Categories
Everything Else Travel

March for Babies

I want to first thank Beth F, Melissa, Nicole, Beth D, Beth L, Carrie, Cheryl, Kelly, Nana, Papa & Brooke. Also my mom for walking & donating. I met my goal of $250 & our team, PB&J Time, raised $11754. The most EVER by ANY NC family team!

Four of us {& Harrison} stayed with Jen & her family Friday night. My mom met us over at Jen’s & we caravan’d uptown. How cute are our shirts {designed by Emilee Beth}!?!


Our large group met with hugs & catching up. Lots of babies & strollers & friends.

Jenny & her family ~ honoring her triplets is the reason we gathered.

The walk started with drums. BA was feeling it while Harrison & I smiled wondering what she was doing!

As you can see from Jen & Emilee Beth’s photos the hugs, laughing & chatting continued for all 3.5 miles.

BA & Harry

There was a little toddler wrangling & crying baby wearing along the way as well.

Jenny & Eleanor

Our car-full hung out for a little while afterwards. Checking out cute babies & their cute family.

Nana & Callista

Toby & Grandma

The weather was beautiful, the walkers & babies all did great. I’m so proud & happy to have been out there Saturday along with my amazing friends celebrating babies & the March of Dimes. I can’t wait to see them again. And we’re all looking forward to next year’s March for Babies ~ think we can raise $15,000?!

Categories
Photography

Another Week of photos

Project 365 is still going strong at week 17. We were pretty boring mid-week so there’s a lack of photos then.

Day 113 Saturday of Easter weekend. Bocce on the screened in porch.

Day 114 My in-laws in their backyard over looking the pond. {more of Easter Sunday}

Day 115 We left the beach early enough that I was able to get a pedicure Monday before my favorite place closed.

Day 116 Tuesday I went to dinner & the movies to see Water for Elephants with my friend Jen. I loved the movie & even cried a few tears.

Day 117 Wednesday I realized the cycle was a bust. Bad new to me means food. I made these easy {yet from scratch} blueberry muffins.

Day 118 I went to the RE & the dentist Thursday morning, & then I stayed late at work to make up for it. I packed for my Charlotte trip & didn’t take any photos.

Day 119 Friday I left work early to walk this corporate apartment for my mom’s work {I loved how it was done & photo’d to show my mom}. I picked up Alethea & we headed to the new Mebane Tanger outlets. I bought a few things at Loft outlet & new work out pants from Jockey. We got to Charlotte around 930~ just in time for wine & laughter with friends.

What was the best part of your week?

Categories
Trying To Conceive

busted

{Remember that HS {mid-late 90s I guess} phrase. Gosh that was over used. Moving on.}

I hadn’t spoken much about this cycle. It was very similar to my first medicated cycle { followed by Ovridril & bloating}. This time the 36 hour mark, fell in the middle of Kelly’s party. For maybe one of the first times ever for me, we left early. Not for being sick or other plans. No for sex.

I’d hoped it’d be worth it. Based on last month’s short LP, I added progesterone suppositories beginning three days after Ovridril {so Monday night for me}. I’d been warned they were messy. Yep, very. But I hoped they too would be worth it if they lengthened my cycle enough for pregnancy.

I spotted 8dpo {hello implantation spotting I thought!} then felt pretty nauseated the following day {morning sickness maybe?!}. My fingers & toes were crossed. My temps were staying up. Wednesday {11dpo}, I got a negative hpt then started spotting. I called the doctor to make baseline U/S appointment thinking it was day 1. I was sad, angry, & disappointed. I let myself have those feelings. Then I moved on to feeling hopeful for cycle 17 {my favorite number} & glad that the extra drugs that lengthened my LP.

The U/S showed stuff on my left ovary {same one with the huge follicle a couple weeks ago}. The nurse said it could be cyst{s} or the remaining of the egg. Lots of lining there so she sent me to lab for pregnancy bloodwork as well as estrogen level check. I was told after lunch I’d know if I was pregnant or had cyst. Continued praying.

My doctor himself called me at 10a {bless him for not making me wait any longer}. He advised I wasn’t pregnant & that my estrogen level was so high that it was definitely cysts. Those damn cysts meant we couldn’t start a medicated cycle . So I’m at busted. Cycle 17 {that lucky number?} busted. Dr P said we could try on our own, using OPKs & the progesterone. I don’t have much faith it’ll work & at least today am wishing this cycle away so we can move on.

Guess this is in line with Happy Infertility Awareness Week y’all.

Categories
Family/Travel

Easter Weekend {part 2}

The second half of our Easter long weekend was spent at my in-law’s new-to-them place in Garden City, SC {which is south of Myrtle}. Jason & I arrived there around 11a, unpacked, & checked out the place.

We got in the car for a quick drive over to Murrell’s Inlet. The ILs have become regulars at the Dead Dog Saloon. We sat outside on the water & their regular waiter, Jason, took great care of us. Cold beer {Magic Hat then Bed Select 55 for me} with a blackened fish sandwich. Look at this view~ how awesome right?! Life doesn’t get much better! We thought the place was awesome & the food great. I couldn’t resist getting one of their pink koozies.

After our leisurely lunch, we walked along the boardwalk. The restaurant next door looked cool too. Might want to try it next time. The island I zoomed in on below is called Goat Island. There’s wild goats & peacocks who live there. Random right? I just wondered how they got there! But they seemed happy, so that’s cool.

We drove around Garden City before heading back to their community. The four of us jumped on their new golf cart & took a tour around their new neighborhood. I woke up from a little nap, hearing Beth & Jason talking about the birds outside.

Bill grabbed a loaf of bread & to the back yard we went. We perched on the picnic table & admired the momma goose on her nest {Dad was near by in the pond making sure other birds didn’t get too close}.

A family of ducks {with 6 babies} swam near by & walked along looking for food.

 

Turtles crawled out of the pond/canal to pick up the bread that hadn’t made its way to the birds {Jason & Bill weren’t always the best throwers}.

Later that afternoon, the ILs & I took another golf cart ride. This time we discovered a swan family. The parents were huge. I didn’t have my DSLR but after cropping & zooming you can kinda see just how cool & beautiful they were.

Oh & Mr & Mrs Goose were taking a swim. Turtles {or something} was bothering them in the water so back to the nest Mrs G went & Mr kept watch.

We ended the night with dinner at Texas Roadhouse, followed by NBA playoffs & reading. The night morning, Jason & his mom ran a few errands & fixed her computer while I slept in. We went to their around-the-corner pancake house {yep, they’re regulars there too!} for eggs & pancakes. Sufficiently stuffed, Jason & I packed up, mapped out our trip & headed home {we got lost a little on back roads but still made it home in less than 4 hours}. We’re both looking forward to our next beach trip soon!

Categories
Family/Travel

Easter weekend {part 1}

Both my grandparents & {just within the last few months} Jason’s parents, live close to Myrtle Beach. One set north & the other south. We decided to take an extra day off {Monday} & split up our Easter weekend visiting both.

Since I took over 200 photos within the four days, I figured this weekend’s wrap up is definitely going to encompass at least two posts. It all started with a pack list {I make one before all trips}. As the first beach trip of the year, I packed all my new Lilly favorites! {I grossly over-packed!}

We left Friday morning and got down in time for a chilly rainy day of shopping with Mom & Nana {successful as Mom bought the dress for my brother’s wedding!}.

Followed by shrimp appetizers, pork bbq along with roasted rosemary potatoes. Dessert was from a recent church bake sale: homemade chocolate cake & cheesecake with farmer’s market fresh raspberries, blackberries & strawberries.

Mom borrowed my Allora necklace. I love it with her yellow cardigan!

We ended the evening on the couch watching Morning Glory {even cuter than we expected}.

Saturday was beautiful. The beach was breezy so mid-afternoon we headed to the back porch lounges for naps, reading {I finished Black Heels to Tractor Wheels!} & more sun!

Bocce proved to be a willing model though Nana & I couldn’t get him to jump again. How awesome is the view from their back deck & Nana’s flowers?!

We had easy peasy chips & salsa for appetizers. Dinner Saturday night was fresh off the boat baked blackened grouper with farmer’s market corn on the cob, cucumber & tomato salad, & green beans.

Pawpaw, Bocce, Suz self-portrait, food & Easter baskets!

Easter weekend isn’t complete without dying eggs. Mom & I were the most excited about this tradition. I welded the craynon {though some names showed up better than others} while Mom was hands on with blue & pink finger tips at the end to prove it. Dad wanted an ugly dipped-in-all-the-colors egg. Instead he ended up with the prettiest deep purple one!

We redbox’d & watched The Social Network then part of Due Date {before the DVD player messed up & I fell asleep}.

We woke up to Easter baskets with candy & coin filled eggs {since we were leaving after church Nana skipped the usual hunt & hide them inside at the bottoms of our candy filled baskets}. Sadly, I left my phone on the charger so no photos of the 5000 person beach church service from Easter morning. I never feel the Spirit closer than on the beach. Hope you & your family had a happy Easter!

{part two coming tomorrow}