Thursday, October 31, 2013

Happy Halloween!

I just can't believe it's already Halloween! Wow did this month fly by! Halloween isn't quite the same this year because we missed our annual Halloween party so we didn't dress up this year... bummer. We also have not had time to carve pumpkins yet because Joe has been working 10-12 hour days for the last couple weeks. Luckily because of my pumpkin pranster (found out it was my aunt!) I have quite a few pumpkins so at least my front steps will be festive.
previous Halloween costumes! Dorothy & Popeye, Ron Burgundy & Veronica Corningstone
& Ghost Rider & Cleopatra

It's been raining here since yesterday afternoon with no breaks in sight, but trick or treating is still on in our 
town. I did buy candy and I am planning to pass it out. I always watch Nightmare Before Christmas when I pass out candy, but I think I'm going to watch Hocus Pocus this year & then once the kids quit coming, I'd like to watch The Conjuring.

pumpkins from previous years

I did end up wearing black & orange today to work & brought in some pumpkin spice cupcakes & candycorn to snack on. The cupcakes turned out pretty good. That kind of stuff goes really fast, especially on a rain day when the guys are all in the office!






Happy Halloween Everyone!!

Happy Halloween!

I just can't believe it's already Halloween! Wow did this month fly by! Halloween isn't quite the same this year because we missed our annual Halloween party so we didn't dress up this year... bummer. We also have not had time to carve pumpkins yet because Joe has been working 10-12 hour days for the last couple weeks. Luckily because of my pumpkin pranster (found out it was my aunt!) I have quite a few pumpkins so at least my front steps will be festive.
previous Halloween costumes! Dorothy & Popeye, Ron Burgundy & Veronica Corningstone
& Ghost Rider & Cleopatra

It's been raining here since yesterday afternoon with no breaks in sight, but trick or treating is still on in our 
town. I did buy candy and I am planning to pass it out. I always watch Nightmare Before Christmas when I pass out candy, but I think I'm going to watch Hocus Pocus this year & then once the kids quit coming, I'd like to watch The Conjuring.

pumpkins from previous years

I did end up wearing black & orange today to work & brought in some pumpkin spice cupcakes & candycorn to snack on. The cupcakes turned out pretty good. That kind of stuff goes really fast, especially on a rain day when the guys are all in the office!






Happy Halloween Everyone!!

Monday, October 28, 2013

Galena Getaway Weekend

First and foremost, again, I just have to take a moment to extend a sincere thank you to those of you who I'm still getting messages, emails, & texts from so many people!  All of the sharing that I've done of some very private things has certainly paid off.  The outpouring of support that we are receiving will never cease to amaze me.  

Once again today, I was overcome by the love & support of so many.  I came home to find a package in my mailbox from a jewelry company, & thought to myself, what on Earth did I order now that I forgot about?  I opened it up to find a small box containing a Good Luck Fertility Necklace with a wishbone charm on it along with a pomegranate colored pearl & a white stone.  I read the message inside & was so unbelievably surprised when I read who it was from.  I would never put it past this girl to do something so sweet for someone she doesn't know all that well.  She's known Joe a long time & I'm so grateful to her that she was so kind to think of us.  She is probably the most thoughtful and nice girl I've ever met, and that's not an exaggeration.  The package was from both her and her boyfriend who is equally as nice of a person.  I can't thank them both enough for thinking of us as we're going through this.  It once again goes to show that even though there are people you expected to hear from, but didn't, there are people you didn't expect to hear from & do.  Thank you both Elizabeth & Justin for the heartfelt gift! (Hope you guys don't mind me putting you on the spot!)


We did make it to Galena this weekend, a little later in the day than originally planned, but we had a really nice time, the weather was amazing, & it turned out to be a lot of fun.  Eagle Ridge is always beautiful, but this time we ended up in a villa rather than at the inn, which was great.  Next time I'd like to bring some of our own food, and more board games and stay the entire weekend.  It was a two bedroom with a fully stocked kitchen, a fireplace, a grill, two bathrooms, washer/dryer, seriously, it had everything! It had an amazing view too.

We ended up getting ready & hitting the Eagle Ridge pub for a few cocktails and dinner.  We headed back to the villa and watched Amityville Horror on AMC for a little while in front of the nice warm fire, having a few more drinks, then hit the hay.  We were all tired and full from dinner.

this was taken at about 7AM, it was around 25 degrees outside & that was frost on
the golf course, it was a cold morning!

Sunday morning we got up, went into town & had breakfast, played in some of the shops, then took my parents to Chestnut Mountain the ski resort to ride the Alpine Slide.  It was so much fun.  Joe thought that he could beat me, but ended up going a little too fast around a curve & went off the track, hit his head, & ended up chasing his sled which ended up on my track, about 100 ft before he caught it and got back on.  I didn't even see it happen because I was kicking his ass right outta the gate!  We headed home after that & relaxed the rest of the evening.  





It turned out to be a beautiful weekend!  I'm not sure how many more we will get like this before it turns to winter.  This weekend we are headed to VEGAS!  I just started packing today.  Can't wait to see these two get married.  We are going to have such a blast!

58 days til Christmas!



Galena Getaway Weekend

First and foremost, again, I just have to take a moment to extend a sincere thank you to those of you who I'm still getting messages, emails, & texts from so many people!  All of the sharing that I've done of some very private things has certainly paid off.  The outpouring of support that we are receiving will never cease to amaze me.  

Once again today, I was overcome by the love & support of so many.  I came home to find a package in my mailbox from a jewelry company, & thought to myself, what on Earth did I order now that I forgot about?  I opened it up to find a small box containing a Good Luck Fertility Necklace with a wishbone charm on it along with a pomegranate colored pearl & a white stone.  I read the message inside & was so unbelievably surprised when I read who it was from.  I would never put it past this girl to do something so sweet for someone she doesn't know all that well.  She's known Joe a long time & I'm so grateful to her that she was so kind to think of us.  She is probably the most thoughtful and nice girl I've ever met, and that's not an exaggeration.  The package was from both her and her boyfriend who is equally as nice of a person.  I can't thank them both enough for thinking of us as we're going through this.  It once again goes to show that even though there are people you expected to hear from, but didn't, there are people you didn't expect to hear from & do.  Thank you both Elizabeth & Justin for the heartfelt gift! (Hope you guys don't mind me putting you on the spot!)


We did make it to Galena this weekend, a little later in the day than originally planned, but we had a really nice time, the weather was amazing, & it turned out to be a lot of fun.  Eagle Ridge is always beautiful, but this time we ended up in a villa rather than at the inn, which was great.  Next time I'd like to bring some of our own food, and more board games and stay the entire weekend.  It was a two bedroom with a fully stocked kitchen, a fireplace, a grill, two bathrooms, washer/dryer, seriously, it had everything! It had an amazing view too.

We ended up getting ready & hitting the Eagle Ridge pub for a few cocktails and dinner.  We headed back to the villa and watched Amityville Horror on AMC for a little while in front of the nice warm fire, having a few more drinks, then hit the hay.  We were all tired and full from dinner.

this was taken at about 7AM, it was around 25 degrees outside & that was frost on
the golf course, it was a cold morning!

Sunday morning we got up, went into town & had breakfast, played in some of the shops, then took my parents to Chestnut Mountain the ski resort to ride the Alpine Slide.  It was so much fun.  Joe thought that he could beat me, but ended up going a little too fast around a curve & went off the track, hit his head, & ended up chasing his sled which ended up on my track, about 100 ft before he caught it and got back on.  I didn't even see it happen because I was kicking his ass right outta the gate!  We headed home after that & relaxed the rest of the evening.  





It turned out to be a beautiful weekend!  I'm not sure how many more we will get like this before it turns to winter.  This weekend we are headed to VEGAS!  I just started packing today.  Can't wait to see these two get married.  We are going to have such a blast!

58 days til Christmas!



Friday, October 25, 2013

five on friday!

Happy Friday Friends!  Hope you all love the new blog layout!  It was time for a change!  

One. Snow
Yes.  Snow.  We got 1" of snow here in Illinois, no surprise, we are used to experiencing several seasons in one day, however this was pretty early to have this much snow actually stick to the ground & the snowflakes were like the size of quarters & it snowed for probably about an hour or so.  It was really beautiful to look it, it would've been really beautiful to look at while sipping Grappa & sitting in front of a fire somewhere, but le sigh, I was at work.  At least I was inside!  

noticeable amount of snow in the grass, on the pumpkins, and my glass outdoor table. 


Two. Galena Weekend
This weekend we area heading up to Galena with my parents for our anniversaries (theirs was 9/15 ours was 9/24).  They've never been so I can’t wait to show them around the perfectly quaint little town.  Bonus, it’s the Halloween parade downtown on Saturday so I’m super pumped to see that for the first time.  We are possibly taking the bike, but will definitely have to bundle up.  We’re staying at a villa at Eagle Ridge where we stayed for our honeymoon and our first anniversary.  Really looking forward to a quiet weekend away before next weekend’s Vegas trip!


hoping to have scenery like this on the ride up!


Three.  One-pan Chicken Alfredo
I found this recipe on Pinterest and let me just say WOW, sooo good and sooo easy.  Love that it’s all made in one pan, those are the easiest of recipes especially for cleanup reasons!  I followed the recipe pretty exact except for I used a cup of asiago (my favorite) & a cup of reduced fat parmesan.  It was really rich & filling.  Perfect for a hungry husband whose been working long hours outside in the fields all day struggling with allergies.  He was more than grateful. 

sooo easy & yummy!


Four. Christmas Garland (West Elm)
Of course like many others I’m sure, I recently purchased the Red Felt Garland from West Elm thanks to Jessica at Little Baby Garvin.  Shipping was free & I had 10% off so I got a little bit of a deal on it.  One of my favorite Etsy shops, TheFickleFeltTree also sells really adorable felt garland, some of which I purchased last year.  I thought this red strand would be a nice compliment to last year’s purchase.   I’m also planning on the bouquet of billyballs that match the garland.  Felt is oh-so fun!


billy balls to be ordered to match my garlands

Christmas garland I bought last year via Etsy!


Five. CNJ Style
A girl I know from a neighboring town just opened up this seriously adorable boutique in La Salle called CNJ Style.  She's got the hottest & most fashionable trends that you can order via her Facebook page or by stopping in her store downtown La Salle.  Her prices are AMAZING & she is so sweet & friendly.  I came home with an awesome haul of chevron, leopard, & pleather on Wednesday & I'm so excited to start shopping there.  Her grand opening is November 2nd.  She also has a really awesome rewards program that you don't see very often with small boutiques.  You get a card, she emails you coupons and you receive points for every dollar that you spend!  I highly recommend checking out her on Facebook or if you are local, stop down and see her!  She has a pretty well established higher-end boutique right across the street from her so props to her for setting up shop where she did, she is going to do awesome in our little town!  Congrats Jennie!
got the super cute leopard dress($35) for my upcoming trip to Vegas, the adorable princess sleeve
top($22), & the ultra comfy, perfect for fall, chevron maxi skirt($26) with a cream fringe scarf!



five on friday!

Happy Friday Friends!  Hope you all love the new blog layout!  It was time for a change!  

One. Snow
Yes.  Snow.  We got 1" of snow here in Illinois, no surprise, we are used to experiencing several seasons in one day, however this was pretty early to have this much snow actually stick to the ground & the snowflakes were like the size of quarters & it snowed for probably about an hour or so.  It was really beautiful to look it, it would've been really beautiful to look at while sipping Grappa & sitting in front of a fire somewhere, but le sigh, I was at work.  At least I was inside!  

noticeable amount of snow in the grass, on the pumpkins, and my glass outdoor table. 


Two. Galena Weekend
This weekend we area heading up to Galena with my parents for our anniversaries (theirs was 9/15 ours was 9/24).  They've never been so I can’t wait to show them around the perfectly quaint little town.  Bonus, it’s the Halloween parade downtown on Saturday so I’m super pumped to see that for the first time.  We are possibly taking the bike, but will definitely have to bundle up.  We’re staying at a villa at Eagle Ridge where we stayed for our honeymoon and our first anniversary.  Really looking forward to a quiet weekend away before next weekend’s Vegas trip!


hoping to have scenery like this on the ride up!


Three.  One-pan Chicken Alfredo
I found this recipe on Pinterest and let me just say WOW, sooo good and sooo easy.  Love that it’s all made in one pan, those are the easiest of recipes especially for cleanup reasons!  I followed the recipe pretty exact except for I used a cup of asiago (my favorite) & a cup of reduced fat parmesan.  It was really rich & filling.  Perfect for a hungry husband whose been working long hours outside in the fields all day struggling with allergies.  He was more than grateful. 

sooo easy & yummy!


Four. Christmas Garland (West Elm)
Of course like many others I’m sure, I recently purchased the Red Felt Garland from West Elm thanks to Jessica at Little Baby Garvin.  Shipping was free & I had 10% off so I got a little bit of a deal on it.  One of my favorite Etsy shops, TheFickleFeltTree also sells really adorable felt garland, some of which I purchased last year.  I thought this red strand would be a nice compliment to last year’s purchase.   I’m also planning on the bouquet of billyballs that match the garland.  Felt is oh-so fun!


billy balls to be ordered to match my garlands

Christmas garland I bought last year via Etsy!


Five. CNJ Style
A girl I know from a neighboring town just opened up this seriously adorable boutique in La Salle called CNJ Style.  She's got the hottest & most fashionable trends that you can order via her Facebook page or by stopping in her store downtown La Salle.  Her prices are AMAZING & she is so sweet & friendly.  I came home with an awesome haul of chevron, leopard, & pleather on Wednesday & I'm so excited to start shopping there.  Her grand opening is November 2nd.  She also has a really awesome rewards program that you don't see very often with small boutiques.  You get a card, she emails you coupons and you receive points for every dollar that you spend!  I highly recommend checking out her on Facebook or if you are local, stop down and see her!  She has a pretty well established higher-end boutique right across the street from her so props to her for setting up shop where she did, she is going to do awesome in our little town!  Congrats Jennie!
got the super cute leopard dress($35) for my upcoming trip to Vegas, the adorable princess sleeve
top($22), & the ultra comfy, perfect for fall, chevron maxi skirt($26) with a cream fringe scarf!



Thursday, October 24, 2013

how to cope

Even though we have come so unbelievably far in the last couple of weeks, there is still uncertainty about ever becoming parents. I think our chances are really good, & our doctor thinks they are too, but there is still a little voice in the back of your head that says, “what if this doesn’t work?” I can’t even begin to describe how much better I’ve felt about the entire situation since seeing the fertility specialist & I think Joe probably feels much better too, but I will never forget what I felt over the last two years as we struggled with this, the letdowns, the fights, the tears, bruised friendships, jealousy, inadequacy, sleepless nights, and a whole hell of a lot of negativity overall. My whole point of this is that when you’re struggling with infertility (or anything else in this world) you have to have ways to cope. If you don’t, you could find yourself in a very dark place, struggling to see the light. What I’ve found to be the best ways to cope & the ways to reduce stress…


1. A supportive & loving partner. Hands down…If you have nothing else in this, you have to be on the same page as your husband or significant other & even if you don’t always agree, you have to have each other’s backs & be playing for the same team. You will not succeed if you don’t. You have to both want the same things & you have to talk about those things. You have to make sure that if for some reason you weren't able to conceive a child of your own, you won’t resent each other. You love that person unconditionally; well this is part of that. There are NO conditions when you love someone unconditionally. If you do make it a condition of your love, then you are certain to fail.  And most importantly, you have to be able to make each other smile when times are the hardest!

this was almost six years ago, being silly & just laughing together with my favorite person.

2. Super, totally awesome, amazing friends & family. I’ve been sooo lucky in this department. My friends & family have showed the most genuine concern for me, especially since seeing the FS, having the surgery, & finding out that my friend Jen is pregnant. We want to be pregnant together & she along with the rest of my best girls & closest family members are rooting for us. I received so many unbelievable texts, messages, emails, blog comments, phone calls, etc. from people I would expect to hear from, & many from people I would never think would even read my blog or have any concern for me at all. We are truly blessed to have so many amazing people in support of us.


me with my J's!  we don't get many opportunities to all be together at the same time
cherish every minute that we do!

my awesome mom who has been through A LOT with me & always been
my #1 fan.

3. Relationships with people who are going through the same thing…I can’t stress this enough. Your husband and family, & friends will be amazing throughout, but they will never really understand what you are going through. I found a couple bloggers who went through or are currently going through the same thing. It’s nice to have someone to compare notes with. And if you can find a person who you know (I found Aimee!!) & can talk on a more personal level with, that’s even better. You would be surprised at how many people struggle with infertility (1 in 5 actually, that means there are several people you know!) Of course not everyone is as willing to publicly proclaim their problems, but having someone you can relate to is so reassuring.


convo between Aimee (pink) & me (blue)... we are behind each other 100%

4. Times you can forget about the stress, relax, & have fun. It’s important to be able to take your mind off of the things that are creating stress & negativity in your life. Stress can greatly affect your chances of getting pregnant. The cycle is vicious though. Try not to be stressed after you’ve been TTC for two years, it’s a huge challenge! De-stress by working out, taking a vacation or weekend getaway, getting a massage (Reiki is great for fertility!), pampering yourself with a mani/pedi, going out & having some good old fashioned fun, or going on a date with your husband, occupy your mind with anything positive. Positive thoughts=positive outcomes.



bike trip, the most amazing ocean i've ever seen, a relaxing pedi, & a simple night out with friends

I hope that I can help anyone who feels like they are alone in this because you really aren’t. There are many of us out there. The farther we go in this process, the more I feel like I want to share every part, the good, & the bad of this journey. You never know who you can give a glimmer of hope to just by sharing your stories. I want to be able to look back on this one day & be happy that I documented everything that I was feeling, what I needed, who was there for me, & what worked & what didn't. Baby dust, baby dust, baby dust! 

how to cope

Even though we have come so unbelievably far in the last couple of weeks, there is still uncertainty about ever becoming parents. I think our chances are really good, & our doctor thinks they are too, but there is still a little voice in the back of your head that says, “what if this doesn’t work?” I can’t even begin to describe how much better I’ve felt about the entire situation since seeing the fertility specialist & I think Joe probably feels much better too, but I will never forget what I felt over the last two years as we struggled with this, the letdowns, the fights, the tears, bruised friendships, jealousy, inadequacy, sleepless nights, and a whole hell of a lot of negativity overall. My whole point of this is that when you’re struggling with infertility (or anything else in this world) you have to have ways to cope. If you don’t, you could find yourself in a very dark place, struggling to see the light. What I’ve found to be the best ways to cope & the ways to reduce stress…


1. A supportive & loving partner. Hands down…If you have nothing else in this, you have to be on the same page as your husband or significant other & even if you don’t always agree, you have to have each other’s backs & be playing for the same team. You will not succeed if you don’t. You have to both want the same things & you have to talk about those things. You have to make sure that if for some reason you weren't able to conceive a child of your own, you won’t resent each other. You love that person unconditionally; well this is part of that. There are NO conditions when you love someone unconditionally. If you do make it a condition of your love, then you are certain to fail.  And most importantly, you have to be able to make each other smile when times are the hardest!

this was almost six years ago, being silly & just laughing together with my favorite person.

2. Super, totally awesome, amazing friends & family. I’ve been sooo lucky in this department. My friends & family have showed the most genuine concern for me, especially since seeing the FS, having the surgery, & finding out that my friend Jen is pregnant. We want to be pregnant together & she along with the rest of my best girls & closest family members are rooting for us. I received so many unbelievable texts, messages, emails, blog comments, phone calls, etc. from people I would expect to hear from, & many from people I would never think would even read my blog or have any concern for me at all. We are truly blessed to have so many amazing people in support of us.


me with my J's!  we don't get many opportunities to all be together at the same time
cherish every minute that we do!

my awesome mom who has been through A LOT with me & always been
my #1 fan.

3. Relationships with people who are going through the same thing…I can’t stress this enough. Your husband and family, & friends will be amazing throughout, but they will never really understand what you are going through. I found a couple bloggers who went through or are currently going through the same thing. It’s nice to have someone to compare notes with. And if you can find a person who you know (I found Aimee!!) & can talk on a more personal level with, that’s even better. You would be surprised at how many people struggle with infertility (1 in 5 actually, that means there are several people you know!) Of course not everyone is as willing to publicly proclaim their problems, but having someone you can relate to is so reassuring.


convo between Aimee (pink) & me (blue)... we are behind each other 100%

4. Times you can forget about the stress, relax, & have fun. It’s important to be able to take your mind off of the things that are creating stress & negativity in your life. Stress can greatly affect your chances of getting pregnant. The cycle is vicious though. Try not to be stressed after you’ve been TTC for two years, it’s a huge challenge! De-stress by working out, taking a vacation or weekend getaway, getting a massage (Reiki is great for fertility!), pampering yourself with a mani/pedi, going out & having some good old fashioned fun, or going on a date with your husband, occupy your mind with anything positive. Positive thoughts=positive outcomes.



bike trip, the most amazing ocean i've ever seen, a relaxing pedi, & a simple night out with friends

I hope that I can help anyone who feels like they are alone in this because you really aren’t. There are many of us out there. The farther we go in this process, the more I feel like I want to share every part, the good, & the bad of this journey. You never know who you can give a glimmer of hope to just by sharing your stories. I want to be able to look back on this one day & be happy that I documented everything that I was feeling, what I needed, who was there for me, & what worked & what didn't. Baby dust, baby dust, baby dust! 

Friday, October 18, 2013

a sincere thank you

All I can say is that I am sooo beyond blessed to have such an outpouring of support over the last few days.  I never thought that sharing my experience would cause so many people to share their stories or just their support for what I'm going through.  Not only have my friends and family been so amazing, but the ladies of blogland have also been so wonderful.  I've really learned a lot about people in the last few days.  People that you think would be behind won't always be behind you.  And people that you never thought would be rooting for you, actually are.  I want to sincerely thank each and every one of you who sent a text, called, emailed, read my blog, left a comment, or came to visit me.  So many kind words & nice surprises & gifts.  

my little sis-in-law Delaney came home from Blo-No and brought my a Gotta Have It
Birthday Cake Remix from Coldstone!  YUMMMM!

my bestie Jen brought me over Avojuice in Sweet Tea (hell yeah), Essie All Tied Up, 
Essie Sleek Stick Over the Moon nail applique's and OPI Top Coat & a file.  She's so sweet :)

I'm sure there are people who read my blog (or not) and wonder why I am sharing all of this personal stuff about myself and our lives.  First of all, #idgaf (got it?!) yeah, that's right, I Don't Give A Fuck what anyone thinks about what I write.  And after all of the awesome comments and emails I got today, I feel even more validation that what I'm talking about, people can relate to. Ultimately,  I'm doing it for me, and no one else, but if someone can relate, if someone feels less alone about their situation, than I'm accomplishing more than what I set out to in the first place.   I'll leave this thought with this quote from the oh-so-delicious Johnny Depp...

#truth #idgaf



I spoke with Deena today, Dr. G's nurse, she called to check on me & schedule our next appointment. We are scheduled to go back to Peoria on November 5th to start the next step of this process.  I'm continuing with birth control (skipping a period) until the appointment so that they will have control of my cycle at that time and I can get started on Clomid.  I can't believe how quickly this process is going compared to the slow and arduous two years that we've just gone through.  

So next weekend we go to Galena (hopefully on the bike) with my parents for our anniversary celebrations & the following weekend we are headed to Vegas for Joe's lifelong friends wedding. We also have a settlement conference from our accident next Friday so lots of things going on to occupy the time while we wait for this next big step...loving life & feeling so blessed.  

One other thing, be on the lookout for a new blog layout coming very soon!  I feel like we've turned a new and exciting leaf so I'm going to spruce up the blog a bit, add a pop of color, & a little more excitement to it in the next couple days!  Can't wait to see the finished product! 
 
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