A weekend getaway

I have had a lot on my mind lately... between all things baby, the drama with finding out I have TMJ and also need to have surgery on mouth this next week- I need a break!

Oh yeah the surgery- I have to have a wisdom tooth taken out but they have discovered the root is up in the sinus cavity so when they remove the tooth they have to do a skin graph from my check to plug the hole up into my sinus cavity so it doesn't drain into my mouth.  And yes now that I have TMJ I have to wear a "super sexy" mouth guard when I sleep (I asked if I could get a glow in the dark one but they said no while laughing)- waiting for to come in since they took impressions of my mouth. Spent 2 whole days at doctors offices dealing with my mouth.  Surgery is on June 3rd.

So on a spur of the moment idea about 2 weeks back my Husband suggest we head down to the Outer Banks in NC for the long 3 day weekend of Memorial Day. BINGO- just what I needed!

We had a relaxing time hitting up the beach and play tourist.  We drove down Friday last afternoon and grabbed some dinner after checking in to our hotel.  Saturday the weather started out gloomy so we jumped in the car and started driving the whole way down to Hateras from Nags Head and then took the ferry to Ocracoke Island. Ocracoke Island was our favorite place, not many people, miles and miles of beach.  We fell in love with Ocracoke we are thinking of renting a house for a whole week next summer.

Sunday we decided to just hit the beach at our hotel in Kill Devil Hills.  It had a bit more people but the beach was nice and clean.  We saw about 20 dolphins not so far off the coast and about 100 brown pelican's fishing 50 yards in front of us.  After hitting the beach Sunday we headed over to the Wright Brothers National Memorial and then over to lost Roanoke Colony and the Elizabethan Gardens. Then he took me to the Coach outlet (like I need another Coach purse but he wanted to take me).  I hit it big there because they were having their 50% clearance plus gave me a coupon for an additional 20% (Originally $298.99, on Sale for $289.99, got it for around $115).


Now I discovered my husband notices things when we are public- I always seem to run into pregnant women no matter where we go- well now he notices it and we sort of make a game out of it (How many preggo ladies did you see in the store, etc?).  You have to laugh about things in life or seriously life will just pull you down. (I go back to the "baby doctor" on the 15th of June)

Click here to see more pictures from our trip

A girl's day in: food, friends & jewels!

There is nothing more fun than a couple of hours with your friends and beautiful jewelry. Yesterday I had a handmade beaded & wire wrapped silver jewelry by Studio 722 Jewelry (A friend of mine make it all herself).  She uses sterling silver, semi-precious gemstones, freshwater pearls and other beautiful materials in her handmade jewelry.

It was great having friends and coworkers over to the house to share in some fun and laughs. We had so much fun that the we lost track of time and before we knew it was 5:00!

I put on my Chef's hat and made some yummy delights from Spinach & Artichoke stuffed mushrooms caps, Nana's Apple Cake, Shrimp Cocktail, Warm the Oven Cheese spread, Beer Bread (with Dogfish Head Aprihop), Italian Cheese Ball and a veggie tray (Didn't think to take pictures).

I got some GREAT looking pieces and can't wait to wear them out...

 

Blue Cats Eye Earrings with Hammered Link

 

Purple Amethyst Crystal Quartz Beaded Silver Earrings

Glass and Swarovski Crystal

 For my mom- Cosmic Blue Goldstone Beaded Silver Earrings

As a Hostess gift she asked my favorite colors and made these for me
Pink Wire Wrapped Sterling Silver Earrings

I fell hard....

So recently I was asked how my husband and I met.  This is how the story goes...

In the fall of 1998 we were both asked to be an International Buddy at Lock Haven University.  An International Buddy is a LHU student who has been attending LHU and then partnered up with an exchange student.  We had this meeting we had to attend before we got our buddies.  I walked to the meeting with another girl from my floor of North Hall.  She started taking to this hunky guy wearing a Penguins hat- so since she knew him I asked who he was and so forth.  We we finally got our buddy it just so happened that we both got partner with 2 girls from a college in France that were friends.  So we planned some things to do with this girls as a group.  Well one night Andy called me up and asked me to go for a walk- I said "sure let me call the girls"- and his reply was "No just you and me". So off on our walk we went- towards the end of it we ended up sitting on a bench talking when he leaned in and kissed me... and the rest is history!

Twelve years later we are getting ready to celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary.

Have you ever been just sitting next to your partner and in the complete silence you fall in love all over again?  Its a great thing that no matter how rough things are and how many ups and downs you go through those feelings are still there.

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.
                                                                      ~Mignon McLaughlin

One of those clown punching bags

I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind.
Some come from ahead and some come from behind.
But I've bought a big bat.  I'm all ready you see.
Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!
~Dr. Seuss

Today is one of thos days... it starts out looking like it is going to be a good one and then "poof" it spins out of control and runs head first into a wall splitting into a million pieces!  And to make matters worse today is a moody day and I have those spats of tenstion that who knows where they come from!


What I need is one of those clown punching bags kids have- Rocket USA Bozo Bop Bag 


I need a vacation- yes I know I just went to Italy in April... 
But I need a solitude vacation- not that I need to go alone but I need one that is about R & R- one where I dont have to worry about lesson plans, cooking, cleaning and all that jazz.

And to make matters worse my "eating right" has been kicking my butt and cravings kicking in...

Sorry today is a low day and  I am just rambling on... 

A daughter's true best friend

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.  
~Washington Irving

Today is Mother's Day- I know I already thanked my Mother back in April but honestly one day of thanks is not enough for all that she has done.

 There is always a part of the mother living in every daughter's heart. Though most women don't acknowledge, they share a very strong bond with their mothers. It always changes over time. When we are young we call for them all the time, when we are teenagers they are our enemies but when we grow up they become a daughter's true best friend- at least my mother is!

A Pennsylvania State University has revealed that despite conflicts and complicated emotions, about 80 to 90 per cent of women at midlife reported a good relationship with their mother. It is a great bond that a mother and daughter share with each other and it's so close that everything from health to relationships can be affected by it.

Today is about Mother's- weather it be your 30th Mother's Day or your 1st.  Some people believe that these holidays were invented by Hallmark to sell cards. But honestly how often do you remember to stop and tell your mother thank you?  Why not have a little help from the world on a cerebrated holiday?

My dream to become a mother has been a lot of going down hill, however, Friday I talked about how "today is the day" and I was meeting a new doctor to work on becoming a mother.  I am so glad I decided to do this and see some one else.  We talked and reviewed my tests, did an ultra sound of my uterus and then discussed a plan of action.

This first month he has me on the Clomid (100 mg) except I am taking a round of hormones for 2 weeks first (even though my period is due this week)- I had a blood test Friday also to check my hormones level and if under 3 then off we go on this month's regiment.

If this does not work he said in a sense we will take my body back to ground zero and try a different hormone therapy and Clomid.If still no luck we then move into some short of shot therapy (he didn't go into much detail) and if they doesn't work we move in IVF.

So cross your fingers and keep me in your prayers...

And mom- HAPPY MOTHER"S DAY!!!!

Today is the day

Well today I go to see a new infertility doctor to in a sense get a second opinion (Hopkins at Greenspring Station). Its not that I don't trust my current doctor I just feel as though we could be more aggressive. Its been since December 2008 that I went off the pill and almost a year since I started the hormones and 5 months on Clomid (even though this month she increased it to 100 mg).

Am I nervous? YES!  Am I scared? Maybe a little.

Now I know going in today that they may not do anything for the first month so that they can see what happens but I surely hope that after that one month we can get more aggressive.

I guess I will have to also then pick which one to continue to see.  Well that I guess all depends on what happens today and what they say the plan will be.

Well off to start today...

That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.
~Friedrich Nietzsche

"Be kinder than necessary. Everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life."

A smile is worth it all

So this week in my library I am reading to the younger kids a great book called “The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark”. The kids really get a kick out of this story and quickly associate it to the “Three Little Pigs”.

These stories fit into the genre of fractured fairy tales which are stories that use fairy tales we know and change the characters, setting, point of view or plot.

I wish you could have seen the kids get into the story and help me do the voices!  I love seeing the excitement in their eyes when they get into a story and can’t wait to find out what happens.  After we read the story we did some fun and cute songs from Dr. Jean's album Dr. Jean Sings Silly Songs called “Baby Fish” and “Five Fish Swimming in the Sea”. I know the kids love to show of to their teacher so we practiced “Baby Fish” a few times so they could perform it to their teacher.

This excitement and joy is why I became a teacher. Yes, being a teacher is a VERY stressful job but it is worth it at the end of the day! Seeing those smiles on their face is worth everything!

Other great Three Little Pigs stories:

• The Three Little Gators 
• Three Little Tamales 
• The Three Horrid Pigs and the Big Friendly Wolf 
• Alaska's Three Pigs 
• The Three Swingin' Pigs 
• Three Little Hawaiian Pigs and the Magic Shark 
• The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig 
• Three Little Cajun Pigs 
• The True Story of the Three Little Pigs 
• The Three Little Pigs
• The Three Little Pigs: An Architectural Tale 
• The Three Little Pigs: The Graphic Novel
•   Ziggy Piggy and the Three Little Pigs
• The Three Little Javelinas  

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Life is not easy so deal with it

Ya know how somethings in life just stress you out and you just want to SCREAM at the top of your lungs. Yet there are sometimes in life you seem to get stressed over nothing but just want to SCREAM.

How do you deal with these feelings? What is your stress buster?

I honestly hate this days like this when I feel so tense and irritable. Yes I got mad with the postal service but why do the feelings continue over hours past?

So what is my resolution to solving this problem?  Eat- no I wont because I am doing so well with my "eating right" (Diet is a bad word LOL). I used own this great tape that I played when I went to sleep that was a guide to relaxtion with peaceful music, muscuale relation and imagery- I am thinking or gettting a new CD like the one called Letting Go of Stress or Classical Stress Relief CD

Well why surfing the net I found some great stress beating tips from familydoctor.org:

• Don't worry about things you can't control, such as the weather. (very true)
• Solve the little problems. This can help you gain a feeling of control.
• Prepare to the best of your ability for events you know may be stressful, such as a job interview.
• Try to look at change as a positive challenge, not as a threat. (YES)
• Work to resolve conflicts with other people. (I hate conflict)
• Talk with a trusted friend, family member or counselor. (see Somewhere out there)
• Set realistic goals at home and at work. Avoid overscheduling.
• Exercise on a regular basis.
• Eat regular, well-balanced meals and get enough sleep.
• Meditate.
• Participate in something you don't find stressful, such as sports, social events or hobbies. (Blogging!)

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A night in a romance novel

I was relaxing and reading the current issue of Baltimore Style magazine and was excited to learn that Nora Roberts has opened a inn here in Maryland.

She purchased the rundown property in 2007 and began fixing it up. Along the way she has run into walls (like a fire caused by a damaged propane tank destroyed most of the building) but it is a finally open and taking reservations. Nora Roberts named each of the inn’s eight rooms (except The Penthouse) after a different love-struck literary couple with happily ever after endings.

Every room has a cashmere throw, 32-inch flat-screen TV and a copy of the book and DVD that inspired it. The bathrooms- WOW! Copper soaking tubs, showers with jets and so much more!

I have already told my husband that this would be a great getaway for my 32nd birthday in June or our 7 year anniversary in July. I also hinted of the battlefields and so forth around that would could visit- plus the outlets are not far away either.

Maybe all the romance in the air there will be just what the “doctor ordered” (see previous post)

You have to check out the Inn BoonsBoro

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Somewhere out there

I have this friend that I meet I think in the 6th grade when she moved to Muncy and since then she has been one of my closest and dearest best friends.  She has been there through many ups and downs in my life and so I am grateful for that.  She stood by my side when I said "I Do" (In fact her husband and her sang "From this Moment On" during our wedding ceremony and then again for our first dance) and has held me as I cried at some of the lowest points of my life.

Side by side all the way through high school and going to college on different coasts of the USA but distance doesn't matter in our relationship. And now sometimes we don't see each other for a year. But no matter what every time I need her she is there for me in the best way she can be. And each time we finally get to see each other our relationship picks up like we have never been apart.

We exchange emails going on and on filling each other in and supporting each other when the other one needs it.  In fact tonight I got a reply from her from a midnight email I wrote her when I was in sort of down in the dumps. The encouragement and laughs from this email is just what I needed and let me know that no matter what...

Somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight
Someone's thinking of me and loving me tonight

Somewhere out there someone's saying a prayer
That we'll find one another in that big somewhere out there

And even though I know how very far apart we are
It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star

And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby
It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky

Somewhere out there if love can see us through
Then we'll be together somewhere out there

Out where dreams come true

People like this are what the world a better place and the quote below says it all!!

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