kyle is a smoker

Look what Kyle got for his birthday!

A Weber smoker!

The 1st weekend in March we had my parents over to test out the new Weber. Kyle smoked a Boston Butt. Kyle is on a BBQ team and he needed some taste testers! My parents and I were the people for the job!

Boomer was in and out all day. His favorite spot was his day bed. He was the supervisor.

Bailey loves being outside.

Beginning stages. Kyle made his own sauce. I was amazed by the wireless thermometer.

Done! And it was good! I think we have a winning BBQ team in the near future...

1st trimester

This is what I did until about 17 weeks of pregnancy.

I came home and laid on the couch. I really didn't sleep any more than usual. Just ate carbs and watched tv. Boomer loved it. He loves to cuddle so we spent a lot of time together. I thought I'd feel like a whole new person starting at 13 weeks but no. I had night sickness. I had a hard time brushing my teeth.

Finally, after many different trials of toothpastes, Kyle found me Tom's children's strawberry toothpaste and that did the trick! I could brush my teeth and not lose my dinner. I never thought that brushing my teeth would be my pregnancy woe!

dirty thirty

Happy birthday Kyle! Well in February...but just now getting around to blogging about it!

Kyle had a birthday month celebration. We went to his parents to celebrate, we went to the International Blues Challenge to celebrate AND since we had a bit of a crazy beginning of the year, we're celebrating with my parents tomorrow (in May). I think I would like to celebrate my birthday all year too!

I decided to decorate the house so when he got home, he'd feel super special!

The door to get in the garage.

The living room.

The dog's food bin.

And you can't forget to decorate the toilet!

The microwave. I wanted to make sure he knew he was now in my decade! I am a cougar (married a youngin') and the most I can ask for is that my young hubs is in the same decade with me!

Where we hang our keys!

Kyle had a trail of happies when he got home. I'm glad he beat me home so he could find all of his signs!

Some cupcakes!

He loved his decorations! Welcome to the 30s Kyle! Being 30 means you'll be a dad =)

Later that night, we went to grab me some tater tots (those made my belly feel much better) and we came home to this.

I left my prenatal vitamins on the coffee table and Boomer got in them. I called the vet to make sure he would be ok.

And he was. Such a bad dog. I'm such a bad mom for leaving them out. Since his "lifestyle change" Boomer tries to get all food, including pills!

My sweet girl. She would never do what he did. If I have to give her a pill, I wrap it in cheese since she hates them.

go tigers go

More February updates.

Shelly and I went to the U of Memphis vs UTEP basketball game. We used Mariana's tickets. Long story why she did not go. One of Shelly's students was recognized before the game so I got to go on the court and take pictures. VIP! ha!

Shelly and I talked a lot! I would say most of the game! Memphis ended up losing at the very end. BOO!

We didn't get VIP seats but I was so glad I got to go! We met up with Mariana and others for a very late lunch at the Trolley Stop Market. Yum!

food for finance: FULLY FUNDED!

(healthy) food for finance is a column where we talk about how fitness and finance correlate with each other. join us on our journey to be both physically and financially fit.

We hit another financial milestone by following Dave Ramsey's debt snow ball plan. As of February of this year, we now have a fully funded emergency fund! To re-cap: In February of 2011, we completed baby step 2 (no debt but our mortgage) with a $1,000 emergency fund (baby step 1).

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It took a little longer than we expected to build up the E-fund. We had things pop up that we had to pay for (replace the AC in my jeep, medical bills, etc.) So taking a year didn't bother me because we had the cash to pay for major repairs and it was not at all stressful. Just more annoying that it would set us back a month or so. Dave Ramsey recommends 3-6 months of expendable income for an E-fund. Because I need to feel secure. we agreed to have a 6 month E-fund. We could live on the bare necessities for 6 months if something happened and we were not getting paid. Or if we needed to replace the heat in our home, or anything else that would break.

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I like that Kyle and I sat down and wrote our financial goals on paper. I remember it well. We were on the patio in October of 2010 and decided to attack this debt like noone's business! I've always been told that you're more likely to reach your goals if you write them down, make them measurable, and share them with others. So that is what we did! The whole world knows that we are committed to this! We need to revamp them and write a date down that we think we can pay off our mortgage by!

Our goals on the fridge

baby step 3 check!

We were actually ahead of schedule to complete baby step 3 per our frigde goal timeline. But Kyle got a part-time job and I thought we'd move faster. Like I said, things happen and I am glad we had the funds to pay for it!

We have our E-fund in an account that is hard to get out. Meaning that we can't just blow it on something that we want....it must be something we need (need to be fixed!) This money is only for emergencies. No trips, no car, no new house.

So what's next? We should start baby step 4 (investing 15% gross income to retirement), 5 (baby college fund-won't start till McBoy's here!), and 6 (pay off mortgage) at the same time but we're not doing all of those just yet. We want to save up cash for baby McBoy's birth and a newer car.  I'll keep you posted!

Just remember, this is HARD work! We have to say no to things that we want to buy or do. We have an end in sight and when we reach it, then we'll be out to play...really play!

be mine

I am so far behind on blogging because, lets face it, being pregnant makes me tired!

Valentine's day fell on a Tuesday and my baby's daddy works a part time job hosting trivia Tuesday and Wednesday nights. So after trivia, he called and asked me to meet him for dinner....at a bar....to watch the Mississippi State basketball game. WHAT?!

Well, since I was feeling like crud in February, I didn't mind meeting him at a bar because that meant I didn't have to get dressed up! I wasn't planning on going anywhere because all I wanted to do was lay on the couch. So I mustered up some energy and went. I didn't want my poor hubby watching the game by himself on Valentines!

Valentine's 2012...at a bar. We were the only couple there! 



Later on that week, Kyle made me my annual Valentine's Day dinner.

Pesto Pizza!

 Looking good!

 I love my new camera!

It was a great meal as always!

Like every year, we made each other cards.

Kyle did amazing! He even put the positive pregnancy test on the card.

Mine was awful! I felt awful and that was my excuse! I really think that these cards should be switched! Kyle made the glitter card and I didn't?! Something is going on here!

Last year our cards revolved around money since we just paid off our last debt except the house. A year later, we both did a baby theme! Wonder what next year will be!

IBC

For Kyle's dirty thirty celebration, we went out to the International Blue Challenge. We didn't get to go last year so I was excited about going again!

Some of the girls out on Beale! Cindy, Betsy, me, Mariana, Steph.

I didn't get even get a picture with the birthday boy. We ate at the Blues City Cafe then hung out at B.B. Kings for a good part of the night. Every blues bar had great blues music. It is the best of the best from around the world. Besides BBQ fest, it is Kyle's favorite event in Memphis. All you do is buy a wrist band and it gets you in all the clubs. We always say we're going to get there aorund 4 and get a good seat and stay at the same blues bar but that never happens.

Later we went to the New Daisy for the jam sessions. AWESOME!

Since I was about 7 weeks pregnant, we were out by 11. And that was a late night for me! It was great fun. Kyle had a big birthday month. More pictures to come!

when life gives you lemons

I debated about blogging about all the craziness Kyle have been through this past year. Then I decided that someone else might be going through the same type struggles and would need some encouragement that 'this too shall pass.'

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Last August, I had a miscarriage. We found out on July 5 that we were pregnant. We wanted to wait to tell our parents in a fun, special way but that did not happen. Instead I had to call and inform them that their 1st grandchild did not make it and that I had to have a D&C the very next day. I had the procedure when I should have been 10 weeks and I lost the baby around 5 weeks. I work in the medical field and I know how common miscarriages are. I just didn't think it'd happen to me since I am a health nut. But 1 in 4 pregnancies will end up in a miscarriage. The more I talk to people, the more I notice that this is a subject that is rarely talked about.

The week after Christmas, more bad news hit. I found out that my mom was diagnosed with bladder cancer and Kyle's Mimi was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was the worst week. I felt awful. Like my world was spinning and I wanted it to go back to normal. I am very blessed to have such supportive friends, family, bible study girls, and co-workers. They were my rock!

My mom had her tumors removed in January. While my mom was recovering at my house (on Martin Luther King day) I found out I was pregnant again. All I could think was "how in the world will this baby make it with all this stress?" We still had to wait to see what stage/grade cancer she had. So that week, I went to my OB-GYN  to get my blood work checked to see if I'd had another miscarriage. My numbers were perfect!

That next weekend, we went to Meridian, MS to be with Mimi for her surgery. On the way, we called my parents to tell them the good news. We learned from the last time to let them in on the secret at the beginning. We told Kyle's parents that weekend too. But we told everyone to keep it a secret as we didn't know what would happen. Mimi's surgery went very well, especially for an 87 year old lady!

 Aunt Elosie and Annlea the weekend of Mimi's surgery.

 Mimi!

We took the dogs! They have it made!

A couple of weeks later, we found out that my mom's cancer was grade 1, stage 1. The best we could hope for! We also found out that Mimi's cancer was all removed!

In retrospect, I am not sure how I would've handled being 7 months pregnant and driving from city to city to be with family during the scariest time in their life. God works things out in His time. Our miscarriage was so sad, but telling our families that we were pregnant again during a very stressful time was so perfect. I am currently 22 weeks and I am still scared about having a healthy baby. I also know that none of that is in my control and I have to trust that God has everything worked out for me. All I need to do is get ready for my little baby McBoy. Please continue to pray for Kyle's Mimi and my mom. She'll find out Monday if any tumors have grown back. And of course, pray for my little sweet pea! Prayer is what has gotten us this far and it will continue to get us through the rest of this battle. Through all of this, Kyle has been amazing. I knew he would be in tough times but he went above and beyond. I am very thankful God chose him for me and to be my baby's daddy!



regift: version 2011

Back in January, we had our annual ADPi regifting party. It was great! A great way to see old college friends and get rid of bad gifts! As they say, one woman's trash is another woman's treasure!

We had it in Jackson, Tn this year so more UT-Martin ADPi's could come!

Nicole, Holly, and Jennifer (she's a Chi-O but we let her in our party!)

The Amandas!

Steph, Christy, and Shelly (honorary ADPi!)

My new camera

the gifts! 

 the game being played

sometimes there are good gifts...like wine (Andrea brought it and doesn't like red wine)

 then there are the bad gifts...

then O.K. gifts

and teacher gifts...

Friends, like I always say, get your teachers supplies for their rooms!

A big pile of teacher gifts.

A pooping reindeer

Ah....Christy got the only gift that is allowed to be brought back each year...the shawl!

One must always have mustache bandaids.

I ended up with the shawl. I didn't want the gift I brought and the only non-frozen gift was the shawl. I like this picture because to the left of me, Kristy has her mustache on and to the right of me, Amanda is playing with the pooping reindeer!

I miss the college days! So glad we can come together this time of the year and share bad gifts! Can't wait till next year! Here's hoping I'll get a bad gift or two!