Skinny Face Pictures

So, I know this secret on how to make your face look thin in pictures. I tested it out with myself and my Aunt Lisa. Check out before and after pictures. You can look 20 lbs thinner!!

Chubby Faces

Skinny Face

Skinny Face

It's Magic!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mom's Pre-Surgery Party

Katie and Josh

Mom with Maw-Maw, Aunts and Cousin Michelle

Kenzie giving mom spirit fingers for the surgery

Lauren and Ella signing Mom's Cheer Sign

Handsome Matt (we should call you daddy goat!...like the new facial hair everyone??)

Kyle impersonating someone using a football!

Introducing Ham #1 and Ham #2

Mom, Lisa and I (yes, I'm getting huge!)

Lisa, Kenzie, Adriana and Mom

Jamie's Special Day

My friend Jamie who has lived in the Orlando area the past 3-4 years, was recognized by her school for being the AMAZING teacher that she is. This year she received Teacher of the Year and Chick-Fil-A came in to recognize her. Here is a picture of Jamie (after her full day makeover) with her class and the Chick-Fil-A cows. So cute! They surprised her that am with a limo and took her for a spa day, makeover and shopping for a new outfit. I pray for a day like that!! Great job Jamie!! Keep up the great work! Too bad your school will be losing you because you're coming back to Ohio!!! YEH!!!

Dear Daddy,

Thanks so much for the postcard you sent me promoting alcohol at such a young age. I can't wait until we get to hang like men someday and drink together. Hey, why don't you just slip some in my bottle in the next couple of years. Wait, I don't think Mommy would like that.

Also, FYI (which I hear means For Your Information, I'm smart you know), I heard Mommy talking that she could really use MORE back rubs. I guess I cause her some discomfort and her back is starting to hurt. I'll make up for it when I'm there with a bunch of kisses but in the meantime could you please cut her a little slack and give her back rubs instead of always requesting them for yourself??

Just wanted to let you know I love you but as Mom says, I am going to be her little "momma's boy". See you in July!!

Daddy's Postcard to Baby Balster

Daddy wanted Baby to have a keepsake from his visit to the Miller Brewing Factory in Milwaukee, WI.

Mom's Surgery

Hopefully this will be the best and last surgery for Mom. Please send your positive thoughts and prayers to my Mom over the next week and a half. She has her surgery to remove the tumor around her colon (they are removing around 12 inches of her colon!!!) on Wednesday, April 30th. She will be in the hospital down here at Riverside for a couple of weeks. HOPEFULLY, after this she will be leading the rest of her life pain free! YEH!!! It's been a long two year battle and we are all ready for it to near its completion. Thanks to all who have been there for us.
Love ya bunches!! I'll keep you updated after the surgery.

Round Two

Congrats to Abi and Brett Fry and Tim and Kelli Szparka who will be welcoming their second little ones in November.

99 Days!

We're in the single digits now. About 99 days to go. In a week, I will be starting the third trimester!! I can't believe how the time has flown by.

Plastic Bottles and Containers Not So Safe

Thanks to my friend Kelli for researching and posting these articles on her blog. Check them out:

The Today Show had a portion on the chemicals that can be released from some plastic water bottles, baby bottles, sippy cups, etc. As if working as an oncology nurse wasn't bad enough.http://www.sciencentral.com/articles/view.php3?article_id=218392973&cat=2_3
Want to really drive yourself crazy? Here is a list...
http://safemama.com/2007/11/22/bpa-free-bottle-and-sippy-cup-cheat-sheet/http://zrecs.blogspot.com/2007/05/sippy-cup-showdown-safer-bpa-free-sippy.html
Wanna sum it up for those of us that can't keep up on all this?http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/nahbpa.pdf

Charlie Horse!!!!!!!

Ouch!! My first Pregnancy charlie horse!!! I've been reading how it's very common to get charlie horse's because of the weight gain and the circulation, and it finally came! Two nights ago I was awoken with the worst cramp in my calf. I'll tell you that's not the way you want to wake up in the middle of the night!! Toss in the uncomfortableness I'm already experiencing with sleeping (my four pillows get lost and out of position at night :( ), the peeing is starting to increase along with the crazy realistic dreams- It's a treat right now! What's 8 months going to be like....eeeekkk!

Nursery is Coming Along

Thanks to Daddy for painting the walls blue and putting together the crib and dresser!! It's almost there. We need a few more decorations, white blinds (instead of those nasty off-white), and of course the essentials (notice, no mattress :) ) and we're all set. Once it is complete, I will post again. I already find myself sitting in his room in the chair just imagining what it's going to be like when he's here. At this point it's quietness and a sense of peace, so it's a little hard to feel what the real deal is going to be like!!

Bathroom Almost Complete

Awhile back I showed you what our Master Bathroom looked like gutted. The bathroom is so small, I can only take pictures at certain angles. Here is the tile in the tub and the tile that is on the floor. We still (in we, I mean Matt) have to put up the trim around the floor and add a shelf to the bathtub, but that's it! Check out handy man Matt's lovely work. Good job Matt!!!

Matching Panda Chairs

I found the cutest little panda chairs at the hardware store and had to pick them up for Vivian Chack, Brooke Szparka, and little baby Balster. They all have matching chairs now! If you don't know, our sorority mascot was a panda bear and I love snatching up cute items with panda's on them. Couldn't pass this up! It will be awhile until Vivian and baby Balster can play in theres, but it will be so cute to see them in their chairs. Check out Brooke stylin' in her new panda chair:
http://timandkelli.blogspot.com/2008/04/panda-baby.html

The Three Pregnant Women

It was so great to see Kelli and Amanda at Amanda's baby shower. Yes, that's right, Congrats goes out to The Szparka's who are expecting their second little one in November.

Amanda looks so cute!! Those milkers are getting huge! :) It was great to see all the items Amanda registered for in person. I think I'm going to change my registry on a few items now!

Babymoon

So everyone needs to comment to this post and let Matt know that a Babymoon (or a pre-baby vacation) is well needed and deserved for the both of us. If anyone has any suggestions of like a 2-3 day getaway, please let me know. I want to be able to keep the cost down a little bit with the little one coming (and I will be off work for three weeks without pay in Aug.) and drive somewhere rather than fly. I was thinking less than a 4 hour drive. Any suggestions for a romantic getaway?? I'm thinking over Memorial Day weekend.

Skybus Closes!

Of course the only time we have ever bought a Skybus ticket was for the trip we are going on THIS Wednesday!!! But not anymore! I am so bummed. Matt and I planned a 24 hour trip to Milwaukee for the Reds-Brewers game on Wednesday evening. We booked a 5 star hotel and I had a massage scheduled the next day. :( Flights are way too expensive to book at the point. So, unfortunately we will not be going on our trip. Damn Skybus!!!