Friday, October 31, 2008

Happy Halloween

No, this is not my pumpkin. Wish it was. I actually totally forgot about this holiday until I was driving to work and cute kids at the bus stop had funny hats and such on. I was like "What's up with that?" Then I remembered. Sad really given that this is John's favorite holiday (Besides our anniversary, I'm sure). We never seem to get around to decorating or even making plans for the big night. We don't pass out candy or anything. We're so lame. I know that will all change now that Hazel is on the way. John is already talking about taking her out trick or treating and what fun costumes she might like. More important to him, HE will get to dress up and not feel silly for doing so. He's so cute. He's a little photo of us from years ago on Halloween.
Who knows what we're going on about. Bet you can't guess what is costume is. ZOMBIE...

Glad today is Friday. This week has seemed long but only really because I spent two entire days of it at home, sick. I'm better-ish now. Sinus stuff doesn't just go away seems like. I'm excited however because this weekend, we have NOTHING planned. Other than church but nothing else. I'm sure we will decide we want to go and do something at some point but it feels nice to not have plans. I hope to just work around the house and relax. Seriously, we never relax and do nothing. I think the weather is suppose to be really nice too, so hopefully we can spend some time outdoors with our little girls.

In other unimportant to anyone but me news. Awhile back I got an award at work and part of it was $100. I saved it forever because honestly I wanted to spend it on the right thing. Something I would love forever. That's a hard thing to find. Well I did it. I've been searching for the perfect brown purse for I can't even remember how long. Looked everywhere seems like but couldn't find anything I was in LOVE with. Finally came across one by The Sak and spent a few weeks thinking it over. Did it have the right amount of pockets? Was it the color I wanted? Was it to big? John was about to go crazy from me talking about this stupid purse already! Anyway, ordered it last week and got it this week. OMG, I love it so much. It's just perfect and will even be perfect when Hazel comes a long because it's big enough I could use it as a mini diaper bag for quick trips to the store and such. I'm in total love. I keep getting it out of my work drawer so I can just look at it. Behold...
Yes, these are the things that excite me these days. That and all the INSANELY cute baby clothes out there. Anyway, hopefully you all will have a lovely weekend filled with nothing to do just like us.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Hat Obsession

So if you know me at all, you know I'm totally obsessed with hats. I don't tend to wear a lot of them in summer but as soon as those leaves start falling my head starts itchin for some sort of covering. I get this love of hats from my Dad of course. He's been a hat man forever (even though he's resorted recently to the dreadful Titans cap. Yeah, I'm watching you buddy!). Last year I got a great new coat that's black and white tweed with big black buttons. I love it but my hat, scarf, gloves combo are always so drab. This year I'm hoping to get something a lot more fun and pretty to livin up the wintry weather. Here are my hat picks for today (All from Urban Outfitters):

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Growin...

So as I promised last week (well sometime) I got a better picture of my belly for you. Here I am in all my splendid pregnant glory...

She's nearly a foot long now. We keep calling her out little chili cheese coney. Last night I had a terrible time sleeping. She was awake and kicking around 1am. Got up and had some choc milk to calm her down. Just like her mom a good dose of sugar will chill her right out. Finally got back to sleep on the couch (yes the couch. The bed really isn't very comfortable for some reason) and then around three something I woke up with a cramp in my leg. Up walking around for ten minutes trying to get it to calm down. Alarm at 5:30. Sigh...

At least today is sunny though. Hopefully that will keep me awake and motivated to work. Hopefully.

Monday, October 20, 2008

As Requested...

Been a few requests recently for a updated belly shot. Here you go. I do plan on getting some not so terrible shots at some point. She's really sticking out these days. Only to get bigger I know. She's moving around a lot too. Sometimes she kicks so hard it makes me jump. We have another doctors appointment next Monday. I've never been to the doctor so much in all my life.

This weekend was good. John had to work Saturday, so I stayed home and cleaned up the house and took a lot of breaks. Getting harder to do things I'm used to doing. Like clean the toilet for example. Our plumbing has been acting up lately. John had to come home from work and work on our house more Saturday night. Sad but we got it all fixed I think. Sunday he got up early and went off to his sky diving class. That's right, sky diving. He's always wanted to do it and as nervous as it makes me, I wouldn't be a good wife if I kept him from doing something like that just because it scares me. He had to take a five hour safety and procedures course and then they were suppose to jump. However, the wind was just a little to high yesterday and he had to get a rain check. So sometime within the next 30 days, John will be jumping out of a plane. Yikes! He's excited though.


Got a new book this weekend. "Twilight". I really know very little about it but I've heard a lot of people talking about it. I know it's a vampire book and that they are making a movie of it that is to be released soon. I picked it up at Target to just read while waiting on John to look at games and it seems easy to read but also could have a good story. I guess it's one of like four in a series. Just what I need. Another series to get painfully hooked on and then devastated once I've read the last book. I still can't manage to get past the last Harry Potter book. Anyway, haven't started it yet. I'll keep you posted.

Cute pic for today (besides my beastly belly), Emma looking oh so sweet in one of our chairs. She's never laid in this chair before or since. I think she was just looking for a photo opp.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

I'm In Love With A Sock Monkey

Or actually a variation of one. A friend shared this site with me today and I'm over the moon for a ton of stuff here:
I can't decide between the cute little bug guy and the long legged rabbit. Both are equally as cute and match Hazel's room. Decisions, decisions.


They also have tons of other cute for your liking. Rattles, blankets, backpacks, sweaters, pants and so on. I'm in obsessive love over the bird rattles too. Imagine!

Monday, October 13, 2008

Yucky Day


What a rainy yucky day outside! Makes me want to bake. I find this my common response to gross weather recently. I'm eyeing a recipe I just saw for something called Sour Cream Apple Pie. I think it's a must for this week. If it turns out good, I'll put the recipe here.
This weekend went by like lightning. Friday night Granny and I went out for a little shopping fun but returned fairly empty handed. Saturday John and I got up and drove down to the lake for his Grandpa's 80th birthday party. It was more fun than I thought. Partly because I got to spend most of the day holding my sister in law's sweet 5 week old baby girl. Something about that made this entire thing click for me. I know being a mother 24/7 isn't like that but looking at that little girl made me just melt all the worries I have away. I can't imagine when it's Hazel there in my arms. Anyway, we drove down and back on Saturday. 6 hours in the car isn't my idea of a good day but we managed. Sunday we did church, then another birthday party (tailgate for my great aunt Bev), then home to fix a known plumbing issue that's been brewing for awhile. Being married to a plumber has it's perks people (Besides the fact that he's so cute that my head very nearly explodes every time I get home from work and he's there). Thankfully all is functioning properly now and we can have clean clothes and bodies again.
More later...

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Oh The Torture!!!

Seriously, Amy Butler. Stop it right now. Stop with the cuteness that makes it so hard for me to decide on bedding fabrics for my little girl. I have enough problems without you making such cute stuff!!!
We're going with teals, greens and browns for Miss H's room. I'm not a pink person. Now comes the terrible task of narrowing it down. Sigh...

Her Name and Other Cuteness

So we've decided on a name for our little girl. The one who is coming so quickly it seems I'm sitting in the first class section of a speeding bullet train towards motherhood.

Announcing...Hazel Verna Martin.

Yes, it's unusual. We are aware of that fact and are quite ok with it. We are an unusual pair of people and I'm sure our little birdie will be just as unique as her parents. We thought and discussed for a long time and finally landed for sure on this one. The first name is just one we both love. Old lady-ish but cute (just like my name). The middle name is my beautiful great grandmother's name in which I knew from the start I wanted if she was a she.

In other cute baby news, we're slowly getting the room ready now. We've got the crib up (pictures to come. Honestly I've had no life but my job for the past month) and are getting ready to order her rocker soon. I have some art ideas and I'm working on picking out the rug. I'll be excited to see it all put together once it's done. Hopefully that will be before She arrives.

Lately, I've been totally immersed in work. Not by my choosing but because sometimes your job demands things of you and you have no choice but to just give up and get happy about it. Today is the last day of our huge yearly client conference in which we have literally thousands of our clients in one spot doing tons of meetings, education session and just general getting together. This takes months of planning and hundreds of people to support. I always seem to end up one of them. We also have another big event going on tomorrow all day in which I've been pulled in to help with. These things always require long hours but most of the time turn out to be some fun along the way. Thankfully life will return to normal after this week is over.

Today I took a little time out to do some online clothes oggeling. I've been in down right obsessive love with Eileen Fisher clothing for awhile now but don't think I've mentioned it here. I'm in love with the simplicity of the clothing but how when you pair different things together you can make some very comfy, cozy and really cute outfits. Here are some of the things from the Fall collection I'm totally into:
These images are a bit small. Sorry. Best I can do but check out the website if you are interested in seeing more. Really pretty stuff here. www.eileenfisher.com
I promise I will soon get back to photos from my life and actual stories about stuff you might care about soon. More later...


Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Kindness

I've been thinking a lot lately (praying a lot too) about our little girl that is on the way. Wondering what she will look like, who's features she will get but mostly who she will be. Rather how she will be. I keep coming back to the words: kind, merciful, loving. I've been reading about those words and what they mean. I find myself wondering if I'm those things and if I'll be a good example for her as she grows up. Today I read this story and I hope and pray to be aware enough of others around me to give them what they need. I also hope and pray my little one can learn that people like this man, selflessly giving of his time and emotions, are how you show God's face in this amazingly grey world. Enjoy this today:

The Cab Ride I'll Never Forget
by Kent Nerburn

Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. One time I arrived in the middle of the night for a pick up at a building that was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window. Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once or twice, wait a minute, then drive away. But I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, I reasoned to myself.
So I walked to the door and knocked. "Just a minute," answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 80's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.
"Would you carry my bag out to the car?" she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness.
"It's nothing," I told her. "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated."
"Oh, you're such a good boy," she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, then asked, "Could you drive through downtown?"
"It's not the shortest way," I answered quickly.
"Oh, I don't mind," she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice."
I looked in the rear view mirror. Her eyes were glistening.
"I don't have any family left," she continued. "The doctor says I don't have very long."
I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. "What route would you like me to take?" I asked.
For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.
As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, "I'm tired. Let's go now."
We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.
"How much do I owe you?" she asked, reaching into her purse.
"Nothing," I said.
"You have to make a living," she answered.
"There are other passengers."
Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.
"You gave an old woman a little moment of joy," she said. "Thank you."
I squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.
I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly, lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?
On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life. We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware—beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

Neko Love

I've been crushing on Neko Case for awhile but haven't made the effort to go out and purchase her CD till yesterday. She has this amazingly deceptive voice. I thought she was older and John thought her music was from the 70's. It has this lovely smoky, old and folky quality to it that I can't help but love right now. She also earns major bonus points with me for having foxes on the front of her CD case AND for having a greyhound. I ended up getting Fox Confessor Brings the Flood but she has a few others out there I'm sure I'll end up with. I recommend Hold On, Hold On; Maybe Sparrow; John Saw That Number. Speaking of John, he's totally not a fan but lets me play it in the car because he loves me. More later...