My Perception of Life

3x5 Folded Card

2011-12-11T21:59:00.001-06:00

Classic Collage 3x5 folded card

Find unique birthday party cards & address labels at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Ben's Boat So Far.....

2011-08-27T14:45:00.002-05:00

Now he has to put on the lights, seats, steering wheel and outboard and we can take this baby out!

Ben's Boat In Progress

2011-08-09T18:42:00.001-05:00

19 Weeks And Still Growing

2011-04-10T22:36:00.002-05:00

Today I'm 19 wks. 4 days pregnant. We go in for our ultrasound to find out the sex on Thursday, but we're keeping it a secret from ourselves until Saturday evening when we reveal the sex to our friends, family and ourselves at our "Gender Reveal" party at our house! I am so excited! Our top baby names are Kate for a girl and Slade for a boy.

Adventures (Or Lack Thereof) of Samson, Delilah, and Chuck

2011-03-25T18:38:00.011-05:00

I found out that our 3 "guard dogs" take the day off pretty often and aren't earning their keep!

We have 2 bullmastiffs and a pitbull and we usually leave them inside during the day while we're at work. Yesterday I came home for lunch which is unusual and although all 3 dogs were inside, not one of them greeted me at the door or came around the corner to check out who their intruder was! I walked into the living room to find the picture posted above ..... Delilah is asleep on the other couch and didn't fit into the picture. They were all laying around lazily and barely opened an eye to see who I was. Maybe they weren't worried because whenever someone just waltzes in the house it's always me or Ben, and "strangers" always knock at the door (which really gets their attention and they're at the door in a split second). I guess I need to teach them that burglars don't knock so they should pay a little more attention!!!

My husband had to go into work early this morning which left me alone to take the dogs to the vet- ALL 3 large dogs! Between the 3 dogs I could only find 1 collar and NO leashes at all! They have matching collars (for picture purposes, of course) and we have 5-6 leashes but I couldn't find any of them.

Luckily, all of our dogs are pretty well-behaved. All I had to do was let them out the front door and tell them to "load up" and they jumped in the car (or tried at least... I have to pick up Samson's back legs because I guess he doesn't know that he can jump). The ladies at the vet's office are so nice and helped me unload the dogs and the vet visit went surprisingly well. I can't believe that I took 284 lbs. of dog to the vet all by myself and with minimal collars and no leashes and everything worked out!

Oh and if you'd like a non-doggy post, I really like this post that I found today: 5 Simple Ways To Organize Your Home by Organizing Junkie

Today...

2011-03-13T23:02:00.002-05:00

... I heard a great lesson in Sunday School out of the Love & Respect book by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

... I cuddled my little man while he was sick, including letting him have bottles after I've worked to convert him to only sippy cups for the past week

... I ordered invitations for the Gender Reveal Party we're having for our new baby arriving this Fall

I'm "That" Girl

2011-02-23T09:39:00.000-06:00

Yesterday evening, Ben accidentally set off our house alarm when he walked outside to feed our dogs. Reid (who is very scared of the loud noise of the alarm) and I were playing in his room. When he heard the alarm, he burst into tears and started crawling towards me as fast as he could. I swept him up and hugged him and even though I felt sorry for him that he got so scared, it made me feel good that he ran over to me for comfort like that. I love being his momma and that I get to be that "go-to" person for him when he's upset. :)

A Little Reassurance Goes A Long Way...

2011-02-21T09:44:00.007-06:00

When I dropped Reid off at Sunday School yesterday, he clung onto my neck and started kicking and screaming when I tried to hand him to one of the nursery workers. When I walked into the room with him, he started crying as soon as I sat him down on the floor. He's just now starting to get upset when we drop him off (thankfully he still likes being dropped off at daycare every day though) and I always make sure to reassure him that I'll be back and try to direct his attention to a toy. I never leave him while he's upset because I want him to know that his momma cares how he feels and I never want him to see me just walk away from him while he's letting me know he is scared. If I give him the impression that it doesn't matter how he feels about a situation, I'm afraid he'll either learn not to trust me or he'll believe that how he feels really doesn't matter after all.

The ladies in the room tried to rush me out- they actually looked me in the face and told me to leave several times! They didn't really even want me walking into the room, but rather handing him to them through the door! They said that it would be "better" that way and that he'd only cry for a few minutes. I politely told them I couldn't do that, but it upsets me very much when someone wants me to do the best thing for them and not for my child! Surely it would make it easier on the helpers in the room if Reid cried for only a few minutes, but how would that make Reid feel to watch his momma leave while he is scared?

Since I'm supposed to be the person he can trust most in his little world, I think I should stay a few minutes and help him calm down. Reid needs a few moments to feel comfortable in a strange environment, and I want to be a mom who stays there to help him feel okay instead of just dropping him off in a rush. And you know what? Reid didn't cry for two minutes at all. It took less than a minute for me to calm him down. My view is that God made me Reid's momma for a reason and his best interest is my only concern. I am not the kind of mom who thinks it's okay to do what is easiest, most convenient, or accomodating to someone else. I'm Reid's advocate and I always will try to think about how what I do affects my child and choose my actions based on that. Next week I may need to explain a little more to the ladies in his room about how I feel. I don't want them to think I'm rude, but I don't like being told how to parent my child!

Reid Turned 1!

2011-02-20T14:30:00.007-06:00

Our little man has already turned one year old and it is bittersweet. We're one year closer to getting to know the young man he will become, but it is a difficult reminder of how quickly time flies and how precious our time with him is! Several times throughout each day I stop and ask myself, "Do I have to do this right now, or can I stop and spend time with Reid instead?" and evaluate the situation based on that..... so many things can wait, but my child is growing up so quickly that spending time with him cannot wait.

The saying, "Cooking and cleaning can wait 'til tomorrow, for babies grow up I've learned to my sorrow. So settle down cobwebs, dust go to sleep- I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep" is one of my favorites because it is so true. (I want to point out that although I love spending time with Reid first and foremost, I also think it's very important to keep our house clean enough for him to roam around safely! :)

I took petit fours and party hats to Reid's daycare class during their snack time on the day of his actual birthday. The kids all seemed to love it and I think Reid had fun. He got a miniature cupcake at home later that evening.

The Saturday after his birthday, we threw him a party at our house and invited all of his family and most of our friends that have small children.

Reid really seemed to get the fact that the party was all for him and he had a great time! His party was train themed (we used a printable/customizable party pattern by Parties by Hardie) and everything from his "big" gift from us, to the decorations, to the children's activities reflected that. My husband says I went a little overboard considering that Reid won't remember this party, but he will have pictures to look back on and I want him to see how special his birthday was to his parents. One of the things I want to try to do as a mother is make my children's childhoods as great as they can be, and a fun birthday party is just one way I thought of to do that. This was my first children's birthday party to throw but I am quite proud of myself and am already thinking about what we can do to step it up for next year!

Party Time!

2011-02-01T13:52:00.000-06:00

Reid attended the birthday party of a friend for the first time last weekend, and he had a great time!

Celebration of Life at Temple Baptist Church

2011-01-30T19:45:00.003-06:00

We had a great time at the Celebration of Life service at our church this month, and Reid was one of the babies that participated in the service. This time it was during the evening service, so I didn't invite any of our out-of-town family (didn't want to make them feel like they HAD to come since everyone works Monday morning!) but we still had 5 people come watch and pray for Reid.

We hope our child grows to be a lot of different things, but most importantly we strive to raise him to be a great Christian man. Becoming parents and realizing what roles we play in shaping his life has really made us take several steps back and look at our own lives and look for ways we can become better Christian examples ourselves.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-26T22:56:00.003-06:00

Our first Christmas as parents was so wonderful. It is so much more fun to have a child during Christmas! I would much rather watch Reid open gifts than open any of my own.

Reid must have been on the "good" list because Santa really spoiled him :)

We hope all of our friends and family had a great Christmas!

Thanksgiving At Our House

2010-12-01T23:52:00.006-06:00

My mom and grandmother

Me with one of my younger sisters

Our 3 dogs & my sister's dog sitting still in hopes of getting some turkey :)

My little brother and my son Reid

My husband Ben and our son Reid

Me and my daddy Me and my little angel!

The third annual Thanksgiving lunch at our house went well! We had 32 people total and it was joyous chaos. We only see most of them once a year on Thanksgiving, so I always try to be sure to stop and talk to every single person while also trying to make sure everything in the house is ready. Ben and my dad fried a turkey this year and it was so delicious and moist... I will never roast a turkey again! We cooked the two turkeys, mashed potatoes, rolls, and baked enchilada dip w/ wheat thins. Everything else was provided by our guests for a "potluck style" lunch. This year was easy to organize who-brings-what because I utilized the mass email capabilities of Facebook! :) This was Reid's 1st Thanksgiving and he had a great time. I have such cute pictures of him in his "Thankful for Mommy" shirt and videos of him chasing guests in his walker.

Today I....

2010-09-07T21:11:00.003-05:00

-drove 1 1/2 hours to work each way
-got a big smile from a cute little guy when I picked him up from daycare
-began to think I may one day be able to have a little trust in the pitbull puppy we've taken in
-made Anniversary Chicken, steamed broccoli, and mashed potatoes for dinner. Walnut chocolate chip cookies were our dessert!

2 Links Worth Visiting....

2010-09-04T13:44:00.001-05:00

45 Free Printable Children's Crafts at Kind Over Matter

Yearly Home Maintenance List .... every homeowner needs a copy!

Reid Wants Me All To Himself :)

2010-09-02T23:49:00.005-05:00

Reid seems to get bigger every day. His most recent accomplishments are pulling himself up to stand and crawling very quickly across the floor. He gets so proud of himself. He also knows how to "give Momma sugar". Every little thing makes us so proud.

(Me, Reid, and Ben watching USM's first game this season)

It gets easier and easier to leave Reid at daycare because I can see how much he enjoys playing alongside the other babies and how much he loves his teachers. One of my favorite teachers is leaving in a few weeks and I'm worried about who the new teacher will be but hopefully it will all work out. Today I sat down and played with Reid for a few minutes before taking him home from daycare and another baby crawled into my lap for me to hold her too. Reid immediately threw both of his arms around my neck and latched on as if to say, "This is MY Momma!!!!" and although I told him that it was okay to share his momma's lap, it made me feel loved! We plan on having more babies in the next year or two so I definitely can't let Reid think he has to have his momma all to himself, but that doesn't mean I can't take it as a compliment :) That's just one of the little ways babies can say, "I love you, Momma!"

Christmas Shopping Is Almost Done!

2010-08-31T02:33:00.005-05:00

Last year I blogged about getting my Christmas shopping done early HERE and I have done it again this year. I have only 5 more people to buy a few more things for, and the presents I've already bought are wrapped and stored away in my "Christmas closet" (one of the guest bedroom's closet). Wrapping Christmas presents is relaxing to me for some reason, so every day or two I go in and wrap something. Before I started shopping year-round for Christmas gifts and storing them I used to feel so rushed. I hated wrapping presents because I had to wrap so many at one time, and I was rushed to find gifts for everyone so I would sometimes end up having to buy something that would "just do" instead of something I thought they would really like. Also, shopping year-round allows me to take advantage of sales through the year instead of just Thanksgiving/Christmas sales.

Recipe Swap: Chicken Spaghetti

2010-08-27T08:19:00.006-05:00

This is one of the favorites at our house. For a shorter cooking time, use my tip for shredded chicken 24/7.

-3 boneless/skinless chicken breast halves

-1 can cream of mushroom soup

-1/4 lb. velveeta cheese

-1 can rotel

-1 lb. fettuccine

Boil chicken breasts until cooked; remove from water and set to the side. Boil fettuccine noodles in the chicken broth; drain. In a seperate saucepan, combine cream of mushroom soup, velveeta, and rotel over low heat until melted together. Shred chicken into bite-size pieces with a fork. Combine chicken, fettuccine noodles, and sauce. Serve it with a green salad and roll and enjoy!

Head over here to see more great recipes from fellow bloggers!

Using Forrest General or Hattiesburg Clinic? Be Cautious!

2010-08-25T00:00:00.010-05:00

We will drive out of town to see a doctor before we ever go there again! Let me explain why....

After you see a doctor, sometimes insurance companies take more than 30-60 days to process your claim and inform the clinic of the exact amount they will pay. The clinic however will start billing you as soon as they can process the paperwork. When this happens, sometimes the bill the clinic sends you is actually more than you will owe once the insurance pays their part.

How Reimbursements Are Supposed To Happen:
After I had Reid at Wesley Medical Center, I received a reimbursement check from the physician (Women's Pavillion) and one from Wesley Medical Center. Together they totaled over $1,200.00. Both places had underestimated what our insurance would pay and so they sent me the reimbursements within 2 months and without me even asking. It's normal for them to not exactly know what your final amount due will be and to have to send a reimbursement.

How Reimbursements Happen At Forrest General and Hattiesburg Clinic (Isn't This Illegal?!):
My husband Ben had surgery at Forrest General about two years prior to me having Reid. Everything went successfully and he had no follow-up appointments or any reason to return to that doctor in Hattiesburg Clinic . He liked his doctor and so a year and a half later when he had a completely unrelated issue, he went back to the same doctor and I happened to go with him. We were told by the receptionist not to worry about our $20 co-pay because we had a "credit" there from them overcharging us from the previous surgery because our insurance paid more than they had estimated. I asked what amount, and it was nearly $240! I demanded to know why we had not received a reimbursement check in a year and a half especially because we had no reason to return and use the credit there! If we had not just so happened to use the same doctor I don't think we would have ever found out that they owed us money!

They wouldn't issue us a check right then and there and said we would have to call another number to request that we get a reimbursement. I called the next day and let them know it was ridiculous that I had to call and request my money be reimbursed in the first place. I got the run-around and was told that since it was "such a small amount" I was continually put on the end of the reimbursement list because they always pay from the largest amount to smallest. So I guess until nobody else had a reimbursement due more than $240 we weren't getting ours?! I probably made 15 phone calls and waited almost 4 months before we finally got the money that they had owed us for almost 2 years!

"Creepy" Crawler In My House!

2010-08-18T23:53:00.008-05:00

Becoming a mom has turned me from someone who used to look forward to blogging regularly into someone who forgets she even has a blog. It has been on the bottom of my long list of duties but I am going to try to move it up a few notches.

Reid is 6 months old this week and today he weighed in at 19.8 lbs. and was 27.5 inches long. We had his 6 month check-up today which included 3 shots in the legs. I am so glad Ben goes with me to all the doctor's appointments because I need the emotional support after watching Reid scream so hard he can barely catch his breath, poor little guy. I am upset about it long after he gets over it, and he's the one who just got 3 stabs in the leg and has no idea why! I know so many moms that go to every doctor's appointment alone and I don't understand how they do it. Unless he absolutely couldn't get away from work for an hour, I would be sad if he didn't offer to come to them.

He is doing so many things now like sitting up by himself, getting on all 4's and lunging forward in his first stages of learning to crawl, and he got his first tooth this week. Every little bitty new thing I see him do makes me so proud. It is so fun watching him learn things and seeing him being proud of himself when he accomplishes things.

He moved into the the "Creepers" room at daycare 2 weeks ago and seems to like it. He is the youngest in the room by almost 2 months I think, but I would much rather him move up with the slightly bigger kids than stay behind with the babies. He has been progressing really quickly and I think being the oldest in the baby room would slow that down. I really think part of why he is sitting by himself and nearly crawling at his 6 month birthday is because of how interested he is in the other kids at daycare.

Also this week is our 4 year wedding anniversary. I'm sure Ben has reminders set out for himself in different places so he won't forget about it. This summer makes 5 years that we've been together and it only feels like 2 or 3 to me. It makes me so sad to think of how quickly time is passing. We will be so blessed if we live to make it to 50 years together... and that's only 9 more of these 5 yr. segments. When Reid turned 6 months old this Monday I told Ben, "We have only 35 more of these before he's 18 and moving away to college" and it made us both so sad. It feels like it's only been 6 weeks!

Reid Update-

2010-07-13T22:34:00.004-05:00

The little infant in my April post is now an 18.5 pound, nearly 5 month-old boy! He scoots to get wherever he wants to go, fake cries to get what he wants, lifts his arms up to let you know he wants you to pick him up, and is pretty much the coolest little guy ever. I took him out of Creative Kids and he is now at Crayon College, and we are more comfortable with this new daycare setting. He sleeps through the night and is so much fun, and life is pretty much perfect as far as the motherhood part goes!

Daycare- How To Survive The First Day

2010-04-27T23:45:00.003-05:00

of course this is solely based on my own experience from earlier today....

1. Sign your baby up for a daycare that has kiddie cameras
2. Stick around the room with him for about 10 minutes to make sure that he isn't scared out of his mind and that all the daycare workers love him :)
3. Go straight home and promptly stare at the kiddie camera for as long as you can stand to leave him there (in our case, a little over 2 hours). If you cannot stare at the cameras yourself, have your mother do it and stay on the phone with her.
4. Feel your heart melt when your baby smiles when he sees that you are back to pick him up.

This is how it worked for us! I have to return to work Monday, May 3rd but this week I'm taking Reid to daycare for a few hours a day and each time leaving him there longer. I think it's better to slowly warm him up to the idea of being at daycare rather than just drop him off for 5-6 hours the first day. Plus, it's better for me because I can watch him and prove to myself that they are taking care of him and he will be okay.

Motherhood So Far...

2010-04-15T19:11:00.005-05:00

Finally time to blog! I have been so busy (some of it I brought on myself because I don't like to put Reid down) but now I have a few minutes to update you guys on what's been going on for the past 2 months....

My labor was induced when I went a week over my due date (and my due date was accurate, no question about it). I just couldn't wait any longer, my body showed no signs of going into labor on its own, and 41 weeks is a long time to carry a baby! Ben was the best support person a girl could wish for, and I needed a LOT of support! I wanted a natural labor with no pain medication, but after 8 hours of induced labor my doctor recommended a cesarean section and Ben and I decided to go through with it. I was disappointed but I would have cut Reid out myself if I thought it would help him :) My spinal didn't work completely, so I had to go under full anesthesia. Ben was really scared but I was in and out of the operating room in about 15 minutes. Reid was perfectly healthy, and it was the best day of my life!

I have been on maternity leave for 10 weeks and have 2 weeks left. For the first few weeks Reid and I just stayed here at home and had visitors almost every day. I felt like I needed to stay home and protect him from the world, but eventually we started venturing out and went out to eat as a family and went shopping. It isn't as difficult going out with Reid as I had thought because he falls asleep in the car and sleeps in his carrier or stroller most of the time we're out.

I know they don't like spoiled babies at daycare, but I can't help but hold him almost all day. If he naps I will sometimes put him down but usually I just hold him then too. I am just trying to get the most out of my time here at home with him because I know we'll never get these days back. One day he may think he's too big for his momma to hold him, so I soak up every second of it I can now :)

Losing the pregnancy weight hasn't been as difficult as I had imagined, either! I gained 39 lbs. while pregnant and now only have 5 more to lose to get back to my beginning weight. Breastfeeding is not only great for the baby, but also for the mom! Ha!

I have never been a patient person by any means... not with my family, my husband, my friends, my dogs, not anyone. But, I have this new crazy amount of patience with Reid. I haven't lost my patience yet with him. I am glad because I feel like a much better mother because of it. I just hope it lasts! Becoming a mother has truly made me a better person already.

Meet Reid!

2010-03-18T00:39:00.003-05:00

He's a month old now... but needless to say I've been a tad bit busy for that month! So, just now getting his picture on here. :)

There Must Be A "Dump Your Unwanted Pets Here" Sign In My Yard

2010-02-08T16:47:00.004-06:00

This is the second time in the last month that I've picked up a stray that was dumped off in my subdivision. The first time it was a cute little dachshund puppy, and this time it was a momma pit bull mix and her 7 puppies! I brought them in a room in our carport and am taking care of them until we can find them homes in a few weeks. They're 4 weeks old and healthy, according to our vet. So now I have to find homes for all 8 of these dogs. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and know of anyone wanting a puppy, let please me know!

Any Day Now....

2010-02-02T15:54:00.001-06:00

We're Ready.... Just Waiting On Baby Reid!

2010-01-20T07:57:00.003-06:00

Pregnancy Update!

2010-01-02T11:40:00.004-06:00

How Far Along? 34 weeks & 4 days w/ 38 days to go
Total Weight Gain? 27 lbs.
Sleep? Getting very uncomfortable... I wake up to turn from one side to another every 2 hours or so.
Best Moment This Week? Hearing from the doctor that I'd only gained 2 lbs... and my appointment was right after a heavy lunch at Olive Garden so maybe I really didn't gain any :)
Worst Moment This Week? All of the times I wake up with aching hips and have to roll over
Movement? Lots of movement still
Belly Button? Poking out a little bit now
What I Miss? I missed being able to drink a margarita on New Year's Eve
What I'm Looking Forward To? Dressing Reid in all his cute clothes and taking thousands of pictures
Weekly Wisdom? Drink more water.... stay away from salt.
Milestones? Able to identify specific body parts... a few nights ago I could feel two seperate little feet kicking from outside my stomach

Early Christmas!

2009-12-14T09:14:00.006-06:00

Christmas came a little early for us this year since my husband will be deer hunting out of town the week before, and we'll be on the road all during the holidays. We still have one gift and our stockings to open Christmas night when we get home, but we wanted to go ahead and get most of our presents from each other so we can start enjoying them now!

Preggo Stats

2009-12-06T11:23:00.005-06:00

I've been reading the pregnancy blog my cousin Megan at Oh, The Places We Will Go and decided to steal her pregnancy questionnaire when it dawned on me that I may want to remember these things, too. Love you Megan ;)

HOW FAR ALONG: 30 weeks & 5 days w/ 65 days to go
TOTAL WEIGHT GAIN: 20 lbs.
MATERNITY CLOTHES: usually wear skinny jeans (maternity), boots, and sweaters
SLEEP: getting more uncomfortable every night. Last night Reid tried to pry my ribs away from my body, or at least it felt like it!
BEST MOMENT THIS WEEK: hearing Ben refer to him as "our baby boy"... don't know why but it caught my breath
WORST MOMENT THIS WEEK: frantically prying my wedding rings off my very swollen finger
MOVEMENT: almost 24/7 and getting stronger
BELLY BUTTON: flush w/ my stomach but no stretch marks in sight
WHAT I MISS: being able to sleep on my stomach
WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO: holding Reid in a little over 9 wks.
WEEKLY WISDOM: see post below
MILESTONES: I think I felt the first hiccups yesterday

If You Want To Become Pregnant,

2009-12-06T01:40:00.005-06:00

....be aware of this first:

most likely you will encounter more people offering their opinion to you without you having to ask than with any other milestone of your life. I have never been so shocked by advice from strangers or offended by rude remarks from people I do know when I never even asked for their opinion. Everyone has their own ideas and thinks they know best. Not all of those people push their ideas on you, but so many of them do. I have had everything from someone misquoting the Bible to try to persuade me to come to their same conclusion, to a stranger warning me that people can get a yeast infection on their nipples from breast feeding! I even have had obese people tell me I am getting too fat! This is going to happen to all of us pregnant women at one point or the other, so just be prepared! Also, remember all the unsolicited advice you received the next time you run across a pregnant woman with different outlooks than yours. The flip side is that you will hopefully also receive wonderful advice, willingness to listen to your ideas too, and a whole lot of support from wonderful friends and family members like I have as well.

Pregnancy Update!

2009-12-05T02:33:00.003-06:00

Almost 31 weeks now and feeling more excited everyday! Some of the "dreaded pregnancy symptoms" I've heard about are finally starting to pop up.... my hands and feet swell when they decide to, sleeping is getting uncomfortable, and I am losing the burst of energy I've had for the past few months. Here is the most recent picture of my big belly.... I think I could pass for much more further along than I really am!

I get a sonogram Tuesday to see how Reid looks and if he's decided to flip around from his breech position.... I sure hope so b/c I want to have a totally natural delivery, but not unless things line up the way they're supposed to! ;)

Potluck Thanksgiving Manners...

2009-11-20T00:18:00.022-06:00

This is the second year in a row that my husband and I will host Thanksgiving at our house. I really do enjoy doing it and I'm not as stressed out this year because our house does not resemble a construction zone quite as closely as it did last year. The stressful part is organizing the menu list, which brings me to the point of this post...

I want to inform all of you of an important potluck piece of etiquette that I have realized not everyone is aware of-

Bring a dish in relation to the number of people you are bringing and how much those people eat.

There needs to be a positive correlation there. This means that if you are bringing 2-3 kids and a spouse it's not okay to just bring chips and dip, etc. If you feed 4-5 people for about $5, that is not okay. Why? Because that leaves other people making up for your cheap ass by compensating for your stingy food choice. It's okay to bring chips and dip... but you need to bring a side dish along with it!

The lesson I learned here is that next year I need to be a lot more direct on assigning dishes instead of asking everyone what they want to bring. And if I ever had been a cheap person at potlucks (which I haven't... I love bringing things!) I would have learned this very important lesson through hosting Thanksgiving myself. Most of the guests that come to our house for Thanksgiving know this rule of thumb very well, but just not all of them!

Please reference this very funny story about Stan, The Potluck Freeloader

My First Baby Shower

2009-11-16T00:39:00.003-06:00

Two of my best friends threw me an amazing shower last week in Hattiesburg. I had a lot of fun and so many of my friends and family were able to come! I was right at 27 weeks.

I See You!!

2009-11-08T01:15:00.002-06:00

This week something very, very cool happened! I was logging something into my Blackberry and holding my phone down near my lap when I saw a wave move across my stomach! And then a little kick! I didn't realize you could actually see the baby moving from the outside! It kinda looks like I am infested with aliens, but I remind myself that it's just Reid and it's cool again ;)

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T23:59:00.005-05:00

Since I'm 6 months pregnant, I didn't want to go out for Halloween this year so we had a party here at our house! Ben and I dressed as white trash parents (my beer is just a prop! So are our tattoos and Ben's teeth "bling"!). Here are some party pictures!

Our white trash (fake) tattoos of each other's names

To My Husband:

2009-10-29T02:31:00.003-05:00

I'm onto your game.... you know you can't keep a secret from me! I have known for quite a while that you're using my deodorant and toothbrush again. The curly hairs and chewing tobacco remnants gave you away. I don't mind so much, but please at least try to be sneaky and remove your armpit hairs and rinse my toothbrush a little better afterwards. Thank you.

Remember The Animals, Too!

2009-10-23T18:00:00.000-05:00

The holidays are coming up soon and everyone should be thinking about how they can help those less fortunate. Since we don't have national holidays that really get people thinking about helping pets, I like to always include them in my holiday charities I participate in.

This list is a general idea of how you can help local animals by taking steps to prevent animal cruelty and pet overpopulation. It ranges from giving a little time or money to a lot. Everyone has something different they can offer. The list is from this post.

Here are some ways you can help:

1. Check with the local animal shelter before you buy a pet from a breeder. If you want a pure bred animal, you're in luck! Shelters have purebreds also, so you can get a good deal on one. If you are renting or don't have the neccessary time it takes to train a puppy, please visit the shelter and adopt an adult. MANY of the dogs have lived in homes before and are owner surrenders, so they know how to live inside. They also are the most in need of homes.

2. SPAY or NEUTER your pets! Even if you aren't planning on breeding, "accidents" happen all of the time. Even if your pet has only one litter, you are directly contributing to the sad overcrowding in our shelters today. Even if you find all of their offspring homes, those were homes that maybe could've gone to a shelter animal already in need.

*** If you are in the Hattiesburg, MS area, visit the Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic. These are everywhere, so just search for one in your area.

3. Use Goodsearch instead of Google to search the internet, and you can help donate money to local charities. Go to http://www.goodsearch.com/ and pick your charity. If you don't know your local shelter or they aren't listed, then search for animal shelters and just pick any random one! Everytime you search for a specified charity, the site donates money. You can even look to see how much you've raised.

4. If you have the extra time, money, and heart for it, become a foster. If you have a favorite breed, look up the national club and volunteer to be a foster for misplaced animals of that breed. If you don't have a specific breed you love, then you can volunteer to foster for a local shelter.

5. Donate your time or money to a local animal shelter. If you'd rather not give cash, all of them need dog food, cat food, blankets, paper towels, bath towels, light bulbs, garbage bags, 409, laundry detergent, etc.

**Click the "Help Prevent Animal Cruelty" link at the top of my blog for more info.

Blog Carnival Round-Up

2009-10-22T17:34:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite things about blogging is participating in Blog Carnivals!

These require you to link your relevant post to their Mr. Linky (where other guests can view your link) on a certain day of the week, and link back to their original post. They are so useful either for getting great ideas, finding people w/ similar interests, getting traffic to your page, giving you an idea of what to blog about, etc.

Here is a list of the blog carnivals I know of (and I participate in most of them too). Just visit these blogs and if you like their carnival idea, subscribe to their blog so you know when to include your post on their page.

WORKS FOR ME WEDNESDAYS @ We Are That Family

RECIPE SWAP @ The Grocery Cart Challenge

TALK TO ME TUESDAY @ Tip Junkie

POST-IT NOTE TUESDAY @ Wanna Be SupahMommy

SHOPPING CART ROUNDUP @ The Grocery Cart Challenge

MENU PLAN MONDAY @ I'm An Organizing Junkie

If you have or know of another blog carnival, please leave a comment and let me know about it so I can add it to my list!

Shop 'Til You Drop at Duds For Doodlebugs

2009-10-20T23:57:00.015-05:00

If you will be in Hattiesburg this Thursday, Friday, or Saturday be sure to head to the Duds for Doodlebugs consignment sale! I spent 4 1/2 hours there tonight, and boy did I get some great deals!

Allow me to brag...

PLAY CENTER (originally $29)- $10!

UMBRELLA STROLLER (originally $20)- $5!

LION WALK & RIDE (originally $39.97)- $12!
BOPPY PILLOW W/ COVER (originally $31)- $10!
BABY EINSTEIN DVD'S (originally $13-$15 each)- $3.50 & $5 each!

KICK N' CRAWL PLAY MAT & CONV. TUNNEL (originally $30)- $5!

POTTERY BARN CHILDREN'S FROG CHAIR (originally $129) - $12!

I also got 25 items of infant boy's clothes (all outfits- mostly fall & winter), 7 pairs of shoes ($2-$8), blankets, 4 Dr. Brown bottles (50 cents each!), an Evenflo infant carseat base (originally $35, I got it for $12), disposable children's spoons & forks, a travel formula container ($1), an Eddie Bauer infant head & neck rest ($2), a Pottery Barn lamp w/ matching night light ($15), infant tub ($1.50), an Eddie Bauer car seat mirror ($1.50), a Munchkin wipes warmer ($5), and lots of baby toys!!

Everything in GREAT condition. Oh yeah, and I got out of there for under $220!! Jealous? Then take yourself over there this week!

Children's Consignment in Hattiesburg, MS

2009-10-20T12:20:00.004-05:00

Here is the complete list to my knowledge. If you know of any other consignment shops near the Hattiesburg, MS area please let me know so I can update my list. I LOVE consignment shopping for children- it's the best thing ever :)

This large consignment sale comes every Spring and Fall to the Mult Purpose Center on Hwy 49. This sale pays you 60% of all items you sell (and even more if you volunteer for them). Visit the DUDS FOR DOODLEBUGS website for all the info.

This new consignment store is located in The Village shopping center (across from Turtle Creek Mall and Pier 1). This store pays you 40% of all items you sell and concentrates on boutique clothing. Visit the BANANA PEEL website for all the info.

This large consignment sale is located on Old Hwy 11 every Spring and Fall at The Legacy Town Hall. The last sale day of each season is 50% off! This sale pays you 70% of all items you sell. Visit the KIDS MARKET website for all the info.

Cutest Little Hotdog Ever :)

2009-10-18T06:38:00.001-05:00

Things I've Learned While Pregnant (So Far!)....

2009-10-17T04:03:00.010-05:00

I still have almost 4 months to go and I'm sure I will learn all sorts of lovely things between now and then, but here are the highlights so far:

-If you have at least a decent spouse, he will try to make your life as easy as possible. Even if he is not always the most attentive, he will notice how much more difficult it is for you to get around and will offer to help. You don't have to milk it- it really will be more difficult.

-When you hit that 5 1/2 month mark, it is difficult to get the last few items out of the very back of the dryer. Or the dishwasher. It's also difficult to bend down and shave your legs, or put on a pair of panties! Oh, and you can wave goodbye temporarily to some body parts b/c you won't be seeing them again for quite a few more months ;)

-Having a little baby jumping around in my belly feels different than I thought it would. It is almost like it tickles most of the time, but sometimes is more forceful. I don't understand how a pregnant mother's organs don't get bruised at the very least. If I can feel him bumping around both towards my belly and back and in between, doesn't he have to also be hitting some of the stuff around him? Maybe this doesn't count as something I learned.

-You can pee on yourself and not even know it if the baby kicks you just right. Yep. See a few posts below for all my embarassing details.

-People are a lot more interested in your overall well-being. This can make you feel great of course. However, as my wise sister-in-law pointed out, this is only because there is a baby inside of you and as soon as he pops out the attention all goes to him, so don't get used to it now.

-People are going to assume that it is okay to touch/rub/pat your belly just because it is sticking out. They seem to have forgotten that this is still a part of your body, and not a normal "touch zone". Even partial (or total) strangers will forget this fact. You can start out slapping people's hands like I did, but eventually you should probably just accept it and pretend that it's okay.

-Watching movies like "Knocked Up" will not be all laughs anymore. Especially once you see that crowning shot that they surprise you with out of nowhere. Close your eyes.

-Buying things for yourself loses its appeal. I am definitely going to be one of those moms who stop shopping for myself and only shop for my kids (and I really, really enjoy shopping for myself). It really is more fun to shop for your child!

My House Smells Better Than Yours ;)

2009-10-14T01:33:00.008-05:00

WFMW- Making Your House Smell Good Edition
This post reminds me that I need to run to the store- I've been slacking

With two large dogs running in and out all day and a husband who loves the outdoors, I get a lot of bad smells in my house! I try to cope with it by using Febreeze Noticeables plug-in oil warmers in every room of the house, and also use a Claire Burke simmering pot on the stove in the kitchen. My favorite scents are Original and Applejack & Peel. I've tried a lot of smell-good techniques and brands, but these are the ones I've found to be the best! (Keeping so many air fresheners sometimes gets expensive. Just unplug them if nobody is home throughout the day and plug them back in when you come home to save a little energy. This is definitely an area that I feel free to "splurge" on though because I enjoy a nice smelling home so much.)

Another tip is to use great-smelling cleaners. I pour extra laundry detergent into every load, I use Swiffer wet mops (LOVE the smell of all of their cleaners), and I bleach my bathrooms. I happen to like all of those smells and they definitely linger in your home for days.

Linked to Works For Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family

I Have A Lot To Be Thankful For Today!

2009-10-09T10:30:00.006-05:00

So, apparently leaking amniotic fluid is a very bad thing and you should monitor it regularly to make sure you aren't leaking.

I thought that maybe I was yesterday so I called my ob/gyn. He said I should go to the emergency room immediately. I didn't think it was a big deal, so I was going to go eat and watch my little sister's game first! Ben convinced me to go on to the emergency room so I did (by the way, the emergency room at River Oaks is HIDDEN behind the hospital and there are no big flashing lights pointing to it! I drove around for about 10 minutes and went into the wrong building before I finally found it! Good thing I wasn't on my death bed! It's ridiculous that they stick it back there out of sight!) and was calm as a cucumber until a tech told me that there would be nothing they could do to save the baby this early along and that she was "just telling me the cold hard truth"! Then I got up to my room- which was a REAL hospital room (that was another tip that maybe this wasn't going to be a check-and-go like I had imagined) and they prepped my stomach for an emergency c-section "just in case".

This was all too much to take in, so I got a little emotional and told the nurses in a matter-of-fact way that I can still feel my baby kicking so they are NOT giving me a c-section no matter what! That would basically be an abortion because he's too little to live without me right now. The nurses were wonderful and told me that if I was leaking amniotic fluid I would just be hospitalized for the rest of my pregnancy and put on heavy antibiotics and hope that I carry the baby long enough for him to survive.

This was the scariest time in my entire life. It is amazing how much you can love someone that you haven't even met yet. My little brother was with me, and my sister-in-law and mother-in-law came up to the hospital. My sister-in-law came back in the room with me and I think I would have had a breakdown if she wasn't there.

It turned out that since I drank a lot of water earlier that day, Reid just decided to kick some of it out! I learned that you can pee on yourself while pregnant and have no clue! That's fine with me though; he can kick me all he wants as long as he is okay. I will NEVER be one of those mothers that complain about how much/when/where/how hard their baby kicks them... there is nothing sweeter than knowing he is alive and well and kicking around. God is so good.

Wal-Mart Parking Lot Note From Today...

2009-10-07T03:14:00.006-05:00

This is the digitized version, but you get the point.

I left the real one on their car window.

Best Cleaning Tip Edition- WFMW

2009-10-07T01:11:00.002-05:00

This one I consider my "best" cleaning tip because it helps me not give up halfway through because I'm tired of running back and forth and swapping cleaning bottles. I use a multi-purpose cleaner that is good for any surface from wood to granite to windows. This way I can take 1 rag and 1 paper towel and 1 bottle around with me and just clean until my little heart is content! I don't have to dig through a cleaner basket to find the wood cleaner, then the window cleaner, then the kitchen counter cleaner, floor cleaner, etc. The easier it is for me to clean my house, the more likely I am to do it! ;)

Linked to this week's Works For Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family.

Maybe I Should STAY Pregnant....

2009-10-06T00:19:00.010-05:00

No, I'm not insane. No, I don't want 12 kids. But I do enjoy all the extra attention and care I get from my husband now that I'm pregnant! Chores that used to be my duty he no longer wants me to worry with and he gladly takes over. He adjusts my pillows every night to give me optimum comfort. I'm fatter than I have ever been and he is completely fine with it. I get to choose where and when we eat, everytime. I only have to ask for him to do things once. Basically, he jumps at any chance to make my life easier. He's more thoughtful, more affectionate, more everything. I thought I had the greatest husband ever, but this is the greatest husband ever. ;)

Ahhh, this is the life....

Keeping The Christmas Budget In Check!

2009-09-30T01:27:00.005-05:00

I always come in under budget for Christmas and have all of my shopping done by the middle of November at the latest. Jealous?? Don't be, just do this too...

Before you do any shopping, make a Christmas list of all the people you are buying for and assign a dollar amount to each of them. The amount should be the maximum you are comfortable spending on them and the total is an amount you are comfortable with as well. The key is to shop year-round for Christmas gifts in order to hit all the sales... so make your list early!! You'll find some items on sale throughout the year, and the trick is to not spend up to your budget for each person, but make sure the value of your gift equals your budget for each person. That way if you're buying for siblings, one doesn't end up with a $25 jacket and the other with a $75 jacket you got on sale for $25. Gotta keep it fair! Sure you'll spend your budget on some people, but you'll save on many others.

Another tip is to wrap presents as I go... this saves me from being overwhelmed a week before Christmas and getting carpal tunnel from wrapping mounds of presents in one day. As of today, I have over 2/3 of my presents bought and wrapped in a storage closet. Now I will have time to relax and enjoy the holidays instead of having my holiday spirit get lost in the hustle and bustle. I absolutely refuse to enter the mall in December- I am not standing in those long lines and fighting the mobs! Take my advice, and you'll enjoy the holidays much more!

IF YOU'VE STOPPED BY FROM WFMW, BE SURE TO CLICK "HOME" AT THE TOP TO CHECK OUT WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON HERE!

Linked at Works For Me Wednesday @ We Are That Family

The Results Are In!

2009-09-29T17:19:00.000-05:00

....and the voters in the poll were wrong! IT'S A BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm Losing It!!!

2009-09-28T23:37:00.004-05:00

This past weekend I went shopping in Natchez with my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and niece. As we were walking along the sidewalk from one store to another, we passed by another pregnant lady who was showing about the same amount I am. I made the comment, "Pregnancy is sucking the sense out of me, so maybe that means my baby will be smart!"

Later that evening when we checked out of WalMart I decided to come clean about why I had made that comment earlier (Why do I admit things like this? I don't know. Why I post them on my blog is even more disturbing). I told them that as we passed by the pregnant lady in Natchez, I felt the urge to "bump bellies" with her! It felt like the natural reaction to the situation, just like opening the door for someone for example. I snapped out of it immediately before any harm was done (I'm sure I would've gotten slapped in the face!) thank God!!! They about peed their pants and I was surprisingly not as embarrassed as I know I should be. Ahhh... pregnancy.

Pregnancy Update...

2009-09-25T23:19:00.003-05:00

I'm past the halfway point now! We find out the baby's gender in 3 days and I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas to get here! I have gotten a lot bigger since the last pictures I posted... still only really gaining weight in my belly though which is wonderful.

Recipe Swap: The BEST Broccoli Casserole

2009-09-18T01:37:00.007-05:00

1 sm. jar Cheez Wiz
2 frozen chopped broccoli squares; drained
1 c. Minute rice, uncooked
4 green onions
1 stick REAL butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in a sauce pan and cook onions until tender. Stir in Cheez Wiz, rice and broccoli. Pour mixture into casserole dish and bake uncovered, about 45 minutes or until the edges are brown and rice is tender.

This recipe makes the richest, yummiest broccoli casserole ever... substitute it for your regular recipe next time and try for yourself!

Linked to this week's Recipe Swap @ The Grocery Cart Challenge

Be sure to click "Home" at the top

and see what else is going on here!

17 1/2 Weeks Profile...

2009-09-17T00:28:00.000-05:00

Self portraits in my living room mirror... Samson wouldn't help me take them (see him laying there looking at me in pic #2) so I did the best I could myself!

No Fair...

2009-09-14T02:56:00.003-05:00

They should give "Warning:Tearjerker" signs at Postsecret. This week was sad :(

Quote Of The Day...

2009-09-11T00:47:00.000-05:00

“Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children. “

- President George W. Bush, November 11, 2001

Pregnancy Update...

2009-09-08T21:21:00.003-05:00

I go to the doctor for my 18th week check-up tomorrow, and then we have 4 weeks until the next appointment where we find out the gender and if everything looks okay with Baby Tharp. It feels like forever away.... why doesn't my doctor just do an extra sonogram tomorrow!? This is so frustrating.

Another Post I Loved...

2009-09-08T19:42:00.000-05:00

I Will Not Leave You- We Are THAT Family

Garbage Bag Blues (Works For Me Wednesday Tip!)

2009-09-02T11:50:00.001-05:00

If your husband is like mine and sometimes "forgets" to put a new garbage bag into the garbage can when he takes out the trash, just save yourself some headache and ask him to put 3-4 bags in at a time (you may need to do it for him the first time, and then hopefully he'll appreciate the gesture and keep it up!). As long as they stretch tightly over the sides, they will stay in place and then hubbies like mine won't get as tired of changing garbage bags (so maybe they'll "remember" more often). :)

That's what works for me!

IF YOU'VE STOPPED BY FROM WFMW, BE SURE TO CLICK "HOME" AT THE TOP AND CHECK OUT WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON HERE, AND VOTE IN MY POLL!

Linked at Works For Me Wednesday @ We Are That Family

Christian Blog Posts I Loved Today...

2009-08-27T10:12:00.001-05:00

WHY I BELIEVE - @ We Are THAT Family

THE POWER OF HUMILITY- @ Conversion Diary

APPROACHING ATHEISTS- @ Conversion Diary (she is a former atheist herself, blogging through her transformation)

If You'll Be In Jackson, MS...

2009-08-26T16:01:00.001-05:00

Plans are being finalized for the second annual Heather Spencer "Soulshine" Memorial Concert being held once again at Hal & Mal's in Jackson, MS on October 17th, 2009. They are now accepting donations for the silent auction items and donations of any kind. Musicians are being lined up as well and this years' event promises to be even bigger than last year. Make your plans now to attend and let's eradicate domestic violence from Mississippi!

For more info visit Heather's T.R.E.E.

Shredded Chicken, 24/7

2009-08-26T09:58:00.002-05:00

One of the most versatile foods in my opinion is chicken- shredded chicken breasts, that is. It works great in so many recipes. The only problem with shredded chicken is you have to boil it for nearly 2 hours, then let it cool, then pick out all of the gooey parts, and then shred it! It's a several hour process.

In order to have this high-preparation item available in a snap (thus allowing me to cook a larger variety of meals at a moment's notice), I buy large family packs of boneless, skinless breasts and boil them in a large stock pot all at once. Then, I shred all of the chicken at once and put it into 2 gallon size freezer bags. All you have to do to break it up is toss it against the counter, like you would a bag of ice.

Now I can reach in and grab a handful for a quick chicken wrap for lunch, grab a little more for a casserole, or pour in the whole bag for a pot of chicken and dumplins'!

Oh yeah- you also will want to freeze the broth from the chicken in quart size bags... this is basically free chicken broth, which is obviously better than buying any (and you really know what went into your own broth vs. canned!). My favorite part is when I want to make our favorite meal, chicken and dumplins', I just throw 2 bags of chicken broth, a bag of frozen chicken, and a few extra ingredients and I've got chicken and dumplins in a quarter of the time!

Having this chicken at my disposal helps me make nutritious meals more often instead of reverting to a frozen or ready-made boxed dinner when I'm in a hurry. I can whip up some delicious chicken quesadillas in 10 minutes, flat!

That's what works for me!

IF YOU'RE VISITING FROM WFMW, PLEASE CLICK "HOME" AT THE TOP AND CHECK OUT WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON HERE AND VOTE IN MY POLL!

Find the entire list of WFMW Tips at We Are That Family

Recipe Swap: BACON APPETIZER CRESCENTS

2009-08-21T23:08:00.000-05:00

Prep Time: 40 min. Bake Time: 12-15 min. @ 375

8 oz. cream cheese; softened

8 slices turkey bacon; fried crisp and crumbled

1/3 cup grated parmesan

1/4 cup finely chopped green onion

1 tsp. poppy seeds

1 tbsp. milk

2 cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Mix all ingredients except for crescent rolls in large bowl. Separate each can of dough into 4 rectangles; firmly pressing perforations together to seal. Spread each rectangle with 2 rounded tbsp. of the cream cheese mixture. Cut each rectangle into 6 wedges. Roll wedges, starting at short ends. Place seam-side down on greased baking sheet. Serve warm.

Check out all the recipes in The Recipe Swap @ The Grocery Cart Challenge (feeding a family of 6 for $60 a week!)

Try Not To Sound So Demanding, Dear...

2009-08-19T00:05:00.001-05:00

We constantly have little projects going on at our house that require my husband's attention. Instead of voicing the chores I need him to do for me around the house (which could eventually be seen as irritating when someone is always asking you to take on extra work... just think of your boss) I prefer to write them for him on a notepad in the kitchen. For whatever reason this comes off as much less demanding, especially when it's a "things needed for this week" instead of a "things you have to find time to do today" list!

That's what works for me (well, us!)

IF YOU'VE STOPPED BY FROM WFMW, BE SURE TO CLICK "HOME" AT THE TOP AND CHECK OUT WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON HERE AND VOTE IN MY POLL!

Linked at WFMW @ We Are That Family

The Story Behind The Picture, IV

2009-08-18T12:10:00.001-05:00

I can't BELIEVE I'm posting this one, but I deserve to be ashamed about it!

When I was a self-centered 14 year old, I was babysitting my 5 & 7 yr. old little brother and sister while my parents worked. My friend/neighbor called and asked me to go swimming at her house, and of course I wanted to go (but of course didn't want Rick and Rachel running around bugging me over there). So, I devised a plan...

I called my mom and asked if I could just lock Rick and Rachel in the laundry room, and yes I was serious! My logic was that the laundry room door locked from the outside, so they couldn't get out and they couldn't possibly hurt themselves in there. My mom was understandably furious, Rick and Rachel were understandably devastated and scared, and I am understandably very ashamed of my actions! But at the time? I couldn't believe my mom wouldn't let me go! Ahh, how times have changed... thank God!!!

Pregnancy Update- Sharing The Good News...

2009-08-16T02:55:00.003-05:00

Nothing new happened this week, so I will tell the story of how everyone found out about baby Tharp...

First of all, we were quite sure that I was not pregnant when we found out that I actually am- so the surprise almost knocked me off the toilet! The only reason I even took a second pregnancy test a week after taking the first one and getting a negative reading was because I was about to start my second round of Clomid (which can cause a miscarriage) and just decided oh heck, why not double-check.

I called Ben (my husband) at work and asked if he was coming home for lunch. He asked why, and I responded, "Because I'm pregnant" and he said excitedly, "I'm coming home now!"

At first we decided to wait until we got the first sonogram pictures, frame them, and give them to our parents as a wrapped gift to break the news. But do you realize how long we would've had to wait?! Okay, not that long, but too long for us. So, we told them the very next day.

We started telling all of our friends about a week after we found out we were expecting a baby. Several people scolded me for letting the cat out of the bag so early because of the increased risk of miscarriage in the first 12 weeks.....

However, I think that's ridiculous (it's okay if that's your choice, but ridiculous for someone to expect you to wait). My response back to them was- I know someone who miscarried at 5 months, so should I wait 5 months?? I know people who've had a stillbirth, so should I wait until I actually give birth to shout the news?? WHY would I wait to celebrate something that I am very excited over?! Just because something could potentially happen to the pregnancy tomorrow does not mean that I shouldn't be excited today.

We aren't promised anything, not even tomorrow.... so why withold our joys from the world for one more second? And no matter what happens, we'll have no regrets!

The Story Behind The Picture, III

2009-08-15T12:41:00.000-05:00

Explained towards the bottom of this list.

One More Reason to Breastfeed...

2009-08-14T20:51:00.000-05:00

Over at the Green Baby Guide is a post that gives new or expectant mothers one more reason to consider breastfeeding their child... besides helping shed baby weight, forming a bond with your baby, and providing the best nutrition for your baby without buying expensive formulas, now it also is known to decrease the risk of breast cancer! Read On!

Recipe Swap: CORN DIP

2009-08-14T16:29:00.002-05:00

This dip is easy to throw together, relatively cheap to prepare, and only dirties one dish! Great for a party... or just to munch on throughout the week!

2 cans mexicorn; drained
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
9 tbs. picante sauce
1 bag finely shredded sharp cheddar
Fritos Scoops

Mix all ingredients (except Fritos) into a large bowl and refrigerate 2 hours. Serve chilled, with Fritos Scoops.

Check out this week's recipes on the Recipe Swap @ The Grocery Cart Challenge (feeding a family of 6 for $60 a week!)

Kittens- Must See!

2009-08-14T10:48:00.004-05:00

No matter how many times I watch this little girl narrate her story, I still smile and laugh!

New Blog Poll...

2009-08-13T00:23:00.007-05:00

On top of the right sidebar is my new blog poll!!

If you've read any of my pregnancy updates (or even if you haven't and just want to make a blind guess) please vote for my baby's gender!! The poll closes right before we actually find out the gender, and I'll reveal it all then!

Blog Post of the Day....

2009-08-12T22:22:00.003-05:00

Check out Deep South Mom's Blog:

When Parenting Theories Backfire

Please share one of your recent noteworthy blog posts with me by linking to that specific post below.

Pregnancy Update...

2009-08-11T17:30:00.007-05:00

I had another check-up yesterday and everything went very well! I've gained 1 lb. since my last appointment 4 weeks ago, my blood pressure was normal, and the baby's heart rate was 156. We have to wait 8 weeks until we find out what we're having (that part sucked).

On the left sidebar towards the bottom is a section called Becca's Baby Info which has links to view what is going on developmentally with my baby (I'll keep it updated each week) and also links to my baby registries.

Confessions...

2009-08-11T07:46:00.019-05:00

I loved Katie's (at Sunshine & Bubblegum ) post on Confessions for one of her Friend Making Monday tasks, so I decided to do one myself!

Here are my confessions, and please feel free to post your own confession as a comment- I'd love to read them! Or if you do a confessions post on your site (even better), just link to it below by entering your corresponding blog post!

1. I am aware of the fact that things sometimes sound rude when they come out of my mouth even when I do not mean for them to at all, but I don't know how to fix it. I've tried for years, and still some people think I'm upset with them when I'm not! Luckily I have a few key people in my life who give me pointers on how to word things. ;)

2. I usually would not say this to their face, but when people I like are irresponsible with their pets in my opinion (let them run loose w/o a fence, let them reproduce, decide to get rid of a pet when it becomes an inconvenience, etc.) I can't help but think much, much less of them. I don't want to because I really liked them before, but now that fact always pops into my head when I see them.

3. I do not do as well as I should with keeping up with friends and family routinely. I want to stay updated on everyone's lives and I think about the people I love all the time. Sometimes though after talking on the phone at work all day I just silence my phone and don't make those personal phone calls that I should. :(

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Want to Win Free Stuff?

2009-08-11T00:01:00.006-05:00

Visit these blogs (all of which I adore) and enter the current contest they are running. Usually all you have to do is leave them a comment to enter!

Chocolate Covered Katie: Win a Spiralizer
We are THAT Family: Win a Hearts for Home Gift Pack
Wanna Be Suppah Mommy: Win a Taggie Blanket
Tip Junkie also has a long list of current giveaways: Giveaway List

I Never Saw It This Way, But...

2009-08-10T14:03:00.004-05:00

Check out Musing's blog post on

Terrifying Children's Songs

The Story Behind The Picture, II

2009-08-10T00:38:00.001-05:00

I already mentioned part of this picture here but I'll go into a little further detail. Sarah was my sidekick while we were growing up, and I usually convinced her to go along with bad ideas that came to mind. Two of these adventures were convincing her that something was safe when it actually was not.

Once, we were playing outside and found a dead bee (or at least he looked dead). Not really knowing the answer, I told Sarah that bees could not sting you when they are dead. She wanted to find out if I was lying (and little did she know that I just wanted her to touch its stinger so I could find out for myself!). She touched it, and yes they can still sting you. Poor Sarah.... she had so much faith in her evil big sister.

Another time I got a brilliant idea to play with my mom's 13 year old dog Gretchen in her doghouse. Gretchen was small and we probably thought of her as a puppy, but she was an old grumpy thing. I got a dog treat, gave it to Sarah and convinced her to go sit in Gretchen's doghouse. She called Gretchen over to the doghouse while waiving the treat out the door, but when Gretchen saw the child inside she started backing away. That's when I came to the rescue from behind the doghouse and starting pushing her back into it! The door was very narrow, so half of her body was inside and she could not turn around to bite me, so she bit Sarah instead! Several times!! Poor Sarah....

She has since forgiven me, and she even still loves me too.

Want To See Something CREEPY?

2009-08-09T22:35:00.004-05:00

I just have to share these wonderful "finds" from different bloggers that I like! I hope no parents have really bought this video for their kids.

Head over to my friend's blog Jackson Jambalaya and watch the video for as long as you can stand. It starts to get good at the 1:16 mark....

The Story Behind The Picture, I

2009-08-09T00:55:00.001-05:00

Please don't think ill of me after this post...

When Sarah and I were about 8-9 yrs. old we used to play with Rachel (who was around 2 yrs. old then) because she was up for anything her very cool older sisters suggested. One day one of us (probably me) got the wise idea to let her lay on a blanket and then we'd pick up the ends making a sort of hammock and swing her around the room in it. This was fun for all three of us for a little while, but for some reason we moved into the hallway. Apparently we weren't paying much attention because we accidentally swung her into the wall... hard. To make matters worse, instead of unwrapping our crying baby sister and seeing if she was okay we just froze, looked at each other, simultaneously dropped her and ran into our room! I guess we thought Mom wouldn't be able to figure it out..... but she did.

10 Common Household Items Poisonous To Pets

2009-08-09T00:17:00.001-05:00

Here's a condensed version of the list that I found here.

1. Chocolate- methylxantine found in chocolate can cause abnormal heartbeats, seizures, and death in dogs

2. Chewing Gum- sugarless gum containing xylitol is extremely toxic and often fatal to dogs

3. Grapes/Raisins- while some dogs can handle a few of them, some end up with acute renal failure in dogs

4. Potpourri- especially the hot scented kind can cause significant burns to a curious cat's mouth, nose, and esophagus

5. Lillies- these cause severe kidney failure in cats

6. Non-stick pans- can lead to teflon toxicity in the air and cause abrupt death in birds

7. Fertilizers- ingesting these can cause damage to the digestive tract and life-threatening gastrointestinal obstruction in dogs and cats

8. Lead paint- found in older homes, any type of exposure can lead to fatal lead poisioning for dogs and cats

9. Human medications- many of these are extremely harmful or fatal to household pets

10. Rodenticides- extremely fatal to pets, causing central nervous system failure or for them to bleed to death

Poor Chicky :(

2009-08-08T12:11:00.001-05:00

My brother Rick told me such a sad story a few days ago. He said he was on I-55 behind a chicken truck packed full of chickens stuffed inside small cages. Then he noticed what he thought to be a stuffed chicken hanging from the top of the truck. As he got a little closer, he realized it was a live escape chicken who was holding on for dear life with its feet and with its wings both raised up over its head as if yelling for help! He slowed down and stayed behind the truck, hoping to save the chicken somehow. It eventually gave out and fell off the truck, but by the time my brother could stop and try to catch it, the poor thing was already splattered all over the road :(

I'm sure all the chickens were on their way to be scalded alive or have their throats slit one after another, so maybe this particular chicken was lucky because hopefully he died instantly (which is better than his friend's fates). What made it even more upsetting for Rick is that he had just eaten a chicken wrap from McAlister's....

Quote of the Day...

2009-08-08T00:59:00.001-05:00

"My illness is due to my doctor's insistence that I drink milk, a whitish fluid they force down helpless babies." - W.C. Fields

Calling All Mothers (or anyone w/ relevant advice)

2009-08-07T23:59:00.004-05:00

The nursery is going to be right down the hallway from our bedroom... probably about 12 ft. between our doors. Most of the mothers that I know let their child sleep with them (either in the bed or in their own bed in the room) for at least the first few months to a year because it was either easier to get up w/ them through the night that way or they just liked to comfort of having their baby right there beside them. I think that I do not want our baby to sleep out of his/her crib even the first night, and rather just use several different monitors to keep an "eye" on things. I'm just afraid of having a child that is over a year old and can't sleep in their own bed, or that I'll like our child being in the bed so much that I won't want to kick them out (hey it's still hard for me to kick our dogs out of the bed... and they stopped being cute little puppies about 100 lbs. ago!).

What do you guys do/plan to do? Would you do it differently if you had it to do over again?

All of these have a story....

2009-08-07T16:34:00.009-05:00

These are pictures from a paintbrush-like Facebook application where people can create pictures to post on other people's walls. My siblings and I like to use them for inside jokes. In case they ever delete that application, I'm storing them all here. The pictures are pretty amusing, but the stories behind each of them are way better (some of which I've already shared on this blog I believe)....

Please Try To Help...

2009-08-07T10:38:00.007-05:00

I'm sad that more people haven't left my page to click the purple button at the Animal Rescue Site (look over to the right of my blog towards the top under the "Help A Stray" heading.... there it is)! This basically counts the number of visitors that clicked for the day which positively correlates with the amount of sponsorship money they receive, and at the bottom shows the daily total.... as of right now it says visitors have generated the value of 145,775 bowls of food. Everytime you read my blog, PLEASE take 2 seconds to visit that site. If you never read my blog again, you can still go to The Animal Rescue Site and click all on your own. Here's what the site says about how it works:

The Animal Rescue Site focuses the power of the Internet on a specific need — providing food for some of the 27 million unwanted animals given to shelters in the U.S. every year. Over 10 million animals are put to death every year in the U.S. alone because they are abandoned and unwanted.

Each click on the purple "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button at The Animal Rescue Site provides food and care for a rescued animal living in a shelter or sanctuary. Funding for food and care is paid by site sponsors and distributed to animals in need at the Fund for Animals' renowned animal sanctuaries (including Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Texas and the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in California), pet shelters supported by the Petfinder Foundation , North Shore Animal League , and other worthy animal care facilities supported by the GreaterGood.org foundation.

100% of sponsor advertising fees goes to our charitable partners.

Preggo Update

2009-08-03T08:44:00.002-05:00

Since I don't know what we're having yet, I can't do much clothes shopping. It was SO frustrating and I almost broke down and cried in the store because I am so freakin' ready to know what we're having!! Yesterday I was able to find some onesies that could be for either boy or girl (but I don't want a whole lot of that sort of thing) and since I couldn't do much clothes shopping, I decided to buy a whole lot of books. These books say ages 3-5ish, but it's one of the few things I can go ahead and buy so I bought quite a few of them! I plan on reading to my toddler as soon as he/she will pay the slightest bit of attention, and I taught my youngest sister Rachel to read by age 3, so who knows maybe it's not so ridiculous that I'm already buying books.

Quote of the Day...

2009-08-01T00:49:00.007-05:00

"The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, he will make a fool of himself too." -Samuel Butler

Posts I Liked Today...

2009-07-29T02:13:00.007-05:00

Dating Do's and Dont's

@ So About What I Said

10 Commandments For People Receiving Gov't Assistance

@ Casheroo

The Easier To Fool You With, My Dear...

2009-07-28T15:24:00.004-05:00

I recently learned that there are at least 3 MDOT bridge projects around the Hattiesburg area that were funded and started before last year's election, but recently had "Obama: Building The Future" signs posted on the construction site. Now, why would there be an expensive sign crediting Obama with these projects when he was not in office when they were started? Does he need to start advertising himself already when we don't have another election for 3 1/2 years?

Maybe he supported the money for such projects when he was a Senator? Maybe to boost the morale of the community by having them think our country is getting stronger? I don't know (but if you do, I'd be interested to find out).

What really bothers me about this is that these signs are known to cost a little over $1,000 each (maybe that's how the future is being built- by helping the guy out at the sign shop). If there are at least 3 of these in the small town I live in, how many are there out there altogether? How many tax dollars were spent on this whole idea? Is there not a better way to spend money when our country is in trouble??? When I see over $1k come out of my combined paychecks every month, I hope it would go towards military needs, education, food for a family etc. But now I can rest assured that maybe I paid for one of these pointless signs.

Final note- I am sure there are many people who drive by and think, "Oh look what our great President is doing for our country." But I drive by and think, "Oh shit, look how our President is spending my money." I want to add that I don't necessarily hate Obama at all; I want to respect our President. It wouldn't matter who the President was at the moment... seeing more and more examples of wasted tax dollars while our country is in jeopardy would disgust me the same!

Quote Of The Day...

2009-07-24T23:11:00.001-05:00

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
- John Quincy Adams

Today...

2009-07-20T23:16:00.005-05:00

- I woke up this morning and something just felt different. I can't really explain it. It was like I could actually feel that something is in my belly that wasn't there before. Today was the first day it's felt like that. Very cool.

- I bought 6 chairs for our dining room from Pier 1 - 2 red and 4 brown. Then I went to Kirkland's to find a picture to hang on the wall in there (they have a big sale on them now). I found 2 red chairs that match the dining room rug MUCH better, a huge framed picture, a mirror, and 2 wall sconces for the dining room all for the price of just the 2 chairs from Pier 1!!! Needless to say, I returned the red chairs to Pier 1! (Of course MY logic to Ben was that it's like I got all that decorative stuff for free! Lol! He says no, it just means I spent too much on those first two chairs.)

- I realized that Samson sleeps next to me not only to watch over me, but also because it makes him feel safe too. He had a nightmare and leapt into the bed with us to calm him down. So sweet!

- I got a call from someone who found out our baby names, and wants to give us 10 monogrammed boy outfits that her son is too big for now (he has the same initials as our potential son will).

Pregnancy Update....

2009-07-19T11:59:00.002-05:00

FOODS I LOVE THAT MAKE ME WANT TO GAG
-grilled chicken (even thinking about it makes me nauseated)
-pizza
-cheetos

PREGNANCY BOOKS I'M READING
-Skinny Bitch Bun In The Oven

Today...

2009-07-17T23:03:00.002-05:00

- I worked in the rain. My job consists of getting in and out of my car and walking into dealerships several times a day so I looked like a wet squirrel going to see my dealers.

- I test drove a Tahoe LTZ.... I think that is what I have decided on buying! Super excited.

- I wondered why the heck they even make non-acetone fingernail polish remover. All it does is make me mad. Compared to acetone fingernail polish remover, that stuff barely even works!

- I learned I was out of dishwashing detergent after I cooked dinner, so we had to eat bean and cheese burritos and side items w/ spoons.

- I was warned by a family member not to over-do it w/ food or I will be fat and have a hard time losing the pregnancy weight. She's right, and I am going to take her advice!

Baby Tharp

2009-07-13T20:57:00.002-05:00

Pregnancy Update....

2009-07-12T20:46:00.000-05:00

This week, the revealing of the baby names! I know you are all so excited.

We picked out baby names on our honeymoon for some reason, and we still like them almost 3 years later so we decided heck, why not keep them....

Boy: Terry Reid Tharp (will go by Reid; Terry is Ben's middle name)

Girl: Bayli Camille Tharp (will go by Bayli; I love old girl names, hope she doesn't mind!)

Bigger Relief Than Previously Thought...

2009-07-09T11:18:00.001-05:00

Just thinking about how grateful I am that we decided to pay off all of our debt besides the mortgage within the next few months since we have a baby due in February! Now I can get the SUV I need and afford daycare! We didn't feel an intense "need" to sell some things, cut eating out in half, etc. because we thought our lifestyle was comfortable, but when life changes (and it will change) things can look a lot brighter if you don't have credit card bills or large car payments.

I know that his show is aggravating, but Dave Ramsey's books are actually pretty great. His "snowball" plan is very simple and common sense, but he puts things into perspective very well in his books which makes it seem more important to become debt-free. If you're in debt, I suggest buying his book or just visiting one of the million websites (like this one) dedicated to encouraging others who are trying this system and explaining how it works.

(Partial) Quote of the Day...

2009-07-07T01:33:00.005-05:00

"You made me whole, and tore me apart. Your perception of life unsilenced my heart."

This was the last two lines of a poem I read in high school. It was published in a Teen Cosmo or something like that and one of my co-workers had torn it out of the magazine and put it in the front cover of her notebook. It's all I can remember, but I've remembered it for many years. I think the writer was referring to the first guy who ever actually made an impact on her, and I still like it.

Wow....

2009-07-07T01:20:00.005-05:00

This reminds of how not to prepare for family photos once our little bambino is here!

AOL News had a photo gallery of hilarious family photos, and two of them really stuck out to me... It's weeks later and I still pull them up almost every day to laugh at them! I've always thought that the common mistake of dressing everyone in the family alike at ALL purposely is terrible, but maybe I should relax... it could be worse!

Check out the dad in this one.... he is so happy! I bet he planned this whole thing.

Lyrical Quote of the Day.....

2009-07-06T06:52:00.001-05:00

This is how it works
You're young until you're not
You love until you don't
You try until you can't
You laugh until you cry
You cry until you laugh
And everyone must breathe
Until their dying breath

No, this is how it works
You peer inside yourself
You take the things you like
And try to love the things you took
And then you take that love you made
And stick it into some
Someone else's heart
Pumping someone else's blood
And walking arm in arm
You hope it don't get harmed
But even if it does
You'll just do it all again

-Regina Spektor
"On The Radio"

Pregnancy Update....

2009-07-05T09:28:00.006-05:00

Ok. I set a reminder to update my blog every Sunday with info on how my pregnancy is going. This is mostly for my family (maybe this way I'll quit getting so many questions- just kidding Mom), but feel free to read along!

CRAVINGS
-dill pickles
-nachos w/ jalapenos
-grilled cheese sandwich
-hamburger (resisted that one though.... I've been happily beef-free for over a year now and I'm not ruining it!)
- decaf semi-sweet tea
-chocolate soy ice cream
-fried chicken wraps w/ ranch dressing

NAUSEA
24/7 but no throw-up... yet.
I swear if I have to cook any meat this trimester I will though. Poor Ben.

DEPRESSION
One day was really bad.... Poor Ben.

HAPPINESS
More than ever!

STATS
Dr. hasn't confirmed yet but I think I am about 8 weeks and due the second week of February.

OTHER NEWS
I'm keeping a journal with details of all the excitement, questions, concerns, and developments about my pregnancy as well as love letters to my baby. Maybe it'll be cool for him/her one day if they take after me.... or maybe they'll think it's lame and never read it if they take after Ben! LOL!