a first.

today i did something i've never done before. i bought my baby diapers and wipes.

i've been doing some research and have found that although cheap/free diapers are nearly impossible to come by it is possible to find a good deal...
once i made the decision NOT to cloth diaper [because there is no washer/dryer in our place] i started looking for what i should be doing to get the best deal.
after doing some research here and here i've found a good goal price to aim for is about 10¢ per diaper... you think that's pretty easy, but just looking at costco.com i found prices ranging from 23¢ to 31¢ to 14¢ for the costco brand w/ a $10 off coupon. so 10¢ diapers- not easy to come by.
but i think it's a good goal. one i want to stick to, because i'm all about finding deals...
so today i saw this- 234 Pampers Swaddlers (Size 1) for $29.23 Shipped (12¢ Per Diaper) and because many of my friends exclusively use this brand for newborns i thought it would be worth it. only 2¢ from my goal & they get shipped to my house for free. i love free shipping.
and amidst my search for diaper deals i found this- Top Diaper Deals of the Week.
i think that will come in real handy... found a great deal on wipes too. and bought some so that i can actually clean my babies bottom.

so today i bought diapers and wipes for the first time.
Here's to great deals on diapers & wipes for many years to come!!!

Tuesday Thoughts

i'm one day late. i think i just forgot yesterday was tuesday.
i haven't done all the blogging i planned. a ten year old computer barely knows what blogging is. and makes it pretty difficult to actually post anything with a picture. boo.
last night we celebrated the birthday of one of our very best friends. jeremy- i met him when he was in 7th grade. he was a bridesmaid. for real. that's how good of a friend he is. happy birthday jer bear, we love you.
my last day of work keeps getting closer and closer. it's a bit scary. also exciting.
{about} 33 more days till we meet this little man.
Manny and i hammered out the details of what will happen when i go into labor. so much unknown. but it will all happen just as the Lord has planned. i'm crazy excited to see how that will all work out... early/late/at work/on a Saturday/will we be busy that day/will i labor at home for a while/water breaking/WHO KNOWS!??!?!?
there has been some yucky sickness going around. i don't want to get anything...
I GOT THE BUMPER last night! Seriously, i know i'm weird but i'm so stinking exciting about this over priced piece of cloth. it's perfect. it's the inspiration for the whole nursery. i love it.
baby is moving, moving, moving. it's not so much kicking anymore. i can't even explain it. ha.
the weather has been most perfect here lately. will continue to rock these maternity shorts until the last second possible... maybe i'll put them away when the blizzard comes...
1st real month in Tupperware- going to have to say- successful. difficult at times, but i've enjoyed it & walked away with extra monies. thank you God for your faithful provision.
baby shower with church people was last sunday. baby shower with family/friends is this sunday. seriously beyond blessed. this little guy is going to be very loved :)
need to keep myself drinking lots of water. i'm working on it.
craft fair also keeps getting closer- need to do some crafts yo!
ok no more thoughts today. peace.

beyond blessed.

so I cry. I cry pretty often. in fact I'm crying right now. but not because I'm sad or upset. it is because I am beyond blessed.
in the past year the Lord has placed some absolutely incredible women in my life. last night they all came together to celebrate me and this miracle in my belly. they showered me with presents, love, and pray. it was unreal.
but today i sit here not thankful for the really cute outfits they bought our baby boy, but for their hearts. my goodness. these women. their hearts are made of gold i'm sure. they are real and true. they are incredible mothers. they are the best friends. they are selfless and thoughtful. they shine the love Christ everyday. and even when sin and yuck get in the way they are quick to their knees and quick to seek the face of the One who created us all. they inspire me in so many ways.
i can't even comprehend how blessed i am to have these women in my life. {one of them happens to be my momma, she's the best}. so if you read this friends- thank you. i love you. seriously.

and today, Lord I'm thankful for these women. for their hearts. for their love. for their friendship. i am beyond blessed.

32-34 Weeks

wow. no question about it. i'm one very pregnant lady.
weeks 32-34.
my cousin got married.
Manny ran a half marathon.
Manny turned 25.
we finished birth classes.
i've been hosting my first Tupperware parties.
we moved.
john's been playing lots of football.
I had another doctor appointment-
blood pressure was much better.
baby was head down.
3 other babies were born at Alethia. crazy.
i've had the never ending cold.
it is much more difficult to bend over/ move around.
today marks only 1 month left with a job.
my heartburn is still pretty bad, but zantac works most of the time.
we're calling him ninja baby.
kicking, moving, flipping... all the time!
i can't believe we're going to have a baby in like a little more than a month.
i can't wait to meet him.
i can't believe this thing inside me is going to become a living breathing person that we get to take care of.
love you baby boy.

Tuesday Thoughts

Tuesday.
I've been slacking on the blogging.
Mostly because I can't get any pictures on my computer. Because my computer broke & I can't just slide my SD card right into the side of the computer. I have to get our SD USB deal, which I keep forgetting. Maybe by the end of this week I'll remember it and post a bunch...
If I was on top of it I would have some exciting posts about...
- our trip to San Fransisco {which was a month ago!}
- moving
- a 32 week update & pic {I'm 33 weeks now}
- a day in the life of {pre-baby}
- Manny's 25th birthday
so yes, hopefully I'll get to those soon.
In other news...
My Tupperware business is coming along quite nicely. It's pretty exciting. I have my second party tonight! yahoo!
I started a new study with Alethia's Woman's Ministry, a Beth Moore on Revelation. Should prove to be quite exciting.
I found a glider/rocker on Craigslist. Got it for $20! YAHOO. Need to recover it though. Should be fun.
Still looking for a dresser. Need to get it. Paint it. Put in the room.
Really looking forward to baby showers. Maybe I'll feel a little more prepared after those...
Manny is playing on the church softball team. He's really good. And really hott. I really like that I can call him mine :)
Moving when pregnant is very tiring.
I'm getting back into the swing of making meals & buying food. Has it's perks and also sucks.
I love candy corn. Usually I make a rule that I can't buy any till October 1st. But I broke that rule this year. I'm pregnant.
If it gets cold me and my big belly are going to freeze. Should be fun.
My mom tried to be super nice and get me some maternity clothes I could wear for the next two months. They didn't work so I went to return them in hopes of finding something that would work. That didn't happen. I bought some stuff for the baby.
Loved making my ground beef in my Tupperware Stack Cooker last night. Seriously revolutionizing my life!
I'm going to eat a cookie.
Have a great Tuesday!

25.

my love. my best friend. my very hot husband.
is 25 today!!!

Happy Birthday Manny Pollard
25 Reasons Why YOU are Beyond Greatness
1. you make me laugh everyday
2. you are incredibly handsome
3. you are the very best friend, to not only me but EVERYONE
4. you're going to be the best DAD
5. you are a great speaker of the Truth
6. you're the best race car driver -that's never driven a race car-
7. you always listen to my dreams
8. you give great hugs
9. you are incredibly caring
10. you have great perspective
11. you kiss me like you love me everyday
12. you hold my hand in the car almost every time
13. you remember everything
14. you have a really cute butt
15. you love your family and friends like it's nobody's business
16. you make the best pancakes every time we go camping
17. you're a great uncle
18. you always know exactly what to say
19. you take out the trash
20. you don't get too annoyed with me when i'm nosy
21. you can pick the best drinks
22. you love pizza - just as much as me & this baby do
23. you're passionate
24. you are humble
25. you're all mine!

Happy Birthday Babe. I love you too much.

the worst.

in the age of technological dependence i would say the worst thing ever is a crashed/dead/never to be restored hard drive.
all your work.
all your pictures.
GONE.
the worst part- this has happened to me 3 times!!!

just a few weeks ago i dropped my computer. yea seriously sucky. but in a way it was ok because i had been good & backed up all my files just the day before.
today- i go to the hard drive to get some of those files back. i can't find them. i never actually backed anything up.

i seriously just want to cry.

about busynes...

Well, first of all I think busyness looks like it is spelled wrong... but that's besides the point.

My friend Adam is talking about on his blog HERE. And it got me thinking... What is all this busyness we've got going on? What is it doing to our lives, our marriages, our families? And how do we stop it? Or are we even supposed to stop it?

Let's take a look at this weekend... I would have to say it's pretty busy.
Friday: 7:30am-4:30pm work
Friday evening: PRHS Football Auction {supporting my brother's football team}
Saturday morning: watching my friends kiddos so they can help some friends move
Saturday afternoon: bridal shower for my soon-to-be cousin-in-law Jaimie
Saturday evening: brother's football game
Sunday morning: church
Sunday afternoon/evening: family & relaxing time
{holiday} Monday morning: husband & friend run half-marathon
Monday afternoon/ evening: cousin's wedding

So that's my weekend. Is it busy? Or is it just full of the people I love & doing stuff I love? Where's the line between family/community/healthy activity/etc and BUSY?
Romans 12:2- "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect"
So I guess in everything that is going on this weekend I should ask myself, Am I conforming to the world? Have I sought God's will in this?

There have been times in my life when my busyness was all consuming, overwhelming, frustrating, irritating, and detrimental to what matters most to me. But I feel like when I ask myself is this busyness what God wants for my life right now, I have to answer with a yes.
Sure, I could stay home tonight & sit in the quiet, but I wouldn't be supporting those I love most. Sure, it would have been easier to tell my friend I can't want to watch her kids because I needed some time, but that wouldn't be blessing anyone. Sure, I could skip out on the shower and wedding, but I would miss out on seeing and celebrating with my great family.

And it goes beyond just this weekend. In this season of life, it would be easier to not be in two great woman's studies or be at every AlethiaYouth event or family dinners or later nights with friends all the while trying to grow a baby and start a business. Yes, doing none of that would be easier. But what is more glorifying?
For now, I think it's doing all of that. Come baby, I think it will all change. And that will be good.
But right now, in this season God has us busyness. Busy with family, friends, church, school, and other stuff. And I pray that within that busyness I never lose sight of Him and His will for my life.

So really that answers nothing and probably helps no one. I guess I'm just trying to figure out all of this life and process what His will in my life really is...