award day :)

As I sit and watch the latest updates on this heinously disgusting pig flu, a little dose of disease-free happiness for the day!

Anytime I'm given an award I am so bloggy-honored :) Really, I am. I love to know that I've made friends with you and/or connected via blog.

Sweet, sassy, and cool Adventures in Newlywed gave me an award!! A friend award, the very best kind! We all perhaps will never get to meet face to bloggy face, but we all feel friends to each other and it truly is fun to share in all your stories and pictures, and to feel like we've made a friend.
So, thank you Mrs. Adventures for such a lovely award!

{Here are the rules: These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbon of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.}

The Denoves

So Happily Us

Bralys in the Burgh

Dave and Brit Plus One

One Hot Dish

Babbling Abby

The Neaves'

oklahoma blessings

Blog world saved me. This originally started as a means to stay in contact with our family and friends because we made the {big} move to Dallas. Big, HA! Blogger though, has provided a world of "invisible friends" as JR has named it and I could be no more grateful for my sweet "invisibles"! From home decor ideas, recipes, mommyhood, impending mommyhood---you name it, you've helped me out in one way or another.

Blogger did come full circle for me though! In PA! Try and keep up now, a sweet sweet mommy {Jodie} over at The Shupe's, who went to church with JR, growing up...had a link on her blog that read: Bralys in the Burgh {Kyndal} who was a sorority sister of hers at OSU. As soon as I saw Burgh, I immediately became a blog stalker and asked Kyndal for some PA guidance and we became fast email "friends". We finally got a chance to become real friends this week!

In a new place far far from home, I found a most beautiful mommy with the same love for Oklahoma as we have, with the most precious growing family. Have you seen a face this sweet and kissable, in all your days?!! Meet Kaiser, whom came dressed in OU gear to meet me for the very first time.

They were familiar faces to me, via blogger I know, but we got to chat as though we had been friends from our days in OK and found we have so very much in common. Only two weeks in on our journey in PA, and what a true blessing it is to have found a friend in Kyndal and the Braly Family.

Doesn't He work in the most awesome ways!?!

Incline

One of the neatest attractions here, is the Duquesne Incline {pronounced du-kayne, neat because I would have said it du-kes-nee}. It takes you from the river, up to Mt. Washington where we indulged ourselves with a delicious steak dinner!

I believe the incline still uses the original cars built in 1877, or so says this website.

It's best to go up as the sun sets, and you get the most spectacular view of the city. Romance above the city :)

This here is my spectacular view, and my romance above the city. Best view in town, I have.

my reward

Remember this post? I desperately wanted to be a PA mommy toting around my diaper mess in this pretty:

Sad story; when I went to buy it, they were SOLD OUT. I had little tears and went in search of the beloved bag. Hudson really wanted it for mommy :) I went so far as to call Burberry and ask them for a special order...they too said, "sorry! completely SOLD OUT"...and they weren't sure when Neiman's would get them, if ever.

I brought the laptop with me to the hospital to help pass my 3-hours here, and in between 4 blood draws I thought I'd play around on Neiman's to see if by chance they had anything else similar.

THEY HAD IT! I quickly called mom, we bought it {she bought it} and it was ordered!!!!! My sweet reward for a long morning at the hospital. As mom goes back to look at it online, it is gone.

Gone.

I panic, start to sweat and mom tells me to call them to make sure my order went through. Sure enough, the nice Neiman's man tells me I got the last one.

For real.

I could pee myself I'm so excited. Burberry take that. I got it. Alas.

Please, pretty please I ask for a prayer today as I finish up my last hour of the test and anxiously await my results...I have cookies waiting for me at home if I pass.

PA

Our first week in PA has been a roller coaster of emotions {hormones}, GPS, and miles of driving around our new state. The week started out iffy, as I adjusted to life without Texas/OK...I missed our family, our stuff, etc...

By Tuesday I was in the car with the GPS and for the next few days I drove all around the city, exploring. The only way to get acclimated is to get out. I did just that, and once ended up on a BUS ONLY route. Who has a BUS ONLY route?? Think, highway just for buses. I was high-tailing it out of there as my GPS yelled all kinds of "recalculating" messages at me. I was cursing all sorts of Texas stuff at the buses and at my Garmin. Very high stress moment, as buses were honking at me to get the heck out of their road. Neat. I then changed "her" voice to the British version, so that now when she yells at me it sounds more polite.

I was eager for the weekend to come so that JR and I both could get out and explore some ourselves. Saturday we spent driving the north part of the city and found some really beautiful neighborhoods full of trees and winding roads. That night, JR's friend Justin, invited us to his cabin about an hour or so south of the city.

The drive out there was full of old farms, tree-covered hills, and beautiful ponds throughout. So refreshing. By the time we made it to the cabin, there was no sound. Nothing. No planes, trains, and automobiles.

My husband quickly though, found something to play with. As always. A bike for a 3 yr old...

We {they} made a bonfire, sat under the Pennsylvania sky, and smore'd it. I won't tell you that I had one or two. I type that, as I sit here at the hospital during my 3-hour glucose test. Ugh.

I leave you lastly with a pic of baby at the bonfire. He enjoyed it, and kicked the whole way home that night, sweet tiny.

{disclaimer: I am not on fire, our new camera does some pretty neat work}

no longer friends

Debbie and I have ended our {relationship} friendship, obsesession. Little Debbie and I.

I'm sad it's over, to be very honest. My night's of stashing Zebra Cakes in my nightstand are no more.

I had my very first dr's appt yesterday, met the new Mr. Doc, and offered to do the dreaded glucose test yesterday. Ugh. The drink itself really didn't bother me, but the waiting-a-whole-hour-after part wasn't neat.

I failed. They called me later in the afternoon to tell me that you must be 130 and under. I tested at 135. Only 5 points over, but I must do the next test. THE THREE HOUR test!!!! BAH!

If I too fail the second test, that means no more pasta, white bread, good stuff, yummy stuff, delicious things, and Little Debbies. Oh, and chocolate cake. People ask me all the time if I wish I could have a glass of wine, etc...never never has even crossed my mind. To take away sweets though, feels like a crush to my soul. It hurts.

{Anything for our sweet baby boy, though. That's how I know it's true love, that I would cut out chocolate cake.}

So, please I ask you for some "sweet" prayers on Monday morning, er, all of Monday morning as I take the horrid forever-long glucose test.

Since you read all of that mess, I leave you with some pics of a 25 week belly :)

This picture baffles my husband's mind. I'm starting to get a rather gargantuous belly with no stretchies!! PTL :)

Goodnight, sleep tight, and eat a Little Debbie for me.

take me out to the...what??

Down in TX, our baseball games summon memories of warm summer nights and dollar hot dogs.

Not up here in PA, y'all. I was in FOUR layers at a baseball game. We walked down to the Pirates game the other night! It felt plainly out of season for baseball, and more so, that of an early November OU game in Norman.

I can speak no wrong though, of PNC Park, as it is right on the water with a spectacular view of dahntahn. I absolutely cannot say {downtown} like they do up here. Y'all.

My husband is drawn to sports as I am to the food provided at the events...so I tag along.

Go Pirates!

and we're here

We made it! Survived the trip, with two not-so-happy kitties. I don't blame them though; cargo in a plane isn't where I'd want to be locked up either.

Our flight went smoothly, and our absurd amount of luggage all got here so I really have no major complaints :) yet...

The temporary living apts we got are right on the water, so nice. Check out this view, hello PA.

See that UPMC building?? That's JR's office, 20-something floor. Very cool and downtown-ish and I love that I can walk to the pool and "see" my husband. That's my style!

First day on the job as a housewife {excitement abounds}, which needs its own post entirely, but I did get my pregnant self out of bed at a decent hour and have been very productive getting us organized in the land of PA. I vowed to not let the kitties on the bed anymore post-move but they are not breaking this habit very well. Much, much to my dismay.

Temporary living is bizarre because you come basically with your clothes, pets, and self. Everything else stays until our permanent move which will be within the next two months.

Surprisingly, it's cozy here and drizzly today and I am so happy to be with JR and our tiny family which does not void out though, how desperately we miss everyone at home. I was so fortunate being able to see my dad everyday at work, and having homemade lunch from mom daily, and being only a state away from siblings and parents and friends, oh my. We come to you live now from this spot, here 1,300 miles away...

In my many phone calls today and run downs to the leasing office, I have found everyone in the city so very nice, pleasant, and accomodating. I was fearful of leaving the comfort of the Sweet South, but so far I have been super pleased with the friendliness awaiting us here up North. I leave you now, because my fridge is looking like this, and it does not look good on my housewife itinerary to have such a fridge. You can envision me in a cute apron too, not in JR's flannel pants and my sweatshirt from yesterday that have been my attire for the day. Happy Monday and hugs from PA!! Whoa.

my heart is in Texoma

It's 'bout that time. Our move to PA is in the works, and this weekend JR, myself, two kitties, and baby-in-tow will be flying up to our new city...along with 14 suitcases.

I miss these boots...

and the man that wears them and that wedding band.

He's been in PA all week, getting his office set-up and such. I've been home running all last minute errands as fast as my pregnant self can go. Our home is about to change, but home is starting to feel like a million places. People are home to me, to us. Our son will be home. Our family is home. The friends we leave in Texas/Oklahoma are home. I'm not sure when PA will feel like home, but as long as we're happy, healthy, and have faith that we're right where He wants us, I can think of no better place to call home than wherever we may be.

See you in PA.

D50

D50, that's how I see the world now. Atleast, what I see it through. The Nikon D50. My husband surprised me with this sweet piece of memory-capturing machinery, and I could be no more grateful. I've got to become a professional photographer by the time Hudson makes his grand arrival, because he's the reason behind this purchase. So momma's got some homework to do...

If you're looking for me----here's where you'll find me.

23 week BELLY

It's no longer a bump, but a belly. JR's pants, now mine.

all dressed up :) such a rare occasion for me now.

wanna know how big I feel??? this BIG!

23 weeks, welcome. welcome to my belly.

P.A. Preggo's Anonymous

Hi, I'm 22 weeks/6 days pregnant. Uh, I'm here today because I'm growing. Yes, yes, I know. I'm supposed to. Parts of me are growing though, that nobody told me about. My library full of pregnancy books failed to mention the following scenario to me, therefore I need support (no pun intended)...

I have begrudgingly resisted against buying larger things for myself outside of the usual {preg jeans, tank tops, etc..} so when the morning came and I looked down at my uppers {milk-suppliers} I realized I was starting to more closely resemble that of the bovine family than the human counterpart I previously was. I blatantly have refused even against the persistant request of my oh-so-patient husband to upgrade to a larger size in the bra department. Nope, nope, nope. Why?????? Why do that? They're large enough. Enough.

They're gonna get HOW big, you said? My belly and uppers are starting to meet. I'm not even embarrassed to say. It's true. They are one now. Joined. As if life/gravity have brought them together. Well, I guess to some regard that is true. I however, am bewildered at the massive size they have acquired. Did they forget I'm only 5'3? Lest they know, I'm supposed to stand UP-RIGHT to grow a child.

Scenario: I go to Target to buy ONE thing. A dress. Got it, great. Done. As I'm walking out I happen to walk by the bra section. Ughhhh. Fine. I know what size I am normally, and I adamantly refuse to go up a letter size. Won't do it. I'll spare you the details, as not to frighten you, so I quickly snatched up the next size making sure no one saw how truly big my size was. There were plenty of course, because NO ONE is that big. Ever.

I grab the one I need and run. Run. As I'm fleeing the scene, my heinously large bra flies out of my grasp and into the middle of the aisle. The horror. I probably turned 17 shades of red as I picked it up. I wanted to yell out, "It's for my FAT sister!!!!" I think I even felt Hudson get embarrassed FORRR me.

I paid, went home. Sadly told my husband about the purchase. Him praising the Lord that his wife finally saw the light.

The next morning, I put it on, the biggest bra I could find. Never tried it on at Target because I knew it would fit. Why wouldn't it? It's the biggest bra in all the land.

it did not fit. The pregnancy books don't prepare you for that. My uppers have turned into udders.

I realize this is a fit-throwing post, but from time to time I must vent. Thus, why I have come to you at P.A. I am ever so grateful that my udders will provide Hudson all the nourishment to be the plumpest sweet tiny in all the world, but I am allowed this moment of sheer horror at my own boobs, er udders.

So, because that one did not fit I'm having one made. Double D, what? Here they are constructing it:

that to this

I was tagged by sweet Darci over at Life @ The White House, for a then & now post :)

Baby Nat:

Bride Nat:

Now I tag:

• Lea Liz at The Roland's
• Erin Elizabeth at Cardigans and Kisses
• Lindsey at Sweet Simplicity
• Abby at Babbling Abby
• and any of our FOLLOWERS!!! Please leave me a comment if you post your then & now on your blog!!

5 months

We are now on the monthly growth chart, so this sweet baby Papaya is supposed to cover month 5 (wks 21-24). Hudson is growing, growing, growing and we've gotten pretty used to his day--wakes up around 8:30ish when I do, kicks for mommy; gives me a few jabs throughout the day; and gives us a nightly show around 10ish right before we are about to go to bed. JR has been able to feel him almost every single day!! We have a routine :) It truly is so incredible for us both to "feel' him now, words can't even begin to express...

*Those fruit pics don't do much to hold you guys over, huh? A baby bump pic to come...just for you!

...

We will be taking the wknd off, to go spend time with family in celebration of NaNa's beautiful life. She passed on Thursday morning, peacefully, and for that we are all grateful.

Thank you so much for all of your sweet thoughts and concern for NaNa, I know the family is very very appreciative of all of your love and thoughtful prayers.

In Heaven, she now waits!! How awesome.

*We've had a rough start this morning, as Hudson "woke up" at 6am to tell mommy that he did NOT like Taverna for dinner last night. Tummy ache = icky morning.

He is quite the active womb child...