4th of July at Gulf Shores

Touring the U.S.S. Alabama in Mobile.



















Orange Beach





















The Gulf Marina and Outer Areas












Gulf Shores


































Touring Ft. Morgan's Naval Base









Riding the Car onto the Ferry at Ft. Morgan & Taking It Across the Bay to Dauphin Island

What's New!

This last week has been a bit on the crazy side. Last Tuesday, while watching my nieces, I had a backache all day, and I pretty much dismissed it as a pregnancy pain, nothing more. Well, after the girls went home for the night, it turned into a really bad backache with abdominal cramping. I cramped and cramped.. and I got really worried. I couldn't even lie down for the severity of the pain. My whole stomach knotted up and got hard, and I was a bit afraid I could be having a miscarriage. Around three o'clock in the morning I woke David up and told him something was horribly amiss. The cramps got harder and harder, and he ran me to the ER at my clinic for after hours emergencies. We had to wait four hours before seeing a Dr. (Go figure!!) and when they finally got around to seeing me (It was the night of the full moon and they had apparently delivered 10 babies that night), they informed me I had a pretty bad urinary tract infection. Joy... Now, I have had UTI's before, but this felt NOTHING like that.. I had no burning, urgency, etc... I just had the back pain and cramps that were beyond any period cramping I have ever experienced. (I know, I know... just wait until I go into labor, right?) Ha, ha! But, the Dr. on call did tell me it was very likely I was having contractions with the cramping, just due to the infection, so it was good that I came in when I did.

So, after a week of antibiotics, I feel much better, but I hate that I gave a whole of my summer vacation up to a UTI. I know it could have been worse, but I am a cranberry guzzling gal now, so hopefully I can avoid another one during this pregnancy at least.

In other news, Bichon had a play date with Tilly while her mom and I (my Aunt, Cathy) worked on yard sale stuff. This coming Saturday is a big neighborhood yard sale in the town where I graduated, and it is a big deal. Not really, but it is a well attended event and David and I clean out every year for it. We usually make pretty good money, so I am hoping this year is no exception.







I am 18 weeks along today. I can honestly say this pregnancy is flying by. Before I was pregnant, everyone said how long nine months was to wait for something, and truly, I don't feel like I have waited at all. I am actually wishing it would slow down a little bit. At my last appointment, my Dr. said by now I would be pretty much about 1/2 way through, and I was in total disbelief. I'm sure by the end I'll be wishing I could speed it up, but right now I am loving it.







Today, I went by Kellye's house to see her new baby boy, L.J. He is a cutie and looks just like his daddy. I had a great time visiting with his mom and dad and catching up with them. L.J. knew where his little thumb was and just sucked away. He is really sweet and I know they are a very happy family. : )





With the baby on the way, David and I have been discussing a video camera, but just really felt like what we wanted was way out of our price range. My mom has a great camcorder, but it is really hard to watch because you have to hook it up to the t.v. with tons of cords, and use the video recorder to watch it, which means any baby videos we take will have to be watched at their place, etc, etc... We do however have a recorder on our camera, and for the most part it works great. It is clear and sharp and easy to watch at home, but it is not a true camcorder, and really not what I want. Today, David surprised me a digital video camera that is just perfect for what I wanted. He bought it new online at a great steal of a price, so I couldn't be mad at him. Ha, ha! : ) He loves to shop for "surprises", but since it was something we have discussed and something I wanted, I was elated he found one so reasonable. It is really lightweight and small, so I know it will be perfect for what I want to use it for. Since it is digital, all the videos will be ultimately on DVD's, and I am thrilled that they will be easier to organize than bulky VHS tapes of days past.





David and I decided, very last minute, to make a trip to Gulf Shores, Alabama to the beach for a couple days vacation. Yes, I know gas is horrible right now, but maybe the beach won't be crowded. : ) My parents have decided to come also, so I am really pumped about the four of us spending some quality time together. My dad wants to see Fort Morgan, and David wants to tour the U.S.S. Alabama battleship in Mobile, so we may try to squeeze in a few activities other than beach bumming. We have all been there before, but it has been several years. Two years ago we went to the beach, but went to Monterey Bay in California, so it has been awhile since we have visited the good ol' Atlantic. My Motherhood swimsuit is ready to go (I just hope they are prepared to stop every hour to let me pee!!! Ha, ha!) On vacations, we always all split the gas, so no one couple is paying, even with my parents. Hopefully we can get there on three tanks tops, and with lodging and food being our only real expenses, I think it may be a really cheap get-away, which will be nice. Many of the hotels are hurting for business and are offering stellar deals, so all I can do is hope for sunny, warm weather and good fireworks. With David taking six hours of classes at UofA this summer, he needs the break, and I am dying for some fun beach "belly" shots. It will be our last vacation away before the baby arrives, so memory making is a necessity. : )

Father's Day Weekend

Saturday, David came home with a new toy. A new mower and a trailer are purchases we have discussed for a long time now, since the yard is really just too big to push mow. David has been eyeing the mowers at Williams Tractor for awhile now and decided to break down and buy one. I was hoping he would buy a used mower, since new ones are so expensive, but he said he doesn't want to have to deal with other people's problems. : ) The trailer was used though. It came in handy over the weekend when David started some more landscaping projects- a blue cypress, river birch, and a Japanese maple. He also bought some plants for the porch to replace the fall topiaries.


My mom teased me and said for the price of that mower I could have gotten a brand new wedding ring, taken a round trip flight to Cancun, and bought all new furniture. Ha, ha! Oh well... David can now get our acre mowed in less than an hour as opposed to five. I know it makes the work load easier for him. : ) I am glad to not have to borrow my parents' trailer whenever we need to haul something. I hate borrowing from people anyway- I always feel anxious knowing I am responsible for something that doesn't belong to me.



















Sunday, we had a family lunch at my granny's house for Father's Day.













Chyann and Madsion, our nieces, spent the night last night and are here hanging out today. We have had fun making cookies, watching Grease, and taking bubble baths!

Inspiration!

Many of you have inquired about the nursery. I am planning on waiting until the end of July before I get started. We both want to know what it is, and if it is a girl, I want to do something sweet and creamy and pink. If it is a boy, I want to do something chocolate and classy. So, technically, other than a single piece of wrought iron furniture, the room is still empty. I found a gorgeous shelf ladder made of dark wrought iron at Hobby Lobby- it looks like it leans on the wall, but it doesn't, and the bottom shelves are larger than the top shelves.

These are some rooms, though, that have been inspirational and fun! : ) They either appealed to me because of the color, texture, or arrangement.