Shout-Out to the Poke Fam

Congratulations to my cousin Jenny, who is marrying Jake today!  (By the time I'm posting this, I bet they're already married.)  I wish the two of you and Tre a lifetime of happiness and love.  Sadly, Mitch and I decided we wouldn't make the trip (three times in three months is A LOT of time in the car), and am missing spending time with the Poke clan.  I'm counting on the Mrs. to fill me in on details and take lots of pics!

Apparently, My Hormones Aren't as Controlled as I Thought They Were

I love watching "The Biggest Loser" (from the comfort of my couch).  My heart just fills with joy when the contestants do well, from workouts to weigh-ins.  I have so much respect for what they are doing to better themselves and their health.  (So much respect, in fact, that I refrain from eating Cheetos while watching the show on the couch.)  However, the show should come with a warning for pregnant ladies.

I cried four times tonight while watching the show. It's so exciting and sad at the same time, especially when they have to vote off the contestants who are clearly working hard.  If you're not a fan of the show, tonight they had to decide to vote off an 18-year old (who is 350 lbs) and a 19-year old (who is 400 pounds).  Both of these guys NEED to get their asses kicked on a daily basis by Bob and Jillian.  Sadly, the 400 pound guy went home, but in their updated picture, he has lost a TON of weight - over 100 pounds.  Incredible.  (His teammate, however, has totally sucked.)

And now I need a snack, since I've dehydrated myself from all these tears.  

Baby Update: Week 12

Baby: In three weeks, the baby has doubled in size - it now weighs 1/2 oz. and is the size of a plum. This week, the baby is working on improving its digestive system, producing hormones in the pituitary gland, and creating white blood cells. Impressive.

Baby Mama: After a rough week of exhaustion and sickness, I'm finally feeling like a semi-normal person again. I've regained some of my energy, which I am VERY thankful for. Otherwise, nothing new to report - going to work, taking a nap, getting heartburn in the evenings. At least it's consistent.

Baby Daddy: Mitch was almost on the receiving end of a major hormonal meltdown at dinner Saturday night. We went to eat at one of our favorite restaurants, Cossetta's, with The Neighbors (code names now in place!) We divided and conquered the lines, with Lizzie McGuire and myself in the pasta/salad line, and Mitch, The Boy Wonder and Avery in the pizza line. Mitch and I had specifically discussed each getting a piece of sausage pizza and splitting a salad about an hour before we went to the restaurant. Imagine my disappointment when I went to the table and saw that Mitch had bought only ONE slice of pizza. As soon as I mentioned it, he remembered the conversation and was ready to get in the (VERY LONG) line and retrieve a second piece. It wasn't worth waiting in line again, delaying everyone's dinner, and making a scene, so we split the piece of pizza. As it turned out, we were both full after the pizza and salad, and all worked out in the end. But in that small moment, I understood where those "crazy pregnant hormonal women" were coming from when something is wrong.

Smells Like Teen Spirit

I was tagged by the General and the Mrs. at OneCarbonHill to play this ITunes Game, and so here are my answers.  (If you don't know how to play, you set your ITunes to shuffle, then answer the questions with the song that pops up.  No cheating.)

If someone says, "Is this OK?" you say?

"Wannabe" - Spice Girls

What would best describe your personality?

"Around" - Alicia Keys  (This certainly implies something inappropriate!)

What do you like in a guy/girl?

"Here They Come" - from the Star Wars soundtrack  (Ha!)

What is your life's purpose?

"Give It To Me" - Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, and Nelly Furtado  (I really have some dirty songs on my ITunes!)

 

What is your motto?

"Dominick the Donkey" - Italian Christmas Song

What do your friends think of you?

"Walk Idiot Walk" - The Hives

What do you think about often?

"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" - Wham!

What is 2 + 2?

"Save Me" - Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds

What do you think of your best friend?

"Panama" - Van Halen

What do you think of the person you like?

"Help!" - The Beatles

What is your life story?

"September" - Earth, Wind & Fire  (I feel this is true - life starts over every September for me!)

What do you want to be when you grow up?

"You Know I'm No Good" - Amy Winehouse

What do you think when you see the person you like?

"Stars on the Water" - Jimmy Buffett

What do your parents think of you?

"Ice Ice Baby" - Vanilla Ice  (Hilarious.  I'm sure it might be the only song in ITunes with "Baby" in the title.)

What will you dance to at your wedding?

"I Have Found Me a Home" - Jimmy Buffett

What will play at your funeral?

"Keep Giving Your Love to Me" - Beyonce  (Apparently Mitch is never supposed to remarry.)

What is your favorite hobby/interest?

"That's All Right, Mama" - Elvis Presley

What do you think of your friends?

"Someday We'll Be Together" - The Supremes

What's the worst thing that could happen?

"Slow Dance" - John Legend  (I don't personally think this is the worst thing ever.  In fact, if it's with John Legend, it very well could be the best thing ever.)

How will you die?

"Streets of Philadelphia" - Bruce Springsteen  (Remind me to steer clear.)

What is the one thing you regret?

"Egg, Nest and Tree" - Seussical soundtrack

What makes you laugh?

"Planet Rock" - Afrika Bambaata

What makes you cry?

"Ghostbusters" - Ray Williams, Jr.

Will you ever get married?

"I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" - Dean Martin

What scares you the most?

"Jumpin' at the Woodside" - Count Basie

Does anyone like you?

"All Along the Watchtower" - Jimi Hendrix

If you could go back in time, what would you change?

"Yellow Submarine" - The Beatles  (Maybe not Yellow Submarine, but definitely the Magical Mystery Tour....)

What hurts right now?

"Do Do Do Do, De da da Da" - The Police  (This completely goes along with pregnancy....)

What will you post this as?

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" - Nirvana

Well, this quiz certainly proved one thing - my ITunes collection is VERY eclectic!!!  I now tag:

Moder

Shipley Crew

Our Vegas Weekend in Minnesota

Last weekend was our 6th annual trip to Las Vegas with Tommy & Cin, which we spent in sunny....Minneapolis.  We decided with the economy that we should probably stay home this year, even though we could get hotel rooms for $59 a night.  Damn pesky expensive airfare!  So, they decided to come up to visit us and bring along Peanut for the ride as well.  They flew up Friday night, we had dinner and a leisurely night at home, then hit the town on Saturday, typical to our usual routine in Vegas.

First stop on Saturday after breakfast - the Minnesota Institute of Art in Minneapolis.  Mitch and I had not been there before, and thought the art teacher might enjoy the sights.  We had a great time, despite the fact that Peanut's mac and cheese at lunch was underdone and she got pretty tired by the end of the trip.  She was a trooper, though!

And yes, Cin and Peanut are dressed almost identically.  It was so cute.  After the Institute and a quick trip through the city, we headed to St. Paul to our regular stop with guests - Cosetta's Italian restaurant.  DELICIOUS!

As you can see, there wasn't much left after we made our way through dinner.  After that filling dinner, we went home, put Peanut to bed, watched a movie, and went to bed by 10:30.  Just like we would have done in Vegas.  

Sunday we hit the Mall of America and Nickelodeon Universe for Peanut, but I think the adults had an equal amount of fun.  We had a little taste of Vegas in the arcade, which featured a Wheel of Fortune game.  I thought Cin's head was going to explode with excitement when she saw it. 

Peanut rode the carousel, 

Some fast drop thing (the name is escaping me), where she got excited when it went up, then was immediately unhappy as it was coming down.  Hilarious to watch.

And the whole family rode the log ride, and came off complete with the wet pants to prove it.  

Mitch had a great time as a spectator.....

.....and even played dress-up in the gift shop, another Vegas tradition.

After a stop at American Girl, LegoLand, the Nordstrom shoe department and Best Buy, we continued another Vegas tradition with Mexican food for dinner.  My dinner, sadly, was tequila-free.  

We spent another quiet night at home with Peanut, who played a legendary game of Jenga with me, then we played some poker and called it a night at 11:00.  Late night!

We had a great time with Tommy, Cin and Peanut, and are looking forward to another visit soon.  Truth be told, I never would have made it in Vegas this year - I was COMPLETELY exhausted after they left.  I'm hoping they'll plan a trip in the fall so we can go to the winery next time they're here!

Baby Update: Week Eleven

Baby:  According to "What to Expect When You're Expecting", baby is 2 inches long.  (So big!)  Hair follicles and nail beds are developing, as well as ovaries (if it's a girl).  The baby looks like a human now, with separate fingers and toes, ears, nasal passages, and a tongue.  No more alien/tadpole baby!

Mom:  I have been feeling pretty tired this week, as I've been busy with private lessons, tap dance class (pics coming soon!), and we had company this weekend (also pics to come).  I'm also getting a cold....so I'm considering staying home from work a day this week to ensure that a full-blown cold doesn't happen.  I'm allowed to do that, right?  

Dad:  Mitch was a riot to watch with Peanut, our five-year old visitor this weekend, as he's spent time with kids before, but not every waking moment for three days.  He did such a great job of being attentive to her and entertaining her.  He needs to work on not laughing when she throws a tantrum, though (even though it was pretty funny).  He's going to be a great dad!

Jenga!

Tina and Peanut playing Jenga and watching the Saturday Night Live Presidential Bash. 5 year olds totally love political comedy.

Yep, It's Really In There!

Mitch and I just got back from the OB/GYN, and heard our baby's heartbeat for the very first time!  So it's REALLY in there, which is so exciting (and a little scary at the same time).  After talking with our doctor, she informed me that I'll be at Week 10 tomorrow, and that our due date is officially August 14.  Mark it on your calendars and be ready for a visit to the Northland - we should be thawed out by then!

Not just a clever blog name

It's -23 with a wind chill of -41 this morning. If anyone is looking for me I'll be at Big Poke's house in Marco for the rest of the winter.

Vegas = Warm

This is the week that we would normally be flying to Las Vegas for a long weekend, but we decided to stay home this year and save money. I only bring this up because the wind chill is currently -33 degrees here and the weekend forecast for Las Vegas is sunny and 62. That means it would feel 95 degrees warmer there!

Baby Update: Week 10

Baby:  According to "What to Expect When You're Expecting", the baby is 1 1/2 inches long, about the size of a prune.  This week begins the formation of bones, cartilage, knees, ankles, teeth, digestive juices, and testes (if it's a boy).  The elbows are working and arms are moving, and the kidneys are functioning and producing urine.  (No wonder I pee a lot - I'm peeing for two!)

Mom:  I have been feeling much better this week, thankfully.  I think my daily routine helps me from feeling less sick, although my morning sickness seems to strike more in the evening, like Phoebe on "Friends".  I did a pretty good job of not napping a lot this week, although I crashed on Friday after work and took a good nap on Saturday, too.  Maybe I need to work them into my schedule a bit more this week.....   In terms of food, nothing made me physically sick, but I've pinpointed that orange juice upsets my stomach, so I'm steering clear of large quantities of that.  Next week I'm going to make a commitment to get on the treadmill, as I have completely neglected exercise for a while.  I got on the scale this morning and have already gained four pounds, which isn't bad at all, but I'm deathly afraid that I'm going to be one big, fat, ugly (and out of shape for pushing) pregnant lady!

Dad:  We discovered that Mitch had a small bout of salmonella poisoning, which is why he was feeling so ill last weekend with me.  He has been great this week in taking care of me, fetching water and crackers when needed.  He also earned "Husband of the Week" by doing a few home improvement projects around the house and did his half of the house cleaning on Saturday.  

This week is our first prenatal visit, and we are excited to get some details on the baby and hear his/her heartbeat for the first time!

There's Nothing More Interesting Than....

....watching a squirrel and two birds fight over something in the snow from your kitchen window on a Saturday morning.  The squirrel won.

I'm Joining the Craze

A few months ago at work, a coworker mentioned that she was reading the "Twilight" books.  I had noticed that ALL of the kids (well, especially girls) at school were carrying around one of the four books in the series written by Stephenie Meyer, and were frequently trying to sneak a read during class.  The coworker claimed that the books were absolutely incredible, and I thought she was crazy for reading adolescent-level books.

A month after this discussion, my neighbor brought over the first two books in the series and said I HAD to read them.  At first I wasn't planning on it, but eventually decided I'd start one just to see what all the hype was all about.  

And I didn't put the book down.  And then devoured the second book.

The "Twilight" books revolve around two central characters - Bella and Edward.  Bella is a seventeen-year-old girl who just moved to the town of Forks, where her sheriff father lives.  She feels she is a social outcast, but quickly makes friends in her new town.  She is intrigued by one student, Edward, who won't really talk to her.  Eventually she and Edward become a couple, and she learns that Edward is a vampire.  (But a friendly vampire!)  The book revolves around their adventures, or rather, misadventures, and the challenges they face because of Edward's non-human state.  

I am NOT a vampire person, and definitely don't enjoy reading or watching scary movies or books.  These books are not scary, nor are they "dumb" vampire books.  I absolutely love them, and feel totally wrapped up in Bella and Edward's lives.  That's what a good book is supposed to do, right?  

After reading the first two, I can completely understand why my middle school girls were beside themselves when "Twilight" came to the theatres last fall.  It was literally all they could talk about for two weeks straight.  

Today I acquired the third book in the series, "Eclipse".  Yesterday, as my sixth grade class and I discussed what we did on our holiday breaks, I (casually) let it slip that I had read the first two, but didn't have the third book.  Today, little Emily showed up with her copy that I could borrow.  (I even had a couple of kids offer to bring their copies in "just in case" Emily forgot to bring hers!)  Once my choir kids saw me with the book today, it's all they wanted to talk about.  I also have three kids willing to loan me their copy of the fourth book once I finish this one.  Kids are so great!

These books are completely intoxicating, and I can't wait to be under the spell of "Eclipse" for the next few days.  If you're not reading them, I suggest you try it.  And if you are, please, share with me your favorite parts!  

Baby Update: Week 9

(As I have not been to the doctor yet, I am guesstimating that I am at Week Nine, according to my calculations.  We'll get confirmation in two weeks.  Most of the information presented is from the baby bible, What to Expect When You're Expecting.  A frightening read, but very knowledgeable!)

Baby:  The baby has graduated from an embryo to a fetus this week and is one inch in length.  The baby's heart is developed into four chambers and is beating at 150 bpm.  Muscles are developing this week, allowing the baby to move its limbs.  The head is also becoming more developed, taking on more normal proportions to the rest of the body.  

Mom:  Mom has been SICK.  Morning sickness doesn't really strike in the morning for me (it's when I feel my best), but mostly in the evening.  I'm trying everything to figure out what is triggering it and how I can keep it from being too severe, but it's not working very well.  Lots of water, lots of crackers, lots of bland food.  Grapes have been my safe haven so far!  I'm also trying to build up my strength after doing absolutely nothing for a week, and am very nervous about Monday's return to work, as I wasn't feeling really sick before I went on break.  Wish me luck!

Dad:  Dad has been having sympathy sickness - a little indigestion here and there.  At first I thought it was cute, but now I realize he's just trying to steal my thunder (and hog the bathroom).  

If you have a tried-and-true way to get rid of that morning sickness, I'll be more than happy to listen! 

We Reminisce about Last New Year's

As Mitch and I had a very low-key New Year's, we thought about the last New Year's that we had spent in California for the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl.  The trip was definitely one of our favorite vacations ever, and we really missed being there this year as we watched the parade on TV.  (Television doesn't do the floats justice.)  So, we looked through our pictures and decided to share a few of our favorites from the trip, in no particular order.  

The game, as the Marching Illini performed the 3-in-1.

Us, very excited at the beginning of the game.  Clearly, we didn't look this happy afterwards.

One of the floats.  Even the picture doesn't show how beautiful and detailed the floats are.  If I could, I would go to the parade every year!

The Illnois Float!

Mitch and I, decked out in Illini gear, at 6:30am at the Rose parade.

In the USC bookstore with Cara, a USC alum.  We tried not to hold that against her!  (Although she was a very good sport after the game.)

On the beautiful USC campus, posing with Tommy the Trojan.

At the Petry's house (Mitch's godparents live in the LA area), where Mitch and his mom showed their displeasure for where their loyalties would lie throughout the weekend.

Another shot of us  decked out and ready for some football!