gone. Wish me luck!!!

Birthday Wish List

2010-06-22T13:23:00.001-07:00

I'm on an antique kick. I have been for a while. I would LOVE to have a huge skeleton key collection. Especially filling a few of those cool blue mason jars. And I love antique kitchen/cleaning supplies. I am desperately craving a trip to Seaside. I want to hit up all the antique stores.

The Chris Nelson Family

BIG Changes

Gallstones, Ocean Shores, and Sleeping through the Night

One Month Already!!

The Best Baby Invention Ever!!

Our New Life

A couple of pictures..

The Birth Story

She is Here!!!

Jordyn is coming!!!

Happy Early Birthday Chris!

39 Weeks and still pregnant..

The nursery is done!

Nostalgic

Just Catching Up

Grateful

Homemade Dinner at the Nelson's

Pictures

Sleeping Problems

Donuts Make Everything Better

*Happy Dance*

Awesome Giveaway!!

Pregnancy Fears and a Baby Nursery

Advice??

S'mores Casserole

Cribs, Blankets, and Roses

Update after Dr. Appt

Random

Pregnancy Stuffs

Amanda's New Blog

Temple Square

The Perks of Driving While Pregnant

Vegas: The Visit

I really liked this

Vegas: The Drive

Why I Love Being Pregnant

It's a Girl!!!

Scared, Nervous, Thankful, and Angry

Weather Woes

Prego Symptoms and Baby Belly

Holiday Baking

Finally!

Baby Update!!

Oh Happy Day!!!!

My Etsy Shop!!!!

Day 10: What you wore today

Waiting Room Etiquette

Day 9: Your beliefs

Day 8: A moment

Baby Update!!

Day 7: Your Best Friend

Day 6: Your Day

Day 5: Your Definition of Love

Day 4: What you ate today

Day 3: Your Parents

Day 2: Your First Love

Ultrasound and official due date =]

Day 1: Introduce

Perfection?

First Doctor's Appointment

Baby Update!

Brad Paisley Concert

Skimboarding

Fishing

Baby Names

Fishing

Seaside with the Nelsons

Fort Stevens

Finished

Skate Park

The First Effects of Pregnancy

Biggest Bestest News Ever!!!

Finished Books

Am I paranoid??

Personal Growth

New Song

S'Mores

The Reader

I Love Teaching

Awww

Happy Dance