Halloween Together

Halloween is not necessarily my favorite holiday. But this year was pretty fun. Nathan was old enough to basically know what was going on, Matthew likes to follow Nathan, and daddy was home. Daddy was his usual...Indiana Jones. Nathan was Venom (Black Spiderman....dun dun dun) and Matthew was Superman. I couldn't get him to wear the cape. It was enough of a crying tantrum fit to get him into the costume in the first place. I can't believe I actually got a picture with all 3 posing! They were so cute going Trick of Treating!

At Nathan's preschool, he got to use paint and make a pumpkin! It is actually a little bag that they went "trick or treating" with. He got just a few candies, but he was just so proud of his little self!

I think I look forward to next year...1. won't be pregnant! 2. I might even decorate! 3. Daddy will be home (cross our fingers) 4. More intricate costumes? 5. 2 boyz who will know what Halloween is about.....and 6. A girl to goosy up!

Preggo Journal Wk31

This week has absolutely FLOWN BY!! Depressing only because I have 6.5 weeks left with Devin here. I am getting more and more nervous about the delivery. I really don't like surprises...unless I initiate them. I like change, yes, but this is different. I can't help but hope she comes early, but then I want her to stay in there and be safe and healthy. My biggest fear now is being in the delivery room alone. I just know that no matter what, I will bawl in the delivery room. So many unknowns that I can't control. *sigh*

On a happier note, Lydia is doing well. She moves a lot and even seems to play with us. Devin will poke her, and she will poke back! I think she really likes the sound of Daddy's voice because she will move whenever she first hears him. So cute! A daddy's girl already!!! She will have him wrapped around her finger in no time. Watch out daddy!

My back doesn't hurt as much...but I can feel my stretchmarks stretching. I am more clumbsy...tired at night...ready to sit or lay down at a moments notice.

Week 32...bring it on! Traveling to TX to see Roman married off. Yup, going by myself with Ruth and her two kids (daddy will fly in Sat-fly out Sun). I must be nuts!

IIIIII'mm baaaaaack!

I have been feeling rather hum drum for a while...you will remember my quandry with my hair and the Navy Ball, right? Well, I have been completely fed up with this hairy mess on my head. So much that I went to a friend and asked that she make me beautiful again. I gave her a pic, and she completely transformed me. She kept asking if I would miss the length, and I just said, "NO!"

After doing my hair, all I could think was: There I am! I'm back! What do you think

BTW - It is really hard to take a good picture of myself by myself, so this is what you get!

Preggo Journal Wk30 - With Pic

Most of the time I can't believe I made it this far without...you know...I'm still pregnant with a baby! At this point, I feel a bit more like I have passed the "danger zone"...which is comforting. Granted, I have a ways to go, but I am not constantly worried she will die. Sure, I worry a little. Who doesn't?

I rest a lot, but then I still do the things I need to: ie - Play with boyz, cuddle with boyz, kiss my boyz, mostly cook for boyz, clean up after boyz (usually later then I normally would), cuddle with boyz, take boyz to park, cuddle with boyz, kiss the boyz, and most important...cudlle with boyz!

I am getting the Braxton Hicks contractions a lot lately...last night they were pretty constant. I almost went to L&D...but decided to see if they went into the night. Plus, Devin wasn't home and I didn't want to call someone. She should be going through a growth spurt soon. Oh belly joy! I have a doc appt in 3 days, so we shall see what the doc says. Plus I am getting ready to travel to TX for a wedding. I hope the kids do well. Portable DVD players...gotta love em!

The clumsey Liz has certainly come in full force! I fell over a laundry basket a few days ago. I knew the laundry was of the devil! Hee hee.

So, you think I am getting BIG yet?

Preggo Journal Wk 29

I will start with the good news. I FINALLY got a phone message from my obgyn stating that I have elevated protien but it is nothing to worry about right now. So, I do not have preeclampsia. (*sigh*) I am assuming that because of the "scare" I will be tested more often...oh well.

I took my 1 hour glucose test on Fri. Since I failed Matthew's...I kinda assume I will fail with Lydia. Not looking forward to the 3 hour one...I would have to fast. Also, I had to do Matthew's 3 hour test twice...ugg! I will report later for that one.

Funny story. Imagine waking up at 5 am from being splashed with water! Well, that happened this morning. Apparently I fell asleep holding my opened water bottle and...well, the rest is...wet. If I remember right, this is the second time this has happened. Too funny!

I am getting too big to lay on the couch with the boyz cuddling up to me :-( And, I am getting awfully hot all the time! No one else seems to be as hot. I guess my bun in the oven turned up the temperature!

Oh, and she has become a "twirler" from about 10 pm to midnight. I swear she is spinning! If I am already asleep by then (ha!) then I don't mind...otherwise, I am kept awake. What a booger!

Is there any meaning?

Nathan has been going to a preschool with the city...totally loves it! One of their little art projects and topics of the day was about animals with an emphasis on the kids pets. Now, we don't have any pets. They take too much work right now (not to mention that we have terrible luck with finding mentally stable animals). I should mention that he goes 4 days a week...the Wed is a repeat of Tue and the Fri is a repeat of Thurs. He knows his stuff, but I want him to learn to do things artistically (ie: color, draw, etc.) and get some social interaction with other kids. The repeat days there is a new group of kids. Totally worth it.

The first day he brought this picture home:

The second day he brought this picture home:

Now.....whenever he is verbally asked about his pets at home he responds that he has a dog. Sometimes it is two dogs. My question.....is kthis somehow a subconcious desire to have a pet cat (most other kids choose dogs to put in their pet house) or did he let the other kids have what they want because he doesn't care? Hmmmm....thoughts?

Preggo Journal Wk28

I am so very uncomfortable...and it is still early in the "game".....My doc said I had high blood pressure (something like 147/93ish) and ordered a test...a urine bucket. I totally laughed when she said it. It was disgusting, but for 24 hours I collected the "specimen" and turned it in Friday. I am hoping that the results will be to my doctor where I can call on Mon/Tue and see what my protein levels were. From my online research....I guess the test was for Pre-eclampsia. Not good. Then of course the worries come in about Lydia's health and wellbeing. Then come the concerns of my sanity and ability to be a mommy to the boyz and be a good home for Lydia as she grows.

This kid is definately my offspring...she moves as tho she is dancing to the beat of her own drummer...and that drummer is constantly playing whatever suits her fancy. Last night I was actually wakened by her movements. Thankfully I was able to fall back asleep easily. I fear for my future sleep. If necessary, I will be holding a public funeral for my passing sleep and will write a eulogy...maybe we will have a contest....:-) Gotta have somthing fun to look forward to when the times get tough!!!

Turned 30 and getting depressed!

So my "golden" birthday was this year. I turned 30 on Sept 30th. I am SO happy to be 30. I really don't mind growing older and what this really means for me is that I feel like others will take me more seriously. With age comes some degree of wisdom and I hope that I will be able to demonstrate through action and speech that I am someone people can and should listen to. I have always had a "complex" that I look sooo much younger then I really am, and I think therefore, I have always acted so much younger. In a business atmosphere...(this is basically what I would say in my head) "why should anyone pick me when they could pick...someone else?"

In other words: YEAH I AM 30!!!! This is a very good thing for me!!!!

But....you see it is tradition that I get myself a Dairy Queen icecream cake (I like them because there is no cake inside). Well, I also usually get it on my sister Ruth's birthday (6 days later). So here is a picture of our celebration cake:

The depressing news is that the cake is almost gone! I know that this may not seem like it...but this single solitary event of the disappearing cake is a very tragic one that deserves a moment of silence......

Maybe I will get another cake and extend the celebration just a bit longer!!!

Random Boyness

So there are too many random boy things that happen around here, that I decided to condense and blog about them here.

Nathan:
1. Could be transitioning out of naptime :-(
2. Fell asleep mid ice cream cone...yes, it was melting in his lap!
3. Plays with just about everyone at his preschool...so social.
4. Loves playing with swords. Often uses table butter knives as a substitute sword.
5. Helps load the washing machine.
6. Begs to look in the pot while I cook. Maybe he will grow up and cook us dinner!
7. Prefers watermelon toothpaste over strawberry toothpaste.
8. Decided that he wants privacy (door closed) as he uses the toilet for #2.
9. Will come into bed with mommy in the morning and sleep about another hour or longer.
10. Tells everyone that Lydia is coming and inside mommy.
11. Begs daddy to read to him but won't sit still for mom.
12. Constantly wants to watch Scooby Doo or Dora the Explorer.
13. Still throws his head back to laugh.
14. Jumps off his dresser and has started to spin while rapidly decending to the floor.
15. Correctly picks out his name (and can usually spell it) on a name tag for preschool.
16. Successfully broke 3 out of the 5 slats on his bed. I don't know what is holding it up right now!

Matthew:
1. Started sticking his hands in his diaper when he has pooped.
2. Still sucks his thumb...and only the left one.
3. Calls his teddy bear blanket "bun".
4. Follows Nathan around like a little puppy.
5. Stomps his feet like Nathan to show his shoes lighting up.
6. Most of his ramblings are still undistinguishable...but his eyes plead and makes you melt!
7. Uses important phrases with Nathan - "stop" and "go away"
8. Places the couch cushions on the floor and then jumps off the couch. Oh so proud of himself.
9. Actually wiped his face off with a wipey...got the chin too!
10. Snuggles with me on the couch...and watches tv.
11. Likes to touch my mole on my neck...giggles when he thinks he is tickling me.
12. Doesn't like showers...but will take a bath if he can fill and empty soda bottles.
13. Can still out eat us all with eggs.
14. Throws his own diaper in the garbage after each change.
15. Constantly asks for snacks and no matter what doesn't like to eat at meal time.
16. When walking with him and holding his hand, he will have spurts of "running time".

These boyz are growing so fast and just so eager to grow up. I wish that I could snuggle with them for all time and keep them just the way they are! I want to keep them in the cuddly stage for all time so I can selfishly snuggle and cuddle and tickle and snuggle and snuggle and snuggle all day everyday!

Preggo Journal Wk 27

My goodness! This week took forrrrrrever! And yet, now that it is done, I can't believe it has passed!

I had a scare on Saturday. To preface, I got a cough Thursday night that just left my belly tired...I felt sorry for Lydia. Hopefully she thinks the jiggling is just a ride. Then on Saturday, at 11am, I suddenly couldn't breathe. I was litterally gasping for breath and wheezing. I felt like I was breathing thru a straw. My chest felt like someone was squeezing it and sitting on it. I later went to Labor and Delivery (soooo didn't want to go to the ER - and I used my preg as an excuse to see a doc!). Well, they were NO HELP! One lady there thought I was there to deliver (do I really look that big?). I guess the doctors there just assumed that the baby was pressing on my diaphragm and that I was just complaining about it. I guess I just didn't make that much of a fuss about how I was feeling. Dumb doctors sometimes....assuming to much. I explained everything to my mom...and she said it sounded like an asthma attack. That is what I thought too.

Well, I had my doc appt yesterday. Everything is good for baby. When I described my experience...she said, "Sounds like asthma...do you have an inhaler?" I said no (theoretically I have an albuterol inhaler of Matthew's - and I am going to my reg primary doc on Fri so I wasn't worried). Believe it or not, that was the end of the conversation. Arrrggg!

I think she is having more "regular" times to be awake and asleep. A few times I tried to move her and wake her up to give me comfort that she was ok, and man alive she scared me! I am sleeping really well this week (except when Nathan or Matthew make a sound - but that is decreasing). I don't seem to notice when Devin wakes up, turns on a light, shaves, showers, or anything. He does kiss my goodbye every morning! Ahhhh....thankfully I can fall back asleep quickly. I feel bad sleeping and resting so much. But my hard work is also working inside me...so I don't worry too much!

Thru the eyes of a Nathan

Ok, so Nathan has a new "hobby" where he LOVES taking pictures. Not wanting to shut down a possibility for him...he uses my camera and walks around the house. It is very interesting to see what he deems as "picture worthy" and to see the world from his viewpoint. I want to have some kind of proof about the things he does in his early years...maybe it will make a difference later on...maybe not. He is actually getting quite good at taking pictures of people, but we can work on that later.

Thinking that a good Birthday or Christmas present would be a camera...not a "kid" one that is a toy, but a real camera....outdated but digital that is just his. So we shall see! Here is a collage of his "work":

Foto Flashback Friday 8

If anyone knows me...this is definately a "precurser" to who I am today. I also liked reading about how (and now knowing when) I had stiches on my noggin. I remember my parents saying I came to them crying with blood everywhere...sometime later I would fall on a floor vent and also came running, crying, and bloody...and because of this experience written here, they were afraid I had cut my head open again. I guess I was really good at scaring my mom and getting injuries a lot. Hmmm...

I don't have a picture for this one...if I get one later, I will be sure to post. It is amazing how we actually "make it" and survive our childhood!

Preggo Journal Wk 25/26 - Photo

A pretty good couple of weeks for pregnancy. Kinda boring. Lydia is moving a lot and she still seems to know when I need reassurance that she is ok because she will move for me. My belly does the "wave" sometimes as she is moving and stretching around in there. I love it!

My back is still annoying. I wish I could put an order in for a new one! With the extra weight of my belly, I feel like I am leaning backwards when I walk. I am using the backbrace sent by my sis-in-law. It is better then nothing. Now that I am using it...I can tell a difference when I don't wear it. Don't have the money for a different or new one, so it will have to do! My next doc appt is next Wed (My birthday!!!!!).

Oh...I may have started some insomnia. I have been awake until as late as 2:30am 4 times in the last 2 weeks. Somehow I make it the next day...usually with a nap, but I don't mind! Nathan started preschool this week (TOTALLY loves it! I knew he would...both the learning and the social interaction.). He is going for 3 hours a day...4 days a week. I like it because he is developing and because I get some good time with just Matthew. Sure, I am supposed to be cleaning during this time...but...

How to Really Make Money with Blastoff Network

Q: How can I actually make any money by having a Blastoff account…and why sign up early? Can’t I just wait to see if this site actually works first?

A: I’ve been asked this several times so I decided to make an example that is pretty easy to understand…sometimes seeing is easier than hearing so here goes…
EXAMPLE:
With Christmas coming soon (and who wouldn’t want to shop online at Christmas??? Avoid those lines…) let’s pretend that someone, 10 degrees away from you, makes a purchase online with any vender via the Blastoff Mall with the average cash back reward being 3%. They spend $100.00 (before tax and shipping) total. For this example (who really only spends $100.00??), they would personally earn a reward of $3.00 in their Blastoff account.

Blastoff in conjunction with the vendors (for marketing and advertising costs) contributes a portion of every sale generated by its members and distributes is EQUALLY across the shopper’s “joined before them” network, without affecting the Original Shopper’s cash-back rebate….but only for those 10 people in line before them.

Based off the example above, here’s how the calculation would work for collective rebates to everyone in this shoppers “joined before they did” network when it this shopper is 10 degrees separated from you:

$3.00 divided by 3 divided by 10 = The collective rebates on that sale
• $3.00 / 3 = $1.00
• $1.00 / 10 = $0.10

Everyone’s individual share in the rebate would be $0.10.

• If you have 8,000 people in your network, down to 10 degrees, and all of them were to make this exact purchase just once a year at this percentage, you would earn $800.00.
• If your network is 80,000, with this example, you would earn $8,000.00
• And, imagine if your network had 590,000 people, your personal rebate would be $59,000.00.

Isn’t this incredible? $0.10 doesn’t sound like very much but when I look at it with this example it blows my mind. All of this just from each person in your network making a $100 purchase with a 3% cash back once a year! WOW!

SO IN OTHER WORDS: A merchant who utilizes Blastoff to market to the public pays out $3.00 in cashback rewards to the actual buyer...and then $1.00 total (follows the network "line" up to you) for a grand total of $4.00. As people start to get mula in their accounts and cash those checks...most, if not all, will go right back and purchase online through Blastoff. A no-brainer in business marketing!

Be one of the first...sign up to get your invite September 27, 2009!

Send contact info to me @ firsttoblastoff@yahoo.com

Blastoff Network a Scam?????

You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.
-- Zig Ziglar

I have had a plethora of "Multi-level Marketing" and "pyramid" questions and concerns brought to my attention. To define...pyramid schemes are illegal. They are solely used to make money by recruiting people for a price with the promise of huge profits if and only if they recruit others. And the exchange of money goes from one person directly to another person.

Blastoff creates networks of friends (similar to Facebook and MySpace) except you don't ask everyone to be your specific "friend" but ask a few who ask another few who ask another few...out 10 degrees. To join, THERE IS NO FEE! You don't make any money when people "get recruited" and join your network.

When people purchase online...there are no commissions being paid but rather collective rebates being shared by consumers like you and me. They are only pennies per purchase, BUT pennies add up very quickly when more people purchase.

Nothing attracts people more than money. This is not a Multi Level marketing business. It is a marketing process in which consumers share 'mail in rebates' when they invite their friends.

The marketplace is changing and innovation is being witnessed!

Blastoff is a genius attempt at attracting customers and REAL Economic Stimulus in our country.

Stop Reading so much into this. Our world and the market place is changing as viral marketing is the latest and fastest way to take anything to market. It is called business. Smart, forward...out of the box thinking business. It WILL prosper...will you?

Fear of something unknown can always be overcome by knowledge. Don't speculate about things you know nothing about. You know what they say about assumptions don't you?

www.blastoffnetwork.com

Email questions or contact to be invited to join (for FREE) on Sept 27, 2009.

firsttoblastoff@yahoo.com