Week I have been dreading....

Sooo monday was our 9th sonogram. Everything was going good and then my cervix was noticed. In the past 3 weeks its gone from 3.5 to 3.2 to all time low of 2.8. Which isn't "terrible" but scary enough to put in the hospital....again....

Two long nights in the hospital later I have since had another sono and been sent on my merry way home. Here I will be for the next ten+ weeks doing absolutely nothing. In the words of my specialist "You are not allowed to lift anything heavier than a spoon." I will still see my specialist on mondays as usual, and my doctor every other friday. But to add to that, I will also see my OB nurse on mondays after my sono to get a shot to help prevent preterm labor. So my schedule for mondays are full. Fridays half full, and the rest of the week you can find me in bed, or on the couch. Lucky for me I have some serious scrapbooking to catch up on so I won't be to terribly bored til I am caught up! Then once a week I will be able to work on it because I found the girls their scrapbooks and with the amount of sonos I am getting, A scrapbook is needed =]

Everything else is good, the girls heartbeats are perfect, their measurements are right on so all is well in their world =] Hopefully these ten weeks will fly by so I can finally be up and moving with my girls!!!

-C

Another Sono Update!

So yesterday was a busy day for us! Mom got to attend our sonogram where the girls were getting measured at 24 weeks so we went all out and made a DVD of it! Callie was of course her crazy self and gave the doctor a hard time trying to get measurements, but not as nearly as bad as she had the last time! Katherine was very sweet and made things easy like always. My cervix is still funneled, but since being on a heavier dose of zofran and something else I can't say let alone spell, I am proud to say that as of this Thursday if I make it, I will not have thrown my guts up in TWO WEEKS!!! YAY!!!! So that means I'm not applying more pressure on my cervix to make it open! So wootness!!! Our girls have also gain some weight!!! As of Dec 7th Callie weighed 1 lb 1 oz, Katherine 1 lb 2 oz. Dec 21st Callie is at 1 lb 8 oz, Katherine 1 lb 11 oz!!! Nice!!!

And a update on my weight, on Dec. 7 I weighed 162 which meant I gained about 9 lbs since the beginning of the pregnancy. But as of Dec 21 I weigh 158 again, so needless to say I need to stuff my face a lil more but not by much. The women in my family have a history of not being able to hold onto pregnancy weight so as long as the girls grow and I don't get sickly looking we will be fine. It just sucked to hear I had lost 4 lbs when I felt like I was growing!

We also are now doing this test every two weeks called a Fetal Fibernectin. This is a test that can give a percentage of preterm labor within the following two weeks. So due to rules on how to take the sample for this test, we are now switching from having both sonos and doctors appts on the same day to having the sonos on mondays (as always, cant change the day for the sono) and doctors appointments on every other friday! Whew!

This specialist we see that does our sonos every monday also changes. My cervix gets measured at every appt. But every other appointment the girls get measured. On measurement days we see Dr. Graham (who is good but he doesnt TALK! so with mom seeing the sono for the first time on a measurement day I'm trying to explain everything as he zooms thru the sono....needless to say he isn't my favorite! but he is good at his job) and then on a normal check day there is this other dr that I can never remember his name but he is sooooo nice and talks and does like "ooo look theres a hand, a foot, ahh look still a girl" he just is really nice and relaxed. I like him the best. lol


Try explaining that to your husband....mine is soo confused! lol Well I bet you didn't think you would get such a wide range of information but it helped me to explain it to someone!!! Hope everyone has a really great Christmas!!! Love you!

-C

Third Day...

There is such a difference between putting yourself on bedrest and being told you need to be on bedrest. It kind of makes you want to go against it. Though the more I sit and the less I do is for the better of this pregnancy I can't help to want to get up and do something crazy! Again its only because I was told to slow down, not that I don't want to or don't need to. You see where I'm going with this?

The babies I "think" have noticed a slight change in how much activity mom has. They are kicking more as if to say "hey you still out there?" Yes baby girls I'm here, along with my trusty computer and remote. I do still get up and do things around the house, but with the weight patrol around I can't seem to do a whole hell of a lot without getting yelled at. I mean seriously, I picked up a box with a blanket in it and you would have thought I picked up a boulder. I swear I heard sirens and gunfire... FIVE POUNDS PEOPLE....5 pounds....geezzz....

They put me on some stronger medication for my nausea so even though I have only been taking it for 3 days, I feel a change. Hopefully it keeps getting better, *crossesfingers*

Oh on a good note cause I love to tell this, David and I got to see Katherine YAWN!!! It was soooo cute!!! The sono probe was right in her face and then her arms went up and she yawned the cutest yawn in the entire world!! David had this amazing look on his face!! It was the best moment!!!

I plan on getting the new sono picture up this weekend. Since the scare on Monday I will no longer be seeing my normal sono tech Chrissy, I will be seeing this specialist. So that means no more fun 4D sonos. =\ kinda sad but the change is needed for precautionary reasons so complaining is not needed.

Have a good weekend everyone!! <3

-C

Eventful Monday to Say the Least....

So yesterday was my normal sono and dr. appointment that happens every four weeks. No biggy. But during the sono I repeatedly got nausea and threw up....i felt so bad for the tech Chrissy, she stood strong even though I could tell if I moved over enough she would puke right along with me! I got to see the girls! They are growing up soooo fast! Callie is 1lb 1 oz, Katherine is 1 lb 2 oz, and they are really starting to look like humans instead of my lil alien children!! haha

So after my sono I head across town to my drs appointment and get settled into my room. It wasn't long til my doctor came in and had some bad news. During one of the times I had puked I was still being sono-ed, so Chrissy noticed that when I puked my cervix proceeded to "funnel" or open. So with me still throwing up on a regular but managable basis, my dr decided she wanted to run a couple of tests and keep me in the hospital....at the time it was til Thursday....if not longer....

So mom is in Austin, David is the boonies of Louisana....I go and check myself into the hospital. After only staying one night they have come to the conclusion that my cervix is still OK. But gave me some guidelines to follow. I have a sono every monday from now til the girls are born, limited activity (damn those kartwheels!!!), can't pick up anything heavier than 5 lbs (Layla is gonna hate that...) and lots of extra rest on top of what I am already doing.

Thank you to Dad, Mandy and Erin for coming by to keep me company while David did some running around in prep for the night (possibly night(s) ) stay.

I want to reiterate before I go, the girls are GREAT! Its me who can't seem to do anything without complicating it!!!

Pregnancy Pains

So I have come to realize that I have changed ALOT since the beginning of this pregnancy. Not only pysically but mentally as well. Should I worry? Probably not but of course it being me I will. I have come to the realization that right now I just do not like people. I cannot stand to be in crowds, I cannot stand to be squished in a small room with more than two other people no matter if ten more can fit easily, I HATE having someone looking over my shoulder especially when I am eatting (only one person has done this but I really needed to get that one off my chest or I will wind up screaming at that person later), just being in public over all just really gets me aggitated. I hate that too. I use to LOVE being around people. In Elgin I would constantly want to have Tracy and Lauren or Julz and Rick over just to be around people. Now, I would rather stay away from people even when they are family. Don't get me wrong, this doesn't happen but maybe 95% of the time, sometimes I actually take the initive to get ready and demand that I get out of the house, but that happens very rarely. And commericals....don't even get my started on commericals. Who came up with those anyway? I spend most of my TV time muting the TV so I don't have to listen to awful commericals. David HATES it haha. And to just make matters worse, I miss my husband. Not that he has gone anywhere, he is still here! Its just I am still in pain from my hips and legs that sleeping in my bed with my husband is not an option. (sleeping in that bed without him isn't an option either.....its a really uncomfortable bed...ugh) So I have spent the last two and a half weeks (or more...lost count) sleeping on the couch in the living room where even though I still have pain I can toss and turn without waking david up, and the pain seems to not wake me up as often. I really wish we hadn't have packed the recliner in the back of the POD....In other news though, David and I will be going to Babies R Us soon to start getting ready to make our registries. I really want to be hands on when it comes to the stroller and car seat because I have options of in-line or next to each other strollers but I also want something that I won't be standing in a parking lot for a half hour trying to get it put together. The girls are starting to kick out which is cute! They are leaving my bladder alone! hahaha! Layla likes to come lay right up next to my belly or on top and they kick her but she doesn't seem to mind to much. Maybe she doesn't feel it yet but she will be a good big sister, i can tell!! =]

-C

Almost to 20 wks!!!

So I have been thinking that I shoould explain somethings I have been going through so some of you can get an understanding of why I have subjected myself to stay inside the house for days on in. I'm not trying to sound rude, I'm just explaining myself because I feel I am the one being rude.

So when I first moved back to M-town I was still in severe morning-sickness mode. Day night, night day, smells, the sight of food, the mentioning of food, the thought of getting into a car made me hurl. And on a good day I didn't need any of that to puke my guts up. Surprisingly I was on Zofran that entire time so if you have been on Zofran, you know I was miserable. It took every last bone in my body to make it to the grocery store, or I had promised to go to a party for the wedding party of my friend getting married so as much as I wanted to not make the 35 mile trip I sucked it up and made it there for the good part and left.

Since the week before Halloween I can tell that my pukyness has subsided alot. So I am more free to move around and know that I don't need to carry a huge amoount of cleanie-wipes, and wal mart bags! I still get nausea just thinking about riding to two near by towns which are both about 30 minutes away, but again if I don't get in the car every day, then I am more apt to make it to either town without mishap.

At some point though, I started having serious hip pain. I can wake up several times a night and my legs are so asleep that they actually hurt to touch, move, exc. I spoke with my doctor about it but all she could tell me was to sleep in a recliner (which we convinently put in the BACK of the POD when moving) and take tylenol. But I have news for those who have the same problem I have. Two things, Memory Foam bed topper and a heating blanket. I have looked on line at different women's ways for helping this but never did anyone mention a heating blanket!!! Use it people!! It works! Though I still wake up a lil stiff and sore, it is a BIG difference from last friday where I actually contemplated asking David to carry me to the bathroom because it hurt to much to even sit up.

I know it sounds aweful but everytime I turn around something new happens. So I keep myself near home, venturing out only when necessary or when I just can't stand it. So I am sorry if I offended anyone by not coming and hanging out or traveling down to austin like I had promised (because at the time I was actually believing the rule about the second trimester being the best lol) But things are starting to smooth out. So hopefully I will be able to travel a little more then I have limited myself to but until then home is where Cari will be most of the time...lol I love you guys!!

19wks Today!!!

Hey everyone! David and I went to the doctor this past Monday to finally see what our lil bubbles are! After what seemed like forever (they were running 30 minutes late and I was the first sono of the day!!!) we finally got taken back. The tech was super sweet!! Instead of doing that nice nice talk some of them do, she got straight to the point of finding out what they were!!

Drum Roll Please......

TWIN GIRLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! So excited!!! Callie Rene' and Katherine Elizabeth are their choosen names!!! It was sooo exiting to finally say instead of Twin A or B, its Callie or Katie!!! WOOT!!!

Then was the easy part, laying back and letting the tech take measurements of everything. Callie made this part especially difficult for Chrissy (tech). She had her back facing outwards and put her lil hands over her face as if to say no pictures thank you!!! But after a persistant 45 minutes Chrissy was able to get all of Callie's measurements and moved onto Katie!!

Katie was fantastic, she was spread eagle and Chrissy was able to get measurements in under 20 minutes. Which was great cause by time she was half way done with Callie my legs had fallen asleep and were starting to hurt.

They measured out fine! The look like lil alien children! and they are OURS!!! =] ahhhh!!! Girls!!! I cannot believe but then I totally can!!! Check out my facebook or myspace for the sono pictures!!! So cute!!!

-C

Out of all the fears I could have....

So I had an appointment with my new(old-ish) doctor a couple of weeks ago. I didn't have an ultrasound like I was expecting but she did use a doppler to listen to the heart beat. I say heart beat (singular) because with a handheld doppler minus a ultrasound you can't tell which twin you are listening to nor if you are listening to a different one when you move it around. So at least one of them is doing well?! But I think they are both doing just fine.

We seem to be having here lately some rooming problems. While they feel it is important to make mommy feel the need to pee after taking two steps out of the bathroom I feel I was here first kiddos, my bladder is off limits!! I think we need to have a home owners meeting one-on-one...

I have FINALLY gained some weight. Ok I will spill my weight on the internet and if I get mad later about this I caulk it up to pregnancy brain.... I was 157 3 weeks before finding out I was pregnant. The day the pregnancy was confirmed, 156 (10 days later) The first sono, 157. Second sono (five days later) 158, (4wks later) third sono 153, (6wks later at my most recent doc appointment) 154, and today just for shits and giggles 159. Boo-ya baby! I got weight!! Now granted I was considered "over -weight" for my height so on top of constant "24 hour sickness" I think the reason I wasn't gaining weight is because I really didn't need too. I mean seriously, my ass is GONE! Not there, slide off the couch if I'm not careful GONE!! My love handles have diminished, and lets just say if it weren't for my prego belly i bet I could totally fit into those size 7 jeans I wore when I first met David. Yea I'm proud! But to top of the excitement I finally look prego, I think I may have passed the "is she fat or pregnant?" stage! Which I was sooo scared about.

Which allows me to contemplate other things that I am deathly frightened about....like give me a panick attack if I think to long frightened about....

Number One... The IV, So I have had several IV's in my lifetime, not as many as most, but deff more than some. But during Labor and delivery the placement of that thing is gonna have to be somewhere else besides the top of my hand....Im one of those that talks with my hands. But put an IV in it and it is stiff as a board. Im soooo scared its gonna pop out or hurt me....I really hope they can put in like on the inside of my arm (not the elbow, but between elbow and wrist) I will really have to talk to Dr. B about that....Ima need that hand, and it wont be in use if an IV is on top of it...

Number Two.... C Section....TERRIFIED....PETRIFIED.... 2 in every 3 twin pregnancies result in c sections...and omg I am SCARED. What I am suppose to understand is that during a c section you are awake...but you dont feel pain...BUT you do feel the pulling, tugging, pressure, and that scares the crap outta me...I dont wanna feel a darn thing....its one to feel all that during a vaginal birth I GET THAT! But during a c section, no no no sir....Me and Dr. B are gonna have to have a heart to heart on this one...I cannot endure that...It makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about it...I breath heavily....I just...I just cannot....omg no....

Other than that though...Im cool...for now.... I cannot wait to feel the first kick(s). That suppose to be really weird feeling I heard, so I'm excited...

I cant wait to find out what our bubbles are...now that is the scariest thing out of it all. Cause on top of that, I haven't "seen" my bubbles in like i dunno....8 weeks or so, Id have to get my calendar to figure it out...so the last time I saw them they looked like little aliens. So are they ok? are they playing nice? Dont hit your siblings!! hahaha or my bladder....hehehe

So yea....Nov 9th is the day to find out what they are...hoping for boy and girl!! But we will see!!! Of course I will let you know!!

Have a great week kiddos!!

-C

First Blog in Awhile....

So getting back into the step of blogging has been a rough one. I know I need to blog to keep people in touch with what is happening around me and to free myself from any and all things that could make my days worse if I fret on them but actually taking the time to sit and type has been a journey that has taken well over a month to come to grips with and just do. I feel as though I have just walked into a store that I know I have been in before but looking around it isn't the same. Its like woah new...different....change. I know that sounds weird, considering I cannot actually be stepping into my blog persay, but its how I percive it.

Since our last entry I have had some major changes in my life. My husband and I have moved back to our hometown areas. Well my hometown, his is only a 30 minute drive away so his is in the area as well. His job that he has been at in the Austin area had its run and now we have moved back to wait out a transfer of service so that he may persue his dreams of joining the Coast Guard. That waiting to be 2 months to 2 years so we are in this for the long haul.

I have since seen my babies again. We changed doctors briefly and though we LOVED our new doctor, due to the move we were only able to see him once, but if we should end up back in the Austin area before the end of this pregnancy I will be going back. He was wonderful. Thank you Lauren for sending me to him!

Our babies are fraturnal (sp>?) twins. They are healthy even though you would think not for how awful I have been doing. Though I have since been admitted to the ER since this ultrasound due to serious dehydration they seem to be oblivious to it all and which that I am grateful. But my body just needed a reboot. My saving grace called Zofran seem to fall short for a few days causing me to not hold down food, and eventually liquids. But three bags of saline and some liquid zofran and phenigrin straight into my blood stream seem to do the trick and so I am back and doing what a normal 13 almost 14 week pregnant woman should be doing....sleeping, and trying to hold down every last bit of food available. Though the zofran has helped, I still have moments that I have heard that seem to reinact some sceens of the Exocist. David thinks that maybe we should tape the entire pregnancy...it could later be used as a sitcom.

We began our journey of "The Move" one our one year anniversary. My dad came down to help pack and load the POD we got, and help move the things we would have to bring back up here to Marshall. We left at about 4 pm that night. About 7 I began calling David to let him know of our journey. I was very proud and wanted to tell him that I had not thrown up at all on our trip and that we were almost home. He never answered. I called several more times and chaulked it up to him having his cell on vibrate and due to no hard surfaces remotely close to the tv he was probably playing xbox on, i didn't worry. later that evening while I was asleep I got several phone calls from an unknown number that I refused to answer, by the 5 call I was mad and answered with "What do you want?" Luckily David doesnt remember that cause he was still out of it. He had been in a wreck. He rolled his truck. Totalled. To pass all the drama I had a friend from his work pick him up, his Dad drove down and stayed til he was able to come home, and he only suffered a small concusion, black eye, blood eye, rash from the seat belt and a cut on his arm. He had fallen asleep at the wheel thus saving him from any really harm cause he was limp. Thankfully no one else was invovled and we are in the final stages of the insurance mess, so we will be able to purchase a new vehicle, but we think we will wait til later. We still have my trusty PT Crusier to use.

We are almost completely settled into our new place (my mothers) there are still somethings on the carport that we need to find places inside for, but other than that we are good. My old room will soon be stripped out and repainted and redecorated. I am very excited about this. I had a moment in high school that posessed me to paint one wall red, another black, and another silver so to cover that and go to a pretty light torqouise with antigue white accent is going to take time and extra effort but we can handle this. I just need to find a really good face mask to not breath in the fumes and I am set.

Though I am happy to be back in the presences of old friends that I missed so much while being down south, I can't help but have my heart torn again because I miss my friends that are still down there. We have promised to keep in touch and hopefully we will but I miss seeing them on a regular basis. Not only that, but you see how long it took me to blog, imagine how hard it is for me to just type a hello to them. Its as though I want to cut myself off from the world momentarily but doing that could result in a loss which I cannot handle. I know one will read this, so I just want to say that I am sorry if I don't message enough, I just don't have the energy or the want to get on the computer to type. I will make it up eventually but right now it won't happen as much. But you know I will be here if you ever need me.

With that said I bid you ado. I think it is time for our morning snack =] I have an appointment with a nurse tomorrow to fill out paperwork for my new doctor, and then to schedule an appointment on Monday with said doctor (don't ask me why I need a nurse to fill out paperwork, ask them!) so next week I will have an update! Until then besafe, don't do anything I wouldn't do!! haha

-C

We are......PREGNANT!!! =]

Yup you read right, we are pregnant...well actually I am, but it takes two doesn't it? hehehe We found out offically on the 6th but there David seems to think he knew the week before. Apparently I made a cheeseburger, and then preceeded to get the jar of queso out of the fridge and dunk my cheeseburger in it several times....he knew and never said a word!! ;-) Then there is Caleb, who swears he thought I was preggers when he took me to the emergency room on July 17th. He just didn't have the nerve to speak up! hahaha So as of today I am 7 wks and one day along! Crazy how time suddenly goes from whatever, to weeks and days. Like My next obgyn appointment I will be 11wks and 2 days. Crazy stuff huh? Well we saw our lil "bubble" as we refer to it, for the first time on August 14th! It was such a surreal moment for us! We are going to parents!! But then the worst hit me, I had severe morning sickness at all times of the day, couldn't keep anything down but some liquids, and even then some where still coming back up. I couldn't go to work, which to me, is a big no no. So I called in and finally had a prescription sent in, because against their better wishes, I was NOT driving to see the doctor, because go figure, I get the worst car sickness now. Then Yesterday I wake up to small amounts of spotting. I FREAK OUT! Not freak out, I WENT CRAZY! I was worried, I knew sometimes a small amount of spotting happens, but what if this is small to me but big to the doctor, should i go to the er or should i wait and go see my doctor. I ultimately ended up trying to call my doc on his cell and not getting an answer I called and talked to a nurse at seaton to see what I should do. We were about to head to the ER when my doctor FINALLY (cn u tell i cannot stand him?) called me and told me to wait and come in at 9 to see him. So an hour and a half later, I am waiting for HIM to show up to work half naked on a cold table wondering if my baby is ok....his majasty finally shows up, takes a looksie around and decides its nothing to worry about but decides to do an ultrasound anyways. And to my surprise....and his....and the nurse....there is not one sac, but TWO!!!!!!! Thats right, two of them babies here in my belly! It was crazy. He said what is that? then turns the screen and I said what is that? and that my friends is how I saw my twins for the first time. Both their hearts beating like crazy! Its was the most frightening, joyful, crazy moment of my life! Here are my babies:

He said the reason we probably didn't see the second one the friday before, was because it was hiding behind the other. But not this time!! =]

-C

Corpus Christi <3

So Friday we packed up our belongs and grab our friend Lauren and her daughter Addison and took a well deserved (and well needed) trip down to Corpus Christi. We were suppose to be following Julz and Rick but due to heavy traffic we followed from a far. It sort of turn into a race that they ultimately won, but non the less, it kept us from going completely crazy! We did have the edge on them for a little bit! But at least all of us made it there in one piece! We were all there for a Marriage Enrichment Retreat and I can safely say the guys stayed wide awake for 99% of it. (that one percent is for my husband, the only one who felt it was ok to sleep for a lil bit) But all in all it was a good weekend. We got to spend the time with great and wonderful friends who, and I will brag, are the bestest ever! The boys fished, and caught hard heads, trout, a shrimp eel, and a crab! Us girls just lounged around, did a bit of walking, but refused to over exert ourselves. Had drinks at the hotel bar, lunch at the Glass Pavillion, Dinner at Joes Crab Shack (Tracy and Lauren we completely owe you!), and Lunch at Wallbangers! Breakfast was provided to us before our course started each morning. David and I ended up staying one more night and took in the Aquarium, some surf shops, a walk, dinner at Chilis, and Trublood before going to bed and waking up bright and early to leave! We had a nice drive, and I have decided I would love to take a trip to Goliad. I love learning about history and there were grave sights for COL Fannin and his troops, and several churches, and what looked to be a convent. Just to go stay for a weekend would be awesome!

^^ view from our hotel room ^^

-C

Hospitals Suck...

So all day friday I felt really crampy (i know to much information, but you can stop reading here if you want, I wont hide a damn thing) and then Saturday it was still going on. (fyi not my monthly so stop thinkin it) By time I had hung out with Lauren and gotten home I felt more worse for wear, and it was getting to the point that even small movements hurt. So I called my trusty friend Julz, whos husband is a medic, and he sent me on to Seton Medical. Davids SGT had to take me cause David was in the field, so here we go on to Seton with no map or directions (thank you Lauren for being my personal map quest) and got to Seton. It didn't take long to get checked in and the testing began. I was there for about idk almost 6 hours. There was one test that turned my ok pain (the ok was made possible by my trusty friend morphine) into the worst pain imaginable. So more pain meds were pushed and I was made ok comfortable. They ended up sending me home with a unconfirmed diganosis and a big ol thing of happy pills. I still hurt thru the pain meds and I can't get an appt with my doctor, who has a brain, til wednesday so I am stuck hobblin around til then. I want to thank Julia and Lauren for being so concerned, and helpful! You guys are the best a girl could have!!

-C

Birthday Week!

So this past week was my birthday! I am now an offical 22 year old. Woo. I didn't really do anything spectacular because everyone was so busy. I went to work and the residents made me pink cupcakes! yay! After work Layla had a vet apmt for her bortattela (sp?) booster, then we went to check out Collie Cottage because she cannot go with us to corpus! *sadness* But she seem to have a good time there so thats where she will be staying! Then David took me to Chilies! YUMM!!! and that was about it. I got a Flip Mino thats pink and black from Cafepress, roses, a clean house, a Chili's Gift Card, and 100$ so it wasn't so bland! =] My week was pretty good. I love my job and my boss! He's awesome! My weekend will consist of laundry, cleaning house, hanging with Lauren and Addison, and maybe going to see Julz and Rick cause they are awesome and I miss them! =] David works constantly now so he probably will not be invovled in any of that. Off to shower!

-C

Offical Notification

David is deploying for all who have not been told. I will not say when, or where, or with whom, but it will be happening sooner than the amount of time we were given last time. If you want to know all the particiulars you can use your phone and call, but non will be posted on here. I hope to have a little going away party (much better than the last one) but all that is in Limbo right now, so I am unsure if it will happen at all.

So thats the scoop, stay tuned for more posts from "My Blog <3" =]

-C

Oats' N Honey!

Yea I reverted back to my childhood days and started getting the Oats' N Honey granola bars. They really are quite good, im unsure about why I stopped eating them in the first place. Anyways!

Its been a pretty good week. I dont know if I mentioned it but we have a house guest for the month. Hes really cool and I guess he has never been spoiled like my hubby is. I cooked almost every night this week and I am doing their laundry tonight and you should have seen the look on his face! It was to die for! lmfao Anyways, work has been good, there was one day this week I could have screamed my head off. I did not need to be there for anything! It was pointless. But today is friday and the weekend is upon us so I don't care! I will be staying in Austin so the guys will again have to take care of themselves and the cat, i fear for the cat! So I will blog again later about my weekend and hope to have some cute pics to post as well!! TaTa!

-C

Whirlwind Adventures of the Sweeney's

So I havent blogged since the first, and it is safe to say its not because I forgot to blog (which lord knows I have a habit of doing) but this time its because I haven't been anywhere near a computer to do so! Thursday was crazy, our Horse Lady here at the ranch dropped a workhorse trailor on her foot (small trailer, but very heavy) and it looks like she had grown a baseball under the skin. So I took her to the hospital and its not broken, thank goodness, but the swelling is pretty grewsome, so she won't be back for a few more days. Layla got her teeth cleaned that day so her pearly whites are back! Friday after work David and I went out to Chilis for dinner and decided to randomly go to austin. We played with puppies at pet land and fell head over heels in love with this bull mastiff puppy!! He was so adorable! But of course we are only in the looking stages so we did not get him, but i was pretty darn close to pulling out that check book and david was even closer to not stopping me so needless to say, bull mastiffs are at the top of our list right now.

see isn't he cute??





Saturday we went tubin down the Comal River, very relaxing and we got to hang with Julia and Rick, and some guys that Rick works with, Chris and Travis, and Chris' friend Amanda (shes super sweet!) and then did lunner hahaha lunch dinner. Then got cleaned up and had a nice evening in down town Austin for the Fireworks!!

Sunday, I cleaned my butt off because David's SGT is staying with us for a whole month, so no more slacking off for me!! I also went to the ranch and rode Majic for the beginning of Ranch Camp Session 4! I even got to go outside of the arena! Big deal for me since it was my first time! woot!! Caleb got in late last night so I didn't get a lot of sleep so I am dragging today, but only 4 more hours til i can get my nails done, go shred and go to bed. Let the guys fend for themselves tonight cause I am hittin tha hay early!

BTW shredding, is going pretty well. I am in sheer pain all the time, and its good pain not hurt something pain so thats good!!

g2g!

-c

30day Shred Day One

Eventually I will have enough balls to post my day one pictures. But until then you get to just picture me in you mind, bigger than i think I should be =] Sarah has had lots of success with the shred, so because of her I have decided to take on the challenge. I have already started eating smaller portions of better food so I won't have to think about that. Just reminding myself to get up and get to shredding. Now off to vaccum and clean windows! At least I will lose weight and get a clean house =] much love peoples <3

-C

I give up on tires...why can't I own a horse so I can ride it to work?

Seriously...

I hate tires. I have never in my whole 6 years of driving have i ever gone through so many blasted tires!! First my driver side front gets a nail in it, then the patch falls off, so it gets replaced. Then the Drivers side back tire gets a 3/4 in wide bolt lodged in it (duh, i had to get a new tire) thennn my passenger side front tire starts mysteriously going flat but 3 tire shops have sworn up and down that there is NOTHING wrong with it, even though I had to be late to work this morning because I HAD TO FILL THE DAMN THING UP AGAIN!! And yesterday...oooo yesterday....bad day to boot, i got a bubble in the back driver side tire and it of course had to be replaced AGAIN! F**kin tires. Who tha hell came up with tires?! Seriously with all the technology today, can we not come up with something that withstand things such as nails and bolts? and better patches? goodness me. stupid tires can go to hell in a hand basket.

-C

Weekend Summary

Friday was pretty eventful! I went to Mabry, A doc apointment, got my windows tinted, pick up David and Layla for yappy hour, played with exotic animals, went to yappy hour and back home! It was crazy and I filled up my tank twice (but I did not start the day off with a full tank...so I couldnt help one fill up) Sunday was stay in PJs and clean house day for the most part. David being his lazy self didn't clean, actually he ate then instead of putting the dirty dishes in the dishwasher, he put them in the sink!! WTH?! That evening however, we went to Hobby Lobby! New picture frame should be ready today! We went and played with Genets and Bearded Dragons again and met up with Rick, Julz, Paige and Jamie for dinner at Johnny Carinos! and for the first time, had HORRIBLE service! We were completely ignored! Afterwards we went to see HANGOVER!! A MUST SEE HALARIOUS MOVIE!! The best part? The pictures at the end!! THEY WERE GREAT! HAHAHAHAHA Sunday I went to breakfast with Julz and Rick at Magnolia Cafe YUM! Then headed off to Mabry for SRP with Therapy Dog Kelsie! She was great and I cannot wait to start layla with her training! any day now! Well its short, its sweet and its all about my weekend! <3

-C

Texas Roadhouse & Puppies!

So last night David and I had a triple date with the Coes and the McCarthys! It was fun! As always we were late because David decided for once he was going to take a long shower, and then we were stuck behind this big truck that felt the need to go 50 in a 65. booo. But we got there finally so it was cool. We had a blast. David attempted to flirt with the waitress but ended up pissing her off hahaha It was just a really good evening. Afterwards we went to Petland and played with puppies!!! Julia and Rick played with an english bulldog girl, and we played with a male boxer pup and a female red husky! we fell in love! She had blue eyes!! But of course we didnt get her =( Maybe next time ;)

-C

I love My Husband!

I have realized I don't say that enough!! But I do I really do!! We have our fights every now and then, and hose stupid spats all the time, but that keeps us close because every spat ends up with us cuddling on the couch. Weird I know, but it brings us closer lol Also I love my husband because he cares so much about everything even if he doesnt show it, he does. Anywho, Layla got her "real" acu shirt today! It is so realistic. It is made out of David's ACU shirt that he wore in Iraq that I have been saving. (at the time, I didn't even know why I was saving it!) Anyways, The actual collar of the shirt is not made by me, it was the collar from Davids shirt that was just cut down to fit her, and it also have the infared tag on the left sleeve. I am also looking for a really tiny flag to put on her right sleeve, but that could take awhile. Like anyone would have a tiny flag laying around that I could purchase! Anyways, here is some quick shots of the shirt. Daddy just got home from work and was playing with her!!! AWWWW!!! another reason why i love that goofy man!!

Did I mention, that it is sewed with pink thread and the zipper is also pink? Someone had to girly-fy that funny look uniform!! hahaha

Marshall Get Away!

So this past friday I drove the whole 4 hours back to Marshall!! David brought Layla up to my work about an hour before I got off so she got to hang out with me up there. Don tried to get her to play but she just wasn't having it lol Shes a good girl, so she knows when its time to play and when it isn't. But anyways, I drove to Marshall and hung out at Jeff and Kellys on the deck with Rene and Charlie! Gah I miss thoses days, staying up to all hours of the morning, bs-ing and drinkin and the stories OMG the stories that go on are the best! On Saturday My mom, Ms. Pat, and I started working on a ACU shirt for Layla. It was so cute, even if it was a "trial" version to see if it would actually fit! Cute huh?

We also worked on the real one, but that one is in the mail so it should be here tomorrow so of course I will post pictures! That evening we went to the cattlemans buffet at Boomtown and made ourselves sick on unlimited snowcrab! It was a great weekend!! lol

And for a future look, this week I have friday off, even though I am going in for a staff picture, I have a doc appt, I'm getting my windows tinted, & Yappy Hour all in one day. Saturday is western days here in elgin o I'll probably go tot hat for a lil bit then come home and clean because *surprise lauren* i havent cleaned in days! Sunday bright and early I am going to Mabry to Hang out with some Soldiers with Julia and Mya, I hope to learn so much!! Im excited! So busy busy weekend.

-C

Afternoon Boredum

So I again have forgotten to blog for some time now and need to update you on my whereabouts I suppose. Last Sa...oh wait...I can't remember when all this went down...hold please

Ok I checked my calendar so here I go...again =]

Last Saturday was busy for me! In the morning Julia met me at home and we took her and her amazing therapy dog Mya to the Ranch for some therapy time with the residents!! They had a blast!

And then! That evening I got to go out for a little R&R with the girls (and two husbands but they watched the tables when we went on our walk so I guess they are ok! haha jk!) We went to the Hyatt Regency Resort and it was sooo good! If I had gotten a coke instead of a margarita I would have only piad less than 15 dollars!! That is awesome!! We also got to go to this little garden area and eat smores and walked around the pools and tubing area. It was a really good night!!

and at some point in all of that, I got my order from Cafepress so I have my new shirts!! wootness!!

On Saturday, David got up to go to work at o-dark-thirty and realized his truck was broken in to. Not cool. Some of the stuff they took is a federal offense. So bad bad people! We had to make a made dash to kilgore, and beg Decker to met us there to (he was in Lafyette) to replace the missing things before work on monday! So after the police left (get this, they took scent spores, they took finger prints, they even talked to the neighbors! Marshall eat your heart out!) we drove to Longview and had lunch with our parents and his brother and sister-n-law. Then shopped for a little bit while we waited for Decker to get back. Finally got his stuff and came home about midnight.

Work has been pretty crazy too. Just work work work. But I love it so its ok!! Hopefully I'll get to start riding Majic again soon! I miss it!!

"Intelligence plus character. That is the goal of true education." - Martin Luther King

-C

Morning Insights

So I haven't posted anything in the past couple of days. That leads me to believe that I do not have the most outgoing life that I once thought I had. Since we have gotten married (and even before now that I think about it) we have fallen into a slump of normalcy?! We come home from work watch NCIS and House, I clean something and then head to bed. We gotten quite use to our boring life style. But I feel with things that may or may not be changing in the future months, that maybe we should become more adventurus again. Maybe go bowling during the work week again, random trips to austin for just one thing that could have waited til the weekend, go tubing, something. I don't know but I feel that now is not the time to miss out on all the fun we could have because you never know when that time could come crashing to an end and all I will have to say is "Well, at least I didn't miss the weekly reruns of NCIS?!" All is well.

-Cari

Ps. Looky!

ps check out the shirt I ordered today from cafepress.com

Cock-A-Doodle Doooo

So today was an eventful day to say the least. I got into work and we have this excentric (sp?) guy working for us that goes by the name Rooster. Seriously. So I've done all my work that was left for me to do (a whole 3 faxes and an envelope to address) so I'm going through the DHR website and Rooster comes in to talk to Pat who works accross the hall from me. He said "Don is on the ground in the area, is he suppose to be?" My heart went out my chest and I ran. Pat caught up with me just after i made it to the arena and Don was in pain. We called the EMS and had them come on out. Luckily it wasn't to bad of an accident, he suffered a bad dislocated shoulder and some bruised ribs but all in all he is ok. But while Don and Denise (his wife) were at the hospital someone had to do everything that they needed done. So here I am running around like a mad women (it would have helped if cock-a-doodle-rooster hadn't taken my golf cart) to get everything done because even though they are gone the ranch still has to keep moving. So needless to say it was a busy, hectic, crazy, day.

-C

Beginning of Ranch Camp!

So today was the beginning of Ranch Camp! We have 8 sessions with 50 people in each session so our summer at the Ranch is going to be super duper busy! Today was fun though! I got to ride my man Majic. He gave me a scare a couple of times because I guess no one has ever brought the "cart" that is being pulled by our draft horse Sally, around Majic before. So he went from standing still to running full speed around the arena. Nerd. It was ok though, I had been trained to do this one rein stop, but I got into the rythmn of his run so I started posting instead of stopping him. lol It was fun! We ran the polls and troted the barrels. So It was fun and the Campers were excited! So my day was a great day!!! =]

-C

It's because of a fortune cookie!

So this is different! I've never been one to blog...ok maybe thats an exaggeration...I blog, just no one gets to see because it was on my myspace profile and you have to be special to see!! But here everyone is special! Sooo here is my first blog...tell me what you think!


Julz is a friend that David introduced to me because her hubby use to work with my hubby. Well she got me to start going to Yappy Hour in Austin once a month with my baby girl Layla. Well her dog is a rotty and she is completely trained and has recently passed an extensive test to become a therapy dog!! HOW NEAT!!! Well unbeknownst to Julia, and before we even moved here, I had actually thought about getting Layla into Therapy Dog Training. So shes telling me all this and I just think we will never have time so I blow it off.

Fast forward to this past week. Julia tells me she would love to come and do therapy work with Mya at the Ranch. So I go through everything to get her the permission needed to come work with the residents. Finally everything is completed and turned in here there and yonder, and she is able to come to the Ranch. Well I get a call Wednesday from Patsy (Founder of Pennies from Heaven Foundation, who Julia trained under to become a therapy handler) and we end up talking about Layla becoming a Therapy Dog. I still feel a bit sceptical because I don't know if we will have time to drive to San An every weekend. So I blow it off AGAIN! I want to do it, just don't have time.

Well little birdy in my ear (aka Julz =]) keeps talking with me about it and I think I might TRY! and do it. (still feeling a tad sceptical) So Thursday, I go get chinese food from the local place thats here in town and order Sesame Chicken and get this weird Chicken thing, but I don't complain, it was for take out so I didn't know til I got home and it smelled good so whatever. I eat and clean up the house and about 9 i realize I haven't eaten the fortune cookie (who forgets the cookie?) I open it and had a heart attack.

"Pennies from Heaven find their way to your doorstep this year!"

OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Does anyone get this? Pennies from Heaven is the Therapy Dog Foundation!!!!!

OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yea thats what it said I am FOR REAL!! I kept it!! It was a sign!! Its a sign that I have to put Layla thru therapy training!! I can't just sit around and come up with excuses not to!! I HAVE TOO! How many more blantingly obvious things do I need to have thrown at me to make me do it?

So hopefully soon Layla will begin to do training. I think we start with Basic commands and go from there. I won't be afiliated with PFHF til she passes her tests, but still! We have to start working now!! I am so excited!! Can you tell?? OMG! =] Ok off to clean!!