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.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Monday, November 5, 2007
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!
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.
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:
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
Saturday, November 3, 2007
November Arbonne Specials
Prep and Plumps 20% OffIn 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 $14Qualify 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 RE9®, 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 UKIn 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
--
Lauren Benesh
Independent Consultant
Executive Area Manager
Arbonne International
(617) 388-6419
laurenbenesh.myarbonne.com
www.arbonne.com
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Pumpkins and such
Nathan announced this weekend that he wanted to carve a pumpkin. He has been talking about it for days, so yesterday he went out of his way to go buy a pumpkin, picked the roundest one they had, bought a pumpkin carving set, and went to work. He did a GREAT job and carved a very cool pumpkin. Here are some pictures:
The Pumpkin Master
The finished product. Isn't it good?
Now, it took him 2-1/2 hours to carve this pumpkin, perfectionist that he is. After he finished, we put it on the front porch. It looked all nice and homey there, especially since lots of other porches had pumpkins, too. When I left this morning, I swelled with pride at the looks of our very cool pumpkin.
But a couple of hours later, Nathan called and said, "Something ate the pumpkin!" Turns out that between the time I left in the morning and when Nathan left, a squirrel or something ATE the spider and one of the cat's ears! I felt sooo bad for Nathan, because I knew he had put so much time into carving it. He took it pretty well, though. Here is a picture of the squirrel damage:
Isn't that sad? So this evening, we sat outside beside our decimated pumpkin, which Nathan fixed up to look pretty decent, and we gave out Halloween candy. We actually ended up getting a whole lot of compliments on our very cool jack-o-lantern. Nobody missed the spider, after all. :) While waiting for the candy rush to begin, we giggled at the elderly lady across the street, because she was talking to a cat in the window of her house while she was on the front porch. She was talking really loudly so the cat could hear her through the glass. But what cracked us up, other than the fact that she just would NOT stop talking to poor Nicholas (which we quickly discovered was the cat's name), was that she actually SOUNDED like a cat. I can't really describe why. Her voice was just shrill enough and just gutteral enough, and it had just the right cadence to sound like a cat. So we cracked up at the cat lady who sounded like a cat when she talked to a cat.
Our neighborhood gets a LOT of Halloween traffic. It was fun to see all the little kids dressed up. Our favorite costumes were the Jedi knight, the little baby bumble bee, and the CSI investigator, complete with a plastic candy bag that said "Evidence" on it. Pirates seemed to be the theme this year. About half the kids were pirates. And it's so funny to watch some of them, because, let me tell you, they are laser focused on that candy. You talk to them, and you know they hear you, but they never take their eyes off that candy bowl! So as I'm saying, "Hi there! Happy Halloween! Ooh, I like your costume," they are walking up the steps, silent and unresponsive, eyes never leaving the candy bowl, which they of course spotted while they were still 15 feet away. They should have been dressed as zombies instead. Then they would have been acting the part, whether they meant to or not. :)
The Pumpkin Master
The finished product. Isn't it good?Now, it took him 2-1/2 hours to carve this pumpkin, perfectionist that he is. After he finished, we put it on the front porch. It looked all nice and homey there, especially since lots of other porches had pumpkins, too. When I left this morning, I swelled with pride at the looks of our very cool pumpkin.
But a couple of hours later, Nathan called and said, "Something ate the pumpkin!" Turns out that between the time I left in the morning and when Nathan left, a squirrel or something ATE the spider and one of the cat's ears! I felt sooo bad for Nathan, because I knew he had put so much time into carving it. He took it pretty well, though. Here is a picture of the squirrel damage:
Isn't that sad? So this evening, we sat outside beside our decimated pumpkin, which Nathan fixed up to look pretty decent, and we gave out Halloween candy. We actually ended up getting a whole lot of compliments on our very cool jack-o-lantern. Nobody missed the spider, after all. :) While waiting for the candy rush to begin, we giggled at the elderly lady across the street, because she was talking to a cat in the window of her house while she was on the front porch. She was talking really loudly so the cat could hear her through the glass. But what cracked us up, other than the fact that she just would NOT stop talking to poor Nicholas (which we quickly discovered was the cat's name), was that she actually SOUNDED like a cat. I can't really describe why. Her voice was just shrill enough and just gutteral enough, and it had just the right cadence to sound like a cat. So we cracked up at the cat lady who sounded like a cat when she talked to a cat.
Our neighborhood gets a LOT of Halloween traffic. It was fun to see all the little kids dressed up. Our favorite costumes were the Jedi knight, the little baby bumble bee, and the CSI investigator, complete with a plastic candy bag that said "Evidence" on it. Pirates seemed to be the theme this year. About half the kids were pirates. And it's so funny to watch some of them, because, let me tell you, they are laser focused on that candy. You talk to them, and you know they hear you, but they never take their eyes off that candy bowl! So as I'm saying, "Hi there! Happy Halloween! Ooh, I like your costume," they are walking up the steps, silent and unresponsive, eyes never leaving the candy bowl, which they of course spotted while they were still 15 feet away. They should have been dressed as zombies instead. Then they would have been acting the part, whether they meant to or not. :)
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Better
I just wanted to officially say that yesterday was a bad day, which explains that last post, especially the end of it. :) Thank you for bearing with me. I am usually pretty positive about everything, but between feeling pretty awful physically and probably being in the middle of my first real mood swing, what came out was a good bit of despair. So thanks for bearing with me, and thank you for your kind comments and encouragement!
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