What's Up Wednesday - January 2018

I can't even remember the last time I participated in What's up Wednesday...but these posts are always so fun, so here we go!!

What we're eating this week:

Tonight we are have a parent/teacher conference to talk about Ellie's kindergarten readiness so we're headed out to Red Robin for dinner afterwards.  Thursday is Steelhead (because it's so much better than salmon and Ellie eats the most out of all of us).  Friday I have to work and then we're all about the Pizza.  Saturday I have some Spaghetti (or other pasta) calling my name. Sunday is for Soup, I haven't decided which kind yet but here are some of my favorites: Cream of Carrot, West Virginia Governer's Stew, Cheeseburger Soup, and my very favorite chicken soup ever Colombian Chicken Soup.

What I'm reminiscing about:

6 years ago Thomas and I had our first HomeStudy visit scheduled for our Adoption.  I remember being so nervous and anxious about the whole process, it was totally worth it because Ellie is our biggest blessing and here we are 6 years later with two adorable daughters and our very first bio-babe on the way.  

What I'm loving:

Now that I am finally pregnant I actually get to look at maternity clothes with the intent of buying.  Sure my bump isn't that big yet and we're still 6 months from our due date but I went down the rabbit hole the other day looking for birthing robes/kimono's and I am completely obsessed with this one.

What we've been up to:

Last week Finnley and I headed to the East Coast with my dad to check out the Carolina's.  I ate all the good foods in Charleston (Callie's Hot Little Biscuit) and in Charlotte.  Finnley was an amazing girl the whole trip and I'm sure she had a great time.  Meanwhile, back home Ellie was living it up with Dada and Nanny (who came to watch her and take her to all her activities while I was away).

What I'm working on:

I signed up for the January Cure again this year to help me deep clean and declutter the house (this is the 3rd year I've done it and I love it so much).  So I've been working on my "homework" and crossing things off my big "to-do list".  My entryway has never been cleaner 😉.

What I'm excited about: 

I had my appointment with my Midwife today and got to hear the little babe's heartbeat again.  It's so nice to hear that and know that things are still going on in there, since I can't feel anything yet.  They were moving all around but she managed to locate the heartbeat and their heart rate is in the low 150's...tell me your guesses on the gender!!

What I'm watching:

We recently got rid of our cable and are solely streaming tv in our house.  I'm loving hulu, prime, netflix, and SlingTV.  So I'm watching all my favorite shows: Superstore, Big Bang Theory, This is Us, Fixer Upper, Call the Midwife, Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations and Reign.

What I'm wearing:

All the comfy clothes.  I've never been one too excited about tight waistbands and now as mine is expanding I need all the elastic I can get!! Leggings, Sweatpants, Joggers, Maternity Jeans, if it's stretchy then you can bet I'm wearing it 😊

What I'm doing this weekend:

We have big plans to go to the Children's Museum on Saturday and then hopefully on Sunday afternoon I can go bra shopping with my bestie because my girls are popping out of all of my bras 😆

What I'm looking forward to next month:

Thomas got me tickets to the Flower Show for Christmas and I can't wait for it to finally get here!! Flowers are my love language and I love all the inspiration I get going each year.  We also have some birthday parties to attend that should be super fun.  We are also heading back to the Happiest Place on Earth!!! yep we're making our annual February trip back to Disneyland and I can hardly contain my excitement! I cannot wait to get my mouth on a churro and corndog!!  Also I get to have another appointment with my Midwife and we get to find out the gender!!

Happy Last Day of January!!

♥ Ashley 

Our Christmas Holiday 2017

oops it's already the 2nd week of January and I'm just now recapping our Christmas...in my defense we had to postpone one of our Christmas celebrations to January 1st due to SNOW!!

We hosted Christmas Eve at our house with Thomas family (per usual) and we went Parsons traditional in the food dept. they grew up with Prime Rib, potatoes, a veg and bread.  This year due to my pregnant condition we had to cook the Prime Rib past its prime (which was appreciated by the kiddos and a handful of adults...) but with enough horseradish it tasted fine 😉.  We also made mashed potatoes (of the red variety) and boiled carrots with butter.  Thomas brother brought two loaves of his homemade sourdough bread that was the perfect accompaniment to the meal.  Additionally Thomas mom brought all the treats: linzer cookies, rice crispy treats, buckeyes, sugar cookies, peanut butter blossoms, and layer cookie bars.

Unfortunately not all of the family was able to make it due to sickness (the dreaded HFMD) but we made due with them via dinner and presents via FaceTime...what would we do without technology these days??  We had a great time eating, visiting and then opening the obscene amount of presents.  The kiddos all had a great time but my favorite part was after Ellie opened her first present she was so confused why I told her to open another, she exclaimed "but I already opened my present!" after some coaxing and explaining she realized that there was more than one present for her.  It was so incredibly precious and she loved every single present she opened.  She was so excited for each one and told the giver that it was what she had always hoped and wished for! I wish I could be that gracious of a receiver!!

One of the most exciting things that happened on Christmas Eve was that it started Snowing...and if you know the PNW it's very rare for us to get a white Christmas, let alone an actual one where the snow falls on Christmas Eve!! It was a happy surprise and the kids absolutely enjoyed it...thank goodness for Papa who was willing to brave the snow with all the kids!

Once everyone left we set out Milk and Cookies for Santa...and Finnley had to make sure that the treats tasted A-Okay for Santa, Ellie was a bit upset 😂.

Christmas morning was slow and the girls slept in til nearly 7am! Unheard of from our early 5am risers.  We opened our stockings and presents and then I finished up cinnamon rolls, (I had made the dough the day before) and when they came out of the oven they were simply heaven.  I'm still dreaming of them and can't wait to make them again.  We went on a walk around our neighborhood in the snow, followed the footprints of our neighborhood coyote, and built a snowman which Ellie immediately knocked down.

Originally my family was supposed to join us for Christmas Day festivities but with the snow and another sick household, we decided to postpone it for the following week.  So our little family of Four got to spend the whole day together at home with no plans.  We did go out to Starbucks and a drive around town to see if anything was open (mainly a Chinese/Asian restaurant) and when we saw black storefront after black restaurant we made our way back home to enjoy all that we have.

Finally January 1st came along and we hosted Christmas with my family.  We had Ham (which everyone was surprised - since I have proclaimed my disdain for ham since forever) cheesey cornflake pototoes, a salad and biscuits.  The food was great, Ellie and the rest ate copious amounts of ham, while I ate my dutiful single bite 😉 (have no fear I filled up on appetizers and practically all the potatoes) the cousins all loved hanging out with each other.  Ellie and the second oldest cousin spent most of the gathering watching her kindle in her bed - so freaking cute.  Opening presents was a bit of a mayhem but it was so fun to see the excitement of the kiddos.  This time however, Ellie kept asking where her next present was...oh well.

It was such a fun Holiday Celebration and I can't believe it was the last one we will celebrate as a family of Four!!

Happy New Year y'all.

♥ Ashley

The Monthly Bumpdate - weeks 9-12

Y'all I can't even express how awesome it is that I get to post yet again about my pregnancy!! It's an infertility fighters dream I tell ya!!

We are basically out of the First Trimester and have less than 27 weeks to go!  Thankfully I haven't had nausea that bad...I attribute that to my lack of sense of smell 😉 I guess that finally came in handy for something.  I'm rocking some seriously ridiculous grandma hair with mass amounts of grey growout and I'm dreaming of going back to my monthly massages because I've got a knot the size of Texas in my shoulder.  I finally graduated from my RE's office and am seeing a Midwife!  I looked into Centering Pregnancy and was highly considering it until I learned that my Midwife wouldn't be leading my group...so I'll just stick to individual appointments with her.  I also finished up my Progesterone and it's been so nice eliminating 2 of my daily alarms (7:30a/7:30p) and just having to take my thyroid meds daily at 5:00am 😳.

Ellie is constantly asking me to "see the baby" and by that she means to look at my belly.  When she gives it kisses, Finnley has to make sure she gets in on it too...though I'm pretty sure she is clueless as to whats going on there.  Regardless we are all just in disbelief that this is actually happening and incredibly happy and thankful that it is!

Size: a lime or prune

Gender: who knows but this week I'm thinking boy

Symptoms: crazy tired and a lingering headache since December 29th (its been off and on...mostly off the past few days)

Cravings: give me all the pasta!! Spaghetti especially but I won't say no to cheese tortellini...and meat!!

Mood: I'd say I'm pretty moody and can lose my cool rather quickly but then I am also pretty emotional and can cry at just about anything.

Sleep: horrible, I can't seem to get comfortable and keep waking up with knots in my neck and shoulders...also I have to pee at least once a night.

Rings: on and just as loose as usual

Belly: I know that it's going to get way bigger but there is definitely something there and I couldn't love it more.  I've gained at least 8 lbs so far (thanks to all the pasta 😉)  and while I have no problem with my pants getting tighter (h e l l o leggings!!) seeing that number go back up on the scale after working for 18 months to get it down is kind of hard to swallow - but I'll get over that too!

Next Appointment: Jan 31, and I can't wait to hear the heartbeat again!! I met with my Midwife a couple days after Christmas and we weren't able to locate the heartbeat but I know for sure we will at the next appointment.

Until next Month!!

Last Month

♥ Ashley