Merry Christmas

We had a merry and mellow holiday. I am leaving podunk in the morning and am happy that I got to see the belles, but sad that it was only once and some didn't get to meet the hubby. There was much family time and my cell phone died (sorry if you tried to call). I also feel in the dark because JLD blocks addresses from podunk, raybelle is redecorating, and tarbelle is MIA. I will be out of blogging range for the next week, but am looking forward to having my cyber world back.

Happy New Year All!

Back to square one

Or make that cycle day 1. Yes, after almost 100 days on vacation AF has returned. I am happy to see something remotely normal going on and excited to get this on with another month of trying. I am changing my holiday wish though, now I want a 28 day cycle. Please. I will settle for 30 something but this 90+ day stuff is going to make me crazy. Nope, 28 is my new lucky number. It is my Christmas wish and my New Years resolution. I am going to will myself into a normal cycle WITH ovulation. It is written in my womanly contract that I am entitled to it. Maybe I will press charges against my body if it steps outside the 30 day range again. JLD you think I can sue?

holiday updates

Since I have ovulated and am still waiting for AF I have nothing to whine about. So I will whine about the fact that I am upset with the weather man/woman. When I checked before I left my house this morning (to holiday shop of course) there was no sign of rain and they said it might rain tommorrow. OR as soon as I come out of the first store I get drenched by pouring down rain! I was totally unprepared! Wrong jacket, wrong shoes, no umbrella. The shopping had to go on so I was very wet, cold and cranky most of today.
Now I am trying to thaw out and am using the rain as an excuse for my lame present buying. Sorry family, Santa was too soggy to shop!

The big O

The temperatures don't lie. I am back on the ovulation track! Now I get to spend the next 2 weeks in the "am I "?? "Maybe"??? limbo.

We shall see if this will be a Christmas miracle.

Progress!

I ovulated! (I think) Even if I didn't, things are changing more than they have in the last 80+ days so thats a start.

Now the odds of this (supposed) ovulation resulting in pregnancy are pretty slim. I think there is typically a 25% chance each cycle, but because I had no clue when I might ovulate there was no strategic timing involved. So I am putting my chances at 15ish.

Ironically, the day I would do a preg test (assuming AF didn't show up) would be Christmas Day. Now If that test turns out to be positive I will believe in Santa!

TTC top 10 List

The top 10 benefits to not being pregnant (or ovulating....still):
1. Drinking at Holiday parties! It stops all of the "is she pregnant, but not telling" pondering. My answer to all of that is "CHEERS"!!
2. New clothes. Although I would rather be buying maternity clothes, hubby (my fashion consultant) took me shopping for my Christmas/Hanukkah present!
3. Not looking fat in my bikini. We are headed someplace tropical for New Years and though I have put on more than a few pounds (just for you JLD!) I hope to still be looking good.
4. My relaxation prescription. Now that school is over I have an excuse to watch TV and take long baths. "They" say that stress effects ovulation, so I will try and steer clear of that stuff.
5. Not having a period for 80 days. I am not happy about the reason, but it is still nice to not have to worry about it.
6. I think 2006 is a good baby year. 2005 apparently was not my year, but look out next year!!
7. More time to travel. I am a big fan. We did our big trip this summer thinking it might be our last for a while, but no preggy means more adventures!
8. Time with hubby. I know this should be at the top of the list, and I love him but we have been together 5 years. We already spend alot of time togther and are both ready for a new addition.
9. "Practice". It would be more fun if I were ovulating and it could be considered "trying" but at least there is no pressure.
10. Sushi, brie, and all the yummy foods that I love and would have to give up if I were preg.

Now, I would HAPPILY give up all of the above to be preg, but in the meantime I am livin' it up!

Holidays Here I Come!

I'm finished with school for the quarter. Woohoo!! I never thought this quarter would end. It was evil and ugly. I just hope my grades are not quite so evil and ugly. I already know that they won't be pretty, but one of the joys of grad-school is that I don't really care! (ok, I care a little) but not today! Today is celebration time. Hmmm what shall I do first?? I have a spa certificate from my MIL :-) Now that is my kinda gift. She could give me a spa gift certificate for every gift-giving holiday from now until forever and I think I would be the happiest DIL on the planet.
I am relaxing just thinking about it. I have that, and much holiday shopping to do. I think I figured out what I am going to get hubby (he he, I am such a bad wife). Check it out here.

Test...ha!

I love tests that I know the answers to. Who doesn't? I can only wish that the 2 take home tests I have to do for school today are as easy as the test that my lovely lillypie counter is suggesting. I, of course, know the answer to that one. No need to rush out to the drugstore. Those little sticks can stay on the shelf for another month. I have broken the 70+ day record. Do I get a prize if I hit 100?

whew

I made it! I made it through hosting my first thanksgiving. Believe it or not, nothing burned, no one got food poisoning and people were actually on their best behavior. (I am sure the multiple bottles of wine had something to do with it). Everything went great! The southern inspired fried turkey and pecan pie were a huge hit with the Cali in-laws. We even pawned off all of the leftovers!

Now, I am exhausted but trying to crank through the last few school assignments so that I can really get into the holiday spirit!

I think I'm going to like it here

Today hubby hurt himself playing soccer AGAIN. He is fine, but on crutches. This is maybe his 5th soccer injury in the last year. I stopped having sympathy for him serveral injuries ago (bad wife). So now I am trying to make a dent in this massive paper that I have due and all I hear is "honey can you get me....?"

Aaaaaahhhhhh!I have offically entered the gates of crazy, and I think I am going to like it here. Anyone want to join me?

Stupid turkey

Who's idea was to host 20 people at my house for thanksgiving?!? Oh, right...MINE.
What the @#!#! was I thinking?? I have a TON of work to do for school, including a 20 page paper. I have work/class all next week until Wednesday at 5pm. I spent last night cleaning my house, this morning moving furniture, and I have yet to figure out what exactly I am going to make. I should get to the grocery store (along with everyone else in the state) and buy stuff before it is all sold out, but did I mention that I have a ton of work to do?
Did I also mention that I woke up this morning with cold and I feel like crap? And then to top it all off hubby told me that I ordered the "wrong" tables for the dinner and he couldn't understand why anyone would order the ones I did. I of course told him all about the order when I placed it... 2 MONTHS AGO!! I am so glad he went elsewhere to watch football today, because I was already standing on the edge of crazy and he was pushing me right over!!
Next time I get a crazy idea like this, could someone please intervene.

I wish

Don't get too excited. My arbitrary ovulation counter is displaying my wishful thinking. I am on day 60 something. I don't even look anymore. I just take the temp andrealize that it is the same as the last MILLION days. I will keep you posted if there are any changes.

Can I ask Santa for an ova?

The Holidays are upon us

The holidays are here.
Oh sh*t.
I have a husband that LOVES presents (8 for Hannukah, 1 for Christmas, and 1 for his January 30th birthday)!!
The problem is that he doesn't like NORMAL presesnts and he needs Nothing. Shopping for this man gives my an ulcer every year. I know, you say that I have plenty of time to think about this stuff, but my schedule is already booked through January! I have school, work, thanksgiving prep, baby showers, holiday parties, travel, and all the other stuff that comes with life.

I am trying to NOT wait until the last minute (although I am sure that is what will ultimatly happen) Any suggestions? If you happen to think of anything good between now and any of the winter holidays please let me know. Thanks!

about me

I actuallly responded to one of these lists today, so I thought I would share.

1. What is your occupation? Student, wife, nurse (kind of)
2. What are you listening to right now? the TV (sad, I know)
3. What was the last thing you ate? apple strudel
4. Do you wish on stars? Sure, why not?
5. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? green...just plain green
7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My friend Single girl, today was her birthday!
8. Favorite drink? Today - Hot chocolate (with whip cream)
10. Favorite sport to watch? SWIMMING!!!
11. Have you ever dyed your hair? only once...jet black (BAD move)
12. Do you wear contacts? not anymore
13. Pets? no
14. Favorite month? all the sunny and warm ones
15. Favorite food? Ice cream
16. What was the last movie you watched? Prime - it was OK
17. Favorite day of the year? Christmas at the parents
18. What do you do to vent anger? Swim, walk, or listen to angry female music
19. What was your favorite toy as a child? cabbage patch kid (Gloria) still at my parent's house >20. Fall or Spring? spring
21. Hugs or kisses? hugs
22. Cherry or Blueberry? Blueberry
25. Who is least likely to respond? Normally me, but this beats writing my paper for school.
26. Living arrangements? Married
27. When was the last time you cried? in a hormonal tizzy in Las Vegas when the front desk took away my key (long, very stupid story)
28. What is on the floor of your closet? world largest pile of laundry
30. What did you do last night? Went to a fancy, schmoozing party with hubby. Would have rather been on my couch.
31. Favorite smell? the ocean
32. What/Who inspires you? everything, so many things that I can't think of just one right now >33. What are you afraid of? Spiders!
34. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? no hamburgers thanks
35. Favorite car? my toyota highlander
36. Favorite breed of dog? labs (my sis's)
37. Number of keys on your key ring? a bunch
38. How many years at your current job? student: 2+
39. Favorite day of the week? Saturday
40. How many states have you lived in? 6 florida, pennsylvania, Missouri, south carolina, Colorado, California
41. Favorite Beatles Song? I don't know

My kinda halloween

Hubby and I did a little trick or treating with the niece and her baby buddies. All the kids were cute of course, but the Mommys & Daddys were the coolest! Hidden in the back of the stroller were containers of JELLO SHOTS!!! As we pushed little ones through the streets of our sleepy town we did jello shots....so fun! We only had to walk a few blocks to get home, so why not.
These people were in the halloween-alcohol know: they said they used to trick or treat in a neighborhood where everyone would put a bottle of wine in thier mailbox for the parents to drink as they went from house to house. I love it!!

Bummer Belle

It was not my intention to make this blog all about TTC but I did want it to be a place that I could vent. Since the rest of my life is peachy at the moment, I have nothing else to bitch about and as you can all tell I am slightly obsessed with this subject.

I am actually disapointed in myself for being so sensitive about it. I try not to let it bug me, but I still got bummed out when I had dinner with some friends and one of them was preg (7 months and she looked stunning...she sucks).

I have to confess that the counter at the top of the page is there strictly for my entertainment. my cycles are more like 137 days instead of 37. They don't make counters for that, so that one is on an arbitrary day. I am sure it will be TMI for you to know when I ovulate, but it will be a happy blog entry that day! I think I will be almost as excited about ovulation as I will be when I actually get pregnant. (ok, maybe not)

What if

I have made an executive decision. If this pregnancy thing doesn’t work out I am going to South America!

I am applying for a fellowship for next August. That will have been 1 year of “trying” and if it doesn’t happen I am going to go hide in a jungle. I am not only going to ditch my hopeful-to-be-a–momma duties but also my wifely ones… for a month. Then I will return with a clear head (full of newly acquired Spanish language skills) and figure out what to do next. What do you think?

Pins & Needles

As promised...the acupuncture report.
I thought it was great! There was no pain, I was lying on my stomach and couldn't even see the needles in my back. Aparently my stomach energy is low...and here I thought it was just my ovaries that were being lazy. I must cut down on sugar (yeah, right) and eat iron rich foods. SO for dinner I had a Hamburger!! This may not sound like much to you, but I don't eat hamburgers, or any other red meat for that matter. But in the name of ovulation I will cross over into to the darks side (it was organic, free range, locally farmed beef...maybe not too much of a dark side).
Just for a little extra insurance I also went to yoga class tonight. I am determined to "om" those eggs right out!!

TTC

You asked for it. You want uncensored snarkiness you can have it, but you also get my fertility frustration.

It seems that this topic makes people uncomfortable. Hubby doesn't want to talk about it, parents are in the "when its meant to happen" mode, and I think its BS.

I know I will sound like little Veruca Salt from Charlie and the Chocolate factory but "I want it now".

As you will note from my new fertility counter that my hormones are all screwed up and my cycles (if you can call them that) do not fit into the nice normal numbers. I have acne that would make a teenager cringe and I want to do something about it.

I am trying acupunture on Tuesday, and I'll let you know how that goes. Those of you with needle phobia might want to skip that entry!

Hey moms, know any other tricks?

Karma Makover

Ok I need a Karma Makeover. I had one of those weeks where I think the world is out to get me. I had that nightmare where you wake up in a panic beacuse you forgot to do something important....execpt I ACTUALLY forgot to do something important. Then I thought my luck was turing around, went out with some friends, let the parking meter expire, thought I was going to have a ticket, but NO! Just as I was telling Hubby how my luck was changing because I didnt have a ticket, he brings my car window to my attention....Shattered!

Who did I piss off?? Was it you? I want to say that I apologize for whattever it was to bring on the bad Karma. Any ideas on what I can do to bring a little good luck my way?

I'm Free!

Thanks to Rbelle I have a new blog home!
Oh I'll still hang out on the old site. Gotta have something for the parents to read, but this is the unedited version. I will maintain my Southern tact, of course...but just barely!

Test

Test post for Calibelle