Happy Halloween from all four of us here in the Undercoffer household! :)
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Day 12: What I Believe
Day 12: What I Believe
There are lots of things I am strongly convicted towards, some religious, some not. This is a really interesting question and I'm looking forward to reading other people's answers!
I Believe...
in my Christian religion and my relationship with the Holy Father.
that my family is necessary to my survival.
that dance is the hidden language of the soul.
in the abilities of children.
that the soul of a person is good, but can be chipped away to bad over time.
that everyone deserves a second change, but not necessarily a third.
that insults and cussing are for the weak tongued. Express your feelings with real words.
in the fight against CANCER!
along those lines, that the Relay for Life will change your life.
in angels on Earth. <3
in allowing people to be their genuine self and not judge them.
that women can do anything men can do.
that my children are a gift.
in good manners and being polite at all times.
in the power of prayer, specifically the prayer that never fails: "Thy Will Be Done!"
that fun is an essential part of your day.
in coffee. :)
that taking the high road is the only road, no matter how hard it is. Complain to your husband or your mama, but keep the drama at home! It's awfully hard to be misquoted if you don't say anything at all. Smile, nod, wish people well and fume on the inside. The high road leads to calm pastures, I promise!
that going to church helps ease your soul.
in singing loudly in the car.
that Dave should take me out to dinner tonight. haha!
that being pregnant yields a wonderful gift but it isn't necessarily enjoyable.
that motherhood is not a competition and people should STOP comparing and judging decisions, like breastfeeding, vaccinating and homeschooling. Get over it and raise your own kids!!
the Steelers will make the Superbowl this year!
that my daughter is cuter, smarter and sweeter than yours. If you don't believe this about your own kid, you're nuts!! Every mother should feel this way. :)
that I will never be a good housekeeper, but I can clean up quick when someone is coming to visit.
that Christmas time is a magical time and snow changes things.
that my Grammie Bonnie is really proud of me from heaven. <3
Happy Friday, friends. :)
There are lots of things I am strongly convicted towards, some religious, some not. This is a really interesting question and I'm looking forward to reading other people's answers!
in my Christian religion and my relationship with the Holy Father.
that my family is necessary to my survival.
that dance is the hidden language of the soul.
in the abilities of children.
that the soul of a person is good, but can be chipped away to bad over time.
that everyone deserves a second change, but not necessarily a third.
that insults and cussing are for the weak tongued. Express your feelings with real words.
in the fight against CANCER!
along those lines, that the Relay for Life will change your life.
in angels on Earth. <3
in allowing people to be their genuine self and not judge them.
that women can do anything men can do.
that my children are a gift.
in good manners and being polite at all times.
in the power of prayer, specifically the prayer that never fails: "Thy Will Be Done!"
that fun is an essential part of your day.
in coffee. :)
that taking the high road is the only road, no matter how hard it is. Complain to your husband or your mama, but keep the drama at home! It's awfully hard to be misquoted if you don't say anything at all. Smile, nod, wish people well and fume on the inside. The high road leads to calm pastures, I promise!
that going to church helps ease your soul.
in singing loudly in the car.
that Dave should take me out to dinner tonight. haha!
that being pregnant yields a wonderful gift but it isn't necessarily enjoyable.
that motherhood is not a competition and people should STOP comparing and judging decisions, like breastfeeding, vaccinating and homeschooling. Get over it and raise your own kids!!
the Steelers will make the Superbowl this year!
that my daughter is cuter, smarter and sweeter than yours. If you don't believe this about your own kid, you're nuts!! Every mother should feel this way. :)
that I will never be a good housekeeper, but I can clean up quick when someone is coming to visit.
that Christmas time is a magical time and snow changes things.
that my Grammie Bonnie is really proud of me from heaven. <3
Happy Friday, friends. :)
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Days 10 and 11
Yep, another double post. Get used to it. haha I'm scheduled for my c-section Monday, so posts will be few and far between next week...but for GREAT reason!! :)
Day 10: Something of which you are Afraid.
Hmmm...this is kind of embarrassing for me. I'm afraid of a few things, the first and foremost being farm animals, mainly horses. (Do NOT laugh at me! hahahaha) I have a huge fear of being trampled to death by a huge horse or bull or something. Ridiculous, I know. I do think horses are beautiful to watch from a far but I will never ride one. No way.
I'm also afraid of being stopped on train tracks and my car getting hit by a train. You might think this fear is irrational, BUT! A few months ago, I was driving through a town near by and didn't know their Rail Road crossing signs and lights were broken. (Who would know?!) And literally, 30 seconds after I go over the tracks, I hear the whistle and see the lights of a train heading down the tracks. I almost peed myself!! Thankfully, no one was caught off guard and the train started blowing it's whistle very early to warn people but it scared me beyond belief.
I'm scared of weird things. Holy moly. haha
Day 11: Favorite TV Shows
This is a good one for me! Dave and I love to hang out in the evenings and watch our shows, especially on the DVR.
Gilmore Girls (Hence why my daughter is named RORY!)
The Office
Top Chef
Law and Order: SVU
So You Think You Can Dance?
Psych
Sunday/Monday Football
gLee
Monk (Even though it's over, we love the reruns)
19 Kids and Counting
Hawthorne
The Closer
Diners, Drive-ins and Dives
Best Thing I Ever Ate
Extreme Makeover-Home Edition
Okay that seems like a huge list, but there are lots of season shows on there. Also, 90% of our shows we record on the DVR and I end up watching during my sleepless nights. Being pregnant does that to you. (haha) In fact, I have 15 episodes of Gilmore Girls saved up on the DVR, which will be up to 20 by the end of the weekend, for those first weeks of no sleep when Trace gets here. It's all gooooood. :)
Day 10: Something of which you are Afraid.
Hmmm...this is kind of embarrassing for me. I'm afraid of a few things, the first and foremost being farm animals, mainly horses. (Do NOT laugh at me! hahahaha) I have a huge fear of being trampled to death by a huge horse or bull or something. Ridiculous, I know. I do think horses are beautiful to watch from a far but I will never ride one. No way.
I'm also afraid of being stopped on train tracks and my car getting hit by a train. You might think this fear is irrational, BUT! A few months ago, I was driving through a town near by and didn't know their Rail Road crossing signs and lights were broken. (Who would know?!) And literally, 30 seconds after I go over the tracks, I hear the whistle and see the lights of a train heading down the tracks. I almost peed myself!! Thankfully, no one was caught off guard and the train started blowing it's whistle very early to warn people but it scared me beyond belief.
I'm scared of weird things. Holy moly. haha
Day 11: Favorite TV Shows
This is a good one for me! Dave and I love to hang out in the evenings and watch our shows, especially on the DVR.
Gilmore Girls (Hence why my daughter is named RORY!)
The Office
Top Chef
Law and Order: SVU
So You Think You Can Dance?
Psych
Sunday/Monday Football
gLee
Monk (Even though it's over, we love the reruns)
19 Kids and Counting
Hawthorne
The Closer
Diners, Drive-ins and Dives
Best Thing I Ever Ate
Extreme Makeover-Home Edition
Okay that seems like a huge list, but there are lots of season shows on there. Also, 90% of our shows we record on the DVR and I end up watching during my sleepless nights. Being pregnant does that to you. (haha) In fact, I have 15 episodes of Gilmore Girls saved up on the DVR, which will be up to 20 by the end of the weekend, for those first weeks of no sleep when Trace gets here. It's all gooooood. :)
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Day 8 and 9
30 Day Blog Challenge: Days 8 and 9!
Again, I'm behind. :( I always seem to be a day late and a dollar short lately, as my Grammie Bonnie would have said if she was still here with us. She was an awesome woman. :)
Let's get this show on the road! Rory is still mysteriously asleep so I should really take advantage of it! :)
Day 8: Somewhere You've Traveled
I am very blessed in the travel department. VERY Blessed, and I know it. I am thankful for it too, let me just tell you! My parents headed up a Christian Ministry from when I was in 5th grade through graduation of high school. We traveled the country and the lower bits of Canada with my mom's one woman musical called "Mary." Every weekend we would pack up the van on Friday and Saturday nights and visit churches, some big and some small, and present her beautiful piece of work. In the summers, we would take longer trips, a week or two (one time 6 weeks long!) and drive across the country. It was hard, sometimes boring, always interesting and the best bonding experience you can imagine.
This being said, I've been to 47 of the 50 states. I am missing only Hawaii, Alaska and North Dakota. I also spent a month in Russia in 10th grade as part of an American-Russian Student Exchange. Now THAT was eye opening!
My favorite place though?
This is my happy place. Disney holds some of my best memories from the last 25 years. My parents took us to WDW tons of times growing up, my brother worked there for a few years and this February I took Dave for this first trip. We're going back in March for a day or two and next Spring, my competitive dance team will be PERFORMING in the MAGIC KINGDOM!! :)
Day 9: A Picture of Your Friends
This is a weird question for me. I'm in a strange place in my life. Most of the girls I was friends with in high school are not at the same point in their life. I'm married and have been for 4 years, I have (basically) 2 kids and own a business. That's a whole lot of responsibility for a 25 year old. (Please don't read this as being negative towards my HS friends, it's not at all!! I'm just explaining the situation.) I'm not able to go out on the weekends, I don't like that scene anymore. So that has kind of put a rift in between our friendships because they don't want to sit around and watching Rory chew on a board book and play with the dog and I don't feel up to the bar scene anymore. :) I really don't have a lot of "in the moment" friends. I have several friends that I know, no matter what or when in our lives, we'll always be there for each other, but as far as friends right here right now? Not that many! But that will change as the kids get older and I get older.
She's my best friend and I love her more than life itself. With her, her dad and the little one appearing on Monday...I'm good. :)
I'm also pretty partial to my family. My sister and I talk every day (a lot hehe). My mom still "takes care" of me, bringing me snacks and drinks to the studio every day because she worries about me. :) I see my cousins Con and Kaari at least 5 days a week and my Aunt Barb almost as much. My extended family is beyond supportive, always there if I need to talk or pray about something.
(For some reason I don't have a nice family picture on my computer?! Sorry!)
I've also got some awesome sorority sisters scattered across the country. Kappa Kappa Gamma gave me some of my best memories ever. I love my sisters and I wish I Could see them more!
I've got a couple friends from high school that I still consider to be the best. You know who you are and I love youuuuuuuuuuuu!
I need pictures of people other than Rory on my computer, I think. :)
Have a great Tuesday!
Again, I'm behind. :( I always seem to be a day late and a dollar short lately, as my Grammie Bonnie would have said if she was still here with us. She was an awesome woman. :)
Let's get this show on the road! Rory is still mysteriously asleep so I should really take advantage of it! :)
Day 8: Somewhere You've Traveled
I am very blessed in the travel department. VERY Blessed, and I know it. I am thankful for it too, let me just tell you! My parents headed up a Christian Ministry from when I was in 5th grade through graduation of high school. We traveled the country and the lower bits of Canada with my mom's one woman musical called "Mary." Every weekend we would pack up the van on Friday and Saturday nights and visit churches, some big and some small, and present her beautiful piece of work. In the summers, we would take longer trips, a week or two (one time 6 weeks long!) and drive across the country. It was hard, sometimes boring, always interesting and the best bonding experience you can imagine.
This being said, I've been to 47 of the 50 states. I am missing only Hawaii, Alaska and North Dakota. I also spent a month in Russia in 10th grade as part of an American-Russian Student Exchange. Now THAT was eye opening!
My favorite place though?
This is my happy place. Disney holds some of my best memories from the last 25 years. My parents took us to WDW tons of times growing up, my brother worked there for a few years and this February I took Dave for this first trip. We're going back in March for a day or two and next Spring, my competitive dance team will be PERFORMING in the MAGIC KINGDOM!! :)
Day 9: A Picture of Your Friends
This is a weird question for me. I'm in a strange place in my life. Most of the girls I was friends with in high school are not at the same point in their life. I'm married and have been for 4 years, I have (basically) 2 kids and own a business. That's a whole lot of responsibility for a 25 year old. (Please don't read this as being negative towards my HS friends, it's not at all!! I'm just explaining the situation.) I'm not able to go out on the weekends, I don't like that scene anymore. So that has kind of put a rift in between our friendships because they don't want to sit around and watching Rory chew on a board book and play with the dog and I don't feel up to the bar scene anymore. :) I really don't have a lot of "in the moment" friends. I have several friends that I know, no matter what or when in our lives, we'll always be there for each other, but as far as friends right here right now? Not that many! But that will change as the kids get older and I get older.
She's my best friend and I love her more than life itself. With her, her dad and the little one appearing on Monday...I'm good. :)
I'm also pretty partial to my family. My sister and I talk every day (a lot hehe). My mom still "takes care" of me, bringing me snacks and drinks to the studio every day because she worries about me. :) I see my cousins Con and Kaari at least 5 days a week and my Aunt Barb almost as much. My extended family is beyond supportive, always there if I need to talk or pray about something.
(For some reason I don't have a nice family picture on my computer?! Sorry!)
I've also got some awesome sorority sisters scattered across the country. Kappa Kappa Gamma gave me some of my best memories ever. I love my sisters and I wish I Could see them more!
I've got a couple friends from high school that I still consider to be the best. You know who you are and I love youuuuuuuuuuuu!
I need pictures of people other than Rory on my computer, I think. :)
Have a great Tuesday!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 6 and 7
I'm not doing so hot at getting these up on each day, but I'm trying I swear! Yesterday we were at a wedding all afternoon/evening and I felt pretty crummy by the time we got home. So I'll catch up with Day 6 and post Day 7 on the actual Day 7. Ho-hum, this is my life. :)
Day 6: A picture that makes you smile
I'm going to take it back a long time for this picture. It's been 8 years (!!) since it was taken...
That's me and Andy Blankenbeuhler! If you watch So You Think You Can Dance, you might know him. He's a pretty famous choreographer these days on Broadway. He won the Tony for Best Choreography for "In the Heights" 2 years ago. Andy was my teacher for a summer theatre dance intensive I did in New York in high school. It was a life changing, expanding, humbling, encouraging, scary, solidifying week.
Day 7: Favorite Movies
OHHH I love my movies! They are mostly girly, chick flicks but I still love them.
My Top 10 Movies
1. Little Women
2. You've Got Mail
3. The Devil Wears Prada
4. Dead Poet's Society
5. Night at the Museum 1 and 2
6. Sex and the City
7. Two Weeks Notice
8. 27 Dresses
9. Harry Potter 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6. (Notice the absence of #3. AWFUL!)
10. Any and all Disney/Pixar movies except Wall-E. :)
Join in!
Day 6: A picture that makes you smile
I'm going to take it back a long time for this picture. It's been 8 years (!!) since it was taken...
That's me and Andy Blankenbeuhler! If you watch So You Think You Can Dance, you might know him. He's a pretty famous choreographer these days on Broadway. He won the Tony for Best Choreography for "In the Heights" 2 years ago. Andy was my teacher for a summer theatre dance intensive I did in New York in high school. It was a life changing, expanding, humbling, encouraging, scary, solidifying week.
Day 7: Favorite Movies
OHHH I love my movies! They are mostly girly, chick flicks but I still love them.
1. Little Women
2. You've Got Mail
3. The Devil Wears Prada
4. Dead Poet's Society
5. Night at the Museum 1 and 2
6. Sex and the City
7. Two Weeks Notice
8. 27 Dresses
9. Harry Potter 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6. (Notice the absence of #3. AWFUL!)
10. Any and all Disney/Pixar movies except Wall-E. :)
Join in!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Day 4 and 5: Parents and Siblings
Day 4 of the 30 Day Blog Challenge...late again. :) Today's topics: Parents
I know you think your parents are the best, but let me just tell you. Mine are! Mine win! My dad, who just turned 60 on Tuesday, is a strong, caring, hilarious man. My mom is one of the kindest souls you will ever meet. My parents draw people in and make them feel comfortable. They are also super talented and dedicated to our church. When we were growing up, I would never have called them strict. BUT! They set plenty of rules and expected us to follow them. For the most part, we did.(Perhaps myself more than Chelsea?! haha Kidding!) The rules were always reasonable and based on the situation, not just blanket expectations. I really respected that philosophy from my parents. (Thankfully Dave's parents had a similar view, so for parenting Rory and Trace we start on the same page! :))
My parents are, in short, people I really look up to and aspire to be like. I hope I can be as wonderful to Rory and Trace as they are to me. :)
Day 5: Siblings
Before I begin, I have 2 half brothers from my dad's first marriage. Growing up, things were fine. Now they have very little to do with my family. It's a lose-lose situation that I will not talk about. Thank you.
MOVING ON!
This is my sister, Chelsea. She's fantastic! She cracks me up and is probably the funniest person I've ever met. Chelsea is Rory's Godmother, that's where this picture comes from.
We got along pretty well our entire lives, sans the times she tried to beat me up. (haha) My parents used to tell me that when Chelsea would start hitting me or whatever, I should just call for them and they would come take care of it. Once, We were playing in the family room and Chels got mad at me for something and started hitting me. I yelled for my mom and by the time she got in there, Chelsea was hanging off my leg smacking and kicking me and I was crying. hahahaha Good plan, Mom! :)
Once she started high school (my senior year) we really became friends, though. It was really fun to share that last year of high school with her, plus my friends thought/think she's hilarious. Win win situation. :)
That's all I've got for now. I have a baby with stomach pains today and she needs her Mommy to lay in the recliner with her and watch a movie. Tough life we have today. :)
I know you think your parents are the best, but let me just tell you. Mine are! Mine win! My dad, who just turned 60 on Tuesday, is a strong, caring, hilarious man. My mom is one of the kindest souls you will ever meet. My parents draw people in and make them feel comfortable. They are also super talented and dedicated to our church. When we were growing up, I would never have called them strict. BUT! They set plenty of rules and expected us to follow them. For the most part, we did.(Perhaps myself more than Chelsea?! haha Kidding!) The rules were always reasonable and based on the situation, not just blanket expectations. I really respected that philosophy from my parents. (Thankfully Dave's parents had a similar view, so for parenting Rory and Trace we start on the same page! :))
My parents are, in short, people I really look up to and aspire to be like. I hope I can be as wonderful to Rory and Trace as they are to me. :)
Day 5: Siblings
Before I begin, I have 2 half brothers from my dad's first marriage. Growing up, things were fine. Now they have very little to do with my family. It's a lose-lose situation that I will not talk about. Thank you.
MOVING ON!
This is my sister, Chelsea. She's fantastic! She cracks me up and is probably the funniest person I've ever met. Chelsea is Rory's Godmother, that's where this picture comes from.
We got along pretty well our entire lives, sans the times she tried to beat me up. (haha) My parents used to tell me that when Chelsea would start hitting me or whatever, I should just call for them and they would come take care of it. Once, We were playing in the family room and Chels got mad at me for something and started hitting me. I yelled for my mom and by the time she got in there, Chelsea was hanging off my leg smacking and kicking me and I was crying. hahahaha Good plan, Mom! :)
Once she started high school (my senior year) we really became friends, though. It was really fun to share that last year of high school with her, plus my friends thought/think she's hilarious. Win win situation. :)
That's all I've got for now. I have a baby with stomach pains today and she needs her Mommy to lay in the recliner with her and watch a movie. Tough life we have today. :)
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
30 Day Blog Challenge: Days 2 and 3
Day 2 of the 30 Day Challenge: Meaning Behind Your Blog Name
Well this one is super easy for me. haha There's not much to it. "5 6 7 Kate" is a play on the way we count off all our music at dance class. We always say 5 6 7 8 in time to the music to tell dancers when to begin. Since all I do is dance and I've probably counted 5 6 7 8 over a hundred thousand times in my life, it seemed only appropriate to be "witty" and change it slightly to fit my name. So there you have it! :)
Day 3: Your First Love
This question is really hard for me. In high school, I had a really rough relationship that lasted almost 3 years. It was emotionally challenging and...well just downright nasty. I don't want to go in to more detail, but it was awful. I shut myself down for a long time after that. He claimed to love me and if that was love, NO THANKS! I went on lots of dates in college, but no real boyfriends. I wasn't anxious to be in a relationship any time soon.
That being said, I can honestly and truly tell you my first love is my husband. He's the best friend I've ever had and he tries so hard every day to make life the best it can be for our little family. Dave is a Godly man and he supports my dreams as much as his own. My dad told me once if he could have hand picked someone for me, he would have picked someone just like Dave. :) He's the greatest, even when he does leave his laundry all over the bedroom and bathroom. It's all good. :)
Well this one is super easy for me. haha There's not much to it. "5 6 7 Kate" is a play on the way we count off all our music at dance class. We always say 5 6 7 8 in time to the music to tell dancers when to begin. Since all I do is dance and I've probably counted 5 6 7 8 over a hundred thousand times in my life, it seemed only appropriate to be "witty" and change it slightly to fit my name. So there you have it! :)
Day 3: Your First Love
This question is really hard for me. In high school, I had a really rough relationship that lasted almost 3 years. It was emotionally challenging and...well just downright nasty. I don't want to go in to more detail, but it was awful. I shut myself down for a long time after that. He claimed to love me and if that was love, NO THANKS! I went on lots of dates in college, but no real boyfriends. I wasn't anxious to be in a relationship any time soon.
That being said, I can honestly and truly tell you my first love is my husband. He's the best friend I've ever had and he tries so hard every day to make life the best it can be for our little family. Dave is a Godly man and he supports my dreams as much as his own. My dad told me once if he could have hand picked someone for me, he would have picked someone just like Dave. :) He's the greatest, even when he does leave his laundry all over the bedroom and bathroom. It's all good. :)
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
30 Day Blog Challenege: Day 1
I'm linking up with cute Katie over at Katie's Journey for her 30 Day Blog Challenge. It's only Day 2, so there's plenty of time to catch up and join in. I'll be posting twice today because I didn't realize it started yesterday. :) I'll do it as often as I can...this is a busy month!
Day 1: Recent Picture, Introduction and 15 Interesting Facts.
Well, my name is Kate. I'm 25. I have been married for almost 4 years to my golf-obsessed, junk food loving, Steelers fanatic husband, Dave. He's the best. We have one daughter, Rory, whom is 17 months old. Our son (!!) is due to arrive...any second now! (Technically, his C-section is the 25th of this month, but he can come whenever he pleases at this point.) I own a dance studio and I have been a dancer my entire life. It is my purpose and my drive. We live in a tiny town in the forest.
A recent picture? Ugh! I'm officially HUGE, thanks to my son. :) I'll oblige you though.
That's me in the back in the black shirt. Rory is beside me, my sister beside her and my parents to the left of the screen.
15 Interesting Facts
1. I got a new phone this weekend, a Droid X. It is quite confusing!
2. I love to cook, but can't do it when I'm pregnant. It makes me sick.
3. My sister and I are covalently bonded.
4. Dave is a terrible bed sharer. Last night, he rolled over and smacked in the chest so hard it woke me up and made me cry! hahaha
5. At this current moment, Trace is kicking my belly button. Square in the belly button. What a kid. :)
6. I have a real problem with Diet Caffeine Free Coke. I do curb myself though by drinking water and milk as much as I can at home. I try to reserve my DC needs for restaurants and dinner.
7. I could easily get a pedicure every week. I just don't want to pay for it.
8. That being said, I'm kind of a tight wad. Okay, not kind of. Totally a tight wad and proud of it! I love to budget and plan.
9. I could sit and watch old Disney movies all day long.
10. Rory's toys all over the living room drive me nuts, but there's no where else to keep them right now. This house is too small!
11. There are 27 stairs up to my studio. It makes me want to cry every day when I stare up at them from the bottom. I'm ready to not be pregnant anymore.
12. Rory is still asleep. This never happens, just so you know.
13. I'd give just about anything to have a coffee shop in this little town.
14. My toenails are currently painted blue, in celebration of this baby boy who is set to arrive.
15. I watch Gilmore Girls every day. :)
Join in!!
Day 1: Recent Picture, Introduction and 15 Interesting Facts.
Well, my name is Kate. I'm 25. I have been married for almost 4 years to my golf-obsessed, junk food loving, Steelers fanatic husband, Dave. He's the best. We have one daughter, Rory, whom is 17 months old. Our son (!!) is due to arrive...any second now! (Technically, his C-section is the 25th of this month, but he can come whenever he pleases at this point.) I own a dance studio and I have been a dancer my entire life. It is my purpose and my drive. We live in a tiny town in the forest.
A recent picture? Ugh! I'm officially HUGE, thanks to my son. :) I'll oblige you though.
That's me in the back in the black shirt. Rory is beside me, my sister beside her and my parents to the left of the screen.
1. I got a new phone this weekend, a Droid X. It is quite confusing!
2. I love to cook, but can't do it when I'm pregnant. It makes me sick.
3. My sister and I are covalently bonded.
4. Dave is a terrible bed sharer. Last night, he rolled over and smacked in the chest so hard it woke me up and made me cry! hahaha
5. At this current moment, Trace is kicking my belly button. Square in the belly button. What a kid. :)
6. I have a real problem with Diet Caffeine Free Coke. I do curb myself though by drinking water and milk as much as I can at home. I try to reserve my DC needs for restaurants and dinner.
7. I could easily get a pedicure every week. I just don't want to pay for it.
8. That being said, I'm kind of a tight wad. Okay, not kind of. Totally a tight wad and proud of it! I love to budget and plan.
9. I could sit and watch old Disney movies all day long.
10. Rory's toys all over the living room drive me nuts, but there's no where else to keep them right now. This house is too small!
11. There are 27 stairs up to my studio. It makes me want to cry every day when I stare up at them from the bottom. I'm ready to not be pregnant anymore.
12. Rory is still asleep. This never happens, just so you know.
13. I'd give just about anything to have a coffee shop in this little town.
14. My toenails are currently painted blue, in celebration of this baby boy who is set to arrive.
15. I watch Gilmore Girls every day. :)
Join in!!
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Ra-ra-ra-ra-random
Dave is at the Penn State game this weekend, staying with Rory's godfather and his wife. I am not attending. I am not disappointed. I love Penn State, don't get me wrong. Lots of people in my family have gone to State and I considered it heavily myself. It's a fantastic school and the atmosphere at the games is ELECTRIC. I love the Blue Band, the cheerleaders, JoePa, all of it.
But.
I do NOT love Beaver Stadium.
(picture from Google Images)
See that? That's 110,000 people! It's way too crowded for me. I am claustrophobic and that stadium makes me feel like everyone is sitting on top of me. I hate it. I also don't appreciate the drunk, belligerent college students all over the place. Sure, tailgating is fun but it doesn't need to be ridiculous. I should not have to have the f word screamed in my ear over and over again. UGH! Heinz Field is not like that. The NFL, The Rooneys and the entire Steelers Organization is much tougher on crowd control. I much much much prefer that stadium and that game surroundings.
I miss Dave, though. I'm glad he's having a pre-baby "hurrah!" with his friends but I am lonely without him! haha
*************************************************
I got a new phone today. Verizon was running a special where if you upgrade to a Smartphone, you can upgrade now, regardless of when your upgrade is due. Sweet. I did. I got the Droid X. I've been wanting a Smartphone so I can have more studio documents, scheduling, email, etc. I really do need it because my work computer is at home, not at the studio, and people always need info from me that's on the computer.
Can I just say my phone is confusing?! Oh goodness gracious. I need a tutorial! hahaha The guy at the store told me I can do a webinar to learn about my phone. I felt like I was 80 years old, trying to learn the computer when he told me that one! I'll figure it out...slowly. :)
**************************************************
I finally bought a double stroller today! Kinda forgot about that little detail...ahem. I got a green and brown one that's really nice! It matches my new ginormous diaper bag and Trace's car seat. (Which was Rory's.) That's one nice thing about not knowing the sex of the baby when we had Rory. EVERYTHING "gear" related is neutral. Everything is brown and green, which is still super cute, but practical for a girl or a boy. Nice that we didnt have to buy anything new unless we wanted to! The only thing we've really spent money on is the new stroller. We did redo his nursery, but the furniture was all fine. Not bad at all!
He'll be here 2 weeks from Monday, fyi. Thank goodness!
But.
I do NOT love Beaver Stadium.
(picture from Google Images)
See that? That's 110,000 people! It's way too crowded for me. I am claustrophobic and that stadium makes me feel like everyone is sitting on top of me. I hate it. I also don't appreciate the drunk, belligerent college students all over the place. Sure, tailgating is fun but it doesn't need to be ridiculous. I should not have to have the f word screamed in my ear over and over again. UGH! Heinz Field is not like that. The NFL, The Rooneys and the entire Steelers Organization is much tougher on crowd control. I much much much prefer that stadium and that game surroundings.
I miss Dave, though. I'm glad he's having a pre-baby "hurrah!" with his friends but I am lonely without him! haha
*************************************************
I got a new phone today. Verizon was running a special where if you upgrade to a Smartphone, you can upgrade now, regardless of when your upgrade is due. Sweet. I did. I got the Droid X. I've been wanting a Smartphone so I can have more studio documents, scheduling, email, etc. I really do need it because my work computer is at home, not at the studio, and people always need info from me that's on the computer.
Can I just say my phone is confusing?! Oh goodness gracious. I need a tutorial! hahaha The guy at the store told me I can do a webinar to learn about my phone. I felt like I was 80 years old, trying to learn the computer when he told me that one! I'll figure it out...slowly. :)
**************************************************
I finally bought a double stroller today! Kinda forgot about that little detail...ahem. I got a green and brown one that's really nice! It matches my new ginormous diaper bag and Trace's car seat. (Which was Rory's.) That's one nice thing about not knowing the sex of the baby when we had Rory. EVERYTHING "gear" related is neutral. Everything is brown and green, which is still super cute, but practical for a girl or a boy. Nice that we didnt have to buy anything new unless we wanted to! The only thing we've really spent money on is the new stroller. We did redo his nursery, but the furniture was all fine. Not bad at all!
He'll be here 2 weeks from Monday, fyi. Thank goodness!
Friday, October 8, 2010
5QF!
I'm linking up with Mama M for 5QF today for the first time in a long time. Fridays have been insane around here lately. Today, I'll get this in BEFORE the madness begins. :)
1. What do you listen to while driving?
KIDS PLACE LIVE...somebody's on the phOOOOne...
Yep. When Rory's in the car, the radio is tuned, almost permanently, to channel 116. Kids' Place Live! 100% kid friendly, no commercials, wonderful. When she's not in the car or falls alseep, I listen to The Message and sometimes the Morning Mash Up. I also am known to tune into the Broadway Station and serenade Rory. (hehe) I also here an awful lot of MOM! MOM! MOM! MOM! and lately she's been calling for BABA! BABA! (my dad, her grandpa) and KAAR! KAAR! KAAR! every 5 seconds.
2. What is your least favorite thing about Fall?
Hmmm...I don't know! There's not much I don't like about fall. Maybe allergies and sinus flare ups, I guess. That happens every season though here in our house.
3. What does your dream house look like, inside and out?
Oh excellent question. I can tell you almost exactly. I love houses with dormer windows and a big wrap around porch. I want a red front door.
Inside, I want 2 stories and a finished basement. All the bedrooms are upstairs, thank you very much. The kitchen is BIG, big enough for more than 2 people to be in at a time. I want an office of my own, with comfy chairs and tons of bookshelves. Also, there needs to be 2 bathrooms upstairs and 1 downstairs and a half bath in the basement. I just want SPACE. My house is wonderful right now, but it is so small it makes me claustrophobic.
Also there will be no weird pink carpet anywhere. (Sorry Aunt Barb! :))
4. Would you ever own a minivan?
Already did! I'm sure I will again. These new vans don't even look like minivans, some of them are downright smokin'. For now, I am perfectly content with my SRX. hehe
5. Do you wash new clothes before wearing them?
That depends on what type of clothes it is (ahem) and wear I bought it. If I ordered it off the internet, I don't. Those clothes always come sealed in plastic, so I don't worry about it much. I do wash all of Rory's clothes before she wears them (unless it's an emergency, which all moms do! haha) because I worry about her little skin. Trace's clothes are all washed and ready to go! We don't do special laundry soap for babies in this house, either, by the way. All Free and Clear does the trick just fine!
1. What do you listen to while driving?
KIDS PLACE LIVE...somebody's on the phOOOOne...
Yep. When Rory's in the car, the radio is tuned, almost permanently, to channel 116. Kids' Place Live! 100% kid friendly, no commercials, wonderful. When she's not in the car or falls alseep, I listen to The Message and sometimes the Morning Mash Up. I also am known to tune into the Broadway Station and serenade Rory. (hehe) I also here an awful lot of MOM! MOM! MOM! MOM! and lately she's been calling for BABA! BABA! (my dad, her grandpa) and KAAR! KAAR! KAAR! every 5 seconds.
2. What is your least favorite thing about Fall?
Hmmm...I don't know! There's not much I don't like about fall. Maybe allergies and sinus flare ups, I guess. That happens every season though here in our house.
3. What does your dream house look like, inside and out?
Oh excellent question. I can tell you almost exactly. I love houses with dormer windows and a big wrap around porch. I want a red front door.
Inside, I want 2 stories and a finished basement. All the bedrooms are upstairs, thank you very much. The kitchen is BIG, big enough for more than 2 people to be in at a time. I want an office of my own, with comfy chairs and tons of bookshelves. Also, there needs to be 2 bathrooms upstairs and 1 downstairs and a half bath in the basement. I just want SPACE. My house is wonderful right now, but it is so small it makes me claustrophobic.
Also there will be no weird pink carpet anywhere. (Sorry Aunt Barb! :))
4. Would you ever own a minivan?
Already did! I'm sure I will again. These new vans don't even look like minivans, some of them are downright smokin'. For now, I am perfectly content with my SRX. hehe
5. Do you wash new clothes before wearing them?
That depends on what type of clothes it is (ahem) and wear I bought it. If I ordered it off the internet, I don't. Those clothes always come sealed in plastic, so I don't worry about it much. I do wash all of Rory's clothes before she wears them (unless it's an emergency, which all moms do! haha) because I worry about her little skin. Trace's clothes are all washed and ready to go! We don't do special laundry soap for babies in this house, either, by the way. All Free and Clear does the trick just fine!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Parenting
Note the time: 3:33 am. This can only mean 1 thing...Rory was up in the middle of the night. :)
There's a really beautiful video floating around Facebook right now about Motherhood. The premise is that the women hold up a card with a message to themselves, advice they wish they had followed or heard before their first child was born. I find this fascinating! If I wasn't running on completely empty, I'd go find it right now and share. But what I'm going to to do instead is write myself a letter on parenting. Trace could/will arrive any day now and I want to remind myself I'm doing a good job.
Dear Kate,
Parenting. is. hard. You will be scared but you MUST choose to be brave. You've been scared before and you've survived, haven't you? You were scared at college and then flourished. You were scared of your business and now? Flourish! You will be scared of parenting but I have complete faith that you will flourish! The most important thing is that you choose to be fearless in your parenting. Say a prayer, read a book, ask for advice but above all else choose to be fearless. Rory and Trace don't know you don't know what you're doing. Lead them purposefully and courageously.
You can not breast feed. And that's okay. Stop beating yourself up over it. It is not your fault. It's medical, Kate. MEDICAL. You can't fix it and obsessing over it won't help. God gave you strong beautiful babies who grow just fine with formula. Stop worrying about people's posts on Facebook about breast feeding and just do what you need to do. Bonding happens because a mother chooses to bond, not because of how a baby is fed. Relax and give yourself a break on this one.
The same goes for having to have a c-section. Again, Kate, it's not your fault. You can't control your hormone production. Trust that God has His hand in your health and just let it go. As long as Trace is safe and in your arms, does it really matter how he got here? No. It does not. And he will be fine. You will be fine BECAUSE of the c-section. Trust the Lord. Trust your Doctor. It's nothing to feel guilty about and it's not worth listening to those who tell you it's bad or wrong. You have to do what YOUR body needs, not what someone preaches at you.
Rory learned to sleep in her crib, with only waking up to feed, within 2 weeks. Give her time to adjust to her big girl bed. Don't get frustrated with yourself. She needs time to realize it's okay and not scary. Once she gets it, you know she will be climbing in to bed herself, tucking herself in and falling asleep before you leave the room. She WILL do it and she will do it when she is ready. Keep working at it, you're doing great. Keep hiding your frustrating and fears from her, though. Smile and reassure her but cry in your own bed. She's a big girl now and that's a good, wonderful thing.
Trace will be fine, you know. Stop worrying about not knowing anything about raising a boy. That's why you have a husband. Dave will teach you about what boys need for sports. Stop worrying about what people say about a dance teacher having a son. It's not a law, Kate. God will give you the perfect son for you and Dave, not anyone else. Remember that people try and lighten the mood by telling jokes or making "funny" comments...they are just empty words. Brush it off and love on your son. You survived this pregnancy because of your KIDS, not because of the words of others.
When Trace comes, I want you to take a minute in the middle of the night and remind yourself that you are doing a good job. It won't feel like it, you'll be exhausted and worn down, but you ARE. You WILL. Ask your mom and Aunt Barb for help when you need it. You don't have to be Superwoman. God gave you family (and students galore) to help you out. It's okay. No one expects you to do it by yourself. And really who cares if they do?? You need help and that's okay.
Kate, it will be fine. You'll figure out potty training. You'll figure out the whole big girl bed thing. You'll figure it all out in your own way and that's the right way for Rory and Trace. Let people say what they want, at the end of the day you are pleasing to God and that's what matters. Brush it off, babe, you're going to be GREAT!
Now go get some sleep. You look like a mess!
Remember...NO ONE can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Much love!
P.S. Take 2 seconds to put on some eyeliner and mascara tomorrow, please. My goodness!
There's a really beautiful video floating around Facebook right now about Motherhood. The premise is that the women hold up a card with a message to themselves, advice they wish they had followed or heard before their first child was born. I find this fascinating! If I wasn't running on completely empty, I'd go find it right now and share. But what I'm going to to do instead is write myself a letter on parenting. Trace could/will arrive any day now and I want to remind myself I'm doing a good job.
Dear Kate,
Parenting. is. hard. You will be scared but you MUST choose to be brave. You've been scared before and you've survived, haven't you? You were scared at college and then flourished. You were scared of your business and now? Flourish! You will be scared of parenting but I have complete faith that you will flourish! The most important thing is that you choose to be fearless in your parenting. Say a prayer, read a book, ask for advice but above all else choose to be fearless. Rory and Trace don't know you don't know what you're doing. Lead them purposefully and courageously.
You can not breast feed. And that's okay. Stop beating yourself up over it. It is not your fault. It's medical, Kate. MEDICAL. You can't fix it and obsessing over it won't help. God gave you strong beautiful babies who grow just fine with formula. Stop worrying about people's posts on Facebook about breast feeding and just do what you need to do. Bonding happens because a mother chooses to bond, not because of how a baby is fed. Relax and give yourself a break on this one.
The same goes for having to have a c-section. Again, Kate, it's not your fault. You can't control your hormone production. Trust that God has His hand in your health and just let it go. As long as Trace is safe and in your arms, does it really matter how he got here? No. It does not. And he will be fine. You will be fine BECAUSE of the c-section. Trust the Lord. Trust your Doctor. It's nothing to feel guilty about and it's not worth listening to those who tell you it's bad or wrong. You have to do what YOUR body needs, not what someone preaches at you.
Rory learned to sleep in her crib, with only waking up to feed, within 2 weeks. Give her time to adjust to her big girl bed. Don't get frustrated with yourself. She needs time to realize it's okay and not scary. Once she gets it, you know she will be climbing in to bed herself, tucking herself in and falling asleep before you leave the room. She WILL do it and she will do it when she is ready. Keep working at it, you're doing great. Keep hiding your frustrating and fears from her, though. Smile and reassure her but cry in your own bed. She's a big girl now and that's a good, wonderful thing.
Trace will be fine, you know. Stop worrying about not knowing anything about raising a boy. That's why you have a husband. Dave will teach you about what boys need for sports. Stop worrying about what people say about a dance teacher having a son. It's not a law, Kate. God will give you the perfect son for you and Dave, not anyone else. Remember that people try and lighten the mood by telling jokes or making "funny" comments...they are just empty words. Brush it off and love on your son. You survived this pregnancy because of your KIDS, not because of the words of others.
When Trace comes, I want you to take a minute in the middle of the night and remind yourself that you are doing a good job. It won't feel like it, you'll be exhausted and worn down, but you ARE. You WILL. Ask your mom and Aunt Barb for help when you need it. You don't have to be Superwoman. God gave you family (and students galore) to help you out. It's okay. No one expects you to do it by yourself. And really who cares if they do?? You need help and that's okay.
Kate, it will be fine. You'll figure out potty training. You'll figure out the whole big girl bed thing. You'll figure it all out in your own way and that's the right way for Rory and Trace. Let people say what they want, at the end of the day you are pleasing to God and that's what matters. Brush it off, babe, you're going to be GREAT!
Now go get some sleep. You look like a mess!
Remember...NO ONE can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Much love!
P.S. Take 2 seconds to put on some eyeliner and mascara tomorrow, please. My goodness!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
What's today??
FULL TERM!!
Okay, Mr. Man, you can come anytime now! :)
My c-section is scheduled for noon on Monday, Oct 25th. (Do not give me a hard time for having a c-section. My body does not labor. I feel guilty about it all the time. Thank you very much.) So at the absolute latest, Trace will be here at 12:30 pm on Oct 25th!! :) I'd realllllly like for him to come on Tuesday the 12th, because that's my dad's birthday. He'd like nothing more than to have a grandson on his 60th birthday. But that's just wishful thinking, of course. We're all perfectly content for Trace to come when God wants Trace to come. Or the 25th...whichever comes first. ;)
Say a prayer that these last three weeks go quick quick quick! I'm so excited I can't stand it!
Okay, Mr. Man, you can come anytime now! :)
My c-section is scheduled for noon on Monday, Oct 25th. (Do not give me a hard time for having a c-section. My body does not labor. I feel guilty about it all the time. Thank you very much.) So at the absolute latest, Trace will be here at 12:30 pm on Oct 25th!! :) I'd realllllly like for him to come on Tuesday the 12th, because that's my dad's birthday. He'd like nothing more than to have a grandson on his 60th birthday. But that's just wishful thinking, of course. We're all perfectly content for Trace to come when God wants Trace to come. Or the 25th...whichever comes first. ;)
Say a prayer that these last three weeks go quick quick quick! I'm so excited I can't stand it!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Can I brag for a second?
Okay I'm not one to usually "brag" about my work or "toot my own horn," if you will. But this isn't really about me, it's about my students.
In May, we traveled to our second competition of the year. Our first one...was awful. The kids were completely broken down after it. Our second one though...was AWESOME. Much better environment for my kids. They flourished! They were bringing home trophies like there was no tomorrow.
I always say that once I can teach them the dance, I can schedule practice and give them corrections, but I can NOT actually do the dance for them. Therefore! When we won the Overall Excellence award for highest total score for the weekend (Regardless of size of studio and number of dancers and performances, mind you)...sure I got to accept the plaque but it's not mine! It's 100% theirs!
Teacher of the Month!
YAY! I love my job and I love my students. As tired and worn out as I get, my kids keep me going. So proud!
In May, we traveled to our second competition of the year. Our first one...was awful. The kids were completely broken down after it. Our second one though...was AWESOME. Much better environment for my kids. They flourished! They were bringing home trophies like there was no tomorrow.
I always say that once I can teach them the dance, I can schedule practice and give them corrections, but I can NOT actually do the dance for them. Therefore! When we won the Overall Excellence award for highest total score for the weekend (Regardless of size of studio and number of dancers and performances, mind you)...sure I got to accept the plaque but it's not mine! It's 100% theirs!
Teacher of the Month!
YAY! I love my job and I love my students. As tired and worn out as I get, my kids keep me going. So proud!