FOUR YEARS!

I can’t believe it’s been four years since Devin and I got married! I say that every year, but it seem so hard to believe that another year has gone by. We celebrated last night by going out to eat for All You Can Eat Crab Legs. It was SO GOOD! Devin got full before I did (that’s so sad!) so he was nice enough to keep cracking crab legs for me. We had talked about going for about three or four weeks so I was very excited when the time finally came for us to go. It’s our last anniversary before we have kids, that’s so crazy to think about. This time next year Collin will be 8 months old! YIKES!

Look at how skinny we were! I guess it’s true that you get comfortable with your spouse and put on some weight :) I’m glad that when I’m not pregnant Devin actually weighs more than me! Since we’ve been married we’ve had the opportunity to take several trips to other countries (on our many cruises!), finished college, bought a house, bought two cars, installed a fence, hardwood floors, new lights, and now have a baby on the way. Not bad for a couple 20-somethings, in my opinion.

 

 

 

-I love you Devin!

Something in the Water…

Seriously, there is something in the water! I never thought that so many people I know would be pregnant at the same time as me. The joke in our Sunday School class is that we are the church growth plan.

Kristie – had Kelby in June

Linda – had Caitlin in June

Angela – having Dallas in September

Sara – having a boy in mid October

Me – having Collin in early November

Michelle A. – having a girl in mid November

Charish – having a Lucy or Kegan (I think) in mid November

Tara – having a boy in late November

Ally (some I used to go to church with) – having a boy in late November

Meagan – having twin boys in December (already pushed to mid November)

Ashley (someone I used to go to school with) – due in December

Amanda – due in January

Jennifer (someone I used to go to school with) – due in January

Crystal – due in February (she and her husband just finalized an adoption too!)

Michelle just announced she’s having a little Bean in late January!

Not to mention several of the girls I know from Angela’s Sunday School class who are pregnant/had their babies in the last six months. I can think of at least  five. One of them being Julie, who also had a Collin! :)

Seriously, oh… my… goodness! WoW!

I’m Inspirational!

Sporadically I’ll receive text messages from my BFFL Charish telling me how she just spent the last 5 minutes laughing her butt off or is now ticked off because she read something I wrote. I keep telling her she should blog because she’s all creative and whatnot and she’s got interesting stuff to write about. Well, today on my lunch break I got another text asking what she should name her blog. After a few suggestions, and pretty much being called retarded for those suggestions I made a few more, and one of them stuck! Find out which one, and find out the very odd birthday present her little brother wanted for his 13th birthday. Go read Charish’s Blog! (: We used to get a lot of work done together!

 

Only 100 more days!

YAY! Only 100 more days and Collin will should be here! This last few weeks I’ve noticed some things:

• I wear more of Devin’s undershirts than my own shirts, when I’m at home.
• My face has gotten fatter (which someone was kind enough to point out to me a few weeks ago) . I was out to dinner for a friends birthday and took a picture. When I looked at it, it about fell on the floor.
• I use the bathroom a lot. One day at work, I went just before we opened, at 8:55, then again at 9:30, 10:30, 12:00. 1:15, 2:05, 2:45, and before I left at 4:15, and of course again when I walked in the door when I got home 45 minutes later. It was ridiculous!
• By the end of the day (especially Fridays) I can feel my feet swelling. I like to cross my legs, curl one leg underneath me, or sit Indian style. If I can sit in any of the aforementioned ways, I can feel that my knees are tightening and also swollen. :( 
• I sleep with a pillow between my legs and move it from side to side almost each time when I get up to pee in the middle of the night (which usually ends up being about 2-4 times, depending on what I drank and how late I drank it)
• Collin started aerobic classes this week. He usually only moves at night, around 6:30-7:00ish. But a few days ago, he really started rolling around, or kicking or punching or something. I would feel him and see him moving on both sides of my stomach at the same time, it was kinda crazy. Even though I’ve been feeling him for a good while now, and so has Devin, Devin was really able to feel him moving. A LOT.

Overall, life hasn’t been too rough, I’ve been really fortunate. I didn’t really have any morning sickness. I can count the number of times I actually got sick on one hand. Even then, I was able to be done and move on after it was all said an done. I’m not one of those people who “just loves being pregnant” though. I do miss my old clothes, I’m tried of wearing what feels like the same frumpy maternity clothes. My job hasn’t been too terribly bad either. I can eat pretty much when I want, I can go to my doctor’s appointments when I need to, and I can sit down (for the most part) all day. So aside from work being work it’s not been bad. Hopefully the last 100 days won’t be too bad. Although according to everyone, “oh just wait, it’ll only get worse.” Thank you, by the way, to anyone who has ever told me that. It’s really what every pregnant woman wants to hear.

Stupid People

I was in a pretty decent mood at work this week, all things considered. I’M SO GLAD IT’S REALLY FRIDAY though, Angela. Tuesday, however, was the exception. I think I emailed Charron about a million little gripes and complains all day long. It was amusing to her, but I just annoyed with, literally, everyone I came in contact with. (No comments necessary about how that’s no different from any other day of my week!) I could write a book about all the annoying things about my job, or customers in general, but here are just a few from the week that I thought would be slightly entertaining. At least for anyone who has ever worked in a bank, or even with the general public for that matter. People are stupid. Yes. All of them. :)

 

1. The Jerk- a man was cashing at $7000 check. I asked him if he would like large bills, he said “yes.” So after counting out 70 $100 bill I asked him if there was anything else I could do for him. He proceeded to count out $1000. “I’d like this in 50s. “Ok,” I said, and counted out the 20 $50 bills. I mean, maybe he decided during the count to 70 that he wanted something slightly smaller. After that, he counted out another $1000 and said he’s like 20s. My patience were wearing thin and the look on my face had to have said so. So, I counted back the 50 $20 bills. Thinking he was done, I said, “ok, have a nice day.” No. No. He wasn’t done yet. He counted out another $1000 and stated that he wanted this is 10s and 5s. After I counted all of that out, with a very obvious look of disgust, he said “thanks” and walked away. By that point my blood was boiling and I wanted to say to him… “the next time I ask you if you want big bills, DON’T SAY YES if you are just going to turn around and make me count out NOT BIG BILLS to you!!!!!!”
2. The pregnancy questions I’m over- Yes I’m pregnant. No I don’t have a little something extra than I did the last time you saw me. You’re a regular customer, you see me at least every two weeks, if not more. But, yes I’m showing more than I was three weeks ago. That happens as the baby grows. I don’t really think it’s any of your business if it’s my first, if it’s a boy or a girl, or when I am due. It’s REALLY not any of your business how old I am or if my husband is excited about having a boy. And YES! I realize that I’m going to “be pregnant during the hot Florida summer months.” But guess what? The best part about it… I don’t have to talk to you people during the holidays  and pretend I care about your shopping and dinner plans! :)
3. The STENCH – I know it’s the sticks of Green Cove and the country and all but seriously would it kill you to take a shower? Or use some deodorant or cologne or body splash or a BREATH MINT!?! I’m not even kidding you, when I say what I’m about to say. One man came to my window this week, gave me cash to make a payment on his credit card. Fine. But it was all folded up, and moist. I wanted to vomit when I touched it. But that wasn’t the best part. No. No. The best part was the BUG that crawled out of the cash!!!! Yes! Not only was the money nasty wet money, but it was bug infested wet money. Seriously, it was like straight out of Men In Black with the cockroach alien in the morgue. You know, when he put his hand on the counter and the roaches crawl out of his sleeves… yeah, just like that. But the bug crawled out of the wet money. :::chills running down my spine:::
4. The Blamer- I’m sorry you’re a moron and can’t add and subtract to keep track of your bank account. I really am. It’s unfortunate. Really. But think before you speak. I did not force you to go to the RedBox. I did not overdraw your account. I did not charge you the overdraft fees. I will not refund you anything, especially if you keep speaking to me like that. I cannot refund you money that you authorized some online magazine to debit from your account. You have to take it up with them. We, as in the bank, are only here to store your money temporarily before it leaves your hand and goes into the hand of the vendor. Why is it NEVER the account holders fault? It’s either mine or the business they owe money to?
5. The Non-Account-Holder- These are some of my favorite people in the world. :::Note of subtle sarcasm::: DO NOT yell at me and tell me that it’s ridiculous to charge you money to “cash my own check.” For starters, I did not write you the check, so it’s not my check. It’s still yours. I work at a business. The objective of most businesses is to make money. If you go to a car wash and they want to charge you $10 to wash your car, you pay it. You don’t complain and gripe that it’s water and water should be free. No. They are providing you a service, you are paying for that service. I am providing you with a service. That service is cashing your check. So yes, I am going to charge you to cash your check. That’s the perk to having a bank account and not dealing with cash all the time. And don’t try to tell me that ABC Bank doesn’t charge or XYZ Credit Union doesn’t charge to cash checks. I worked at a company that took me to just about every bank and credit union in the greater Clay County area, they ALL charge. Angela can vouch for me on this one. She used to work at my biggest competitor and we’d compare horror stories. She’s probably reading this right now laughing and agreeing with every word I am saying. Needless to say, we have more than a little bit in common with each other. It’s one of the reason I love her SO MUCH! :) She’s smiling now.

That concludes this edition of Stupid People.

15 Movies in 15 Minutes

15 Movies in 15 Minutes

Don’t take too long to think about it. Fifteen movies you’ve seen that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes.
In no particular order:

1. Grease
2. A Walk to Remember
3. The Notebook
4. Aladdin
5. Lion King
6. The Sandlot
7. Office Space
8. Tommy Boy
9. A Knight’s Tale
10. Down To You
11. Shrek
12. Meet the Parents
13. Intolerable Cruelties
14. Ghostbusters II
15. Here on Earth

 

That was actually a little harder than I thought, the first 8 came really easy. I didn’t think I’d need 15 minutes. Although I didn’t need 15 minutes, the last 7 did take more than 14 seconds.

Almost 25 Weeks Glucose Testing

I had my glucose test this morning. Based on what most people had told me, I was kinda nervous that I was going to be sick and was going to have issues drinking the nasty orange-soda-ish-drink.

First of all, I’m glad that I made an appointment. I was able to walk right in to the Quest Diagnostic office in Fleming Island (and not feel like I was going to catch something) for my first blood work. Since I was going to have to wait an hour I made an appointment. The first available appointment (that wasn’t a week away!) Was this morning at 7:30 at the Kingsley office. No big deal, I’d rather it be in the morning so I can get to work anyway. I walked into the office at 7:15, and the place was PACKED! I signed in a started reading the Nicholas Sparks book I brought. The large man (when I say large I don’t mean fat large, I mean, workout large-doesn’t-look-like-he-would-work-in-a-lab-kind-of-large) behind the desk called me up and gave me directions and a 10 oz bottle of stuff to drink in five minutes. Keep in mind I’ve heard multiple MULTIPLE times that it was going to be a flat-orange-soda-ish-drink that tastes awful.  Some even described it as the worst thing on the face of the Earth. It wasn’t really orange, so I though maybe it was like iodine or something, it’s only orange if it get’s on you. So I opened the bottle and braced for the worst. Yeah, not so much…. its’ wasn’t orange, it was only 10 oz, and it was COLA FLAVORED! It was more like ghetto brand Coke. Seriously, I just didn’t understand the hype.

So I drank the drink and went back to reading. In an doctor’s office setting there are rules. One of them is not to talk. And if you have to, do it in an appropriate decibel. There were these older, rather, um, country-ish, women that apparently found out they knew each other and were extremely loud about their coincidence of being in the office at the same time. The first woman rambled on and on about her dad and how he was in the hospital and that she had called their pastor to come out to talk to him. Then they proceeded to go down their church’s prayer lists of everyone and their brothers that were sick and in the hospital.   All the while, I trying to read about Gaby and her dog Molly and the puppies and Dr. Travis and the love that is beginning to bloom between them! How annoying was it to have to read the same paragraph like three times to actually understand what was going on because I kept registering hospital stays as opposed to my book! Then there was the little old lady that couldn’t hear and therefore YELLED EVERYTHING SHE SAID! And then the workers discussing the fact that there were FOUR appointments for 8:30 when another older woman accompanied by her daughter came in and said they had an appointment for 8:30 so they made five and how ridiculous it was to have to make an appointment the same time at four other people and have to wait. That just totally defeats the purpose of the appointment. Don’t you know? I was SO GLAD when my hour was up and I could walk into the other room, where I was all alone and could continue reading in peace!

When the woman called me back, I informed her that I needed to lay down because I didn’t do will with needles and had to look away. I’M SO GLAD I REQUESTED TO LAY DOWN!!!! The first time I had blood taken in Fleming Island, the woman looked at me and was like “uh, I’m going to have you come lay down while I do this , you look kinda pale.” (Little did she know I just don’t get out in the sun very often and “pale” is my natural color lol :) ) She took like 8 things of blood in like 30 seconds and I didn’t feel a thing. This woman, only took like two, it took like 2 minutes and moved the needle while it was in my arm! I thought I was going to die for a second, and my arm is sore. I was glad is was over fairly quickly. I guess it all depends on who your technician is at the time of the blood removal. At least I got to enjoy 6 chapters in my book before work!

Cop-Out for $1000 Please Alex

So, almost TWO MONTHS ago Angela tagged me to do this. Since I’m such an awesome friend, I decided today would be the day I’d do it :)

1. Mention the person who tagged you.
2. Complete the list of 8's.
3. Tag eight of your wonderful bloggy friends!

8 things I look forward to:

1. Deciding on a color scheme for Collin’s room
2. Baby Showers!!!! Devin won’t let me buy stuff anymore and my sister-in-law has griped at me not to buy anything else because “other people need stuff to buy” us
3. Holding Collin in my arms
4. Seeing Devin hold Collin in his arms
5. Seeing Devin cry for the first time (No! I’ve never seen him cry! I don’t think he has the ability to cry, actually…)
6. Finishing my 2008 scrapbook
7. Buying a bigger house
8. Being able to move like a normal person again

8 things I did yesterday:

1. Went to church
2. Ate lunch at Sweet Tomato with Devin and Kyle
3. Went to Target, left without spending $100!
4. Went to see the new Transformers movie with Devin and Kyle (Yes, I did like it, but I still thought the first was better)
5. Was disappointed with the “IMAX” at AMC Orange Park
6. Watched the victory the Braves had over the Mets :)
7. Took a nap
8. Contemplated the color scheme for Collin’s room …. again

8 things I wish I could do:

1. Finally finish my teaching certification, darn test anxiety
2. Learn not to stress
3. Decided on a color scheme for Collin’s room
4. SCUBA dive
5. Work at Turner Field and meet the Team :)
6. Have Collin, without having Collin
7. Not let people get to me
8. Go back to Peru and/or Costa RIca

8 shows I watch:

1. FRIENDS!!!!!
2. Survivor
3. Hell’s Kitchen
4. Nip/Tuck (It’s my guilty pleasure)
5. WipeOut
6. So You Think You Can Dance
7. The Apprentice
8. Clean House

8 bloggers I tag:

1. Yeah, I’m going to pass on this one…. :)

24 week Papaya

 

Seriously? My papaya-sized Collin is making my belly look like this?

 

Our little Collin Papaya can hear everything we say now and finds my voice the most soothing. The fact that anyone could find my voice the most soothing seems so bizarre. I can’t wait to see his little face that is now fully formed! He’s like a real little person now :) I wish I could settle on a room color for him. Any suggestions?

 

Anyway, I came back from vacation this week and the most famous comments are to the effect of “You’ve got a little something extra since the last time I saw you.” I want to respond, “actually, I’ve had it about the last 20 times you saw me, you just never put two and two together because… I USED TO BE SKINNY! I never thought I was skinny before, but now, I just want to be skinny again to avoid the conversations I have to have with customers! I’m so antisocial, unless it’s with my actual friends. I guess it’s a miracle I have friends with as antisocial as I can be. Oh well. I love those that I do have that tolerate me :)

 

I finally official met one of my best friends fiancé last night. I told Cheryl since I was going to be in her wedding, that it was only fair that I get to meet him first. Cheryl just so you know… Jesse seems very nice, so I guess I approve :) We made spaghetti and had chocolate pudding with mits chips for desert while we played Wii and watched some of Wipeout, which apparently is Cheryl’s new favorite show. She cracked up then entire time. It is a really funny show, so her laughter was more than justified.

 

Since tonight is Thursday, it’s Albrektson Night. Devin and I are going to Chris and Ashley’s for dinner and maybe a game or two. I think it’s wing night. Yummy.

So ends this hodge-podge of a post. The End.

It’s Finally Here!

I was with some of the girls in my Sunday School class Friday morning when I got the text from Devin that said our/Collin’s bedding has finally arrived! YAY! I washed it and put it in our lovely new crib, that is finally completely put together! YAY! I even got all the clothes my mom (as well as we and others) got him washed and folded and put in their temporary location (Devin won’t let be buy hangers, he thinks other people will want to buy us stuff, go figure!).

 

 

 

We have to take back the bottom middle bin, it was hidden in the middle of the stack and was not a pleasant surprise when we got home. Look at those little shoes! They are just too cute! I LOVE the KSwiss!

That’s a lot of socks from my mommy :)

Devin prepping the room to be primed, it’s now a lovely shade of starke white :)

It’s Still a Work In Progress

I know it’s been a while, but I’ve done some serious damage this week on my scrapbook! And I’m absolutely LOVING it! I visited JoAnn Fabrics yesterday :) They were having the July 4th sale, which means everything was like 40% off and paper was 6 sheets for 96 cents! YAY! I stocked up on some baby boy and blue paper for Collins book and bought his 12x12 album for only $6! Woo hoo!

I’ve finally made it through out cruise in September! That only leaves… still a good bit of 2008 left to document. Anyway, here’s what I’ve been working on as of late…

I’ve taken over the dining room table… at least the crap that’s on it now is being used! As opposed to just being the drop spot :)

July 4th Weekend at the Condo with Brian and Jessica and Dustin and Angela

 

OUR CRUISE!!!!

 

Jamaica!

  

The 2 hour stay in Haiti

   

The food on this ship for lunch was not our favorite in the world, but the Johnny Rockets that was a classic that never lets us down :)

It’s highly possible that today I could complete our cruise, I still have to do Cozumel, where we almost died on the scooter we rented! I’m just so happy with the progress I’ve made this week. I LOVE VACATION! I couldn’t have asked for a better vacation from work where I didn’t do a darn thing but stay home or have lunch with a friend or run a few errands. Hopefully tomorrow or Friday we’ll be able to paint Collin’s room.

 

 

 

On a side note, can I just say how over this whole Michael Jackson memorial thing I am? Seriously, I should be able to watch E! without seeing his memorial run 24/7! I get it the “king of pop” is dead. So is Ed Mcmahon Farrah Fawcett, Billy Mays, and Steve McNair. Big whoop! People die everyday! It’s part of the life cycle! It had to happen some time. And what’s the deal with everyone wearing sunglasses inside? It was dark enough in there, why the black glasses? And why a golden casket? It’s going in the ground! Ok, maybe the guy had a rough life, but he was a creepy freak too! One more thing… Blanket? REALLY??? Could we move on already?!?!?!?!?!

Ordered Collin’s Bedding!

We/I finally made a decision! I think in order to just shut me up Devin said to just get both that I was pondering over. But I decided to go with this one because it was less busy than the other. Now all I have to do is wait for it to get here! YAY! One more thing crossed off the To Do List.

Collin’s Room To Do List:

• Crib
• Changing Table
• Dresser
• Rocking Chair
• Paint
• Bedding