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Bachelor Nick Week 1

It’s back!

And so are my weekly thoughts on the show.

First of all, I have mixed feelings about Nick being the Bachelor. While I do think he redeemed himself somewhat on BIP, I also wonder how he still has a job outside of this franchise and think he may be milking it. However, I hope he finds his happily ever after, and of course I will be tuning in every week.

  • Nick hanging out with his younger sister was really sweet. I like seeing that side of him.
  • Ughhh. Why is Chris Soules still coming back for these pre-interviews?
  • How does Nick get time off from work to do all these shows for the last couple years? I mean it says he has a job, but who has that much time off?
  • This Corinne girl has a nanny? And she wants to be taken seriously for having a multi-million dollar company? I have a feeling she is going to be the “villain” of this season.
  • Jade’s friend, Liz, is going to make things interesting. She is constantly smiling about the fact that she was a one-night stand.
  • When Taylor said that her friends called him a piece of s*#t., I am thinking that was not the best way to introduce yourself. And she just kept on cursing…
  • Jasmine brought Neil Lane! Pulling out all the stops.
  • So does Nick not remember Liz and their night of passion? Ok wait he does. This sure is awkward.
  • The girl who brought the hot dog…I have no words.
  • Alexis is an aspiring dolphin trainer? So is she actually training to be one, or does she have another job? And that is definitely a shark costume.
  • Corinne going in for the kiss-so awkward. And the other women are losing their minds watching their kiss.
  • I think Nick had a fair question wondering why Liz didn’t reach out to her in the last 9 months. It makes you think she is only here for the limelight. Why call him off the show, when she can call him on the show?
  • Corinne seems very concerned about people’s looks. That is all she can mention besides having the hots for Nick.
  • YES TO RACHEL! I liked her from the time she stepped out of the limo. Her dress is also the bomb.
  • I like what he says at the beginning of the rose ceremony about everyone is deserving of love and apologizing for not being able to give that to them.
  • I would forget their names.
  • What are you supposed to say when you are rejected on the first night. They all are trying to not seem defeated with “It’s ok.”
  • I would be asleep if I were there. How do they stay up all night in addition to drinking alcohol. Out like a light on that couch.

My favorites are Rachel, Vanessa, Danielle M, and Raven.

I am really interested at how this show will go this season. I felt like it was really focused on the physical chemistry, and is somewhat vulgar. It just seems like there will be a lot more talk about sex this season. I mean I know that this show isn’t wholesome by any means, but they at least used to have some discretion. The previews just made me feel uncomfortable about the direction of things.

I guess we will see!

This show has become quite the game. ABC has a fantasy league now that you can win prizes like a trip to the “After the Rose taping.

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Christmas 2016

This space is a place to be a scrapbook of sorts for my family. I want to remember this Christmas because there were so many good moments.

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I want to remember riding in a limo with my family to go look at Christmas lights around town. I want to remember how George went nuts because he was car-seat free.

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I want to remember how excited George was when we put the Christmas tree up.

I want to remember that despite George having a fever and a respiratory issue, we managed to make all Christmases with very little tantrums.

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I want to remember how emotional I was singing in the choir and seeing the congregation sing Silent Night in A Capella during the candlelit portion.

I want to remember how George was very involved with his Nativity set and getting everyone like his Paw Patrol Pals and tractors to see the baby Jesus and Yo Mama (George’s name for Mary).

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I want to remember how I started to unpack and decorate the house then put most of the decorations back because George was climbing everything to get to the Santas-that are all breakable.

I want to remember that George got his first electric train, and that my grandpa (who is obsessed with trains as well) was there to see George’s face.

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I want to remember that George helped pass out presents, but then tried to open everyone’s along the way.

I want to remember that the first gift George opened on Christmas day, he tore off a small piece at a time and had to put each piece in the trash bag before pulling off another small piece.

I want to remember our first annual cookie decorating for our neighbors.

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I want to remember making my mom’s Breakfast Surprise for the first time on Christmas morning.

I want to remember that George had to play with every toy and read every book before going on to the next present.

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I want to remember that his favorite gifts were cheap tractors and a Thomas the Train puzzle.

I want to remember cousins at Christmas in matching get ups-jammies and public service.

I want to remember the moments in between the craziness.

 

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Most Popular Posts of 2017

This year the blog took a backseat to our every day life. And while I do miss the writing and sharing, I am not upset that I am being present with my family. I am not leaving this space, but I know that it is not a priority as much as it used to be.

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So thank you for coming back to my blog when I do write!

Here are my most popular posts this year.

  1. Baseball Cupcake Holder-I wrote this actually in 2015 for something we made for George’s first birthday. Pinterest has made this post widely popular.
  2. Heyyyy, Hey Baby!-No surprise here. This is when we announced our baby two news.
  3. Oh Hey Friends-I wrote about how it is hard for me to maintain friendships when you have small children.
  4. How We Found Out-I am really trying to keep up with sharing about all things baby. I love that I have all that for George, so I want to make sure I share things like how we realized we were pregnant with number two.
  5. If These Hospital Walls Could Talk-It’s hard to believe that George’s hospital stay was this year. It seems like so much has happened in the time since. This post made me cry all over again.
  6. The Phone Call I Don’t Want-This was a really difficult post to write because of so many things.
  7. Start Spreading the News-I was so excited about this post. I still watch these videos of telling our family we are pregnant again.
  8. Not Every Day is a Good Day-I was really proud of this post. It was giving me permission to not be perfect. “Parenting is beautiful yet messy, complicated yet natural, lovely yet trying, empowering yet terrifying, and oh so humbling.”
  9. Baby 2-Twelve Weeks-Everyone loves a good baby update apparently.
  10. George-22 Months-HIS HAIR! I miss those curls. This is the last update before he turned TWO!

This time of year is a great time to reflect on the year. These are just a glimpse at things that happened, but they were all pretty big moments or realizations for us this year.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing these moments with us!

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Baby 2-15 Weeks

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How far along: 15 weeks and 5 days (It is hard to get pictures when Tom is not home to help!)

Sex of Baby W: We wont find out for another month.

Weight gain: I am down to a total 4 pound loss.

Size of Baby W:  A hass avocado or a yellow canary

Maternity clothes: I do wear the belly band almost every day because I can’t button most pants. I have worn a couple maternity tops this last week, but I can wear most of my winter clothes still with no problem since they are roomier. I did have one of my students ask if I was pregnant because she could tell I did not “look” the same. She said it much nicer, but basically she insinuated that I was fat.

Baby items: I didn’t buy anything this month, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there are some Christmas gifts coming baby’s way this weekend. I told myself I couldn’t buy anything else until we know the sex of the baby.

Stretch marks: Nothing yet. I really need to do a better job of applying my lotion though. Whoops.

Belly button in or out:  Still in. I have a feeling though that this pregnancy will differ from George’s that eventually it will be out. It is flattening out a lot faster this go around!

Sleep: My sleep is going pretty well. I do usually have to wake up at least once to pee, but I generally don’t have any issues getting back to sleep. I am also sleeping on all sides but my belly at this point.

Best moment the past few weeks: George went with me to our 13 week ultrasound for all the testing. First of all, he was an angel while there. Secondly, he waved to his little sibling when he saw them on the screen. I about burst into tears right there. Then he insisted on having his own picture of the baby which he then carried around ALL day that day.

Worst moment the past few weeks: This last Friday we had some really bad freezing rain, and I fell at our sitter’s. I have several bruises on my face and legs as evidence. Then it took us almost an hour to get out of her neighborhood due to all the ice accumulation. Thanks to her neighbor’s kindness we got out without getting hit! All a miracle really since I watched a Fed Ex truck take out two mailboxes as it slid too close to comfort right at me. Getting stuck in the car is one of my worst nightmares. So being an emotional wreck after falling and then making no progress on an icy street was not my best moment this month. But on the plus side, again George was an angel through this whole ordeal.

Miss anything: Blogging. I just do not have the energy to devote to it and get stuff done around the house after George is in bed. Heck, most days, I don’t have the energy to do stuff around the house.

Cravings: Still marinated mushrooms–I eat 4-5 jars a week. My appetite is all over the place. I am just hungry all the time, but things will sound good one minute and then not the next minute. My boss makes fun of me daily because every time he passes my office I am eating something different.

Movement: I think I felt some movement on Sunday at church. It’s still hard to tell if it is the little canary or just my stomach doing it’s rumbles on it’s own.

Symptoms/how I am feeling: I am just exhausted, and the holiday madness doesn’t help either. I have been having some belly pains, but every time I ask about them, they say they are normal. My doctor said that it is just my uterus growing, and it is more common when I haven’t moved in a while. I get them mostly when I am sleeping, so that make sense. I have had a little acne, but no where near what I had with George. I guess there is still time though. It’s weird to say, but here lately I honestly forget that I am pregnant for most of the day. I remember with George, I was consumed by the pregnancy. This time I think I just have so much more going on and with not having appointments every two weeks it is easy to just keep going on as usual. Hopefully here soon with this ever growing belly and some movement in there, it can be more in the forefront!

Looking forward to: This Christmas. George is at an age where he doesn’t quite understand the meaning but everything is so magical. It is fun to watch everything through his eyes. This year we are also starting some traditions for our family which I am excited about.

You can read about George at 15 weeks here.

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Moving on Up

My big work news is that I recently got promoted to Assistant Director in our office.

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This was big, y’all, in so many ways. BIG.

Let’s take a step back to the last time that I was pregnant and was job searching.

I have never shared this publicly, but I had received a job offer when I was 8 months pregnant. At the time, I thought this job was just the perfect fit for me, so I was on cloud 9. However, when they realized my timeline with giving birth, the job offer was rescinded.

This is possibility one of the biggest blows I have ever received. I remember coming home that day after getting that call and just being numb.

Now I know what you are thinking, they can’t take a job away because I am pregnant. That was my thought too. Rage and disbelief-and lots of tears. I consulted several of my mentors on the situation because I was in unknown territory. Because of their support, I attempted to fight the injustice I felt. After working through the institution for weeks, I was told that there was nothing I could do to change the outcome. Absolutely devastated. (And I am still convinced this is what put me on bed-rest that last month of pregnancy.)

There are still parts of me that are confused and angered by how it all went down, however, this job I have now never would have happened if I would have ended up in that position.

That awfully humbling situation was actually a Godsend so I could apply to work where I do now, and it allowed me more time with George after he was born. And that is time I never can replace.

Plus I LOVE MY JOB. This job I got instead. A job that is more perfect for me right now I do not believe exists. I get to work on some great initiatives. I have the opportunity to impact students more intentionally. I am using my background and talents, but I am being challenged to grow daily. And I work with some pretty amazing people.

So while it stung, I thank that Director for taking back that offer 2 years ago, because this is where I belong. That old adage, that things happen for a reason is so very true.

So back to the promotion.

This promotion is redemption for those twoish years (aka the worst job search ever) where I heard, “No, we are going in a different direction.”

This promotion is validating when the last time I was pregnant I was denied a job, and this time I was promoted while being pregnant.

This promotion gave me back my confidence that I lost after leaving Iowa State years ago. It reminded me of my worth as a professional. This was a triumph.

This promotion is exactly where I am supposed to be.

Assistant Director of Student Success has a nice ring to it.