Christmas Shopping: Check!

You may have noticed a couple new links to the right. They're to the websites for the small businesses of Meredith, Lori, and myself.

As you guys know, I own a business as a sales rep for Arbonne, which makes awesome skin care, nutritional products, etc. They always come out with a bunch of seasonal aromatherapy for the holidays, which is currently available. If you're interested, you can place orders through the website or contact me for more info. In fact, check my website starting December 1. A little bird told me there may be some really great specials posted there. . . . :)

Lori truly is THE Bargain Shopper Lady. She knows how to get the best deals on everything. So check her website out, especially for the holidays! She can help you get great deals on a lot of gifts (and goodies for yourself!).

My sister-in-law, Meredith, has started a small business making the prettiest bags you ever saw. She calls it Linda Grayson Design, and her website is way cute. A couple of months ago, she made a bag for a friend, and everyone else asked if they could buy one from her. So she took the idea and ran with it, and she is getting busy creating an inventory just in time for Christmas. You can buy one of the bags on the website or contact her about custom making something for you. Here are some samples:

Reality Strikes

Sometimes it does not seem real that we are going to have a baby. You can't see his face, you can't hear him cry, he doesn't really require much of you (at least not compared to after he's born), etc. So sometimes it seems surreal that we are going to have a real, live kid.

But Nathan and I have had a few moments when the reality of the fact that we are going to have a baby strikes us. Like when we first saw the ultrasound picture, or when Nathan and I decided he will have to make Hershey Bar Pie every Thanksgiving with our kids (one step is melting marshmallows and chocolate--just imagine how fun it will be to make "marshmallow soup" every year).

The latest one happened this weekend. I bought a cute fleece outfit that I had seen a few weeks ago. I decided we needed it, because it is dang cold here in January, we don't have that many 0-3 month clothes, and it was so cute. I also picked up our travel system (stroller + car seat). So after Nathan put the travel system together, I put the cute little outfit in it, and we both gasped and smiled a little--"Oh my gosh! We'll have a real baby in a real outfit in this little seat!" Zap! Reality struck!

If I Were Cooler

If I were cooler, I'd know how to create my own template for the blog. A lot of you guys have cute ones that are not the cookie-cutter versions blogspot offers. How do you do that? Can anyone give me a quick tutorial? I do have a Mac (that probably helps).

I am the Stuffing

Take this quiz! Which part of Thanksgiving are you?

You Are The Stuffing

You're complicated and complex, yet all your pieces fit together. People miss you if you're gone - but they're not sure why.

What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?

Nathan is the Mashed Potatoes:

You Are Mashed Potatoes

Oridnary, comforting, and more than a little predictable You're the glue that holds everyone together.

What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?

Honestly, Nathan is neither ordinary or predictable (usually). But this was still a funny quiz.

Turkey Day Recap

So I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

We had a great one. This was our third year of hosting all our friends in Boston, and it was a blast. Basically, everyone brings food, we have a marvelous feast, then we play board games until our brains give out from the turkey coma.

I don't think a holiday is much of a holiday unless you have a crowd. I like to be surrounded by people on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, etc. We had 10 people this year, and I think it turned out great. That is about the maximum number we can seat comfortably, anyway. We put the second leaf in the dining room table, put the kitchen table in the dining room, too, borrowed a chair or two, and we were set.

I made a 16+ lb. turkey. I always brine my turkey (for a full discussion, see post below), and I've never had a bad turkey, so I am a big believer in brining now. I have to say, though, that without Nathan's help when it came to manhandling that bird, I don't think I could have done it all at 8 months pregnant! I held up pretty well, though. We got up at 5:30 to put that sucker in the oven, and by the time our guests started arriving, my back was already killing me! But sitting down to eat helped (or maybe it was the food...).

Nathan was a lot of fun this year--he came home the day before Thanksgiving so excited about all the food and getting ready. He even made Hershey Bar Pie, which he always loved eating at his house, and I really have to say that it was the major hit at the dessert table, along with Caleb's apple pie. I think even my quadruple chocolate cake was dwarfed by the glory of that Hershey Bar Pie. I know I ate way too much of it.

Speaking of eating too much, considering how exhausted we both were when all our guests left, we stayed up SO LATE! Like 1am, people! So we were sitting there watching bad movies at 1am, and I said, "How in the world are we still awake?" And Nathan said, "I think it's all that sugar." Ha! I think he must have been right.

Anyway, something did happen that we thought was hilarious. You may not think it's all that funny, but I'm telling you anyway, because it is a long-running family joke. Nathan and I received a gigantic turkey platter as a wedding gift. I mean, this thing is huge. You could literally use it as a sled instead of a platter. Literally. Just imagine it with me. It's got to be 2.5 or 3 feet across, AND, to make it even that much cooler, it is in the shape of a turkey. I have no idea at this point who gave us this gigantic turkey platter, but I have to thank them again for no other reason than that its existence has entertained us for nearly four years. Nathan's parents thought it was especially funny, and we always joke about the huge turkey platter. In fact, it's so big that we have never really had the room for it. But Mama & Papa B. brought it with them to Boston when they came this summer kind of as a joke, like, "Well, now you have the room, and I am SURE you'll use this . . . maybe as a sled." So we stuck it in a corner. But the funny thing is that this year we DID use it! And it worked great! Here's a picture of the beautifully sliced turkey on our famed turkey platter:And that, folks, is my funny Thanksgiving story.

In case you didn't think that one was funny enough, let's try this one:

My mom is a character. She is always the life of the party, which is usually fun, because she is kind of silly. Last Christmas, we reluctantly participated in a Christmas auction, in which she auctioned off all her teacher gifts and other random things for the needy. Now, this doesn't sound very entertaining, but with my mom running it, it had its entertaining moments. Or dramatic moments, to say the least. So this year, for Thanksgiving there in Texas, they joined up with a branch of the family for dinner. Ken and Meredith also drove in for the day. So Amy, my cousin, was talking to her long-distance boyfriend on the phone, and upon Mom's suggestion, they made a little video to send this guy. And would you like to know what it was of? Of course you would. Well, Mom taught her students America the Beautiful in sign language recently. So she stood in front of the couch, everyone else sat on it or stood behind it singing, and she did the sign language. They all acted very serious and patriotic; Ken even had his hand over his heart. And Mom signed America the Beautiful. Don't you wish you could have seen that? This was Meredith's first Williams holiday, and apparently she kept waiting for someone to tell her that this was a joke, that we don't really do things like this. Oh no, Meredith. That was no joke.

So that was our Thanksgiving, both the one we had and one of the ones we missed.

Today, Nathan and I took it easy. We were pretty tired from yesterday. We did get out and take a walk around Fresh Pond, though. This is a pond/reservoir about half a mile from our house, and it's really nice because they've kept the surrounding park woodsy and natural. So we went and hiked around for a bit today. It felt good to get out for a bit, but I do have to say it was really cold, especially when the wind blew. By the time we got back, our chins were numb. :)

Incidentally, I ran across this nifty tidbit about Fresh Pond recently. I thought it was neat. Just another nifty thing about the area we live in that has historical value that I didn't know about until now.

Hope you had a good Thanksgiving, too!

Holidays are Here!

Okay, people, I must tell you some big news:

It's snowing!

Right now! Outside the office window! WOW! Snow doesn't usually fall this early in the winter. We had a few flurries yesterday, but it is a little heavier today. It's not sticking, but there is definitely white in the air!

The thing about this is that I have had so much going on that I haven't really gotten into the holiday spirit--I've had too many distractions. I even read Courtney's post this morning about the holidays, but I was thinking to myself, "Gee, I wish I were that excited about it already." But now that it is snowing, well, this might just do it for me.

Nathan's going to try to take a picture before he leaves the house--the snowflakes might not show up, so don't get your hopes up. But check back later to see if he got a good one. :)

Yay, Matthew!

So those of you who know the Beneshes know that they are a bunch of smarties. Nathan's dad is a physics professor, his mom is working on her PhD, and all their kids are smarties, too. (I won't even tell you what my mother-in-law got on the free rice vocab quiz!)

Nathan's youngest brother, Matthew, called today to tell me that he got into Cambridge University! HELLO, is that exciting or what???

He is graduating from Baylor this year with a Physics degree, and he has applied to lots of different places for grad school. He said he didn't really expect to get into Cambridge, but boy is everyone excited that he did!

Now, one of the reasons that this is so cool, other than the fact that we are talking about Cambridge, here, and that he and Emily (his fiancee) would be living overseas in England, is that there is a strong Benesh tie to the University. Nathan's dad did his postdoc there, and Nathan was born there. Their family lived in Cambridge off and on until Nathan was about 8, when they settled in Waco. So all the kids have a great fondness for the town and the University, and Nathan's parents still have friends there.

Plus, I studied abroad at Cambridge one summer in college, and I absolutely fell in love with the place. In fact, Nathan came with me for a few days, and the first thing we did when we got there was to go see his old neighbors, an elderly couple who kindly invited us in for tea, even though they weren't sure who we were. Ha! The next day, as I went to an amazing Shakespeare class, Nathan went to his old elementary school and asked if any of his old teachers still worked there. Isn't that funny? All of us love the city, and we're really excited about visiting Matthew and Emily, if they do decide to move there (Matthew is still waiting to hear from some other schools, too).

Just click on this picture and tell me you wouldn't love to live here, too!

A Word to the Lurkers

Okay, I have something to say to all you faithful readers. Blogging is more fun when you know you're not just talking to yourself. :)

I was wondering if fewer people were checking the blog or something, because the number of comments has dropped off a lot. But you all keep mentioning to me over phone and email that you saw such-and-such post, etc., so I know you're out there!

I always love to hear what you have to say, and other people do, too! So don't be shy. Leave a comment here and there.

A comment tutorial:

• Click on the link at the bottom of the post that says "0 comments"
• A new webpage will appear. Enter your comment in the box.
• Choose an identity: if you have a blog, log in. Otherwise, choose "Other" and fill in some basic info, or choose "Anonymous." (If you choose Anonymous, just be sure to write your name in the comment box so we know who said what.)
• Click "Publish"

Looking forward to hearing from y'all again!

Science and Christianity

I just checked our church's website. Is this not way cool??

Psalm 19

I didn't have time to expound on this when I initially posted it, but the reason I think this is so cool is because so many people think that Christianity and science oppose one another. A lot of people think you have to check your brain at the church door or choose between believing science or believing the Bible, when that is far from the truth. There are many eminent scientists who see no other option than that there is a Creator. Hugh Ross has written many books on this (he is an astronomer/physicist, if I remember correctly), and I know that another Rice biochemistry professor has talked about the same thing.

Poor Nathan, as a geologist especially, has had several people from both sides (Christians and non-Christians) ask him some questions tinged with a little bit of aggression, since they assume they know what he's going to say. It is an interesting debate that he has had to take a close look at, since he seems to be a target for questions about Creation, etc. What we have read makes us believe that science/nature and the Bible mesh perfectly and are NOT opposed at all. I can expound on this if you're interested, but in a nutshell, that's been our conclusion.

Anyway, I think it's neat that our church is tackling this issue, because so many people can get so up in arms about it, which ends up being more divisive than edifying for the Church. I'm looking forward to hearing what they have to say.

Thanksgiving . . . I Mean, Food

This post was going to be about Thanksgiving, but I think that I am more interested in food right now. So we will just have a chat about Thanksgiving food instead. Because, really, that is why you love Thanksgiving so much, right? I always loved having like 17 people in the house and having a big dinner together, and that's definitely part of it. To this day, I feel like it wasn't really Thanksgiving or Christmas unless we had a crowd. But so many goodies show up this time of year that I think it's time we talk about the food a little bit.

The first year we were in Boston, my parents came up, and I made a stellar Thanksgiving dinner, with my mom's help. That was my first experience with a turkey, and it turned out great, which made me feel like I had finally cut my teeth. I felt like I had crossed the threshold and had become an actual cook and homemaker once I knew I could do a turkey. This is also the year I discovered brining (more on that later).

For the past three years, Nathan and I have hosted Thanksgiving for our Bible study friends. None of us are actually from New England (all the guys are students), and since we all go home for Christmas, we are usually all still here for Thanksgiving (not wanting to pay for two flights home and all). So for the past few years, Nathan and I have hosted a potluck Thanksgiving dinner. I make the turkey and a few other items, and everyone else brings their favorites. We end up with a ridiculous feast. In fact, last year, nobody signed up to make a dessert, so I made two or three. Turns out everyone thought the same thing, and you should have seen the dessert table. (Yes, we had to clear off an entire piece of furniture for all the desserts.) It was glorious.

This year, I'm making the turkey, roasted veggies, rolls, and a dessert (or two).

Here's the deal on brining: basically, you boil a bunch of water, salt, and spices, let it cool, then soak your turkey in it overnight. Then you rinse the turkey and roast as usual. When you brine it, the salt makes the meat super juicy (not salty), so you end up with a moist, flavorful bird. You can search the internet for turkey brines--there are tons of recipes. Here is a turkey recipe from Williams-Sonoma, and here is a list from the Food Network. It is essential, though, to buy a brining bag (basically a huge ziploc bag that you put the turkey and brine in)--unless you have a small turkey, you can't fit the dang thing in anything else and expect to cover it with liquid.

As for the roasted veggies, I usually buy a bunch of veggies that look good and will all cook at about the same rate, and I cut them all up, toss with a little melted butter, rosemary, and S&P, and put them in the bottom of the roaster for the last 40 minutes or so that the turkey is cooking. The turkey drippings flavor the veggies, and they are AWESOME. This roasted veggie side usually consists of potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions, cherry tomatoes, and anything else that I feel inspired by in the grocery store.

Rolls--you guys, I do not make homemade bread. I know that those of you who do will say it's not that big of a deal, but I am perfectly happy with storebought rolls. Mmm, yeast rolls and butter.

And on to the best part of the day: dessert! I will, of course, make my quadruple chocolate cake. And I think I am also going to make a cranberry-pear pie with oatmeal streusel. Tell me that thing does not look amazing. It is in Cooking Light magazine this month.

And lastly, if you have never made cranberry sauce from scratch, you are really missing out. There is pretty much nothing easier, and it tastes SO much better than that stuff out of a can. Now, if you are one of those people who would just die if their cranberry sauce is not can-shaped and sliced into little discs, okay, fine, I probably can't convert you. But if you are a little more open-minded, and if you're interested in something that will actually taste like cranberries and that you will like so much that you will never, ever go back to that gelatinous goo from Thanksgivings past, check out this recipe:
Cranberry Sauce
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup orange juice
- 12-oz. package fresh cranberries, rinsed, drained, and picked over
Combine OJ and maple syrup in a saucepan. Bring to boil; add cranberries, return to boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes. Cover and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time. Makes 2-1/4 cups.

So what are you making for Thanksgiving? What are your favorites?

Squirmy

So Nathan and I watched this National Geographic video about babies in the womb and how they develop, and one of the things that the video said was that by about this time (towards the end of the pregnancy), the baby sleeps about 90% of the time.

I just want you all to know that this is a downright lie. This kid squirms all the time. The last couple of days in particular, I've been wondering what the heck is going on. He is moving almost constantly, or at least it feels that way.

It just occurred to me that maybe he's squirming in his sleep. Hmm.

33 Weeks

This is for those of you who care about this sort of thing. Here is a link about what is going on with the baby in Week 33:

http://www.pregnancy.org/pregnancy/fetaldevelopment3.php#week33

I've been eating lots of flaxseed cereal for Omega-3's (for brain and eye development--I just can't make myself like salmon), as well as drinking tons of milk, since his bones are hardening right now. :)

Random tangent: It's amazing how many Omega-3 products there are out there. Right now at home we have cereal, bread, and eggs all with high levels of Omega-3's. Nifty.

Beauty is Fleeting . . . But a New Outfit is a Wonderful Thing

"Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting"; yes Lord, but then why does a new outfit give me a renewed outlook on life?

I have been feeling ultra-frumpy lately. Partly because my belly is big, so all my clothes are big. And partly because it's pretty much winter here now, and all my winter clothes are big, bulky sweaters that aren't what you would call figure-flattering. That, plus there is this one fleece of Nathan's that I wear pretty much every day when I get home. And I actually wore one of Nathan's jackets to church on Sunday, which was just the straw the broke the camel's back--it was just so bulky that when I saw this cute girl in a trendy outfit with a fitted coat on, I kind of wanted to hide. I'm so vain, I know.

I mean, it could be much worse, I know. I could be living in the mid-80's, when the only maternity clothes looked like sailor outfits (eesh). Or in the early 90's, when the cool thing was oversized shirts and stirrup pants (why did we all think we looked so cute?). But something about the combination of a big sweater and a big belly just does not do much for the psyche, or at least mine. I miss you, Ann Taylor.

So this weekend, I went to the mall to pick something up for Thanksgiving from Williams-Sonoma (I think Jesus himself created that store), and I stopped into a maternity store to browse for a minute. I found myself picking some clothes off the rack . . . then in the dressing room . . . then at the register, buying a very cute outfit, because it did NOT make me look frumpy, and that did a lot for my state of mind.

It's a cute red, trendily cut turtleneck and some flowy black pants. Good for work, good for the holidays. Good for my psyche.

You know, I could worry about this and wonder if I'm overly vain or spoiled or something. But I don't think I will. Because sometimes, dangit, you just need a new outfit.

This looked better after my hair calmed down a bit. :)

Hormones are Eating My Brain, part 2

I must tell you once again that my pregnancy hormones are eating my brain. I am pretty much the most forgetful person I know at this point. Here are some reasons why (I will keep a running list, since it's pretty entertaining, so check back):

• This afternoon, I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (YUM), and I made extra so we could bring some to our friend for his birthday. I packaged them up all cute, got a few things together, and we headed out the door. Halfway to our friends' house, I turned to Nathan and said, "What did I do with the cookies?" I had left them at home. Of course. Totally forgot them as I was getting a coat and some other things to bring.
• Speaking of a coat, this morning we were leaving for church, and I announced, "Okay, I'm ready." Nathan looked at me and said, "Don't you think you need a coat?" Oh yeah. It was probably only like 38 degrees--it was only 60 in our bedroom, even, when I woke up--and here I am forgetting about a coat.
  
• Last night, as I was going to sleep, I suddenly realized that I had forgotten my 24-pack of water bottles on the bottom shelf of my shopping basket in the grocery store parking lot. I even pushed that sucker all the way over to the cart return. Did not miss them for a second, until hours later.

Sigh.

Week 33 Belly Picture

I'm officially headed into week 33! Yay!

I liked this picture, other than the band of light across the belly. It gives you a better sense of how big it is.

And here we are in all our glory!
Gotta love the waistline on these pants. I think they look like men's beer belly pants, or at least once you lift the shirt up. You can't beat them on comfort, though.

Week 32 Belly Picture

Sorry this one is late.

Compare this to my Week 21 picture, which is in the same shirt!

Faith & Doubt

I have been going through Beth Moore's Jesus: The One and Only devotional book, and the other day I read something that I really liked, and I thought I'd share it with you all.

It is based on Luke 7:18-28, when John the Baptist, who is in prison, sends messengers to Jesus to ask him, "Are you the one to come, or should we expect someone else?" This question just reeks of doubt, yet this is coming from the man who preached in the desert and baptized people in preparation of Christ's coming. This is from the guy who recognized Christ for who He was and told his followers that he was not fit to tie His sandals.

But here he is, sitting in prison, persecuted and dejected and about to be beheaded, while Jesus is out there doing all kinds of miracles for all kinds of other people. In fact, Jesus had just raised someone from the dead. It seems like a natural response to ask why Jesus had not done a miracle for him, too. It seems like a natural response to wonder if this was really the plan--for him to preach for only a year then be murdered because of political intrigue. So John started to have seeds of doubt.

Our pastor preached about faith and doubt several weeks ago. He mainly talked about Thomas, but he also incorporated this passage, because in both cases, Jesus does an amazing thing. He does not chastise John or Thomas' doubt. He does not cast them out. Instead, He answers their question. How awesome is that? In Thomas' case, He shows him the marks on His hands so that he will believe that Christ was alive. In John's case, in answer to "Are you the one?" Jesus sends the messengers back with the message that "The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor." In other words, "Yes, John, I am definitely the one." What patience and compassion Jesus had to actually acknowledge their doubt and answer their questions.

In both cases, He does follow it by saying something that implies it would have been better if they had never doubted. To Thomas He says, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed," and to John he says, "Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." But since Jesus teaches that it would be better not to doubt, why does He tolerate the doubt at all? Our pastor answered that it is because it is a normal--maybe even healthy--part of being a Christian to doubt. At least when we are seeking answers, we are being honest and are genuinely seeking the truth. He pointed out that in Thomas' case, a LOT rode on whether or not Christ really was alive, including personal safety, and so it made sense that Thomas wanted to see proof. He could have just ignored the other disciples' testimony, but instead, he showed up in the inner room to hear what they had to say and test the truth. There is a genuineness in that. Our pastor postulated that this is why Christ admitted it--because Thomas and John were honestly seeking the truth, despite their doubt.

In fact, in the case of John, Jesus even turns to the crowd at hand and tells them--and remember that this is right after He has confronted John's' doubt and sends him an answer--that "among those born of women there is no one greater than John."

How awesome that Jesus accepts our seeking, answers our doubt, and still sees us for who we are in His kingdom? That we can still be used, loved, and in John's case, honored.

The other thing I love about this passage is what Jesus says to John: "Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." I loved learning what the Greek words actually meant the other day, because that's the key for unlocking this seemingly strange answer. And it does seem strange, doesn't it? Why would Jesus answer John in such a way that makes it look like he has "fallen away?" That wasn't really what happened, or at least that would be an exaggeration of the facts. It turns out that the Greek sheds some light on what Jesus actually said.

"Falling away" comes from the word skandalon, which means "a cause of stumbling." So what Jesus is saying is, "Blessed is the man who does not find me a cause for stumbling." Why would John find Jesus a stumbling block? Because Jesus was not working in his life like he was in others'.

Amen to that, right? How many times do we see these amazing spiritual experiences of other people or hear about how God worked in so-and-so's life, and it kind of takes us aback that God didn't work in our life like that. I certainly know how that feels. So what Jesus is saying is, "Blessed is the man who doesn't let the perceived activity or inactivity of Christ trap him or make him stumble" (Beth's words).

Well, that really got me. I think that a lot of times I assume that God is not working in my life in the same way He's working in others' lives because I must have a lack of faith or because I'm not listening enough or because of some other personal failing. And I'm sure that's true to an extent, at least sometimes. But the truth is that God has kingdom purposes, and I am no less a part of that kingdom than any other Christian. He has a purpose in my life, and in the dry spells or when it seems like He's not answering prayer, I still have to trust that He is good and that He is working on my behalf. Blessed am I if those dry times don't make me stumble. I never knew Christ acknowledged this or gave any instruction or encouragement regarding it. I like it. :)

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will."
Romans 12:2

"Test everything."
1 Thess. 5:21

Shower!

Last weekend, the girls in our Bible study threw me a shower! It was a lot of fun--there was WAY more food than we could ever have eaten (we called the guys when we were done and they ransacked the leftovers), Sara came up with some really cute games, and, of course, opening gifts is always fun. And it's always nice to get together with just the girls. :)

Here are some pictures (more to come):

Me, trying to diaper a stuffed bear with a bandanna and some safety pins, blindfolded. The idea being that we were seeing how we would do if we had REALLY had some little cowboys and had to change them in the middle of the night in the old west, with no lights! The other team won, but that's okay. We still did a pretty good job!

The freshly diapered "babies" and Hannah.

Me, with presents!
Food--mmmm.

Bonnie's cake. Now, Bonnie is famous for her baby shower cakes. She makes them from scratch, and they're always amazing. This one had an orange-apricot filling. Yum!

The girls:

Bethany, Bonnie, Hannah, Kendra, me, Julia, and Sara

Cankles

When we were dating, I once asked Nathan if he had any insecurities about himself.

His response:
Cankles.

My response:
What the heck are cankles?

Who among you knows what cankles are? If you don't know, let me enlighten you.

People who have cankles have ankles that are rather wide, so that it just looks like their calf just extends down to their foot. Calf-ankles.

Well, Nathan does not exactly have cankles. I, however, have developed them recently. Seriously, my ankles are so swollen! I have not seen my ankle bones in a couple of weeks. Yesterday, as I was changing shoes to leave work, I almost couldn't get my tennis shoes on because my ankles had swollen so much throughout the day.

So if you don't have cankles, PTL. And if you do, you are probably pregnant. Just kidding. There was actually a guy on the Rice baseball team with the most amazing set of cankles. I've never seen anything like it since. Not even mine.

Anyhow, there you go. If you know of any solutions for my cankle problem, let me know.

Test Your Skills and Feed the Hungry

A friend emailed me this link today:
http://www.freerice.com/index.php

Basically, they're giving 10 grains of rice away for each vocabulary word you get right. Pretty nifty! It automatically adjusts to your skill level, depending on which words you get right and which ones you get wrong.

I quit after I donated 1000 grains of rice. My vocab level was about 41. I was feeling pretty smart until I read in their FAQ section that you're considered really good if you can get to 48 or above. Nathan and I can't believe that--who in the world can get to 48?!?

How did you do? Leave a comment!

Week 32 Doctor's Appt (pic to come!)

I had my 32-week doctor's appointment today. I actually made all the rest of my appointments up until my due date today. I start going weekly before too long--craziness! It's a good feeling to think that I'm nearing the end.

Nathan's department secretary had her babies this weekend. She and I had about the same due date, but she had triplets (!), so of course hers came early. It's weird to look at the pictures and know that our kid is that size right now. It feels a little unreal that there is a real baby in there, sometimes, when you can't see his face, fingers, etc. One funny thing about the triplets: apparently they came around 1:40am the night of the daylight savings time change, and there is some speculation in Nathan's department that the 3rd baby actually came right at 2am, which would mean that technically she was born earlier than the other two. So it'd be as if one was born at 1:30, the second at 1:40, and the third at 1:00. Funny! (Although I think they must have been born by c-section.)

So Baby B. is doing fine, according to all accounts. He is growing at the right rate, and his heartbeat sounds good every time. My blood pressure is good, too, and I know this because the nurse literally compliments me on it every time I go in. It's getting to be kind of funny by now, because she's a little on the brusque side, and it's like my bp just makes her otherwise busy and unsatisfying day. Her eyebrows go up and she gets this look of approval, nods her head, and looks at me and says, "Oh, it's 108 over 71. Very good."

The baby has been kicking a lot the last couple of days. Nathan was noticing it a lot this weekend. Baby B. does a lot of stretching, too. I can tell because he'll make movements that are not simply a quick jab; it's more like a good push for a couple of seconds. I told Nathan about this, and he thought that it's probably good resistance exercise. He's building good muscle tone. Ha! Anyway, we were trying to figure out which body part we were feeling. Nathan thought maybe his head was to one side, but the doctor told me today that she could tell his head is already down. So we were just feeling feet on both sides. :)

I also asked how far beyond the due date they generally let people go. She told me that they usually induce between weeks 41 and 42. So between 7 and 14 days, depending on your situation I guess. I told her I'd be perfectly okay if he came early, and she laughed and said, "Well, maybe," and reminded me that most first-time moms actually go late. Stink.

Oh, and as for an update on the weight gain, it's tapered off a good bit. I think they'd still like to see me gain a little more slowly than I am, but I only gained 4 lbs. in the last month, which in my book is GREAT compared to the 8-10 lbs. per month during the entire second trimester. That means I cut my weight gain in half, and I am totally okay with that. I am still trying to stay active, though, walking at least twice a week and doing yoga at least once a week. I find that a good motivation for me to walk a long distance is, ironically, food. Okay, does that really surprise you? There is a place that makes really good soup nearly a mile from where I work, so I've been walking over there a couple of times a week to get a bowl for lunch. That makes for a pretty good walk of about 1.75 miles or so, and I figure that doing that twice a week plus doing the yoga at least once is doing me a lot of good.

And, also related to weight gain, the doctor also asked me if I have experienced any swelling. I have; my ankles are perpetually swollen now. They used to swell but then go back to normal overnight or after a rest, but they are just always puffy now. She said that that's perfectly okay (which I knew), and she also told me that before the swelling was even visible, I was probably carrying an extra 3-4 lbs. of water weight in my legs alone (which I didn't know). Wow! Check off another easy 3 lbs. to lose after the baby is born! Score! I know I probably seem like I'm obsessing over the weight gain, but I am starting to see the effects of it on me everywhere, so I am definitely anticipating getting it all off quickly after Baby B. comes. I even told Nathan I would like to set aside some dinero to hire a personal trainer for a while just to whip this extra weight off. You will probably all write in a kind comment about how it will come off with breastfeeding, or how I will look great regardless, etc. But I know myself, and if I don't attack the non-breastfeeding fat loss right away, and if I don't have someone to be accountable to and to push me when it comes to working out, I will carry that weight around for years. So the plan now is to attack it as soon as I am able and to get back to my normal weight within 6 or 10 months or whatever is healthy. I know I'll feel so much better about myself if I can master the discipline to do that.

Anyway, this entry is getting to be much longer than I anticipated. I'll cut it off now. And a belly picture is coming, I promise!

P.S. My very sweet Bible study friends threw me a shower this weekend. :) I will write a post about it as soon as I get pictures from them, because I think they got some that I'll want to put up.

Car for Sale

Hello all,

My brother and his wife are trying to sell their car. They haven't had it for too long, but they're finding they can do without it, since Ken can walk/bike to work (he's a youth minister, and they live close to church). Since I know how effective word of mouth can be, I thought I'd let you guys know about it. Ken & Meredith live in Dripping Springs (outside of Austin), but they'll bring you the car if you want it, obviously--well, if you're in Texas, at least. :) And if you live in Houston, it probably would not be too much trouble for them to bring it to you to test drive.

If you know anyone who is looking for a cheap, small-ish car in good condition, contact Ken at the number below.

Speaking as someone who just did a whole big car search and bought a used car, to find one with this few miles on it at that price is pretty nifty, not to mention that a lot of mechanical things on it are brand new.

They're selling it for $5500. Here's the text from the Craig's List ad:

Great Base Model Car: Previously listed at $6000
This Kia Rio is in fantastic condition, with no functional or mechanical problems. The clutch is brand new with only about 200 miles on it. The tires are also new with about 300 miles on them (Sumitomo). Great gas saver! Only 58,300 miles and still under warranty for 1,700 more (warranty can be extended). Very clean, Great A/C, CD player. There are a few minor dings. I purchased the car 6 months ago and then moved to a new city where I no longer need it. Hate to let it go. I got a great deal on the car at an auction and I only want to break even on my cost. Blue Book value: $6,000. Call Ken at: 512-879-8540

November Arbonne Specials

Time to start holiday shopping, y'all! Here are some discounts and specials to get you started.

Prep and Plumps 20% Off
In November, save 20% on About Face Prep & Plump™, each available for only $22.40, regularly $28, while supplies last. I love this product! Not only does it go on beautifully, but it also has anti-aging elements in it that help prevent the signs of aging on your lips. Plump up the volume with this revolutionary formula that works to counter the appearance of thin lips. These gloss and treatment duos — in 10 terrific shades — feature a double-ended application wand to enhance lip color and shape.

RE9 Foaming Body Wash for $14
Qualify to purchase the NutriMinC RE9 REfresh Foaming Body Wash, regularly $35 for only $14 with every $75 SRP order increment in November. You’ll be looking and feeling fine with the benefits of RE^9®, thanks to this advanced body wash. It includes Nanosphere Technology to deliver beneficial ingredients to clean skin and leave it softer and younger-looking. Includes a free orange wash puff, too!

Free Gifts for doing your Holiday Shopping with Us!
As you begin your Holiday shopping this month, keep in mind that you can also receive some extra goodies!
If you place a $500 order ($325 after your 35% discount) between November 1 and 15, you'll receive these chic, black gloves, complete with embroidered Arbonne logo.
And if you spend $1000 this month ($650 after your discount--remember that you can combine orders with friends to reach this number), you'll receive this elegant, black scarf with Arbonne logo detail.
Click here to see all of our holiday products, or visit www.arbonne.com.



Arbonne Opens in the UK
In addition to doing business in the US, Canada, and Australia, Arbonne is now open in the UK!
Who do you know in the UK who would love Arbonne's products? I give wonderful thank you gifts to clients who give me referrals in the UK and Australia!

Best,
Lauren

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Lauren Benesh
Independent Consultant
Executive Area Manager
Arbonne International
(617) 388-6419
laurenbenesh.myarbonne.com
www.arbonne.com