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Kingdom Death Expansions

It took us a good while to complete that project, but we finally finished a full Kingdom Death including all (current) expansions in the monochrome style we already did previously.

Dragon King :

Dung Beetle Knight :

Flower Knight :

Gorm :

Lion God :

Lion Knight :

Manhunter :

Lonely Tree :

Slenderman :

Spidicules :

Sunstalker :

And for the main game…

Kingsman :

Phoenix & Screaming Antelope :

Butcher :

The Hand :

Watcher & White Lion :

And finally the 4 Starting Survivors, along with Survivors from the Unarmored Kit, made in a more “white” fashion, so that 2 players can play different Survivors and easily know which ones are their own.

  1. Hey there,

    Really marvelous work on the monochrome work.
    I was wondering if it was less work than doing “regular” color ?

    And in the end what I meant, is how much would it cost for such a comission?
    I can only imagine it takes a tone of time to do.

  2. Hi.

    I have seen your painting work on Kingdom Death, and i must say its some of the best i have ever seen. I love the monochrome approach as it really goes well with the theme. So i would like to ask what the cost would be on a set of Kingdom Death 1.5 + a few expansions would be?

    Best regards Rasmus

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Monday, June 25, 2007

Kalina eating Oatmeal! June 25/07

Oatmeal, Yum Yum!

What a mess! This is Kalinas first time eating oatmeal (or pablem). She had about 1 tbsp of oatmeal mixed with formula. The night before this, I let her taste some cool-whip and she screamed like she wanted more! So poor little Kalina was upset. So the next day mommy went to the store and picked up some starter food. What a hungry little girl, she ate every last drop. After I fed her a bottle to wash down the oatmeal.

You guys must think that Kalina is ALWAYS sleeping.. No not always. I just like taking pictures of her in such peace! Isn't she cute?

Dinner with the Teschkes

Kalina and Liam on the floor playing with each other. It is sooo cute watching them play together. Liam is always swating Kalina in the face and Kalina is always grabbing Liam. I remember one of the first times we put them together on the floor, they were so little!
Do I see a little pant grab? Hmmm.. I'll have to have a talk with your mother Liam!

I thought you were playing?

Oh dear! I put Kalina down to play while I cleaned the never ending bottles, and look what happened? Mommys precious little angel! Good night!

3 months old!

Hurray! My baby girl is 3 months old!! Sleepy in her swing....

Fathers Day

Happy Fathers Day! We went to clover pointe to fly kites with papa and daddy. Kalina sat in the car with Nana while mommy tried to fly a kite. Impossible! It was a tad bit windy outside, but perfect weather for kites!

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Kalina and Daddy swimming!

Swimming at Juan De Fuca, June 13/07

Happy 3 months Kalina!! We went swimming with Lisa, Liam, Daddy, Mommy and Kalina at Juan De Fuca. We got her changed in to her bikini in the change room and then off to the pool. Kalina LOVED being in the swimming pool. The pool was really warm so she probally thought it was the bath tub. Daddy was the first one to take her in, and not a peep out of her. Her buddy Liam also enjoyed swimming. He was showing off his back stroke! We went in the circle wave pool and we went round and round. I think this is going to be a weekly activity since she enjoyed it soooo much! Thanks Lisa and Liam for coming with us to the pool!

Kalina's first time at Juan De Fuca

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Time on the Deck

This was a beautiful day for us to be outside. Daddy was working on the sprinkler system while Kalina and I were lounging in the sun. Kalina is able to turn herself half way in her exersaucer and she is able to touch some of the toys. What a big girl.... Kalina is now 3 months old!!!

Sleepy Head

Oh My! Kalina slept from 8:30pm to 10:15am!..... She woke up for a feeding at 6am then came back to bed with Momma. She has been sleeping like this for the past 2 weeks! Good Girl!

Friday, June 8, 2007

A walk at Beacon Hill

We went walking through Beacon Hill Park with a couple of friends. Everyone was looking at us with all our strollers. It was very cute! We parked them by the pond for a photo op. Don't worry we had the brakes on!

A daytrip to Saturna Island

Well here is my little angel fast asleep in her carseat. This is Kalina's first ferry ride! Hurray! Our good friends Lisa and Liam invited us to go over there for the day to look at some property. Liam is 3 weeks older than Kalina. They have so much fun together, for now! They are going to be 5 and saying, "Mom! Liam is touching me!" So cute! We were on the ferry at 9:00 and then headed back to Swartz Bay at 4:30. The day was packed with fun. Kalina had her first trip in her umbrella stroller. She is still to tiny for it, but she seemed to be ok! Thanks Lisa and Liam for the wonderful day!!! *Hugs*

Time with my Papa

Kalina and her Papa (my dad) playing together. Papa was on the floor making Kalina giggle while she was jumping.

Kalinas First Popsicle

Kalina in her Jolly Jumper

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Cowichan part 2

The jetski! it was soooo much fun. I didn't fall off of it while it was moving. Trying to get on the darn thing from the water was another story! I also learned how to knee board. Only 10 tries before I got out of the water. Next time I will get up in 5 tries. The picture of the Jetski moving is my brother in-law Kris!

A weekend at Cowichan - June 2/07

What a fun weekend! It was 32 degrees all weekend long, just gorgeous! Kalina looked so cute in her bathing suit that Nanny bought her. I had to put cold cloths on her head to keep her cool.

Mommy's first time wearing a bathing suit herself! Yicks! Here I come Jazzersize!

Kalina loved her little pool. It was so hot outside, and as soon as we put her in it she smiled. Kalina of course slept through the night in the trailer. When we were on the boat and jetski, Kalina was with Nanny on the beach. We will be spending a lot of time at Cowichan this summer!

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Friday, March 18, 2011

much needed assistance...

As of today, it's official...I can no longer bend/lean over long enough, without being in intense pain or losing my breath, to paint my toenails! It was quite the horrifying realization, but then again, I think that's pretty dang good, considering I only have just a few weeks left until this baby is out of my tummy! Something had to be done about my "pedicure dilema", and the only thing that would put shame to my many attemps this morning...PEDICURE with assistance.

I stood just staring at the wall of colors, a little overwhelming because I get bored very easily, especially because I'm always in flip flops, and I knew I would be looking at them for a good long time, so white ended up becoming the obvious choice! The best part of it all, I was able to go with some of the women from work...I've only been gone for 3 days and I miss them terribly!

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Thursday, 16 March 2017

Mother's Day

Happy Thursday High Hopes Fans!

Spring is in the air and as I type this post it has been feeling like Spring.....until today! As I am typing this, Mother Nature has decided to bless us with some snowsqualls and a special weather statement for the coming week for a snow storm.

The perfect time in my mind to head for my craft room and get creative!
My post today features "Sunday's Best". How daper is this cutie in his dress shirt and pants!
I chose to do a different take on a Mother's Day card - I guess it's kind of masculine and in my mind perfect for a boy to give his mom. Afterall, boys need cards to give to right?

After colouring my stamp with alcohol markers I restamped his shirt on some plaid patterned paper and fussy cut it out, I did the same for his bow tie.
I used a sketch I love from One Crazy Stamper for my card layout (below).
It is hard to see in the photo but I added some clear Spectrum Sparkle Pen to the flowers for just a hint of glitter. Some corner dies and gumdrops (my fav) finish off my card.

Card Recipe
Stamps: Sunday's Best (R054 - High Hopes Rubber Stamps
Patterned Paper:  Perfectly Plaid Winter - Lawn Fawn
Hello Winter - Echo Park
Hearts and Stripes - My Favourite Things
 Tuxedo Black ink - Memento, Classic circle die - Spellbinders, Corner Die Set - Whimsy Stamps, Pop Dots - Forever In Time, White Sugar and Sparkle gumdrops - YNS, Clear Spectrum Sparkle Pen

Spectrum Markers: CT1 CT4 EB6 EB3 EB5 1G2 1G3 1G5 OR1 CG4 DG3 FS8 FS5 FS2 TN2 BG5 BG7 BG10

A new month = a new challenge! Join us for our Anything Goes challenge. Here's the link:March Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!
Have a fantastic day!

  1. OMG!!!! How cute is that little guy! Love the idea for a Mother's Day card! Your cards just keep getting cuter and cuter!!

  2. This is such a cute stamp! I wondered how you managed the details for the shirt...thanks for sharing! Great card! 😀


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Welcome to Following the Whispers blog

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit. Hope you enjoy your stay. I blog here whenever I feel the need. This blog was created at the time my memoir came out, in February, 2009. Its motto was: creating a life of inner peace and self-acceptance from the depths of despair. Now, my focus is sharing this journey we call life.

“Only one thing is more frightening than speaking your truth, and that is not speaking it.” Naomi Wolf

“We are called human beings, not human doings.” Wes Nisker, Buddhist teacher

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs…(And) if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.” Theodore Roosevelt

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

telling the truth tuesday

"Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud."
Maya Angelou
Letter to my Daughter

When I landed in Portland I was greeted by a vibrant double rainbow, all colors of the spectrum quite clear. Then, when I arrived at my destination.I found this book and this line in the intro.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Off to the Pacific Northwest

In 1994, I sold everything I owned, except my computer and personal photos and journals and moved to Albuquerque, NM from Portland, Oregon. I left because I was getting yet another divorce and didn't think I could heal if I stayed there. You'll have to read my memoir to find out why!

I loved Portland, Oregon. I love the Pacific Northwest. I consider it my "spiritual home." I will be going back for a visit and will be gone till all next week, so I won't be posting or visiting. I'm actually seeing this as a vacation from everything - including writing.

So, be well, don't forget me and I'll leave you with this thought:

What you think of me is none of my business. Think about it - it has changed my life to let go of what others think of me.
How about you?

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Telling the truth Tuesday - oops

Got up this morning and realized I'd forgotten to write a post for today. Oops. So,what is my truth today? I'm taking care of all sorts of things, important things, that I've put off because they are difficult. Things like appointments with attorneys for wills, health care directives, living wills, etc. All of these things are taking time and energy and, alas, no writing this past week. I've come to accept when this happens because now I know that it doesn't matter how long I stay away from my story. When I come back to it, my Muse will still be there for me.

How about you?

Monday, October 15, 2012

Monday Musings - hanging out with friends

My husband grew up in a small town in the Texas Panhandle. I grew up in New York City. There are other major differences, but that's for another post another day. Today's post is about old friends. Hubby has a good friend whom he has known since they were one. At our wedding, this friend said they've known each other since they were in swaddling clothes. That is mind boggling to me. This weekend, that childhood friend came to stay with us.

I guess I have been in so many relationships and moved so many times and changed locales so often (New York to Portland Oregon to Albuquerque NM) that I didn't maintain connections. The friends I have now that I am still close with, I've known for, at most, 28 years. I am in touch with one childhood friend, whom I re-connected with thru Classmates.com, but we are not close.

There is something so wonderful about being with people whom you have shared childhood memories with. Someone who has seen you through many life events, whether tragic or joyful. It's made me want to re-connect with my first cousins, whom I've kind of lost track of.

My friends now really know me well. They understand and "get" me. Those are the kind of folks I want around me. Ones I don't have to worry what I say and what I do. They're love for me won't change.

How about you? Do you have childhood friends still in your life today? Tell me how you feel about whether you do or don't.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Stopping to Smell the Roses

I am changing. It used to be that in order for me to feel good about myself I had to have been productive, meaning accomplishing tasks. How much I accomplished impacted how good or bad I felt. Isn't that ridiculous? How could we let what we accomplish change how we feel about who we are? I wish it hadn't taken being retired for me to understand this.

The other day I gave myself a day off from my to-do list. And yes, even tho' I'm "retired," I still have to-do lists. On my day off, I exercised, because I wanted to, not because I had to. And I curled up with a book for most of the rest of the day. I can't remember the last time I did that.

I guess some would say I did accomplish something - I started and finished a book. I could even delude myself by saying it was "research," since I'm now writing fiction and reading fiction is part of what I do to make my writing better. But that wouldn't be the truth. Because really, all I was doing was enjoying a good read and paying attention to my soul, which needed a time-out from all other activities.

So, how about you? Do you stop to smell the roses?

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Telling the Truth Tuesday - Fall

Fall is my favorite time of the year and the trees are just beginning to turn here in Albuquerque. Further North they've already shifted to the yellows and reds that I love so much. Fall reminds me of a very good part of childhood - the beginning of the school year. I loved buying new notebooks and pens and pencils and crayons. I still buy the notebooks and pens in September. Haven't bought crayons in years. Hmmm....now there's a thought.

Don't you just love new beginnings. A time when the slate is wiped clean and you begin anew. It is an opportunity to leave everything behind. The Jewish new year occurs this time of year and culminates with Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism. Not that I would know much - I never studied the religion I was born into but do not follow. But what I love about Yom Kippur is the concept of recognizing your sins, accepting them, and letting them go. In other words, honoring the fact that you are human. You make mistakes. You can forgive yourself and move on.

That is what Fall means to me.
How about you?

Monday, October 8, 2012

Monday Musings: Light at the end of the tunnel

The novel I am writing has three parts. I have completed the first two and am now working on the third section. When I say completed, let me clarify. It is bare bones, people. When I finish this last part, I will probably have, maybe 50,000 words if I'm lucky. I will have to go back and flush the story out, adding craft techniques, etc. But I'm not worried about that. I am just so grateful this story is emerging out of the depths of my soul and the magic of the universe. I am willing to do whatever it takes to get it down and make it into something I hope others will want to read. There were days when I thought I'd remain stuck in the darkness forever. It is lovely to see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

How about you?
Where are you on your projects?

Friday, October 5, 2012

Taking a Day Off

This is the first day in a long time I don't have any outside appointments and it's not my exercise day, so I am taking the day to focus on my writing. Be well everyone. Have a fantastic weekend and I'll catch you all on Monday.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Insecure Writers Support Group - October

It's that time of month again. No, not that time of month. Gosh, haven't had that for years now.
No, it's the monthly Insecure Writers Support Group time of the month, hosted by the intrepid Ninja Captain Alex: http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com. It's where we get to write about our insecurities and hopefully share our experiences in handling said insecurities.

I was an insecure person to begin with. I basically had no sense of self until I began my spiritual journey at 28 years old (35 years ago, yikes). My sense of self has grown steadily since then and now it's pretty healthy, I'd say. Except for two areas, and they happen to be two of the most important areas of my life - singing and writing.

Since this is the writers support group, I'll focus on that. I am pretty secure in my nonfiction writing. But now, at 63, I am working on my first ever fiction piece and my insecurities are running rampant. The same old voice that used to visit me while writing my memoir, the one that says, "who do you think you are?" is back. So is one that says, you can't write metaphors. You don't do descriptions well. No one will ever want to read this. Yada yada yada.

Bottom line. This story came to me in a magical way while visiting magical places in Ireland and Scotland. This story won't go away, even if I leave it for long periods of time. I know I am meant to complete this book, even if it never sees the light of day after that.

So, insecurities be damned, I say.

What do you say?

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Telling the Truth Tuesday - a new paradigm

Up until I was 20 years old, I was a thin person. I could eat whatever I wanted and never gain an ounce. Then poof! Went on birth control pills. Gained 30 pounds. And, until the last few years, yo-y'd those same 30 plus another 30 pounds. Fast forward to today. I have maintained a 63-pound weight loss and weigh what I weighed at 19.

Now, instead of guilt-ridden meals eating out, worrying about how much salt something has, whether I will gain 2 pounds and how long will it take to lose it, I can eat a meal in a restaurant and just enjoy it. Don't get me wrong. I still have to make wise choices. Otherwise I'll be right back where I was. But there's a little flexibility there. And the guilt is gone.

It is definitely a new paradigm for me, and one I am enjoying very much.
How about you?

Monday, October 1, 2012

Monday Musings - prioritizing to do lists

I have always been a compulsive list maker. I now have a notebook just for my list. I write the first one. Then as I begin to cross things off and add to it, it gets messy, so I re-write it on the next page and so on and so on. But I read somewhere over the weekend that it's easy to get caught up in getting your to-do list done, but it doesn't necessarily mean you are being productive. What makes you productive is creating categories for your to-do list to ensure you get the most important things done before everything else. I love this.

How about you?


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Sunday, October 11, 2009

A small free kiss in the dark

I have just finished reading this gorgeous book by Glenda Millard. It is a gentle telling of war-ridden Melbourne and narrated by Skip, a boy who was already homeless before the start of the war. There is something fascinating to me about stories where the main protagonist is dealing with a war or post-war situation. It may have something to do with growing up during the Cold War where such stories abounded. It's also a great device for kids to be the hero of the story without parental supervision or interference. I enjoyed the Melbourne references, though saddened to think of the State Library taking such a beating. I think it's so important for Australian kids to have their own lives reflected in the stories they read, be it geographical, vernacular or cultural references. Congrats Glenda.

Jackie said...

I'm just about to read this Karen and I can't wait. It sounds fascinating.

Lyndel K said...

Hi Karen,
there's a review of Hostage you might like to read, at


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Find digi stamps at cherishull.com
Any design team questions please send to karleighsuedigis@hotmail.com
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Friday, December 18, 2015

Naughty Mrs Claus

Hi everyone its not long till Christmas now, today Im sharing a card that Ive made for my husband for Christmas using the sexy Mrs Naughty Claus from Karleigh Sue Designs. To make my card I started off with a printed Christmas card blank and then added a Kaiser Journal card. I coloured my image with copic markers and then cut her out and popped her up with double sided foam tape. To embellish I used some glitter glue and christmas coloured sequins. Inside the card it reads ( is you ).
Here is the list of the colours that I have used.
E000,E00,E01,E21,E23,E25,G02,G03,G05,G09,R20,R22,R24,R27, and a gold gel pen.
To get this awesome image here is the link Mrs Naughty Claus
To see some more of my creations check out my blog at http://debveescraftplace.blogspot.com

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Tuesday, July 2, 2013

So this happened...

Davis, Paul, Amanda, and Jimmy were all baptized Sunday in the Irish Sea! Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Swim Caps: The Great Equalizer

Although we don't have any pictures of the five of us in swim caps (no cameras allowed), Bailey, Karolina, Billy, Davis, and I went to the National Aquatic Center yesterday for Bailey's 12th birthday. Word to the wise: Whatever you do, don't let Davis and Billy talk you into going down The Black Hole waterslide. Terrifying. The Master Blaster, however, is a great inner-tube slide.

Afterwards, we came back to the house for pizza, cake, and presents with a few more friends and our team. We were able to Skype Uncle Steven and the grandparents, too. I think Bailey had a great day and was completely worn out as well. Happy Birthday Bailey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scott's brilliant(?) idea to have a leg wrestling competition.

Spoons and goofy boys.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

What Lies Beneath...

So, the front green might possibly have a trench buried beneath it, that was connected to a moat that surrounded a couple of buildings, from a long, long, time ago. A young man from this neighborhood got permission from the county council to explore the possibility of digging an excavation trench to see if there are any artifacts buried there. Exciting! Davis and Billy are going to charge 2 Euro per look-see. They'll make a killing! grassrootsarchaeology.ie

All Cats Go to Heaven?

This isn't meant to be a discussion about pet theology, but we wanted to make our readers (all 18 of you) aware that Davis's beloved cat, Strider, died last Saturday morning after surgery due to an infection caused by a ruptured bladder. Davis handled it with maturity mixed with sadness. Unfortunately, there was a mixup about what to do with the body, which we planned to bury at our friend Chris's land, and Strider was cremated instead. Fortunately, that made the vet feel sorry for us and he didn't charge us the cremation fee of 190 Euro. In the meantime, Tiger Lily has decided that Davis's bed is the best place to sleep at night. Maybe it's comforting for the both of them now that Strider is gone.
We plan to find a cool rock for our front garden in memory of the coolest cat in the world.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Team Fun Night

It's true, our team does have fun together! Even though it was super windy, cold, sleeting, snowing, hailing, and partly sunny all day, we ventured out to ALSAA Bowling for a little R & R. It's too bad for Jo that bowling is not her sport. It's the only sport in which I can beat her. Like a yard dog, beat her.  Maybe she loses in order to boost my self-esteem. Oh well, I'll take it. After bowling we gathered at the Smiths' for fondue fun and board games. Run to your nearest store, buy Telestrations, grab 7 of your friends, and prepare for a good time.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

We're Still Here Chugging Along

It snowed...for about 5 minutes.

Sofia Lane Beall's quilt

Disecting an owl pellet--yum.

We eventually found 3 skulls, but we were past the 'this-is-cool' phase and didn't take a picture.

Nothing says Valentine's Day like going to the Immigration Office to renew your visa and that's exactly what Scott and I did today. We passed with flying colors, although I did have minor trouble with the electronic finger-printing machine. Here are a few pics I've neglected to post since December:


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Sunday, November 08, 2009

I am attempting to post a picture to my blog via Windows Live Writer.  We will see if this works.

I know I haven’t blogged anything in a while and I will get back to it.  It’s not that I haven’t had things to write about, but more like with an expanding audience of friends and family members who have opinions about what I write, what I should write, what I shouldn’t write, it’s kind of hard to retain my own voice.

I will do it.  Just to reiterate:

  1. Each family member gets to veto exactly one blog post and one blog post only, so make it worth it.  I keep track.  And I won’t remove one after you’ve used your veto, no matter how hard you beg.
  2. I don’t take requests for posts.  I’m going to write about what I feel like writing about, when I have time to write about it.  I am not a gifted storyteller and don’t feel like some things translate well from real life onto this blog.  Some things I would prefer to remain as private jokes between myself and the various participants.  And sometimes I just don’t want to do the work involved in writing something down.  It doesn’t mean I don’t love you, I didn’t enjoy our time together, or I’m not still laughing or crying over whatever it was we shared.

With that in mind, THANK YOU for your continued reading of my blog and I hope to blog a bit more regularly in the future.

1 pearl(s) of wisdom:

Cindy said...

Did you really have someone request that you take down a post? Crazy. I sensor my writing - sometimes- depending on the topic. I know my Mom and SIL read my blog, so I don't want to have something on there that I might not want the world to know.

Oh, and even though you said that you don't take requests - I'm requesting a post on the awesomeness that is ChikFilA. :)


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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Cattle Call Park

1. cattle call park-kab Cattle Call Park 11-24-12 Brawley, CA

On the morning of November 24 last Thanksgiving Gus and I checked out of our hotel in the Imperial Valley of California and prepared to leave town. But before we left we made one last stop at the town park. I saw it was an eBird Hotspot on the eBird map of that location. We arrived just before 7 a.m. and I was so glad that I came. It turned out that this was the only location where I spotted Gambel’s Quail and Gila Woodpeckers! They were the last 2 species I added to my California Life List!

2. palms-kab Most of the Gila Woodpeckers and some of the Northern Mockingbirds were hanging out in these palm trees that lined the park.

3. mockingbird-kab I found a mockingbird and a house sparrow in some thick bushes near the edge of the park.

4. mockingbirds-kab Northern Mockingbirds were everywhere!

5. Gambel's quail-kab  A small Flock of Gambel’s Quail were in the same corner of the park.

They actually came leaping down out of the palm trees!

6. kestrel-kab On top of a tree an American Kestrel perched.

7. nomo n WCSP-kab Hiding in the same bushes behind the mockingbird was a White-Crowned Sparrow!

8. RTHA-kab And far off in the distance a Red-tailed Hawk surveyed the world.

9. nomo-kabI counted 12 Northern Mockingbirds in all.

These are the birds I saw at Cattle Call Park on 11-24-12:

  1. Gambel’s Quail 12
  2. Red-tailed Hawk 1
  3. Rock Pigeon, 12
  4. Gila Woodpecker, 2
  5. American kestrel, 4
  6. Black Phoebe, 3
  7. Verdin, 1
  8. Northern Mockingbird, 12
  9. European Starling, 36
  10. Yellow-rumped Warbler, 6
  11. Abert’s Towhee, 2
  12. White-crowned sparrow, 4
  13. Great-tailed Grackle, 6
  14. House Sparrow, 12
  15. gull species, 12

We drove away from the Imperial Valley after this and with the addition of the Gila Woodpecker and the Gambel’s Quail it brought my California Life List up to 74 species! Not bad for a 48 hour trip! I am sure it could have been much higher if I could have identified all the shore birds and gulls I was seeing!

Note: Things are finally starting to get back to normal around here. I will post an update tomorrow. Suffice it to say that it was a stressful week and I still went out birding on Sunday with Chris Rohrer and Rich Hoyer in the Santa Cruz Flats! They reminded me of the Salton Sea area without the sea! Lots of agricultural fields and flatland surrounded by mountains. We even saw abandoned and decrepit buildings, though not in the same quantity as the Salton Sea area. We did see a lot of bird species and my Big January List soared! I also added 3 species to my life list! There is so much to tell and barring any more crises I should be able to get caught up this week!

  1. The Gambels around here look rather clumsy when they land off the ground.

    1. Gaelyn, these were tumbling out of the tree!

  2. Great to see the mockingbirds, they need to be wary of the hawks though. Lots of quail here in the interior of the province; they are a delight to see.

  3. Hi Katie...Things here in the North east are mighty cold 2 above right now!!
    The Mockingbird, I usually only see a pair a summer..that is a good group of them you saw!!
    Your past few post and today's have some awesome photos, nice to see from other area birds, so familiar and some very different and nice to see!!
    I think my favorite of them all is the Owl sleeping in the Palm tree : ) !!

    1. Grace, I do not envy you that cold weather! You don't want to hear this but we had a high of nearly 80F today! the Salton sea was a grand adventure. I will never forget it!

  4. Hi Kathie

    What a lovely series of birds, I am glad you saw the quail and woodpecker that sounds like a fun sighting.

Welcome to my nest! I hope you will enjoy spending time here with me and the birds. Thank you for your comments. I will try to get back to you as soon as I get back from counting more birds.


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Monday, December 17, 2012

New Year, New Blog!

As you all know, our IVF journey is now over. This will be my last post on this blog. I want to thank everybody who supported Pat and I through one of the most emotionally intense experiences of our lives. Luckily, we have our two little ladies now. Life has never been sweeter. Each day is better than the day before. 2013 is another big year for our family. Pat will be starting medical school. With this new chapter, I have started a new blog. It will be life from the perspective of a wife of a doctor-in-training, mother of twins, balancing life/housework/family and how it all works to create what we call "our normal". Please feel free to follow our family as we continue to raise our beautiful daughters and tackle our new life as a family of four. I feel that this blog has helped so many (including myself!)! Just this past week, one of my blog followers traveled to Cincy to see Dr. Scheiber and is now expecting TWINS! He has gotten all of my blog followers pregnant (with TWINS)! It's been amazing, and I am glad my supporters have sought advice from my experience and applied it to their own situations. That is what this blog was all about. I hope you all found hope, inspiration, and love through my posts as that is why I love to write. Congrats to all of you who are now expecting, and good luck to those still on their journey!! I hope you still continue to follow us, as I will to you.

"Infertility does not define me, as it is one component of who I am."

Please follow me on my new blog.  Medical School Mrs.

Much love,

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Congrats Dr. Hubby!

I know it has been awhile, but my little ladies have been keeping me pretty busy these days! As you would predict with having twins...I do not get many moments to myself during the day anymore. Those little peanuts require lots of mommy attention.

November was a HUGE month for my little family. First and foremost, Pat was accepted to medical school!!! This has been his dream since he was a child. I remember the night we met, he must have told me like 3 times. I always knew that was his goal and watching him work his tail off these past few years makes it so sweet. He was accepted here in Chicago so NO MOVING!!!! I would be lying if I said I was not worried about moving. With twins and having all my family nearby is just the support I need when Pat starts school! He will be attending Midwestern University/CCOM in Downers Grove in August! He is in the Class of 2017! I am beaming with excitement for him! We have two miracle babies and now Pat is starting medical just keeps getting better. As his wife, I must say, I have never seen him as happy as he is right now. I think he has everything he has ever wanted now. However, there is ALOT of hard work ahead of him, but I know he will tackle it just fine! He is the most intelligent (and also the most compassionate) person I have ever met. He is exactly where he was always meant to be. I am one proud wifey! It is fun watching him research specialties and plan his future in his medical career. It's the little things that make me smile. His list keeps changing but he is showing most interest in ortho, anesthesiology, and radiology. This can very easily change, but I love watching him plan. His dream is now our reality. There is never a dull moment in the Davis house, but I would not have it any other way!

I will be starting a new blog. I have a few new ideas in the works. Our IVF journey may be over for now, but we have so much more to share with the world with all of these new happenings and our growing ladies that I will continue to share. Stay tuned!

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

2.5 months old and TV stars

The girls are changing even more!!'s crazy how fast things change...once you get a solid routine down, something changes and you have to learn things all over again. Right now both girls are very aware of their surroundings and I feel they get easily bored. Now we are trying to keep them stimulated when they are awake. I started taking them for afternoon walks to give their senses stimulation. Also, I make sure they get adequate naps throughout the day, not just cat naps anymore. At first we thought Avery was teething, but now we are thinking she is just bored. The only thing that makes her happy is looking out the windows and stepping outside for a small bit.  Also, she loves when I vacuum! My living room will be vacuumed several times a day now! Like I said, we are learning as we go here! Avery also clenches on to me VERY tight!! She wants me to hold her much more than before. Hannah used to be that way and now the tables turned! My Hannah is now very calm and laid back. I am glad they switch off! Much easier for momma!

I was recently asked to do a TV interview segment with WGN Healthy Living Chicago this month to talk about my experience as a child with ovarian cancer and being a cancer survivor to now a wife and mother of 2. The segment will discuss my personal thoughts and concerns I had as a child to our journey through IVF consequently due to my cancer. The shoot will take place in my home and last about 2 hours and will be edited down to a 30 minute segment that will air on WGN. The shoot will be on October 16. We are still finalizing the details with the producer. With as much PR as I have done, I never did a sit-down interview and had a 30-minute, on-air segment of just me. They want the girls to be involved as well in some of the film. Again, I think this is a great family experience and another reminder to them as to how badly they were wanted. Together, we defied the odds. :)

As most of you know, Hannah did her scene on NBC's Chicago Fire set last Friday night. It was such a fun experience. Pat had to work, so I brought my best friend Lisa. We were there from 8:30p-midnight. It's amazing how our TV shows are made. We were stunned! Plus, we got to see some firefighter actors in action! Too cool! When Hannah was radioed in she rose to the occasion and nailed it! hehe she cried, but not too much. It was perfect! The scene will be the episode of Thanksgiving week on Wednesday, November 27! I am happy we decided to move forward with this. I think Hannah will be tickled she had her moment in fame as a TV star at 2 months old!

Saturday, September 29, 2012

2-Month Photos!

We had the girls' pictures taken when they were 2 months old with Kathleen Thame Photography. We absolutely LOVE how they turned out!! We got a few family photos done too! ;)

Here are a few of our favorites!!

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Adventures of Avery and Hannah...continued...

The girls are now over 2 months old! I still can't believe I have two babies! Sometimes I look at my life when we are out for a walk on the riverwalk or hanging out with family and have to pinch myself because I don't think life can get much better than this...I smile more everyday! I love watching the girls grow and change on a weekly basis!

Last week, Pat's grandfather passed away. We received the news early Monday morning. Pat came right home from working his shift and asked if we could leave right at that moment. Without hesitation or thinking, I said of course. When there is somebody in our family that is hurting or needs us, we are there, no matter how much of an obstacle it will be. That is one of the reasons I fell in love with Pat. Family is his #1 priority. If family calls, he goes. He has the biggest heart. As soon as we knew we were leaving, I started to pack the girls. It took me 2 hours!!!! haha!! 6:30-8:30am! Yes, 2 hours! haha! I had no idea packing for two infants entailed so much! Anyways, we got the car packed with the baby stuff and our one small bag. The babies had 3 suitcases and Pat and I shared one duffel bag.  (Side note: I was so busy packing the girls, I forgot to pack Pat shirts! oops!!) By 9:15am we were on the road to Youngstown, OH! This was the start of our first roadtrip with the girls. We had no idea what was in store for the next 6-days we were there...

We arrived and the 7-hour trip was not too bad. We had a 1-hour stop and ate lunch. The girls were the celebrities of the rest stop on the Ohio turnpike! We made it to Youngstown and we were so happy to be surrounding family at this difficult time. Babies can help to make these moments a little lighter. Plus, the entire family would get to meet Avery and Hannah!

The girls stayed on their routine. They slept through the night. Boy was I relieved!!! We did learn that with all the people and fun activities the girls were stimulated all day and naps were minimized. Pat and I learned the necessity of naps! Baby Einstein in the hotel room was a must! The girls got to meet the entire Davis Family!!!! We were so happy the girls got to meet everybody, even though it was under the saddest of circumstances...

We had a great weekend honoring the memory of Pat's grandpa.

However, the worst part of the trip was still ahead of us....the ride home! We thought at this point it was smooth sailing and soon enough would be back at home and in the daily routine the girls know so well. We were so wrong!  We stopped in Fort Wayne, IN at a gas station to fill up and of course I think the efficient thing to do would be to eat at the connected italian restaurant and get the girls out of their car seats for their feeding. Pat wanted me to check out the restaurant to see if there were any open seats. There was ONE table left and there were only about 10 tables in the whole restaurant. I think Perfect! We walk in with two crying babies and the whole restuarant which consists of 20 people are staring at us. (Yes, we were THOSE People. Mind you the girls have always been angels up to this point!) Anyways so I grab Avery and head straight to the bathroom for a diaper change. I find no changing table so I go back out to the car and change her in the front seat. No big deal she was no less fussy and was put back in her seat. Pat was holding Hannah and he says to me she just had a massive explosion in her diaper. I start laughing. Then he hands her to me and he sees she has poop running down her leg, on his pants, and all over his hand! I take the poop monster to the car and think omg! this never happens at home! She has never had THIS much! so I change her and find I have no onesies readily available. They are all packed in the truck in a suitcase. SO I put a new diaper on her and swaddle her in a sleep sack naked and went back in the restaurant. I sit back down and Pat is now consoling Avery who now has projectile spit up all over herself and Pat. Mind you he has poop in his other hand still from Hannah. I tell him to go wash up and I will take over. As soon as Pat washed up, he sat back down and the waitress comes over for the third time and asks are you ready to order now???? haha! She was very nice about it. I think everybody felt sorry for us because everybody got dinner and a show! As soon as we ordered and the chaos slowed down. Pat and I looked at each other and just laughed...we could not believe this just happened! BTW the restaurant was the BEST italian food we have had in months!!!!! We actually want to go back!

As soon as we got back in the car, the girls did not make a peep all the way back to Chicago. I think our 2-hour pit stop tired them tired us out for sure!

Nonetheless, we survived our first family roadtrip. Their were times where things went smoothly, and others where they did not. I am so glad we went and didnt hesitate to think of all the obstacles we would face. I think my best advice to anybody thinking of traveling with two-month olds is to just go with the flow. Laugh, dont cry. :)

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Things are Changing!

My girls already wearing Ralph Lauren! haha! Already into fashion! I can already tell they will love shopping just like their Momma! Watch out Dad...better get used to it! ;)
The girls are 6.5 weeks old right now and so much has already changed!! They are growing and getting more of a personality with each day! The girls are making eye contact with us on a regular basis now. They have such a deep stare. When I am feeding, I will just stare right back at them. It's such a nice time. One of my most favorite changes is that the girls know my voice so well. When I am talking anywhere in the room, they start to look around the room for me. They do know my voice from the 9 months of pregnancy, but when I see how they look around for me it just tickles me and warms my heart. They are my little nuggets...It is so funny how when they were in my belly I felt like I knew them and seeing them here, just makes this whole experience seem surreal. I LOVED being pregnant, but I LOVE holding my babies and watching them grow. What a miracle this all has been!

Also, my girls are sleeping through the night!!! THREE nights in a row!!!! YAHOOOOO! (Knock on wood!) This means they are eating closer together during the day, but go all night without waking up. LOVING THIS! However, being the crazy, paranoid momma, I am up checking on them making sure they are still breathing. haha Also, I am conditioned now to wake up throughout the night so I wake up still, but quickly fall back to sleep. How did I get so lucky to have the world's best babies?!?!

With it now being September, I am looking forward to pumpkin patches, pies, long fall walks (I hated taking the babies out because the weather this past yucky!), and Birdies for Babies! This year Avery and Hannah will be there as the newest additions to the Birdies for Babies family! Also, we get to see all the previous Birdies for Babies couples! It will be so much fun and we can't wait!!!! Fall is my favorite season and I now have my two miracle babies here to be a part of all our fall happenings!

Friday, August 17, 2012

4 weeks old

Well, Pat and I survived our first 4 weeks as new parents. Our world was turned upside down and we learned a whole new routine that we had no idea of what was in store for us. As much as people could research or plan, nothing prepares you for being a parent, especially a parent of twins. Babies do not come with instructions. We learned as we went along. I have to say having twins, you HAVE to be laid back in order to survive. I think we have a good grasp on our routine now. It is all trial and error. Each day is better than the day before. The girls are becoming their own and their personalities keep shining through. I love watching them grow ounce by ounce in these early stages. Their cheeks are filling out and their thighs are becoming fuller and not just sticks anymore. I love these two monkeys with more than I have.

These two little girls are our world. Everything we do now is for them. I can't imagine my life without them. After our IVF journey and wondering why things never worked out earlier or when we wanted them to, I can look at Avery and Hannah and know now they were worth for what seemed like the longest wait. We were meant to have them. The funny thing is I think they were waiting for us. The timing was perfect. It was all meant to be...

After years of trying, countless tears, thousands of dollars, and hundreds of needles, we have the life we have always wanted....we have our family now. It is amazing how once you get pregnant and have your babies, all the pain and experiences from IVF are a distant memory...almost like a fog. Maybe it's a defense mechanism of repression. To be honest, I don't care to remember it all anyways. The one thing of all this I want is to always be able to help other people who are going through it. The rest doesn't matter to me. I don;t care to remember the hard days, pain, and sometimes suffering. Pat and I experienced something the majority of people will never have to go through. However, through this experience we have met some of the most generous and kind people in the world. We want to thank you for showing us what true kindness and love is. You know who you are...We have never seen such a love or sacrificial world as we did in IVF land. Whether it be from fundraisers to help us afford treatment or even egg donation. We will always know to love with our whole hearts always and to give others more than we have. We are going to show our girls the love that surrounded us through our journey so they can grow to be extraordinary people just like you all have showed us. We hope that one day they will read through my blog and through their baby books and truly understand where they came from and how badly they were wanted. At some points it felt as if the whole world wanted them... :)

They are two lucky girls who have a whole world of people who love them. :)  Thank you for always supporting us and being a part of the girls' lives.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Adventures of Avery and Hannah

The girls are now a little over 2 weeks old now. I still cant believe they are here! Once we brought them home we had my in laws stay with us at our home for a week and a half to help with the transition of twins. We will take as much help as we can get! They helped by doing housework, house repairs, yardwork, and caring for our dogs and new babies. It was very helpful. In the beginning it was tough because not only did we have 2 newborns, but I was still recovering from my csection. I was on Oxycontin for the first week and it was starting to make me physically sick, so I settled for the ibuprofen. All those crazy pain meds make me crazy! I am a person who doesnt take any meds EVER! So these strong meds took me for a loop!

It is crazy to think how a person can function with barely any sleep! In the beginning it was tough to adjust to....after the first week, I was able to function without a nap in the morning. I was getting worried how I might function without napping. Dont get me wrong, I am very tired, but can take care of the girls just fine and dandy without feeling super exhausted! The middle of the night feedings are tough, but the girls are most alert at night and it is fun to see them coo and snuggle with each other. To feed them I put them in their smooth motions glider together. They interlock their legs together and sometimes start sucking on each others faces/hands. It is so funny! Pat and I just sit and laugh at them.

As for the topic of feeding...I get asked this by many moms of multiples....I went into this pregnancy wanting to breastfeed 100%. However, I am learning quite quickly that it is such a HUGE commitment to breastfeed multiples. Not only are there 2 babies, but they are still considered pre-term. My #1 priority is for them to gain weight and with continuing to breastfeed it is hard to measure what is being consumed. It is not something I really want to play with. Since I have been home I have been pumping exclusively, but learning that as the girls grow they need more. It is hard to keep a stash in the fridge with growing babies who need more. SO as of right now, I am not sure which is best for us. Pat is very PRO-breastfeeding, but we are not sure how long this can continue. Plus once I start my hormone replacement there is a chance I may start drying up. Only time will tell!

Motherhood is full of new surprises and is rewarding yet very exhausting! I couldnt imagine life without Avery and Hannah. The girls are doing so great! They are becoming their unique selves. They have very different cries and personalities. It is always fun to learn new things about them daily. The girls are both happy and healthy...what more can we ask for!

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Welcome to the World Avery Ann and Hannah Katherine!

The girls have arrived!! They were born on Saturday, 7/21/12 at 7:42pm and 7:43pm. Avery weighing in at 5lb 8 oz and Hannah weighing 4lb 15 oz. Our world has changed so much this past week for the better. We are loving our new, little family!

Where do I begin? On the morning of 7/21, I woke up at 9am to a gush of fluid leaving my body. At first I thought maybe it was incontinence or maybe even blood from the babies pushing on ym bladder, but everytime I rolled over, more came out. Our beagle Cody even moved away from me in bed. I knew something was up. So I decided to get up and check it out in the bathroom. However as soon as I stood up gravity came into play and WHOOSH! more came out! At that time I whispered to Pat...umm I think my water just broke....he looked at me and water dripping down my legs and said we are going to the hospital. call the doctor right now. So as I started to find something to wear and did my hair, our doctor was on call (woo hoo!) She called us immediately and told us to come to the hospital to get checked out to see if this was the start of labor. I could not believe she said the word labor. We were only 34.5 weeks. It was too soon!!!  I was thinking at least 1 more week!!! Pat saw me putting some makeup on and said you have got to be kidding me....get in the car! haha! ...I wanted to look presentable considering I had no contractions! Oh well...also Pat grabbed the car seats and put them in the trunk because we knew there was a good chance we wouldnt be returning home without our two baby girls!

We got to the hospital checked in and registered and they put us in a triage room to make sure things were actually happening. We got tested and yep! this was labor! I was 1cm dilated and 0% effaced, which meant I had a long way to go!!  The nurse came in to put my IV in to start me on fluids and possibly pitocin since my contractions were just not coming. Ultasound came in to check the position of the babies and they were both head down so they plan at that time was to do a vaginal delivery. The nurse then moved me to the labor suite which was about the size of a studio apartment. My doctor ordered pitocin and the contractions took about 2 hours to kick in. 8 hours later the doctor did an internal exam and I was still only 1cm dilated and 0% effaced! The doctor said we may want to consider doing a csection because we could only wait about 12 more hours because since my watre broke the babies were prone to infection. Also, she said if I wanted an epidural to do it now because if we decide to do a csection she wants that well in place before the action happens. My birth plan was to always have an epidural but without painful contractions, I just didnt need it. Within 20 minutes epidural was in place. I have to say it was the most magical drug! It did not hurt going in....they did tell me not to look at the epidural kit on the table. Even Pat was not allowed to be in the room during the epidural placement (hospital policy because too many fathers to be faint.) My contractions while waiting from the epidural were so painful! I have no idea how people have an all-natural birth!!! As she was informing us of these plans she noticed Hannah's heartbeat was dropping to scary rates. she immediately put oxygen on my face and rolled me to my left side and Hannah's heartbeat returned to normal...mine however, was pounding!  I looked at Pat and we both could tell we wanted a csection IMMEDIATELY to get these babies out now. This heart fluctuation was too scary!!!  The doctor said ok and we were in the OR 20 minutes later.

Pat was sitting right next to my head as we waited for our babies. Once we were in the OR babies were out within minutes. We saw Avery and I started to cry uncontrollably! I couldnt believe she was OURS! I looked at Pat and said She is so beautiful!!! (I am tearing as I type this.) Pat looked at me and started to tear as well. I started the waterworks. 1 minute later they pulled our little Hannah out and I cried even more and said she is so beautiful!!! I love them so much already and I have not even held them yet. The nurses cleaned them off and walked them over to Pat to hold and show me. We were so in love. The nurse gave us 5 minutes with the babies and took them to get cleaned off even more and to be moved to our labor suite. I told Pat to go with the babies bc I was fine and to make sure they were OK. Before he left the neonataologist came up to us after he checked them both out and informed us no NICU was needed and the babies appeared to be healthy!!!! I was ELATED!!!!!!!! Pat and I became parents to two beautiful healthy girls. The night was so magical. We couldnt wipe the smiles from our faces!

The staff that night at Rush-Copley were just so amazing! Our labor and delivery nurse Joyce was AMAZING!!!  She would talk with me about everything before it happened. She eased my mind about the arrival of our girls being too early. Always saying no, it's the perfect time. and that they would be fine! She was with me for the epidural and my anxieties. She knew how much I wanted a vaginal delivery, but decided to do the csection and even asked are you sure you are ok?! and offered to stay and talk with me if I was still on edge about it. I owe her so much!! She was so good to me and my family. She even stayed past her shift to make sure the babies and I were OK. She truly went above and beyond!

I know I left out so many details, but the emotions I felt that day all come back to the joy we felt at 7:42pm and 7:43pm.  Nothing else that day really mattered.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Maternity Photos

Being pregnant has been such a blessing and I have been enjoying every minute of it!!!  It is an experience I want to remember for the rest of my life. We found a photographer who helped us capture this amazing point milestone of our lives. Only a few more weeks until we meet our miracle babies!!!  Here are a few of our favorites from our Maternity Photoshoot!

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Rush Copley Tour and Classes to Come

As we are in our 32nd week, and the girls are BOTH head down, the doctor is telling us we could very possibly have a vaginal birth if we desired to do so if that is in our birth plan. I, of course, want whatever is the most safe for the three of us. Our OB has said she lets her moms choose if the babies are positioned both head down. If I had my choice, I would like to do a vaginal birth. I feel the recovery would be quicker! I have to take care of TWO babies right away at home and want to be able to move around. However, I am going to keep an open mind and be ready for whatever way the girls want to come. They have 100% of the control here. I am just along for the ride. I am preparing for both deliveries because anything is possible once these babies decide to come!

On that note, I never planned to have a vaginal birth with twins. I assumed I would have a csection. I have never heard in the modern time of anybody I know giving birth to twins vaginally. I just accepted that was the way it was going to be. To my surprise, both girls are positioned to exit vaginally right now. I am now 8 months pregnant and have not taken a LAMAZE class to learn breathing techniques or the stages of labor, etc. I didnt think I would need to learn anything. So, luckily Pat works at the hospital and he is registering us for the 7/28 marathon 1-day class (hopefully the girls do not make their appearance before than!!!) and the class fee is waived! woo hoo! My older sister Kristen informed me it was so important to go to this class. So I trust her on that being she gave birth to 2 babies already so we are going to go to this class, as long as the girls dont come before that date!!!

Last Sunday, Pat and I took a tour of Rush-Copley's Labor and Delivery unit. That is where I will be delivering the twins. Also, Pat works there so it is a win/win situation! I didnt realize that seeing everything and talking to some of the health professionals on that floor would put some of my fears at bay and answer some questions I did have. I think seeing how things were setup and where I would be relieved some of my anxieties! It truly helped! Being I am carrying multiples, my journey throughout the hospital is a little different. I found out if I have a vaginal delivery I will be delivering in the OR in the case of an emergency csection. They want to be prepared for EVERYTHING! I liked that idea. It made me feel like all the bases were covered! Also, we got to see the NICU. Not that I am planning on even having my babies sniff that room, I wanted to learn more about it. We got to see through a window 1/3 triplets being fed. He was a cutie, and so tiny. It is nice to have a Level III NICU at our fingertips in the case we need to go that route for whatever reason! Overall, I am so happy we decided to go on the tour! It really made me feel more ready for the next step. These girls can be here in 1 month or so! Also, to my surprise, there is NO NURSERY!!! I never heard of that! They said they like for the babies to be with mom 100% of the time for bonding in the postpartum room after birth. They like this so when a doctor comes to check out the babies I will be witnessing everything and will be able to ask questions when the pediatrician makes her rounds or any doctor for that matter. Pat and I really like this!!

Monday, July 2, 2012

32-week check!

Both girls are measuring 9 days ahead of schedule at 4lb11oz each. Both heads continue to be down and positioned for delivery. NST revealed no contractions and great Fetal Heart beats! We were told Hannah has LOTS of hair because it is now visible on the ultrasound! Avery has less hair. hehe Good news continues to come our way! We are blessed! Only 4-6 more weeks to go!! :)

Friday, June 29, 2012

Baby Shower!

Our Baby Shower was just an AMAZING day!! We could not believe how generous our family and friends were to us and our growing family! It really helped us get a jumpstart on baby goodies!!!  The day was absolutley beautiful and perfect! It was obvious how much love was in the room. There was once a time I was not sure if I would ever get to expereince a baby shower. The day was simply magical and a dream come true! It was obvious how much work my mom, mother-in-law, and sisters put into this very special day!!!  Check out some pictures from our baby shower album below!

The Nursery!

The Nursery is DONE!!!! woo hoo! Pat did such a GREAT job building all the furniture! I had so much fun watching him throughout the process! It has been a lot of fun as piece by piece arrived to our house! It was fun to put a vision into reality! I LOVE just sitting in the girls' room and just staring and just imagining that two little babies will be here soon to fill it! Still feels surreal! Thank you to all our family and friends who helped us fill this room with not only baby goodies, but lots of love! Here are some pictures of the girls' nursery! :)

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

29 Weeks...Am I really this far along?!

Today marks 29 weeks with the girls! I still can't believe that they could be here in 2 months! Wow!

Pat and I have so many fun things planned! Rewinding: Pat graduated this past weekend with his Masters Degree from Rush University downtown! He graduated top of his class! It was such a nice surprise! He truly deserved it with all the time and hard work he put into his studies over the past two years! I was beaming with pride for him! The day was fun! Family came in from all over to celebrate the day with us. It was nice to see everybody! We were out of the house from 8am to 830pm on Saturday. It was about 90 degrees that day as well. As you know, my swelling has always been an issue since 17 weeks...well, on Saturday, my legs looked like elephant legs! When I walked I feel like I had waterbeds for legs. I almost could feel the swooshing and tight pressures! It was not easy to say the least! One of my personal goals was to make it to Pat's graduation. I knew in the back of my mind, there was a possibility I would've been on bedrest or something more serious where I would not be able to see him walk across the stage. Luckily, I made it! I am so happy I did!

Also, NO GESTATIONAL DIABETES!!!!!!!!!! I had an initial screen done and it did come back a little high, but they did not want me to fast for it, so crazy me, enjoyed a chipotle burrito on my way to the doctor....well, surprise, was just a little high, so I had to return for the 3-hour glucose tolerance test. I had that on Friday 6/8. I brought my mom with me to keep me company for the half day I devoted to this GTT. We had fun! The day actually wasn't as bad as I thought. 4 blood draws and poof we were out to lunch. SO happy the more thorough test came back normal! woo hoo!! one less complication to worry about!

As of right now, I am experiencing lots of swelling. Luckily I am able to wear my gym shoes to work so it helps keep me more comfortable to walk around. Also, back pain. Nothing too severe, but more bothersome than anything. Pat helps me by rubbing my legs/ankles and back at the end of the day. thank goodness! All in all, I have to say this pregnancy has been so great! (knock on wood!) I love the constant movements all day! I am going to miss feeling them all day! Especially today! They have been moving quite a bit! I do not know why! Also, yesterday I felt somebody have the hiccups! How was a synchronized bounce! It was so cute! :)

Our baby shower is coming up and we feel so lucky to have such great friends and family joining us for the afternoon! We have already started receiving gifts through the mail! We love coming home and filling up our nursery with all the goodies we receive!! Maternity photos are coming up as well! I want to remember every second of this pregnancy for the rest of my life. What a gift we were given. I can't wait to see how the pictures come out. I even picked out a photographer for our newborn photos! AM I ahead of the game or what!!! haha My little princesses are going to be 2 spoiled little girls.  As for the nursery, it is coming along...piece by piece. We are hoping to have it done by the time of our maternity photos. I REALLY would like our pictures to be in their room! We will see if we make the deadline! :P

I know there was quite a bit to update, but life has been so busy, yet exciting! Things are changing on a daily basis! In my next post, I will post some pictures of all the fun happenings!


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Monday, January 22, 2007

Bertolli wins again

This is sounding like a broken record but yesterday after church I heated up the last Bertolli entree in the freezer. Roasted Chicken and Linguine is a winner.

I was a bit surprised, truth to tell. Strips of chicken in tomato basil sauce did not seem sufficiently intriguing for me to want to buy it again.

Not the first time I was wrong. We cleaned that skillet of every drop of sauce, which seems to be the Bertolli forte.

Having exhausted my first 4 picks from Wal-Mart's frozen food aisle, I'll replenish with the rest of them today. I think there are four left, all of them chicken.

Why am I complaining?

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Sunday, January 27, 2008

Counting out, counting back

We're going on a trip, a two-week adventure to the other side of the world, exploring, once again, Australia. Whereas if three years ago, we did a big circle east to west to east again, with a dip toward Tasmania, this time, we're doing the north-south, down to Melbourne, up to Darwin.

So I find myself counting out in time. In one week, we'll be here. In two, there. In three, back where we started. (The good Lord willing and the creek don't rise a given.) Sometimes, but not as often, I count back: three weeks ago we were doing such-and-such, etc.

Is it just me?

If I can find internet access--and I had remarkable success last time--I'll post updates. Photos will be out of the picture (so to speak) until we get back, but just to keep my hand in, here's my favorite photo from Feb. 2005. It's unenhanced, presented as captured. It had rained in the mid-afternoon, and on a stroll of the Central Quay, we noticed everyone rising and aiming their cameras toward the Sydney Opera House. Bathed in gold, with birds flying all around, it was truly digital worthy.

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Friday, January 25, 2008

My 200th post

I was contemplating what to write about today, as I haven't posted since Sunday, which seems, in light of this week, a century ago. This week was going to be busy, but it wasn't going to steal my breath and break my heart.

This week I traveled to play with my granddaughter, started a more serious approach to our upcoming trip, and grappled some more with the complexities of being my father's guardian. And then the world stopped when good friends faced the unexpected death of a grown son, a young man we remember his mother, quite literally, carrying, a child on videotape of church programs, a singular young man with his own world view.

The air went out of our collective small town breath, sucked away, leaving questions and grief. We mourn with the family and gather around them, but of course, we all know that at the end of the day, they are alone with each other and their strong faith.

So, my 200th post. Nothing light-hearted, but still a slice of small town life, draped in winter, but knowing in our hearts and with our faith, that spring will come.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Need a recipe?

Many years ago, as a hostess gift, an overnight guest gave me a clear plastic file "box" for me to pitch recipes in. I gathered manila folders, marked each of them appropriately--beef, chicken, tried dessert, untried desserts, etc--and promptly started cutting out recipes to try. With the advent of the internet, I was able to expand my reach from newspaper clippings and jotted ingredient lists on paper napkins, of which I have more than a few. The file was bulging.

I know that for a fact because I spent one evening last week cleaning and sorting. I do this periodically, but not often enough, since the plastic was threatening to break as I'd stuffed it so full of hopefuls. It took over an hour and I found out a few things about myself and my view of cooking:

1. I'd had some of these for over 20 years and not made them yet. How sad is that? It was like seeing old friends you'd neglected. Forever. I felt guilty. I pitched most of them, but saved those I'd put in for presentation. I may need a fruit tree for a centerpiece at some time. You know, tiers of fruit. Or, the pineapple hollowed to be a sauce server. (You'd think I could think that one up myself.) Obviously not. I also kept the recipes I'd not tried but which I consider heritage: those in my mother's hand or typed ones from family friends. Maybe someday when I figure out what a number 13 can is again.

2. If a recipe has the term 'creme brulee' in yet, I'll cut it out. Whether it fits in with quick breads, yeast breads, or desserts, I'm a sucker for it. I ditched at least half of them.

3. Chocolate and orange in any combination. Half gone.

4. How many ways are there to grill shrimp? Three dozen if my count worked. 35 went into the trash. (I'm certain there'll be more opportunities as the summer magazines start coming out.)

5. The same can be said of beef tenderloin and prime rib roast. Kept the oldest and dearest of each.

6. How Restaurants Cook Your Steak. Saved them all until I have the nerve to spend the bucks to buy the 2-inch steak I have only to sear and roast. (I feel faint thinking about the waste. Maybe I could slice it for stir-fry if it were really bad.)

7. Boneless chicken thighs. Once exotic fare in small town Texas, they can be had at Wal-Mart and I have yet to buy a package.

But I kept the recipe if it added chocolate, orange, and creme brulee.

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Friday, January 18, 2008

Sorry, wrong number

Back in the good old days before Caller-ID, dialing a wrong number was, at worse, a matter of an apology. Occasionally, you might have hold of someone you'd accidentally dragged out of the shower, but it didn't happen much. You'd apologize, and that was it. At best, you'd realize your mistake at the answering machine message or simply hang-up. No one was the wiser.

But dialing--we still say 'dial', don't we even when we're punching those little numbers--a wrong number now can not only have consequences for your pride but make you feel like a criminal.

I don't dial many wrong ones, but it happens. I'll never forget the woman who obviously had me ID'ed and was ever so rude when she called back to tell me what a bad person I was. She didn't recognize the number, but she called back anyway. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but this gal was way out of line. My mistake was in telling her my name, although she was satisfied with one roasting of me.

So this morning, calling a friend while opening the shutters and pouring the coffee, I hit a zero instead of an eight. The phone rang and rang, which was unusual given the early hour, and finally flipped to an unfamiliar voice mail pick-up. A standard cell phone message and I'd been aiming for a land line. Oops! I hung up, dialed the real thing, still didn't get an answer.

But I knew who was on the end of the line when the phone rang not two minutes later and it wasn't going to be my friend. I chirped a 'hello'.

She asked who was speaking. Now, I've fallen for that line before. I didn't recognize her voice, knew it was my mis-dial, so I plunged into the apology about being all thumbs, etc. She sighed, told me she was afraid it was one of her sons, and then wished me a blessed day. I granted her one in return and vowed once again to be nice to all wrong numbers.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Reality check: Meeting my age head-on

It's a good thing I don't mind dining alone, since I do quite a bit of it. I was in the mood for something different Tuesday, so I took myself to a Salvadorean restaurant I'd visited before. I stood at the "Hostess will seat you" and "We seat only complete parties" signs for a while as the waitstaff eyed me to make sure I wouldn't be joined. You could almost hear them sigh: "Oh, no. A one-top. Lousy tipper." before coming to seat me.

In the meantime, I had noticed a table of 5 women, having a happy, semi-loud lunch. That's all that occurred to me. Really. Five women, talking animatedly, obviously good friends, out for a luncheon lark and to see if the margaritas were as good as advertised. I was seated beside them and--ahem--we all know how guilty writers are of eavesdropping.

Well, really, what else was I to do between ordering and eating tostados, trying to decide whether I liked the black bean or tomato salsa best. (Black bean, but I paid for it, if you know what I mean.) So ear attuned next door, I was in a happy haze of their wedding discussion when one exclaimed: "Oh, you'll be a matron!" Must have been a surprise announcement. "A 36-year-old matron!"

Hel-lo? Thirty-six? These women were 36-ish? I was old enough to have given birth to them?

Slyly, I cocked my head to bring the evidence to bear. Young(er) skin. Hair naturally varying shades of brown or blonde, which if dyed or bleached, still managed to suit their skin tones. No wrinkles or bifocals. Their clothes didn't scream a generational difference, but...

Reality check. They were indeed young enough to belong to me. Egad. I had noticed but not noted. Would I had they been a table of women old enough to be my mother?

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Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Now my feelings really are hurt

True to my word to them (although I have my doubts that they believed me), I cut the outside mooching kitties off from their daily feasts at my house on Sunday morning. There was meowing and lashing of tails, even a little bumping on the screen door when they heard me inside and then didn't promptly see me with food dish in hand.

Monday, the hardy souls showed up but neither stayed around as long as on Sunday, nor did they come back as often. As for today... no one was there.

At least they can take a hint. But really now, was I just a full bowl of kibble to them? And it was name-brand kibble too. I guess I was. They've added insult to injury and quickly forgotten me.

Now my feelings really are hurt.

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Sunday, January 13, 2008

Catch me elsewhere

Today, I'm the featured opinion at Romancing the Blog. Entitled "Dare I Ask?", the subject is what to do when you give one of your books as a gift and the giftee never mentions it again.

So while I'm sending you scurrying about the web, my new website is fully active. The URL's the same, but the color, design, and opening page are new. I'm very thrilled about this change. It was time for a new look.

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Thursday, January 10, 2008

The empty backyard

I saw a robin today. Perched on the edge of the copper birdbath, the one I haven't dumped the rainwater out of yet, he was having a hi-ho time getting a drink while getting his feet wet. Due to mosquitoes and other nasty flying things, I usually empty the bath immediately, but in the winter I think the risk is minimal. Anyway, why have it otherwise?

I saw the robin because I was standing at the back hall window watching for Little Girl. She's been gone nearly 4 weeks and I've about given up on her. It was a habit to stand at the window and see what she was up to or where she was sleeping, who had joined her in an uneasy truce on the patio. It's a habit I'll have to give up since it's obvious the backyard is not going to cough her up. She isn't going to materialize before my eyes.

Sunday is four weeks and on Sunday I'll stop feeding breakfast (dinner is already gone) to the hangers-on who have a home elsewhere and are merely mooching at my place. I tell them every morning: find Little Girl and the largesse contiinues. Must fall on deaf kitty-cat ears.

Or they can't hear me over the chomping.

On a brighter note, I found the two socks I had blithely accused the new dryer of eating. I should have known it wouldn't have shown bad manners so soon. They had fallen behind the dirty clothes basket in the closet. Sorry, dryer. The dryer rack came and I can hardly wait to try it out.

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Wednesday, January 09, 2008

A new wash day

Last Wednesday my washing machine started a squeal-thump and then water poured equally into the drum and onto the floor. Well, not quite equally, more was in the drum, but it didn't sound/look good for the Sisk household. I got online and found that the basic service charge was going to be $55. My history with washer repairmen is that the part to fix said machine was not going to be on his truck. It would be ordered and he'd be back in a week.

That meant a week at the laundromat, shoving many quarters into washers and dryers because I wasn't bringing wet loads home to dry over hours and hours.

The internet being most useful (or most frustrating), I went to the washer's manufacturer site and looked up the serial number since I couldn't remember exactly how old the set was. They were rolled off the assembly lines in 1987. Hmmm. We wouldn't have bought them much later than that.

Twenty years old and I was on the cusp of easily spending a couple of hundred to get it fixed? No. I went in search of replacements.

This seemed to be a good time to go. They were all on sale. Most importantly, top-loaders were still available and since I didn't want the coming-mandated front loaders (and they were way more expensive--where's the sense in that?), I bought.

Believe it or not, washers and dryers have changed in 20 years. The drum on the washer is much, MUCH deeper. So far, it doesn't walk across the room as it spins since it leveled so nicely. The dryer drum is white so I can actually see what I'm leaving in there. (Typical dryer, it's already managed to lose half of two pair of socks.) It should have a drying rack (it'll be here shortly since I called and asked where it was) which I can put sweaters, shoes, etc., on and the drum will spin around it. Imagine!

So I've welcomed these new ones into the home. It's only our third pair in 35 years of marriage. The first were by Norge which we bought at Montgomery Ward's. They lasted about 12 years, but were called into the heaviest duty since I used real diapers with both boys. The second set by General Electric lasted 20. I have high hopes for the Maytags. After all, their repairman is the loneliest guy around, right?

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Setting a time: an interview with Lorraine Heath

New York Times bestselling author Lorraine Heath has graciously agreed to be my next interviewee for why she sets her books in the time period she does.

So I asked, "Why Victorian England?"

"I began my career writing books set in Texas but I always wanted to write a book set in England—mostly because my heritage is both Texas (my dad was a Texan) and British (my mom was a Brit). I’m fascinated with both aspects of my heritage. When my editor suggested that I take some of my Texas ladies to England, I was thrilled with the opportunity. I’m fascinated by the Victorian time period as well as the American influences. Six of my novels have involved American heiresses.

"When people think of a Victorian lady, they most often bring forth images of the English aristocrat. She was well known for her regal carriage and her quiet, dignified mien. Being reserved, she was also, unfortunately, dreadfully dull.

"In New York, one could find the "old family" American version of the English lady. Born into a family with generations of wealth behind it, the woman was proud to be known as a Knickerbocker—a name that came as a result of the knee-length trousers worn by her ancestors, the Dutch who settled in New York. This young lady, however, was also as frightfully boring as her English counterpart. Her family did not believe in flaunting its wealth. It was unfashionable to wear the latest fashions. Rather, when her Worth gowns arrived from Paris, she had to set them aside for a year. Her coming out or debut was "little more than donning a white dress, putting up her hair and receiving guests at tea." (To Marry an English Lord, by Gail MacColl and Carol McD. Wallace)

"And then shortly after the Civil War, the newly wealthy American lady arrived. In New York, she was referred to as a Buccaneer. And to say the least, she bucked the old system. She was flashy, not at all bothered by letting it be known that she did indeed possess money. She wore her gowns as soon as they arrived from Paris and had no qualms about filling her house with gaudy excesses.

"She was not, however, welcomed into the Knickerbocker society. She was shunned, never invited to balls or dinners because the old hierarchy felt it was their duty to ensure that these young upstarts understood they did not "belong."

"The Buccaneers were not to be outdone. They went to Europe, and soon realized that the grass was greener in England where noble titles still carried weight.

"Because of the English law of primogeniture, wealthy British heiresses were few and far between. American ladies, on the other hand, often inherited—not only money, but land, businesses, investments. During the 1870's and 1880's, the aristocracy found its coffers dwindling as its agricultural based economy began to flounder with cheaper goods brought in from abroad and the increase in industrialization causing the farm workers to head to the cities.

"Marriage was an acceptable means to acquire funds . . . and American heiresses took England by storm. Unlike their British counterparts, they were not boring. Assertive, they enjoyed life, wanted to have fun. They'd been brought up in American society where chaperones were rare and all the "rules of etiquette" forced on the British were non-existent. Ladies and young men went on picnics and engaged in other forms of entertainment. They were often left alone in the parlor, a practice absolutely forbidden by the English. "Unhampered by constant parental surveillance and suspicion, they could launch themselves into the London season with a confidence that simply could not be shared by their shy, inexperienced English sisters." (To Marry an English Lord, by Gail MacColl and Carol McD. Wallace)

"And they were often breathtakingly beautiful. Unlike an English heiress who might have a gown or two designed by Charles Worth, the American heiress might have as many as two hundred. Money was in abundance, and the Americans spent it.

"When an American heiress snagged herself an English lord, her father put an announcement in The New York Times. This action allowed her mother to flaunt her daughter's elevated status at the Knickerbockers who'd considered them not quite good enough.

"And lest you think these Americans really didn’t have much influence, note that one of Princess Di’s great grandmothers was American. And American Jenny Jerome, fell madly in love with Lord Randolph Churchill, the “brilliant, unruly second son of the 7th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough.” Their firstborn son, “that half-breed American” would become Prime Minister of Great Britain in 1940 and be known as one of the country’s greatest orators: Sir Winston Churchill. And the first woman to take a seat in the House of Commons? Nancy Langhorne of Virginia who married William Waldorf Astor, later 2nd Viscount Astor.

"I’ve recently begun delving into the early Victorian time period—1840’s and 1850’s—which were a much darker time, but equally fascinating. My next novel, In Bed With the Devil, is actually a twist on Oliver Twist. No American heiresses are in this novel, but I still had a wonderful time researching and writing it."

Thank you, Lorraine.

Here's the cover of In Bed With the Devil.

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Friday, January 04, 2008

Whew! It wasn't just me!

I can't say it was with great relief that I read the article in the Dallas Morning News today about the HOV lane mess on North Central. Instead, it was with a sense of "Huh--I didn't know they were looking for an article. I just wrote one!"

That aside (and the fact that theirs has maps and other people's opinions), I did learn a few things:

The posts are rubber and therefore, if desperate (like after the accident in the HOV lane the article mentions), can be driven over. Entering freeway traffic from a dead stop after knocking over rubber posts. Ooh. Bad.

The up-and-over-and-down to the frontage road I experienced getting off on Saturday heading south was caused by a reversible HOV lane going, then, in the other direction. Well, that warms my heart for safety and security.

Fans are few. And we all know which side I'm on.

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Thursday, January 03, 2008

HOV, anyone?

HOV (high occupancy vehicle) lanes would seem to be such a good idea. Two or more people in a car, (and there are others permitted but the sign is small and I'm trying to drive, for Pete's sake!) and off you go in your own special little lane with none of the worries of all those big trucks and three other lanes of traffic crowding in on you. In theory, it's great and I've been in some HOV lanes where one just wants to thumb one's nose at all those people driving by themselves and not going as fast as I am.

However (you knew it was coming), the new HOV lanes on Highway 75 north of Dallas leave a lot to be desired. They are "managed", which means that instead of a double white line to keep someone from sneaking in and out of the HOV, they are blocked by posts. These posts we've watched being erected for months, thinking we'd never see those darn lanes open. Now I have another definition of "managed": trapped.

I've had the opportunity to be in the HOV on a Saturday. Granted, that's not as high a traffic day as say, Friday, but it would do for the purposes of experimentation. In we popped at the first opportunity, heading south. Immediately, our speed limit was 60 while everyone over in freedom-land was doing 65. Or more. (I know, shame on them.) And there were little bits of debris in my managed lane. Where was I supposed to go to to avoid BIG debris? What if there were an accident in my managed lane? I'd be stuck.

One has to be in the HOV lanes on 75 for the long haul. No newbies to the area need apply. Once on, you have but one opportunity to get off before the end, that in north Plano. Granted, you have plenty of time to make it across the lanes to the George Bush Tollway. But if you stay (or get) on, you are whizzing through Richardson with no chance of leaving until I-635. Then it's a left exit and an up-and-over-and-down to find the rest of 75.

I was not impressed.

And it struck me, that I'd met very, very little traffic going north in the HOV. More on the shorter, Plano-Allen route, close to none on the longer stretch. So, heading north yesterday, I ascertained why.

Truth be told, I had heard on the news the day after it opened that there was a glitch in the signage. Like, it didn't exist. In order to get on the 8+-mile stretch, one has to exit right and then do a down-and-over to get to the HOV. No wonder no one--and I mean no one--was in it yesterday. I found a few in the easier to get on Plano-Allen piece. However, if you're going north and want to use the HOV and then exit to the George Bush, no dice. You're not allowed out until you are past the exit.

This is certainly a case for having to do your homework before you set out.

Like I said, I am underimpressed.

You are warned.

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73 Following

The Ninja Reader

High-brow or downright pretentious, good PNR or sparkly vampires, I don't care about the premise so long as it entertains me.

Currently reading

Bullying: The Social Destruction of Self
Laura Martocci
Ultraviolet - R.J. Anderson Due to the fact that I cannot write a review without spoiling the plot for everyone, this is going to be short.I liked this book. The plot was gripping and the story held me from page one. Throughout the first two thirds of the novel, I was constantly guessing - was Alison telling the truth or was she going mad? What had really happened, and what had led onto that? The characterization was superb. I loved how there was always another dimension to everybody, and how the stories were never the same as you thought they were. Also, it was nice for a change to see a love story that didn't quite start off within the first two seconds of the characters meeting. Instead, Faraday and Alison actually spend time talking to each other and sharing experiences together, and that makes their relationship look a lot more genuine than most of those romances out there.However, I do have a couple of negative observations. One of them is that, in spite of what I just said, the romance in this book still had a lot of the love-at-first-sight gimmicks that are so popular in YA today, like the heroine doing all sorts of dangerous, reckless things, and taking very weird ideas for granted. The other problem is more like a personal quirk. Without giving away too much, at one point in the book Alison gets assaulted by an acquaintence, and afterwards, when he tries to make up, she doesn't take his apology. Which, in itself, is a great message to be sending out to your readers - No means no, and you shouldn't be ashamed of saying it. However, the fact that it took Alison such an experience to finally realize her worth as a person, as a woman, really bothers me. Especially since I keep reading these books where heroines, who are much less emotionally vulnerable, get sexually harassed on a much lesser degree and yet do nothing. Nevertheless, all the things Alison goes through in this book play an important role in her growth as a person, and the fact that she overcomes her problems in the end is something I really love. Ultraviolet is probably one of the few books I wish had a sequel. However, the ending was fantastic, and it wrapped up the story very nicely. All in all, I think this book is one of the stronger new releases this year, and will be looking forward to reading more from the author.Note: I received a copy of this book from the publishers via Net Galley for reviewing purposes.