The Good Life

Happy Halloween! You have probably heard this phrase a lot today, but the actual “holiday” we celebrate as Halloween, originated as All Hallows’ Evening (better known as All Hallows’ Eve).   All Hallows’ Eve is thought to have pagan roots, linked to the Celtic festival Samhain, which comes from the Old Irish for “summer’s end”. Samhain was the first (and most important) of the four quarter days in the Gaelic calendar and was held on October 31 st or November 1 st . Samhain was thought to be the time when a door was opened to our world that allowed souls of the dead and other beings (fairies) to enter. In parts of Ireland and Scottish Highlands, turnip lanterns, sometimes with carved faces, were made on Samhain in the 19 th century. These were used to light the way while outside on a dark Samhain night but also have been used to represent the spirits and fairies and/or protect a person from them.   Halloween is thought to be influenced by Christians who celebrate ...

On Saturday, I had my first pre-natal massage. Matt - with the help of my sister - planned 65 minutes of pure relaxation for me (followed by a pedicure). My sister got a new hairdo while I enjoyed a few hours of “heaven” at Savvy Salon and Day Spa . I didn’t realize how much pressure this little guy has been putting on my back, legs, feet (and everything else), so the massage was a welcomed gift! At 31 weeks, Colton continues to let me know he’s growing. His kicks are stronger and more frequent and my belly is getting bigger and bigger. I think I even feel (and see) him flip over from time to time. This week he’s about the size of a pineapple, weighing almost 4 pounds. According to studies - at this point - all 5 of his senses are fully developed and his brain continues to grow. I’m glad his brain is growing, because I feel like I’m losing mine. I have a full understanding of the term “pregnancy brain” (even if it isn’t a proven physical ailment). Besides feeling more out of b...

Once upon a time – back in my late high school and early college years – I couldn’t go one single day without a Coca-Cola ® Classic. If I didn’t drink a Coke ® , we (me and anybody around me) had major problems. I would consider it an addiction. I finally decided to cut my addiction with Coke ® and it was a horrible 2 weeks. I had headaches and I physically felt sick all over (I can’t imagine trying to come off an addiction to drugs, alcohol or nicotine, so big kudos to those of you who have been there/done that)! I gradually started substituting Sweet Tea for Coke ® , and the only thing this accomplished was getting rid of the carbonation from my diet. I was still taking in about the same amount of caffeine and sugar. It wasn’t until I moved to Atlantic City for a few months, that I dropped my caffeine “habit” completely. Over the years, I have added caffeine back to my diet, though not on a daily basis. I love Sweet Tea and I was hooked on Monster ® energy drinks (especially...

By week 30, there are a lot of items checked off of our “before baby to do list”. However, there is still a lot of “checking off” left to do. One of the major items on the list is preparing the birth plan! One of the most common questions that people have been asking me is, “so, are you having an epidural or not?” and my answer is “no epidural”. The reactions vary from person to person, but mostly I hear “are you crazy?”, “why would you want to do that?” or “so you’re wanting to be a tough girl, huh?”. Am I crazy? Yes, I’m crazy (but it’s not because I don’t want to have an epidural). I’ve done a lot of research, prayed for guidance, discussed the options with my husband and my doctor and talked to many Mommies who have gone with the natural childbirth option, so to me, the answers to these questions are simple. “Why would you want to do that?”. I am choosing natural childbirth for many reasons. Most natural childbirth techniques are not invasive so there’s very little potential ...

I made it to week 30 with – thankfully – no complications! As each week passes, we grow closer and closer to the day we get to meet our baby boy.   I’m learning so much each day and I feel like there’s so much more to learn. I had my bi-weekly doctor’s appointment this morning and I – and Colton – got a great report. His heartbeat is strong and healthy and he’s actually measuring a little bigger than what my “due date” says. We might be looking at a Christmas baby instead of a New Year baby! At 30 weeks, Colton is packing on his weight and starting to control his own body temperature (and mine). I’m so thankful he’s a winter baby because I have my own, personal, internal heater! I’m starting to experience – the most common and annoying pregnancy ailment – heartburn. Luckily, it comes rarely and leaves quickly, but I’m sure it will get worse in the next few weeks. I feel like our little guy is going to be a boxer – he punches and kicks me most of the day and – quite honestly – I...

I hosted my PartyLite ® starter show on Friday night, and what a great turn out! I was pleased to meet my new advisor – I love her – and spend the evening with some wonderful friends and family. I even got to meet a new face. Because of my outside and online orders - plus the orders gathered at the show - I was able to meet my quota and obtain my kit. I’m now officially a PartyLite® consultant and I’m up and running. I truly believe that the best way to introduce somebody to PartyLite ® is by getting them to host a home show. By hosting, you get to see the products, smell the samples and collect hostess rewards shopping bucks (along with visiting with friends and family). Each month, PartyLite ® offers new hostess (and guest) specials. So it’s never a bad time to throw a party. Catalog show or home show? It’s totally up to you. If you’re the type of person who loves to entertain, I would say the home show is just for you! If you want to reap the hostess rewards but don’t want...

Between keeping up with what week I am in my pregnancy (week 29), what week it is in fantasy football (week 7) and what week it is at work (week 42) - I feel confused a majority of the time! I am guessing that confusion is going to be a big part of my life from here on, and - honestly - I'm okay with that! This week has been an absolute blur, it went by so fast. I guess it seemed to pass by quicker than normal due to the fact that I was playing "catch up" from the weekend. Since we took our trip to Indiana last weekend, I spent Monday and Tuesday of this week (after work of course) cleaning, doing laundry, un-packing and trying to stay caught up on what is happening on the Voice ( www.nbc.com/the-voice ). On Wednesday, Matt took me out to dinner after work - I was "craving" Mexican food - and it hit the spot! Thursday was a full day of work followed by clogging classes and a stop by the grocery store to stock up on goodies for my PartyLite® show tonight. ...

I have always been a pretty active person. Between dancing, sports and other activities, I haven't had to stop and think about making myself exercise. Now that I'm older and I have an 8 to 5 "desk job" it's becoming more and more critical that I find time to fit in a little exercise. Before I got pregnant, I made exercise a part of my daily routine. After work I would either jog a few miles on the treadmill or go for 30-45 minutes on the elliptical. Now that I am pregnant, it's just as important (if not more) for me to exercise daily. With the added weight from the baby and the constant tiredness, I have - quiet honestly - become lazy. Everything I do is more difficult, therefore the motivation is lacking. I have found that when I do exercise, I have more energy and sleep better, so it seems like a no-brainer to just exercise. But, my lazy bones win out more times than not! Now that I'm in the final stage of my pregnancy, I've noticed that my leg...

Early in my first trimester, I was presented with the famous question “what are you craving?”. The only thing I could say that was close to a craving was cantaloupe (and I don’t know that I would even classify that as a craving). I have always loved that particular fruit (however, I did eat about one a day for the first few weeks of my pregnancy, so maybe it was a craving). As my second trimester came and went, I still didn’t feel like there was any certain food that sounded better than the other or that I was eating one dish repetitively. I have done pretty well in keeping a good variety of fruits, veggies, meat and chocolate in my diet!   The problem wasn’t that one particular food tasted good, it was that ALL food started tasting good! What is the cause of cravings? Of course I already know that I have a human being who is sucking out my nutrients on a minute to minute basis and my hormones are going crazy, but I know there’s more to it than that. So, out of cur...

This past weekend, Matt and I traveled to Indiana for my first baby shower. Matt’s family planned a beautiful brunch on Saturday and with the fall weather, delicious food and wonderful fellowship with friends and family, we were showered in love… The shower was held in the town of Lewisville at Houston Brick. The “home” to William and Fannie Lybrook Houston, was built in 1845 and it was the first brick building in Lewisville. It’s a beautiful building and full of history. The building has been used for the purpose of a home, inn, vulcanizing shop, restaurant, merchant shop and then became a vacant “eye sore”. The town of Lewisville purchased the building in 1995 and applied for a grant for historic restoration, and the first lady – Judy O’Bannon – dedicated the Houston Brick on February 10, 2000. The restoration took about five years to complete.   The building now houses the Lewisville Community Center, Utility Office and Community Library. The center is available for club...

Bond...James Bond. Almost everybody has heard these words at some point in their life, and maybe that's because James Bond - in the movies - has been around for 50 years. Writer Ian Fleming actually published the first James Bond book - Casino Royale - back in 1953 but the first Bond movie - Dr. No - was released in 1962. Many actors have played the 007 agent and Bond is well known for his guns, gadgets and women but probably best known for his cars. The Washington Post listed the top 10 James Bond cars (you can visit http://www.washingtonpost.com/cars/celebrate-50-years-of-james-bond-with-this-list-of-the-10-best-bond-cars/2012/10/09/54965bc6-1202-11e2-9a39-1f5a7f6fe945_story.html  for the full article) and the top 10 cars were... 10. BMW Z3 9. T-55M5 Russian Tank 8. Ford Mustang Mach 1 7. Toyota 2000GT Covertible 6. Aston Martin DBS (my personal favorite Bond car) 5. BMW 75oiL 4. Rolls-Royce Phantom III 3. Aston Martin V12 Vanquish 2. Lotus Esprit S1 1. Aston Mar...

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Most people know what breast cancer is, but sometimes forget the significant role it plays in many lives. The reason for Breast Cancer Awareness Month is to increase awareness of the disease and to help encourage individuals to make a plan for early detection. What is Breast Cancer? It’s a group of cancer cells – a malignant tumor – that starts in the cells of the breast.   Cells are the building blocks that make up tissue, and cancer begins in these cells. Tissue is found in our breasts and other parts of the body. Sometimes, cell growth doesn’t happen as it should – new cells can form when the body doesn’t need them or old cells do not die like they should. When this happens, the build-up of cells forms a mass of tissue. We call this mass a lump, growth or tumor. When malignant tumors develop in the breast, this causes breast cancer. Blood vessels branch out into tissues throughout our bodies and cells can spread by breaking away from...

In a previous post, I talked about communicating with men, and I said that I would leave communicating with women for another day. Well, today is another day! Because marriage takes work, I’m always looking for helpful information in regards to better communication between a husband and a wife – or men and women in general – and I’m always trying to better myself as a communicator. Just because a person may talk a lot, does not make them good at communicating. Ron Edmondson’s website is full of helpful information – food for thought – when it comes to communication. I refer to his website http://www.ronedmondson.com/2011/07/5-tips-when-communicating-with-women.html for 5 Tips when Communicating with Women. I feel like understanding myself as a women is just as important as understanding my husband. Ron (obviously) is not a woman, but he is a follower of Christ, he does have a degree in counseling and he does have a wife of his own, so I find his points pretty much on target – a...