I Feel Better

This week I've had a couple of people ask me about doing some pictures this spring.  At first I wasn't sure how I felt.  I'm getting pretty awkward these days with this big 'ole belly so I wasn't sure how to answer.  Although the weather is looking AWESOME for this time of year the grass and trees are still looking pretty yucky.  Last fall I had hoped to do a few sessions this spring before Brudder arrived.  Now that I'm in full blown preggo mode things aren't as "easy" as I had thought they would be.  After I turned someone down on Monday I talked to Dustin about it that night and he encouraged me to think about it some more and to try to come up with some kind of alternative since I can't really do the types of photos that I'm used to.  So I thought about it that night and emailed the lady back the next day.  We booked her daughter's senior session for next weekend!  I'm so excited/nervous to get back behind my camera but I've really been missing photography. 

So I booked one session and I'm in the process of setting dates for 3 more!  I cannot wait to do some maternity pics of my friend Carlee.  We're going to be quite a pair waddling around trying to do pictures!  Then I'll have some more senior pictures with her brother Tanner and family pictures with my cousin Kristen! 

Also, I just booked a maternity/family session with my friend Bri the end of April!  I cannot wait to meet her in real life - I totally forgot we've never actually met in person :)  I'm so glad to be excited about photography again and I can't wait until Brudder gets here so I can practice on him!  These days Asher screams and runs from the camera so he really isn't willing to be a test subject!  I just hope I haven't forgotten too much since last fall :)

A Few Pictures

Somehow there are always a few pictures that don't really work their way into a post.  Things have settled in around our house and there isn't much going on these days.  I should be working on getting ready for this Lil Guy to come but I just don't seem to have the motivation yet!

For Valentine's Day The Sister got Asher a 45 piece farm animal set.  Asher LOVED it but they are all over our house now.  Thanks Taylor....

Evidently the waterline on my fridge leaked at some point so before my Uncle Bob could refinish my kitchen floors he had tear our about 1/3 of the flooring and replace it.  Bummer.  Dustin replaced all the waterlines on the back of the fridge so it won't happen again.

Of course Asher ran in his room to get his tools so he could help!

I entered my Dad in a hardest working hands contest.  Yes, they usually look like that - pretty painful huh?

30 Weeks

He is so stinkin cute 

This is typical at our house!

 But then again, so is this :)

I think Asher is going to be a great big brother! 

30 Weeks with Asher

How far along?: 30 Weeks


How big is baby?: 3 lbs and 15.5 inches


Weight gain/loss?: Hovering right around 25 pounds.


Stretch marks?: Not that I can see but with the way my belly is growing it wouldn't surprise me!


Maternity clothes?: Yes!  I just hate clothes in general.  For some reason a lot of the clothes from when I was pregnant with Asher just don't fit.  I hope it warms up soon because I do have a few capris and such in bigger sizes :(


Sleep?: Sleep?  What is sleep?  I usually make it until about 2:00 in my sleepytime tea induced sleep but then its like I'm in and out from there on.  I roll around a lot.  I pee a lot.  My mind races a lot.  I know this won't get any better...


Food cravings?: My cravings haven't been all that bad lately, still wanting sweets most of the time.


Gender?: Another Brudder!


Movement?: He's getting to be a big boy and I can tell!  He seems to be in my ribs a lot which just kills me.


Belly button?: Out.  Its gross.  Josh saw it poking out through my shirt this week and was like "what the hell is that?"


I have a massage with Lynn tonight and I can't wait!  My next appointment with Dr Austman is in 2 weeks.  I can't believe the next time I go I'll already be 32 weeks!  I am no closer to picking a date to evict my lil guy.  It just doesn't seem right.  I'm still really hoping he just comes in his own time.  Right now I'm leaning towards putting his due date down as a c-section date.  I don't think she'll have to hold me to it if he isn't here by then.  My Mom keeps reminding me that RJ's graduation party is the 19th so I need to wait until after then!  We'll just see what happens!


Dustin's cousin Jaime is due on March 27th and I can't wait to hear news of the newest lil Popejoy!  I still cannot believe how fast this pregnancy has gone.  Although on the other hand it has been a reallllly long 30 (28) weeks because this lil guy seriously wants to kill me.  Headaches have been a little better so I'm crossing my fingers.  With Asher I didn't have a single migraine the entire time I was pregnant but they started back up when he was about 3 weeks old.

11 Things

Jessie tagged me in the 11 Random Things posts that I've seen on a lot of blogs lately.  Since it took me a whole 2 days to finish this I'm behind and all of the people I would have tagged have pretty much participated.  So I'm just going to give you 11 Random facts about me and answer her questions....k?

The Rules:

1. Post these rules  
2. You must post 11 random things about yourself  
3. Answer the questions set for you in the post you were tagged in  
4. Create 11 new questions for your tagees to answer  
5. Tag them on Twitter, Facebook or your blog

11 Random Facts about me...

1. I LOVE Dean Martin.  Always have and always will.
2. I love spreadsheets.  I'm super organized when it comes to money.  The way I do our budget would pry confuse the heck out of you but it works for me.  We have no less than 2 checking accounts and 9 savings accounts - I'm not kidding.  I LOVE to set up automatic transfers and keep everything  seperate and in its place.
3. One of the biggest things I deal with at work is keeping track of all the mobile homes in the County.  I love it.
4. I didn't like The Sister until she turned 18.  Then something magical happened and she became cool.  Now she is my best friend.
5. If you saw me out in public you would pry think I was shy - I really only babble like this to my family and you guys.
6. I went to IAJHSC Leadership Camp in Jr High and it really did change my life!
7. I don't break rules.  Hardly ever.  I always like to be on the safe side.  My husband however, will do things that drive me nuts like drive the wrong way through a parking lot.  Makes me crazy.
8. During the summer in High School I worked at my Grandma's flower shop in the morning and my Dad's Body Shop in the afternoon.  Talk about two totally different jobs - but I loved them both!
9. My Aunts/Uncles and older cousins call me Tessaroni.... isn't that terrible?
10. Atticus and Allistair were on my short list for Brudder but Dustin quickly veto'd both names.  I for sure want something "different."
11. I don't think I've slept "soundly" since Asher was born.  At first I was listening to him breathe next to me all night, then I was listening for his cry - and so on.  Now I keep one ear open all night to hear him hollar that he has to go pee.  I have a feeling this will last until he's at least 18...

 My Answers to Jessie's questions:

1. What is your favorite fast food chain? Steak N Shake

2. Do you like to work-out? Absolutely not.

3. What kind of sports do you like to watch?  I would rather stick needles in my eyes than watch sports.

4. Who is your favorite band/musical artist? DUH!  Brantley Gilbert!

5. What's your favorite movie/why?  I do not have a single move that is my favorite.  BUT there are several movies that I'll drop what I'm doing and watch if they are on TV: Rio Bravo, Steel Magnolias, 8 Seconds, Pure Country, Overboard.... just to name a few.

6. What's your dream vacation?  Sometime I would like to go overseas - you know, France, Italy.  But if I ever do it won't be for a loooong time.

7. If you didn't live in where you live, where would you go?  First of all, I would NEVER live anywhere else.  I must live within a 2 block radius of my parents.  BUT if I was single and had no kids I would pry move to some flat state like Oklahoma, Nebraska or Montanta - somewhere with cowboys....

8. How many kids, if any, would you have?  Although I still think I might want 3 someday Dustin says we're done so I'll be happy with my 2 boys.

9. Is there a celebrity that gets on your nerves? Why?  The people from Jersey Shore?  I've never watched it but previews on TV are enough for me.

10. Whose blog do you stalk religiously? Why?  Ummmm it might be easier to tell you whos blog I do not stalk!  A couple of favorites though are Katie and Leah.

11. Do you have a suggestion on a blog? Why?  Just look at the blogs on my sidebar for some of my favorites - of course there are more that I read but I just can't fit them all!

The Ode to Glo

 Mom and Dad finished their basement just in time for Kristi's party last Saturday.  We are calling the basement the "Ode to Glo" because Dad was finally able to use a lot of Grandma's stuff that he had kept.  Here is the process! 

Some of the block wall had to come down to make doorways wider.

Room at the bottom of the steps before.

And After!  Dad will eventually put the rest of his Coke stuff in this room - including a vintage Coke cooler that holds 1000+ cans.  Its a monster. 

The main room.  This was done once in the early 70's I believe.  The paneling and nasty floor tiles had to go.

After!  We have another place to hang out :)

View from back room before...

And After!

Dad re-used the bar that was there but recovered the front with doors from Glo's pantry.  The cabinets in the bar area were from the pass through in Glo's dining room.   

The Spandrel is something Grandma saved out of the old funeral home in Fairbury before they tore it down to build one of the apartments.  It was in Grandma Jane's flower shop before it came here. 

When you are sitting on the couch it is just like sitting in Glo's living room.  Dad took apart her book case piece by piece and saved it so it could someday be moved downstairs.  And it looks great!  He stuck her TV back in there and put a lot of her things back on the shelves. 

Behind the bar. 

Back room before. 

And after!  They put their old dining room table in chairs in there for overflow seating.  Eventually Dad's old glass bakers cases will go in there filled with all the old crap he's collected over the years :)And just cuz its cute - Asher and Papa's boots

Aunt Kristi's Birthday Bash

On Saturday night we had a party to celebrate my Aunt Kristi's 50th Birthday!  Saturday also happened to be her and Uncle Bob's 34th Anniversary.  Yes, if you did the math they have been married since she was 16!  I can't imagine a 16 year old making it that long today so I give them LOTS of credit!

The Brucker kids played with the little kids all night and they had a blast!  Asher especially loved the fort under the old dining room table!

Somehow this is the only picture I got of the "party."  There were SO many people upstairs I tried to stay in the basement as much as possible :)

Asher playing pinball with Keegan and Cullen.

Buds

My Aunt Denise, The Birthday Girl and Mom

And with Grandma Jane

Happy Anniversary Bob & Kristi!

I Passed

Dr Austman's office called yesterday afternoon to let me know that I passed my 3 Hour Glucose test!  I felt pretty good about it when I left the hospital on Friday after the nurse told me that they had been having a lot of people fail the 1 hour test but pass the 3 hour. 

Just to be safe after I got the call on Thursday that I had failed the first test I ran next door to Pfaff's Bakery and got a cinnamon roll - you know, just in case I couldn't have another one!

Mmmmmm 

So Friday morning I sat at the hospital for over 4 hours.  It never fails - I sit in the corner away form everyone else but I always end up with a chatty or somewhat stinky person next to me.  This happened multiple times over the 4 hours.  Can't people tell I'm reading and I don't really wanna talk?

After they called to tell me I passed my boss said we would have donuts to celebrate this morning :)

Family Time

Last Saturday we headed over to Dustin's Mom's house for pizza.  It wasn't long before Charlee found a dress up outfit.  Asher wasn't going to let her get undressed without getting in on the fun.  Shouldn't surprise me cuz this kid never wears clothes at home.

I just love his lil butt in Thomas underwears!

Then on Wednesday night we went to Dustin's Dad and Sue's for dinner.  They gave the kids their prizes from their vacation to Mexico.  Charlee LOVED her lil dress!

Hiding in Grandma and Grandpa's shower.

And hanging out in the jacuzzi.  These two are so much fun to watch together.  For the most part they play really good. 

Tid Bits

Thank God its Friday again.  I'm ready for the weekend and some time with my Bubby. 

• This seemed like a really slow week.  Monday night for dinner I made Crock Pot Rotisserie Chicken and it was awesome - Dustin even ate it!  My Uncle Bob came and did the Mr Sandless treatment to my kitchen floors and they look awesome. 
• Tuesday night it was family dinner night at Mom and Dad's.  Mom made beef stew and Grandma Jane made goulash.  They were both awesome.
• Wednesday night we went to Ray and Sue's for dinner.  Asher and Charlee got to play and hang out and run around like crazies - I don't know how Sue does it watching them both on Fridays! 
• On Wednesday I also made the appointment for Asher's preschool screening next week.  I didn't cry on the phone but I did cry the night before when I told Dustin I had to call to make the appointment.  It just doesn't seem possible.  I do have a feeling he'll clam up when we get there so I'm interested to see how it goes.
• Yesterday I found out I failed my glucose test.  I texted Jodi to tell her and she called me right back to tell me that she had just found out she failed hers too.  So I'm off to the hospital this morning to take the 3 hour test.  Thank God for my Kindle!
• Tomorrow night is the big party for my Aunt Kristi's birthday.  Mom and Dad have been in a mad rush to get their basement finished in time for the party (pictures to come).

At the Home Show in Forrest last weekend.  I had to wake Asher up from a nap to go and he wasn't happy - Can you tell?

Last Sunday I had a little bout with some vomiting and felt like crap so Mom and Dad offered to take Asher to spend the night at their house.  Asher was all about it and was excited to go.  Then Taylor texted me this photobooth picture of him so I called over there.  When I talked to him on the phone he told me he wanted to come home - which made me very happy because I missed him.  So I made Taylor bring him back home.  He was only there for an hour but had fun playing and eating ice cream.  He is scared to death of this picture!

Getting Bigger!

We had dinner at Ray and Sue's last night so I wanted to make sure I brought my camera.  It had been 10 weeks since Jodi and I had taken our picture together!

28 Weeks

18 Weeks

As you can see my fat face has really set in over the last several weeks.  And I must say that my belly seems huge compared to Jodi's in person.  But then again - everyone is huge compared to Jodi!  I really do love being pregnant with her because we always have someone to talk to that understand what we're going through.  I guess now we'll just have to wait and see how close these boys are going to be!