14 Weeks and Counting

Friday we had our monthly check up. The VERY first thing Dr. Raspa says to me after our hello's is "You know, it's OK to color your hair - it doesn't absorb into your skin." LOL! I guess my roots are getting pretty bad. So, time for a trip to CVS now that I know it's safe.Here's some other things that went on:
~We listened to the heartbeat again. He/She is going strong and swimming like a fish! Every time he got a good read, you'd hear it quickly fade away, like Cashew was playing with us. At one point we heard a bit THUMP! and was told that it was a kick. SO COOL!
~Between my last appointment and this one, I actually lost a pound! The Dr. was OK with this and very satisfied by my weight. Because I'm a little hefty anyway, he doesn't want me to gain as much as what my book say. Now that my appetite is growing, I'm going to have to be better about keeping that in check. I want to eat every few hours!
~My next appointment is September 8th, which is our ultrasound! Hopefully we'll find out the sex. I can't wait! (Then we can go "shopping" and register!)

Yesterday as I was in the shower, I felt my baby bump! Not the fatness that has been there for a few weeks, but the actual hardish mound right above my pelvis. Its hard to see, but I can feel it. I tried to get Barry to feel it too, but he wasn't having it. He thinks its weird. Once this baby starts kicking, his ass better be willing to feel it, that's all I'm sayin'.
Today at work I want everyone to touch my belly! BUT, I know that 1 - they probably can't feel it yet (its a little bump) and 2- You can't feel it through my clothes yet. I don't think I'd be working here much longer if I kept asking people to put their hands down my pants. I'll restrain.

On another note, we got a crib and a pack n play! I am SOO grateful of my friends' generosity. My friend Jen's mom is moving and no longer needed the crib she had. I checked it out and was very happy with it. So what if it's not the exact one that I would want; a free crib is a gift from heaven. So Saturday I put it together and put it in its place in our spare bedroom er, i mean, the baby's room. (weird) When I was done, I caught Barry in the room just staring at the crib. It was kinda funny. Not even an hour after the crib was in place, we looked in and saw Harley (our Tuxedo cat) sleeping in it. It was so cute, but we don't want him to think that it's HIS place, or that the cats are even allowed inside. Any ideas on how to divert them? We thought about putting tin foil on the mattress. I did spray some vinegar water on the mattress in hopes that that will make them not want to be there. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated!
Also, a friend at work gave me her pack n play! I haven't put that together yet because I'm not sure exactly where I'm going to put it, but apparently its only a few years old and has the ability to be raised up for a changing table.

It's getting more and more real everyday. For the most part, I just think of the amazing-ness of having a baby. A person that Barry and I created. My dream of becoming a mother is coming true. A little package full of hugs and kisses. I can't wait to feel the love that is already beginning to grow for this little nut. I can't wait for the power of a mother's love when they need a booboo kissed. (I could go on and on...) But the other parts are making it REALLY real. How will we afford this? Who will take care of them after I go back to work? How will we afford this?? What if something horrible happens? What if they grow up to be a douche bag? I'm sure those 15 year old girls don't think about those things when they go on Maury Povich. I'm 29 and I never really thought about it until now. It's scary. But at the same time, I can't worry. I know that our support system is amazing and that this child will never want for anything.

An Unfinished Post... I Think?

I've been meaning to post about this, but of course, I kept forgetting.

My memory has been SUCKing since I've been pregnant. I mean, its not great usually, but this is ridiculous. My sister says that I will never be as smart as the day I found out I was pregnant, and you just get stupider with every kid. Great...

• I almost left the house without shoes
• I'm always saying "left" when I mean "right", and vice versa
• ...

OK, so i started this post with a list of damn things I forgot to do, and now I can't remember them. Lawdy!! (<--Like the black lady from Alix's Larry's flight)

Random

So i was just looking at these pictures and noticed... That guy must have a little Captain in him. Ya think?

(Can you tell i'm out-of-my-mind bored at work?)

Barry's Coming Around

I've really done my best to not overload Barry with baby stuff. He probably would beg to differ. But I'm enjoying watching him warm up to the fact that a baby is coming. Don't get me wrong, I'm still warming up to the idea, but I think it's a bit easier for me than him. But I've caught him in 2 remarks that make me flutter inside with smiles...

This weekend I stared at my messy house and kept thinking "how are we going to bring a baby into this world with our messy habits." I think I even mentioned to Barry that we need to keep the house clean because soon it's going to be filled with the baby's crap. Finally Sunday I was OVER the kitchen looking like a shit-pot mess. It still had days-old dishes in the sink, after I washed all of his messy dishes from his brother's visit on Wednesday. I was feeling the whole: "I work all day then come home to THIS and have to clean before I can even think about cooking something for myself and my baby is probably starving...gripe gripe gripe..." Sorry. Back to Sunday... SO, on Sunday when it looked like he would much rather watch House on DVD after I asked him to help me clean, I said "F-it" and started doing it without him. He kept asking me to stop and go to the couch to snuggle with him. I'm like "NO, shit needs to get done, snuggling is not going to make it cleaner." He insisted that if I gave him 2 minutes that he would clean the whole kitchen for me. I gave in, even though I was NOT in the mood. When I laid next to him, he hugged me and said "I don't want to see you get all worked up like that, it's not good for the baby. I'm sorry I let the kitchen get like that..." I really tried to resist breaking my bad mood, but he worked his wiles and I just couldn't help but feel good when he seemed truly concerned for the baby.

Then yesterday, while he was cooking the YUMMY filling for our enchiladas, I asked him why he didn't use the flavor packet. He said "I put my own spices in so I know exactly what's going into my wife and my baby." He said my baby. It was the first time I heard him say that. He's the kind of guy that is more inclined to call the baby "it" than "baby".
I enjoyed the moment and gave him a kiss.

Another Step Forward

I gave up today. My pants don't fit anymore and my tops are too small. I've done the 'hair tie trick' to extend my pants and, for the first time, I'm wearing a maternity top to work today.

...and I think I look super cute :)

A friend/co-worker has promised me 2 trashbags FULL of maternity clothes and I can't WAIT to raid them!

A Trip to the Denist

As I mentioned previously, when Willie comes to town, he brings with him 1/2 the inventory of NYC's Chinatown BBQ pork (Char Sui). Needless today, I've been eating a hell of a lot of the yummy goodness in the last few days. I've been doing a hell of a lot of flossing, too.

Two days ago, after an especially good batch of Barry's pork fried rice, I went to the bathroom to floss and felt like I just couldn't get what-ever-it-was out of my teeth. I took my little floss/pick thing and just watched TV while flossing... It got to the point where I just gave up, thinking it might just be in my head. As the day progressed through, my tooth started to hurt. Take-three with the floss: no avail. I go to bed.

Yesterday I was hoping it'd be better when I woke up, but it wasn't. I flossed like 3 times before I gave up. I called the dentist. Honestly, I was afraid some pork got stuck underneath my crown, then I'd be in BIG trouble. I felt kinda silly calling the dentist basically saying "Can you floss for me?" I didn't think it was THAT big of a deal, but she was ready to accommodate me right away, so I left work about 10:30 to trek across town.

As I sat in the chair, feeling stupid for going to the dentist for being an inept flosser, they seemed quite concerned. I guess it wasn't that uncommon? She worked at it for a good minute or 2 before she was able to retrieve the tiniest piece of what i am assuming was 2-day old char sui. Ga-ROSS. PHEW! Am I done? Nope. She gets out a drill. EH? She then proceeds to sand down my tooth - for what i wasn't quite sure, but 20 minutes later I was back in the car with sore, but food-free gums. I didn't even sign in or out! I don't even think they're going to charge me.

And this morning I'm pain-free. I love my dentist.

Baby Bump or Belly Blab?

So, when I look in the mirror, both nekkid and with clothes on, I think I look bigger. Not bigger, fatter. I don't know, though, if it's my mind playing tricks on me and I'm just seeing my true fatness for what is, or if I'm actually starting to show a baby bump. The reason I'm questioning it is 1 - I haven't gained much weight. If my home scale and the Dr. scale are in sync (which i doubt), I've only gained 2 pounds. Not nearly the amount of weight of which my mind sees surrounding my midsection. 2 - my clothes aren't really any more uncomfortable than they usually are, and 3 - the bump I see isn't in my lower abdomen, where I thought my ute hangs out.

Sooo.... I wonder... am I showing? or am I using this pregnancy as an excuse to let it all hang out?Hm...

Pictures from Kennedy Space Center

Please do not adjust your monitor... for some reason my camera decided to take on a blue tint for all the pics. Hmph.

In a model of an Apollo Command Module, to give you a feel of the size

That's a rocket. A big one. (But not the biggest!)

To Infinity....AND BEYOND!!!

Launch Pad B, getting outfitted for the next Saturn launch

THE walkway that Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins used. The next time they walked would be on the moon.

Apollo 11's Command Module. Not very comfy looking...

That shuttle behind us went into SPACE. Can you see the burn marks?

Explorer. Bitchin.

The undercarriage of the Saturn V rocket. Only the largest rocket ever made.

Fetal Senses

I came across this fascinating article. Even if you're not expecting you might find it interesting. Maybe it's because I'm a psychology major, but I just think all of this is so cool! I copied some of the highlights below.

http://birthpsychology.com/lifebefore/fetalsense.html

Tasting and Smelling
"Until recently, no serious consideration was given to the possibilities for olfaction in utero, since researchers assumed smelling depended on air and breathing. However, the latest research has opened up a new world of possibilities.
"The nose develops between 11 and 15 weeks. Many chemical compounds can cross the placenta to join the amniotic fluid, providing the fetus with tastes and odors. The amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus bathes the oral, nasal, and pharyngeal cavities, and babies breathe it and swallow it, permitting direct access to receptors of several chemosensory systems: taste buds in three locations, olfactory epithelia, vomeronasal system, and trigeminal system (Smotherman and Robinson, 1995).
"Associations formed in utero can alter subsequent fetal behavior and are retained into postnatal life. The evidence for direct and indirect learning of odors in utero has been reviewed by Schaal, Orgeur, and Rogan (1995). They point to an extraordinary range of available odiferous compounds, an average of 120 in individual samples of amniotic fluid! In one experiment, babies registered changes in fetal breathing and heart rate when mothers drank coffee, whether it was caffeinated or decaffeinated. Newborns are drawn to the odor of breastmilk, although they have no previous experience with it. Researchers think this may come from cues they have learned in prenatal life."

Listening and Hearing
"Sounds have a surprising impact upon the fetal heart rate: a five second stimulus can cause changes in heart rate and movement which last up to an hour. Some musical sounds can cause changes in metabolism. "Brahm's Lullabye," for example, played six times a day for five minutes in a premature baby nursery produced faster weight gain than voice sounds played on the same schedule (Chapman, 1975).
Researchers in Belfast have demonstrated that reactive listening begins at 16 weeks g.a., two months sooner than other types of measurements indicated. Working with 400 fetuses, researchers in Belfast beamed a pure pulse sound at 250-500 Hz and found behavioral responses at 16 weeks g.a.--clearly seen via ultrasound (Shahidullah and Hepper, 1992). This is especially significant because reactive listening begins eight weeks before the ear is structurally complete at about 24 weeks.
These findings indicate the complexity of hearing, lending support to the idea that receptive hearing begins with the skin and skeletal framework, skin being a multireceptor organ integrating input from vibrations, thermo receptors, and pain receptors. This primal listening system is then amplified with vestibular and cochlear information as it becomes available. With responsive listening proven at 16 weeks, hearing is clearly a major information channel operating for about 24 weeks before birth."

Vision
"In utero, eyelids remain closed until about the 26th week. However, the fetus is sensitive to light, responding to light with heart rate accelerations to projections of light on the abdomen. This can even serve as a test of well-being before birth. Although it cannot be explained easily, prenates with their eyelids still fused seem to be using some aspect of "vision" to detect the location of needles entering the womb, either shrinking away from them or turning to attack the needle barrel with a fist (Birnholz, Stephens, and Faria, 1978). Similarly, at 20 weeks g.a., twins in utero have no trouble locating each other and touching faces or holding hands!"

Senses in Action
"Ultrasonographers have recorded fetal erections as early as 16 weeks g.a., often in conjunction with finger sucking, suggesting that pleasurable self-stimulation is already possible. In the third trimester, when prenates are monitored during parental intercouse, their hearts fluctuate wildly in accelerations and decelerations greater than 30 beats per minute, or show a rare loss of beat-to-beat variability, accompanied by a sharp increase in fetal movement (Chayen et al, 1986). This heart activity is directly associated with paternal and maternal orgasms! Other experiments measuring fetal reactions to mothers' drinking one ounce of vodka in a glass of diet ginger ale show that breathing movements stop within 3 to 30 minutes. This hiatus in breathing lasts more than a half hour. Although the blood alcohol level of the mothers was low, as their blood alcohol level declined, the percentage of fetal breathing movements increased (Fox et al, 1978).
"Babies have been known to react to the experience of amniocentesis (usually done around 16 weeks g.a.) by shrinking away from the needle, or, if a needle nicks them, they may turn and attack it. Mothers and doctors who have watched this under ultrasound have been unnerved. Following amniocentesis, heart rates gyrate. Some babies remain motionless, and their breathing motions may not return to normal for several days.
"Finally, researchers have discovered that babies are dreaming as early as 23 weeks g.a.when rapid eye movement sleep is first observed (Birnholz, 1981). Studies of premature babies have revealed intense dreaming activity, occupying 100% of sleep time at 30 weeks g.a., and gradually diminishing to around 50% by term. Dreaming is a vigorous activity involving apparently coherent movements of the face and extremities in synchrony with the dream itself, manifested in markedly pleasant or unpleasant expressions. Dreaming is also an endogenous activity, neither reactive or evoked, expressing inner mental or emotional conditions. Observers say babies behave like adults do when they are dreaming (Roffwarg, Muzio, and Dement 1966)."

There's Something in the Water...

There hadn't been a pregnancy here at work in quite a while! I think the last baby born from a TJB employee is now 3. Shortly before I found out (like the DAY before I found out) I learned that one of my co-workers was pregnant.

Then me, 12 weeks later, decides to take the drink.

Now, I just found out another co-worker is 4 1/2 weeks behind me! OMG!

Soooo, if you're looking to stay bun-less, don't drink the water at The Jacksonville Bank!

Bro-In-Law Visit

It's been a while since I've just posted a 'what-I've-been-up-to' post, so here ya go:

This past weekend Barry's brother, Willie, visited us from NYC. Every time he comes to town we always end up doing some fun and exciting things, not to mention a lot of great eating. Friday night we went to my favorite Italian restaurant, Sorbello's. If you're a resident of Orange Park/Jacksonville, you've more than likely heard of this place. It is the best Italian I've had outside of Italy itself - it's almost like going back! The best part is that the owners are friends with Barry's family, so its a great "Cheers" kinda place (They always know your name!)

Saturday I think we just lounged around the house most of the day. Whenever Willie comes, he always brings us goodies from NYC, and this time was no exception. He brought us a huge slab of Katz pastrami, 3 pounds of char sui (Chinese BBQ pork), some Chinese roasted duck, a pound of Katz hot dogs, and a big ol' tub of Katz deli mustard. YUM-O. If you're not familiar w/ Katz, its just the best damn kosher deli in NYC, if not the world! The pastrami melts in your mouth like butter... I digress. We didn't go out Saturday because we had plenty to eat at the house. Sat night we went and saw The Ugly Truth. It was really funny and not your typical romantic comedy. Oh! and I made Chocolate Cracked Earth again, too. :)

We also introduced Willie to RedBox. They don't have these in NY yet, so he was just amazed at how cheap and easy it is to rent movies. So throughout the weekend, we watched Miracle at St. Anna (very interesting movie) and Knowing (very good :))

I took Monday off, since he wasn't leaving until Tuesday. We decided to head down to Kennedy Space Center. I hadn't been since i was a little kid, so it was really great to visit! I took some pics, so as soon as my lazy ass gets around to it, I'll post them. :)

I'm Annoyed With My Nose

I have been pretty lucky, as far as pregnancy goes. Tomorrow will mark the end of my first trimester (!!!) and I haven't been terribly sick or craving anything strange. The one thing I have had, that doesn't seem to be letting up, is f'ed-up sinuses. My nose won't run, but won't stay clear either. I feel like I'm never getting enough oxygen or something, then I get tense and my neck starts to hurt and/or i get a headache. If i could hold my nostrils open all day, it'd be GREAT. OR, the phlegm/snot/whatever you call it drains down the back of my throat, which makes me gag, which makes me throw up (especially in the morning or brushing my teeth).

I'm just ready for this sinus thing to QUIT! I mean, they say it gets easier after the first trimester, right? Well, that's tomorrow. Deadline is here. I'd like to breath easy now, ok?

Twilight to Billy

If you've been on Facebook, then you know that I've started to read Twilight. I'm borrowing it from Angelle and slowly started it on Saturday. Well, it's Wednesday and I'm already half way through it, and for me, that's fast. (I've been reading a Drizzt novel for the past 3 years and still haven't gotten through 3/4 of it. I couldn't even tell you the name of the book.) I'm reading it before work, during my lunch break, and when I get home. This morning, Barry had to talk me out of playing hookie because all I wanted to do was read about Edward effing Cullen. I haven't even gotten into the "good Jacob parts" yet, and I'm already cultivating a plan to borrow the next book.

How ridiculous is it that this 'tweener book is having such an impact on me? I took a full hour today for lunch, sitting in the covered patio of my favorite downtown lunch spot, flipping page after page, wishing I could take longer than my hour. (I normally don't take more than 20-30 minutes for lunch.)

Stephanie Meyer has an amazing way to take you back to feeling 17 again, and all of those rushing feelings of infatuation and not knowing has been making my heart flutter all over again.

You see, my Edward was Billy Yoakley. *Sigh* Billy made my heart flutter like no one else. He was the cutest boy in my youth group and I remember feeling like a yo-yo every time he would talk to me (or wouldn't). My sister said my heart would beat "Bil-ly, Bil-ly" instead of the normal pit-pat. So, because I have nothing else I'd prefer to be doing at work right now, I'm going to tell you a story...


The Facebook of 1997 was AOL. After every shift at work, I'd stay up to the wee hours chatting online. This Friday night was no different. I got off of work about 11:00, and without changing out of my Publix uniform, I was on AOL minutes after I got home. This particular night, Billy Yoakley was hanging out with his friend Matt online. We started chatting and he asked if I wanted to hang out. Mind you, I'm only 17 and it's 11:30 at night. I think my curfew was 12:30, and there was no way my parents would let me LEAVE the house this late. Luckily, my parents were out of town that weekend. Only my sister was home, and she was fast asleep already. I mean, BILLY YOAKLEY asked ME if i wanted to hang out. So i called my friend Erin and she was in, so I quickly changed into the sexiest outfit i had, grabbed the keys to my mom's minivan, and left a note for my sister ("Took the van, Don't worry, I'll be home later.") I picked up Erin, made a quick stop for some cigarettes (Erin was a year older) and we were off to Fleming Island to meet up with the boys.

We picked them up (they were waiting outside) and followed their directions to a dock on Doctor's Lake. We sat under the stars, chatted and flirted until "it" happened. BILLY YOAKLEY KISSED ME! It was the most glorious kiss! I had been waiting for over 2 years for him to like me and he finally kissed me! It was amazing.

After who knows how long, Erin and I were on our way home. I was elated. I kept screaming and hitting the wheel; i was overjoyed! HE KISSED ME! As we turned into my neighborhood, though, those feelings of happiness quickly turned to dread.

My sister's bedroom light was on.

I was freaking out. I slowly walked in the house, Erin behind me. Christy was sitting on the edge of her bed with the note. She threatened that she had already called Erin's mom (she really didn't) but told her to get her stuff together, that she was taking her home. When she got back, the only thing I remember her saying to me was "If you don't tell Mom and Dad, I will." I was nauseated. Literally. I'd never done anything like this before. I hadn't even skipped school before. I ran to the bathroom and threw up. It was only Friday and my parents weren't due back until Sunday. The whole weekend I was nauseous. I was supposed to be leaving for Europe in 2 weeks. What if they don't let me go? Sunday came, and I was somehow able to get it out to my parents that I stole their car in the middle of the night to meet up with a boy that they knew I'd been infatuated with for 2 years. Luckily, I was still able to go to Europe (the money had already been spent), but I was unfortunately, grounded from Erin, Matt, and Billy for an excruciating month, and my curfew my entire senior year was pushed back to 11:00pm.

Apparently, the only reason I got caught was because of the note. Christy had gotten up to get a drink of water and saw it on the door. Without it, she wouldn't have even noticed the car missing from the garage. Damn me for being 'responsible'.

...and that is the Story of Billy, my Edward.

Adoption Rights for ALL

Did you know that it is ILLEGAL for a gay person to adopt a child in Florida? How rediculous is that?? Well, please see the below post, and if you are a resident of Florida and feel that children deserve a parent, no matter what their orientation is, please send Mr. Crist an email. I recieved this in email form and have decided to post it here as well.
Thanks, Mandi

Securing Our Children's Rights, Inc. (SOCR), is pleased to announce HB 3 - Adoption, for the 2010 legislative session, introduced by Representative Mary Brandenburg, D-West Palm Beach, that is a full repeal of Florida's ban on adoption by its gay and lesbian citizens. Senator Nan Rich has a companion bill in drafting at this date.
Governor Crist has declared Wednesday, July 22, 2009 as Explore Adoption Day and we must contact Governor Crist and the legislature to Explore Adoption by repealing the ban.
WHEN: Wednesday, July 22, 2009
WHO: Governor Charlie Crist (850) 488-7146 or email to Charlie.Crist@myflorida.com
House Speaker Larry Cretul 850-488-1450 or 352-873-6564 or email to Larry.Cretul@myfloridahouse.gov
Senate President Jeff Atwater 850-487-5100 or 561-625-5101 or email to atwater.jeff.web@flsenate.gov
Your Florida Representative - www.myfloridahouse.gov
Your Florida Senator - www.flsenate.gov

THE ASK: Please ask the Governor to support the repeal of the adoption ban on gay Floridians and ask him to encourage the legislative leadership to pass the repeal. Please ask the House Speaker and the Senate President to support the repeal and encourage Committee hearings for the bills. Please ask your representative and senator to support the repeal, and to become a co-sponsor.

FLORIDIANS READY TO REPEAL BAN

A poll, released January 22, 2009 by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, found that a clear majority of Floridians, 55% to 39%, believe the Florida legislature should repeal the ban.
Click here for poll information We are very hopeful that this independent poll will help give Florida legislators the assurances they need to do the right thing. Now we know that it's not only the right thing to do from a scientific and child welfare perspective, but a majority of Floridians now support the repeal as well.


TALKING POINTS - Gay and Lesbian Parenting: THE FACTS
(1) Florida's gay adoption ban was passed in 1977 at the height of Anita Bryant's anti-gay "Save the Children" campaign. This law has done significant damage to children in foster care by not allowing the best interest of the child to be considered on a case-by-case basis. Curtis Peterson, the lead Senate sponsor, said upon passage of the ban, "We're trying to send [homosexuals] a message. We're really tired of you. We wish you'd go back into the closet."
(2) Destructive impact on children - over 4,500 children languish in Florida's foster care system today. The adoption ban arbitrarily excludes hundreds, if not thousands, of potential parents based solely on the irrelevant criteria of sexual orientation. These adults could provide stable, loving, PERMANENT homes to many of these children if this ban were lifted.
(3) In 2003, the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute released a research study, stating, "reality on the ground is outstripping the pace of the debate. That is, a growing number of lesbians and gay men are becoming parents and are living as families every day, irrespective of what the policymakers do or say."
(4) There is no credible scientific evidence that the sexual orientation of parents has any effects either on the quality of parenting or on the well-being of their children. In fact, the reliable social scientific evidence indicates that lesbian and gay parents are as fit, effective and successful at parenting as their heterosexual counterparts. (See American Academy of Pediatrics February 2002 Policy Statement, Vol. 109, No. 2, pp. 341-344)
(5) At least eleven (11) mainstream child welfare, social science, and professional organizations have issued policy statements SUPPORTING adoption by lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender (LGBT) people: Child Welfare League of Amerian, American Bar Association, American Medical Association, American Academy of PediatricsAmerican Psychiatric Association, American Psychoanalytical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Psychological Association, American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, National Association of Social Workers, and North American Council on Adoptable Children
(6) Decades of research indicate that optimal development for children is based not on the sexual orientation of the parents, but on stable attachments to committed and nurturing adults. Children with two parents, regardless of the parents' sexual orientation, do better than children with only one parent. (American Psychiatric Association 11/2002 policy statement)
(7) Adoption decisions should be based on an individualized assessment of what is in the best interests of the child to be adopted. Applicants should be assessed on the basis of their ability to successfully parent a child in need of family membership and not on irrelevant considerations such as sexual orientation.
(8) Regardless of what policy makers do or say, gay Floridians are raising children and legal protection is necessary for these children. Families have been created by adopting in other states, artificial insemination, previous heterosexual relationships and family tragedies such as the death of a sibling.

2010 LEGISLATIVE SPONSOR UPDATE
HB 3 on Adoption Sponsored by Representative Mary Brandenburg - District 89Co-Sponsors areRepresentative Evan Jenne - District 100Representative Mark Pafford - District 88Representative Ari Porth - DistrictRepresentative Scott Randolph - District 36Representative Darryl Rouson - District 55Representative Ron Saunders - District 120 If you don't see your representative please give them a call and ask them to sponsor the Adoption bill. To find your representative's contact info, click here.
The Florida Senate bill sponsored by Senator Nan Rich is currently in drafting.

Mini Vacay

The Fam in Gatlinburg, TN

Last Wednesday Barry and I packed up and drove to Dillard, GA to meet up with the family. My parents used their timeshare to rent a condo in Sky Valley, which sits right on the border of Georgia and North Carolina. It was the first time that all 11 of us were able to spend a vacation together (2 Grandparents, 3 daughters, 3 son-in-laws, and 3 grandchildren!) Its so beautiful up there. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see much on the drive up because we got in after dark.

The next day we (all 11 of us!) drove to Helen, GA to go river tubing. It was a great surprise to arrive in Helen and feel like we just drove into Bavaria! All of the houses have the same Hansel and Gretel look and there are all these fun shops and restaurants. We quickly found the tubing place and got our gear. Tubing in the mountains is nothing like moseying down the Ichetucknee! The average depth was about 12 inches, the river had a rocky bottom and goes much quicker than in flat Florida. We had so much fun! Towards the end they take your picture, so we got all linked together so we could hope for a fun group shot. When we got back to the main camp, it turns out they only charge 9.95 for a CD that includes all the pictures you want (up to 400!) So we got some GREAT shots. I'll try and remember to post them soon.

From Helen, we drove to Tallulah Gorge. Its in between Dillard and Helen so it would have been ridiculous to be this close and not visit. It is beautiful! Barry and I ended up going down one side and up the other, and probably took 1000 steps to do it!

(going down wasn't nearly as bad as coming up!)

I know the baby got plenty of oxygen that day because my heart was racing. But we took it slow and I was very proud that we did it. :)

At the bottom of the gorge!

On our way back up, maybe?

My Parents. How cute are they?

On Friday, we drove north to Gatlinburg and visited Ober Gatlinburg. Its a quaint amusement park in Gatlinburg that was a lot of fun for both the kids and us big kids. The coolest part of the day, though, was as we were going up the ski lift to the Alpine Slide, a black bear walked right underneath us!!! It was unreal. I love wildlife. Seeing it in the zoo is one thing, but seeing a for-real black bear in the mountains was just unbelievable. I was only quick enough for one snapshot before he went into the woods. It was a-mazing.

Getting ready to go down!

We passed my dad on the way up!

From Gatlinburg, we drove across to see Angelle and Laurie and their families, but broke up the drive by stopping at my brother in law's parents house for a much-needed good night's sleep. I woke up Saturday morning to the sound of the dogs barking and the smell of bacon. mmmm... to my happiness I walked into the kitchen to see the largest pile of bacon and sausage links that i have ever seen. :) After a delicious breakfast, we headed east to Monroe.

We arrived just before 1:00 and spent the next day and a 1/2 with the Maddex's and the Galler's. We always have so much fun together and I was so sad we were only there for a day. But we made the most of it and played lots of games (Loaded Questions is hilarious!!), watched the kids play and just caught up. By Sunday afternoon, Bryan ALMOST had me convinced to talk to Rhi about buying her house on the cul-de-sac. Sorry, Rhi... its a no-go.

After a 6 hour drive home, we came home to an empty house! Our roommate had gotten the keys to her new apartment and ended up moving out just a few hours before we got home. The first thing we do? Get nekkid in the living room. It was marvelous!! It was nice to have her, but it's nice to have our place back.

Now it's back to the daily grind. *sigh*

Cravings

This was an email I wrote last week to my family... now i can share with everyone!

True Story: Yesterday I wanted McDonalds French fries and a BK Whopper. I seriously considered driving through both places just to get it. I also wanted a Wendy’s Coffee Toffee Twisted Frosty, but was afraid of being disappointed when I got there if they didn’t have a decaf version. Then I thought for a substitute I could get a DQ Brownie Batter Blizzard, but it was too out of my way so that idea went quickly by the wayside. (but not before scanning a mental map of the Southside area to be sure I wasn’t missing another DQ somewhere.) I was able to resist though, and came home and made chicken pot pie that tasted DeLISH! :)

Telling the Friends

Saturday we spent the day telling friends and showing off the little cashew's picture.

First stop was our Kung Fu instructor's. He's been a mentor of Barry's since Barry was about 16. He's like a father to us and it was the hardest not talking to him. He was so excited and promised me a shopping spree when my belly starts to sprout! He said 'no daughter of mine will be caught in ugly clothes. You're gonna look cute!" I can't wait for that day!! :)

Then we FINALLY told our roommate. We were certain she had figured it out already, with the father's day cards floating about the house and my "What to Expect" book on my night stand. But she claims she was oblivious and she had a great reaction.

That night, we went over to our friend Bozz's house with some friends for the UFC 100 fight. I kept giving Barry the 'eye' to say something. Finally right before 10, Barry says, "Before the fight starts, i want to say something. I'm going to be a Dad."

Crickets.

They were waiting for the punchline! If you known Barry before he met me, people would have put money on the bet that he would never get married and have kids. Enter Mandi, 2001. BAM! Did I mess his plans up or what? :) So everyone started looking at me to confirm, which I did by pulling out Cashew's picture, and then they were like, "Woah. Congratulations?"

I got a little googly at that moment when I realized it was the first time I heard him say "I'm going to be a Dad." I've been keeping my distance on the mushy stuff because I know he's scared shitless and I want him to come to terms with things on his own.

So, it's pretty much out there. It's killing me to not put the picture on facebook, but we are waiting to tell Barry's brother when he comes to visit on the 24th. Once he knows, it's on!

Drum Roll, Please...

Ok, SOOOO...


We went to see the doctor today. After 5 weeks of keeping it under wraps...


We are pregnant!


!!!!


Here's the story.


By June 4th, I had been feeling physical PMS symptoms for over a week without Aunt Flo showing her ugly head. Also, because of my charting, I knew something was different with my body. My stickers went from the usual PCOS yellow to green. Normally, I would've been glad and thought that all that Metformin was finally kicking in, but i quit taking metformin because it never seemed to work for me. The only other time my chart started looking greener was when I had lost about 10 pounds, but those 10 pounds came back and didn't seem to want to leave anytime soon. Something inside me told me to just pee on a stick.


Barry was out in Orange Park hanging with the guys and my roommate was in her room or something. I grabbed a pee stick out of the pack and went into my bathroom (they were housed in the guest bath for some reason). I peed. Within seconds, there were 2 blue lines.


...WAIT. What does that mean?? I left the box in the other bathroom!! AHHHH!!! My heart is racing. I run to the other room, grab the box, and run back. Oh. My. God. 2 blue lines mean POSITIVE???


Oh Shit.


I called Barry and said that he needed to come home.

"Why?"
"I don't want to talk about it over the phone, just come home."
"Are you pregnant?!"
"Maybe. Just come home."
"Shit, ok."


I spent the next who-knows-how-long sitting on the end of my bed. Looking at the floor. Looking at the mirror. Looking at my watch. I told myself I couldn't just sit in silence, so i turned on the TV. Seinfeld? Ok. Whatever.

That's when the tears came. Holy Shit. How are we going to afford this? OH, shit, I know this isn't what Barry wants right now. Fuck, is he going to blame me for not charting right? OMG. How are we going to afford this? I was just getting used to the idea of not needing to have a baby. Seriously? My sister wants to get pregnant so badly, this should be happening to her, not me. Shit.

That conversation went on over and over in my head until Barry came home. I guess I looked like a drowned rat, because when he walked into the bedroom, he says "That bad, huh?"


So we got ready for bed and just talked. Yes, I was overreacting when I thought he would blame me. He was very grounded the whole time. After a few hours, the conversation turned to names. By 1:30am, we had our initial decisions. (and no, I'm not telling yet.)


So, as the weeks go on, we're getting more and more used to the idea. I still don't know how we're going to afford this little cashew, but I think things have a way of working out.


This morning I had my first visit with my amazing doctor, Dr. Raspa. He did a physical exam and then we listened to the heartbeat. The HEART BEAT!! After that he snuck me into the sonogram room and gave me a quick snapshot of Cashew's big-ol' head, and I got to see him kicking away. Oh it was the most amazing feeling. I didn't cry, but I was grinning ear to ear. Barry said I was glowing. That made me happier.


Tomorrow we will be 10 weeks along. Here's what babycenter.com says about Cashew:


Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.
If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.
In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.

(a baby at 10 weeks)

PS. We are still not announcing this on facebook, due to wanting to tell certain people in person. These people, luckily, don't read my blog, so you guys lucked out. :)

Tomorrow Teaser

I can't wait until tomorrow!!

This week has just dragged on, and tomorrow, after waiting many, many long weeks, I will(hopefully!) finally have some answers. If all goes well, a LONG post will be in ya'lls near future for your reading pleasure.

...Stay Tuned...

The Joys of Makeup

I've never really been one of those girly girls. I am horrible at shoe shopping and only wear makeup when I feel like it. BUT, my foundation had been on empty for over a month and I felt it was time to 'take the plunge' and go makeup shopping.

Who would have thought that Sephora could bring me so much joy! Nichole and I spent probably an hour in the store. I got my foundation fairly quickly, but not before having a pretty lady test them to be SURE i got the right shade, and then give me a little foundation make-over. Then I realized that my mascara was getting dry, so it was off to the mascara section. I love that you can try everything before you buy it. Black or Brown? I went with the Sephora brand Brown plumping mascara.

Then, I decided to splurge and get a lip gloss, too. Oh, the fun to be had trying on lip gloss! Who knew? I ended up getting the first one I tried on, but not without MAKING SURE by trying at least 5 others. :) I REALLY wanted to get something by Kat Von D (LA Ink) because she had color names like "Stripper" and "Sexer". Plus I think she's just super hot.

So ANYWAY, instead of doing the work that needs to be done before my 3:00 meeting, I'm telling you how pretty I feel right now, just 'cause I'm sporting some shiny, purple-tinted lips. :)

PS This was the first make up i've purchased since before my wedding, so spending 60 bucks every 2 1/2 years isn't so bad... :)

Bored.

It's 9:07am. I'm at work and I've finished my work for the day. I've got a few more things that I have to wait on others before I can do, which will be done by about 11:00. Other than that I have NOTHING to do.

What a huge switch from a few weeks ago, eh?

At least I get to leave early today to see my bestie, Angelle and her beautiful family and baby boy bump! Can't wait!

Apologies

Hey all,

I know i haven't been around in a while. I want to apologize. I have a few big things going on right now in my family and I'm not ready to talk about them quite yet. Be patient with me and I will let you all know soon enough.

Thanks,

Mandi

Friday Night

After Thursday and Friday's roller coaster, I decided on Friday night that I needed beer. What I really wanted to do was go smoke hookah, but i couldn't find anyone to go with me, so i came home without plans. Barry was hanging out with the guys, and my roommate came home with nothing to do as well, so I pulled out Tyler's Ultimate Book and went straight to the dessert section. Nothing like baking desserts to unwind after a stressful week. I settled on Chocolate Cracked Earth, so we trekked to Winn Dixie for some ingredients (and beer!). Well, lo and behold! Edy's ice cream was on sale. We get to the check out counter, each with a 6 pack of beer and a 1/2 pint of ice cream in our hands. I know the sweet cashier must have seen the desperation of a woman on a mission to de-stress on my face, because she carded me! WOOT! I thanked her and proudly showed her my ID.

After we got home, we made the cake together while drinking and enjoying conversation and listening to music. (It reminded me of my college days with Angelle and Laurie -awww). It was the perfect solution to a stressful week: beer, baking, conversation, beer, music, then delicious chocolate cake, beer, and ice cream.

The End.

Day from Hell

Thursday afternoon was probably one of the worst. days. EVER.

After boasting about how ready I was for my project to go live, we invited our president and CEO to attend Thursday's weekly meeting for a demo of the wonderment that was created under my supervision. I was a little nervous, but I had gone through my checklist and confident that I have done all I could.

Things were a little shaky from the start. My nerves were showing. Then the first person on the agenda to present was late. No biggie, we'll go on to the demo, then catch up when he gets here. That just started a snowball effect of all the items on the agenda getting all over the place. Without my knowledge, another committee member invited members of the operations department to the meeting as well, from which brought on a bazillion questions. The questions were all very healthy, but, as to not bore you with banky details, spawned MORE questions to implications that I thought I had reconciled, but apparently did not. It became, for lack of a better term, a complete cluster fuck. It felt like my whole project unraveled before me, all the while my boss, the CEO, and CFO watching. The meeting finally ended (an hour later than normal), I got back to my desk, and sort of just sat there in shock. I was certain that I was ready. I didn't know what happened. I felt like I got punched in the stomach. I knew I wasn't an idiot, but I didn't know if they (Exec Management) knew that. The issue was one that I, coming from a retail banking background with no back-office experience, could not have known about unless someone had informed me. It was like, "how am I supposed to know to carry an umbrella when I've never even seen a rain cloud before?"

I came home and could barely speak. I laid on the couch and kept mumbling in a whisper. I got a few tears out, and finally got an appetite enough to cook something for dinner, which got my mind away from work, which allowed me to enjoy the rest of the evening.

I woke up Friday morning with a knot in my stomach. If you read my previous post, you understand how important the success of this project is to me and my career. When I got in the office and opened my email, there was a message waiting for me from my boss. "Let's meet at 9:00." It was about 8:43. I took a deep breath, went over my notes from yesterday's meeting, and met with him. I kept telling myself to keep it together, which probably just made it worse. I sat there while he spoke and just let the tears roll. I was frustrated, embarrassed, and without the right words to express how I felt. The tears and my inability to stop them just got me more frustrated, which caused more tears and embarrassment.
What he had to say was much better than I was expecting to hear. Luckily, it was realized that if I had pulled off this project by myself, that it would've been nothing short of a miracle. SO they decided it be best to move my department (all one of us) to operations, gaining access to the rest of the back-office team for support. It will now be a group effort. This was great news for me. They realized I wasn't an idiot (thank God).

I am sad that I won't be under my current boss anymore. He is a great tell-it-like-it-is kinda guy and I really appreciated him and his guidance. But, I am comfortable with my new boss, however, and look foward to working with him. This new road I'm on feels a lot less bumpy. It may be a bit winding, but at least now i have GPS.

Question to my Non-Bankers

Hey all! I have a question for all of my non branch-bankers:

If you were to shop for a bank online, what words would you “google”? What if you were looking for a specific banking product or type of bank? Your input is very important to me.

I look forward to reading your comments! Thank you!

With These Powers Combined...

I decided on a small tactic to help curve my after-lunch craving for sweets. I brought some tooth brush and toothpaste to work and keep it in the bathroom. After I eat lunch, I brush my teeth instead of popping a mint. Hopefully my minty mouth will prevent me from eating the almost always prevalent sweets around the office.

So it's a win-win! No extra sugar PLUS the gingivitis-fighting power of Crest! My dentist would be so proud...

Landfill Lubber

I know it sounds strange, but it's a pretty cool place. Lemme 'splain.

We live a half mile from an old landfill (closed in the 80s) that they decided to turn into a golf course, as most landfills seem to find their fate. The decision was made a way back in 2002, and eventually a sign was posted that Sunbeam Hill Golf Course was coming soon - Fall 2008.

Well, Fall 2008 has come and gone, and what we have left is a beautifully landscaped landfill complete with half-paved golf cart paths, 2 sand traps and a few greens. It looks like the economy, coupled with some erosion damage from last year's tropical storm delayed the opening of Sunbeam Hill.

What's great for us is that it's a great place for a good workout. There's a small fence, but it ONLY covers the bridge to prevent vehicles from crossing. There are no "No Trespassing" signs and seems to be pretty much left alone. Because of the hills and the golf car paths, it makes for a pretty strenuous jog. We've been out there 3 times so far to walk/jog the path. Barry had his heart rate monitor on and recorded burning over 500 calories in 30 minutes!

On Friday, we used it for a romantic place to lay under the stars. Its slowly becoming "our" landfill. :) I'm hoping the owners of the property take their time in opening.

Playin' Hookie

Because of my awesomeness at work, paired with TPC in town and most of the 10th floor execs off anyway, I decided to take Friday off. It was the first day in the history of my working career that I took a day off "just because".
Thursday night I purposefully turned off the alarm clock and proceeded to sleep in until after 9:30 on Friday. Ahhh..... that felt good. I had made mental plans to go to Wal-Mart (*shout-out to Garret!) and buy fabric and a pattern to make a business suit. Well, the choices weren't what I was really looking for as far as patterns for suits and fabric, so I opted for a cute sundress and a pair of slacks. (I don't think my talents are up to par yet for a business suit, anyway.)
Now, before you go and think I'm all Martha Stewart, hold it right there because I haven't really made any clothes since Jr. High Home Ec. I asked for a sewing machine for Christmas because I decided that I really enjoyed sewing in Jr High and thought I could pick it right back up again. So far, I'm doing pretty well! I've made 2 snuggies (THAT'S RIGHT!) and decided that it's time to step it up for some real clothes. I got excited when ALL of my clothes making supplies for a dress and a pair of pants totaled under $20. I could get used to that!

I came home to my hubby working on his homework and started rummaging through my goodies. He started making lunch, and then realized that we had the perfect trifecta: it was a weekday before 4:00, we were both off from work/school, and it was Star Trek's opening day. Sold! I put down the bobbin and hung up my Suzy Homemaker hat. After we ate lunch we headed to AMC Theaters and got 2 tickets for the 2:30 showing of Star Trek. $10.00 total, woot! We were full so we didn't have to buy snacks, and because all the rug rats were still in school, we got great seats. It was awesome! As we were leaving, we realized that Wolverine had *just* started and decided to make it a double feature. We liked Wolverine too, but not nearly as much as Star Trek.

When our movie date was over, we came home, quickly grabbed our togas, and headed back out the door for our friends Bozz and Robin's "Greco-Roman Let the Good Times Roll" party. :) We wore our sheets, ate spanakopita, and watched Troy whilst enjoying the company of our friends. There was beer pong going on outside, but we opted to stay in to avoid the skeeters. It was a great idea for a fun party - thanks Bozz and Robin!

As we started to head home, we noticed the full moon. I decided i wasn't ready to go home and wanted to enjoy the moon light. We headed to "our" landfill**, laid out our "togas" and enjoyed a wonderfully quiet moment under the moon and stars.

It was a great start to a mostly** wonderful weekend!

**Explanations forthcoming - one blog at a time!

Jesus, Hair Loss, and a Hot Box

Work, lately, has been quite stressful. It all came to a head last Wednesday when my boss called me into his office for what I am dubbing a "Come To Jesus" Meeting. He explained that if my project succeeds, that I'll be rewarded, but if it doesn't, I'm pretty much gone. He basically said "shit or get off the pot". I didn't really realize I was on the pot in the first place... I left his office confused and frustrated. I didn't know whether to cry or scream. The rest of the day I was pretty quiet. I came home, ranted to my hubby and roommate and went running. (Literally RUNNING to get rid of some steam.) After a few days to cool off, I came to a few conclusions:
1 - I was PMSing last week and got emotional - which i am usually very good about not doing at work.
2 - The shit seems to be running downhill and maybe I'm getting the brunt of it.
3 - it's getting close to go time and everyone's probably getting a little nervous.
From my Jesus Meeting, a fire was lit under my ass. The "go-live" date is meant to be June 1st. After creating a list of things that "need" to be completed before we go-live, my boss asked on the 30th if i could get it all done by Fri, the 8th. I gulped and said "yes". *YIKES!*
Of course, as I was working the items on my list, it ended up growing instead of shrinking. Once one thing started to get done, 2 more things took its place.
Finally yesterday, I sucked it up and sent my boss another email with the updated list and explained that I will be more realistic with a due date of the 15th. (remember, Go-Live was SUPPOSED to be June 1). As you can imagine, my hair was falling out.
Today, however, was like a new day. The sun was shining, and even though my A/C is out in my car, the drive to work wasn't that bad. The first task of the day was to tell our processor (the people who host all of our 'stuff') that we are not paying for something that should cost the bank $$. Well, not only did I get them to give it to us for free, but I also go them to agree to refund over 3X that amount in fees that I thought were unjust.
GO ME! You have not idea how much I was dreading that phone call and it went so well! I emailed my boss and he was very happy. That little boost must have really got me going because by 4:00, I had completed everything that I could on that list. Every item was either completed or pending approval. Oh...what did you say? "What day is today?" Why, today is the 5th! Hells yeah.

I walked out of the building shortly after 4, a bird gave me a beautiful whistle, and my hot box of a car didn't even bother me for the first 1/2 of my drive home.

Today was a good day.

Eight Things

Alix at Casa Hice tagged me on this, so here goes!

8 Things I’m Looking Forward To
1. Lunch at Mama Fu's today!
2. Our 2nd anniversary tomorrow and dinner at Cobblestones with my sister and her husband (we share the date - tomorrow is 8 years for them! :))
3. Completing the Memorial Day 5K on (you guessed it!) Memorial Day (May 25th)
4. Going to see Depeche Mode in Tampa in September!
5. Getting my weight under control. (this should be #1)
6. Hopefully suprising my Grandpa for his 80th Birthday in August
7. My Dad's retirement on April 24th, and his party on My 3rd :) I'm so proud of him!
8. Working out with my Hubby tonight :)

8 Things I Did Yesterday
1. Spent 2 hours at Kung Fu
2. Went to a Premier Jewelry party
3. Booked my own Premier Jewelry party for some free jewelry! (May 24th!)
4. Finished last week's Unit episode that we missed
5. Emptied the dishwasher
6. Finished watching Season 3 of The Office (FLIPPIN HILARIOUS!)
7. Turned on the A/C (yikes!)
8. Checked my Facebook

8 Things I Wish I Could Do
1. Blink my eyes and my house will be cleaned and organized.(wiggling my nose would also be acceptable)
2. Dye my hair without dying the sink, counter, and bath mats.
3. Profit from inventing, patenting, and using a transporter, like in Star Trek.
4. Eat as much keylime cheesecake i wanted without it going straight to my boobs, belly, and ass.
5. Had the time to organize, date, and put all my pictures in frames and/or albums
6. Host my own travel/food show with my husband so we could eat and see the world on someone else's dime. AND they'd pay US!
7. Find the perfect property and build our dream Deltec home in the Colorado Rockies.
8. Open people's eyes to truly understand the correlation between the rise in obesity and rise in disease and how, literally, you become what you eat. (myself included)

8 Shows I Watch
1. The Office
2. The Unit
3. Dancing With the Stars
4. How I Met Your Mother
5. Iron Chef America
6. Big Bang Theory
7. Good Eats
8. Diner's Drive-Ins, and Dives

8 People I Tag (I really don't follow that many blogs, so here's pretty much all of you. Sorry)
1. Angelle
2. Rhiannon
3. Laurie
4. Erin
5. Mike
6. Stacy
7. Nikki
8. Garret

I've Got Balls.

I'm rising to the challenge that was set forth by Alix at Casa Hice, who rose to the challenge from Liz at Eternal Lizdom, who rose to the challenge from Lisa @ Adventures in Motherhood, who I'm sure got it from someone else.. This is what they say:


A fun little challenge... that may be hard for some, easy for others: Post a picture of yourself right now. As you are right now. As you read this. No running to get dressed or put on make up or fix your hair or whatever. Just YOU!Anyone brave enough to play along? Ready... Set... CLICK


So, here it is. Me, slacking off, blogging and taking pictures of myself instead of doing the bazillion other things I should be doing at work:

Anyone else out there got some big ones?

An Update on Me - Work

A quick blip before I update the world on what's going on with me at work:
We went to the gym again today and did a spin class. It was surprisingly easier than i expected - i didn't feel winded afterwards! And then we did our weight training quickly before having dinner at Bono's with friends Mike and Ben. It was a good night!

Now, back to our regularly scheduled blog:

Work. Way back when, I created a list of things I wanted to blog about to update everyone. That was March 3rd. Oops. I now realize that I haven't told ya'll that I no longer work as an Office Manager at my Bank. Around the end of January, I was called downtown and offered a position as sort of a "go-to girl" for my boss as well as to spearhead a new project that has been in the works for about a year now. Other than the project spearheading, it was kind of a vague meeting when I asked what my position would be. I was told to come up with my own title! It's a rare moment where you get to make up your own title. So naturally I came up with one:

Queen of the Universe and All Things Banking

They didn't think that would fit on my business card, so I just went with my officer status for now (Community Bank Officer).
I moved to the "10th Floor" downtown, which is where all of our back end processes as well as our executive offices are held. It's an exciting place to be. I'm settling in quite nicely and really am enjoying not having to answer to customers or deal with employee drama.
My position is ever-evolving and I'm learning where I'm useful. The project they've given me includes 4 separate implementations that I am simultaneously managing. They are things that, if successful, are going to bring our company to the next level. I am now coordinating meetings and reporting to not only my boss, but to numerous members of executive management, including our CFO. Needless to say, it's been a challenge and there are days that are more than stressful.
I've been given the opportunity to shine through this new challenge and if my projects thrive, I feel I will be putting myself on the map as a successful business woman and banker. It's kind of exciting and I'm enjoying almost every minute of it. :)

An Update on Me - Workin' Out

I realized that I really haven't been posting what's been going on in my life lately. I thought I'd fill you in.

I've been really bad about working out. Since a few weeks before my Grandma's funeral (her DOD was 1/29/09) until last week, I think I worked out less than 5 times. Bad Mandi. In that time we had the funeral in Chicago, flew to Puerto Rico and went on a cruise to the Caribbean, and I've fully submersed myself in my new role at the bank (more about that shortly). About 2 weeks ago, however, I decided to do a Body Combat aerobics class at the Y. I was 30 seconds into the dance-punch weirdness when I realized that it was Thursday. DRPH! THURSDAYS are when I could be at my real Kung Fu class learning real Kung Fu from one of the best in the world. (Really.) I could've kicked myself. Literally. Then and there I vowed that the next Thursday I would go to Kung Fu. I'm SO glad I did. I had a great work out and felt like I had never left (it had been over a year.) That moment in the Y's Studio B started a snowball effect of great reinforcements to get back into it. Getting back to Kung Fu to start, then my friend Susan sent out an open invitation to join her in a Memorial Day 5K, and of course, reading about Alix's amazing journey. Reading Alix's account of her weight loss has really hit home. You see, she and I are the same size. Well, I should say we were the same size. She's now a beautiful size 12. (You Go Girl!) She's lost 40 pounds and looks great. I'm ready to be a loser too!
So... I've been back to Kung Fu 3 times and yesterday we printed out a 13 week triathlon training program. Last night we went to the gym to run and swim, but due to the lightening storm the pool was closed. (it's an indoor pool - go fig.) So we ran and did then a resistance training program Barry found. We ended up spending 2 hours at the gym. It was a great "date" and I really enjoyed the working and spending time with my husband. Memorial Day is 6 weeks away and I'm confident that I will be able to run my 2nd official 5K that day.
Tomorrow we will do a spin class for our "bike" day and then do the same weight training. Woohoo!

OK, my work out update ended up being must longer than i anticipated. I'll try and write about more "Updates About Me" tomorrow. :)

"Case of the Mondays"

Barry is always complaining that he is the only one that takes the trash out. "It only takes 30 extra seconds" he says. I succumbed to his logic this morning and decided to take the trash out.

Thirty seconds, my ass.

I walked down the stairs with my usual morning items in tow: My purse, makeup bag, lunch bag, carnation instant breakfast glass, and my keys. When I get to the bottom of the stairs, I notice the trash and think to myself "Fine, I'll do it." As I'm reaching down to pick up the trash, my keys slip out of my hand. All thoughts of a full glass of liquid escapes me as I grab for the keys (as if they were about to fall in to hot liquid magma and never see them again.) Carnation Instant Breakfast goes everywhere: into my lunch bag, all over my hand/wrist/watch, and of course on to the tile. Here's where you think "Tile? What's the big deal?" Well... the bottom of the stairs is where our litter box is and if you know Barry and I at all, it's not a place we tend to sweep out that often. So now i have chocolate milk flavored litter splayed all over the tile, my new Tissot drenched in chocolate milk, and chocolate milk flavored pot roast for lunch. I "gingerly" removed all of previously said items from my hands and run upstairs. I try to get my watch off, but because it's a great watch it doesn't come off easily and the task of removing it is just exacerbated by the chocolate milk. So i wash it off the best i can whilst still attached to me, grab the paper towel, run down stairs, clean up my lunch, wipe up the chocolate litter, stuff the dirty paper towels into the trash bag, and take a breath.

I decide to take 2 trips. I grab my purse, makeup, and lunch bag and put it in the car. I go back and grab the trash and throw that in the trunk and make my way to the compactor. Of course when I get there there is 3 or 4 bags of trash sitting right in FRONT of the door to the trash compactor. I mean, how lazy can you be that you can't open the effin' door and throw your shit in. Literally, someone bagged their SHIT and had it just sitting there. Shit. I'm not kidding. Poop. (Gross.) Anyway, sorry. So i throw my trash in, throw the shit it, get back in the car and to the gate before i realize that I forgot my effing carnation instant breakfast sitting on the shelf where i left it. I yell "Fuck it." and head off to work. Thirteen minutes after my initial trip down the stairs.

When I arrived at the parking garage, for some reason I decided to use the "monthly use only" entrance, which i very rarely do. I reach out my stubby arms to scan my card, glance for the green light, and start to go. The gate doesn't move. WTF? I back up, scan it again and notice the light goes red-green-red. Hm. Ok. I try again. RedGreenRed. Damnit. Now the line is backing up and I have to reverse my car to go into the other lane with large truck grills glaring at me in my small sedan. I manage to get into the other lane and retrieve a ticket, but not without hearing an unimaginable pffping sound from my tire as I kissed the curb. Shite. I'll be damned if i popped my tire. I drive forward and don't notice anything strange (thank goodness), park and head to the stairs without looking back.

By the time i get upstairs I'm just watching the minutes until I can call Barry. I tell him my whole story and explain that this is why I never take the trash out and why I'll never do it again before work.

He say to me, "Sounds like you got a bad case of the Mondays." It's a good thing he wasn't within reach...

TV FX Guy

OK, its my turn.

It seems that a lot of my blogging friends have had to start monitoring their comments due to negative and/or cruel feedback left. This isn't nearly as bad as what y'all have gone through, but its another small example that people don't follow the golden rule of "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

Last month, I wrote a post about Bob & Sheri about how I pretty much worshiped them. (Not exactly, but you get the point.) ANYway, today I received a comment from a random guy explaining how much he despises them. Not that I really care what his opinion of Bob & Sheri is, everyone's entitled to theirs... but why would you post a comment that is in direct opposition just for S & G's? Makes no sense to me. I was at least hoping to look at his blog and maybe gain another interesting blog to read (see - me staying positive?) But he doesn't even have one. He's just a rogue Negative Nilly.

Now all i can do is overreact and become hypersensitive... But as Alix says, comments are like crack... and I don't like no bad crack.

Oh well... at least it gives me something to blog about. :)

Confessions of a Banker

I feel like such an idiot, but I'm a glutton for punishment and I can't seem to keep this to myself. I have to tell someone! So here it goes...


I've been in banking for eight years. Yes, 8. And this banker JUST realized that the Equal Housing Lender icon...

...is a house with an equal sign inside it. I thought it was just a drawing of a house with lines. I didn't really pay much attention to it.

Pathetic, I know.

From the Desk of Denise Carmichael

Since I get to read all the fun antics your kids are up to, I thought i'd share an email my sister just sent me:

Why Mom's have to be fast-thinkers and flexible with a sense of humor:

I have to get the boys out of the house before I lose every hiding place I have!

Reason #1)
Remember the "Elf on the Shelf" that visits us before Christmas every year (Buddy)? He popped in today and you'll never believe where he was hiding: in the back, top part of Mommy's closet!
Ashton was playing in my closet just now, looks up and yells, "Mommy! I see Buddy! He's here!"
I try to convince him it isn't him: "No, that's just a red glove."
"No Mommy- I see his face!"

damn.
Thinking quickly, I look happily surprised and say, "How did he know you'd be playing down there? He must've heard Braydon was sick and he wanted to check on him. Sneaky Buddy!" =)

Reason #2)
Here's what happened this morning:Ashton's looking in the closet upstairs for something, so I ask him, "What are you doing?"
"I'm looking for the drum set that's in here."
"What?"
"Before Christmas there was a drum set in here that looks a lot like the one Braydon got. I just remembered it- if I can find it then we can both have one!"
He continues searching."Ashton, there's no drum set in there.""Yes there is- Daddy showed it to me before Christmas! It's in here somewhere."
Jason had a different story, but either way- now I've lost that hiding place.

I better get the boys out of here before they discover their Easter presents!

Irony

What is the definition of irony?

Having a moment of feeling very proud of myself for checking my purse to make sure I didn't forget my cell phone on the way to the parking garage, only to walk up 4 flights of stairs and half way to my car before realizing i forgot my car keys. Then having to go down the elevator, walk 1 1/2 blocks back to my office, dig in the purse for my access card, open the door, wait for the elevator, go up 10 flights, grab keys, go down 10 flights, walk 1 1/2 blocks, walk up 4 flights of stairs and go home.

Fat Day

Yesterday I was having a fat day. Most days I don't look in the mirror before going out because i know my clothes and know what i look like in them. Yesterday I should've taken that extra 30 seconds, just to be sure.

I arrived at work and went through my normal morning routine: Turn on the computer and log in, then get my station situated and go get my water and go to the bathroom. Our bathroom at work has a full wall mirror right before you get to the actual area w/ the toilets. I stop in my tracks and realize that i look like a burnt sausage link - wearing grey slacks and an "almost" black top that is a few years old. Many rolls abound. My shirt shrunk a little and i've expanded a little... not a good combination. I stop myself in my tracks for a second and get that nasty knot in my stomach. UGH. 'It's gonna be one of those days', i think.
Back to my desk I go, with the idea in my head that i'm about to get put in a skillet and eaten for breakfast so I try to make myself look as small as possible, which of course, as you know when you're having a fat day, has the opposite effect. I decide then that i really need to eat healthy and drink alot of water that day.
Drinking alot of water on a fat day is a bad idea when you work at a place with a full length mirror to look at as you walk in and out of the bathroom. It became a vicious cycle of drinking water, having to pee, seeing myself in the mirror, looking fat and feeling like i should drink more water, then having to pee... well, you see the pattern.
So today I went back to Kung Fu for a good ass-kicking workout. It felt great to be back at the school and to see some old friends. But the best part was that i felt like I really hadn't left. I remembered all the terminology and even felt good sparring. A few more months of this and alot of potty breaks, and hopfully my Fat Days will be few and far between.

Hey! I'm Married!

Not that I didn't know that, but its nice get reminded every once in a while.

Today was a great day, even though I'm exhausted. We had a very productive day of cleaning and organizing. We were a great team and the day just flowed. Normally I have to beg Barry to help me with things around the house and then I just end up doing it myself so I don't have to hear him bitch. I probably do it right the first time anyway. But today we woke up, took a shower and got to cleaning. Throughout the day we had kiss-y moments and silly innuendo comments that would make both of us giggle. There was no bickering or griping on either of our parts. Barry was willing to help with everything and actually got things done without direction from me! We worked from about 10:45 until 7:30 with just a short break for lunch. I really wish I took a before and after pictures of our closet because it is COMPLETELY organized with room for more junk! Gotta love space bags when they don't get ruined by cats. All of our winter clothes have been sucked of any air and reduced to dense cubes of plastic and fabric. Our entire wardrobe, less what we're wearing, is washed and put away, and the last load of towels are drying. Anything that hasn't been worn in a year or have been labeled "One-Day-It'll-Fit-Again" have been put aside for a garage sale next weekend. I've got 2 new under-the-bed plastic bins sitting under the bed (go fig) full of things that were formally taking up space elsewhere and my closet base boards were vacuumed for the first time since, well, ever.

The house is still a mess since we really only scratched the surface of what we intend to complete by April 1st, but there were definitely accomplishments today. I just hope we can keep this momentum up!