a first for Ava...

Last week at this time Ava and I were on a plane headed to Pittsburgh. It was only Ava's 2nd time on a plane, the first being 4 days earlier. We made this trip alone, without Nathan, and it was quite a challenge, but a much needed vacation from "every day" life.

We had started planning this trip back in February so that Ava could meet some of my extended family. Unfortunately, before we left last week, my Step-Dad's uncle passed away... oh how he would have loved Ava. But the tickets were purchased, and of course non-refundable, so we headed south anyway. We left Pittsburgh on Sunday around 4:50pm and got to Orlando around 7:30 or so. It took a bit longer than expected, but we landed safe and sound.... and Ava was asleep! She didn't sleep the whole way, just the last hour, which gave me a nice break.

please excuse this horrible picture of me...

I was tired and a bit stressed, but we needed a picture of Ava's first plane ride.

*update*: and as Nathan reminded me last night, I was also sick and on meds.

Once in Florida we headed to Titusville where our family lives. Ava and I had our own room, and she even got her own bed... really just a pack n' play. We won't be using those much longer, Ava is almost too tall. Monday was a bit chilly to play at the pool so we did what all girls do when they get together, we went shopping. Ava, as well as I, was very spoiled on this trip. She got so many new things (clothes, shoes, toys, BALLOONS!!, diapers, etc.) that we had to leave some stuff behind to be brought up to us later.

Tuesday was a nice day, but cooler in the morning. Ava was dying to go for a walk for we took her out and she eventually fell asleep. I parked her at the pool in the shade and sat and read for a while. Eventually she woke up and as soon as she saw the water, she wanted in it.

does it taste good?

getting some sun

Eventually, against my best efforts she ended up in the pool. At least by that point it had warmed up the mid 70s, but the water was still chilly.

Wednesday we decided to go to the beach for a bit and see how that went. It wasn't really warm enough to be walking around in a bathing suit, although some people were. Maybe I was still thawing from the artic freeze I came from. Of course that didn't stop Ava. She saw the waves and ran right for them. The ocean was icy when you first got in but she didn't care, and I don't think she even flinched.

loving the waves

We eventually had to pull her out as her little hands were literally turning purple. After she'd warm up for a while, she'd grab our hands and pull up back down to the ocean, only to be pulled out about 10 minutes later. She's an ocean fanatic!

back at the pool later that afternoon

happy to be in the water

looks like swimming lessons are in our near future

Ava and I had a great time on our big adventure, we only wish Nathan could have been with us. Poor guy, he had really been looking forward to getting some work done on his projects without us running around the house but instead, ended up getting sick. So he got to spend some quality time on the couch playing his new video game.

It's nice to be home and back to the chaotic life we live. And we only lost one item on our trip, but it looks like we brought the sun back with us.... so it's totally a fair trade!

And the Winner is...

FLORAL!!!

Here is a closer picture so you can see more detail. I had trouble getting a good picture without having glare, so these are the best I could get.

The bracelet is on a clear elastic band, and would stretch nicely for anyone who might have a larger wrist. I have a very small wrist, but it fits me just fine - everything is always big on me. It's not nearly as petite as I imagined, but that makes for a good statment piece, it won't get lost among other jewelry. If you'd like more information, or would like to see it in person (locals only - sorry) just let me know. And don't forget there are two other colors, Sealife (blue), and Natural (tan).

the unexpected...

C25K update:

I totally didn't plan for rain... but it's expected, especially since we're heading into the rainy season. (That's spring people! April showers bring May flowers...) I have no problem running in the rain, I just didn't plan on having to do it with Ava, so we'll have to work around that and figure something out. What was totally unexpected, illness. I'm sick. It's not a cold, it's my sinuses. The pressure in my head is unbearable, and I have a pretty high pain tolerance. The drainage is making me nauseous, and the meds are making me tired. So needless to say, I haven't run since last week.
I talked with Tara and told her to keep going, I'll get back to it as soon as I can get outside and not wince in pain from the blowing wind. I'm hoping next week, while Ava and I are enjoying some warmer weather, that I'll get to feeling better and can start running again.

I'm Inspired...

by my best friend!

So maybe I should expand on that a little. There are three beautiful ladies that I consider to be my best friends. These ladies have stuck with me through the fun and exciting stuff, and the not so fun and exciting stuff. They know my family and care about them. And they were all three standing with me on the day I got married. Unfortunately none of them are close by. So which lovely lady am I speaking of right now.... Tara! (the one who lives the farthest away - 4 hours)

Tara has been my best friend since I was 5 years old. We lived next door to each other and for years you would have thought we were sisters, we were glued at the hip. Just this past week, Tara started a blog chronicling her (and her husband's) struggle with infertility and their journey to pregnancy. You can check out their blog here and its also linked in our friend's blog list to the left. (They could use some extra prayer!) I was excited to read her first post and flattered to realize she was inspired by me to start her blog.

One of her latest posts is called : Tara, run?!?! NO WAY!! In it she talks about how her doctors have told her it would be best if she started losing some weight, so that when she becomes pregnant she can have the best chance at a normal pregnancy. Where am I going with this? Well, Tara got right on the doctor's orders and started a program called C25K (couch to 5K). Its a 9 week program for people who aren't runners, or who want to get back into running.

I had been wanting to get back into running for some time now, but just wasn't giving myself the push I needed. That was until I read Tara's post. I got incredibly excited, as I had been praying for motivation to do this and my answer was right in front of me. I emailed Tara and asked if she wanted a partner on this 9 week journey. She was excited for me to join her, and so we both started this past weekend. Tara on Friday, me on Saturday. I was lucky enough that Nathan was at home Saturday so I could go out while Ava was napping. But I knew it wasn't going to be easy during the week, and the program calls for workouts about every other day. So yesterday, we went and got this:



Our new jogging stroller, it's a very early birthday present. The price was amazing, and even though it't not top of the line (I don't need something like that!) it has gotten great reviews. After putting it together last night Ava had to take a ride.

she is waving "hi" to the camera.

We'll be heading out here in about an hour to try it out on the road. It will definitely be a big change for me, I'm not used to having extra resistance. But I'm determined to do this with Tara and for myself. I hope we can keep each other motivated. We'll keep you updated on our progress.


***

Yesterday was a beautiful day here in dreary Pittsburgh, and I thought Ava would like to take a wagon ride. Most nights Nathan pulls her around the living room and kitchen, so this would be a great change. I called next door to see if Joshua would like to go... or to see if his parents needed a break. Joshua's baby brother Noah was born a week ago on Friday! So Joshua and his Dad Shayne came out for a walk with us.




Joshua wasn't nearly as happy with the wagon ride as Ava was, so he end up in the stroller while Ava rode in the wagon. Hopefully that will change over time, his Mom and I have already talked about a trip to the zoo.

Ava bundled up before heading out... she did have fun despite her facial expression.


*****UPDATE*****

Running with a jogging stroller isn't easy! Ava did very well and enjoyed the ride, although wanted her hat off towards the end. I don't blame her, it was sunny and decently warm. As for our workout, I guess practice will make perfect. Next workout, Wednesday or Thursday, depending on the weather.

Don't tell Mom...

Not my Mom... your Mom. That is, if this is something you'd be interested in.
(Yes, this is another plug for my business... deal with it!)

Mother's Day is only a few months away, and I don't know about you, but I try to start thinking ahead about things to get. In campaign 9 (we're in #6), Avon will introduce these bracelets, with an amazing offer. They will be $5.99 with a $10 purchase.




It definitely wouldn't be a huge gift, but a cute one for sure. And who isn't watching their wallet these days?

So here is the deal. I'm putting up a poll, and I'm going to let you tell me which one to buy. I am able to purchase one of these ahead of time as a demo, for all of you to see. So let me know which one you'd like to see, and I'll get the one with the most votes. Besides, I think they are pretty, and I'll enjoy having it.

*poll is above our "about me" section and will be there until 3.17.10. Please vote!

Changes...

So a couple weeks ago I mentioned we were heading into some changes around here. Well, we're seeing some of those changes already, and some starting this week.

Lets start with what isn't changing for all of those who decided to guess... We are not:

*expecting baby #2 - there is no guarantee of a #2!
*moving, we absolutely love it here and don't know that we'll ever move again, which leads me to...
*buying a new house, when the time is right, we'll get something bigger.
*buying a new car - YET... plans are already being made for a new/bigger car/suv this fall

There are probably tons of other "nots" but those cover the guessed answers. As for what we are doing, well each of us is dealing with changes, some of us better than others. Let's start with Ava.

Miss Ava Reese:
Ava is growing every day. We're in the process of clearing out her closet again, as many of her 18 month clothes don't fit in arm and leg length. She already has some 24mos/ 2T things and they seem to fit quite well. She is a growing girl. We go next week for Ava's 18 month check up, and I expect her weight to be back up in the 80th or 90th percentile. She has been snacking like crazy which makes us think she may shoot up again soon.

Ava is also cutting her 20 month molars. These are her back two bottom molars. After the top ones comes in, she won't get any more teeth until around 6 years... or when her other teeth fall out! She has been pretty fussy, but we've been able to combat it with numby meds and a few doses of tylenol when it's called for.

Her language has taken off again, and she has at least 30 words. It's a change and challenge for us, as we now have to try to figure out what she is saying instead of just listening to her babble. Ava will try to say almost anything and does very well at it. This morning when I went to take down the gates (we put up two to keep the cats from crying at our doors), Ava was right behind me and looked at Ace, who was not waiting patiently, and said "Hi Ace!" It was too cute. Hearing Ava talk brings us such joy and reminds us of how fast she is growing up. New Moms, savor this time, it will be gone in the blink of an eye.

Nathan:
I guess Nathan falls into the "to be" changes. This Wednesday Nathan will once again be an employee of Medrad. (Did you notice the subtle change in the link to the left?) His last day at MSA is tomorrow, and he is very excited. I know this doesn't make much since to most people. Why would he go back to a company he left? Well the answer is simple, they asked him to. In January, Nathan received a call from "a guy" (no names sorry) at Medrad, who had a job position he thought Nathan would be perfect for. Actually, a few of the guys from Medrad had thought so, and that's why they were calling. Na went in, interviewed, and within in two weeks was hired. It was all very quick, and unexpected. Nathan didn't go looking for this job, it fell into his lap. And actually Nathan was up for a promotion at MSA, so this new job had to be good. And it is. Nathan is Medrad's new Lead Electrical Design Engineer on a top secret project. Yes, it is top secret. I don't even know what it is... we can't take any chances!

The main change that Ava and I will see is when Nathan leaves and returns home every day. Right now he has a 2.5 mile commute to work. Starting Wednesday, it will be a half hour commute. Nathan will have to take the turn pike, which means paying tolls, but if this job makes him happy, then I'm all for it. We both really enjoyed the time he worked for Medrad before, and the reason he left was that he wasn't getting the type of work he wanted... and probably wasn't going to any time soon. But now, this design position, let alone a lead design position, is Nathan's current dream job, and he will be back working with friends in a low key, relaxed environment.

We'll keep you updated as to how things go. Oh, and again, this doesn't mean we'll be moving closer to his work.

As for me, Sarah:
Well, my changes probably fall under the unwanted section. A few months ago Ava got sick, possibly the h1n1, and recovered well, thankfully. I didn't. Since then, I've been very fatigued, exhausted really, on the edge of depression, and not motivated to do anything. There were many mornings when I was laying on the couch and couldn't not get up, even after getting 8+ hours of sleep. I finally decided I needed to see a doctor. Unfortunately, the doctors acted like they thought I had depression more than anything, but I knew it wasn't just that. They did some blood work (I'm not used to it not being done in the office), and my results showed something. I'm deficient in B12. I had no clue what that meant, so I did a little research and found out that vitamin B12 is responsible for making healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells are what give you energy and carry oxygen. No wonder I was tired.

About two weeks ago I started taking 1mg (1000mcg) of B12. That's 16,667% of my daily value. I was pretty low! The normal intake is 6mcg, and most people get that from foods like dairy, red meat, and eggs. If the level of B12 stays low for a long time it can cause nerve damage which may show up in symptoms like tingling fingers and toes, dizziness or difficulty in sensing balance, and eventually depression. I've had the tingling for several years, it comes and goes, and was always told it was a result of low blood sugar.... good thing we double checked. Oh, and a B12 deficieny usually takes a long time to show symptoms, thus it can do some real damage if it goes undiagnosed.

I've been feeling much more energetic the past week, but I'm still pretty tired at times. And, I am having one side effect that isn't too fun. Weight gain. I've gained about 10lbs recently, and although it doesn't show too much, I can see it, and my clothes make me feel it. This should eventually go away, or reverse itself as B12 gives you energy and lots of people experience weight loss. For the time being, its only increasing my metabolism, and making me hungry. With Spring coming, I hope I get things figured out.

The only other change we are waiting on is the birth of Baby E. Joshua's baby brother is due on Wednesday and we're all very excited to meet him. This doesn't have a great impact on our family, other than the joy he will bring to us watching him grow. This Fall though, I may end up watching Joshua and Baby E. some when Kristi returns to work. No plans are final, but I know Ava will be excited to have Joshua around more.

So that's whats new with us. Our life is an adventure, full of ups, downs, and plenty of changes.

Thinkin' bout Summer...

Who isn't? With all the snow we've gotten, and the fact that we're pretty much stuck in doors 24/7 except for errands, why not daydream a little about the warmth of the sun.... maybe even some far off tropical places. Shoot, I'll take Ava's baby pool in the back yard any day over this crazy everlasting snow!

With Summer in mind, (okay that might be a stretch, but at least we're thinking of Spring right?), I thought I'd share the new scarf that Avon just released. It's a lightweight Rayon with metallic threads and is going for $7.99 ea. in campaign #6 if you purchase any other fashion item. If you'd rather not get anything else in the fashion department, you're look at a $14.99, but still a great price.

Glam 'N" Gorgeous Summer Scarf

$14.99 if purchased separately

$7.99 each

with any fashion purchase (pages 94-111)

So for all the Ladies out there who just love accessories of all kinds, check this out! It's ideal for all occasions and comes in 3 great colors (I'm a sucker for anything blue- matches my eyes). Maybe you want to dress up a tank and jeans, or add a little color to your little black dress. Or maybe you have a low cut top you've tucked away in your dresser thinking you'll never wear it again since its so low... add this scarf and your old shirt becomes new again.

We've got lots of new things coming out this Spring and Summer. Be sure to check back for updates, or click my link to the left and browse through my website. If there is anything I can help you with, just let me know.