Category: Everything Else

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Everything Else Pregnancy

Cough, Hack, Sneeze

Sweeping off the dust. That’s what I feel like I’m doing after not posting in almost a week. I think this might be the longest maybe ever I’ve gone without being on a computer. I can’t even look at my google reader since I’m about a week behind there too.

But I have pretty good excuses. Pregnant with triplets. Husband sick with super bad cold since NYE weekend. I thought I’d avoided it thanks to him quarantining himself to the guest room. The first work week of 2012 was done & I was looking forward to resting & finishing up the de-Christmasification Sat & Sun.

Main activity of Saturday was two friends stopping by {hi K & P} one with frozen dinners & the other to pass on newborn & size one prefolds! I was feeling a little tired but went off to Target. I love Target & did my usual round of the store. I was spent though when I arrived home.

Sunday I was done. Like more exhausted than ever before. I was probably only awake for three or four hours & those were spent on the couch or reading in bed {I finished a random free book I’d downloaded onto my Kindle Fire. It wasn’t thought-provoking but Double Dare was an easy read}. Oh & I had a temperature of 100.6 Sunday night.

Monday was the MFM doctor appointment I’d been so looking forward to {it’s own post to come}. I barely made it. We both felt awful. I gagged down half a bowl of cereal & grabbed a gatorade for the ride. I told work I wasn’t coming in & went straight to the couch once we got home.

Monday afternoon until this morning is a blur of sore throat, flem, gagging, throwing up a few times, trying to force down BRAT diet food because I was so hungry, then major stomach issues when I did eat. I got little to no sleep at night between trips to the bathroom. Enough said. Thanks to Imodium, Tylenol cold, Gatorade, ginger ale & a sick husband who took care of me, today I’m officially on the mend.  I’ve stuck with very basic food but it’s all stayed in & at 8p, I’m feeling well enough to tell y’all about it. Praying this is the only sick spell in this pregnancy. I have a whole new respect for women who are fighting morning sickness.

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Everything Else Reading

Listening is an act of Love

Listening is an Act of Love by Dave Isay was December’s book club pick. As per my new normal, I hadn’t finished it {I haven’t even read the January book we discussed Wed night}. But back in Dec I’d read enough to be able to talk about Dave Isay’s book.

That’s a nice thing about StoryCorps’ collection of short stories that make up Listening is an Act of Love, you can just pick it up and read it a quick chapter/story at a time. Though once I got into a section & after hearing my friends say how interesting the stories in the last grouping {water & fire} were, I couldn’t help reading one after another quickly & staying up past the trips bedtime.

I feel like I’d heard of StoryCorps before. Maybe in discussion that there was a booth by the 9/11 memorial. Or maybe the mobile booth traveled somewhere locally. I don’t listen to talk radio, but one of my book club friends heard the stories on their Friday morning NPR show. I love the idea that anyone, yes, anyone can reserve time & bring a loved one into their booth and record history. I’ve discovered I really enjoy non-fiction in the past couple of years & Listening is an Act of Love is an awesome example of the power in the everyday American story. How the normal, seen & told through your loved one, is precious & amazing. I wish I did a better job really interviewing my older family members & like that at the end of the book, the author provides a list of sample questions to get you started for your own interview.

While searching for a link to the StoryCorps site, I discovered they have two more books. One a collection of stories about Moms & another coming out in Feb about Love. Listening Is an Act of Love covered both topics in some sense but I bet those books will also be good. I’ll have to remember to add them to my library wish list.

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Everything Else Reading

BlogHer Book Club: The Magic Room

My most recent BlogHer Book Club pick was Jeffrey Zaslow’s The Magic Room. I read the synopsis in my email & on the back of the book, & I thought I’d enjoy reading about Becker’s Bridal & the families & brides shopping there. That’s quite an understatement. I brought The Magic Room to work one day when I knew I’d be eating lunch alone. I cried just reading the introduction {like big crocodile tears} & had to close the book in fear of being “that girl” reading & crying alone.

I finished The Magic Room last night after reading while in the car with my parents Christmas Eve & while taking chill breaks this weekend. I loved it; I think non-fiction is a new favorite of mine. I loved how Jeffrey weaved individual brides’ stories along with the story of the Becker family. I loved how, just as he wanted, the love of daughters really shined through. If I’m ever in Michigan, I’ll have to make a stop in Fowler & see Shelley & maybe Alyssa at Becker’s. Any Michigan readers ever been there?!

I think The Magic Room is my favorite of the BlogHer Book Club books I’ve been sent to read. I’d recommend this to anyone who’s purchased a bridal gown, or to someone about to or dreaming about their wedding. I’d love for Dads to read it to see the bridal world & what makes that dress just so special from another Dad’s point of view.

This was a paid review from BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are all my own. You can join the discussion on BlogHer’s Now Reading The Magic Room.

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Everything Else

ABBA You Can Dance

I received an email from Clever Girls & Ubisoft a while ago announcing they were looking for UbiChamps {like me!} to try out their new ABBA You Can Dance game for Wii. They recommended the reviewer having a 70s theme party to celebrate at the beginning of December. Since I knew my 30th birthday would coincide with this idea, I jumped at the chance to try the game. Of course at the time, I didn’t know I was pregnant times three & would be pretty exhausted by mid-December.

But when the disco ball & game arrived, I got excited! I planned for a low-key dinner out with friends on my birthday then invited them back here for a Wii ABBA You Can Dance party. My sweet hubby set it all up the night before & later admitted he couldn’t help but try out the game for himself {& set a few high scores}.

I was planning to just sit out & watch {& take photo evidence} of my friends jamming to ABBA’s greatest hits, but I couldn’t resist.

My friends can dance!

The 18 years of dance classes in me couldn’t miss shaking it a little to Dancing Queen {the prom version} as well as a duet with Sarah.

Cheryl & Sarah breaking it down & then the babies & I took a spin.

We took a break for water & birthday cake before playing another couple of rounds.

My house might be messy & tree half decorated, but the disco ball & game made the party!

I was pleasantly surprised how well the game picked up on our moves while just holding the controller in our right hands. And I got so excited when I saw “PERFECT” or “GOLD MOVE” show up on the TV!

After telling my mom about the game, I’m planning to carry it with me up to their house for Christmas. I really can’t wait to see my family shaking it to ABBA too {we might have to organize a four then four challenge to see who gets the highest points}.

If you have a Wii {or maybe hoping Santa brings you one for Christmas}, keep this game in mind. The 26 ABBA hits vary in speed & you can have a great time no matter what dance level or skills you may have. I haven’t tried out the Karaoke setting yet but I know that would be hilarious! I was very blessed to have Ubisoft mail me ABBA You Can Dance for Wii, but you can purchase it online or at your local ToysRUs {a store I’ll soon be very familiar with I suspect!} or on Amazon too.

Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this blog post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own.

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Everything Else

Happy {late} birthday to me!

Sunday was my 30th birthday. Thank you to all those who helped make me feel special with birthday tweets, FB comments, emails, texts & phone calls!

Sunday morning was spent with my grandfather & aunt in Charlotte along with a special quick visit with my friend B. Brunch was delicious at Papa’s clubhouse, and then Sue & I headed back home.

I arrived back in Raleigh in time to opening birthday cards that I’d held off opening when they arrived in the mail and run to the grocery store before meeting friends for a laid back birthday dinner. Some of the girls came back to the house for birthday cake & Wii {post to come on that tomorrow}.

Feelin' Good at 30!

Work decorated my cube with streamers, balloons & a birthday sign Monday morning. That was so fun to see when I got back from our appt {which I promise to write about & share photos from soon!}. I also decided Monday that I’d share my “I’m pregnant time three” news. Everyone’s been really cute & excited for us.

Monday night, husband & I and another of our favorite couples went to dinner at Cheesecake Factory after I sadly learned that NoFo was closed on Monday nights. My dinner was delicious & it & my keylime cheesecake that I got to go were fun for dinner last night too.

As usual, I was spoiled my family & friends. My beach grandparents had given me a Pandora bracelet & cat charm as an early b-day gift Thanksgiving weekend. Jason gave me two clips for it as well as some Loft maternity clothes {that I’d bought on their cyber Mon sale}. I combined birthday checks from Papa & my parents & ordered a Kindle Fire last night! I’m so excited & think it’ll come in handy for nursing, hospital time, bedrest, etc. My sweet MIL & friend B were thinking alike about my love of Lilly & both gave me {totally different} Lilly Murphee scarves! I’ve been wearing them all week. Other friends gave me a gift certificate to my favorite mani/pedi place {yay for relaxing!} & another sweet friend gave me a Gap gift card for some maternity clothes. Spoiled y’all & I know it.

Hope you’re having a great week!